Wesley Corpus

“And I prove it thus: If a million of creatures were made in an equal probability to stand or fall; and if all the num bers, from one to one million inclusively, were set in a rank, it is a million to one that just any single proposed number of all these should fall by sin. Now, the total sum is one of these numbers, that is, the last of them; consequently it is a million to one against the supposition that the whole number of men should fall. “And yet farther, if they were all made (as the goodness of God seems to require) in a greater probability of standing than falling, then it is abundantly more than a million to one, that all should sin without exception. And the argument grows still ten thousand times stronger, if we suppose ten thousand millions to have lived since the creation.” (Page 48.) “8. That man is a fallen creature, appears farther from hence: No man is able by his present natural powers to per form that law of his Creator which is still written upon his heart.” (Page 49.) “Does not this law require us to love God with all our heart, to do to others as we would they should do to us, and to go vern our senses, appetites, and passions by the rules of reason? Does it not require that these things, whether they regard God, ourselves, or others, should be done perfectly, without defect? Doth it not demand, that we should fear, honour, and trust the great God, and obey all his will in a perfect manner P Doth it not prescribe constant justice, truth, and goodness, toward our neighbour, without one covetous wish, one act of the will, or tongue, or hand, contrary to truthor love? Does it not demand, that every sense, appetite, and passion, should be perfectly sub ject to reason?