ughout.
And is this walking after the Spirit, which imports a constancy? And what
part can be spared most, but the spirit of a man? The body is distracted
with other necessary things, but we might always spare our souls to God.
Now, thus should a man obey that command,--"pray always." It is impossible
that he should do nothing else but pray in an express formal way; but the
soul's walking with God, between times of prayer, should compensate that.
And thus prayer is continued, though not in itself, yet in meditation on
God, which hath in it the seed of all worship, and is virtually prayer and
thanksgiving, and all duties.

Let us then consider, if our bodies be not more exercised in religion than
our souls, yea, if they be not the chief agents. How many impertinencies,
and roveries, and wanderings, are throughout the day? The most part of our
conversation, if it be not profane, yet it is vain, that is, unprofitable
in the world. It neither advantageth us spiritually, nor glorifies God. It
is almost to no purpose; and this is enough to make it all flesh. And for
our thoughts, how do they go unlimited and unrestrained?--like a wild ass,
traversing her ways, and gadding about, fixed on nothing,--at least not on
God; nay, fixed on any thing but God. If it be spiritual service, should
it not carry the seal of our spirit and affection on it? We are as so many
shadows walking, as pictures and statues of Christians, without the soul
and life, which consists in the temper and disposition of the spirit and
soul towards God.

Sermon V.

Verse 1.--"Who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."

It is no wonder that we cannot speak any thing to purpose of this subject,
and that you do not bear with fruit, because it is indeed a mystery to our
judgments, and a great stranger to our practice. There is so little of the
Spirit, both in teachers and those that come to be taught, that we can but
speak of it as an unknown thing, and cannot make you to conceive it, in
the living notion of it as it is. Only we may say in general,--it is
certainly a divine thing, and another thing than our common or religious
walk is. It is little experienced, so we can know the less of it; but this
much we should know,--it is another thing than we have attained. It is
above us, and yet such a thing as we are called to aspire unto. How should
it stir up in our spirits a holy fire of ambition to be at such a thing,
when we hear it is a t