by the law of sin, must consist in its contrary acting in and upon the faculties and affections of the soul, whereon, and by which, grace should exert its power and efficacy ; and this it doth; it darkens the mind, partly through innumerable vain prejudices and false reasonings, as we shall see when we come to consider its deceitfulness, and partly through the steam- ino- of the affections, heated with the noisome lusts that have laid hold on them. Hence that saving lioht that is in the mind is clouded and stifled, that it cannot put forth its transforming power to change the soul into the likeness of Christ discovered unto it, which is its proper work, Rom. xii. 2. The habitual inclination of the will to obedience, which is the next way of the working of the law of grace, is first weakened, then cast aside, and rendered useless by the continual solicitations of sin and temptation ; so that the will first lets go its hold, and disputes whether it shall yield or no ; and at last gives up itself to its adversary; and for the affections commonly the beginning of this evil is in them. They cross one another, and torture the soul with their impetuous violence. By this way is the rule of the law of grace intercepted by the law of sin, even b}- imposing upon it in the whole seat of its government. When this is done, it is sad work that sin will make in the soul. The apostle warns believers to take heed hereof, Rom. vi. 12. ' Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies, that you should obey it in the lusts thereof.' Look to it that it o-et not the dominion, that it usurp not rule, no not for a mo- ment. It will labour to intrude itself unto the throne, watch against it, or a woful state and condition lies at the door. This then accompanies this rage and madness of the law of sin ; it casts off during its prevalency the rule of the law of grace wholly; it speaks in the soul, but is not heard; it commands the contrary, but is not obeyed ; it cries out, ' Do not this abominable thing which the Lord hateth,' but is not regarded ; that is, not so far as to be able to put a pre- sent stop to the rage of sin, and to recover its own rule, which God in his own time restores to it by the power of his Spirit dwelling in us.
(2.) Madness or rage are accompanied with fearless- ness and contempt of danger; it takes away the power of consideration, and all that influence that it ought to have
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upon the soul. Hence sinners that are wholly under the power of this rage, are said, * To run upon God, and the thick bosses of his buckler;' Job. xvi. 21. That wherein he is armed for their utter ruin. They despise the utmost that he can do to them, being secretly resolved to accomplish their lusts, though it cost them their souls. Some few con- siderations will farther clear this unto us.
[1.] Ofttimes, when the soul is broken loose from the power of renewing grace, God deals with it to keep it with- in bounds by preventing grace. So the Lord declares that he will deal with Israel, Hos, ii. 6. Seeing thou hast rejected me, I will take another course with thee ; I will lay obstacles before thee that thou shalt not be able to pass on, whether the fury of thy lusts would drive thee. He will propose that to them from without, that shall obstruct them in their pro- gress.
[2.] These hinderances that God lays in the way of sinners, as shall be afterward at large declared, are of two sorts.
1st. Rational considerations taken from the consequence of the sin and evil that the soul is solicited unto, and perplexed withal. Such are the fear of death, judgment, and hell, falling; into the hands of the livino; God, who is a consuming fire. Whilst a man is under the power of the law of the Spirit of life, the ' love of Christ constraineth him;' 2 Cor. v. 14. The principle of his doing good and abstaining from evil, is faith working by love, accompanied with a following of Christ, because of the sweet savour of his name. But now, when this blessed easy yoke is for a season cast off, so as was manifested before, God sets a hedge of terror before the soul, minds it of death and judg- ment to come, flashes the flames of hell fire in the face, fills the soul with consideration of all the evil consequence of sin to deter it from its purpose. To this end doth he make use of all threatenings recorded in the law and gospel. To this head also may be referred all the considerations that may be taken from things temporal, as shame, reproach, scandal, punishments, and the like. By the consideration of these things, I say, doth God set a hedge before them.
2dly. Providential dispensations are used by the Lord to the same purpose, and these are of two sorts.
70 THE NATURE AND POWER
(1st.) Such as are suited to work upon the soul, and to cause it to desist and give over in its lustings and pursuit of sin. Such are afflictions and mercies, Isa. Ivii. 17. *I was wroth, 6nd I smote them ;' I testified my dislike of their ways by afflictions. So Hos. ii. 9. 11, 12. * God chastens men with pains on their bodies,' saith he, in Job, ' to turn them from their purpose, and to hide sin from them;' Job xxxiii. 17. 19. And other ways he hath to come to them and touch them, as in their names, relations, estates, and de- sirable things ; or else he heaps mercies on them, that they may consider who they are rebelling against. It may be signal distinguishing mercies are made their portion for many days.