Westminster Larger Catechism

Q. 2. How doth it appear that there is a God?
A. The very light of nature in man, and the works of God, declare plainly that there is a God;³ but his word and Spirit only do sufficiently and effectually reveal him unto men for their salvation.⁴

Q. 3. What is the Word of God?
A. The holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the Word of God,⁵ the only rule of faith and obedience.⁶

Q. 4. How doth it appear that the Scriptures are of the Word of God?
A. The Scriptures manifest themselves to be the Word of God, by their majesty⁷ and purity;⁸ by the consent of all the parts,⁹ and the scope of the whole, which is to give all glory to God;¹⁰ by their light and power to convince and convert sinners, to comfort and build up believers unto salvation:¹¹ but the Spirit of God bearing witness by and with the Scriptures in the heart of man, is alone able fully to persuade it that they are the very word of God.¹²

Q. 5. What do the Scriptures principally teach?
A. The Scriptures principally teach, what man is to believe concerning God, and what duty God requires of man.¹³

WHAT MAN OUGHT TO BELIEVE CONCERNING GOD.

Q. 6. What do the Scriptures make known of God?
A. The Scriptures make known what God is,¹⁴ the persons in the Godhead,¹⁵ his decrees,¹⁶ and the execution of his decrees.¹⁷

Q. 7. What is God?
A. God is a Spirit,¹⁸ in and of himself infinite in being,¹⁹ glory,²⁰ blessedness,²¹ and perfection;²² all-sufficient,²³ eternal,²⁴ unchangeable,²⁵ incomprehensible,²⁶ every where present,²⁷ almighty,²⁸ knowing all things,²⁹ most wise,³⁰ most holy,³¹ most just,³² most merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth.³³

Q. 8. Are there more Gods than one?
A. There is but one only, the living and true God.³⁴

Q. 9. How many persons are there in the Godhead?
A. There be three persons in the Godhead, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one true, eternal God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory; although distinguished by their personal properties.³⁵

Q. 10. What are the personal properties of the three persons in the Godhead?
A. It is proper to the Father to beget the Son,³⁶ and to the Son to be begotten of the Father,³⁷ and to the Holy Ghost to proceed from the Father and the Son from all eternity.³⁸

Q. 11. How doth it appear that the Son and the Holy Ghost are God equal with the Father?
A. The Scriptures manifest that the Son and the Holy Ghost are God equal with the Father, ascribing unto them such names,³⁹ attributes,⁴⁰ works,⁴¹ and worship,⁴² as are proper to God only.

Q. 12. What are the decrees of God?
A. God’s decrees are the wise, free, and holy acts of the counsel of his will,⁴³ whereby, from all eternity, he hath, for his own glory, unchangeably foreordained whatsoever comes to pass in time,⁴⁴ especially concerning angels and men.

Q. 13. 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;⁴⁵ and in Christ hath chosen some men to eternal life, and the means thereof:⁴⁶ 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.⁴⁷

Q. 14. 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.⁴⁸

Q. 15. 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.⁴⁹

Q. 16. How did God create angels?
A. God created all the angels⁵⁰ spirits,⁵¹ immortal,⁵² holy,⁵³ excelling in knowledge,⁵⁴ mighty in power,⁵⁵ to execute his commandments, and to praise his name,⁵⁶ yet subject to change.⁵⁷

Q. 17. How did God create man?
A. After God had made all other creatures, he created man male and female;⁵⁸ formed the body of the man of the dust of the ground,⁵⁹ and the woman of the rib of the man,⁶⁰ endued them with living, reasonable, and immortal souls;⁶¹ made them after his own image,⁶² in knowledge,⁶³ righteousness, and holiness;⁶⁴ having the law of God written in their hearts,⁶⁵ and power to fulfill it,⁶⁶ and dominion over the creatures;⁶⁷ yet subject to fall.⁶⁸

Q. 18. What are God’s works of providence?
A. God’s works of providence are his most holy,⁶⁹ wise,⁷⁰ and powerful preserving⁷¹ and governing⁷² all his creatures; ordering them, and all their actions,⁷³ to his own glory.⁷⁴

Q. 19. 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,⁷⁵ limiting and ordering that, and all their sins, to his own glory;⁷⁶ and established the rest in holiness and happiness;⁷⁷ employing them all,⁷⁸ at his pleasure, in the administrations of his power, mercy, and justice.⁷⁹

Q. 20. 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;⁸⁰ putting the creatures under his dominion,⁸¹ and ordaining marriage for his help;⁸² affording him communion with himself;⁸³ instituting the sabbath;⁸⁴ entering into a covenant of life with him, upon condition of personal, perfect, and perpetual obedience,⁸⁵ of which the tree of life was a pledge;⁸⁶ and forbidding to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, upon the pain of death.⁸⁷

Q. 21. 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.⁸⁸

Q. 22. 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,⁸⁹ sinned in him, and fell with him in that first transgression.⁹⁰

Q. 23. Into what estate did the fall bring mankind?
A. The fall brought mankind into an estate of sin and misery.⁹¹

Q. 24. 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.⁹²

Q. 25. Wherein consisteth the sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell?
A. The sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell, consisteth in the guilt of Adam’s first sin,⁹³ 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;⁹⁴ which is commonly called original sin, and from which do proceed all actual transgressions.⁹⁵

Q. 26. How is original sin conveyed from our first parents unto their posterity?
A. 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.⁹⁶

Q. 27. What misery did the fall bring upon mankind?
A. The fall brought upon mankind the loss of communion with God,⁹⁷ his displeasure and curse; so as we are by nature children of wrath,⁹⁸ bond slaves to Satan,⁹⁹ and justly liable to all punishments in this world, and that which is to come.¹⁰⁰

Q. 28. What are the punishments of sin in this world?
A. The punishments of sin in this world are either inward, as blindness of mind,¹⁰¹ a reprobate sense,¹⁰² strong delusions,¹⁰³ hardness of heart,¹⁰⁴ horror of conscience,¹⁰⁵ and vile affections;¹⁰⁶ or outward, as the curse of God upon the creatures of our sakes,¹⁰⁷ and all other evils that befall us in our bodies, names, estates, relations, and employments;¹⁰⁸ together with death itself.¹⁰⁹

Q. 29. What are the punishments of sin in the world to come?
A. The punishments of sin in the world to come, are everlasting separation from the comfortable presence of God, and most grievous torments in soul and body, without intermission, in hell-fire forever.¹¹⁰

Q. 30. Doth God leave all mankind to perish in the estate of sin and misery?
A. God doth not leave all men to perish in the estate of sin and misery,¹¹¹ into which they fell by the breach of the first covenant, commonly called the covenant of works;¹¹² but of his mere love and mercy delivereth his elect out of it, and bringeth them into an estate of salvation by the second covenant, commonly called the covenant of grace.¹¹³

Q. 31. With whom was the covenant of grace made?
A. The covenant of grace was made with Christ as the second Adam, and in him with all the elect as his seed.¹¹⁴

Q. 32. How is the grace of God manifested in the second covenant?
A. The grace of God is manifested in the second covenant, in that he freely provideth and offereth to sinners a Mediator,¹¹⁵ and life and salvation by him;¹¹⁶ and requiring faith as the condition to interest them in him,¹¹⁷ promiseth and giveth his Holy Spirit¹¹⁸ to all his elect, to work in them that faith,¹¹⁹ with all other saving graces;¹²⁰ and to enable them unto all holy obedience,¹²¹ as the evidence of the truth of their faith¹²² and thankfulness to God,¹²³ and as the way which he hath appointed them to salvation.¹²⁴

Q. 33. Was the covenant of grace always administered after one and the same manner?
A. The covenant of grace was not always administered after the same manner, but the administrations of it under the Old Testament were different from those under the New.¹²⁵

Q. 34. How was the covenant of grace administered under the Old Testament?
A. The covenant of grace was administered under the Old Testament, by promises,¹²⁶ prophecies,¹²⁷ sacrifices,¹²⁸ circumcision,¹²⁹ the passover,¹³⁰ and other types and ordinances, which did all fore-signify Christ then to come, and were for that time sufficient to build up the elect in faith in the promised Messiah,¹³¹ by whom they then had full remission of sin, and eternal salvation.¹³²

Q. 35. How is the covenant of grace administered under the New Testament?
A. Under the New Testament, when Christ the substance was exhibited, the same covenant of grace was and still is to be administered in the preaching of the Word,¹³³ and the administration of the sacraments of Baptism¹³⁴ and the Lord’s Supper;¹³⁵ in which grace and salvation are held forth in more fulness, evidence, and efficacy, to all nations.¹³⁶

Q. 36. Who is the Mediator of the covenant of grace?
A. The only Mediator of the covenant of grace is the Lord Jesus Christ,¹³⁷ who, being the eternal Son of God, of one substance and equal with the Father,¹³⁸ in the fulness of time became man,¹³⁹ and so was and continues to be God and man, in two entire distinct natures, and one person, forever.¹⁴⁰

Q. 37. How did Christ, being the Son of God, become man?
A. Christ the Son of God became man, by taking to himself a true body, and a reasonable soul,¹⁴¹ being conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost in the womb of the virgin Mary, of her substance, and born of her,¹⁴² yet without sin.¹⁴³

Q. 38. Why was it requisite that the Mediator should be God?
A. It was requisite that the Mediator should be God, that he might sustain and keep the human nature from sinking under the infinite wrath of God, and the power of death,¹⁴⁴ give worth and efficacy to his sufferings, obedience, and intercession;¹⁴⁵ and to satisfy God’s justice,¹⁴⁶ procure his favour,¹⁴⁷ purchase a peculiar people,¹⁴⁸ give his Spirit to them,¹⁴⁹ conquer all their enemies,¹⁵⁰ and bring them to everlasting salvation.¹⁵¹

Q. 39. Why was it requisite that the Mediator should be man?
A. It was requisite that the Mediator should be man, that he might advance our nature,¹⁵² perform obedience to the law,¹⁵³ suffer and make intercession for us in our nature,¹⁵⁴ have a fellow-feeling of our infirmities;¹⁵⁵ that we might receive the adoption of sons,¹⁵⁶ and have comfort and access with boldness unto the throne of grace.¹⁵⁷

Q. 40. Why was it requisite that the Mediator should be God and man in one person?
A. It was requisite that the Mediator, who was to reconcile God and man, should himself be both God and man, and this in one person, that the proper works of each nature might be accepted of God for us,¹⁵⁸ and relied on by us as the works of the whole person.¹⁵⁹

Q. 41. Why was our Mediator called Jesus?
A. Our Mediator was called Jesus, because he saveth his people from their sins.¹⁶⁰

Q. 42. Why was our Mediator called Christ?
A. Our Mediator was called Christ, because he was anointed with the Holy Ghost above measure,¹⁶¹ and so set apart, and fully furnished with all authority and ability,¹⁶² to execute the offices of prophet,¹⁶³ priest,¹⁶⁴ and king of his church,¹⁶⁵ in the estate both of his humiliation and exaltation.

