would have been the same reasons, so far as we can see, for creating another pair, as for creating the first. Suppose then, another pair had been created; constructed on the same principles, for God would not form him otherwise than in the best manner;placed in the same situation, for it is not conceivable that he could have been placed in a better; what would have been the result? In all probability the same. Thus things would have reverted to the same original state again; and thus the same scene might have been acted over, again and again, and might have gone on ad infinitum! But in this case, there being no remedy, all must have been irretrievably lost. Seeing this to be the case, God preferred another method, more wise, and more kind; which was to permit man to propagate his species under a covenant of grace, whereby the ultimate consequences of the fall might be avoided, and man might regain his forfeited holiness and everlasting bliss. Be it therefore remembered, that though we come into life, in a depraved and fallen state, yet a remedy is provided at an immense sacrifice. Through Christ we may regain all and more than all which we lost in Adam. With this, accords the testimony of the great apostle to the Gentiles. "Therefore as by the offence of one, judgement came upon all men to condemnation; even so, by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.' Thus again, where sin hath abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign, through righteousness, unto eternal life, by Jesus Christ our Lord.' If any, therefore, be ultimately lost, it will not be on account of their natural depravity which, through Christ may be healed; nor yet on account of Adam's sin which Christ has atoned for, but purely through their own fault and folly. Salvation is provided for them, and offered to them, by the Divine Redeemer; God wills that they should be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth, and their condemnation will arise from a voluntary rejection of these favors which they might have received. Where now is complaining? Who can charge God in this view of the case, with unkindness? It is man who is unmerciful to himself, and who alone can be blamed for the final perdition of his own soul. Oh that man would be merciful to himself! That he were wise,' and would no more charge God foolishly!'

4. The methods of accounting for the universal corruption of human morals, adopted by our opponents in this doctrine, are entirely unsatisfactory. Those most frequently urged, and which we shall briefly notice, are two, the power of example and the effects of bad education. But neither of these is an adequate cause. Example certainly cannot reach the case at all. For how could the origin of sin of any kind, whether internal or external, be owing to this cause?

What example, for instance, moved Cain to murder his brother? Who will say that anger and pride, with the selfishness and cupidity of our nature, were produced originally by example? Before vice existed, there was nothing but virtue in the world. With what appearance then of reason, can the origin of sin be ascribed to evil example? We might with as sound logic prove that the sun produces ice, snow, or fire; for it is the assumption of an effect not only with evil, but actually in contrariety to the cause assigned. To argue this point, however, is needless. Its absurdity is its own refutation. And the attempt to account for the continuance of vice on this ground, though with less show of positive contradiction, is scarcely less futile. For if we are by nature holy, who, the evil example being set, would be found to follow it? Much less would all. Or whence comes it, that evil example is so much more influential with us, than good? That this is the fact, is manifest from our greater aptness to follow it, and the necessity parents feel themselves under, of guarding and cautioning their children against it, and yet their invariable failure, to a greater or less extent. Another difficulty in this system, and not the least, is, that children evince traces of innate depravity, before example can have had any effect upon them. All the vices that disfigure the man, are distinctly visible, though in embryo in the child. The pride and passion, the perverseness and obstinacy, the envy and malice of manhood, are exemplified in the child, though called forth in the latter, by puny objects, and exercised in childish manners. And what can example have to do with these? Nothing can be plainer, than that these things are a part of their nature; that they are born with them; and that they are a part of that sin in which we are conceived, and of that iniquity wherein we are shaped. The above difficulties, our opponents must solve, before they can make good the ground they assume. And if we resort to the second method, namely, defective education, we shall not find our difficulties at all to decrease. We admit, indeed, the truth of Solomon, when he 'Train says, a child in the way up he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.' But in doing it, lies the difficulty; a difficulty which has perplexed and distressed all that ever were parents since the world began. Not that I deny the possibility of its being done on Christian principles. But they who deny our doctrines, are thrown entirely upon their own resources, and they have no right to our means. If they fight not on our side, they have no right to use the weapons from our armory. The moment they do so, they concede their superiority. The instant an appeal is made to the atonement in behalf of their offspring, or prayer is offered to God for them; or the soul stirring motives of the gospel are applied, an acknowledgement is made tacitly at least, of the necessity of a Saviour, and the influence of di

vine grace in changing the heart and leading them to holiness. The spirit of our opponents says, 'virtuous I myself will make.' If they fail to do it, let them confess it is because of the corruption and depravity of our common nature. And even christian parents, furnished as they are from God with all the arguments of religion, notwithstanding all their prayer, and care, their diligence and fidelity, find it difficult, and often to their sorrow and shame, they fail in it altogether. What then, are we to conclude from this? Certainly, that parents are naturally corrupt in nature, who give defective education, and that children are so, to be led to virtue and holiness with such difficulty. These facts compelled a heathen to admit, that children have the softness of wax to receive vicious impressions, but the hardness of rock to resist virtuous admonitions.' Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child,' and therefore it is, that a 'child LEFT TO HIMSELF, bringeth his mother to shame.' (Prov. xxii. 15. and xxix. 15.) If the wicked are estranged from the womb, and go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies,' it is because they are conceived in sin,' and 'shapen in iniquity.' (Psa. lviii. 3. and li. 5.)

