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

First, That it is a most blessed and happy thing to come out of a troubled conscience, in a good, safe, and soul-establishing way. For this womb of conscience, when in pain and travail, is apt to make many miscarriages, yea sometimes it is so far from having any joy, that a man-child is born (I mean the true fruit of holiness produced) that there is a monster brought forth in the stead thereof. Doth not experience and Scripture confirm this, that many have come out of their troubles of conscience, with more obstinacy and wilfulness to sin again? That as the wind blowing upon coals of fire, which might seem to extinguish the fire, doth indeed increase it: Thus these pangs, these gripes of conscience which sometimes they have felt, that made godly friends say, Now there is hope, blessed be God, that maketh them feel the burden of sin: These hopeful workings (I say) do at last end in a senseless stupidity; Pharaoh for a while, and so also Belshazzar and Felix trembled; Conscience in these did give some sharp stings, but (alas) it came to no good use, so rare a thing is it, to come in a gracious manner out of these waves and storms upon thy soul: Experience also doth give in full testimony to this; How many do we see that for some time, yea (it may be) years have had as it were an hell within them? They have eat their bread, and drunk their drink with trembling and astonishment; They have been even distracted with the terrors of the Lord; but if you observe the later end of such, they have at last grown secure and stupid, as if the Spirit of God had never visited them in such a dreadful manner: So that we may say to many, What is become of those troubles thou didst once groan under? Where are those fears, those cries, those agonies, thou hadst then? Where are those zealous and fervent workings of heart which did so burn within thee once? Alas, after these meltings and thawings a greater frost and cold hath come upon them; That as sometimes frequent and constant aguish fits do at last end in a consumption: Thus frequent troubles of conscience upon some fits and seasons, do sometimes end in a plain dedolency and stupidity of conscience, never to be troubled more.