2. But I suppose, you meant [not too bad.] What do you think then of such sayings as these following? If you speak truth, then, 1. Mans nature is not capable of grace, or of any amendment or renovation. 2. Nor is it capable mediately of Glory. 3. Mans nature is not Reasonable, nor better or nobler than a brute. 4. The argument would not be good against murdering of any but a Saint, Gen. 6. 9. Who so sheddeth mans blood, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the Image of God made he man. 5. No man can grow worse than he is, if he never so much despise God and all his means of grace, and commit every day Adultery, Murder, Treason, &c. 6. Then there are no degrees of evil among natural men, nor is one any worse than another. 7. Then men on earth are as bad as those in hell, and as the Devils. 8. Yea, ten hundred thousand times worse than Devils, and the damned; for so bad you can call them. 9. Then mans nature hateth good formally as good, and loveth evil formally as evil. 10. Then there are in mans nature no testimonies for a deity, or the immortality of1 the soul, nor no conscience of good or evil, nor no principles or dispositions to common ⟨p. 131⟩honesty or civility; or else all these are bad. 11. Then no wicked man is culpable, as sinning against any such innate Light, Law, or Principles. 12. Then natural men are as much void of power to read, consider, or do any good at all, or forbear any sin at all, even hourly murder, thest, perjury, &c. as a stone is void of power to speak or to ascend. And so that all such that are damned, are damned for not doing that which they had no more power to do, and for not forbearing that which they had no more power to forbear than a stone to speak. Or else that all such power it self is evil. 13. Then it may be said, that there is nothing in all the nature of man which is the work of God; or else that Gods work it self as well as mans is evil. That man is not a man, or else it is evil to be a man. 14. Then there is nothing in mans nature that God can in any kind or measure Love; or else that God loveth that which is evil, even with complacence. 15. Then there is nothing in mans nature which we should love in one another; and no man is bound to love, yea, every man is bound perfectly to hate all that are not Saints; or else we must not perfectly hate, but love that which is perfectly evil. 16.
2. But I suppose, you meant [not too bad.] What do you think then of such sayings as these following? If you speak truth, then, 1. Mans nature is not capable of grace, or of any amendment or renovation. 2. Nor is it capable mediately of Glory. 3. Mans nature is not Reasonable, nor better or nobler than a bruit. 4. The argument would not be good against murdering of any but a Saint, Gen. 6. 9. Who so sheddeth mans blood, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the Image of God made he man. 5. No man can grow worse than he is, if he never so much despise God and all his means of grace, and commit every day Adultery, Murder, Treason, &c. 6. Then there are no degrees of evil among natural men, nor is one any worse than another. 7. Then men on earth are as bad as those in hell, and as the Devils. 8. Yea, ten hundred thousand times worse than Devils, and the damned; for so bad you can call them. 9. Then mans nature hateth good formally as good, and loveth evil formally as evil. 10. Then there are in mans nature no testimonies for a deity, or the immortality of1 the soul, nor no conscience of good or evil, nor no principles or dispositions to common ⟨p. 131⟩honesty or civility; or else all these are bad. 11. Then no wicked man is culpable, as sinning against any such innate Light, Law, or Principles. 12. Then natural men are as much void of power to read, consider, or do any good at all, or forbear any sin at all, even hourly murder, thest, perjury, &c. as a stone is void of power to speak or to ascend. And so that all such that are damned, are damned for not doing that which they had no more power to do, and for not forbearing that which they had no more power to forbear than a stone to speak. Or else that all such power it self is evil. 13. Then it may be said, that there is nothing in all the nature of man which is the work of God; or else that Gods work it self as well as mans is evil. That man is not a man, or else it is evil to be a man. 14. Then there is nothing in mans nature that God can in any kind or measure Love; or else that God loveth that which is evil, even with complacence. 15. Then there is nothing in mans nature which we should love in one another; and no man is bound to love, yea, every man is bound perfectly to hate all that are not Saints; or else we must not perfectly hate, but love that which is perfectly evil. 16.
- 1See Act. 17. and 14. And Rom. 1, and 2.