Veneer on Article IX: Of Original or Birth-sin

[…]

O The

Article IX*

An Exposition on the

The Exposition.

Article IX-

[…]

HE Dodrine of the Pelagians con- cerning Original Sin, is sufficiently re- futed by what S. Paul faith, Rom. v. 14. Neuerthelefs Death reigned from Adam to Moses, e’ven ouer them that had not finned after the Similittide of Adam’j ranfgref* fion. And lince Infants, as well as grown Per- fons, have need of a Mediator, it follows that there is something in them v/hich stands in need of being remitted : And what can that be but Sin? And since they are not capable of imitating those that do wickedly, it remains that this Sin is a Fault and Corruption of Nature : And this is the Meaning of Kom. v. 19. Vor as lay one Mans Disobedience many ivere made Sinners fo by the Obedience of one fljall many be made Righteous, ‘Tis moreover written concerning Job faith S. Clement of Rome , Job was a righ- teous Man, without Fault, fuicere, a Worfhipper of God, and one that efchewed all manner of Evil ; but yet this fame Job speaking of and accufmg him.self, faith. There’s no one free from Pollution e’ven tho’ his Life be but a Day long .

As in the Beginning,^ faith Irenceus^ all of us were by our first Parents brought into Bondage, by the Obligation we were under to suffer Death 5 fo at lafl, by those Things which have iaft come to pass, all that from the Beginning have been Disciples, cleans’d and wash’d from such Things as are of a deadly Nature, are

• C’XVil.

permitted

Thirty-Nhte Articles: 24^^

permitted to enter into the Life t)f God ’. And Article ix: again, as we offended God in the first Adam L/rv, by not obeying his Commandment, we are re- conciled in the second Adani being made obe- client even unto Death ; for we were Debtors to none besides him, whose Commandment we had tranfgreflfed from the Beginning f. S. Cy frian proves, that there is no body without Pollution, from that Place in Job already re- ferr’d to where the Question is ask’d, Who Is free from it ? and determined, that no one is, altho’ his Life be but one Day upon the Earth, And like wife from those Words of the 51ft PfahUy ver. $. Behotd I was papen in Iniquity and in Sin did my Mother conceive me. And from those Words of S. John in his first Epiftle, i. 8. If we [ay that we have no Sin we deceive curfelves and the fruth is not in us t. And in his 64th Epiftle he hath these Words : More- over, if Remiffion of Sins be given to the greatest of Sinners, and those that grievoufly ’ oifend God, if they afterwards believe ; and ” if no Person be kept back from Baptism and the Grace of God, by how much more ” ought not an Infant to be restrain’d, or kept back from these Benefits, which, being but newly born, hath committed no Sin, and is innocent 5 excepting that, as descended from Adam it hath been born according to the Flesh, and fo hath contracted the Contagion of the old Death as foon as it was born? ” Who ought to be admitted to the Remiffion ’ of Sins with the leis difficulty on this

t Lib. V. C. XVL

Q 2. Account,

[…]

This Fault and Corruption of Nature is^

, .- . ^\ve fee, ascribed in this Article only to such as

frtmlheTJlt^^^ naturally ingendred of the Off-spring of

oforigimis’m. Adam ^ fo that Christ is exempted from this

Guilt, as being born in a fupernatural Manner f.

The ifeBs of The Effects bf this Fault and Corruption of

Original sin. Nature, ‘viZ- its having drawn us very far away

from Original Righteoufneis ; fo that Man is of

his own Nature inclined to Evil, and the Flefli

lufteth always contrary to the Spirit, will appear

from the following Texts of Scripture , Kovt,

vii. 1 8. For I know that in me (that is in my

[…]

present with me ; hut how to perform that

which is good^ I find not. Gen. viii. 21. ^he

Imagination of Mans Heart is evil frofu his

[…]

the Spirit^ and the Spirit against the FleJJo : And

these are contrary the one to the other ^ fo that ye

cannot do the ‘^things that ye would. And that,

therefore, in every Perfon born into this World,

It deferves God’s Wrath and Damnation, is a

neceflary Consequence from what hath been

said 5 and is, moreover, alTerted, Rom. v, 18.

