r sake, they were doomed to lead a life of toil
and sorrow, and at last to return to the earth from which they were
taken. But this was the least part of the misery into which they
fell. They lost communion with God, the chief good; they forfeited
his favor, and incurred his righteous displeasure. They became dead
in sin—obnoxious to that death which is the wages of sin, and which
had been threatened as the penalty of their disobedience. "In the
day you eat thereof," said God, "you shall surely die." This
threatening included temporal death, consisting in the dissolution
of the union between the soul and the body, spiritual death,
consisting in the loss of the favor and the image of God; and
eternal death, consisting in the everlasting separation of both soul
and body from God. The very day in which our first parents sinned,
the sentence of death, though not immediately executed in its
fullest extent, began to lay hold upon them. They became mortal, and
were exposed to the disorders of a vitiated constitution; the
principle of spiritual life was extinguished in their souls, and
they were bound over to eternal wrath; and, had not a Mediator been
provided, not only would they have returned to the dust, but they
would have been "punished with everlasting destruction from the
presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power."

SECTION 3. They being the root of all mankind, the guilt of this sin
was imputed; and the same death in sin and corrupted nature conveyed
to all their posterity, descending from them by ordinary generation.

SECTION 4. From this original corruption, whereby we are utterly
indisposed, disabled, and made opposite to all good, and wholly
inclined to all evil, do proceed all actual transgressions.

Exposition of 6.3–6.4

These sections point out the consequences of the sin of our first
parents in regard to their posterity. These consequences are
restricted to those "descending from them by ordinary generation."
This restriction is obviously introduced in order to exclude our
Lord Jesus Christ, who, as man, was one of the posterity of Adam,
but did not descend from him by ordinary generation. The genealogy
of Christ is traced up to Adam (Luke 3:38), but his human nature was
supernaturally framed in the womb of the Virgin, by the power of the
Holy Ghost.—Luke 1:35. In his birth, therefore, as well as in his
life, he was "holy, harmless, undefiled, and separated from
sinners." But the effects of Adam's first transgression extend to
all his natural posterity; and, according to our Confession, the
guilt of this sin is imputed, and a corrupt nature is conveyed, to
them. This is what is commonly called Original Sin. Though that
phrase is often restricted to the corruption of nature derived to us
from Adam, yet, in its proper latitude, it includes also the
imputation of guilt.

The doctrine of original sin was universally received by the Church
of God until the beginning of the fifth century, when it was denied
by Pelagius. He maintained "that the sins of our first parents were
imputed to them alone, and not to their posterity; that we derive no
corruption from their fall, but are born as pure and unspotted as
Adam came out of the forming hand of his Creator." This opinion was
adopted by Socinius in the sixteenth century, and is held by the
modern Socinians. The Arminians, who derive their name from
Arminius, a divine of the seventeenth century, may not speak in the
same unqualified terms of the purity of the descendants of Adam, but
they do not admit that their nature is wholly vitiated, or that they
have entirely lost their power to do good. In opposition to such
tenets our Confession teaches, that a corrupt nature is conveyed to
all the posterity of Adam; and that, by this original corruption,
"we are utterly indisposed, disabled, and made opposite to all good,
and wholly inclined to all evil."

It may be proper to remark, that it is not the doctrine of the
Scriptures nor of our standards that the corruption of nature of
which they speak is any depravation of the soul, or any essential
attribute, or the infusion of any positive evil. The Confessions of
the Reformers teach "that original righteousness, as a punishment of
Adam's sin, was lost, and by that defect the tendency to sin, or
corrupt disposition, or corruption of nature, is occasioned. Though
they speak of original sin as being, first, negative; that is, the
loss of righteousness—and, secondly, positive, or corruption of
nature, yet by the latter, they state, is to be understood, not the
infusion of anything in itself sinful, but an actual tendency or
disposition to evil, resulting from the loss of righteousness." The
universal corruption of mankind is amply confirmed by the
Scriptures: "The imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth."
Genesis 8:21. "Behold, I was shaped in iniquity: and in sin did my
mother conceive me." Psalm 51:5. "The wicked are estranged from the
womb, they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies." Psalm
58:3. "That which is born of the flesh is flesh." John 3:6. "The
carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law
of God, neither indeed can be." Romans 8:7. These, with many other
places of Scripture, fully show that all mankind are infected with a
corrupted nature. And the Scriptures no less clearly ascribe this
corruption to the apostasy of Adam. The first man was created in the
image of God, but after his fall "he begat a son in his own
likeness." Genesis 5:3. "By one man sin entered into the world, and
death by sin." Romans 5:12.

