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

Head I. is corrupted, proven, 43
Sons, {peak the whole Body to be diftemper’d, the
whole Head to be Sick, and the whole Heart taint.
They furely proceeed from an inward Caufe, Ja.
vi. 1. Lufts that war tn our Members.
Fifthly, Confider the Neceffity of human Laws
fenced with Terrors and Severities,- to which we
may apply what the Apoftle fays, i T’m. i. 9. That
the Law is not made for a righteous Man, but for the
Lawlefs and Difobedient, for the Ungodly and for
Sinners, &c. Man was made for Society; and God
himfelf faid of the firft Man, when he had created
him, that it was not meet he Jhould be alone: Yet
the Cafe is fuch now, that, in Society, he muft be
hedged in with Thorns. And that from hence we
may the better fee the Corruption of Man’s Nature.
Confider (1.) Every Man naturally loves to beat
full Liberty himfelf; to have his ow n Will for his
Law; and if he would follow his natural Inclinati¬
ons, would vote himfelf out of the Reach of all
Laws, Divine and Human. And hence fome (the
Power of whofe Hands has been anfwerable to the
natural Inclination) have indeed made themfelves
abfolute, and above Laws; agreeable to Man’s
monftrous Defign at firft, to be as gods, Gen. iii. j.
Yet, (2.) there is no Man, that would willingly ad¬
venture to live in a lawlefs Society: And therefore,
even Pirates and Robbers have Laws among them-
fefyes, tho’ the whole Society cafts off all Refpeft to
Law and Right. Thus Men difeover themfelves to
be confcious of the Corruption of Nature; not dar¬
ing to trull one another, but upon Security. (3.)
How dangerous fo ever it is, to break thro’ the
Hedge; yet the Violence of Lulls makes many daily
adventure to run the Risk. They will not only fa-
crifice their Credit and Conference, which lalt is
lightly