A Treatise of Original Sin

SECT. I.

This Text explained and vindicated against D. J. Taylor, Grotius, the Papists and Socinians.

W E have at large discovered the universal pollution of the Affections, which we have by nature, and handled them in this order (though the Doctrine about the sinfulness of the Imaginative power should have preceded) because they have such an immediate connection with the will, belonging to the appetitive part of a man.

The next seat of original sin in man I shall consider of, is the Fancy, which we shall find to be instrumental to great iniquities, because in itself it is polluted sinfully. To which truth this Text will give in a full and pregnant testimony.

To open which you must understand, that we have here related the Cause of that universal and dreadful judgment which God brought upon the whole world; The cause was that universal and desperate wickedness, whereby all flesh had corrupted their ways; The longsuffering of God would bear no longer, especially they being so often admonished by Noah the preacher of righteousness: Thus the general actual impieties everywhere abounding on the face of the earth, is the proxim and immediate cause of drowning of the world.

Secondly, We have the remote and mediate cause, which is internal, and that is, the universal sinfulness of every man's heart by nature, which is always emptying itself into sinful thoughts and lusts, so that it is never quiet, or like a fountain sealed up, but diffusing itself into poisonous streams; There are always sparks flying out of this furnace.

Now this natural pollution is described in the most emphatical manner that can be.

There are some who complain, that we are too tragical in explaining the nature of original sin, that we aggravate it too much; but if we consider the scope of the holy Ghost in this place, we will easily be persuaded that none can say enough in this particular. For

1. Here is the heart said to be evil, that which is the very life of man, and is the fountain of all actions and motions; Not the eyes or the tongue, but the heart, which is the whole of man, which implieth also, that he sinneth not by example and outward temptation only, but from an inward principle.

2. In this heart that is said to be evil, which we would think is not capable of sin, at least of very little, the thoughts, not only the affections, or the will, the appetitive parts of the soul, but the sublime and apprehensive.

3. He doth not only say the thoughts, but the imagination, the very first rising and framing of them: It is a Metaphor from the Potter who doth frame his vessels upon a wheel in what shape he pleaseth: Thus the heart of man is continually shaping and effigiating some thoughts or other: Now these are not only sinful when formed, and it may be consented unto, but the very first fashioning of them, even as they rise immediately from the heart are sinful: If we explain it as others do, who observe this word signifieth to frame a thing with curious art and industry, then it aggravateth likewise, informing of us, that those thoughts which are polished by us in the most accurate manner they are altogether evil.

4. Here is the Universality, Every Imagination; In those millions and millions of thoughts which arise in a man, like the motes in the air, there is not one good thought, all and every imagination.

5. Here is not only the extension of this sin to every thought, but the intention likewise, It is only evil, there is no good at all in it; Godly men in their best actions have some sinfulness adhering to them; There is some water in their best wine, but here is all dross and no gold at all, only evil.

Lastly, Here is the Aggravation of it from the perpetuity; It is thus only evil, and that continually; Thus the holy Ghost, which is truth itself represents our Blackmore natures to humble and debase man, as also to justify God under any effects of his wrath and vengeance that he may bring upon us; How wretched then are the attempts of some Writers, who lay out the utmost of their power and wit, to make this sin nothing at all, (as Doctor Taylor, and as Papists ) or to have very little guilt in it? If you say, This Text speaketh of actual sins, of evil imaginations, I grant it, but as flowing from original pollution, it speaketh of bitter fruit, but as flowing from that bitter root within; And 〈…〉 the Scripture use to speak of this sin commonly, as putting itself 〈…〉 immediate evil motions; because though original sin be not peccatum 〈◊〉 yet it is peccatum actuosum (as hath been said;) It is an acting, and an active sin, though not actual. Pererius would evade this Text by having it to be an hyperbole, or else to be true only of some particular wicked men, the Giants in those days; As for the hyperbole, which both Papists and Socinians so often fly unto, when the Scripture doth intend to exagerate this sin, we shall easily in time convince of the falsehood and vanity of such an exception.

And as for the second particular, we will readily grant, That the actual impiety of all men generally was exceedingly heightened, so that this gave the occasion to mention that internal corruption which is upon all mankind, but yet we must necessarily say, that besides those actual impieties, original sin is also aimed at as being the cause of them; for the scope of Moses is to give an universal cause of that universal judgment; seeing therefore the deluge drowned Infants as well as grown persons, and they could not be guilty of actual impieties, it remaineth that the native pollution they were born in, was the cause of their destruction; and indeed original sin did greatly aggravate those actual wickednesses, for hereby was demonstrated the incurableness of their natures; No patience, no mercy would do them any good; for they are not only evil, but their hearts the fountain of all was evil likewise, and then how could grapes ever grow from such thorns? Neither may we limit it, (as some would) to particular great sinners, who then lived, because Chap. 8. 21. we have the same sentence in effect repeated, when yet the wicked men of the world were destroyed, when those eight persons only were alive and preserved, God giveth this character of man's nature. Besides, it is spoken indefinitely, the imagination of man's heart, not of those men, or of such particular men.

Why this very reason should be used, Gen. 8. 21. that God would not destroy the world anymore, which is in this Text brought for the destruction of it, is to be shown when we come to treat of the effects of original sin.

In the mean time, Let us consider what a late Writer (Doctor Jer. Taylor of Repent. Chap. 6.) who useth to sharpen his weapons at the Philistines forges, the Papists, and commonly the worst of them, as also the Socinians, with whom we reckon Grotius, from these (I say) he delivereth his poisonous assertions:

First, It is pretended, That the Scripture maketh this their own fault, and not Adam 's because verse. 12. it is said, All flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. But

This is very feeble and weak, for it is willingly acknowledged, that the increase of actual wickedness was the immediate and proxime cause of this general judgment, had not their iniquities in that age risen higher, and cried louder for vengeance then ordinarily sin did, we may conceive God would not have proceeded to such an unheard of, and extraordinary judgment: Therefore verse. 5. it is said, God saw the wickedness of man was great in the earth; The Hebrew word comprehends both the greatness in quantity, it was exceedingly multiplied as also in quality; They were enormous sins, all this the Text is clear for, but this is not all; The Text goeth higher, to aggravate these impieties from the fountain, which is a corrupt nature, even as David, Psal. 51. doth heighten his actual wickedness from the sinful nature he was born in; Therefore both actual sins, as the fruit and original sin as the root, is here made the cause of that universal judgment.

The second Exception, to which the third may be adjoined, is, That this corruption is supposed by those who hold it to be natural and unavoidable, and therefore God could no more punish mankind for that, then for sleeping or being hungry; Be •• 〈…〉 by were eight persons excepted, when all were alike, Is not this a respect of 〈…〉

Answer this, Here is either gross ignorance, or else a willful mistake about the word natural and unavoidable: We grant it to be natural and unavoidable in some sense, but not in that which he taketh it, as if it were natural like sleep or hunger, which are not culpable, or have any guilt in them; But of this largely in its time, because the Adversaries do usually in an odious manner represent this inevitablenesse of sinning unto their Reader, though we say voluntarily contracted at first, and seem much to triumph in it.

As for the other addition [Eight persons were excepted] It is answered, That those who were godly then, and escaped that judgment, they were delivered from the dominion and guilt of this original sin, and therefore it being pardoned to them, though the remnants in some measure continued in them, they were not involved in this judgment.

Lastly, What ignorance is manifested in saying, [It must be respect of persons] If God amongst those that were equally guilty spared some, and rejected others; For he may learn out of Aquinas and his followers, That respect of persons cannot be in matters of liberality and munificence, for where that is, there is some justice and debt supposed. Now if God had not saved any one man, more then any apostate Angel, I suppose he would not have charged God with in justice.

Thirdly, It is questioned, If it were the natural corruption God complained of, Why did he it but thus, as if it were a new thing?

It is answered, The though original corruption was in all mankind, as soon as ever the Image of God was lost, and therefore Seth is said to beget his son after his own likeness sinful and mortal, yet because it did not break out into those violent torrents of iniquity before, as it did at this time; Hence it was that God did more severely take notice of it, as putting itself forth in such bitter effects.

Fourthly, It is objected, That Noah the Preacher of righteousness was sent to draw the world off from that which was likely to destroy it, but no man can think, he would dehort them from being guilty of original sin.

To this we also answer, That as for being guilty of original sin in our birth, and how that can be our sin, then, when we were not capable of a precept, I have at large treated of it, and so shall not actum ager •• as also how far original sin is to be repented of; Only to the present Objection we say, That though the Ministry be not to hinder us from being born in sin, yet it is to be instrumental in working our Regeneration (which great gift of God those that deny original sin must also necessarily deny) which is a subduing and mortifying of original sin in some degree, and is a renovation of all those parts which original sin had corrupted; For Regeneration ( John 3.) is proved necessary from the supposition of original sin, Whatsoever is born of the flesh is flesh.

The Text then thus vindicated from corrupt glosses, for the imagination and devices of many men, though learned, have been very evil, and that continually in the interpretation of it; I shall only add this, That although by the imagination of the thoughts be chiefly meant the working of the mind, and the understanding, yet because the imaginative power or fantasy in a man, is immediately subservient to the understanding in its operations, and is therefore called ratio imperfecta, imperfect reason, and Cogitativa facultas, the cogitative faculty in the soul, I shall therefore treat of it only from this verse, for the original pollution of the understanding hath been abundantly discovered. From the Text then observe,

That that power of the soul, whereby we imagine or fancy anything, is universally corrupted. It imagineth only evil, and that continually; we have sinful fancies as well as sinful affections.

SECT. II.

Of the Nature of the Imagination in a man.

BEfore we insist on the particular pollutions thereof, let us briefly take notice of the Nature of this Imagination in man. And

First, It is taken two ways; For either by imagination we mean the power it self, whereby we do imagine, or the acting thereof, even as the word Wib is sometimes taken for the power, and sometimes for the act, so is fancy and imagination.

Secondly, Consider, That Philosophers do affirm, that besides the rational and immaterial faculties of the soul, as also besides the external senses, there are internal material senses, about the number whereof they greatly dissent; Some make five, The Common Sense, the Phansie, the Imaginative Power the Estimative, and the Memory; Others there; Others four; Some but one; only it may seem many, because of the several manners of operation; It is not worth the while to contest herein; it is enough to know that there is in man such a power, whereby he doth imagine and fancy things, witness those dreams which usually rise in our sleep: The use of this imagination is to preserve the species suggested to order them, and judge of them, and thereby is necessary to our understanding, according to that Rule, Oportet intelligentem phantasmata speculari; And certainly, The power of God is admirably seen in this imaginative faculty, whether in men or beasts; For how do birds come so artificially to make their nests, and the Ants and Bees to be such admirable provident, creatures in their kind, but from that natural instinct in them, whereby their fancies are determined to such things? So it is from this imagination that the Sheep is afraid of a Wolf, though it never saw one before; especially in man his imagination being perfect, there are many admirable things about the nature of it, which, when learned men have said all they can, they must confess their ignorance of; only you must know, that as the affections are very potent in a man, to turn him this way or that way, so also is the imagination and fancy of a man; Insomuch that it is a great happiness to have a sanctified fancy, that is commonly in men, the womb wherein much iniquity is conceived. It is greatly disputed in Philosophy, What the power and strength of imagination is. Some have gone so far as to attribute all miracles, whether Divine or Diabolical to the strength of imagination: Yea Abilardus his position was, That fides was estimatio, Faith was nothing but a strong fancy, but these are absurd; Only it is granted, that some strong impressions it may make on the party himself, as also on the fruit of the womb in conception: As for Jacob 's art of laying parti-coloured sticks before sheep, when they came to be watered, that in the time of gendring they might bring such coloured lambs, though imagination might be something conducible thereunto, yet rather ascribe this (with some learned men) to a miracle, and the peculiar blessing and power of God towards Jacob. But I shall not hold you any longer here, let us proceed to the discovery of the natural sinfulness thereof.

