Year: 1878

THE DEPRAvITY OF HUMAN NATURE-sERMoN


BY THE REV. GEORGE HEPwoRTH.


'The Bible is at the same time the most depressing
and the most hopeful of books" said Mr.. Hepworth
yesterday morning, in commencing sermon on THE
Depravity of Human Nature" the text of which
Ephesians, iv.. %. 24-"That ye put of concerning
the former conversation the old man. which is COR
rupt according to the deceitu usts and that ye put
on the man. which after God is created in right
eousness and true holiness The preacher proceeded
to ampfy the declaration to the Bible. and said =:
1t is depressing when it states what is and what
he will inevitably become. unless some intervening
force interferes 1t is hopeful when 1t tells us what
man may become when he accepts the conditions
OF salvation The first facts that the Bible
acauaints us with those relating to our
fallen condition, and which during the ages have
cxystazed themselves into the convenient shape OF
the doctrine of total depravity. The next series Of
facts with which the Bible acquants contain
within themselves the means Of escape from dark
ness; the secret of acquiring spiritual health; the
way in which heaven can be reached with the smile
of the everlasting Father of Peace. During the ages
these haye been crystaized into what has been
termed the plan Of salvation. The Bible states the
difcuty and then gives the remedy; it paints the
background human depravity and sinfulness, and
then faces upon it the luminous Of Calvary the
symbol of great hope This doctrine of depravity
has been the stumbling block Of many thoughtful
minds but only because II has been misunderstood.
1t is the assertion of plain unwelcome and inds-
putable fact. The depravity in own heart resens
theless tia % true rue If we will measure " ourselves,
pattern, Christ Jesus, shall find have fallen
far short Of what is possible. We have hidden be-
hind excuses which will be of no avail. We have
pleaded again and again that circumstances are
against us, when we knew that strong will could
trampe on such circumstance ana tread them under
foot Now brethren. If we want to be real help to
mankind or II We want To make any change III our
mode of life. we must begin by first finding ont
how deep down it is necessary to dig when we lay
the first stone of reformation. Observation and
perience tell in stern, relentless tones that
must dig down TO the very bottom. The Bible puts
this better than can radical its assertion that
you and start back upon ourselves with something
like dread and fear, until we insist upon knowing the
whole truth, and III that partly lies faith in all
good and our life in God The mind before 1t reaches
the truth always passes through . region Of doubt





The Bible tells in a kind of picturesque COM
mand that we must be born again; and III that word
is hidden strong probabilities II we are to be born
again we must die first. Death kill everything
ia nature. Yet, if we consider for a moment, we
shall find it true nevertheless out of this will come
resurrection new birth, and the whole converse
tion" and "the old man" are to be put aside. new
man. which is the gift of God, must be brought for
ward The Bible, then. is very like the physician who
applies a heroic remedy. Some of you are in doubt
about this matter You are very thoughtful men and
women and you have found it exceedingly difficult
to accept the doctrine of total depravity, and
whenever it has been preached you have
glossed it over as best you coud. Many and



Of the Church to insist upon it: and, because you
have oght it not exactly true, have looked
upon a doctrine taken of the Scriptures by
method of msinterpret tion. The doctrine of total
depravity is Bible doctrine alone. 1t is very
curious fact that to-day it is preached by the two
opposing elemtn nts Of our modern society The man
OF Christian feeling believes in 1t with tears in his
eyes and with bleeding heart. The Communist.
whose end is to reform society and to make all men
brethren in some magical and mysterious way and
who the red flag Of revolution the face Of
nineteenth century. stands upon the doctrine Of
total depravIty his fundamental fact. He
r. infde., to be sure, and does not
believe in the mild methods Of the New
Testament. This makes differences; ne did
get his facts out of the Scriptures. He got them
~ being ground between the upper and lower mill
stones OF human existence. He got them by looking
into human eyes and into his heart and by hard
experience The systems of political economy which
have been put forth in the world during the last
three four generations oassert the thing.
Christianity provides remedy for this disease The
doctrine of total depravty does not that there
lis good in To certain extent good IL
natural to man. We all of have generous impulses
and give way to them. The doctrine says to us that
the who lives to himself alone will lose the high
est good There is only way of solving this
enigma, and that way is through the Lord Jesus
CHRIST. Christ is in every mans life controlling