Q1. What is the chief end of man?
A1. Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him for ever.
Q2. What rule hath God given to
direct us how we may glorify and enjoy Him?
A2. The Word of God, which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New
Testaments, is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy Him.
Q3. What do the Scriptures
principally teach?
A3. The Scriptures principally teach what man is to believe concerning God, and
what duty God requires of man.
Q4. What is God?
A4. God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable, in his being, wisdom,
power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth.
Q5. Are there more Gods than one?
A5. There is but one only, the living and true God.
Q6. How many persons are there in
the Godhead?
A6. There are three persons in the Godhead; the Father, the Son, and the Holy
Ghost; and these three are one God, the same in substance, equal in power and
glory.
Q7. What are the decrees of God?
A7. The decrees of God are, his eternal purpose,
according to the counsel of his will, whereby, for his own glory, he hath
fore-ordained whatsoever comes to pass.
Q8. How doth God execute his
decrees?
A8. God executeth his decrees in the works of creation and providence.
Q9. What is the work of creation?
A9. The work of creation is, God's making all things
of nothing, by the word of his power, in the space of six days, and all very
good.
Q10. How did God create man?
A10. God created man male and female, after his own image, in knowledge,
righteousness, and holiness, with dominion over the creatures.
Q11. What are God's works of
providence?
A11.God's works of providence are, his most holy, wise, and powerful preserving
and governing all his creatures, and all their actions.
Q12. What special act of
providence did God exercise toward man in the estate wherein he was created?
A12.When God had created man, he entered into a
covenant of life with him, upon condition of perfect obedience; forbidding him
to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, upon the pain of death.
Q13. Did our first parents
continue in the estate wherein they were created?
A13. Our first parents, being left to the freedom of their own will, fell from
the estate wherein they were created, by sinning against God.
Q14. What is sin?
A14. Sin is any want of conformity unto, or transgression of, the law of God.
Q15. What was the sin whereby our
first parents fell from the estate wherein they were created?
A15.T he sin whereby our first parents fell from the estate wherein they were
created, was their eating the forbidden fruit.
Q16. Did all mankind fall in
Adam's first transgression?
A16. The covenant being made with Adam, not only for himself, but for his
posterity; all mankind, descending from him by ordinary generation, sinned in
him, and fell with him, in his first transgression.
Q17. Into what estate did the
fall bring mankind?
A17. The fall brought mankind into an estate of sin and misery.
Q18. Wherein consists
the sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell?
A18. The sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell,
consists in the guilt of Adam's first sin, the want of original righteousness,
and the corruption of his whole nature, which is commonly called original sin;
together with all actual transgressions which proceed from it.
Q19. What is the misery of that
estate whereinto man fell?
A19. All mankind by their fall lost communion with God, are under his wrath and
curse, and so made liable to all miseries in this life, to death itself, and to
the pains of hell for ever.
Q20. Did God leave all mankind to
perish in the estate of sin and misery?
A20. God having, out of his mere good pleasure, from all eternity, elected some
to everlasting life, did enter into a covenant of grace, to deliver them out of
the estate of sin and misery, and to bring them into an estate of salvation by
a Redeemer.
Q21. Who is the Redeemer of God's
elect?
A21. The only Redeemer of God's elect is the Lord Jesus Christ, who, being the
eternal Son of God, became man, and so was, and continueth to be, God and man
in two distinct natures, and one person, for ever.
Q22. How did Christ, being the
Son of God, become man?
A22. Christ, the Son of God, became man, by taking to himself
a true body, and a reasonable soul, being conceived by the power of the Holy
Ghost, in the womb of the Virgin Mary, and born of her yet without sin.
Q23. What offices doth Christ
execute as our Redeemer?
A23. Christ, as our Redeemer, executeth the offices of a prophet, of a priest,
and of a king, both in his estate of humiliation and exaltation.
Q24. How doth Christ execute the
office of a prophet?
A24. Christ executeth the office of a prophet, in revealing to us, by his word
and Spirit, the will of God for our salvation.
Q25. How doth Christ execute the
office of a priest?
