My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times.
~ Psalm 119:20
And in that day thou shalt say, O LORD, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me.
~ Isaiah 12:1
The Power of Sin Further Demonstrated, by John Owen. The following contains Chapter 14 of his work, “The Nature, Power, Deceit and Prevalence of the Remainders of Indwelling Sin in Believers, Together With the Ways of Its Working and Means of Prevention, Opened, Evinced and Applied With a Resolution of Various Cases of Conscience Pertaining to It”.
“O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord” —Rom 7:24, 25a
CHAPTER 14.
The power of sin further demonstrated by the effects it has had in the lives of professors — First, in actual sins — Secondly, in habitual declines.
We now proceed to other evidences of that sad truth which we are demonstrating. But having passed through the main part of our work, I will be more brief in managing the arguments that remain. What may then be fixed upon in the next place, is the demonstration which this law of sin has given in all ages, of its power and efficacy, by the woeful fruits that it has brought forth, even in believers themselves. Now, these fruits are of two sorts: —
1. The great actual eruptions of sin in their lives;
2. Their habitual declensions from the frames, state, and condition of obedience and communion with God, which they had obtained;
— both of these, by the rule of James unfolded before, are to be laid to the account of this law of sin; they belong to the fourth head of its progress;1 and both are convincing evidences of its power and efficacy.
1. Consider the fearful eruptions of actual sin that have been in the lives of believers, and we will find our position evidenced. If I were to go through at large with this consideration, I must recount all the sad and scandalous failings of the saints that are left on record in the holy Scripture; but their particulars are known to all, so I will not need to mention them, nor the many aggravations that they are attended with in their circumstances. Only a few things may be remarked that tend to render our present consideration of them useful; such as —
(1.) Most of them, compared to other men, were not the lowest form or ordinary sort of believers, but men who had a particular eminence on account of walking with God in their generation. Such were Noah, Lot, David, Hezekiah, and others. They were not men of an ordinary size, but higher than their brethren, head and shoulders above them, in their profession, and indeed, in real holiness. Surely it must have had a mighty efficacy if it could hurry such giants in the ways of God, into such abominable sins as they fell into. An ordinary engine could never have turned them away from the course of their obedience. It was a poison that no athletic constitution of spiritual health, no antidote, could withstand.
(2.) And these very men did not fall into their great sins at the beginning of their profession, when they had but little experience of the goodness of God, of the sweetness and pleasantness of obedience, of the power and craft of sin, of its impulsions, solicitations, and surprisals; but after a long course of walking with God, and after acquaintance with all these things, together with innumerable motives for watchfulness.
Noah, according to the lives of men in those days of the world, had walked uprightly with God some hundreds of years before he was so surprised as he was, Genesis 9.2 Righteous Lot seems
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Footnotes:
1 Chap. 8 – The fourth is birthing sin in its actual accomplishment: “When lust has conceived it gives birth to sin.”
2 Gen 9:7-11 And as for you, be fruitful and multiply; Bring forth abundantly in the earth And multiply in it.” 8 Then God spoke to Noah and to his sons with him, saying: 9 “And as for Me, behold, I establish My covenant with you and with your descendants after you, 10 “and with every living creature that is with you: the birds, the cattle, and every beast of the earth with you, of all that go out of the ark, every beast of the earth. 11 “Thus I establish My covenant with you: Never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood; never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.” Gen 9:20-21 And Noah began to be a farmer, and he planted a vineyard. 21 Then he drank of the wine and was drunk, and became uncovered in his tent.
to have been towards the end of his days ere he defiled himself with the abominations recorded.1 David, in a short life, had as much experience of grace and sin, and as much close, spiritual communion with God, as any of the sons of men ever had, before he was thrown to the ground by this law of sin.2 So was it with Hezekiah in his degree, which was not the least.3 Now, to attack such persons, so well acquainted with its power and deceit, so armed and provided against it, who had been conquerors over it for so many years, and to prevail against them, argues for a power and efficacy too mighty for anything but the Spirit of the Almighty to withstand. Who can look to have a greater stock of inherent grace than those men had; to have more experience of God and the excellence of his ways, the sweetness of his love and of communion with him, than they had? Who has either better equipping to oppose sin with, or more obligation to do so, than they did? And yet we see how fearfully they were prevailed against.
