A Treatise of Original Sin, Part 1 · Chapter 2
CHAP. II.
Of the Name Original Sinne, and of the Ʋtility and Neceſsity of being clearly and powerfully informed about this Subject.
SECT. I.
LEt us conſider the Doctrine more largely: And
Firſt, You muſt know that although Original ſinne be not a Scripture-name, but called ſo firſt by Auſtin, forced thereunto by the Pelagians, yet the truth of it is in the Scripture; And it is lawfull to uſe new words though not in Scripture, when the matter is contained therein, to diſcover and diſtinguiſh Hereticks. Now we call it original ſin in a three-fold reſpect:
Firſt, Becauſe we have it from our firſt parents fallen, who were the original and fountain of all mankind. It's not an actual voluntary ſinne, immediatly and perſonally committed by us, but it is in us antecedently to our own perſonal will, both our mind and will comes into the world habitually darkned and obſtinate againſt what is good.
Secondly, Its original, Becauſe we have it as ſoon as we have our being. It's bred in us, and can no more be taken from our natures in an ordinary way, than mortality from our bodies: For although it be not the ſubſtance and eſſence of a man, yet the Scripture calling it the old man, and our members, not in Illyricus his ſenſe, doth thereby ſignifie the intimate inheſion of it in us, that it is in us, as it were, leven in the whole lump, which ſoureth all; we have it in our being, which made Ambroſe ſay, Cujus ortus in vitio eſt, which Auſtin often mentioneth; yea, we were conceived in it, as Pſal. 51. And therefore another was not afraid to ſay, we were damnati priuſquam nati, with Auſtin often it's called Damnata radix, damnata maſſa.
Laſtly, It's called Original, Becauſe from this floweth all the actual evil in the world; From this corrupt tree groweth all the corrupt fruit that is, as is to be ſhewed; therefore the Scripture deſcribes original ſinne, though not as peccatum actuale, yet actuoſum, not as an actual, but an active ſin. Thus Gen. 6. 5. it's made to be a forge, or ſhop from whence ſparks of luſts do continually riſe. The heart of man is even like hell it ſelf, whoſe fire of luſt is unquenchable: So our Saviour ſpeaks of a hard heart which is as an evil treaſure. Mat. 12. 35. There is an evil treaſure in every mans heart, you may ſee all ſorts of wickedneſs come from it, old and new ſins, and though he ſinne never ſo much, yet ſtill he can ſinne more. This ſea of corruption will never be dried up in this life. Paul alſo Rom. 7. complaineth of the activity and vigor of this ſinne in him, that it's alwayes ſeducing, yea, captivating of him, although ſanctified in part; Inſomuch that although a man be loathſom in reſpect of his actual impieties, yet much more becauſe of the original fountain of evil within him; The greateſt part of our wickedneſs is in our natural inclination and propenſity of ſpirit: Oh how deep and piercing ſhould the thoughts of this depravation be within us, as we are all over full of ſinne, ſo we ſhould be filled up with ſhame and confuſion of face, we never go deep enough in our Humiliation and Confeſſion, till we come to this.
SECT. II.
