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

TO understand the foulness of it, let us first compare our spiritual uncleanness with the worst legal uncleanness in the Law, even that of Leprosy, and we shall see, how fitly they agree. For

TO understand the foulness of it, let us first compare our spiritual uncleanness with the worst legal uncleanness in the Law, even that of Leprosie, and we shall see, how fitly they agree. For

1. The legal unclean, especially the Leper he was to keep aloof off from all men and company, even his wife and children (only such as were to provide necessaries for them) and to cry, He was unclean, unclean. In what a sad and miserable condition did such an unclean person apprehend himself to be, no body to come near him, none to have any civil commerce with him, but to sit pining and mourning alone? Thus ought every man in this original pollution, for by it he hath deserved to be deprived of every comfort, he is now cursed by the Law with all curses thereof, so that no creature in the world might give him any creature; The whole creation began to groan, as soon as man fell: Hence it is, that though we truly say, Every man, though in his natural condition hath a civil right to the comforts he enjoyeth, yet he hath not an holy and sanctified right, being not in Christ, so that what is our due by nature, as soon as we are born, is hell and damnation, the wrath and anger of God. Though we should beg here as Dives did in hell for a drop of water, it might be denied us; Oh miserable then and unclean man, who is thus to stand aloof off from all creatures and comforts, saying, Woe unto me, for I am unclean.

1. The legal unclean, especially the Leper he was to keep aloof off from all men and company, even his wife and children (only such as were to provide necessaries for them) and to cry, He was unclean, unclean. In what a sad and miserable condition did such an unclean person apprehend himself to be, no body to come near him, none to have any civil commerce with him, but to sit pining and mourning alone? Thus ought every man in this original pollution, for by it he hath deserved to be deprived of every comfort, he is now cursed by the Law with all curses thereof, so that no creature in the world might give him any creature; The whole creation began to groan, as soon as man fell: Hence it is, that though we truly say, Every man, though in his natural condition hath a civil right to the comforts he enjoyeth, yet he hath not an holy and sanctified right, being not in Christ, so that what is our due by nature, as soon as we are born, is hell and damnation, the wrath and anger of God. Though we should beg here as Dives did in hell for a drop of water, it might be denied us; Oh miserable then and unclean man, who is thus to stand aloof off from all creatures and comforts, saying, Wo unto me, for I am unclean.