A Display of Arminianism, Argument · Chapter 7

A Display of Arminianism · Argument · Chapter 7

p. 68CHAP. VII.

Of Originall ſinne, and the corruption of nature.

HErod the great imparting his counſell of rebuilding the Temple unto the Iewes,Joſeph. Antiq. they much feared,Judae. lib. 15. cap. 14. he would never be able to accompliſh his intention; but like an unwiſe builder having demoliſhed the old, before he had ſate downe and caſt up his account, whether he were able to erect a new, they ſhould (by his project) be deprived of a Temple: wherefore to ſatisfie their jealouſies, he reſolved as he tooke downe any part of the other, preſently to erect a portion of the new in the place thereof. Right ſo the Arminians, determining to demoliſh the building of divine providence, grace, and favour, by which men have hitherto aſcended into heaven, and fearing leſt we ſhould be troubled, finding our ſelves on a ſudden deprived of that wherein we repoſed our confidence for happineſſe, they have by degrees erected a Babyloniſh Tower in the roome thereof, whoſe top they would perſwade us ſhall reach unto heaven: Firſt therefore the foundation ſtones they bring forth, crying haile, haile, unto them, and pitch them on the ſandy rotten ground, of our owne natures. Now becauſe heretofore, ſome wiſe maſter-builders, had diſcovered this ground, to be very unfit to be the baſis of ſuch a lofty erection, by reaſon of a corrupt iſſue of blood and filth, ariſing in the middeſt thereof, and over-ſpreading the whole platforme: to incourage men to an aſſociation in this deſperate attempt, they proclaime to all, that there is no ſuch evill fountaine in the plaine which they have choſen, for the foundation of their proud building, ſetting up it ſelfe againſt the knowledge of God in plaine termes, having rejected the providence of God, from being the Originall of that goodneſſe of entity which is in our actions, and his predeſtination, from being the cauſe of that morall and ſpirituall goodneſſe where with any of them are cloathed, they endeavour to draw the praiſe of both, to the rectitude of their nature, and the ſtrength of their owne endeavours: but this attempt in p. 69the latter caſe, being thought to be altogether vaine, becauſe of the diſabilitie and corruption of nature, by reaſon of originall ſinne propagated unto us all by our firſt Parents, whereby it is become wholly voyd of integritie and holineſſe, and we all become wiſe and able to doe evill, but to doe good have no power, no underſtanding; therefore they utterly reject this imputation of an inherent originall guilt, and demerit of puniſhment, as an enemie to our upright and well deſerving condition: and Oh, that they were as able, to root it out of the hearts of all men, that it ſhould never more be there, as they have been to perſwade the heads of divers, that it was never there at all.

If any would know, how conſiderable this Article concerning Originall ſinne, hath ever been accounted in the Church of Chriſt, let him but conſult the writings of Saint Auguſtine, Proſper, Hilary, Fulgentius, any of thoſe learned Fathers, whom God ſtirred up to reſiſt, and enabled to overcome, the ſpreading Pelagian hereſie, or looke on thoſe many Counſels edicts decrees of Emperours, wherein that hereticall doctrine, of denying this originall corruption, is condemned, curſed, and exploded; now amongſt thoſe many motives they had to proceed ſo ſeverely againſt this hereſie one eſpecially inculcated deſerves our conſideration: viz.

That it overthrew the neceſſitie of Chriſts coming into the world to redeeme mankinde: it is ſinne onelyonly that makes a Saviour neceſſary, and ſhall Chriſtians tollerate ſuch an errour, as by direct conſequence, inferres the coming of Ieſus Chriſt into the world to be needleſſe, my purpoſe for the preſent, is not to alleadge any teſtimonies of this kinde, but holding my ſelfe cloſe to my firſt intention, to ſhew how farre in this Article as well as others, the Arminians have Apoſtated, from the pure doctrine of the word of God, the conſent of Orthodox Divines, and the Confeſſion of this Church of England.

In the ninth Article of our Church, which is concerning originall ſinne, I obſerve eſpecially foure things: Firſt, that it is an inherent evill, the fault and corruption of the nature of every p. 70man: Secondly, that it is a thing not ſubject, or conformable to the Law of God: but hath in it ſelfe, even after Baptiſme, the nature of ſinne: Thirdly, that by it, we are averſe from God and inclined to all manner of evill: Fourthly, that it deſerveth Gods wrath and damnation, all which are frequently, and evidently taught in the word of God, and every one denyed by the Arminians, as it may appeare by theſe inſtances, in ſomeof them.

