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

to say, That these first motions in persons, not baptized are sins, and that they want not such a voluntariness, as is requisite to the nature of sin; partly because of the will of the first parents, and partly, because of the proper will of the man who hath them; not because he doth not hinder these motions, because he cannot always do this; but because he will not by baptism be expiated from original sin, and consequently from the guilt of these sins. This later reason we matter not; the former hath good strength, and is the same in effect with what we say. Oh then that we were rightly considering of these things! Those millions of thoughts and stirrings of heart, which arise before reason and will are able to do any thing, these are all sins: these are contrary to the holy Law of God: Adam had them not, neither shall the glorified Saints in heaven be in the least manner molested with them. How low and debased must thou be in thy own eyes? For this it is that the godly go bowed down; for this they mourn and pray: these afflict them ⟨p. 466⟩more then gross loathsome sins do profane men; the mere civil and formal man, the self-righteous and confident man, he knoweth none of these things; he feeleth not this evil impure frame of his heart: this maketh the way of godliness to be such a mystery, such an unknown thing, but to those that are believers indeed, as they have other joys, other comforts then the world knoweth of; so they have other motives of sorrow and humiliation, then the natural man can understand. But as for the first motions of the second sort, they have some imperfect consent and complacency; and therefore acknowledged by Gerson, (Compend. Theol.) to be sins; yea the former kind of motions, though so sudden, are affirmed to be sins (by several Schoolmen upon different reasons) but venial, as they call them. For Henricus held they were mortal; now to us all sins in their own nature are mortal. Therefore all these motions, which arise in the soul, whether first or second, being contrary to the holy Law of God, which requireth pure streams, and also a pure fountain; and also being opposite to the Image of God we were created in, must needs be truly sins: for which we are to humble our selves, and to pray continually for the mortification of them.

to say, That these first motions in persons, not baptized are sinnes, and that they want not such a voluntariness, as is requisite to the nature of sinne; partly because of the will of the first parents, and partly, because of the proper will of the man who hath them; not because he doth not hinder these motions, because he cannot alwayes do this; but because he will not by baptisme be expiated from original sinne, and consequently from the guilt of these sinnes. This later reason we matter not; the former hath good strength, and is the same in effect with what we say. Oh then that we were rightly considering of these things! Those millions of thoughts and stirrings of heart, which arise before reason and will are able to do any thing, these are all sinnes: these are contrary to the holy Law of God: Adam had them not, neither shall the glorified Saints in heaven be in the least manner molested with them. How low and debased must thou be in thy own eyes? For this it is that the godly go bowed down; for this they mourn and pray: these afflict them