A53712:127
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.
It is with Indwelling-Sin as with a River; whilst the Springs and Fountains of it are open, and waters are continually supplied unto its streams, set a dam before it, and it causeth it to rise and swell, until it bear down all, or overflow the banks about it. Let these waters b• abated, dried up in some good measure, in the springs of them, and the remainder may be coerced and restrained. But still as long as there is any running water it will constantly press upon what stands before it, according to its weight and strength, because it is its nature so to do. And if by any means it make a passage, it will proceed. So is it with Indwelling-Sin: whilst the springs and fountains of it are open, in vain is it for men to set a dam before it by their convictions, resolutions, vows and promises. They may check it for a while, but it will increase, rise high, and rage at one time or another, until it bears down all those convictions and resolutions, or makes it self an underground-passage ⟨p. 63⟩by some secret lust that shall give a full vent unto it. But now suppose that the springs of it are much dried up by Regenerating Grace, the streams or actings of it abated by Holiness, yet whilst any thing remains of it, it will be pressing constantly to have vent, to press forward into actual sin. And this is its lusting.
It is with Indwelling-Sin as with a River; whilest the Springs and Fountains of it are open, and waters are continually supplyed unto its streams, set a damm before it, and it causeth it to rise and swell, untill it bear down all, or overflow the banks about it. Let these waters b• abated, dryed up in some good measure, in the springs of them, and the remainder may be coerced and restrained. But still as long as there is any running water it will constantly press upon what stands before it, according to its weight and strength, because it is its nature so to do. And if by any means it make a passage, it will proceed. So is it with Indwelling-Sin: whilest the springs and fountains of it are open, in vain is it for men to set a damm before it by their convictions, resolutions, vowes and promises. They may check it for a while, but it will increase, rise high, and rage at one time or another, until it bears down all those convictions and resolutions, or makes it self an underground-passage ⟨p. 63⟩