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

Secondly, There is that which adds weight to this consideration. God suffers us not to be unmindful of this assistance he hath afforded us, but is continually calling upon us to make use of the means appointed for the attaining of the end proposed. He shows them unto us, as the Angel showed the water-spring to Hagar• Commands, Exhortations, Promises, Threatenings, are multiplied to this purpose; see them summed up, ⟨p. 233⟩Heb. 2. 1. He is continually saying to us, Why will you die? why will you wither and decay? Come to the Pastures provided for you, and your souls shall live. If we see a Lamb run from the fold into the Wilderness, we wonder not if it be torn and rent of wild beasts: If we see a Sheep leaving its green Pastures and water-courses, to abide in dry barren Heaths, we count it no marvel, nor enquire farther, if we see him lean and ready to perish. But if we find Lambs wounded in the fold, we wonder at the boldness and rage of the beasts of prey, that durst set upon them there. If we see Sheep pining in full pastures, we judge them to be diseased and unsound. It is indeed no marvel that poor creatures, who for sake their own mercies, and run away from the pasture and fold of Christ in his Ordinances, are rent and torn with divers lusts, and do pine away with hunger and famine. But to see men living under, and enjoying all the means of spiritual thriving, yet to decay, not to be fat and flourishing, but rather daily to pine and wither, this argues some secret powerful distemper, whose poisonous and noxious qualities hinder the virtue and efficacy of the means they enjoy. This is Indwelling-sin. So wonderfully powerful, so effectually poisonous it is, that it can bring leanness on the souls of men in the midst of all precious means of growth and flourishing. It may well make us tremble to see men living under, and in the use of the means of the Gospel, preaching, praying, administration of Sacraments, and yet grow colder every day than other in zeal for God, more selfish and worldly, even habitually, ⟨p. 234⟩to decline as to the degrees of holiness which they had attained unto.

Secondly, There is that which adds weight to this consideration. God suffers us not to be unmindful of this assistance he hath afforded us, but is continually calling upon us to make use of the means oppointed for the attaining of the end proposed. He shews them unto us, as the Angel shewed the water-spring to Hagar Commands, Exhortations, Promises, Threatnings, are multiplied to this purpose; see them summed up,