Q. 43. How doth Christ execute the office of a prophet?
A. Christ executeth the office of a prophet, in his revealing to the church,¹⁶⁶ in all ages, by his Spirit and Word,¹⁶⁷ in divers ways of administration,¹⁶⁸ the whole will of God,¹⁶⁹ in all things concerning their edification and salvation.¹⁷⁰

Q. 44. How doth Christ execute the office of a priest?
A. Christ executeth the office of a priest, in his once offering himself a sacrifice without spot to God,¹⁷¹ to be reconciliation for the sins of his people;¹⁷² and in making continual intercession for them.¹⁷³

Q. 45. How doth Christ execute the office of a king?
A. Christ executeth the office of a king, in calling out of the world a people to himself,¹⁷⁴ and giving them officers,¹⁷⁵ laws,¹⁷⁶ and censures, by which he visibly governs them;¹⁷⁷ in bestowing saving grace upon his elect,¹⁷⁸ rewarding their obedience,¹⁷⁹ and correcting them for their sins,¹⁸⁰ preserving and supporting them under all their temptations and sufferings,¹⁸¹ restraining and overcoming all their enemies,¹⁸² and powerfully ordering all things for his own glory,¹⁸³ and their good;¹⁸⁴ and also in taking vengeance on the rest, who know not God, and obey not the gospel.¹⁸⁵

Q. 46. What was the estate of Christ’s humiliation?
A. The estate of Christ’s humiliation was that low condition, wherein he for our sakes, emptying himself of his glory, took upon him the form of a servant, in his conception and birth, life, death, and after his death, until his resurrection.¹⁸⁶

Q. 47. How did Christ humble himself in his conception and birth?
A. Christ humbled himself in his conception and birth, in that, being from all eternity the Son of God, in the bosom of the Father, he was pleased in the fulness of time to become the son of man, made of a woman of low estate, and to be born of her; with divers circumstances of more than ordinary abasement.¹⁸⁷

Q. 48. How did Christ humble himself in his life?
A. Christ humbled himself in his life, by subjecting himself to the law,¹⁸⁸ which he perfectly fulfilled;¹⁸⁹ and by conflicting with the indignities of the world,¹⁹⁰ temptations of Satan,¹⁹¹ and infirmities in his flesh, whether common to the nature of man, or particularly accompanying that his low condition.¹⁹²

Q. 49. How did Christ humble himself in his death?
A. Christ humbled himself in his death, in that having been betrayed by Judas,¹⁹³ forsaken by his disciples,¹⁹⁴ scorned and rejected by the world,¹⁹⁵ condemned by Pilate, and tormented by his persecutors;¹⁹⁶ having also conflicted with the terrors of death, and the powers of darkness, felt and borne the weight of God’s wrath,¹⁹⁷ he laid down his life an offering for sin,¹⁹⁸ enduring the painful, shameful, and cursed death of the cross.¹⁹⁹

Q. 50. Wherein consisted Christ’s humiliation after his death?
A. Christ’s humiliation after his death consisted in his being buried,²⁰⁰ and continuing in the state of the dead, and under the power of death till the third day;²⁰¹ which hath been otherwise expressed in these words, He descended into hell.

Q. 52. How was Christ exalted in his resurrection?
A. Christ was exalted in his resurrection, in that, not having seen corruption in death, (of which it was not possible for him to be held,)²⁰⁶ and having the very same body in which he suffered, with the essential properties thereof,²⁰⁷ (but without mortality, and other common infirmities belonging to this life,) really united to his soul,²⁰⁸ he rose again from the dead the third day by his own power;²⁰⁹ whereby he declared himself to be the Son of God,²¹⁰ to have satisfied divine justice,²¹¹ to have vanquished death, and him that had the power of it,²¹² and to be Lord of quick and dead:²¹³ all which he did as a public person,²¹⁴ the head of his church,²¹⁵ for their justification,²¹⁶ quickening in grace,²¹⁷ support against enemies,²¹⁸ and to assure them of their resurrection from the dead at the last day.²¹⁹

Q. 53. How was Christ exalted in his ascension?
A. Christ was exalted in his ascension, in that having after his resurrection often appeared unto and conversed with his apostles, speaking to them of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God,²²⁰ and giving them commission to preach the gospel to all nations,²²¹ forty days after his resurrection, he, in our nature, and as our head,²²² triumphing over enemies,²²³ visibly went up into the highest heavens, there to receive gifts for men,²²⁴ to raise up our affections thither,²²⁵ and to prepare a place for us,²²⁶ where he himself is, and shall continue till his second coming at the end of the world.²²⁷

Q. 54. How is Christ exalted in his sitting at the right hand of God?
A. Christ is exalted in his sitting at the right hand of God, in that as God-man he is advanced to the highest favour with God the Father,²²⁸ with all fulness of joy,²²⁹ glory,²³⁰ and power over all things in heaven and earth;²³¹ and does gather and defend his church, and subdue their enemies; furnisheth his ministers and people with gifts and graces,²³² and maketh intercession for them.²³³

Q. 55. How doeth Christ make intercession?
A. Christ maketh intercession, by his appearing in our nature continually before the Father in heaven,²³⁴ in the merit of his obedience and sacrifice on earth,²³⁵ declaring his will to have it applied to all believers;²³⁶ answering all accusations against them,²³⁷ and procuring for them quiet of conscience, notwithstanding daily failings,²³⁸ access with boldness to the throne of grace,²³⁹ and acceptance of their persons²⁴⁰ and services.²⁴¹

Q. 56. How is Christ to be exalted in his coming again to judge the world?
A. Christ is to be exalted in his coming again to judge the world, in that he, who was unjustly judged and condemned by wicked men,²⁴² shall come again at the last day in great power,²⁴³ and in the full manifestation of his own glory, and of his Father’s, with all his holy angels,²⁴⁴ with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God,²⁴⁵ to judge the world in righteousness.²⁴⁶

Q. 57. What benefits hath Christ procured by his mediation?
A. Christ, by his mediation, hath procured redemption,²⁴⁷ with all other benefits of the covenant of grace.²⁴⁸

Q. 58. How do we come to be made partakers of the benefits which Christ hath procured?
A. We are made partakers of the benefits which Christ hath procured, by the application of them unto us,²⁴⁹ which is the work especially of God the Holy Ghost.²⁵⁰

Q. 59. Who are made partakers of redemption through Christ?
A. Redemption is certainly applied, and effectually communicated, to all those for whom Christ hath purchased it;²⁵¹ who are in time by the Holy Ghost enabled to believe in Christ according to the gospel.²⁵²

Q. 60. Can they who have never heard the gospel, and so know not Jesus Christ, nor believe in him, be saved by their living according to the light of nature?
A. They who, having never heard the gospel,²⁵³ know not Jesus Christ,²⁵⁴ and believe not in him, cannot be saved,²⁵⁵ be they never so diligent to frame their lives according to the light of nature,²⁵⁶ or the laws of that religion which they profess;²⁵⁷ neither is there salvation in any other, but in Christ alone,²⁵⁸ who is the Savior only of his body the church.²⁵⁹

Q. 61. Are all they saved who hear the gospel, and live in the church?
A. All that hear the gospel, and live in the visible church, are not saved; but they only who are true members of the church invisible.²⁶⁰

Q. 62. What is the visible church?
A. The visible church is a society made up of all such as in all ages and places of the world do profess the true religion,²⁶¹ and of their children.²⁶²

Q. 63. What are the special privileges of the visible church?
A. The visible church hath the privilege of being under God’s special care and government;²⁶³ of being protected and preserved in all ages, notwithstanding the opposition of all enemies;²⁶⁴ and of enjoying the communion of saints, the ordinary means of salvation,²⁶⁵ and offers of grace by Christ to all the members of it in the ministry of the gospel, testifying, that whosoever believes in him shall be saved,²⁶⁶ and excluding none that will come unto him.²⁶⁷

Q. 64. What is the invisible church?
A. The invisible church is the whole number of the elect, that have been, are, or shall be gathered into one under Christ the head.²⁶⁸

Q. 65. What special benefits do the members of the invisible church enjoy by Christ?
A. The members of the invisible church by Christ enjoy union and communion with him in grace and glory.²⁶⁹

Q. 66. What is that union which the elect have with Christ?
A. The union which the elect have with Christ is the work of God’s grace,²⁷⁰ whereby they are spiritually and mystically, yet really and inseparably, joined to Christ as their head and husband;²⁷¹ which is done in their effectual calling.²⁷²

Q. 67. What is effectual calling?
A. Effectual calling is the work of God’s almighty power and grace,²⁷³ whereby (out of his free and special love to his elect, and from nothing in them moving him thereunto)²⁷⁴ he doth, in his accepted time, invite and draw them to Jesus Christ, by his Word and Spirit;²⁷⁵ savingly enlightening their minds,²⁷⁶ renewing and powerfully determining their wills,²⁷⁷ so as they (although in themselves dead in sin) are hereby made willing and able freely to answer his call, and to accept and embrace the grace offered and conveyed therein.²⁷⁸

Q. 68. Are the elect only effectually called?
A. All the elect, and they only, are effectually called:²⁷⁹ although others may be, and often are, outwardly called by the ministry of the Word,²⁸⁰ and have some common operations of the Spirit;²⁸¹ who, for their wilful neglect and contempt of the grace offered to them, being justly left in their unbelief, do never truly come to Jesus Christ.²⁸²

Q. 69. What is the communion in grace which the members of the invisible church have with Christ?
A. The communion in grace which the members of the invisible church have with Christ, is their partaking of the virtue of his mediation, in their justification,²⁸³ adoption,²⁸⁴ sanctification, and whatever else, in this life, manifests their union with him.²⁸⁵

Q. 70. What is justification?
A. Justification is an act of God’s free grace unto sinners,²⁸⁶ in which he pardoneth all their sins, accepteth and accounteth their persons righteous in his sight;²⁸⁷ not for any thing wrought in them, or done by them,²⁸⁸ but only for the perfect obedience and full satisfaction of Christ, by God imputed to them,²⁸⁹ and received by faith alone.²⁹⁰

Q. 71. How is justification an act of God’s free grace?
A. Although Christ, by his obedience and death, did make a proper, real, and full satisfaction to God’s justice in the behalf of them that are justified;²⁹¹ yet in as much as God accepteth the satisfaction from a surety, which he might have demanded of them, and did provide this surety, his own only Son,²⁹² imputing his righteousness to them,²⁹³ and requiring nothing of them for their justification but faith,²⁹⁴ which also is his gift,²⁹⁵ their justification is to them of free grace.²⁹⁶

Q. 72. What is justifying faith?
A. Justifying faith is a saving grace,²⁹⁷ wrought in the heart of a sinner by the Spirit²⁹⁸ and Word of God,²⁹⁹ whereby he, being convinced of his sin and misery, and of the disability in himself and all other creatures to recover him out of his lost condition,³⁰⁰ not only assenteth to the truth of the promise of the gospel,³⁰¹ but receiveth and resteth upon Christ and his righteousness, therein held forth, for pardon of sin,³⁰² and for the accepting and accounting of his person righteous in the sight of God for salvation.³⁰³

Q. 73. How doth faith justify a sinner in the sight of God?
A. Faith justifies a sinner in the sight of God, not because of those other graces which do always accompany it, or of good works that are the fruits of it,³⁰⁴ nor as if the grace of faith, or any act thereof, were imputed to him for his justification;³⁰⁵ but only as it is an instrument by which he receiveth and applieth Christ and his righteousness.³⁰⁶

Q. 74. What is adoption?
A. Adoption is an act of the free grace of God,³⁰⁷ in and for his only Son Jesus Christ,³⁰⁸ whereby all those that are justified are received into the number of his children,³⁰⁹ have his name put upon them,³¹⁰ the Spirit of his Son given to them,³¹¹ are under his fatherly care and dispensations,³¹² admitted to all the liberties and privileges of the sons of God, made heirs of all the promises, and fellow-heirs with Christ in glory.³¹³

Q. 75. What is sanctification?
A. Sanctification is a work of God’s grace, whereby they whom God hath, before the foundation of the world, chosen to be holy, are in time, through the powerful operation of his Spirit³¹⁴ applying the death and resurrection of Christ unto them,³¹⁵ renewed in their whole man after the image of God;³¹⁶ having the seeds of repentance unto life, and all other saving graces, put into their hearts,³¹⁷ and those graces so stirred up, increased, and strengthened,³¹⁸ as that they more and more die unto sin, and rise unto newness of life.³¹⁹

Q. 76. What is repentance unto life?
A. Repentance unto life is a saving grace,³²⁰ wrought in the heart of a sinner by the Spirit³²¹ and Word of God,³²² whereby, out of the sight and sense, not only of the danger,³²³ but also of the filthiness and odiousness of his sins,³²⁴ and upon the apprehension of God’s mercy in Christ to such as are penitent,³²⁵ he so grieves for³²⁶ and hates his sins,³²⁷ as that he turns from them all to God,³²⁸ purposing and endeavouring constantly to walk with him in all the ways of new obedience.³²⁹