IN the ſecond place, It's good to take notice of the evident utility, and neceſſity of being clearly and powerfully informed about this Subject. This truth is conſtantly and frequently to be preſſed, we are not to give it over, although it may ſeem burdenſom and tedious unto you; The reaſons of the neceſſary diſcovery of this are divers, ſome Doctrinal, and ſome Practical. As
1. If a man be erroneous or heretical in this, he cannot be orthodox, or ſound in many other ſubſtantial parts of Religion; What Auſtin ſaid concerning the Trinity, is true alſo in ſome meaſure concerning this; We may erre eaſily here, and dangerouſly alſo: eaſily, for ſuch is the ſelf-fulneſs, the ſelf-flattery that is in every one, that he is difficultly perſwaded that he is thus undone and miſerable; The light muſt ſhine as clear as at noon-day, yea the Spirit of God muſt convince and ſet this home, elſe a man will never believe it, and then the errour herein is dangerous, becauſe if this Pillar fall to the ground, almoſt the whole edifice of Religion doth tumble down with it: As for inſtance, If a man erre about original ſinne, denying it either in part or in whole, he muſt neceſſarily hold Free-will, for this is the Cockatrice his egg, and the other is the Cockatrice it ſelf; from a venemous womb muſt come a venemous brood; Take away original ſinne, and then you eſtabliſh Free-will, then man hath the ſame power to do good he had in Creation; There may be indeed ſome wounds and debilitations upon him, but not a ſpiritual death; Then if Free-will be eſtabliſhed, the grace of God, that is alſo evacuated, there is no abſolute neceſſity of it, its only ad facilius operandum, as the Pelagians of old, to make us work more eaſily and readily. Thus the very Sunne of Righteouſneſs is preſently taken out of our Heavens. Furthermore, If we do not believe aright about original ſin, we muſt alſo miſ-believe about Juſtification, that cannot be made ſuch a glorious act of Gods grace, becauſe of Chriſts Righteouſneſs imputed unto us, as indeed it is; Then we ſhall ſet up our Dagon againſt Gods Ark; neither will the work of converſion be ſolely aſcribed to the power of Gods grace, as it ought to be, for at the beſt they will make grace but an adjuvant cauſe, or a partial one with our Free-will, and ſo the praiſe ſhall be given partly to our ſelves, and partly to God. But above all, he that doth either deny, or diminiſh the guilt and contagion of this ſinne can never exalt Chriſt in all his Offices as he ought to do: He that denieth the diſeaſe muſt needs derogate from the Phyſician, The whole need not the Phyſician, ſaith our Saviour, Matth. 9. 12. And therefore it's of great conſequence to be fully perſwaded about the depth, breadth and length of this ſinne, that thereby we may be able to comprehend the dimenſions of Chriſts love to us; Not that Chriſt came only to take away the guilt of original ſin, as ſome Papiſts affirm, but becauſe this is the womb wherein all other ſins are conceived. This is the wound of the whole nature, actual ſins only infect the perſon of a man; We may then eaſily ſee the neceſſity of being truly informed about this Subject; for this is like miſcarriage in the firſt concoction, which cannot be amended by that which followeth; And therefore this conſideration ſhould quicken you up in a diligent attention to the whole Doctrine, which ſhall be delivered about it.
SECT. III.
IN the next place we are to ſhew you, of what practical advantage it is, for all to be fully informed about this native contagion and leproſie we bring with us into the world: And
Firſt, He that doth truly believe in this point, will quickly ſilence all thoſe impatient, if not blaſphemous complaints that are uttered by many againſt nature, becauſe (as they ſay) it is ſuch an hard ſtep-mother to mankind, Non tam editi quum ejecti, ſaid the Heathen. I call them blaſphemous complaints, becauſe what is ſpoken againſt Nature, redounds upon God the Author of Nature. Hence in the Scripture, what Nature doth, God is ſaid to do. Now then, if we conſider, what impatient expoſtulations the Heathens have made, why man of all creatures ſhould be by Nature moſt miſerable? No true anſwer could ever be given to ſatisfie, but this, becauſe man comes ſinfull into the world: The young ones of beaſts and birds, are not ſo miſerable as our Infants, becauſe not corrupted with evil in their Natures, as they are; So that if we ſee our very Infants, which yet (as the Scripture ſaith) cannot diſcern between the right hand and left, and have not done actual good or evil, ſubject to grievous diſeaſes, and death it ſelf: Wonder not at this, for they have in themſelves through their native ſinfulneſs, a deſert not only of this pain, but eternal torments in hell. Hence it is that the Scripture inſtructs us in that which all Philoſophy could never inform us, viz. the cauſe and original of all thoſe diſeaſes and pains, yea of death it ſelf, which reigneth over all mankind: Inſomuch that thereby we ſee, though there were not one actual ſinne in the world, though all men had no more ſinne upon them, then what they had in the womb, and in the cradle, yet there was demerit enough of that vengeance of God, which upon mans tranſgreſſion was threatned in the Word, Gen. 6. 5. The main cauſe, why God brought that univerſal deluge upon the whole world, was not ſo much their actual wickedneſs, as ſuch, but becauſe it came from a polluted fountain, which would never be wholly cleanſed. Their hearts were ſo many ſhops, wherein were conſtantly formed all manner of impieties; yea by this we ſee not only the miſeries upon man, but all the bondage an vanity that is upon the whole world: That there are any barrenneſs, any famines, that the ground brings forth thorns and thiſtles, that the woman brings forth with ſo much labour and forrow; all theſe things come by original ſinne; God did not at firſt create things in ſuch diſorder and confuſion: If therefore thou wouldſt quiet thy heart under all tumults and vexing thoughts, to ſee the manifold miſchiefs and miſeries mankind is ſubject unto; This Grave jugum ſuper filios Adam, as Auſtin often out of Eccleſiaſticus, this heavy yoke upon the ſons of Adam, have recourſe to a ſerious meditation about original ſin.
