to be preferred before that which is contrary. Now this is not in any unbelievers; they do not, they cannot so choose that which is spiritually good, nor is it so excellent or suitable unto any principle that is in them: only they have some desires to attain that end, whereunto that which is good doth lead, and to avoid that evil which the neglect of it tends unto. And these also for the most part are so weak and languid in many of them, that they put them not upon any considerable endeavours: witness that luxury, sloth, worldliness, and security, that the generality of men are even drowned in. But in believers there is a will of doing good, an habitual disposition and inclination in their wills unto that which is spiritually good. And where this is, it is accompanied with answerable effects. The will is the principle of our moral actions, and therefore unto the prevailing disposition thereof will the general course of our actions be suited. Good things will proceed from the good treasures of the heart. Nor can this disposition be evidenced to be in any but by its fruits. A will of doing good, without doing good, is but pretended.

Fourthly, There is yet another thing remaining in these words of the apostle, arising from that respect that the presence of sin hath unto the time and season of duty; "when I would do good, (saith he,) evil is present with me."

There are two things to be considered in the will of doing good, that is, in believers.

First, There is its habitual residence in them. They have always an habitual inclination of will unto that which is good. And this habitual preparation for good is always present with them, as the apostle expresses it, verse 18th of this chapter.

Secondly, There are special times and seasons for the exercise of that principle. There is, "when I would do good," a season wherein this or that good, this or that duty, is to be performed and accomplished,

suitably unto the habitual preparation and inclination of the will.

Unto these two, there are two things in indwelling sin opposed. To the gracious principle residing in the will, inclining unto that which is spiritually good, it is opposed as it is a law, that is, a contrary principle, inclining unto evil, with an aversation from that which is good. Unto the second, or the actual willing of this or that good in particular, unto this, "when I would do good," is opposed the presence of this law, "evil is present with me;" PARAKEITAI MOI TO KAKON, evil is at hand, and ready to oppose the actual accomplishment of the good aimed at. Whence,

Fourthly, Indwelling sin is effectually operative in rebelling and inclining to evil, when the will of doing good is in a particular manner active, and inclining unto obedience.

And this is the description of him who is a believer, and a sinner, as every one who is the former, he his the latter also. These are the contrary principles, and the contrary operations that are in him. The principles are, a will of doing good on the one hand from grace, and a law of sin on the other. Their adverse actings and operations are insinuated in those expressions, "when I would do good evil is present with: me." And these both are more fully expressed by the apostle, Gal. v. 17; "For the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh, and these are contrary the one to the other; so that I cannot. do these things that I would."~

And here lies the springs of the whole course of our obedience. An acquaintance with these several principles, and their actings, is the principal part of our wisdom. They are, upon the matter, next to the free grace of God in our justification by the blood of Christ, the only things wherein the glory of God and our own souls are concerned. These are the springs of our holiness and our sins, of our joys and troubles, of our refreshments and sorrows. It is then all

our concernments to be thoroughly acquainted with these things, who intend to walk with God, or to glorify him in this world.

And hence we may see what wisdom is required, in the guiding and management of our hearts and ways before God. Where the subjects of a ruler are in feuds and oppositions one against another, unless great wisdom be used in the government of the whole, all things will quickly be ruinous in that state. There are

these contrary principles in the hearts of believers, and if they labour not to be spiritually wise, how shall they be able to steer their course aright? Many men live in the dark to themselves all their days: whatever else they know, they know not themselves. They know their outward estates; how rich they are, and the condition of their bodies, as to health and sickness, they are careful to examine; but as to their inward man, and their principles as to God and eternity, they know little or nothing of themselves. few labour to grow wise in this matter, few study themselves as they ought, are acquainted with the evil of their own hearts as they ought, on which yet the whole course of their obedience, and consequently of their eternal condition, doth depend. This therefore is our wisdom, and it is a needful wisdom, if we have any design to please God, or to avoid that which is a provocation to the eyes of his glory.

Indeed

We shall find also in our inquiry hereunto, what diligence and watchfulness is required unto a Christian conversation. There is a constant enemy unto it in every one's own heart; and what an enemy it is we shall afterwards shew, for this is our design, to discover him to the uttermost. In the mean time we may well bewail the woful sloth and negligence that is in the most, even of professors. They live and walk as though they intended to go to heaven hood-winked and asleep, as though they had no enemy to deal withal. Their mistake therefore and folly will be fully laid open in our progress.

That which I shall principally fix upon, in reference unto our present design, from this place of the apostle, is that which was first laid down, namely, that "there is an exceeding efficacy and power in the remainder of indwelling sin in believers, with a constant inclination and working towards evil.”

Awake, therefore, all of you in whose hearts are any thing of the ways of God. Your enemy is not only upon you, as on Samson of old, but is in you also. He is at work by all ways of force and craft, as we shall see. Would you not dishonour God and his gospel? would you not scandalize the saints and ways of God? would you not wound your consciences

and endanger your souls? would you not grieve the good and holy Spirit of God, the author of all your comforts? would you keep your garments undefiled, and escape the woful temptations and pollutions of the days wherein we live? would you be preserved from the number of the apostates in these latter days? awake to the consideration of this cursed enemy, which is the spring of all these and innumerable other evils, as also of the ruin of all the souls that perish in this world.

CHAPTER II.

Indwelling Sin a Law. In what sense it is so called. What kind of Law it is. An inward effective Principle called a Law. The Power of Sin thence evinced.

THAT which we have proposed unto consideration is the power and efficacy of indwelling sin. The ways whereby it may be evinced are many. I shall begin with the appellation of it in the place before-mentioned, it is a law; "I find a law," saith the apostle,

It is because of its power and efficacy that it is so called; so is also the principle of grace in believers, the "law of the spirit of life," as we observed before, Rom. viii. 3: "which is the exceeding greatness of the power of God in them," Eph. i. 19. Where there is a law, there is power.

We shall therefore shew both what belongs unto it, as it is a law in general, and also what is peculiar or proper in it, as being such a law as we have described.

There are in general two things attending every law,

as such.

It is

First, Dominion, Rom. vii. 1; "The law hath do❤ minion over a man whilst he liveth:" CYRIEYEI TA ANTHROPA, it lordeth it over a man. Where any law takes place, KYRIEYEI, it hath dominion. properly the act of a superior, and it belongs to its nature to exact obedience by way of dominion. Now there is a two-fold dominion, as there is a two-fold law. There is a moral authoritative dominion over a man, and there is a real effective dominion in a man. The first is an affection of the law of God, the latter of the law of sin. The law of sin hath not in itself a moral dominion, it hath not a rightful dominion or authority over any man, but is that which is equivalent unto it; whence it is said, BASILEYEIN, to reign as a king, Rom. vi. 12; and KYRIEYEIN, to lord it, or have dominion, ver. 1'4, as a law in general is said to have, chap vii. 1: but because it hath lost its complete dominion in reference unto believers, of whom alone we speak, I shall not insist upon it in the utmost extent of its power. But even in them it is a law still, though not a law unto them; yet, as was said, it is a law in them. And though it have not a complete, and, as it were, a rightful dominion over them, yet it will have a domination as to some things in them. It is still, a law, and that in them, so that all its actings are the actings of a law; that is, it acts with power, though it has lost its complete power of ruling in them.