'•^>. ^^'^o. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) V- -^ // ^/i^ /W-^ C v.4/^ A i- w/ r/. 1.0 1.1 US 1^ IM 2.0 1.8 1.25 1.4 ||l.6 ^ 6" - ► ^^■^ % m ^ •> 7: % .> ^' /^ '^ 'W '/ Photographic Sdences Corporation 33 Wii-ST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14SS0 (716) «72-4503 iV <. ^ V 4? ■\. <> 6^ ''b^ A ^ i- ^ (meaning "CON- TINUED"), or the symbol V (meaning "END"), whichever applies. Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many fframes as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les images suivantes ont it6 reproduites avec le plus grand soin, compte tenu de la condition et de la nettetd de l'exemplaire film6, et en conformity avec les conditions du contrat de filmage. 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Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la m6thode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 .•i'-' -4!.' ■ ,'■' •-■'■<' ■ ■ 'Vt.".>.. asses -E-fi- =aait!*=act=s I*, ^ \ HUMAN ij^raritg Md ^JitaWUtg BY ' REV. GEORGE JOHNSOisr, LOWER HORTON.* i •i^ ■^ " I also will show my opinion." — Job. HALIFAX, N. S. : DAILY REPORTER AND TIMES STEAM BOOK PRINTING ESTABLISHMENT. 18 7 7. \%Jf'' >l ,c.-.*'.f -♦ -. -'I ^■1> rw'i HUMAN 'N\i DEPRAVITY AND SALVABIUTY. .■I v» fTl} ' 33 Y REV. GEO. JOHNSON, IX)AVKR l^ior? roK. I also will show my opinion." — Job. HALIFAX. DAILY REPORTEU AND TfMES STEAM PRINTING FSTABLISHMENT. 1877. :.^... ^> mmm r :i.^ HUMAN DEPRAVITY AND SALVABILITV i By Adam's traiisrrrcs?I();i man is (l'<|/iy faUi-ii mid di3- pravcd. He has lost the mor;d ima<;e of do!. This imauc is not only hecome defaced, hut is uMcriy oliliuM-atoil. It is erased from the luiman soul. Ifc no hnij^cr resemhhis (}od in righteousness and holiness, and hoars iio roal likeness to him in knowledge, dominion and |)o\ver. Ilo has h)st that essential, substantial, real and perfect lesemhlunco lo the Divine liein^, in which ho was originally created. He wlio wis made holy, pure, free from imperfection, and declared l>y («od " veiy good," has become a fallen, depraved sinner. alienate [iropcrly guided by the infallable Word of (jod. To the Law and the Testimony, to the declarations of the iVivino l]i!ing, we must scrupulously attend, in order that we may ascertain the mind of the Most High. »v 37^1J>' «■ • III Scripture it is said, " Adam begat a son in his own like- ness, after his imago." (Gen. 5, 3.) Adam being a fallen and corrupt sinner, he begat a son in his own image, depraved, sinful, defiled, frail, mortal and miserable, liable to sorrow, pain, sufTering and deatii. He was a sinner like himself, de- generate, corrupt, guilty and obnoxious to wrath. It was im- po^siblo tliat ho who was impure, fallen from the Divine image, with a nature wholly depraved, could beget a pure and holy oll'spring. This is as impossible as that an impure fountain should send forth pure water, or that a cause should produce olFects perfectly dissiir'lar from itself. " God saw that every imagination of the thoughts of man's heart," or soul, " was only evil continually," (Gen. 6, 5), and that " from his youth." (Gen. 8, 21). Tlie embryo of every thought, the conception of every idea, with all the perceptions, sensations, purposes, motives and desires, are only evil. The fountain, the soul, the source of these affections, is perfectly poisoned, and that without any mixture of good. The whole man is polluted, and that continually. In a state of nature there is no good in him: the stream of sin is full, strong and constant. And this depravity he develops from Ids youth. He brought it into the world with him, being conceived and shapen in it, and ho manifests it from his very childhood. It is therefore justly afiirmcd that man has a depraved nature, and the imaginations of his heart are " evil from his youth." David says, " Behold, I was shapen in iniquity ; and in siu did my mother conceive me." (Ps. 51, 5.) He was born, as aie all Ihc human race, with strong propensities and dispositions to sill. Ho was, as well as all others, the corrupted, degenerate olfsijriiig of corrupted, degenerate parents. This shows the source whence transgressions proceed. The sinful principle diffused itself through the whole, so that the body and soul grew uj), and came into the world, in a state of spiritual cor- ruption and moral imperfection. From this evil fountain flow all the foul streams of iniquity. Again : " The wicked are estranged from the womb; they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies." (l*s. 58, 3.) The wicked^ or fallen men, are estranged from God, and from all godliness, /row ^/t? womb. From their tender years, or rather strictly and properly, from their birth : their very natures and principles are corrupt even from their infancy : they arc the wicked offsjiring of sinful parents. They go astray by actual sins, the fruit of their original corruption, as soon as they are ho^n — as soon as ever thoy are capable of