any thing of a future reward hereafter something might be spoke to alleviate their present Misery But the Wages of Sin is Death eternal Death under the wrath of the great God is all they are to look for The End of the Dominion of Sin is to give them up unto the Curse of the Law and Power of the Devil for evermore Fourthly IT keeps Men off from the Participation of all real Good here and hereafter What Men under the Power of Sin do enjoy will quickly appear to be as a thing of nought In the mean time they have not the least taste of the Love of God which alone takes out the Poison of their Enjoyments They have not the least view of the Glory of Christ without which they live in perpetual darkness like those who never behold the light nor Sun. They have no Experience of the sweetness and excellency of the gracious Influences of Life and Strength and Comfort from the Holy Ghost nor of that satisfaction and reward which is in holy Obedience nor shall ever come to the Enjoyment of God. All these things and sundry others of the like sort might be insisted on and inlarged to manifest the greatness of the Mercy and Privilege which is in a Freedom from the Dominion of Sin as it is here proposed by the Apostle But the principal design I intended is accomplished and I do but touch on these things I shall add One Observation more and with it put a Close to this Discourse Ob. 2. IT is the great Interest of a Soul conflicting with the Power of Sin to secure it self against its Dominion that it is not under its Dominion not to have the Cause hang dubious in the Mind To clear the truth hereof we may observe the things that follow 1. THE Conflict with Sin making continual Repentance and Mortification absolutely necessary will continue in us whilst we are in this World. Pretences of Perfection here are contrary to the Scriptures contrary to the universal Experience of all Believers and contrary to the Sense and Conscience of them by whom they are pleaded as they make it evident every day We pray against it strive against it groan for deliverance from it and that by the Grace of Christ healing our Nature not without success Howbeit this success extends not unto its absolute Abolition whilst we are in this World. It will abide in us until the union of the Soul and Body wherein it hath incorporated it self be dissolved This is our Lot and Portion this is the consequent of our Apostasie from God and the Depravation of our nature thereby YOU will say then Whereto serves the Gospel and the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ in this Case if it be not able to give us deliverance herein I answer it doth give us a Fourfold Relief which amounts virtually to a constant deliverance though Sin will abide in us whilst we are in this World. 1. IT is so ordered that the continuance of Sin in us shall be the Ground Reason and Occasion of the exercise of all Grace and putting a lustre on our Obedience Some excellent Graces as Repentance and Mortification could have no exercise if it were otherwise And whilst we are in this World there is a beauty in them that is an over-balance for the Evil of the Remainders of Sin And the difficulty which is hereby put on our Obedience calling continually for the exercise and improvement of all Grace renders it the more valuable Herein lies the Spring of Humility and self-Resignation to the Will of God. This makes us love and long for the Enjoyment of Christ putting an excellency on his Mediation whence the Apostle on the consideration of it falls into that Ejaculation I thank God through Jesus Christ my Lord Rom. vij 25. This sweetens unto us our future Rest and Reward Wherefore the continuance of us in this state and condition in this World a state of spiritual Warfare is best for us and highly suited unto divine Wisdom considering the Office and Care of our Lord Jesus Christ for our Relief Let us not complain or repine or faint but go on with Christian Fortitude unto the End and we shall have success For 2. THERE are by the Grace of Christ such supplies and aids of spiritual Strength granted unto Believers that Sin shall never proceed further in them than is useful and needful for the exercise of their Graces It shall never have its Will upon them nor Dominion over them as we have before declared 3. THERE is Mercy administred in and by the Gospel for the Pardon of all that is Evil in it self or in any of its effects There is no Condemnation unto them that are in Christ Jesus Pardoning Mercy according to the Tenor of the Covenant doth always disarm this Sin in Believers of its condemning Power So that notwithstanding the utmost endeavours of it being justified by Faith they have Peace with God. 4. THERE is a season when by the Grace of Christ it shall be utterly abolished namely at Death when the course of our Obedience is finished Wherefore to affirm that this Sin and consequently a conflict with it doth abide in Believers whilst they are in this World is no disparagement unto the Grace of Christ which gives such a blessed deliverance from it Secondly THERE is a double Conflict with and against Sin. The One is in those that are unregenerate consisting in the Rebellion of Light and Conscience against the Rule of Sin in many