Saviour Christ by whose superabundant grace his faithfull children are cleansed from all sins original and actuall and rendred far more exceeding gratious and glorious then otherwisâ— they should have been Both which effects S. Paul teacheth Rom. 8. v. 12 13 14. concluding this first polâ— with an Appendix that Adaâ— waâ— a figure of Christ to come signifying that as by the sin of Adam we all dyed so by the grace of Christ all his children doe live Touching the other effect viz. abundance of grace by Christ he addeth the great difference saying But not as the offence so also the gifâ— For if by the one mâ—nâ— died much more the grace of God and the gift in the grace of one man Jesus Christ hath abounded upon many v. 15. And not as by one sin sâ— also the gift for judgement 〈…〉 of one â—â—condemnation but grace 〈◊〉 of mâ—â—y offeâ—cesâ—â— justification v. 〈◊〉 For if 〈◊〉 the â—â—â—ence of one death reigned by one much more they that receive the abundance of grace and of the donation of justice 〈◊〉 shall reign in life by one Jesus vers. 17. Thus by S. Pauls Doctrine in that place and ver. 18 19. is verified that which the â—ue Church so solemnly singeth in the great Festivity of our redemption O certe necessarium Adae peccacatum quod Christs mirtâ— deletum est And O 〈…〉 culpa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—autum meritum habâ—re â—reâ—demptâ—rem Whereto agree many other passages in the rest of S. Paulâ— Doctrine and the same is brieâ—ly comprised in that which S. John Baptist denounc'd of our blessed Saviour saying Behold the Lamb of God behold him that taketh away the sin of the world That is principally Christ came to take away the general sin which being actual in Adam is original in the whole world and therefore is call'd the sin of the world And the same is the general doctrine of S. John Apost. Evangelist saying If wee walk in the light as God also is in the light and the blood of Jesus his son cleanseth us from all sin first from original then also from actual You may find moreover in S. Luke 10. v. 30. all mankinde devested of grace and wounded in natural faculties by Adams fall for our Saviour in a Parable saith How a certain man went down from Jerusalem unto Jericho and fell among the 〈◊〉 who spoiled him and giving him wounds went away leaving him halfe dead Of no particular man can this Parable be so properly expounded as of all mankinde in general contained in Adam our first Parent who being indued with all necessary gifts narural and supernatural going from Gods commandement yeelded to false imaginations of bettering his state as it were descending from Jerusalem the Vision of peace to Jericho signifying the Moon which is unconstant and mutable fell among theeves the Devils who spoyled and wounded him and left him halfe dead for Adam by sinning and all men in him were spoyled of original justice and all supernatural graces and wounded in natural powers of understanding and fâ—eâ—willâ— not wholly deprived of all but spoyled of the best part and wounded in the rest spiritually dead and subâ—ect both to temporal and eternal death 〈…〉 relicto leâ—t halfe dead and halfe alive though left without help by the Priest and Leviâ—e the Sacrifices and other Ministeries The result of all is this Original sin is no inherent substantial thing in man but a privation of original justice and after the laver of Regeneration and Justification by Baptism sin properly so called is no longer remaining in the regenerate yet still there remaines an inclination unto sin called concupiscence out of which sin notwithstanding cannot be produced but by our negligence and free consent All this is affirmed by many Saints and especially by S. Basil in oratione quod Deus non sit Author malorum S. Epiphanius S. Ambrose Cyprian S. Hierom S. Hilarius S. John Chrysostom c. This Doctrine was decreed in severall general Councels as hereafter shall appear But that Infants were holy from their mothers wombe and may be saved without Baptism and that therefore there is no necessity of the Laver of Regeneraon to wash away original sin was the exprest heresie of Pelagiâ—s this day held forth boldly though covertly by Dr. Tayler which perverse Doctrine was condemned by several Councels First in the East at the first Palestine Councel it was solemnly condemn'd After in the West in Efrick in the Milevitâ—â— Councel it was decreed Can. 2 That whosoever deny Baptism to new-borne Infants or aver that they contract not Original staine and sin from Adam which needeth a Regeneration Anatheâ—ia sit In the 〈◊〉 Councel turned out of Greec◠〈…〉 Pisanus and in the first Constantinople Councel in Simbolo This was decreed in the fourth Councel of Carthage where there met 217. Prelates and most learned Doctors And in the fifth Constantinople Councel Zoara Sâ—us Monachus Severus Anâ—icher Petrus Antichenus and Antymus were as Parabaptists condemned You may read in the sixth Tolletan Councel Can. 2. of the three Divine persons onely the Son of God became man for the Redemption of mankind from the debt of sin originally contracted from Adams inobedience In the second Arausâ—câ—n Councel in France Can. 2. you have what doth follow If any man shall hold that Adams sin hurted him alone and not his Posterity or that only it brought corporal 〈◊〉 not eternal death which is 〈◊〉 the cause of temporal death upon all mankind this man doth great in justice to God and downright contradicts the Apostle S Paul who teacheth that by one man sin came into the world and by sin death and so death was derived to all men Iâ— the Maguntine Councel in Germany Can. 5. we read thus The sin of our first Parent has been conveyed to all men by seminal propagation and draweth along with it punishment so as all men are guilty of Gods enmity and eternal damnation and all are become prone to sin All which Decrees were renewed in the two last general Councels Florentinum Tridentinum which in literis vniouis teacheth thus The soules of those that departed in actual or original sin only doth descend into hell there to be punished though not all alike Therefore neither our Dr. Tayler nor the Anabaptists can without impudent temerity renew or maintain this most pernicious venom of Heresie so often and so solemnly condemned From this uniform ancient Doctrine of the Primitive Fathers Saints and holy Doctors is discover'd that manifest grosse error of Doctor Tayler who doth acknowledge no inlâ—â—â—ent sin but that which is comâ—â—tted by a real proper consent of the will which is such another pitiful mistake as that this word original sin was not used or mentioned in Scripture or Fathers before by S. Augustine invented which is notoriously false whereas this is such another meer illusion as the same of the Arians who denied absolutely the word homusion to be found in
