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

¶. 10.

That man naturally loves his Thraldom to Sin, and contradicts the Means of Deliverance from it; is a great Aggravation of the Bondage and Servitude of the Will.

That man naturally loves his Thraldome to Sinne, and contradicts the Means of Deliverance from it; is a great Aggravation of the Bondage and Servitude of the Will.

Secondly, The miserable bondage of the will to sin, is the more to be aggravated, In that it loveth this thraldom, delights to be in this drudgery, even as the Swine doth in its mire; yea it doth vehemently oppose and contradict all the means of deliverance from it. Austin complained, Veil meum inimicus captivum tenebat: Our will is kept captive; So that if the grace of God come to set us free, we love our bondage better then liberty; we had rather be in our prison with chains upon us, then abide in Gods palace: So that this vassalage of the will to sin, is not like a bodily one, which is troublesome and very grievous to those that are detained therein, as we see it was to the Israelites groaning under the yoke, but naturally we delight in this slavery, and look upon that freedom which grace would procure for us, as the greatest misery, and this maketh us unspeakably miserable, according to that known Rule, Quid miserius misero, non miserante seipsum, What is more miserable then that wretched man, who doth not, who cannot pity himself? You must not therefore conceive of the will of man thus captivated to sin, as if it were against its inclination, as if of it self it did endeavour to cast off this yoke, as it is with some people, who being over-powered, are forced to submit, but yet they wait for, and long for an opportunity to set themselves at liberty: No, but the will doth delight and rejoice in this servitude: A man doth willingly give his ears to be bored by his lusts, resolving never to go from this Master, unless grace change him, and make him a new creature all over.