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BA^-^C
THE LIBRARY
OF
THE UNIVERSITY
OF CALIFORNIA
LOS ANGELES
. .^'/
'-ti
THE
Great Chriftian Do£lrine
O F
ORIGINAL SIN
DEFENDEDj
Evidence^ of its Truth produced,
AND
Arguments to the contrary anfwered.
Containing, in particular,
A REPLY to the Objedions and Arguings of Dr. John Taylor, in his Book, Intitled, " The Scripture-Doftrine of Original Sin pro- " pofed to free and candid Examination, &;c."
By the late Reverend and Learned
JONATHAN EDWARDS, A.M.
Prefident of the College of New-^jerfey,
Matth. ix. 12. ^hey that ke^<:hole, need net a Phyfician\ but
they that are fick. — Et hacc non tantum ad Peccatores refsrenda eft ; quia in omnibus Maledidionibus priiiii Hominis, omnes ejus Genc- rationes conveniunt.~ R. Sal. Jarchf.
Propter Concupilccntiam, innatain Cordi humano, dicitur. In Iniquitate genitus lum ; atque Scnfus eft, quod a Nati- vitate implantatuin fit Cordi humano "Jetzer haraug, Fig- mentum malum. — Aben-Ezra.
— Ad Mores Natura recurrit Damnatoi, fi;;a i"; mutari nclcia. —
— Deciles imi:andis Turpibus & pr.ivi^ omnes fumus. — Juv.
BOSTON PrinrcJ, LOXDON Rc-plnicd,
For G. Keith, in Grai,\-'::ircb-Strect \ and J. JoiiNsoN and
Co. at the G/ch, in Pater?:oj'icr-R'ji'j.
~m7dcc.lx-vi.
•pv-President Wrote It nu Tr.a.urer W H McKeag end Miss Eleanor Bv< Deputy CltyTrea^urer^W.^^^^ ^^ ^^^^^^ Coolidge. fy*',
' AN you'cash this check lor ^id for them. In
ii/^ ,,. weeks he received r.
C ?S question was addre^ed J^ou xn^f ^r^T to City l^eaiurer Powell ^f ^^^^^ Ss^U if I 1^' 2.d When he looked up l^^J^jsend you no.,_. ^at the questioner was George W^ Mulry. a clerk in the office of the H?e commission. KnoVing Mn
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'^ ^?blch?ck more closely and ""^ ?®first that it wa.5 drawn
"Calvin Coolidge.
" rary calf N.Y., 1763.
VERY SCARCE. This work
"CALV» Tlie books wer' [once, and yester 1 edgment of the Ithe fact that I I them" came in . 1 check.
iiJiANS.
GREAT
ealisc conccrn- 5vo, contcmpo- $10.00 has been called
VFRY SCARCE. This work has been caiiea "the one large contribution that America has made to the deepef philosophic thought of the world.
Bt
^<i y [ iu ]
A brief Account of the Book and its AUTHOR.
THE Reverend Author of the following Piece was removed by Death, before its Publication. But, ere his Deceafe, the Copy was finilhcd and brought to the Prefs, and a Number of Sheets paffed his own Review.
They that were acquainted with the Author, or know his juft Charader, and have any Tafte for the ferious Theme, will want Nothing to be faid in Recommendation of the enfuing Tract, but only that Mr. Edwards wrote it.
Several valuable Pieces on this Subjeft have lately been publifhed, upon the fame Side of the Queftion. But he had no Notice of fo much as the very firft of them, till he had wholly concluded what he had in Yicw : nor has it been thought, any Thing already printed fhould fuperfede this Work of his ; being defigned on a more extenfive Plan i comprifing a Variety of Arguments, and Anfwers to m.any Obie61;ions, that fell not in the Way of the other worthy Writers ; and the Whole done with a Care of familiar Method and Lan- guage, as well as clear Reafoning, in general ac- commodated very much to common Capacities.
It muft be a fenfible Pleafure to every Friend of
Truth, that fo mafterly a Hand undertook a Reply
lo Dr. Tavlor^ notwithftanding the various
a 2. Anlwers
4vS433
LIBRiiRY
iv A Brief Account of the AuthoK,
Anfwers already given him, both at home and abroad.
As it has been thought unfit, this Pofthumous Book Ihould go unattended with a refpedtful Me- morial of the Author, it is hoped, the Reader will candidly accept the following Minutes of his Life and Charafter.
Mr. Edwards was the only Son of the late Reverend Mr. Timothy Edwards, long a faith- ful Pallor of a Church in JVinfor^ in Connecticut ; who (together with his Wife, our Author's pious Mother) was living, in a very advanced Age, till a little before the Death of this his excellent Son, who had for many Years been his Parents Joy and Crown.
He had his Education in Yale-College. — At the Age of about Eighteen, commenced Bat- chelor of Arts, Anno 1720. — Afterwards refided at College for feme Time, purfuing his Studies with a laudable Dihgence. — Took the Degree of Mailer, at the ufual Time : and for a while ferved the College in the Station of a Tutor.
He foon entered into the Miniftry, and was fet- tled at Northampton, in Maflachufetts, as Col- league with his aged Grandfather, the Reverend and famous Mr. Solomon Stoddard i with whom, indeed, as a Son with the Father, he ferved in the Gofpel, till Death divided them. — There he con- tinued his Labours for many Years, in high Efleem at home, as well as abroad ; till uncomfortable De- bates arifmg about a Right to Sacraments, and after his befl Attempts finding no rational Profpeft of any fafe and fpeedy Iffue of them, he at length amica- bly
his Life and CharaSler. V
bly refigncd his Paftoral Relation, and had an honourable Quietus, Anno 1750.
Soon after this, there being a Vacancy in the Miflion at Stockbridge, by the Death of the Reverend and learned Mr. John Sergeant, the Board of CommifTioners at Bofton, who adl under the Society in London, for propagating the Gofpel among the Indians in and about New-England, turned their Eyes to Mr. Edwards, for a Supply of that Miflion. And upon their unanimous Invi- tation, in Concurrence with the Call of the Church (confining of Indians and Englifli) at Stockbridge, he removed thither, and was regularly re-inftated in the Paftoral Office,
He continued his Miniftry there, until on Oc- cafion of the Death of his worthy Son-in-law, the Reverend and Learned Mr. A a p. on Burr, who had fucceeded the Reverend and Learned Mr. Jonathan; Dickinson, in the Station of Prefi- dent of the College of New-Jersey, he was by the Honourable and Reverend Trustees of that Society cholen to be his SucceiTor. The Com- mifTioners at BoRon having received a Motion from them for his Trandation, did in Deference to the Judgment of To rclpeclable a Body, as well as from an Eileem for Mr. Edv/ards, and a View to his more extenfivc Ulcfulncis, generoufly confent to Jiis Removal : and the venerable Council, to whom he finally referred himlclf for Advice on this im- portant Occafion, giving their unanimous Opinion for the Clearncis of his C;',U to the Prefident's Place, he at Length (though with much Reluctance and Self-difiidence) rclinqiiifhed his Paftoral Char^^: imd, Minillcrial Miifion at Stockbridge, and re-
:il \ movcsi
vi A Brief Account of the Author,
moved to Prince-Town in New-Jerfey, whcrq Nassau-Hall Hands, lately ereded.
But that fatal Diftcmper, the Small-pox, which has in former Days been fo much the Scourge and Terror of America, breaking out, in or near the College, about that Time, and Inoculation being favoured with great Succefs, Mr. Edwards, upon mature Thought and Confultation, judged it ad- vifable to go into this Method. Accordingly he v;as inoculated on the 23d of February 1758. And though his Difeafe was comparatively light, the Pock of a milder Sort, and few, yet flich a Number happened to be feated in his Throat and Mouth, as prevented his receiving the neceffary cooling and diluting Draughts •, and fo, upon the Turn of the Pock, a fecondary Fever came on, which prevailed to the putting an End (on March 2 2d) to the important Life of this good and great Man. — As he lived chearfully refigncd in ail Things to the Will of Heaven, fo he died, or ra- ther, as the Scripture emphatically exprefics it, \\\ relation to the Saint in Chrift Jefus, he fell cfleep^ without the leaft Appearance of Pain, and with great Calm of Mind. Indeed, when he firft per- ceived the Symptoms upon him to be mortal, he is faid to have been a little perplexed for a while, about the Meaning of this myiterious Conducl of Providence, in calling him out from his beloved Privacy, to a publick Scene of Action and Influence ^ and then fo fuddeniy, juft upon his Entrance into it, tranflating him from thence, in luch a Way, by Mortality! Hov/ever, he quickly got believing and compofing Viev/s of the VVifdom and Goodneis Gt God in this furprifing Event: and readily yielded to the fovereign Difpofal of Heaven, with the moll placid Submiirion. Amidft the Joy of Faith, he
departed
his Life and Character. vii
departed this World, to go and fee Jesus, whom his Soul loved i to be with him, to behold his Glory, and rcjoyce in his Kingdom above.
Though, by the preceding Account of Mr. Edwards, the Reader may form a general Idea of his Character i yet doubtlefs a more particular Defcription will be expected.
In Perfon, he was tall of Stature, and of a (lender Make. — There was fomething extremely delicate in his Conltitution ; which always obliged him to the exafteft Obfervation of the Rules of Temperance, and every Method of cautious and prudent living. He experienced very fignally the Benefit hereof, as by fuch Means he was helped to go through in- ceflant Labours, and to bear up under much Study, which, Solomon obfcrves, is a Wearinefs to the Flelh. — Perhaps, never was a Man more con- Itantly retired from the World ; giving himfelf to Reading, and Contemplation. And a Wonder it was, that his feeble Frame could fubfift under fuch Fatigues, daily repeated and fo long continued. Yet upon Occafion of fome Remark upon it by a Friend, which was only a few Months before his Death, he told him, " He did not find but he was then as well able to bear the clofeft Study, as he was 30 Years before ; and could go through the Exercifes of the Pulpit with as little Wearinefs or Difficulty." In his Youth, he appeared healthy, and with a good Degree of Vivacity •, but was never robufl:. In middle Life, he appeared very much emaciated (I had almoft faid, mortified) by fevere Studies, and intenfe Applications of Thought. Hence his Voice was a little languid, and too low for a large Aflcmbly ', though much relieved and advantaged by a proper Emphafis, jufi: Cadence, a ..\. wcU"
vlii A Brief Account of the AytHOR,
well-placed Paufes, and great Diflinftnefs in Pro- nunciation. He had a piercing Eye, the truefl Index of the Mind. His Afpedt and Mein had a Mixture of Severity and Pleafancy. He had a na- tural Turn for Gravity and Sedatenefs -, ever con- templative •, and in Converfation ufually referved, but always obfervant of a genuine Decorum, in his Deportment •, free from fullen, fupercilious and contemptuous Airs, and without any Appearance of Oflentation, Levity, or Vanity. As to Imagi- nation, he had enough of it for a great and good Man : but the Gaieties of a luxuriant Fancy, fo, captivating to many, were what he neither affed;ed himfelf, nor was much delighted with in others. He had a natural Steadinefs of Temper, and For- titude of Mind ; which, being fan<ftified by the Spirit of God, was ever of vaft Advantage to him, to carry him through difficult Services, and fupport him under trying Afflidlions, in the Courfe of his Life. Perfonal Injuries he bore with a becoming Meeknefs and Patience, and a Difpofition to For- givenefs. The Humility, Modefty, and Serenity of his Behaviour, much endeared him to his Ac- quaintance ; and made him appear amiable in the Eyes of fuch as had the Privilege of converfing with him. 1,-Ie was a true and faithful X'riend ; and fhewed much of a difintercfted Benevolence to his Neighbour. The feveral Relations fuftained by him, he adorned with an exemplary Conduct ; and was folicitous to fill every Station with its pro- per Duty. Fie kept up an extenfive Correfpond- ence, with Miniilers and others, in various Parts ; and his Letters always contained fome fignificant and valuable Comm^inications. In his private Walk, as a Chriilian, he appeared an Exan:ple of truly rational, confiftent, uniform Religion and Vir- tue : a Ihining Infiance of the power and EScacy
of
his Life and Chara^er. ix
of that holy Faith, which he was fo firmly attached to, and fo ftrenuoiis a Defender of. He exhibited much of Spirituality, and a heavenly Bent of Soul. In him one faw the lovelieft Appearance, — a rare Affemblage of Chriftian Graces, united with the richeil Gifts, and mutually fubferving and recom- mending one another.
As a Scholar, his intelle<5lual Furniture exceeded what is common, confidering the Difadvantages wc labour under in this remote Corner of the World. He very early difcovered a Genius, above the ordi* nary Size : which grs.dually ripened and expanded, by daily Exertment and Application, He was re- markable for the Penetration and Extent of his Underftanding, for his Powers of Criticifm and ac- curate Dillinction, Qiiicknefs of Thought, Solidity of Judgment, and Force of Reafoning ; which made him an acute and ftrong Difputant, By Na- ture he was formed for a Logician, and a Meta- phyfician •, but by Speculation, Obfervation, and Converfe, greatly improved. He had a good In- fight into the whole Circle of liberal Arts and Sciences -, pofTefied a very valuable Stock of Claf- fick Learning, Philofophy, Mathematicks, Hiftory, Chronology, 6:c. By the BlefTing of God on his indefatigable Studioiifneis, to the iall, he was con- llantly treafuring up ufeful Knowledge, both hu- man and divine.
Thus he appears uncon.imcnly accomplifhcd for the arduous and momentous Province, to which he was finally called. And had Pleaven indulged us with t!iC Continuance of his precious Life, we have Reaibn to think, lie would have graced his new Station, nnvi been a fignal Blcir.:-ic;^to the Ccileoc,
.^d
X A Bri^f Account of the Author,
and therein extenfively ferved his Generation, ad- cording to the Will of God.
After all, it miift: be owned. Divinity was his Fa- vourite Study ; and the Miniftry, his mod delight- ful Employment. Among the Luminaries of the Church, in thefe American Regions, he wasjuftly reputed a Star of the firft Magnitude : Thoroughly verfed in all the Branches of Theology, didaftic, polemic, cafuifiic, experimental, and pra6tical : In Point of divine Knowledge and Skill, had few Equals, and perhaps no Superiour, at leaft m thefe foreign Parts. On the matured Examination of the different Schemes of Principles, obtaining in the World, and on comparing them with the facred Scriptures, the Oracles of God and the great Stan- dard of Truth, he was a Proteftant and a Calvinift in Judgment ; adhering to the main Articles of the Reformed Religion v/ith an unfhaken Firmnefs, and with a fervent Zeal, but tempered with Cha- rity and Candour, and governed by Difcretion. He feemed as little as moft Men under the Bias of Education, or the PofTefnon of Bigotry. As to practical and vital Chriftianity, no Man appeared to have a better Acquaintance v/ith its Nature and Importance ; or to underftand true Religion, and feel its Power, more than he : which made him an excellently fit Guide to inquiring Souls, and qua- lified him to guard them againft all falfe Religion, Flis internal Scnle of the Intcrcourfe between God and Souls, being brought by him to the fevere Teft of Rcafon and Revelation, prefervcd him, both in Sentiment and Condu6l, from the lead Tindure of Enthufiafm. The accomplifned Divine enters deep into his Character,
As
}?is Life and Chara^er, a
As a Preacher, he was judicious, folid,- and iji- ftrudive. Seldom was he known to bring Con- troverly into the Pulpit •, or to handle any Subjed in the nicer Modes and Forms of fcholallic Diiler- tation. His Sermons, in general, feemed exceed- ingly to vary from his controverfial Compofitions. In his Preaching, ufually all was plain, familiar, fententious, pradtical; and very diftant from any Affeclation of appearing the great Man, or difplay- ing his extraordinary Abilities as a Scholar. Bat ftill he ever preferved the Charadler of a (kilful and thorough Divine. The common Themes of his Miniftry were the moft weighty and profitable -, and in fpccial, the great Truths of the Gofpel of Chrift, on which he himfelf lived by Faith. His Method in preaching was, firfl to apply to the Un- derftanding and Judgment, labouring to enlight-en and convince them ; and then to pcrfuade the Will, engage the Affeftions, and excite the aftive Powers of the Soul, Flis Language was with Propriety and X^urity, but with a noble Negligence •, nothing ornamented. Florid Diftion v/as not the Beauty he preferred. His Talents were of a fuperiour Kind. He regarded Thouglits, rather than Words. Precifion of Sentiment and Clearnefs of ExprelTion are the principal Charafteriilicks of his Pulpit-Stile. Neither quick nor flow of Speech, there was a cer- tain Pathos in his Utterance, and fuch Skill of Addrcis, as feldom failed to draw the Attention, warm tlie Hearts, and Itimulate the Confcicnces of the /iudiLory. He fludied to fliew himfelf ap- proved unto (jod, a Workman th?.t needed not to be afnarncd, rightly dividing the Word of Trutii. And he v/as one that o;ave iiinik'lf to Praver, as well as to the iviiniftry of the Word. Agreeably it pleaTed God to pur great lionoiii; upon him, by
i:r:)u-ning his LaDQur^ with iu\i
n\
xii A Brief Account of the Author,
in the Converfion of Sinners, and the Edification of Saints, to the Advancement of the Kingdom and Glory of God our Saviour Jefus Chrift.
Mr. Edwards diftinguifhed himfclf as a Writer, clpecially in Controverfy, which he was called to on a Variety of Occafions. Here the Superiority of hk Genius eminently appeared. He knew to ar- range his Ideas in an exaft Method : and clofe Application of Mind, with the uncommon Strength of his intelleftual Powers, enabled him in a Man- ner to exhauft every Subject he took under Con- fideration. He diligently employed the latter Part of his Life in defending Chriftianity, both in its dodtrinal and praftical Views, againft the Errors of the Times. Befides his excellent Writings in Behalf of the Power of Godlinefs, which fome Years ago happily prevailed in many Parts of the Britifh America ; he alfo made a noble Stand againft Enthufiafm and falfe Religion, when it threatened to fpread, by his incomparable Treatife upon reh - gious Affections. And more lately in Oppofition to Pelagian, Arminian, and other falfe Principles, he publifhed a very elaborate Treatife upon the Liberty of the human Will. A Volume, that has procured him the Elogy of eminent Divines abroad. Several Profeffors of Divinity in the Dutch Univer- fities very lately fent him their Thanks, for the AfTiftance he had given them in their Inquiry into fome controverted Points ; having carried his own furtlier than any Author they had ever feen. And now this Volume of his, on the great Chriftian Doc- trine of Original Sin, is prefentcd to publick View. Which, though ftudioufly adapted to lower Capa- cities, yet carries in it the evident Traces of his great Genius, and feems v/ith fuperiour Force of Arguinent to have entirely baffled the Opponent.
Bshdesi
his Life, and CharaSfer. xiU
Befides numerous other fair Manufcrlpts, he has a Volume on the Nature of Virtue; which he defigned fhould follow the prefent one into the publick Light. It is hoped, that we fhall yet fee it ; and that they who have the Care of his Papers, will confult the common Benefit, by publifliing more of the valuable Remains of this great Man : by which, he being dead, may ftill fpeak, for the Inftru6tion of Survivors *.
His Writings will perpetuate his Memory, and make his Name bloflbm in the Duft. And the BlefTing of Heaven attending the Perufal of them, will make them effectually conducive to the Glory of God, and the Good of Souls •, which will brighten the Author's Crown, and add to his Joy, in the Day of future Retribution.
THE
• It is imagined that the above-mentioned Piece, with other of his Works, were printed the laft Year at Bojlon, though eot yet received.
( XIV )
THE
Author's PREFACE.
THE following Difcourfe is intended, not merely as an Anfwer to any particular Book written againft the Doftrine of Original Sin, but as a general Defence of that great important Doctrine. Neverthelefs, I have in this Defence taken Notice of the- main Things faid againfb this Dottrine, by fuch of the more noted Oppofers of it, as I have had Opportunity to read ; particularly thofe two late Writers, Dr. Turnbull, and Dr. Taylor of Norzvicb ; but efpecially the latter, in what he has publifhed in thofe two Books of his, the firft intitled. The Scripture-Do5irine of Original Sin propofed to free and catidid Examination ; The other, his Key to the Apofiolic Writings^ with a Pa- raphrafe and Notes on the Epifile to the Romans. I have clofcly attended to Dr. Taylor's Piece on Original Sin^ in all its Parts, and liave endeavoured that no one Thing there faid, of any Confequence in this Controverly, fliould pafs unnoticed, or that ^ny Thing v/hich has the Appearance of an Argu- ment, in Oppofition to this Doftrine, fhould be left v.nanfwered.'Xl ^^ok on the Doctrine as of great Importance ; which every Body will doubtleis own it is, if it be true. For, if the Cafe be fuch in- deed, that all Mankind are by Nature in a State of total RuiUy both v/ith refpeft to the moral Evil they are the Subjects of, and the ajfiaive F.vil they are expofed to, the one as the Confequence and i^uiiifii- mcnr of the other, then doubtleis the great Saha-
The Author's Preface. xv
iitm by Christ ftands in dired Relation to this Ruin, as the Remedy to the Difeafe ; and the whole Go/pel, or Dodrine of Salvation, mui\: fuppofe it i and all real Belief, or true Notion of that Gofpel, muft be built upon it. Therefore, as I think thc^ Dodlrine is moft certainly both true and importantj I hope, my attempting a Vindi€ation of it, will be candidly interpreted ; and that what I have done towards its Defence, will be impartially confidered, by all that will give themfelves the Trouble to read the cnfuing Difcourfe : in which it is defigned to examine every Thing material throughout the Dodlor's whole Book, and many Things in that other Book of Dr. T — r's, containing his Key and Expofition on Romans •, as alfo many Things writ- ten in Oppofition to this Do6lrine by fome other modern Authors. And moreover, my Difcourfe being not only intended for an Anfwer to Dr. Taylor, and other Oppofers of the Do£trine of Original Sin, but (as was obferved above) for a general Defence of that Do6lrine •, producing the Evidence of the Truth of the Docilrine, as well as anfwering Obje£iions made againft it : — confidering thefe Things, I fay, I hope this Attempt of mine will not be thought needlefs, nor be altogether ufelefs, notwithflanding other Publications on tliis Subjeft.
I would alfo hope, that the Exter.fivenefs of the Plan of the following Treatife will excufe the Length of it. And that when it is confidered, how much was abfolutely requifite to tlie full executing of a Dcfign formed on i'uch a Plan •, how mucji ha? been written agaivfl the Doch-inc of Original Sin, and with what Plaufibility -, and how firoiiL!; the Prejudices of many are in Favour of \A\zz is iaid in Oppofticn lo this Do<^'::;ir : ::ad rli:.'- ir mi-
Xvi The Author's Preface.
not be expeded, any Thing fliort 0^2. full Confide* ration of almoft every Argument advanced by the main Oppofers, efpecially by this late and fpecious Writer, Dr. Taylor, will fatisfy many Readers; and alfo, how much muft unavoidably be faid in order to a full handling of the Arguments in De- fence of the Doflrine ; and how important the Doc- trine muft be, if true -, I fay, when fuch Circum- ftances as thefe are confidered, I truft, the Length of the following Difcourfe will not be thought to exceed what the Cafe really required. However, this muft be left to the Judgment of the intelligent and candid Reader.
Stockbridge, May 26, 1757-
The Editor has taken the Liberty of ftrlking our. a few Things from the Preface and the Account of the Author, the better to adapt them, to the European Reader ; and has altered all the Re- ferences, fo as to fuit them to the laft London Editions of Dr. T — r's Books; whereas Mr. Ed- wards made ufe of the Irifti.
ADVERTISEMENT.
When the Page is referred to in this Manner p. ^0. p. 50. ■without mentioning the Book, thereby is to be underflocd fiich a Page in Dr. Taylor's Scripture-DoBrine of Original Sin. S. intends the Supplement. Wlien the Word, Key, is ufed to fignify the Book referred to, thereby is to be underftood Dr. Taylor's Key to the Apoflolic Writings. This Mark [§] with Figures or a Number annexed, fignifies fuch a Sedtion or Para- graph in his Key. When after mentioning Preface to Par. on E-piJl. to Romans, there is fubjoined p. 145, 47. or the like, thereby is intended Page and Paragraph, page 145, Paragraph 47. The Letter 7". alone, is ufed to fign;fy Dr. Taylor-'s ISame, and no otiier.
