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

CHAP. XX.

A clear and full Knowledge of Original Sinne can be obtained only by Scripture Light.

SECT. I.

A Full and large information concerning the whole Nature of ori∣ginal sinne, both in the Privative and Positive part thereof, hath been delivered, to which this Text hath been very usefull. There remaineth one thing more in it, which is very considera∣ble, and that is the way or means, how Paul cometh to be thus convinced of that sinfulnesse, which he did not acknowledge before, and that is said to be by the Law. In what sense Paul said, He knew not lust to be sinne, hath already been declared.

There remaineth therefore this Doctrine to be observed, viz. That original sinne in the immediate effect thereof, is truly and fully known onely by the light of Gods word. None are ever clearly, and throughly perswaded of such an univer∣sal horrid defilement, but those who look into the pure glass of Gods word. This Paul acknowledgeth in himself, and yet no Heathen, he lived under the light of the Word, but following traditional expositions from his fathers, and wanting the Spirit of God to enlighten him, therefore he was wholly stupid and senslesse in this matter, as therefore the Doctrine of Christ, and Evangelical grace is a my∣stery, so is also this Doctrine about original sinne.

SECT. II.

Whether the wisest Heathens had any Knowledge of this Pollution.

BUt because this matter is under Debate and Question, let us further enquire into it, examining, Whether the wisest Heathens had any knowledge of this na∣tural pollution the Word doth so fully inform us in? And

First, As for that original sinne called originans, viz. Adam's actual trans∣gression made ours by Gods will and appointment, through imputation, that is, wholly known by revelation, so that no Heathens by the highest improvement and cultivage of nature could ever discern such things. That God made Adam righ∣teous, giving him a command of tryal in obedience, or disobedience, whereof all his posterity should be involved, this they had not the least him of, and the reason is, Because the truth of such things lieth not in nature, neither have second causes the least demonstration of this, but it is wholly discovered as a matter of fact by the Scripture; So that we Christians ought the more to bless God for the sight of his Word, seeing thereby a very Ideot amongst us may know more, then the wisest Aristotle or Plato amongst the Heathens.

Secondly, As for original inherent sinne, it must necessarily be granted, That even the Heathens had some general confused knowledge about a mans natural de∣filement: Hence was their custom of a solemn washing, and lustration of their Infants in a religious way, implying hereby, that they came into the world pol∣luted, and needed the propitious savour of their gods. This solemn religious cu∣stom of theirs, was some general confession of original sinne; but as for the Philosophers, who were the wisest and most learned of them, some do speak more congruously to this point than others. That noble and learned Pless••us in his Book of the Truth of the Christian Religion, Pag. 377. which he endeavoureth to prove even from Heathinish Authors, especially the Platonists, doth alledge some things pertinently to our subject; For Plato holding,

That the soul was put into the body, as into a prison and a dungeon, for former sinnes commit∣ted,

through he grosly erred in the foundation, thinking souls pre-existent be∣fore the body, and for faults committed then adjudged to the body as a place of prison, which was an absurd errour, yet there was some truth he did take notice of, for observing that the soul which should rule and command the body, was yet mancipated, and enslaved to it, he concluded there was some fore-going crime deserving this, though he was wholly ignorant of Adam's fall: Hence he saith,

That the soul hath lost and broken her wings, which she had at first, and there∣by doth onely creep and crawl upon the ground.

The••phrastus also Aristotle's Scholar, was wont to say,

That the soul payeth a very dear rent for the house of her body, the body is such a clog and impediment to it.

The Platonists do seem to acknowledge more truth herein, then Aristotls, for Aristotle doth ex∣presly deny, That either virtue or vice is in us by nature, the very same thing which Pelagin afterwards did use to say: Therefore the Schoolmen, though en∣slaved to Aristotle, yet when urging this Argument,

That there cannot be a sinne by birth in a man, because no man is to be reproved or beaten, for that which he hath by nature, but rather to be pitied, it is not his sinne but misery;

Which speech (if true) doth utterly contradict that of the Apostle, We are by nature the children of wrath. The Schoolmen (I say) though 〈◊〉〈◊〉 vasalized to Aristotle, and alledging him oftner than Paul, do answer that Argument thus, It is no matter what Aristotle saith in this case, because he knew nothing of original sinne. Thus you see they are forced to leave him in this point, and there∣fore Aristotle is more to be renounced in this point, then any other Philo∣sopher. Grotius also (Comment. in 2^d. Luc. v. 21. alledgeth several Hethe∣nish

