There is (say they) a natural connection between them, so that if the will at any time offend, it is because the light and conviction of the mind is faint and inefficacious: But this opinion doth greatly retract from the nature of grace, and the nature of our original sin, from grace, as if that did sanctify the understanding and affections only, and from original sin, as if that were not seated in the will, but in the other parts only, whereas the will of a man may be called the throne of wickedness, because from it properly all sins have their rise and being; Do we not see this plainly in the Devils, who are [Greek or Hebrew], greatly knowing and understanding, yet no Devil is able to will what is good, but willeth to sin always, and cannot restrain it; How cometh this about? They do not want knowledge, they are not capable of sins of ignorance, and yet with what irreconcilable enmity is the Devil set against that which is good, insomuch that he cannot all the day long, but will those things that are offensive to God. Although they know this is to their eternal torment; By which you see how depraved and poisoned without Christ the will is, though the understanding meet it like an Angel to stop this Balaam in wicked and unjust ways: Never then plead ignorance, or plead passions, for it is the defect and wickedness of the will that makes thee so vile; But as the will in the upper region (as it were) is so much polluted, so in the lower region also; for if we consider it as bordering upon the affections, there we shall find as horrible a sin daily committed, as when Gods Law forbids a woman to fall down before a beast; for when the will, which is in it self a rational appetite, shall make it self like one of the vile affections and passions; what is this but a spiritual and unclean lust with a beast; Lay then this more to heart than thou doest; Think how horrid a sight it would be, if thy body should become like a beasts, and thou go on the ground as that doth, what would then become of that Os sublime? And is not this as bad, when thy will is made a vassal to every inordinate affection? Thou willest what thy passions call for, yet thus it is with every one till grace doth elevate the will, and set it in its proper throne.
There is (say they) a natural connexion between them, so that if the will at any time offend, it is because the light and conviction of the mind is faint and inefficacious: But this opinion doth greatly retract from the nature of grace, and the nature of our original sinne, from grace, as if that did sanctifie the understanding and affections only, and from original sinne, as if that were not seated in the will, but in the other parts only, whereas the will of a man may be called the throne of wickedness, because from it properly all sinnes have their rise and being; Do we not see this plainly in the Devils, who are 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, greatly knowing and understanding, yet no Devil is able to will what is good, but willeth to sinne alwayes, and cannot resrain it; How cometh this about? They do not want knowledge, they are not capable of sinnes of ignorance, and yet with what irreconcilable enmity is the Devil set against that which is good, insomuch that he cannot all the day long, but will those things that are offensive to God. Although they know this is to their eternal torment; By which you see how depraved and poisoned without Christ the will is, though the understanding meet it like an Angel to stop this Balaam in wicked and unjust wayes: Never then plead ignorance, or plead passions, for it is the defect and wickedness of the will that makes thee so vile; But as the will in the upper region (as it were) is so much polluted, so in the lower region also; for if we consider it as bordering upon the affections, there we shall find as horrible a sinne daily committed, as when Gods Law sorbids a woman to fall down before a beast; for when the will, which is in it self a rational appetite, shall make it self like one of the vile affections and passions; what is this but a spiritual and unclean lust with a beast; Lay then this more to heart than thou doest; Think how horrid a sight it would be, if thy body should become like a beasts, and thou go on the ground as that doth, what would then become of that Os sublime? And is not this as bad, when thy will is made a vassal to every inordinate affection? Thou willest what thy passions call for, yet thus it is with every one till grace doth elevate the will, and set it in its proper throne.
