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I have not mentioned these things, as though I hoped by them to set out to the full the power of indwelling sin in unregenerate men, only by a few instances I thought to give a glimpse of it. He that would have a fuller view of it, had need only to open his eyes, to take a little view of that wickedness which reigneth, yea, rageth all the world over. Let him consider the prevailing flood of the things mentioned by Paul to be "the fruits of the flesh;" that is, among the sons of men, in all places, nations, cities, towns, parishes; and then let him add thereto 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 abominations, 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 discerning, he may quickly attain satisfaction in this

matter.

And I showed, in the entrance of this discourse, how this consideration doth fully confirm the truth proposed.

CHAPTER XVII.

The strength of sin evidenced from its resistance to the power of the Law.

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 hath endured a long siege from a potent enemy, and yet is not taken or conquered, whose walls have endured great batteries, and are not demolished, though we have never seen the place, yet we conclude it strong, if not impregnable.

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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 to it.

I shall instance only in the opposition that is made to it by the law, which is ofttimes great and terrible, always fruitless; all its assaults are borne by it, and it is not prevailed against. There are sundry things wherein the law opposeth itself to sin, and the power of it. As,

First, 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 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 hist 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: "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. Conscience will somewhat tumultuate about it, but a man cannot know it clearly and distinctly from hence. 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. 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, discovered him to 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.

Secondly, The law not only discovers sin, but discovers it to be a very bad inmate, dangerous, yea, pernicious to the soul. "Was then that which is

good (that is, the law) made death to 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 exceeding 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, appears to be exceeding sinful. The law gives the soul to know the filth 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 distempered, sending for a physician of skill, when he comes, requires his judgment of his distemper. He, considering his condition, tells him, Alas, I 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 infecting the whole mass of your blood, that I doubt, unless most effectual remedies be used, you will live but a very few hours.

So it is 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

with: 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.

Thirdly, The law judgeth the person, or lets the sinner plainly know what he is to expect upon the account of this sin. This is the law's proper work; its discovering property is but preparative to its judging. The law is itself, when it is in the throne. Here it minceth not the matter with sinners, as we use to do one with another, but tells us plainly, Thou art the man, in whom this exceeding sinful sin doth dwell, and you must answer for the guilt of it. And this, methinks, if any thing, should rouse up a man to set himself in opposition to it, yea, utterly to destroy it. The law lets him know, that upon

the account of this sin he is obnoxious to the curse and wrath of the great God against him; yea, pronounceth the sentence of everlasting condemnation upon him on that account; abide in this state and perish, is its language. It leaves not the soul without this warning in this world, and will leave it without excuse on that account in the world to come.

Fourthly, The law so follows on its sentence, that it disquiets and affrights the soul, and suffers it not to enjoy the least rest or quietness in harbouring its sinful inmate. Whenever the soul hath yielded to its commands, made provision for it, immediately the law flies upon it, with the wrath and terror of the Lord, makes it quake and tremble; it shall have no rest, but is like a poor beast that hath a deadly ar

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