The Soul's Conflict with Itself

But that man whilst he lives here […] not altogether excluded from hope […] happiness, and hath a nature not […] large and capable of sin as Sat• whereupon he is not so obstinate […] ⟨p. 161⟩hating God, and working mischief as he, &c. Otherwise there is for kind the same cursed disposition, and malice of nature against true goodness in man, which is in the devils and damned spirits themselves.

But that man whilest he lives here 〈…〉 not altogether excluded from hope 〈…〉 happinesse, and hath a nature not 〈…〉 large and capable of sinne as Sat• whereupon hee is not so obstinate 〈…〉 ⟨p. 161⟩hating God, and working mischiefe as hee, &c. Otherwise there is for kinde the same cursed disposition, and malice of nature against true goodnes in man, which is in the devils and damned spirits themselves.

It is no mitigation of sin, to plead it is natural, for natural diseases (as leprosies) that are derived from Parents, are most dangerous, and least curable; Neither is this any excuse, for because as it is natural, so it is voluntary, not only in Adam, in whose loins we were, and therefore sinned; but likewise in regard of our selves, who are so far from stopping the course of sin either in our selves or others, that we feed and strengthen it, or at least give more way to it, and provide less against it then we should, until we come under the government of grace; and by that means, we justify Adams sin, and that corrupt estate that followeth upon it, and show, that if we had been in Adams condition our selves, we would have made that ill choice which he made. And though ⟨p. 162⟩