Common Places, Part 2 · Chapter 1 · Section 1
In Rom. 5. The cheefe points to be intreted of.FIrſt, wee will ſée, whether there be anie originall ſin or no: for there be ſome, which vtterlie denie the ſame to bée: then wée will declare, what it is; laſtlie, what properties it hath, and how by ſucceſſion it is conueighed to the poſteritie, and by what meanes it is releaſed. As touching the firſt, we muſt remember, that both in the holie ſcriptures, & alſo among the fathers, it hath diuers names; for in the ſeuenth chapter of the epiſtle to the Romans, verſe. 8, 23. The names by which originall ſin is called.it is called ſinne, and the lawe of the members, and concupiſcence. Elſe-where, it is called the want of originall righteouſnes, a corruption of nature, a lumpe of wickednes, a froth, a weaknes naturall, The Pelagians and Anabaptiſts denie originall ſinne. The arguments of them that denie originall ſin. Nahum. 1, 9.the lawe of the fleſh, and ſuch other like. The Pelagians in old time denied this ſinne; at this daie, the Anabaptiſts denie it. Theſe in a maner may be accounted their arguments. Firſt they ſaie, that the fall of Adam was ſufficientlie puniſhed in himſelfe, and that there is no cauſe why God will reuenge it in his poſteritie; eſpeciallie ſéeing it is written in the prophet Nahum, that God dooth not twiſe puniſh one and the ſelfe-ſame thing: for it ſufficeth him that he had once puniſhed. Moreouer, it is alſo written, Ezec. 18, 20that The ſonne ſhall not beare the fathers iniquitie, but the ſoule that ſinneth, the ſame ſhall die. Further, that the bodie, when it is formed in the wombe, is the workmanſhip of God, and hath nothing that ought to be blamed; naie rather, which is not woorthie of great admiration: that the ſoule alſo is either created or infuſed by GOD: and that the meanes of propagation cannot be accounted euill; bicauſe marriage in the holie ſcriptures is commended, and that from the beginning God commanded man to beget children. Wherfore among ſo manie defenſes of innocencie, they demand by what entrances ſinne could inſinuate it ſelfe.
They adde alſo, that Paule in his firſt epiſtle to the Corinthians, 1. Cor. 7, 14.when he exhorteth the beléeuing wife to abide with hir vnbeléeuing huſband, if he will abide with hir, among other things ſaith; Your children are holie. But they ſaie, that they cannot be holie, if they be borne in ſinne; and that therefore they which be borne of faithfull parents, cannot drawe with them originall ſinne. They affirme withall, that it is commonlie ſaid, that ſinne is a thing ſpoken, doone, or luſted againſt the lawe of God; and that it is not ſinne, vnles it be voluntarie. And (as Iohn ſaith in his firſt epiſtle the fourth chapter) Sinne is iniquitie, 1, Iohn. 3, 4contrarie wherevnto is equitie or right; and that this can be no other thing, than is conteined in the lawe, and ſo that ſinne is a tranſgreſſion of the lawe. All which things cannot fall into infants, when they be borne. And they ſaie further, that it ſéemeth not conuenient which is ſpoken of ſome; namelie, that this ſinne is by the fleſh or bodie powred out from one to another: for that the fleſh and the bodie are in their owne nature ſenſeleſſe things, neither can they ſéeme to be a méet ſubiect for ſinne. And to eſtabliſh their feigned deuiſe, they ſaid beſides, that thoſe things which are ſpoken by Paule, verſe. 12.in the fift to the Romans, muſt be extended vntounto the ſinnes, which be called actuall. But they ſaie, that it is therefore ſaid, that ſinne entered by one man into the world, bicauſe of the imitation and example which the poſteritie followed.
2 By theſe and ſuch other like arguments they being led, denie that there is anie originall ſinne. But as for death, and the afflictions of this life, which are commonlie brought as tokens whereby originall ſinne is confirmed, they ſay that thoſe conſiſt of naturall cauſes, ſuch as in the temperature of the elements and of the humors. And therefore they ſaie, it is a vaine fable, that we refer them to the fall of Adam. And they thinke it to be a thing moſt abſurd, to affirme, that to be ſinne, which by no maner of meanes can be auoided. Laſtlie they ſaie, that if by that meanes we ſhall be ſaid to ſinne in Adam, bicauſe we were in his loines, according as it is ſaid of Leuie in the epiſtle to the Hebrues, Heb. 7, 9.that He paied tythes in the loines of Abraham: by the like and ſelfe-ſame reaſon we may ſaie, that we were in the loines of other our forefathers, from whom we hauehave deſcended by procreation; and that therefore there is no cauſe whie the ſinne of Adam hath béene deriued vntounto vsus, rather than the ſinne of our grandfather, great grandfather, his father, or of anie other our progenitours. And that by this meanes the ſtate of them, which ſhall be borne in the latter daies, would ſéeme to be moſt vnhappie; for that they muſt beare the offenſes of all their forefathers. Theſe things alledge they, to prooue that there is no originall ſinne.
Originall ſinne is prooued by teſtimonies of the ſcripture. Gen. 6, 3. and 5. Gen. 8, 21.3 But we, on the contrarie part, will prooue by manie teſtimonies of the holie ſcriptures, that there is ſuch a ſinne. Thus God ſaieth in the ſixt of Geneſis; My ſpirit ſhall not alwaies ſtriue with man, bicauſe he is fleſh. And againe; All the imagination of their harts is onlie euill euerie daie. And in the eight chapter; The imagination of their hart is euill, euen from their verie childhood. Theſe things declare, that there ſticketh ſome vice in our nature, when we be borne. Pſal. 51, 7.Alſo Dauid ſaith; Behold, I was conceiued in iniquitie, and in ſinnes my mother hath conceiued me. Nothing can be plainer than this teſtimonie. Iere. 17, ….Alſo Ieremie in the 17. chapter ſaith, that The heart of man is wicked, peruerſe, and ſtubborne. Iob. 3, 3. Iere. 20, 14.Yea the ſame Ieremie and Iob alſo do curſe the day wherein they were borne into the world, bicauſe they perceiued that the verie originall and fountaine of vices ſprang vp togither with them. Iob. 14, 4.But Iob hath a moſt manifeſt teſtimonie of the vncleanes of our natiuitie, for thus he ſaith; Who can make that cleane, which is conceiued of vncleane ſeed? And our ſauiour ſaith; Iohn. 3, 3,Except a man be borne againe of water, & of the holie Ghoſt, he cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen. And euen as the potter dooth not make anie veſſell anew, vnleſſe he perceiue the ſame to be ill faſhioned before: euen ſo Chriſt would not vsus to be regenerated againe, vnleſſe he ſawe that we were firſt vnhappilie begotten. Which he alſo teſtifieth in another place, ſaieng; Ibidem. 6.That which is borne of the fleſh, is fleſh; and that which is borne of the ſpirit, is ſpirit. By which words he would ſignifie vntounto vsus, that therfore regeneration by the ſpirit is neceſſarie, bicauſe we had before but onelie a carnall generation.
Paule in the ſixt chapter to the Romans ſaith; Rom. 6, 2.that We muſt not abide in ſinne, bicauſe we are dead vntounto it. Which thing he prooueth by baptiſme, for he ſaith; Ibidem. 3.that All we which hauehave beene baptiſed into Chriſt Ieſus, hauehave beene baptiſed into his death, to the end we ſhould die vntounto ſinne, and that our old man ſhould be crucified, and the bodie of ſinne aboliſhed. And forſomuch as yoong children be baptiſed, euen therby we hauehave a teſtimonie, that ſinne is in them: for otherwiſe, the nature of baptiſme, as it is there deſcribed by Paule, ſhould not conſiſt. Alſo he foloweth the ſame reaſon in the epiſtle to the Coloſſians, where he ſaith, that; Col. 2, 11.We be circumciſed with the circumciſion made without hands, by putting off the ſinfull bodie of the fleſh, being buried togither with Chriſt in baptiſme. He compareth baptiſme with circumciſion, and faith, that thoſe which are baptiſed, hauehave put off the bodie of ſinne. Neither is it to be doubted of, but that thoſe which be baptiſed, are baptiſed into the remiſſion of ſinnes. And aſſuredlie, Gen. 17, 14.the circumciſion, which in the old lawe was giuen vntounto children, was correſpondent vntounto our baptiſme. And as touching circumciſion, it is writen; The ſoule, whoſe fleſh of the foreſkinne ſhall not be circumciſed the eight daie, ſhall die the death. Wherefore, ſéeing children hauehave néed of the ſacrament of regeneration, it followeth neceſſarilie, Epheſ. 2, 3.that they be borne vnderunder the power of ſinne. Paule vntounto the Epheſians the 2. chapter ſaith; that We are by nature the children of wrath. But our nature could not be hatefull vntounto God, vnleſſe it were defiled with ſinne. And in the ſame place, Paule with moſt weightie words deſcribeth the féercenes of this wrath; Ibidem. 2.how that We walke according to the prince of this world, which is of ſtrength in our harts, by reaſon of our diſobedience, and therefore wee doo the will of the fleſh, and of our mind. Auguſtine alſo citeth a place out of the firſt epiſtle to the Corinthians, 1. Cor. 15, verſe. 22.that Chriſt died for all men: wherefore it followeth, that all men were dead, and had néed of his death. But it is a wicked thing, to exclude children out of the number of them, for whom Chriſt died. But if you ſhall demand what kind of perſons they were, for whom Chriſt ſuffered; this did the apoſtle ſufficientlie declare, in the epiſtle to the Romans, Rom. 5, 6, and 8.when he ſaid, that they were weake, Gods enimies, vngodlie, and ſinners. Among whom, we muſt reckon yoong children, if we will grant that Chriſt died for them.
Beſides this, it ſéemeth that originall ſinne is moſt manifeſtlie taught out of the ſeuenth chapter of the epiſtle to the Romans: for thus it is written; verſe. 14, & 19, 23.The lawe is ſpirituall, but I am carnall, ſold vnderunder ſinne. Wherevnto is added; The good which I would doo, that doo I not; but the euill which I would not doo, that doo I: it is not I then that doo it, but it is ſinne that dwelleth in me. He alſo maketh mention of the lawe of the members, lamenting that he was thereby drawne captiue and againſt his will. And in the eight chapter he ſaith, verſe. 7.that The wiſedome of the fleſh is enimitie againſt God, and that it is not ſubiect to the lawe of God, nor yet can it be. Yea, the death, which yoong children hauehave, dooth ſufficientlie beare record, that ſinne ſticketh in them; vnleſſe we will ſaie, that God puniſheth them vndeſeruedlie. Moreouer, the place in the fift to the Romans, conteineth a moſt euident teſtimonie of originall ſinne: for thus it is written; verſe. 12, 11, & 19.that By one man ſin entred into the world, and that all men without exception hauehave ſinned, and that the ſinne of one man ſpred ouer all men, and that for the diſobedience of one man manie are made ſinners. Further, they which are graffed in Chriſt, are towards the end of the ſame epiſtle, Rom. 11, 17called wild oliue trées: by which metaphor is ſignified, that man degenerated from the good inſtitution of his owne nature. But if we hauehave departed from our owne nature, vndoubtedlie we hauehave gotten originall ſinne. And Paule before, ſo accuſed all mankind, Rom. 3, 10.as he ſaid; There is none iuſt, there is none that vnderſtandeth or ſeeketh after God: all hauehave declined, and are altogither become vnprofitable, there is none that dooth good, no not one, &c. All which things ſufficientlie declare the deprauation of mans nature. By theſe teſtimonies of the ſcriptures it ſufficientlie appéereth (as I thinke) that there is originall ſin.
4 Next of all I ſhould confute the arguments of the aduerſaries: but firſt I thought it good to ſhew the definition of originall ſinne; for the ſame being diligentlie weighed & knowen, manie things will in the meane time be knowen, which ſerue for the confutation of their reaſons. Firſt, we will recite the opinions of other men, then we will declare what we thinke thereof. The Pelagians affirmed, The Pelagians ſaie, that the ſin of Adam is ſpred by imitation onelie.that the ſinne of Adam did not ſpread abroad into the poſteritie; but by imitation onelie. Againſt theſe Auguſtine diſputed vehementlie, and by manie arguments ſhewed, that orginall ſinne is not onelie by the imitation of Adams ſinne. For if Paule would hauehave ſaid, From Adam flowed ſinne, and from the diuell came the example of ſinning. Rom. 5, 12. Iohn. 8, 41. and 44.that the firſt ſin had bin ſpred abroad after this maner, he would not hauehave ſaid that it came from Adam, but rather from the diuell; for he was the firſt that gaue a forme and example of ſinning. Wherefore Chriſt in the Goſpell of Iohn ſaid, that the Iewes, which boaſted that they came of their father Abraham, were rather the ſonnes of the diuell, bicauſe they did his works. For the diuell was a manqueller, euen from the beginning; and they ſought to kill him, which had not deſerued euill at their hands. And herewithall Auguſtine citeth that, which is in the ſecond chapter of the booke of Wiſedome; verſe. 24.that Through the enuie of the diuell, ſinne entred into the world, and that they which are of his part doo imitate him.
VntoUnto which ſaieng neuertheles I doo not attribute much, partlie bicauſe that booke is not of the canonicall ſcriptures; and partlie bicauſe in the Gréeke text there is ſome ambiguitie. For this verbe Doo imitate, is not there written, but foreign, that is, HaueHave experience of that death. Howbeit the reaſon is firme, that of the diuell came the firſt example of ſinning. Further, this opinion is hereby confuted, in that Paule maketh an Antitheſis betwéen Chriſt and Adam. Rom. 5, 18.But the righteouſnes of Chriſt is not onelie ſet foorth vntounto vsus to be imitated; We muſt not onelie imitate Chriſts righteouſnes, but muſt bee changed in mind.but alſo that they, which beléeue in him, ſhould bée changed in mind, corrected in ſpirit, and amended in all their ſtrength. Wherefore on the other ſide, it is required by the nature of contraries, that beſides the ill example, which Adam gaue vntounto his poſteritie, he hath alſo infected their nature: and (as Auguſtine writeth in his booke De peccatorum meritis & remiſſione) hath with a certeine corruption depraued. Thirdlie, this alſo maketh againſt the Pelagians, that euen the verie infants doo die. For as Paule ſaith vntounto the Romans, the ſixt chapter; verſe. 23.The reward of ſinne is death, but the gift of God is eternall life through Ieſus Chriſt our Lord. And in the 15. chapter of the firſt epiſtle to the Corinthians; The weapons (ſaith he) of death is ſinne. Laſtlie, verſe. 56.the baptiſme, which is giuen to yoong children, cannot blot out of them the ſinne of imitation. Wherefore we ought of neceſſitie to affirme ſome other kind of ſinne to be in them, The ſinne of imitation cannot be wiped out by baptiſmevnleſſe we will that they be baptiſed in vaine.
5 Another opinion was that, which the Maiſter of the ſentences citeth in the 2. booke the 33. diſtinction of them which thought, that originall ſinne is onelie a guilt, or treſpaſſe, or bond, wherevnto we are tied by the ſinne of Adam. So they acknowledge not, that there is trulie, & in verie déed anie fault or ſinne in thoſe which are borne, but onelie a certeine offenſe, and obligation; the which might cauſe them to die, & be condemned for the ſinne of Adam. This opinion Pighius ſéemeth in a maner to hauehave reuiued; for he denieth, that originall ſinne is ſinne indéed, bicauſe it is neither a tranſgreſſing of the lawe, nor yet voluntarie; and therefore he affirmed the ſame to be nothing elſe, Pighius maketh originall ſinne rather a bond, than a ſinne. Death he ſaith coms of the originals of nature.but the ſinne of Adam, for the which we that be his poſteritie are made ſubiect vntounto damnation and death, & are become exiles from the kingdome of heauen. But as for death and afflictions of this life, and luſts of the fleſh, and other ſuch like affections, he ſaith that they come of the well-ſprings of nature. All which things, ſo far is he from calling ſinnes, as he pronounceth them to be the works of God; for he ſaith, that GOD is the author of nature, and that theſe things followe the humors and temperature of the bodie; and that which we ſée happeneth in brute beaſts, happeneth alſo in men, as touching the fleſh and groſſer powers of the mind, For they doo deſire ſuch things as are preſeruatiue, pleaſant, and profitable, whether they be agréeable to reaſon, or againſt it; & to auoid thoſe things that be contrarie. Wherefore he affirmed originall ſinne to be the onelie tranſgreſſion of Adam, in the danger of which one tranſgreſſion, he would hauehave vsus all to be borne: not for anie ſinne, or fault, or corruption that we hauehave in our ſelues.
He beleeueth that this ſinne ſhall be puniſhed without ſenſible paine.And he ſaith moreouer, that thoſe which die onlie in the danger of that ſinne of Adam, ſhall not be afflicted in an other life with ſenſible paine; for he imagineth (although he dare not boldlie affirme it) that they ſhall either in this world, or elſe in ſome other pleaſant place be happie, with a certeine naturall bleſſednes, wherein they ſhall liue, praiſing of God, and giuing of thanks, although they be baniſhed from the kingdome of heauen. Of which diſcommoditie neuertheles (as he dreameth) they ſhall nothing complaine, or be ſorrowfull for it: for this were to ſtriue againſt the will of God, which a man cannot doo without ſinne. But forſomuch as while they liued here, they had no naughtie will, it is not to be thought, that they ſhall hauehave it in an other life. And that they ſhall not be preſſed with ſenſible paine, it ſéemeth to himſelfe, Note two reaſons of Pighius on the behalfe of infants.that he verie well prooueth, and that by two reaſons; firſt, bicauſe they committed no euill, nor yet contaminated themſelues with anie naughtineſſe; ſecondlie, bicauſe there is required in this life no repentance or contrition for originall ſinne. And for this feigned deuiſe, he hath this colour, to wit, that ſinne ſhould not be vnderſtood, but after the true proper maner: that is, He will not hauehave ſinne to be vnderſtood, but in his true and proper nature.that it be a thing, ſpoken, doone, or luſted againſt the lawe of God, and that it be voluntarie; bicauſe it is not forced vponupon anie againſt their will, but may be auoided: but forſomuch as theſe things take no place in yoong infants, therfore ſinne cannot be in them. Howbeit, he ſaith, that he denieth not originall ſinne; for he ſaith that it is the ſinne of Adam, for the which all we are condemned, and doo die. But therefore I ſaid, that this man ſéeketh pretenſes; bicauſe I ſée in verie déed, that he was mooued to ſpeake theſe things for ſome other cauſe. For whereas he attributeth ſo much vntounto frée will, and hath written ſo manie things touching that matter againſt vsus: Pighius would not plainelie grant originall ſinne, leaſt he ſhould deny free will.and he ſéeing that the ſame might not conſiſt, if he ſhould plainelie grant originall ſinne, in ſuch ſort as it is taught of all the godlie; therefore he found out for himſelfe this new deuiſed doctrine, the which (as I ſaid) is not altogither ſo new: for it is both touched and reiected by the Maiſter of the ſentences.
But to giuegive a more colourable ſhew to this his deuiſe, A ſimilitude of Pighius.he bringeth a ſimilitude of a moſt liberall prince, who not onelie giueth fréedome to a ſeruant of his; but alſo indueth him with lordſhip, and heapes of riches, the which alſo ſhould come to his poſteritie. And he onelie chargeth him faithfullie to obſerue certeine commandements of his, the which he tranſgreſſing, knoweth that all thoſe riches and preferments ſhall be taken from him, and he to returne to his old bondage againe. This ſeruant, as an vndiſcréet and vngratefull perſon, breaketh the princes commandement; whereby not onlie himſelfe is become a ſeruant, as before he was, but alſo his ſéed borne vntounto him become bond-ſlaues. He ſaith, that thoſe children hauehave nothing wherefore they ſhould complaine of bondage to their prince; but rather to giuegive thanks, that he had ſo liberallie ſhewd himſelf to their fathers: but that as concerning their father, they may gréeuouſlie ſorowe, bicauſe he loſt thoſe benefits, as well from himſelf, as from his poſteritie. Yea, & what if this alſo be added; namelie, that the princes liberalitie was ſo great, as he inuited the poſteritie of that vngratfull ſeruant, to the verie ſame, & much greater preferments; & ſo inuited them, as franklie he ſent his owne ſonne to prouoke them? Euen ſo (ſaith he) ſtandeth our matter. Adam was ſo created of God, that he was capable of that ſupernaturall felicitie; who neuertheles ſetting light by the commandements of God, was deſpoiled of all thoſe ſupernaturall gifts, and was left to the firſt ſtate of his owne nature. And in the ſame ſtate we alſo are procreated, and ſo for his ſinne are we damned, doo die, and are baniſhed out of the kingdome of heauen, ſuffering manie diſcommodities, which are deriued from the originals of our nature. Wherefore we may complaine of our firſt parents, but not of God; for he was moſt liberall vntounto him: and eſpeciallie, ſéeing he calleth vsus againe vntounto himſelfe (which is the higheſt felicitie) by his onelie ſonne, and him would hauehave to ſuffer death for our ſaluation.
