Milton

¶1Hactenus de peccato. Miseria sive pœna peccatum subsecuta est mors. Gen. ii. 17. quo die comederis, moriturus es. Rom. v. 12. per peccatum mors. et vi. 23. stipendium peccati mors. et vii. 7. effectus peccatorum ad fructum ferendum morti.

¶2Mala autem omnia, et quicquid ducere ad interitum videtur, sub mortis nomine summatim scriptura complectitur: mors enim corporalis, quæ dicitur, Adami peccatum non est eo die secuta, prout minatus est Deus.

¶3Quatuor itaque mortis gradus haud incommode statuuntur. Primus, ut supra dixi, sunt MALA OMNIA QUÆ AD MORTEM VERGUNT, QUÆQUE AB IPSO STATIM LAPSU IMMIGRASSE IN MUNDUM CONSTAT; quorum præcipua sub oculis ponemus. Primum est reatus; quæ quamquam imputatio Dei est, in nobis tamen velut inchoata mors seu mortis quoddam exordium est, quo quasi nexu quodam ad judicium et pœnam obstringimur. Gen. iii. 7. tunc aperuerunt se oculi amborum, noveruntque se nudos esse. Levit. v. 2, &c. etsi abditum fuit ab eo, ipse tamen immundus est et reus. Rom. iii. 19. totus mundus obnoxius est condemnationi Dei. Reatum itaque terrores conscientiæ aut comitantur aut sequuntur. Gen. iii. 8. audiverunt vocem Dei, et abscondit se Adam—. qui dixit, extimui. Rom. viii. 15. spiritum servitutis ad metum. Heb. ii. 15. quot metu mortis per omnem vitam damnatos erant servitutis. et x. 27. horrenda expectatio judicii. Et divini præsidii favorisque discessus: unde et majestas oris humani imminuta, animique turpis demissio secuta est. Gen. iii. 7. p. 189 noverunt se nudos esse. Totus exinde homo pollutus redditur. Tit. i. 15. polluta est eorum et mens et conscientia: ex quo pudor. Gen. iii. 7. consutis foliis, fecerunt sibi subligacula. Rom. vi. 21. de quibus nunc erubescitis, nam finis illorum mors.

¶4Secundus mortis gradus vocatur MORS SPIRITUALIS, privatio nimirum gratiæ divinæ et justitiæ insitæ, qua homo in principio vivebat Deo. Eph. ii. 1. quum essetis mortui in lapsibus et peccatis. et iv. 18. alienati a vita Dei. Col. ii. 13. mortuos in offensis. Apoc. iii. 1. quod dicaris vivere, sed mortuus sis. Et hæc quidem mors lapsum hominis eodem momento, nedum eodem die consecuta est: qua qui liberantur, regenerari dicuntur et renasci et denuo creari; quod non opus unius Dei est; ut infra de regeneratione dicetur.

¶5Posita est autem hæc mors primum in privatione vel saltem magna obscuratione rectæ rationis ad summum bonum percipiendum, quæ vitæ instar intellectui erat. Eph. iv. 18. tenebris obscuratam mentem habentes, et alienati a vita Dei propter ignorantiam quæ est in ipsis. et v. 8. eratis olim tenebræ. Joan. i. 5. tenebræ eum non comprehenderunt. Jer. vi. 10. non possunt attendere. Joan. viii. 43. non potestis—. 1 Cor. ii. 14. animalis homo non est capax eorum quæ sunt Spiritus Dei. et 2 Cor. iii. 5. non quod idonei sumus per nos ipsos ad cogitandum quidquam. et iv. 4. Deus hujus sæculi excæcavit mentes eorum. Col. i. 13. eripuit nos e potestate tenebrarum. Secundo, in illa extinctione justitiæ ac libertatis ad bene agendum, et servitute sub peccato et diabolo, quæ voluntatis quasi mors est. Joan. viii. 34. quisquis committit peccatum, servus est peccati. Nos omnes in Adamo commisimus: servi igitur nati. Rom. vii. 14. venditus ut subjicerer peccato. et viii. 3. cum viribus esset destituta in carne. et v. 7. legi Dei non subjicitur; nam ne potest quidem. Rom. vi. 16, 17. ejus servi estis cui auscultatis, sive peccati ad mortem, sive—. Philipp. iii. 19. quorum Deus est venter. Act. xxvi. 18. a potestate Satanæ. 2 Tim. ii. 26. ex diaboli laqueo, ab eo captivi facti ad ipsius libitum. Eph. ii. 2. spiritu nunc agente in hominibus contumacibus. Ipsum denique peccatum sui pœna, morsque vitæ spiritualis est, cum peccata præsertim peccatis cumup. 190lantur. Rom. i. 26. propterea tradidit eos fœdis affectibus; cujus rei rationes obscuræ non sunt: peccata enim, quo plura accedunt, eo magis peccatores morti addicunt, et miseros faciunt, eoque semper viliores reddunt, divinoque auxilio et gratia suaque primæva gloria magis denudant. Certe nemini dubium esse debet, quin peccatum per se solum sit malorum omnium gravissimum, utpote summo bono, id est, Deo, contrarium; cum pœna bono tantum creaturæ, neque id semper, adversari videatur.

