THE

CATECHISM

OF THE

ASSEMBLY OF DIVINES AT WESTMINSTER,

WITH

EXPLANATORY NOTES.

1. Quest. WHAT is the chief end of man ?

Ans. Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.

Chief end. The chief design, for which man was made, and which man should chiefly seek after.

To glorify God. To do him honour, as the most glorious and most excellent Being.

To enjoy God. To rejoice in his presence and in his love.

2. Q. What rule hath God given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him?

A. The word of God, which is contained in the scriptures of the old and new testament, is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him.

Scriptures. Holy writings.

Old and new testament. The two parts of scripture, which might as properly be called the old and new Covenant, or the law and the gospel.

3. Q. 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.

Principally. Chiefly.

4. Q. What is God?

A. God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness and truth.

A Spirit. A being that has understanding and will, but no shape nor parts, nor can be seen with the eyes.

Infinite. Without bounds.

Eternal. Without beginning or ending.

5. Q. Are there more gods than one?

A. There is but one only, the living and true God. 6. Q. How many persons are there in the godhead ? A. 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.

Three persons in the godhead. Three to whom the personal terms, I, thou, and he, are applied, and yet the one true godhead is ascribed to each of them.

7.Q. What are the decrees of God?

A. 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. Fore-ordained whatsoever comes to pass. Appointed to bring to pass all that is good, and to permit what is evil.

8. Q. How doth God execute his decrees?

A. God executeth his decrees in the works of creasion and providence.

Execute. Fulfil or bring to pass.

9. Q. What is the work of creation?

A. 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.

The word of his power. His powerful word.

10. Q. How did God create man?

A. God created man, male and female, after his own image, in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness, with dominion over the creatures.

Male and female. Man and woman.

The image of God. Likeness to God

11. Q. What are God's works of providence ?

A. God's works of providence are his most holy, wise, and powerful preserving and governing all his creatures, and all their actions.

12. Q. What special act of providence did God exercise towards man in the state wherein he was created?

A. 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 knowledge of good and evil upon pain of death.

Covenant of life upon condition of perfect obedience. A prom. ise to bestow everlasting life, if man continued to obey God perfectly, without sinning.

Tree of knowledge of good and evil. A tree in the garden of Eden, so called, because by eating it contrary to the command of God, Adam knew what good he had lost, and what evil he had brought upon himself.

13. Q. Did our first parents continue in the state, wherein they were created?

A. Our first parents being left to the freedom of their own will fell from the state, wherein they were created, by sinning against God.

14. Q. What is sin ?

A. Sin is any want of conformity unto, or transgression of the law of God.

Conformity to the law. Being and doing what the law requires.

Transgression of the law. Being or doing what the law for

bids.

15. Q. What was the sin, whereby our first parents fell from the state, wherein they were created?

A. The sin, whereby our first parents fell from the state, wherein they were created, was their eating the forbidden fruit.

16. Q. Did all mankind fall in Adam's first transgression?

A. 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.

Covenant. See A. 12.

Posterity. Children and grand children, and all that proceed from them.

Descending from him by ordinary generation. Proceeding or coming from him according to the common course of nature.

17. Q. Into what state did the fall bring mankind? A. The fall brought mankind into a state of sin and misery.

The fall. Adam's sin is so called, because he fell from the favour of God, by falling from his obedience to him.

18. Q. Wherein consists the sinfulness of that state, whereinto man fell?

A. The sinfulness of that state, 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.

Guilt of Adam's first sin. This must at least signify our interest in that sin, so far as to be justly exposed to pain and sorrow on the account of that sin.

Original righteousness. The good inclinations that belonged to man in his first state, as God created him.

Original sin. Evil inclinations, which are born with every child of Adam since the fall.

Transgression. See A. 14.

19. Q. What is the misery of that state, whereinto manjell?

A. All mankind by their fall lost communion with God, are under his wrath and curse, and so made liable to all the miseries of this life, to death itself, and to the pains of hell forever.

Communion with God. Friendly converse with him, or receiving blessings from him.

Curse of God. When a creature is devoted or given up to pain, or shame, or death, by God himself.

20. Q. Did God leave all mankind to perish in the state of sin and misery?

A. 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 state of sin and misery, and to bring them into a state of salvation, by a Redeemer.

Eternity. Before time began.

Elected. Chosen.

Covenant of grace. The merciful appointment or agreement of God to save men; called also, the New Covenant, or the Gospel.

Salvation. Deliverance of men from hell, and bringing them to heaven.

Redeemer. One that frees from bondage and misery by paying a price, or by an act of power.

21. Q. Who is the Redeemer of God's elect?

A. 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 continues to be God and man in two distinct natures, and one person forever.

God's elect. Those whom God hath chosen for his own people.

Jesus. A Saviour.

Christ. Anointed or appointed of God.

22. Q. How did Christ, being the Son of God, becom man?

A. Christ the Son of God became man, by taking to himself a true body and a reasonable soul, being con ceived by the power of the Holy Ghost, in the womb of the Virgin Mary, and born of her, yet without sin.

23. Q. What office doth Christ execute, as our Redeemer ?

A. Christ, as our Redeemer, executeth the offices of a Prophet, of a Priest, and of a King, both in his state of humiliation and exaltation.

The offices of Christ. The special works or businesses which God appointed him to perform.

Execute. See A. 8. Fulfil or perform.

Redeemer. See. A. 20.

Humiliation and Exaltation. See A. 27. and 28.

24. Q. How doth Christ execute the office of a Prophet ?

A. Christ executeth the office of a Prophet, in revealing to us by his word and Spirit, the will of God for our salvation.

To reveal. To make known what is hidden.

Salvation. See A. 20.

25. Q. How doth Christ execute the office of a Priest? A. Christ executeth the office of a Priest in his once offering up himself a sacrifice to satisfy divine justice, and reconcile us to God, and making continual intercession for us.

A sacrifice. Some living creature slain, and offered up to God to answer for some offence committed against him.

To satisfy divine justice. To answer for the dishonour which the sin of man hath done to the authority and justice of God as *a Governor.

To reconcile. To make friends, to bring man into the favour of God again.

Intercession. Pleading or praying for another.'

26. Q. How doth Christ execute the office of a King? A. Christ executeth the office of a King in subduing us to himself, in ruling and defending us, and in res training and conquering all his and our enemies.

Subduing us to himself. Bringing our souls to the obedience of Christ.