The usurper in chains
But to suppose sin in a believer, they say, is full of everything frightful and discouraging. It implies a fight with a power that has possession of our strength, that maintains his usurpation of our hearts, and that there carries on the war in defiance of our Redeemer.
Not so. To suppose that sin is in us does not imply that it has possession of our strength, any more than a crucified man has possession of those who crucify him. Just as little does it imply that sin maintains its usurpation of our hearts. The usurper is dethroned. He remains, indeed, where he once reigned, but he remains in chains. So he does, in some sense, carry on the war, yet he grows weaker and weaker, while the believer goes on from strength to strength, conquering and to conquer.
1771 text
11. “But the supposing sin in a believer is pregnant with every thing frightful and discouraging. It implies the contending with a power, that has the possession of our strength, maintains his usurpation of our hearts, and there prosecutes the war in defiance of our Redeemer.” Not so. The supposing sin is in us, does not imply, that it has the possession of our strength. No more than a man crucified has the possession of those that crucify him. As little does it imply, that sin “maintains its usurpation of our hearts.” The usurper is dethroned. He remains indeed where he once reigned; but remains in chains. So that he does, in some sense “prosecute the war,” yet he grows weaker and weaker: while the believer goes on from strength to strength, conquering and to conquer.