cially on a fudden, is like the invading and forcing of nature, which is not to be done without a violent hand. As long as nature is at the bottom, it will appear, and that with vigour, when the aid and help of the fenfual appetites, and when custom hath given it a kind of title to the mastery.

This fhews what a great neceffity there is for a man, to bestow pains upon himself, more or lefs, every day; because it is this which gives him a gradual victory: He is continually doing something towards it: Here he gaineth one point, and there another; and fo in time he finds certain and kindly fuccefs, by thus taming his nature, and bringing it to a ductile manageable temper by degrees.

BUT all this while I am fuppofing him, not to have arrived to the pitch of an overgrown finner, but to be come only to the common age of manhood; when one's fins, though they are ftrong and impetuous, yet are not fo fixed, obftinate, and refractory, as crooked old age is apt to

make

make them. Such an experienced wretch whom the pleasure, and perhaps the profit likewise, of fo many years, hath confirmed in wickedness,comes at last to be so hardened, that all reafonings, admonitions, counfels, and prayers are thrown away upon him, and make as little effectual impreffion upon his perverfe mind, as they would upon a rock.

The danger of coming to this fad pass, is a stronger argument ftill, of the neceffity there is, of doing something daily in order to eternity; that is, to mortify some fin or other every day, and every day to live more and more unto God. Our corrupt nature brings forth fin; and fin becomes finished by degrees, by growing, and gathering strength daily.

And by this means the devil infenfibly prepares a way, to that fad ftate, which is called final impenitence; by which is meant, fuch a numbness, ftupidity, and deadnefs of heart, as doth utterly indifpofe it for a true godly repentance.

It is to be feared, that men often come to this wretched ftate, by the juft judgeZ 4

ment

ment of God upon them, for their wicked lives, and for their obftinately putting off the reformation of them from day to day. The truth is, it naturally followeth such a wicked course. For ufe and cuftom do naturally ferve to harden the heart: So that when the hoary head comes, it is as hard a matter to renew the old wicked, mind, as it is almost to renew one's age. Nature is of itself inclined to evil; and when a long trade of wickedness hath brought the mind to be in love with it, to be devoted to it, to be bent, fet, and fixt upon it, it must needs be almoft impoffible to pluck up thofe men's habits quite by the roots, which have been fo many years a contracting, and which have grown so strong and deep into the heart.

BUT, befides all this; the more time men wafte in an evil course, the lefs they have of God's holy Spirit; and by this means also the stiffer and harder are their hearts, and the more they fin away their day of grace. Without Chrift we can do

nothing;

nothing; for it is God that worketh in us, both to will and to do of his good pleasure." The ftrength we have is from above; the power which ferves to prepare and affift our fouls, and which doth every way enable us to work out our falvation, is freely given us by the Father of spirits.

Now though God giveth freely unto all, and to every man fuch a portion of his grace as is neceffary and fuitable; yet they that are negligent, and ill husbands of their talents, do impair their stock daily: By refifting the holy Spirit of God, they take a course to grieve it; and by continuing to grieve it, they proceed at length to quench it. Where God's grace is abused or flighted, there he withdraws it, and leaves them to themfelves, thereby punishing them most justly for the long incorrigibleness of their temper.

AND this neceffity of working out our falvation day by day, is one reason why a late repentance is so often reprefented as a ftate of danger and of the utmost hazard; by a late repentance, meaning, that re

morfe

morfe of confcience, and forrow for fin, which is not begun, till old age or fickness comes, and the terrors of death with it. For though it be granted, that God pardons every true penitent, whenever he turns to God with all his heart and foul: Yet the great question is, Whether a late repentance be true, right, and such as the gofpel requires? that is, Whether it be indeed a true change, and renewing of the mind? For there may be a forrow, and often is, a real and passionate sorrow, without fuch a change; a forrow that proceeds, not from an hatred of fin, but merely from a fear of hell.

For how is it probable, that fo many old beloved vices can be quite caft off on a sudden? That fo many fixed habits can be rooted out in the twinkling of an eye? Or that the whole bent and temper of the heart, can in a moment be changed fo, as to be directly oppofite to what it was just before? It is far more probable, that it was only the fight of hell that scared the wretch, and threw him into pangs; and fo any man may be troubled, terrified,

and