A Body of Divinity, Vol. 2 (of 4): Wherein the doctrines of the Christian religion are explained and defended, being the substance of several lectures on the Assembly's Larger CatechismRidgley, Thomas
Religion
A Body of Divinity, Vol. 2 (of 4): Wherein the doctrines of the Christian religion are explained and defended, being the substance of several lectures on the Assembly's Larger Catechism
The first intelligent creatures were purely spiritual, and each stood
or fell for himself. He united in man the spiritual and corporeal
natures; he formed his soul innocent and holy, and made ample
provision for the comfort of his body; and as it would have been
inconvenient to have brought all of the human family, which were to be
in every generation, upon the earth at one time, and still more so,
that, every one standing or falling for himself, the earth should be
the common habitation of beings perfectly holy, happy, and immortal,
and also of cursed perishing beings, he constituted the first man a
representative of his race. “Let us make _man_,” the race in one. To
be fruitful, multiply, fill, and subdue the earth, were directed to
the race. “In the day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt die.” He did die
spiritually, he lost his innocence, became the subject of guilt,
shame, and fear; and all his posterity inherit the fallen nature.
Being already cursed, when afterwards arraigned and sentenced, it was
only necessary to curse his enjoyments in this world. His posterity
were included, for they are subjected to the same afflictions and
death. If they had not been included in the sentence “dust thou art,
and unto dust shalt thou return,” as they were a part of his dust, not
dying, it would not have been accomplished. That he represented the
race appears also from this, that the command was given to him before
his wife was formed, and also because it does not appear that her eyes
were opened to see her guilt, and miserable condition until he had
eaten of the fruit; then “the eyes of them both were opened.”
The remedy was provided before the creation, and nothing can be shown
to prove that it is not complete in every instance when there is not
actual guilt. That the woman was to have a seed the first parent heard
announced in the sentence against the tempter, whilst standing in
suspense momently in expectation of that death which had been
threatened. If the plural had been used, this could have been no
intimation of the seed Christ. Why was the word _woman_ used, which
excludes the man, and not the term _man_, which would have embraced
both, unless the Son of the virgin was intended? It is all one great
whole, perfectly seen only to God himself. “O the depth of the riches
both of the wisdom and knowledge of God; how unsearchable are his
judgments, and his ways past finding out.”
Footnote 46:
_Vid. Grot. in Hos._ vi. 7. _Mihi latina hæc interpretatio non
displicet, ut sensus hic sit; sicut Adam, quia pactum meum violavit,
expulsus est ex Hedene; ita æquum est ex sua terra expelli._
Footnote 47:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account