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

CHAP. III.

Demonstrations of the Naturality of this Sinne, That we have it by Naturall Propaga∣tion.

SECT. I.

BEing then thus informed of the Usefulness and Necessity of true Knowledge in this matter: Let us have your ready and diligent attention in prosecuting that matter, which relateth to it; And so I come to that notion which this Text fastens upon it, that it is a Natural sin, that we have it by natural Propagation.

In the Scripture, and by the Ancients before Austin's time, it had many names, The Law of sinne, The Old man, The Flesh, The old stroke of the Serpent, an hereditary evil, The tradux mali; But in his time for better ob∣viating the Hereticks, who would allow the former names, it was by him called Original sinne, and ever since made an Ecclesiastical word, only to call it a natu∣ral evil, they did not presume for fear of the Marcionites, who held, That there was an evil Nature, as well as the good: And the Pelagians accused the Orthodox for Manicheism in this point, because they held the propagation of this corruption by Nature; Therefore they avoided the term of a Natural evil; yet Austin at last did use it, and indeed it is a very proper and fit name for it, hereby differencing it from all actual, voluntary and personal sinnes; as also from sinne by imitation and custom; for Aristotle makes a distinction of things that are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Lib Ethic. 2. cap. 1. where he sheweth what is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, by na∣ture, as the stone to descend, and the fire to ascend, is not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, so ac∣cording to him, who knew nothing of original sinne, we are neither good or evil, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, by nature. And withall this Text doth fully warrant the expressi∣on, If we are by Nature sinnefull, then there is a natural evil; Not that God put it at first into our Natures, or that it is our substantial Na∣ture,

but we have it by Natural Propagation.

Let us therefore consider, How much is implied in this expression.

SECT. II.

[ 1] ANd first, It may well be called Natural, because it doth infect the whole Na∣ture of Mankind. It's a defilement that followeth our specifical, not indi∣vidual being: Even as we call death natural, because it followeth all mankind; Rich men die, and poor men die; learned men die, and foolish; None are ex∣empted from it: Thus also it is with this sinne, All that are born in a natural way of mankind have this contagion. The sonnes of Noblemen and Princes, though they glory in their blood and their descent, yet they are as full of sin, and the children of wrath, as well as the children of the basest; so that though in civil respects they boast of their birth, and are above others, yet in a theologi∣cal and divine respect, all are alike; yea the children of godly parents, though they have a promise to their seed, and in that respect their children are said to be holy, 1 Cor. 7. yet they come into the world with inherent corruption in them; They do not generate their children, as godly men, but corrupt men, as Austin of old ex∣pressed it, A circumcised man begat a child uncircumcised, and the Husbandman, though he soweth his seed out of the chaff and husk, yet that brings up others with chaff and husk upon it. Well therefore may we call it a natural sinne, be∣cause it doth extend to the whole humane Nature, as it is in every one that parta∣keth of it in a natural way. So that as Divines do distinguish of infirmities and evils; There are some that are specifical, which follow the Species, as death; and some are accidental, which follow the individual nature: Thus there are some sinnes, which follow the particular nature of a man, and these are actual sinnes. Every man is not a drunkard, an adulterer, but some are defiled one way, some another; but then there is a sinne, which followeth the whole and universal na∣ture of man, and this is original sinne, though every man be not guilty of such or such a particular sinne, yet all are, of original sinne; And therefore the School∣men say, Actual sinne doth corrumpere personam, but original Naturam, actual sins corrupt the person, original the nature.

SECT. III.

WE are declaring the Naturality of this Original sinne, not as if it were ingredient into, or constitutive of our nature, but an universal and in∣separable pollution adhering to it, as they say of death, as though it be praeter Na∣turam, or contra; yet if we do regard the principles of mortality, which are in every man, so death is natural.

[ 2] Come we therefore to a second demonstration of the Naturality of this evil, and that is seen, In that it is the inward principle of all the sinfull motions of the soul, and that per••se, not per accidens. This is a great part of that definition, which Aristotle giveth of Nature, now we may in a moral sense apply it to our purpose.

