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in the preservation and encouragement of that morality, without which society would go to ruin. But, with all these restraints and improvements, his nature must ever remain, so far as regards his own endeavours, the same as at the first moment of his birth. To change it, requires an exertion of the creating power; a power, which the creature does not possess.

Nothing but such a change as we have adverted to, can fit man for performing the will of the Deity, in this world, or prepare him for his presence and enjoyment, in that which is to come. The designs of God all tend to virtue and good, and are opposed to vice and evil. If human nature, then, be essentially depraved, what an awful spectacle does it present, of an inaptitude to love and serve God; or rather, of a direct hostility to his character, purposes, and will Reason, indeed, may teach man exalted ideas of his Creator, and prompt to his worship; but as long as evil is in the heart, the rational faculty only adds to guilt. The same principle may conduct to the performance of certain actions, as pleasing to God, and to the avoiding of others as displeasing; but this is the homage resulting from the fear of a foe; a conduct which can never change the party who renders it into a friend; but which, on the contrary, aggravates the hatred which the dread of a superior had inspired.

Nor is this view of human nature peculiar to those who possess the Christian religion. On the contrary, those men of enlarged understanding, who have mingled much in the concerns of the world, and have thus acquired, from experience, ability to form a correct judgment, hold the same language. The maxims of Rochefoucault, each of which seems to have been written down from the life, describe selfishness as the main ingredient in the human character, and the common sentiments of the learned and the great, who have the best opportunities of studying and observing human nature, concur in pronouncing an unfavourable opinion. The caution

and suspicion necessary in the common transactions of socie ty, lead to the same conclusion. Nor let those who enjoy retirement, claim an exemption, for that virtue may well be safe, which has never been tried. To consider human depravity as acquired wholly, by intercourse with the world, is to contradict constant experience, which exhibits the dawnings of vice as coeval with those of intellect. Indeed, many vices are checked by the growth of reason; and, if this were not the case, the universality of evil imperiously leads us to pronounce it a part of the innate character of the species, and not of accidental occurrence to each individual. The doctrine of the original depravity of mankind may, therefore, be considered as established by common consent, manifested in conduct, if not in language, by men in all ages.

From a consideration of this fundamental and palpable truth, results the conformity seen in the Christian religion when revealed to right reason; or, rather, the absolute necessity of just such a system to secure the happiness of mankind. Human reason, indeed, never could have imagined such a system; and accordingly we find, that, before it was promulgated, nearly three hundred different opinions, as to the pursuit of happiness, divided the wisdom of ancient times; nor could the light of those faculties which still shine as stars through the distance and darkness of antiquity, astonishing us with thoughts of their magnitude and brilliancy, cast a single ray of light on the path from earth to heaven; or even guide the mass of the community aright in the duties and employments pertaining to this world.

The change which is necessary in human nature, must take place in a supernatural way. The goodness of God leads us to suppose that such a way would be provided. The only way is revealed by Jesus Christ. It obviously requires man's accession to this way, in order to his being saved. It is equally plain, that a corrupt nature cannot effect this. Hence the necessity of faith, and that it should be given by

God. The Sacred Scriptures inform us that it is wrought, in the mind, by the Holy Ghost. The same power which works faith in the soul, by which it becomes justified in the sight of God, can and will produce repentance and good works.

Reason would not lead us to expect that the gift should be received, while the mind is occupied on other objects. From the command, we learn the duty of seeking it; and we are furnished, by the promises, with ample encouragement to seek. The way is abundantly pointed out to us; we are instructed to pray, to read and meditate on the Holy Scriptures, to break off from all known sin, and practise all known duty; to attend diligently on public worship, to seek Christian fellowship; to use frequent self-examination; to relinquish the pursuit of worldly pleasures and honours, and to abandon, except so far as is necessary for the purposes of business, the company of worldly men.

The preceding outline of the state of human nature, and of the remedy provided for its restoration to lost virtue and happiness, will not, we hope, be considered wholly out of place, as an introduction to the review of a work, the object of which is, professedly, of the same nature with our remarks. Having laid before our readers an imperfect sketch of those doctrines which it is the design of Dr. Chalmers to illustrate and enforce, we are prepared to enter on a survey of his work, which we consider a valuable accession to the theological department of literature.

We have been informed that Dr. Chalmers, who is well known as a Scotish clergyman of considerable celebrity, was first led to embrace what are usually termed evangelical doctrines, on the occasion of his writing a theological article for an Encyclopædia. Some time since he published a volume of sermons, designed to obviate certain objections to Christianity, arising from the modern astronomical discoveries, and which were prevalent within his sphere of preaching.

This volume was reprinted in octavo, in the United States, and proved its author to be a writer of no inconsiderable abilities. As a speaker, we have heard him described to be without gracefulness of action, but endued with remarkable powers of interesting the audience in his subject, to which we suppose that the merit of his compositions greatly adds. He is the author of a work on the economy of cities with reference to religious instructions, part of which is reviewed in Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine,

The general subject of the present volume, is to point out the depravity of human nature, as a disease infecting the fairest as well as the most degraded of worldly characters: and to unfold the kind and gentle invitations of the gospel. In delivering his message, the author had, doubtless, to conflict with strong prejudices, on the part of many of his hearers; and it appears to have been his aim, at once not to conceal the truth, and to present it under such an aspect as to obtain the approbation of the understanding, and to win the affections,

The object of the first sermon is to show that the human understanding is not equal, of itself, to obtain an adequate knowledge of Divine truth.

This, we apprehend, is a legitimate conclusion from the depravity of human nature. If the works and ways of all mankind, naturally, are of a different tendency from those of the Deity, man, who is a creature endued with reason, and who, if that reason were properly illuminated, must, necessarily, from his constitution, act in obedience to its dictates, must have his understanding, in his natural state, much enfeebled. We are disposed to admit that it is by no means an uncommon thing, in human action, for reason to point one way, and passion another.

- Video meliora, proboque;

Deteriora Sequor:

VOL. II.

I see the right, and I approve it too;

I hate the wrong, and yet the wrong pursue

'Helas! en guerre avec moi-me:ne,
Ou pourrai-je trouver la paix?
Je veux, et n' accomplis jamais.
Je veux; mais (o misere extreme!)
Je ne fais pas le bien que j'aime,
Et je fais le mal que je hais.'

Racine.

But we maintain, that the light which reason sheds must be faint indeed, when it is liable to be obscured by passion, and cannot direct our paths, as to our most important concerns. Indeed, if we consider the whole nature of man as depraved, the greatest depravity must exist in that faculty which ranks the highest is his composition, and this, undoubted, is his understanding.

It may then be said, 'how is this doctrine consistent with the fact of the mighty exertions of which the human mind is capable? Do not the noble monuments which science has reared, attest the wonderful scope, and the amazing activity of the intellectual powers of man?'

To this argument we answer, that the exclusion of the hu man mind from one sphere of action, does, by no means suppose that it cannot act in another, and a subordinate sphere.

If these conclusions be correct, it will then follow that no external impressions can have any effect upon the human mind, unless its capacity be enlarged, so as to be suited to their admission. The wonders of nature silently proclaim the being and attributes of God, and call upon man to render obedience to his will. The volume of revelation and the preaching of the gospel more explicitly unfold to man the nature of his Creator, and his own. But so long as his mind remains in its state of original darkness, it cannot receive or comprehend these lessons, in a suitable manner. What affinity has light with darkness, and how can a being,

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