A Treatise of Original Sin

SECT. I.

T HE true Doctrine of Original Corruption is of so great concernment, that Austin thought, De Peccato Orig. contra Pelag. & Celest. 2. cap. 24. the Sum of Religion to consist in knowing of this, as the effect of the first Adam, and also of Christ the second Adam with all his glorious benefits. Though therefore Coelestius of old thought it to be but Recquaestionis, not fides, Ibidem cap. 4. And others of late have wholly rejected it, as Austin 's figment, yet certainly the true way of Humiliation for sin, or Justification by Christ, cannot be firmly established, unless the true Doctrine of this be laid as a Foundation-stone in the building.

Now because original sin is used ambiguously by Divines, sometimes for Adam 's first sin imputed unto us, (for, Omnes homines fuerunt ill unus homo ) he was the common Person representing all mankind, as is in time to be shown; And this for distinction sake, is called, Originale originans, or Originale imputatum; And sometimes it's taken passively for the effect of that first sin of Adam, viz. The total and universal pollution of all mankind inherently through sin, which is called Originale originatum, or inherens.

I shall treat of it in this later acception, as being of great practical improvement many ways.

SECT. II.

ANd because in Theological Debates two Questions are necessary, The An sit, and the Quid sit, Whether there be such a thing, and, What it is; and in both these the truth of God meeteth with many adversaries.

I shall first insist on the Quod sit, That there is such a natural and cursed pollution upon everyone that is born in an ordinary way. The first Text I shall fasten this Truth upon, is this I have mentioned, which deservedly, both by Ancient and Modern Writers is thought to have a pregnant and evident demonstration, That there is such a natural contagion upon all.

To understand this the better, take notice of the Coherence briefly. The Apostles scope is, to incite the Ephesians to Thankfulness, by the consideration of that great love and infinite mercy vouchsafed to them by God; and because the Sun is most welcome out of a dark gloomy cloud, one contrary doth more illustrate another. He compareth their present state of Grace, with their pristine condition of misery and wretchedness, which is summarily expressed, That they were dead in sins and trespasses, a far more dreadful estate, than if they had been dead and rotting in their graves. This internal corruption is amplified from a twofold external cause,

1. The course and custom of the world.

2. The power and efficacy of the Devil, the Prince of the power of the Air working in them.

Now lest this should be thought true only of the Ephesians, because Gentiles, he brings in himself also, and the Jews equal with them both in actual sins.

1. We all had our conversation in times past in lusts of the flesh, &c.

2. For original sin, both Jew and Gentile were all plunged in the same original gulf of misery: And this Proposition is asserted in the words read.

SECT. III.

IN which words are considerable, the Subject, and the Predicate, with the Manner of its attribution.

The Subject is [We] that is, we all, as in the beginning of this verse: For seeing the Jews were Abraham 's children, in which they so much boasted, and therefore are called Jews by nature, Gal. 2. 15. and the natural branches, Rom. 11. 21. They might easily think, others indeed were by nature sinful, yet for themselves, they would think that glorious descent they had from Abraham might be a privilege to them, but here it is true, though Jews by nature, yet sinners by nature, as the Gentiles were.

2. There is the Predicate, Children of wrath, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which is an Hebraism, and signifieth one wholly exposed to wrath, as if wrath were the mother, and gave them their whole being. Thus the children of Belial, and the sons of death are often in Scripture. By wrath is meant God's wrath; Now because God's wrath is just, and doth always presuppose sin; Hence is inevitably deducted, That we are also by Nature full of sin: So that though wrath be immediately the misery here spoken of, yet sin is supposed as the necessary antecedent.

3. There is the Manner how, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , by nature; We have it by our birth, it's not by imitation, and action, or custom, but by Nature. This word doth clearly pass a sentence of condemnation upon everyone, while in the swaddling-clothes, though as yet guilty of no actual transgression.

But because the strength of our Argument for Original sin lieth on this word, and the Adversaries to it, especially the Socinians, would weaken this Testimony: Let us remove their exceptions.

SECT. IV.

ANd first, Gretius rejects this Interpretation of Original, sin, as nothing to the Apostles meaning, and therefore saith the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , is as much as 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , truly and indeed, opposite to what is in opinion, and esteem, comparing this place with Gal. 4. 8. Which by nature are no gods. In this, following Pelagius his Exposition of old, as if he would take his error by imitation, as Pelagius said, we did sin from Adam. This interpretation of Pelagius taking prorsus for the same with nature. Austin refuseth for the novelty of it, Lib. 6. contra Julia, cap. 4. and indeed nothing now is more ordinary, then such an Exposition with the Adversaries to original sin, as Castellio and others.

But this Exposition is not opposite, it's only subordinate, we will grant, that the word will bear this sense, That we are truly and wholly the children of wrath; but this is not all, we are so, because we have this misery by nature, and the parallel instanced in, will abundantly convince it, for therefore they were not truly, and indeed God's, because they were not so by nature. So that the Text makes against him, and not for him.

Besides the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 being used about twelve times in the New Testament, doth always signify that which is nature, or according to natural inclination, or what we have by natural birth; For nature, so 1 Cor. 11. 14. Doth not nature teach you? And Jam. 3. 7. Rom. 1. 26. For natural principles and inclinations, so the Gentiles, Rom. 2. 14. are said 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , To do the things of the Law, or by natural descent, Rom. 2. 27. Uncircumcision is said to be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , so Rom. 11 21, 24. The natural branches are called the Jews descending of Abraham, and thereby enjoying Church-privileges, and Gal. 2. 15. Jews by Nature; Insomuch that it is a manifest falsehood to say, the word never signifieth that which we have by birth. And indeed, as is well observed by Zanchi, The phrase, Children by Nature must necessarily imply by descent, as the son of a man supposeth descent from him: Adam was a man, but not the son of a man, he had it not originally from another, whereas we are by nature children of wrath, and so have it from our parents. Hence it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which doth relate to our nativity, and in the original it is more emphatical than in our Translations, for there it is, not by nature children of wrath, but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Children by nature of wrath; So that children by nature is opposite to children by Custom, Imitation, Adoption, or any other way. Thus the first exception is removed.

Object. In the next place, The Socinian puts in his Caveat, after this manner, That must be understood by the phrase [Children of wrath by nature] which the Ephesians were now by the grace of God freed from; for the Apostle speaks in the time past, You were by nature children of wrath, but now are quickened by the grace of God, therefore the Ephesians were now freed from that estate: But according to the Doctrine of those who maintain Original sin, that abideth in every man, though regenerated, and is not abolished but by death.

Answ. But this stone is easily removed: For although original sin abide in the godly, yet the guilt of it is not imputed; So that though by nature we were obnoxious to the wrath of God through its guilt, yet when grace cometh, this guilt is taken away, so that though it be in us, yet it is not imputed to us.

Object. Lastly, They object, It must be understood of actual sins, for the Apostle spoke of such before, and to be a son of a thing denoteth the quality inherent in a man, as given to such a way; so in the former verse the Children of disobedience, that is, those who voluntarily give themselves to such rebellion.

Answ. But to this it is answered, That in the former expression is not the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : So that the Apostle doth here lay the Ax to the root of the Tree; and because the Jews might be thought by the privileges they enjoyed as soon as born to excel the Gentiles; Therefore he demonstrateth the Fountain and Well-head of their iniquity, though secret and under-ground, as springs are usually very difficultly discovered.

Besides, We will readily grant, That this expression doth denote an habitual inclination to all actual evil, and that the Apostle mentioneth it as the curse and bitter root of all the actual impieties that are committed in the world; so that there is a reference to actual sins, but in the cause of them, which is this original pollution.

And thus much for vindication of this noble Text, we have endeavored to throw out all that earth, which the Philistines had cast into this fountain, what else may be objected, will in time be taken notice of. And from hence observe,

That all men by nature are born full of sin, and so exposed to God's infinite wrath and vengeance. Every Infant coming into the world is destitute of the Image of God, and in a more dreadful condition than the young ones of the brutish creatures, that are not exposed to eternal torments; so that although there may be joy that a man-child is born, yet much humiliation, because a child of wrath is born.

I shall not so much insist on the Predicate, as the Subject, with the Manner how.

This original sin is a natural sin, not indeed as we had our nature at first pure out of God's hands, therefore here is no Manicheism affirmed, as Pelagians of old did calumniate, but as vitiated and defiled through Adam 's transgression.

SECT. I.

L Et us consider the Doctrine more largely: And

First, You must know that although Original sin be not a Scripture-name, but called so first by Austin, forced thereunto by the Pelagians, yet the truth of it is in the Scripture; And it is lawful to use new words though not in Scripture, when the matter is contained therein, to discover and distinguish Heretics. Now we call it original sin in a three-fold respect:

First, Because we have it from our first parents fallen, who were the original and fountain of all mankind. It's not an actual voluntary sin, immediately and personally committed by us, but it is in us antecedently to our own personal will, both our mind and will comes into the world habitually darkened and obstinate against what is good.

Secondly, Its original, Because we have it as soon as we have our being. It's bred in us, and can no more be taken from our natures in an ordinary way, than mortality from our bodies: For although it be not the substance and essence of a man, yet the Scripture calling it the old man, and our members, not in Illyricus his sense, doth thereby signify the intimate inhesion of it in us, that it is in us, as it were, leaven in the whole lump, which soureth all; we have it in our being, which made Ambrose say, Cujus ortus in vitio est, which Austin often mentioneth; yea, we were conceived in it, as Psal. 51. And therefore another was not afraid to say, we were damnati priusquam nati, with Austin often it's called Damnata radix, damnata massa.

Lastly, It's called Original, Because from this floweth all the actual evil in the world; From this corrupt tree groweth all the corrupt fruit that is, as is to be shown; therefore the Scripture describes original sin, though not as peccatum actual, yet actuosum, not as an actual, but an active sin. Thus Gen. 6. 5. it's made to be a forge, or shop from whence sparks of lusts do continually rise. The heart of man is even like hell itself, whose fire of lust is unquenchable: So our Savior speaks of a hard heart which is as an evil treasure. Mat. 12. 35. There is an evil treasure in every man's heart, you may see all sorts of wickedness come from it, old and new sins, and though he sin never so much, yet still he can sin more. This sea of corruption will never be dried up in this life. Paul also Rom. 7. complaineth of the activity and vigor of this sin in him, that it's always seducing, yea, captivating of him, although sanctified in part; Insomuch that although a man be loathsome in respect of his actual impieties, yet much more because of the original fountain of evil within him; The greatest part of our wickedness is in our natural inclination and propensity of spirit: Oh how deep and piercing should the thoughts of this depravation be within us, as we are all over full of sin, so we should be filled up with shame and confusion of face, we never go deep enough in our Humiliation and Confession, till we come to this.

SECT. II.

IN the second place, It's good to take notice of the evident utility, and necessity of being clearly and powerfully informed about this Subject. This truth is constantly and frequently to be pressed, we are not to give it over, although it may seem burdensome and tedious unto you; The reasons of the necessary discovery of this are divers, some Doctrinal, and some Practical. As

1. If a man be erroneous or heretical in this, he cannot be orthodox, or sound in many other substantial parts of Religion; What Austin said concerning the Trinity, is true also in some measure concerning this; We may err easily here, and dangerously also: easily, for such is the self-fullness, the self-flattery that is in everyone, that he is difficultly persuaded that he is thus undone and miserable; The light must shine as clear as at noon-day, yea the Spirit of God must convince and set this home, else a man will never believe it, and then the error herein is dangerous, because if this Pillar fall to the ground, almost the whole edifice of Religion doth tumble down with it: As for instance, If a man err about original sin, denying it either in part or in whole, he must necessarily hold Free-will, for this is the Cockatrice his egg, and the other is the Cockatrice itself; from a venomous womb must come a venomous brood; Take away original sin, and then you establish Free-will, then man hath the same power to do good he had in Creation; There may be indeed some wounds and debilitations upon him, but not a spiritual death; Then if Free-will be established, the grace of God, that is also evacuated, there is no absolute necessity of it, its only ad facilius operandum, as the Pelagians of old, to make us work more easily and readily. Thus the very Sun of Righteousness is presently taken out of our Heavens. Furthermore, If we do not believe aright about original sin, we must also mis-believe about Justification, that cannot be made such a glorious act of God's grace, because of Christ's Righteousness imputed unto us, as indeed it is; Then we shall set up our Dagon against God's Ark; neither will the work of conversion be solely ascribed to the power of God's grace, as it ought to be, for at the best they will make grace but an adjuvant cause, or a partial one with our Free-will, and so the praise shall be given partly to ourselves, and partly to God. But above all, he that doth either deny, or diminish the guilt and contagion of this sin can never exalt Christ in all his Offices as he ought to do: He that denieth the disease must needs derogate from the Physician, The whole need not the Physician, saith our Savior, Matth. 9. 12. And therefore it's of great consequence to be fully persuaded about the depth, breadth and length of this sin, that thereby we may be able to comprehend the dimensions of Christ's love to us; Not that Christ came only to take away the guilt of original sin, as some Papists affirm, but because this is the womb wherein all other sins are conceived. This is the wound of the whole nature, actual sins only infect the person of a man; We may then easily see the necessity of being truly informed about this Subject; for this is like miscarriage in the first concoction, which cannot be amended by that which followeth; And therefore this consideration should quicken you up in a diligent attention to the whole Doctrine, which shall be delivered about it.

