Religion & morality > Human nature in its four-fold state ... in several practical discourses

Head I; That Maris Nature^ See. 55
lain buried (as it were) in the Ark. This we L a. n
from 1 Peter iii. 20, 21. where the Apoftle fpeaking
ot Noah’s Ark, faith, IVherein few, thdt is eight
Souls, were fanned by tVater. ‘the like Figure where-
unto, even Baptifm doth alfo now fave us. Now the
Waters of the Deluge being a like Figure to Bap¬
tifm ; it plainly follows, that they lignihed (as
Baptifm doth) the wajhing of Regeneration, and
renewing of the Holy Ghoft. To conclude then,
thefe Waters,tho’ now dried up, may ferve us ftill for
a Looking-Glafs, in which we may fee the total
Corruption of our Nature, and the Neceflity of Re¬
generation.
From the Text thus explain’d, arifeth this
weighty Point of Dofirine, which he that runs
may read in it, viz. Man’s Nature is now wholly
corrupted. Now is there afad Alttrackn. a won¬
derful Overturn, in the Nature of Man : Where,
at firft, there was nothing Evil-, now there is no¬
thing Good. In profecuting of this Doctrine, I ihall,
Firft, Confirm it.
Secondly, Reprefent this Corruption of Nature iii
its feveral Parts.
Thirdly, Shew you how Man’s Nature comes to be
thus corrupted.
Laftly, Make Application.
jfhat Man’s Nature is corrupted.
Fir/l, I am to confirm the Do&rine of the Cor¬
ruption of Nature; to hold the Glafs to your Eyes,
wherein you may fee your finful Nature-, which,
tho* God takes particular Notice of it, many do
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