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One mass of moral corruption!
(Winslow, "The Inner Life in its Relapsed Influence")
Where divine grace does not exist in the heart, there
is nothing to stunt the growth, or to check the progress,
or to restrain the power of the soul's depravity.
The fountain pours out its streams of corruption and death,
bidding defiance to all human efforts either to purify or restrain.
Education can't restrain the power of the soul's depravity.
Public sentiment can't restrain the power of the soul's depravity.
Human law can't restrain the power of the soul's depravity.
Moral persuasion can't restrain the power of the soul's depravity.
'Self love' can't restrain the power of the soul's depravity.
All these instruments fail in the attempt.
There is going on in the soul a process of moral decay,
which, if not averted by divine grace, must terminate in
the intolerable and interminable pangs of the second
death; the soul departing into eternity, one mass of
moral corruption!
But let one grain of God's grace fall into this corrupt
fountain, and there is deposited a counteracting and
transforming element, which at once commences a
healing, purifying, and saving process. And, what
parental restraint, and the long years of study,
and human law, had failed to do, one hour's deep
repentance of sin, one believing glance at a crucified
Savior, one moment's realization of the love of God,
have effectually accomplished.
O the intrinsic preciousness, the priceless value, the
sovereign efficacy of God's converting, sanctifying grace!
Effecting a lodgement in the most debased and corrupt
heart, grace revolutionizes the whole soul, changing its
principles, purifying its affections, ennobling its sentiments,
and assimilating it to the Divine holiness.
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