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

Thirdly, […] principle also in all Nations, to have Magistrates and Laws, to have prison• gibbets, whereby punishment may be inflicted upon offenders, doth palpably demonstrate what a proneness there is in man to sin. For those provisos do suppose that man doth restrain himself from evil, only for fear of punishment; If so be that there were such a natural purity in man; Why should there be such jealousies, such fears of man, Homo homini lupus? Why are there provided such severe punishments to awe wicked men, but that mans nature is out of credit, it is supposed to do all the evil it can, if it have any impunity? Certainly it is not for good that Mastiffs are tied up, that Bears and Lions are kept up in grates; This argueth how cruel they would be if let loose; Thus also it is with mankind all the severe Laws and punishments which are in all estates established, do demonstrate how wild and outrageous man is, if left alone to himself; In his younger years he hath the rod, when grown up, prisons and gallows, and in his old age, death and hell to awe him against sin.

Thirdly, 〈…〉 principle also in all Nations, to have Magistrates and Laws, to have prison• ••gibbets, whereby punishment may be inflicted upon offenders, doth palpably demonstrate what a pronenesse there is in man to sinne. For those provisoes do suppose that man doth restrain himself from evil, only for fear of punishment; If so be that there were such a natural purity in man; Why should there be such jealousies, such fears of man, Homo homini lupus? Why are there provided such severe punishments to awe wicked men, but that mans nature is out of credit, it is supposed to do all the evil it can, if it have any impunity? Certainly it is not for good that Mastives are tied up, that Bears and Lions are kept up in grates; This argueth how cruel they would be if let loose; Thus also it is with mankind all the severe Laws and punishments which are in all estates established, do demonstrate how wild and outragious man is, if left alone to himself; In his younger yeares he hath the rod, when growne up, prisons and gallows, and in his old age, death and hell to awe him against sinne.