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

The second in order is, That incapacity, which is in every mans understanding about holy things: Divine and supernatural things are no more received by him, then a Beast doth apprehend the things of reason; We have this fully affirmed, 1 Cor. 2. 14. But the natural man receiveth not the things of God, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned; you see there is no habitude or proportion between the understanding of a natural man, and spiritual things, no more, then is between the bodily eye, and a spiritual: [Greek or Hebrew], is one that doth, excolere animam, such as labour to adorn and perfect the soul, with the most intellectual and moral endowments that are: a Tully, a Plato, an Aristotle, these, if brought to Gospel-truth, are not so much as noctuae ad solem, Owls to the Sun-beams; To this purpose also, Rom. 8. 7, we have not only this truth asserted, but also aggravated, where the carnal mind is said, To be enmity against God, and it is not subject to the Law of God, neither can it be. By which places of Scripture, it is evident, That the mind of man, hath an utter incapacity, as to any divine things. Indeed there is a passive capacity, as some express it, and so the mind of man is susceptible of holy truth, and such a capacity is not in a beast; as that is not capable of sin, so neither of regeneration; But then there is an active capacity, when the soul by some ability and power of its own, is able to move to these supernatural objects; and thus the understanding of the most learned in the world, cannot of it self receive it, and therefore faith is said, To be the gift of God; so that we may justly abhor the Arminians, Probitas animi, and Pia doxilitas, which they make preparatory or main part to conversion: Now there is a twofold receiving of divine Truths.

The second in order is, That incapacity, which is in every mans understanding about holy things: Divine and supernatural things are no more received by him, then a Beast doth apprehend the things of reason; We have this fully affirmed, 1 Cor. 2. 14. But the natural man receiveth not the things of God, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned; you see there is no habitude or proportion between the understannding of a natural man, and spiritual things, no more, then is between the bodily eie, and a spiritual: , is one that doth, excolere animam, such as labour to adorne and perfect the soul, with the most intellectual and moral indowments that are: a Tully, a Plato, an Aristotle, these, if brought to Gospel-truth, are not so much as noctuae ad solem, Owles to the Sunne-beames; To this purpose also,