CHAP. 11. Of mans fall and disobedience. (Book 11)
Adams fall, was his willing reuolting to disobedience by eating the forbid∣den fruite. In Adams fall, we may note the manner, greatnesse, and fruite of it.
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I. The manner of Adams fall, was on this sort. First, the diuell, hauing im∣mediately before fallen himselfe, insinuateth vnto our first parents, that both the punishment for eating the forbidden fruite was vncertaine, and that God was not true in his word vnto them. Secōdly, by this his legerdemain, he blin∣ded the eies of their vnderstanding. Thirdly, being thus blinded, they begin to distrust God, and to doubt of Gods fauour. Fourthly, they thus doubting, are mooued to behold the forbidden fruit. Fiftly, they no sooner see the beautie thereof, but they desire it. Sixtly, that they may satisfie their desire, they eate of the fruit, which by the hands of the woman, was taken from the tree: by which act they become vtterly disloyall to God. Gen. 3.1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8.
Thus without constraint, they willingly fall from their integritie, God vp∣on iust causes leauing them to themselues, and freely suffering them to fall. For wee must not thinke that mans fall was either by chance, or God not knowing it, or barely winking at it, or by his bare permission, or against his will: but rather miraculously, not without the will of God, but yet without all approbation of it.
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II. The greatnes of this transg•••••••••••• must be esteemed, not by the exter∣nall