0f- INDWELLING SIN. 403 fightetb againff theyfpirit, Gal. v. 17. It fights againft the fpitit, or the fpiritual principle that is in us, to conquer it ; it fights againft our fouls to deftroy them. It hatli fpecial ends and defigns againft our fouls, and againft the principle of grace that is in us ; but its proper formal objeft is God, it is enmity againft God. It is its work to oppofe grace, it is a confequent of its work to oppofe our fouls, which follows upon what it doth, more than what it intends ; but its nature and formal defign is to oppofe God ; God as the law-giver, God as holy, God as the author of the Gofpel ; a way of falvation by grace, and not by works, is the dire& objeft of the law of fin. Why doth it oppofe duty, fo that the good we would do, we do not, either as to matter- or manner ? Why doth it render the foul carnal, indifpofed, unbelieving, unfpiritual, weary, wandring ? It is becaufe of its enmity to God, whom the foul aims to have communion withal in duty. It bath as it were that com- mand from fatan, which the Afyrians had from their king, Fight nei thee withfmall nor great, fave only with the king of Ifrael, t Kings xxii. 31. It is neither great nor finall, but God himfelf, the king of Ifrael, that fin fets itfelf againft. There lies the fecret formal reafon of all its oppofition to good, even becaufe it relates unto God. May a road, a trade, a way of duties be fet up, where communion with God is not aimed at, but only the duty itfelf, as is the manner of men in molt of their fuperftitious worlhip, the oppofition that will lye againft it from the law of fin will be very weak, eafy and gentle. Or as the Afrians, becaufe of his fliew of a king, affaulted Jehofaphat, but when they found that it was not Ahab, they turned back from purfuing of him. Becaufe there is a Thew and appearance of the worfhip of God, fin may make head againft it at firft, but when the duty cries out in the, heart, that indeed God is not there ; fin turns away to feek out its proper enemy, even God himfelf elfewhere. And hence do many poor creatures fpend their dayes in difmal tiringfuperftitions, without any great reluftancy from within, when others cannot be fuffered freely to watch with Clirill in a fpiritual manner one hour. And it is no wonder that men fight with carnal weapons for their fuperftitious worfliip without, when they have no fighting againft it within. For God is not in it -, and the law of fin makes not oppofition to any duty, but to God in every duty. This is our Rate and condition, all the oppofition that arifeth in us unto any thing that is fpiritually good, whether it be from dark - nefs in the mind, or averfation in the will, or floth in the affeffions, all the fecret arguings and reafonings that are in the foul in purfuit of them, the direct objeft of them is God himfelf. The enmity lies againft him, whichconfideration furely fhould infleunce us to a perpetu- al confiant watchfulnefs over ourfelves. It is thus alfo in refpecî of all propenfity unto fin, as well as averfati- on from God. It is God himfelf that is aimed at. It is true, the pleafures, the wages of fin do greatly influence the fenfual carnal affefti- ons of men ; but it is the holinefs and authority of God, that fin it- felf rifes up againft : it hates the yoke of the Lord ; Thou haft been weary of me, faith God to tanners, and that during their performance of abundance of duties. Every all of fin is a fruit of being weary of God. Thus fob tells us what lies at the bottom in the heart ofYfin- nets ; They fay to the Lord, Depart from us ; it is enmity againft him and averfation from him. Here lies the forinai nature of every fin, it is an oppofition to God, a cafting off his yoke, a breaking off the de, pendance which the creature ought to have on the Creator. And the apoffle
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