himself to sin and consequently to death and the curse, giving ear to the words of the devil.” Transgressing “the commandment of life,” he “corrupted his whole nature” and “lost all his excellent gifts which he had received from God, and retained only small remains thereof, which, however, are sufficient to leave man without excuse.”14 The same affirmation of created dignity and total corruption appears in the Heidelberg Catechism (Q. 6) and in the Westminster Confession (Ch. IV.2) and its catechisms