I. The power of sin, as inherent in our nature —
No wonder that we are entirely led captive by it : for,
1. It pervades all our faculties, whether of mind or body —
[Our understanding is blinded by it ; our will is rendered perverse ; our affections are made earthly and sensual ; our conscience is stupefied ; and our very memory is enfeebled with respect to every thing truly good. By it, also, is the whole of our body defiled. St. Paul, with a remarkable particularity, specifies the subjection of our several members to this evil principle, from head to foota : so that what the prophet speaks of the Jewish people, may well be said of us : "From the sole of the foot even to the head there is no soundness in us ; but wounds, and bruises, and putrefying soresV The whole man is corrupt ; insomuch that " every imagination of the thoughts of our hearts is only evil continually0 ;" and " all our members are instruments of unrighteousness unto sind."]
2. It finds in us nothing to counteract its in- fluence—
[True indeed, man, in his fallen state, possesses both reason and conscience : but neither of these perforin their office, in opposing the evil principle within us, any farther than to testify against such flagrant acts as may expose us to shame before men. I deny not, but that there are at times some secret stirrings in the mind, even at a very early period of life ; some remonstrances against sin ; and some intimations that we ought to serve our God. But these arise not from any rem- nant of good in our fallen nature : they are the fruits of divine grace, produced by the operation of the Spirit of God upon the soul ; even of that blessed Spirit who wrought on Samuel, and John, and Timothy, from the very womb. The Scripture says expressly, that " in us, that is, in our flesh, dwelleth no good thing e :" we cannot so much as will what is good, and much less do it, unless God work within us to that endf; " nor have we a sufficiency even to think a good thought g," unless it be put into our hearts by the only Giver of all good. In reference to all spiritual exercises, reason and conscience are rather on the side of the corrupt principle; justifying, rather than condemning, the neglect of them; and substituting in their place such services as are altogether unworthy of Him who " claims to be worshipped in spirit and in truth."]
a Rom. iii. 12 — 15. b Isai. i. 6. c Gen. vi. 5.
i Rom. vi. 13. e Rom. vii. 18. f Phil. ii. 13.
s 2 Cor. iii. 5.