Firſt, That it is an inherent ſinne and pollution of nature, having a proper guilt of its owne, making us reſponſable to the wrath of God: and not a bare imputation of anothers fault, to us his poſteritie, which becauſe it would reflect upon us all with a charge of a native imbecillitie and inſufficiency to good, is by theſe ſelf-idolizers, quite exploded.

aaInfantes ſunt ſimplices, & ſtantes in eodem ſtatu in quo Adamus fuit ante lapſum: Venat. Theol. …. & me. fol. 2.Infants are ſimply in that eſtate, in which Adam was, before his fall, ſaith Venator:bbNec refert an infantes iſti, ſint fidelium an ethnicorum liberi infantium enim qua infantium eadem eſt innocentia: Rem. Apol. fol. 87. Neither is it all conſiderable, whether they be the children of beleevers, or of heathens and infidels: for infants, as infants have all the ſame innocency, ſay they, joyntly in their Apologie: nay more plainly,ccMalum culpae non eſt, quia naſci plane eſt involuntarium, &c. ibid. fol. 84. it can be no fault wherewith we are born: in which laſt expreſſion, theſe bold innovators, with one daſh of their pens, have quite overthrowne a ſacred verity, an Apoſtolike Catholike fundamentall Article, of Chriſtian Religion: but truly to me, there are no ſtronger Arguments of the ſinfull corruption of our nature, then to ſee, ſuch nefarious iſſues of unſanctified hearts: let us looke then to the word of God confounding this Babyloniſh deſigne.

Firſt, That the nature of man, which at firſt was created pure and holy, after the image of God, endowed with ſuch a rectitude and righteouſneſſe, as was neceſſary and due unto it, to bring it unto that ſupernaturall end to which it was ordained, is now altogether corrupted and become abominable, ſinfull and averſe from goodneſſe, and that this corruption or concupiſcence is originally inherent in us, and derived from our firſt parents, is plentifully delivered in holy writ, as that which chiefly compels us to a ſelf-deniall, and drives us unto Chriſt.

Behold, I was ſhapen in iniquitie, and in ſinne did my mother conceive me, ſaith David, Pſal. 51. 5.

p. 71Where for the praiſe of Gods goodneſſe towards him, he begins with the confeſſion of his native perverſeneſſe, and of the ſinne wherein he was wrapped before he was born: neither was this peculiar to him alone, he had it not, from the particular iniquitie of his next progenitors, but by an ordinary propagation from the common parent of us all: though in ſome of us, Satan by this Pelagian attempt; by hiding the diſeaſe hath made it almoſt incurable: for even thoſe infants, of whoſe innocency the Arminians boaſt, are uncleane in the verdict of Saint Paul, 1 Cor. 7. 14. if not ſanctified by an intereſt in the Promiſe of the Covenant, and no uncleane thing ſhall enter into the kingdome of heaven:ddImbecillitas membrorum infantilium innocens eſt non animus: Aug. The weakneſſe of the members of infants is innocent, and not their ſouls: they want nothing, but that the members of their bodies are not as yet ready inſtruments of ſinne: they are not ſinfull only by an externall denomination, accounted ſo, becauſe of the imputation of Adams actuall tranſgreſſion unto them: for they have all an uncleanneſſe in them by nature, Iob 14. 4. from which they muſt be cleanſed, by the waſhing of water and the word, Epheſ. 5. 20. their whole nature is overſpread with ſuch a pollution, as is proper only to ſinne inherent, and doth not accompany ſinne imputed, as we may ſee in the example of our Saviour, who was pure, immaculate, holy, undefiled, and yet the iniquity of us all was imputed unto him: hence are thoſe phraſes of waſhing away ſinne, Acts 22. 16. of cleanſing filth, 1 Pet. 3. 21. Titus 3. 5. ſomething there is in them, as ſoone as they are borne, excluding them from the kingdome of heaven, for except they alſo be borne againe of the ſpirit they ſhall not enter into it, Ioh. 3. 5.

Secondly, The oppoſition that is made between the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, and the ſinne of Adam, Rom. 5. which is the proper ſeat of this doctrine, ſheweth that there is in our nature an inbred ſinfull corruption, for the ſinne of Adam holds ſuch relation unto ſinners, proceeding from him by naturall propagation, as the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, doth unto them, who are borne againe of him by ſpirituall regeneration: but we are truly intrinſecally and inherently ſanctified, by the ſpirit and grace of Chriſt: and therefore there is no reaſon, why being ſo often in this Chapter called ſinners, becauſe of this originall ſinne, we p. 72ſhould caſt it off, as if we were concerned only by an externall denomination, for the right inſtitution of the compariſon, and its Analogie quite overthrows the ſolitary imputation.

Thirdly, All thoſe places of Scripture, which aſſert the pronneſſe of our nature to all evill, and the utter diſabilitie that is in us to doe any good, that wretched oppoſition to the power of godlineſſe, wherewith from the wombe we are repleniſhed, confirmes the ſame truth: but of theſe places, I ſhall have occaſion to ſpeake hereafter.