Secondly, The true knowledge of this natural defilement, will alſo ſatisfie us in thoſe doubtfull Queſtions, which ſome have greatly tormented themſelves with, viz. How ſinne comes to be in the world? And whence it is Auſtin (in his ſeventh Book of his Confeſſions, and fifth Chapter) doth there bewail before God the great agonies and troubles of mind he was in about the beginning of ſinne, whence it did ariſe? For ſeeing every thing that God made was exceeding good, this exceedingly puzzled him to know how evil ſhould be. Yea, this knot was ſo hard to unty in ſome mens judgments, that it made many, of the Marcionites hereſie, who becauſe they ſaw men commit evil, as ſoon as they were born, and yet withall being convinced, That God was good, and could not be the beginning of evil; They therefore maintained two principles of all things, the one good, of all good things; The other evil, of evil things. Thus men have wonderfully plunged themſelves into boggs and quagmires of danger and deſtruction, becauſe not acquainted with this main Truth of Original ſin.
Thirdly, For want of knowledge herein, that main duty ſo much commended both by Scripture, and the Heathens, viz. To know our ſelves, can never be put in practice. The Heathen ſaid, è Coelo deſcendit, foreign. And as for the Scripture, How often is it required, That we ſhould ſearch and try our hearts; That we ſhould examine our ſelves, and commune with our own hearts, and be ſtill, Pſal. 4. Now theſe duties can never be effectually done, without a firm belief of that deſperate pollution which is in our heart; And till we acknowledge with Jerem. 17. The heart is deceitfull above all things, and deſperately wicked, Who can know it? Yea, we ſee David, Pſal. 19. 13. though a godly man, and much enlightned thereby, being enabled to make deep ſearch into his ſoul, and having the Sun beams, could diſcern thoſe atoms and motes of ſinne, which man in the dark could not do, yet he crieth out, Who can underſtand his errors? Cleanſe me from ſecret ſins, that is, ſuch ſins that lie latent and lurking in my heart, that never yet I could find out. If then this duty be ſo great of knowing our ſelves, that ſome make all Religion to be in theſe two things, The knowledge of our ſelves, and of God; then how neceſſary is it, that we ſhould be thorowly acquainted with this heart, and nature-ſinfulneſs, for without this we can never know how vile and loathſom we are? Our actual impieties, though never ſo groſs and numerous, do not demonſtrate our loathſomneſs ſo much as this bitter and ſour leven within; Theſe are the ſtream, that is the fountain; Theſe are the effects, that is the cauſe; Therefore the greateſt ſtrength of our wickedneſs lieth in a defiled Nature, as you ſee in a Serpent or Toad, that venom it ſends forth at any time, is nothing to the venom in its nature; If you look upon a Cain, a Judas, though his outſide be ſo deteſtable, yet his inwards are much more abominable, ſo that a mans heart is like Peters great ſheet, which he ſaw in a viſion, Acts 11. 6. which was full of four-footed beaſts, and wild beaſts, and creeping things, all unclean; ſuch a receptacle is mans ſoul of all impiety: A man cannot tell what is in the ſea, what monſters are in the bottom of it, by looking upon the ſuperficies of the water which covers it, ſo neither canſt thou tell all that horrid deformity and wretchedneſs which is in thy heart, by beholding thine outward impieties. Oh then that you would turn your eyes inward, as it were, an introverſion is neceſſary: Then you will ſay, O Lord, before I knew the Nature of original ſinne, I was not perſwaded of my vileneſs, of my foulneſs! Oh now I ſee that I am beyond all expreſſion ſinfull, now I ſee every day I am more and more abominable! O Lord, formerly I thought all my ſinne was in ſome words, in ſome actions, or in ſome vile thoughts, but now I ſee, this was the leaſt part of all that evil that was in me; Now I am amazed, aſtoniſhed to ſee what a ſea of corruption is within me, now I can never go to the bottom, now I find ſomething like hell within me, ſparks of luſt that are unquenchable.
