(4.) Sometimes evil thoughts are the immediate injections of Satan, and they are on many accounts most terrible unto the soul. Usually, for the matter of them, they are dreadful, and ofttimes blas- phemous; and as unto the manner of their entrance into the mind, it is, for the most part, surprising, furious, and irresistible. From such thoughts many have concluded themselves to be absolutely under the power of sin and Satan. But they are by certain rules and in- fallible signs discoverable from whence they do proceed; and on that discovery all pretences unto the dominion of sin in them must dis- appear.
And this is the first case, which renders the question dubious whe- ther sin have the dominion in us or no.
2. It is a sign of the dominion of sin, when, in any instance, it hath @ prevalency in our affections; yea, they are the throne of sin, where it acts its power. But this case of the affections I have handled so at large in my discourse of Spiritual-mindedness, as I shall here very briefly speak unto it, so as to give one rule only to make a judgment by concerning the dominion of sin in them.
This is certain, that where sin hath the prevalency and predomi- nancy in our affections, there it hath the dominion in the whole soul. The rule is given us unto this purpose, 1 John ii. 15. We are obliged to “love the Lorp our God with all our heart and with all our soul;” and therefore if there be in us a predominant love to any thing else, whereby it is preferred unto God, it must be from the prevalency
* See the preceding treatise in this yolume.—Ep.
EVIDENCE OF THE DOMINION OF SIN. 525
of a principle of sin in us. And so it is with respect unto all other affections. If we love any thing more than God, as we do if we will not part with it for his sake, be it as a right eye or asa right hand unto us; if we take more satisfaction and complacency in it, and cleave more unto it in our thoughts and minds than unto God, as men commonly do in their lusts, interests, enjoyments, and relations; if we trust more to it, as unto a supply of our wants, than unto God, as most do to the world; if our desires are enlarged and our diligence heightened in seeking after and attaining other things, more than towards the love and favour of God; if we fear the loss of other things or danger from them more than we fear God,—we are not under the rule of God or his grace, but we are under the dominion of sin, which reigns in our affections.
It were endless to give instances of this power of sin in and over the affections of men. Self-love, love of the world, delight in things sensual, an over-valuation of relations and enjoyments, with sundry other things of an alike nature, will easily evidence it. And to re- solve the case under consideration, we may observe,—
(1.) That the prevalency of sin in the affections, so far as to be a symptom of its dominion, is discernible unto the least beam of spiri- tual light, with a diligent searching into and judgment of ourselves. Tf it be so with any that they know it not, nor will be convinced of it (as it is with many), I know not what can free them from being under the reign of sin. And we see it so every day. Men all whose ways and actions proclaim that they are acted in all things by an inordinate love of the world and self, yet find nothing amiss in them- selves, nothing that they do not approve of, unless it be that their desires are not satisfied according to their expectations. All the com- mands we have in the Scripture for self-searching, trial, and exami- nation; all the rules that are given us unto that end; all the warn- ings we have of the deceitfulness of sin and of our own hearts,— are given us to prevent this evil of shutting our eyes against the pre- valent corruption and disorder of our affections. And the issue of all our endeavours in this kind is in the appeal of David to God himself, Ps. cxxxix. 23, 24.
(2.) When men have convictions of the irregularity and disorder of their affections, yet are resolved to continue in the state wherein they are without the correction and amendment of them, because of some advantage and satisfaction which they receive in their pre- sent state, they seem to be under the dominion of sin. So is it with those mentioned, Isa. lvii. 10. Upon the account of the present satis- faction, delight, and pleasure, that their corrupt affections do take in cleaving inordinately unto their objects, they will not endeavour their change and alteration.
This, then, is the sole safe rule in this case: Whatever hold sin
526 OF THE DOMINION OF SIN AND GRACE.
may have got on our affections, whatever prevalency it may have in them, however it may entangle and defile them, if we endeavour sincerely the discovery of this evil, and thereon set ourselves con- stantly unto the mortification of our corrupt affections by all due means, there is not in their disorder any argument to prove the dominion of sin in us. Our affections, as they are corrupt, are the proper objects of the great duty of mortification; which the apostle therefore calls our “ members which are upon the earth,” Col. iu. 5. This is a safe anchor for the soul in this storm. If it live in a sin- cere endeavour after the mortification of every discoverable corrup- tion and disorder in the affections, it is secure from the dominion of sin. But as for such as are negligent in searching after the state of their souls, as unto the inclination and engagement of their affections, who approve of themselves in their greatest irregularities, resolvedly indulge themselves in any way of sin to gratify their corrupt affec- tions, they must provide themselves of pleas for their vindication; I know them not. But the meaning of our present rule will be farther manifest in what ensues.