The work of the Holy Spirit - pagina 263

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ORIGINAL RIGHTEOUSNESS

223

have seen it before the storm destroyed it " so say we to this age " Do you call this fallen man glorious? Compared to what he ought But he was glorious before sin ruined to be he is utterly worthless. him, shining in all the beauty of the divine image." Hence our doctrine exalts him to highest glory. Next to the glory of being created after the image of God comes the glory of ifeing ;

God Himself.

As soon

man presumes

he thrusts at once he aspires to be like God. If it be said that even in Paradise the law prevailed that God alone is great, and the creature nothing before Him we answer, that he that is created after the divine image has no higher

all his

glory from him

;

as

it is

to this

his detestable sin that

;

reflection of God excluding the idea of being above or against God. Hence it is certain that the original man was most glorious and excellent; wherefore fallen man is most despicable and miserable. Has fallen man then lost the image of God? This vital question controls our view of man in every respect, and hence requires closest examination especially since the opinions of believers concerning this are diametrically opposed. Some maintain that after the fall man retained a few remains of it, and others that he has entirely lost it. To avoid all misunderstanding, we must first decide whether to be created after the image of God (i) refers only to the original righteousness, or (2) included also man's nature which was clothed with this original righteousness. If the divine image consisted only

ambition than to be a

;

;

in the original righteousness, then, of course, it absolutely lost ; for

by

man

his fall

was

completely

and

lost this original righteousness

once for all. But if it was also impressed upon his being, his nature, and upon his human existence, then it can not disappear entirely for, however deeply sunk, fallen man remains man. By this we do not imply that something spiritually good was left among the finally lost even the deepest fallen will retain in man some evidence that he was created after the divine image. We do ;

;

not even hesitate to subscribe to the opinion of the fathers that the angels, Satan included,

if

were originally created after God's image (which Scripture does not teach positively), then even the devil in his deep fiendishness must show some features of that image. "We do not mean that after the fall man had any willingness, knowledge, or anything good and they who in pulpit or writing infer this from " the few remains " of article xiv. of the Confession ;

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