Fourthly, The fleſh, in the Scripture phraſe, is a qualitie (if I may ſo ſay) inherent in us: for that, with its concupiſcence, is oppoſed to the ſpirit and his holineſſe, which is certainly inherent in us: now the whole man by nature is fleſh: for that which is borne of the fleſh is fleſh, Ioh. 3. 6. it is an inhabiting thing, a thing that dwelleth within us, Rom. 7. 17. in briefe this vitioſity ſinfulneſſe, and corruption of our nature, is laid open: Firſt, by all thoſe places, which caſt an aſperſion of guilt, or deſert of puniſhment; or of pollution, on nature it ſelfe: as Epheſ. 2. 1, 2, 3. We are dead in treſpaſſes, and ſinnes, being by nature children of wrath, as well as others, being wholly incompaſſed by a ſinne that doth eaſily beſet us. Secondly, by them, which fixe this originall pravitie, in the heart, will, minde, and underſtanding: Epheſ. 4. 18. Rom. 12. 2. Gen. 6. 5. Thirdly, by thoſe which poſitively decypher this naturall depravation. 1 Corinth. 2. 14. Rom. 8. 7. or Fourthly, that place it in the fleſh, or whole man, Rom. 6. 6. Gal. 5. 16. ſo that it is not, a bare imputation of anothers fault, but an intrinſecall adjacent corruption of our nature it ſelfe, that we call by this name of originall ſinne: but alas, it ſeemes we are too large carvers for our ſelves, in that wherewith we will not be contented: the Arminians deny all ſuch imputation, as to heavy a charge, for the pure unblameable condition, wherein they are brought into this world, they deny I ſay, that they are guiltie of Adams ſinne, as ſinning in him, or that his ſinne is any way imputed unto us, which is their ſecond aſſault, upon the truth of this Article of faith.

p. 73eeAdamus in propria perſona peccavit & nulla eſt ratio cur Deus peccatum illud infantibus imputet. Bor. in artic. 31.Adam ſinned in his owne proper perſon, and there is no reaſon, why God ſhould impute that ſinne of his, unto infants: ſaith Boreus. The nature of the firſt Covenant, the right and power of God, the compariſon inſtituted by the Apoſtle, between Adam and Chriſt, the divine conſtitution whereby Adam was appointed to be the head, fountaine and origen of all humane kinde, are with him, no reaſons at all, to perſwade it:ffContra aequitatem eſt ut qui… reus agatur propter peccatum non ſuum, ut vere nocens judicetur, qui quoad propriam ſuam voluntatem innocens eſt, Rem. Apol. c. 7. fol. 84. For it is againſt equitie, ſaith their Apologie, that one ſhould be counted guiltie for a ſinne that is not his owne, that he ſhould be reputed nocent, who in regard of his owne will is truly innocent: and here Chriſtian Reader, behold plaine Pelagianiſme obtruded on us, without either welt or guard: men on a ſudden made pure and truly innocent, notwithſtanding all that naturall pollution and corruption, the Scripture every where proclaimes them to be repleniſhed withall: neither is the reaſon they intimate, of any value, that their wils aſſented not to it, and which a little before they plainly urge:ggContra naturam peccati eſt, ut cenſeatur peccatum, aut ut proprie in peccatum imputetur, quod propria voluntate, commiſſum non eſt: ibid. It is ſay they againſt the nature of ſinne: that, that, ſhould be counted a ſinne, or be imputed, as a ſinne, to any, by whoſe own proper will: it was not committed: which being all they have to ſay, they repeat it over and over, in this caſe; it muſt be voluntary, or it is no ſinne: but I ſay this is of no force at all: for firſt, Saint Iohn in his moſt exact definition of ſinne, requires not voluntarineſſe to the nature of it, but only an obliquitie, a deviation from the rule, it is an anomie, a diſcrepancie from the Law; which whither voluntary or no, it skils not much: but ſure enough, there is in our nature ſuch a repugnancie, to the Law of God: ſo that ſecondly, if originally we are free from a voluntary actuall tranſgreſſion, yet we are not, from an habituall voluntary digreſſion, and exorbitancy from the Law: but thirdly, in reſpect of our wils, we are not thus innocent neither, for we all ſinned in Adam, as the Apoſtle affirmeth: now all ſinne is voluntary ſay the Remonſtrants, and therefore Adams tranſgreſſion, was our voluntary ſinne alſo; and that in divers reſpects; Firſt, In that his voluntary act is imputed to us, as ours, by reaſon of the covenant which was made with him on our behalfe: but becauſe this conſiſting in an imputation, muſt needs be extrinſecall unto us; therefore ſecondly, we ſay, that Adam being the roote, and head of all humane kinde, and we all branches from that root, all parts of that body, whereof he was p. 74the head, Omnes eramus unus ille homo: Aug.his will may be ſaid to be ours, we were then all that one man, we were all in him, and had no other will but his; ſo that though that be extrinſecall unto us, conſidered as particular perſons, yet it is intrinſecall, as we are all parts of one common nature: as in him we ſinned, ſo in him we had a will of ſinning: thirdly,Eſt voluntarium, voluntate primi originantis, non voluntate contrahentis▪ ratione naturae, non perſonae: Thom. 1. 2. q. 81. a. Originall ſinne, is a defect of nature, and not of this, or that, particular perſon, whereon Alvarez grounds this difference, of actuall, and originall ſinne, that the one is alwayes committed by the proper will of the ſinner, to the other, is required only the will of our firſt parent, who was the head of humane nature.

