1. The general active iticlination of the heart unto sin, though not fixed as unto any particular act or way of sin, the " motus primo primi." Of this you have that testimony of God concerning man in the state of nature, Gen. vL 5, " Every figment of the thoughts of his lieart is only evil every day." The figment or imagination of the thoughts is the very root of them, the general moulding or active preparing of the mind for the exerting of them. So 1 Chron. xxviii. 9, " The Lord understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts;" — the figments of them, the next disposition ol the soul unto them; and chap. xxix. 18, " Keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of their hearts," or keep their hearts in a continual framing posture and condition of such good thoughts. This, I say, is the first way of lust's temptation; it makes a mint of the heart, to frame readily all manner of evil desires and thoughts, that they may, as our Saviour apealcs, " proceed out of the heart," Matt. xv. 19. Their actual fixing on any object is their proceeding, antecedent whereunto they are framed and formed in the heart. Lust actually disposeth,
XV.] THE SINS OF BELIEVERS CONSIDERED. 535
inclines, bends the heart to things suitable to itself, or the corrupt, habitual principle which hath its residence in us.
2. The actual tumultuating of lust, and working with all its power and policy, in stirring up, provoking to, and drawing out, thoughts and contrivances of sin, with delight and complacency, in inconceiv- able variety ; the several degrees of its progress herein being afterward described.
In the first of these there is no small difference between regene- rate and unregenerate persons, and that in these two things: —
1. In its universalitij. In unregenerate men " every figment of their heart is only evil, and that every day." There is a univer- sality of actings expressed positively, and exclusively to any actings of another kind, " Every figment of their heart is only evil;" and of time, " Every day." Whatever good they seem to do, or do, what- ever duties they perform, that in them all which is the proper fig- ment of their heart is only evil. On this account, take any duty they do, any work they perform, and weigh it in the balance, and it will be found, in respect of principles, or circumstances, or aims, to be wholly evil, — that indeed there is nothing in it that is acceptable to God; and their hearts are casting, minting, and coining sin all the day long. With believers it is not so; there is also a good trea- sure in their hearts, from whence they bring out good things. There is a good root in them, that bears good fruit. Though they are, or may be, overtaken with many sins, yea with great sins, yet lust doth not tempt them, as it doth unregenerate men, with a perpetual, con- tinual, active inclination unto evil, even, some way or other, in all the good they do. The Spirit is in them, and will and doth, in what state soever they are, dispose their hearts to faith, love, meekness, and actuates those graces, at least in the elicit acts of the will; for " a good tree will bring forth good fruit." Never any believer is or was so deserted of God, or did so forsake God, as that " every fig- ment of his heart should be only evil, and that continually." That no one act of sin can possibly expel his habit of grace hath been formerly showed : neither is he ever cast into such a condition but, from the good principle that is in him, there is a panting after God, a longing for his salvation, with more or less efficacy; the spark is warm and glowing, though under ashes.
2. In respect of power. Lust tempts in unregenerate men out of an absolute, uncontrollable dominion, and that with a morally irre- sistible efficacy. All its dominion, as hath been showed, and very much of its strength, is lost in believers. This is the intendment of the apostle's discourse, Rom. vi., concerning the crucifying of sin by the death of Christ. The power, strength, vigour, and efficacy of it, is so far abated, weakened, mortified, that it cannot so effectually impel unto sin as it doth when it is in perfect life and strength.
536 DOCTRINE OF THE SAINTS' PEllSEVE RANGE. [CHAP.
But you will say, then, " If lust be thus weakened in believers more than in others, how comes it to pass that they do at any time fall into such great and heinous sins as sometimes they do, and have done? Will not this argue them to be even worse than unregenerate persons, seeing they fall into sin upon easier terms, and with less violence of impulse from indwelling sin, than they?"
Ans. 1. The examples of believers falling into great sins are rare, and such as by no means are to be accommodated to their state in their ordinary walking with God. It is true, there are examples of such falls recorded in the Scripture, that they might lie as buoys to all generations, to caution men of their danger when the waves of temptation arise; to show what is in man, in the best of men; to keep all the saints of God humble, self-empty, and in a continual dependence on Him in whom are all their springs, from whom are all their supplies: but as they are mostly all Old Testament examples, before grace for grace was given out by Jesus Christ, so they are by no means farther to be urged^ nor are, but only to show that it is possible that God can keep alive the root when the tree is cut down to the ground, and cause it to bud again by the scent of the water of his Spirit flowing towards it.