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

Fifthly, Such is our impotency and bondage, That we are not able to affect our selves with the fear and terror of the Law, thereby to be convinced and humbled in our selves. If we cannot do the preparatories for grace, much less grace it self; if we cannot do the less, How shall we do the greater? Now one great preparatory work is, To have a divine and powerful fear in our souls, by reason of the Law, whereby we are afraid of hell, of the day of Judgement, and cannot have any rest in our spirits, because of this. Now this is wrought by the Spirit of God in a preparatory way, Rom. 8. 15. It is called The Spirit of bondage: And Joh. 14. The Spirit doth convince the world of sin; So that in and through the preaching of the Law, and discovery of sin, the Spirit of God doth awaken and terrify the conscience of a man, maketh him afraid, that he cannot eat, or drink, or take the delight he used to do. It is true, the slavish sinfulness of this fear the Spirit of God doth not work, but the heart being like a mudded pool, when it is moved, such slavish fears will arise likewise; But how far is every natural man from this, he is secure and jolly, blessing and applauding himself, crying peace, peace, all is at quiet within him, because the strong man doth keep the house? It is the voice of the Lord only that can make these mountains to quake and melt.

Fifthly, Such is our impotency and bondage, That we are not able to affect our selves with the fear and terrour of the Law, thereby to be convinced and humbled in our selves. If we cannot do the preparatories for grace, much lesse grace it self; if we cannot do the lesse, How shall we do the greater? Now one great preparatory work is, To have a divine and powerfull fear in our souls, by reason of the Law, whereby we are afraid of hell, of the day of Judgement, and cannot have any rest in our spirits, because of this. Now this is wrought by the Spirit of God in a preparatory way, Rom. 8. 15. It is called The Spirit of bondage: And Joh. 14. The Spirit doth convince the world of sinne; So that in and through the preaching of the Law, and discovery of sinne, the Spirit of God doth awaken and terrifie the conscience of a man, maketh him afraid, that he cannot eat, or drink, or take the delight he used to do. It is true, the slavish sinfulness of this fear the Spirit of God doth not work, but the heart being like a mudded pool, when it is moved, such slavish fears will arise likewise; But how farre is every natural man from this, he is secure and jolly, blessing and applauding himself, crying peace, peace, all is at quiet within him, because the strong man doth keep the house? It is the voice of the Lord only that can make these mountains to quake and melt.