4. Carry about a constant, humbling sense of this close aversation unto spiritualness that yet lies in our nature. If men find the effi- cacy of it, what should, what consideration can, be more powerful, to bring them unto humble walking with God? That after all the dis- coveries that God hath made of himself unto them, all the kindness they have received from him, his doing of them good and not evil in all things, there should yet be such a heart of unkindness and unbe- lief still abiding as to have an aversation lying in it to communion with him, — how ought the thoughts of it to cast us into the dust ! to fill us with shame and self-abhon-ency all our days! What have we found in God, in any of our approaches or addresses unto him, that it should be thus with us? What iniquity have w^e found in him? Hath he been a wilderness unto us, or a land of darkness? Did we ever lose any thing by dra.wing nigh unto him? nay, hath not therein lain all the rest and peace which we have obtained? Is not he the fountain and spring of all our mercies, of all our desirable things? Hath he not bid us welcome at our coming? Have we not received from him more than heart can conceive or tongiie express?
188 THE NATURE AND TOWER OF INDWELLING SIN.
What ails, then, our fooUsh and wretched hearts, to harbour such a cursed secret dishke of him and his ways? Let us be ashamed and astonished at the consideration of it, and walk in an humbling sense of it all our days. Let us carry it about with us in the most secret of our thoughts. And as this is a duty in itself acceptable unto God, who delights to dwell with them that are of an humble and contrite spirit, so it is of exceeding efficacy to the weakening of the evil we treat of. 5. Labour to possess the mind with the beauty and excellency of spiritual things, that so they may be presented lovely and desirable to the sold ; and this cursed aversation of sin will be weakened there- by. It is an innate acknowledged principle, that the soul of man will not keep up cheerfully unto the worship of God unless it have a discovery of a beauty and comeliness in it. Hence, when men had lost all spiritual sense and savour of the things of God, to supply the want that was in their own souls, they invented outwardly pompous and gorgeous ways of worship, in images, paintings, pictures, and I know not Avhat carnal ornaments; Avhicli they have called "The beauties of holiness ! " Thus much, however, was discovered therein, that the mind of man must see a beauty, a desirableness in the things of God's worsliip, or it will not delight in it ; aversation will prevail. Let, then, the soul labour to acquaint itself with the spiritual beauty of obe- dience, of communion with God, and of all duties of immediate ap- proach to him, that it may be filled with delight in them. It is not my present work to discover the heads and springs of that beauty and desirableness which is in spiritual duties, in their relation to God, the eternal spring of all beauty, — to Christ, the love, desire, and hope of all nations, — to the Spirit, the great beautifier of souls, rendering them by his grace all glorious within ; in their suitableness to the souls of men, as to theh actings towards their last end, in the rectitude and holiness of the rule in attendance whereunto they are to be per- formed. But I only say at present, in general, that to acquaint the soul throughly with these things is an eminent way of weakening the aversation spoken of
CHAPTER YI.
The work of this enmity against God by way of opposition — First, It lusteth — Wherein the histing of sin consisteth — Its surprising of the soul — Readiness to close with temptations — Secondly, Its fighting and warring — I. In rebel- lion against the law of grace — 2. In assaulting the soul.
How this enmity worketh by way of aversation hath been declared, as also the means that the soul is to use for the preventing of its
OPPOSITION OF SIN UNTO GOD. 189
effects and prevaleucy. The second way whereby it exerts itself is oiyposition. Enmity will oppose and contend with that wherewith it is at enmity; it is so in things natural and moral. As liglit and darkness, heat and cold, so virtue and vice oppose each other. So is it with sin and grace ; saith the apostle, " These are contrary one to the other," Gal. v. 17;- — 'AXXjjXo/? avTixzirai. They are placed and set in mutual opposition, and that continually and constantly, as we shall see.
Now, there are two ways whereby enemies manage an opposition, — first, hy force; and, secondly, hj fraud and deceit. So Avhen the Egyptians became enemies to the children of Israel, and managed an enmity against them, Exod. i. 10, Pharaoh saith, "Let us deal wisely," or rather cunningly and subtilely, "with this people;" for so Stephen, with respect to this word, expresseth it. Acts vii. 1 9, by xara(!o(pi(sdiLivog, — he used " all manner of fraudulent sophistry." And unto this deceit they added force in their grievous oppressions. This is the way and manner of things where there is a prevailing enmity ; and both these are made use of hy the law of sin in its enmity against God and our souls.