TITE
I xvii 3
THE
G O N T E N T S
PART I.
W HE REIN are confidered fbme Evidences of Oi- ginal Sin from Fa£ls and Events^ as found by Obfervation and Experience : Together with Repre^ fentations and Teftimonies of holy Scripture, and the Confeffion and Aflertions of Oppofers.
CHAP. I.
The Evidence of Original Sin from what appears in Faft of the Sinfulnefs of Mankind.
Sect. I. Jll Mankind do conftantly, in all Ages, with- out Fail in aiw one Inflance, run into that moral Evily which is in Efredl their own utter and eternal Perdition^ in a total Privation of God's Favour, and fuffering of his Vengeance and AVrath. P'-^gc i — ig«
Sect. II. It follows from the Propofitiou proved in the foregoing Seftion, that all Mankind are under the In- fluence of a. prev/iiliag effe/'fualTeiidcn.y i>i their Nature^ to that Sin and VVickcdncl, which implies their uttci and eternal Rnin. p. ^o — 31.
.rjJtCT.
xviU The C O N T EN T S.
Sect. III. That Propenjity, which has been prov6d to be in th6 Nature of all Mankind, muft be a very evil, de~ ■ipravedy and pernicious Propenfity ; making it manifeft, that the Soul of Man, as it is by Nature, is in a cov" rupt, fallen, and ruined State: Which is the other Part of the Confequencc, drawn from the Propofition laid down in the firft Section, page 32 — 40.
Sect. IV. The Depravity of Nature appears by a Pro* pepfity in all, to fin immediately, as foon as they are ca-t pablc of it, and to fia continually znd progrejjively ; and alfo by the Remains of Sin in the bejl of Men. p. 40- -46.
Sect. V. The Depravity of Nature appears, in that the general Confcquence of the State and Tendency of Man's Nature is a much greater Degree o/'Sin, than Righteouf- jiefs ; not only with Refpedl to Value and Demerit, but Ijkewife to Matter and Quantity. p. 47 — 59.
Sect. VI. The Corruption of Man's Nature appears by its Tendency, in its prefent State, to an extreme De- gree of Folly and Stupidity, in Matters of Religion.
P- 59—74-
Sect. VII. That Man's Nature is corrupt, appears, in that vaftly the greater Part of Mankind, in all Ages, have been zvicked Men. p. 75—^91.
Sect. VIII. The native Depravity of Mankind appears, in that there has been fo little good Effef^ of fo mani- fold and great Means ufed to promote Virtue in the World. p. 91 — 120.
Sect. IX. Several ^i^^/JiJwi of the Arguments for Depra- vity of Nature, from Trial and Events, confidered.
Eva/ion I. Jdam's Nature, and the Nature of the Angeh that fell, v/as mA linful, yet they fmned ; and all Man- kind may, uithout a fintul Nature, fm as well as they.
p, 121 — 127.
Evcific'i
The CONTENTS. xix
Eva/ton II. Man's own Free-Will is a Caufe fufficient to account for the general Wickedncfs of the World.
p. 128 — 130.
Evajion III. The Corruption of the W6rld may be owing, not to a depraved Nature, but to bad Example.
Eva/tan IV. The general Prevalence of Wickednefs, may,
. without fuppofing a corrupt Nature, be accoutited for
. by our Senfes being fiijl in Exercife, and our animal
Paffions getting the Start of Reafon. p. 130 — 143.
Evafion V. Men in this World are in a State of Trial -y it is therefore fit, that their Virtue fliould be tried by Oppofition, both from vrithout and from within.
p. 143—146.
CHAP. li.
Univerfal Mortality proves Original Sin ; particularly the 'Death of Infants^ with its various Circumftances.
p. 147— -i68.
Part ii.
Containing Obfervatiors on particular Parts of the h^lj Scripture^ which provo the Doctrine of Original Sin.
p. 169.
CHAP. 1.
Obierv".tions relatfnn to '{"hinci;-. contamti- in chc tl:rt's jV-/i Chapter? of C/ENES IS^ vi'h Rticuiwc to thf; Do£lri!ic of Original Sin.
Sect. I. Concerning ^r?^.--:'?/ i^-V/r-.;;,///,'/} •, and -rvhethcr our firft Parents were create*! with Righteouihcfs or moral Roiftitude of Heart. p. 169 — i8g.
SscT. II. Concerning the Kind of Draih threatened io our firll Parenrs, if th-: y fhould '-at of the forbid-Jea Fruit.
p. i'ii)~-'j.2i-
XX The G O N T E N T S.
Sect. IIJ. Wherein it is inquired^ whether there be any Thing in the Hiftory of the three firft Chapters of Cenefis^ which fhould lead us to fuppofe, that God, in his Conftitution with AD AM, dealt with Mankind in general,, as iticluded in their firft Father ; and that the Threatening of Death, in Cafe he Ihould eat the for- bidden Fruit, had RefpeSf, not only to him, but to his Pejerity 4' page 200— 225.
CHAK II.
Obfervations on other Parts of the holy Scriptures^ chiefly in the Old Tejiament, that prove Original Sin.
p. 226 — 243.
CHAP. III.
Obfervations on various other Places of Scripture, prin^ cipally of the New Tejiament^ proving the Doctrine of Original Sin.
> Sect,. I. Obfervations on 'John iii. 6. in Connexion with feme other Paffages in the New Teflament ; fbewing all to be Flejh^ by natural Birth, p. 244 — 256-
Sect. IL Obfervations on Rom, iii. 9 — 24. fhewing, that All in their firji State are Wicked. p. 257 — 270.
Sect. III. Obfervations on Rom. v. 6 — 10. Eph. ii. 3, with the Context ; and Rom. vii. confirming it, that All in their firjl State are Wicked. p. 270 — 291.
CHAP. IV. Containing Obfervations on Rom. v. 12, to the End.
Sect. I. Remarks on Dr. T— r'sWay of explaining this Paragraph. p. 292 — 332.-
Szct. II. Obfervations, (hewing the true Connenion^ Scope, and Senfe of this remarkable Paragraph ; with feme Reflections on the Evidence^ which we here have, of the Dodlrine of Original Sin. p. 333 — 354.
PART
Tho CONTENTS, 3nd
P A R T III.
Obfer/ing the Evidence giv«n us, relative t« the Dofifine of OrigituU Shi, in what the Sciiptures reveal icon- cerning the Rademption by Christ, p. 355.
CHAPr li
The Evidence of Original Sin from tlie ^tf/fnr<r oF Re- demption-, in the Procurement of it : Which is fuper- feded by Dr. T—r'3 Scheme. p. 355 — 365.
CHAP. - 11.
The Evidence of the Do^kine of Qxi^al Sin. from what the Scripture teaches concerning the Applicathm of Re- demption, p. 366 — 381.
p A P. T- rv.
Containing Anfv:?:s to OSJ'ECTION* ' ' Jj. 3^2.
CHAP. X.
Concerning that Objection, Ti:::tto fuppofe Men to be BORN in Shiy without their Choice, or any previous A<Sl of their own, is to fuppofe what is inconfijhnt "juith the Nature of SIN. And ReHccTtions, fhewing the In^ conftjicnce of Dr. T—rz Argulngs from this Topic.
p. 382~38».
CHAP. II.
Concerning that Objeilio'i ag-^inll the Doctrine of nr.tivc Corruption, That to fuppofe. Men receive their hrft Exiik-nce in S:n^ is to niaicc H.-ni v.-ho is the Author oi their Being, alfo the Author of tiicir Depravity.
p. 388-4CC.
C H A P.
xkii The CONTENTS.
CHAP. III.
TFbat grelt Obje6tion againft the Imputation of AdaiTi% Sirl . fa his Pofterifey confidered, T^hat frtch Imputation if lin-
fft and unreafonable, in as much as Adam and -^/i Pofto- ty are not One and the fame : With a brief Refle(£lion bjoined, on what fome have Tuppofed, of God's im- puting the Guilt of Adam's Sin to his Pofterity, but . lit ^n infnitely lefs Degree than to Adam himfelf. .^- : p. 400-434.
CHAP. IV.
Wherein feveral other Objections are confidered. Viz.
That at' the Rejioratio'n of the World after the Flood, God pronounced equivalent, or greater Blejjings on Noah and his Sons, than he did on Adam at his Crea- tion. _ _ p. 434— 439.
That the Poftrine of Original Sm di/parages the divine Goodnefs in giving us our Beings and leaves us no Reafoii So thgnkQgd fotitj a* a Gift of his Beneficence.
'^ P; 439— 443-
That at the Day of "Judgment^ the Judge will deal with every yi.2Si fmgly zn6.feparately, rendering to every Man according to his own Works, and his Improvement of ferfonal l'aTe(it3. * p. 443—446.
That the Word Impute, is never ufed in Scripture but with Refpedl to Men's own perfonal KOtz. p. 446 — 449.
That little Children are propofed as Patterns of Humility^ ^Meeknefs^ and Innocence. p. 4^49, 450..
That the Do£trine of Original Sin pours Contempt uporr the human Nature. p. 450, 451
That it tends to beget in us an /// Opinion of our Fellow- Creatures, and to promote Ill-will and mutual Hatred,
p. 451, 452.
That it hinders our Ccmfcrt, and promotes Gloominfji of Mind. p. 452, ^ 'Yy
That it tends to encourage Men in Sin., and lead'; to ?x:t ' Manner of Iniquity. jk 4?r ■,
That if thi.9 Dcclrine be true, itniufl; be unlaivfnl to btci C'.Hdren. p. 454. ,..c';.
The CONTENTS. xxiit
That It is flrange this Dodlrine Ihould be no oftncr and not more plainly fpoken of in Scripture ; it being, if true, a very important DoSlrine. p. 455 — 457.
That Chrijl fays not one IVord of this DoiSlrine throughout the four Gojpeh. p. 45 7 - 465.
The CONCLUSION,
Containing fome brief Obfervations on certain artful Methods^ tifed by Writers who are Adverfaries to this Doftrine, in order to prejudice their Readers againft ft. p. 466, &e.
THE
THE
GREAT CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE
O F
ORIGINAL SIN
DEFENDED.
PART I.
Wherein are confidered Tome Evidences of Original Sin from FaBs and Events, as found by Obfervation and Experience, to- gether with ReprcfL^ntations and Teftimo- nies of holy Scripture, and the Confefiioii and AiTertions of Oppofers.
C H A P. I.
•77v Ei'idencr c/ Original Slnfro/n what appears in Fact of the Sinfulnejs of Mankind.
Sect. 1.
All Mankind do conjlanlly^ in cdl ylges, luithcict Fail in any one Infiancc^ ru:' into tkai moral K\::l^ ■li'hich is in EJfecf their c-j:n utter and etcr.id Per- dition^ in a total Pr:--jaticn of GO 17 s Fa-:on,\ and jifferirig of bis l'c}i;^c..nce and IFralb.
fi^^^^Y Ori-inal Sin, as the Phralb has been J^'^i ■•- y^ moll con^n^only iiltd bv iJis'incs, is
^W^ Ucart. I^ur vet s^Vxr^ tiic J).::f::e of
m.
Orjoiiul Sin i
s '.^i^.vc;"; of, B
\"U:
under-
2 Of Virtue's fuppofed Prevalence. Part I.
flood in that Latitude, as to include not only the Depravity of Nature^ but the Imputation of Adam's firit Sin ; or in other Words, the Liablenefs or Expofednefs of Adani's Poilerity, in the divine Judgment, to partake of the Punifiimentof thatSin. So far as I know, moll of thofe who have held one of thefe, have maintained the other -, and mod of thofe who have oppofed one, have op- pofed the other : both are oppofed by the Author chieRy attended to in the following Difcourfe, in his Book againit Original Sin : And it may per- haps appear in our future Confiderat'on of the Subje(^t, that they are clofely conncfted, and that the Arguments which prove the one eftablifh the other, and that there are no more Difficulties at- tending the allowing of one than the other.
I fhall, in the firft Place, confider this Do6lrine more efpecially with regard to the Corruption of Nature ; and as we treat of this, the other will naturally come into Confideration, in the Profecu- tion of the Difcourfe, as connected with it.
As all moral Qualities, all Principles either of Virtue or Vice, lie in the Difpofition of the Heart, I lliall confider v/hether we have any Evidence, that the Heart of IMan is naturally of a corrupt and evil Difpofition. This is ftrenuoufly denied by many late Writers, who are Enemies to the Do6trine of Original Sin ; and particularly by Dr, Taylor.
The W^ay we come by the Idea of any fuch Thing as Difpofition or Tendency, is by oblerving what is conuant or general in Event ; efpecially under a great Variety of Circumliances -, and above all, when the Effect or Event continues the fame
through
Chap. T. I Of Virtue^s fuppofed Prevalence. ^
through great and various Oppofition, much and manitoid Force and Means uied to the contrary not prevailing to hinder the Eifeft. — I do not know, that fuch a Prevalence of Effefts is denied to be an Evidence of prevailing Tendency in Caufes and Agents •, or that it is exprefsly denied by the Oppofcrs of the Do6lrine of Original Sin, that if, in the Courfe of Events, it unlverfally or generally proves that Mankind are actually cor- rup.c, this would be an Evidence of a prior cor- rupt Propcnfity in the World of Mankind ; what- ever may be faid by fome, which, if taken with its plain Confequences, may feem to imply a De- nial of this ; which may be confidered afterwards. — But by many the Faft is denied \ that is, it is denied, that Corruption and moral Evil are com- monly prevalent in the World : On the contrary, it is infifted on, that Good preponderates, and that Virtue has the Afcendant.
To this Purpofe Dr. Tunibidl fliys *, " With *' regard to the Prevalence of Vice in the World, *' Men are apt to let their Imagination run out *' upon all the Robberies, Pyracies, Murders, Per- *' juries. Frauds, Maflacres, Afialiinations they " have either heard of, or read in Hillory \ tlience *' concluding all Mankind to be very wicked. As *' if a Court of Juftice were a proper Place to *' make an Eftimate of the Morals of Mankind, " or an Flofpital of the Fiealthfulnefs of a Climate. ^' But ought thev not to confider, that th;- Num- " Ixr of honeft Citizens and Farmers far lurpafics " t.hat of r.ll Scrt.s of Criminals in anv State, and " tlir.r tlic innocciit ar,d kind Actions of even Cri- " ininali, i!ien)lelves U;rpals their Criin'.. in Nnp^- i> 1 "• l-crs;
r. i-:0.
4- Of Virtue^ s fuppofed Prevalence. Part h
" bers •, that it is the Rarity of Crimes, in Coirv- " pariion of innocent or good Adions, which en- " gages our Attention to them, and makes them " to be recorded in Hiftory, while honeft, ge- *' nerous domeftic Actions are overlooked, only " becaufe they are fo common ? As one great *' Danger, or one Month's Sicknefs fhall become " a frequently repeated Story during a long JLife " of Health and Safecy. — Let not the Vices of " Mankind be mulaplied or magnified. Let us '' make a fair Lllimate of human Life, and fet " over-agai:ift the Ihocking, the altonifhing In- " ftances of Barbarity and Vvickednefs that have " been perpetrated in any Age, not only the exceed- " ing; generous and brave Actions v/ith which Hi- " ftory fhines, but the prevailing Innocency, Good- " Nature, Induftry, Felicity, and Cbearfulnefs of the " greater Part of Mankmd at ail Times ; and " we Ihall not find Reafon to cry out, as Objectors " agajnft Providence do on this Occafion, that all " Men are vaftly corrupt, and that there is hardly *' any fuch Thing as Virtue in the World. Upon "• a fair Computation, the Fa6t does indeed come " out, that very great Villanies have been very *•' uncommon in all Ages, and looked upon as '' monftrous •, fo general is the Senfe and Efteem *' of Virtue." — It feems to be with a like View that Dr. '/. fays, " We muft mt take the Meafure " of our Health and Enjoyments from a Lazar- " Houfe, nor of our Underltanding from Bedlam^ " nor of our Morals from a Goal." (p. 77, S.)
With refpccl to the Propriety and Pertinence of fuch a Reprefentation of Things, and its Force as to the Confequence defigned, I hope we ihall be better able to judge, and in iome Meafure to de- termine, whether the natural Difpofition of the
Hearts
Chap. 1. 7 0/ Grace interpofing. 5
Seft. I. \
Hearts of Mankind be corrupt or not, when the Things which follow have been confide red.
But for the greater Clearnefs, it may be proper here to premife one Confideration, that is of great Importance in this Controverfy, and is very much overlooked by the Oppofers of the Doctrine of Original Sin in their l)ifputing againit it •, which is this ■
That Is to be looked upon as the true Tendency of the natural or innate Difpofition of Man's Pleart, which appears to be its Tendency, when we con- fider Things as they are in themfelves, or in their own Nature, without the Interpcfition of Divine Grace. Thus, that State of Man's Nature, that Difpofition of the Mind, is to be looked upon as evil and pernicious, which, as it is in itfelf, tends to extremely pernicious Confequences, and would certainly end therein, were it not that the free Mercy and Kindnefs of God interpofes to prevent that IfTue. It would be very ftrange if any Ihould argue, that there is no evil 1 endency in the Cafe, becaufe the mere Favour and Compafiion of the Moft High may ftep in and oppofe the Tendency, and prevent the fad Efie^l: tended to. Particularly, if there be any Thing in the Nature of Man, whereby he has an univerfal unfailing Tendency to that moral Evil, which, according to trie real Nature and true Demerit of Thing'^., a^ tliey arc in themfelves, implies his utter Ruin, Tliat nrolt be looked upon as :in evil Tendency or Propenfity; however divine (irace may interpole, to lave him from deferved Ruin, and to over-rule Thin2;s to an Ililie contrary to tliat v/hich they tend ro o; themfelves. Cirace is a ibvereign Thiiv", cx.t- cifed accordinii- to the ri;ood Plealure or Crod,
B 3 bringing
6 Of G?'ace interpofing. Part I.
bringing Good out of Evil. The EfFcd of it be- longs not to the Nature of Things themfelves, that otherwife have an ill Tendency, any more than the Remedy belongs to the Difeafe •, but is fomething altogether independent on it, introduced to oppofe the natural Tendency, and reverfe the Courfe of Things. But the Event that Things tend to, according to their own Demerit, and according to divine Juflice, That is the Event which they tend to in their ov/n Nature ; as Dr. '/ — r's own Words fully imply (Pref. to Par- on Rom. p. 131.) *■'' God *' alone (fays he) can declare whether he will pardon " or puniih the Ungodlinefs and Unrighteoufnefs " of Mankind, which is in ITS OWN NATURE " punijfhable." Nothing is more precileiy accord- ing to the Truth of Things, than divine Juftice : it weighs Things in an even Balance •, it views and ellimates Things no otherwife than they are truly in their own Nature. Therefore undoubtedly that •which implies a Tendency to Ruin, according to the Eilimate of divine Juftice., does indeed imply fuch a Tendency in its oivn Nature.
And then it mud be remembered, that it is a moral Depravity we are fpeaking of; and there- fore v/hen we are confidering whether fuch Depra- vity do not appear by a Tendency to a bad Effed: or IfTue, it is a moral Tendeyicy to fuch an liTue, that is the Thing to be taken into the Account. A moral Tendency or Influence is by Befert. TiT.cn may it be laid, Man's Nature or State is attended with a pernicious or deilrudive Ten- dency, in a inoral Senfe, v/hen it tends to that vv'hich dcfcrves Milery and Deftrudion. And there- fore it equally fliews the moral Depravity of tlie Nature of Mankind in their prefent State, v,he- ther that Nature be univerfally attendee] with an
Chap. T. ? Grace no Argument^ Sec. >}
Seft. I. ^
effectual Tendency to deftrudi ve Vengeance a^ually executed^ or to their deferving Mifery and Rain, or their jufl Expofednefs to Dcftruftion, however that fatal Coniequence may be prevented by Grace, or whatever the a£tual Event be.
One Thing more is to be obferved here, z'iz. That the Topic mainly iniiited on by the Oppo- iers of the Doctrine of Original Sin, is the Juftice of God ; both in their Objeclions againil the Imputation of Adani's, Sin, and alfo againft its being fo ordered, that Men fliould come into the World with a corrupt and ruined Nature, without having merited the Difpleafure of their Creator by any perfonal Fault. But the latter is not repug- nant to God's Juftice, if Men can be, and actually are, born into the World with a Tendency to Sin, and to Milcry and Ruin for their Sin, which ac- tually will be the Coniequence, unlefs mere Grace fteps in and prevents it. If. this be allowed, the Argument from Jujlice is given up : For it is to fuppofe, that their Liabienefs to Mifery and Ruin comes in a Way of Juftice •, otherwife there would be no Need of the Interpofition of divine Grace to fave them •, Juftice alone would be fufficient .Security, if exercifed, without Grace. It is all one in this Difpute about wliat is juft and righ- teous, whether Men are born in a miferable State, by a Tendency to Ruin, which al^uaib follc-ics^ and that jufih \ or whether they arc born in fuch a State as tends to a iJefcrt of Ruin, which m:?pt jujily follovv-, and zvoidd actually follcj;^ ditl nut Grace prevent. For the Controverly is no:, v.'liat: Grace will do, but what Juftice might do.
I have been the more particular on tlii': I \c?A^ bccaufe it enervates many of the Rc.'.ib.iiii ^; and
B ' Con-
f Grace no Argument Part L
Conclufions by which Dr. T!. makes out his Schenie ; in which he argues from that State which Mankind are in hy divine Gxace^ yea, which he himfeif iup- pofes to be by divine Grace ; and yet not making any Allowance for this, he from hence draws Conclufions againft what others fuppofe of the deplorable and ruined State Mankind are in by the Fall ^. Some of his Arguments and Conclu- fions
* He often fpeaks of Death and Affliclion as comlno- on Adani-c Polterity in Confequence of his Sin ; and in p. 20, 21. and many other Phiccs, he fuppofcs, tjiat thefc Things conic in Coniequtnce of his Sin, not as a PuniQiment or a Cala- mity, but as a Benefit. But in p. 23. lie fuppofes, thefe Things would be a great Calamity and Mifery, if it wore not for the Refurredion ; wliich Rciurreftion he there, and in the following Pages, and in many other Places, fpei^ks of as being by Chrilt ; and often fpeaks of it as being by the Grace of God in ChrilL
P. 63, 64. Speaking of our being fubjefled to Sorrow, La- bour, and Death, in Conlequence of /U.am% Sin^ he repre- fents thefe as Evils that arc reverfed and turned into Ad- vantage?, and that we are delivered from through Grace in Chrift. And p. 65, 66, 67. he fpeaks of God's thus turn- ing Death into an Advantage through Grace in Chrifl, as wliat vindicates the Juflice of God in bringing Death by Adam.
P. 152, 156. It is one Thing which he allcdges againft this Propofition of the Aflembly of Divines, That we are by Na- ture Bond-flaves to Satan ; That God hath been provi4if.'?, frotn the Beginning cf the World to this Day, varioits Means and Difte>i- Jhticns, to prefernje and refcue Mankind frotti the De~jil.
P. 168, 169, 170. One Thing alledged in Anfwer to that Objc<^;ion againil his Doclrine, That we are in v.orfe Cir- cumilances than /idam, is the happy Circumftances we are under by the Provifion and Means fuinifhcd through fvt's Grace i): Chrift.
P. Z2<S. Among other 'ihings which he fays, in anf'wcring that Argument againil his Dodrinc, and brought to fiiew iVlea have Corrupiion by Nature, i-iz. That there is a I, aw in our iVIembcvs, — bringing us into Captivity to the Law of Sin and Death, fpokt-n of Rc?n. vii. He allows, tli.;t ti:e Cafe of thofe who aie under a Law threatening Death for evciy Sin
^which
Chap, f . ) againft corrupt Nature. 9
Seft. I. 5
fions to this EfFed, in order to be made goad,
muft depend on fuch a Suppofition as this ; That
.God's Difpenlations of Grace, are Redifications
or
{which Law he elfewhere fays, Jhevjs us the natural and proper Demerit cf Sin, ar.d is ferj'cftly conf'jnant to enjerlajliiig Truth and Righteoujnefs) muji be quite deplurahle, if they h anje no Relief from the Mercy of the faivgii'er.
