NOTE (F) p. 186. Of the Degree of that Corruption of Nature which is derived from Adam. Of the corruption of nature derived from Adam, there ought to be no question; but of the Degree and Extent of that corruption, there may be.-Calvin asserts it to be total : "totum hominem, quasi diluvio, a capite ad pedes sic fuisse obrutum, ut nulla pars a peccato sit immunis: ac proinde, quicquid ab eo procedit, in peccatum imputari." (Inst. 11. 1. 9.) Stet ergo nobis indubia ista veritas, quæ nullis machinamentis quatefieri potest, Mentem hominis sic alienatam prorsus a Dei justitia, ut nihil non impium, contortum, fœdum, impurum, flagitiosum concipiat, concupiscat, moliatur: cor peccati veneno ita penitus delibutum, ut nihil quam corruptum fætorem efflare queat. Quod si quidpiam interdum boni in speciem ostentant, mentem tamen semper hypocrisi, et fallaci obliquitate involutam, animum interiori perversitate illigatum manere. (Inst. II. 5. 19.) Strong as it is, yet even this has been improved upon by one of his scholars: "For as Adam by that first sin of his-did lose for himself, and all his posterity, that glorious image of God in which he was created, and whereby he did wholly resemble the Lord in wisdom and holiness; so did he thereby also receive for himself, and his whole posterity, the image of Satan, and was transformed into it. Whereby it is come to pass, that we do all by nature (a fearful thing to hear, and yet a cer tain truth) most lively in our disposition resemble Satan.” Hildersham, Lect. 57, upon Psalm 51. We may observe in general, that in detailing the nature of this disease, or drawing out the particulars of its malignity into a system, a strict guard ought to be placed over the licentiousness of reason; lest not only truth suffer, but the Divine perfections be brought into hazard: for it is most certain that man, even in his fallen state, before a single individual of the race had returned to God, was the object of God's favourable regard. We must wish, therefore, that the following had not stood where it does: "whereby it came to pass, that as before he was blessed, so now he was accursed; as before he was loved, so now he was abhorred; as before he was most beautiful and precious, so now he was most vile and wretched, in the sight of his Lord and Maker: instead of the image of God, he was now become the image of the devil; instead of the citizen of heaven, he was become the bondslave of hell, having in himself no one part of his former purity and cleanness, but being altogether spotted and defiled: insomuch that now he seemed to be nothing else but a lump of sin, and therefore by the just judgment of God was condemned to everlasting death." Homilies, Sermon of the Nativity, near the beginning. The following extract from Archbishop Tillotson may suggest an important caution: ""Tis too true, that the nature of man is sadly corrupted and depraved; but not so bad, as by vicious practices and habits it may be made: an unregenerate man is not necessarily as bad as is possible; no more than it is necessary to a regenerate state, that a man be perfectly good : so that it is a great mistake to argue the common condition of all mankind, from the descriptions that are given in the Scripture of the worst of men." Vol. I. Sermon 53. page 375. 66 Considering St. Paul's description, we cannot conclude less, than that this corruption of nature is very great and dreadful, and that "man is very far gone from original righteousness." Yet at the same time we scruple not to say with Barrow, that man having received his soul from the breath of God, and being framed after the image of his most benign parent; there do yet abide in him some features resembling God, and relics of the Divine original." (Vol. I. Sermon 26. p. 319.) And again : "So fair characters are there of the Divine nature engraven upon man's soul: but one chief property thereof we have not yet touched, whereof, alas! the lineaments are more faint, and less discernible; they being in themselves originally most tender and delicate, and thence apt by our unhappy degeneration to suffer the most, and have thence accordingly been most defaced : Goodness, I mean; whereof yet, I shall not doubt to say, many goodly reliques are extant, and may be observed therein. There do remain dispersed in the soil of human nature, divers seeds of goodness, of benignity, of ingenuity; which being cherished, excited, and quickened by good culture, do, to common experience, thrust out flowers very lovely, yield fruits very pleasant, of virtue and goodness." (Vol. II. Serm. 7. p. 98.) NOTE (G) p. 188. Of the Remission of Sin in the Baptism of Infants. "It may be demanded, How children, by reason of their innocent age, are capable of these benefits; how they can be pardoned, who never had offended; how they can be justified, who were never capable of being unjust?-I briefly answer, That because they come from that race, which by sin had forfeited God's favour, and had alienated itself from him; because also they have in them those seeds of pravity, from which afterward certainly, life continuing, (without God's restraining grace) will sprout forth innumerable evil actions; therefore that God overlooking all the defects of their nature, both relative, and absolute or personal, doth assume them into his special favour, is no small benefit to them; answerable to the remission of actual sin, and restitution from the state consequent thereon, in others." (Barrow, Doctrine of the Sacraments, p. 658.) |