CHAP. linquents, and to show them the foulness of their crime.

IV.

Gal. vi. 7.

8.

21. And should these traitors, after the most notorious violation of the laws in a case of high treason, be able to insinuate themselves into the government, and finally supplant the nation by foreign oppression, under pretence of supporting its original rights of freedom, here indeed, would be a political mystery of iniquity.

22. Such is the case of which we are speaking. And such is the nature of the laws of men, which have arisen from second causes. Then shall it be supposed, that the original and perfectly pure and just laws of the Most High God, are of less consequence than those of men? Shall they be violated with impunity, and that too under a pretext of obedience, without God's notice?

reap.

23. Nay verily, let it never be thought. God is not 1 Cor. vi. mocked: whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also 9, 10. He that soweth to his flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption. The unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God. And though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished.

Prov. xi.

21.

Four-fold

State, P. 96, 97.

24. The very laws of nature, being given of God in their pure and original state, were in themselves eternal, and laid man under the most solemn obligations to obedience, and that precisely according to the directions of the law-giver.

25. And as the law was in itself eternal, and perfectly consistent with the light and reason of his living soul; therefore every part of it must be punctually obeyed according to this, and not according to the dictates of the serpent, nor the animal passions of an inferior nature.

26. The violation of the law of God, which included the violation of the law of nature, by Adam the first, was of the most potent and universal kind, as is abundantly acknowledged by many sensible writers. Concerning which Boston has the following expres

sions.

27. "Their sin was a complication of evils, a total apostacy from God, a violation of the whole law. By it they broke all the ten commandments at once.

IV.

'They chose new Gods. They made their belly their CHAP God, by their sensuality; self their God, by their 'ambition; yea, and the Devil their God, by believ ing him, and disbelieving their Maker."

28. "Though they received, yet they observed not 'that ordinance of God, about the forbidden fruit. 'They contemned that ordinance so plainly enjoined them, and would needs carve out to themselves how to serve the Lord."

Conconi

Article

29. Again, says Cruden, "The honour and majesty of the whole law, was violated in the breach of that symbolical precept: [of eating of the forbidden Fall fruit:] many sins were combined in that single act."

30. "Infidelity: This was the first step to ruin. When he distrusted the fountain of truth, he gave 'credit to the father of lies. This sin included in it 'prodigious pride. No sooner created but he aspired 'to be as God."

31. "Horrid Ingratitude: Now in the midst of 'such variety and plenty, to be inflamed with the in' temperate appetite of the forbidden fruit, and to 'break a command so equal and easy, what was it but a despising the rich goodness of his great bene'factor?"

S2. "Unaccountable and amazing folly: What a ' despicable acquisition tempted him out of his hap'piness!-That the pleasures of taste and curiosity ⚫ should outvie the favour of God-is the reproach of his reason, and makes the choice so criminal."

33. "A bloody cruelty to himself, and to all his posterity: Giving a ready ear to the tempter, he betrayed his trust, and at once breaks both the tables of the law, and becomes guilty of the highest impiety and cruelty."

34. Then certainly, it must be evident that the sin of Adam, including his posterity, who still continue in the same line of sin and rebellion, is in a spiritual sense, at least equal, if not far superior in magnitude, to what might be called the highest treason in a politi cal sense.

35. And therefore, the fallen and still sinning posterity of Adam, could never after the fall, claim any more right to those once violated laws of heaven,

IV.

CHAP. under any pretence whatever of keeping them, than Benedict Arnold and his confederates,, could have claimed an active part in the free government of America, after the most pointed violation and breach of national trust, by his notoriously treacherous conduct at West-Point.

36. What the sin of Adam and Eve was, and how that sin has been propagated by their posterity, has been very pointedly hinted at by many candid and sensiThes.. ble men: but how that sin has been kept concealed under a veil, has not been brought to light; nor could it be, until the time appointed of God.

9.

37. At present, the strict demands of light and truth require the veil to be removed, and the mystery of sin to be revealed. Of what some have written particularly on this subject, a few things may here be noticed. 38. "The scripture" says Cruden, "proves in many places, that the sin of Adam was communica'ted to all his posterity, ["by ordinary generation"] Eph. . 3. and that it has infected and corrupted it. We are by

Rom. v.

12.

'nature the children of wrath; that is, liable to punishment, and that hath relation to guilt. By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and 6 so death passed upon all men, as a just sentence upon 'the guilty, for that all have sinned. Job describes Jobxiv.4. this sin, Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one."

Concord,
Article

Sin.

