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

Farther to manifest the strength and advantage that sin hath by its deceit, we may observe that the Scripture places it for the most part as the head and spring of every sin, even as though there were no sin followed after, but where deceit went before. So 1 Tim. 2. 13, 14. The reason the Apostle gives why Adam though he was first formed, was not first in the transgression, is because he was not first deceived. The Woman though made last, yet being first deceived, was first in the sin. Even that first sin began in deceit, and until the mind was deceived, the soul was safe. Eve therefore did truly express the matter, Gen. 3. 13. though she did it not to a good end; the Serpent beguiled me, saith she, and I did eat. She thought to extenuate her own crime, by charging the Serpent. And this was a new fruit of the sin she had cast her self into. But the matter of fact was true, she was beguiled before she eat; deceit went before the transgression. And the Apostle shows that Sin and Satan still take the same c•urse, 2 Cor. 11. 3. There is saith he, the same way of working towards actual sin, as was of old; beguiling, deceiving goes before, and sin that ⟨p. 102⟩is the actual accomplishment of it followeth after. Hence all the great works that the Devil doth in the world, to stir men up to an opposition unto the Lord Jesus Christ and his Kingdom, he doth them by deceit, Rev. 12. 9. The Devil who deceiveth the whole world. It were utterly impossible men should be prevailed on to abide in his service, acting his designs to their eternal, and sometimes their temporal ruin, were they not exceedingly deceived. See also Chap. 20. 10.

Farther to manifest the strength and advantage that sin hath by its deceit, we may observe that the Scripture places it for the most part as the head and spring of every sin, even as though there were no sin followed after, but where deceit went before. So 1 Tim. 2. 13, 14