Authors, who lay down this for a Position, that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, it is implanted and ingraffed into man to sinne. Tully (lib. 3. Tusc.) doth speak so fully to this purpose, as if he had read what Moses speaketh of man by nature, Simul ac editi sumus in lucem & suscepti in omni continuè pravi∣tate versamur, &c. as soon as ever we are born, we are presently exercised in all manner of evil, Vt poenè in lacte nutricis errorem suxisse videamur, as if we sucked down errour with the nurses milk; Here you see he speaketh something like to Moses, when he saith, Gen. 6. That the imagination of the thoughts of our hearts are only evil and that continually; Although at the same time he seemeth to at∣tribute this propensity to evil to wicked manner, and depraved opinions, for there he saith,

Nature hath given us of honesty parvulos igniculos, and that there are ingeniis nostris semina innata virtutum.

But although some of their wisest men have confessed such a misery and infirmity upon us, yet it may be doubted, Whe∣ther they looked upon this, as truly and properly sinne, deserving punishment either from God or man; They rather thought all sinne must be voluntary: Hence Seneca, Erras si existimas nobiscum nasci vitia supervenerunt ingesta sunt. Indeed in their sad complaints concerning mans birth, and all misery accompany∣ing him, as Austin said, they did rem scire, but causam nescire, they evidently saw we were miserable, but they knew not the cause of it, whereas original sin, according to Scripture light, though not personally voluntary, yet is truly a sinne, and maketh a man in a damnable estate; Therefore the word original, when we divide sinne into original and actual, is not terminus restrictivus, or diminuens, as when we did divide ens into ens reale, and rationis, but terminus specificans, as when animal is divided into rationale and irrationale, both properly partaking of the general nature of sinne; So that whatsoever apprehensions they had, and complaints they made about man, yet they did not believe he was born in sinne, though experience told them, he was in misery. The Persians (as Plesseus in the above-mentioned place saith) had every year a solemn Feast, wherein they did kill all the Serpents and wild beasts they could get, and this Feast they called vi••iorum interitum, the slaying of their vices. By which it doth appear, that they had a guiltiness about their sinfull wayes, and that none were exempted from being sinfull. Yea Casaub. (Ex••rcit. 16. ad Annal. Bar. pag. 391.) speaking of the sacred mysteries among the Grecians, the discharging whereof was called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, affirmeth, That therefore they called the scope of those holy actions 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, because it was (as they thought) a perduction of the soul to that state in which it was, before it descended into the body, which he interpreteth of the state of perfection from which we fell in the old Adam, so that even in this errour there was some truth, which made Tertul∣lian say, Omnia adversus veritatem de ipsà veritate constructa esse operantibus aemulationem istam spiritibus erroris. Thus you see how the wisest of the Heathens have been divided in this point, Some making the soul of a man to come without vice or virtue, as a blank fit to receive either. Others acknowledging a disease, and an infirmity upon the soul, yet ignorant of the cause of it, neither acknow∣ledging it to be a sinne, and so deserving punishment.

In the second place, Although the Heathens did not see this sinne, nor could truly bewail it, yet so farre many of them were convinced, that if they had any sinfull desires or lusting in the soul, or any wicked thoughts in their hearts to which they gave consent, that these were sinnes, and wholly to be abstained from, though they did not break forth into act. Grotius in his Comment upon the 10^th Commandment, sheweth out of several Heathenish Writers, That all secret lustings of the soul with consent thereunto were were wholly unlaw∣full; Yea, as one of them is there said to expresse it, they are not so much as to covet a needle, the least thing. And as for Seneca, he hath high assertions about the governing of our thoughts, and ordering the inward affections of our souls

