A09411:208
An exposition of the Symbol or Creed of the Apostles according to the tenor…An exposition of the Symbole or Creed of the Apostles according to the tenour…
An exposition of the Symbol or Creed of the Apostles according to the tenor of the Scriptures, and the consent of orthodox Fathers of the Church. By William Perkins.An exposition of the Symbole or Creed of the Apostles according to the tenour of the Scriptures, and the consent of orthodoxe Fathers of the Church. By William Perkins.
Cambridge: printed by John Legatt, 1595Cambridge: printed by Iohn Legatt, 1595
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Thus much of sin in general: now we come to the parts of it. The first sin of all that ever was in man, is the sin of Adam, which was his disobedience in eating the forbidden fruit.1 In handling whereof sundry points are to be opened, but let us begin with the causes thereof.
Thus much of sinne in generall: now we come to the partes of it. The first sinne of all that euer was in man, is the sinne of Adam, which was his disobedience in eating the forbidden fruite.1 In handling whereof sundrie pointes are to be opened, but let us beginne with the causes therof.
- 1Rom. 5.5.
The outward efficient cause was the devil. And though he be not named by Moses in the history of the fall, yet that is not to trouble us: for we must not conceive otherwise of the serpent, then of the instrument and mouth of the devil. For it is not likely that it being a brute creature should be able to reason and determine of good and evil, of trueth and falsehood. Now in this temptation the devil shows his malice and his fraud. His malice, in that, whereas he can not overturn god himself, yet he labours to disturb the order which he hath set down in the creation, & especially the image of god in the most excellent creatures on earth, that they may be in the same miserable condition with himself. His fraud, first in that he begins his temptation with the woman being the weaker person, and not with the man, which course he still continues: as may appear by this, that amore women are entangled with witchcraft and sorcery then men. Secondly he shows his fraud, in that he proceeds very slyly and entangles Eve by certain steppes and degrees. For first by moving a question he draws her to listen to him, and to reason with him of gods commandment. Secondly, he brings her to look upon the tree and wishly to view the beauty of the fruit. Thirdly he makes her to doubt of the absolute trueth of gods word and promise, and to believe his contrary lies. Fourthly, having blinded her mind with his false persuasions, she desires and lusts after the forbidden fruit and thereupon takes it, eats it, & gives it to her husband.