reason cannot discover them. If then the doctrine of hereditary corruption is thought to render revelation unbefitting a just and holy God, the presence of inherited disease would equally exclude his agency from the natural world: and thus we should be driven upon the dreary void of Atheism. But if, leaving such foolish and wicked speculations, we enquire rather how we must act under the existing state of things, as inheriting a corrupt nature, the Gospel will give us the comforting assurance, that "where sin abounded, grace did much more abound;" and they who value present peace of mind and the hope of everlasting glory, will examine their spiritual condition practically, to answer the question what they must do to be saved, not why it pleased God to make salvation necessary.

The spiritual effects of original sin may be classed under two heads: 1. the state of condemnation in which we were born; 2. and the carnal mind, which is at enmity with God. On the present occasion let us confine our view to the former of these points.

It is doubtless a startling thought, that the helpless and apparently innocent infant should, before it can have done an act of good or evil, deserve God's wrath. Yet the truth is self-evident, that "a froward heart is an abomination unto the Lord"." Nor is it for the thing formed to say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus ?" It is enough if in his mercy he has vouchsafed deliverance from this state? if from being children of wrath, he is willing to make us children of his grace. What if each of us was born at enmity with God? He has not left us in that state; "when we were enemies, we were reconciled to him by the death of his Son. God commendeth his love towards us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." The condemnation therefore of original guilt has been removed, and so far we are relieved from the effects of Adam's disobedience.

As far as the believer is concerned, there remains nothing then practically to harass the mind, in that we are

h Prov. ii. 20.

k Rom. v. 8.

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by nature

i Rom. ix. 20.

children of wrath'.' His only concern is to make his calling and election sure; for which, as will hereafter be shewn, ample means will be supplied from above. But if he enquires concerning the heathen what is their state; if he asks, “Lord, what shall this man do?" he might justly be answered, "If I will that he tarry until I come, what is that to thee, follow thou mem." Nevertheless, God hath not so dealt with us, nor hath he shut up his lovingkindness from the heathen in displeasure. Even from the ark of Christ's Church we may look forth upon the face of the earth, and see it emerge from the deluge of sin, renewed once more by the goodness of God to life and fruitfulness. Such a view is opened to us by the doctrine of Universal Redemption. The Holy Spirit has plainly revealed Christ as the propitiation" for the sins of the whole world"."

He gave himself a ransom for all";" this is the charter of man's salvation, neither to be abrogated nor limited by human comments; and "if by the offence of one, Eph. ii. 3. m John xxi. 21. n John ii. 2.

• 1 Tim. ii. 6.

judgment came upon all men to condemnation even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life"." The condemnation then of original sin is removed from the whole human race by the blood of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world; and thus far at least no practical difficulty remains from our being conceived in sin, and born under the wrath of God. Satisfactory as this conclusion would in itself have been, yet the goodness of God does not stop here; it is still more conspicuous. "Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound." This should be kept in view, if we would estimate rightly the debt of grateful love we owe to God in Christ. Nor is it in the relative numbers of the born in sin, and the justified from original guilt, that we are to seek the explanation of that declaration: for in that respect redemption was simply coextensive with

P Rom. v. 18.

The offering of Christ once made is the perfect redemption, propitiation, and satisfaction for all the sins of the whole world, both original and actual. Art. XXXI.

condemnation. But if death would have passed upon all men, for that all not only were born in sin, but had against their better knowledge sinned; while justification to life is the free gift of God through Christ, then has grace much more abounded; condemnation of the sinful creature was a necessary consequence of God's essential holiness, but justification a free gift according to the good pleasure of his will.

In the assurance then of God's superabundant mercy, even under the dispensation of original sin, the believer finds comfort and peace. He sees in the redemption of the world an earnest of God's will, that all men might be saved, and that he has no pleasure in the death of a sinner. And, while he anxiously uses the means of grace to make his own calling and election in the Gospel sure, he is content to know only in part, awaiting patiently that time when partial knowledge shall be done away; when the wisdom. and goodness of God, in the permission of evil, shall be not only justified, but perhaps comprehended by his children.

If the view thus opened of the Chris