A25. Christ executeth the office of a priest, in his once offering up of
himself a sacrifice to satisfy divine justice, and reconcile us to God, and in
making continual intercession for us.
Q26. How doth Christ execute the
office of a king?
A26. Christ executeth the office of a king, in subduing us to himself, in
ruling and defending us, and in restraining and conquering all his and our
enemies.
Q27. Wherein did Christ's
humiliation consist?
A27. Christ's humiliation consisted in his being born, and that in a low
condition, made under the law, undergoing the miseries of this life, the wrath
of God, and the cursed death of the cross; in being buried, and continuing
under the power of death for a time.
Q28. Wherein consisteth
Christ's exaltation?
A28. Christ's exaltation consisteth in his rising again from the dead on the
third day, in ascending up into heaven, in sitting at the right hand of God the
Father, and in coming to judge the world at the last day.
Q29. How are we made partakers of
the redemption purchased by Christ?
A29. We are made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ, by the
effectual application of it to us by his Holy Spirit.
Q30. How doth the Spirit apply to
us the redemption purchased by Christ?
A30. The Spirit applieth to us the redemption purchased by Christ, by working
faith in us, and thereby uniting us to Christ in our effectual calling.
Q31. What is effectual calling?
A31. Effectual calling is the work of God's Spirit, whereby convincing us of
our sin and misery, enlightening our minds in the knowledge of Christ, and renewing
our wills, he doth persuade and enable us to embrace
Jesus Christ, freely offered to us in the gospel.
Q32. What benefits do they that
are effectually called partake of in this life?
A32. They that are effectually called do in this life partake of justification,
adoption, and sanctification, and the several benefits which, in this life, do
either accompany or flow from them.
Q33. What is justification?
A33. Justification is an act of God's free grace, wherein He pardoneth all our
sins, and accepteth us as righteous in His sight, only for the righteousness of
Christ imputed to us, and received by faith alone.
Q34. What is adoption?
A34. Adoption is an act of God's free grace, whereby we are received into the
number, and have a right to all the privileges of the Sons of God.
Q35. What is sanctification?
A35. Sanctification is the work of God's free grace, whereby we are renewed in
the whole man after the image of God, and are enabled more and more to die unto
sin, and live unto righteousness.
Q36. What are the benefits which
in this life do accompany or flow from justification, adoption, and
sanctification?
A36. The benefits which in this life do accompany or flow from justification,
adoption, and sanctification, are, assurance of God's love, peace of
conscience, joy in the Holy Ghost, increase of grace, and perseverance therein
to the end.
Q37. What benefits do believers
receive from Christ at death?
A37. The souls of believers are at their death made perfect in holiness, and do
immediately pass into glory; and their bodies, being still united to Christ, do
rest in their graves till the resurrection.
Q38. What benefits do believers
receive from Christ at the resurrection?
A38. At the resurrection, believers being raised up in glory, shall be openly
acknowledged and acquitted in the day of judgement, and made perfectly blessed
in the full enjoying of God to all eternity.
Q39. What is the duty which God
requireth of man?
A39. The duty which God requireth of man is obedience to His revealed will.
Q40. What did God at first reveal
to man for the rule of his obedience?
A40. The rule which God at first revealed to man for his obedience, was the
Moral Law.
Q41. Where is
the Moral Law summarily comprehended?
A41. The Moral Law is summarily comprehended in the Ten Commandments.
Q42. What is the sum of the Ten
Commandments?
A42. The sum of the Ten Commandments is, "to love the Lord our God"
with all our heart, all our soul, with all our strength, and with all our mind; and our neighbor as ourselves.
Q43. What is the preface to the
Ten Commandments?
A43. The preface to the Ten Commandments is in these words, "I am the Lord
your God, who brought you out of the
A44. The preface to the Ten Commandments teacheth us, That
because God is The Lord, and our God, and Redeemer, therefore we are bound to
keep all His commandments.
Q45. Which is the First
Commandment?
A45. The First Commandment is, "thou shalt have no other gods before Me." Q46. What is required in the First Commandment?
A46. The First Commandment requireth us to know and acknowledge God to be only
true God, and our God; and to worship and glorify Him accordingly.