Q. 77. Wherein do justification and sanctification differ?
A. Although sanctification be inseparably joined with justification,³³⁰ yet they differ, in that God in justification imputeth the righteousness of Christ;³³¹ in sanctification of his Spirit infuseth grace, and enableth to the exercise thereof;³³² in the former, sin is pardoned;³³³ in the other, it is subdued:³³⁴ the one doth equally free all believers from the revenging wrath of God, and that perfectly in this life, that they never fall into condemnation³³⁵ the other is neither equal in all,³³⁶ nor in this life perfect in any,³³⁷ but growing up to perfection.³³⁸

Q. 78. Whence ariseth the imperfection of sanctification in believers?
A. The imperfection of sanctification in believers ariseth from the remnants of sin abiding in every part of them, and the perpetual lustings of the flesh against the spirit; whereby they are often foiled with temptations, and fall into many sins,³³⁹ are hindered in all their spiritual services,³⁴⁰ and their best works are imperfect and defiled in the sight of God.³⁴¹

Q. 79. May not true believers, by reason of their imperfections, and the many temptations and sins they are overtaken with, fall away from the state of grace?
A. True believers, by reason of the unchangeable love of God,³⁴² and his decree and covenant to give them perseverance,³⁴³ their inseparable union with Christ,³⁴⁴ his continual intercession for them,³⁴⁵ and the Spirit and seed of God abiding in them,³⁴⁶ can neither totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace,³⁴⁷ but are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.³⁴⁸

Q. 80. Can true believers be infallibly assured that they are in the estate of grace, and that they shall persevere therein unto salvation?
A. Such as truly believe in Christ, and endeavour to walk in all good conscience before him,³⁴⁹ may, without extraordinary revelation, by faith grounded upon the truth of God’s promises, and by the Spirit enabling them to discern in themselves those graces to which the promises of life are made,³⁵⁰ and bearing witness with their spirits that they are the children of God,³⁵¹ be infallibly assured that they are in the estate of grace, and shall persevere therein unto salvation.³⁵²

Q. 81. Are all true believers at all times assured of their present being in the estate of grace, and that they shall be saved?
A. Assurance of grace and salvation not being of the essence of faith,³⁵³ true believers may wait long before they obtain it;³⁵⁴ and, after the enjoyment thereof, may have it weakened and intermitted, through manifold distempers, sins, temptations, and desertions;³⁵⁵ yet they are never left without such a presence and support of the Spirit of God as keeps them from sinking into utter despair.³⁵⁶

Q. 82. What is the communion in glory which the members of the invisible church have with Christ?
A. The communion in glory which the members of the invisible church have with Christ, is in this life,³⁵⁷ immediately after death,³⁵⁸ and at last perfected at the resurrection and day of judgment.³⁵⁹

Q. 83. What is the communion in glory with Christ which the members of the invisible church enjoy in this life?
A. The members of the invisible church have communicated to them in this life the firstfruits of glory with Christ, as they are members of him their head, and so in him are interested in that glory which he is fully possessed of;³⁶⁰ and, as an earnest thereof, enjoy the sense of God’s love,³⁶¹ peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Ghost, and hope of glory;³⁶² as, on the contrary, sense of God’s revenging wrath, horror of conscience, and a fearful expectation of judgment, are to the wicked the beginning of their torments which they shall endure after death.³⁶³

Q. 84. Shall all men die?
A. Death being threatened as the wages of sin,³⁶⁴ it is appointed unto all men once to die;³⁶⁵ for that all have sinned.³⁶⁶

Q. 85. Death, being the wages of sin, why are not the righteous delivered from death, seeing all their sins are forgiven in Christ?
A. The righteous shall be delivered from death itself at the last day, and even in death are delivered from the sting and curse of it;³⁶⁷ so that, although they die, yet it is out of God’s love,³⁶⁸ to free them perfectly from sin and misery,³⁶⁹ and to make them capable of further communion with Christ in glory, which they then enter upon.³⁷⁰

Q. 86. What is the communion in glory with Christ, which the members of the invisible church enjoy immediately after death?
A. The communion in glory with Christ, which the members of the invisible church enjoy immediately after death is, in that their souls are then made perfect in holiness,³⁷¹ and received into the highest heavens,³⁷² where they behold the face of God in light and glory,³⁷³ waiting for the full redemption of their bodies,³⁷⁴ which even in death continue united to Christ,³⁷⁵ and rest in their graves as in their beds,³⁷⁶ till at the last day they be again united to their souls.³⁷⁷ Whereas the souls of the wicked are at their death cast into hell, where they remain in torments and utter darkness, and their bodies kept in their graves, as in their prisons, till the resurrection and judgment of the great day.³⁷⁸

Q. 87. What are we to believe concerning the resurrection?
A. We are to believe that at the last day there shall be a general resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust:³⁷⁹ when they that are then found alive shall in a moment be changed; and the selfsame bodies of the dead which were laid in the grave, being then again united to their souls forever, shall be raised up by the power of Christ.³⁸⁰ The bodies of the just, by the Spirit of Christ, and by virtue of his resurrection as their head, shall be raised in power, spiritual, incorruptible, and made like to his glorious body;³⁸¹ and the bodies of the wicked shall be raised up in dishonour by him, as an offended judge.³⁸²

Q. 88. What shall immediately follow after the resurrection?
A. Immediately after the resurrection shall follow the general and final judgment of angels and men;³⁸³ the day and hour whereof no man knoweth, that all may watch and pray, and be ever ready for the coming of the Lord.³⁸⁴

Q. 89. What shall be done to the wicked at the day of judgment?
A. At the day of judgment, the wicked shall be set on Christ’s left hand,³⁸⁵ and, upon clear evidence, and full conviction of their own consciences,³⁸⁶ shall have the fearful but just sentence of condemnation pronounced against them;³⁸⁷ and thereupon shall be cast out from the favourable presence of God, and the glorious fellowship with Christ, his saints, and all his holy angels, into hell, to be punished with unspeakable torments, both of body and soul, with the devil and his angels forever.³⁸⁸

Q. 90. What shall be done to the righteous at the day of judgment?
A. At the day of judgment, the righteous, being caught up to Christ in the clouds,³⁸⁹ shall be set on his right hand, and there openly acknowledged and acquitted,³⁹⁰ shall join with him in the judging of reprobate angels and men,³⁹¹ and shall be received into heaven,³⁹² where they shall be fully and forever freed from all sin and misery;³⁹³ filled with inconceivable joys,³⁹⁴ made perfectly holy and happy both in body and soul, in the company of innumerable saints and holy angels,³⁹⁵ but especially in the immediate vision and fruition of God the Father, of our Lord Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit, to all eternity.³⁹⁶ And this is the perfect and full communion, which the members of the invisible church shall enjoy with Christ in glory, at the resurrection and day of judgment.

HAVING SEEN WHAT THE SCRIPTURES PRINCIPALLY TEACH US TO BELIEVE CONCERNING GOD, IT FOLLOWS TO CONSIDER WHAT THEY REQUIRE AS THE DUTY OF MAN.

Q. 91. What is the duty which God requireth of man?
A. The duty which God requireth of man, is obedience to his revealed will.³⁹⁷

Q. 92. What did God at first reveal unto man as the rule of his obedience?
A. The rule of obedience revealed to Adam in the estate of innocence, and to all mankind in him, besides a special command not to eat of the fruit of the tree knowledge of good and evil, was the moral law.³⁹⁸

Q. 93. What is the moral law?
A. The moral law is the declaration of the will of God to mankind, directing and binding every one to personal, perfect, and perpetual conformity and obedience thereunto, in the frame and disposition of the whole man, soul and body,³⁹⁹ and in performance of all those duties of holiness and righteousness which he oweth to God and man:⁴⁰⁰ promising life upon the fulfilling, and threatening death upon the breach of it.⁴⁰¹

Q. 94. Is there any use of the moral law to man since the fall?
A. Although no man, since the fall, can attain to righteousness and life by the moral law:⁴⁰² yet there is great use thereof, as well common to all men, as peculiar either to the unregenerate, or the regenerate.⁴⁰³

Q. 95. Of what use is the moral law to all men?
A. The moral law is of use to all men, to inform them of the holy nature and the will of God,⁴⁰⁴ and of their duty, binding them to walk accordingly;⁴⁰⁵ to convince them of their disability to keep it, and of the sinful pollution of their nature, hearts, and lives:⁴⁰⁶ to humble them in the sense of their sin and misery,⁴⁰⁷ and thereby help them to a clearer sight of the need they have of Christ,⁴⁰⁸ and of the perfection of his obedience.⁴⁰⁹

Q. 96. What particular use is there of the moral law to unregenerate men?
A. The moral law is of use to unregenerate men, to awaken their consciences to flee from wrath to come,⁴¹⁰ and to drive them to Christ;⁴¹¹ or, upon their continuance in the estate and way of sin, to leave them inexcusable,⁴¹² and under the curse thereof.⁴¹³

Q. 97. What special use is there of the moral law to the regenerate?
A. Although they that are regenerate, and believe in Christ, be delivered from the moral law as a covenant of works,⁴¹⁴ so as thereby they are neither justified⁴¹⁵ nor condemned;⁴¹⁶ yet, besides the general uses thereof common to them with all men, it is of special use, to show them how much they are bound to Christ for his fulfilling it, and enduring the curse thereof in their stead, and for their good;⁴¹⁷ and thereby to provoke them to more thankfulness,⁴¹⁸ and to express the same in their greater care to conform themselves thereunto as the rule of their obedience.⁴¹⁹

Q. 98. Where is the moral law summarily comprehended?
A. The moral law is summarily comprehended in the ten commandments, which were delivered by the voice of God upon Mount Sinai, and written by him in two tables of stone;⁴²⁰ and are recorded in the twentieth chapter of Exodus. The four first commandments containing our duty to God, and the other six our duty to man.⁴²¹

Q. 99. What rules are to be observed for the right understanding of the ten commandments?
A. For the right understanding of the ten commandments, these rules are to be observed:
1. That the law is perfect, and bindeth everyone to full conformity in the whole man unto the righteousness thereof, and unto entire obedience forever; so as to require the utmost perfection of every duty, and to forbid the least degree of every sin.⁴²²
2. That it is spiritual, and so reacheth the understanding, will, affections, and all other powers of the soul; as well as words, works, and gestures.⁴²³
3. That one and the same thing, in divers respects, is required or forbidden in several commandments.⁴²⁴
4. That as, where a duty is commanded, the contrary sin is forbidden;⁴²⁵ and, where a sin is forbidden, the contrary duty is commanded:⁴²⁶ so, where a promise is annexed, the contrary threatening is included;⁴²⁷ and, where a threatening is annexed, the contrary promise is included.⁴²⁸
5. That what God forbids, is at no time to be done;⁴²⁹ what he commands, is always our duty;⁴³⁰ and yet every particular duty is not to be done at all times.⁴³¹
6. That under one sin or duty, all of the same kind are forbidden or commanded; together with all the causes, means, occasions, and appearances thereof, and provocations thereunto.⁴³²
7. That what is forbidden or commanded to ourselves, we are bound, according to our places to endeavour that it may be avoided or performed by others, according to the duty of their places.⁴³³
8. That in what is commanded to others, we are bound, according to our places and callings, to be helpful to them;⁴³⁴ and to take heed of partaking with others in what is forbidden them.⁴³⁵

Q. 100. What special things are we to consider in the ten commandments?
A. We are to consider in the ten commandments, the preface, the substance of the commandments themselves, and several reasons annexed to some of them, the more to enforce them.

