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

Thirdly, Indwelling-sin oftentimes prevails to the stopping of these springs of Gospel obedience, by false and foolish opinions, corrupting the simplicity of the Gospel. False opinions are the works of the flesh. From the vanity and darkness of the minds of men, with a mixture more or less of corrupt affections, do they mostly proceed. The Apostle was jealous over his Corinthians in this matter, he was afraid lest their minds should by any means be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ, 2 Cor. 11. 2, 3. which he knew would be attended by a decay and declension in faith, love, and obedience. And thus matters in this case often fall out. We have seen some, who after they have received a sweet taste of the love of God in Christ, of the excellency of pardoning mercy, and have walked humbly with God for many years, in the faith and apprehension of the truth, have by the corruption of their minds from the simplicity that is in Christ by false and foolish opinions, despised all their own experiences, and ⟨p. 248⟩rejected all the efficacy of truth, as to the furtherance of their obedience. Hence John cautions the Elect Lady and her children to take heed they were not seduced, lest they should lose the things that they had wrought, 2 Epist. v. 8. lest they should themselves cast away all their former obedience as lost, and a thing of no value. We have innumerable instances hereof in the days wherein we live. How many are there, who not many years since put an unspeakable value on the pardon of sin in the blood of Christ, who delighted in Gospel discoveries of spiritual things, and walked in obedience unto God on the account of them, who being beguiled and turned aside from the truth as it is in Jesus, do despise these springs of their own former obedience? And as this is done grossly and openly in some, so there are more secret and more plausible insinuations of corrupt opinions, tainting the springs and fountains of Gospel obedience, and through the vanity of mens minds, which is a principal part of indwelling-sin, getting ground upon them. Such are all those that tend to the extenuation of special Grace in its freedom, and efficacy, and the advancement of the wills or the endeavours of men in their spiritual power and ability:

Thirdly, Indwelling-sin oftentimes prevailes to the stopping of these springs of Gospel obedience, by false and foolish opinions, corrupting the simplicity of the Gospel. False opinions are the works of the flesh. From the vanity and darkness of the minds of men, with a mixture more or less of corrupt affections, do they mostly proceed. The Apostle was jealous over his Corinthians in this matter, he was afraid lest their minds should by any means be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ,