A Puritan Catechism

With Proofs
Compiled by
C.H. Spurgeon
"Heir of the Puritans"

I am persuaded that the use of a good Catechism in all our familieswill be a great safeguard against the increasing errors of the times,and therefore I have compiled this little manual from the WestminsterAssembly's and Baptist Catechisms, for the use of my own church andcongregation. Those who use it in their families or classes mustlabour to explain the sense; but the words should be carefullylearned by heart, for they will be understood better as years pass.

May the Lord bless my dear friends and their families evermore, isthe prayer of their loving Pastor.
C. H. Spurgeon

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth notto be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. II Timothy 2:15

Published about Oct 14, 1855, when Spurgeon was 21 years old. OnOct. 14, Spurgeon preached Sermon No. 46 to several thousand whogathered to hear him at New Park Street Chapel. When the sermon waspublished it contained an announcement of this catechism. The textthat morning was, "Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in allgenerations." Ps. 90:1.

Question

  1. What is the chief end of man?
  2. What rule has God given to direct us how we may glorify him?
  3. What do the Scriptures principally teach?
  4. What is God?
  5. Are there more Gods than one?
  6. How many persons are there in the Godhead?
  7. What are the decrees of God?
  8. How does God execute his decrees?
  9. What is the work of creation?
  10. How did God create man?
  11. What are God's works of providence?
  12. What special act of providence did God exercise toward man in the state wherein he was created?
  13. Did our parents continue in the state wherein they were created?
  14. What is sin?
  15. Did all mankind fall in Adam's first transgression?
  16. Into what estate did the fall bring mankind?
  17. Wherein consists the sinfulness of that state whereinto man fell?
  18. What is the misery of that state whereinto man fell?
  19. Did God leave all mankind to perish in the state of sin and misery?
  20. Who is the Redeemer of God's elect?
  21. How did Christ, being the Son of God, become man?
  22. What offices does Christ execute as our Redeemer?
  23. How does Christ execute the office of a prophet?
  24. How does Christ execute the office of a priest?
  25. How does Christ execute the office of a king?
  26. Wherein did Christ's humiliation consist?
  27. Wherein consists Christ's exaltation?
  28. How are we made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ?
  29. How does the Spirit apply to us the redemption purchased by Christ?
  30. What is effectual calling?
  31. What benefits do they who are effectually called, partake of in this life?
  32. What is justification?
  33. What is adoption?
  34. What is sanctification?
  35. What are the benefits which in this life do either accompany or flow from justification, adoption, and sanctification?
  36. What benefits do believers receive from Christ at their death?
  37. What benefits do believers receive from Christ at the resurrection?
  38. What shall be done to the wicked at their death?
  39. What shall be done to the wicked at the day of judgment?
  40. What did God reveal to man for the rule of his obedience?
  41. What is the sum of the ten commandments?
  42. Which is the first commandment?
  43. What is required in the first commandment?
  44. Which is the second commandment?
  45. What is required in the second commandment?
  46. What is forbidden in the second commandment?
  47. Which is the third commandment?
  48. What is required in the third commandment?
  49. Which is the fourth commandment?
  50. What is required in the fourth commandment?
  51. How is the Sabbath to be sanctified?
  52. Which is the fifth commandment?
  53. What is required in the fifth commandment?
  54. What is the reason annexed to the fifth commandment?
  55. Which is the sixth commandment?
  56. What is forbidden in the sixth commandment?
  57. Which is the seventh commandment?
  58. What is forbidden in the seventh commandment?
  59. Which is the eighth commandment?
  60. What is forbidden in the eighth commandment?
  61. Which is the ninth commandment?
  62. What is required in the ninth commandment?
  63. Which is the tenth commandment?
  64. What is forbidden in the tenth commandment?
  65. Is any man able perfectly to keep the commandments of God?
  66. Are all transgressions of the law equally heinous?
  67. What does every sin deserve?
  68. How may we escape his wrath and curse due to us for sin?
  69. What is faith in Jesus Christ?
  70. What is repentance to life?
  71. What are the outward means whereby the Holy Spirit communicates to us the benefits of redemption?
  72. How is the Word made effectual to salvation?
  73. How is the Word to be read and heard that it may become effectual to salvation?
  74. How do Baptism and the Lord's Supper become spiritually helpful?
  75. What is baptism?
  76. To whom is Baptism to be administered?
  77. Are the infants of such as are professing believers to be baptised?
  78. How is baptism rightly administered?
  79. What is the duty of such as are rightly baptised?
  80. What is the Lord's Supper?
  81. What is required to the worthy receiving of the Lord's Supper?
  82. What is meant by the words, "until he come," which are used by the apostle Paul in reference to the the Lord's Supper?

