The Second Principle Expounded

Q.Let us now come to ourselves, and first tell me what is the natural estate of man? A. Every man is by nature dead in sin as a loathsome carrion, or as a dead corpse lieth rotting and stinking in the grave, having in him the seed of all sins. “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins” – Eph. 2:1; “But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.” – 1 Tim. 5:6. Q.What is sin? A. Any breach of the law of God, if it be no more but the least want of that which the law requireth. “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.” – 1 John 3:4; “What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.” – Rom. 7:7; “ For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.” – Gal. 3:10. Q. How many sorts of sin are there? A. Sin is either the corruption of nature, or any evil actions that proceed of it, as fruits thereof. “Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds” – Col. 3:9; “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.” – Psa. 51:5. Q. In whom is the corruption of nature? A. In all men, none excepted. “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one” – Rom. 3:10. Q.In what part of man is it? A. In every part both of body and soul, like a leprosy that runneth from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot. “And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” – Gen. 6:5; “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” – 1 Thess. 5:23. Q. Shew me how every part of man is corrupted with sin. A. First, in the mind there is nothing but ignorance and blindness concerning heavenly mattersa. Secondly, the conscience is defiled, being always either benumbed with sin, or else turmoiled with inward accusations and terrorsb. Thirdly, the will of man only willeth and lusteth after evilc. Fourthly, the affections of the heart, as love, joy, hope, desire, c. are moved and stirred to that which is evil to embrace it, and they are never stirred unto that which is good, unless it be to eschew itd. Lastly, the members of the body are the instruments and tools of the mind for the execution of sine. a “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” – 1 Cor. 2:14; “ For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.” – Rom. 8:5. b “Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.” – Tit.1:15; “Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.” – Eph. 4:18,19; “But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.” – Isa. 57:20. c “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” – Phil. 2:13; “How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water?” – Job 15:16. d “And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.” – Gal. 5:24. e “I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.” – Rom. 6:19. Q. What be those evil actions that are the fruits of this corruption? A. Evil thoughts in the mind, which come either by a man’s own conceivinga or by the suggestion of the devilb; evil motions and lusts stirring in the heart, and from these arise evil words and deeds when any occasion is given. a “And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” – Gen. 6:5. b “And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him” – John 13:2; “But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?” – Acts 5:3; “And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.” – 1 Chr. 21:1. Q.How cometh it to pass that all men are thus defiled with sin? A. By Adam’s infidelity and disobedience in eating the forbidden fruit; even as we see great personages by treason do not only hurt themselves, but also stain their blood and disgrace their posterity. “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned…Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.” – Rom. 5:12,18,19; Gen. 3 throughout. Q. What hurt comes to man by his sin? A. He is continually subject to the curse of God in his lifetime, in the end of his life and after this life. “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.” – Gal. 3:10. Q. What is the curse of God in this life? A. In the body, diseases, aches, pains; in the soul, blindness, hardness of heart, horror of conscience; in goods, hindrances and losses; in name, ignominy and reproach; lastly, in the whole man, bondage under Satan the prince of darkness. “The LORD shall make the pestilence cleave unto thee, until he have consumed thee from off the land, whither thou goest to possess it. The LORD shall smite thee with a consumption, and with a fever, and with an inflammation, and with an extreme burning, and with the sword, and with blasting, and with mildew; and they shall pursue thee until thou perish…The LORD will smite thee with the botch of Egypt, and with the emerods, and with the scab, and with the itch, whereof thou canst not be healed…And among these nations shalt thou find no ease, neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest: but the LORD shall give thee there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind: and thy life shall hang in doubt before thee; and thou shalt fear day and night, and shalt have none assurance of thy life: in the morning thou shalt say, Would God it were even! and at even thou shalt say, Would God it were morning! for the fear of thine heart wherewith thou shalt fear, and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see.” – Deut. 28:21,22,27,65,66,67. Q. What manner of bondage is this? A. This bondage is when a man is the slave of the devil and hath him to reign in his heart as his god. “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil” – Heb. 2:14; “Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience” – Eph. 2:2; “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” – 2 Cor.4:4; “And he was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake; and the people wondered.” – Luke 11:14. Q. How may a man know whether Satan be his god or not? A. He may know it by this: if he give obedience to him in his heart, and express it in his conversation. Q. And how shall a man perceive this obedience? A. If he take delight in the evil motions that Satan puts into his heart, and do fulfil the lusts of the devil. “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.” – John 8:44; “He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.” – 1 John 3:8. Q. What is the curse due to man in the end of this life? A. Death, which is the separation of body and soul. “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” – Rom. 5:12. Q. What is the curse after this life? A. Eternal damnation in hell fire, whereof every man is guilty, and is in great danger of it, as the traitor apprehended is in danger of hanging, drawing and quartering. “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.” – Gal. 3:10; “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.” – Rom. 3:19.