not [cannot in itself be] evil. In its proper place we do not
censure this; but it is not right to twist it into an extenuation of
original sin. And, nevertheless, these notions are read in the works
of scholastics, who inappropriately mingle philosophy or civil
doctrine concerning ethics with the Gospel. Nor were these matters
only disputed in the schools, but, as is usually the case, were
carried from the schools to the people. And these persuasions
[godless, erroneous, dangerous, harmful teachings] prevailed, and
nourished confidence in human strength, and suppressed the knowledge
of Christ's grace. Therefore, Luther wishing to declare the
magnitude of original sin and of human infirmity [what a grievous
mortal guilt original sin is in the sight of God], taught that these
remnants of original sin [after Baptism] are not, by their own nature,
adiaphora in man, but that, for their non-imputation, they need the
grace of Christ and, likewise for their mortification, the Holy Ghost.

Although the scholastics extenuate both sin and punishment when they
teach that man by his own strength, can fulfil the commandments of
God; in Genesis the punishment, imposed on account of original sin,
is described otherwise. For there human nature is subjected not only
to death and other bodily evils, but also to the kingdom of the devil.
For there, Gen. 3, 16, this fearful sentence is proclaimed: I will
put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her
seed. The defects and the concupiscence are punishments and sins.
Death and other bodily evils and the dominion of the devil, are
properly punishments. For human nature has been delivered into
slavery, and is held captive by the devil, who infatuates it with
wicked opinions and errors, and impels it to sins of every kind. But
just as the devil cannot be conquered except by the aid of Christ, so
by our own strength we cannot free ourselves from this slavery. Even