Chapter 8: The Deceitfulness of Sin

Indwelling-Sin proved powerful from its deceit. Proved to be deceitful. The general nature of deceit. Jam. 1:14. opened. How the mind is drawn off from its duty by the deceitfulness of sin. The principal duties of the mind in our obedience. The ways and means whereby it is turned from it.

The second part of the evidence of the power of sin from its manner of operation, is taken from its deceitfulness. It adds in its working, deceit to power. The efficacy of that must needs be great, and is carefully to be watched against, by all such as value their souls, where power and deceit are combined, especially advantaged and assisted by all the ways and means before insisted on.

Before we come to show wherein the nature of this deceitfulness of sin does consist, and how it prevails thereby, some testimonies shall be briefly given in to the thing itself, and some light into the general nature of it.

That sin, indwelling sin, is deceitful, we have the express testimony of the Holy Ghost, as (Hebrews 3:13): Take heed that you be not hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. Deceitful it is, take heed of it, watch against it, or it will produce its utmost effect in hardening of the heart against God. It is on the account of sin, that the heart is said to be deceitful above all things (Jeremiah 17:9). Take a man in other things, and as Job speaks, though he would be wise and crafty, he is like the wild ass's colt (Job 11:12), a poor, vain, empty, nothing. But consider his heart on the account of this law of sin, it is crafty and deceitful above all things; they are wise to do evil, says the Prophet, but to do good they know not (Jeremiah 4:22). To the same purpose speaks the Apostle (Ephesians 4:2): the old man is corrupt according to deceitful lusts. Every lust, which is a branch of this law of sin, is deceitful; and where there is poison in every stream, the fountain must needs be corrupt. No particular lust has any deceit in it, but what is communicated to it from this fountain of all actual lust, this law of sin. And (2 Thessalonians 2:10) the coming of the man of sin, is said to be in and with the deceivableness of unrighteousness. Unrighteousness is a thing generally decried and evil spoken of among men, so that it is not easy to conceive how any man should prevail himself of a reputation thereby. But there is a deceivableness in it, whereby the minds of men are turned aside from a due consideration of it; as we shall manifest afterwards. And thus the account which the Apostle gives concerning those who are under the power of sin is, that they are deceived (Titus 3:3). And the life of evil men, is nothing but deceiving and being deceived (2 Timothy 3:13). So that we have sufficient testimony given to this qualification of the enemy with whom we have to deal; he is deceitful, which consideration of all things puts the mind of man to a loss in dealing with an adversary. He knows he can have no security against one that is deceitful, but in standing upon his own guard and defence all his days.

Further to manifest the strength and advantage that sin has by its deceit, we may observe that the Scripture places it for the most part as the head and spring of every sin, even as though there were no sin followed after, but where deceit went before. So (1 Timothy 2:13, 14) the reason the Apostle gives why Adam though he was first formed, was not first in the transgression, is because he was not first deceived. The woman though made last, yet being first deceived, was first in the sin. Even that first sin began in deceit, and until the mind was deceived, the soul was safe. Eve therefore did truly express the matter (Genesis 3:13), though she did it not to a good end; the Serpent beguiled me, says she, and I did eat. She thought to extenuate her own crime, by charging the Serpent. And this was a new fruit of the sin she had cast herself into. But the matter of fact was true, she was beguiled before she ate; deceit went before the transgression. And the Apostle shows that sin and Satan still take the same course (2 Corinthians 11:3): there is, says he, the same way of working towards actual sin, as was of old; beguiling, deceiving goes before, and sin that is the actual accomplishment of it follows after. Hence all the great works that the Devil does in the world, to stir men up to an opposition to the Lord Jesus Christ and his kingdom, he does them by deceit (Revelation 12:9): the Devil who deceives the whole world. It were utterly impossible men should be prevailed on to abide in his service, acting his designs to their eternal, and sometimes their temporal ruin, were they not exceedingly deceived. See also Chap. 20:10.

