The Sum of Christian Religion 2, Part 1 · Subpart 5
OF THE FIRST SINNE.
Next vntounto the place of the image of god, is adioyned the place of the firſt ſinne. For ſeeing man was created to the imade of God, that is, perfectly wiſe, perfectly righteous, & perfectly bleſſed, the queſtiō hath been not without cauſe in all times, whence this preſent eſtate of man commeth, wherein he, except he be born again by the holy ghoſt, cannot do other than ſin, and be obnoxious to calamities of all ſortes, and at length to death it ſelfe. To this queſtion anſwere cannot be made but out of the doctrine of the Church onelyonly: which is, that all this confuſion and miſerie floweth from the firſt ſinne of our firſt Parents. We muſt ſee therefore what that ſinne is: concerning which, fower thinges eſpecially come to bee conſidered.
1 What it was.
2 What the cauſes thereof.
3 What the effectes.
4 Why god permitted it.
1 What that firſt ſinne of Adam and Eue was.
The manifoldnes of the firſt ſinne. 1 In pride againſt God.IT was diuers and manifolde: and many and moſt grieuous ſinnes are ſeene in that firſt ſinne. 1. Pride againſt god, ambition, and an admiration of himſelfe. For man not content with that ſtate wherein god had placed him, deſired to bee eequal with God. This doth God charge him with, when he ſaith; Behold the man is become as one of vsus to know good and euill. 2 In incredulitie & contempt of Gods iuſtice.2. Incredulitie, and vnbeliefe, and contempt of Gods iuſtice, and merciemercy: becauſe he thought not that God could & would inflict on man tranſgreſſing his commandement, that puniſhment, which he had threatned. Wherefore he tempted God, and charged him with a lie: For God had ſaide, Thou ſhalt die the death: The Diuell denied it, ſaying, Ye ſhall not die: and Adam beleeued the Diuell. Now not to beleeue God, and of the contrarie to beleeue the Diuell is to account god for no true god.3 In ſtubbornes and diſobedience. 4 In vnthankefulnes. 5 In vnnaturalnes. 3. Stubbornes and diſobedience. For he is become diſobedient vntounto God. 4. Vnthankefulnes for benefites receiued at his creation; as for theſe, that he was created to the image of god, and to eternal life. 5. Vnnaturalnes, iniuſtice, and crueltie. For there was a neglect of louelove in him towardes his poſteritie: becauſe thoſe good thinges were not giuen vntounto him onelyonly, but alſo to his whole poſterity. Therefore he had them, that he ſhould keep them for himſelfe and his,6. In Apoſtaſie. or ſhould make loſſe of them from both. But al this he neglected. 6. Apoſtaſie, or manifeſt defection from God to the Diuel whom he obeyed, whom he beleeued, whom he ſet in the place of God, withdrawing and ſundring himſelfe from God. He did not aske of God, thoſe good things which he was to receiue, but reiecting the wiſedome and direction God, by the aduiſe of the Diuel, wil aſpire to be equal with god. Whereof it is apparent that Adams firſt ſinne was no light fault, but horrible ſin, and woorthy of ſo great puniſhment as it was puniſhed withall.
2 What were the cauſes of the firſt ſinne.
THe firſt cauſe of the firſt ſin was the Inſtigation of the diuell. The ſecond,The cauſe of ſinne. The diuels inſtigation, & mans will freely yeelding vntounto it. God no willer or cauſer of it, but permitter onelyonly. Mans wil freely conſenting to the Diuel againſt Gods commandement. Now although God would that man ſhould be tempted by the diuel, & did withdraw that his grace frō him, whereby he ſhould reſiſt the temptations of the Diuell; yet he was not the cauſe of that ſinne, which Adam, deſtitute of diuine grace, did committe. For he was not at all obliged or bound vntounto man, to keepe and mantaine that grace in him, which he had giuen him. And further he withdrewe it from man willing, and alſo himſelfe reiecting it: neither yet therefore withdrew he it, as that he would or did purpoſe or intend ſin, or were delighted therewith, but to proue and to trie man, & to ſhew, how vnable the creature is to doe or reteine ought that is good, God not preſeruing and directing him by his ſpirite. Wherefore hee ſuffered together with his triall of Adam, the ſinne of Adam to concurre, but he was no cauſe or efficient of it.
3 What are the effects of the firſt ſinne.
THe firſt & next effect is, Originall ſin, or the corruption of mans whole nature, & the deſtruction of Gods image as well in our firſt parents, as alſo in all their poſterity. 2. A further & later effect are all actual ſins; for that which is the cauſe of the cauſe, is alſo the cauſe of the effect. If original ſin be an effect of the firſt ſin, thē are alſo actual ſins, which are the effects of originall, effects of the firſt ſin. 3. Whatſoeue euils of paine or puniſtment: becauſe it is the cauſe of ſins, therefore is it alſo the cauſe of puniſhments.
