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Your second charge of blaspemy is, that my reason does by implication involve Christ in the guilt of sinne; because whatsoever is essentiall he had; but 〈◊〉〈◊〉, If you remem∣ber that I say not, that sinne is 〈◊〉〈◊〉; and that I bring the reverse of this very
argument against your party and opinion in some of my late discourses, you have reason to shake the fire out of your own 〈◊〉〈◊〉, not to tell me, that I burne; for is inclination to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 be a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 naturally and derived from our Parents; I 〈◊〉〈◊〉 whether or no 〈◊〉〈◊〉 not Christ all naturall desires? if he had not, he was not a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 man; If he had 〈◊〉〈◊〉 all 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 are not naturall 〈◊〉〈◊〉; sor is you say they be, you are the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 by the consequence of your 〈◊〉〈◊〉, not I; but God sorbid that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of us should.
First, here is no 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of my argument; for none of my party or opinion hold, that inclination unto 〈◊〉〈◊〉 is essentiall unto man: Flaccius 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉, that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sinne was the 〈◊〉〈◊〉, or substance of the soule; but I ne∣ver heard that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sollowers were considerable; he hath (I am sure) both Pa∣pists and Protestants; 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and Lutherans for 〈◊〉〈◊〉 opponents: but, perhaps you confound naturall with 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and make them all one; if you doe, your reason will be 〈◊〉〈◊〉, but 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
2. I believe, you here play with the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of the word naturall, a thing (though it may be tollerated in a Sophister,) altogether unworthy of a 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
Inclination to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 may be said to be naturall, either 〈◊〉〈◊〉, or 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
That inclination to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 is naturall 〈◊〉〈◊〉 (that it flowes, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Physically, and necessarily from our nature,) I slatly deny: and if you can direct me unto any place in your bookes, where you prove it to be naturall in this sense, I shall take it into 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Indeed to say, that it is in this sense naturall, is to throw a reproach upon God the Author of nature.
But it is naturall 〈◊〉〈◊〉; together with our nature derived unto us from our first Parents; and yet not in Christ, who had not his nature from Adam in an ordinary way of Generation, but was miraculously conceived by the holy Ghost, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in the wombe of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Mary.
This inclination unto evill is a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 blemish of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 nature; because it is a cause of sinne, & qualis causa 〈◊〉〈◊〉 est effectus. A good tree, saith our Saviour, cannot bring forth evill fruit, Matth. 7. 18. This inclination to evill bringeth forth much 〈◊〉〈◊〉 fruit, and therefore it cannot be good; and consequently it is bad, and sinfull; and therefore could not be in Christ; (who even as man) was the most holy one of God. Indeed if Christ had wanted any propriety of man's nature, he had not then been a perfect man, but, that inclination to evill is a propriety of our nature, sc: proprium 4 to modo you are never able to make good.
But, Sir, in good earnest, doe you thinke that Christ was inclined unto evill? if you doe not, your 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of Christ is impertinent; if you doe, I shall con∣clude your opinion to be blasphemous; and unto it shall oppose this following ar∣gument.
He in whom dwelled an all-fullnesse of the Godhead bodily; he in whom dwelled an all-fullnesse of habituall grace; he who enjoyed the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 vision, was not, could not be inclined unto evill.
But, in Christ dwelled an all-〈◊〉〈◊〉 of the Godhead 〈◊〉〈◊〉; in him also dwel∣led an all-〈◊〉〈◊〉 of habituall, and sanctifying grace; he enjoyed the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 vision
Therefore he was not, could not be inclined unto evill.
The Minor will not be denied by any Orthodox Divine, and we may say the same of the Major, for, he that shall thinke that the grace of personall union, the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of habituall grace, and the beatificall vision are not sufficient to exclude from Christ all inclination untoevil wil render both 〈◊〉〈◊〉 learning & religion too suspected.
But, to put the matter out of doubt, take this following argument for confirmation of the Major: there could not be the least inclination unto evill in that person, in whom there was an utter aversenesse from evil in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉; (for of contraries, that which is in a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 degree is not consistent with the other in the highest and most intense degree) but, in that person, in whom there was an 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of the Godhead, on all-fullnesse of habituall grace, and the beatificall vision, there was an utter aversnesse from evill, and that in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉; and therefore impossible that there should be in him an inclination to evill in the least degree.
The Papists extenuate the malignancy of concupiscence as much as may be, af∣firming that in the regenerate it is no sinne, and that it had been 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Adam if he had been created in his pure naturalls; yet, they thinke not so well of it, as to as∣cribe it unto Christ.
Indeed 〈◊〉〈◊〉 is accused for speaking somewhat suspiciously this way; but he is contradicted by the generality of the Schoolemen; * 1.1 who hold that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉, concupiscence was neither 〈◊〉〈◊〉 primo, nor 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in Christ.
1. Not in actu primo, and for this they alledge three reasons.
2. Not in actu secundo, because in him, the very first motions unto sinne would have been voluntary, and consequently sinfull.
Unto this purpose 〈◊〉〈◊〉, (〈◊〉〈◊〉: 〈◊〉〈◊〉: Scholast: Tom: 5. cap. 12. 〈◊〉〈◊〉: 5. pag: 200.) observeth; that the first motions of concupiscence may be said to be voluntary two manner of wayes.
〈◊〉〈◊〉 in 3 am 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Thom: disp. 34. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 2. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Valentia. Tom. 4. dist. 1 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 3.