(3.) As if God had permitted their falls on set purpose, so that we might learn to be wary of this powerful enemy, all of them fell when they had newly received great and stupendous mercies from the hand of God, that should have been strong obligations to diligence and watchfulness in close obedience.
Noah had only newly come out of that world of waters, in which he saw the ungodly world perishing for their sins; and he himself was preserved by that astonishing miracle which all ages must admire. While the world’s desolation was an hourly remembrance to him of his strange preservation by the immediate care and hand of God, he falls into drunkenness. Lot had newly seen what everyone who thinks about it cannot help but tremble at. He saw, as someone said, “hell coming out of heaven” upon unclean sinners; except for the cross of Christ, it was the greatest evidence that God, in his providence, ever gave of the judgment to come. Lot saw himself and his children delivered by the special care and miraculous hand of God; and yet, while these strange mercies were fresh upon him, he fell into drunkenness and incest. David was delivered out of all his troubles, and had the necks of his enemies round about given to him; and yet he makes use of his peace from a world of trials and troubles to contrive murder and adultery. It was immediately after Hezekiah’s great and miraculous deliverance,Isa 38.5 that he falls into his carnal pride and boasting. I say, their falls in such seasons seem to be permitted on purpose to instruct us all in the truth that we have in hand;
1 Gen 19:35-38 Then they made their father drink wine that night also. And the younger arose and lay with him, and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose. 36 Thus both the daughters of Lot were with child by their father. 37 The firstborn bore a son and called his name Moab; he is the father of the Moabites to this day. 38 And the younger, she also bore a son and called his name Ben-Ammi; he is the father of the people of Ammon to this day. 2 2Sa 11:2-5 Then it happened one evening that David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king’s house. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold. 3 So David sent and inquired about the woman. And someone said, “Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” 4 Then David sent messengers, and took her; and she came to him, and he lay with her, for she was cleansed from her impurity; and she returned to her house. 5 And the woman conceived; so she sent and told David, and said, “I am with child.” 2Sa 11:14-15 In the morning it happened that David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah. And he wrote in the letter, saying, “Set Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retreat from him, that he may be struck down and die.”
3 2Ki 20:12-17 At that time Berodach-Baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that Hezekiah had been sick. 13 And Hezekiah was attentive to them, and showed them all the house of his treasures– the silver and gold, the spices and precious ointment, and all his armory– all that was found among his treasures. There was nothing in his house or in all his dominion that Hezekiah did not show them. 14 Then Isaiah the prophet went to King Hezekiah, and said to him, “What did these men say, and from where did they come to you?” So Hezekiah said, “They came from a far country, from Babylon.” 15 And he said, “What have they seen in your house?” So Hezekiah answered, “They have seen all that is in my house; there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shown them.” 16 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the LORD: 17 ‘Behold, the days are coming when all that is in your house, and what your fathers have accumulated until this day, shall be carried to Babylon; nothing shall be left,’ says the LORD.
…so that no persons, at no times, with whatever furnishings of grace they may have, can promise themselves security from sin’s prevalence in any other way than by keeping close constantly to Him who has supplies to give out, that are above its reach and efficacy. I think this should make us look around us. Are we better than Noah, who had that testimony from God, that he was “a perfect man in his generations,” and “walked with God?” Gen 6.9 Are we better than Lot, whose “righteous soul was vexed with the evil deeds of ungodly men,” 2Pet 2.7 and is therefore commended by the Holy Ghost? Are we more holy, wise, and watchful than David, who obtained this testimony: that he was “a man after God’s own heart?” Act 13.22 Or better than Hezekiah, who appealed to God himself, that he had served him uprightly, and with a perfect heart? Isa 38.3 Yet we see what prevalence this law of sin worked in and over those men. There is no end of like examples. They are all set up as buoys to reveal to us the sands, the shelves, the rocks, upon which they made their shipwreck,1Tim 1.19 to their hazard, danger, loss, yes, and would have done so to their ruin, if God had not been pleased in his faithfulness to graciously prevent it.
This is the first part of this evidence of the power of sin: from its effects.
