On the Imputation of Adam's First Sin · §285

Man. Post. Cap. VI: PLAC — Lavater vs imputation-only; Reformed prejudice

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The same, I confess, can be said of that immediate imputation in which the cause of original corruption is sought, if indeed it cannot be gathered from the sacred letters. For that too is an inward act of the divine mind and will. In vain he loads me with prejudices; in vain he stirs up the minds of theologians against me: for I do not accuse them, but brotherly warn them to beware this reef for themselves. For it is human to err, but to persist in error when warned is very shameful and dangerous. And I marvel that Reformed theologians use against their own brothers such prejudices as once, and in this time, have more than anything hindered the knowing of the truth. For not what this man or that taught is the rule of our faith, but only that which our one Teacher taught through His Apostles and Prophets. But that imputation neither Scripture, nor most of the older theologians, nor certain more recent ones of fair name taught: and some the learned man himself praises against himself. Let Ludovicus Lavater, the distinguished Zurich theologian, be an example (for to have brought one example will suffice in this place), whose these words from the Commentary on 2 Chronicles 25 he cites at Cap. XVIII, page 629: Let each pay the penalties of his own crimes. God is not bound by this law. For He justly punishes in all men the sin of the first parents, which by the vice of origin is each one's own. What can more oppose the doctrine of the learned man, who everywhere affirms that the sin of the first parents becomes ours only by imputation?

Latin

Idem, fateor, de immediata illa imputatione, in qua causa quaeritur originalis corruptionis, dici potest, si quidem ex sacris literis colligi nequit. Est enim ipsa quoque internus divinae mentis & voluntatis actus. Frustra me praejudiciis gravat; frustra Theologorum in me animos irritat: neque enim eos accuso, sed fraterne moneo, ut caveant sibi ab hoc scopulo. Humanum enim est errare, sed monitum in errore perseverare, turpe admodum, & periculosum est. Miror autem Theologos Reformatos talibus uti adversus fratres suos praejudiciis, quibus olim, & hoc tempore nihil veritati cognoscendae magis obstitit. Non enim quod hic, aut ille docuit, regula est fidei nostrae, sed id tantum, quod unicus noster doctor per suos Apostolos & Prophetas docuit. Illam autem imputationem neque Scriptura, neque plerique veteres Theologi, neque recentiores quidam agni nominis docuerunt: Et quosdam ipse contra se Vir doctus laudat. Exemplo sit Ludovicus Lavaterus insignis Theologus Tigurinus (unum enim attulisse exemplum sufficiet hoc loco) cujus haec verba ex Comm. in 2. Paralip. 25. citat cap. XVIII. pag. 629. Quisque scelerum suorum poenas luat. Hac lege Deus non obstringitur. Juste enim punit in omnibus hominibus peccatum primorum parentum, quod vitio originis sit cuique proprium. Quid potest magis opponi doctrinae Viri docti, passim affirmantis, peccatum primorum parentum nonnisi imputatione fieri nostrum?

About this text

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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.