Fourthly, It is hereditary naturall, and no way involuntary or put into us againſt our wils, it poſſeſſeth our wils, and inclines us to voluntary ſins.

I ſee no reaſon then, why Corvinus ſhould affirme as he doth: hhAbſurdum eſt ut ex unius obedientia multi actu inobedientes, facti eſſent, Corvin ad Mol. cap. 7. ſec. 8.that it is abſurd, that by one mans diſobedience, many ſhould be made actually diſobedient: unleſſe he did it purpoſely to contradict S^t. Paul, teaching us, that by one mans diſobedience, many were made ſinners, Rom. 5. 19. Paulus ait, Corvinus negat, eligite cui credatis: chooſe whom you will beleeve; S^t. Paul, or the Arminians: the ſumme of their indeavour in this particular, is to cleare the nature of man, from being any way guiltie of Adams actuall ſin; as being then in him, a member and part of that body whereof he was the head: or from being obnoxious unto an imputation of it, by reaſon of that Covenant which God made with us all in him: ſo that denying as you ſaw before, all inherent corruption and pravitie of nature, and now all participation by any means of Adams tranſgreſſion, me thinks they caſt a great aſperſion on Almighty God, however he dealt with Adam for his own particular, yet for caſting us, his moſt innocent poſteritie out of Paradiſe: it ſeemes a hard caſe, that having no obliquitie or ſinne in our nature to deſerve it, nor no intereſt in his diſobedience, whoſe obedience had been the means of conveying ſo much happineſſe unto us: we ſhould yet be involved in ſo great a puniſhment, as we are, For that we are not now by birth, under a great curſe and puniſhment, they ſhall never be able to perſwade any poore ſoul who ever heard of Paradiſe, or the garden where God p. 75firſt placed Adam: and though all the reſt, in their judgement be no great matter, but an infirmitie and languor of nature or ſome ſuch thing: yet what ever it be, they confeſſe it lights on us, as well as him:iiFatemur peccatum Adami, a deo poſſe dici imputatum poſteris ejus, quatenus Deus poſteros Adami eidem malo, cui, Adamus, per peccatum obnoxium ſe reddidit: obnoxios naſci voluit… ſive quatenus Deus, malum, quod Adamo inflictum erat in poenam, in poſteros ejus dimanare & tranſire permiſit: Rem. Apol. p. 84. We confeſſe (ſay they) that the ſinne of Adam, may be thus farre ſaid to be imputed to his poſteritie, inaſmuch as God would have them all, borne obnoxious to that puniſhment, which Adam incurred by his ſinne: or permitted that evill, which was inflicted on him, to deſcend on them: Now be this puniſhment what it will, never ſo ſmall, yet if we have no demerit of our own, nor intereſt in Adams ſinne, it is ſuch an act of injuſtice, as we muſt reject from the moſt holy, with a God forbid: farre be it from the Iudge of all the world to puniſh the righteous with the ungodly: if God ſhould impute the ſinne of Adam unto us, and thereon pronounce us obnoxious to the curſe deſerved by it: if we have a pure, ſinleſſe, unſpotted nature, even this, could ſcarſe be reconciled with that rule, of his proceeding in juſtice, with the ſonnes of men, the ſoule that ſinneth it ſhall die: which clearely granteth an impunity to all not tainted with ſinne. Sinne and puniſhment, though they are ſometimes ſeparated by his mercy, pardoning the one, and ſo not inflicting the other, yet never by his juſtice, inflicting the latter, where the former is not: ſinne imputed, by it ſelfe alone without an inherent guilt, was never puniſhed in any, but Chriſt: the unſearchableneſſe of Gods love and juſtice, in laying the iniquitie of us all upon him, who had no ſinne, is an exception from that generall rule he walketh by, in his dealing with the poſteritie of Adam: ſo that if puniſhment bee not due unto us, for a ſolely imputed ſinne, much leſſe, when it doth not ſtand with the juſtice and equitie of God, to impute any iniquity unto us at all, can we juſtly be wrapped in ſuch a curſe and puniſhment, as wofull experience teacheth us, that we lye under. Now in this act of injuſtice wherewith they charge the Almightie, the Arminians place the whole nature of originall ſin:kkPeccatum ita que originale, nec habent pro peocato proprie dicto quod poſteros Adami odio Dei dignos faciat, nec pro malo, quod per modum proprie dictae poenae ab Adamo in poſteros demanet ſed pro infirmitate, &c. Rem. Apol. fol. 84. We account, not ſay they, originall ſin, for a ſin properly ſo called, that ſhould make the poſteritie of Adam to deſerve the wrath of God, nor for an evill, that may properly be called a puniſhment: but only for an infirmitie of nature. Which they interpret to be a kinde of evill, that being inflicted on Adam, God ſuffereth to deſcend upon his poſteritie: ſo all the depravation of nature, p. 76the pollution, guilt, and concupiſcence, we derive from our firſt parents: the imputation of Adams actuall tranſgreſſion, is all ſtreightned to a ſmall infirmitie, inflicted on poore innocent creatures.

