SUCH is the general account of the progrefs of vice, where it is fuffered to attain to its full growth in the human heart. The circumftances of individuals indeed will be found to differ; the fervitude of fome, to continue a figure fo exactly defcriptive of the cafe, is more rigorous than that of others, their bonds more galling, their degradation more complete. Some too have for a while appeared almoft to have efcaped from their confinement; but none are altogether free; all without exception, in a greater or lefs degree, bear about them more vifible or more concealed, the difgraceful marks of their сарtivity.

SUCH on a full and fair investigation must be confeffed to be the ftate of facts; and how can this be accounted for on any other fuppofition, than that of fome original taint, fome radical principle of corruption? All other folutions are unfatisfactory, whilst the potent cause which has been affigned, does abundantly, and can alone fufficiently account for the effect. It appears then, that the corruption of human nature is proved by the fame mode of reafoning, as that which hath been deemed conclufive in eftablishing the exiftence of the principle of gravitation and afcertaining

6

afcertaining its laws; that the doctrine refts on that folid bafis on which Newton hath raised the superstructure of his fublime philosophy; that it is not a mere fpeculation ; an uncertain, though perhaps an ingenious theory, but the fure refult of large and actual experiment; deduced from inconteftable facts, and ftill more fully approving its truth by harmonizing with the feveral parts and accounting for the various phænomena, jarring otherwife and inexplicable, of the great fyftem of the universe.

HERE, however, 'Revelation interposes, and fuftains the fallible conjectures of our unaffifted reafon. The Holy Scriptures fpeak of us as fallen creatures; in almost every page we shall find something that is calculated to abate the loftinefs and filence the pretenfions of man. "The imagination of "man's heart is evil from his youth.” “What "is man, that he fhould be clean and he "which is born of a woman, that he should "be righteous *,” "How much more abo"minable and filthy is man, which drinketh

iniquity like water+?" "The Lord looked "down from heaven upon the children of

SECT.

I.

"men,

СНАР.

II.

men, to fee if there were any that did "understand, and feek God. They are all gone afide; they are altogether become

66

filthy there is none that doeth good, no "not one *.' "Who can fay, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my fin†?” "The heart is deceitful above all things, and defperately wicked, who can know it." "Behold, I was fhapen in wickednefs, and "in fin hath my mother conceived me." "We were by nature the children of wrath,

66

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even as others, fulfilling the defires of the "flesh and of the mind." "O wretched "man that I am, who fhall deliver me from "the body of this death!"-Paffages might be multiplied upon paffages, which speak the fame language, and these again might be illuftrated and confirmed by various other confiderations, drawn from the fame facred fource; fuch as thofe which reprefent a thorough change, a renovation of our nature, as being neceflary to our becoming true Chrif tians; or which are fuggefted by obferving that holy men refer their good difpofitions and affections to the immediate agency of the Supreme Being.

SECTION II.

Evil Spirit.-Natural State of Man.

SECT.

II.

BUT the word of God inftructs us that Evil Spirit.. we have to contend not only with our own natural depravity, but with the power of darknefs, the Evil Spirit, who rules in the hearts of the wicked, and whofe dominion we learn from Scripture to be fo general, as to entitle him to the denomination of "the "Prince of this world." There cannot be a ftronger proof of the difference which exists between the religious fyftem of the Scriptures, and that of the bulk of nominal Chrif tians, than the proof which is afforded by the fubject now in queftion. The existence and agency of the Evil Spirit, though fo diftinctly and repeatedly affirmed in Scripture, are almoft univerfally exploded in a country which professes to admit the authority of the facred volume. Some other Doctrines of Revelation, the force and meaning of which are commonly in a great degree explained away, are yet conceded in general terms. But this feems almoft on the point of being univerfally abandoned, as a poft no longer tenable. It is regarded as an evanefcent prejudice, which it would now be a difcredit to any man of

under

II.

CHAP. understanding to believe. Like ghofts and witches and other phantoms, which haunted the night of fuperftition, it cannot in these more enlightened times ftand the test of our feverer fcrutiny. To be fuffered to pass away quietly, is as much as it can hope for; and it might rather expect to be laughed off the ftage as a juft object of contempt and deri

fion.

BUT although the Scripture doctrine concerning the Evil Spirit is thus generally exploded, yet were we to confider the matter ferioufly and fairly, we fhould probably find ground for believing that there is no better reafon for its being abandoned, than that many abfurd ftories, concerning spirits and apparitions, have been used to be propagated amongst weak and credulous people; and that the Evil Spirit not being the object of our bodily eyes, it would argue the fame weakness to give credit to the doctrine of its existence and agency. But to be consistent with ourselves, we might almost as well, on the fame principle, deny the reality of all other incorporeal beings. What is there, in truth, in the doctrine, which is in itfelf improbable, or which is not confirmed by analogy? We fee, in fact, that there are wicked

men,