├── .github └── workflows │ └── test.yaml ├── .yamllint ├── LICENSE ├── README.md ├── data ├── ancient-church │ ├── apostles-creed.yaml │ ├── athanasian-creed.yaml │ ├── chalcedonian-definition.yaml │ └── nicene-creed.yaml ├── anglican │ └── 39-articles.yaml ├── british │ └── savoy.yaml ├── html │ └── nashville-wcf.html ├── miscellany │ └── catechism-young-children.yaml ├── psalter │ ├── bopfw-tunes.json │ ├── psalms.yaml │ └── topics.yaml ├── reformation │ └── 95-theses.yaml ├── scottish │ └── scots-confession.yaml ├── second-london │ ├── 1689-confession.yaml │ ├── 1858-abstract-of-principles.yaml │ └── keach.yaml ├── swiss │ └── second-helvetic.yaml ├── three-forms-of-unity │ ├── belgic-confession.yaml │ ├── canons-of-dort.yaml │ ├── church-order-dort.yaml │ ├── dort-sabbath.yaml │ └── heidelberg-catechism.yaml └── westminster │ ├── directory-for-family-worship.yaml │ ├── directory-for-publick-worship.yaml │ ├── epistle-to-the-reader.yaml │ ├── government.yaml │ ├── solemn-league-and-covenant.yaml │ ├── sum-of-saving-knowledge.yaml │ ├── to-the-christian-reader.yaml │ ├── wcf.yaml │ ├── wlc.yaml │ ├── wsc-pca.yaml │ └── wsc.yaml └── test ├── requirements.txt └── validate_data_files.py /.github/workflows/test.yaml: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 | --- 2 | name: Test 3 | 4 | # yamllint disable-line rule:truthy 5 | on: push 6 | 7 | jobs: 8 | test: 9 | runs-on: ubuntu-latest 10 | steps: 11 | - uses: actions/checkout@v2 12 | 13 | - name: Set up Python 14 | uses: actions/setup-python@v2 15 | with: 16 | python-version: 3.8 17 | 18 | - name: Setup environment 19 | run: | 20 | python3 -m venv .venv 21 | . .venv/bin/activate 22 | pip install -r test/requirements.txt 23 | 24 | - name: Make sure YAML files have the right extension 25 | run: | 26 | # Make sure the files _don't_ end in ".yml" 27 | git ls-files | grep '\.yml$' && exit 1 || exit 0 28 | 29 | - name: Lint YAML files through yamllint 30 | run: | 31 | . .venv/bin/activate 32 | git ls-files | grep "\.yaml$" \ 33 | | xargs yamllint --strict 34 | - name: Validate data files 35 | run: | 36 | . .venv/bin/activate 37 | ./test/validate_data_files.py 38 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- /.yamllint: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 | --- 2 | # vim: ft=yaml 3 | # It extends the default conf by adjusting some options. 4 | 5 | extends: default 6 | 7 | rules: 8 | comments-indentation: disable # don't bother me with this rule 9 | line-length: 10 | max: 200 11 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- /LICENSE: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 | Apache License 2 | Version 2.0, January 2004 3 | http://www.apache.org/licenses/ 4 | 5 | TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR USE, REPRODUCTION, AND DISTRIBUTION 6 | 7 | 1. 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It is the source for the [Reformed Standards website][1]. 8 | 9 | * ancient-church 10 | * apostles-creed 11 | * athanasian-creed 12 | * chalcedonian-definition 13 | * nicene-creed 14 | * anglican 15 | * 39-articles 16 | * british 17 | * savoy 18 | * miscellany 19 | * catechism-young-children 20 | * nashville-wcf.html 21 | * psalter 22 | * bopfw-tunes.json 23 | * psalms 24 | * topics 25 | * reformation 26 | * 95-theses 27 | * second-london 28 | * 1689-confession 29 | * 1858-abstract-of-principles 30 | * keach 31 | * swiss 32 | * second-helvetic 33 | * three-forms-of-unity 34 | * belgic-confession 35 | * canons-of-dort 36 | * church-order-of-dort 37 | * dort-sabbath 38 | * heidelberg-catechism 39 | * westminster 40 | * directory-for-family-worship 41 | * directory-for-publick-worship 42 | * epistle-to-the-reader 43 | * government 44 | * solemn-league-and-covenant 45 | * sum-of-saving-knowledge 46 | * to-the-christian-reader 47 | * wcf 48 | * wlc 49 | * wsc-pca 50 | * wsc 51 | 52 | Contributing 53 | ------------ 54 | 55 | Contributions are encouraged, and welcome. Feel free to email us patches 56 | (team at confessional.tech), or open issues and pull requests on [GitHub.][2] 57 | 58 | [1]: https://reformedstandards.com 59 | [2]: https://github.com/reformed-standards/compendium/ 60 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- /data/ancient-church/apostles-creed.yaml: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 | --- 2 | name: "The Apostles' Creed" 3 | type: creed 4 | markdown: true 5 | text: | 6 | I believe in God, the Father almighty, 7 | creator of heaven and earth. 8 | I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, our Lord, 9 | who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, 10 | born of the Virgin Mary, 11 | suffered under Pontius Pilate, 12 | was crucified, died, and was buried; 13 | he descended to the dead. 14 | On the third day he rose again; 15 | he ascended into heaven, 16 | he is seated at the right hand of the Father, 17 | and he will come to judge the living and the dead. 18 | I believe in the Holy Spirit, 19 | the holy catholic Church, 20 | the communion of saints, 21 | the forgiveness of sins, 22 | the resurrection of the body, 23 | and the life everlasting. 24 | Amen. 25 | ... 26 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- /data/ancient-church/athanasian-creed.yaml: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 | --- 2 | name: Athanasian Creed 3 | publication_year: 6th century 4 | type: creed 5 | markdown: true 6 | text: | 7 | 8 | Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the 9 | catholic faith. Which faith unless every one do keep whole and undefiled, 10 | without doubt he shall perish everlastingly. And the catholic faith is this: 11 | that we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; neither confounding 12 | the Persons, nor dividing the Essence. For there is one Person of the Father; 13 | another of the Son; and another of the Holy Ghost. But the Godhead of the 14 | Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, is all one; the Glory equal, the 15 | Majesty coeternal. Such as the Father is; such is the Son; and such is the 16 | Holy Ghost. The Father uncreated; the Son uncreated; and the Holy Ghost 17 | uncreated. The Father unlimited; the Son unlimited; and the Holy Ghost 18 | unlimited. The Father eternal; the Son eternal; and the Holy Ghost 19 | eternal. And yet they are not three eternals; but one eternal. As also there 20 | are not three uncreated; nor three infinites, but one uncreated; and one 21 | infinite. So likewise the Father is Almighty; the Son Almighty; and the Holy 22 | Ghost Almighty. And yet they are not three Almighties; but one Almighty. So 23 | the Father is God; the Son is God; and the Holy Ghost is God. And yet they are 24 | not three Gods; but one God. So likewise the Father is Lord; the Son Lord; and 25 | the Holy Ghost Lord. And yet not three Lords; but one Lord. For like as we are 26 | compelled by the Christian verity; to acknowledge every Person by himself to 27 | be God and Lord; So are we forbidden by the catholic religion; to say, There 28 | are three Gods, or three Lords. The Father is made of none; neither created, 29 | nor begotten. The Son is of the Father alone; not made, nor created; but 30 | begotten. The Holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Son; neither made, nor 31 | created, nor begotten; but proceeding. So there is one Father, not three 32 | Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one Holy Ghost, not three Holy Ghosts. And 33 | in this Trinity none is before, or after another; none is greater, or less 34 | than another. But the whole three Persons are coeternal, and coequal. So that 35 | in all things, as aforesaid; the Unity in Trinity, and the Trinity in Unity, 36 | is to be worshipped. He therefore that will be saved, let him thus think of 37 | the Trinity. 