can account for the sin of every individual of the human race; and the consequences to us as sinners are what, if we had remained innocent and virtuous, we should have never experienced.

All that we may suffer, or be supposed to suffer, on account of the sin of others, not being produced by any sin of ours, is no punishment to us; but it is a suffering, so far as it respects us, designed by infinite wisdom, for our good; and which it is our duty not to despise, but to sustain with Christian fortitude and resignation. It may not only be designed for our good, but also for the good of others. This should make us willing to suffer, if the will of God be such, for the good of man.

The apostles considered their sufferings as filling up the measure of the sufferings of Christ; and inasmuch as they were so, for aught we can know to the contrary, there was the same merit in them. And hence, we are assured, they will meet with the same reward: "If so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified. together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." (Rom. viii. 17, 18.) All suffering, therefore, must be considered in one of these two points of light: either as the immediate and unavoidable consequences of sin, or else designed by infinite wisdom for a future good. And it is furthermore very possible that much of the sufferings of human nature ought to be considered in both these points of light. Viewed in either light, and having a just sense of the same, the mind becomes reconciled, not to the suffering itself, but to the hand of God who inflicts it.

Thus, instead of debasing man infinitely below the brutes, which is done by considering him by nature. wholly destitute of every thing that is good, we consider him still, notwithstanding all his imperfections, the most noble creature of this lower creation. We consider him as still possessing the image of God in which he was created; and that man is as much made in the image of God now, as he was in the first place for if this be not the case, why is this given as a reason that "whoso

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sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God made he man." (Gen. ix. 6.) This was spoken to Noah, after the deluge; and notwithstanding the supposed total depravity which man had experienced, yet this reason is urged why he should not shed the blood of his fellow man. Man, being made subject to vanity, is liable to err; yet, notwithstanding all this, man is still made in the image of God.

Whatever we may suppose that man lost in Adam, as it respects his nature, we are fully warranted in saying, that it was restored in Noah, when "God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth" (Gen. ix. 1.); the same blessing which he pronounced upon Adam, whom he created in his own image. See chap. i. 27, 28.

We have no account that God ever cursed man in consequence of his first transgression, as has been often supposed; and even the ground, which was cursed for his sake, we have a most precious promise that it should be cursed no more; for the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; though the imagination of man's heart should be evil from his youth." (Gen. viii. 21.) Our translators have rendered the Hebrew ki, by FOR, in order, I suppose, to favour the doctrine of total depravity; but I have the authority of Dr. Taylor and Dr. Clarke, both, in rendering it though or although. If this (i. e. the above) were necessarily the state of man, it would be as good a reason why man should become extinct, as it was why that wicked race should be destroyed. But the text under consideration neither affirms nor implies any such thing; but only that man is liable to become thus evil, and although that should be the case again, he has promised not to destroy the world again by water. The next trial will be by fire; and although some may suffer great loss, yet they themselves shall be saved, so as by fire. (1 Cor. iii. 15.)

According, therefore, to the premises here laid down, the truth and propriety of which will still more fully appear, as we proceed, children, while in a state of inno

governed wholly from motives within himself, which have no real connexion with any thing which the creature can do.

From these, and many other considerations which might be mentioned, I am firmly persuaded that the doctrine for which I am contending is most conducive to good morality, even if that were our only object, of any that ever was advanced. It is often objected that this doctrine ought not to be preached, even if it be true. Without taking up any time to expose the futility of this objection, (for what can men preach better than the truth?) I will only add in this place, that the strongest reason I can give why it should be preached, is, because it is true. If it were not true, notwithstanding the temporary good it might produce, yet, the very circumstance of its not being true, would be a good reason why it should not be preached. All admit that the doctrine would be good, O yes, nothing could be better, if it were only true; without ever considering that the very circumstance of its being good, is one great evidence of its truth. If it were acknowledged not to be good, it would be one great evidence in my mind that it is not true.

Now how does this statement stand when applied to a doctrine diametrically opposite to the one here contended for? In acknowledging this good, they acknowledge the one in which they believe, and which stands opposed to this, not good. Why then do they believe it true? If the doctrine be not good, can the author of it be good? and if the author be not good, can that author be LOVE? O forgive me, my religious opponents, I can assure you that I am seeking your best good, while I thus expose both you and your doctrine.

But it is time I had brought this lecture to a close. We find then the present state of man to stand thus: he is made subject to vanity, agreeably to his original constitution; he comes into the world perfectly innocent, in which state he is a fit subject for the kingdom of heaven; he is morally inclined to good, but nevertheless prone to evil; thus he stands in need of all possible instruction, of which he is capable of making a wise im

provement. But for the want of proper instruction in the first place, or by neglecting to improve by it in the second, he is liable to pierce himself through with many sorrows. Lest, however, those evils should be productive of events incompatible with infinite wisdom and benevolence in the glorious plan of the Deity; they are all circumscribed by HIS superior wisdom, power, and goodness; the development of which will be the labours of our future lectures.