and compacted
together, as the members of the body, each useful and serviceable to one
another, and all of them concurring and contributing their utmost to the
carrying on of the work of sin, and so it is the man of sin; and it is
also called the old man, as having first possession of the soul, before
it is by grace renewed, and it is a dying more and more daily. Thus it
is called the old man, and the body of sin, Rom. vi. 6. This old man
hath his members in our members and faculties, so that none of them are
free,--understanding, will, affections, and the members of our body are
all servants of unrighteousness to this body of sin, and old man. So we
read of the motions of sin, Rom. vii. 5, which work in our members to
bring forth fruit unto death; and of the lusts of the flesh, Rom. xiii.
14. Gal. v. 16, 24; and the lusts of sin, Rom. vi. 12. So we hear of the
desires of the flesh and of the mind, Eph. ii. 3; and of affections and
lusts, Gal. v. 24. And the old man is said to be corrupt, according to
the deceitful lusts, Eph. iv. 22; all which lusts and affections are as
so many members of this body of sin, and of this old man. And, further,
there is herein a considerable power, force, and efficacy, which this
old man hath in us, to carry us away, and, as it were, command or
constrain us, as by a forcible law. Hence we read of the law of sin and
death, Rom. viii. 2, which only the "law of the Spirit of life in Christ
doth make us free from." It is also called a "law in our members warring
against the law of our mind," Rom. vii. 23, "and bringing us into
captivity to the law of sin which is in our members." So it is said, "to
lust against the Spirit, and to war," Gal. v. 17. All which point out
the strength, activity, and dominion of sin in the soul, so that it is
as the husband over the wife, Rom. vii. 1; yea, it hath a domineering
and constraining power, where its horns are not held in by grace. And as
its power is great, so its nature is wicked and malicious; for it is
pure "enmity against God," Rom. viii. 7; so that it neither is nor can
be reconciled, and therefore must be put off and abolished, Eph. ii. 15;
killed and crucified, Rom. vi. 6. Now herein lieth the work of a
believer, to be killing, mortifying, and crucifying this enemy, or
rather enmity; and delivering himself from under this bondage and
slavery, that he may be Christ's free man, and that through the Spirit,
Rom. viii. 13.

Now, if it be asked, How s