and dreams leading to confusion death and perdiâ—ion dayly cryed up and entertain'd the Lords Prayer Apostles Creed all Sacraments and the 39. Articles antiquated and contemned pernitious doctrines in faith hourly accruing together with an inundation of vices and corrupted manners no faith cut fancy and opinion no hopâ— but presumption no charity but lust no God but an Idol as S. Auâ— said Ep. 64. Homini extra Ecclesiam Religio sua est cultus phantasinatum suorum aut error suus est Deâ—s suus Thus leaving the Dr. Tayl to the reclaiming and detestation of his confused doctrine I come to my main intendment CHAP. II. Of the dismall state of man of his Fall ADam the great Representative of Mankinde and the beginner of a temporal happy life in the first instance of his Creation amongst many other graces and singular endowments did receive from God Original righteousness which is not the same distributive justice one of the cardinal vertues neither that by which we are justified which is called the grace of remission of sins But this Original Justice in Adam is a certain kinde of rectitude in the whole man viz. of the body to the soule and of the sensitive appetite to reason meant by the Ecclesiast in these words Fecit Deus hominem rectum God made man upright and because this rare gift of righteousnesse has been receiv'd by Adam from God and was to be transmitted by original propagation to Adams Posterity if he had not sinned it s fitly called original By this original justice mans will was more firmly fastned to God then by grace for this unites us to our final end as a supernatural good but original righteousness unites to the same as both convenient and delectable and by this rectitude reason became subject to God the inferiour faculties to reason and the body to the soule the first subjection being the cause of the second and third for reason remained subject to God all the inferiour faculties must also remain subject which cannot be unlesse grace be conjoyn'd with original justice and this subjection of the body to the soule and of inferiour faculties to the superiour could not be a natural gift but rather a supernatural otherwise it would have remained in man after his fall whereas in damn'd soules all natural gifts doth still remaine By this supernatural gift superinduc'd Adam had a title and right to heaven which with nature was to be transfused to posteâ—ity if sin had not hindred it but the sin of Adam destroyed his original righteousnesse and lost it to us for ever it corrupted his nature and ours too and the consequent and saddest of all is by it we are borne enemies of God sons of wrath and heirs of eternall damnation carrying and deriving stil a natural pronesse afomes or nest of sin imprinted in our soules despoyled and devested by way of punishment of all the supernatural assistances which God put into our nature being left naked and in pure naturalls depriv'd of any title to heaven that is it hath in it neither strength to live a supernatural life nor title to a heavenly so as the sin which was committed in the original of mankinde by our first parent and which had a sad influence upon all his posterity brought upon Adam and us all that God threatned and no more which is eternal and temporal death with the proper effects and affections of mortality and thus we are formally and properly made sinners by Adam and in him by interpretation we all have sinned and God does truly and justly impute his to us to make us as guilty as he that did it and as much punished and liable to eternal damnation Whereas all the supernatural gifts and eudowments conferr'd on Adam were not conferr'd on him as he was an individual person but as he was a publick representative and common head of all humane nature to be transfused to posterity by a continual series of seminal generation whence original justice comes rightly so to be called neither Adam became obliged to transmit those preternatural gifts to his children by any precept or covenant other then by the same of not eating of the forbidden fruit for we are bound by no other precept to preserve grace then by the same by which we are obliged to observe Gods Law because the Author of nature had power to oblige all mankinde in Adam the fâ—â—st original and head thereof so as that he prevariting all his posterity should likewise be comprehended both in the sin and guilt thereof now the reason of original sin begins to appear But whereas Adam then has been not only all humane nature but also the seed and seminal root thereof in whose loyns all mankinde as in the original head fountain and seminary were comprehended involv'd and included though not formally yet originally radically representatively and seminally by his transgression of the first commandement impos'd under inevitable paine of eternal temporal death brought on himselfe and all mankinde both the guilt of sin and death as S. Aug. hyp art 2. saith Cum Adam peccavit natura in illo tota peccavit When Adam sinned in him all nature likewise have sinned the reason is because that sin was voluntary in order to us Adams posterity whereas for the preservatioâ— of that original righteousnesse besâ—owed upon all humane nature Adams will in a manner was accounted and reputed the will of all mankinde as a Kings will is accounted the will of the whole Kingdom and the will of a Civil Magistrate the will of all the Citizens manifestly expressed by Saint Paul in those words in quo omnes peccaverunt which words have their reference to the man not to the sin for the greek word is the masculine gender as S. Austust understood it lib. de peccatorum merit is cap. 10. his reason is Quia ait omnes homines fuerunt ille unus homo viz. Adam quod intellige non formaliter sed originaliter radicaliter seminaliter representativè quia viz. omnes homines in illo primo homine quasi radice parente principio suo contenti censi comprehensi fuerunt nam quidquid Adam fecit omnes ejus posteri fecisse censentur sicut Rex representat regnum Magistratus Civitatem Of this judgement was Origines Chrysost. Theoph. Occumen and for the most part all the Latine and Greek Fathers If you 'l ask why God was pleas'd that if Adam should sin we his posterity should contract the guilt of his sin I answer that it was done by the occult judgement and decree of God according to S. Aug. l. 5. contra Julia c. 3. S. Bernard Serm. â— de Dominica post oct. Epiphan. And if further you 'l ask why God did place our merit and demerit in the hand and will of Adam to the prejudice as it were of his dominion and power by which he could both doe and decree what ever he pleased I answer with
all the wise and learned The reason was that Adam should be the tâ—pe and figure of Christ in whose hand and will God was pleased to place our happinesse and redemption and that he for us may merit grace and glory as Adam brought upon us the guilt both of sin and punishment Before Adam was created or prevaricated God from all eternity by a conditional omniscient knowledge did foresee all future contingent things and according to the same hath will'd and decreed to certain purposes that both Adam and all his posterity should be in order to Christ and to be as the type and true figure of Christ and of all things that were to be brought to passe by Christ for God was pleas'd to manifest in Christ all his power wisedome and glory and therefore ordain'd and decreed that he should be the origin exemplar and period not only of all elects but also of his works as is clearly put down Coloss. â— 15. So that there has been not only in the real execution but also in the very divine decree of God a mutual contradependency or Anthithesis betwixt Christ and Adam Whereas Adam would not have been the first father origin and representative head of all men for that reason onely that he might transmit or convey either original righteousnesse or sin to his posterity unlesse it should have been to that end that he might be a true type and figure of Christ who was to be the common Father and Redeemer of all Gods Children This comparative Analogy and