2. It manifests its power in the habitual declensions from zeal and holiness, from the frames, state, and condition of obedience and communion with God to which they had attained, and which are found in many believers. Promises of growth and improvement are many and precious; the means are excellent and effectual; the benefits are great and unspeakable; and yet it often falls out that instead of these, decays and declensions are found in professors, indeed, in and upon many of the saints of God. Now, whereas this must principally and chiefly be from the strength and efficacy of indwelling sin, and is therefore a great evidence of it, I will evince:
(1) first, that the observation itself is true: namely, that some of the saints themselves oftentimes decline from that growth and improvement in faith, grace, and holiness which might be justly expected from them;
(2) then I will show that the cause of this evil lies in what we are treating;
(3) and after, it will be declared that this is the cause of total apostasy in unsound professors.
But this is a greater work which we have in hand. Prevailing upon true believers to a sinful declension and gradual apostasy, takes more strength and efficacy than prevailing upon unsound professors to total apostasy — just as the wind which blows down a dead tree with no root in the ground, will scarcely shake or bend a living, well-rooted tree. But this it will do.
Mention is made in the Scripture of “the first ways of David,” and they are commended above his latter ways, 2Chr 17:3.1 The last ways even of David were tainted with the power of indwelling sin. Though we have mention only of the actual eruption of sin, yet that uncleanness and pride which was working in him in numbering the people, were certainly rooted in a declension from his first frame. 2Sam 24.10 Those rushes did not grow without mire. David would not have done so in his younger days, when he followed God in the wilderness of temptations and trials, full of faith, love, humility, brokenness of heart, zeal, tender affection for all the ordinances of God; all of which were eminent in him. But his strength is impaired by the efficacy and deceitfulness of sin, his locks were cut,Jdg 16.17 and he becomes a prey to vile lusts and temptations.
We have a notable instance in the Revelation, in most of the churches that our Saviour awakens to consider their condition. We may single out one of them. There were many good things in the
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Footnote:
1 KJV 2Chr 17:3 And the LORD was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought not unto Baalim; — This verse can mean “as it was in the days of David” [NKJ “former ways, of David”], or it can mean “David’s first ways,” i.e., as David was in his youth, before Bathsheba. – WHG.
church of Ephesus, Rev 2:2, 3, for which it is greatly commended; yet it is charged with a decay, a declension, a gradual falling off and apostasy:
Rev 2.4-5, “You have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen, and repent, and do the first works.”
There was a decay, both inward, in the frame of heart as to faith and love, and outward as to obedience and works, in comparison to what they had formerly, by the testimony of Christ himself. The same thing might also be shown concerning the rest of those churches, with only one or two of them excepted. Five of them are charged with decays and declensions. Hence there is mention in the Scripture of the “kindness of youth,” of the “love of espousals,” with great commendation, Jer 2:2, 3; of our “first faith,” 1Tim 5:12; of “the beginning of our confidence,” Heb 3:14. And cautions are given that we “do not lose the things that we have worked,” 2Joh 1.8. But what need do we have to look back or search for instances to confirm the truth of this observation? Habitual declension from first engagements to God, from the first attainments of communion with God, from the first strictness in duties of obedience, is ordinary and common among professors of Christ.
To this purpose, we might take a general view of the professors in these nations — among whom the lot of the best of us will be found to fall, in part or in whole, in some thing or in all things, — and we might be plentifully convinced of the truth of this observation: —
(1.) Is their zeal for God as warm, living, vigorous, effectual, or solicitous, as it was upon first giving themselves to God? Or rather, is there not a common, slight, selfish frame of spirit that has come in its place upon most professors? Iniquity has abounded, and their love has grown cold. Was it not of old a burden to their spirits to hear the name, and ways, and worship of God blasphemed and profaned? Could they not have said with the psalmist in Psa 119:136, “Rivers of waters run down our eyes, because men do not keep your law?” Were not their souls solicitous about the interest of Christ in the world, like Eli’s interest about the ark? 1Sam 4.13 Did they not contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints, and every parcel of it, especially those in which the grace of God and the glory of the gospel was especially concerned? Did they not labor to judge and condemn the world by a holy and separate conduct? And do most professors now abide in this frame? Have they grown, and made improvement in it? Or is there not a coldness and indifference that has grown on the spirits of many in this thing? Indeed, do not many despise all these things, and look at their own former zeal as folly? May we not see many, formerly esteemed in their ways of profession, who have daily become a scorn and reproach through their miscarriages, and justly so, to the men of the world? Is it not with them as it was of old with the daughters of Zion, in Isa 3:24,1 when God judged them for their sins and wantonness? Has not the world and self, utterly ruined their profession? Are they not without regard for the things in which they formerly declared a singular concern? Yes, have not some — partly on one pretense, partly on another — come to an open enmity toward, and hatred of, the ways of God? They please them no more, but are evil in their eyes.