Q. 101. What is the preface to the ten commandments?
A. The preface to the ten commandments is contained in these words, I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.⁴³⁶ Wherein God manifesteth his sovereignty, as being JEHOVAH, the eternal, immutable, and almighty God;⁴³⁷ having his being in and of himself,⁴³⁸ and giving being to all his words⁴³⁹ and works:⁴⁴⁰ and that he is a God in covenant, as with Israel of old, so with all his people;⁴⁴¹ who, as he brought them out of their bondage in Egypt, so he delivereth us from our spiritual thraldom;⁴⁴² and that therefore we are bound to take him for our God alone, and to keep all his commandments.⁴⁴³

Q. 102. What is the sum of the four commandments which contain our duty to God?
A. The sum of the four commandments containing our duty to God is, to love the Lord our God with all our heart, and with all our soul, and with all our strength, and with all our mind.⁴⁴⁴

Q. 103. Which is the first commandment?
A. The first commandment is, Thou shall have no other gods before me.⁴⁴⁵

Q. 104. What are the duties required in the first commandment?
A. The duties required in the first commandment are, the knowing and acknowledging of God to be the only true God, and our God;⁴⁴⁶ and to worship and glorify him accordingly,⁴⁴⁷ by thinking,⁴⁴⁸ meditating,⁴⁴⁹ remembering,⁴⁵⁰ highly esteeming,⁴⁵¹ honouring,⁴⁵² adoring,⁴⁵³ choosing,⁴⁵⁴ loving,⁴⁵⁵ desiring,⁴⁵⁶ fearing of him;⁴⁵⁷ believing him;⁴⁵⁸ trusting⁴⁵⁹ hoping,⁴⁶⁰ delighting,⁴⁶¹ rejoicing in him;⁴⁶² being zealous for him;⁴⁶³ calling upon him, giving all praise and thanks,⁴⁶⁴ and yielding all obedience and submission to him with the whole man;⁴⁶⁵ being careful in all things to please him,⁴⁶⁶ and sorrowful when in any thing he is offended;⁴⁶⁷ and walking humbly with him.⁴⁶⁸

Q. 105. What are the sins forbidden in the first commandment?
A. The sins forbidden in the first commandment are, atheism, in denying or not having a God;⁴⁶⁹ idolatry, in having or worshipping more gods than one, or any with or instead of the true God;⁴⁷⁰ the not having and avouching him for God, and our God;⁴⁷¹ the omission or neglect of anything due to him, required in this commandment;⁴⁷² ignorance,⁴⁷³ forgetfulness,⁴⁷⁴ misapprehensions,⁴⁷⁵ false opinions,⁴⁷⁶ unworthy and wicked thoughts of him;⁴⁷⁷ bold and curious searching into his secrets;⁴⁷⁸ all profaneness,⁴⁷⁹ hatred of God;⁴⁸⁰ self-love,⁴⁸¹ self-seeking,⁴⁸² and all other inordinate and immoderate setting of our mind, will, or affections upon other things, and taking them off from him in whole or in part;⁴⁸³ vain credulity,⁴⁸⁴ unbelief,⁴⁸⁵ heresy,⁴⁸⁶ misbelief,⁴⁸⁷ distrust,⁴⁸⁸ despair,⁴⁸⁹ incorrigibleness,⁴⁹⁰ and insensibleness under judgments,⁴⁹¹ hardness of heart,⁴⁹² pride,⁴⁹³ presumption,⁴⁹⁴ carnal security,⁴⁹⁵ tempting of God;⁴⁹⁶ using unlawful means,⁴⁹⁷ and trusting in lawful means;⁴⁹⁸ carnal delights and joys;⁴⁹⁹ corrupt, blind, and indiscreet zeal;⁵⁰⁰ lukewarmness,⁵⁰¹ and deadness in the things of God;⁵⁰² estranging ourselves, and apostatizing from God;⁵⁰³ praying, or giving any religious worship, to saints, angels, or any other creatures;⁵⁰⁴ all compacts and consulting with the devil,⁵⁰⁵ and hearkening to his suggestions;⁵⁰⁶ making men the lords of our faith and conscience;⁵⁰⁷ slighting and despising God and his commands;⁵⁰⁸ resisting and grieving of his Spirit,⁵⁰⁹ discontent and impatience at his dispensations, charging him foolishly for the evils he inflicts on us;⁵¹⁰ and ascribing the praise of any good we either are, have or can do, to fortune,⁵¹¹ idols,⁵¹² ourselves,⁵¹³ or any other creature.⁵¹⁴

Q. 106. What are we specially taught by these words before me in the first commandment?
A. These words before me or before my face, in the first commandment, teach us, that God, who seeth all things, taketh special notice of, and is much displeased with, the sin of having any other God: that so it may be an argument to dissuade from it, and to aggravate it as a most impudent provocation:⁵¹⁵ as also to persuade us to do as in his sight, whatever we do in his service.⁵¹⁶

Q. 107. Which is the second commandment?
A. The second commandment is, Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.⁵¹⁷

Q. 108. What are the duties required in the second commandment?
A. The duties required in the second commandment are, the receiving, observing, and keeping pure and entire, all such religious worship and ordinances as God hath instituted in his Word;⁵¹⁸ particularly prayer and thanksgiving in the name of Christ;⁵¹⁹ the reading, preaching, and hearing of the Word;⁵²⁰ the administration and receiving of the sacraments;⁵²¹ church government and discipline;⁵²² the ministry and maintainance thereof;⁵²³ religious fasting;⁵²⁴ swearing by the name of God;⁵²⁵ and vowing unto him;⁵²⁶ as also the disapproving, detesting, opposing all false worship;⁵²⁷ and, according to each one’s place and calling, removing it, and all monuments of idolatry.⁵²⁸

Q. 109. What are the sins forbidden in the second commandment?
A. The sins forbidden in the second commandment are, all devising,⁵²⁹ counselling,⁵³⁰ commanding,⁵³¹ using,⁵³² and anywise approving, any religious worship not instituted by God himself;⁵³³ the making any representation of God, of all or of any of the three persons, either inwardly in our mind, or outwardly in any kind of image or likeness of any creature whatsoever;⁵³⁴ all worshipping of it,⁵³⁵ or God in it or by it;⁵³⁶ the making of any representation of feigned deities,⁵³⁷ and all worship of them, or service belonging to them,⁵³⁸ all superstitious devices,⁵³⁹ corrupting the worship of God,⁵⁴⁰ adding to it, or taking from it,⁵⁴¹ whether invented and taken up of ourselves,⁵⁴² or received by tradition from others,⁵⁴³ though under the title of antiquity,⁵⁴⁴ custom,⁵⁴⁵ devotion,⁵⁴⁶ good intent, or any other pretence whatsoever;⁵⁴⁷ simony;⁵⁴⁸ sacrilege;⁵⁴⁹ all neglect,⁵⁵⁰ contempt,⁵⁵¹ hind ering,⁵⁵² and opposing the worship and ordinances which God hath appointed.⁵⁵³.

Q. 110. What are the reasons annexed to the second commandment, the more to enforce it?
A. The reasons annexed to the second commandment, the more to enforce it, contained in these words, For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments;⁵⁵⁴ are, besides God’s sovereignty over us, and propriety in us,⁵⁵⁵ his fervent zeal for his own worship,⁵⁵⁶ and his revengeful indignation against all false worship, as being a spiritual whoredom;⁵⁵⁷ accounting the breakers of this commandment such as hate him, and threatening to punish them unto divers generations;⁵⁵⁸ and esteeming the observers of it such as love him and keep his commandments, and promising mercy to them unto many generations.⁵⁵⁹.

Q. 111. Which is the third commandment?
A. The third commandment is, Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain: for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.⁵⁶⁰

Q. 112. What is required in the third commandment?
A. The third commandment requires, That the name of God, his titles, attributes,⁵⁶¹ ordinances,⁵⁶² the Word,⁵⁶³ sacraments,⁵⁶⁴ prayer,⁵⁶⁵ oaths,⁵⁶⁶ vows,⁵⁶⁷ lots,⁵⁶⁸ his works,⁵⁶⁹ and whatsoever else there is whereby he makes himself known, be holily and reverently used in thought,⁵⁷⁰ meditation,⁵⁷¹ word,⁵⁷² and writing;⁵⁷³ by an holy profession,⁵⁷⁴ and answerable conversation,⁵⁷⁵ to the glory of God,⁵⁷⁶ and the good of ourselves,⁵⁷⁷ and others.⁵⁷⁸.

Q. 113. What are the sins forbidden in the third commandment?
A. The sins forbidden in the third commandment are, the not using of God’s name as is required;⁵⁷⁹ and the abuse of it in an ignorant,⁵⁸⁰ vain,⁵⁸¹ irreverent, profane,⁵⁸² superstitious⁵⁸³ or wicked mentioning or otherwise using his titles, attributes,⁵⁸⁴ ordinances,⁵⁸⁵ or works,⁵⁸⁶ by blasphemy,⁵⁸⁷ perjury;⁵⁸⁸ all sinful cursings,⁵⁸⁹ oaths,⁵⁹⁰ vows,⁵⁹¹ and lots;⁵⁹² violating of our oaths and vows, if lawful⁵⁹³ and fulfilling them, if of things unlawful;⁵⁹⁴ murmuring and quarrelling at,⁵⁹⁵ curious prying into,⁵⁹⁶ and misapplying of God’s decrees⁵⁹⁷ and providences;⁵⁹⁸ misinterpreting,⁵⁹⁹ misapplying,⁶⁰⁰ or any way perverting the Word, or any part of it;⁶⁰¹ to profane jests,⁶⁰² curious or unprofitable questions, vain janglings, or the maintaining of false doctrines;⁶⁰³ abusing it, the creatures, or anything contained under the name of God, to charms,⁶⁰⁴ or sinful lusts and practices;⁶⁰⁵ the maligning,⁶⁰⁶ scorning,⁶⁰⁷ reviling,⁶⁰⁸ or any wise opposing of God’s truth, grace, and ways;⁶⁰⁹ making profession of religion in hypocrisy, or for sinister ends;⁶¹⁰ being ashamed of it,⁶¹¹ or a shame to it, by unconformable,⁶¹² unwise,⁶¹³ unfruitful,⁶¹⁴ and offensive walking,⁶¹⁵ or backsliding from it.⁶¹⁶.

Q. 114. What reasons are annexed to the third commandment?
A. The reasons annexed to the third commandment, in these words, The Lord thy God, and, For the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain,⁶¹⁷ are, because he is the Lord and our God, therefore his name is not to be profaned, or any way abused by us;⁶¹⁸ especially because he will be so far from acquitting and sparing the transgressors of this commandment, as that he will not suffer them to escape his righteous judgment;⁶¹⁹ albeit many such escape the censures and punishments of men.⁶²⁰

Q. 115. Which is the fourth commandment?
A. The fourth commandment is, Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work; but the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested in the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath-day and hallowed it.⁶²¹.

