Sermons Preached on Romans 8

(much better than thine O thou cursed Lyar!) thou must expect the loss of all that is good, the undergoing of all that is evil; thou must look for nothing but prisons, reproaches, derision, contempt, poverty, persecution, and what not? thou must bid adieu to all thy Comforts, prepare for the carrying of an heavy Cross, live a pensive, afflicted Life; this will cost thee deer, expose thee to the loss of Liberty, Estate, Relations, Credit, nay of Life itself. O how doth Sin (to draw and hold the Sinner in vassalage to itself, and to keep him off from the way of holiness ) bestir itself and summon in all its Threats and Menaces. And may not unrenewed Souls too truly be said to be under the Law of sin in these respects? with what efficacy doth it entice them to what is evil by what it promises, and deter them from what is good by what it threatens? Do not these promises and threatenings of Sin carry it with men in their natural state (the former for Sins of Commission, the latter for Sins of Omission ), that they know not how to withstand them? O that what we do see every day was not too full a demonstration of their being under the power of Sin, as promising and as threatening!

By this you understand what there is in a Law (in the strict notion of it) that is applicable to Sin, upon which the Apostle might ground his Metaphor of the Law of Sin; 'tis a commanding thing, and it urges and seconds its Commands with promises and threatenings, (both of which are proper to a Law ).

One thing further I desire you to take notice of, and 'tis this; that Sin considered as simply commanding so 'tis not a Law, but it then becomes formally and completely a Law when it commands and the Sinner obeys; so that he owns the power of it and willingly subjects himself to its dominion, ô now 'tis a Law indeed! As it is in the Laws of Usurpers, they (merely as imposed by them ) are no Laws, because not made by persons in lawful Authority; but if a people freely own these Usurpers and willingly put themselves under subjection to them, them (to them) their Laws become valid and obligatory; so here as to Sin, it hath not the least right to any dominion over the Soul, it hath no power but what is by usurpation, and therefore its Laws are mere nullities; but yet if men (which is the Case of the Unconverted) will voluntarily put themselves under its Government and consent that it shall rule them, to them de facto it becomes a Law, and hath the force and authority of a Law, though de jure it can challenge no such thing. This for a Law in its proper sense.

2. Secondly the word [Law] is taken improperly, for anything that hath an impelling (or impulsive) virtue in it, which though it be not strictly and properly a Law, yet it may pass under that appellation because it hath the virtue and force of a Law, and doth that which a true and proper Law uses to do. And so an inward, operative, lively Principle, that which efficaciously moves and acts a man or impells and urges him so and so to act, may be stilled a Law because of its powerful and authoritative influence in and upon the man in his acting: a Principle is a Virtual Law, or that which is equivalent to a Law, inasmuch as it inclines, urges, impells with power and efficacy to such and such operations which are suitable to it. And therefore when Sin is the Principle which acts a person in his general course, and which doth efficaciously excite and impell him to those things which are suitable to its own nature; I say when 'tis thus, there Sin may be called a Law and there 'tis the Law of Sin. So that when Paul here supposes himself before his Conversion to be under the Law of Sin, he means that then Sin was his principle, the sole and active principle in him, that which with a strange kind of power and efficacy did urge, excite, impell him to wicked and sinful acts all along in that state. The Law of Sin notes the power of Sin (as hath been shown); now that is twofold Moral or Physical, (I will not upon several accounts undertake to justify this distinction in the rigid acceptation of things, I only make use of it to help your conceptions in that which I am upon): Sins moral power lies in its being a Law (for that's the power of a Law), its physical power lies in its being a Principle (for that's the power of a principle). As to its Moral power, it directs and regulates prescribing to the Sinner what it would have him to do and (in a sense) commanding him to do accordingly: as to its Physical power, it doth so and so excite and act by its inward, effectual, powerful inclinations and impulsions. I distinguish here between a Law and a Principle, because I now consider the Latter strictly in itself and not according to the improper application of the word Law to it: And I make use of this distinction of Sins twofold power, not as designing to assert any specifical difference betwixt them, (possibly something might be objected against that); I only design thereby to set forth the several ways and modes wherein Sin doth exert its power: for though 'tis very true that Moral and Physical power as considered in themselves and when applied to such and such things, are distinct kinds of power; yet when they are applied to sin they are but different modes (the Nature of the thing admitting nothing more).

Now to bring this to the Point in hand! Unregenerate persons are under the Law of Sin, inasmuch as in that state Sin (the depraved Nature) is the principle which acts them, and which strongly, effectually, nay impetuously inclines and excites them to what is sinful. Every Agent hath its principle which acts it strongly and irresistibly; as Natural Agents in natural acts have their principle working with great efficacy in them, the Fire burns and cannot do otherwise because 'tis determined and influenc'd by that natural principle which is in it: so Moral Agents in Moral acts have their efficacious principles too which work as strongly and powerfully in them, (the difference being always preserved 'twixt Natural and Free Agents ). But now these principles are very different according to men's different state; where 'tis the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus there the Spirit is the principle, and the New Nature too in the Soul as the principle doth with a great deal of power and efficacy excite and quicken to what is good; 2 Cor. 5.14. The Love of Christ constraineth us: But where it is the Law of Sin there Sin is the principle which doth also strongly excite to what is evil. The Natural man hath no other principle than this, and 'tis very active in him it ever workng with great power and strength to draw out his corruption: and so he is under the Law of sin.

I conceive this Law of Sin (as to its most proper import ) notes the activeness and efficacy of a principle, rather than the authority or Sovereignty of a Law (though that be the word here used). But however 'tis best to take in both notions, and in both the Doctrine holds true; so long as any man is unrenewed Sin is both a Law to him to command, rule, and govern him, and also a principle powerfully and efficaciously to act him in his whole course: in both respects before regeneration 'tis nothing but the Law of Sin. By which expression the Apostle seems to superadd something to what he had said Ver. 1. he had there spoke of walking after the Flesh, thereby intimating the Flesh to be the principle by which men out of Christ do act; but now here in calling it the Law of Sin (or of the Flesh ), he intimates the power and strength of that principle in those persons, 'tis a commanding principle in them (which takes in the sum of both the significations which I have been enlarging upon), it rules and acts them as it pleases, it hath over them the authority of a Law and in them the energy or efficacy of a principle, both of which do center and are comprehended in one word, the power of Sin. So much for the First Thing to show what the Apostle means by the Law of Sin, and in what respects 'tis so styled.

Two Questions here arise (the answering of which will give further light into the Doctrine ); the First is this, How or wherein doth Sin (as a Law) exert and put forth its power and dominion in and over unregenerate persons?

In the answering of this should I fall upon particulars, to set forth the various workings of Sin in the matter or kind of them, or the various arts and methods of Sin in the manner of its working, it would occasion a discourse too large for my present design: I will therefore limit myself to two General Heads under which the several particulars will fall.

The Law of Sin shows itself, partly with respect to what is Evil and partly with respect to what is Good: You may understand its workings in the Unregenerate by its workings in the Regenerate, (for 'tis the same in both, only in different degrees ). Now how doth it work in these? that you shall see in our great instance in the Text; Paul complaining of this Law (as in himself) shows how it did put forth its power and strength in him, namely thus:

• (1.) it did strongly excite, impell, and draw him to what was evil; so Rom. 7.15. That which I do, I allow not, what I hate, that do I; ( V. 17.) It is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me: ( V. 19.)— the evil which I would not, that I do: ( V. 23.) I see another law in my members, &c. —
• (2.) it did strongly oppose, resist, hinder him as to what was good: ( V. 15.) what I would, that do I not: ( V. 18.) To will is present with me, but how to perform that which is good I find not; for the good that I would I do not: ( V. 21.) I find then a Law, that when I would do good, evil is present with me.