most rare and specious Antithesis betwixt God and man twixt the Creator and cerature twixt the two great representative heads and beginnings of Sin and Grace the first and second Adam is made manifest by many reasons First Even as the terrene Adam without any Father was framed from incorrupted earth even so the Celestial Adam Christ was conceived and borne by the operation of the Holy Ghost from the ever-blessed Virgin Mary Secondly As Adam was the beginning of an animal and sinfull life so Châ—ist was the true fountain and offspring of a pure spiritual life And thirdly As Eve for the propagation of monkinde was edified from a rib of Adams side even so in Christ the saving Church his Spouse which would dayly engender children for him by meanes of the great Sacraments the conduits of his blood did flow from his sacred side on Mount Calvary And as Adam by eating of the forbidden fruit did transgresse Gods command and therewith brought on all his posterity even before we could know any thing of it sin and death Even so Christ on the fatal beam of the Crosse obeying the commands of his Heavenly Father redeemed and restored us froâ— death to life Finally as through Adams viâ—iated seminal generation we are dayly borne children of wrath and heirs of damation the guilt of sin remaining still occult and hidden Evenso through Baptism institued by Christ we are dayly regeneratâ—d grace still remaining hidden and occult CHAP. III. Where the state of the question depending of the right understanding of Original Sin as touching the true sense and verball signification thereof is held forth COncerning this it will not be amisse in order to many good purposes to observe that Original sin may be considered in order to God and so it may be call'd death wrath and enmity for by it God was induced to punish both Adam and his posterity and in this sense its calleâ— in Scripture ire or wrath so S. Paul Ephes. 2. said that â—e have been by nature childen of wrath which Liâ—a expounds thus we are borne in original sin Secondly It may be compar'd to the Vision Beatifical which is true everlasting life from which original sin doth avert and turn fitly thus it s called death as S. Paul Rom. 5. By the death of one man many are dead and by the sin of one man death reign'd Thus original sin is truly call'd death for that it averted from God true life Thirdly If original sin considered as in order to the soule of man may be call'd infirmity whereas mans soule by it is rendred weak and infirme hardly able to resist illegal and lustful motions and desires This kind of infirmity the Royal Prophet complained of and did acknowledge when he said Miserere mei Domine quia infirmus sum It may likewise not unfitly be called feditas or macula a stain or imperfection for the soule by it is maculated and stain'd according to Jeremi 2. Si laveris te nitro maculata es in iniquitate tua coram me dicit Dominus It may also be called a pronenesse or propension to evill by reason that mans will disrobed of original justice through sin hath incurr'd an innate and genuine propension to sin and evill motions Gen. 6. Cuncta cogitatiâ— cordis intentae est adâ—malum omni tempore It may likewise be called a Vice diminishing natural Vertues whereas all men conceived in original sin doe feel gâ—eat reluctancy to godlinesse c. Finally original sin considered according to its proper sense and meaning hath two parts the one the mateâ—ial part viz. Concupiscence which is a kind of infirm and weak quality the other the formal part viz. the want or privation of original justice due to nature as in the actual sin of wilfull murder two things may be considered a positive thing in the soule viz. a certain deliberate act consented to by the will as is velle occidere this is intrinsecal and is quid materiale but the formal part is the privation or want of the righteousness which ought to be in that act which if had been in it the act could never be a sin So in original sin is included both the guilt of sin and of punishment the guilt of sin because its a privation of original justice a deformity curuity or obliquity in the soule the guilt of punishment which in Infants is term'd concupiscibility and in the adults actual concupiscence Hence we infer that original sin properly doth consist in the privation of original justice due to humane nature received and lost in Adam for sin ' properly is injustice and injustice nothing but the privation of justice Here we may consider that of things some are positive others privative the positive are all reall substances together with their properties and passions powers and faculties imprinted by the Almighty in their nature the privative are those that doth grant and presuppose the absence of some such reall entity as ought to be in the thing and such is sin which proproperly is no existing or real thing or entity but rather the absence of some such substance which ought to be in the creature and although it be inherent in positive things as a meer privation yet it alwayes ought to be really distinguished from them so as that sin is no other then the very want losse or privation of that good which God ingraff'd in the nature of his creature For example
the Gospel But just as those inveterate Hereticks were confuted and convicted so is our modern Dr. Tayler For as in the Gospel we have these words I and my Father are one comes to be the same in substance as if homusion were expresly set down for where the real thing in sense substance is found there the name is included Thus what is more clearly express'd in Scripture then that our first Parent Adam was created upright viz. in a rectitude of vertues grace and faculties by which he was left capable of attaining to that final supernatural end for which he was created and likewise all his Posterity had a just title thereunto while Adam would have had continued in his obedience to God whence the word original justice is derived and evinced which may be called innated connatural native and genuine Justice Even so by S. Paul in many places All men have sinned in Adam and are denounc'd by nature children of wrath and perdition which in expresse significant terms is nothing else then that Adams actual sin has been the natural innated hereditary genuine and linâ—ally descending habitual sin of his posterity contracted by seminal generation from him which in effect is original sin superinduced and conveyed by natural generation by Gods occult decree CHAP. V. The former Doctrine proved out of the Fathers shamefully corrupted by Dr. Tayler IS it possible that a man that pretends not only to be a Christian but a Minister a Preacher of the Word a Doctor and such as is generally counted for a learned and spiritual writer among the Protestants so far to forget himselfe as most shamefully to bring Antiquity it selfe for his Doctrine and particularly those very Authors who were the greatest opposers of his Pelagian Heresie as Chrysostom S. Ignat. Martyr S. Ambrose c. Sure the Dr. cannot gain but dishonour and infamy in alledging Authors for patronage of his Errors the whole straine of whose writings are so directly opposite unto him and his Doctrine and in producing these Doctors as of his minde and judgement he doth but abuse them and they rightly understood accuse him For not one of the passages quoted out of the Fathers by him that give the least shadow of an approbation or countenance to any of those his heretical