the exercise of reason, and tiie practice of sinning." — Benson. These words then prove that man is " alienated from the life of God," from the time of his coming into the world. From the time of his birth, m mi like- a fallen opraved, sorrow, iself, (Ic- was im- ) imago, lud holy bun tain produce f man's 5), and of every 3options, a. The perfectly lolo man there is constant. Dught it it, and re justly [inations d in sill born, as positions generate ows the )rinciple md soul ual cor- ain flow they go 3.) The from all r rather ires and aiu the •y actual thei/ are r reason, ds then from the lis birth, ho " know not the way of truth," neither can ho, unless he is " born of God." "Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean ? Not one." (Job 14, 4.) It is the common and inevitable lot of oveiy man who descends from sinful parents, and being thus infected with original corruption, to bo unavoidable unclean. It is as im- possil)le for clean children to come from unclean jtarcnts, or clean pertormancos from an unclean principle, as for pure streams to proceed from impure fountains, grapes from thorn?, or figs from thistles. Dr. Adam Clarko says, " The text refers to man's ori'^innl and corrupt nature. Every man that is borii into the world comes into it in a corrupt or sinful state. This is called original sin ; and is derived from fallen Adam, who is the stock, to the utmost ramifications of the human family." Here Job humbly acknowledges lils total sinfulness ; and con- fesses that he dosorved the judgment, which he prays God not to inflict. Again: " What is man that he should be clean ? and he that is born of a w(minn, that ho should be righteous?" (Job 15, 14.) What is weak, frail, sickly, dying, imperfect, miserable man, that he should be dean ? Is it possible for him who is born of fallen, sinful parents, and has derived from them a de- praved, infirm, corrupt nature, to be pure in the sight of an infinitely holy God? Can ho be riyhtenis in his nature, in his own eyes, or in the eyes of others, and especially in the sight of the Just and Holy One ? Many passajies of Scripture represent man, by natural birth, in a state of defilement ; and that every human being born in the world is morally polluted. Job says, " Vain man would be wise, though man be born a wild ass's colt." (Job 11, 12.) He is untamed, fierce, un- tractable, wild, hard to be subdued or brought into subjection. As to spli'itual things he is ignorant, apathetic, stupid and in- sensible. He has no relish for them ; but is heady, conceited and ungovernable, supposing himself to be free like the wild ass's colt. vSuch is man from his birth. This evil is now natural, hereditary, and common to all men. Solomon says, " Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child." (Prov. 22, 15.) This foolishness refers to inbred corruption, and depravity of nature ; to an indisposition to what is good, and a strong propensity to evil. It is bound up in the heart of a child; is fixed and settled there; being born witli him, and rooted in his very nature. It is, as tlie original signifies, fast- ened to him, as it were, by strong cords, firmly or deeply fixed in his inmost nature, pervading, subduing and degrading the pQwers, faculties, feelings and acts of the soul. ^IF wm I I (lod usf-orts that " the children of men" aro "ullgouc aside, arc altogether become filthy : none doeth good, no, not one." {Va. 14, 3.) Or as the Apostle expresses it: "There is none righteous," in his natural state, " no, not one." Every soul therefore is " guilty before God." (Rom. 8, 10, 19.) And " that which is born of the flesh is flesh." (John 3, C.) This is a natural and inevitable result. Like begets like. The plant will ever be of the nature of tho seed that produces it. The corrupt tree brings forth corrupt fruit. The offspring are li!v(! the parents. Depraved parents, therc^'.ic, have depraved (children. Tliey resemble them not only in their physical and mentiil natures, bu( also in their moral. Their minds and Iheir natures aro transmitted with their bodies, by natural tra- duction. This is evident from facts j^ for children not only re- ^emljlo their parents in physical features, but in mental dispo- sitions, and also in their passions, affections and evil pr^pcnsi ties. 