CHAP. VI.] IN THE SANCTIFICATION OF BELIEVEKS. 491
of the mind and soul, evenly and universally, unto all that is siDiritually good, unto all acts and duties of holiness, with an inward labouring to break through and to be quit of all opposition, is the first fruit and most pregnant evidence of the renovation of our natures by the Holy Ghost.
It may be inquired, whence it is (if the habit or inherent prin- ciple of holiness do so constantly incline the soul unto all duties of holiness and obedience) that David prays that God would incline his heart unto his testimonies, Ps. cxix. 36; for it should seem from hence to be a 7iew act of grace that is required thereunto, and that it doth not spring from the habit mentioned, which was then eminent in the psalmist.
Ans. 1. I shall show afterward that, notwithstanding all the power and efficacy of habitual grace, yet there is required a new act of the Holy Spirit by his grace unto its actual exercise in particular in- stances. 2. God inclines our hearts to duties and obedience princi- pally by strengthening, increasing, and exciting the grace we have received, and which is inherent in us ; but we neither have nor ever shall have, in this world, such a stock of spiritual strength as to do any thing as we ought without renewed co-operations of grace. 8. ' There is power accompanying this habit of grace, as well as ^wo- pensity or inclination. It doth not merely dispose the soul to holy obedience, but enables it unto the acts and duties of it. Our living unto God, our walking in his ways and statutes, keeping his judgments, — • which things express our whole actual obedience, — are the effects of the new heart that is given unto us, whereby we are enabled unto them, Ezek. xxxvi. 26, 27. But this must be somewhat farther and distinctly declared; and, — (1.) I shall show that there is such a power of holy obedience in all that have the principle of holiness wrought in them by the sanctification of the Holy Spirit, which is inseparable from it ; and, (2.) Show what that power is, or wherein it doth consist.
That by nature we have no power unto or for any thing that is spiritually good, or to any acts or duties of evangelical holiness, hath been sufficiently proved before: "When we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly," Rom. v. 6. Until w^e are made partakers of the benefits of the death of Christ, in and by his sanctifying grace, as we are " ungodly," so we are " without strength," or have no power to live to God. But, as was said, this hath been formerly fully and largely confirmed, in our declaration of the impotency of our nature by reason of its death in sin, and so need not here to be farther insisted on.
(1.) The present assertion which we are to prove is, That there is, in and by the grace of regeneration and sanctification, a poiver and
492 THE POSITIVE WORK OF TH]g SPIRIT [BOOK IV.
ability given unto ns of living unto God, or performing all the duties of acceptable obedience. This is the first act of that spiritual habit, arising out of it and inseparable from it. It is called " strength" or "power:" Isa. xl. 31, "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength;" that is, for and unto obedience, or walking with God without weariness. Strength they have, and in their walking with God it is renewed or increased. By the same grace are we "strengthened with all might, according to the glorious power of God," Col. i. 1 1 ; or, " strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man," YqAi. iii. 16; whereby "we can do all things through Christ which strengthen eth us," Phil. iv. 13. In our calling or con- version to God, "all things are given unto" us by his "divine power" which " pertain unto life and godliness," 2 Pet. i. 3, — every thing that is needful to enable us unto a holy life. The habit and principle of grace that is wrought in believers gives them new power and spiri- tual strength unto all duties of obedience. The water of the Spirit therein is not only a "well of water" abiding in them, but it " springeth up into everlasting life," John iv. 14, or enables us con- tinually to such gracious actings as have a tendency thereunto. There is a sufficiency in the grace of God bestowed on them that believe, to enable them unto the obedience required of them, — so God told our apostle, when he was ready to faint under his temptation, that "his grace was sufficient for him," 2 Cor. xii. 9, — or there is a power in all that are sanctified, whereby they are able to yield all holy obe- dience unto God. They are alive unto God, alive to righteousness and holiness. They have a principle of spiritual life; and where there is life, there is power in its kind and for its end. Whence there is in our sanctification not only a principle or inherent habit of grace bestowed on us, whereby we really and habitually, as to state and condition, differ from all unregenerate persons whatever, but there belongs moreover thereunto an active power, or an ability for and unto spiritual, holy obedience; which none are partakers of but those who are so sanctified. And unto this power there is a re- spect in all the commands or precepts of obedience that belong to the new covenant. The commands of each covenant respect the power given in and by it. Whatever God required or doth require of any, by virtue of the old covenant or the precepts thereof, it was on the account of and proportionate unto the strength given under and by that covenant. And that we have lost that strength by the entrance of sin exempts us not from the authority of the command; and thence it is that we are righteously obliged to do what we have no power to perform. So also the command of God under the new covenant, as to all that obedience which he requireth of us, respects that power which is given and communicated unto us thereby; and