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

¶. 1.

Something being already premised about the nature of the Affections, we shall in the next place consider the horrible and general depravation of them, and that originally.

SOmething being already premised about the nature of the Affections, we shall in the next place consider the horrible and general depravation of them, and that originally.

First, The great pollution of them is evidently and palpably manifested in the dominion and tyranny they have over the understanding and will, which are the superior magistrates (as it were) in the soul. Thus the Sun and Stars in the souls orbs are obscured and obnubilated by the misty vapours and fogs which arise from this dung-hill: A man doth now for the most part reason, believe and will according to his affections and passions; Aristotle observed this, That Prout quisque affectus est it a judicat, As every man is affected, so he judgeth; They are sinful affections which make the erroneous and heretical judgements that are, they are sinful affections, which make the rash, corrupt and uncharitable judgements that are: Thus the vanity may be observed in the soul, which Solomon took notice of to be sometimes in the world, Princes go on foot, and servants ride on horseback; God did at first implant affections in us for great usefulness and serviceableness, that thereby we might be more inflamed and quickened up in the service ⟨p. 330⟩of God; They were appointed to be hand-maidens to the rational powers of the soul, but now they are become Hagars to this Sarah, yea they are become like Antichrist, for they lift themselves up above all that is called God in the soul. The understanding and conscience is made to us, as God appointed Moses to Pharaoh, it is ordained as a god to us; but these passions will be exalted above it, and so man is led, not by reason, not by conscience, but by affections; This is the very reason, why either in matters of faith towards God, or in matters of transactions with men, our judgements are seldom partly and sincerely carried out to the truth, but some affection or other doth turn the balance in all things; Therefore as Abraham was to go out of his own Country, and so to worship God in a right manner: Thus if we would ever have a sound faith, a right judgement, we must come out of all affections that may prepossess us; What a woeful aggravation of our sinful misery is this, that our affections should come thus boldly and set themselves in the throne of the soul, that they should bid us judge, and we judge, that they should bid us believe, and we believe? So that we most justly in a spiritual sense complain, as the Jews in a temporal one, Servants have ruled over us;