Westminster Daily

Shorter Catechism Q 100. What doth the preface of the Lord's prayer teach us? A. The preface of the Lord's Prayer, which is, Our Father which art in heaven, teacheth us to draw near to God with all holy reverence 1 and confidence, 2 as children to a father, 3 able and ready to help us; 4 and that we should pray with and for others. 5 Larger Catechism Q 189. What doth the preface of the Lord's Pray...

Larger Catechism Q 188. Of how many parts doth the Lord's Prayer consist? A. The Lord's Prayer consists of three parts; a preface, petitions, and a conclusion.

Larger Catechism Q 187. How is the Lord's Prayer to be used? A. The Lord's Prayer is not only for direction, as a pattern, according to which we are to make other prayers; but may also be used as a prayer, so that it be done with understanding, faith, reverence, and other graces necessary to the right performance of the duty of prayer. 1 Matthew 6:9 Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hall...

Shorter Catechism Q 99. What rule hath God given for our direction in prayer? A. The whole Word of God is of use to direct us in prayer; 1 but the special rule of direction is that form of prayer which Christ taught his disciples, commonly called the Lord's Prayer. 2 Larger Catechism Q 186. What rule hath God given for our direction in the duty of prayer? A. The whole Word of God is of use to dire...

Shorter Catechism Q 60. How is the sabbath to be sanctified? A. The Sabbath is to be sanctified by a holy resting all that day, even from such worldly employments and recreations as are lawful on other days; 1 and spending the whole time in the public and private exercises of God's worship, 2 except so much as is to be taken up in the works of necessity and mercy. 3 Larger Catechism Q 117. How is...

Confession of Faith Chapter 21: Of Religious Worship, and the Sabbath Day 8. This Sabbath is then kept holy unto the Lord, when men, after a due preparing of their hearts, and ordering of their common affairs beforehand, do not only observe an holy rest, all the day, from their own works, words, and thoughts about their worldly employments and recreations, 1 but also are taken up, the whole time,...

Shorter Catechism Q 59. Which day of the seven hath God appointed to be the weekly sabbath? A. From the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ, God appointed the seventh day of the week to be the weekly Sabbath; 1 and the first day of the week ever since, to continue to the end of the world, which is the Christian Sabbath. 2 Larger Catechism Q 116. What is required in the fourth comm...

Confession of Faith Chapter 21: Of Religious Worship, and the Sabbath Day 7. As it is the law of nature, that, in general, a due proportion of time be set apart for the worship of God; so, in his Word, by a positive, moral, and perpetual commandment binding all men in all ages, he hath particularly appointed one day in seven, for a Sabbath, to be kept holy unto him: 1 which, from the beginning of...

Confession of Faith Chapter 21: Of Religious Worship, and the Sabbath Day 6. Neither prayer, nor any other part of religious worship, is now, under the gospel, either tied unto, or made more acceptable by any place in which it is performed, or towards which it is directed: 1 but God is to be worshiped everywhere, 2 in spirit and truth; 3 as, in private families 4 daily, 5 and in secret, each one b...

Confession of Faith Chapter 21: Of Religious Worship, and the Sabbath Day 5. The reading of the Scriptures with godly fear, 1 the sound preaching 2 and conscionable hearing of the Word, in obedience unto God, with understanding, faith, and reverence, 3 singing of psalms with grace in the heart; 4 as also, the due administration and worthy receiving of the sacraments instituted by Christ, are all p...

Larger Catechism Q 184. For what things are we to pray? A. We are to pray for all things tending to the glory of God, 1 the welfare of the church, 2 our own 3 or others' good; 4 but not for anything that is unlawful. 5 Matthew 6:9 Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. (ESV) Psalm 51:18 Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; build up the walls of Jerusalem; Psalm 122:6...

Larger Catechism Q 183. For whom are we to pray? A. We are to pray for the whole church of Christ upon earth; 1 for magistrates, 2 and ministers; 3 for ourselves, 4 our brethren, 5 yea, our enemies; 6 and for all sorts of men living, 7 or that shall live hereafter; 8 but not for the dead, 9 nor for those that are known to have sinned the sin unto death. 10 Ephesians 6:18 praying at all times in th...

Confession of Faith Chapter 21: Of Religious Worship, and the Sabbath Day 4. Prayer is to be made for things lawful; 1 and for all sorts of men living, or that shall live hereafter: 2 but not for the dead, 3 nor for those of whom it may be known that they have sinned the sin unto death. 4 1 John 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will...

