, 1875-11-29

RATIONAL creatures unlcts those rational craa-
tusca had trrn endowed with Lu 1trs wLr!l mAlo
them CAPABLE Ut voluntary moral a"t,on, aud
but = npdorinents imp'y tho power and tho i'os-
r'tiiiss u mo- q notion In tie wrong direction.
which IA rim. Wo may get cloarsf ineIpht of
lhin by an iiiuatsatIun Of anntIler point in our
nas1Fes, We nFe conscious Of ability to !ose.
Ho", Y 10 think deeply enough no sllall pet.
celrs tina: ws ha,e mn equal abiliy to Lste. aud
i!l"t nature tbhs IL AuArepti1!e 1T the on" ia
surceptble of tho other. part eau tlu noith'r
L has no such endowment. RentIent, sut,nA!
i'fo is endowed with the powrr Of instructive
yonag. Molcst them. AMI yoa soon
seo TINT thero is fury In her nature. A rat1onAl
sliEit Ia cndowcd with tue power 81 loy.nq VIZ
tue. truth. and tho like. Ia tbs gnn,e derreo
mntt It hsto vice. uutt'ith. and !is ophoato af
va. II io'es. 4 pure spnlt nust l'a.o oTi, \"
it loyeA Koosl, God Himself IN m erc:rtlon. BY
~ r.uch ~ 1'o lnvca v1r,tn anl ho.ness, nv no
Lluch lie bates vtcd and ltnpus1ty. my natnre
that can love can a!sD haio. NoH. pscc.so-
1y 40 Is It. Tint aucl nature 10 1akes II por.i
bie to be hoty. uskes t. nntAblo fur u to he un-
b1ls. Given to lilo crea.are then auch en- en-
d"Hmcnt aa tna:ses pcrrof'f and psaitre hnlness
toasbis TT him. and ain III possible TO him.
Sow Let us IN imagination 90 Lack to
.he hour In which tho eternal "Ti,reo in
One is dcl1brtaAnE upon tha ceat.Ta plan and
! ec'le and II Ia ~ vain imagining to snppneo
| TIN mnt'er AZ somehou thus. Si,all call into
! bo.ug lhoao whose eLlawneuts ehall 10 II. tho
image auu after the ikouess of uod1 II l do
| not. tn true there neTcr will b my hin nor
possibility Ct 1t. but tfcn tho u ivtfso viii ouy
| BE- uni, ere Of n,ntsrat wo.1ds fnlI Of besusy
sn1 crownod With low forms Of tcntienI l.ie.
| II viii everywhere bo wantIc In that crown OF
| crestiro glory and 1oy. the reign aud moral
beauty. Of frce. joYonp, ras'oual knowledge
a r,oas a s. c.psbe Ss 9, soorins asff G55
aud of fellowship NTH Dim. making
tho oth-roino waste .pla:cs Of at this
mighty empire vocal uit. Intelligent praise.
| suruly we do not hesitate 20 commend the viz
| doW1nentH a. render them capable Of knowing
Him. Of fellowship With him, Of rendering th7t
obedience "llieh CONES a. tho free. apnutaueoua
devotion Ut r. -consc'ous powers to tho love
| and ptaiso Of tic Ctuator.
Now shall we Ray, because God han given n
! man or 10 IN angel d nature which nlsk~s it
possible for hr to su. in order s',:1 olt Of that
ssma nature may come tho fsct OF positive
] him On parrose that lie might sin ? sIethnks
all cau hre that IF q 3alee and wicked
Charge. G7d has endowed Ills ctcaturea,
MI tho highest and best OF thoa1. With
| universe may DO ilrd with intgIiigcucsa capable
| OF fellowship with Film in knoaledSe aud truth.
and huI'nes.. That is tho great end in viow, tho
Eufe aud beneyo ens 1nnt'vc, ~ GoJ'b chtIing
hia owu ,msge aua altcr I.ls iiksuosH." Eence.
hesitate not to Affirm that every rational crea-
turo God eyer made has boon endowed with y
nature that made it possible los him to Sin.
And further, every such bong at tue beginning
Of hts caroas must have ba1 licu Of probation
tncluutng The idea of moral trial Angels have
doubtless been 80 constituted. aud hence "e
read Of SONS who kent not tleir tlspt estatc, y
blit ie'l into condemnation.
Everywhere, therefore, among Gods rational
cEeatlrer, whore there is tho possibility OF free
moral action, there is possibility Of moral ao-
lion in wlc',s direction. and tlat iu Gin. fs it
unw!so th.t th,s "a 50 7 sure'! you and I ara
dom that llas 90 ordntned. Nov It srou'a to NE.
