A treatise of original sin ... proving that it is

Quest. But you will say, Why did not this original Righteousness so far defend him, that he did not withstand the Devil more strongly, he seemed to have little or no grace, that was so easily ensnared by Satan, and that in such a little matter when he enjoyed so much outward felicity?

Quest. But you will say, Why did not this original Righteousnesse so farre defend him, that he did not withstand the Devil more strongly, he seemed to have little or no grace, that was so easily ensnared by Satan, and that in such a little matter when he enjoyed so much outward felicity?

Answ. But to this we may answer, That Adam and Eve, they did not at the very first yield themselves up to the Devil, but they did repel the Devils temptations awhile; neither was it the inordinate desire of the forbidden fruit that was his first sin, but pride and unbelief; not believing the threatenings of God, and affecting to be like God, and such sins do quickly and easily penetrate into the best and noblest subjects, as you see in the Angels themselves, those sublime and admirable spiritual substances, yet how quickly did such kind of sins enter into them, and defile them all over; So that we are to look to those spiritual secret sins, which did induce Adam to eat of the forbidden fruit.

Answ. But to this we may answer, That Adam and Eve, they did not at the very first yeeld themselves up to the Devil, but they did repell the Devils temptations awbile; neither was it the inordinate desire of the forbidden fruit that was his first sinne, but pride and unbelief; not believing the threatnings of God, and affecting to be like God, and such sinnes do quickly and easily penetrate into the best and noblest subjects, as you see in the Angels themselves, those sublime and admirable spiritual substances, yet how quickly did such kind of sinnes enter into them, and defile them all over; So that we are to look to those spiritual secret sinnes, which did induce Adam to eat of the forbidden fruit.