A Treatise of Paradise, Chapter 43
CHAP. XLIII.
Whether if Adam had not falne, all his poſteritie ſhould hauehave beene borne in the grace and fauour of God, and confirmed in the ſame.
HVgo de ſancto Victore anſwereth, that though Adam had begot children in his innocencie, yet that his children ſhould not hauehave beene borne inheritors of their fathers righteouſneſſe, becauſe righteouſnes proceedeth not of fleſh and bloud, but of the meere grace of God: ſo though they had not beene borne in ſinne, yet neither ſhould they hauehave beene endued with originall iuſtice.
Neuertheleſſe the common tenent of Diuines doth perſwade the contrary: to wit, that as Adam by his ſinne did tranſfuſe into his poſteritie the imputation of ſinne together with the crime it ſelfe: ſo likewiſe if hee had kept the ſame originall iuſtice, in which hee was created, he ſhould alſo hauehave deriued the ſame vntounto all his poſteritie. And this in effect is the meaning of the Arauficane Counſell, where it defineth Adamum peccando ſanctitatem & iuſtitiam perdidiſſe, non ſibi tantum, ſed omnibus etiam poſteris ſuis, that Adam loſt both his ſanctitie, and righteouſnes, by his originall ſin and tranſgreſsion, not only in regard of him ſelfe, but alſo to all his poſteritie.
Neither may it bee inferred hence, that then grace were no grace (as Paul ſpeaketh) ſeeing that it ſhould be cōnaturall in the aforeſaid cauſe: for though in ſome ſenſe it ſhould hauehave been connaturall, that is, hauing her being together with nature; yet ſeeing it was not of nature, neither due vntounto nature, it cannot be denied, but that it was grace, as which was not conſequent vntounto nature, but aboue all nature. Wherefore as now in the law of grace, all that are regenerated by baptiſme in Chriſt, doe in and by baptiſme (according to the opinion of many Diuines) receiue the grace of Chriſt: ſo likewiſe in the ſtate of innocency all that ſhould hauehave been borne of the loines of Adam, ſhould in, and at the very inſtant of their naturall conception, and firſt moment of naturall life, hauehave receiued the firſt influence of their ſpirituall birth, and ſupernaturall life.
Now the difficultie is, whether if Adam had perſiſted in the ſtate of innocencie, all we his poſteritie ſhould then hauehave beene confirmed in grace: inſomuch, that as wee ſhould hauehave beene borne in the grace, and fauour of God; ſo wee ſhould neuer hauehave fallen from the ſame.
Anſelmus lib. 1. Cur Deus home. cap. 38. Gregorius lib. 4. Moraliū. c. 36.Anſelmus, and Gregorie the great anſwer, that if Adam had not ſinned, then all his poſteritie ſhould hauehave beene confirmed in the grace, and fauour of God: for who (ſaith Anſelmus) dare preſume to affirme plus valere iniuſtitiam? that iniuſtice ſhould hauehave beene of more force to binde vntounto bondage: in mans first perſwaſion: then his iuſtice to confirme him in liberty if he had perſisted in his firſt temptation: for euen as all humane nature was ouercome by Adams ſinne; ſo by him all ſhould hauehave ouercome, if he had not ſinned.
Neuertheleſſe I reſolue with S. Auſtine, that the poſteritie of Adam ſhould not, at leaſt way in the inſtant of their generation, beene confirmed in grace, though Adam had perſiſted in his originall iuſtice: for how is it credible, that they ſhould hauehave receiued more abundant grace, then their firſt head, and father, at his firſt creation.
Wherefore like as Adam, though created in grace, could fall from that happy eſtate of grace; ſo it ſeemeth moſt probable, that his poſteritie might alſo, ſeeing that wee read of no particular prouidence & grace promiſed to them, which was not profferd to their firſt father. For though Adam could (as many Diuines hold) hauehave increaſed in grace; yet none but Paelagians hold, that hee could merit vntounto himſelfe the infuſion of the firſt grace, much leſſe vntounto others.