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A77834 Mans inbred malady, or The doctrine of original sin maintained, as also the necessity of infants baptism. / By George Burches B.D. late Rector of Wood-Church in Cheshire. Burches, George, d. 1658. 1655 (1655) Wing B5613; Thomason E1708_2; ESTC R10375 36,789 142

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should live in that perfection and happinesse whereof by nature they were capable There is no imperfection in any creature but man is guilty thereof as being by his sin For cursed is the earth and all things therein for mans sake and why for mans sake but for sin and what is that cursing but the substraction and deprivation of the Lords protection and guidance of the creatures in the lawes and rules of natures law Rightly therefore saies the Prophet I was shapen c. And not only therein doth expresse the whole ground and Original cause of his disease but he adds also that in sin his Mother warmed and cherished him up both root and branches were sinful In consideration whereof it will appear that as the structure and composition of man is most admirable so the corruption of sin in man is most damnable as being a general disturbance of the whole course of nature a pestilent infection universally diffused over all the faculties both of Soul and body For as nature hath severall degrees of perfection and still the former is the ground of the latter so also have these degrees their degrees of infection and still the latter is enforced by the former 1. The first degree of natural perfection in man is esse consisting in the constitution and temperature of the body which is the ground of all motions and life 2. The second is Vegetare by receiving nourishment to encrease and grow to perfection in himselfe 3. The third is Sentire an abilitie to discern and know all outward and corporeal objects and their simple qualities 4. The fourth is ratiocinari by discourse of reason in the contemplation of outward things and to draw out such rules and directions for this life as are consonant to that law which God had established in all things 5. Secundum rationem agere to work and frame all his actions according to their destinated ends namely the preservation of natures perfection and the glory of natures God Now as these degrees of naturall perfection have their dependance the one upon the other in their order so likewise in the infection and diffusion of sin upon the natural qualities do the vital faculties depend upon the vital the animal upon the animal the rationall upon the rational the moral c. 1. For the first if there be an intemperate mixture of cold and heat in the natural constitution as hath been declared there is then do the vital faculties fail in the exercise of t●eir functions as too much heat doth inflame the blood encrease choler drie the braine too much cold doth beget melancholy augment flegme hinder digestion dul the spirits and such like 2. If the vital faculties be disordered the animal are distempered thereby as the over abundance of ill humors doth send up noysom and unwholesome fumes into the head which do stupifie the sense dul the imagination and hurt the memory so that if the fantasie and memory be any way impaired then in the third place the reasonable soul is greatly disabled in the exercise of her faculties And lastly if reason be absurd and defect in that it is not able to direct how then can the will execute or perform any thing that is agreeable to Gods Law Behold how great a flame a little fire kindleth for the natural temperature of the first qualities heat and cold c. though in mens ordinary imaginations they are things of small moment or respect and nothing so material and worthy as the superior faculties yet are they so necessary and of such force in the whole frame and constitution of man that upon their goodn sse doth the goodnesse of all the rest depend no otherwise then as the spring or poize in a curious clock which seems to be dull and of no great necessity and yet it is of the greatest power as that which moves all the rest of the wheels for the perfection of a clock is to keep its time and due howers but if the spring or poize be disordered all the rest is disordered if it be too strong then the howers are too short and if slack and loose then are they too long So the natural faculties if too cold then all the rest are d●stitute and too remiss if tooo hot then are they too violent and redundant for the disposition and perfection of the Soules working dependeth principally upon the bodies temperature For as the eye the int●rmedium that which is interposed betwixt the eye and the object be thick as in a mist it is obscured and the sight made imperfect So the Soul if the Organs those instruments by which it works be disordered and distempered is disabled in the exercise and use of its faculties As for example we see in a drunken man when the stomach is oppressed with a thick and strong moisture the heat of the liver by concoction and digestion rarifies the same there riseth such a fume no otherwise then we see in a boyling pot which ascending up into the head doth so stupifie and distemper the brain the Organ of the understanding imagination and discourse that man thereby that distempers himselfe doth quite lose the use of his reason and the chief faculty of his soul and becomes for the time if not worse even a very beast Even so every man by the distempered mixture of corrupted nature is made either more or lesse defective in the use of the soules vigour and power by how much more or lesse the instruments and organs by which the soul worketh are polluted and distempered From hence it is we see that some men are more quick and active of apprehension and conceit others likewise are stupid and of duller capacity which only proceeds from the good or evil disposition of the parts of the body yea the very best and purest that is begotten by the corrupt generation of man is infinitely farre short of that puritie and quicknesse of capacitie which man by his creation naturally was endued withall From hence therefore may appear the vanity of the Pelagians arguments intending to prove that sin is only learned by imitation because the body cannot work upon the Soul which is a Spirit for though the bodie cannot work upon the substance of the soul yet can it hinder and disorder the operations of the Soul which it is to perform in and by the body for by the bodies corruption and disordered distemper there is either irregularity or iniquity in the manner or confusion and ataxie in the order but especially excesse or defect in them sure of every facultie of and action of man As for example if we survey some particulars and first in those faculties which are called concupiscibles as hunger a natural appetite to create for sustenance and preservation of life and being cannot doe it without sin not that the desire of meat or action of eating is sinfull for it is natural and all that is natural is good as being the work of God but
