z The NATURE andPOWER (1.) There is in his will a principle fixedon good, on allgood. Ram.vü, 21. He would do good. The principle of grace in the will, inclines him to all good. And this in general is prevalent againft the principle of fin, fo that the will is denominated from thence. Grace hath the rule and do- miltion, and not fin, in the will of every believer. Now that confent unto fin in the will, which iscontrary to the inclination and generally prevdil- ing principle in the faine will, is not, cannot be total, abfolute and com- plete. (2.) There is not only a general, ruling, prevailing principle in the will againft Sin, but there is alfo a fecret relu fancyy in it againft its own at in confenting unto fin. It is true, the foul is not fenfible fometimes of this re- luftancy, becaufe the prefent confent carries away the prevailing aft of the will, and takes away the fenfe of the lullingof the fpirit, or reluftancy of the principleof grace in the will. But the general rule holdeth in all things at all tunes, Gal. v. 17. Thefpirit lufletb agaily1 the fief') : it loth fo aftually, though not always to the fame degree, nor with the fame fuceefs. And the prevalencyof the contrary principlein this or that particular aft, cloth not difprove it. It is fo on the other fide, there is no afting of grace in the will, but fin lulls againft it; although that lulling be not made fen- fible in the foul, becaufe of the prevalency of the contrary afting ofgrace, yet it is enough to keep tlrofe actings from per£eftion in their kind. Sois it in this renìtertcyof grace againft the afting of fin in the foul; though it be not fenfible in itsoperations, yet it is enough to keep that aft from being full and complete. And much offpiritual wifdoin lies indifcerning: aright between the fpiritual renitency of the principle of grace in the willagainft fin, and the rebukes that are given the foul by conference upon conviáiorx for fin. 4. Obferve, that reiterated repeated adsof theconfent of the will unto fin, may beget a difpoftionand inclineablenefs in it unto the likeacts, that may bring the will unto a pronenefs and readinefs. to confent unto fin upon: eafy folicitations, which is a. conditionof foul,dangerousandgreatly tobe watched againft. g. Thisconfent of the will, which we haue thus defcribed;, may be.eon fidered two ways. (o.) As it is exercifed about the circumftances, eaufes,, means and induce- ments unto fin. (s.) As it refpefts this or that adual fin. In the firft fenfe, therg. is,a virtual confent of the will unto fin in.every inadvertency unto theprevention of it, in every neglect of duty that makes- way for it, in every hearkning unto any temptation leading towards it. In a word, in all the diverfions of themind from its duty, and intanglementi of the affections by fin before mentioned. For where there is no all of the will formally, or virtually, there is no fin. But this is not that which we now fpeak of. But in particular the confentof the will unto this or that actual fin, fo far as that either fin is committed, or is prevented by other ways and means not of our prefent confideration. And herein confus the. conceiving of fin. Thefe things being fuppofed, that which in the next place we are to confider, is the way that the, deceit of fin proceedeth in ; to procure- the confent of the will, and fo to conceive adual fin in the foul. To this purpofe obferve, [i.]That the will is a rational appetite; rational as guided by the mind ; and an appetite as excited by the affeáions-; and fo in its operation or . slings bath refpeá'to both, is influenced by both. [x.] It
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