P. 90-93.5. In Oppofition to what is' fuppofed of the jmilcrable S:ate Mankina are brought into by Adam\ Sin, one Thing he alk-dges, is, The noble Ucfigns of Lo've, manifefled by ad'vancing a ne-xv ami happy Difpcffation, founded on the Obedience aid Rigkteoufnefs of the Son of God; and that, although by Jdam we are fubjcded to Death, yet in this Dilpenfation a Rcl'urredion is provided ; and that Jda?n\ Polterity are under a ir.ilvl Dilpenfation of Grace, Sec.
P. 112.5. He vindicates God's Dealings with Adam, in placing him at firil under the Rigour of Law, Tranigrefs and cie, (which, as he exprefies it, vjas putting his Happinefs on a Foot extremely datigerous) by faying, that as God had before determined in his o'lvn Breaf, fo hi ittimediately ejlahlifhed his Co-ve- nant upon a quite d-fferent Bottom, namely, upin (i'-a e.
P. 122, 123. 5. Againil what R. R. lays, That God for- fook Man when he fell, and that iViankind after Ada?ns Sin were born without the divine I'avour, 6cc. he ailedges among other Things, Ckrift's coming to be the Propitiation fjr the Sins of the v:hole IP^orld — And the Riches cf God's Merry in gi-ving the Projnife of a Redeemer to dcfiroy the Works of the Devil — That He caught his fniiing falling Creature in the Arms of his Grace.
In his Note on Rom. v. Zo. p. 297, 298. he fays as fol- lows : " The Law, I conceive, is nat a Difpcnfation fuitable " to the Inhrmity ot the h .man Nature in our prelent State ; " or it do:h not [t^an congruous to the Goodnefs of God, " to afford us no other \V..y or" Salvation but by Law, which, " if we once tranfgrcis, we a-e ruin'jd for ever. For vvlio " then from the iicginning of the World could be favcd ? '* And therefore it leems to me, that the L-aw was not ah- *' folutcly intended to be a Rule for obtaining J^ife, even " to Ada.:'! in PatMdile : Grace was the Difpcnration Cjod '« intended A];ink;nd ihou'.d Ivj under ; and therefore " Chrilt was tore-ordaincd before the Foundation of the '■' World."'
'1 ;-.cre arc various eth:r Pafi'-.gCj in this Authoi'a Writing of :kc kke KiaJ.
JO All Men fin. Part I.
er Amendments of his foregoing Conftitutions and Proceedings, which were merely legal ; as though the Difpenfations of Grace, which fucceed tliofe of mere Law, implied an Acknowledgment, that the preceding legal Conftitution would be •unjuft, if left as it was, or at leaft very hard Dealing with Mankind ; and that the other were of the Nature of a Satisfaftion to his Creatures, for former Injuries, or hard Treatment : lb that put together, the Injury with the Satisfadion, the legal and injurious Difpenfation taken with the fol- lowing good Difpenfation, which our Author calls Grace, and the Unfairnefs or improper Severity of the former, amended by the Goodnefs of the latter, both together made up one Righteous Dif- penfation.
The Reader is defired to bear in Mind that which I have faid concerning the Interpofition of divine Grace, its not altering the Nature of Things, as they are in themfelves ; and accordingly, when I fpeak of fuch and fuch an evil Tendency of Things, belonging to the prefent Nature and State of Man- kind, underftand Me to me-an their Tendency as they are in themfelves^ abftrafted from any Con- fideration of that Remedy the fovereign and infi- nite Grace of God has provided.
Having premifed thefe Things, I now proceed to fay.
That Mankind are all naturally in fuch a State, as is attended, without Fail, with this Confequence or Iffiae \ that they univcrfally run themfelves into that which is, in Effect, their own utter eternal Perdition, as being finally accurfcd of God, and the Subjects of his remedilefs Wrath thro' Sin.
From
Chap. 1. 7 Jll Men fin. \\
Sea. I. \
From which I infer, that the natural State of the Mind of Man, is attended with a Propcnfity of Nature, which is prevalent and effeftua), to fuch an liTue ; and that therefore their Nature is corrupt and depraved with a moral Depra- vity, that amounts to and implies their utter undoing.
Here I would firfl: confider the Truth of the Propofition •, and then would fhew the Certainty of the Confequences which I infer from it. If both can be clearly and certainly proved, then I truft, none will deny but that the Do6lrine of ori- ginal Depravity is evident, and fo the Falfenefs of Dr. T"— r's Scheme demonftrated ; the greatefl: Part of whofe Book, called the Scripture Do^rine of Original Sin, &c. is againft the Doftrine of innate Deprai'ity. In p. 107. S. he fpeaks of the Conveyance of a corrupt and fmful Nature to yfdam's Pofterity as the grand Point to be proved by the Maintainers of the Do6lrine of Original Sin.
In order to demonflrate what is alTerted in the Propofition laid dov/n, there is need only that theie two Things fnould be made manifeft : One is this Fact, that all Mankind come into the World in fuch a State, as without Fail comes to this Iluie, namely, the univerfai Commifllon of Sin •, or that every one who comes to a6l in the World as a moral Agent, • is, in a greater or lefs Degree, guilty of Sin. Hie Other is, that all Sin dcfcrvcs and expolcs to utter and eternal Deftruclion, under God's Wrath and Curfc \ and would end in it, were it not for the Intcp'Ofition of divine Cjrace to j:>revcnt the Kircct, Both which cun be .ibun-
ujntlv
1 a .All Men fin. Part. I.
dantfy demonftrated to be agreeable to the Word of God, and to Dr. ^ — r's own Dodrine.
That every one of Mankind, at lead of them that are capable of adting as moral Agents, are guilty of Sin (not now taking it for granted that they come guilty into the World) is a Thing moft clearly and abundantly evident from the holy Scriptures : i Kings viii. 46. If any Man fin a- gainji thee ; for there is no Man that finneth not. Eccl. vii. 20. 'There is not a jufi Man upon Earth thnt doeth Good., and finneth 7iot. Job ix. 2, 3. / kmw it is fo of a I'ruth., (i. e. as Bildad had jull before faid, That God would not caft away a per- fed: Man, &c.) but how fijculd Man be jufi with God ? If he will contend with him, he cannot an- fwer him one of a Thoufand. To the like Purpofe, Pfal. cxliii. 2. Enter not into Judgment with thy Servant ; for in thy Sight (hall no Man living he jujiified. So the Words of the Apoftle (in which he has apparent Reference to thofe of the Pfalmifl) Rom. iii. 19, 20. That every Mouth may be flopped., und all the fVorld become guilty before God. There- fore hy the Deeds of the Law there fhall no Flefh be juflified in his Sight : for by the Law is the Knowledge of Sin. So, Gal. ii. 16. i Joh. i. 7, — 10. If we walk in the Light, the Blood of Chrifi cleanfeth us from all Sin. If we fay that we have na Sin, we deceive ourfelves, and the Truth is not in us. If we confefs our Sins, he is faithful and jufi to forgive us our Sins, and to cleanfe us fro?n all Unrighteoufnefs. If we fay that we have not finned, we make him a Liar, and his Word is not in us. As in this Place, fo in innumerable other Places, Confeffion and Repentance of Sin are fpoken of, as Duties proper for all ; as alfo Prayer
to
Chap. L 7 All Sin to utter Ruin, i%
Sed. I. S
to God for Pardon of Sin ; and Forgivenefs of thofe that injure us, from that Motive, that we hope to be forgiven of God. Univerfal Guilt of Sin might alfo be demonftrated from the Appoint- ment, and thedeclari'd Uleand End of the ancient Sacrifices i and alio from the Ranfom, which every one that W;S numbered in Ifrael, was directed to pay, to make Atonement for his Soul, Excd. xxx. II — 1 6. All are reprefented, not only as being fmful, but as having great and manifold Iniquity, Joli ix. 2, 3. Jam. iii. 1,2.
There arc many Scriptures which both declare
the univerfal Sinfulnefs of Mankind, and alfo that
all Sin deferves and juiliy expoles to everiaiting
Defhruclion, under the Wrath and Curie ot God -,
.and lb demonitiare both Tarts of the pjopofirion
I have laid down. To which Pu'pofe that in
Gal. iii. 10. is exceeding full : For as tnany as arc
cf the Works of the Law are under the Curfe ;
for it is "written^ Cur fed is cjery one that continutth
not in all Things zvhu.b are ivritten in the B'^&k of
the Laiv^ to do them. How manifeftly ii it implied
in the Apolt'e's Meanmg heie, that there is no
Man but what rails in fome Inltances of doing all
'Hiings that arc "wriicen in the Book of tlie Law,
and tiicreforc as many as have their Depcndance
on their fulfJling the Law, are under that Curlx;
which is pronounced on them that do fail of it ?
And lience the Apoftle infers in the Vi^->^x. Vtrie,
that NO Mi\N IS j-ffed by the Lazv in the Sight
of God : as he had iaid oefore in the prccedinf^
Chapter, Vcr. 16. £y the IVorks of the Lr-i:; jhSll
no l'!-:(h he jiijtiffd. The iipoille iliew.s us that
he unLJci-iUuiu,-, ihat by this 1/irice wiiicJi he cues
f"oai Dciiteroncriiy^ lie Scr^pt.'-.re hath co'-ifluuedy oi
jiut lip. all nn.Ur S.H; ,-.b in. Chap. iii. zi. So
th.-it
14- ^^ ^^^ io utter Rtiin. Pait L
that here we are plainly taught, both that every- one of Mankind is a Sinner, and that every Sinner is under the Curfe of God.
To the like Purpofe is that, Rom. \v. 14. and alfo 2 Cor. iii. 6, 7, 9. where the Law is called the Letter that kills., the Minijiration of Death., and the Minijiration of Condemnation. The Wrath^ Condemnation, and Death, Vvfhich is threatened in the Law to all its Tranfgreffors, is final Per- dition, the fecond Death, eternal Ruin ; as is very plain, and is confeffed. And this Punilhment v/hich the Law threatens for every Sin, is a juft Puniihmcnt -, being what every Sin truly deferves ^ God's Law being a righteous Law, and the Sen- tence of it a righteous Sentence.
All thefe Things are what Dr. T*. himfelf confelTes and afferts. He lays, that the Law of God requires perfeft Obedience. (Note on Rom. vii, 6. p. 308.) *■' God can' never require imperfe6t Obedience, " or by his holy Law allow us to be guilty of any " one Sin, how fmall foever. And if the Law,. " as a Rule of Duty, were in any Refpeft abo- " lilhed, then we miglit in fome Refpecls tranf- " grefs the Law, and yet not be guilty of Sin. " The moral Law, or Law of Nature, is the *' 7'r^^th, everlafting, unchangeable ; and there- *' fore, as fuch, can never be abrogated. On the " contrary, our Lord Jcfus Chrift has promul- *' gated it anew under the Gofptl, fuller and *' clearer than it was in the Mofaical Conllitution, *' or any v/hcre clle ; — havinp; added to its Pre- " cepts the Sanation of his own divine Authority." And many Things which he fiys imply, that all Mankind do in lome Degree Lranfgrefs the Law. la p, 228. fpvakin<2; of what may be q:ii!:cred ' " ' f-om
Chap. T. 7 AU Sin to utter Ruhu ic
Sea. I. s ^
from Rom. vii. and viii. he fays, " We are very
*' apt, in a World full of Temptation, to be de-
" ceived, and drawn into Sin by bodily Appe-
" tites, &c. And the Cafe of thofe who are under
" a Law threatening Death to every Sin, muft be
" quite deplorable, if they have no Relief from
" the Mercy of the Lawgiver." But this is very
fully declared in what he fays in his Note on Rom.
V. 20. p. 297. His Words are as follows: " In-
** deed, as a Rule of A6lion prefcribing our
••' Duty, it (the Law) always was, and always
•' mult be a Rule ordained for obtaining Life-;
** but not as a Rule of Juftilication, not as it
*' fubjefts to Death for every Tranfgreflion. For
*' if it COULD in its utmoft Rigour have given us
*' Life, then, as the Apoille argues, it would have
" been againft the Promifes of God. — For if
*' there had been a Law, in the ftrift and rigorous
" Senfe of Law, WHICH COULD HAVE
" MADE US LIVE, verily Juibfication fhould
" have been by the Law. But he fuppofes, no fuch
" Law was ever given : and therefore there is Need
*' and Room enough for the Promifes of Grace -, or
** as he argues, Gcil. ii. 21. it would have fruftra-
" ted, or rendered ufelefs the Grace of God.
" For if Juftilication came by the Law, then
*' truly Cliriii is dead in vain, then he died to ac-
" complilh what was, or MIGHT HAVE BEEN
" EFFECTED by Law itfelf without his Deatn.
*' Certainly the Lav/ was not brought in among
" the Jezi-s to be a Rule of Juiliiication, or to
*' recover them out of a State of Death, and to
" procure Liie by tlieir finleis Obedience to it:
*' For in this, as well as in another Refpcil, ir wa^
" WEAK ; not in itlc.lf, but diro' the YxEAK-
*' NESS 01 ourFlclh, R^>??. viii. 3. The Lav., I
" conceive, is not a D:l':f:nl'u'on f!i:Ui^'ie to the
t6' . ' All Sin to eternal ' Part I.'
*' Infirmity of the human Nature in our prefent " State j or it doth not feem congruous to the " Goodnefs of God to afford us no other Way of " Salvation, but by LAW ; WHICH IF WE " ONCE TRANSGRESS, WE ARE RUINED " FOR EVER. FOR WHO THEN, FROM; " THE BEGINNING OF THE WORLD, " COULD BE SAVED?" How clear and exprefs are thefe Things,, that no one of Mankind, from the Beginning of the World, can ever be juilified by Law, becaufe every one tranfgreffes it ? *
And here alfo we fee, Dr. T. declares, that by the Law Men are fentcnced to everlajting Ruin for one Tranfgrefiion. To the like Purpofe he often expreffes himfelf. So p. 207. " The Law re- " quireth the moil extenfive Obedience, difco- " vering Sin in all its Branches. — It gives Sin a " deadly F'orce, fubjedling every Tranfgrelfion to " the Penalty of Death ; and yet fupplieth neither " Help nor Hope to the Sinner, but leaveth him " under the Power of Sin and Sentence of Death." In p. 213. he fpeaks of the Law as extending to Lujl and irregular Defires^ and to e-very Branch and Principle of Sin •, and even to ils latent Principles', and minutefi Branches : again (Note on Rem. vii. 6. p. 308.) to every Sin, hozv fmall foever. And wlien he fpeaks of the Law fubje61;ing every Tranfgref- fibn to the Penalty of Death, he means eternal Death, as he from Time to Time explains the Matter. In p. 212. he fpeaks of the Law in the
con-
* ] am fciifiLle, thefc I'hiii;,;-,^ nre qiiife iricor.HPcnt with ■what he fays elfcwhcre, of Jrjiiacit i'u-:\:cr in all Ma^ikind con- Jlantl-i to do the '■ujLjIc Duty 'u^ouL (li,d r.ij:Jrej <,f them, without a Neccfiity of brt-akiiig Goii't- Law in ::ny D:j/£c. -J'. 63-— 68. S.) But, 1 liope, the Reader will not tliir.k mc accouut- i.\A'i for ]":'is JnconiificnCvS.
Chap, f, ? tind jufi Pef'dithn. ti
Sect. I. J
condemning Fewer of it, as binding us in everlajting Chains. In p. 1 20. 6'. he lays, that Death which is the Wages of Sin, is the fecond Death : and this p. 78. he explains oi final Perdition. In his Key, p. 107. §. 296. he fays, " The Curfe of the Law " fubjcdled Men for every Tranfgrelfion to eternal " Death. ''^ So in Note on Rom. v. 20. p. 291, " The Law of Mofes fubjc6ted thofe who were " under it to Death, meaning by Death eternal ." Death." Thefe are his Words.
He alfo fuppofes, that this Sentence of the Law, thus fubj^ding Men for every, even the leafi Sin, and every minutefi Branch and latent Principle of Sin, to lb dreadful a Puniflimenr, is jujl and righ- teous, agreeable to I'ruth and the Nature of Things., or to the natural and proper Demerits of Sin. 'l1iis he is very full in. Thus in p. 1 86. P. " It was Sin *•' (lays he) which fubjeftcd us to Death by the Law, '' JUSTLY threatening Sin with Death. Which " Law was given us, that Sin might appear -, mig;ht " be fct fortli IN US FROPi^R COLOURS ; " when we faw it fubjed:ed us to Death by a Law " PERFECTLY HOLY, JUST, and GOOD ; "• that Sin by tlie Commandment, by the Lav/, mi^Iit " be reprelented WHAT IF REALLY IS,^an " exceeding; oreat and deadlv Evil." So in Note on Rom. v, 20. p. 299. "" l"he Law or Mir.illra- '' tion of Deatli, as it fubjects to Death for every " Tranfgreliion, is itill of Ule tolhew the NATU- " RAL AND PROPER DEMERIF OF SIN." //'/i. p. 292. " The Language of the L:uv, Dyin^^ *' thou fhalt ciic, is to be underllood en' tlie i).-;;:. - " r;7 of tlie 'Franlgrefilon, that which it defe:'-i\..." Ibid. p. 2i)o. " f Iic Law was added, fairh Mr. *•• Pciice, on tlic i'lace, becauic tb.e Ifyjelitcs^ the *' Pollerity of Ji'-ah(U)i., were Tran!lircflbr:> as
Igf All fin to eternal Part I.
" well as other Men, to Ihew them their Sins, and *' the Punifhment and Death, which in STRICT " JUSTICE they incurred by -them. And this " appears to be a true Comment on Rom. vii. 13. *' — Sin, by Virtue of the Law, fubjefted you to " Death for this End, that Sin, working Death *' in us, by that which is holy^ jufi-i and good^ PER- " FECTLY CONSONANT TO EVERLAST- « ING TRUTH AND RIGHTEOUSNESS.— *' Confequently every Sin is inftriEi Jujlice deferving " of Wrath and Punifhment ; and the Law in its " Rigour was given to the Jeivs, to fet home this " awful Truth upon their Confciences, to {hew them " the evil and pernicious NATURE of Sin ; and " that being confcious they had broke the Law " of God, this might convince them of the great " Need they had of the FAVOUR of the Law- " giver, and oblige them, by Faith in his GOOD- " NESS, to fly to his MERCY, for Pardon and " Salvation."
If the Law be holy, juft, and good, a Confti- tution perfedtly agreeable to God's Holinefs, Ju- flice, and Goodnefs •, then he might have put it exactly in Execution, agreeably to all thcfe hi& Perfedions. Our Author himfelf fays, p. 133. S. " Flow that Conftitution, which eftablifhes a Law, " the making of which is inconfiftent with the " Juftice and Goodnefs of God, and the Exe- " cuting of it inconfiftent with his Holinefs, can " be a righteous Conftitution, I confefs, is quite " beyond my Comprehenfion."
Now the Reader is left to judge, v/hether it be not moft plainly and fully agreeable to Dr. '/ — r's own Dodtrinc, that there never was any one Per- fon from the Beginning of the World, v/ho came
to
Chap. I. ) and jnji Pei-ditidn. ig
Sc6l. I. \
to aft in the World as a moral Agent, and that it is not to be hoped there ever will be any, but what is a Sinner or Tranlgreffor of the Law of God i and that therefore this proves to be the Iffue and Event of Things, with Refpeft to all Mankind in all Agea, that, by the natural and proper Demerit of their own Sinfulnefs, and in the Judgment of the Law of God, which is perfeflly confonant to Truth, and exhibits Things in their true Colours, they are the proper Subjefts of the Curfe of God, eternal Death, and everlafting Ruin ; which muft be the actual Confequence, iinlefs the Grace or Favour of the Lav/giver in- terpofc, and Mercy prevail for their Pardon and Salvation. The Reader has ^tan alfo how agree- able this is to the Dodtrine of the holy Scrip- ture.
And if fo, and what has been obferved con- cerning tlie Interpolition of divine Grace be re jnembercd, namely, tlut this alters not the Nature of Things as they arc in thcmfelves, and that it does not in the leafc affc6t the State of the Con- troverfy we are upon, concerning the true Nature and Tendency of the State that Mankind come into the World in, whether Grace prevents the fcital Effed: or no •, I fay, if thefe Thirr:^s are con- fklered, I truft, none will deny, that the Propoiition that was laid dov;n, is fully proved, as agreeable to the Word of God, and Dr. T — ?'s own Words; viz. That Mankind are all naturally in iuch a State, as is attended, without Fail, with this Conicqucnce or Ifllie, that they univerllilly are the Subjeds of that Guilt and Sinfulnefs, which is, in iLtfed, tiieir utter and eternal lluin, being caft vvholly out <;t the Favour of God, and fubjecledto his everlalling Wraih and Curie,
C 2 SECT.
20 A cotiftant EffeSf Part L
SECT. II.
// follows from the Propofttion -proved in the fore- going Se^iion^ that all Mankind are tinder the Infueyice of a prevailing effeftual Tendency in their Nature, to that Sin and Wickednefs ^ ijchich implies their utter and eternal Ruin.
T^HE Propofition laid down being proved, the Confequence of it remains to be made out, viz. That the Mind of Man has a natural Tendency or Propenfity to that Event, which has been fhev»^n viniverfally and infaUibly to take Place (if this be not fufficiently evident of itfelf, without Proofs ) and that this is a corrupt or depraved Propen- fity.
I Ihall here confider the former Part of this Confequence, namely. Whether fuch an univerfal, conftant, infallible Event is truly a Proof of the Being of any Tendency or Prcpenfity to that Event; leaving the evil and corrupt Nature of fuch a Propenfity to be confidered afterwards.
If any fliould fay, they do not think that its being a Thing univerfal and infallible in Event, that Mankind commit fome Sin, is a Proof of a prevailing Tendency to Sin ; becaufe they do not only fin, but alfo do Good, and perhaps more Good than Evil : Let them remember, that the Qi.]cflion at prefent is not. How much Sin there is a Tendency to ; but, Whether there be a pre- vailing Propenfity to that IlTue, whicli it is allowed all Men do aftually come to, that all fail of keep- ing the Law pcrfedly •, — whether there be not a Tendency to fuch Imperfection of Obedience, as
al\vay,'=
Chap- 1. 7 proves tendency. 2 1
Sea. II. J
always without Fail comes to pafs ; to that Degree
of Sinfulnefs, at leaft, which all fall into; and fo
to that utter Ruin, which that Sinfulnefs implies
and infers. Whether an effedual Propenfity to
this be worth the Name of Depravity, becaufc of
the Good that may be fuppofed to balance it, fhall
be confidered by and by. If it were fo, that all
Mankind, in all Nations and Ages, were at lead
one Day in their Lives deprived of the Ufe of
their Reafon, and run raving mad \ or that all,
even every individual Perfon, once cut their c wn
Throats, or put out their own Eyes \ it might be
an Evidence of fome Tendency in the Nature or
natural State of Mankind to fuch an Event ; tho*
they mig!it exercife Reafon many more Days than
they were diftracSted, and were kind to and tender
of themfelves oftener than they mortally and cruelly
wounded themklvcs.
To determine whether the unfiiling Conilancy of the above-named Event be an Evidence of Tendency, let it be confidered, What can be meant by tendency^ but a prevailing Liablenefs or Expo- fednefs to fuch or fuch an Event ? Wherein confiics the Notion of any fuch Tiling, but fome dated Prevalence or Pre]>onderation in the Nature or State of Caufes or Occafions, that is followed by, :ind fo proves to be elfeftual /<?, a dated PrcvM, knee or Commonncfs of any particular Kind of ImTccI ? Or, Ibmething in the permanent Stare of Thino-s, concerned in brinQin'j- a certain Sort of Event to pafs, v.hich is a Tciundation for the Conltancy, or drongly prevailing prob.ibilitv, of fuch an Event ? If we mean this bv 'I'crdencx', (as I know not what elle can be meaiu bv ir, bu; this, or fomething like this) then it is ni:!'-.i:cl!., tliat v.here we ke a Ibited Preva.]rnce ot a;v Kind
r -.