But not to mention such open apostates any further (whose hypocrisy the Lord Jesus Christ will shortly judge), how is it with the best? Have not almost all men grown cold and slack as to these things? Are they not less concerned in them than they were formerly? Have they not grown weary and selfish in their religion; and so things are indifferent at home, and they scarcely care how they go abroad in the world? At least, do they not prefer their ease, credit, safety, and secular advantages before these things? — this is a frame that Christ abhors, and he declares
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Footnote:
1 Isa 3:24 And so it shall be: Instead of a sweet smell there will be a stench; Instead of a sash, a rope; Instead of well- set hair, baldness; Instead of a rich robe, a girding of sackcloth; And branding instead of beauty.
that those in whom it prevails are none of his.1 Some, indeed, seem to retain a good zeal for truth; but in what they make the fairest appearance, in that they will be found to be most abominable. They cry out against errors — not for truth, but for party’s sake and interest’s sake. Let a man be in their party and promote their interest, however corrupt his judgment may be, and he is embraced, and it may be, even admired. This is not zeal for God, but for a man’s self. It is not, “The zeal of your house has eaten me up,” Psa 69.9 but, “Master, forbid them, because they do not follow with us.” Luk 9.49 It would doubtless be better for men never to pretend to any zeal at all, than to substitute such wrathful selfishness in its place.
(2.) Is men’s delight in the ordinances and worship of God the same as in former days? Do they find the same sweetness and relish in them as they did of old? How precious the word has been to them formerly! What joy and delight they had in attendance to it! How they would have run and gone to partake of it, wherever it was dispensed in its power and purity, in the evidence and demonstration of the Spirit! Did they not call the Sabbath their delight, and was not its approach a real joy to their souls? Did they not long after the converse and communion of saints, and could they not undergo manifold perils to attain it? And does this frame still abide upon them? Are there not decays and declensions to be found among them? May it not be said, “Grey hairs are here and there upon them, and they do not perceive it?” Hos 7.9 Yes, are not men ready to say with those of old, “‘What a weariness it is!’ Mal 1:13. It is even a burden and a weariness to be tied to the observation of all these ordinances. What need do we have to be at all so strict in the observation of the Sabbath? What need do we have to hear so often? What need is there for this distinction in hearing? Insensibly, a great disrespect has fallen upon many professors — yes, even a contempt for the pleasant and excellent ways of Christ and his gospel.
(3.) May not the same conviction be further carried on by an inquiry into the universal course of obedience and the performance of duties that men have been engaged in? Is there the same conscientious tenderness against sinning abiding in many, as it did in days of old — the same exact performance of private duties, the same love toward the brethren, the same readiness for the cross, the same humility of mind and spirit, the same self-denial? The steam of men’s lusts, with which the air is tainted, will not allow us so to say.
We need, then, go no further than this wretched generation in which we live, to evince the truth of the observation laid down as the foundation of the instance insisted on. May the Lord grant repentance before it is too late! 2Tim 2.25
Now, all these declensions, all these decays, that are found in some professors, they all proceed from this root and cause: they are all the product of indwelling sin, and all evince the exceeding power and efficacy of it. For the proof of this, I will not need to go further than the general rule we have already considered out of James — namely, that lust or indwelling sin is the cause of all actual sin, and all habitual declensions in believers. This is what the apostle intends to teach and declare in that place. I will therefore handle these two things, and First, show that this evinces a great efficacy and power in sin; and Secondly, declare the ways and means by which it brings forth or brings about this cursed effect — all in design of our general end, in calling upon and cautioning believers to avoid it, and to oppose it.
1. It appears to be a work of great power and efficacy from the provision that is made against it, and yet which it prevails over. There is plentiful provision made in the covenant of grace, not only to prevent declensions and decays in believers, but also for their continual carrying on towards perfection; such as —
1 Rom 8:9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His [KJV “none of his”]. Also, Joh 13:8”If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.”
