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

SECT. IX.

Eighthly, That this original sin is a natural evil, appeareth, From the work of grace sanctifying, which is the proper remedy to cure this inbred defilement: For the grace of Regeneration is chiefly and principally intended to subdue sin, as it did corrupt the nature, and so by consequence, as we were personally corrupted; Therefore the tree must first be made good; ere the fruit can be good, as the tree is in its nature evil, and then it brings forth evil fruit: So that God in vouchsafing of this grace of Regeneration, doth not principally intend to make thee leave thy actual sins (for that is by consequence only) but to make thy nature better to repair his Image in thee: Even as when the Prophet Elisha would make the waters sweet, he threw salt into the spring and fountain of them: Thus because it's from a polluted nature that all our actual sins flow, therefore grace regenerating is principally ordered to take away or conquer that by degrees, which is the cause of all: If this be so, then let us consider, What this grace is, which doth enable us to do any thing after a godly and holy manner? This is a supernatural gift of God, and an infused quality into the soul, whereby it's enabled to work above its own proper and natural operations: If then to do any thing that is good be wholly of grace, it's Gods gift, then to sin is natural and proper to thee. The Scripture is copious and plentiful in affirming this, That Christ as our head is the cause of all our supernatural actings, We receive of his fullness, and so are enabled by him. Grace then being supernatural, to love God, to repent of sin, to do any thing spiritually, being thus wholly above nature, it necessarily followeth, that when we sin, and do evil, that we do it naturally.

EIghthly, That this original sinne is a natural evil, appeareth, From the work of grace sanctifying, which is the proper remedy to cure this imbred defilement: For the grace of Regeneration is chiefly and principally intended to subdue sinne, as it did corrupt the nature, and so by consequence, as we were personally corrupted; Therefore the tree must first be made good; ere the fruit can be good, as the tree is in its nature evil, and then it brings forth evil fruit: So that God in vouchsafing of this grace of Regeneration, doth not principally intend to make thee leave thy actual sinnes (for that is by consequence only) but to make thy nature better to repair his Image in thee: Even as when the Prophet Elisha would make the waters sweet, he threw salt into the spring and fountain of them: Thus because it's from a polluted nature that all our actual sinnes flow, therefore grace regenerating is principally ordered to take away or conquer that by degrees, which is the cause of all: If this be so, then let us consider, What this grace is, which doth inable us to do any thing after a godly and holy manner? This is a supernatural gift of God, and an insused quality into the soul, whereby it's inabled to work above its own proper and natural operations: If then to do any thing that is good be wholly of grace, it's Gods gift, then to sin is natural and proper to thee. The Scripture is copious and plentiful in affirming this, That Christ as our head is the cause of all our supernatural actings, We receive of his fulness, and so are inabled by him. Grace then being supernatural, to love God, to repent of sin, to do any thing spiritually, being thus wholly above nature, it necessarily followeth, that when we sin, and do evil, that we do it naturally.