; : OF INDWELLING SIN. 195
unto but this one consideration, that the world, which is full of the steam, filth, and blood of these abominations, as to their outward actings of them, is a pleasant garden, a paradise, compared to the heart of man, wherein they are all conceived, and hourly millions of more vile abomina- tions, which being stifled in the womb, by some of the ways before insisted on, they are never able to bring forth to light. Let a man, I say, using the law for his light and rule, take this course, and if he have any spiritual discern- ing, he may quickly attain satisfaction in this matter.
And I shewed in the entrance of this discourse, how this consideration doth fully confirm the truth proposed.
CHAP. XVII.
The strength of sin evidenced from its resistance unto the power
of the law. . . ,
-' . ori r^. s J ' ,r. ;;■;;• A
The measure of the strength of any person, or defenced city, may be well taken from the opposition that they are able to withstand, and not be prevailed against. If we hear of a city that has endured a long siege from a potent enemy, and yet is not taken or conquered, whose walls have en- dured great batteries, and are not demolished, though we have never seen the place, yet we conclude it strong, if not impregnable.
And this consideration will also evidence the power and strength of indwelling sin ; it is able to hold out, and not only to live, but also to secure its reign and dominion, against very strong opposition that is made unto it.
I shall instance only in the opposition that is made unto it by the law, which is ofttimes great and terrible, always fruitless ; all its assaults are borne by it, and it is not pre- vailed against. There are sundry things wherein the law opposeth itself to sin, and the power of it. As, Jx
(1.) It discovers it; sin in the soul is like a secret hectical distemper in the body ; its being unknown and unperceived, is one great means of its prevalency. Or as traitors in a civil state, whilst they lie hid, they vigorously carry on their design. The greatest part of men in the world, know nothing of this sickness, yea, death of their
o 2
■t96 THE NATURE AND POWER
souls. Though they have been taught somewhat of the doctrine of it, yet they know nothing of its power. They know it not so, as to deal with it as their mortal enemy. As a man, whatever he be told, cannot be said to know that he hath a hectical fever, if he love his life, and set not himself to stop its progress. This then the law doth, it discovers this enemy ; it convinceth the soul that there is such a traitor harbouring in his bosom, Rom. vii. 7. 'I had not known sin but by the law, for I had not known lust, except the law had said. Thou shalt not covet.' I had not known it, that is, fully, clearly, distinctly. Con- science will somewhat tumultuate about it; but a man can- not know it clearly and distinctly from thence. It gives a man such a sight of it, as the blind man had in the gospel upon the first touch of his eyes, 'He saw men like trees walking,' obscurely, confusedly ; but when the law comes, that gives the soul a distinct sight of this indwelling sin. Again, ' I had not known it,' that is, the depths of it, the root, the habitual inclination of my nature to sin, which is here called lust; as it is by James, chap. i. 14. I had not known it or not known it to be sin, 'but by the law.' This then the law doth, it draws out this traitor from its secret lurking places, the intimate recesses of the soul. A man when the law comes is no more ignorant of his enemy ; if he will now perish by him, it is openly and knowingly; he cannot but say that the law warned him of him, disco- vered him unto him, yea, and raised a concourse about him in the soul of various affections, as an officer doth, that discovers a thief or robber, calling out for assistance to apprehend him,
(2.) The law not only discovers sin, but discovers it to be a very bad inmate, dangerous, yea, pernicious to the soul; Rom. vii. 13. * Was then that which is good,' that is, the law, 'made death unto me ? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good, that sin by the commandment might become exceed- ing sinful/ There are many things in this verse wherein we are not at present concerned ; that which I only aim at is, the manifestation of sin by the law, it appears to be sin ; and the manifestation of it in its own colours, it appears to be exceeding sinful. The law gives the soul to know the filth
OF INDWELLING SIN. 197
and guilt of this indwelling sin, how great they are, how vile it is; what an abomination, what an enmity to God, how hated of him, the soul shall never more look upon it as a small matter, what thoughts soever it had of it before, whereby it is greatly surprised. As a man that finds himself somewhat distemper- ed, sending for a physician of skill, when he comes, requires his judgment of his distemper. He considering his condition, tells him, Alas, 1 am sorry for you, the case is far otherwise with you than you imagine, your disease is mortal, and it hath proceeded so far pressing upon your spirits, and infect- ing the whole mass of your blood, that I doubt unless most effectual remedies be used, you will live but very few hours. So is it in this case ; a man may have some trouble in his mind and conscience about indwelling sin ; he finds all not well, as it should be with him, more from the effects of sin, and its continual eruptions, than the nature of it, which he hopes to wrestle withal ; but now, when the law comes, that lets the soul know, that its disease is deadly and mortal, that it is exceeding sinful, as being the root and cause of all his alienation from God ; and thus also the law proceeds against it.