lieited to, and perplexed with.

Such are the fear of death, judgment, and hell, falling into the hands of the living God, who is a consuming fire. Whilst a man is under the power of the law of the Spirit of life, the "love of Christ constraineth him." The principle of his doing good, and abstaining from evil, is faith working by love, accompanied with a following of Christ, because of the sweet savour of his name. But now, when this blessed easy yoke is for a season cast off, God sets a hedge of terror before the soul, minds it of death and judgment to come, flashes the flames of hell-fire in the face, fills the soul with considerations of all the evil consequences of sin, to deter it from its purpose. To this end doth he make use of all the threatenings recorded in the law and the gospel. To this head also may be referred all the considerations that may be taken from things temporal; as shame, reproach, scandal, punishments, and the like. By the consideration of these things, I say, doth God set a hedge before them.

Secondly, Providential dispensations are used by the Lord to the same purpose; and these are of two

sorts.

1. Such as are suited to work upon the soul, and to cause it to desist and give over in its lustings and pursuit of sin. Such are afflictions and mercies. "I was wroth, and I smote them :" I testified my dislike of their ways, by afflictions. "God chastens men with pains on their bodies," Job, to turn them from their purpose, sin from them. And other ways he hath to come to them and touch them, as in their names, rela

saith he, in

and to hide

tions, estates, and desirable things. Or else he heaps mercies on them, that they may consider whom they are rebelling against. It may be, signal distinguished mercies are made their portion for many days.

2. Such as actually hinder the soul from pursuing sin, though it be resolved so to do. The various ways whereby God doth this, we must afterwards consider.

These are the ways, I say, whereby the soul is dealt with, after the law of indwelling sin hath cast off for a season the influencing power of the law of But now, grace. when lust rises up to rage or madness, it will also contemn all these, even the rod, and Him that hath appointed it. It will rush on shame, reproaches, wrath, and whatever may befal it. That is, though they be presented to it, it will venture upon them all. Rage and madness are fearless. And this it doth two ways.

First, It possesseth the mind, that it suffers not the consideration of these things to dwell upon it, but renders the thoughts of them slight and evanescent. Or, if the mind do force itself to a contemplation of them, yet it interposeth between it and the affections, that they shall not be influenced by it in any proportion to what is required. The soul, in such a condition, will be able to take such things into contemplation, and not at all to be moved by them. And where they do prevail for a season, yet they are insensibly wrought off from the heart again.

Secondly, By secret stubborn resolves to venture all upon the way wherein it is.

And this is the second branch of this evidence of the power of sin, taken from the opposition that it makes to the law of grace, as it were by the way of force, strength, and violence. The consideration of its deceit doth now follow.

CHAPTER VIII.

Indwelling sin proved powerful from its deceit. Proved to be deceitful. The general nature of deceit, James i. 14. opened. How the mind is drawn off from its duty by the deceitfulness of sin. The principal duties of the mind in our obedience. The ways and means whereby it is turned from it.

THE second part of the evidence of the power of sin from its manner of operation, is taken from its deceitfulness. It adds, in its working, deceit to power. The efficacy of that must needs be great, and is carefully to be watched against, by all such as value their souls, where power and deceit are combined; especially advantaged and assisted by all the ways and means before stated.

Before we come to show wherein the nature of this deceitfulness of sin doth consist, and how it prevaileth thereby, some testimonies shall be briefly given to the thing itself, and some light to the general nature of it.

That sin, indwelling sin, is deceitful, we have the express testimony of the Holy Ghost: "Take heed that ye be not hardened by the deceitfulness of sin." Deceitful it is, take heed of it, watch against it, or it will produce its utmost effect, in hardening of the heart against God. It is on the account of sin, that the heart is said to be "deceitful above all things." Take a man in other things, and, as Job speaks,

Un

though he "would be wise and crafty, he is like the wild ass's colt;" a poor, vain, empty nothing. But consider his heart, on the account of this law of sin, it is crafty and deceitful above all things. "They are wise to do evil," saith the prophet, "but to do good they have no knowledge." To the same purpose speaks the apostle-" The old man is corrupt, according to the deceitful lusts." Every lust which is a branch of this law of sin is deceitful; and where there is poison in every stream, the fountain must needs be corrupt. No particular lust hath any deceit in it, but what is communicated to it from this fountain of all actual lust, this law of sin. And the coming of the man of sin, is said to be in and with thedeceivableness of unrighteousness." righteousness is a thing generally decried and evil spoken of amongst men, so that it is not easy to conceive how any man should avail himself of a reputation thereby. But there is a deceivableness in it, whereby the minds of men are turned aside from a due consideration of it, as we shall manifest afterwards. And thus the account which the apostle gives, concerning those who are under the power of sin is, that they are deceived. And the life of evil men is nothing but "deceiving and being deceived.” So that we have sufficient testimony given to this qualification of the enemy with whom we have to deal, he is deceitful; which consideration, of all things, puts the mind of man to a loss in dealing with an adversary. He knows he can have no security against one that is deceitful, but in standing upon his own guard and defence all his days.

Farther to manifest the strength and advantage