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

Therefore the more fully assure your souls of this truth, by how much the whole body of Divinity depends upon this foundation. Indeed the Scripture is so clear in debasing man as to supernaturals, and giving all to the grace of God, that we may wonder how this pride should settle it self in mans heart, and that he doth not tremble to speak or write any thing, whereby the grace of God may be diminished, and man exalted; he that cannot make a white hair black, he that cannot add one cubit to his stature, will yet think to make a polluted soul holy, and add many cubits of grace to his spiritual stature.

Therefore the more fully assure your souls of this truth, by how much the whole body of Divinity depends upon this foundation. Indeed the Scripture is so clear in debasing man as to supernaturalls, and giving all to the grace of God, that we may wonder how this pride should settle it self in mans heart, and that he doth not tremble to speak or write any thing, whereby the grace of God may be diminished, and man exalted; he that cannot make a white hair black, he that cannot adde one cubit to his stature, will yet think to make a polluted soul holy, and adde many cubits of grace to his spirituall stature.

Fourthly, Our original corruption will yet further appear, If you take notice of that universal ignorance and dullness that is upon a mans understanding, knowing no saving thing about God or Christ, if it be not revealed: Insomuch that the necessity of Scripture-light, of revealed-light to conduct us to heaven, doth without contradiction, prove that by nature; we are (as Paul said) Ephes. 4, darkness, even darkness it self; Look over the generation of mankind, that are the wisest and most learned, where the light of Gods word hath not shore upon them, Rom. 1. 1. The Apostle there informeth us, that the doctrine of the Gospel was foolishness to them, that professing themselves to be wise they became foolish in their imaginations, what Aristotle or Plato could ever by natural reason understand any thing of Christ? If then we lay this for a sure foundation, (though some would absurdly question it) That without the knowledge of Christ and faith in him, none can be saved; And that none by nature can come to this knowledge, then it followeth undeniably, that damnable ignorance doth cover the face of our souls, as darkness did the deep at first, That there is a very Chaos in our souls: Oh then that we had knowledge to know our ignorance! Oh that the dark dungeon we are shut up in might not be so pleasing to us! In that the Gospel is called a mystery; In that flesh and blood doth not reveal the things of Christ to us, this showeth our wretched estate in sin; Adam had knowledge about the means rending to everlasting happiness, otherwise God would have made him imperfect; but now we are ignorant of Christ the way: All that live in the Church, had it not been for revealed light, would have groped in darkness, as we see all Heathens and Pagans do: If therefore you would see, what our natures are of themselves, consider the Savages, the Indians, the Pagans of the world, who as to any right knowledge of God have little more then brute beasts; we cannot so well see what mans nature is of it self, who live in the Church, because there is the light of the Gospel, and many times