38 | 39 | Furthermore it is necessary to everlasting salvation; that he also believe 40 | faithfully the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. For the right Faith is, 41 | that we believe and confess; that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is 42 | God and Man; God, of the Essence of the Father; begotten before the worlds; 43 | and Man, of the Essence of his Mother, born in the world. Perfect God; and 44 | perfect Man, of a reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting. Equal to the 45 | Father, as touching his Godhead; and inferior to the Father as touching his 46 | Manhood. Who although he is God and Man; yet he is not two, but one 47 | Christ. One; not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh; but by assumption of 48 | the Manhood by God. One altogether; not by confusion of Essence; but by unity 49 | of Person. For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man; so God and Man is 50 | one Christ; Who suffered for our salvation; descended into hell; rose again 51 | the third day from the dead. He ascended into heaven, he sitteth on the right 52 | hand of the God the Father Almighty, from whence he will come to judge the 53 | living and the dead. At whose coming all men will rise again with their 54 | bodies; And shall give account for their own works. And they that have done 55 | good shall go into life everlasting; and they that have done evil, into 56 | everlasting fire. This is the catholic faith; which except a man believe truly 57 | and firmly, he cannot be saved. 58 | ... 59 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- /data/ancient-church/chalcedonian-definition.yaml: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 | --- 2 | name: Chalcedonian Definition 3 | publication_year: 451 4 | type: creed 5 | markdown: true 6 | text: | 7 | 8 | Therefore, following the holy fathers, we all with one accord teach men to 9 | acknowledge one and the same Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, at once complete in 10 | Godhead and complete in manhood, truly God and truly man, consisting also of a 11 | reasonable soul and body; of one substance with the Father as regards his 12 | Godhead, and at the same time of one substance with us as regards his manhood; 13 | like us in all respects, apart from sin; as regards his Godhead, begotten of 14 | the Father before the ages, but yet as regards his manhood begotten, for us 15 | men and for our salvation, of Mary the Virgin, the God-bearer; one and the 16 | same Christ, Son, Lord, Only-begotten, recognized in two natures, without 17 | confusion, without change, without division, without separation; the 18 | distinction of natures being in no way annulled by the union, but rather the 19 | characteristics of each nature being preserved and coming together to form one 20 | person and subsistence, not as parted or separated into two persons, but one 21 | and the same Son and Only-begotten God the Word, Lord Jesus Christ; even as 22 | the prophets from earliest times spoke of him, and our Lord Jesus Christ 23 | himself taught us, and the creed of the fathers has handed down to us. 24 | 25 | Ἑπόμενοι τοίνυν τοῖς ἁγίοις πατράσιν ἕνα καὶ τὸν αὐτὸν ὁμολογεῖν υἱὸν τὸν 26 | κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν συμφώνως ἅπαντες ἐκδιδάσκομεν, τέλειον τὸν αὐτὸν 27 | ἐν θεότητι καὶ τέλειον τὸν αὐτὸν ἐν ἀνθρωπότητι, θεὸν ἀληθῶς καὶ ἄνθρωπον 28 | ἀληθῶς τὸν αὐτὸν, ἐκ ψυχῆς λογικῆς καὶ σώματος, ὁμοούσιον τῷ πατρὶ κατὰ τὴν 29 | θεότητα, καὶ ὁμοούσιον τὸν αὐτὸν ἡμῖν κατὰ τὴν ἀνθρωπότητα, κατὰ πάντα ὅμοιον 30 | ἡμῖν χωρὶς ἁμαρτίας· πρὸ αἰώνων μὲν ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς γεννηθέντα κατὰ τὴν 31 | θεότητα, ἐπ᾽ ἐσχάτων δὲ τῶν ἡμερῶν τὸν αὐτὸν δἰ ἡμᾶς καὶ διὰ τὴν ἡμετέραν 32 | σωτηρίαν ἐκ Μαρίας τῆς παρθένου τῆς θεοτόκου κατὰ τὴν ἀνθρωπότητα, ἕνα καὶ 33 | τὸν αὐτὸν Χριστόν, υἱόν, κύριον, μονογενῆ, ἐκ δύο φύσεων [ἐν δύο φύσεσιν], 34 | ἀσυγχύτως, ἀτρέπτως, ἀδιαιρέτως, ἀχωρίστως γνωριζόμενον· οὐδαμοῦ τῆς τῶν 35 | φύσεων διαφορᾶς ἀνῃρημένης διὰ τὴν ἕνωσιν, σωζομένης δὲ μᾶλλον τῆς ἰδιότητος 36 | ἑκατέρας φύσεως καὶ εἰς ἓν πρόσωπον καὶ μίαν ὑπὸστασιν συντρεχούσης, οὐκ εἰς 37 | δύο πρόσωπα μεριζόμενον ἢ διαιρούμενον, ἀλλ᾽ ἕνα καὶ τὸν αὐτὸν υἱὸν καὶ 38 | μονογενῆ, θεὸν λόγον, κύριον Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν· καθάπερ ἄνωθεν οἱ προφῆται περὶ 39 | αὐτοῦ καὶ αὐτὸς ἡμᾶς ὁ κύριος Ιησοῦς Χριστὸς ἐξεπαίδευσε καὶ τὸ τῶν πατέρων 40 | ἡμῖν καραδέδωκε σύμβολον. 41 | 42 | ... 43 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- /data/ancient-church/nicene-creed.yaml: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 | --- 2 | name: The Nicene Creed 3 | publication_year: 381 4 | type: creed 5 | image: nicene-creed.jpg 6 | markdown: true 7 | text: | 8 | 9 | We believe in one God[a], the Father Almighty[b], Maker of heaven and 10 | earth[c], and of all things visible and invisible[d]. 11 | 12 | And in one Lord Jesus Christ[e], the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the 13 | Father before all worlds[f]; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; 14 | begotten, not made[g], being of one substance with the Father[h], by whom all 15 | things were made[i]. 16 | 17 | Who, for us men and for our salvation, came down from heaven[j], and was 18 | incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, and was made man[k]; and was 19 | crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate[l]; He suffered and was buried; and 20 | the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures[m]; and ascended into 21 | heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Father[n]; and He shall come again, 22 | with glory, to judge the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no 23 | end.[o] 24 | 25 | And we believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life[p]; who proceeds 26 | from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together is 27 | worshipped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets[q]. 28 | 29 | And we believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.[r] We acknowledge 30 | one baptism for the remission of sins[s]; and we look for the resurrection of 31 | the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.