against any such opposition, and bring forth more sinful sin. The
knowledge and conscience that many have, serve nothing but to make their
sins greater; to exasperate and imbitter their spirits and lusts against
God. "Why tormentest thou me before the time?" It is a devilish
disposition that is in us all,--We cannot endure the light, because our
deeds are evil.

Let us but consider these particulars, and we shall know the power and
dominion of sin. 1st, Consider the extent of its dominion, both in regard
of all men, and all in every man. I say, all men,--there is none of us
exempted from it; the most noble, and the most base. Sin is the catholic
king, the universal king, or rather Satan, who is the prince of this
world, and he rules the world, by this law of sin, which is even the
contradiction of the law of God. Who of you believes this, that Satan's
kingdom is so spacious,--that it is even over the most part of the visible
church? This is the emperor of the world. The Turk vainly arrogates this
title to himself, but the devil is truly so, and we have God's own
testimony for it. All kings, all nobles, all princes, all people, rich and
poor, high and low, are once subjects of this prince, ruled by this black
law of sin. O know your condition, whose servants ye are! Think not within
yourselves, "we have Abraham for our father,"--we are baptized Christians.
No, know that all of us are once the children of Satan, and do his works,
and fulfil his will. But moreover, all that is in us is subject to this
law of sin,--all the faculties of the soul. The understanding is under the
power of darkness, the affections under the power of corruption, the mind
is blinded, and the heart is hardened, the soul alienated from God, who is
its life; all the members and powers of a man yielded up as instruments of
unrighteousness, every one to execute that wicked law, and fulfil the
lusts of the flesh. This dominion is over all a man's actions, even those
that are in best account and esteem among men. Your honest, upright
dealing with men, your most religious performances to God, they are more
conformed to the law of sin, than to the law of God,--Hag. ii. 14. "This
nation, and the work of their hands, and that which they offer, is
unclean." All your works, your good works, are infected with this
pollution. Sin hath defiled your persons, and they defile all your
actions,--the infection is mutual. These actions again defile your persons
still