he putteth no trust in his saints; yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight. How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water?"

We need not tell you that we propose to-day to treat of the depravity of man. The subject, indeed, is a humiliating one: but little do we know, dear hearers, of our own hearts, if we have yet to learn, that humiliation is the very thing of which we are all most in need.

In prosecuting our present discourse, there are two distinct, though collateral, points, to which we shall ask your attention, viz. first, the universal and total depravity of man; and, second, the native depravity of man.

The first topic, then, on which we shall insist, is that of the universal and total depravity of man.-And here, a few preliminary remarks, by way of explanation, may be proper.

When we speak of the universal depravity of man, we refer to the species in general, and our meaning is simply this: that all the individuals of our race have sinned, in a greater or less degree. They have transgressed the rule of duty, not only as laid down in the inspired record, but as ascertained by the dictates of their own consciences -as indicated by the very structure of their moral constitution. This truth is certainly taught in our text. The epithets abominable and filthy are here applied, not to some men, but to man in general; and so we are here told, not that some men "drink iniquity like water," but that man in general does this. There are likewise many other scriptural passages which teach the same thing. Let us take one of the fullest and most striking. It occurs in the third chapter of the Epistle to the Romans, and consists of quotations from the Old Testament. "There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They

are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one." And in a subsequent verse of the same chapter, the apostle declares, in the most unqualified terms, that "all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Now, with regard to this portion of sacred writ, it has been justly remarked, that the inspired penman is here speaking, not so much of particular individuals, as of the entire race. His representations, it is very true, were most literally applicable to the men of his own age and country. But they are not less really applicable to the men of every age and country. In fact, if this were not the case, they would be irrelevant to the object of his argument in the chapter, which is, to prove that all mankind have become guilty before God, and need the expiatory virtues of a Saviour's blood.

Again, when we speak of the total depravity of man, we refer to the individuals of our race in particular; and one or two observations may be necessary to explain fully and distinctly our meaning.

First, then, by the total depravity of man, we do not mean that all the individuals of our race are equally cor rupt. There is a very great difference among men, in respect to their degrees of moral turpitude. To deny this would be to adopt the maxim of the ancient Stoics, who held that all sins were equal.

Nor, by the total depravity of man, do we mean that the individuals of our race exhibit no estimable traits of moral character. On the contrary, we admit that man, though fallen and corrupt, often displays a high degree of remaining virtue. There is much in the transactions of business-much in the toils and self-denials of patriotism—much in the charities of neighbourhood—and much in the endearments of domestic life,-on which it is not

extravagant to say, that the pure eyes of the Divinity may look with a kind of complacency.

What, then, it will now be inquired, do we mean by the total depravity of man? Our meaning, we answer, is briefly this; that the extent and degree of man's corruption are such, that all his views, and feelings, and purposes, and acts, so far as they are of a moral nature, fall immeasurably below the just and reasonable requirements of his Maker—that the prevailing state of his heart is characterized by a settled aversion to the divine authority and laws. He delights not to contemplate the holiness and justice of Deity. This truth is taught in our text. The epithets abominable and filthy, and the assertion that we "drink iniquity like water," can surely imply nothing less. There is another passage of sacred writ, which declares, in the most peremptory terms, that "every imagination of the thoughts of man's heart, is only evil continually." This language, to be sure, was spoken with a particular reference to the antediluvian world. But human nature is essentially the same in every period. The deluge was not followed by a new creation. The earth was peopled afterwards by the descendants of those who lived before.-A third passage in point, is that place of Jeremiah, where we read, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?”

Having thus explained what it is that we mean by the universal and total depravity of man, we may advance to the proof of this doctrine. Allusion has already been made to some of the scriptural passages which have a bearing on this subject. Many more of a similar purport might easily be adduced. But it will probably be more interesting to inquire, how far the truth in question is established by facts lying within the range of ordinary observation and experience.

As one evidence of this truth, we observe, that there has never been an individual of our race, except the man Christ Jesus, who has enjoyed the reputation of being perfectly free from the taint of moral evil. This is a remarkable fact, on which much stress has been laid, but not more than it is fairly entitled to. We demand only a single instance of a human being, in respect to whom those who had the opportunity of knowing the circumstances of his life, have pronounced, that, in their honest belief, he never committed a moral error. Help us, if you can, to such an instance. History furnishes none. Present observation furnishes none. The Son of God is the only partaker of our common nature, concerning whom it may be believed, on the concurrent testimony of friends and foes, that he did no sin, neither was any guile found in his mouth. Every other member of the human family lies at least under a strong presumption of guilt. We feel persuaded, brethren, that however extended may be the circle of your acquaintance, and however long you may have lived in the world, you have never yet had the happiness to meet with a solitary person, whose conduct has appeared, in all respects, precisely such as it ought to have been. It has been said, that no man is a hero in the eyes of his servants. We are sure, that no man is a saint in the estimation of his intimate friends.

As a second evidence of the truth for which we contend, we observe, that the religions of all nations, ancient and modern, have recognized, as a leading principle, the universality of human corruption. It is certain, that the sacrificial rite, whenever or however it may have originated, had obtained from time immemorial over the whole known world, at the era of the commencement of the Christian economy; since which period it has been found

to prevail among all the Pagan nations of the earth. Now this rite has always been understood as implying guilt on the part of man, and placability on the part of God. We perceive these notions relative to the nature and design of animal oblations distinctly stated even in so old an author as Homer:

"If broken vows this heavy curse have laid,
Let altars smoke, and hecatombs be paid."

To the rite of sacrifice, we might add the various lustrations, ablutions, and similar ceremonies of paganism, all which tend most strongly to show, how the idea of human depravity has incorporated itself with every system of religion under heaven.

We proceed to remark, that not only the ecclesiastical, but the political institutions of all nations may be regarded as a striking evidence of the truth taught in our text. It is clear, that were it not for the depravity of man, there would be no necessity for any form of government in the world. The object, real and professed, of laws and rulers is to restrain the violence of human passions, and to protect each individual in the enjoyment of rights, which, but for this important regulation, a thousand arms would be instantly uplifted to take away from him. We would not here be understood as subscribing to the doctrine of certain philosophers who have maintained, that man is naturally the enemy of man. Indeed, if this doctrine were correct, it is obvious, that no system of government would be effectual in keeping society together; or, rather, it is difficult to conceive, how any system of government should have originated. Perhaps we may go still farther, and say, in the language of a profound thinker, that, if the natural condition of man were a state of mutual hostility, "the whole race must have ceased to exist, before the period at which they could be supposed capable of