First, I say, It's the inward principle of all the sinfull motions, and workings of the Soul. For as the nature of the stone is the cause of its motion downward, as the nature of the fire is the cause of the fires motions and operations: Thus is original sinne the intrinsecal cause, and root of all the actual evil we are guilty of. It is farre from me to justifie Flacius his discourse or opinion of original sin, making it the natural substance of a man, and not an accident, though he so

expresseth himself, that some think its his Logical and Metaphysical errour, ra∣ther than Theological: Only that which I aim at, is to shew, That this birth∣sinne, is naturally ours, because from it doth flow all the sinnefull and evil operations of the whole man; So that we may say, as it is natural to the stone to descend, to the sparks to flie upwards, so it is natural to man to think evil, to speak evil, and to do evil. Aristotle observeth (Lib. 2. Ethic. cap. 1.) this, as one property of things by nature, that there the principles are before the actions; A man hath the power to see, or hear before he can actually do either, but in moral things, the actions are before the habits. As it is natural to the Toad to vent poison, and not honey; so when a man sinneth, it's from his own, it's natural to him, but when inabled to do any thing that is good, this is wholly of grace: Now, I say, It's an inward principle of all sinne within us, to distin∣guish it from external cause, viz. the devil or wicked men, who sometimes may tempt and cause to sinne; Therefore the devil is called The tempter, Mat. 4. 3. Insomuch that it is made a Question, Whether there be any sinne a man commits, that the Devil hath not tempted unto, but that I attend not to at this time: This is enough, that the Devil is but an outward cause of sinne, and therefore were there not that original filth in us, his sparks could never kindle a fire, he cannot compell or force to sinne; In somuch that whatsoever sinne we do commit, we are not to lay the fault principally upon the Devil, but our own corrupt hearts: Though Ananias lied against the holy Ghost, because the Devil had filled his heart; And Judas betrayed Christ, because Satan had entred into his heart, yet the devil could not have come into their hearts, had they not been of uncleane and corrupt Constitutions: before it was an evil heart, and therefore the devil took possession of it. The Apostle James, cap. 1. 14. doth notably discover the true cause, and natural fountain of all the evil committed by us, and that is, The lust and concupiscence, that is within us, he saith, We must not charge God with our sinnes, as if he were to be blamed, because we are not kept from wicked∣ness; neither doth he bid us, Charge it upon the Devil, though he doth tempt us, but upon our own corrupt lust within. Thus then you see, that as Paul saith of those, who are in Christ, They no longer live, but Christ within them, Gal. 2. 20. So we may on the contrary affirm of every man by nature, that he doth not so much live, as sinne within him; for when our physical nature causeth us to think, or speak, or do, then also sinne like our moral nature, doth make us think, and speak sinfully: Even as the lame horse can never move himself to go, but he halteth in that motion. Surely, this consideration should make all man∣kind mourn in sackcloth, and roll it self in ashes: What should a man do in his whole life, but as Anselm said, to deplore his whole life, in totâ vitâ totam vitam deplorare, for he cannot move, or stirre, or do any thing, but he sinneth; If he cateth, if he drinketh, if he worketh, yea, if he prayeth, in all these he sinneth, as is more to be shewed. We see then, that because this original sinne is by way of a principle within us of all our irregular motions; Therefore though there were no Devil to tempt, no examples for men to imi∣tate, yet their corrupt nature within would carry them to it; Did not Cain murder Abel, when there had been no such sinne in the world before? We many times wonder how children, yea and sometimes grown men should commit such sinnes, that they could not see practised before their eyes; but we need not wonder, when we consider what a shop of all impieties every mans heart by nature is. Hence Solomon speaking of the uprightness God made man in, Eccles. 7. 29. he instanceth in the effects of original sin, as opposite to that uprightness, that it makes a man seek out many sinfull inventions, he doth not only sin by imi∣tation, but invention.

Secondly, It is added in the definition, That nature is the principle of moti∣on perse, and not per accidens: If a man move a Bowl, and make it runne, it's

