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

Now this is the way of sinners, in their first engagements unto God. They never think of pardoning mercy, but they labour to affect their whole souls with it, and do stir up themselves unto suitable affections and returns of constant obedience. They think not of the Excellency of Christ, and spiritual things, now newly discovered unto them in a saving light, but they press with all their might after a farther, a fuller enjoyment of them. This keeps them humble and holy, this makes them thankful and fruitful. But now if the utmost diligence and carefulness be not used to improve and grow in this Wisdom, to keep up this frame, indwelling-sin working by the vanity of the minds of men; will insensibly bring them to content themselves with slight and rare thoughts of these things, without a diligent sedulous endeavour to give them their due improvement upon the soul. As men decay herein, so they will assuredly decay and decline in the power of holiness, and close walking with God. The springs being stopped or tainted, the streams will not run so swiftly, at least not so sweetly as formerly. Some by this means under an uninterrupted ⟨p. 247⟩profession, insensibly wither almost into nothing. They talk of Religion and spiritual things as much as ever they did in their lives, and perform duties with as much constancy as ever they did, but yet have poor lean starvling souls, as to any real and effectual communion with God. By the power and subtlety of indwelling-sin they have grown formal, and learned to deal about spiritual things in an overly manner, whereby they have lost all their life, vigour, favour, and efficacy towards them. Be always serious in spiritual things, if ever you intend to be bettered by them.

Now this is the way of sinners, in their first engagements unto God. They never think of pardoning mercy, but they labour to affect their whole souls with it, and do stir up themselves unto suitable affections and returns of constant obedience. They think not of the Excellency of Christ, and spiritual things, now newly discovered unto them in a saving light, but they press with all their might after a farther, a fuller enjoyment of them. This keeps them humble and holy, this makes them thankful and fruitful. But now if the utmost diligence and carefulness be not used to improve and grow in this Wisdom, to keep up this frame, indwelling-sin working by the vanity of the minds of men; will insensibly bring them to content themselves with slight and rare thoughts of these things, without a diligent sedulous endeavour to give them their due improvement upon the soul. As men decay herein, so they will assuredly decay and decline in the power of holiness, and close walking with God. The springs being stopt or tainted, the streams will not run so swiftly, at least not so sweetly as formerly. Some by this means under an uninterrupted