On the Imputation of Adam's First Sin · §15

Cap. IV close: Drelincourt letter — Synod never meant immediate imputation

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To make an end: those very men who made the Decree of the National Synod assent to my judgment, and by their testimony free Placeus from condemnation — above all the most distinguished and most pious man D. Drelincourt, most faithful pastor of the church of Paris. For when I had progressed this far in this writing, Placeus wished it, before it came into the light, to be shared with certain of his friends, most learned and most prudent men — and especially with the said D. Drelincourt, whose authority he was not unaware had weighed very much in drafting that Decree. And he, having read it through, for his outstanding candor and zeal for the church's peace wrote most kind letters to Placeus from Paris, in the year 1653, on the 10th of December, which, with his good leave, I will not be reluctant to copy here: for it concerns truth, and peace, and the cause I plead, that they go out among the people. They were framed in the French tongue; for the sake of those who do not know French Placeus turned them into Latin: Lord and honored Brother. The writing which you wished to be shared with me I read with singular pleasure; and that I see finished by it that from which I feared some disturbance and division in our churches, I give thanks to God from my whole heart. For I can confirm to you, Lord, and to all others if any doubt, that the counsel of the last National Synod of Charenton was in no way to condemn you, or the doctrine which you propose. That I can testify for certain. For I was counted worthy not only to be present in that famous assembly, but also to be one of those delegates who drafted the Decree of which we speak. It never entered our mind to establish that imputation of Adam's sin which you call antecedent and immediate, but only that which you call consequent and mediate. I for my part have always so thought and taught. So I am filled with great joy and consolation that I see you feel the same with me concerning this most momentous dogma. If occasion offers itself to me of justifying you before those who either do not sufficiently understand these things or labor under adverse prejudices, I confirm to you that I will not fail your cause. It concerns the glory of God and public edification that this truth become known to all, so that there be nothing to hinder the excellent gifts with which God has enriched you from bearing fruit everywhere. I embrace you with my whole heart, and am, etc. What more can you desire, pious reader, for Placeus's full justification?

Latin

Ut sit finis, illi ipsi, qui Decretum Synodi Nationalis fecerunt, sententiae meae allipulantur, suoque testimonio Placeum a condemnatione liberant, in primis Clarissimus et piissimus vir D. Drelincourtius, fidelissimus Ecclesiae Parisiensis Pastor. Cum enim hucusque in hoc scripto progressus essem, id, antequam prodiret in lucem, cum quibusdam amicis suis viris doctissimis et prudentissimis communicatum Placeus voluit, praecipue vero cum dicto D. Drelincourtio, cuius in conficiendo illo Decreto plurimum valuisse auctoritatem non ignorabat. Is autem eo perlecto pro suo insigni candore et pacis Ecclesiae studio humanissimas scripsit ad Placeum literas Lutetia, An. 1653. die 10. Decemb., quas, cum bona eius venia, huc transcribere non gravabor: interest enim et veritatis, et pacis, et causae quam ago, ut in vulgus emanent. Erant autem Gallico sermone ita conceptae; in gratiam eorum qui Gallice nesciunt eas Latine vertit Placeus: Domine et honorande Frater. Scriptum, quod mecum communicatum voluisti, singulari cum voluptate legi; quodque eo finitum id videam, unde Ecclesiis nostris perturbationem aliquam et divisionem metuebam, Deo ex toto corde gratias ago. Possum enim tibi, Domine, aliisque omnibus, si qui dubitant, confirmare, consilium ultimae Synodi Nationalis Carentonensis nullo modo fuisse te, tuamve quam proponis doctrinam condemnare. Id pro certo testari possum. Quippe cum dignus habitus fuerim, qui non modo celebri illi conventui interessem, sed etiam unus essem ex delegatis illis qui Decretum, de quo agitur, conscripserunt. Nunquam nobis in mentem venit eam imputationem peccati Adamici constabilire, quam tu antecedentem et immediatam appellas, sed eam duntaxat quam tu consequentem et mediatam vocas. Ego quidem ita perpetuo sensi et docui. Quocirca magno gaudio et consolatione afficior, quod videam de hoc momentosissimo dogmate te mecum idem sentire. Si tui apud eos iustificandi, qui haec aut non satis intelligunt aut adversus praeiudiciis laborant, sese mihi dederit occasio, confirmo tibi me causae tuae non defuturum. Interest gloriae Dei et publicae aedificationis ut haec veritas omnibus innotescat, nihil ut sit quod obstet, quominus quibus te ditavit Deus dotes insignes ubique fructum ferant. Ego te toto pectore complector, et sum, etc. Quid potes amplius ad plenam Placei iustificationem, Lector pie, desiderare?

About this text

Josue de la Place (Placeus) — Capita I–XIV partial of De imputatione primi peccati Adami from the 1661 Saumur Latin, through Man. Post. Caput X (GAR.1–3 Rom. 5.13 tip) / before PLAC on reatus-only. Honest partial; Cap. X Rom. 5:14+ / ~494 pp Disputatio remain.

English follows the locked 1661 Saumur Latin of Capita I–XIV partial through Man. Post. Caput IX (eph-ho / eph-ho pantes) before eph-ho / eph-ho pantes, reconstructed from IA PDF page images with Vision OCR and pdftotext as check. No modern English was copied. Cap. IX deepen+ remain.

Catalogue & scope

IA deimputationepri00lapl. Densify: Capita I–XII + Caput XIV + Man. Post. Cap. II–VI through Cap. X Rom. 5:14 tip. Not whole Disputatio; Cap. X Rom. 5:14+ / ~494 pp Disputatio remain.

Witnesses

This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Latin on each section (or the Latin source witness link) for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.