234 Of Inability to do Good S R R M. true perfe6tion of your nature, and for a VIII. glorious immortality. Submit to the faluta- `"`^''ry pains of repentance and crucifying the flefh: though your vices be dear to you as an eye, or an hand, according to our faviour's allufion, yet be content to part with them for laving life, for Paving your fouls, for on no other terms is falvation to be obtained: Confider for your encouragement the grace of the gofpel, wherein you have not only ftrong motives added to thofe of natural re- ligion, which fhould animate you to the ex- ertion of your utmoft power, but gracious of iftance freely offered. God is ready to do all that is fit to be done on his part, as the wife and good governor of moral agents ; and for the purpofe of reclaiming finners, he hath expreflly promifed to give the holy fpirit to them who a& him ; which afiift- ance, however, is only to be expeaed in the way of our zealous, and deligent en- deavours for our own reformation, not in the way of fupine negligence. I conclude with advifing thofe in whom vicious habits have not yet got the afcen- dant that they carefully watch againft them. The wifdom of prevention is better than that of remedy, in many refpeas, and par- ticularly in this, that by it your efcape from 5 the
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