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I. GOD ENDUED THE NATURE OF MAN, IN HIS CREATION, WITH A PERFECT AND UNIVERSAL RECTITUDE.

1. All created rectitude consists in conformity to some rule or law.

2. The highest rule of all created rectitude is the will of God, considered as including most intrinsically an eternal and immutable reason, justice and goodness.

3. Any sufficient signification of this will, touching the reasonable creature's duty, is a law, indispensably obliging such a creature.

4. The law given to Adam at his creation was partly natural, given by way of internal impression upon his soul; partly positive, given (as is probable) by some more external discovery or revelation.

5. Adam was endued in his creation with a sufficient ability and habitude to conform to this whole law, both natural and positive; in which ability and habitude his original rectitude did consist.

II. MAN'S DEFECTION FROM HIS PRIMITIVE STATE WAS MERELY VOLUNTARY, AND FROM THE UNCONSTRAINED CHOICE OF HIS OWN MUTABLE AND SELF-DETERMINING WILL.

1. The nature of man is now become universally depraved and sinful. This Scripture is full of (1 Kings 8:46; Psalm 14:1; Romans 3:10-19, 23; Romans 5:12, 13, 17-19; 1 John 5:19, etc.), and experience and common observation put it beyond dispute.

2. The pure and holy nature of God could never be the original of man's sin. This is evident in itself. God disclaims it; nor can any affirm it of Him without denying His very being (Deuteronomy 32:4; Psalm 5:4 3John 11).

3. It is blasphemous and absurd to talk of two principles (as the Manichees of old); the one good, and the cause of all good; the other evil, and the cause of all evil.

(1) This would suppose two Gods, two independent beings.

(2) It would suppose an evil God.

4. It was not possible that either external objects, or the temptation of the devil, should necessitate the will of man to sin.

5. The whole nature of sin consisting only in a defect, no other cause need be assigned of it than a defective; that is, an understanding, will, and inferior powers, however originally good, yet mutably and defectively so.

6. Man, being created mutable as to his holiness, must needs be so as to his happiness too. And that both upon a legal account (for the law had determined that if he did sin he must die), and also upon a natural; for it was not possible that, his soul being once depraved by sin, the powers of it vitiated, their order each to other and toward their objects broken and interrupted, there should remain a disposition and aptitude to converse with the Highest Good.

(John Howe, M. A.)

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KJV: Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.

WEB: Behold, this only have I found: that God made man upright; but they search for many schemes."