Sect. XII.
And as the healthiest body is subject to the mortallest disease; so there is no sin so odious, unto which of our selvs we are not sufficiently inclinable. For Original sin, in which we are all born and bred; containeth in it self the seeds of all sins; that fearful sin against the Holy Ghost it self not excepted.
Such venemous natures we have; that never was there any villany com∣mitted by any forlorn miscreant; whereunto we have not a disposition in our selves. Insomuch that we ought to be humbled, even for those very sins from which we are in a manner exempt: For that Coins envy, Ishmaels sco∣fing, Rabsh••ka's railing, Shimei's cursing, Senacheribs balsphemy, Doegs mur∣ther, Pharaohs cruelty, Sodoms lust, Judas his treason, Julians apostacie, &c. are not our sins, and as much predominant in us, as they were in each of them; it is onely God's free grace and goodnesse. For all of them should have been thine and my sins, if God had left us to our selves. Lord faith Saint Austin, thou lust forgiven me those sins which I have done, and those sins which one∣ly by thy grace I have not done: they were done in our inclination to them, and even that inclination needs God's mercy. If we escape temptation, it is his mercie; if we stand in temptation, it is his mercie; if our wills consent not, it is his mercie; if we consent, and the act be hindered, it is his mercy; if we fall, and rise again by repentance, all is his mercy.
We cry out of Cain, Judas, Julian, the Sodomites: alas they are but glas∣ses to see our own faces in: For as in water, face arswereth to face; so doth the heart of man to man. Sayes Solomon Prov. 27. 19. even hating of God, is by the Holy Ghost charged upon all men. Rom. 1. 30. John. 15. 23. 24. 25. Wee are all cut out of the same piece, and as there is the same nature of all Lyons, so of all men
There is no part, power, function or faculty, either of our souls or bodies, which is not become a ready instrument to dishonour God: our heart is a root of all corruption, a seed plot of all sin; our eyes are eyes of vanity, our ears are ears of folly, our mouthes mouthes of deceit, our hands hands of iniquity; and every part does dishonour God; which yet would be glorified of him. The understanding which was given us to learn virtue, is apt now to apprehend nothing but sin; the will which was given us to affect righte∣ousnesse, is apt now to love nothing but wickednesse; the memory which was given us to remember good things, is apt now to keep nothing but evill things &c. For sin like a spreading leaprosie, is so grown over us, that from the crown of our heads, to the sole of our feet; there is nothing whole therein, but wounds, and swellings, and sores full of corruption. To be short, wee are as Trailors, condemned to suffer eternall torments in Hell-fire being only repric∣ved for a time.