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

SECT. I.

I Shall adde that there are four Reasons, why this Privation of Original Righteousnesse is truly and properly a sinne in us. And

First, Because the soul is a Subject fit and prepared for to receive this Righteousnesse. This rectitude you heard, was a moral perfection necessarily required in man: The soul of a man cannot be in a neutral condition, it must either have holi∣ness, or sinne in it; As the air doth necessarily receive either light or darkness; The body is either sick or well; if then the soul be such a fit and capable subject of holiness; when it is deprived of it, it wants that which is sutable and connatu∣ral to it: Insomuch that for the soul to be without this holiness, it's against the nature of it; Why should such a spot and a blemish be in so glorious a creature? How came spots in this Sunne? As Idolaters are condemned, because they turned the glory of God into the Image of a beast that eateth hay: No lesse is done by Adam's Apostasie upon us all, for we who were made Gods Image, are now become like beast without understanding, and yet this consideration will not debase and humble us.

Secondly, This Privation is a sinne, Because it is against the Law of God which requireth habitual holinesse in us. It requireth the continuance in that state, which God created us in. This Definition of original sinne, that it is a Privation of that rectitude which ought to be in us, was first assigned by Anselme, and Occham thought it insufficient, unlesse there was added 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Description, a Privation arising from the sinne of another,

Because (saith he) Adam upon his sinne lost this Righteousnesse, which ought to be in him, yet we cannot say, he had original sinne, because it did not arise from a sinne of another, but from his own transgression.

This is a needlesse sub∣tilty, for it was original sinne in Adam, yea and in Eve, though they did not derive it from one another, because they did actively communicate this un∣to all their Posterity. This Privation then of all glorious holinesse being against the Law of God, as we have formerly shewed, therefore it makes a man truly sinfull.

Thirdly, It is a sinne, Because Adam our Head and common Trustes once had this Righteousnesse; So that it is a Righteousnesse, which we were once actually possessed of in our Head; God did not only say, Let us make man after our Image, but he did put it into execution, he did make him after

his image; So that it's a righteousnesse that we once had, which now we have lost.

Lastly, It is a sinne, Because by Adam our Head we were deprived of it. The Apostle saith positively, Rom. 5 That by one, sinne came upon all, inas∣much as all have sinned, viz. in him, and by him: Hence it is, That his lo∣sing of this Image is our losing of it, as really, as if we had actually and perso∣nally deprived our selves of it. And thus much shall suffice for the Doctrinal part of it; but because it's good to have our affections wrought upon, as well as our judgements informed. The next work shall be to give the Aggravations of this losse, that so we may make a full improvement of this Truth.