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

¶. 8.

The Pollution of the Will in its Acts of Consent.

WE proceed to another act of the Will, as it is exercised about the means which is called Consent; for though in order of nature, this doth precede election, yet because I intend not to say much about it at this time, because more will be spoken to it, when I shall treat of the immediate effects of original sin; I therefore bring it in, in this place. And for to discover the sinfulness hereof, we must know, That the will hath a two-fold operation or motion in this respect, for there are motus primo primi, the immediate and first stirrings of the will antecedently to any deliberation or consent; The natural man being wholly carnal cannot feel these, no more then a blind man can discern the motes in the air, when the Sun-beams do enlighten it; but the godly man, as appeareth Rom. 7. he findeth such motions and insurrections of sin within him, and that against his will. Now although it be true, when there are such motions of the will, but resisted and gainsaid, they are not such sins as shall be imputed unto us; and thus far Bernards, expression is to be received, Non necet sensus rei deest consensus, yet they are in themselves truly and properly sins. The Papists and Protestants are at great difference in this point. The Romanists denying all such indeliberate motions antecedent to our consent to be properly sins, but the Reformed do positively conclude they are, and that because the Apostle, Rom. 7. calleth them often sins, and sins that are against the law, and which ought to be mortified. It is true, we further add, when the sanctified soul doth withstand them, cry out to God for aid against them; as the maid in danger to be deflowered, if she called out for her help, the Law of God did then free her; so God also will through Christ forgive such sinful motions of thy soul, which appear in thy heart, whether thou wilt, or no; yet for all this, these stirrings of the will being inordinate and against the Law of God, which requireth not only pure streams, but a pure fountain also, therefore they are truly culpable, and so damnable. Let then a man observe, whether Egypt was once fuller of flies then thy heart is of inordinate motions;