Question 21

Doth this appear in the case of those who never committed actual sin?

Yes. For death reigned from Adam unto Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression,^b

Is it usual for God thus to impute the sins of the fathers to the children?

Yes. He visiteth the iniquity of the fathers upon the children,^c

And is he just in so doing?

Yes. There is no unrighteousness in him,^d

Are there no remains of it?

No. In me, that is in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing,^f

Are we thereby incapacitated for duty?

Yes. How to perform that which is good I find not,^g

And estranged from it?

Yes. They are all estranged from me,^h

Is the nature of man defiled by the fall?

Yes. We are all as an unclean thing,ⁱ

Doth this defilement extend to both the inward and the outward man?

Yes. It is a filthiness both to flesh and spirit,^j

Doth it extend to all the faculties of the inward man?

Yes. Their mind and conscience is defiled,^k

And to all the members of the outward man?

Yes. For we yield our members as servants to uncleanness and to iniquity,^l

Do we now commit sin naturally?

Yes. We drink iniquity like water,^m

And delight in it?

Yes. It is sweet in the mouth,ⁿ

Is this the case of little children?

Yes. For foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child,^o

And of all mankind?

Yes. For the whole world lieth in wickedness,^p

And to the law of God?

Yes. It is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be,^r

And to the grace of God?

Yes. For the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh, and these are contrary the one to the other,^s

And are the worst men’s actions a copy of the best men’s hearts?

Yes. For as in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man,^t