And truly, my young friends, if we reject this doctrine, the difficulty remaining will not be less, but greater. That infants do often suffer the most agonizing pain and distress, ending in death, is just a stubborn fact which no one can deny. Now, it is agreed on all hands, that they have no actual sin. If then they do not suffer in consequence of their connexion with a sinful progenitor, why do they suffer? They must suffer without any fault, either personal or federal: That is, their Maker subjects them to these agonies, without any moral delinquency-without any just cause. To say this, is a direct impeachment of the justice and goodness of the ever blessed God. It is therefore far the less of the two difficulties-if a difficulty it be esteemed-to believe that they are considered and treated as having sinned in Adam, than to believe that they are treated thus, without any moral stain, either of their own contracting, or derived from their parents. To say that they derive only a suffering and dying nature from Adam, and must submit to the law of the nature which they now possess, affords no explanation, or relief at all: For this suffering and dying nature is itself the fruit of sin,—the very bitter fruit of which we are speaking, and of which, on this supposition, they are made to taste in a most. distressing manner, without defection or culpability of any kind whatsoever.

which they have not yet been able to commit, " after the similitude of Adam's transgression."-They must therefore be considered as having "sinned in him," as our Catechism teaches, and as President Edwards has ably and satisfactorily shown. Whatever may be said of brutes, we know that the oracles of infallible truth teach, in regard to man, that "the wages of sin is death"The death of every human being was intended to mark and proclaim him a sinner. Yet according to this new theory, death is inflicted on myriads of the human' family, as free from sin as Adam was immediately after God "breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul." Is it not "astonishing to what shifts men will resort, to support the doctrine" that all sin "consists in man's own act of CHOICE." In regard moreover to the admission of these sinless infants into heaven, it is distinctly stated, that "the only ground on which it can be hoped for is that ATONEMENT of Christ, by which the moral government of God has been sustained; the influence of the Holy Spirit, secured for the sanctification of God's elect; and the unfading glories of heaven laid open to those who, through grace, are made heirs of eternal life"-That is, "a distinguished writer of the nineteenth century has taught" that an atonement has been made for those who have never sinned; and the Holy Spirit sanctifies those who have never become unholy; and heaven is obtained through grace, by those who have never forfeited the favour of their Creator!!

You see then, that the scripture doctrine, that every individual of the human race sinned in Adam, is not only true in itself, but less difficult than any other. I speak this, my young friends, most deliberately. I have examined the subject before us long and closely—And I assure you on full conviction, that if you turn blank infidels and throw away your Bibles; or if you turn hereticks, and deny altogether the doctrine of original sin, you will not only act wickedly, but you will then have more formidable and insolvable difficulties to dispose of, than are found in the creed of any orthodox Christian. The orthodox faith is in this, as in many other particulars, not merely the safest-it is the easiest and most rational faith.

In conclusion, then, I exhort you

1. To fix and settle your faith on the point you have now heard discussed, on those grounds of scripture to which I have pointed your attention. Fix and settle it here, and then cease to muse on the difficulties which you may find attendant on the truth. To be constantly poring on these, is as unprofitable as it is unpleasant-That we are sinners is incontrovertible. The scripture tells us how our sinfulness originated. Let us receive what it tells, and here let our speculations end. Yet

2. Let not your concern in regard to this subject, by any means, end with your speculations. No assuredly—but lay it closely and solemnly to heart, that in your natural state, you are depraved throughout. I would to God, my dear youth, that you did all feel as you ought to feel, on this subject. It would neither make you careless, nor sink you into despondency. It would make you anxious and earnest to have your natures renewed and sanctified, by the almighty energy of the Holy Spirit-To be "created anew in Christ Jesus unto love and to good." Here is the only remedyand blessed be God, it is an effectual remedy-for the deep pollution, the entire depravity of our fallen race. Betake yourselves therefore, without delay, to this remedy. Seek the renewing influences of divine grace; that being washed

and justified and sanctified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God, you may be delivered from all the ruins of the apostacy, and be made meet for the inheritance of the saints in light.

