The Nature, Power, Deceit, and Prevalency of Indwelling Sin

Secondly, It rebels also in respect unto particular duties. It raiseth a combustion in the soul against the particular commands and designings of the Law of grace: You cannot do the things that you would; that is, the duties which you judge incumbent on you which you approve and delight in in the inward man, you cannot do them as you would. Take an instance in prayer. A man addresseth himself unto that duty, he would not only perform it, but he would perform it in that manner that the nature of the duty, and his own condition do require. He would pray in the spirit, fervently, with sighs and groans that cannot be uttered; in faith with love and delight, pouring forth his soul unto the Lord: this he aims at. Now oftentimes he shall find a rebellion, a fighting of the Law of sin in this matter. He shall find difficulty to get any thing done, who thought to do all things. I do not say, that it is thus always, but it is so when sin wars and rebels, which expresseth ⟨p. 75⟩an especial acting of its power. Woeful entanglements do poor creatures oftentimes meet withal upon this account. Instead of that free enlarged Communion with God that they aim at, the best that their souls arrive unto, is but to go away mourning for their folly, deadness and indisposition. In a word, there is no command of the Law of Grace that is known, liked of, and approved by the soul, but when it comes to be observed, this Law of sin one way or other makes head and rebels against it. And this is the first way of its fighting.

Secondly, It rebells also in respect unto particular duties. It raiseth a combustion in the soul against the particular commands and designings of the Law of grace: You cannot do the things that you would; that is, the duties which you judge incumbent on you which you approve and delight in in the inward man, you cannot do them as you would. Take an instance in prayer. A man addresseth himself unto that duty, he would not only perform it, but he would perform it in that manner that the nature of the duty, and his own condition do require. He would pray in the spirit, fervently, with sighs and groans that cannot be uttered; in faith with love and delight, pouring forth his soul unto the Lord: this he aims at. Now oftentimes he shall find a rebellion, a fighting of the Law of sin in this matter. He shall find difficulty to get any thing done, who thought to do all things. I do not say, that it is thus always, but it is so when sin wars and rebells, which expresseth ⟨p. 75⟩