1. Heathens mistake the knowledge.

1. Then, as for the Gentile and Heathen world, when it was at its height of learning, and most noted for inquisitivenesse after, and acutenesse (with successe) in new dis­coveries, yet never came to the discovery of this sinne; Indeed they did discerne a ve­ry great Ataxie, and disorder; they knew there was much a misse in their life, and that this also had infected the mind, and soule; but that deepe silence which every where may be observed among the croud of their morall Writers, who speake very little of the spring and fountaine of vice, when they have spent many sheets on the streames and branches of it, is an undoubted witnesse of their ignorance, and if it were not a worke too great to be dispatched within the compasse of a Sermon, I might bestow some more labour, then now I will, to evince this by undeniable instances, yet take one or two. How little doth Homer speake? or is he not wholly silent in this? and yet he is preferred to some of the best morall Philo­sophers, Stoicks, or Academicks, for in Horace's judgement he better tels us

He that should read Homer, and hope to find any fatisfactory account of this, will surely cast him off at last; & say, he hath lost his labour, and knowes now as little as Ho­race himselfe did of this by his reading, and revolving Trojani Belli Scriptorem. Well Chrysippus the second Stoick Philosopher for eminency, Qui fulcire putatur Porticum (as Cicer. Acad. l. 4. quoted by M ^r Gataker in Praelog. ad Annot. in M. Antonin.) and of whom Laërtius say's [...]. Laert. l. 7. He hath falne short of Homer in the Discovery, Quid Pulchrum, Quid Tur­pe &c. Crantor also, who was no small babe in morality, if either our Poët may be judge, who citeth him as one very eminently be­fore others in his discouse of vertue and vice, or if Cicero and Panaetius (Master or friend to Tubero) may be judge, who tell us of a booke of this Crantor, which was, Non magnus at Aureolus—& qui ad verbum est ediscendus, and yet Homer speakes, Plenius & melius, Quid Pulchrum, Quid Turpe, &c. So that now we may hope either Homer, [Page 17]or Horace from Homer is able to give us the best account of this matter: either of which I assure you, are farre from a competent measure of knowledge, and from any con­siderable progresse in the enquiry and dis­course of this matter. What these menk [...]ew is breifely mentioned by Mr Auth: Burgesse of Origin: Sin. part. 2. cha. 20. which I met with since this was finished. And where these, or such as these do speake of this (besides that it is little) they do generally resolve it into a pronesse springing from worser constitution of that matter, of which we are formed, or a pronesse soonest to imitate what is worst: A Doctrine which may passe with the favourable name of an excusable errour in these men, (who were without the Law,) but is no lesse then Abo­minable heresie in Pelagians, who (as right sonnes of erring Fathers) have walked in the same way of folly, and approved these men's sayings.

From this first sort of well improved men, let us next consider.

2 Pelagians mistake this knowledge.

2. The well improved naturall man in a Pelagian dresse, and on Pelagian principles, proceeding in the enquiry, and pretending to have made the discovery of this indwel­ling concupiscence, and boasting themselves as who rightly know it; But how much [Page 18]they were mistaken, a very briefe recoun­ting of the opinions, and Positions concer­ing this matter will evince. Chemnitius (then whom scarce a more learned divine can be found among the Lutherans) tell's us that the Pelagians deny the whole doctrine touching Originall sin, and blot out the very name of it also: Nor is he single in this re­port of them. Pet: Martyr tel's us as much: Pelagiani universam doctrinam de Peccato originali negant, nc­mincetiam sublato. loc. com. de Pec­cat. orig. Pet. Martyr loc. com. cl. 2 nay who is there that send's us intelligence from the Armies of the living God, that doth not assure us, that this is one, a princi­pall strong hold, which these men have for­tified against Grace, and the truth of Christ; but let us give you a transient view of what they teach their disciples, and would obtrude on us.

Pelagius at Rome (whither he came, after he was discovered in the East) began to maintaine the opinion of Sinlesse perfection, Histor. Pe­lagian. l. 1. c. 3. Defendere Coepit [...], saith Vessius: A Doctrine which floweth from a proud heart, which know [...]s not its own sinfulnesse, a corrupt stream which ran through the stoicke Philosophers, tain­red Origen, and overflowed Pelagius and his followers, as Hiereme hath observed (as he is cited by Joh:Ger:Vossius) and the evident [Page 19]connexion of the conclusions to the princi­ples of those men, and the undeniable con­formity of their dictates, which any one may see, who will be at the paines to compare them, in their Paradoxes gathered together by Justus Lipsius, Just. Lipsi­us in suâ man [...]duct. ad stoicam Philoso­pham. with the Doctrine of the Pilagians, mentioned and refuted by St Au­gustine, collected into one by the learned paines, both of Vossius and Cornel: Jansenius in his large and learned Book called Augu­stinus, seu Doctrina St Augustini &c. In a word it is well known how highly these men advanced nature, cryed up the sufficiency and power of it which cannot be but where first there is a great degree of ignorance or errour and mistakes in the doctrine of O­riginall sin:and what these mistakes (if here­sy may be so called) were, beside, the Au­thors mentioned. Dr Featly will give us an account in his Pelagius Redivivus &c. to which Authors I referre Scholars who can examine and compare these together, and hope others will take it on the word of one, who is willing to be tryed by such as are able to judge in this cause, and therefore cannot be suspected of a purpose to impose upon them, briefely when we read that these men taught their Disciples.

• [Page 20]
  Pelagian Haeresies.
  heresy 1 1. That there was no Originall sin or cor­ruption of humane nature.
• heresy 2 2. That Adam's sin endammaged himselfe onely properly; us onely if we imitate him.
• heresy 3 3. That we are borne as perfect (age onely excepted) as Adam was created, &c.

When we read these, and such like Do­ctrines, we evidently see and need no farther proofe to demonstrate, that these men have not discovered this sinning sinne, and yet they were men of naturall, and improved parts: so was Pelagius, a man excellent for learning, as August: cited by Vossius. Augustin-Epist. ad Paulinum subinitio. So was Caelestius a man of acute Judgment and well improved; for he wrote whilest young, three Epistles, of which Gennadius affirmeth they were omni Deum desideranti necessariae so was Julian Ingenii, doctrinae, facundiae prae­cellentis, saith Vossius, a man acer ingenio saith Gennadius, yet how brutish were these Pastours in their understanding of this point!

3 Semi-Pe­lagians mis­take in this knowledg.

3. Neither are they more happy in their discovery, who in succeeding ages were somewhat more refined in their heresy, such as the elder and later Semipelagians, whose ignorance of this enough appeare's in that which they oppose against efficacious Grace, [Page 21]for an account of which I referre you to Cornelius Jansenius his Parallel of the errors of the Massi [...]ians and some late teachers, in the second chapter of that Parallel, and the third chapter which is annexed to his Augustinus, &c.

