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nor make one another of us clean. We are by nature the children of GoD's wrath, but we are not able to make ourselves the children, and inheritors, of God's glory. We are fheep that have run aftray, but we cannot of our own power come again to the fheepfold: SO GREAT is our imperfection and weakness *."

"The condition of man after the fall of Adams is fuch, that he cannot turn and prepare himself, by his own natural ftrength and good works, to faith and calling upon GoD: wherefore we have no power to do good works pleasant and acceptable to God, without the Grace of GOD by CHRIST preventing us, that we may have a good will and working with us, when we have that good will +."

"The fall brought mankind into an estate of fin and mifery. The finfulness of that eftate, whereinto man fell, confifts in the guilt of Adam's first fin, the want of original righteousness, and the corruption of his whole nature, (which is commonly called original fin) together with all actual transgreffions which proceed from it." Moreover, "all mankind by their fall loft communion with GoD, are under his wrath and curfe, and fo made liable to all the miferies of this life, to death itself, and to the pains of hell for ever ."

"ORIGINAL

i.

Hom. on the mifery of man, 2 part.
Affembly's catechif

+ Art, x,

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"ORIGINAL fin hath been propagated to us both by imputation, and real communication."

66 I. By imputation of Adam's particular tranf greffion in eating the forbidden fruit, for we were legally parties in that covenant, which was at first made with him: and therefore cannot but expect to be liable unto the guilt, which followed upon the breach of it."

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2. "By real communication of evil concupifcence, and depravation upon our natures, which was the confequence of the first rebellion, we were all of us naturally in our firft parents, as the ftreams in the fountain, or branches in the root; and therefore must needs partake of the fame corrupted nature with them."—"It is the root and fountain of all other fin, from whence every actual abomination does proceed; atheism and pride, and baseness and cruelty, and profaneness, and every other vice which the most wicked wretch in the world is guilty of, doth proceed from hence."-" If there be any particular fin which we have not fallen into in our lives, 'tis not for want of corrupt principles and difpofitions in our natures, which do incline us to all; but by reafon of God's reftraining or renewing grace; which hath as yet withheld us from them, without which we should break out into as

great

great abominations as were ever committed by the vileft of the fons of men *".

If there be not a bitter root in my heart, whence proceeds fo much bitter fruit in my life and converfation? Alas! I can neither fet my head nor heart about any thing, but I ftill fhew myself to be the finful offspring of finful parents."-Nay I do not only betray the inbred venom of my heart, by poisoning my common actions, but even my moft religious performatices."-" Thus not only the worst of my fins, but even the best of my duties fpeak me a child of Adam."--" And whence can fuch a continued ftream of corruption flow, but from the corrupt ciftern of my heart? And whence can that corrupt ciftern of my heart be filled, but from the corrupt fountain of my nature†?

MANY more fuch authorities might have been cited to the fame purpose, but these are fufficient to prove that our doctrine is no novel berefy; and will fatisfy the minds of those who are not willingly ignorant, and love the praife of men, more than the praise of Gop.But no argument or demonftration, can be fo clear and forceable as to perfuade the hearts of fuch to embrace the truth and confefs it; wherefore he faith, how can ye believe, who receive honour one of another, and feek not the honour that cometh from GOD only?

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*Bp. Wilkins. + Bp. Beveridge.

THUS

1 John. v. 44.

THUS the fcripture doctrine of original fin is held, and by law established in both the national churches of England and Scotland: it was alfo once countenanced, and preached by many of our moft godly, and learned bishops and clergy; who, were not a whit behind any of their fucceffors for found learning, and piety! If we find not thefe doctrines now publicly taught, but rather neglect ed,and discountenanced; we must not wickedly fuppofe that our venerable reformers, and godly bishops who contended for, and established thefe important truths in our land; were men of erronious, and corrupt principles; deceivers and being deceived: but on the contrary, that those who speak not the fame things, but teach another doctrine, have corrupted themselves, and are departed from the faith once delivered to the faints.

I THEREFORE exhort the reader to follow no man but as he followeth CHRIST,--take heed to thyself and try the doctrine which thou hearest by the word of GOD, fo fhall thou escape the pernicious errors of our day, and be able to hold faft that which is good.

Ir is an alarming truth, that many are departed from the faith according to godliness, and are fallen into deftructive herefies.---The priests divine for hire, and they that handle the law know me not faith the Lord; there

2 Tim. iii. 13. ti Theff. v. 21.

Jer. ii. 8.

therefore the ways of Zion do mourn, and the travellers walk in by paths, but the word of the LORD endureth for ever. Stand thou therefore in the ways, and fee, and afk for the old paths where is the good way and walk therein, fo fball you find reft for your fouls: but be not ye rebellious as the house of Ifrael who faid, we will not walk therein. If the prophets prophecy lies, let it not be faid by your adherence to them and their errors, that you love to bave it fot-for the day is coming when GOD fhall judge the fecrets of men by JESUS CHRIST, and render unto every man according to his works; neither is there refpect of perfons with him.

SIXTHLY; I propofed to fhew how the curfe of GOD attends Adam's fin, and why.--

As it was the breach of GOD's covenant with man and the tranfgreffion of his law, it was not confiftent with the wifdom and equity of the fupreme law-giver, or the honour of his juft law, to hold the tranfgreffor not guilty.

Now the curfe of GoD is a holding the finner guilty, together with an execution of the penalty due to the tranfgreffors.----At death both thefe unite in their full force; therefore the curfe of GOD against finners is fummed up, or expreffed

* Jer. vi. 16. + Jer. v. 31.

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