2.  Of their own inability to do any one act right; how they are not sufficient of themselves to think any thing as of themselves, 2 Cor. iii. 5; and that without Christ they can do nothing, John xv. 5.

3.  Of the insufficiency of any human help, or means, or way which they might think good to choose, to mortify aright one corruption, or to give strength for the discharge of any one duty; for our sufficiency is of God, 2 Cor. iii. and it is “through the Spirit that we must mortify the deeds of the body,” Rom. viii. 13.

4.  And of the treachery and deceitfulness of the heart, which is bent to follow by-ways, being not only “deceitful above all things, but also desperately wicked,” Jer. xvii. 9.

That by this means, the soul may be jealous of itself, and despair of doing any thing in its own strength, and so be fortified against that main evil, which is an enemy to all true sanctification, viz. confidence in the flesh.

Thirdly, The soul will keep its eye fixed on those things: 

1.  On Christ’s all-sufficiency to help; in all cases that “he is able to save to the uttermost,” Heb. vii. 25.

2.  On his compassionateness to such as are out of the way; and readiness to help poor sinners with his grace and strength; and this will keep up the soul from fainting and despairing.

3.  On the commands of holiness; such as those, “cleanse your hand, and purify your hearts,” James iv. 8, and, “be ye holy, for I am holy,” 1 Pet. i. 15, 16, and the like; that the authority of God and conscience to command may set the soul a-work.

4.  On the great recompense of reward that is appointed for such as wrestle on, and endure to the end; and on the great promises of great things to such as are sanctified, whereof the scriptures are full; that the soul may be encouraged to run through difficulties, to ride out storms, to endure hardness, as a good soldier, and to persevere in duty.

5.  On the other hand, on the many sad threatenings and denunciations of wrath, against such as transgress his laws, and on all the sad things that such as shake off the fear of God and the study of holiness have to look for, of which the scripture is full; that by this means the soul may be kept in awe, and spurred forward unto duty, and made the more willing to shake off laziness.

6.  On the rule, the word of God, by which alone we must regulate all our actions; and this ought to be our meditation day and night, and all our study, as we see it was David’s, and other holy men of God, their daily work, see Psal. i. and cxix.