[t] 32 | 33 | verses: 34 | a: 35 | - Exod.20.2-Exod.20.3 36 | - Mark.12.29-Mark.12.31 37 | b: 38 | - Eph.4.6 39 | - Mal.2.10 40 | - Gen.35.11 41 | c: 42 | - Gen.1.1 43 | - Isa.44.24 44 | d: 45 | - Col.1.16 46 | - Rom.1.20 47 | e: 48 | - 2Cor.1.3 49 | - 1Thess.1.1 50 | - Rom.13.14 51 | f: 52 | - John.3.16 53 | - Heb.1.6 54 | - Matt.14.33 55 | - Rev.1.8 56 | g: 57 | - John.1.1 58 | - 1John.1.5 59 | - John.8.12 60 | - John.20.28 61 | - 1John.5.20 62 | - Ps.2.7 63 | - Heb.1.5 64 | - John.14.9 65 | h: 66 | - John.10.30 67 | - Isa.44.6 68 | - Rev.1.8 69 | - Phil.2.6 70 | - John.10.38 71 | - Col.2.9 72 | i: 73 | - John.1.1-John.1.3 74 | - John.1.10 75 | - John.1.14 76 | - Eph.3.9 77 | - 1Cor.8.6 78 | - Col.1.15-Col.1.17 79 | j: 80 | - 1Thess.5.9 81 | - Acts.4.12 82 | - 2Tim.3.15 83 | - John.6.51 84 | - John.6.38 85 | k: 86 | - Matt.1.18 87 | - Luke.1.27 88 | - Luke.1.35 89 | - Phil.2.6-Phil.2.7 90 | - Rom.1.3 91 | l: 92 | - Acts.2.36 93 | - Matt.27.2 94 | - Matt.27.26 95 | - Mark.15.15 96 | m: 97 | - Matt.16.21 98 | - Mark.15.46 99 | - Luke.24.5-Luke.24.7 100 | - 1Cor.15.3-1Cor.15.4 101 | n: 102 | - John.20.17 103 | - 1Tim.3.16 104 | - 1Pet.3.21-1Pet.3.22 105 | - Acts.1.9 106 | - Mark.16.19 107 | o: 108 | - Acts.1.10-Acts.1.11 109 | - Rev.1.7 110 | - John.5.22 111 | - Acts.10.42 112 | - Luke.1.33 113 | p: 114 | - John.14.17 115 | - 2Cor.3.17 116 | - Acts.5.3-Acts.5.4 117 | - John.3.5 118 | - Titus.3.5 119 | q: 120 | - John.15.26 121 | - Luke.11.13 122 | - Matt.28.19 123 | - 2Pet.1.21 124 | r: 125 | - John.17.20-John.17.23 126 | - Eph.4.1-Eph.4.6 127 | - Col.1.18 128 | - Heb.12.23 129 | - Rev.21.27 130 | - Phil.4.3 131 | - Matt.18.20 132 | - Phlm.1.2 133 | - Rom.16.5 134 | - 1Tim.3.15 135 | - Eph.2.20 136 | - Acts.2.42 137 | s: 138 | - Matt.28.18-Matt.28.19 139 | - Eph.4.5 140 | - Gal.3.27 141 | - Matt.26.28 142 | - Luke.24.47 143 | - Acts.2.38 144 | - 1Pet.3.21 145 | - Rom.6.3-Rom.6.4 146 | t: 147 | - 1Cor.15.12 148 | - 1Cor.15.21-1Cor.15.22 149 | - John.3.16 150 | - 1Cor.2.9 151 | - Rom.11.36 152 | ... 153 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- /data/anglican/39-articles.yaml: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 | --- 2 | name: Thirty-nine Articles of Religion 3 | publication_year: 1571 4 | type: confession 5 | markdown: true 6 | chapters: 7 | - name: Of Faith in the Holy Trinity. 8 | number: 1 9 | text: > 10 | There is but one living and true God, everlasting, without body, parts, or 11 | passions; of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness; the Maker, and 12 | Preserver of all things both visible and invisible. And in unity of this 13 | Godhead there be three Persons, of one substance, power, and eternity; the 14 | Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. 15 | 16 | - name: Of the Word or Son of God, which was made very Man. 17 | number: 2 18 | text: > 19 | The Son, which is the Word of the Father, begotten from everlasting of the 20 | Father, the very and eternal God, and of one substance with the Father, 21 | took Man's nature in the womb of the blessed Virgin, of her substance: so 22 | that two whole and perfect Natures, that is to say, the Godhead and 23 | Manhood, were joined together in one Person, never to be divided, whereof 24 | is one Christ, very God, and very Man; who truly suffered, was crucified, 25 | dead and buried, to reconcile his Father to us, and to be a sacrifice, not 26 | only for original guilt, but also for all actual sins of men. 27 | 28 | - name: Of the going down of Christ into Hell. 29 | number: 3 30 | text: > 31 | As Christ died for us, and was buried, so also is it to be believed, that 32 | he went down into Hell. 33 | 34 | - name: Of the Resurrection of Christ. 35 | number: 4 36 | text: > 37 | Christ did truly rise again from death, and took again his body, with 38 | flesh, bones, and all things appertaining to the perfection of Man's 39 | nature; wherewith he ascended into Heaven, and there sitteth, until he 40 | return to judge all Men at the last day. 41 | 42 | - name: Of the Holy Ghost. 43 | number: 5 44 | text: > 45 | The Holy Ghost, proceeding from the Father and the Son, is of one 46 | substance, majesty, and glory, with the Father and the Son, very and 47 | eternal God. 48 | 49 | - name: Of the Sufficiency of the holy Scriptures for salvation. 50 | number: 6 51 | text: | 52 | Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation: so that 53 | whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be 54 | required of any man, that it should be believed as an article of the 55 | Faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation. In the name of 56 | the holy Scripture we do understand those Canonical Books of the Old and 57 | New Testament, of whose authority was never any doubt in the Church. 58 | 59 | Of the Names and Number of the Canonical Books 60 | 61 | Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 62 | The First Book of Samuel, The Second Book of Samuel, The First Book of 63 | Kings, The Second Book of Kings, The First Book of Chronicles, The Second 64 | Book of Chronicles, The First Book of Esdras [Ezra], The Second Book of 65 | Esdras [Nehemiah], The Book of Esther, The Book of Job, The Psalms, The 66 | Proverbs, Ecclesiastes or Preacher, Cantica, or Songs of Solomon, Four 67 | Prophets the greater, Twelve Prophets the less. 68 | 69 | And the other Books (as Hierome saith) the Church doth read for example of 70 | life and instruction of manners; but yet doth it not apply them to 71 | establish any doctrine; such are these following: 72 | 73 | The Third Book of Esdras [I Esdras], The Fourth Book of Esdras [II 74 | Esdras], The Book of Tobias, The Book of Judith, The rest of the Book of 75 | Esther, The Book of Wisdom, Jesus the Son of Sirach [or Ecclesiasticus], 76 | Baruch the Prophet, The Song of the Three Children, The Story of Susanna, 77 | Of Bel and the Dragon, The Prayer of Manasses, The First Book of 78 | Maccabees, The Second Book of Maccabees. All the Books of the New 79 | Testament, as they are commonly received, we do receive, and account them 80 | Canonical. 81 | 82 | - name: Of the Old Testament. 83 | number: 7 84 | text: > 85 | The Old Testament is not contrary to the New: for both in the Old and New 86 | Testament everlasting life is offered to Mankind by Christ, who is the 87 | only Mediator between God and Man, being both God and Man. Wherefore they 88 | are not to be heard, which feign that the old Fathers did look only for 89 | transitory promises. Although the Law given from God by Moses, as touching 90 | Ceremonies and Rites, do not bind Christian men, nor the Civil precepts 91 | thereof ought of necessity to be received in any commonwealth; yet 92 | notwithstanding, no Christian man whatsoever is free from the obedience of 93 | the Commandments which are called Moral. 94 | 95 | - name: Of the Creeds. 96 | number: 8 97 | text: > 98 | The Three Creeds, Nicene Creed, Athanasius's Creed, and that which is 99 | commonly called the Apostles' Creed, ought thoroughly to be received and 100 | believed: for they may be proved by most certain warrants of holy 101 | Scripture. 