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IV. Man being thus depraved in the understanding, the will, and the affections, it is almost superfluous to observe, that he must in consequence have lost all power of serving God. Unable to discover his will, hating it when it is discovered to him, and so polluted by sin that he is utterly unable to cleanse himself, how can he perform in his own strength any acceptable service? He may indeed, in the pride of his high speculations, imagine himself to be rich, and to have need of nothing; but the word of God will inform him, that he is wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.* Even those actions of the natural man, which bear the semblance of good; the patriotism of a Regulus, and the morality of a Socrates; even they are but splendid sins:† for, as we are rightly taught by the Church,

*Revel. iii. 17.

See Bp. Beveridge's Exposition of the Articles.
Art. xiii.

"Works, done before the grace of Christ and the inspiration of his spirit, are not pleasant to God, forasmuch as they spring not of faith in Jesus Christ:-yea rather, for that they are not done as God hath willed and commanded them to be done, we doubt not but they have the nature of sin."* The reason of this is obvious: a polluted heart can no more bring forth a good action, than a polluted fountain can emit pure water; but all our hearts are by nature impure: consequently all our actions before the reception of divine grace must be impure also, and as such cannot be pleasing unto God.

In this miserable condition is every man born. Fallen from his high estate, and sunk in the deep sleep of presumptuous wickedness, he refuses to listen to the voice of any human charm

* Art. xiii. See also Bp. Hopkins's Works, p. 525. and Bp. Beveridge's Private Thoughts, Art. vifi.

er, charm he ever so wisely. God alone is able to create a clean heart, and to renew a right spirit within him; for creation is an attribute belonging solely to the Deity. Man must be brought back to the image of his Maker, that image which was lost by the fall of Adam; or he must for ever remain excluded from the kingdom of heaven.

. From the mercy-seat above

Prevenient grace descending must remove

The stony from his heart, and make new flesh
Regenerate grow instead

CHAPTER II.

The illumination of the understanding through the influence of the Holy Spirit, the first work of grace in the human soul.

WHEN the Almighty created man, he foresaw all the fatal consequences which would result from his violation of the divine commandment. Though justice required the punishment of the transgressors, yet mercy proprovided a wonderful remedy, by virtue of which Adam and all his posterity might have the means of escaping eternal perdition. The fulness of time being come, the only begotten of the Father; "God of God, Light of Light,

very God of very God;" the Lamb virtually and typically slain from the foundation of the world; this glorious personage took our nature upon him, and was made like unto us in all things, sin only excepted. After spending a life of unwearied benevolence and heavenly purity, honouring the Law more highly by his perfect observance of it than it was ever dishonoured by the transgressions of the whole race of man, our Lord closed his ministerial labours by offering himself up, a voluntary self-devoted sacrifice, for the sins of the world. The benefits of his death and passion extended as widely as the baneful effects of the fall had done ;* and we are repeatedly told by the inspired writers, that he suffered for the sins of all men.† None are excluded from being partakers of these blessings. Every contrite sinner, every soul that wishes for salvation, is freely invited to

* 1 Corin. xv. 22.

† Heb. ii. 9. Coloss. i. 20. 1 Tim. ii. 4, 6.

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