Chapter 6: Concerning the Fall of Man, Sin, and Its Punishment

Question 1.

Is the guilt of the sin of our first parents imputed, and the same death in sin, and corrupted nature, conveyed to all their posterity, descending from them by ordinary generation?

Yes. (Romans 5:12, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19; 1 Corinthians 15:21, 22, 45, 49; Psalm 51:5; Genesis 5:3; Job 14:4; Job 15:14.)

Well then, do not the Pelagians, and late Anabaptists, Quakers, and Socinians err, who deny original sin inherent? Yes.

Do not likewise the Dominicans, Franciscans and Jesuits err, who maintain the Virgin Mary not to be conceived in original sin? Yes.

Does not lastly, a certain ring-leader of the Quakers err, who maintains that to infants, this original sin is not imputed, until by actual sin they join themselves to it? Yes.

By what reasons are they confuted?

(1) From that well known place of Scripture, Romans 5, which is the very seat and foundation of this doctrine of original sin. (2) Because, unless a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God (John 3:3). (3) Because, all men by nature and birth are the children of wrath (Ephesians 2:3). (4) Because, whatever is born of the flesh is fleshly (John 3:6), and who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one (Job 14:4; Job 15:14). (5) Because, all the thoughts and imaginations of the heart of man (that is, of the natural and unregenerate man) are evil continually (Genesis 6:5). (6) Because, David confesses that he was shaped in iniquity, and in sin did his mother conceive him (Psalm 51:5). (7) Because, infants that are guilty of no actual transgression need a remedy against sin — namely, absolution by the blood of Christ — a seal of which was given, according to God's institution, under the law to infants, namely circumcision, to which baptism under the gospel succeeds (Deuteronomy 30:6; Romans 2:29; Acts 22:16; Mark 1:4; Colossians 2:12; Genesis 17:12; Matthew 28:19). (8) Because, all the elect (among which are infants; Matthew 18:6; Mark 9:42) are redeemed by Christ, and are set at liberty from slavery, freed from the fault and penal punishment (John 1:29; John 10:15; 1 Timothy 2:6). (9) Because, infants are liable to death and other miseries and calamities, which are the wages and punishments of sin (Romans 6:23; Genesis 3:19).

Question 2.

Is this corruption of nature, though pardoned and mortified through Christ in some measure in the regenerate, both itself and all the motions thereof truly and properly sin?

Yes. (Romans 7:5, 7, 8, 25; Galatians 5:17.)

Well then, do not the Papists, Socinians, and Arminians err, who maintain that concupiscence or lust, and the first motions thereof which have not gotten the consent of the will, are not properly and truly sin? Yes.

By what reasons are they confuted?

(1) Because, they are forbidden by the moral and natural law, in the tenth commandment (Exodus 20:17; Deuteronomy 5:21; Romans 7:7). (2) Because, Paul speaking of himself while unregenerate calls concupiscence and lust (of which the controversy is) often times sin and evil (Romans 7:5, 6). (3) Because, it is a great part of the old man, which we must lay down, and must be mortified (Colossians 3:5, 6, 9; Ephesians 4:22).

Question 3.

Does every sin, both original and actual, being a transgression of the righteous law of God and contrary to it, bring in its own nature guilt upon the sinner, whereby he is bound over to the wrath of God and the curse of the law, and made subject to death with all miseries spiritual, temporal, and eternal?

Yes. (1 John 3:4; Romans 2:15; Romans 3:9, 19; Ephesians 2:3; Galatians 3:10; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 4:18; Romans 8:20; Lamentations 3:39; Matthew 25:41; 2 Thessalonians 1:9.)

Well then, do not many of the Papists err, who maintain that all sins are not contrary to the law of God, nor transgressions thereof? Yes.

Do not all Papists err, who deny every sin to be mortal, or to deserve eternal punishment? Yes.

Lastly, do not the Socinians err, who deny that any sin can deserve eternal punishment? Yes.

By what reasons are they confuted?

(1) Because, all sins deserve eternal death (Romans 6:23; Ezekiel 18:4; Romans 8:6, 13). (2) Because, every sin is a transgression of the law (1 John 3:4). (3) Whoever shall keep the whole law and yet offend in one point is guilty of all (James 2:10, 11), and therefore deserves eternal punishment. (4) Because, those sins of infirmity and ignorance which the saints are subject to, and which the Papists call venial sins, will not suffer them to stand in judgment before God, nor can the saints be justified from them but by faith — and therefore in strict justice they merit and deserve hell (Psalm 143:2; Psalm 130:3, 4, 8). (5) Because, God commanded believers under the law to offer typical sacrifices for making a propitiation for such sins, and Christ did really by his own precious blood purge them away — for by no less price could they be purged, he being made a curse for them, that he might liberate those from the curse of the law which they had deserved for such sins as well as for others (Leviticus 4:2, 3, 14, 15, 20, 22, 24, 31; Leviticus 5:17, 18; Galatians 3:13; Hebrews 10:10, 12, 14; Hebrews 9:14, 22; 1 John 1:7, 9; Ephesians 5:25, 26, 27; 1 Peter 1:18, 19). (6) Because, every sin is against the supremest lawgiver, against his holiness and goodness, against his infinite majesty, and flows from a formal or virtual contempt of God — and therefore the least sin cannot but deserve God's wrath and curse eternally (James 2:10, 11; Leviticus 10:3; Leviticus 11:44, 45; 1 John 3:4; Ephesians 5:6).