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

Therefore let no man excuse himself with this to say, I have a Law in my members that prompts me strongly to sin against God. It is all one as if a thief should excuse himself and say I am of a purloining nature, I cannot ¹hold my hands when I see any thing but I must needs steal. If a servant should come to his Master, and say, Sir, I was drunk, and could not do your business, would this excuse him? So this Law in our members, this necessity, this strong inclination to evil, is it not our selves that have brought it upon us? we are the authors of that Original sin. And besides that we intend it the more by custom in sin: often relapses intend this Original corruption, and make it prevalent.

Therefore let no man excuse himself with this to say, I have a Law in my members that prompts me strongly to sin against God. It is all one as if a thief should excuse himself and say I am of a purloyning nature, I cannot ¹hold my hands when I see any thing but I must needs steal. If a servant should come to his Master, and say, Sir, I was drunk, and could not do your business, would this excuse him? So this Law in our members, this necessity, this strong inclination to evil, is it not our selves that have brought it upon us? we are the authors of that Original sin. And besides that we intend it the more by custom in sin: often relapses intend this Original corruption, and make it prevalent.

1. 1Simile.

You will say how shall a man do then? how shall a man ¹be saved?

1. 1Quest.