ASSEMBLY'S SRORTER .ATECHISM. 255 10. Q. How did God create man? A. Godcreated man, male and female, after his own image, in knowledge, righteousnessand holiness, with dominion over the creatures. Male and female. Man and woman. The image of God. Likeness to God. 11. Q. What are God's works of providence ? A. God's works of providence are his most holy, wise andpowerful preserv- ing, and governing all hiecreatures, and all their actions. 12. Q. What special act of providence did God exercise towardsman in the estate wherein he was created ? A. When God had created man, he entered into a covenant of life with him, upon condition of perfect obedience, forbidding him to eat of the treeof know- . ledge of good and evil uponpain of death. Covenant of lifeupon condition ofperfecl obedience. A promise to bestow ever- lasting life if man continued to obey God perfectly without sinning. Tree of knowledge of good and evil. A tree in the garden of Eden, no called, because by eating of it contrary to the command of God, Adam knew what good he had lost, and what evil he had brought upon himself. 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 theestate wherein they were created, by sinning against God. 14. Q. What is sin ? A. Sin is any want of conformityunto, or transgressionof the law of God. Conformity to the law. Being and doing what the law requires. Transgression of the law. Being or doing what the law forbids. 15. Q. What was the sin whereby our first parents fell from the es- tateswherein they were created ? A. The sin whereby our first parents fell from the estate wherein they were created was their eating the forbidden fruit. 16. Q. Did all mankindfall in Adam's first transgression ? A. The covenant beingmade with Adam, not only for himself, but for his posterity, all mankind descending from him by ordinary generation, sinned in him, and fell with him in his first transgression. Covenant. See answer 12. Posterity. Children and grand-children, and all that proceed from them. Descending from him by ordinary generation. Proceeding or coming from him according to,the common course of nature. 17. Q. Into what estate did the fill bring mankind ? A. The fall brought mankind into an estate of sin and misery. Thefall. Adam's sin is so called, because he fell from the favour of God, by falling from his obedience to him. 18. Q. Wherein consists the sinfulnessof that estate whereinto man fell? A. The sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell, consists in the guilt of Adam's first sin, the want of original righteousness, and the corruption of his whole nature, which is commonly called original sin, together with all actual transgressions which proceed from it. Guilt of Adam's first sin. This must at least signify our interest in that sin, no far as to be justly exposed to pain and sorrow on the account of that sin. Original righteousness. The good' inclinations that belonged to man in his fire estate as God created him. Originalsin. Evil inclinations which are born with every child of Adam since the fall. Transgression. See answer 14. _ 19. Q. What is the miseryof that estate whereinto man fell ? A. All mankind by their fall lost communion with God, are under his wrath and curse, and somade liable to all miseries in this life, to death itself,'and to the pains of hell for ever. Communion with God. Friendly conversewith him, grreceiving blessings from him. Curse ofGod. When a creature is devoted or given up to pain, or shame, or death, by God himself.
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