13. WSC QUESTIONS 1-42 & 82-99

Question 1

Q. 1. What is the chief end of man?

Answer 1

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

Question 2

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

Answer 2

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.

Question 3

Q. 3. What do the Scriptures principally teach?

Answer 3

The Scriptures principally teach, what man is to believe concerning God, and what duty God requires of man.

Question 4

Q. 4. What is God?

Answer 4

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

Question 5

Q. 5. Are there more Gods than one?

Answer 5

There is but one only, the living and true God.

Question 6

Q. 6. How many persons are there in the Godhead?

Answer 6

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.

Question 7

Q. 7. What are the decrees of God?

Answer 7

The decrees of God are, his eternal purpose, according to the counsel of his will, whereby, for his own glory, he hath foreordained whatsoever comes to pass.

Question 8

Q. 8. How doth God execute his decrees?

Answer 8

God executeth his decrees in the works of creation and providence.

Question 9

Q. 9. What is the work of creation?

Answer 9

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.

Question 10

Q. 10. How did God create man?

Answer 10

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

Question 11

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

Answer 11

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

Question 12

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

Answer 12

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 pain of death.

Question 13

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

Answer 13

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

Question 14

Q. 14. What is sin?

Answer 14

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

Question 15

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

Answer 15

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

Question 16

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

Answer 16

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.

Question 17

Q. 17. Into what estate did the fall bring mankind?

Answer 17

The fall brought mankind into an estate of sin and misery.

Question 18

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

Answer 18

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.

Question 19

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

Answer 19

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.

Question 20

Q. 19. What is the misery of that estate whereinto man fell?

Answer 20

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.

Question 21

Q. 23. What offices doth Christ execute as our Redeemer?

Answer 21

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.

Question 21

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

Answer 21

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.

Question 22

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

Answer 22

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, forever.

Question 23

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

Answer 23

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

Question 24

Q. 25. How doth Christ execute the office of a priest?

Answer 24

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.

Question 25

Q. 26. How doth Christ execute the office of a king?

Answer 25

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.

Question 26

Q. 27. Wherein did Christ’s humiliation consist?

Answer 26

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.

Question 27

Q. 29. How are we made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ?

Answer 27

We are made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ, by the effectual application of it to us by his Holy Spirit.

Question 27

Q. 28. Wherein consisteth Christ’s exaltation?

Answer 27

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.

Question 28

Q. 30. How doth the Spirit apply to us the redemption purchased by Christ?

Answer 28

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.

Question 29

Q. 31. What is effectual calling?

Answer 29

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.

Question 30

Q. 33. What is justification?

Answer 30

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.

Question 30

Q. 32. What benefits do they that are effectually called partake of in this life?

Answer 30

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.

Question 31

Q. 34. What is adoption?

Answer 31

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.

Question 32

Q. 35. What is sanctification?

Answer 32

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.

Question 33

Q. 36. What are the benefits which in this life do accompany or flow from justification, adoption, and sanctification?

Answer 33

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.

Question 34

Q. 38. What benefits do believers receive from Christ at the resurrection?

Answer 34

At the resurrection, believers, being raised up in glory, shall be openly acknowledged and acquitted in the day of judgment, and made perfectly blessed in the full enjoying of God to all eternity.

Question 35

Q. 37. What benefits do believers receive from Christ at death?

Answer 35

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.

Question 36

Q. 39. What is the duty which God requireth of man?

Answer 36

The duty which God requireth of man, is obedience to his revealed will.

Question 37

Q. 40. What did God at first reveal to man for the rule of his obedience?

Answer 37

The rule which God at first revealed to man for his obedience, was the moral law.

Question 38

Q. 41. Wherein is the moral law summarily comprehended?

Answer 38

The moral law is summarily comprehended in the Ten Commandments.

Question 39

Q. 42. What is the sum of the Ten Commandments?

Answer 39

The sum of the Ten Commandments is, to love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our strength, and with all our mind; and our neighbor as ourselves.

Question 40

Q. 82. Is any man able perfectly to keep the commandments of God?

Answer 40

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.

Question 41

Q. 83. Are all transgressions of the law equally heinous?

Answer 41

Some sins in themselves, and by reason of several aggravations, are more heinous in the sight of God than others.

Question 42

Q. 85. What doth God require of us, that we may escape his wrath and curse, due to us for sin?

Answer 42

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.

Question 43

Q. 84. What doth every sin deserve?

Answer 43

Every sin deserveth God’s wrath and curse, both in this life, and that which is to come.

Question 44

Q. 86. What is faith in Jesus Christ?

Answer 44

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.

Question 45

Q. 87. What is repentance unto life?

Answer 45

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 endeavor after, new obedience.

Question 46

Q. 88. What are the outward and ordinary means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption?

Answer 46

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.

Question 47

Q. 89. How is the Word made effectual to salvation?

Answer 47

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.

Question 48

Q. 90. How is the Word to be read and heard, that it may become effectual to salvation?

Answer 48

That 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 practice it in our lives.

Question 49

Q. 91. How do the sacraments become effectual means of salvation?

Answer 49

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.

Question 50

Q. 92. What is a sacrament?

Answer 50

A sacrament is a holy ordinance instituted by Christ; wherein, by sensible signs, Christ, and the benefits of the new covenant, are represented, sealed, and applied to believers.

Question 51

Q. 93. Which are the sacraments of the New Testament?

Answer 51

The sacraments of the New Testament are, baptism, and the Lord’s Supper.

Question 52

Q. 94. What is baptism?

Answer 52

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.

Question 53

Q. 95. To whom is baptism to be administered?

Answer 53

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.

Question 54

Q. 96. What is the Lord’s Supper?

Answer 54

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 worthy 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.

Question 55

Q. 97. What is required for the worthy receiving of the Lord’s Supper?

Answer 55

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 judgment to themselves.

Question 56

Q. 98. What is prayer?

Answer 56

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 acknowledgment of his mercies.

Question 57

Q. 99. What rule hath God given for our direction in prayer?

Answer 57

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.