But let them enjoy their own wiſdome, which is earthly, ſenſuall and devilliſh: the Scripture is cleare, that the ſinne of Adam, is the ſinne of us all, not only by propagation and communication, (whereby not his ſingular fault, but ſomething of the ſame nature, is derived unto us) but alſo by an imputation of his actuall tranſgreſſion unto us all: his ſingular diſobedience being by this means made ours: the grounds of this imputation I touched before, which may be all reduced to his being a common perſon and head of all our nature, which inveſteth us, with a double intereſt in his demerits, whileſt ſo he was: 1. as we were then in him and parts of him: 2. as he ſuſtained the place of our whole nature, in the Covenant God made with him, both w^ch even according to the exigence of Gods juſtice, require that his tranſgreſſion, be alſo accounted ours: and Saint Paul is plaine not only, that by one mans offence, many were made ſinners: Rom. 5. 19. by the derivation of a corrupted nature; but alſo that by one mans offence iudgement came upon all: verſ. 18. even for his one ſinne, all of us, are accounted to have deſerved judgement and condemnation; and therefore verſ. 12. he affirmeth, that by one man, ſinne and death entred upon all the world: and that becauſe we have all ſinned in him: which we no otherwiſe doe, but that his tranſgreſſion, in Gods eſtimation is accounted ours: and the oppoſition the Apoſtle there maketh, betweene Chriſt and his righteouſneſſe, and Adam and his diſobedience doth ſufficiently evince it:Par…us. ad 5. Rom. as may appeare by this figure

Sicut

ſic

ex

Adamo

Chriſto

in omnes

foreign

foreign

redundavit, eis

foreign

foreign

per unū

foreign

Adami,

foreign

Chriſti.

the whole ſimilitude chiefly conſiſts, in the imputation of Adams ſinne, and Chriſts righteouſneſſe, unto the ſeed of the one by nature, and of the other by grace: but that we are counted righteous, for the righteouſnes of Chriſt, is among Proteſtants, (though p. 77ſome differ in the manner of their expreſſions) as yet without queſtion: and therefore are no leſſe undoubtedly accounted ſinners by, or guilty of the firſt ſinne of Adam.

I ſhall not ſhew their oppoſition unto the truth in many more particulars, concerning this Article of Originall ſinne: having beene long agoe moſt excellently prevented even in this very method, by the way of Antitheſis to the Scripture, and the Orthodoxe doctrine of our Church, by the famouſly learned Maſter Reynolds, in his excellent Treatiſe Of the ſinfulneſſe of ſinne: where he hath diſcovered their errours, fully anſwered their ſophiſticall objections, and invincibly confirmed the truth from the word of God: onelyonly as I have ſhewed already, how they make this we call originall ſinne, no ſinne at all, neither inherent in us, nor imputed unto us, nor no puniſhment truly ſo called; ſo becauſe our Church ſaith directly, that it meriteth damnation, I will briefly ſhew, what they conceive, to be the deſert thereof.