What is the chief end of man? A Man's chief end is to glorify God,
# 1Co 10:31
and to enjoy him for ever.
# Ps 73:25,26

Q What rule has God given to direct us how we may glorify him? A The Word of God which is contained in the Scriptures of the
Old and New Testaments
# Eph 2:20 2Ti 3:16
is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify God and enjoy him.
# 1Jo 1:3

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.
# 2Ti 1:13 Ec 12:13

Q What is God? A God is Spirit,
# Joh 4:24
infinite,
# Job 11:7
eternal,
# Ps 90:2 1Ti 1:17
and unchangeable
# Jas 1:17
in his being,
# Ex 3:14
wisdom, power,
# Ps 147:5
holiness,
# Re 4:8
justice, goodness and truth.
# Ex 34:6,7

Q Are there more Gods than one? A There is but one only,
# De 6:4
the living and true God.
# Jer 10:10

Q How many persons are there in the Godhead? A There are three persons in the Godhead, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and these three are one God, the same in essence, equal in power and glory.
# 1Jo 5:7 Mt 28:19

Q What are the decrees of God? A The decrees of God are his eternal purpose according to the counsel of his own will, whereby for his own glory he has foreordained whatever comes to pass.
# Eph 1:11,12

Q How does God execute his decrees? A God executes his decrees in the works of creation,
# Re 4:11
and providence.
# Da 4:35

Q What is the work of creation? A The work of creation is God's making all things
# Ge 1:1
of nothing, by the Word of his power,
# Heb 11:3
in six normal consecutive days,
# Ex 20:11
and all very good.
# Ge 1:31

Q How did God create man? A God created man, male and female, after his own image,
# Ge 1:27
in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness
# Col 3:10 Eph 4:24
with dominion over the creatures.
# Ge 1:28

Q What are God's works of providence? A God's works of providence are his most holy,
# Ps 145:17
wise,
# Isa 28:29
and powerful,
# Heb 1:3
preserving and governing all his creatures, and all their actions.
# Ps 103:19 Mt 10:29

Q What special act of providence did God exercise toward 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;
# Ga 3:12
forbidding him to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, upon pain of death.
# Ge 2:17

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,
# Ec 7:29
by eating the forbidden fruit.
# Ge 3:6-8

Q What is sin? A Sin is any want of conformity to, or transgression of the
law of God.
# 1Jo 3:4

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.
# 1Co 15:22 Ro 5:12

Q Into what estate did the fall bring mankind? A The fall brought mankind into a state of sin and misery.
# Ro 5:18

QWherein 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,
# Ro 5:19
the want of original righteousness,
# Ro 3:10
and the corruption of his whole nature, which is commonly called original sin,
# Eph 2:1 Ps 51:5
together with all actual transgressions which proceed from it.
# Mt 15:19

Q What is the misery of that state whereinto man fell? A All mankind, by their fall, lost communion with God,
# Ge 3:8,24
are under his wrath and curse,
# Eph 2:3 Ga 3:10
and so made liable to all the miseries in this life, to death itself, and to the pains of hell for ever.
# Ro 6:23 Mt 25:41

Q Did God leave all mankind to perish in the state of sin and misery?
A God having, out of his good pleasure from all eternity, elected some to everlasting life,
# 2Th 2:13
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.
# Ro 5:21

Q Who is the Redeemer of God's elect?
A The only Redeemer of God's elect is the Lord Jesus Christ,
# 1Ti 2:5
who being the eternal Son of God, became man,
# Joh 1:14
and so was and continues to be God and man, in two distinct natures and one person for ever.
# 1Ti 3:16 Col 2:9

Q How did Christ, being the Son of God, become man?
A Christ, the son of God, became man by taking to himself a true body,
# Heb 2:14
and a reasonable soul,
# Mt 26:38 Heb 4:15
being conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit in the Virgin Mary, and born of her,
# Lu 1:31,35
yet without sin.
# Heb 7:26

Q What offices does Christ execute as our Redeemer?
A Christ as our Redeemer executes the offices of a prophet,
# Ac 3:22
of a priest,
# Heb 5:6
and of a king,
# Ps 2:6
both in his state of humiliation and exaltation.

Q How does Christ execute the office of a prophet?
A Christ executes the office of a prophet, in revealing to us,
# Joh 1:18
by his Word,
# Joh 20:31
and Spirit,
# Joh 14:26
the will of God for our salvation.

