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2 Epist. ver. 8. lest they should themselves cast away all their former obedience as lost, and a thing of no value. We have innumerable instances hereof in the days wherein we live. How many are there, who not many years since put an unspeakable value on the pardon of sin in the blood of Christ, who delighted in gospel discoveries of spiritual things, and walked in obedience to God on the account of them, who being beguiled and turned aside from the truth as it is in Jesus, do despise these springs of their own former obedience. And as this is done grossly and openly in some, so there are more secret and more plausible insinuations of corrupt opinions, tainting the springs and fountains of gospel obe- dience, and through the vanity of men's minds, which is a principal part of indwelling sin, getting ground upon them. Such are all those that tend to the extenuation of special grace in its freedom and efficacy, and the advancement of the wills or the endeavours of men in their spiritual power and ability : they are works of the flesh, and howsoever some may pretend a usefulness in them to the promotion of ho- liness, they will be found to taint the springs of true evan- gelical obedience, insensibly to turn the heart from God, and to bring the whole soul into a spiritual decay.
And this is one way whereby indwelling sin produceth this pernicious effect, of drawing men off" from the power, purity, and fruitfulness attending their first conversion and engagements unto God, bringing them into habitual declen- sion, at least as unto degrees, of their holiness and grace. There is not any thing we ought to be more watchful against, if we intend effectually to deal with this powerful and subtle enemy. It is no small part of the wisdom of faith, to observe whether gospel truths continue to hate the same savour unto, and efficacy upon, the soul, as formerly they have had ; and whether an endeavour be maintained to improve them con- tinually as at the first. A commandment that is always practised is always new, as John speaks of that of love. And he that really improves gospel truths, though he hears them a thousand times, they will be always new and fresh unto him, because they put him on newness of practice. When to another that grows common under them, they are bur- densome and common unto him, and he even loaths the majina that he is so accustomed unto.
> OF INDWELLING SIN. 173
2. Indwellino sin doth this, by taking men off from their watch against the returns of Satan. When our Lord Christ comes first to take possession of any soul for him- self, he binds that strong man and spoils his goods; he deprives him of all his power, dominion, and interest. Satan being thus dispossessed and frustrated in his hopes and ex- pectations, leaves the soul, as finding it newly mortified to his baits. So he left our Saviour upon his first fruitless attempts. But it is said, * He left him only for a season,' Luke iv. 13. He intended to return again, as he should see his advantage. So is it with believers also. Being cast out from his interest in them, he leaves them for a season, at least comparatively he doth so. Freed from his assaults and perplexing temptations, they proceed vigorously in the course of their obedience, and so flourish in the ways of God. But this holds not ; Satan returns again, and if the soul stands not continually upon his guard against him, he will quickly get such advantages, as shall put a notable in- terruption upon his fruitfulness and obedience. Hence some, after they have spent some time, it may be some years, in cheerful exemplary walking with God, have upon Satan's return, consumed all their latter days in wrestling with perplexing temptations, wherewith he hath entangled them. Others have plainly fallen under the power of his assaults. It is like a man, who having for awhile lived usefully amongst his neighbours, done good and communicated according to his ability, distributing to the poor, and helping all around about him, at length falling into the hands of vexatious, wrangling, oppressive men, he is forced to spend his whole time and revenue in defending himself against them at law, and so becomes useless in the place where he lives. So is it with many a believer ; after he hath walked in a fruitful course of obedience to the glory of God, and edification of the church of Christ, being afresh set upon by the return of Satan in one way or other, he hath enough to do all the remainder of his life to keep himself alive ; in the mean time, as to many graces, wofully decaying and going backward. Now this also, though Satan hath a hand in it, is from indwelling sin ; I mean, the success is so which Satan doth obtain in his undertaking. This encou- rageth him, maketh way for his return, and gives entrance
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to his temptations. You know how it is with them, out of whom he is cast only by gospel conviction ; after he hath wandered and waited awhile, he saith, he will return to his house from whence he was ejected. And what is the issue? Carnal lusts have prevailed over the man's convictions, and made his soul fit to entertain returning devils. It is so as to the measure of prevalency, that Satan obtains against believers, upon advantages administered unto him, by sin's disposing the soul unto an obnoxiousness to his temptations.