An elegant and lively description of spiritual life and death Delivered in divers sermons…An elegant and lively description of spirituall life and death Delivered in divers sermons…

But it may be objected,¹ that sin is a mere privation of good, that it is a Non-ens; therefore flesh cannot be said to be an operative quality and form of sin.

But it may be objected,¹ that sinne is a meere privation of good, that it is a Non-ens; therefore flesh cannot be said to be an operative quality and forme of sinne.

1. 1Ob.

To this I answer,¹ that though all sin be a mere privation, yet it is in an operative subject, and thence it comes to pass that sin is fruitful in evil works: as for example: take an horse and put out his eyes, as long as he stands still there is no error: but if he begins to run once, he runs amiss, and the longer he runs, the further he is out of the way wherein he should go, and all this because he wants his eyes, which should direct him: So it is with sin, though it in its self be but a mere privation, yet it is seated in the soul, which is always active: Anima nunquam otiosa; The goodness that should enlighten us is taken away, and there is a positive evil quality put into it, that leads us on to evil.

To this I answer,¹ that though all sinne bee a meere privation, yet it is in an operative subject, and thence it comes to passe that sinne is fruitfull in evill workes: as for example: take an horse and put out his eyes, as long as hee stands still there is no error: but if he begins to runne once, he runnes amisse, and the longer hee runnes, the further he is out of the way wherein he should goe, and all this because hee wants his eyes, which should direct him: So it is with sinne, though it in its selfe bee but a meere privation, yet it is seated in the soule, which is alwaies active: Anima nunquam otiosa; The goodnesse that should inlighten us is taken away, and there is a positive evill quality put into it, that leads us on to evill.