| EDITOR’S PREFACE |
| Comparison of Editions of Gerhard’s Loci |
| COMMONPLACE XII: ON ORIGINAL SIN, THAT IS, ON THE FALL OF THE FIRST PARENTS AND THE CORRUPTION OF THEIR NATURE WHICH FOLLOWED AND WHICH WAS PROPAGATED INTO THEIR DESCENDANTS |
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The preface shows the connection with preceding commonplaces, § 1, and depicts the original happiness of man, § 2, and his subsequent misery, § 3. |
| Chapter I: |
The cause of Adam’s fall. |
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The first human beings, placed in Paradise, § 4, were given the first, original law, § 5. The impulsive cause of the fall was the devil, § 7, who took possession of a serpent, § 8. The order of the devil’s tempting is described, § 11. God was in no way the cause of this fall, § 14. The first humans did in fact sin against God, § 26. |
| Chapter II: |
An explanation of some questions about the first fall of the first people. |
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What was the first sin of the first people, § 27? Was Adam deceived, properly speaking, § 36? Could Adam’s sin have been venial, § 38? Did Adam sin more gravely than Eve, § 39? Was Adam’s sin the most grave of all sins, § 40? Would Adam’s sin have been excusable through ignorance, § 41? |
| Chapter III: |
The things that followed the fall of our first parents. |
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Several things followed the fall of our first parents, § 42. Punishments were inflicted both upon the first humans, § 45, and upon the serpent, § 46, though the evangelical promise was also given to them, § 47. The results of Adam’s sin have reached even to us, §49. A distribution of the following points is given, § 55. |
| Chapter IV: |
The existence of original sin. |
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The Pelagians once denied the existence of original sin, § 56. Their error is supported directly by the Anabaptists, Photinians, Zwingli, and some Papists; it is supported indirectly by the Scholastics and most Papists, as well as by those Calvinists whose books argue that children of holy parents are born holy, § 57. But the existence of original sin is proved, and the Pelagians’ stronger objections are refuted, § 61. Bellarmine’s impudent accusation is examined, in which he claims that Protestants deny original sin, § 66. |
| Chapter V: |
What original sin is. |
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The term “original sin” is explained, § 67, before its obvious synonyms from the fathers’ writings are listed, § 68. Original sin is described from Scripture, § 69, as: (1) The lack of original righteousness, § 70. (2) A corrupt quality, § 72. (3) Guilt, § 79. Scripture and the ancients speak of it in two ways: in general and by its parts, § 81. |
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Opposed to this definition of original sin stand: (1) Those who err deficiently, such as the Scholastics and Papists, § 84. (2) Those who err in excess, such as the Manichaeans and Flacians, § 90. |
| Chapter VI: |
The subject of original sin. |
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The subject affected by original sin is the whole man with regard to the body and to the soul, including both the soul’s higher and lower faculties, as even Bellarmine admits, § 95. |
| Chapter VII: |
The way in which original sin is propagated. |
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Original sin is propagated by carnal generation, § 98. Questions arise: If Eve alone had sinned, would original sin have been propagated to Adam’s and Eve’s descendants, § 99? Do children receive the sins of their nearest parents, § 100? Would an embryo not yet endowed with soul be infected by sin, § 101? |
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Four corollaries follow from this teaching: (1) Original sin did not enter the world by imitation, § 102. (2) The human nature of Christ was not conceived in sin, § 103. (3) Even the children of the reborn are born subject to original sin, which is proved from Scripture and the fathers against the objections of the Calvinists, § 105. (4) Mary, too, was born subject to original sin, § 110; concerning this question there is great disagreement among the Papists, § 111. The dignity that Scripture attributes to Mary, § 121. |
| Chapter VIII: |
The effects of original sin. |
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The effects of original sin are either penalties alone or penalties and sins at the same time, § 122. Bellarmine’s opinion on original sin’s effects is examined, § 126. |
| Chapter IX: |
How liberation from original sin takes place. |
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People are freed from original sin in Baptism, as the washing of regeneration and renewal, § 128. The corrupt desire that remains in the reborn is sin, § 129. |
| Chapter X: |
The use of this commonplace and the definition of original sin, § 130. |
| COMMONPLACE XIII: ON ACTUAL SINS |
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The preface shows the connection with the preceding commonplace, § 1. |
| Chapter I: |
The nature of actual sin. |
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The fruits of original sin are called “actual sins”; Augustine defines them as statements or deeds or desires against the eternal Law, § 2. Bellarmine argues that all sins are voluntary, § 3. Yet the apostle John, Philipp Melanchthon, and the fathers define it in accord with Augustine, § 4. Is every lawlessness sin, § 6? |
| Chapter II: |
The nomenclature of actual sin, § 7. |
| Chapter III: |
The causes of actual sins. |
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There are three causes of actual sins: (1) the corruption of our nature, (2) the suggestions of Satan, and (3) the stumbling blocks of the world, § 14. |
| Chapter IV: |
The effects of actual sins, § 17. |
| Chapter V: |
The different types of actual sins, § 19. |
