An answer to the discourse of Mr. William Sherlock, touching the knowledge of Christ,…

Nay, it is my own thought, that the pravity in sinful actions comes sub ratione convenientiae, ⟨p. 544⟩and offers it self as congruous, and so good to the corrupt Will and heart of Man, the very difformity or contradiction to the will of God, as intrinsically black as it is, blushes and looks fair to that Carnal mind which is enmity against God: An unregenerate Man drinks in iniquity as water, Job 15.16. being filthy himself, iniquity, though a very foul thing, goes down naturally with him, and is as it were his proper Element. St. Austin in his Confessions, speaking of his stealing of Apples, saith that he was: Gratis malus; ¹Amavi defectum meum, decerpta projeci, epulatus inde solaminiquitatem, quâ laetabar fruens; si quid illorum intravit in os meum, condimentum facinus erat. He confesses, the very sin it self was grateful to him: If Sinners did not believe sin to be good in some respect or other; if they did look on it as evil, and nothing but pure impure evil, it were utterly impossible that they should choose it or delight in it; the will cannot appetere malum sub ratione mali, for that were appetere non appetible, which is impossible. I conclude with the words of the Doctor, in that place: Whosoever upon deliberation judges a sinful course to be the best, and ⟨p. 545⟩thereupon chooses, embraces, falls in with it, delights in it, continues in it, in this Man 'tis the Law of sin; this Man is, as I take it, a Servant of sin, and willing it should rule: There is, as learned Bishop Reynolds saith, a Covenant, a virtual bargain between him and his lusts, he agrees to serve and obey them.

Nay, it is my own thought, that the pravity in sinsul actions comes sub ratione convenientiae, ⟨p. 544⟩and offers it self as congruous, and so good to the corrupt Will and heart of Man, the very difformity or contradiction to the will of God, as intrinsecally black as it is, blushes and looks fair to that Carnal mind which is enmity against God: An unregenerate Man drinks in iniquity as water,