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

Secondly, This sin is greatly to be aggravated, Because it is the root and cause of all actual sins. Some question, Whether all our actual sins proceed from this fountain or no? And certainly we may conclude, that all kind of actual sin, whether internal or external, soul sins, or body-sins, do either mediately, or immediately flow from it. This is the evil treasure of the ⟨p. 408⟩heart, Mat. 12. 35. Hence one of the Names that original sin hath, is Fomes peccati, because that is the womb in which all sins are conceived: The Apostle James fully confirmeth this, Chap. 1. 14. Every man is tempted and drawn aside by his own lust; neither is it any wonder that many sins being in their particular nature opposite to one another, that yet they should all come from one common principle, seeing they all have the same generical nature of filthiness; and the particularization of them is according to several temptations: Even as out of the same dunghill several kinds of vermin which are produced out of putrid matter may be brought forth; so that all the streams of iniquity do meet in this ocean, they all come from this root, even as all men do from Adam; Not that the most flagitious crimes are instantly committed, but by degrees they do at last biggen into such enormities; if then that Rule be true, That there is more in the cause then in the effect, and what is causa causae, is, causa causati, then certainly may all our iniquities be reduced to this as the fountain; hence David, Psal. 51. in his humiliation for his murder, doth go up to the cause of all, even that he was born in iniquity.

Secondly, This sinne is greatly to be aggravated, Because it is the root and cause of all actual sinnes. Some question, Whether all our actual sinnes proceed from this fountain or no? And certainly we may conclude, that all kind of actual sinne, whether internal or external, soul sinnes, or body-sinnes, do either mediately, or immediately flow from it. This is the evil treasure of the ⟨p. 408⟩heart, Mat. 12. 35. Hence one of the Names that original sinne hath, is Fomes peccati, because that is the womb in which all sinnes are conceived: The Apostle James fully confirmeth this, Chap. 1. 14. Every man is tempted and drawn aside by his own lust; neither is it any wonder that many sinnes being in their particular nature opposite to one another, that yet they should all come from one common principle, seeing they all have the same generical nature of filthiness; and the particularization of them is according to several temptations: Even as out of the same dunghill several kinds of vermine which are produced out of putrid matter may be brought forth; so that all the streames of iniquity do meet in this ocean, they all come from this root, even as all men do from Adam; Not that the most flagitious crimes are instantly committed, but by degrees they do at last biggen into such enormities; if then that Rule be true, That there is more in the cause then in the effect, and what is causa causae, is, causa causati, then certainly may all our iniquities be reduced to this as the fountain; hence David,