ments accompanying it. These secretly prevail on them to whom they are proposed, though the things commanded be not much desirable. And generally all laws have their efficacy on the minds of men, from the rewards and punishments that are annexed to them. Nor is this law without this spring of power: it hath its rewards and punishments.

The pleasures of sin are the rewards of sin; a reward that most men lose their souls to obtain. By this the law of sin contended in Moses against the law of grace: "He chose rather to suffer afflictions with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; for he looked unto the recompense of reward.” The contest was in his mind between the law of sin and the law of grace. The motive on the part of the law of sin, wherewith it sought to draw him over, and wherewith it prevails on the most, was the reward that it proposed to him, namely, that he should have the present enjoyment of the pleasures of sin. This was opposed to the reward annexed to the law of grace, called the recompense of reward.

By this sorry reward doth this law keep the world in obedience to its commands. And experience shows us of what power it is to influence the minds of men. It hath also punishments that it threatens men with, who labour to cast off its yoke. Whatever evil, trouble, or danger in the world attends gospel obedience; whatever hardship or violence is to be offered to the sensual part of our natures, in a strict course of mortification, sin makes use of, as if they were punishments attending the neglect of its

commands. By these it prevails on the fearful, who shall have no share in eternal life. And it is hard

But

to say by whether of these, its pretended rewards, or pretended punishments, it doth most prevail, in whether of them its great strength doth lie. By its rewards it enticeth men to sins of commission, as they are called, in ways and actions tending to the satisfaction of its lusts. By its punishments it induceth men to the omitting of duties, a course tending to no less a pernicious event than the former. By which of these the law of sin hath its greatest success in and upon the souls of men is not evident, and that because they are seldom or never separated, but equally take place on the same persons. this is certain, that by tenders and promises of the pleasures of sin on the one hand, by threats of the deprivation of all sensual contentments, and the infliction of temporal evils on the other, it hath an exceeding efficacy on the minds of men, oftentimes of believers themselves. Unless a man be prepared to reject the reasonings that will offer themselves from the one and the other of these, there is no standing before the power of this law. The world falls before them every day. With what deceit and violence they are urged and imposed on the minds of men, we shall afterwards state, as also what advantages they have to prevail upon them. Look on the generality of men, and you shall find them wholly by these means at sin's disposal. Do the profits and pleasures of sin lie before them, nothing can withhold them from reaching after them. Do difficulties and inconveniences attend the duties of

the gospel, they will have nothing to do with them, and so are wholly given up to the rule and dominion of this law.

And this light in general we have to the power and efficacy of indwelling sin, from the general nature of a law, whereof it is partaker.

and natural to

We may consider next, what kind of law in particular it is, which will farther evidence that power of it after which we are inquiring. It is not an outward, written, commanding law, but an inbred, working, impelling, urging law. A law proposed to us, is not to be compared for efficacy to a law inbred in us. Adam had a law of sin proposed to him in his temptation, but because he had no law of sin inbred and working in him, he might have withstood it. An inbred law must needs be effectual. Let us take an example from that law, which is contrary to this law of sin. The law of God was at first inbred man; it was consecrated with his faculties, and was their rectitude both in being and operation, in reference to his end of living to God, and of glorifying him. Hence it had an especial power in the whole soul, to enable it to all obedience, yea, and to make all obedience easy and pleasant. Such is the power of an inbred law. though this law, as to the rule and dominion of it, be now by nature cast out of the soul, yet the remaining sparks of it, because they arè inbred, are very powerful and effectual, as the apostle declares, Rom. ii. 14, 15. Afterwards God renews this law, and writes it on tables of stone. But what is the efficacy of this law? Will it now, as it is external,

And

The

and proposed to men, enable them to perform the things that it exacts and requires? Not at all. God knew it would not, unless it were turned to an internal law again; that is, until of a moral outward rule, it be turned into an inward real principle. Wherefore God makes his law internal again, and implants it on the heart as it was at first, when he intends to give it power to produce obedience in all his people: "I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts." This is that which God fixes on, as it were upon a discovery of the insufficiency of an outward law leading men to obedience. written law, saith he, will not do it; mercies and deliverances from distress will not effect it; trials and afflictions will not accomplish it. Then, saith the Lord, will I take another course: I will turn the written law into an internal living principle in their hearts, and that will have such an efficacy, as will assuredly make them my people, and keep them Now such is this law of sin; it is an indwelling law, Rom. vii. 17. "It is sin that dwelleth in me," ver. 20. Sin that dwelleth in me, ver. 21. It is present with me, ver. 23. It is in my members; yea, it is so far in a man, as in some sense it is said to be the man himself. Ver. 18. "I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, there dwelleth no good thing." The flesh, which is the seat and throne of this law, yea, which indeed in this law is in some sense the man himself, as grace also is the new man. Now from this consideration of it, that it is an indwelling law inclining and moving to sin, as an inward habit or principle, it hath several advantages,

SO.

increasing its strength, and furthering its power.

As,

First, It always abides in the soul, it is never absent. The apostle twice uses that expression: it dwelleth in me, there is its constant residence and habitation. If it came upon the soul only at certain seasons, much obedience might be perfectly accomplished in its absence. Yea, and as they deal with usurping tyrants, whom they intend to thrust out of a city, the gates might be sometimes shut against it, that it might not return. The soul might fortify itself against it. But the soul is its home; there it dwells, and is no wanderer. Wherever you are, whatever you are about, this law of sin is always in you; in the best that you do, and in the worst. Men little consider what a dangerous companion is always at home with them. When they are in company, when alone, by night or by day, all is one, sin is with them. There is a living coal continually in their houses, which, if it be not looked to, will fire them, and, it may be, consume them. O the woful security of poor souls! How little do the most of men think of this inbred enemy, that is never from home! How little, for the most part, doth the watchfulness of professors answer the danger of their state and condition!

Secondly, It is always ready to apply itself to every end and purpose that it serves to. It doth not only dwell in me, saith the apostle, "but when I would do good, it is present with me." There is somewhat more in that expression than mere indwelling. An inmate may dwell in a house, and yet not be always meddling with what the good man of the