Thirdly, The original pollution of the will is seen in the rebellion of it against the light of the mind, and the slavery of it to the sensitive part in a man, to the carnal and sinful affections therein: Both which do sadly proclaim how the will is by nature out of all holy order, and fallen from its primitive integrity; For in the former respect therefore did God give us reason, that by the light and guidance thereof, the will should proceed to its operations; So that for the will to move it self before it hath direction from the mind, is like the servant that would set upon business before his master commands him, like an unnatured dog, that runneth before his master do set him on: To will a thing first, and afterwards to exercise the mind about it, is to set the earth where Heaven should be: But oh the unspeakable desolation that is brought upon the soul in this very particular! The will stayeth for no guidance, expecteth no direction, but willeth because it will, what is suitable and agreeable to the corrupt nature thereof, that it embraceth be it never so destructive and damning; God made the mind at first, that it could say like the Centurion, I bid the will go and it goeth; the affections move, and they move; but now the inferior soldier biddeth the Centurion go and he goeth; This then is the great condemnation of the will, that though light come in upon it, yet it loveth not the light, but rebelleth against it; and this sinfulness of the will is more palpably discovered under the means of grace, and the light of the Gospel, then under the light of nature merely, for such are said comparatively ⟨p. 300⟩to sit in darkness, and to have no light; The more then the light of the Gospel doth appear, the more any beams of truth do gloriously shine into thy breast, and thou for all this gain-sayest them, livest against them, the more is thy will in a sin. This then doth greatly aggravate the polluted nature of the will, that it can contradict the powerful arguments of the soul, when it was made subordinate to knowledge, then to become tyrannical and usurping over it, this argueth the will hath a peculiar infection in it, insomuch that if it had never so much light, yet that would be evil, because it will be evil. I know there are many learned men, that say, The will cannot but follow the practical dictate of the understanding;
THirdly, The original pollution of the will is seen in the rebellion of it against the light of the mind, and the slavery of it to the sensitive part in a man, to the carnal and sinfull affections therein: Both which do sadly proclaim how the will is by nature out of all holy order, and fallen from its primitive integrity; For in the former respect therefore did God give us reason, that by the light and guidance thereof, the will should proceed to its operations; So that for the will to move it self before it hath direction from the mind, is like the servant that would set upon business before his master commands him, like an unnatured dog, that runneth before his master do set him on: To will a thing first, and afterwards to exercise the mind about it, is to set the earth where Heaven should be: But oh the unspeakable desolation that is brought upon the soul in this very particular! The will staieth for no guidance, expecteth no direction, but willeth because it will, what is suteable and agreeable to the corrupt nature thereof, that it imbraceth be it never so destructive and damning; God made the mind at first, that it could say like the Centurion, I bid the will go and it goeth; the affections move, and they move; but now the inferior souldier biddeth the Centurion go and he goeth; This then is the great condemnation of the will, that though light come in upon it, yet it loveth not the light, but rebelleth against it; and this sinfulness of the will is more palpably discovered under the means of grace, and the light of the Gospel, then under the light of nature meerly, for such are said comparatively ⟨p. 300⟩to sit in darkness, and to have no light; The more then the light of the Gospel doth appear, the more any beams of truth do gloriously shine into thy breast, and thou for all this gain-sayest them, livest against them, the more is thy will in a sinne. This then doth greatly aggravate the polluted nature of the will, that it can contradict the powerfull arguments of the soul, when it was made subordinate to knowledge, then to become tyrannical and usurping over it, this argueth the will hath a peculiar infection in it, insomuch that if it had never so much light, yet that would be evil, because it will be evil. I know there are many learned men, that say, The will cannot but follow the practical dictate of the understanding;