With these are to be ranked Arminians, who consent with these erring Doctors, Socinians, and some of our Anabaptists too, as is evident from that which Mr Stephens cite's as one of the Doctrines owned by the 30 seperate Congregations in their confes­sion (these I adde not for their eminency in parts, or learning, few of them that I have met with being such, but as witnesse of the universall mistake and error into which the naturall man with his highest pretences doth inevitably runne) nor is Pigghius better acquainted with this doctrine, as is evident from his Controv. de Peccat. originali; And our English confident Dr Taylor, both in his unum necessarium, and in his Answer to the Reverend Bishop of Rochester's letter, with the whole heard of Jesuites that follow Lewis Molina in his opposition to the Domi­nicans, and whoso will consider what is taught by these men will see how little they are acquainted with the true nature of this [Page 22]inhering concupiscence, and whoso will consider who they are, what kind of Persons, will see they are men of notable naturall, and improved parts and so see notable evi­dence to this truth, ignornace in the Doct­rine of Originall sin, or indwelling lust, like a thick cloud lying on the minds of men of such naturall and improved abilities, that vve may rationally suppose, if any could, these had been the men vvho vvould have discovered it: and seeing they have not, vve may by a warrant from a logicall argumen­tation conclude à f [...]rtiori others cannot, nor will ever be able; for some of these have been men (I will not say) of the highest na­turall and improved parts possible; but I may, and will say of the highest probable; and yet they have not attained a right dis­covery of this Sin, of this mystery of ini­quity: These men speak of it in such a man­ner as evidenceth they never, either

• 1 1. Felt the strength and power of Sin as a King reigning in their mortall bodies, Rom. 6. Nor
• 2 2. Had observed the wisedome and Po­licy of this old man, which must be cruci­f [...]ed, Nor
• [Page 23] 3 3. Had known the obligatory vertue of this Law of our members, Nor
• 4 4. Had seen the forge, where the evill, and sinfull imaginations of thoughts were framed and wrought of.

Now if there be after so long tampering with it, so little harmony and concent in the Doctrine of these men with the Doctrine of the Scriptures, and the experience of re­generate sanctified soules concerning this sin: we may very justly conclude they know not withall their skill to set their doctrines in tune with the Scriptures, nor make a spi­rituall, Scripturall discovery of this sinne: but passe we on to another sort of naturall improved men, who if reason could have reached this, would have bidden faire for it, These are

4. School­men mistake in this knowledg.

4. The Schoole-men whose notions, though sometime very sublime, and daring, as if they would presently discover the very height of all that is knowable, yet in this ve­ry point, as in many others, are very jejune, and empty; very uncertaine, and in many things unsound, especially those among them who have proceeded upon that unsound foundation of pure naturalls, and thence stated our fall and sinfull state to be the [Page 24]reduction of us to our pure naturals, the letting loose of the reines to a high me [...] ­led courser, which was before curbed and not the laming, and spoiling of a sound one, or as the stripping off a man's clothes, lea­ving him naked who before was cloathed. This way Bellarmine, and the Papists (who have gone a step farther then the bounds prescribed by the Councill of Trent) have generally gone. Chemn. loc.com. de Peccat. Orig. p. 202. b. edit Francof. 1653. And sure on this it was that Recentes, ut Occam, & multi alii nomen retinent Peccati Originalis, rem extenuant: This extenuating of this sin, was in that they denyed it to be an evill repugnant to the Law of God, Nec culpam esse, nec poenam as Lombard 2. dist. 30. c. 5. Scotus in 4. dist. 14. q. 1. art. 1, boldly averre's that which will inferre necessarily (if what he affirmes were a truth) that this originall sinne is but the guilt of Adams first transgression; so Biel, Durandus, and others; farther when you shall find many of them as Hugo Victo­rinus, Thomas 2.4. dist. 28. art. 4. Biel. 2. dist. 28. and Bonaventure 2. dist. 28. &c. Assert nature preparing it s [...]fe for grace and professedly teaching that a man may ex naturae viribus love God above all, and do his commandments, Quoad substantiam actûs: is not this an evi­dence [Page 25]that they did not understand how corrupt our natures were? How weake and unable to Good? How full of enmity to God? I feare not to averre it, That man knoweth not the sinfulnesse of his na­ture, that dares say a man may by the strength of nature love, quoad substantiam actus, God above all; He understand's not that his naturall mind is enmity to the law of God, who sayeth he can love God above all by the power of nature, nor knoweth he that his carnall mind is not subject to the law of God, who dares say he can viribus naturae obey the Law of God. He hath not a right knowledg of Originall sin, who dares affirme either of these: And Dr Whi­taker in that peice de Peccato origin. l. 2. c. 4. Cajetan, Scotus, Richard Durandus Bellarmine cited by Dr Whitaker in that l. 2. c. 4. against Thom. Stapleton who affirmes Scholasticos tribuere humanae naturae vires integras ad diligendum deum super omnia & ad facienda praecepta Dei secundum substan­tiam actuum. And adding farther that some other of the Schoolmen taught praepa­rationem esse in homine ante gratiam, & homini facienti quod in se est non deesse Gratiam pas­seth this censure on both jointly Quod nun­quam dicerent, si originalem naturae deprava­vationem intelligerent. But I leave these [Page 26]men and next come to an other sort of men, who though greatly improved, yet have not rightly understood this sin: They are such, Who

5. Some plead an ex­emption of the Virgin Mary from Originall Sin.

5. Have pleaded an exemption for some from the common calamity of mankind to be borne into the world full of sin, and stai­ned with Originall corruption; though the greatest part by farre, nay though all ex­cept one be tainted with this sin, Bellarm. de amiss. gri. l. 4. c. 15.16. & 17. yet one at least (and this is the Virgin Mary) must needs be exempted from this common lot, of whose conception and birth with this freedome from Originall sin, a zealous Dominican will by no means heare, and a Franciscan is (to him) little lesse then an Heretick for af­firming it; Ch [...]ier loc. com. de Vivgi [...] l. 4. c. 14. in this difference of judgment, it is evident that the Franciscans (and they are not few, nor yet contemptible for their parts, or learning) grossely erre in this Do­ctrine, and yet a whole councill viz. that at Basile 1431 give their approbation to this error, Session the 36. And since that the jugling Concell of Trent hath thought it fit to leave it indetermined, as in their Appen­dix, to the fifth session of that Councill. So that now either these must be accounted men not learned, nor of naturall parts, or [Page 27]else that they did not understand this Do­ctrine, which is that we affirme of the best naturall man, or else if learned, and such as knew but did not own it, but chose rather to dissemble it, their practice condemne's them, and every one who shall so dissem­ble, proveth that he hath not a right know­ledge of that or other divine truth, if it be of such import and concernment as this is: he doth not know the truth of Christ, and the Doctrine of the Gospell aright, who is ashamed of either Christ or the Gospell.