not a natural motion, because the principle is from without, and it's by accident; yea those automata, those artificial instruments, which some have made, that move themselves, yet that is not a natural motion, because the principle is not in them perse, but by accident. Now this property is very applicable to man; for when he sinneth, it's not by accident, or from unexpected occasion, but of him∣self, and from himself; Therefore to do as a man, to walk as a man, denoteth sinfulness, in the Scripture phrase, 1 Cor. 3. 1. When there are envyings, strifes amongst you, Do ye not walk as men? Observe that, To walk as a man, is to do a thing sinfully, so Rom. 3. 5. when the Apostle in his reasoning made a supposi∣tion of God being unrighteous, if he took vengeance, addeth [I speak as a man] These instances declare, that to do a thing as a man, is to do it sinfully, as he said, Humanum est errare. Thus when Christ would express the naturality of the Devils wickedness, he saith, He sinneth of his own (John 8. 44) when he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: So when thou art proud, worldly, un∣believing, thou doest this of thy own; You wonder that some have lies so ready at hand to excuse iniquity, even young children, they are like the Devil in this, they do it of their own, so that sinne only we can call our own; our wealth is not our own, our lives are not our own, these we have from God, but that propensity to sinne is our own, it ariseth from our selves, as from the rotten tree come those worms that consume it: Oh what deep humiliation should this cause in thee! Thou hast nothing thou canst call thy own but sinne; That which God only hateth and loatheth, that is only thine; he looketh on thee, and seeth thy soul, that he gave thee; he seeth thy body, that is his workmanship also, but then he beholdeth the pravity and sinfull disposition in thee, and this is none of his. It was not of God, but it came through Adam's disobedience; so that when we sinne, we then doing it of our own, it is no wonder that when there is no Devil to tempt, no example to imitate, yet men can readily commit any sinne.

SECT. IV.

[ 3] THirdly, This sinne is Natural, because it doth alwayes and constantly put it self forth: For this is one way of discovering the naturality of a thing, viz. if it be alwayes and constantly so. The Poets saying, Naturam expellas, &c. Though you use all art, or violence, to barre out nature, yet that will recurre, it will recurre again; Though you violently smother, and keep down the flames, yet no sooner have they passage, but they will ascend, because what Nature doth, it's constant and invariable in, and this is too true in respect of this original sinne, it doth constantly and certainly work in us, even as often as our soul doth put forth any vital actings at all. Those things that are by accident, they seldom fall out, but what is by nature is frequent, you may know the Sunne will rise again, though it be night, till God put a period to the course of nature: And thus it is concerning man, as soon as ever he is born, you may conclude this child, as soon as ever he can think, he can understand, or will, as soon as he can love, or be angry, he will do them all sinfully; Even as when ye see a young Serpent, you may certainly conclude, this will poison as soon as ever it can sting, and the reason is, because it's a constant pollution of the soul, and therefore it is in every thing the unregenerate man doth, Gen. 6. 5. The imagination of the thoughts of a mans heart is only evil, and that continually; it's continually, because natu∣rally so: May not this respect also make thee with Jeremiah wish, That thy head were a fountain of tears to weep day and night? For can any thing be more dread∣full than to have this fountain of poison within, running out all the day long; To have this flux of blood, that no act or humane skill can stop? Aristotle saith,

That every time a man breaths, there comes out some kind of fire with it. Certainly, every time thou thinkest and movest thy soul any way, there comes out hell fire with those motions, by this means the sea-shore is not fuller of sand, or the air of atomes, than thou art of constant sinnefull emanations from thy soul.

SECT. V.

FOurthly, This sinne is Natural, Because it would carry a man out to the [ 4] highest actings of the grossest impieties that can be. As they say, Nature doth act alwayes to the highest it can. Thus it's true in respect of this natural corruption, it doth incline every man to be as vile, and as enormous as any are; For although this original corruption doth not deprive him of his understand∣ing and will, making of him an irrational beast, yet it doth so captivate and in∣thrall the whole man; That though to understand and to will be of nature, yet this understanding and willing in a sinfull manner will alwayes be, because it's corrupted nature; and therefore it would hurry every man even as the Devil did the Swine into the sea of perdition: Every one would be a Cain, a Judas, if his corrupt nature were left to it self, and if you ask, Why then are not all men turned into so many beasts and Devils? Why is not the whole world in consusi∣on? How comes there to be any civility or morality? Why is not every place like an hell, if all men are thus vile by nature? It's answered, God hath a re∣forming and restraining grace; If this later may be called Grace: Now those that God reformeth, and inwardly sanctifieth; They are made to delight in the Law of God; They have the fear of God put into their hearts, and so they keep from sinne out of love to God; but then there are others, and God layeth a restraint upon them, he puts a bridle in their mouths: So that although they have an insatiable appetite to sinne, and do not put forth the whole abundance of that evil, which is within them, yet they have a principle inclining thereunto, only God stops them; as he did Balaam, whose heart was desirous to curse the people of Israel, though he was restrained from it; As it is with the sea, by its own natural motion, it would overthrow the whole world, but that God hath put his bounds to it, saying, Hitherto shalt thou go and no further. Thus God hath a supreme dominion even over the sinfull heart of man, so that it cannot sinne, when and how, and as much as it listeth, but it's under the providence of God, Cui nihil est malum, as Austin said, because he can turn it unto good. But all this is no thanks or praise to man; Say then with thy self, If I runne not into the same excess of riot with others; If I be not so abominable and loath∣som, as many others are; It's not because I have a better nature, or come less polluted with original sin into the world, but because God puts limits to me, for as you see in the little Acorn is contained all the huge branches and boughes, which by length of time, it groweth up into. Thus let man alone, let him have opportunities to sinne, let not God restrain him, and you will quickly see him to be an incarnated Devil, and the reason is, because this evil being natural, and withall the seed of all evil, therefore he would be hurried on to the committing of it: Even as Adam had in the image of God, the seminals of every godly acti∣on, so that none could say, Adam had not a power to do such and such a graci∣ous work. Thus it is with original corruption succeeding in the room thereof, it naturally defiles all over, and so hath a womb, as the Apostle James, chap. 1. 14. alludeth thereunto, wherein any monstrous and deformed sin may be conceived.

