 the decrees of God?
A. The decrees of God are his eternal purpose according to the counsel of his will, whereby, for his own glory, he hath foreordained whatsoever comes to pass. (t)
t Eph. 1:4, 11; Rom. 9:22,23; Is. 46:10; Lam. 3:37
Q. 11. How doth God execute his decrees?
A. God executeth his decrees in the works of creation and providence.
Q. 12. What is the work of creation?
A. The work of creation is God’s making all things of nothing, by the word of his power, in the space of six days, and all very good. (u)
u Gen. 1 throughout; Heb. 11:3
Q. 13. How did God create man?
A. God created man, male and female, after his own image, in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness, with dominion over the creatures. (v)
v Gen. 1:26, 27, 28; Col. 3:10, Eph. 4:24
Q. 14. What are God’s works of providence?
A. God’s works of providence are his most holy, (w) wise, (x) and powerful preserving (y) and governing all his creatures, and all their actions. (z)
w Ps. 145:17 x Is. 28:29, Ps. 104:24 y Heb. 1:3 z Ps. 103:19; Mt. 10:29, 30, 31
Q. 15. What special act of providence did God exercise towards man 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 tree of the knowledge of good and evil, upon pain of death. (a)
a Gal. 3:12; Gen. 2:17
The Fall of Man
Q. 16. 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. (b)
b Gen. 3:6, 7, 8, 13; Eccl. 7:29
Q. 17. What is sin?
A. Sin is any want of conformity unto, or transgression of, the law of God. (c)
c 1 John 3:4
Q. 18. 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 the forbidden fruit. (d)
d Gen. 3:6, 12, 16, 17
Q. 19. Did all mankind fall in Adam’s first transgression?
A. The covenant being made 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. (e)
e Gen. 2:16, 17; Rom. 5:12; 1 Cor. 15:21, 22
Q. 20. Into what estate did the fall bring mankind?
A. The fall brought mankind into an estate of sin and misery. (f)
f Rom. 5:12
Q. 21. Wherein consists the sinfulness of 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. (g)
g Rom. 5:12, to the end; Eph. 2:1, 2, 3; James 1:14, 15; Mt. 15:19
Q. 22. What is the misery of that estate whereinto man fell?
A. All mankind by their fall lost communion with God, (h) are under his wrath and curse, (i) and so made liable to all miseries in this life, to death itself, and to the pains of hell for ever. (j)
h Gen. 3:8, 10, 24 i Eph. 2:2, 3; Gal. 3:10 j Lam. 3:39; Rom. 6:23; Mt. 25:41, 46
Redemption Accomplished by Jesus Christ
Q. 23. 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, (k) 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. (l)
k Eph. 1:4, 5 l Rom. 3:20-22; Gal. 3:21, 22
Q. 24. Who is the Redeemer of God’s elect?
A. The only Redeemer of God’s elect is the Lord Jesus Christ; (m) who, being the eternal Son of God, became man, (n) and so was and continueth to be God and man in two distinct natures, and one person for ever. (o)
m 1 Tim. 2:5, 6 n John 1:14; Gal. 4:4 o Rom. 9:5; Luke. 1:35; Col. 2:9; Heb. 7:24, 25
Q. 25. How did Christ, being the Son of God become man?
A. Christ the Son of God became man by taking to himself a true body, (p) and a reaso