no true faith in God.] This passage testifies that we deny to those
propagated according to carnal nature not only the acts, but also the
power or gifts of producing fear and trust in God. For we say that
those thus born have concupiscence, and cannot produce true fear and
trust in God. What is there here with which fault can be found? To
good men, we think, indeed, that we have exculpated ourselves
sufficiently. For in this sense the Latin description denies to
nature [even to innocent infants] the power, i.e., it denies the
gifts and energy by which to produce fear and trust in God, and, in
adults [over and above this innate evil disposition of the heart,
also] the acts, so that, when we mention concupiscence, we understand
not only the acts or fruits, but the constant inclination of the
nature [the evil inclination within, which does not cease as long as
we are not born anew through the Spirit and faith].

But hereafter we will show more fully that our description agrees
with the usual and ancient definition. For we must first show our
design in preferring to employ these words in this place. In their
schools the adversaries confess that "the material," as they call it,
"of original sin is concupiscence." Wherefore, in framing the
definition, this should not have been passed by, especially at this
time, when some are philosophizing concerning it in a manner
unbecoming teachers of religion [are speaking concerning this innate,
wicked desire more after the manner of heathen from philosophy than
according to God's Word, or Holy Scripture].

For some contend that original sin is not a depravity or corruption
in the nature of man, but only servitude, or a condition of mortality
[not an innate evil nature, but only a blemish or imposed load, or
burden], which those propagated from Adam bear because of the guilt