Hence are those manifold cautions that are given us to take heed, that we be not deceived, if we would take heed that we do not sin. See (Ephesians 5:6; 1 Corinthians 6:9; 1 Corinthians 15:33; Galatians 6:7; Luke 21:8). From all which testimonies we may learn the influence that deceit has into sin, and consequently the advantage that the law of sin has to put forth its power by its deceitfulness. Where it prevails to deceive, it fails not to bring forth its fruit.

The ground of this efficacy of sin by deceit is taken from the faculty of the soul affected with it. Deceit properly affects the mind; it is the mind that is deceived. When sin attempts any other way of entrance into the soul, as by the affections, the mind retaining its right and sovereignty, is able to give check and control to it. But where the mind is tainted, the prevalency must be great. For the mind or understanding is the leading faculty of the soul, and what that fixes on, the will and affections rush after, being capable of no consideration but what that presents to them. Hence it is, that though the entanglement of the affections to sin be oft-times most troublesome, yet the deceit of the mind is always most dangerous; and that because of the place that it possesses in the soul, as to all its operations. Its office is to guide, direct, choose and lead; and if the light that is in us be darkness, how great is that darkness.

And this will farther appear, if we consider the nature of deceit in general. It consists in presenting to the soul, or mind, things otherwise than they are, either in their nature, causes, effects, or present respect to the soul. This is the general nature of deceit, and it prevails many ways. It hides what ought to be seen and considered, conceals circumstances and consequences, presents what is not, or things as they are not, as we shall afterwards manifest in particular. It was shewed before, that Satan beguiled and deceived our first parents; that term the Holy Ghost gives to his temptation and seduction. And how he did deceive them the Scripture relates (Genesis 3:4, 5). He did it by representing things otherwise than they were. The fruit was desirable, that was apparent to the eye. Hence Satan takes advantage secretly to insinuate, that it was merely an abridgement of their happiness, that God aimed at in forbidding them to eat of it. That it was for a trial of their obedience — that certain though not immediate would ensue upon the eating of it, he hides from [illegible]; only he proposes the present advantage of knowledge, and so presents the whole case quite otherwise to them, than indeed it was. This is the [illegible] of deceit; it is a representation of a matter under disguises, hiding that which is undesirable, proposing that which indeed is not in it, that the mind may make a false judgment of it. So Jacob deceived Isaac by his brother's raiment, and the skins on his hands and neck.

Again, deceit has advantage by that way of management which is inseparable from it. It is always carried on by degrees, by little and little, that the whole of the design and aim in hand be not at once discovered. So dealt Satan in that great deceit before-mentioned; he proceeds in it by steps and degrees. First, he takes off an objection, and tells them they shall not die; then proposes the good of knowledge to them, and their being like to God thereby. To hide and conceal ends, to proceed by steps and degrees, to make use of what is obtained, and from there to press on to farther effects, is the true nature of deceit. Steven tells us, that the King of Egypt dealt subtly or deceitfully with their kindred (Acts 7:19). How he did it we may see (Exodus 1); he did not at first fall to killing and slaying of them, but says, verse 10, Come, let us deal wisely; beginning to oppress them. This brings forth their bondage, verse 11. Having got this ground to make them slaves, he proceeds to destroy their children, verse 16. He fell not on them all at once, but by degrees. And this may suffice to show in general, that sin is deceitful, and the advantages that it has thereby.

For the way, and manner, and progress of sin in working by deceit, we have it fully expressed (James 1:14, 15): Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed, then when lust has conceived it brings forth sin, and sin when it is finished brings forth death. This place declaring the whole of what we aim at in this matter, must be particularly insisted on.

In the foregoing verse, the Apostle manifests that men are willing to drive the old trade, which our first parents at the entrance of sin set up withal, namely of excusing themselves in their sins, and casting the occasion and blame of them on others. It is not, say they, from themselves, their own nature and inclinations, their own designings, that they have committed such and such evils, but merely from their temptations. And if they know not where to fix the evil of those temptations, they will lay them on God himself, rather than go without an excuse or extenuation of their guilt. This evil in the hearts of men the Apostle rebukes, verse 13: Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted of evil, neither tempts he any man. And to show the justness of this reproof in the words mentioned, he discovers the true causes of the rise and whole progress of sin, manifesting that the whole guilt of it lies upon the sinner, and that the whole punishment of it, if not graciously prevented, will be his lot also.

