Year: 1878

THE DEPRAvITY OF HUMAN NATURE-sERMoN


BY THE REV GEORGE HEPwoRrH.


THE Bible is at the same time the most depressing
and the most hopeful OF books" said Mr. Hepworth
yesterday morning, in commencing sermon 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 lusts and that put
the man. which after God is created in right
eousness and true holiness The preacher proceeded
to amplify the declaration TO the Bible. and said -
1t is depressing when it states what man is and what
he will inevitably become, unless intervening
force interferes. 1t is hopeful when it tells what
man may become when he accepts the conditions
of salvation. The first facts that the Bible
acqnaints Us with are those relating to our
fallen condition, and which during the ages have
crystaized themselves into the convenient shape Of
the doctrine of total depravity The next series Of
facts with which the Bible acquaints us contain
within themselves the means Of escape from dark
ness the secret of acquiring spiritual health the
way in which heaven be reached with the smile
of the everlasting Father of Peace. During the
these haye been crystaized into what has been
termed the plan of salvation. The Bible states the
difficulty aud then gives the remedy: it paints the
background our human depravity and snfulness. and
then faces upon it the luminous cross of Calvary the
symbol of our great hope. This doctrine ofdepravity
has been the stumbling block of many thoughtful
minds. but only because it has been misunderstood
1t is the assertion of a plain unwelcome and indis-
putable fact. The depravity in heart resents
the doctrine as personal insult 1t Is never
theless true. If will ourselves,
ambition. peace actual lives, by
pattern Christ Jesus, shall lind We have fallen
far short Of what is possible. We have hidden be-
hind which will be of avail. We have
pleaded again and again that circumstances
against US, when we knew that a strong will could
trample such crcums tances and tread them under
foot Now, brethren. if want to be real help to
mankind. If want to make any change in
mode of life, We must begin by first finding ont
how deep down it is necessary to dig when lay
the first stone of reformation. Observation and
perence tell US IN stern relentless tones that we
must dig down to the very bottom. The Bible puts
this better than can. So radical is its assertion that
you and start back upon ourselves with something
like dread and fear until insist upon knowing the
whole truth and i'll that partly lies faith in all
good and our life in God The mind before it reaches
the truth always passes through region Of doubt


NEW BIRTH


The Bible tells us in kind of picturesque com
nand that must be born again; and IN that word
is hidden strong probabilities. II to be born
again must die first. Death must kill everything
it our nature Yet if we consider for a moment we
shall find it true, nevertheless. ont OF this will
resurrection birth, and the whole converse
tion" and 'the old man are 70 be put aside. A new
man, which Is the gift of God, must be brought for
ward The Bible, then. very like the physician who
applies heroic remedy. Some of you are in doubt
about this matter. You very thoughtful men and
women. and you have found it exceedingly difficult
10 accept the doctrine OF total depravity, and
whenever it has been preached you have
CLOSED it over best you could. Many and
many time you have thought it mistake
of the Church to insist upon it, and, because you
have tho ght it not exactly true you have looked
upon doctrine taken of the Scriptures by
method Of misinterpretiton. The doctrine Of total
depravity is not Bible doctrine alone II is very
curious fact that to-day il il preached by the two
opposing elements Of our modern society. The man
Christian feeling believes in it with tears in his
eyes and with bleeding heart. The Communist.
whose end Is to reform society and 10 make all men
brethren in some magical and mysterious way, and
who shakes the red ag OF revolution in the face Of
nineteenth century, stands upon the doctrine Of
total depravity as his fundamental fact. He
H. infde,. to be sure, and does not
believe in the mild methods of the New
Testament. This makes difference; did
not get his facts ont 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 same thing
Christianity provides remedy for this disease The
doctrine of total depraviy does that there
is good in To certain extent good IL
natural TO We all of us have generous impulses
and give way to them. The doctrine says to ls that
the man who lives To himself alone VIII lose the high
est good There is only way of solving this
enigma. and that way is through the Lord Jesus
Christ. Christ is i'll every mans life controlling