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

but the sin of Adam hath not only brought on that part an obnoxiousness to many bodily distempers, but filled it also with sinfulness, which is eminently seen in its aberration from that two-fold main end it was at first bestowed on us for: The one whereof is, the salvation of our souls; for if the sense of hearing the Word of of God, and of seeing the wonderful works which God hath wrought, be so greatly instrumental to our sanctification, why should not the imagination much more? but who may not complain what an impediment and hinderance his fancy is to his souls good, it imagines evil and vanity, it is wholly pleased with empty and vain things, neglecting the true solid good, so that there is no man that is acquainted with the frame of his soul, but may groan under the sinful unruliness of his imagination, especially (as is to be showed) in holy and religious approaches to God; When all the powers should be united in one way, then what swarms of roaring imaginations? What importunate and impertinent fancies are ready to fill thy soul, as flies sometimes did Egypt? Was it thus in the state of Creation? Did God create us with such fickle confused and erratic imaginations? how greatly would it dishonour God to affirm so? Affect thy heart therefore greatly with this, to think that that which was so exceedingly conducible to thy souls happiness, is now such an impediment and enemy thereunto. It is a corrupt licentious opinion, which Speranza (though a Papist) attributeth to several famous Schoolmen, viz. That a man is not bound to repel an evil thought, if there be not danger of consent to it, but may suffer it to be in his mind, as some natural thing, even with advertency that it is there: but this is justly called by the foresaid Author, (Spiranza scrip. sel. dig. de cong. punct. 11.) Offendiculum animarum, an opinion that is a stumbling block and scandal to souls, neither may our sinful imaginations greatly humble us, if this were true. And as for the other end, which is to glorify God; Wherein hath God been more dishonoured then by the imaginations of men? Whence hath that Idolatry filled the whole world? How come superstitious magical divinations but by the sin of imagination? These phantasmata on [Greek or Hebrew], in the brain make these Idols which men fall down and worship, so that they may well have the same name. The Apostle Rom.

but the sinne of Adam hath not onely brought on that part an obnoxiousness to many bodily distempers, but filled it also with sinnefulness, which is eminently seen in its aberration from that two-fold main end it was at first bestowed on us for: The one whereof is, the salvation of our souls; for if the sence of hearing the Word of of God, and of seeing the wonderfull works which God hath wrought, be so greatly instrumental to our sanctification, why should not the imagination much more? but who may not complain what an impediment and hinderance his fancy is to his souls good, it imagines evil and vanity, it is wholly pleased with empty and vain things, neglecting the true solid good, so that there is no man that is acquainted with the frame of his soul, but may groane under the sinful unruliness of his imagination, especially (as is to be shewed) in holy and religious approaches to God; When all the powers should be united in one way, then what swarmes of roaring imaginations? What importunate and impertinent fancies are ready to fill thy soul, as flies sometimes did Egypt? Was it thus in the state of Creation? Did God create us with such fickle confused and erratique imaginations? how greatly would it dishonour God to affirm so? Affect thy heart therefore greatly with this, to think that that which was so exceedingly conducible to thy souls happiness, is now such an impediment and enemy thereunto. It is a corrupt licentious opinion, which Speranza (though a Papist) attributeth to several famous Schoolmen, viz. That a man is not bound to repell an evil thought, if there be not danger of consent to it, but may suffer it to be in his mind, as some natural thing, even with advertency that it is there: but this is justly called by the foresaid Author, (Spiranza scrip. sel. dig. de cong. punct. 11.) Offendiculum animarum, an opinion that is a stumbling block and scandal to souls, neither may our sinfull imaginations greatly humble us, if this were true. And as for the other end, which is to glorifie God; Wherein hath God been more dishonoured then by the imaginations of men? Whence hath that Idolatry filled the whole world? How come superstitious magical divinations but by the sinne of imagination? These phantasmata on , in the brain make these Idols which men fall down and worship, so that they may well have the same name. The Apostle Rom.