Q13. 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.
Q1. What mean you by the estate in which man was created?
A. His state of innocence, in which he had his standing under God, as his great Lord and Creator.
Q2. What standing had he under God in a state of innocence?
A. Perfect conformity to him; intimate fellowship and communion with him; and an ample dominion over all the work of his hands, in this lower world; the tree of knowledge of good and evil only excepted.
Q3. By what charter did man hold this state of his great Creator?
A. By the charter of the covenant of works.
Q4. What remarkable and significant circumstances appertained to this charter?
A. The tree of knowledge of good and evil, and the tree of life.
Q5. What did the tree of knowledge of good and evil signify?
A. It signified, that, as Adam knew much of his Creator's goodness, by what he had done for him, so he was to know much of his displeasure and indignation, if he tasted the fruit of that tree.
Q6. What did the tree of life signify to man?
A. That upon his fulfilling the condition of the covenant, by a course of obedience, he was to live forever.
Q7. What do you understand by the course of obedience, which Adam had to go through, in order to found his covenant title to eternal life?
A. A continuance in perfect obedience, during the time which God had appointed for his state of probation.
Q8. When was a state of probation only applicable to man?
A. It was only applicable to man while in innocence, before the breach of the covenant of works; and by no means applicable to man in any other state since the fall.
Q9. Why is it that no man, since the fall, can justly be said to be in a state of probation in this world?
A. Because the covenant of works being broken, all the children of men are either in a natural state, in the first Adam, or in a gracious state in the second; and consequently under a dispensation either of divine Justice or mercy.
Q10. Are not men to have rewards given them according to their good or evil works, and consequently may be said to be in a state of probation, as well as Adam was?
A. The consequence will not hold; because these rewards are of another kind than could have taken place under the covenant of works, though it had been fulfilled; for now, they are either rewards of impartial justice, for evil works, the wages of sin being death; or rewards of free mercy to the doing persons; not for their good works, but according to them, 2 Cor. 5:10.
Q11. What is it for God to dispense rewards of free mercy to his people, not for their good works, but according to them?
A. It is to bestow these rewards, not on account of any worth or merit that is in their good works, in themselves considered, but as they are evidences of union with Christ, in whom their persons and performances are accepted, and through whom the rewards of grace are freely conferred; for, "the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord," Rom. 6:23.
Q12. Is there any danger in asserting, that men are not now in a state of probation, as Adam was?
A. No; because though they cannot now be in that state, yet God still deals with them as rational creatures, under a moral government, and capable of rewards, whether of justice or mercy, of debt or grace, according to their state and works: hence men are judged at the great day, according to their state, as sheep or goats, separated from one another, and then according to their works, Matt. 25:32-46.
Q13. What then is the dangerous consequence of asserting, that fallen man is still in a state of probation in this life?
A. This dangerous consequence would follow, that mankind are hereby supposed to be still under a covenant of works that can justify the doer; or under a law that can give life, besides the law of faith, mentioned Rom. 3:27, which is false: for, if there had been a law given, which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law, Gal. 3:21.
Q14. What improvement ought we to make of this doctrine respecting the state of probation?
A. To be restless in the use of all appointed means till we get in to Christ; that, in the way of believing and walking in him, we may share of the sure reward, promised, through grace, "to him that soweth righteousness," Proverbs 11:18.
Q15. How did our first parents fall from the state in which they were created?
A. By sinning against God, Gen. 3:6, 7.
Q16. Were they not sufficiently furnished with every thing necessary, for yielding perfect obedience to the will of God?
A. Yes; for they had perfect knowledge in their understanding, freedom and inclination to good in their will, and spotless holiness in their hearts and affections, Eccl. 7:29 - "God made man upright."
Q17. How then did man's sin and apostasy come about?
A. Though he was a perfect, yet he was but a mutable creature, left to the freedom of his own will, which was subject to change.
