Though we cannot make out the lesson, yet we should be scribbling
at it, and the more we exercise ourselves this way, setting the Spirit's
direction before our eyes, the more perfect shall we be.

It is high time, indeed, to pretend to this, to be a son or a daughter of
God. It is a higher word than if a man could deduce his genealogy from an
uninterrupted line of a thousand kings and princes. There is more honour,
true honour, in it, and profit too. It is that which enriches the poorest,
and ennobles the basest, inconceivably beyond all the imaginary degrees of
men. Now, my beloved, this is the great design of the gospel, to bestow
this incomparable privilege upon you, "to become the sons of God." But it
is sad to think how many souls scarce think upon it, and how many delude
themselves in it. But consider, that as many as are the sons of God, are
led by the Spirit of God,--they have gotten a new leader and guide, other
than their own fancy or humour, which once they followed in the ignorance
of their hearts. It is lamentable to conceive how the most part of us are
acted,(213) and driven, and carried headlong, rather than gently led, by
our own carnal and corrupt inclinations. Men pretending to Christianity,
yet hurried away with every self-pleasing object, as if they were not
masters of themselves, furiously agitated by violent lusts, miscarried
continually against the very dictates of their own reason and conscience.
And I fear there is too much of these even in those who have more reason
to assume this honourable title of sonship. I know not how we are
exceedingly addicted to self-pleasing in every thing. Whatsoever our fancy
or inclination suggests to us, that we must do without more bands, if it
be not directly sinful. Whatsoever we apprehend, that we must vent and
speak it out, though to little or no edification. Like that of Solomon, we
deny our hearts nothing they desire, except the grossness of it restrain
us. Now, certainly if we knew what we are called to, who are the sons of
God, we could not but disengage more with ourselves, even in lawful
things, and give over the conduct of our hearts and ways to the Spirit of
our Father whom we may be persuaded of, that he will lead us in the ways
of pleasantness and peace.

Now, the special and peculiar operations of the Spirit are expressed in
the following words. There are some workings of the Spirit of God that are
but introductory and subservient to more excellent