Common Places, Part 2 · Chapter 1 · Section 3
That ſinne is the cauſe of death.
In 1. Cor. 15, verſe. 2. Auguſtine. Adams bodie was mortall but not of neceſſitie to die.51 But againſt the Pelagian errors, Auguſtine diſputeth earneſtlie in his booke. De peccatorum meritis & remiſſione, where he declareth, that The bodie of the firſt man was not of neceſſitie ſubiect vntounto death: yet was he mortall, bicauſe, if he did ſinne, he was to die. But he would not that it ſhould be lawfullie ſaid; This is mortall, Therefore it ſhall vtterlie die. Euen as we grant, that our fleſh is in ſuch caſe, as it may be wounded; and yet it may come to paſſe that it ſhall not be wounded. The bodie alſo of man (as I may ſaie) is in caſe to be ſicke, wheras neuertheleſſe it chanceth manie times, that ſome doo die before they be ſicke. Therefore he ſaith, A ſimilitude. The garments and ſhooes of the Hebrues. Deut. 29, 5.that the ſtate of Adams bodie was ſuch, as although he might die; yet vnleſſe ſinne did happen, he ſhould be preſerued from death by God: euen as the garments and ſhoos of the Hebrues by the power of God were not conſumed or worne by the ſpace of fortie yéers in the wilderneſſe, as we read in the 19. chapter of Deuteronomie. And he thinketh, Enoch and Elias.that as concerning this condition, Enoch and Elias hauehave now the ſtate of Adams bodie; bicauſe they be preſerued from death: yea, whether they be ſuſteined without meate, or elſe doo vſe ſuch ſuſtenance as God prepareth for them. For the firſt man had meates, wherewith he might be nouriſhed; and he did eate other fruits to withſtand the defects of nature. The tree of life was a remedie againſt oldneſſe.But the trée of life [was againſt old age;] for by the ſame trée it came to paſſe, that the decaid matter, which was amended, ſhould be of no leſſe goodnes and perfection, than that which was loſt. But ſéeing the ſame commeth not to paſſe in vsus, we both are troubled with old age, and at laſt death catcheth hold of vsus. In Adam therfore there was a ſtate of mortalitie, but yet ſuch, as was to be ſwalowed vp by the benefit of God, when he ſhould at his due time be tranſlated vntounto the chéefe felicitie.
Whereby Auguſtine iudged, that we may perceiue the greatnes of the benefit of Chriſt, ſéeing he hath reſtored vsus vntounto more than Adam tooke from vsus: bicauſe that through Chriſt, Auguſtine iudged that Chriſt reſtored more vntounto vsus than Adam tooke awaynot onelie life is reſtored vntounto vsus, and death chaſed awaie; but mortalitie alſo at the reſurrection ſhall he taken awaie. For we ſhall not be able to die; which thing Paule teacheth when he writeth, that This mortall ſhall put on immortalitie. And [that ſaieng] vntounto the Romans ſéemeth to make with this doctrine, when he ſaith; But if Chriſt doo dwell in vsus, Rom. 8, 10.verelie the bodie is dead by reaſon of ſinne. In which place he ſaith not, that our bodie is mortall through ſin; but is dead, that is to ſaie, ſubiect vntounto death. Afterward he addeth; verſ. 11.His ſpirit which hath raiſed Chriſt from the dead, ſhall quicken your mortall bodies. This he ſpake of the reſurrection, wherin our bodies muſt be quickened, which he called mortall, but not dead; that thou maieſt vnderſtand, that not onelie death ſhall be taken from them, but alſo that they ſhall be mortall no more. And whereas the Pelagians thinke, Death brought in by ſinne cannot be vnderſtood allegoricallie. Rom. 5, 12.that death is allegoricallie to be taken for the fall of ſoules; it can in no wiſe be allowed, ſéeing it is written in the fift to the Romans; By one man ſinne entered into the world, & by ſinne death. But if that onelie the death of ſoules he brought by Adam, why did Paule expreſſe twaine; who not onelie ſaid, Sinne, but he alſo added Death? Moreouer, the teſtimonie of the booke of Geneſis dooth moſt plainelie conuince them, wherein mans puniſhment is thus recited; Gen. 2, 19.Earth thou art, and into earth thou ſhalt returne. Which ſaieng theſe men are conſtrained, whether they will or no, to aſcribe vntounto the death of the bodie; vnleſſe they dare affirme, that our ſoules be faſhioned of earth, and into earth ſhall be diſſolued. And whereas they obiected, Whence depended the preſeruation of the firſt mans bodie. Deut. 29, 5.that we hauehave a bodie by nature compact of contraries; if forceth not much, bicauſe the ſame preſeruation dooth not depend of nature, but of God: as the ſcriptures declare to be doone, as touching the garments and ſhooes of the Hebrues.
