nor worse; as a poor sinner, that has still nothing to pay, nothing to plead, but _Christ died_. And if you look for it as you are, then expect it _now_. Stay for nothing: why should you? Christ is ready. And he is all you want. He is waiting for you: he is at the door! Let your inmost soul cry out, “Come in, come in, thou heavenly guest! Nor hence again remove; But sup with me, and let the feast Be everlasting love.” SERMON XLIV. ORIGINAL SIN. GEN. vi. 5. _And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually._ 1. HOW widely different is this from the fair pictures of human nature, which men have drawn in all ages! The writings of many of the antients abound with gay descriptions of the dignity of man: whom some of them paint as having all virtue and happiness in his composition, or at least, entirely in his power, without being beholden to any other being: yea, as self-sufficient, able to live on his own stock, and little inferior to God himself. 2. Nor have Heathens alone, men who were guided in their researches by little more than the dim light of reason, but many likewise of them that bear the name of Christ, and to whom are intrusted the oracles of God, spoke as magnificently concerning the nature of man, as if it were all innocence and perfection. Accounts of this kind have particularly abounded in the present century: and perhaps in no part of the world more, than in our own country. Here not a few persons of strong understanding, as well as extensive learning, have employed their utmost abilities to shew, what they termed, “The fair side of human nature.” And it must be acknowledged, that if their accounts of him be just, man is still but _a little lower than the angels_, or (as the words may be more literally rendered) _a little less than_ God. 3. Is it any wonder, that these accounts are very readily received by the generality of men? For who is not easily persuaded to think favourably of himself? Accordingly writers of this kind are almost universally read, admired, applauded. And innumerable are the converts they have made, not only in the gay, but the learned world. So that it is now quite unfashionable to talk otherwise, to say any thing to the disparagement of human nature: which is generally allowed, notwithstanding a few infirmities, to be very innocent and wise and virtuous.