[…]

came upon all Men to Condemnation ; even fo hy

the Kighteoufnefs of One^ the free Gift came upon

all Men unto Juflification of Life, That this

Infedion of Nature remains even in them that

f See Norcelli Catech. p. 5-5, 5-4. Hc7mly of the Nativity, and Homily of the Palfion, Part II. M?Al’s History of Infant Baptism, Parti, cap. ip. VrideAtix lafc. Co?itrov. c. 3. q. 3.

are

T/jzrty^Nhie Articles. 245

are regenerated, appears from Gal. v. 17. al- Article ix.

ready mentioned , and, indeed, every Man, V^‘VN^,

by fad Experience, knows it to be too plain a

Truth to admit of the least Doubt. The Con-

sequence of it is, that the Luft of the Flesh is

not fubjed to the Law of God. ^be carnal

Mind (faith St. Fauf) is Enmity againfi God^

for it is not fuhje5i to the Law of God^ neither

indeed can he^ Rom. viii. 7. And though what

he says in Verse ifi of this Chapter, be very

true, i’hat there is no Co7idem?mtion to them

which are in Cbrift Jefus, who walk not after the a%f jiff f'''

[…]

Concupifcence and Luft hath of itself the Nature

of Sin. His Words are, Whatfhall we fay then ?

Is the Law Sin ? God forbid. Nay^ 1 had not

known Sin^ hut hy the Law : For I had not known

[…]

covet. Thefame appears from fome of those other

Texts made ufe of to make good the Contents

[…]

Luft hath of itself the Nature of Sin, that is,

of Infirmity ; for except that it have the Con^

fent of the Will along with it, it cannot be a

wilful Sin 3 neither will it be imputed to such as

are regenerated, nor bring them into Condem-^

nation ^,

B u T as this is a Point of no finall Diffi- culty, it may not be amifs to consider it a little more fully. And in order hereunto, I shall begin with laying down and proving this

Q 3 Fro^

t^^ An Expofitioti on the

Article IX. fropofition. That Man is very much and mifer- •-’”'''”’ ably altered for the Worse, from what he was Vvhen he was first created. Wife and observing Men took Notice of this, where the Light of Eevelation did not extend itself: They per- ceived by the Help of mere natural Light, the strong Bent and Inclination of our Nature to- “wards Vice and Immorality , the Obftinacy as well as the Irregularity of our Appetites, Lulls and Paffions • the Darkneis of our Under- flandings, and the feeble Refiftance which is made by the better Part of us, to such Things as it cannot but enter its Protcft against , and, perhaps, in feme Cafes exceedingly deteft and abhor , and that whatever the Under (landing might command or advise, yet it seldom failed but that the Will was vanquifhed, and carried Captive into the Enemies Quarters. They rightly gueffed that fb strange a Composition as this could never be the immediate Work of God, of a Being that’s infinitely Wife, Just, and Good and, therefore, they looked upon this Life as a State of Punishment. The Souls of Men were, in their Opinion, of too pure and refined a Nature, to be originally intended for Companions for such Sinks of Depravity and ‘VVickedneis as their Bodies ; and therefore they concluded, that they had formerly tranlgreffed in fome other State or Condition ; and for that Reason, their being united to their Bodies, and obliged to struggle with unruly Lufls and Ap- petites, Vvas allotted them as a Punishment for what they had done amifs : For though Pytha- goras was the first that brought the Dodrine of the Pre-Existence of Souls into Italy yet it had ipread itself far and near in the Eastern Parts of the World before his Time, and continues to this very Day. This Suppofition wasj indeed,

plausible

TJ/iriy’lSi’me Articles. 247

plausible enough, as long as its DiiHcultics were Article IX- overlooked among which, to fay nothing of w/’”\ others, this is one, that will inevitably follow from this Hypothesis, — hat God is the Author of Sin. But the true History of our Descent gives us a better and more rational Account of this Matter, That there was no Diicord be- twixt the Body and the Soul when they were joined together at first and that the Union which was at that Time between them, was designed to be perpetual : That the nobleft Crea- ture in the whole visible World sprung from this Union j the only Creature endued with Abilities to praise his Maker, and to be his Deputy with relation to the Government of the Earth. That as Man came thus diredly out of the Almighty’s Hands, guided by infinite Wisdom and Goodness no Endowments suitable to his Nature could poflibly be wanting. And fmce he did not come into the World like an Infant only, with Capacities which Time is by flow Degrees to fill up, but at full Age, it fol- lows, that he must be created with all those Qualities which are perfective of his Nature, as well as elTential to it for otherwise the Work- manfliip of God had been defedive, which is no \ts absurd than impious to fuppofe. If therefore, we would know what Man was when he was firfl: created, we must consider what his Duty requires him to be now ; and in order to this, ‘tis neceffary to consider what natural Powers are given him by God. He is necei farily a moral Agent, as he is a Creature endued with Reason 5 he is conscious to himself that he hath a Maker, to whom his Service and Adora- tion are due : And fmce he finds that he \s made up of Things which are of a very different Nature, “Viz. of Flesh and Spirit, he finds hi himself ( 4. Powers.

