An Apology for the True Christian Divinity. Robert Barclay

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СКАЧАТЬ his Youth. Thus inferring how natural and proper it is unto him; from which I thus argue:

      If the Thoughts of Man’s Heart be not only evil, but always evil; then are they, as they simply proceed from his Heart, neither good in Part, nor at any Time:

      But the First is true: Therefore the Last.

      Again,

      If Man’s Thoughts be always and only evil, then are they altogether useless and ineffectual to him in the Things of God:

      But the First is true: Therefore the Last.

      The Heart of Man deceitful.Secondly, This appears clearly from that Saying of the Prophet Jeremiah, Chap. xvii. 9. The Heart is deceitful above all Things, and desperately wicked. For who can with any Colour of Reason imagine, that that which is so hath any Power of itself, or is in any wise fit, to lead a Man to Righteousness, whereunto it is of its own Nature directly opposite? This is as contrary to Reason, as it is impossible in Nature, that a Stone of its own Nature and proper Motion, should fly upwards: For as a Stone of its own Nature inclineth and is prone to move downwards towards the Center, so the Heart of Man is naturally prone and inclined to Evil, some to one, and some to another. From this then I also thus argue:

      That which is deceitful above all Things, and desperately wicked, is not fit, neither can it lead a Man aright in Things that are good and honest.

      But the Heart of Man is such:

      Therefore, &c.

[51]But the Apostle Paul describeth the Condition of Men in the Fall at large, taking it out of the Psalmist. There is none righteous, no not one; There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the Way, they are altogether become unprofitable; there is none that doth good, no not one. Man’s Estate in the Fall. Their Throat is an open Sepulchre, with their Tongues they have used Deceit, the Poison of Asps is under their Lips: Whose Mouths are full of Cursing and Bitterness. Their Feet are swift to shed Blood; Destruction and Misery are in their Ways: And the Way of Peace have they not known. There is no Fear of God before their Eyes. What more positive can be spoken? He seemeth to be particularly careful to avoid that any Good should be ascribed to the natural Man; he shews how he is polluted in all his Ways; he shews how he is void of Righteousness, of Understanding, of the Knowledge of God; how he is out of the Way, and in short unprofitable; than which nothing can be more fully said to confirm our Judgment: For if this be the Condition of the natural Man, or of the Man as he stands in the Fall, he is unfit to make one right Step to Heaven.

[51] Rom. 3. 10. Psal. 14. 3. & 53. 2, &c.

      Object.If it be said, That is not spoken of the Condition of Man in general; but only of some Particulars, or at the least that it comprehends not all;

      Answ.The Text sheweth the clear Contrary in the foregoing Verses, where the Apostle takes in himself, as he stood in his natural Condition. What then? Are we better than they? No, in no wise; for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under Sin, as it is written: And so he goes on; by which it is manifest that he speaks of Mankind in general.

      

      Object.If they object that which the same Apostle saith in the foregoing Chapter, Ver. 14. to wit, That the Gentiles do by Nature the Things contained in the Law, and so consequently do by Nature that which is good and acceptable in the Sight of God;

      Answ. 1.I answer; This Nature must not, neither can be understood of Man’s own Nature, which is corrupt and fallen; but of the Spiritual Nature, which proceedeth from the Seed of God in Man, as it receiveth a new Visitation of God’s Love, and is quickened by it: Which clearly appears by the following Words, where he saith, By what Nature the Gentiles did do the Things of the Law.These not having a Law, (i.e. outwardly) are a Law unto themselves; which shews the Work of the Law written in their Hearts. These Acts of theirs then are an Effect of the Law written in their Hearts; but the Scripture declareth, that the Writing of the Law in the Heart is a Part, yea, and a great Part too, of the New Covenant Dispensation, and so no Consequence nor Part of Man’s Nature.

Answ. 2.Secondly, If this Nature here spoken of could be understood of Man’s own Nature, which he hath as he is a Man, then would the Apostle unavoidably contradict himself; since he elsewhere positively declares, The natural Man discerneth not, &c.That the natural Man discerneth not the Things of God, nor can. Now I hope the Law of God is among the Things of God, especially as it is written in the Heart. The Apostle, in the viith Chap. of the same Epistle, saith, Ver. 12. that the Law is, Holy, Just, and Good; and Ver. 14. the Law is Spiritual, but he is Carnal. Now in what Respect is he Carnal, but as he stands in the Fall unregenerate? Now what Inconsistency would here be, to say, That he is Carnal, and yet not so of his own Nature, seeing it is from his Nature that he is so denominated? We see the Apostle contra-distinguisheth the Law as Spiritual, from Man’s Nature as Carnal and Sinful. Wherefore, as Christ saith, [52]There can no Grapes be expected from Thorns, nor Figs of Thistles; so neither can the fulfilling of the Law, which is Spiritual, Holy, and Just, be expected from that Nature which is Corrupt, Fallen, and Unregenerate. Whence we conclude, with good Reason, that the Nature here spoken of, by which the Gentiles are said to have done the Things contained in the Law, is not the common Nature of Men; The Gentiles Spiritual Nature in doing the Law.but that Spiritual Nature that ariseth from the Works of the righteous and Spiritual Law that is written in the Heart. I confess they of the other Extreme, when they are pressed with this Testimony by the Socinians and Pelagians, as well as by us when we use this Scripture, to shew them how some of the Heathens, by the Light of Christ in their Heart, came to be saved, are very far to seek; giving this Answer, That there were some Reliques of the heavenly Image left in Adam, by which the Heathens could do some good Things. Which, as it is in itself without Proof, so it contradicts their own Assertions elsewhere, and gives away their Cause. For if these Reliques were of Force to enable them to fulfil the righteous Law of God, it takes away the Necessity of Christ’s coming; or at least leaves them a Way to be saved without him; unless they will say (which is worst of all) That though they really fulfilled the righteous Law of God, yet God damned them, because of the Want of that particular Knowledge, while he himself with-held all Means of their coming to him from them; but of this hereafter.

[52] Mat. 7. 16.

      §. III.

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I might also here use another Argument from these Words of the Apostle, 1 Cor. ii. where he so positively excludes the natural Man from an Understanding in the Things of God; but because I have spoken of that Scripture in the Beginning of the second Proposition, I will here avoid to repeat what is there mentioned, referring thereunto: Socinians exalting the Light of the natural Man.Yet because the Socinians and others, who exalt the Light of the natural Man, or a natural Light in Man, do object against this Scripture, I shall remove it before I proceed.[53]

[53] Antequam progrediar.

      Object.They СКАЧАТЬ