6. The best parts and Learning of Papists are ignorant in this par­ticular.

6. I might adde and enlarge on this, that the best parts, and greatest learning of the Papall world, did bewray their ignorance of this important truth, when they did pur­posely contrive the decree concerning Ori­ginall sinne, so, that, it might be free for any man to think what he would concerning it, as Andradius, a man well acquainted with the Councill, doth very ingeniously confesse concerning the Fathers, and Divines of the Councill of Trent, as Chemnitius doth re­port in his Examen Concilii Trident: ad sess: 5. de Pecc: Origin: Nor will I pursue the discovery of this Councill's mistake of the remainders of concupiscence after Baptisme, which would be a full proofe that they [Page 28]did not rightly apprehend and understand this lust the Apostle here speaketh of.

7. Where the word is plainly prea­ched a­mongst us many are ignorant of this truth.

Neither is this to be (though we could wish it might be) confined within the bounds, either of the heathen world, or the Papall apostate Church, and that it were not true, (which, yet it is, and we lament the certainty of it,) that among us where the word of God is permitted to every one, so that every one may enquire into the truth, by direction from the word, among us, where the word and Law of God is so plainly preached, and so frequently, yet many thousands among us do evidently de­clare by their unaffectednesse with this sin­full state that they have no right knowledg of it. Are not the greatest part of men stupid and senslesse under a Sermon of Ori­ginall sin? where are their affections? how few groane? where is he that cries out with Paul? O wrethed man that I am &c. And can you think these know aright the very great sinfulnesse of our nature? if a Souldier should tell you he had lost the day to a mor­tall enemy, and yet rejoice in it, or not be troubled for it, would you not conclude he knew not the worth of a victory, the dan­ger of a captivity, the misery of a captive? [Page 29]you have as little reason to believe our hea­rers rightly understand this sin, while they say they do, and are yet merry and jocund in the losse of their liberty, and under the captivity of this sin.

Then you may suppose a man rightly knowes his disease, when apprehension of the danger makes him look after a remedy; and feares under the danger, and groanes under the paine make him earnestly desirous to be cured, and recovered, but that man knows it not, who looketh not out for hea­ [...]ing, who is not affected with it. No more are our hearers acquainted with this dan­gerous disease of the soule, who if they will bear us down in it that they know it, yet consesse to us at least by their security and deadnesse, if not in words, that they are not grieued or troubled at it. These are another sort, the best of our hearers, as to naturall parts, and highest Improved by Education remaining Carnall and unrege­nerate are not affected, because not truly acquainted with this sin: and yet I suppose our hearers ordinarily of as good ripe parts as any, and as well helped with outward ad­vantages.

8. The expe­rience of Saints is witnesse to this.

Lastly, in a word or two, the experience [Page 30]of Saints, Reall Christians, sincere, and well improved Christians, is witnesse to this. Their experience of the difficulty of first getting a due sense of this sin: How many convictions, how many serious meditations, How many prayers upon their knees, that God would discover it, and shew them how vile they are, ere they have gotten any measure of abiding Knowledge, any degree of soule-affecting knowledge of this sin? How often are the promises pleaded to God, wherein he hath promised to give his Spirit, and to enlighten? and before this hath been done, no due and right know­ledge of this sin hath been gotten: and when they have gotten it, how much have they to do to keep up due apprehensions of this sin? how prone are they to relapse into sleight thoughts of it? how soon and easily do they many times lose that tendernesse of heart, that melting frame of spirit, that mourned over this sinfull nature? All that a regenerate soule can do, is little enough to keep open, all that the best improved natu­rall man can do, is not enough to lay open and disclose this indwelling sin, this mystery of Iniquity.

These do then make Good the charge of the naturall mans actuall and invincible Igno­rance [Page 31]and unacquaintednesse with this in­dwelling lust: and I hope by these it ap­peareth to be a truth. But yet for farther satisfaction, I proposed to enquire what in particular they never did, or ever could discover of this sin: and now to that.

1 The impro­ved naturall man cannot discover the exceeding great sinfulnesse of the habituall frame of his na­turell heart.

1. The best Improved naturall man can­not discover the exceeding great sin­fulnesse of the habituall frame of his na­turall heart: the sinfulnesse of the heart disposed and bent towards unrighte­ousnesse and sin, the uncleanenesse of this Leprosie, the loathsomnesse of this putrifying wound, this he cannot see, who seeth with the best naturall eye. As for men without the law, no wonder if they under­stand not this spreading scab to be a lepro­sie, they have not the Law, and rule by which they might discerne it: no wonder if they paint over the Sepulcher, and neither see the rottennesse, nor smell the stench of that which is within: for they have neither eye to see, nor sense to discerne it. I know none can be ignorant who have ability and can, who have opportunity and do, read, or have read, the Partiall and unequall judg­ment they make of, the favourable & smoo­thing words they give, to hide this sin. The [Page 32]better and softer name of their Genius must be the name of this sin; Their making pro­vision for the flesh to fulfill it in the lusts thereof was with them nothing but curare Genium. Their living in the height of sin, was with them nothing but Piare Genium vino & flo­ribus. And a severer course of life was ac­counted a fraud put upon their Genius. Thus the whole sinfull frame of the heart passed under the name of Genius: now if their Mythologists understand them, Occulta vis, quâ ad singulas res geren­das impel. limur. Nat. Com. This Genius was A secret or occult power, by which we are moved to each thing we do. And if you enquire what this Power or vertue is, some of them will tell you it is the Symmetry of the Elements.

