Human nature in its fourfold state ... In several practical discourses

First, Corruption of life, wickedness, great wickedness. I understand this of the wickedness of their lives; for it is plainly distinguished from the wickedness of their hearts. The sins of their outward conversation, were great in the nature of them, and greatly aggravated by their attending circumstances: and this not only among those of the race of cursed Cain, but those of holy Seth: the wickedness of man was great. And then it is added, in the earth. (1.) To vindicate God's severity, in that he not only cut off sinners, but defaced the beauty of the earth; and swept off the brute creatures from it, by the deluge; that as men had set the marks of their impiety, God might set the marks of his indignation, on the earth. (2.) To show the heinousness of their sin, in making the earth, which God had so adorned for the use of man, a sink of sin, and a stage whereon to act their wickedness, in defiance of heaven. God saw this corruption of life, he not only knew it, and took notice of it, but he made them to know, that he did take notice of it; and that he had not forsaken the curst, tho' they had forsaken heaven.

First, Corruption of life, wickedness, great wickedness. I understand this of the wickedness of their lives; for it is plainly distinguished from the wickedness of their hearts. The sins of their outward conversation, were great in the nature of them, and greatly aggravated by their attending circumstances: and this not only among those of the race of cursed Cain, but those of holy Seth: the wickedness of man was great. And then it is added, in the earth. (1.) To vindicate God's severity, in that he not only cut off sinners, but defaced the beauty of the earth; and swept off the brute creatures from it, by the deluge; that as men had set the marks of their impiety, God might set the marks of his indignation, on the earth. (2.) To shew the heinousness of their sin, in making the earth, which God had so adorned for the use of man, a sink of sin, and a stage whereon to act their wickedness, in defiance of heaven. God saw this corruption of life, he not only knew it, and took notice of it, but he made them to know, that he did take notice of it; and that he had not forsaken the curst, tho' they had forsaken heaven.

Secondly, Corruption of nature. Every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. All their wicked practices are here traced to the fountain and spring-head; a corrupt heart was the source of all. The soul which was made upright in all its faculties, is now wholly disordered. The heart, that was made according to God's own heart, is now the reverse of it, a forge of evil imaginations, a sink of inordinate affections, and a store-house of all impiety,