Cheraw gazette. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1835-1838, 1837-03-07

petual shining do occur, but there IS no.
thing behind them no uniform cause
10 produce such results. Here
arc certainly strange things, running streams
pcrpetualy, but no spring or fountain.
DR.. Taylor's doctrine denies wicked
heart as 4 source OF depravily; the wicked
heart, the fountain Of sin, consists only in
acts, and in sinful choices and preferences.
Now if guilt and turpitudc be not ascrlbcd
to some agent aside from his octs and
choices; who has moral existence, and
of which existence his acts and choices are
fruits and evidences; to 1rhat shall the
guilt of acts be charged
But the Bible does represent the moral
state of the heart rs the source. the fountain
whence proceed &c. Mark vii. II. On
this same principle the Apostle says, "He
that oflends in one point is guilty of all"
but if moral depravity consists only in
voluntary acts, this could not be true, tor
one act may be one way and another act
another way &c. and there could be no
moral character or responsibility. SO
much for the evidence Of reason or COM
mon sense in the case.
Again, as to the scripture testimony to
the point.
The question is whether there be any sin
except voluntary action or transgrcss'on OF
known law. Now to be short, let US look
at the state of man according TO the scrip
turc, when incapable Of voluntary trans
grcssions, as above expressed such are
infants. DR.. Taylor admits there are
children who have no knowledge between
good and evil" Now if it appear from
scripture that infants ARE by divine author
ity chargeablc with moral depravity, and
that God treats them as sinners,
l. In his moral government.
2. In his church.
3. And in his plan of Salvation, the
point will be made out, that there IS dePrav-
itv without voluntary acts committed against
known law.
1st then, in Gods moral government.
Rom. V. II, "Wherciorc, as by one man
sin entered into the world, and death by
sin; and so death passed upon all men:
tar that all hare sinned."
Infants are included in fact in the penal
ties OF pain and death due to sin, under the
government of God. If it be said that
infants die for the sin of their parents, this
is contrary to Gods dispensatlon, for salln .,
the scripture "ihe soul that sinneth 1t shall
die. The son shall not bear the lnlquIty OF
the father &c." Eek. xviii. 20.
Infants have always been included in
Gods judgments against sinners, as the
flood, the cases Of Sodom, Gomorrah, the
Canaanitcs &c.
End, in his church. God regards infants
as sinners. Thus the ordinance ofClrcum-
cis:on was to be administered at eight days
old. and circumcision was "scal Of the
righteousness of faith" Rom. iv. IL, a
seal Of that Righteousness Christ purchased
for sinners and for none else. Upon the
same principle Infant Baptism is Instituted
and observed.
3rd, in his plan Of Salration. That
Christ came to save sinners, the lost, the
ungodly, is not denied.
It follows then, from scripture, that none
of the human family arc saved but through
Jesus Christ; and He saves none but SIN.
ners, therefore infants are sinners or they
cannot be saved. DR.. Taylor says an IN
fant is saved by the grace Of Christ pre-.
ueniing him from SHINING, which if hcilvcd
be wonld be sure TO do: but there is nothing
of this in tho Bible, on the contrary they
are regarded as sinners, Gen. viii. 2l,
Psalm lviii. 3, Eph. ii. 3, Psalm Ii. 5, John
iii. 6. Thus far Of mans dcpravity as it
consists in "his o,cn act." But DR.. Tay-
lor says it consists in an act of preference
merely. This is defective as it does no:
come up to the standard of the Bible
Preference implies some degree Of liking
to both ways, though prepondcrance to
self, or evil. But the Bible says 'the car
nal mind is enmity," Rom. viii. 7, John
XIV. "A. They hate the Son and the
Father.
The second point is, that "Nature' is
not sinful, but the occasion of sin. The
proof III support OF tins Polnt, IS h''''lali
consciousness" Now there arc those who
believe that none arc conscious Of sin in
Scriptural sense, unless they arc taught OF
God, conricted of sin by the Spirit. Paul
before his conversion verify thought he
ought to do many things contrary TO the
name Of Jesus, Acts XVI. 9. And we
read of them who while "they killthe Saints
verify think they arc doing God service"
John xvi. 3. Nearly all men live in state
of Spiritual insensibility, they have no con.
sciousness Of evil that disturbs their carnal
sumbcrs. The young man who came 10
Jesus verify thought he had kept all the
commandments"
Now consciousness has to decide not
only on native dclormity, but also ho'c it
came, and if q mans consciousness must