On the Imputation of Adam's First Sin · §132

Cap. XI: Mediate imputation owned; Origen witnesses used against Garissoles

Do we agree with those heretics? On the contrary, we contradict them. We believe and teach that some just imputation of another's sin is possible, and we admit the imputation of Adam's first sin as consequent or mediate. Their heresy did not sit in that opinion, but in the absurd dogma they tried to prove from it. So the two witnesses Garissoles cites — Origen's eighth homily on Exodus, and Jerome on Ezekiel 18:1–2 — he cites against himself. When Origen had offered the words Garissoles quotes — how the fathers' sins are said to be visited on the children to the third and fourth generation, a saying heretics use to taunt us as unworthy of a good God who punishes one for another's sins — does Origen answer as Garissoles would, that this is not unjust at all? No. Thinking it unjust and unfit for God, he fled to metaphor: the 'parents' are the Devil and his angels; the first generation, those the Devil seduces directly; the second, those next seduced by them; the third and fourth, those they recruit as partners or servants of sin. Those human sons of the devil are seized and punished in this age so they may be saved; the demons who are their parents have their punishment deferred to the age to come.

Latin

Nos-ne idem cum illis haereticis sentimus? Imo eis contradicimus. Aliquam enim esse posse justam alieni peccati imputationem credimus, & docemus; ipsiusque primi Adae peccati imputationem admittimus consequentem seu mediatam. Adde quod non in ea sententia, sed in dogmate, quod inde probare satagebant, absurdissimo eorum sita erat haeresis. Itaque quos duos testes laudat D. G. Origenem hom. 8. in Exod. & Hieronymum Comm. in Ezech. xviii. 1. 2. eos ambos laudat contra se. Cum enim Origenes protulisset illa verba, quae D. G. recitat — Videamus quomodo reddi dicantur peccata patrum in filios in tertiam & quartam generationem. In hoc enim sermone solent nos haeretici suggillare, quod non sit boni Dei sermo, qui pro peccatis alterius alterum plecti dicat — Respondet-ne, id quod D. G. respondisset, hoc minime esse injustum? Imo cum injustum id putaret, minimeque Deum decere, confugit ad sensum metaphoricum, & per parentes intelligi voluit Diabolum & angelos eius, per filios ac primam generationem eos quos Diabolus immediate seducit, per secundam eos qui ab his proxime seducuntur, per tertiam & quartam eos quos hi vel socios, vel administros peccati sibi adjungunt. Hos autem homines filios diaboli corripi & puniri in hoc saeculo, ut serventur: diabolorum vero, qui sunt eorum parentes, supplicium differri in futurum saeculum.

About this text

New English, free to read. Open any section below.

English follows the locked 1661 Saumur Latin of Capita I–XIV partial through Man. Post. 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.