I shall begin with the first, or its actings, as it were, in a way of force, in an open downright opposition to God and his law, or the good that a believing soul would do in obedience unto God aiid his law. And in this whole matter we must be careful to steer our course aright, taking the Scripture for our guide, with spiritual rea- son and experience for our companions; for there are many slielves in our course which must diligently be avoided, that none who con- sider these things be troubled Avithout cause, or comforted without a just foundation.
In this first way, whereby this sin exerts its enmity in opposition, — namely, as it were by force or strength,, — there are four things, expressing so many distinct degrees in its progress and procedure in the pursuit of its enmity : —
First, Its general inclination : It " lusteth," Gal. v. 1 7.
Secondly, Its particular way of contending : It " fights or wars," Rom. vii. 23 ; James iv. 1 ; 1 Pet. ii. 11.
Thirdly, Its success in this contest: It "'brings the soul into cap- tivity to the law of sin," Rom. vii. 23.
Fourthly, Its growth and rage upon success: It comes up to "mad- ness," as an enraged enemy will do, Eccles. ix. 3. All Vv^hich we must speak to in order.
First, In general it is said to lust: Gal. v. 17, " The flesh lusteth against the Spirit." This word expresseth the general nature of that opposition which the law of sin maketli against God and the rule of his Spirit or grace in them that believe; and, therefore, the
190 THE NATURE AND POWER (JF INDWELLING SIN.
least degree of that opposition is expressed hereby. When it doth any tiling, it lusteth ; as, because burning is the general acting of fire, Avhatever it doth else, it doth also bum. When fire doth any thing it bums ; and when the law of sin doth any thing it lusts.
Hence, all the actings of this law of sin are called " The lusts of the flesh:" Gal. v. 16, "Ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh;" Rom. xiii. 14, " Make no provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof" Nor are these lusts of the flesh those only whereby men act their sensuality in riot, dmnkenness, uncleanness, and the Hke; but they comprehend all the actings of the law of sin whatever, in all the faculties and aflections of the soul. Thus, Eph. ii. S, we have mention of the desires, or wills, or " lusts of the mind," as well as of the " flesh." The mind, the most, spiritual part of the soul, hath its lusts, no less than the sensual appetite, which seems sometimes more properly to be called the " flesh." And in the products of these lusts there are "defilements of the spirit" as well as of the "flesh," 2 Cor. -sdi. 1, — that is, of the mind and understanding, as well of the appetite and affections, and the body that attends their service. And in the blamelessness of all these consists our holiness : 1 Thess. v. 23, " The God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God, your whole spirit, and soul, and body, be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." Yea, by the "flesh" in this matter the whole old man, or the law of sin, is intended : John iii. 6, " That which is born of the flesh is flesh," — that is, it is all so, and nothing else; and what- ever remains of the old nature in the new man is flesh still. And this flesh lusteth, — this law of sin doth so; which is the general bottom and foundation of all its opposition unto God. And this it doth two ways : —
1. In a hidden, close propensity unto all evil. This lies in it habitually. Whilst a man is in the state of nature, fully under the power and dominion of this law of sin, it is said that " every figment of his heart is evil, and that continually," Gen. vi 5. It can frame, fashion, produce, or act nothing but what is evil; because this habi- tual propensity unto evil that is in the law of sin is absolutely pre- dominant in such a one. It is in the heart like poison that hath nothing to allay its venomous qualities, and so infects whatever it touches. And where the power and dominion of it is broken, yet in its own nature it hath still an habitual propensity unto that which is evil, wherein its lusting doth consist.
But hero we must distinguish between the hahitual frame of the heart and the natural propensity or liahitual inclination of the law of sin in the heart. The habitual inclination of the heart is deno- minated from the principle that bears chief or sovereign rule in it; and therefore in believers it is imto good, unto God, unto holiness,
OPPOSITION OF SIN UNTO GOD. 191
unto obedience. The heart is not habitually inclined unto evil by the remainders of indwelling sin ; but this sin in the heart hath a con- stant, habitual propensity unto evil in itself or its own nature. This the apostle intends by its being present with us : " It is present with me \' that is, always and for its own end, which is to lust unto sin.