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

SECT. I.

Cautions Premised.

There remain only some Objections against this Truth, but before we answer them, take notice,

THere remain only some Objections against this Truth, but before we answer them, take notice,

First, That although we say original sin is more than a privation of that Righteousness which ought to be in man, yet We do not make it to be like some infecting corporeal quality in the body, that hereby should vitiate the soul, and as it were poison that. Lombard and some others, especially Ariminensis (Distinct. 30.) They seem to deliver their opinion so, as rejecting Anselm's definition of original sin, making it to be want of that original righteousness which ought to be in us, and do declare it to be a morbida qualitas, some kind of pestilential and infecting quality abiding in the body, and thereby affecting the soul; As when the body is in some phrenetical and mad distempers, the soul is thereby disturbed in all its operations; so that these make the want of original righteousness to be the effect of original sin, not the nature of it, saying upon Adam's sin, Man becoming thus defiled, God refused to continue this righteousness to him any longer. But if these Schoolmen be further questioned, How such a diseased pestilential quality should be in the body? Some say, it was from the forbidden fruit that that had such a noxious effect with it; but that is rejected, because that was made of God, and all was exceeding good: Ariminesis therefore following as he thinketh Austin, maketh this venomous quality in a mans body to have its original, from the hissing and breath, as it were of the Serpent; he conceiveth, that by their discourse with the Serpent, there came from it such an infectious air, as might contaminate the whole body, and he saith Austin speaks of some, who from the very hissing and air from Serpents have been poisoned.