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

The Naturality of original sin hath been in divers respects asserted. I shall therefore conclude this Text with answers to some Objections that are made against this Doctrine: I do not mean against original sin it self, for they are various; so unwilling is man to be convinced that he is wholly sinful, but against the Naturality of it, which this Text doth affirm: Neither shall I take in all Objections of this kind, because they will be met with, on some other Texts; only I shall pitch upon one or two, whereby your understandings may be more fully cleared in this point, and so I shall part with this Text.

THe Naturality of original sinne hath been in divers respects asserted. I shall therefore conclude this Text with answers to some Objections that are made against this Doctrine: I do not mean against original sinne it self, for they are various; so unwilling is man to be convinced that he is wholly sinful, but against the Naturality of it, which this Text doth affirm: Neither shall I take in all Objections of this kind, because they will be met with, on some other Texts; only I shall pitch upon one or two, whereby your understandings may be more fully cleared in this point, and so I shall part with this Text.

First therefore, ¹it hath been enviously of old objected against this Truth, That if there were such a natural pollution adhering to all mankind, this would redound to the dishonour of God, who is the Author of man. This Argument the Pelagians of old insulted with, If (say they) any man hold, God is the maker of man, presently he is called a Pelagian; for thus they flourished, If there be original sin, either the parents that beget, or the children that are begotten, or God the Creator of the soul, and in a peculiar manner forming all the parts of our body, must be the cause of this sin. This Objection they thought unanswerable, unless we should charge God with being the Author of this original defilement. Hence it is that they charged Man•cheism upon the Orthodox, as if they thought, that Nature it self was evil. Five things there were, that these Heretics did usually commend, Nature, Marriage, the Law, Free-will, and Holiness; none of which they thought could be maintained, unless we deny original sin.