^4^ ; -An Expofitioii on thd

• Powers and Faculties as difterent both in Nature ••"" and Perfedion ; and that in order to the ob taining the Glory of God, and his own Happi- ness, the two great Ends for which he was created, ‘tis abiolutely neceffary that a Subordi- nation among them be duly and regularly ob- ierved. Some of them were given him with this Intent, that they (hould govern the rest- and, consequently, others were intended to be kpt in Obedience. He is endued with the Power of chufmg or rejecting whatfover A6lions he likes or didikes, which is called the /////, toge- ther with Appetites to incline or draw it j and, when Occasion requires, Pailions to drive it : Over all which the Understanding is to prefide and govern , and this too is to be regulated by the Law of God. In this View, that is, in the most perfed: State that his Nature is capable of, Man is a truly noble and excellent Creature, and one whose Composition is very far from refle6ting the least Difhonour upon his Maker. And, therefore, this must undoubtedly be the Condition which God made him in, and which this Article, in the Language of all Orthodox Christians, calls Original Kighteoufnefs with out which, after a Moral Agent v/as made, God could not, upon a Review of his Works, have declared, that they were aU Goody or be said to have made Man in his oijvn Image not- withftanding the Spirituality and Immortality of his Soul, unless he had given him those Per- fedlions which such a Nature requires, which are Wisdom in his Mind, and Holiness in his Will. Now if we take but a short View of the present Condition of Man, we shall foon per- ceive that there’s a great Alteration in him since he was created ; that his Faculties have loft that Harmony and Order which they once had and

that

Thifty-Nhie Articles* 249

that his superior Faculties have loft their Com- Articel ix. mand and Authority which they then had and OnTV-/ that his lower Faculties have withdrawn their Obedience, and make no Scruple to rebel, upon almost every Temptation and Opportunity that cfters itself : So that this little World is the Seat of a continual Civil War. Sometimes the Will is borne down by the wild Commands of a boifterous Paflion ; and sometimes an importunate Luft, that will not be difmiffed ‘till it hath obtained its Ends, folicits, and even demands to be com- plied with and gratified. Our fliallow Under- standings mistake the most inconfiderable Trifles for Things of the greatest Value, and we fancy ourselves, like the Angel of the Church of Laodicea to be rich and increased with Goods, and to have need of nothing, at the fame Time t)at we are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and naked. In a little Time we awake out of those pleasing Slumbers ; and the Mind, to its Cost, with Grief and Surprize, is fully convinced of the Emptineis and Vanity of those Nothings which it before doated fo exceedingly upon, and threatens to be thoroughly revenged on those deceitful Affedions which have led her into fo gross and fatal a Delusion. But they are too much in Favour to have the Sentence that is pafled upon them executed with due Severity ; and, therefore, have it quickly in their Power to reduce us to as insignificant Resolutions as these which we have not now Courage to put in Practice. In this Circle of Disorder and Con- fusion is the Life of Man hurried away under the Tyranny of his own Slaves, which sway and govern him by Turns ; a very plain Proof of his being greatly altered since he came out of his Maker’s Hands, because such a Condition as this, is what the GQn of his Creator, ” ’ cannot

250 ^n Exposition on the

Article IX. cannot be fuppoied to have placed him in. Where ”y then (hall we trace the Cause of this great and la- mentable Alteration, and from whence shall we derive its Original, but from that daringSin which communicated Poison and Corruption in fo fatal a Manner to that Fountain from which all fuc- ceeding Generations have flowed ? No other Cause can be adequate to fb univerlal a Malady. There’s no Difficulty in fuppofing that one Man may be over-reach’d by the Subtlety and Con- trivance of a Spirit of a superior Capacity, and prevailed upon to enter into Rebellion against his Maker 3 but ‘tis utterly inconceivable, that all Men should lift themselves under the Banner of such a Leader ; that in all Ages of the World, and ail Parts of the Earth, infinite Millions of Men, without one single Exception, should make themselves Parties in the Treason, and that there should not be fo much as one Man, among the great Numbers that are born into the World, that would make a right Ufe of his Reason. Surely there must be ibme uni- verfal, natural, and internal Gauie of a De- fedtion fo general as this is, a Biafs upon our Wills and Affedions which fo forcibly inclines us to Evil, that our ftrongeft Opposition is to no Purpose : Which will be yet more evident, if we do but observe how much more confpi- cuous these Defeats of our natural Powers are, when they come to be exercised about moral Adlions. Tho’ our Mind be obscured, and our Will weak and perverse, yet in most Cafes they lerve us tolerably well. In our temporal or worldly Affairs we are very flirewd and nice Judges ; we quickly perceive where ‘tis that our Interest lies, and as readily pitch upon the pro- per Methods to pursue it in ; we foresee Dangers and Diificukies at a great Distance from us, and

