+22 The NATURE and PowER prevailed upon others. And this he did when by death he defiroyed him that had the power of death, that is, the devil, Heb. ii. 1q. Here then a great prevalency and power of fin in its warring againft the foul is difcovered. It fo wars, as to lead captive ; which had it not great power, it could not do, efpecially againft that refiftance of the foul which is in- cluded in this expreflion. 2. It is faid, that it leads the foul captive unto the law of fin. Not to this or that fin, particular fin, actual tin, but to the law of fin. God for the molt pact ordereth things fo, and gives out fuels fupplies of grace unto believers, as that they fhall not be made a prey unto this or that particular fin, that it Ihould prevail in them, and compel them to ferve it in the lulls thereof, that it fhould have dominion over them, thaethey should be captives and flares unto it. This is that which David prays fo earnefily againft, Pfalm xix. 12, 13. Cleanf thou me .from fecret faults, keep back thy ferrant alfo from prefumptuous fins, let them not have dominion over me, tthen Pall I he upright. He fuppofeth the con- tinuance of the law of fin in him, ver. 12. which will bring forth errors of life, and fecret fins againft which he findeth relief in pardoning and cleanfing mercywhich he prays for. This faith he will be my condition. But for fins of pride and boldnefs, fuch as all fins are, that get dominion in a man, that make a captive of a man, the Lord reftrain thy ferrant from them. For what fin foever gets fuch power in a man, be it in its own nature fmall or great, it becomes in him in whom it is a fin of boldnefs, pride, and prefumption. For thefe things are not reckoned from the nature or kind of the fin, but from its prevalency and cuftomarinefs, wherein its pride, boldnefs, and contempt of God doth confift, To the fame purpofe, if I miftake not, prays Jabez, 1 Chron. iv. un. O that thou wouldfl biefs me indeed and enlarge my coati, and that thine hand may be with me, and that thou wouldfi keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me. The holy man took occafon from his own name to pray againft fin, that that might not be a grief and forrow to him by itspower and prevalen- cy. I confefs fometimes it may cone to this with a believer, that for a feafon he may be lead captive by fome particular fin. It may have fo much prevalency in him, as to have power over him. So it feems to have been with Davidwhen he lay fo long in his fin without repentance. And was plainly fo with thofe in Ifa. lvii. 17, 18. For the iniquity of his covetoufnefs was I ttroth, andfmote him, I hid me, and was wroth, and be went on frowardly in the way of his heart g I have feen his ways and will heal him. They continued under the power of their covetoufnefs: fo that no dealings of God with them, for fo long a time could reclaim them. But for the molt part, when any lull or fin doth fo prevails it is from the advantage and fartherance that it bath got by force powerful temptation of fatan. He bath poifoned it, enflamed it,, and entangled the foul. So the spoftlefpeaking of fuch as through fin were fallen of from their holinefs, fays, They were in thefnare of the devil, being taken cap- tir.e by him at his will, 2 Tim. ii. 26. Though it were their own luffs, that they ferved, yet theywere brought into bondage thereunto, by being entangled in force fnare of fatan. And thence they are faid to be taken alive, as a poor beaft in a toyle. And here, by the way we may a little enquire whether the prevailing power of a particular fin in any, be from itfelf, or from the influence of temptation upon it, concerning which at prefent take only theft two obfervations. (1. Much
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=