(1.) The word itself, and all the ordinances of the gospel, are appointed and given to us for this end, Eph 4:11-15.1 That which is the end of giving gospel officers to the church is the end also of giving all the ordinances to be administered by them; for they are given “for the work of the ministry,” — that is, for the administration of the ordinances of the gospel. Now, what is or what are these ends? They are all for preventing decays and declensions in the saints, all for carrying them on to perfection; so it is said in verse 12. In general, it is for “perfecting the saints,” carrying on the work of grace in them, and the work of holiness and obedience by them; or it is for edifying the body of Christ, their building up in an increase of faith and love, even of every true member of the mystical body. But how far are they thus appointed to carry them on, thus to build them up? Does it have bounds fixed to its work? Does it carry them only so far, and then leave them? No, says the apostle:
Eph 4:13, “Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.”
The dispensation of the word of the gospel, and the ordinances of it, is designed for our help, assistance, and furtherance, until the whole work of faith and obedience is consummate. It is appointed to perfect and complete that faith, knowledge, and growth in grace and holiness, which is allotted to us in this world.
But what and if oppositions and temptations lie in the way: Satan and his instruments working with great subtlety and deceit? Why, verse 14 says that these ordinances are designed for our safeguarding and deliverance from all their attempts and assaults, so that being preserved in the use of them, or “speaking the truth in love, we may grow up to him in all things who is the head, even Christ Jesus.” This in general — the use of all gospel ordinances — is the chief and main end for which they were given and appointed by God — namely, to preserve believers from all decays of faith and obedience, and to carry them on still towards perfection. These are means which God, the good husbandman, makes use of to cause the vine to thrive and bring forth fruit. And I could also manifest that they are the especial end of them, distinctly. Briefly, the word is milk and strong meat, for nourishing and strengthening all sorts and all degrees of believers. It has both seed and water in it, and fertilizer with it, to make them fruitful. The ordinance of the supper is appointed on purpose to strengthen our faith, in the remembrance of the death of the Lord, and in the exercise of love towards one another. The communion of the saints is for edifying each other in faith, love, and obedience.
(2.) There is something which adds weight to this consideration. God does not allow us to be unmindful of this assistance he has afforded us, but is continually calling on us to make use of the means appointed to attain the end proposed. He shows them to us, just as the angel showed the water-spring to Hagar. His commands, exhortations, promises, and threatenings, are multiplied to this purpose; see them summed up in Heb 2:1.2 He is continually saying to us, “Why will you starve, why will you wither and decay? Come to the pastures provided for you, and your souls shall live.” 3 If we see a lamb run from the fold into the wilderness, we are
1 Eph 4:11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ.
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Footnotes:
2 Heb 2:1 Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.
3 Isa 49:8-10 Thus says the LORD: “In an acceptable time I have heard You, And in the day of salvation I have helped You; I will preserve You and give You As a covenant to the people, To restore the earth, To cause them to inherit the desolate heritages; 9 That You may say to the prisoners, ‘Go forth,’ To those who are in darkness, ‘Show not surprised if it is torn and rent by wild beasts. If we see a sheep leaving its green pastures and watercourses, to abide in dry barren heaths, we do not consider it a marvel, nor inquire further, if we see him lean and ready to perish.
But if we find lambs wounded in the fold, we wonder at the boldness and rage of the beasts of prey that dare to attack them there. If we see sheep pining in full pastures, we judge they are diseased and unsound. It is indeed no marvel that poor creatures who forsake their own mercies, and run away from the pasture and fold of Christ in his ordinances, are torn and rent with divers lusts, and pine away with hunger and famine. But to see men living under and enjoying all the means of spiritual thriving, and yet for them to decay, and not be fat and flourishing, but rather pine and wither daily, this argues for some secret powerful distemper, whose poisonous and noxious qualities hinder the virtue and efficacy of the means they enjoy.
This is indwelling sin. It is so terrifically powerful, so effectually poisonous, that it can bring leanness upon the souls of men in the midst of all precious means of growth and flourishing. It may well make us tremble to see men living under and in the use of the means of the gospel — preaching, praying, the administration of sacraments — and yet every day they grow colder than others in their zeal for God; they grow more selfish and worldly, and even habitually decline as to the degrees of holiness which they had attained to.