Fourthly, Where there is not a true knowledge of this native corruption, there our Humiliation, and Repentance can never be deep enough; for it's not enough to be humbled for our actual ſinnes, unleſs alſo we go to the cauſe and root of all. When a godly man would repent of his luſts, of his unbelief, or any other actual tranſgreſſion, he ſtayeth not in the confeſſion of, and bewailing thoſe particular ſins, but he goeth to the polluted fountain, to the bitter ſpring, from whence thoſe bitter ſtreams flow, and commonly this is a difference between an Ahabs Humiliation, and a Davids; Ahab humbleth himſelf only for his actual impieties, and that becauſe of judgments threatned and impending over him; but David, even when he heareth God had forgiven his iniquity, yet hath great humiliation for his ſinnes; and Pſal. 51. thinketh it not enough to bewail his adultery and murder, but to confeſs, That in iniquity he was conceived; his actual ſinnes carried him to the original. Thus Paul alſo, Rom. 7, when he miſerably complaineth of that impotency in him to do good, that he could never do any good as perfectly, fully, purely and cheerfully, as he ought to do, preſently he goeth to the cauſe of all this deordination, the Law of ſinne within him, that original ſinne which was like a Law within him, commanding him to think, to deſire, to do ſinfully, and obeyed it in all, though againſt his will, inſomuch that he ſaith, He was carnal, and ſold under ſinne. This the Apoſtle doth complain of, as the heavieſt burden of all; So that an unregenerate man may by the light of nature, bewail and complain of his actual impieties, he may cry out, Oh wretched man that I am, for being ſuch a beaſt, ſuch a devil, ſo exorbitant and exceſſive, but whether he can do this for the body of ſinne within him, as Paul did, that may juſtly be queſtioned; And therefore you ſee then the troubles and workings of conſcience in ſome men to miſcarry greatly; They ſeem to be in pain and travails of ſoul, but all cometh to nothing: Oh how many in times of danger, and under fear of death, do ſadly cry out of ſuch ſins they have committed! Oh the promiſes and reſolutions they make, if ever God give them recovery again! But all this paſſeth away, even as mans life it ſelf, like a vapour, like a tale, that is told: And one cauſe of the rottenneſs and defect of this humiliation is, becauſe it did not go to the bottom of the ſoare; there was the inward and deep corruption of original ſin that ſuch never took any notice of, and ſo in all his ſorrow did omit that which is the moſt aggravating cauſe of all grief and trembling: O Lord, I have not only done this wicked thing, but I had an heart, an inclination of ſoul to carry me to it, and therefore actual ſinnes, though ten thouſands of them, they paſs away, the guilt only remaining; but this original pravity continueth in the pollution of it.
Fifthly, Ignorance of original ſinne makes us alſo miſtake in the crucifying and mortifying of ſinne; No man can truly and ſpiritually leave a ſinne, unleſs he doth conquer it and ſubdue it in ſome meaſure in the original and root of it; and this is a ſure difference between a regenerate and unregenerate man about leaving or forſaking of ſinne; They both may give over their wonted actual impieties; They both may have eſcaped the pollution of the world, and that through the knowledge of the Goſpel, 2 Pet. 2. 20. but the one leaveth only the acts of ſinne, the other mortifieth it gradually, though not totally in the cauſe and inclination of the ſoul. Thus Paul. Rom. 7. though he complain of thoſe actual ſtirrings, and impetuous motions of ſinne, yet withall he can truly ſay, I delight in the Law of God, in the inner man. Now no hypocrite, or unregenerate man can ſay ſo; Though he be outwardly waſhed, yet he hath a ſwiniſh nature ſtill, his inward parts are as loathſom, as noiſom as ever before: Though there be a fair skinne drawn over the wound, yet in the bottom there is as much corruption, and putrefaction, as ever before: Samſon's hair is only cut, it's not plucked up by the root, ſo that it's not enough to have given over thy former profaneneſs; Thou thankeſt God thou art not the man once thou wert: Oh but conſider whether ſinne in the root of it, as well as in the branches of it, doth wither and die daily. A diſeaſe is not cured, till the cauſe of it be in ſome meaſure at leaſt removed. As long as originall ſinne is not in ſome degree mortified, thy old ſins, or ſome other will break out as violently as ever, here is the fountain and root of all within thee.
