Common Places, Part 2 · Chapter 1 · Section 2
Theſe things I thought good to adde out of the fift to the Romans vponupon theſe words; Euen as by one man, &c.
45 To the end that theſe words of the apoſtle may be plainlie vnderſtood, let vsus examine thrée things, which are ſet foorth by him; firſt, what the apoſtle meaneth by ſinne; ſecondlie, what that one man is, by whom ſinne entered into the world; thirdlie, by what meanes ſinne is ſpred abroad. As concerning the firſt, How amplie the word ſinne is vſed.the apoſtle dooth vſe this word ſinne generallie and largelie, that he may ſignifie all that is againſt the lawe of God, and againſt his will. For by this ſinne, man depareth from the creation of nature, and from the image wherevnto he was created: for God ſo made him at the beginning, that in him ſhould ſhine foorth his image; but that happeneth not, when we contend againſt the lawe of God. And this is the onelie and true cauſe, why man is not permitted to delight himſelfe with euerie kind of pleaſure; for if he ſhould doo ſo, Why men are forbidden verie manie delights.he ſhould drawe néere vntounto the nature of brute beaſts, and not vntounto the ſimilitude of God his creator: and God would hauehave him to be his deputie in this world, and therfore to be moſt like vntounto him. Surelie, if ſinne be vnderſtood thus at large, it dooth not comprehend onelie originall ſinne, that is, our depraued nature, and the corrupt powers both of our bodie & ſoule; VnderUnder the name of ſinne the apoſtle comprehendeth both the root & the fruit.but alſo all thoſe euils which doo inſue vponupon the ſame: namelie, the firſt motions of the mind vntounto things forbidden, wicked deliberations, naughtie indeuours, & corrupt cuſtoms. Wherefore the apoſtle, vnderunder the name of ſin, comprehendeth both the root it ſelfe, and alſo all the fruit of the ſame.
Neither muſt they be hearkened vntounto, which babble that theſe things be no ſinnes; for ſéeing the holie Ghoſt calleth them by this name, I ſée no cauſe why we alſo ought not ſo to ſpeake and ſtand vntounto his doctrine. And moreouer the …erie etymologie of the word it ſelfe dooth ſhew, The etymologie of the word ſinne.that the firſt motions of the mind, and corruption of nature be ſinnes: for this word foreign, that is, Sinne, commeth of this verbe foreign, which ſignifieth, To erre from the right ſcope appointed, by what means ſoeuer the ſame commeth to paſſe. The rule of our nature.And ſéeing it is the rule of our nature, and of all our actions, that we ſhould be verie conformable to God in all things: ſurelie we being then prone vntounto thoſe things which be forbidden vsus by the lawe of God, and euen at the firſt puſh are carrie ſtreight headlong vntounto them; without all controuerſie we muſt be ſaid to ſinne, that is, to erre from the ſcope, and from the end appointed vntounto vsus. The like ſignification there is of the Hebrue word; for that which is in that toong called Chataa, is deriued from the word Chata, which thou ſhalt find in the booke of Iudges, verſe. 16.the 20. chapter vſed in the ſelfe ſame ſenſe, wherein I declared the Gréeke word foreign to be taken: that is, To miſſe the marke. For it is there written of the ſeuen hundred children of Beniamin, that they were woont ſo to throwe ſtones out of a ſling, as they could hit euen a heare, and would not miſſe one whit. Beſides this, experience it ſelfe teacheth, how gréeuous theſe euils are, euen in vsus, which be regenerate: for we be ſo hindered by them, as we cannot fulfill the lawe; the which neuertheleſſe we are bound to obſerue in euerie poinct. Exod. 12, 17We are alſo commanded not to luſt, to the which precept euerie one giueth his ſecret conſent, and is witnes to himſelfe how much he dooth withſtand, by reaſon of our proneſſe vntounto ſinnes, and firſt motions vntounto vices.
