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

Let him desire to know more of it, for it may do him also much good, and this is the reason, why the more godly any are, the more they are displeased with themselves, and do the more highly esteem of Christ, not but that they grow in grace, only they grow also in the discoveries of more filth and unworthiness in themselves.

Thirdly, By the true knowledge of this we come to be acquainted with that combat and conflict, that is between the flesh and the spirit, so much spoken of by Divines, who usually say, In every godly man there are two men, two I's, as the Apostle (Rom. 7.) distinguisheth, I Paul carnal, sold under sin, doing the things, I would not, and I Paul spiritual, delighting in the Law of God in the inward man, and thanking God the Father through Christ, because freed from condemnation; That Paul did not speak of this combat, while unregenerate, ⟨p. 12⟩as a Legalist, as some say, but as truly converted, will appear, if we consider, that in another place, Gal. 5. 17. the Apostle speaks of all the godly, as thus exercised, The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; So that whatsoever is done holily and godlily, it is always cum luctâ carnis, and therefore grace is the mortifying of the flesh: Now our sins will not be put to death, without some pain and reluctancy to the carnal part. Therefore this is a perpetual concomitant of every godly man, he hath a combat and spiritual conflicting within him, and this makes him often in so many agonies, this makes him so earnestly watching and praying against all temptations; now come we to natural people, they feel not the least struggling within them, all is quiet, and at ease, because they are wholly in their original sin, they were born in; And this makes it plain likewise, that all their praying, hearing, all the religious duties they ever performed, were never done in an holy and godly manner, because there was no reluctancy, or inward combat, but they did them in a customary, formal way, without any spiritual life or motion, for flesh will not fight against flesh. Indeed there is a combat between conscience in its conviction and corruption, even in some unregenerate men, as in Aristotle's incontinent man, as distinguished from his intemperate, and that is known, of Medea, video meliora, proboque, deteriora sequor, I see and approve better things, but follow the worse: And some would have Paul's combat to be no other, because he calls it, The Law of his mind, fighting with the Law in his members, but that is not cogent, as is more largely to be showed in its time.