We have therefore, as was said, in these words the whole progress of lust or indwelling sin, by the way of subtlety, fraud and deceit, expressed and limited by the Holy Ghost. And from hence we shall manifest the particular ways and means whereby it puts forth its power and efficacy in the hearts of men by deceitfulness and subtlety; and we may observe in the words,

First, the utmost end aimed at in all the actings of sin, or the tendency of it in its own nature, and that is death: sin when it is finished brings forth death; the everlasting death of the sinner: pretend what it will, this is the end it aims at and tends to. Hiding of ends and designs, is the principal property of deceit. This sin does to the utmost; other things innumerable it pleads, but not once declares that it aims at the death, the everlasting death of the soul. And a fixed apprehension of this end of every sin, is a blessed means to prevent its prevalency in its way of deceit or beguiling.

Secondly, the general way of its acting towards that end, is by temptation; every man is tempted of his own lust. I purpose not to speak in general of the nature of temptations, it belongs not to our present purpose, and besides I have done it elsewhere. It may suffice at present to observe, that the life of temptation lies in deceit. So that in the business of sin, to be effectually tempted, and to be beguiled or deceived, are the same. Thus it was in the first temptation, it is every where called the Serpent's beguiling or deceiving, as was manifested before: the Serpent beguiled Eve, that is, prevailed by his temptations upon her. So that every man is tempted, that is, every man is beguiled or deceived by his own lust, or indwelling sin, which we have often declared to be the same.

The degrees whereby sin proceeds in this work of tempting or deceiving, are five. For we shewed before, that this belongs to the nature of deceit that it works by degrees, making its advantage by one step to gain another.

The first of these consists in drawing off, or drawing away; every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust.

The second is in enticing; and is enticed.

The third, in the conception of sin; when lust has conceived, when the heart is enticed, then lust conceives in it.

The fourth is the bringing forth of sin in its actual accomplishment, When lust has conceived it brings forth sin. In all which there is a secret allusion to an adulterous deviation from conjugal duties, and conceiving or bringing forth children of whoredom and fornication.

The fifth is, the finishing of sin, the completing of it, the filling up of the measure of it, whereby the end originally designed by lust is brought about: Sin when it is finished brings forth death. As lust conceiving, naturally and necessarily brings forth sin, so sin finished, infallibly procures eternal death.

The first of these relates to the mind; that is drawn off, or drawn away by the deceit of sin. The second to the affections, they are enticed or entangled. The third to the will, wherein sin is conceived; the consent of the will being the formal conception of actual sin. The fourth to the conversation, wherein sin is brought forth; it exerts itself in the lives and courses of men. The fifth respects an obdurate course in sinning, that finishes, consummates, and shuts up the whole work of sin, whereon ensues death or eternal ruin.

I shall principally consider the three first, wherein the main strength of the deceit of sin does lie, and that because in Believers, whose state and condition is principally proposed to consideration, God is pleased, for the most part, graciously to prevent the fourth instance, or the bringing forth of actual sins in their conversations; And the last always and wholly, or their being obdurate in a course of sin to the finishing of it. What ways God in his grace and faithfulness makes use of to stifle the conceptions of sin in the womb, and to hinder its actual production in the lives of men, must afterwards be spoken to. The first three instances then we shall insist upon fully, as those wherein the principal concernment of Believers in this matter does lie.

The first thing which sin is said to do, working in a way of deceit, is to draw away, or to draw off; from where a man is said to be drawn off, or drawn away and diverted, namely from attending to that course of obedience and holiness, which, in opposition to sin and the Law thereof, he is bound with diligence to attend to.

