Yen 1,2.] the power of indwelling sin. SIS
2. Some lusts or branches of original coiTuption do obtain in some persons stidi advantages, eitber from nature, custom, employment, society, or tbe like circumstances, tbat tbey become Wee the Canaan- ites that had iron chariots; it is a very difficult thing to subdue them. Well it is if war be maintained constantly against them, for they will almost always be in actual rebellion.
o. Indwelling sin though weakened retaineth all its 2^'>^operties. The properties of a thing follow its nature. Where the nature of any thing is, there are all its natural properties. What are these properties of indwelling sin I should here declare, but that I have handled the whole power and efficacy, the nature and proj^erties of it, in a treatise to that only purpose. In brief, they are such as it is no wonder that some believers are by them cast into depths; bui it is indeed that they do escape them. But thereof the reader may see at large my discourse on this particular subject.^
Secondty. Add hereunto the poiver and i^vevalency of temptation; which, because also I have already, in a special discourse to that pur- pose,^ insisted on, I shall not here farther lay open.
Thirdly. The sovereign pleasure of God in dealing with sinning saints must also be considered. Divine love and wisdom work not towards all in the same manner. God is pleased to continue peace unto some with a " non-obstante," for great provocations. Love shall humble them, and rebukes of kindness shall recover them from their wanderings. Others he is pleased to bring into the depths we have been speaking of But yet I may say generally, signal provocations meet with one of these two events from God : — First, Those in whom they are are left into some signal barrenness and fruitless- ness in their generations; they shall wither, grow barren, worldly, sapless, and be much cast out of the hearts of the people of God. Or, secondly. They shall be exercised in these depths, from whence their way of deliverance is laid down in this psalm. Thus, I say, God deals with his saints in great variety ; some shall have all their bones broken, when others shall have only the gentle strokes of the rod. We are in the hand of mercy, and he may deal with us as seems good unto him; but for our parts, great sins ought to be at- tended with expectations of great depths and perplexities.
And this is the state of the soul proposed in this psalm, and by us, unto consideration. These are the depths wherein it is entangled; these are the ways and means whereby it is brought into these depths. Its deportment in and under this state and condition lies next in our way. But beiore I proceed thereunto, I shall annex some few things unto what hath been delivered, tending to the farther open-
' See previous treatise in this volume, p. 153. 2 See also this volume, p. 87.
344 AN EXPOSITION UPON PSALM cxxx. [Ver.1,2.
ing of the whole case before us. And they are, — 1. What are, or of what sort those sins are, which usually cast the souls of believers into these depths ; and then, 2. Insist on some aggravations of them.
V/luit sins usually bring believei'S into great spiritual distresses — Aggravations of these sins.
First, Sins in their own nature wasting conscience are of tliis sort; sins that rise in opposition unto all of God that is in us ; that is, the light of grace and nature also. Such are the sins that cast David into his depths; such are the sins emmierated, 1 Cor. \\. 9, 10. "Be not deceived," saith the apostle: "neither fornicators, nor idola- ters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God." Certain it is that believers may fall into some of the sins here mentioned. Some have done so, as is left on record. The apostle says not those who have committed any of these sins, but such sinners, shall not inherit the kingdom of God; that is, who live in these sins, or any like unto them. There is no provision of mercy made for such sinners. These and the like are sins which in their own nature, without the con- sideration of aggravating circumstances (which yet, indeed, really in believers they can never be without), are able to plunge a soul into depths. These sins cut the locks of men's spiritual strength; and it is in vain for them to say, "We will go, and do as at other times." Bones are not broken without pain ; nor great sins brought on the conscience without trouble. But I need not insist on these. Some say that they deprive even true believers of all their interest in the love of God, but unduly ; all grant that they bereave them of all comforting evi- dence and well-grounded assurance of it. So they did David and Peter. And herein lies no small part of the depths we are searching into.
Secondly. There arc sins which, though they do not rise up in the conscience with such a bloody guilt as those mentioned, yet, hy rea- son of some circumstances and aggravations, God takes them so unkindly as to make them a root of disquietness and trouble to the soul all its days. He says of some sins of ungodly men, " As I live, this iniquity shall not be purged from you until ye die. If you are come to this height, you shall not escape. I will not spare you." And there are provocations in his own people which may be .so cii'cum- stantiated as that he will not let them pass before he have cast them