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

Secondly, These motions that do thus stir in the heart, are either such as they call motus primo primi, or secundo primi, the absolute mere first, or first in a secondary order. There may be difference in the explaining of these; but the sum is this, These motions are either such, which do rise up in our hearts, antecedently to any actings of the reason, or will at all. It was not in our power to repress them, or to prevent them: for original sin in a man doth not lie sluggish and bound up, it is always acting and moving; and the immediate motions or first born of the soul are these first stirrings of heart, preventing all deliberation and consultation. Such a state indeed Adam was not created in; nothing did rise up in him before his will, and consent: and so it was also with Christ. But since we are plunged into this corrupt condition, sin hath got the whole mastery over us, we are in a Babel and spiritual confusion. Every sinful lust riseth in us before we have time to withstand it; although (if we had time) such is our impotency and corruption now, that we neither can, or will gainsay the torrent of these motions: It is true, the Papists, say, they are no sins, they are matter of exercise to us, but they are not sins if not consented unto. But the Apostle, Rom. 7. doth often call them so, and they are such as are contrary to the Law of God; they are such as make a godly man groan under them, and judge himself miserable thereby; they are such as are to be crucified and mortified, all which show they have the true and proper nature of sin. So that it is a wonder those should deny these indeliberate motions to be sin, who hold original sin to be properly and not equivocally a sin. For, as it is enough to make original sin voluntary, because it is voluntarium voluntate ejus à quo, not in quo est, with the will of Adam, from whence it descendeth, though not with the will of him in which it inhereth; Thus also it may be said of these involuntary motions, they are of the same nature with original sin. For though they be actual, yet flowing necessarily from the mother sin, and being withal a privation of that righteousness, which ought to be in us, they must be called sins, as well as original. And thus far Henricus the Schoolman proceedeth, as Vasquez allegeth him, (Tom. 10. disput. 106.)

Secondly, These motions that do thus stirre in the heart, are either such as they call motus primo primi, or secundo primi, the absolute meer first, or first in a secondary order. There may be difference in the explaining of these; but the summe is this, These motions are either such, which do rise up in our hearts, antecedently to any actings of the reason, or will at all. It was not in our power to repress them, or to prevent them: for original sin in a man doth not lie sluggish and bound up, it is alwayes acting and moving; and the immediate motions or first born of the soul are these first stirrings of heart, preventing all deliberation and consultation. Such a state indeed Adam was not created in; nothing did rise up in him before his will, and consent: and so it was also with Christ. But since we are plunged into this corrupt condition, sinne hath got the whole mastery over us, we are in a Babel and spiritual confusion. Every sinful lust riseth in us before we have time to withstand it; although (if we had time) such is our impotency and corruption now, that we neither can, or will gainsay the torrent of these motions: It is true, the Papists, say, they are no sinnes, they are matter of exercise to us, but they are not sinnes if not consented unto. But the Apostle,