A53712:254
The Nature, Power, Deceit, and Prevalency of Indwelling Sin
The nature, power, deceit, and prevalency of the remainders of indwelling-sin in believers together with the ways of its working and means of prevention opened, evinced, and applied with a resolution of sundry cases of conscience thereunto appertaining.The nature, power, deceit, and prevalency of the remainders of indwelling-sin in believers together with the wayes of its working and means of prevention opened, evinced, and applyed with a resolution of sundry cases of conscience thereunto appertaining.
London: printed for Thomas Cockerill, 1675
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Secondly, If any sin be prevalent in the soul, it will weaken it, and take it off from the universality of this engagement unto God, it will breed a tergiversation unto it, a slightness in it. Now when this is observed, it will exceedingly awaken a gracious soul, and stir it up to look about it. As a spontaneous lassitude, or a causeless weariness and indisposition of the body, is looked on as the sign of an approaching Fever, or some dangerous distemper, which stirs up men to use a timely and vigorous prevention, that they be not seized upon by it; so is it in this case. When the soul of a Believer finds in it self an indisposition to make fervent, sincere engagements of universal holiness unto God, it knows that there is some prevalent distemper in it, finds the place of it, and sets it self against it.
Secondly, If any sin be prevalent in the soul, it will weaken it, and take it off from the universality of this engagement unto God, it will breed a tergiversation unto it, a slightness in it. Now when this is observed, it will exceedingly awaken a gracious soul, and stir it up to look about it. As a spontaneous lassitude, or a causeless weariness and indisposition of the body, is looked on as the sign of an approaching Feaver, or some dangerous distemper, which stirs up men to use a timely and vigorous prevention, that they be not seised upon by it; so is it in this case. When the soul of a Believer finds in it self an indisposition to make fervent, sincere engagements of universal holiness unto God, it knows that there is some prevalent distemper in it, finds the place of it, and sets it self against it.
Thirdly, Whilst the soul can thus constantly engage it self unto God, it is certain that sin can rise unto no ruinous prevalency. Yea, it is a conquest over sin, a most considerable conquest, when the soul doth fully and clearly, without any secret reserve, come off with alacrity and resolution in such an engagement; as Psal. 18. 23. And it may upon such a success triumph in the grace of God, and have good hope through faith, that it shall have a final conquest, and what it so resolves, shall be done; that it hath decreed a thing, and it shall be