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ground of her probation for a blessed eternity; and that all her posterity, as well as herself, should be sharers in the consequences of her probation. She had, therefore, reason to expect some small trials of her patience, and proofs of her constancy and fidelity to God. In her case, reason and prudence would have dictated, that whatever trials and temptations awaited her, she ought to have suspended eating of that one tree, until the Lord was further consulted on the subject. And least of all ought she to have consulted her husband, on a point of such infinite magnitude, and importance. The tempter was, indeed, very plausible: but can any one excuse her in embracing the first temptation? and this without any advice or deliberation? And especially, when nothing but selfexaltation was proposed as a motive? "Ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil."

With regard to God's interposing, by his kind providence, to prevent the fatal evil, it is a sufficient reply, that he had distinctly and solemnly warned her, from the very birth of her existence, to look to him for wisdom and direction, in every case of doubt or difficulty. How absurd was it for her, on the first trial of her fidelity, to listen to the wiles of a talking serpent, rather than to the instructions of her heavenly Father! It was surely unreasonable to hope, that God would take any further measures to prevent her apostasy. If she became disposed, so unadvisedly, and so rashly, to fall in with the suggestions of Satan, it proved, that lust had already conceived in her heart; and in this case, God was perfectly clear and justifiable, in leaving her to act out her own wicked choice, and to forfeit his favour for ever.

How much Adam shared in the temptations of the serpent, or whether he had any share at all in them, or ever saw the serpent in the character of the tempter; we are not informed. It is generally supposed, however, and perhaps will appear evident from the historic account of the matter, that Adam was induced to eat of the forbidden fruit, by the influence of his wife, and his confidence in her, as a help meet for him, in all cases of doubt or difficulty. Probably a separation from his beloved wife, or a state of alienation from her, was viewed by him as the greatest of all trials or temptations; and as being absolutely intolerable. And since no visible evil, no death

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nor sorrow, had yet happened to his wife, in consequence of her eating of the fruit; he was emboldened to receive it from her hands, believing as she did, that it was not only harmless, but very useful. "He hearkened unto the voice of his wife," placing more confidence in her wicked advice, than in the positive instruction and prohibition of his God. Accordingly we find that when he was arraigned before the Lord, and called to an account for his conduct, his only apology was this, "The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat." The fact was, that both of them, in one and the same day, yielded to those temptations which they considered to be absolutely irresistible. Both of them, so far as we can judge from the history, were about equally guilty in the sight of God. Both died, the same day, a spiritual death; and both became exposed to temporal and eternal death.

We now proceed to a solution of seeming difficulties which attend this intricate subject. The difficulties have been stated in part already, but not discussed. How could our first parents, who were perfectly holy in heart, be disposed to comply with the temptations of Satan? And. how could a kind and benevolent God, who perfectly fore. saw the consequences, permit the adversary to assault them, in the infancy of their existence, and exult in their ruin?

Some suppose that God has no control of the hearts and wills of moral agents, whether men or devils. Of course, all that could be done in the case, was to forbid the temptations of Satan, and forbid the tree of knowledge of good and evil, to our first parents, setting before them the proper motives to obedience and fidelity. They consider all moral beings as possessing a power of self-determination, whereby they act, in a sense, independently. They hold also, that God could not perfectly foreknow the part that Adam and Eve would act, under the temptation of Satan, till they acted their part in a fatal apostasy. But this method of accounting for the fall of man, or of angels, is altogether unsatisfactory. In a great measure, it represents the Most High to be like unto ourselves, frail and ignorant, and liable to innumerable disappointments. This method of solving the difficulty, is grossly inconsistent with reason and scripture. Certainly, "All things are

naked and open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do." And as certainly, "all hearts, as well as the king's heart, are in the hand of the Lord: as the rivers of water, he turneth them whithersoever he will." "Thou understandest my thoughts afar off," says the Psalmist. From the holy scriptures we learn that God, in his providence, controls all his creatures, and even all their actions. "He hath done as he hath pleased, in the armies of heaven, and amongst the inhabitants of the earth." Christ had evidently, the control of devils, when he was in the flesh, and, in the temptation of our first parents, Satan was equally within the reach of his controlling power.

Now therefore, whether we can particularly account for the introduction of sin into this world, by the fall of man, or not, is not of the greatest consequence. We can believe the fact, that man did fall, by the temptation of Satan. We can believe it understandingly, so far as God has seen fit to explain it and some things may now be stated, calculated to cast light on the subject, and to relieve the minds of honest and candid inquirers.

