Confession of the Christian Religion, Confession · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII. Of mans fall, and of originall ſinne and the fruites thereof.
I. Adam ſinned of his owne accord by diſobedience.
WE beleeue, Gen. 1. & 2 Eccl. 7.30 Sirac. 15.18that the firſt man when he was created after the image of God, iuſt and righteous, and meerlie free, ſo as he might, if he woulde, not hauehave ſinned, nor hauehave died any kinde of death: The diuell then alluring him, and god not letting him, but leauing him in the hāds of his owne counſells, he tranſgreſſed by diſobedience, Rom. 5.19 Libera voluntate.of his owne accord, and of his meere free choiſe ſo that he nether can nor ought to aſcribe the blame of his tranſgreſſion, to his owne nature giuen to him of god, nor to god himſelf, nor to any other thing created, but to his own ſelfe alone, becauſe it was his owne vvill.
II. What, and what manner of ſinne Adams was.
For vve knovv that Adams ſinne was a voluntarie tranſgreſſion of gods commandemēt that he ſhould not eate of the forbidden fruit (as Moſes deſcribeth it) and ſo (as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh) it was a diſobediēce: Gen. 2.17 & 3.6. Rom. 5.19.which was ſhewed not ſo much in the outvvard deede, as in the purpoſed conſent of his minde, vvherin he vvould not be obedient vntounto god.
III. What, and how manifold a death followed Adams ſinne.
So vve confeſſe, that man being then deſtitute of the fauour of god, by his ovvne faulte did looſe that life vvherein he liued holily vntounto God, his minde being darkened, his vvill depraued, and all integritie of nature vtterlie loſt, Ioh. 8.34 Eph. 2.1. Rom. 5.12name lie in thoſe things vvhichwhich pertaine to god, and to a life acceptable to God: and ſo vvas made the ſeruant of ſinne, the ſlaue of ſathan, and quite dead vntounto god: Moreouer he incurred both the death of the bodie, vvhichwhich is novv come vntounto all men, with al the calamities of the bodie; and alſo the eternall (that is, the moſt miſerable, grieuous, and moſt vnhappie life of the vvhole man, more intollerable vvithout compariſon then anie death) vvith the deuill in euerlaſting torments vvhence he could not be deliuered but by Chriſt.1. Cor. 15.22
IIII. That in Adam all men ſinned.
But for as much as al mankinde which was by naturall generation to iſſue from Adam, was then in his loines, whereby the commandement vvith the curſe annexed, pertained not onelie to the perſon of Adam, but to all mankinde likewiſe: The, Rom. 5.19efore with the Apoſtle do vve beleeue and confeſſe, that in Adam ſinning, all men ſinned: ſo that, that diſobedience was not onelie proper to Adam himſelfe, but alſo made common to all mankinde, ſith his guiltines enwrapped all men, who were then and are yet dailie carnallie to be begotten of his ſeede. Euen as the Apoſtle to the Romaines plainly teacheth, yea and moſt ſtrongly prooueth by an Antitheſis or contrapoſition of the diſobedience of Adam, and the obediēce of Chriſt. For if the obedience of Chriſt be no leſſe ours by imputation, then his owne by his proper action; becauſe wee are regenerate of his incorruptible ſeede, and of his ſpirite; it followeth, that the diſobedience likewiſe of Adam muſt be imputed vntounto vsus, and we touched with his guiltines, becauſe we are borne of the ſeed of his fleſh, being father of al men.
V. The corruption of mans whole nature followed vponupon Adams diſobedience, in all men.
But like as the corruption of our vvhole nature, Rom. 7.7 Aug. tom. 7 con. Iul. Pela. li. 5. c. 3immediatlie by gods iuſt iudgement, tooke holde on the perſon of Adam for that actuall diſobedience, called of the Apoſtle, Concupiſcence, which is both a puniſhment of the former ſinne, a ſinne, and a cauſe of other ſinnes; euen ſo being taught by the holy ſcriptures, we beleeue, and with the whole church confeſſe, that all men, which by naturall propagation are conceiued of his ſeed, ar borne infected with the contagion, of his corrupt nature. For all men ſinned in Adam, and by the guiltineſſe of his diſobedience wee are all kept bound.
