No. 29.]

ON ENMITY TO GOD" BY

NATURE."

It is a frequent practice with those who labour to establish that most unfounded and unauthorised persuasion, that mankind" by nature are inimical to God," "hate goodness," and have "no spark of righteous ness" in them; it is, I say, a frequent practice among such, to at tribute this disposition by nature, as they express themselves, to that natare which our Creator gives us, Hence we meet with very strong declarations on this head, backed also and supposed to be supported by certain authorities in our Hoinilies.

That there are expressions to be met with of this kind in them, is very certain; for which the best apology, as being the truth, is, an avowed excess of statement, if applied to that sense of the word nature; meaning such as we receive from our Creator: but which, if applied to that secondary superinduced nature which is brought on us by ourselves, are, perhaps, sufficiently defensible as general declarations and descriptions of mankind.

But that the nature here spoken of as being" opposite to God's will," "hating righteousness," even in the most perfect form of it, is not of God's creating, seems to be so clear, if some established prejudices could be got rid of in contemplat. ing the subject, that no doubt can possibly be entertained concerning

REMEMBRANCER, No. 29.

[VOL. III.

By righteousness understanding religion, and by religion Christianity, the whole system of that, rightly contemplated, is a proof of this; and is itself proved to be the work of the same Creator, by the remarkable correspondence, and the exact resemblance, which subsist between them; shewing that it is impossible for human nature, as God makes it, not to esteem and be attached to God, his word, and work of righteousness;-so far from being "naturally adverse and inimical" to them.

To do full justice to the proof of this would admit of a minute comparison between every particular in man, and every point of Christianity in connection with him; so as to mark out the coincidence which subsists between them, and the interest which our nature has in the truth of Christianity, that is, the interest it has that Christianity should be true, and, as such, is, and must be, primarily the object of our choice and approbation, our love and gratitude, which in most certain truth it is; for Christianity is that which fa. vours, and adorns, and completes our nature so far from its being that against which any hostility can originally exist. Bad men, indeed, may be naturally inimical to it, and are so; but in them the nature that acts and is apparent in its hostility is not that nature which their Creator gives them. But to mankind at large religion is the very thing which they are made for; that which perfects them; that, without which, as, LI

men, we are incomplete, unaided, undefended, destitute, unprovided with every thing that ought to be wished for; but with which, we are made sufficient, whole, and perfect, for all the purposes of our existence. So that, if human nature be but true to its own principles, that is, to itself, it is impossible but that our adherence, love, and favour must ever attend it.

Let us consider any circumstances in man, and see what one there is which binds not our affections to the good contained in it; so far from implying any natural alienation in all mankind from goodness. Are we in prosperity? religion teaches us how to sanctify God's blessings to us; therefore we must naturally be inclined to favour God's word and will, thus set before us. Are we in adversity? the same teaches us how to make even misfortune and sorrow beneficial to us, by resignation and dutiful submission; therefore we find our advantage in it, and cannot but naturally conceive an attachment to it. Feel we the powers and impulses of hope within us, as a common passion? what so noble objects for our hopes as the sure promises of religion? Are the influences of fear universal in us? what use so salutary is to be made of these as those contemplations offer which are pointed out to us in the Gospel? So that both our hopes and fears have in that the properest materials for their exercise and employment. Possess we understandings naturally adapted to the pursuit of truth here and hereafter, beyond the limits of our present imagination; minds infinitely capacious; spirits capable of unbounded acquisition? Christianity teaches us what objects there are, both of creation and revelation, suited to our present apprehension, as well as adapted to our future higher and even infinite means of knowledge. Does the whole of our present being, both by body and spirit, indicate the design of our

greater perfectness in another state? Christianity makes known to us that state, and teaches us when and where that completion of our nature may be looked for. And is happiness the never varying aim of hu. man expectation? we see in that the purest and most exalted means of it, together with an eternity of its duration.

Lastly, are we, as

men, that is, by the very terms of that nature which God gives us, since Adam's fall, are we, I say,

prone to sin," propense to error, and, beyond this, from ourselves, frequent sinners, even with all our care and assiduity to avoid great crimes. See we not thus, also, how exactly, yet how mercifully, God's goodness meets us even here; how benevolently the terms of Christianity adapt themselves to this worst part of our human character, by obviating the bad effects of sin in those cases where our offences have been repented of and forsaken, those cases which mercy can admit as proper instances for its supply and efficacy?