102 | 103 | - name: Of Original or Birth-sin. 104 | number: 9 105 | text: > 106 | Original Sin standeth not in the following of Adam, (as the Pelagians do 107 | vainly talk;) but it is the fault and corruption of the Nature of every 108 | man, that naturally is ingendered of the offspring of Adam; whereby man is 109 | very far gone from original righteousness, and is of his own nature 110 | inclined to evil, so that the flesh lusteth always contrary to the spirit; 111 | and therefore in every person born into this world, it deserveth God's 112 | wrath and damnation. And this infection of nature doth remain, yea in them 113 | that are regenerated; whereby the lust of the flesh, called in the Greek, 114 | φρονημα σαρκος, which some do expound the wisdom, some sensuality, some 115 | the affection, some the desire, of the flesh, is not subject to the Law of 116 | God. And although there is no condemnation for them that believe and are 117 | baptized, yet the Apostle doth confess, that concupiscence and lust hath 118 | of itself the nature of sin. 119 | 120 | - name: Of Free-Will. 121 | number: 10 122 | text: > 123 | The condition of Man after the fall of Adam is such, that he cannot turn 124 | and prepare himself, by his own natural strength and good works, to faith, 125 | and calling upon God: Wherefore we have no power to do good works pleasant 126 | and acceptable to God, without the grace of God by Christ preventing us, 127 | that we may have a good will, and working with us, when we have that good 128 | will. 129 | 130 | - name: Of the Justification of Man. 131 | number: 11 132 | text: > 133 | We are accounted righteous before God, only for the merit of our Lord and 134 | Saviour Jesus Christ by Faith, and not for our own works or deservings: 135 | Wherefore, that we are justified by Faith only is a most wholesome 136 | Doctrine, and very full of comfort, as more largely is expressed in the 137 | Homily of Justification. 138 | 139 | - name: Of Good Works. 140 | number: 12 141 | text: > 142 | Albeit that Good Works, which are the fruits of Faith, and follow after 143 | Justification, cannot put away our sins, and endure the severity of God's 144 | Judgement; yet are they pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ, and do 145 | spring out necessarily of a true and lively Faith; insomuch that by them a 146 | lively Faith may be as evidently known as a tree discerned by the fruit. 147 | 148 | - name: Of Works before Justification. 149 | number: 13 150 | text: > 151 | Works done before the grace of Christ, and the Inspiration of his Spirit, 152 | are not pleasant to God, forasmuch as they spring not of faith in Jesus 153 | Christ, neither do they make men meet to receive grace, or (as the 154 | School-authors say) deserve grace of congruity: yea rather, for that they 155 | are not done as God hath willed and commanded them to be done, we doubt 156 | not but they have the nature of sin. 157 | 158 | - name: Of Works of Supererogation. 159 | number: 14 160 | text: > 161 | Voluntary Works besides, over and above, God's Commandments, which they 162 | call Works of Supererogation, cannot be taught without arrogancy and 163 | impiety: for by them men do declare, that they do not only render unto God 164 | as much as they are bound to do, but that they do more for his sake, than 165 | of bounden duty is required: whereas Christ saith plainly, When ye have 166 | done all that are commanded to you, say, We are unprofitable servants. 167 | 168 | - name: Of Christ alone without Sin. 169 | number: 15 170 | text: > 171 | Christ in the truth of our nature was made like unto us in all things, sin 172 | only except, from which he was clearly void, both in his flesh, and in his 173 | spirit. He came to be the Lamb without spot, who, by sacrifice of himself 174 | once made, should take away the sins of the world, and sin, as Saint John 175 | saith, was not in him. But all we the rest, although baptized, and born 176 | again in Christ, yet offend in many things; and if we say we have no sin, 177 | we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 178 | 179 | - name: Of Sin after Baptism. 180 | number: 16 181 | text: > 182 | Not every deadly sin willingly committed after Baptism is sin against the 183 | Holy Ghost, and unpardonable. Wherefore the grant of repentance is not to 184 | be denied to such as fall into sin after Baptism. After we have received 185 | the Holy Ghost, we may depart from grace given, and fall into sin, and by 186 | the grace of God we may arise again, and amend our lives. And therefore 187 | they are to be condemned, which say, they can no more sin as long as they 188 | live here, or deny the place of forgiveness to such as truly repent. 189 | 190 | - name: Of Predestination and Election. 191 | number: 17 192 | text: | 193 | Predestination to Life is the everlasting purpose of God, whereby (before 194 | the foundations of the world were laid) he hath constantly decreed by his 195 | counsel secret to us, to deliver from curse and damnation those whom he 196 | hath chosen in Christ out of mankind, and to bring them by Christ to 197 | everlasting salvation, as vessels made to honour. Wherefore, they which be 198 | endued with so excellent a benefit of God be called according to God's 199 | purpose by his Spirit working in due season: they through Grace obey the 200 | calling: they be justified freely: they be made sons of God by adoption: 201 | they be made like the image of his only-begotten Son Jesus Christ: they 202 | walk religiously in good works, and at length, by God's mercy, they attain 203 | to everlasting felicity. 204 | 205 | As the godly consideration of Predestination, and our Election in Christ, 206 | is full of sweet, pleasant, and unspeakable comfort to godly persons, and 207 | such as feel in themselves the working of the Spirit of Christ, mortifying 208 | the works of the flesh, and their earthly members, and drawing up their 209 | mind to high and heavenly things, as well because it doth greatly 210 | establish and confirm their faith of eternal Salvation to be enjoyed 211 | through Christ, as because it doth fervently kindle their love towards 212 | God: So, for curious and carnal persons, lacking the Spirit of Christ, to 213 | have continually before their eyes the sentence of God's Predestination, 214 | is a most dangerous downfall, whereby the Devil doth thrust them either 215 | into desperation, or into wretchlessness of most unclean living, no less 216 | perilous than desperation. 217 | 218 | Furthermore, we must receive God's promises in such wise, as they be 219 | generally set forth to us in holy Scripture: and, in our doings, that Will 220 | of God is to be followed, which we have expressly declared unto us in the 221 | Word of God. 222 | 223 | - name: Of obtaining eternal Salvation only by the Name of Christ. 224 | number: 18 225 | text: > 226 | They also are to be had accursed that presume to say, That every man shall 227 | be saved by the Law or Sect which he professeth, so that he be diligent to 228 | frame his life according to that Law, and the light of Nature. For holy 229 | Scripture doth set out unto us only the Name of Jesus Christ, whereby men 230 | must be saved. 231 | 232 | - name: Of the Church. 233 | number: 19 234 | text: | 235 | The visible Church of Christ is a congregation of faithful men, in the 236 | which the pure Word of God is preached, and the Sacraments be duly 237 | ministered according to Christ's ordinance in all those things that of 238 | necessity are requisite to the same. 239 | 240 | As the Church of Jerusalem, Alexandria, and Antioch, have erred; so also 241 | the Church of Rome hath erred, not only in their living and manner of 242 | Ceremonies, but also in matters of Faith. 243 | 244 | - name: Of the Authority of the Church. 