6 But that which I hauehave now twiſe ſpoken of, dooth make verie much againſt this opinion; to wit, that infants doo die. For death hath no right where there is no ſinne; Death hath no right where there is no ſinne.vnleſſe we will ſaie, that God puniſheth the innocent: and this reaſon is confirmed by the argument of ſaint Paule, whereby he prooued ſinne to be before the lawe; Rom. 5, 14.For death (ſaith he) reigned from Adam euen vntounto Moſes. But according to Pighius opinion, this reaſon might ſéeme to be verie blunt. For ſome might ſaie; Though they died, yet it followeth not thereby, that they had ſinne: for ſinne happened vntounto them by reaſon of Adam, for whoſe ſinne ſake they became mortall. Moreouer, Paule confeſſeth ſinne to dwell in him. Rom. 7, 17. and 23.dooth not Paule grant corruption to be in nature, when he declareth that ſinne dooth dwell in him, and confeſſeth that the lawe of his members dooth drawe him awaie captiue, and ſuch other like things? But let not Pighius obiect againſt me, that theſe things come to the originals of nature; We hauehave not the originals of nature perfect, but of nature corrupt. The reſpect is otherwiſe in man, than in beaſts.for theſe originals be not of nature that is perfect, but of nature corrupt and depraued. Neither ought he in this matter to bring a ſimilitude of brute beaſts; for man is created to be farre more excellent than brute beaſts, and to be the ruler ouer them. Indéed man had in himſelfe originals, whereby hée might deſire things pleaſant and commodious, but not againſt reaſon and the word of God: for, to hauehave ſuch forceable and violent affects, is not the propertie of men, but of beaſts. Ouer this, It behooued that the bodie ſhould be meete for the ſoule.ſéeing our ſoule was immortall, and giuen from GOD, it requireth a bodie méet for the ſame; namelie, ſuch as might be preſerued for euer, leaſt the ſoule ſhould at anie time be conſtreined to be without the ſame. So as we muſt not flie to the firſt grounds of nature; for it was not ſo ordeined at the firſt, as we now hauehave it.It is blaſphemie to make God the author of ill affections.
But if that Pighius will imagine, that God created theſe wicked luſts and affections in vsus, he ſhall deale both blaſphemouſlie and reprochfullie againſt him; the which faults hée goeth about to laie to our charge without a cauſe. For ſéeing God is both the beſt, the wiſeſt, and the moſt iuſt, and hath created man vntounto the chéefeſt felicitie; hée would not hauehave indued him with thoſe things, wherby he ſhould be drawne backe from that felicitie, which would induce him to that which is contrarie vntounto him commandements: which things of themſelues would be vile, and would lead vsus captiue vnderunder the lawe of ſinne and death. For if theſe affections ſhould be mortified and crucified in vsus (as indéed they ought to be) we muſt confeſſe, Seeing ill affections ſhould be mortified, they be ſinnes.that they be vices, and be hatefull vntounto God. Neither maketh it ſo great matter that he ſaith, that thoſe things properlie be not ſinnes; vnleſſe, euen as cold is called ſlowe, A ſimilitude.bicauſe it maketh men ſlothfull; ſo theſe things, bicauſe they ſtir vp men to ſinne, that therefore after a ſort they may be called ſinnes. Or elſe in like maner as the ſcripture is named a hand, bicauſe it is written with the hand; or that the ſpéech is called a toong, bicauſe it is vttered by the miniſterie thereof: ſo theſe may be called ſinnes, bicauſe they hauehave procéeded from ſinne. Theſe ſimilitudes doo nothing at all further Pighius cauſe; for although Auguſtine vſed now and then to ſpeake after that ſort, yet his will was to be vnderſtood, concerning thoſe defects and imperfections, which are remaining in man after baptiſme.
7 But Auguſtine ſaith, that in anie wiſe they be ſinne before baptiſme; yea, the holie Ghoſt alſo by Paule calleth them ſinnes: Rom. 7, 5.and the nature of ſinne is agréeable vntounto them. For wée hauehave defined ſinne in ſuch ſort, as it apperteineth vntounto all things, whatſoeuer doo ſtriue againſt the lawe of God: for as Iohn ſaith; 1. Iohn, 3, 4.Sinne is vnrighteouſnes, and who perceiueth it not to be a thing vniuſt, The nature of ſinne is extended vntounto all things which are againſt the lawe of God. Pſal. 51, 7.that the fleſh ſhould make the ſpirit ſubiect vntounto it, and that our ſoule will not repoſe it ſelfe in the word of God? Séeing therefore all theſe things doo ſtir vsus vp, to tranſgreſſe and rebell againſt the word of God, both they are vnrighteous, and muſt be called ſinnes. Beſide this, the words of Dauid are againſt Pighius; Behold, I am conceiued in iniquitie, and in ſinnes my mother hath conceiued mee. If naughtie deſire, In whom is iniquitie.and theſe vices were the works of nature, ſurelie the man of God would not complaine of them. And what did Paule the apoſtle otherwiſe meane, when hée wrote theſe words vntounto the Epheſians; Epheſ. 2. 3.We are by nature the children of wrath, but that ſinne is in euerie one of vsus? But Pighius goeth about by a peruerſe interpretation, to wreſt this teſtimonie from vsus, ſaieng; that To be the children of wrath by nature, is no other thing, than To be the children of wrath by a certeine condition of our birth, bicauſe we are ſo brought foorth into the world. And he alledgeth, that ſome be called ſeruants by nature, A ſimilitude.which is no other thing, but that they be borne vntounto ſuch a ſtate as they doo ſerue. But we neither can nor ought to reſt vponupon this feigned deuiſe; for the wrath of God is not ſtirred vp but vponupon iuſt cauſe: The wrath of God is not ſtirred vp but iuſtlie.for it is no ſuch thing, as can be kindled either raſhlie or by chance. So as it behooueth, that in our nature there bée ſomething amiſſe, whereby Gods wrath is prouoked to reuenge. And that ſimilitude of his ſerueth not to his purpoſe; for thoſe which are ſaid to be borne bond-men by nature, Bond-men by nature hauehave ſomwhat in them apt vntounto bondage.hauehave euen by nature ſomething in them apt for bondage; for if we giuegive credit to Ariſtotle in his Politiks; they are bond-men by nature, which excéed in ſtrength of the bodie, but in reaſon be ſlowe and dull. And thereby it coms to paſſe, that they are more méet to ſerue, than to command others, or to liue at libertie.
verſe. 2.Alſo the apoſtle dooth ſufficientlie declare, wherefore he calleth vsus by nature the children of wrath: euen bicauſe we by nature, ſéeme to be prone to ſtir vp Gods wrath, and doo walke according to the prince of this world; and alſo for that the diuell can doo much in our harts, by reaſon of incredulitie; and that we fulfill the will of our fleſh, and of our mind. Theſe be the things which make vsus the children of wrath. And how can it be denied, that ſinne is in our nature, ſéeing Chriſt would hauehave vsus to be regenerate; Iohn. 3, 3.for vnleſſe we are framed amiſſe, what néed were it for vsus to be faſhioned anew? Beſides this, in the eight chapter of the booke of Geneſis, it is plainelie ſpoken; Gen. 8, 21.that The imagination of mans hart is euill, euen from his childhood. And how dare Pighius be ſo bold, to call that a good thing, and the worke of God, That which the holte Ghoſt calleth euil is no worke of God.which the holie Ghoſt in plaine termes hath called euill? But leaſt he ſhould ſéeme to ſaie nothing, he imagineth that the ſame was ſpoken by God of his merciemercy; as though he would ſo excuſe men, and teſtifie that he would not deſtroie the world anie more by water; bicauſe that men were made on that ſort, and that the cogitations of them did tend vntounto euill, yea, euen from their childhood. But while he iudgeth this to be an excuſe, he is far deceiued; The true ſenſe of that place of Geneſis.for this is thought to be the better and more naturall ſenſe of this place; namelie, that God would enter into a couenant with Noah, that he would neuer deſtroie the world againe with water; though otherwiſe men were ſuch as they deſerued the ſame, and the imagination of their harts was euill euen from their childhood. Theſe things doo not cleare mans nature from ſinne, but rather ſignifie the ſame to be more vicious and corrupt: which neuertheles God will ſpare for his merciemercy ſake.
Rom. 5, 19.8 Laſtlie, we reade in Paule, that By the diſobedience of one man, many were made ſinners: which ſheweth, that there is ſinne in them, which be borne of Adam; for the which they may be called ſinners. But Pighius thinketh himſelfe able by ſhifts to auoid this, bicauſe that ſinners are ſometime ſo called, by reaſon of the gilt or fault, although the act of ſinning be paſt, and ſhew it ſelfe no more. Notwithſtanding it be ſo, yet is he neuer able to ſhew out of the ſcriptures, that anie man is called a ſinner; but that either he hath ſinne in him, or elſe hath ſurelie committed ſinne before: None is called a ſinner, but either he hath ſinne in act, or elſe he hath committed ſinne. Pighius maketh a middle ſtate betweene the damned and the bleſſed. Matt. 25, 34. and 14. Mar. 13, 13. Iohn. 5, 29.vnleſſe he will ſaie that God maketh men guiltie without anie ſin [committed] by them. Moreouer, Pighius conſidereth not that by this his feigning is brought in a middle opinion, touching the ſtate of them which die onelie in the guiltineſſe of Adam; whereas the ſcriptures doo plainelie teach vsus, that in the laſt iudgement there ſhall be no meane, but that men ſhall either be committed to euerlaſting fire, or elſe ſhall inioie eternall felicitie. And it is a raſh part to procéed further in ſuch things, than is reuealed in the holie ſcriptures: wherefore they deale with more moderation, and greater wiſedome, which refer all this whole matter to Gods diuine prouidence. But it is a goodlie matter, to ſée by what reaſons our Pighius is mooued; They ſhall not be gréeued (ſaith he) with anie ſenſible paine, bicauſe they did not contaminate themſelues in this life with anie lewd purpoſe. A corrupt nature in him that is without Chriſt ſufficeth to damnation, A ſimilitude.What matter maketh this? It ſufficeth that they had a naughtie nature; for they were prone vntounto ſinne, although in reſpect of their age they could not ſinne. The woolfes whelpe is ſlaine, which neuertheles might excuſe it ſelfe, that it had not as yet wearied anie ſhéepe, or doon anie damage to the flocke; yet the reaſon wherefore he is killed, is good: bicauſe he hath a woolfes nature, & would doo thoſe things, if he were ſuffered to liue.
Hervnto Pighius addeth another argument; namelie, that ſorrowe & contrition is not required for originall ſin. But how is he able to proue this? The godlie lament for being oppreſt with this vice. Pſal, 51, 7. Rom. 8, 24.For all godlie men hauehave gréeuouſlie lamented for being oppreſt with this vice. Dauid, at what time as he occupied himſelfe in repentance, brake out into theſe words; Behold how I am conceiued in iniquitie. Paule dooth ſo bewaile for this offenſe, as he crieth out; O vnhappie man that I am! Who ſhall deliuer me from this bodie ſubiect vntounto death? And whereas Pighius ſaith, that theſe will be content with their ſtate, he vſeth no other reaſon, than bicauſe if they ſhould ſtriue againſt the will of God, and ſhould be ſorrowfull for the iudgement doone vponupon them, they ſhould ſinne: which thing is not néedfull to ſurmiſe of them, bicauſe they committed no ſinne in this life. But here Pighius muſt be demanded, Whether infants hauehave had that right will in this life? He muſt of neceſſitie denie it, ſéeing by reaſon of their age they could not hauehave it. Which being ſo, how dare he aſſigne the ſame to them in another life? It is much more probable, that they ſhall there hauehave an euill will, whereof there was a beginning in them, while they were here, than anie good will, whereof they poſſeſſed no token in this life. But that ſimilitude, A ſimilitude.which he brought of a liberall prince, who not onelie fréed his ſeruant, but alſo aduanced him to great honours, is none of his owne proper inuention: for it is borrowed out of Aegidius Romanus, Aegidius a Scholle-diuine.the Schoole-diuine, who neuertheles acknowledgeth with vsus the corruption of nature, and naughtines naturallie ingraffed in vsus from the beginning.
A ſimilitude.But yet this [ſimilitude] muſt be examined, leaſt, as tapeſtrie hangings couer the blemiſhes of bare wals; ſo the ſame, with the ſhew and colour caſt vponupon it, may cloke ſome error, and dangerouſlie deceiue and abuſe vsus. He ſetteth foorth vntounto vsus Adam as a bond-man, which from the beginning, was both ſet at libertie by God, and alſo indued with excellent gifts; and ſo furniſhed, as thoſe things ſhould alſo hauehave béene extended vntounto his poſteritie, ſo that he had obeied the commandement and lawe of God: but if he neglected to doo the ſame, then he with all his poſteritie ſhould returne to the former ſtate of bondage. Herein lieth hid the error of Pighius; for he feigneth to himſelfe a man, which from the very beginning had a nature that was ſubiect to corruption, & bound faſt vntounto the ſeruitude of vnreaſonable affections. Which thing is not true; Man at the beginning was of nature vncorrupt.for he was made perfect by God, not that he ſhould be like vntounto a brute beaſt. Indéed he had deſires vntounto things, which were both pleaſant, and might preſerue; but yet vntounto no ſuch things, as ſhould ſtir him vp againſt the word of God, and right reaſon. And there was a bodie giuen vntounto him, which might hauehave endured for euer. Therefore when he ſinned, he fell not into his firſt ſtate, but procured to him ſelfe a new infelicitie. Theſe things ſhall ſuffice at this preſent concerning that ſecond opinion.
9 The third is, that luſt or concupiſcence diſperſed in the fleſh and members is originall ſinne. The opinion of Auguſtine.Of which opinion was Auguſtine, as appéereth by his booke De peccatorum meritis & remiſſione, and by manie other places. Whom ſhe Shoole-men do interpret, that he ment not al-onlie of the concupiſcence of the groſſer parts of the mind, but alſo of the naughtines of the will. But Pighius repugneth, VnderUnder the name of concupiſcence Auguſtine comprehended all ſinne.ſaieng; that Auguſtine affirmed, that onelie concupiſcence of the fleſh and members is originall ſinne: as though Auguſtine ment not, that by the wickednes of the affections, both the mind is blinded, and the will corrupted. For ſéeing theſe vices are ioined one with another, he would vnderunder one name comprehend them all: and he vſed the name of concupiſcence, bicauſe in it the force of this diſeaſe dooth more plainlie and manifeſtlie appéere. Where Hugo De ſacramentis, wrot, What is originall ſinne.that Originall ſinne is that, which we from our natiuitie drawe into our mind through ignorance, and into our fleſh through concupiſcence. Laſtlie, whereas Chriſt ſaid, that None can be ſaued, Iohn, 3, 3.except he be regenerated; he ment, not onelie as touching the fleſh, or luſting part of the mind: for it chéſflie behooueth, Our reaſon and will muſt be firſt regenerate.that our reaſon and will be borne anew; then followeth regeneration of the affects and of the bodie, whereby (as méet it is) all things are ſubdued to the ſpirit and word of GOD. Neither did Auguſtine by concupiſcence vnderſtand the verie act of luſting; but the ablenes, proaneſſe, What Auguſtine ment by concupiſcence.and readie diſpoſition vntounto ill dooing: which vices are not alwaies knowne in children, but ſo far foorth, as they deſcrie themſelues by their age. For ſo in déepe darknes, A ſimilitude.there is no difference betwéene a blind man, and him that ſéeth; but ſo ſonne as light commeth, or the daie is preſent, the impediment of the blind man is eaſilie perceiued. Before that the woolfe be paſt the age of a whelpe, A ſimilitude.he ſheweth not his nature and rauening. The ſcorpion dooth not alwaies pricke, yet dooth he alwaies carrie a ſting. The ſerpent, while he is numd through cold in the winter, is ſafelie handled, not bicauſe he hath no venom, but for that he is not able to powre it out.
And he ſaith, that this concupiſcence is brought vntounto vsus by generation, bicauſe all wée hauehave ſinned with Adam; for he iudgeth, All mankind was in Adam, as in one lumpe.that all mankind was in Adam, as in one lumpe: and that, bicauſe nature was corrupted in him thorough ſinne, we cannot from thence drawe other than a corrupt nature; Matth. 7, 16for Grapes are not gathered of thriſtles, nor figs of thorns. But he ſaith, that this concupiſcence is ſpeciallie deriued vntounto the poſteritie, through the heate of luſt which happeneth in procreation. The opinion of ſome of ye School-men.Yet ſome of the wiſer ſort of Schoole-men hauehave iudged, that although there ſhould happen no wantonnes of luſt in the coniunction of the parents, yet that the child ſhould not be without originall ſinne; bicauſe the ſame was in the firſt man, as it were in Seminali ratione (as they ſpeake) that is, the nature of the ſéed. Whether this concupiſcence be voluntarie.But if ſo be thou demand of Auguſtine, whether he thinketh that this concupiſcence, which he ſaith is originall ſinne, be voluntarie? He will anſwer, that it may bée called voluntarie; bicauſe the ſinne committed by our firſt parents was voluntarie: but in vsus, it cannot be ſaid voluntarie; bicauſe wée hauehave not taken it vponupon vsus by our owne choiſe, vnles perhaps it may be ſo called, Pighius againſt Auguſtine.for that it is not by violence put into vsus. Againſt this opinion Pighius inueigheth, for thus he ſaith; If ſo be that the ſinne of Adam corrupted mans nature, it behooued ſuch a naturall effect to be in ſinne; for there was not anie thing at all in that firſt tranſgreſſion, that had a propertie to corrupt nature more than other ſinnes hauehave. Wherfore it ſhall be neceſſarie to confeſſe, that our nature is corrupted; not onelie by the fault of our firſt parents, but alſo by the ſinnes of all our progenitors. Which thing ſéemeth verie abſurd vntounto Pighius, that we ſhould be ſo much more corrupt than others, as we are later borne than they.
10 But this chéefe point, to wit, whether the ſinnes of all parents be deriued from one to another vntounto the poſteritie, I will for this time omit; and will ſpeake thereof toward the end, ſo much as ſhall be thought méet. In the meane while I denie, that which this man taketh for a ground; namelie, that corruption is the naturall effect of ſinne. Corruption is no naturall effect of ſinne.For the reaſon thereof procéedeth rather of diuine iuſtice, by which the grace of the ſpirit, and heauenlie gifts, wherewithall man was indued before his fall, was remooued from him, when he had ſinned. And this withdrawing of grace procéeded of Gods iuſtice, although the blame muſt be aſcribed to the tranſgreſſion of the firſt man, leaſt thou ſhouldeſt ſtraitwaie ſaie; Grace being withdrawne corruption followed of his owne accord.that God is the cauſe of ſinne. For when he had once withdrawne his gifts, wherewith he beautified man, foorthwith inſued vices and corruptions of their owne accord, the which before were ſtrange from the ſtate and condition of man. This man demandeth, how ſinne can hauehave the power to corrupt mans nature? Whether by meanes of priuation? Or by reaſon of the matter or ſubiect of priuation? But by meanes of priuation, he thinketh it vnpoſſible to be; for that, being nothing, can worke nothing: neither that it can be by reaſon of that action, which is ſubiect vntounto priuation, as was the wicked choiſe, through the will of the firſt man. For he ſaith that Adam, when he did eate the forbidden fruit, deſired not this; Manie things followe men againſt their wils.neither was it his will to corrupt his owne nature, and the nature of his poſteritie. This is a verie weake argument; for oftentimes we ſée that many things doo followe men againſt their wils, andn vnwares, which things, though they would not, yet are they ioined togither with their actions. A ſimilitude.They which load themſelues immoderatelie with meate and drinke, doo it not vponupon anie ſuch cauſe, as to procure vntounto themſelues the gout; but the gout followeth of it owne accord. Euen ſo, although Adam would not hauehave had theſe things happen, yet when he had ſinned, they happened of themſelues.