Sixthly, He that is ignorant of the nature, and extent of this natural defilement, he muſt needs groſly miſtake about the nature of converſion, and be wholly ignorant of what regeneration is; As you ſee in Nicodemus, John. 3. 6. though a maſter in Iſrael, yet groſly miſtaking about a new-birth, and what was the reaſon of it? That appeareth by our Saviours argument to prove the neceſſity of it, Whatſoever is born of the fleſh is fleſh, implying by this, That if Nicodemus had known, that by natural generation he was nothing but fleſh, that is, ſinne and evil, his ſoul, his mind, his conſcience, all was fleſh in this ſenſe, as well as his body, then he would quickly have diſcerned the neceſſity of being born again, then he would not have continued a day, an hour, a moment in ſuch a dangerous condition. And what is the cauſe that moſt people are ſtill ſuch ſots and ſenſleſs men about regeneration? Yea, learned and knowing men are as blind and bruitiſh in this, as the ſimple and poor people are, doth not all ariſe from this? That they feel not, neither do perceive that original ſin like a leproſie hath run over the whole man, both ſoul and body, eſpecially there would not be theſe three miſtakes about the work of grace, which are very common; As
1. A Philoſophical Reformation,Three common miſtakes about the work of Grace. by the Dictates and Principles of Moraliſts, ſuch as Plutarch, and Seneca give, would not be taken for Regeneration: For although their ſayings and directions are admired, and there may be ſome good uſe of them, yet they do not go to the root of the matter, they are not an antidote againſt original ſinne that defileth the nature, and therefore cannot promote Regeneration, which doth properly cure that in ſome degree. Ariſtotles way to make a man a virtuous man, viz. by frequent and conſtant actions, at leſt to acquire an habit is abſurd and repugnant to Scripture, for by that, the tree muſt be made good, and a man muſt be born again, ere he can do any thing holily. Hence God promiſeth to give a new heart, to take away the heart of ſtone, and then to cauſe us to walk in all holineſs, Ezek. 11. 19. Theſe divine principles muſt be infuſed before there can be holy actions. So
2. Civility and an ingenuous temperate diſpoſition, will be but a gliſtering dunghill, a painted ſepulchre, when original ſinne is known: He will preſently ſee, for all his civil and inoffenſive life, his heart is full of all noiſomneſs; Therefore civil men of all men do moſt need this light to ſhine into their breſts; we are ready to think of our ſelves, becauſe ſo harmleſs and innocent, as was ſaid of Bonaventure, In hoc homine non peccavit Adam. ſuch were born without ſinne, and brought better natures into the world than others; but if you ſearch into the Scriptures, it will appear that all are born children of wrath, and are equally deſtitute of that image of God, and then, as when the pillars of an houſe are removed, the houſe it ſelf muſt fall into its own rubbidge. Thus when that primitive righteouſneſs was loſt, man is prone to runne into all evil, and every man would be like a Judas, or a Cain, even the moſt civil man that is, did not God reſtrain original ſin.
3. Gifts and abilities which many have in religious exerciſes, will preſently be ſeen not to be Regeneration. Though we ſhould preach with the tongue of Angels, though admirable in prayer, and other holy duties, yet theſe and original ſin in the power of it may ſtand together, and ſo many looking to the flowers, but not the dead corpſe they are upon, conclude themſelves to be alive, when indeed they are dead.
SECT. IV.