6

39. "It is the universal law of nature, that every thing produces its like, not only in regard of the same nature, that is propagated from one individual to another, without a change of the species, but in respect of the qualities with which that nature is tion. ' eminently affected."

See also

Article Corrup

Sermons vol. ii.

40. Again, says Davies, "Flesh of flesh, and spirit of spirit. This is according to the established Ser. 48. laws of generation, by which every thing begets its

like." And therefore by the works of generation, sin must be propagated, and nourished by the industry of its propagators, otherwise sin could not be in Hist. of the world. Hence the words of Edwards are very true, when speaking of Adam and Eve, he saith, "All their posterity, by ordinary generation, are par 'takers of the fall, and of the corruption of nature that 'followed from it."

Redemp.
P. 48.

CHAP.

IV.

Gal.v.16

41. Again, says Osterwald, that sin is "propagated by the body, which pollutes the soul, may be proved from scripture, which ascribes the fountain of 'sin to the body, and the flesh; and therefore exhorts &c. 'us to subdue the flesh. Dearly beloved—abstain 1Pet.ii.11 'from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.—Adam Gen. ii. and Eve sinned freely, and voluntarily, being de- 6, 7. 'ceived by the Devil and their own lust."

p. 147,

42. "That the cause of sin is to be found in man ch.Theo. alone, is evident, not only from the history of Adam's P.I.ch.. 'fall, but likewise from our own experience. For 148, 155. 'we sin in the same manner as Adam did, viz. against 'the divine law, voluntarily, and being seduced by our ' own lusts."

43. Again, says Boston, "The corruption of nature is the river-head, which has many particular lusts, in which it runs.-What doth it avail to re'form in other sins, while the great reigning sin re'mains in its full power? What though some partic'ular lust be broken; if that sin, [namely, the lust of the flesh,] the sin of our nature, keep the throne, it 'will set up another in its stead—and, while it stands entire, there is no victory."

39, 40,

44. "It is an hereditary evil,-propagated in na- Pour-fold ture, [or "conveyed by natural generation."] Con- State, P. sider the confession of David, Behold I was shapen 107, 108. ' in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. 'Here he ascends from his actual sin to the fountain ' of it."

of Faith.

45. "By this sin," [of Adam and Eve] says the 'Westminster assembly, "they fell from their ori- Confess. 'ginal righteousness, and communion with God, and 'so became dead in sin, and wholly defiled in all the faculties and parts of soul and body. They being the root of all mankind-the same death, in sin and 'corrupted nature, was conveyed to all their posterity, descending from them by ordinary generation. From which original corruption, do proceed all ac'tual transgressions."

46. All of which is strictly true, as they have abundantly proved, not only from matters of fact, but from the most pointed testimony of the sacred writings: such as the following.

CHAP.
IV.

Gen. in.7.

John iii. 6.

Jam. i. 14,

13.

47. "And the eyes of them both were opened, and 'they knew that they were naked: and they sewed figleaves together and made themselves aprons. which is born of the flesh is flesh." 'man is tempted when he is drawn and enticed.

That And, "Every

away of his lust, Then when lust hath conceived, it bring'eth forth sin; and sin, when it is finished, bringeth 'forth death." And many more proofs to the same purpose.

48. Certainly then, were it not that some misguided and sanctimonious priesthood had invented a scheme to gratify Lust, under the alluring and specious pretext of fulfilling an original, and afterwards basely violated law of nature, which God gave to Adam in his state of innocence; it would verily seem, that the very seat and fountain head of all sin and corruption, might have been discovered at once, to open view, by no more than the bare removal of a fig-leaf.

49. For they have pointedly proved, that the sin of Adam and Eve was conveyed to their posterity by the works of natural generation; that all their posterity are shapen in iniquity and conceived in sin; that the original corruption of Adam and Eve, which conceived and brought forth sin, was Lust; and that when Lust had conceived and brought forth sin, the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked.

50. What could they have said plainer; unless they had pointedly said, that their eating the forbidden fruit, was the very act by which Adam knew Eve his wife, when she conceived and brought forth a mur. derer?

51. Here then is the mystery of the iniquity; first pointedly and clearly showing what the very root of all sin is, and how sin is propagated; and then again concealing the whole matter under the specious pretext of a command or an ordinance of God, so abundantly acknowledged to have been most basely violated. What is God the author of sin? Nay, in no wise; the same writers have justly proved that he is not!

52. It is certain that the law of nature which forms a cloud, and spreads it over the earth, creates it for