In what ſort the law is fulfilled in men regenerated.But if the Fathers doo ſéeme to write ſometime, that the lawe may be fulfilled by men regenerated in Chriſt, they ſpake of an obedience begun, and of ſuch a kind of fulfilling, as hath much imperfection ioined therewith. For they pronounce them to be perfect, They be perfect, which perceiue their owne imperfection. Matt. 6, 12.and to performe the lawe of God, which can perceiue their owne imperfection, that they maie dailie ſaie with others; Lord forgiue vsus our treſpaſſes: and acknowledge with Paule, that they hauehave a great waie further to go. Alſo the ſame Fathers doo confeſſe, that there is found none, no not the holieſt, The moſt godlie man hath not performed all vertues.that hath moſt perfectlie loued all vertues. For as Ierom ſaith; He that excelleth other in one vertue, dooth oftentimes faile in another. And he citeth Cicero, who ſaid, that There cannot eaſilie be found one, which is moſt excellent, either in the knowledge of the lawe, or in the art of Rhethorike: but to find one that excelled in both kinds together, it was neuer heard of. Wherfore, that the apoſtle maie make famous and renowmed the entire benefit of God, through Chriſt beſtowed vponupon vsus; he not onelie toucheth originall ſinne, but alſo comprehendeth vnderunder one name of ſinne, all kinds of vices, which doo flowe from thence.
By Adam as by the common roote and maſſe ſinne entered.46 Now we muſt ſée, by which one man it is, that Paule ſaith, ſinne had ſuch an entrance into the world. The ſame vndoubtedlie was the firſt Adam, who was as a certeine common lumpe or maſſe, wherein was conteined all mankind: which lumpe béeing corrupted, we cannot be brought foorth into the world, but corrupted and defiled. The fault is aſcribed to Adam not to Eue.And although Eue tranſgreſſed before the man, yet is the originall of ſinning aſcribed vntounto Adam; becauſe the ſucceſſion is accompted in men, and not in women. Howbeit Ambroſe; by One man, vnderſtood it to be Eue. But ſéeing that word One [in that place] is the maſculine gender, the ſignification therof cannot but hardlie, and with much wreſtling be applied to the woman. Others doo thinke, that vnderunder the common name of man, both of them, as well Adam as Eue, are vnderſtood: ſo that this ſpéech maie not differ much frō that, which is in the firſt chapter of the booke of Geneſis; Male and female created he them. Gen, 2, 27.Neither doo they much regard this adiectiue, Gen. 2, 24.One, becauſe the ſcriptures teſtifie, that Adam and Eue were all one fleſh. The firſt interpretation is the more ſincere and eaſie; therefore I willinglie followe the ſame. But we muſt remember, what Paule writeth vntounto Timothie, 1. Tim. 2, 14.that although both thoſe two firſt parents ſinned, yet there was not one maner of tranſgreſſion in them both: Paule ſaith that Adam was not deceiued.for he ſaith that Adam was not deceiued. Which is gathered by that, which they anſwered God, when he reprooued them: for the woman being aſked wherefore ſhée did it, ſhée accuſed the ſerpent; Gen. 3, 13.The Serpent (ſaith ſhée) deceiued me. But Adam, when he was demanded the ſame queſtion, ſaid not, that he was deceiued: but he ſaid, The woman, Gen. 3, 12.whom thou haſt giuen me, deliuered me an aple, and I did eate. Theſe things muſt not ſo be vnderſtood, as though we affirmed, that no error did happen vntounto man, when he tranſgreſſed: An error was in Adam that tranſgreſſed.for as it is plainelie taught in the Ethiks; In euerie kind of ſinne there alwaies happeneth ſome error.
