I. Adam sinned of his own accord by disobedience.

We believe that the first man, when he was created after the image of God (Gen. 1, 2), just and righteous (Eccl. 7:29), and merely free, so as he might, if he would, not have sinned, nor have died any kind of death; the devil then alluring him, and God not letting him, but leaving him in the hands of his own counsels, he transgressed by disobedience (Rom. 5:19), of his own accord, and of his mere free choice, so that he neither can nor ought to ascribe the blame of his transgression to his own nature given to him of God, nor to God Himself, nor to any other thing created, but to his own self alone, because it was his own will.

II. What, and what manner of sin Adam's was.

For we know that Adam's sin was a voluntary transgression of God's commandment that he should not eat of the forbidden fruit (Gen. 2:17; 3:6)--(as Moses describeth it) and so (as the apostle speaketh) it was a disobedience (Rom. 5:19) which was showed not so much in the outward deed, as in the purposed consent of his mind, wherein he would not be obedient unto God.

III. What, and how manifold a death followed Adam's sin.

So we confess that man being then destitute of the favor of God by his own fault, did lose that life wherein he lived holily unto God; his mind being darkened, his will depraved, and all integrity of nature utterly lost, namely, in those things which pertain to God, and to a life acceptable to God. And so was made the servant of sin (John 8:34), the slave of Satan, and quite dead unto God (Eph. 2:1). Moreover he incurred both the death of the body which is now come unto all men with all the calamities of the body, and also the eternal (that is, the most miserable, grievous, and most unhappy life of the whole man, more intolerable without comparison than any death) with the devil in everlasting torments (Rom. 5:12), whence he could not be delivered but by Christ (1 Cor. 15:22).

IV. That in Adam all men sinned.

But for as much as all mankind which was by natural generation to issue from Adam, was then in his loins, whereby the commandment with the curse annexed pertained not only to the person of Adam, but to all mankind likewise--therefore, with the apostle do we believe and confess that in Adam sinning, all men sinned (Rom. 5:12); so that that disobedience was not only proper to Adam himself, but also made common to all mankind, since his guiltiness enwrapped all men who were then and are yet daily carnally to be begotten of his seed. Even as the apostle to the Romans plainly teacheth, yea, and most strongly proveth by an antithesis or contra-position of the disobedience of Adam, and the obedience of Christ--for if the obedience of Christ be no less ours by imputation than His own by His proper action because we are regenerate of His incorruptible seed, and of His Spirit, it followeth that the disobedience likewise of Adam must be imputed unto us, and we touched with his guiltiness, because we are born of the seed of his flesh, being father of all men.

V. The corruption of man's whole nature followed upon Adam's disobedience, in all men.

But like as the corruption of our whole nature, immediately by God's just judgment, took hold on the person of Adam for that actual disobedience, called of the apostle concupiscence (Rom. 7:7), which is both a punishment of the former sin, a sin, and a cause of other sins--even so being taught by the Holy Scriptures, we believe and with the whole church confess that all men, which by natural propagation are conceived of his seed, are born infected with the contagion of his corrupt nature. For all men sinned in Adam, and by the guiltiness of his disobedience we are all kept bound.

VI. What we properly call original sin.

Wherefore we do so say that this hereditary fault and contagion of nature is sin in all men, and so we use to call it original sin--that we do not separate it from the guiltiness and imputation of the first disobedience. Even as likewise on the other side, we doubt not but the righteousness of Christians doth consist not so much in the regeneration of nature, which is made by the Spirit of Christ, and which is usually called by the name of inherent righteousness, as in the imputation of the perfect obedience and righteousness of Christ whose members we are.

VII. That, contagion of nature, is very sin.

And although that contagion was inflicted not only upon Adam alone, but also on his whole posterity, for a punishment of that first transgression of God's commandment--yet we hold this as certainly out of the Holy Scriptures as whatsoever is most certain that the same is not only the punishment of sin and the cause of all other following sins, but also a very sin itself, even so great as were sufficient to condemn us (Rom. 7:7).

VIII. That, concupiscence of its own proper nature is a sin in the very regenerate.

Yea, so far do we learn that concupiscence of its own nature is a sin, fighting against the law of God (Rom. 7:7), and making all men subject to condemnation unless they be delivered by Christ; yea that in the regenerate themselves, though the guiltiness being taken away by faith in Christ, it be not imputed unto them anymore, yet we doubt not but it is a sin, yea and that worthy of eternal death, since it is a transgression of the law and is by God's law condemned as the apostle teacheth (1 John 3:4).

IX. From concupiscence ingrafted in us, the rivers of sin do continually flow.

Furthermore we believe that this our natural deformity is such a fountain of all sin and that ever so abounding, that from it do continually spring most corrupt waters of evil affections, of ungodly thoughts and wicked desires, which, unless they be by the Spirit of Christ restrained, they break out at length into manifest sins and offenses--some worse than others--so that there is not any man so holy which beareth not about him this puddle of vices; yea, and feeleth not the filthy vapors breathing from it, and is not often sprinkled and bespotted [spotted] with that noisome contagion. Saith James, "But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death" (James 1:14-15).

X. That God is not the author of sin.

Now all these things being thus, we are confirmed in that belief wherein we hold that God is not the author of sin, since He neither created Adam evil or prone unto evil, but just and righteous; neither did He entice or move him to ill, but he of his own accord and by his free will sinned; neither yet was this natural perverseness from God but of itself it followed that disobedience of Adam (1 John 2:16), being deprived of his righteousness, God most justly so permitting, and punishing man's transgression by that worthy punishment.

XI. Errors.

We condemn therefore with Ireneus and the whole church, all those which make God the author of sin; likewise all Pelagians as well new as old, which deny that all men sinned in Adam and are holden in the guilt of the first offense, or do labor to prove that this ingrafted concupiscence is only a disease and a punishment of sin, but not indeed a sin itself--or at least in the regenerate will not have it to be worthy the name of a sin. We condemn also those which have taught that original sin is a substance, because this opinion either makes God the author of sin, or else denies that God is the maker of every substance and confirms the doctrine of the Maniches concerning the two beginnings, the chiefest good, and the chiefest ill, of which all things should have their original, namely, good things of the good, and ill things of the ill. Moreover we condemn the Stoics and such like, which teach that all sins are equal, and that one offense is more grievous than another. Lastly, those which will affirm that there may some man be found in the world which is quite void of all sin.