I shall begin with the first ; or its actings as it were in a way of force, in an open downright opposition to God and his law, or the good that a believing soul would do in obe- dience unto God and his law. And in this whole matter, we must be careful to steer our course aright, taking the Scripture for our guide, with spiritual reason and expe- rience for our companions ; for there are many shelves in our course, which must diligently be avoided, that none who consider these things be troubled without cause, or com- forted without a just foundation.
In this first way, whereby this sin exerts its enmity in opposition, namely, as it were by force or strength, there are four things expressing so many distinct degrees in its pro- gress and procedure in the pursuit of its enmity.
First, Its general inclination, * it lusteth ;' Gal. v. 17. Secondly, Its particular way of contending ; it fights or ,wars; Rom. vii. 23. James iv. 1. 1 Pet. ii. 11.
Thirdly, Its success in this contest; ' it brings the soul into captivity to the law of sin ;' Rom. vii. 23.
Fourthly, Its growth and rage upon success ; it comes up to madness, as an enraged enemy will do ; Eccles. ix. 3. All which we must speak to in order.
First, In general it is said to lust. Gal. v. 17. ' The flesh lusteth against the Spirit.' This word expresseth the ge- neral nature of that opposition which the law of sin maketh against God, and the rule of his Spirit or grace in them that believe ; and therefore, the least degree of that opposition is expressed hereby. When it doth any thing it lusteth. As because burning is the general acting of fire, whatever it doth else, it doth also burn. When fire doth any thing, it burns ; and when the law of sin doth any thing, it lusts.
Hence all the actings of this law of sin are called the ' lusts of the flesh.' Gal. v. 16. ' Ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh.' Rom. xiii. 14. ' Make no provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof.' Nor are these lusts of the flesh those only whereby men act their sensuality in riot.
OF INDWELLING SIN. 45
drunkenness, uncleanness, and the like; but they compre- hend all the actings of the law of sin whatever, in all the fa- culties and affections of the soul. Thus, Eph. ii. 3. we have mention of the desires, or wills, or lusts of the mind, as well as of the flesh. The mind, the most spiritual part of the soul, hath its lusts, no less than the sensual appetite, which seems sometimes more properly to be called the flesh. And in the products of these lusts, there are defilements of the spirit, as well as of the flesh, 2 Cor. vii. 1. that is, of the mind and understanding, as well of the appetite and affec- tions, and the body that attends their service. And in the blamelessness of all these consists our holiness, 2 Thess. v. 23. * The God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit, and soul, and body, be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.' Yea, by the flesh in this matter the whole old man, or the law of sin, is intended, John iii. 6. ' That which is born of the flesh is flesh;' that is, it is all so, and nothing else : and whatever remains of the old nature in the new man is flesh still. And this flesh lusteth ; this law of sin doth so, which is the ge- neral bottom and foundation of all its opposition unto God. And this it doth two ways.
1. In a hidden close propensity unto all evil. This lies in it habitually. Whilst a man is in the state of nature, fully under the power and dominion of this law of sin, it is said, that * every figment of his heart is evil, and that conti- nually;' Gen. vi. 5. It can frame, fashion, produce, or act nothing but what is evil, because this habitual propensity unto evil, that is in the law of sin, is absolutely predominant in such a one. It is in the heart like poison, that hath no- thing to allay its venomous qualities, and so infects what- ever it touches : and where the power and dominion of it is broken, yet in its own nature it hath still an habitual propen- sity unto that which is evil, wherein its lusting doth consist. But here we must distinguish between the habitual frame of the heart, and the natural propensity or habitual inclina- tion of the law of sin in the heart. The habitual inclina- tion of the heart is denominated from the principle that bears chief or sovereign rule in it; and therefore in believers it is unto good, unto God, unto holiness, unto obedience. The heart is not habitually inclined unto evil by the remain-
46 THE NATURE AND POWER
ders of indwelling sin, but this sin in the heart hath a con- stant habitual propensity unto evil in itself, or its own na- ture. This the apostle intends by its being present with us; it *is present with me;' that is, always, and for its own end, which is to lust unto sin.