Every man’s best actions are corrupted and defiled with sin.
Every man’s best actions are corrupted and defiled with sin.
Evan. Surely, neighbour Nomologista, you do not truly know yourself. For I am confident that any man who truly knows himself, sees such secret corruptions of his heart in every duty he performs, that it causes him to unfeignedly confess that whatever good action he does, it is but a polluted stream from a more corrupt fountain. And whatever you or any other man conceives, it is most certain that whatever sin is forbidden in the word, or has been practised in the world, every man carries that sin in his bosom; for all have equally sinned in Adam; and therefore original lust is equally found in all.
Nom. Sir, I can hardly be persuaded of this.
Evan. Well, neighbour Nomologista, I cannot tell how it is with you. But for my own part, I tell you truly that I find my knowledge is corrupted and defiled with ignorance and blindness; and my faith is corrupted and defiled with doubt and distrust; and my love to God is very much corrupted and defiled with sinful self-love and love for the world; and my joy in God is greatly corrupted and defiled with carnal joy; and my godly sorrow is very much corrupted and defiled with worldly sorrow.
And I find my prayers, my hearing, my reading, my receiving of the sacrament, and like duties, are very much corrupted and defiled with dulness, drowsiness, sleepiness, wandering and worldly thoughts, and the like.
And I find my sanctifying of the Lord’s name is very much corrupted and defiled by thinking and speaking lightly and irreverently of his titles; and by thinking, if not by speaking, grudgingly against some acts of his providence.
And I find my sanctifying of the Lord’s day is very much corrupted and defiled, by sleeping too long in the morning, and by worldly thoughts and words, if not by worldly works.
And I find that all the duties that I have performed, either towards my superiors or inferiors, have been corrupted and defiled, either with too much indulgence, or too much severity, or with base fears, or base hopes, or some self-end and by-respect.
And I find that all my duties that I have performed, either for the preservation of my own or another’s life, chastity, goods, or good name, have been very much corrupted and defiled, either with a desire for my own praise, or my own profit here, or to escape hell and obtain heaven hereafter; so that I see no good action which I have ever done that is free from having some corruption mixed with it.
And as for the motion of my heart, and the inclination of my will towards that evil which I have not done, it is also manifest; for though I have not been guilty of idolatry, either in making or worshipping images, yet have I not been free from carnal imaginations of God in his worship, nor free from will-worship.
And though I have not been so guilty of profaning the name of the Lord in such a gross manner as some others have been, yet I have not been free from an inclination of heart, and disposition of will to it; for I have both thought and spoken irreverently of his titles, attributes, word, and works, yes, and do so many times to this day.
And though now I do not so grossly profane the Lord’s day, as maybe others have done, and still do, yet I have done it grossly before. Yes, and I still find an inward disposition of heart, and an inclination of will, both to omit those duties which tend to sanctify it, and to do those worldly actions which tend to profane it.
And though when I was a child and young, I did not so grossly dishonour and disobey my parents and other superiors as others did, yet I had an inclination of heart and a disposition of will to it, as manifested by my stubbornness, and by not yielding willing obedience to their commands, nor submitting patiently to their reproofs and corrections.
And though it may be that I have done more of my duty to my inferiors than some others have done, yet I have found an inclination of heart, and a disposition of will, many times to omit those duties which I have performed; so that as it were, I have been glad to constrain myself to do what I have done.
And though I have not been guilty of the gross act of murder, yet I have had, and still have, an inclination of heart and a disposition of will to it, in that I have been, and still am, many times subject to rash, unadvised, and excessive anger; yes, I have been and still am at various times, wrathful and envious towards others who offend me.
And though I never was guilty of the foul and gross act of fornication or adultery, yet I have had an inclination of heart, and a disposition of will to it, in that I have not been free from filthy imaginations, unchaste thoughts, and inward motions and a desire for uncleanness.
And though I was never guilty of the gross act of stealing, yet have I had an inclination of heart, and a disposition of will to it, in that I have neither been free from discontentedness with my own estate, nor from a covetous desire for that which belongs to another.
And though I never bore false witness against any man, yet I have had an inclination of heart and disposition of will to it, in that I have not been free from contemning, despising, and thinking too basely of others; nor have I been free from evil surmisings, groundless suspicions, and rash judging of others.
And now, neighbour Nomologista, I ask you to tell me whether you think that some of these corruptions are in you, which you hear are in me.
Nom. Yes, believe me, sir, I must confess that some of them are.