Now, there are two things which characterize the condition of fallen man ; namely, guilt, and weak- ness : as the Apostle has said, " While we were yet zvithout strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly*."
Let us then contemplate these two points, the sin- fulness of fallen man, and his zoeahiess.
Exceeding great is the depravity of our fallen nature. In every faculty of our mind we are cor- rupt ; nor less so in every member of our body. Our understanding is dark ; our will perverse ; our affections sensual ; our conscience partial ; our very memory indisposed for the retaining of heavenly truths. And our bodies, being altogether under the influence of a depraved mind, are corrupt in all their parts ; every member, instead of ministering unto holiness, being a willing " servant of sin, and an in- strument of unrighteousness unto iniquity." St. Paul not only states this, but accumulates a great number of passages of Holy Writ to illustrate and confirm his statement : and, with a most remarkable particularity, specifies our members, as it were from head to foot, as involved in the general calamity, and as contri- buting, according to their respective powers, to bring into effect every evil disposition of the mind : " We have proved," says he, " both Jews and Gen- tiles, that they are all under sin : as it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one : there is none that understandeth ; there is none that seeketh after God : they are all gone out of the way : they are together become unprofitable ; there is none that doeth good, no, not one : their throat is an open sepulchre ; with their tongues they have used deceit ; the poison of asps is under their lips : whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness : their feet are swift to shed blood : destruction and misery are in their ways ; and the way of peace have they not known : there is no fear of God before their eyes." And this description he gives in order to shew that "every
e Rom. v. 6.