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lO THE. NATURE AND POWER
it must be by the exercise of those faculties wherein this law hath its residence. Is the understanding or the mind to be applied unto any thing ? there it is in ignorance, darkness, vanity, folly, madness. Is the will to be engaged ? there it is also in spiritual deadness, stubbornness, and the roots of obstinacy. Is the heart and affections to be set on work? there it is in inclinations to the world, and present things, and sensuality, with proneness to all manner of defilements. Hence it is easy for it to insinuate itself into all that we do, and to hinder all that is good, and to farther all sin and wickedness. It hath an intimacy, an inwardness with the soul, and therefore in all that we do, doth easily beset us. It possessetK those very faculties of the soul, whereby we must do what we do, whatever it be, good or evil. Now all these advantages it hath as it is a law, as an indwelling law, which manifests its power'tond efficacy. It is always resi- dent in the soul, it puts itself upon all its actings, and that with easiness and facility.
This is that law which the apostle affirms that he found in himself, this is the title that he gives unto the powerful and effectual remainder of indwelling sin even in believers, and these general evidences of its power from that appella- tion have we. Many there are in the world, who find not this law in them ; who, whatever they have been taught in the word, have not a spiritual sense and experience of the power of indwelling sin, and that because they are wholly under the dominion of it. They find not that there is darkness and folly in their minds, because they are darkness itself, and darkness will discover nothing. They find not dead- ness and an indisposition in their hearts and wills to God, because they are dead wholly in trespasses and sins. They ■are at peace with their lusts, by being in bondage unto them. And this is the state of most men in the world, which makes them wofully despise all their eternal concernments. Whence is it that men follow and pursue the world with so much greediness, that they neglect heaven, and life, and im- mortality for it every day? Whence is it that some pursue their sensuality with delight, they will drink, and revel, and have their sports, let others say what they please ? Whence is it that so many live so unprofitably under the word, that they understand so little of what is spoken unto them, that
OF INDWELLING SIN. 19
they practise less of what they understand, and will by no means be stirred up to answer the mind of God in his calls unto them ? It is all from this law of sin, and the power of it that rules and bears sway in men, that all these things do proceed ; but it is not such persons of whom at present we particularly treat.
From what hath been spoken, it will ensue, that if there be such a law in believers, it is doubtless their duty to find it out, to find it so to be.
The more they find its power, the less they will feel its fiffects. It will not at all advantage a man to have an hecti- cal distemper, and not to discover it ; afire lying secretly in his house, and not to knovv it. So much as men find of this law in them, so much they will abhor it, and themselves, and no more. Proportionably also to their discovery of it, will be their earnestness for grace; nor will it rise higher. All watchfulness and diligence in obedience will be answer- able also thereunto. Upon this one hinge, or finding out and experiencing the power and the efficacy of this lav/ of sin,' turns the whole course of our lives. Ignorance of it breeds senselessness, carelessness, sloth, security, and pride; all which the Lord's soul abhors. Eruptions into great, open, conscience-wasting, scandalous sins, are from want of a due spiritual consideration of this law. Inquire then how it is with your souls. What do you find of this law, what experience have you of its power and efficacy? Do you find it dwelling in you, always present with you, exciting itself, or putting forth its poison with facility and easiness, at all times, in all your duties, ' when you would do good?' What humiliation, what self abasement, what intenseness in prayer, what dili- gence, what watchfulness doth this call for at your hands ? What spiritual wisdom do you stand in need of? What sup- plies of grace, what assistance of the Holy Ghost will be hence also discovered. I fear we have few of us a diligence proportionable to our danger.
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20 THE NATURE AND POWER
CHAP. III.
The seat or subject of the laio of sin. The heart ; what meant thereby . Pro- perties of the heart as possessed by sin. Unsearchable. Deceitful. Whence that deceit arisct/i. Improvements of these considerations.
Having manifested indwelling sin whereof we treat in the remainders of it in believers, to be a law, and evinced in general, the power of it from thence, we shall now proceed to give particular instances of its efficacy and advantages, from some things that generally relate unto it as such. And these are three. First, Its seat and subjects ; secondly, Its natural properties ; and thirdly. Its operation and the man- ner thereof, which principally we aim at, and shall attend unto.