Westminster Daily

Confession of Faith Chapter 25: Of the Church 1. The catholic or universal church, which is invisible, consists of the whole number of the elect, that have been, are, or shall be gathered into one, under Christ the Head thereof; and is the spouse, the body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all. 2 Larger Catechism Q 64. What is the invisible church? A. The invisible church is the whole numbe...

Confession of Faith Chapter 24: Of Marriage and Divorce 6. Although the corruption of man be such as is apt to study arguments unduly to put asunder those whom God hath joined together in marriage: yet, nothing but adultery, or such willful desertion as can no way be remedied by the church, or civil magistrate, is cause sufficient of dissolving the bond of marriage: 1 wherein, a public and orderly...

Confession of Faith Chapter 24: Of Marriage and Divorce 5. Adultery or fornication committed after a contract, being detected before marriage, giveth just occasion to the innocent party to dissolve that contract. 1 In the case of adultery after marriage, it is lawful for the innocent party to sue out a divorce: 2 and, after the divorce, to marry another, as if the offending party were dead. 3 Matt...

Confession of Faith Chapter 24: Of Marriage and Divorce 4. Marriage ought not to be within the degrees of consanguinity or affinity forbidden by the Word. 1 Nor can such incestuous marriages ever be made lawful by any law of man or consent of parties, so as those persons may live together as man and wife. 2 Leviticus 18:6-17 “None of you shall approach any one of his close relatives to uncover nak...

Confession of Faith Chapter 24: Of Marriage and Divorce 3. It is lawful for all sorts of people to marry, who are able with judgment to give their consent. 1 Yet it is the duty of Christians to marry only in the Lord. 2 And therefore such as profess the true reformed religion should not marry with infidels, papists, or other idolaters: neither should such as are godly be unequally yoked, by marryi...

Confession of Faith Chapter 24: Of Marriage and Divorce 2. Marriage was ordained for the mutual help of husband and wife, 1 for the increase of mankind with legitimate issue, and of the church with an holy seed; 2 and for preventing of uncleanness. 3 Genesis 2:18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” Ephesians 5:28 In the same...

Confession of Faith Chapter 24: Of Marriage and Divorce 1. Marriage is to be between one man and one woman: neither is it lawful for any man to have more than one wife, nor for any woman to have more than one husband, at the same time. 1 Genesis 2:24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. Matthew 19:4-6 He answered, “Have y...

Confession of Faith Chapter 23: Of the Civil Magistrate 4. It is the duty of people to pray for magistrates, 1 to honor their persons, 2 to pay them tribute or other dues, 3 to obey their lawful commands, and to be subject to their authority, for conscience' sake. 4 Infidelity, or difference in religion, doth not make void the magistrates' just and legal authority, nor free the people from their d...

Confession of Faith Chapter 23: Of the Civil Magistrate 3. Civil magistrates may not assume to themselves the administration of the Word and sacraments; or the power of the keys of the kingdom of heaven; 1 or, in the least, interfere in matters of faith. 2 Yet, as nursing fathers, it is the duty of civil magistrates to protect the church of our common Lord, without giving the preference to any den...

Confession of Faith Chapter 23: Of the Civil Magistrate 2. It is lawful for Christians to accept and execute the office of a magistrate, when called thereunto: 1 in the managing whereof, as they ought especially to maintain piety, justice, and peace, according to the wholesome laws of each commonwealth; 2 so, for that end, they may lawfully, now under the new testament, wage war, upon just and nec...

Confession of Faith Chapter 23: Of the Civil Magistrate 1. God, the supreme Lord and King of all the world, hath ordained civil magistrates, to be, under him, over the people, for his own glory, and the public good: and, to this end, hath armed them with the power of the sword, for the defense and encouragement of them that are good, and for the punishment of evildoers. 1 Romans 13:1-4 Let every p...

Confession of Faith Chapter 22: Of Lawful Oaths and Vows 7. No man may vow to do anything forbidden in the Word of God, or what would hinder any duty therein commanded, or which is not in his own power, and for the performance whereof he hath no promise of ability from God. 1 In which respects, popish monastical vows of perpetual single life, professed poverty, and regular obedience, are so far fr...

Confession of Faith Chapter 22: Of Lawful Oaths and Vows 6. It is not to be made to any creature, but to God alone: 1 and, that it may be accepted, it is to be made voluntarily, out of faith, and conscience of duty, in way of thankfulness for mercy received, or for the obtaining of what we want, whereby we more strictly bind ourselves to necessary duties; or, to other things, so far and so long as...

