A Treatise of Original Sin, Title page 1 – Outline
A TREATISE OF Original Sin.
The Firſt Part.
PROVING That it is, by pregnant Texts of Scripture vindicated from falſe Gloſſes.
By Anthony Burgeſs.
ANCHORA SPEI.
LONDON, Printed in the Year, 1658.
TO THE CHRISTIAN READER.
READER,
THe Doctrine of Original Corruption is as extenſive in the uſefulneſ… of it, …as the ſinne it ſelf is diffuſive in the contagion thereof; ſo that as there is none born in a natural way, who can plead an immaculate conception, either is there any who doth not need profita…e information herein, for the deep and radical Humiliation of himſelf before God. As for the Doctrine of it, it's eaſie and difficult; eaſie, becauſe we palpably and eviden… ly finde the effects thereof▪ Difficult, becauſe the exact knowledge of it being chiefly be divine Revelation; No…onder if thoſe, who attend to Ariſtole more than Paul, and deſ… be …ationales, rather than fideles, have gro…ely … in the darke they walke in. It is the old known ſaying of Auſtin, Antiquo peccato nihil ad praedicandum notius, nihil ad intelligendum ſecr…. Hence it is that as a Popiſh Writer well obſerveth (Eliſim piorum Clyp. Queſt. 12. Artic. 1.) When we have heard what any learned men can ſay, yet ſtill we deſire to know more about it, Nil de eo legitur, quin amplius de eo legi deſideratur. By enquiring, our appetites are not ſo much ſatisfied, as provoked, …et the light of the Scripture is ſufficient; as to all neceſſary ſaving Knowledge about it; And as for Curioſities and needleſſe Subtilties, which are a ſhell in the Controverſie, we may throw them them away, and eat the Kernel. It is acknowledged both by Papiſts and Proteſtants, that the Controverſies about Original Sinne, are of very great importance. Stapleton chargeth us (Proleg. Diſput. de peccat. Originali) with two capital maternal Errours, the one about the Scriptures; the other about Original Sinne, as if theſe two were the Joachin and B…z our Temple is built upon, as if theſe were the two breaſts from which all other erroneous Doctrines ſuck their peſtiferous nature. We again on the other ſide, do propugn theſe two Principles (the former whereof we may call Principium cognoſcendi, and the later principium eſſendi) as the two fountaines of Doctrinal and Practical Piety, ſo that to deſtroy any of theſe, is to lay the ax to the root of the tree, that ſo no more fruit in Religion may grow thereupon. The Pontificians and Proteſtants are generally agreed in this (for ſome Papiſts, but few diſſent from their own Party herein) that there is ſuch a thing as Original Sinne; and that it is truly, properly and univocally a Sinne; only they complain of us, as too direfully and tragically amplifying the nature of it. Hence Hoffmeiſter, Eccius & Caſſander grant a conſent in this; onelyonly they think the Proteſtants words and expreſsions are capable of a perfective alteration The expreſſe Adverſaries therefore to this Doctrine were the Pelagians of old, the Socinians and ſome Anabaptiſts of late; and more particularly a late Engliſh Writer Dr. Taylor (Unum Neceſſarium, and in other little Pieces) (Proh nefas!) like a ſecond Julian in triumphing language, hath with much boldneſs and audacity decried it, as if it were but a non ens, and the Diſputes needleſs about it. For although ſometimes he would make the world believe he holdeth Original Sinne, yet theſe are but words, ad frangendam invidiam, as Pelagius of old would uſe the word Grace, for when it cometh to the explication, he meaneth no more than an Original Curſe, or elſe the meer Naturals (that he ſpeaketh of, complying with Pelagius and ſome Jeſuites in that notion) whereby having loſt the gratuitals our nature was at firſt crowned with, it is caſt into an unfitneſſ for the Kingdom of Heaven. What learning and abilities the Author may have, I doe not detract from, only it's greatly to be lamented, that he ſhould contrary to Cyprian, and others, take the Gold he had in Jeruſalem, and carry it into Egypt to build an Idol there. He hath fully improved his liberty of Propheſying, and waving reverence to the Scriptures, Councils and Fathers, yea, and the Church of England, in whoſe Obedience he doth ſo glory in (as appeareth by the 9th Article, and the Order of Adminiſtration of Baptiſm) by a ſceptical and academical diſpoſition, he is fallen into this Hereſie: for ſo the denial of Original ſinne hath alwayes been accounted. Neither let this Writer think that his induſtrious affectation of words and language, will make falſhood to be truth. There is great difference between skin and bone, words and arguments in any Theological Diſcourſe. Neither are Tractates veriores quia diſertiores, there is ambitioſum eloquentiae mendacium. And as Auſtin expreſſed it, arma non vulnerant quia fulgentia, …ed quia fortia. It is true, if this VVriter hath no Original ſinne in him, and his Adverſaries have, then he muſt needs diſpute with great advantage; for ignorance and imperfection doth not adhere to his intellectuals, as we acknowledge doth to ours, and that by Original ſinne. But it muſt be confeſſed he betrayeth much of Original ſinne, even while he writeth againſt it, and his Arguments (as I may ſo ſay) materialiter prove it, while formaliter againſt it. His greateſt honour is, that a Papiſt hath written againſt him.Ford. One might doubt, whether really or by colluſion, it is done ſo ſlightly, and calculated wholly according to the Popiſh Meridian; and yet in ſome reſpects it is his great diſparagement, that one of Babylon ſhould appear at leaſt in ſome meaſure for an ancient Truth, while at the ſame time one pretending to be of Sion ſhould oppoſe it. But enough of this troubleſom matter.
