A treatise of original sin ... proving that it is, by pregnant texts of Scripture vindicated from false glosses / by Anthony Burgess.

SECT. V.

How absurd it is to exempt any from this Natural Pollution upon any ground whatsoever.

THirdly, Original sinne being thus a sinne of the nature, as it is absurd to ex∣empt any from it upon Theological considerations, so likewise from any Philo∣sophical niceties; For there are some that bring forth strange and paradoxal opi∣nions about the nature of man, and these will not have all men involved in A∣dam's sinne, for there is an anonimous Author (truly nullius nominis) hath a written book De praeadomitis, his whole scope is to shew, that there were men before Adam, though the Scripture doth not mention them, and he saith, A negative argument in matter of fact doth not hold; There were none, because the Scripture doth not name them; no more then we can say, Melchizedech had no father or mother indeed, because they are not mentioned, But Moses relateth what was in the beginning, and thereby doth exclude any before Adam, yea in the Scripture Adam is expresly called the first man, 1 Cor. 15. 45. There are others, and they would from Philosophy prove, That all men are not of the same kind, no more then birds and beasts, and therefore they did not all come from Adam; They instance in the Antipodes, in those that are in the other world or Hemisphere. The ancient Clement in his Epistle to the Corinthiant, pag. 29. speaketh of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, worlds beyond the sea. But these all come from Adam, for Act. 17. 26. it is expresly said, That God hath made of one blend all Nations of men that dwell on the earth; Therefore we need not matter these fancies, no more then those that hold a world in the Moon, and men there; Paracelsus that gloried he would reform Luther, as Luther had the Pope (Vid•• Ludev. Crec. Syntag. cap. 28. pag. 811.) telleth us of men found in mines, and that there are Marini homines and Satyrs, who are capable of blessedness, and that Christ died for them, as a certain Satyr is said to the famous Ermit Anthony. Some also speak of men begotten in that unnatural way with beasts, that are beasts and men, have these original sinnes; But we are to despise all these nice∣ties; Neither are fancies to be minded against the clear Doctrine of the Scri∣pture, wheresoever there is the nature of man in a natural way, there the Scri∣pture pronounceth all obnoxious to this sinne.

The last Proposition is, That this original sinne is communicated to all mankind, although they have not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression; For you may happily think, it is indeed just with God to punish all such who sinne like Adam, that imitate him in his wickedness; But as for others, how doth that appear becoming the righteousness and mercy of God? Now for this we have a clear attestation, Rom. 5. 14. Death reigned over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression; But what is meant by this description is

controverted. Those that leave out the negative, making it to runne affirma∣tively (viz.) Who sinned after the transgression of Adam, and also those who read it thus, Death reigned after the similitude of Adams transgression, upon those who did not sinne. As Verstius following Erasmus and Chrysostom, are not to be regarded; neither is that Exposition to be endured of that late Writer, with whom we have so often to do; As if the Apostle meant, That death relatively to Adams sinne had no effect further then to Moses, and there it ceased, for this doth palpably contradict the Apostle, 1 Cor. 15. 22. where by Adam all are said to die. Therefore by those who sinne not after the similitude of Adams transgres∣sion; Some understand it thus (viz.) not so capitally and atrociously as he did, for he sinned against an express Law; but the Apostle speaketh of such, who sinned without such a declared Law, as Hos. 6. 7. They like men have transgres∣sed (in the original) like Adam. Many Expositors make it the proper name of Adam, hereby the Prophet aggravating their sin, That as Adam in Paradise did voluntarily transgress Gods Law; So the Jews in the good Land God had given them, did treacherously against him. But Mercer rejecteth this, because in the He∣brew it is not C••hadam with 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 emphatical, as it is commonly applied to Adam. There is such an expression in Job, which some understand of Adam, Job 31. 33. where it is translated, If I covered my transgressions as Adam, or as in the mar∣gin, After the manner of men: This interpretation may be admitted as part; but 2. we are to understand it more largely of all those who sinne without a Law revealed; for the Apostle had said, That sinne is not imputed, viz. (to a mans conscience) where there is no Law, men are apt to be secure in sinne, when there is no Law expresly threatning them; Now saith the Apostle, let none think so, For as death so sinne was in the world before Moses his time, though there was not such severe precepts against it; and therefore those who had not such an ex∣press command as Adam had, yet death and sinne was imputed to them; So that by this is understood, That all those who live out of the Church, all Heathens and Pagans, who have not the revealed will of God to walk by, even those who never heard of Adam, and so could not imitate him in sinning are in this clause comprehended.

Lastly, By this also is declared, That all Infants, though they cannot actually sinne, yet because of original sinne, death reigneth over them likewise, Though Calvin think the former sort chiefly aimed at, yet he confesseth Infants are herein included.

Thus we have finished this Text, the Doctrine whereof should make the world a valley of tears in respect of godly humiliation, as it is indeed in respect of mi∣series; As the shadow followeth the body, so should holy sorrow the truth of this point; Believe it and tremble, for it is every ones case, she out of thy self to that Saviour who delivereth from original sinne, as well as actual. This is most properly the sinne of the world.