SECT. VI.

[ 5] FIfthly, It's Natural, Because it's necessarily in every one; we are necessarily thus defiled and stained; And in this respect chiefly, we call it Natural, be∣cause it's not voluntary, it's not subject to the exercise of free-will: For al∣though, as was said, the heart of man inclineth to the highest impieties, yet the exercise of some gross impieties are subject to our power in some measure, a man is not in this sense necessarily a drunkard, or an adulterer; but when we speak of this inward filthiness, it's so natural, that it's necessary: Neither the being of it, or the immediate motions of it are subject to our reason and will, but they are in us antecedently to our own consent; and this consideration doth greatly aggravate our guilt, for we are not only habitually and actually, or vo∣luntarily sinfull, but naturally and necessarily so. Now as it is the great aggra∣vation of Gods holiness, that he is not only actually holy, but naturally, yet vo∣luntarily: So it must be our great condemnation, that we are not only actually and voluntarily sinfull, but even naturally and necessarily, yet this necessity taketh not off from voluntariness, and delight in sin.

It's Ivy twisted about, and eaten into our Nature, whether we will or no; So that it is ours, not because we will it, and make it ours by consent, but be∣cause it's inherently in us before the least deliberate actings of the soul: Inso∣much that as Suarez well observeth, If a man grown up in years should by a per∣sonal, formal, and explicit consent agree to Adam's sinne, yet that would only be a personal sinne in him, it would not make Adam's sinne his; And the reason is, because this sinne doth now descend upon us by natural propagation, not by voluntary agreement, yet this necessity of it doth not at all abate from the de∣light and pleasure that we find in the actings thereof: Neither is it such a natural necessity, as hunger or thirst, which are not culpable, because they are not contrary to the Law of God, neither were at first contracted by Adam's free choice, but are a necessary concomitant of mans constitution in an animal life, whereas this necessity is the issue of Adam's free-will, and is subjectively in our will, whereby a man is carried out at the same time to sinne, both necessa∣rily and yet voluntarily, and so agreeth rather with those who have contracted an habit of sinne, who sinne in some respect necessarily, as the Prophet expres∣seth it, Jer. 13. 23. Can the Ethiopian change his skin? or the Leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.

SECT. VII.

WE proceed to further discoveries of this Truth, viz. The Naturality of this evil: And that

In the sixth place will further appear, In that it is more near to us, than any actual or habitual sinne; That it is nearer than any actual sinne, is plain, Because that is transient, and abideth not in us. But for habitual sinne, that is constantly fixed in us, when once setled there. Now it may be thought, that original sinne cannot stick closer than that, an habit being a kind of second nature: Insomuch that Aristotle makes such who have acquired habits of sinne, to sinne necessarily, and that there is not so much voluntariness in their offences, as in other faults. But now original sinne is more naturally and intimately in us, than these acqui∣red habits of sinne, for we are not made thus originally filthy by frequent actings of sinne, but we are born and bred so, so that whereas habits of sinne, as drunkenness, uncleanness, &c. These are the product of many actions; Fre∣quent and often sinning begets such an habit that cannot be left off. This original

