be of a more sad consideration, than that we should carry about us constantly that which is enmity against God, and that not in this or that particular, but in all that he is, and in all wherein he hath revealed himself. I cannot say it is well with them who find it not. It is well with them indeed in whom it is weakened, and the power of it abated. But yet for them who say it is not in them, they do but "deceive themselves, and there is no truth in them."

CHAPTER V.

Nature of Sin farther discovered, as it is enmity against God. Its Aversation from all Good opened. Means to prevent the Effects of it prescribed.

WE have considered somewhat of the nature of Indwelling Sin, not absolutely, but in reference unto the discovery of its power. But this more clearly evidenceth itself in its actings and operations. Power is an act of life, and operation is the only discoverer of life. We know not that any thing lives, but by the effects and works of life. And great and strong operations discover a powerful and vigorous life. Such are the operations of this law of sin, which are all demonstrations of its power.

That which we have declared concerning its nature is, that it consists in enmity. Now there are two general heads of the working or operation of enmity. First, aversation. Secondly, opposition.

First, Aversation. Our Saviour, describing the enmity that was between himself and the teachers of the Jews, by the effects of it, saith in the prophet, "my soul loatheth them, and their souls also abhorred me,' Zech. xi. 8. Where there is mutual enmity, there is

mutual aversation, loathing, and abomination. So it was between the Jews and the Samaritans, they were enemies, and abhorred one another, John iv. 9.

Secondly, Opposition, or contending against one another, is the next product of enmity; "he was turned to be their enemy, and he fought against them," Isa. Ixiii. 10, speaking of God towards the people. Where there is enmity, there will be fighting, it is the proper and natural product of it. Now both these effects are found in this law of sin.

First, For aversation, there is an aversation in it unto God, and every thing of God, as we have in part discovered in handling the enmity itself, and so shall not need much to insist upon it again. All indisposition unto duty, wherein communion with God is to be obtained, all weariness of duty, all carnality, all formality under duty, it all springs from this root. The wise man cautions us against this evil; "when thou goest to the house of God, keep thy foot," Eccl. v. 1. Hast thou any spiritual duty to perform, and dost thou design the attaining any communion with God? look to thyself, take care of thy affections, they will be gadding and wandering, and that from their aversation to what thou hast in hand. There is not any good that we would do, wherein we may not find this aversation exercising itself. "When I would do good, evil is present with me;" at any time, at all times, when I would do any thing that was spiritually good, it is present; that is, to hinder me, to obstruct me in my duty, because it abhors and loathes the thing which I have in hand, it will keep me off from it if it be possible. In them in whom it prevails, it comes at length into that frame which is expressed in the prophet Ezekiel, ch. xxxiii. 31. It will allow an outward bodily presence unto the worship of God, wherein it is not concerned, but it keeps the heart quite away.

It may be some will pretend, they find it not so in themselves, but they have freedom and liberty in and unto all the duties of obedience that they attend unto.

But I fear this pretended liberty will be found, upon examination, to arise from one or both of these causes : First, ignorance of the true state and condition of their own souls, of their inward man and its actings towards God. They know not how it is with them, and therefore are not to be believed in what they report. They are in the dark, and neither know what they do, nor whither they are going. It is probable the Pharisee knew little of this matter, which made him boast of his duties to God himself. Or, secondly, it may be whatever duties of worship or obedience such persons perform, they may, through want of faith and an interest in Christ, have no communion with God in them... And if so, sin will make but little opposition unto them therein. We speak of them whose hearts are exercised with these things: and if, under their complaints of them, and groanings for deliverance from them, others cry out unto them, Stand off, we are holier than ye, they are willing to bear their condition, as knowing that their way may be safe, though it be troublesome, and being willing to see their own dangers, that they may avoid the ruin which others fall into.

Let us then a little consider this aversation in such acts of obedience, as wherein there is no concernment but that of God and the soul. In public duties there may be a mixture of other considerations: they may be so influenced by custom and necessity, that a right judg ment cannot, from them, be made of this matter. But let us take into consideration, the duties of retirement, as private prayer, and meditation, and the like; or else extraordinary duties, or duties to be performed in an extraordinary manner.

First, In these will this aversation and loathing oftentimes discover itself in the affections. A secret striving will be in them about close and cordial dealing with God. Unless the hand of God in his Spirit be high and strong upon the soul, even when convictions, sense of duty, dear and real esteem of God, and communion with him, have carried the soul into its closet; yet, if

there be not the vigour and power of a spiritual life constantly at work, there will be a secret lothness in them unto duty; yea, sometimes there will be a violent inclination to the contrary, so that the soul had rather do any thing, embrace any diversion, though it wound itself thereby, than vigorously apply itself unto that, which in the inward man it breathes after. It is weary before it begins, and says, when will the work be over? here God and the soul are immediately concerned, and it is a great conquest to do what we would, though we come exceedingly short of what we should do.

Secondly, It discovers itself in the mind also. When we address ourselves to God in Christ, we are, as Job speaks, "to fill our mouths with arguments," Job xxiii. 4, that we may be able to plead with him as he calls upon us to do; "Put me in remembrance, let us plead together," Isa. xliii. 26. Whence the church is called upon to take unto itself words, or arguments, in going to God, Hos. xiv. 2. The sum is, that the mind should be furnished with the considerations that are prevailing with God, and be in readiness, to plead them, and to manage them in the most spiritual manner to the best advantage. Now is there no difficulty to get the mind into such a frame, as to lay out itself to the utmost in this work? to be clear, steady, and constant in its duty? to draw out, and make use of its stores and furniture, of promises and experiences? It starts, wanders, flags, and all from this secret aversation unto communion with God, which proceeds from the law of indwelling Some complain that they can make no work of meditation, they cannot bend their minds unto it. I confess there may be a great cause of this, in their want of a right understanding of the duty itself, and of the ways of managing the soul in it, which therefore I shall a little speak to afterwards. But yet this secret enmity hath its hand in the loss they are at also, and that both in their minds and in their affections. Others are forced to live in family and public duties, they find such little benefit and snccess in private. And here hath

sin.

been the beginning of the apostasy of many professors, and the source of many foolish sensual opinions. Finding this aversation in their minds and affections from closeness and constancy in private spiritual duties, not knowing how to conquer and prevail against these difficulties, through him who enables us, they have, at first, been subdued to a neglect of them; first partial, then total; until having lost all conscience of them, they have had a door opened unto all sin and licentiousness, and so to a full and utter apostasy. I am persuaded there are very few that apostatize from a profession of any continuance, such as our days abound with, but their door of entrance into the folly of backsliding, was either some great and notorious sin, that bloodied their consciences, tainted their affections, and intercepted all delight of having any thing more to do with God; or else it was a course of neglect in private duties, arising from a weariness of contending against that powerful aversation which they found in themselves unto them. And this also, through the craft of Satan, hath been improved into many foolish and sensual opinions, of living unto God without and above any duties of communion. And we find, that after men have, for a while, choaked and blinded their consciences with this pretence, cursed wickedness, or sensuality, hath been the end of their folly. And the reason of all this is, that the giving way to the law of sin, in the least, is the giving strength to it: to let it alone, is to let it grow; not to conquer it, is to be conquered by it.

As it is in respect of private, so it is also in respect of public duties, that have any thing extraordinary in them. What strivings, strugglings, and pleadings are there in the heart about them, especially against the spirituality of them. Yea, in and under them, will not the mind and the affections sometimes be entangled with things uncouth, new and strange unto them, such as at the time of the least serious business, a man would not deign to take into his thoughts. But if the least loose liberty or advantage be given unto indwelling sin,