But he ſaith, that ſéeing this concupiſcence happeneth of a certeine neceſſitie of birth, and not by choiſe or election, it cannot hauehave the nature either of a fault or ſinne. But this cōmeth to paſſe, by reaſon that he maketh a leſſe & lighter matter of ſinne, than he ought to doo: for he would ſinne to be voluntarie, and a thing ſpoken, doone, or luſted againſt the lawe of God. But if he take the ſame to be iniquitie, 1. Iohn. 3, 4.as Iohn hath deſcribed it; he ſhall perceiue that the nature of ſinne is to be found in concupiſcence. For it is an vniuſt thing, In concupiſcence is found the nature of ſinne. Looke after in part 2. place 2. Art. 25.that the bodie ſhould not obeie the mind in honeſt things; & that the luſts ſhould be at variance with the mind, and ſeeke to hauehave dominion ouer it; that reaſon ſhould ſtriue againſt God, and deſpiſe his commandements. Theſe things being vniuſt, come they willinglie, or come they neceſſarilie, doubtleſſe they be ſinnes. But dooth not this Pighius, which obiecteth theſe things, perceiue that it is neceſſarie alſo for him, to appoint that the poſteritie of Adam is guiltie of his ſinne, and that whether they will or no; which thing is ſpeciallie againſt the word of God? For it is written in the prophet Ezechiel; Ezec. 18, 20.The ſonne ſhall not beare the fathers iniquitie; And; The ſoule that ſinneth, tha ſame ſhall die. According to Pighius children ſhould beare their fathers offenſes, not their owne.Which doubtleſſe will be falſe, if we beléeue Pighius; ſéeing children doo die, and are giltie of eternall damnation, although they hauehave ſinned nothing at all. VntoUnto which abſurditie we be not driuen, which we doo put, in euerie man that is borne, the fault and the cauſe wherefore he dieth and is condemned.
Alſo vntounto Pighius it ſéemeth a reprochfull and blaſphemous thing againſt God, that he ſuffereth ſinne to be ſowne in new borne babes; ſéeing they cannot doo withall, but be borne and affected in ſuch ſort as we ſée all other men to be borne and affected. But let Paule make anſwere to this obiection, which ſaith in his epiſtle to the Romans; O man, Rom. 9, 20.who art thou that makeſt anſwere vntounto God? Hath not the potter power of the claie, to make of one lumpe one veſſell to honour, and another to diſhonour. Let Eſaie alſo anſwere, which ſaith; Eſaie. 45, 9.that It is not conuenient for one potſherd to diſpute with another touching the workemanſhip of their maker. God is not ſuch a one, as ought to be brought into order by our reaſon; which would come to paſſe, if we ſhould meaſure his iuſtice by the rule of our iudgement. Séeing there is no daie paſſeth ouer, wherein there happeneth not ſomewhat in the gouernment or worldlie things, that we blame, and that dooth not content and ſatiſfie our owne wiſedome; when I praie ſhall we count God to be iuſt? For who is able to declare the cauſe, whie grace is not ſo much giuen vntounto him which periſheth euerlaſtinglie, as to another which is ſaued?
11 I knowe that theſe men hauehave béene accuſtomed to ſaie, that God dooth nothing there vniuſtlie; bicauſe he is not bound to anie lawe; and that he diſtributeth one and the like grace vntounto all men. But here certeinlie humane wiſdome will not ſtaie it ſelfe; for it will complaine and ſaie, that he ought to deale alike towards all, though not by the precept of mans lawe, yet by the lawe of his owne goodnes. Moreouer, what humane wiſedome can ſée, what the iuſtice of God is, that ſome are taken awaie, while they be yet infants or children, leaſt afterward their harts ſhould be peruerted with lewdnes; and by this meanes doo atteine vntounto ſaluation: whereas others be preſerued ſafe vntounto their ripe yéeres, at which time they deſerue their owne deſtruciton; We muſt reuerence the ſecrets of God, and not ſeeke to carpe at them.where otherwiſe they might hauehave béene ſaued, if they had died in their infancie? Here ought we to hauehave in honour and eſtimation the ſecrets of Gods iudgement, and not to be of the mind to correct and amend them, according to the preſcript of our lawe.
The ſaieng of Cato.Cato, an ethnike man, taking part with Pompeie, bicauſe he iudged that part to be iuſter than Caeſars part; at the laſt, when victorie inclined [vntounto Caeſar] and that Pompeis ſide was diſcomfited and fled; he looked vp to heauen, and cried out, that There is great obſcurenes in diuine things: for he thought it a thing vnwoorthie of Gods prouidence, that Caeſar ſhould hauehave the victorie. And ſurelie, when I thinke vponupon theſe things, I am much delighted with the anſwer of Auguſtine, which he vſed againſt the Pelagians, when he intreated of the verie ſame matter that we hauehave now in hand. Two arguments of the Pelagians.For two arguments ſomwhat ſubtill & difficult, were obiected vntounto him by the Pelagians. One was; how it might be, that God, which for his goodnes ſake, dooth forgiue vsus our owne ſinnes, will impute other mens ſinnes vntounto vsus? Another was, If ſo be that Adam, by originall ſinne, condemneth thoſe which ſinne vnaduiſedlie, and againſt their wils, why dooth not Chriſt alſo, (leaſt hée ſhould giuegive place to Adam in anie thing) ſaue the vnbeléeuers? To theſe Auguſtine maketh anſwer. A notable ſaieng of Auguſtine.What if I were ſomwhat dull, and could not confute theſe reaſons vponupon the ſudden; ſhould I therefore giuegive the leſſe credit vntounto the ſcriptures? Naie rather, it is much more méete that I ſhould acknowledge mine owne ſimplicitie, than to laie anie falſhood vntounto the ſcripture. But afterward he diſſolueth both the arguments: for vntounto the firſt he anſwereth, that God is excéeding good, God imputeth not vntounto vsus other mens ſins, but our owne.and dooth not impute the ſinnes of others vntounto vsus (as theſe affirme [that he dooth] in originall ſinne;) but the iniquitie of our owne ſelues, which cleaueth to our owne nature, euen from the firſt beginning of all. VntoUnto the other he ſaith, that Chriſt ſaueth euen them that be vnwilling, Chriſt ſaueth them that be his, whether they will or no.for that hée expecteth not them till they be willing; but of his owne accord commeth vntounto ſinners, when they be both vnwilling and reſiſting, and alſo the he bringeth manie infants vntounto felicitie, before they as yet beléeue; neither by reaſon of their age can hauehave faith, whereby they ſhould beléeue.
Theſe things I thought good to bring in, to ſhew that it is lawfull for me, if I will, to vſe the anſwer, which this father firſt vſed, & to ſaie vntounto Pighius; The iuſtice of God hath no need of our defenſe.Let vsus leaue vntounto God the defenſe of his owne cauſe, he hath no néed of vsus to defend him, that he ſhould not be counted vniuſt or cruell. Let vsus beléeue the ſcriptures, which crie out euerie-where; that We be borne in ſinne and corruption. Which thing alſo both death, and an infinite heape of calamities doo ſhew; which in verie déed ſhould not be laid vponupon the children of Adam, vnleſſe there were ſome ſinne in them to be puniſhed. But they which deſcend not into themſelues, nor looke into their owne nature, how prone it is vntounto all naughtines, doo not knowe what this concupiſcence meaneth. Yet no ſmall number of the ethnike philoſophers perceiued the ſame; for they maruell how, The verſe Ethnikes woondered at the corruption of our nature.in ſo excellent a nature, ſo great lewdnes, and ſelfe-louelove, and deſire of voluptuouſnes can be: and they ſo acknowledged theſe euils, that they alſo adiudged it moſt néedfull for their children, to hauehave chaſtiſement and diſcipline. And for the redreſſing of this ingendred naughtines, They ſawe the euill, but perceiued not the cauſe and fountaine thereof.they counſelled vsus to take in hand labours, and exerciſes, and other weightie and hard enterpriſes: but indéed they perceiued not the cauſe and fountaine of theſe euils; for that is onelie to be perceiued by the word of God.
12 Furthermore, Pighius diſputeth, that this luſting, which Auguſtine calleth concupiſcence, is the worke of nature and of God, and therfore can not ſéeme to be ſinne. But it is anſwered before, that it procéedeth not from the originals of nature, as the ſame was inſtituted by God; but from it being corrupted; for when man was created, he was made iuſt, and (as the ſcripture ſpeaketh) VntoUnto the image of God. Adams appetite of pleaſant things was moderate in his firſt creation.And therefore that ſame appetite in Adam, of things pleaſant and preſeruatiue, when he was firſt created, was not raging and vehement, that he ſhould doo againſt right reaſon and the word of GOD; for that followed afterward. Wherefore the ſame muſt not (as Pighius ſaith) be called the worke of God, but the naughtines of ſinne, and corrupting of affections. And therefore Auguſtine calleth Iulian the Pelagian, A ſhameleſſe praiſer of concupiſcence; Iulian the Pelagian praiſed concupiſcence.for he commended it, euen as Pighius dooth, to be a notable worke of God. Moreouer, Pighius is againſt Auguſtine, for the ſame verie cauſe, that he ſaith concupiſcence is ſinne before baptiſme, and denieth it [ſo to be] after baptiſme; whereas (ſaith he) concupiſcence is all one, God all one, and his lawe all one: wherefore he concludeth; that either ſinne muſt be in both, or elſe in neither of them. But here Pighius greatlie erreth in two reſpects; How we are changed in regeneration.firſt, bicauſe he thinketh that in regeneration, there is become no change: eſpeciallie ſéeing he cannot denie, but that Chriſts remedie is added, his righteouſnes applied, and our guiltines taken awaie; for God dooth not impute that concupiſcence, which remaineth after regeneration.
Moreouer, the ſpirit is giuen, wherewith the ſtrength of concupiſcence maie be broken; that although it doo ſticke within vsus, yet that it ſhall not reigne [ouer vsus;] for to this end Paule exhorteth vsus, Rom. 6, 12.when he ſaith; Let not ſinne reigne in your mortall bodies. Againe on the other part he is deceiued, Auguſtine affirmeth that the concupiſcence remaining after baptiſme is ſinne.in that he thinketh Auguſtine to iudge, that the concupiſcence which remaineth after baptiſme is no ſinne at all; but moſt eſpeciallie, if the ſinne be conſidered alone, [as it is] by it ſelfe: for in moſt plaine words he declareth it in his owne nature to be ſinne; bicauſe it is diſobedience, againſt the which we muſt continuallie wreſtle. When he denieth it to be ſin, that is ment of the imputation of the falt. That ſame concupiſcence is no actuall ſin.And where he denieth the ſame to be ſinne, it muſt be vnderſtood as concerning guiltines; for that out of all doubt, is taken awaie in regeneration. For by that means it coms to paſſe, that although it be verie ſin indéed; yet God dooth not impute it for ſin. Moreouer, Auguſtine dooth compare concupiſcence with thoſe ſinnes, which are called actuall; by the compariſon whereof, it may be ſaid, to be no ſinne: for it is far from the gréeuouſnes of them. But I maruell how Pighius dare ſaie, that Auguſtine determineth without teſtimonie of the ſcriptures, that concupiſcence is originall ſin; ſéeing he, in his diſputations againſt the Pelagians, defendeth his opinion chéefelie out of the holie ſcriptures. The cauſe whie originall ſinne is called concupiſcence.And the cauſe whie he calleth originall ſinne concupiſcence, is, for that originall corruption dooth chéeflie declare it ſelfe, through the vnpurer deſires of the mind, and of the fleſh.
13 Now it is expedient to ſée, what others hauehave ſaid concerning this matter: for, beſides this, there is alſo another opinion of them, which ſay that originall ſin is a lacke of originall righteouſnes. Whether this ſinne be a want of originall righteouſneſſe. Anſhelmus What the ſchoolemen meane by originall iuſtice.Which thing Anſhelmus affirmed in his booke De partu virginis; and he drew manie other ſcholaſticall authors into his opinion. And theſe men meane no other thing by originall iuſtice, or righteouſneſſe, but the right inſtitution of man, when as the bodie obeieth the mind, and the inferior parts of the mind are ſubiect to the ſuperior; & [when] the mind is ſubiect vntounto God, and to his lawe. In this righteouſnes was Adam created; and if he had ſo continued, all we ſhould hauehave liued in it: but ſéeing he fell, all we were depriued thereof. And they would hauehave the lacke of this righteouſnes to be originall ſinne. A ſimilitude. Entrie defect maketh not a thing euill.But that they may ſhew their opinion the better, they ſaie that euerie defect is not euill; for although a ſtone doo lacke righteouſnes, yet it ſhall not be ſaid that a ſtone is vnrighteous or euill; but when as a thing ſhall be fit and méet to poſſeſſe that whereof it is deſtitute; then ſuch a defect is ſaid to be euill: as it happeneth in the eie, when it is béereft of abilitie to ſée well; we doo not ſaie therefore, that there is a fault or blame in the eie. For then ſinne commeth, when by reaſon of ſuch a lacke, there followeth a contending and wreſtling againſt the lawe of God. An obiection of Pighius.And this opinion is alſo condemned by Pighius; for he ſaith, that It is no ſinne, if one kéepe not the gift which he hath receiued. For it may be, that one which is borne in perfect health, and in a good ſtate of the bodie, A ſimilitude.may fall into a diſeaſe, or be maimed in ſome member, or elſe become lame; yet there is none that will call thoſe defects offenſes or ſinnes. But this ſimilitude is not agréeable to the purpoſe; for a diſeaſe or maime of the bodie, doth not make either to the performing or violating of Gods lawe: but that which they call a want of originall righteouſnes, dooth of neceſſitie bring with it the breach of Gods lawe. Moreouer, he laboureth to prooue, that the loſſe of originall righteouſnes in yoong children is not ſinne; bicauſe the ſame was not foregon by their fault: but this againe is to call God to an account. God is not to be called vntounto an account.But God is not regiſtred among the decrées of men, he is not to be brought into the order of mans lawes.
Let Pighius confer that opinion with this, which he reaſoneth againſt. This affirmes he, that God dooth condemne the faultines and vncleanes, which he appointed and ſhewed to be in new borne babes: Pighius maketh guiltie and condemnes children of that vice and ſinne which is not in them; but onelie is that which Adam the firſt parent of all committed in himſelfe: for otherwiſe he taketh thoſe children to be moſt innocent. But whether of theſe is the further from reaſon, and dooth diſſent from the lawes of men? To puniſh an innocent for the ſinne of another? Or elſe, to condemne him, which hath cauſe in himſelfe whie he ſhould be condemned? Vndoubtedlie, vntounto them which ſhall diligentlie conſider of the thing it ſelfe, The ſaieng of Anſhelme is better than the opinion of Pighius. Eccle. 7, 30.the ſaieng of Anſhelme is better in manie reſpects, than this opinion of Pighius. We knowe it to be true, which Eccleſiaſtes ſaith, that God made man vpright: but when he had once ſinned, he fell by and by into wickedneſſe. He dooth not now behold God and heauenlie things anie more, but he bendeth himſelfe continuallie down to earthlie and to carnall things, and is ſubiect to the neceſſitie of concupiſcence: and this is to want originall righteouſnes. For actions be not plucked awaie from man, but the power of well vſing them is taken awaie: as we ſée happen by experience, A ſimilitude.in ſuch as be taken with the palſie; verelie they mooue their hand, but bicauſe the power is hurt, whereby they might rule that motion, they mooue the ſame faintlie, and deformedlie. This alſo happeneth in vsus; for ſéeing diuine righteouſnes is wanting, the ground is corrupted, whereby our works ſhould be rightlie ordered and performed. But (ſaith Pighius) it cannot be ſinne in yoong children, to be deſtitute of this gift; for they are not bound by anie dutie or obligation to hauehave it. But if (ſaith he) our aduerſaries ſhall ſaie otherwiſe, let them ſhew a lawe, whereby we that are borne bée bound; which (ſaith he) bicauſe they cannot doo, let them ceaſe to ſaie, that this want of originall righteouſnes is ſin. But we not onlie will ſhew one, By what lawe they which are borne, are bound to hauehave originall ſin.but thrée lawes. The firſt is the inſtitution of man; God made man according to his owne image and likenes, wherefore ſuch it behooueth vsus to be: for God dooth iuſtlie require that which he made in our nature. And the image of God dooth herein chéeflie conſiſt, that we be adorned with diuine properties; namelie, iuſtice, wiſedome, goodnes, and patience. But contrariwiſe Pighius crieth out, Wherein ſtandeth the nature of the image of God.that this is not the nature of the image of God; for that (he ſaith) conſiſteth in vnderſtanding, memorie, and will: as Auguſtine is his bookes De trinitate, and in manie other places hath taught. Theſe things indéed are ſaid of the Schoole-men. But we will prooue the matter to be farre otherwiſe, both by the ſcriptures, and ſaiengs of the fathers.
Looke part 1. place. 12, verſe. 26. Epheſ. 4, 24.14 Firſt, it is thus written in the epiſtle to the Epheſians; Put ye off the old man, according to the conuerſation in times paſt, which is corrupt, according to the deceiueable luſts: and be ye renewed in the ſpirit of your mind, and put yee on the new man, which according to God is created in righteouſnes and true holines. And in the third chapter to the Coloſſians; verſe. 10.Ye hauehave put on the new man, which is renewed to the knowledge and image of him that created him. And a little after he ſheweth the properties of this image; verſe. 12.Put ye on the bowels of mercies, goodnes, modeſtie, meekenes, gentlenes, forbearing one another, and forgiuing one another. And in the eight chapter to the Romans; Whom he before knew, verſe. 30.he alſo predeſtinated, to be made like vntounto the image of his ſonne. All theſe things doo ſufficientlie declare, what maner of image of God the holie ſcriptures ſet foorth vntounto vsus in the creation and inſtauration of man: neither did the fathers miſlike of this opinion. Irenaeus in his fift booke ſaith, that by the infuſion of the holie Ghoſt, man is made ſpirituall, euen in ſuch ſort as he was created by God. And Tertullian againſt Marcion ſaith, that that is the image of God, which hath the ſelfe-ſame motions and ſenſes with God: and the reaſon which perſuadeth vsus herevnto, is, that man was therefore made at the beginning like vntounto the image of God, A reaſon why man was made to the image of God.bicauſe he ſhould be the gouernour of all things created, as if he had béene a certeine deputie of God. And no man can doubt, but that God will hauehave his creatures to be well gouerned; for he continuallie biddeth vsus, that we ſhould not abuſe them. And we are bound by a lawe, to aſcribe vntounto God all thoſe things, whereby we are holpen, as from whom all things doo flowe. But a good vſe, and right adminiſtration of things cannot appéere, vnles we be furniſhed with thoſe conditions, which (we hauehave ſaid) doo belong to the image of God. And whereas Auguſtine aſſigned the image of God to be in the vnderſtanding, memorie, and will; we ſaie he did it, to the intent he might ſet foorth vntounto vsus ſome forme or example of the diuine perſons, how one of them doo reſpect another. But he muſt not be ſo vnderſtood, Auguſtine defended. The powers of the mind not deſpoiled of vertues be the image of God. By the lawe of nature we are bound to hauehave originall righteouſnes.as though he would make theſe faculties of the mind to be the image of God; they being naked, and deſpoiled of thoſe vertues, which we hauehave declared.
Wherefore we hauehave a lawe giuen vntounto vsus, either by the inſtitution, or by the reſtitution of man; which Paule commandeth: and by this bond we are bound, to hauehave the originall righteouſnes, which we hauehave loſt. We hauehave alſo the lawe of nature, and to liue agréeable vntounto it (as Cicero ſaith in his third booke De finibus) is the principall and laſt end of mans eſtate: and this lawe dependeth of that other, which we before ſpake of. For of no other thing dooth it come, that we in cogitations hauehave our mind, Rom. 2, 15.which accuſe and defend one another; but that they are taken from the woorthines of nature, as it was firſt inſtituted by God. For whatſoeuer either the philoſophers, or lawe-giuers hauehave commanded, as touching the duties of mans life; The precepts of mans life proceed from the forme of a moſt vpright nature.the ſame dooth wholie depend of the fountaines of our creation. For thoſe precepts cannot come out of a corrupt nature, out of ſelfe-louelove, and out of malice; whereof it coms, that we are prone vntounto euils: but they come from that kind of moſt vpright nature, which they feigne to be doone by the worthines of man, and which we knowe out of the holie ſcriptures to be inſtituted by God, Rom. 7, 23. By this cō mandement Thou ſhalt not luſt, the want of originall iuſtice is condemned.and commanded to be renewed by vsus. And herevnto (as ſome will hauehave it) dooth apperteine that lawe of the mind, which the lawe of the members dooth reſiſt. There is alſo a third lawe, which God would hauehave to be put in writing, namelie; Thou ſhalt not luſt: which commandement, although our aduerſaries doo wreſt vntounto actuall ſinnes, yet we hauehave ſhewed that the ſame belongeth alſo vntounto originall ſin: and that God, by his commandement, would hauehave all kind of naughtie concupiſcence to be vtterlie cut off from men.