So that in briefe, the sinfulnesse of the frame or disposition of the heart of man with these persons, is no more then an un­happy temperature of the Elements, com­pounding the body, and swaying the mind according to their prevalency. Now who ever did, or justly could apprehend much sinfulnesse in this, that our bodies are com­pounded of the Elements, or that such or such a temperature doth most prevaile? whoever thought it an exceeding great sin that he was of a Sanguine Complexion? or [Page 33]how much blame worthinesse is there in a Phlegmatick Constitution? barely as such. I know the different tempers do different­ly promote and further sin, do much facili­tate the workings of this sin: but this is an effect ex accidenti, no direct naturall effect of this or that constitution, but it is an ef­fect of that sin which dwells in us, and which observing that the temper of the bo­dy doth sway us more one way, then other, taketh hold of that advantage, and worketh powerfully by this constitution, to the hur­rying of the sinner on to sin. In the mean time, while they thus put all upon their Genius, and resolved this into the Symme­try of the Elements, they must be thought to have had no right knowledge of the ex­ceeding sinfulnesse of their heart propen­ding, and inclining to sin: but I dwell too long with these persons, who might be men of choicest naturall parts, but wanted the best Improvement; being without the Church, and so without the externall ad­vantages and helpes, which might heighten their reason to a clear and full discovery of this: but did not Best improved naturall men within the Church ordinarily, or at least might they not (by the improvement [Page 34]of Reason and parts, though they remained unregenerate, and naturall men) have come to a sight of this sinfull frame of heart in its great sinfullnesse? well, view we, and ob­serve the Pharisees (and consider what may be judged, and ought to be answered to this) choicest men for learning and educa­tion before Christ his comming in the flesh; yet they took a view of this sinfull frame with a false glasse, which represented scarce the one halfe of this body of sin, and what was so represented was varnisht over with colours of their own mixing, that it appea­red, not what it was, but what they would have it be: as is evident from their corrupt exposition of the Law, which our Lord notes and condemnes in the 5 th. ch. of Matthew. They saw not the sinfulnesse of a malitious heart, or of a heart ready to boile with causleste anger: witnesse their grosse corru­pting that precept, thou shalt not kill, either saying it was a prohibition of murthering an Israelite, or that only murther which was done prepriâ manu. Heare what they say in their Talmud, ( as I find it in Dr. Lightfoot's Epistle to the Reader of his Har­mony of the New Testament.) A murtherer is he that kills his neighbour with a stone, or [Page 35]with Iron, or thrusts him into water or fine, out of which it is impossible to get our againe, he is guilty: but if he thrust him into fire, or water, out of which it is possible to get out a­gaine, though he die, yet is he quit. If he sets a dog or a serpent on him, he is quit &c. of like nature with this. And now can you sup­pose these generations of men to know the sinfulnesse of a murtherous frame of heart, who so fouly mistated the externall act, and acquitted that as no murther, which is one of the highest degrees of it? will you say that the man knowes, or believes any sinfulnesse in a bloody revengefull disposi­tion? who can say That he who hireth another to kill his neighbour, or sends his servants, and they kill him &c. is Guilty as a blood-shedder, to be punished by the hand of heaven onely, not by man? yet this was ordinarily a received doctrine among them, as appeares by what is farther added by Dr. Lightfoot in the forecited place. Their Expositions of the rest of the Law are much of the same na­ture. Actuall externall uncleannesse, and defiling their neighbours wife they thought to be a sin, but never accounted the habitu­all bent, and propension of the heart to this, to be a sin, or forbidden in that Law. They [Page 36]were not troubled at the thoughts of any secret reluctancy to the holy commands of God: It was nothing with them to have natures full of

• 1. Unholinesse, and opposition to God's holinesse.
• 2. Rebellion, and contradiction to the Law of God.
• 3. Dislike, and backwardnesse to every good.
• 4. Pronenesse to, & delight in every evill.
• 5. Folly, and inability to do that Good they ought.
• 6. Craft, and subtilty to consummate that evill, which the Law of God forbids,

These and such like abominations, rivetted in our natures, they took no notice of, therefore of the Pharisees and Scribes, those Improved naturall men (though within the Church) we doubt not to say they knew not the sinfulnesse of the habituall frame of the heart. The same must be granted of men in succeeding latter ages, let the end­lesse disputes maintained by the Orthodoxe against Corrupt teachers, be witnesse to this; and of latest yeares these, and such like Positions.

That men are not disabled to Good, [Page 37]by the fall of Adam, which the six Dispu­tants men of parts and learning asserted, and owned at the Hague. And others (much of the same stature for their parts, and lear­ning) have owned the same position, as Se­cinus Praelect. Theol. c. 4. f. 13. 14. (cited by John Peltius) where among other passages, he quoteth this) Nec vis naturalis Liberi Arbitrii ab eo tempore imminuta fuit. And in his second Epistle to Dudithius, pag. 18,19. where I read this passage. As concerning the wickednesse of men; this is all that may be said, that God willeth that man by his own free will should be no lesse able to be good then bad. de malitiâ ho­minum nibil a­liud dicendum venit—vult de­us, ut homo pro suo ipsius arbi­trio non minùs improbus quàm probus esse possit. Cum possēt dagitiosè vivere virtuti stu­dere malue­runt. Soc. 2 Ep. ad Dudith. And here he speaks of the fallen state of men, affirming it in their power to be Good, and as easily if they will themselves, as to be bad, and devolving all the goodnesse of those who are good in a bad world to this, That when they could have lived Flagitiously rather chose to follow vertue. And as the Master, so the Scholar Valent Smalcius, both in his Racovian Ca­tech: c. 10. at once denies all the vitiousnesse which we affirme to be in us, proudly aver­ring, Peccatū originis nullū pror. sus est. resp. ad 2 Quaest. there is not any such thing as Originall sin, and that this hath [Page 38]not depraved our Free will. And in his Di­sputations against Frantzius. 2. disput. which is de peccato Originis: calling it Com­mentum humanum & peccatum confictum, so pag. 60. where by the way he seemes to in­timate what he thought to be in us (instead of that Originall sin which we affirme) viz. Proclivitas (quaedam) ad peccatum. I adde quaedam, for this Author supposeth it to be such, as yet possibly a man may not actually sin, though he be prone to sin. Potest fie­ri, ut is qui ad peccan­dum pro­clivis est, ramen non peccet.

Whosoever hath such apprehensions of our inhaerent proclivity to sin, hath not a full acquaintance with, nor discovery of the sin­fulnesse of the frame of the naturall man's heart. Nor any who dare, as these men do, assert.

• 1. That the will of man is not vitiated by the fall: or else who dare to contend
• 2. That what is now a more vehement was before the fall a more moderate incli­nation to evill; as these, and others who are Roman Catholicks.
  Becanus o­pusc. 6. de institiâ o­perum.
• 3. That Concupiscence is not properly a sin, or not after Baptisme, or a very little sin, as some in the Schooles, and many a­mong the Romanists.

Now these and such like disputes and as­sertions [Page 39]do plainly bespeak these men unac­quainted with the great sinfulnesse of a na­turall heart, and the universall opposition which is in the flesh to the spirit: Catholici docent concu­piscentiam in actu pri­mo non esse peccarum o­riginis:sed natura ē quan­dam pronicatem, quae pet se enlpabilis non sit. Becanus opusc. 6. de justit. operum. and yet they are men of great parts, and great learning, & within the Church, but discerne not, because they are naturall, this sin, which the spirit of God convinceth of, and which is not discerned, till the soule be enlightned with more than common illumination. But next

2. The best Im­proved naturall man cannot discover the sinfulnesse of the first, secret, unpublished, and unformed [...]tions of this corrupt nature.