Q18. In what did the freedom of man's will, in a state of innocence, consist?
A. In a perfect liberty and "power to will and to do that which is good and well pleasing to God; but yet mutable, so as that he might fall from it, Eccl. 7:29; Gen. 2:16, 17, and 3:6."22
Q19. Why did not God make man immutable?
A. Because immutability, or unchangeableness of nature, is the essential property of God alone, Mal. 3:6. - "I am the Lord, I change not;" James 1:17.
Q20. Are not elect angels and saints made immutably good?
A. The elect angels are confirmed in a state of immutable happiness; and the saints, in virtue of union with Christ, are fixed in an unchangeable state of grace here, and glory hereafter; but the unchangeable state of the one and the other, is not owing to any thing in their own natures, but to the free love and favour of God, Eph. 1:10.
Q21. What freedom of will has man, since the fall, to any spiritual good?
A. He "has wholly lost all freedom and ability of will to any spiritual good accompanying salvation," so as that he can neither "convert himself, nor prepare himself thereunto," John 6:44, 65.23
Q22. What freedom of will have they who are regenerated?
A. They are enabled by grace alone, freely to will and to do that which is spiritually good, Rom. 6:18; yet so as that by reason of remaining corruption, they do not perfectly, and only, that which is good, but likewise frequently that which is evil, Rom. 7:15, 19, 21.24
Q23. When is the will of man made perfectly and immutably free to that only which is good?
A. In the state of glory only, Eph. 4:13. 1 John 3:2.
Q24. What was it for man to be left to the freedom of his own will?
A. It was God's leaving him with a sufficient stock in his hand, without any promise of supernatural aid, or further assistance to improve the stock of grace already received.
Q25. How was he left to abuse the freedom of his will?
A. God did not incline him to abuse it, but only withheld that further grace, which he was no way obliged to give, for preventing his will from yielding to the temptation; and was pleased, according to his wise and holy counsel, to permit this abuse, having purposed to order it to his own glory, Rom. 11:32.
Q26. At whose door then must the fall be laid?
A. Only at man's own door, who willingly yielded to the temptation of the devil, James 1:14.
Q27. What was the devil's agency in the fall of man?
A. He entered into a serpent, and therein, by seducing words, enticed the woman to take and eat the forbidden fruit; and she gave to her husband, and he did eat likewise, Gen. 3:5, 6.
Q28. Why did Satan make use of the serpent, as his instrument to seduce the woman?
A. Because "the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field," Gen. 3:1, and so the most fit tool, of any other, to serve his subtle and murderous designs, John 8:44.
Q29. Why was not Eve afraid to entertain converse with a serpent, lest it might be actuated by some evil spirit?
A. It is supposed, that Adam and Eve knew nothing as yet of the fall of the angels; and sin not having then entered into this lower world, they were not afraid of hurt from any of the good creatures of God.
Q30. Why was there no confirmatory clause annexed to the covenant of works, to secure man's standing in the state in which he was created?
A. Because it so pleased God; and, no doubt, infinite wisdom had another scene to open, through the occasion of man's fall, by his breaking the first covenant.
Q31. What was that scene?
A. A scene of redeeming love and grace, which will be matter of hallelujahs, or praises, to the Lord God and the Lamb for ever and ever, Rev. 5:8.
Q32. Was then the covenant of works a scaffold erected for carrying on a more glorious fabric?
A. Yes, it was; for God had said, and purposed from eternity, that mercy should be built up for ever, Psalm 89:2.
Q33. What improvement ought we to make of this doctrine of the fall of Adam?
A. To be persuaded that the best of creatures, if left to themselves, cannot be in safety one moment, Psalm 49:12; that since man could not be his own keeper, much less can he be his own saviour, 2 Cor. 3:5; to see how dangerous it is to parley with sin and Satan; and how much we need an interest in the second Adam, to get the loss we sustained by the first repaired with advantage; for he has restored that which he took not away, Psalm 69:4.