15 Now therefore we hauehave lawes, which ſo long as they be extant, ſhall perpetuallie bind vsus, and make vsus debtors to performe that righteouſnes which they require. Infants feele not the lawe, but ſinne lieth aſleepe in them. Rom. 7, 9.True indéed it is that infants féele not thoſe lawes; and therefore ſinne lieth aſléepe in them; as Auguſtine ſaith in his ſecond booke De peccatorum meritis & remiſſione, following that which Paule ſaith; I ſometimes liued without a lawe: not that there was at anie time no lawe preſcribed vntounto Paule, but bicauſe in his childhood he felt not the ſame, by reaſon of yoong age. Wherfore Paule ſaith; that Sinne was dead, which Auguſtine interpreteth, was on ſleepe: but when the commandement was come, that is, when the lawe began to be knowne of me, ſinne did reuiue. No doubt, but it was in him before ſinne; but when he felt it not, it ſéemed dead. Now it appéereth, how thoſe things with we hauehave ſpoke, agrée with the holie ſcriptures. An obiection of Pighius.But Pighius vrgeth yet further, that theſe doo perteine nothing vntounto infants, for that a lawe ought not to be made as touching thoſe things which cannot be auoided. But when he ſpeaketh thus, he followeth not the ſenſe of the holie ſcriptures; for theyr ſufficientlie teach, that thoſe things which be commanded in the lawe, cannot be perfectlie fulfilled, when neuertheleſſe they be ſtraitlie commanded. A lawe may be made of ſuch things as cannot be fulfilled. Rom. 8, ….Paule ſaith in the epiſtle to the Romans, that Looke what was vnpoſſible to the lawe, foraſmuch as it was made weake by the fleſh, God ſending his onlie ſonne, &c. By theſe words it appéereth moſt plainelie, that the lawe, as it is commanded, cannot be performed; for if it could, we ſhould be iuſtified by works. Neither had it béene néedfull, that Chriſt ſhould ſuffer death for vsus. Vtilities of the lawe.There be alſo other offices of the lawe, for which it is written. For aſſuredlie, the ſame is profitable to direct the actions of godlie men, but moſt profitable of all to diſcouer ſinne: Rom. 3, 20. Rom. 7, 7, Rom. 5, 20. 1. Cor. 15, verſe. 56. Gal. 3, 24.for By the lawe (ſaith Paule) commeth the knowledge of ſinne. Againe; I had not knowne luſt, vnleſſe the lawe had ſaid vntounto me, Thou ſhalt not luſt. Beſides, by the lawe, ſinne is alſo increaſed, and dooth burthen vsus the more, and dooth the more gréeuouſlie preſſe vsus; for The lawe entered in, that ſinne might abound. And to the Corinthians; The power of ſinne is the lawe.
All theſe things tend to this end, that man, as by a ſchoolemaiſter ſhould be brought vntounto Chriſt, and ſhould craue his helpe, and praie that ſtrength may be giuen vntounto him: that at at the leaſt-wiſe in part, and with an obedience begun, he may execute thoſe things which are commanded; and that ſuch things as he faileth in, may not be imputed vntounto him, but may be ſupplied by the righteouſnes of Chriſt. Auguſtine, in his firſt booke againſt Iulian, reprehendeth the Pelagians; bicauſe they thought, that they knew ſome great matter, The Pelagians vanted, that God commandeth not things that cannot be doone. Auguſtine maketh mention of the ſinnes of infants.when they vanted that God commandeth not thoſe things, which be vpoſſible: and he ſheweth, that theſe, which we hauehave now declared, are the ends of the lawe. Yea, and the ſame Auguſtine, in his booke of Confeſſions, maketh mention alſo of thoſe ſinnes, which yoong children, while they be yet ſucking, doo commit: yet none will ſaie that they could reſiſt them. But they ſhould be no ſins, vnles they might be referred to ſome lawe violated by them. Neither dooth it anie thing helpe Pighius, or yet take awaie their ſins, bicauſe they are not felt by them: for a thing that is diſhoneſt, although it ſéeme not ſo to vsus, Things diſhoneſt are diſhoneſt in nature, although they ſeem not ſo. Anſhelme and Auguſtine of one opinion.yet in his owne nature it is diſhoneſt. That (ſaith he) which is diſhoneſt, is diſhoneſt, whether it ſéeme ſo or no. This opinion of Anſhelme, as touching the lacke and want of originall righteouſnes, differeth in verie déed nothing from the ſaieng of Auguſtine, wherein he calleth originall ſin concupiſcence; but that it is there ſpoken ſomewhat more expreſſelie, which in the word concupiſcence is wrapped vp more obſcurely. But bicauſe this want of originall righteouſnes, might ſo be taken, although we vnderſtand onlie the priuation of the gifts of God, without anie fault of nature; therefore it ſhall be very well to ſet downe a more full definition.
16 Originall ſinne therefore, A definition of originall ſinne.is a corrupting of the whole nature of man, deriued by generation from the fall of our firſt parent into his poſteritie; which (were it not for the benefit of Chriſt) adiudgeth all that are borne therein in a maner to infinite miſeries, and eternall damnation. In this definition all the kinds of cauſes are conteined. For the matter or ſubiect, we hauehave all the parts and powers of man; the forme is, the corrupting of them all; the efficient cauſe is the ſinfull will of Adam; the inſtrument, is *Traductionis propagatio.the ſpreding of deriuation, which is doone through the fleſh; the end and effect, is eternall damnation, togither with all the diſcommodities belonging to this life. And hereof hauehave riſen diuers names of his ſinne; Sundrie names of this ſinne.ſo that ſomtime it is called a defect, ſomtime peruerſenes, ſometime vice, ſometime a diſeaſe, ſometime a contagion; and by Auguſtine, An expreſing of the corrupton of all the parts of man.an affected qualitie, and a rude lumpe. And that the whole man is corrupted, herein it appéereth; bicauſe he was created, to the end he ſhould cleaue vntounto God, as vntounto the chéefe good thing. But now he vnderſtandeth not diuine things, he patientlie waiteth for the promiſes of the ſcripture, he heareth with gréefe the commandements of God, and he contemneth puniſhments and rewards: his ſedicious affects doo impudentlie deride right reaſon and the word of God; the bodie refuſeth to obeie the mind.
Although all theſe things be experiments of naturall corruption, yet they be alſo confirmed by teſtimonies of the ſcriptures. As touching the impediments of the vnderſtanding, Paule ſaith; 1. Cor. 2, 14. A proofe of mans vnpoſſiblenes to keepe the lawe.that The carnall man perceiueth not thoſe things which be of the ſpirit of God: no verelie, nor cannot, bicauſe they be fooliſhnes vntounto him. In which words we note by the waie, againſt Pighius, that the lawe was made concerning that which could not be doone: for firſt of all the lawe willeth vsus to knowe diuine things; which neuertheleſſe Paule affirmeth plainelie, that a carnall man cannot perceiue. And as touching our purpoſe, we ſée that Paule affirmeth, that this blindnes or ignorance is ingraffed in men; and that by nature: for it cannot be imagined, that the ſame hath come vntounto vsus by reaſon either of time or age. For the older that euerie man waxeth, the more and more he is inſtructed as concerning God: wherefore in that he is a carnall man, and vnapt to perceiue heauenlie things, that hath he gotten by nature corrupted.
17 This corrupting alſo is of ſo great importance, (as Auguſtine ſaith in the third booke againſt Iulianus the twelfe chapter;) that by the ſame, the image of God is become a ſtranger vntounto the life of man, through the blindnes of the heart; The blindnes of the hart is ſin.which blindnes (ſaith he) is ſinne, and dooth not ſufficientlie agrée with mans nature. The ſame father, in his firſt booke De peccatorum meritis & remiſſione, the 36. chapter, where he alledgeth that thoſe words of Dauid; Remember not the ſinnes and ignorances of my youth, Pſal. 25, 7.maketh mention of moſt thicke darkenes of ignorance, that is in the minds of yoong children, while as yet they be in their mothers wombes: which knowe not wherefore, from whence, or when they were there incloſed. For there lieth the poore infant vnlearned, vnapt to be taught, vnable to conceiue what a commandement is, being ignorant where he is, what he is, of whom he was created, and of whom he was begotten: Blindneſſe and ignorance are not agreeing with nature firſt inſtituted.all which things did nothing agrée with the nature of man, as it was firſt created, but be rather corruptions of nature. For Adam was not ſo created, but he was able doth to vnderſtand the commandement of God, and to giuegive names to his wife, and to all liuing creatures: but in infants, a long time muſt be expected, whereby they may by little and little paſſe ouer this kind of dizzines. Moreouer, that this kind of ignorance is to be accounted ſinne, Reticius the moſt ancient biſhop of Auſton beareth record, Reticius biſhop of Auſton.as Auguſtine teſtifieth in his firſt booke againſt Iulianus. For when he ſpeaketh of baptiſme, thus he writeth; It is a principall indulgence in the church, wherein we caſt awaie all the burthen of the old crime, and doo blot out the old wicked acts of our ignorance, and doo put off the old man with his naturall vngratiouſneſſe. By theſe words we vnderſtand, that wickednes is naturall vntounto vsus; & that the ſinnes of ignorance are taken awaie in baptiſme. Wherefore, ſéeing infants are baptiſed; they by the authoritie of this father are prooued to hauehave ſinnes, and that their old ignorance is aboliſhed in baptiſme.
Now as concerning the will, let vsus ſée whether that alſo be corrupted or no. The will alſo is corrupted. Rom. 8, 7.Thereof the apoſtle gaue an excellent teſtimonie, to wit, that The ſenſe and wiſedome of the fleſh is enimitie againſt God: and vnderunder this ſentence he comprehendeth all the affections of men not yet regenerate. But I maruell at the impudencie of Pighius, who to wind himſelfe out by ſome meanes or other, ſaith that this place muſt be vnderſtood as touching the ſenſe of the letter, which he affirmeth to be againſt God, and cannot be ſubdued vntounto him. For, as well that which goeth before, as that which followeth, dooth manifeſtlie reprooue him; verſe. 8, & 9.for Paule foorthwith addeth the difference betwéene men that be in the fleſh, and thoſe which be in the ſpirit. Wherefore it appéereth ſufficientlie, that he treateth not of the diuerſitie of the ſenſe of the ſcripture; but of the diuerſitie of men themſelues. And the next words before that ſentence are; verſe. 3.That which was vnpoſſible to the lawe, inaſmuch as it was weake, bicauſe of the fleſh, God ſending his owne ſonne in the ſimilitude of ſinfull fleſh, by ſinne condemned ſinne in the fleſh, that the righteouſnes of the lawe might be fulfilled in vsus. Theſe words alſo doo teſtifie, that Paule ſpake of vsus; not of the ſpirit, or the letter of the ſcriptures. For in vsus is the infirmitie, whereby the lawe is weakened, that it could not bring vsus to ſaluation; and by Chriſt the rightouſnes of the lawe beginneth to be fulfilled in vsus.
18 Neither muſt we harken vntounto them, which both in this place, & in manie other, By the fleſh is not ment the groſſer part of the mind. Gala. 5, 19.will that by fleſh ſhould be vnderſtood the groſſer parts of the mind. For when Paule to the Galathians reckoneth vp the works of the fleſh, he putteth in that number, not onelie adulteries, fornications and wantoneſſe; but alſo idolatrie: which no man can denie, but that it dooth apperteine to the mind, not vntounto the fleſh. And Chriſt, when he ſaith; That which is borne of the fleſh, Iohn. 3, 6.is fleſh; and that which is borne of the ſpirit, is ſpirit, exhorteth to regeneration: which in verie déed apperteineth not onelie to the ſubſtance of the bodie, or groſſer parts of the mind; but eſpeciallie alſo vntounto the will and mind. And when he ſaid vntounto Peter; Matt. 16, 17.Bleſſed art thou Simon, the ſonne of Iona, for fleſh & bloud hath not reuealed it vntounto thee: he ment, that he had not learned thoſe things by naturall knowledge, but by the ſpirit of God. For vnderunder the name of fleſh, he comprehendeth thoſe things which apperteineth to the mind and reaſon. But yet we ſaie not (as Pighius fondlie cauilleth) that in the nobler part of the mind there is nothing but fleſh: for we knowe, although Pighius had not told vsus, that the ſoule is a ſpirit, which neuertheles in the ſcriptures is called fleſh, The ſoule in the ſcriptures is called fleſh.before it be regenerated; bicauſe whereas it ought to make the fleſh, that is to ſay, the groſſer part of it ſelf ſpirituall, and ought to reduce the ſame to the obedience of a mind inſtructed by the word of God, it will rather bend vntounto the pleaſures thereof, and ſo is made carnall.
But they obiect againſt vsus, that [ſaeing] vntounto the Galathians; Gal. 5, 17.The fleſh luſteth againſt the ſpirit, and the ſpirit againſt the fleſh: as though this may not be, if in the minds of men, we leaue nothing that is ſound. But we will eaſilie anſwer to this obiection; for firſt, thoſe words are pronounced by Paule, as touching beléeuers, which be alredie regenerated: which thing thoſe words that followe, doo ſufficientlie declare; That ye doo not thoſe things which yee would. By which words he declareth, that they obteined a right will by the ſpirit of Chriſt; which neuertheles they could not accompliſh, by reaſon of the continual conflicts of the mind, and their great infirmities. And therefore the apoſtle ment no other thing in that place, than that whatſoeuer is in vsus not perfectlie regenerated, all that dooth ſtriue againſt the ſpirit of God. In the minds of men not yet regenerate be the lawes of nature and illumination of Gods ſpirit.Nor doo we denie, but that ſome ſuch conflict is otherwhile in men, which be not yet regenerated: not that their mind is not carnall, and prone vntounto naughtines, but bicauſe the lawes of nature are as yet ingrauen therein, and that alſo there is ſome illumination of Gods ſpirit in the ſame, although it be not ſuch as either can iuſtifie, or bring in anie change to ſaluation.
19 Moreouer, that reaſon is corrupted in vsus, Paules words doo ſufficientlie declare, wherein he exhorteth To put on the new man, Col. 3, 10.which muſt be continuallie renewed in vsus. Séeing hée willeth that man be ſo wholie changed; and that man conſiſteth not only of the bodie & affections of the fleſh, but alſo, and that much more, of the mind, will, and reaſon; it is neceſſarilie gathered, that theſe things were alſo corrupted in him. It behoueth things to be renewed to hauehave beene firſt corrupted.For otherwiſe, what néed hauehave they to be renewed? And it maketh no great matter, if thou ſaie, that theſe things muſt be vnderſtood of ſuch as be come to ripe yéeres, who of their owne choiſe, and voluntarie ſinnes, hauehave corrupted theſe things in themſelues. For I will aſke, wherefore all in generall, which be not regenerated, did ſo contaminate themſelues, as there was not one innocent to be found among them all? Trulie there can be nothing elſe anſwered to this queſtion, but that the verie fountaines were corrupted and defiled in them, euen from the beginning. Auguſtine teacheth alſo, that we be ſo far foorth onelie regenerated, in how much we are become like vntounto Chriſt: for in that we be vnlike vntounto him, therein we are not borne anew, but reteine ſtill the old man in vsus. Wherefore let vsus ſée, whether from the beginning we hauehave a mind, will, and reaſon like vntounto Chriſt; for if they be found vnlike, we muſt néeds conclude, that they be corrupt, and doo apperteine vntounto the old man: & as touching the corruption of the baſer parts of the mind, dailie experience ſufficientlie teacheth vsus.
Againe, The baſer parts of the mind are ſprinkled among the members.this propertie belongeth vntounto the baſer parts of the mind, that they be ſprinkeled abroad in the members, & doo ſpred themſelues abroad ouer all the parts of the fleſh; which cannot be agréeable vntounto the mind and reaſonable part, being things ſpirituall and inuiſible. That the bodie alſo and parts therof hauehave fallen from their dutie, to become rebellious and repugnant to the mind, Paule teacheth, when he crieth out; O vnhappie man that I am! Rom. 7, 24.Who ſhall deliuer me from the bodie of this death? And againe, when he ſaith; Ibidem. 23.I feele another lawe in my members. Finallie, that the whole man, how much ſoeuer he be, is corrupted, the commandement of Chriſt dooth ſufficientlie prooue, Matt. 16, 24.wherein he biddeth vsus to denie our ſelues. But if that our nature were innocent and perfect, there would be no néed why we ſhould renounce the ſame; We muſt not denie the things that be good.for things that be good ſhould be reteined, and not abandoned from vsus. With this definition, which we hauehave made of originall ſinne, agréeth the want of originall iuſtice: Auguſtine & Anſhelme agree with our opinion.ſo likewiſe agréeth Auguſtines definition, wherein he ſaith, that the ſame is concupiſcence of the fleſh; ſo that both the one and the other be rightlie vnderſtood.
Thoſe which were chéefe among the Schoole-men, acknowledged this doctrine; as Thomas, Scotus, and eſpeciallie Bonauentura: theſe affirme the materiall part in this ſinne, Whether guiltines in this ſin be the formall part.to be the corruption of nature or concupiſcence; the formall part to be the want of righteouſnes; and ſo of thoſe two opinions, which I now ſpake of, they make one. But there be ſome of our men, Striuing & wreſtling againſt the law of God ſeems to be the formall part of this ſinne.which would hauehave the formall part to be guiltines, or the imputation of God; but ſéeing that this is an outward thing from ſinne, I had rather incline to that ſentence, which maketh thoſe formall parts to be the fight and wreſtling againſt the lawe of God; for that is the principall reaſon, why the corruptions of nature muſt be called ſinnes.
20 And there muſt be no credit giuen vntounto them, which crie out, that our nature is good. Indéed I would grant it to be true, How nature is good & not good.as concerning our firſt creation of nature; but not as the ſame is fallen; for good it is indéed, but yet ſo good, as it hath ſome corruption ioined therewith. But whereas theſe men ſaie, that luſting is good; they muſt giuegive me leaue, if I giuegive more credit vntounto Paule, than vntounto them. But he ſaith; I knowe that in me, that is, in my fleſh, there dwelleth no good thing: Rom. 7, 18. So good is the fleſh, as in it dwelleth no good thing. verſe. 21. Gala. 5, 24. Naturall concupiſcence dooth not alwaies wiſh profitable things.and a little after; I find by the lawe, that when I would doo good, euill is preſent with me. In this place he ſaith, that concupiſcence is euill. To the Galathians alſo he ſufficientlie prooueth it to be euill, when as he willeth the ſame to be crucified. It is alſo falſe, which they ſay, that it doth alwaies deſire things which be profitable, and which tend to preſeruation; for we find by experience, that the ſame is continuallie prone to offenſes, and to thoſe things which be enimies vntounto life. Moreouer, if nature were as innocent & good, as they imagin it to be; wherefore ſhould it be ſo gréeuouſlie puniſhed by God? An argument is taken from the puniſhments and greefs of men.Among all the kinds of liuing creatures, we ſée in a maner none more miſerable than man. If we reſpect either his birth, infancie, childhood, education, and diſcipline; all things are repleniſhed with teares, with ſorrowe, with lamentation, with infirmitie, and with paines taking. The bodie muſt labour to get his liuing; the mind is continuallie diſquieted with trobleſome affections, the hart is ſtirred vp with perturbations, the whole bodie is tormented with diſeaſes: all which things ſome conſidering with themſelues, hauehave ſaid, that nature is not a mother, but a ſtep-mother.
