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

First, By a sudden surprisal in case of temptation. Temptation is the representation of a thing as a present good, a particular good, which is a real evil, a general evil. Now when a temptation armed with opportunity and provocation, befalls the soul, the principle of Grace in the will riseth up with a rejection and detestation of it. But on a sudden the mind being deceived by sin, breaks in upon the will, with a corrupt fallacious reasoning from Gospel-Grace and Mercy, which first staggers, then abates the wills opposition, and then causeth it to cast the scale by its consent of the side of temptation, ⟨p. 179⟩presenting evil as a present good; and sin in the sight of God is conceived, though it be never committed. Thus is the seed of God sacrificed to Moloch, and the weapons of Christ abused to the service of the Devil.

First, By a sudden surprizal in case of temptation. Temptation is the representation of a thing as a present good, a particular good, which is a real evil, a general evil. Now when a temptation armed with opportunity and provocation, befalls the soul, the principle of Grace in the will riseth up with a rejection and detestation of it. But on a sudden the mind being deceived by sin, breaks in upon the will, with a corrupt fallacious reasoning from Gospel-Grace and Mercy, which first staggers, then abates the wills opposition, and then causeth it to cast the scale by its consent of the side of temptation, ⟨p. 179⟩presenting evil as a present good; and sin in the sight of God is conceived, though it be never committed. Thus is the seed of God sacrificed to Moloch, and the weapons of Christ abused to the service of the Devil.

Secondly, It doth it insensibly. It insinuates the poison of this corrupt reasoning by little and little, until it hath greatly prevailed. And as the whole effect of the Doctrine of the Gospel in holiness and obedience, consists in the souls being cast into the frame and mould of it,