'J'hat which is born of the flesh is flesh." Man's deprave • nature is fleshly, void of tho saving influences of the spirit, carnal and corrupt, therefore at enmity with the Spirit, and op- posed to virtue. All who proceed from sinful and corrupt |)arcnts, are sinful and corrupt. This is natural, certain, in- evitable ! The native moral pollution or unholiness of infants has been fully proved by the passages already cited, and must be ad- mitted by all who correctly understand the teachings of the Bible. Although, throngh the atonement of Christ, infants are in a safvalle state, or in a position that they may he saved ^ it does not follow that they are born in a state of justiflcation or perfect innocence; and that, consequently, they are in no sense guilty. They are not only depraved and polluted, but, in a certain sense, they are guilty, not by personal account- ability, but as involved in the guilt of Adam's sin. This im- portant truth is evident from scriptnro and facts, and is a doctrine taught and received by the Wosleyan Church. The Psalmist says, " I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive mo." Wo have already shown that these words refer to man's original ^epravity, which is the source whence all sin proceeds. Dr. Clarke states, " I believe David to speak here of what is commonly called original sin. Tho sinful principle difl'used itself through the whole, so that body and mind grow up in a state of corruption and moral imper- fection." The native innocence of infants cannot be maintain- ed without positively contradicting this text. Benson adds, " This verse is generally understood by both Jews and Chris- tians, and most justly, of what we call original sin." Again : " The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.** (Isa., 53, 6.) Dr. Clarke : " The Lord hath caused to meet 1 w -rvt t:»*uvemwsi twi.intt!***" 1 gone aside, ), not one." ero is none Pjvery soul Jolui 3, C.) s like. The produces it. )ffspring are ^e depraved >liysical and minds and natural tra- not only re- lental dispo- il pr -opens' I's deprave '. the spirit, irit, and op- md corrupt certain, in- ts has been must be ad- iings of the fist, infants ay be saved, justification ' are in no lluted, but, il account- . This im- s, and is a jh. in sin did that these the source ieve David sin. The ) that body )ral imper- ) maintain- iison adds, and Chris- of us all." d to meet : in him the punishment due the iniquities of all.*' Benson : " Jle hath made to meet on hinty the punishment due for all the bins of all mankind." Infants arc here included, or olhcrwiso all only means a part, which is absurd. If the punishment due to the original sin attached to infants vas not laid on Christ, he never died for them, so they are safe without a Redeemer. If infants be included in the passage, whicli is most evident, thoy arc guilty ; for their " iniquitff was laid upon Christ." If Christ suffered for infants, (and who will question this truth,) it was either for their guilt or their innocence. Where there is no guilt, there is no exposure ty forfeiture or other penalty; and a perfect innocent being could not sutler eternal torment, nor even be punished at all. If infants be in a state of justification or perfect innocence, it will lollow that the sutferings of Christ, as to them, were useless. The truth, however, is, they not only come into the world with polluted natures, but are exposed to punishment, and arc therefor*'. guilty in view of the Law and Government of God, as a conse- quence of original sin visited upon them i om Adam. This view of the subject is stated in the New i jstament, "that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God "; for all have sinned ^ nd come sl.jii of liic glory of God." (Rom. 3, 1',^, 23.) Dr. Clarke buys, " Both JewB uiii Gentiles stand convicted before God; for all mankind have sinned against this law "; therefore aii arc " equally help- less and guilty." Benson adds, '" all have sinned in Adam and in their own persons ; by a sinful nature, sinful tempois, and sinful actions." " All men" arc said to be under " condcmna- tion " for " the offence of one," or by one oflcncc. (Rom. 5, 18.) " All men," here include infants, who are under con- demnation for the sin of Adam, and are, as a necessary conse- quence, involved in the guilt of Adam's sin. Who can care- fully read the fifth chapter to the Romans, and not be con- vinced that all mankind, of every age, are accounted by God as sinful and guilty, for the disobedience of Adam V Dr, Clarke, therefore, justly says, " in or through Adam, guilt came upon all men." This doctrine is also evident from facts. By Adam's sin infants are not only polluted, or bring into the world with them depraved natures, but they are liable to pain, sufToiiiijj;', disease, sickness and death. These, we presume, could not be inflicted upon infants if they were perfectly innocent or pure, and in no way involved in Adam's transgression. That they thus suffer is proof sufficient that God does not view them as Innocent, spotless and pure, bui as fallen, depraved and guilty, in view of His law and Government, in consequence of original ( i 'fH"m' ■■ 8 sin being visited upon tliera. " By one man," Adam, " sin entered into the world," — (Rom. o, 12,) his transgression and its consequences, including actual sin, and a sinful nature, which he conveyed to all his posterity. Dr. Clarke says, " Natural evil is evidently the effect of moral evil ; if man had never sinned, ho had never suffered." "Death passed upon all men," — Hence " we sec that all human beings partook in the conseiiuenccs of