I paſſe ouer, that the bodie and ſoules alſo of children and infants, are ſome deliuered vntounto the diuell to be vexed; ſo we read in the Goſpell, that a yoong man was in ſuch ſort tormented by the diuell, The bodies and ſoules of infants are otherwhile deliuered to the diuell to be vexed. Mat. 17, 15.that he caſt himſelfe ſometime into the fire, and ſometime into the water: ſo as the ſeueritie of God dooth ſo account of the innocencie of mans nature, as he gréeuouſlie puniſheth the ſame. And it ſhould appéere, that the verie Ethnike men perceiued more concerning this thing, than theſe diuines; for Plato in his ſecond booke De republica ſaith, that Men by nature are euill, as thoſe which cannot be led by their owne accord to imbrace righteouſnes, but onelie to be diſcontent with iniurie. And Socrates ſheweth, that vnleſſe men be inſpired; as it is ſaid the poets were, with ſome diuine power, vertues cannot be had. And Cicero in his third booke De republica (as Auguſtine alledgeth in his 4. booke againſt Iulian) ſaith, that Man is brought into light by nature his ſtepmother, with a naked, fraile, and weake bodie; hauing a mind vexed with gréefe, ſubiect to feares, féeble vntounto labours, prone vntounto luſts, in whom is hidden the feruent louelove of God, and alſo his mind and his wit. Alſo the eccleſiaſticall writers hauehave condeſcended to this opinion, manie of whoſe conſents Auguſtine hath gathered togither in his booke againſt Iulian.
21 Touching Irenaeus and Tertullian, The opinions of the fathers.I hauehave alreadie ſpoken. Cyprian alſo ſaith, that Chriſt healed the wounds which Adam made, and the venom wherewith the diuell infected our nature. Cyprian.Cyprian acknowledgeth infirmitie to be deriued from the ſin of our firſt parent, wherewith we be ſo prouoked vntounto ſinne, as no man can flatter himſelfe in his owne innocencie: for who can boaſt that he hath a cleane hart? For as Iohn ſaith, 1. Ioh. 1, 10.If we ſhall ſaie that we hauehave no ſinne, we deceiue our ſelues, and there is no truth in vsus. Againe, Cyprian in his epiſtle vntounto Fidus teacheth, that Children muſt be baptiſed, leaſt they periſh euerlaſtinglie. Alſo Auguſtine citeth Reticius, the biſhop, whoſe words we recited before: he citeth alſo Olympius a biſhop of Spaine, who ſaith, that The ſinne of Adam the firſt framed man was ſo ſprinkled among the yoong plants, that ſinne is borne togither with man. He alſo citeth Hilarius, which thus wrote concerning the fleſh of Chriſt; Therefore he being ſent in the ſimilitude of ſinfull fleſh; euen ſo he had ſinne. But bicauſe all fleſh is of ſinne, namelie of the ſinne deriued from Adam the firſt parent, he was ſent in the ſimilitude of ſinfull fleſh; ſo that there was no ſinne in him, but the ſimilitude of ſinfull fleſh. The ſame father in another place expounding the 18. pſalme, vrgeth this ſentence of Dauid; Behold how I was ſhapen in wickednes, and in ſinne my mother hath conceiued me. The ſame father in an homilie vponupon the booke of Iob ſaith; that The bodie is a matter of naughtines, which could not ſo be ſaid to be at the firſt creation. Ambroſe.And Ambroſe vponupon Luke ſaith, that The bodie is a fowle puddle, and harborough of ſinnes; but by the benefite of Chriſt it is changed into the temple of God, and a holie place of vertues.
The ſame father writing againſt the Nouatians ſaith, that Our beginning was in ſinne: againe, in his apologie; Pſal. 51, 7.Dauid ſaith that afore we be borne, we are ſpotted with contagion; and before we hauehave the vſe of light, we receiue originall vnrighteouſnes, & be conceiued in iniquitie. And he ſaith of Chriſt, The ſanctification of Chriſt.It was not requiſite for him, in whoſe bodie no ſinne ſhould be, to féele anie naturall contagiouſneſſe of generation. Iuſtlie therefore did Dauid bewaile in himſelfe the fowle filthines of his nature, and that infections began to be in a maner before he had life. The ſame Ambroſe, in his booke De arca Noe; Whom then hath he now called iuſt, but him that is frée from theſe bonds, whom the common bonds of nature cannot hold? Alſo vponupon the goſpell of Luke; Through the waſhing of the healthfull miniſterie, thoſe infants, which hauehave béene baptiſed, are now clenſed from wickednes. Ierom.Ierom vponupon the prophet Ionas ſaith, that Yoong children are ſubiect to the ſinne of Adam. And leaſt thou ſhouldeſt thinke he onelie ſpake of the *Or imputation of fault.guiltines of Adams fault, vponupon the 18. and 41. chapters of Ezechiel, he ſaith; Not ſo much as the child of a daie old is without ſin, vrging alſo that ſentence; Iob. 14, 4.Who can make that cleane, which was conceiued of an vncleane ſeed? Nazianzen.Gregorie Nazianzen ſaith, The image of God ſhall cleanſe the blemiſhes of bodilie inundation. And afterward; Reuerence the birth, by which thou art deliuered from the chaines of earthlie natiuitie. And intreating of baptiſme he ſaith; By this man the ſpots of our natiuitie are taken awaie, by the which we were conceiued in iniquitie, and in ſinnes our parents begat vsus.
Auguſtine defendeth Baſil.22 Baſilius Magnus is defended by Auguſtine: for the Pelagians would hauehave had him ſéeme to be of their parts. He writeth againſt the Manicheis, that euill is not a ſubſtance; Whether euill be an eſſentiall thing.but a conuerſation, which commeth onlie of the will. Which ſaieng he ment of thoſe, which procured the infection of conuerſation by their owne proper will; which conuerſation (ſaith he) may eaſilie be ſeuered from the will of them that be diſeaſed: for if it could not be ſeuered from the ſame, euill ſhould be a ſubſtantiall part thereof. All theſe things Auguſtine affirmeth to be rightlie ſpoken; The opinion of the Manicheis.for the Manicheis decréed, that euill is a certeine ſubſtance, and that the ſame is the beginning of worldlie affaires. But contrariwiſe Baſil ſaith, that that euill is in a good thing, and that it happened through the will of the man and of the woman that ſinned. Euill may be ſeparated from vsus by the merciemercy of God.And wheras he ſaith, that it may eaſily be ſeuered from the will, he aſcribeth not that vntounto our ſtrength, but vntounto the merciemercy of God. And in that he ſaith, there ſhalbe no token thereof left, we alſo doo hope the ſame; though not in this life, A perfect ſeparation from euill is hoped for in the life to come.yet in the life to come. But that he acknowledged originall ſinne, his owne ſermon of faſting dooth ſufficientlie beare witnes: for thus he ſaith; If Eue had abſteined from the trée, we ſhould not hauehave had anie néed of this faſting: Matt. 9, 12.for Sound men hauehave no need of the phyſician, but ſicke men. We became ſicke, through that ſinne, let vsus be healed by repentance: but repentance without faſting is vaine. By theſe words Baſil determined, that we by reaſon of the ſinne of Adam are not ſound.
Moreouer, he citeth the twelue biſhops of the eaſt, which condemned Pelagius. To whom we ſhould adde Origin, Origin.who interpreting that ſentence of Paule, which we hauehave ſpoken of; Death came vponupon all men; he ſaid, that Abel, Enoch, Rom. 5, 12.Methuſala, and Noah ſinned: other fathers he ſaith he will not recite, bicauſe they ſinned all euerie one, and that none is cleane from corruption, though he hauehave liued but one daie. But vponupon the ſixt chapter of the epiſtle to the Romans, he ſpeaketh more plainlie, when he ſaith, that Baptiſme was appointed by tradition from the apoſtles, to be giuen vntounto infants; Baptiſme appointed vntounto infants by the apoſtolicall tradition.bicauſe the apoſtles knew, that the naturall corruption of ſinne is in all men, which ought to be waſhed awaie by water and the ſpirit. And Chryſoſtome vponupon Geneſis, intreating of the queſtion; Chryſoſt.Wherefore men now a daies bée afraid of beaſts, and be hurt by them, ſéeing they be created lords ouer them? This ſaith he happens by reaſon of ſinne, and bicauſe we depart from our confidence and honour. And thereby Auguſtine prooueth, that the naturall gift of yoong children is fallen awaie, in that the beaſts doo not ſpare them. The ſame Chryſoſtome, expounding that place of the ſixt to the Romans, ſaith how that ſinne, which remaineth through the diſobedience of Adam, hath polluted all things. He hath alſo manie other places to the ſame effect.
23 But yet the Pelagians, The Pelagians indeuoured to hauehave Chryſoſtome on their ſide.and eſpeciallie Iulianus, were not aſhamed to cite this father for a witnes, as though he had made for him; bicauſe in his ſermon De baptiſatis, he reciting manie gifts of baptiſme, ſaith; that They which be baptiſed, doo not onelie receiue forgiuenes of their ſinnes, but alſo are made the children and heires of God, the brethren of Chriſt, and ioint-heires with him, the members and temple of God, and inſtruments of the holie Ghoſt. He addeth at the end; Dooſt thou ſée what a ſort of liberalities there be of baptiſme? And ſome doo thinke, that heauenlie grace conſiſteth in remiſſion of ſinnes; and for that cauſe we doo baptiſe yoong children, when as neuertheles they be not polluted with ſinne, that vntounto them ſhould be giuen or added, righteouſnes, holines, adoption, inheritance, brotherhood of Chriſt, that they may be his members. By theſe words Iulian thought, that Chryſoſtome giueth not his conſent, that there is originall ſinne. It may be ſaid that infants be innocent as touching ſinnes aduiſedlie committed. Rom. 9, 11.But Auguſtine ſaith, that his words muſt be vnderſtood concerning ſinne committed vponupon their owne aduiſement, from which ſinne aſſuredlie they be exempt; and by this reaſon they may be called innocent. According to which meaning, Paule writeth of thoſe two brethren; Before they had doone either good or euill: when neuertheleſſe there is none altogither exempted from that which the apoſtle ſaid; By the ſinne of one, Rom. 5, 16.condemnation came vponupon all men. And; By one mans diſobedience, manie are made ſinners. Hereof it appéereth, A great warines muſt be in reading of the fathers.how warelie it behoueth vsus to be in reading of the fathers; for ſometimes we read in them, that yoong children hauehave no ſinne proper of their owne, when neuertheleſſe they eſpeciallie acknowledge the corruption of nature; Sinnes proper are two waies to be vnderſtood.that is, originall ſinne to be in them.
But to hauehave ſinnes proper, may be two waies vnderſtood; either concerning things which they hauehave doone of their owne will and frée election, and in this reſpect that ſentence of Chryſoſtome concerning infants, is allowed; or elſe ſinnes are called proper corruptions of nature, whereby we are both defiled and condemned: which cannot be remooued from yoong children, ſéeing they be borne in them, as Dauid plainlie prooueth. Wherevnto Auguſtine noted in Chryſoſtomes words, which be extant in Gréeke, that There is ſet downe ſinnes, in the plurall number; and not ſinne, in the ſingular; in ſuch wiſe as Iulian had cited them: for thus it is read in the Gréeke, Greeke words of Chryſoſtome.foreign. Which word foreign, in the plurall number, (as Auguſtine thinketh) is moſt properlie applied vntounto ſinnes, which they name actuall. And he addeth, Whie the more ancient fathers ſpake little of originall ſinne.that the more ancient fathers did not ſo copiouſlie diſpute of originall ſinne; bicauſe the Pelagians were not yet ſproong vp to impugne the ſame. Theſe ſo many ſaiengs of the fathers, Pighius ſhould hauehave weighed; eſpeciallie ſéeing he accounts them for eagles, which ſée moſt ſharplie, A ſimilitude.and alwaies flie vntounto the carcaſe. But it ſéemes to me that he eſtéemes them as counters to reckon with, which being ſet in ſundrie places, may ſomtimes ſignifie a talent, and at another time but a dandiprat as it pleaſeth him that caſts the account: ſo Pighius will ſometimes hauehave the fathers authoritie to be excéeding large, ſometimes (if they content him not ſufficientlie) to be none at all; and thus at one time he extols them as eagles, and another time deſpiſeth them as iaies.
And herein he ſéemeth not to regard the iudgement of his Romane church, Pighius contemneth the iudgement of his Romane church.which otherwiſe in eueryevery place he maketh equall with God himſelfe; for that church ſo acknowledgeth originall ſin, as it doth not vouchſafe ſo much as the churchyard for burieng of thoſe infants, which die without baptiſme; & requireth, that the deuill be by exorciſmes expelled from yoong infants when that they be brought to baptiſme, bicauſe it ſaith they be bondſlaues of the diuell. Which I doo not therefore ſpeake, Look part 4. place 9. art. 7.bicauſe I would either allow thoſe exorciſmes, or would hauehave them to be retained ſtill: for this muſt be obtained of God by praiers, and we muſt not deale as if we would ſéeme by miracles to heale a man poſſeſſed with the diuell: and ſéeing at this daie there is no ſuch gift extant in the church, there is no cauſe why we ſhould imitate the ſame. Neither doo we grant, that the infants not yet baptiſed, are aſſalted of the diuell. Innocentius being of Auguſtines time was of our mind touching originall ſin. In extenuating originall ſinne we extenuate the benefit of Chriſt. Pighius erred more than the Pelagians.Alſo Innocentius the biſhop of Roome, who liued in the time of Auguſtine, condemning Pelagius, was of the verie ſame mind that we be of, concerning originall ſinne. We ought not to extenuate this euill, otherwiſe we ſhall extenuate the benefite of Chriſt: and they which will not acknowledge this ſinne, they be neither ſorrowfull for it nor yet ſéeke remedie of Chriſt. Truly Pighius herein went further alſo than the Pelagians; for they onlie denied the propagation of ſin by Adam. But Pighius crieth out, that that opinion is wicked and blaſphemous, & reprochfull againſt God. Againe, they thought this inough, to ſaie that infants, dieng without baptiſme, ſhall both be excluded from the kingdome of heauen, & alſo be placed in the paines of hell. But this man dreameth, that they ſhall be happie through a certeine naturall bleſſedneſſe; and ſo happie, as they ſhall bleſſe, praiſe, and louelove the Lord with all their mind, with all their hart, and with all their ſtrength.
24 But now let vsus ſée how obſcure he indeuoureth to make the definition alledged. Firſt he ſaith by theſe darkneſſes and corruptions of nature, yée vnderſtand either méere priuations of Gods gifts, or elſe certeine poſitiue things. If you appoint them to be priuations, I vnderſtand what you ſaie. But your cauillations are nothing elſe, but tragicall names, and vaine termes. But if you will hauehave theſe things to be poſitiue: ſéeing in the infant new borne, there is not anie thing but the ſoule and the bodie, which be cleane, and hauehave God and nature to be their author, from whence or by what meanes did theſe miſchéefes breake in, What priuations are ment to be in originall ſinne.which you doo make mention of? Firſt we anſwere, that the priuations, which I here ſet downe, be not as though they were méere negatiues, which take awaie the whole: as when we ſaie there is no Centaure nor Scylla; but we ſaie, they be ſuch names of things as leaue their ſubiect maimed, vnprofitable, and deformed; as appéereth in the eie deſtitute of ſight, and in the trembling hand of him that is taken with the palſie: euen ſo fareth originall ſinne with vsus. Indéed the powers of the mind and actions doo remaine, but yet deſtitute of their right gouernment, and therfore euill and corrupted. But Pighius erreth ſtill, A falſe imagination of Pighius touching the nature of the firſt man.bicauſe he feigneth the nature of man to hauehave a certeine naturall integritie of it ſelfe, whereto hauehave come theſe ſupernaturall gifts, which were planted in the firſt parent: but that after ſinne committed, thoſe gifts being taken away, man fell into his old ſtate.
But this is a méere dreame, for ſuch a nature of man was inſtituted by God, as was cō uenient for him; therefore his gifts being taken awaie, it is corrupted, and verie much marred: and ſéeing he ſwarued from his creation, he is in ſinne. Originall ſinne comprehendeth alſo things poſitiue.Moreouer, we doo not onelie ſaie, that originall ſinne is this priuation, but alſo that it dooth comprehend things poſitiue; as is proneſſe vntounto euill, a violence of nature againſt the word of God, and ſuch other like: and therefore Barnard ſaith, A ſimilitude.that In the coniunction of the ſoule with the bodie, it is euen as if it ſhould fall vponupon a heape of moſt hard potſheards and hurting ſtones. And among the Schoole-men Gulielmus Pariſienſis, in his booke called Summa de vitijs & virtutibus, bringeth this ſimilitude; A ſimilitude.namelie, that a ſoule is ſo let downe into the bodie, as if a man ſhould fall into a mirie, déepe, and ſtonie place; and ſo ſhould both ſinke in, be defiled, and hurt. In like maner (ſaith he) we through originall ſinne are plunged in the darknes of ignorance, we are defiled with luſts, and as touching the powers and faculties of the mind we are wounded.
25 And whereas Pighius ſaith, that Both the bodie and the ſoule are good things, and hauehave God for their author; I grant it. And when he afterward demandeth, how they be then corrupted? I anſwer with Paule; By one man, which fell; and that by procreation, as a little after ſhall be ſhewed. But in that he ſaith, that they can by no meanes be corrupted, bicauſe God is the author of them; it is no firme reaſon. For euen they which be of ripe yéeres, hauehave both a bodie and a ſoule, which be the works of God, and are continuallie preſerued by his power, and yet may they be defiled and corrupted. But if he ſhall ſaie, that this commeth of mans will and frée choiſe; ſo will we anſwer, that the ſame may come of other cauſes; to wit, through propagation and ſéed. A falſe ſyllogiſme of Pighius.And ſo Pighius reaſoneth from that which is not the cauſe, as though it were the cauſe: for his meaning is, that if men be corrupted, It is falſe that men cannot be contaminated, but by the will and free choiſe.it cannot otherwiſe be than by the will and frée choiſe; which is not true. All the arguments, which he obiecteth againſt vsus, ariſe hereof; that he ſaith, he vnderſtands not how this corruption can be deriued to the poſteritie; and how it is poſſible that infants ſhould bée bound by anie lawe; and how a lawe can be made of that, which we are not able to auoid. But ſéeing the holie ſcriptures declare, teach, and teſtifie theſe things, it maketh no matter how much Pighius either vnderſtandeth, or not vnderſtandeth: for we beléeue manie things, which we perceiue not, nor knowe not by anie certeine reaſon. Which neuertheles ought not to be of anie ſuch force, as euerie man ſhould obtrude vntounto vsus to beléeue what things ſoeuer they ſhall thinke good; vnderunder this pretence, that although they cannot be perceiued by reaſon, yet they ought to be comprehended by faith; ſéeing God is alſo able, to make things which be far greater. For firſt, that which we would hauehave to be beléeued, ought to be ſhewed out of the holie ſcriptures: then afterward, if we cannot atteine vntounto it, let vsus cleane vntounto faith, and ſet reaſon aſide.
But it followeth not by our definition, In humane nature, and in Ethnike men ſome good thing is left.that there is no good thing leſt either in nature or in Ethnike men. Onelie this we affirme, that this ſinne would deſtroie all, if God (through Chriſt) brought not a remedie vntounto the regenerate. Alſo God is preſent ſomtime in them which be not regenerate, and adorneth them with excellent & noble vertues, whereby originall ſinne is reſtrained, and Common-weales and empires are kept at the leaſt-wiſe in ſome ciuill order. Socrates would not go foorth of priſon, when he might. Ariſtides, being driuen into baniſhment, wiſhed vntounto his citizens that they might neuer be in ſo ill caſe, as they ſhould call him to their remembrance. Phocion, being demanded a little before his death, whether he would hauehave anie meſſage to be doone vntounto his ſonne; Let him neuer (ſaith he) remember the iniurie doone vntounto me. The Common-weale of Rome had his Curtios, Scipios, and Catos, God ſuffereth not originall ſinne to rage as much as it might, nor the diuell ſo much as he deſireth.men of ciuill honeſtie, and verie great louers of vpright dealing. Which duties, albeit, as they were in men which knew not God, were ſinnes; yet were they bridles of originall ſinne, and of nature corrupted, leaſt all things ſhould be confounded, and good lawes fall to ruine, and the light of nature be in a maner extinguiſhed.
