ARTICLE IX. Of Original or Birth sin. Original sin standeth not in the following of Adam, (as the Pelagians do vainly talk ;) but it is the fault and corruption of the nature of every man, that naturally is engendered of the offspring of Adam; whereby man is very far gone from original righteousness, and is of his own nature inclined to evil, so that the flesh lusteth always contrary to the Spirit; and therefore in every person born into this world, it deserveth God's wrath and damnation. And this infection of nature doth remain, yea, in them that are regenerated; whereby the lust of the flesh, called in Greek pórnua oaρkos, which some do expound the wisdom, some sensuality, some the affection, some the desire, of the flesh, is not subject to the law of God. And, although there is no condemnation for them that believe and are baptized, yet the Apostle doth confess, that concupiscence and lust hath of itself the nature of sin. De peccato originali. Peccatum originis non est (ut fabulantur Pelagiani) in imitatione Adami situm, sed est vitium, et depravatio naturæ, cujuslibet hominis ex Adamo naturaliter propagati : qua fit, ut ab originali justitia quam longissime distet, ad malum sua natura propendeat, et caro semper adversus spiritum concupiscat, unde in unoquoque nascentium, iram Dei atque damnationem meretur. Manet etiam in renatis hæc naturæ depravatio. Qua fit, ut affectus carnis, Græce pórnμa σapkòs, (quod alii sapientiam, alii sensum, alii affectum, alii studium carnis interpretantur,) legi Dei non subjiciatur. Et quanquam renatis et credentibus nulla propter Christum est condemnatio, peccati tamen in sese rationem habere concupiscentiam, fatetur Apostolus. NOTES ON THE TEXT OF ARTICLE IX. The Latin text in this Article calls for particular notice. It is a link of connection with the scholastic phraseology of the Middle Ages, which must to some extent be understood by all who desire to appreciate the doctrinal position assumed by our Reformers. For they had been trained in the language, and now stood opposed to the system of the schoolmen. The following Latin and English equivalents may be especially noted : 1. In imitatione Adami=‘In the following of Adam.' 2. Vitium et depravatio naturæ ='The fault and corruption of the nature.' 3. Quam longissime distet 'Very far gone.' 4. In Unoquoque nascentium = 'Every person born.' [Obs.: nascentium not natorum. This accurately implies at, not after, their birth.] 6. Naturæ depravatio = Infection of nature.' 7. Affectus carnis='The lust of the flesh.' 8. Renatis et credentibus ='For them that believe and are baptized.' [Obs.: though renatis is here used as an equivalent for baptized, it does not seem to imply full spiritual birth, because it is qualified by the word believe. All who have that true birth of the Spirit do believe. Faith is the element in which they live.] 9. Peccati rationem ='Nature of sin.' N.B. Peccatum originale and Peccatum originis are equivalent expressions. This Article has only some slight and verbal differences from the Eighth of 1552. The latter, however, added to the assertion about the Pelagians these words, 'which also the Anabaptists do now-a-days renew.' The notice of the Anabaptists under Article VII. will sufficiently illustrate this. The Article is said by Bishop Browne and Archdeacon Hardwick to have been derived from the Augsburg Confession. This assertion can scarcely be maintained in any very exact sense, on a close inspection of the text of the two docu |