Adam's sin." " For that all liave sinned." All are born with a depraved sinful nature. It is a fearful truth : " There has never been one instance of an immaculate human soul since the, fall of Adam." The doctrine of iufaut depravity and guilt is believed and taught as a fundamental truth, in the Standard Works of the Methodist Church. We shall only select from them a few proofs, taken from the very many found iu their writings. Mr. Wesley, " On Original Sin," says, " Xo just constitution can punish the innocent; therefore, Ood docs not look upon infants as innocent, but as involved in tlic (jiiilt of Adam's sin. Otherwise, death, the punishment denounced against sin, could not be inflicted upon them." Again : " Death is not only a natural but a penal evil, and comes ui)on infants as guiltu and condemned, not for their own shis, for they had none ; but for the sin of Adam, their legal head, their appointed representa- tive." Mr. Flecher, in his appeal says, " If we are naturally innocent, we have a natural power to remain so, and by a proper use of it, we may avoid standing in need of the salvation procured by Christ for the lost." Watson's Institutes : — "■ The fact of (infants) being born liable to death, a part of the penalty is sufficient to show that they were born under the whole malediction." Again : " The death and suffering to which ciiildren are subject, is a proof that all men, from their birth, are constituted, as the Apostle has it, and treated as sinners." Mr. Benson, Dr. Clarke, Dr. Bunting, and all the leading minds of the Methodist Church hold the same doctrine. The guilt of Adam's sin, it must be admitted, from scripture and factSj as sanctioned and taught in Wesleyan Theology, is charged upon his whole posterity. That sound scholar and theologian, the gentlemanly and devoted Rev. W. L. Thornton, M. A., in one of his latest utterances, expresses the following important truth : " We never felt the necessity more than noio of affirming man's utter fall, ruin, and hopelessness, and his need of a divine Saviour." That all are depraved and guilty before God are clearly and forcibly stated in the doctrinal standards of Wesleyan Metho- dism. Wesley says, " In Adam ail died, all human kind, all who were then in Adam's loins. The natural consequence of this is, that every one descended from him, comes into the to as .i.^2.... ^^ 9 world spiritually dead, dead to God, wholly dead in sin^ entirely void of the life of God, void of the image of God, of all that righteousness and holiness wherein Adam was created. Instead of this, every man born into the world, now bears the image of the devil, in pride and seli-will; the image of the beast, in sensual appetites and desires. Thie, then, is the foundation of the new birth, the entire corruption of our nature. Hence it is, (hat being ' born' in sin,' we must be born again. Hence, every one born of a woman, must be born of the spirit of God." Benson states, " We siinied in Adam, and derived from him a corrupt nature ; and were thereby made subject to condemna- tion, and are earthly, sensual, and devilish." Mr. Watson believed that all mankind are Ifj nature totally depraved : " The doctrine, then, of Scripture is, I think, clearly established to be that of the natural and universal corruption of man's nature." Dr. Clarke adds: "Not one human spirit is born into the world without this corruption of nature. All arc im- pure ai;d unholy ; and from this principle of depravity all transgression is produced; and from this corruption of nature God alone can save." These quotations aro certainly sufiicient to show the views of the leading minds in the Weslcyan liody on this subject. They held the total depravity of imman nature ; and their true followers must retain the same doctrine. Man then does not come into the world, as some have erro- neously asserted, with a nature so pure, or in such a state, that he is equally willing and able to receive either good or evil. He is not a mere passive thing, without any bias or inclination to good or evil. His nature is fallen and polluted, and he is, as an inevitable consequence, disposed to evil and not to good. Ho is wholly corrupt, and naturally averse to God and divine tilings. He is sunk into pride and self-will, the very image of Hatin ; and into sensual appetites, desires and passions, the imago of the beasts that perish. He is not only destitute of innate righteousness, but he is governed by inherent depravity. IS HUMAN SALVABILITY. By the salvahility of man we mean that state in which the human family is placed, in conseciucnce of the atonement of Christ, so that they can be saved. In this position are both in- fants and adults. But the saving benefits of the atonement have not so " come upon all men " as to immediately save them from all the consequences of the fall. They are by the death of Christ in a salvalle state, but not fully saved by the atonement until its wavmg benefits are