This onlie we be taught, that man was not ſeduced by ſo groſe a guile, as the women was. And this did verie much further Paules reaſon; for in the ſame place, he willed the woman to kéepe ſilence in the church, bicauſe ſhe was an inſtrument fit to deceiue. And this he confirmed by the example of the firſt parents; for ſhe that perſuaded man to ſinne, it is not likelie that ſhe can rightlie inſtruct him: and ſhe that could be ſeduced by the diuell, and deceiued by the ſerpent, it is not méete for her to beare office in the church. Eccle. 25, 33 ſaith that ſinne began at the woman.Yet the booke of Eccleſiaſticus ſaith that ſinne had his firſt beginning from the woman; whch is not to be denied, if we conſider the hiſtorie of the booke of Geneſis. But Paule, (as we hauehave alreadie ſaid) dooth kéepe the vſuall maner of the ſcriptures, which aſcribeth ſucceſſion and procreation vntounto men, and not vntounto women. For his purpoſe was, not to teach at that time, whether of them did firſt ſinne, Adam or Eue: but his meaning was to ſhew the root, A place in the booke of Wiſd. 2, 24. is diſcuſſed that ſaith ſinne came firſt by the diuell.out of which ſinne was ſpred in the world. And ſo is that likewiſe anſwered, which might be obiected out of the booke of wiſdome; that Through the enuie of the diuell, ſinne came into the world. Alſo Iohn writeth, that The diuell did ſinne from the beginning. For here is not treated of the imitation of the ſin of another, or of the perſuaſion to ſinning; otherwiſe it is true, that the firſt example of ſin came from the diuell, and he was the verie perſuaded & author of tranſgreſſions. But this is now the ſcope of the apoſtle, to teach out of what thing, as from the begining, ſin was conueied by propagation to mankind. And that this is the meaning of the apoſtle, it may be prooued by that Antitheſis [or contrarie compariſon] which he maketh betwéene Chriſt & the firſt Adam. For the Lord did not reſtore vsus, or make vsus iuſt, onelie by laieng an example before vsus of following him, or by ſhewing himſelfe to be a moſt faithfull admoniſher; but by altogither changing vsus, & making vsus new by the ſpirit and grace. Whervpon Auguſtine doth ſéeme to hauehave rightlie expreſſed the diſcommoditie brought by Adam, when he ſaith, that He brought mankind into a conſumption; Adam by a certeine contagion infected vsus all. An argument of the Pelagians.by which word he ſignifieth, that he by a certeine contagion infected vsus all.
47 But againſt this doctrine the Pelagians are woont to vſe this argument; That which hath no being, cannot hurt; But originall ſinne (if anie be) is alreadie wiped awaie by faith in Chriſt, and by baptiſme, and doth not remaine; Therefore it cannot hurt the children which are baptiſed. But that which theſe men take, as granted; namelie, that originall ſinne is aboliſhed in the beléeuers, and in them which be baptiſed, that is not perfectlie true. For in euerie ſin, Two things to be conſidered of in euerie ſin. Wherein originall ſin differeth from actuall ſinnes.two things muſt be weighed; the action, or lewd affection, which is as it were the matter & offenſe or bond vntounto puniſhment, which they call guiltineſſe. But originall ſinne herein differeth from thoſe ſinnes, which they call actuall; bicauſe in them, the matter continueth not ſtill: for ſo ſoone as one hath committed either adulterie, or hath ſpoken blaſphemie, the thing being doone, thoſe actions doo foorthwith ceaſe, and are no more extant: onelie the offenſe againſt God, and the guiltineſſe remaineth. Wherefore, ſéeing by faith and repentance the bond vntounto puniſhment, or the offenſe againſt God is remitted; we may eaſilie grant, that the whole ſinne is aboliſhed. The matter of originall ſin paſſeth not awaie.But in originall ſinne, the conſideration is otherwiſe; bicauſe the matter thereof paſſeth not awaie: for euerie one of vsus hath experience in himſelfe, that the corruption of nature remaineth; ſéeing as yet alſo we run headlong continuallie into ſinne: but vntounto diuine things, we be vnapt both in bodie and in mind, which ſinnes notwithſtanding are not imputed vntounto the faithfull. The guiltineſſe of originall ſinne is forgiuen in baptiſmeFor the guiltines and offenſe againſt God is forgiuen in baptiſme, through faith in Chriſt, although the matter of ſinne be ſtill remaining; which matter, though it be broken, and made of ſlender force in the godlie; yet we ſhall not atteine to the perfect aboliſhing of the ſame, vntill ſuch time as we die.
