of INDWELLING SIN. IJ1iïJ! (3* am CHAP. ÌIÌ. 395 The Seat or Subjeti of the Law of Sin. The Heart, What meant thereby. Properties of the Heart as poJJeffed by Sin. Unfearchable. De- ceitful. Whence that Deceit arfeth. Improve- ments of thefe Confiderations. A It I NG manifeft d indwelling fin, whereof the treat in the remainders of it in believers, to be a law, and evinced in general, the power of it from thence, we fhall now proceed to give particular inftances of its efficacy and advantages, from fome things that generally relate unto it as fuch. And thefe ate three. Firfi, Its feat and fribjet. Secondly, Its natural properties. And Thirdly, Its operations and the manner thereof, which princi- pally we aim at, and (hall attend unto. Firf For th4 feat and fubjed of this law of fin, the fctipture every where affïgns it to be the heart. There indwelling fin keeps its efpecial refidenée. It bath invaded and polfeffed the throne of God hinifelf, Ecclef, ix. 3. Madnefs is in the heart of Coen, while they live. This is their madnefs, or the root of all that madnefs which appears in their lives, Mattb. xv. t9. Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornication, thefts, fai/e witnefs,blafphemies, &c. There are many outward temptations and provocations that befall men, which excite and flir them up unto three evils. But they do but as it were open the veal, and let out what is laid up and ftored in it. The root, rife, and fpringof all theft things is in the heart. Temptations and occafian; put nothing into a man, but only draw out what was in him before. Hence is that bum-nary defcription of the whole work and effet of this law of fin, Gen. vi. 5. Every imagination of the thoughts' of mom's heart is only evil continually ; So elfo, chap. viii. us. The whole work of the law of fin, from its firlt rife, its firft coining of actual 6n, is here defcrib- ed and its feat, its work- houfe, is fail to be the heart. And fo it is called by our Saviour, The evil treofure of the heart, Luke vi. 4.5. An evil mass out of the evil 'treofure of his heart, bringeth forth evil things. Tisis treafure is the prevailing principle of moral adions that is in men. So in the beginning of the verfe, our Ssiviour cabs grace tha good treofure of theheart of a good man, whence that which is good loth proceed. It is a principle conftantly and abundantly inciting and ftirris up
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=