Riches of mercy to men in misery, or, Certain excellent treatises concerning the dignity…

Lastly, as in bondage a man is set on work, about business which is not for his own good, but only for the advantage of his Master that commands him: so doth this Law in our members, it sets us about a work that stands only with our hurt: Therefore in that place, 1 Tim. 6. they are called hurtful lusts, that is, lusts that hurt the party, that fight against the soul, and indeed […] ¹only for the profit of the Devil. And herein they deceive us, so that we think, that we do our selves a great pleasure, and that we act that which is for our own profit and advantage, and yet in the mean time there is no thing redounds to the soul but hurt, the advantage is only to Satan. We carry Uriah's Letter, which we think to be for our own advantage, and indeed it is for our destruction: Therefore as they are said to be hurtful lusts, so it is added, they are foolish lusts, that is, we are fools for our labour, in yielding to their commands. So now you see these four things: That as it is a Law, a Law of the members, a Law that warreth, so it is a Law that in warring, leads captive. And so much shall serve for the explication of the first point. Namely, that there is a strong inclination in every mans nature, leading him captive, or carrying him strongly to that which is evil.

Lastly, as in bondage a man is set on work, about business which is not for his own good, but onely for the advantage of his Master that commands him: so doth this Law in our members, it sets us about a work that stands onely with our hurt: Therefore in that place, 1 Tim. 6. they are called hurtful lusts, that is, lusts that hurt the party, that fight against the soul, and indeed 〈…〉 ¹onely for the profit of the Devil. And herein they deceive us, so that we think, that we do our selves a great pleasure, and that we act that which is for our own profit and advantage, and yet in the mean time there is no thing redounds to the soul but hurt, the advantage is onely to Satan. We carry Uriah's Letter, which we think to be for our own advantage, and indeed it is for our destruction: Therefore as they are said to be hurtful lusts, so it is added, they are foolish lusts, that is, we are fools for our labour, in yielding to their commands. So now you see these four things: That as it is a Law, a Law of the members, a Law that warreth, so it is a Law that in warring, leads captive. And so much shall serve for the explication of the first point. Namely, that there is a strong inclination in every mans nature, leading him captive, or carrying him strongly to that which is evil.