And yet what prevalency this law of sin wrought in and over them, we see. And there is no end of the like examples; they are all set up as buoys to discover unto us the sands, the shelves, the rocks, whereupon they made their shipwreck, to their hazard, danger, loss, yea, and would have done to their ruin, had not God been pleased in his faithfulness graciously to prevent it. And 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, whereunto they had attained, which are found in many believers. Promises of growth and improvement are many and precious; the means excellent and effectual; the benefits great and unspeakable: yet it often falls out, that instead hereof, decays and declensions are found upon professors, yea, in and upon many of the saints of God. Now whereas this must needs principally and chiefly be from the strength and efficacy of indwelling sin, and is therefore a great evidence thereof; I shall first evince the observation itself to be true, namely, that some of the saints themselves do aftentimes so decline from that growth and improvement in faith, grace, and holiness which might justly be expected from them; and then shew, that the cause of this evil lies in that, that we are treating of. And that it is the cause of total apostacy in unsound professors, shall be after declared. But this is a greater work which we have in hand. The prevailing upon true believers unto a sinful declension and gradual apostacy, requires a putting forth of more strength and efficacy than the prevailing upon unsound professors unto total apostacy. As the wind, which will blow down a dead tree that hath no root to the ground, will scarcely shake or bow a living well-rooted tree. But this it will do. There is mention made in the Scripture of the first ways of David, and they are commended above his latter, 2 Chron. xvii. 3. 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 his numbering of the people, were certainly rooted in a declension from his first frame. Those rushes did not grow without mire.

David

A

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 unto all the ordinances of God, all which were eminent in him. But his strength is impaired by the efficacy and deceitfulness of sin; his locks cut, and he becomes a prey to vile lusts and temptations. We have a notable instance in most of the churches that our Saviour awakens to the consideration of their condition, in the Revelations. We may single out one of them: many good things were there in the church of Ephesus, chap. ii. 2, 3. for which it is greatly commended, but yet it is charged with a decay, a declension, a gradual falling off and apostacy: ver. 4, 5. Thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore whence thou art fallen, and do thy 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 of what they had formerly, by the testimony of Christ himself. The same also might be shewed concerning the rest of those churches, only one or two of them excepted. Five of them are charged with decays and declensions. Hence there is mentioned in the Scripture of the 'kindness of youth,' of the love of espousals,' with great commendation, Jer. ii. 2, 3. of our 'first faith,' 1 Tim. v. 12. of the beginning of our confidence,' Heb. iii. 14. And cautions are given, that we lose not the things that we have wrought,' 2 John 8. But what need we look back or search for instances to confirm the truth of this observation? An habitual declension from first engagements unto God, from first attainments of communion with God, from first strictness in duties of obedience, is ordinary and common amongst professors.

Might we to this purpose take a general view of the professors in these nations, among whom the lot of the best of us will be found in part or in whole, in somewhat or in all, to fall, we might be plentifully convinced of the truth of this observation.

(1.) Is their zeal for God as warm, living, vigorous, effectual, solicitous, as it was in their first giving themselves unto God? Or rather, is there not a common, slight, selfish frame of spirit in the room of it come upon most professors? Iniquity . hath abounded, and their love bath waxed cold. Was it not of old a burden to their spirits to hear the name, and ways,

6

and worship of God blasphemed and profaned? could they not have said with the psalmist, Psal. cxix. 136. Rivers of water run down our eyes because men keep not thy law?' Were not their souls solicitous about the interest of Christ in the world, like Eli's about the ark? Did they not contend earnestly for the truth once delivered to the saints, and every parcel of it? especially wherein the grace of God, and the glory of the gospel was especially concerned did they not labour to judge and condemn the world by a holy and separate conversation? And do now the generality of professors abide in this frame? have they grown, and made improvement in it? or is there not a coldness and indifferency grown upon the spirits of many in this thing? Yea, do not many despise all these things, and look upon their own former zeal as folly? May we not see many who have formerly been of esteem in ways of profession, become daily a scorn and reproach through their miscarriages, and that justly to the men of the world? Is it not with them as it was of old with the daughters of Sion, (Isa. iii. 24.) when God judged them for their sins and wantonness? Hath not the world and self utterly ruined their profession? and are they not regardless of the things wherein they have formerly declared a singular concernment? Yea, are not some come, partly on one pretence, partly on another, to an open enmity unto, 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 farther, whose hypocrisy the Lord Jesus Christ will shortly judge; how is it with the best? are not almost all men grown cold and slack as to these things? are they not less concerned in them than formerly? are they not grown weary, selfish in their religion, and so things be indifferent well at home, scarce care how they go abroad in the world? At least do they not prefer their ease, credit, safety, secular advantages, before these things? A frame that Christ abhors, and declares, that those in whom it prevails are none of his. Some indeed seem to retain a good zeal for truth, but wherein they make the fairest appearance, therein will they be found to be most abominable: they cry out against errors, not for truth, but for parties' and interests' sake. Let a man be on their party, and promote their interest, be he never so corrupt in his

but

judgment, he is embraced, and it may be admired. This is not zeal for God, but for a man's self. It is not The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up,' Master, forbid them because they follow not with us.' Better it were doubtless for men never to pretend unto any zeal at all than to substitute such wrathful selfishness in the room of it.

(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 have done of old? How precious hath the word been to them formerly? What joy and delight have they had in attendance thereon? How would they have run and gone to have been made partakers of it, where it was dispensed in its power and purity, in the evidence and démonstration of the Spirit? Did they not call the sabbath their delight, and was not the approach of it a real joy unto their souls? Did they not long after the converse and communion of saints? and could they not undergo manifold perils for the attainment of it? And doth this frame still abide upon them? Are there not decays and declensions to be found amongst them? May it not be said, Grey hairs are here and there upon them, and they perceive it not? Yea, are not men ready to say with them of old, What a weariness is it?' Mal. i. 3. It is even a burden and a weariness to be tied up to the observation of all these ordinances. What need we be at all so strict in the observation of the sabbath? What need we hear so often? What need this distinction in hearing? Insensibly a great disrespect, yea, even a contempt of the pleasant and excellent ways of Christ and his gospel, is fallen upon many professors.

(3.) May not the same conviction be farther 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 of sinning abiding in many, as was in days of old? the same exact performance of private duties? the same love to 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, wherewith the air is tainted, will not suffer us so to say.

We need then go no farther than this wretched genera

tion wherein we live, to evince the truth of the observation laid down, as the foundation of the instance insisted on; the Lord give repentance before it be too late.

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 whereof I shall not need to go farther than the general rule which out of James we have already considered; namely, that lust or indwelling sin, is the cause of all actual sin, and all habitual declensions in believers. This is that which the apostle intends in that place to teach and declare. I shall therefore handle these two things, and shew, [1.] That this doth evince a great efficacy and power in sin. [2.] Declare the ways and means whereby 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, to oppose it.

[1.] It appears to be a work of great power and efficacy, from the provision that is made against it, which it prevails over. There is in the covenant of grace plentiful provision made, not only for the preventing of declensions and decays in believers, but also for their continual carrying on towards perfection. As,

1st. The word itself, and all the ordinances of the gospel, are appointed and given unto us for this end, Ephes. iv. 11-15. 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 the preventing of decays and declensions in the saints, all for the carrying them on to perfection; so it is said, ver. 12. In general it is for the perfecting of the saints, carrying on the work of grace in them, and the work of holiness and obedience by them; or for the edifying of 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 appointed thus to carry them on, thus to build them up? Hath it bounds fixed to its work? doth it carry them so far, and then leave them? No, saith the apostle,