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

so that no dealings of God with them, for so long a time could reclaim them. But for the most part when any Lust or Sin doth so prevail, it is from the advantage and furtherance that it hath got by some powerful temptation of Satan. He hath poisoned it, inflamed it, and entangled the soul. So the Apostle speaking of such as through sin were fallen off from their holiness says, they were in the snare of the Devil, being taken Captive by him at his will, 2 Tim. 2. 26. Though it were their own lust, that they served, yet they were brought into bondage thereunto, by being entangled in some snare of Satan. And thence they are said to be taken alive, as a poor Beast in a toil.

so that no dealings of God with them, for so long a time could reclaim them. But for the most part when any Lust or Sin doth so prevail, it is from the advantage and fartherance that it hath got by some powerful temptation of Satan. He hath poysoned it, enflamed it, and entangled the soul. So the Apostle speaking of such as through sin were fallen off from their holiness sayes, they were in the snare of the Devil, being taken Captive by him at his will, 2 Tim. 2. 26. Though it were their own lust, that they served, yet they were brought into bondage thereunto, by being entangled in some snare of Satan. And thence they are said to be taken alive, as a poor Beast in a toyle.

And here, by the way we may a little enquire whether the prevailing power of a particular sin in any, be from it self, or from the influence of temptation upon it, concerning which at present take only these two Observations.

First, Much of the prevalency of sin upon the soul is certainly from Satan, when the perplexing and captivating sin hath no peculiar footing, nor advantage in the nature, constitution, or condition of the sinner. When any lust grows high and prevailing more than others upon its own account,