mity in thought, word, and deed, to every commanded duty respecting either his God, himself, or his neighbour. This is that uprightness of which Solomon speaks, Eccles. vii. 29, 'Lo this only have I found that God made man upright, &c.' Of the sinners before the flood-and it would apply to many who have lived since,* the Scriptures (Gen. vi. 5,) give us a sad report, viz., that every imagination of the thoughts of their heart, was only evil continually. The reverse of this expresses man's primitive state: for, as he came out of the hands of his Maker, all the motions and inclinations of his soul were only and continually good. For what was the state of his understanding, which is the directive faculty and the noblest of the soul, as speech is of the body? It was perfectly light in the Lord, i. e. respecting the will of his God. Adam's understanding was the subject of neither ignorance, nor as Dr. Bates remarks, 'prejudices which might render it an incompetent judge of good and evil. Such was the delightful state of reason as it came from God. But just the reverse of this is true of the mind in its present state. Respecting both God and truth, it is in a state of worse than Egyptian dark

* It might possibly be asked, why object to apply these words generally to man considered as a sinner? If I mistake not, they are not unfrequently so applied if so, they are most unquestionably often misapplied. I would, therefore, although I should be sorry to arm with a weapon those who too rigidly scan every word and every sentiment advanced from the pulpit, ask, whether when the language is maturely

ness, and warped by a thousand ensnaring prejudices. But to return to Adam. Add to this, (the state of his understanding,) that all the other faculties of his soul were in a state of perfect subjection to reason, which like a skilful pilot, managed the helm, i. e. (O delightful state of things!) God's will ruled reason, and reason ruled the soul. Thus man was upright-his moral rectitude was perfect-Adam was a perfect and an upright man, one that feared God and eschewed evil,' in a higher sense than was Job. For let us add, as it was with unspeakable

considered, any person will still affirm that it may be truly said of each and all by nature, that' every imagination of the thoughts of their hearts is only and continually evil? Is every humane and benevolent feeling eradicated out of our nature? do we not often see men destitute of real piety both devising and executing things intended and calculated to benefit their fellow-creatures.-The words were obviously never intended to represent what man is simply considered as a sinner, but what he becomes when the principles of our corrupt nature have gained the entire ascendancy over the soul. As to the doctrine of human depravity, what the Scripture teaches respecting it, seems to be this :-not that man is absolutely destitute of all good, but that he is destitute of all spiritual good-of faith-true love for God-genuine humility-unfeigned repentance, and so forth and that he is so depraved that there is no sin but what he would in due time commit, if not prevented by one means or other. At the same time, while we contend that the words under consideration were intended to describe a state of actual corruption in an extraordinary degree, we mean not to dispute but that there are senses in which it may be said of every unregenerate man-' that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart are only evil `ontinually.'

:

delight that reason managed the helm by her Creator's commands, so it must have been no less delightful to all the executive faculties to obey: for what is it that makes obedience pleasant-is it not love? Love to him that commands-love to what is commanded. As the poet says:

Tis love that makes our willing feet,

In swift obedience move.'

With what propriety does this language or sentiment apply to the first pair in their first state, on the alter of whose hearts what a flame of love was ever burning-not only to each other, which made relative duties sweet, but to God. And what an active and perpetual flame must it have been, seeing it had no dross of corruption either to consume or damp its ardour. O delightful state of love! Would that every disciple of Christ were renewed and increased every day in love. We should not then have to say, 'how tedious and tasteless,' or useless the hours. And be it remembered, our obligations to love are infinitely greater than were Adam's, wonderful as they were.

Man was therefore perfect in holiness, because he was perfect in love-perfect in love because he loved God to the extent of his capacities, so as that God had no fault to find with it. He loved his God without the influence of any contrary affection. Moreover, his love for himself and the creature was perfect, because it was subordinate to reason and God. It neither loved any thing too much nor too little-it was a love under such control, that it led to no excess in the enjoyment of any of the satisfac

tions which the creature was capable of yielding A love for the creature so perfect was man's, that instead of making him love his God the less, it caused him to love him the more, as being one of the many tributary streams, by the union of which, his happiness became comparable to the river broad and deep Ezekiel saw in vision.

So much for man's having been created in the image of God's holiness. May it be our happiness to have that image, lost by sin, by a new creation restored: may we,' after God, be created in righteousness and true holiness'-may we see to it that we possess true holiness-that which is produced by the implantation of divine principles in the soul, and which in no small degree, consists in supreme love for God and Christ! Is the holiness that we possess true? If so, then shall we in due time be as holy as was man when first created, and possess in heaven a bliss more exalted than his. Nevertheless, Adam's happiness while he continued unblameable, was so wonderful, that it is usual to consider it as a part of that resemblance to God, viz, in his blessedness, in which the Scriptures inform us he was created. We therefore remark.

3rdly, That man was made like unto God in blessedness.

Until drawn aside from his own stedfastness,' Adam was so happy, that he had no want nor lawful wish which was not supplied. He might have truly said as the Psalmist does: 'Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies :

thou anointest mine head with oil, my cup runneth over.' Adam, it is true, was not by confirming grace made immutably happy-this is a peculiarity of another and a better covenant than that under which he was placed, viz., the covenant of grace. But, with this exception, his happiness was so complete, that perhaps he did not imagine it possible for any being to be happier than himself; such was his lot, that there was not one crook in it; till man knew sin, he knew no sorrow.

But more particularly. On this subject you should be directed to consider Adam in respect of his spiritual or rational, and of his material or animal faculties, for both of these he was constituted, and in both made capable of happiness; and in case he fell, he was to suffer misery in both.

ness.

The happiness of the soul, is the soul of happi

Accordingly we are doubtless to think that man's chief felicity in his primitive state was that which he enjoyed in the nobler part of his nature. I mean the happiness he derived from such sources as these-viz.: 1st. knowledge, which is a source of satisfaction to the soul, and was especially so to Adam. Particularly, the knowledge of God in his perfections, and in the methods he is pleased to adopt to express them, is, to those who love him, a source of such delight to the soul, that she is made, through discoveries of God, sometimes to feel a joy which is unspeakable and full of glory.' Hence it is that true believers are often made so happy in the believing contemplation of the Saviour, and in