6. The Covenant of Life, the Fall, and Judgment (Qs 21-29)
21
Did man continue in that estate wherein God first created him? A. Our first
parents being left to the freedom of their own will, through the temptation of
Satan, transgressed the commandment of God in eating the forbidden fruit; and
thereby fell from the estate of innocency wherein they were created.(1)
(1)Gen. 3:6,7,8,13; Eccl. 7:29; 2 Cor. 11:3
22 Did
all mankind fall in that first transgression? A. The covenant being made with
Adam as a publick person, not for himself only, but for his posterity, all
mankind descending from him by ordinary generation,(1) sinned in him, and fell
in that first transgression.(2)
(1)Acts
(2)Gen.
2:16,17 with Rom.
23 Into what estate did the fall bring mankind? A. The fall brought
mankind into an estate of sin and misery.(1)
(1)Rom.
24 What is sin? A. Sin is any want of conformity unto, or
transgression of, any law of God, given as a rule to the reasonable creature.(1)
(1)1 John 3:4; Gal. 3:10,12
25
Wherein consisteth the sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell? A. The
sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell, consisteth in the guilt of Adam's
first sin,(1) the want of that righteousness wherein he was created, and the
corruption of his nature, whereby he is utterly indisposed, disabled, and made
opposite unto all that is spiritually good, and wholly inclined to all evil, and
that continually;(2) which is commonly called Original Sin, and from which do
proceed all actual transgressions.(3)
(1)
(2)Rom.
3:10-19; Eph. 2:1-3; Rom. 5:6; Rom. 8:7,8; Gen. 6:5.
(3)James 1:14,15; Matt. 15:19.
26 How
is original sin conveyed from our first parents unto their posterity? A.
Original sin is conveyed from our first parents unto their posterity by natural
generation, so as all that proceed from them in that way are conceived and born
in sin.(1)
(1)Ps. 51:5; Job 14:4; Job 15:14; John 3:6.
27
What misery did the fall bring upon mankind? A. The fall brought upon mankind
the loss of communion with God,(1) his displeasure and curse; so as we are by
nature children of wrath,(2) bond slaves to Satan,(3) and justly liable to all
punishments in this world, and that which is to come.(4)
(1)Gen.
3:8,10,24.
(2)Eph.
2:2,3.
(3)2 Tim.
(4)Gen. 2:17; Lam. 3:39; Rom. 6:23; Matt. 25:41,46; Jude 7.
28
What are the punishments of sin in this world? A. The punishments of sin in this
world are either inward, as blindness of mind,(1) a reprobate sense,(2) strong
delusions,(3) hardness of heart,(4) horror of conscience,(5) and vile
affections;(6) or outward, as the curse of God upon the creatures for our
sakes,(7) and all other evils that befall us in our bodies, names, estates,
relations, and employments;(8) together with death itself.(9)
(1)Eph. 4:18.
(2)
(3)2 Thess.
(4)Rom. 2:5
(5)Isa.
33:14; Gen. 4:13; Matt. 27:4.
(6)
(7)Gen. 3:17.
(8)Deut.
28:15-18.
(9)Rom.
29 What are the punishments of sin in the world to come? A. The
punishments of sin in the world to come, are everlasting separation from the
comfortable presence of God, and most grievous torments in soul and body,
without intermission, in hell-fire for ever.(1)
(1)2 Thess. 1:9; Mark 9:43,44,46,48; Luke 16:24.