Elementary on sin, my dear Watson

Paul Levy

I'm about to speak to some students on sin and unashamedly will be ripping off Thomas Watson's 'A Body of Divinity'. Writing on Q15 of the Shorter Catechism - 'What was the sin whereby our first parents fell from the estate wherein they were created?',  he asks 'Was it such a great matter to pluck an apple?'

Let me give you his headings and a couple of quotes....


'It was a big bellied sin, a chain with many links. Ten sins were in it'

1.       Incredulity
2.       Unthankfulness
3.       Discontent
4.       Pride
5.       Disobedience
6.       Curiosity
7.       Wantonness
8.       Sacrilege
9.       Murder
10.     Presumption


'One sin may have many sins in it. We are apt to have slight thoughts of sin, and that it is but a little one. How many sins were in Adam's sin! Oh take heed of any sin! As in one volume there may be many works bound up, so there may be many sins in one sin.'