VI. What we properlie call originall ſinne.
Wherefore we doe ſo ſaie, that this haereditarie fault and contagion of nature is ſinne in all men, and ſo we vſe to cal it originall ſinne: that we do not ſeparate it from the guiltines and imputation of the firſt diſobedience. Euen as likewiſe on the other ſide, we doubt not but the righteouſnes of chriſtians, doth conſiſt, not ſo much in the regeneration of nature, which is made by the ſpirit of Chriſt, & which is vſuallie called by the name of inherēt righteouſneſſe; as in the imputation of the perfect obedience, and righteouſnes of Chriſt, whoſe members we are.
VII. That, contagion of nature, is verie ſinne.
And although that contagion, was, inflicted not onelie vppon Adam alone, but alſo on his whole poſteritie, for a puniſhment of that firſt tranſgreſſion of Gods commaundement: yet wee hold this as certainelie, out of the holy ſcriptures, as whatſoeuer is moſt certaine, Rom. 7.7that the ſame is not onelyonly the puniſhment of ſin, and the cauſe of all other follovving ſinnes, but alſo a verie ſinne it ſelfe, euen ſo great as were ſufficient to condemne vsus.
VIII. That, concupiſcence of it owne proper nature is a ſinne in the verie regenerate.
Yea ſo farre doe we learne, that concupiſcence of it owne nature is a ſinne, fighting againſt the lavve of God, and making all men ſubiect to condemnation, vnleſſe they bee deliuered by Chriſt: yea that in the regenerate themſelues, though the guiltines being taken away by faith in Chriſt, it be not imputed vntounto them anie more, yet we doubt not, 1. Ioh. 3.4 Rom. 7.7but it is a ſinne, yea and that worthy of eternall death: ſith it is foreign, a tranſgreſſion of the lawe, and is by gods lawe condemned as the Apoſtle teacheth.
IX. From concupiſcence ingrafted in vsus, the riuers of ſinne doe continually flowe.
Futrhermore we beleeue that this our naturall deformitie, is ſuch a fountaine of al ſin, and that euer ſo abounding, that from it doe continuallie ſpring, moſt corrupt waters of eeuill affections, of vngodlie thoughts & vvicked deſires: which vnleſſe they be by the ſpirit of Chriſt reſtrained, they breake out at length into manifeſt ſinnes & offences, ſome worſe thē others; ſo that, there is not any man ſo holie, which beareth not about him this puddle of vices, yea and feeleth not the filthie vapors breathing from it, and is not often ſprinckled and beſpotted with that noiſome contagion. Euerie man is tempted of his ovvne concupiſcence (ſaieth Iames) vvhen he is drawne avvaye by his ovvne concupiſcence, Iam. 1.14.15and is entiſed, then vvhen luſt hath conceiued it bringeth forth ſinne, and ſinne whē it is finiſhed, bringeth forth death.
X. That God is not the author of ſinne.
Now, all theſe things beeing thus, wee are confirmed in that beleefe, wherein wee hold that god is not the author of ſinne: ſith he neither created Adam euill, or prone vntounto euil, but iuſt and righteous: neither did hee intice or mooue him to il, but he of his own accord and by his free-will ſinned: 1. Io. 2.16.neither yet, vvas this naturall peruerſneſſe from god, but of it ſelfe, it followed that diſobedience of Adam, being depriued of his righteouſnes, god moſt iuſtly ſo permitting, and puniſhing mans trāſgreſſion by that worthie puniſhment.
XI. Errors.
We condemne therefore with Ireneus, and the whole church, all thoſe which make god the author of ſinne: likewiſe all Pelagians, as wel new, as old, which denie that all men ſinned in Adam, and are holden in the guilte of the firſt offence: or doe labour to prooue that this ingrafted concupiſcence is onelie a diſeaſe, and a puniſhment of ſinne, but not indeede a ſinne it ſelfe: or at leaſt in the regenerate will not hauehave it to bee worthie the name of a ſinne. Wee condemne alſo thoſe, which hauehave taught that originall ſinne is a ſubſtance: becauſe this opinion, either makes god the author of ſinne, or elſe denies that god is the maker of euerie ſubſtance, and confirmes the doctrine of the Manichęs, concerning the two beginninges, the chiefeſt good, and the chiefeſt ill, of which all things ſhould hauehave their originall, namely good things of the good, and ill things of the ill. Moreouer we condemne the Stoicks, and ſuch like, which teach that all ſinnes are equall, & that one offence is more grieuous then another: laſtlie thoſe, vvhichwhich will affirme, that there maye ſome man bee found in the worlde, which is quite voide of all ſinne.