O Almighty God, who hast built thy Church upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the head corner-stone; grant us so to be joined together in unity of spirit by their doctrine, that we may be made an holy temple acceptable unto thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

DOCTRINES OF THE CHURCH.

CHAPTER I.

HUMAN DEPRAVITY.

The two great subjects which pervade the bible are the ruin of mankind by the fall, and their recovery by the atonement of Jesus Christ. In the very commencement of our inquiry, therefore, it seems necessary to state distinctly the doctrine of the church and of scripture concerning the present moral condition of our race. The first pages of our bible tell us of the introduction of sin into this our world, and the consequent corruption of the whole posterity of Adam; and all the subsequent parts of scripture are intended to point out the means of salvation, and to lead a perishing world to happiness and God. In a word, open this sacred book in whatever place you may, and you will find that sin, and salvation from sin, are the never-failing themes of the inspired penmen. Man is continually spoken of as lost and ruined by nature, and as altogether unable to procure his own restoration and pardon. This is the basis of the gospel scheme of salvation, to which the Old Testament dispensation was designed to lead us, and which the "covenant of better hopes" unfolds in all its richness and sufficiency.

The doctrine of the church, every where set forth in her Liturgy, Articles and Homilies is, that the corruption of human nature is general and hereditary; that "all

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men are conceived and born in sin."* But with her usual wisdom and moderation, she does not presume to determine the degree of corruption; she only ventures to say that "man is very far gone from original righteousness, and is of his own nature inclined to evil." This truth is so plainly recognized throughout all the offices of the church, that we hardly need point to individual instances. To mention only the introductory sentences, where, in the very words of scripture, we are told that "if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us," in the exhortation, we are required "to acknowledge and confess our manifold sins," which we do in the general confession, declaring that "there is no health in us," and in the litany, again beseech each of the three persons in the adorable Trinity, to "have mercy upon us, miserable sinners."

The language of the church, in her Baptismal service, is, "Forasmuch as all men are conceived and born in sin;" in her Catechism, "Being by nature born in sin, and the children of wrath ;" and in her ninth article, "Original sin is the fault and corruption of the nature of every man, that naturally is engendered of the offspring of Adam."

That this is the unhappy condition of the whole human family, that they are very far gone from original righteousness, prone to evil continually, "having no hope, and without God in the world," appears from the express and repeated testimony of scripture, and is con

firmed by the universal experience of mankind. We read in our bibles that "the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth;" that "there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good and sinneth not ;" that "the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked;" that "the carnal mind is enmity against God;" that "in our flesh dwelleth no good thing;" that "by one man sín entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned."* These expressions of scripture are sufficient to show that the whole human race are by nature corrupt; that a moral pollution is spread over our whole kind. It is a leprosy of the soul, which was inherited from the first man, and has descended, from generation to generation, through all his posterity, without any change or cure. It begins with our existence, continues with us through life, and descends with us to the grave; for "this infection of nature doth remain, yea, in them that are regenerated; so that the flesh lusteth always contrary to the Spirit."+ This propensity to evil, this sinful principle, exists in us all; and as it was born with us, so, unless checked and subdued by divine grace, it goes on growing with our growth and strengthening with our strength. If we honestly consult our own hearts, they will attest this melancholy truth. Hence the first thing which every man living has to learn, is that he is a sinner; next, that "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners."

* Gen. viii. 21. Eccles. vii. 20. Jer. xvii. 9. Rom. v. 12, vii. 18, viii. 7. † Art. ix.

Never can he embrace the doctrines of the cross, until he feels that he has need of pardon.

In the doctrine of human depravity, then, must be laid the foundation on which is to be built that system of christian doctrines and duties by which the punishment due to sin may be averted, the lost image of God restored, and man be made a partaker of that heaven of bliss and glory, which he has forfeited, and which his naturally corrupt heart renders him utterly disqualified for enjoying.