Captives bound in chains, made free by Christ their surety

3. But what are thy terrors and thy tears, the agonies and anguish of thy heart, without an inward change? What are all these legal fits of sorrow, while thou art the same man in sinning still, and thy love the same unto thy sin; and when the temptation comes, thy course and practice is the same? if thou wouldst wear the skin from off thy knees by going often to confess thy sins, and weep thy self blind, and pine away with sorrow; yet if thy heart do secretly like thy sin, and thou still art not inwardly renewed, nor acceptest of nor closest with Christ by faith; whatever thy apprehensions are of thy good condition thou art still a captive to the Devil, especially when one while thou seemest ⟨p. 110⟩with sorrow to lament thy sin, and another while dost with pleasure and delight commit the sin lamented; dost commit the sin, and then confess it; confess it, and go on again to commit; and so like a slave indeed, runnest round in the Devil's Mill betwixt confession and commission of thy sins; whereas in a true penitent there is the renovation of the heart and the reformation of the life, a loathing and a leaving of the sin lamented, Ezek. 36.31. & 18.30, 31. Isa. 57.7. Joel 2.12, 13.

4. Another Link in this Chain of false hopes, wherewith these Captives are bound, is, in that they have good meanings, and good wishes and desires; and though they cannot discourse as others can, nor have those gifts that others have, yet they thank God their hearts are good, and ever were even from their childhood, and though they cannot utter themselves, yet they have it in their hearts. Thus the Devil keepeth some in this fetter and this bond; but towards the breaking of it. Consider,