Chapter 2: What Is the Dominion of Sin?

The enquiries for understanding the text proposed; the first spoken to: namely, what is the dominion of sin, which we are freed from, and discharged of by grace.

We shall enquire into three things from the words of this text.

- I. What is that dominion of sin, which we are freed from, and discharged of by grace. - II. How we may know whether sin has the dominion in us or no. - III. What is the reason and evidence of the assurance here given us, that sin shall not have dominion over us; namely, because we are not under the law, but under grace.

1. As to the first of these, I shall only recount some such properties of it, as will discover its nature in general; the particulars wherein it does consist, will be considered afterwards.

1. The dominion of sin is perverse and evil, and that on both the accounts which render any rule or dominion so to be.

1. It is usurped. Sin has no right to rule in the souls of men. Men have no power to give sin a right to rule over them. They may voluntarily enslave themselves to it; but this gives sin no right or title. All men have originally another Lord, to whom they owe all obedience; nor can any thing discharge them from their allegiance thereunto: and this is the law of God. The Apostle says indeed, that to whom men yield themselves servants to obey, his servants they are to whom they obey, whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness, v. 19. And so it is, men are thereby the proper servants of sin; they become so by their own voluntary subjection to it: but this gives sin no title against the law of God, whose right alone it is to bear sway in the souls of men. For all that give up themselves to the service of sin, do live in actual rebellion against their natural liege Lord. Hence sundry things do follow:

First. The great aggravation of the evil of a state of sin. Men who live therein, do voluntarily wrest themselves, what lies in them, from under the rule of the law of God, and give up themselves to be slaves to this tyrant. Could it lay any claim to this dominion, had it any title to plead, it were some alleviation of guilt in them that give up themselves to it. But men yield up themselves to the slavery of sin, as the Apostle speaks; they reject the rule of God's law, and choose this foreign yoke, which cannot but be an aggravation of their sin and misery. Yet so it is, that the greatest part of men do visibly and openly profess themselves the servants and slaves of sin. They wear its livery, and do all its drudgery; yes, they boast themselves in their bondage, and never think themselves so brave and gallant, as when by profane swearing, drunkenness, uncleanness, covetousness, and scoffing at religion, they openly disavow the Lord whom they serve, the Master to whom they do belong. But their damnation sleeps not, whatever they may dream in the mean time.

2. Hence it follows that ordinarily all men have a right in themselves, to cast off the rule of sin, and to vindicate themselves into liberty. They may when they will, plead the right and title of the law of God to the rule of their souls, to the utter exclusion of all pleas and pretences of sin, for its power. They have right to say to it, Get you hence, what have I to do any more with idols?

All men, I say, have this right in themselves, because of the natural allegiance they owe to the law of God; but they have not power of themselves to execute this right, and actually to cast off the yoke of sin; but this is the work of grace. Sin's dominion is broke only by grace.

But you will say then, to what end serves this right, if they have not power in themselves to put it in execution? And how can it be charged as an aggravation of their sin, that they do not use the right which they have, seeing they have no power so to do? Will you blame a man that has a right to an estate if he do not recover it, when he has no means so to do?

I answer briefly three things.

1st. No man living neglects the use of this right, to cast off the yoke and dominion of sin, because he cannot of himself make use of it; but merely because he will not. He does voluntarily choose to continue under the power of sin, and looks on every thing as his enemy, that would deliver him. The carnal mind is enmity against God, it is not subject to his law, nor can it be (Romans 8:7). When the law comes at any time to claim its right and rule over the soul, a man under the power of sin, looks on it as his enemy that comes to disturb his peace, and fortifies his mind against it. And when the Gospel comes and tenders the way and means for the soul's delivery, offering its aid and assistance to that end; this also is looked on as an enemy, and is rejected, and all its offers to that end. See (Proverbs 1:20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25) and (John 3:19). This then is the condition of every one that abides under the dominion of sin: he chooses so to do; he continues in that state by an act of his own will; he avows an enmity to every thing which would give him deliverance; which will be a sore aggravation of his condemnation at the last day.

