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

And one reason amongst others is, because they have a more vigorous acting of unmixed grace than any other duties whatever. In all or most particular duties, besides the influence that they may have from carnal respects, which are many, and the ways of their insinuation subtle, and imperceptible, there is an allay of gifts, which sometime even devours the pure Gold of Grace which should be the chief and Principal in them. In these, there is immediate intercourse between God, and that which is of himself in the soul. If once sin by its deceits and treacheries, prevail to take off the Soul from diligent attendance unto Communion with God, and constancy in these duties, it will ⟨p. 261⟩not fail to effect a declining in the whole of a mans obedience. It hath made its entrance, and will assuredly make good its progress.

And one reason amongst others is, because they have a more vigorous acting of unmixed grace than any other duties whatever. In all or most particular duties, besides the influence that they may have from carnal respects, which are many, and the wayes of their insinuation subtile, and imperceptible, there is an allay of gifts, which sometime even devours the pure Gold of Grace which should be the chief and Principal in them. In these, there is immediate entercourse between God, and that which is of himself in the soul. If once sin by its deceits and treacheries, prevail to take off the Soul from diligent attendance unto Communion with God, and constancy in these duties, it will ⟨p. 261⟩not fail to effect a declining in the whole of a mans obedience. It hath made its entrance, and will assuredly make good its progress.

Sixthly, Growing in Notions of Truth without answerable practice, is another thing that Indwelling-sin makes use to bring the souls of Believers under a decay. The Apostle tells us, that knowledge puffeth up, 1 Cor. 8. 1. If it be alone, not improved in practice, it swells men beyond a due proportion. Like a man that hath a Dropsy, we are not to expect that he hath strength to his bigness. Like trees that are continually running up an head, which keeps them from bearing fruit. When once men have attained to this, that they can entertain and receive Evangelical truths in a new and more Glorious light, or more clear discovery than formerly, or new manifestations of Truth which they knew not before, and please themselves in so doing, without diligent endeavours to have the power of those truths and notions upon their hearts and their souls made conformable unto them, they generally learn so to dispose of all truths formerly known, which were sometimes inlaid in their hearts with more efficacy and power. This hath proved, if not the ruin, yet the great impairing of many in these days of light wherein we live. By this means from humble close walking, many have withered into an empty, barren, talking profession. All things almost have in a short season become alike unto them: Have they been true or false, so they might be debating of them, and disputing about them, all is well. This is food for sin, it hatcheth, increaseth