Assertions neither do I find to my remembrance throughout his whole Treatise of Original Sin one quotation taken either out of Scripture Fathers or modern Interpreters pertinently applied nor any solid thing like an Argument to prove the thing he undertakes to shew as the ingenious Reader shall clearly perceive and that all his Allegations out of Scripture and Fathers help him not at all but rather expresly speak against him Doe but take notice with what Engines doth he draw his Conclusion from the premisses of S. Dioâ—is Areopag his doctrine for nothing doth he say that looks his way but rather against him here are his words lib. de Ecclesiast Hierarch c. 3 p. 3. where he doth ascribe Adams sin to all humane nature and at last giveth a reason for it Quia natura humana cedens fraudibus Satanae vitale jugum excussit I refer the Reader to this place in the Author where he will plainly finde all along the Doctor Tayler impugned he brings S. Ignatius his doctrine to agree with his but its observable that in him there is no syllable to prove how or wherein whereas in his Epistle ad Trallianos he hath thus Christus dilexit nos dans semetipsum pro nobis ut nos sanguine suo mundaret ab antiqua impietate Here lieth the miserable mistake of the Doctor Tayle taking impiety for temporal death which is most absurd and ridiculous for impiety here by the Saint is taken for Adams sin conveyed to mankind for which Christ died S. Irenaeus lib. 5. c. 17. hath these words Delevit Christus Chirographum viz. debita nostra affigens illud cruci uti quemaâ—modum per lignum facti sumus debitores Deo per lignum accipiamus debiti remissionem Are not these words expresly against the Doctors doctrine for out of this Author every relative from Adam descendant has contracted a debt through Adams transgression for every particular individual had obligation in Adam to preserve original righteousnesse and because it was not preserv'd but lost by Adam for him and us his posterity every of us becomes indebted to God for the same which in effect is original sin the which is remitted by the sacred blood of Christ in his Sacrament of Baptism The Reader may finde more to this purpose in this Author l. 3. c. 20. and in S. Aug. lib. 1. contra Julianum c. 2. Tertullian in his Book de anima c. 40. hath Omnis anima eousque in Adam censeâ—ur donec in Christo recenseatur tamdiu imunda quamdiu recenseatur peccatrix autem quiae imunda Is noâ— this to make every soule a sinner alwayes before Baptism which taketh away the stain of original sin contracted by and in Adam quite contrary to Dr Taylors judgement Origines hom. 8. in Leviticum saith Quaecunque anima in carne nascitur iniquitatis peccati sorde polluitur propter quod dictum est nemo mundus a sorde nec Infans cujus est uuiâ— is diei vita super terram By this Assertion every soule born from Adams flesh is counted polluted with sin and iniquity and every Infant is proved to have the same sin inherent in him which come quite opposit to Dr. Taylers deliration in applying this iniquity and sin here meant by Origines to effects of mortality And S. Eyprian quoted by the Dr. lib. 3. Epist. 8. ad Fidum saith Recens natus nil peccavit nisi quod secundum Adam carnaliter natus contagium mortis antiquae prima nativitate câ—ntraxit this Saint and likewise all the rest by ancient death do mean sin and eternal death whereas from sin came death according to S. Paul stipendium peccati mors the wages of sin is death sin the precedent cause to death the subsequent effect quite contrary to the Doctors dream mistaking temporal death for the eternal I refer the ingenious Reader to S. Athanas in his Sermon upon those words Omnia mihi tradicta sunt c. and to S. Hilarius in explicatione Psal. 32. diligis misericordiam judicium in which places Doctor Taylor is confuted and impugned most manifestly as a pernicious Impostor The Doctor boldly avers that all Antiquity is on his side setting down barely two or three broken ends of Sentences grounding no Argument as indeed he cannot upon those passages for his opinion The Doctor seems rather ambitious to be accounted able to reade a piece of the Fathers Writings then able to understand them he cited the Fathers most impertinently and imperfectly endeavouring to make his owne face and impure Doctrine clean by throwing dirt in great Saints faces He did not like an honourable Guest expect a meal from them but
like a beggar their scraps aad fragments onely I refer the Reader to fol 483. in his Explication of Original sin where he cites S. Ambrose for him est alia mors quae secunda dicitur c. there is anotherdeath in hell which is called the second death which we suffer not for Adam's sin this testimony of S. Ambrose is plain against the Doctor for why doth he leave out that which goeth before and which followeth for the illuminated Doctor in his precedent words affirmed that we all sinned in the masse of Adam and his following discourse clearly states the question and declares down-right that Adam's sin is derived to his posterity these are his words in Apologia David cap. 11. antequam nascimur maculamur contagio antequam usuram lucis originis ipsius injuriam excipimus in iniquitate concipimur quid clarius and a little after merito David deploravit in se inquinamenta naturae quod prius inciperet in homine macula quam vita and further lib. 1. de penitentia c. 2. omnes homines sub peccato nascimur quorum ipse ortus in vitio est See many more manifest places in S. August lib. 1. in Jul. c. 2. lib. de nuptiis concupiscentia c. 35. lib. 1. ad Bonifacium c. 11 Thus you see how manifestly Doctor Taylor doth set down some lose fragments of the Saints as it weâ—e for him and conceals the rest that declares the Saints minde and truâ— sense which he doth break and pitifully mangle not understanding what he reades or writes from Authouâ—s against his conscience and truth And the Authour Comentar in Epistolas Pauli which are attributed to S. Ambrose Coment. in c. 5. ad Romanos holdeth forth thus Manifestâ—â—â— est omnes in Adam peccasse ut in mâ—ssâ— Doctor Taylor leaves out stolidly that which follows because it makes expresly against his Doctrine What doth follow is this Ipse enim meaning Adam per peccatum corruptus quos genuit omnes nati sunt in peccato ex eo igitur peccatores quia 〈◊〉 ipso sumus omnes Here S. Ambroseo doth expresly teach Original sin derived from Adam to all his relative descendants so that I cannot but wonder at the new Doctors frontless boldness in averring that all Antiquity is for him when the Reader doth manifestly see all the ancient Doctors and Fathers rather against him S. Chrysostom hom. 10. in Roman is quoted by the Doctor most maimedly and shamefully pag. 484. it seems to have in it no small question that it is said that by the disobedience of one man many becauâ—e sinners for sinning and being made mortal it is not unlikely that they which spring from him should be so too but that another should be made a sinner by his disobedience what agreement or consequent can it have c. here the Saint makes many interiogations all which are expressed by our Modern Doctor but leaves out quite the ancient Doctors answer minde and sound conclusion these words are omitted quod autâ—m in questionem cadit est qua de causa id factum est the Saint inquires the cause of the punishment of death derived from Adam to all mankinde qua de causa nondum addidit exquirit mortis radicemâ— quae igitur est