Indwelling Sin in Believers treated of by the Apostle, Rom. vii. 21. (The place explained.)

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T is of Indwelling Sin, and that in the remainders of it in persons after their conversion to God, with its power, efficacy, and effects, that we intend to treat. This also is the great design of the apostle to manifest and evince, in chap. vii. of the Epistle to the Romans. Many indeed are the contests about the principal scope of the apostle in that chapter, and in what state the person is, under the law or under grace, whose condition he expresseth therein. I shall not at present enter into that dispute, but take that for granted which may be undeniably proved and evinced; namely, that it is the condition of a regenerate person with respect unto the remaining power of indwelling sin, which is there proposed and exemplified, by and in the person of the apostle himself. In that discourse therefore of his shall the foundation be laid of what we have to offer upon this subject. Not that I shall proceed in an exposition of his revelation of his truth, as it lies in its own contexture, but only make use of what is delivered by him as occasion shall offer itself. And here first occurreth that which he affirms, ver. 21," I find then a law, that when I would do good, evil is present with me.'

There are four things observable in these words. First, the appellation he gives unto indwelling sin, whereby he expresseth its power and efficacy; it is a law. For that which he terms a law in this verse, he calls in the foregoing, "sin that dwelleth in him."

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Secondly, The way whereby he came to the discovery of this law; not absolutely, and in its own nature, but in himself he found it; "I find a law."

Thirdly, The frame of his soul and inward man with this law of sin, and under its discovery; "he would do good."

Fourthly, The state and activity of this law when the soul is in that frame; when it would do good, "it is present with him." For what ends and purposes we shall shew afterwards.

The first thing observable is the appellation here used by the apostle, he calls indwelling sin a law: It is a law.

A law is taken either, properly, for a directive rule, or improperly, for an operative effective principle, which seems to have the force of a law. In its first sense, it is a moral rule which directs and commands, and sundry ways moves and regulates the mind and the will, as to the things which it requires or forbids. This is evidently the general nature and work of a law. Some things it commands, some things it forbids, with rewards and penalties, which move and impel men to do the one, and avoid the other. Hence, in a secondary sense, an inward principle, that moves and inclines constantly unto any actions, is called a law. The principle that is in the nature of every thing, moving and carrying it towards its own end and rest, is called the law of nature. In this respect every inward principle, that inclineth and urgeth unto operations or actings suitable to itself, is a law: so Rom. viii. 2. The powerful and effectual working of the Spirit and grace of Christ in the hearts of believers, is called the "law of the spirit of life." And for this reason doth the apostle here call indwelling sin a law. It is a powerful and effectual indwelling principle, inclining and pressing unto actions agreeable and suitable unto its nature. This and no other is the intention of the apostle in this expression. For although that term, a law, may sometimes intend a state and condition, and if here so used,

the meaning of the words should be, I find that this is my condition, this is the state of things with me, that when I would do good evil is present with me,' which makes no great alteration in the principal intendment of the place; yet properly it can denote nothing here, but the chief subject treated of. For although the name of a law be variously used by the apostle in this chapter, yet when it relates unto sin, it is no where applied by him to the condition of the person, but only to express either the nature or the power of sin itself. So verse 23; "I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity unto the law of sin which is in my members." That which he here calls the law of his mind, from the principal subject and seat of it, is in itself no other but the "law of the spirit of life," which is in Christ Jesus, ch. viii. 2. Or the effectual power of the spirit of grace, as was said. But the law, as applied unto sin, hath a double sense: for as in the first place, "I saw a law in my members," it denotes the being and nature of sin; so in the latter, "leading into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members," it signifies its power and efficacy. And both these are comprised in the same name singly used, ver. 20. Now that which we observe from this name, or term of a law attributed unto sin is, that there is an exceeding efficacy and power in the remainder of indwelling sin in believers, with a constant working towards evil.

Thus it is in believers; it is a law even in them, though not to them. Though its rule be broken, its strength weakened and impaired, its root mortified, yet it is a law still of great force and efficacy. There, where it is least felt, it is most powerful. Carnal men, in reference unto spiritual and moral duties, are nothing but this law, they do nothing but from it, and by it. It is in them a ruling and prevailing principle of all moral actions, with reference unto a supernatural and eternal end. I shall not consider it in them in whom it hath most power, but in them in whom its power is chiefly

discovered and discerned, that is, in believers; in the others only in order to the farther conviction and manifestation thereof.

Secondly, The apostle proposeth the way whereby he discovered this law in himself; EYRISKO, ARA TON NOMON, I find then, or therefore, a law. He found it; it had been told him there was such a law, it had been preached unto him. This convinced him that there was a law of sin. But it is one thing for a man to know in general that there is a law of sin, another thing for a man to have an experience of the power of this law of sin in himself. It is preached to all; all men own that the Scripture acknowledge it, as being declared therein; but they are but few that know it in themselves, we should else have more complaints of it than we have, and more contendings against it, and less fruits of it in the world. But this is that which the apostle affirms; not that the doctrine of it had been preached unto him, but that he found it by experience in himself. "I find a law;" I have experience of its power and efficacy. For a man to find his sickness, and danger thereon from its effects, is another thing than to hear a discourse about a disease from its causes. And this experience is the great preservative of all divine truths in the soul. This it is to know a thing indeed, in reality, to know it for ourselves; when, as we are taught it from the word, so we find it in ourselves. Hence we observe,

Further, Believers have experience of the power and efficacy of indwelling sin. They find it in themselves, they find it as a law. It hath a self-evidencing efficacy to them that are alive to discern it; they that find not its power, are under its dominion. Whosoever contend against it, shall know and find that it is present with them, that it is powerful in them. He shall find the stream to be strong, who swims against it, though he who rolls along with it, be insensible of it.

Thirdly, The general frame of believers, notwith

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standing the inhabitation of this law of sin, is here also expressed: "they would do good." This law is present, THELONTI EMOI POIEIN TO KALON; the habitual inclination of their will is unto good. This law in them, is not a law unto them, as it is to unbelievers. They are not wholly obnoxious to its power, nor morally unto its commands. Grace hath the sovereignty in their souls; this gives them a will unto good; they would do good, that is, always and constantly, 1 John iii. 9. POIEIN AMARTIAN, to commit sin is to make a trade of sin, to make it a man's business to sin; so it is said, a believer doth "not commit sin." And so POIEIN TO KALON, to do that which is good; to will to do so, is to have the habitual bent and inclination of the will set on that which is good, that is, morally and spiritually good, which is the proper subject treated of: whence is our third observation.

There is, and there is through grace kept up in believers, a constant and ordinarily prevailing will of doing good, notwithstanding the power and efficacy of indwelling sin to the contrary.

This, in their worst condition, distinguisheth them from unbelievers in their best. The will in unbelievers is under the power of the law of sin: the opposition they make to sin, either in the root or branches of it, is from their light, and their consciences; the will of sinning in them is never taken away. Take away all other considerations and hindrances, whereof we shall treat afterwards, and they would sin willingly always. Their faint endeavours to answer their convictions, are far from a will of doing that which is good. They will plead indeed, that they would leave their sins if they could, and they would fain do better than they do. But it is the working of their light and convictions, not any spiritual inclination of their wills, which they intend by that expression. For where there is a will of doing good, there is a choice of that which is good for its own excellency's sake, because, it is desirable and suitable to the soul, and therefore