# Fallen man is God’s mortal enemy by Jonathan Edwards

- Link: https://tollelege.net/2006/08/28/fallen-man-is-gods-mortal-enemy-by-jonathan-edwards/
- Published: 2006-08-28T18:32:46-05:00
- Author: tollelege

“The divine nature being immortal, and infinitely out of our reach, there is no 
other trial possible, whether the enmity that is naturally in the heart against 
God, be mortal or no, but only for God to take on him the human nature, and become
man; so as to come within man’s reach. There can be no other experiment. And what
has been the event? Why, when once God became man, and came down to dwell here, 
among such vipers as fallen men, they hated and persecuted him; and never desisted
till they had imbrued their hands in his blood. There was a multitude of them that
appeared combined in this design. Nothing would do, but he must be put to death.
All cry out, Crucify him, crucify him. Away with him. They had rather Barabbas, 
who greatly deserved death, should live, than he should not die. Nothing would restrain
them from it; even all his preaching, and all his miracles: but they would kill 
him. And it was not the ordinary kind of execution that would satisfy them; but 
it must be the most cruel and most ignominious they possibly could invent. And they
aggravated it as much as they could, by mocking him, and spitting on him, and scourging
him. This shows what the nature and tendency of man’s enmity against God is; here
it appeared in its true colours.”

–Jonathan Edwards, “Men Naturally God’s Enemies,” _The Complete Works of Jonathan
Edwards_ (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth), Vol. 2: p. 132.

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