Q. 5. Did this covenant admit of no repentance, nor accept any shorter endeavours ?
A. No, it did not ; but sentenceth and curseth the transgressors of it, for the least breach ; Gal. iii. 10. Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
Q. 6. How was this threatening fulfilled, of dying the day he eat, seeing he lived 930 years ?
A. He died spiritually that day : and though the sentence on his
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body was respited in order to posterity, yet then his body received the death's wound, of which afterward he died.
Q. 7. What is the first inference from Adam's covenant ?
A. Miserable are all they that grow on the natural root of the first Adam : Gal. iv. 21, 22. Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law ? For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bond-maid, the other by a free-woman.
Q. 8. What is the second inference ?
A. That God is just in all the punishments and miseries that come upon man ; yea, infants that never sinned after his similitude; Rom. v. 1 4. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression.
Q. 9. What is the third inference ?
A. The glorious privilege of believers who are under a better cove- nant, established upon better promises ; Heb. viii. 6. But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the Me- diator of a better covenant, which is established upon better promises.
Q. 10. What is the last inference?
A. That we should pity the unregenerate, especially our own among them ; and labour to plant them in the second Adam.
Quest. 13. X-rlD our first parents continue in the estate wherein they were created ?
A. Our first parents he'ing left to the freedom of their own willy fell from the estate wherein they were created, hy sinning against God.
Q. 1. How doth it appear that man is fallen ?
A. By the scripture history : An account of it is in Gen. iii. 6, 7. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof and did eat, and gave also unto her hus- band with her, and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked, and they sewed fig- leaves together, and made themselves aprons ? and they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day ; and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God, amongst the trees of the garden. And the sad experience we all have of it in ourselves ; Rom. v. 12. Therefore as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.
Q. 2. How could man fall, since he was made upright ?
A. Though he was upright, yet his will was mutable ; and by abusing that liberty, he fell ; Eccles. vii. 29. Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright, but they have sought ou- jnany inventions.
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Q. S. How did God leave him to abuse the freedom of his will ?
A. Not by inclining him to abuse it ; but by withholding that further grace which he was no way obliged to continue to him.
Q. 4. Did the will of man lose its Hberty to good by the Fall ?
A. Yes, it did, and is so wounded, that it cannot, without thy pre- venting and regenerating grace, put forth one spiritual and saving act; Eph. ii. 8, 9, 10. For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves ; it is the gift of God. Not of works, least any man should boast ; for we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, &c.
Q. 5. What was the aggravation of Adam's sin ?
A. It was aggravated in his being a public innocent person, sq, newly placed in a state of happiness and liberty.
Q. 6. What is the first inference from the fall .''
A, That the best creature left to himself, cannot be long safe; as the angels, and Adam ; Psal. :^\ix. 12. Nevertheless, man being in honour abideth not ; he is like the beasts that perish.
Q. 7. What is the second inference ?
A. That since man could not be his own keeper, he can be much less his own saviour ; 2 Cor. iii. 5. Not that we are sufficient of ourr= selves to think any thing as of ourselves ; but our sufficiency is of God.
Q. 8. What is the third inference ?
A. That it is impossible for the covenant of works to justify any one ; Rom. iii. 20. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shaU no flesh be justified in his sight; Rom. viii. 3. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh ; God sending his own Son, in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin condemned sin in the flesh.
Q. 9. What is the last inference?
A, What cause have we to bless God for Christ, who recovered us when the fall left us helpless ? Rom. v. 6. For M'hen we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
Quest. 14. W'hAT is sin.?
A. Sin is any want of cotiformity vnto, or transgression of the law of God.
Q. J . What is meant by the law ?
A. Tlie commands and rules flowing from God's sovereignty, whereby his will is manifested, and the creature bound to obedience.
Q. 2. Where is this law written ?
A. It is written either in the heart ; Rom. ii. 25. Which shewg the work of the law written in their hearts, (which we call the law: of nature ;) or in the Bible, which we call the written moral law.
Q. 3. What conformity is due to the law of God .?
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A, A twofold conformity is due to it : Firsts Internal, in our hearts. Secondly^ External, in our lives ; and the want of either is sin ; 1 John iii. 4. Whosoever committeth sin, transgresseth ^Iso the law ; for sin is the transgression of the law.
Q. 4. How doth it appear that the want of internal conformity is sin .'*
A. Because the law requires it ; Mark xii. 30. And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength ; for this is the first commandment: And condemns the want of it.'' Rom. vii. 7. What shall we say then .? Is the law sin ? God forbid ! nay, I had not known sin but by the law ; for I had not known lust except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
Q. 5. Is nothing a sin but what is against God's law ?
A. No, nothing can be a sin but what God hath either expressly, or by consequence, forbidden in his word.
Q. (j. Wherein lies the evil of transgressing God's law ?
A. The evil of sin principally lies in the offence and wrong done to God, whose sovereignty it labours to shake off, and despises his will ; Psal. li. 4. Against thee, thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight.
Q. 7. What further evil is in sin ?