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

Secondly, The true knowledge of this natural defilement, will also satisfy us in those doubtful Questions, which some have greatly tormented themselves with, viz. How sin comes to be in the world? And whence it is Austin (in his seventh Book of his Confessions, and fifth Chapter) doth there bewail before God the great agonies and troubles of mind he was in about the beginning of sin, whence it did arise? For seeing every thing that God made was exceeding good, this exceedingly puzzled him to know how evil should be. Yea, this knot was so hard to untie in some mens judgments, that it made many, of the Marcionites heresy, who because they saw men commit evil, as soon as they were born, and yet withal being convinced, That God was good, and could not be the beginning of evil; They therefore maintained two principles of all things, the one good, of all good things; The other evil, of evil things. Thus men have wonderfully plunged themselves into bogs and quagmires of danger and destruction, because ⟨p. 8⟩not acquainted with this main Truth of Original sin.

Secondly, The true knowledge of this natural defilement, will also satisfie us in those doubtfull Questions, which some have greatly tormented themselves with, viz. How sinne comes to be in the world? And whence it is Austin (in his seventh Book of his Confessions, and fifth Chapter) doth there bewail before God the great agonies and troubles of mind he was in about the beginning of sinne, whence it did arise? For seeing every thing that God made was exceeding good, this exceedingly puzzled him to know how evil should be. Yea, this knot was so hard to unty in some mens judgments, that it made many, of the Marcionites heresie, who because they saw men commit evil, as soon as they were born, and yet withall being convinced, That God was good, and could not be the beginning of evil; They therefore maintained two principles of all things, the one good, of all good things; The other evil, of evil things. Thus men have wonderfully plunged themselves into boggs and quagmires of danger and destruction, because ⟨p. 8⟩not acquainted with this main Truth of Original sin.