A. The siirfulness of that estate where? nto manjell^ consists in the- guilt of Adam^s first sin, the want of original righUousness, and the corruption of his whole nature, which is commonly called original sin, together with all actucd transgressions which proceed from it.
Q. 1. How many sorts of sins are all men under?
A. All men are guilty before God of two sorts of sin; of original, and of actual ; Psal. li. 5. Behold I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. Eccles. vii. 20. For there is not a just man upon earth, that doth good, and sinneth not.
Q. Hov/ can we be guilty of Adam's first sin ?
A. We are guilty of it, because Adam sinned not only as a single, but also as a public person, and representative of all mankind : Rom. V. 1-5, 16, 17. But not as the offence, so also is the free gift: for if through the offence of one many be dead ; much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus (Christ, hath abounded unto many : And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift ; for the judgment was by one to condemnation.
Q. 3. How else came Ave under his guilt?
A. We are guilty of his sin by generation ; for we were in his. loins, as treason stains the blood of the posterity, or parents leprosy the children : Psalm, li. 5. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.
Q. 4. Wherein doth it consist ?
A. It consists in tv.o things. First, In our aversion and enmity to that which is good; Rom. vii. 18. In me, that is, in my flesh, there dwelleth no good thing, Secondly, In proneness to that which is evil ; Rom. vii. 14. But I am carnal, sold under sin. .
Q. 5. Is this corruption of nature in all men ?
A. Yes ; in all mere men, and women, none exempted ; Rom. iii. 10. and 23. As it is written, there is none righteous, no not oiie^ for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.
Q. 6. In what part of our nature doth this sin abide ?
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A. It abides in the whole man, in every part of man, botli soul and body ; Gen. vi. 5. God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually; 1 Thess. v. 23. Now the God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit, and soul, and body, be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Q. 7. How is the body infected by it ?
A. In the readiness of the bodily members to further sin, and its temptations in the soul; Rom. iii. 13, 14, 15. Their throat is an open sepulchre, with their tongues they have used deceit, the poison of asps is under their lips, whose mouth is full of cursing and bitter- ness, their feet are swift to shed blood.
Q. 8. What learn we from original sin !
A. Tq bear patiently the miseries we see on our children, and their death also without murmuring; Rom. v. 14. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned j;fter the similitude of Adam's transgression.
Q. 9. What is the second instruction ?
A. It teaches us humility, and should be matter of confession and humiliation, when we sin actually ; Psal. h. 5. Behold I was shapen in inl.^uity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.
Q. 10. What is the third instruction.?
A. It should provoke parents to use their utmost diligence for the conversion of their children who draw sin from them.
Q. 11. What is the last instruction ?
A, It teaches us the necessity of regeneration, and should provoke ps greatly to desire it.
Quest. 19- ▼ T HAT is the misery of that estate whereinto man fell.?
A. All manMnd hy their fall lost communion with God, are under his wrath and curse ; a7id so made liable to all the miseries in this life, to death itself and to the pains of hell for ever.
Q. 1. What communion had God with man before the fall ?
A. Man that enjoyed the gracious presence and favour of God with him, which was better than life.
Q. 2. How doth it appear this was lost by the fall .?
A. It appears by scripture-testimony, that Adam lost it as to him- self; Gen. iii. 8. And Adam and his v/ife hid tii-^mselves from the presence of the Lord God, among the trees of the garden. And we in him ; Eph. ii. 12. At that time ye were without Ciu'ist, being aliens from the common-wealth of Israel, ard strangers from the covenant of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world.
Q. 3. Was this the only misery that came by -the fall.?
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J. No ; man did not only lose communion with God, but fell under his wrath and curse ; Eph. ii. 3. And were by nature children of ^\Tath, even as others.
Q. 4. Doth the wrath and curse of God then lie on all men ?
A. It lies on all the unregenerate in the world ; Gal. iii. 10. Curs- ed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them : But believers are delivered from it by Christ; 1 Thess. i. 10. Even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.
Q. 5. How are the miseries of man by the fall divided ?
A. They are divided into the miseries of this world, and of the "World to come.
Q. 6. What are the miseries that come on them in this world .^
A. The miseries of life, as sickness, pain, poverty on the body ; fear, trouble, sorrow on the mind, and at last death itself; Rom. vi. ult. The wages of sin is death.
Q. 7. What are the miseries after this life ?
A. The pains and torments of hell for ever; Psal. ix. 17. The wicked shall be turned into hell.
Q. 8. What are the torments of hell ?
A. Pain of loss and pain of sense; Matth. xxv. 41. Depart from me, ye cursed into everlasting fire.
Q. 9- What learn you from hence ?
A. The woeful state of the unconverted ; miserable here, and miserable to eternity.
Q. 10. What else learn we hence ?
A. The great salvation believers have by Christ from all this mi- sery; Heb. ii. 3. How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirm- ed unto us by them that heard him.
Of the Salvation ofGotTs Elect, and of the Covencmt of Grace,
Quest. 20. UlD God leave all mankind to perish in the estate of sin and misery ;
A. God having out of his mere good pleasure, from all eternity, elected some to everlasting life, did enter into a covenant of grace, to deliver them out of the estate of sin and misery ; and to bring them into an estate of salvation hy a Redeemer.
Q. 1. Are some persons chosen to salvation, and others left .?
A, Yes : God hath chosen some to salvation, and passed by others; as the Scriptures speak ; See Rom. viii. 30. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called. And Jude 4. For there are cer- tain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, &c.
Q. 2. Did God chuse some, because he foresaw they would be better than others ;
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