22 A confiant Effe^ proves Tendency. . Parti.
of Effe6l or Event, there is a Tendency to that EfFed: in the Nature and State of its Caufes. A common and fteady Eifed Ihews, that there is fomewhere a Preponderation, a prevailing Expo- fednefs or Liablen'^fs in the State of Things, to what comes fo lleadily to pafs. The natural Dic- tate of Reafon fhews, that where there is an EfFed, there is a Caufe, and a Caufe fuliicicnt for the Effet'l ; becaufe, if it were not fuiRcient, it would not be efFedual \ and tliat therefore, where tliere is a ftated Prevalence of trie Effect, there is a ftated Prevalence in the Caufe : A fteady Effed: argues a fteady Caufe. We obCiiin a Notion of fuch a Thing as Tendency, no other Way than by Obfervation : And we can obferve nothing but Events : And it is the Commonnefs or Conftancy of Events, that gives us a Notion of Tendency in all Cafes. Thus we judge of Tendencies in the natural World. Thus we judge of the Ten- dencies or Propenfities of Nature in Minerals, Vegetables, Animals, rational and irrational Crea- tures. A Notion of a ftated Tendency, or fixed Propenfity, is not obtained by obferving only a fingle Event. A ftated Preponderation in the Caufe or Occafion, is argued only by a ftated Pre- valence of the Effe(5l. If a Die be once thrown, and it falls on a particular Side, we do not argue from hence, that that Side is the heavieft ; but if it be thrown without Skill or Care, many Thou- fands or Millions of Times going, and conftantiy falls on the fime Side, we hav^e not the leaft Doubt in our Minds, but that there is fomething of Pro- penfity in the Cafe, by fuperior Weight of that Side, or in fome other Refpecl. How ridiculous would he make himfelf, who fhould earneftly difpute againft any Tendency in the State of I'l lings to Cold in the Winter, or Heat in tfie
Sunimc" ^
Chap. r. 7 Univerfal Sin proves Propen/tty to Sin. 1 3 Se'ft. n. \
Summer ; or fliould Hand to it, that although
it often happened that Water quenched Plie,
yet there was no Tendency in it to fuch an
Effeft ?
In the Cafe we are upon, the human Nature, as cxifting in fuch an immcnfe Diverfity of IVrfons and Circumitances, and never failing in any one Inftance, of coming to that Ilfue, viz. that Sinful- nefs, which imphes extreme Mifery apd eternal Ruin, is as the Die otten caft. For it alters nor the Cafe in the leafb, as to the Evidence of Ten- dency, whether the Subject of the conftant Event be an Individual, or a Nature and Kind, Thus, if there be a Succeffion of Trees of the fame Sort, proceeding one from another, from the Beginning of the World, growinsi: in all Countries, Soils, and Climates, and othervvile in (as it were) an infinite Variety of Circumilances, all bearing ill Fruit ; it as much proves the Nature and Tendency of the Kind., as if it were only one individual Tree, that had remained from the Beginning of the World, liad often been trani'planted into different Soils, &c. and had continued to bear only bad Fruit. So, if tlierc were a particular Family, which, from Generation to Generation, and through every Re- move to innumerable different Countries, and Places of Abode, all died of a Confumption, or all run diftrafted, or all murdered themfclves, it would be as much an Evidence of the 1 endency of fomething in the Nature or Conftitution of that Race, as it would be of the Tendency of fome- thing in the Nature or State of an Individual, if fome one Perfon had lived all that Tim.e, and fome remarkable Event had often appeared in liim, which he liad been the Ao;cnt or Subject of from
C -: YcAr
24 Umverfal Sin Parti,
Year to Year, and from Age to Age, continually and without Fail *.
Thus a Propenfity, attending the prcfent Nature or natural State of Mankind, eternally to ruin themfelves by Sin, may certainly be inferred from apparent and acknowledged Fa6l. --And I would now obferve further, that not only does this follow from Facets that are acknowledged by Dr. T. but the Things he ajferts^ the Expreffions and Words which he ufes, do plainly imply that all Mankind have fuch a Propenfity •, yea, one of the higheft Kind, a Propenfity that is hrjincible, or a Ten- dency which really amounts to a fxxed conftant unfailing Necejfity. There is a plain Confeflion of a Propenfity or Pronenefs to Sin, p. 143. — " Man, who drinketh in Iniquity like Water \ " who is attended with fo many fenfual Appetites,
" and
* Here may be obferved the Weaknefs of that Objeftiori, made againfl: the Validity of the x'^'irgument for a fixed Pro- penfity to Sin, from the Conftancy and Univerfality of the Event, That Jdatn finned in one Inftance, without a fixed Pro- penfity, Without Doubt a fingle Event is an Evidence, that there was fiame Caufe or Occafion of that Event: But the Thing we are fpeaking of, is a fixed Caufe : Propenfity is a jtaled continued Thing. WejulUy argue, that -a. Jlnted EJfcd mull have z. Jl ale d Caufe ; and truly obferve, that we obtain the Notion of Tendency, or fiated Frepui deration in Caufes, no other \^'ay than hy obferving a ftated Prevalence of a par- ticular Kind of Effed, But v. ho ever argues a fixed Fjo- penfity from a fingle Event ? And is it not llrange arguing, that becaufe an Event which once comes to pafs, does not prove any fiated Tendency, therefore the unfiiiling Confiancy of an Event is an Evidence of no fuch Thing ? — But becaufe Dr. '/, makes fo much of this Objection, from /Idams finning without a Projienhty, i fhall hereafter confidcr it more parti- cularly, ill the Beginning of the 9th Scciion of this Chapter ; where will alio be confidcred what is objc(fled from the FaU *<:' Uie An': els.
Chap. 1. 7 proves ProperifJy to Sin. z^
" and (o APT to induke them. — " And again, p. 228. " WE ARE VERY APT, in a World full *' of Temptation, to be deceived, and drawn into " Sin by bodily Appetites." — If we are very apt or prone to be drawn into Sin by bodily Appetites, and finfully to indulge them^ and very apt or prone to yield to Tc}}iptatio7t to Sin, then we are profie to Sin ; for to yield to Temptation to Sin \s ftnful. — In the fame Page he reprefents, that on this Ac- count, and on Account of the Confequcnces of this, the Cafe cf thofe who are under a haiVy threatening Death for every Sin, muf be quite de- plorable, if they have 710 Relief from the Mercy cf the La-ugivcr. Which implies, that their Cafe is hopelefs, as to an Efcape from Death, the Punilh- ment of Sin, by any otluT Means than God's Mercy. And that implies, that there is fuch an Aptnefs to yield to Temptation to Sin, that it is hopelefs that any of Mankind fliould v.'holly avoid it. But he fpeaks of it eifewlicre, over and over, ns truly impoffihle, or what cannot be \ as in the Words which were cited in the laft Setlion, from i.is Note on liDm. v. 20. where he repeatedly fpeaks of the Lav/, v/hich fubjeds us to Death for every TranfgrclTion, as what CANNOT GIVE LIFE •, and reprefents, that if God offered us no other W'ay of Salvation, no Man from the Bcgin- r.ing of the IVorld COULD be faved. In the fame Place he v/ith Approbation cites Mr. Locke' i Words, in which, fpeaking of the Jfraelitcs, he liiys, '• All Endeavours after Rightcoufneft was '^ LOST Li\BOUR, fmcp any one Slip forfeited ^' L^ifc, and it was IMPOSSIBLE for them to '' expecl ouglit but Dcuth." Our Author fpeaks of it as impoffible for the L;iw requiring nnlefs Obedience, to give IJfe, )ict that the Laiy -v-'us ^:rcak in itfelf but tbroy.gh the H\\ikncfs cf cur
" IVlh.
2S That all do Jtn, Part I.
FleJJj. Therefore he fays, he conceives the ha'U) not to he a Difpenfation fuitahle to the Infirmity of the human Nature in its -prefent State. Thefe Things amount to a full Confeflion, that the Pronenefs in Men to Sin, and to a Demerit of and jufl Expo- fednefs to eternal Ruin by Sin, is univerfally in- vincible, or, which is the fame Thing, amounts to abfolute invincible NecefTity ; which furely is the higheft Kind of Tendency, or Propenfity : And that not the lefs for his laying this Propen- fity to our Infirmity or Weaknefs, which may fcem to intimate lome Defe(5l, rather than any Thing pofitive : And it is agreeable to the Sen- timents of the beft Divines, that all Sin originally comes from a defeftive or privative Caufe. But Sin does not ceafc to be Sin, or a Thing not jullly expofing to eternal Ruin (as is implied in Dr. 5^ — r's own Words) for arifing from Infirmity or Defeft ; nor does an invincible Propenfity to Sin ceafe to be a Propenfity to fuch Demerit of eter- nal Ruin, becaufe the Pronenefs arifes from fuch a Caufe.
It is manifeft, that this Tendency which has been proved, does not confifl in any particular external Circumftances, tliat fome or many are in, peculiarly tempting or influencing their Minds j but is inherent^ and is feated in that Nature which is common to all Mankind, which they carry with them wherever they go, and Hill remains the fame, however Circumftances may differ. For it is implied in what has been proved, and fliewn to be confefied, that the fame Event comes to pafs in all Circumftances, that any of Mankind ever are, or can be under in the World. /// God's Sight no Man living can be juftified; but all are Sinners, and expofed to Condemnation. This is
true
Chap. IT proves Propenfity of Nature. -57
Scft. II. J
true of Perfons of all Conftitution.s, Capacities, Conditions, Manners, Opinions and Educations; in ail Counrries, Climates, Nations, and Ages ; and through all the mighty Changes and Revo- lutions, which have come to pafs in the Jiabitablc World.
We have the fame Evidence, that the Propen- fity in this Cxife lies in the Nature of the Subjed, and docs not arife from any particular Circumilan- ces, as we have in any Cal'e whatibever ; which is only by the Effects appearing to be the fame in all Changes of Time and Place, and under all Varieties of Circumftances. It is in this Way only we judge, that any Propenfities, which wc obferve in Mankind, are fuch as are fcated in tlieir Nature, in all other Cafes. It is thus we jud^e of the mutual Propenfity betwixt the Sexes, or of the Difpofitions which arc exerciled in any of the natural Pafiions or Appetites, that they truly be- long to the Nature of Man •, becaufe they are obferved in Mankind in general, through all Countries, Nations, and Ages, and in all Con- ditions.
If any fliould fay, Though it be evident tliat there is a Tendency in the State of Things to this general Event, that all Mankind fliould fail of perfetl Obedience, and lliould fin, and incur a Demerit of eternal Ruin -, and alfo that this Ten- dency does not lie in any diftinguifhing Circum- llances of any particular People, Perfon, or Age -, yet it may not lie in Man's Nature, but in tlie fie- neral Conilitution and Franie of this World, in:o which Men are born : Though the Nature of Man may be good, without any evil Propcndty inherent in it X, yet the Nature and univerfal Stacc of this
caiihly
2S ^hat all do Jtn, Part I.
earthly World may be fuch as to be full of io many and ftrong Temptations every v/here, and of fuck a powerful Influence on fuch a Creature as Man, dwelling in fo infirm a Body, &:c. that the Refult of the whole may be a ftrong and infal- Fible Tendency in fuch a State of ^hingSy to the Sin and eternal Ruin of every one of Man- kind,
To this I would reply, that fuch an Evafioti will not at all avail to the Purpofe of thofe whom I oppofc in this Con trove rfy. It alters not the Cafe as to this Queftion, Whether Man is not a Creature that in his prefent State is depraved and ruined by Propenfities to Sin. If any Creature be of fuch a Nature that it proves evil in its proper Place, or in the Situation which God has afligned it in the Univerfe, it is of an evil Na- ture. That Part of the Syftem is not good, which is not good in its Place in the Syftem •, and thofe inherent Qualities of that Part of t!ie Syftem, which are not good, but corrupt, in that Place, are juftly looked upon as evil inherent Qualities, That Propenfity is truly cfteemed to belong to the t^ature of any Being, or to be inherent in it, that is the neceffary Confequence of its Nature, con- fidered together with its proper Situation in the iiniverfal Syftem of Exiftence, whether that Pro- penfity be good or bad. It is the Nature of a Stone to be heavy ; but yet, if it were placed, as it might be, at a Diftance from this World, it would have no fuch Quality, But feeing a Stone is of fuch a Nature, that it will have this Qtiality or Tendency, in its proper Place, here in this World, wjiere God has made it, it is properly looked upon as a Propenfity belonging to its Na- Tiirc : And if it be a good Propenfity here in its
proper
Chap, I. 7 proves Propenfity of Nature. aflf
proper Place, then it is a good Quality of ita Nature ; but if it be contrariwifc, it is an evil ftatural Quality. So, if Mankind are of fuch a Nature,, that they have an univerfal elfedual Ten- dency- to Sin and Ruin in this World, where God has made and placed them, this is to be looked upon as a pernicious Tendency belonging to their Nature. Ther« is, perhaps, fcarce any fuch Thing in Beings not independent and felf-exiflent, as any Power or Tendency, but what has fome Depend- ance on other Beings, which they fland in fome Connection with, in the univerfal Syftem of Exi- ftence : Propendties are no Propenllties, any other- wife, than as taken with their Objed:s. Thus it is with the Tendencies obferved in natural Bodies, fuch as Gravity, Magnetifm, Elei^lricity, &c. And thus it is widl the Propenfities obferved in the various Kinds of Animals ; and thus it is with moft of the Propenfities in created Spirits.
It may further be obferved, that it is exaftly the fame Thing, as to the Controverfy concernincr an Agreeablenefs with God's moral Perfeilions of fucii a Difpofal of Things, that Man ihould come into the World in a depraved ruined State, by a Propenfity to Sin and Ruin ; whether God has lb ordered it, that this Propenfity fhould lie in his Nature confidered alone, or with Relation to its Situation in the Univerfe, and its Conneclion with other Parts of the Syftem to which the Crea- tor has united it •, which is as much of God's ordering, as Man's Nature itfelf, moll fimply confidcrcd.
Dr. 1'. (p. 1 88, 189.) fpcaking of the Attempt of fome to folve the Difhculty of Gad's bein.T the Autlior of our Natuiv, and vet that our NaLiue
^a Remarks on Dr. T — *j Ohje5fiom againfi Part L
is polluted, by fuppofing that God makes the Soul pure, but unites it to a polluted Body, (or a Body fo made, as tends to pollute the Soul ;) he cries out of it as weak and infufficient, and too grofs to be admitted : For, fays he, Who infufed the Soul into the Body ? And if it is polluted by being infufed into the Body, TVho is the Author and Caufe of its Pollution ? And who created the Body, &c. ? — But is not the Cafe juft the fame, as to thofe who fuppofe that God made the Soul pure, and places it in a polluted World, or a World tending by its natural State in which it is made, to pollute the Soul, or to have fuch an Influence upon it, that it fliall without Fail be polluted with Sin, and eternally ruined ? Here, may not I alfo cry out, on as good Grounds as Dr. 'T. — Who placed the Soul here in this World ? And if the World be polluted, or fo conftituted as naturally and infalli- bly to pollute the Soul with Sin, Who is the Caufe of this Pollution ? And, who created the World?
Though in the Place now cited, Dr, 7*. fo infills tipon ii", that God mull be anfwerable for the Pollution of the Soul, if he has infufed or put the Soul into a Body that tends to pollute it ; yet this is the very Thii^g which he himfclf fuppofes to be Fa6i, with refpedl: to the Soul's being crea- ted by God, in fuch a Body as it is, and in fuch a World as it is ; in a Place whicli I have already had Occafion to obferve, where he fays, " We are " apl^ in a World full of Temptation, to be " drawn into Sin by bodily Appetites." And if fo, accordino; to his Wav of Realoning- God mull be the Autijor and Caufe or tliis Aptn-ds to be drawn iiuo Sin. Again, p. 14.3. wu have thcfc
Jyiiritiity liki Ji'atcr ?
Chap. I. ? the Souths being united to a polluted Body. 3 1
" IVho is attended with [0 many fenfual Appetites^ " and fo apt to indulge them <"' In thefe Words our Author in Effcd lays the individual Thing that he cries out of as fo grofs, viz. The Ten- dency -of the Body, as God has made it, to pol- lute the Souf, which he has infufed into it. Thefc fenfual Appetites, which incHne the Soul, or make it apt to a finful Inditlgence, are either from the Body which God hath made, or otherwiie a Prone- nefs to linful Indulgence is immediately and ori- ginally feated in the Soul itfelf, which will not mend the Matter for Dr. 'Taylor.
I would here laltly obferve, that our Author infills upon it, p. 42. S. That this lower World where we dwell, in its prefent State, " Is as it " was, when, upon a Review, God pronounced *' it, and all its Furniture, very good. — And that *' the prefent Form and Furniture of the Earth " is full of God's Riches, Mercy, and Good- " nefs, and of the moft evident Tokens of his *' Love and Bounty to the Inhabitants." If fo, there can be no Room for fuch an Evafion of the Evidences from Fact, of the univerfal infal- lible Tendency of Man's Nature to Sin and eternal Perdition, as, that the Tendency there is to this IfTuc, does not lie in Man's Nature, but in the general Conllitution and Frame of this eartlily World, which God hath made to be t!ie Habitation of Mankind.
SECT.
2.i The above mentioned Propen/ity Partly
SECT. III.
'^haf PfopenJit)\ which has been proved to be it the Nature of all Mankind, muji be a very evil, depraved, and pernicious Propenfity •, making it manifeji, that the Soul of Man, as it is by Nature, is in a corrupt, fallen, and ruined State -, which is the other Part of the Confequence, drawn from the Propofttion laid down in the firfi Sedtion.
THE Quellion to be confidcred, in order to determine whether Man's Nature is not de- praved and ruined, is not. Whether he is not in- clined to perform as many good Deeds as bad ones ? But, Which of thefe two he preponderates to, in the Frame of his Heart, and State of his Nature, a State of Innocence and Righteoufnefs, and Favour with God ; or a State of Sin, Guiltinefs, and Abhors rence in the Sight of God ? — Perfevering finlefs Righteoufnefs, or clfe the Guilt of Sin, is the Alternative, on the Decifion of which depends, (as is confciTcd) according to the Nature and Truth of Things, as they are in thcmfelves, and according to the Rule of Right, and of perfect Jufticc, Man's being approved and accepted of his Maker, and eternally blcflcd as good ; or his being rejefted, thrown away, and curied as bad. And therefore the Determination of the Tendency of Man's Heart and Nature, with refpecl to thefe Terms, is that which is to be looked at, in order to determine whether his Nature is good or evil, pure or corrupt, found or ruined. If fuch be Man's Nature, and State of his Heart, that lie has an int'aliibly efteftual Proncnfity to the latter of thofe Terms ; then it is v/liolly impertinent to
talk
Chap. I. 7 moft corrupt and pernicious. ^^
talk of ibe in?iocent and kind Adlions^ even of Cri- minals themfehes^ furpajfing their Crimes in Num- bers^ and of the prevailing Innocence^ good Nature^ Indufiry^ Felicity^ and Chearfulnefs of the greater Part of Mankind. Let never fo many Thourands, or Millions of Adls of Honelly, good Nature, &c. be fuppofed ; yet, by the Suppolition, there is an unfailing Propenfity to fuch moral Evil, as in its dreadful Confequences infinitely out-weighs all Eftefts or Coniequences of any fuppofed Good. Surely that Tendency, which, in Effeft, is an in- fallible Tendency to eternal Deftru6lion, is an infinitely dreadful and pernicious Tendency : And that Nature and Fraine of- Mind, which implies fuch a Tendency, rauft be an infinitely dreadful and pernicious Frame of Mind. It would be much more abfurd, to fuppofc, that fuch a State of Nature is good, or not bad, under a Notion
ot Men's doing; more honeft and kind Things 1 • •
than evil ones ; than to fay, the State of that
Ship is good, to crofs the Atlantic Ocean in, that
is iuch as cannot hold togetiicr thro' the Voyage,
but will infallibly founder and fink by the Way ;
under a Notion that it may probably go great
Part of the Way before it links, or that it will
proceed and fail above Water more Hours than it
will be in linking: — Or, to proruiuncc that Road
a good Road to go to {w^'a a Piacc, tlic 2;reater
Part of w.jch is : Liin a. id iiiio, thougi; Ionic
Parts of it arc dangei-oa-;, and C(.rr:.^iiv ilital
to them tiiat travel in it : or to call that a rood
Propenfity, which is an ihlnxibic InclinaLioa to
travel in lucii a Way.
A Propenfity to that Sin w^i'-.h bt-lnfr^ Gocl'^ eternal Wrath an:l Curi'j (w'lich nis bee.i proved to belong to ih;; N.Aurc or x>..u:j ii evil, n j; onis'
D
34 ^^^^ ahove mentioned Propenftty Part I.
as it is calamitous and forrowful^ ending in great natural Evil ; but as it is odious and deteftable -, for by the Suppoficion, it tends to that moral Evil^ by which the Subjedt becomes odious in the Sight of God, and liable, as luch, to be condemned, and utterly rejected, and curfed by him. This alfo mai<:es it evident, that the State which it has been proved Mankind are in, is a corrupt State In a moral Senfe^ that it is inconfiftent with the Ful- fil nent of the Lav/ of God, which is the Rule of moral Redlituds and Goodnefs. That Tendency, which is oppofite to that which the moral Law requires and infiits upon, and prone to that which the moral Law utterly forbids, and eternally con- demns the Subject for, is doubtlefs a corrupt Tendency, in a moral Senfe.
So that this Depravity is both odious ^ and alfo ■pernicious^ fatal and deftru6live, in the higheft Seni'e, as inevitably tending to that which implies Man's eternal Ruin ; it fnews, that Man, as he is by Nature, is in a deplorable and undone State, in the higheft Senfe. And this proves that Men do not come into the World perfe6lly innocent in the Sight of God, and without any juft Expofednefs to his Difpleafure. For the being by Nature in a loit and ruined State, in the higheft Senfe, is not coniiftent with being by Nature in a State of Favour with God.
But if any Ihould ft ill infift on a Notion of Men's good Deeds exceeding their bad ones, and that, feeing the Good that is in Men is m.ore than countervails the Evil, they cannot be properly de- nommated evil-, all Perfons and Things being moft properly denominated fi-om that wliich pre- vails,.
Chap 1. 1 tncji corrupt and pernicious. 35
Sci^l. III. }
vails, and has the Afccndant in them \ I would fay further. That
I prefume it will be allowed, that if there is in Man's Nature a Tendency to Guilt and lil-Defert, in a vail Over-balance to Virtue and Merit •, or a Propenfity to that Sin, the Evil and Demerit of which is io great, that the Value and Merit that is in him, or in all the virtuous Acts that ever he performs, arc as Nothing to it ; then truly the NatU/^e of Man may be faid to be corrupt and evil.
That this is the true Cafe, may be demonftratcd by what is evident of the infmit:e Heinoufncfs of Sin againft God, from the Nature of Things. The tieinoufncfs of this mull rife in fome Propor- tion to the Obligation we are under to regard the divine Being -, and th:it mAill be in feme Propor- tion ro his Worthinels of Regard •, which doubtlefs is infinitely beyond the Worchinefs of any of our Feliow-Creatures. But the Merit ot ou]- Refpedt or Obedience to God is not infinite. Tlie Merit of Rclpeit to any Being does not incrcafe, but is rather diminifhed, in Proportion to the Obliga- tions we are under in ftric't Jufcice to pay him that Rclpecl. There is 110 %\'cai Merit in paying a f^cbt v/e owe, p.nd by t'r.e liigiiell pofilb'ie Obliga- tions in flri.;:t Juiticc .nv obliged to p w i but chore is oreat Der. erit in rtJiifing to pay it. That on iucli Acc'junis as r'v-ie, there i-, aii irifinite De- merit in all bin agiin;!: (y )d, v/hicii nuit therefore imm.enrely ciutw^igh ail tiie ivleiit: which can be lupfiolcd t'.» be in (Air \'iriuc, I thinb., is ca able ol \;\\\ De;-r)n;bM;i:.)n ; and tliat llv; r'utility C'f tlie Oojectior.s which fome have niav.le againil the Argument, niigbi i.- .It |dainly be d^nicniiraLed. D 2 But
^6 The Sin of all Men Part I.
