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

Thirdly, If these and the like are the ways whereby God obviates the bringing forth of conceived sin in wicked Men, we may learn hence how miserable their condition is, and in what perpetual torment for the most part they spend their days: They are like a troubled Sea, saith the Lord, that cannot rest. As they endeavour that others may have no peace, so it is certain that themselves have not any; the principle of sin is not impaired nor weakened in them, the will of sinning is not taken away: They have a Womb of sin that is able to conceive Monsters every moment. Yea, for the most part they are forging and framing folly all the day long: One lust or other they are contriving how to satisfy; they are either devouring by malice and revenge, or vitiating by uncleanness, or trampling on by ambition, or swallowing down by covetousness all that stand before them. Many of their follies and mischiefs they bring to the very birth, and are in pain to be delivered; but God every day fills them with disappointment▪ and shuts up the womb of sin. Some are filled with hatred of Gods people all their days, and never once have an opportunity to exercise it. So David describes them, Psal. 59. 6. They return at evening, they make a noise like a Dog, and go round about the City. They go up and down and belch out with their mouths, swords are in their lips; Vers. 7. and yet are not able to accomplish their designs: What torture do such poor creatures live in? Envy, malice, wrath, revenge, devour their hearts by ⟨p. 202⟩not getting vent. And when God hath exercised the other acts of his wise Providence in cutting short their power, or opposing a greater power to them when nothing else will do, he cuts them off in their sins, and to the grave they go full of purposes of Iniquity. Others are no less hurried and diverted by the power of other lusts which they are not able to satisfy: This is the sore travail they are exercised with, all their days. If they accomplish their designs, they are more wicked and hellish than before; and if they do not, they are filled with vexation and discontentment. This is the portion of them who know not the Lord, nor the power of his grace. Envy not their condition, notwithstanding their outward glittering show, their hearts are full of anxiety trouble and sorrow.

Thirdly, If these and the like are the ways whereby God obviates the bringing forth of conceived sin in wicked Men, we may learn hence how miserable their condition is, and in what perpetual torment for the most part they spend their daies: They are like a troubled Sea, saith the Lord, that cannot rest. As they endeavour that others may have no peace, so it is certain that themselves have not any; the principle of sin is not impaired nor weakned in them, the will of sinning is not taken away: They have a Womb of sin that is able to conceive Monsters every moment. Yea, for the most part they are forging and framing folly all the day long: One lust or other they are contriving how to satisfie; they are either devouring by malice and revenge, or vitiating by uncleanness, or trampling on by ambition, or swallowing down by covetousness all that stand before them. Many of their follies and mischiefs they bring to the very birth, and are in pain to be delivered; but God every day fills them with disappointment and shuts up the womb of sin. Some are filled with hatred of Gods people all their daies, and never once have an opportunity to exercise it. So David describes them,