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

First,¹ It is a duty often urged in Scripture, To exercise cur memory about our sins past, to bring them to mind, and accordingly to humble our selves and repent. But is not every mans memory naturally polluted herein? How many sins are there committed many years ago? How many youth sins which thou never hast a bitter remembrance of? It is not wormwood and gall to thee to think of thy former vanities: Thus the memory well exercised is the introduction to repentance. A man can never repent that doth not first remember; Can he humble himself for that which he hath forgotten? Ezek. 16. 61, 63 God there makes a gracious Covenant and promise of pardon and forgiveness to the Israelites; and then he showeth, that this fire of his love shall melt and thaw their hearts, though like iron, they shall be ashamed and confounded, but how is all this done? by remembering. Then thou shalt remember thy ways, and be ashamed, so that it is impossible to set upon the work of repentance and conversion to God, unless first thy memory be excited up, unless thou look upon thy former life, and remember this have I done, and thus I have lived, such sins and follies come into my mind, yea in true repentance thy sins will always be in thy memory, when eating, or drinking, or walking, thou wilt be thinking, Oh the wretch that I have been! Oh the beast and fool that I was in such and such impieties! Thus Joh and David remembered the sins of their youth, Psa. 51. 3. David acknowledging that murder and adultery which he had committed a year before, yet he saith, My sin is ever before me. Thus you see in repentance, the memory is wonderfully quickened, bringeth those sins to mind that have been committed many years ago, and therefore you have the expression, 1 King. 8. 47. of a people repenting, If they shall bring back to their heart, so it is in the original, we render it, If they shall bethink themselves; By this we see, that in true conversion there is a bringing back again of our sins to our hearts, that whereas we had forgot this and that sin which might be charged upon us; Now we begin to arraign our selves, and bring in a severe indictment against our own souls, for such and such transgressions: Oh then, mourn bitterly for thy evil and wicked memory herein!