¶6Veruntamen restare adhuc aliquas imaginis divinæ in nobis reliquias, quæ hac spirituali morte non penitus extinguuntur, negari non potest: cum id ex quamplurimis ethnicorum sancte sapienterque tum dictis tum factis clare perspiciatur: tum Gen. ix. 2. timor vestri inesto omnibus bestiis. et v. 6. qui effundit sanguinem hominis—; quia ad imaginem suam hominem fecit Deus. In intellectu. Psal. xix. 2. cœli enarrant—: profecto non plane surdis. Rom. i. 19, 20. id quod de Deo cognosci potest—; ipsius invisibilia jam inde a condito mundo pervidentur. et v. 32. Dei jure agnito. et cap: ii. 15. ut qui ostendunt opus legis scriptum in cordibus suis. et vii. 23, 24. video aliam legem in membris meis belligerantem adversus legem mentis meæ—: ærumnosus homo! quis me eripiet ex isto corpore mortis? In voluntate libertas non est penitus extincta: 1m. in rebus adiaphoris, sive naturales eæ sint sive civiles. 1 Cor. vii. 36, 37, 39. quod vult faciat. potestatem habet quod ad suam voluntatem. libera est ut cui volet nubat. Deinde etiam in bonis operibus vel saltem conatibus plane nulla non est; post gratiam saltem vocantis Dei; sed ita exigua et minimi momenti, ut excusationem nihil plane agendi nobis tantummodo adimat, gloriandi ne minimam quidem materiam afferat. Deut. xxx. 19. et eligito vitam, ut vivas tu cum semine tuo. Psal. lxxviii. 8. generatio quæ non comparavit animum suum. Jer. vii. 13, 14, 15, 16. quia dum alloquor vos inde a diluculo non auditis, et inclamanti vos, non respondetis, ideo—: cur autem, si stipites tantum allocutus est? et xxxi. 18. converte ad me, et convertar. Zech. i. 3. revertimini ad me, et revertar ad vos. Marc. ix. 23, 24. si potes hoc credere—. pater vero pueri statim clamans cum lachrymis dixit, credo Domine, succurre incredulitati meæ. Rom. ii. 14. nam quum gentes quæ legem non habent, natura quæ legis sunt faciunt. et vi. 16. an nescitis quod p. 191cui sistitis vos servos ad auscultandum, ejus servi estis cui auscultatis, sive peccati ad mortem, sive obedientiæ ad justitiam? et vii. 18. velle mihi adest—. et v. 21. volenti mihi facere bonum: immo hæc Paulus, si post gratiam vocantis Dei, at certe non regenerantis, in persona hominis nondum plane regeniti videtur loqui, ex v. 14. carnalis sum, venditus ut subjicerer peccato. Quæ autem dicuntur v. 25. gratias ago Deo per Jesum Christum—, possunt ab eo qui duntaxat vocatus est hæc et similia dici ac fieri. cap. ix. 31. consectando legem justitiæ ad legem justitiæ non pervenisse. et x. 2. eos zelum Dei habere, sed non ex notitia. 1 Cor. ix. 17. si volens hoc faciam, mercedem habeo; sin invitus—. Philipp. iii. 6. quod ad æmulationem attinet, persequens ecclesiam; quod ad justitiam quæ est in lege, irreprehensibilis. 1 Pet. v. 2. pascite Dei gregem— non coacte, sed libenter. Unde omnes pene mortales studium quoddam virtutis præ se ferunt, et a quibusdam atrocioribus flagitiis abhorrent. 1 Cor. v. 1. ejusmodi scortatio, quæ ne inter gentes quidem nominatur.