Q. 116. What is required in the fourth commandment?
A. The fourth commandment requireth of all men the sanctifying or keeping holy to God such set times as he hath appointed in his Word, expressly one whole day in seven; which was the seventh from the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ, and the first day of the week ever since, and so to continue to the end of the world; which is the Christian sabbath,⁶²² and in the New Testament called The Lord’s day.⁶²³

Q. 117. How is the sabbath or the Lord’s day to be sanctified?
A. The sabbath or Lord’s day is to be sanctified by an holy resting all the day,⁶²⁴ not only from such works as are at all times sinful, but even from such worldly employments and recreations as are on other days lawful;⁶²⁵ and making it our delight to spend the whole time (except so much of it as is to be taken up in works of necessity and mercy⁶²⁶) in the public and private exercises of God’s worship:⁶²⁷ and, to that end, we are to prepare our hearts, and with such foresight, diligence, and moderation, to dispose and seasonably dispatch our worldly business, that we may be the more free and fit for the duties of that day.⁶²⁸

Q. 118. Why is the charge of keeping the sabbath more specially directed to governors of families, and other superiors?
A. The charge of keeping the sabbath is more specially directed to governors of families, and other superiors, because they are bound not only to keep it themselves, but to see that it be observed by all those that are under their charge; and because they are prone ofttimes to hinder them by employments of their own.⁶²⁹

Q. 119. What are the sins forbidden in the fourth commandment?
A. The sins forbidden in the fourth commandment are, all omissions of the duties required,⁶³⁰ all careless, negligent, and unprofitable performing of them, and being weary of them;⁶³¹ all profaning the day by idleness, and doing that which is in itself sinful;⁶³² and by all needless works, words, and thoughts, about our worldly employments and recreations.⁶³³

Q. 120. What are the reasons annexed to the fourth commandment, the more to enforce it?
A. The reasons annexed to the fourth commandment, the more to enforce it, are taken from the equity of it, God allowing us six days of seven for our own affairs, and reserving but one for himself in these words, Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:⁶³⁴ from God’s challenging a special propriety in that day, The seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God:⁶³⁵ from the example of God, who in six days made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: and from that blessing which God put upon that day, not only in sanctifying it to be a day for his service, but in ordaining it to be a means of blessing to us in our sanctifying it; Wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.⁶³⁶

Q. 121. Why is the word Remember set in the beginning of the fourth commandment?
A. The word Remember is set in the beginning of the fourth commandment,⁶³⁷ partly, because of the great benefit of remembering it, we being thereby helped in our preparation to keep it,⁶³⁸ and, in keeping it, better to keep all the rest of the commandments,⁶³⁹ and to continue a thankful remembrance of the two great benefits of creation and redemption, which contain a short abridgment of religion;⁶⁴⁰ and partly, because we are very ready to forget it,⁶⁴¹ for that there is less light of nature for it,⁶⁴² and yet it restraineth our natural liberty in things at other times lawful;⁶⁴³ that it cometh but once in seven days, and many worldly businesses come between, and too often take off our minds from thinking of it, either to prepare for it, or to sanctify it;⁶⁴⁴ and that Satan with his instruments labours much to blot out the glory, and even the memory of it, to bring in all irreligion and impiety.⁶⁴⁵

Q. 122. What is the sum of the six commandments which contain our duty to man?
A. The sum of the six commandments which contain our duty to man, is, to love our neighbour as ourselves,⁶⁴⁶ and to do to others what we would have them to do to us.⁶⁴⁷

Q. 123. Which is the fifth commandment?
A. The fifth commandment is, Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.⁶⁴⁸

Q. 124. Who are meant by father and mother in the fifth commandment?
A. By father and mother, in the fifth commandment, are meant, not only natural parents,⁶⁴⁹ but all superiors in age⁶⁵⁰ and gifts;⁶⁵¹ and especially such as, by God’s ordinance, are over us in place of authority, whether in family,⁶⁵² church,⁶⁵³ or commonwealth.⁶⁵⁴

Q. 125. Why are superiors styled father and mother?
A. Superiors are styled father and mother, both to teach them in all duties toward their inferiors, like natural parents, to express love and tenderness to them, according to their several relations;⁶⁵⁵ and to work inferiors to a greater willingness and cheerfulness in performing their duties to their superiors, as to their parents.⁶⁵⁶

Q. 126. What is the general scope of the fifth commandment?
A. The general scope of the fifth commandment is, the performance of those duties which we mutually owe in our several relations, as inferiors, superiors, or equals.⁶⁵⁷

Q. 127. What is the honour that inferiors owe to their superiors?
A. The honour which inferiors owe to their superiors is, all due reverence in heart,⁶⁵⁸ word, ⁶⁵⁹ and behaviour;⁶⁶⁰ prayer and thanksgiving for them;⁶⁶¹ imitation of their virtues and graces;⁶⁶² willing obedience to their lawful commands and counsels;⁶⁶³ due submission to their corrections;⁶⁶⁴ fidelity to,⁶⁶⁵ defence,⁶⁶⁶ and maintenance of their persons and authority, according to their several ranks, and the nature of their places;⁶⁶⁷ bearing with their infirmities, and covering them in love,⁶⁶⁸ that so they may be an honour to them and to their government.⁶⁶⁹

Q. 128. What are the sins of inferiors against their superiors?
A. The sins of inferiors against their superiors are, all neglect of the duties required toward them;⁶⁷⁰ envying at,⁶⁷¹ contempt of,⁶⁷² and rebellion⁶⁷³ against, their persons⁶⁷⁴ and places,⁶⁷⁵ in their lawful counsels,⁶⁷⁶ commands, and corrections;⁶⁷⁷ cursing, mocking⁶⁷⁸ and all such refractory and scandalous carriage, as proves a shame and dishonour to them and their government.⁶⁷⁹

Q. 129. What is required of superiors towards their inferiors?
A. It is required of superiors, according to that power they receive from God, and that relation wherein they stand, to love,⁶⁸⁰ pray for,⁶⁸¹ and bless their inferiors;⁶⁸² to instruct,⁶⁸³ counsel, and admonish them;⁶⁸⁴ countenancing,⁶⁸⁵ commending,⁶⁸⁶ and rewarding such as do well;⁶⁸⁷ and discountenancing,⁶⁸⁸ reproving, and chastising such as do ill;⁶⁸⁹ protecting,⁶⁹⁰ and providing for them all things necessary for soul⁶⁹¹ and body:⁶⁹² and by grave, wise, holy, and exemplary carriage, to procure glory to God,⁶⁹³ honour to themselves,⁶⁹⁴ and so to preserve that authority which God hath put upon them.⁶⁹⁵

Q. 130. What are the sins of superiors?
A. The sins of superiors are, besides the neglect of the duties required of them,⁶⁹⁶ and inordinate seeking of themselves,⁶⁹⁷ their own glory,⁶⁹⁸ ease, profit, or pleasure;⁶⁹⁹ commanding things unlawful,⁷⁰⁰ or not in the power of inferiors to perform;⁷⁰¹ counseling,⁷⁰² encouraging,⁷⁰³ or favouring them in that which is evil;⁷⁰⁴ dissuading, discouraging, or discountenancing them in that which is good;⁷⁰⁵ correcting them unduly;⁷⁰⁶ careless exposing, or leaving them to wrong, temptation, and danger;⁷⁰⁷ provoking them to wrath;⁷⁰⁸ or any way dishonouring themselves, or lessening their authority, by an unjust, indiscreet, rigorous, or remiss behaviour.⁷⁰⁹

Q. 131. What are the duties of equals?
A. The duties of equals are, to regard the dignity and worth of each other,⁷¹⁰ in giving honour to go one before another;⁷¹¹ and to rejoice in each others’ gifts and advancement, as their own.⁷¹²

Q. 132. What are the sins of equals?
A. The sins of equals are, besides the neglect of the duties required,⁷¹³ the undervaluing of the worth,⁷¹⁴ envying the gifts,⁷¹⁵ grieving at the advancement of prosperity one of another;⁷¹⁶ and usurping pre-eminence one over another.⁷¹⁷

Q. 133. What is the reason annexed to the fifth commandment, the more to enforce it?
A. The reason annexed to the fifth commandment, in these words, That thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee,⁷¹⁸ is an express promise of long life and prosperity, as far as it shall serve for God’s glory and their own good, to all such as keep this commandment.⁷¹⁹

Q. 134. Which is the sixth commandment?
A. The sixth commandment is, Thou shalt not kill.⁷²⁰

Q. 135. What are the duties required in the sixth commandment?
A. The duties required in the sixth commandment are all careful studies, and lawful endeavors, to preserve the life of ourselves⁷²¹ and others⁷²² by resisting all thoughts and purposes,⁷²³ subduing all passions,⁷²⁴ and avoiding all occasions,⁷²⁵ temptations,⁷²⁶ and practices, which tend to the unjust taking away the life of any;⁷²⁷ by just defence thereof against violence,⁷²⁸ patient bearing of the hand of God,⁷²⁹ quietness of mind,⁷³⁰ cheerfulness of spirit;⁷³¹ a sober use of meat,⁷³² drink,⁷³³ physic,⁷³⁴ sleep,⁷³⁵ labour,⁷³⁶ and recreations;⁷³⁷ by charitable thoughts,⁷³⁸ love,⁷³⁹ compassion,⁷⁴⁰ meekness, gentleness, kindness;⁷⁴¹ peaceable,⁷⁴² mild and courteous speeches and behaviour;⁷⁴³ forbearance, readiness to be reconciled, patient bearing and forgiving of injuries, and requiting good for evil;⁷⁴⁴ comforting and succouring the distressed and protecting and defending the innocent.⁷⁴⁵

Q. 136. What are the sins forbidden in the sixth commandment?
A. The sins forbidden in the sixth commandment are, all taking away the life of ourselves,⁷⁴⁶ or of others,⁷⁴⁷ except in case of public justice,⁷⁴⁸ lawful war,⁷⁴⁹ or necessary defence;⁷⁵⁰ the neglecting or withdrawing the lawful and necessary means of preservation of life;⁷⁵¹ sinful anger,⁷⁵² hatred,⁷⁵³ envy,⁷⁵⁴ desire of revenge;⁷⁵⁵ all excessive passions,⁷⁵⁶ distracting cares;⁷⁵⁷ immoderate use of meat, drink,⁷⁵⁸ labor,⁷⁵⁹ and recreations;⁷⁶⁰ provoking words,⁷⁶¹ oppression,⁷⁶² quarreling,⁷⁶³ striking, wounding,⁷⁶⁴ and whatsoever else tends to the destruction of the life of any.⁷⁶⁵

Q. 137. Which is the seventh commandment?
A. The seventh commandment is, Thou shalt not commit adultery.⁷⁶⁶

Q. 138. What are the duties required in the seventh commandment?
A. The duties required in the seventh commandment are, chastity in body, mind, affections,⁷⁶⁷ words,⁷⁶⁸ and behavior;⁷⁶⁹ and the preservation of it in ourselves and others;⁷⁷⁰ watchfulness over the eyes and all the senses;⁷⁷¹ temperance,⁷⁷² keeping of chaste company,⁷⁷³ modesty in apparel;⁷⁷⁴ marriage by those that have not the gift of continency,⁷⁷⁵ conjugal love,⁷⁷⁶ and cohabitation;⁷⁷⁷ diligent labor in our callings;⁷⁷⁸ shunning all occasions of uncleanness, and resisting temptations thereunto.⁷⁷⁹

Q. 139. What are the sins forbidden in the seventh commandment?
A. The sins forbidden in the seventh commandment, besides the neglect of the duties required,⁷⁸⁰ are, adultery, fornication,⁷⁸¹ rape, incest,⁷⁸² sodomy, and all unnatural lusts;⁷⁸³ all unclean imaginations, thoughts, purposes, and affections;⁷⁸⁴ all corrupt or filthy communications, or listening thereunto;⁷⁸⁵ wanton looks,⁷⁸⁶ impudent or light behaviour, immodest apparel;⁷⁸⁷ prohibiting of lawful,⁷⁸⁸ and dispensing with unlawful marriages;⁷⁸⁹ allowing, tolerating, keeping of stews, and resorting to them;⁷⁹⁰ entangling vows of single life,⁷⁹¹ undue delay of marriage,⁷⁹² having more wives or husbands than one at the same time;⁷⁹³ unjust divorce,⁷⁹⁴ or desertion;⁷⁹⁵ idleness, gluttony, drunkenness,⁷⁹⁶ unchaste company;⁷⁹⁷ lascivious songs, books, pictures, dancings, stage plays;⁷⁹⁸ and all other provocations to, or acts of uncleanness, either in ourselves or others.⁷⁹⁹

Q. 140. Which is the eighth commandment?
A. The eighth commandment is, Thou shalt not steal.⁸⁰⁰

Q. 141. What are the duties required in the eighth commandment?
A. The duties required in the eighth commandment are, truth, faithfulness, and justice in contracts and commerce between man and man;⁸⁰¹ rendering to everyone his due;[801a] restitution of goods unlawfully detained from the right owners thereof;⁸⁰² giving and lending freely, according to our abilities, and the necessities of others;⁸⁰³ moderation of our judgments, wills, and affections concerning worldly goods;⁸⁰⁴ a provident care and study to get,⁸⁰⁵ keep, use, and dispose these things which are necessary and convenient for the sustentation of our nature, and suitable to our condition;⁸⁰⁶ a lawful calling,⁸⁰⁷ and diligence in it;⁸⁰⁸ frugality;⁸⁰⁹ avoiding unnecessary lawsuits,⁸¹⁰. and suretiship, or other like engagements;⁸¹¹ and an endeavor, by all just and lawful means, to procure, preserve, and further the wealth and outward estate of others, as well as our own.⁸¹²

