SECT. II.

It follows from the Propofition proved in the foregoing Section, that all Mankind are under the Influence of a prevailing effectual Tendency in their Nature, to that Sin and Wickedness, which implies their utter and eternal Ruin.

THE

HE Propofition laid down being proved, the Confequence of it remains to be made out, viz. That the Mind of Man has a natural Tendency. or Propensity to that Event, which has been shewn univerfally and infallibly to take Place (if this be not fufficiently evident of itfelf, without Proof;) and that this is a corrupt or depraved Propenfity.

I fhall here confider the former Part of this Confequence, namely, Whether fuch an universal, conftant, infallible Event is truly a Proof of the Being of any Tendency or Propensity to that Event; leaving the evil and corrupt Nature of fuch a Propensity to be confidered afterwards.

If any fhould fay, they do not think that its being a Thing univerfal and infallible in Event, that Mankind commit fome Sin, is a Proof of a prevailing Tendency to Sin; because they do not only fin, but alfo do Good, and perhaps more Good than Evil: Let them remember, that the Question at prefent is not, How much Sin there is a Tendency to; but, Whether there be a prevailing Propenfity to that Iffue, which it is allowed all Men do actually come to, that all fail of keeping the Law perfectly ;-whether there be not a Tendency to fuch Imperfection'of Obedience, as always

always without Fail comes to pafs; to that Degree of Sinfulness, at least, which all fall into; and fo to that utter Ruin, which that Sinfulness implies and infers. Whether an effectual Propensity to this be worth the Name of Depravity, because of the Good that may be fuppofed to balance it, fhall be confidered by and by. If it were fo, that all Mankind, in all Nations and Ages, were at least one Day in their Lives deprived of the Ufe of their Reason, and run raving mad, or that all, even every individual Perfon, once cut their own Throats, or put out their own Eyes, it might be an Evidence of fome Tendency in the Nature or natural State of Mankind to fuch an Event; tho' they might exercife Reafon many more Days than they were distracted, and were kind to and tender of themselves oftener than they mortally and cruelly wounded themselves.

To determine whether the unfailing Conftancy of the above-named Event be an Evidence of Tendency, let it be confidered, What can be meant by Tendency, but a prevailing Liableness or Expofednefs to fuch or fuch an Event? Wherein confifts the Notion of any fuch Thing, but some stated Prevalence or Preponderation in the Nature or State of Causes or Occafions, that is followed by, and fo proves to be effectual to, a ftated Prevalence or Commonnefs of any particular Kind of Effect? Or, fomething in the permanent State of Things, concerned in bringing a certain Sort of Event to pass, which is a Foundation for the Conftancy, or strongly prevailing Probability, of fuch an Event? If we mean this by Tendency, (as I know not what else can be meant by it, but this, or fomething like this) then it is manifeft, that where we fee a ftated Prevalence of any Kind

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of Effect or Event, there is a Tendency to that Effect in the Nature and State of its Causes. A common and fteady Effect fhews, that there is fomewhere a Preponderation, a prevailing Expofedness or Liablenefs in the State of Things, to what comes fo fteadily to pafs. The natural Dictate of Reason fhews, that where there is an Effect, there is a Caufe, and a Caufe fufficient for the Effect; because, if it were not fufficient, it would not be effectual; and that therefore, where there is a ftated Prevalence of the Effect, there is a ftated Prevalence in the Caufe: A fteady Effect argues a steady Caufe. We obtain a Notion of fuch a Thing as Tendency, no other Way than by Obfervation: And we can obferve nothing but Events: And it is the Commonnefs or Conftancy of Events, that gives us a Notion of Tendency in all Cafes. Thus we judge of Tendencies in the natural World. Thus we judge of the Tendencies or Propenfities of Nature in Minerals, Vegetables, Animals, rational and irrational Creatures. A Notion of a stated Tendency, or fixed Propensity, is not obtained by obferving only a fingle Event. A ftated Preponderation in the Cause or Occafion, is argued only by a stated Prevalence of the Effect. If a Die be once thrown, and it falls on a particular Side, we do not argue from hence, that that Side is the heavieft; but if it be thrown without Skill or Care, many Thoufands or Millions of Times going, and conftantly falls on the fame Side, we have not the least Doubt in our Minds, but that there is fomething of Propenfity in the Cafe, by fuperior Weight of that Side, or in fome other Refpect. How ridiculous would he make himfelf, who fhould earnestly difpute against any Tendency in the State of Things to Cold in the Winter, or Heat in the

