3. Thus far we are deliberately to desire influences that we are to pray for them; Draw me, Cant. 1. 4. Lord teach me, Psal. 119. 33. Open mine eyes, that I may behold the wonders of thy Law, ver. 18. Incline mine heart to thy testimonies, and not to covetousness, v. 36. As we are obliged to have a new heart, and to have the image of God, which we willingly lost in Adam, and to be renewed in the spirit of our mind, and to make to our selves a new heart, and are ⟨p. 24⟩commanded so to do, Ezech. 18: 31. Ephes. 4. 23. and yet the Lord's omnipotent creating of a new heart in us cannot fall under a Commandment formally obliging us to create in our selves a new heart, and so are we commanded consequently to have the breathings and influences of grace. 1. In the same act in the which we are commanded to obey. 2. In that we are to pray for, and to desire the breathings of God. 3. In that there is a promise, to him that hath it shall be given, Matth. 25. 29. Matth. 13. 12. but how far the promise extends is after to be discussed. (3.) As touching influences natural, they seem to be common to free and voluntary Agents, and also to natural causes; so the Lord commandeth the Sun to rise, and it riseth, Psal. 104. 19. and he commandeth the Sun, and it riseth not, Job 9. 7. it rains, because the Lord lifteth up his voice unto the clouds, 1that abundance of rain may come; he sendeth out lightnings, Jerem. 14. 22. Psal. 107. 33, 34. God hunteth the prey for the Lyon, and gives food to the Raven. Job 38. 35. 36. v. 41. In all these the natural cause acts, and yet hath not in its power the influences of God; and when God withdraws his influences so as natural causes act not, they find no positive violence offered to restrain them, or by-way of any positive impediment to hinder them, only there is a negative withdrawing of influences upon the Lord's part which they want with a sort of natural yielding to the want thereof; and yet they have and keep still their natural power to act, actu primo, as the first cause shall set them on work: And the very like may be said of moral Agents; God withdraws his influence, they sin, but find no positive violence coming from the Lord's withdrawing, to restrain them or impose upon them, and they connaturally and with a virtual willingness yield to such withdrawings, and keep an inferior dominion over their own actings.
3. Thus far we are deliberately to desire influences that we are to pray for them; Draw me, Cant. 1. 4. Lord teach me, Psal. 119. 33. Open mine eyes, that I may behold the wonders of thy Law, ver. 18. Incline mine heart to thy testimonies, and not to covetousness, v. 36. As we are obliged to have a new heart, and to have the image of God, which we willingly lost in Adam, and to be renewed in the spirit of our mind, and to make to our selves a new heart, and are ⟨p. 24⟩commanded so to doe, Ezech. 18: 31. Ephes. 4. 23. and yet the Lord's omnipotent creating of a new heart in us cannot fall under a Commandement formally obliging us to create in our selves a new heart, and so are we cammanded consequently to have the breathings and influences of grace. 1. In the same act in the which we are commanded to obey. 2. In that we are to pray for, and to desire the breathings of God. 3. In that there is a promise, to him that hath it shall be given, Matth. 25. 29. Matth. 13. 12. but how far the promise extends is after to be discussed. (3.) As touching influences natural, they seem to be common to free and voluntary Agents, and also to natural causes; so the Lord commandeth the Sun to rise, and it riseth, Psal. 104. 19. and he commandeth the Sun, and it riseth not, Job 9. 7. it rains, because the Lord lifteth up his voice unto the clouds, 1that abundance of rain may come; he sendeth out lightnings, Jerem. 14. 22. Psal. 107. 33, 34. God hunteth the prey for the Lyon, and gives food to the Raven. Job 38. 35. 36. v. 41. In all these the natural cause acts, and yet hath not in its power the influences of God; and when God withdraws his influences so as natural causes act not, they find no positive violence offered to restrain them, or by-way of any positive impediment to hinder them, only there is a negative withdrawing of influences upon the Lord's part which they want with a sort of natural yielding to the want thereof; and yet they have and keep still their natural power to act, actu primo, as the first cause shall set them on work: And the very like may be said of moral Agents; God withdraws his influence, they sin, but find no positive violence comming from the Lord's withdrawing, to restrain them or impose upon them, and they connaturally and with a virtual willingness yield to such withdrawings, and keep an inferiour dominion over their own actings.
- 1Our interpretative wanting of influences and our formal sinning in the same act, further clear'd.
