"A child, which is incapable of resisting grace, and is as it were a rasa tabula before God, affords a lively representation of that which grace is able to effect even in the heart of an old sinner."
— Quesnel, Pasquier (1634-1719); Russel, Richard (1685-1756)
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed by J.R. for R. Bonwicke, T. Goodwin, J. Walthoe, J. Wotton, S. Manship [etc.]
Date
1719-25
Metaphor
"A child, which is incapable of resisting grace, and is as it were a rasa tabula before God, affords a lively representation of that which grace is able to effect even in the heart of an old sinner."
Metaphor in Context
15. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.
To fall back into childhood is the decay of reason, and the greatest humiliation of man: but there is another childhood, which is the glory of a reasonable creature, and the perfection of reason itself; and this is to have the docility of a child in respect of the truths of the Gospel. A child, which is incapable of resisting grace, and is as it were a rasa tabula before God, affords a lively representation of that which grace is able to effect even in the heart of an old sinner.---If this grace were not all-powerful, who could ever hope for dispositions so contrary to the pride of man? who could aspire to this kingdom? Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O Lord, and theachest him out of thy law.
(p. 549)
To fall back into childhood is the decay of reason, and the greatest humiliation of man: but there is another childhood, which is the glory of a reasonable creature, and the perfection of reason itself; and this is to have the docility of a child in respect of the truths of the Gospel. A child, which is incapable of resisting grace, and is as it were a rasa tabula before God, affords a lively representation of that which grace is able to effect even in the heart of an old sinner.---If this grace were not all-powerful, who could ever hope for dispositions so contrary to the pride of man? who could aspire to this kingdom? Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O Lord, and theachest him out of thy law.
(p. 549)
Categories
Provenance
Searching "tabula rasa" in ECCO
Citation
The New Testament, with moral reflections upon every verse, In order to make the Reading of it more profitable, and the meditation more easy. Vol. I. Part, I. Vol. 1. London, 1719-25. 4 vols. Based on information from English Short Title Catalogue. Eighteenth Century Collections Online. Gale Group.
http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/ECCO
http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/ECCO
Theme
Blank Slate
Date of Entry
10/09/2006
Date of Review
06/04/2011
