Chapter 50 — That original sin is transmitted by our first parent to his posterity

In the preceding chapters we have shown there is nothing impossible in what the Catholic faith affirms concerning the Incarnation of the Son of God. Consequently, we must now show that it was fitting for the Son of God to take to himself human nature.

The Apostle assigns original sin, which was contracted by all men, as a reason of this fittingness. Thus he says: As by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by one man’s obedience many will be made righteous (Rom 5:19). Since, however, the Pelagian heretics denied original sin, we must prove that men are born in original sin.

In the first place we must quote the words of Genesis: The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying: ‘You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die the death’ (Gen 2:15–17). Seeing, however, that Adam did not actually die on the very day on which he ate, the words: You shall die the death must be understood to mean: You shall be under the ban of death. Now there would be no purpose in saying this if man were created with the necessity of dying. Consequently, we must say that death and the necessity of dying is a punishment inflicted on man for sin. Now a punishment is not inflicted justly except on those who are guilty. Therefore, in all who are thus punished there must be some guilt. Now all men are punished thus, even from the moment of their birth, for as soon as he is born man is under the ban of death, so that some die as soon as they are born, and are taken from the womb to the grave. Therefore, some kind of sin is in them. But this is not actual sin, for infants have not the use of free-will, without which no sin is imputed to a man, as appears from what we have stated above. (Bk. 3, cc. 129. seq.) We must conclude, then, that they have contracted original sin.

This is expressly indicated in the words of the Apostle: As sin came into the world through one man and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all men sinned (Rom 5:12).

Now it cannot be said that by one man sin entered into the world by way of imitation, because in that case sin would only enter into those who, by sinning, imitate the first man; and since through sin death entered into the world, only those would die who sin in imitation of the first man. But the Apostle excludes this interpretation when he goes on to say: Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sins were not like the transgression of Adam (Rom 5:14). Hence the Apostle did not mean that by one man sin entered into the world by way of imitation, but by way of origin.

Moreover, if the Apostle were speaking of the entrance of sin into the world by mere imitation, he would have said that sin had entered into the world by the devil rather than by one man. Thus it is said explicitly: Through the devil’s envy death entered the world, and those who belong to his party experience it (Wis 2:24–25).

Again. David says: Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me (Ps 51:5[50:7]). Now this cannot refer to actual sin, seeing that David was conceived and born of lawful wedlock. Therefore, his words must refer to original sin.

Moreover. It is said: Who can make him clean that is conceived of unclean seed? Is it not you who are alone? (Job 14:4). From which it is clearly to be gathered that man contracts uncleanness through being conceived of seed. And this must refer to the uncleanness of sin, for which alone is man brought into judgment, because the preceding verse reads: Do you open your eyes upon such a one and bring him into judgment with you? (Job 14:3). Therefore, man from his very origin contracts a guilt that is called original sin.

Again. Baptism and the other sacraments of the Church are remedies for sin, as we shall prove further on. Now it is the universal custom of the Church to give baptism to children soon after birth. Consequently, there would be no purpose in doing so unless they were stained with some sin. But this is not actual sin, because they have no free-will without which no one is accounted guilty of sin. Therefore, since God and the Church do nothing without a purpose, we must conclude that they have contracted original sin.

Someone, however, may say that infants are baptized not that they may be cleansed from sin, but that they may enter the kingdom of heaven. For they cannot enter the kingdom of heaven unless they are baptized, since our Lord said: Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God (John 3:5). But this objection is futile. No one is excluded from the kingdom of God, save on account of sin. For the end of every rational creature is to obtain beatitude, which is nowhere but in God’s kingdom. And this kingdom is the orderly society of those who enjoy the vision of God, in which true beatitude consists, as proved above. (Bk. 3, cc. 37. seqq.) Now nothing fails to obtain its end except through some sin. Therefore, if children cannot enter into the kingdom of God before being baptized, we must admit that there is some sin in them.

And consequently, according to the teaching of Catholic faith, we must hold that men are born with original sin.