And ſéeing men which be regenerate, doo procreate children; not in reſpect that they be regenerate, but by nature and fleſh; Why the children of the regenerate are borne with originall ſinne.therof it coms to paſſe, that the children alſo of beléeuers are borne ſubiect vntounto originall ſinne. For into them is powred the ſame defiled and corrupt nature that is in the parents; when as yet on the other ſide, forgiuenes or imputation, which are apprehended by faith, cannot be powred into them. For the explicating of this matter, Two ſimilitudes.Auguſtine vſeth two ſimilitudes. One is of the graines of corne, which although they be ſowne into the ground, being purged of their ſmall leaues, chaffe, ſtrawe, & eares; yet they growe vp againe with all thoſe things: which hereof commeth to paſſe, bicauſe that clenſing commeth not vntounto thoſe graines by nature, but by the art and induſtrie of men: and forſomuch as the corne ſpringeth not of theſe principles of art and induſtrie, but of nature; it muſt néeds be, that when they are ſproong vp, they follow the order of their owne nature, and not of humane induſtrie. The other ſimilitude is, of a man circumciſed, who neuertheleſſe begetteth a child with his foreſkinne; which commeth to paſſe, bicauſe circumciſion was not in the father by nature, but by violence vſed outwardlie: and ſéeing that children are not begotten by that outward power, but by the inward ſtrength of nature; it is of neceſſitie, that when they are begotten, they doo followe the order of nature: and therefore we bring foorth no other children, but ſuch as we our ſelues are. Séeing then we hauehave in vsus the infection of originall ſinne, they cannot be without the ſame: but we cannot impart vntounto our children, the remiſſion and forgiuenes of that ſinne; for that muſt be hoped for at the hand of God onelie.
The verie ſame thing we ſée happeneth in ſciences and vertues, The ſciences which be in parents are not deriued vntounto their children.which although they be in the parents; yet they are not deriued vntounto their iſſue; whereby it appéereth ſufficientlie, wherein the Pelagians were deceiued. Neither can anie man iuſtlie accuſe vsus for theſe things, as though we plucke anie thing awaie, either from faith, or baptiſme. What is to be attributed vntounto baptiſme.For vntounto baptiſme we grant plentifullie, that it ſealeth vntounto vsus the remiſſion of the guiltines, and of the offenſe; and alſo grace, and the holie Ghoſt, and ingraffing into Chriſt, and that it ſealeth vntounto vsus the right to eternall life. Yet it followeth not thereof, that by it is aboliſhed the corruption of nature, or the continuall nouriſhment of ſinne. Wherefore Paule rightlie ſaith, that By hope we are ſaued. Rom. 8, 24.But it is a great maruell, how the Pelagians can denie, that there is originall ſinne in infants; ſéeing they perceiue them to die euerie daie. For the ſcripture manifeſtlie teacheth, that The reward of ſinne is death, and the ſting of death is ſinne. Sinne and death are linked one with another.Therefore, whom ſo euer thou ſhalt ſeclude from ſinne, him alſo thou muſt of neceſſitie ſeclude from death: for by the teſtimonie of the ſcripture, theſe are compared together, as the cauſe and the effect. In Chriſt was onelie death without ſinne.But here we muſt except Chriſt onelie, who notwithſtanding he knew not ſinne, yet for our ſakes he died: but death had no dominion ouer him; for he of his owne accord ſuffered it for our ſaluation. But to affirme, that there be ſome without ſinne, although all men doo die, is euen to ioine together things which be repugnant and contrarie one with another. By teſtimonies it is prooued that infants are not without ſinne. Pſal. 51, 7. Ephe. 3, 3. Gen. 8, 21.But beſides this place, there be a great manie of others alſo, which maie prooue, that infants be not without ſinne: for Dauid ſaith; Behold I am conceiued in iniquitie, and in ſinne hath my mother conceiued me. And Paule to the Epheſians calleth vsus The children of wrath by nature. And in Geneſis it is written; The hart of man is prone to euill euen from his infancie. Alſo there be manie other places, which ſerue for this purpoſe, beſides theſe which are brought foorth by vsus.