particular Instances For although Sin be enthroned in the Will and Affections yet the knowledge of good and evil in the Mind excited by the hopes and fears of things eternal will make head against it as unto the performance of sundry duties and abstinence from Sin. This conflict may be where Sin is in the Throne and may deceive themselves supposing it may be from the Rule of Grace when it is only from the Rebellion of Light and the charge of a Conscience yet unseared But there is a conflict with Sin where Grace hath the Rule and is Enthroned For although Grace have the Sovereignty in the Mind and Heart yet the remainders of Sin especially in the corrupt Affections will be continually rebelling against it Now this we say is the Interest of all namely to enquire of what sort and kind that conflict with Sin is which is in them if it be of the first sort they may yet be under the Dominion of Sin if of the latter they are freed from it Wherefore whilst the mind is dubious in this Case and undetermined many evil consequences it will be perplexed withal I shall name some of them 1. SUCH a soul can have no solid Peace because it hath not satisfaction what state it doth belong unto 2. IT cannot receive refreshment by Gospel Consolations in any condition for its just fears of the Dominion of Sin will defeat them all 3. IT will be dead and formal in all its
the Word though it be the Case of multitudes that attend unto it 2. TO satisfie some that Sin hath not the Dominion over them notwithstanding its restless acting it self in them and waring against their Souls yet unless this can be done it is impossible they should enjoy solid Peace and Comfort in this Life And the Concernment of the best of Believers whilst they are in this World doth lie herein For as they grow in Light Spirituality Experience freedom of Mind and Humility the more they love to know of the Deceit Activity and Power of the Remainders of Sin. And although it works not at all at least not sensibly in them towards those Sins wherein it reigneth and rageth in others yet they are able to discern its more subtil inward and spiritual Actings in the Mind and Heart to the weakning of Grace the obstructing of its effectual Operations in holy Duties with many indispositions unto stability in the Life of God which fills them with trouble CHAP. III. The Second Enquiry spoken to Whether Sin hath Dominion in us or no In answer to which it 's shewed That some wear Sin 's Livery and they are the professed Servants thereof There are many in which the Case is dubious where Sin 's service is not so discernable Several Exceptions are put in against its Dominion where it seems to prevail Some certain Signs of its Dominion Graces and Duties to be exercised for its Mortification THESE things being thus premised in general concerning the Nature of the Dominion of Sin we shall now proceed unto our principal Enquiry namely Whether Sin have Dominion in us or no whereby we may know Whether we are under the Law or under Grace or what is the state of our Souls towards God. An Enquiry this is which is very necessary for some to make and for all to have rightly determined in their Minds from Scripture and Experience For on that determination depends all our solid Peace Sin will be in us it will lust fight and entice us but the great Question as unto our 〈◊〉 and Comfort is whether it hath Dominion over us or no 1. WE do not enquire concerning them in whom the reign of Sin is absolute and easily discernable if not to themselves yet to others Such there are who visibly yield up their Members instruments of Vnrighteousness to Sin Rom. vi 13. Sin reigns in their mortal Bodies and they openly obey it in the Lusts thereof v. 12. They are avowedly Servants of Sin unto Death v. 16. and are not ashamed of it The shew of their Countenance doth witness against them they declare their Sin as Sodom they hide it not Isa. iij. 9. Such are those described Eph. iv 18 19. and such the World is filled withal Such as being under the Power of Darkness and Enmity against God do act them in opposition to all serious Godliness and in the service of various Lusts. There is no question concerning their state They cannot themselves deny that it is so with them I speak not for the liberty of Censuring but for the easiness of Judging Those who openly wear Sin 's Livery may well be esteemed to be Sin 's Servants and they shall not fail to receive Sin 's Wages Let them at present bear it never so high and despise all manner of Convictions they will find it bitterness in the latter end Isa. l. 11. Eccles. xi 9. 