2ly. God may justly require that of any, which it is in the power of the grace of the Gospel to enable them to perform and comply withal. For this is tendered to them in the preaching of it every day. And although we know not the ways and means of the effectual communication of grace to the souls of men; yet this is certain, that grace is so tendered in the preaching of the Gospel, that none go without it, none are destitute of its aids and assistances, but those alone, who by a free act of their own wills, do refuse and reject it. This is that which the whole cause depends on; you will not come to me, that you may have life. And this all unbelievers have or may have experience of in themselves. They may know on a due examination of themselves, that they do voluntarily refuse the assistance of grace, which is offered for their deliverance. Therefore is their destruction of themselves.

3ly. There is a time, when men lose even the right also. He who gave up himself to have his ear bored, lost all his claim to future liberty; he was not to go out at the year of Jubile. So there is a time when God judicially gives up men to the rule of sin, to abide under it for ever; so as that they lose all right to liberty. So he dealt with many of the idolatrous Gentiles of old (Romans 1:24, 26, 28), and so continues to deal with the like profligate sinners. So he acts towards the generality of the Anti-christian world (2 Thessalonians 2:11, 12), and with many despisers of the Gospel (Isaiah 6:9, 10). When it is come to this, men are cast at law; and have lost all right and title to liberty from the dominion of sin. They may repine sometimes at the service of sin or the consequence of it, in shame and pain, in the shameful distempers that will pursue many in their uncleanness; yet God having given them up judicially to sin, they have not so much as a right to put up one prayer or petition for deliverance; nor will they do so, but are bound in the fetters of cursed presumption or despair. See their work and wages (Romans 2:5, 6). This is the most woeful state and condition of sinners in this world; an unavoidable entrance into the chambers of death. You that have lived long under the power of sin, beware least that come upon you which is spoken of in these Scriptures. You have as yet a right to deliverance from that bondage and servitude wherein you are, if you put in your claim in the court of heaven. You know not how soon you may be deprived of this also, by God's giving you up judicially to sin and Satan. Then all complaints will be too late, and all springs of endeavours for relief be utterly dried up. All your reserves for a future repentance shall be cut off, and all your cries shall be despised (Proverbs 1:25, 26, 27, 28, 29). While it is yet called today harden not your hearts, least God swear in his wrath, that you shall never enter into his rest.

That you may be warned, take notice that the signs or symptoms of the approach of such a season, of such an irrecoverable condition, are (1.) a long continuance in the practice of any known sin. There are bounds of divine patience. The long suffering of God for a time waits for repentance (1 Peter 3:20; 2 Peter 3:9). But there is a time, when it does only endure vessels of wrath, fitted for destruction (Romans 9:22), which is commonly after a long continuance in known sin. (2.) When convictions have been digested, and warnings despised. God does not usually deal thus with men, until they have rejected the means of their deliverance. There is a generation indeed, who from their youth up do live in a contempt of God; such are those proud sinners whom the Psalmist describes (Psalm 10:2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, &c.). There are seldom any tokens of the going forth of the decree against this sort of men. The appearing evidences of it, are their adding drunkenness to thirst; one kind of sin to another, making a visible progress in sinning, adding boasting and a profane contempt of all things sacred, to their course in sin. But ordinarily those that are in danger of this judicial hardness, have had warnings and convictions, which made some impression on them; but are now left without any calls and rebukes, or at least any sense of them. (3). When men contract the guilt of such sins, as seem to entrench on the unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost. Such as proud, contemptuous, malicious reproaches of the ways of God, of holiness, of the Spirit of Christ and his Gospel. This sort of persons are frequently marked in the Scripture, as those who at least are nigh to a final and fatal rejection. (4.) A voluntary relinquishment of the means of grace, and conversion to God, which men have enjoyed. And this is commonly accompanied with an hatred of the word, and those by whom it is dispensed. Such persons God frequently, and that visibly, gives up in an irrecoverable way to the dominion of sin. He declares that he will have no more to do with them. (5.) The resolved choice of wicked, profane, unclean scoffing society. It is very rare that any are recovered from that snare. And many other signs there are of the near approach of such a hardening judgment, as shall give up men everlastingly to the service of sin. Oh that poor sinners would awake, before it be too late.

2. This dominion of sin is evil and perverse, not only because it is unjust and usurped, but because it is always used and exercised to ill ends, to the hurt and ruin of them over whom it is. An usurper may make use of his power and rule for good ends, for the good of them over whom he rules. But all the ends of the dominion of sin are evil to sinners. Sin in its rule will pretend fair, offer sundry advantages and satisfactions to their minds. They shall have wages for their work: pleasure and profit shall come in by it. Yes, on divers pretences it will promise them eternal rest at the close of all; at least that they shall not fail of it by any thing they do in its service: and by such means it keeps them in security. But the whole real design of it, that which in all its power it operates towards, is the eternal ruin of their souls; and this sinners will understand when it is too late (Jeremiah 2:13, 19).

