Of INDIVEL LING SIN. 415 do, is to look to the enemies at home, the traytors within ; to cut off the head of Sheba, if they will be fafe. All was well with Adam within doors, when fatan came, fo that he had nothing to do but to look to his aifaults and approaches. But now on the accefs of any temptation, the foul is inftantly to look in, where it Mall find this traytor at work, doting with the baits of ratan, and Beating away the heart. And this it doth always, which evinceth an habitual inclination. Pfd. xxxviii. 17. faith David, I am ready to halt, or for batting p7] y4xi'IS '0, I am prepar- ed and difpofed unto hallucination, to the flipping of my foot into fin, vet. 16. as he expounds the meaning of that phrafe, Pfal. lxxiii. 2, 3. There was from indwelling fin a continual difpofition in him to be flipping, ftumbling, halting on every occafionor temptation. There is nothing fo vain, foolifh, ridiculous, fond, nothing fo vile and abomina- ble, nothing fo atheiftical or execrable, but if it be propofed unto the foul in a way of temptation, there is that in this law of fin which is ready to anfwer it, before it be decried by grace. And this is the firft thing in this tufting of the law of fin, it confifls in its habitual propen- fity unto evil, manifefting itfelf by the involuntary furprifals of the foul unto fin, and its readinefs without difpute or confideration tojoyn with all temptations whatfoever. 2.) Its lofting confifts in its aflual preffing after that which is evil, and actual oppofition unto that which is good. The former inftances (hewed its confiant readinefs to this work, this now treats of the work itfelf. It is not only ready, but for the moft part always engaged. It lufteth, faith the Holy Ghoft, it doth fo continually. It ftirreth in the foul by one act or other conftantly, almoft as the fpirits in the blood, or the blood in the veins. This the apoftle calls its tempting, Jam. i. 14. Every man is tempted of his own Iufl. Now what is it to be tempted ? It is to have that propofed to a man's confideration, which if he clofe withal, it is evil, it is fin unto him. This is fin's trade ; insOoneñ, it lulleth. It is railing up in the heart, and propofing unto the mind and affeftions, that which is evil, trying, as it were, whether the foul will clofe with its fuggeftions, or how far it can carry them on, though it do not wholly prevail. Now when fuch a temptation comes from without, it is unto the foal an indif- ferent thing, neither good nor evil unlefs it be confented unto. But the very propofal from within, it being the foul's own aft, is its fin. And this is the work of the law of fin ; it is reftlefly and continually railing up, and propofing innumerable various forms and appearances of evil, in this or that kind, indeed in every kind, that the nature of man incapable to exercife corruption in. Something or other, innatter, or manner, or circumftance, inordinate, unfpiritual, unanfwerable unto the rule, it hatch - eth and propofeth unto the foul. And this power of fin to beget figments and ideas of aâual evil in the heart the apoftle may have refpeft unto, t Theft: v. 22. áad arnr,be fhcvs mavneis dung&i; Keep your (elves from every evil figment or idea of fin in the heart ; for the word there ufed loth not any where fignify an outward form or appearance; neither is it the appearance of evil, but an evil idea or figment that is intended. And this tufting of fin is that which the prophet expreffeth in wicked men, in whom the law of it is predominant, Ifa. )vii. 20. The wicked are like the troubled fea, when it cannot refi whofe waters cafi up mire and dirt. A fimilitude molt lively expreffing the luftings of the law of fin, reftlefly and continually bubling up in the heart, with wicked foolifh and filthy imaginations and delires. This then is thefirft thing in the oppofition that this enmity makes to God, namely in its general inclination, it lufteth. [2.] Thee$
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