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REFUTATION

OF

CALVINISM,

&c.

CHAPTER THE FIRST.

OF ORIGINAL SIN, FREE WILL, AND THE OPERATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

T is evident from the account left us by Moses,

IT

that a considerable change took place in the minds of our first Parents immediately after they had transgressed the prohibitory command of God, not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil (a); but the conciseness with which the sacred Historian has described the primitive condition of Man, and his Fall from the state in which he was created, has led to a variety of opinions respecting the effects of Adam's disobedience upon himself and his posterity. Without entering into a detail of the numerous controversies which have arisen in the Christian Church concerning Original Sin, or attempting

(a) Gen. c. 2. v. 17.

B

to

to explain the subtle distinctions and minute differences which we find in Writers upon this abstruse and intricate subject, we may remark, that there have been, and still are, Christians, who assert, that Adam transmitted no moral corruption to his offspring in consequence of his Fall; and who maintain, that the nature of the present race of men is not more depraved than the nature of Adam was at his first creation. On the contrary, there are others, who contend that the sin of Adam introduced into his nature such a radical impotence and depravity, that it is impossible for his descendants to make any voluntary effort towards piety or virtue, or in any respect to correct and improve their moral and religious character; and that Faith and all the Christian graces are communicated by the sole and irresistible operation of the Spirit of God, without any endeavour or concurrence on the part of Man. The former is the position of the Socinians (a), the latter of the Calvinists. The true doctrine will be found to lie between these two extremes. The heart, the passions, the will, and the understanding, and indeed all the faculties and powers of Adam, were greatly corrupted, perverted, and impaired by his violation of the divine command; and this

sin

(a) Some few persons agree with the Socinians upon this point, who differ from them in all others.

sin of our first Parent has caused every individual descended from him, to be born into the world an imperfect and depraved creature. But though a propensity to evil and wickedness, universal in extent and powerful in its effects, was thus transmitted to mankind, yet all idea of distinction between right and wrong was not utterly obliterated from the human mind, or every good affec→ tion eradicated from the human heart. The general approbation of virtue and detestation of vice, which have universally prevailed, prove, that the moral sense was not annihilated (b); and that Man did not become by the Fall an unmixed incorrigible mass of pollution and depravity, absolutely incapable of amendment, or of knowing or discharging, by his natural powers, any part of the duty of a dependent rational being. And it will appear that the Gospel scheme of Redemp tion, so far from rejecting all co-operation of Man, requires human exertions as indispensably neces

sary

(b) "Peace and delight," says Bishop Butler, "in some degree and upon some occasions, is the necessary and present effect of virtuous practice; an effect arising immediately from the constitution of our nature. We are so made that well-doing as such gives us satisfaction, at least in some instances; ill-doing as such in none.' And, upon another occasion he observes, that "this moral principle is capable of improvement by discipline and exercise." Anal, of Religion, pp. 81 & 135.

sary to obtain the effectual assistance of the Holy Spirit.

I do not think it necessary to repeat the arguments, which I have stated in a former Work (c), in support of the doctrine of the general corruption of human nature, but shall confirm the truth of what has been now advanced respecting the degree of that corruption, by a particular reference to the Old and New Testaments; I shall then shew that the Public Formularies of our Church are strictly consonant to Scripture, and cannot be reconciled with the Calvinistic tenets upon Original Sin, Free-will, and Divine Grace, subjects necessarily connected in every system of Christian Theology.

We are told in the Book of Genesis, that "The Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering (d) ;" and unto Cain he said, "If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? And if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door (e)." May

(c) Elements of Christian Theology. (d) Gen. c. 4. v. 4.

(e) Gen. c. 4. v. 7. My argument is not affected by the doubts entertained by the learned, concerning the meaning of the last words of this passage. I desire to refer my Readers, who may wish to see this subject fully discussed, to Dr. Magee's Discourses on Atonement and Sacrifice, v. 1. p. 57. and v. 2. p. 243, a work of great learning, and of very superior merit.

May we not hence infer that the immediate sons of Adam lived under a divine law, which they had the power of obeying or of disobeying? The doing well, or the doing not well, the acceptance, or the imputation of sin, imply a practicable rule as the criterion of the worthiness of their actions. The progress of sin after the Fall was very rapid and excessive; but we are informed that, amidst the general depravity, "Enoch walked with God (f)" and that "Noah was a just man, and perfect in his generations, and walked with God (g)." The former "was translated that he should not see death (h);" and the latter was preserved with his family, when a flood of waters destroyed all other flesh upon the earth. Between the flood and the promulgation of the Law lived Abraham, who was called by God himself " the Friend of God (i);" Isaac, to whose prayer it pleased God to listen (k); and Job, who " was perfect and upright, and one that feared God and eschewed evil (1)." Do not these instances bespeak a rule of life instituted by God himself, and a capacity of distinguishing between good

and

(f) Gen. c. 5. v. 24.

(g) Gen. c. 6. v. 9.

(i) Jas. c. 2. v. 23. & Is. c. 41. v. 8.

(k) Gen. c. 27. v. 28.

(h) Heb. c. 11. v. 5.

(1) Job. c. I. v. I.

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