Larger Catechism Q 182. How doth the Spirit help us to pray? A. We not knowing what to pray for as we ought, the Spirit helpeth our infirmities, by enabling us to understand both for whom, and what, and how prayer is to be made; and by working and quickening in our hearts (although not in all persons, nor at all times, in the same measure) those apprehensions, affections, and graces which are requ...

Larger Catechism Q 181. Why are we to pray in the name of Christ? A. The sinfulness of man, and his distance from God by reason thereof, being so great, as that we can have no access into his presence without a mediator; 1 and there being none in heaven or earth appointed to, or fit for, that glorious work but Christ alone, 2 we are to pray in no other name but his only. 3 John 14:6 Jesus said to...

Larger Catechism Q 180. What is it to pray in the name of Christ? A. To pray in the name of Christ is, in obedience to his command, and in confidence on his promises, to ask mercy for his sake; 1 not by bare mentioning of his name, 2 but by drawing our encouragement to pray, and our boldness, strength, and hope of acceptance in prayer, from Christ and his mediation. 3 John 14:13-14 Whatever you as...

Larger Catechism Q 179. Are we to pray unto God only? A. God only being able to search the hearts, 1 hear the requests, 2 pardon the sins, 3 and fulfill the desires of all; 4 and only to be believed in, 5 and worshiped with religious worship; 6 prayer, which is a special part thereof, 7 is to be made by all to him alone, 8 and to none other. 9 1 Kings 8:39 then hear in heaven your dwelling place a...

Shorter Catechism Q 98. What is prayer? A. Prayer is an offering up of our desires unto God, 1 for things agreeable to his will, 2 in the name of Christ, 3 with confession of our sins, 4 and thankful acknowledgment of his mercies. 5 Larger Catechism Q 178. What is prayer? A. Prayer is an offering up of our desires unto God, 6 in the name of Christ, 7 by the help of his Spirit; 8 with confession of...

Confession of Faith Chapter 21: Of Religious Worship, and the Sabbath Day 3. Prayer, with thanksgiving, being one special part of religious worship, 16 is by God required of all men: 17 and, that it may be accepted, it is to be made in the name of the Son, 18 by the help of his Spirit, 19 according to his will, 20 with understanding, reverence, humility, fervency, faith, love, and perseverance; 21...

Confession of Faith Chapter 21: Of Religious Worship, and the Sabbath Day 2. Religious worship is to be given to God, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; and to him alone; 1 not to angels, saints, or any other creature: 2 and, since the fall, not without a Mediator; nor in the mediation of any other but of Christ alone. 3 John 5:23 that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever do...

Confession of Faith Chapter 21: Of Religious Worship, and the Sabbath Day 1. The light of nature showeth that there is a God, who hath lordship and sovereignty over all, is good, and doth good unto all, and is therefore to be feared, loved, praised, called upon, trusted in, and served, with all the heart, and with all the soul, and with all the might. 1 But the acceptable way of worshiping the tru...

Confession of Faith Chapter 20: Of Christian Liberty, and Liberty of Conscience 4. And because the powers which God hath ordained, and the liberty which Christ hath purchased, are not intended by God to destroy, but mutually to uphold and preserve one another, they who, upon pretense of Christian liberty, shall oppose any lawful power, or the lawful exercise of it, whether it be civil or ecclesias...

Confession of Faith Chapter 20: Of Christian Liberty, and Liberty of Conscience 3. They who, upon pretense of Christian liberty, do practice any sin, or cherish any lust, do thereby destroy the end of Christian liberty, which is, that being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, we might serve the Lord without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life. 1 Galatian...

Confession of Faith Chapter 20: Of Christian Liberty, and Liberty of Conscience 2. God alone is Lord of the conscience, 1 and hath left it free from the doctrines and commandments of men, which are, in anything, contrary to his Word; or beside it, if matters of faith, or worship. 2 So that, to believe such doctrines, or to obey such commands, out of conscience, is to betray true liberty of conscie...

Confession of Faith Chapter 20: Of Christian Liberty, and Liberty of Conscience 1. The liberty which Christ hath purchased for believers under the gospel consists in their freedom from the guilt of sin, the condemning wrath of God, the curse of the moral law; 1 and, in their being delivered from this present evil world, bondage to Satan, and dominion of sin; 2 from the evil of afflictions, the sti...