b Gen. ii. 17.

But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it; for in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die.

13 Q. Did our first parents continue in the estate wherein they were created? A. Our first parents, being left to the freedom of their own will, fell from the estate wherein they were created, by sinning against God a.

a Eccles. vii. 29. God made man upright, but they have sought out many inventions. 14 Q. What is sin?

A. Sin is any want of conformity unto, or transgression of, the law of God a.

a 1 John iii. 4. Whosoever committeth sin, transgresseth the law; for sin is the transgression of the law.

15 Q. What 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 wherein they were created was their eating of the forbidden fruit a.

a Gen. iii. 6. 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 husband with her, and he did eat. 7. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. 8. And Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God, amongst the trees in the garden.

16 Q. Did all mankind fall in Adam's first transgression?

A. The covenant being made with Adam, not only for himself, but for his posterity a, all mankind, descending from him by ordinary geheration, sinned in him, and fell with him in his first transgression b.

+

a Gen. i. 28. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.

b Gen. ii. 16. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree in the garden thou mayest freely eat. 17. But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it; for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

Rom. v. 18. By the offence of one, judgment came upon all men to condemnation.

17 Q. Into what estate did the fall bring mankind?

A. The fall brought mankind into an estate of sin and misery a.

a Rom. v. 12. By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.

18 Q. Wherein consists the sinfulness of that estate into which man fell?

A. The sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell consists in the guilt of Adam's first sin a, the want of original righteousness b, and the corruption of his whole nature, which is commonly called original sin c, together with all actual transgressions which proceed from it d.

a Rom. v. 19.

By one man's disobedience

many were made sinners. b Rom. iii. 10.

not one.

There is none righteous, no

c Ephes. ii. 1. You hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins.

Psalm ii. 5. Behold I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive

me.

'd Matt. xv. 19. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. 20. These are the things which defile

a man.

19 Q. What is the misery of that estate whereinto man fell?

A. All mankind by their fall lost

communion with God a, are under his wrath and curse b, and so made liable to all the miseries of this life, to death itself, and to the pains of hell for ever c.

a Gen. iii. 8. Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God, amongst the trees of the garden. 24. So he

drove out the man.

b Ephes. ii. 3.

And were by nature the

children of wrath, even as others.

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.

c Rom. vi. 23.

Matt. xxv. 41. on the left hand,

The wages of sin is death. Then shall he say unto them Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.

20 Q. Did 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 a, 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, by a Redeemer b. a Ephes. i. 4. According as he hath cho

sen us in him, before the foundation of the world.

b Rom. iii. 21. But now the righteousness of God, without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets. 22. Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all, and upon all them that believe.

21 Q. Who is the Redeemer of God's elect?

A. The only Redeemer of God's elect is the Lord Jesus Christ a, who, being the eternal Son of God, became man b, and so was, and continueth to be, God and man, in two distinct natures, and one person c for ever d.

a 1 Tim. ii. 5. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.

b John i. 11. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.

c Rom. ix. 5. Whose are the fathers, and of whom, as concerning the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for

ever.

d lieb. vii. 24. But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.

22 Q. How did Christ, being the Son of God, become man?

A. Christ, the Son of God, became