44. [XXXIX.]—Even the Children of the Regenerate Born in Sin. The Effect of Baptism.

This concupiscence of the flesh would be prejudicial,247    The three phrases here marked with asterisks have a more clearly expressed relation in the original: obesset, inesset, prodesset. just in so far as it is present in us,248    The three phrases here marked with asterisks have a more clearly expressed relation in the original: obesset, inesset, prodesset. if the remission of sins were not so beneficial249    The three phrases here marked with asterisks have a more clearly expressed relation in the original: obesset, inesset, prodesset. that while it is present in men, both as born and as born again, it may in the former be prejudicial as well as present, but in the latter present simply but never prejudicial. In the unregenerate it is prejudicial to such an extent indeed, that, unless they are born again, no advantage can accrue to them from being born of regenerate parents. The fault of our nature remains in our offspring so deeply impressed as to make it guilty, even when the guilt of the self-same fault has been washed away in the parent by the remission of sins—until every defect which ends in sin by the consent of the human will is consumed and done away in the last regeneration. This will be identical with that renovation of the very flesh itself which is promised in its future resurrection, when we shall not only commit no sins, but be even free from those corrupt desires which lead us to sin by yielding consent to them. To this blessed consummation advances are even now made by us, through the grace of that holy laver which we have put within our reach. The same regeneration which now renews our spirit, so that all our past sins are remitted, will by and by also operate, as might be expected, to the renewal to eternal life of that very flesh, by the resurrection of which to an incorruptible state the incentives of all sins will be purged out of our nature. But this salvation is as yet only accomplished in hope: it is not realized in fact; it is not in present possession, but it is looked forward to with patience.

CAPUT XXXIX.

44. Obesset ista carnis concupiscentia, etiam tantummodo quod inesset, nisi peccatorum remissio sic prodesset, ut quae in eis est : et nato, et renato, nato quidem et inesse et obesse, renato autem inesse quidem, sed non obesse possit. In tantum enim obest natis, ut nisi renascantur, nihil possit prodesse si nati sunt de renatis. Manet quippe in prole, ita ut ream faciat , originis vitium; etiam si in parente reatus ejusdem vitii remissione ablutus est peccatorum, donec omne vitium cui consentiendo peccatur, regeneratione novissima consumatur: id est, ipsius etiam renovatione carnis, quae in ejus resurrectione futura promittitur, ubi non solum nulla peccata faciamus, sed nec habeamus ulla desideria vitiosa, quibus consentiendo peccemus; ad quam beatam perfectionem hujus, quod nunc datur, sancti lavacri gratia pervenitur. Qua enim regeneratione spiritus modo fit ut peccata omnia praeterita remittantur, ejus merito fiet etiam regeneratio carnis in aeternam vitam, qua in ipsa carne incorruptibiliter resurgente peccatorum omnium incitamenta sanentur. Sed ea salus adhuc in spe facta est, non tenetur in re; neque possidetur per praesentiam, sed exspectatur per patientiam.