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

Tenthly, Original sin doth pollute the mind of a man with pride and vain-glory, so that he is easily puffed up with his own conceits, and altogether ignorant of his ignorance. The Apostle Col. 2. 18. saith of some, Vainly puffed up with a fleshly mind. This Tumour, this Tympany in the mind hath been the cause of most heresies in the Church. The Gnostics boasted in their knowledge, and had their name from it. The Eunomians did vainly and blasphemously brag, That they knew God, as well as he knew himself. And some in these later days have not been afraid to compare themselves above the Apostles for gifts and illuminations. So that whereas every one should with wise Augur, say humbly, I have not the understanding of a man, I am more brutish then any man: Or with Austin, when one admiring his learning used this expression, Nihil te latet; he answered again, Nihil tristius legi, because he knew the falsehood of it, because of his ignorance even in innumerable places of Scripture: They equalize themselves to Angels, yea to God himself. This pride, this self-conceit is a worm bred in the rose, and the more parts men have, the more doth this disease increase. Matthew Paris relateth of a great Scholar, much admired for his learning, who in his Lectures once in the Schools, proving the Divine Nature, and also Incarnation of Christ with mighty applause, did most arrogantly say, That Christ was beholding to him for this Dispute, that he owed, as it were his Divine Nature to his learning, as if he had not been God, if he had not proved it; upon which blasphemy ⟨p. 219⟩he was immediately stricken with ignorance, and such sottishness, that he was afterwards taught the Lords Prayer by a little child. This pride of mind is worse then all other pride; And certainly that is a great effect of original sin upon us, that we are apt to take such contemplative delight about our own notions and apprehensions, being therein guilty of spiritual fornication. This pride of mind is seen also in owning and defending even the truths of God, not as his, but as they are our own opinions, out of which we may raise our own glory, whereas truth is not mine, of thine, or a third mans, but the Lords, Cave ne privatum dixeris ne à veritate privemur.

Tenthly, Original sinne doth pollute the mind of a man with pride and vain-glory, so that he is easily puffed up with his own conceits, and altogether ignorant of his ignorance. The Apostle