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Refdraint an
efl'e&
of
the Spirit's
In-dwelling.
C.
VIM
s5=z7.
thefe things,drops
an
awe upon
their
Spirits,
binding them
upfront
running
203
out
unto
that'
compaffè
of
exceffe
and ryot,
in
finning, which
otherwifè
their
tufts
would carry
them
.
out unto. This
is
not
his
way
of
dealing with
the
Saints, he
writes
his Law
in their hearts,and puts
his
feare in theirinward
Jer.31.34.
parts,
that
they
may
not depart
from
him, making them
a
willing people,
through
his
owne Power.
By
his
effectually
remaining Grace,
he carryes
them
Piat.0
0,39
out,
kindly, chearefully, willingly,
to
do
his
whole
will,'
working
in
them
to
will and
to do,o
f
his
owne good
pleafure:
yet notwithftanding
all this,
often
times,through the ftrength
of
Temptation,the fubtilty ofSathan,and
his
rea-
dineffe
to
improve
all Advantages
to
the
utmoti, the treachery and
deceit=
fulnefle
of
indwelling
finne,
and corruption, they are carryed beyond
the
bounds
and lines
of
that
principle,
or
Law
of
Life
and Love, whereby
they
are
lead.
What
now doth
the
Lord do
?
They are ready
to
runne quite
out
of
the pafture
of
Chrift; Both he let them goe, and give them
up
to them-
felves
?
Nay,but
he
Pets
an
hedge
about them,
that
they
(hall
not
find
their
way. He leades
them
as
the
wild
Affe
in
her month,
that
they
may
be found:
he
puts
a Reftraint
upon
their
Spirits, by fetting home fome fad confiderati-
ons
of
the
evill
of
their hearts and
wayes,
whether they are going,
what they
are doing,and what
(hall
be ¡flue
of
their walking
fo
looíly. Even
in
this life,
what
fhame,what
fcandall,whatdithonour to themfelves,their
profeffion,
the
Gofpell,
their Brethren,
it
would
prove, and
fo
hampers them
,
quiets
their,
Spirits,
and gently brings
them
againe
under
obedience
unto
that prin-
ciple
of
Love, that
is
in
them, and the Spirit
of
Grace (whofe yoake
they
were
°rafting
off,
)
whereby they are lead, Many times
then,
even
the
Saints.
of
God are kept from finnes,
efpecially
outward
,
aótuall finnes,
upon
fuch
outward
motives
,
reafonings, and confiderations
, as
other
men are
: Peter was
broken
lode,
and running downe hill apace,
denying
and
forfwearing
his
Matter ; Chrift puts
a
reftraint upon
his
Spirit
by
a
looke
toward
him :
this mindes him
of
his
folly, unkindneffe,
his
former
raft]
confidence,and ingagement
to
dye
with his Matter, and
Pets
him on
filch
Confiderations,as
ftirred
up the principle
of
Grace
in
hitn, to take
its
place
and ruleagaine:
andin
obedience
thereunto,
he
not
only
defefis
from any
farther denyall,
but
Faith, Repentance, Lòve,
all
exerting themfelves,
he
goes out, and
wept
bitterly:
It
is
fo
frequently with the
Saints
of
God, theugh
m
leffer evills: by
neglef
and
omiffion
of
duty, or
inclination
to
evill, and
rioting
+with
temptations
,
they breake out
Of
the
pure and perfeft
Rule
and Guidance
of
the
Spirit,
whereby they
ought
to be
lead:
inftantly
Come
Con
federations
or otherare
preffed on
upon
their
Spirits,taken perhaps from
out-
ward
things, which recovers them
to that
obedientiall frame,from whence,
through
violence
ofCorruption, and Temptation,
they had broken. Like an
Hawke
fitting on
a
mans
hand, eating her meat
in
quietneffe,is
fuddenly,by
theoriginall
wildneffe
of
her
nature,
carryed out
to
an
attempt
of
flying
a-
way with fpeed,
but
is
checkt by
the
firing at
her
heeles,upon which
Thee
re-
turnes
to
her meat
againe.
We
have
an
innate
wildneffe in
us, provoking
and furring
as
up
to
runne from God.
Were
we
not recovered by
force clog
faftned on as for
our
Reftraint,
we thould
often tonne
into the molt defperate
paths.
And
this
Ref%raint
(I
fay)
is
from
the
indwelling
spirit;
He ftirrs up one
thing
or other,to
(mite
theHearts
& Confcience,when
it
is
under the Power
of
any
Temptation
to
finne
and
folly.
So
it
was
with David,in
the Attempt
he
made
upon
Saul,
when he cut
of
the
lappe
of
his Garment;
Temptation,&
op
-.
portunity had
almoft
turned
him loofe frb under
the
power
of
Faith,waiting,
and
dependance on
God,
wherein lay
the
generali frame
of
his
Spirit:
lie is
D
d
2
recovered