Thus Sin acted in Paul in whom its power and strength was much broken, and thus it doth (in a much higher degree ) act in the Unregenerate in whom it is in its full strength and vigor.

1. Sin in such exerts its power in its vehement urging and impelling of them to what is evil. I say to what is evil for indeed all its impulsions are to that, Sin is for nothing but Sin, Sin in the Habit is altogether for Sin in the Act, Indwelling Sin is wholly for dwelling in Sin; it bends and works entirely that way, urget ad Peccata Peccatum. And no wonder that it so doth, since the principle always moves and excites to those acts which are consentaneous to itself; therefore Sin agreeing with Sin, the sinful Nature solely stirs up a person to that which is sinful. And how entire, restless, unwearied, impetuous is it in this! the truth is, though there was no Devil to tempt the graceless Sinner, yet that Law of Sin which is in himself would be enough to make him sin (in a great measure) as he doth: as to many Men and many Sins of those men 'tis but the Devils over-eagerness which puts him upon tempting of them, for without that the thing would be done to his hand (as dry wood would burn without blowing ). Corrupt Nature is continually egging, soliciting, exciting the unsanctified man to what is evil, 'twill not let him alone day or night unless he gratify it; and its motions are so urgent and violent that he poor creature either cannot or will not make any considerable resistance. What an instance was Amnon of this! he was under the Law of Sin, it had such a power and Sovereignty over him and was so impetuous in its workings in him, that he walked sadly, pined away, fell down-right sick, and all because he knew not how to satisfy that Lust which wrought so strongly in him towards his own Sister; (read 2 Sam. 13.2, &c. ) So Ahab, Sin put him upon the coveting of Naboth's Vineyard, and this it did with such violence that he would eat no bread because he could not have his will; 1 Kings 21.5. Solomon tells us of some who sleep not except they have done mischief, and their sleep is taken away unless they cause some to fall; Prov. 4.16. O the Law of Sin! it sollicits to this and that evil, and its solicitations thereunto are so pressing and earnest that it will receive no repulse; yea, the Sinner is so overpowered that he is even carried away with it like an empty Vessel in a fierce and rapid stream. In whatever point the Wind stands it blows so fiercely, so strongly that there's no standing against it; I mean, whatever the Lust be in which the Sin of Nature vents itself (whether Uncleanness, or Ambition, or Coveteousness, or what you will), that comes with such a force and violence upon the natural man that he falls before it and yields to it. We speak much (in another sense ) of the Law of Nature, truly the grand Law of Nature as depraved is to command and incline men to sin against God; and this it must needs do with a mighty power and efficacy in those in whom 'tis wholly depraved.

2. Secondly this Law of Sin shows itself in its opposing and hindering of what is good. 'It is a Law which always runs counter to God's Law, it will be sure to further what that forbids and to hinder what that commands, for it always sets itself in a direct opposition thereunto. Doth that call for such and such Duties? are there some Convictions upon the Sinners Conscience about them? doth he begin a little to incline to what is good? how doth Sin now bestir itself to make head in the Soul against these convictions and good inclinations! how doth it endeavor to nip the blossoms, to stifle and smother the initial propensions to what is good, to kill the Infant in the Cradle (as Herod would have done with Christ), to make all Conceptions (in order to Obedience and Holiness) to prove abortive! There is in Sin a fixed, rooted aversation to whatever is holy and spiritual, which it puts forth to its utmost wherever 'tis upon the throne: it doth not only work a loathness to duty but a loathing of duty, it countermands (where 'tis in its full power ) all the motions and excitations of the blessed Spirit thereunto. O sometimes the Spirit comes to a man and says, thou hast neglected prayer hitherto 'tis high time now to set upon it, thus long thou hast lived and all this time thou hast not minded the reading of the Scriptures, the hearing of the Word preached, &c. come now let them be minded, all thy days thou hast been a stranger to holiness now be holy, thou hast been a despiser of Christ hitherto now love, fear, receive, honor him: thus the good Spirit would draw on the Sinner to what is good. Well! is indwelling Sin quiet now? O no! it puts forth itself with its greatest vigor and strength in opposition to the breathings of the good Spirit; it saith, Sinner! let Word and Spirit say what they will do thou hold on thy course, keep on thy way, God is merciful fear it not, Duty is burdensome meddle not with it, what need is there of all this praying, hearing, believing, repenting, holy walking? &c. These are the bold oppositions and subtle insinuations of Sin against what is good, (set forth by the lustings of the Flesh against the Spirit Gal. 5.17), these are its cursed renitencies and reluctancies against duty. Now till the regenerating Spirit comes with his victorious grace to conquer them, the Sinner is wholly under their power, so that they do most effectually and prevailingly keep him off from what is good: You have it exemplified in the Young-man Matth. 19.22. in Felix Acts 24.25. (and in several others). This is the very Case of men before Conversion: whether you consider the Law of Sin as it puts forth itself with respect to Evil or with respect to Good, the Unconverted are under it; it hurries them on to what is wicked and as powerfully holds them off from what is holy; in both respects they are entirely under the command of it as a Law and entirely acted by it as a principle; 'tis no better than thus (and worser it cannot be) with unregenerate persons. Let this general Answer to the First Question be sufficient.

A Second is this, How may it be known when persons are under the Law of Sin? or How may we distinguish betwixt the Law of Sin as 'tis in the Unregenerate and as 'tis in the Regenerate? For even the Latter find too much of this Law in them; Paul here saith he was freed from it, and yet in the foregoing Chap. he sadly laments it (as you have often heard): renewed and sanctified Souls do by sad experience feel the corrupt Nature strongly urging and pressing them to what is evil, and as strongly opposing and hindering them in what is good, yea, in both often prevailing: may not they therefore as well as Others be said to be under the Law of sin? if not, where lies the difference? or what is it that doth indeed denominate a man to be under that Law?

This being a Question of great importance I shall be larger in the answering of it than I was of the Former; yet not so large as the Nature of the Subject would admit of, nor as Some of our own Divines are who write upon it: I shall reduce all to Three Heads.

1. First where the whole bent and tendency of the heart is towards sin, that the propensions of the Soul thereto are entire and unmixed, there 'tis the Law of sin, and that Law of sin which is proper to the Unregenerate: this speaks Sin to be upon the throne indeed, that its power and dominion is habitual, plenary and absolute. A Child of God may have very strong corruptions in him, and they sometimes too may break forth into external acts, the sinful Nature may vehemently incline him to what is evil and sometimes prevail too; yet the bent of his heart is for God against Sin, and the stream doth not run wholly one way, he hath propensions unto good as well as unto evil; whereupon he is not under the Law of sin. But take an unsanctified person 'tis otherwise with him, his heart is in sin and set for sin, that's the thing to which it altogether bends, inclines and works; there is not a stronger bent in heavy bodies to descend or in light things to ascend than there is in such an one to sin against God: and further he's not divided in what is evil, he's all of a piece, the sinful Nature in him is entire and doth all: now where 'tis thus certainly there 'tis the Law of sin. Paul in his saddest complaints of this Law (as in himself) yet says, It is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me, ('twas not he that did it because the bent of his heart was against it): and he says With the mind I myself serve the law of God, (the habitual tendency and inclination of his Soul was towards Good, and as he was himself it was thus with him, for he puts [I myself] only to the serving of the law of God not to that of the law of sin ): So that though the Law of sin was in him yet he was not under it (strictly) as the Law of sin; Sin had too great a strength in him but it had not the sole and full command of him.