Is it possible, then, to contem. plate these things and not to be ve hemently convinced of the interest which human nature has herein; the grounds, reasons, motives, it must feel for wishing Christianity and God to be what we are assured they are? Can it be that the nature, given us by our Maker, can be indifferent to the blessings, benefits, and truths held out to us by religion? Is it conceivable, that by the very terms and conditions of our make and frame, mankind can be esteemed, under these circumstances, to be indifferent to so much good? to hate the source of so much advantage? to be at "enmity with God" naturally? It is a case which, if rightly understood, it is impossible even to suppose: to imagine it would be to suppose good and evil utterly confounded in the minds of all mankind, and the entire aim and approbation of reasonable beings to be estranged from all that

universal consent and human feelings have hitherto declared concern ing them.

If it be said, that before any disposition can be argued from, as concerning God and righteousness, men must have the means of apprehending what these are; and that heathens and very uneducated persons know nothing of religion; and that young children shew, generally, an aversion from what is right; the reply is obvious: that, in the first place, these are not so clear and certain facts as to be necessarily admitted; because, it is probable that no nation has ever yet been met with in which it can be shewn that some sense of a Deity, and of religion, and of duty, however imperfect, has not been discovered; proving thereby that the human mind is naturally carried out towards religion. 2dly. The real nature of mankind is not to be judged of by the very exceptions which accidental causes may have given rise to, such as ignorance insuperable, and the want of means for a better conduct. Nor, again, do the very early propensities of children prove any decided hostility to what is right; because it is an undoubted fact that very same children who betray perverseness and evil disposition in some respects, in others shew the very opposite to these, much benignity, generosity, nobleness of mind, and amiable inclination: so that nothing can from hence be argued but inconsistency in very young, that is, very unsteady beings. But the great arguments in proof that human nature is not adverse to true religion, till true religion becomes adverse to that, that is, till bad examples, bad suggestions, bad habits of our own acquir ing, propensities unduly gratified, produce an indisposition to religion, are clear and undeniable. Then, indeed, comes all that evil which actually does disgrace and vilify our nature, and which is declared concerning men in strong and full gene

the

ral expressions in the Scripture, but which is falsely attributed to the nature which God gives them. Were it otherwise, that is, were sin natural, in the proper sense, it would not be sin at all, that is, not the subject of penal sentence, accountability, guilt, and crime.

It is inconceivable how much of error frequently arises from not attending to the distinctions between popular language and real truth. For common occasions it may suffice to speak of "nature,” and “naturally," loosely, and generally, when, in fact, only a subordinate nature or habitual usage is intended; but to build sacred and important theories on popular expressions is always hazardous, yet by many is actually done."

The real state of "nature" can be only that by which we are what we are by God's appointment, according to the powers, and faculties, and dimensions of our human character; in which it is impossible that "seeds of evil" can be implanted by God, who being essential goodness has not them to sow in us, and cannot implant what is contrary to his own attributes, that is, to himself. Even the power and freedom we have to offend, and any propensity to do so, is no where spoken of as incapable of our counteraction, aided by God's grace, who has promised to support us against temptations; (1 Cor. x. 13.) and facts shew that there is much, very much, real and intentional good, which therefore is good, in the world, that is, among human beings; full enough to rescue him from the charge of unrighteous or hard dealing, to vindicate the character of man from the charge of being evil totally, and continually, and by his real nature, and to leave him finally accountable only for his own personal sins, wilful and unre pented of.

April 2, 1821.

N. R.

TION OF MAN.

To the Editor of the Remembrancer. Sir,

A LATE excellent Bishop of our Church has justly remarked, that "we must know in what state man was originally placed, what were the duties resulting from that state, and what the powers whereby he was enabled to perform them. We must learn whether he be now in the same state, or whether an alteration in his state may not have subjected him to new wants and new obligations. Upon a knowledge of these particulars every system of religion and morality must be constructed which is designed for the use of men. A system in which the consideration of these has no place, is like a course of diet prescribed by a physician unacquainted with his patient's constitution and with the nature of the disease under which he has the misfortune to labour." It must, therefore, ever be an interesting inquiry, "what is man by nature and independent of grace?"

