are borne the children of wrath, in original sinne contracted from Adam, slaues of the diuel, not only subiect to temporal death, but also are excluded for euer from heauenly blisse and glorie: except by Christs redemption particularly applied, they be restored to grace & iustice in this life.
And touching Adam and Eue, whose sinne was not original but actual, directly committed by them selues, Gods mercie so reclamed them by new grace, that they despared not (as Cain, and some orhers did afterwards) but with hope of remission were sorie and penitent, and accordingly receiued penance, and redemption. For God brought Adam from his sinne (as holie writte testifieth) and the same is collected of Eue, God shewing the like signes of his prouident mercie towards them both, of which we shal by and by note some for example.
Now let vs see the more principal points of faith and Religion professed and obserued by the Church of God before Noes floud. First they beleued in one Eternal and Omnipotent God, who made the whole world and al things therin of nothing. which is easely confessed of al that are not plaine Atheists, and may be proued against them by reason. And therfore Adam and other Patriarches could not erre in this Article, nor others be ignorant therof, except they were very wicked.
The Mysterie also of the Blessed Trinitie, three Diuine Persons in one God, though farre aboue the reach of mans reason, yet was beleued more expresly by some, more implied by others, and conserued from age to age by tradition, at least amongst the chiefe heades and leaders. wherupon Moyses afterwardes insinuated the same great Mysterie, by diuers wordes and phrases, writing of God and his workes. The two wordes God created if they be rightly considered importe so much. For the word Elohim, God, in the plural number, signifyeth pluralitie of Persons (for manie Gods it can not signifie, seeing there is but one God) and the verbe bara, created, in the singular number signifyeth one God in nature and substance, albeit three Persons. For whatsoeuer God doth in creatures, is the worke of the whole Trinitie: though holie Scriptures do oftentimes appropriate some worke to one Diuine Person, some to an other. which also proueth distinction of Persons in God. So the wordes God created heauen and earth signifie the Father, to whom powre is attributed. In the beginning, signifie the Sonne, to whom wisdome is appropriated, and the words, The Sprite of God moued ouer the waters, signifie the Holie Ghost, by whose bountiful goodnes, the waters were made fruictful. Likewise Gods owne wordes: Let vs make man signifie the pluralitie of Persons, and Image and likenes in the singular number, signifie one God.
Men also knew by faith manie things perteyning to them selues. As that the bodie was made of the slime of the earth: the soule not produced of anie