SECT. III.

IN the next place we are to show you, of what practical advantage it is, for all to be fully informed about this native contagion and leprosy we bring with us into the world: And

First, He that doth truly believe in this point, will quickly silence all those impatient, if not blasphemous complaints that are uttered by many against nature, because (as they say) it is such an hard step-mother to mankind, Non tam editi quum ejecti, said the Heathen. I call them blasphemous complaints, because what is spoken against Nature, redounds upon God the Author of Nature. Hence in the Scripture, what Nature doth, God is said to do. Now then, if we consider, what impatient expostulations the Heathens have made, why man of all creatures should be by Nature most miserable? No true answer could ever be given to satisfy, but this, because man comes sinful into the world: The young ones of beasts and birds, are not so miserable as our Infants, because not corrupted with evil in their Natures, as they are; So that if we see our very Infants, which yet (as the Scripture saith) cannot discern between the right hand and left, and have not done actual good or evil, subject to grievous diseases, and death itself: Wonder not at this, for they have in themselves through their native sinfulness, a desert not only of this pain, but eternal torments in hell. Hence it is that the Scripture instructs us in that which all Philosophy could never inform us, viz. the cause and original of all those diseases and pains, yea of death itself, which reigneth over all mankind: Insomuch that thereby we see, though there were not one actual sin in the world, though all men had no more sin upon them, then what they had in the womb, and in the cradle, yet there was demerit enough of that vengeance of God, which upon man's transgression was threatened in the Word, Gen. 6. 5. The main cause, why God brought that universal deluge upon the whole world, was not so much their actual wickedness, as such, but because it came from a polluted fountain, which would never be wholly cleansed. Their hearts were so many shops, wherein were constantly formed all manner of impieties; yea by this we see not only the miseries upon man, but all the bondage an vanity that is upon the whole world: That there are any barrenness, any famines, that the ground brings forth thorns and thistles, that the woman brings forth with so much labor and sorrow; all these things come by original sin; God did not at first create things in such disorder and confusion: If therefore thou wouldst quiet thy heart under all tumults and vexing thoughts, to see the manifold mischiefs and miseries mankind is subject unto; This Grave jugum super filios Adam, as Austin often out of Ecclesiasticus, this heavy yoke upon the sons of Adam, have recourse to a serious meditation about original sin.

Secondly, The true knowledge of this natural defilement, will also satisfy us in those doubtful Questions, which some have greatly tormented themselves with, viz. How sin comes to be in the world? And whence it is Austin (in his seventh Book of his Confessions, and fifth Chapter) doth there bewail before God the great agonies and troubles of mind he was in about the beginning of sin, whence it did arise? For seeing everything that God made was exceeding good, this exceedingly puzzled him to know how evil should be. Yea, this knot was so hard to untie in some men's judgments, that it made many, of the Marcionites heresy, who because they saw men commit evil, as soon as they were born, and yet withal being convinced, That God was good, and could not be the beginning of evil; They therefore maintained two principles of all things, the one good, of all good things; The other evil, of evil things. Thus men have wonderfully plunged themselves into bogs and quagmires of danger and destruction, because not acquainted with this main Truth of Original sin.

Thirdly, For want of knowledge herein, that main duty so much commended both by Scripture, and the Heathens, viz. To know ourselves, can never be put in practice. The Heathen said, e Coelo descendit, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . And as for the Scripture, How often is it required, That we should search and try our hearts; That we should examine ourselves, and commune with our own hearts, and be still, Psal. 4. Now these duties can never be effectually done, without a firm belief of that desperate pollution which is in our heart; And till we acknowledge with Jerem. 17. The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked, Who can know it? Yea, we see David, Psal. 19. 13. though a godly man, and much enlightened thereby, being enabled to make deep search into his soul, and having the Sun beams, could discern those atoms and motes of sin, which man in the dark could not do, yet he crieth out, Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret sins, that is, such sins that lie latent and lurking in my heart, that never yet I could find out. If then this duty be so great of knowing ourselves, that some make all Religion to be in these two things, The knowledge of our selves, and of God; then how necessary is it, that we should be thoroughly acquainted with this heart, and nature-sinfulness, for without this we can never know how vile and loathsome we are? Our actual impieties, though never so gross and numerous, do not demonstrate our loathsomeness so much as this bitter and sour leaven within; These are the stream, that is the fountain; These are the effects, that is the cause; Therefore the greatest strength of our wickedness lieth in a defiled Nature, as you see in a Serpent or Toad, that venom it sends forth at any time, is nothing to the venom in its nature; If you look upon a Cain, a Judas, though his outside be so detestable, yet his inwards are much more abominable, so that a man's heart is like Peters great sheet, which he saw in a vision, Acts 11. 6. which was full of four-footed beasts, and wild beasts, and creeping things, all unclean; such a receptacle is man's soul of all impiety: A man cannot tell what is in the sea, what monsters are in the bottom of it, by looking upon the superficies of the water which covers it, so neither canst thou tell all that horrid deformity and wretchedness which is in thy heart, by beholding thine outward impieties. Oh then that you would turn your eyes inward, as it were, an introversion is necessary: Then you will say, O Lord, before I knew the Nature of original sin, I was not persuaded of my vileness, of my foulness! Oh now I see that I am beyond all expression sinful, now I see every day I am more and more abominable! O Lord, formerly I thought all my sin was in some words, in some actions, or in some vile thoughts, but now I see, this was the least part of all that evil that was in me; Now I am amazed, astonished to see what a sea of corruption is within me, now I can never go to the bottom, now I find something like hell within me, sparks of lust that are unquenchable.

Fourthly, Where there is not a true knowledge of this native corruption, there our Humiliation, and Repentance can never be deep enough; for it's not enough to be humbled for our actual sins, unless also we go to the cause and root of all. When a godly man would repent of his lusts, of his unbelief, or any other actual transgression, he stayeth not in the confession of, and bewailing those particular sins, but he goeth to the polluted fountain, to the bitter spring, from whence those bitter streams flow, and commonly this is a difference between an Ahab's Humiliation, and a David's; Ahab humbleth himself only for his actual impieties, and that because of judgments threatened and impending over him; but David, even when he heareth God had forgiven his iniquity, yet hath great humiliation for his sins; and Psal. 51. thinketh it not enough to bewail his adultery and murder, but to confess, That in iniquity he was conceived; his actual sins carried him to the original. Thus Paul also, Rom. 7, when he miserably complaineth of that impotency in him to do good, that he could never do any good as perfectly, fully, purely and cheerfully, as he ought to do, presently he goeth to the cause of all this deordination, the Law of sin within him, that original sin which was like a Law within him, commanding him to think, to desire, to do sinfully, and obeyed it in all, though against his will, insomuch that he saith, He was carnal, and sold under sin. This the Apostle doth complain of, as the heaviest burden of all; So that an unregenerate man may by the light of nature, bewail and complain of his actual impieties, he may cry out, Oh wretched man that I am, for being such a beast, such a devil, so exorbitant and excessive, but whether he can do this for the body of sin within him, as Paul did, that may justly be questioned; And therefore you see then the troubles and workings of conscience in some men to miscarry greatly; They seem to be in pain and travails of soul, but all cometh to nothing: Oh how many in times of danger, and under fear of death, do sadly cry out of such sins they have committed! Oh the promises and resolutions they make, if ever God give them recovery again! But all this passeth away, even as man's life itself, like a vapor, like a tale, that is told: And one cause of the rottenness and defect of this humiliation is, because it did not go to the bottom of the soar; there was the inward and deep corruption of original sin that such never took any notice of, and so in all his sorrow did omit that which is the most aggravating cause of all grief and trembling: O Lord, I have not only done this wicked thing, but I had an heart, an inclination of soul to carry me to it, and therefore actual sins, though ten thousands of them, they pass away, the guilt only remaining; but this original pravity continueth in the pollution of it.

Fifthly, Ignorance of original sin makes us also mistake in the crucifying and mortifying of sin; No man can truly and spiritually leave a sin, unless he doth conquer it and subdue it in some measure in the original and root of it; and this is a sure difference between a regenerate and unregenerate man about leaving or forsaking of sin; They both may give over their wonted actual impieties; They both may have escaped the pollution of the world, and that through the knowledge of the Gospel, 2 Pet. 2. 20. but the one leaveth only the acts of sin, the other mortifieth it gradually, though not totally in the cause and inclination of the soul. Thus Paul. Rom. 7. though he complain of those actual stirrings, and impetuous motions of sin, yet withal he can truly say, I delight in the Law of God, in the inner man. Now no hypocrite, or unregenerate man can say so; Though he be outwardly washed, yet he hath a swinish nature still, his inward parts are as loathsome, as noisome as ever before: Though there be a fair skin drawn over the wound, yet in the bottom there is as much corruption, and putrefaction, as ever before: Samson 's hair is only cut, it's not plucked up by the root, so that it's not enough to have given over thy former profaneness; Thou thankest God thou art not the man once thou wert: Oh but consider whether sin in the root of it, as well as in the branches of it, doth wither and die daily. A disease is not cured, till the cause of it be in some measure at least removed. As long as original sin is not in some degree mortified, thy old sins, or some other will break out as violently as ever, here is the fountain and root of all within thee.

Sixthly, He that is ignorant of the nature, and extent of this natural defilement, he must needs grossly mistake about the nature of conversion, and be wholly ignorant of what regeneration is; As you see in Nicodemus, John. 3. 6. though a master in Israel, yet grossly mistaking about a new-birth, and what was the reason of it? That appeareth by our Savior's argument to prove the necessity of it, Whatsoever is born of the flesh is flesh, implying by this, That if Nicodemus had known, that by natural generation he was nothing but flesh, that is, sin and evil, his soul, his mind, his conscience, all was flesh in this sense, as well as his body, then he would quickly have discerned the necessity of being born again, then he would not have continued a day, an hour, a moment in such a dangerous condition. And what is the cause that most people are still such sots and senseless men about regeneration? Yea, learned and knowing men are as blind and brutish in this, as the simple and poor people are, doth not all arise from this? That they feel not, neither do perceive that original sin like a leprosy hath run over the whole man, both soul and body, especially there would not be these three mistakes about the work of grace, which are very common; As

1. A Philosophical Reformation, by the Dictates and Principles of Moralists, such as Plutarch, and Seneca give, would not be taken for Regeneration: For although their sayings and directions are admired, and there may be some good use of them, yet they do not go to the root of the matter, they are not an antidote against original sin that defileth the nature, and therefore cannot promote Regeneration, which doth properly cure that in some degree. Aristotle's way to make a man a virtuous man, viz. by frequent and constant actions, at lest to acquire an habit is absurd and repugnant to Scripture, for by that, the tree must be made good, and a man must be born again, ere he can do anything holily. Hence God promiseth to give a new heart, to take away the heart of stone, and then to cause us to walk in all holiness, Ezek. 11. 19. These divine principles must be infused before there can be holy actions. So

2. Civility and an ingenuous temperate disposition, will be but a glistering dunghill, a painted sepulcher, when original sin is known: He will presently see, for all his civil and inoffensive life, his heart is full of all noisomeness; Therefore civil men of all men do most need this light to shine into their breasts; we are ready to think of ourselves, because so harmless and innocent, as was said of Bonaventure, In hoc homine non peccavit Adam. such were born without sin, and brought better natures into the world than others; but if you search into the Scriptures, it will appear that all are born children of wrath, and are equally destitute of that image of God, and then, as when the pillars of an house are removed, the house itself must fall into its own rubbidge. Thus when that primitive righteousness was lost, man is prone to run into all evil, and every man would be like a Judas, or a Cain, even the most civil man that is, did not God restrain original sin.

3. Gifts and abilities which many have in religious exercises, will presently be seen not to be Regeneration. Though we should preach with the tongue of Angels, though admirable in prayer, and other holy duties, yet these and original sin in the power of it may stand together, and so many looking to the flowers, but not the dead corpse they are upon, conclude themselves to be alive, when indeed they are dead.

SECT. IV.

I Shall mention some few more spiritual Advantages, that come by the full and undoubted persuasion of this original corruption; for so of old we are advised, Firmissime texe, & nullatenus dubita, &c. Believe most firmly, and doubt not in the least manner, but that by Adam 's sin, all his posterity becomes sinful and obnoxious to God's wrath. And

First, upon the Knowledge of original sin we evidently see, our impossibility to keep the Law of God. That when the Law requireth a love of God, with all our heart, mind and strength; and also doth prohibit all kind of lust, and sinful concupiscence, even in the very first motions and stirrings of it. The Law (I say) requiring such universal perfection, and we being wholly dead in sin, upon the comparing of the Law, with our condition, we cannot but conclude, That we fail in all things, That the Law is spiritual, but we are carnal; And if he be cursed that doth not continue in all things the Law requireth, how accursed must he be that is not able to perform any one thing? All those opinions that diminish original sin, do also plead for a possibility of keeping God's Commandments: Now this self-flattery is imbred in all. Do not most of our common people think they keep the Commandments of God? Do they believe that the curses of the Law do belong to them every hour? Oh if such convictions were upon them, how greatly would it humble them, and make them debased before God, but they trust in this, they readily and confidently say with that young man. All these have I kept from my youth up, Mat. 9 20. Oh then inform thyself more about this natural defilement and loathsomeness that is upon thee, and then thou wilt find the Law to accuse and condemn thee in all things.

