The Christians Alphabet, Part 2 · Section 12
M Of the miserable estate of all mankinde through Adams fall.
Q. Rehearse the Letter M.
A. MAnkinde being tainted by Adams sinne, is become most wretched & miserable, both in respect of sin and punishment.
For hereby all men are conceiued and borne in sinne, and are so corrupted with sinne both in soule and body, that they cannot perceiue, thinke, will, speake or doe any good thing: but are become subiect to sinne, Satan, the wrath and curse of God, to death, and to eternall damnation.
Q. Proue that all mankinde is tainted by Adams sinne?
A. It is manifest that the tainture of Adams sinne hath seized vponupon all his posterity, All tainted by Adams fall.inasmuch as all mankinde doth stand guilty thereof before God, see Ro. 5.12. where the Apostle saith, That by one mans sinne, death passed vponupon all men, for that all hauehave sinned, or in whom all hauehave sinned. Againe verse 17. by one mans offence, death reigned by one. verse 18. By the offence of one, iudgement came vponupon all men to condemnation. For verse 19, By one mans disobedience many were made sinners.
Q. What is the reason of this guiltinesse?
As guilty of his sin.A. The reason why all men are guilty of Adams sinne, is because Adam being as it were the root, out of which all mankinde doth spring, did receiue whatsoeuer good hee had by creation, not onelyonly for himselfe, but also for his posterity, and so againe lost all, as well for them, as for himselfe. In regard whereof, all men are truely said to sinne in Adam, as Leui is said to hauehave paid tithes in Abraham, because being of the posterity of Abraham, he was then in the loynes of Abraham his father. Heb. 7.9.10.
Q. Proue that mankinde is becom… most wretched and miserable?
A. The wretched and miserable estate of all mankinde, Are become most miserable.may appeare by that lamentable outcry of the Apostle, Romans 7.24. O wretched man that I am: who shall deliuer me from the body of this death?
Q. Proue that all men are conceiued and borne in sinne?
A. It is euident by the confession of Dauid,Conceiued and borne in sinne. Psal. 51.5. Behold, I was borne in iniquity, and in sinne hath my mother conceiued me. And it is said, Ioh. 3.6. That which is borne of the flesh is flesh: and that which is borne of the spirit is spirit.
Q. How then could Christ bee free from sinne, seeing hee was true man?Christ only excepted.
A. Christ Iesus was true man, descended of Adam as we are, Luk. 3.23.38. Heb.in all things like vntounto vsus, but yet sin excepted. For he was not a m…ere man, but was also God, and againe as he was man, he was not so by naturall generation, as we are, but by the supernaturall worke and power of the holy. Ghost was conceiued in the wombe of the virgin Mary.Luk 1.34.35. Mat. 1.20.
Q. Proue that all men are corrupted with sinne?
All corupted with sinne.A. It is written, Rom. 3.9. That all both Iewes and Gentiles are vnderunder sinne. 1 Kings 8.46. There is no man that sinneth not. And 1 Ioh. 1.8. If we say we hauehave no sinne, wee deceiue our selues, and the truth is not in vsus. And this corruption of sinne is n…t by example or by imitation only, or meerely of some euill custome, but by propagation and naturall generation, all men being conceiued and borne in sinne, as is shewed before.
Q. Proue that all are corrupted both in soule and body?
A. It is euident by the Apostles prayer, Both in soule and body.1 Thes. 5.23. The very God of peace sanctifie you throughout: and I pray God that your whole spirit and soule and body may bee kept blamelesse vntounto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ. For, what need he to pray for the sanctification of the whole man both soule and body, if all and eueryevery part were not corrupted?
Q. Proue that man by nature cannot perceiue any good thing?
A. The Apostle doth expresly auouch so much in 1 Cor. 2.14.Cannot perceiue any good thing. That the naturall man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God: for they are foolishnesse vntounto him, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. And 2 Cor. 4.4. he saith, That the God of this world hath blinded the mindes of the infidels, that the light of the glorious Gospell of Christ, which is the image of God, should not shine vntounto them.
