or Amendments of his foregoing Conftitutions and Proceedings, which were merely legal; as though the Difpenfations of Grace, which fucceed thofe of mere Law, implied an Acknowledgment, that the preceding legal Conftitution would be unjuft, if left as it was, or at least very hard Dealing with Mankind; and that the other were of the Nature of a Satisfaction to his Creatures, for former Injuries, or hard Treatment: fo that put together, the Injury with the Satisfaction, the legal and injurious Difpenfation taken with the following good Difpenfation, which our Author calls Grace, and the Unfairness or improper Severity of the former, amended by the Goodness of the latter, both together made up one Righteous Difpenfation.

The Reader is defired to bear in Mind that which I have faid concerning the Interpofition of divine Grace, its not altering the Nature of Things, as they are in themselves; and accordingly, when I fpeak of fuch and fuch an evil Tendency of Things, belonging to the present Nature and State of Mankind, understand Me to mean their Tendency as they are in themselves, abstracted from any Confideration of that Remedy the fovereign and infinite Grace of God has provided.

Having premised these Things, I now proceed to say,

That Mankind are all naturally in fuch a State, as is attended, without Fail, with this Confequence or Iffue; that they univerfally run themselves into that which is, in Effect, their own utter eternal Perdition, as being finally accurfed of God, and the Subjects of his remedilefs Wrath thro' Sin.

From

Sect. I.

From which I infer, that the natural State of the Mind of Man, is attended with a Propenfity of Nature, which is prevalent and effectual, to fuch an Iffue; and that therefore their Nature is corrupt and depraved with a moral Depravity, that amounts to and implies their utter undoing.

Here I would firft confider the Truth of the Propofition; and then would fhew the Certainty of the Confequences which I infer from it. If both can be clearly and certainly proved, then I truft, none will deny but that the Doctrine of original Depravity is evident, and fo the Falfenefs of Dr. T-r's Scheme demonftrated; the greatest Part of whofe Book, called the Scripture Doctrine of Original Sin, &c. is against the Doctrine of innate Depravity. In p. 107. S. he speaks of the Conveyance of a corrupt and finful Nature to Adam's Pofterity as the grand Point to be proved by the Maintainers of the Doctrine of Original Sin.

In order to demonftrate what is afferted in the Propofition laid down, there is need only that thefe two Things fhould be made manifeft: One is this Fact, that all Mankind come into the World in fuch a State, as without Fail comes to this Iffue, namely, the universal Commission of Sin; or that every one who comes to act in the World as a moral Agent, is, in a greater or lefs Degree, guilty of Sin. The Other is, that all Sin deferves and exposes to utter and eternal Destruction, under God's Wrath and Curfe; and would end in it, were it not for the Interpofition of divine Grace to prevent the Effect. Both which can be abun

dantly demonftrated to be agreeable to the Word of God, and to Dr. T-r's own Doctrine.

That every one of Mankind, at least of them that are capable of acting as moral Agents, are guilty of Sin (not now taking it for granted that they come guilty into the World) is a Thing moft clearly and abundantly evident from the holy Scriptures 1 Kings viii. 46. If any Man fin against thee; for there is no Man that finneth not. Eccl. vii. 20. There is not a just Man upon Earth that doeth Good, and finneth not. Job ix. 2, 3. I know it is fo of a Truth, (i. e. as Bildad had just before faid, That God would not caft away a perfect Man, &c.) but how should Man be just with God? If he will contend with him, he cannot anfwer him one of a Thousand. To the like Purpose, Pfal. cxliii. 2. Enter not into Judgment with thy Servant; for in thy Sight shall no Man living be juftified. So the Words of the Apostle (in which he has apparent Reference to those of the Pfalmift) Rom. iii. 19, 20. That every Mouth may be stopped, and all the World become guilty before God. fore by the Deeds of the Law there shall no Flesh be justified in his Sight: for by the Law is the Knowledge of Sin. So, Gal. ii. 16. 1 Joh. i. 7,-10. If we walk in the Light, the Blood of Chrift cleanfeth us from all Sin. If we fay that we have no Sin, we deceive ourselves, and the Truth is not in us. If we confess our Sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our Sins, and to cleanfe us from all Unrighteoufness. If we fay that we have not finned, we make him a Liar, and his Word is not As in this Place, fo in innumerable other Places, Confeffion and Repentance of Sin are spoken of, as Duties proper for all; as alfo Prayer

in us.

There

to God for Pardon of Sin; and Forgiveness of thofe that injure us, from that Motive, that we hope to be forgiven of God. Universal Guilt of Sin might also be demonftrated from the Appointment, and the declared Ufe and End of the ancient Sacrifices; and alfo from the Ranfom, which every one that was numbered in Ifrael, was directed to pay, to make Atonement for his Soul, Exod. xxx. 11-16. All are reprefented, not only as being finful, but as having great and manifold Iniquity, Job ix. 2, 3. Fam. iii. 1, 2.

There are many Scriptures which both declare the universal Sinfulness of Mankind, and also that all Sin deferves and juftly exposes to everlasting Deftruction, under the Wrath and Curfe of God; and fo démonftrate both Parts of the Propofition I have laid down. To which Purpose that in Gal. iii. 10. is exceeding full: For as many as are of the Works of the Law are under the Curfe, for it is written, Curfed is every one that continueth not in all Things which are written in the Book of the Law, to do them. How manifeftly is it implied in the Apostle's Meaning here, that there is no Man but what fails in fome Inftances of doing all Things that are written in the Book of the Law, and therefore as many as have their Dependance on their fulfilling the Law, are under that Curfe which is pronounced on them that do fail of it? And hence the Apostle infers in the next Verfe, that NO MAN is juftified by the Law in the Sight of God as he had faid before in the preceding Chapter, Ver. 16. By the Works of the Law fhall no Flesh be juftified. The Apoftle fhews us that he understands, that by this Place which he cites from Deuteronomy, the Scripture hath concluded, or Shut up, all under Sin; as in Chap. iii. 22. So

that

that here we are plainly taught, both that every one of Mankind is a Sinner, and that every Sinner is under the Curfe of God.

To the like Purpose is that, Rom. iv. 14. and alfo 2 Cor. iii. 6, 7, 9. where the Law is called the Letter that kills, the Miniftration of Death, and the Miniftration of Condemnation. The Wrath, Condemnation, and Death, which is threatened in the Law to all its Tranfgreffors, is final Perdition, the second Death, eternal Ruin; as is very plain, and is confeffed. And this Punishment which the Law threatens for every Sin, is a juft Punishment; being what every Sin truly deferves; God's Law being a righteous Law, and the Sentence of it a righteous Sentence.

All thefe Things are what Dr. T. himself confeffes and afferts. He fays, that the Law of God requires perfect Obedience. (Note on Rom. vii. 6. p. 308.)

God can never require imperfect Obedience, "or by his holy Law allow us to be guilty of any "one Sin, how fmall foever. And if the Law, as a Rule of Duty, were in any Refpect abo"lished, then we might in fome Refpects tranfgrefs the Law, and yet not be guilty of Sin. "The moral Law, or Law of Nature, is the

Truth, everlasting, unchangeable; and there"fore, as fuch, can never be abrogated. On the "contrary, our Lord Jefus Chrift has promul"gated it anew under the Gofpel, fuller and "clearer than it was in the Mofaical Conftitution, "or any where elfe; - having added to its Pre66 cepts the Sanction of his own divine Authority." And many Things which he fays imply, that all Mankind do in fome Degree tranfgrefs the Law. In p. 228. fpeaking of what may be gathered

from