234 TIIE POSITIVE WOE duties, arising from the power of sloth, or the occasions of life, is no small part of their sin and trouble. Both these-are removed by this spiritual power of the princi- ple of life and holiness in believers. The total prevail- ing power of them, such as is in persons unregenerate, is broken by the .first infusionof it into the soul, where- in it gives an habitual fitness and preparation of heart unto all duties of obedience unto God. Amd by various degrees it freeth believers from the remainders -of the incumbrances which they haveyet-to conflict with; and this it doth three ways: As, (I.) It weakeneth and tak- eth off thebent of the -soul from earthly things, so -as they shall not possess the mind as formerly, Col. iii. 2. now it doth -this, was-declared before; and when this is done the-mind is greatly ,eased of its burden, and some way ready unto its duty. (L.) It gives an insight into the beauty, the excellency, and glory of holiness and all duties of obedience. This they see nothing of, who, being unsanctifled, are under the power of their natural darkness. They can see no beauty in holiness, no form nor comeliness why it should be desired; and it is no wonder if they are -unfree to the duties of it, which they arebut as it were compelled unto. But the spiritual light wherewith this principle of grace is ac- companied, discovers an excellency-in holiness, and the duties of it, and in the communion with-God which we have thereby, so as greatly to incline the mind unto them, and prepare it for .them. (3.) -It causeth the affections,to.cleave and adhere unto them with delight. How do Rove thy law, saith David; any delight is in thy statutes; they aresweeter unto me than thehoney-comb. Where these three things concur, that the mind is freed from the powerful influences of carnal lusts and love of this world, where the beauty and excellency of holiness, and the duties of obedience, lie clear in the eyes of the soul, and where the affections cleave unto spiritual things, as commanded,.then -will -be that - readiness in obedience whichwe inquire after. Sect. 37.-2. It gives facility or easiness -in the -per- formance of all duties of obedience. Whatever men do from an habit, they do with some kind of easiness. That is easy to them which they are accustomed :unto, though hard and difficult in. itself. And -what is done° from nature is done with facility. And the.principle of grace, as we have shewed, is a new nature, -an infused :titbit, with respect unto the life of God, or all duties It OP TIIE SPIRIT of holy obedience. I grant, there will be opposition unto them even in the mind and heart itself, from sin and Satan, and temptations of all sorts, yea, and they may sometimes rise so high, as either to defeat our purposes and intentions unto duties, or to clog as in them, to take off our chariot-wheels, and to make us drive heavily. But still it is in the nature of the principle ofholiness to make the whole course -of obedi- ence, and all the duties of it, easy unto us, and to give us a facility in their performance -: For, (1.) It intro- duceth a-suitableness between our minds and the duties we are to preform. By it is the law written in our hearts, that is, there is an answerableness in them unto all that the law of God requires. in the stateof nature, the great -things of the law of God are a strange thing unto s, Hos. viii. 12. there is an enmity in our minds against them, Rom. viii. 7. There is no suitableness between our minds and them. But this is taken away by theprinciple of grace. Thereby do the mind and duty answer one another, as the eye and a lightsome body. Hence, the commands of Christ are not griev- ous unto them in whom it is, 1 John v. S. They do not appear to contain any thing uncouth, unreasonable, burdensome, or any way unsuited to that new nature whereby the soul is influenced and actuated. Hence, all the ways of wisdom are unto believers as they are in themselves, pleasantness, and all her paths are peace, Prov. iii. -l7. The great notion of some in these days is, about the suitableness of Christian religion unto reason. And, to make good-their assertion in the principal mysteries of it, because reason will not cometo;them, they bring them, by violence, unto their reason. But it is with respect unto this renewed principle alone, that there is a suitableness in any of the things of God unto our minds and affections. -(2.) it keeps up the heart or whole person unto a frequency of all holy acts and du- ties. And frequency give facility in every kind. It puts the soul upon reiterated aotings of faith and love, or .renewed holy thoughts and meditations. It is a spring that is continually bubbling up-in them, on the frequentrepetition ofthedaily duties of prayer, reading, holy discourse; as on closing with all opportunities and occasions of mercy, benignity, charity, and bounty a- mongst men. Hereby is the heart so accustomed unto the yoke ofthe Lord, and made so conversant -in -his
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