What was the state of Adam before the fall? 1 Cor. xi. 7. James iii. 9. 1. In his having a living soul. Gen. ii. 7. This is the reason of the law against murder, in Gen. ix. 6. 2. In his being holy. God hath made man upright. Eccles. vii. 29. 3. In his being happy, which is the consequence of holi ness. His will, understanding, and affections were pure; and his faculties were exercised on proper objects. 4. In his power over the rest of the creation. Subdue it (the earth) and have dominion over it. Gen i. 28, 29. God brought them, to see what he would call them. Gen. ii. 19. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands, and hast put all things under his feet. Ps. viii. 6-8. What change passed on Adam by the full? He lost his likeness to God, his holiness, his happiness, and, in a great measure, his dominion over the creatures. How did our first parents bring this misery on themselves? By disobeying the command of God. But of the tree of knowledge, &c. thou shalt not eat. Gen. ii. 17. When the woman saw the tree, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and to be desired to make one wise, she took, and did eat, and gave to her husband, and he did eat. Gen. iii. 6. Adam's will was left free to choose either good or evil. What did this sin include? 1. Unbelief. Gen. iii. 1-6. They believed the devil. 2. Pride. Not content to be taught the knowledge of good and evil by their Maker; they wished to be as gods, and to know good and evil for themselves. Gen. iii. 5. 3. Ingratitude. Gen. ii. 16. All the garden was allowed but one tree. 4. Cruelty to himself and his posterity; since the happiness of the whole human race depended upon him. What were the consequences to Adam? In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread. Gen. iii, 19. Death-To dust thou shalt return. Gen. iii. 19. The Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden. Gen. iii. 23. Are we involved in the fall? Yes. Adam was the covenant head of the human race. Had he retained his original state, we should have been partakers of his holiness and happiness; and as he corrupted our nature, we are born in sin, and exposed to the misery which sin has occasioned. Every plant and animal possesses the properties of that from which it is derived. Sift wheat ever so clean, still there will be chaff in the new grain. Gen. v. 3. God called their name Adam. Gen. v. 2. Rom. v. 14. By the offence of one, judgment came upon all. Rom. v. 18. By one man's disobedience many were made sinners. v. 19. By one man came death. 1 Cor. xv. 21. In Adam all die, 1 Cor. xv. 22. Rom. The Scriptures always describe man as a sinner; and all the types and ceremonies under the law of Moses refer to him as such. God saw that the wickedness of man was great. Gen. vi. 5. Gen. vi. 11. The Lord looked down from heaven, to see if there was any that did seek God-There is none that doeth good. Ps. xiv. 2, 3; liii. 2, 3. Behold I was shapen in inquity. Ps. li. 5. The wicked are estranged from the womb; they go astray as soon as they be born; speaking lies. Ps. lviii. 3. All we like sheep have gone astray. Isa. liii. 6. The heart is deceitful above all things, &c. Jer. xvii. 9. Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. John iii. 3. There is none righteous, no not one. Rom. iii. 10. 18. All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. Rom. iii. 23. In me, that is in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing. Rom. vii. 18. The Scripture hath concluded all under sin. Gal. iii. 22. You, being dead in your sins, hath he quickened. Col. ii. 13. To them that are defiled and unbelieving-even their mind and conscience is defiled. Titus i. 15. The infection of sin is not only universal but deep. The hearts of all men are fashioned alike, and contain within them the seeds of the most revolting wickedness. However much we may be shocked with the crimes which we see others commit, we should assuredly be guilty of equal enormities, if we were not prevented by the restraint which God puts on us. When Hazael, the prime minister of Benhadad, king of Syria, was told by the prophet Elisha of the dreadful cruelties which he was on the point of perpetrating, he exclaimed with horror, "But what, is thy servant a dog that he should do this great thing?" 2 Kings viii. 13. He nevertheless did all the evil which was thus foretold. We are not our own keepers. We should beware of resolving in our own strength, "I will not do this or that;" lest God punish our pride by suffering us to fall into the sins we dread. Our prayer on such occasions should be, "Lord! deliver us from evil." What are the consequences of being born in sin? We are the children of wrath, and are therefore by nature exposed to misery here and hereafter. In this life, we have to endure sorrow, sickness, and labour, and have the wrath of God abiding on us. John iii. 36. In sorrow shalt thou eat of it. Gen. iii. 17. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread. Gen. iii. 19. I will appoint over you consumption, &c. Lev. xxvi. 16. Hereafter, we are in danger of eternal torments. Matt. viii. 12; The soul that sinneth it shall die. Ezek. xviii. 4. 20. Their worm dieth not, and their fire is not quenched. Mark ix. 44. 48. Isa. lxvi. 24. He that believeth not, the wrath of God abideth on him. John iii. 18. 36. The wrath of God is revealed-against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. Rom. i. 18. Treasurest up unto thyself wrath, against the day of wrath, &c. Who will render to every man according to his deeds. Rom ii. 6. Tribulation and anguish upon every soul that doeth evil. Rom. il. 9. The law worketh wrath. Rom. iv. 15. The wages of sin is death. Rom. vi. 23. Endured, with much long-suffering, the vessels of wrath, fitted for destruction. Rom. ix. 22. As many as are under the law are under the curse. Gal. iii. 10. Were by nature the children of wrath. Eph. ii. 3. Because of these (sins) cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Eph. v. 6. Col. iii. 6. Sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. James i. 15. And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, &c. Rev. vi. 16. Whosoever was not found in the book of life, was cast, &c. Rev. xx. 15. [Sinners] and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone. Rev. xxi. 8. The punishment of the wicked in hell will never be at an end. When they have endured it for a thousand ages, it will still be the wrath to come. Matt. iii. 7. Luke iii. 7. 1 Thess. i. 10. You are now taught your wretched state by nature. You are all rebels; rebels on whom sentence is already passed. It is therefore very foolish to speak of degrees of guilt. May God bring the conviction home to your hearts. Your condition however is not hopeless. Mercy is offered. Christ is sent to avert the sentence by his intercession; to open your eyes to your situation; to bring you to repentance, and to reconcile you to your offended God: to set you as pardoned prisoners at liberty, and restore you to the favour you have forfeited. Pray earnestly that you, through faith in him, may be made the children of grace, and thus escape the wrath which hangs over the children of disobedience. It is difficult to explain how sin entered into the creation, or why God permitted it to deface and destroy the works of his hand, which he had pronounced very good. This, however, is not necessary for us to know. The existence of sin is beyond a doubt, and no considerate person can avoid feeling that it dwells within him. Collect, 1st Sunday after Trinity.-Because through the weakness of our mortal nature we can do no good thing without thee, grant us the help of thy grace, that in keeping thy commandments we may please thee both in will and deed. CHAPTER II. ON BAPTISM. "WHO gave you this Name ?" 66 My Sponsors in Baptism, wherein I was made a member of Christ, the child of God, and an inheritor of the kingdom of Heaven." What is Baptism? It is an act of dedication to God, being a covenant admission into the Church of Christ, in which, on God's part, all the privileges of the Gospel are made over to the baptized; and the person baptized takes on him, by a solemn profession and vow, to observe and adhere to the whole Christian religion. It is, therefore, "a means whereby we receive the grace of Christ, and a pledge to assure us thereof.". What is implied in Baptism? An acknowledgment of our defilement by sin, and of the necessity of our being washed from its pollution. As children are defiled by original sin, being born in the flesh, they are admitted into the outward Church by the ordinance of baptism, wherein they are washed by water, as a type of that inward washing by the Holy Ghost, without which they cannot be members of the true Church. Need we be baptized more than once? No. Baptism is the ceremony whereby we obtain admission into the Church of Christ, and need not be repeated. One Lord, one faith, one baptism. Eph. iv. 5. Was there any ceremony answerable to it among the Jews? Yes; the rite of circumcision, when their children were thus admitted into covenant with God, and names were given to them. Abram's name was changed to Abraham. Gen. xvii. 5. John the Baptist's name was given. Luke i. 59. 63. Our Saviour's name was called Jesus. Luke ii. 21. |