mife, having no hope, and without God in the world.' The Power that the Covenant of Works hath over fuch Perfons, is a commanding, curfing, and condemning Power. It commands them perfect Obedience under Pain of the Curfe:* It curfeth and condemneth them for every the leaft Failure: Gal. iii. 10. For as many as are of the ' works of the law, are under the curfe: for it is 'written, Curfed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.' Rom. iii. 19. forecited. Queft. 18. Wherein confifts the Sinfulness of that Eftate whereinto Man fell? Anf The Sinfulness of that Estate whereinto Man fell, confifts in the Guilt of Adam's firft Sin, the Want of original Righteousness, and the Corruption of his whole Nature, which is commonly called original Sin, together with all actual Tranfgreffions which proceed from it. EXPLICATION. The State whereinto Man fell, is our natural State: And that is both a finful and a miserable State. Our natural State is a finful State, in refpect of original Sin, and in refpect of actual Tranf greffions. Original Sin, in its full Extent, is the Guilt of Adam's firft Sin, the Want of original Righteouf nefs, and the Corruption of the whole Nature. All C 4 and and every one of Adam's natural Race, are born or conceived in it: Rom. v. 12. By one man fin ⚫ entered into the world, and death by fin; and fo death paffed upon all men, for that all have finned.' Pfal. li. 5. Behold, I was fhapen in iniquity and in fin did my mother conceive me.' It is derived to us from Adam the Origin of Mankind, Rom. v. 12. forecited. And it is conveyed to us by natural Generation: Job xiv. 4. 'Who < can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.' Pfal. li. 5. forecited. Even holy Parents convey it to their Children; because they procreate their Children after their own natural Image: Gen. v. 3. And Adam begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth.' Now, our natural State is a finful State, in refpect of original Sin; inafmuch as original Sin, being a Fountain of Sin, remains entire, in its Guilt, Filth, and Power, on every Man, as long as he is in that State. Original Sin confifts of three Parts. The first Part of original Sin, is the Guilt of Adam's firft Sin. Adam's firft Sin was the eating of the forbidden Fruit, whereby the Covenant of Works was broken. The Guilt of that Sin is an` Obligation to Punishment for it. And that Guilt lies on all Men by Nature: Rom. v. 18. By the <offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation.' Now, this Guilt of Adam's firft Sin, is original Sin imputed. The only Remedy for it is in Jefus Chrift, 1 Cor. xv. 22. For as in Adam all die, even fo in Chrift shall all be made alive ;' and that from his Blood, which removes it in Juftification, Eph. i. 7. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgivenefs of fins, according to the riches of his grace." Rom. Rom. iii. 24. Being juftified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Jefus Chrift.' The Second Part of original Sin, is the Want of original Righteousness. Original Righteousness is that Righteoufnefs wherein Man was created in the Image of God. And all Men by Nature are under the Want of that: Rom. iii. 23. For all have fin• ned, and come short of the glory of God.' Eph. iv. 18. Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, through the 'ignorance that is in them, because of the blind nefs of their heart.' In the Want of original Righteoufnefs, is included the Want of that Knowledge in the Understanding, the Want of that Righteoufnefs in the Will, and the Want of thatHoliness in the Affections, wherewith Man was endued at his Creation: And all Men by Nature are under these Wants: Job xi. 12. For vain man would be wife, though man be born like a wild afs's colt.' Ecclef. vii. 29. Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have fought out many inventions.' Rom. vii. 18. For I know, that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is prefent with me, but how to perform that which is good, I find not.' Now, the Want of origi nal Righteoufnefs is a Sin; forafmuch as it is a Want of Conformity to the Law of God: Matth. v. ult. Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Fa<ther which is in heaven is perfect? Compared with 1 John iii. 4. Whofoever committeth fin, tranfgreffeth alfo the law: for fin is the tranfgref'fion of the law.' It can be our Sin, who never had that Righteoufnefs in our own Perfons, because we had it, and loft it in Adam, finning in him: And we we are juftly left under the Want of it, for our Guilt of Adam's firft Sin: Ecclef. vii. 29. forecited. ·Rom. v. 12. By one man fin entered into the world, and death by fin; and fo death paffed upon all men, for that all have finned.' The third Part of original Sin is the Corruption of the whole Nature: And this is what is commonly called original Sin, as being the worft Part of it. The Corruption of Nature is that vitious. Quality in-bred in us, whereby our Nature is utterly difabled for, and oppofite to all fpiritual Good, and prone to the contrary, Evils continually: Rom. v. 6. For when we were yet without ftrength, in due time Chrift died for the ungod ly. Chap. viii. 7. The carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not fubject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. Gen. vi. 5. 'And God faw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.' And one may know his own Nature to be corrupt, by the Backwardness to Good, and Forwardness to Evil he may find in himself. Now, Man's Nature, in his natural State, is not corrupted in Part only, but wholly corrupted in every Part: Eph. ii. 1. 2. 3. And you hath he quickened who were dead in trefpaffes and fins. Wherein in time paft ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, ⚫ the spirit that now worketh in the children of difobedience. Among whom also we all had our converfation in times paft, in the lufts of our flesh, fulfilling the defires of the flefh, and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. Tit. i. 15. Unto the pure all " things r things are pure: but unto them that are defiled, and unbelieving, is nothing pure; but even their • mind and confcience is defiled. For the Cafe the Understanding is in, it is utterly darkened, in point of spiritual Difcerning: 1 Cor. ii. 14. The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are fpiritually difcerned.' The Will, it is quite oppofite to the Will of God: Rom. viii. 7. fore cited. The Affections, they are wholly carnal : Rom. vii. 14. For we know that the law is fpiritual: but I am carnal, fold under fin.' Chap. viii. 5. They that are after the flesh, do mind the things of the flesh." The Body and its Members, they are Inftruments of Unrighteousness, and Servants to Iniquity: Rom vi. 12. 19. Let * not fin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye fhould obey it in the lufts thereof. I speak after the manner of men, because of the infir 'mity of your flefh: for as ye have yielded your members fervants to uncleannefs and to iniquity, unto iniquity; even fo now yield your members ⚫ fervants to righteousness, unto holiness.' The Want of original Righteousness, and the Corruption of the whole Nature, are original Sin inherent, which the Scripture expreffeth both in negative and pofitive Terms: Eph. iv. 18. Ha ving the understanding darkened, being alienated 'from the life of God, through the ignorance that ' is in them, because of the blindness of their heart. Rom. viii. 7. The carnal mind is enmity againft God for it is not fubject to the law of "God, neither indeed can be.' The only Remedy for original Sin inherent, is in Jefus Chrift, I Cor. xv. |