Now it is the mind that this effect of the deceit of sin is wrought upon. The mind or understanding, as we have showed, is the guiding, conducting faculty of the soul; it goes before in discerning, judging, and determining to make the way of moral actions fair and smooth to the will and affections. It is to the soul, what Moses told his father-in-law that he might be to the people in the wilderness, as eyes to guide them, and keep them from wandering in that desolate place. It is the eye of the soul, without whose guidance the will and affections would perpetually wander in the wilderness of this world, according as any object, with an appearing present good, did offer or present itself to them.

The first thing therefore that sin aims at in its deceitful working, is to draw off and divert the mind from the discharge of its duty.

There are two things which belong to the duty of the mind, in that special office which it has in and about the obedience which God requires.

First, To keep itself and the whole soul in such a frame and posture, as may render it ready to all duties of obedience, and watchful against all enticements to the conception of sin.

Secondly, In particular carefully to attend to all particular actions, that they be performed as God requires, for matter, manner, time and season, agreeable to his will, as also for the obviating all particular tenders of sin in things forbidden. In these two things consists the whole duty of the mind of a Believer. And from both of them does indwelling sin endeavour to divert it, and draw it off.

The first of these is, the duty of the mind, in reference to the general frame and course of the whole soul; and hereof two things may be considered. First, That it is founded in a due constant consideration; 1. Of ourselves, of sin and its vileness. 2. Of God, of his grace and goodness. And both these does sin labor to draw it off from. Secondly, In attending to those duties which are suited to obviate the working of the Law of sin, in an especial manner.

First, It endeavours to draw it off from a due consideration, apprehension and sensibleness of its own vileness, and the danger wherewith it is attended. This in the first place we shall instance in. A due constant consideration of sin in its nature, in all its aggravating circumstances, in its end and tendency, especially as represented in the blood and cross of Christ ought always to abide with us. Jeremiah 2:19. Know therefore and see, that it is an evil thing and a bitter, that you have forsaken the Lord your God. Every sin is a forsaking of the Lord our God. If the heart know not, if it consider not, that it is an evil thing and a bitter, evil in itself, bitter in its effects, fruit and event, it will never be secured against it. Besides, that frame of heart which is most accepted with God in any sinner, is the humble, contrite, self-abasing frame: Isaiah 57:15. Thus says the high and lofty one that inhabits eternity, whose name is holy, I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit: to revive the spirit of the humble, to revive the spirit of the contrite ones. See also Luke 18:13, 14. This becomes a sinner, no garment sits so decently about him. Be clothed with humility, says the Apostle (1 Peter 5:5). It is that which becomes us, and it is the only safe frame. He that walks humbly walks safely. This is the design of Peter's advice (1 Peter 1:17): Pass the time of your sojourning here in fear. After that he himself had miscarried by another frame of mind, he gives this advice to all believers; it is not a bondage, servile fear, disquieting and perplexing the soul, but such a fear as may keep men constantly calling upon the Father, with reference to the final judgement, that they may be preserved from sin, whereof they were in so great danger, which he advises them to. If you call on the Father, who without respect of persons judges according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear. This is the humble frame of soul — and how is this obtained? How is this preserved? No otherwise but by a constant deep apprehension of the evil, vileness, and danger of sin. So was it wrought, so was it kept up in the approved Publican: God be merciful, says he, to me a sinner: sense of sin kept him humble, and humility made way for his access to a testimony of the pardon of sin.

And this is the great preservative through grace from sin, as we have an example in the instance of Joseph (Genesis 39:9). Upon the urgency of his great temptation, he recoils immediately into this frame of spirit; How, says he, can I do this thing, and sin against God? A constant steady sense of the evil of sin gives him such preservation, that he ventures liberty and life in opposition to it. To fear sin, is to fear the Lord; so the holy man tells us that they are the same (Job 28:28): The fear of the Lord that is wisdom, and to depart from iniquity that is understanding.

