A treatise of original sin ... proving that it is, by pregnant texts of Scripture vindicated from false glosses / by Anthony Burgess.

¶. 2.

Of the Motions of the Heart to sinne not consented unto, as an imme∣diate Effect of Original Sin.

THe last Proposition we mentioned, contained a division of the effects of original sinne within us, which were either immediate, such as the motions of the heart to sinne with the pleasures therof, not consented unto. Or medi∣ate, which are lusts consented unto, and the external actings of sinne thus imbraced. I shall only enlarge my self upon the former, and for your informa∣tion therein, take these considerations.

First, That these motions to sinne may be divided according to the subject they are in. Now the powers of the soul are usually divided into the apprehen∣sive and appetitive; the cognitive and affective; that is, either such as know or under∣stand, or such as are carried out by love and desire. These are the Jachin and Beaz (as it were) the two pillars of the temple of the soul; and respectively to these two, so are the stirrings of sinne within us. In the mind, or knowing part of the soul, the workings of sinne are by apprehensions and thoughts; In the affective part, by way of delight and love. And in both these the heart of a godly man is many times sadly exercised. For thoughts, How many vain, idle, foolish ones do arise in his soul, like the sand upon the sea-shore? The flies and Locusts in Aegypt did not more annoy then these do molest and trouble a gra∣cious heart. These thoughts come like so many swarms upon thee before thou hast time to recollect thy self. They are got into the souls closet, before they were ever perceived knocking at the door. Nay these thoughts are not only roving, wandring and restlesse, but sometimes horrid black ones, blasphemous, atheistical, diabolical; which put the soul into an holy trembling, and they know not what to do; they think none like them, no such vile wretches in the world, as they are. Indeed there are blasphemous injections of Satan, such as are suggested to the soul importunately by him, to which the soul giveth no consent, but like the maid in the judicial Law, that was ready to be ravished, cry∣eth out against them; or as the people, when they heard Rabshakeh rail and blaspheme the God of Israel so horribly, They answered him not a word. Thus the people of God in such temptations give no consent or approbation to them; now these are afflictions not sinnes; they are sad exercises, but not our corruptions, because they are wholly external, and cast in upon us; as if we were in a room, where we could not get out, hearing men curse and bla∣spheme; this would torment our souls, but they do not make us guilty. They are compared to the Cup in Benjamen's sack; it was found there, but it was not his fault, it came there without his knowledge and consent. And although they be foul and loathsom to a gracious heart, yet God usually keepeth his people hereby humble and lowly; yea he maketh them more spiritual and fruitfull, as the black and noisom dung maketh the field more fertile and fruitfull; but I speak not of these. The thoughts we are treating of, are such as arise from our own hearts: for seeing original sinne is the seed of all evil, the most erroneous and flagitious that can be; therefore atheistical, blasphemous, lascivious, and other evil thoughts may come out of our own hearts. It is indeed a special part of heavenly skill and wisdom, experimentally to make a difference between what thoughts are our own, and what are meerly of diabolical ••••jections, to discover when our own corrupt nature worketh, and when the Devil doth only assault and annoy us: But that is not my business now. It is enough to know, That even from thy own unsanctified heart may arise vain thoughts, blasphe∣mous

thoughts. So that thy soul seemeth unto thee, to be not only like a dunghill, but an hell it self. To these evil stirrings of sinne, in the apprehen∣sive part, we may referre our sinful dreames: even for them God might damn us. Austin bewaileth and confesseth his dreames; and yet our understanding and will do not so properly work at that time. The other sort of workings of soul, are such as are by way of love, and desire, when there arise in the heart some motions, and affections to such an object. Our hearts being now wholly destitute of the Image of God, and sinne having full dominion over us; no sooner doth any sinful object present it self, but immediately the heart maketh towards it; there is a propensity to embrace it.