48 Now, ſéeing it hath bin declared of me, what the apoſtle meaneth by Sinne; and by what One man the ſame is entred into the world: there remaineth to conſider, by what meanes the ſame hath bin ſpred abroad. The matter indéed is obſcure and verie hard, and therefore I purpoſe the leſſe to ſtand vponupon it. For ſéeing the word of God doth plainlie teach vsus, that there is originall ſinne, and that it is conue…hed ouer vntounto the poſteritie; The maner of propagation of originall ſinne is obſcure.although we vnderſtand not the maner and waie how it is powred [into them,] yet we muſt yéeld vntounto truth, and not to be too carefull, or to trouble our ſelues in reaſoning more than is neceſſarie, as touching the waie and maner, which is hard to be knowne, and maie without damage be left vnknowne. Howbeit, I will not thinke much to rehearſe thoſe meanes, which I hauehave obſerued amongſt the Eccleſiaſticall writers; whoſe opinions, touching this matter, are foure in number. The firſt is of them, which ſuppoſed that we receiue of the parents the ſoule, together with the bodie; that euen as GOD, by humane ſéed, dooth frame the bodie; ſo of the ſame, he createth the ſoule. This opinion Auguſtine mentioneth, in his tenth booke vponupon Geneſis ad literam, and in manie other places; and did neuer (ſo farre as I can remember) diſallow the ſame: yea rather he ſaith, that by this doctrine maie be diſſolued this knot of originall ſinne. Tertullian thought that men receiue their ſoule from parents.Tertullian, and manie of the ancient writers, fauoured this opinion; whoſe arguments when I examine diligentlie, I iudge them probable, but yet not neceſſarie: for that which they alledge out of the 46. chapter of the booke of Geneſis, touching the 66. ſoules, which came foorth of Iacobs thigh; What is alledged for the ſame out of the ſcriptures. verſe. 26.it may be expounded not vnfitlie by the figure Synecdoche: ſo that by the ſoule, which is the chéefe part of man, is vnderſtood the bodie, which without controuerſie is begotten of the ſéed of parents. Alſo by the ſoule we may vnderſtand the groſer parts of the ſoule; ſuch be the vegetatiue part, & the ſenſitiue part, which doubtles are procreated of the ſéed. And that the holie ſcriptures ſometime vſe this word Soule in that ſenſe, Chriſt teſtifieth in the Goſpell, where he ſaith; Mat. 16, 25.He that looſeth his ſoule for my ſake, ſhall find it.
Another of their reckons (as Auguſtine writeth in his tenth booke vponupon Geneſis) is this; In the creation of the woman, Gen. 2, …1.Whether God breathed a ſoule into Eue.it is not written that God breathed into hir a liuing ſoule: wherevpon they gather, that ſhe had not onlie her bodie from Adam, but hir ſoule alſo. But this reaſon Auguſtine iudgeth weake: for it might be replied vponupon, that it had bin once alreadie ſaid, that God breathed a ſoule into Adam, and that therefore there néeded no repetition therof. For if there had bin a new maner of procreation of ſoules brought in, the ſcripture would not hauehave paſſed it ouer with ſilence: but ſéeing the ſcripture maketh no mention at all of a new maner, we ought to vſe that which it had before expreſſed; eſpeciallie, ſéeing we ſée that Adam ſaid of his wife; Gen. 2, 14.This is now bone of my bones, and fleſh of my fleſh: but did not adde, And ſoule of my ſoule; the which had bin more ſwéeter, and had rather ſerued to expreſſe the knitting of matrimonie. But Auguſtine confeſſeth, that the doubt is not therefore diſſolued: for if we affirme that there be ſoules created euerie daie, and ſo created, as in the bodies of them there goeth before no meanes of ſéed, which he calleth [Ratio ſeminalis, Whether God ceaſed the ſeuenth daie from all his works] then God ſhall not ſéeme to hauehave perfectlie ceaſed from all his workes the ſeuenth daie; ſéeing he ſtill euerie daie createth ſoules of nothing. But vntounto this argument it maie peraduenture be anſwered; that in the bodie deriued from parents, it is ſufficient if there be found qualities and conditions, whereby it is able to receiue a reaſonable ſoule, and this is that Seminalis ratio here ſpoken of.