¶7Sane ad asserendam justitiam Dei, præsertim vocantis, multo convenientius est, ut aliquid liberi arbitrii vel ex primo statu residuum, vel gratiæ vocantis restitutum, concedatur homini in operibus vel saltem conatibus bonis potius, quam in adiaphoris. Si enim actiones omnes humanas cum naturales tum civiles Deus nutu suo regit, nihil non pro suo jure facere videtur, nemo obstrepit: sin voluntatem hominis ad morale bonum vel malum quo vult flectit, bonos deinde præmio, malos pœna afficit, adversus divinam justitiam hinc omnis expostulatio oritur: videtur ergo generalis illa rerum omnium divina gubernatio passim prædicata, in naturalibus, civilibus, adiaphoris, fortuitis, in quibusvis denique rebus versari potius quam in moralibus aut religiosis debere intelligi: quod et multa scripturæ loca confirmant. 2 Chron. xv. 12, 14. iniveruntque fœdus de requirendo Jehova Deo majorum suorum ex toto corde suo, et ex toto animo suo. et jurarunt Jehovæ. Psal. cxix. 106. juravi quod præstabo, me observaturum jura justitiæ tuæ. Sane si religiosa etiam penes nos non essent, et in nostra quodammodo potestate atque arbitrio, nec Deus jure nobiscum fœdus inire, nec nos præstare, nedum jurare id præstaturos potuissemus.

¶1Thus far of Sin. After sin came death, as the calamity or punishment consequent upon it. Gen. ii. 17. in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. Rom. v. 12. death entered by sin. vi. 23. the wages of sin is death. vii. 5. the motions of sins did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.

¶2Under the head of death, in Scripture, all evils whatever,⁷ together with every thing which in its consequences tends to death, must be understood as comprehended; for mere bodily death, as it is called, did not follow the sin of Adam on the self-same day, as God had threatened.⁸

¶3Hence divines, not inappropriately, reckon up four several degrees of death. The first, as before said, comprehends ALL THOSE EVILS WHICH LEAD TO DEATH, AND WHICH IT IS AGREED CAME INTO THE WORLD IMMEDIATELY UPON THE FALL OF MAN, the most important of which p. 273 I proceed to enumerate. In the first place, guiltiness; which, though in its primary sense it is an imputation made by God to us, yet is it also, as it were, a commencement or prelude of death dwelling in us, by which we are held as by a bond, and rendered subject to condemnation and punishment. Gen. iii. 7. the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. Lev. v. 2, &c. if it shall be hidden from him, he also shall be unclean and guilty. Rom. iii. 19. that all the world may become guilty before God. Guiltiness, accordingly, is accompanied or followed by terrors of conscience. Gen. iii. 8. they heard the voice of God ...... and Adam and his wife hid themselves ...... and he said, I was afraid. Rom. viii. 15. ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear. Heb. ii. 15. who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. x. 27. a certain fearful looking for of judgement. It is attended likewise with the sensible forfeiture of the divine protection and favour; whence results a diminution of the majesty of the human countenance, and a conscious degradation of mind. Gen. iii. 7. they knew that they were naked. Hence the whole man becomes polluted: Tit. i. 15. even their mind and conscience is defiled: whence arises shame:⁹ Gen. iii. 7. they sewed fig-leaves together, and made themselves aprons. Rom. vi. 21. what fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.

¶4The second degree of death is called SPIRITUAL DEATH; by which is meant the loss of divine grace, and of that innate righteousness, wherein man in the beginning lived unto God. Eph. ii. 1. who were dead in trespasses and sins. iv. 18. alienated from the life of God. Col. ii. 13. dead in your sins. Rev. iii. 1. thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. And this death took place not only on the very day, but at the very moment of the fall. They who are delivered from it are p. 274 said to be regenerated, to be born again, and to be created afresh; which is the work of God alone, as will be shown in the chapter on Regeneration.

¶5This death consists, first, in the loss, or at least in the obscuration to a great extent of that right reason which enabled man to discern the chief good, and which was as it were the life of the understanding. Eph. iv. 18. having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them. v. 8. ye were sometime darkness. John i. 5. the darkness comprehended it not. Jer. vi. 10. they cannot hearken. John viii. 43. ye cannot hear my word. 1 Cor. ii. 14. the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God. 2 Cor. iii. 5. not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to think anything as of ourselves. iv. 4. the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not. Col. i. 13. who hath delivered us from the power of darkness. It consists, secondly, in that deprivation of righteousness and of liberty to do good, and in that slavish subjection to sin and the devil, which constitutes, as it were, the death of the will. John viii. 34. whosoever committeth sin, is the servant of sin. All have committed sin in Adam; therefore all are born servants of sin. Rom. vii. 14. sold under sin. viii. 3. what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh. v. 7. it is not subject unto the law of God, neither indeed can be. vi. 16, 17. his servants ye are to whom ye obey, whether of sin unto death, &c. Philipp. iii. 19. whose god is their belly. Acts xxvi. 18. from the power of Satan. 2 Tim. ii. 26. out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will. Eph. ii. 2. the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience. Lastly, sin is its own punishment, and produces, in its natural consequences, the death of the spiritual life; more especially gross and habitual sin. Rom. i. 26. for this cause God gave them up unto vile affections. The reason of this is evident; for in proportion to the increasing amount of his sins, the sinner becomes more liable to death, more miserable, more vile, more destitute of the divine assistance and grace, and farther removed from his primitive glory. It ought not to be doubted that sin in itself alone is the heaviest of p. 275 all evils, as being contrary to the chief good, that is, to God; whereas punishment seems to be at variance only with the good of the creature, and not always with that.

