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

Secondly, Taking advantage of such seasons, it proposeth sin as desirable, as exceeding satisfactory to the corrupt part of our Affections. It gilds ⟨p. 164⟩over the object by a thousand pretences which it presents unto corrupt lustings. This is the laying of a bait, which the Apostle in this Verse evidently alludes unto. A bait is some what desirable and suitable, that is proposed to the hungry Creature for its satisfaction, and it is by all Artifices rendered desirable and suitable. Thus is sin presented by the help of the imagination unto the soul; that is, sinful and inordinate objects, which the Affections cleave unto, are […] •••sented. The Apostle tells us, that there are pleasures of sin, Heb. 11. 35. which unless they are despised, as they were by Moses, there is no escaping of sin it self Hence they that live in sin, are said to live in pleasure, James 5. 5. Now this pleasure of sin consisteth in its suitableness to give satisfaction to the flesh, to lust, to corrupt Affections. Hence is that caution, Rom. 13. 14. Make no provision for the flesh to fulfil the lust thereof. That is, do not suffer your minds, thoughts, or affections to fix upon sinful objects, suited to give satisfaction to the lusts of the flesh, to nouri• and cherish them thereby. To which purpose he speaks again, Gal. 5. 16. Fulfil ye not the lusts of the flesh. Bring not in the pleasures of sin to give them satisfaction. When men are under the power of sin, they are said to fulfil the desires of the flesh and of the Mind, Eph. 2. 3. Thus therefore the deceit of sin endeavours to entangle the Affections, by proposing unto them through the assistance of the Imagination that suitableness which is in it to the satisfaction of its corrupt lusts, now set at some liberty by the inadvertency of the mind. It presents its Wine as sparkling ⟨p. 165⟩