49 But whatſoeuer is to be ſaid as touching theſe arguments and anſwers, ſo it is, Auguſtine thinketh that the ſoule of Chriſt proceeded not from the virgin by propagation. Heb. 7, 9.that Auguſtine altogether inclineth this waie, that at the leſt wiſe he thinketh, that the ſoule of Chriſt procéeded not from the bleſſed virgine by propagation. Which he ſaith that others alſo did iudge beſides himſelfe, and that they did affirme that the ſame might be prooued by the epiſtle to the Hebrues: for there it is thus ſaid, that The prieſthood of Chriſt did excell the prieſthood of Aaron, becauſe Chriſt is a prieſt according to the order of Melchiſedech. And the prieſthood of Melchiſedech was more excellent than the préeſthood of Aaron, bicauſe Leuie gaue tenths vntounto Melchiſedech: for he was in the loines of Abraham, who paid tithes vntounto Melchiſedech. But Chriſt alſo ſhould hauehave béene no leſſe in the loines of Abraham, Chriſt was otherwiſe in the loins of Abraham, than was Leuie.than was Leuie, if he had receiued both his ſoule and his bodie from him. And ſo in this reſpect the dignitie of each préeſthood had béene alike, ſéeing either of them in Abraham paid tithes to Melchiſedech. But here they, which fauour that opinion, might anſwer; that there was beſides, ſome other maner of difference betwéene Chriſt and Leuie: bicauſe, albeit both of them were in the loines of Abraham, as well concerning the bodie, as touching the ſoule; yet did not both of them after one maner deriue their nature from him. For Chriſt was borne of the virgine, by the meanes of the holie Ghoſt; but Leuie was begotten and borne, after the ordinarie maner that other men be procreated. Wherefore Auguſtine paſſeth ouer this reaſon, and bringeth another out of the booke of Wiſedome, wherein is written, as he thinketh, vnderunder the perſon of Chriſt; Wiſd. 8, 19.I hauehave by lot obteined a good ſoule. For he thinketh, that this phraſe of ſpéech can hauehave no place, if the ſoule of Chriſt had béene deriued by waie of propagation, through the lawe of nature from his forefathers; vnleſſe we ſhall affirme, that nature dooth worke by chance. And he thinketh, What maner of lot could hauehave place in the ſoule of Chriſt.that this word [Lot] did therefore take place in the ſoule of Chriſt, to the intent we ſhould vnderſtand, that thoſe ornaments, which we knowe were moſt abundant and plentifull in it, were not beſtowed thervpon for anie merits going before, but thorough the méere merciemercy of God: and that this was a verie great ornament of the ſoule of Chriſt, to be ioined to one and the ſelfe-ſame ſubſtance, and perſon with the word of God. The booke of Wiſdome is not reckoned canonicall.But this teſtimonie, forſomuch as it is not had out of the holie ſcriptures, which are reckoned canonicall, it hath no great force.
Auguſtine leaueth indifferent the queſtion of deriuation of ſoules from parents. Pſal. 33, 15. Euen thoſe things are ſaid to bee created, which are doone by meanes. Gen. 1, 20.Laſt of all, he leaueth indifferent the queſtion as touching the deriuation of ſoules [from parents] as a thing each waie probable. And bicauſe they, which are againſt it, are woont to cite this place out of the 33. pſalme; Which facioned the harts of them ſeuerallie: this (ſaith he) is alſo weake, bicauſe euen they which defend the deriuation of the ſoule [from parents] denie not, but that the ſoules be created by God, although they affirme that the ſame is doone by a meane. For ſo we read in the booke of Geneſis, that the birds were not created of nothing, but at the commandement of God they iſſued foorth out of the waters. And euerie one of vsus is ſaid to be diſſolued into the earth, from whence we were taken; when as neuertheles we hauehave not bodies immediatelie out of the earth, but of the bodies of our parents. The receiued opinion is, that the ſoules in creating are infuſed.Thus this opinion cannot be confuted, and ouerthrowne by the ſcriptures. Although I knowe, this is the opinion receiued in the church, that the ſoules are in creating, infuſed, and in infuſing are created. Neither hauehave I recited theſe things, to the intent that I would hauehave anie alteration concerning this doctrine; but that it may onelie be vnderſtood, what maner of propagation of originall ſinne ſéemed moſt eaſie vntounto ſome of the eccleſiaſticall writers. And ſurelie the Schoole-men, The opinion of deriuing ſoules frō parents is oppugned onlie by naturall reaſons.when they refuſe this doctrine, they onelie vſe naturall reaſons; to wit, that forſomuch as the reaſonable ſoule in nature is altogither ſpirituall and indiuiſible, it cannot be ſundered: which thing is required in deriuation of the ſoules [from parents.] And for that they hold it to be the vnderſtanding part, and a thing of more woorthines, than that it can be drawne out of the matter or ſubſtance it ſelfe; they earneſtlie affirme, that it muſt not hauehave his being by generation, but by creation.