no care in the education and bringing up of your children in the knowledge of the waies o● God ye have much to answer for at the Tribunal seat of Christ that having conveyed poyson into your children at their birth you seek not after the antidote to prevent their eternal ruine wil you be instruments to wound their souls and never seek after a Chyrurgeon to heal them shall you be the cause of giving a deadly potion that will work their undoing and never have recourse to the Physician in their behalfe to cure them Oh here 's a cursed neglect Be abashed therefore in the thoughts of this and l●● not your soules be so secure as to endanger your own eternal welfare by neglecting the dutie in preventing your childrens woe but be humbled for them your selves being the cause of their inbred maladie which by you were conveyed unto them Use 3d. Exhort to stir up parents to do their utmost to work grace in their children and so to cure that deadly poyson and infection that they have conveyed into them Now for the better enforcing so necessary a dutie I will set down 1. Certain motives that may provoke them to this care 2. Discover the means that they must use to this purpose Mot. 1. Because of that natural affection that we bear to our children whereby we are moved to love them hence bowels of pitty and compassion appears towards them when we see them in any miserie And therefore the Lord hath been pleased to set forth his mercy and compassion towards his children by the compassion of a Mother Isa 4.15 Can a Mother forget her sucking child that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb And by the compassion of a Father Psalm 103.13 Like as a Father pittieth his children so the Lord pittieth them that fear him He is worse then a beast that pittieth not his children and grieves not to see them in miserie Lam. 4.2 Even the Sea-monsters draw out the breast they give suck to their young ones Yea where there is not natural affection there the very light of nature is extinguished and such in the just judgment of God are given up unto a reprobate mind Rom. 1.31 Now what love can we bear to our children if we have no care of their souls the nature of Christianity is to seek the good 〈◊〉 their souls whom we love as Abraham expressed his love to Ishmael Gen. 17.18 O that Ishmael might live in thy sight which should be the desire of all godly parents Oh that my children might live in thy sight that they might fear thee and know thee and learn truly to serve thee this is the greatest portion that can be given them the largest possessions we can desire to leave them as that they may live in the sight of God For godlinesse is the greatest gain and hath the promises of this life and of a better 1 Tim. 4.8 Strive then to make your children godly and let the bent of your affections towards them lie that way and if they become once sincerely to love God then ●●ve you shewed natural affection in the highest degree towards them which at the last will bring not only grace to them but glory for ever to your selves 2d Mot. Because the rule of justice requires that we should make them amends for the wrong we have done them if we injure any man in body goods or good name we are bound in conscience to make him satisfaction See the equitie of Gods Law in this point Exod. 21.19 He that smote him shal pay for the loss of his time and shal cause him to be thoroughly healed how much more are we to be careful to cure the inbred maladie of our children and to heal that filthy dissease which from our selves have been conveighed unto them Shal we be the causes of their miserie and not use our best endeavours to cure them It is through us that they become odious assoon as they are born in the sight of God and shal not we seek to make them amiable and lovely in his presence shall we be the progenitors of their evil and not the promoters of their good Oh far be it from us to be so forgetful of our own dutie and so neglectful in not using all means for their good This was that which good Hezekiah meant in his prayer Isa 38.18 19. The grave cannot praise thee death cannot celebrate thee the living shal praise thee and who among the living the Father to the children shal make known thy truth Hence is that of the Apostle Epb. 6.9 Ye fathers bring up your children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. And so Psal 78.5 He established a Testimony in Jacob and appointed a Law in Israel which he commanded our Fathers that they should make them known unto their Children Let all parents therefore think of this seriously and consider that it will be a most heavy reckoning one day they must give for the neglect of their childrens souls those especially that instead of reforming them do tolerate them in most sinful courses as in lying swearing Sabbath-breaking and the like these are far from Abraham's practise Gen. 18.19 and Josuah's resolution Jos 24.15 that instructed their families and brought their children to fear the Lord. Consider then this motive you that desire to serve the Lord remember it is but justice to seek after all means to doe your children good you have wrong'd them greatly ●ow recompence that wrong you have done them by seasoning their tender years with the knowledge of Jesus Christ 3d. Because the propagation of Religion dependeth principally in the education of our children To this purpose you have a notable example of this care in the two Tribes and the half that had their possessions given them beyond Jordan Iosuah 2.24 25. we have done it set up this Altar for fear of this thing saying In time to come your Children might speak to our Children saying what have you to do with the Lord God of Israel so shall your Children make our Children cease from fearing the Lord. Concerning which you must understand that there is no man doth so much desire to have a posterity and to provide for posterity as the Lord doth And surely the meanes whereby the Lord may have a posterity raysed and preserved is to derive Religion unto them when Parents are not onely Religious themselves but be careful to provide that their Children may be so also This is that Seminary of Gods Church Here was the cause of that Commandment Deut. 4.9 Take heed to thy self and keep thy soul diligently lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen and lest they depart from thy heart all the daies of thy life but teach them thy son and thy sons sons This is made by the Prophet Malachi 2.15 to have been the cause why the Lord at the first institution of marriage appointted but one woman for one man and did so