The corruption of human nature, which the Scriptures so clearly
teach, may also be inferred from the fact that men, in all countries
and in all varieties of situation, are sinners. "The way we come by
the idea of any such thing as disposition or tendency, is by
observing what is constant or general in event, especially under a
great variety of circumstances." Now, it is a fact, "that all
mankind come into the world in such a state as without fail comes to
this issue, namely, the universal commission of sin; or that every
one who comes to act in the world as a moral agent, is, in a greater
or less degree, guilty of sin." From this we infer "that the mind of
man has a natural tendency or propensity to that event which so
universally and infallibly takes place; and that this is a corrupt
or depraved propensity." The universal prevalence of sin cannot be
accounted for, as Pelagians have alleged, by the influence of bad
example; for, as President Edwards has justly argued, "this is
accounting for the corruption of the world by the corruption of the
world." There are manifestations of moral depravity so very early in
childhood as to anticipate all capacity for observing and following
the example of others. There also frequently appear in children
propensities towards those vices of which they have seen no
examples. Besides, there are many examples of eminent virtue in the
world, which yet are not so frequently or easily imitated as those
of a vicious nature, which plainly shows an innate tendency towards
vice.

Another branch of original sin is the imputation of the guilt of
Adam's first transgression. This is rejected by many who admit
original corruption. By the imputation of Adam's first sin, it is
not intended that his personal transgression becomes the personal
transgression of his posterity; but that the guilt of his
transgression is reckoned to their account. And it is only the guilt
of his first sin, which was committed by him as a public
representative, that is imputed to his posterity, and not the guilt
of his future sins, after he had ceased to act in that character.
The grounds of this imputation are, that Adam was both the natural
root and the federal head or representative of all his posterity.
The former is the only ground mentioned in this section of the
Confession, probably, because the representative character of Adam
in the covenant of works has not yet been brought into view; but in
the succeeding chapter this is distinctly recognized. And both in
the Larger Catechism (Quest. 22), and in the Shorter (Quest. 16),
the representative character of Adam in the covenant made with him,
is explicitly assigned as the principal ground of the imputation of
the guilt of his first sin to all his posterity.

We do not see how the universal corruption of mankind can be
accounted for, without admitting that they are involved in the guilt
of his first transgression. It must be some sin which God punishes
with the deprivation of original righteousness; and that can be no
other than the first sin of Adam. The doctrine of imputation is
clearly taught in Scripture; particularly in Romans 5, it is so
plainly stated, so often repeated, and so formally proved, that it
must be acknowledged to be the doctrine of the apostle. In support
of this doctrine, we might appeal to the universality of the effects
of sin; especially to the death of infants. The apostle affirms, in
the most express terms, that death is the effect of sin (Romans
5:12); and experience as well as Scripture shows that death passes
upon all men. It passes even upon those who are incapable of
committing actual sin; for "death reigned from Adam to Moses, even
over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's
transgression." Romans 5:14. This is generally understood as
referring to infants, who are incapable of sinning personally and
actually, as Adam did; and since they have never in their own
persons violated any law, their exposure to death can only be
accounted for on the ground of the imputation to them of the sin of
Adam. This doctrine also derives confirmation from the analogy
between Adam and Christ, as stated by the apostle in the same
chapter. In verse 14, he affirms that Adam "is the figure of him
that was to come," and he traces the analogy in the subsequent
verses, particularly in verses 18, 19. "Therefore, as by the offence
of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the
righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men unto
justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were
made sinners; so by the obedience of one shall many be made
righteous." "These verses," says Dr. Chalmers, "contain the strength
of the argument for the imputation of Adam's sin. As the
condemnation of Adam comes to us, even so does the justification by
Christ come to us. Now we know that the merit of the Savior is
ascribed to us, else no atonement for the past, and no renovation of
heart or of life that is ever exemplified in this world for the
future, will suffice for our acceptance with God. Even so then, must
the demerit of Adam have been ascribed to us. The analogy affirmed
in these verses leads irresistibly to this conclusion. The judgment
that we are guilty is transferred to us from the actual guilt of the
one representative, even as the judgment that we are righteous is
transferred to us from the actual righteousness of the other
representative. We are sinners in virtue of one man's disobedience,
independently of our own personal sins; and we are righteous in
virtue of another's obedience, independently of our own personal
qualifications. We do not say, but that through Adam we become
personally sinful—inheriting as we do his corrupt nature. Neither do
we say, but that through Christ we become personally holy—deriving
out of his fullness the very graces which adorned his own character.
But, as it is at best a tainted holiness that we have on this side
of death, we must have something more than it in which to appear
before God; and the righteousness of Christ reckoned unto us and
rewarded in us, is that something. The something which corresponds
to this in Adam, is his guilt reckoned unto us and punished in us—so
that, to complete the analogy, as from him we get the infusion of
his depravity, so from him also do we get the imputation of his
demerit." "Adam is not merely the corrupt parent of a corrupt
offspring, who sin because of the depravity with which he has
tainted all the families of the earth; but who have sinned in him,
to use the language of our old divines, as their federal head—as the
representative of a covenant which God made with him, and through
him with all his posterity."

SECTION 5. This corruption of nature, during this life, does remain
in those that are regenerated: and although it be through Christ
pardoned and mortified, yet both itself, and all the motions
thereof, are truly and properly sin.

Exposition of 6.5

This section teaches us, that corruption of nature remains in those
that are regenerated, and is commensurate with this life. This
condemns the tenet of Christian perfection; and it is supported by
the plainest declarations of Scripture. "If we say that we have no
sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." 1 John 1:8.
Paul himself says, "Sin dwells in me," and affirms, that "when he
would do good, evil is present with him." Romans 7:17–21. It has,
indeed, been disputed, whether Paul, in that chapter, describes his
own feelings, or personates another. We have no doubt that Paul
speaks of himself as regenerated, and describes his own state, and
consequently the state of every regenerated person; but we do not
rest the doctrine upon this single passage, for the conflict there
described is represented in other places in language which, by
common consent, can only be applied to true Christians. We shall
only refer to Galatians 5:17: "The flesh lusts against the Spirit,
and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to
the other; so that you cannot do the things that you would." This
section also affirms that, even in the regenerated, this corruption,
and all the motions thereof, are truly and properly sin. The guilt
of it is, no doubt, removed by the blood of Christ, and the power of
it subdued by his Spirit and grace; but, in itself, it retains the
character of sin. This is affirmed in opposition to a tenet of the
Church of Rome. That universal propensity to sin, which we call the
corruption of nature, Roman Catholic writers denominate
concupiscence; and this, they maintain, is no part of original sin,
and is not in itself sinful. As they believe that original sin is
taken away by baptism, and nevertheless find that this corrupt
disposition remains in the regenerated, they conclude that it is no
part of original sin, but that it is the natural state in which Adam
was made at first; only, that in us it is without the restraint of
supernatural assistance which was given to him, and which, in
consequence of his transgression, was withdrawn from him and his
posterity. In answer to this, it is argued that lust or
concupiscence is, in several places of the New Testament, spoken of
as sin; particularly in Romans 7:7, Paul declares that "he had not
known sin but by the law;" he then gives an instance of this,—"he
had not known lust, except the law said, You shall not covet." Here
he expressly asserts that lust is sin.

SECTION 6. Every sin, both original and actual, being a
transgression of the righteous law of God, and contrary thereunto,
does, in its own nature, bring guilt upon the sinner