2dly. 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 consists in putting a force on the mind and soul by its temptations, there it has no dominion. It may perplex them, it does not rule over them. Where it has dominion, it has 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 up themselves servants to obey it (Romans 6:16).

Therefore to 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 to rule and dominion; as the Apostle declares at large in the next chapter. The will is the sovereign faculty and power of the soul; whatever principle acts in it, and determines it, that has the rule. Notwithstanding light and conviction, the determination of the whole, as to duty and sin, is in the power of the will. If the will of sinning 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 oft-times (as we shall farther see, with the reason of it) is not easily to be attained to. Convictions on the one hand, will make a great pretence and appearance of an opposition in the will to sin, by their unavoidable impressions on it, when it is not so. And disturbed affections under temptations, will plead, that the will itself is given up to the choice and service of sin, when it is not so. The will in this matter is like the Thebans Shield, while that was safe they conceited themselves victorious, even in death. However this case is determinable by the light of Scripture and experience, and it is here proposed to a determination.

3rdly, it is required to 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 has 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 government 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, to the disquietment of our consciences. Let us endeavour to preserve an experience of the rule of grace in our hearts (Colossians 3:15). Under a conduct and rule from where our state is denominated, we are and must be. This is either of sin or grace. There is no composition nor copartnership between them, as to rule: as to residence there is, but not as to rule. If we can assure ourselves of the one, we secure ourselves 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 to a due observation of its acting, and operation 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 to Christ, notwithstanding the interposition of surprisals by temptations, and the most urgent solicitations of sin: this is called, cleaving to God, with purpose of heart (Acts 11:23). This will be, wherever grace has the rule. As a man that goes 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, towards the place where he set forth; but his design still holds, and in the pursuit thereof, he applies his skill and industry, to retrieve and recover all its 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 to God; but in its course it meets with storms and cross winds of temptations, and various artifices of sin. These disturb him, disorder him, drive him backwards sometimes, as if it would take a contrary course, and return to the coast of sin from where it set out. But where grace has 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 to its prevalent design of living to 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 purposes of living to 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 does it evidence its rule, and that the whole interest of sin in the soul is by rebellion, and not by virtue of dominion.

2. It does so, by keeping up a constant exercise of grace in all religious duties; or, at least, a sincere endeavour, that so it may be. Where sin has the dominion, it can allow the soul to perform religious duties, yes, in some cases, to abound in them. But it will take care that divine grace be not exercised in them. Whatever there may be of delight in duties or other motions of affection, which light, and gifts, and afflictions, and superstition will occasion, there is no exercise of divine faith and love in them: this belongs essentially and inseparably to the rule of grace. Wherever that bears sway, the soul will endeavour the constant exercise of grace in all its duties, and never be satisfied in the work done, without some sense of it. Where it fails therein, it will judge itself, and watch against the like surprisals; yes, unless it be in case of some great temptation, the present sense of the guilt of sin, which is the highest obstruction against that spiritual boldness, which is required to the due exercise of grace, that is of faith and love in holy duties, shall not hinder the soul from endeavouring after it, or the use of it.

If by these means, and the like inseparable operations of grace, we can have an assuring experience, that we are under the rule and conduct of it, we may be free in our minds from disturbing apprehensions of the dominion of sin; for both cannot bear sway in the same soul.

4thly. It is required hereunto, that sin makes the soul sensible of its power and rule, at least does that which may do so, unless conscience be utterly seared and hardened, and so past feeling. There is no rule nor dominion, but they are or may be sensible of it, who are subject thereunto. And there are two ways whereby sin in its dominion, will make them sensible of it in whom it rules.

