A. It was made with him, and all his natural Pofterity, defcending in the ordinary Way of Generation from him. Rom. v. 12. Wherefore as by one Man Sin entered into the World, and Death by Sin, and fo Death paffed upon all Men, for that all have finned, v. xiv. and 18. Nevertheless, Death reigned from Adam to Mofes, even over them that had not finned after the Similitude of Adam's Tranfgreffion, who is the Figure of him that was to come: Therefore as by the Offence of one, Judgment came upon all Men to Condemnation; even so by the Righteoufness of one, the free Gift came upon all Men unto Juftification of Life. Q3. Was Adam able to perform the Obedience required of him in that Covenant? A. Yes; for he was made upright, Ecclef. vii. 29. God made Man upright, but they have fought out themselves many Inventions. Q. 4. Had this Covenant any Mediator? A. No, Adam neither had, nor needed any Mediator for Satisfaction; becaufe no Sin was in him; nor Interceffion, for he wanted nothing. Q5. Did this Covenant admit of no Repentance, nor accept any fhort Endeavours ? A. No, it did not; but sentenceth and curseth the Tranfgreffors of it, for the least Breach, Gal. iii, 10. Curfed 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 the Threatning fulfilled, of dying in the Day he eat, feeing he lived 930 years? A. He died fpiritually, that Day; and though the Sentence on his Body was refpited in Order to Pofterity, yet then his Body received the Death Wound, of which afterward he = died. Q. 7. What is the firft Inference from Adam's Covenant? A. Miferable are all they that grow on the natural Root of the first Adam, Gal. iv. 21, 22. Tell me, ye that defire 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 fecond Inference? A. That A. That God is just in all the Punishments and Miseries that came upon Man, yea, Infants, that never finned after his Similitude, Rom. v. 14. Nevertheless Death reigned from Adam, to Mofes, even over them that had not finned after the Similitude of Adam's Tranfgreffion. Q. 9. What is the Third Inference? A. The glorious Privilege of Believers, who are under a better Covenant, establisht upon better Promises, Heb. viii. 6. But now bath he obtained a more excellent Miniftry, by how much also he is the Mediator of a better Covenant, which is eftablifht upon better Promifes. 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 fecond Adam. Quest. 13. D' Of the Fall of Man. ID our firft Parents continue in the Eftate 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 finning against God. Q. I. How doth it appear that Man is fallen? A. By the Scripture History, an Account of it in Gen. iii. 6, 7: And when the Woman Jaw that the Tree was good for Food, and that it was pleasant to the Eyes, and a Tree to be defired to make one wife, he took of the Fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave alfo unto her Husband with her, and he did eat. And the Eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked, and they fewed 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 Prefence of the Lord God, amongst the Trees of the Garden. And the fad Experience we all have of it in our own felves. Rom. v. 12. Therefore as by one Man Sin entered into the World, and Death by Sin, and fo Death paffed upon all Men, for that all have finned. Q. 2. How could Man fall, fince he was made upright? A. Though ; A. Though he was upright, yet his Will was mutable and by abufing that Liberty, he fell, Ecclef. vii. 29. Lo this only have I found, that God hath made Man upright, but they have fought out many Inventions. Q. 3. How did God leave him to abuse the Freedom of Will? A. Not by inclining him to abufe it; but by with holding that further Grace which he was no Way obliged to continue to him. Q. 4. Did the Will of Man lofe its Liberty to Good, by the Fall? A. Yes, it did, and is fo wounded, that it cannot without preventing and regenerating Grace put forth one fpiritual and faving Act, Eph. ii. 8, 9, 10. For by Grace are ye faved, through Faith, and that not of ourfelves, it is the Gift of God. Not of Works, left any Man fhould boaft; for we are all bis Workmanship, created in Chrift Jefus unto good Works, &c. Q5. What was the Aggravation of Adam's Sin? A. It was aggravated