2. A believer is exceedingly troubled upon the account of his being at any time led captive to the power of sin in this kind; and the review of the frame of his spirit, wherein his affections were by delight conformed to any sin, is a matter of sore trouble and deep humiliation to him. I am of Austin's mind, De Nup. et Concu- pis., cap. viii., that it is this perpetrating of sin, and not the actual committing of it, which the apostle complaineth of, Rom. vii. Two things persuade me hereunto: — First, Tliat it is the ordinary course and walking of a regenerate man that Paul describeth in that place, and not his extraordinary falls and failings under great and extraor- dinary temptations. This is evident from the whole manner of his
XV.] THE SINS OF BELIEVERS CONSIDERED. 559
discourse, and scope of the place. Now, ordinarily, through the grace of God, the saints do not do outwardly and practically the things they would not, — that is, commit sin actually as to the out- ward act; but they are ordinarily only swayed to this entangle- ment by the baits of sin. Secondly, It is the sole work of indwell- ing sin that the apostle there describeth, as it is in itself, and not as it is advantaged by other temptations, in which it carrieth not be- lievers out to actual sins, as to such accomplishment of them, which is their state in respect of great temptations only. It is, then, I say, the great burden of their souls that they have been in their affec- tions at any time dealing with the baits of sin, which causeth them to cry out for help, and filleth them with a perpetual self-abhorrency and condemnation.
3. In such surprisals of sin, although the affections may be en- snared, and the judgment and conscience by their tumultuating dethroned for a season, yet the will still maketh head against sin in believers, and crieth out that, whether it will or no, it is captived and violently overborne, calling for relief like a man surprised by an enemy. - There is an active renitency in the will against sin, whose bait is exposed to the soul, and wherewith it is enticed, allured, or entangled ; when of all the faculties of the soul, if any thing be done in any act of sin in unregenerate men, the will is the ringleader. Conscience may grumble, and judgment may plead, but the will runneth headlong to it.
And thus far have I (by way of digression) proceeded in the dif- ference there is betwixt regenerate and unregenerate men, as to the root and foundation of sin, as also to their ordinary walking. What is farther added by the apostle in the two following degrees, in the place mentioned, because thence also may some light be ob- tained to the business in hand, shall be briefly insisted on.
The next thing in the progress of sin is lust's conceiving. When it hath turned off the heart from its communion with God or con- sideration of its duty, and entangled or hampered the affections in delight with the sinful object proposed, prevailing with the soul to dwell Avith some complacency upon the thoughts of sin, it then falleth to "conceiving;" that is, it warms, foments, cherisheth thoughts and desires of the sin entertained, until it so far prevails upon the will (in them in whose wills there is an opposition unto it), that, being wearied out with the solicitations of the flesh, it giveth over its power, as to its actual predominant exercise, and sensibly dissenteth not from the sin whereunto it is tempted. That this may sometimes befall a regenerate person I have granted before, and what is the difference herein betwixt them and unregenerate persons may be collected from what hath been already delivered.
Of the next step of sin, which is its bringing forth, or the actual
5 CO DOCTRINE OF THE SAINTS' PERSEVERANCE. [CHAP.
accomplislinient of the sin so conceived, as above expressed, there is the same reason. T/xrs/, " it bringeth out" of its womb the cliild of sin -which it had conceived. It is the actual perpetration of sin for- merly consented unto that is expressed under this metaphor. I have little to add upon this head to what was formerly spoken; for, —
1. As they are not the sins of daily infirmity that are here in- tended, in the place of the apostle under consideration, but such as lie in an immediate tendency unto death, as to their eminent guilt; as also being the fruit of the heart's conception of sin, by fomenting and warming thoughts of sin with delight, until consent unto it be prevalent in the soul : so falls of this nature in the saints are extra- ordinary, and always attended with their loss of peace, the weaken- ing of their faith, wounding of their souls, and obnoxiousness, with- out repentance, unto death. God, indeed, hath provided better things for them ; but for themselves, they have done their endeavour to de- stroy their own souls.
2. That God never suffereth his saints to fall thus, but it is for the accomplishment of some very glorious end of his, in their afflictions, trials, patience, humiliation ; which he will bring about. These ends of God are many and various. I shall not enter into a particular dis- course concerning them.