Finally, it cannot be denied that vice has overspread the world, that men generally have not the fear of God before their eyes,' nor his lovely nature in their hearts. They do not spontaneously honor glorify, love, and adore their Maker. That men are not naturally inclined to religion, but that the carnal mind is enmity against God,' and men are averse to the restraints and spiritual duties of our most holy faith.' How then can the conclusion be resisted, that we are naturally unholy and depraved. If a certain kind of tree invariably produced bad fruit, whenever, wherever, and however planted, who would deny that the tree was inherently bad? Or if in any family, a certain disease invariably made its appearance in each member, and continued to do so, through all the successive generations, would not every one say, it is an hereditary complaint? How then can we deny, with any reason, or any thing like regard to the analogy of speech, that human nature is depraved, and sin is the family complaint of mankind. In short, we have no greater proof that the viper is venomous, and the tiger sanguinary, than that man is wicked. And we might as well deny that bodies have a tendency to gravitate, as that men have by nature a tendency to love the world more than God, and to pursue their present gratifications, rather than their eternal salvation. And the very denial, itself is a proof of the doctrine, that the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint; and that from the sole of the foot eyen to the head, there is no soundness in it, but wounds and bruises and putrefying sores, which have not been closed, nor bound up, neither mollified with ointment.' III. We come now to the third and last division of our discourse, namely, the practical improvement.

1. We learn from the doctrine of our text, that a state of nature, is a state of sin and alienation from the divine favor. In an unrenewed state, we are continually displeasing God, by evil conduct. Not perhaps by open vice, but by secret rebellion, the rebellion of the heart. Unconverted persons may possess virtuous principles, and amiable qualities, and be respected in society; but their hearts are not right before God. They do not obey the spiritual demands of his law, in denying themselves all ungodliness and worldly lust, and living soberly, righteously, and godly in the world.' Religion is not their business: to please and serve God is not their object. Indeed, every unconverted man is opposed to religion, else why not embrace it? He is an enemy of God, else why not love and obey Him? For there is no neutrality, no medium. 'He that is not for me,' says Christ, is against me.' 'The carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be.'

2. We learn from this doctrine, the impossibility of fitting ourselves for the presence and enjoyment of God. We cannot atone for the sins we have committed, nor change our depraved nature, nor turn ourselves into religious men. 'Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Then may ye also (by your own ability) do good, that are accustomed to do evil.' How indeed is a man to go to work, to fit himself for heaven? He has nothing in him, by nature, of a religious tendency, and how is he of himself to acquire it? Will his heart bring it forth spontaneously? As well might you ask, will the reluctant earth yield seed to the sower and bread to the eater,' without being dressed by the skill and labor of the husbandman! But how, I again ask, is a man to make himselt religious? He has, by nature, no inclination, nor knowledge, nor power, for anything but sin. For that which is born of the flesh, is flesh;' and they that are in the flesh, cannot please God,' for in our flesh, there dwelleth no good thing:' man undertaking to effect his salvation by his own unassisted efforts, would be in a situation resembling that of a shipwrecked mariner in a desert island, who should undertake to make a life boat for his escape, without having either tools, or materials for its construction.

Finally, we perceive from this view of the subject, the necessity and excellency of the scriptural method of salvation. It ascertains the nature of our case, and it provides and presents an efficacious remedy. Do the scriptures insist upon our fall in Adam? They equally declare our recovery by Christ. Do they declare that the carnal mind is enmity against God? They also declare that 'Christ is our peace.' Do they assert that no man cometh unto me except the Father which hath sent me, draw him? Christ also says, 'If I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto me.'

Therefore,

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all may come, can come, ought to come to him; for he lighteneth every man that cometh into the world,' having by the grace of God tasted death for every man.' Are we then guilty by actual transgression? Him hath God exalted with his right hand, to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance and forgiveness of sins.' Are we depraved in nature, and sinful in heart? Behold the blood of Jesus Christ his son, cleanseth from all sin." Here then we see a remedy which perfectly meets our case. If we can do nothing of ourselves, we can do all things through Christ strengthening us.' For it pleased the Father, that in him should all fulness dwell,' and he is. made unto us of the Father, wisdom and righteousness, sanctification and redemption.' Neither is there any other name given under heaven among men whereby we can be saved,' nor any other method of salvation than by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. alone can wash away our sins, and the Holy Spirit alone can consecrate our hearts, and testify of our adoption and sanctification. And be not deceived! It is impossible to be saved, unless we undergo this preparation. We are degenerate branches of a degenerate vine, and we must be broken off by repentance, from the old vine, and by faith engrafted into Jesus Christ, the true and living vine. Naturally, we are born of the flesh and are carnal, through grace we must be born of the spirit, and become spiritual. For except a man be born of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.' Neither can we hope without this divine change to please God, or be fit to enjoy his presence.' 'My brethren, can the figtree bear olive berries? either a vine figs? Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? No more can we please God while in the flesh; while unrenewed by the Holy Spirit; for we are earthly, sensual, devilish.' And we must therefore be And we must therefore be washed, sanctified, justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.' Let me then entreat you to seek these blessings. The Holy Spirit is now striving with you; O, yield to his influence, and let him not strive in vain. Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you.' And what I say unto one, I say unto all. As God is no respecter of persons,' so there are no exclusives in his plan. It is the glory of the gospel, that the blessing of redemption is commensurate with the curse of sin. If through Adam, all fell, through Christ, all may be restored. Through his atonement' a manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal,' and 'whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.'

In conclusion, let no man charge his loss of final happiness upon his God. That benevolent and glorious Being who declares upon his own existence that he has no pleasure in the death of the wicked,' has eternally closed the mouth of the gainsayer by having so