XXII. *There are no truths more plainly delivered in scripture than these two, the general corruption of human nature, and the absolute necessity of divine grace. Now these make the necessity of a continual self-denial plain and obvious to the meanest capacity; and extend it to all those things and enjoyments which either strengthen the corruption of our nature, or grieve the Holy Spirit of God, and cause him to depart from us.
Whoever reflects on these, will soon be convinced, that all those enjoyments are to be abstained from, which either support our natural corruption, or hinder the inspirations of the Holy Spirit.
He will find also, that this self-denial must extend itself to every day of our lives, unless he can find a day, which offers nothing suitable to the corruption of his nature, or nothing contrary to the good motions of the Holy Ghost.
XXIII. Most people acknowledge this in general: that we ought to avoid what strengthens our corruptions and grieves the Spirit of God: but then they think to abstain from gross sin is sufficient for this.
But let such consider, that a dropsy or a gangrene, is not only increased by drunkenness, but by every little indulgence that suits with it.
Now the corruption of our nature is an inbred distemper that possesses us in the manner of a dropsy or gangrene. If we give into notorious sins, it quite overcomes us, and we are straightway dead in sin.
*But tho’ we keep clear of great offences, yet if we indulge ourselves in little things that suit with the corruption of our nature, we certainly nourish a slow death, and destroy ourselves by degrees.
Our self-denial therefore must be as universal as the means of our corruption. It is to last as long as our disorder, and to extend itself to every thing that might increase it. And this for as plain a reason as a man in a dropsy is not only to abstain from drunkenness, but from every indulgence that increases his disorder.
XXIV. *Let it be farther considered, that the corruption of our nature is but faintly represented by comparing it to these distempers. For one in these distempers may have only some part affected; but the corruption of our nature is as extensive as our nature. It is the corruption of every faculty and every power. It is blindness in our understandings; it is self-love and perverseness in our wills, intemperance in our [♦]appetites. It is anger, lust, pride and revenge in our passions; it is falseness, hypocrisy, malice and hatred in our hearts. Now all this, and far more than this, makes the miserable corruption of human nature.
[♦] ‘appeties’ replaced with ‘appetites’