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

So that whereas all our affections and actions should have their first rise from the guidance of the mind; Now our lusts and affections do first move, and then the understanding is employed to defend and excuse the lawfulness of them: Oh then bewail this sad desolation come upon thee! Thy mind and judgement are become slaves and vassals to every unlawful way, to plead for that, to defend that, to excuse that: Thus (as the Scripture) when it speaketh of a civil desolation, making a confusion upon the Governors thereof, saith, The heavens are turned into blackness, or, The Sun and Moon into blood; so it is now upon the face of a mans soul; if reason and judgement were strong enough to do their office, there would not be that insolency of the affections, and rebellion in our wills, which doth now wholly overpour us.

So that whereas all our affections and actions should have their first rise from the guidance of the minde; Now our lusts and affections doe first move, and then the understanding is imployed to defend and excuse the lawfulnesse of them: Oh then bewail this sad desolation come upon thee! Thy minde and judgement are become slaves and vassals to every unlawfull way, to plead for that, to defend that, to excuse that: Thus (as the Scripture) when it speaketh of a civil desolation, making a confusion upon the Governours thereof, saith, The heavens are turned into blacknesse, or, The Sunne and Moon into blood; so it is now upon the face of a mans soul; if reason and judgement were strong enough to doe their office, there would not be that insolency of the affections, and rebellion in our wils, which doth now wholly overpour us.

The second thing in this particular is, The subordination of it to God, and to his Rule. The mind of a man did then wholly follow the Rule God had prescribed it. To believe, to think, to judge, as the Rule was, but now it's become heretical. It's prone to choose an opinion of its own, a Doctrine of its own; Although the word Heresy in it self, signify neither good or evil, and therefore in Eusebius, Constantine applieth it to the Christian Religion, calling it heresy, as Tertullian doth the Christian Religion Secta, a Sect; yet in Ecclesiastical Writers, if not constantly in the Scripture, it is used in an ill sense, and signifieth an election or adhering to a way of our own devising, and not that which is commanded by God. Tertullian calls Adam's sin heresin, because committed of his own choice against Gods will: Insomuch that though there may be many particular causes of heresies, as ignorance, pride, discontent, covetousness, and such carnal principles; yet the main is, that proneness in the mind to lift up it self against God and his Rule, having lost its primitive subordination to God. This want of subordination to God and the Scriptures, is notably seen in Heretics, who when they perceive Scripture against them, rather then submit, they will be guilty of Scripture-slaughter, as Tertullian called it, Marcion (saith he) cometh not with Stilo sed Machara, draweth his sword, and detruncateth a great part of Scripture: Others, though not so audacious, yet because they will not submit, do not Materiam ad Scripturas, but Scripturas, and Materiam accommodare, not submit their opinions to the Scripture, but the Scripture to their opinions. Valentinus openly professed, He did amend the Gospel.