Anewprinciple ofObedience bellowed on Believers, C.XII. (as habits do to fuitable a&ings,) hut withal/ that this principle is not 3o1 regulated and dire&ed as our Obedience to God by a Rule, and ftirredup to exert it felfè, and they in whom it is, provoked by Rdtionall and Confcienti- ous conliderations, to the performanceoftheir duty, in that Obedience, is fo contrary to the experienceI fuppofe of all tharers with us in our Mortality, that it will hardly beadmitted into debate. But Secondly,the worn part of this story lyes in the middle ofit,in theexclufi- on of any fuch Spirituallprinciple in Believers, as thould carry them out unto Obedience, at leaf} to any fuch as is not begotten in their minds by Ràt,onall confiderations ; What ever maybe granted ofacquired habites ofGrace(which that the firft should be, that a Spirituals habit thould be acquiredby natural/ a&ings, is a mot} ridiculous fi&ion,) all infufed Habits of Grace that fhould imprint upon the foulea new naturall inclination toObedience, that fhould fathion and frame the hearts ofmen into a (fate and Condition fuited for,and carry them out unto Spirituali Obedience, are here decryed ; All it feemes that the Scripture bath told us of our utter Infix f ciency, Deadnef/e, Difibility& indifpofedneffe to any thing that is good,without a m Life and principle, all that we have apprehended, and Believed concerning the neiv Heart, and Spirit given us, thenew Nature, asWCreature,divine Nature, inward man, Grace in theHeart, making the Roote good that the Fruit may he fo : All thatthe Saints have expreflèd concerning their Delight in God, Love to God upon the account ofhis writing his Laws in their hearts and Spirits, isa meere delufon. Thereis no principle of any Heavenly, Spiritual! Life, no newNature with its bent and inf?cin& lying towards God and Obedience to him wrought in theSaints, orbefiowedon themby the HaySpirit ofGrace; Ifthis be fo we may even fairely Phut our Bibles, and go learne this newGof- pell of fuch as are able to inflru& us therein; Wherefore! fa y Thirdly, that as inChildren there is an inflinc`l, an inclinationofnature, to induce theta and carry them out to Obedience to their naturall Parents, which yet is direaed, regulated, provoked, and flirtedup, and they thereby, to that Obedince, by Motivesand Confederations fuited toworke upon their Mindsand Confciences, toprevailewith them thereunto,fo alto in Believers; the ChildrenofGod whoarebegottenof the will of God;of the Word ofTruth, and borne againe not ofthe Will ofthe flefh but Ofthe Will ofGod, there is a new Spiritual)principle,aconflitreting principle of their SpirituallLives wrought & implanted in thé by the Spirit ofGod:a principleofFaith,Love,enabling thé for,fuiting them unto,& inciting them to that Obediencewhich isacceptable and well pleafing to their Father which is in Heaven: In which Obedience, as they are regulated by theWord, fo they are flirted up unto it by all thole motives,which the Lord in his infinite wifdome hath fitted tó prevaileon per- fonsindued withfuch a principle from himfelfe, as they are It is not incum- bent on meto enter upon the proofe and demonffration ofa Title to a Tr uth, which the Saintsof God have held fo long in unqueffioñablepoffeflìon, no- thing at all beingbrought to invalidate it, but obey abare infinuation that it is not fo. Then Fourthly, I deny not but that theSaints of God are flirted up toObedi ence,by all theCoii1derations and indutements which God layés before them, andpropofeth to them,for that end &purpofe,And as he bath fpread aprincipleofobedience over their whole foules,all theirFacultyes & Affe&i- ons,fo hebath provided in his Word;motives& inducements to the Obedience herequires, whichare fuited unto, & fit to worke upön all that iswithin them (as the Prophet fpeakes) to live tohim; Their Love,Feare,Hope, Deliresare all managed within, and provoked without to that end and pnrpofé. But how Q. 9 3 it
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