Secondly, The right knowledge of this will make even the godly and regenerate, though in some measure delivered from the power and dominion of it, yet to see, that because of its stirrings and actings in them, there is imperfection, in everything they do. And truly, this is one of the most profitable effects of true knowledge herein, for hereby a godly man is made to go out of all his graces, and his duties, hereby he is afraid of the iniquity of his holy things, and calls his very righteousness a menstruous rag. This is clear in Paul, Rom. 7. How sadly doth he complain of the vigorous actings of this original sin in him; For the present I take it as granted, that that part of the Chapter must be understood of a regenerate person (though vehemently denied by some) as is in time to be shown. That Law of sin was always moving, when he set himself to anything that was holy, he desired to obey the Law perfectly, to love God completely, but this Law of sin would not let him: So that, because of this natural defilement, evil is mixed with all the good we do, insomuch that there would be a woe, and a curse to all our gracious acts, if strictly examined. Thus it is with a godly man in this life, as those Hetruscan -robbers reported of by Aristotle, and mentioned by Austin, who would take some live men, and bind them to the dead men, which was a miserable way of perishing: Even thus it is here, original corruption is constantly adhering, and inseparably to him, who is alive in holiness, and by this means, there is unbelief in his faith, coldness in his zeal, dullness in his fervency; Insomuch that the Apostle crieth out of himself, Oh wretched man that I am! And that because of this very thing, the Papists, though they hold original sin, yet maintaining, That after Baptism it's quite taken away, and that though there be some languor and difficulty in a man, in respect of what is good, yet if we do not consent to these motions of lusts within us, they are not truly and properly sins, do consequentially conclude, that there is not necessarily dross and sin in every holy duty we do, but the evidence of Rom. 7. is too great to be contradicted. So that preaching of original sin is not only necessary to the unregenerate, but even to the most holy and godliest man that liveth; Let him desire to know more of it, for it may do him also much good, and this is the reason, why the more godly any are, the more they are displeased with themselves, and do the more highly esteem of Christ, not but that they grow in grace, only they grow also in the discoveries of more filth and unworthiness in themselves.

Thirdly, By the true knowledge of this we come to be acquainted with that combat and conflict, that is between the flesh and the spirit, so much spoken of by Divines, who usually say, In every godly man there are two men, two I's, as the Apostle ( Rom. 7.) distinguisheth, I Paul carnal, sold under sin, doing the things, I would not, and I Paul spiritual, delighting in the Law of God in the inwardman, and thanking God the Father through Christ, because freed from condemnation; That Paul did not speak of this combat, while unregenerate, as a Legalist, as some say, but as truly converted, will appear, if we consider, that in another place, Gal. 5. 17. the Apostle speaks of all the godly, as thus exercised, The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; So that whatsoever is done holily and godlily, it is always cum luctâ carnis, and therefore grace is the mortifying of the flesh: Now our sins will not be put to death, without some pain and reluctancy to the carnal part. Therefore this is a perpetual concomitant of every godly man, he hath a combat and spiritual conflicting within him, and this makes him often in so many agonies, this makes him so earnestly watching and praying against all temptations; now come we to natural people, they feel not the least struggling within them, all is quiet, and at ease, because they are wholly in their original sin, they were born in; And this makes it plain likewise, that all their praying, hearing, all the religious duties they ever performed, were never done in an holy and godly manner, because there was no reluctancy, or inward combat, but they did them in a customary, formal way, without any spiritual life or motion, for flesh will not fight against flesh. Indeed there is a combat between conscience in its conviction and corruption, even in some unregenerate men, as in Aristotle 's incontinent man, as distinguished from his intemperate, and that is known, of Medea, video meliora, proboque, deteriora sequor, I see and approve better things, but follow the worse: And some would have Paul 's combat to be no other, because he calls it, The Law of his mind, fighting with the Law in his members, but that is not cogent, as is more largely to be shown in its time. Though therefore there be a reluctancy in some unregenerate men, yet that is not like the conflict in the godly, because amongst other differences, this is one principal. The godly man being regenerated in every part of the soul, though not perfectly, his will is sanctified as well as his mind: Hence the combat and opposition in a godly man, is between the same faculty sanctified, and the flesh still abiding in that part, his holy will against his corrupt will; so that not only his mind and conscience is against sin, but his will also, so far as sanctified: Hence the same Apostle makes the opposition between will and will, What I would not, that I do, and though captivated by lust, yet at that very time, delighting in the Law of God, in the inward man; whereas in unregenerate men, they have only an opposition between their conscience, and their heart. The mind suggests one thing, but the will and affections wholly incline another way; Therefore that light in their consciences is a trouble and vexation to them, they do all they can to extinguish it.

The Doctrine then of original corruption, informing us. That it abideth still in a man, while he liveth upon the earth, doth inform the truly godly, that they must always expect agonies and conflicts within, like fire and water met together, so will grace and corruption be; Therefore by this very combat, we may discern true grace, and it's counterfeit; for presumption, which would be thought faith, is easy, we find no opposition to it, but faith is put forth with much difficulty; so godly sorrow put forth upon pure and spiritual motives, is greatly assaulted by the flesh within us, but worldly sorrow or mourning, though for sin, because of temporal judgments only that is easy, we are carried to it from a propensity within, from a love to ourselves.

Hence lastly, The main and principal effect of the true knowledge of our original defilement, is to bring the soul humbled and burdened under it, to a true and real esteem of Christ, and his Grace. So much as we take off from original sin, making it either no sin, or the least sin, or quite abolished after Baptism, so much do we take off from the grace of God in Christ. Hence the Apostle, Rom. 5. when he maketh that famous opposition between the first Adam and the second, the gift of grace by one, and the condemnation by the other, he pitcheth upon that first disobedience, by which we are made sinners, as the original of all that calamity we are plunged into; and therefore the same Paul, when he poured out a large complaint about this Law of sin working in him, at the close of all he runneth to Jesus Christ, Rom. 7. 35. It is the true knowledge of this only, that will make us see the necessity of Christ all the day long, and in every duty, in every performance; As we have none speak so much of Grace and Christ, as Paul, so none speaks so largely and fully about original sin. In the fifth Chapter of the Romans, he asserts the Doctrine of it; and in the seventh Chapter, he declares the power of it, which he felt experimentally in himself, though regenerated: Do not then think this is a Philosophical dispute, or that to err in this is like erring in those points, wherein one Christian is to bear with another; but with Austin account it a fundamental, and that to deny it, is to overthrow that Law whereby we are Christians.

SECT. I.

B Eing then thus informed of the Usefulness and Necessity of true Knowledge in this matter: Let us have your ready and diligent attention in prosecuting that matter, which relateth to it; And so I come to that notion which this Text fastens upon it, that it is a Natural sin, that we have it by natural Propagation.

In the Scripture, and by the Ancients before Austin 's time, it had many names, The Law of sin, The Old man, The Flesh, The old stroke of the Serpent, an hereditary evil, The tradux mali; But in his time for better obviating the Heretics, who would allow the former names, it was by him called Original sin, and ever since made an Ecclesiastical word, only to call it a natural evil, they did not presume for fear of the Marcionites, who held, That there was an evil Nature, as well as the good: And the Pelagians accused the Orthodox for Manicheism in this point, because they held the propagation of this corruption by Nature; Therefore they avoided the term of a Natural evil; yet Austin at last did use it, and indeed it is a very proper and fit name for it, hereby differencing it from all actual, voluntary and personal sins; as also from sin by imitation and custom; for Aristotle makes a distinction of things that are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Lib Ethic. 2. cap. 1. where he showeth what is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , by nature, as the stone to descend, and the fire to ascend, is not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , so according to him, who knew nothing of original sin, we are neither good or evil, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , by nature. And withal this Text doth fully warrant the expression, If we are by Nature sinful, then there is a natural evil; Not that God put it at first into our Natures, or that it is our substantial Nature, but we have it by Natural Propagation.

Let us therefore consider, How much is implied in this expression.

SECT. II.

[ 1] ANd first, It may well be called Natural, because it doth infect the whole Nature of Mankind. It's a defilement that followeth our specifical, not individual being: Even as we call death natural, because it followeth all mankind; Rich men die, and poor men die; learned men die, and foolish; None are exempted from it: Thus also it is with this sin, All that are born in a natural way of mankind have this contagion. The sons of Noblemen and Princes, though they glory in their blood and their descent, yet they are as full of sin, and the children of wrath, as well as the children of the basest; so that though in civil respects they boast of their birth, and are above others, yet in a theological and divine respect, all are alike; yea the children of godly parents, though they have a promise to their seed, and in that respect their children are said to be holy, 1 Cor. 7. yet they come into the world with inherent corruption in them; They do not generate their children, as godly men, but corrupt men, as Austin of old expressed it, A circumcised man begat a child uncircumcised, and the Husbandman, though he soweth his seed out of the chaff and husk, yet that brings up others with chaff and husk upon it. Well therefore may we call it a natural sin, because it doth extend to the whole human Nature, as it is in everyone that partaketh of it in a natural way. So that as Divines do distinguish of infirmities and evils; There are some that are specifical, which follow the Species, as death; and some are accidental, which follow the individual nature: Thus there are some sins, which follow the particular nature of a man, and these are actual sins. Every man is not a drunkard, an adulterer, but some are defiled one way, some another; but then there is a sin, which followeth the whole and universal nature of man, and this is original sin, though every man be not guilty of such or such a particular sin, yet all are, of original sin; And therefore the Schoolmen say, Actual sin doth corrumpere personam, but original Naturam, actual sins corrupt the person, original the nature.

SECT. III.

WE are declaring the Naturality of this Original sin, not as if it were ingredient into, or constitutive of our nature, but an universal and inseparable pollution adhering to it, as they say of death, as though it be praeter Naturam, or contra; yet if we do regard the principles of mortality, which are in every man, so death is natural.

[ 2] Come we therefore to a second demonstration of the Naturality of this evil, and that is seen, In that it is the inward principle of all the sinful motions of the soul, and that per • se, not per accidens. This is a great part of that definition, which Aristotle giveth of Nature, now we may in a moral sense apply it to our purpose.

First, I say, It's the inward principle of all the sinful motions, and workings of the Soul. For as the nature of the stone is the cause of its motion downward, as the nature of the fire is the cause of the fires motions and operations: Thus is original sin the intrinsical cause, and root of all the actual evil we are guilty of. It is far from me to justify Flacius his discourse or opinion of original sin, making it the natural substance of a man, and not an accident, though he so expresseth himself, that some think its his Logical and Metaphysical error, rather than Theological: Only that which I aim at, is to show, That this birth-sin, is naturally ours, because from it doth flow all the sinful and evil operations of the whole man; So that we may say, as it is natural to the stone to descend, to the sparks to fly upwards, so it is natural to man to think evil, to speak evil, and to do evil. Aristotle observeth ( Lib. 2. Ethic. cap. 1.) this, as one property of things by nature, that there the principles are before the actions; A man hath the power to see, or hear before he can actually do either, but in moral things, the actions are before the habits. As it is natural to the Toad to vent poison, and not honey; so when a man sinneth, it's from his own, it's natural to him, but when enabled to do anything that is good, this is wholly of grace: Now, I say, It's an inward principle of all sin within us, to distinguish it from external cause, viz. the devil or wicked men, who sometimes may tempt and cause to sin; Therefore the devil is called The tempter, Mat. 4. 3. Insomuch that it is made a Question, Whether there be any sin a man commits, that the Devil hath not tempted unto, but that I attend not to at this time: This is enough, that the Devil is but an outward cause of sin, and therefore were there not that original filth in us, his sparks could never kindle a fire, he cannot compel or force to sin; In so much that whatsoever sin we do commit, we are not to lay the fault principally upon the Devil, but our own corrupt hearts: Though Ananias lied against the holy Ghost, because the Devil had filled his heart; And Judas betrayed Christ, because Satan had entered into his heart, yet the devil could not have come into their hearts, had they not been of unclean and corrupt Constitutions: before it was an evil heart, and therefore the devil took possession of it. The Apostle James, cap. 1. 14. doth notably discover the true cause, and natural fountain of all the evil committed by us, and that is, The lust and concupiscence, that is within us, he saith, We must not charge God with our sins, as if he were to be blamed, because we are not kept from wickedness; neither doth he bid us, Charge it upon the Devil, though he doth tempt us, but upon our own corrupt lust within. Thus then you see, that as Paul saith of those, who are in Christ, They no longer live, but Christ within them, Gal. 2. 20. So we may on the contrary affirm of every man by nature, that he doth not so much live, as sin within him; for when our physical nature causeth us to think, or speak, or do, then also sin like our moral nature, doth make us think, and speak sinfully: Even as the lame horse can never move himself to go, but he halteth in that motion. Surely, this consideration should make all mankind mourn in sackcloth, and roll itself in ashes: What should a man do in his whole life, but as Anselm said, to deplore his whole life, in totâ vitâ totam vitam deplorare, for he cannot move, or stir, or do anything, but he sinneth; If he cateth, if he drinketh, if he worketh, yea, if he prayeth, in all these he sinneth, as is more to be shown. We see then, that because this original sin is by way of a principle within us of all our irregular motions; Therefore though there were no Devil to tempt, no examples for men to imitate, yet their corrupt nature within would carry them to it; Did not Cain murder Abel, when there had been no such sin in the world before? We many times wonder how children, yea and sometimes grown men should commit such sins, that they could not see practiced before their eyes; but we need not wonder, when we consider what a shop of all impieties every man's heart by nature is. Hence Solomon speaking of the uprightness God made man in, Eccles. 7. 29. he instanceth in the effects of original sin, as opposite to that uprightness, that it makes a man seek out many sinful inventions, he doth not only sin by imitation, but invention.