Now although that firſt ſin was committed many ages paſt: yet notwithſtanding the effect thereof, which is a priuation or want of the true wiſedome and direction of god, & of rightneſſe in our inclinations and deſires remaineth euer ſince that ſinne was committed, in the whole poſteritie, by gods iuſt iudgement. Wherefore thoſe things alſo which neceſſarilie enſue this priuation, continu, except by the ſingular benefit and mercy of God the prauity of our nature be corrected, our ſin being pardoned and remitted.
4 Why God permitted the firſt ſinne.
GOD permitted it, that is, gaue not his grace of reſiſtance to our firſt parēts, as to the bleſſed Angels; 1. becauſe (as the Apoſtle ſaith, The cauſes of gods permiſſion of the firſt ſinne. 1 To ſhew his owne iuſtice and power.Rom. 9.) he would ſhew his iustice, anger and power in puniſhing eternally the ſinnes of the wicked: but his merciemercy & louelove towardes mankinde in ſauing his Choſen, not imputing ſinne vntounto them for his Sonnes ſake. And Rom. 11 32. Gal. 3.22. God hath concluded all vnderunder ſinne, that hee might hauehave mercy on all,2 To ſhew mans weakeneſſe and infirmitie. that euerie mouth may bee ſtopped. 2 That it might ſtand for an example of the weaknes & infirmitie of al creatures, euen the moſt excellent, if they enioy not the ſpecial bleſſing of their creatour, and be preſerued in that rightnes wherein they were created. The neceſſitie & vſe of this doctrine of mans creation.This doctrine concerning the creation of man is neceſſary for the Church, for many cauſes and vſes which it hath. Wee muſt knowe that man was created of God without ſinne, least God bee imagined the authour or cauſe of ſinne. Whereas mans bodie was faſhioned of cley: let vsus thinke of our frailtie, that wee be not lifted vp with pride. Seeing that the workemanſhip of God is ſo admirable in the framing of mans bodie, and ſeeing it was created for the miniſterie of Gods worſhip, & for god to dwell in, and for euerlaſting life: let vsus neither abuſe it to diſhoneſty, neither willingly deſtroy it, nether make it a fly of diuels, but keeping it chaſt & cleane, endeuour that it be a temple and inſtrument of the holie ghoſt to worſhip god. Seing that god would hauehave mankind to conſiſt of two ſexes, each is to hauehave his due place and honor, neither is the weaker to be contemned, or oppreſſed by tyrannie, or luſt, or to bee entertained with iniuries & contumelies, but iuſtly to bee gouerned and protected. But eſpecially ſeeing man was created to the image and likenes of God, this great glory is to be acknowledged and celebrated with a thankeful mind, neither through our leudnes and malice is the image and likeneſſe of god to bee transfourmed into the image and likeneſſe of Satan, neither to be deſtroied either in our ſelues, or others. And ſeeing it is deſtroied by ſinne thorough our owne fault: we muſt acknowledge and bewaile the greatneſſe of this vnthankefulneſſe, and the euils which followed, by comparing therewith thoſe good things which we hauehave loſt. We muſt earneſtly deſire the reſtoring of this felicity and glorie. And becauſe the glory and bleſſedneſſe, which is reſtored vntounto vsus by the ſonne of god, is greater than that which we loſt in Adam, ſo much the more muſt the deſire of thankefulneſſe and of profiting and encreaſing in godlineſſe be kindled in vsus. And ſeeing we hear that all things were created for the vſe of man, and that the dominion ouer the creatures loſt in Adam is reſtored vntounto vsus in Chriſt; we muſt magnifie the bountifulnes of God towards vsus: we muſt aske all thinges of him, as beeing our creatour and ſoueraign Lord, who hath the right and power of giuing al good things, to whom, and how far he will himſelfe: and vſe thoſe things which are granted to our vſe, with a good conſcience, & to the glorie of god, who gaue them. And that this may be done, we muſt not by our infidelity caſt our ſelues out of that right which wee receiue in Chriſt: & if god of his own power & autority either giueth vsus leſſe than wee would, or take away from vsus, that which he hath giuen, wee muſt ſubmit our ſelues patiently to his iust purpoſe & moſt profitable for our ſaluation. And ſeeing the ſoule is the better part of man, & the happineſſe of the bodie dependeth on the happineſſe of the ſoul, & ſeing alſo we are created to immortall life, we ought to hauehave greater care of thoſe things which belong to the ſoule and eternal life, than of thoſe which belong vntounto the bodie and this tē porall life. And at length, ſeeing the end and bleſſednes of man, is the participation & communicating of god, his knowledge, & worſhip; let vsus euer tend vntounto it, & referre thither al our life & actions. And ſeeing we ſee one part of mankinde to be veſſels of wrath to ſhewe the iustice and ſeueritie of God againſt Sinne, let vsus bee thankefull to God, for that of his meere and infinite goodneſſe he would hauehave vsus to bee veſſels of merciemercy, to declare through all eternitie the riches of his glorie. Laſt of all, that we maie learne, conſider, and begin theſe thinges in this life, let vsus to our power tender and helpe forward the common ſociety, and ſaluation of others, for which we are borne.