applied to them by the agency of the Divine Spirit ; and this is equally applicable to infants as to adults, Accountaltle beings do not experience these saving 10 benefits until tliey repent of their sins, and believe in Christ with their hearts unto righteousness, and their natures are re- newed by the Spirit of God ; and tliese saving benefits are also so applied to infants by the Agency of the Holy Spirit, that should they die before they become moral agents, they are pre- pared for, and saved in Heaven. This view of the s abject is taken by Mr. Watson. He says, This benefit or free gift did not so " come upon all men " as "to relieve them immediateli/ from the sentence of death. This is obvious, from men being still liable to die, and from the existence of a corrupt nature or spiritual death in all mankind. As this is the case with adults, who grow up from a state of childhood, and who can botli trace the corruptness of their nature to their earliest years, and were always liable to bodily dcatli ; so for this reason, it did not come immediately upon children, whetlicr they die in in- fancy or not. For there is no more reason to conclude, that those children who die in infancy were born with a pure nature, than they who live to manhood." The fact of their being born liable to death, a part of the penalty, is sufficient to show, that they were born under the whole malediction. But the " free gift " came upon all men, by the righteous- ness of one, in order to "justification of life." By it they are salvable, or can be saved. However, by it, infants are not born justified and regenerated, nor docs it necessarily follow that, in consequence of their salvability, they must, upon their coming into the world, become justified or perfectly innocent. To say then that original sin is taken away, as to infants, by Christ, is not the correct view of the subject. The " free gift " is bestowed upon all men, adults and infants, in order to justi- fication of life, or the adjudging of the condemned to live. It is, therefore, a blessed truth, recorded in the Bible, that in consequence of the atonement of Christ, children are born in a state o{ initial salvation, or as the Apostle terms it, "unto," (gts,) in order to "justification of life." (Rom. 5, 18.) They are so reconciled to God by the death of Christ, that should they die in infancy, before committing actual sin, Ho will, by the purifying influence of His Spirit, prepare them for heaven, and receive them to glory. Mention is made in Scripture of a two-fold reconciliation, by the death of the Son of God. The first is the reconciliation of our species, by which they are in a state of salvability, termed the world, without any conditions, on the part of the reconciled ; the second is the re- conciliation and salvation of believing individuals, after having committed actual sin, by faith in " His blood." By the first, infants dying in infancy, before being guilty of actual sin, are by the Spirit of God fitted for heaven, and saved eternally. In consequence of their reh^tion to the first Adam, the general n ■CP m in- tliat gift " representative of mankind, they were '• made sinners ;" but by their relation to the second Adam, the last general representa- tive of the human race, the " free gift came upon " them in order to "justification of life." By " the offence of one," or by one offence, "judgment came upon" infants to their "con- demnation ;" but " by the righteousness of one," or by one righteousness, " tlie free gift came upon " them " unto," or in order to, "justification of life." By one sin, all come into con- demnation ; so by one righteous act, all come unto, or for the purpose of, justification of life. God tlicn can, consistently with His divine character, save infants, whom he takes from the world before they arrive at the age of accountability, without any condition on their part ; and he can also, in perfect accordance with his justice and liolincss, save all those who believe in Christ " with the heart unto righteousness." But man does not come into the world with such a nature, that he is equally disposed to receive cither good or evil. We cannot wholly impress upon the infant mind what we please. It is not in our power to change the depraved current of man's fallen mind, so as to induce him to fully do the will of God. Mere human efforts cannot change his sinful nature, or raise him from the ruins of the fall. Home say that an infant is like a sheet of white paper, upon which wo can write what we please. This, however, is a grand mistake ! Impart to thb infant so soon as it is capable of knowledge, moral and true spiritual instruction, and enforce the same by precepts and examples, still its nature will not be changed ; and in defiance of every effort, and regardless of consequences, human depra- vity will crop out, and produce actual transgression. A corrupt tree, a depraved nature, cannot scripturally bring forth the