The acquirement of a position by conduct is a fallen state, and the principle of law. If a being is created in a given state, he ought to live up to that state, to keep it. Now man has lost it and is out of relationship with God, he is ruined on the ground of responsibility already. The law, which proposes life to him by his doing, is the means of convincing him of sin. When Christ is presented, man is free to receive Him, and life is in Christ for him; but his actual state is proved by his seeing no beauty in Him to desire Him.