Body of Divinity, Book 4 · Chapter 3
CHAP. III. Of the Propagation of Original sin, and Conclusions from it.
HOw Original sin is propagated.
Nihil est peccato originali (saith Austin) ad praedicandum notius, nihil Anima non est ex traduce verum à Deo, ut vulgò dicitur, creando infunditur & infundendo creatur, ab origine prorsus imp…lluta, in carne autem sine semine peccatum quod est spirituale sedem non habet, & si haberet quomodo corpus spiritum inficeret? Non potest (inquit Bellarminus) intelligi, neutro verò corrupto quomodo unio labem induceret, maximè torfit haec objectio perspicacissimum Augustinum, ut patet in Epistolis ad Hieronymum & opta…m. Anima non extra nec ex, sed in corpore satis prepara…a à Deo, sine labe …reata contrahit labem, quae inibi seminalit…r latebat in ipsa unione. Dr. Prid. Lect. 21. de Peccato Originali.ad intelligendum secretius; that is, Nothing is more known then that original sin is traduced, and nothing more obscure then how it is traduced.
It is propagated from the soul as well as the body, Gen. 5. 3. Iohn 3. 6. Ezek. 18. 20.
A spiritual substance cannot take taint from a corporal. This conceit led someThis troubled and staggered Aug. l…pist. 28. learned Fathers into that errour, that the soul comes from the seed, they conceived not the conveyance of original sin but so. The scruple a long time stumbled S. Austen too, he knew not how else to answer the Pelagians. D. Clerk on Eccl. 12. 7.For if the soul be not naturally traduced, how should original sin be derived from Adam unto it. Dr. Rein. of the Pass. Quo pacto siat haec propagatio cognosc…re arduum est, & desinirc periculosum. Molinaeus. See Doctor Reinolds on the Passions, c. 32. and Master Pemble de Origine formarum: and Baronius his Philos. Theol. Ancil. Exercitat 2. Art. 6, 7, 8, 9, &c. Corpus & anima perinde ab Adamo fluunt, modo tamcu propagandi di…tari: illud quidem ex traduce est, haec verò ex infusione, quae hoc respectu à parente est, quod non anima… creat Deus, qua animam simpliciter, sed qua unius de Adami siltis anima est. Deus non solum ut creator considerandus est, sed …tiam ut judex. Creator est animae quoad substantiam, cujus respectu cum creatur pura est. Iudex est praeterea Deu…, dùm animam creat, quoad hanc circumstantiam scilicet, quod non anima simplicitèr ei sit creanda, sed unius ex Adae siliis anima. Hoc respectu justum est, animam d…s…r…re, quoad imaginem, in Adamo amissam: ex qua desertione, sequitur carentia justitiae originalis, ex qua carentia peccatum ipsum originale propaga…r. Sandford. de Desc. Christ. ad infer. l. 3. Animae nostrae à Deo creante neque accipiunt puritatem seu justitiam & sanctit…tem, neque impurit…tem & propensionem ad malum, sed tant…m essentiam spiritualem & proprictates ab essenti… dimn…ntes. Sed animae co ipso instanti, quo creantur, sunt impurae, simul enim creantur & uniuntur substantialiter cum corporibus contagiosis, ex quibus labem contrabunt. Baron. Philos. Theol. ancil. Exercit. 2. Artic. 8. Vide etiam Molin. Enodat. gravis Quaest. de Peccato Originali.
When we say the soul by conjunction with the body is desiled with sin, we mean not that the body works upon the soul and so infects it, as pitch doth desile with the very touch: but that at the same instant at which God gives the spirit, puts it in the body, Adams disobedience is then imputed to the whole person, and so by consequent corruption of nature and inclination unto evil, the pain of sin by Gods just appointment follows.
God is a Creator of the soul in respect of the substance, so it is pure; but he is also a Judge, and so he creates the soul not simply as a soul, but as the soul of one of the sons of Adam, in which respect he forsakes it touching his Image which was lost in Adam, and so it is deprived of original justice, whence followeth original sin.
Corollaries from Original sin.We should be humble, not only for the sinnes of our lives, but for our original sin, so David, Psal. 51. and Paul, Rom. 7. latter end: the pollution of nature in us: All sin is in our natures virtually, though not formally.