The best Improved naturall man cannot discover the sinfulnesse of the first, secret, unpolished, and unformed motions of the corrupt nature. The sinfulnesse of those motions (which by the Schoolmen are called primo primi) was never disco­vered by all the light that nature, and education, have at any time afforded to the most quick sighted of Adam's offspring. They never did detect the sinfulnesse of the first ebullitions, and anomalous workings of that Lust, which dwells in us. Indeed, when this corrupt sountaine hath so stirred, that some of the grosser vapours have risen up [Page 40]with a stench offensive to the naturall con­science they have discovered, and acknow­ledged an uncleanuesse in the fountaine, and in these grosser eruptions of lust: If the irregular passions did obtaine from the will an assent, or approbation, to somewhat that was dissonant to the more sober, and resi­ned precepts of reason; and if these motions were so farre formed, that either a conveni­ent opportunity or an assurance of impuni­ty, would immediately, and with ease, mid­wise them into the world by an actuall pa­tration of that, which Passion had suggested, the will had somented, and Reason had disli­ked; then they would perhaps (as many have) acknowledg the irregularity of them, and be troubled at it though mostly the trouble was this

That convenience of executing did lesse favour their desires, and you may write on the doores of this nursery

But alas all this is farre from a right sight of these first motions in their sinfulnesse, farre from a sight of hatred against them, repentance for them, opposition to them, destruction and mortifying of them, and [Page 41]cleansing the heart from them, farre from such a sight as convinced them, that death was due for these first motions, that they de­filed, and rendred best actions sinfull, and such as need pardon, this they have not seen; I doubt this is too true of these men, & the knowledg of sin in the motions, and pas­sions of the mind.

That if at any time a word hath dropt from them, which seemed to condemne the extra­vagancy of their thoughts, it is to be referred

• Either to Thoughts perfected, and con­sented to, Or
• To a Rhetoricall eloquence, which shewed us, how well they could speak, not how well they did think.

Neither were they the onely men, thus perswaded of the innocency of these first motions of a depraved heart, but also that generation of men, the scribes, and Phari­sees, were so perswaded whose traditions made the Law of God void, whose dictates, and expositions of the law, never did en­danger or affright a secret lust with a pro­bability of discovering it; the speculative Murtherer, the lascivious wanton fancy, never did fall under the lash of their Ser­mons, on those command's, which forbid murther, and Adultery.

[Page 42]None of their doctrines were shuts to the eye, that it should not behold; nor checks to the fancy, that it should not hover a­bout, or sit hatching this Cockatrice. It was one of the Rabbines who did bewray the prevalency of his secret speculative un­cleannesse In that speech, he delighted to con­template handsome women that he might praise God; a faire excuse for his foul fault, and I cannot perswade my charity to mis­take the man so much, as to thinke he spake the whole truth: Besides this sort of men.

The generality of the Schoolmen making to themselves an inadequate, & uncertaine rule, or standard for the measuring of sin, have also inevitably entangled themselves in a great mistake, and grosse ignorance of the sinfulnesse of the first motions of concu­piscence: For laying aside the Law of God, or at least interpreting it according to their own apprehensions, and applying it onely to what may voluntarily be done by us, have at last shifted aside the Law, and substituted voluntarium into its place, by which they will measure, and judge of sin, both deter­mining what is sin, by what is voluntary; and how great sin is, by how much of voluntari­nesse [Page 43]there is in it: Hence such conclusions as these concerning concupiscence. ‘ Motus appetitiss circa rem illicitam, non accedente consensis voluntatis, non est pecca­tum. Gregor: de valent. in prim. sec.’ ‘ Ratio non tenetur reprimere primos mo­tus. Thom. dis. 6. q. 2. pu. 2’

Saith Alexander Alensis Q. 125. memb. 7. whose short sight could not see how little there is in his distinction of direct and indi­rect prohibition, and that concupiscence (I suppose by what he saith memb: 6. & 7. that he takes in these first motions, as well as con­cupiscence whence they rise) is not directly, but indirectly forbidden.

If the heart (both frame, and first motions of it) were not open to the eye of God, and if he were not searcher of reines, if he either could not judge the heart, or else would not: I then would begin to think there were some likelihood it might so be, but hee that hath a purpose directly to judge, hath surely given a law directly to him, whom he will judge; and will not God thus judge the secrets of the heart? To these men

We may adde (and though we doe them no credit yet we do them no injury in ad­ding [Page 44]them) Lindanus. Panopl. l. 4. c. 34. Al­phonside castro her. 4. Tapper in Expl. art 2. Gregor: de valent, &c. Becanus o­pusculo sexto de Justitiâ o­perum. Bellarmine, with others among the Papists, who have not seen the vilenesse of the first motions of a naturall heart; hence it is that these are accounted by them. The greife of a wounded nature, but not the guilt of a sinning nature; let Becanus be heard Ca­tholici docent, motus concupiscentiae rationem praevenientes non esse peccata, nec prohiberi hoc praecepto, Non concupisces, sed solum consensum. He speake's it as the Doctrine of the Papists, and not as his own private opinion Docent Catholici &c. saith he and well he might when he seeth the Trent Councell own this, both its their fifth session de Pecc: origin: and in their sixth session de justific: & de bonis ope­ribus. And the rest of this society are (no doubt) of the same mind, they have very charitable thoughts of the innocency of these first motions, but we cannot so judge, and yet will hope, we have the mind of the Lord.

These are pregnant instances of the igno­rance of great Scholars in this point of grea­test concernment, but they are Forreigne, I wish we had no domestick, examples: but indeed how many among us either plead with argument, or affirme by practice, that they judge the first Motions of concupis­cence [Page 45]to be innocent? and who are they? what kind of men? I mistake much, if they [...]re not usually, the men of great parts, and of considerable improvement by learning [...]oo, who perswade themselves, and others also that nothing is a sin, or a great sin, but what is explicitly voluntary. They are mostly the wise men of the world (whom God passeth by while he chooseth the foolish, 1 Cor. 1.27.) who will lodge, reteine, and delight in these thoughts of vanity notwith­standing convincing demonstrations of the sinfulnesse of such thoughts, In a word the

• 1. Seldome and superficiall confession of this in most,
• 2. Little degree of contrition, and sor­row of heart,
• 3. Difficulty of keeping the heart contrite for this
• 4. Frequent, and renewed relapses into almost habituall insensiblenesse of this, which the

Regenerate observe in themselves (though they have all externall advantages to helpe them, with saving Grace and internall helpes also) do undeniably confirme, that it is im­possible for best improved naturall parts to attaine this sight of the sinfulnesse of first motions.