Secondly, It is added in the definition, That nature is the principle of motion perse, and not per accidens: If a man move a Bowl, and make it run, it's not a natural motion, because the principle is from without, and it's by accident; yea those automata, those artificial instruments, which some have made, that move themselves, yet that is not a natural motion, because the principle is not in them perse, but by accident. Now this property is very applicable to man; for when he sinneth, it's not by accident, or from unexpected occasion, but of himself, and from himself; Therefore to do as a man, to walk as a man, denoteth sinfulness, in the Scripture phrase, 1 Cor. 3. 1. When there are envyings, strifes amongst you, Do ye not walk as men? Observe that, To walk as a man, is to do a thing sinfully, so Rom. 3. 5. when the Apostle in his reasoning made a supposition of God being unrighteous, if he took vengeance, addeth [I speak as a man] These instances declare, that to do a thing as a man, is to do it sinfully, as he said, Humanum est errare. Thus when Christ would express the naturality of the Devils wickedness, he saith, He sinneth of his own (John 8. 44) when he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: So when thou art proud, worldly, unbelieving, thou doest this of thy own; You wonder that some have lies so ready at hand to excuse iniquity, even young children, they are like the Devil in this, they do it of their own, so that sin only we can call our own; our wealth is not our own, our lives are not our own, these we have from God, but that propensity to sin is our own, it ariseth from ourselves, as from the rotten tree come those worms that consume it: Oh what deep humiliation should this cause in thee! Thou hast nothing thou canst call thy own but sin; That which God only hateth and loatheth, that is only thine; he looketh on thee, and seeth thy soul, that he gave thee; he seeth thy body, that is his workmanship also, but then he beholdeth the pravity and sinful disposition in thee, and this is none of his. It was not of God, but it came through Adam 's disobedience; so that when we sin, we then doing it of our own, it is no wonder that when there is no Devil to tempt, no example to imitate, yet men can readily commit any sin.

SECT. IV.

[ 3] THirdly, This sin is Natural, because it doth always and constantly put it self forth: For this is one way of discovering the naturality of a thing, viz. if it be always and constantly so. The Poets saying, Naturam expellas, &c. Though you use all art, or violence, to bar out nature, yet that will recur, it will recur again; Though you violently smother, and keep down the flames, yet no sooner have they passage, but they will ascend, because what Nature doth, it's constant and invariable in, and this is too true in respect of this original sin, it doth constantly and certainly work in us, even as often as our soul doth put forth any vital actings at all. Those things that are by accident, they seldom fall out, but what is by nature is frequent, you may know the Sun will rise again, though it be night, till God put a period to the course of nature: And thus it is concerning man, as soon as ever he is born, you may conclude this child, as soon as ever he can think, he can understand, or will, as soon as he can love, or be angry, he will do them all sinfully; Even as when ye see a young Serpent, you may certainly conclude, this will poison as soon as ever it can sting, and the reason is, because it's a constant pollution of the soul, and therefore it is in every thing the unregenerate man doth, Gen. 6. 5. The imagination of the thoughts of a man's heart is only evil, and that continually; it's continually, because naturally so: May not this respect also make thee with Jeremiah wish, That thy head were a fountain of tears to weep day and night? For can anything be more dreadful than to have this fountain of poison within, running out all the day long; To have this flux of blood, that no act or human skill can stop? Aristotle saith, That every time a man breaths, there comes out some kind of fire with it. Certainly, every time thou thinkest and movest thy soul any way, there comes out hell fire with those motions, by this means the sea-shore is not fuller of sand, or the air of atoms, than thou art of constant sinful emanations from thy soul.

SECT. V.

FOurthly, This sin is Natural, Because it would carry a man out to the [ 4] highest actings of the grossest impieties that can be. As they say, Nature doth act always to the highest it can. Thus it's true in respect of this natural corruption, it doth incline every man to be as vile, and as enormous as any are; For although this original corruption doth not deprive him of his understanding and will, making of him an irrational beast, yet it doth so captivate and enthrall the whole man; That though to understand and to will be of nature, yet this understanding and willing in a sinful manner will always be, because it's corrupted nature; and therefore it would hurry every man even as the Devil did the Swine into the sea of perdition: Everyone would be a Cain, a Judas, if his corrupt nature were left to itself, and if you ask, Why then are not all men turned into so many beasts and Devils? Why is not the whole world in confusion? How comes there to be any civility or morality? Why is not every place like an hell, if all men are thus vile by nature? It's answered, God hath a reforming and restraining grace; If this later may be called Grace: Now those that God reformeth, and inwardly sanctifieth; They are made to delight in the Law of God; They have the fear of God put into their hearts, and so they keep from sin out of love to God; but then there are others, and God layeth a restraint upon them, he puts a bridle in their mouths: So that although they have an insatiable appetite to sin, and do not put forth the whole abundance of that evil, which is within them, yet they have a principle inclining thereunto, only God stops them; as he did Balaam, whose heart was desirous to curse the people of Israel, though he was restrained from it; As it is with the sea, by its own natural motion, it would overthrow the whole world, but that God hath put his bounds to it, saying, Hitherto shalt thou go and no further. Thus God hath a supreme dominion even over the sinful heart of man, so that it cannot sin, when and how, and as much as it listeth, but it's under the providence of God, Cui nihil est malum, as Austin said, because he can turn it unto good. But all this is no thanks or praise to man; Say then with thyself, If I run not into the same excess of riot with others; If I be not so abominable and loathsome, as many others are; It's not because I have a better nature, or come less polluted with original sin into the world, but because God puts limits to me, for as you see in the little Acorn is contained all the huge branches and boughs, which by length of time, it groweth up into. Thus let man alone, let him have opportunities to sin, let not God restrain him, and you will quickly see him to be an incarnated Devil, and the reason is, because this evil being natural, and withal the seed of all evil, therefore he would be hurried on to the committing of it: Even as Adam had in the image of God, the seminals of every godly action, so that none could say, Adam had not a power to do such and such a gracious work. Thus it is with original corruption succeeding in the room thereof, it naturally defiles all over, and so hath a womb, as the Apostle James, chap. 1. 14. alludeth thereunto, wherein any monstrous and deformed sin may be conceived.

SECT. VI.

[ 5] FIfthly, It's Natural, Because it's necessarily in everyone; we are necessarily thus defiled and stained; And in this respect chiefly, we call it Natural, because it's not voluntary, it's not subject to the exercise of free-will: For although, as was said, the heart of man inclineth to the highest impieties, yet the exercise of some gross impieties are subject to our power in some measure, a man is not in this sense necessarily a drunkard, or an adulterer; but when we speak of this inward filthiness, it's so natural, that it's necessary: Neither the being of it, or the immediate motions of it are subject to our reason and will, but they are in us antecedently to our own consent; and this consideration doth greatly aggravate our guilt, for we are not only habitually and actually, or voluntarily sinful, but naturally and necessarily so. Now as it is the great aggravation of God's holiness, that he is not only actually holy, but naturally, yet voluntarily: So it must be our great condemnation, that we are not only actually and voluntarily sinful, but even naturally and necessarily, yet this necessity taketh not off from voluntariness, and delight in sin.

It's Ivy twisted about, and eaten into our Nature, whether we will or no; So that it is ours, not because we will it, and make it ours by consent, but because it's inherently in us before the least deliberate actings of the soul: Insomuch that as Suarez well observeth, If a man grown up in years should by a personal, formal, and explicit consent agree to Adam 's sin, yet that would only be a personal sin in him, it would not make Adam 's sin his; And the reason is, because this sin doth now descend upon us by natural propagation, not by voluntary agreement, yet this necessity of it doth not at all abate from the delight and pleasure that we find in the actings thereof: Neither is it such a natural necessity, as hunger or thirst, which are not culpable, because they are not contrary to the Law of God, neither were at first contracted by Adam 's free choice, but are a necessary concomitant of man's constitution in an animal life, whereas this necessity is the issue of Adam 's free-will, and is subjectively in our will, whereby a man is carried out at the same time to sin, both necessarily and yet voluntarily, and so agreeth rather with those who have contracted an habit of sin, who sin in some respect necessarily, as the Prophet expresseth it, Jer. 13. 23. Can the Ethiopian change his skin? or the Leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.

SECT. VII.

WE proceed to further discoveries of this Truth, viz. The Naturality of this evil: And that

In the sixth place will further appear, In that it is more near to us, than any actual or habitual sin; That it is nearer than any actual sin, is plain, Because that is transient, and abideth not in us. But for habitual sin, that is constantly fixed in us, when once settled there. Now it may be thought, that original sin cannot stick closer than that, an habit being a kind of second nature: Insomuch that Aristotle makes such who have acquired habits of sin, to sin necessarily, and that there is not so much voluntariness in their offenses, as in other faults. But now original sin is more naturally and intimately in us, than these acquired habits of sin, for we are not made thus originally filthy by frequent actings of sin, but we are born and bred so, so that whereas habits of sin, as drunkenness, uncleanness, &c. These are the product of many actions; Frequent and often sinning begets such an habit that cannot be left off. This original sin is the cause of sinful actions, not the effect of it: Because we are thus sinful and polluted by nature, therefore all our actions are likewise so polluted. Now then if the Scripture make it such an impossible thing for a man accustomed only to evil to become a changed man, that impossibility lieth upon a man, who is naturally so; For though custom be called a second Nature, yet certainly the first Nature is more implanted, and so more active in a man. This particular therefore may greatly humble a man, in that sin is so deeply rooted in him, it's worse than an habit or custom of sinning; It goeth as near to thy very essence and substance, as it can do, and yet not be thy substance; Therefore the Scripture calls it, Flesh and blood, The members of a man, The Law of sin in his flesh. If a man hath a thorn in his flesh, how restless and pained is he? Paul compared that heavy temptation, he grappled with, to a Thorn in the flesh; but although by nature, we have this thorn, not only in our sides, but even all over the whole man, yet we can lie down in ease, and live in pleasure, as if nothing ailed us; but this is one deadly effect of original sin, that it takes away all sense and feeling, whether there be any such thing or no. Oh then, let the thoughts of this sin go as deep into thee, as the sin itself! Sin is got into thy heart, let sorrow get thither; Sin hath entered into thy bowels, and filled the whole man brim full (as we say;) Oh let shame and holy confusion be as deep, and as complete in thee!

SECT. VIII.

