Abyssus mali, or, The corruption of man's nature briefly handled in some of its principal parts grounded upon Psal. 14: 1, 2, 3 : together with Man's salvation by faith on the Lord Jesus Christ, on Acts 16:31 / by W.G.

CHAP. V.

HEre is yet another proposition offers it self to me, in these words: which because of its use∣fulness, I am not willing to let pass, though it be not obvious to a common Auditor. I must there∣fore acquaint you with the meaning of the He∣brew. The word signifies fecerunt se corruptos, they have made themselves corrupt, whence

Observ. 5. Men are corrupt by their own fault.

And though I seem to differ in words from the Orthodox; yet I do not know, that in any thing I differ in sense. I desire therefore, you warily attend the following Discourse.

We are generally corrupt; and though never so corrupt, yet we are as generally excusing our selves, and ready to turn the blame upon others. Gen. 3.12, And the man said, the woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. And vers. 13, The woman said, the serpent beguiled me. The intent therefore of this Discourse, is to shew that we cannot excuse our selves, and turn the blame upon any other; but it will lie at our own door.

1. If we speak of actual sins, or customary, the case will be clear in a few words. We can∣not lay the fault upon others, so as to excuse our selves; but the great blame must be our own. 'Tis true indeed, the World is full of bad exam∣ples, and bad counsels; but these cannot necessi∣tate us to sin. Examples indeed are said to draw,

Exempla trahunt; but the meaning is, by a Meta∣phorical, not a proper motion: For they are no principles within, but somthing wholly without us. Therefore, when ever a Man sins, there must be some more nearer and proper cause than they. Trahit sua quem{que} voluptas, every Mans own lust draws him. The Devil can do a great deal more towards making us to sin, than thus; and yet he is not the proper cause of our sin. As they can∣not be the reason of our sin, therefore not our excuse. But because this Discourse looks farther than meer actual sin; I shall endeavour to shew you,

1. That we cannot excuse our selves, and lay the fault of our corrupt nature at the Devils door; though the Devil cannot be excused from sin, because he gave the first evil example, and the first evil counsel: yet he could but tempt, and not ne∣cessitate; he cannot make us will, whether we will or no: Therefore to will evil, is our own fault. It is true, he is said effectually to work in the chil∣dren of disobedience, Eph. 2.2. And That they are taken captive by him, at his will, 2 Tim. 2.26. But they are willingly so snared, and willingly sin; they betray themselves. The lusts of your fa∣ther ye will do, Job. 8.44. He tempted Eve (so he did Christ; it is not absolutely evil to be tempted) but she tempted her self, by listening and giving ear to his temptation. So Adam tempted himself by hearkning to her. A Man is then tempted indeed, when his own heart admits the temptation.

2. We cannot lay all the blame at Adams door, and excuse our selves; as they would in the Pro∣phet,

in something a different case: The fathers have eaten sowre grapes, and the childrens teeth are set on edge, Ezek. 18.2. Adams sinning excuses no Man; and that not only in actual transgres∣sion, (wherein it is evident, Men are doing the same thing every day, over and over, that Adam did once; transgressing the command of God, and eating the forbidden fruit) but even in the natural, habitual inclination of their heart. They are contented, pleased, delighted, not only to do as they do, but to be as they are. Their very corrupt nature pleases them; and they would not be without their lust; or be perswaded to part with it for any thing. Take a covetous Man, or a voluptuous Man, and their will is their plea∣sure, and their kingdom; the greatest good to them that can be. Whereby they dayly, and con∣tinually own, and allow what Adam did: which makes it their own personal sin, over and over, by actual allowance.

Object. But this is, because we had a sinful na∣ture first from him.

I Answer, Had every particular Man and Wo∣man in the World been in Adams case, and put into his circumstances, they would have done just as he did: Thou hast little reason therefore, to condemn Adam and justifie thy self. Had we been in Adams stead, and though we had had Adams grace to stand, we should even have corrupted our selves, and done as he did. I think this will be pretty clear, if we consider, that a posse non peccare, is not a sufficient determination of the

will, ad non peccandum, to say that we should have us'd our power better, is too much presum∣ption for any Son of Adam.

3. And more properly, Adam and we are look'd upon but as one Covenant-party. I would ask any Man this question, whether that com∣mand, Gen. 2.16, 17, And the Lord God comand∣ed the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou maist freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledg of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it, reached the person of Adam only, and no farther? Omnes homines quasi unus homo, & tota communitas sunt tanquam multa membra unius corporis. Aquin. All Men are as one Man: and the whole Community, as many members of one body. What the Repre∣sentative of a corporation doth, is looked upon as the act of that whole body.