But I fliall omit a particular Confideration of the Evidence of this Matter from the Nature of Things, as 1 ftudy Brevity, and left any (hould c-ry- cut, Metaphyf.cks ! as the Manner of fome is, when any Argunjent is handled againft any Tenet they are fond of, v/ith a clofe and exa6t Confidera-' tion of the Nature of Things. And this is not fo necei^ary in the prefent Cafe, in as much as the Point aifcrLed, namely, that he who commits any one Sin, has Guilt and 111-Defert, which is fo great, that the Value and Merit of all the Good which it is poffible he fliould do in his whole Life, is as Nothing to it ; I fay, this Point is not only evi- •dent by Mctaphyficks^ but is plainly demonitrated by what has been fl^iewn to be Fatt^ with refped: to God's own Conftitu Lions and Difpenfations to- wards Mankind : As particularly by this, that whatever Afts of Virtue and Obedience a Man performs, yet if he trefpafTes in one Point, is guilty of any the Icaft Sin, lie, according to the Law of God, and fo according to the exact Truth of Things, and the proper Demerit of Sin, is expofed to be v/hoily call out of Favour with God, and liibjefted to his Curfe, to be utterly and eternilly dtrftroyed. This has been proved; and {hewn to be the Doclrine which Dr. T. abundantly te vches. But how can it be agreeable to the Nature of Things, and exaftly confonant to ever- lafting Truth and Righteoufnefs, thus to deal with a Creature for the leaft finful Ait, though he fliould perform ever fo many Thoufands of honeft and virtuous Afts, to countervail the Evil of that Sin ? Or how can it be agreeable to the exadt Truth and real Demerit of I'hings, thus wholly to call orF the deficient Creature, without any Regard to the Merit of all his good Deeds, unlefs that be in 'I'ruth the Cafe, that the Value and Merit of
aU
Chnp. T. 7 infinitely outweighs their Virtue. 37
Sed.in. \
all thofe good Adions, bear no Proportion to the Heinoufnefs of the leaft Sin ? If it were not To, one would think, that however the offending Per- fon might have fonie proper Piinifliment, yet feeing there is fo much Virtue to lay in the Bai- lance asiainft the Guilt, it would be agreeable to the Nature of Things, that he fliould find fomc Favour, and not be altogether rejed:ed, and made the Subjes5l of perfeiSt and eternal Dcflruftion •, and thus no Account at all be made of all his Virtue, fo much as to procure liim the leaft Relief or Hope. How can fuch a Conftitution reprefcnt Sin in its proper Colours^ and according to its true Nature end Defert^ (as Dr. 'T. fays it does) unlefs this be its true Nature, that it is fo bad, that even in the leaft Inftance it perfectly fwallows up ?\\ the Value of the Sinner's fuppofed good Deeds, let them be ever fo many. So that this Matter is not left to our Metaphyficks, or Philofophy ; the great Law- giver, and infallible Judge of the Univerfe, has clearly decided it, in the Revelation he has made of what is agreeable to exact Truth, Juftice, and the Nature of Things, in his revealed Law, or Rule of Righceoufnels.
He that in any Refpeft or Degree is a Tranf- grcffor of God's Law, is a wicked Man, yea, wholly wicked in the Eye of the Law ; all iiis Goodnefs being eftecm.ed Notliing, having no Ac- count made of it, vvhen taken together v/itii his Wickcdnels. And therefore, without any Regard to his Righteoufnefs, he is, by the Sentence of the Lav/, and fo by the Voice of Truth and Juitice, to be treated as worthy to be rejected, a^horre.J, and curfed for ever-, and muft be lb, unlefs Gimcc inter}5ofes, to cover his Tranlgrelfion. But M^n arc reallv, in themfclves, wliat tliev arc in the I'.ve
D J ' of
j8 Sin infiniiely outweighs Part I.
of the Law, and by the Voice of ftrlft Equity and Juftice ; however they may be looked upon, and treated by infinite and unmerited Mercy.
So that, on the whole, it appears, all Mankind have an infallibly effedual Propenfity to that mo- ral Evil, which infinitely out-v/eighs the Value of all the Good that can be in them •, and have fuch a Difpofition o Heart, that the certain Confequence of it h, their being, in the Eye of perfeft Truth and RighteoLifnels, wicked Men. And I leave all to judge, whether fuch a Difpolltion be not in the Eye of Truth a depraved Difpofition ?
Agreeable to thefe Things, the Scripture repre- fents all Mankind, not only as having Guilt, but immcnfe Guik, which they can have no Merit or Worthinefs to countervail. Such is the Reprefen- tation we have in Matth. xviii. 21. to the End. There, on Peter's enquiring, Hc-zv often his Brother Jldculd trefpafs againjl hiryiy and he forgive him^ whe- ther until feven tirries ? Chrifl replies, / fay net unto thee^ until feven times^ hut until feventy times feven •, apparently meaning,, that he lliould efteem no Number of Offences too many, and no Degree of Injury it is poffible our Neighbour Ikould be guilty of tov/ards us, too great to be forgiven. For which tlris Reafon is given in the Parable there following, that if ever we obtain Forgivenefs and Favour vv'ith God, he muft pardon that Guilt and Injury towards his Mtijefty, which is immenfely greater than the greateit Injuries that ever Men are guiky of one towards another, yea, than the Sum of all their Injuries put together, let them be ever fo many, and ever fo great ; fo that the latter v/ould be but as an hundred Pence to ten thoufand Talents, which irnmenfe Debt we owe to
God,
Chap. J. 7 tJifg Virtues of Men. lo
SeA. III. f J ^ 6^
God, and have nothing to pay ; which implies, that we have no Merit to countervail any Part of our Guilt. And this muft be, becaufe if all that may be called Virtue in us, be compared with our ill Defert, it is in the Sight of God as Nothing to it. The Parable is not to reprefent PeUr's Cafe in particular, but that of all wiio then were, or ever ihould be, Chrift's Difciplcs. It appears by the Concluficn of the Difcourie, So iike-ivife /ball my heavenly Father do, if ye, from your Hearts, forgive not every one his Brother their 'Trefpajjes.
Therefore how abfurd muft it be for Chriftians to objed againft the Depravity of Man's Nature, a greater Nuniber of innocent and kind Adions, than of Crimes ; and to talk of a prevailing In- nocency, good Nature, Induftry, and Cheariul- nefs of the greater Part of Mankind ? Iniinitely more abfurd, than it v/ould be to infifi, that the Domeftic of a Prince v.'as not a bad Servant, be- caufe the' fometimcs he contemned and attronted his Mafter to a great Degree, yet he did not fpic in his Mafter's Face fo often as he pertormcd Acts of Service •, or, than it v.'ould be to affirm, that his Spoufe was a good Wife to him, becaule, al- though fhe committed Adultery, and that with the Slaves and Scoundrels fometimcs, yet (lie did not do this fo often as fhe did the Duties of a Wife. Thefe Notions would be abfurd, becaule the Crimes are too heinous to be atoned for, by many honeft Aftions of the Servant or Spoufe of the Prince •, there being a vait Difproportion be- tween the Merit of the one, and the lil-Delert of the other : But in no Meafure f) great, nay inii- nitely Ids, than that between the Demerit of our Olfences againft God, and the Value of our Aets of Obedience.
D 4 Tiu,
40 All Men fin immediately. Part I.
Thus I have gone through, with my firft Argu- ment ; having fhewn the Evidence of the Truth of the Propofition I laid down at firft, and proved its Confcquence. But there are maoy other Things^ that manifeft a very corrupt Tendency or Dif- pofition in Man's Nature, in his prefent State, which I {hall take Notice of in the following Secfions.
S E C T. IV.
^he Depravity of Nature appears by a Tropenfity in all to fin immediately, as fccn as they are capable of it^ and to fin continually and pro- greffively ; and alfo by the Remains of Sin in the beft of Men.
THE great Depravity of Man's Nature ap- pears, not only in that they univerfally com- mit Sin, Vv'ho fpend any long Time in the World, but in that Men are naturally fo prone to Sin, that none ever fail of immediately tranfgreffmg God's Law, and fo of bringing infinite Guilt on them- fclves, and expofing themfelves to eternal Perdi- tion, as loon as they are capable of it.
The Scriptures arc fo very exprefs in it, that all Mankmd, all Flefh^ all the World, every Man living, are guilty of Sin ; that it miul; at leaft be underilood, every one that is comiC to be capable of being adive in Duty to God, or Sin againft him, is guilty of Sin. There are Multitudes in the World, who have but very lately begun to exert their Faculties, as moral Agents ; and fo are but juil entered on tivjir State of I'ria], as acting foi" then'ifelves. I'hcre arc many Thouiamh
conflantlv
Chap. T. 7 /III Men fm immediately. 4.1^
Scft. IV. J
conftantly in the World, who have not lived one
Month, or Week, or Day, fince they have arrived
to any Period that can be afiTigned from their Birth
to twenty Years of Age. And if there be not
a ftrong Propenfity in Man's Nature to Sin, that
fhould, as it were, hurry them on to fpeedy lYani-
grefllon, and they have no Guilt previous to their
perlbnal Sinning, what fhould hinder but that there
mi2;ht alwavs be a great Number of fucli as a6t
for themfelves on the Stage of the World, and
are anfwerable for themfelves to God, who have
hitherto kept themfelves free from Sin, and have
perfectly obeyed God's Law, and fo are righteous
in God's Sight, with the Riorhteoufnefs of the
Law ; and if they fliould be called out of the
World without any longer Trial (as great Numbers
die at all Periods of Life) would be juftified by
the Deeds of the Law ? And hov/ then can it be
true, that /// God's Sight no Alan living can be jufii-
fed^ that no Man can be ju(l ivith God^ and that
by the Peeas of the Laiu no hlejh can be jujiif.ed^
becaiifc by the Laiv is the Knoivledge of Sin ? And
what fhould hinder but that there may always be
many in the World, v/ho are capable Subjects of
Inftruction and Counfel, and of Prayer to God,
for whom the Calls of God's Word to Repentance,
and to feek Pardon through the Blood of Chriif,
and to forgive others their Injuries, becaufe they
need that God fliould forgive them, would not be
proper ; and for whom the Lord's Prayer is not fuit-
able, wherein Chrill directs all his Followers to
pray, that (iod would forgive their Sins, as they
forgive thole that tr^^fpafs agai nil them?
If there are any in the World, though but lately become capable of ;;ul ng fjr themfti/es, as Sub- jects ol the Law d Gou, v/lio are perrccily irce
iroai
42 All Men ftn immediately. Part I.
from Sin, fuch are moft likely to be found among the Children of Chriftian Parents, who give them the moft pious Education, and fet them the beft Examples : And therefore fuch v/ould never be fo hkely to be found in any Part or Age of the World, as in the primitive Chriftian Church, m the firft Age of Chriftianity, (the Age of the Church's greateft Purity} fo long after Chriftianity had beers eftabiiflied, that there had been Time for great Numbers of Children to be born, and educated by thofe primitive Chriftians, It was in that Age, and in fuch a Parr of that Age, that the Apoitie John wrote his firft Epiftle to the Chriftians that then were. But if there was then a Number of them come to Underftanding, who were perfectly free from Sin, why does he write as he does ? I John i. 8, 9, 10. If we fay that we have no Sin, we deceive ourfelves, and the Truth is not in us. If we confefs cur Si?is, he is faithful and jufi to forgive us our Sins^ and to cleanfe us from all Un~ right eoufnefs. If we fay that we have not fmnedy we make him a Liar^ and the Truth is not in us*.
Again,
* If any ihould objeft, that this is an overtraining of Things ; and that it i'uppofcs a greater Niccr.c;is and Exact- Befs than is obfcrved in Scripture-Reprefcrtations and Expref- fions, to infer from thci'e Expreilions, that all Men fin imme- diately as foon as ever they are capable of it. To this I vvould fay, that f think the Arguu:;cnts ufed are truly folid, and do really and jullly conciiide, either that rvkn are bora guilty, and fo are chargeable with Sin before they come to ai5t tor tbcmfelves, or clle commit Sin inimediately, without the leaft Time intervening, after they are capable of underilanding their Obligations to Ciod, and reflecting on theinielves ; r.nd that the Scripture clearly determines, t'serc is not one fuch Pcrfon in the World, free from Sin. Bat whether this be a draining Things up to too great an E.c.-iunefi, or not , ) et I fup- pole, None that do not entirely let ailde the Ser.fe of fuch Scriptures as have been mentioned, and d^-ny thufw Propofi- tions which Dr. T. himlell allows to be contained in feme of
them.
Chap. 1. 7 Mi» fin continually. a.\
ScA. IV. \ • •
Again, the Reality and Greatnefs of the Depra- vity of Man's Nature appears in this. That he has a prevaihng Propenfity to be continually finning againit God. "What has been obfrvcd above,
o ...
will clearly prove this. That fame Difpofition of Nature, which is an effectual Propenfity to imme^ diuie Siii, amounts to a Fropeniity to conilnual Sin. For a being prone to continual finning, is nothinji but a Proncnels to immediate Sin co'iiti-^ nucd. Such appears to be the Tendency of Na- ture to Sin, that as foon as e\\;r Man is capable, it caulcs him immediately to fin, without fullering any confiderable 'I'ime to pafs widiout SirL And therefore, if the fame Propenfity be continued undiminilhed, there will be an equal Tendency to immediate finning again, without any confiderable Time paffing. And fo the fame will always be a Difpofition Hill immediately to fin, with as liitk Time pafilng v/ithout Sin afterwards, as at firit. The only Reafon that can be given wiiy Sinning mull be immediate at firll, is that the Dirpofition is fo great, that it will not fuffer any conudcrabit: Time to pafs v/ithout Sin : and therefore, the Ikmc Difpofition being continued in equal Degree, v;ith-
out
tlu'm, will deny they prove, that no conf.deralle Time pafies after Mc'ij are capaulc of ading for themicives, as the Sub- jeds ot God's Law, before they arc guilry of Sin ; hccauf.: if the Time wore cor.ficierahlc, ic would be grtat ciiouv^h to defervc lo i.-t: taken Notice of, as an Exccpcicn to fuch ur.i- vcrfal Fropcfuions, as, in thy Si^^/'-t jLaii nc l\'an li^inug L juj.i- f.cd, kz And if this be alloucti, that I'. 'en a;-^ io : n-rjc to fin, tliat in Fact all Mankiiid co f-n, as it iirrr, ininitdu.tcly. after they come to be capable of it, or iail not to fn In foon, that no io}:fiiiirahleinne p:-:ii'cs bf'circ llicy run into 'i r;-.r.i - grclnon at^-iiill God , it c.oc; rot n.iich alrcr the Laic, as to the pvcitiu Argunici'it. Jf the Time cf i iccv.cm !io.;i ':a\\ ic. Ic fu..;ll, ns i:ut to be wcriliy o> ^.c.'i-x.^. ir ihj ioun.icn'.u r.'.d iini\cifai I'rrrrf -ior- of i^ciiptuic, i: \\ al o (o Ima^], :.: lU'C 13 be wcriiv, t^f Nowtc in lisr ric^i.i A",t r ■_;;.,
44 ^^^ J^^i increaftngly. Part I.
out fome new Reflraint, or contrary Tendency, it will ftill equally tend to the fame EfFed. And though it is true, the Propenfity may be dimi- nifhed, or have Reflraints laid upon it, by gracious Difpofals of Providence, or merciful Influences of God's Spirit ; yet this is not owing to Nature. That ftrong Propenfity of Nature, by which Men are fo prone to immediate Sinning at firil, has no Tendency in itfelf to a Diminution ; but rather to an Increafe ; as the continued Exercife of an evil Difpofition, in repeated a6lual Sins, tends to ftrengthen it more and more : agreeable to that Obfervation of Dr. T — r's, p. 228. " We are apt " to be drawn into Sin by bodily Appetites, and *' when once v/e are under the Government of " thefe Appetites, it is at leaft exceeding difficult, " if not impracticable, to recover ourfelves, by " the mere Eorce of Reafon." The Increafe of Strength of Difpofition in fuch a Cafe, is as in a falling Body, the Strength of its Tendency to de- fcend is continually increafed, fo long as its Mo- tion is continued. Not only a conftant Commiffion of Sin, but a conftant Increafe in the Habits and Practice of Wickednefs, is the true Tendency of Man's depraved Nature, if unreftrained by divine Grace •, as the true Tendency of the Nature of an heavy Body, if Obftacles are rem.oved, is not only to fall with a continual Motion, but with a con- ftantly increafing Motion. And we fee, that in- creafing Iniquity is aftually the Coniequence of natural Depravity, in moft Men, notvv^ithftanding all the Reftraints they have. Difpofitions to Evil are commonly much ftronger in adult Perfons, than in Children, v/hcn they firft begin to ad: in the World as rational Creatures.
If
Chap. T. 7 Sin in the heji. a.c
Sea. IV. C
If Sin be fuch a Thing as Dr. 'T. himfelf repre-
fents it, p. 6<^. " a Thing of an odious and de-
" ftruftive Nature, the Corruption and Ruin of
*' our Nature, and infinitely hateful to God j"
then fuch a Propenfity to continual and increafing
.Sin, mud be a very evil Difpofition. And if we
may judge of the Pernicioufnefs of an Inclination
of Nature, by the Evil of the Effedt it naturally
tends to, the Propenfity of Man's Nature mufb be
evil indeed : For the Soul being immortal, as Dr.
T. acknowledges, p. 94. S. it will follow from
what has been obferved above, that Man has a
natural Difpofition to one of thefe two Things ;
either to an Increafe of Wickednefs without End,
or till Wickednefs comes to be fo great, that the
Capacity of his Nature will not allow it to be
greater. This being what his Wickednefs will
come to by its natural Tendency, if divine Grace
does not prevent, it may as truly be faid to be
the Effedc wluch Man's natural Corruption tends
to, as that an Acorn in a proper Soil, truly tends
by its Nature to become a great Tree.
Again, That Sin which is remaining in the Hearts of the beft Men on Earth, makes it evi- dent, that Man's Nature is corrupt, as he comes into the World. A remaining Depravity of Heart in the grcatcit Saints, may be argued fiom the Sins of moft of thofe v/lio are fct forth in Scrip- ture as the mou: eminent Inftances and Examples of Virnie and Piety : And is alio manif ft from this, That the Scripture rcprclents all God's Chil- dren as ftriiiding in Need of Cliailifement. Heb. xii. 6, 7, 8. Fcr -ivhcm tie Lord !/i'ctl.\ he cho.ftcneth; iiiui I'tQurgeth rjrry Son '-jshcni he rcCcii-elh. — // hi-.t Son Is hc^ v:h:m the Fa: hi?- clejlencth net? — Jf y^ crc idtloiit O.ajiijcr.hnt^—thcn arc ye Biylards, /;;;.'/
4iS Sin in the beji. Part L
not Sons. But this \t diredly and fully afferted in fome Places i as in that forementioned Ecclef. vii. 20. There is not a juji Man upon Earth, that doetb Good, and ftnneth not. Which is as much as to fay. There is no Man on E:;rth, that is {q juft, as to have attained to fuch a Degree of Righteouf- nefs, as not to commit any Sin. Yea, the Apoftle jfames fpeaks of all Chriftians as often finning, or committing many Sins •, even in that primitive Age of the Chriiban Church, an Age diftinguifned from all others by eminent Attainments in Holi- ncfs i Jam, iii. 2. In many "Things we all offend. And that there is Pollution in the Hearts of all, as the Remainder of moral Fikh that was there antecedent to all Attempts or Means for Puriiica- tion, is very plainly declared, in Prov. xx. 9. IVho can fay, I have made my Heart clean, I am ptirc from my Sin ?
According to Dr. T. Men come into the World wholly free from finful Propenfities. And if fo, it appears from what has been already faid, there v/ould be nothing to hinder, but that many, without being better than they are l)y Nature, niio-ht perfectly avoid the CommifTion of Sin. But much more might this be the Cafe v/ith Men after they had, by Care, Diligence, and good Pnicftice, attained thofe pofitive liabits of Virtue, vvhereby they are at a much greater Didance from Sin, than they were naturally: — Which this Writer fuppofes to be the Cafe with many good Men. But fince the Scripture teaches us, that the beft Men in the World do often commit Sin, and have remaining Pollution of 1 leart, this makes it abun- dantly evident; that Men, wlien they are no other- wife than they were by Nature, witliout any of thofe virtuous Attainments, have a finful Depravity, yea, mull have creat Corr-jp/tion of Nature-.
s E c t;
Chap. 1, 7 Mttte Sin than Virtue . 4.7
Soft. V. s
S E C T. V.
The Depravity of Nature appears, in that the general Confequence: of the State and Tendency of Man's Nature is a much greater Degree of Sin, than Righteoufnefs -, not only with RefpeSk to Value and Demerit, hut Matter and Quan- tity.
I Have before flievvn, that there is a Propenfity in Man's Nature to that Sin, which in Heinouf- nels and Ili-defert immenfely outweighs ail the Value and Merit of any fuppofed Good, that may be in him, or that he can do. I now proceed to fay further, that fuch is Man's Nature, in his pre- fent State, that it tends to this lamentable Effedt, That there fhould at aU Times, through the Courfe of his Life, be at leaft much more Sin, than Righ- teoulhefs •, not only as to IVeight and Value^ but as to Matter and Meafitre ; more 13ifigreement of Heart and Praulice from the Law of God, and from tlie Law of Nature and Reafon, than Agree- ment and Conformity.
The Law of God is the Rule of Right, as Dn *r. often calls it : It is the Meafure of Virtue and Sin : fo much Aoreement as there is with this Rule, fo much is there of Re6titudv% Righteouf- nelj;, or true Virtue, and no more -, ar.d io much Difigreement as there is with this Rule, lo much Sin is there.
Having premifed this, the following Things inay be ]":ei"c obferved.
I. The Degree of Diiagrcem:nt from this Rule of j^ight is to be determined, not only by tiie
Dcgrc-c
4^ JU have more Siri Fart L
Degree of Diftance from it in Excefs^ but alfo irj Defe^l ; or in other Words, not only in pofitivc TranfgrefTion, or doing what is forbidden^ but alfa in witholding what is required. The divine Law- giver does as much prohibit the one as the other, and does as much charge the latter as a finful Breach of his Law, expofing to his eternal Wrath and Curfe, as the former. Thus at the Day of Judgment, as defcribed Matth. xxv. The wicked are condemned as curfed^ to everlo.fiing Fire^ foF their Sin in Defc6t and OmifTion : / -was an hun- gred, and ye gave me no Meat^ &c. And the Cafe is thus, not only when the Defe6t is in Word or Behaviour, but in the inward Temper and Exercife of the Mind, i Cor. xvi. 22. If any Man love: not the Lord Jefus Chrifty let him be Anathema- Maranathal Dr. 2". fpeaking of the Sentence and Punifhment of the Wicked, (Matth. xxv. 41, 46.) fays, p. 159. " It was manneuly for WANT of Be- •' nevolence. Love, and Compaffion to their Fel- " low-Creatures, that they were condemned." And elfewhere, as was obferved before, he fays, that the Law of God extends to the latent Principles of Sin to forbid them, and to condemn to eternal Deftruftion for them. And if fo, it doubtlefs alfo extends to the inward Principles of Holinefs, to require them, and in like Manner to condemn for the Want of them.
II. The Sum of our Duty to God, required in Bis Lav/, is hove to God \ taking Love in a large Scnfe, for tlie true Regard of our Hearts to God, implying Eiteem, Honour, Bcne\olcnce, Grati-- tude, Con^^lacence, &c. This is not only very plam by the Scripture, but it is evident in irfelf. The Sum of v/hat the Law of G>>U requires, is doubiitfs Obedience to that Law : No Law can
require
C hap. I. ? than Right eoKfnefs. 49
require more than that it be obeyed. Bat it is manifeft, that Obedience to God is Nothing-, any otherwife than as a Teftimony of the Refpect of our Hearts to God : Without the Heart, Man's external A6ts arc no more than the Motions of the Limbs of a wooden Image ; have no more of the Nature of either Sin or Rjghtcoufnefs. It muft therefore needs be fo, tliat Love to G:;d, or the Refpedt of the Heart, mull be the Sum of the Duty required towards God in hib Law.
III. It therefore appears from the Premifes, that whofoever with-holds more of char Love or RcTpect of Heart from God, which his Law requires, than he affords, has more Sin than K.ig;hteouineiS. Not only he that has lefs divine Lo/e, than PaiTions and Afieftions which 2xc oppofitc ; but alfo he that does not love God half io much as he ouglit, or has Reafon to do, has juftiy more Wrong than Right impu;ed to him, according to the Law of God, and the Lav; of Reafon -, he has m^)re Irre- gularity than Redlitude, with Regard to tlie Law of Love. The fmful Difrefpecc, or Unreipedl:- fulnefs of his Heart to God, is greater than his Relpect to him.