SEventhly, This naturality will appear, If we consider that original righteousness, [ 7] which God created man in: For our original sin comes in the place thereof, and such a perfection as that was to the soul, such a defect is this to us. Now the Orthodox do maintain against Papists, That that original righteousness was not a supernatural perfection superadded to man's nature, but a due and natural perfection concreated with him; For as Adam being made to glorify God, was thereby to have a rational soul, so also such perfection in that soul, which might make him capable of his end, otherwise man would have been created in a more imperfect and ignoble condition than any creature. It is true indeed, That Righteousness and Holiness Adam had, which the Scripture calls God's Image, did not flow from the principles of nature, neither was it a natural consequent thereof; but yet it was a moral condition or perfection due to Adam, supposing God created him to such an end; and therefore we are not to conceive of that Image of God, as an infused habit or habits which were to rectify and guide the natural faculties and affections of the soul, which otherwise would move in repugnancy and contrariety to one another, but as a natural rectitude, and innate ability of those powers and affections of the soul to move regularly and subordinately to God's will: Though therefore in respect of God, that Righteousness Adam had might be called supernatural, because it was his gift, yet in respect of man, the subject, so it was connatural, and a suitable perfection to his nature. This being taken for a sure Truth, then it will exceedingly help us to the true understanding of the naturality of this evil, for original sin succeeding in the stead thereof, is not (as some Papists affirm) like the taking of clothes from a man, and so leaving him naked; or like the taking away of a bridle from an horse, all which are superadded, and external helps, as it were; but it's like death that takes away the life of a man, in respect of what is holy and godly, and like an heavy disease that doth much hinder and debilitate even the natural operations. This original sin then is like the spoiling of an instrument of Music, or the deordination of a Clock or Watch, when not able to perform their proper service they were made for: So that original sin is partly the want of this original Righteousness that was so connatural, and partly thereby a propensity and inclination to all evil; For as when the harmony of the humors is dissolved, presently diseases arise in the body: Thus when that admirable rectitude, which was at first in the whole man, was broken, then all inordinacy, all perverseness and crookedness presently began to possess the whole man: As then original Righteousness was not as an infused habit, but the faculties of the soul duly constituted, whereby they did regularly move in their several ways; so original sin is not to be conceived, like some acquired habit, polluting the powers of the soul, but as the internal defect and imperfection that is cleaving to them; Even as the paralitical hand whensoever it moveth, doth it with feebleness and trembling, wanting some strength within: If therefore we would truly judge of the horrible nature of this sin, we must thoroughly understand the excellency and wonderful nature of that original Righteousness which is now lost, then all things in the soul were in an admirable subordination to that which is holy; and although the sensitive appetite, was then carried out to some sensible object, yet it was with a subordination to the understanding; so that in that state of integrity there did not need, as the Papists say, Righteousness as a bridle to curb in the passions and affections, which otherwise would be inordinate, for this were to attribute a proneness to sin in us to God himself, for he is the author of every thing, which is natural in us, but all the affections and sensitive motions, were then subjected to the command of reason, so that Adam had power to love when, and as long, and in what measure he pleased; All the affections of his soul were both quoad originem, gradum and progressum under his dominion; Even as the Artificer can make his Clock strike, when, and as many times as he pleaseth. But woe be unto us, all this excellent harmony and subordination is now lost, and our affections they captivate and rule over our judgments, and all this is because 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , there wants something within, as he said of his Image that he could not make stand, because it wanted life within.

SECT. IX.

[ 8] EIghthly, That this original sin is a natural evil, appeareth, From the work of grace sanctifying, which is the proper remedy to cure this imbred defilement: For the grace of Regeneration is chiefly and principally intended to subdue sin, as it did corrupt the nature, and so by consequence, as we were personally corrupted; Therefore the tree must first be made good; ere the fruit can be good, as the tree is in its nature evil, and then it brings forth evil fruit: So that God in vouchsafing of this grace of Regeneration, doth not principally intend to make thee leave thy actual sins (for that is by consequence only) but to make thy nature better to repair his Image in thee: Even as when the Prophet Elisha would make the waters sweet, he threw salt into the spring and fountain of them: Thus because it's from a polluted nature that all our actual sins flow, therefore grace regenerating is principally ordered to take away or conquer that by degrees, which is the cause of all: If this be so, then let us consider, What this grace is, which doth enable us to do anything after a godly and holy manner? This is a supernatural gift of God, and an infused quality into the soul, whereby it's enabled to work above its own proper and natural operations: If then to do anything that is good be wholly of grace, it's God's gift, then to sin is natural and proper to thee. The Scripture is copious and plentiful in affirming this, That Christ as our head is the cause of all our supernatural actings, We receive of his fullness, and so are enabled by him. Grace then being supernatural, to love God, to repent of sin, to do anything spiritually, being thus wholly above nature, it necessarily followeth, that when we sin, and do evil, that we do it naturally.

SECT. X.

NInthly, The Nature of a thing, if compounded, and not simple, is the [ 9] complex of the whole. The nature of a man is not his hands, or his eyes only, but his soul, and his whole body. Thus the nature of original Righteousness was not the perfection of one single faculty, the understanding only, the will only, but it was the complete harmonical rectitude of the whole man, called therefore the Image of God; Now as the Image of a man is not one limb or member, but the portraiture of the whole: So neither was the Image of God in Adam; one grace, or some few graces, but the perfection of every part; Light in the mind, holiness in the will, order and regularity in the affections: Thus it is on the contrary with original sin, it's called, The old man, and it's said to have m • mbers, by which is implied, that it's not any single sin, or a defect and pollution in one faculty of the soul, but it's universal over all. Hence our Savior saith, John 3. Whatsoever is born of the flesh is flesh, it is wholly corrupted, it is all over sinful; So then, when we say, it's natural, this implieth, That it is a Leprosy all over us, as far as our physical being extends: Thus also in a moral sense doth our sinful Being enlarge itself: Therefore our natural estate is not compared only to a blind man, or a deaf man, what wants the use of some faculties, but unto death itself, that depriveth of the use of all. The naturality then of this sin doth denote both the inward inheston, as also the universal diffusion of it, nothing within a man being free from this contagion.

SECT. XI.

LAstly, The Naturality of this evil doth appear In the great easiness, promptitude [ 10] and delight a man naturally finds to sin. This is a way to discover what is natural, if the actions be easy, ready, and with delight; This discovers they flow from Nature, but what is of art, that is with difficulty, and much observation. We need not hire, or teach a man to eat or drink, these are natural actions, and are accompanied with delight: And thus the Naturality of this birth-sin is notably manifested; with what ease, pleasure, and inward readiness is a man carried out to sin from his youth up: Eliphaz speaks notably of this, Job 15. 16. How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water, like a Leviathan, that is said to drink up the river, and hasteth not. You see he calls every man by nature abominable and filthy, which is discovered by this, He drinketh iniquity like water, as a dropsy, or feverish man, that is scorched with heat within, doth with greediness and delight pour down water, and the more he drinketh, the thirstier he is, and he never saith he hath enough. Thus it is with filthy and corrupted man, he doth with earnestness and delight fulfill the lust of the flesh, he is never satisfied. Every man in the world hath a Sheol within him, that is always craving, and saying, Give, Give, as hell hath unquenchable sparks of fire, such an hell is in every man's heart; As our Savior said, It's my meat and drink to do my Fathers will. Thus it is every man's meat and drink by nature to be doing the Devils will: Do ye not see it in children, how of themselves they are prone to any impiety, but call them to learn, or to be instructed, then there is much averseness? All this ariseth from the natural evil within us.

SECT. I.

T He Naturality of original sin hath been in divers respects asserted. I shall therefore conclude this Text with answers to some Objections that are made against this Doctrine: I do not mean against original sin itself, for they are various; so unwilling is man to be convinced that he is wholly sinful, but against the Naturality of it, which this Text doth affirm: Neither shall I take in all Objections of this kind, because they will be met with, on some other Texts; only I shall pitch upon one or two, whereby your understandings may be more fully cleared in this point, and so I shall part with this Text.

First therefore, it hath been enviously of old objected against this Truth, That if there were such a natural pollution adhering to all mankind, this would redound to the dishonor of God, who is the Author of man. This Argument the Pelagians of old insulted with, If ( say they ) any man hold, God is the maker of man, presently he is called a Pelagian; for thus they flourished, If there be original sin, either the parents that beget, or the children that are begotten, or God the Creator of the soul, and in a peculiar manner forming all the parts of our body, must be the cause of this sin. This Objection they thought unanswerable, unless we should charge God with being the Author of this original defilement. Hence it is that they charged Man • cheism upon the Orthodox, as if they thought, that Nature itself was evil. Five things there were, that these Heretics did usually commend, Nature, Marriage, the Law, Free-will, and Holiness; none of which they thought could be maintained, unless we deny original sin.

But when these Arguments are fully searched into, there will appear no matter of boasting. Let us call the first to account, and examine, Whether the Doctrine of original corruption doth charge God foolishly, or no? Whether hereby all the sin in the world will be laid upon God?

Now there is a three sold charge drawn up against this Truth, as it relateth to God:

1. That it makes him the Author of this sin.

2. That it makes him unjust, imputing that sin of Adam to us, and punishing us because of it, when we had no being, or any will of our own to act therein. And

3. Of cruelty, that God who is so ready to forgive us our own sins, yet should impute to us Adam 's. But these are fig leaves only, and cannot cover the Objectors nakedness.

SECT. II.

FOr, First, We do not say, That the Nature of man as it was created first, had this imbred pollution in it, No: it came out of God's hands pure and clean, Eccles. 7. ult. God made man upright. It was after God's own Image that he made him, he had no experimental knowledge of any evil within him. But as it was with the earth after man's fall, it brought forth briars and thorns, being cursed, which (as it is thought) it would not have done so before. Thus upon Adams transgression, then, and not till then, was his soul cursed spiritually, to bring forth nothing but briars and thorns, such lusts as were fit combustible matter for hell fire: Therefore every Infant almost may understand this, That the maintaining of this Truth doth not at all redound to God's dishonor, for we see the like in the Devils, Are not they become wicked spirits? Is there not an utter impossibility in a Devil to do anything that is good? Are they not called the spiritual wickednesses in high places? Ephes. 6. 12. as if they were nothing, but all over wickedness, yet the Devil, though so vile and abominable, was made a glorious creature. None of this poison was at first infused into him, but the Apostle Jude ver. 6, layeth it wholly upon themselves, That they kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation. The Devils then, though so full of wickedness, yet are not a reproach to God their Maker, but it was through their own willfulness, they became such Apostates.

Hence in the second place, Adam when he first transgressed that command of God, and thereby involved all mankind in darkness and misery, did it from a voluntary free principle within, there was no internal or external necessity compelling him to sin, for he was made with the image of God in him, and that matter wherein he did transgress, he might easily have attained from God, giving him liberty to eat of all other trees, so that it was merely, and solely from Adams own will, that he undid himself and all his posterity. It is true, God if he had pleased could have prevented his sinning, he could have confirmed him in such grace, as we see he did the other Angels that fell not, whereby he would certainly have been preserved from all sin, but God is the supreme Sovereign, and is not tied up as men are to inferior Laws. It is true, he is an eternal Law of Righteousness to himself, whereby he cannot do anything, but what is just and righteous, yet he hath also an absolute Dominion over all things, and may dispose of his creatures as he pleaseth; and from this it was that he created man with power to fall, as well as to stand, making him mutable and changeable, whereas the glorified Saints in Heaven shall be delivered from such mutability, and there shall not be in them a posse peccare, a power to sin, so greatly shall their souls be perfected in Heaven: So that still you see, God is freed, and man's destruction is of himself.

Hence also in the third place, when Adam sinned at first, it was not after the same manner, as we sin; for when we sin, this floweth from a corrupted nature within, Jam. 1. 17. Everyone is tempted and drawn aside with the lust that is within him; But in Adam there was no such vicious principle. It is therefore a false and dangerous position of the Socinians, That we sin in the same manner that he did, That we have no more corrupted Nature in us, then he had, but as he had a free-will, by which he chose either good or evil, so it is with us. But this speaketh open defiance against the Scripture; For was Adam by nature the child of wrath? Were the imaginations of his thoughts only evil, and that continually? Could Adam say, He found a Law of sin in his Members, warring against the Law of his mind? Adam 's sin therefore came from the mere mutability and changeableness that was in his will, there being no antecedent corruption in him: Insomuch that it hath greatly exercised learned Divines, to show how Adam could sin, and wherein the imperfection did first break forth, he being made after the Image of God; but in us our sinfulness ariseth from a necessity contracted by the first voluntary transgression, and so have a corrupt nature which inclineth to all corrupt actions. Adam was in some sense a good Tree, and yet did bring forth bad Fruit, a sweet Fountain, and yet did send forth bitter Streams; Here we might say, a Vine brought forth Thorns, and a Fig Thistles; but we are bad Trees, poisoned Fountains, Briars and Thorns, only from the paralleling of ourselves with Adam, we may conclude our incurableness, as also the danger we are in, by every temptation; For if Adam; though without any corrupt principle within him, though without the least spark of any lust, was yet so easily inflamed by a temptation; What may we expect who have the seed of all evil within us? If the green Ivy shall take fire so soon, what will the dry Tree do? Oh take heed of coming near any occasion of sin! As our Savior said, Remember Lots wife, so do thou Adams wife, yea and Adam himself. These, though created holy, though without any lustful inclination, yet did presently yield to the temptations of sin, What then wilt not thou do? If Samson with his strength cannot resist the Philistines, much less, when that is gone, can he withstand them. But of this difference between Adam and us in sinning, more in its time.

In the fourth place, God is to be justified, though we be born full of sin, because we are to distinguish between nature itself, and the corruption cleaving to it. We say, our Nature, our Essence and Substance, our Souls and Bodies in respect of their natural Being are the work of God, and we are with David, to admire the curious workmanship of God, in respect of our Bodies; The excellent composition of all the bodily parts, did convince even Galen, though otherwise an Heathen. God therefore as a Creator is to be praised and glorified by us; only, as Austin of old, we must not so praise Deum Creatorem, as to make Superfluum Servatorem; We must not so celebrate the name of God, as a Creator, that thereby we should make a Savior superfluous and unnecessary, Sub laudibus naturae latent inimici gratiae, under the praises of Nature, the enemies of Grace hide themselves; and so under the praises of God as a Creator, the enemies of Christ, as a Savior, shelter themselves. Nature then, we say, is good, our Substance and Being is of God only, the defilement annexed inseparably thereunto is of man: Even as in our bodies, the substance of them is of God, but God did not make death, that dissolution ariseth from sin. We do not say, That sin is natural to us constitutive, or consecutive, but transitive and inhaesive, it doth not constitute our Being, neither is it an internal consequence of it, but it descends with our Nature, and is inherent in everyone.