This therefore in the first place, in general, does the law of sin put forth its deceit about, namely to draw the mind from this frame, which is the strongest fort of the soul's defence and security. It labours to divert the mind from a due apprehension of the vileness, abomination, and danger of sin. It secretly and insensibly insinuates lessening, excusing, extenuating thoughts of it; or it draws it off from pondering upon it, from being conversant about it in its thoughts so much as it ought, and formerly has been. And if after the heart of a man has through the Word, Spirit and grace of Christ been made tender, soft, deeply sensible of sin, it becomes on any account, or by any means whatever to have less, fewer, slighter, or less affecting thoughts of it, or about it, the mind of that man is drawn away by the deceitfulness of sin.

There are two ways among others, whereby the law of sin endeavours deceitfully to draw off the mind from this duty, and frame ensuing thereon.

First, It does it by a horrible abuse of Gospel grace. There is in the Gospel a remedy provided against the whole evil of sin, the filth, the guilt of it, with all its dangerous consequents. It is the doctrine of the deliverance of the souls of men from sin and death. A discovery of the gracious will of God towards sinners by Jesus Christ. What now is the genuine tendency of this doctrine, of this discovery of grace, and what ought we to use it and improve it to? This the Apostle declares (Titus 2:11, 12): The grace of God that brings salvation, has appeared to all men, teaching us, that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. This it teaches, this we ought to learn of it, and by it. Hence universal holiness is called a conversation that becomes the Gospel (Philippians 1:27). It becomes it as that which is answerable to its end, aim, and design, as that which it requires, and which it ought to be improved to. And accordingly it does produce this effect where the word of it is received and preserved in a saving light (Romans 12:2; Ephesians 4:20, 21, 22, 23, 24). But herein does the deceit of sin interpose itself. It separates between the doctrine of grace, and the use and end of it. It stays upon its notions, and intercepts its influences in its proper application. From the doctrine of the assured pardon of sin, it insinuates a regardlessness of sin. God in Christ makes the proposition, and Satan and sin make the conclusion. For that the deceitfulness of sin is apt to plead to a regardlessness of it from the grace of God whereby it is pardoned, the Apostle declares in his reproof and detestation of such an insinuation (Romans 6:1): What shall we say then, shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. Men's deceitful hearts, says he, are apt to make that conclusion; but far be it from us, that we should give any entertainment to it. But yet that some have evidently improved that deceit to their own eternal ruin, Jude declares (verse 4): ungodly men, turning the grace of God into lasciviousness. And we have had dreadful instances of it in the days of temptation wherein we have lived.

Indeed in opposition to this deceit lies much of the wisdom of faith, and power of Gospel-grace. When the mind is fully possessed with, and cast habitually and firmly into the mould of the notion and doctrine of Gospel-truth about the full and free forgiveness of all sins in the blood of Christ, then to be able to keep the heart always in a deep humbling sense of sin, abhorrency of it, and self-abasement for it, is a great effect of Gospel-wisdom and grace. This is the trial and touchstone of Gospel-light. If it keep the heart sensible of sin, humble, lowly, and broken on that account; if it teach us to water a free pardon with tears, to detest forgiven sin, to watch diligently for the ruin of that, which we are yet assured, shall never ruin us, it is divine, from above, of the Spirit of Grace. If it secretly and insensibly make men loose and slight in their thoughts about sin, it is adulterate, selfish, false. If it will be all, answer all ends, it is nothing.

Hence it comes to pass, that sometimes we see men walking in a bondage-frame of spirit all their days, low in their light, mean in their apprehensions of grace, so that it is hard to discern whether covenant in their principles they belong to; whether they are under the Law, or under Grace, yet walk with a more conscientious tenderness of sinning, than many who are advanced into higher degrees of light and knowledge than they. Not that the saving light of the Gospel, is not the only principle of saving holiness and obedience; but that through the deceitfulness of sin it is variously abused to countenance the soul in manifold neglect of duties, and to draw off the mind from a due consideration of the nature, desert and danger of sin. And this is done several ways.