2. BUT there are many in whom the case is dubious and not easie to be determined for on the one hand they may have sundry things in them which seem repugnant unto the reign of Sin but indeed are not inconsistent with it All Arguments and Pleas from them in their vindication may fail them on a trial And on the other hand there may be some in whom the effectual working of sin may be so great and perplexing as to argue that it hath the dominion when indeed it hath not but is only a stubborn Rebel THE things of the first sort which seem destructive of and inconsistent with the Dominion of Sin but indeed are not may be referred to five Heads 1. ILLVMINATION in Knowledge and spiritual Gifts with Convictions of Good and Evil of all known Duties and Sins This is that which some Men live in a perpetual Rebellion against in one instance or another 2. A Change in the Affections giving a temporary Delight in Religious Duties with some constancy in their Observations This also is found in many who are yet evidently under the Power of Sin and spiritual Darkness 3. A Performance of many Duties both Moral and Evangelical for the substance of them and an Abstinence out of Conscience from many Sins So was it with the Young Man in the Gospel who yet wanted what was necessary to free him from the Dominion of Sin Matth. xix 20 21 22 23. 4. REPENTANCE for Sin committed This is that which most secure themselves by and a blessed security it is when it is Gracious Evangelical a fruit of Faith comprizing the Return of the whole Soul to God. But there is that which is legal partial respecting particular Sins only which is not pleadable in this Case Ahab was no less under the Dominion of Sin when he had Repented him that he was before And Judas Repented him before he hanged himself 5. PROMISES and Resolutions against Sin for the future But the Goodness of many in these things is like the morning Cloud and as the early Dew it passeth away as it is in the Prophet Hos. vi 4. WHERE there is a Concurrence of these things in any they have good hopes at least that they are not under the Dominion of Sin nor is it easie to convince them that they are And they may so behave themselves herein as that it is not consistent with Christian Charity to pronounce them so to be Howbeit the fallacy that is in these things hath been detected by many and much more is by all required to evidence the sincerity of Faith and Holiness No Man therefore can be acquitted by pleas taken from them as unto their subjection to the Reign of Sin. THE things of the second sort whence Arguments may be taken to prove the Dominion of Sin in any Person which yet will not certainly do it are those which we shall now examine And we must observe 1. THAT where Sin hath the Dominion it doth indeed rule in the whole Soul and all the faculties of it It is a vitious Habit in all of them corrupting them in their several Natures and Power with that Corruption whereof they are capable So in the Mind of Darkness and Vanity the Will of Spiritual Deceit and Perversness the Heart of Stubbornness and Sensuality Sin in its Power reaches unto and affects them all But 2. IT doth evidence its Dominion and is to be tryed by its acting in the distinct Faculties of the Mind in the frame of the Heart and in the course of the Life THESE are those
Sin may prevail as unto an Application of them unto the Mortification of any Sin. THE First is The daily exercise of Faith on Christ as Crucified This is the great Fundamental Means of the mortification of Sin in general and which we ought to apply unto every particular Instance of it This the Apostle Discourseth at large Rom. vi 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13. Our Old Man saith he is crucified with Christ that the Body of Sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve Sin. Our Old Man or the Body of Sin is the Power and Reign of Sin in us These are to be destroyed that is so mortified that henceforth we should not serve Sin that we should be delivered from the Power and Rule of it This saith the Apostle is done in Christ Crucified with him It is so meritoriously in his actual dying or being Crucified for us it is so virtually because of the certain Provision that is made therein for the Mortification of all Sin. But it is so actually by the Exercise of Faith on him as crucified dead and buried which is the means of the actual Communication of the virtue of his Death unto us for that End. Herein are we said to be dead and buried with him whereof Baptism is the Pledge So by the Cross of Christ the World is crucified unto us and we are so to the World Gal. vi 14. which is the substance of the Mortification of all Sin. There are several Ways whereby the Exercise of Faith on Christ crucified is effectual unto this End. 1. LOOKING unto him as such will beget holy Mourning in us Zech. xij 10. They shall look on him whom they have pierced and mourn It is a Promise of Gospel Times and Gospel Grace A view of Christ as pierced will cause mourning in them that have received the Promise of the Spirit of Grace and Supplication there mentioned And this mourning is the Foundation of Mortification It is that godly Sorrow which works Repentance unto Salvation not to be repented of 2 Cor. vij 10. And Mortification of Sin is of the Essence of Repentance The more Believers are exercised in this View of Christ the more humble they are the more they are kept in that mourning frame which is universally opposite unto all the Interest of Sin and which keeps the Soul watchful against all its Attempts Sin never reigned in an humble mourning Soul. 2. IT is effectual unto the same end by the way of a powerful Motive as that which calls and leads unto Conformity to him This is pressed by the Apostle Rom. vi 8 9 10 11. Our Conformity unto Christ as crucified and dead consists in our being dead unto Sin and thereby overthrowing the reign of