Q1. How does it appear that man is fallen?
A. By the scripture history: An account of it is in Genesis 3:6, 7. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked, and they sewed fig-leaves together, and made themselves aprons? and they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day; and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God, among the trees of the garden. And the sad experience we all have of it in ourselves; Romans 5:12. Therefore as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.
Q2. How could man fall, since he was made upright?
A. Though he was upright, yet his will was mutable; and by abusing that liberty, he fell; Ecclesiastes 7:29. Lo, this only have I found, that God has made man upright, but they have sought out-many inventions.
Q3. How did God leave him to abuse the freedom of his will?
A. Not by inclining him to abuse it; but by withholding that further grace which he was no way obliged to continue to him.
Q4. Did the will of man lose its liberty to good by the Fall?
A. Yes, it did, and is so wounded, that it cannot, without your preventing and regenerating grace, put forth one spiritual and saving act; Ephesians 2:8, 9, 10. For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God. Not of works, least any man should boast; for we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, etc.
Q5. What was the aggravation of Adam's sin?
A. It was aggravated in his being a public innocent person, so newly placed in a state of happiness and liberty.
Q6. What is the first inference from the fall?
A. That the best creature left to himself, cannot be long safe; as the angels, and Adam; Psalm 49:12. Nevertheless, man being in honor abides not; he is like the beasts that perish.
Q7. What is the second inference?
A. That since man could not be his own keeper, he can be much less his own Savior; 2 Corinthians 3:5. Not that we are sufficient of our selves to think anything as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God.
Q8. What is the third inference?
A. That it is impossible for the covenant of works to justify any one; Romans 3:20. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight; Romans 8:3. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh; God sending his own Son, in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin condemned sin in the flesh.
Q9. What is the last inference?
A. What cause have we to bless God for Christ, who recovered us when the fall left us helpless? Romans 5:6. For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. Of Sin
Q1. Is man now in the state wherein he was created?
A. No: For God made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions, Eccl. 7:29.
Q2. Can we now say we are perfectly holy?
A. No: If I say I am perfect, that shall prove me perverse, Job 9:20.
Q3. Can we say we are perfectly happy?
A. No: For man is born to trouble, Job 5:7.
Q4. Are we as we were then?
A. No: Man was planted a noble vine, but is turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine, Jer. 2:21.
Q5. Did man continue long in his state of innocence?
A. No: For man being in honour abideth not, Ps. 49:42.
Q6. Did God leave man to the freedom of his own will?
A. Yes: For if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it, Prov. 9:12.
Q7. Did God draw Adam to sin?
A. No: For God tempteth no man, James 1:13.
Q8. Is he any way the Author of' sin?
A. No: Far be it from God that he should do wickedness, Job 34:10.
Q9. Did he do what was fit to be done to prevent it?
A. Yes: What could have been done more to my vineyard? Isa. 5:4.
Q10. Was he obliged to do more?
A. No: For may he not do what he will with his own? Matt. 20:15.
Q11. Does all the blame of man's sin lie upon himself then?
A. Yes: O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself, Hos. 13:9.
Q12. Did man fall by sinning against God?
A. Yes: Thou hast fallen by thine iniquity, Hos. 14:1.
Q13. Was that the beginning of sin in this world?
A. Yes: For by one man sin entered into the world, Rom, 5:12.
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Sin and Human Nature
The fall, sin, and the misery of humanity
Q13. 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.
Q14. What is sin?
A. Sin is any want of conformity unto, or transgression of, the law of God.
Q15. 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.
Q16. 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.
Q17. Into what estate did the fall bring mankind?
A. The fall brought mankind into an estate of sin and misery.
Q18. 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.
Q19. What is the misery of that estate whereinto man fell?
A. 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.
Q20. 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 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.
### 2. Adam's Sin
Q-15: WHAT WAS THE SIN WHEREBY OUR FIRST PARENTS FELL FROM THE ESTATE WHEREIN THEY WERE CREATED?
