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

First, The utmost End aimed at in all the actings of sin, or the tendency of it in its own nature, and that is death: Sin when it is finished bringeth forth death; the everlasting death of the sinner: pretend what it will, this is the end it aims at and tends unto. Hiding of ends and designs, is the principal property of deceit. This sin doth to the utmost; other things innumerable it pleads, but not once declares that it aims at the death, the everlasting death of the soul. And a fixed apprehension of this end of every sin, is a blessed means to prevent its prevalency in its way of deceit or beguiling.

Secondly, The general way of its acting towards that end, is by Temptation; Every man is tempted of his own lust. I purpose not to speak in general of the nature of Temptations, it belongs not unto our present purpose, and besides I have done it elsewhere. It may suffice at present to observe, that the life of temptation lies in deceit. So that in the business of sin, to be effectually tempted, and to be beguiled or deceived, are the same. Thus it was in the first temptation, it is every where called the Serpents beguiling or deceiving, as was manifested before: The Serpent beguiled Eve, that is, prevailed by his temptations upon her. So that every man is tempted, that is, every man is beguiled or deceived by his own lust, or indwelling-sin, which we have often declared to be the same.

The Degrees whereby sin proceedeth in this work of tempting or deceiving, are five. For we showed before, that this belongs unto the nature of deceit that it works by degrees, making its advantage by one step to gain another.

The Degrees whereby sin proceedeth in this work of tempting or deceiving, are five. For we shewed before, that this belongs unto the nature of deceit that it works by degrees, making its advantage by one step to gain another.