26 Now, ſéeing we hauehave confirmed originall ſinne, by the teſtimonie of the ſcriptures, and hauehave confuted the opinion of Pighius; and hauehave reiected the opinion of them, which thinke originall ſinne to be a guiltines and bond, procured through the ſinne of Adam; and hauehave alledged the definition of Auguſtine, that Originall ſinne is concupiſcence of the fleſh; and of Anſhelme, that It is a want of originall righteouſnes; and laſt of all, ſéeing we hauehave largelie, and by manie teſtimonies prooued our owne definition: now it remaineth, that we proſecute thoſe things, What be the conditions and properties of originall ſinne.which we purpoſed to intreate of in the third place; namelie, of the conditions and properties of originall ſinne, how it is ſpred abroad, how it is aboliſhed, how the remnants thereof are in men renewed, and alſo what puniſhment is due therevnto. Indéed, as touching the maner how it is powred thorough into the poſteritie, manie opinions are recited. The firſt of them is, of the propagation of ſoules, which we will ſhew, by the iudgement of Auguſtine, to be a more readie waie than the reſt, although it be not receiued of all men. Another opinion is, which Auguſtine followeth, to wit, that originall ſinne is conueied from one to another, by the luſt and inordinate delight of the parents. This reaſon hath twoo errors; firſt, bicauſe it ſaith, that this euill is in procreation, as a matter of neceſſitie, which neuertheles may be ſeparated from the ſame. And the School-men themſelues confeſſe, that he which ſhould be begotten, without a vicious deſire of the parents; yet ſhall he drawe originall ſinne: for they ſaie that it is ſufficient therevnto that it was in Adam, as in the firſt principall ſéed. Another abſurditie is, that then originall ſinne ſhould onelie conſiſt in the fowle affection of the luſt, where, in verie déed, it comprehendeth (as hath béene ſaid) the whole corrupting of nature.
Others hauehave thought, that the ſoule was created euill by God; bicauſe it ſhould be a part of man, execrated and put vnderunder the curſe. But bicauſe this ſéemeth to be againſt the nature of creation, that it ſhould be called a deprauation; therefore that opinion is alſo reiected. The laſt opinion is commonlie receiued; namelie, that The ſoule gathereth originall ſinne, through coniunction with the bodie, that is alreadie infected and corrupted by the parents. What the ſeate is of originall ſinne.Whervpon if it be demanded, what is the ſeate thereof, or (as they commonlie ſpeake) what is the ſubiect? We anſwere, that it hath place in the fleſh, as in the root and beginning: then out of that fountaine, it alſo poſſeſſeth the ſoule, & ſo is extended throughout the whole man: Seed is the inſtrument to conueie this ſinne.ſo as the ſéed is the inſtrument, wherby this ſinne is conueied from the parents vntounto their children. Pighius obiecteth, that Vices cannot be deriued by ſéed vntounto the poſteritie, vnleſſe perhaps thoſe vices, which cleaue and ſticke in the bodie of the parents; as we ſée happeneth in the leproſie, in the falling ſickenes, In the ſedd is not the ſinne.and other diſeaſes of the bodie: neither dooth nature ſuffer, that ſinne ſhould take place in the verie ſubſtance of the ſéed, ſo as it can be conueied by it vntounto the children. Here we anſwer; Not onlie the diſeaſes of the bodie but of the mind alſo are deriued from the parents to the childrenfirſt, that it is not true, that onelie the diſeaſes of the bodie of the parents are deriued vntounto the children. For we alſo ſée, that manie conditions of the mind are deriued from the parents vntounto their children; as wit, furie, ambition, gentlenes, pride, and ſuch other like. As to the other, we grant indéed, that the ill qualitie or corruption, which is brought by the ſéed, as it is in the ſéed, is not ſinne. But yet this letteth not, but that the corruption brought into the children by ſéed, as by an inſtrument, may hauehave in it a reſpect of ſinne; A ſimilitude.euen as the qualities, which I hauehave now recited, doo not make the ſéed to be wittie, docible, or couetous; but yet thoſe qualities, deriued vntounto the child, doo make him ſuch a one.
Whether God be the author of this deriuation of originall ſin.27 Howbeit, whether it may be affirmed that God is author thereof; they commonlie ſaie, that the deformitie and vnrighteouſnes that is in this ſinne, is drawne out of nature alreadie corrupted; the which, as it was created by God, was not ſo depraued. And ſo they affirme, that whatſoeuer is in the nature of goodnes, the ſame is of God: but whatſoeuer is euill therein, forſomuch as it is nothing elſe but a defect or want, there néeds to be no efficient cauſe in it. For that which is but a want, is not of neceſſitie that it ſhould be made; for if it ſhould be made, it ſhould be alſo in it. Howbeit, this is not inough; indéed we agrée with them, that GOD is the author of the ſubiect, or of the ſubſtance, wherein the defect is: but in that they ſay that the defect it ſelfe hath no efficient cauſe, therein we agrée not with them. For ſomewhat there muſt be to remooue or prohibit that perfection which is requiſite, and to withdrawe the grace and gifts wherwith our nature was indued at the beginning. So as we muſt of neceſſitie referre this priuation or defect vntounto God, which giueth not perfection vtterlie without a defect: which is alwaies doone of him by his iuſt iudgment, although it be not alwaies manifeſt vntounto vsus. And by the ſcriptures it is moſt certeine, & cannot be denied, that God puniſheth ſinnes by ſinnes; but yet they are not ſo laid vponupon vsus by God, as they ſhould be ſinnes, in reſpect that they depend vponupon him: for whatſoeuer God dooth, is without all controuerſie both right and iuſt.
And puniſhments themſelues, ſo far foorth as they be puniſhments, doo perteine to the nature of goodneſſe; howbeit, as they procéed from vsus, they are ſinnes. For we affirme not, that God himſelfe doth by himſelfe pollute the ſoule, God in creating the ſoule defileth it not.when he createth it; for it draweth the filthineſſe of ſinne from the corrupted bodie, wherevnto it is adioined. But mans wiſedome in this thing is verie much offended; Whereat humane wiſedome is herein offended. A ſimilitude.for it thinketh that in no wiſe there ought to be made ſuch a coniunction: for it ſéemeth to be like, as if a man ſhould caſt a pretious thing into an vncleane veſſell. Alſo it appéereth an vniuſt thing, that the ſoule, which hath doone neither good nor ill, ſhould be ioined with a bodie; and to drawe from it originall ſinne: yea rather, that if it be ſo, men ſhould abſteine from procreation. As thoſe alſo, which hauehave the leproſie, are perſuaded to refraine (if it be poſſible) from procreation, leaſt they might procéed thereby to infect mankind. The end whereto man is inſtituted.And bicauſe the end, wherevnto man is inſtituted, is eternall felicitie; it ſéemeth not conuenient, that the ſoule ſhould be placed in that bodie, whereby it ſhould be called backe from the end preſcribed. And as it is vniuſt, that that ſoule, which hath not ſinned, ſhould be puniſhed in hell fire; euen ſo it ſéemeth vniuſt, that the ſame ſhould be caſt into that bodie, wherein it incurreth not paine, as in hell, but ſinne, and the hatred of God, which be more gréeuous; and dooth ſo incurre, as it can by no meanes auoid it.
28 Theſe things be ſo difficult and obſcure, as they cannot fullie be ſatiſfied by mans iudgment. Indéed there be certeine conſolations gathered out of the eccleſiaſticall writers, which doo ſo mitigate and qualitie theſe obiections, as may ſuffice godlie minds; but not ſo much as mans reaſon would require. For the ſoule is ioined with an infected and vncleane bodie, that conſideration may bée had of the whole world; leaſt that mankind, which is the principall, ſhould be wanting therein. God falleth not of his office, he hindereth not the courſe of nature; God had rather that man after a ſort ſhould be corrupt, than not at all.but the bodie being made, he createth the ſoule according to his order prefixed; and rather will, that a man ſhall be, although he be not borne without ſinne, than that he ſhould not be at all. And although he doo not bountifullie giuegive all things, which he gaue at the beginning; yet of his merciemercy he giueth manie things. Further, God giueth manie things that he gaue at the beginning.he hath ſet foorth the remedie, which is Chriſt our mediatour; by whom the ſinne, which we hauehave drawne, ſhall be cleanſed. Which ſinne, before conuerſion, driueth the elect vntounto Chriſt; that they féeling the force of their diſeaſe, may receiue the medicin of him: and then, after that they be once grafted into Chriſt, they hauehave this ſinne remaining ſtill, that they hauing battell and wreſtling may at the laſt beare awaie victories and triumphs.
God might by other means than by Chriſt, hauehave helped vsus if he would.But thou wilt ſaie; God might by ſome other kind of means hauehave ſaued mankind from deſtruction; namelie, if he had created another man pure and perfect: ſo as Adam dieng without kindred, all the poſteritie might hauehave béene procreated of that other man vncorrupted. There is no doubt, but God could ſo hauehave doone, if he would: but this had not béene to raiſe vp him that was fallen, to ſaue him that was loſt, and to redéeme him that was vtterlie periſhed. This forme of goodnes GOD would ſhew, Why God vſed this forme of remedie.that (notwithſtanding the corruption of nature) he might preſerue from deſtruction, as manie as he had choſen. A ſhaken reede hee would not bruiſe, and ſmoking flaxe he would not quench. Eſaie. 42, 3.For he would bring foorth Chriſt, as another Adam, which ſhould ſo preſerue his, as the other had deſtroied them. Theſe, and ſuch other things, A ſentence of Gregorie.perſuaded Gregorie to crie out; O happie offenſe, that deſerued to hauehave ſuch a redéemer! Which words I would not be haſtie to ſpeake, forſomuch as I ſée nothing in that cauſe, Our good in Chriſt muſt not be aſcribed to Adams fault.which is not miſerable, and méete ſo great lamented. For, in that there followed ſo great a ſaluation, that muſt be wholie imputed to the goodnes of God, and not vntounto the offenſe committed by Adam: for ſo great a good thing hath not procéeded otherwiſe, than by accident.
29. Theſe things, although they cannot ſo fullie anſwer to thoſe obiections, which we hauehave put, as humane reaſon would require; yet by them we hauehave, what after a ſort we may anſwer. The ioining of the ſoule with the corrupt bodie is no loſſe to the elect. The ſoule … infected by the bodie. The bodie & ſoule are repaired by faith. Why the innocent ſoule is ioined with a corrupt bodie.The coniunction of the ſoule with the corrupt bodie, maketh nothing to the deſtruction of the choſen; for in Chriſt, as well the bodie as the ſoule is renewed. And as the ſoule is infected by the bodie; ſo by the faith of Chriſt, which is in the ſoule, the ſame, togither with the bodie, is repaired. And whereas the innocent ſoule, which hath doone nothing, either good or euill, is ioined with a bodie corrupted; this the order of nature dooth require; vnles the bodie ſhould be left without life, and to be forſaken, as deſtitute of all mankind. But if we ſhall ſtand in diſputation with God, there will be no meaſure nor end. Innumerable ſoules would complaine, bicauſe they were created, not predeſtinated [to ſaluation;] who neuertheles deſerued not the ſame. A great manie would complaine, that they hauehave béene borne of wicked infidels, and barbarous parents, and that they died in their tender age, by meanes whereof they could not come by the knowledge: and a thouſand complaints more they might imagin.
And as concerning procreation, The goodnes of procreation muſt bee conſidered by the proper effect, that is man.we ſaie that it is commendable, when it conſiſteth of lawfull matrimonie: therein muſt be conſidered man that is begotten: that is, (as the Schoole-men terme it) the effect proper and of it ſelfe. But man is the good creature of God, vice and corruption is added by accidentall meanes. And this euill hath a remedie; which thing happeneth not in leproſie, and other incurable diſeaſes. Alſo we doo grant, that man is made, to the end he ſhould attaine vntounto eternall felicitie. And wheras it is obiected, that he is reuoked from this end, through the corruption of the bodie: wée contrariwiſe doo ſaie, The elect by meanes of their corruption are inuited vntounto Chriſt.that he by the verie ſame meanes is inuited vntounto Chriſt. Laſtlie, we grant, that it may ſéeme to be a thing vnwoorthie, that the innocent ſoule ſhould be placed in hell; ſéeing no hope of redemption is there to be looked for: but being ſet in a bodie, although it be a corrupt bodie, yet it may obteine ſaluation and redemption.
30 Now muſt the reaſons be brought, A proofe that originall ſinne is ſpred by generation and ſeed.which firmelie and ſoundlie prooue, that originall corruption is ſpred in men by ſéed and generation: and this we will ſhew by the holie ſcriptures, bicauſe that manie doo repugne it openlie, and thinke that all the matter is feined. Firſt Paule ſaith, Rom. 5, 12.that Sinne by one man came into the world: therefore we muſt ſée how men doo depend of Adam, in ſuch ſort, By generation we depend of Adam.as they can be partakers of his ſinne. But other waie can there be none found, than [by meanes of] ſéed and generation. Moreouer, when the apoſtle ſaith vntounto the Epheſians, Ephe. 2, 3.that We by nature are the children of wrath; and nature (as the naturall philoſophers affirme) is the originall of motion; we muſt hauehave recourſe vntounto ſéed and generation: for they are the foundation of our motion and beginning. But Dauid dooth more euidentlie ſhew this, Pſal. 51, 7.when he ſaith; Behold how I am conceiued in wickednes, and in ſinne my mother hath conceiued mee: in which words hée plainlie teacheth, that this ſinne is deriued by generation: but moſt manifeſt of all is that ſaieng of Iob; Iob. 14, 4.Who can make that cleane, which is borne of vncleane ſeed? By this place the infected ſéed of our forefathers is prooued to be vncleane, though Pighius denie it neuer ſo much.
How this ſinne is taken awaie.31 But now on the contrarie part, let vsus examine by what meanes this ſin is taken awaie. Euen as by one man it was brought in; euen ſo by one man it is remooued awaie: and euen as ſinne is from Adam ſpred ouer all, through ſéed and generation; ſo on the other ſide, in that multitude, which apperteine vntounto Chriſt, there are ſome things which may hauehave the reſpect of ſéed: as be election, predeſtination, grace, the ſpirit, the word of God, and baptiſme. Theſe two latter inſtruments, God vſeth for to regenerate ſuch as be his. But if anie demand, Whether the outward word or viſible ſigne of baptiſme be altogither neceſſarie? In men of ripe age the inward word is neceſſarilie required, and yt outward word is the ordinarie inſtrument whereby they be called.We anſwer, that indéed the inward word, whereby men be mooued vntounto Chriſt, and reformed, is wholie required, if we ſpeake of ſuch as be of perfect age: but in yoong infants, neither the inward word, nor yet the outward, hath anie place. But vndoubtedlie the outward word is the ordinarie inſtrument, whereby God dooth call them of ripe yéeres vntounto ſaluation; although in ſome he vſeth onelie the inward word, after an extraordinarie ſort. For ſo he called Abraham out of his owne natiue countrie, and inſtructed Adam immediatelie (as the Schoole-diuines terme it) without anie outward miniſterie. Baptiſme muſt not be contemned, if it may be had.The ſacrament alſo of baptiſme muſt not for anie cauſe be contemned: for they which deſpiſe that, when they may atteine vntounto it, ſhall not obteine regeneration. But if there be no opportunitie to come vntounto it, it ſhall be no danger vntounto the godlie man, which is conuerted vntounto Chriſt, although he be not baptiſed. And vponupon this occaſion among the fathers, Baptiſme, bloud, and the ſpirit.there was mention made of baptiſme, of bloud, and of the ſpirit. And Ambroſe writing of the death of Valentinian the Emperour, ſaith that he was not without the grace of baptiſme (ſéeing he burned in the deſire thereof) although he were not baptiſed.
32 Howbeit, if I ſhould be aſked concerning the infants of Chriſtians, Of the infants of chriſtians which die without baptiſme.which depart without this ſacrament: mine anſwer ſhould be, that we muſt hauehave a good hope of them, & ſticke faſt vntounto the word of God; namelie, to the couenant made with Abraham, wherein God promiſeth himſelfe, not onelie that he would be a God vntounto him, but alſo vntounto his ſéed. Which promiſe, ſéeing it is not ſo generall, as it comprehendeth all; therefore I dare not promiſe certeine ſaluation particularlie vntounto anie that departeth hence. For there be ſome children of the ſaints, which belong not vntounto predeſtination; Some of the children of the ſaints belong not to predeſtination.ſuch we read to be Eſau, Iſmael, and others more, whoſe ſaluation is not hindered, in reſpect that they were not baptiſed. But yet, whileſt we liue here, the relikes of this ſinne remaine euen in them that be regenerate: for originall ſinne is not vtterlie rid awaie, no not by regeneration; indéed the guiltines is taken awaie, and thoſe things which remaine, are not imputed vntounto vsus to our eternall deſtruction. But euerie thing ought to be conſidered, by that which it is of it ſelfe: wherefore, if it be demanded of vsus, That which remaineth after regeneration is ſinne, but is not imputed to vsus.whether it be ſinne, that remaineth in the perſons regenerate? We will anſwer it is ſinne. But and if thou ſhalt at anie time read, that it is not ſinne: that thou muſt vnderſtand to be ſpoken of the guiltines of ſinne: but of this matter we will ſpeake more at large in another place. Looke part. 2, place. 15, art. 5.But at the time of death, this kind of ſinne ſhall altogither be aboliſhed; for in the bleſſed reſurrection we ſhall hauehave a new made bodie, and a bodie made fit for eternall felicitie. And in the meane time, while we liue here, our old man and naturall corruption dooth continuallie pine awaie, that finallie at the time of death it ceaſeth to be at all. Now hauehave we ſéene theſe thrée things; how originall ſinne is deriued, whereby it is taken awaie, and what we are to determine touching the remnant of the ſame.
33 Now let vsus ſpeake of the puniſhment. What puniſhment is for originall ſin.Some of the Schoole-diuines thinke the ſame ſhall be without féeling. The Pelagians iudged, that ſuch ſhould onelie be baniſhed out of the kingdome of heauen; and appointed nothing elſe but that. But Pighius addeth this alſo, that thoſe ſhould be bleſſed with a certeine naturall happines, which die hauing but this ſinne onelie; and that they ſhall louelove the Lord, with all their hart, with all their mind, and with all their ſtrength, and ſhall ſet foorth his name and praiſe. And although he dare not teach theſe things for anie certeintie, yet he alloweth them as verie likelie. But Auguſtine De fide ad Petrum, and elſe-where, not once adiudgeth yoong infants to hell-fire, if they ſo die not regenerated. And the holie ſcriptures doo ſéeme to fauour his part; for in the laſt iudgement, there ſhall be but onelie a double ſentence pronounced. There is no third place appointed betwéene the ſaued and condemned. The Papiſts alſo, notwithſtanding that they thinke there ſhall be a purgatorie, vntill the daie of iudgement; yet doo not appoint anie meane place betwéene both, after that daie. And it is written euidentlie, that they which beléeue not in Chriſt, Iohn. 3, 36.not onelie ſhall not hauehave eternall life, but alſo that the wrath of God reſteth vponupon them. Epheſ. 2, 3.And while we be enimies vntounto Chriſt, we be called the children of wrath: and there is no doubt, but God dooth puniſh thoſe, with whom he is angrie. We will therefore ſaie with Auguſtine, and with the holie ſcriptures, that they muſt be puniſhed. But of the kind and maner of [puniſhment] we be able to define nothing; but that whereas there be diuers ſorts of puniſhments in hell, (for ſo the ſcriptures affirme that it ſhall be eaſier for ſome than for other-ſome) it is credible concerning theſe, that ſéeing vntounto originall corruption they ioined not actuall ſin, they ſhall be the eaſilier puniſhed. I alwaies except the children of the elect; for we doubt not to number them among the companie of beléeuers, although they as yet beléeued not by reaſon of their age: euen as they which be borne of infidels, are reckoned among the vnbeléeuers, although of themſelues they withſtand not the faith. So as the children of the godlie, departing without baptiſme, by reaſon of the couenant that God hath made with their parents, may be ſaued; if they apperteine to the number of ſuch as be predeſtinate. Alſo I doo except all others, if anie there be, which by the ſecret counſell of God belong vntounto predeſtination.