A: That sin was eating the forbidden fruit.
'She took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also to her husband.' Gen 3:6.
Here is implied, 1. That our first parents fell from their estate of innocence. 2. The sin by which they fell, was eating the forbidden fruit.
I. Our first parents fell from their glorious state of innocence. ‘God made man upright, but they have sought out many inventions.' Eccl 7:29. Adam was perfectly holy, he had rectitude of mind, and liberty of will to good; but his head ached till he had invented his own and our death; he sought out many inventions. 1. His fall was voluntary. He had a posse non peccare, a power not to fall. Free-will was a sufficient shield to repel temptation. The devil could not have forced him unless he had given his consent. Satan was only a suitor to woo, not a king to compel; but Adam gave away his own power, and suffered himself to be decoyed into sin; like a young gallant, who at one throw loses a fair lordship. Adam had a fair lordship, he was lord of the world. ‘Have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth.' Gen 1:28. But he lost all at one throw. Soon as he sinned, he forfeited paradise. 2. Adam's fall was sudden; he did not long continue in his royal majesty.
How long did Adam continue in paradise before he fell?
Tostatus says, he fell the next day. Pererius says, he fell the eighth day after his creation. The most probable and received opinion is, that he fell the very same day in which he was created. So Irenaeus, Cyril, Epiphanius, and many others. The reasons which incline me to believe so are,
(1.) It is said, Satan was a murderer, ‘from the beginning.' John 8:44. Now, whom did he murder? Not the blessed angels, he could not reach them; nor the cursed angels, for they had before destroyed themselves. How then was Satan a murderer from the beginning? As soon as Satan fell, he began to tempt mankind to sin; this was a murdering temptation. By which it appears Adam did not stay long in Paradise; soon after his creation the devil set upon him, and murdered him by his temptation.
(2.) Adam had not yet eaten of the tree of life. ‘And now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat; the Lord sent him forth of the garden.' Gen 3:22, 23. This tree of life, being one of the choicest fruits in the garden, and being placed in the midst of Paradise, it is very likely Adam would have eaten of this tree of life one of the first, had not the serpent beguiled him with the tree of knowledge. So that I conclude, Adam fell the very day of his creation, because he had not tasted the tree of life, that tree that was most in his eye, and had such delicious fruit growing upon it.
(3.) ‘Man being in honour, abideth not.' Psalm 49:12. The Rabbis read it thus, ‘Adam being in honour, lodged not one night.' The Hebrew word for abide, signifies, ‘To stay or lodge all night.' Adam then, it seems, did not take up one night's lodging in Paradise.
Use one: From Adam's sudden fall learn the weakness of human nature. Adam, in a state of integrity, quickly made a defection from God, he soon lost the robe of innocence and the glory of Paradise. If our nature was thus weak when it was at the best, what is it now when it is at the worst? If Adam did not stand when he was perfectly righteous, how unable are we to stand when sin has cut the lock of our original righteousness! If purified nature did not stand, how shall corrupt nature? If Adam, in a few hours, sinned himself out of Paradise, how quickly would we sin ourselves into hell, if we were not kept by a greater power than our own! But God puts underneath his everlasting arms. Deut 33:27.
Use two: From Adam's sudden fall, learn how sad it is for a man to be left to himself. Adam being left to himself, fell. Oh then, what will become of us, how soon fall, if God should leave us to ourselves! A man without God's grace, left to himself, is like a ship in a storm, without pilot or anchor, and is ready to dash upon every rock. Make this prayer to God, ‘Lord, do not leave me to myself. If Adam fell so soon who had strength, how soon shall I fall who have no strength!' Oh! urge God with his hand and seal. ‘My strength shall be made perfect in weakness.' 2 Cor 12:9.
