Origynall synne.
The Master's Inquiry
The Master asks why original sin came about, prompting the Scholar's explanation.
Teacher. But please tell me: why did this come about?1
The Story of the Fall
The Scholar recounts the creation of Eden, the command, the temptation, and the fall of Adam and Eve, resulting in immediate death.
Scholar. I'll show you. When the Lord God had made the frame of this world, he himself planted a garden full of delight and pleasure in a certain place to the east, and called it Eden. In it, besides other very beautiful trees, not far from the middle of the garden there was one specifically called the tree of life, and another called the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Here, out of his singular love, the Lord placed man and entrusted the garden to him to tend and keep, giving him freedom to eat the fruits of all the trees of paradise except the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If he ever tasted the fruit of this tree, he would certainly die for it. But Eve, deceived by the devil disguised as a serpent, took some of the forbidden fruit—which was desirable because it was beautiful to look at, tempting because of its sweet taste, and appealing because it would give knowledge of good and evil—and she ate it and gave some to her husband, and he ate it too.2 For doing this, they both died immediately—that is to say, they were not only made subject to physical death, but also lost the life of the soul, which is righteousness.3
The Nature and Consequences of Original Sin
The Scholar explains how the fall defaced God's image, introduced corruption, and gave rise to original sin, which would lead to eternal punishment without God's grace.
And immediately the image of God was defaced in them; the most beautiful proportion of righteousness, holiness, truth, and knowledge of God was thrown into confusion and, so to speak, completely wiped out. There remained the earthly image, combined with unrighteousness, guile, a fleshly mind, and deep ignorance of godly and heavenly things. From this grew the weakness of our flesh; from this came the corruption and disorder of lusts and affections; from this came the pestilence; from this came the seed and nourishment of sins with which humanity is infected, and this is called original sin.4 Moreover, by this, human nature was so corrupted and overthrown that, unless the goodness and mercy of almighty God had helped us by the medicine of grace, just as in the body we are thrust into all the wretchedness of death, so it would necessarily have been that all people of every kind would be thrown into everlasting punishment and unquenchable fire.5
Read the original English
Maister. But I pray the tell me, wherefore came it thus to passe▪
Scholer. I wyll shewe you. When the Lorde God had made the frame of thys world, he hym selfe planted a garden, full of delyte and pleasure, in a certaine place, Eastward, and called it Eden. Wherein besyde other passynge fayre trees, not far frō the myddes of the garden was thear one specially called, the tree of lyfe, and another called y• tre of knowledge of good & euell. Herein the Lord of his singuler loue placed man: and committed vnto hym the garden to dresse, and looke vnto: geuynge hym libertie to eate of the fruites of all the trees of paradyse, except the fruite of the tree of knowledge of good & euell. The fruite of thys tree if euer he tasted, he shoulde wythout fayle die for it. But Eue, deceyued by the deuell counterfetynge the shape of a serpent, gathered of the forbidden fruite: whych was for the fayrenes to the eye to be desyred: for the sweetenesse in tast to be reached at: and pleasaūt for the knowledge of good & euell▪ and she eate thearof, and gaue vnto her housba… to eate of the same. For which doing, they both immediatly dyed, that is to say: were not, only subiect to the death of the bodye, but also lost the life of the soule, whyche is ryghteousnesse.
And foorthwith the image of God was defaced in thē: and the most beautiful proportion of ryghteousnesse, holynesse▪ truth and knowledge of God, was confoūded and in a maner vtterly blotted out. Thear remayned the earthly image, ioyned with vnrighteousnesse, guyle, fleshly mynde, & depe ignoraūce of godli and heauenly thinges. Hereof grew the weakenes of our flesh… ▪ hereof came thys corruptiō, and disorder of lustes & affectiōs: hereof came that pestilence: hereof came that seede and nurishmēt of sins wherwyth mankynd is infected, and it is called synne originall. Moreouer therby nature was so corrupted, & ouerthrowen, that vnlesse the goodnes, and mercye of almyghty God had holpē vs bi the medicine of grace, euē as in bodi we are thrust down into al wretchedness… of death: so muste it needes haue bene, that al mē of all sortes should be throwen into euerlasting punyshment, and fyre vnquencheable.
Notes
- 1 ↩Source 'the' read as 'thee' (second-person object): 'I pray thee, tell me'.
- 2 ↩Source truncates 'housba…'; restored as 'husband' from context and the Genesis Fall narrative.
- 3 ↩Source punctuation 'were not, only' read as 'were not only,' matching the body/soul contrast that follows.
- 4 ↩Source has a lacuna after 'flesh' ('weakenes of our flesh… ▪'); rendered as complete 'weakness of our flesh' on the most plausible reading.
- 5 ↩Source has a lacuna in 'al wretchedness… of death'; rendered as 'all the wretchedness of death' on the most plausible reading.
John Ponet's Short Catechisme (1553) companion
Rule yourself daily, not just on retreat
Chosen Portion turns the mirror into a daily practice — a short reading and examining question each morning before you lead anyone.
Chosen Portion makes the mirror daily: the ruler-formation questions this collection preserves become a two-minute morning examination in the app.
- A daily formation reading drawn from centuries of counsel to those in authority
- One pointed examination question a day — two minutes, before the meetings start
- Track your practice over weeks and watch the examined life become a habit