Confession of Faith Chapter 22: Of Lawful Oaths and Vows 5. A vow is of the like nature with a promissory oath, and ought to be made with the like religious care, and to be performed with the like faithfulness. 1 Numbers 30:2 If a man vows a vow to the Lord , or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word. He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth. Isa...

Confession of Faith Chapter 22: Of Lawful Oaths and Vows 4. An oath is to be taken in the plain and common sense of the words, without equivocation, or mental reservation. 1 It cannot oblige to sin; but in anything not sinful, being taken, it binds to performance, although to a man's own hurt. 2 Nor is it to be violated, although made to heretics, or infidels. 3 Jeremiah 4:2 and if you swear, ‘As...

Confession of Faith Chapter 22: Of Lawful Oaths and Vows 3. Whosoever taketh an oath ought duly to consider the weightiness of so solemn an act, and therein to avouch nothing but what he is fully persuaded is the truth: 1 neither may any man bind himself by oath to anything but what is good and just, and what he believeth so to be, and what he is able and resolved to perform. 2 Exodus 20:7 “You sh...

Confession of Faith Chapter 22: Of Lawful Oaths and Vows 2. The name of God only is that by which men ought to swear, and therein it is to be used with all holy fear and reverence. 1 Therefore, to swear vainly, or rashly, by that glorious and dreadful Name; or, to swear at all by any other thing, is sinful, and to be abhorred. 2 Yet, as in matters of weight and moment, an oath is warranted by the...

Confession of Faith Chapter 22: Of Lawful Oaths and Vows 1. A lawful oath is a part of religious worship, 1 wherein, upon just occasion, the person swearing solemnly calleth God to witness what he asserteth, or promiseth, and to judge him according to the truth or falsehood of what he sweareth. 2 Deuteronomy 10:20 You shall fear the Lord your God. You shall serve him and hold fast to him, and by h...

Shorter Catechism Q 107. What doth the conclusion of the Lord's prayer teach us? A. The conclusion of the Lord's Prayer, which is, For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen, teacheth us to take our encouragement in prayer from God only, 1 and in our prayers to praise him, ascribing kingdom, power, and glory to him; 2 and, in testimony of our desire, and assurance to be...

Shorter Catechism Q 106. What do we pray for in the sixth petition? A. In the sixth petition, which is, And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, we pray that God would either keep us from being tempted to sin, 1 or support and deliver us when we are tempted. 2 Larger Catechism Q 195. What do we pray for in the sixth petition? A. In the sixth petition, (which is, And lead us not i...

Shorter Catechism Q 105. What do we pray for in the fifth petition? A. In the fifth petition, which is, And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors, we pray that God, for Christ's sake, would freely pardon all our sins; 1 which we are the rather encouraged to ask, because by his grace we are enabled from the heart to forgive others. 2 Larger Catechism Q 194. What do we pray for in the fift...

Shorter Catechism Q 104. What do we pray for in the fourth petition? A. In the fourth petition, which is, Give us this day our daily bread, we pray that of God's free gift we may receive a competent portion of the good things of this life, and enjoy his blessing with them. 1 Larger Catechism Q 193. What do we pray for in the fourth petition? A. In the fourth petition, (which is, Give us this day o...

Shorter Catechism Q 103. What do we pray for in the third petition? A. In the third petition, which is, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven, we pray that God, by his grace, would make us able and willing to know, obey, and submit to his will in all things, 1 as the angels do in heaven. 2 Larger Catechism Q 192. What do we pray for in the third petition? A. In the third petition, (which i...

Shorter Catechism Q 102. What do we pray for in the second petition? A. In the second petition, which is, Thy kingdom come, we pray that Satan's kingdom may be destroyed; 1 and that the kingdom of grace may be advanced, 2 ourselves and others brought into it, and kept in it; 3 and that the kingdom of glory may be hastened. 4 Larger Catechism Q 191. What do we pray for in the second petition? A. In...

Shorter Catechism Q 101. What do we pray for in the first petition? A. In the first petition, which is, Hallowed be thy name, we pray that God would enable us, and others, to glorify him in all that whereby he maketh himself known; 1 and that he would dispose all things to his own glory. 2 Larger Catechism Q 190. What do we pray for in the first petition? A. In the first petition, (which is, Hallo...