that

Tbirty-Nine Articles. 251

and not only provide against them accordingly. Article ix. but likewise against fiich Casualties or Accidents ‘TSJ as our Foresight cannot reach, and whatever the Understanding rationally direds us to, we have Activity and Rcfolution enough to put in Practice. But the Cafe is quite otherwise, when our Duty, when Religion and Virtue require us to make UfeofWatchfulneis, Application, and Diligence. Those Powers and Faculties which (hould be fLippreiTed and kept under, are lively and adive, but those which should prefide and govern, are overwhelmed with a profound Le- thargy. In vain is the Beauty of Hollnefs pre- fented to our Eyes, and in vain are the several Arguments for the Recom.mendation of Piety and Goodness addreffed to our Ears. We pre- fer the Gratification of a Luft or Pailion, the least Shadow of a Plcafure, before all the Hap- pinefs and Glories of the World to come, and remain unterrify’d and unaffeded with what- ever can be said of everlasting Torments, and the Fire that never shall be quench’d. We know and acknowledge, that the bottomleis Pit is before us, and that the Shortnefs and Uncer- tainty of Life make us always near the Brink of it, and yet we rush on undauntedly towards it 3 and, which is still more unaccountable, even when we are in fome measure awaken’d out of that Lethargy which I have been speaking of, and when we feel the Worm which never dies gnawing in our Breast : So that the Darling of Mankind, Intcreft, in this Cafe hath loft all its Charms, and Self-preservation ceases to be a governing Principle , whereas, in other Mat- ters, as was obferv’d, the Cale is quite different : No Man runs into the Fire, or walks on till he drops down a Precipice which he fees before him. Now what Account can we poifibly give

of

2^x Jn Exposition o;/ the

Article IX. of this monflrous Stupidity, with relation to \yyJ Sin only, running through a whole Race of rational Creatures, but the Venom of Sin it self? which, from the Root of human Nature, hath ever spread it self through all its Branches, and brings forth this accurfed Fruit , and this appeared as early as was poflible, for the first ’ Man born of Adara was a Murderer, as foon as there was a second for him to kill. The Scrip- ture is very clear in this Matter : Thus Gen, v. 3. we are told, that Adam begat a Son in his own Likcnefs after his Image and called his Name Seth : The Meaning of which can be nothing elfe but that he was begotten with such a corrupt and depraved Nature as his Father’s ; for certainly it was superfluous for the Holy Ghost to acquaint us, that Adam begat a Son like himself, in his effential Properties and out- ward Figure, which was no more than what was common to all Creatnres, and was a Blef fmg given when God said. Be fruitful and mul- tiply, Besides, if this had been the Meaning of it, the Observation, no doubt, had been most proper upon the Birth of his first Son ; but in- aimuch as the Design of God was to let us. know, that Corruption was entailed upon the Children of Adam it was refervcd till that Son was born, in whole Pofterity the Species was to be preserved, and that was Seth from whom Noah lineally descended. And that this Mean- ing of the Words might not be overlook’d, there is an emphatical Repetition of the fame Thing, Adam hegat a Son in his own Likeness after his Image , and this introduced, by calling to our Remembrance, that Adam himself was made in the Image of God, ‘ver. 1, which had been utterly needlefi, unless, by the Antithefis, to fliew the great Difference between the Image in

which

Thirty -Wine Articles. 253

Vvhich Adam was made, and that after which Article IX. Seth was begotten : And that as Adam’s Like- VO’N nels to God lay chiefly in his moral Qualities, the Wisdom of his Mind, and Holinels of his Will i fo the Image of Adam in Seth denoteth the inherent and hereditary Depravation of both in him. ‘Tis evident also, that St. Paul takes the Image of Adam in this Sense, when he says, ’ he fir ft Man is of the Earth earthy ; the second Man is the Lord from Heaven : And as we have Iorn the Image of the Earthy we fkall also hear the Image of the Heavenly i Cor. xv. 47, 49. Again, fbon after this, we have God’s own Judgment of his Work, Man as now corrupted and depraved, for he doth not charge only particular Persons with adual Wickednefs, but Mankind in general, with an universal and ha- bitual Difpofition in their Minds towards it ; AndGodfaw that the Wickednefs of Man was great in the Earthy and that every Imagination of the thoughts of his Heart was Evil only continually Gen. vi. 21. And in another Place, God charges this upon him even from his Touth chap. viii. 32. which can imply no left than that it is born with him ; which is a quite con- trary Account of the Nature of Man, from what he gave of it at first, when he pronounc’d it very good. But that which puts this Question beyond all doubt, is. That before Man can be restored to God’s Favour, his Nature must be renewed hy Grace which is grounded only upon the original Corruption of it , and therefore, this Renovation of his Nature is called Regene- ration : And when the hereditary Filth and Corruption of Man’s Nature is thus cieans’d away, he is fr.id by Christ to be born again, and by St. Paul to put on the Nezv Man. And hence it was, that IVaJJnng became the initiating