Q How does Christ execute the office of a priest?
A Christ executes the office of a priest, in his once offering up himself a sacrifice to satisfy divine justice,
# Heb 9:28
and to reconcile us to God,
# Heb 2:17
and in making continual intercession for us.
# Heb 7:25

Q How does Christ execute the office of a king?
A Christ executes the office of a king in subduing us to himself,
# Ps 110:3
in ruling and defending us,
# Mt 2:6 1Co 15:25
and in restraining and conquering all his and our enemies.

Q Wherein did Christ's humiliation consist?
A Christ's humiliation consisted in his being born, and that in a low condition,
# Lu 2:7
made under the law,
# Ga 4:4
undergoing the miseries of this life,
# Isa 53:3
the wrath of God,
# Mt 27:46
and the cursed death of the cross;
# Php 2:8
in being buried, and continuing under the power of death for a time.
# Mt 12:40

Q Wherein consists Christ's exaltation?
A Christ's exaltation consists in his rising again from the dead on the third day,
# 1Co 15:4
in ascending up into heaven, and sitting at the right hand of God the Father,
# Mr 16:19
and in coming to judge the world at the last day.
# Ac 17:31

Q How are we made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ?
A We are made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ, by the effectual application of it to us
# Joh 1:12
by his Holy Spirit.
# Tit 3:5,6

Q How does the Spirit apply to us the redemption purchased by Christ?
A The Spirit applies to us the redemption purchased by Christ, by working faith in us,
# Eph 2:8
and by it uniting us to Christ in our effectual calling.
# Eph 3:17

Q What is effectual calling?
A Effectual calling is the work of God's Spirit
# 2Ti 1:9
whereby, convincing us of our sin and misery,
# Ac 2:37
enlightening our minds in the knowledge of Christ,
# Ac 26:18
and renewing our wills,
# Eze 36:26
he does persuade and enable us to embrace Jesus Christ freely offered to us in the gospel.
# Joh 6:44,45

What benefits do they who are effectually called, partake of in this life?
A They who are effectually called, do in this life partake of justification,
# Ro 8:30
adoption,
# Eph 1:5
sanctification, and the various benefits which in this life do either accompany, or flow from them.
# 1Co 1:30

Q What is justification?
A Justification is an act of God's free grace, wherein he pardons all our sins,
# Ro 3:24 Eph 1:7
and accepts us as righteous in his sight
# 2Co 5:21
only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us,
# Ro 5:19
and received by faith alone.
# Ga 2:16 Php 3:9

Q What is adoption?
A Adoption is an act of God's free grace,
# 1Jo 3:1
whereby we are received into the number, and have a right to all the privileges of the sons of God.
# Joh 1:12 Ro 8:17

Q What is sanctification?
A Sanctification is the work of God's Spirit,
# 2Th 2:13
whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God,
# Eph 4:24
and are enabled more and more to die to sin, and live to righteousness.
# Ro 6:11

Q What are the benefits which in this life do either accompany or flow from justification, adoption, and sanctification?
A The benefits which in this life do accompany or flow from justification,
# Ro 5:1,2,5
are assurance of God's love, peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Spirit,
# Ro 14:17
increase of grace, perseverance in it to the end.
# Pr 4:18 1Jo 5:13 1Pe 1:5

Q What benefits do believers receive from Christ at their death?
A The souls of believers are at their death made perfect in holiness,
# Heb 12:23
and do immediately pass into glory,
# Php 1:23 2Co 5:8 Lu 23:43
and their bodies, being still united to Christ,
# 1Th 4:14
do rest in their graves
# Isa 57:2
till the resurrection.
# Job 19:26

Q What benefits do believers receive from Christ at the resurrection?
A At the resurrection, believers being raised up in glory,
# 1Co 15:43
shall be openly acknowledged and acquitted in the day of judgment,
# Mt 10:32
and made perfectly blessed both in soul and body in the full enjoying of God
# 1Jo 3:2
to all eternity.
# 1Th 4:17

Q What shall be done to the wicked at their death?
A The souls of the wicked shall at their death be cast into the torments of hell,
# Lu 16:22-24
and their bodies lie in their graves till the resurrection, and judgement of the great day.
# Ps 49:14

Q What shall be done to the wicked at the day of judgment?
A At the day of judgment the bodies of the wicked being raised out of their graves, shall be sentenced, together with their souls, to unspeakable torments with the devil and his angels for ever.
# Da 12:2 Joh 5:28,29 2Th 1:9 Mt 25:41

Q What did God reveal to man for the rule of his obedience?
A The rule which God first revealed to man for his obedience, is the moral law,
# De 10:4 Mt 19:17
which is summarised in the ten commandments.

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