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.

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 and natural to 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. And 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 are 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 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. The 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

us:

house hath to do, (that so we may keep to the allusion of indwelling, used by the apostle.) But it is so with this law, it so dwells in us, that it will be present with us in every thing we do; yea, oftentimes when with most earnestness we desire to be quit of it, with most violence it will put itself upon "when I would do good, it is present with me." Would you pray? would you hear? would you give alms? would you meditate? would you be in any duty acting faith on God, and love towards him? would you work righteousness? would you resist temptations? this troublesome perplexing indweller will still more or less put itself upon you, and be present with you; so that you cannot perfectly and completely accomplish the thing that is good, as our apostle speaks, ver. 18. Sometimes men, by hearkening to their temptations, stir up, excite, and provoke their lusts, and no wonder if then they find them present and active. But it will be so, when with all our endeavours we labour to be free from them. This law of sin dwells in us; that is, it adheres as a depraved principle to our minds in darkness and vanity, to our affections in sensuality, to our wills in a loathing of, and aversion from, that which is good; and by some more, or all of these, is continually putting itself upon us, in inclinations, motions, or suggestions to evil, when we would be most gladly quit of it.

Thirdly, It being an indwelling law, it applies itself to its work with great facility and easiness, like "the sin that doth so easily beset us." It hath a great facility and easiness in the application of itself to its work; it needs no doors to be opened to

it, it needs no engines to work by. The soul cannot apply itself to any duty of a man, but it must be by the exercise of those faculties wherein this law hath its residence. Is the understanding or the mind to be applied to any thing? there it is ignorance, darkness, vanity, folly, madness. Is the will to be engaged? there it is also in spiritual deadness, stubbornness, and the roots of obstinacy. Are the heart and affections to be set on work? there it is in inclinations to the world, and present things, and sensuality, with proneness to all manner of defilements. Hence it is easy for it to insinuate itself into all that we do, and to hinder all that is good, and to further all sin and wickedness. It hath an intimacy, an inwardness with the soul, and therefore in all that we do, doth easily beset us. It possesseth those very faculties of the soul, whereby we must do what we do, whatever it be, good or evil. Now all these advantages it hath as it is a law, as an indwelling law, which manifests its power and efficacy. It is always resident in the soul, it insinuates itself into all its actings, and that with easiness and facility.

This is that law, which the apostle affirms that he found in himself; this is the title that he gives to the powerful and effectual remainders of indwelling sin even in believers, and these general evidences of its power have we from that appellation. Many there are in the world who find not this law in them, who, whatever they have been taught in the word, have not a spiritual sense and experience of the power of indwelling sin, and that because they are wholly under the dominion of it. They find not that