Ceremony^

154 ^^^ Exposition o?2 tie

Article IX. Ceremony, and Water is appointed by God to’ yy be the outward and vilible Sign of this inwardf and spiritual Grace , both which our Saviour couples together in his Difcourfe with Nico- demus 5 Verily njerily I fay unto thee Except a Man he horn of IVater and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. I’hat which is horn of the FlefJo is FleJJj- and that which is horn of the Spirit is Spirit Joh.iii. 5,6.1 Here Flefi and Spirit are manifeftly used in di- red Opposition to each other, to express the two different States of Man by Nature and Grace : And these few Words, if duly weigh’d, will be found to contain the whole Dodrine we are upon. Here is, in the fir ft Place, declared the abiblute Necellity of a supernatural Rege- neration, which implies ( as was observed ) a Corruption of our natural Generation • here i alfb exprelTed the Univeriality of this Corrup- tion, for af much as all Men are Fleflo and, lastly, here is the Univerfality of the Propaga tion of this Corruption, since whatsoever is horn of the FlcJJj is FleJJo.

The Thread of my Difcourfe requires me X.6 fhew, in the next Place, that this original Cor- ruption in us, hath the true and formal Nature of Sin. Now whatjfbever wants that Symmetry, or any way deviates from that regular Order ill which God made it, is, in its kind. Evil. And as when Nature is obftru(5led in its ordinary Method of working, the Prod udi:ion ismonftrous, and by its natural Irregularity odious to all Be- holders ; {o when a rational Creature is de- fedbive in any moral Qualities which belong to the Perfe(5tion of his Nature, he becomes mo- rally evil, and odious in the pure Eyes of God. Adam J before his Fall, by his original Righ-

ceoufriefS

Thirty -Wine Articles. 255

teoufnefs with which he was created, was such Article IX. a Creature as Man ought to be, and therefore 0*- the just Objed of God’s Love and Favour, as all his Children would have been, had he kept his Integrity, and they been born in his righ- teous Image ; but he Falling, and they being born in the Image of their lapfed Progenitor, that is, with Difpofitions in their Nature quite contrary to the Will of God, are such Creatures as Man ought not to be, and consequently as just Objeds of God’s Hatred and Difpleafurc. God requires irnth in the inward Parts and therefore if there be Error in the Understanding with regard to our Duty, Dilbbedience in the Will, or Irregularity in the Affedions, it is not material to enquire how they came there, whe- ther contraded by evil Customs, or born with us ; they are evidently a ranfgrejjion of the Law I John iii. 4. and therefore have the true and formal Nature of Sin. And accordingly we find this original Corruption of Man’s Na- ture, represented as such in Scripture under great Variety of ExprefHons ; but especially by St. Fauly whose proper Province it was, as Apostle to the Gentiles to encourage these, and humble the proud Jews by fliewing, that tho’ the latter were for fbme time particularly favoured by God, and his cholen People, yet, by Nature, they and the Gentiles were the lame fmful Creatures, and equally stood in need of a Redeemer : He tells them therefore, Kom. iii. 9, 19, 23, and v. 16, 18. h at all the World was become guilty before God 3 that all Men, Jews and Gentiles were under Sin under Con- demnation flout up together under Stn 3 that all had finned and come JJjort of the Glory of God : Which Propositions being all universal, and no Exception made as to those who die before they