so, as that the gods, as well as men may approve us. Tully saith, That an ho∣nest man would do no evil, or unjust thing, though he could have Gyges his ring, which they feigned made a man invisible; And this is the rather to be observed, because herein they surpassed the Pharisees, who though brought up under the Law, and had constantly the word of God to guide them, yet they did not think any covetings or lustings in the heart to be a transgression of the Law, as appear∣eth by our Saviours information, and exposition he gave them, Matth. 5. And Josephus is said to deride Polybius the great Historian for making the gods to pu∣nish a King, meerly because he had a purpose and an intent to commit some en∣ormious iniquity: Yea, This principle of the Heathens may make many Chri∣stians ashamed, and be greatly confounded, who live, as if their thoughts were free, and their hearts were their own, so that they might suffer any poisonous evil, and malicious actings of soul to be within them, and to put to check or controll upon them: As they matter not original sinne, so neither the immediate effects and working thereof. Though their hearts be a den of theevish lusts, and their souls like Peter's sheet, wherein were a company of innumerable unclean creeping lusts, yet so as their lives are unblameable, they wholly justifie them∣selves; but you are to know, that the strength of sinne lieth in your hearts. The least part of your evil is that which is visible in your lives.

SECT. III.

THirdly, We see that original sinne is so hardly discernable, that though men do enjoy the light of Gods Word, yea and read it over and over again, yet for all that they are not convinced of this native pollution. We see in all the Heretiques that have been in all ages, who have denied this original sinne, they were summoned to answer the Word of God, Scripture upon Scripture was brought to convince them, but a veil was upon their eyes, they would wrest and pervert the meaning of it, rather than retract their errour, so that Scripture-light objectively shining therein, is not enough Paul is a clear instance in this, he was most exact and strict about the Law, yet wholly ignorant of this funda∣mental truth before he was converted, he knew the Commandment, Thou shalt not covet, yet he did not fully and throughly attend thereunto Hence

In the fourth place, To have a full and clear understanding of this native de∣filement, we are to implore the light of Gods Spirit. The light of the Word is not enough, unlesse the Spirit of God be efficacious to remove all errour, and impe∣diments, as also to prepare and fit the soul to receive it; Hence it's made the work of Gods Spirit to lead into all truth, if into all, then into this, while the eyes remain blind, the Sunne with all its lustre can do no good. It is true, Gods Word is compared to a light, and to a lamp, but that is only objective without us, there must be something subjectively within us, that shall make a sutableness be∣tween the object and the faculty. To be made then Orthodox, and to have a sound judgement herein, it must be wholly from the Spirit of God; For why is it that when one heareth and readeth those Texts, We are by nature the children of wrath; Who can bring a clean thing out of unclean? He adoreth the fulness of these Texts, he is convinced of such heart-pollution, and blesseth God for the knowledge of this truth: But another he cavilleth at the Texts, he derideth and scorneth at such a truth, Is not this because the Spirit of God leadeth one into the truth, and leaveth the other to his pride and blindness of mind.

SECT. IV.

FOurthly, It is not enough to know this sinne in an orthodox specula∣tive manner, to acknowledge it so, But we are also in a practical, ex∣perimental manner to feel and bewail the power and burden of it. And happi∣ly this may be part of Paul's meaning, when he saith, He did not know lust to be sinne, that is, not so clearly, so fully, so experimentally, as now he did since the grace of God had both enlightned and sanctified him; How many have with great orthodoxy maintained this Truth against Pelagians, and all the enemies of Gods grace shrouding themselves under the praise of nature, but it is rare to see those that do not onely theoretically believe it, but practically walk with broken and contrite hearts under it. Examine then thy self, Doest thou believe this is Gods Truth, that thou camest into the world all over polluted? Doest thou think that thou as well as any other, though never so civil and unblameable in respect of actual sinnes, art by nature a child of the Devil, prepared fuel for the eternal flames of Hell? And doest thou not onely believe this to be thy particular case, but withall thou art so affected with an holy fear and trembling, thou hast no quiet∣nesse or rest in thy soul, because of it, then thou art come to a true and right knowledge of it? For the end of our preaching on this Subject, is not onely to establish your minds in this Truth against all errours therein, but also to mollifie and soften your hearts, that you may all your life time loath your self, and advance the fulnesse of Christ: And seeing that natural light is dimme and confused in this matter, keep close to the Word, and not on∣ly so, but implore the Spirit of God, that in and through the Word, this Truth may enter like a two-edged sword into thy bowels, knowing that without this foundation laid, there cannot be any esteem of Christ.