Secondly, These motions that do thus stirre in the heart, are either such as they call motus primo primi, or secundo primi, the absolute meer first, or first in a secondary order. There may be difference in the explaining of these; but the summe is this, These motions are either such, which do rise up in our hearts, antecedently to any actings of the reason, or will at all. It was not in our power to repress them, or to prevent them: for original sin in a man doth not lie slug∣gish and bound up, it is alwayes acting and moving; and the immediate mo∣tions or first born of the soul are these first stirrings of heart, preventing all deliberation and consultation. Such a state indeed Adam was not created in; nothing did rise up in him before his will, and consent: and so it was also with Christ. But since we are plunged into this corrupt condition, sinne hath got the whole mastery over us, we are in a Babel and spiritual confusion. Every sinful lust riseth in us before we have time to withstand it; although (if we had time) such is our impotency and corruption now, that we neither can, or will gainsay the torrent of these motions: It is true, the Papists, say, they are no sinnes, they are matter of exercise to us, but they are not sinnes if not con∣sented unto. But the Apostle, Rom. 7. doth often call them so, and they are such as are contrary to the Law of God; they are such as make a godly man groan under them, and judge himself miserable thereby; they are such as are to be crucified and mortified, all which shew they have the true and proper nature of sinne. So that it is a wonder those should deny these indeliberate mo∣tions to be sinne, who hold original sinne to be properly and not equivocally a sinne. For, as it is enough to make original sinne voluntary, because it is vo∣luntarium voluntate ejus à quo, not in quo est, with the will of Adam, from whence it descendeth, though not with the will of him in which it inhereth; Thus also it may be said of these involuntary motions, they are of the same nature with original sinne. For though they be actual, yet flowing necessarily from the mother sinne, and being withall a privation of that righteousness, which ought to be in us, they must be called sinnes, as well as original. And thus farre Henricus the Schooleman proceedeth, as Vasquez alledgeth him, (Tom. 10. disput. 106.) to say, That these first motions in persons, not baptized are sinnes, and that they want not such a voluntariness, as is requisite to the nature of sinne; partly because of the will of the first parents, and partly, be∣cause of the proper will of the man who hath them; not because he doth not hinder these motions, because he cannot alwayes do this; but because he will not by baptisme be expiated from original sinne, and consequently from the guilt of these sinnes. This later reason we matter not; the former hath good strength, and is the same in effect with what we say. Oh then that we were rightly considering of these things! Those millions of thoughts and stirrings of heart, which arise before reason and will are able to do any thing, these are all sinnes: these are contrary to the holy Law of God: Adam had them not, neither shall the glorified Saints in heaven be in the least manner molested with them. How low and debased must thou be in thy own eyes? For this it is that the godly go bowed down; for this they mourn and pray: these afflict them

more then gross loathsome sinnes do prophane men; the meer civil and formal man, the self-righteous and confident man, he knoweth none of these things; he feeleth not this evil impure frame of his heart: this maketh the way of god∣liness to be such a mystery, such an unknown thing, but to those that are belie∣vers indeed, as they have other joyes, other comforts then the world knoweth of; so they have other motives of sorrow and humiliation, then the natural man can understand. But as for the first motions of the second sort, they have some imperfect consent and complacency; and therefore acknowledged by Gerson, (Compend. Theol.) to be sinnes; yea the former kind of motions, though so suddain, are affirmed to be sinnes (by several Schoolemn upon different rea∣sons) but venial, as they call them. For Henricus held they were mortal; now to us all sinnes in their own nature are mortal. Therefore all these motions, which arise in the soul, whether first or second, being contrary to the holy Law of God, which requireth pure streames, and also a pure fountain; and also being opposite to the Image of God we were created in, must needs be truly sinnes: for which we are to humble our selves, and to pray continually for the mortification of them.

Thirdly, These motions though they flow from original sinne, as the universal cause, yet there are particular causes that do excite and draw them forth. And it is good to observe, how many wayes original sinne, being awakened doth pro∣duce these sinful motions thereof. And

1. Sometimes they arise from the present sensible object that doth affect us. Every object either of the eye, or ear, or touching, doth presently work upon the soul, not indeed efficiently (as some have thought) but only by way of alluring and enticing: so that it is almost impossible for us, either to hear or see any object, and not have the first motions of the soul, as suddain, so sinful, about them. Oh the miserable depravation of mankind, who hath sinne and hell en∣tring into the soul by evey sense it hath! there is not any sensible object, but it is a snare to thee, it stirreth up some sinful motion or other, either love, or anger, joy, or fear, and all this before grace can work: Hence the great work of Christianity is inward and spiritual; it is soul-work, to set a watch be∣fore eyes, eares, tongue, and all the outward parts of the body, that the soul be not sinfully disquieted. For every object is to our corrupt hearts one way or other, as the forbidden fruit was to Eve: not that God doth forbid us to see or hear such things, but because the soul cannot be excited by those objects and affected with them, but it is in a sinful manner. If then thy head were a foun∣tain of teares, it could not weep enough for the desolation that is upon thee: Thy eye maketh thee sinne; thy ear maketh thee sinne. Thus thou art com∣passed about with sinne, from evening and morning.

2. These suddain motions of sinne, sometimes arise from the imagination and fancy of a man. And truly, how often do displeasing and sinful imaginations disturb the peace and quiet of thy soul? Is it not thy fancy thou complainest of? how volatique and roving is that? It stayeth no where, it is not fixed in holy duties. It is like a market place, where there is a croud of people, so that the imagination doth very often help this original lust and sinne to bring forth. What a quiet, srene and blessed life should a man live, if his imagination could be kept in an holy fixed frame, if he could bid it go, and it goeth, do this, and it did it?

