The Institution of Christian Religion

The first Chapter. That by Adams sin and falling away, mankind became accursed, & did degenerate from his first estate: wherein is entreated of Original sin.

The fyrste Chapter. That by Adames sinne and fallynge awaye, mankinde became accursed, & did degenerate from hys firste estate: wherin is intreated of Original sinne.

Not without cause hath the Knowledge of himself ben in the old proverb so much commended to man. For if it be thought a shame to be ignorant of all things that pertain to the course of mans life, then much more shameful is the Not knowing of our selves, whereby it cometh to pass, that in taking counsel of any thing necessary, we be miserably dazzled, yea altogether blinded. But how much more profitable this lesson is, so much more diligently must we take heed, that we do not disorderly use it, as we see some of the Philosophers have done. For they in exhorting man to know himself, do withal appoint this to be the end, why he should know himself, that he should not be ignorant of his own dignity and excellency: and nothing else do they will him to behold in himself, but that whereby he may swell with vain confidence, & be puffed up with pride. But the knowledge of our selves, first standeth in this point, that considering what was given us in creation, & how bountifully God continueth his gracious favour toward us, we may know how great had ben the excellency of our nature, if it had continued uncorrupted: & we may withal think upon this, that there is nothing in us of our own, but that we have as gotten by borrowing all that God hath bestowed upon us, that we may always hang upon him. Then, that we call to mind our miserable estate after the fall of Adam, the feeling whereof may throw down all glorying and trust of our selves,¹ overwhelm us with shame & truly humble us. For as God at the beginning fashioned us like his own image, to the end to raise up our minds both to the study of virtue & to the meditation of eternal life, so least the so great nobleness of our kind, which maketh us different from brute beasts, should be drowned with our slothfulness, it is good for us to know, that we are therefore endued with […] & understanding, that in keeping a holly & honest life, we should cede on forward to the appointed end of blessed immortality.