commit

±<^6 Jn Expofitioli on the

Article IX. commit aftual Sin, it is evident, the Apostle triufl y’y” mean, principally, -the original Pollutions of their Natures, by which they are truly Sinners, and liable to the Wrath of God, as is more exprefly declared by him, when he tells us, 7’hat U’C are hy Nature the Children oflVrath Eph. ii. 3. and the Punishment of Adams Sin having reached all Men, is Dcmonftration that the Guilt of it hath done o too : It hath reached such as cannot fin actually, that is, Infants and yet the very Reason which the Apostle gives, why Death hath paiTed upon all Men, is, because all have finned. From Adam to Moses there was no positive Law enforc’d by the Penalty of Death nevertheless, as we have obferv’d be- fore, St. Paul tells us, ‘ver. 14. ‘if hat Death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them who had not finned after the Similitude of Adam’j? TranfgreJJion who is the Figure of him to come. Since then by their own Sins they had not in- curr’d the Penalty of Death, and indeed could not, because there was no such Punifliment threaten’d, nothing can be plainer than that their Death was the Punishment oi Adams Sin, in which by Nature they were all Partakers. And it is very remarkable, that the first Man who died, and that a violent Death too, which carries in it a more signal Mark of Punifliment, was Ahel w ho was fb far from provoking God by his own Sins, that we are told, that the Lord had refpe mito Abel, and to his Offerings Gen. iv. 3. And the Author to the Hebrews gives this farther Testimony of him. That hy Faith Abel offered tinto God a more excellent Sa- crifice than Cain, hy which he ohtai7ied witness that he was Righteous Heb. xi. 4. What then must this righteous Man’s Death be Imputed to, but the common Guilt in which he was involved

with

ThJrty^Nhe Articles, 257

with all Men ? And this Sinfulnefs of Man’s Article IX: Nature gave St. Paul Occasion, in the Place *Tw before cited, to call ydam be Figure of the Mejjiah’ all Men being made Sinners by his Sin, as on the other fide they are juflified by the Righteoufnefs of Christ. ’ He enlarges on the Parallel for ten Verses together in that Chapter, which there would not be the least Ground for, unless, as hy Chrlffs Stripes we are healed fo hy Adam’j Sin we had been wounded: And as the Punilhment extended to all, fo did the Remedy too, which is a farther Confirma- tion of this Truth. Immediately after Adams Sin, a Redeemer was promiled j but if Adam had not been a publick Person, in Covenant with God, not only for himself, but all Man- kind, which he had radically in him, and if his Sin had been only personal, is it conceivable that the Remedy should not be given till Four thousand Years after the Diftemper ? But the Biflemper being universal, and the promised Seed which was to hruife the Serpcnfs Head being also a Propitiation for the Sins of the ihole Worlds the Remedy came feafonably in the Fulnefs of Time, when God faw fit to give it the Benefit commencing from the Date of the Promise. Thus, I hope, it fully appears, that the Dodrine of the Catholick Church concern- ing Original Sin is not only true, and clearly supported by Scripture, but a Dodlrine of the greatest Weight and Importance, no less than a Fundamental Article of the Christian Faith, upon which the Gospel Difpenfation is built, it being the very Cause of God’s fending his Son to take our Nature upon him. However, there were very early in the Church, as well as at this Day, Hereticks who opposed it, and there- by put quite another Face upon Chriflianity.

R They

ty% An Expofitioii on the

Article tx. They Interpret away the mod glorious Mam*

[…]

instead of regulating their Opinions by Scripture,

they make their Opinions the Rule to try

Scripture by.

I. The firfi: Objedion of these Men is. That if Adam had been created in such a State of original Righteoufnefs, as hath been represented, it had been impofTible for him to fall.

These Men fuppofe Adam endued by God at his Creation, with only natural, but no moral Perfedions, and his Will equally poiz’d (if I n^ay fo speak) between Good and Evil, entirely indifferent to either ; imagining, that such Wisdom in his Mind, and Holiness in his Will, as we call original Righteoufnefs, would have fufnciently armed him against the Tempter, and effedlually have secured him in his State of Innocence , but this Mistake arises for want of diftinguifhing between that Holiness which be- longs to a moral Agent, as such, in a State of Probation, and that which belongs to one who hath approved himself upon Tryal, in a State of Perfection : The former can be in no higher a Degree than is confiftent with fiich a Liberty as is requisite to render our Adlions Good or Evil, and our selves capable of Rewards and Punifhm.ents, and therefore may be departed from: And as we know of no rational Crea- tures that God ever made impeccable or in- capable of Sinning j fo we know of none but such as have actually fallen • for there are Angels that kept not their firfi Estate as well as Man 3 and that there are any, of either kind, fo happy, as to be confirm’d and fix’d immu- tably in their Obedieiicej is^ by the Grace of

God^

Thirty-Wine Articles. 255?

God, a Reward for their voluntary Perfeve- Article IX. ranee in their Duty in the State of Probation. '''VN What was the Sin of those glorious Spirits, or what drew them into it, are, as yet, among the secret things which helong ttnto the Lord ”Eut thus much we may surely affirm. That if such excellent Creatures, fo near their Maker, could fm without a Tempter, much easier is it to con- ceive how Man might, who had not only the fame Liberty in himself which the Angels had, but was moreover exposed to the Craft and Subtlety of a mod malicious Adversary, much superior to him in his intelledlual Faculties.

