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

Lastly, When none of these ways do stir up original sin, then the thoughts and apprehensions of a man in the intellectual part they may. And indeed the former provoking causes were most conspicuous in gross and carnal sins; but this is influential in spiritual sins; from the mind come vain thoughts, ambitious, proud, malicious thoughts; from the mind arise blasphemous, atheistical, and unbelieving thoughts. Thus you see how poor and wretched man is become in his soul, as Lazarus was in his body, all over with ulcers and sores, no place is free from sin: Oh that God would deliver us from our blindness of mind, from our self-fullness, whereby we are so apt to fall in love with our selves, so as to think we want nothing, when we are without God, without Christ, without the Image of God, without all holiness and peace within, either of soul or body! How should it pity thee to see this glorious building thus lying in its own ruins and rubbish? Now from all these particulars thus joined together, you may observe how sin carrieth us away in a pleasing enticing manner. So that although we cannot but sin, yet this is very delightsome and satisfactory; insomuch that man is drawn aside to sin, as he said, —Trahit sua quemque voluptas. And this is more to be observed, because the adversaries do so tragically ⟨p. 468⟩exclaim against us, in affirming, that we lie under a necessity of sinning, we cannot but sin. Why then say they, Why should God damn us for sinning, any more than for being thirsty or hungry, which do necessarily affect us? But the Answer is two-fold:

Lastly, When none of these wayes doe stirre up original sinne, then the thoughts and apprehensions of a man in the intellectual part they may. And indeed the former provoking causes were most conspicuous in grosse and carnal sinnes; but this is influential in spiritual sinnes; from the minde come vain thoughts, ambitious, proud, malicious thoughts; from the mind arise blasphemous, atheistical, and unbelieving thoughts. Thus you see how poor and wretched man is become in his soul, as Laezarus was in his body, all over with ulcers and sores, no place is free from sinne: Oh that God would deliver us from our blindnesse of minde, from our self-fulnesse, whereby we are so apt to fall in love with our selves, so as to think we want nothing, when we are without God, without Christ, without the Image of God, without all holinesse and peace within, either of soul or body! How should it pity thee to see this glorious building thus lying in its own ruines and rubbidge? Now from all these particulars thus joyned together, you may observe how sinne carrieth us away in a pleasing enticing manner. So that although we cannot but sinne, yet this is very delightsome and satisfactory; insomuch that man is drawn aside to sinne, as he said, —Trahit sua quemque voluptas. And this is more to be observed, because the adversaries do so tragically