Q. 142. What are the sins forbidden in the eighth commandment?
A. The sins forbidden in the eighth commandment, besides the neglect of the duties required,⁸¹³ are, theft,⁸¹⁴ robbery,⁸¹⁵ man-stealing,⁸¹⁶ and receiving any thing that is stolen;⁸¹⁷ fraudulent dealing,⁸¹⁸ false weights and measures,⁸¹⁹ removing landmarks,⁸²⁰ injustice and unfaithfulness in contracts between man and man,⁸²¹ or in matters of trust;⁸²² oppression,⁸²³ extortion,⁸²⁴ usury,⁸²⁵ bribery,⁸²⁶ vexatious lawsuits,⁸²⁷ unjust inclosures and depopulations;⁸²⁸ ingrossing commodities to enhance the price;⁸²⁹ unlawful callings,⁸³⁰ and all other unjust or sinful ways of taking or withholding from our neighbour what belongs to him, or of enriching ourselves;⁸³¹ covetousness;⁸³² inordinate prizing and affecting worldly goods;⁸³³ distrustful and distracting cares and studies in getting, keeping, and using them;⁸³⁴ envying at the prosperity of others;⁸³⁵ as likewise idleness,⁸³⁶ prodigality, wasteful gaming; and all other ways whereby we do unduly prejudice our own outward estate,⁸³⁷ and defrauding ourselves of the due use and comfort of that estate which God hath given us.⁸³⁸

Q. 143. Which is the ninth commandment?
A. The ninth commandment is, Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.⁸³⁹

Q. 144. What are the duties required in the ninth commandment?
A. The duties required in the ninth commandment are, the preserving and promoting of truth between man and man,⁸⁴⁰ and the good name of our neighbour, as well as our own;⁸⁴¹ appearing and standing for the truth;⁸⁴² and from the heart,⁸⁴³ sincerely,⁸⁴⁴ freely,⁸⁴⁵ clearly,⁸⁴⁶ and fully,⁸⁴⁷ speaking the truth, and only the truth, in matters of judgment and justice,⁸⁴⁸ and in all other things whatsoever;⁸⁴⁹ a charitable esteem of our neighbours;⁸⁵⁰ loving, desiring, and rejoicing in their good name;⁸⁵¹ sorrowing for,⁸⁵² and covering of their infirmities;⁸⁵³ freely acknowledging of their gifts and graces,⁸⁵⁴ defending their innocency;⁸⁵⁵ a ready receiving of a good report,⁸⁵⁶ and unwillingness to admit of an evil report,⁸⁵⁷ concerning them; discouraging tale-bearers,⁸⁵⁸ flatterers,⁸⁵⁹ and slanderers;⁸⁶⁰ love and care of our own good name, and defending it when need requireth;⁸⁶¹ keeping of lawful promises;^{86 2} studying and practicing of whatsoever things are true, honest, lovely, and of good report.⁸⁶³

Q. 145. What are the sins forbidden in the ninth commandment?
A. The sins forbidden in the ninth commandment are, all prejudicing the truth, and the good name of our neighbours, as well as our own,⁸⁶⁴ especially in public judicature;⁸⁶⁵ giving false evidence,⁸⁶⁶ suborning false witnesses,⁸⁶⁷ wittingly appearing and pleading for an evil cause, outfacing and overbearing the truth;⁸⁶⁸ passing unjust sentence,⁸⁶⁹ calling evil good, and good evil; rewarding the wicked according to the work of the righteous, and the righteous according to the work of the wicked;⁸⁷⁰ forgery,⁸⁷¹ concealing the truth, undue silence in a just cause,⁸⁷² and holding our peace when iniquity calleth for either a reproof from ourselves,⁸⁷³ or complaint to others;⁸⁷⁴ speaking the truth unseasonably,⁸⁷⁵ or maliciously to a wrong end,⁸⁷⁶ or perverting it to a wrong meaning,⁸⁷⁷ or in doubtful and equivocal expressions, to the prejudice of truth or justice;⁸⁷⁸ speaking untruth,⁸⁷⁹ lying,⁸⁸⁰ slandering,⁸⁸¹ backbiting,⁸⁸² detracting,[882a] tale bearing,⁸⁸³ whispering,⁸⁸⁴ scoffing,⁸⁸⁵ reviling,⁸⁸⁶ rash,⁸⁸⁷ harsh,⁸⁸⁸ and partial censuring;⁸⁸⁹ misconstructing intentions, words, and actions;⁸⁹⁰ flattering,⁸⁹¹ vain-glorious boasting;⁸⁹² thinking or speaking too highly or too meanly of ourselves or others;⁸⁹³ denying the gifts and graces of God;⁸⁹⁴ aggravating smaller faults;⁸⁹⁵ hiding, excusing, or extenuating of sins, when called to a free confession;⁸⁹⁶ unnecessary discovering of infirmities;⁸⁹⁷ raising false rumors,⁸⁹⁸ receiving and countenancing evil reports,⁸⁹⁹ and stopping our ears against just defense;⁹⁰⁰ evil suspicion;⁹⁰¹ envying or grieving at the deserved credit of any,⁹⁰² endeavoring or desiring to impair it,⁹⁰³ rejoicing in their disgrace and infamy;⁹⁰⁴ scornful contempt,⁹⁰⁵ fond admiration;⁹⁰⁶ breach of lawful promises;⁹⁰⁷ neglecting such things as are of good report,⁹⁰⁸ and practicing, or not avoiding ourselves, or not hindering what we can in others, such things as procure an ill name.⁹⁰⁹

Q. 146. Which is the tenth commandment?
A. The tenth commandment is, Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shall not covet they neighbour’s wife, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.⁹¹⁰

Q. 147. What are the duties required in the tenth commandment?
A. The duties required in the tenth commandment are, such a full contentment with our own condition,⁹¹¹ and such a charitable frame of the whole soul toward our neighbour, as that all our inward motions and affections touching him, tend unto, and further all that good which is his.⁹¹²

Q. 148. What are the sins forbidden in the tenth commandment?
A. The sins forbidden in the tenth commandment are, discontentment with our own estate;⁹¹³ envying⁹¹⁴ and grieving at the good of our neighbour,⁹¹⁵ together with all inordinate motions and affections to anything that is his.⁹¹⁶

Q. 149. Is any man able perfectly to keep the commandments of God?
A. No man is able, either of himself,⁹¹⁷ or by any grace received in this life, perfectly to keep the commandments of God;⁹¹⁸ but doth daily break them in thought,⁹¹⁹ word, and deed.⁹²⁰

Q. 150. Are all transgressions of the law of God equally heinous in themselves, and in the sight of God?
A. All transgressions of the law of God are not equally heinous; but some sins in themselves, and by reason of several aggravations, are more heinous in the sight of God than others.⁹²¹

Q. 151. What are those aggravations that make some sins more heinous than others?
A. Sins receive their aggravations,
1. From the persons offending⁹²² if they be of riper age,⁹²³ greater experience or grace,⁹²⁴ eminent for profession,⁹²⁵ gifts,⁹²⁶ place,⁹²⁷ office,⁹²⁸ guides to others,⁹²⁹ and whose example is likely to be followed by others.⁹³⁰
2. From the parties offended:⁹³¹ if immediately against God,⁹³² his attributes,⁹³³ and worship;⁹³⁴ against Christ, and his grace;⁹³⁵ the Holy Spirit,⁹³⁶ his witness,⁹³⁷ and workings⁹³⁸ against superiors, men of eminency,⁹³⁹ and such as we stand especially related and engaged unto;⁹⁴⁰ against any of the saints,⁹⁴¹ particularly weak brethren,⁹⁴² the souls of them, or any other,⁹⁴³ and the common good of all or many.⁹⁴⁴
3. From the nature and quality of the offense:⁹⁴⁵ if it be against the express letter of the law,⁹⁴⁶ break many commandments, contain in it many sins:⁹⁴⁷ if not only conceived in the heart, but breaks forth in words and actions,⁹⁴⁸ scandalize others,⁹⁴⁹ and admit of no reparation:⁹⁵⁰ if against means,⁹⁵¹ mercies,⁹⁵² judgments,⁹⁵³ light of nature,⁹⁵⁴ conviction of conscience,⁹⁵⁵ public or private admonition,⁹⁵⁶ censures of the church,⁹⁵⁷ civil punishments;⁹⁵⁸ and our prayers, purposes, promises,⁹⁵⁹ vows,⁹⁶⁰ covenants,⁹⁶¹ and engagements to God or men:⁹⁶² if done deliberately,⁹⁶³ wilfully,⁹⁶⁴ presumptuously,⁹⁶⁵ impudently,⁹⁶⁶ boastingly,⁹⁶⁷ maliciously,⁹⁶⁸ frequently,⁹⁶⁹ obstinately,⁹⁷⁰ with delight,⁹⁷¹ continuance,⁹⁷² or relapsing after repentance.⁹⁷³
4. From circumstances of time⁹⁷⁴ and place:⁹⁷⁵ if on the Lord’s day,⁹⁷⁶ or other times of divine worship;⁹⁷⁷ or immediately before⁹⁷⁸ or after these,⁹⁷⁹ or other helps to prevent or remedy such miscarriages;⁹⁸⁰ if in public, or in the presence of others, who are thereby likely to be provoked or defiled⁹⁸¹.

Q. 152. What doth every sin deserve at the hands of God?
A. Every sin, even the least, being against the sovereignty,⁹⁸² goodness,⁹⁸³ and holiness of God,⁹⁸⁴ and against his righteous law,⁹⁸⁵ deserveth his wrath and curse,⁹⁸⁶ both in this life,⁹⁸⁷ and that which is to come;⁹⁸⁸ and cannot be expiated but by the blood of Christ.⁹⁸⁹

Q. 153. What doth God require of us, that we may escape his wrath and curse due to us by reason of the transgression of the law?
A. That we may escape the wrath and curse of God due to us by reason of the transgression of the law, he requireth of us repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ,⁹⁹⁰ and the diligent use of the outward means whereby Christ communicates to us the benefits of his mediation.⁹⁹¹

Q. 154. What are the outward means whereby Christ communicates to us the benefits of his mediation?
A. The outward and ordinary means whereby Christ communicates to his church the benefits of his mediation, are all his ordinances; especially the Word, sacraments, and prayer; all which are made effectual to the elect for their salvation.⁹⁹²

Q. 155. How is the Word made effectual to salvation?
A. The Spirit of God maketh the reading, but especially the preaching of the Word, an effectual means of enlightening,⁹⁹³ convincing, and humbling sinners;⁹⁹⁴ of driving them out of themselves, and drawing them unto Christ;⁹⁹⁵ of conforming them to his image,⁹⁹⁶ and subduing them to his will;⁹⁹⁷ of strengthening them against temptations and corruptions;⁹⁹⁸ of building them up in grace,⁹⁹⁹ and establishing their hearts in holiness and comfort through faith unto salvation.¹⁰⁰⁰

Q. 156. Is the Word of God to be read by all?
A. Although all are not to be permitted to read the Word publicly to the congregation,¹⁰⁰¹ yet all sorts of people are bound to read it apart by themselves,¹⁰⁰² and with their families:¹⁰⁰³ to which end, the holy scriptures are to be translated out of the original into vulgar languages.¹⁰⁰⁴

