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

First, God stops many men in their ways upon the conception of sin, by an argument taken from the difficulty, if not impossibility of doing that they aim at. They have a mind unto it, but God sets an hedge and a wall before them, that they shall judge it to be so hard and difficult to accomplish what they intend, that it is better for them to let it alone and give over. Thus Herod would have put John Baptist to death upon the first provocation, but he feared the multitude, because they accounted him as a Prophet, Matth. 14. 5. He had conceived his murder, and was free for the execution of it. God raised this consideration in his heart, If I kill him, the people will tumultuate, he hath a great party amongst them, and sedition will arise that may cost me my life, or Kingdom. ⟨p. 209⟩He feared the multitude, and durst not execute the wickedness he had conceived, because of the difficulty he fore-saw he should be entangled withal. And God made the argument effectual for the season; for otherwise we know that men will venture the utmost hazards for the satisfaction of their lusts; as he also did afterwards. The Pharisees were in the very same state and condition, Matth. 21. 26. they would fain have decried the Ministry of John, but durst not for fear of the people: and ver. 46. of the same Chapter, by the same argument were they deterred from killing our Saviour, who had highly provoked them by a Parable, setting out their deserved and approaching destruction. They durst not do it for fear of a tumult among the people, seeing they looked on him as a Prophet. Thus God over-awes the hearts of innumerable persons in the world everyday, and causeth them to desist from attempting to bring forth the sins which they had conceived. Difficulties they shall be sure to meet withal, yea, it is likely, if they should attempt it, it would prove impossible for them to accomplish. We owe much of our quiet in this world, unto the efficacy given to this consideration in the hearts of men by the Holy Ghost: Adulteries, rapines, murders, are obviated and stifled by it. Men would engage into them daily, but that they judge it impossible for them to fulfil what they aim at.

First, God stops many men in their waies upon the conception of sin, by an argument taken from the difficulty, if not impossibility of doing that they aim at. They have a mind unto it, but God sets an hedge and a wall before them, that they shall judge it to be so hard and difficult to accomplish what they intend, that it is better for them to let it alone and give over. Thus Herod would have put John Baptist to death upon the first provocation, but he feared the multitude, because they accounted him as a Prophet,