Q47. What is forbidden in the
First Commandment?
A47. The First Commandment forbiddeth the denying, or not worshipping and
glorifying the true God, as God, [and our God,] and the giving of that worship
and glory to any other which is due to Him alone.
Q48. What are we specially taught
by these words, "before me" in the First Commandment?
A48. These words "before me" in the First Commandment, teach us, That
God who seeth all things, taketh notice of, and is much displeased with, the
sin of having any other God.
Q49. Which is the Second
Commandment?
A49. The Second Commandment is, "thou shalt not make unto thee any graven
image, or any likeness of any thing 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."
Q50. What is required in the
Second Commandment?
A50. The Second Commandment requireth the receiving, observing, and keeping
pure and entire, all such religious worship and ordinances as God hath
appointed in His Word.
Q51. What is forbidden in the
Second Commandment?
A51. The Second Commandment forbiddeth the worshipping of God by images, or any
other way not appointed in His Word.
Q52. What are the reasons annexed
to the Second Commandment?
A52. The reasoned annexed to the Second Commandment are, God's sovereignty over
us, and the zeal He hath to His own worship.
Q53. Which is the Third
Commandment?
A53. 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." Q54. What is required in the Third Commandment?
A54. The Third Commandment requireth the holy and reverent use of God's names,
titles, attributes, ordinances, Word, and works.
Q55. What is forbidden in the
Third Commandment?
A55. The Third Commandment forbiddeth all profaning or abusing [of] anything
whereby God maketh Himself known.
Q56. What is the reason annexed
to the Third Commandment?
A56. The reason annexed to the Third Commandment is, That
however the breakers of this commandment may escape punishment from men, yet
the Lord our God will not suffer them to escape His righteous judgement.
Q57. Which is the Fourth
Commandment?
A57. 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 manservant, 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 the seventh
day.wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it."
Q58. What is required in the
Fourth Commandment?
A58. The Fourth Commandment requireth the keeping holy to God such set times as
He appointed in His Word; expressly one whole day in seven to be a holy Sabbath
to Himself.
Q59. Which day of the seven hath
God appointed to be the weekly Sabbath?
A59. From the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ, God
appointed the seventh day of the week to be the weekly Sabbath; and the first
day of the week ever since, to continue to the end of the world, which is the
Christian Sabbath.
Q60. How is the Sabbath to be
sanctified?
A60. The Sabbath is to be sanctified by a holy resting all that day, even from
such worldly employments and recreations as are lawful on other days; and
spending the whole time in the public and private exercises of God's worship,
except so much as is to be taken up in the works of necessity and mercy.
Q61. What is forbidden in the
Fourth Commandment?
A61. The Fourth Commandment forbiddeth the omission or careless performance of
the duties required, and the profaning the day by idleness, or doing that which
is in itself sinful, or by unnecessary thoughts, words, or works, about our
worldly employments or recreations.
Q62. What are the reasons annexed
to the Fourth Commandment?
A62. The reasons annexed to the Fourth Commandment are, God's allowing us six
days of the week for our own employments, His challenging a special propriety
in the seventh, His own example, and His blessing the Sabbath-day.
Q63. Which is the Fifth
Commandment?
A63. 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." Q64.
What is required in the Fifth Commandment?
A64. The Fifth Commandment requireth the preserving the honour, and performing
the duties, belonging to every one in their several places and relations, as
superiors, inferiors, or equals.
Q65. What is the forbidden in the
Fifth Commandment?
A65. The Fifth Commandment forbiddeth the neglecting of, or doing anything
against, the honour and duty which belongeth to every one in their several
places and relations.
Q66. What is the reason annexed
to the Fifth Commandment?
A66. The reason annexed to the Fifth Commandment is a 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.
Q67. Which is the Sixth
Commandment?
A67. The Sixth Commandment is, "thou shalt not kill."
Q68. What is required in the
Sixth Commandment?
A68. The Sixth Commandment requireth all lawful endeavours to preserve our own
life, and the life of others.
Q69. What is forbidden in the
Sixth Commandment?
