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

CHAP. I.

Of the Name Old-man given to Original Sinne,

SECT. I.

ROM. 6. 6.

Knowing this, that our Old-man is crucified with Christ, &c.

IN the beginning of the Chapter, the Apostle informeth us, That no Gospel priviledges, or Evangelical grace amplified to the highest, may encourage to sinne, for the Apostle maketh an Objection himself from the Doctrine he delivered; If grace abound where sinne doth abound, then why may not we sinne more, that grace may abound more? Thus there have alwayes been some who have turn∣ed bread into stones, and fish into serpents, making the grace of God to exclude our duty, and a tender care against sinne. But the Apostle, as if blasphemy were in this Objection, tryeth out, God forbid; You see with what indignation and detestation we should look

upon all those Doctrines, which under pretence of advancing Grace, do cry down Duties and an holy life, making it a legal and a servile thing.

Now the Apostle bringeth an Argument against indulgence in sinne, notwith∣standing Gods grace, Because we are dead to it, and then how can we live to it? Would it not be a monstrous, and an afrighting sight, to see dead men come out of their graves, to live and walk amongst us? Thus also it ought to be no less wonderfull, yea terrible, to see a Christian give himself to any evil way. And that we are dead to sinne, he proveth by our Baptism, concerning which he speaks admirable and sublime matter: So that if we consider what great things are here spoken of it, we may wonder to see, how cold and rare our meditations are about it; for he makes it to be that Sacrament, in the right use whereof▪ we put on Christ, yea that thereby we are ingraffed and implanted into him: Hence ver. 5. he useth that word of being planted into him; a metaphor from the Husbandman, who by planting his Science into, another stock, doth thereby make it partake of the life or death of the Tree; if the Tree liveth, that liveth; if the Tree di∣eth, that dieth; so it is with us and Christ. By the phrase then is intended no more than our communion with, and interest in Christ, and that both in his death, and his resurrection: For you must know, that the Scripture doth not only make Christs death and resurrection to be the cause of the death of our sins, and of our spiritual resurrection to holiness, but also makes them types and re∣semblances of such things in us, That as Christ died in his passible body, so we should die to sinne; and as Christ after his death did rise again to glory and im∣mortality, thus we should rise out of sinne, to walk in newness of life, and both these are signified in Baptism.

1. Our Communion with Christ in the efficacy of his death and resurrection.

2. The Representation of this; that what was corporally done to Christ, should be spiritually fulfilled in us; and therefore some think, that the Apostle doth allude to that primitive Rite and Custom which was in baptizing; when the baptized party was first put under the water for a little season, which represent∣ed Christs burial, and our death to sinne. 2. There was the emersion, or rising again out of the waters, which signified Christs Resurrection, and also our rising again to holiness and godliness.

This is the Summe of the Apostles discourse concerning Baptism in its sacra∣mental signification, which he amplifieth further in my Text, and that as a rea∣son, why we should not live to sinne who were baptized into Christ, viz. Be∣cause our Old man is crucified with Christ; Both because Christ in being crucified did subdue thereby the dominion of sinne, and also we are to do to the body of sinne within us, what was done to Christs body, to crucifie it, and thereby to destroy it. There is nothing more to be enquired into in the Text, but what is meant by our Oldman?

They limit it too much that understand it only of the habit, or acquired custom of sinne, which we live in before Regeneration, as Grotius seemeth to under∣stand; But we are to take it, as both Popish and Protestant Commentators do interpret it, for that vicious and corrupt nature, which we all derive from Adam, putting it self forth into several lusts and ungodly actions, wherby there is an habi∣tuated, inveterated custom at last in sin; so that although we may understand lusts and actual impieties with long custom therin, under the phrase of the Old man, yet principally and chiefly we are to interpret it of that polluted nature we have from Adam; and this will easily appear to be so, if you consider the other two places, where this expression is used, Ephes. 4. 22. That ye put off the Old man, &c. and that ye put on the New man. Col. 3. 9, 10. Ye have put off the Old man with his deeds, and have put on the New man. Where,

1. You see the Old man is distinguished from the effects and deeds of it, which are actual sins. And then

2. Old man and New man are made two immediate opposites; now the New man is plainly expressed by the Apostle, what it is, viz. not so much actual ho∣liness, as the Image of God repaired in us, so that as the New man is the Image of God, and that holy nature repaired in us, so the Old man is the contrary to this, viz. a deprivation of that Image of God, and and an universal pollution of all the whole man: So that whereas sometimes the word Old is used absolutely, as the old Serpent (there is no new Serpent) which is the Devil; So here its used comparative∣ly, and called Old in respect of the New man, the work of grace succeeding therein.

