3 22 The Neceffity ofSupernatural Grace, Van. 2. The neceffity ofthis Grace and affiftance will farther appear, if we confider the ftrange power ofevil habits and cuftoins. The other is a natural, and this a contracted impotency, whereby Men make themfelves much" weaker than they were by nature. The habits of fin being added to our natural impotency, are like fo many Difeafes fuperinduced upon a (:onititutíon naturally weak, which do all help to increafe the Man's Infirmity. Evil habits in Scripture are compared to Bonds and Fetters, which do as effectually hinder a Man frommotion, and putting forth himfelfto a&ion, as if he were quite lame, hand and foot. Habit and Cu- llom is a kind of fecbndnature; and fo far as any thing is natural, fo far it is ne- ceffary, and we cannot do otherwife. By palling from one degree of fin to ano- ther Men become fixt and harden'd in their Wickednefs, and do infenfibly bring themfelves into thatfiate, out of which they are utterly unable to recover them- felves. When Men havebeen long accuftomed to evil,andareonce grown old in vice, it is as hard to reform and re&ifie them, as to recover a Body bowed down with age, to its firft ftraightnefs. When Men have continued long in a finful courfe, they are almoft under a fatal neceffity of being wicked, arid under all imaginable difadvantages of contributing any thing to their own recovery. The Scripture reprefents the conditionof fuch Perlons to us, by filch things as are naturally im- poffible. Can the Ethiopian change his (kin, or the Leopard his fpots ? Then may ye alfo do good, that are accuflomed to do evil. Now this confideration added to the former, tothe impotency of Nature, the ftrength of evil Habits, is hill a farther evidenceof the neceffity of fupernatural Grace and affiftance for our recovery. For the greater our Impotency is, fo much more need is there of an extraordinary power and affiftance to enable us to our Duty. 3. This will yet farther appear, if we confider the inconstancy and ficklenefs of human .refolution. Suppofe that upon hearing the terrible threatningsof God's word againft fin, or upon the natural checks and convi&ions ofConfcience for having done wickedly , a finner fhould of himfelf (as there is reafon enough for it) entertain a purpofe and refolution of breaking off his finful courfe ; yet how unable would this refolution be to withftand the powerful affaults of temptation, and the violent returnsof his own inclinations to his former Lulls? This almoft every Man finds by his own frequent and fad experience, how inconftant his mind is to his own purpofes, and how unfaithful and treacherous to his molt folemn and fevere refolutions; how falfe we are to our felves, and to the vows and promifes we have made to God, and our own Souls, when the occafions and temptations offin prefent themfelves to us. So that our need of God's grace is in no cafe more plain and evident, than to keep us ftedfaft to our refolution of for- fakingour fins, and amending our lives; and without this, we find how uncertain and ineffebual all our good purpofes are, like the morning cloud, and as the early dewwhich paffeth away. So that we vault fay with the Prophet Jeremy, Chap. Io. 23. 0 Lord, I know that the way ofman is not in himfelf;it is not in man that walked), to direbi bis peps. 4. Befides all thefe difadvantages from our felves, from the impotency of our ,natures, and the ftrength of our lufts, and the inconftancy of our refolutions, we have likewife a powerful Enemy without, the Devil, who is very malicious and a&ive to promote our ruin, by keeping us in this Slavery. He is the great Ene- my ofour Souls, and his malice will not fuffer him to negle& any opportunity of doing us mifchief. He obferves and watcheth our tempers and difpofitions, and accordingly plants his Temptations and plays them upon us, where we are weak- eft, and they may do the greateft execution. So that we are not only weak within, but ftrongly affaulted without; We wrefile not only withflefh and blood; but withprincipalities, and powers, and fpiritual weaknefes. All the powers of darknefs are combined againft us, to work our defiru&ion ; and therefore we have. need of an extraordinary ftrength and affiftance to enable us to contend with fuch powerful Adverfaries, upon fo many difadvantages. And our comfortis, that God offers his grace to us, and that is fufficientfor us. Greater is he that is in us, than he that is in the world. The Spirit that dwells in good Men, and is readay to ffift 4
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