4. What though it come by Adam, our cor∣rupt Nature I mean; is it not ours therefore? And is not a Man to be blamed for that which is his own fault? Doth any man say, That that renewing grace, inward grace which comes by Je∣sus Christ is not his own, though Christ be the fountain of it? What if a Man be born a Tray∣tor, i. e. of the same nature and disposition with his father, is he therefore not as dangerous as his Father, and as evil?

3. And lastly, Much less can we lay the blame at Gods door. Adam seemed willing to lay it here, Gen. 3.12, The woman thou gavest me, she gave me, &c. Tacitly intimating, God was to-blame in giving him the Woman. The Apostle James in his time, either saw, or foresaw the same wickedness, as may be gathered from that Text,

Jam. 1.13, Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God. No, Is it not said, God temp∣ted Abraham, Gen. 21.1? Yea, it's true, he brought him into such circumstances, to try him what he would do; and so he did Adam; and so he doth us many times: but he put no sin in A∣dam, or in Abraham, &c. No, Eccles. 7. ult. God made man upright, Jashar, right and straight, but he sought out many inventions. They are his own seeking, his own doing, figmentum cordis sui, ultor peccati non est Author peccati. The avenger of sin, is not the Author of sin: And God is the a∣venger of all such, 1 Thes. 4.6.

Object. But God could have hindred it if he would; therefore God is to-blame.

Answ. 1. God could have hindred it if he plea∣sed: For nihil fit, nisi Deo volente, aut permittente, nothing is done, unless God will, or permit, Aug. He could have given him confirming-grace, as he did the Angels; or he could have restrained the Devil, and never have put him upon the temp∣tation; or he could have annihilated him before he sinned, had it pleased him; but to say, that God was therefore culpable, far be it from us:

1. Because God was not bound to hinder it. It is true, that evil we hinder not, which we can morally, that is, in our place, and way, we are some way guilty of, as Eli, 1 Sam. 2. But the Su∣pream is under no such law.

2. Because, in gratuitis non est lex, in matter of gift there is no law. Shall a Beggar say, he hath given me so much, therefore he is bound to give me more?

3. What if God, who can bring good out of evil, had a design to glorifie himself some other way; permitting it to be, or not hindering, for a farther good end? Omnipotens nullo modo sineret aliquid mali esse, nisi ex malo, &c. The Omnipo∣tent would by no means suffer any evil to be, un∣less out of it he could bring a greater good.

Object. 2. But why is Man to blame? Adam, or others?

Answ. Because they sinned, and sinned freely: As it is said of the Angels, They left their own habitation, Jud. 6. i. e. freely, and voluntarily; so Man left his own standing. It is his own seeking, He sought out many inventions, Eccles. 7. ult. See Adams own acknowledgment, She gave me, and I did eat, Gen. 3.12. The lusts of your father ye will do.

Object. But, then is not God to-blame, to make Man of a free-will?

Answ. Not at all: For unless Man had been of a free-will, he could no more have done good than evil; and had never been capable of happiness or misery. If Man be made to do good, and be hap∣py, he must be made with a free-will: From this free-will he lost himself. Homo male utens libero arbitrio, se perdidit, Aug.

Inst. If you urge yet, and ask why did not God confirm him, and put him beyond a possi∣bility of sinning? I answer with the Apostle. Who art thou, O man, that replyest against God?

Rom. 9.20. Who made thee of Gods counsel? Rom. 11.34. Or wilt thou, dar'st thou take upon thee to instruct him? The Apostle cries out, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, O the depth, &c. which he speaks of Gods counsel concerning the rejection of the Jews, and calling of the Gentiles. Thou art a strange Man, whom nothing will satisfie, but the reason of His Will. This may suffice, God made Man a reasonable creature, and he made himself a sinner.