2. A Second Objedion is, That Ada}?isS\n was only Perfbnal, and could only pollute his own Nature ; it being inconceivable how k should infed: his Poflerity.

This Objedion springs out of equal Igno- rance and Pride, and borrows all its Force from, no wifer or modeller a Suppofition than that of Man’s Omnifcience for if there be any Truths beyond the Reach of Human Underllanding, why may not this be one of them Yet as wild and extravagant a Principle as it is, the Extent of it reaches very far ; and it serves the depraved Sons o? Adam against all theDodlrines which they are not willing should be true. It is the fble Basis on which Infidelity is built, and a most proper Foundation indeed for such a Superftrud:ure. Thus theie Men, before they are aware, confirm the Truth in question by fo unreafbnably oppofmg it ; by this Means discovering themfclves to be very apparent Alonuments of the Ruins of human Nature Do we not every Day fee a great Resemblance between Children and their Parents, not only R 2 in

i6o An Expofitioii on the

Arhcle IX. in tue Lineaments of their Face, the Mbtloiis and Geilures of their Body, but in the most iignal and reigning Qualities of their Minds ? The Pride and Frowardneis, Humility and Meekncfs, Covetoufneis and Ambition, and even the nicer Particularities of Mens very Humours, are often-times feen in those Chil- dren, who loft their Parents before they were capable of Imitation, and therefore were de- rived down from them by as unseen Means as their original Corruption. Now if we must not believe our Senses till our Reason be iatisfied about the Cause of their Objeds, I fear the v/ifeft Man must be a Sceptick and believe no- thing 5 nay, the Derivation of our very Beings from our Parents, on this Principle, must be de- nied, as well as that of the Pollution of them. And if there be such Difficulty in tracing the Causes of the most gross and fenfible Appear- ances in Nature, a greater Degree of Obfcu- rity may be fairly allowed where the Soul is chiefly concern’d -, which, altho’ it be the Prin- ciple ofall Knowledge in us, yet is very unable to answer any Queftionsit may beask’d by the Cu- rious, concerning its own Nature and Operations. Its Union with the Body, and the mutual Ading- of each upon the other, are, and probably will be, Mysteries, till both are perfected in Glory. ‘Tis fufHcient we have all the Evidence the Thing is capable of The Matter of Fadt is too apparent to be denied ; the vaineft Man must own he (qqIs it himself, and the most Cha- ritable cannot overlook it in others. The Cause we could only learn from Revelation, and we have the clearest Scripture for it ; the Manner of that Cause’s working, we may be content to let pass in the Crowd of other fruitless Specu- lations, and apply our Thoughts more profi- tably

ThIrty-Nme Articles. i6\

tably how to make that Remedy eifedual to us, Articlf ix. which the Goodness of God hath provided ^-/TNJ against it j fo shall we draw Happiness out of Misery, be Gainers by the Loss of Paradise, and attain a greater Pitch of Glory, than that from which we fell in our first Parents.

3. ‘Tis objeded farther. That allowing fbme hereditary Corruption to be derived down to us from Adatn ^ whatever that be, it cannot have the Nature of Sin, because involuntary in us, and altogether unavoidable.

This Objedion fuppofes all Sin to be vo- luntary, which, if rightly underflood, we have no Cause to deny. Without the Consent of the Will, Sin had never enter’d into the World, nor could it take place in us, if our Wills were altogether unconcern’d. But a Sin may be said to be voluntary two Ways: First, when it i« itself, or proceeds from, the free Motion of the Will ; and, (econdly, when it is antecedent to any free Motion of the Will, but yet doth affedb the Will, and is inherent in it as its Sub- ject. In the former Scnfc, our original Cor- ruption cannot be said to be voluntary, for it is, in us, antecedently to any Motion of our own Will, and can no more proceed from that, than our very Beings from our selves: But its being involuntary in this Sense doth not ab- solve it from its Sinfulnefs, it being voluntary in the latter and very proper Sense of the Word, asaffedling our Will, and inhering in it. It doth not indeed proceed from any Act of the Will, nor, by consequence, doth the Consent of the Will, as it is an Ad of the Will, accompany it ^ but it is itself the natural Biais and Inch- nation of the Will to Evil, fo that we cannot R 3 fey