1. In repressing and overcoming the efficacy of the convictions of the mind. Those who are under the dominion of sin (as we shall see more immediately) may have light into, and conviction of their duty, in many things. And this light and conviction they may follow ordinarily, notwithstanding the dominion of sin. As a tyrant will permit his slaves and subjects ordinarily to follow their own occasions; but if what they would do, comes either in matter or manner to interfere with or oppose his interest, he will make them sensible of his power. So sin, where it has the dominion, if men have light and conviction, it will allow them ordinarily and in many things to comply therewithal. It will allow them to pray, to hear the Word, to abstain from sundry sins, to perform many duties, as is expressly affirmed in the Scripture, of many that were under the power of sin, and we see it in experience. How much work do we see about religion and religious duties? What constant observation of the times and seasons of them? How many duties performed morally good in themselves and useful, by them, who on many other accounts, do proclaim themselves to be under the dominion of sin? But if the light and conviction of this sort of persons do rise up in opposition to the principal interest of sin, in those lusts and ways wherein it exercises its rule, it will make them, in whom they are, sensible of its power. They that stifle, or shut their eyes against, or cast out of mind, or go directly contrary to their convictions; light in such cases will first repine, and then relieve itself with resolutions for other times and seasons; but sin will carry the cause by virtue of its dominion.

Hence two things do follow.

1. A constant repugnancy against sin, from light in the mind and conviction in the conscience, does not prove that those in whom it is, are not under the dominion of sin. For until blindness and hardness do come on men to the uttermost, there will be in them a judging of what is good and evil, with a self-judging with respect thereunto, as the Apostle declares (Romans 2:15). And herein many do satisfy themselves. When their light condemns sin, they suppose they hate it; but they do not. When convictions call for duties, they suppose they love them; but they do not. That which they look on as the rule of light in them, in opposition to sin, is but the rebellion of a natural enlightened conscience, against the dominion of it in the heart. In brief; light may condemn every known sin, keep from many, press for every known duty, lead to the performance of many; yet sin have a full dominion in the soul. And this it will evidence when it comes to the trial, in those instances where it exercises its ruling power.

2. That miserable is their condition whose minds are ground continually between the conduct of their light, with the urgency of conviction on the one hand, and the rule or dominion of sin on the other. Wherever light is, it is its due to have the rule and conduct. It is that act whereby the mind loads itself. For men to be forced by the power of their lusts, to act for the most part against their light, as they do where sin has the dominion, it is a sad and deplorable condition. Such persons are said to rebel against the light (Job 24:13), because of its right to rule in them, where it is deposed by sin. This makes most men but a troubled sea that cannot rest, whose waves cast up mire and dirt.

2dly. Sin will make those in whom it has dominion sensible of its power, by its continual solicitations of the mind and affections, with respect to that sin, or those sins wherein it principally exercises its rule. Having possessed the will and inclinations of the mind with the affections, as it does wherever its dominion is absolute, it continually disposes, inclines and stirs up the mind towards those sins. It will level the bent of the whole soul towards such sins or the circumstances of them. Nor is there a more pregnant discovery of the rule of sin in any than this, that it habitually engages the mind and affections, to a constant exercise of themselves about this or that, some sin, and evil way or other.

But yet we must add, that notwithstanding these indications of the ruling power of sin, they are but few in whom it has this dominion, that are convinced of their state and condition. Many are so under the power of darkness, of supine sloth and negligence, and are so desperately wicked, as that they have no sense of this rule of sin. Such are those described by the Apostle (Ephesians 4:18, 19). And whereas they are the vilest slaves that live on the earth, they judge none to be free but themselves: they look on others as in bondage to foolish and superstitious fears, while they are at liberty to drink, swear, scoff at religion, whore, and defile themselves without control. This is their liberty; and they may have that which is as good in Hell; a liberty to curse and blaspheme God, and to fly with revengeful thoughts on themselves, and the whole creation. The light in such persons is darkness itself; so as that they have nothing to rise up in opposition to the rule of sin, from where alone a sense of its power does arise. Others (as we observed before) living in some compliance with their light and convictions, abstaining from many sins, and performing many duties, though they live in some known sin or other, and allow themselves in it, yet will not allow that sin has the dominion in them.

Therefore there are two things hard and difficult in this case.

1. TO convince those in whom sin evidently has the dominion, that such indeed is their state and condition; they will with their utmost endeavour keep of the conviction hereof. Some justifie themselves, and some will make no enquiry into this matter. It is a rare thing, especially of late, to have any brought under this conviction by the preaching of the Word; though it be the case of multitudes that attend to it.

2. TO satisfie some, that sin has 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, while they are in this world, does 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 to stability in the life of God, which fills them with trouble.