| Chapter VI: |
Voluntary and involuntary sins, § 20. |
| Chapter VII: |
Sins of commission and omission, § 25. |
| Chapter VIII: |
Sins in turning away from God and turning to created things, § 28. |
| Chapter IX: |
Sins that are at the same time the cause and punishment of sins, § 30. |
| Chapter X: |
Internal and external sins; sins of heart, mouth, and works, § 32. |
| Chapter XI: |
Is concupiscence in the reborn sin? |
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The state of the controversy is set forth first, § 36. Nine arguments from Romans 6–8 affirm that concupiscence in the reborn is sin, §37. Twelve arguments are taken from other passages of Scripture, proving the same, § 52. This position is confirmed also by the statements of the fathers, especially of Augustine, § 64, and even by the adversaries, § 69. Bellarmine’s objections are refuted, § 70. A question of the Scholastics is considered: Does an exterior act of sin possess its own badness, § 79? |
| Chapter XII: |
Sins committed against God, against our neighbor, and against ourselves, § 80. |
| Chapter XIII: |
Sins committed against the body and outside the body, § 82. |
| Chapter XIV: |
Sins of the flesh and of the spirit, § 83. |
| Chapter XV: |
Manifest and secret sins, § 84. |
| Chapter XVI: |
Sins that cry out to heaven, § 85. |
| Chapter XVII: |
Capital sins, § 86. |
| Chapter XVIII: |
Sins that are more serious than others, § 87. |
| Chapter XIX: |
Participating in the sins of others, § 89. |
| Chapter XX: |
Venial and mortal sins. |
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The Scholastics’ opinion on venial and mortal sins, § 90. The true meaning of this distinction is set forth: That some sins of the reborn are called “venial” and some “mortal” is not because of the nature of the sins but because of the mercy of the Father, the merit of the Son, and the sanctification of the Spirit, § 92. No sin is venial in and of itself, § 93. The fathers’ judgments on this matter are quoted and freed from Bellarmine’s objections, § 95. The Scholastics and Papists, and especially Bellarmine, teach that some sins are venial by their nature, § 97. Their arguments from Scripture are refuted, § 99, as are their arguments from the fathers and reason, § 101. |
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Concerning mortal sins, two questions arise: (1) Do the reborn cut off faith and the Holy Spirit and lose grace and eternal life through mortal sins? (2) Are there seven mortal sins, § 102? |
| Chapter XXI: |
Ruling and nonruling sins, § 103. |
| Chapter XXII: |
Sins of themselves and through accident, § 104. |
| Chapter XXIII: |
Dead and living sin, § 105. |
| Chapter XXIV: |
Sin remaining and sin remitted, § 106. |
| Chapter XXV: |
Sin against the Holy Spirit, § 107. |
| Chapter XXVI: |
The use of this commonplace and the definition of actual sins, § 110. |
| COMMONPLACE XIV: ON FREE CHOICE, THAT IS, ON THE HUMAN POWERS STILL LEFT AFTER THE FALL |
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The preface shows the connection with the preceding commonplace, § 1. Free choice is a faculty of the mind and will, though it can be said to tend more toward being an appetite, § 2. |
| Chapter I: |
Distinction of kinds of freedom. |
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Freedom is attributed to human choice: (1) With regard to the manner of action, § 4. This remained after the fall and is not removed through divine providence, § 6. (2) With regard to the norm for judging and selecting. This is called “freedom from obligation” and never belongs to man, § 11. (3) With regard to the object. This is the topic of the present consideration, § 15. |
| Chapter II: |
Free choice according to the four states of man. |
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Free choice in man differs before the fall, after the fall before conversion, after conversion, and in the future life, § 16. |
| Chapter III: |
The true state of the controversy, § 32. |
| Chapter IV: |
Lost free choice after the fall. |
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According to many oracles of Scripture, the human intellect was corrupted extremely and is unable to perceive spiritual things, § 34. The will, too, was likewise corrupted, § 37. The testimonies of antiquity on this matter are distributed into five classes, § 44, and are joined by the testimonies even of the Scholastics and Papists, § 49. |
| Chapter V: |
Those who err about free choice in excess, § 50. |
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Those who err in excess about free choice include the Pelagians and their followers: the Scholastics, the Papists, and especially the Council of Trent, Costerus, and Bellarmine, § 50. Erasmus and the Synergists belong with them, § 55. |
| Chapter VI: |
Refutation of the errors of Bellarmine on free choice. |
| Section I: |
The distinction between sufficient and effectual aid, § 56. |
| Section II: |
The distinction between operating and cooperating grace, § 58. |
| Section III: |
The nature of free choice, § 63. |
| Section IV: |
The powers of free choice in natural matters, § 65. |
| Section V: |
The powers of free choice in moral matters, § 67. |
| Section VI: |
The powers of free choice in spiritual matters, § 80. |
| Chapter VII: |
Those who err about free choice deficiently, § 102. |
| Chapter VIII: |
The works of the unregenerate, § 103. |
| Chapter IX: |
The freedom of choice left after the fall, § 108. |
| Chapter X: |
The use of this doctrine of free choice, § 119. |
| Chapter XI: |
An explanation of some statements of Scripture and of some questions concerning free choice, § 128. |
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The questions arise: In conversion is man purely passive, § 130? Is he like a stone or a log, § 132? Is one who resists converted, § 135? |
| Chapter XII: |
A summary of this commonplace, § 140. |
| GLOSSARY |
| PERSON INDEX |
| SCRIPTURE INDEX |
| WORKS CITED |
