CONCERNING THE CONDITION OF MAN IN We come now to examine The state and condition of man as he stands in the fall; what his capacity and power is; and how far he is able, as of himself, to advance in relation to the things of God. As to the first, not to dive into the curious notions which many have concerning the condition of Adam before the fall, all agree in this, That thereby he came to a very great loss, not only in the things which related to the outward man, but in regard of that true fellowship and communion he had with God. This loss was signified unto him in the command, "For in the day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die." Gen. ii. 17. This death could not be an outward death, or the dissolution of the outward man; for as to that, he did not die yet many hundred years after; so that it must needs respect his spiritual life and communion with God. The consequence of this fall, besides that which relates to the fruits of the earth, is also expressed, Gen. iii. 24. "So he drove out the man, and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden cherubims, and a flaming sword, which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life." Now whatsoever literal signification this may have, we may safely ascribe to this paradise a mystical signification, and truly account it that spiritual communion and fellowship, which the saints obtain with God by Jesus Christ; to whom only these cherubims give way, and unto as many as enter by him, who calls himself the Door. So that though we do not ascribe any whit of Adam's guilt to men, until they make it theirs by the like acts of disobedience; yet we cannot suppose that men, who are come of Adam naturally, can have any good thing in their nature, as belonging to it; which he, from whom they derive their nature, had not himself to communicate unto them. If then we may affirm, that Adam did not retain in his nature (as belonging thereunto) any will or light capable to give him knowledge in spiritual things, then neither can his posterity: for whatsoever real good any man doth, it proceedeth not from his nature, as he is man, or the son of Adam; but from the seed of God in him, as a new visitation of life, in order to bring him out of this natural condition: so that, though it be in him, yet it is not of him; and this the Lord himself witnessed, Gen. vi. 5. where it is said, he saw that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually which words as they are very positive, so are they very comprehensive. Observe the emphasis of them; First, There is every imagination of the thoughts of his heart; so that this admits of no exception of any imagination of the thoughts of his heart. Se- condly, Is only evil continually; it is neither in some part evil continually, nor yet only evil at some times; but both only evil, and always and continually evil; which certainly excludes any good, as a proper effect of man's heart, naturally: for that which is only evil, and that always, cannot of its own nature produce any good thing. The Lord expressed this again a little after, chap. viii. 21. "The imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth." Thus inferring how natural and proper it is unto him; from which I thus argue: If the thoughts of man's heart be not only evil, but always evil; then are they, as they simply proceed from his heart, neither good in part, nor at any time. But the first is true; therefore the last. Again, If man's thoughts be always and only evil, then they are altogether useless and ineffectual to him in the things of God. But the first is true; therefore the last. Secondly, This appears clearly from that saying of the prophet Jeremiah, chap. xvii. 9. "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked." For who can with any colour of reason imagine, that that which is so hath any power of itself, or is in any wise fit, to lead a man to righteousness, whereunto it is of its own nature directly opposite? this is as contrary to reason, as it B is impossible in nature that a stone, of its own nature and proper motion, should fly upwards: for as a stone of its own nature inclineth and is prone to move downwards towards the centre, so the heart of man is naturally prone and inclined to evil, some to one, and some to another. From this then I also thus argue: That which is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked, is not fit, neither can it lead a man aright in things that are good and honest. But the heart of man is such : Therefore &c. But the apostle Paul describeth the condition of men in the fall at large, taking it out of the Psalmist. "There is none righteous, no not one: there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are altogether become unprofitable; there is none that doth good, no not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre, with their tongues they have used deceit, the poison of asps is under their lips : whose mouths are full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; destruction and misery are in their ways: and the way of peace have they not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes." Rom. iii. 10. Psal. xiv. 3. & 53, 2, &c. What more positive can be spoken? He seemeth to be particularly careful to avoid that any good should be ascribed to the natural man; he shews how he is polluted in all his ways; he shews how he is void of righteousness, of understanding, of the knowledge of God; how he is out of the way, and in short unprofitable; than which nothing can be more fully said to confirm our judgment: for if this be the condition of the natural man, or of man as he stands in the fall, he is unfit to make one right step to heaven. If it be said, That is not spoken of the condition of man in general; but only of some particulars, or at the least that it comprehends not all; The text sheweth the clear contrary in the foregoing verses, where the apostle takes in himself, as he stood in his natural condition. What then? Are we better than they? No, in no wise; for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin, as it is written and so he goes on; by which it is manifest that he speaks of mankind in general. I come now to the other part, to wit, That this evil and corrupted seed is not imputed to infants, until they actually join with it. For this there is a reason given in the end of the proposition itself, drawn from Eph. ii. For these 66 are by nature children of wrath, who walk according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience." Here the apostle gives their evil walking, and not any thing that is not reduced to act as a reason of their being children of wrath. And this is suitable to the whole strain of the gospel, where no man i |