Book-bot.com - read famous books online for free

The World's Greatest Books — Volume 13 — Religion and Philosophy by Various
page 93 of 424 (21%)
consent, that they originated with those who bestowed this honour on the
dead, from a superstitious regard to their memory.


_II.--THE GRACE OF CHRIST THE REDEEMER_


Through the fall of Adam arose the need of a Redeemer, the whole human
race having by that event been made accursed and degenerate. Man thereby
became deprived of freedom of will and miserably enslaved. The dominion
of sin, ever since the first man was brought under it, not only extends
to the whole race, but has complete possession of every soul. Free will
does not enable any man to perform good works unless he is assisted by
grace. Yet, since man is by nature a social being, he is disposed, from
natural instinct, to cherish and preserve society; and, accordingly, we
see that the minds of all men have impressions of order and civil
honesty. So that, in regard to the constitution of the present life, no
man is devoid of the light of reason. And this gift ought justly to be
ascribed to the divine indulgence. Had God not so spared us, our revolt
would have carried with it the entire destruction of nature. But to the
great truth, what God is in Himself, and what He is in relation to us,
human reason makes not the least approach. The natural man has no
capacity for such sublime wisdom as to apprehend God, unless illumined
by His Spirit, and none can enter the kingdom of God save those whose
minds have been renewed by the power of the spirit.

It is certain that after the fall of our first parent, no knowledge of
God without a Mediator was effectual to salvation. Hence it is that God
never showed Himself propitious to His ancient people, nor gave them any
hope of grace without a Mediator. The prosperous and happy state of the
DigitalOcean Referral Badge