Q13. What hath God especially decreed concerning angels and men?
A. God, by an eternal and immutable decree, out of his mere love, for the praise of his glorious grace, to be manifested in due time, hath elected some angels to glory [w]; and in Christ hath chosen some men to eternal life, and the means thereof [x]: and also, according to his sovereign power, and the unsearchable counsel of his own will, (whereby he extendeth or withholdeth favor as he pleaseth,) hath passed by and foreordained the rest to dishonor and wrath, to be for their sin inflicted, to the praise of the glory of his justice [y].

Q14. How doth God execute his decrees?
A. God executeth his decrees in the works of creation and providence, according to his infallible foreknowledge, and the free and immutable counsel of his own will [z].

Q15. What is the work of creation?
A. The work of creation is that wherein God did in the beginning, by the word of his power, make of nothing the world, and all things therein, for himself, within the space of six days, and all very good [a].

Q16. How did God create angels?
A. God created all the angels [b] spirits [c], immortal [d], holy [e], excelling in knowledge [f], mighty in power [g], to execute his commandments, and to praise his name [h], yet subject to change [i].

Q17. How did God create man?
A. After God had made all other creatures, he created man male and female [k]; formed the body of the man of the dust of the ground [l], and the woman of the rib of the man [m], endued them with living, reasonable, and immortal souls [n]; made them after his own image [o], in knowledge [p], righteousness, and holiness [q]; having the law of God written in their hearts [r], and power to fulfill it [s], and dominion over the creatures [t]; yet subject to fall [v].

Q18. 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 [z] all his creatures; ordering them, and all their actions [a], to his own glory [b].

Q19. What is God’s providence towards the angels?
A. God by his providence permitted some of the angels, willfully and irrecoverably, to fall into sin and damnation [c], limiting and ordering that, and all their sins, to his own glory [d]; and established the rest in holiness and happiness [e]; employing them all [f], at his pleasure, in the administrations of his power, mercy, and justice [g].

Q20. What was the providence of God toward man in the estate in which he was created?
A. The providence of God toward man in the estate in which he was created, was the placing him in paradise, appointing him to dress it, giving him liberty to eat of the fruit of the earth [h]; putting the creatures under his dominion [i], and ordaining marriage for his help [k]; affording him communion with himself [l]; instituting the sabbath [m]; entering into a covenant of life with him, upon condition of personal, perfect, and perpetual obedience [n], of which the tree of life was a pledge [o]; and forbidding to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, upon the pain of death [p].

Q21. Did man continue in that estate wherein God at first created him?
A. Our first parents being left to the freedom of their own will, through the temptation of Satan, transgressed the commandment of God in eating the forbidden fruit; and thereby fell from the estate of innocency wherein they were created [q].

Q22. Did all mankind fall in that first transgression?
A. The covenant being made with Adam as a public person, not for himself only, but for his posterity, all mankind descending from him by ordinary generation [r], sinned in him, and fell with him in that first transgression [s].

Q23. Into what estate did the fall bring mankind?
A. The fall brought mankind into an estate of sin and misery [t].

Q24. What is sin?
A. Sin is any want of conformity unto, or transgression of, any law of God, given as a rule to the reasonable creature [v].