(2.) The deceit of sin, of every sin, the punishment appointed Tmto it in the law, is another thing that the mind ought actually to attend unto, in reference unto every particular evil. And the diver- sions from this, that the minds of men have been doctrinally and practically attended withal, have been an inlet into all manner of abominations. Job professeth another frame in himself, chap. xxxi. 23, " Destruction from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his highness I could not endure." Many evils he had mentioned in the foregoing verses, and pleads his innocency from them, although they were such as, upon the account of his greatness and power, he could have committed easily without fear of danger from men. Here he gives the reason that prevailed with him so carefully to abstain from them, " Destruction from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his highness I could not endure." " I considered," saith he, " that God had appointed ' death and destruction' for the punishment of sin, and that such was his greatness, highness, and power, that he could inflict it unto the uttermost, in such a way as no creature is able to abide or to avoid." So the apostle directs believers always to consi- der what a " fearful thing it is to fall into the hands of the living God," Heb. x. 31 ; and that because he hath said, " Vengeance is mine, I will recompense," verse 30. He is a sin-avenging God, that will by no means acquit the guilty ; as in the declaration of his gra- cious name, infinitely full of encouragements to poor sinners in Christ, he adds that in the close, that " he will by no means clear the guilty," Exod. xxxiv. 7, — that he may keep upon the minds of them whom he pardoneth a due sense of the punishment that is due from his vin- dictive justice unto every sin. And so the apostle would have us mind that even " our God is a consuming fire," Heb. xii. 29 ; that is, that we should consider his holiness and vindictive justice, appoint- ing unto sin a meet recompense of reward. And men's breaking through this consideration he reckons as the height of the aggrava-
240 THE NATURE AND POWER OF INDWELLING SIN.
tion of tlieir sins: Rom. i. 32, " They knew that it is the judgment of God, that they wliich commit such things were worthy of death, yet continued to do them." What hope is there for such persons? Tliere is, indeed, rehef against this consideration for humbled beheving souls in the blood of Christ; but this relief is not to take off the mind from it as it is appointed of God to be a restraint from sin. And both these considerations, even the sovereignty of God and the punish- ment of sin, are put together by our Saviour: Matt. x. 28, "Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul ; but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."
(3.) The consideration of all the love and kindness of God, against whom every sin is committed, is another thing that the mind ought diligently to attend unto; and this is a prevailing consideration, if rightly and graciously managed in the soul. This Moses presseth on the people: Deut. xxxii. 6, "Do ye thus requite the Lord, O foolish people and unwise? is not he thy Father that bought thee? hath he not made thee, and established thee?" — " Is this a requital for eternal love, and all the fruits of it? for the love and care of a Father, of a Redeemer, that we have been made partakers of ? " And it is the same consideration which the apostle manageth to this purpose, 2 Cor. vii. 1, " Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filth iness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." The receiving of the promises ought to be effec- tual, as to stir us up unto all holiness, so to work and effect an absti- nence from all sin. And what promises are these? — namely, that " God will be a Father unto us, and receive us," chap. vi. 17, 18; which compriseth the whole of all the love of God towards us here and to eternity. If there be any spiritual ingenuity in the soul, whilst the mind is attentive to this consideration, there can be no prevailing attempt made upon it by the pviwer of sin. Now, there are two parts of this consideration : —
[1.] That which is general in it, that which is common unto all believers. This is managed unto this purpose, 1 John iii. 1-3, " Be- hold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what Ave shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him ; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth him- self, even as he is pure." " Consider," saith he, " the love of God, and the privileges that we enjoy by it : ' Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.' Adoption is an especial fruit of it, and how great a privi- lege is this! Such love it is, and such are the fruits of it; that the