I now come to acquaint the Reader with the Method I propound in this Book, which is first to handle the An ſit of Original Sinne; Secondly, The Quid ſit; which done, I proceed to the two-fold Subject of it, mentioned by the Learned; The Subject of Inheſion; And herein, I ſhew particularly and largely, how every power of the Soul is infected by this Leproſie; which accompliſhed, I paſſe to the Subject of Predication, ſhewing, That it is in every one naturally born of a woman, That omnis homo, and totus homo is thus corrupted; and then cloſe with the conſideration of the Properties and Effects of it. All which I have endeavoured to manage practically, as well as doctrinally, knowing the great and excellent improvement in a ſpiritual way, that may be made of this truth, as I experimentally found by the attestation of godly hearers in the preaching thereof; and I doubt not but if the Miniſters of Chriſt did more largely inſist on this Point, they would finde very good ſucceſs thereby, for the through Humiliation of their people, the information about Regeneration, and the Nature of it; it would awaken not only the prophane, but the civil and externally moralized perſons. This would keep a man ſerious in the wayes of God, attending to the treacherous enemy within, and thereby avoid the temptation, to be tranſported by curious and unneceſſary Queſtions; but above all, this will prepare to exalt Chriſt in his Mediatory Office. This will be the foundation to build the free and unſearchable riches of Gods grace upon. Inſomuch that the whole ſumme of Religion doth conſist in the cauſe of the firſt and ſecond Adam.
I ſhall trouble thee no further; only my deſire is, That the Reader would paſs by candidly the Errata, he will often meet with in the printing, by reaſon of my distance from the Preſs; as alſo the miſpointings, which many times obſcure the ſenſe. Now the Father of Spirits mould and faſhion our hearts according as every divine Truth requireth, and make us to gather and hive up Honey from every Flower in his Garden, that ſo our Chriſtianity may not be ſpeculative, and from Books only, but experimental, and ſavourily affecting the heart, which only bringeth hope of eternal life, is the prayer of
Thine in Chriſt Jeſus ANTHONY BURGESSE. Sutton Coldfield Aug. 19. 1658.
To the Reader.
AS for making the Table, and prefixing the Contents before the Chapters, Sections, and Paragraphs of this Book, the Reverend Author committed that task to a Friend, who deſireth the Reader to pardon any failings that he ſhall diſcover in them.
ERRATA.
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The Analyſis of this Book,
This Treatiſe of Original Sinne, ſhews
1. That it is, by pregnant Texts vindicated from falſe Gloſſes.
2. What it is, both
Name, eſpecially the Scripture names.
Thing, Privative and Poſitive.
3. How it comes to be communicated, with a conſideration of the original of the Soul.
4. Its Subject of
Inheſion
General, the whole man.
In particular
The Mind.
Conſcience.
Memory.
Will.
Affections.
Imagination.
Body.
Predication
Every one.
Chriſt excepted.
5. Its Qualities or Adjuncts,
The greatneſſe
Of Adam's Actual tranſgreſsion, which is our original imputed ſinne.
Of our Original Sinne inherent in us.
The Propriety in every one.
The Activity.
The Equality in all.
A Juſtification of Gods ſhutting up all under ſinne for the ſin of Adam.
6. The Immediate Effects of it
Propenſity to Sinne.
The Cauſe of all Actual ſins.
The Combate between the fleſh and
Spirit in the godly.
Death.
Eternal Damnation.