SECT. III.

The Natural Sinfulness of the Imagination appears, in making Idols, daily Supports, and vain Conceits, whereby it pleaseth itself.

FIrst, The metaphorical expression in the Text doth fully declare it; For as the Potter doth make vessels upon the wheel daily, or as some explain it, as the Artificer doth of his wood and other materials make Idols, which he worshippeth as gods, though they be vanities; Thus the imagination of man doth daily fabricate such fancies and Idols to itself, making gods of them, and putting confidence therein; And if you observe what riseth daily in the heart of a man devoid of grace, you shall find, That it is a continual Idol-maker, it maketh daily puppets and vain conceits, whereby it pleaseth itself, and accounteth itself happy therein. Thus we see what shops (as it were) our hearts are; The imagination having that sinful artifice, as to make and erect Idols all the day long; Even as children naturally delight to make babies, and then to play with them, so do all men by nature; How many vain Idols do the ambitious men, the unclean men of the world daily build up in their fancies? Hence it is that the glorious things, the pleasant things they please themselves with, are more in the imagination then in any real possession, as is more to be dilated upon: In the mean while let us sadly mourn under this horrible corruption of the imaginative part of a man, that it should be daily making new gods, continually erecting Idols, in which we are apt to put our confidence: Lapide on the 8 ^th Chapter, and Verse 21. (where we have the like expression and metaphor,) doth offer ntollerable' violence to the sacred Text; for whereas it saith, The imagination is only set to evil, he would make two shops (as it were) wherein this imagination doth work, a shop of sin, wherein it only fabricateth evil; and a shop of virtue, wherein it imagineth good things; but what can be directly to confront a Text, and to put the lie upon it, if this be not? Let us then be willing to be found out in all this evil; Let us acknowledge, that our imagination doth continually set up vanities, Idols; we make to ourselves gods, and so leave the only true God.

We have made some entrance already upon the discovery of that wound and deadly blow the imaginative power of man hath received by original sin; and wonder not if in the managing of this point, we often mention thoughts, discourse, invention and apprehensions, attributing these to the Imagination; for although the understanding be properly the power of the soul, from whence these operations do proceed; yet because (as you have heard) the imaginative faculty is so near to the inteliectual, that in all is operations it hath some dependence on it, so that it is hard to know or perceive when some internal parts of the soul are the operations of the fancy, or of the mind; Though indeed sometimes reason doth correct our imaginations, even as they do sense: Yea Divines and Philosophers do commonly attribute some kind of opinion, and judgment, yea imperfect discourse unto it; and this difference is given between the common internal sense and the imagination: The common sense doth receive the simple impressions of things, as of a stone, of bread, as the wax receiving the impression of a seal, not the seal itself, but the image of it; Thus doth the common sense receive the species of things, and retaineth them; But the fancy doth go higher, it doth compound these single species together, witness those many dreams, and also Chimeraes which many do Imagine, that never had any existence in the world; Therefore by this office it hath, we see how near it is to the understanding; yea Soudas saith, That Aristotle calleth it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ( viz. ) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , because it hath in it, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , because it is with forms and species that it doth apprehend things, and therefore saith Soudas, it is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 quasi 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , because it doth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , make those forms and appearances to consist: however this be, we may conclude, because of the immediate subserviency to the understanding and conjunction with it, we may without any absurdity say, The thoughts, the opinion, the judgment thereof: And so I proceed to the further manifestation of its pollution.

SECT. IV.

In respect of its Defect from that end and use which God did intend in the Creation of man, by making him with this Imaginative Power.

SEcondly, In respect of its defect from that end and use, which God did intend in the Creation of man by making him with this imaginative power. We must readily yield, that as God did show his wonderful wisdom and power in making of man, which the Scripture often observeth, comparing the workmanship of our body, to the curious needle work of some skillful woman, Psal. 139. 15. so all these powers and parts of the soul were made for singular and admirable use, and therefore the imagination as well as the rest; yea we are to know, that in all those visions and dreams by which God did appear to the Prophets and others, it was by exciting and working upon their imagination; so that God hath exceedingly honored that part of the soul in this way. The use of this imaginative power, is twofold, as of the other senses; The one proxime and immediate, which is to perform their operations for which they were given to men; The other remote and more general, which is to be instrumental to the salvation of the soul, and also to the glorifying of God; For by the imagination we are to glorify God, as well as by other parts of soul and body; The former end of the imagination, I may call natural; The later, moral; I shall not speak of the former, because whatsoever defect is now upon the fancy in that way, not being able to do its office, as at first Creation, it is merely penal, a punishment, and not so much our sin; Thus, that men are subject to madness in their fancy, that the imagination by any distemper in the organ, where it is fixed, may be wholly perverted, as we see in seavers, and in phrensies, and sometimes in dying men; This is not so much a sin in the fancy, as a punishment, even as death is inflicted upon us, because of Adam 's transgression. It is true, that Adam, though created with full and perfect knowledge in naturals and supernaturals that was necessarily required to his blessedness, yet as Suarez well determineth, ( De Creatione homines lib. 3. cap. 9) in the use of his knowledge he had recourse to phantasms in the imagination, because that is a natural way to the soul, while joined to the body, only in that state, as the organ was not subject to any bodily distempers, so neither could his imagination any way err; but the sin of Adam hath not only brought on that part an obnoxiousness to many bodily distempers, but filled it also with sinnefulness, which is eminently seen in its aberration from that twofold main end it was at first bestowed on us for: The one whereof is, the salvation of our souls; for if the sense of hearing the Word of of God, and of seeing the wonderful works which God hath wrought, be so greatly instrumental to our sanctification, why should not the imagination much more? but who may not complain what an impediment and hindrance his fancy is to his souls good, it imagines evil and vanity, it is wholly pleased with empty and vain things, neglecting the true solid good, so that there is no man that is acquainted with the frame of his soul, but may groan under the sinful unruliness of his imagination, especially (as is to be shown) in holy and religious approaches to God; When all the powers should be united in one way, then what swarms of roaring imaginations? What importunate and impertinent fancies are ready to fill thy soul, as flies sometimes did Egypt? Was it thus in the state of Creation? Did God create us with such fickle confused and erratique imaginations? how greatly would it dishonor God to affirm so? Affect thy heart therefore greatly with this, to think that that which was so exceedingly conducible to thy souls happiness, is now such an impediment and enemy thereunto. It is a corrupt licentious opinion, which Speranza (though a Papist) attributeth to several famous Schoolmen, viz. That a man is not bound to repel an evil thought, if there be not danger of consent to it, but may suffer it to be in his mind, as some natural thing, even with advertency that it is there: but this is justly called by the foresaid Author, ( Spiranza scrip. sel. dig. de cong. punct. 11.) Offendiculum animarum, an opinion that is a stumbling block and scandal to souls, neither may our sinful imaginations greatly humble us, if this were true. And as for the other end, which is to glorify God; Wherein hath God been more dishonored then by the imaginations of men? Whence hath that Idolatry filled the whole world? How come superstitious magical divinations but by the sin of imagination? These phantasmata on 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , in the brain make these Idols which men fall down and worship, so that they may well have the same name. The Apostle Rom. 1. speaking of the Heathens, and that in their high profession of wisdom, yet saith, They became vain in their imaginations, and why so? because of their Idolatry, turning the glory of God into birds, and beasts, insomuch that the sinnefulness of the imagination of man hath caused all the Idolatry of the world; They have not gone to God as revealing himself in the Word by faith, but according to their natural light, by carnal and gross imaginations; whereas therefore Images were brought into the Church at first, that they might be (as Gregory said) ignorant men's Books; the truth is, they did teach, and confirm in erroneous imaginations, for from such pictures do ignorant people still conceive of God, as an old man, and of the Holy Ghost as a Dove, they imagining such things, as these Images do represent. The imagination then of man doth arise unto an high degree of impiety, when it will fancy or conceive of God without the guide of the Scripture; if so be the understanding cannot comprehend this infinite Essence, how much less can our imagination? if he said Quinquid de Deo dici potest, eo ipso est indignum, quia dici potest; and, Tunc Deum digne estimamus, cum inestimabil indicimus: If I say he be thus above the highest contemplations of our minds, no wonder if he infinitely transcend our imaginations. It is an evasion that some Papist hath, (as I have read, though I cannot remember where for the present) when pressed with this Argument, that it is a great dishonor to God, and full of reproach to his Majesty, to represent him under such external forms and shapes, he would (I say) evade by inslancing in the imagination, as a natural faculty in the soul; The understanding cannot apprehend of God, but by the imagination, and the imagination doth necessarily receive Images and representeth species about God; otherwise we cannot at all think of him, and yet this is no Idolatry. But

First it may be answered, These forms and representations in the fancy, when we think of God, arise from the natural constitution of man, so that it cannot be avoided; It doth arise from our finite and corporeal nature, whereby nothing can come into the understanding before it hath been in the sense and the imagination, but their Images and Idols are external gross and voluntarily set up to worship God by. And

Again, Howsoever such shapes and forms may come into the imagination of man about God, yet it's the duty of the understanding to expel them, and to conceive of God without any corporeal form, as a Spirit of infinite Majesly, and therefore the imagination must not guide the understanding, but the understanding lead the imagination, that so we may not have the least thought about God, but what becometh his glorious being: but of this more in a particular by itself, because of its gret concernment. Thus we see how the imagination is wonderfully defective from its main end, both in reference to God's glory, and man's own salvation and happiness.

SECT. V.

The Pellution of the Imagination is manifest by the Restlesness of it.

THirdly, The imaginative power of man is greatly polluted, In the restlessness of it, in the perpetual constant workings thereof; insomuch that thereby the sinfulness of it is continual, as the eye is always twinkling: Is there a moment, wherein thy fancy is not busied about some object or other? And whereas other parts of the soul are subject to sin, while we are awake only; The will, the mind, they only sin at that time, this fancy is many times very sinful in the night time; how many polluted and wicked dreams do men fall into at such a time, at which they tremble and abhor themselves when awakened? Thus though all sleep, yet sin doth not, but liveth and acteth in the imagination: But of the sinfulness of dreams by the corrupt imagination, more afterwards: Only for the present let us humble ourselves under the perpetual and incessant motion of our sinful fancy, there being no hour or moment wherein we are free from the corrupt stirrings thereof: If there could be a breathing time or a respite from sin, this would at least lessen the damnable guilt thereof, but to be daily minting and fashioning corrupt imaginations without any intermission; how heavily should it press us down, and make us to judge ourselves worse then beasts, yea equal to the apostate Angels in perpetuity of sinning? For whereas it is said, that in this particular man's wickedness is not so great as the Devils, because the Devils sin continually, they neither slumber or sleep, as God who keepeth Israel doth not; so neither they who oppose Israel; The Devil doth vent his enmity, and never hath any stop therein by any natural impediment. Now whereas in man by reason of sleep, there is to be a natural intermission and interruption of evil, the imagination being corrupted, doth thereby keep the fire of sin, like that of hell from going out; Cry out then unto God, because of this daily oppression that is upon thy soul; yea how happy would it be if thou couldst judge it to be an oppression, and a slavery? but these sinful imaginations are matter of delight and titillation to thee, thou art pleased and ravished (as it were) with them all the day long.

SECT. VI.

The Universallity, Multitude, and Disorder of them.

