tiny-it cannot be a state of moral happiness or unhappiness, since there is neither virtue to reward, nor vice to punish. Unless there be some future place and state, peculiar, anomalous, not yet revealed to the human mind, it is difficult to say how such beings will be situated. There being in the Bible no intimation of any such future change in the responsible character of man, or the least hint of a destiny like that which must flow from it, those who take the word of God for their guide, and wish to maintain consistency in their philosophy and logic, will regard this theory of moral agency as it is an instance of special pleading to avoid results which are only feared by those who neither love nor obey the truth.

CHAPTER VIII.

TRUE RELIGION REVEALS THE MORAL STATE OF MAN.-DOCTRINE OF DEPRAVITY STATED.--SUMMARY OF SCRIPTURE PROOF.-PROOF FROM EXPERIENCE. FROM HISTORY AND

OBSERVATION.-SEV

ERAL FACTS ILLUSTRATIVE AND CONVINCING. THE SUBJECT SUMMED UP IN FIVE PROPOSITIONS.

"Earth felt the wound, and nature from her seat,
Sighing through all her works, gave signs of woe,
That all was lost."-MILTON.

"O sin, what hast thou done to this fair earth!

Sin hath broke the world's sweet peace-unstrung

Th' harmonious chords to which the angels sung."-Dana.

ANOTHER point to which true religion must give a distinct recognition, is, the moral state of man. As God is its author, and it must therefore, in its essence and principles, harmonize with the divine character, it is equally clear, as it is its object to promote virtue and happiness-to instruct and save men, its revealed facts must agree with the condition of the race, and give a correct exposition of their moral state. Religion is conversant with the moral character and relations of the

It

creature, more than with any other thing. defines these relations, presents the standard of moral purity, and is designed to assist in maintaining the required rectitude and holiness, or if these have been lost, it is its object to restore the lost inheritance. If it be true, there can be no discrepancy between its teachings and the actual moral state of the human race.

The question may properly arise here, What (the teachings of true religion being allowed to decide) is the natural moral state and condition of the human family? In settling this question, proofs may be drawn from three sources: revelation, experience, and history. Each of these yield testimony clear, authoritative, and decisive. true answer to the above question, we suppose to be found in the following proposition, viz. :—

The

The natural, moral condition of the world is that of defection from original righteousness, and alienation from God. That is, the race as a whole has lost the righteousness and holiness which distinguished Adam and Eve when first created, and every member of the human family now possesses a natural tendency in opposition to the holiness of God. In the fact here set forth, the great majority of the Christian world are sub

stantially agreed. There are slight differences, arising partly from principle, and partly from an unfortunate use of terms; yet a real agreement in the thing intended-" the corruption of the nature of every man, that naturally is engendered of the offspring of Adam, whereby man is very far gone from original righteousness, and of his own nature inclined to evil, and that continually." In giving a summary of Scripture proof in support of this doctrine, we cannot do it better than by quoting an able and popular divine.

"In every religion there is a principle of truth or error, which, like the first link of a chain, necessarily draws after it all the parts with which it is essentially connected. This leading principle in Christianity, distinguished from Deism, is the doctrine of our corrupt and lost estate. For if man is not at variance with his Creator, what need of a Mediator between God and him? If he is not a depraved, undone creature, what necessity of so wonderful a Restorer and Saviour as the Son of God? If he is not enslaved to sin, why is he redeemed by Jesus Christ? If he is not polluted, why must he be washed in the blood of the immaculate Lamb? If his soul is not disordered, what occasion is there for such a Divine Physi

cian? If he is not helpless and miserable, why is he perpetually invited to secure the assistance and consolations of the Holy Spirit? And, in a word, if he is not born in sin,' why is a new birth so absolutely necessary, that Christ declares, with the most solemn asseverations, without it, no man 'can see the kingdom of God.'

"This doctrine then being of such importance that genuine Christianity stands or falls with it, it may be proper to state it at large. And as this cannot be done in stronger and plainer words than those of the sacred writers, I beg leave to collect them and present the reader with a picture of our natural estate drawn at full length by those ancient and masterly hands.

"Moses, who informs us that God created man in his own image, and after his likeness,' soon casts a shade upon his original dignity, by giving us a sad account of his fall. He represents him after his disobedience, as a criminal under sentence of death; a wretch filled with guilt, shame, dread and horror; and a vagabond turned out of a lost paradise into a cursed wilderness, where all bears the stamp of desolation for his sake. In consequence of this apostasy he died, and all die in him, who was all mankind seminally and fede