Q. 157. How is the Word of God to be read?
A. The holy Scriptures are to be read with an high and reverent esteem of them;¹⁰⁰⁵ with a firm persuasion that they are the very Word of God,¹⁰⁰⁶ and that he only can enable us to understand them;¹⁰⁰⁷ with desire to know, believe, and obey the will of God revealed in them;¹⁰⁰⁸ with diligence,¹⁰⁰⁹ and attention to the matter and scope of them;¹⁰¹⁰ with meditation,¹⁰¹¹ application,¹⁰¹² self-denial,¹⁰¹³ and prayer.¹⁰¹⁴

Q. 158. By whom is the Word of God to be preached?
A. The Word of God is to be preached only by such as are sufficiently gifted,¹⁰¹⁵ and also duly approved and called to that office.¹⁰¹⁶

Q. 159. How is the Word of God to be preached by those that are called thereunto?
A. They that are called to labour in the ministry of the Word, are to preach sound doctrine,¹⁰¹⁷ diligently,¹⁰¹⁸ in season and out of season;¹⁰¹⁹ plainly,¹⁰²⁰ not in the enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit, and of power;¹⁰²¹ faithfully,¹⁰²² making known the whole counsel of God;¹⁰²³ wisely,¹⁰²⁴ applying themselves to the necessities and capacities of the hearers;¹⁰²⁵ zealously,¹⁰²⁶ with fervent love to God¹⁰²⁷ and the souls of his people;¹⁰²⁸ sincerely,¹⁰²⁹ aiming at his glory,¹⁰³⁰ and their conversion,¹⁰³¹ edification,¹⁰³² and salvation.¹⁰³³

Q. 160. What is required of those that hear the Word preached?
A. It is required of those that hear the Word preached, that they attend upon it with diligence,¹⁰³⁴ preparation,¹⁰³⁵ and prayer;¹⁰³⁶ examine what they hear by the Scriptures;¹⁰³⁷ receive the truth with faith,¹⁰³⁸ love,¹⁰³⁹ meekness,¹⁰⁴⁰ and readiness of mind,¹⁰⁴¹ as the Word of God;¹⁰⁴² meditate,¹⁰⁴³ and confer of it;¹⁰⁴⁴ hide it in their hearts,¹⁰⁴⁵ and bring forth the fruit of it in their lives¹⁰⁴⁶.

Q. 161. How do the sacraments become effectual means of salvation?
A. The sacraments become effectual means of salvation, not by any power in themselves, or any virtue derived from the piety or intention of him by whom they are administered, but only by the working of the Holy Ghost, and the blessing of Christ, by whom they are instituted¹⁰⁴⁷.

Q. 162. What is a sacrament?
A. A sacrament is an holy ordinance instituted by Christ in his church,¹⁰⁴⁸ to signify, seal, and exhibit¹⁰⁴⁹ unto those that are within the covenant of grace,¹⁰⁵⁰ the benefits of his mediation;¹⁰⁵¹ to strengthen and increase their faith, and all other graces;¹⁰⁵² to oblige them to obedience;¹⁰⁵³ to testify and cherish their love and communion one with another;¹⁰⁵⁴ and to distinguish them from those that are without.¹⁰⁵⁵

Q. 163. What are the parts of a sacrament?
A. The parts of the sacrament are two; the one an outward and sensible sign, used according to Christ’s own appointment; the other an inward and spiritual grace thereby signified.¹⁰⁵⁶

Q. 164. How many sacraments hath Christ instituted in his church under the New Testament?
A. Under the New Testament Christ hath instituted in his church only two sacraments, baptism and the Lord’s supper.¹⁰⁵⁷

Q. 165. What is baptism?
A. Baptism is a sacrament of the New Testament, wherein Christ hath ordained the washing with water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost,¹⁰⁵⁸ to be a sign and seal of ingrafting into himself,¹⁰⁵⁹ of remission of sins by his blood,¹⁰⁶⁰ and regeneration by his Spirit;¹⁰⁶¹ of adoption,¹⁰⁶² and resurrection unto everlasting life;¹⁰⁶³ and whereby the parties baptized are solemnly admitted into the visible church,¹⁰⁶⁴ and enter into an open and professed engagement to be wholly and only the Lord’s.¹⁰⁶⁵

Q. 166. Unto whom is baptism to be administered?
A. Baptism is not to be administered to any that are out of the visible church, and so strangers from the covenant of promise, till they profess their faith in Christ, and obedience to him,¹⁰⁶⁶ but infants descending from parents, either both, or but one of them, professing faith in Christ, and obedience to him, are in that respect within the covenant, and to be baptized.¹⁰⁶⁷

Q. 167. How is our baptism to be improved by us?
A. The needful but much neglected duty of improving our baptism, is to be performed by us all our life long, especially in the time of temptation, and when we are present at the administration of it to others;¹⁰⁶⁸ by serious and thankful consideration of the nature of it, and of the ends for which Christ instituted it, the privileges and benefits conferred and sealed thereby, and our solemn vow made therein;¹⁰⁶⁹ by being humbled for our sinful defilement, our falling short of, and walking contrary to, the grace of baptism, and our engagements;¹⁰⁷⁰ by growing up to assurance of pardon of sin, and of all other blessings sealed to us in that sacrament;¹⁰⁷¹ by drawing strength from the death and resurrection of Christ, into whom we are baptized, for the mortifying of sin, and quickening of grace;¹⁰⁷² and by endeavoring to live by faith,¹⁰⁷³ to have our conversation in holiness and righteousness,¹⁰⁷⁴ as those that have therein given up their names to Christ;¹⁰⁷⁵ and to walk in brotherly love, as being baptized by the same Spirit into one body.¹⁰⁷⁶

Q. 168. What is the Lord’s supper?
A. The Lord’s supper is a sacrament of the New Testament,¹⁰⁷⁷ wherein, by giving and receiving bread and wine according to the appointment of Jesus Christ, his death is showed forth; and they that worthily communicate feed upon his body and blood, to their spiritual nourishment and growth in grace;¹⁰⁷⁸ have their union and communion with him confirmed;¹⁰⁷⁹ testify and renew their thankfulness,¹⁰⁸⁰ and engagement to God,¹⁰⁸¹ and their mutual love and fellowship each with the other, as members of the same mystical body.¹⁰⁸²

Q. 169. How hath Christ appointed bread and wine to be given and received in the sacrament of the Lord’s supper?
A. Christ hath appointed the ministers of his Word, in the administration of this sacrament of the Lord’s supper, to set apart the bread and wine from common use, by the word of institution, thanksgiving, and prayer; to take and break the bread, and to give both the bread and the wine to the communicants: who are, by the same appointment, to take and eat the bread, and to drink the wine, in thankful remembrance that the body of Christ was broken and given, and his blood shed, for them.¹⁰⁸³

Q. 170. How do they that worthily communicate in the Lord’s supper feed upon the body and blood of Christ therein?
A. As the body and blood of Christ are not corporally or carnally present in, with, or under the bread and wine in the Lord’s supper,¹⁰⁸⁴ and yet are spiritually present to the faith of the receiver, no less truly and really than the elements themselves are to their outward senses;¹⁰⁸⁵ so they that worthily communicate in the sacrament of the Lord’s supper, do therein feed upon the body and blood of Christ, not after a corporal and carnal, but in a spiritual manner; yet truly and really,¹⁰⁸⁶ while by faith they receive and apply unto themselves Christ crucified, and all the benefits of his death.¹⁰⁸⁷

Q. 171. How are they that receive the sacrament of the Lord’s supper to prepare themselves before they come unto it?
A. They that receive the sacrament of the Lord’s supper are, before they come, to prepare themselves thereunto, by examining themselves¹⁰⁸⁸ of their being in Christ,¹⁰⁸⁹ of their sins and wants;¹⁰⁹⁰ of the truth and measure of their knowledge,¹⁰⁹¹ faith,¹⁰⁹² repentance;¹⁰⁹³ love to God and the brethren,¹⁰⁹⁴ charity to all men,¹⁰⁹⁵ forgiving those that have done them wrong;¹⁰⁹⁶ of their desires after Christ,¹⁰⁹⁷ and of their new obedience;¹⁰⁹⁸ and by renewing the exercise of these graces,¹⁰⁹⁹ by serious meditation,¹¹⁰⁰ and fervent prayer.¹¹⁰¹

Q. 172. May one who doubteth of his being in Christ, or of his due preparation, come to the Lord’s supper?
A. One who doubteth of his being in Christ, or of his due preparation to the sacrament of the Lord’s supper, may have true interest in Christ, though he be not yet assured thereof;¹¹⁰² and in God’s account hath it, if he be duly affected with the apprehension of the want of it,¹¹⁰³ and unfeignedly desires to be found in Christ,¹¹⁰⁴ and to depart from iniquity:¹¹⁰⁵ in which case (because promises are made, and this sacrament is appointed, for the relief even of weak and doubting Christians¹¹⁰⁶) he is to bewail his unbelief,¹¹⁰⁷ and labor to have his doubts resolved;¹¹⁰⁸ and, so doing, he may and ought to come to the Lord’s supper, that he may be further strengthened.¹¹⁰⁹

Q. 173. May any who profess the faith, and desire to come to the Lord’s supper, be kept from it?
A. Such as are found to be ignorant or scandalous, notwithstanding their profession of the faith, and desire to come to the Lord’s supper, may and ought to be kept from that sacrament, by the power which Christ hath left in his church,¹¹¹⁰ until they receive instruction, and manifest their reformation.¹¹¹¹

Q. 174. What is required of them that receive the sacrament of the Lord’s supper in the time of the administration of it?
A. It is required of them that receive the sacrament of the Lord’s supper, that, during the time of the administration of it, with all holy reverence and attention they wait upon God in that ordinance,¹¹¹² diligently observe the sacramental elements and actions,¹¹¹³ heedfully discern the Lord’s body,¹¹¹⁴ and affectionately meditate on his death and sufferings,¹¹¹⁵ and thereby stir up themselves to a vigorous exercise of their graces;¹¹¹⁶ in judging themselves,¹¹¹⁷ and sorrowing for sin;¹¹¹⁸ in earnest hungering and thirsting after Christ,¹¹¹⁹ feeding on him by faith,¹¹²⁰ receiving of his fullness,¹¹²¹ trusting in his merits,¹¹²² rejoicing in his love,¹¹²³ giving thanks for his grace;¹¹²⁴ in renewing of their covenant with God,¹¹²⁵ and love to all the saints.¹¹²⁶

Q. 175. What is the duty of Christians, after they have received the sacrament of the Lord’s supper?
A. The duty of Christians, after they have received the sacrament of the Lord’s supper, is seriously to consider how they have behaved themselves therein, and with what success;¹¹²⁷ if they find quickening and comfort, to bless God for it,¹¹²⁸ beg the continuance of it,¹¹²⁹ watch against relapses,¹¹³⁰ fulfill their vows,¹¹³¹ and encourage themselves to a frequent attendance on that ordinance:¹¹³² but if they find no present benefit, more exactly to review their preparation to, and carriage at, the sacrament;¹¹³³ in both which, if they can approve themselves to God and their own consciences, they are to wait for the fruit of it in due time:¹¹³⁴ but, if they see they have failed in either, they are to be humbled,¹¹³⁵ and to attend upon it afterwards with more care and diligence.¹¹³⁶

Q. 176. Wherein do the sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s supper agree?
A. The sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s supper agree, in that the author of both is God;¹¹³⁷ the spiritual part of both is Christ and his benefits;¹¹³⁸ both are seals of the same covenant,¹¹³⁹ are to be dispensed by ministers of the gospel, and by none other;¹¹⁴⁰ and to be continued in the church of Christ until his second coming.¹¹⁴¹

Q. 177. Wherein do the sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s supper differ?
A. The sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s supper differ, in that baptism is to be administered but once, with water, to be a sign and seal of our regeneration and ingrafting into Christ,¹¹⁴² and that even to infants;¹¹⁴³ whereas the Lord’s supper is to be administered often, in the elements of bread and wine, to represent and exhibit Christ as spiritual nourishment to the soul,¹¹⁴⁴ and to confirm our continuance and growth in him,¹¹⁴⁵ and that only to such as are of years and ability to examine themselves.¹¹⁴⁶

