Man's chief and highest end is to glorify God, and fully
to enjoy him for ever.
2.
How doth it appear that there is a God?
Ans.
The very light of nature in man, and the works of God,
declare plainly that there is a God; but his word and
Spirit only do sufficiently and effectually reveal him
unto men for their salvation.
3.
What is the Word of God?
Ans.
The holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are
the word of God, the only rule of faith and obedience.
4.
How doth it appear that the Scriptures are the word
of God?
Ans.
The Scriptures manifest themselves to be the word of
God, by their majesty and purity; by the consent of all
the parts, and the scope of the whole, which is to give
all glory to God; by their light and power to convince
and convert sinners, to comfort and build up believers
unto salvation: but the Spirit of God bearing witness
by and with the Scriptures in the heart of man, is alone
able to fully persuade it that they are the very word
of God.
5.
What do the Scriptures principally teach?
Ans.
The Scriptures principally teach, what man is to believe
concerning God, and what duty God requires of man. What
man ought to believe concerning God.
6.
What do the scriptures make known of God?
Ans.
The scriptures make known what God is, the persons in
the Godhead, his decrees, and the execution of his decrees.
7.
What is God?
Ans.
God is a Spirit, in and of himself infinite in being,
glory, blessedness, and perfection; all-sufficient, eternal,
unchangeable, incomprehensible, every where present, almighty,
knowing all things, most wise, most holy, most just, most
merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in
goodness and truth.
8.
Are there more Gods than one?
Ans.
There is but one only, the living and true God.
9.
How many persons are there in the Godhead?
Ans.
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.
10.
What are the personal properties of the three persons
in the Godhead?
Ans.
It is proper to the Father to beget the Son, and to
the Son to be begotten of the Father, and to the Holy
Ghost to proceed from the Father and the Son from all
eternity.
11.
How doth it appear that the Son and the Holy Ghost
are God equal with the Father?
Ans.
The scriptures manifest that the Son and the Holy Ghost
are God equal with the Father, ascribing unto them such
names, attributes, works, and worship, as are proper to
God only.
12.
What are the decrees of God?
Ans.
God's decrees are the wise, free, and holy acts of the
counsel of his will, whereby, from all eternity, he hath,
for his own glory, unchangeably foreordained whatsoever
comes to pass in time, especially concerning angels and
men.
13.
What hath God especially decreed concerning angels and
men?
Ans.
God, by an eternal and immutable decree, out his mere
love, for the praise of his glorious grace, to be manifested
in due time, hath elected some angels to glory; and in
Christ hath chosen some men to eternal life, and the means
thereof: and also, according to his sovereign power, and
the unsearchable counsel of his own will, (whereby he
extendeth or withholdeth favour as he pleaseth), hath
passed by and foreordained the rest to dishonour and wrath,
to be for their sin inflicted, to the praise of the glory
of his justice.
14.
How doth God execute his decrees?
Ans.
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.
15.
What is the work of creation?
Ans.
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.
16.
How did God create angels?
Ans.
God created all the angels, spirits, immortal, holy,
excelling in knowledge, mighty in power, to execute his
commandments, and to praise his name, yet subject to change.
17.
How did God create man?
Ans.
After God had made all other creatures, he created man
male and female; formed the body of the man of the dust
of the ground, and the woman of the rib of the man, endued
them with living, reasonable, and immortal souls; made
them after his own image, in knowledge, righteousness,
and holiness; having the law of God written in their hearts,
and power to fulfil it, with dominion over the creatures;
yet subject to fall.
18.
What are God's works of providence?
Ans.
God's works of providence are his most holy, wise and
powerful preserving and governing all his creatures; ordering
them, and all their actions, to his own glory.
19.
What is God's providence towards the angels?
Ans.
God by his providence permitted some of the angels,
wilfully and irrecoverably, to fall into sin and damnation,
limiting and ordering that, and all their sins, to his
own glory; and established the rest in holiness and happiness;
employing them all, at his pleasure, in the administrations
of his power, mercy, and justice.
20.
What was the providence of God toward man in the estate
in which he was created?
Ans.
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; putting the creatures under his dominion,
and ordaining marriage for his help; affording him communion
with himself; instituting the Sabbath; entering into a
covenant of life with him, upon condition of personal,
perfect, and perpetual obedience, of which the tree of
life was a pledge; and forbidding to eat of the tree of
the knowledge of good and evil, upon the pain of death.
