SERMON XXXI.

DEPRAVITY OF MAN.

ITS DEGREE.

ECCLESIASTES viii. 11.

Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.

In the two last discourses, I proposed for consideration the following doctrine; That in consequence of the Apostasy of Adam all men have sinned; and endeavoured to prove the Universality of sin in the former of these discourses;

1st. From Revelation: and,

2dly. From Facts:

And in the latter from the great fact, that mankind have rejected the Word of the Lord.

It is now my design to examine, in several particulars, the Degree, in which the sinfulness of man exists. On this subject I ob

serve,

1st. That the human character is not depraved to the full extent of the human powers.

It has been said, neither unfrequently, nor by men void of understanding, that man is as depraved a being, as his faculties will permit him to be; but it has been said without consideration, and without truth. Neither the Scriptures, nor Experience, warrant this assertion. Wicked men and seducers, it is declared, will wax

worse and worse; deceiving and being deceived. During the first half of human life this may, perhaps, be explained by the growth of the faculties; but during a considerable period, preceding its termination, it cannot be thus explained: for the faculties decay, while the depravity still increases. Nations, also, are declared, to be at some periods of time, far worse than at others; although it cannot be pretended, that during the period specified their faculties were superior. Saul appears to have been a man of more talents than Jeroboam; Jeroboam than Ahab; and Uzziah than either; yet Ahab was a worse man than Jeroboam; Jeroboam than Saul; and Saul than Uzziah. The Young Man, who came to Christ, to know what good thing he should do, to have eternal life, was certainly less depraved, than his talents would have permitted him to be.

Like him, we see, daily, many men, who neither are, nor profess to be, Christians, and who, instead of being wicked to a degree commensurate to the extent of their faculties, go through life in the exercise of dispositions so sincere, just, and amiable, and in the performance of actions so upright and beneficent, as to secure a high degree of respect and affection from ourselves, and from all with whom they are connected. It certainly cannot be said, that such men are as sinful as many others possessed of powers far inferior; much less, that they are as sinful as they can be. We also see individuals, at times, assume, without any visible enlargement of their faculties, a new and surprizing degree of depravity at once; and become suddenly far more fraudulent, false, lewd, cruel, revengeful, impious, and universally abandoned, than at a period not long preceding. In the families, of which we are members, we have abundant opportunity to learn, from so intimate a connection, the true characters of all who compose them; and are furnished, daily, with decisive evidence, that they are far less profligate than, with their faculties, they might become. Those, who make the assertion, against which I am contending, will find themselves, if they will examine, rarely believing, that their wives and children, though not Christians, are Fiends.

2dly. There are certain characteristics of human nature, which, considered by themselves, are innocent.

Such are hunger, thirst, the fear of suffering, and the desire of happiness; together with several others. All these are inseparable, not only from the rational, but also from the animal, nature, as existing in this world; and accompany the Christian through every degree of holiness, which he attains, as truly as the sinner. The two last; the desire of happiness, and the fear of suffering; are inseparable from the rational, and even from the percipient, nature.

3dly. Some of the natural human characteristics are amiable.

Such are natural affection; the simplicity and sweetness of disposition in children, often found also in persons of adult years; compassion; generosity; modesty; and what is sometimes called natural conscientiousness; that is, a fixed and strong sense of the importance of doing that, which is right. These characteristics appear to have adorned the Young Man, whom I have already mentioned. We know that they are amiable, because we are informed that Jesus, beholding him, loved him. In the same manner we, and all others, who are not abandoned, love them always, and irresistibly, whenever they are presented to our view. They all, also, are required, and exist, in every Christian; enhancing his holiness, and rendering him a better man. Without them it is not easy to perceive how the Christian character could exist. Accordingly, St. Paul exhibits those, who are destitute of these attributes, as being literally profligates.

4thly. These and all other qualities of the mind are, however, means either of virtue, or sin, according to the nature of that controlling Disposition, or Energy, which constitutes the moral cha

racter.

By this disposition, or energy, I intend that unknown cause, whence it arises, that the actions of the mind are either sinful or virtuous. On this energy depends the moral nature of all actions. and the moral character of every mind. This character, and these actions, are variously, and extensively, modified by the attributes above mentioned. But the moral nature is not changed. So far as they have a prevailing influence, a sinful disposition is checked, and prevented from operating in the worst manner, and degree. Under the prevalence of a sinful disposition, these attributes are partly extinguished, and partly converted into instru

ty.

Mankind are not exhibited as prone to one sin only, but to all these, and all other sins; and not prone to these sins merely, but filled with them as attributes, and executing them swiftly and dreadfully as practices.

II. The same truth is evident to every man, if he examines the subject faithfully, from the state of his own heart and life.

This very extensive field of evidence can now be explored only in a very imperfect manner: but a little attention to it will in no small degree illustrate and prove the doctrine.

1st. Every Man, who scrutinizes his own heart at all, knows, that, naturally, he in no sense obeys the first and great command of the Law of God: Thou shalt love the Lord, thy God, with all thy heart.

This is the first, and altogether the most important, duty of Intelligent creatures; and is plainly that duty, separated from which, no other can be performed. All possible motives in the highest possible degrees conspire to induce a rational being to perform it. If, then, these motives do not influence the heart; if we love not our Creator, Preserver, and Benefactor, the Author of all good, and himself the Infinite Good; we cannot be imagined to love with right principles any other being. If we perform not our plain duty to Him; we cannot be supposed to perform our duty to any other.

2dly. All men are daily reproached by their own Consciences, as being greatly and continually guilty of Sin.

The fear of the anger of God, and of future punishment, and the pride, which every man feels in thinking himself of a good and honourable character, are biasses, which strongly influence us to reject, as much as possible, so humiliating a doctrine as this. But, in spite of both, our Consciences, irresistibly impelled by the truth, declare the greatness of our depravity every day; and we cannot hide our eyes from the humiliating declaration. Were it possible to avoid the acknowledgement, we should certainly avoid it but the truth is so obvious, and so undeniable, that we cannot escape.

The only exception to this remark proves the truth of the doctrine still more strongly. The man, whose Conscience does not thus testify, is plainly of a peculiarly depraved character; not