Q. Proue that man by nature cannot thinke a good thought?Nor think a good thought.
A. It is written, Gen. 6.5. God saw that the wickednesse of man was great in the earth, and that eueryevery imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only euill continually. Therefore the Apostle taketh it for granted, 2 Cor. 3.5. That we are not sufficient of our selues to thinke any thing as of our selues: but our sufficiency is of God.
Q. Proue that man cannot will, desire, or effect any good thing by nature?
Nor will any good thing.A. It is manifest, in that it is said, Rom. 8.7. That the wisdome of the flesh is enmity against God: for it is not subiect to the law of God, neither in deed can be. Whereupon it is inferred, verse 8. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. Therefore it is that the Apostle saith, Phil. 2.13. It is God which worketh in you, both to will and to doe of his good pleasure.
Q. Proue that man cannot by nature speake any good thing?
A. Saint Paul noteth so much speaking of all men in the corruption of nature, Nor speak any good.Rom. 3.13.14. Their throat, saith he, is an open sepulchre, with their tongues they hauehave vsed deceit, the poyson of Aspes is vnderunder their lips. Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitternesse.
Q. Proue that man cannot do any good thing by nature?
A. It is euident by that which we read in Psal. 14.1.2.3. where it is said, Nor doe any good.They are corrupt, they hauehave done abominable works, there is none that doth good. The Lord looked downe from heauen vponupon the children of men: to see if there were any that did vnderstand and seeke God. They are all gone aside, they are altogether become filthy: there is none that doth good, no not one. Which tex… the Apostle citeth, Rom. 3.10. to proue that all men are vnderunder sinne.
Q. Proue that hereupon all men are subiect to sinne?
But is subiect to sinne as a slaue.A. That all men are subiect i… sinne, as very seruants, or slaues, is plainely proued by the Apostle ▪ Rom. 6.16.17. Know yee not that to whom yee yeeld your selues seruants to obey, his seruants ye are to whom ye obey: whether of sinne vntounto death, or of obedience vntounto righteousnesse? But God bee thanked that yee were the seruants … sinne: but yee hauehave obeyed from the heart that forme of doctrine which was deliuered you. And our Sauiour saith, Ioh, 8.34. Whosoeuer committeth sinne, is the seruant of sinne. For as it is in 2 Pet. 2.19. Of whosoeuer a man is ouercome, euen vntounto the same is he in b…ndage.
Q. Proue that man is, by na…ure co…rupted, become subiect to Satan?
A. It is euident in that Satan is called, Als… to S…tan.Ephes. 2.2. The spirit that work th…in the children o… disobedience. And 2 Tim. 2 26. it is said, That they may recouer themselues out of the snare of the Deuill, Who are taken captiue by him at his will. Againe, 2 Cor. 4.4. hee is called, The God of this world, that hath blinded the mindes of them which beleeue not.
Q. Proue that man is by nature subiect to the wrath of God?
A. The Apostle saith, To the wrath of God.Ephes. 2.3. That wee all were by nature the children of wrath, as well as others. And Ioh. 3.36. it is said, That he that beleeueth not the Sonne, shall not see life: but the wrath of God abideth on him.
Q. Proue that man is by sinne subiect to the curse of God?
To the curse of God in … whole life.A The curse was pronounced vponupon Adams first sinne, Gen. 3.17. It was repeated against the breach of the Law of God, Deut. 28.15. Mal. 2.2. And is noted by the Apostle, Gal. 3.10. Cursed is eueryevery one that continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the Law to doe them. VnderUnder this burden of the curse vponupon man for sinne, eueryevery creature is said to groane. Rom. 8.22.
Q. Proue that all men are subiect to death, by reason of sinne?
To death.A. So saith the Apostle, Rom. 5.12. By one man sinne entred into the world, and death by sinne: and so death passed vponupon all men, for that all men hauehave sinned. And Rom. 6.23. The wages of sinne is death.
Q. Proue that all men are subiect to eternall damnation for sinne?
A. It is manifest by that which is said, To eternall damnation.2 Thes. 1.8.9. That they that know not God, and that obey not the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ shall be punished with euerlasting destruction, from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power. And 2 Thes. 2.12. That all they might be damned who beleeued not the truth, but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse.