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

First, It implieth, That this sin putteth it self forth first in the soul: The motions and thoughts of sin arise first in us, before grace can prevent them. The Schoolmen speak of the motus primò primi, the very immediate and first stirrings of the Soul, before the will gives any consent, or the mind hath any deliberation, and these are sins, because contrary to the Image of God; But whence come they? Even from this womb of original corruption: So that it is like a furnace always sending forth sparks: The Scripture expresseth it notably, Gen. 6. 5. where every imagination of the thought of the heart is said to be only evil, and that continually. Valentia (Analysis Dis. de peccato originali) and other Papists complain, That we aggravate original sin too much, we speak too tragically about it, and indeed the Subject is very distasteful to every man; how unwilling is he to bear, that he is all over thus sinful? This is to make them like Devils, and to send them to hell, they think; but what can be spoken more terribly against man in regard of original sin, then God himself here speaks, where every ⟨p. 94⟩word is like so much thunder and lightning, as is to be showed? Only for the present purpose observe, that he saith, Every imagination of the thought of a mans heart is evil; Imagination, or framing, and fashioning the heart of a man, is compared to a shop of wickedness, and every thing framed or fashioned there, is only evil. Sin then is present in a powerful manner, when there cannot so much as rise a motion in thee, a stirring of thy soul, though never so involuntary and indeliberate, but it is only evil: Oh it was not thus in the state of integrity, then every imagination, every motion was good, and only good; but now our gold is become dross, and wine water; Let a natural man observe his heart, and he shall see what riseth first in his soul is all filth, like the muddy fountain it comes from; Yea, even in a godly man, How many thoughts and motions rise up in his heart, that he abhorreth and trembleth at? It is true, sometimes the devil injecteth vile and blasphemous thoughts;