needs it not, but for the use of his members; this, therefore, should encourage us to go to him at all times, empty as we are; and let us derive from him never so much, we shall not in the smallest degree lessen the boundless store; for he is the same, and will continue the same, throughout all generations, though millions of his chosen ones be filled brim-full out of his unmeasurable fulness.

ESSAY IX.

THE CHILDREN OF WRATH, AND

ORIGINAL SIN.

By nature the children of wrath, even as others. Ephesians 2. 3.

ACCORDING to the way in which these words are generally understood, there appeared to me, for many years, much difficulty to reconcile them with the general tenor of Scripture; and those who have been long held as sound in the faith, have started back from giving them any explanation, and remained in silence. About six years since, it happened that I was called on to speak my thoughts on this chapter; but I thought to pass over this passage, when it came suddenly into my mind that the word nature had another meaning, and that there was no part of Scripture, that I was ac

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quainted with, where the term 'sinner by nature' occurred. That we are fallen in Adam, and as truly guilty as if we had in our own persons eaten the forbidden fruit, none is more ready to allow than myself. This is the true doctrine of original sin; and, as part of the punishment justly due to it, death and its forerunner, the total corruption of all our faculties, have taken place; but this is not the sin itself.

From this I was led to consider the word nature as it is applied to other animals, and to consider what is peculiar to their natures, and what shows itself most predominant in them. There is nothing more common among men than to use this phraseologythe lion is naturally bold; it is the very nature of the tiger to be fierce, the leopard cruel, the elephant revengeful; and how naturally we say the dog is faithful, and the fox cunning:-it is their very nature. I was from this led to consider, whether man might not be said to be a wrathful ani

mal by nature, by nature a child of wrath; and in this I was fully confirmed by Scrip ture and by observation, more particularly from the chapter where these words, children of wrath, are found.

The wrath of God is a most solemn consideration: the least breaking forth of it carries destruction along with it. "There is wrath gone out,*" said Moses, and what devastation followed! What must it be, then, to be a child of God's wrath? It is a solecism: there can be 'no such thing. If we read the Scriptures attentively, we shall have a more clear idea of the wrath of God, and say, If his wrath be kindled, yea, but for a moment, who can abide it? The damned in hell cannot bear the uttermost of God's wrath, for it would annihilate them; but that the elect of God, whom he loved from everlasting, whom he chose in the Son of his love their glorious Head, whom he chose as vessels made unto honour,

* Numbers 16. 46.