a62 Jn Expofition on the

Article TX. fay it is altogether involuntary. But whatever L/T’”- Men will be pleased to think with relation to the Voluntarinefs of these natural evil Inclinations, they muil, however, acknowledge, what they are \Q2i willing to admit, that is, the Sinfulnefs of them : If they will but consider, that our outward A6lions owe all their Iniquity to the Sinrulnefs of these inward Difpofitions of the Heart, for if these are not in themselves sinful, a Compliance with them in our outward Adfcions can never be a Crime. I need not now add, that our original Corruption is voluntary also in reipedi of its Cause and its Effeds ; for it de- rives its Being from the most wilful Tranfgref- fions of our first Parents, and gives Birth to all our own actual Sins. ‘Tis true, indeed, that ‘tis unavoidable, but that doth not alter the Nature of the Thing ; for tho’ it be fo, yet it being contrary to the Law ofGod it will be Sin Hill, that being the Effence of Sin as was fhew’d before : But its being involuntary in theftrideft and moil obvious Sense of the Word, and also unavoidable, makes a great Difference, I con- fefs, between it and a5iual Sin and there is no less Difference in God’s Proceedings about them : ]Both of them rendered the Sinner guilty, but aual S’m immediately pulled down God’s unre- lenting Justice, whereas original Sin moved his Pity and Compafiion. Thus, we fee, the of- fending Angels, whole Sin was entirely their own, and sprang up and terminated in them- selves, who had no fmflil Parents to derive it from, or unhappy Offspring to transmit it to, pcrifh’d without Alercy when Adam who was to entail his Sin upon his Children, and they, vho were to become Sinners thus by unavoid- able Misfortune, had a Redeemer provided for them, and He no less than the Second Person in :he Ever-bleffed Trinity, ’ 4. I n

Thirty-Nine Articles. 16^

4. In the fourth and last Place, ‘tis objeacd, '''Vt That if the Sin of the first Man was to involve -’ all his Pofterity in Guilt, and that Sin certainly forefeen, it was not confiilent with the Good- ness of God to make a Creature upon such Termsu

Nay, but, O Man ! who art thou that re- plieft again to God ? Shall the Thing formed fay to him that formed it, why haft thou made me fo ? Hath not the Potter Power over the Clay ? I am sure we have but one Rule by which to judge of what is fit for God to do, and that is by what he hath done. But these bold Exalters of human Reason, as they fet Bounds to the Perfections of their Maker, fo they will measure his Adions also by it. To make a Creature, by whose fmgle Crime fo numerous a Progeny should be ruined, and that Crime cer- tainly forefeen, is, with them, no less than In- justice and Cruelty. If it be fo, fay they. Mil- lions of Millions are called up out of Nothings (the Abode of unreasonable Security) only to be thrown headlong into Misery by arbitrary Omnipotence. But there is not more Impiety than Falfhood in this pompous Objedion ; for it fuppofes the Sin of Man inevitable, and his Doom irreversible. ‘Tis true, indeed, Adamh. Fall, by God’s permiffive Decree, was certain in the Event, but with refped: to that Ability which God hath given him to stand, not una- voidable. He fell by a free kd: of his own Will, which was forefeen, but not caus’d by God ; and his Doom was fo far from being irre-^. verfible, that he was immediately rescued fi’om i^ by a most amiazing Ad of Mercy. A new Covenant is made with him, agreeable to the

R 4 present

[…]

Article IX. preftnt Frailty of his Nature: The Son of God Kj^n^ himielf takes his Fleih, that in it he may un- dergo his Penalty by dying for him ; and in his Life of Sorrow upon Earth, performed the whole Law, that Man, who had loll his own Righteous- ness, might now be cloathcd w-th his. An un- finnlng Obedience is no longer rigorously exaded, but an imperfect, if fnicere and entire, is ac- cepted : And in this weak and tottering Con- dition of Man, if he should fall even from that, he hath not only leave to rife again by Repen- tance, but the aHifcing Hand of God alio to help him up. Now^ where is there any In- iuftice or Cruelty in the Maker, or the least Hardfiiip upon the Creature ? Doth not Man’s Happiness or Misery, by the Grace of God, flill depend upon his own Choice ? And can any Christian pretend Ignorance of it ? Is not the Fliftory of our R-edemption tranfinitted down to us in the fame Page with that of our Fall ? And if these daring Objedors, in the End, find only the severe Justice of God fall to their Lot, is it not because, to clamour at that, they vifiblv shut their Eye5 against his Mercy ?

Article

Tbirty-Nhie Articles.

Notes

• Adver. Hay. Lib. IV. C. XXXIX.
• Tefiim. ad ^irintm. Lib. IIL C. LIV,
• See Nowelli Catech. p. 55-. PrUeaux Fafc. Controv. cap. g . q. 5*. Jewel’s Defen. ApoL Part 11. cap, 11, Div. 5. held of the Church, Book III. cap. 26.