Fathers

On the Imputation of Adam's First Sin · §19

Cap. VI: Maresius args I–II — reatus and death; Christ-analogy pressed

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I. That that fault is judged to be imputed to those who are subject to its guilt and penalty is most certain. But that all Adam's posterity are subjected to the guilt and penalty of the fault which Adam committed, all Scripture cries out, and especially Romans 5:12, 1 Corinthians 15:21–22. I distinguish: it cries that they are subjected by a subjection which precedes hereditary vice by order of nature — I deny; by a subjection which follows that vice — I grant, and I praise as witness D. Garissoles himself, chapter 8, section 3, page 206.

II. He adds, Nor can it happen that Adam's transgression is not imputed to those who incur the penalty, namely death, divinely denounced upon that transgression. For as our sins are well said to be imputed to Christ, because he sustained the penalty due to them, and his righteousness is rightly judged to be imputed to us, because we obtain his merit and eternal reward, so Adam's sin is to be said to be imputed to those who sustain its guilt and penalty. I answer: it indeed cannot happen that Adam's transgression is not imputed to those who incur the penalty denounced upon that transgression, but the question remains entire, whether they incur it immediately, and by order of Nature before they are corrupted, or only consequently and through that corruption? The former I deny, and D. Maresius does not prove it; the latter I affirm. As to what concerns Christ, our sins were imputed to him, not as to an author, but as to the most innocent surety of sinners: and therefore he could not be called a sinner. But to us Adam's sin is imputed, not as to his sureties, but as to his authors, and truly sinners. And so those imputations stand far apart. Add that our sins were not imputed to Christ by antecedent imputation, but only by one consequent upon his consent, without which they could not have been imputed to him. Likewise there is a great difference between the imputation of Christ's righteousness and that of Adam's sin. For the former is imputed to us from grace, the latter from justice: and yet the imputation of righteousness itself is not immediate or antecedent, but follows our consent and faith, without which it would be none. There is only a memorable difference. For faith is not righteousness, nor does it merit eternal life, since hereditary vice is truly a sin sufficient for damning the human race. Namely, as I said, the imputation of righteousness is from grace, of sin from desert.

Latin

I. Eam culpam censeri illis imputari, qui eius reatui et poenae subiaceant, est certissimum. Omnes autem Adami posteros subjici reatui et poenae culpae, quam Adam commisit, tota clamat Scriptura, ac praesertim Rom. v. 12. 1. Cor. xv. 21. 22. Distinguo: clamat subiici subiectione, quae antecedat ordine naturae vitium haereditarium, Nego; subiectione, quae sequatur illud vitium, Concedo, testemque laudo ipsum D. Gariss. cap. 8. §. 3. p. 206. II. Addit, Nec potest fieri, quin illis imputetur Adami transgressio, qui incurrunt poenam, mortem scilicet, illi transgressioni divinitus denunciatam. Nam ut bene dicuntur imputata Christo nostra peccata, quod poenam illis debitam sustinuerit, et recte nobis imputari censetur eius iustitia, quod eius meritum et praemium aeternum consequamur, ita Adami peccatum iis imputari dicendum, qui eius reatum et poenam sustinent. Respondeo, fieri quidem non posse, quin illis imputetur Adami transgressio, qui incurrunt poenam illi transgressioni denunciatam, sed manet integra quaestio, utrum eam immediate, ac ordine Naturae priusquam corrumpantur, incurrant, an vero tantum consequenter et mediante illa corruptione? Prius nego, nec probat D. Maresius, posterius affirmo. Ad Christum quod spectat, imputata sunt illi peccata nostra, non tanquam autori, sed tanquam innocentissimo peccatorum vadi: itaque propterea peccator dici non potuit. Nobis autem peccatum Adami imputatur, non tanquam illius vadibus, sed tanquam illius autoribus, ac vere peccatoribus. Itaque plurimum distant illae imputationes. Adde quod non sunt imputata peccata nostra Christo, imputatione antecedente, sed consequente tantum eius consensum, sine quo non potuissent ei imputari. Similiter discrimen magnum est inter iustitiae Christi et peccati Adamici imputationem. Illa enim ex gratia, hoc ex iustitia nobis imputatur: et tamen ipsa iustitiae imputatio non est immediata seu antecedens, sed consensum nostrum et fidem consequitur, absque quo nulla esset. Tantummodo est memorabilis differentia. Nam fides non est iustitia, nec meretur vitam aeternam, cum vitium haereditarium sit vere peccatum generi humano damnando sufficiens. Nimirum, ut dixi, imputatio iustitiae est ex gratia, peccati ex merito.

About this text

Josue de la Place (Placeus) — Capita I–XIV partial of De imputatione primi peccati Adami from the 1661 Saumur Latin, through Man. Post. Caput X (GAR.1–3 Rom. 5.13 tip) / before PLAC on reatus-only. Honest partial; Cap. X Rom. 5:14+ / ~494 pp Disputatio remain.

English follows the locked 1661 Saumur Latin of Capita I–XIV partial through Man. Post. Caput IX (eph-ho / eph-ho pantes) before eph-ho / eph-ho pantes, reconstructed from IA PDF page images with Vision OCR and pdftotext as check. No modern English was copied. Cap. IX deepen+ remain.

Catalogue & scope

IA deimputationepri00lapl. Densify: Capita I–XII + Caput XIV + Man. Post. Cap. II–VI through Cap. X Rom. 5:14 tip. Not whole Disputatio; Cap. X Rom. 5:14+ / ~494 pp Disputatio remain.

Witnesses

This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Latin on each section (or the Latin source witness link) for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.