2. Secondly when all the several Faculties of the Soul are altogether on Sin's side and wholly take its part, then 'tis the Law of sin, and that which is proper to the Unregenerate: (if this Head be not distinct from the Former yet it may be useful as a more particular explication of it). In such persons Understanding, Will, Affections, all are engaged on Sins side, and therein lies its power and dominion over them; the Understanding assents, the Will consents, the Affections answerably are drawn out, ô here is the Law of Sin or Sin regnant. The Understanding gives in its final and positive dictate that Sin is good, represents it as eligible to the Will, the Will (upon this) closes with it, embraces it, cleaves to it, the Affections (desire, joy, delight, &c. ) run out upon it; where 'tis thus, the case is determined. But this must be taken with a threefold Proviso:

• (1.) That the assent of the Understanding be deliberate; for even a Child of God upon a sudden surprisal pro hic & nunc may judge better of sin than it deserves.
• (2.) That the consent of the Will be plenary and full; for there may be in gracious persons sometimes a broken half-consent to what is evil.
• (3.) That both Assent and Consent be understood of a Course in Sin; for as to particular Acts no question but one who is regenerate (under the power of a temptation) may do both of these.

This threefold Proviso being taken in the thing is clear, whosoever shall be so far besotted as upon deliberation to judge a sinful course to be the best course, and thereupon shall choose, embrace; fall in with and continue in it, yea shall delight and please himself in it, unquestionably in this man 'tis the Law of Sin; Sin never gets thus high where Grace is. For the proof of which we must recur to our great instance; Paul after his Conversion found Sin to be too powerful in him (which was his great burden), yet notwithstanding the fixed acts of the several Faculties of his Soul were for God against Sin: As for example, in his Understanding he assented to the goodness of the Law of God but not to the goodness of the Law of Sin; Rom. 7.12. wherefore the Law is holy, &c. in his Will he also consented to this, ( V. 16.) If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the Law that it is good: and for his Affections (he saith) I delight in the Law of God after the inward man: now these being (as I said) the fixed acts of the several Faculties in Paul, in him it was not the Law of Sin. And thus for the main it is with every gracious Soul; but for Others in whom Sin hath all, all the Faculties (Understanding, Will, Affections) in their proper acts being entirely for it, 'tis evident that they are under the Law of Sin.

Of all the Faculties the Will doth most discover the power of Sin, for there its Dominion and Sovereignty is chiefly seated and acted; ô when it once gains that then it ascends the throne indeed, that's the time (as it were) of its inauguration when 'tis invested in all its Regalities. It comes to the Sinner and says art thou willing that I should rule thee? yes (saith he) with all my heart, I like thy Commands and Government, I am thine, I submit to thee to be at thy dispose, I here swear Fealty and Allegiance to thee, &c. (Dreadful language! ô that ever it should be uttered by the heart of man! Sinner! doest thou know what thou sayest? pray thee make a little pause, be persuaded to consider what thou doest; is this spoken in good (or rather in bad ) earnest? doest thou resolve upon it? wilt thou stick to it? ô then thou art a mere vassal, thou putt'st thyself under the reign of the worst Tyrant in all the world, from this day forward thou must carry chains and fetters about thee, from this act of thine Sins reign commences: therefore if it be not yet done let it never be done, if it be done let it be rescinded speedily; (but I forget myself).

The lowest act of the Will (in order to the constituting of this Law of Sin, ) is Election or Choice; there's Good and Evil, Holiness and Sin set before the Soul and it chooses the evil before the good, this is a sad evidence of Sins power: Isa. 65.12.— but did evil before mine eyes, and did choose that wherein I delighted not: Isa. 66.3, 4, &c. they have chosen their own ways, and their Soul delighteth in their abominations, &c. But though I say that this is the lowest act of the Will in Sins being a Law, yet even this is enough to put a person under that Law. The godly man chooses the way of Holiness, Psal. 119.30. I have chosen the way of truth; the Sinner chooses the way of Sin, this he prefers before the Other: Now should there be nothing more than this choice (supposing it to be deliberate, full and peremptory ), that would be enough to evince Sins dominion, for wherever it hath the preference it hath the power. But there are higher acts of the Will than this, which do more highly constitute and more fully demonstrate the Law of Sin, and which are to be found only in the Unregenerate: As namely when the Will doth not merely choose, embrace, prefer Sin before Holiness but 'tis pertinaciously set for Sin, its full purpose and resolution is for Sin against Holiness; the Sinner says he hath sin'd and so he will do still, he's fixed and obstinate in his wickedness, instead of cleaving to the Lord with full purpose of heart (as Barnabas exhorted the Christians at Antioch to do, Acts 11.23.) he cleaves to Sin with full purpose of heart. Jer. 2.25. I have loved strangers, and after them I will go: Jer. 8.5. They hold fast deceit, they refuse to return: Jer. 44.16. As for the word that thou hast spoken to us in the name of the Lord, we will not hearken to thee, but we will certainly do whatsoever goeth out of our own mouth, &c. Now wherever it comes to this that Sin is thus enthron'd in the Will, there most certainly 'tis the Law of Sin. But I must yet go one step further, there is one act of the Will higher than this too, (viz) when the heart is wholly set for Sin and is not only resolvedly but also impetuously carried out after it. Eccles. 8.11. Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. Jer. 50▪ 38. They are mad upon their idols: Eph. 4.19. Who being past feeling have given themselves ever unto lasciviousness to work all uncleanness with greediness Jer. 8.6. Everyone turned to his course as the horse rusheth into the battle. Here the power of Sin rises high indeed! when the Will doth not barely consent to it but 'tis eager and fierce for it, ô this speaks not only its own great wickedness and most woeful depravation, but also the Sinners full subjection to Sin; this is the Law of Sin with a witness, where 'tis thus it may easily be known who bears Rule in the Soul. Sin never arrives at this heighth of power in the Regenerate, this is altogether inconsistent with Grace: upon Conversion the Will is sanctified and the sanctified Will can never carry it thus towards Sin.

You see what that is in the interior faculties of the Soul which doth constitute and evidence the Law of Sin in unregenerate persons: I might instance also in the exterior parts of the Body, for though Sins power doth mainly reside and put forth itself in the Former, yet it reaches to these also; therefore the Apostle brings them in upon this account, Rom. 6.12. Let not sin reign in your mortal bodies, &c. (13.) neither yield you your members instruments of unrighteousness unto sin, &c. (19.) As ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness, &c. When the Body is prostituted to Sins drudgery, the several parts thereof employ'd in its service (as the Eyes to let in external Objects for the exciting and feeding of Lust within, the Feet to run on Sins errands, the Tongue to utter vanity and frothiness, &c ) this is a great demonstration of a man's being under the Law of Sin. 'It is true, it chiefly reigns in the Heart, there's its imperial Seat or the Palace where it hath its imperial residence, that's the inward Citadel where its main strength doth lie; but yet from thence it issues out its Laws and Edicts to the Body also, and that is its out ward Fort or Territory where it hath a great strength and command also. Indeed the Law of Sin is best discerned (as to Others ) by its venting of itself in and through the Body; for so long as Sin keeps in its power within the interior Faculties of the Soul, 'tis known only to the Sinner himself; but when that once breaks out in Sins committed in and by the body (as intemperance, drunkenness, uncleanness, &c. ) then it becomes discernible to all to whom such Sins shall be known. And though 'tis certain, that Sin may have its full dominion in the heart without the external eruptions of it in the Life, in gross and corporeal acts, yet where they are added they infallibly discover that Sin lords and domineers. O therefore how evident is it that all who abuse and defile their bodies, who use them as instruments for Sin and wear them out in its service, are most perfectly under the Law of Sin! But 'tis not thus with any who are truly sanctified, Sin hath not the command of their Bodies, they yield up their members servants to righteousness unto holiness, they look upon their Bodies as the Temples of the Holy Ghost and accordingly they keep them holy, they know they are themselves bought with a price and that their Souls and Bodies are both God's, and therefore both to be employ'd in the glorifying of God; they scorn to let their Bodies be drudges to Sin and Satan; and in this respect they are not under the Law of Sin.