3. The perturbation of the body by distempers, that many times causeth this ori∣ginal sinne to be working in us: Though the body be corporeal, and the soul a spirit, and so cannot act physically upon it; yet because they are both the essential parts of a man immediately united together, there is by sympathy an acting and affecting of one another, especially the body being instrumental to the soul in many operations: Hence it is when that is disturbed and indisposed,

the soul also is hindred in its operations, and therefore from the distem∣per of the body we are easily moved to anger, to sorrow, to fear, to lusts: So that the motions of the soul are many times according to the motions of the body, as Gerson instanceth (Compend. Theol.) in a simile, which he saith some use concerning the water, when the Sunne-beams are upon it, as the water moveth or danceth up and down, so do the Sunne-beams which are upon the water. Thus as the body is in any commotion, so the soul which is more immediately united to the body, then the beams of the Sunne are to the water, doth work according as it finds this instrument dis∣posed.

Fourthly, This original lust is often stirred up to entice us by the sensitive appetite, by the passions and affections that are in us. This we told you some did limit lust to in the Text, but very unsoundly, yet it cannot be denied, but because the affectionate part of a man is so prevalent and operative, that very often sinne is committed here, even without the consent of the will. These affections doe suddenly transport us, and we can no more command them to be quiet, then we are able to compose the waves of the Sea. Now though we would withstand and gain-say them, yet they are our sinnes for all that, as we see Paul sadly complaining herein, Rom. 7. Austin delighteth (De Trinit. lib. 13.) to expresse our manner of sinning by allusion to the first sinne, When any object doth present it self, to allure and affect us, then the Serpent (saith he) sheweth us the for∣bidden fruit: When the sensitive appetite of a man is drawn out to consent unto it, then Eve doth eat of this forbidden fruit; when the rational part of the soul is enticed likewise to consent to this sinne, then Eve giveth of this fruit to Adam, and he eateth. Thus Reason is like Adam, Eve like the sensitive part; and as Eve, when she did eat the forbidden fruit alone, did thereby grow mortal, and would have died, though Adam had not consented to eat: Thus the affectionate part of a man carrying us away to sinne, though the superiour part of the soul will not agree thereunto, yet this maketh us to be in a state of damnation. This maketh the action to be damnable.

Lastly, When none of these wayes doe stirre up original sinne, then the thoughts and apprehensions of a man in the intellectual part they may. And indeed the former provoking causes were most conspicuous in grosse and carnal sinnes; but this is influential in spiritual sinnes; from the minde come vain thoughts, ambitious, proud, malicious thoughts; from the mind arise blasphemous, atheistical, and unbelieving thoughts. Thus you see how poor and wretched man is become in his soul, as Laezarus was in his body, all over with ulcers and sores, no place is free from sinne: Oh that God would deliver us from our blindnesse of minde, from our self-fulnesse, whereby we are so apt to fall in love with our selves, so as to think we want nothing, when we are without God, without Christ, with∣out the Image of God, without all holinesse and peace within, either of soul or body! How should it pity thee to see this glorious building thus lying in its own ruines and rubbidge? Now from all these particulars thus joyned together, you may observe how sinne carrieth us away in a plea∣sing enticing manner. So that although we cannot but sinne, yet this is very delightsome and satisfactory; insomuch that man is drawn aside to sinne, as he said,

—Trahit sua quemque voluptas.

And this is more to be observed, because the adversaries do so tragically

exclaim against us, in affirming, that we lie under a necessity of sinning, we cannot but sin. Why then say they, Why should God damn us for sinning, any more than for being thirsty or hungry, which do necessarily affect us? But the Answer is two-fold:

1. This necessity of sinning is voluntarily contracted, and brought upon us; it is not as hunger or thirst, which were necessary properties of man at his Creation, though without that grief and pain, which now we feel. And

2. This necessity is also voluntary and pleasing, it seizeth upon the mind, will, affections, and the whole man; and therefore as we can∣not help it, so neither will we help it. We love and delight to eat this poison.

Lastly, There are these three degrees, whereby it's said, Lust cometh to be accomplished: Though some differ in their expressions herein.

The first is Suggestion, and that is when any lust doth begin to arise in the soul: This is very imperceptible and undiscerned, but by those who are exact in the spiritual exercises of thier soul. It is true, some say this word Suggestion is not proper, because that doth properly come from without, the Devil, or the world; but this is internal, arising of our selves. But we need not strive about words.

The second is Delight, From this motion the soul presently findeth some secret pleasure, and accordingly thinketh of it with delight, receiveth it with delight.

Lastly, There is the consent unto these, to will them, to be joyned to them. And thus when sinne hath made this progresse, a man is an adul∣terer, a murderer before God, though not actually done in the eyes of men, as our Saviour witnesseth, Matth. 5. 28. for many do consent to sinne within their heart, which yet do not consent to the outward acting of it; sometimes because of the shame that it will bring; sometimes because of the punishment that it doth deserve, or for some unworthy respect, or other not because they fear and love God, not because they desire a pure, holy heart, as well as an unspotted life. And truly this is a good discovery of uprightnesse of our hearts, when we dare not own sin in our thoughts, when the we dare not respect iniquity in our hearts, when we labour to keep a pure soul, as well as a pure body.