memory, we still find the universal mind precisely agreeing with the Bible on this great subject. 2. We have seen that the mind itself contains the materials for such a retribution as the Scriptures foretell. We have seen that memory, and consequently a sleeping conscience can be revived. Events, in various ways, have been recalled to the memory, and if some are recalled, why may not such be the case with all? With all the events of his past life continually before him, what must be the sinners' hell? He cannot bid them depart, he cannot flee from them. Though he might fly through boundless space, his sins, like his own shadow, will follow him, ever lashing with their scorpion whips his bleeding heart. Even in this life, a recollection of his past sins often gives him a fearful looking for, of judgment. Sometimes the universal air, Ten thousand, thousand dreadful eyes, Are looking down in blame." All things in nature; all subjective and objective existence attest his guilt, and to run away from his accusers and tormenters, he must bid farewell to himself and to the whole universe. How gloomily impressive are the following words written on a blank leaf of Rogers' Poem, on the pleasures of Memory: "Alone at midnight's haunted hour, When nature woos repose in vain, She tells of time misspent, of comforts lost, Of fair occasions gone forever by, Of hopes too fondly nursed, too rudely crossed, What, but the deep inherent dread Lest she beyond the grave resume her reign, And realize the hell, that priests and beldames feign!" 3. We have seen from the incidents given that the mind may be full of activity and enjoyment, while the memory of some events is entirely obliterated from it. It is not impossible then, that sins may be put away-cast behind God's back-remembered no more-so as no more to come into mind-blotted out-pardoned-forgotten. Is not this just what the Bible teaches? "In those days, and in that time, saith the LORD, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found: for I will PARDON them whom I receive." And again :-"Who is a God like unto Thee, that pardoneth iniquity; and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage?" While the Koran of Mahommet, and all the sacred books of the heathen, merely reveal a system of debt and credit, the Bible is the book that can be termed, THE REVELATION OF FORGIVENESS. All other professed revelations promise reward to the good and punishment to the evil. The wicked may, indeed, according to these false revelations, by a few good deeds, overbalance many evil ones, but the idea of forgiveness, in a true and Scripture sense of that term, none of them contain. The Bible alone brings this great doctrine to light. The human mind, though it may not reveal it, still teaches that it is possible, and we think, suggests, that it is probable for sins to be entirely obliterated or forgiven. Unaided reason has never been so sure of this doctrine, as to venture to incorporate it with any false religion, and yet, when laid before us in the Bible, it finds a ready response in the human mind. This ready response shows the adaptation of the Bible to the mind, and hence its truth. LECTURE XVIII. THE EXALTED AND DEPRAVED NATURES OF MAN. [MAN] IS THE IMAGE AND GLORY OF GOD.-1st Corinthians, 11: 7. FOR ALL HAVE SINNED, AND COME SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD.-Romans 3: 23. The opinions given of man's intellectual and moral natures appear to differ most widely. Some have represented him, even in a state of nature, as still possessing noble characteristics, and even bearing the image of his Maker; while others have held him to be grossly degraded and depraved. These two apparently conflicting theories, have had their strong champions, who have fought manfully to defend their respective positions. We take the ground that both of these theories accord with observation and Scripture, while the champions of each may have often been wrong in looking at but one side of the question, pushing their favorite dogmas to the extreme, and in censuring each other. Man's noble nature is seldom too highly extolled; while his degraded nature is seldom too much decried. Theorize as we may, on this subject, the stubborn fact will stare us in the face, it will impress itself upon our minds as though it were a matter of consciousness, and it will speak in the ear of our souls. the significant title of the book of Mrs. McIntosh, "GOOD IN ALL AND NONE ALL GOOD." Such a sentiment may not accord either with our philo-sophy or theology, but the human mind cannot long be satisfied with any other, and it is upon no other ground that the many apparently contradictory Scriptures, touching this point, can possibly be reconciled. The two Scriptures we have chosen as our motto, afford a specimen of the manner in which the Bible treats this subject. Man "is the image and glory of God." On these words, Mr. Barnes says, "The phrase image of God," refers to the fact that man was made in the likeness of his Maker; and proves that though fallen, there is a sense in which he is still “the image of God." On the expression: "Have come short of the glory of God," Mr. Barns says: "Greek-Are deficient in regard Barne to; are wanting, &c. Here it means, that they had failed to obtain or were destitute of." Now the only theory upon which the human mind can rest, is, that, which represents man both as an exalted and a degraded being, and the fact, that in opposition to the extreme notions of sectarians, the Bible endorses this native language of the human soul, affords a striking evidence of its truth. Let us first notice what the Scriptures teach of man's exalted nature, and we shall see that all these teachings find a ready response in the human mind. 1. We expect to find some ever acting upon this principle. good in all, and we ara |