47.
Let us ask whether the female mind is likely to be trained to purity by studying this manual of piety, and by expressing its devotional desires after the following example.

"Mercy being a _young_ and _breeding_ woman _longed_ for something," &c.
Out upon the fellow! I could find it in my heart to suspect him of any vice that the worst of men could commit! Ib.pp.55, 56.
'As by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous'.

The interpretation of this text is simply this:--As by following the fatal example of one man's disobedience many were made sinners; so by that pattern of perfect obedience which Christ has set before us shall many be made righteous.
What may not be explained thus?
And into what may not any thing be thus explained?
It comes out little better than nonsense in any other than the literal sense.

For let any man of sincere mind and without any system to support look round on all his Christian neighbours, and will he say or will they say that the origin of their well-doing was an attempt to imitate what they all believe to be inimitable, Christ's perfection in virtue, his absolute sinlessness?
No--but yet perhaps some particular virtues; for instance, his patriotism in weeping over Jerusalem, his active benevolence in curing the sick and preaching to the poor, his divine forgiveness in praying for his enemies ?--I grant all this.

But then how is this peculiar to Christ?
Is it not the effect of all illustrious examples, of those probably most which we last read of, or which made the deepest impression on our feelings?
Were there no good men before Christ, as there were no bad men before Adam?
Is it not a notorious fact that those who most frequently refer to Christ's conduct for their own actions, are those who believe him the incarnate Deity--consequently, the best possible guide, but in no strict sense an example;--while those who regard him as a mere man, the chief of the Jewish Prophets, both in the pulpit and from the press ground their moral persuasions chiefly on arguments drawn from the propriety and seemliness--or the contrary--of the action itself, or from the will of God known by the light of reason?
To make St.Paul prophesy that all Christians will owe their holiness to their exclusive and conscious imitation of Christ's actions, is to make St.Paul a false prophet;--and what in such case becomes of the boasted influence of miracles?
Even as false would it be to ascribe the vices of the Chinese, or even our own, to the influence of Adam's bad example.