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

This therefore in the first place, in general, doth the Law of sin put forth its deceit about, namely to draw the mind from this frame, which is the strongest fort of the souls defence and security. It labours to divert the mind from a due apprehension of the vileness, abomination, and danger of sin. It secretly and insensibly insinuates lessening, excusing, extenuating thoughts of it; or it draws it off from pondering upon it, from being conversant about it in its thoughts so much as it ought, and formerly hath been. And if after the ⟨p. 112⟩heart of a man hath through the Word, Spirit and Grace of Christ been made tender, soft, deeply sensible of sin, it becomes on any account, or by any means whatever to have less, sewer, slighter, or less affecting thoughts of it, or about it, the mind of that man is drawn away by the deceitfulness of sin.

There are two ways amongst others, whereby the Law of sin endeavours deceitfully to draw off the mind from this duty, and frame ensuing thereon.

There are two wayes amongst others, whereby the Law of sin endeavours deceitfully to draw off the mind from this duty, and frame ensuing thereon.

First, It doth it by an horrible abuse of Gospel grace. There is in the Gospel a remedy provided against the whole evil of sin, the filth, the guilt of it, with all its dangerous consequents. It is the Doctrine of the deliverance of the souls of men from sin and death. A discovery of the gracious will of God towards sinners by Jesus Christ. What now is the genuine tendency of this doctrine, of this discovery of grace, and what ought we to use it and improve it unto? This the Apostle declares,