245 | number: 20 246 | text: > 247 | The Church hath power to decree Rites or Ceremonies, and authority in 248 | Controversies of Faith: And yet it is not lawful for the Church to ordain 249 | any thing that is contrary to God's Word written, neither may it so 250 | expound one place of Scripture, that it be repugnant to 251 | another. Wherefore, although the Church be a witness and a keeper of holy 252 | Writ, yet, as it ought not to decree any thing against the same, so 253 | besides the same ought it not to enforce any thing to be believed for 254 | necessity of Salvation. 255 | 256 | - name: Of the Authority of General Councils. 257 | number: 21 258 | text: > 259 | General Councils may not be gathered together without the commandment and 260 | will of Princes. And when they be gathered together, (forasmuch as they be 261 | an assembly of men, whereof all be not governed with the Spirit and Word 262 | of God,) they may err, and sometimes have erred, even in things pertaining 263 | unto God. Wherefore things ordained by them as necessary to salvation have 264 | neither strength nor authority, unless it may be declared that they be 265 | taken out of holy Scripture. 266 | 267 | - name: Of Purgatory. 268 | number: 22 269 | text: > 270 | The Romish Doctrine concerning Purgatory, Pardons, Worshipping and 271 | Adoration, as well of Images as of Reliques, and also invocation of 272 | Saints, is a fond thing vainly invented, and grounded upon no warranty of 273 | Scripture, but rather repugnant to the Word of God. 274 | 275 | - name: Of Ministering in the Congregation. 276 | number: 23 277 | text: > 278 | It is not lawful for any man to take upon him the office of public 279 | preaching, or ministering the Sacraments in the Congregation, before he be 280 | lawfully called, and sent to execute the same. And those we ought to judge 281 | lawfully called and sent, which be chosen and called to this work by men 282 | who have public authority given unto them in the Congregation, to call and 283 | send Ministers into the Lord's vineyard. 284 | 285 | - name: Of speaking in the Congregation in such a tongue as the people understandeth. 286 | number: 24 287 | text: > 288 | It is a thing plainly repugnant to the Word of God, and the custom of the 289 | Primitive Church, to have public Prayer in the Church, or to minister the 290 | Sacraments in a tongue not understanded of the people. 291 | 292 | - name: Of the Sacraments. 293 | number: 25 294 | text: | 295 | Sacraments ordained of Christ be not only badges or tokens of Christian 296 | men's profession, but rather they be certain sure witnesses, and effectual 297 | signs of grace, and God's good will towards us, by the which he doth work 298 | invisibly in us, and doth not only quicken, but also strengthen and 299 | confirm our Faith in him. 300 | 301 | There are two Sacraments ordained of Christ our Lord in the Gospel, that 302 | is to say, Baptism, and the Supper of the Lord. 303 | 304 | Those five commonly called Sacraments, that is to say, Confirmation, 305 | Penance, Orders, Matrimony, and extreme Unction, are not to be counted for 306 | Sacraments of the Gospel, being such as have grown partly of the corrupt 307 | following of the Apostles, partly are states of life allowed in the 308 | Scriptures; but yet have not like nature of Sacraments with Baptism, and 309 | the Lord's Supper, for that they have not any visible sign or ceremony 310 | ordained of God. 311 | 312 | The Sacraments were not ordained of Christ to be gazed upon, or to be 313 | carried about, but that we should duly use them. And in such only as 314 | worthily receive the same they have a wholesome effect or operation: but 315 | they that receive them unworthily purchase to themselves damnation, as 316 | Saint Paul saith. 317 | 318 | - name: Of the Unworthiness of the Ministers, which hinders not the effect of the Sacraments. 319 | number: 26 320 | text: | 321 | Although in the visible Church the evil be ever mingled with the good, and 322 | sometimes the evil have chief authority in the Ministration of the Word 323 | and Sacraments, yet forasmuch as they do not the same in their own name, 324 | but in Christ's, and do minister by his commission and authority, we may 325 | use their Ministry, both in hearing the Word of God, and in receiving of 326 | the Sacraments. Neither is the effect of Christ's ordinance taken away by 327 | their wickedness, nor the grace of God's gifts diminished from such as by 328 | faith and rightly do receive the Sacraments ministered unto them; which be 329 | effectual, because of Christ's institution and promise, although they be 330 | ministered by evil men. 331 | 332 | Nevertheless, it appertaineth to the discipline of the Church, that 333 | inquiry be made of evil Ministers, and that they be accused by those that 334 | have knowledge of their offences; and finally being found guilty, by just 335 | judgement be deposed. 336 | 337 | - name: Of Baptism. 338 | number: 27 339 | text: > 340 | Baptism is not only a sign of profession, and mark of difference, whereby 341 | Christian men are discerned from others that be not christened, but it is 342 | also a sign of Regeneration or new Birth, whereby, as by an instrument, 343 | they that receive Baptism rightly are grafted into the Church; the 344 | promises of forgiveness of sin, and of our adoption to be the sons of God 345 | by the Holy Ghost, are visibly signed and sealed; Faith is confirmed, and 346 | Grace increased by virtue of prayer unto God. The Baptism of young 347 | Children is in any wise to be retained in the Church, as most agreeable 348 | with the institution of Christ. 349 | 350 | - name: Of the Lord's Supper. 351 | number: 28 352 | text: | 353 | The Supper of the Lord is not only a sign of the love that Christians 354 | ought to have among themselves one to another; but rather is a Sacrament 355 | of our Redemption by Christ's death: insomuch that to such as rightly, 356 | worthily, and with faith, receive the same, the Bread which we break is a 357 | partaking of the Body of Christ; and likewise the Cup of Blessing is a 358 | partaking of the Blood of Christ. 359 | 360 | Transubstantiation (or the change of the substance of Bread and Wine) in 361 | the Supper of the Lord, cannot be proved by holy Writ; but is repugnant to 362 | the plain words of Scripture, overthroweth the nature of a Sacrament, and 363 | hath given occasion to many superstitions. 364 | 365 | The Body of Christ is given, taken, and eaten, in the Supper, only after 366 | an heavenly and spiritual manner. And the mean whereby the Body of Christ 367 | is received and eaten in the Supper is Faith. 368 | 369 | The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper was not by Christ's ordinance reserved, 370 | carried about, lifted up, or worshipped. 371 | 372 | - name: Of the Wicked which eat not the Body of Christ in the use of the Lord's Supper. 373 | number: 29 374 | text: > 375 | The Wicked, and such as be void of a lively faith, although they do 376 | carnally and visibly press with their teeth (as Saint Augustine saith) the 377 | Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ, yet in no wise are they 378 | partakers of Christ: but rather, to their condemnation, do eat and drink 379 | the sign or Sacrament of so great a thing. 380 | 381 | - name: Of both kinds. 382 | number: 30 383 | text: > 384 | The Cup of the Lord is not to be denied to the Lay-people: for both the 385 | parts of the Lord's Sacrament, by Christ's ordinance and commandment, 386 | ought to be ministered to all Christian men alike. 