Chapter 7. Confession of sins, by enumeration of them, and first of Original sin

NExt to the Preface, Confession does, according to the more usual, and ordinary course, succeed.

The first thing to be confessed in the Enumeration of sin (as is before expressed in the scheme of Confession) is Original sin.

Whereas God at first made man upright, he hath since corrupted himself, (Eccles. 7.29) by seeking out many inventions.

He planted our first Parents a noble Vine, a right seed; but they quickly turned into degenerate plants of a strange Vine. (Jer. 2.21)

So that we are transgressors from the wombe.

¹ Being shapen in iniquity, and conceived in sin.

A seed of evill doers, children that are corrupters,

Branches of the wild Olive.

Being naturally dead in trespasses and sins.

Children of wrath, bearing about us, the old man.

A body of sin, and of death.

A law of our members.

Being born only of the flesh.

Having sin that dwels in us.

And is alwayes present with us.

And doth so easily beset us.

This Originall sin hath been propagated to us, both by Imputation. Real Communication.

1. By Imputation of Adams particular transgression, in eating the forbidden fruit; for we were legally parties in that Covenant, which was at first made with him, and therefore cannot but expect to be liable unto the guilt which followed upon the breach of it. By one man sin entred into the world, and death by sin, (Rom. 5.1) and so death passed upon all men.

2. By reall Communication of evil concupiscence, and depravation upon our natures, which was the consequent of the first rebellion; We were all of us naturally in our first Parents, as the streams in the fountaine, or the branches in the root, and therefore must needs partake the same corrupted nature with them; For who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? And what is man that he should be clean?² or he that is borne of woman that he should be righteous? This might justly make us more loathsome and abominable in Gods eyes, then either Toads or Vipers, or any other, the most venomous, hurtfull creatures are in ours: and for this alone, he might justly cut us off, and condemne us, though it were meerly for the prevention of that mischief and enmity against him, which the very principles of our natures are infected with.

Though man were at first made little lower then the Angels, being crowned with glory and honour,³ having dominion over the other creatures, all things being put under his feet, yet this corruption of our nature hath now made us become more vile then the beasts that perish. (Psal. 49.20)

‘Tis the root and the fountaine of all other sin, from whence every actual abomination does proceed. Atheisme, and Pride, and basenesse, and cruelty, and prophanenesse, and every other vice, which the most wicked wretch in the world is guilty of, doth proceed from hence. Hell it self which is the proper place of sin, is not more full of sin, for the kinds of it then our natures are. If there be any particular sin which we have not fallen into in our lives, ‘tis not for want of corrupt principles and dispositions in our natures, which do incline us to all, but by reason of Gods restraining or renuing grace, which hath as yet with-held us from them; without which we should break out into as great abominations, as were ever committed by the vilest of the sons of men.

All that pravity and basenesse, which fils up every part and power about us, are but diffusions of our Original corruption: what a world of mischief is there in our several parts, our Wills, Affections, our Tongues, Eyes? And yet all these are but as little rivulets: The fountaine, or rather the Sea that feeds them, is our corrupted nature.

‘Tis this that fils us with enmity against all spiritual truths and Ordinances; makes us (what we should tremble to think of) haters of God, though he be the God of our life, and of our happinesse; in whom we live, and move, and have our beings.

⁴Hence is it, that when we would do good, evil is present with us; that we have a law in our members, rebelling against the law of our mindes, and bringing us into captivity to the law of sin.

‘Tis this that makes us like corrupted vessels, to pollute all the gifts that are poured into us; those graces and abilities which from God are bestowed upon us, pure and excellent, when they are by us put forth in duties, are not without some favour of our own corruption.

This containes in it, not only an utter deficiency of all good, but also a loathing and disliking of it: Not only a liablenesse to evil, but also an inherent propension, and strong desire to it. All which is as natural to us, as blacknesse to an Ethiopian; and like the fretting Leprosie, adheres to our natures with so much pertinacy, (Levit. 14.45) that it cannot be utterly removed while we are on this side the grave, till these our earthly tabernacles shall be dissolved. No sope or nitre can purge it. (Jer. 2.22) The general deluge could not wash it away; that swept away sinners indeed, but not one sinne. Neither shall the fire of the last day cleanse it.

It does totally overspread both our Inward man. Outward man.

1. Our Inward man is hereby depraved both in respect of 1. Understandings. 2. Consciences. 3. Affections. 4. Wills. 5. Memories.

