A treatise of the dominion of sin and grace wherein sin's reign is discovered,…

they are loath to come to any narrow search or trial, least they should be found out and appear to themselves in their ugly shapes, whilst they are willing that all the World should have a good Opinion of them, under which they cannot admit of any inward disturbances, but desire to sleep in a whole Skin.

OTHERS there are, sincere, broken-hearted Believers, scared at the Rock of Presumption, on which they see so many Professors wracked daily, are apt to fall upon the other Extreme, and too wrongfully, to free Grace, condemn themselves, as being under the Dominion of Sin, and therefore censure themselves to be under the Law and Wrath, notwithstanding all their seeming Faith and Holiness, calling that Presumption and this Hypocrisy: Hence returning to a kind of Spirit of Bondage again to fear, their Faith is shaken by prevailing Unbelief, their Peace is broken, and all Gospel Ordinances rendered ineffectual, as to their true Ends of profit, Edification and Comfort. Hence, though they are truly under Grace, they do not know, or rather through Temptation, will not acknowledge it, but go mourning all the day long, because of the Oppressor, and the Enemy: But I beseech such a poor Soul to consider a little, and not to receive the Grace of God in vain, dost thou groan under the Usurpation and Oppression of remaining Sin, and is this the Dominion of it? Is there no difference between Sin's Dominion, and Sin's Tyranny and Usurpation? Dominion is upon account of right of Conquest, ⟨image 6⟩or subjection, there is upon both that Sin reigns in, carnal and unregenerate Men, who yield up their Members as instruments of Unrighteousness unto Sin, but you reckon your selves dead unto Sin, having no joy in its prevalency but grief, being planted in this respect, in the likeness of Christ's Death, who died unto Sin once, but dieth no more. Sin shall have no more Dominion over him; likewise reckon ye also your selves dead indeed unto Sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord, i. e. To be under Grace, to put your self freely and joyfully under the Conduct and Dominion of Jesus Christ, and to keep up a continual fight and opposition against the prevailing Power of Sin. Indeed Sin will often, as an Out-lying watchful Enemy, make its assaults and incursions on the best of God's Children, as it did on David, Hezekiah, Peter, and though it may make breaches upon them, Sin shall not have a Dominion, and set up a Throne of Iniquity in their Hearts. Grace will beat out Sin's Throne;