in his being a publick innocent Perfon, fo newly placed in a State of Happiness and Liberty, Q. 6. What is the firft Inference from the Fall? A. That the best Creature left to himself, cannot be long fafe; as the Angels, and Adam, Pfal. xlix. 12. Nevertheles Man being in Honour abideth not, he is like the beast that perijn. Q7. What is the fecond Inference? A. That fince Man could not be his own Keeper, he can be much lefs his own Saviour, 2 Cor. ii. 5. Not that we are fufficient of ourselves to think any Thing as of ourselves; but our Sufficiency is of God. Q. 8. What is the third Inference? A. That it is impoffible for the Covenant of Works to juftify any one, Rom. iii. 20. Therefore by the Deeds of the Law there all 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 Jending his own Son, in the Likeness of finful Flesh, and for Sin condemned Sin in the Flesh. Q. 9. What is the last Inference? A. What Cause have we to blefs God for Christ, who recovered us when the Fall left us helpleis ? Rom. v. 6. E For For when we were yet without Strength, in due Time Chrift died for the Ungodly. Of Sin. HAT is Sin ? Queft. 14. WA. Sin is any Want of Conformity unto, or Tranfgreffion of the Law of God. Q. 1. What is meant by the Law? A. The Commands and Rules flowing from God's Sovereignty, whereby his Will is manifefted, and the Creature bound to Obedience. Q. 2. Where is this Law written? A. It is written either in the Heart, Rom. ii. 15. Which fhews 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. Q3. What Conformity is due to this Law of God? A. A twofold Conformity is due to it: Firft, Internal, in Our Hearts: Secondly, External, in our Lives; and the Want of either is Sin, 1 Joh. iii, 4. Whosoever committetk Sin, tranfgreffeth aljo the Law; for Sin is the Tranfgreffion 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 fhalt love the Lord thy God with all thine Heart, and with all thy Soul, and with all thy Mind, and with all thy Strength; for this is the firft Commandment. And condemns the Want of it, Rom. vii. 7. What fhall we fay then? is the Law Sin? God forbid; nay, I had not known Sin but by the Law; for I bad not known Luft, except the Law had faid, Thou shalt not cvet. Q5. Is nothing a Sin but what is against God's Law? A. No, nothing can be a Sin but what God hath either exprefsly, or by Confequence, forbidden in his Word. Q. 6. Wherein lies the Evil of tranfgreffing God's Laws A. The Evil of Sin principally lies in Offence and Wrong done to God, whofe Sovereignty it labours to fhake off, and and defpifes his Will, Pfal. li. 4. Against thee, thee only, have I finned, and done this Evil in thy Sight. Q7. What further Evil is in Sin? A. It highly wrongs the Sinner's Soul, by defacing, defiling, and damning it, Prov. viii. 36. But he that finnet h against me, wrongeth his own Soul: All they that hate me, love Death. Q8. Wherein is the Evil of Sin manifefted? A. It's manifefted in the Death of Chrift, the Terrors of Confcience, and Torments of Hell. Q9. What Course must the Sinner take to recover himfelf out of his Mifery? A. Repentance towards God, Faith towards Chrift; and both evidenced by new Obedience, Acts xx. 21. Teftifying both to the Jew, and also to the Greeks, Repentance towards God, and Faith towards our Lord Jefus Chrift. Q. 10. What may we infer from hence? A. That we have infinite Caufe to blefs God for Chrift's Satisfaction of the Law for our Sins, Of the Tree of Knowledge. Queft. 15. W were created? HAT is the Sin whereby our firft Parents fell from the Eftate wherein they A. The Sin whereby our firft Parents fell from the Estate wherein they were created, was their eating the forbidden Fruit. Q. Why was this Tree called the Tree of Knowledge? A. Not from any natural Efficacy it had to give Knowledge; but the Knowledge he should have by eating, or not eating, was experimental Knowledge, i. e. Knowledge to his Sorrow. Q2. Why did God forbid him this Tree? First, For the Discovery of his Dominion over Man: Secondly, For the Trial of his Subjection and Obedience : Thirdly, For the Aggravation of his Sin, if he fhould eat. Q3. What Evil was there in eating of it? There was a twofold Evil, the Evil of Sin, and the Evil of Punishment, both very great. Ę 2 Q. 4 |