But wliat confiderate Perfon is there, even a- mong the more virtuous Part ot Mankind, but what would be afliamed to fay, and profefs betore God or Men, that he loves God hair' lb much as he ouglit to do ; or that he exercifes one Half of that ElLeem, Honour and Gratitude towards GoJ, which v/ould be altogether becoming Him ; ccn- fijering wliatGod is, and v/hat grc.it rv'IaniieildLions he has made of his tt'anfcen^icn: Excellency aiul Goodnefs, and what Benehts h: receives froin him I And if few or none of die belt of Mv.n can
E wi:h
50 All have mere Sin Part I.
with Rcafcn and Truth make even fuch a Profei'- fion, how far from it mult the GeneraLty of Man- kind be ?
The chief and moft fundamental of all the Comm.ands of the moral Law, requires us to love the Lord our God -with all our Hearts^ and 'xith all cur Sculs^ with all cur Strength^ and all our Mind : that is plainly, with all that is within us, or to the utmoft Capacity of our Nature -, all that belongs to^ or is comprehended zvithin the utmoft Extent or Capacity of our Heart and Soul, and Mind and Strength, is required. God is in liimfelf worthy of infinitely greater Love, than any Creature can exercife towards him : He is worthy of Love equal to his Ferfefiions, which are inrLnice : God loves Himfelf vv^ith no greater Love than he is worthy of, when he loves himlelf infmitely : But we can give God no more than we have. Therefore, if we give him fo m.uch, if we love him to the utmoft Extent of the Faculties of our Nature, we arc excufed : But when what is propofed, is only that we Ihoukl love him as much as our Capacity v^'ill ailov/, this Excufe of Want of Capacity ceafes, and Obligation takes hold of us \ and v/e are doubtlefs obliged to love God to the utmoft of what is pofiible for us, with fuch Faculties, and fuch Opportunities and Advantages to knov/ God, as we have. And it is evidently implied in this great Comm.andment of the Law, that our Love to God fliould be fo great, as to have tlie nioft abfolute Poftcirion of all the Soul, and the p-erfeft Government of all the Principles and Springs of Action that are in our Nature.
Though it is not eafy, precifely to fix the Limits of Man's Capacity, as to Love to God ; yet in
Chap. T. 1 than Righteoufnefs. 5 1
Scdt, V J "^
general we may determine, that his Capacity of Love is cocxtended with his Cpacity of Know- ledge : The Exercife of the Underftanding optns the Way for the Exercife of the other Faculty. Now, though we cannot have any proper i-ofiuve Underftanding of God's infinite Excellency; yet •the Capacity of the human Underftanding is very great, and may be extended far. It is needlcfs to difpute, how far Man's Knowledge may be faid to be ftndly comprehcnfive of Things that are very great, as of the Extent of the Expanfe of the Heavens, or of the Dimenlions of the Globe of the Earth -, and of luch a great Number, as of the many Millions of its Inhabitants. The Word Ccmprehc?ifive^ feems to be ambiguous, ^^vx doubt- lefs we are capable of fome proper pofitive Under- ftanding of the Greatnefs of thefe Things, in Com[)ariron of other Things that we know, as unlpeakably exceeding them. We are capable of fome clear Underftanding of the Greatnefs or Con'iderablcnefs of a whole Nation •, or of the whole World of Mankind, as vaftly exceeding that of a paiticular Perlon or Family. We can poficively underftand, that the whole Globe of the Earth is vaftiy greater than a particular Hill or Mountain. And can have fome good pofitive Apprchenfion of the ftarry Heavens, as fo greatly exceeding the Globe of the Earth, that the latter is as it were Nothino; to it. So the human Facul- ties are capable of a real and clear Underftanding of the Greatneis, Glory, and Goodnels of God, and of our Dependence upon him, from the Ma- nifeftations which God has made of himfelf to Mankind, as bfing beyond all Expreliion above that ot the moft excellent human Friend, or c?.rth.- ly Object. And h we are capable of an E.leeiu and Love to God, which ftiail be proporri>j;iable, E 1 and
52 More Corruption Part I.
and as much exceeding that which we have to any Creature.
Thefe Things may help us to form fome ]udg- ment, how vaftly the Generality of Mankind fall below their Duty, with refpeft to Love to God -, yea, how far they are from coming half-way to that Height of Love, which is a rreeable to the Rule of Right. Surely if our Efteem of God, Defires after him, and Delight in him, were fuch as become us, confidering the Things foremen- tioned, they would exceed our Regard to other Things, as the Heavens are high above the Earth, and would fwallow up all other Affections like a Deluge. But how far, how exceeding far, are the Generality of the World from any Appearance of being influenced and governed by fuch a Degree of divine Love as this '
If v/e confider the Love of God, with refped: to that one Kind of Exercife of it, namely. Gra- titude^ how far indeed do the Generality of Man- kind com.e fiiort of the Rule of Right and Reaion in this ! If we confider how various, innumerable, and vafl the Benefits are we receive from God, and how infinitely great and wonderful that Grace of his is, which is revealed and oft^ered to them that live under the Gofpel, in that eternal Salvation which is procured by God's giving his only be- gotten Son to die for Sinners y and alfo how un- worthy we are all, deferving (as Dr. T, confefles) eternal Perdition under God's Wrath and Curfe ; how great is the Gratitude that would become us, who are the Subjefts of fo many and great Bene- fits, and have fuch Grace tovv^ards poor finful loll Mankind fet before us in fo afletting a Manner, as in the extreme Sufferings of the Son of God,
being;
Chap, ti \ than Righteouffiefs^ in alt. ^ j
Seft. v. i
being carried through thofe Pains by a Love ftronger than Death, a Love that conquered thofe mighty Agonies, a Love whofe Length and Breadth, and Depth and Height, paffes Knowledge ? But oh ! what poor Returns ! — How little the Grati- tude ! How low, how cold and inconftant the Af- fe<5tion in the bell, compared with the Obligation ' And what then (hall be faid of the Gratitude of the Generality ? Or rather, who can exprefs the Ingratitude ?
If it were fo, that the greater Part of them that are called Chriftians, were no Enemies to Chrift in Heart and Pra6bice, were not governed by Principles oppolite to him and his Gofpel, but had fome real Love and Gratitude •, yet if theif Love falls vaftly fhort of the Obligation or Occa- fion given, they are guilty of lliameful and odious Inp-ratitude. As, when a Man has been the Sub- ject of fome Initance of tranfcendent Generofity, whereby he has been relieved from the moll ex- treme Calamity, and brought into very opulent, honourable, and happy Circum (lances, by a Bene- factor of excellent Charafter \ and yet expreffes no more Gratitude on fuch an Occafion, than would be requifice for fome Kindnefs comparatively in- finitely fmall, he may jurdy fall under the Impu- tation of vile Unthankfulnels, and of much more Ingratitude, than Gratitude ; thoirgh he may have no Ill-Will to his Benefaclor-, or no poIi'Live Affec- tion of Mind contrary to Thankfulncls and Bene- volence : What is odious in him is his Defect, whereby he falls fo vaftly below his Duty.
Dr. T'urnhull abundantly infifts, that the Forces of the Affections naturally in Man are v,cli pro- portioned i and often puts a Queilion to this
E 3 Purpofe,
54 More Corruption Part 1.-
Purpofe, — How Man's Na-ture could have been better conftituted in this Refpe6l ? How the Affec-^ tions of his Heart could have been better propor^ tioned ? — I will now mention one Inftance, out of many that mio-ht be mentioned. Man, if his Heart were not depraved, might have had a Dif- pofition to Gratitude to God for his Gcodnefi^ in Proportion to his Difpofition to Anger towards Men for their Injuries. When I fay, in Proportion^ I mean confidermg the Greatnefs and Number of Favours and Injuries, and the Degree in which the one and the other are unmerited, and the Benefit received by the former, and the Damage fuiiained by the latter. Is there not an apparent and vaft Difference and Inequahty in the Difpof:- tions to thcfe two Kinds of Affedion, in the Ge- nerality of both old and young, adult Perfons and little Children .? How ready is Refentment for Injuries received from Men ? And how eafily is it rai fed in moft, at leaft to an Equality with the Defert .^ And is it fo with refpeft to Gratitude for Benefits received from God, in any Degree of Comparifon ? Dr. "-Turnhull pleads for the natural Difpofition to Anger for Injuries, as being good and ufeful : But lurely Gratitude to God, if we were inclined to it, would be at leaft as good and ufeful as the other.
Plow far the Generality of Mankind are from their Duty with refpeft to Love to God, will fur- ther appear, if we confider that we are obliged not only to love him with a Love of Gratitude for Benefits received ; but true Love to God prima- rily confifts in a fupreme Regard to him for what he is in himfelf. The Tendency of true Virtue is to treat every Thing as it is, and ac- cording to its Nature. And if we regard the Moft
High
Chap. r. 7 than Right eoufncfs, in all. 55.
Sett. V. \
High according to the infinite Dignity and Glory of his Nature, we fliall efleem and love him with all our Heart and Soul, and to the utmofl of the Capacity of our Nature, on this Account ; and not primarily becauic he has promoted our Intereft. If God be infinitely excellent in Himfelf, then He is inlinitely lovely on that Account ; or in other Words, infinitely worthy to be loved. And doubt- lefs, if he be wortiiy to be loved for this, then he ought to be loved for this. And it is manifell, there can be no true Love to Him, if he be not loved for what he is in liimfelf. For if we love him not for his own Sake, but for Jomcthing elfe, then our Love is not terminated on him, but on fomething elie, as its uldmate Objecl. That is no true Value for infinite Worth, which implies no Value for that Worthinefs in itfelf confidered, but only on the Account of fomething foreign. Our ElLceRi of God is fundamentafy defective, if it be not primarily for iliC Excellency of his Na- ture, wliich is the Foundation of ail that is valuable in him in any Refpe6t. If we love not God bccaufe he is what he is, but only becaufe he is profitable to us, in Truth we love him not at all : If we feem to love him, our Love is not to him, but to fomethins: elfe.
t)
And now I muft leave it to every one to judge for himfelf, from his own Opportunities of Obfer- vation and Information concerning Mankind, how little tliere is of this diiinterelled Love to God, this pure divine Aifection, in the World. How very little indeed in Comparifon of other Affec- tions altogeLher di\-cik', v.hich perpetually ur^^e, actuate and govern Pvlaiikind, aiiG kcvp the Wo -icl, through all l'\aiions antl Ages, in a contuv al Agi- tation and Coir.motion ! Ihi.s is an lividencc ot
L 4 an
^6 More Corruption Part I.
an horrid Contempt of God, reigning in the World of Mankind. It would jviftly be elleemed a great Jnftance of Difrefpect and Contempt of a Prince, if one of his Subjects, when he came into his Houfe, fliould fet him below his meaneil Slave. Bur in fetting tlie infinite JEHOVAH below earthly Objcdts and Enjoyments, Men degrade him below thofe Things, between which and him there is an infinitely greater Diftance, than between the higheil earthly Potentate, and the moft abje6t cf Morrals. Such a Condutl as the Generality of Men are guilty of towards God, continually and through all Ages, in innumerable Refpecls, would be accounted the moft vile contemptuous Treat- ment of a Fellow-Creature, of diftinguifhed Dig- nity. Particularly Men's Treatment of the Offers God makes of Himidf to them as their Friend, their Father, their God, and everlafting Portion ; their Treatment of the Exhibitions he has made of his unmeafurable Love, and the boundlefs Riches of his Grace in Chrift, attended with earneft repeated Calls, Counfels, Expoftulations, and Intrcaties ; as alfo of the moft dreadful Threatnings of his eternal Difpleafure and Ven- geance.
Before I finilli this Se^icn^ it may be proper to fay fomething in Reply to an Obje6tion, Ibme may be ready to make againft the Force of that Argu- ment, which has been ufed to prove, that Men in general have more Sin than Righteoulhefs, namely. That they do not come half-way to that Degree of Love to God, which becomes them, and is their Duty.
The Objeriicn is this : That the Argument feems to prove too much, in that it will prove, that even
good
Ciiap. !. \ than Right eoufnefs in all. 57
Seft. V. S
good Men themfelves have more Sin than Holinefsi which alfo has been fuppofed. But if this were true, it would follow, that Sin is the prevalent Principle even in good Men, and that it is the Principle v^hich has the Predominancy in the Heart and Pradice of the truly pious •, which is plainly contrary to the Word of God.
I anfwer. If it be indeed fo, that there is more Sin, confiding in Defe6t of required Holinefs, than there is of Holinefs in good Men in this World •, yet it will not follow, that Sin has the chief Go- vernment of their Heart and Practice, for two Reafons.
1. They may Iovt God m.ore than other Things, and yet there may not be fo much Love, as there is Want of due Love -, or in other Wo'xis, they may love God more than the World, and there- fore the Love of God may be predominant, and yet may not love God near half fo much as they ought to do. 1 his need not be efteemed a Para- dox : A Perfon may love a Father, or fome great Friend and Bcnefaftor, of a very excellent Cha- rafter, more tlian fom.e other Objeft, a thouiand Times lefs worthy of his Eileem and Affciftion, and yet love him ten Times lefs than he ought-, and fo be chargeable, all Things confidered, with a Deficiency in Refpetl and Gratitude, that is very unbecoming and hateful. If Love to God prevails above the Love of other Tilings, then Virtue will prevail above evil AFFc(!;tions, or pofitive Principles of Sin; by which Principles it is, that Sin has a pofitive Power and Influence. For evil Affections radically confill in inordinate Love to other Things befides God : And therefore, Virtue prevailing beyond thefe, will liave the governing IiiHucnce.
'j'he
5? More Sin than- Vktue. Part L
The PredominanC'C of the Love of God in the Hearts of good Men, is more from the Nature of the Objed loved, and the Nature of the Principle of true Love, than the Degree of the Principle. The Objedl is One of fuprerne Lovelinefs ; im- menfely above all other Objed:s in Worthinefs of Regard •, and it is by fiKh a tranfcendent Excel- lency, that he is God, and worthy to be regarded and adored as God : And he that truly loves God, loves him as God : True Love acknowledges him to be God, or to be divinely and fupremely <:^xcel- lent-, and mull arife from feme Knowledge, Scnfe, and Convidiion of his Worthinefs oi fuprerne Re- fpe6t : And though the Senfe and View of it may be very imperfect, and the Love that arifes from it in hke Manner imperfect •, yet if there be any realifmg View of fuch divine Excellency, it mull caufe the Heart to refpect God above all.
2. Another Reafon, why a Principle oi Holi- nefs maintains tlie Dominion in the Hearts of good Men, is the Nature of the Covenant of Grace, and the Promifes of that Covenant, on which true Chriftian Virtue relies, and which engage God's Strength and Affiftance to be on its Side, and to help it againft its Encmiy, that it may not be over- come. The Jult live by Faith, tlolinefs in the Chriftian, or his fpiritual Life, is maintained, as it has Rt-fpc6t by Faith to its Author and Finifher, and derives Strength and Efficacy from the divine Fountain, and by this Means overcomes. For, as the Apoftle fays. This is the VitUry that c^-ercomes the World, even car Faith, It is our Faith in liim who has promiifcd, never to leave nor forfake his People, and not to forfake the V/ork of his own Flands, nor fufrer his People to be tempted above their Ability, and that his Grace ihall be fufiicient
for
Chap. I. 7 Extnme Stupidity, ^(, 5^
for them, and that his Strength fliall be made pcrfc<^t in Weaknefs, and that where lie has bcgiin a good Work he will carry it on to the Day of Cliriii
SECT. VI.
The Corruption of MatCs Nnture appears ly iti
Tendency^ in its prefent State^ to an extreme
Degree of Folly and Stupidity in Matters of Religion,
IT appears, that Man's Nature is greatly depra- ved, by an apparent Prone nefs to an exceeding Stupidity and Sottifhnefs in thofe Things wherein his Duty and main Intcrefb are chiefly concerned.
I fhall inftance in two Things, viz. Men's Proncncfs to Idolatry -, and fo general and great a ■Difregard of eternal Things^ as appears in them that live under the Light of the Gofpel.
It is manifeic, that Man's Nature in its prefent Scatc is attended with a great Propenfity to forfake the* Acknowledgment and Worihip of the true God, and to fall into the molt Itupid Idolatry. This has been lufticiently proved by known Fatt, on abundant Trial : Inafmuch as the World of Mankind in general ('excepting one fmall Peopk=-, miraculoully delivered and pi'elerveJ} thro'jgh all Nations, in all Parts of the World, Ages after Age?, continued wizhojt the Knowledge and Wor- fliip of the true (jjJ, anti overwlieimed in grofs Idolatry, withoiii: ti.e leail Apj.earance or ProJpeCl: of its recovering \vxVi froai \o great Blindnrl^, or
rcLiiriiinfz
5(5 the Idolatry of the World Psitth
teturnittg from its brutifh Principles and Cuftoms^ till delivered by divine Grace.
In Order to the mofl juft arguing from Fa6t, concerning the Tendency of Man's Nature, as that is in itfeif, it fhould be enquired what the Event has been, where Nature has been left to itfeif, to operate according to its own Tendency, with leail Oppofition made to it by any Thing fupernatural j rather than in exempt Places, where the infinite Power and Grace of God have inter- pofed, and extraordinary Means have been ufed to ftem the Current, and bring Men to true Religion and Virtue. As to the Means by which God's- People of old, in the Line of Abraham^ were delivered and preferved from Idolatry, they were miraculous, and of mere Grace : Notwithftanding which, they were often relapfing into the Notions and AVays of the Heathen •, and when they had backflidden, never were recovered, but by divine gracious Interpofition. And as to the Means by which many Gentile Nations have been delivered fmce the Days of the Gofpel, they are fuch as have been wholly owing to moft wonderful, mira- culous, and infinite Grace. God was under no Obligation to beftow on the Heaihen World greater Advantages than they had in the Ages of their grofs Darkneis ; as appears by the Fadt, that God actually did not, for fo long a Time, bellow greater Advantages.
Dr. 1'. himfclf obfefves, (Ke)\ p. i.) That in about four hundred Tears after the Floods the Generality of Mankind were fallen into Idola- ■try. And thus it was every where through the World, excepting among that People that was faved and preferved by a conftant Series of Mira- cles,
Chap. 1. 7 proves corrupt Nature. 6t
Sea. Vi. S
cles, through a Variety of Countries, Nations, and Climates, ^reat enough^ — and thro' fucceffivc Changes, Revolutions, and Ages, numerous enough^ to be a fufficienc Trial of what Mankind are prone to, if there be any fuch Thing as a fufficient Trial.
That Men (hould forfake the true God for Idols,
is an Evidence of the moft aftoniihing Folly and
Stupidity, by God's own Teftimony, Jcr. ii. 12,
13. Be ajlonijhed^ O ye Heavens^ iat tbisy and be
ye horribly afraid^ be ye very defolate, faith the
Lord : For my People have committed tivo Evils ;
they have forfaken me, the Fountain of living Wa-
terSy and have hewed out to tkcmfelves Ciflerns^
broken Ciferns, that can hJd no Water. And that
Mankind in general did thus, lb foon after the
Flood, was from the evil Propenfity of their
Hearts, and hecaufe they did not like to retain God
in their Knozvledges as is evident by Rom. i. 28.
And the Univerlality of the ElFecl (hews that the
Caufe was univerlal, and not any Thing belonging
to the particular Circumftances of one, or only
fome Nations or Ages, but Ibmethini^ belonging
to that Nature that is common to all Nations, and
that remains the fame through all Ages. And
what other Caufe could this great Effect pofTibly
arife from, but a depraved Difpofition, natural to
all Mankind ? It could not arife from Want of a
fufficient Capacity or Means of Knowledge. This
is in Effect confeffed on all Hands. Dr. Turnbull
(Chrif Phil. p. 21.) fays as follows : " The Exilt-
" ence of one infinitely powerful, wife, and good
*' Mind, the Author, Creator, Upholder, and
*' Governour of ail I'hings, is a Truth that lies
*' plain and obvious to all that will but think."
And (ibid. p. 24^.; " Morrd Knowledge, v/hich is
'^ the
ez
The Idolatry of the World
Part I.
' the moil important of all Knowledge, majr ' eafily be acquired by all Men." And again, (ibid. p. 292.) " Every Man by himfelf, if he would duly employ his Mind in the Contem^ plation of the Works of God about him, or in the Examination of his own PVame, — might make very great Progrefs in the Knowledge of the Wifdom and Goodnefs of God. This all Men, generally fpeaking, might do, with very little Affiflance ; for tiiey have all fufficient Abilities for thus employing their Minds, and have all fufficient Time tor ic.'* Mr. hocke fays, (Hum. Und. p. iv. Chap. iv. p. 242. Edit. 11.) Our own Exiftence, and the fenfible Parts of the Univerfe, offer the Proofs of a Deity fo clearly and cogently to our Thoughts, that I deem it impoffible for a confiderate Man to withiland them. For I judge it as certain and clear a Truth, as can any where be delivered, that the inviffblc Things of God are cleanly i^ftn from the Creation of the World, being under- ftood by the Things that arc made, even his eternal Power and Godhead." And Dr. 7'. himfelf, (in p. 78.) fays, " The Light given to all Ages and Nations of the World, is fufficient ' for the Knowledge and Practice of their Duty." And in p. Ill, 112. citing thofe Words of the Apoftle, Rom. ii. 14, 15. favs, '' This clearly *' fuppofes that the Gentiles, v/ho were then in '• the . Vv''orld, mifiht have done the Things con- " tained in the Law by Narure, or their natural *' Power." And in one of the next Sentences he fay'o, "■ The Apodle, in Rcul i. 19, 20, 21. affirms *' that the Gentiles had Light luflicient to have *-*■ fecn God's eternal Power and Godnead, in the " Works of Creation j and that the Realbn why '^ they did not glorify liirn as God, was becauie
" they
Chap. I. I proves ccrrupt Natwe. 69
Scd. VI. 5
** they became vain in their Imaginations, and had " darkened their fooliih Heart ; ib that they were ** without Exciifc." And in his Paraphrafe on thole Verfcs in the ift of Rem. he fpcaks of the *' very Heathens, that were withotrt a written " Revelation, as having that clear and evident " Dlicovery of God's Being and Perfections, that *• they are incxculable in not glorifying him fuit- " ably to his excellent Nature, and as the Author " of ihcir Being and Enjoyments." And in p. 146. S. he fays, " God affords every Man fufficient Light ** to know his Duty." If all Ages and Nations of the World have fufficient Light for the Know- ledge of God, and their Duty to him, then even fuch Nations and Ages, in which the moil brutifli Ignorance and Barbarity prevailed, had fufficient Light, if they had had but a Difpofition to im- prove it ; and then much more thole of the Hea- then, which were more know; no; and poliihed, and in Ages wherein Arts and Learning had made greateil Advances. But even in fuch Nations and Ages, there v/ar, no Advance made towards true Religion ; as Dr. /-F/Wfr obferves, (Hifi. of KnoivL vol. ii. p. 336.) in the following Words : " The *' Pagan ReHgion degenerated into greater Abfur- *' dity, the further it proceeded •, and it prevailed *' in all its Height of Abfurdity, v/hen the Pagan *' Nations v/ere polifhcd to the Pleight. Though *' they fet out wiih the Talents of Reafon, and " had folic! Foundations of Information to buikl *' upon, it in Fail proved, that with all their *' ftrengthened Faculties, and growing Pov^/ers of *' Reafon, the Edifice of Rclio-ion rofe in the mofr *' abfufd Deformities and Dilproportions, and gra- " dually v/ent on in the moft irrational, difpro- " portioned, incongruous Syllcms, of which the *' mofc eafy Didates of Reafon would have dc-
*' monlb'^tcd
64 '^he Idolatry of the World Part I.
*^ monftrated the Abfurdity. They were contrary
*' to all juft Calculations in moral Mathematicks."
He obferves, " That their grofTeft Abominations
*' firft began in Egypt ^ where was an Oftentation
*' of the greateft Progrefs in Learning and Science :
*' And they never renounced clearly any of their
*« Abominations, or openly returned to the Wor-
*' fhip of the one true God, the Creator of all
*' Things, and to the original, genuine Sentiments
«* of the higheft and moft venerable Antiquity.
