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

Thus it is in Believers, 'tis a Law even in them, though not to them. Though its rule be broken, its strength weakened and impaired, its root mortified, yet it is a Law still of great force and efficacy. There where 'tis least felt, it is most powerful. Carnal men in reference unto spiritual & moral duties, are nothing but this Law, they do nothing but from it, and by it. It is in them a ruling and prevailing principle of all moral actions, with reference unto a supernatural and eternal end. I shall not consider it in them in whom it hath most power, but in them in whom its power is chiefly discovered and discerned, that is in Believers, in the others only in order to ⟨p. 5⟩the farther conviction and manifestation thereof.

Thus it is in Believers, 'tis a Law even in them, though not to them. Though its rule be broken, its strength weakned and impaired, its root mortified, yet it is a Law still of great force and efficacy. There where 'tis least felt, it is most powerful. Carnal men in reference unto spiritual & moral duties, are nothing but this Law, they do nothing but from it, and by it. It is in them a ruling and prevailing principle of all moral actions, with reference unto a supernatural and eternal end. I shall not consider it in them in whom it hath most power, but in them in whom its power is chiefly discovered and discerned, that is in Believers, in the others only in order to ⟨p. 5⟩the farther conviction and manifestation thereof.

2dly, The Apostle proposeth the way whereby he discovered this Law in himself, [Greek or Hebrew], I find then, or therefore a Law. He found it; it had been told him there was such a Law, it had been preached unto him. This convinced him, that there was a Law of Sin. But it is one thing for a man to know in general, that there is a Law of Sin: Another thing for a man to have an experience of the power of this Law of sin in himself. It is preached to all; all men that own the Scripture acknowledge it, as being declared therein; but they are but few that know it in themselves, we should else have more complaints of it than we have, and more contendings against it, and less fruits of it in the world. But this is that which the Apostle affirms; not that the Doctrine of it had been preached unto him, but that he found it by experience in himself. I find a Law; I have experience of its power and efficacy. For a man to find his sickness and danger thereon from its effects, is another thing than to hear a discourse about a disease from its causes. And this experience is the great preservative of all Divine Truths in the soul. This it is to know a thing indeed, in reality, to know it for our selves, when as we are taught it from the Word, so we find it in our selves. Hence we observe,