tion, sanctification, and the final inheritance of the saints; all of which it defiles and falsifies. A few words, however, will be enough to expose the unscriptural character of the doctrine, which is no less impious than it is erroneous. The positions in which it is entrenched, are thus stated, in the interrogative form, by its author, Dr. Taylor:-"Is there the least particle of evidence that the entire prevention of sin in moral beings is possible to God in the nature of things? If not, then what becomes of the very common assumption of such possibility? All evidence of the truth of this assumption must be derived either from the nature of the subject, or from known facts. Is there such evidence from the nature of the subject? It is here to be remarked that the prevention of sin by any influence that destroys the power to sin, destroys moral agency. Moral agents, then, must possess the power to sin. Who, then, can prove a priori, or from the nature of the subject, that a being who CAN sin will NOT sin? How can it be proved a priori, or from the nature of the subject, that a thing will not be; when, for aught that appears, it may be? On this point is it presumptuous to bid defiance to the powers of human reason? Is there any evidence from facts? Facts, so far as they are known to us, furnish no support to the assumption, that God could in a moral system prevent all sin, or even the present degree of sin. For we know of no creature of God, whose holiness is secured without that influence which results, either directly or indirectly, from the existence of sin and its punishment. . . . It may be true that God will secure under the present system of things the greatest degree of holiness, and the least degree of sin, which it is possible to him in the nature of things to secure. Neither the nature of the subject, nor known facts, furnish a particle of evidence to the contrary. The assumption therefore that God could in a moral system have prevented all sin, or the present degree of sin, is wholly gratuitous and unauthorized, and ought never to be made the basis of an objection or an argument."* The italics are Dr. Taylor's.

The first remark which presents itself is, that this doctrine involves, not merely the possible, but the inevitable, perdition * Concio ad Clerum, p. 33, margin.

of every creature in the universe. It is assumed, that the entire prevention of sin in moral beings is, in the nature of things, impossible to God. In each particular case, there is a possibility of apostasy. However slight, then, may be that possibility, although it be counted as one to myriads, in favour of steadfastness, yet, in the lapse of eternity, all those myriads of favourable probabilities will have space to exhaust themselves, not once, but an infinite number of times; so that it is susceptible of mathematical demonstration, that each one of those of whom it is now predicated as an immensely remote possibility that they will fall, will ultimately be subject to a contingency, infinitely more powerful, in determining their fall. It may take myriads of untold ages to work out the result. But at length, if this monstrous doctrine be true, despite all the influences which omnipotence can exert, the mansions of light will be without inhabitant, and,-with reverence be the atrocious conclusion named, at last, He, who is the first born among many brethren, will be no longer The Undefiled! Not only so, but if “moral` agents must possess the power to sin," that power is in God; and if it is impossible "to prove a priori, or from the nature of the subject, that a thing will not be, when, for aught that appears, it may be," it is impossible to prove "I speak as a man"-that God himself will continue forever to be unchangeably the Holy One!

Again, this whole scheme is based on a false assumption, as to the nature of the influence by which men are renewed to holiness, and the heavenly hosts kept in their uprightness. This is assumed to be a merely persuasive power,—an appeal to motives, essential among which are those which are derived from the punishment of the wicked. And this false position is again based upon another, equally without foundation; to wit, that absolute independence is an essential attribute of moral agency; -that God cannot effectually control the determinations of moral agents, without, at the same time, destroying their moral agency. But, is this true? Does he not "work in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure"?-Phil. ii. 13. “The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water; he

