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

The very thoughts, the very motions are damnable and abominable, And he bolted them out with hatred, as Ammon did his deflowered Tamar, then had conscience been regular and also prevented his future confusion. but it never pricketh, never condemneth, till the fact be past, and then when it did so, it was upon the Devils design, to bring him to final despair. This may be seen also in David a godly man, though the issue of conscience its accusation was more comfortable; when David out of vain and ambitious ends, desired to number the people, though Joab withstood it, 2 Sam. 24. which might exceedingly have shamed, David, that a mere mortal man should see that sinfulness, which he did not, yet he will proceed, and the people are numbered, but as soon as David had ⟨p. 239⟩done it, then his hear smote him, when it was done; it smote him not, while it was a doing, the nine months were spent in numbering of the people; Why not before, then it had prevented the deaths of many thousands? But thus it is, conscience will not seasonably and opportunely bear witness against sin Consider then the deceitfulness and falseness of thy conscience herein, all the while thou art contriving sin, purposing, yea and acting of sin, nothing doth trouble thee, but at last, when sin is committed, then it ariseth with horror and terror; And do we not see this constant pollution of conscience in most dying persons, when summoned by God, and arraigned by death, when the sentence of death is upon them? Then their conscience flieth in their faces, taketh them by the throat, oh send for the Minister, let him pray for me, let all that come to me, pray for me. Thus conscience is stirring now; oh but how much better were it, if in thy health time, if in thy strength and power, then conscience had been operative? To have heard thee then cry out, oh my sins! oh I am wounded at the heart! oh pray for me! then there had been better grounds to hope, thy conscience was awakened upon true and enduring considerations, such as would continue always, living and dying, whereas such are but sick-sudden fits of conscience, and commonly turn into greater hardness of heart and obstinacy afterwards.

The very thoughts, the very motions are damnable and abominable, And he bolted them out with hatred, as Ammon did his defloured Tamar, then had conscience been regular and also prevvented his future confusion. but it never pricketh, never condemneth, till the fact be past, and then when it did so, it was upon the Devils design, to bring him to final despair. This may be seen also in David a godly man, though the issue of conscience its accusation was more comfortable; when David out of vain and ambitious ends, desired to number the people, though Joab withstood it,