by Peter Martyr Vermigli
in ePub, .mobi & .pdf formats
Antiquated words and spellings updated to modern English
In Of Original Sin and Free Will, Peter Martyr Vermigli speaks with the gravity of a prophet and the precision of a theologian. This work is no mere academic exercise—it is a shepherd’s response to the deep confusion surrounding the fall of man and the bound will of sinners. In the face of rising Pelagianism and the humanistic optimism of his age, Vermigli takes his stand on Scripture, exalting the holiness of God and exposing the true misery of man.
With penetrating insight, he traces the corruption of our nature not only to Adam’s transgression but to the inherited depravity that stains every faculty of the soul—mind, will, and affections. He reveals how sin is not merely an outward act but a deep, inward law at work in the members, defiling us from birth and rendering us wholly dependent on divine grace. In doing so, Vermigli dismantles the proud delusion of free will apart from grace, showing instead that salvation must begin with God’s sovereign initiative.
Yet this is not a treatise of despair. Vermigli, like the best of the Reformers, magnifies Christ. The second Adam, he teaches, has not only borne the curse of the first but has conquered sin’s dominion through His righteousness. Only in Him can the will be liberated, the heart renewed, and the sinner justified and sanctified.
This book is essential reading for those who long to understand the ruin from which we have been redeemed, and the riches of grace that alone can restore fallen man to communion with God. It is theological fire for the mind—and fuel for a humble, worshiping heart.
Peter Martyr Vermigli (1499–1562) was an Italian-born theologian and reformer who played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation. Educated in the Roman Catholic Church, he became a leading figure in the Reformed tradition after embracing the teachings of the Reformers. Vermigli served as a professor of theology at various institutions, including the University of Strasbourg, and was known for his deep theological writings, particularly on topics like original sin, free will, and the Lord's Supper. His work remains influential in Reformed thought, particularly in the areas of soteriology and biblical interpretation.
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Table of Contents
CHAPTER I: Of Sin, especially original sin; and of the universal corrupting of man's nature
-- How by Sin all things are subject unto vanity.
CHAPTER II: Of Free Wil
-- Of Voluntary and Not Voluntary
-- Of that which is Voluntary
-- Of Man's Election or Making of Choice