A69. The Sixth Commandment forbiddeth the taking away of our own life, or the
life of our neighbour unjustly, or whatsoever tendeth thereunto.
Q70. Which is the Seventh
Commandment?
A70. The Seventh Commandment is, "thou shalt not commit adultery."
Q71. What is required in the
Seventh Commandment?
A71. The Seventh Commandment requireth the preservation of our own and our
neighbor's chasity, in heart, speech, and behaviour.
Q72. What is forbidden in the
Seventh Commandment?
A72. The Seventh Commandment forbiddeth all unchaste thoughts, words, and
actions.
Q73. Which is the Eighth
Commandment?
A73. The Eighth Commandment is, "thou shalt not steal."
Q74.What is required in the Eighth
Commandment?
A74.The Eighth Commandment requireth the lawful procuring and furthering the
wealth and outward estate of ourselves and others.
Q75. What is forbidden in the
Eighth Commandment?
A75. The Eighth Commandment forbiddeth whatsoever doth or may unjustly hinder
our own or our neighbour's wealth or outward estate.
Q76. What is the Ninth
Commandment?
A76. The Ninth Commandment is, "thou shalt not bear false witness against
thy neighbour."
Q77. What is required in the
Ninth Commandment?
A77.The Ninth Commandment requireth the maintaining and promoting of truth
between man and man, and of our own and our neighbour's good name, especially
in witness-bearing.
Q78.What is forbidden in the
Ninth Commandment?
A78. The Ninth Commandment forbiddeth whatsoever is prejudical to truth, or injurious to our own or our neighbour's good name.
Q79. Which is the Tenth
Commandment?
A79. The Tenth Commandment is, "thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's
house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant,
nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy
neighbour's."
Q80. What is required in the
Tenth Commandment?
A80. The Tenth Commandment requireth full contentment with our own condition,
with a right and charitable frame of spirit toward our neighbour, and all this
is his.
Q81. What is forbidden in the
Tenth Commandment?
A81. The Tenth Commandment forbiddeth all discontentment with our own own
estate, envying or grieving at the good of our neighbour, and all inordinate
motions and affections to any thing that is his.
Q82. Is any man able perfectly to
keep the commandments of God?
A82. No mere man since the fall is able in this life perfectly to keep the
commandments of God, but doth daily break them in thought, word, and deed.
Q83. Are
all transgression of the law equally heinous?
A83. Some sins in themselves, and by reason of several
aggravations are more heinous in the sight of God than others.
Q84. What doth every sin deserve?
A84. Every sin deserveth God's wrath and curse, both in this life, and that
which is to come.
Q85. What doth God require of us,
that we may escape his wrath and curse due to us for sin?
A85. To escape the wrath and curse of God due to us for sin, God requireth of
us faith in Jesus Christ, repentance unto life, with the diligent use of all
the outward means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of
redemption.
Q86. What is faith in Jesus
Christ?
A86. Faith in Jesus Christ is a saving grace, whereby we receive and rest upon
him alone for salvation, as he is offered to us in the gospel.
Q87. What is repentance unto
life?
A87. Repentance unto life is a saving grace, whereby a sinner, out of a true
sense of his sin, and apprehension of the mercy of God in Christ, doth, with
grief and hatred of his sin, turn from it unto God, with full purpose of, and
endeavour after, new obedience.
Q88. What are the outward means
whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption?
A88. The outward and ordinary means whereby Christ communicateth to us the
benefits of redemption, are his ordinances, especially
the Word, sacraments, and prayer; all which are made effectual to the elect for
salvation.
Q89. How is the
Word made effectual to salvation?
A89. The Spirit of God maketh the reading, but especially the preaching of the
Word, an effectual means of convincing and converting sinners, and of building
them up in holiness and comfort, through faith, unto salvation.
Q90. How is the Word to be read
and heard, that it may become effectual to salvation?
A90. The the Word may become effectual to salvation,
we must attend thereunto with diligence, preparation, and prayer; receive it
with faith and love, lay it up in our hearts, and practise it in our lives.
Q91. How do the sacraments become
effectual means of salvation?
