Of INDWELLING SIN. 497 from mine iniquity. His great care was Left any one luft fhould prevail in him, or upon him, that might be called his iniquity in a peculiar manners The faine courfe fteer'd Paul alfa, 1 Cor; ix. 27. hewas in danger to be lifted up byhis fpiritual revelations and enjoyments. This snakes him. keep his body in fubje&ton, that no carnal reafonings or vain imagination might take place in him. But where indwelling fin hath provoked,irritated, and given ftrength unto a fpecial Tuft, it proves alfuredly a principal means of a general declenfion. For as an infirmity and weaknefs in any one vital part, will make the whole body confumptive, fo will the weaknefs in any one grace, which a perplexing luft brings with it, make the foul. It every way weakens fpiritual ftrength. It weakens confidence in God in faith and prayer. The knees will be feeble, and thehands will hang down in deal- ingwith God, where a galling and unmortified luft lyes in the heart. It will take fuch hold upon the foul, that it [hall not be able to look u(, Pfal. xl. 12. It darkens the mind by innumerable fooli[h imaginations, which it ftirs up to make provifion for itfelf. It galls the confcience with thofe fpots and ftains, which in andby its ahings it brings upon the foul. It contends in the will for rule and dominion: an aâive furring corruption would have the commanding power in the foul, and it is ever and anon ready to take the throne. It difturbs the thoughts, and fometimes will even frighten the foul from dealing with it by meditation, left corrupt affe&ions being entengled by it, grace lofes ground, inftead of prevailing. It breaks out oftentimes into fcandalous fins, as it did in David and Hezekiah, and loads the firmer with forrow and difcouragement. By thefe, and the like means, it becomes to the foul like a moth in a garment, to eat up and devour the ftrongeft dreads ofit, fo that tho' the Whple hang loofe together, it is eafily torn in pieces. Though the foul with whom it is thus, do for a feafon keep up a fair profeflion, yet his ftrength is fecretly devoured, and every temptation tears and rents his confcience at pleafure. It becomes with fuch men as it is with fome who have for many years been of a found ftrong- athletick conflitution : fome fecret heftical diftemper feizeth on them. For a feafon they take no notice of it ; or if they do, they think they (hall do well enough with it, and eafily (hake it off, when they have a little leifure to attend unto it : but for the prefent they think asSampfon with his locks cut, they will do as at other times. Sometimes it may be they complain that they are not well, they know not what aileth them, and it may be rifeviolently in an oppofition to their diftemper; but after a while ftruggling in vain, the vigour of their fpirits and ftrength failing them, they are forced to yield to the power ofa confumption. And now all they can do is little enough to keep them alive.Isit fo with men brought into fpiritual decays by any fecret perplexing corruption. It may be they have had a vigorous principle of obedience and holinefs: indwelling fin watch- ing its opportunities, by fome temptation or other, hatlh kindled and in- flamed fome particular luft in them. For awhile it may be they take little notice of it. Sometimes they complain, but think they will do as in for- mer times, until being infenfibly weakned in their fpiritual ftrength, they have work enough to do in keeping alivewhat remains and is ready to die, Hof. v. 13. I [hall not add any thing here, as to the prevention and obvi- ating this advantage of indwelling fin, having elfwhere treated of it pe- culiarly and apart. (s.) It works by negligence ofprivate communion with God in prayer and meditation. I have [hewed before, how indwelling fin puts forth its deceitfulnefs in diverting the foul from watchfulnefs in and unto theft du- ties. Here if it prevails, it will not fail to induce an habitual declenfion Kkkkkk in
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