3 Best im­proved na­turall parts cannot dis­cover the guile of this sin.

3. As their knowledg reacheth not to a sufficient discovery of these two, so neither can best improved naturall parts discover the policie, and wisedome: the deceitfulnesse, and cursed guile, of this sin, the superlative craft of this lust runneth in veines that lie too deep for any naturall eye to discover. It's policy and wisedome cannot be disco­vered by any that is not wise, and exercised in counter-working to its wisedome; as in laying, and carrying on a plot at chesse or a stratageme in warre, none can disco­ver the handsome contrivance of it, but one who is well skilled in them, so it is here, none but he which is well skilled (by ex­ercise of that wisedome which is from a­bove,) and this skill is only gotten by a con­stant, and wise exercise of it against this sin, and its wisedome, (none but such a one) can discover this part of it's nature.

We observe that he, who shall be able to discerne the policy in which a wise man acteth, and carryeth on his designes, must be either equall, or at least not very much in­ferior to him, in wisedome: a foole, or any one over matched in politicks, can never find out the right key, nor read the characters in which he writes who very much outgo­eth him.

[Page 47]This is the case before us, the naturall man is wise to doe evill, very subtile, and politick to frame mischiefe, but he hath no undere­standing to doe good; he is of weak intelle­ctuals, indeed a very foole as to any good to be done; he is ever contriving, promoting, and perfecting evill, and doth it craftily; but he cannot discerne this craft, for he cannot either prudently designe, or propose, or pro­mote, or perfect that which is good.

Sin rules, and reignes by waies of profoun­dest policy, over the hearts of naturall men, and they perceive not the mystery of its go­vernment; In this sin you shall observe the wisedome of one who plodds and contrives the framing of a lie, or falsehood into a see­ming truth, that a Judge may not find it out, who laies a lie closely & cunningly together as a false witnesse doth; whence it hath one name in the Hebr: [...] from [...] cogi­tavit machinatus est whence [...] the or­dinarie name of a forger of a lie, to the pre­judice of truth, and justice; as the learned John Buxtorfe observeth in his Lexic. Rabbin. in [...]. It is a plotting evill as [...] is rendred in Psal. 37.12, It is wise, as one who undermines, and circumvents by frau­dulent waies, (it is [...] Ps. 10.7.) as under [Page 48]pretence of friendship Lam. 1.19. as Israel was deceived by his lovers, or as a man is deceived by his neighbour; Prov. 26.19. Albeit the regenerate soule make these crafty Gibeonites Hewers of wood, and draw­ers of water for the spirituall temple, and its service, yet they still reteine the Policy, and wily disposition of Gibeonites, as ready, and subtile to deceive after, as before they were subjugated to the Law of the Spirit of life.

This sin is wise, as one who seduceth with the craft of an harlot, or the subtlety of a crafty disputer there is [...] Rom. 8.7. there are [...] 2 Cor. 10.4. Mark 7.21.

It deceiveth, with baits there is [...] James 1.14. and there are [...], Eph. 4.22. which I doubt not is an Hebraisme much the same with that of Jer. 7.9. setting forth the superla­tive fraud of this sin, by reason of which the heart is unsearchable to any but the Lord: briefely whilest that little good which sur­vives our fall is as a negligent, remisse, and carelesse, raw souldier, this indwelling lust is as an old experienced commander, resolute, and vigilant also in carrying on what he hath politiquely contrived. Now look o­ver [Page 49]the life of a man wise in his generation, & consider what he thinks of that the Apostle calls wisdome of the flesh, & whether he appre­hends there can be any great sinfulness in it, whilest he judgeth it a desirable & high part of perfection; so that part of this wisdome of the flesh, which is subserviēt to his covetous­nesse, and provides satisfaction for that lust, is accounted by him a very good quali­fication, an excellent ability to improve his estate: though Ephraim be a merchant, in whose hands are the ballances of deceit, yet he sees no iniquity in it, nor will he believe it is any. Hos. 12.7. That fleshly wisedome which is subser­vient to Revenge, and sinfull, returning evill for evill, and doing this secundum artem too, may not (with the naturall man's good leave) be judged by us, and he will never judge it, a sin, and culpable; but it, must be accounted, and called a good, and excellent fitnesse to live in an injurious world, a ne­cessary requisite to secure, and protect our selves: that devillish wisedome which sub­serveth to Ambition, (proud in it's aimes, and insatiable in it's acquisitions,) is reckon­ed by such men an excellency, fitting them for noble employments, to mannage the af­faires of great States, and to raise their fa­milies: but it never was truly stated by any [Page 50]other then the holy Law of God, and a re­newed heart: None other but such a rule, and such a hand applying it, ever discover­ed the sinfull crookednesse, and perversnesse of this wisedome. Other instances I forbeare, since you may make a judgement of the rest by these, and I will not insist on the parti­culars in which much of this wisdome is seen to a spirituall eye; as it is crafty

• 1 1. To put falfe Glosses on that Good which it opposeth, to hinder it lest it should be done; and on evill, to promote, and facili­tate it, that it may be done, though the Law forbid it.
• 2 2. If it cannot quite hinder, then it will oppose one good with another, to the over­turning and marring of both: it will justle out one duty with another: or,
• 3 3. Vigorously carry on the designe of one lust by a saint offer to resist, and prevent it by a contrary: enraging lust by seeming to intend the chaining of it up, and cunningly awakening it's strength, by an attempt to curbe it: or.
• 4 4. Improving lusts interesse by a crafty re­ceding at one time, or in one case, that it may with more certainty, & vigour obtain at another time, or in other cases: yeelding to [Page 51]the losse of a penny, that it may get advan­tage of gaining a pound, Or
• 5 5. Enlarging its kingdome over men by a seeming rationall uniformity, and even­nesse in all it's designes, and actings; thereby obteining a more uncontrolled authority o­ver them, and fortifying this against what attempts may be made to shake its govern­ment.

