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ble to any special trial or temptation that we may be exercised with. Our merciful High Priest is ready to give out this especial seasonable grace over and above those constant communications of supplies of the Spirit, which we mentioned before. Besides the never-failing springs of ordinary covenant grace, he hath also peculiar refreshing showers for times of drought. And this is exceedingly to the advantage of the saints, for their preservation and growth in grace; and there may very many more of the like nature be added. But now I say, notwithstanding all these, and the residue of the like importance, such is the power and efficacy of indwelling sin, so great. its deceitfulness and restlessness, so many its wiles and temptations, it often falls out that many of them, for whose growth and improvement all this provision is made, do yet go back and decline, even as to their course of walking with God. Sampson's strength fully evidenced itself, when he brake seven new withs, and seven new cords, wherewith he was bound, as burning tow, and as thread. The noxious humour in the body, which is so stubborn, as that no use of the most sovereign remedies can prevail against it, ought to be regarded. Such is this indwelling sin, if not watched over; it breaks all the cords made to bind it; it blunts the instruments appointed to root it up; it resists all healing medicines, though never so sovereign; and is, therefore, assuredly of exceeding efficacy. Besides, believers have innumerable obligations upon them, from the love, the command of God, to "grow in grace," to press forward towards perfection, as they have abundant means provided for them so to do. Their doing so, is a matter of the

greatest advantage, profit, sweetness, contentment to them, in the world; it is the burden, the trouble of their souls, that they do not so do; that they are not more holy, more zealous, useful, fruitful; they desire it above life itself; they know it is their duty to watch against this enemy, to fight against it, to pray against it, and so they do. They more desire its destruction, than the enjoyment of all this world, and all that it can afford. And yet, notwithstanding all this, such is the subtlety, and fraud, and violence, and fury, and urgency, and importunity, of this adversary, that it frequently prevails to bring them to the woful condition mentioned. Hence it is with believers sometimes, as it is with men in some places at sea they have a good and fair gale of wind, it may be, all night long; they ply their tackling, attend diligently their business, and, it may be, take great delight to consider how they proceed in their voyage in the morning, or after a season coming to measure what way they have made, and what progress they have had, they find that they are much backward of what they were, instead of getting one step forward; falling into a swift tide or current against them, it hath frustrated all their labours, and rendered the wind in their sails almost useless; somewhat thereby they have borne up against the stream, but have made no progress. So it is with believers: they have a good gale of supplies from the Spirit above, they attend duties diligently, pray constantly, hear attentively, and omit nothing that may carry them on in their voyage towards eternity; but after a while, coming seriously to consider, by the examination of their hearts and ways, what progress they

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have made, they find that all their assistance and duties have not been able to bear them up against- some strong tide or current of indwelling sin. It hath kept them indeed that they have not been driven and split on rocks and shelves; it hath preserved them from gross, scandalous sins, but yet they have lost in their spiritual frame, or gone backwards, and are entangled under many woful decays; which is a notable evidence of the life of sin, about which we are treating. Now, because the end of our discovering the power of sin is, that we may be careful to obviate and prevent it in its operation; and because, of all the effects it produceth, there is none more dangerous or pernicious than that we have last insisted on, namely, that it prevails upon many professors to an habitual declension from their former ways and attainments, notwithstanding all the sweetness and excellency which their souls have found in them; I shall, in the next place, consider, by what ways and means, and through what assistance, it usually prevails in this kind, that we may the better be instructed to watch against it.

CHAPTER XV.

Decays in degrees of grace caused by indwelling sin. The ways of its prevalency to this purpose.

THE ways and means whereby indwelling sin prevaileth on believers to habitual declensions and decays, as to degrees of grace and holiness, is that which now comes under consideration, and are many.

First, Upon the first conversion and calling of sinners to God and Christ, they have usually many fresh springs breaking forth in their souls, and refreshing showers coming upon them, which bear them up to a high rate of faith, love, holiness, fruitfulness, and obedience. As upon a land-flood, when many lesser streams run into a river, it swells over its bounds, and rolls on with a more than ordinary fulNow if these springs be not kept open, if they prevail not for the continuance of these showers, they must needs decay and go backwards. shall name one or two of them.

ness.

We

First, They have a fresh, vigorous sense of pardoning mercy. According as this is in the soul, so will its love and delight in God, so will its obedience be. As, I say, is the sense of gospel pardon, so will be the life of gospel love. "I say unto thee," saith our Saviour of the poor woman, ❝ her sins, which were many, are forgiven her, for she loved much; but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little." Her great love was an evidence of great forgiveness, and her great sense of it.

For our

Saviour is not rendering a reason of her forgiveness, as though it were for her love, but of her love, that it was because of her forgiveness. Having in the foregoing parable, convinced the Pharisees with whom he had to do, that he to whom most was forgiven would love most, he thence gives an account of the great love of the woman, springing from the sense she had of the great forgiveness which she had so freely received. Thus sinners, at their first conver sion, are very sensible of great forgiveness; "of whom I am chief," lies next their heart. This greatly subdues their hearts and spirits to God in all, and quickens them to all obedience; even that such poor cursed sinners as they were, should so freely be delivered and pardoned. The love of God and of Christ, in their forgiveness, highly conquers and constrains them to make it their business to live to God.

Secondly, The fresh taste they have had of spiritual things, keeps up such a savour and relish of them in their souls, as that worldly contentments, whereby men are drawn off from close walking with God, are rendered sapless and undesirable to them. Having tasted of the wine of the gospel, they desire no other, for they say, This is best. So was it with the apostles, upon that option offered them as to a departure from Christ, upon the apostacy of many false professors: "Will ye go away also?" They answer, by Peter, "Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life." They had such a fresh savour and relish of the doctrine of the gospel, and the grace of Christ upon their souls, that they could entertain no thoughts of declining

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