A Golden Chain

Reason I. Rom. 7. 17. Paul saith directly: It is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me: that is, original sin. The Papists answer again, that it is so called improperly: because it cometh of sin and also is an occasion of sin to be done. But by the circumstances of the text, it is sin properly: for in the words following, Saint Paul saith, that this sin dwelling in him, made him to do the evil which he hated. And. v. 24. he crieth out, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death? whence I reason thus: That which once was sin properly, and still remaining in man maketh him to sin, and entangleth him in the punishment of sin, and makes him miserable: that is sin properly. But original sin doth all these. Ergo:

Reason I. Rom. 7. 17. Paul saith directly: It is no more I that doe it, but sinne that dwelleth in me: that is, originall sin. The Papists answer againe, that it is so called improperly: because it commeth of sinne and also is an occasion of sinne to be done. But by the circumstances of the text, it is sinne properly: for in the wordes following, Saint Paul saith, that this sinne dwelling in him, made him to doe the euill which he hated. And. v. 24. he crieth out, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliuer me from this bodie of death? whence I reason thus: That which once was sinne properly, and still remaining in man maketh him to sin, and intangleth him in the punishment of sinne, and makes him miserable: that is sinne properly. But originall sinne doth all these. Ergo:

Reason II. Infants baptized and regenerate, die the bodily death before they come to the years of discretion: therefore original sin in them is sin properly: or else they should not die, having no cause of death in them: for death is the wages of sin, as the Apostle saith, Rom. 6. 23. and Rom. 5. 12. Death entered into the world by sin. As for actual sin they have none, if they die presently after they are borne before they come to any use either of reason or affection.