Wesley Corpus

For if man was originally righteous or holy, we may argue thus: It was at first natural to man to love and obey his Maker; yet it was not necessary; neither as necessary is opposed to voluntary or free; (for he both loved and obeyed freely and willingly;) nor, as necessary means unavoidable; (this is manifest by the event;) no, nor as necessary is opposed to rewardable; for had he continued to love and obey, he would have been rewarded with everlasting happiness. Therefore that assertion, ‘What ever is natural is necessary, is palpably, glaringly false; consequently, what is natural, as well as what is acquired, may be good or evil, rewardable or punishable.” (Page 10.) “II. Man’s original righteousness was lost by the first sin. Though he was made righteous, he was not made immutable. He was free to stand or fall. And he soon fell, and lost at once both the favour and image of God. This fully appears, 1. From the account which Moses gives of our first parents, where we read, (1.) ‘The eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked;’ (Gen. iii.;) that is, they were conscious of guilt, and touched with a pungent sense of their folly and wickedness. They began to find their naked ness irksome to them, and to reflect on it with sinful emotions of soul. (2.) Immediately they were indisposed for com munion with God, and struck with such a dread of him as could not consist with true love. (Verse 8.) (3.) When questioned by God, how do they prevaricate, instead of con fessing their sin, and humbly imploring forgiveness! which proves, not only their having "inned, but their being as yet wholly impenitent. (4.) The judgment passed upon them was a proof of their being guilty in the sight of God. Thus was man’s original righteousness lost; thus did he fall both from the favour and image of God.” (Pages 14, 15.) “This appears, 2. From the guilt which inseparably attends every trangression of the divine law. I say, every transgres sion; because every sin virtually contains all sin; for ‘whoso ever keepeth the whole law, and offendeth in one point, he is guilty of all.” Every single offence is a virtual breach of all the commands of God.