" The Pagan Religion continued in this deep
*' State of Corruption to the laft. The Pagan
*< Philofophers, and inquifitive Men, made great
" Improvements in many Sciences, and even in
*' Morality itfelf ; yet the inveterate Abfurdities
" of Pagan Idolatry remained without Remedy.
*' Every Temple fmoked with Incenfe to the Sun
" and Moon, and other inanimate material Lu-
** minaries, and earthly Elements, to Jupiter,
" Juno, Mars, and Venus, &c. the Patrons and
" Examples of ahnoft every Vice. Hecatombs
" bled on the Altars of a thoufand Gods \ as mad
*' Superftition infpired. And this was not the
*' Difgrace of our ignorant untaught Northern
** Countries only; but even at Athens itfelf, the
*' Infamy reigned, and circulated through all
*' Greece \ and finally prevailed, amidfl: ail their
*' Learning and Politencfs, under the Piolemy^^
*' in Egypt^ and the C^far's at Rome. Nov/ if the
*' Knowledge of the Pagan World, in Religion,
*' proceeded no further than this •, if they retained
" all their Deities, even the moft abfurd of them
*' all, their deified Beafts, and deified Men, even
*' to the laft Breath of Pagan Power : We may
" juftly afcribe the great Improvements in the
" World, on the Subject of Religion, to divine
*' Revelation, either voucnfafed in the Beginning,
" when
Chap. r. 7 proves corrupt Nature, 6s
Sea. vr. C "^ ^ ^
" when this Knowledge was connpetently clear " and copious ; or at the Death of Paganifm, " when this Light fhone forth in its confummate " Luftre at the Coming of Chrift."
Dr. T. often fpeaks of the Idolatry of the Heathen World, as great JVickednefs^ in which they were wholly inexcufable -, and yet often fpeaks of their Cafe as remedilels, and of them as being dead in Sin, and unable to recover themfelves. And if fo, and yet, according to his own Do^lrine, every Age, and every Nation, and every Man, had fuf- licient Light afforded, to know God, and to know and do their whole Duty to him ; then their In- ability to deliver themfelves muft be a moral Inability, confiding in a defperate Depravity, and mod evil Difpofition of Heart.
And if there had not been fufficient Trial of the Propenfity of the Hearts of Mankind, thro* all thofe Ages that paiTed from Abraham to Chrift, the Trial has been continued down to this Day, in all thofe vaft Regions of the Face of the Earth, that have remained without any Effefts of the Light of the Gofpel ; and the difmal Effed: con- tinues every where unvaried. How was it with that Multitude of Nations inhabiting South and North America ? What Appearance was there, when the Europeans firft came hither, of their being recovered, or recovering, in any Degree, from the grolTcft Ignorance, Delulions, and moft ftupid Paganifm ? And how is it at this Day, in thofe Parts of Africa and Afia, into which the Light of the Gofpel has not penetrated ?
This ftronj^!; and univerfally prevalent Difpofition of Mankind to Idolatry, of which there has been
F iuch.
€6 Of Men's fiupid Difregard Part L
fuch great Trial, and fo notorious and vaft Proof, in Fad, is a moft glaring Eyidence of the exceed- ing Depravity of the human Nature ; as it is a Propenfity, in the utmoft Degree, contrary to the higheft End, the main Bufmefs, and chief Hap- pinefs of Mankind, confifting in the Knowledge, Service, and Enjoyment of the living God, the Creator andGovernorof the World; — in the higheft Degree contrary to that for which mainly God gave Mankind more Underftanding than theBeafts of the Earth, and made them wifer than the Fowls of Heaven j which was, that they might be capa- ble of the Knowledge of God : — And in the higheft Degree contrary to the firft and greateft Com- mandment of the moral Law, That we Jhould have no other Gods before J EHOVAH, and that we fhould love and adore him with all our Heart, Soul, Mind, and Strength. The Scriptures are abundant in reprefenting the Idolatry of the Hea- then World, as their exceeding Wickednefs, and their moft brutifh Stupidity. They that worihip and truft in Idols, are faid themfelves to be like the litelefs Statues they worftiip, like mere fenfe- leis Stocks and Stones, Pfalm exv. 4 — 8. and cxxxv. 15 — 18.
A Second Inftance of the natural Stupidity of the Minds of Mankind, that I ftiall obferve, is, that great Difregard of their own eternal Inter eft ^ which appears fo remarkably, fo generally among them that live under the Gofpel.
As Mr. hocke obferves, {Hum. Und. voL i. p. 207.) " Were the Will determined by the Views .*' of Good, as it appears in Contemplation, greater *' or Icfs to the Underftanding, it could never get " loofe from the infinite eternal Joys of Heaven,
" once
Chap. I. \ tf eternal Things. 67
Sea. VI./ J i. f
" pnce propofed, and confidered as pofTible ; the " eternal Condition of a future State infinitely " outweighing the Expeftation of Riches or Ho- *' nour, or any other worldly Pleafure, which we *' can propole to ourfelves \ though we fhould *' grant thefe the more probable to be obtained.'* Again, (p. 228, 229. J " He that will not be fo " far a rational Creature, as to refled: ferioufly *•* upon iniinite Happincfs and Mifery, muft needs " condemn himielf, as not making that Ufe of ■" his Underflanding he fhould. The Rewards *' and Punifhments of another Life, which the ** Almighty has eltablifhed, as the Enforcements *' of his Laws, are of Weight enough to deter- " mine the Choice, againil whatfocver Pleafure " or Pain this Life can iliew. When the eternal " State is confidered but in its bare Poffibility, ** which nobody can make any Doubt of, he that " will allovv cxquiiitc and cndkfs I-Iappincfs to be *' but the pof]jble Conlequcnce of a good Life " here, and the contrary State the poflible Reward *' of a bad one, muft own himfeif to judge very " much amifs, if he does not conclude that a vir- *' tuous Life, with the certain Expectation of " everlafling Blifs, which may come, is to be *' preferred to a vicious one, with the Fear of that " dreadful State of Mifery, which it is very pof- " fible may overtake the guilty, or at leait tlic " terrible uncertain Hope of Annihilation. This " is evidently fo ; though the virtuous Life here *' had nothing but Pain, and the vicious continual " Plcakire \ which yet is for the moft Part quite " otherwife, and wicked Men have not much the " Odds to brag of, even in their prefent Poflef- *' fion : Nay, all Things rightly co.Tfidered, have *' I think even the woril Part here. But v.'hen '* infinite PLppineis is put in one Svjale, againft
F 2 *' iniinite
6S Of Mcn*s ftupid Difregard Part I.
" infinite Mifery in the other ; if the worft that *' comes to the pious Man, if he miftakes, be the '^ beft that the wicked Man can attain to, if he " be in the right •, who can, without Madnefs, " run the Venture ? Who in his Wits would " chufe to come within a PofTibility of infinite " Mifery ? which if he mifs, there is yet Nothing " to be got by that Hazard : Whereas, on the " other Side, the fober Man ventures Nothing, " againft infinite Plappinefs to be got, if his Ex- " pedtation comes to pafs."
That Difpofition of Mind which is a Propenfity to a6t contrary to Reafon, is a depraved Difpofi- tion. It is not becaufe the Faculty of Reafon, which God has given to Mankind, is not fufficient fully to difcover to them, that forty, fixty, or an hundred Years, is as Nothing in Comparifon of Eternity, infinitely lefs than a Second of Time to an Hundred Years, that the greateft worldly Pro- fperity and Pleafure is not treated with moft perfect Difregard, in all Cafes where there is any Degree of Competition of earthly Things, with Salvation from exquifite eternal Mifery, and the Enjoyment of everlailing Glory and Felicity ; as certainly it would be, if Men afted according to Reafon. But is it a Matter of Doubt or Controverfy, whe- ther Men in general do not fhew a ftrong Difpo- fition to aft far otherwife, from their Infancy, till Death is in a fenfible Approach ? In Things that concern Men's temporal Intereft, they eafily difcern the Difference between Things of a long and fhort Continuance. It is no hard Matter to convince Men of the Difference between a being admitted to the Accommodations and Entertain- ments of a convenient, beautiful, well-furnilhed Elabitation, and to partake of the Provifions and
Produce
ihap. t. ? ef eternal Tubings, Sg
Produce of a plentiful Eftate for a Day, or a Night; and having all given to them, and fettled upon them, as their own, to pofilfs as long as they live, and to be theirs, and their Heirs for ever : There would be no Need of Men's preaching Sermons, and fpending their Strength and Life, ■to convince Men of the Difference. Men know how to adjuft Things in their Dealings and Con- tracls one with another, according to the Length of Time in whicii any Thing agreed for is to be ufed or enjoyed. In temporal Arfairs, Men are lenfible that it concerns them to provide for future Time, as well as for the prefent. Thus common Prudence teaches them to take Care in Summer to lay up for Winter ; yea, to provide a Fund, and get a folid Eitate, whence they may be fup- plied for a long Time to come. And not only fo, but they are willing and forward to fpcnd and be fpent, to provide that which will Hand their Chil- dren in Stead, after they are dead ; though it be quite uncertain, who fhall ufe and enjoy what they lay up, after they have left the World -, and if their Children fhould have the Comfort of ir, as they defire, they will not partake with them in that Comfort, or have any more a Portion in any Thing under the Sun. In Things which relate to Men's temporal Intereft, they leem very fenfiblc of the Uncertainty of Life, elpccially of the Lives of others -, and to make anfwerable Provifion for the Security of their worldly Intereft, that no confiderable Part of it may reft only on fo uncer- tain a Foundation, as the Life of a Neighbour or Friend. Common Difcretion leads Men to take o;ood Care, that their outward Poflefrjon-; be well fecured, by a good and firm Title. In worldly Concerns, Men are difcerning of their Opportu- nities, and careful to improve tiiem before they
I'' i are
70 ^his Stupidity proves Part I.
are paft. The Hu{bandman is careful to plow his Ground, and fow his Seed, in the proper Seafon y otherwife he knows he cannot expedl a Crop : And when the Harveft is come, he will not (leep away the Time •, for he knows, if he does fo, the Crop will foon be loft. How careful and eagle- eyed is the Merchant to obferve and improve his Opportunities and Advantages to enrich himfelf ? How apt are Men to be alarmed at the Appear- ance of Danger to their worldly Eftate, or any Thing that remarkably threatens great Lofs or Damage to their outward Intereft ? And how will they beftir themfelves in fuch a Cafe, if pofTible to ■avoid the threatened Calamity ? In Things purely fecular, and not of a moral or fpiritual Nature^ Men eafily receive Conviftion by paft Experience, when any Thing, on repeated Trial, proves un- profitable or prejudicial ; and are ready to take Warning by what they have found themfelves, and alfo by the Experience of their Neighbours and Forefathers.
But if we confider how Men generally conduft themfelves in Things on which their Well-being does infinitely more depend, how vaft is the Di- verfity ? In thefe Things how cold, lifelefs, and dilatory ? With what Difficulty are a Few of Multitudes excited to any tolerable Degree of Care and Diligence, by the innumerable Means ufed with Men to make them wife for themfelves ? And v/hen fome Vigilance and Aftivity is excited, how apt is it to die away, like a mere Force againll a natural Tendency ? What Need of a conftant Repetition of Admonitions and Counfels, to keep tlie Heart from falling ailcep ? How many Ob- jeftions are made ? And how are Difficulties mag- r:ified ? And how foon is the Mind difrouraged ?
How
Chap. I. ) dreadful Corruption of Nature. yt Sed.VL 5
How many Arguments, and often renewed, and varioufly and elaborately enforced, do Men Hand in Need of, to convince them of Things that arc felf- evident ? As that Things which are eternal, are infinitely more important than Things tempo- ral, and the like. And after all, how very few arc convinced effedually, or in fuch a Manner as to induce to a pra(ilical Preference of eternal Things? How fenfelefs are Men of the Neceffity of im- proving their I'imc to provide for Futurity, as to their fpiritual Intereft, and their Welfare in another World } I'hough it be an endiefs Futurity, and though it be their own perPxial, infinitely import- ant Good, after they are dead, that is to be cared for, and not the Good of their Children, wliich they fhall have no Share in. — Though Men are To lenfible of the Uncertainty of their Neighbours Lives, when any confiderable Part of their Eftates depends on the Continuance of them; how ftupidly fenfelefs do they feem to be of the Uncertainty of their own Lvives, when their Prefervation from im- menfely great, remedilefs, and endlels Mifcry, is rifqued by a prclent Delay, through a Dependence on future Opportunity ? What a dreadful Venture will Men careleisiy and boldly run, and repeat and multiply, widi Regard to their eternal Salvation, who are very caretul to have every Thing in a Deed or Bond firm, an J without a Flaw .'' How negligent are they of their fpecial Advanmgcs and Opportunities for their Soul's Good ? How hardly awakened by the moll evident and imminent Dan- gers, threatening eternal Deltrudion, yea, thouiih put in Mind of them,, and much l-'ain.-, taisen to point them forth, (liew them plainly, and fuiiy to reprefent them, if poflible to engage tl:eir Atten- tion to them ? Hov/ arc they like the Florfe, that boldly ruflies into the Battle ? How iurdly are
i" 4 Men
72 ^his Stupidity proves Parti,
Men convinced by their own frequent and abun- dant Experience, of the unfatisfadtory Nature of earthly Things, and the Inftability of their own Hearts in their good Frames and Intentions ? And how hardly convinced by their own Obfervation, and the Experience of all pail Generations, of the Uncertainty of Life, and its Enjoyments ? PfaL xlix. II, &c. Tbeir inward Thcught is^ that their Houfes Jhall continue for ever. — Neverthelefs^ Man being in Honour, abideth not ; he is like the Beafis that perijh. "This their Way is their Felly ; yet their Pojierity approve their Sayings. Like Sheep are they laid in the Grave,
In thefe Things, Men that are prudent for their temporal Intereft, ad: as if they were bereft of Reafon : They have Eyes, arid fee not •, Ears, and hear not •, neither do they underftand : They are like the Horfe and Mule, that have no Under- jianding. — Jer. viii. 7. The Stork in the Heaven knoweth her appointed Times ; and the Turtle, and the Crane, and the Swallow, ohferve the Time of their Corning : But my People know not the Judg- ment of the Lord,
Thefe Things are often mentioned in Scripture, as Evidences of extreme Folly and Stupidity, wherein Men ad; as great Enemies to theml'elvcs, as though they loved their own Ruin -, Prov. viii. 36. Laying wait for their own Biood, Prov. i. 18. And how can thefe Things be accounted for, but by fuppofing a molt wretched Depravity of Na- ture ? Why otherwife fhould not Men be as wife for themfclves in fpiritual and eternal Things, as in temporal ? All Chriilians will confefs, that Man's Faculty of Reafon was given him chiefly 10 enable him to underftand the former, wherein
" hi.
Chap. I. } dreadful Corruption »f Nature, 75
his main Intereft, and true Happinefs confifts. This Faculty would therefore undoubtedly be every way as fit for the underftanding of them, as the latter, if not depraved. The Reafon why thefe are underltood, and not the other, is not that fuch Things as have been mentioned, be- longing to Men's fpiritual and eternal Intereft, are more obfcure and abftrufe in their own Na- ture. For Inftance, the Difi'erence between long and fliort, the Need of providing for Futurity, the Importance of improving proper Opportunities, and of having good Security, and a fure Founda- tion, in Affairs wherein our Intereft is greatly concerned, &c. thefe Things are as plain in them- felves in religious Matters, as in other Matters. And we have far greater Means to affift us to be ■wife for ourfelves in eternal, than in temporal Things. We have the abundant Inftruction of perfec^l and infinite Wifdom itfelf, to lead and condud us in the Paths of Righteoufnefs, fo that we may not err. And the Rea'ibns of Things arc moft clearly, varioufly, and abundantly let before us in the Word of God ; v/hich is adapted to the Faculties of Mankind, tending greatly to enlighten and convince the Mind : Whereas, v/e have no fuch excellent and pcrfcft Ruks to inllruft ar.d diredl us in Things pertaining to our temporal Intereft, nor any Thing to be compared to it.
If any fiiould fay, It is true, if ?vlcii gave full Credit to what they are told concerning eternal Things, and thefe appeared to tlje.'n as real and certain Things, it would be an Evidence of a Sort of Madnv-fs in them, that tiiev llicw no greater Regard to them in Practice : Bi;;: there is Realon to think, this is not tlic Cafe ; \\\c Things of ano- ther World being unfcc.:! Things appear to Men
as
74 ^^5 Stupidity proves, &c. Part I.
as Things of a very doubtful Nature, and attended with great Uncertainty. — In Anfwer, I would obferve, agreeable to what has been cited from Mr. Lo€ke, Though eternal Things were confidered in their bare PolTibihty, if Men adted rationally, they would infinitely outweigh all temporal Things in their Influence on their Hearts. And I would alio obferve, that the fuppofing eternal Things not to be fully believed, at leaft by them who enjoy the Light of the Gofpel, does not weaken, but rather ftrengthen the Argument for the De- pravity of Nature. For the eternal World being what God had chiefly in View in the Creation of Men, and the Things of this World being made to be wholly fubordinate to the other, Man's State here being only a State of Probation, Preparation, and Progrefllon, with refped to the future State,, and fo eternal Things being in Effe6l Men's All, their whole Concern ; to underfl:and and know which, it chiefly was, that they had Underfl:anding given them -, and it concerning them infinitely more to know the Truth of eternal Things than any other, as all that are not Infidels will own •, therefore we may undoubtedly conclude, that if Men have not refpect to them as real and certain Things, it cannot be for Want of fuflicient Evi- dence of their Truth, to induce them fo to regard them ; cfpecially as to them that live under that Light, which God has appointed as the moft pro- per Exhibition of the Nature and Evidence of thefe Things : But it niufl be from a dreadful Stupidity of Mind, occafioning a fottiih Infenfi- bility of their Truth and Importance, when ma- nifelted by the cleared Evidence.
SECT.
C)iap. I. 7 ^he Gtnerality of Mankind, ^c. 75 Seafvil. J ^ '"^
SECT. VII.
That MarCs Nature is ccrntpt, appears, in that vajlly the greater Part of Mankind, in all Jges, have been "xicked Men.
THE Depravity of Man's Nature appears, not only in its Propenfity to Sin in fome Degree, which renders a Man an evil or wicked Man in the Eye of the Law, and ftrict Juftice, as was before (hewn -, but it is fo corrupt, that its Depravity eitiicr (hews that Men are, or tends to make them to he, of fuch an evil Charatfber, as fhall denominate them wicked Men, according to the Tenor of the Covenant of Grace.
This may be argued from feveral Things which have been already obfervcd : As from a Tendency to continual Sin •, a Tendency to much greater Degrees of Sin than Rightcoumcfs, and from the general extreme Stupidity of Mankind. But yet the prefent State of Man's Nature, as implying, or tending to a wicked Chara5l-er, may be worthy to be more particularly conlidered, and directly proved. And in general, this appears, in that there have been fo very Few in the Worki, from Age to Age, ever fincc tlie World has ilood, that have been of any other Character.
It is abundantly evident in Scripture, and is v/hat I fuppofe none that call thcnifclves Chriftians will deny, that the whole World is divided into Cjood and Bad, and that all Mankind at the Day of Judgment will either be approved as righteous, or condctr.ned as wicked ; eitb.er gloriiicd, as Chil- dren of the Kingdom, or call into a Furnace of Fire, as Children cf thi zi-icked One.
I r.eoi
76 *The Generality of Part I.
I need not Hand to fhew what Things belong to the Charafter of fuch as fhall hereafter be ac- cepted as righteous, according to the Word of God. It may be fufficient for my prefent Purpofe, to obferve what Dr. T. himfelf fpeaks of, as be- longing efientially to the Character of fuch. In p. 203. he fays, " This is infallibly the Character *' of true Chriftians, and what is efiential to fuch, *' that they have really mortified the Fielli with *' its Lufts i — They are dead to Sin, and live no *' longer therein ; the old Man is crucified, and *' the Body of Sin deftroyed : They yield them- " felves to God, as thofe that are alive from the ** Dead, and their Members as Inftruments of *' Righteoufnefs to God, and as Servants of Righ- " teoufnefs to Holinefs." — There is more to the like Purpofe in the two next Pages. In p. 228. he fays, " Whatfoever is evil and corrupt in us, *' we ought to condemn •, not fo, as it fhall Hill " remain in us, that we may ahvays be con- *' demning it, but that we may fpeedily reform, •* and be efFedlualiy delivered from it ; otherwife " certainly we do not come up to the CharasFter of " the true Difciplcs of Chrift."
In p. 248. he fays, " Unlefs God's Favour be *' preferred before all other Enjoyments what- " ibever, unlefs there be a Delight in the Worfhip *' of God, and in Converfe with Him, unlefs every *' Appetite be brought into Subjection to Reafon *' and Truth, and unlefs there be a kind and *' benevolent Difpofition towards our Feliow-Crea- " tures, how can the Mind be fit to dwell with " God, in his Houfe and Family, to do him *' Service in his Kingdom, and to promote the " Happinefs of any Part of his Creation." — And in his Key, § 286. p. loi, 102, &c. Ihewing
there^
Chap. I. ? Mankind are IFlcked. 77
Sea. VII. J "
there, what it is to be a true Chrifiian^ he fays,
among other Things, '* That he is one who has'
*' fuch a Senfe and Perfuafion of the Love of God
" in Chrift, that he devotes his Life to the Honour
*' and Service of God, in Hope of eternal Glory.
" And that to the Charader of a true Chriftian,
" it is abfolutely necefiary, that he diligently ftudy
" the Things that are freely given him of God,
" vi-z. his Election, Regeneration, &:c. that he
" may gain a jull Knowledge of thofe ineftimable
*' Privileges, may tafte that the Lord is gracious,
" and rejoice in the Gofpel-Salvation, as his greateft
" Happinefs and Glory. — It is neceffary, that he
*' work thefe Blefiings on his Heart, till they be-
*' come a vital Principle, producing in him the
" Love of God, engaging him to all cheaiful
" Obedience to his Will, giving him a proper
" Dignity and Elevation of Soul, raifing him above
" the belt and v/orft of this World, carrying his
*' Heart into Heaven, and fixing his Affections
*' and Regards upon his everlafling Inheritance,
" and the Crown of Glory laid up for him there.
" — Thus he is armed againft all the Temptations
" and Trials refulting from any Plcafure or Pain,
" Hopes or Fears, Gain or Lois, in the prefcnt
" World. None of thefe Things move him from
" a faithful Difcharge of any Part of his Dutv, or
*' from a firm Attachment to Trutli and Righ-
" teoufnefs -, neither counts he his very Life dear
*' to him, that lie may do the Will of God, and
" finifh his Courfe with Joy. In a Senfe of the
" Love of God in Chrift, he maintains daily
" Communion v/ith God, by reading and medi-
" tadng on his Word. In a Senfe of his own
" Infirmity, and the Reaclinefs of the divine Fu-
*' vour to fuccour him, he daily acldieilci t'le
*' Throne of Grac, for the Kciicw.il of li^ii-ifLuI
7^ The Generality of Part I.
'* Strength, in Afiurance of obtaining it, through *' the one Mediator Chrift Jefus. Inlightened " and directed by the heavenly Doftrine of the " Gofpel, &c. *
Now I leave it to be judged by every One that has any Degree of Impartiality, whether there be not fufiicient Grounds to think, from what appears every where, that it is but a very fmall Part indeed, of the many Myriads and Millions which overfpread this Globe, who are of a Character that in any wife anfwers thefe Defcriptions. However Dr. ^. in- fills, that all Nations, and every Man on the Face of the Earth, have Light and Means fufficient to do the whole Will of God, even they that live in the grolTell Darknefs of Paeanifm.
