Of INDWELLING SIN. 1-57 (2.) This entanglement is heightned, when the imagination can prevail with the mind to lodge vain thoughts in it, with fecret delight and com- placency. This is termed by Cafuifts, Cogitatio morofa cum deleftatione, an abiding thought with delight, which towards forbidden objeas is inall cafes actually finful. And yet, this may be, when the content of the will unto fin is not obtained; when the foul would not for the world do the thing, which yet thoughts begin to lodge in the mind about. This lodg- ing of vain thoughts in the heart, the prophet complains' of as a thing greatly finful, and to be abhorred, Ter. iv. 54. All thefe thoughts are metfengers that carry fin to and fro between the imagination and the affec- tions, and !hill encreafe it, enflaming the imagination, and more and more entanglingthe affecîions. Acban thinks upon the golden wedge, this makes him like it, and love it ; by loving of it, his thoughts are infected, and return to the imaginationof its worth, and goodly. thew, and fo by little and little the foul is enflamed unto fin. And here if the will parts with its fovereignty, fin is actually conceived. (a.) Inclinations, or readinefs to attend unto extenuation of fin, or the reliefs that are tendered againft fin when committed, manifeft the af- fe&ions to be entangled with ir. We have !hewed, and Ihall yet farther evidence that it is a great part of the deceit of fin, to tender leffening and extenuating thoughts of fin unto the mind. Is it not a little one ? Or there is mercy provided, or it fhahl be in due time relinquished and given over, is its language in a deceived heart. Now when there is a readinefs in the foul to hearken and give entertainment unto fuch ferret infinuati- ons anfing from this deceit, in reference unto any fin, or unapprovable courte, it is an evidence that the affecîions are enticed. When the foul is willing, as it were to be tempted, to be courted by fin, to hearken to its dalliances and folicitations, it hath loft of its conjugal affecîions unto Chrift, and is entangled. This is looking on the wine when it is red, when it giveth its colour in the cup, when it moveth itfelf aright, Pro,. xxüi. 21. A pleating contemplation on the invitations of fin, whole end the wife man gives us, ver. 32. When the deceit of fin Bath prevailed thus far on any perfon, then he is enticed or entangled ; the will is not yet come to the adlual conception of this or that fin by its content, but the whole foul is in a near inclination thereunto. And many other in- fiances I could give as tokens and evidences of this entanglement. Theft may fuffice to manifeft what we intend thereby. 2. Our next enquiry is, how, or by what means, the deceit of fin proceeds thus to entice and entangle the affecîions and two or three of its baits are manifell herein. (r.) It makes ufe of its former prevalency upon the mind in drawing it off from from its watch and circumfpeâion. Says the wife man, Prov. i. 17. Surely in vain is the netfpread in the fight of au bird ; or be- fore the eyes of every thing that Bath a wing, as in the original. If it hath eyes open to difcern the fnare, and a wing to carry it away, ir will nosbe caught. And in vain fhould the deceit of fin fpread its fares and nets for the entanglement of the foul, whilft the eyes of the mind are intent upon what it doth, and fo flit up the wings of its sill and affec- tions to carry it away and avoid it. But if the eyes be put but or diver- ted, the wings are of very little ufe for efcape. And therefore this is one of the ways whirls is ufed by them who take birds or fouls in their nets, they have f alfe lights, or'fhews of things to divert the fight of their prey; and when that is done, they take the feafon to cart their nets upon then. So both the deceit of fin, at firft draws off and diverts the mind byfalfe Zzzzz rea-
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