OF INDWELLING SIN. 59
of his grace and condescension, a due valuation of mercy, far above tliose light, verbal, airy attainments, that some have boasted of.
2. In walking with others, it lays in provision to prevent those great evils of judging, spiritual unmerciful- ness, harsh censuring, which 1 have observed to have been pretended by many, who at the same time, as afterward hath appeared, have been guilty of greater or worse crimes than those which they have raved against in others. This, I say, will lead us to meekness, compassion, readiness to forgive, to pass by offences, even when we shall consider what is our state, as the apostle plainly declares. Gal. vi. 1. The man that understands the evil of his own heart, how vile it is, is the only useful, fruitful, and solidly believing and obedient person. Others are fit only to delude them- selves, to disquiet families, churches, and all relations what- ever. Let us then consider our hearts wisely, and then go and see if we can be proud of our gifts, our graces, our va- luation and esteem amongst professors, our enjoyments. Let us go then and judge, condemn, reproach others that have been tempted ; we shall find a great inconsistency in these things. And many things of the like nature might be here added upon the consideration of this woful effect of indwell- ing sin, The way of opposing and defeating its design herein shall be afterward considered.
CHAP. VIL
The captivating power of indwelling- sin, wherein it coiisislcth. The preva- Icncy of sin, when from itself, when from temptation. The rage and madness that is in si7i.
The third thing assigned unto this law of sin in its oppo- sition unto God, and the law of his grace, is, that it leads the soul captive, Rom. vii.23. 'I find a law leading me cap- tive' (captivating me) * unto the law of sin.' And this is the utmost height which the apostle in that place carries the op- position and warring of the remainders of indwelling sin unto ; closing the consideration of it with a complaint of the state and condition of believers thereby ; and an earnest
60 THE NATURE AND TOWEK
prayer for deliverance from it, ver. 24. ' O wretched man that I am, wlio shall deliver me from this body of death.' What is contained in this expression, and intended by it, shall be declared in the ensuing observations.
1. It is not directly the power and actings of the law of sin that are here expressed, but its success in and upon its actings. But success is the greatest evidence of power, and leading captive in war is the height of success. None can aim at greater success, than to lead their enemies cap- tive. And it is a peculiar expression in the Scripture of great success. So the Lord Christ, on his victory over Satan, is said to ' lead captivity captive ;' Ephes. iv. 8. That is, to conquer him who had conquered and prevailed upon others. And this he did when by death he ' destroyed him that had the power of death, that is, the devil ;' Heb. ii. 14. Here then a great prevalency and power of sin, in its warring against the soul, is discovered. It so wars as to lead cap- tive ; which, had it not great power, it could not do ; espe- cially against that resistance of the soul which is included in this expression.
2. It is said, that it leads the soul captive * unto the law of sin.' Not to this or that sin, particular sin, actual sin, but to the 'law of sin.' God, for the most part, ordereth things so, and gives out such suppliesof grace unto believers, as that they shall not be made a prey unto this or that particular sin, that it should prevail in them, and com- pel them to serve it in the lusts thereof, that it should have dominion over them, that they should be captives and slaves unto it. This is that which David prays so earnestly against. Psalm xix. 12, 13. ' Cleanse thou me from secret faults. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me : then shall 1 be upright.' He supposeth the continuance of the law of sin in him, ver. 12. which will bring forth errors of life, and secret sins, against which he findeth relief in pardoning and cleansing mercy which he prays for. This, saith he, will be my condition. But for sins of pride and boldness, such as all sins are that get dominion in a man, that make a captive of a man, tiie Lord restrain thy servant from them. For what sin soever gets such power in a man, be it in its own nature small or great, it becomes in him in whom it is a sin of boldness,
OF INDWELLING SIN. 61
pride, and presumption. For these things are not reckoned from the nature or kind of the sin, but from its prevalency and customariness, wherein its pride, boldness, and con- tempt of God doth consist. To the same purpose, if I mis- take not, prays Jabez, 1 Chron. iv. 10. ' O that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand may be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me.' The holy man took occasion from his own name to pray against sin, that that might not be a grief and sorrow to him by its power and prevalency, I confess sometimes it may come to this with a believer, that for a season he may be led captive by some particular sin. It may have so much prevalency in him, as to have power over him. So it seems to have been with David when he lay so long in his sin without repentance. And was plainly so with those in Isa. Ivii. 17, 18. ' For the ini- quity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him : I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart. I have seen his ways, and will heal him.' They continued under the power of their covetousness : so that no dealings of God with them, for so long a time could re- claim them. But for the most part, when any lust or sin doth so prevail, it is from the advantage and furtherance that it hath got by some powerful temptation of Satan. He hath poisoned it, inflamed it, and entangled the soul. So the apostle, speaking of such as through sin were fallen off from their holiness, says, ' they were in the snare of the devil, being taken captive by him at his will ;' 2 Tim. ii. 26. Though it were their own lusts that they served, yet they were brought into bondage thereunto, by being entangled in some snare of Satan. And thence they are said to be taken alive, as a poor beast in a toil.