mortis radix supplicinm ex uno in omnes derivatum fuisse Paulus ostendit quae radix mortis the Saint answers and resolves his own quaere that it was sin Propterea art ut sicut regnaverat peccatum in mortem it a gratia regnaret per justitiam ad vitam eternam per Christum hoc dixit ostendens peccatum loco Regis fuisse mortem autem loco militis sub peccato in acies tantem ab illo armatam now comes in the Saints Conclusion expresly against D. Taylor Ergo sâ—â—peccatum mortem armavit clarum est quod justitia per gratiam ad vecta que peccatum tollâ—t mortem spoliat dissolvit And a little after he saith Quod igitur Christi Crux Sepulchrum hoc nobis Baptisma fuit ille enim carni nortuus sepultus nos autem peccato mortui sepulti ubi peccatum ibi mors nam suplicio liberati sumus vitium deposuimus de integro regenerati sumus resurreximus sepulto vetere homine redempti sanctificati adopti Filii justificati Fratres effecti in eandem corporis unitatem redacti ut corpus capiti fic illi uniti sumuâ— Hence the ingenious Reader may infer how that the Saint doth alleadge that temporall death is the effect of sin and that if we derive no sin from Adam death we cannot derive which is the punishment of sin and for this reason it was decreed in the Aravsican Councell Can. 2. Non posse mortem sine peccato ad hominem transire nisi injustitia Deo daretur contra dicatur Apostolo dicenti per unum hominem peccatum intravit in mundum I deliver it in English thus Temporall death allowed by D. Taylor cannot be conveyed as punishment to Adam's children without sin unless great injustice be offered to God and a contradiction to S. Paul's Doctrine vâ—z By the sin of one man death entred c. This is the express down-right Doctrine of S. John Chrysostom who vigorously holds forth Baptisme as a laver and sepulcher of sin saying Peccato mortui sepulti c. and that beside the bare imputation and communication of Adam's sin dâ—eam'd of by Dr. Taylor there is in every Infant newly born Original sin inherent which is a privation of Originall justice a guilt of eternall death a stain spot enmity with God the guilt of punishment which is an obligation or ordination to punishment where the Saint condemns Dr. Taylor's folly in averring that Original sin is nothing other then Adam's actual sin barâ—ly imputed to his Posterity For further declaration hereof S. Cirillus Herosolimitan Cathechesi 2. hath most important Doctrine to him I remit the Reader S. Gregory Nazian Orat. 3. de pace saith to our purpose Totus lapsus sum atque ex primigenii hominis inobedientia diaboli fraude condemnatus sum S. Herom in Commentario Oseae c 6. in paradiso omnes prevaricati sunt in similitudinem prevaricationis Adam non enim est mirum quod in parente precessiâ— hoc in fiâ—is condemneturâ— this Doctor and S. Cyprian doth admonish Infants to be baptized The Reader may finde much more to our purpose in S. John Chrysostom in homilia ad Neopâ—â—tos Look Rufinus in Comentario in Psal. 20. S. Siricius in Eâ—ist 1. ad Himer cap. 2. with many more in S. August lib. â— in â—ulianum CHAP. VI That Original sin is properly and not metonimically a sin proved by Reason and Dr. Taylor's contrary Doctrine prov'd heretical HEresie is an adhesion to some private and singular opinion or
errour in faith contrary to holy Scripture and the generall approv'd Doctrine of the Church but to hold That Originall sin is not properly and formally but onely metonimically a sin is expresly contrary to holy Scripture and the generall approv'd Doctrine of the Church Ergo c. That it is contrary to the generall approved Doctrine of the Church is already proved out of the Doctrine of the primitive Fathers maintained by Beza de justifie lib. 1. cap. 13. where he saith Omnes homines plane reos nasci contracta jam inde à primo parâ—nte culpa and Calvin hath these expresse words Peccato Adae non per solam imputationem damnamur â—â—sed ideo quia culpae sumus rei quatenus natura nostra in illo vitiata iniquitatis reatu constringitur That it is contrary to Scripture any man that is not purblinde may see in many places especially in S. Paul's Epistle to the Romans c. 5. v. 18 19. Verse 18. As by the offence of one sin came on â—all men to condemnation so by the justifying of one the benefit abounded towards all men to the justification of life And v. 19. For as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many also be made righteous The conclusion of Saint Paul's most profound Doctrine concerning his comparison betwixt Christ and Adam begun from the twelfth Verse is fully contained in these two Verses 18 and 19. and his Divine Apostolicall Antithesis perfectly ended and compleated which Apostolicall Antithesis our D. Taylor doth abominably endeavour to cross corrupt and quite overthrow in holding that Original sin conveyed to Adam's Posterity is only figuratively a fin for S. Paul saith expresly that by one mans disobedience many were made sinners which word made sinners cannot be understood figuratively by any solid unbias'd iudgement but rather tisnate And the second Milivetan Councel in the fift age c. 2. CHAP. VII The Objections against the former Doctrine waved FIrst objection S. Chrysostome in some place averreth that none by the sin of our proto parents can be made a sinner excluded from Heaven nor liable to eternal damnation I answer that the Saint did not here exclude absolutly the sin conveyed to mankinde through the transgression of Adam but only did advertise that Adam's posterity were not made sinners upon that account onely that our first parents have committed actual sins but that their posterity also in Adam and along with him have sinned whereas all by the participation of humane nature were one man with Adam and as nature to them is conveyed so is the vice and corruption in nature by them participated for if they had not really sinned in Adam in whom as in the original and seminal root they were vertually involved they could not be made sinners by Adam's actual sin Nullus enim ut recte aiâ— Chysosto ex alieno peccato a se non participato peccator existit Deus in regenerationis lavacro mentem gratia tang it radicale peccatum evellit hominem illustriâ—rem reddit here the Saint calls Original sin washed away by baptismal regeneration radicale peccotum Objection 2. S. August lib. 16. de Civit. dei c. 18. saith we are not properly but originally onely born sinners I answer that S. August is to be understood so as that we are not born sinners by a consented act of our will properly but by the sinful act of Adam's inobedience which had a moral influence on all mankinde to bring on them the guilt of sin Objection 3. Until the Law sin was in the world but sin is not imputed where there is no Law yet death reigned from Adam to Moses even over them that have not sinned after the similitude of Adam's actual transgression who is the figure of the Messias This place is ignorantly interpreted by our Doctor thus Death reigned upon them whose sins therefore would not be so imputed as Adam's sin was because there was no Law with an expresse threatning given to them as it was to Adam I answer the same Law that was given with expresse threatning to Adam in Paradise was likewise by interpretation given in him to all his posterity and because Adam transgressed that Law all his posterity with him have transgressed according to those words of S. Paul In quo omnes peccaverunt Hence our Doctor's mistake is detected in not indeavouring