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

SECT. I.

Of Adam's begetting Seth in his own likeness,

GEN. 5. 3.

And Adam—begat a sonne in his own likeness, and after his Image, and called his name Seth.

MOses in this Chapter giveth a brief and summary capitulation of the Lives and Deaths of the Patriarchs unto Noah, mentioning these heads:

1. That God made man.

2. That he made him in time.

3. After his own Image.

4. Male and Female.

5. He blessed them.

6. The imposition of the name Adam to Eve, as well as to Adam; And this he calleth, The Book of the generations of Adam, viz. His succession, with all his acts of his Life, and also his Death, otherwise Adam had no generation, but was created by God.

The Hebrew word, though sometimes it signifieth a Book or Epistle, yet in the general it is no more than a Catalogue or Rehearsal, as it is here, and so is to be interpreted in some other places, the neglect whereof hath in part made an oc∣casion of dispute, Whether any Canonical Books be lost or no, as Numb. 21. 14. whereas the word there is not to be taken for an Historical Volume, but the Enu∣meration or Rehearsal of the ways of the Lord?

In the next place, he proceedeth to Seth, not but that Adam had other sons, only he mentioneth him, as the future head of humane posterity upon the drown∣ing of the world: Now concerning him, we have his name, he was called Seth. There were Heretiques called Sethiani, who attributed unto him more than a man, but the holy Ghost doth antidote against that opinion, by informing of us, that he was begotten in a sinfull, mortal estate.

2. Of whom he was begotten, and that is of Adam.

3. How, or in what manner? and that is, After Adams Image, in his own likeness.

Adam was created after the Image and likeness of God, that is, in a most per∣fect and compleat resemblance; for Image and likeness do not differ, though the

Schoolmen attempt to difference them, but it is an Hebraism, putting two Sub∣stantives together for aggravation sake, and it is as much here, as an Image ex∣ceeding like.

Thus Adam was made in respect of his soul qualified with holiness like God; but in the Text Seth is said to be begotten of Adam, in Adam's Image, not in Gods, that is, in a corrupt, miserable and mortal estate: For whereas Adam was by Nature a man; by Condition, the Lord and Chief, in whom humane Posterity was to be reckoned of; As also in respect of corruption, now polluted having lost Gods Image. Seth was after Adam's own likenesse, in all these three particulars: That he was a man like him, none can doubt; That he was like Adam, in respect of his Headship to his Posterity, is plain, because Abel was dead, and Cain with his Posterity was to be destroyed in the floud. Not that this is the whole Image or likenesse here spoken of; That as Adam was the first Head of mankind, so Seth was to be of those, who should be preserved in the flood, as some would have it; For such a resemblance would have been more eminently in Noah, who in the Ark seemed to be the common Parent of man∣kind.

Therefore in the third place, This Image or likenesse, to Adam is mentioned eppositely to that Image of God, which Adam was created in; And if you ob∣ject, Why is it not as Well said of Abel or Cain, that Adam begat them after his own Image as well as Seth?

The Answer is plain, Moses in this Historical Capitulation, doth not mention all in a Family, but such who were onely by a direct Line to de∣scend to their Posterity, and to be an Head to that. Now not Abel or Cain, but Seth was appointed by God in this place; And that we might know in what manner all Generations are to descend from him, the Scripture doth here inform us, That we must not think, that Seth had from Adam the Image of God, or would propagate it to others; but now he and we are as Adam after his fall, sinfull and mortal: For although the Church hath generally thought of Adam, that he did repent and was saved; for we doe not reade after∣wards of any grosse sinne he committed, and God made the glorious Pro∣mise of a Saviour to him, yet he did not beget Seth, as he was regenera∣ted, but as a man; and so being fallen from that Covenant, he was first pla∣ced in, his personal grace afterwards could not be conveyed to his Posterity, as his sinne, while a common Parent was. We see then, though Adam was godly, and Seth was likewise holy, yet for all that he was born without the Image of God, and in a polluted estate.

Besides therefore in this place is a seasonable mentioning of the likenesse and Image Adam begat Seth in, because Moses being here to capitulate their several Generations, which doth imply their mortality, doth oppor∣tunely give the cause of it: So that Snecanin (Method. Distri. Cause. Sol. & dam. cap. 3.) his opinion, which he offereth to the learned to judge, Whether by Adam's Image be not meant his repaired Image with the cor∣rupted one, being now assumed unto Gods favour, seemeth directly to oppose the Text, which calleth it Adam's own Image, not Gods.