Those only do give God his due glory, and vindicate him against all sinful complaints, who do maintain original sin; For it was the ignorance of this made the Heathens utter such impatient complaints against Nature, or rather the God of it, because they were not informed of this, they thought, God dealt more unkindly with man, than any other creature. Thus Austin taketh notice of Cicero, who greatly complained of Nature, Rem (saith he) vidit, causam nescivit, (Lib. 4. contra Julian. cap. 12.) latebat enim cur grave jugum esset super filios Adam; and this was, Because (saith Austin ) not being instructed out of the Scripture, he was ignorant of original sin. So that there is no such remedy against those damnable Doctrines of the Marcionites and Manichees, as by acquainting of ourselves with the Truth in this point, for hereby we are enabled upon just and solid grounds both to justify God, and condemn ourselves.

SECT. III.

LAstly, They that hold Adam was at first created with a pronity to sin, and that it was natural in him to have the sensitive appetite rebel against the rational; and therefore original Righteousness was given as a bridle to curb and keep the inferior faculties in subordination to the superior. These (I say) do hold that Doctrine, which makes God to be the Author, if not of sin, yet of inclination to it. For, as the Socinians say, That death was natural to man in his first Creation, only sin made it necessary, end by way of a curse. So the Papists say, That even in Adam at his first Creation there would have been a rebellion between his appetite and reason, had not there been grace superadded to regulate it; For (say they) this is natural, and it abideth in all men still, and is not a sin. But we shall in time (God willing) show the falsehood of this, and prove the inclination of the sensitive appetite to any suitable object, as it was in Adam, was not irregular, but in us it is in all things excessive, we not being able to move regularly, because we have lost that inward strength we were created in. As you see in the Palsy member, that moveth very fast, not from strength, but from weakness, so is it with us now in all our motions to any object, but God. There is a paralitical affection, we cannot love or fear, but we do it too much. Now to say, it was thus in Adam, would be to dishonor God, and to make him the Author of that ataxy and confusion which is now in man.

SECT. IV.

AS for the other two particulars of God's Injustice and Cruelty, supposed to be in the depriving of us of that original Righteousness, we may speak more hereafter: But for the present, this may stop the mouth of any caviller, though it be as wide as a Sepulcher.

1. That as God was not necessitated to create man, neither did he make man out of need of him, so when he had made him, he being supreme Lord and Sovereign, might deal with him upon what terms he pleased: It pleased him therefore to covenant with Adam not as a single person, but as a common head and universal person, as appeareth Rom. 5. by the collation that is made between the first Adam, and the second Adam, as two universal principles.

Therefore secondly, God taking such a way, all the good Adam should have had upon his continuance in obedience, would not have been in himself only, but to all his posterity Then in him, we had all obeyed, By his obedience we had been all made righteous, and by him life would have entered into the world; so that it's great Justice in God, to transmit all the evils of Adams transgression, to his posterity, who would have communicated all the good promised to them upon his obedience. And thus we have answered that Objection, which is brought against the Naturality of it.

SECT. V.

THe other Objections will come in seasonably from other Texts; I shall therefore dismiss this Verse and Doctrine, with a vehement entreaty, not to let the meditation of this Truth go out of your hearts, till it hath humbled you in the dust, till you look upon yourselves as filthy and abominable, worse than any Toads or Serpents: What is it a light matter, to have a nature that is all the day long, either in thought, word or deed offending God? Your natural evil is more to be deplored, in some sense, than all your actual evil; for as long as this spring is, there will always be polluted streams: Many things may humble and debase us, as men, but this is the Goliath's Sword, none like this to pierce and cut at the very heart, even that we are naturally evil.

SECT. I.

T His later part of the Chapter is the Common-place and proper seat of the Doctrine of original sin, but the understanding of it is very difficult, for there are Textual and Grammatical obscurities by the Hyperbatons, Anantapodotons, and defective expressions, which are usual in Paul, whose matter runneth like a torrent, and cannot be so well bounded by words: And as the Grammatical expression makes it doubtful, so also the profundity and depth of that admirable matter, which is here delivered, addeth to the difficulty of it: For Austin of old said truly, Antiquo peccato nihil ad praedicandum notius, nihil ad intelligendum secretius, It's easily known that there is such a thing, but what it is, is a great mystery, and secret: Insomuch that Salmeron, though a Jesuit, upon the consideration of the difficulties in this Discourse of the Apostle, spake gravely, Non tam Thesei filo, quam Spiritu Sancto, & lumine quo conscripta est, &c. We do not need Theseus his twine of thread, but the holy Ghost, and that light by which this Epistle was wrote to guide us. Not therefore to speak much of the Coherence, which is so much vexed by learned men, in the Dispute of original imputed sin, especially that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , of which in time I shall take notice.

In the words we have a further and clearer Declaration of that Collation made between Adam and Christ: Insomuch that this doth clear what was formerly more obscurely spoken, describing two Originals, or common Fountains, the one of Sin and Death, the other of Grace and Life: For whereas in the verse before he said, Condemnation came upon all by Adam; Lest God should be thought unjust in this, he showeth withal, That sin is propagated, so that there is the Demerit of this condemnation in everyone of us.

In this Collation or Comparison, I am only to take notice of the Protasis or Proposition, which is, That by one man's disobedience many were made sinners.

So that in the words, we are to consider the Subject, or rather the cause of mankind's sinfulness, and that is described in the Nature of it, and the Author, The Nature of it is said to be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . The Apostle called it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which words do denote the heinousness of it; Rebellion is like the sin of witchcraft, and Adams sin is called disobedience; yea some learned Divines show, That the proper specifical nature of this sin was disobedience, there were also many sins ingredient thereunto, this the Apostle doth to aggravate the heinousness of it: Insomuch that Peltan the Jesuit doth wickedly accuse the Protestants for aggravating the guilt of it so much. Apud illos (saith he) omnia sunt quasi tragica & infernalia, (De pecc. orig. ) They have nothing but tragical expressions, and proclaim hell and damnation because of this pollution; For this is the Apostles scope in this place, to heighten the consideration of it, that so Christ may be the more magnified: Even as an Historian, who would make a parallel between two great Generals, yet intending to prefer one before another, doth in the first place amplify the gallantry, the warlike power, the military stratagems of the one, that so he may the more advance that other General whom he intends to prefer above him. Thus doth the Apostle here, he makes original sin to be exceeding sinful, that so the grace of Christ may be exceeding rich, and precious grace. Adams sin then, which is imputed, and made ours (as you heard) is disobedience.

SEC. II.

SEcondly, You have the Author of this disobedience, and that is said to be by one man. Though Eve was the first in transgression, yet Adam is named as the chief; and therefore Adam is sometimes used collectively, both for man and woman; as when God said, Let us make man after our Image. Here then we have Paul informing us of that, which all Philosophy was ignorant of, viz. The imputation of Adams sin to us, and our natural pollution flowing from it. Yea, Paul guided by the Spirit of God, finds out that mystery, which none of us ever could discover, by reading the History of Mans Fall, related by Moses; For there indeed we could see the cause of death, how that came upon all mankind, but that Adams sin was ours, That we all sinned in him, that hereupon we were all involved in sin and misery; for this we are to bless God for Paul, who hath so largely discovered it.

SECT. III.

IN the next place, We have the Effect of this disobedience, with the Extent of it. The Extent is to many, that is, to all born naturally of Adam; For many is not here opposed to all, but to one, the original, from that one, many, even all are made sinners. Therefore it's a dangerous Exposition of Theodoret, as Sixtus Senensis relateth, which affirmeth, Not all, but some only to be infected with Adam 's sin, exempting Abel, Noah, and others from this pollution; For (1 Cor. 15.) the Apostle saith, In Adam all die; and in this Chapter at verse. 12. All have sinned in Adam; But the Effect, that is more dreadful, and worthy of all meditation, We are made 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . This is more then when all were said to sin in him, for this doth denote the habitual depravation of all the parts of the soul, as also a readiness to commit all actual sins. Therefore the word is sometimes applied to signify great and heinous sinners, as Mary Magdalene is said to be ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) a sinner. So then you see, that by Adams disobedience all are made sinners.

SECT. I.

That Adam's Disobedience makes us Sinners by Propagation.

BUt there are cogent Reasons to understand it thus, That Adam 's Disobedience makes us sinners by natural Propagation: As

First, Because the Apostle still chargeth our guilt and sinfulness upon Adam only, upon that one man, and upon that one offense, whereas if it were by example and imitation only, it might be upon our parents and others, and upon their transgressions: So that the Apostle might have said, By many men, and many disobediences, we are made sinners; but still he chargeth it on one man, and one offense.

Secondly, If Imitation be taken strictly, then a man must know, and have in his eye that which he doth imitate; but how many thousands are there, that run into all excess of wickedness, and never heard of Adam, much less could not propound his sin for a pattern to follow? So that even in the Pelagian sense, to be sinners by Imitation cannot be properly used in this Controversy.

Thirdly, If the Apostle understood sin only by Imitation, or occasion, not Propagation, then as Austin of old well urged; it might be more properly fastened upon the Devil, as the Original; for it was not by Adam, but the Devil that sin came into the world, in this sense, and so death by sin; Hence the Devil is said to be a manslayer from the beginning, Joh. 8. 44. or a murderer, and that both of souls and bodies; In so much that the Devil was the occasion of all the wickedness, and death the consequent thereof: And hence our Savior speaking of wicked men, Joh 8. saith, They are of their Father the Devil, and what they see him do, that they do. So that the Devil is made to be the original of sin by imitation to wicked men, and not Adam.

Fourthly, Adams sin must be made ours by natural Propagation, not Imitation, Because death is made the necessary consequent of it all that 〈◊〉 have sinned Adam 's sin: But now death is propagated naturally; Hence Infant die, which yet according to the best Divines have not actual sin, why 〈◊〉 it that they die? yea they are not only subject to death, but to exquisite torments and pains; yea, Infants have been grievously possessed with the Devils, and tormented by them: Now this could not be, if they were not guilty of sia: If therefore death be by natural Propagation, then sin the cause of it, must also be in that manner.

Fifthly, This comparison made between the first Adam communicating sin, and the second, communicating Righteousness, doth fully evince this: For we are made righteous by Christ, not only as if he were a pattern, and example of Righteousness unto us, but by an hidden and secret infusion of holiness into our souls, whereby we are made new creatures, and said to be partakers of the Divine Nature: For whereas the Papists would argue, as they think, very strongly for our Justification by inherent Righteousness from the parallel made between Adam and Christ; As ( say they ) we are made sinners, not by imputation only, but by inherency through Adam 's disobedience; so we must be made righteous by Christ, not by imputation, but inherently. We retort the Argument, and say, Because Adam 's sin is imputed tous, whereby we are made sinners, so Christ's obedience is made ours, whereby we are constituted righteous: Yet we grant further, That by Christ we are made inherently righteous, though by that we are not justified; and this inward renovation comes not from Christ by example, but a powerful and secret transformation of the whole man, so that as to partake of Adam 's sin, we must be born naturally of Adam; For if God should create some men in an extraordinary manner, not by natural descent from him, they would not have this natural contagion cleaving to them; so to partake of Christ's Righteousness, it's necessary we must be new born by the Spirit of God. Thus you see many Reasons, compelling us to understand the manner how by Adam 's disobedience we are made sinners, to be by natural Propagation: For, if this foundation be not laid sure, the whole fabric will quickly fall to the ground. We come then to the Observation, which is,

SECT. II.

THat all mankind by Adam 's disobedience are truly and properly made sinners. The Text is so clear that we would wonder any should be so deluded, as to confront the Truth contained therein: Everyone that is naturally born of Adam, is thereby, and in that respect made a sinner, though he should have no actual transgressions of his own: An Infant, that liveth not to be guilty of any actual evil, yet because Adam 's seed, is thereby made a sinner, and so a child of God's wrath. Certainly, the Apostle would not have been so large and industrious in affirming this Truth: But because of the evident necessity to know it, and the great utility that may come to us, if duly improving this knowledge. To be sure he layeth this as a foundation, to exalt and magnify the grace of God by Christ: So that they who deny this original contagion, must needs rob Christ and his grace of the greatest part of that glory due to him.

SECT. I.

T O explain this profound and weighty Truth, consider that expression in the Doctrine, That we are by Adam 's disobedience, made truly and properly sinners: For there are those that hold, we receive much hurt, Yea, some say, we are guilty by Adam 's disobedience, but not made truly and properly sinners, they deny there is any inward pollution upon the soul of man.