to understand how that the same Law that was given to Adam did extend it self to his relative descendants and that not only temporal but also eternal death was threatned both to him and his posterity Objection 4. Taken out of those words of S. Paul By one mans disobedience many were made sinners c. Whence the Dr. Tayler doth strive to prove that if Adam's sin were imputed to his posterity as a guilt of an inherent sin then it should extend to all his posterity but out of this place it doth onely extend to many not to all Ergâ— not Original sin but temporal death is absolutely derived I answer that the B. Apostle doth use both words many and all whereas in the preceding Chapter he expresly averred that Adam's sin and Christs righteousnesse was derived and conveyed to all Adam's posterity and in this verse 19. he avers that only many were made sinners by Adam's inobedience and that by Christs righteousness many also are maderighteous Now I ask who be those that are born sinners from Adam and who be those that are regenerated in Christ through baptisme these are understood to be both all and many They were not all absolutely because Christ and Evae were not made sinners by Adam neither Infidels are by Christ justified but those onely that are in Christ regenerated and those only that are borne by seminal generation from Adam are here meant by the B. Apostle After this manner we may understand those words in Gen. 17. Patrem multarum gentium constitui te in semine tuo benedicentur omnes gentes c. 22. Where it 's most manifest that those who are promised to Abraham as children are counted in one place many and all in an other because they all are in some sense understood yet not absolutely all if considered in order to all humane kinde 5. Object From the 18th of Ezekel The childe shall not beare the iniquity of the father To this may be opposed another place in Exod the 20. I am a zealous God visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children c. I thus reconcile both these places in answer to the Objection that temporal punishment as the losse of meanes and estates banishment infamy and such like children as being secundum corpus pars patris may justly suffer by the Law for the sins of their parents but eternal punishment of the guilt of sin and an exclusion from Heaven is onely inflicted on them that are properly and really made sinners propria voluntate or aliâ—nae by interpretation
men that godliness is great gain It cannot be expected that those men who are eneâ—iâ—s to Learning should be friends to Antiquitie lest by iâ—â—heâ— folly should be made manifest For I assure my self there is no stronger argument to demonstrate the truth of Christianity their Tradition hence the Prophet knew the good way from the old paths our Saviour shewing the good seed to be soâ—eâ— before the â—ares and even in nature truth is before falshood It 's no marvel I say that men no deeper rooted should be carried away with every wind of Doctrine but that Doctor Tay-ler a man of that universal and profound reading ingenuity and grace in writing such a pillar of the Church of England should so unseasonably contrary to the grave advice of very Learned and Reverend Admonishers not only fall into a grosse and damnable error but endeavour by rak'd and false interpretationâ— to make the Church his Patron is to be look'd upon with pitie and indignation I think the enemy of mankind that he might in cur dayes compleat his malice hath not only by delusion made the vulgar unlearned his instruments but under pretence of piety hath imployed one of the best parts to undermine the chiefest foundations of Religion his male sarra argumentâ— and dangerous inferences which from this his Opinion may be drawn I shall leave the intelligent Reader to consider wondring much that an Opinion maintained in Gods Church in all Ages and confirm'd by several General Councils should at last be stil'd by Dr. Taylor a Vulgar Error but I am well satisfied with his zeale to maintain one Error that hath writ in defence of all The God of Truth and Order enlighten this Nation that the scales of ignorance and misguided zeal may fall from their eies and bring into the way of salvation all such as have erred and are deceived THE DOCTRINE OF Original Sin CHAP. I. Of the happy state of man before his Fall ALmighty God who is independent of all Beings Immense in his extent Eternal in his duration infinite in all his perfections immutable and absolute over all creatures and he who was without doubt the mystery hidden under the veile of that ancient Statute which bore for device I am what is what shall be and what has been whose cover no man hath taken off seeing no object out of himselfe which could deserve his love besides this love being incited by a holy desire of coÌ„municating it self it was requisite to frame a copy of the Intellectual Original which was in his Idea and in his heavenly mind and the world being but a lively vacuum but an universal privation of forms and qualities was chosen as the blank Table whereon he resolved to draw the first strokes of his goodnesse and so all nature as heavens earth sea light stars trees fishes flashes furnaces of fire and flames vast extent of airâ— clouds abysses peecipices all engendred out of it by the sole power of the Divinity by the command of the Word and Love What I pray doth remain after all these prodigies of power and rare works of love The Angels are lost without Redemption and the punishment their insolence hath merited will pursue them without relaxation term or pity It must therefore be concerning mans creation and redemption that a decree is past it 's on man the great God reflected it's man who must be substitute in the place of Angels without man all created works seem not sufficiently perfect Now God the fountaine cause and origin of the Universe the wise and all-knowing Workman to whom all things possible drew â—ut of dirt morter and dust man his master-piece and object of his favour the Image of his divine Eâ—â—ence the Accomplisher of his commands and his Lieutenant upon earth It was only man that well deserved the last touches of his omnipotent hands as the most glorious term of his power the faâ—rest peece of the Universe a work so admirable that it may rather beget admiration then expressive words whereas Plato cryes oâ—t that man is the miracle of all visible miracles the Horison of all creatures the all of all and as it were the soule of the World Finally Pythâ—goraâ— looks upon man as the measure of all things in whom are found the longitudes latitudes altitudes and proâ—â—ndities of all beings for it s known he hath a being common with 〈◊〉 a life common with plantâ— a sense common with beasts and an understanding which equals him with Angels but he excells them all in that he was created from Gods Idea as the most lively â—â—â—resentation of his great Maker what ever learned Authoâ—s did in general speak in the praise 〈…〉 it 's certain that of all the Encomions given to him the most noble most august and most transcendent is that man is created to the Image of God as a character of his Substance and Divinity O great God who hath incited thee to heap together in one vessell wrought so admirably out of clay and dust all the treasures of wisedom greatnesse and sanctity why so many sciences so many knowledges so many splendors in one mansâ— soul and why in one single man so many superexcellent graces