A10659:225
Three treatises of the vanity of the creature. The sinfulness of sin. The life…Three treatises of the vanity of the creature. The sinfulnesse of sinne. The life…
Three treatises of the vanity of the creature. The sinfulness of sin. The life of Christ. Being the substance of several sermons preached at Lincolns Inn: by Edward Reynolds, preacher to that honourable society, and late fellow of Merton College in Oxford.Three treatises of the vanity of the creature. The sinfulnesse of sinne. The life of Christ. Being the substance of severall sermons preached at Lincolns Inne: by Edward Reynoldes, preacher to that honourable society, and late fellow of Merton Colledge in Oxford.
London: printed by Felix Kyngston for Robert Bostocke, 1631
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Secondly, consider the closeness and adherency of this sin. It cleaves as fast to our nature, as Blackness to the skin of an Ethiopian, that cannot possibly be ⟨p. 144⟩washed off. As fast as Ivy to a wall (it is the similitude of1 Epiphanius) though a man may lop and shorten the branches, yet the roots are so fastened to the joints and entrails of the wall, that till the stones be pulled all asunder, it will not be quite rooted out. As that house wherein there was a fretting and spreading Leprosy, though it2 might be scraped round about, and much rubbish and corrupt materials removed, yet the Leprosy did not cease, till the house with the stones, and timber, and mortar of it was broken down: so original concupiscence cleaveth so close to our nature, that though we may be much repaired, yet corruption will not leave us, till our house be dissolved. As long as Corn is in the field, it will have refuse and chaff about it; as long as water remains in the Sea, it will retain it saltness, till it be defecated and cleansed in its passage into the Land; and so is it with the Church while it is in the world, it will have the body of sin about it, it will be beset with this Sin. In the Apostle it is for this reason called [Greek or Hebrew] 3an encompassing sin, a sin that will not be cast off, that doth easily occupate and possess all our members and faculties; a man may as easily shake off the skin from his back, or pour out his bowels out of his body, as rid himself of this evil inhabitant: It is an evil that is ever present with us, and dwelling in us.4
Secondly, consider the closenesse and adherency of this sinne. It cleaves as fast to our nature, as Blacknesse to the skinme of an Ethiopian, that cannot possibly bee ⟨p. 144⟩washt off. As fast as Ivie to a wall (it is the similitude of1 Epiphanius) though a man may lop and shorten the branches, yet the rootes are so fastened to the joynts and intralls of the wall, that till the stones be puld all asunder, it will not be quite rooted out. As that house wherein there was a fretting and spreading Leprosie, though it