_This is not only agreeable to many instances contained in scripture, but it has been acknowledged to be just by the very heathen, as agreeable to the law of nature and nations. Thus one says: Sometimes a whole city is punished for the wickedness of one man: Thus Hesiod,_ πολλακι και ξυμπασα πολις κακου ανδρος επαυρει; _and Horace says,_ Quicquid delirant reges, plectuntur Achivi: _And one observes, that it was the custom of several cities of Greece, to inflict the same punishment on the children of tyrants, as their fathers had done on others:_ In Græcis civitatibus liberi tyrannorum suppressis illis, eodem supplicio afficiuntur. _Vid. Cicer. Epist. ad Brut. XV. & Q. Curt. Lib. VI. speaks of a law observed among the Macedonians; in which, traiterous conspiracies against the life of the prince were punished, not only in the traitors themselves, but in their near relations,_ Qui regi infidiati essent, illi cum cognatis & propinquis suis morte afficerentur. Footnote 65: _See Quest._ xxvii. Footnote 66: _See Quest._ xxvii. Quest. XXIII., XXIV., XXV., XXVI. QUEST. XXIII. _Into what estate did the fall bring mankind?_ ANSW. The fall brought mankind into an estate of sin and misery. QUEST. XXIV. _What is sin?_ ANSW. Sin is any want of conformity unto, or transgression of any law of God, given as a rule to the reasonable creature. QUEST. XXV. _Wherein consisteth the sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell?_ ANSW. The sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell, consisteth in the guilt of Adam’s first sin, the want of that righteousness wherein he was created; and the corruption of his nature, whereby he is utterly indisposed, disabled, and made opposite unto all that is spiritually good, and wholly inclined to all evil, and that continually, which is commonly called, Original sin, and from which do proceed all actual transgressions. QUEST. XXVI. _How is original sin conveyed from our first parents unto their posterity?_ ANSW. Original sin is conveyed from our first parents unto their posterity by natural generation, so as all that proceed from them, in that way, are conceived and born in sin. Having considered the fall of our first parents, and all mankind being so far concerned therein, as that their sin is imputed to them; we are now led to speak concerning that sin and misery which ensues hereupon. And, I. This is not barely called a single act of sin, or one particular instance of misery, but a state of sin and misery. Man’s being brought into a state of sin, is sometimes called sin’s reigning, or having dominion over him; and his being brought into a state of misery, is called the reign, or dominion of death; so that as, by various steps, we proceed from one degree of sin unto another, our condemnation is gradually enhanced thereby. This is the subject matter of the first of these answers.