I Shall mention ſome few more ſpiritual Advantages, that come by the full and undoubted perſwaſion of this original corruption; for ſo of old we are adviſed, Firmiſſimè texe, & nullatenus dubita, &c. Believe moſt firmly, and doubt not in the leaſt manner, but that by Adam's ſinne, all his poſterity becomes ſinfull and obnoxious to Gods wrath. And
Firſt, upon the Knowledg of originall ſinne we evidently ſee, our impoſſibility to keep the Law of God. That when the Law requireth a love of God, with all our heart, mind and ſtrength; and alſo doth prohibit all kind of luſt, and ſinfull concupiſcence, even in the very firſt motions and ſtirrings of it. The Law (I ſay) requiring ſuch univerſal perfection, and we being wholly dead in ſinne, upon the comparing of the Law, with our condition, we cannot but conclude, That we fail in all things, That the Law is ſpiritual, but we are carnal; And if he be curſed that doth not continue in all things the Law requireth, how accurſed muſt he be that is not able to perform any one thing? All thoſe opinions that diminiſh original ſinne, do alſo plead for a poſſibility of keeping Gods Commandments: Now this ſelf-flattery is imbred in all. Do not moſt of our common people think they keep the Commandments of God? Do they believe that the curſes of the Law do belong to them every hour? Oh if ſuch convictions were upon them, how greatly would it humble them, and make them debaſed before God, but they truſt in this, they readily and confidently ſay with that young man. All theſe have I kept from my youth up, Mat. 9 20. Oh then inform thy ſelf more about this natural defilement and loathſomneſs that is upon thee, and then thou wilt find the Law to accuſe and condemn thee in all things.
Secondly, The right knowledge of this will make even the godly and regenerate, though in ſome meaſure delivered from the power and dominion of it, yet to ſee, that becauſe of its ſtirrings and actings in them, there is imperfection, in every thing they do. And truly, this is one of the moſt profitable effects of true knowledge herein, for hereby a godly man is made to go out of all his graces, and his duties, hereby he is afraid of the iniquity of his holy things, and cals his very righteouſneſs a menſtruous ragge. This is clear in Paul, Rom. 7. How ſadly doth he complain of the vigorous actings of this original ſinne in him; For the preſent I take it as granted, that that part of the Chapter muſt be underſtood of a regenerate perſon (though vehemently denied by ſome) as is in time to be ſhewed. That Law of ſinne was alwayes moving, when he ſet himſelf to any thing that was holy, he deſired to obey the Law perfectly, to love God compleatly, but this Law of ſinne would not let him: So that, becauſe of this natural defilement, evil is mixed with all the good we do, inſomuch that there would be a woe, and a curſe to all our gracious acts, if ſtrictly examined. Thus it is with a godly man in this life, as thoſe Hetruſcan-robbers reported of by Ariſtotle, and mentioned by Auſtin, who would take ſome live men, and bind them to the dead men, which was a miſerable way of periſhing: Even thus it is here, original corruption is conſtantly adhering, and inſeparably to him, who is alive in holineſs, and by this means, there is unbelief in his faith, coldneſs in his zeal, dulneſs in his fervency; Inſomuch that the Apoſtle crieth out of himſelf, Oh wretched man that I am! And that becauſe of this very thing, the Papiſts, though they hold original ſinne, yet maintaining, That after Baptiſm it's quite taken away, and that though there be ſome languor and difficulty in a man, in reſpect of what is good, yet if we do not conſent to theſe motions of luſts within us, they are not truly and properly ſins, do conſequentially conclude, that there is not neceſſarily droſs and ſinne in every holy duty we do, but the evidence of Rom. 7. is too great to be contradicted. So that preaching of original ſinne is not only neceſſary to the unregenerate, but even to the moſt holy and godlieſt man that liveth; Let him deſire to know more of it, for it may do him alſo much good, and this is the reaſon, why the more godly any are, the more they are diſpleaſed with themſelves, and do the more highly eſteem of Chriſt, not but that they grow in grace, only they grow alſo in the diſcoveries of more filth and unworthineſs in themſelves.