fruits of righteousness. The whole man is in a state of depravity, and nothing but Divine power can change him. It i«i then contrary to the spiritual position of redeemed fallen mu.:, the positive declarations of scripture, and unques- tionable facts, to assert that infants may be so instructed, edu- cated, watched over and guided, that they will retain, when they come to years of maturity, and through life, what is termed their justification of life, or initial salvation, and finally by it aIo7ie be brought to heaven. This doctrine is in direct oi)position to man's total depravity and to the nature of infant salvability, as stated in the Bible. It is however a blessed truth, that by t?'e sacrifice of Christ, in- fants are placed in such a state of initial salvation that God can consistently with his justice, and will, if he sees fit to take them from the world before they are capable of committing actual sin, so change and purify their souls from the depravity and spiritual pollution inherent in their fallen natures, by the divine mmmm 12 influences of His Spirit, independent of any act on their part, as to prepare them for heaven, and thus save them forever. They are "the first fruits unto God and the Lamb." But it does not follow because they are in a state of salvability, that dying in infancy, they go to lieaven simply by virtue of this state; nor is it possible for those who live to years of maturity to en- joy religion and find their way to heaven merely by their initial salvation, or because they were born under the covenant of mercy, and within the reach of salvation. Heaven is a holy place, and nothing unholy can enter there, is an acknowledged truth: but infants, notwithstanding their salvability, are unholy, are depraved, wholly void of that original righteousness in which man was created ; tiierefore the fact, tliat tliey are born salvablc, or may be saved, docs not prove that tliis state, without the renewing and purifying influences of tlie Divine Spirit upon their infant minds, can fit them for heaven ; or that by it alone can moral agents live the life of the christian, and finally enter heaven. The mere fact that man is in a salvahle state, or can be saved, does not prove that he is aetually saved. This is apiplicablo to both infants and adults. Tiie atonement, simply considered as an expiation for siji, made no sinner immediately and absolutely jighleous. The sacrifice of Christ does not apply itself to the soul of man. It is the office of the Divine Spirit to "take of the things of Christ, and show them to us." But it does not necessarily follow that infants either before or upon their coming into the world, are so in contact with the Floly Spirit as to be justified, regenerated, or perfectly iiuiocent. By the atonement of Christ, the "free gift" comes upon "all men," not to justify or purify them im- mediately, and as to adults, unconditionally, but in order to ustification of life. Tlie provision is made, the blood of Clu*ist has been shed, and, according to God's plan, the spirit applies it to the justification, not of those Avho always have been righteous, but of the ungodly. The adult is justified by faith. The infant is not required to believe, but should it die in infancy, we may justly conclude, it is justified and renewed by the Spirit of God, and prepared for heaven. The notion that infants are through Christ constituted perfectly innocent, before tliey were made guilty, or before they existed, or so soon as they began to exist, is absurd, unscriptural and contrary to facts. To suppose otherwise is to come in contact, as we have already proved, with the Bible. Adam being the common parent, or general representative of the whole iniman family, he, by the transgression of God's law, not only placed himself, but all his offspring, under the curse and wrath of God. •' By the offence of one man sin entered into the world, and death 13 by sin ; and so death passed upon all men, in whom all have sinned." All are by nature " under sin ;" for " there is none righteous, no, not one." " In Adam all died." All come into the world with sinful natures, void of all spiritual life and power, wholly dead to God ; and as the natural result of this depravity, when they come to years of accountability, they, being influenced by their depraved natures, are guilty of actual sin. Again: It is contrary to facts. We may pass over the help- lessness, ignorance, stupidity and native uncleanness of infants, which prove their degradation, and that they are cursed for man's apostacy. But if we carefully observe their anger, self-will, pride, hatred, revenge, selfishness, vanity, impatience, obstinancy, aversion to rule or restraint, their proneness to in- dulgence in sensual propensities and appetites, and a variety of other evil dispositions and tendencies, w^e cannot but perceive that these prove their depravity. They are altogether contrary to the saving influences and renewing