1. You may learn hence how to answer the question, whether all Gods Graces live and grow in an equal proportion in all true Believers. I need to give you no further proof of the negative, than I have laid down before: I once thought otherwise; and was wont to say, as it is commonly said, that in the habit they are proportionable, but not in the act. But this was because I understood not the difference between the particular habits, and the first radical power, inclination or ⟨p. 413⟩habit (which I name that the Reader may choose his title, that we may not quarrel about mere words.) The first Principle of Holiness in us, is called in Scripture, The Spirit of Christ or of God: In the unity of this are three essential principles, Life, Light and Love; which are the immediate effects of the heavenly or divine influx upon the three natural faculties of the soul, to rectify them, viz. on the Vital Power, the Intellect and the Will: And are called the Spirit, as the Sunshine in the room is called, the Sun: Now as the Sunshine on the earth and plants, is all one in it self as emitted from the Sun, Light, Heat and Moving force concurring, and yet is not equally effective, because of the difference of Recipients; and yet every vegetative receiveth a real effect of the Heat and Motion at the least; and sensitives also of the Light; but so that one may (by incapacity) have less of the heat, and another less of the motion, and another less of the Light; so I conceive that Wisdom, Love and Life (or Power) are given by the Spirit to every Christian: But so that in the very first Principle or effect of the Spirit, one may have more Light, another more Love, and another more Life: Bus this it accidental from some obstruction in the Receiver; otherwise the Spirit would be equally a Spirit of Power (or Life) and of Love, and of a sound mind (or Light.)
1. You may learn hence how to answer the question, whether all Gods Graces live and grow in an equal proportion in all true Believers. I need to give you no further proof of the negative, than I have laid down before: I once thought otherwise; and was wont to say, as it is commonly said, that in the habit they are proportionable, but not in the act. But this was because I understood not the difference between the particular habits, and the first radical power, inclination or ⟨p. 413⟩habit (which I name that the Reader may chuse his title, that we may not quarrel about meer words.) The first Principle of Holiness in us, is called in Scripture, The Spirit of Christ or of God: In the unity of this are three essential principles, Life, Light and Love; which are the immediate effects of the heavenly or divine influx upon the three natural faculties of the soul, to rectifie them, viz. on the Vital Power, the Intellect and the Will: And are called the Spirit, as the Sunshine in the room is called, the Sun: Now as the Sunshine on the earth and plants, is all one in it self as emitted from the Sun, Light, Heat and Moving force concurring, and yet is not equally effective, because of the difference of Recipients; and yet every vegetative receiveth a real effect of the Heat and Motion at the least; and sensitives also of the Light; but so that one may (by incapacity) have less of the heat, and another less of the motion, and another less of the Lght; so I conceive that Wisdom, Love and Life (or Power) are given by the Spirit to every Christian: But so that in the very first Principle or effect of the Spirit, one may have more Light, another more Love, and another more Life: Bus this it accidental from some obstruction in the Receiver; otherwise the Spirit would be equally a Spirit of Power (or Life) and of Love, and of a sound mind (or Light.)