1. It is possible, in the nature of things, that finite moral beings, who are created perfectly holy, should become sinful and depraved, both in heart and practice. A created moral agent is as capable of sin, as of holiness. And God's solemn treatment of Adam and Eve, before their fall, and while they were in a state of special and particular probation for a confirmation in holiness, clearly indicated, even their danger of apostasy. Had there been, in their case, no danger of sin and ruin; why did the Lord charge and admonish them, so strictly, to refrain from the interdicted tree? Being then perfectly holy, was not, in itself considered, the least security for their perseverance in holiness: because they were very capable of transgression, and might be disposed to transgress the law of God. Holiness and sin are equally the voluntary exercises and acts of free agents; and one is as possible as the other. We therefore see no propriety in saying, as is often said, that, our first parents, being left to the freedom of their own will, fell from the state wherein they were created, by sinning against God." They invariably enjoyed the freedom of their own will, whether in a state of perfect holiness, or perfect sinfulness. And this was essential to moral agency. Without this freedom, they would have

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been utterly incapable of sin or holiness, and incapable of moral government.

2. More fully to solve the difficulty, and to account for the fall of man, which, in itself considered, was a most awful and disastrous event; the scriptures warrant us to state, that God saw it to be most for his own glory, and for the highest good of the universe, so to order events in his providential government, that sin should take place, both in men and angels. He foresaw, because he had wisely determined, that the wrath of man, and the malice of devils should praise him. So that, instead of embracing the most absurd idea, that the Almighty laboured, and laboured in vain, to prevent the introduction of moral evil; we ought to entertain the rational and consoling idea, that he always holds the throne of the universe, that he is subject to no defeat, no disappointment, no rivalship with the powers of darkness. For our great consolation, we ought to be established in the belief, that nothing can take place, under the wise and holy administration of Jehovah, more than was, from eternity, comprised in his infinitely holy and unsearchable decree. That the eternal plan and covenant of redemption, by the death of the Mediator, was embraced in the divine decree, all christians will grant. But this plan, in which the glory of God, and the welfare of his kingdom were to be most richly displayed, clearly implied the fall of men and angels. Without the fall of man, redemption would have been needless; and without the fall of angels, the part allotted to the devils could never have been acted. The whole system of redemption and salvation by grace, declared by David as a divine decree, clearly implies, that, by the same divine decree, sin came into the world; and has pervaded all the human race. This is the only possible way to account for the fall of man, and for every other event whatever. It is God who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.”

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But here let it be remembered, and kept distinctly in mind, that the divine decree is a thing entirely different from the moral agency of mankind; and has no influence at all, to destroy, or in any measure, to impair human liberty or free agency. When angels and man rebelled, they rebelled against the law of God. This they violated; but not his decrees, Had they violated his decrees, infi

nite reproach would have been attached to his character, and universal ruin would have been brought on the universe. But since God's counsel stands, and he has done, and will do all his pleasure; we may rest assured, that his own glory, and the best interests of the universe are secured. Though the apostasy from God, and the existence of sin and misery may seem mysterious, and most lamentable; yet there remains a most substantial ground of confidence, and rejoicing in the Lord. Every truly humble and benevolent heart, feels relieved from the darkness and despondency of mind which arise from a view of the immense flood of evils occasioned by the fall of man. In a view of the universality of God's decrees, and the execution of them all, by the agency of his wise and holy providence, benevolence is satisfied. Every humble heart is satisfied and comforted. Satan is confounded, fallen man is reproved and humbled; and the glorious scheme of redemption is revealed. The Lord alone is exalted, and his enemies are found liars. Ultimately, The seed of the woman shall bruise the head of the serpent....

AMEN.

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ESSAY XII.

Total Depravity.

HAVING, in the preceding Essay, considered the temptation and fall of our first parents; we now proceed to an investigation of their subsequent character and state. That a very great change took place, in consequence of their apostasy and rebellion against God, all must acknowledge. But how great this change was, is a subject of much dispute. By many it is contended, that by the fall, man but partly lost the moral image of God; and that all his posterity have sustained the same mixed character; being deeply corrupted in heart, being partly, but not totally depraved. Others maintain the opinion, that the immediate, and the abiding consequence of the first transgression, was total sinfulness and depravity of heart. This is the opinion now to be vindicated, as a branch of the system of divine truth.

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