er? Yet it is only in the same sense that he needs a change, if it be true, that he has the very least mite of that temper of heart which he is required. to have.

If we suppose a scale divided into a hundred equal degrees, or parts; nobody would consider, that passing from any one of these degrees to another, would constitute the change a funda mental one. But if unrenewed men are not entirely sinful, they must have some boliness, which is the only opposite of sin; and if unrenewed men have some holiness, there is no doubt a great variety among them, probably enough to place one in every degree of the supposed scale from 1 to 50. We will suppose all above this are regenerated. But why should passing from fifty degrees of goodness to fifty-one, be called the change, any more than passing from forty-nine to fifty; or passing from one to two? If it should be said, that the regenerating change is like passing from the fiftieth to the hundredth degree of the scale, we would reply, This is no greater change than passing from the first to the fiftieth. Neither would passing from the first to the hundredth degree of the same thing, constitute any radical change. But the scripture represents regeneration as a radical change. There it is represented as a new birth; a new creation; a resurrection from a state of death; a being called out of darkness into marvellous light; the receiv ing sight after total blindness; and having old things pass away, and all things become new. If men become possessed of a new nature in regeneration, and that nature is holiness, then be

fore regeneration they cannot be possessed degree of holiness.

VI. The promise of eternal life is made only to those who have a change of heart, yet it is made to the least degree of holy affection: and this proves that none have any degree of holy affection, except the regenerate.

Regeneration is the line which divides between those, who have the promise of life, and the threatening of death. "Except a man be born of water, and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." Such are passed from death unto life. It is death on the one side of this line, and life on the other, If we die on this side regeneration we are lost; but if we become regenerate, we shall be saved. There are however promises of eternal life made to the least degrees of holiness. "All things shall work together for good to them who love God." Does not this promise include all who love God, with the least degree of holy love? There is no degree of love pointed out, as that to which the promise is made; it is therefore undoubtedly made to all who possess any of this love. The inference is, that since it is conceded, that this promise is not made to an unregenerate sinner, therefore an unregenerate sinner has no love to God in his heart. The promise of forgiveness is made to repentance itself, and not to any particular degree of it; if therefore unregenerate men exercise true repentance in any degree (which they must do, if they have any holiness) they are for

The scriptures are clear in describing what kind of love entitles to the promises, but not the degree of it.

given. The truth is, that in an unsanctified heart, there is not the least degree of that holy love, or that holy repentance, or that holy faith, or any other holy affection, to which the most holy God has designed to make the promise of his favor. The unsanctified are children of wrath, because they are children of disobedience, and without any interest in the righteousness of the Saviour.

PART II.

I shall now notice one or two objections, which you have lately heard made against the doctrine of total depravity.

I. Two or three passages of scripture were supposed to stand directly against this doctrine. One of these is Rom. v. 18, "Even so by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life." If this mean, that by the death of Christ all men are freed from total depravity, then it must also mean that they are freed from condemnation, and are in a justified state: But in another part of the bible, it is said, He that believeth not is condemned already. And it is a given point, that none are justified but those who are really united to Christ by faith. If it should be said, that the coming of the free gift upon all men unto justification of life, means that all men have an opportunity to be justified; we may add, they have an opportunity to be made holy; but this does not prove, that they are so now, in the least degree. Perhaps, all men" in this verse, means all those of whom the apóstle had spoken in the preceding verse, " which receive abundance of grace, and of the gift of

I

righteousness, who shall reign in life." If so, the free gift does, in the best sense, come upon them unto justification of life, but this would not disprove the total depravity of those who are yet out of Christ.

Another passage which is supposed to contradict total depravity, is in the 2nd chapter of Titus, "For the grace of God, that bringeth salvation, hath appeared to all men." The grace of God does not always mean divine influence cleansing the heart. It sometimes means temporal mercies. It sometimes means the gospel, or the doctrine of Christ, which is all a system of grace. So it is used, 2 Cor. vi. 1, and so it appears to be used here. Let us examine the text under consideration in its connexion. The words which immediately precede are these, "That they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things." The doctrine of our Sa. viour, and the grace of God, both refer to the pure system of grace and truth taught by Christ, which is continually, whether we hear it or not, "teaching us, that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world."

The ob

jector will not say, that the grace of God, which has appeared to all men, makes all men live godly in this present world. If this grace can appear to them, and they not become really godly in consequence of it, why may it not appear to them, and they still remain entirely sinful?

In this connexion, it may be suitable to introduce several other passages, which are frequently opposed to the doctrine of a total human de

pravity. One of these passages is found in the Gospel of John, i. 9, "That was the true light,. which lighteth every man that cometh into the world." On this passage we would remark, That when light means holiness, the word of God considers us as having no light, even if born under the meridian sun-shine of the gospel, until we are born from above. He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness until now, i. e. he is not born of God. It is as much as to say, that all those, who are not real, genuine christians, are in darkness. When any one is born of God, he is said to be called out of darkness into marvellous light. In this sense of light, no man is lighted until he is born into the world of grace. But if being lighted by Christ the Sun of righteousness, in the passage under consideration, mean doctrinal light and conviction; or any thing sho of the restoration of holiness to the heart, then the passage ought not to be made use of to disprove the entire sinfulness of every heart, which has not been changed by regeneration; or to counteract the plain and natural meaning of those many texts, which forcibly establish the doctrine.

There is another text, found in the twelfth chapter of the first epistle to the Corinthians, which has frequently been quoted with a view to prove, that every man in the world is partially restored from his originally depraved state. The text is this," But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal." On this we would remark, 1. If every man has so much of the Spirit, or such operations of the