387 | 388 | - name: Of the one Oblation of Christ finished upon the Cross. 389 | number: 31 390 | text: > 391 | The Offering of Christ once made is that perfect redemption, propitiation, 392 | and satisfaction, for all the sins of the whole world, both original and 393 | actual; and there is none other satisfaction for sin, but that 394 | alone. Wherefore the sacrifices of Masses, in the which it was commonly 395 | said, that the Priest did offer Christ for the quick and the dead, to have 396 | remission of pain or guilt, were blasphemous fables, and dangerous 397 | deceits. 398 | 399 | - name: Of the Marriage of Priests. 400 | number: 32 401 | text: > 402 | Bishops, Priests, and Deacons, are not commanded by God's Law, either to 403 | vow the estate of single life, or to abstain from marriage: therefore it 404 | is lawful for them, as for all other Christian men, to marry at their own 405 | discretion, as they shall judge the same to serve better to godliness. 406 | 407 | - name: Of excommunicate Persons, how they are to be avoided. 408 | number: 33 409 | text: > 410 | That person which by open denunciation of the Church is rightly cut off 411 | from the unity of the Church, and excommunicated, ought to be taken of the 412 | whole multitude of the faithful, as an Heathen and Publican, until he be 413 | openly reconciled by penance, and received into the Church by a judge that 414 | hath authority thereunto. 415 | 416 | - name: Of the Traditions of the Church. 417 | number: 34 418 | text: | 419 | It is not necessary that Traditions and Ceremonies be in all places one, 420 | and utterly like; for at all times they have been divers, and may be 421 | changed according to the diversities of countries, times, and men's 422 | manners, so that nothing be ordained against God's Word. Whosoever 423 | through his private judgement, willingly and purposely, doth openly break 424 | the traditions and ceremonies of the Church, which be not repugnant to the 425 | Word of God, and be ordained and approved by common authority, ought to be 426 | rebuked openly, (that others may fear to do the like,) as he that 427 | offendeth against the common order of the Church, and hurteth the 428 | authority of the Magistrate, and woundeth the consciences of the weak 429 | brethren. 430 | 431 | Every particular or national Church hath authority to ordain, change, and 432 | abolish, ceremonies or rites of the Church ordained only by man's 433 | authority, so that all things be done to edifying. 434 | 435 | - name: Of the Homilies. 436 | number: 35 437 | text: | 438 | The second Book of Homilies, the several titles whereof we have joined 439 | under this Article, doth contain a godly and wholesome Doctrine, and 440 | necessary for these times, as doth the former Book of Homilies, which were 441 | set forth in the time of Edward the Sixth; and therefore we judge them to 442 | be read in Churches by the Ministers, diligently and distinctly, that they 443 | may be understanded of the people. 444 | 445 | Of the Names of the Homilies. 446 | 447 | 1. Of the right Use of the Church. 448 | 2. Against Peril of Idolatry. 449 | 3. Of repairing and keeping clean of Churches. 450 | 4. Of good Works: first of Fasting. 451 | 5. Against Gluttony and Drunkenness. 452 | 6. Against Excess of Apparel 453 | 7. Of Prayer. 454 | 8. Of the Place and Time of Prayer. 455 | 9. That Common Prayers and Sacraments ought to be ministered in a known tongue. 456 | 10. Of the reverend Estimation of God's Word. 457 | 11. Of Alms-doing. 458 | 12. Of the Nativity of Christ. 459 | 13. Of the Passion of Christ. 460 | 14. Of the Resurrection of Christ. 461 | 15. Of the worthy receiving of the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ. 462 | 16. Of the Gifts of the Holy Ghost. 463 | 17. For the Rogation-days. 464 | 18. Of the State of Matrimony. 465 | 19. Of Repentance. 466 | 20. Against Idleness. 467 | 21. Against Rebellion. 468 | 469 | - name: Of Consecration of Bishops and Ministers. 470 | number: 36 471 | text: > 472 | The Book of Consecration of Archbishops and Bishops, and Ordering of 473 | Priests and Deacons, lately set forth in the time of Edward the Sixth, and 474 | confirmed at the same time by authority of Parliament, doth contain all 475 | things necessary to such Consecration and Ordering: neither hath it any 476 | thing, that of itself is superstitious and ungodly. And therefore 477 | whosoever are consecrated or ordered according to the Rites of that Book, 478 | since the second year of the forenamed King Edward unto this time, or 479 | hereafter shall be consecrated or ordered according to the same Rites; we 480 | decree all such to be rightly, orderly, and lawfully consecrated and 481 | ordered. 482 | 483 | - name: Of the Civil Magistrates. 484 | number: 37 485 | text: | 486 | 487 | The King's Majesty hath the chief power in this Realm of England, and 488 | other his Dominions, unto whom the chief Government of all Estates of this 489 | Realm, whether they be Ecclesiastical or Civil, in all causes doth 490 | appertain, and is not, nor ought to be, subject to any foreign 491 | Jurisdiction. 492 | 493 | Where we attribute to the King's Majesty the chief government, by which 494 | Titles we understand the minds of some slanderous folks to be offended; we 495 | give not to our Princes the ministering either of God's Word, or of the 496 | Sacraments, the which thing the Injunctions also lately set forth by 497 | Elizabeth our Queen do most plainly testify; but that only prerogative, 498 | which we see to have been given always to all godly Princes in holy 499 | Scriptures by God himself; that is, that they should rule all estates and 500 | degrees committed to their charge by God, whether they be Ecclesiastical 501 | or Temporal, and restrain with the civil sword the stubborn and evil 502 | doers. 503 | 504 | The Bishop of Rome hath no jurisdiction in this Realm of England. 505 | 506 | The Laws of the Realm may punish Christian men with death, for heinous and 507 | grievous offences. 508 | 509 | It is lawful for Christian men, at the commandment of the Magistrate, to 510 | wear weapons, and serve in the wars. 511 | 512 | - name: Of Christian Men's Goods, which are not common. 513 | number: 38 514 | text: > 515 | The Riches and Goods of Christians are not common, as touching the right, 516 | title, and possession of the same, as certain Anabaptists do falsely 517 | boast. Notwithstanding, every man ought, of such things as he possesseth, 518 | liberally to give alms to the poor, according to his ability. 519 | 520 | - name: Of a Christian Man's Oath. 521 | number: 39 522 | text: > 523 | As we confess that vain and rash Swearing is forbidden Christian men by 524 | our Lord Jesus Christ, and James his Apostle, so we judge, that Christian 525 | Religion doth not prohibit, but that a man may swear when the Magistrate 526 | requireth, in a cause of faith and charity, so it be done according to the 527 | Prophet's teaching, in justice, judgement, and truth. 528 | 529 | ... 530 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- /data/html/nashville-wcf.html: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 |