II. The sin by which our first parents fell was eating the forbidden fruit; where, consider two things:
[1] The occasion of it was the serpent's temptation. The devil crept into the serpent, and spake in the serpent, as the angel in Balaam's ass; where, consider,
(1.) The subtlety of Satan's temptation. His wiles are worse than his darts. Satan's subtlety in tempting; (1.) He dealt all along as an impostor, he ushered in his temptation by lies. 1st Lie. ‘Ye shall not surely die.' Gen 3:3. 2nd Lie. That God did envy our first parents their happiness. ‘God knows, that in the day ye eat, your eyes shall be opened;' verse 5. q. d. It is God's envying your felicity, that he forbids you this tree. 3rd Lie. That they should be thereby made like unto God. ‘Ye shall be as gods.' Verse 5. Here was his subtlety in tempting. The devil was first a liar, then a murderer.
(2.) In that he set upon our first parents so quickly, before they were confirmed in their obedience. The angels in heaven are fully confirmed in holiness; they are called stars of the morning, Job 38:7, and they are fixed stars; but our first parents were not confirmed in their obedience, they were not fixed in their orb of holiness. Though they had a possibility of standing, they had not an impossibility of falling; they were holy, but mutable. There was Satan's subtlety, in tempting our first parents before they were confirmed in their obedience.
(3.) His subtlety in tempting was, That he set upon Eve first because he thought she was less able to resist. Satan broke over the hedge where it was weakest; he knew he could more easily insinuate and wind himself into her by a temptation. An expert soldier, when about to storm or enter a castle, observes warily where there is a breach, or how he may enter with more facility; so did Satan the weaker vessel. He tempted Eve first, because he knew, if once he could prevail with her, she would easily draw her husband. Thus the devil handed over a temptation to Job by his wife. ‘Curse God and die.' Job 2:9. Agrippina poisoned the Emperor Commodus, with wine in a perfumed cup; the cup being perfumed and given him by his wife it was the less suspected. Satan knew a temptation coming to Adam from his wife would be more prevailing, and would be less suspected. Oh bitter! sometimes relations prove temptations. A wife may be a snare, when she dissuades her husband from doing his duty, or entices him to evil. ‘Ahab sold himself to work wickedness, whom his wife Jezebel stirred up.' I Kings 21:15. She blew the coals, and made his sin flame out the more. Satan's subtlety was in tempting Adam by his wife; he thought she would draw him to sin.
(4.) Satan's subtlety in tempting was in assaulting Eve's faith. He would persuade her that God had not spoken truth: ‘Ye shall not surely die.' Gen 3:3. This was Satan's masterpiece, to weaken her faith. When he had shaken that, and had brought her once to distrust: then ‘she yielded,' she presently put forth her hand to evil.
(2.) Satan's cruelty in tempting. Soon as Adam was invested in all his glory, the devil cruelly, as it were on the day of Adam's coronation, would dethrone him, and bring him and all his posterity under a curse. See how little love Satan has to mankind; he has an implacable antipathy against us, and antipathies can never be reconciled. So much for the occasion of Adam's sin, or his being tempted by the serpent.
[2] The sin itself, ‘Eating the forbidden fruit.' This was very heinous, and that appears three ways. (1.) In respect of the person that committed it. (2.) The aggravation of the sin. (3.) The dreadfulness of the effect.
(1.) It was very heinous in respect of the person that committed it. Adam had excellent and noble endowments; he was illumined with knowledge, embellished with holiness; he knew his duty, and it was as easy to him to obey God's command as to know it; he might have chosen whether he would sin or no; yet he wilfully did eat of the forbidden tree.
(2.) The aggravation of Adam's sin.
Wherein did it appear to be so great? It was but raptus pomi [the seizing of an apple]. Was it such a great matter to pluck an apple?
It was against an infinite God. It was malum complexum, a voluminous sin, there were many twisted together in it; as Cicero says of parricide, ‘He who is guilty of it, Plurima committit peccata in uno, he commits many sins in one;' so there were many sins in this one sin of Adam. It was a big-bellied sin, a chain with many links. Ten sins were in it.
