ADDRESS V.

The State of Man by Actual
Transgression.

IN the last Address your attention was directed to your guilty, sinful, and miserable state by natural corruption, a right knowledge of which is of the first importance to your soul; for no one will ever apply effectually to Christ as the spiritual Physician, until he is sensible of the desperate nature of his spiritual disease. Hoping, therefore, that you have seriously considered this important subject, I would now desire you to turn your thoughts to your state by actual transgression, and consider what the Scriptures say on that point. And may the Spirit of the Lord be with us, to render what I am about to read from his word effec

tual to the enlightening of our minds, the conversion of our hearts, and the saving of our souls.

Let us pray. (Prayer as before.) Gen. vi. 12.-God looked upon the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.

Eccles. vii. 20.-There is not a just man upon earth that doeth good and sinneth not.

Isaiah liii. 6.-All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way.

Isaiah lxiv. 6.-We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.

Matt. vii. 18.-A corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit; a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

Rom. iii. 9. &c.-We have proved both Jews and Gentiles that they are all under sin: as it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none that understandeth; there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone

out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. What things the law saith, it saith to them that are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world become guilty before God. Gal. iii. 22.—The Scripture hath concluded all under sin.

Rom. iii. 23.-All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.

1 John iii. 4.-Sin is the transgression of the law.

Gal. iii. 10.—Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.

Rom. vi. 23.-The wages of sin is death.

1 John i. 8. 10.-If we say that we have no sin we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us; if we say that we have not sinned, we make God a liar.

Rom. vii. 12. 14.-The law is holy, just, and good. The law is spiritual, but I am carnal,

Heb. iv. 12.-The word of God is quick and powerful, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Mark xii. 29.-The first of all the commandments is, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. James ii. 10.-Whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

James iii. 2.-In many things we offend all.

Matt. xxv. 18.-Those things which come forth from the heart defile a

man.

Isa. xxiv. 5.-The earth is defiled under the inhabitants thereof, because they have transgressed the law. Ps. v. 4.-Thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness, neither shall evil dwell with thee; the

foolish shall not stand in thy sight; thou hatest all the workers of iniquity.

Habak. i. 13.-Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look upon iniquity.

Job xl. 4.-Behold I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay my hand upon my mouth.

Ps. li. 4.-Against thee, thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight.

Ps. xc. 8.-Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance. Heb. iv. 13.-All things are naked and open unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.

1 Chron. xxviii. 9.-The Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts. 1 Cor. iv. 5.-God will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the heart.

Eccles. xii. 14.-God will bring into judgment every secret thing.