Chapter 10: Of Sin — Definition and Types

Q. What is sinne?

A. Transgression of the moral law of God, by a creature that is bound to keep it?

Q. Why is sin said to be a transgression of the law?

A. Because the Apostle John does expressly so call it, and elsewhere it is said where there is no law, there is no transgression.

Q. Why say you that sinne is a transgression of the law of God only? for are not transgressions of the lawful commandments of parents and other superiors, sins also?

A. Yes so far as they tend to the dishonor of superiors, such transgressions are also sins; but the reason of that is because obedience to the lawful commands of superiors is enjoined in the fifth commandment of the law of God, in which respect God is said to be the only lawgiver (James 4:12).

Q. But why do you make sinne a transgression only of the moral law, since unbelief and impenitency though they be against the gospel, are also sins, and so were violations of the ceremonial law that was given to Israel by Moses?

A. Violation of the ceremonies by the people of Israel was a sin, because the observation of them was enjoined to that people in the second commandment of the moral law, like as the observation of baptism and the Lord's Supper are now enjoined to Christians by the same commandment.

Q. And why are unbelief and impenitency sins?

A. Though these be directly against the gospel, yet they are also sins when they are found in them to whom the gospel comes, as being against the first commandment of the law, which enjoins obedience to God in whatever he has showed or shall show to be his will.

Q. Why do you make sinne a transgression of the law by a creature?

A. Because God the Creator may do things forbidden in the law, and yet not sin, as to kill and destroy; because the law is not a rule to him but to us, his own will being his rule (Ephesians 1:11; Psalms 115:3).

Q. Why is it added, by a creature bound to it?

A. Because though angels may sin, yet many things in the law, specially in the fifth and seventh commandment are not applicable to angels; and as for other creatures, the law is no rule to them at all.

Q. Who among men are tainted with sinne?

A. All that are mere men, none excepted (Ecclesiastes 7:20; Romans 3:23 and 5:12).

Q. How many sorts of sinne are there?

A. Besides that first offence of eating the forbidden fruit, there is the corruption of nature which is usually called original sin, and the sins of life which are usually called actual.

Q. What is the nature of original sin? wherein does it consist?

A. It consists in the loss of God's image wherein man was created at the first, and in a contrary viciousness instead thereof.

Q. What is the measure or greatness of this sinne?

A. It contains not only some one or few particular evils, but a mass of all iniquities, even the most abominable that can be named or imagined (Romans 3:12, 13, etc.).

Q. How far does this sinne extend?

A. It overspreads the whole race of mankind as a contagious leprosy and epidemical disease, and infects all the powers and parts both of soul and body.

Q. How is this sinne propagated?

A. It is conveyed from parents to children not by imitation but by generation (Genesis 5:3; Psalms 51:5; Job 14:4; John 3:6).

Q. What do you understand by actual sins?

A. All omissions of good, and failing in the manner of doing it, and all committing evil whether in thoughts, words, or deeds, against any of the commandments of God.

Q. Who are guilty of actual sins?

A. All the children of men; and they that sin the least, yet doubtless would do more if the Lord did not restrain them.

Q. But though all men be thus defiled with sinne, yet may not a natural man do some things that are good?

A. He may do things that are good for the act or matter of them, but his person not being accepted, and his heart so exceedingly corrupted, therefore all that he does as it proceeds from him, is corrupt also and so most odious to God.