THE
WESTMINSTER
SHORTER
CATECHISM ;
AGREED UPON BY THE ASSEMBLY OF DIVINES AT WESTMINSTER, WITH THE ASSISTANCE
OF COMMISSIONERS FROM THE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND, AS A PART OF THE COVENANTED
UNIFORMITY IN RELIGION BETWIXT THE CHURCHES OF CHRIST IN THE KINGDOMS OF
SCOTLAND, ENGLAND, AND IRELAND.
AND
APPROVED ANNO 1648, BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND, TO
BE A DIRECTORY FOR CATECHISING SUCH AS ARE OF WEAKER CAPACITY,
WITH
THE PROOFS FROM THE SCRIPTURE .
, Assembly at EDINBURGH, July 28, 1648. Sess. 19.
Act approving the SHORTER CATECHISM
The General Assembly having seriously considered the SHORTER
CATECHISM agreed upon by the Assembly of Divines sitting at
Westminster, with assistance of Commissioners from this Kirk; do
find, upon due examination thereof, that the said Catechism is
agreeable to the word of God, and in nothing contrary to the received
doctrine, worship, discipline, and government of this Kirk: And
therefore approve the said Shorter Catechism, as a part of the
intended uniformity, to be a Directory for catechising such as are of
weaker capacity.
A. KER.
, WESTMINSTER SHORTER CATECHISM
WITH PROOF TEXTS
Q. 1. What is the chief end of man?
A. Man’s chief end is to glorify God,1 and to enjoy him forever.2
Q. 2. 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 Testaments,3
is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him.4
Q. 3. What do the Scriptures principally teach?
A. The Scriptures principally teach, what man is to believe concerning God,5 and what duty
God requires of man.6
Q. 4. What is God?
A. God is a Spirit,7 infinite,8 eternal,9 and unchangeable,10 in his being,11 wisdom,12 power,13
holiness,14 justice,15 goodness,16 and truth.17
Q. 5. Are there more Gods than one?
A. There is but one only,18 the living and true God.19
Q. 6. How many persons are there in the Godhead?
A. There are three persons in the Godhead: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost;20 and
these three are one God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory.21
Q. 7. 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 foreordained whatsoever comes to pass.22
Q. 8. How doth God execute his decrees?
A. God executeth his decrees in the works of creation and providence.23
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, Q. 9. 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,24 in
the space of six days, and all very good.25
Q. 10. How did God create man?
A. God created man male and female, after his own image,26 in knowledge,27 righteousness,
and holiness,28 with dominion over the creatures.29
Q. 11. What are God’s works of providence?
A. God’s works of providence are, his most holy,30 wise,31 and powerful32 preserving33 and
governing34 all his creatures, and all their actions.35
Q. 12. What special act of providence did God exercise towards man in the estate
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 the knowledge of good and evil, upon
pain of death.36
Q. 13. Did our first parents continue in the estate wherein they were created?
A. Our first parents, being left to the freedom of their own will, fell from the estate wherein
they were created, by sinning against God.37
Q. 14. What is sin?
A. Sin is any want of conformity unto, or transgression of, the law of God.38
Q. 15. What was the sin whereby our first parents fell from the estate wherein they
were created?
A. The sin whereby our first parents fell from the estate wherein they were created, was their
eating the forbidden fruit.39
Q. 16. Did all mankind fall in Adam’s first transgression?
A. The covenant being made with Adam,40 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.41
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