FOurthly, As the perpetual sinful actings of them may humble us, so the universallity and multitude of them: They do extend themselves to ens and non ens, to everything, and to nothing; Insomuch that the multitude of thy imaginations do even overwhelm thee, for this being the difference between the external senses and the imagination, that the outward senses, they are never moved or excited, but by the present objects; The imagination, that is constantly working about absent objects; hence it is that your fancyes they are many times roving and wandering about those objects that are many hundred miles distant from thee; as God complained of the people of Israel, That they drew nigh with their lips, but their heart was afar off; They shown much love, but their heart went after their covetousness, Ezek. 33. 31. Thus it is with us continually, when we pray, when we hear, our imaginations are running many miles off; They are like Cain, vagabonds, and have no settled abode; which brings in the next instance of their sinfulness.

SECT. VII.

Their roving and wandering up and down without any fixed way.

FIfthly, Their roving and wandering up and down without any fixed and settled way; They fly up and down, and frisk here and there; so that although they were a multitude, yet if in a settled ordered way, there might be some spiritual advantage made of them; As a great Army, if well marshalled, may be useful, but now here is nothing but confusion and disorders in thy imagination; so that sometimes many fancyes come into thy head at the same time; that thy head and heart is all in uproar, which breedeth another particular of sinfulness, and that is, The hurry and continual noise that a man hath daily within him, as if a swarm of Bees were in his soul; Christ told Martha, She was troubled about many things, but one thing was necessary, Luk. 10. 41; The word signifieth, she was in a crowd (as it were) There was a great noise within her, as men make in a market, or some common meeting; As those in a Mill have such a noise within that they cannot hear any speaking to them without: Thus it is here, the imagination fills thy soul with cumbersome thoughts, with confused noises, so that thou canst seldom make quiet and calm approaches unto God in any holy duty; and if so be the ground tilled and dressed, doth bring forth such briars and thorns, is it any wonder that the wilderness doth? If in a godly man, there be nothing so much annoyeth him, which is so constant a burden and complaint to him, as these tumul • ouns imaginations, these roving fancyes, flying up and down like so many feathers in a stormy wind, what can we think is continually in the imagination of a natural man?

SECT. VIII.

The Impertinency and Unseasonableness of the Imaginations.

SIxthly, The impertinency and unseasonableness of thy imagination, this is also to be bewailed: Indeed the unregenerate man findeth no load or burden here, therefore if these weeds choke up all the corn, if sinful imaginations fill his heart full all the while that religious duties are performing, he never mattereth it, he had rather his heart should be full of dung and earth, then of pearls, he is more desirous that his soul should be fraughted with pleasing imaginations, then attentive to those things that are spiritual and heavenly. But oh the sad complaints the people of God make in this particular, the unseasonableness of their fancy in heavenly approaches to God, commonly in religious duties more then at any other time do roving imaginations obtrude themselves, which even the children of God can no more hinder, then the birds flying in the air: This is the sad temptation that you have most of God's people exercised with, and for redemption out of this bondage they do earnestly pray to God, but as long as the soul though sanctified is thus joined to the body, and acts dependently upon the organs thereof, it cannot be otherwise, but as when a stone cast into the water maketh one circle, and that maketh another: This it is in man's imagination, one fancy causeth another, and that another, whereby the soul is scarce ever quiet in any duty, but these phantasms lie knocking at the door, and do breed great disturbance; and which is saddest of all, the Devil (as is to be shown) doth usually at such times cast in his fiery darts, his blasphemous injections do oftentimes violate the soul; so that instead of drawing nigh to God, it is filled with doleful and terrifying imaginations.

SECT. VIII.

It eclipseth, and for the most part keeps out the Understanding; With many instances thereof.

SIxthly, Herein doth the sinfulness of it appear, that it doth eclipse, yea for the most part exclude and keep out the understanding, which is the more noble light, and to which it ought to be subservient, so that men (whether in religions or civil affairs) are more led by fancy then by reason, there imagination is more predominant then the understanding. It is with man the little world, as the great world, God made in this two great lights, the Sun and Moon, one to rule in the day, the other in the night: Thus man hath two lights created in him, which are to direct him in all his operations; the Sun that is the Understanding, the Moon is like the Imagination, which giveth a glimmering light, and that only in particular and corporeal things. Now as it would be an horrible confusion in the world, if the Moon should shut out the Sun, and take upon it to rule in the day time all the light the Moon hath (let it be supposed it hath some of its own) would not suffice to make a day: Thus it is in man, his fancy which hath not light enough to guide him in his actions to his true end, yet that usurpeth upon the understanding, and doth in effect command all: Thus the inferior light prevaileth over the superior: Oh what groaning should the new creature be in, till it be delivered from this bondage: See then to thyself, and examine all things that pass through thy soul more narrowly and exactly. It may be thy imagination is the cause of all thy Religion, of all thy opinions; It may be it is not faith but fancy; It may be it is not conscience, but imagination that instigateth thee; Those expressions me thinks, and I imagine so, are not high enough, or becoming those glorious actings of faith in the soul, which the Apostle calleth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Heb. 11. 1. The substance of things hoped for. Aristotle opposeth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , to those apparitions that are made in the air, as the Rain-bow, which hath no real subsistency; and truly such are the conceits and apprehensions many have in Religion and Piety; They are not of a solid, true, and well-grounded knowledge, but are like meteors in the air: Thus do their opinions fly up and down in their head. We may observe it a very ordinary thing in controversies and polemical writings, that both parties will often charge one another with their fancies and their imaginations, that there is no such thing in Scripture or in reason, but a figment in the brain; Yea the Pelagians and Socinians call this very Doctrine of original sin, Augustini figmentum, Austin 's fancy, as if it were an evil imagination to hold, That the thoughts and imaginations of the heart are only evil, and that continually. Thus you see in what confusion we are in, when sometimes the solid Doctrine of the Scripture is traduced for a mere imagination; And again, mere fancies applauded and earnestly contended for, as sundamental pillars of Religion and Piety. Seeing then our imaginations are so apt to get into the chair of the understanding, and as Athaliah destroyed the seed royal, that she might reign; so fancy bolteth out all solid reasons and arguments, that it alone may do all, it behooveth us the more to watch over our hearts in this respect, and to be sure they are the solid works of faith, and not the fickle motions of the fancy that do guide thee, and the rather, because it is the perpetual custom of wicked and ungodly men, to brand and stigmatize both the true faith and all solid piety with the reproach of a mere fancy. Do not Papists, Arminians, Socinians, and the like, exclaim against the Protestant Doctrine, as if it were but an Idol of Calvin's and Luther's making, when they condemned the blessed Martyrs to burn at the stake, they concluded such suffered but for their fancies and their humors. It being therefore the constant charge by all enemies to truth, that it is not thy faith thou pleadest for, thou sufferest for, but thy mere fancy, it behooveth thee to be the more diligent in Scripture knowledge, and to pray, that the Spirit of God may thereby quicken thee up to a found and sure faith: Thus also it is in practicals, Let a man set himself to the power of godliness, walk strictly, in opposition to the looseness and profaneness of the world; Let his soul mourn for sin, and his heart grieve for his evil ways, what do carnal people presently say, This is your fancy, these are your melancholy conceits, they judge it to be some distemper in your imagination, that it is a kind of a madness. Now that we may withstand such accusations, it behooveth us to seek after, and pray for such a thorough work of sanctification, that we may be assured it is no more fancy then that we live or have our being, that if to be godly, if to be converted be a fancy only, then to be a man, or to be a wicked man is only a fancy also. Well, though we must take heed of calling faith a fancy, and the work of grace a melancholy conceit (for that is a kind of blaspheming the holy Ghost) yet experience doth evidence, That many have not faith, have not true piety, but mere empty shadows and imaginations in Religion, witness the Scepticism of many in these days, who are of no faith, and no Religion, who change it often, as they do their garments, who have no rooting or immovable foundation, but are as the water which receiveth every impression, but retaineth none, that are Reeds shaken with every wind, and are clean contrary to Christ, for they are not the same yesterday, and today, and forever: Can you say, this is the work of God's Spirit? Can we say, this is the Scripture-truth? No, you read the Character of such, who have true faith, and that in a sanctified manner, If it were possible to deceive the very elect, Matth. 24. 24. Certainly the prevalency of the imagination above the understanding in religious things, is one of the sore evils which original sin hath brought upon all mankind.

SECT. IX.

In the Imagination are conceived for the most part all Actual Impieties.

SEventhly, This also doth greatly manifest the sinfulness of the Imagination, That (as in the affections, so likewise) in it are conceived for the most part all actual impieties. The Imagination and the Affections joined together are commonly that dunghill, wherein these serpents lay their eggs; yea sin many times lieth a long while breeding in the imagination, before it be brought forth into action, yea many times it is never brought forth, but the womb of sin is also the tomb, it lived and died in the imagination: We may observe the Scripture attributing the greatest works of impiety to the imagination, as the cause of it, Psal. 21. Why do the people imagine a vain thing? All the opposition of wicked men, and their carnal policy to overthrow the ways of Christ flow from this imagining: Thus Psal. 38. 12. They imagine deceits all the day long, Zech. 7. 10. All the injustice, oppression and fraud that may be used to other men is attributed to this, Let none of you imagine evil against his brother in his heart. It is true, this Imagination spoken of in the Text, comprehends also acts of the mind, yet because (as you heard) the mind acteth dependently upon the imagination, therefore we conjoin them together: How polluted then must that fountain be, which sends forth so many polluted streams? Sin (as we told you) may be a long while breeding here, before it be completely formed and actuated; yea and God beholdeth and taketh notice of thy sins thus prepared in thy imagination long before the commission of them: We have a notable instance for this, Deut. 31. 21. where Moses in the name of God testifying against the people of Israel, that when they come into Canaan, they do not fall off from God, useth this expression, For I know their imagination, which they go about even now, before I have brought them into the Land which I sware unto them; God did before they come into Egypt, see what was working in their imaginations, what they were making and fashioning in their hearts; in which sense some expound that place of the Psalmist, Thou knowest my thoughts afar off, Psal. 139. 2. And this is good and profitable for us to consider, we many times wonder to see how such gross and loathsome sins can come even from the godly themselves. Alas, marvel not at it, these Serpents and Toads were a long while breeding in the imagination; The pleasure or profit of such a sin was often fancied before; It was again and again committed in thy thoughts, before it was expressed in thy life, so that a man can never live unblameably in his life, that doth not keep his imagination pure and clean; Hence you have so often evil thoughts complained of as the root of all bitterness, Jer. 4. 14. How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge in thee? Mark 15. 19. Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts: As exhalations and vapors ascending from the earth, which are scarce perceptible, yet at last are congealed into thick and dismal clouds, so those sins which while in the thoughts and imagination were scarce taken notice of, do at last grow into soul and enormous transgressions.

SECT. X.

That many times sin is acted by the Imagination with delight and content, without any relation at all to the external Actings of sin.

