[14.] Fou'iieeiithly, A godly man may argue thus : Such as sin hath not a dominion over, are not under the law, but under grace. Rom. vi. 14, 'But sin hath not a dominion over me, therefore I am not under the law, but under grace.' Sin may rebel in a saint, but it shall never reign in a saint. Look, as those beasts, in that Dan. vii. 12, had their dominion taken away, though their lives were spared and prolonged for a season and a time ; so when Christ and grace enters into the soul, they take away the dominion of sin, though they do for a time spare the life of sin. To prevent mistakes, premise with me briefly these few things : First, that in every regenerate man there are two men, an old man and a new man ; or if you please, flesh and spirit, Rom. vii. Secondly, The old man, the fleshly part, will incline the soul, and bias the soul, as well to sins against the gospel, as to sins against the law, and to gi-eat sins as well as small sins; witness Noah's drunkenness, Lot's incest, Asa's oppression, David's murder and adultery, Solomon's idolatry, and Peter's blasphemy. Thirdli/, The old man, tiie fleshly part, is as much in the will as in any other part of the regenerate man ; and therefore, when he falls into heinous sins, he may fall into them with consent, delight, and willingness, so far as his will is unrenewed. Though a real Christian bechanged in every part, 1 Thes. v. 23, yet it is but in part and miperfect. Fourthly, The old man, the fleshly part, is in a regenerate man's members,
' John iv. 14- All resistance of sin in a Scripture phrase is called conquest ; for in the lesisJance of it, there is ns much love shewed to God as in the conquest of it, thouyh there he not so much power seen.
Chap. I.] a cabinet of jewels. 275
as well as in his will, and therefore they may be exercised and employed in and about those sins they have consented unto. Fifthly, High sinnings do waste and wound the conscience of a regenerate man, and lay him open to the sore rebukes of God, and call for great repentance, and fresh and frequent applications of the blood of Christ. These things being premised, a question may be propounded, viz. :
Quest. What does the dominion of sin import, and wherein does it consist ? Now to this considerable question, I shall give these eight following answers :
[1.] First, Sin is in dominion, ivhen it hath the absolute and sove- reign coTnmand of the soul, when it hath an -uncontradicted power, when it hath such an authority in the soul to command it as a hincj doth his subjects, or as the centurion did his servants : Mat. viii. 9, 'For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me ; and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth ; and to another, Come, and he cometh ; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.' Now when sin has such a universal and easy authority and command over the whole man, body and soul, as that it can use them in the service of sin, when and where and how it pleaseth, then sin is in dominion. Where there is a peaceable, uncontrolled, willing, universal subjection of the whole man unto the commands of sin, there sin reigns, Eph. ii. 2, 3. But,
[2.] Secondly, Sin is in dominion, when in a course, when ordi- narily, there is a quiet,. free, willing, and total yielding of subjection to the authority, knu, and command of sin. Mark, it is a full posses- sion, a plenary delight, and a constant content in sin, that speaks out the reign and dominion of sin, Rom. vi. 13-16. Dominion of sin im- ports a complete and universal resignation of the whole will and man to the obedience of it. That man that is wholly addicted and devoted to the ways of sin, that man is under the reign of sin ; that man whose whole heart is universally married to his lusts, that man is under the dominion of his lusts. When a man does as freely, cheerfully, univer- sally, and readily obey his lusts, as a child does his father, or a wdfe her husband, or a servant his master, or a subject his prince, then sin is in dominion. When a man sins with greediness, when with Ahab he * sells himself to work wickedness," 1 Kings xxi. 25, when he commits ' wicked- ness with both hands,' Micah vii. 3, when he gives himself up or over ' to all uncleanness and filthiness,' Eph. ii. 3, when he freely and volun- tarily resigns and surrenders up his body and soul to the obedience of sin, then sin reigns, then it keeps the throne. Where the dominion of sin is erected, there it sits in the heart, as a king in his throne, and gives forth its laws and commands to the soul and body, and those com- mands are listened and consented to, approved and delighted in, &c.' A subject cannot in a course more freely, wilHngly, universally, and cheerfully obey the commands of his prince, than a sinner doth in a course freely, willingly, universally, and cheerfully obey the commands of his lusts ; and wherever this sad temper of spirit is, there is sin in dominion. But now mark, a regenerate man's will riseth against his
' A man may be subject, as a captive, in this or that particular tyranny of sin, who is not obedient as a servant to all the government of sin ; for that takes in the whole will, and an adequate submission thereof to the peaceable and uncontrolled power of sin, Rom. vii. 15, 19, 23.
27G A CABINET OF JEWELS. [ChAP. I.