2. Our Vnderstandings are hereby become full of vanity, inconsideratenesse, ignorance;⁵ neither knowing nor enquiring after God: Every thought, and imagination of the heart being only evil, and that continually. So that we are not of our selves sufficient to think any thing that is good, (2 Cor. 3.5) being given over to a reprobate minde, […], a minde void of judgement, not liking to retaine God in our knowledge. (Rom. 1.28) Becoming vain in our imaginations, having our wicked hearts darkened.⁶ Being wise to do evil, but foolish to that which is good. Counting the things of God foolishnesse. Being carnally minded, which is enmity against God. For it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

Full of pride, prejudice, and contradiction against all sacred truths, setting up our own imaginations, and fleshly reasonings against the spiritual notions that are dictated to us. Being alienated from the life of God, (Eph. 4.18) through the blindnesse that is in us.

2. Our Consciences are hereby become full of stupidity, and insensiblenesse, past feeling, being feared as with an hot iron; (Eph. 4.19) Altogether defiled; Not performing their office of bearing witnesse,⁷ accusing, or excusing us rightly according to several occasions. Being deaf unto every holy suggestion of Gods Spirit, secure against all the threats, and judgements of the Law.

(Gen. 8.21)3. Our Hearts and Affections being evil from our youth: full of wicked policies, and unsearchable deceits. (Jer. 17.9) Deceitful above all things, and desparately wicked, who can know them? Full of lustings against the Spirit of God: (Gal. 5.7) Sending forth evil thoughts, murthers, adulteries, fornications, thefts, (Mat. 15.19) false witnesse, blasphemies, full of folly and madnesse; preferring empty, transitory contentments, (Eccles. 9.3) before those great matters that concerne our eternity. Altogether obdurate against the means of grace; not to be wrought upon either by hopes or feares, by mercies or judgements; slighting the threats of God; undervaluing his promises; distrusting his power; abusing his patience; quickly revolting,⁸ and backsliding from every holy desire.

Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sins? (Pro. 20.9)

4. Our Wills have now lost their first native freedom, making us become servants unto sin:⁹ Bringing us into bondage unto corruption: Being full of loathing and aversnesse, full of enmity, and obstinacy against any thing that is good.

Casting Gods laws behinde our backs, (Psal. 50.17) and hating to be reformed.

5. Our Memories being naturally very unfaithful, (Heb. 2.1) and slippery in letting out things that are good, but very tenacious in evill matters.

II. Our outward man,¹⁰ which was at first created with a kinde of divine Majesty above the other creatures, is now become weak and vile, exposed to all manner of infirmities, diseases, sins. So that we are all over nothing else but a body of sin, (Rom. 6.13) and of death, our members being instruments of unrighteousnesse.

Eyes full of Adultery, Pride, Envy.¹¹

Eares uncircumcised, deaf unto every holy suggestion, easily open and attentive to vanities, lies, slanders.

Tongues unruly, and full of deadly poyson, (Jam. 3.8) conteining a world of iniquity; defiling the wh[…]le body, setting on fire the course of nature, (Vers. 6) being themselves set on fire of Hell. Given to unsavory, unedifying discourses, revilings, prophanenesse, blasphemies.¹² That which should be our glory, the best member that we have, is by this Original corruption, become the worst, defiling all the rest.

Our Throat being as an open sepulchre; with our tongues we use deceit, (Rom. 3.13) the poison of aspes is under our lips. (Vers. 14.15.16.17.18) Our mouth is full of cursing and bitternesse; our feet are swift to shed blood; destruction, and misery are in our wayes: and the way of peace have we not known; there is no fear of God before our eyes.

All which will yet appear more deformed and loathsome, if we look upon our own natures in the rage, blasphemies, basenesse, madnesse of other mens lives: There being not any kinde of evil, which either man, or devil hath committed· but there are in our natures the principles and inclinations to it; The best of us being by nature as bad as the worst of sinners.

To which may be added our aptnesse to slight and undervalue the thought of this Original corruption, though it hath already brought so much mischief upon all mankinde, wholly depraved us in our faculties, and principles, and spread a curse and deformity upon the whole creation,

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Footnotes

1. Isa. 48.8. Psal. 51.1. Isa. 1.4. Rom. 11.17. Eph. 2· 1. Vers. 3. Rom. 6.6. Rom. 7.24 Vers. 23. John 3.6. Rom. 7.17. Vers. 21. Heb. 12.1. ↩

2. Job 14.4· Job 15.14 ↩

3. Ps· 8.5.6. ↩

4. Rom. 7.21 Vers. 13 ↩

5. Rom. 3 11 Gen. 6.[…]. ↩

6. Vers. 21. Jer. 4.24. 1 Cor. 2.14 Rom. 8.5. Vers. 7. ↩

7. 1 Tim. 4.2 Tit. 1.15. Rom. 2.15. ↩

8. Jer. 5.23. Pro 14.14 ↩

9. Joh. 8.24. 2 Pet. 2.19 ↩

10. II. ↩

11. 2 Pet 2.14 Act. 7.51. ↩

12. Psal. 57.8. Psal. 108.1 ↩