The Fall, Sin, and Misery: what changed
From Westminster Confession of Faith (1646) to Westminster Shorter Catechism (1647). 7 of 7 sections differ.
Struck through is in WCF only;
underlined is in WSC only.
Punctuation and capitalisation are ignored — they were modernised freely, and
would otherwise bury the substantive edits.
Did our first parents continue in the estate wherein they were created? Our first parents, being seduced left to the freedom of their own will, fell from the estate wherein they were created, by the subtilty and temptation of Satan, sinned, in eating the forbidden fruit. This their sin sinning against God.was pleased, according to His wise and holy counsel, to permit, having purposed to order it to His own glory.
By this What is sin? they fell from their original righteousness and communion, with Sin is any want of conformity unto, or transgression of, the law of God.and so became dead in sin, and wholly defiled in all the parts and faculties of soul and body.
What was the sin whereby our first parents fell from the estate wherein they being were created? The root of all mankind, sin whereby our first parents fell from the guilt of this sin estate wherein they were created, was imputed, and their eating the same death in sin and corrupted nature conveyed, to all their posterity descending from them by ordinary generation.forbidden fruit.
Did all mankind fall in Adam's first transgression? The covenant being made with Adam, not only for himself, but for his posterity; all mankind, descending from this original corruption, whereby we are utterly indisposed, disabled, him by ordinary generation, sinned in him, and made opposite to all good, and wholly inclined to all evil, do proceed all actual transgressions.fell with him, in his first transgression.
This corruption Into what estate did the fall bring mankind? The fall brought mankind into an estate of nature, during this life, doth remain in those that are regenerated; sin and although it be, through Christ, pardoned and mortified, yet both itself and all the motions thereof are truly and properly sin.misery.
Every Wherein consists the sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell? The sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell, consists in the guilt of Adam's first sin, both the want of original righteousness, and actual, being a transgression the corruption of the righteous law of God, and contrary thereunto, doth, in its own his whole nature, bring guilt upon the sinner; whereby he which is bound over to the wrath of God, and curse of the law, and so made subject to death, commonly called original sin; together with all miseries spiritual, temporal, and eternal.actual transgressions which proceed from it.
WCF — none → WSC 19
1% changedWhat is the misery of that estate whereinto man fell? All mankind by their fall lost communion with God, are under his wrath and curse, and so made liable to all miseries in this life, to death itself, and to the pains of hell for ever.