THirdly, The sinfulness of the Imagination is further to be amplified, In that many times sin is acted with delight and content there, without any relation at all to the external actings of sin. So that a man while unblameable in his life, may yet have his imagination like a cage of unclean birds, and this is commonly done, when there are external impediments, or some hindrances of committing the sin outwardly; The fear of men's laws, outward reproach and shame, want of opportunity may keep men off from the outward committing of some lust, when yet at the same time their imaginations have the strong impressions of sin upon them, and so in their souls they become guilty before God; The Adulterous man, Is not his imagination full of uncleanness? The proud man, Is not his fancy lifted with high and towering conceits? As the Apostle Peter speaketh of some whose eyes were full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin, 2 Pet. 2. 14. or as some read it according to the original [Adulteress] imagination made them have her in their eyes continually, though absent, for if their eyes were, their imaginations also must necessarily be, because of the immediate natural connection between them; so then when there are no outward sores or ulcers to be seen upon a man's life, yet his imagination may be a noisome dunghill, what uncleanness fancied, what high honors imagined, that whereas thou art restrained from the actings of sin, yet thy heart burneth like an oven with lusts inwardly; It is the emphatical similitude that the holy Ghost useth, Hos. 7. 8. They have made ready their heart like an oven; The meaning is, that as the oven heated is ready to bake anything put therein, so was the heart of those evil men prepared for any kind of naughtiness; Some understand it of the adultery of the body only, as if that were the sin intended by the Prophet; Others, of the spiritual adultery of the soul, by which name Idolatry is often called in Scripture; Others refer it to both; we may take it to be a proverbial expression, denoting the readiness of a man's heart to commit any sin, that it lieth in the heart and the imagination day and night, men highly sinning against God inwardly, when outwardly they are restrained; Know then that when the grace of sanctification shall renew thy spirit, soul and body, thou wilt then be very careful to look to thy very imagination, that no tickling fancies or conceits of any lust do defile thee, thou wilt keep thy imagination as a precious Cabinet, wherein precious pearls shall be treasured up, not dirt and filth: As we fitly use an expression concerning delight in sin, that it is the rolling of honey under the tongue, so there is a rolling of sin in the imagination with great titillation and pleasure, when sin cannot be committed in action, we do it in our imagination; Hence it is that by the imagination old men become guilty of their youthful lusts, when they have not bodies to be as instrumental to filthiness, as they have been, yet in their imaginations they can revive their by-past sins many years ago committed: Thus men became (as it were) perpetual sinners in their imaginations: Consider of this more seriously, and pray for an holy, chaste and pure imagination, knowing thou hast to do with an omniscient God that knoweth what is working therein, though it be hid from the world besides; think not sinful imaginations will escape the vengeance of God, though no suitable operations of impiety do accompany them.

SECT. XI.

Its Propensity to all evil, both towards God, and towards man.

NInthly, Our Imagination is naturally corrupted, Because of its propensity to all evil, both towards God, and towards man. And

First, Towards God, Let us take up that which was but glanced at before, and that is, How prone we are to provoke God in his worship, declining from the true Rule, and merely because of our Imaginations. The pleasing of them hath been the cause of all that displeasure which God ever had in his Church concerning the worshipping of him: No, sin doth more provoke God then the corrupting of his worship, to adulterate this is to meddle with the apple of his eye; God beareth other sins a long while till his worship become to be corrupted, and then he will endure no longer: Now the original of all sinfulness in this kind hath been our imagination, we have not attended to what God hath commanded; we regard not his institutions, but our own fancies, the pleasing of them: Hence when God promiseth a restauration to the people of Israel, and a reformation from their former Idolatries, he saith, Neither shall they walk anymore after the imagination of their evil heart, Jer. 3. 17. It was this Imagination carried them out to Idolatry, whence came those goodly Images, those glorious Altars, and many other superstitious ways of worship, but because the fancy was pleased herein, what is pleasing to the senses is also carried with delight to the Imagination: Insomuch that those Heathens Numa and others, who would have no Images to adore their gods by, thinking it unbe • eeming their greatness, were carried by reason, and did not give way to the Imagination; and this is a very necessary truth, for all such who are so difficulty taken off from their Idolatries and Superstitions, for what is it but thy fancy thou wouldst have satisfied, thou doest not look upon Ordinances and the worship of God; as spiritual means to quicken thy faith, and to make thee more spiritual, but as that whereby thou wouldst have thy Imagination take some corporeal refreshment and satisfaction: Even Aristotle saw the vanity of this, and therefore would not have any musical delights in the worship of their Heathenish gods; And Aquinas following him herein, is against musical instruments in the service of God: what God appointed in the Old Testament cannot be brought as an argument for any such custom in the New.

Secondly, Towards man; here the imagination is as full of evil, as the sea, of water, Prov. 6. 16. One of the seven things that are there said to be an abomination unto the Lord, An heart that deviseth wicked abominations; How crafty and subtle is the abomination of man to devise wicked and malicious purposes? This is the forge of all those malicious bloody and crafty designs that ever have been acted in the world; Read over profane and sacred Histories, and there you will admire, what subtle foxes men have been sometimes, what cruel lions they have been at other times; all which doth arise from this sinful imagination, which is prone to find out all manner of ways to vent the wickedness that is bound up in the heart: so that we need not exclaim on the Devil, as if he put this into their hearts; for though no doubt sometimes he doth, as in Judas, yet the heart of itself is ready for any evil.

SECT. XII.

It continually invents new Sins, or occasions of Sins.

ALthough much hath been said concerning the original pollution of man's imagination, yet still more is to be discovered; so that there is a very 〈◊〉 resemblance between man's imagination, and those chambers of imagery, which Ezekiel beheld in a Vision, upon the walls thereof were portrayed the form of creeping things, and abominable beasts, and all the Idols of the house of Israei, Ezek. 8. 9, 12. Thu▪ is every man's imagination a table (as it were) whereon are pictured all the forms and shapes of all kind of evil; It may well be called the chamber of man's imagery where are images of jealousy daily created, such forms received that do provoke God to wrath and jealously: Let us therefore proceed.

Tenthly, In this we have an open field wherein man's imagination doth act numberless evils, because of its invention, it is continually inventing new sins or occasions of sins; As if the old sins and trespasses which had filled the world were not enough, What new ways of impiety are invented, new fancies in evil ways? For although invention be indeed principally an act of the understanding, yet because (as you heard) the understanding in its operations hath recourse to the imagination, and that is subservient and under-agent to it, therefore we may attribute the same things to both, especailly the things of invention, because a man's imagination hath a peculiar influence therein; Now in this respect, if there were no other, the sins of the imagination will increase like the sands upon the sea-shore: It were possible to show, by going over every particular Commandment, that the imagination of man doth constantly invent new sins against them; the Apostasy of man from his first rectitude is emphatically described by the Scripture in this, as the general and sum of all, that he sought out many inventions, Eccles. 7. 29. where the wise man having declared that amongst men and women, though less amongst women, one not so much as good in an ethical and moral sense could be found; for in a spiritual sense there is not one man amongst a thousand, no not in all mankind that is good, but the speaketh of external and moral, enquiring then after the cause, why such an universal corruption should overflow all mankind; insomuch that there is not one amongst a thousand that deserveth the name of a man, not such an one as the primitive righteousness did require, but not so much as reason judging rightly by ethical Rules would commend, he doth clear God from being the Author of this; And because this truth is of such great consequence, he useth a word of attention [Lo] Ecce, Consider it diligently; And secondly, he telleth you, how he came to the knowledge of it, I have found it, (viz.) in the Word of God. where you see this Doctrine concerning original corruption is not to be investigated by human reason, as it is discovered by divine revelation. I have found it after much and diligent study; Oh that those corrupt teachers, who deny this original pravity, could with Solomon say, They have at last after much study found out this truth also! Now the Doctrine found out is, That God made man right, full of righteousness and holiness, not only negatively without sin, but positively, full of righteousness; but they, that is, Adam and Eve, which are called the man Adam in the words preceding, Sought out] not being contented with that measure of knowledge and happiness God created them in, affecting to be like God. Many inventions] that is, found out many ways of sinning, when they once forsook the strait Rule, they diverted and wandered into many crooked paths: The Hebrew word Chishbonoth is very emphatical, it is used but once more in the Old Testament, and that is 2 Chron. 26. 15. where it is said, Uzziah used engines invented by cunning men, to shoot arrows and great stones withal: So that by this word is denoted that subtlety and great artifice which is in man's Imagination to invent any evil way, sins that never were acted before are found out: Every age almost hath new sins, and whence is this, but from the subtlety of man's Imagination to find out new ways of sinning? Hence Rom. 1. 30. one character in the Catalogue of those sins attributed to the Heathens, is to be Inventers of evil things; And certainly here the Imagination of man is very prone, that whereas to learn Trades, or the Arts, there they must have teachers, and much time must be allowed them to learn; In the invention of evil things there men are taught of their own corrupt hearts to do so. We might instance in divers things, wherein the sinful Imagination of man is discovered about inventing of evil, new sins, new oaths, new blasphemies, new ways of cheating and dishonesty, especially in those new ways for nourishing pride, and wantonness, Which is the ridiculous, absurd and uncivil fashions in apparel and deportments of body, which are truly and properly the genuine issue of the sinful fancies of men. The Ape being a creature of strong Imagination, but wanting reason doth strive to imitate more then any other creature; And thus it is an argument that that man's imagination and fancy are far greater then their wisdom and prudence, who are ambitiously ready to imitate every foolish and childish fashion that men's corrupt imaginations have produced. Look upon all the several fashions, all the changes and mutabilities, which are in men's and women's apparel, and you will presently be persuaded, that their imaginations are corrupted; From this also ariseth the use of auxiliary beauty, painting, spotting, &c. and which is the highest aggravation of our sinfulness; herein we do not only conform to such foolish and indecent fashions, but we plead for the lawfulness thereof; but remember to let Scripture-gravity, modesty and chastity be more powerful in thy heart, and manifested in thy garments and gestures, then the sinful impressions of unjustifiable fashions upon thy imagination: To how many transforming themselves into the new guises and modes of the times they live in, if the gravity of the Minister would permit it as well, as the vanity of the subject deserve it, may you apply Martials verse,

Bassianus the Emperor did so greatly degenerate into effeminateness, that he would not only conform to women's attire, but would also make his name feminine, he would be called Bassiana not Bassianus. By this you see, how corrupt fancies will make men degenerate from the gravity and prudence of a man, much more the holy deportment of a Christian, this is to show that all the sinful fashions and ridiculous ones which are in apparel, gesture and otherwise, they come from the imaginations of men defiled. To this head also is to be referred all those new amorous Songs, all sinful Comedies and Plays, with a world of such kind of impiety, that the imagination of man hath the greatest share therein, so careful are we how we please that, how we walk according to that in every thing.

SECT. XIII.

The Sinfulness of the Imagination manifests itself in reference to the Word of God, and the Ministerial Preaching thereof.

