1. It always abides in the soul, — it is never absent. The apostle twice usetli that expression, " It dwelleth in me." There is its con- stant residence and habitation. If it came upon the soul only at certain seasons, much obedience might be perfectly accomplished in its absence; yea, and as they deal with usurping tyi'ants, whom they intend to thrust out of a city, the gates might be sometimes shut against it, that it might not return, — the soul might fortify itself against it. But the soul is its home; there it dwells, and is no wan- derer. Wherever you are, whatever you are about, this law of sin is always in you ; in the best that you do, and in the worst. Men little consider what a dangerous companion is always at home with them. When they are in company, when alone, by night or by day, all is "one, sin is with them. There is a living coal continually in thei]- houses; which, if it be not looked unto, will fire them, and it may be consume them. Oh, the woful security of poor souls! How little do the most of men think of this inbred enemy that is never from home I How little, for the most part, doth the watchfulness of any professors iinswer the dansrer of their state and condition !
INDWELLING SIN A LAW, AND ITS POWER. 167
2. It is always ready to apply itself to every end and purpose that it serves unto. " It doth not only dwell in me," saith tlie apostle, " but when I would do good, it is present with me." There is some- what more in that expression than mere indwelling. An inmate may dwell in a house, and yet not be always meddling with what the good-man of the house hath to do (that so we may keep to the allusion of indwelling, used by the apostle) : but it is so with this law, it doth so dwell in us, as that it will be present with us in every thing we do ; yea, oftentimes when with most earnestness we deshe to be quit of it, with most violence it wall put itself upon us : " When I would do good, it is present with me." Would you pray, would you hear, would you give alms, would you meditate, would you be in any duty acting faith on God and love towards him, would you work righteousness, would you resist temptations, — this troublesome, perplexing indweller will still more or less put itself upon you and be present with you; so that you cannot perfectly and completely accomplish the thing that is good, as our apostle speaks, verse 18. Sometimes men, by hearkening to their temptations, do stir up, excite, and provoke then' lusts; and no wonder if then they find them present and active. But it will be so when with all our en- deavours we labour to be free from them. This law of sin " dwelleth" in us; — that is, it adheres as a depraved principle, unto our minds in darkness and vanity, unto our affections in sensuahty, unto our wills in a loathing of and aversation from that which is good; and by some, more, or all of these, is continually putting itself upon us, in inclinations, motions, or suggestions to evil, when we would be most gladly quit of it.
3. It being an indwelling law, it a^jplies itself to its w^ork with gi'eat facility and easiness, like " the sin that doth so easily beset us," Heb. xii. 1. It hath a great facility and easiness in the applica- tion of itself unto its work; it needs no doors to be opened unto it; it needs no engines to work by. The soul cannot apply itself to any dut}' of a man but it must be by the exercise of those faculties where- in this law hath its residence. Is the understanding or the mind to be applied unto any thing? — there it is, in ignorance, darkness, vanity, folly, madness. Is the will to be engaged? — there it is also, in spi- ritual deadness, stubbornness, and the roots of obstinacy. Is the heart and affections to be set on work? — there it is, in inclinations to the world and present things, and sensuality, with proneness to all manner of defilements. Hence it is easy for it to insinuate itself into all that we do, and to hinder all that is good, and to further all sin and wicked- ness. It hath an intimacy, an inwardness with the soul; and there- fore, in all that we do, doth easily beset us. It possesseth those very faculties of the soul whereby we must do what we do, whatever it
168 THE NATURE AND POWER OF INDWELLING SIN.
be, good or evil. Now, all these advantages it hath as it is a law, as an indwelling law, which manifests its power and efficacy. It is always resident in the soul, it j)uts itself upon all its actings, and that with easiness and facility.
This is that law which the apostle affirms that he found in himself; this is the title that he gives unto the powerful and effectual remain- der of indwelling sin even in believers; and these general evidences of its power, from that appellation, have we. Many there are in the world who find not this law in them, — who, v/hatever they have been taught in the word, have not a spiritual sense and experience of the power of indwelling sin ; and that because they are wholly under the dominion of it. They find not that there is darkness and folly in their minds; because they are darkness itself, and darkness will dis- cover nothing. They find not deadness and an indisposition in their hearts and wills to God ; because they are dead wholly in trespasses and sins. They are at peace with their lusts, by being in bondage unto them. And this is the state of most men in the world; which makes them wofully despise all their eternal concernments. Whence is it that men follow and pursue the world with so much greediness, that they neglect heaven, and life, and immortality for it, every day ? Whence is it that some pursue their sensuality with delight? — they will drink and revel, and have their sports, let others say what they please. Whence is it that so many live so unprofitably under the word, that they understand so little of what is spoken unto them, that they practise less of what they understand, and will by no means be stirred up to answer the mind of God in his calls unto them? It is all from this law of sin and the power of it, that rales and bears sway in men, that all these things do proceed; but it is not such persons of whom at present we particularly treat.