A53712:108
The Nature, Power, Deceit, and Prevalency of Indwelling Sin
The nature, power, deceit, and prevalency of the remainders of indwelling-sin in believers together with the ways of its working and means of prevention opened, evinced, and applied with a resolution of sundry cases of conscience thereunto appertaining.The nature, power, deceit, and prevalency of the remainders of indwelling-sin in believers together with the wayes of its working and means of prevention opened, evinced, and applyed with a resolution of sundry cases of conscience thereunto appertaining.
London: printed for Thomas Cockerill, 1675
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
First, The great means to prevent the fruits and effects of this aversation, is the constant keeping of the soul in an universally holy frame. As this weakens the whole Law of sin, so answerably all its properties; and particularly this aversation. It is this frame only that will enable us to say with the Psalmist, Psal. 57. 7. My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed. It is utterly impossible to keep the heart in a prevailing holy frame in any one duty, unless it be so in and unto all and every one. If sin entanglements get hold in any one thing, they will put themselves upon the soul in every thing. A constant even frame and temper in all duties, in all ways, is the only preservative for any one way. Let not him who is neglective in public persuade himself, that all will be clear and easy in private or on the contrary. There is an harmony in obedience, break but one part and you interrupt the whole. Our wounds in particular arise generally from negligence as to the whole course. So David informs us, Psal. 119. 6. Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have a respect unto all thy commandments. An universal respect to all Gods commandments, is the only preservative from shame. And nothing have we more reason to be ashamed of, than the shameful miscarriages of our hearts in point of duty, which are from the principle before mentioned.
First, The great means to prevent the fruits and effects of this aversation, is the constant keeping of the soul in an universally holy frame. As this weakens the whole Law of sin, so answerably all its properties; and particulary this aversation. It is this frame only that will enable us to say with the Psalmist, Psal. 57. 7. My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed. It is utterly impossible to keep the heart in a prevailing holy frame in any one duty, unless it be so in and unto all and every one. If sin intanglements get hold in any one thing, they will put themselves upon the soul in every thing. A constant even frame and temper in all duties, in all ways, is the only preservative for any one way. Let not him who is neglective in publick perswade himself, that all will be clear and easie in private or on the contrary. There is an harmony in obedience, break but one part and you interrupt the whole. Our wounds in particular arise generally from negligence as to the whole course. So David informs us,