The work of the Holy Spirit - pagina 129

HOLY

MYSTERY OF INCARNATION

SPIRIT IN

This implies that the

human

nature

righteousness, which is put on

him

89

finished without original

is

a robe or ornament. As complete without dress or ornament, which are needed only to appear respectable in the world, so was the human nature, according to Rome, complete and perfect in itself without righteousness, which serves only as dress and jewel. But our present nature

like

is

the Reformed churches have always opposed this view, maintaining that original righteousness is an essential part of the human nature; hence that the human nature in Adam was not complete

without of his If

that

it;

Adam was

it

was not merely added

created in the possession of

Adam's nature, but that as the direct manifestation to

life.

Adam's nature was

eousness,

it

follows that

perfect before he possessed original rightit remains perfect after the loss of it; in

which case we describe sin simply as i.e.,

it

"

carentia justiti^ originalis,"

the want of original righteousness.

thus

:

Is original righteousness

This used to be expressed a natural or supernatural good? If

natural, then its loss caused the

human nature to be wholly corsupernatural, then its loss might take away the glory and honor of that nature, but as a human nature it retained nearly rupt;

if

all

of its original power.

Bellarminus said that desire, disease, conflict, etc., naturally belong to human nature; and original righteousness was a golden bridle laid

upon

this nature, to

check and control this desire, disHence when the golden bridle was lost, disease, and death broke loose from restraint (torn, iv.,

ease, conflict, etc. desire, conflict,

chap,

v., col.

IS,

17,

18).

greatly indebted, and

Thomas Aquinas,

whom

the present

to whom Calvin was Pope has earnestly com-

mended to his priests, had a more correct view. This is evident from his definition of sin. If disease, desire, etc., existed in man when he came from the hand of God, and only supernatural grace can restrain them, then sin is merely the loss of original righteousness, hence purely negative. But if original righteousness belongs to

human nature and was not simply added

then

sin

is

twofold:

first,

the loss of

to

it

supematurally,

original

righteousness; second, the ruin and corruption of hujnan nature itself, disorganizing and disjointing it. Thomas Aquinas acknowledges this last aspect, for

he teaches

2, art.

I)

("

that sin

Summa is

corruption, wherein

Theologise," prima secundee,

not only deprivation and

loss,

ix.,

sect.

but also a state of

must be distinguished the lack

of

what ought

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