Nashville Statement Compared to the Westminster Confession of Faith

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4 | Prepared by Rev 5 | Bryan Peters, a minister of the gospel in the Presbyterian Reformed 6 | Church. Published with permission. 7 |

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Nashville Statement

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Westminster Confession of Faith

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22 | 23 | Article 1 WE AFFIRM that God has designed marriage to be a covenantal, 24 | sexual, procreative, lifelong union of one man and one woman, as husband 25 | and wife, and is meant to signify the covenant love between Christ and 26 | his bride the church. WE DENY that God has designed marriage to be a 27 | homosexual, polygamous, or polyamorous relationship. We also deny that 28 | marriage is a mere human contract rather than a covenant made before 29 | God. 30 | 31 |

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35 | 36 | WCF XXIV.I Marriage is to be between one man and one woman: neither is 37 | it lawful for any man to have more than one wife, nor for any woman to 38 | have more than one husband at the same time. 39 | 40 |

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43 | 44 | WCF XXIV.II Marriage was ordained for the mutual help of 45 | husband and wife; for the increase of mankind with a 46 | legitimate issue, and of the Church with an holy seed; and for 47 | preventing of uncleanness. 48 | 49 |

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52 | 53 | WLC Q. 20. What was the providence of God toward man in the estate in 54 | which he was created? A. The providence of God toward man in the estate 55 | in which he was created, was the placing him in paradise, appointing him 56 | to dress it, giving him liberty to eat of the fruit of the earth; 57 | putting the creatures under his dominion, and ordaining marriage for his 58 | help; affording him communion with Himself; instituting the Sabbath; 59 | entering into a covenant of life with him, upon condition of personal, 60 | perfect, and perpetual obedience, of which the tree of life was a 61 | pledge; and forbidding to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, 62 | upon the pain of death. 63 | 64 |

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74 | 75 | Article 2 WE AFFIRM that God’s revealed will for all people is chastity 76 | outside of marriage and fidelity within marriage. WE DENY that any 77 | affections, desires, or commitments ever justify sexual intercourse before 78 | or outside marriage; nor do they justify any form of sexual immorality. 79 | 80 |

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84 | 85 | WLC Q. 138. What are the duties required in the seventh 86 | commandment? A. The duties required in the seventh commandment are, 87 | chastity in body, mind, affections, words, and behavior; and the 88 | preservation of it in ourselves and others; watchfulness over the eyes 89 | and all the senses; temperance, keeping of chaste company, modesty in 90 | apparel; marriage by those that have not the gift of continency, 91 | conjugal love, and cohabitation; diligent labor in all our callings; 92 | shunning all occasions of uncleanness, and resisting temptations 93 | thereunto.