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Summer; or should stand to it, that although it often happened that Water quenched Fire, yet there was no Tendency in it to fuch an Effect?

In the Cafe we are upon, the human Nature, as exifting in fuch an immense Diversity of Perfons and Circumstances, and never failing in any one Inftance, of coming to that Iffue, viz. that Sinfulnefs, which implies extreme Mifery and eternal Ruin, is as the Die often caft. For it alters not the Cafe in the leaft, as to the Evidence of Tendency, whether the Subject of the conftant Event be an Individual, or a Nature and Kind. Thus, if there be a Succeffion of Trees of the fame Sort, proceeding one from another, from the Beginning of the World, growing in all Countries, Soils, and Climates, and otherwife in (as it were) an infinite Variety of Circumftances, all bearing ill Fruit; it as much proves the Nature and Tendency of the Kind, as if it were only one individual Tree, that had remained from the Beginning of the World, had often been transplanted into different Soils, &c. and had continued to bear only bad Fruit. So, if there were a particular Family, which, from Generation to Generation, and through every Remove to innumerable different Countries, and Places of Abode, all died of a Confumption, or all run diftracted, or all murdered themfelves, it would be as much an Evidence of the Tendency of fomething in the Nature or Constitution of that Race, as it would be of the Tendency of fomething in the Nature or State of an Individual, if fome one Perfon had lived all that Time, and fome remarkable Event had often appeared in him, which he had been the Agent or Subject of from

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Year to Year, and from Age to Age, continually and without Fail *.

Thus a Propenfity, attending the prefent Nature or natural State of Mankind, eternally to ruin themselves by Sin, may certainly be inferred from apparent and acknowledged Fact. --- And I would now obferve further, that not only does this follow from Facts that are acknowledged by Dr. T. but the Things he afferts, the Expreffions and Words which he uses, do plainly imply that all Mankind have fuch a Propenfity; yea, one of the highest Kind, a Propensity that is invincible, or a Tendency which really amounts to a fixed conftant unfailing Neceffity. There is a plain Confeffion of a Propenfity or Pronenefs to Sin, p. 143. — "Man, who drinketh in Iniquity like Water; "who is attended with so many fenfual Appetites, "and

* Here may be obferved the Weakness of that Objection, made against the Validity of the Argument for a fixed Propenfity to Sin, from the Conftancy and Univerfality of the Event, That Adam finned in one Inftance, without a fixed Propenfity. Without Doubt a fingle Event is an Evidence, that there was fome Caufe or Occafion of that Event: But the Thing we are speaking of, is a fixed Caufe: Propenfity is a ftated continued Thing. We juftly argue, that a ftated Effect must have a flated Caufe; and truly observe, that we obtain the Notion of Tendency, or flated Preponderation in Caufes, no other Way than by obferving a stated Prevalence of a particular Kind of Effect. But who ever argues a fixed Propenfity from a fingle Event? And is it not frange arguing, that because an Event which once comes to pafs, does not prove any stated Tendency, therefore the unfailing Conftancy of an Event is an Evidence of no fuch Thing? But because Dr. T. makes fo much of this Objection, from Adam's finning without a Propenfity, Ifhall hereafter confider it more particularly, in the Beginning of the 9th Section of this Chapter: where will also be confidered what is objected from the Fall of the Angels.