Se&t. IV.

If Sin be fuch a Thing as Dr. T. himself reprefents it, p. 69. " a Thing of an odious and de"ftructive Nature, the Corruption and Ruin of

our Nature, and infinitely hateful to God;' then fuch a Propenfity to continual and increafing Sin, must be a very evil Difpofition. And if we may judge of the Perniciousness of an Inclination of Nature, by the Evil of the Effect it naturally tends to, the Propenfity of Man's Nature muft be evil indeed: For the Soul being immortal, as Dr. T. acknowledges, p. 94. S. it will follow from what has been observed above, that Man has a natural Difpofition to one of these two Things; either to an Increase of Wickedness without End, or till Wickedness 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 Effect which 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 best Men on Earth, makes it evident, that Man's Nature is corrupt, as he comes into the World. A remaining Depravity of Heart in the greatest Saints, may be argued from the Sins of moft of those who are fet forth in Scripture as the most eminent Inftances and Examples of Virtue and Piety: And is alfo manifeft from this, That the Scripture represents all God's Children as ftanding in Need of Chastisement. Heb. xii. 6, 7, 8. For whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth; and Scourgeth every Son whom he receiveth.-What Son is he, whom the Father chafteneth not?—If ye are without Chaftifement, then are ye Baftards, and

not

not Sons. But this is directly and fully afferted in fome Places; as in that forementioned Ecclef. vii. 20. There is not a juft Man upon Earth, that doeth Good, and finneth not. Which is as much as to fay, There is no Man on Earth, that is so just, as to have attained to fuch a Degree of Righteoufnefs, as not to commit any Sin. Yea, the Apoftle James fpeaks of all Chriftians as often finning, or committing many Sins; even in that primitive Age of the Chriftian Church, an Age diftinguished from, all others by eminent Attainments in Holinefs; Jam. iii. 2. In many Things we all offend. And that there is Pollution in the Hearts of all, as the Remainder of moral Filth that was there antecedent to all Attempts or Means for Purification, is very plainly declared, in Prov. xx. 9. Who can fay, I have made my Heart clean, I am pure 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 would be nothing to hinder, but that many, without being better than they are by Nature, night perfectly avoid the Commiffion of Sin. But much more might this be the Cafe with Men after they had, by Care, Diligence, and good Practice, attained thofe pofitive Habits of Virtue, whereby they are at a much greater Distance 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 best Men in the World do often commit Sin, and have remaining Pollution of Heart, this makes it abundantly evident, that Men, when they are no otherwife than they were by Nature, without any of those virtuous Attainments, have a finful Depravity; yea, must have great Corruption of Nature.

SECT

Sect. V. S

SECT. 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 Righteousness; not only with Refpect to Value and Demerit, but Matter and Quantity,

I

Have before fhewn, that there is a Propenfity in Man's Nature to that Sin, which in Heinoufnefs and Ill-defert immenfely outweighs all 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 prefent State, that it tends to this lamentable Effect, That there should at all Times, through the Course of his Life, be at least much more Sin, than Righteoufnefs; not only as to Weight and Value, but as to Matter and Meafure; more Difagreement of Heart and Practice from the Law of God, and from the Law of Nature and Reason, than Agreement and Conformity.

The Law of God is the Rule of Right, as Dr. T. often calls it: It is the Measure of Virtue and Sin fo much Agreement as there is with this Rule, fo much is there of Rectitude, Righteoufness, or true Virtue, and no more; and, fo much Difagreement as there is with this Rule, fo much Sin is there.

Having premifed this, the following Things may be here observed.

I. The Degree of Difagreement from this Rule of Right is to be determined, not only by the

Degree

Degree of Distance from it in Excefs, but also in Defect, or in other Words, not only in positive Tranfgreffion, or doing what is forbidden, but also in witholding what is required. The divine Lawgiver 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 everlafting Fire, for their Sin in Defect and Omiffion: I was an bungred, and ye gave me no Meat, &c. And the Cafe is thus, not only when the Defect is in Word or Behaviour, but in the inward Temper and Exercise of the Mind. 1 Cor. xvi. 22. If any Man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha. Dr. T. speaking of the Sentence and Punishment of the Wicked, (Matth. xxv. 41, 46.) fays, p. 159." It was manifeftly for WANT of Be"nevolence, Love, and Compaffion to their Fel"low-Creatures, that they were condemned." And elsewhere, as was observed before, he says, that the Law of God extends to the latent Principles of Sin to forbid them, and to condemn to eternal Destruction for them. And if so, it doubtless also extends to the inward Principles of Holinefs, to require them, and in like Manner to condemn for the Want of them.

“It

II. The Sum of our Duty to God, required in his Law, is Love to God; taking Love in a large Senfe, for the true Regard of our Hearts to God, implying Efteem, Honour, Benevolence, Gratitude, Complacence, &c. This is not only very plain by the Scripture, but it is evident in itself. The Sum of what the Law of God requires, is doubtlefs Obedience to that Law: No Law can require

S ect. V. S

require more than that it be obeyed. But it is manifeft, that Obedience to God is Nothing, any otherwise than as a Teftimony of the Refpect of our Hearts to God: Without the Heart, Man's external Acts are no more than the Motions of the Limbs of a wooden Image; have no more of the Nature of either Sin or Righteousness. It must therefore needs be fo, that Love to God, or the Refpect of the Heart, must be the Sum of the Duty required towards God in his Law.

III. It therefore appears from the Premises, that whofoever with-holds more of that Love or Refpect of Heart from God, which his Law requires, than he affords, has more Sin than Righteoufnefs. Notonly he that has lefs divine Love, than Paffions and Affections which are oppofite; but also he that does not love God half fo much as he ought, or has Reafon to do, has juftly more Wrong than Right imputed to him, according to the Law of God, and the Law of Reafon; he has more Irregularity than Rectitude, with Regard to the Law of Love. The finful Difrefpect, or Unrefpectfulness of his Heart to God, is greater than his Respect to him.

But what confiderate Perfon is there, even among the more virtuous Part of Mankind, but what would be ashamed to say, and profess before God or Men, that he loves God half fo much as he ought to do; or that he exercises one Half of that Efteem, Honour and Gratitude towards God, which would be altogether becoming Him; confidering what God is, and what great Manifestations he has made of his tranfcendent Excellency and Goodness, and what Benefits he receives from him? And if few or none of the beft of Men can