is, by convicting of the nature, power, and deserts of this indwelling
when it is in the throne. Here it minces not the matter with sinners, as we use to do one with another, but tells him plainly," 'You' are the 'man' in whom this exceeding sinful sin dwells, and you must answer for the guilt of it." And I think if anything could rouse a man to opposite it, utterly to destroy it, this would be it. The law lets him know that on account of this sin he is under the curse and wrath of God; it pronounces the sentence of everlasting condemnation on him for it. "Abide in this state and perish," is its language. It gives the soul this warning in this world, and will leave it without excuse in the world to come.
4. The law so follows on its sentence, that it alarms the soul, and does not let it enjoy any peace in harbouring its sinful inmate. Whenever the soul has obeyed the commands of sin, the law immediately flies on it with the wrath of the Lord, and makes it tremble. It shall have no rest, but is like a poor beast that has a deadly arrow sticking in its sides, that makes it restless wherever it is and whatever it does.
5. The law does not stop here; it also slays the soul, Romans 7:9; that is, by convicting of the nature, power, and deserts of this indwelling sin, it deprives him in whom it is of all the self-righteousness and hope he used to sustain himself with, - it leaves him as a poor, dead, helpless, hopeless creature; and all this as it opposes this sin. May we not now expect that its power will be broken, - that it will die away before these strokes of the law of God? But the truth is, such is its power and strength, that it is quite otherwise. For by every fall it gains new strength; so is it with all the falls that are given to indwelling sin by the law: for, -
(1.) It is not conquered. A conquest infers two things in respect of the conquered, - first, loss of dominion; and, secondly, loss of strength. Whenever any one is conquered he is deprived of both these; he loses both his authority and his power. So when the strong man is overcome, he is bound and his goods are taken. But neither of these befalls indwelling sin by the assaults of the law. It loses none of its dominion or strength by all the blows that are given to it. The law
cannot do this, Romans 8:3; it cannot deprive sin of its power and dominion, for he who "is under the law is also under sin;" - that is, whatever power the law gets on the conscience of a man, so that he fears to sin, lest the sentence and curse of it should befall him, sin still reigns and rules in his heart. So the apostle says, Romans 6:14,
"Sin shall not have dominion over you: for you are not under the law, but under grace;"
intimating plainly, that however much a person is subject to the authority of the law, it will not free him from the dominion of sin. The law, by all its work on the soul, instead of freeing it from the reign of sin, greatly increases its misery, as the sentence of the judge on the bench against a criminal adds to his misery. The soul is under the dominion of sin, and may abide securely in that woeful condition, fearing neither sin nor judgement. When the law sets on him, it brings him into great trouble and perplexity, but does not delivers him at all. It was thus with the Israelites when Moses had delivered his message to Pharaoh; they were so far from getting liberty by it that their bondage was increased, and "they found that they were in a very evil case," Exodus 5:19. We shall see that sin acts like Pharaoh; finding its rule disturbed, it grows more oppressive, and doubles the bondage of their souls. This is not, then, the work of the law, to destroy sin, or deprive it of dominion. Nor does it, by all these strokes of the law, lose anything of its strength; it continues both its authority and its force; it is neither destroyed nor weakened;
(2.) It is so far from being conquered that it is only enraged. The work of the law only provokes sin, and causes it to put out its strength with more power than formerly. This the apostle shows, Romans 7:9-13.
But you will say, "Do we not see by experience, that many are worked on by the preaching of the law to leave sins and amend their lives, and to contend against those other corruptions which they cannot yet put to death? And it cannot be denied that the law, when preached and applied to the conscience, has great power." I answer, -
[1.] It is acknowledged that the power of the law of God is very great. It shall surely do everything God intends. But the subduing of sin is not its work, - God did not design it for that; so it is no dishonour if it cannot do what is not its proper work, Romans 8:3.
[2.] Whatever effects it have on some, it makes no impression at all on most, such is the power of sin. Men may live many years in congregations where the law is powerfully preached, and applied to the consciences as to all the purposes for which the Lord wishes to use it, and be unmoved by it. They are neither convicted by it, nor awed, nor instructed; but continue deaf, ignorant, secure, as if they had never been told of the guilt of sin or the terror of the Lord. Congregations are full of these who proclaim the triumph of sin over the dispensation of the law.
[3.] When conviction, or awe, or insight occur, it is not from the power of the letter of the law, but from the power of the Spirit of God putting forth his virtue for that purpose; and we agree that the Spirit of the Lord can quell the power of lust when he pleases. But, -
[4.] Despite all that may be observed of the power of the law on the souls of men, yet it is evident that lust is not conquered, subdued, or put to death by it; for, -
1st. Though the course of sin may be repelled for a season by the law, yet its spring is not dried up. Though it hides itself for a season, it is but to shift out of a storm, and then to return again. As a traveller, meeting with a violent storm turns out of his way to some house or tree for his shelter, but so soon as the storm is over he returns to his way again; so it is with men in bondage to sin. They are in a course of pursuing their lusts; the law meets with them in a storm from heaven, terrifies and hinders them in their way. This turns them for a season out of their course; they will run to prayer or amendment of life, for some shelter from the fearful storm of wrath on their consciences. But is their course stopped? are their principles altered? Not at all; so