LECTURE XVIII.

Into what estate did the fall bring Mankind?

Wherein consists the sinfulness of that estate whereinto Man fell? What is the misery of that estate whereinto Man fell?

THE answer of our catechism next in order is the following -"The fall brought mankind into an estate of sin and misery."

The chief design of this answer is to make the distribution of a subject, afterwards to be discussed. To say much upon it would only be to anticipate what is contained in the two subsequent answers. I shall therefore merely request you to observe the nature and manner of the statement made in [this answer, which are-that the sin and misery brought upon mankind by the fall, are called an estate; that is, a permanent and invariable condition of existence, in which both sin and misery must be found by all the human race; and that sin is placed before misery, intimating that sin is the cause of misery, and misery the never failing consequence of sin.

These general truths are developed and illustrated in the two following answers, the first of which is thus expressed"The sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell, consists in the guilt of Adam's first sin, the want of original righteousness, and the corruption of his whole nature, which is commonly called original sin, together with all actual transgressions which proceed from it."

Original sin has been usually distinguished, or divided, by divines, into original sin imputed, and original sin inherent. Original sin imputed, is the guilt of Adam's first sin, consi

dered as belonging to each individual of his posterity, and subjecting such individual to punishment or suffering, on that account. This point, with the objections to it, were treated at some length in the last lecture; and it is not my purpose to resume the subject at present.

Original sin inherent, is what is called in the answer before us," the want of original righteousness, and the corruption of our whole nature." "The want of original righteousness," says Fisher, "is the want of that rectitude and purity of nature which Adam had in his first creation; consisting in a perfect conformity of all the powers and faculties of his soul to the holy nature of God, and to the law that was written on his heart. And that all mankind are destitute of this original righteousness, appears from the express testimony of God, that among all Adam's race there is none righteous, no not one;' and that by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight.' It follows, upon this want of original righteousness, that all mankind are, as it were, naked before God; and that their fig-leaf coverings will stand them in no stead, before his omniscient eye, nor answer the demands of his holy law."

But original sin consists not in mere privation, or in a want of original righteousness. It consists also in "the corruption of our whole nature;" in the universal depravation both of soul and body-in all the faculties of the one, and in all the members of the other. Let us trace for a moment the current of this corruption, through the faculties of the soul; not entering into much reasoning on the subject, but confirming what shall be said by plain declarations from the word of God.

Observe then, that the understanding of man, in his natural depraved state, is darkened and blinded; so that while this moral obscurity continues, he cannot know and receive the things of the Spirit of God." The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned--Having the understanding darkened, being

alienated from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart."

The will of the natural man is depraved by sin. It is averse to the chief good; it is biassed toward evil; it acts with hostility and rebellion against God. "Ye will not come unto me that ye might have life," said our Saviour-"The carnal mind," says St. Paul, "is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then, they that are in the flesh cannot please God."

The affections of man, in his natural state are disordered, perverted and misplaced. They are set on trifling vanities. and sinful pleasures; they attach themselves to ten thousand improper and forbidden objects; while they utterly refuse to be placed on God, as the supreme good. Their language constantly is "Who shall show us any good?" that is, any earthly good. And they constantly lead every unsanctified child of Adam to "worship and serve the creature more than the Creator, who is God over all, blessed forever."

The memory of man partakes of the effects of his depravity. It is prone to retain what is vain and unprofitable, and to drop its hold on what is spiritual and truly advantageous. Hence the complaint of Moses; "Of the Rock that begat thee, thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed thee." This indeed was the frequent charge brought against the Israelites, notwithstanding the series of miracles that they almost constantly witnessed." They forgot the God of their salvation." But the charge is not confined to them. We find it mentioned as a general characteristick, of the wicked-that they "forget God;"-that "God is not in all their thoughts;" and experience abundantly confirms this truth.

The conscience of man is affected by his depravity. Sometimes it is violated till it becomes seared "as with a hot iron." But when this is not the case, it too often performs its office imperfectly; not reproving and condemning when it ought, especially for secret sins. Sometimes it is so perverted that,