Thirdly, By the true knowledge of this we come to be acquainted with that combate and conflict, that is between the fleſh and the ſpirit, ſo much ſpoken of by Divines, who uſually ſay, In every godly man there are two men, two I's, as the Apoſtle (Rom. 7.) diſtinguiſheth, I Paul carnal, ſold under ſinne, doing the things, I would not, and I Paul ſpiritual, delighting in the Law of God in the inwardman, and thanking God the Father through Chriſt, becauſe freed from condemnation; That Paul did not ſpeak of this combate, while unregenerate, as a Legaliſt, as ſome ſay, but as truly converted, will appear, if we conſider, that in another place, Gal. 5. 17. the Apoſtle ſpeaks of all the godly, as thus exerciſed, The fleſh luſteth againſt the Spirit, and the Spirit againſt the fleſh; So that whatſoever is done holily and godlily, it is alwayes cum luctâ carnis, and therefore grace is the mortifying of the fleſh: Now our ſins will not be put to death, without ſome pain and reluctancy to the carnal part. Therefore this is a perpetual concomitant of every godly man, he hath a combate and ſpiritual conflicting within him, and this makes him often in ſo many agonies, this makes him ſo earneſtly watching and praying againſt all temptations; now come we to natural people, they feel not the leaſt ſtrugling within them, all is quiet, and at eaſe, becauſe they are wholly in their original ſinne, they were born in; And this makes it plain likewiſe, that all their praying, hearing, all the religious duties they ever performed, were never done in an holy and godly manner, becauſe there was no reluctancy, or inward combate, but they did them in a cuſtomary, formal way, without any ſpiritual life or motion, for fleſh will not fight againſt fleſh. Indeed there is a combate between conſcience in its conviction and corruption, even in ſome unregenerate men, as in Ariſtotle's incontinent man, as diſtinguiſhed from his intemperate, and that is known, of Medea, video meliora, proboque, deteriora ſequor, I ſee and approve better things, but follow the worſe: And ſome would have Paul's combate to be no other, becauſe he cals it, The Law of his mind, fighting with the Law in his members, but that is not cogent, as is more largely to be ſhewed in its time. Though therefore there be a reluctancy in ſome unregenerate men, yet that is not like the conflict in the godly, becauſe amongſt other differences, this is one principal. The godly man being regenerated in every part of the ſoul, though not perfectly, his will is ſanctified as well as his mind: Hence the combate and oppoſition in a godly man, is between the ſame faculty ſanctified, and the fleſh ſtill abiding in that part, his holy will againſt his corrupt will; ſo that not only his mind and conſcience is againſt ſinne, but his will alſo, ſo farre as ſanctified: Hence the ſame Apoſtle makes the oppoſition between will and will, What I would not, that I do, and though captivated by luſt, yet at that very time, delighting in the Law of God, in the inward man; whereas in unregenerate men, they have only an oppoſition between their conſcience, and their heart. The mind ſuggeſts one thing, but the will and affections wholly incline another way; Therefore that light in their conſciences is a trouble and vexation to them, they do all they can to extinguiſh it.
The Doctrine then of original corruption, informing us. That it abideth ſtill in a man, while he liveth upon the earth, doth inform the truly godly, that they muſt alwayes expect agonies and conflicts within, like fire and water met together, ſo will grace and corruption be; Therefore by this very combat, we may diſcern true grace, and it's counterfeit; for preſumption, which would be thought faith, is eaſie, we find no oppoſition to it, but faith is put forth with much difficulty; ſo godly ſorrow put forth upon pure and ſpiritual motives, is greatly aſſaulted by the fleſh within us, but worldly ſorrow or mourning, though for ſinne, becauſe of temporal judgments only that is eaſie, we are carried to it from a propenſity within, from a love to our ſelves.
Hence laſtly, The main and principal effect of the true knowledge of our original defilement, is to bring the ſoul humbled and burdened under it, to a true and real eſteem of Chriſt, and his Grace. So much as we take off from original ſinne, making it either no ſinne, or the leaſt ſinne, or quite aboliſhed after Baptiſm, ſo much do we take off from the grace of God in Chriſt. Hence the Apoſtle, Rom. 5. when he maketh that famous oppoſition between the firſt Adam and the ſecond, the gift of grace by one, and the condemnation by the other, he pitcheth upon that firſt diſobedience, by which we are made ſinners, as the original of all that calamity we are plunged into; and therefore the ſame Paul, when he poured out a large complaint about this Law of ſinne working in him, at the cloſe of all he runneth to Jeſus Chriſt, Rom. 7. 35. It is the true knowledge of this only, that will make us ſee the neceſſity of Chriſt all the day long, and in every duty, in every performance; As we have none ſpeak ſo much of Grace and Chriſt, as Paul, ſo none ſpeaks ſo largely and fully about original ſinne. In the fifth Chapter of the Romans, he aſſerts the Doctrine of it; and in the ſeventh Chapter, he declares the power of it, which he felt experimentally in himſelf, though regenerated: Do not then think this is a Philoſophical diſpute, or that to erre in this is like erring in thoſe points, wherein one Chriſtian is to bear with another; but with Auſtin account it a fundamental, and that to deny it, is to overthrow that Law whereby we are Chriſtians.