SECT. II.

HAving therefore hitherto shewed the Quod sit of original sinne, That there is such a thing, maugre all adversaries, and that by the mouth of two wit∣nesses out of the New Testament, and two out of the Old (not but that there are many more, only I shall (God willing) treat on them upon some different notions.) I now come to inform you of the Quid sit, What it is; for here is much opposition likewise; And because in knowing what a thing is, there is the Quid nominis, and Quid rei, what the name is, and what the thing is.

I shall first beginne with what the Name is, for that way Socrates did use to commend, from the name to go to the nature of a thing: And whereas this na∣tive-pollution hath Scripture names, Ecclesiastical, used by the Fathers, and Scholastical used by the Schoolmen, yea the Rabbins say, it hath seven names in the Old Testament. I shall only pitch on the Bible names, and that not univer∣sally, but upon some eminent and chief ones, which it hath in the Scripture, from which alone we shall be best able to discern the nature of it.

The first whereof is here in the Text, wherein it is called the Old man; From whence observe,* 1.1

That the natural or birth-pollution we are barn in, is called by the Scripture, The Old man that is in us.

Several names indeed the Scripture giveth it, and some are applied to it by Divines, of which, yet some question may be made; as when Christ is said, to be the Lamb that takes away the sinne of the world, John 1. 29. By that they say is meant original sinne, for that is not so much my sinne or thy sinne, as the sinne of the world, and therefore he speaketh in the singular number, The sinne, not the sins of the world; but this is not so probable, for Christ came into the world to take away not only original sinne, as some Papists have thought, but actual also. Others apply that of Heb. 10. to it, The sinne that doth so easily beset us; And indeed that is a very proper word to explain original sinne; but whether the Apostles scope be so immediately to point at that, may be further enquired into. I shall therefore take only some few clear and undoubted Titles, that the Scripture giveth to it, of which this in the Text is a notable one, The old man; And before we inform you, how comprehensive this is, let us remove a twofold mistake, or erroneous apprehension that may be about it.

SECT. III.

Two Mistakes removed.

THe first is that of Flaccius Illyricus, who because the Scripture useth such concrete and substantive terms about original sinne, calling it a man, a body, therefore he erred in a contrary extremity to the Pelagians; and some Pontificians, making original sinne not to be an accident, but the essence and sub∣stance

of the soul; but of this more when we come to search out the nature of it; only you must know, that original sinne is not the substance of a man, but an universal disease adhering to it; as the Leprosie in a Leper, it's not his body, it's not his corpulent essence; the body is one thing, the Leprosie is another thing; and thus in man, his soul and body are one thing, his original corruption is ano∣ther thing: Though as in an universal Leprosie, you cannot touch one part of the body, but it is infected; so neither can we name one part of the soul, but it is polluted; we must therefore distinguish between nature and sinne, to avoid Flac∣cianism; yet we must not separate or divide one from the other, to avoid Pela∣gianism; but of this more in its time.

Secondly, We must not conceive that it's called the Old man, because of any impotency or weakness, as if it were not able to put forth into vigorous acts and lively lustings of sinne, as old men have all their natural strength and vigour de∣caying: No, though it be called the Old man in us, yet it's constantly working, drawing aside, captivating and enflaming of us, yea making warre daily against any thing of God within us.

These things premised, let us consider, why the Scripture giveth it such a name, for it might seem a very harsh exposition, to call that which is an accident or a quality in a man, by the name of an Old man.

SECT. IV.

Why Original Sinne is called Man.