The natural use of this Doctrine is humbling and self-abasing, as leaving us without all excuse. And this, is the very design of God, in revealing the Law, and discovering our natures, to lay us in the dust before him, as guilty creatures, self-undone. The law entred, that sin might abound, Rom. 5.20. i. e, in the sight and sense of it. There∣fore it is said, Gal. 3.24, The law was our school-master, to bring us to Christ: that we might be ju∣stified by faith. This is spoken of the moral Law; which so convinces us every way of sin; that there is no way to be justified but by Faith. Men generally think nothing of sin, not of sinful pra∣ctises, and sinful courses; but go on without con∣sideration; but if they do so, few, or none, that think of this sin of their hearts, which is continu∣ally working death: or if so, who thinks of the damning corruption of his Nature? It is the seed of all those corruptions, both in heart and life: or if so, we are naturally prone to turn it off any where. I have shewed you, it will lie at our own doors. Sin of Nature indeed is necessarily ours; but yet it is freely ours: we choose our own ways, and delight our selves in our own inventi∣ons. Go home therefore, and for ever hereafter

fault your selves. This drives Men to the last bay, and quite outs them of their utmost refuge.

2. This checks our murmuring. The punish∣ment of our iniquity is justly entail'd upon our selves. Why doth man complain for the punishment of his sins? Search and try your ways, &c. Lam. 3.39, 40. We suffer justly, as the thief said, Luk. 23.41. And in this life always very mercifully too, i. e. less than our iniquities deserve. Are you under the wrath of God, trouble of Conscience, and many evils besides, upon your bodies, fami∣lies, &c? Own all the punishment, and misery, as your desert, and Hell and damnation too, at the last. Thy ways, and thy doings have procured these things unto thee; this is thy wickedness, Jer. 4.18. q. d. Now you see what 'tis to sin. O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self, Hos. 13.9. God will be ju∣stified, when he speaks, and clear when he judges, Psal. 51.4. Whatever you feel, or fear, condemn your selves, this is the way. It is true, God makes Hell and misery, but you provoke him.

Quest. 1. If Men be corrupt by their own fault; then, cannot they mend themselves, correct their er∣rors, and there's an end?

Answ. Corrupt practices, they may in a sort mend. Let him that stole, steal no more, Eph. 4.28. They may temperare se, though not sancte, Dr. Twiss; abstain, but not in a gracious man∣ner. But remember we are speaking of corrupt Nature: And here I answer, briefly with the Pro∣phet, Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the Leopard his spots? Jer. 13.23. He takes it for

granted, they cannot. Why? Because it is na∣tural. Much less can ye, when accustomed to do evil; and have a second Nature super-added to the first habit, I mean to corrupt Nature, do well.

Quest. 2. Is there any hope for such, that they may become otherwise?

Answ. 1. For those that see it, and are deject∣ed, humbled, and sensible (which only look after hope) there is hope. There is a two-fold sense of sin. 1. Either of the evil Nature of it: Or 2. The evil consequents. The first is a sign of a good estate at present, and the others are in a hopeful way. When men begin to fault them∣selves, and are brought upon their knees; there is hope. Arise and go to Saul, for behold he prays, Act. 9.11. All that ever were saved, were un∣der the same corrupt Nature, and as deep in it as you are. When Thousands, and Ten thousands as bad by Nature as your selves, have been saved, is there any reason you should despair? Labour after more sense of corrupt Nature: This gives a Convert mighty advantage.

2. For others, though there be little appear∣ance of hope; because they are not sensible, and cast down: yet I say, God can meet with them, and knows how to mend them. It is true; it is a wonder and miracle if God do it! But his work is honourable and glorious, Psal. 111.2. The hour cometh, and now is, says Christ, that the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that hear, shall live, Joh. 5.25. A dead man hear? and a

dead man live? Yea, Jesus Christ can speak so ef∣fectually, as to give a dead man ears, and life too▪ O Israel, thou hast destroyed thy self; but in me, is thy help, Hos. 13.9. How did they destroy them∣selves? by willful Idolatry, and at last persisting in wilful opposition to Jesus Christ. And yet, concerning that people, non conclamatum est; they ar not dead and buried too, past hope of reco∣very. No, Their calling shall be life from the dead, Rom. 11.15. Let no man look upon his case as absolutely desperate: There is never a word of present comfort to be spoken unto such, (especi∣ally those, who notwithstanding they hear the words of this Curse, shall bless themselves, Deut. 29, 12.) but only a possibility (which yet mil∣lions perish under), thou maist be saved; but then thou must well learn the Lesson of the Text, and think sadly and seriously on it. He hath con∣cluded all under unbelief (speaking of the Jews), that he might have mercy upon all, Rom. 11.32. i. e. That unto all those that do believe, it might be meer mercy that they believe, being of them∣selves shut up under unbelief. And thus I have done with the second Affirmative.