A Body of Practical Divinity

Resp. They are dead 1. Spiritually; they are dead as to the Reatus, the guilt of it, and as to the Regnum, the power of it; the love of sin is crucified.

2. They are dead to sin Legally; as a Man that is Sentenced to Death is dead in Law, so they are legally dead to Sin; there is a Sentence of Death gone out against sin, it shall die and drop into the Crave; but at the present sin hath its Life lengthened out; nothing but Death of the Body can quite free us from the Body of Death.

Use 2. Let us lay to heart Original sin, and be deeply humbled for it; it cleaves to us as a Disease, it is an active Principle in us, stirring us up to Evil. Original sin is worse then all Actual sin; the Fountain is more then the Stream. Some think as long as they are civil, they are well enough; I, but thy Nature is poisoned, thou hast a proud, lustful, envious Nature; a River may have fair Streams, but Vermin at bottom. Thou carriest an Hell about thee, thou canst do nothing, but thou defilest it; thy Heart, like muddy ground, defiles the purest Water that runs through it. Nay, though thou art Regenerate, there is much of the Old Man in the New Man. O how should Original sin humble us! This is one reason God hath left Original sin in us, because he would have it as a Thorn in our side to humble us; as the Bishop of Alexandria, after the People had embraced Christianity, destroyed all their Idols but one, that the sight of that Idol might make them loath themselves for their former Idolatry; So God leaves Original sin to pull down the Plumes of Pride. Under our silver Wings of Grace are black feet.

Use 2. Let us lay to heart Original sin, and be deeply humbled for it; it cleaves to us as a Disease, it is an active Principle in us, stirring us up to Evil. Original sin is worse then all Actual sin; the Fountain is more then the Stream. Some think as long as they are civil, they are well enough; I, but thy Nature is poisoned, thou hast a proud, lustful, envious Nature; a River may have fair Streams, but Vermin at bottom. Thou carriest an Hell about thee, thou canst do nothing, but thou defilest it; thy Heart, like muddy ground, defiles the purest Water that runs thorow it. Nay, though thou art Regenerate, there is much of the Old Man in the New Man. O how should Original sin humble us! This is one reason God hath left Original sin in us, because he would have it as a Thorn in our side to humble us; as the Bishop of Alexandria, after the People had embraced Cristianity, destroyed all their Idols but one, that the sight of that Idol might make them loath themselves for their former Idolatry; So God leaves Original sin to pull down the Plumes of Pride. Under our silver Wings of Grace are black feet.