3. Thirdly the Law of Sin and its different workings in the people of God and Others, may be opened by the modification of the act of Sin. As

• 1. Where Sin is committed industriously and designedly there 'tis the Law of Sin and that which is peculiar to the graceless. Some there are who set themselves to sin, 'tis the thing they aim at, which they deliberate, contrive, muse how to bring about, their serious thoughts from time to time are at work in order to it; like to that person whom David describes Psal. 36.4. He deviseth mischief on his bed, he setteth himself in a way that is not good: like to the wickedness of men before the Deluge, Gen. 6.5. &c. Every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually: ('tis meant not only of imaginations which had Sin in them materially and subjectively, but also of those which were for Sin and in order to Sin intentionally and finally ): The Apostle sets it forth by making provision for the flesh Rom. 13.14. when the Sinner hath his forecasts and projects for Sin. Now where 'tis thus, unquestionably 'tis the Law of Sin, this doth most certainly discover the absolute, unbroken, full power and dominion of Sin. Joh. 8.34. Whoever commits Sin ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 who makes it or frames it as an Artist doth a thing which is proper to his trade or art, who sins de industriâ, datâ operâ, what of him? why, he) is the servant of sin (that is, he is fully under its Command and is a perfect slave and vassal to it). 'It is never thus with regenerate persons, this spot is not the spot of God's Children: 1 Joh. 3.9. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit Sin; he doth not frame sin or contrive how to sin (in the sense named but now). It cannot be denied but that even a Child of God may sin after deliberation, nay as to some particular sinful act he may deliberate in order to the doing of it; there was a great deal of deliberation in David's killing Uriah, 'twas a plotted, contrived sin, that which was brought about by many deliberate thoughts: ô but in such an One this is very rare and seldom, 'tis but in this or that particular act, 'tis not a thing that he holds on in (God forbid it should be so!) And therefore though this be a great aggravation of sin when it is committed deliberately, and a sad evidence that it hath too much power and strength in the heart, yet every deliberate sin is not enough to prove a man to be under the Law of sin: when the designing and contriving is customary and that too as to a Course in sin, ô then 'tis the Law of sin.
• 2. When the Temptation easily prevails and there is little or no resistance and opposition made to sin, then 'tis the Law of sin and that which is proper to the unregenerate. If the Town be surrendered and yields upon the first Summons 'tis a sign the Assailers are very strong and the Defendants very weak: if the tinder takes fire upon the first little spark that falls into it, surely 'tis very dry; so here, when Satan doth no sooner lay the temptation before the Sinner, but he immediately closes with it and falls before it and yields to it, this argues that Sin and Satan have a full power in and over him. But I lay the main stress of this Head upon little or no resistance to the motions, suggestions, commands of sin. Possibly it no sooner commands but the Sinner readily obeys; if he chance to make some some opposition 'tis as bad as none at all, 'tis not lively, vigorous, resolute, but cold, dull, faint and languid, ô this is a sad demonstration of Sins heighth and regency in the Soul. The bare Commands of Sin (as hath been said) do not make it to be a Law, but when there is a ready, willing subjection to those Commands then 'tis a Law. Rom. 6.16. Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey, whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? 'It is a brand upon Ephraim that he was willingly walked after the Commandment: may not this be charged upon men before renovation with respect to the Commands of Sin? We read of Satan that he takes some captive at his will, 2 Tim. 6.26. and truly so it is with the sinful Nature too, it doth with the unregenerate what it will, it commands, governs, orders them even as it will; it meets with little or no resistance, upon all occasions it doth but speak the word and the thing is done. The true Convert stands upon his guard, fights it out to the last, he'l die rather than yield; Sin doth not so easily do his work in him: he may sometimes • e a Captive to it (as being overborn with its strength ), but he will not be a Subject to it (so as to give willing obedience to it); which shows that he is not under the Law of Sin. When 'tis willingness in the way of duty then 'tis the day of God's power, when 'tis willingness in the way of sin then 'tis the day of Sins power. There may be some resistance made to Sin and yet its dominion may be high, but when 'tis no resistance then its dominion is high indeed. A Sinner sometimes from the stirrings of Conscience may make a little opposition, but Sin having his Will in its entire consent that opposition soon goes off, and so Sins Sover aignty is as absolute as ever it was.
• 3. When Sin carries it in spite of all opposition, then 'tis the Law of Sin and that power of Sin which only suits with the unregenerate state: when 'tis committed with little opposition ab intra and in spite of all opposition ab extra, I assure you then it hath a great power. Many there are who are so much under the strength and dominion of the hellish Nature, that nothing shall hinder them from what is evil: As the sincere Christian, set never so many hindrances and discouragements before him yet (being under the Law of the Spirit ) he will be and do good, so e contrà the man that is destitute of Grace, set what hindrances or discouragements you will before him yet (being under the Law of Sin ) he will be and do evil. Let the threatenings of the Law of God stand in his way (like the Angel with a drawn sword in his hand) yet he'l sin, let the Scepter of the Gospel be held out to him yet he'l sin, set the Love, Grace, Mercy of God before him yet he'l sin, set the Wrath, Justice, Severity of God before him yet he'l sin, set the Death, Sufferings, Agonies, Wounds, Blood of the Lord Jesus before him yet he'l sin, let Conscience smite him, let Word, Ministers, Christians, reprove him yet he'l sin, let him resolve, purpose, vow, promise, covenant yet he'l sin; tell him of Heaven or Hell, that he'l waste his Estate, impair his Health, undo his Family, ruin his Body, nay his precious Soul 'tis all one yet he'l sin, come Plague, Pestilence, War, Fire yet he'l sin; set the Law of Scripture before him yet he'l sin, nay, (as to some acts ) set the very Law of Nature before him yet he'l sin: here's the Law of Sin to some purpose, the power and strength of Sin in their 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and yet all graceless and Christless Souls are under this (though not all in the same way or in the same degree ). But Sin never rises thus high in God's people, they are more easily stopped and kept off from sinning against God: you know the stream in a Flood runs very fiercely and will not be stopped by any opposition, it tears and breaks the banks which would give a check to it; but let the Flood be but over and then it comes to itself again and its motion is not so boisterous and impetuous; so 'tis with the true Christian, possibly in some single act, under some strong temptation, upon some fit of passion, he may break thorough all that lies in his way (as a let or hindrance to him in sin ); but when the sudden gush of Corruption and the power of the temptation are a little over, he comes to himself again and then the Word and Spirit do easily stop him in what is evil.
• 4. When 'tis sinning and no sense of sin, no after-repentance for it, then 'tis the Law of Sin and that power of it which is only in the unconverted. Sin always rules most where 'tis least felt, but it never arrives at the highest pitch of dominion where the Soul groans under it as its burden. As it was with Paul, the corrupt Nature was too powerful in him but he was very sensible of it, he cried out O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death! Thus too it is with all gracious Souls; they may have much of sin in them, yea it may be so strong in them as that in some particular acts they may be overcome by it; yet 'tis but peccatum vincens non regnans, Sin conquering not commanding, because they are greatly humbled in the sense of this, and because they ever recover themselves again by true repentance: ô how do they mourn and grieve over Corruption, especially when it hath been too hard for them! if you read of David's sins you shall also read of David's tears. Now when 'tis thus 'tis never the Law of Sin, Sin bewailed is never Sin reigning; but when a man sins insensibly and impenitently, there's no after-shame or after-grief in him for sin, no rising again after falling, verily in this man 'tis the Law of Sin. (But so much for the answering of this Question, and also for the Explication of the Point in hand).