perfections and vertues the primitive justice original righteousnesse a rare rectitude of the inner man a just subordination of the inferiour faculties to the superiour 〈◊〉 cleare light and the Empire 〈◊〉 â—e Universe Herehence Gods nature requireth homages his Majestie servitudes his glory aâ—â—iration his goodness all acknowledgments and affections of hearts and though God is good and liberal yet is he dread just and all foreseeing If then he foreseeth some danger and evill let him providently dissolve the occasion and obstruct the wayes which lead man unto a precipice let him not unite so many millions of members unto a head which is able to corrupt them all in an instant and leave unto the heart of man in dependency on created things and cause efficaciously his affections to be still fastned unto his Creator that so he alone may be the source of his motions and effects No no the old Adam our first Parent must be created perfect God saw every thing that he made and behold it was very good but mutable for so it pleased God to prepare a way to the execution of his hidden decree Adam must be the cause of our good and evill and on his good or bad fortune ours must wholly depend It was very convenient that God as absolute Lord and Master should leave Adam some commandement and it was likewise very reasonable that Adam as his servant and creature should be pliable and obsequious to so just a command and decree as that of God reserving the use of tree of the knowledge of good and evill of which he expresly and upon pain of death forbids Adam to taste or gather any fruit amongst all the trees which God hath planted in Paradise Notwithstanding Adam swallowed down that fatall bit which hath since
infected all his posterity his weaknesse not able to deny that to his Wife which God reserved to himselfe and blindly have done for the love of a foolish woman what the eternal wisedom had so expresly forbidden him O disloyal Adam that gave more credit to a serpent that deceiv'd thee then to your Creator and Truth which can never faile Here through this act of disobedience in Adam we all fell and became under sin and death and all mankind were convicted and sentenced to the eternall and temporall death in the conviction and sentence that passed upon him Gen. 3. 6 11 17. 19. Rom. 5. 12 18. and this without the knowledge or motions of the individualls or particular persons that were to proceed from Adam yet so verily vertually really and indeed that all that came forth from him by propagation doe then and in that birth and there throughly partake of sin death and misery and in their several persons respectively bear the image of the first Adam as he was in his â—all see Gen. 5. 3. Rom. 17. 19. Job 4. 1 Psalm 51. 5. Rom. 9. 8. Eph. 2. 1 2. c Here we may find out the origin and source of all our evils hence our miseries dayly finds deplorable increase and hence the most shamefull portion of a most sad and disastrous inheritance is dayly transported to the poor children of Adam Now man being created for a determinate end and for a state convenient for his nature and able to satisfie the original appetences of his soule and no man by natural means able to arrive to the end and period of happinesse we must follow henceforward the conduct of a supernatural guide since nature quitteth us here having led us on as long as she was able We may consider that God when he created man did not assign him to remain in the state of pure nature but did out of his goodnesse confer original righteousnesse and grace upon him which exceeded the sphere of his nature for God being in his own Essence goodnesse it selfe cannot choose but doe unto whatsoever proceedeth from him all that good which the nature of it is capable of whether by natural or supernatural means and his wisedome can readily contrive the meanes to bring that to pass which his goodnesse disposeth him to doe and his omnipotency as easily acteth what his other two attributes have projected so that there wanting an infinite capacity of the soule and without which she must be eternally miserable it remaineth that he who gave that capacity must also afford the object and assign means how to compasse and gain it all which is out of the reach of nature to discern and therefore it followeth of consequence that the Author of nature must needs endow man with supernatural means if he be in a fit disposition to receive them which may bring him to the supernatural end he was created for And of the supernatural gifts the first and the ground and foundation of all the rest is faith for whereas that we cannot by any natural meanes attain to the knowledge of any object that may render us compleatly happy in the next life and yet such knowledge must be had to the end we may direct our actions to gain the fruition of that object Therefore there is no way left to compass this but by the instructions and discipline of some Master whose goodness and knowledge we can no wayes doubt of by which two perfections in him we may be secure that he neither can be deceived himselfe nor will deceive us Now the Doctrine that such a divine Master shall teach for such an end we call faith Now we must determine that this Master must be God and man and that the Author of that doctrine we must believe the instructer of the actions we must perform and the promiser of the happinesse we may hope for be God himselfe who only knoweth of himselfe what is said in matters of these natures and who only is neither liable to be deceived nor can deceive others as being the prime verity it selfe Therefore it was necessary Christ God and man should come into the world to teach us what to believe and what to do and preach unto us by his example and himself be our Leader in the way that he instructed us to take And we must determine that those unto whom Christ did immediately preach this faith and unto whom he gave Commission to preach it unto others and spread it through the world after he ascendeth to Heaven ought to be believed as firmly as he himselfe The reason of this Assertion is that their doctrine though delivered by secondary mouths yet it proceedeth from the same fountain which is God himselfe the prime verity that cannot deceive nor be deceived But all the difficulty herein is to know who had this immediate Commission from Christ and by what seale should we discern it to have been no forged one The solution of this ariseth out of the same Argument which proveth that Christ himself was God and that doctrine he taught was true and divine which is the miracles and wonders he did exceeding the power of nature which could not be effected by any but by God himselfe for he being truth it selfe cannot by any action immediatly proceeding from him witness and confirm a falshood In like manner the Apostles doing such admirable works and miracles as neither by nature nor by Art Magick could be brought to pass that must necessarily infer God himself co operated with them to justifie what they said It is evident that their doctrine not their own but received from Christ must be true and divine This Faith thus taught by Christ and propagated by the Apostles and necessary to mankind to believe dependeth intrinsecally upon the testimony of the Primitive Doctors Fathers and Councels in church Catholike and Apostolike which is ordained conserve and deliver it from age to age and this cannot be but either by the immediate preaching of Christ or else by the information either in writing or by word of mouth of them that learned it from him and their delivering it over to others and so from hand to hand But from Christs own mouth none could have it but those that lived in the age that he did therefore there remained no other means to have it derived down to after ages then by this delivery over from hand to hand of Fathers dispersed throughout the world to the whole congregation of sons or youngers which proveth that the Church Apostolike is the Conserver of the whole doctrine of Faith necessary for salvation and likewise of the divine Writ dictated by the holy Ghost and written by the Prophets Evangelists and Apostles which we are also bound to beleeve Hence we may deduce that into Christs Catholick Church no false doctrine in any age can be admitted or creep in that is to say no false proposition whatsoever can ever be received and embraced by the Catholique Church
