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

To come therefore immediately to the Text, You may easily perceive that it is part of that paroxysm, and spiritual agony Paul is in between the principles of good and evil, working in him: therefore he saith, [Greek or Hebrew], I find, that is, by experience: As for Grotius, who makes this no more than the combat of conscience with corruption, which may be in natural men, alleging places out of the Poets, and Epictetus, where some have said in the like manner, they knew it was evil they did, and they do not allow it, but yet their frail flesh compelleth them to do it, so that they do not what they would, and what they would not, that they do: As also bringing in a Pagan out of Lactantius, saying, That he sinneth, Non quia velo, sed quia cogor, the flesh being so strong in him. These are but low and philosophical notions, arguing the ignorance of the work, of Gods Spirit in a man, and the repugnancy thereunto by the unregenerate part: But of this more in its time: It is enough for the present to take notice, that Paul saith of himself, That he findeth this in him.

To come therefore immediately to the Text, You may easily perceive that it is part of that paroxysme, and spiritual agony Paul is in between the principles of good and evil, working in him: therefore he saith, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, I find, that is, by experience: As for Grotius, who makes this no more than the combat of conscience with corruption, which may be in natural men, alledging places out of the Poets, and Epictetus, where some have said in the like manner, they knew it was evil they did, and they do not allow it, but yet their frail flesh compelleth them to do it, so that they do not what they would, and what they would not, that they do: As also bringing in a Pagan out of Lactantius, saying, That he sinneth, Non quia velo, sed quia cogor, the flesh being so strong in him. These are but low and philosophical notions, arguing the ignorance of the work, of Gods Spirit in a man, and the repugnancy thereunto by the unregenerate part: But of this more in its time: It is enough for the present to take notice, that Paul saith of himself, That he findeth this in him.

In the next place, There is the object matter of this experimental discovery, which in the Greek is something intricate, and hath so tormented Interpreters, that there are eight Expositions given to make the grammatical connection: Yea Erasmus is so bold, that unless we receive the supply of that Ellipsis or defect, he thinketh in Paul's speech which he giveth, that we must confess Paulum balbituri; but as Beza well saith, Erasmus doth ineptire in saying so, our Translators render it smooth enough, I find a Law, and then followeth the specific description of it, for [Greek or Hebrew] is taken many times [Greek or Hebrew], which is this, That when I would do any good, I cannot do it so fully, so perfectly, so freely, because evil [Greek or Hebrew] is present with me; it's adjacent and pressing upon me; it doth not signify a mere presence of sense, but the activity and vigorous motions of it.