But of what thing he meaneth death, it cannot better be perceiued, than by an Antitheſis, or comparing of it with the contrarie, which is with life. Life is of two ſorts.But life is of two ſorts; the one wherewith we be mooued to ſpirituall, to diuine, and to heauenlie good things; and the ſame commeth to paſſe, ſo long as we be ioined togither with God: for vnleſſe we be ſet on by the ſpirit of God, we cannot procéed vntounto thoſe things, which doo ſurpaſſe our owne nature. Another life is, wherewith we be mooued to purſue thoſe good things, which make to the preſeruation of nature, & maintenance of our bodilie ſtate. Both of theſe liues, Both the liues did death take awaie.did death, which was laid vponupon vsus for ſinne, take awaie. For death is nothing elſe but a depriuing of life: for ſo ſoone as euer man ſinned, he was turned awaie from God, and ſo was forſaken of his grace, and deſtitute of his fauour; ſo that he was not able to aſpire againe vntounto eternall felicitie. This bodilie life alſo may be ſaid to be taken awaie through ſinne; How immediatelie after ſinne came doth.for immediatelie after ſinne, the beginnings and miniſters of death inuaded man: ſuch be hunger, thirſt, ſicknes, conſumption of moiſture and heate, and the dailie quenching of life: for all theſe things doo lead a man awaie to death. And Chryſoſtome vponupon Geneſis, Chryſoſt.treating at large of this matter, ſaith; that The firſt parents, ſo ſoone as they had ſinned, were dead foorthwith: for the Lord foorthwith pronounced the ſentence of death againſt them. A ſimilitude.And euen as they which be condemned to die, although they be reteined ſomewhile aliue in priſon; yet are reputed for dead: euen ſo the firſt parents, albeit through the benignitie of God they liued longer, yet in verie truth, they were dead by and by after that God denounced ſentence againſt them. Ambroſe ſaith, Ambroſe.that they were ſuddenlie oppreſſed with death; bicauſe afterward they had no daie, nor houre, There is no houre wherein we are not ſubiect vntounto death.nor moment, wherein they were not ſubiect vntounto death. Neither is there anie mortall man, that can aſſure himſelfe to liue the ſpace of one houre. Whereby it appéereth, that both ſorts of death was brought in by ſinne.
So then we muſt beware, that we conſent not vntounto them, Death is not naturall vntounto man.which are woont to ſaie, that death is naturall vntounto man; and as it were a certeine reſt, whereby the motion of life is interrupted. In death there is a feele of Gods wrath. Matt. 27, 35. Iohn 21, 18. Eſaie. 38, 2.Theſe ſort of opinions muſt be left vntounto the Ethniks; for all the godlie doo affirme, that in death there is a féele of Gods wrath. Therfore by nature it ſelfe it bringeth in gréefe, and quaking feare; which thing both Chriſt himſelfe, when he praied in the garden, and alſo manie other holie men hauehave declared. But if there be anie, vntounto whom it is pleaſant and delectable to die, and to be looſed from life; this hauehave they by ſome other meanes, and not thorough the nature of death. And Paule vntounto the Corinthians ſaith, that Death is the ſting of ſin: 1. Co. 15, 56for death ſhould not be able otherwiſe to doo anie thing in vsus, vnleſſe it did conſume vsus by ſinne. Wherefore they which vaunt, Al ſinnes in their owne nature are to be called mortall. Sinnes are not all of equall degree. Of barrennes, hunger, drith, inundations, plague, & ſuch like cauſes of calamities. Looke 1. King. 8, 37. & Gen. 26, verſe 7.that originall ſinne is onelie a certeine féeblenes, which cannot condemne a man; thoſe doo neither vnderſtand the nature of ſinne, nor yet this ſentence of the apoſtle. Beſides this; if that death flowe out of ſinne, all ſinnes in their owne nature muſt be called mortall: for in that GOD imputeth not ſome ſinnes vntounto vsus, that coms not to paſſe through a lightnes of ſinnes, but through his merciemercy; for there cannot be ſo light a ſinne, which bringeth not deſtruction, vnles the merciemercy of God put it ſelfe among. Howbeit, we doo not therefore ſaie with the Stoikes, that all ſinnes are alike: for we knowe that Paule deſcribeth certeine ſinnes vntounto vsus, which be ſo gréeuous, that they exclude men out of the kingdome of heauen.