Firſt, for Adam himſelfe, they affirme, that the death threatued unto him, if he tranſgreſſed the Covenant, and due unto him for it, llCum de …tema morte loq…tut Remonſtrantes in hac de Adamo quaeſtione, non intelligent mortem illam, quae aeterna, poena ſenſus, &c. Rem. Apol. cap. 4. fol. 57.was neither death temporall, for that before he was ſubiect unto, by the primarie conſtitution of his nature: nor yet ſuch an eternall death, as is accompanied with damnation, or everlaſting puniſhment: No? Why then let us here learne ſome new Divinitie? Chriſtians have hitherto beleeved, that whatſoever may be compriſed under the name of death: together with its antecedents, conſequents, and attendants was threatned to Adam, in this commination: and Divines untill this day, can finde but theſe two ſorts of death in the Scripture, as poenall unto men, and properly ſo called: and ſhall we now be perſwaded that it was neither of theſe that was threatned unto Adam? in muſt be ſo, if we will beleeve the Arminians: it was neither the one, nor the other, of the former: but whereas he was created mortall and ſubject to a temporall death, the ſanction of his obedience, was a threatning of the utter diſſolution of his ſoule and body, or a reduction to their primative nothing: but what if a man will not here take them at their words, but beleeve according to Saint Paul, that death entred by ſinne; that if we had never ſinned, we had p. 78never died, that man in the ſtate of innocency was by Gods conſtitution, free even from temporall death, and all things directly conducing thereunto. Secondly, that this death threatned to our firſt parents, comprehended damnation alſo of ſoule and body for evermore, and that of their imaginarie diſſolution, there is not the leaſt intimation in the word of God: why I confeſſe they have impudence enough in divers places to begge that we would beleeve their aſſertions, but never confidence enough, to venture once to prove them true. Now they who make ſo ſlight of the deſert of this ſinne, in Adam himſelfe, will ſurely ſcarce allow it to have any ill merit at all, in his poſteritie.

Whether mmAn ullus omnino homo, propter peccatum originis ſolum damnetur, ac aeternis cruciatibus addicatur, merito dubitati poteſt: imo nullum ita damnari affirmate non veremur: Cor. ad Molin. cap. 9. ſect. 5.ever any one were damned, for Originall ſinne, and adiudged to everlaſting torments; is deſervedly doubted of: yea we doubt not to affirme, that never any was ſo damned, ſaith Corvinus: and that this is not his ſole opinion, he declares, by telling you no leſſe of his Maſter Arminius: nnVeriſſimnm eſt Arminium docere, perverſe dici peccatum originis reum facere mortis. Corvin. ad Tilen. p. 388.It is moſt true, ſaith he, that Arminius teacheth, that it is perverſly ſaid, that originall ſinne makes a man guilty of death. Of any death it ſhould ſeeme, temporall eternall or that annihillation they dreame of: and he ſaid true enough,ooPerverſe dicitur peccatum originis, reum facere mortis, quum peccatum illud poena ſit peccati actualis Adami: Armin. Reſp. ad quaeſt. 9. a. 3. Arminius doth affirme it, adding this reaſon, becauſe it is onelyonly the puniſhment of Adams actuall ſinne: now what kinde of puniſhment they make this to be I ſhewed you before. But truely I wonder, ſeeing they are every where ſo peremptorie, that the ſame thing cannot be a ſin, and a puniſhment; why they doe ſo often nick-name this infirmity of nature, and call it a ſinne, which they ſuppoſe to be as farre different from it, as fire from water: is it becauſe they are unwilling, by new naming it, to contradict S^t. Paul in expreſſe termes, never propoſing it, under any other denomination? or if they can get a ſophiſticall eluſion for him, is it leaſt by ſo doing, Chriſtians ſhould the more plainely diſcerne their hereſie? or what ever other cauſe it be, in this I am ſure they contradict themſelves, notwithſtanding in this they agree full well,ppDeus neminem ob ſolum peccatum originis rejecit Epiſcop. diſp. 9. Theſ 2. That God reiecteth none, for originall ſinne onelyonly, as Epiſcopius ſpeakes: and here if you tell them that the queſtion is not de facto, what God doth; but de iure, what ſuch ſinne deſervers, they tell us plainlyqqPro certo ſta…uunt Deum nullos infantes, ſine actualibus ac propriis peccatis, morientes, aeternis cruciatibus deſtinare veile, aut jure deſtinare poſſe ob peccatum quod vocatur originis. Rem. Apol. f. 87. That God will not deſtinate any infants to eternall puniſhment for originall ſinne, without p. 79their owne proper actuall ſinnes, neither can he doe ſo, by right, or in iuſtice: ſo that the children of Turkes, Pagans, and the like Infidels, ſtrangers from the covenant of grace departing in their infancie, are farre happier then any Chriſtian men, who muſt under-goe a hard warfare, againſt ſinne, and Satan, in danger to fall finally away at the laſt houre; and through many difficulties, entering the kingdome of heaven, when they without further trouble are preſently aſſumed thither, for their innocency. Yea although they are neither elected of God; for as they affirme, he chooſeth none but for their faith which they have not: nor redeemed by Chriſt, for he died onelyonly for ſinners, he ſaved his people from their ſinnes, which they are not guiltie of, nor ſanctified by the holy Ghoſt, all whoſe operations they reſtraine to a morall ſwaſion, whereof infants are not a capable ſubject. Which is not much to the honour of the bleſſed Trinitie: that heaven ſhould be repleniſhed with them whom the Father never elected, the Sonne never redeemed, nor the holy Ghoſt ſanctified.

