A treatise of original sin ... proving that it is

Our work therefore shall be from this Text, to declare from Scripture-ground the holiness, wisdom and righteousness of God in his proceedings thus with mankind for Adam's sin: For although all grown persons are shut up under actual sins, as well as original, yet here is comprehended both, seeing it doth extend to all that may have salvation by Christ, out of which number Infants are not to be excluded. Therefore Bellarmine bringeth this Text amongst others, to prove that there is an original sin that all are born in. And so we observe,

Our work therefore shall be from this Text, to declare from Scripture-ground the holiness, wisdome and righteousness of God in his proceedings thus with mankind for Adam's sinne: For although all grown persons are shut up under actual sins, as well as original, yet here is comprehended both, seeing it doth extend to all that may have salvation by Christ, out of which number Infants are not to be excluded. Therefore Bellarmine bringeth this Text amongst others, to prove that there is an original sinne that all are born in. And so we observe,

That God for righteous and wise ends manifested in the Scripture, hath shut up all mankind in a state of sin and damnation: That God who could have preserved Adam in the state of happiness, and continued it to all his posterity, so that thereby no sin or condemnation, would have come upon any one man (for there would then none have done evil, no not one) hath ordered the contrary way, suffering man to fall, and thereby all mankind to be in a state of condemnation, whereby also sin is so predominant, that now there is none that doth good, no not one. The Scripture doth in other places with much exactness and diligence take notice of the proceeding of God in this way, as Rom. 3. 9. The Apostle dividing all mankind into Jews and Gentiles, showeth, that though there may be many differences in several respects, yet as to a state of sin by nature and so a necessity of justification by Christ all were alike; Therefore saith he, We have before proved, [Greek or Hebrew], The word is very emphatical, some make it to charge, complain, and in an heavy manner to accuse; So that to be by nature of our selves in a state of wrath, not being able without the grace of Christ, to avoid this condemnation, is the greatest guilt that we can be charged with: It ought not to seem a light and contemptible thing that we come thus cursed in the world; But because men may be accused falsely, and the Pelagians charge us with laying a false curse upon mankind; hence the Greek word signifieth more (viz.) so to charge a thing upon a man, as by strong reasons to prove it, to show clearly the causes and grounds of it. therefore our Translators render it. We have before proved; So that the Apostles meaning is, We have not only said thus, but we have proved; A Metaphor (say some) from those who have cast up their accounts, and upon exact consideration do conclude, this is the sum: But what is that he hath proved, even that all are under sin, not only actual, for many were not guilty of those actual sins he enumerateth, but under a state of sin, they could not avoid it, because of the corrupt nature they bring with them into the world. Therefore Contzer the Jesuit (Comment in