21 as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away." So far are our best actions, in our natural state, from helping that even they are polluted and loathsome; and sin like a whirlwind unopposed, sweeps us onward to perdition. Sect. 6. But I foresee an objection, which some of the more moral may make, to parts of this statement. Perhaps you, my young friend, exclaim "I have not committed many of the sins here named." Perhaps not. I am here showing you your own lost condition, by referring you to those sad fruits which your depraved heart, unless by one means or other prevented, would produce; and which, in millions of cases, have been produced. The restraints of education, or other things, may in you have checked some of these corruptions; but this makes no alteration, as to your natural sinfulness. If in spring you were to cast one handful of wheat into the ground, and lay another by in a draw, would you, in autumn, say of that which had been laid by, this is not wheat? because it might not have put forth the blade and the ear. No it would still be wheat, still be of the same nature as that scattered in the ground though its situation had prevented its growing, and producing fruit like that. So it is with human nature. In some situations its corruptions may not be so visible as in others; in some situations those corruptions may not have the same nourishment as in others; or may meet with more restraints; like the grain of corn, which is buried so deep that it can scarcely push its blade above the surface of the soil. All this may take place. this does take place, in thousands of instances, but human nature, in its radical corruption, is every where the same; like wheat which is wheat still, whether it vegetates in the furrow, ripens in the ear, or is treasured up in the barn. All Sect. 7. Allow me my young friend after this general view, to descend a little into some particulars. The word of God, in describing your natural condi tion, represents it as so extremely sinful, that while in it nothing which you do can be pleasing to God. They that are in the flesh (under the government of that 21 Is. lxvi. 6. corruption which is named flesh) cannot please God. So entire is this corruption, that an apostle confesses, I know that in me, that is in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing.23 So completely is the soul indisposed by it for all that is really good, that men are dead in trespasses and sins.24 How awful is their delusion, who are strangers to real religion, and yet flatter themselves that there is something good in them to recommend them to God. Their best actions flow from corrupt motives, and are in his sight but a kind of splendid sins. In presuming this melancholy description of your natural condition, I must add, that man is not only so extremely sinful, that he cannot please God, but so blind, that he is entirely ignorant of what is acceptable in his Maker's sight. Our Lord himself declares, that the design of his gospel is to open the eyes of men, and to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God.25 He assures us that he came to preach recovering of sight to the blind.26 His most distinguished Apostle affirms, that even the followers of Christ were sometimes darkness.27 That he and they had been delivered from the power of darkness;23 and humbly confesses, we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived; being blinded by those false hopes and delusions, which blind thousands now. So destructive is this blindness, that men know not the way of peace.30 So entire that the sullen ox and stupid ass know more of their masters, than unenlightened man of his God. The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib, but Israel doth not know, my people do not consider.31 So awful is this blindness, that the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto them.32 Even the preaching of the cross itself, is to them that perish foolishness.33 And so wilful that men love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil;34 and proceeding in their career of madness, fools make a mock at sin.35 Is it possible my young friend, to give a sadder representa24Ephes. ii. 1. 25 Acts xxvi. 18. 29 Coloss. i. Cor. ii. 14. 22 Rom. viii. 8. 26 Luke iv. 18. 30 Rom. iii. 7. 34 John iii. 19. 23 Rom. vii. 18. 13. 29 Tit. iii. 3, 31 Cor. i. 18, tion of the natural blindness of the heart, than these passages give? Sin, which God declares to be the cause of misery, death and hell, men treat as a matter of foolish ridicule and mad laughter; while that glorious plan of Salvation, which so magnifies the wisdom and love of God, that it astonishes the angels of heaven, even this is folly in the view of poor unconverted men. The man who should laugh at a thousand swords aimed at his defenceless head, or pointed at his naked breast, were wiser than he who laughs at sin. Less foolish were the wretch who should treat as folly a plan to deliver him from the condemned cell, the halter, the gibbet, or the fire, than he who thus treats the wondrous plan, which God has devised, to save him from the flames of hell. Sect. 8. Shall I stop here? No. The word of God does not. The sacred writers continue the deplorable account of fallen man, by declaring that he is not only polluted and blind, but under the influence of the worst foe of God and man.