When I had proceeded far in this Discourse of Original Sin, there cometh out an English Writer (D ^r J. Taylor Vnum Neces. ) in a triumphing and scornful style, like Julian of old, peremptorily opposing this Doctrine of inherent pollution by nature. He is not merely Pelagian, Arminian, Papist, or Socinian, but an hotchpotch of all; So that as there were a Sect of Philosophers, as Laertius reports ( Proem in fin ) that was called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , because they would choose out some opinions from all the Sects that were: So doth this man most unhappily sometimes select what is most deformed in those several parties. With this Writer we shall encounter as often as we find him throwing earth into the pure springs. Although the word Sinner in some places, is as much as to be an offender, to be obnoxious to punishment; yet in this place we must understand more, as is to be shown.

For there are three things we are subject to by Adam 's disobedience:

First, There is a participation of the very actual transgression of Adam, that very sin he committed, is imputed to us.

Secondly, There is the guilt of this sin, whereby Adam was obnoxious to death, and eternal condemnation, this also we partake of.

Lastly, There was the deprivation of God's Image, the loss of that upon Adam 's transgression, so that his soul, which was before full of light, and a glorious harmony, upon this disobedience, became like a chaos and confusion. And in this state we are born, not succeeding Adam in the Image of God, he once had, but in that horrible confusion, and darkness he was plunged into.

These three things then, we partake of by Adam 's disobedience; but that which is chiefly intended here, and which also my purpose is to treat of chiefly, is, That inward filth and defilement we are fallen into by Adam 's sin.

SECT. II.

1. THerefore, when it is said, That we are made sinners by Adam, this is not all, as if thereby we were put into a necessity of dying, or that death is now made a curse to us: For thus much the Socinians grant, That Adam 's sin did hurt us thus far, That although death was natural to Adam even in the state of integrity, yet it was not made necessary nor penal, but upon Adam 's disobedience, But

1. This is false, That death would have been natural to Adam, though he had not sinned, as is to be shown. And

In the second place, Death as a curse, or as made necessary, is not all that we are obnoxious unto by Adam 's sin, for the Apostle makes that a distinct effect of his disobedience: for he showeth, That by Adam 's offense sin did first pass over the whole world, and after sin, death; So that to be a sinner is more than to be obnoxious to death, for the Apostle distinguisheth these two.

Besides, why should death fall upon all mankind for Adams sin, if so be that that offense was not made every man's, and all had not sinned in him? Indeed Chrysostom of old expounds this 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , subject to punishment and death; as if to be sinners, were no more than to be mortal. Though Chrysostom in some places seemeth not to hold original sin, yet in other places he is expressly for it.

This Interpretation of Chrysostom's is received by the English Author above-mentioned, with much approbation, as if to be a sinner, were to be handled, and dealt with as an offender; But the Apostle maketh sin and death two distinct things, the one a consequent from the other, because we are sinners, we do become mortal. Besides, to be a sinner, is opposite to be righteous in the Text; If then, that signify an inherent qualification, denominating truly righteous, this must also an inherent corruption, whereby we are truly made sinners: So that this Interpretation hath no probability. Yea from Chrystom himself on the place, we may have a Consutation of this Exposition: For (saith he) one to be made mortal by him of whom he is born, is not absurd, but by another's disobedience to be made a sinner, What congruity is there in that? Now what justice is there that one should be made mortal by another man's sin, unless he partake of his sin? Yea, he saith, a little before, For one to be punished for another man's sin, it hath no reason, and yet all along the Chapter affirmed, That by Adam 's sin we are all made subject to death. This is no good Harmony.

SECT. III.

IN the second place, To be a sinner, is more than some others have likewise explained it, which say, It's to be obnoxious to the eternal wrath of God. This way go Piphius, Catharinus, and Sal •• ero • s inclineth much that way, though in some things different. Yea, Arminius and the Remonstrants, they conceive, that to be a sinner by Adam 's disobedience, implieth these two things, and no more: First, That Adam 's actual sin is truly and properly made ours, (and thus far they say the truth.) But then secondly they affirm, That this is all the original sin we have. They grant, that by this there is a reatus, a guilt upon all, but not any thing inherent, that hath truly and properly the notion of sin. They will therefore yeeled, That we are by nature the children of wrath; But (say they) not for any inherent pollution, but because of Adam 's sin imputed to us. But though these two must necessarily be granted, viz. the imputation of Adam 's sin, and the participation of that guilt thereby, yet this is not all, that the Apostle meaneth, when he saith, We are by his disobedience made sinners; for he intends besides this, the internal and natural depravation of the whole man, which now in ecclesiastical use, is for the most part called original sin. And there are these Reasons to evince it:

First, That it's more than guilt, or an obnoxious condition to eternal wrath, because the Apostle having spoken of that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that judgment to condemnation, which cometh upon all, he doth in this verse declare the inward cause and demerit of this in ourselves, and thereby declareth the justice of God: For, if we had no sin in ourselves inherent, but that only imputed, the justice of God would not be so manifest in condemning of us. It is true, we must not separate or dis-join this inherent sin from that imputed sin, yet we must not confound them, or make imputed sin all the sin we have by nature. The Apostle therefore doth in this Text, give a reason of that condemnation, which hath passed on all, because there is sin inwardly adhering to all.

Secondly, To be a sinner is more than to be only guilty, Because (as you heard) of the opposition made between the first Adam and Christ. Now the Righteousness that we are invested with by Christ, is truly and properly a Righteousness; It's not only a claim or title to eternal happiness, it is not only a freedom from guilt, but an inherent conformity to the Law of God: So that as in and by Christ there is an imputed Righteousness, which is that properly that justifieth, and as the effect of this, we have also an inherent Righteousness, which in Heaven will be completed and perfected: Thus by Adam we have imputed sin with the guilt of it, and inherent sin the effect of it.

Thirdly, If this should be granted, That we are only guilty by Adam 's transgression, and not inherently sinful, then it would follow, that we had free-will to what is good, that we are not dead in sin, That the natural man might perceive the things of God; For by this opinion, Though we are made guilty by Adam 's transgression, yet not inherently sinful. And thus while they avoid Pelagianism in one sense, they are deeply plunged into it, in another sense. We must therefore necessarily conclude, That original sin is more than guilt, it denoteth also an inward contagion and defilement of soul.

SECT. IV.

IN the third place, Adam 's sin imputed to us, is not all our original sin; for this is also affirmed by many, That Adam 's actual transgression is made every man's sin; So that there is but that one original sin common to all, and everyone that is born hath not a particular proper original sin to himself. This opinion, they think, is only able to withstand those strong Objections, that are brought against the imputability of anything inherent in us, as truly and properly sin, while we are Infants, and cannot put forth any acts of reason or will; Yea hereby they say, that intricate and perplexed discourse about the propagation of original sin, will be wholly needless; so that they conclude on this opinion, as laboring with the least inconveniencies and difficulties. Their Assertion is, That Adam 's actual sin is made ours by imputation, and that is all the original sin we have, an Infant new born having nothing in it, that is truly and properly a sin, it hath (they say) many things that have rationem poenae, but not culpae, a proneness to sin, when it groweth up, is not a sin, but a punishment; it is the effect of original sin, not the sin itself.

Though this may seem specious and plausible, yet this will not satisfy the Scripture expressions, which, besides that original imputed sin, doth plainly acknowledge an inherent one. And

First, When we have plain Texts that do assert any Divine Truth, we are ininseparably to adhere to that, though the wit of man may raise up such subtle Objections, that it may seem very difficult to answer them; Is not this seen in the Doctrine of the Trinity, of the eternal Deity of Christ, of the Resurrection of the Body, of Justification by Faith alone? In all, or most of these points heretical heads have raised up such a soggy mist before our eyes, that sometimes it is hard to see the Sun that should guide us: And thus it is confessed, That in maintaining of original inherent sin, as truly and properly a sin, there are some weighty difficulties, but yet not such as should preponderate or weigh down clear Scripture; And therefore Austin doth sometimes confess, That though he were not able to answer all the Objections could be brought against this original defilement, yet we were to adhere to the clear places of Scripture. Hence it is that by Epistles he consulted with Jerome in this case, acknowledging the many straits he was entangled in.

In the second place, there are clear Texts of Scripture, affirming this inward pollution in all, and that as sin; for the Apostle in this discourse of his doth distinguish sin and punishment, yet both these, he saith, come by Adam 's sin: If then by sin were meant only punishment, as some would have it, then the Apostle in saying, Death came by sin, should mean, that God punished punishments with punishments, for one punishment he should inflict another. Thus whereas the Adversaries make it absurd, that a sin should be a punishment of a former sin, they fall into a greater absurdity, making one punishment the punishment of another. Besides, that it is sin inherent in us, and not only imputed, appears by David 's acknowledgement, Psal. 51. In sin! was I born, and in iniquity did my mother conceive me. But of this more in time. You see by what hath been said, That our original sin is more than mere guilt, or Adam 's actual sin imputed to us, it denoteth withal an inherent contagion of the whole man. Therefore it is absurdly and falsely said by that late Writer, It may be called original guilt, rather than original sin.

SECT. V.

IN the fourth place, there are those yet who draw a more narrow line in this matter, than the former: For when this Question is put, Whether original inherent sin be truly and properly a sin? They then distinguish between Peccatum and Vitium; It is vitium (say they) but not peccatum, or when it is called peccatum, it is in a large sense, not strictly and properly; For with these, nothing is a sin properly, but some action repugning to the word of God; and because original sin cannot be an action, therefore (say they) it's not properly a sin; In which sense they deny habits of sin to be peccata, but only vitia. Though this be to play with words, seeing the same thing is intended; And although Austin abstaineth much from the word peccatum, as if that always did suppose a reatus, yet that is a needless scrupulosity, men may use words as they please; Therefore Jerome thought, ( Vide Whitak. de peccato orig. lib. 3. cap 6.) vitium was more than peccatum, contrary to Austin's notion, when he said, Some man might be found without vice, but not without sin. They say indeed a thing may repugn the Law of God three ways; Either, Efficienter, so the Devils and wicked men do, yet they are not sins. 2. Materially, and thus the act of every sin doth. 3. Formally, and so the obliquity in the act only doth; and this they make only truly and properly a sin; But whether this will stand good or no, will be examined in the Objections; As also that Assertion of a learned man, ( Molinaus, vide infra.) That original sin is condemned by the Law, but not prohibited, it being absurd (as he thinks) to appoint a Law for one grown up, that he should have been born without sin. It is true, in assigning the proper notion of sin to it, hath some great difficulty; Neither doth it become us to be overcurious in this point above what is written, remembering that original sin came in, by desiring too much knowledge. I shall therefore treat of it so far, as it may tend to edification, not to satisfy curiosity. For when Austin was puzzled with such doubts, he brings that known Apology, ( Epist. 29.) of one who fell into a deep pit, and being ready to be suffocated, he crieth out to one passing by, to help him out; The man asketh him, How he came in? Do not, saith he, stand disputing of that, but help me out. Thus (saith he) every man being fallen into this deep pit of original sin, it's not for us to be curiously and tediously inquiting how we came in, but speedily seek for the grace of God, to deliver us our.

SECT. I.

I Am only demonstrating, that it is sin, and not what it is; Therefore I proceed no further in the positive Explication of it, but come to answer those Objections, that are made by all sorts of persons against this sin, whether Pelagians, some Papists, Arminians or Socinians; And when these Clouds are dispelled, the light of the Truth will shine more evidently. And

First, That which is a famous and obvious Objection, owned by all the Adversaries to this Doctrine, is, The necessariness and involuntariness of it.

Object. Every sin ( say they ) must be voluntary; This is a principle engraffed, as they conceive, in the conscience of a man: No man is to be faulted, or blamed for that which is not in his power to prevent; And they press that known Rule of Austin's, Vsque adeo voluntarium peccatum est malum, quod non sit peccatum, nisi voluntarium, If it be not voluntary, it cannot be any sin at all. Now ( say they ) this original sin comes upon us by natural necessity, it lieth no more in our power to prevent it, then to hinder our being born; Shall then we conceive God willing to damn a man, especially an Infant, for that sin which never was in his power, or his will to do? This they think cannot be admitted. Therefore though some of them grant, Adam 's actual sin may be made ours, because our will is interpretatively in his, yet not this inherent corruption, because this is a particular personal sin, and so requireth a personal actual will to make it a sin. And this seemeth to have some plausible color, while we attend only to principles of human Reason, and Arguments of Philosophy: But let us see, whether it will not be too light, if weighed in the balance of the Sanctuary. And

Answ. 1. We must understand in what sense any sin at all can be called voluntary, and that is, not as if any man could will sin, no not he that sinneth maliciously, as it is sin. This is granted by all moral Philosophers, That no man willeth sin, as it is sin, because bonum, either real or appearing so, is the adequate object of the will: As in the understanding, that cannot assent to anything that is apparently false; so neither doth the will choose anything that is manifested to be evil, as evil, but when it embraceth any sine, there is some deceivable good or other, which deceiveth the soul. Thus Adam when he transgressed the command of God, he did not will this as a sin, nor did he positively intend the damnation of his posterity (For we suppose that he knew himself to be a common Parent, and that he received a common stock for all mankind) But he willed that action, to which sin was annexed; And thus no wicked man, when he sinneth, doth will the damnation of his soul formally, but consequentially by willing that to which this guilt doth belong.

