past away, behold all things are become new, 2 Cor. v. 17. And it is hard to conceive this new nature, without new propenfions and inclinations, not only different from, but repugnant to our former original and corrupt ones; or at least we must fuppofe this new creation fo far to have reformed and corrected the man, that original corruption has loft the ftrength and force which before it had. This will be more clear yet, if we observe never fo flightly, the feveral parts of this great change. First, The foul of an excellent perfon is filled with an unfeigned and habitual forrow for, and deteftation of all fin; I hate, faith the Pfalmift, every falle way. And how inconfiftent is the ftrength and heat of corrupt propenfions, with the tears and averfions of a true penitent? how tame is the body, how pure the mind, when the man is poffeffed with a firm and holy indignation againft fin, when he diffolves in the pious tenderness of a contrite fpirit! next, the foul of a good man is poffeffed with an ardent love of God, and of Jefus; with a firm belief, and a steddy hope of a blessed eternity; with enlightened eyes he beholds the vanity of all earthly things, and admires the folidity, the weight, and duration of heavenly glory: He is rifen with Chrift, and therefore feeks those things that are above, where Chrift fits on the right hand of God: He has fet his affections on things above, and T not not on things on the earth; for he is dead, and his life is bid with Chrift in God. And must we not now fuppofe fuch a one cleanfed and purified from all corrupt affections, when the very bent of his foul is quite another way? must we not fuppofe the force and ftrength of depraved nature, overpowered and fubdued by these heavenly affections? how mortified muft fuch a man be to the world and to the body? how feeble is the oppofition, that inferiour nature can raise against a mind invested with so abfolute and foveraign authority, and endowed with light and ftrength from above? Laftly, The perfect man has not only crucified the inordinate and finful lufts and affections of the body, but has alfo obtained a great maftery, even over the natural appetites of it; how elfe can it be that his defires and hopes are in heaven; that he waits for the Lord from thence; that he defires to be dif folved and to be with Chrift; and groans to be rid of the corruptible tabernacle of the body? he that is thus above the body, may certainly be concluded to be in fome degree above even the moft natural appetites. He that has fet himself free in a great meafure even from his averfion to death, and in his affection at least very much loosened the bond, the knot, that unites foul and body, may certainly very reafonably be prefumed perfumed to be much more above all covetous, ambitious, or wanton inclinations. These are the grounds, on which I attribute to the perfect man fo high a degree of freedom from original fin as I do in the propofition laid down. 2dly, But yet I do not in the least think, that the moft perfect man upon earth can fo extinguifh the fparks of original corruption, but that if he do not keep a watch and guard upon himself, they will gather ftrength and revive again: and the reafon of this is plain; because it has a foundation in our very nature. The difpute concerning the existence of original corruption in us after baptifm, or regeneration, is, methinks, a very needless one: for if it be about the notion we ought to entertain of it, that is, whether it be properly fin or not, this is a contention about words; for what fignifies it by what name we call this remainder of original pravity, when all grant, that the ftain and guilt of it is wafhed off and pardoned? But if it be about the force and efficacy of it, this indeed is a controverfy of fome moment; but a very foolish one on one fide: for to what purpose can it be, to fay a great many fubtil and puzling things against a truth, that every man feels and experiments T 2 at at one time or other? Upon the whole then, I may thus defcribe the liberty of the perfect man with refpect to original fin: he has mortified it, though not utterly extirpated it; he has fubdued it, though not exterminated it; and therefore he is not only free from finful and inordinate lufts and affections, but alfo, in a far greater measure than other men, from thofe infirmities and irregularities, which are, as it were, the ftruglings and ebullitions of original fin, not yet fufficiently tamed. He has advanced his victory very far, even over his natural appetites; he has no ftronger inclination for the body, or for the world, and the things of it, than fuch as becomes a man that is poffeffed with a deep fenfe of the vanity of this world, and the bleffedness of another. The world is in a high degree crucified to him, and he counts all things but dung and drofs in comparison with the excellency of the knowledge of Chrift Jefus his Lord. His forrows and his joys, his defires and his fears, be the occafion never fo juft or lawful, pass not the modest bounds of a wife moderation. He defires without impatience, cares and contrives, hopes and purfues, without anxiety or follicitude; he is cautious without fear and pufillanimity; he is fad without dejection or defpondency, and pleafant without vanity. All this indeed shews him, him, not only to have conquered fin and folly, but in a great measure alfo his natural propenfion to them. But after all, this happy creature must remember, that he is ftill in the body; in the body, whofe appetites will foon pafs beyond their due bounds, if he be indulgent or careless: he must remember that he is not immutably holy, his understanding is not fo clear and bright, but that it may be deceived; nor the bent of his affections foftrongly fet upon good, but that they may be perverted; and therefore he must be sober and vigilant, and fear always. Thus have I ftated the curableness of our original corruption. And as I think I have plainly the countenance of fcripture; fo I do not fee, that I in the leaft clash with that clause in the ninth article of our church, which affirms concerning original fin thus: And this infection of nature doth remain, yea, in them that are regenerated, whereby the luft of the flesh, called in greek Pevnus oapnos, which fome do expound the wisdom, fome the fenfuality, fome the affection, fome the defire of the flesh, is not fubject to the law of God. For this must not be understood furely, as if the flesh did always luft against the spirit in the regenerate, but only that the regenerate themselves are liable and obnoxious to these luftings; which, on fuppofal that the perfect man T 3 were |