ELeventhly, The sinful Imagination of a man doth in a great measure manifest itself, in reference to the Word of God, and the Ministerial Preaching thereof. Here it discovers much enmity and contrariety to what is godly; For the Word itself, How greatly is the Imagination offended thereat, both in respect of the style and the matter? The language is not so imbellished and polished, that the fancy should delight therein; This hath been a rock of offense to many great but unsanctified wits; They have disdained the simplicity of the style, and affected a more gaudy Oratory; This is the sin of the fancy chiefly. Austin in his Confessions doth much bewail his pride and tumour in this particular; He disdained to become like a little child, and to lay aside the admiration of human eloquence; by which he was so much puffed up; What profaneness and the love to their filthy lusts do to some in making them opposite to Scripture ways, The same doth an unmortified fancy, especially where there are learning and parts in others; Even as we see Christ became a stumbling block to many, because he came not in that external dignity and pomp of a King which they desired; Thus also it is with the Scriptures, because they are not in such pleasing words, such florid expressions as their Imagination would have: Hence it is they take no delight in the reading of them, or in meditating therein, whereas they are never satisfied in reading of Comedies, Histories that are full of delight and exact language, in reading of Poetry and Romances, thou readest (it may be) not one Chapter in the Bible to many of these: Oh do thou humble thyself under that vain and proud fancy, It is a great enemy to thy conversion! If ever God open thy eyes, thou wilt with Austin bewail thy folly herein, and at last regard fruit more than leaves, substances more than shadows. This was also Jerome 's temptation to be much enamored with human Oratory, and therefore speaks of himself, what terrors, yea bodily smart he was in, hearing a voice at the same time, saying, Ciceronianus es non Christianus. I do not speak this as if human Oratory and Eloquence were not lawful; yea where it is well used, it is an excellent gift of God. Cyprian and others carried this Egyptian gold out of Egypt to Canaan. Chrysostom, Nazianzen, Basil, were so many Divine Orphe •• 's to change the natures of beastly men; Therefore it may lawfully be used where God giveth it; Hence in the Scripture we have metaphors and similitudes, yea Christ is full of Parables, which do in their nature please the fancy representing spiritual things by sensible; but then we must be sure, that we stay not in this eloquence, that it be not like music affecting the ear for a while, having no operation at all, as Ezekiel 's preaching was to his hearers, but it is to be like the sugar that maketh us swallow down the bitter pills more willingly: To admire the Artifice of a Cup, and never drink of the liquor within, is a childish vanity; to be affected with the words and language of a Minister, and not to consider what wholesome food it is to thee, whether it be the bread of life to thee or no, is absurd impiety: As the proud fancy of a man is thus offended at the Word of God, so also it is at the preaching thereof in a solid and substantial manner in a soul-saving way; This is not according to a man's fancy, which looketh for pleasure not profit. Austin confessed this also in himself, that he did with great delight go to hear Ambrose preach, not that he regarded the spiritual matter and heavenly truths delivered, but because of the eloquence and pleasing elocution which Ambrose had. Though it is true, such was the goodness of God to Austin, that though hearing Ambrose only for eloquence sake, yet secretly some power of truth was instilled in him, which made to his conversion; So that from looking to the art in the Sermon, he came at last to mind the grace of God in it: Even as it is said of Apelles, that by his often beholding and looking on the woman, whose picture he was drawing, though at first he minded his Art only, yet secretly love did creep into his affections at the same time, which made him languish away, till Alexander helped her to him as his wise. But though admiration of gifts and oratory may sometimes thus be blessed, yet commonly it is otherwise, and the inclination of such a fancy is to reject with scorn and contempt the powerful preaching of the Gospel without words of man's wisdom, as a most low and despicable thing: Thus the preaching of Christ crucified was foolishness to the Gentiles, who gloried in human literature, 1 Cor. 1. 23. Though it is true, God will by these weak things bring to naught the great admired things of the world. Thus 2 Cor. 10. 5. The ministerial weapons of the Gospel are mighty through God, to pull down strong holds, and to cast down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself, as Cannon-shot doth strong Castles; By this of the Apostle you see the imaginations of men raise up strong and mighty opposition against the Word preached, though the Word of God set home by his own power overcometh everything that doth withstand it. It is good then, especially for men of quick parts and raised fancies to suspect themselves, to fear lest from them arise all their destruction, lest these be the bolts and bars that keep Christ out from possessing of their hearts.

SECT. XIV.

It is more affected with Appearances then Realities.

TWelfthly, The sinfulness of the Imagination is seen, in that it is more affected with the appearance of things, then the reality, yea we do wholly satisfy our selves with things, as they are in our fancy only, and never attain to what is really good or happy. Our comforts are but imaginary comforts; our delights but imaginary delight, yea our wealth, our honors are but in imagination only; It's usual with the Scripture to speak of the Nations of the world comparatively to God, as a drop, as a little dust; How often is a man's life compared to a shadow? Insomuch that neither our life and delight are worthy of the name; All the things of this world are but in imagination; What seemeth to be more substantial than wealth, which is said to answer all things? yet Solomon saith, Why doest thou set thy eyes upon that which is not? Prov. 23. 5. Wilt thou cause thine eyes to fly upon it, is in the original? It showeth our ardent desires after that thing which is not: Hence a wicked man in his greatest triumph and glory is compared but to a dream, Job 20 8. He shall flee away as a dream, and shall not be; All the while we pursue riches, honors, all the while our hearts are hastening after the creatures, we are but in a dream; What is true riches? What is true food? What is true glory? We miss and embrace only a shadow: This is notably represented by the Prophet, Isa 29. 8. The enemies of the Church that had in their hopes and expectations devoured Zion, are compared to an hungry man that dreameth he eateth, but when he is awakened his soul is empty: Thus it is in all these worldly enjoyments, this life is but a dream, we are not awaked till we come within the borders of eternity: Oh that this were truly considered, how greatly would it mortify that inordinacy in us to these sading things? When the child rejoiceth in his bauble, it is but his Imagination that is pleased, his counters he taketh for money, it is but his fancy that contents him; and truly no more are all the great things of the world in respect of God and eternal things.

SECT. XV.

The sinfulness of the Imagination in respect of fear, and the workings of Conscience.

13. AS the Imagination makes us rejoice and account ourselves happy, when there is no solid foundation for it, so on the other side, When the conscience is awakened for sin, many times the imagination doth work so terribly, and filleth us with such sad apprehensions, that we fear, where no fear is, we flee when none pursueth; So that a disturbed imagination doth many times work with the troubles of conscience, hindering both the working of our judgment, and of faith, representing God and Christ to us far otherwise then they are. Job complaineth, Chap. 7. 14. that God did scare him with dreams: Oh it is very sad, and a grievous condition, when God shall turn a man's fancy against his own self; To have our conscience against us, and our imaginations against us is an hell upon an earth, and it is just with God to fill these Imaginations that once received nothing but lustful and pleasant impressions with terrible and dreadful ones, and both these ways draw from God, both joyful delights, and terrible apprehensions! That great change which we read made upon Nebuchadnezzar, who from a great Monarch of the world is become like a beast living amongst them, his hairs being grown like Eagles feathers, and his nails like birds claws, was nothing else (as many Expositors judge) but a judgment brought upon his Reason and Imagination by a deep melancholy; So that the terrors of a troubled Imagination (especially when joined with troubles of conscience) do drive from Christ, oppose the comfortable way of the Gospel, as well as proud and unclean motions do the pure and holy way thereof.

SECT. XVI.

Of the Actings of the Imagination in Dreams.

IN the fourteenth place, Herein the pollution of it doth manifest itself, That when the senses and the rational part are bound up, so that they cease from operation, even then that is acting, and most commonly in a sinful manner by dreams. Dreams are the proper work of the Imagination, and Divines do make three sorts of them, Natural Dreams, which arise from natural causes, and these commonly either have much sinfulness in them, or great troublesomness. Diabolical, such as are cast into the imagination by the Devil; or Divine, such as are caused by God; for the Spirit of God hath used the imagination in some operations thereof: Thus Joseph and others were warned by God in a dream; And Joel 2. the promise is, That their young men should dream dreams. These Divine dreams Tertullian (Lib. 3. de animâ ) doth divide into Prophetica, such as are merely fore-telling things to come; Revelatoria, such as reveal something to be done, as Peters vision concerning Cornelius; Aedificatoria, such as build up to any holy duty; And Vocatoria, that call to some spiritual service, as that vision of Paul inviting him to come into Macedonia. Concerning Diabolical Dreams they are not a man's sins but afflictions, unless a man doth directly or indirectly consent thereunto, or walk so that he deserveth God should leave him to such unclean or polluted apprehensions. But we speak of Natural Dreams, and not such as are merely natural, that arise from some natural cause, but such as have had some voluntariness antecedent thereunto, while waking, such now are proud dreams, malicious dreams, unclean and unjust dreams. All these do either expressly or virtually come from a polluted Imagination while we are awake, though happily we cannot remember any such thoughts we had. The sinfulness then of our dreams we are to be humbled under, as coming from sin the cause, and being also sins in themselves: No doubt but Adam would have dreamed, (it being common to all mankind, only it is said of Nero, That he seldom or never dreamed till after the murder of Agrippina, after which he was affrighted with terrible ones; As also of the Atalantes, that none dream amongst them. Though Tertullian faith, Perhaps same did deceive Aristotle in that report,) yet his dreams had been merely natural, not having the least connection of any sin, or any disquieting with them: But how greatly is confusion brought upon us in this very respect? Insomuch that what the Devil cannot tempt to, while waking, he doth allure unto, while dreaming: Indeed it is folly and superstition (as many people do) to regard dreams so as to make conjectures and prophesies thereby, but so to observe them, as to take notice of the filthiness and sinfulness of them, that is a duty, for although the reason and the will do not operate at that time, yet there is sin in our dreams, because they are the effects of the sinful motions of thy soul sometimes or other. Let it then be thy care to have pure and sanctified imaginations both dreaming and waking, and do nothing that may provoke the Spirit of God to leave thee to the defilements thereof

SECT. XVII.

It is not in that orderly Subordination to the rational part of man, as it was in the Primitive Condition.

15. THe imagination is hereby deprived, That it is not now in that orderly subordination to the rational part of man, as it was in its primitive condition. Every thing in Adam was harmonical, he was not infested with needless and wandering Imaginations; Even the birds of the air, as well as the beasts of the field God brought to Adam, that he should give names to them; The birds though flying in the air, yet come and submit to him; so it was in his soul; Those volatique Imaginations and flying thoughts which might arise in Adam 's soul, they were all within his power and command, neither did any troublesomly interpose in his holy meditation; but now how predominant is thy imagination over thee? How are good thoughts and bad thoughts conjoined, as there were clean and unclean beasts at the same time in the Ark? Especially doest thou not labor and groan under thy wandering imaginations, even in thy best duties, and when thy heart is in the best frame? Is not this the great Question thou propoundest to thyself, How may I be freed from wandering thoughts and roving Imaginations in my addresses to God? Oh that I were directed how to clip the wings of these birds, for they are my burden and my heavy load all the day long? Surely the experience of this in thyself may teach thee what a deep and mortal wound original sin hath given every part of thee: Hadst thou the Image of God in the full perfection of it, as Adam once had, as Christ's human nature had, and as we shall have when glorified in Heaven, then there would not be one wandering thought, one roving imagination left as a thorn in thy side to offend and grieve thee? This imagination being of such a subtle and quick motion, doth presently fly from one thing to another, runneth from one object to another, so that hereby a great deal of sin is committed in the very twinkling of an eye. The soul indeed being sinite in his essence, cannot think of all things together, but not to consider that which it ought to do, or to rove to one object, when it should be fastened on another: This is not a natural, but a sinful infirmity thereof.

SECT. XVIII.

It is according to Austin's Judgment the great Instrument of conveying Original Sin to the child.

16. THe Imagination is so greatly polluted, That according to Austin 's judgment, it is the great instrument of conveying original sin to the child; For when he is pressed to show how original sin cometh to be propagated, how the soul can be infected from the flesh, though this be not his chief answer, yet he doth in part run to this ( viz. ) the powerful effect of the imagination; The vehement affection and lust in the parent is according to him the cause of a libidinous disposition in the child, hereupon he instanceth in the fact of Jacob, who by working upon the imagination of the females, did by the parti-coloured sticks produce such a color in their young ones; Yea one thinketh, that this instance was by a special providence of God, chiefly to represent how original sin might be propagated from parents to children; And it cannot be denied but that many solid Philosophers and Physicians do grant, that the imagination hath a special influence upon the body, and the child in the womb to make great immutation and change: Austin instanceth ( lib 5. contra Julian. cap. 9) in the King of Cyrus, who would have a curious picture of exquisite beauty in his chamber for his wife to look upon in the time of her conception; Yea Histories report strange, and it may be very fabulous things herein, therefore we are not to run to this of the imagination when we would explain the traduction of this sin: It is true, some imbre qualities are many times transfused from parents to children, parents subject to the Gout and Stone have children also subject to such diseases, and blackmores do always beget blackmores, and so no doubt but in the conveying of original sin there is a seminal influence, but how and in what manner it is hard to discover; but though the corrupt imagination cannot be the cause, yet it may in some sense dispose for the propagating of it.

SECT. XIX.

How prone it is to receive the Devils Impressions and Suggestions.

