IN THE SANCTJFIC tore, and absolutely destructive of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. S. Whaher the freedom of will that is in believers do consist in an indiffsrency and freedom from any determination only, with a power equally ready for good or evil, according as the will shall deter- mine itself; or whether it consists in a gracious freedom and ability to choose, will, and do that which is spiritu- ally good, in opposition to the bondageand slavery un- to sin, wherein we were before detained. This last is that liberty and power of the will which we assert, with the scripture, in persons that are sanctified. And a li- berty this is every wayconsistentwith all theoperations of God, as the sovereign first cause of all things; every way compliant with, and an eff:ct of the special grace of God, and the operations of the Holy Ghost; a li- berty whereby our obedience and salvation are secured, in answer to the promises of the covenant. And who, that understands himself, would change this real, use- ful, gracious free-will, given by Jesus Christ, the Son of God, when he makes us free, and an effect of God's writing his law in our hearts, to cause us to walk in his statutes, that property of the new heart, whereby it is able to consent unto, choose, and embrace freely the things of God, for that fictitious imaginary freedom, yea, for it, if it were real, of an indifferency unto all things, and an equal power unto every thing, whether it be good or evil. I say, then, that by the habit of grace and holinessinfused into us by the Spirit of sanc- tification, the will is freed, enlarged, and enabled to answer the commandsof God for obedience, according to the tenor of the new covenant. This is that free- dom, this is that power of the will which the scripture reveals and regards, and which, by all the promises and precepts of it, we are obliged to use and exercise, and no other. Sect. 35. (3.) The affections, which naturally are the principal servants and instrumentsof sin, are hereby engagedunto God, Dent. xxx. 6. And from what bath been thus fir discoursed, the sense of our former asser- tion is evident, as also the nature of the principle of ho- liness insisted on. The Holy Ghost, in our sanctification, doth work, ef- fect, and create in us, a new, holy, spiritual, vital prin. cipleof grace, residing in all the faculties of our souls, according as their especial nature is capable thereof, af- ter themanner of a permanent and prevalent habit, which ATION OF BELIEVERS. 293 he cherisheth, preserveth, inereaseth, and slrengtheneth continually, by effectual supplies of grace from Jesus Christ, dispgsing, inclining, and enabling the whole soul unto all ways, acts, and duties of holiness, where- by we live to God, opposing, resisting, and finally con- quering whatever is opposite and contrary thereunto. 'l'his belongs essentially unto evangelical holiness, yea, herein doth the nature of it formally and radically con- sist. This is that from whence believers are denomina- ted holy, and without which none are so, or can be no called. Sect. 86.Secondly, The properties of this power are readiness and facility. Wherever it is, it renders the soul ready unto all duties of holy obedience, and renders all duties of holy obedience easy unto the soul. 1. It gives readiness, by removing and taking away all those incumbrances which the mind is apt tobe clog- ged with and hindered by, from sin, the world, spiri- tual sloth, and unbelief. This is that which we areex- horted unto in a way of duty, Heb. xii. i. Luke xii. 35. I Peter i. 13. chap. iv. 1. Eph. vi. H. Herein is the Spirit ready, though, the flesh be weak, Mark xis,. 35. And those incumbrances which give an unreadi- ness unto obedience to God, may be considered two ways: (1.) As they are in their full power and efficacy in persons unregenerate; whence they are unto every good work reprobate, Titus i. 13. Hence proceed all those<prevalent tergiversations against a compliance with the will of God, and their own convictions, which bear sway in such persons. Yet a little slumber, a little sleep, a littlefolding ofthe hands to sleep, Prov. vi. 10. By these do men so oftenput off the calls of God, and perniciously procrastinate from time to time a full com- pliance with their convictions. And whatever particular duties such persons do perform, yet are their hearts and minds never prepared or ready for them; but the incumbrances mentioned, do influence them into spiri- tual disorders in all that they do. (2.) These prin- ciples of sloth and unreadinessdo oft-times partially in- fluence the minds of believers themselves unto great in- dispositions unto spiritual duties: So the Spouse states her case, Cant. v. 2, 3. By reason of her circumstan- ces in the world, she had an unreadiness for that con- verse and communion with Christ, which she was called unto. And it is so not unfrequently with the best of men in this world. A spiritual unreadiness unto holy
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