In the applying of it there is but one Use which I shall insist upon, and that shall be for Information: Is it thus? that every person before regeneration is under the Law of Sin? it informs us of two things:

• 1. Of the bondage of the Natural state.
• 2. Of the power, efficacy, necessity of restraining and renewing Grace.

1. Here's a sad demonstration of that bondage which attends the Natural State and those who are in it. Such being under the Law of Sin, and that importing what you have heard it doth, hence it follows that they are under bondage, the very worst bondage and thralldom that is imaginable: This Sinners will not believe nor lay it to heart but so it is, they being Sins Subjects and governed by its Laws they are no better than Slaves and Vassals (for so all its Subjects are). We pity those who live under Tyrants, Usurpers, hard Masters, &c. and judge their bondage to be very great; but (alas!) what is that if compared with this of graceless Souls living under the tyranny, usurpation, dominion of Sin? O poor Creature! art thou out of Christ, unsanctified and unregenerate, and consequently acted, ruled, governed by Sin? know thyself, thou art (in a spiritual sense) no better than a slave, yea there's no servitude or vassalage in the world comparable to thine: the poor Christians who are Captives and Bondmen under the barbarous Turks or such who are condemned to Mines and Galleys, are in a better condition than thou who art under the power of thy base Lusts. The state of Nature is a quite other thing than what men imagine it to be, they think there's nothing but freedom and liberty in it, such who are in it fancy none live so free and happy a Life as themselves; but God knows 'tis quite otherwise: while they promise themselves liberty they are the servants of corruption; for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought into bondage, (as the Apostle speaks 2 Pet. 2.19). There are very many sad attendants upon Unregeneracy (as blindness, darkness, death, enmity, distance and alienation from God, &c. ) but none worse than the spiritual bondage which accompanies it: I add too, there's none of all these which Sinners are with more difficulty convinced of and more hardly brought to believe, than that which I am upon. We see it in the Jews, Joh. 8.33. We be Abraham 's seed, and never were in bondage to any man, how sayest thou we shall be made free? (never in bondage to any man? that was false; were they not once in bondage in Egypt (which therefore was called the house of bondage Exod. 20.2. where they were under hard bondage Exod. 1.14)? were they not again in bondage in Babylon? yea, were they not now in bondage under the Romans? but this not being the bondage which Christ aimed at, he passed by this their vaunting of their exemption from it and fell upon their spiritual bondage, with respect to which he told them) whasoever commits sin is the servant of sin: So go to many now and tell them they are under servitude they will not believe it, what they in such a condition? no, they are so and so descended, such and such is their birth and parentage, they have such noble blood running in their veins, they live in the enjoyment of such privileges, have so many under them at their beck whilst they themselves are commanded by none, they can go and come and do as they list (being free from that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , wherein the Stoics placed bondage ), and yet are they Slaves? Yes, notwithstanding all this they may be so and are so if Sin hath the rule and regency over them; they have all liberty but that which is the best and are exempted from all bondage but that which is the worst. The Moralists by the Light of Nature had true notions about this, for they could say that Virtue and Goodness only did entitle to Liberty, that Vice and Wickedness were always attended with Servitude: The Satirist falls severely upon some high pretenders to Liberty, because they were their own Masters, at their own dispose, did what they pleased, were not they free? he answers them sharply showing there might be external and Civil Liberty and yet they might be under bondage, if Vice had the mastery and command of them; nay, if any one Vice or Lust did prevail over them (whether Covetuousness or Intemperance, &c. ) that would be enough to prove them no better than Vassals and Slaves (let their outward condition be never so high and good). Now surely we may be more clear and positive in this than they, who by Scripture-light know more of the Law of Sin than they could do by the bare light of Nature. Every regenerate, good man is free; but every unregenerate, wicked man is a very slave and under most dreadful thralldom.

Now it being thus, that I may the better convince your of the evil and misery of this bondage, and also excite you to the most vigorous endeavors to get out of it, let me lay a few particulars before you: As

1. Consider that bondage to Sin is always accompanied with bondage to Satan. Whoever is under the Law of Sin he is thereupon also under the Law of Satan, for Sins and Satan's power always go together: the truth is, these two are (as it were) Allies and Confederates; nay they are copartners in dominion, they ever share in the government of the Soul and rule jointly; so that he who is under the power of the one is under the power of the other also. There is an oneness of interest and dominion betwixt them; as Satan gets up Sin gets up, and as Sin gets up Satan gets up too. The Devil's Reign depends upon the Reign of Sin, where 'tis not the Law of Sin his power is very low; 'tis said of him that he rules (where or in whom? why) in the Children of disobedience; where 'tis disobedience to the Laws of God and obedience to the Laws of Sin there Satan's Kingdom is very high; there he rules and doth what he will (as he is said to take some men captives at his will, 2 Tim. 2.11.) Now is not this a dreadful thing? the most deplorable bondage that a Creature can lie under? what? to be the Devils Subject? a Slave to him who is in chains himself? ruled by him who is the grand Rebel and the Head of all the lower Rebels against God? what more woeful! Sinner when wilt thou consider it, shall a damned Creature be thy Lord and Sovereign? shall he be thy Ruler here who will be thy tormentor hereafter? wilt thou live in jubjection under him who is but a Jailor and Executioner of God's displeasure? what bondage can be so great, so much to be detested as this!

2. Secondly let be considered what sin is, both as it is in itself and also as it manages its power, command and regency in and over the Sinner.

1. Look upon Sin in itself. 'It is the basest, the vilest thing that is, the whole world hath nothing in it of so vile a nature as it: 'It is that only thing which God never made; other things may seem to be vile (and comparatively they may really be so), yet they being God's Creatures there is something of excellency in them, but as for Sin God hath nothing to do with it (only as he doth dispose and over-rule it to his own glory). 'It is the only thing that God cannot do, there are many things which he will not do but Sin is the only thing which he cannot do; God can make a world, uphold a world, destroy a world, he can do all, only he cannot sin. Now (whoever thou art) let this be thought of, shall a thing so vile and base, so contrary to God's Nature, shall that have the Rule and Command of thee? how can the Spirit of a Man bear a thing so indecent, so unworthy of him? but if he will stoop to what is so much below him, what slavery and bondage must needs result from it? It's sometimes matter of affliction to us to see vile and base men exalted to places of high power and dignity; Psal. 12.8. The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted: yet this must be submitted to because the all-disposing God in the methods of his wise providence hath a hand in it, (as we read Dan. 4.17.— that the most High ruleth in the Kingdom of men, and giveth it whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men ): But that a man by his own Act and Choice should set so base a thing as Sin upon the throne and put himself under the dominion of it, this is most strange (and indeed would be incredible did we not see it done every day). To be subject to a Prince of high extraction, that hath Greatness and Majesty in him who refuses that? but to be subject to a fellow taken off from the Dunghil, that was born for the Kitchen not the Throne, to hold the Plow rather than the Scepter who can bear that? the application is obvious as to that which I am upon, Sin is of so vile a nature that every heart should rise against its power. All subjection doth not infer bondage, but when 'tis to a Person or Thing that is below ones self then 'tis bondage; now that's the case as to Sin. 'It is sad that that which is so much below us (in worth and excellency ) should be above us (in power and dominion ): 'twas Noah 's Curse upon Cham to be a Servant of Servants Gen. 9.25. what a servant or slave is he who is a servant to Sin and the several Lusts thereof?

