[3.] This is the way appointed and blessed of God to obtain strength and power against sin. James i.5. 'Doth any man lack ? let him ask of God.' Prayer is the way of obtain- ing from God by Christ a supply of all our wants, assistance against all opposition, especially that which is made against us by sin. This, I suppose, need not be insisted on ; it is in the notion and practice clear to every believer. It is that wherein we call, and upon which the Lord Jesus comes in to our succour, with suitable help in a time of need, Heb. ii, 17.
[4.] Faith in prayer countermines all the workings of the deceit of sin ; and that because the soul doth therein constantly engage itself unto God to oppose all sin what- soever. Psal. cxix. 106. ' I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments.' This is the lan- guage of every gracious soul in its addresses unto God : the inmost parts thereof engage themselves to God to cleave to him in all things, and to oppose sin in all things. He that cannot do this, cannot pray. To pray with any other frame, is to flatter God with our lips, which he abhorreth. And this exceedingly helps a believer in pursuing sin unto its ruin. For,
OF INDWELLING SIN. ^1
1st. If there be any secret lust that lies lurking in the heart, he will find it either rising up against this engagement, or using its artifices to secure itself from it. And hereby it is discovered ; and the conviction of the heart concerning its evil furthered and strengthened. Sin makes the most certain discovery of itself, and never more evidently than when it is most severely pursued. Lusts in men are com- pared to hurtful and noisome beasts, or men themselves are so because of their lusts, Isa. xi. 4, 5. Now such beasts use themselves to their dens and coverts, and never discover themselves, at least so much in their proper nature and rage, as when they are most earnestly pursued. And so it is with sin and corruption in the heart.
2ndly. If any sin be prevalent in the soul, it will weaken it; and take it off from the universality of this engagement unto God, it will breed a tergiversation unto it, a slightness in it. Now when this is observed, it will exceedingly awaken a gracious soul, and stir it up to look about it. As spontaneous lassitude, or a causeless weariness and indispo- sition of the body, is looked on as the sign of an approach- ing fever, or some dangerous distemper, which stirs up men to use a timely and vigorous prevention, that they be not seized upon by it; so is it in this case. When the soul of a believer finds in itself an indisposition to make fervent, sin- cere engagements of universal holiness unto God, it knows that there is some prevalent distemper in it, finds the place of it, and sets itself against it.
3dly. Whilst the soul can thus constantly engage itself unto God, it is certain tliat sin can rise unto no ruinous pre- valency. Yea, it is a conquest over sin, a most considerable conquest, when the soul doth fully and clearly, without any secret reserve, come off with alacrity and resolution in such an engagement ; as Psal. xviii. 23. And it may upon such a success triumph in the grace of God, and have good hope through faith, that it shall have a final conquest, and what it so resolves, shall be done ; that it hath decreed a thing, and it shall be established. And this tends to the disap- pointment, yea, to the ruin of the law of sin.
4thly. If the heart be not deceived by cursed hypo- crisy, this engagement unto God will greatly influence it unto a peculiar diligence and watchfulness against all sin.
92 THE NATURE AND POWER
There is no greater evidence of hypocrisy, than to have the heart like the whorish woman, Prov. vii. 14. to say, * I have paid my vows, now I may take myself unto my sin ;' or to be negligent about sin, as being satisfied that it hath prayed against it. It is otherwise in a gracious soul. Sense and conscience of engagements against sin made to God, do make it universally watchful against all its motions and ope- rations. On these and sundry other accounts, doth faith in this duty exert itself peculiarly, to the weakening of the power, and stopping of the progress, of the law of sin.
If then the mind be diligent in its watch and charge, to preserve the soul from the eflBcacy of sin, it will carefully at- tend unto this duty, and the due performance of it, which is of such singular advantage unto its end and purpose. Here therefore,
(2.) Sin puts forth its deceit in its own defence ; it la- bours to divert and draw off the mind from attending unto this and the like duties. And there are, among others, three engines, three ways and means, whereby it attempts the ac- complishment of its design.
[1.] It makes advantage of its weariness unto the flesh. There is an aversation, as hath been declared, in the law of sin, unto all immediate communion with God. Now this duty is such. There is nothing accompanieth it whereby the carnal part of the soul may be gratified, or satisfied, as there may be somewhat of that nature in most public duties, in most that a man can do, beyond pure acts of faith and love. No relief or advantage then coming in by it, but what is purely spiritual, it becomes wearisome, burdensome to flesh and blood. It is like travelling alone without companion or diversion, which makes the way seem long, but brings the passenger with most speed to his journey's end. So our Saviour declares, when expecting his disciples according to their duty and present distress should have been engaged in this work, he found them fast asleep ; Matt. xxvi. 41. 'The spirit,' saith he, 'indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak ;' and out of that weakness grew their indisposition unto, and weariness of, their duty. So God complains of his people, Isa. xliii. 22. ' Thou hast been weary of me.' And it may come at length unto that height which is men- tioned, Mai, i. 13. ' Ye have said. Behold, what a weariness