First, The soul having frequent need of relief by Gospel-grace against a sense of the guilt of sin, and accusation of the Law, comes at length to make it a common and ordinary thing, and such as may be slightly performed. Having found a good medicine for its wounds, and such as it has had experience of its efficacy, it comes to apply it slightly, and rather skins over, than cures its sores. A little less earnestness, a little less diligence serves every time, until the soul it may be begins to secure itself of pardon in course. And this tends directly to draw off the mind from its constant and universal watchfulness against sin. He whose light has made his way of access plain for the obtaining of pardon, if he be not very watchful, he is far more apt to become overly, formal, and careless in his work, than he who by reason of mists and darkness, beats about to find his way aright to the Throne of Grace. As a man that has often travelled a road passed on without regard or enquiry; but he who is a stranger to it observing all turnings, and enquiring of all passengers, secures his journey beyond the other.

Secondly, The deceitfulness of sin takes advantage from the doctrine of grace, by many ways and means to extend the bounds of the soul's liberty beyond what God has assigned to it. Some have never thought themselves free from a legal bondage-frame, until they have been brought into the confines of sensuality, and some into the depths of it. How often will sin plead, this strictness, this exactness, this solicitude is no ways needful; relief is provided in the Gospel against such things. Would you live as though there were no need of the Gospel? As though pardon of sin were to no purpose? But concerning these pleas of sin from Gospel-grace, we shall have occasion to speak more hereafter in particular.

Thirdly, In times of temptation this deceitfulness of sin, will argue expressly for sin from Gospel-grace; at least it will plead for these two things.

First, That there is not need of such a tenacious severe contending against it, as the principle of the new creature is fixed on. If it cannot divert the soul or mind wholly from attending to temptations to oppose them, yet it will endeavour to draw them off, as to the manner of their attendance. They need not use that diligence which at first the soul apprehends to be necessary.

Secondly, It will be tendering relief as to the event of sin, that it shall not turn to the ruin or destruction of the soul, because it is, it will, or may be pardoned by the grace of the Gospel. And this is true, this is the great and only relief of the soul against sin, the guilt whereof it has contracted already; the blessed and only remedy for a guilty soul. But when it is pleaded and remembered by the deceitfulness of sin in compliance with temptation to sin, then it is poison; poison is mixed in every drop of this balm, to the danger, if not death of the soul. And this is the first way whereby the deceitfulness of sin draws off the mind from a due attendance to that sense of its vileness, which alone is able to keep it in that humble, self-abased frame that is acceptable with God. It makes the mind careless, as though its work were needless, because of the abounding of grace; which is a soldier's neglect of his station trusting to a reserve, provided indeed only in case of keeping his own proper place.