it in our mortal Bodies This Conformity saith he we ought to reckon on as our Duty reckon your selves dead unto Sin that is that you ought so to be in that Conformity which you ought to aim at unto Christ crucified Can any spiritual Eye behold Christ dying for Sin and continue to live in Sin Shall we keep that alive in us which he dy'd for that it might not eternally destroy us Can we behold him bleeding for our Sins and not endeavour to give them their deaths Wound The efficacy of the Exercise of Faith herein unto the Mortification of Sin is known unto all Believers in Experience 3. FAITH herein gives us Communion with him in his Death and unites the Soul unto it in its Efficacy Hence we are said to be buried with him into Death and to be planted together in the likeness of his Death Rom. vi 4 5. Our Old Man is crucified with him v. 6. We have by Faith Communion with him in his Death unto the death of Sin. THIS therefore is the first Grace and Duty which we ought to attend unto for the Mortification of Sin. But where Sin hath that Interest and Power in the Mind as to take it off from this Exercise of Faith to prevent or obstruct it as it will do so as that it will not so as that it shall not dare to think or meditate on Christ crucified because of the inconsistency of such Thoughts with an Indulgence unto any Lust it is to be feared that Sin is in the Throne IF it be thus with any if they have not yet made use of this way and means for the Mortification of Sin or if being convinced of it they have been for any season driven or withheld from the Exercise of Faith herein I have nothing to offer to free them from this Evidence of the reign of Sin but only that they would speedily and carefully address themselves unto their Duty herein And if they prevail on themselves unto it it will bring in its own Evidence of their freedom SOME it may be will say That indeed they are unskilful in this Word of Righteousness as some are Heb. v. 13. They know not how to make use of Christ crucified unto this End nor how to set themselves about it Other ways of Mortification they can understand The Discipline and Penances assigned by the Papists unto this End are sensible So are our own Vows and Resolutions with other Duties that are prescribed but as for this way of deriving Vertue from the Death of Christ unto the Death of Sin they can understand nothing of it I easily believe that some may say so yea ought to say so if they would speak their Minds For the spiritual Wisdom of Faith is required hereunto but all Men have not Faith. On the loss of this Wisdom the Papists have invented another way to supply the whole Exercise of Faith herein They will make Crucifixes Images of Christ crucified then they will adore embrace mourn over and expect great Verue from them Without these Images they know no way of addressing unto Christ for the Communication of any Virtue from his Death or Life Others may be at the same loss But they may do well to consider the cause of it For 1. IS it not from Ignorance of the Mystery of the Gospel and of the Communication of supplies of spiritual things from Christ thereby of the Efficacy of his Life and Death unto our Sanctification and Mortification of Sin Or 2. IS it not because indeed they have never been throughly distressed in their Minds and Consciences by the Power of Sin and so have never in good earnest looked for relief Light general Convictions either of the Guilt or Power of Sin will drive none to Christ. When their Consciences are reduced unto real Streights and they know not what to do they will learn better how to look unto him whom they have pierced Their Condition whoever they are is dangerous who find not a necessity every day of applying themselves by Faith unto Christ for help and succour Or 3. IS it not because they have other reliefs to betake themselves unto Such are there own Promises and Resolutions which for the most part
that live in Sin is that the Liberty which he purchased with his Blood is not to be valued or esteemed They flatter him with their Lips in the outward performance of some duties but in their Hearts they despise him and the whole work of his Mediation But the time is approaching wherein they will learn the difference between the slavery of Sin and the Liberty wherewith Christ makes Believers free And this is that which is now tendred unto Sinners in the Dispensation of the Gospel Life and Death are here set before you chuse Life that ye may live for ever 2. LET those that are Believers in all their Conflicts with Sin live in the exercise of Faith on this purchace of Liberty made by the Blood of Christ. For two Things will hence ensue 1. That they will have a mighty Argument always in readiness to oppose unto the Deceit and Violence of Sin. The Soul will hereon say to its self shall I forego and part with that which Christ purchased for me at so dear a rate by giving place to the solicitations of Lust or Sin Shall I despise his purchace God forbid See Rom. vi 2. By such Arguings is the mind frequently preserved from closing with the Enticements and Seductions of Sin. 2. It is an effectual Argument for Faith to use in its pleading for deliverance from the Power of Sin. We ask for nothing but what Christ hath purchased for us And if this Plea be pursued it will be prevalent 2dly THE internal efficient cause of this Liberty or that whereby the Power and Rule of Sin is destroyed in us is the Holy Spirit himself which farther evinceth the greatness of this Mercy Every act for the Mortification of Sin is no less immediately from him than those positive Graces are whereby we are sanctified It is through the Spirit that we mortify the deeds of the Flesh Rom. viij 13. Where he is there and there alone is Liberty All attempts for the Mortification of Sin without his especial aids and Operations are frustrate And this manifests the Extent of the Dominion of Sin in the World. He alone by whom it can be destroyed and all those efficacious Operations of his whereby it is so are generally despised And they must live and die slaves unto Sin by whom they are so Wherefore a great part of our Wisdom for the attaining and preserving this Liberty consists in the acting of Faith on that promise of our Saviour that our heavenly Father will give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him of him When Sin in any Instance by any Temptation urgeth for Power and Rule in us we are ready to turn into our selves and our own Resolutions which in their place are not to be neglected But immediate crys unto God for such supplies of his Spirit as without which Sin will not be subdued we shall find our best Relief Bear it in mind try it on the next Occasion and God will bless it with success 3dly THE instrumental cause of this Freedom is the Duty of Believers themselves in and for the destruction of Sin. And this also manifests the importance of this Privilege This is one of the principal Ends of all our religious Duties of Prayer of Fasting of Meditation of Watchfulness unto all other Duties of Obedience they are all designed to prevent and ruine the Interest of Sin in us We are called into a Theater to fight and contend into a Field to be tried in a Warfare Our Enemy is this Sin which strives and contends for the Rule over us This we are to resist even unto blood that is our utmost in doing and suffering And certainly that is in it self and unto us of the highest Importance which on divine Appointment and Command is the great End of the constant Endeavours of our whole lives Secondly IT appears so to be from the consideration of the Bondage which we are delivered from thereby Bondage is that which humane nature is most averse from until it be debased and debauched by sensual Lusts. Men of ingenuous Spirits have in all Ages chosen rather to die than to be made slaves But there is no such Bondage as that which is under the Dominion of Sin. To be under the Power of base Lusts as Covetousness Uncleanness Drunkenness Ambition Pride and the like to make Provision to fulfil their Desires in the Wills of the Mind and the Flesh is the worst of slavery BUT we may say what we please on this subject none think themselves so free none make such an Appearance of generous Freedom unto others as those who are avowed servants of Sin. If those are not Freemen who do what they please and are for the most part approved in what they do who puff at all their Enemies and scorn such as pusillanimous Slaves who go not forth unto the same compass of excess with them who shall be esteemed free They plead with the Pharisees that they are the only Freemen and were never in Bondage to any The servile restraints of Fear from divine Judgment and future Accounts they wholly despise See the Description Psal. lxxiij 4 5 6 7 8 9 10. Who so free so joyous as such Persons as for others they are plagued all the day long and are chastened every morning v. 14. Yea they go heavily and mournfully under the oppression of this Enemy crying out continually for deliverance BUT the Truth insisted on is not at all impeached by this Observation It is a great part of the slavery of such Persons that they know not themselves to be Slaves and boast that they are free They are born in a state of Enmity against God and Bondage under Sin and they like well of it as all abject Slaves do under the worst of Tyrants they know no better But true Liberty consists in inward Peace Tranquillity of Mind Designs for and Inclinations unto the best things the most noble Objects of our natural rational Souls All these they are utter Strangers unto who spend their lives in the service of vile and base Lusts. Envy not their Gallantry their glistering appearances their heaps of Wealth and Treasures they are in the whole vile and contemptible Slaves The Apostle determines their Case Rom. vi 17. It is a matter of eternal thankfulness unto God that we are delivered from being the Servants of Sin. YEA it is an Evidence of Grace of a good frame of Spirit when a soul is made really sensible of the excellency of this Freedom when it so finds the Power and Interest of Sin to be weakned as that it can rejoice in it and be thankful to God for it Rom. vij 25. Thirdly IT is so with respect unto the End of this Bondage or what it brings Men unto If after all the base drudgery which sinful Men are put unto in the service of their Lusts if after all the Conflicts which their Consciences put them on with Fears and Terrors in the World they could expect