2. Look upon Sin in the management of its power (and by that you will the better see into the evil and misery of that bondage which arises from subjection to it). What are the Laws of Sin? always evil: Usurpers amongst men often make good Laws; our own Histories (as to matter of Fact ) tell us that some of our Kings who had the worst Titles made the best Laws, (and indeed they had need use their power well who get it ill ): But now Sin doth not only usurp that power which of right belongs not to it but it also manages its power very wickedly, particularly with respect to the Laws which it makes and imposes upon its Subjects; ô 'tis sad living under its government! The Philosopher tells us that the intention of the Legislator is to make his Subjects good, (certainly 'tis either so or it should be so); but when Sin gets upon the throne and assumes a legislative Authority to itself its intention is only to make its Subjects bad, for the worse they are the better they suit with it. 'It is a blessed thing to live under the Rule of Christ because of the holiness, purity, goodness of his Laws, but 'tis a woeful thing to live under the Rule of Sin because its Laws are quite contrary, hellish and wicked; for here it holds true like Lord like Law. Nay, the Laws of Men (I do not say all) have real goodness in them, so far as they are founded upon Reason and designed for good Ends, (viz.) to excite persons to what is good and to restrain them from what is evil; and so far 'tis the happiness of any to live under them and their duty readily and cheerfully to comply with them: But 'tis not thus with the Laws of Sin, inasmuch as they are always contrary to right and sound Reason and always tend to what is evil; which therefore so far as any man is subject to he must needs be miserable. 'It is commonly said Ex malis moribus bonae Leges; bad manners sometimes produce good Laws, but bad Laws, especially when they are written in the heart and are the principle of action (as the Laws of Sin are), can never produce good manners; if Sin make the Law I know what will be the Life.

Further, this Sin is not only out of measure sinful in the exercise of its power where it is uppermost, but 'tis also out of measure tyrannical. There have been too many Tyrants in the World but never was there such an one as Sin, all the Nero's, Caligula's, Domitians, &c. that ever lived were nothing to it; this first acted the part of a Tyrant in them before they acted the part of Tyrants over others. The tyranny of Sin appears in many things, I will instance in a Few:

• (1.) Its Commands are innumerable; there's no end of its Laws (and multiplicity of Laws always speaks either a bad people or a bad Prince ).
• (2.) Its Commands are contrary; one Law thwarts another, the poor Sinner (under its dominion) is hailed contrary ways that he scarce knows whether to go or what to do, Lust clashes with Lust, one draws one way and another another, so that the poor enslaved Soul is at a loss and knows not how to please all: Tit. 3.3. serving divers Lusts, ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , divers for their Number and divers for their Nature and Kind also). O quam multos habet Dominos qui unum non habet! how many Lord's and Masters hath he who hath not Christ only for his Lord!
• (3.) 'It is very rigorous in its demands; it must have full Obedience or none at all, Eph. 2.3.— fulfilling the Lusts of the flesh: partial and half-Obedience will neither satisfy an holy God nor an unholy Nature; and as God (for whom the All is too little ) so Sin too (for which the least is too much ) is for the doing of all it requires.
• (4.) Its Commands are never at an end. Let the poor bondman sin today he must sin again tomorrow, and so on in infinitum; yea, the more he doth in obedience to it the more it grows upon him in its Commands (just. as Tyrants and hard Masters use to do).
• (5.) When Sin once gets upon the throne 'tis so imperious and cruel that its Vassals must stick at nothing.

Be the thing never so base, the costs and hazards never so great, yet if Sin calls for the doing of it it must be done: Sinners! you must waste you Estates, blast your Credit, impair your Health, destroy your Bodies, damn your Souls; you must part with God, peace of Conscience, Heaven itself; you must quit all that is good and venture all that is bad in its service and in compliance with its Edicts; ô what an imperious, insolent, insatiable thing is Sin! here's the Tyrant indeed both in Titulo and also in Exercitio. And now is not the poor unregenerate Sinner very miserable who lives under such a Tyrant? is not his bondage exceeding great? who (that is not highly besotted) would be willing to continue under Sins power that may be brought under the holy, gracious, excellent government of the Lord Jesus?

3. Thirdly the Evil of this bondage (arising from the Law of sin ) appears from its principal Subject, 'tis a Soul-bondage. Of all Evils Soul evils are the worst; Soul-famine is the worst famine, Soul-death the worst death, Soul-plagues the worst plagues; and so here, Soul-bondage is the worst bondage. The bondage of Israel in Egypt was very evil yet not comparable to this which I am upon, because that was but corporal and external but this is spiritual and internal: when the best part is inslav'd that must needs be the worst slavery. There may be a servile condition without and yet a free and generous Soul within (as Seneca observes of Servants ); but if the Soul itself be under servitude then the whole man, the very top of man, all is in servitude. Sin is of so proud and aspiring a nature that no place will serve it for its palace or principal Seat, but the very Soul; ô there it delights to have its residence and to exercise its dominion! And this is its subtlety as well as its pride, for it knows if it can but rule the Soul that then the Soul will easily rule the Body, (as the main Fort within the Town being gained that will with ease command all the outward Forts ). And 'tis the whole Soul too that Sin must have; God (who made it) will have the whole Heart, and Sin (which designs to enslave it) will have the whole Heart too: 'tis not satisfied with this or that Faculty but all must be subject to it; it must reign in the Understanding (by Darkness, Ignorance, false Conceipts of God, prejudices against the good ways of God, &c. ) it must reign in the Will (by Perverseness, Obstinacy, and Rebellion against God), it must reign in the Affections (by disorder, earthiness and sensuality ), it must reign in the Conscience (by insensibleness and searedness ); ô how great is Sins ambition! nothing will serve it but an Universal Empire, so as that all Men and all in Men may be under its dominion. Now what a dreadful thing is this! that the Soul the whole Soul should be thus under the Law of Sin? who can express the greatness, the sadness of this bondage? that the best in man should serve the worst in man (for the Soul is the best and Sin is the worst in him); that that which was immediately created by God and for God, which did at first participate of the image of God and was designed for the fruition of God here and hereafter, that so glorious, so excellent a Being should be subjugated, enslaved, to such a cursed thing as Sin, ô the misery and evil of this is inexpressible! and yet thus it is with all who are unregenerate.

4. Fourthly, Of all bondage this is the most unprofitable. As to other bondage there may be some profit in that, but there's none in this; the Master may be cruel enough to his poor Servant and hold him to very hard and slavish work, but then he makes him some amends by giving him good wages; but here's the Sinners unhappiness he serves that Master which pays him no wages at all ( death excepted): what doth he get by all his service, drudging and toiling for sin? even nothing but what he may put into his eye (I mean to mourn and weep over); what fruit had you then in those things, whereof ye are now ashamed? Rom. 6.21. O this Sin is the basest Master that any can serve! God is the best (there's enough to be gained under him), but Sin the worst for there's nothing to be got in its service but broken bones, terrors of Conscience, the loss of God's favor, and Hell at last: You must drudge for it from morning to night, be at its Call and beck upon all occasions, grind in its mill, run upon its errands, carry its burdens, &c. and what recompense shall you have for all this? I will tell you, the loss of all that is truly good and the bearing of all that is truly evil; you shall have shame before men, trouble in your own Souls, and the eternal wrath of the great God; these are the rewards and recompenses of Sin. Now are not they miserable who serve such a Master? and yet so it is with all men before Conversion.

