The first Adam and the second

THE Church of God has been called to engage in a continual conflict, not only with external enemies, but, much more, with corruptions and heresies within her own bosom. The whole scheme of grace was devised for the purpose of revealing to the creatures the truth concerning the nature and perfections of God; and it is carried on through a testimony thereto. The principal exertions, therefore, of the father of lies havo always been directed to the object of silencing or corrupting the church, -which is the pillar and ground of the truth,-s -so as to prevent her testimony to that doctrine which is according to godliness, by the instrumentality of which his sceptre is broken and his slaves set free. At the same time, the King of Zion, who is Head over all things to the church, has permitted and overruled these machinations of the Serpent, so as to induce among his own people a clearer apprehension, and more affectionate embrace, of the truth. As often as the spirit of error has come in, the Spirit of the Lord has lifted up a standard against it. All needful truth was, from the beginning, deposited in the sacred oracles. But much of the testimony therein contained has always lain unapprehended, until the oppositions of false science have brought it into question. Then has been fulfilled the promise of our Saviour:-" "When he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth."-John xvi. 13. Thus, from age to age, has the doctrine of God been gradually unfolded in clearer light, and comprehended in a growing fulness by the true Israel of God.

Of this mode of the divine economy, the history of the doctrine of Original Sin presents an interesting example. The essential principles of this doctrine were indeed held from the beginning; but their precise significance, relations and boundaries, in the system of truth, have only been recognised and defined by a gradual process, through many conflicts with grievous heresies.

2. Doctrine of Tertullian.

The earliest post-apostolic exposition of the doctrine of our relation to the sin of Adam occurs in the works of Tertullian. This writer, having attained to a great age, died about the year 220; so that his career must have commenced within some fifty years of the death of the apostle John. He was one of the most learned and excellent of the Fathers, against whom the impeachment of Montanism seems merely to indicate the zeal with which he maintained a protest in behalf of spiritual religion, in opposition to a lifeless formalism, a reliance on outward rites and relations,-that mystery of iniquity, which already wrought with great vigour, in his time. Whatever weight, however, may be given by any one to the imputation here alluded to, it is entitled to no consideration as affecting his competence to testify as to the orthodox doctrine of original sin. The writings from which we make the following quotations are of a date prior to the time of his supposed defection to the party of Montanus, and hold no special relation to the peculiarities of that party. In fact, so highly were these writings esteemed, that Cyprian, the eminent bishop of Carthage, was accustomed to read a portion of them daily, and never designated him by any other title than that of "the master." "His diction, and his spirit too, it has been supposed, were extensively propagated in the Latin church."*

The doctrine of original sin which is found in the writings of Tertullian is briefly this. Adam was created at first in the image of God, subject to the law, and with liberty of will, and power to keep it or to transgress. The divine image, in which he was made, consisted in the endowments of his soul, chief among which was his freedom of will. In his person was embodied the nature of the entire race; he was the fountain of the existence of all his offspring, who derive from him the being alike of body and soul; both of which flow from him by generation, and with which they derive a part in his nature. As thus constituted, Adam, and in him the race, transgressed the law, and came under the curse of God. The transgression consisted, formally, in plucking the forbidden fruit; essentially, in setting his will in opposition to the will of God. The result of the transgression is, the subjection of the nature of man to a power which is alien from God,—the enslaving of his powers to the god of this world. The consequence is, that the nature, thus depraved, is prone only to evil; and it is therefore impossible that the corrupted tree should bear good fruit. The apostate heart cannot produce the works of holiness. But that which is impossible to man is possible with God, who can even of stones raise up children unto Abraham.

Appropriating the name, spirit, to God alone, and designating the soul of man as an afflatus from God, Tertullian says of man's original estate,

*Murdock's Mosheim, vol. i. p. 122, note.

"The image cannot in all respects equal the reality. For it is one thing to be like the reality; another, to be the very reality. So, also, the afflatus, since it is but the image of the Spirit, cannot present such a likeness of God, that inasmuch as the original, that is, the Spirit which is God, is without sin, therefore the image, the afflatus, must be held incapable of sin. In this, the image is inferior to the original,—the afflatus less excellent than the Spirit; yet having the very lineaments of God, inasmuch as the soul was immortal; as it was free, and subject to its own will; as it was prescient of many things, rational, and capable of apprehension and knowledge. Nevertheless, in these things it was but an image, and not endowed with the very energy of divinity. So neither was it beyond the reach of apostasy; because this is peculiar to God, the original; and not characteristic of the image." "I find man created by God, free, and subject to his own will and power; and perceive in him no nearer image and likeness of God, than the structure of this constitution. For in features and corporeal lineaments, which are so various in the human race, he does not exhibit a representation of God, whose likeness is one; but in that substance which he derived from God himself, that is, his soul, conformed to the image of God, and enstamped with liberty and power of his own will. This state of liberty was confirmed by the very law which was given him by God. For a law would not have been set before one who had not in himself power to render the obedience which the law required. Nor would death have been threatened against transgression, if disregard of the law had not been predicable of the liberty of man's will."t "Man would have been good, if he had acted in conformity, indeed, with the will of God, but by the exercise of his own will, as flowing from the disposition of his nature. On the contrary, he would more clearly appear to be evil, (for this also God anticipated,) by virtue of his being free, and under his own power. And but for this provision, as he would not have embraced that which is right, voluntarily, but of necessity, so also he would have been subject to be overcome of evil, by reason of the infirmity of his servile condition; being alike a slave, whether to good or evil. Entire liberty of will was therefore given to him, in respect both to good and evil; that he might always be his own master; alike spontaneously doing the right and avoiding the wrong. And since man was responsible to the bar of God, it behooved that he should work righteousness by the rectitude of his will, to wit, freely. Further, neither the rewards of good nor evil deeds may be assigned to him who is found to have been good or evil not voluntarily, but of necessity. To this end also the law was ordained; not precluding but proving liberty, by obedience spontaneously rendered, or transgression spontaneously wrought. Thus, in any event the liberty of the will is manifested."‡

* Tertullianus adv. Marcionem, lib. ii. 9.

† Ibid. 5.

Ibid. 2.

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The first Adam and the second, Volumen79