A. It highly wrongs the sinner's soul by defacing, defiling, and damning it ; Prov. viii. 36. But he that sinneth against me, wrong- eth his own soul : all they that hate me, love death.
Q. 8. Wherein is the evil of sin manifested ?
A. It is manifested in the death of Christ, the terrors of conscience, and torments of hell.
Q. 9. What course must the sinner take to recover himself out of his misery ?
A. Repentance towards God, faith towards Christ, and both evi- denced by new obedience; Acts xx. 91. Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ.
Q. 10. What may we infer from hence ?
A. That we have infinite cause to bless God for Christ's satisfac- tion of the law for our sins.
Of the Tree of Knowledge.
Quest. 15. T ▼ HAT was the sin whereby our first parents fell from the estate wherein they were created ?
A. The sin whereby our first -parents fell from the estate xoherem they were created^ was their eating the forbidden fruit.
Q. 1. Why was this tree called the tree of knowledge?
A' Not from any natural efficacy it had to give knowledge, but the
ITO AN EXPOSITION OF THE ASSEMBLy'^S CATECHISM.
knowledge he should have by eating, or not eating, was experimental knowledge, i. e. Knowledge to his sorrow.
Q. 2. Why did God forbid him this tree ?
A. Firsts For the discovery of his dominion over man. Secondly, For the trial of his subjection and obedience. Thirdly, For the ag- gravation of his sin, if he should eat.
Q. 3. What evil was there in eating of it ?
A. There was a twofold evil, the evil of sin, and the evil of punish^ nient, both very great.
Q. 4. What was the evil of sin ?
A. A threefold evil of sin. First, Against God, called disobedi- ence; Rom. V. 19. For as by one man's disobedience many v/ere made sinners. Secondly^ Against himself, soul, body, and estate. Thirdly, Against his postenty ; Rom. v. 12. Wlierefore 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. 5. What was the evil of punishment ?
A. First, Loss of God's image. Secondly, Horror of conscience. Thirdly, Sorrow on the female sex. Fourthly, Curse on the crea- ture. Fifthly, Expulsion from paradise. Sixthly, Death both of body and soul.
Q. 6. What is the first instruction from it .?
^. To take heed of small beginnings of temptations, and to resist it in the first motions ; James iii. 5. Behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth.
Q. 7. What is the second inference "i
A. Not to hold a parly with the tempter ; see 2 Cor. xi. 3. But I fear lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve, through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
Q. 8. W^hat is the third inference .^
A. That Satan's policy lies much in the choice of his tempting instruments ; as Eve and Peter, 4"c.
Q. 9. What y< the fourth inference.^
A. A necessity of keeping strong guards on our senses; Isa. xxxiii. 15. That stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil, he shall dwell on high, his place of defence shall be the munition of rocks.
Q. 10. What is the fifth inference.?
A. That covenant- breaking is a heinous sin, which God will pun- ish ; Hosea viii. 1. He shall come as an eagle against the house of the Lord, because they have transgressed my covevant, and trans- gressed against my laws.
Q. 11. What is the last inference?
A. That the corruption of our nature is much seen in desiring for- bidden things ; Rom. vii. 7. W^hat shall we say then .? Is the law fcin t God forbid ; Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law ; for I
AN EXPOSITION OF THE ASSEMBLY'S CATECHISM. 171
liad not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. Of the Fall of Adam ^ and ours in him.
Quest. 16. JLf ID all mankind fall in Adam's first transgression?
A. The covenant hein^made zc'ith Adam, not only for himself hut
Jor his poster ity^ all mankind deseendingfrom him hy ordinary gene^
ration, sinned in him, and fell "with him in his first transgression^
Q. 1. Did no man ever escape the sin of Adam ?
A. Yes, the man Christ Jesus did, and he only ; Heb. vii. 2(5. For such an High Priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undo- filed, separate from sinners.
Q. 2. Why was not Christ tainted with it ?
A. Because he came into the world in an extraordinary way ; Matth. i. 18. Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on thiswise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came to- gether, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
Q. 3. How doth it appear all others are tainted w4th it ?
A. It appears by scripture testimony, Rom. v. 12. Wherefore 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 ; and experience of the best men, Rom. vii. 91. I find then a law, that when I would do good, evil is present with me.
Q. 4. How came all men to fall with Adam ?
A. Because all were included in Adam's covenant, as a man's co- venant includes his children before they be born, or the treason of the father affects his posterity.
Q. 5. What infer you from hence ?
A. The stupendous wisdom of God in sending Christ in our na- ture, and yet witnout the sin and taint of it ; 1 Cor. i. 24. Christ the wisdom of God.
Q. 6. What is the second inference ?
A. Hence we learn the admirable love of Christ in taking our na- ture, with all the sinless infirmities thereof; 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 con- demned sin in the flesh.
Q. 7. What is the third inference ?
A. The necessity of our union with Christ, in order to our partici- pation of his righteousness and redemption ; 1 Cor. xv. 22. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive.
Q. 8. What is tlie fouith inference ?
A. Hence we learn the malignant and mortal nature of sin^ inas- much as one sin defiled and destroyed a whole world.
Q. 9. What is the fifth inference ?
A. That though ail be not equally sensibb of their need, yet one sinner needs Christ as much as another.
172 AN EXPOSITION OF THE ASSEMBLY'S CATECHISM.
Q. 10. What is the last inference ?
A. That no man hath any cause or reason to boast of the goodness, of his nature, since the best were by nature under the same sin and misery as the worst ; Eph. ii. 3. Among whom also, we all had our conversation in times past, in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the de^ sires of the flesh, and of the mind, and were by nature the children of wrath even as others.
Quest. 17. Into what estate did the fall bring mankind ? A. The Jail hrougJit mankind into a state of sin and misery.
Quest. 18. ▼ ▼ HEREIN consists the sinfulness of that estate ■wherein to man fell ?