LAstly, The imagination is greatly polluted, In that it is so ready and prone to receive the Devils impressions and suggestions. When we lost original righteousness, which is the image of God, not only original sin like an universal leprosy did succeed in the room thereof, but the Devil also did thereupon seize upon us as his own: our souls and all the parts and powers thereof are his habitation; he reigneth in the hearts of all by nature, we are all his captives; so that as a man is said to dwell in his own house, it is his home, he may do what he will, such a right and claim hath the Devil to a man's soul by nature, he dwells in it, he moveth and reigneth in it: Now the imagination is that room of the soul wherein he doth often appear. Indeed (to speak exactly) the Devil hath no efficient power over the rational part of a man, he cannot change the will, he cannot alter the heart of a man, neither doth he know the thoughts of a man, so that the utmost he can do in tempting of a man to sin, is by suasion and suggestion only; but then. How doth the Devil do this? even by working upon the imagination. Learned men make this his method, that he observeth the temper and bodily constitution of a man, and thereupon suggests to his fancy, and injects his fiery darts thereinto, by which the mind and will come to be wrought upon; for it is Aristotl 's rule, That Phantasmata movent intellectum, sicut sensila sensum; so that as the object of sense, being present, doth presently move the sense; so do phantasms and imaginations move the understanding. The Devil then, though he hath no imperious efficacy over thy will, yet because he can thus stir and move thy imagination, and thou being naturally destitute of grace canst not withstand these suggestions; hence it is that any sin in thy imagination, though but in the outward works of the soul, yet doth quickly lay hold on all; and indeed by this means do arise those horrible delusions that are in many erroneous ways of Religion, all is because their imaginations are corrupted; yea, how often are these diabolical illusions of the imagination taken for the gracious operations of God's Spirit? Divines give many excellent Rules, how we may discern between those delusions of the imagination by Satan, and the savory workings of God's Spirits in illumination, and consolations: It is not my purpose to enter on that Subject, only bewail and humble thyself under this, that the Devil hath such command over thy fancy, that he can so quickly dart in, like so much lightning so many unclean or blasphemous imaginations, it is from hence that many have pretended to Enthusiasmes, that regard dreams, that they leave the Scripture, and wholly attend to what they perceive and feel within them. And thus much for the opening of this noisome dunghill also.

SECT. XX.

Some Corollaryes from the Premises.

NOw from the corruption which you have heard of all the parts of the soul both the rational and sensitive part of a man conjoined together, we may see the unspeakable misery of man in these particulars; and oh that every auditor would smite upon his breast and say, O Lord I am the man thus polluted! O Lord all this poison and pollution lieth here! For

First, In having all the powers of the soul thus defiled, both superior and inferior, hereby man hath lost all liberty, and is become a miserable slave and vassal to sin and Satan. For whereas man was made only to serve God, and by love to cleave to him, the creature is come in his room, and thereby man is enslaved in his affections to these temporal things only; so that we do very improperly say, that a man is the Master or the Lord of such an estate, of such an house, for indeed he is a slave to them, Fiunt servi, dum domini esse desiderant, as Austin, while thou dost so earnestly desire to be master of such an estate, thou art indeed made a servant to it; but remember thou canst not serve God and the creature, these are two contrary masters.

Secondly, He hath by this pollution lost all true judgment to discern of things, he doth not know what are the best things, yea he doth grossly misjudge, he prefereth earth before gold, dross before pearls. The natural man cannot discern spiritual things, because he wants a spiritual eye; he mistaketh about God, he misjudgeth about true blessedness, he is deceived about the true nature of godliness; so that he can no more judge of these things, then a worm can of Angelical actions: The Apostle speaketh fully to this, 1 Cor. 2. 14, 15. Thus we are become like children, yea natural fools as to spiritual things; when we are invited to this feast, we pretend excuses; when Christ is tendered to us, we had rather keep our swine; when exhorted to labor for everlasting bread and riches and an eternal crown of glory, we had rather have our Barley-Corn, then all these: Thus we have lost all spiritual judgment and will not part with our babbles, though for an inheritance in heaven.

Thirdly, A man being thus in his intellectuals and affectionate parts of his soul carried out only to these earthly things, and from God; hence is it, that he is as it were made one with them; we may say, earth thou art not only in respect of thy body, but also of thy soul; for if the Apostle say, 1 Cor. 6. 17, he that is joined to the Lord is made one spirit; may we not also say, he that is joined to sin, to creatures, is made (as it were) the same with them. Although (saith Austin ) the mind when it inclineth to these bodily things is not made corpus, a body, yet by these appetites and desires quodammodo corporascit, it doth (as it were) become bodily; It is as if a mighty Prince should come from his throne of glory, and wallow in the mire like a swine; this is our state comparatively to that primitive happiness and holiness; we are now no better then those lusts and those creatures that we do adhere unto; Junge cor tuun aternitati Dei, & cum ill aeternus eris; and again, Si terram amas terra es; Thou art in God's account that which thy heart is set upon; Oh then, God cannot look upon thee as his primitive creature, he seeth his image and superscription defaced, and another brought in the stead thereof very loathsome and deformed; Even as they that worshipped Idols are said to be like them, to become as abominable, yea and as senseless, and as stupid, as they are, so it is in this case.

Fourthly, From hence also ariseth that impossibility of loosing ourselves from the creature to return again to God from wn • m we fell; Had not the Lord shown mercy to some of mankind, none of them could ever have recovered out of their lost estate, no more than the Devils can to that habitation which they forsook; All these creatures are the bird-lime that now hinder the wings of the soul from flying to Heaven: Oh that we could say, The snare is broken, and we are delivered; Who will give me wings that I may fly as a Dove, and my soul find rest with God! Yea as a man hath no power to break these bonds of sin, so neither hath be any desire, for he is kept thus fast joined to sin by delight and by pleasure; so that the more sin and the creatures delight him, the more strongly is he possessed; Samson was as much under Delilah 's power, though it was by his delight and consent, as when under the Philistines by force and constraint; So that the will and affections of man are hereby so glued to sin and the creature, That nothing is more offensive and troublesome to them, then to be divided from these things: So that whereas David having experience of the sweetness of God's favor, saith, It is good for me to draw nigh to God; They (on the contrary) judge it their greatest good to draw nigh to, and possess the creature, Hence

In the fifth place, There is that difficulty in man to bear the want of the pleasures of sin, and the delight of the creatures, yea the exceeding great sorrow under the losing of them: Were not man fallen from that glorious state of holiness, and enjoyment of God, he could not so sadly deplore and bewail the loss of any creature, no more then a man should be troubled to have the Moon taken away when the Sun is in the room thereof; but because, when fallen from God, we center upon these earthly things; therefore it is, that as we have inordinate delight in the possessing of them, so immoderate sorrow in the losing of them; For that is a true Rule about all these things, Non est earendo difficultas, nisi cum in habendo est cupiditas; Now all this trouble and perplexing grief ariseth from the pollution of the soul being destitute of that glorious Image.

Sixthly, Man having lost the Image of God thus in his soul, hence it is that he liveth a wretched instable and unquiet life, for being off in his heart from God, he therefore is tossed up and down according to the mutability of every creature; Hence no man having no more then what he hath by Adam, can live any quiet, secure and peaceable life, but is tossed up and down with contrary winds, sometimes fears, sometimes hope, sometimes joy, sometimes sorrow, so that he is never in the Haven, but always floating upon the waters; Thus miserable is a man's life, till the Image of God be repaired in him.

Lastly, From this universal pollution upon a man, it followeth, That be abuseth every good thing he hath, that he sinneth in all things, and by all things; That whether he eateth or drinketh, whether he buyeth or selleth, he cannot refer any one of these to the ultimate end, which is God's glory, but to inferior and self-respects: Oh wretched and miserable estate, wherein thou hast abused every mercy God hath given thee to his dishonor and thy damnation! Thou hast turned all thy honey into gall and poison; thou wast never able to fulfill that command, 1 Cor. 7. So to use the world as not to abuse it; Thy meat, thy raiment, thy health, thy wealth, they have all been abused; neither hath God been glorified, or the salvation of thy soul promoted thereby.

SECT. I.

H Itherto we have been discovering the universal pollution of the soul by original sin, and that both in the upper and lower region, the rational and sensitive part thereof; Our method now requireth, that we should manifest the defilement and contagion that is upon the Body also: For as it was in the deluge, that did overflow the world, the cause did precede both from above and beneath, Gen. 7. 11. The fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the windows of Heaven were opened; from above and below did come the overflowing of waters: Thus it is in that spiritual deluge of sin, which doth overflow all mankind, There is corruption in the superior parts of the soul, and there is also in the body the lowest and meanest part of man: So that whatsoever goeth to the making of man, is all over defiled; There is nothing in soul or body but is become thus polluted, we therefore proceed to the last subject of Inhesion, or seat of original sin, and that is the body of man, which will be declared from the Text we are to insist upon.

SECT. II.

The Text explained.

FOr the Coherence of it, observe, that the Apostle having in the former verses enjoined many excellent and choice duties; In this verse he betaketh himself to prayer to God in their behalf, that God would sanctify them and enable them thereunto, for in vain did Paul water by this Doctrinal Information, unless God did give the increase; and withal we see, that is a true Rule, That precepts are not a measure of our power; They declare indeed our duty, but they do not argue our power, otherwise prayer thus to God would have been needless.

In the prayer itself we may consider, the matter itself prayed for, and that is set down,

1. Summarily, and in the General. And then

2. Distributively, in several particulars.

The General is, That they may be sanctified wholly or throughout 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the Thessalonians were supposed to be sanctified already, but yet the Apostle doth here pray for their further sanctification, which doth evidence, That the Doctrine of perfection in this life, is a proud and presumptuous error; If they had, attained to the highest pitch of sanctification already, why should they still grow in it? Thus the Apostle doth often press Gospel-duties upon such as attain to them already, but because they have not perfection, therefore they are to be urged forward: Thus the Apostle writing to those that were reconciled, 2 Cor. 5. 20. saith, We pray you be reconciled to God; So to the Ephes. 4. 23, 24. Be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new man, &c. He speaketh as if the work were now to begin, as if they had not as yet been partakers of this new-creature; Not but that they were so, only there was much behind still to be perfected, much leaven was to be purged out, they were still imperfect, and therefore are to forget what is behind, pressing forward to the mark.

In the second place, you have the Distribution of this whole in its parts; This Sanctification is to be exercised in a three-fold subject, your Spirit, Soul and Body; It is not Sanctification simply he prayeth for, but growing and increasing, that it be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , as in the Original, that it have all, that the lot ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is a lot) what the condition of them doth require, what holiness is the spirits portion, the souls condition to have, that they are to partake of, but because this will never be gradually perfect in this life, though integrally it is, therefore he saith 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , without blame; Though the godly are not preserved without sin, yet they may without falls, such as may make them notoriously culpable and faulty before men, but because it is not enough for a time to be preserved, and then afterwards to be left to ourselves, for then we should quickly lick up our old vomit again, he therefore addeth, that this preservation should be even to the coming of Christ.

Now that which I intend chiefly out of these words, is the Subject to be sanctified, and that not the two former ( viz.) Spirit and Soul, of whose uncleanness we have largely treated already, but of the Body, which is last of all; Only it is necessary to speak a little to the explication of these three parts of man, how they differ, for commonly when the Scripture speaketh of man it enumerateth but two parts, the Soul and the Body, as Eccles. 12. 7. and in the creation of man, we have only two parts instanced in, which are his Soul and his Body; Because of this there have been various conjectures upon this place, for some have hence made three parts of man, his Body, his Soul, which they make to be the sensitive part of man, and his Spirit, which they make to be some part (as it were) flowing from the essence of God, and this they acknowledge immortal, but the soul and the body (they say) are mortal; And the ancient Heretics the Apollinarists might run to this refuge, who denied Christ to have any rational soul, but his Divine Nature, and his sensitive soul and body, do make upon Christ. The Manichees also affirmed two souls in men, the one rational that was good, and of God; The other evil, and the fountain of evil, the sensitive soul, coming from the Devil. Yea Cerda upon Tertul. (de anima lib. 3.) saith, not only Dydimus, but others of the ancients did incline to this opinion, that the Spirit was a distinct part in a man from soul and body, which opinion Austin opposed.

