The Institution of Christian Religion

Neither for the understanding thereof is any curious disputation §7needful, which not a little cumbered the old writers, whether the soul of the son do proceed by derivation from the soul of the father, because in it the infection principally resteth. We must be con tent with this, that such gifts as it pleased the Lord to have bestowed upon the nature of man, he left them with Adam, and therefore when Adam lost them after he had received them, he lost them not only from himself, but also from us all. Who shall be careful of a conveyance from soul to soul, when he shall hear that Adam received these ornaments which he lost, no less for us than for himself? that they were not given to one man alone, but assigned to the whole nature of man? Therefore it is not against reason, if he being spoiled, nature be left naked and poor: if he being infected with Sin, the infection crepeth into nature. Therefore from a rotten root arose up rotten branches, which sent their rottenness into the other twigs that sprung out of them. For so were the children corrupted in the father, that they also were infective to their children: that is to say, so was the beginning of corruption in Adam, that by continual flowing from one to an other, it is conveyed from the ancestors into the posterity. For the infection hath not her cause in the substance of the flesh or of the soul, but because it was so ordained of God, that such gifts as he had given to the first man, man should both have them, and lose them as well for him self as for his. As for this that the Pelagians do cavil, that it is not likely that the children do take corruption from godly parents, sith they ought rather to be sanctified by their cleanness, that is easily confuted. For they descend not of their spiritual regeneration, but of their car•all generation. Therefore,¹ as Augustine sayeth, whether the unbeliever be condemned as guilty, and the believer quit as innocent, they both do beget not innocents, but guilty, because they beget of the corrupted nature. Now where as they do in manner partake of the parents holiness, that is the special blessing of the people of God, which proveth not but that the first and universal curse of mankind went before. For of nature is guiltiness, and sanctification is of supernatural grace.

Neyther for the vnderstandynge thereof is any curiouse disputation