A16314:39
The carnal professor Discovering the woeful slavery of a man guidedThe carnall professor Discovering the wofull slavery of a man guided
The carnal professor Discovering the woeful slavery of a man guided by the flesh. Distinguishing a true spiritual Christian that walks close with God, from all formalists in religion, rotten hearted hypocrites, and empty powerless professors whatsoever. By that faithful servant of Christ, Robert Bolton B.D. late preacher in Northampton Shire.The carnall professor Discovering the wofull slavery of a man guided by the flesh. Distinguishing a true spirituall Christian that walkes close with God, from all formalists in religion, rotten hearted hypocrites, and empty powerlesse professors whatsoever. By that faithfull servant of Christ, Robert Bolton B.D. late preacher in Northampton Shire.
London: printed by Miles Flesher for R. Dawlman, 1634
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
As the fierce dragon bringeth not forth the innocent dove, or the roaring Lyon, the harmless sheep; no more did Adam in the state of his impurity beget children suitable with his condition in the state of innocency, but having defiled the holiness of his nature by eating the forbidden fruit (as a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump so) he imparted the same nature to his son, as most evidently appeared in Cain, and from him to all the rest of his posterity, even unto our selves, being all of us begotten in sin and conceived ⟨p. 24⟩in iniquity.
As the fierce dragon bringeth not forth the innocent dove, or the roaring Lyon, the harmelesse sheepe; no more did Adam in the state of his impurity beget children sutable with his condition in the state of innocency, but having defiled the holinesse of his nature by eating the forbidden fruit (as a little levin levineth the whole lumpe so) he imparted the same nature to his son, as most evidently appeared in Cain, and from him to all the rest of his posterity, even unto our selves, being all of us begotten in sin and conceived ⟨p. 24⟩in iniquity.
So that whereas before the mind was endued with a perfect actual knowledge of God, (so far as the humane nature may be supposed capable) yea and which is more, was enriched with power and ability of knowing more than as yet he had actually attained: Now as the clear sunshine overwhelmed with a cloud; so is the mind of man overcast with palpable darkness, being destitute not only of all real knowledge excepting that natural knowledge he hath of God taught him by the creatures (which is rather a light and wavering ⟨p. 25⟩opinion, than a grounded and settled persuasion) but also of all ability, of attaining the true knowledge of God by any faculty, virtue, industry, or means whatsoever inherent in himself.