Part 40 (1/2)

* Meaning of ”the imagination of the heart” 70.

* True theological definition of man 71.

9. The proof of natural depravity and that the natural is not perfect 72-73.

10. Consequence of false teaching on natural depravity and the natural 74-75.

* What sophists understand by Merito congrui and condigni 74.

11. How Scotus tried to prove that man's natural powers were all he had, and how to refute his opinion 75-76.

* Value of the Scholastics and their theology 77.

12. How teachers in these things lead astray 78.

* The virtues of the heathen.

a. Estimate of them 79-80.

b. How they differ from the good works of the saints 81.

c. What they lack 82-83.

13. Natural depravity may sleep in youth, but it will awake as the years advance 84-86.

14. Those who ignore natural depravity may be refuted by experience 87.

15. Philosophy manifests its vanity and blindness in its att.i.tude to this doctrine 88-89.

16. Experience confirms natural depravity 89-90.

17. Whether natural depravity can be completely eradicated: how to check it 91.

* How to understand ”G.o.d will not smite the earth again” 92.

* Nature thrown into great disorder by the deluge 93.

* Seasons of the year again put in their order 94.

* The people's talk about the signs of the last times 95.

* The days of earth to be followed by the days of heaven, and we should prepare for them 96.

III. MAN'S NATURAL DEPRAVITY AND HIS NATURAL POWERS.

V. 21d. _For that the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth._

56. This is a powerful pa.s.sage, relating to original sin. Whoever weakens its force, goes straying like the blind man in the sunlight, failing to see his own acts and experiences. Look at the days of our swaddling clothes; in how many ways sin manifests itself in our earlier years. What an amount of switching it requires until we are taught order, as it were, and attention to duty!

57. Then youth succeeds. There a stronger rebellion becomes noticeable, and in addition that untamable evil, the rage of l.u.s.t and desire. If one take a wife, the result is weariness of his own and a pa.s.sion for others. If the government of a State is entrusted to him, an exceptionally fruitful harvest of vice will follow--as jealousy, rivalry, haughtiness, hope of gain, avarice, wrath, anger, and other evils.

58. It is true, as the German proverb has it, that sins grow with the years: Je laenger, je aerger; je aelter, je kaerger (worse with time, stingier with age). All such vices are so blatant and gross as to become objects of observation and intelligence. What, then shall we say of the inward vices when unbelief, presumption, neglect of the Word, and wicked views grow up?