Dire. XIT. Of SanEti acation. 221 to work in you to will and to do by his own power, according to his own good pleafure. They who are convinced of their own fin and mifery, do common- ly firft think to tame the fleth, and to fubdue and root out it's lilts, and to make their corrupt nature to be better natured, and inclined to holinefs, by their ftruggling and wreltling with it; and, if they can but bring their hearts to a full purpofe and re- folution to do the belt that lieth in them, they hope, that, by fuch a refolution, they thall be able to at- chieve great enterprifes in the conqueft of their Tufts, and performance of the molt difficult duties. It is the great work of fome zealous divines, in their preaching and writings, to flair up people to this re- folution, wherein they place the chiefeft turning point from fin to godlinefs. And they think that this is not contrary to the life of faith, becaufe they truft on the .grace of God through Chrift, to help them in all fuch refolutions and endeavours. Thus they endeavour to reform their old Rate, and to be made perfect in the fief t, infteadof putting it off, and walking according to the new late in Chrift. They truft on low carnal things for holinefs, and up- on the acts of their own will, their purpofes, refolu. tions, and endeavours, inftead of Chrilt; and they truft on him, to help them in this carnal way; where- as true faith would teach them that they are no- thing, and that they do but labour in vain. They may as well wafh the black moor white, as purge the fiefh or natural man from it's evil'-ufts,and make it pure and holy. It is defperately wicked, pail. all cure. It will unavoidably luit against the Spirit of God, even in the belt faints on earth, Gal. v. 17 It's mind is enmity to the law of God; and neither is, nor can be, fubject to it, Reni. viii. 7. They who would cure it, and make it holy, by their own refo- lutions and endeavours, do act quite contrary to the deign of Chrift's death ; for he died not that the flein, or old natural man, might be made holy; but F f 2
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