Book III. of J B S U S C H R I S T. 263

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turn the Byafs of Nature, which^ from my very In- fancy^ preponderates to Evil. For this Infe(5lion is derived from the tirtt Parent of Mankind, and the Punifliment of his Offence difFufed upon his whole Pofterity ; fo that the Human Nature, which came pure and good out of thy creating hand, is tainted and perverted, and all the Motions now remaining, draw the wrong way, and bend to Sin and Earth.
The little Power left in us to do good is like a very fmall Spark covered with a huge Heap of Embers: Light of Reafon clouded with a thick noifom Mift of Darknefs and Error. And, though by this all the Diftindions of Good and Evil, of Truth and Falfe- hood are not utterly loft, yet the Power of perform- ing what our better Senfe approves is gone,- the Light of Truth is dim and feeble, and the Integrity of our Minds and AfFedions is blemiftied, and diverted from attending to it impartial y. Hence it comes to pais, that, though fomctimes I'am delighted with thy Law. in the inner Man, and fully convinced, that the Ccm- mandmentis holy^ and jtifi^ cmd good, condemning Wick^ ednefs,and v/arning'me of the Rocks and Precipices, which in fleering my Courfe through the Waves of this troublefome World, I muft be watchful to avoid ; yet flill with the Flejlj I fer-ve the Laiv of j^^j.^^ yii. 6'/>,and find a greater Difpofition to fol- low Luft and Senfe, than to be governed by Reaibn and Religion. Hence I fo often feel the IFil I to do •well ,- but how to perform Tvhat I thus will, I find not. Hence I often make and repeat good Refolucions with great Sincerity ; but, for want of thy Allillance to counterpoife my Infirmities, quickly fall Irom my own Stedfaftnefs, and am beaten oft^v/ith the very ap- proach of Difficulty and Oppofition. Hcncel difcern the Way I (h-ouldvvalk inj but when I am informed of my Duty, and endeavour to raifc my fclf above the World and its Temptations > a fatal innate Weight
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draws me down again^ and checks my Soul in its in- tended Flights to Heaven and Thee.
How abfolutely needful then^ my God, is thy Grace to^ help me in beginning, in carrying on, in accom- plifliing every good Work ! fmce without it I can do nothing, and yet with it can do even all things ? yet not I, Lord, but Thou, who art in me, and ftreng- theneft me. O Gift truly Divine I without which no Defert of Man, no Endowments or Qualifications of Nature, are of any worth or fignificance at all I Sci- ences and Arts , Riches and Power , Beauty and Strength, Wit and Eloquence, What are they. Lord, or what to be accounted of, if not feconded, affifted, exalted , perfected by Grace ? Thefe are Accora- plifhments diftributed promifcuoufly to Good and Bad ^ but Grace is a Gift peculiar to thy Children and Cho- icTiy and fuch as renders the happy Men that have k worthy of Eternal Life and Happinefs. A Gift fo fingularly excellent, that neither the Gift of Prophe- cy , nor the Power of working Miracles , nor the Underftanding of fublimeft and moft abftrufeMyfte- ries, nor Faith, nor Hope, nor any other Virtue or Privilege, can recommend us to God without it.
O bleffed Efficacy of Grace I which makes the Poor in Spirit rich in Virtue and Good Works ; and that Man fo enriched, humble and poor in Spirit! Com^, heavenly Gift, defcend from above, fhed thy felf in- to my Soul , and fill every dark Corner there with Light and Comfort • rouze and (hake off my Sloth, nioiften the dry Soil, and command Fruitfulnefs out of that barren Ground. Vouchfofe me , Lord, this Bleffing ,- for this alone is fufficient for me, though thou ftiouldft think fit to deny or withdraw all, that .Nature can either beftow, or is moft fond of acquiring. Give me but this Defence , and no Temptation fliail confound me, no Calamity difmay or make me afraid. For this alone is Strength and Comage, Wifdora and
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