For hereof it commeth, that straight euen from the begin∣ning of our age, & so forth in the wholl course of our life, be∣ing stained & ouercome with manie sins, men doe in heart, thoughtes, and euil deedes breake and transgresse the com∣mandements of God, as it is written, The Lorde looked downe from heauen to behold the children of men, to see if there were a•••• that would vnderstand, and seeke God: all are gone out of the way▪ they haue bene made altogether vnprofitable, there is none that doth good, no not one. And againe, When the Lorde saw that the wickednes of man was great in the earth, and all the cogitations of his heart were onelie euill continuallie. And againe, The 〈◊〉〈◊〉 saide, the imagination of mans heart is euill euen from his youth▪ And Saint Paull saith. VVe were by nature the children of wrath as well as others.
Herewithall this is also taught, that by reason of that cor∣ruption and deprauation common to all mankinde, and for the sinne, transgressions, and iniustice, which ensued there∣of, all men ought to acknowledge, according to the holie scripture, their owne iust condemnation, and the horrible & seuere vengeance of God, and consequentlie the most de∣serued punishment of death, and eternall torments in he•• whereof Paull teacheth vs, when he saith, The wages of sinne is death: And our Lord Christ, They which haue done euill, shal g•••• into the resurrection of condemnation, that is, into paines eter∣nall, Where shal be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
They teach also that we must acknowledge our weake∣nes, and that great myserie which is ingendered in vs, as also those difficulties from which no man can euer deliuer or ridde himselfe by any meanes, or iustifie himselfe (that is, procure or get righteousnes to himselfe) by any kinde of works, deeds, or exercises, seeme they neuer so glorious. For that wil of man which before was free, is now so corrupted, troubled, and weakened, that now from hence forth of it felfe, and without the grace of God, it cannot chuse, iudge, or wish fullie, nay it hath no desire, nor inclination, much lesse any ability, to chuse that good wherewith God is plea∣sed. For albeit it fell willinglie and of it owne accord, yet by it selfe, and by it owne strength it could not rise againe, or recouer that fall, neither to this daie, without the merci∣full helpe of God, is it able to doe any thing at all. And a lit••••