effects of the Holy Spirit. Ilero we discover not only that they are fallen beings, but their natures are so depraved, that without the cleansing eflficacy of the Divine Spirit they cannot be prepared for, or enter heaven, whether dying in infancy or living to years of maturity. It cannot be possible for infants to go to heaven with such diabolical natures. To live forever in the mansions of purity and glory they must be prepared for them ; and this preparation can only be clfccted by the purifying influences of the Spirit of God. Their hatred, selfishness, pride, self-will, unhallowed dispositions and propensities, &c., &c., must be subdued, conquered and utterly annihilated, that they may live forever with Jesus. Their initial salvation or salvahility then is not sufficient of itself to save them. If it prepared them for, or if by it alone they were lit for heaven, they would bo deliv- ered from their depraved natures, unhallowed desires and sinful developments. This, however, is not the case ; still, as they are born under the covenant of mercy, God will by His Spirit, should they die in infancy, cleanse them from their depravity, prepare them for, and save them in heaven. That infants are not born perfectly innocent is evident from the fact, that the seeds of natural and moral evil are propa- gated, or transmitted by natural traduction. Mortal and sinful man could not communicate properties which he did not possess. He must transmit those which constitute his natural and moral likeness ; therefore all his posterity must resemble himself. Nothing short of a constant miraculous energy, presiding over the formation and development of every human body and soul, could prevent these seeds of evil from existing. They are not produced in man by his own personal fansgressions ; but they 14 exist before the human being is capable of actual sin, or the exorcise of will and judgment, so as to prefer and determine. This is evident from the evil propensities, etc., of children, long before reason can have any influence or control over passion. It is also demonstrated by the sufferings and death of infants. The doctrine of the perfect innocence of infants, which has been the source of pernicious heresies in the church, is encum- bered with iuBuperdble difficulties. 1. It avows the principle that the stream is more perfect than the fountain whence it emanates. Adam's nature was sinful and guilty : if he imparted a pure and innocent nature to his posterity, the stream must rise in perfection above its fountain ; but this is both absurd and unscriptural. 2. It destroys, to use the words of Dr. Ralston, "the conncc - tion between cause and effect, and tlms saps the foundation ot all philosophy and reason. That death is the effect of sin and guilt, the scriptures plainly declare. Now, if all guilt is taken away in infants, the effect of guilt exists, in their case, without a cause ; nor can it, on Bible principles, be accounted for. 3. It overturns a radical and essential principle in the Divine Government; which is that the guilty, and not the innocent, are the proper subjects of punishment. Now if in- fants are perfectly innocent it follows, as they are punished with death, that the just principles of government arc destroyed. 4. It strikes at the foundation of the doctrhic of redemption. For if infants are innocent, Chiist came not to save them ; he came to save sinners." It is then an important truth, evident from scriptur'^, reason and the position of man, that infants are born depraved and sinful, and are guilty in view of the law and government of God, in consequence of being involved in the guilt of Adam's sin. The "free gift " has, however, come upon infants as well as adults, in order to justification of life. By it infants are in a salvable state, through the atonement of Christ, so that they can be saved, and will, if they die in infancy. But their salva- bility does not of itself immediately place them in a state of justification, regeneration or perfect innocence, as is certain from, 1st, The express declarations of scripture ; 2nd, Their depraved natures and practices ; and 3rd, Their sufferings and death. But it secures to them, independent of any act on their part, initial salvation, and in case of death, an ultimate rescue from the deplorable condition and suffering in which they are involved by original sin. Redemption and regeneration are different in their nature and effects. The former procured the salvation of all men, so that they may be saved, and absolutely secures eternal life for all who die in infancy ; but regeneration does not necessarily accompany salvability, as is demonstrated by the position of both Infants and adults.' ■M ^^mm 15 Great stress is placed bj^-some, who are desirous to establisli the doctrine of the perfect innocence of infants, upon those parts of the Bible where mention is made of "justification of life," " little ones," " little children,"