1Fourthly, I know that old Grandsire ou• first parent was through that love of him self hitherto brought (the devil, through envy enticing and ministering that pernicious counsel) that he desired to be like unto god. This great crime / when he had committed it: he did eat that forbidden and deadly apple whereby he became guilty death / now made the enemy of his own God. This man therefore when god might now by his justice have utterly lost and damned him: yet of his merciable goodness he toke a more easy way with him, that is to wit, he changed this deadly everlasting pain of both body & soul into a transitory condition or state: that is, he made him but a bond servant whom he might have perpetually said in torments.2 This bond condition of servitude, sith neither the man himself, nor yet any man, borne of him may avoid and take away (for what can the bond man beget but a bond man) he threw & thrusted all his posterity through the deadly taste of the apple also into bondage. And here this is my mind as touching Original sin: sin is called verily that that is committed against the law. For where as is no law, there is no transgression, & where as is no transgression,3 there is no sin properly so called, taking sin for that iniquity, crime, ungodliness, ⟨image 10⟩actually committed & guilty death. I knowledge therefore that ou• first parent sinned that actual and original sin which is verily sin, iniquity, crime & ungodliness. But they that are borne of him sinned not like manner to Adam. For which one of us his posterity devoured & eat any forbidden apple in paradise? wherefore we must needs grant,4 that original sin, as it is in the children of Adam is not a sin properly & actually committed against the law. But may be called properly our birth sore, or natural sickness, & also our natural sinful condition & sinful servile state. Our sore or sickness it is called, because as he through the love of himself fill: even so do we fall. It is called also our sinful condition and state, because the like as he became a servant & bond unto death, even so are we borne the bond servants the children of wrath under the power of death, albeit I care not greatly though men call this sore, sickness & condition sin, after Paul: yea such sin: so that who so ever be borne in it, they be the enemies & adversaries of god.
1Fourthly, I knowe that olde Grādsyre ou• fyrste parent was throughe that loue of hym selfe hytherto brought (the deuyll, throughe enuy entysynge and mynistring that pernycious counsayl) that he desyred to be lyke vnto god. This great cryme / when he had commytted it: he dyd eate that forboden and deadly apple wherby he became gyltie death / now made the enemye of his owne God. This man therfore when god myght nowe by his iustyce haue vtterly loste and dampned hym: yet of his mercyable goodnes he toke a more easy way with hym, that is to wyt, he chaū ged this deadly euerlastynge payne of both body & soule into a transytory condycion or state: that is, he made hym but a bōde seruāte whom he myght haue perpetually sayd in tormētes.2 This bonde condycion of seruytute, syth nother ye man hymselfe, nor yet any mā, borne of hym may auoyd and take away (for what can ye bonde mā beget but a bonde mā) he threw & thrusted al his posterite throuhe ye deadly taste of thaple also into bōdage. And here this is my mynde as touchyng Orygynall syn: synne is called verely yt that is commytted agaynst the lawe. For where as is no law, thereis no trāsgression, & where as is no trāsgressiō,3 there is no syn ꝓperly so called, takynge synne for that iniquite, cryme, vngodlynes, ⟨image 10⟩actually cōmytted & gyltie death. I knowledge therfore that ou• fyrste parent synned yt actuall and oryginall syn whiche is verely synne, iniquite, cryme & vngodlynes. But they yt are borne of hym syn̄ed not lyke maner to Adam. For which one of vs his posteryte deuoured & eate any forbodē apple in paradyse? wherfore we must nedes graunt,4 yt oryginall syn, as it is in the chyldren of Adā is not a syn properly & actually cōmytted agaynst the lawe. But may be called properly our byrth sore, or naturall syknes, & also our naturall synfull cōdycion & synfull seruyle state. Our sore or syknes it is called, because as he thorowe ye loue of hīselfe fyl: euen so do we fall. It is called also our synfull cōdycion and state, because ye lyke as he became a seruaūt & bonde vnto death, euē so are we borne the bond seruaūtes the chyldren of wrath vnder the power of death, albeit I care not gretly thoughe men call this sore, syknes & cōdicion syn, after Paule: yea suche syn: so yt who so euer be borne in it, they be thenimies & aduersaries of god.
- 1Of Original sinOf Originall synne
- 2Bond ar so called because they be p̄serued when their takers might kill them.Bonde ar so called because they be p̄serued when theyr takers myghte kyll them.
- 3Ro. iiii.
- 4Rom. v.