THerefore let us see the reason, why it's called Man, and then the Old man; original sinne may be called a Man,

First, Because that so farre as we are men, quanti sumus, we are all over pollu∣ted; So that the old man is the whole man polluted in this sinne before he be rege∣nerated: Insomuch that this phrase may sadly and deeply humble us, that the Scripture gives the name of man to sinne, as if that were all we are: Hence (as you have heard) to walk as a man, to speak as a man, is to do a thing sinfully, as farre as thy humanity reacheth, so farre thy pollution reacheth; So that the very calling of thee a man may greatly debase thee; for though thou art a rich man, a great man, yet this Old man doth infect thee.

Secondly, In that original sinne is called a Man, there is implied the Subject of it to be every man, as well as every part of man, Totus homo, and totum homi∣nis, yea ad omnis homo, not one exempted that is by natural propagation: So that every little Infant hath this Man in it; Every one that needeth a Christ, that wanteth a Saviour, hath this Old man abiding in him.

Thirdly, It's called Man, Because of the heap or collection of all sinne that is in it; For as a man is not one part of the body, the finger, the eye, or the hand, but the whole Compages and Fabrick of all the parts united together. Thus original sinne is not one particular sinne, but the mass or spawn of all; It's not a stream, but the ocean, and therefore this sheweth the horridness also of it, that it is the womb wherein all sinne is conceived; Let a man be totally cleansed from this, as the glorified Saints in Heaven are, and then no actual sin can come from him.

Lastly, It's called a Man, Because of the intimate and tenacious adhesion of it to the whole man, there being no way to sever our Natures and that, while we abide in these mortal bodies: So that it supposeth sinne to be in us, as fire in the iron when it is red hot (though there is some dissimilitude also) that we cannot see

the colour and substance of the iron for the fire, nothing appeareth but fire; Iron though of it self black and cold, yet by the fire in it is altered; so the soul of a man; yea the whole man that was at first made upright and holy; now through this pollution manifests nothing thereof, yea the clean contrary; in stead of the Image of God, there is the image of the Devil, there appeareth nothing but of the sinne and the Devil in a man; for if Paul could say, He no longer lived, but Christ in him, Gal. 2. 20. when yet grace was not full and complete in him, How much rather may we, while abiding in our natural estate say, We no longer live, but sinne in us, for sinne moveth all, and doth all, having full dominion over us?

SECT. V.

Why it is called Old-man.

IN the second place, It may be called the Old man; First, Because it came from Adam the first man, and most antient: Thus it is a sinne of great antiquity, it hath been in the world ever since Adam's transgression; Most things have had their times and their seasons, but this hath been alwayes; There was never any age, wherein men were not born sinfull, though some actual sins have abounded more at one time than another, though Adam be dead thousands of years ago, yet the sin liveth and is propagated.

2. It is Old, Because it is from every mans particular beginning: Thou canst not think of the number of thy years, or how old thou art, but thou mayest with groans remember also that sinne is just as old as thou art; Hast thou lived to threescore or an hundred years, even thus old sinne is? Alas we are apt to complain of old age, to count it a disease; we say, Alas now our best time is gone, we are weak old men: Oh but there is an old man within that is more to be la∣mented!

3. It's the Old man, Because of the crast and subtil wayes that this sinne hath within us: Insomuch that Jeremiah complaineth Chap 17. None can find out the depth of sinne, none but God can search thy heart: This is the old subtil fox within thee, and therefore it's said to deceive and to tempt us.

4. It's the Old man, Because it is to be renewed; That which is old (saith the Apostle) is to vanish away. The Old Testament was removed that the New might succeed. Thus the Old man is to die, is to continue no longer, that the New may be established in us.

Lastly, It's called the Old man, Because there is no loveliness or comeliness in it; For old age is like winter, making the blossoms of beauty to fall: Thus the name Old man argueth the uncomeliness of it.

Vse. Of Instruction, To acquaint your selves with this Old man in you, young and old, rich and poor, all have this Old man, that will at last betray and damn you: Oh consider you carry your own bane about with you, out of thy own bowels, thy own heart, will arise that which will destroy thee, and this Old man is in every one; The Pharisees told the blind man, He was wholly born in sinnes; They thought it was the condition of some miserable afflicted people to be so born, but it is the condition of all, and therefore expect no heaven or slavation, till this Old man be crucified, and the New man repaired in thee.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Observ.