These are the methods (though but few of those many) which continue, and improve the kingdome of sin but are not discerned, nor can be discerned, by the sinner how well soever improved in his naturall parts; Again fourthly

4. Naturall parts can never dis­cover the strength and power of this sin.

Best naturall improved parts never did or can discover the strength, and power, of this sinne the unregenerate, (though as excellent for naturals as Paul was, & as well improved as he, yet) cannot make a discovery of the strength of this body of sin, of the power of it, swaying to sin, and carrying him captive, and deteining him captive to his sinfull passi­ons, and lusts. It must be granted indeed, that such a one may find out, and easily de­monstrate a very high degree of strength; and power in all naturall inclinations: So great a strength, that none can conquer, or [Page 52]change it but by destroying the subject of it, or changeing it in it's being. You may moulder a clod to dust, or grind a stone to smallest sands, you may scatter it into the ayre, and force it upward, but in the mean time you have not, nor can you turne the streame of its affection, nor alter the natu­rall inclination, of the least of those sands, or dusts that they shoud not propend, & hasten to their rest, you may destroy the greatest quantity of fire you ever saw but you can­not alter the least sparke of it, that it should not fly upward.

So invincibly strong are naturall affecti­ons; and such like strength naturall light may now (for it formerly hath) discover, in the passions of men, in whom they are so strong that they cannot be dispossessed of their hold, though they may be reduced to some moderate exercise of their power: upon which discovery many very excellent discourses have been raised by some of these men, many Morall Treatises of the Rise, Na­ture, Manner of working, strength, &c. which are, in the various passions, of men, yet all these are farre short of a full enarra­tion of the sinfull strength which is in these Passions (to use their common language) in [Page 53]these lusts to use the Scripture words, nor is this spoken without book: for this is evident from

1 1. Their Boasts of a conquest, and Victo­ry over their lusts while they are servants to most, or all of them, the best of our Mo­rall Philosophers being such who lived in a servitude to those Passions, which, they boa­sted were subjugated to their Reason; this is the case of our carnall professours, generally they boast of a conquest over those sinnes, which are not yet broken in their strength, but onely abated a little in their violence; as in all our loose, and prophane livers upon their civillizing, and growing lesse notori­ous in sinne. But that man hath not know­ledge of his enemies power that triumphs upon repelling some few of his stragling, extravagant parties: Thy lust it may be broke out, and disturbed the more sober Morall part of the neighbourhood, and now thou hast repelled them, and taught them to keep closer in, but yet their strength re­maines intire: And canst thou upon this rea­sonably suppose thou hast tryed the utmost power of them?

2 2. It is evident our carnall improved men have not full, and sufficient knowledge of [Page 54]this mighty power of indwelling lust, from those sleight, contemptuous thoughts they have of the strength of this sin; they are bold, and confident that they can soone subdue it, that they may be in this expedi­tion a Caesar and at once, view and conquer them; Did that commander ever truly know thestrength of his enemy who contemned, and sleighted his match? who made nothing in his thoughts of such an enemy who will make nothing of him in the encounter? And can the naturall improved man, who is eve­ry way inferiour to, and overmatched by, his lusts, who is worsted (with ease) in the encounter, with a single lust, yet sleights the combined force of all his lusts, can he be thought to know the power, and strength of them? Yet

3 3. The directions to helpes, and means for subduing these passions which best im­proved naturall men have given, the Auxi­liaries they advise us to, the armour they prepare for us, in this warre, beeing so excee­dingly disproportioned, and unsuitable to the nature of the enemy, and his strength, do evidently declare their unacquaintednesse with his strength.

[Page 55]Can strong holds be battered down with an empty sound, or with Pot-Guns? can you hope he knowes his enemies strength who is perswaded to venture his thousands against the enemies ten thousands? yet such is this mistake of the naturall man concer­ning the strong holds of sin, which he at­tempts to reduce by weake, morall directi­ons, which at best do but better discipline his naturall lusts, no way destroy their pow­er.

4 4. The manageing & ordering that power which they have gotten together against this enemy is farther witnesse to this, they employ their strength chiefely (I might say onely) against the impetuous violence of their Passions, and against the extravagant eruptions of them (to the view of men,) leaving the main strength of lust unattaqued, they set not on the reforming of the heart first, and the destroying the methodicall, and disciplined part of this sin. Together with

5 5. Their presumptions that they have strength enough in themselves to conquer it at last, though it should be long ere they effect it. He loseth ground & strength every day, yet hopes to conquer at last, and he [Page 56]might so, if he had helpe from another to undertake for him, but that he hath not, neither seeke's it; Now the case standing so, Who sees not that the naturall man how ever improved knowe's not the strength of indwelling sin?

View farther and consider in the worke of mortification, how sadly our teachers who are carnall (though excellently impro­ved) have mistaken in their doctrines, our hearers in their apprehensions, and both hearers and teachers in their practice, and exercise of mortification. It is very hard to perswade them there is more strength in this sin then in a habit, or custome; they'l be­lieve that an unhappyer imitation of what was worst hath twisted a cord which strong­ly fetters them; but they see not, nor consi­der, they were borne captives, and the chaines are strong as naturall affections, and inclinations. The most of our carnall Hea­rers, will venture, so desperately, upon giving their naturall lusts advantage against them­selves that we cānot but cōclude: That their

• Running on many, dangerous, & strong temptations
• Provoking and awaking (even sleeping) lusts
• [Page 57]Casting away their armes, as faith, love, feare, the Word &c.
• Refusing that aid which is offered to them in the Gospell
• Praying seldome, faintly, cursorily a­gainst this sin
• Neglecting to watch over each other &c.

Are I say, (and you cannot but say they are) evidences clearer then can be excepted against, that they see not the strength of this

• Powerfull adversary, which warres a­gainst our soule, 1 Pet. 2.11.
• Triumphing conquerour, which leads us captive, Rom. 7.23.
• Ruling Lord, to whom we yeeld our selves servants, Rom. 6.17.
• Law of our members which we obey, Rom. 7.23.
• King which rules in our mortall body, Rom. 6.12.

In a word, He onely knowes what his ene­my can do, and the utmost strength of him, who enters the lists, who declares an irre­concileable warre against his enemy, who resolveth to be victorious in the utter ruine of his enemy: Now this the naturall man [Page 58]never doth, he never so encountreth with sinne.

Others may heare of Carthag's strength it was Rome that best, and fullyest knew it: or as a man who swimmes with the streame may guesse at it's strength, but he knowes it who swimmes against it: so here the best naturall man with all his improvements re­sist's, and opposeth this sin but very little, and therefore cannot know much of its strength for this is a fruit of an experienced soule that is exercised in warring against his flesh­ly lust, whilest Sampson slept bound in the twists of his own haire he knew not that strength, which he found in them when he was awakened: secure naturall men are thus ignorant of sin's strength.

