might be supposed, that the universal fruit of our fall should be contrition, and self-Iothing, and self- abhorrence ; and that, a way having been revealed for our restoration to God's favour, we should be occupied day and night in the grateful contempla- tion of it, and in the pursuit of so inestimable a blessing. But here again we are all upon a par : the men of finer clay and more exquisite workmanship, are here on a level with vessels of the most base materials and most degraded use. A spirit of humi- liation is never found, but as it is infused into the soul by the Spirit of God. It might be supposed, that the desire of obtaining reconciliation with God should stimulate every child of man to earnest in- quiries after a Saviour, and to grateful thanksgivings to God for the unspeakable gift of his only dear Son. But so far are these feelings from being the natural growth of the human heart, that they are never formed in the heart but with great difficulty, nor ever preserved alive there but with constant vigilance and unremitting exertions. We do indeed read of a Samuel, a Josiah, a Timothy, sanctified from an early period of life : but this was not in consequence of any natural piety in them any more than in others ; but in consequence of peculiar operations of divine grace upon their souls.
Connected with this want of a sinner-like spirit, is a love of sin in all its branches. We say again, there is not in every man the same predominance of sin in all its branches ; but the same propensity to it there is : the seed of every evil lies buried in our fallen nature : in some it acquires more strength than in others, and manifests itself by more hateful fruits ; but in all it lives, it vegetates, and, if circum- stances were to arise to call it forth, would grow up to maturity in one as well as in another.
Thus we have delivered our sentiments on the corruption of man's nature ; and we will add a few words respecting that which is so intimately con- nected with it — our natural inability to do any thing that is good.