A30247:2303
A treatise of original sin ... proving that it is
A treatise of original sin ... proving that it is, by pregnant texts of Scripture vindicated from false glosses / by Anthony Burgess.
London : s.n., 1658
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
The first mentioned is, That at first God made no promises of heaven, he had propounded not glorious rewards, to be as an Argument to support the superior faculty against the inferior, because there was no such thing in that period of the world: therefore almost all flesh had corrupted themselves: for want of this Adam fell, and all the world followed his example, and most upon this account; till it pleased God, after he had tried the world with temporal promises, and found them also insufficient to finish the work of his graciousness, and to cause us to be born anew by the revelations and promises of Jesus Christ. Thus he; but I had almost said, Oh monstrum horrendum, cui lumen ademptum!
The first mentioned is, That at first God made no promises of heaven, he had propounded not glorious rewards, to be as an Argument to support the superiour faculty against the inferiour, because there was no such thing in that period of the world: therefore almost all flesh had corrupted themselves: for want of this Adam fell, and all the world followed his example, and most upon this account; till it pleased God, after he had tryed the world with temporal promises, and found them also insufficient to finish the work of his graciousness, and to cause us to be born anew by the revelations and promises of Jesus Christ. Thus he; but I had almost said, Oh monstrum horrendum, cui lumen ademptum!
Now the Socinian appeareth in his own ugly and deformed colours, let us see whether there be any validity in this reason or no. And
First, It is very frivolous, ridiculous and absurd; for we are asking for a reason of the general inclination of all men in all ages to evil, and he would assign one for that special age of the world before Christ. Is it not still true, even since Christs coming, that the heart of a man is desperately and incurably set upon evil, till the grace of God doth sanctify it? So that though in the New Testament the glory of heaven, and the torments of hell, are evidently and powerfully demonstrated, yet still there is the same torrent of impiety in the manners of men.