And thus you ſee, what they make, of this originall pravitie of our nature, at moſt an infirmitie, or languor thereof: neither a ſinne, nor the puniſhment of ſinne properly ſo called: nor yet a thing that deſerves puniſhment as a ſinne. Which laſt aſſertion, whether it be agreeable to holy Scripture or no, theſe two following obſervations will declare.

Firſt, there is no confuſion, no diſorder, no vanitie in the whole world, in any of Gods creatures, that is not a puniſhment of our ſinne in Adam. That great and almoſt univerſall ruine of Nature, proceeding from the curſe of God overgrowing the earth, and the wrath of God, revealing it ſelfe from heaven, is the proper iſſue of his tranſgreſſion. It was of the great mercy of God, that the whole frame of Nature, was not preſently rolled up in darkeneſſe, and reduced to its primitive confuſion. Had we our ſelves, beene deprived of thoſe remaining ſparkes of Gods Image in our ſoules, which vindicates us from the number, of the Beaſts that periſh, had we beene all borne fooles, and voyd of reaſon, by dealing ſo, with ſome in particular, he ſheweth us, it had beene but juſtice to have wrapped us in the ſame miſerie, all p. 80in generall: all things when God firſt created them, were exceeding good, and thought ſo by the wiſedome of God himſelfe: but our ſinne, even compelled that good and wiſe Creator, to hate, and curſe the worke of his owne hands: Curſed is the ground, ſaith he to Adam, for thy ſake, in ſorrow ſhalt thou eate of it all the dayes of thy life: thornes alſo and thiſtles ſhall it bring forth unto thee: Gen. 3. 17, 18. hence was that heavie burden of vanitie, that bondage of corruption, under which to this day the whole Creation groaneth, and travelleth in paine untill it be delivered: Rom. 8. 21, 22. Now if our ſinne, had ſuch a ſtrange malignant influence, upon thoſe things, which have no relation unto us, but onelyonly as they were created for our uſe; ſurely it is of the great mercy of God that we our ſelves are not quite confounded: which doth not yet ſo interpoſe it ſelf, but that we are all compaſſed, with divers ſad effects of this iniquitie, lying actually, under divers preſſing miſeries, and deſervedly obnoxious to everlaſting deſtruction: ſo that,

Secondly, death temporall, with all its antecedents, and attendants, all infirmities, miſeries, ſickneſſes, waſting deſtroying paſſions, caſualties that are poenall, all evill conducing thereunto, or waiting on it, is a puniſhment of originall ſinne: and this not onelyonly, becauſe the firſt actuall ſinne of Adam, is imputed to us: but moſt of them, are the proper iſſues of that native corruption, and pollution of ſinne, which is ſtirring and operative within us, for the production of ſuch ſad effects, our whole nature being by it throughly defiled: hence are all the diſtortures, and diſtemperatures of the ſoule, by luſts, concupiſcence, paſſions, blindneſſe of minde, perverſeneſſe of will; inordinateneſſe of affections, wherewith we are preſſed, and turmoiled: even proper iſſues of that inherent ſinne, which poſſeſſeth our whole ſoules.

VponUpon the body alſo, it hath ſuch an influence, in diſpoſing it to corruption and mortality, as it the originall of all thoſe infirmities, ſickneſſes and diſeaſes, which make us nothing but a ſhop of ſuch miſeries: for death it ſelfe, as theſe and the like degrees, are the ſteps which leade us on apace, in the road that tends unto it: ſo they are the direct internall efficient cauſe thereof, in ſubordination, to the juſtice of Almighty God by ſuch meanes, inflicting p. 81it as a puniſhment of our ſinnes in Adam. Man before his fall, though not in regard of the matter whereof he was made, nor yet meerely in reſpect of his quickning forme, yet in regard of Gods ordination was immortall, a keeper of his owne everlaſtingneſſe: Death, to which before he was not obnoxious, was threatned as a puniſhment of his ſinne: In the day, thou eateſt thereof, thou ſhalt ſurely die: the expoſition of which words, given by God, at the time of his inflicting this puniſhment, and pronouncing man ſubject to mortalitie, cleerely ſheweth that it comprehendeth temporall death alſo, duſt thou art, and unto duſt thou ſhalt returne: our returne to duſt, is nothing but the ſoules leaving the body, whereby before it was preſerved from corruption. Further Saint Paul oppoſeth that death, we had by the ſinne of Adam, to the reſurrection of the body, by the power of Chriſt: for ſince by man came death, by man alſo came the reſurrection from the dead, For as in Adam all die, ſo in Chriſt ſhall all be made alive: 1 Cor. 15. 21. 22. the life, which all ſhall receive by the power of Chriſt at the laſt day, is eſſentially a reunion of ſoule and body, and therefore their ſeparation is a thing we incurred by the ſinne of Adam: the ſame Apoſtle alſo, Rom. 5. deſcribeth an univerſall reigne of death over all, by reaſon of the firſt tranſgreſſion: even diſeaſes alſo in the Scripture are attributed unto ſinne, as their meritorious cauſe, Iohn 5. 14. 1 Cor. 11. 30. Revel. 2. 22. and in reſpect of all theſe, the mercy of God, doth not ſo interpoſe it ſelfe, but that all the ſonnes of men are in ſome ſort partakers of them.