(1:) Incredulity. Our first parents did not believe what God had spoken was truth. God said, They shall die the death in the day they eat of that tree. They believed not that they should die; they could not be persuaded that such fair fruit had death at the door. Thus, by unbelief they made God a liar; nay, which was worse, they believed the devil rather than God.
(2:) Unthankfulness, which is the epitome of all sin. Adam's sin was committed in the midst of Paradise. God had enriched him with variety of mercies; he had stamped his own image upon him; he had made him lord of the world; gave him of all the trees of the garden to eat (one only excepted), and now to take of that tree! This was high ingratitude; it was like the dye to the wool, which makes it crimson. When Adam's eyes were opened, and he saw what he had done, well might he be ashamed, and hide himself. How could he who sinned in the midst of Paradise, look God in the face without blushing!
(3:) In Adam's sin was discontent. Had he not been discontented, he would never have sought to have altered his condition. Adam, one would think, had enough, he differed but little from the angels, he had the robe of innocence to clothe him, and the glory of Paradise to crown him; yet he was not content, he would have more; he would be above the ordinary rank of creatures. How wide was Adam's heart, that a whole world could not fill it!
(4:) Pride, in that he would be like God. This worm, that was but newly crept out of the dust, now aspired after Deity. ‘Ye shall be as gods,' said Satan, and Adam hoped to have been so indeed; he supposed the tree of knowledge would have anointed his eyes, and made him omniscient. But, by climbing too high, he got a fall.
(5:) Disobedience. God said, ‘Thou shalt not eat of the tree;' but he would eat of it, though it cost him his life. Disobedience is a sin against equity. It is right we should serve him from whom we have our subsistence. God gave Adam his allowance, therefore it was but right he should give God his allegiance. How could God endure to see his laws trampled on before his face? This made him place a flaming sword at the end of the garden.
(6:) Curiosity. He meddled with that which was out of his sphere, and did not belong to him. God smote the men of Bethshemesh for looking into the ark. I Sam 6:19. Adam would be prying into God's secrets, and tasting what was forbidden.
(7:) Wantonness. Though Adam had a choice of all the other trees, yet his palate grew wanton, and he must have this tree. Like Israel, God sent them manna, angels' food, ay, but they had a hankering after quails. It was not enough that God supplied their wants, unless he should satisfy their lusts. Adam had not only for necessity, but for delight; yet his wanton palate lusted after forbidden fruit.
(8:) Sacrilege. The tree of knowledge was none of Adam's, yet he took of it, and did sacrilegiously rob God of his due. It was counted a great crime in Harpalus to rob the temple, and steal the silver vessels; so it was in Adam to steal fruit from that tree which God had peculiarly enclosed for himself. Sacrilege is double theft.
(9:) Murder. Adam was a public person, and all his posterity were involved and wrapped up in him; and he, by sinning, at once destroyed all his posterity, if free grace did not interpose. If Abel's blood cried so loud in God's ears, ‘The voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground,' Gen 4:10; how loud did the blood of all Adam's posterity cry against him for vengeance!
(10:) Presumption. Adam presumed of God's mercy; he blessed himself, saying he should have peace; he thought, though he did transgress, he should not die; that God would sooner reverse his decree than punish him. This was great presumption. What a heinous sin was Adam's breach of covenant!
One sin may have many sins in it. We are apt to have slight thoughts of sin, and say it is but a little one. How many sins were in Adam's sin! Oh take heed of any sin! As in one volume there may be many works bound up, so there may be many sins in one sin.
[3] The dreadfulness of the effect. It has corrupted man's nature. How rank is that poison a drop whereof could poison a whole sea! And how deadly is that sin of Adam, that could poison all mankind, and bring a curse upon them, till it be taken away by him who was made a curse for us.