-The devil, on account of his extensive reign, is called, by them, the God of this world,36 the prince of the power of the air; and he and the wicked spirit that hath fallen with him are the rulers of the darkness of this world.38 The ungodly are of their father the devil,39 he works in the heart of the children of disobedience;40 he takes away the seed that is sown in the thoughtless heart; he blinds the minds of the irreligous; and where the gospel is hid, it is hid through his hellish influence.42 They are in the snare of the devil, and are led captive by him at his will.43 They who neglect religion, to follow the world, are turned aside after satan;44 and, lest you should imagine that these deplorable assertions refer merely to the most openly ungodly, you are assured by the divine Saviour himself, that the design of his gospel is to bring men from the power of Satan unto God;45 and that the tares, or all who are not in reality the children of God, are the children of the wicked one.46 The apostle Paul confesses that he and his christian friends once were of this number; the apostle John as solemnly 37 Ephes. ii. 2. 38 Ephes. vi. 12. 41 Matt. xiii. 19. 42 Cor. iv. 4. 45 Acts xxvi. 28. 46 Matt. xiii. 23. 362 Cor. iv. 4. 40 Ephes. ii. 2. 441 Tim. v. 15. 39 John viii. 44. 43 2 Tim. ii. 26. 47 Ephes. ii. 3. teaches us, that all men are either the children of God or of the devil; and that those who do not practise righteousness, and cherish love, are not of God. 48 Sect. 9. Adding another awful particular to this mournful description of fallen man, the sacred writers assure us that men are so averse to good, that through the pride of their hearts they will not seek after God;49 that they not only commit sin with greediness, but take pleasure in seeing it committed by others.50 The Son of God himself complains, that they will not come to him for life that they love darkness rather than light; that they hated him, and will hate his friends.53 .$3 Sect. 10. To give a darker finish to this dreadful picture, the word of eternal truth declares, that men are lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God 254 are alienated from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in them;55 are alienated from God and enemies in their minds by wicked works; that they know not God; are haters of God;5 are strangers and foreigners to him and without God in the world. Hence, in a natural state, there is none that seeketh after God;61 there is no fear of God before their eyes. By their lives, if they dare not utter it with their lips, they say unto God, depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways; and by choosing worldly vanities in preference to the favour and service of God, they, in fact, utter the dreadful sentence, What is the Almighty, that we should serve him, and what profit should we have if we pray unto him 254 The apostle Paul, in giving the darkest touch to this dreadful picture, declares that the carnal mind is enmity against God.65 A more awful description of fallen man cannot be given, than that contained in these few words. The carnal mind is strictly the earthly or sensual mind; that which the moral and the profligate alike possess, while loving the world and the things of the world. It is not an expression applying merely to the most abandoned, but 48 1 John iii. 10. 52 John iii. 19. 55Ephes. iv. 18. 59 Ephes. ii. 19. Job xxi. 14. 49 Psalm x. 4. 53 John xv. 56 Col. i. 21. Eph. ii. 12. 64Job xxi. 15. 50Rom. i. 31. 51John v. 40. 18, 19. 542 Timothy iii. 4. 571 Thess. iv. 5. 58 Rom. i.30. Rom. iii. 11. 62Rom. iii. 18. Rom. viii. 7. one that applies to every human being, let his outward conduct be ever so fair, whose mind cleaves to this earthly clod. The miser as well as the spendthrift; the pleasing young man that is following earthly objects with all his heart, the engaging young woman whose thoughts are fixed on fashion, dress, and gaiety, as much possess the carnal mind, as does the shameless profligate, whose conduct they abhor: and the sober tradesman, whose plans and schemes all refer to this world, is as much under its influence as either of the others. All these have a worldly or carnal mind, and what is it? enmity against God, enmity itself. Can worse be said of devils? have even they a mind more inimical to God, than the carnal mind! They neither have nor can, for what can be worse, than that which is enmity itself! These dreadful assertions of inspired writers are confirmed by the Most High. He calls on heaven and earth to wonder at the horrid crimes of men; and declares, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me. 66 The Son of God joins in confirming the lamentable truth; and represents man as a wicked prodigal, who has treated with the basest neglect, ingratitude, and cruelty, the best and most affectionate of parents.67 A prodigal so destitute of filial love, that he acts the part of a madman, and prefers the swinish husks in an enemy's country, to the comforts of his father's house. And one of the best of men, humbly acknowledging the charge, confesses "We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts, and thy judgments. To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against him.63° Sect. 11. The word of God further shows the depth of our fall, and the malignant poison of our sin, by the display which it makes of the greatness of the remedy provided for our deliverance. No less a person than the Son of God, the Lord of all things appeared as a Saviour. More was done to redeem than to create the world; the Most High thus showing that redemption was a more difficult work than creation. 66Isa. i. 2. 67 Luke xv. 19, &c. Dan. ix. 5, 9. |