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

The fourth Proposition is, That from the former premisses, it may be deducted, that in several respects Adam may be said to be created mortal, and immortal; yet if we would speak absolutely to the question, when demanding how Adam was created, we must return, Immortal. Some indeed, because mans mortality and immortality depended wholly upon his will, as he did will to sin, or not to sin; so they have said he was neither made mortal, or immortal, but capable of either; but that is not to speak consonantly to that excellency of state which Adam was created in; for as Adam was created righteous, not indifferent, (as the Socinians say,) neither good or bad, but capacious of either qualification; so he was also made immortal, not in a neutral or middle state between mortal and immortal; so that he had inchoate immortality upon his creation, but not consummate or confirmed, without respect to perseverance in his obedience: for the state of integrity was, as it were the beginning of that future state of glory. Again Adam might be called mortal in respect of the originals of his body being taken out of the dust of the earth, but that was only in a remote power, so God did so adorn him with excellent qualifications in soul and body, that the remote power could never be brought into a proxime and immediate disposition, much less into an actual death, for a thin• may be said to be mortal, 1. In respect of the matter, and thus indeed Adams body in a remote sense was corruptible.

THe fourth Proposition is, That from the former premisses, it may be deducted, that in several respects Adam may be said to be created mortal, and immortal; yet if we would speak absolutely to the question, when demanding how Adam was created, we must return, Immortall. Some indeed, because mans mortalilty and immortality depended wholy upon his will, as he did will to sinne, or not to sinne; so they have said he was neither made mortal, or immortal, but capable of either; but that is not to speak consonantly to that excellency of state which Adam was created in; for as Adam was created righteous, not indifferent, (as the Socinians say,) neither good or bad, but capacious of either qualification; so he was also made immortal, not in a neutral or middle state between mortal and immortal; so that he had inchoate immortality upon his creation, but not consummate or confirmed, without respect to perseverance in his obedience: for the state of integrity was, as it were the beginning of that future state of glory. Again Adam might be called mortal in respect of the orginals of his body being taken out of the dust of the earth, but that was only in a remote power, so God did so adorne him with excellent qualifications in soul and body, that the remote power could never be brought into a proxime and immediate disposition, much less into an actual death, for a thin may be said to be mortal, 1. In respect of the matter, and thus indeed Adams body in a remote sence was corruptible.