In your last Number your correspondent N. R. has observed, that it has been sometimes asked, "what benefit is obtained by attributing to human nature those degrading properties which are frequently ascribed to it?" To which he replies, "none." If it can be ascertained that no advantage of any kind will be derived from it, and that no good end can be answered by it, a great prejudice must be the consequence against the doctrine itself. But such an opinion ought not to be entertained too hastily, or to be expressed without just reason. I cannot but think that the proper method would have been to have searched the Scriptures, whether man be by nature totally corrupt, and not to have decided against the truth of the doctrine by an hasty reference to the apparent advantages or disadvantages of it. Cannot God reveal

us the knowledge of all its conends of a doctrine be overlooked, sequences? May not many useful many improvements of it neglected, and disadvantages of it be exagge rated, and the doctrine itself, nevertheless, be perfectly true? What is more common than to neglect or abuse the Scriptures? are they, therefore, antrue?

I confess, a decided persuasion that man owes every thing to Christ, in opposition to any power of extricating himself from the ruins of the Fall, is one of my ruling reli gious principles. And except this opinion universally prevail, in my judgment, our blessed Saviour is denied the honour and the praise which is his rightful due: and this consideration alone appears to me sufficient to make it the bounden duty of all those whom he has ransomed to avow the total corruption of man. No duties can be more important or more pleasing to a feeling mind than those which result from the amazing undertakings of our Saviour in our behalf, the duties of gratitude and love. And one measure of our obligations to our Redeemer is the degree of our own helplessness. The less we could have done for ourselves the more are we beholden to him who has undertaken our cause, and "by. whose stripes we are healed." If, also, man has strength in himself, it is not probable that an assistance which is not required should be provided for him. In this case, then, let him exert himself, and not weary heaven with his importunities and supplications for unnecessary help. But if he be, indeed, by nature

without strength," let him not lean upon any broken reed of his own imaginary powers, or deny to his Saviour the honour of his recovery. If, as your worthy correspondent observes, the doctrine of total corruption has been abused, let that abuse be the object of animadversion: let a right explanation

of the doctrine, and of the legitimate consequences which flow from it, be strenuously maintained; but, because of a mischievous use of it, which is erroneous, let not the doctrine itself be denied. I take the liberty of saying, that nothing appears to me to have contributed more to the diffusion of false doctrines, and the abuse of true ones, than the neglect to inculcate the true, accompanied with right explanations of them. Had the ground been sown with wheat, there are many cases in which the tares that now are would never have sprung up. Many persons think, that some of the peculiar doctrines of the Gospel are beyond the comprehension of common hearers; not considering what impression may be made by perseverance, and that if these peculiar doctrines are not preached correctly in a man's own parish Church, he will wander to some other, where he will be ex posed to the danger of erroneous interpretations, or to the meetinghouse. In the present case, what can be more plain than the duty of the teacher? What easier task can be imposed than to teach, that we owe all to Christ, but that the Holy Ghost is given to man by measure; that his influence is in the shape of a talent lent, which being neglected or abused will be gradually and finally withdrawn? Who is not capable of immediately comprehending that a full and sufficient remedy is provided against total corruption, and that, therefore, even that extreme degree of it can never be alleged as a plea for the obtaining of mercy in the last great day? By insisting upon the total corruption of man, and his recovery wholly through grace, in my humble opision, the truth of Scripture is adhered to, the honour of our Saviour is consulted, and our obligations to hith are acknowledged to the extent in which they ought to be; we our selves are directed to a remedy ade quate to the inveteracy of our dis

ease, and our hopes of eternal happiness are laid upon a foundation which can never fail, except we be wilfully wanting to ourselves.

Nothing can be more opposite to my religious opinions than the Calvinistic doctrine of the indefectibility of grace, which the tenet of the total corruption of man is thought by some to countenance. In con sideration of the atonement made by the blood of "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world," I have always cherished a belief that the benefits of redemption began to operate from the moment of the Fall; and that, though from that moment all died in Adam, to evince the justice of God and his abhorrence of sin and of the carnal mind, yet that from the same moment all were made alive in Christ, as evidences of his mercy and goodness, and of his thinking upon mercy in the midst of his wrath; and that from that moment the quickening influence of the Spirit has been necessary, and has wrought to counteract the effects of the total corruption of man. I have supposed, that by such influence alone he has been set sufficiently free from the bondage of corruption to be enabled to commence the work which it is appointed him to do. But in this there is nothing even tending to destroy the free-agency of man. The deliverance from total corruption, for which our Saviour is to be proportionally thanked, may give to us new powers, or restore old powers in man, the use of which had been suspended, but it imposes upon us no unavoidable necessity of making a right use of them. What, though the prison be set open, may not the captive still continue to hug his chain? May not the renovation of human nature be like the original creation of it? The powers which were then given to man where wholly from God; but where are we to discover the necessity laid upon him of making a right use of them? In fact, though he might have con