315 / 504
Doó.of
Perlof.
Sts
its,
ufefulnes
to promote
Gofpep-
Obedience.
C.
X
gracious principles
that
are beftowed upon
the
Saints,
that
are
intended, the
2
g9
new Creature,
the inward
man,
called
the
Spirit in
the scripture, in
óppofition
to
the
flefh,
if our
ftrengthning
this Spirit,
be
any
thing, but the
acing of the
Graces
intended thereby
in us, I
know
not what
you meane. Efpecially,
in
what
is
or
confifts
their
filing
to make
the
Spirit willing
proportionably
to
the meanes
we do
receive,
am I
to
feeke,
to
fay,
that
we
receave
outward
meanes
ofGod, (for
fo
they mull be, being diftinguifhed from the Spirit)
and
thereupon
of
our
felves
do make the
Spirit willing, and ftrengthen him
to the
performance
of
God,
furely ho]des
out
a
very
fufficient
power
in
Spi-
rituali things, inbred
in us,
and
abidingwith
us
whereof there
is
not
the leaft
Line
or
appearance
in
the
whole
Booke
of God,
nor
in
any
Author urged
by
Mr
Goodwin
to
give
countenance
to
his
perfwafion,
neither
2.
Is
the fumme
of
allthis Anfwer any
other,but
this
Ifwe
are willing
&
willprevent
all
mifcarriages
from
the weakeneffeof the
flefh,we may.
But
how we
beco,,me
willing
foto
do, and what
Affurance we have,
that
we (hall be fo
willing, feeing all
in
us
by nature,
as
to
any Spirituall
duty,
is
flefh,
is nett
in-
John
3:6,
timated
in
the leaft; This
is
ftrenuoufly fuppofed
all
along,
that to
be willing
unto'
fpirituall
good,in
a
fpirituall manner,
is
wholly
in
our owne power, and
an
eafie
thing it
is,
no
doubt; The
plea in
hand
is
,
that
filch
is
the ftrength
of
indwelling finnein the beff
ofthe
Saints,
and
fo eafily
doth it
befit them,
that
if
they have not
fome Promife
of
God
to
affure
them,
that
they fhall
have conftant fupply
of
Grace from him, and by
his
power be preferved, it
is
impoffible
but
that
they mutt be
filled
with perplexing feares,
that
they
(hall
not hold out
in
giving him willingObedience
to
the end;
Their Will,
being
in an
efpeciall
manner entangled
with
the
power offinne: It
is
anfwe-
red,
if
men
be
but willing
&c.
they
need not
feare this,
or any
fnch
iffue;
(i.
e.)
If
they do
the
thing
which
they
fear;
and have
reafons
invincible
to
feare,
that
they
thall
not,
they need not feare, but
that
they
fhall
do
it:
which
is
no
thing but
a
moil abfurd begging.of the thing
in
Queftion.Nether
is
there any
thiug
in
the
Scripture
that
will give
a paffe
to
this
Begger;
orfhelter
him
from
due
correaion; The
Apoftle
indeed
faith
that
if
we
walke
in
the
Spirit,
we
(hall not fulfil
the
lugsof
theflefb.And
good
hieafon
there
is
for
it,for
as
he
told
us
thefe
are contrary
to one
an other, and oppofite
to
one another, & bring
forth
fuch divers &
contrary fruits,in theni,in
whom they
are,that
if
we
walk
in
the
one,we
(hall
not
fullfill
the
lufts
of
the other.
But
what
affurance
have
we,that
we fhall
walke in
the Spirit,
if
it be
not
hence,
that
God bath
promifed
that
his
Spirit
(hall
never depart from
us And
if
we
are lead
by
the
Spirit
we
are
not
unduee4hz._
"w;
Which
by the way, letteth-us
fee
that the
Spirit
leadeth
us,
(that
is)
ma
eth
us
willing and
ftrengthenerh
us,
not
we
him;)
But on
what
account
fhall
or dare
any man promife
to
himfelfe,
that
the
Spirit
will
con-
tinue
fo
to
do,
if
God hath not promifed
that
he
Thall
fo
do?
Or if
his
leading
of
us,
be
only on condition
that
we
be willing
to be lead, how
fhall we
be in
the
leaft affertained, (fuppofing
us
in
any meafure acquainted with
the
power
of
indwelling
finne)
that
we fhall
be alway
fo
willing,
let then
this
paffe
withwhat
was
laid before
as nothing
to
the
thing
in
hand.
3.
It
is anfwered then
(3l
t
and
la
fily)there
is
no
fuch
aptneffe
or
proneneffe
itn-e
"Q.
2
3°
to
finne, Pines
I
;mane
of
a
d
f
nheriting import in Saints,
or
true
Believers as
is
pretended: Sùt on
the contrary
a
flrong
propenfon
or
inclination
unto
Righteauf
nefe
raigneth
in
them;
we
heardformerly
from
the
Apo
file r
John 3.9. That
he
that
is
borne
of
God
cannot
'lane:
and
alfo
from
the 27ohn
5.
3.
From
therellip-
pof
tions
with many other
of
like import,
it
is evident
that
there is
a
pregnant'
.fUrong,
over powring propenfion,
in
all true
Believers' to
walkeHolily,
and
to
live
Righteoußy,
fo that
to
refrain
finning
in
the
kind
intended, is
no
fuck reat
ma-
L1.2
fiery