5. The best improved naturallman can never discover the first rise O­riginall and spring of Lust.

5. The best improved naturall man with all the helpes you can suppose (except the law, or divine revelation) never did, or ever will be able to discover the first Rise, ori­ginall, and spring of that lust, which doth dwell in the naturall man, and reigneth over him. I will not enquire how long the men before the floud (who lived without the Church, and were not among those that were accounted the sons of God, and who called on his name) might reteine some [Page 59]broken traditions concerning the fall of Adam: nor will I now consider, how long the degenerating sons of Cham might re­taine some confused, traditionall know­ledge of this: sure it was not long, but in succeeding ages, it was quite forgotten, and the best improvements of the heathen, who were [...], could never recover it. Dr Kellet Misces. l. 1. c. 6. p. 104. Search their Archives, analize their pro­foundest disquisitions, revolve their naturall Theologists, observe whether they ever came neer the discovery of this sin, in its first spring and fountaine. The Question unde malum? puzzelled all the Philosophers, and though some of them enquired onely the originall of the evill of suffering, and affliction, (which is more easily found out then the evill of sin, and whence it springs) yet were at a losse [...] Maximus Tyrius the Platonick Philosopher in his 25 serm: thus enquires, [...]; which he principally states (as appeares by what he there saith) in reference to the evills we suffer, which he calls [...]. In discoursing of which he much mistaketh, though of an ea­sier discovery then the originall of morall evill. Affectus (and you must note these [Page 60]speake of affections which need to be recti­fied and moderated by vertue) sunt à natu­râ, was the opinion of Plato, Aristotle, and their followers: and they generally con­cluded Perturbationes seu affictus à naturâ dari, & ad virtutem esse utiles. Lips. ma­nuduct, ad stoic. Phil. l.3. dis­ser. 7.

The best and soberest wits among them, after a long and successelesse enquiry, have prudently defisted from farther enquiry, resolving to content themselves, that the cause of all evill in man was to be sought onely in man; though how to find out which was the first cause of the inordinate passions of the mind they knew not particu­larly, and distinctly, but a confused, and generall notion they had, that it was from man himselfe. How little did the Mani­chees understand of this? whose irrationall absurd conceptions of this tell us they infi­nitely mistook the truth. It was a foule mi­stake of the Pelagians too, which they for­merly, and others of late have fancied tou­ching the irruption of sin into the world. That which cruciated Augustin: so much Quoniam Deus fecit omnia haec, bonus bona, majus quidem, & summum bonum minora fecit bona; sed tamen & creans, & creata bona sunt omnia: unde malum? confess. l. 7. [Page 61]c. 5. § 2. which place he bestowes on the disputes, which were ordinary in this mat­ter, concluding nothing there; but else where he concludes, Non erat exitus, quaere­bam aestuans, unde malum? quae illa tormenta parturientis cerdis mei? qui gemitus? Deus meus! l. 7. conf. c. 7. §. 1. This I say which so troubled him, was undiscovered to them without the Church, they could not, and it is much undiscerned by naturall men with­in the Church, because they will not see the truth: so when Pelagians might have known the originall of sin from Rom. 5.12. they chose rather to corrupt the text (as Chemnit. observes Chemniti­us Loc. de peccat, orig: p. 213. b. et p. 214 a fol. edit. 1653.) and so hath Pighius de­clined from the truth in this point, as who will may observe in his controversy de Pec­cat: origin: passim.

And the Papists know not, or else they would professe it, sure: (for right knowledge of such a truth, in a councell, and gathered for such an end as a councell should be, would have engaged them to own the truth, and openly declare it.

What ever they think of it, I know that God, and our Lord Jesus, (who will be ours, and their Judge) will account such know­ledge to be no knowledge. In a word, the [Page 62] Endlesse disputes of men who enquire in­to this beyond what is necessary, and in the enquiry lose what knowledge they seemed to have had, and grow either sceptickes, or hereticks, are sull proofe that they cannot with best improved naturall parts discover the spring and fountaine of that sinfulnesse which is in our nature. But

6. The best improved naturall men could never discover the finfull frame of beart in its deserts.

6. Lastly (though I might adde more) the best improved naturall man never did, or ever could he discover the desert, of this sinfull frame of his heart; it was a thing they never could perswade themselves to believe that such a punishment might be justly inflicted on them so soone as ever they were borne into the world: Indeed on their principles it was impossible they should discover this for they acknowledged not the sinfulnesse of nature, or else that this was not great, and therefore no obligation to punishment, or but to a small punishment. It is an unquaestioned part of Justice to pro­portion the penalty to the crime, and true state of it, ut in parvis leviora in magnis gravi­ora supplicia irrogentur: Justitiae distributi­vae est suū cuique tri­buere. So that they who accounted this a small fault could not think it worthy of so sore a punishment as we know it deserveth: if you should hear a Phi­losopher [Page 63]reading a lecture of the innocency of man, of the blamelesse, (though weake) state of an infant, and it should be told him, that yet, there were who held this opinion that such might be justly condemned for e­ver, and cast into that place of misery where offenders suffer for their offences, he would dispute the case and denie the justice of the proceedings. Thus doe very many within the Church, view the Schoolmens determi­nation, that infants shut out of Heaven lie under the Punishment of losse, not sense, that they onely misse of the enjoyment of God, but fall not under a punishment of Paine, and Griefe, a de­termination which savours much of a nesci­ence and ignorance of the desert of indwel­ling lust: on the same generall mistake doe

Both Socinians, Remonstrants, and Anabap­tists deny that any are, or justly may be pu­nished for that sin we call originall sin, or in­genite lust which dwell's in us: hence they load the orthodoxe with many reproachfull exclamations of curelty, and injustice, and brand the truth with unheard of harshnesse, with in­credible severity and Adamantine mercilesnesse against poore innocents, such like charges we know are laid upon the teachers of the Doct­rine, touching the demerit of our sinsull na­ture: [Page 64]& it is no wonder for they judge by the mistaken nature of the cause, and erring in their apprehensions of the merit of the cause, do as widely erre in their assigning the pu­nishment due to it. But we who are taught by the Law, and enlightned by the spirit of God, so that we can see, and do know that we are all transgressors of that Covenant, which promised life to perfect obedience, threat­ned death to the first sin (which is ours, and brought death into the world) that we are children of wrath, Eph. 2.3. Under the curse having not continued in all things written in the Law to doe them, Gal. 3.10. that in Adam we all died, 1 Cor. 15.22. that we are borne so, that Joh. 3.3. unlesse we be new born we cannot enter in­to the kingdome of Heaven; we who are instru­cted by the spirit in such truths, as these which are confessedly above the reach of the best naturall eye, do see that desert of hell, and eternall separation from the presence of God, which is due to this sinfull nature of ours: though others do not discover it nor will believe it: we see that by reason of this Lust our life is sull of sin and our persons (from the wombe) obnoxious to the wrath of God.