(3.) Together with the dispensation of the outward means of spiritual growth or improvement, there are also supplies of grace continually afforded the saints from their head, Christ. He is the head of all the saints; and he is a living head, and such a living head that he tells us that “because he lives we also shall live,” John 14:19. He communicates spiritual life to all that are His. In him is the fountain of our life; which is therefore said to be “hidden with him in God,” Col 3:3. And he gives this life to his saints by quickening them by his Spirit, Rom 8:11; and he continues giving it to them by the supplies of living grace which he communicates to them. From these two, his quickening of us, and his continually giving out supplies of life to us, he is said to live in us: Gal 2:20, “I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me;” — “The spiritual life which I have is not mine own; it was not educed1 from myself, nor is it maintained by myself, but it is merely and solely the work of Christ — so that it is not I that live, but he lives in me, the whole of my life being from him alone.”
Nor does this living head communicate only a bare life to believers, that they should merely live and no more,2 a poor, weak, dying life, as it were; but he gives out sufficiently to afford them a strong, vigorous, thriving, flourishing life. John 10:10: He comes not only that his sheep “may have life,” but that “they may have it more abundantly;” that is, in a plentiful manner, so they may flourish, be fat and fruitful. Thus is it with the whole body of Christ, and every member of it.
Eph 4:15, 16, that “we should… grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplies, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, makes increase of the body to the edifying of itself in love.”
The end of all communications of grace and supplies of life from this living and blessed head, is the increase of the whole body and every member of it, and the edifying of itself in love. His treasures of grace are unsearchable; his stores are inexhaustible; his life, the fountain of ours,
yourselves.’ “They shall feed along the roads, And their pastures shall be on all desolate heights. 10 They shall neither hunger nor thirst, Neither heat nor sun shall strike them; For He who has mercy on them will lead them, Even by the springs of water He will guide them.
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Footnotes:
1 Derived, developed, or evolved from.
2 Christ did not give us life merely for us to survive, but to thrive.
is full and eternal; his heart is bounteous and large; his hand is open and liberal — so that there is no doubt that he abundantly communicates to all his saints, supplies of grace for their increase in holiness. Why then is it that they do not all flourish and thrive accordingly? As you may see it oftentimes happens in a natural body, so is it here. Even though the seat and rise of the blood and spirits in head and heart are excellently good and sound, yet there may be a withering member in the body. Something intercepts the influences of life to it, so that even though the heart and head perform their orifice,1 in giving of supplies no less to that member than they do to any other member, yet the total effect produced is merely to keep it from utterly perishing — it grows weak and decays every day. The withering and decaying of any member in Christ’s mystical body is not for lack of his communication of grace for an abundant life, but from the powerful interception that is made of its efficacy, by the interposition and opposition of indwelling sin. This is why it is that where lust grows strong, a great deal of grace will only keep the soul alive, and not give it any eminence in fruitfulness at all. Oftentimes Christ gives very much grace where not many of its effects appear. It spends its strength and power in withstanding the continual assaults of violent corruptions and lusts, so that it cannot put forth its proper virtue towards further fruitfulness.
It is like a virtuous medicine that is fit both to check vicious and noxious diseases, and to comfort, refresh, and strengthen our nature. If the evil disease is strong and greatly prevailing, the medicine spends its whole strength and virtue in subduing and correcting it, thus contributing much less to the relief of our nature than it would do, if it had not met with such opposition. So is it with eye-salve and healing grace which we have abundantly from the wings of the Sun of Righteousness.2 It is oftentimes forced to exert its virtue to oppose and contend against, and in some measure subdue, prevailing lusts and corruptions. This is why the soul does not receive that strengthening for duties and fruitfulness which it might otherwise receive from such grace. How sound, healthy, and flourishing — how fruitful and exemplary in holiness — might many a soul be, by and with the grace continually communicated to it from Christ. But by reason of the power of indwelling sin, the soul may not be dead, but it is weak, withering, and useless! And this, if anything, is a notable evidence of the efficacy of indwelling sin: that it is able to put such a stop and check to the mighty and effectual power of grace. So that, notwithstanding the blessed and continual supplies that we receive from our Head, many believers yet decline and decay — and do it habitually, compared to what they attained to, their last ways not corresponding to their first. This makes the vineyard in the “very fruitful hill” Isa 5.1 produce so many wild grapes, and makes so many trees barren in fertile fields.Isa 10.18
(4.) Besides the continual supplies of grace that are constantly communicated to believers, according to the tenure of the covenant — which keeps them so that they thirst no more, that is, to total indigence — there is, moreover, a readiness in the Lord Christ to yield particular help to his souls, as their occasions require. The apostle tells us that he is “a merciful High Priest,” and “able” (that is, ready, prepared, and willing) “to help those who are tempted,” Heb 2:18; and on that account, we are invited to “come with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need,” — that is, grace that is sufficient, timely, and suitable to any especial trial or temptation that we may be exercised with. Our merciful High Priest is ready to give out this especial timely grace over and above those constant communications of supplies of the Spirit which we mentioned before.
