A Treatise of Original Sin, Part 2 · Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII.
Of the Privative Part of Original Sinne.
SECT. I.
Of Adam's begetting Seth in his own likeneſs,
GEN. 5. 3.
And Adam—begat a ſonne in his own likeneſs, and after his Image, and called his name Seth.
MOſes in this Chapter giveth a brief and ſummary capitulation of the Lives and Deaths of the Patriarchs unto Noah, mentioning theſe heads:
1. That God made man.
2. That he made him in time.
3. After his own Image.
4. Male and Female.
5. He bleſſed them.
6. The impoſition of the name Adam to Eve, as well as to Adam; And this he calleth, The Book of the generations of Adam, viz. His ſucceſſion, with all his acts of his Life, and alſo his Death, otherwiſe Adam had no generation, but was created by God.
The Hebrew word, though ſometimes it ſignifieth a Book or Epiſtle, yet in the general it is no more than a Catalogue or Rehearſal, as it is here, and ſo is to be interpreted in ſome other places, the neglect whereof hath in part made an occaſion of diſpute, Whether any Canonical Books be loſt or no, as Numb. 21. 14. whereas the word there is not to be taken for an Hiſtorical Volume, but the Enumeration or Rehearſal of the ways of the Lord?
In the next place, he proceedeth to Seth, not but that Adam had other ſons, only he mentioneth him, as the future head of humane poſterity upon the drowning of the world: Now concerning him, we have his name, he was called Seth. There were Heretiques called Sethiani, who attributed unto him more than a man, but the holy Ghoſt doth antidote againſt that opinion, by informing of us, that he was begotten in a ſinfull, mortal eſtate.
2. Of whom he was begotten, and that is of Adam.
3. How, or in what manner? and that is, After Adams Image, in his own likeneſs.
Adam was created after the Image and likeneſs of God, that is, in a moſt perfect and compleat reſemblance; for Image and likeneſs do not differ, though the Schoolmen attempt to difference them, but it is an Hebraiſm, putting two Subſtantives together for aggravation ſake, and it is as much here, as an Image exceeding like.
Thus Adam was made in reſpect of his ſoul qualified with holineſs like God; but in the Text Seth is ſaid to be begotten of Adam, in Adam's Image, not in Gods, that is, in a corrupt, miſerable and mortal eſtate: For whereas Adam was by Nature a man; by Condition, the Lord and Chief, in whom humane Poſterity was to be reckoned of; As alſo in reſpect of corruption, now polluted having loſt Gods Image. Seth was after Adam's own likeneſſe, in all theſe three particulars: That he was a man like him, none can doubt; That he was like Adam, in reſpect of his Headſhip to his Poſterity, is plain, becauſe Abel was dead, and Cain with his Poſterity was to be deſtroyed in the floud. Not that this is the whole Image or likeneſſe here ſpoken of; That as Adam was the firſt Head of mankind, ſo Seth was to be of thoſe, who ſhould be preſerved in the flood, as ſome would have it; For ſuch a reſemblance would have been more eminently in Noah, who in the Ark ſeemed to be the common Parent of mankind.
Therefore in the third place, This Image or likeneſſe, to Adam is mentioned eppoſitely to that Image of God, which Adam was created in; And if you object, Why is it not as Well ſaid of Abel or Cain, that Adam begat them after his own Image as well as Seth?
The Anſwer is plain, Moſes in this Hiſtorical Capitulation, doth not mention all in a Family, but ſuch who were onelyonly by a direct Line to deſcend to their Poſterity, and to be an Head to that. Now not Abel or Cain, but Seth was appointed by God in this place; And that we might know in what manner all Generations are to deſcend from him, the Scripture doth here inform us, That we muſt not think, that Seth had from Adam the Image of God, or would propagate it to others; but now he and we are as Adam after his fall, ſinfull and mortal: For although the Church hath generally thought of Adam, that he did repent and was ſaved; for we doe not reade afterwards of any groſſe ſinne he committed, and God made the glorious Promiſe of a Saviour to him, yet he did not beget Seth, as he was regenerated, but as a man; and ſo being fallen from that Covenant, he was firſt placed in, his perſonal grace afterwards could not be conveyed to his Poſterity, as his ſinne, while a common Parent was. We ſee then, though Adam was godly, and Seth was likewiſe holy, yet for all that he was born without the Image of God, and in a polluted eſtate.
Beſides therefore in this place is a ſeaſonable mentioning of the likeneſſe and Image Adam begat Seth in, becauſe Moſes being here to capitulate their ſeveral Generations, which doth imply their mortality, doth opportunely give the cauſe of it: So that Snecanin (Method. Diſtri. Cauſe. Sol. & dam. cap. 3.) his opinion, which he offereth to the learned to judge, Whether by Adam's Image be not meant his repaired Image with the corrupted one, being now aſſumed unto Gods favour, ſeemeth directly to oppoſe the Text, which calleth it Adam's own Image, not Gods.
SECT. II.
What Original Sinne is.
SEeing therefore we have handled the Quid nominis of Original ſinne, what the chief Names are which the Scripture giveth unto it; We come to conſider the Quid Rei, the Nature and Definition of it; And whereas ſome make it it conſiſt onelyonly in the meer privation of Gods Image; Others in a poſitive inclination unto all evil; We ſhall take in both; for although, as Calvin well ſaith, He that affirmeth Original ſinne to be the privation of Gods Image, ſpeaks the whole Nature of it; Yet becauſe that doth not ſo fully and particularly repreſent the loathſomneſſe of it, therefore it's neceſſary with the Scripture, to conſider both the Privative and Poſitive part of original ſinne.
I ſhall beginne with the Privative part, That original ſinne is the privation of that original Righteouſneſſe, and glorious Image of God, which was at firſt put into us: And this the holy Ghoſt meaneth, when he ſaith, Adam begat Seth after his own likeneſſe and Image. From whence obſerve,
That we are by nature without the Image of God we were created in, and this is a great part of our original ſinne. This truth of the loſſe of Gods Image in us, is of very great concernment, and therefore to be improved both Doctrinally and Practically. It is the greateſt loſſe that ever beſell mankind, and oh our carnal and dull hearts, which can bewail the loſſe of health, of wealth, of any outward comfort, but this which is the greateſt loſſe of all, viz. the Image of God, which we ſhould bewail all our life time, that we are no wayes ſenſible of!
I ſhall not at large in this place treat, De Imagine Dei, of the Image of God in man, I ſhall ſay onelyonly ſo much as will make us the better diſcover the Nature of original ſinne. And
Firſt, We are to know, That howſoever there be hot and fervent Diſputes about this Image of God, what it is, wherein it doth conſiſt, (and according as they take it more largely or ſtrictly, ſo they conclude the Image of God is loſt, or not loſt) yet we may by Scripture-light make it to conſiſt in theſe things.