turneth it whithersoever he will."-Prov. xxi. 1. "A man's heart deviseth his way; but the Lord directeth his steps." Prov. xvi. 9. Was it not by "the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God" that Judas and the Jews betrayed and "by wicked hands" crucified and slew the Prince of life? (Acts ii. 23.) What, upon this system, mean such promises as those contained in Jeremiah xxxi. 33?-"After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people." And again,-Ezekiel xi. 19,-"I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh; that they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them." How, too, are we to understand the language of the beloved disciple?"Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil."-1 John iii. 9, 10. If the power to sin be essential to moral agency, and it is impossible to prove that a being who can sin will not sin,-if the power of God is inadequate to prevent sin, without destroying moral agency,how is it that the heirs of the New Jerusalem are assured that "there shall be no more curse," that "his servants shall serve him," that "they shall reign for ever and ever"?-Rev. xxii. 3, 5. Will it be said, that by means of the punishment of the wicked, resulting from sin already committed, God will have acquired a moral power to prevent the redeemed from sinning? The question recurs,-Does this take away the power to sin? If it does, is this consistent with the doctrine that "moral agents must possess the power to sin"? If it does not, what becomes of Dr. Taylor's doctrine, that "it is impossible to prove that a being who can sin will not sin"?

In short, the alternative is clear and unavoidable. Either the creatures are in all respects dependent upon God, and, in the exercise of moral agency, subject to his control, as in every thing else; or, on the contrary, Jehovah himself is the dependent being; subject to the caprice of man, in fulfilling his purposes;

and liable to be utterly defeated, by man's free will, in all his most gracious designs,-including the salvation of the seed whom he has, in covenant, promised to his eternal Son, as the reward of his sorrows and shame.

The introduction of sin was permitted by God,—not as the means of the greatest good to the greatest number; nor because he could not prevent it, but because it so seemed good to him, whose right it is, unquestioned, to reign. Admitted, thus, by his sovereign will, it is employed, by his wisdom and goodness, as the means and occasion of revealing his own highest moral perfections. A moral agent made in God's image, is guilty of an aberration so extreme as to apostatize from and assail the very Fountain of life and being, itself. Such an action, atrocious as it is, constitutes a display of liberty and independence of will, which, however really limited and bounded, in the creature, by the Creator's power, is a most remarkable and significant proclamation of a corresponding attribute unbounded in God,—of a freedom of will, an irresponsible independence of purpose thought and action, which is absolute and entire; unlimited by any thing but himself; uncontrolled by aught but his own infinite nature. Further, the permission of sin gives occasion for the display of all those divine perfections, of holiness and wisdom, of justice and mercy, of long-suffering and wrath, which unfold themselves in harmonious action, in the history of the perdition of devils, the eternal blessedness of the elect angels, and the ruin and redemption of man. But for the occurrence of sin, Jehovah had never been known as the redeeming God; and man had never conceived an aspiration so exalted, as that of attaining to sonship to the Most High,-of joint inheritance with God's eternal Son.

CHAPTER XIV.

PAUL'S DISCUSSION OF ORIGINAL SIN.

THE fifth, sixth and seventh chapters of the epistle to the Romans, contain the fullest and most detailed exhibition of the 81. General

view of the epistle.

doctrine of original sin, which we have in the Scriptures. A careful exegesis of them will constitute our principal argument on the subject. The matter of the entire epistle naturally resolves itself into a number of divisions, which, to our present purpose, may be enumerated as follows:

1. First, are the introductory salutations, and announcement of the theme of the epistle,-the gospel of Christ, the power of God unto salvation, to every one that believeth, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.-Chap. i. 1–17.

2. That by the deeds of the law no flesh can be justified, is proved, by appeal to the notorious wickedness of the Gentile world (ch. i. 18-32),-the as unquestionable guilt of the Jew, when tried by the spirituality of the law, and the testimony of the Scriptures, (ch. ii. 1–29, iii. 1–20).

3. Justification by faith, without the works of the law, is then proclaimed. Its nature is stated, (ch. iii. 21-28). Its universal application is asserted:-"Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also; seeing it is one God which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and the uncircumcision through faith."-iii. 29-31. This is confirmed in the fourth chapter, by the case of Abraham, who was justified in uncircumcision, through faith. The excellence of this plan of grace is briefly set forth in the first eleven verses of the fifth chapter.

4. The apostle now proceeds to confirm and illustrate his doc