We must make it part of our businesse daily to consider of this natural corruption (that we may be daily humbled in the sense of it) and to beseech God to help us against it, to keep it down, yea to bestow his grace upon us to mortifie the deeds of our flesh.
We have three great enemies, The world, That by profit, pleasure enticeth us.
2. The devil, He makes use of the things of this world to draw us to sin; he can but solicit us to sin, cannot compell the will.
3. Our own slesh and corrupt nature is our aThe lusts of our own hearts are greater enemies then the world and Satan, Propter continuam, & intr…nsccam a…herentiam, Bonar. 1. Because of their multiplicity and variety. Titus 3. 3. 2. Their great activity, our thoughts are swifter then the sun. 3. Their pride and sovereignty.worst enemy, it is an inward and constant enemy, Iames 1. 15. we must therefore every day give a hack at the old man, Prov. 4. 23. Ier. 4. 14. use the ordinances to this purpose.
1. Prayer, Pray in faith, out of a sense of our own misery, and a confidence that God is able and willing to help us.
2. The Word, That is the Scepter by which Christ rules, the sword of the Spirit, Iohn 17. 17. There is a purging vertue in the promises, 2 Cor. 7. 1.
3. The Sacraments: 1. Baptism, It is not only for what is past, Rom. 6. 3. we must make constant use of that to crucifie sin. 2. The Lords Supper, There Christs death for our sins is lively represented, and it is a strengthening ordinance.
2. Look to the outward seuses, Iob made a Covenant with his eyes. David saith, Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity.
3. Keep the heart with all diligence, Prov. 4. 23. Ier. 4. 14. Mat. 15. 19.
Those that are regenerate should often think of their estate by nature, what they were before conversion, 1 Cor. 6. 11. Ephes. 2. 5. Titus 3. 3. Paul much presseth Christians in all his Epistles, to look backward, what they were by nature, and he himself often tels us what a great sinner he was before his conversion.
Reasons,
1. To prevent spiritual pride, What hast thou which thou hast not received. God hath therefore left the remainders of spiritual death in us, to keep down pride; it's one great branch of the Covenant of grace, They shall remember their evil waies, and lo…th themselves for their abominations.
2. To exalt the doctrine of Gods free-grace, The godly know by experience the corruption of nature, and therefore reject that conceit of free-will.
3. That you may admire the love of Christ, 2 Cor. 5. 14. we need preventing as well as subsequent grace.
4. That we may not be altogether without hope for our friends that are dead in sin, since God hath quickened us who were so.
Secondly, Be thankfull to God if he have bridled it in some good measure in our selves and ours: Paul is often on this; and pity those that are in the state of nature.
Thirdly, If we have run into any loathsome crimes we should repent of them, and turn to God that we perish not in them.
Fourthly, There is no reason for any one to boast of his natural birth, though never so high, unlesse he partake of the new birth bforeign, saith Greg. Nazianzene, The new birth is the noblest birth. Some say that by the death of Christ all mankinde are restored, and that infants have no need of regeneration; that men when they grow up fall from the principles which they had in their infancy, and when they return to that condition they were in in their infancy, then they are well; and urge Matth. 8. 1. to prove that infants have principles begun in them, by which they may turn to God., Ephes. 2. 3. we all enter into the world equally naked, vile, helplesse; our continuance in the world is equally uncertain, and when we dye we shall carry nothing out of the world, 1 Tim. 6. 7. See Eccles. 2. 22. & 5. 16. Isa. 10. 3.
Fifthly, It informs us of the great condescension of Christ that he would assume our nature and purge it; and of the difficulty and excellency of the work of Regeneration, the plaister of sanctification is as large as the sore of original sin, it daily eats up the proud slesh.
From the Apostles time to Austens for three hundred years and more (saith Moulin Enodat. Gravis. Quaest. de peccato Originali) Ecclesiasticall Writers wrote not so accurately of original sin, and therefore seem sometimes more prone to Pelagianism, which Austen l. 1. in Iulianum c. 2. excuseth, because (saith he) Tali quaestione nullus pulsabatur, & Pelagianis nondum litigantibus securius loquebantur. Austen himself (saith Moulin) at the first spake inconsideratly of this point, but after his con…lict with the Pelagians he accurately handled this question like a stout Champion for the truth, whom Prosper and Fulgentius followed.