It is not 70 rn:pr,nin;: after Ill that s'mevhcEs
among all the yaBt u,yrads Of ra&apal creatures
endowed At their cr"ator. sud begltnlng their
career with powers Of telf-noveucut in moral
| pathway. Homo sbould hRrc perverted these
Eop ors to their Own destruction. Ths. alas !!
hecn1a to have been the case "ith man. When
Tho honr q q trial cane, .s c9n,e IL Il
sill aak, Could nut Cad Lare prevented IL |
Auswer, iooling At tbs question III The light ol
| ner1 omnipoteuce A'ouo, 1le could. But is Il
right to LOOK 1t it thus' Arc all things possible
10 onaplpotenco? tbinls not. have kno"n
Of home mea who found It very casy to
htrotcu Tho truth; but read III the Word
that "is ia impossible for God to l!e" And yot
lte " omni4 4n4ent. And that neana. He can do
ali thugs thai are consissent with wlslom. and
R1odnehs. aud truth 6a upon the qur.!lou NO.
dor confederation, NC NAV be assured that souss-
wher" there is : limo which In wlAdolA naust not
be- orossed by Inrro powor, tue lioo which
foru,s tue boundary between the tosntesInty OF
sib,hty with which tie has endnWed
tito croature. That line sovereign power must
u0s cross tor 1t would be an unVlho exercise OF
it. taking away tho possibility OF personal hoIi-
noss and y.rtue IN The creature.
Lei us no" consider another part of the dIM-
Guilty, ttnt OF our being involved IN the yin and
fail IL oar atht parents. Tho obiecsSs savs.
dot SEQ bow Wo are 10 be held responsible fof
| dam 0t1Ht fnn frf1n ti,u} iaho ia
PRAYED rasurcs, then it toss not bcem to ma that
We l,aro fir chAnco." In refureucs to tho flrh,
of thess ponts, reply: Il Ia no p:s: q sha
Scripture teaching or OF tue orthodox faittl,
us lcrsons!ly responsible Tor any sins but
our own. It,at VIC h1i 10 responsibility in
tho 8.n Of ous fstt parents j. pcs!cct!y essdcnt
but that are st1ected bv tlat Aiu to tho extenI
o! ltleti.ing deprayeI natures IL the teAchin8
both Of scsiisase And o! s!l huusn exres!en:e
How VIC ar0 th,la Affected hY the fall Ut Adam
DO TINT from btttt We arc deps Ased ls question
apous which lnen differ. 1t Resms 10 me, how
somssinles expressed in tho worda, like sro
duceu ltka," "asory seed nfter bid kInd." 1t u
au unqNestionA1,]o tnct that to certaln c1tea
pu.enta trana,oit Qualities to ther clltdtet
wise oslatnins1 Would you not rejoice thA
Ills il : fact wa.en Sou th.nk only OF goot
! 9uaistiesS But DO you SUPPOSE sNch \ laW
could ctlet without Its Wosklu1 loth wsyaf Il
uos that true Of eyerT law OF uatnro7 Tbs 1r'
which waru,s lls. aud without which we 1rceze t,
,..att, ls,ss ne us to death Il NO tanper with It
Tho Ia" Of ErkyltattJu Id wisa aud beautiful
. o.daiuing tn Gaaa material Nuivars,, yct It wi
: DASH to ptccsa tue nau Who violates it. Ara ~
not mau,fsstty unjust shea "a complain Of
. law " th!s kiud ordsiued for visa euda, bsoaua
! TIM. LAW "hen parvesssl works out a pena!ts
lheze IL nowhera III Ill tue untyosse \ law o
, Gods usd.lniu5 hus will w'-sk out beAut
aul harmony II obcycd, or destruction If dis
ubssed.
Dut ! hnys something more to ssr III anawe
, to tAiB question at our uayInE . fair chance
eiuce NO aIs = nature co,r'.'.t a{aa God i, u
nothing nlero for tIlsn 10 hold Tia 10 the san,
, Kind af prnta,,ot. Adm hti beforr ho teiI, "
Naul1 Lava Lad uo cllaace Ut Ill, II IT, Il.
tt1oi tho test. Sndurel tbs :noral trial Of hi
propaslonss7 perioi. as NO hass reason tu mi
l>Ina tha CREST luatutity af rational stirit1 hks
:, iaue, he won'd nasa been "1ustiaed by tb
lAw"; that IL. Gil the prinop's oi Il ioe, Torfpt
,, oaedleuce 10 . holy aud rsrfeci law. But upo
: such rE1non,e or baBis ID that not nns Of til
: | amman family siucn tho full hkx aYAr hsd h.