An Ample Declaration of the Christian DoctrineChapter 17. Of Originall sinne

Scholar. What is original sinne?

Master. Originall sinne is that in which we are borne: and it commeth vnto vs by succession frō our first father Adam. For you haue to know, that when God made the first man, and the first woman, called Adam and Eue, he gaue them seuen gifts. First, he gaue them his grace, by which they were iuste, and the friends of God, & his adopted children. Secondly, he gaue them great knowledge, how to doe well and to shunne euill. Thirdly, he gaue them obedience of the flesh to the spirite, that it should not be mooued to vnlawful desires against reasō. Fourthly, hee gaue them promptnes and great facilitie to do well, and to flie euill, and but one most easie commandement to obserue. Fiftly, hee freed them from all labour, and feare. For the earth brought foorth fruites sufficient for mans life of it self: neither was there any thing that could hurt man: Sixtly, hee made them immortall, that is, that they should neuer haue dyed, if they had not sinned. Seauenthly, hee would after some time haue translated thē into Heauen, to such an eternal and glorious life, as Angels haue. But the first man and woman, inueigled by the Diuell, did not obserue that commandement, and so they sinned against God, and thereby lost those seuen giftes, which I spoke of. And because God gaue them those giftes, not only for them selues, but also for all their posteritie, therefore they lost them, for themselues and for vs all: and made vs partakers of their sinne, and of all their miseries: as we should haue bene of all their graces, and other benefites, if they had not sinned. This then is Original sinne, an emnitie with God, and a priuation of his grace, with which priuation wee are borne. Whereof proceedeth ignorance, euil inclinations, difficultie to do well, and facilitie to do euill, the paine & trauel to prouide to liue, the feares and periles in which we remaine, most certaine death of the bodie, & also eternall death in hell, if before we dye, we be not deliuered of sinne, & returne not into the sauour of God.

Scholar. What remedie haue wee against this Originall sinne?

Master. It is already saide before, that the remedie is the Passion & death of Christ our Lorde. For so God would that hee that should satisfie for the sinne of Adam, should bee himselfe without sin: and the same was God and man, and so hee was infinitely acceptable to God, and did obey, not in an easie thing, as that was, which was commanded to Adam, but in a most hard thing, as was the ignominious death of the Crosse. And this remedie is applyed to vs by holie Baptisme, as hath bin saide. And albeit God doth not straight-waies render vnto vs, all those seauen gifts, yet he hath restored to vs, the most principall which is his grace, by meanes whereof, we are made iust, the friends and children of God and heires of Heauen. The other gifts shalbe restored vnto vs hereafter with great increase in the other life, if we behaue our selues well in this.