Directions for weak distempered Christians, to grow up to a confirmed state of grace…

3. The seeming Christian having no saving practical knowledge of the Essentials of Christianity themselves, doth therefore either neglect to know the rest, or knoweth them but notionally, as common Sciences, and subjecteth them all to his Worldly interest: And therefore is still of that side or party in Religion, which upon the account of safety, honour or preferment, his flesh commandeth him to follow. Either he is still on the greater, rising side, and of the Rulers Religion, be it what it will; or if he dissent, it is in pursuit of another game, which Pride or fleshly ends have started. 2 Pet. 2.14. Gal. 3.3. Joh. 9.22. & 12.42, 43. Matth. 13.21.22.

IV. 1. The Christian indeed, hath not only Reason for his Religion, but also hath an inward connatural principle, even the spirit of Christ, which is as a New-nature, inclining and enlivening him to a holy life: whereby he mindeth and savoureth the things of the Spirit: Not that his Nature doth work blindly, as Nature doth in the irrational creatures; ⟨p. 13⟩but at least it much imitateth Nature as it is found in Rational creatures, where the Inclination is necessary, but the Operations free, and subject to Reason: It is a spiritual appetite in the Rational appetite, even the will, and a spiritual visive disposition in the understanding: Not a faculty in a faculty; but the right disposition of the faculties to their highest objects, to which they are by corruption made unsuitable. So that it is neither a proper power in the Natural sense, nor a mere act, but nearest to the nature of a seminal disposition or habit. It is the health and rectitude of the faculties of the Soul. Even as Nature hath made the understanding disposed to Truth in general, and the will disposed or inclined to Good in general, and to self-preservation and felicity in particular; so the Spirit of Christ doth dispose the understanding to spiritual truth, to know God and the matters of salvation, and doth incline the will to God and Holiness; not blindly, as they are unknown; but to love and serve a known God. So that whether this be properly or only analogically called A Nature, or rather should be called a Habit, I determine not; but certainly it is a fixed Disposition and Inclination, which Scripture calleth the Divine Nature,