Q. 178. What is prayer?
A. Prayer is an offering up of our desires unto God,¹¹⁴⁷ in the name of Christ,¹¹⁴⁸ by the help of his Spirit;¹¹⁴⁹ with confession of our sins,¹¹⁵⁰ and thankful acknowledgment of his mercies.¹¹⁵¹

Q. 179. Are we to pray unto God only?
A. God only being able to search the hearts,¹¹⁵² hear the requests,¹¹⁵³ pardon the sins,¹¹⁵⁴ and fulfill the desires of all;¹¹⁵⁵ and only to be believed in,¹¹⁵⁶ and worshipped with religious worship;¹¹⁵⁷ prayer, which is a special part thereof,¹¹⁵⁸ is to be made by all to him alone,¹¹⁵⁹ and to none other.¹¹⁶⁰

Q. 180. What is it to pray in the name of Christ?
A. To pray in the name of Christ is, in obedience to his command, and in confidence on his promises, to ask mercy for his sake;¹¹⁶¹ not by bare mentioning of his name,¹¹⁶² but by drawing our encouragement to pray, and our boldness, strength, and hope of acceptance in prayer, from Christ and his mediation.¹¹⁶³

Q. 181. Why are we to pray in the name of Christ?
A. The sinfulness of man, and his distance from God by reason thereof, being so great, as that we can have no access into his presence without a mediator;¹¹⁶⁴ and there being none in heaven or earth appointed to, or fit for, that glorious work but Christ alone,¹¹⁶⁵ we are to pray in no other name but his only.¹¹⁶⁶

Q. 182. How doth the Spirit help us to pray?
A. We not knowing what to pray for as we ought, the Spirit helpeth our infirmities, by enabling us to understand both for whom, and what, and how prayer is to be made; and by working and quickening in our hearts (although not in all persons, nor at all times, in the same measure) those apprehensions, affections, and graces which are requisite for the right performance of that duty.¹¹⁶⁷

Q. 183. For whom are we to pray?
A. We are to pray for the whole church of Christ upon earth;¹¹⁶⁸ for magistrates,¹¹⁶⁹ and ministers;¹¹⁷⁰ for ourselves,¹¹⁷¹ our brethren,¹¹⁷² yea, our enemies;¹¹⁷³ and for all sorts of men living,¹¹⁷⁴ or that shall live hereafter;¹¹⁷⁵ but not for the dead,¹¹⁷⁶ nor for those that are known to have sinned the sin unto death.¹¹⁷⁷

Q. 184. For what things are we to pray?
A. We are to pray for all things tending to the glory of God,¹¹⁷⁸ the welfare of the church,¹¹⁷⁹ our own¹¹⁸⁰ or others, good;¹¹⁸¹ but not for anything that is unlawful.¹¹⁸²

Q. 185. How are we to pray?
A. We are to pray with an awful apprehension of the majesty of God,¹¹⁸³ and deep sense of our own unworthiness,¹¹⁸⁴ necessities,¹¹⁸⁵ and sins;¹¹⁸⁶ with penitent,¹¹⁸⁷ thankful,¹¹⁸⁸ and enlarged hearts;¹¹⁸⁹ with understanding,¹¹⁹⁰ faith,¹¹⁹¹ sincerity,¹¹⁹² fervency,¹¹⁹³ love,¹¹⁹⁴ and perseverance,¹¹⁹⁵ waiting upon him,¹¹⁹⁶ with humble submission to his will.¹¹⁹⁷

Q. 186. What rule hath God given for our direction in the duty of prayer?
A. The whole Word of God is of use to direct us in the duty of prayer;¹¹⁹⁸ but the special rule of direction is that form of prayer which our Savior Christ taught his disciples, commonly called The Lord’s Prayer.¹¹⁹⁹

Q. 187. How is the Lord’s Prayer to be used?
A. The Lord’s Prayer is not only for direction, as a pattern, according to which we are to make other prayers; but may also be used as a prayer, so that it be done with understanding, faith, reverence, and other graces necessary to the right performance of the duty of prayer.¹²⁰⁰

Q. 188. Of how many parts doth the Lord’s Prayer consist?
A. The Lord’s Prayer consists of three parts; a preface, petitions, and a conclusion.

Q. 189. What doth the preface of the Lord’s Prayer teach us?
A. The preface of the Lord’s Prayer (contained in these words, Our Father which art in heaven,¹²⁰¹) teacheth us, when we pray, to draw near to God with confidence of his fatherly goodness, and our interest therein;¹²⁰² with reverence, and all other childlike dispositions,¹²⁰³ heavenly affections,¹²⁰⁴ and due apprehensions of his sovereign power, majesty, and gracious condescension:¹²⁰⁵ as also, to pray with and for others.¹²⁰⁶

Q. 190. What do we pray for in the first petition?
A. In the first petition, (which is, Hallowed by thy name,¹²⁰⁷) acknowledging the utter inability and indisposition that is in ourselves and all men to honor God aright,¹²⁰⁸ we pray, that God would by his grace enable and incline us and others to know, to acknowledge, and highly to esteem him,¹²⁰⁹ his titles,¹²¹⁰ attributes,¹²¹¹ ordinances, Word,¹²¹² works, and whatsoever he is pleased to make himself known by;¹²¹³ and to glorify him in thought, word,¹²¹⁴ and deed:¹²¹⁵ that he would prevent and remove atheism,¹²¹⁶ ignorance,¹²¹⁷ idolatry,¹²¹⁸ profaneness,¹²¹⁹ and whatsoever is dishonorable to him;¹²²⁰ and, by his over-ruling providence, direct and dispose of all things to his own glory.¹²²¹

Q. 191. What do we pray for in the second petition?
A. In the second petition, (which is, Thy kingdom come,¹²²²) acknowledging ourselves and all mankind to be by nature under the dominion of sin and Satan,¹²²³ we pray, that the kingdom of sin and Satan may be destroyed,¹²²⁴ the gospel propagated throughout the world,¹²²⁵ the Jews called,¹²²⁶ the fullness of the Gentiles brought in;¹²²⁷ the church furnished with all gospel-officers and ordinances,¹²²⁸ purged from corruption,¹²²⁹ countenanced and maintained by the civil magistrate:¹²³⁰ that the ordinances of Christ may be purely dispensed, and made effectual to the converting of those that are yet in their sins, and the confirming, comforting, and building up of those that are already converted:¹²³¹ that Christ would rule in our hearts here,¹²³² and hasten the time of his second coming, and our reigning with him forever:¹²³³ and that he would be pleased so to exercise the kingdom of his power in all the world, as may best conduce to these ends.¹²³⁴

Q. 192. What do we pray for in the third petition?
A. In the third petition, (which is, Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven,¹²³⁵) acknowledging, that by nature we and all men are not only utterly unable and unwilling to know and do the will of God,¹²³⁶ but prone to rebel against his Word,¹²³⁷ to repine and murmur against his providence,¹²³⁸ and wholly inclined to do the will of the flesh, and of the devil:¹²³⁹ we pray, that God would by his Spirit take away from ourselves and others all blindness,¹²⁴⁰ weakness,¹²⁴¹ indisposedness,¹²⁴² and perverseness of heart;¹²⁴³ and by his grace make us able and willing to know, do, and submit to his will in all things,¹²⁴⁴ with the like humility,¹²⁴⁵ cheerfulness,¹²⁴⁶ faithfulness,¹²⁴⁷ diligence,¹²⁴⁸ zeal,¹²⁴⁹ sincerity,¹²⁵⁰ and constancy,¹²⁵¹ as the angels do in heaven.¹²⁵²

Q. 193. What do we pray for in the fourth petition?
A. In the fourth petition,(which is, Give us this day our daily bread,¹²⁵³) acknowledging, that in Adam, and by our own sin, we have forfeited our right to all the outward blessings of this life, and deserve to be wholly deprived of them by God, and to have them cursed to us in the use of them;¹²⁵⁴ and that neither they of themselves are able to sustain us,¹²⁵⁵ nor we to merit,¹²⁵⁶ or by our own industry to procure them;¹²⁵⁷ but prone to desire,¹²⁵⁸ get,¹²⁵⁹ and use them unlawfully:¹²⁶⁰ we pray for ourselves and others, that both they and we, waiting upon the providence of God from day to day in the use of lawful means, may, of his free gift, and as to his fatherly wisdom shall seem best, enjoy a competent portion of them;¹²⁶¹ and have the same continued and blessed unto us in our holy and comfortable use of them,¹²⁶² and contentment in them;¹²⁶³ and be kept from all things that are contrary to our temporal support and comfort.¹²⁶⁴

Q. 194. What do we pray for in the fifth petition?
A. In the fifth petition, (which is, Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors,¹²⁶⁵) acknowledging, that we and all others are guilty both of original and actual sin, and thereby become debtors to the justice of God; and that neither we, nor any other creature, can make the least satisfaction for that debt:¹²⁶⁶ we pray for ourselves and others, that God of his free grace would, through the obedience and satisfaction of Christ, apprehended and applied by faith, acquit us both from the guilt and punishment of sin,¹²⁶⁷ accept us in his Beloved;¹²⁶⁸ continue his favour and grace to us,¹²⁶⁹ pardon our daily failings,¹²⁷⁰ and fill us with peace and joy, in giving us daily more and more assurance of forgiveness;¹²⁷¹ which we are the rather emboldened to ask, and encouraged to expect, when we have this testimony in ourselves, that we from the heart forgive others their offenses.¹²⁷²

Q. 195. What do we pray for in the sixth petition?
A. In the sixth petition, (which is, And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,¹²⁷³) acknowledging, that the most wise, righteous, and gracious God, for divers holy and just ends, may so order things, that we may be assaulted, foiled, and for a time led captive by temptations;¹²⁷⁴ that Satan, ¹²⁷⁵ the world,¹²⁷⁶ and the flesh, are ready powerfully to draw us aside, and ensnare us;¹²⁷⁷ and that we, even after the pardon of our sins, by reason of our corruption,¹²⁷⁸ weakness, and want of watchfulness,¹²⁷⁹ are not only subject to be tempted, and forward to expose ourselves unto temptations,¹²⁸⁰ but also of ourselves unable and unwilling to resist them, to recover out of them, and to improve them;¹²⁸¹ and worthy to be left under the power of them:¹²⁸² we pray, that God would so overrule the world and all in it,¹²⁸³ subdue the flesh,¹²⁸⁴ and restrain Satan,¹²⁸⁵ order all things,¹²⁸⁶ bestow and bless all means of grace,¹²⁸⁷ and quicken us to watchfulness in the use of them, that we and all his people may by his providence be kept from being tempted to sin;¹²⁸⁸ or, if tempted, that by his Spirit we may be powerfully supported and enabled to stand in the hour of temptation;¹²⁸⁹ or when fallen, raised again and recovered out of it,¹²⁹⁰ and have a sanctified use and improvement thereof:¹²⁹¹ that our sanctification and salvation may be perfected,¹²⁹² Satan trodden under our feet,¹²⁹³ and we fully freed from sin, temptation, and all evil, forever.¹²⁹⁴

Q. 196. What doth the conclusion of the Lord’s Prayer teach us?
A. The conclusion of the Lord’s Prayer, (which is, For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.¹²⁹⁵) teacheth us to enforce our petitions with arguments,¹²⁹⁶ which are to be taken, not from any worthiness in ourselves, or in any other creature, but from God;¹²⁹⁷ and with our prayers to join praises,¹²⁹⁸ ascribing to God alone eternal sovereignty, omnipotency, and glorious excellency;¹²⁹⁹ in regard whereof, as he is able and willing to help us,¹³⁰⁰ so we by faith are emboldened to plead with him that he would,¹³⁰¹ and quietly to rely upon him, that he will fulfil our requests.¹³⁰² And, to testify this our desire and assurance, we say, Amen.¹³⁰³