fTNDWELLI NG:SIN. 413 It is with indwelling fin as with a river; whilft the fprings and foun- tainsof it are open, and waters axe continually fupplyed unto its ftreams, fet a datum before it, and it caufeth it to rife and dwell, until it bear dawn all, or overflow the banks about it. Let thefe waters be abated, dryed up in fome good meafure, in the fprings of them, and the remainder may be coerced and reftrained. But (till as long as there is any running water it will conftantly prefs upon what Ilands before it, according to its weight and ftrength, becaufe it is its nature fo to do. . And if by . any means it make a paffage, it it will proceed. So is it with indwel- ling fin; whilft the fprings and fountains of it are open, in vain is it for men to fet a datum before it by their conviftions, refolutions, vows and promifes. Theymay check it for a while, but it will increafe, rife high, and rage at one time or another, until it bears down all thofe conviftions and refolutions, or make itfelf an underground paffage by fouie fècret loft that Ihall give a full vent unto it. But now fuppofe that the fprings of it are much dried up by regenerating grace, the ftreams or adings of it abated by holinefs, yet whilft any thing remains of it, it will be preí- fing conftantly to have vent, to .prefs forward into ac'lual fin. And this is its lofting. And this habitual propenfity in it is difcovered two ways. (a. In its unexpeded furprizals of the foul into foolifh finful figments and imaginations, which it looked not for, nor was any occafion admi- niftred unto theirs. It is with indwelling fin, as it is with the contrary principle of fandifying grace. This gives the foul, if I may fo fay, many a bleffed furprizal. It oftentimes ingencrates and brings forth an holy fpiritual frame in the heart and mind, when we have had no previous rational confiderations to work, them thereunto. And this manifelts it to be an habitual principleprevailing in the mind, So Cant. 6. la. Or ever I was aware my foul made me as the chariots of Aminadab ; that is, free, willing and ready for communion with Chrift. 'ny,' 1e7, I knew not ; it was done by the power of -the fpirit of grace, fo that I took no no- tice of it, as it were, until it was done. The frequent adings of grace in this manner, exciting ads of faith, love and complacency in God, are evidences of much ftrength and prevalencv of it in the foul. And thus alfo is it with indwelling fin ; e're the foul is aware, without any pro- vocation or temptation, when it knows not, it is caft into a vain and foolifh frame. Sin produceth its figments fecretly in the heart, and prevents the mind's confideration of what it is about. I mean hereby thofe Adus primo primi, firft ads of the foul, which are thus far in- voluntary, as that theyhave not the actual confent of the will unto them ; but are voluntary, as far as fin hath its reftdence in the will. And thefe furprizals, if the foul be not awake to take fpeedy care for the preventi- . on of their tendency, do oftentimes fet all as it wereon fire, and engage the mind and affections into actual fin. For as by grace we are often- times ere we ate aware made as the chariots of a willing people, and are far engaged in heavenlymindednefs and communion with Chrift, making fpeed in it as in a chariot ; fo by fin are we oftentimes, ere we are aware, carried into diftempered affections, foolifh imaginations, and pleating de- lightfulnefs in things that are not good nor profitable. Hence is that caution of the apoftle, Gal. vi. t. day agoÀep@ ), If a man be furprizedat unawares with a fault or in a tranfgreflion. I doubt not but the fubtil- ty of fatan, and the powerof temptation, are there taken into contidera- Lion by the apoflle, which caufeth him to exprefs a man's falling into fin, by as ?rgiittp0i, if he be furpri.zed; fo this working of indwelling fn Mmmmm alfo
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