Secondly, Although it be granted, That every sin must be voluntary, yet (as Austin of old answered) this sin may be called voluntary, as it is in Infants, because their will is interpretatively in Adam, and we therefore are all said to sin in him: Adam 's will may be said to be our will two ways:

1. By way of delegation, as if we had chosen him to be our common parent, and had translated our wills over to him, as amongst men, it is usual in arbitrations, and then they are said to will, that which their Arbitrator hath done, though it may be they dislike it, and in this sense, Adam 's will is not our will, for we had no actual being or existence in him. Hence

2. Adam's will may be said to be ours interpretatively, God appointing him to be the universal principle of mankind; what he did is interpreted, as if we had done it, and the equity of making Adam 's will ours, ariseth from the instituting will and Covenant of God, that would have it so: But more especially, because God then dealt with Adam in a Covenant of works, which if broken and violated, carrieth condemnation to all his offspring, as appeareth by the curses threatened in the Law. This original sin then is voluntary, because committed by Adam 's will, which by God's imputation is made ours; so that as in Adam upon his actual disobedience, the Image of God was lost, and instead thereof came an universal pollution of his whole man; which was in him truly and properly a sin; So it is in every Infant descended from him.

Thirdly, If it be granted, That every sin must be voluntary, yet this also will hold good in Infants sin; for a thing may be said to be voluntarium in causa, but involuntarium in se. With moral Philosophers, all habits of sin are involuntary in themselves, but voluntary in their cause; those actions that did produce them; And thus is original sin inherent in mankind, it is voluntary in its cause, which was Adam 's sin.

Fourthly, Austin himself, who urgeth voluntariness in sin, yet afterwards considering how the Pelagians made use of it, he answereth, That this is to be understood of actual sin, not original sin; Every actual sin must be voluntary, it's not necessary original sin should be personally and formally so: Again, he limits that Rule to such sins as are merely sins, not punishments also, but original sin is both a sin and punishment.

Lastly, He grants this to be true amongst the Laws of men, and therefore calls it politica sententia; And no wonder if Philosophers required a formal will in every sin, else not to make it imputable, because they were wholly ignorant of this Truth.

But in the last place, our Divines do deny that voluntariness is requisite to every actual sin; for there are sins of ignorance for which Sacrifices were to be offered; And David prayeth to be cleansed from secret sins, which he did not know, and if so, they must be involuntary; yea, Paul expressly calls that a sin, Rom. 7. which yet was against his will, although it may be granted, that even in these there is some kind of voluntarines; For a thing may be voluntary either in its cause, or in itself, or absolutely involuntary, but comparatively voluntary, as when we do things for fear, or there may be a mixture of voluntarines and involuntarines, which Paul seemeth to acknowledge in himself, yet still the proper notion of a sin lieth in the contrariety of it to the Law of God: Therefore John defineth sin by that, whether it be voluntary or not, he doth not take notice of. This is acknowledged by some Scholastical Writers, especially Holkot (De imputabilitate peccati ) answereth this Objection fully to our purpose, where he positively affirmeth, That sin is not therefore imputable unto us, because it was in the power of the will, but as righteousness is therefore praise-worthy, because it is righteousness, so unrighteousness is therefore culpable, and damnable, because it is unrighteousness (that is, if I may interpret him) because it's against a Law. Hence he proceedeth to show, That a thing is not righteous or unrighteous merely because it was in the power of the will, for the will of a child would have been made righteous by God, sine proprie motu, without any proper motion of the child's will; And then why may it not as well be sinful without any such voluntary motion in an Infant? So that he concludeth, It's as proper to original sin to be naturally contracte • or derived from another, without any proper act of the will, as it is to an actual sin, to have the will one way or other consenting to it: Even as in the state of integrity, original righteousness in Infants would have been propagated, but actual Righteousness voluntarily performed. And these things may satisfy this first Objection, yet hereafter we shall speak more to this.

SECT. II.

THe second Objection is in effect to this sense, What is a punishment cannot be a sin: But the deprivation of God's Image in man upon Adam 's disobedience is a punishment; And therefore it cannot be a sin. Original sin, if not totally, yet principally consists in the loss of that original Righteousness and rectitude, which God made man in: Seeing therefore the privation of this came upon man by way of punishment, when Adam transgressed; We cannot conceive it ( say they ) to be a sin also, for a punishment and a sin, are wholly contradictory; a sin must be voluntary, a punishment involuntary, a sin is an action, and a punishment is a passion; a sin is an evil, and God cannot be the author of it; a punishment is good, and an act of Justice; so that God cannot be said to permit that, but to inflict it.

This Argument (at the first view) hath likewise some color, but upon the examination of it, it will quickly vanish: I shall not answer in a large dispute about that famous Question, Whether the same thing may be a sin and a punishment? Or, whether God doth punish one sin with another, but shall speak as much, briefly, as is convenient for this Objection. And

First, You must know that Arminius began to dislike this Doctrine of original sin ( Response. ad Artic. 31.) which was mentioned in their public Catechism, upon this very reason, because it was a punishment; and he gave this Reason to the Minister then conferring with him,

But his followers the Remonstrants (in their Apology for their Confession contra Censuram ) seem to disclaim this opinion, So that they profess themselves to be of Zwingli his mind, whether he retracted it, or not afterwards they are not certain, viz. That it is a morbus, a vitium, a languor, an imbecility of nature, but neither the evil of sin or punishment. Some Papists as Pighius, Catharinus, Mayro, and some Scotists hold,

I shall consider the strength of their Objection, as it lieth in this, The same thing cannot be a sin and a punishment too. The Remonstrants affirm this, and Papists likewise, but with some explication. And

1. It is confessed, That there are some punishments of sin, which are not sin, as when God for Adam 's disobedience hath made man obnoxious to miseries, to sickness and death; These are not sins; It comes from sin to have pain, and to die, but they are not sins; and the Reason is, Because these are malum natural, not morale, they are a natural evil, not a moral.

In the second place, Austin saith, and he saith it truly from Scripture,

That it is a sin appeareth by the many Texts already brought: And Austin 's Reason in that place is very cogent, Quia inest illi inobedientia contra dominatum mentis; There is in it a disobedience against the dominion of mind and spirit, therefore the Spirit lusteth against it. That it is a punishment is manifest by the event, for upon Adam 's disobedience he lost God's Image, and so hath blindness in mind, perverseness in his will, and a disorder over the whole man, in which dreadful and horrible estate we all succeed him: and this the Text in hand speaketh to. That it is the cause of sin is manifest, Gen. 6. 5. for from that corrupt heart of man, it is, That the imaginations of a man's heart are only evil, and that continually. This is a furnace red hot, which always sends forth those sparks. Thus you see that original sin is all these three, a sin, a punishment, and a cause of sin.

3. It is very clear and plain by Scripture, that God doth punish one sin by another; So that when a man hath committed one sin, he is justly given up by God to commit more. Amongst the many instances that may be given, I shall pitch on two only, 2 Thess. 2. 10, 11. where you have a sin mentioned that God will punish, viz. They received not the truth of God in love: A sin that is very ordinary: But then observe how dreadfully God punisheth this, God shall send them strong delusions, that they should believe a lie; This is their punishment; a spiritual punishment, more than any corporal one; and that this is a sin, as well as a punishment, is plain, Because to believe a lie is a sin, to take falsehood for truth, the delusions of the Devil, for the voice of God's Spirit; This is a sin and a very heinous one. The other instance is Rom. 1. 21. where you have the Heathens sins mentioned, Because that when they knew God, they glorified him not. &c. There you have their punishment, to be given up to uncleanness, to all vile lusts and sins against nature. None can deny but these were sins, and that they were a punishment for corrupting their natural light implanted in them, is plain, for the Apostle, verse. 24, 26, 28. saith, For this cause, or therefore God gave them up to these lusts, and verse 27. the expression is observable, That they received in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet. Hearken to this with both ears, and tremble all you who live under Gospel light, if natural light corrupted bring such heavy soul-judgments, no wonder, if supernatural; And therefore if you see men, notwithstanding all the preaching of God's word, yet given up to be beastly sots, or obstinate malicious men in their wickedness; Wonder not at it, for they receive in themselves a just recompense for the abusing of that light God hath vouchsafed to them. Many other instances there are, wherein it is plain, That God makes one sin a punishment of another; Yea, it's said, That every sin since the first, is both a sin and a punishment; Therefore the want of God's Imagine us, as soon as we are born, with a proneness to all evil may be the punishment of Adam 's actual disobedience, and yet a sin in us.

4. As for the distinction assigned between sin and punishment, the one voluntary, and an action, the other involuntary and a passion. Though there be learned men, both Papists and Protestants, viz. Vasquez and Twisse, who disprove this by instances, yet (if it be granted) it will not hinder or enervate our Position, That original inherent sin is both a sin, and a punishment also; For when the learned say,

To understand this therefore, take notice, That in sin there is the Obliquity, and the Action to which this Obliquity is annexed; Now sin in the Obliquity of it, so it is not a punishment, but in the action or material of it, to which it doth adhere: As for instance, Those vile and unclean lusts the Heathens were given up unto, were a punishment of their rebellion unto the light; Now as they were sins in their formality, so they were only permissive and ordinative of God; but take the Actions substracted to that Obliquity, which was in them, so they were efficienter of God, and he gave them up to their lusts.

2. When God doth punish one sin with another, the meaning is not, as if he did infuse this wickedness, but only he denieth that mollifying and softening grace, which if a man had, he would resist the temptations of sin, as in this particular of original sin; You must not conceive of God, in the Creation of the soul, as if a man were pouring poison in a vessel, so he did put sin into our natures, but he denieth to give and continue that Righteousness Adam had, and then our souls do necessarily receive the clean contrary, darkness for light, Atheism for faith, disorder for order: Even as if God should withdraw the Sun at noon-day, continue the light thereof no longer to us, it would upon that subduction be immediately dark, there needed no other cause to introduce it: Thus it is here upon Adam 's fall, God denying to continue his Image, and original righteousness in us, original sin without any other positive cause cometh in the stead thereof; and therefore we are not, as Austin of old well observed, to seek after the causa efficiens, but deficiens peccati, sin hath no efficient, but deficient cause.

Therefore thirdly, In this original sin we may consider that which is peccatum, and so it's evil, and that which is poena, and so it's good; For as you lookon it, being the deprivation of that rectitude which ought to be in a man, so it is a sin; but as you consider it to be the denying of that holiness on God's part, which once we had, so it's poena, or rather punitio; The denying of this Image o • God at first was punitio, but this loss continued is poena; so that the want and loss of that righteousness which once we enjoyed, if considered on God's part, who continueth his denial of it, is a just punishment, and a good thing ordained by God; but if you consider it as inherent in man, who hath deserved this at God's hand, so it's an evil, and properly a sin in him.

4. The same thing may be a sin and a punishment also, in divers respects, As it may be a sin in respect of a sinner, but a punishment in respect of others. Thus Absalom 's sin was a sin in respect of himself, but a punishment in respect of David; So Parents sins may be sins in respect of themselves, but punishments in respect of their children; and we are especially to take heed of such sins, as are not our sins only, but others punishments, such are passions and unmortified anger, this is a sin to thee, and a punishment to others.

5. Every sin is a punishment, in this respect, That it brings anxiety, terror, and fear with it, a guilt of conscience is contracted upon every sin. Thus some expound that known saying of Austin, Jussisti Domine, & sic est, ut omnis animus inordinatus sit sibi ipsi poena; O Lord, thou hast so commanded, and thus it is, that a soul immoderate any way, should be a punishment to itself. Thus, as the moral Philosophers say, Virtus est sibiipsi premium, so peccatum est sibiipsi poena, Virtue is a reward to itself, because it brings sweetness and comfort of conscience, so a sin is a punishment to itself, because it brings terror and fear with it.

Lastly, The same thing may be both a sin and a punishment, both poena damni, and poena sensus, a punishment of loss, and so every sin, in that it is a sin, depriveth the soul of that spiritual good and glory which it ought to have, and so is a kind of disease or death itself; and then in some sins they are a punishment of sense, as in envy and anger. Thus when Ahithophel and Judas hanged themselves, their self-murder was both a sin and a punishment of loss, and sense also.

SECT. III.

IN the third place it is objected, If original inherent sin be made a distinct sin from Adam 's imputed sin, we do needlessly make two guilts, and so multiply sins without necessity, for all the guilt that is in Adam 's sin imputed, the corruption of Nature which floweth immediately from it, doth not make a new sin, but makes the former more heinous: As if ( say they ) a man should by some sin lose his eyes, that act whereby he put out his eyes was a sin, but then it's not a new distinct sin in him, to be without eyes: Or if a Commander, who had a Castle to keep, upon which depended the good of a Town adjacent, if he prove perfidious, and give it up to the enemy, his perfidious act at first is all the sin, if the Town adjacent have much misery thereby, it is an aggravation of his sin, but it doth not make him guilty of two sins.