Thus this Text hath favored (as some think) that opinion of two souls in a man, his rational and sensitive, not in the Manichean way, but in a Philosophical way; and some learned men indeed have thought by holding two distinct souls, many inconveniences would be avoided, w ^ch are maintained in Philosophy, and also the conflict and combat that is between the flesh and the spirit, would be better explicated. But certainly the Scripture speaketh constantly of man, as having but one soul, What will it profit a man to win the whole world and lose his soul? not his souls, which Chrysostom used as an argument to make man watchful to the salvation of it, saying, If thou hast lost one eye, thou hast another to help thee; if one arm, another to support thee, but if thou losest thy only soul, thou hast not another to be saved.

Others therefore that they may avoid this inconvenience of holding three parts in a man, do by spirit understand the work of grace in a man; Thus the Greek Interpreters of old, and some learned men of late, but this doth not appear any ways probable, nor will the Context run smoothly, to make grace (as it were) a part of a man; neither is it coherent to pray, that God would preserve our grace, our soul and body, but rather grace in them; Therefore we take spirit and soul for the same real substance in a man, only diversified by its several operations. Lactantius calls it an inextrieable Question, Whether animus and anima be the same thing in man, meaning by anima, that whereby the body is enlivened; by animus that whereby we reason and understand, but there seemeth to be no such difficulty therein, the Scripture promiscuously calling it sometimes a soul, and sometimes a spirit. It's called the spirit in regard of the understanding and reason, as Ephes 4. 23. Be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and soul because of the affectionate part therein; so that the Apostle doth not mean two distinct parts in a man, but two distinct powers and offices in the same soul; You have a parallel expression Heb. 4. 12. where the word of God is said, To divide between soul and spirit, which afterwards is expressed by discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart: Thus when Mary said, Luke 1. 46, 47. My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God; she meaneth the same part within her, only giveth it divers names.

This being explained, whereas we see the Apostle praying for the sanctification of the body as well as the soul, it is plain, That it is unclean and sinful as well as the soul, else it did not need Sanctification. From whence observe,

That the body of a man naturally is defiled and sinful; Sanctification extendeth adequately to our pollution: Seeing then it is required of man, that his body be holy, and he is to glorify God in that as well as in his soul, and this cannot be without the sanctification of it, it remaineth that our bodies are not only mortal but sinful; And indeed under the corruptibility of them, we do readily groan and mourn under the diseases, pains and aches of the body, but spiritual life is required to be humbled for the sins of the body.

Object. And if you say, How can there be sin in the body, seeing that is not reasonable, all sin supposeth reason, now the body being void of that, it should seem that it is no more capable of sin, then brute beasts are?

Answ. To this it is answered, That the body is called sinful, not because sin is formally in it, for so it is in the soul, but because by it as an instrument sin is accomplished; The subjectum quod, or of denomination of sin, is the person man himself; The Principium quo formal, is the soul, the mind and will; The medium or instrumentum quo is the body, not that the body is only an instrument to the soul, for it is an essential part of man with the soul, as is further to be shown. Thus we truly call them sinful eyes, sinful tongues, because they do instrumentally accomplish the sinfulness of the heart; when the Apostle prayeth, That they might be sanctified wholly in spirit, soul and body, he prayeth for the reparation of God's Image again; Now when that was perfect in Adam, the spirit was immediately subject to God, the soul to the spirit, the body to the soul; So that what the spirit thought, the soul affected, and the body accomplished; but now this excellent harmony being dissolved, as the spirit is disobedient to God, the affections to the spirit, so also in the body to both, and thereby it becometh a co-partner with the soul in sin, and therefore must be joined with it in eternal torments.

SECT. III.

Scripture Proof of the sinful pollution of the Body.

THat the very body of a man is sinful and needeth sanctification, is plain from these Texts, 2 Cor. 7. 1. Having these promises, let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness; This is spoken to those also that are regenerated, none is perfect, they must be perfecting; As Apelles, when he drew his line would write faciebat in the Imperfect tense, not fecit, as if he had finished it, he would be still making it more exact; so should we be in our best holy duties, Amabam not amavi, credebane, not credidi, there remaineth a further complement and fullness to be added to our best graces; Now this perfection is by cleansing of the flesh and spirit, that is the body and the soul. It is a great error among some Papists, that they hold the spirit and mind of a man free from original contagion, and therefore confine it only to the inferior bodily parts, but that hath sufficiently been confuted, yet we deny not but the bodily part of man is likewise greatly contaminated, and like an impure vessel defileth whatsoever cometh into it. The uncleanness of the body appeareth also from that command Rom. 12. 1. where the Apostle enjoineth, that we should present our bodies a living Sacrifice, holy and acceptable; So that whatsoever we do by our body it is to be holy and acceptable unto God: Now this exhortation was needless, if we did not naturally offer up our bodies a sacrifice to sin, and to the Devil: For merely a natural man serveth sin and the Devil with all the parts of his body: Therefore the Apostle speaking to persons converted, Rom. 7. 19. saith, As ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity, so now yield your members servants to righteousness; Thy eye was once the Devils and sins, thy tongue was, thy ear was, by all these sin was constantly committed, so now have a sanctified body, an holy eye, a godly ear, an heavenly tongue, a pure body; And indeed we need not run for Texts of Scripture, experience doth abundantly confirm the preparedness and readiness of the body to all suitable and pleasing iniquity; Consider likewise that pregnant place, Heb. 10. 22. Let us draw near with a pure heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water; As the heart must be cleansed from all sins, that our consciences may condemn us for, so our bodies likewise must be washed with pure water; it is an allusive expression to the legal custom, which was for all before they drew nigh to the service of God, to sprinkle themselves with pure water, to take off the legal uncleanness of the body; And thus we must still in a spiritual way, that so the body may be fitted for God's service: As it is said of Christ, Heb. 10. 5. A body thou hast prepared for me, because the Spirit of God did so purify that corpulent mass, of which Christ's body was made, that being without all sin, he was thereby fitted for the work of a Mediator; For as for the Socinian Interpretation, who would apply it to Christ's body, made immortal and glorious, as if it were to be understood of Christ entering into Heaven, the Context doth evidently confute it, that which the Apostle, following the Septuaginnt in the original, calleth, Preparing the body, out of which it is alleged, Ps. 40. 6. It is, my ears hast thou opened, aliuding to the Jewish custom, who when a servant would not leave his Master, his ears were to be bored, and so he was to continue forever with him; The ears were bored, because they are the instrument of hearing and obedience, and thereby was signified, that he would diligently hearken to his Masters commands: Thus it was with Christ, his ears were opened, his whole body prepared to do the will of God; Now as it was thus with Christ, so in some respect it must be with us; God must prepare and fit a body for us, till grace sanctify and polish it, there is no readiness to any holy duty, The seeing eye, and the hearing ear, God is said to make both, Prov. 20. 12. By these instances out of Scripture, you see what a Leprosy of sin hath spread over the body as well as the soul: Oh that therefore we were sensible of these sinful bodies that are such clogs to us, such burdens to us in the way to Heaven! But let us proceed to show the sinfulness thereof in particulars.

SECT. IV.

The Sinfulness of the Body discovered in particulars.

SECT. I.

The Text opened and vindicated.

W E have at large (though not according to the desert thereof) described and amplified the subject of original sin, wherein it is seated. By which it appeareth, that man all over is become corrupted, both the totus homo, and the totum hominus, the whole man, and the whole of man. The next thing to be considered is the omnis homo, or the Subject of predication, as Divines call it; The former being called the Subject of Inhesion.

Our work then is to show, That Christ only excepted, everyone of mankind is involved in this common sin and misery, there is none that can plead any exemption from it; For seeing it is made the peculiar privilege of Christ to be so born, because conceived after a miraculous manner, it therefore necessarily followeth, that all others are comprehended under this guilt; Though you may see some men from the youth up, less vicious then others, more ingenuous and civil then others, yet even these are by nature all over sinful; so that there is no such thing as a natural probity and goodness, of which the Socinians dispute, as in time is to be shown; That it is the prerogative of Christ only to be freed not only from all actual sin, but also original and birth-sin is evident by this Text, which containeth an answer of the Angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary, who with some trouble and amazement had questioned, how she should conceive a Son, who knew not a man? The Angels answer consisteth in the information of the manner, how it shall be, and the consequent issue, and event thereof; The Manner is expressed in the efficient cause, and his efficacy. The Efficient cause is said to be the holy Ghost, and the power of the Highest. A person not the virtue only of God, as the Socinians blaspheme, as appeareth • n that we are baptized into the name of the holy Ghost, who is reckoned one of the three with the Father and Son, as also by the personal operations and characters attributed to him, which cannot be cluded with the figure of a Proso - 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , as some endeavor: It is true, The works of God ad extra, are common to all the three Persons, yet there is a peculiar order and appropriation, and therefore the preparing and forming of Christ's body out of the Virgin Mary, is peculiarly ascribed unto the holy Ghost.

The Efficacy is set down in two words, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which is to be understood of the operation of the holy Ghost, not his essence, for that is everywhere; The like expression, though to another purpose is Acts 1. 8.

The second word is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , concerning which there is more difficulty; The word in the New Testament is applied to a Cloud covering a man, with a Dative Case, though Favorinus and Stephanus make it to have usually an Accusative, Matth. 17. 5. Mark 9. 7. and Acts 5. 15. such an overshadowing, as they expected virtue and efficacy thereby; So Heysichius 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . In the Old Testament by the Septnagint it is often rendreed for defense and protection, because in these hot Countries the shadows of trees were a great preservation against the extreme scorchings of heat; And in this sense rather then in any other, we take the word in the Text, that the holy Ghost should protect and defend her, not only in the enabling of her against nature to conceive without a man, but also against all accusations and dangers she was to be exposed unto by this means; Thus Virgil used the word,

Others which may be additional to the former, render it, The holy Ghost shall fill her with glory, therefore she is said to be highly favored; And thus also among Poets the word is said to be used, Some make it to be as much as 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , as if the meaning were the holy Ghost should (as it were) pourtray and draw the lineaments of the body Others make it an allusion to the hen, which by covering her egg, doth by the heat thereof produce a live young one, to which also the Scripture is said to allude, Genes. 1. 2. when it is said, The Spirit moved (or was incumbent) as the water; Thus by the power of the holy Ghost in an unspeakable manner, the body of Christ was formed of the mass, and fleshly substance administered by the Virgin Mary; But this we are to take heed of, lest the mind of man should apprehend any indecent thing in this great mystery; Therefore Smalcius the Socinian, his assertion is to be rejected with great abomination, that feared not to affirm, That by this expression is secretly and modestly implied the work of the holy Ghost, as supplying the place of a man, his blasphemous and abominable expressions, I shall not relate ( Smal. refut. Smigl. cap. 17, 18, 19.) We shall then keep to the first interpretation understanding it of Help and Protection in this wonderful work.

The second particular is the consequent and event thereof, which is expressed;

1. By note of Inference.

2. The Subject. And

3. The Predicate.

The Subject is, That holy thing which shall be born of thee, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the Present for the Future, though some apply it not so properly to the conceiving, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , so Christ is called; the Neuter gender is emphatical, for though it be sometimes put for the Masculine, as 1 John 5. 4. yet here it is emphatical to show the extensiveness of Christ's holiness, that he is all over holy, having not the least spot of sin, and that not only as God, for so he is essentially and infinitely holy, nor only by the personal Union with the Godhead, but in his human Nature, both originally having no natural sin in him, and habitually and also actually, in which sense he is every way holy.

The Predicate is, He shall be called the Son of God, that is, he shall be indeed so, and also famously and publicly declared to be so. And

Lastly, There is the note of Inference, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Therefore also. At this the Socinians greatly catch, for they denying Christ to be the Son of God by eternal generation, say, That he is called the Son of God for many other Reasons, whereof one is gradual to another; so that he was not completely the Son of God, till after his Resurrection, when he was endowed with that glorious power God had given him, sitting down at the right hand of God.

