man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." Here we are taught that the body was composed of matter, and that organization was complete; yet there was not life- But when God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; then, and not till then, man became a living soul.

From this it is easy to discover, that as God is the fountain of life, it was necessary to impart a portion of that life, to complete the constitution of intelligent beings: For it would be worse than idleness to contend that the inflation of the lungs with common air would produce life and intelligence; for in that case every one who should die among his friends might be restored to life by inflating the lungs with air; which would be an easy process!

But we have further evidence to prove that the soul is a distinct principle from the body, in 1st Kings 17th chapter: Where we are informed that the son of the widow of Zarephath, with whom the prophet Elijah sojourned, fell the victim to death: And this eminent servant of the Lord, took the child from that disconsolate mother, laid it upon his own bed, "and cried unto the Lord, and said, O Lord my God, I pray thee, let this child's soul come into him again. And the Lord heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived." Nothing is plainer than that the soul or spirit is a distinct principle, capable of a separation from the body; and that such separation did really take place in the widow's son, is evident beyond controversy, from the circumstance of its returning or coming into him again, as here related. The testimony of Solomon is an additional proof of a divine principle in man: Speaking of the dissolution of the body, he uses the following language: "Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was; and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it." Eccl. xii. 7. Elihu also

saith, "There is a spirit in man; and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding." Job xxxii. 8. Moses, in addressing the divine Being, calls him "the God of the spirits of all flesh." Num. xvi. 22. And St. Paul testified that man is "the offspring of God;" that God is "the Father of spirits." Acts xvii. 29. Heb. xii. 9.

These scriptures afford the clearest evidence in confirmation of that for which we contend; to wit, that all men are the children of God, by inheriting the divine nature. This is the principle in man that raises him above the level of the brutal creation, renders him the subject of command, and capable of moral instruction and improvement. This also is the noble and living principle within us, that cannot feed upon the sublunary enjoyments of this world, or be satisfied with earthly good. The only food that can satisfy or give divine support to this, is the bread of God that comes down from Heaven, and giveth life unto the world.

We shall now pass to the 3rd general inquiry; "What is man," as he stands in relation to the law of God? In relation to the law of God, man is a being of obligation: For the law is an obligation to duty; or a rule directing the government of our thoughts, words, and actions, as intelligent beings. This law has God for its author, and embraces in the extended sphere of its obligations the whole family of man. Without a law, man would be incapable of sinning: "For where no law is, there is no transgression." But from the writings of St. Paul, we learn that "all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God: As it is written, 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. There throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of

eursing and bitterness! Their feet are swift to shed blood. Destruction and misery are in their ways and the way of peace have they not known. Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God." Rom. 3rd chapter. From this portion of the divine oracle, it is plain that the law of God took cognizance of the whole posterity of Adam: That they were all under its jurisdiction-That all had transgressed its commandments, and were consequently under its curse: For "cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them."

Having ascertained that all men are sinnersThat in their relation to the law they are all under the sentence of condemnation-That the thunder of Mount Sinai denounces judgment upon all our guilty race...That darkness covers the earth, and gross darkness the people: It may be useful to inquire after the magnitude of sin. It is doubtless well understood by this audience, that all who con tend for the doctrine of endless suffering, suppose that sin is an infinite evil; and that upon the supposition of the infinite criminality and turpitude of sin, the doctrine of interminable condemnation is predicated. If this supposition could be supported by reason or revelation, it would equally militate against the salvation of evey son and daughter of Adam: For "He shall reward every man according to his works." Matt. xvi. 27.

If sin therefore, be an infinite evil, and every man shall be rewarded according to his works, the conclusion is unavoidable, that all men shall suffer an infinite or endless punishment; for this plain reason..." All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Rom. iii. 23. But let us be a little more particular: Has sin existed from eternity? (that is, without begining) no one supposes that

it has Then it is not infinite in the duration of its existence. Again: Is not sin the act of a finite being. Of a being limited in all the faculties of his mind? All will admit that it is: Then let me ask, how can a finite cause produce an infinite effect? These queries are designed to assist the mind, in discovering the origin of sin, and to show that it is limited to the finite circle of the human understanding.

If sin were infinite, the Deity could not have a sphere to occupy above it: And to talk of destroying that which is equal to himself, (which sin must be if it is infinite) would be the very height of absurdity! It is said that sin is infinite because it is committed against an infinite law; but this is equally destitute of evidence for its support. The only reason that can be urged in favor of the law's being infinite, is, that it has an infinite Being for its author, who is God: But has not man the same Being for his author? And shall we contend that man is an infinite being, because God is his author? We inquire further has not the insect that floats in a drop of water; or the microscopic insect, whose dwelling is in the cavity of a particle of sand, been produced by the same Being? And can any pretences to reason, justify the conclusion that insects are infinite beings? Yet the same argument that is urged to prove that the law is infinite, as clearly proves that insects, beasts, and vegetables are infinite. Having as I trust sufficiently exposed the fallacy of the argument to prove the infinite magnitude of sin; I will offer a few remarks, with which I shall close this division of our subject.

Nothing can be a law to man, for the regulation of his conduct, which he has not a capacity to com-" prehend. Man is a being possessed of a limited capacity, and therefore it requires, that a law should be adapted to the finite powers of his understanding; which law, is comprised in the knowledge that every man possesses of moral right: This law

prohibits every exercise injurious to ourselves, or our fellow-creatures; and strongly inculcates the important injunction, "to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God." It discovers that the magnitude of crime is in proportion to the knowledge possessed by the actor; and thus happily avoids the absurdity of the conclusion, that all sins are the same of magnitnde; which the supposition of sin's being infinite, necessarily involves.

The 4th inquiry embraced in our subject, presents itself for our consideration: "What is man,' as he stands in relation to the Gospel? In order that our minds may be prepared for a profitable investigation of this important question, it is expedient that we become acquainted with what is intended by the term gospel. It is a Saxon word, and is the same with the Latin evangelium, and signifies glad tidings or good news. It was revealed for the instruction of all mankind, and addressed to every creature, in the apostolic mission: "Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature," was the mandate of the Saviour. This gospel was from heaven, to denote its purity. It was proclaimed by angels at the entry of the Prince of life, in whom all its promises centre for their fulfilment. "Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people," was the celestial theme of the heavenly messengers.

Again: The gospel, according to St. Paul, was summarily comprised in the promise made to the patriarch Abraham: "In thee shall all nations be blessed." This promise, the apostle informs us was not made to seeds, as of many; "but-to thy seed, which is Christ." Gal. iii. 8, 16. And that it equally regards all the families and kindreds of the earth, may be seen by consulting Gen. xii. 3. and Acts iii. 25.

We may therefore affirm, that in relation to the gospel, all men are the "prisoners of hope;" and

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