Besides the never-failing springs of ordinary covenant grace, he also has particular refreshing showers for times of drought; and this is exceedingly to the advantage of the saints for their preservation and growth in grace; and very many more of like nature may be added. But now, I say, notwithstanding all these, and the remainder of like importance, such is the power and
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Footnotes:
1 That is, they make their way through the opening in the veins and arteries. 2 Rev 3.18; Mal 4.2.
efficacy of indwelling sin, so great is its deceitfulness and restlessness, so many are its wiles and temptations, that it often occurs that many believers, for whose growth and improvement all this provision is made, yet go backward and decline, as was shown, even as to their course of walking with God. Samson’s strength fully evidenced itself when he broke seven new strands and seven new cords with which he was bound, like burning twine and thread. The noxious disease in the body which is so stubborn that no use of the most sovereign remedies can prevail against it, ought to be regarded. Such is this indwelling sin if it is not watched over. It breaks all the cords made to bind it; it blunts the instruments appointed to root it up; it resists all healing medicines, however sovereign; and it is therefore assuredly of exceeding efficacy.
Besides this, believers have innumerable obligations upon them, from the love of God — from the command of God — to grow in grace, to press forward towards perfection, because they have abundant means provided for them to do so. And doing so is a matter of the greatest advantage, profit, sweetness, and contentment to them in the world. It is the burden, the trouble of their souls, that they do not so do; that they are not more holy, more zealous, useful, or fruitful; that they do not desire it above life itself. They know it is their duty to watch against this enemy, to fight against it, to pray against it; and so they do. They more desire this enemy’s destruction than the enjoyment of this entire world and all it can afford them. And yet, notwithstanding all this, such is the subtlety, and fraud, and violence, and fury, and urgency, and importunity of this adversary, that it frequently prevails to bring them into the woeful condition mentioned.
This is why it is with believers sometimes, as it is with men in some places at sea. It may be that they have a good and fair gale of wind all night long; they ply their tackling, attend diligently their business, and perhaps take great contentment to consider how they proceed in their voyage. In the morning, or after a time, coming to measure what way they have made, and what progress they have had, they find that they are far behind where they were, instead of getting one step forward. Falling into a swift tide or a current that goes against them, it has frustrated all their labors, and rendered the wind in their sails almost useless; they have borne up somewhat against the stream, but they have made no progress. So is it with believers. They have a good gale of supplies of the Spirit from above; they attend to their duties diligently, pray constantly, hear attentively, and omit nothing that may carry them on their voyage towards eternity. But after a while, coming seriously to consider, by the examination of their hearts and ways, what progress they have made, they find that all their assistance and duties have not been able to bear them up against some strong tide or current of indwelling sin. It has kept them, indeed, from being driven and split on rocks and shelves — it has preserved them from gross, scandalous sins. Yet they have lost in their spiritual frame, or they have gone backwards, and are entangled under many woeful decays — this is a notable evidence of the life of sin, about which we are treating.
Now, because the purpose of our discovering this power of sin is that we may be careful to obviate and prevent it in its operation; and because of all the effects it produces, there is none more dangerous or pernicious than what we last insisted on — namely, that it prevails on many professors to a habitual declension from their former ways and attainments, notwithstanding all the sweetness and excellence which their souls have found in them.
I will Therefore, as said, next consider by what ways and means, and through what assistance, it usually prevails in this way, so that we may be better instructed to watch against it.
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