Now the first reason, why Christ is called the Son of God, is (say they)

but from this miraculous and wonderful production in time; And they affirm, The Remonstrants they do (or at least seem to do) hold Christ to be the Son of God by eternal generation, and also to be called so for other causes also, as ( viz. ) by this miraculous production; And it may not be denied but Maldonado the Papist doth plead for this, as the reason in the Text, why he should be called the Son of God: So that (saith he) if Christ had been a pure man, yet by this miraculous production, he would have been made the Son of God. But Gontzen his fellow Jesuit doth answer his reason; Zanchi also is too liberal in this point, acknowledging that Christ is here to be called the Son of God, because of this miraculous communication of an human being to him. But his is no ways to be received, for the note of inference is not from the holy Ghosts overshadowing, as a cause of his filliation, but as from the sign; It is (I say) an argument not from the cause, but the sign; so that the meaning is, This extraordinary way of conceiving without a man, is a sign that he is the true God, who was before promised by the Prophet Isaiah, Chap. 9. That a Virgin should conceive, and his Name should be called Immanuel, God with us; For that there is a respect to that Prophecy, appeareth plainly by Mat. 1. 23. And indeed it must needs be so, for Christ is never called the Son of God, because born of a woman, though in a miraculous manner, but the Son of man always; And if this Exposition should be granted, Christ would have two filiations, one as whereby he was made the Son of God, and another as whereby he was made the Son of man. It is also absurd to say, Christ may be called the Son of God for several causes, when there is one true and proper one, he that is a Son by natural generation, cannot be by Adoption, or any other adventitious cause.

Again, That particle 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , is urged both of old and late, That also which is born of thee, &c. implying, that he had no other being, though now he assumed this.

Thus you have the Text vindicated, only one thing more is to be observed, the expression used by the Angel, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Which shall be born of thee, doth fully demonstrate, That Christ had a body framed by the holy Ghost of the substance of the Virgin Mary, that he had not a phantastical body, neither did he bring a body from Heaven, and so pass through the Virgin Mary, as some of old and late have dreamed; Therefore Marcion who denied the true body of Christ, and thereby also his Conception and Nativity, did wholly evade this Chapter of Luke, and would not receive it as Canonical, being called by Tertullian, Mus ponticus, because of his corroding and gnawing out of Scripture, as he pleased, when he saw any place make against him. The words thus explained, Observe

That Christ only is born holy, and that all the rest of mankind is polluted with sin. It is a saying, Exceptio format regulam, if then Christ be exempted, so that it is his peculiar privilege, then certainly all the rest are included: As there are some, who make all men pure by nature; So some have blasphemously vented, That Christ had original sin: Yea a Remonstrant writeth, That the human nature of Christ had that fight and conflict in it which is between the reason and the appetite, which we say must necessarily be sin. The Socinians they affirm, That Christ had a holy of sin, but then by sin they mean only infirmities and weaknesses, not that which is truly so, for this alleging, Heb. 7. 27. Heb. 9. 28. The true meaning whereof we shall give anon, But with Christians we need not long to insist upon the proof of this, That Christ was without all sin, either original or actual, typified therein by the High Priest in the Law, who had this written upon him, Holiness to the Lord, and therefore he is not only holy 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , but also 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , He that sanctifieth and maketh us holy by his blood; And therefore the Apostle demonstrateth his preeminency above all the Priests of the Law, That they were to offer for their own sins as well as for the sins of the people, but so it was not with him, if he had had sin in him, he could not have been our Savior, but he would have needed a Savior himself; yea Dan. 9. 24. he is called Sanctum sanctorum, the Holy of holies, or most holy: And to this truth the Scripture speaketh clearly, not only when it saith, That be knew no sin, and that no guile was found in his mouth, which happily might be thought to be limited only to actual sin, (but also as to the original and radical evil of man's nature,) that though he be a man of like nature with us, yet sin is still exempted, Rom. 8. 3. He sent his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, not in the likeness of the flesh, for he had our true flesh upon him, but in the likeness of sinful flesh, he had not the sin of our nature, though he had the nature itself: As the brazen Serpent was like a Serpent, but it had not the poison and venom of a Serpent; And certainly speaking this as the peculiar commendation of the Son of God sent into the world, it plainly evidenceth that all other are indeed sinful flesh, and not only in the likeness of it; Now he is said to be in the likeness of sinful flesh, because he was subject to misery and death, which is the reward due to sinners; We have likewise a comfortable place, Heb. 4. 15. for Christ's holiness is the foundation of all our consolation; This is that which we must rest upon under the accusation of the Law, under the strict demands of justice, when God shall require, that righteousness we once had or call for that purity, which the Law doth command, our support is this, though we have not a perfect holiness, yet Christ our High Priest and Surety hath; and to this end is that place, when the Apostle had shown, we had an High Priest who was touched compassionately with a sense and feeling of all our infirmities, and that he was tempted in all things like unto us, he addeth, but without sin; That temptation is not meant of enticing to sin, but it is as much as exercise and affliction, he was subject unto the common miseries of man's nature; yea the Apostle meaneth more, not only the substance of man's nature, but the affections and qualities thereof, he had grief and fear upon him, only all these were without sin; And this is to be our comfort, that in all the miseries, all the oppositions he conflicted with; yea in all those soul-affections and agonies, even when he cried out, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? yet still there was no sin, now all this was for us, we needed a Savior that could in an holy manner work out our redemption for us; So that it is not our inherent holiness, but Christ's holiness that we must trust to, when we have to do with God. We have the Apostle also again considering this property of our High Priest, because it is so useful, Heb. 7. 26. It behooved us to have such an High Priest, who is holy, harmless, undefiled separate from sinners, How many glorious properties are here? The Socinians (Schlitingius in locum. ) would apply this to Christ's condition in Heaven, his immortality and glory there, expounding this holiness and harmlessness not in respect of grace inherent, but freedom from infirmities and miseries, because it is added, Made higher then the Heavens; But these properties do belong to him while on earth, with relation to what he shall have hereafter, for that showeth Christ is above Angels, and that no Angel could be our Mediator; Now those several properties in Christ signify the same thing, only the last is very emphatical, Separate from sinners, not that he was not among sinners, while he was in the world, but this showeth, that he was segregated, or divided from all men in respect of the sin of their natures, though he communicated with them in their natures; and therefore, though happily some High-priests, as Aaron might be holy and unblameable, yet none of them was separate from sinners. These places may abundantly confirm this fundamental Article, That Christ only was pure from original sin, and that all those who deny original sin, make Christ to have no privilege in this respect, but that we are all alike, pure in respect of nature; Well then, How shall we understand those places, Heb. 7. 27. where it is said, Christ needed not to sacrifice first for his own sins, and then for the people's, for this he did once, when he offered up himself? The Socinian Expositor Sci • laingius maketh this to relate to both the particulars going before, He offered up himself once for his own sins, and for the people, and at the first sight it would seem so. But you must know that the later clause ( viz.) This he did once, doth relate to the last passage only, He once offered himself for the sins of the people, for if it should be connected with the other passage, it would be contradictory to the Apostles scope, which is to show, that he was separate from sinners, and therefore had no cause to offer for any of his own. The other Text is, Heb. 9. 28. where it is said, Christ shall appear the second time without sin, which might seem to imply, that he had sin in the first coming; but the Text doth not speak of any sin of his own inherent in him, but of ours which was laid upon him, as the Apostle saith, He who knew no sin became sin, 2 Cor. 5. 21. And indeed to say with the Socinian, That Christ offered for his own sins, that is, his bodily infirmities, is a most absurd expression, for all Sacrifices were for sin properly so, or legally, and in a typical sense, not for what was a mere affliction or bodily misery; So that from these things we may undoubtedly conclude, That Christ and Christ only of all mankind, is not polluted with this original contagion.

Let the Use then be to humble everyone under this truth, thou hearest none is free; Therefore let everyone say, I am the man that am by nature the child of wrath; I am the man that was conceived and born in iniquity; This particular appropriation should astonish and amaze thee; In thy breast hath the spawn of all evil, there is a fountain of all impiety; What miserable objects are those persons who have cancers and wolves breeding in their breasts, that live to see themselves dead (as it were) that do behold themselves as so many carcases, yet thy condition is far more miserable, who hast this original sin consuming soul and body also; Think not that any greatness of birth or nobility doth deliver thee from this universal pollution, as sure as thou art a man so surely a polluted and sinful one.

SECT. II.

CHrist (we heard) had this peculiar prerogative alone to be the holy one, the contrary in the Text is true of everyone born in a natural way; To every mother, we may say, that unholy thing which shall be born of thee, shall be called the child of the Devil, for it is by nature the child of wrath, only it may seem difficult to give the reason why he is exempted; for seeing he is a man ejusdem speciei of the same nature with us, and though he had his human nature in an extraordinary manner by the over-shadowing of the Holy Ghost, yet that doth not hinder but he is a man as well as we are: Even as Adam was made a man after a different manner from his posterity, they by generation but he by wonderful production out of the earth in respect of his body, yet we are men of the same kind with him; seeing then Christ was a man though he had a different original from us, will not that necessarily involve him in Adam 's sin? And if it be said that the power of the Holy Ghost sanctified that corpulent mass of which Christ's body did consist, that may happily free him from original inherent sin, but how can it from original imputed sin? Must not Christ be said to sin in Adam though he had no inherent defilement because he was a man? yea the Scripture doth not only make him a man, but calleth him the seed of David and of Abraham, that he came out of their loins, and which is more, Luke reckoning the genealogy of Christ by his human nature doth carry it up to Adam making him the son of Adam, and if the son of Adam how could he not but sin in Adam by imputation, though he had none by inhesion. This consideration hath so much strength, that Bellarmine though he is laborious to prove that the Virgin Mary was exempted from original inherent sin, that she had an immaculate conception, yet be confesseth she had original imputed sin that she sinned in Adam, because she was in Adam.

To answer then this Objection about Christ. The Arminians (as you heard) glory in their invention of Arminius, as if he only had found out the true answer to this, and not the Reformed Divines; The reason (saith he) of Christ's immunity from all sin by Adam, was because Christ had his being not by virtue of that original blessing, Increase and multiply, but by a special promise made after Adam 's fall; so that Christ's being is not supposed till Adam had fallen, and then upon a special promise ( viz.) The seed of the woman to bruise the head of the Serpent, Gen. 3. 15. Christ is to become man; Thus Christ could not be any way included in him. This hath some truth in it though the answer be not every way cogent; for Isaac was born (as we argued formerly) by a special promise, there being no possibility for his existence in a natural way, yet he was born in original sin; and although to me it seemeth most consonant to Scripture, that Christ would not have been made man, unless Adam had fallen, because the end of his coming into the flesh is said to be a Savior and a Redeemer; yet there are men of great learning that hold, Christ would have been made man howsoever, though Adam had stood, and to such this reason would be of no great validity. But it must be confessed, that Christ could not be included in Adam, for the Scripture maketh him a public person, and head to believers as Adam was to all men; hence he is called the second Adam, so that Christ was a public person and head as well as Adam, and one public person especially in an opposite way could not be represented by another; Though this be so, yet we shall adhere to the Answer that is commonly given by Reformed Divines, That Christ therefore was free from sin, because conceived in that miraculous manner, and though he had his being in respect of his corpulent substance from the Virgin Mary, yet this was materially only, not by way of efficiency, and any active disposition; so that Christ could not be said by imputation to be in Adam, seeing there was no efficient disposition in Adam 's posterity to cause his human being. That is justly rejected as a fond conceit of Galatinus and others, who that they might maintain the flesh of Christ to be free from sin, as well in himself as parents, affirm,