¶6It cannot be denied, however, that some remnants of the divine image still exist in us, not wholly extinguished by this spiritual death.¹ This is evident, not only from the wisdom and holiness of many of the heathen, manifested both in words and deeds, but also from what is said Gen. ix. 2. the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth. v. 6. whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God made he man. These vestiges of original excellence are visible, first, in the understanding. Psal. xix. 1. the heavens declare the glory of God; which could not be, if man were incapable of hearing their voice. Rom. i. 19, 20. that which may be known of God is manifest in them ......for the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen. v. 32. who knowing the judgement of God. ii. 15. which show the work of the law written in their hearts. vii. 23, 24. I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind ...... O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? Nor, secondly, is the liberty of the will entirely destroyed. First, with regard to things indifferent, whether natural or civil. 1 Cor. vii. 36, 37, 39. let him do what he will...... he hath power over his own will ...... she is at liberty to be married to whom she will. Secondly, the will is clearly not altogether inefficient in respect of good works, or at any rate of good endeavours; at least after the grace of God has called us: but its power is so small and insignificant, as merely to deprive us of all excuse for inaction, without affording any subject for boasting. Deut. xxx. 19. choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live. Psal. lxxviii. 8. a generation that set not their heart aright. Jer. vii. 13—16. because I spake unto you, rising up early, and speaking, but ye heard not; and I called you, but ye answered not; p. 276 therefore, &c. Language which would not have been applied to mere senseless stocks. xxxi. 18. turn thou me, and I shall be turned. Zech. i. 3. turn ye unto me, and I will turn unto you. Mark ix. 23, 24. if thou canst believe.... and straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief. Rom. ii. 14. when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law. vi. 16. know ye not that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? vii. 18. to will is present with me; and v. 21. when I would do good: which words appear to be spoken in the person of one not yet fully renewed, and who, if he had experienced God's grace in vocation, was still destitute of his regenerating influence. See v. 14. I am carnal, sold under sin. For as to the expression in v. 25. I thank God through Jesus Christ, this, and similar language and conduct, are not inconsistent with the character of one who is as yet only called. ix. 31. Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. x. 2. they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. 1 Cor. ix. 17. if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward, but if against my will—. Philipp. iii. 6. concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. 1 Pet. v. 2. feed the flock of God...... not by constraint, but willingly. Hence almost all mankind profess some desire of virtue, and turn with abhorrence from some of the more atrocious crimes. 1 Cor. v. 1. such fornication as is not so much as mentioned among the Gentiles.

¶7There can be no doubt that for the purpose of vindicating² the justice of God, especially in his calling of mankind, it is much better to allow to man, (whether as a remnant of his primitive state, or as restored through the operation of the grace whereby he is called) some portion of free will in respect of good works, or at least of good enp. 277deavours, rather than in respect of things which are indifferent. For if God be conceived to rule with absolute disposal all the actions of men, natural as well as civil, he appears to do nothing which is not his right, neither will any one murmur against such a procedure. But if he inclines the will of man to moral good or evil, according to his own pleasure, and then rewards the good, and punishes the wicked, the course of equity seems to be disturbed; and it is entirely on this supposition that the outcry against the divine justice is founded. It would appear, therefore, that God's general government of the universe, to which such frequent allusion is made, should be understood as relating to natural and civil concerns, to things indifferent and fortuitous, in a word, to anything rather than to matters of morality and religion. And this is confirmed by many passages of Scripture. 2 Chron. xv. 12, 14. they entered into a covenant to seek Jehovah the God of their fathers with all their heart, and with all their soul: and they sware unto Jehovah. Psal. cxix. 106. I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgements. For if our personal religion were not in some degree dependent on ourselves, and in our own power, God could not properly enter into a covenant with us; neither could we perform, much less swear to perform, the conditions of that covenant.