Arguments of the Pelagians againſt originall ſinne.34 Now theſe things thus ordered, we will com to the arguments of the Pelagians, wherby they thought themſelues able to prooue, that there is no originall ſinne. The firſt of their arguments is, that it is not likelie, that God will ſtill perſecute the ſinne of Adam, ſéeing he puniſhed the ſame ſufficientlie long ago; eſpeciallie for that the prophet Nahum ſaith, Nahum. 1, 9ſaith, that God will not twiſe iudge for one and the ſelfe-ſame thing. I knowe ſome doo anſwere, that God did not twiſe giuegive iudgement vponupon that ſinne, but once onelie; for that vnderunder one iudgement, he comprehended Adam, and all his poſteritie. But that the matter may be the more plainelie declared, I ſaie, that in euerie one of vsus, ſo often as we be puniſhed, there is a cauſe whie we ought to be puniſhed; and that therefore in euerie perſon is condemned not the fault of another, How is vnderſtood the reuenge of Adams ſin in vsus. A ſimilitude.but his owne proper fault. But and if we read that God dooth reuenge Adams fault in vsus, that muſt be ſo vnderſtood, bicauſe our corruption had the originall from him. Euen as if one being ſicke of the plague, dooth infect others and they die: but if a man will ſaie that they periſhed through the contagion of him, from whom they did drawe their infection: that muſt be ſo vnderſtood, bicauſe he was the firſt which brought the plague, and infected others with the ſame. But that ſentence of the prophet Nahum maketh nothing vntounto this purpoſe. Indéed Ierom, when he interpreteth that place, ſaith, that by thoſe words Martion [the heretike] was confuted; for he falſelie accuſed God, that he ſéemed in the old teſtament to be cruell, & a reuenger; bicauſe he did bring moſt cruell puniſhments vponupon men. That thing Ierom ſaith muſt not be aſcribed vntounto crueltie, but vntounto benignitie: for it was not for anie other cauſe, that God did ſo gréeuouſlie puniſh men, among the Sodomits, in the generall floud, and at other times, but to the end they ſhould not periſh euerlaſtinglie; for he was once [for all] reuenged vponupon them, leaſt afterward he ſhould puniſh them againe. But the ſame Ierom, bicauſe perhaps he ſawe that theſe things were not verie firme, obiected againſt himſelfe; By theſe words it may ſéeme, that it is well with adulterers, if they be taken tarde: for ſo it ſhall come to paſſe, that while they receiue temporall puniſhment, they eſcape the euerlaſting paines of hell. Wherfore he anſwereth, that the iudge of this world cannot preuent the iudgement of God; neither that it muſt be thought, that ſinnes be blotted out by an eaſie puniſhment, which doo deſerue a gréeuous and long continued paine.
In theſe words of Ierom, In the time of Ierom adulterers were puniſhed with death.two things are to be noted; one is, that in thoſe daies adulterie was puniſhed with death; another is, that that firſt interpretation ſéemed not to ſatiſfie him. Wherevpon he bringeth another expoſition of the Iewes; that God would ſignifie vntounto vsus by theſe words, that the Aſſyrians ſhould not bring to pas, that after the leading away often tribes, they ſhould alſo inioie the kingdome of Iuda, as they had attempted to doo vnderunder Ezechias. God (ſaith he) will not permit, that a double trouble ſhould ariſe; he is ſatiſfied that he hath deſtroied ten tribes, he will hauehave the kingdome of Iuda to be ſaued. Although this expoſition be nothing againſt pietie, yet it ſéemeth not to agrée with the mind of the prophet; for he propheſied againſt Niniuie, the threatenings of God, and the ſubuerſion that ſhould enſue. And when he was minded to exaggerate the puniſhment that was at hand, he ſaith, that ſuch ſhould be the violence of deſtruction to be brought by the Chaldaeans, that there ſhould be no néed for the Lord to reuenge the ſame againe; for that he, by the firſt vengeance, would take ſufficient puniſhment: for the empire of the Aſſyrians was vtterlie ouerthrowne by the Chaldaeans. And we be commonlie woont to ſaie of a man that is beaten euen vntounto death, that he was ſo ſtriken dead with one blowe, as he néeded not the ſecond blowe. This is the ſcope, which the prophet taketh, and the proper ſenſe of this place.
But touching the matter, we denie not, but that afflictions in godlie men doo tend vntounto that end, 1. Co. 11, 32.that (as Paule ſaith) They may not be condemned with this world; for they be fatherlie corrections, whereby men be called to repentance. But here-hence muſt not be drawne a generall rule, to the intent a meaſure ſhould be preſcribed vntounto God, God puniſheth manie of the wicked both in this life, and in the life to come.that when he hath begun to puniſh men in this life, he cannot alſo puniſh them in time to come, if they depart from hence without faith and repentance. If they returne vntounto God, they ſhall ſuffer nothing in another life: howbeit, not for that they hauehave ſatiſfied God by their puniſhments in this life; but bicauſe Chriſt paid for them the price of their redemption. Wherefore euen as certeine good things be giuen to the godlie men in this life, The puniſhments of this life be preparatiues of the puniſhments of the life to come.which be pledges and entrances into another life; euen ſo in the wicked, euerlaſting puniſhment is begun by the preparatiues of afflictions in this life. Which alſo Chriſt dooth ſéeme to grant, when he ſaith; Feare him which can both deſtroie the bodie, and ſend the ſoule into hell-fire. By theſe things I ſuppoſe it euident enough, that the oracle of the prophet, which we hauehave plainlie expounded, Luk. 12, 5,apperteineth nothing vntounto that matter, which we hauehave in hand.
35 Another of their arguments is taken out of the prophet Ezechiel; Ezec. 18, 20The ſonne ſhall not beare the iniquitie of his father, &c. To this we might anſwer at a word, Looke after part. 2, plac. 5, art. 36.as a little before wée ſaid; namelie, that children doo not beare the iniquitie of their parents, but their owne and proper iniquitie, which cleaueth to euerie one from his natiuitie. But ſéeing that place is woont to be one waie expounded by ſome, and another waie by others; we will bréeflie declare what we thinke fit concerning the ſame. This was a common prouerbe among the Iewes; The fathers did eate ſower grapes, and the childrens teeth be on edge. This prouerbe was not onlie remembred by Ezechiel, but alſo by Ieremie in his 31. chapter. verſe. 29.The meaning of which ſaieng is this; Our fathers hauehave ſinned, & we for them are puniſhed. And as the Rabbins ſaie; They which were of the kingdome of the ten tribes, ſéemed to aſcribe theſe things vntounto Ieroboam the ſonne of Nabat, which firſt made the golden calues. But they which were of the kingdome of Iuda, referred thoſe things vntounto Manaſſes; for whoſe vngodlines they thought that the captiuitie was to light vponupon them, which the prophets had denounced. Euerie one ſhall beare his owne ſinne.This prouerbe dooth God reprooue, and ſaith, that it ſhould not be ſo hereafter; The ſoules (ſaith he) be mine: the ſonne ſhall not beare the iniquitie of his father, but euerie one ſhall die in his owne ſinne. Manie would hauehave theſe things to be vnderſtood concerning temporall puniſhment, bicauſe God in the 24. of Deuteronomie commanded, verſe. 16,that parents ſhould not be ſlaine for the childrens offenſe, nor yet the children for their parents. Which alſo Amazias the king of Iuda obſerued, as it is written in the 14. chapter of the ſecond booke of Kings; for he executed the murderers of his father: but he ſpared the children of them, according to the commandement of the lawe. Which neuertheles was not alwaies obſerued by the Iſraelites; for we read in the ſeuenth chapter of the booke of Ioſua, verſe. 24.that not onelie Achan was ſlaine, Ioſua, contrarie to the common lawe, puniſhed the ſonnes with the father.by reaſon of the curſed things which he had reteined [againſt Gods commandement;] but alſo togither with him, both his ſonnes, and daughters, and cattell. But this was doone by the ſpeciall commandement of God, neither is it preiudiciall to the lawe giuen in generall.
36 Neuertheles, this expoſition concerning the lawe ciuill, dooth not concurre with the prophets words: for the Iewes did not complaine of iudiciall puniſhment, or of that, which the prince laid vponupon them; but of thoſe calamities, which God himſelfe brought vntounto them; namelie, of the ſpoile of their goods, of the deſtruction of the Iewiſh kingdome, and of the captiuitie of Babylon. Here they accuſed the iudgements of the Lord, and made a muttering that his waies were not right; wherefore ſome did interpret that place [to be ment] of eternall puniſhments, of the loſſe of grace, and of the ſpirit: the which things they ſaie doo happen to euerie one for his owne proper ſinnes, and not for the ſinnes of other. Yet in the meane time they affirme, that both children, for their parents; and people, for their princes ſake, doo ſuffer temporall puniſhments: for God (ſaie they) will puniſh the fathers in their children; for children are a certeine part of their parents. And they ſaie, that it is no abſurd thing, if the children, by their afflictions doo profit their parents; ſéeing they alſo by this meanes are called home to repentance, and that no iniurie is doone vntounto them, if they die, ſéeing they be mortall. For that God dooth wiſelie diſpoſe the times either of liuing, or of dieng; and that he dooth plucke the children from their life, leaſt either they ſhould be corrupted with naughtines, or elſe if they be alreadie in ſinnes, and in the ſtate of damnation, they ſhould not be more and more burthened: and that they may at one time or other make an end of naughtie liuing. And vntounto this opinion Auguſtine ſéemeth not a little to incline, in his queſtions vponupon the booke of Ioſua, queſtion the eight and ninth. And they which would not hauehave theſe remnants of originall duplicate page duplicate page ſinne remaining after regeneration, are compelled ſo to ſaie; for they cannot ſhew, that in infants their own ſins be puniſhed, ſéeing they affirme them to hauehave no ſinnes. But we which ſay that they are altogither ſins, do teach, that indéed they be not imputed vntounto eternall death; but yet that they be charged ſometimes with certeine puniſhments, to the intent it may be perceiued that they diſpleaſe God. But neither dooth that expoſition of Auguſtine ſufficientlie concurre with the meaning of Ezechiel; for the prophet ſaith, that It ſhall not ſo come to paſſe afterward, that the children ſhould ſaie that they ſuffer temporall puniſhments (ſuch as was exile and captiuitie) for their parents ſakes. For the Lord ſaith; The ſonne ſhall not beare the iniquitie of his father. Wherefore it auaileth theſe men nothing at all, when they ſaie, that this is true, concerning ſpirituall puniſhments, and in eternall damnation: for the prophet ſpeaketh moſt plainelie of bodilie puniſhments of this life. There was another interpretation of Auguſtine, In Enchiridio ad Laurentium chapter 46. that this ſentence was a propheſie concerning the benefit, which Chriſt would beſtowe vponupon vsus; for ſéeing that by his death, ſatiſfaction is made euen for originall ſinne, the prophet ſaith: Hereafter the ſonne ſhall not beare the ſinne of his father, but of his owne. And it ſéemeth that Auguſtine was led to this opinion, bicauſe, when as Ieremie in the 31. chapter dooth write in a maner the ſame thing, there is ſtraitwaie added a promiſe of the new teſtament; Behold (ſaith he) the daies ſhall come, that I will make a new couenant with the houſe of Iuda. But it may ſéeme, that this ſenſe neither agréeth with the prophets meaning, which we recited before. Moreouer, notwithſtanding that Chriſt ſuffered at a certeine time, By the vertue of Chriſts death children in the old teſtament were ſaued.yet by the vertue and grace of his death, the children alſo in the old teſtament were ſaued. What néed was it therefore to ſaie, Hereafter it ſhall not ſo be, ſéeing vndoubtedlie it was not ſo before?
Beſides this, they alſo which be ſtrangers vntounto Chriſt, doo beare their owne iniquitie; neither doo they ſuffer puniſhment for the offenſes of others, but for their owne. We ſay therefore that the ſentence of the prophet is generallie true; & that all, whether they be children, or of ripe age, as well of the old teſtament, as of the new, doo euerie one beare their owne iniquitie. For all thoſe, which be borne, hauehave ſinne and corruption in themſelues, for which they ſhould be puniſhed: ſo then, this ſentence confirmeth our opinion; ſo far is it off, that the ſame can be alledged againſt vsus. But it maketh verie much againſt Pighius; for he decréed, that the children doo beare the ſinnes of the parents, when as otherwiſe he ſaith, that they be cleane, and are borne without ſinne. The Iewes vaunted, that they were innocents, & that the torments which they abode, were for their parents ſakes; for they ſinned, and not themſelues. But God ſaith, that there ſhould from thence foorth be no place for that prouerbe; for he would declare by the prophet, a plentifull illumination, which ſhould be of the holie ſpirit, in the new teſtament: for that his iudgements be not ſuch, as he will puniſh anie innocent perſon for the ſinne of another. And ſo he ſaith not, that it ſhould hencefoorth not be ſo, as though it had béene ſo at anie time before: but this he ſaith, that it ſhould not afterward happen for them to frequent ſuch a prouerbe in their mouth, when they had once knowledge of the truth.
37 But the lawe ſéemeth to be againſt this expoſition; for therein God ſaith, Exod. 20, 5.that He will viſit the iniquitie of the fathers vponupon the children, vntounto the third & fourth generation. Theſe things appéere to hauehave but ſmall concord, both that God dooth auenge the iniquitie of the fathers vponupon the children; and alſo that the children doo not beare the ſinnes of their parents. To ſatiſfie this obiection; firſt I will expound the words of the lawe: for ſo we ſhall vnderſtand, that betwéene the prophet and the lawe, there is no contrarietie. Some there be, which refer this ſentence of the lawe vntounto the merciemercy of God, How God dooth puniſh the iniquities of parents in their children.and ſome vntounto his ſeueritie and iuſtice. They which thinke that the merciemercy of God is cōmended by theſe words, ſaie, that God is ſo good and gratious, as he will not ſtraitwaie deſtroie man, when he ſinneth; but he will rather expect his repentance. And ſo ſometimes, when he ſpareth the father which offendeth, yet he puniſheth the ſonne: ſometime when he forbeareth both the father and the ſonne, yet he puniſheth the ſonnes child; and ſomtime he deferreth the puniſhment vntounto the fourth generation. Which we ſée was doone in Iehu the king of Samaria; 2. kin. 15, 12. An example in Iehu.for whereas he had gréeuouſlie ſinned, yet God did not béereaue his poſteritie of the kingdome, vntill the fourth generation was paſt. Wherefore by theſe words ſéemeth to be declared the goodnes of God, which ſo long reſtraineth his wrath; neither dooth he immediatelie powre out the ſame.
But others there be, which thinke, that the goodneſſe of God is declared; ſéeing it is ſaid, that He will doo well vntounto thoſe that louelove him, vntounto a thouſand generations. But contrariwiſe, that his ſeueritie & iuſtice may be knowne it is added; that he will perſecute ſinnes, not onelie againſt thoſe which hauehave ſinned; Exod. 17, 8. 1. Sam. 15, 2. An example in the Amalekits.but vponupon their children, and childrens children alſo, euen vntounto the fourth generation. Which they ſuppoſe may be declared by examples; for Amaleke did infeſt and vexe the children of Iſrael with manie euils, while they wandered through the wilderneſſe: and a long ſpace after his poſteritie was afflicted by the Iſraelites; and ſo afflicted, as at the laſt, God commanded Saule to deſtroie them vtterlie, euen vntounto the laſt man. Alſo Iehezi the ſeruant of Elizaeus, Iehezi the ſeruant of Elizeus. 2. Kin, 4, 27.bicauſe he had receiued monie in his maiſters name, of Naaman the Syrian; both he himſelfe was ſtriken with a leproſie, and all his poſteritie euer after him. Both of theſe two opinions be godlie, and may be confirmed by examples; yet the latter dooth rather ſéeme to agrée with the text. But in what ſort God dooth perſecute the iniquitie of the fathers vponupon the children, vntounto the third and fourth generation, the lawe it ſelfe dooth ſufficientlie declare: for it is added, Of them that hate me. They that ſuffer for their fathers ſinnes be alſo haters of God. Two kinds of hating of God.Whereby it appéereth, that no other children ſhall beare the offenſes of their forefathers, but ſuch as ſhall be like vntounto them. And it is to be noted, that To hate God, is two maner of waies taken; either in act, as they ſpeake; which is onelie proper to them of ripe age: or elſe by an inclination and corruption alreadie conceiued by nature, and this taketh place in infants.
38 But ſome man will obiect; If we vnderſtand that God dooth onelie puniſh ſuch as doo imitate the vices of their forefathers, what néed was there to adde; VntoUnto the third & fourth [generation,] ſéeing puniſhment is to be doone alwaies againſt all ſinners, whatſoeuer they ſhall be? With this obiection Auguſtine was ſo troubled, as he ſaid, that By this forme of ſpeaking; VntoUnto the third and fourth generation, muſt be vnderſtood all poſteritie in generall, and that a number definite is vſed for a number infinite: The number of ſeuen put for anie other number. Amo. 1, 3. 6. and 9.for if thou ioine foure vntounto thrée, it maketh the number of ſeuen; which is accuſtomed to be put for anie other number. In the like maner he ſaith, it is written in the prophet Amos; For there wickedneſſes and for foure I will not ſpare him: and he ſaith, this is the meaning of that place. If one ſhall once or twiſe offend, God may forgiue him; but if he ſhall heape ſin vponupon ſinne, and ſo ſhall procéed to vnmeaſurable ſinfulneſſe, now God cannot forgiue him. In this place thrée or foure wickedneſſes are ſet downe for the continuance of ſinnes: and ſo God may be ſaid to puniſh to the third & fourth generation, of them which hate him; when as he will vſe puniſhment againſt all ſuch whatſoeuer they be. Why God preſcribeth the third & fourth generation.But it might be otherwiſe anſwered; namelie, that God did therefore preſcribe the third and fourth generation, to declare his wrath to be tempered and ioined with benignitie, that he may once ſtaie his torments, and procéed no further forward in puniſhing. Albeit others there be, which thinke, that the third & fourth generation is particularlie ſet downe; bicauſe the poſteritie, ſo far foorth are led to ſinne by the euill example of their progenitours: for none of the anceſtors dooth liue paſt that time; for moſt cōmonlie they die, when they hauehave ſéene the fourth deſcent. Thus we ſée, that the words of the prophet are nothing at all repugnant vntounto the lawe, but doo rather interpret the ſame. For therefore he ſaith, that the ſonne ſhall not beare the fathers iniquitie, bicauſe the lawe ſaith, that he dooth perſecute the ſinne of the fathers vponupon the children, if they alſo doo followe the ſinnes of their parents: to the intent, that when they be puniſhed, they may vnderſtand that they ſuffer for their owne ſinnes, and not for their parents.
And it is ſaid, that God dooth therefore puniſh the ſinnes of the fathers vponupon them; bicauſe thoſe ſinnes had their beginning from them, and were continued vntounto the children. But and if that the children had not had fathers or grandfathers, which ſo had ſinned; peraduenture God would as yet hauehave forborne his wrath: and euen as through his patience he forbare their progenitours; ſo perhaps he would alſo hauehave borne with them. God will not deferre puniſhments more than is meet, leſt he might ſéeme to caſt awaie the care of things. Iohn. 9, 3. Of the man borne blindBut ſéeing that both their progenitours ſinned, and they alſo doo not auoid the example of them; God will no longer defer puniſhment, leaſt he might ſéeme to caſt awaie the care of mans matters, and ſo others to ſinne the more ſecurelie. Yet neuertheleſſe, they which be ſo puniſhed, cannot be called innocent, ſéeing they likewiſe doo hate God. Neither is that repugnant to theſe things, which Chriſt ſpeaketh in Iohn, concerning the man which was blind from his natiuitie; Neither did this man ſinne, neither his parents. For the meaning of that place is not, that the ſame blind man was puniſhed without a cauſe: but this onelie is noted, that the prouidence of God directed that fault of the eies vntounto another end, than for the puniſhment of the blind man: for he would take that occaſion to celebrate the diuinitie of Chriſt. God dooth ſo order his puniſhments, as he not onelie may puniſh by them; but alſo may compaſſe other ends, which he to himſelfe hath appointed. And thus far concerning the place of the prophet, whereby it may be vnderſtood, that the ſame place is not contrarie vntounto the definition, which we hauehave alledged: naie rather, the ſame ſentence is to be reuerſed vponupon our aduerſaries, which affirme, that children are giltie of other mens faults.
