This is carefully to be observed,1 that the influence of actual grace finds either in the habit of grace, or frames and makes in the heart a gracious aptness and capacity to receive actual influences suitable to the duties in hand, either of believing, patient and joyful suffering for the Lord, and such like. As the Lord in his common influences with the Sun rising and going down, the wind blowing, the Sea ebbing and flowing straineth not, nor forceth the nature of second causes, nor draws them as passive lumps to act against the particular inclination of nature, but carrieth along the natural active principles of the Sun, Wind, Sea, and such like natural causes: so neither doth the Spirit of ⟨p. 387⟩grace, by his actual influences, carry along the rational powers of knowing, believing, willing, as mere dead and passive blocks, as the Carpenter hewing lifteth an Axe and shaketh and moveth the Saw: but the Lord makes the suitable active concurrences of sinless nature and of grace stirring in its influences to join together and accord friendly, connaturally, and without jarring, or violence done to nature, and so carries on the supernatural and gracious actings of obedience. And therefore as this point, with all getting get wisdom, Prov. 4. 5, 6. Prov. 2. Incline the ear, apply the heart; cry, lift up the voice for knowledge, dig for wisdom, as for silver and hid treasures: and then look for influences, v. 9. then shalt thou understand (by way of practise, which cannot want influences of grace) righteousness, and judgement, and equity (yea) every good path. And there is much in the walking by faith, the light of faith being the star-light and the day-light ordering the motion; and beside, which no objective light can do, it inclines and weighs the soul to spiritual acting, and the Spirit must attend the stirring of saving light so inclining the heart with gracious influences.
This is carefully to be observed,1 that the influence of actual grace finds either in the habit of grace, or frames and makes in the heart a gracious aptnesse and capacity to receive actual influences sutable to the duties in hand, either of believing, patient and joyful suffering for the Lord, and such like. As the Lord in his common influences with the Sun rising and going down, the wind blowing, the Sea ebbing and flowing straineth not, nor forceth the nature of second causes, nor draws them as passive lumps to act against the particular inclination of nature, but carrieth along the natural active principles of the Sun, Wind, Sea, and such like natural causes: so neither doth the Spirit of ⟨p. 387⟩grace, by his actual influences, carry along the rational powers of knowing, believing, willing, as meer dead and passive blocks, as the Carpenter hewing lifteth an Axe and shaketh and moveth the Saw: but the Lord makes the sutable active concurrences of sinlesse nature and of grace stirring in its influences to joyn together and accord friendly, connaturally, and without jarring, or violence done to nature, and so carries on the supernatural and gracious actings of obedience. And therefore as this point, with all getting get wisedom, Prov. 4. 5, 6. Prov. 2. Incline the ear, apply the heart; cry, lift up the voice for knowledge, dig for wisedom, as for silver and hid treasures: and then look for influences, v. 9. then shalt thou understand (by way of practise, which cannot want influences of grace) righteousness, and judgement, and equity (yea) every good path. And there is much in the walking by faith, the light of faith being the star-light and the day-light ordering the motion; and beside, which no objective light can doe, it inclines and weighs the soul to spiritual acting, and the Spirit must attend the stirring of saving light so inclining the heart with gracious influences.
- 1Influences of grace do no violence to the rational power of nilling and willing.