Thirdly, the finall deſert of originall ſinne, as our article ſpeaketh, is damnation: the wrath of God to be poured on us, in eternall torments of body and ſoule. To this end alſo many praevious judgements of God, are ſubſervient: as the privation of originall righteouſneſſe, which he tooke, and withheld, upon Adams throwing it away: ſpirituall deſertion, permiſſion of ſinne, with all other deſtroying depravations of our nature, as farre as they are meerely paenall: ſome of which, are immediate conſequents of Adams ſingular actuall tranſgreſſion, as privation of originall righteouſneſſe, others as damnation it ſelfe, the proper effects of that derived ſinne and pollution, that is in us; there is none p. 82damned, but for their owne ſinne: when Divines affirme that by Adams ſinne we are guilty of damnation, they doe not meane, that any are actually damned for his particular fact, but that by his ſinne, and our ſinning in him, by Gods moſt juſt ordination, we have contracted that exceeding pravitie, and ſinfulneſſe of nature, which deſerveth the curſe of God, and eternall damnation: it muſt be an inherent uncleaneſſe that actually excludes out of the kingdome of heaven: Revel. 21. 27. which uncleanneſſe the Apoſtle ſhewes, to be in infants not ſanctified, by an intereſt in the Covenant: in briefe, we are baptized unto the remiſſion of ſinne, that we may be ſaved, Act. 2. 38. that then which is taken away by Baptiſme, is that which hinders our ſalvation, which is not, the firſt ſinne of Adam imputed, but our owne inherent luſt and pollution: we cannot be waſhed, and cleanſed, and purged from an imputed ſinne, which is done by the layer of regeneration, from that which lies upon us, onelyonly by an externall denomination, we have no need of cleanſing: we may be ſaid, to be freed from it, or juſtified, but not purged; the ſoule then that is guilty of ſinne ſhall die, and that for its owne guilt: if God ſhould condemne us for originall ſinne onelyonly, it were not by reaſon of the imputation of Adams fault, but of the iniquitie of that portion of nature, in which we are proprietaries.

Now here to ſhut up all, obſerve, that in this inquiry, of the deſert of originall ſinne: the Queſtion is not, What ſhall be the certaine lot, of thoſe that depart this life, under the guilt of this ſin only? but what this haereditary and and native corruption doth deſrve, in all thoſe in whom it is: for as Saint Paul ſaith, we iudge not them that are without (eſpecially infants:) 1 Cor. 5. 13. but for the demerit of it in the juſtice of God, our Saviour expreſly affirmeth, that unleſſe a man be borne againe, he cannot enter into the kingdome of heaven: Iohn 3. and let them that can; diſtinguiſh betweene a not going to heaven, and a going to hell: a third receptacle of ſoules in the Scripture we finde not; Saint Paul alſo tels us, that by nature we are children of wrath: Epheſ. 2. 3. even originally and actually, we are guilty of, and obnoxious unto that wrath, which is accompanied with fiery indignation, that ſhall conſume the adverſaries: againe, we are aſſured that no uncleane p. 83thing ſhall enter into heaven: Revel. 21. with which hell-deſerving uncleaneſſe children are polluted, and therefore unleſſe it be purged with the bloud of Chriſt, they have no intereſt in everlaſting happineſſe: by this meanes ſinne is come upon all to condemnation, and yet doe we not peremptorily cenſure to hell, all infants departing this world without the layer of regeneration, the ordinary means of waveing the puniſhment, due to this pollution: that is the Queſtion de facto, which we before rejected: yea, and two wayes there are, whereby God ſaveth ſuch infants, ſnatching them like brands out of the fire.

Firſt, by intereſting them into the Covenant, if their immediate, or remote parents have beene beleevers: he is a God of them, and of their ſeed: extending his mercy unto a thouſand generations of them that feare him.

Secondly, by his grace of election, which is moſt free and not tied to any conditions, by which I make no doubt, but God taketh many unto him in Chriſt, whoſe parents never knew, or had beene deſpiſers of the Goſpel: and this is the doctrine of our Church, agreeable to the Scripture, affirming the deſert of originall ſinne, to be Gods wrath and damnation, to both which how oppoſite is the Arminian doctrine may thus appeare.