A91. The sacraments become effectual means of salvation, not from any virtue in
them, or in him that doth administer them; but only by the blessing of Christ,
and the working of his Spirit in them that by faith receive them.
Q92. What is a sacrament?
A92. A sacrament is an holy ordinance instituted by
Christ, wherein, by sensible signs, Christ, and the benefits of the new
covenant, are represented, sealed, and applied to believers.
Q93. Which are the sacraments of
the New Testament?
A93. The sacraments of the New Testament are, Baptism, and the Lord's supper.
Q94. What is baptism?
A94. Baptism is a sacrament, wherein the washing with water in the name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, doth signify and seal our ingrafting
into Christ, and partaking of the benefits of the covenant of grace, and our
engagement to be the Lord's.
Q95. To whom is baptism to be
administered?
A95. Baptism is not to be administered to any that are out of the visible
church, till they profess their faith in Christ, and obedience to him; but the
infants of such as are members of the visible church are to be baptized.
Q96. What is the Lord's supper?
A96. The Lord's Supper is a sacrament, wherein, by giving and receiving bread
and wine, according to Christ's appointment, his death is showed forth; and the
worth receivers are, not after a corporal and carnal manner, but by faith, made
partakers of his body and blood, with all his benefits, to their spiritual
nourishment, and growth in grace.
Q97. What is required to be the
worthy receiving of the Lord's supper?
A97. It is required of them that would worthily partake of the Lord's Supper,
that they examine themselves of their knowledge to discern the Lord's body, of
their faith to feed upon him, of their repentance, love, and new obedience;
lest, coming unworthily, they eat and drink judgement to themselves.
Q98. What is prayer?
A98. Prayer is an offering up of our desires unto God for things agreeable to
his will, in the name of Christ, with confession of our sins, and thankful
acknowledgement of his mercies.
Q99. What rule hath God given for
our direction in prayer?
A99. The whole Word of God is of use to direct us in prayer; but the special
rule of direction is that form of prayer which Christ taught his disciples,
commonly called The Lord's Prayer.
Q100. What doth the preface of
the Lord's prayer teach us?
A100. The preface of the Lord's prayer, which is, "Our Father which art in
heaven," teacheth us to draw near to God with all holy reverence and
confidence, as children to a father, able and ready to help us; and that we
should pray with and for others.
Q101. What do we pray for in the
first petition?
A101. In the first petition, which is, "Hallowed be thy name," we
pray, That God would enable us and others to glorify him in all that whereby he
maketh himself known; and that he would dispose all things to his own glory.
Q102. What do we pray for in the
second petition?
A102. In the second petition, which is, "Thy kingdom come," we pray,
That Satan's kingdom may be destroyed; and that the kingdom of grace may be
advanced, ourselves and others brought into it, and kept in it; and the kingdom
of glory may be hastened.
Q103. What do we pray for in the
third petition?
A103.In the third petition, which is, "Thy will be done in earth, as it is
in heaven," we pray, that God by his grace, would make us able and willing
to know, obey, and submit to his will in all things, as the angels do in
heaven.
Q104. What do we pray for in the
fourth petition?
A104.In the fourth petition, which is, "Give us this day our daily
bread," we pray, That of God's free gift we may receive a competent
portion of the good things of this life, and enjoy his blessing with them.
Q105. What do we pray for in the
fifth petition?
A105.In the fifth petition, which is, "And forgive us our debts, as we
forgive our debtors," we pray, That God, for Christ's sake, would freely
pardon all our sins; which we are able to be rather encouraged to ask, because
by his grace we are enabled from the heart to forgive others.
Q106. What do we pray for in the
sixth petition?
A106. In the sixth petition, which is, "And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil," we pray, that God would either keep us from
being tempted to sin, or support and deliver us when we are tempted.
Q107. What doth the conclusion
the Lord's prayer teach us?
A107. The conclusion of the Lord's prayer, which is, "For thine is the
kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever, Amen." teacheth us, to
take our encouragement in prayer from God only, and in our prayers to praise
him, ascribing kingdom, power and glory to him and, in testimony of our desire,
and assurance to be heard, we say, Amen.