5. Fifthly, Sins bondage is the worse because they who lie under it are altogether insensible of it. Where 'tis external and civil bondage men are sensible enough of that; ô they groan under it, would fain be rid of it, all their thoughts are employ'd to contrive how they may get out of it! The people of Israel sigh'd, and groaned, and cried to God because of their bondage, Exod 2.23. and you read in this Chapter how the poor irrational Creatures (being under the bondage of corruption ) do groan after deliverance, ( Ver. 21, 22); the poor Christians in slavery under Infidels what a sense have they of their thralldom, how would they rejoice might they be but set free! But here's the evil of spiritual bondage men do not feel it; nay they will not believe it, they have other thoughts of themselves than that they are under any such thing; who thinks himself so free as he that is a vassal to Sin? The poor deluded Sinner (like some distracted persons) plays with his chains, sports himself with his fetters, and looks upon them as if they were his crown: ô how doth Sin (where 'tis in its full command and power) besot its Subjects, and make them carry it as though they were in a plain frenzy! Have you not sometimes been in Bedlam ('tis mercy you have been there only as spectators of the misery of others), where you saw poor creatures in a very dismal and deplorable condition, chained, beaten, almost starved, lodged in straw, sadly used; and yet how do these carry it? why they laugh, sing, are merry, behave themselves as if they were the happiest persons in the world, who so jovial as they? is not this a dreadful sight? Ah (my Brethren) the World in a spiritual sense is little better than a large Bedlam, where Sin hath men in its chains and fetters, doth with them what it pleases, keeps them under cruel bondage; and yet they eat, drink, feast, game, live a merry life, and feel nothing; ô how insensible, how stupid are Sinners in the Natural state! Nay, they are so far from lamenting and groaning under this bondage (as their infelicity), that they affect it and make it the matter of their choice, they love to have it so and refuse to have it otherwise: they refuse the Olive, the Vine, and choose rather the Bramble to reign over them (I allude to that parable, Judge. 9.7, &c. ) they had rather swear Allegiance and Fealty to sin than to God; Christ's government and dominion is rejected and sin's is preferred, they rather hold their bondage than their bondage them, (according to that of the Moralist, Paucos servitus, plures servitutem tenent ). In a word, they are slaves and it pleases them exceedingly to be so. Now here's a twofold aggravation of the evil of this bondage, partly that it is voluntary (for of all servitude that's the worst which is voluntary, Nulla servitus turpior quam voluntaria ), and partly that 'tis not laid to heart: I know God hath a judicial hand in this, as also in the power itself which Sin hath over the Sinner; but yet the Sinners own Will is as free, full, and entire in his closing with it and submitting to it, as though God was not at all concerned in it.

6. Lastly, this bondage is the most hurtful and most dangerous bondage: for it is deadly, yea, it makes way for and most certainly ends in Eternal Death. Death puts an end to other bondage, the slave when he is dead is a slave no more; There the prisoners rest together, they hear not the voice of the oppressor: the small and great are there, and the servant is free from his Master; Job 3.18, 19. but the worst of spiritual bondage follows after death, this ends in death but it doth not end with death. And other bondage doth not make any liable to eternal death, for that (simply considered) is nothing either to Heaven or to Hell; God may love and save the true penitent though in chains, and condemn the impenitent though never so free und flourishing in the world; the everlasting Concerns of the Soul do not at all depend upon civil liberty or civil servitude: but where this spiritual servitude is there God hath no love, there the Sinner must die eternally. You have in the Text the Law of sin and the Law of death coupled together; ô what a dangerous thing is the Law of sin! where Sin hath its full power over the creature to make him wicked, Death upon this will have its full power also to make him miserable. So Rom. 6.16. Know you not, that to whom you yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants you are to whom you obey, whether of sin [unto death], or of obedience unto righreousness? (V. 21.) For the end of these things is death: (V. 23.) the wages of sin is death. And is it so? who then would be Sins servant? who would serve that master who pays no better wages than death? you that are Servants would you enter into the service of One that would pay you such wages? such a master sin is and such wages it doth pay; ô therefore quit its service, be wise for your Souls, be sensible of the danger of continuing under the Law of sin, otherwise this Law of sin will soon be turned into the Law of death. And indeed it is this which ends in death, 'tis not barely sin which condemns but 'tis the Law of sin which condemns; when it hath the Supreme and Sovereign commanding power in the Soul and reigns there as Lord paramount, then 'tis killing and damning.

And now (Sirs!) may not that which hath been spoken, be sufficient to convince you of the evil of that bondage (that miserable hereditary bondage ) which you all lie under so long as you are in the natural and unregenerate state? and will you not be prevailed with to endeavor speedily to get out of it? by the Law of the Spirit to be made free from the Law of Sin? You may be freed from this bondage if you will; Christ is come as for other ends so for this, to give liberty to the captives and to open the prison to them who are bound Isa. 61.1. to knock off Sinners bolts and chains and to make them free indeed, Joh. 8.36. in his name I do this day tender freedom to you and deliverance from Sins vassalage, will you not accept of it? And here's the Law of the Spirit too to make you free from the Law of Sin, why then shall not this be done? Will you still like Sins yoke? (I assure you, Christ's is not so easy but Sins is as uneafie ); will you have its dominion yet kept up in you? are you loath to part with your old Master? then your ears must be bored for Sin and Satan ( as the Servant under the Law was to be served, who might have been set at liberty from his Master but he had no mind to it). If it be thus I can say nothing more, only pray that the Lord will convince you what the reign and power of Sin is, what a miserable bondage attends it, that you may with the greatest earnestness press after Conversion and the Law of the Spirit of Life (in order to freedom from it). So much for the First Branch of this Use of Information!

Secondly it informs us further of the Necessity, Power, and Efficacy of restraining and renewing Grace; I will speak to them apart:

1. For restraining Grace. By which I mean that grace whereby God keeps in men's corruptions and sets bounds and limits to them in Sin, so as not to suffer them to be as vile and wicked as otherwise they would be. That such a thing is done by God, all grant; he that bounds the Sea that it doth not break forth and overflow all, ('tis most elegantly set out Job 38.8, 10, 11. Who shut up the Sea with doors, when it brake forth, as if it had issued out of the womb? And brake up for it my decreed place, and set bars, and doors; And said, hitherto shalt-thou come, but no further; and here shall thy proud waves be stayed: as also Jer. 5.22.— which have placed the sand for the bound of the Sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it; and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it ): I say, he that thus bounds the Sea (that unruly body ) doth also bound the wickedness of man's heart, (a far more unruly thing than the Sea itself); this God keeps in or lets out as seems good unto him. You see it in the case of Abimelech; whose Lust did strongly work in him towards Sarah but saith God Gen. 20.6. I withheld thee from sinning against me, therefore I suffered thee not to touch her; (the like you have in several other instances ). Now this Law of Sin proves both the necessity and also the mighty power and efficacy of this restraining Grace; for the making out of which be pleased to take notice of the following Particulars:

• 1. That the most of men are under the Law of Sin. All are born under it and the most continue under it, for the most are in the state of Nature and in that state the Law of Sin carries it. Here and there you have a Soul brought in to God, converted, savingly wrought upon, one of a city, and two of a family; but the generality of men are strangers to this work, and therefore they are under the full power and dominion of a cursed nature. It being so, how necessary is restraining grace? for the less there is of regenerating grace the more need there is of restraining grace.
• 2. Men naturally being under this Law it doth vehemently and impetuously put them upon sin; for herein lies its being a Law and a Principle (as you have heard). The depraved Nature doth not barely dispose men to sin or faintly persuade them to sin, but it doth powerfully and efficaciously incline, urge, impell, nay necessitate them to sin: they cannot cease from sin 2 Pet. 2.14.
• 3. It is not this or that sin which this Law urges men to, but (if it be left to itself) it urges to every sin, yea, to the very worst of sins. This indwelling sin contains all sin in it, the corrupt Nature is the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the Seminary or Seed-plot of all wickedness, in that one sinful habit all sinful acts do lie ( seminally and radically ); and Sin where it is a Law is for all Sin, it will excite, instigate, provoke not only to lesser evils (such as the world puts a fairer interpretation upon), but also to those which are most enormous, hideous and horrid, (as Atheism, Blasphemy, Murder, Theft, Adultery, &c. )
• 4. This Law of Sin hath great advantages in and over men: for 'tis a Law that is in them, an innate, ingenit, inbred Law, 'tis written and engraven in their very nature; Sin is now connatural to them, yea 'tis as natural (in some respects) for apostatized man to sin as 'tis for the fire to burn or the stone to descend. I have told you (and there is too much of truth in it) that the great Law of Nature (it being considered as depraved ) is to sin against God: This Law of sin is written in the heart, and that gives a mighty power and efficacy to it and must needs strongly incline a person to comply with it; as God (when he would have men readily and effectually to close with his Will ) he writes his Law in their heart, and that being done they cannot but do what that Law enjoins; just so it is with Sinners in reference to the Law of Sin upon the writing of it in their hearts.

