Religion & morality > Human nature in its four-fold state ... in several practical discourses

a 14 The Nature of State 111.
us. (2.) Good Education is not Regeneration.
Education may chain up Mens Lufts, but cannot
change their Hearts. A Wolf is ftill a ravenous
Beaft, tho5 it be in Chains. JoaJlj was very devout
during the Life of his good Tutor Jehojada; but
afterward he quickly fhewed, what Spirit he was of,
by his hidden Apoftafie, 2 Chron. xxiv. 2, 17, r8.
Good Example is of mighty Influence to change
the outward Man : But that Change often goes off,
when one changes his Company ; of which the
World affords many fad Inftances. (3.) A turning
from open Profanity, to Civility and Sobriety, falls
fhort of this faving Change. Some are, for a while,
very loofc, efpecially in their younger Years: But
at length they reform, and leave their profane
Courfes. Here is a Change, yet but fuch a one, as
may be found in Men, utterly void of the Grace of
God, and whole Righteoufncfs is fo far from exceed¬
ing, that it doth not come up to the Kighteoufnefs
«/ the Scribes and Pbarifees. (4.) One may engage
in all the outward Duties of Religion, and yet not
be horn again. Tho* Lead be calf into various
Shapes, it remains ilill but a bafe Mettal. Men
may efcape the Pollutions of the World, and yet be but
Dogs nuk Swine, t Pet. ii. jo, 22. All the external
Acts of Religion are within the Compafs of natural
Abilities. Yea, Hypocrites may have the Counter¬
feit of all the Graces of the Spirit: For we read of
true Holinefs, Eph. iv. 23. and Faith unfeigned,
1 Tim. i. 5. which fhews us, that there is a Coun¬
terfeit Holinefs, and a feigned Faith. (5.) Men may
advance to a great Deal of StriSlnefs in their own
Way of Religion; and yet be Strangers to the Ncw-
birth. Ails xxvi. 5. After the meft ftritfeft Sett of our
Relmou, J lived a Pharifce. Nature has its own
tinfan&i-