sinne is the cause of sinful actions, not the effect of it: Because we are thus sin∣ful and polluted by nature, therefore all our actions are likewise so polluted. Now then if the Scripture make it such an impossible thing for a man accustomed only to evil to become a changed man, that impossibility lieth upon a man, who is naturally so; For though custom be called a second Nature, yet certainly the first Nature is more implanted, and so more active in a man. This particular therefore may greatly humble a man, in that sinne is so deeply rooted in him, it's worse than an habit or custom of sinning; It goeth as neer to thy very essence and substance, as it can do, and yet not be thy substance; Therefore the Scripture cals it, Flesh and blood, The members of a man, The Law of sinne in his flesh. If a man hath a thorn in his flesh, how restless and pained is he? Paul compared that heavy temptation, he grapled with, to a Thorn in the flesh; but although by nature, we have this thorn, not only in our sides, but even all over the whole man, yet we can lie down in ease, and live in pleasure, as if nothing ailed us; but this is one deadly effect of original sinne, that it takes away all sense and feeling, whether there be any such thing or no. Oh then, let the thoughts of this sinne go as deep into thee, as the sinne it self! Sinne is got into thy heart, let sorrow get thither; Sinne hath entred into thy bowels, and filled the whole man brimme full (as we say;) Oh let shame and holy confusion be as deep, and as complete in thee!

SECT. VIII.

SEventhly, This naturality will appear, If we consider that original righteous∣ness, [ 7] which God created man in: For our original sinne comes in the place thereof, and such a perfection as that was to the soul, such a defect is this to us. Now the Orthodox do maintain against Papists, That that original righteousness was not a supernatural perfection superadded to mans nature, but a due and natural perfection concreated with him; For as Adam being made to glorifie God, was thereby to have a rational soul, so also such perfection in that soul, which might make him capable of his end, otherwise man would have been created in a more imperfect and ignoble condition than any creature. It is true indeed, That Righteousness and Holiness Adam had, which the Scripture cals Gods Image, did not flow from the principles of nature, neither was it a natural consequent thereof; but yet it was a moral condition or perfection due to Adam, supposing God created him to such an end; and therefore we are not to conceive of that Image of God, as an infused habit or habits which were to rectifie and guide the natural faculties and affections of the soul, which otherwise would move in repugnancy and contrariety to one another, but as a natural rectitude, and innate ability of those powers and affections of the soul to move regularly and subordinately to Gods will: Though therefore in respect of God, that Righteousness Adam had might be called supernatural, because it was his gift, yet in respect of man, the subject, so it was connatural, and a suitable perfection to his nature. This being taken for a sure Truth, then it will exceedingly help us to the true understanding of the naturality of this evil, for original sinne succeed∣ing in the stead thereof, is not (as some Papists affirm) like the taking of cloaths from a man, and so leaving him naked; or like the taking away of a bridle from an horse, all which are superadded, and external helps, as it were; but it's like death that takes away the life of a man, in respect of what is holy and godly, and like an heavy disease that doth much hinder and debilitate even the natural operations. This original sinne then is like the spoiling of an instrument of Mu∣sick, or the deordination of a Clock or Watch, when not able to perform their proper service they were made for: So that original sinne is partly the want of

this original Righteousness that was so connatural, and partly thereby a propen∣sity and inclination to all evil; For as when the harmony of the humours is dis∣solved, presently diseases arise in the body: Thus when that admirable rectitude, which was at first in the whole man, was broken, then all inordinacy, all pervers∣ness and crookedness presently began to possess the whole man: As then original Righteousness was not as an infused habit, but the faculties of the soul duly con∣stituted, whereby they did regularly move in their several wayes; so original sin is not to be conceived, like some acquired habit, polluting the powers of the soul, but as the internal defect and imperfection that is cleaving to them; Even as the paralitical hand whensoever it moveth, doth it with feebleness and trembl∣ing, wanting some strength within: If therefore we would truly judge of the horrible nature of this sinne, we must throughly understand the excellency and wonderful nature of that original Righteousness which is now lost, then all things in the soul were in an admirable subordination to that which is holy; and al∣though the sensitive appetite, was then carried out to some sensible object, yet it was with a subordination to the understanding; so that in that state of integri∣ty there did not need, as the Papists say, Righteousness as a bridle to curb in the passions and affections, which otherwise would be inordinate, for this were to attribute a proneness to sinne in us to God himself, for he is the author of every thing, which is natural in us, but all the affections and sensitive motions, were then subjected to the command of reason, so that Adam had power to love when, and as long, and in what measure he pleased; All the affections of his soul were both quoad originem, gradum and progressum under his dominion; Even as the Artificer can make his Clock strike, when, and as many times as he pleaseth. But wo be unto us, all this excellent harmony and subordination is now lost, and our affections they captivate and rule over our judgments, and all this is because 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, there wants something within, as he said of his Image that he could not make stand, because it wanted life within.