These things being considered and put together, what's the reason that there is no more sin in the world? God knows there is too much of it, the Law of Sin is too prevalent in the hearts and lives of the most; but yet (I say) what is the reason that there is no more of it? for certainly this Law of Sin leads the Unregenerate to do more evil than what many, yea any of them do. Doubtless there are divers who are fully under Sins power who yet are kept from many external gross acts of it, and are not altogether so bad as it and Satan would have them to be. Sometimes it breaks forth in this or that unconverted person but why doth it not do the same in every such person? and sometimes too it breaks forth in this or that act but why doth it not so do in every act, yea in the grossest acts? whence is it that every unconverted man is not a Cain, a Judas, a Nero, &c. (the Law of Sin inclining him to all this wickedness? ) I answer, the reason why it is not so, is wholly grounded upon the restraining grace of God. It pleases God (for the Good of the World, of human Society, especially for the good of his own people ), to keep in and bound that wicked nature which is in wicked men, that it shall not in all such, at all times, in all acts (proper to it) vent itself as it pleases: And was it not for this mighty restraint which God in his Providence lays upon Sin and Sinners there would be no living in the world, there would be nothing but killing, and slaying, and stealing, &c. and (in a word) the perpetration of all villainies imaginable Was it not for this, whither would not the Law of Sin carry men? they being under the full dominion of it what would they stick at? ô but God restrains them; he lets out so much of their corruptions as may be to his own glory and the residuum or overplus he keeps in, (according to that of the Psalmist Psal. 76.10. Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee, the remainer of wrath shalt thou restrain. How necessary therefore is restraining grace! 'tis necessary in respect of the good much more in respect of the bad; even they do need it for themselves but these much more for others. Ravenous and fierce Creatures must be kept in chains, or else they would worry and tear all that should come within their reach; if God had not Devils and Men in chains they would be so exorbitant that the world could not long subsist: blessed be God for restraining mercy! And how doth this also hold forth the mighty power of this mercy! when Sin lords it at such a rate in the hearts of men, hath such an absolute power over them • , doth so impetuously urge them to all kinds and degrees of evil, that yet they should be so bounded and limited that some Order and Decorum should be kept up in the world, ô the power of restraining providence! 'It is like the Fires not burning into which the Three Children were cast, or like the Lions not tearing of Daniel when he was in the very midst of them; which certainly proceeded from the mighty restraint which God laid upon the One and upon the Other, in the suspending and hindering of them in their natural operations: 'tis no less power that which God puts forth in the restraining of men's sinful Natures that they do not so fiercely break forth in all wicked acts as otherwise they would. And if this be so admirable in the restraining of Men, how much more admirable is it in the restraining of Devils▪ their power, rage, malice, wickedness is greater by much than that in men; ô therefore why do not they do all the mischief they could and would? why do not they destroy and worry all before them? especially as to the Saints (whom they most hate) why do they not tear them in pieces every day? why? no thank to themselves, they cannot do it because God restrains them, binds and bounds them as he pleases; here's the great demonstration of the power of restraining Grace.

2. Secondly it shows us also the necessity, power, and efficacy of Renewing Grace. There's more in this Grace than in the former; in restraining grace Sin is a little curbed and kept in, but yet it retains its inward strength and power (as 'twas with Sampson when he was only bound, or as 'tis with fierce Creatures when they are in cages or chains ): but in renewing grace Sin is subdued, conquered, much weakened in its strength, divested of its former absolute power, not only kept in but brought under, and the Soul brought over to the will and command of God. Now this being effected in and by renewing grace 'tis evident that there is a mighty power and efficacy in that Grace; for that which frees from so great a power (as that of Sin before Conversion) must needs have a great power it it. If renewing grace was a weak thing or did act in a weak manner, it could never do what it doth; was there not the Law of the Spirit in it the Law of Sin would be too hard for it. 'It is not to be imagined that Sin will ever be persuaded to resign or tamely to quit its power and dominion (which it so dearly loves and so fiercely contends for); no, it must be forced to this and plainly overpower'd or else 'twill keep what it hath; therefore in regeneration God comes with that effectual, almighty grace which shall infallibly pull Sin off from the throne (let it do its worst), with that power which all the power of Sin cannot withstand and so the work is done. As you see in the case of Peter (that I may open it by an allusion ); you read Acts 12.5, &c. how he was kept in prison, bound with two chains, the Keepers before the door kept the prison, besides he had Soldiers by him and he sleeping betwixt them: one would think that now Herod had him fast enough; and yet Peter is brought out, how? why the Angel of the Lord comes (in the strength of God) awakens him, bids him arise, makes his chains fall off from him, breaks open the prison doors, and so sets him free: The like you read of Paul and Silas Acts 16.23. they were thrown into prison, the Jailor charged to keep them safely, he throws them into the inner prison, made their feet fast in the stocks, yet for all this they were delivered; how? Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken, and immediately all the doors were opened, and every ones bonds were loosed: what could have brought these persons (under these circumstances) out of prison, but the miraculous interposures of the mighty power of God? and that did it effectually. Thus 'tis with men in their Natural State, Sin and Satan have them fast bound, secured in chains and fetters, they cannot stir hand or foot to help themselves, are fully under the power of their enemies; how are these now released? why, God comes and the Spirit comes by renewing grace, and therein he opens the doors of their hearts (though shut up very fast), knocks off their fetters, conquers the Guard that is set upon them, breaks all the power and force of Sin, and so rescues them from that thralldom and bondage which they were under; ô the power of renewing grace! well might Paul say Eph. 3, 20. according to the power that worketh in us. The truth is, in the freeing of a Soul from the Law of Sin, no less power is put forth than that very power of God put forth in the raising up of the Lord Jesus from the dead, so the Apostle makes the parallel Eph. 1.19, 20. (and that was much above that power which was exerted in the rescuing of the forementioned persons out of their confinement ). It had been morally impossible that ever the Children of Israel should have been freed from the power of Pharaoh and that woeful bondage they were under, if God himself had not made bare his arm and brought them out with a strong and mighty hand, (as 'tis Deut. 6.21. Psal. 136.12.) but 'tis a much harder thing to free the Sinner from his spiritual bondage, he being under a sadder captivity and held therein by a far greater strength than what Pharaoh had; ô surely no deliverance could be expected from Sins dominion, unless infinite power was engaged in the bringing of it about: therefore how necessary as well as efficacious is renewing Grace! (but more of this when I come to the third Observation ).—

One Use I have finished; several Others should have been made of the Point in hand, as to show you yet further how you may find out your particular Cases, whether you be under the Law of Sin or not; how you may be freed from this Law if as yet you be not so; why you should labor after this freedom, &c. But these things will as well fall in under the next Observation and therefore I will there insist upon them.