Dr. T. m Anfwer to Arguments of this Kind, very impertinently from Time to Time objefts. That we are no Judges of the Vicioufnels of Men's Charadters, nor are able to decide in what Degree they are virtuous or vicious. As though we could have no good Grounds to judge, that any Thing appertaining to the Qualities or Pro- perties of the Mind, which is inviiible, is general or prevailing among a Multitude or collective Body, unlefs we can determine how it is with each Individual. I think I have fufficient Reafon, from what I know and have heard of the American In- dians^ to judge, that there are not many good Philofophers among them j though the Thouglits of their Hearts, and the Ideas and Knowledge they have in their Minds, are Things invifible ; and tho' I have never feen fo much as a thoufandth
Part
* What Dr. TurnlidI fays of the Character of a good M'm, is alfo worthy to be oblcrvcd, Ckrif. Phil, p. 85, 258, 25 ij, -^''> 375' 37^> ^c.^, 410.
Chap. I. ? Mankind are fyuked. ya
Seel. VII. J ^^
Part of the Indians •, and with Refpedt to moft of them, ihould not be able to pronounce peremptorily concerning any one, that he was not very knowing in the Nature of Things, if all fhould fingly pafs before me. And Dr. T. himfelf feems to be fenfible of the Falfenefs of his own Conclufions, that he fo often urges againit others j if we may judge by his Practice, and the Liberties he takes, in judging of a IVlultitude himfelf. He, it feems, is feniible that a Man may have good Grounds to judge, that VVickcdnefs of Chara6ter is general in a collective Body ; becaufe he openly does it himfelf. (Key, p. 102.) After declaring the Things which belong to the Charader of a true Chriilian, he judges of the Generality of Chriftians, that they have cafl off thefe Things, that they are a People that do err in their Hearts, and have not known God's Ways. P. 259. he judges, that the Generality cf Chriftians are the jnoji 'wicked of all Mankind^ — whtn he thinks it will throw fome Difgrace en the Opinion of fuch a.s he op- pofes. The like we have from Time to Time in other Places, as p. 168, p. 25S. Key, p. 127, 128.
But if Men are not fufficient Judges, whether there are Few of the World of Mankind but what are wicked, yet doubtlcfs God is llifFicient, and his Judgment, often declared in his Word, deter- mines the Matter. Matth vii. 13, 14. Enter ye in at the fir ait Gate : I or zcidf is the Gate, and broad is the IVay that leadcth to DeJtruuiGn, and many there he that go in thereat : Becaufe ft rait is the Gate, and narrovj is the Woy that lecdetb to Life^ and fczv there be that find it. It i, nuinifell, that licre Chrifl: is not only dcicribin-^ the Srare of Things, as i: was ar t!ut Day, aiiJ uot-.s tioc
rri^Tilijn
8o IVickednefs general Part I.
mention the comparative Smallnefs of the Num-' ber of them that are faved, as a Confequence of the peculiar Perverfenefs of that People, and of that Generation -, but as a Confequence of the general Circumftances of the Way to Life, and the Way to Deftruftion, the Broadnefs of the one, and the Narrownefs of the other. Tn the Strait- nefs of the Gate, &c. I fuppofe none will deny, that Chrill has Refped to the Striftnefs of thofe Rules, which he had infilled on in the preceding Sermon, and which render the Way to Life very difficult to Mankind. But certainly thefe amiable Rules would not be difficult, were they not con- trary to the natural Inclinations of Men's Hearts ; and they would not be contrary to thofe Inclina- tions, were thefe hot depraved. Confequently the Widenefs of the Gate, and Broadnefs of the Way, that leads to Deftrudtion, in Confequence of which many go in thereat, muft imply the Agreeablenefs of this W^ay to Men*s natural Inclinations. The litke Reafon is given by Chrift, why few are faved. Luke xiii. 23, 24. 'T'hen [aid one unto him^ Lordy are there few faved ? And he faid unto theWy Strive to enter in at the jirait Gate : For many I fay unto yoUy fhall feek to enter in^ and fhall not he able. That there are generally but few good Men in the World, even among them that have thofe moft diftinguifhing and glorious Ad- vantages for it, which they are favoured with that live under the Gofpel, is evident by that Saying of our Lord, from Time to Time in his Mouth, Many are called^ hut few are chofen. And if there are but few among thefe, how few, how very few indeed, muft Perfons of this Charafter be, com- pared with the whole World of Mankind ? The exceeding Smallnefs of the Number of true Saints, compared with the whole World, appears by the
Repre-
Chap. I. 7 in all Ap^s. Si
Scd vn. f ^
Rcprefeniations often made of them as diftin- guilhed from the World ; in which they are fpok .n of as called and chofen out of the Worlds redeemed from the Earlh^ redeemed from among Men \ as being thole that are of Gody while the whole fVorld liech in VVickednefs, and the like. And if we look into the Old Tcftament, we (hall find the fame I'cilimony given. Prov. xx. 6. Moji Men 'will p'oclaim every Man his own Goodnefs : But a faithful Man who can find ? By a faithful Man, as the Phrafe is uled in Scripture, is intended much the fame as a finccre, upright, or truly good Man ; as in Pfal. xii. i. and xxxi. 23. and ci. 6. and other Places. Again, Eccl. vii. 25 — 29. / applied mine Heart to know, and to fearch, and to Jind out Wifdom, and the Reafcn of Things, and to know the JVickednefs cf Folly, e-ven of Fooliflj- nefs arid Madnefs : And I find mere bitter than Deaths the Woman whofe Heart is Snares, &c. — Behold, this have I fciind, faith the Preacher, count- ing one by one, to fnd out the Account, which yet my Soul feekelh, but I find not : One Alan among a Tboufand have I found ; but a Woman among all thefe have I not found. Lo, this only have I found, that Cod made Man upright •, but they have fought out many Inventions. Solomon here fignihes, that when he (ct. himfelf diligently to find out the Account or Proportion of true Wifdom, or thorough Uprightncfs among Men, the Rcfult was, that he found it to be but as one to a Thou- fand, &c. Dr. T. on this Place, p. 1 84. fays, " The " wife Man in the Context, is inquiring into the *' Corruption and Depravity of Mankind, of the " Men and Women, THAT LIVED IN HIS " TIME." As though what he faid reprefented Nothing of the State of Things in the World in general, but only /;; his Time. But doe: Dr. T.
G or
82 IFickednefs general Part I.
or any Body elfe, fuppofc this only to be the De- fign of that Book, to reprefent the Vanity and Evil of the World in that Time, and to fhew that all was. Vanity and Vexation of Spirit in Solomon'^ Day ? (Which Day truly we have Reafon to think, was a Day of the greateft Smiles of Heaven on that Nation, that ever had been on any Nation from the Foundation of the World.) Not only does the Subje6t and Argument of the whole Book fhew it to be otherwife; but alfo the declared Dcfign of the Book in the firft Chapter ; where the World is reprefented as very much the fame, as to the Vanity and Evil it is full of, from Age to Age, making little or no Progrefs, after all its Revolutions and refllefs Motions, Labours and Purfuits, like the Sea, that has all the Rivers con- flantly emptying themfelves into it, from Age to Age, and yet is never the fuller. As to that Place, Prov. XX. 6. A faithful Man who can find ? there is no more Reafon to fuppofe that the wife Man has refpedl only to his Time, in thefe Words, than in thofe immediately preceding, Counfel in the Heart cf a Man is like deep Waters ; hut a Man of Underftanding zvill draw it out. Or in the Words next following, 1'he juji Man walketh in his In- tegrity : His Children are hle[fed after him. Or in any other Proverb in the whole Book. And if it were fo, that Solomon m thefe Things meant only to defcribe his own Times, it would not at all weaken the Argument. For, if we obferve the- Hiftory of the Old Teftament, there is Reafon to think there never v/as any Time from JofJma to the Captivity, v/herein Wickednefs was more re- llrained, and Virtue and Religion more encouraged and promoted, than in David' ^ and Solomon'"^ Times. And if there was fo little true piety in that Nation that was the only People of God under Heaven,
even
Chap. I. 7 in all Azes. 82
bedt. vir. \ i J
even in their very bed Times, what may we fup- pole concerning the World in general, take one Time with arw>rhcr ?
Notwithftanuing what fome Authors advance concern ing the Prevalence of Virtue, Honefty, good NcighiK)urho<xi, Clicarfulnefs, &c. in the World \ ^clorficn^ wiiom we may juftiy efteem as wife and jult an Obfeiver ot human Nature, and the State of the World of Mankind, as mod in theie Days (belides, Chriflians ought to remember, that he wrote by divine Inipiradonj judged the World to be fo full of Wickedn'.fs, that it was better never to be born, than to be born to live only in fuch a W\orld. Eccl. iv. at the Beginning, i^o I returned tind ccnftdered all the Opprcffions that crc done under the Sun ; rrnd behold, the Tears of fuch as were op-prefjed^ and they had no Comforter : jliid on the Side of their Opprejjors there ccvtj Power \ hut they had ?jo Comforter. r/hcrcfoyc\ I praifed the dead, which were already dead, more than the living, which are yet alive. Tea, belter is he than both they, which hath not yet been ; IVHO HATH NOT SEEN THE EVIL IVOKK THAT IS DONE UNDER THE SUN Surely it will not be faid that Solomon has only Relpetft to his Times here too, when he fpcaks of the Opprellions of them that were in Power-, fmce He hiiuielf, and others appointed by him, and wholly under his Controul, were the Men that v/ere in Power in that Land, and in almoil all the neighbouring Covmtries.
'I'he lame infpired Winter fays, Ecclef ix. ^. The Heart of the Sons cf Men is fill of Evil •, and Madurfs is in their Heart while they live ; and after th<H they go to the dcrd. If thele g.-.-nernl Expref- iion.s are to be undc-rilood oniy oi i-'a^, and thoie
G 2 tlie
84 Wickedfiefs general ' Part 1.
the lefs Part, when in general, *Truth^ Honejtvj Good-Nature^ Sec. govern the World, why are fuch general Expreffions from Time to Time ufed ? Why does not this wife and noble, and great-foul'd Prnce exprefs himfelf in a more ge- nerous and benevolent Strain, as well as more agreeable to Truth, and fay, IVifdom is in the Hearts of the Sons of Men while they live^ &c. — inftead of leaving in his Writings fo many fly, ill-natured Suggeltion?, which pour fuch Con- tempt on the human Nature, and tend fo much to excite mutual Jealoufy and Malevolence, to taint the Minds of Mankind through all Genera- tions after him ?
If we confider the various fucceflivc Parts and Periods of the Duration of the World, it will, if poffible, be yet more evident, that vaftly the greater Part of Mankind have in all Ages been of a wicked Charader. The fliort Accounts we have of Adam and his Family are fuch as lead us to fuppofe, that far the greater Part of his Pofterity in his Life-time, yea, in the former Part of his Lifcy were Wicked. It appears, that his eldeft Son, Cain, was a very wicked Man, who flew his righteous Brother Abel. And Adam lived an hun- dred and thirty Years before Seth was born : And by that Time, we may fuppofe, his Pofterity began to be confiderably numerous : When he was born, his Mother called h's Name Seth ; for God., faid She., hath appointed me another Seed inftead of Abel. Which naturally fuggeils this to our Thoughts ; That of all her Seed then exifting, none were of any fuch Note for Religion and Virtue, as that their Parents could have any great Comfort in them, or Expedation from them on that Account. And by the brief Hifliory we have^
it
Chap. I. I in all Azes. %it
Sea. VII. V * ^
it looks as if (however there might be fomc Inter- vals of a Revival of Religion, yet) in the general. Mankind grew more and more corrupt till the Flood. It is fignified, that when Men began to muUlply on the Face of the Earthy Wickednefs prevailed exceedinp,ly. Gen. vi. at the Beginning. And that before God appeared to Noah^ to com- mand'him to build the Ark, 120 Years before the Flood, the World had long continued obftinate in great and general Wickcdnels, and the Difeafe was become inveterate. The ExprefTions we have in the 3, 5, and 6 Verfcs of that Chapter fuggeft as much : And the herd faid^ My Spirit Jhall not ALWAYS Jlrive with Man.— And God fazv^ that the Wickednefs of Alan ivas great on the Earthy and that every hnaginaticn of the Thought of his Heart was evil., only evil CONTINUALLT; and it re- pented the Lord., that he had made Man en the Earth., and it grieved him at his Heart. And by that Time, all Flefo had corrupted his Way upon the Earth., v. 12. And as Dr. T. himfelf obferves, p. 122. " Mankind were univerililiy debauched " into Luft, Scnfuality, Rapine, and Injuftice."
And with rcfpeil to the Period after the Flood, to the Calling of Abraham •, Dr. 7". lays, as has been already obfcrved, that in about 400 Years after the Flood, the Generaliiy of Mankind were fallen into Idolatry •, which was before the paifing away of one Generation \, or before all they were dead, that came out of the Ark. And it canrror be thought, the World iumpt into that lb generid and extreme Degree of Corruption, all at one:- ;, but that they had been gradually growing more and more corrupt ; though it is true, it nuift be by ver)' fwift Degrees, fliowcver loon we mav lup- pofc they becan; to ret 10 tlr;.t Pals in er.e Aee.
G 3 And
86 JVichdnefs general Part I.
And as to the Period from the Calling of Abra- ham to the Coming of Chrilt, Dr. 5". jviftly ob- ferves as follows: (Key^ p. 13 3. J "" If vve reckon " from the Call of Abraham to the Coming of • " Chrift, the Jewip Difpenlcition continued' one " Thoufand nine Hundred and twenty-one Years ; " during which Period, the other Families and " Nations of the Earth, not only lay out of God's *' peculiar Kingdom, but alio lived in Idolatry, *' great Ignorance, and Wickednefs." And with Regard to that one only exempt Family or Nation of the Ifraelitesy it is evident that Wickednefs was the generally prevailing Character among them, from Age to Age, If we confider how it was with Jacobs Fanfily, the Behaviour of Reuben with his Father's Concubine, the Behaviour of Judah v;itli '^amar^ the Condud: of Jacob\ Sons in general (though Simeon and Levi were leading) towards the Shechemiies, the Behaviour of Jofep/fs ten Bre- thren in their cruel Treatment of him ; we cannot think, that the Charader of true Piety belongcxi to many of them, according to Dr. '/ — r's own Notion of fuch a Charaftcr ; though it be true, they might afterwards repent. And with refpcct to the Time the Children of Ifrael were in Egypt ; the Scripture, fpeaking of them in general, or as a collective Body, often reprefents them as com- plying with the abominable Idolatries of the Coun- try *. And as to that Generation which went out of Egypi\ and wandered in the Wildernefs, they are abundantly reprefented as extremely and almoil univerfally wicked, perverfe, and Children of di- vine Wrath. And after Jo/hua''s Death-, the Scrip- ture is very exprefs, that Vv^ickednefs was the prevailing Character m the Nation, from Age to
Age.
* Levit. xvii, -. Jolh. v. 9. ^^,d xxiv. 14. F./ck. xx. 7, 8,
Chap. T. 7 in all J^es. 87
Sea. VII. f '^ '
Age. So It was till SamuePs Time, i Sam. viii. 7, S. They have reje^ed me^ that I JJjould not rei^jt ever them •, according to all their JVorks ivhich they have done, fince the Day that I brought them out of Egypt, unto this Day. Yea, fo it was till Jeremiah and Ezekiel's Time. Jcr. xxxii. 30, 31. For the Children of Urael, and the Children of Judah, have only done Evil before me from their Youth •, for the Children of Ifrael have only provoked me to Anger with the Work of their Hands, faith the Lord : For this City hath been to me a Provocation of mine Anger, and of my Fury, from the Day they built it, even unto tliis Day. (Compare Chap. v. 21, 23. and Chap. vii. 25, 26, 27.) So Ezek. ii. 3, 4. I fend thee to the Children of lirael, to a rebellious Nation, that hath rebelled againft me, they and their Fathers have tranfgrcfed againfi mc, even unto this very Day : For they are ijnpudent Chil- dren, and Jtiff-hearted. And it appears by the Difcourfe of Stephen ("Acts vii.) that this was gene- rally the Cafe with that Nation, from their firil Riie, even to the Days of the Apoilles. After liis fummary Rehearfal of th.c Inflances of their Perverlencfs from the very Time of their fellinf^ Jofephmto Egypt, he ccnckid.\>, (Vcr. 51, ^1, 53.^) Fe jflijf-necked, a-ul irncircumcifed in Heart a. id Ears, ye d^ ALWAFS rcfifc the Hdy Chcfl. As your Fathers did, fo do ye. IVhicb (f the Prophets have . not your Fathers peri}', n ted ? A::d they have fain theiH vohich fjezved before of the Ccmi'ig of tlh^.t jiifl One, of vjhom ye bcrje teen nozv ike Betrayers ar.d Murderers : IVho have reccivjd the La-zv by the DifpofUion of Angels, ar.d have r.ot kept it.
Thus it appear.";, thnt Wickednefs wn> tlic ge- ncraliy prcvailin<j; Character in all t!i" Nations ot Mankind, till Cliiifl came, An;' fo nhb 1l a_ pears
Ci + to
88 Conjiant general tVickednefs !Part I*
to have been fince his coming to this Day, So in the Age of the Apoflles; though then, "among, thofe that were converted to Chriftianity, were great Numbers of Perfons eminent for Pieiy •, yet this was not the Cafe with the grea'.cr Part of the World, or the greater Part of any one Nation in it. There was a great Number of Perfons of a truly pious Character in the latter Part of the apoftolic Age, when Multitudes of Converts had been made* and Chriftianity was as yet in its primitive Purity. But wiiat fays the Apoftle John of the Church of God at that Time, as compared with the Reft oft the World ? i John v. 19. IF^ know that we are of God, and the whole World lieth in Wickeduefs. And after Chriftianity came to prevail, to that Degree, that Chriftians had the upper Hand in Nations and civil Communities, ftill the greater Part of Mankind remained in their old Heathen State ; which Dr. T, fpeaks of as a State of great Ignorance and Wickednefs. And befides, this is noted in all Ecclefiaftical Hiftcry, that as the Chriftians gained in Power and fecular Advantages, true Piety declined, and Corruption ' and Wickednefs prevailed among them. — And as to the State of the Chriftian World, fmcc Chri- ftianity began to be eftablilhed by human Laws, Wickednefs for the moft Part has greatly pre- vailed ; as is very notorious, and is implied in what Dr. T. himfelf fays : He, in giving an Ac- count how the Dovflrine of Original Sin came to prevail among Chriftians, fays, p. 167. S. " That " the Chriftian Religion was very early and grie- *' voufly corrupted, by dreaming, ignorant, fuper- *' ftitious Monks." In p. ir^ij. he fays, *' The *' Generality of Chriftians have embraced this *' Perfuafion concerning Original Sin ; and the " Confequence has been, that the Generality of
*' Chrift.aiis
Chpp. I. ? proves Corruption of Nature. 89
'* Chriftians have been the moft wicked, lewd, " bloody, and treacherous of all Mankind."
Thus, a View of the feveral fucceflive Periods of the paft Duration of the World, from the Be- ginning to this Day, fhews, that Wickednefs has ever b«ren exceeding prevalent, and has had vaftly the Superiority in the World. And Dr. "T. himfelf in Effe6t owns, that it has been fo ever fince Adam firrt turned into the Way of Tranfgrefilon. p. 168. " It is certain (fays he) the moral Circumftances " of Mankind, fince the Time Adam firft turned *' into the Way of Tranfgrefiion, have been very " different from a State of Innocence. So far as ** we can judge from Hiftory, or what we know " at prefent, the greateft Part of Mankind have " been, and Hill are very corrupt ; though not " equally fo in every Age and Place." And lower in the fame Page, he fpeaks of Adanr-^ Pojierity^ as having funk themfehes into the in oft lamentable Degrees of Ignorance, Supcrftilion, Idc^ /atry, Injuftice, 'Debauchery, &c.
Thefe Things clearly determine the Point, con- cerning the Tendency of Man's Nature to Wicked- nefs, if we may be allowed to proct-cd accordijiir to luch Rules and Methods of Rcafoning, as arc uni- verfally made ufe of, and never denied, or doubted to be good and fure, in experimental Philofophy * \ or may reafon from Experience and Facl.i, in thar Manner which common Scnfe leads all Mankind
* Dr. Turnhill, though fo great an Enemy to the Do:1.rinc of the Depravity ot Nature, yet greatly inljils upon it, thac the experimental Method of Realuning ought to be gone ir.t:> in moral Matters, and Things pertaining to the human Na- ture ; and Ihould chiffl.- be relied upon, in ni!?ra', ..; ucii «• natural i-hiloforhv. c<^\: L-ih-oduc. t: M.r. /' ..
go Ccnjiant general Wickednefs, Sec. Part I.
to in other Cafes. If Experience and Trial will evince any Thing at all concerning the natural Difpofition of the Hearts of Mankind, one would think the Experience of fo many Ages, as have elapfcd fince the Beginning of the World, and the Trial as it were made by Hundreds of dif- ferent Nations together, for fo long a Time, fiiould be fuificient to convince all, that Wicked- nefs is agreeable to die Nature of Mankind in its prefent State.
Here, to ftrengthen the Argument, if there were any Need of it, I might obierve feme further Evidences than thofe which have been already mentioned, not only of the Extent and Generality of the Prevalence of Wickednefs in the World, but of the Height to which it has rifen, and the Degree in which it has reigned. Among innume- rable Things which fhew this, I fhall now only obferve this, viz. The Degree in which Mankind iiave from Age to Age been hurtful one to ano- ther. Many Kinds of brute Animals are efteemed very noxious and deftruclive, many of them very fierce, voracious, and many very poifonous, and the deftroying of them has always been looked upon ab a public Benefit : But have not Mankind been a Thoufand Times as hurtiul and deftructive as any one of them, yea, as all the noxious Beads, Birds, Fifhes, and Reptiles in the Earth, Air, and Water, put together, at leall of ail Kinds of Animals that are vifible ? And no Creature can be found any v/liere fo dcilructive of its own Kind as Mankind are. All others for the moil Part are liarmlefs and peaceable, v/ith Regard to their own Species. Where one Wolf is deflroyed by another Wolf, one V^iper by another, probably a Thoufand of Mankind are dcfcroved bv thofe
of
Chap. I. 7 Great Means ufed to oppofe IVickednefs. 91
of their own Species. Well therefore might our blelfed Lord fay, when fending forth his Difciples into the World, Matth. x. 16, 17. Behold^ I fend you forth as Sheep in the Midjl of PFolves ; — BUT BEWARE OF MEN. As much as to fay, I fend you forth as Sheep among Wolves. — But why do I fay. Wolves ? I fend you forth into the wide World of Men^ that arc far more hurtful and pec- nicious, and that you iiad much more Need to beware of, than Wolves.
It would be ftrangc indeed, that this fliould be the State of the World of Mankind, the chief of the lower Creation, diilinguifhetl above 2 11 by Reafon, to that End that they inih;ht be capable of Religion, which fummarily coniitts in Love, if Men, as they come into the World, are m their Nature innocent and harmlefs, undepraved, and perfedly free from all evil Propenli.ics.
S E C T. VIII.
The n^itive Depravity cf Mi^.:kiKd appear-^ i'-i thot thtre has been fo little ^ocd Ejfetl of (o ir-.ir.ilbid and great Means, tifed to prc-n:t: r^tuc :n the World.
TH E Evidence of the native Corruption of Mankind, appears much more glaring, wlien it is confidered that the World has bern fo r^en< - rally, fo conftantly, and fo c>:cce>' ngiv corrupt, notwithftandino; the I'aricus^ ?rcat^ and ccntijtua^ Means, that have been uled tj retVain Men i'.<'':\ Sin, and promote Virtue and ti-ue Religion among them.
Dr.
92 Great Means ufed Part I.
Dr. 7". fuppofes all that Sorrow and Death, which came on Mankind, in Confequence of Adam\ Sin, was brought on them by God, in great Favour to them ; as a benevolent Father^ cxercifing an "jjholefome DifcipUne towards his Chil- dren ; to reftrain them from Sin, by increaftng the Vanity of all earthly Things^ to abate their Force to tempt and delude ; to induce them to be moderate in gratifying the Appetites of the Body ; to mortify Pride and Ambition \ and that Men might always have hefore their Eyes a ftriking Demonjlrationy that Sin is infinitely hateful to God, by a Sight of That, than which IS o thing is more proper to give them the utmofl: Abhorrence of Iniquity, and to fix in their Minds a Senfe of the dreadful Confequences of Sin, &c. &c. And in general, that they do not come as Punilhments, but purely as Means to keep Men from Vice, and to make them better. — If it be fo, furely they are great Means indeed.