5i4. TheNATURE andPowER. gainft it ; external eruptions, are, it may be, reftrained for a feafon ; but the inward root and principle is not weakened in the leafl. And moil coin- monly this is the iffue of this way ; that lin having gotten more flrength, and being enraged by its reftraint, breaks all its bounds, and captivates the foul unto all filthy abominations, which is the principle, as was before ob- ferved, of molt of the vitìble apoftafies which we have in the world, 2 Pet. ii. rg, 20. The Holy Ghoft compares (inners, becaufe of the odious, fierce, poifo- nous nature of this indwelling fin, unto lions, bears, and afps, Ifa. xi. 6, 7, 8, 9. Now this is the excellency of gofpel-grace, that it changes the nature and inward principles of thefe otherwife paffionate and untamed beafts, making the wolf as the kid, the lion as the Iamb, and the bear as the cow. When this is effected, theymay fafely be duffed in ; a little child may lead them. But thefe felf endeavours donot at all change the na- ture, but reltrain their outward violence: he that takes a lidn or a wolf, and limns him up from ravening, whilft yet his inward violence remains, may well expel} that at one time or other they will break their bonds, and fall to their former ways of rapine and violence. However, (hutting them up, doth not, as we fee, change their natures, but only reftrain their rage from doing open fpoil. So it isin this cafe it is grace alone that cliangeth the heart, and takes away that poifon and fierecenefs that is in them by nature ; mens Pelf endeavours do but coerce tliein as to fome out- ward eruptions. But, (2.) Beyond bare vows and promifes with fume watchfulnefs to obferve them in a rational ufe of ordinarymeans, men have put, and fome do yet put themfelves on extraordinary ways of mortifying fin. This is the foun- dation of all thatbath a Phewof wifdom and religion in the papacy; their Hours ofprayer, failings, their immuring and cloyftering themfelves, their pilgrimages, penances, and Pelf-torturing difcipline, fpring all from this root. I fall not fpeak of the innumerable evils that have attended thefe felf-invented ways of mortification, and how they all of them have been turned into means, occafions, and advantages of finning; nor of the hor, rible hypocrify which evidently cleaves unto the moll of their obfervers; norof that fuperftition which gives life to them all, being a thing riveted in the natures of fotne, and their conftitutions, fixed on others by invete- rate prejudices ; and thefaine by others taken up for fecular advantages: but I will fuppofe the bell that can be made of it, and it will be found to be a Pelf-invented defign of men, ignorant of the righteoufsnefs of God, to give a check to this power of indwelling fin whereof we fpeak. And it' s aimoft incredible what fearful felf-macerations and horrible fufferings this defign hathcarried men outunto : and undoubtedly their blindzeal and fuperitition will rife in 'judgment, and condemnthe horrible Iloth and ne- gligence of the molt of them, towhom the Lord bath granted the laving light of thegofpel. But what is the end of thefe things? The apoftle in briefgives us an account, Rom. ix. 3t, 32. They attainnot the righteoufnefr aimedat; they conicnot up untoa conformity to the law ; fin is not mor- tified, no, nor the power of it weakned; but what it lofeth in [enfoal, in carnal pleafures, it takes upwith great advantage, in blindnefs, darknefs, lsperllition, fell-righteoufnefs, and foul pride, contempt of the gofpel, and the righteoufnefs of it, and reigns no lefs than in the moll profligate [in- ners in the world. (3.) The
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