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

So then if this foundation be surely laid, this will abundantly quell all those calumnies, whereby Gods proceedings are traduced in this point; for whereas it is thought to be unheard of injustice, and intolerable, that we should not only be made miserable, both temporally and eternally by another mans sin, but also sinful by his sin, which is thought to be the greatest cruelty that can be imagined: We are made sinners whether we will or no, that we may be damned whether we will or no. This Proposition may serve to compose such distempered apprehensions, not indeed but that we must admire in some respects at Gods holy and righteous proceedings, which we are not fully to comprehend. Austin is affected with the miris modis, and occultis judiciis of God in these dispensations; And he that will not leave to faith, to apprehend where ⟨p. 431⟩reason cannot comprehend, doth deserve both ex congruo & condigno, to be accounted a Philosopher, rather than a Christian, and his Religion Reason, rather than Faith; For what point is there in those mysteries of faith, which we believe, wherein we are not to cry out [Greek or Hebrew], Oh the depths! Our oyster shell cannot empty that Ocean; as Austin is reported to have a vision of a young man attempting to do so, while he was writing his book of the Trinity, thereby informing him of humane incapacity to reach comprehensively to such things. Again, There is none saith, that this sinful condition, and so by consequence miserable is brought upon Infants necessarily; for although as to them it's inevitable, yet in Adam, it was free and voluntary, God had abundantly furnished him withal abilities to make mankind happy, and none may presume of Adam's posterity, that he would have done otherwise. Who can say, he would have done otherwise then Adam did, seeing God did on purpose create man at first in such a furnished and qualified manner, that as Austin observeth, the world might see what the free-will of man could do, that now we may see what the grace of Christ can do.

So then if this foundation be surely laid, this will abundantly quell all those calumnies, whereby Gods proceedings are traduced in this point; for whereas it is thought to be unheard of injustice, and intollerable, that we should not only be made miserable, both temporally and eternally by another mans sinne, but also sinfull by his sinne, which is thought to be the greatest cruelty that can be imagined: We are made sinners whether we will or no, that we may be damned whether we will or no. This Proposition may serve to compose such distempered apprehensions, not indeed but that we must admire in some respects at Gods holy and righteous proceedings, which we are not fully to comprehend. Austin is affected with the miris modis, and occultis judiciis of God in these dispensations; And he that will not leave to faith, to apprehend where