Secondly, sin takes advantage to work by its deceit in this matter of drawing off the mind from a due sense of it, from the state and condition of men in the world. I shall give only one instance of its procedure in this kind. Men in their younger days have naturally their affections more quick, vigorous and active, more sensibly working in them, than afterwards. They do as to their sensible working and operation naturally decay, and many things befall men in their lives, that take off the edge and keenness of them. But as men lose in their affections, if they are not besotted in sensuality, or by the corruptions that are in the world through lust, they grow and improve in their understandings, resolutions, and judgements. Hence it is, that if what had place formerly in their affections, do not take place in their minds and judgements, they utterly lose them, they have no more place in their souls. Thus men have no regard for, yes, they utterly despise those things which their affections were set upon with delight and greediness in their childhood. But if they are things that by any means come to be fixed in their minds and judgements, they continue a high esteem for them, and do cleave as close to them, as they did when their affections were more vigorous. Only as it were they have changed their seat in the soul. It is thus in things spiritual; the first and chiefest seat of the sensibleness of sin, is in the affections; as these in natural youth, are great and large, so are they spiritually in spiritual youth (Jeremiah 2:2): "I remember the kindness of your youth, the love of your espousals." Besides such persons are newly come off from their convictions, wherein they have been cut to the heart, and so made tender. Whatever touches upon a wound is throughly felt. So does the guilt of sin before the wound given by conviction be throughly cured. But now when affections begin to decay naturally, they begin to decay also as to their sensible actings and motions in things spiritual. Although they improve in grace, yet they may decay in sense. At least spiritual sense is not radically in them, but only by way of communication. Now in these decays, if the soul take not care to fix a deep sense of sin on the mind and judgement, thereby perpetually to affect the heart and affections, it will decay. And here the deceit of the law of sin interposes itself. It suffers a sense of sin to decay in the affections, and diverts the mind from entertaining a due, constant fixed consideration of it. We may consider this a little in persons that never make a progress in the ways of God beyond conviction. How sensible of sin will they be for a season? How will they then mourn and weep under a sense of the guilt of it? How will they cordially and heartily resolve against it? Affections are vigorous, and as it were bear rule in their souls. But they are like an herb that will flourish for a day or two with watering, although it have no root. For, a while after we see, that these men the more experience they have had of sin, the less they are afraid of it, as the Wise Man intimates (Ecclesiastes 8:11). And at length they come to be the greatest contemners of sin in the world. No sinner like him that has sinned away his convictions of sin. What is the reason of this? Sense of sin was in their convictions fixed on their affections; as it decayed in them, they took no care to have it deeply and graciously fixed on their minds. This the deceitfulness of sin deprived them of, and so ruined their souls. In some measure it is so with believers. If as the sensibleness of the affections decay, if as they grow heavy and obtuse, great wisdom and grace be not used to fix a due sense of sin upon the mind and judgement, which may provoke, excite, enliven and stir up the affections every day, great decays will ensue. At first, sorrow, trouble, grief, fear, affected the mind, and would give it no rest. If afterwards the mind do not affect the heart with sorrow and grief, the whole will be cast out, and the soul be in danger of being hardened. And these are some of the ways whereby the deceit of sin diverts the mind from the first part of its safe preserving frame, or draws it off from its constant watchfulness against sin and all the effects of it.

The second part of this general duty of the mind, is to keep the soul to a constant, holy consideration of God and his grace. This evidently lies at the spring-head of Gospel-obedience. The way whereby sin draws off the mind from this part of its duty is open and known sufficiently, though not sufficiently watched against. Now this the Scripture every where declares to be the filling of the minds of men with earthly things. This it places in direct opposition to that heavenly frame of the mind, which is the spring of Gospel-obedience (Colossians 3:2): "Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth," or set your minds. As if he had said, on both together you cannot be set or fixed, so as principally and chiefly to mind them both. And the affections to the one and the other, proceeding from these different principles of minding the one and the other, are opposed as directly inconsistent (1 John 2:15): "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world, if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." And actings in a course suitable to these affections are proposed also as contrary; you cannot serve God and Mammon. These are two masters whom no man can serve at the same time, to the satisfaction of both. Every inordinate minding, then, of earthly things, is opposed to that frame wherein our minds ought to be fixed on God and his grace in a course of Gospel-obedience.

Several ways there are whereby the deceitfulness of sin draws off the mind in this particular, but the chief of them is by pressing these things on the mind under the notion of things lawful, and it may be necessary. So all those who excuse themselves in the Parable, from coming in to the Marriage-Feast of the Gospel, did it on the account of their being engaged in their lawful callings. One about his farm, another his oxen, the means whereby he ploughed in this world. By this plea were the minds of men drawn off from that frame of heavenliness which is required to our walking with God, and the rules of not loving the world, or using it as if we used it not, are hereby neglected. What wisdom, what watchfulness, what serious frequent trial and examination of our selves is required, to keep our hearts and minds in an heavenly frame, in the use and pursuit of earthly things, is not my present business to declare. This is evident, that the engine whereby the deceit of sin draws off and turns aside the mind in this matter, is the pretence of the lawfulness of things about which it would have it exercise it self, against which very few are armed with sufficient diligence, wisdom and skill. And this is the first and most general attempt that indwelling-sin makes upon the soul by deceit: it draws away the mind from a diligent attention to its course in a due sense of the evil of sin, and a due and constant consideration of God and his grace.