SECT. IX.

[ 8] EIghthly, That this original sinne is a natural evil, appeareth, From the work of grace sanctifying, which is the proper remedy to cure this imbred defile∣ment: For the grace of Regeneration is chiefly and principally intended to sub∣due sinne, as it did corrupt the nature, and so by consequence, as we were per∣sonally corrupted; Therefore the tree must first be made good; ere the fruit can be good, as the tree is in its nature evil, and then it brings forth evil fruit: So that God in vouchsafing of this grace of Regeneration, doth not principally in∣tend to make thee leave thy actual sinnes (for that is by consequence only) but to make thy nature better to repair his Image in thee: Even as when the Pro∣phet Elisha would make the waters sweet, he threw salt into the spring and fountain of them: Thus because it's from a polluted nature that all our actual sinnes flow, therefore grace regenerating is principally ordered to take away or conquer that by degrees, which is the cause of all: If this be so, then let us con∣sider, What this grace is, which doth inable us to do any thing after a godly and holy manner? This is a supernatural gift of God, and an insused quality into the soul, whereby it's inabled to work above its own proper and natural operations: If then to do any thing that is good be wholly of grace, it's Gods gift, then to sin is natural and proper to thee. The Scripture is copious and plentiful in affirming this, That Christ as our head is the cause of all our supernatural actings, We receive of his fulness, and so are inabled by him. Grace then being supernatural, to love God, to repent of sin, to do any thing spiritually, being thus wholly above na∣ture, it necessarily followeth, that when we sin, and do evil, that we do it naturally.

SECT. X.

NInthly, The Nature of a thing, if compounded, and not simple, is the [ 9] complex of the whole. The nature of a man is not his hands, or his eyes only, but his soul, and his whole body. Thus the nature of original Righteous∣ness was not the perfection of one single faculty, the understanding only, the will only, but it was the complete harmonical rectitude of the whole man, cal∣led therefore the Image of God; Now as the Image of a man is not one limb or member, but the pourtraiture of the whole: So neither was the Image of God in Adam; one grace, or some few graces, but the perfection of every part; Light in the mind, holiness in the will, order and regularity in the affections: Thus it is on the contrary with original sinne, it's called, The old man, and it's said to have m••mbers, by which is implied, that it's not any single sinne, or a defect and pollution in one faculty of the soul, but it's universal over all. Hence our Saviour saith, John 3. Whatsoever is born of the flesh is flesh, it is wholly cor∣rupted, it is all over sinful; So then, when we say, it's natural, this implieth, That it is a Leprosie all over us, as farre as our physical being extends: Thus also in a moral sense doth our sinful Being inlarge it self: Therefore our natural estate is not compared only to a blind man, or a deaf man, what wants the use of some faculties, but unto death it self, that depriveth of the use of all. The natu∣rality then of this sinne doth denote both the inward inheston, as also the univer∣sal diffusion of it, nothing within a man being free from this contagion.

SECT. XI.

LAstly, The Naturality of this evil doth appear In the great easiness, prompti∣tude [ 10] and delight a man naturally finds to sin. This is a way to discover what is natural, if the actions be easie, ready, and with delight; This discovers they flow from Nature, but what is of art, that is with difficulty, and much observation. We need not hire, or teach a man to eat or drink, these are natural actions, and are accompanied with delight: And thus the Naturality of this birth-sinne is no∣tably manifested; with what ease, pleasure, and inward readiness is a man carri∣ed out to sinne from his youth up: Eliphaz speaks notably of this, Job 15. 16. How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water, like a Leviathan, that is said to drink up the river, and hasteth not. You see he cals every man by nature abominable and filthy, which is discovered by this, He drinketh iniquity like water, as a dropsie, or feavorish man, that is scorched with heat within, doth with greediness and delight pour down water, and the more he drinketh, the thirstier he is, and he never saith he hath enough. Thus it is with filthy and corrupted man, he doth with earnestness and delight fulfill the lust of the flesh, he is never satisfied. Every man in the world hath a Sheol with∣in him, that is alwayes craving, and saying, Give, Give, as hell hath unquench∣able sparks of fire, such an hell is in every mans heart; As our Saviour said, It's my meat and drink to do my Fathers will. Thus it is every mans meat and drink by nature to be doing the Devils will: Do ye not see it in children, how of themselves they are prone to any impiety, but call them to learn, or to be instructed, then there is much aversness? All this ariseth from the natural evil within us.