The second Question is, What is meant by Nature? As for those who would have it to signify no more then prorstus and vere, altogether or indeed, we have heretofore confuted; yet granting that this is part of the lease, but not the principal. For we are to take nature here for our birth-descent, as appeareth partly, because the Apostle useth the word [Greek or Hebrew], which doth more properly relate to our nativity, whereas before he calleth the children of disobedience [Greek or Hebrew] partly, because the Apostles order is observable; for in the original it is, We were children by nature of anger, that is, natural children opposed to adopted ones; and partly, because the Jews pretended holiness by their nativity, because they were the seed of Abraham; which pride the Apostle would here abate, making them equal herein to the Heathen Idolaters. Neither by nature are we to understand custom only, as if the Apostle meant by it the constant custom of our actual iniquities, which useth to be called a second nature, we are made children of wrath; for the Apostle doth no where use the word so, no not in that place, 1 Cor. 11. 14. Doth not nature […] you? &c. For nature is taken both for the first principles, and also the immediate conclusions deduced from them, which later the Apostle doth call nature. Therefore it is matter of wonder, that the late Annotator in his paraphrase on Ephes. 2. should take in the orthodox sense (viz. And were born, and lived, and continued in a damning condition, as all other Heathens did (observe that, born in a damning condition) should yet refer to his notes, on 1 Cor. 11. where he seemeth to contradict any such birth-damnation, from this of the 2d to the Ephesians: For he would understand [Greek or Hebrew] of the national custom of Idolatry amongst the Heathens; and if so then [Greek or Hebrew] is not to relate to our nativity or birth, as some translate it, which he also noteth in the margin. But though custom may be called nature, yet there is commonly some limiting expression; as when he quoteth out of Galen, that customs are acquired natures, or out of Aristotle, custom is like nature: Here are restrictive expressions, whereas Paul speaketh absolutely.
THe second Question is, What is meant by Nature? As for those who would have it to signifie no more then prorstus and vere, altogether or indeed, we have heretofore confuted; yet granting that this is part of the lease, but not the principal. For we are to take nature here for our birth-descent, as appeareth partly, because the Apostle useth the word 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, which doth more properly relate to our nativity, whereas before he calleth the children of disobedience 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 partly, because the Apostles order is observable; for in the original it is, We were children by nature of anger, that is, natural children opposed to adopted ones; and partly, because the Iews pretended holiness by their nativity, because they were the seed of Abraham; which pride the Apostle would here abate, making them equal herein to the Heathen Idolaters. Neither by nature are we to understand custome only, as if the Apostle meant by it the constant custome of our actual iniquities, which useth to be called a second nature, we are made children of wrath; for the Apostle doth no where use the word so, no not in that place, 1 Cor. 11. 14. Doth not nature 〈…〉 you? &c. For nature is taken both for the first principles, and also the immediate conclusions deduced from them, which later the Apostle doth call nature. Therefore it is matter of wonder, that the late Annotator in his paraphrase on Ephes. 2. should take in the orthodox sense (viz. And were born, and lived, and continued in a damning condition, as all other Heathens did (observe that, born in a damning condition) should yet referre to his notes, on 1 Cor. 11. where he seemeth to contradict any such birth-damnation, from this of the 2d to the Ephesians: For he would understand 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 of the national custome of Idolatry amongst the Heathens; and if so then 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 is not to relate to our nativity or birth, as some translate it, which he also noteth in the margin. But though custome may be called nature, yet there is commonly some limiting expression; as when he quoteth out of Galen, that customs are acquired natures, or out of Aristotle, custome is like nature: Here are restrictive expressions, whereas Paul speaketh absolutely.
