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

Let us see what Reasons are cogent for this Exposition.

First, This is very considerable, That the Apostle in the former verses speaking of himself, useth the Preterperfect tense, speaketh of that which was past: only at the fourteenth verse, there he changeth the tense, and speaketh of the present time; which may persuade us, that he speaketh of himself, what he was once, before regenerated, and what he hath experience of in himself, though sanctified. This changing of the time, argueth a change also in the person; for so his Discourse runneth from the seventh verse to the fourteenth, I had not known lust, and sin wrought in me all manner of concupiscence, I was alive without the Law once, and sin deceived me, &c. All these expressions are concerning what was done in him. Then at the fourteenth verse, with the rest following, he speaketh of the present time, I am carnal, I do that which I allow not, &c. This altering of the time may incline us to think, that it is very probable the Apostle doth compare his former estate of unregeneracy with the present of sanctification that he is now in. It is true indeed, we grant that the Apostle doth sometimes assume the person of another man; he supposeth such a thing in himself, which yet we must not conclude to be in him, as Rom. 3. 7. For if the truth of God hath abounded more through my life unto his glory, why yet am I judged as a sinner? ⟨p. 490⟩Here it is certain, he personateth a wicked object or and caviller. So 1 Cor. 13. 2. If I have all faith, and not charity, &c. As also Gal. 2. 18. If what I have destroyed, I build the same again, I make my self a transgressor. But who doth not see a vast difference between these expressions and Paul's Discourse in this Chapter? For they are spoken hypothetically by way of supposition. And therefore every one may perceive that the Apostle doth not intend an absolute speech of himself. Had the Apostle used such conditional expressions here, then there had been some colour, If I do the evil I would not, if I do not the good I would, if I delight in the Law, if the Law of God, &c. then we might have doubted whether he spake of himself or no. Or had the Apostle as absolutely and peremptorily spoken in those places, as he doth here, we should have wondered at it. Should he after a large Discourse to that purpose have concluded, So then I my self destroy what I have built, it would have greatly amazed us?