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ing% comforting presence. Doth this work the effect ? No, they go on frowardly still, as men mad on their covetous- ness. Nothing can put a stop to their raging lusts. This is plain madness and fury. We need not seek far for in- stances ; we see men mad on their lusts every day : and, which is the worst kind of madness, their lusts do not rage so much in them, as they rage in the pursuit of ihem. Are those greedy pursuits of things in the world, which we see some men engaged in, though they have other pretences, indeed any thing else but plain madness in the pursuit of their lusts? God, who searcheth the hearts of men, knows, that the most of things that are done with other pretences in the world, are nothing but the actings of men, mad and furious in the pursuit of their lusts.
2. That sin ariseth not unto this height ordinarily, but when it hath got a double advantage.
(1.) That it be provoked, enraged, and heightened, by some great temptation. Though it be a poison in itself, yet being inbred in nature, it grows not violently outrageous without the contribution of some new poison of Satan unto it in a suitable temptation. It was the advantage that Satan got against David, by a suitable temptation, that raised his lusts to that rage and madness which it went forth unto in the business of Bathsheba and Uriah. Though sin be al- ways a fire in the bones, yet it flames not, unless Satan come with his bellows to blow it up. And let any one in whom the law of sin ariseth to this height of rage, seriously consider, and he may find out where the devil stands and puts in in the business.
(2.) It must be advantaged by some former enter- tainment and prevalency. Sin grows not to this height at its first assault. Had it not been suffered to make its en- trance, had there not been some yielding in the soul, this had not ccmo about. The great wisdom and security of the soul in dealing with indwelling sin, is to put a violent stop unto its beginnings, its first motions and actings. Venture all on the first attempt. Die rather than yield one step unto it. If, through the deceit of sin, or the negligence of the soul, or its carnal confidence, to give bounds to lust's act- ings at other seasons, it makes any entrance into the soul, and finds any entertainment, it gets strength and power, and
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insensibly ariseth to the frame under consideration. Thou hadst never had the experience of the fury of sin, if thou hadst not been content with some of its dalliances. Hadst thou not brought up this servant, this slave delicately, it would not have now presumed beyond a son. Now when the law of sin in any particular hath got this double ad van tage, the furtherance of a vigorous temptation, and some prevalency formerly obtained, whereby it is let into the strengths of the soul, it often riseth up to this frame whereof we speak.
3. We may see what accompanies this rage and mad- ness, what are the properties of it, and what effects it pro- duceth.
(1.) There is in it the casting off, for a time at least, of the yoke, rule, and government of the Spirit and law of grace. Where grace hath the dominion, it will never utterly be expelled from its throne, it will still keep its right and sovereignty; but its influences may for a season be inter- cepted, and its government be suspended by the power of sin. Can we think that the law of grace had any actual in- fluence of rule on the heart of David, when upon the provo- cation received from Nabal, he was so huiried with the de- sire of self-revenge, that he cried, ' Gird on your swords,' to his companions, and resolved not to leave alive one man of his whole household; 1 Sam. xxv. 34. or that Asa was in any better frame, when he smote the prophet, and put him in prison, that spake unto him in the name of the Lord ? Sin in this case is like an untamed horse, which havino- first cast off his rider, runs away with fierceness and rage. It first casts off a present sense of the yoke of Christ, and the law^ of his grace, and then hurries the soul at its pleasure. Let us a little consider how this is done.
The seat and residence of grace is in the whole soul; it is the inner man, it is in the mind, the will, and the affec- tions ; for the whole soul is renewed by it unto the image of God; Ephes. iv. 23, 24. and the whole man is a * new creature ;' 2 Cor. v. 17. And in all these doth it exert its power and efiicacy ; its rule or dominion is the pursuit of its effectual working in all the faculties of the soul, as they are one united principle of moral and spiritual operations. So then, the interrupting of its exercise, of its rule and power
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