Secondly, This dominion of sin is not a mere force against the will and endeavours of them that are under it. Where all the power and interest of sin consist in putting a force on the mind and soul by its temptations, there it hath no dominion. It may perplex them, it doth not rule over them. Where it hath dominion, it hath the force and power of a law in the wills and minds of them in whom it is. Hereby it requires obedience of them, and they “ yield themselves servants to obey it,” Rom. vi. 16.
Wherefore, unto this dominion of sin there is required a consent of the will in some measure and degree. The constant reluctancy and conquering prevalency of the will against it defeats its title unto rule and dominion, as the apostle declares at large in the next chap- ter. The will is the sovereign faculty and power of the soul; what- ever principle acts in it and determines it, that hath the rule. Not-
NATURE OF THE DOMINION OF SIN. 513
withstanding light and conviction, the determination of the whole, as unto duty and sin, is in the power of the will. If the will of sin- ning be taken away, sin cannot have dominion. Here is wisdom: he that can distinguish between the impressions of sin upon him and the rule of sin in him is in the way of peace. But this ofttimes, —as we shall farther see, with the reason of it,—is not easily to be attained unto, Convictions, on the one hand, will make a great pre- tence and appearance of an opposition in the will unto sin, by their unavoidable impressions on it, when it is not so; and disturbed affec- tions, under temptations, will plead that the will itself is given up unto the choice and service of sin, when it is not so. The will in this matter is like the Thebans’ shield; whilst that was safe, they conceited themselves victorious even in death. However, this case is determined by the light of Scripture and experience, and it is here proposed unto a determination.
_ Thirdly, It is required unto this dominion of sin that the soul be not under any other supreme conduct,—that is, of the Spirit of God and of his grace,—by the law. This is that which really hath the sovereign rule in all believers. They are led by the Spirit, guided by the Spirit, acted and ruled by him, and are thereby under the govern- ment of God and Christ, and no other. With this the rule of sin is absolutely inconsistent. No man can at once serve these two masters. Grace and sin may be in the same soul at the same time, but they cannot bear rule in the same soul at the same time. The throne is singular, and will admit but of one ruler. Every evidence we have of being under the rule of grace is so that we are not under the dominion of sin.
This, therefore, is the principal way and means which we have to secure our peace and comfort against the pretences of sin unto the dis- quietment of our consciences. Let us endeavour to preserve an ex- perience of the rule of grace in our hearts, Col. i.15. Under a con- duct and rule, whence our state is denominated, we are and must be. This is either of sin or grace. There is no composition nor copart- nership between them as to rule: as to residence there is, but not as unto rule. If we can assure ourselves of the one, we secure our- selves from the other. It is therefore our wisdom, and lies at the foundation of all our comforts, that we get evidences and experience of our being under the rule of grace; and it will evidence itself, if we are not wanting unto a due observation of its acting and opera- tion in us. And it will do it, among others, these two ways:—
1. By keeping up a constancy of design in living to God and after conformity unto Christ, notwithstanding the interposition of surprisals by temptations and the most urgent solicitations of sin. This is called “ cleaving unto God with purpose of heart,” Acts x1. 23.
VOL. VII. 330
514 OF THE DOMINION OF SIN AND GRACE.
This will be wherever grace hath the rule. Asa man that goeth to sea designs some certain place and port, whither he guides his course ; in his way he meets, it may be, with storms and cross winds that drive him out of his course, and sometimes directly backward to- wards the place whence he set forth; but his design still holds, and in the pursuit thereof he applies his skill and industry to retrieve and recover all his losses and back-drivings by cross winds and storms. So is it with a soul under the conduct of grace. Its fixed design is to live unto God, but in its course it meets with storms and cross winds of temptations, and various artifices of sin. These disturb him, dis- order him, drive him backwards sometimes, as if it would take a con- trary course, and return unto the coast of sin from whence it set out. But where grace hath the rule and conduct, it will weather all these oppositions and obstructions; it will “ restore the soul,” bring it again into order, recover it from the confusions and evil frames that it was drawn into. It will give a fresh predominancy unto its prevalent design of living unto God in all things. It will do this constantly, as often as the soul meets with such ruffles from the power of sin. When there is a radical firmitude and strength in a cause or design, it will work itself out through all changes and variations; but when the strength of any cause is but occasion, the first opposition and disorder will ruin us. So-if men’s purpose of living unto God be only occasional, from present convictions, the first vigorous opposition or temptation will disorder it and overthrow it; but where this is the radical design of the soul, from the power of grace, it will break through all such oppositions, and recover its prevalency in the mind and affections. Hereby doth it evidence its rule, and that the whole interest of sin in the soul is by rebellion, and not by virtue of do- minion.