39 The next reaſon was, that ſéeing as well the ſoule, as the bodie, are the works of God; and progenitours oftentimes may be pure and godlie, and are commended in the holie ſcriptures, and that mariage, and the act of procreation are praiſed; how hath ſinne crept in among ſo many fortreſſes of innocencie? Firſt of all we anſwer with Paule; Rom. 5, 12.By one man. And whereas they affirme, that the anceſtors were cleane and holie, that is falſe: for although that they were indued with godlines, and that originall ſinne is to be forgiuen them, ſo far foorth as belongeth vntounto the guiltines; yet neuertheles there remaineth ſtill a corrupt nature, and an vnpure ſtate in them. So that ſuch a nature, as they themſelues hauehave, ſuch doo they yéeld vntounto their poſteritie: and that (as hath béene ſaid) by ſéed and generation. Neither dooth that hinder anie thing, which ſome doo imagine, that the bodie cannot worke vponupon the ſpirit: The bodie worketh not againſt the ſpirit by a naturall action.for we ſaie not, that the ſoule is corrupted by the bodie, thorough a naturall action; but ſéeing the bodie is corrupted, it dooth reſiſt the ſoule. For the ſame, béeing not ſtrengthened with thoſe indowments, which it had at the beginning, is ſubiect to the inclination of the bodie; and dooth not rule, as méet it ſhould; but is ruled by it. Moreouer, naturall reaſons doo alſo teach vsus, that there is a naturall agréement betwéene the bodie and the ſoule; A Sympathia betweene the bodie and the ſoule.for the ſoule is accuſtomed to be diuerſlie affected, according to the temperature of the bodie: for they that abound with choler or melancholie, are woont to be angrie or ſad. So that, ſéeing this maner of reaſoning procéedeth of falſe principles, it can conclude nothing.
Furthermore, there was brought a place out of the firſt to the Corinthians; 1. Cor. 7, 14.Your children be holie. A place in the firſt to the Corinthians expounded.Then it is not probable, that they drew vntounto them originall ſinne: for that holines hath no agréement with ſinne. Some thus expound [the ſame,] to wit, that the children of chriſtians be holie, as touching ciuill action; that is to ſaie, Looke part 4, place 8, art. 6.that they are to be taken as lawfullie begotten, and not as baſtards. But this dooth not hold; for ſo the marriage of chriſtians ſhould hauehave no preeminence aboue the marriage of infidels: Euen the children of infidels borne in iuſt matrimonie be lawfull.for euen the children of them, begotten through lawfull matrimonie, are legitimate, and become heires. Others doo interpret holines to be godlie education; for if a godlie huſband ſhould depart from an vngodlie wife perhaps the children would remaine with the vngodlie, and ſo they ſhould be led from Chriſt. But if man and wife doo liue both togither, the godlie parent will alwaies powre ſome godlines into the children. Adeodatus the ſonne of Auguſtine.But neither in verie déed dooth this make with Paules purpoſe; for godlie education may alſo happen vntounto them which are begotten in adulterie and fornication: Some holines redoundeth vntounto the children from the parents by the vertue of Gods couenant.which we perceiue was doone in Adeodatus the ſonne of Auguſtine. Wherefore the apoſtle ſéemeth rather to meane, that ſome holines dooth redound vntounto the children from their parents, which neuertheles cannot depend of the fleſh, but of the promiſe made in the couenant. For God promiſed vntounto Abraham, Gen. 17, 7. 2. Cor. 6, 18. Ezec. 16, 20, 21.that he would not onelie be his God, but alſo the GOD of his ſéed. So as in the prophets, God dooth name the yoong children of the prophets to be his owne, and complaineth, that they did ſacrifice his ſonnes and daughters vntounto Moloch. And we ſtricking to the hope of this promiſe, VnderUnder what promiſe we deliuer our children to be baptiſed.doo offer our yoong infants to be baptiſed in the church, bicauſe they belong vntounto God, and vntounto Chriſt; that the promiſe, which we hauehave now ſpoken of, may be confirmed with ſome outward ſeale.
40 But thou wilt ſaie, thou maiſt be deceiued; bicauſe perhaps thy child ſhall not apperteine to the number of the elect. I anſwer, that the ſame difficultie may happen, euen to them of ripe yéeres: for it may be, that one profeſſeth faith with a feigned hart, or may be led onelie by the perſuaſion of man, or may hauehave faith but for a time; ſo that in verie déed he apperteineth not to the elect. But the miniſter hath not reſpect vntounto theſe things, but onelie regardeth the confeſſion which the partie to be baptiſed dooth profeſſe: and he will ſaie, that Gods election is hidden vntounto him, and that therefore he dooth not much trouble himſelfe thereabout: that concerning particular things, he is able to determine nothing, but waiteth vponupon the generall promiſe; from the which, although manie be excluded, yet that it is none of his part to define which they be. So Paule ſpeaketh of the Iewes; If the roote be holie, the branches alſo ſhall be holie; Rom. 11, 16.If the firſt fruits be holie, ſo is the whole batch or lumpe. By which words he ſheweth, that Gods fauour was inclined vntounto the Iewes, by reaſon of the promiſe, and for their fathers; and that for the ſame cauſe ſaluation was due vntounto them. The promiſe of God is indefinit and true.Although therefore this promiſe be indefinite, and that manie be excluded from the ſame; yet neuertheles it remaineth ſtable: for there be alwaies ſome of them conuerted vntounto Chriſt, and ſhall be conuerted euen vntounto the end. Which appéereth in Iſaac, vntounto whoſe ſéed, An example in Iſaac.although God promiſed that he would be gratious; yet the ſame promiſe tooke place in Iacob onelie, not in Eſau: and yet was that no cauſe why Eſau ſhould not be circumciſed.
Euen ſo, The elect infants, when they be borne, are in ſundrie reſpects both holie, and the children of wrath.we confeſſe that the children of the chriſtians, which apperteine vntounto the election of God, be holie; but yet they be infected with originall ſinne, bicauſe they are by nature the children of wrath, euen as others be. But if ſo be God doo not put awaie the guiltines, and impute it not vntounto them againſt their ſaluation; that hauehave they by the grace and frée merciemercy of God, not of the purenes of their owne nature. Séeing then they be borne of a corrupted lumpe, and belong vntounto the election; we affirme both that they be holie, and are alſo by nature the children of wrath. Wherefore it appeareth in what ſort this argument muſt now be diſcuſſed. But they adde, that in infants there is nothing ſpoken, doone, or thought againſt the lawe of God, & ſo they hauehave no ſin. How ſhamfullie they erre in this place, it appéereth by thoſe things, which we hauehave alreadie ſpoken. A falſe argument. An argument from the ſpeciall kind to the generall by a negatiue.This is euen as much as if they ſhould ſaie; They hauehave no actuall ſin, Therfore they hauehave no ſin: for to argue from the particular to the generall by a negatiue, is the woorſt kind of reaſoning. But they be deceiued, bicauſe they followe not the generall nature of ſin, which I hauehave before deſcribed, in ſuch ſort as it comprehendeth all things, which are by anie meanes repugnant to the lawe of God.
41 They obiect likewiſe, that it is not rightlie ſaid, that originall ſinne is ſpred abroad by meanes of the ſéed & fleſh; bicauſe thoſe things hauehave a ſenſeleſſe and dull nature, and therefore be not capable of ſinne. But I hauehave alreadie ſaid, that ſinne is not in them, but by originall as in the root: and then the nature of ſinne is perfected, when the ſoule is once ioined therevnto. We hauehave declared alſo, how we are to anſwer the Pelagians, Againſt the Pelagians.ſéeing they affirme, that thoſe things, which are ſpoken by Paule to the Romans, ſhould be vnderſtood of imitation. For firſt of all, that cannot agrée with all the ſaiengs of the apoſtle; Rom. 5, 19.for he ſaith, that All men hauehave ſinned, and by the diſobedience of one, manie are become ſinners: And that which is the more firme, Rom. 5, 14.he hath prooued; that Therfore ſinne was in the world, before the lawe, bicauſe death reigned from Adam vntounto Moſes. There were reaſons which Auguſtine vſed againſt the Pelagians, which now we néed not to repeate. Beſide theſe, they adde, that mens afflictions, and death it ſelfe are naturall; for that we hauehave thoſe fountaines in vsus, euen of nature, from whence they flowe. But we anſwere, that theſe fountaines were not ſo ordeined, when mans nature was firſt inſtituted; but were afterward defiled and corrupted, in ſuch ſort as we now perceiue them to be. The philoſophers reſolue thoſe effects which they ſée, into thoſe principles which be now extant: but that chriſtians doo rather referre them vntounto the woord of God.
Rom. 5, 12.Séeing therefore the ſcripture teacheth, that death came by ſinne, and that man, as he was created, might alwaies hauehave liued; let Pighius, and thoſe which followe him, ſée how trulie and godlie they affirme, that death coms vntounto man by nature. And they adde, that that ought not to be accounted ſinne, which cannot be auoided. But this is found falſe, for that the lawe is propoſed to vsus, which no man is able perfectlie to performe, Not contingencie or neceſſitie, but agreement or diſagreement with the law of God muſt be weighed of in ſinnes.or to auoid all offenſes againſt it. In conſidering of ſinnes, we muſt not inquire whether anie thing be doone caſuallie, or neceſſarilie; but alonelie whether it be repugnant, or els agréeable with the lawe of God: and by this balance ſinne muſt be weighed. Wherefore it is vaine and trifling, which they doo bring againſt vsus, concerning neceſſitie. Laſt of all they obiect, that if the ſinne of our firſt parents be deriued vntounto the poſteritie, there can be no reaſon found, why the ſinnes alſo of the next parents ſhould not in like manner be conueihed vntounto the poſteritie: which if we doo grant, Whether the ſinnes of the next parents be deriued vntounto the poſteritie.they thinke, that would followe, which is moſt abſurd; namelie, that the ſtate of vsus, which are borne in this latter time, would be moſt miſerable: for that there ſhould be laid to our charge, not onelie the ſinnes of our firſt parents, but alſo the ſinnes of all our progenitors.
42 The Schoole-men hauehave thought, The opinion of the Schoole-men.that it cannot poſſible be, that the ſinnes of the next parents can paſſe into the children: and they ſéeme to be induced ſo to ſaie, for two cauſes ſpeciallie. The firſt is, that the next parents doo onelie communicate nature to their children, and ſuch other things as of themſelues doo accompanie nature: but that they doo not communicate ſpeciall properties, and things accidentall, vnleſſe the ſame things perhappes apperteine vntounto the bodie. For oftentimes the diſeaſes that come by kind, as the leproſie, or the gowt, doo paſſe vntounto the children; but the qualities of the mind be not deriued, neither doo apperteine vntounto procreation: for a Grammarian begetteth not a Grammarian, nor one Muſician begets not an other; and ſo they ſaie, that ſéeing ſinnes apperteine vntounto the mind, thoſe cannot be deriued from the parents. Another reaſon is; The firſt parents had originall righteouſneſſe, the which was not onelie planted in the mind, but alſo in the bodie and members. And therefore in procreation they might infuſe into their children, the want of this righteouſneſſe; ſéeing the ſame did ſticke in the bodie and the fleſh. But the actuall ſinnes, which afterward followed, ſéeing they doo apperteine vntounto the mind, cannot be deriued vntounto the children; Auguſtine ſaith that the ſinnes of the next parents are communicated with their children. Exod. 20, 5.yet Auguſtine in his Enchiridion ad Luarentium, and in the 46. chapter, ſaith; It is probable, that the ſinnes, euen of the next parents, are communicated with the children: for the proofe whereof he compareth together the two places of the ſcripture before handled by vsus.
In ſo much as God ſaith, that He will perſecute the ſinnes of the fathers vponupon the children, vntounto the third and fourth generation: whereas he ſaith in an other place, Eze. 18, 20.that The ſonne ſhall not beare the fathers offenſe; If the child (ſaith he) dooth not beare the fathers iniquitie, (but his owne) and yet God viſiteth the ſinne of the father in him, it muſt néeds be, that the ſonne hath in himſelfe that ſinne: otherwiſe theſe places would not agrée together. Wherefore ſinne was ſo made in the nature thereof, that it not onelie deſtroieth the mind of man, but alſo corrupteth both the body, Sinne not onelie deſtroieth the mind, but corrupteth the bodie. 1. Cor. 6, 19.the fleſh, and the members. Therefore Paule ſaith vntounto the Corinthians, that Our bodies be the temples of the holy Ghoſt; and dooth heauilie threaten the man, which deſtroieth the temple of God. Now then, if God puniſh the ſinnes of the parents vponupon the children, and the child beareth not the iniquitie of an other, but onelie his owne; it followeth, that the infants of wicked men, when they be afflicted, ſhould hauehave in themſelues ſome of their fathers naughtineſſe; to the end that the fathers may be puniſhed in them. The iuſtice of God muſt not be reprooued if the fathers ſinnes be powred into the children.Neither ought any here to complaine of Gods iuſtice; for if God, by his moſt ſincere iuſtice, can deliuer thoſe which doo ſinne, into a reprobate ſenſe, and puniſh ſinnes with ſinnes: what let is there, that he will not (and that iuſtlie) hauehave the corruption of ſinne, not onelie to deſtroie the ſoule, but that the impuritie thereof dooth alſo flowe into the bodie; ſo as they, which be begotten of ſinners, Parents muſt liue purelie, that their procreation be not partakers of their ſinnes.doo drawe ſuch a nature from them, as they find in them? And by this doctrine men be admoniſhed to liue purelie, leſt they pollute both their minds and their bodies, and by the ſame meanes doo alſo infect their children.
43 If this be determined, which we hauehave ſaid, ſome will demand; What the difference is betwéene originall ſinne, The difference betweene originall ſinne and that which is drawne frō the next parents. Sometime God ſuſpendeth the powring of the next parents ſinne into their children. 2. kin. 16, 20. 2, Kin. 20, 21 Ibid. 21, 18.and that which is drawne from the next parents? We anſwer, that the propagation of originall ſinne is continuall, euen as the holie ſcriptures doo teach; but the continuation of other ſinnes is not of neceſſitie: for ſometimes there is no ſinne powred from the next parents into their children; originall ſinne excepted. For it ſéemeth that God hath prefixed a meaſure, leſt euill ſhould abound beyond all; and that he dooth temper this propagation of euill. And this dooth experience teach; for Ezechias, a moſt godlie prince, had king Achaz for his father, a moſt wicked man: and againe, the ſame Ezechias begat A…mon a moſt wicked child, who alſo begat Manaſſes well woorſe than himſelfe. Or elſe, if the beginnings and entrances of ſinne be powred from the parents into the children; yet God will ſometimes miniſter ſuch grace, fauour, and ſtrength vntounto them, as they may be able to ouercome them. But this waie theſe ſinnes differ not from originall ſinne: for grace is granted vntounto the godlie, Why God of ill parents ſuffereth good children, and of good, ill, to be borne.that they may alſo hauehave the victorie thereof. Further, when God dooth of ill parents giuegive good children; he ſheweth the power of his goodneſſe, wherewith he repreſſeth the corruption and infection of the parents, that it ſhould not paſſe into the children. And againe, forſomuch as he bringeth to paſſe, that of good parents there be begotten euill children; he hath regard leaſt the godlineſſe of the children ſhould be iudged to come for the merits of their parents. Grace cannot be powred from the fathers into the children.For they cannot powre out grace from them to their children, by the procreation of their bodie, ſéeing it is a thing altogether ſpirituall; neither hath it anie naturall entercourſe or acquaintance with the fleſh.
Wherefore, ſéeing honeſtie and godlineſſe is a méere and pure gift of God; God promiſed that he would doo good vntounto the children of the godlie, but not for their parents merits.God dooth verelie promiſe, that he will be beneficiall vntounto the poſteritie of godlie men, euen to a thouſand generations. But that muſt not be vnderſtood, as though ſome deſerts were ment to be in the anceſtors: for God is led to make this promiſe onelie of his merciemercy, and not through mans merits. But that he maie declare what libertie he him ſelfe hath, he ſometimes ſuffereth it to happen otherwiſe; and by that meanes he teacheth, that holy parents are not ſo holy, but that they hauehave as yet much naughtineſſe and corruption in them, which they may perceiue to be ingendred in their children. Through this we may acknowledge the corruption of our nature, ſéeing it waiteth vppon the godlie ſort, euen to their graue. Yet for the further eſtabliſhing of this opinion, ſome doo alledge out of the Pſalme, A praier againſt the children of the wicked Pſal. 109, 9.the praier of the church againſt the children of the wicked; That they maie be fatherleſſe; that none maie hauehave compaſſion of them; that they may beg their bread. If the children of the wicked be innocents, this praier is not iuſt; whereby it ſéemeth neceſſarilie to be gathered by theſe words, that they be partakers of their parents wickedneſſe: but forſomuch as they be infants, this can come to paſſe by no other meanes than by propagation. I knowe there be diuers, which would hauehave theſe words of Dauid to be propheſies of things to come, wherby the holie Ghoſt did foreſhew, that theſe euils ſhould fall vponupon them. But let vsus grant that they be propheſies; yet it cannot be denied, but in them is both the forme and inclination of praier: but it is méet that praier be iuſt, for otherwiſe it were no praier.
44 But whereas they ſaie, Whether latter men are more miſerable than former.that that is moſt abſurd, which maie ariſe of this doctrine; namelie, that the laſt men alſo ſhould be more miſerable than all other, in ſo much as they ſhould beare the ſinnes, as well of Adam, as of all their forefathers; that is two waies to be anſwered. Thoſe things which ſeem abſurd vntounto vsus, are not abſurd with God. Matt. 23, 35For firſt, not all things which ſéeme abſurd vntounto vsus, are abſurd alſo with God. For let vsus go no further than this verie matter; Chriſt threatneth the Iewes, that all the bloud of the godlie, euen from Abel, vntounto Zacharie the ſonne of Barachie, ſhould be laid vntounto their charge. And who ſéeth not, that the ſtate of thoſe children of Iſrael was more miſerable, which were led into captiuitie, than manie generations of their forefathers, which had defiled themſelues with the ſame ſinnes? Againe, we anſwer; Indéed that would be abſurd, if the forefathers ſinnes ſhould continuallie paſſe from them to their children. But ſéeing we hauehave declared, that the ſame commeth not alwaies to paſſe, but that Gods prouidence hath limited and meaſured this euill, and that he hath expreſſelie pronounced thereof touching onelie the third and fourth generation; there is nothing which ſhould ſéeme abſurd vntounto anie man. Againſt the reaſons of the School-men.But the reaſons of the Schoole-men, wherewith they wreſtle againſt this propagation, are verie féeble. Firſt, they preſume, that the properties of the mind are not communicated by the parents vntounto their children: The affects of the mind are communicated of the parents to the children.which experience teacheth to be falſe. For we oftentimes ſée, that of teſ…ie or angrie perſons, there be angrie children borne; and ſad of ſullen parents. Neither dooth this ſimilitude ſerue them to anie purpoſe, in that they ſaie, that one Grammarian is not borne of another; or one Muſician of another: for theſe be arts, which be atteined by precepts & exerciſe; and not affections, which be bred in men. And yet ſometimes we ſée by experience, that in what art the father dooth chéeflie excell, he hath children of apt inclination to the ſame: be it huſbandrie, be it warfare, or be it liberall ſcience. Moreouer, we chéeflie intreate in this place of thoſe affections, which be the ſprings and beginnings of actions.
Sinne corrupteth both the mind and the bodie.In another argument they ſaie, that ſinne in parents dooth onelie corrupt the mind; which is not true: for as we hauehave taught before, their bodie is alſo polluted; ſo as it is no maruell if fathers doo communicate ſuch bodies vntounto their children. As touching this therfore I do willinglie agrée with Auguſtine, that it is a thing probable & agréeable to the ſcriptures. And this doctrine is allowed of Martin Bucer, Martin Bucer.a verie godlie and no leſſe learned man, the priuate ſinnes are deriued from the parents vntounto the children. But it muſt be conſidered, that this is contingent, and not of neceſſitie: for God ſometime ſuſpendeth the ſinne of the parents, and for his goodnes ſake, dooth not ſuffer mans nature to be vtterlie deſtroied. But when he will either repreſſe this deriuation of ſinne, or elſe ſuffer it to take place, he himſelfe onelie knoweth. Howbeit, vntounto vsus it is enough to conſider of theſe two things; firſt, that ſinne is powred out from the fathers into the children; ſecondlie, that the ſame is ſometimes prohibited by the benefit of God, which neuertheles cannot anie waies be ſaid of originall ſinne: for we be all borne infected therewith. And thus farre out of the epiſtle vntounto the Romans, the fift chapter, vponupon theſe words; Euen as by the diſobedience of one, &c.
¶ Looke the like place vponupon Geneſis, 8, verſe, 21,