Doó.ofPerlof. Sts its, ufefulnes to promote Gofpep-Obedience. C. X gracious principles that are beftowed upon the Saints, that areintended, the 2g9 new Creature, the inwardman, called theSpirit 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 theSpirit willingproportionably 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 ofour felvesdo make the Spirit willing, and ftrengthen him to theperformance ofGod, furely ho]des out a very fufficient power inSpi- rituali things, inbred in us, andabidingwithus whereof there is not the leaft Line orappearance in thewhole Booke of God, nor in any Author urged byMr Goodwin to givecountenance tohis perfwafion, neither 2. Is the fummeofallthis Anfwer anyother,but this Ifwe are willing & willprevent all mifcarriagesfrom the weakeneffeof theflefh,we may. But how we beco,,mewilling fotodo, and what Affurance we have, that we (hall be fo willing, feeing all in usby nature, as to any Spirituall duty, isflefh, is nett in- John 3:6, timated in the leaft; This is ftrenuoufly fuppofedall along, that to be willing unto' fpirituall good,in a fpirituall manner, is wholly in our owne power, and aneafie thing it is, nodoubt; The plea inhand 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 fupplyofGrace from him, and by his power be preferved, it is impoffiblebut that they mutt be filled with perplexing feares,that they (hall not hold out ingiving him willingObedience to the end; Their Will, being in anefpeciall manner entangled with the power offinne: It is anfwe- red, ifmen be but willing &c. they need not feare this, or anyfnch iffue; (i. e.) Ifthey do the thingwhich they fear; and have reafons invincible tofeare, that they thall not, they need not feare, but that they fhall do it: which is no thing but amoil 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 duecorreaion; The Apoftle indeed faith that ifwe walke in theSpirit, we (hall not fulfilthe lugsoftheflefb.And good hieafon there is for it,for as he told us thefeare contrary to one an other, and oppofite toone another, & bringforth fuch divers & contrary fruits,in theni,inwhom they are,that ifwe walk in the one,we (hall notfullfill the lufts of the other. But what affurancehave we,that we fhall walke in the Spirit, ifit be not hence, that God bath promifed that his Spirit (hall never depart from us And ifweare lead by the Spirit we arenot unduee4hz._ "w;Which by the way, letteth-us fee that the Spirit leadeth us, (that is) ma ethus 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 todo, if God hath not promifed that he Thall fodo? Or ifhis leading ofus, beonly 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 ofindwelling finne) thatwe fhall be alway fo willing, let then this paffe withwhat waslaid before as nothing tothe thing inhand. 3. It is anfwered then (3lt and lafily)there isno fuch aptneffe orproneneffe itn-e "Q. 23° tofinne, Pines I ;mane ofa d f nheriting import in Saints,or true Believers as is pretended: Sùt on the contrarya flrong propenfon or inclination unto Righteauf nefe raigneth in them; we heardformerlyfrom the Apofile r John 3.9. That he that is borne ofGodcannot'lane: and alfofrom the 27ohn 5. 3. From therellip- poftions with many other oflike import, it is evident that there isa 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 nofuck reat ma- L1.2 fiery
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