The Works of Henry Fielding, vol. 12

Church teaches only the plain truth, when she confesses that: "After Adam's

bed development of its own nature, it must miserably and hopelessly perish. True, there is a relative innocence. The Apostle exhorts: "Be ye followers of God, as dear children." "In malice be ye children." Our blessed Saviour, on several occasions,

pretation, then the Scriptures contradict themselves; for we have seen that, in many places, they clearly teach the opposite. These passages can only mean that children are relatively innocent.

d, and thus are fit subjects to be brought into the kingdom of God. In this sense only can it be said, "Suffer the little children to come unto me," that I may touch th

. But this does not say that the child is innocent, pure and holy by nature. The undeveloped roots

s will in no way endanger its salvation, because Christ died to take away sin. They have no conscious sin. Therefore, the

atter any further thought, they dismiss it with this easy solution. Surely, did t

But all this profits the sinner nothing, so long as he is not brought into that way; so long as the salvation is not applied to him personally. Neither can we speak of salvation being applied to an unrenewed, s

part of his nature, the roots and germs of sin, can, with that heart unchanged, enter into the kingdom of God. It makes G

r greater difficulties and contradictions. That child is conceived and born in sin. It is a child of wrath, dead in trespasses an

ion is intended to embrace every human being. Lest this should be disputed, Jesus further says, "That which is born of the flesh"-i.e., naturally born-"is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." Wherever there is a birth of the flesh, there must be a birth of the Spirit. The flesh-born cannot even see the kingdom of God, much less enjoy it, still less possess it. There must be new life, divine life, spiritual life breathed i

of the Augsburg Confession, as quoted above, she goes on to say: "And this disease, or origina

d die, or should die, in that state in which it was born, unchanged by divine Grace, that infant is lost. There are,

mish and Greek Churches teach that it is impossible for any human creature, without a change from that condition in which he was born, to enter heaven. All

doctrine, agree on this point. However much those who call themselves by their names may deny it, in their preachin

is spouse, the Church, a means of Grace for this purpose. He, of whom it was prophesied long before He came, that He would "gather the lambs in His arms and carry them in His bosom;" who made it the first duty of the reinstated apostle to feed His lambs, must have a special care for them. It is not His or His