Hence are those manifold cautions that are given us to take heed that we be not deceived, if we would take heed that we do not sin. See Eph. v. 6 ; 1 Cor. vi. 9, xv. S3 ; Gal. vi. 7 ; Luke xxi. 8. From all which testimonies we may learn the influence that deceit hath into sin, and consequently the advantage that the law of sin hath to put forth its power by its deceitfulness. Where it prevails to deceive, it fails not to bring forth its fruit.
The ground of this efficacy of sin by deceit is taken from the faculty of the soul affected with it. Deceit properly affects the rnind; it is the mind that is deceived. When sin attempts any other way of entrance into the soul, as by the affections, the mind, retaining its right and sovereignty, is able to give check and control unto it. But where the mind is tainted, the prevalency must be great ; for the mind or understanding is the leading faculty of the soul, and what that fixes on, the will and affections rush after, being capable of no consideration but what that presents unto them. Hence it is, that though the entanglement of the affections unto sin be ofttimes most troublesome, yet the deceit of the mind is always most dangerous, and that because of the place that it possesseth in the soid as unto all its operations. Its office is to guide, direct, choose, and lead ; and " if the light that is in us be darkness, how great is that dai'kness!"
And this will farther appear if we consider the nature of deceit in general. It consists in presenting unto the soul, or mind, things otherwise than they are, either in their nature, causes, effects, or present respect unto the soul. This is the general nature of deceit, and it prevails many ways. It hides what ought to be seen and con- sidered, conceals circumstances and consequences, presents what is not, or things as they are not, as we shall afterward manifest in par- ticular. It was showed before that Satan " beguiled" and " deceived" our first parents; that term the Holy Ghost gives unto his tempta- tion and seduction. And how he did deceive them the Scripture re- lates. Gen. iii. 4, 5. He did it by representing things otherwise than they were. The fruit was desirable; that was apparent unto the eye. Hence Satan takes advantage secretly to insinuate that it was merely an abridgment of their happiness that God aimed at in forbidding them to eat of it. That it was for the trial of their obedience, that
214 THE NATURE AND POWER OF INDWELLING SIN.
certain though not immediate niin would ensue upon the eating of it, he hides from them; only he proposeth the present advantage of knowledge, and so presents the whole case quite otherwise unto them than indeed it was. This is the nature of deceit; it is a representa- tion of a matter under disguise, hiding that which is undesirable, proposing that which indeed is not in it, that the mind may make a false judgment of it : so Jacob deceived Isaac by his brother's raiment and the skins on his hands and neck.
Again; deceit hath advantage by that way of management which is inseparable from it. It is always carried on by degrees, by little and little, that the whole of the design and aim in hand be not at once discovered. So dealt Satan in that great deceit before men- tioned; he proceeds in it by steps and degrees. First, he takes off an objection, and tells them they shall not die; then proposeth the good of knowledge to them, and theii' being like to God thereby. To hide and conceal ends, to proceed by steps and degrees, to make use of what is obtained, and thence to press on to farther effects, is the true nature of deceit. Stephen tells us that the king of Egypt "dealt subtilly," or deceitfully, "with their kindred," Acts vii. 19. How he did it we may see, Exod. i. He did not at first fall to killing and slaying of them, but says, verse 10, " Come, let us deal wisely," beginning to oppress them. This brings forth their bondage, verse 11. Having got this gi'ound to make them slaves, he proceeds to destroy their children, verse 16. He fell not on them all at once, but by degi'ees. And this may suffice to show in general that sin is deceitful, and the advantages that it hath thereby.
For the way, and manner, and progress of sin in working by de- ceit, we have it fully expressed, James i. 14, 15, -'Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin : and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death." This place, declaring the whole of what we aim at in this matter, must be particularly insisted on.
In the foregoing verse the apostle manifests that men are willing to drive the old trade, which our first parents at the entrance of sin set up withal, namely, of excusing themselves in their sins, and cast- ing the occasion and blame of them on others. It is not, say they, from themselves, their own nature and inclinations, their own design- ings, that they have committed such and such evils, but merely from their temptations; and if they know not where to fix the evil of those temptations, they will lay them on God himself, rather than go without an excuse or extenuation of their guilt. This evil in the hearts of men the apostle rebuketh, verse 13, " Let no man say when ho is tempted, I am tempted of God : for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man." And to show the justness of