the law of the mind and grace; which is the second part of its warring:
character of hypocrites, Hosea 10:2, "Their heart is divided; therefore shall they be found faulty." Now, though this is wholly so in respect of the mind and judgement in hypocrites only, yet it is partially so in the best, in the sense described. They have a division, not of the heart, but in the heart; and thence it is that they are so often found faulty. So says the apostle, "So that we cannot do the things that we would," Galatians 5:17. We cannot accomplish the design of close walking according to the law of grace, because of the contrariety of this law of sin.
(2.) It rebels also in respect to particular duties. It raises a combustion in the soul against the particular commands of the law of grace. "You cannot do the things that you would;" that is, "You cannot do the duties which you feel you should do, which you delight in in the inward man." Take an instance in prayer. A man addresses himself to that duty; he wants not only to do it, but he wants to do it in that manner that the nature of the duty and his own condition require. He wants to "pray in the spirit," fervently, "with sighs and groans that cannot be uttered;" in faith, with love and delight, pouring forth his soul to the Lord. This he aims at. Now, often he finds a rebellion, a fighting of the law of sin in this matter. He who thought to do all things shall find it difficult to get anything done. I do not say that it is thus always, but it is so when sin "wars and rebels;" which expresses a special acting of its power. Poor creatures often meet with woeful entanglements on this account. Instead of that free, enlarged communion with God that they aim at, the best that their souls arrive to is to go away mourning for their folly, deadness, and indisposition. In a word, any command of the law of grace that is known and approved by the soul, is rebelled against by this law of sin when it comes to be observed. And this is the first way of its fighting.
2. It does not only rebel and resist, but it assaults the soul. It sets on the law of the mind and grace; which is the second part of its warring: 1 Peter 2:11, "They fight, or war, "against the soul;" James 4:1, "They fight," or war, "in your members." Peter shows what they fight against, - namely, the "soul" and the law of grace therein; James, what they fight with or by, - namely, the "members," or the corruption that is in
our mortal bodies. One word means to rebel against a superior; the other, to assault or war for a superiority. It takes the part of an assailant as well as of a resister. It makes attempts for sovereignty, as well as opposes the rule of grace. Now, all fighting has somewhat of violence in it; and there is therefore some violence in that acting of sin which the Scripture calls "fighting and warring." And this assailing power of sin, as distinguished from its rebelling, consists in the following: -
(1.) All its positive actions in stirring up to sin belong to this. Often, by the vanity of the mind, or the sensuality of the affections, the folly of the imaginations, it sets on the soul when the law of grace is not actually putting it on duty; so that it does not rebel but assault. Hence the apostle cries out, Romans 7:24, "Who shall deliver me from it?" "Who shall rescue me out of its hand?" as the word signifies. When we pursue an enemy, and he resists us, we do not cry out, "Who shall deliver us?" for we are the assailants; but, "Who shall rescue me?" is the cry of one who is set on by an enemy. So it is here; a man is assaulted by his "own lust," as James speaks. By the wayside, in his employment, under a duty, sin sets on the soul with empty thoughts, foolish desires, and would willingly employ the soul to carry them out; which the apostle cautions us against, Romans 13:14, "But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. "
(2.) Its boldness and urgency seems to be noted in this expression, of its warring. Enemies in war are restless and importunate; so is the law of sin. Does it set on the soul? - Cast off its motions; it returns again. Rebuke them by the power of grace; they withdraw for a while, and return. Set before them the cross of Christ; they do as those who came to take him, - at sight of him they went backwards and fell to the ground, but they arose again and laid hands on him - sin gives place for a season, but returns and presses on the soul again. Remind it of the love of God in Christ; though it is stricken, yet it gives not over. Present hell-fire to it; it rushes into the midst of those flames. Reproach it with its folly and madness; it knows no shame, but
presses on still. Let the thoughts of the mind strive to fly from it; it follows as on the wings of the wind. And by this boldness it wears out the soul; and if the great remedy, Romans 8:3, come not timely, it conquers. There is nothing more marvellous nor dreadful in the working of sin than this of its boldness. The soul knows not what to make of it; it abominates the evil it tends to; it despises the thoughts of it, hates them as hell; and yet is imposed on with them, as if it were another person, an enemy got within him. All this the apostle reveals, Romans 7:15-17: "The things that I do I hate." It is not of outward actions, but the inward risings of the mind that he treats. "I hate them," says he; "I abominate them." But why, then, will he have anything more to do with them? If he hate them, and abhor himself for them, let them alone, have no more to do with them, and so end the matter. Alas! says he, verse 17, "It is no more I that do it, but sin that dwells in me;" - "I have one within me that is my enemy, that with endless, restless boldness puts these things on me, even the things that I hate. I cannot be rid of them, I am weary of myself, I cannot fly from them. "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me?'" I do not say that this is the ordinary condition of believers, but thus it is often when this law of sin rises up to fight. It is not thus with them in respect of particular sins, - this or that sin, outward sins, sins of life and lifestyle, - but yet in respect of vanity of mind, inward and spiritual distempers, it is often so. Some, I know, pretend to great perfection; but I believe the apostle before all of them.
(3.) It carries on its war by entangling the affections, and drawing them into a alliance against the mind. Even where grace is enthroned in the mind and judgement, yet if the law of sin lays hold on and entangles the affections, it has gained a fort from where it continually assaults the soul. Hence the great duty of putting to death is chiefly directed to take place on the affections: Colossians 3:5,
"Put to death therefore what is earthly in you:sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry "
The "what is earthly in you" is our affections: for sin is not seated in
the outward part of the body; in particular, not "covetousness," which is there enumerated, to be put to death among what is earthly in us. Yea, after grace has taken possession of the soul, the affections become the principal seat of the remainders of sin; - so Paul says that this law is "in our members," Romans 7:23; and James, that it "wars in our members," James 4:1, - that is, our affections. And it is impossible to put sin to death aright except in the affections. We may every day see persons of very eminent light, that yet visibly have hearts and lifestyles that have not been put to death; their affections have not been crucified with Christ. Now, then, when this law of sin can possess any affection, whatever it be, love, delight, fear, it will make from it and by it fearful assaults on the soul. For instance, has it got the love of any one entangled with the world or the things of it, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, or the pride of life, - how will it take advantage on every occasion to break in on the soul! It shall do nothing, attempt nothing, be in no place or company, perform no duty, private or public, but sin will have one blow or other at it; it will be one way or other soliciting for itself. This is the sum of what we shall offer to this acting of the law of sin, in fighting against our souls, which is so often mentioned in the Scripture; and a due consideration of it is of no small advantage to us, especially to bring us to self-abasement, to teach us to walk humbly and mournfully before God. There are two things that are suited to humble the souls of men, and they are, first, a due consideration of God, and then of themselves; - of God, in his greatness, glory, holiness, power, majesty, and authority; of ourselves, in our mean, abject, and sinful condition. Now, of all things in our condition, there is nothing so suited to this end and purpose as what lies before us; namely, the vile remainders of enmity against God which are yet in our hearts and natures. And it is no small evidence of a gracious soul when it is willing to search itself in this matter, and to be helped therein from a word of truth; when it is willing that the word should dive into the secret parts of the heart, and rip open whatever of evil and corruption lies therein. The prophet says of Ephraim, Hosea 10:11, "He loved to tread out the corn;" he loved to work when he might eat, to have always the corn before him: but God, says he, would "cause him to