As to the _doctrines taught_ in this little volume, they are the same inculcated in our Popular Theology twenty-one years ago, and in our different works published since that time. And here it seems proper to avail ourselves of this public opportunity to correct an error committed by our esteemed friend, Dr. Schaff, of Mercersburg, in his recent work on the American churches, in which he represents us as denying the _reality,_ as well as the guilt of natural depravity. This is entirely a mistake. The reality of Natural Depravity is a doctrine so clearly taught in God's word, as well as by the history of the human race, that we have never even been tempted to doubt it. In the eighth edition of the Popular Theology, (p. 144,) which has recently left the press, our views on this subject are thus summed up:-- "The Augsburg Confession seems to combine, both these views, (_i.e._ both absence of holiness and predisposition to sin,) and the great body of Lutheran divines has regarded natural, or original, or innate depravity, as that disorder in the mental and bodily constitution of man, which was introduced by the fall of Adam, is transmitted by natural generation from parent to child, and the result of which is, that all men who are naturally engendered, evince in their action want of holiness and a predisposition to sin. Without the admission of such a disorder in the human system, _no satisfactory reason can be assigned for the universality of actual transgression_ amongst men." "Our own views on this disputed subject, maybe summed up in the following features: 1. All mankind, in consequence of their descent from fallen Adam, _are born with a depraved nature,_ that is, their bodily and mental system is _so disordered, as_ in result of its operation _to evince a predisposition to sin._ 2. This natural depravity _disqualifies its subjects for heaven_. Because the action of depraved (disordered) faculties and powers, would not, even in heaven itself, be conformed to the divine law, and _could not be acceptable to God_ In our natural state, moreover, we have not the _qualifications requisite for the enjoyment of heaven_, having no spiritual appetites. But we cannot suppose that God would condemn us to positive and eternal misery merely on account of this depraved (disordered) nature; for we are in no sense the authors or causes of it; and a just God will not punish his creatures for acts which they did not perform;" (p. 147.) It is evident, therefore, that we do maintain _the reality_ of natural depravity inherited from our first parents, but _deny the imputation of it to us as personal guilt_. This correction, we doubt not, Dr. Schaff will make in the future editions of his work. Nor are we more chargeable with even the remotest tendency to rationalism, than the great mass of American and English theologians, including such men as Drs. Dwight, Mason, Woods and Alexander, who all distinguish things _above_ reason from those _contrary_ to it, and