1And unto this truth the ancients have given their suffrage and testimony. Chrysostom saith; that in every sin, the soul 2first sinneth, and afterwards the flesh, and unless the soul were first overcome, the flesh could never sin. And expounding those words of the Apostle, when we were in the flesh; that is (saith he) in evil actions or in a carnal life. Neither would he say▪ that before times they were in the flesh, and that now they walked about without bodies, &c. Moreover least any man should accuse the body, he doth not say, which evil actions the members themselves have wrought and done, but which were wrought in our members, that he might show how that the first beginnings of wickedness were derived else-where, namely from our thoughts working them, and not from the members which were driven by their motion. For the soul holdeth the place of the artisan or musician & the flesh of the instrument giving that kind of sound ⟨p. 49⟩or music which the musician maketh it; and therefore it is not to be ascribed to the flesh if there be discord in the music, but rather to the soul by which •• is ruled. So writing on those words of the Apostle, that as the Gentiles did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind to do those things that are not convenient: he saith, that the Apostle hereby discovereth that our sins do not arise primarily from our bodies, as certain heretics would have it, but from the mind, to wit from the evil concupiscence, as it were from the fountain from which all evils flow. For the mind being reprobate, all other parts are so too, as the coachman being disordered which driveth the coach, all that is under his rule, must needs be disordered and out 3of frame. So Ambrose demanding, what it is to be subject unto sin, answereth, nothing else but to have the body corrupted through the sin of the soul; into which sin chooseth it self to drive man as a captive unto it, that he may do its will. And Fulgentius likewise saith, that although sin seemeth to be committed 4of a man corporally, yet it taketh it beginning from the heart; neither is any thing done outwardly, unless it be first inwardly concluded by the judgement of the mind, the trueth whereof trueth it self hath showed us, saying that out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, &c.
1And vnto this truth the ancients haue giuen their suffrage and testimony. Chrysostome saith; that in euery sinne, the soule 2first sinneth, and afterwards the flesh, and vnlesse the soule were first ouercome, the flesh could neuer sin. And expoūding those wordes of the Apostle, when we were in the flesh; that is (saith he) in euill actions or in a carnal life. Neither would he say▪ that before times they were in the flesh, and that now they walked about without bodies, &c. Moreouer least any man should accuse the body, he doth not say, which euill actions the members themselues haue wrought and done, but which were wrought in our members, that he might shewe how that the first beginnings of wickednes were deriued else-where, namely from our thoughts working them, and not from the members which were driuen by their motion. For the soule holdeth the place of the artizan or musition & the flesh of the instrument giuing that kind of sound ⟨p. 49⟩or musicke which the musition maketh it; and therefore it is not to be ascribed to the flesh if there be discord in the musicke, but rather to the soule by which •• is ruled. So writing on those words of the Apostle, that as the Gentiles did not like to retaine God in their knowledge, God gaue them ouer to a reprobate mind to doe those things that are not conuenient: he saith, that the Apostle hereby discouereth that our sinnes doe not arise primarily from our bodies, as certaine heretiques would haue it, but from the minde, to wit from the euill concupiscence, as it were from the foūtaine frō which all euils flow. For the minde being reprobate, all other parts are so too, as the coachman being disordered which driueth the coach, all that is vnder his rule, must needes be disordred and out 3of frame. So Ambrose demanding, what it is to be subiect vnto sinne, answereth, nothing else but to haue the body corrupted through the sin of the soule; into which sinne chuseth it selfe to driue man as a captiue vnto it, that he may doe its will. And Fulgentius likewise saith, that although sinne seemeth to be committed 4of a man corporally, yet it taketh it beginning from the heart; neither is any thing done outwardly, vnlesse it be first inwardly concluded by the iudgement of the minde, the trueth whereof trueth it selfe hath shewed vs, saying that out of the heart proceede euill thoughts, murthers, adulteries, &c.
- 1§. Sect. 5. That the soul is the chief actor of sin proved by testimonies.§. Sect. 5. That the soule is the cheife actor of sinne proued by testimonies.
- 2Chry. in […]. Hom 21. Chrys. in Rom. 7. Serm. 10.Chry. in 〈…〉. Hom 21. Chrys. in Rom. 7. Serm. 10.
- 3Ambros. in Rom. 7. Fulgent. de myster. mediat. ad Trusim. lib. 1.
- 4Mat. 15. 19.
