A treatise of original sin ... proving that it is

Fourthly, This may evidently convince us of our original pollution, That it is far worse with man, now in respect of the end, he was created unto, and the nature he was constituted in, then with any other creatures. This plainly argueth mans apostasy from God, for all creatures in their kind live proportionably, and obtain their end, which is usefulness and serviceableness to man, only man neither liveth according to his nature rightly considered, and withal doth miserably fall short of that glorious end for which God made him. If you consider man in his nature, he is a reasonable creature, and so ought to walk according to the principles of reason, to do nothing against the rules thereof; now all men are by original corruption, become like brute beasts that have no understanding; Hence the Scripture doth so often compare them to beasts, yea prefer beasts before them; The sluggard is commanded to go to the Ant, Israel is said to be worse than the Stork that knoweth her season, and the Ox or Ass that know their masters crib: Why doth the Scripture speak thus, but to show that beasts do in their kind surpass man in his kind? Every wicked man is called a fool, and a simple one, because when he sinneth, he goeth against the dictates of true reason, and this is the condition of all men till regenerated by grace, they do not consider what God made them for, or why they have immortal and rational souls. Take the Drunkard, is not he worse then a beast? doth the beast drink any more then will suffice nature? insomuch that we may truly say all by nature are become spiritual monsters, for as a monster in nature is, when nature is deficient or redundant in her operations, and so worketh not regularly: Thus also when a man doth not keep the rules of reason, and live as one who hath a rational soul, he becomes like a monster, and so ought to abhor himself: Oh then loath thy self and say, every creature liveth like its kind! The horse doth as an horse should do, the ox as the ox should do, but I miserable and wretched sinner do nothing that a man should do! Again, The beasts, and so all creatures, although they are subject to vanity, and groan under a curse, because of mans sin, yet they do not fall short of the end, they were intended for.