sin because the will through the want of original justice is left prone to rebellion against reason That original sin is formally the want of original justice is thus prov'd Every sin formally is iniustice Ergo every sin is the privation of some justice or righteousness due but the righteousness due to Infants is not actual but original Ergo original sin is formally the want of original righteousnesse due to every individual Further Even as actual sin is the want or losse of the righteousnesse and rectitude which ought to be in the consented act of the will even so original sin is the privation of original justice and rectitude which ought to be in uature which rectitude is original righteousnesse for as every act hath naturally annexed to it a proper rectitude so humane nature was created by God with its proper natural and supernatural rectitude whereas original justice as a special gift bestowed by God not only on Adam but also on all his relative descendants was a kind of rectitude and justice due and belonging to nature so as the loss privation or want thereof became a vice or sin in nature and thus the want of it is the want of due justice or righteousnesse but the privation or want of it is a sin not actual because it s not lost by any proper consented act of the will but rather it is sin original that is contracted and derived to us dayly through the actual disobedience of Adam Further I say that by original Justice man was made acceptable and graâ—eful to God therefore by the losse or privation of original justice man is out of Gods favour and gracâ— and for this reason sin is counted the death of the soule as grace is the life of it for without habitual grace which is equivalent to original justice none can become grateful to God nor be capable of any title to Heaven Whence we may infer children to be in God Almighties debt for original righteousnesse for they all have received it in Adam from God who giving the same to him by his antecedent will gave it likewiâ—e to all his posterity though it was not given by a consequent will quia Adam posuit demeritum which is the reason why God doth justly exact the same of us and so we become in his debt in just and formally sinners In this all the Ancient Doctors doe agree And although original sin conveyed to posterity cannot without special revelation be proved or evinced by any natural ratiotination for how can it by humane discourse be evidenc'd that Adam did receive fâ—r himselfe and his posterity the gift of original justice or that Adam was appointed the great representative head in essâ— morali of all humane nature or that by him those principles of morally working well viz. grace righteousness innocency c. should be derived to his posterity and that as the propagation of humane nature in esse naturali did depend of him so should likewise the conservation or losse of that happy state in esse morali or how can it appeare by natural reason that Adam prevaricating all his posterity not existing in rerum natura should prevaricate also which without the light of faith and the beliefe of what is said cannot be apprehended yet we may find out for the explicating of original sin some congruent Theological reasons The first is that ever in Gods Church from its very beginning there has been not only in the law of nature but also in the old and new a special remedy instituted for the cleansing of original sin from Infants so it s most manifest that the Church held and taught that Infants doe contract original sin for if they had not in them original â—n to be wash'd away by Circumcision or Baptism then the form of Circumcision and Baptism in them would prove false but the consequent is absurd and heretical Ergo c. Now let us but further consider what reasons may induce us to submit to this Doctrine of originall sin First For the Antiquity of it We finde some footsteps thereof under the Law yea before the Law though more darkly but under the Law we may see the footsteps thereof more manifest though not so perspicuous as under the Gospel where truth appeares as it were with open face for you may read Gen. 17. The uncircumcised man-child whose flesh is not circumcised that soule shall be cut off from the people The which Text Saint August lib. 1â— de Civitat Dei c. 27. lib. 2. de pâ—ccato originali c. 30. contra Coelestium understands as relating to Infants not circumcised and therefore liable to punishment which S. August aâ—scribes to Adams prevarication in which all Infants have prevaricated and became sinners upon that account Secondly You may read Psalm 50. the Royall Prophet moaning that he was conceived in â—niquity and sin according to the Hebrew Text Thirdly You may read in Eccles. 25. A muliere initium peccatâ— per illam omnes moriuntur And in Job Pereat dies in quae naâ—us sum nex in qua dictum est conceptus est homo And in the 14. Chapt. Quis potest facere mundum de imundo concepâ—um semine c. And Chap. 25. according to the 70 Interpreters Nemo mundus a sorde neque Infans unius diei Whence John Baptist cryed out Ecce Agnus Dei â—cce qui tellit peccata mundi In the Greek Text we read peccatum mundi which is Adams sin conveyed to posterity These are very plain but more manifestly clear places you may read in the New Testament First S. Paul to the Romans C. 5. Sicut per unum hominem peccatum per peccatum mors c. Which words the Primitive Church and all the Ancient Fathers doe understand of original sin which Interpretation is allowed and defin'd by many Councels The second place is 2. ad Corinth 4. Si uâ—â—us pro omnibus mortuâ—s est Christus c. therfore all were dead then Christ dyed fâ—r Infants But they died not by any actual sin therefore it must be by original sin The third place is that of S. Paul Ephes. 2. Eramus natura filii irae From which place S. August de peccatorum merit remiss c. 20. in Serm. 14. de verbis Apost. Expoundeth these words natura filii irae originaliter saying filius autem irae is a sinner So if we all have been by nature children of wrath we all must by nature be sinners And its observable that Adams sin as it s revealed in holy Scripture had two far different effects the one proper and connaâ—urâ—l to his offence which was the infection of all his posterity borne by natural generation with original sin the other effect was also by occasion of that general infection of all mankind but properly of the inexplicable goodnesse and mercy of God ordaining for remedy of this universall infection the Incarnation and death of our blessed