50 Auguſtine aſſigneth another waie in his booke De nuptijs & concupiſcentia, and in manie other places, where he diſputeth againſt the Pelagians touching this kind of ſin: & this he ſaith; that This vice is ſuppoſed to paſſe into the children, through the pleſure, which the parents take in the fellowſhip of nature. But this reaſon of propagation leaneth to a ſuſpected ground, & in my iudgment an vntrue: for that pleſure, which is taken of procreation, is not euill in his owne nature, vnleſſe a naughtie deſire come vntounto it. For if that action ſhould of neceſſitie hauehave ſinne ioined therewith, the holie Ghoſt would not exhort anie man therevnto; which yet he dooth, when he perſuadeth vsus vntounto matrimonie: and when as by Paule he admoniſheth them, 1. Cor. 7, 2, and 3.which be coupled in wedlocke, to yéeld mutuall beneuolence one towards another. Howbeit, admit it were ſo; grant we that through mans infirmitie there be ſome fault therein: it would followe thereof, The infection of carnall luſt ſtandeth not onelie in carnall deſires, but in other luſtings alſo.that onelie this kind of luſt is deriued vntounto the children. But the infection of originall ſinne, conſiſteth not onlie in thoſe things, which apperteine vntounto carnall deſires; but alſo in other luſtings, after riches, honors, reuengements, and finallie in the whole corruption of our nature.
The third waie is, that God dooth therefore create the ſoule, with ſuch an imperfection or defect; bicauſe it muſt become the ſoule of man now damned, and appointed to be vnderunder the curſe. Such a ſoule (ſaie they) God createth, as vntounto ſuch a man is required: euen as we ſée, vntounto the bodie of a dog is giuen ſuch a life, as is méet for a dog; and vntounto the bodie of an aſſe, ſuch a life as is requiſite for an aſſe. But this ſéemeth to be a verie hard opinion; namelie, that God ſhould contaminate with ſinne, a ſoule which as yet apperteined not to Adam; eſpeciallie, ſéeing they cannot ſaie, that this kind of ſinne is the puniſhment of another ſinne, which went before. Wherefore, this deuiſe is reiected among all men, leaſt we make God to be abſolutelie the author of ſinne. The fourth maner is imbraced by the conſent of a great manie, and it ſéemeth verie like to be true; That the ſoule is not created with ſinne but is ſaid to drawe ſinne vntounto it ſo ſoone as it is ioined with the bodie.namelie, that the ſoule is not created ſinfull, but ſtraitwaie draweth ſinne vntounto it, ſo ſoone as euer it is ioined to the bodie deriued from Adam. For ſéeing it wanteth thoſe graces and vertues, wherewith the ſoule of the firſt man was indued, and alſo hath obteined a bodie ſubiect vntounto the curſe, and hath inſtruments vnapt and little méet to ſpirituall works: therefore, when it ſhould rule the bodie, it is gréeued, and oppreſſed by the ſame, and is drawne vntounto ſuch luſts as are agréeable to the bodie. For it is weakened on each ſide, The ſoule weakened two maner of waies.both with the vnpurenes of the bodie, and the imbecillitie of it ſelfe: bicauſe it is deſtitute of that power, wherewith it ſhould vanquiſh nature. VponUpon which two principall points, the corruption and naughtineſſe of the whole nature dooth depend. I hauehave now ſpoken ſo much as I thought ſhould be méet for this preſent purpoſe, what the apoſtle meaneth by this word Sinne; by whom he ſaith it is ſpread abroad ouer mankind; and what the eccleſiaſticall writers hauehave taught, concerning the maner how it hath béene conue…hed from one to another.