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96 | 97 | WLC Q. 139. What are the sins forbidden in the seventh 98 | commandment? A. The sins forbidden in the seventh commandment, besides 99 | the neglect of the duties required, are, adultery, fornication, rape, 100 | incest, sodomy, and all unnatural lusts; all unclean imaginations, 101 | thoughts, purposes, and affections; all corrupt or filthy communications, 102 | or listening thereunto; wanton looks; impudent or light behavior; immodest 103 | apparel; prohibiting of lawful, and dispensing with unlawful marriages; 104 | allowing, tolerating, keeping of stews, and resorting to them; entangling 105 | vows of single life; undue delay of marriage; having more wives or 106 | husbands than one at the same time; unjust divorce or desertion; idleness, 107 | gluttony, drunkenness, unchaste company; lascivious songs, books, 108 | pictures, dancing, stage plays; all other provocations to, or acts of 109 | uncleanness, either in ourselves or others. 110 | 111 |

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121 | Article 3 WE AFFIRM that God created Adam and Eve, the first human beings, in his own 122 | image, equal before God as persons, and distinct as male and female. WE DENY that the 123 | divinely ordained differences between male and female render them unequal in dignity or 124 | worth. 125 |

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130 | WCF IV.II After God had made all other creatures, he created 131 | man, male and female, with reasonable and immortal 132 | souls, endued with knowledge, righteousness, and true 133 | holiness, after his own image, having the law of God written in 134 | their hearts, and power to fulfil it; and yet under a possibility of 135 | transgressing, being left to the liberty of their own will, which 136 | was subject unto change. 137 |

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145 | Article 4 WE AFFIRM that divinely ordained differences between male and female reflect 146 | God’s original creation design and are meant for human good and human flourishing. WE 147 | DENY that such differences are a result of the Fall or are a tragedy to be overcome. 148 |

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152 | WCF XXIV.I Marriage is to be between one man and one 153 | woman... 154 |

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156 | WLC Q. 20. What was the providence of God toward man in 157 | the estate in which he was created? 158 | A. The providence of God toward man in the estate in which 159 | he was created, was ... ordaining marriage for his help 160 |

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168 | Article 5 WE AFFIRM that the differences between male and female reproductive structures 169 | are integral to God’s design for self-conception as male or female. WE DENY that physical 170 | anomalies or psychological conditions nullify the God-appointed link between biological sex 171 | and self-conception as male or female. 172 |

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184 | Article 6 WE AFFIRM that those born with a physical disorder of sex development are 185 | created in the image of God and have dignity and worth equal to all other image-bearers. 186 | They are acknowledged by our Lord Jesus in his words about “eunuchs who were born that 187 | way from their mother's womb.” With all others they are welcome as faithful followers of 188 | Jesus Christ and should embrace their biological sex insofar as it may be known. WE DENY 189 | that ambiguities related to a person’s biological sex render one incapable of living a fruitful 190 | life in joyful obedience to Christ. 191 |

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203 | Article 7 WE AFFIRM that self-conception as male or female should be defined by God’s 204 | holy purposes in creation and redemption as revealed in Scripture. WE DENY that adopting 205 | a homosexual or transgender self-conception is consistent with God’s holy purposes in 206 | creation and redemption 207 |

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219 | Article 8 WE AFFIRM that people who experience sexual attraction for the same sex may 220 | live a rich and fruitful life pleasing to God through faith in Jesus Christ, as they, like all 221 | Christians, walk in purity of life. WE DENY that sexual attraction for the same sex is part of 222 | the natural goodness of God’s original creation, or that it puts a person outside the hope of 223 | the gospel. 224 |

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228 | WCF VI.V This corruption of nature, during this life, doth 229 | remain in those that are regenerated; and although it be 230 | through Christ pardoned and mortified, yet both itself and all 231 | the motions thereof are truly and properly sin. 232 |

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234 | WCF VI.VI Every sin, both original and actual, being a 235 | transgression of the righteous law of God, and contrary 236 | thereunto, doth, in its own nature, bring guilt upon the 237 | sinner, whereby he is bound over to the wrath of God and 238 | curse of the law, and so made subject to death, with all 239 | miseries spiritual, temporal, and eternal. 240 |

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247 | Article 9 WE AFFIRM that sin distorts sexual desires by directing them away from the 248 | marriage covenant and toward sexual immorality— a distortion that includes both 249 | heterosexual and homosexual immorality. WE DENY that an enduring pattern of desire for 250 | sexual immorality justifies sexually immoral behavior. 251 |

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255 | WCF VI.IV From this original corruption, whereby we are 256 | utterly indisposed, disabled, and made opposite to all 257 | good, and wholly inclined to all evil, do proceed all actual 258 | transgressions. 259 |

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261 | WCF VI.V This corruption of nature, during this life, doth 262 | remain in those that are regenerated; and although it be 263 | through Christ pardoned and mortified, yet both itself and all 264 | the motions thereof are truly and properly sin. 265 |

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272 | Article 10 WE AFFIRM that it is sinful to approve of homosexual immorality or 273 | transgenderism and that such approval constitutes an essential departure from Christian 274 | faithfulness and witness. WE DENY that the approval of homosexual immorality or 275 | transgenderism is a matter of moral indifference about which otherwise faithful Christians 276 | should agree to disagree. 277 |

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279 | Article 11 WE AFFIRM our duty to speak the truth in love at all times, including when we 280 | speak to or about one another as male or female. WE DENY any obligation to speak in such 281 | ways that dishonor God’s design of his imagebearers as male and female. 282 |

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287 | 288 | WLC Q. 144. What are the duties required in the ninth 289 | commandment? 290 | A. The duties required in the ninth commandment are, the 291 | preserving and promoting of truth between man and man, and 292 | the good name of our neighbor, as well as our own: appearing 293 | and standing for the truth; and from the heart, sincerely, freely, 294 | clearly, and fully, speaking the truth, and only the truth, in 295 | matters of judgment and justice, and in all other things 296 | whatsoever; a charitable esteem of our neighbors; loving, 297 | desiring, and rejoicing in their good name; sorrowing for, and 298 | covering of their infirmities; freely acknowledging of their gifts 299 | and graces, defending their innocency; a ready receiving of 300 | good report, and unwillingness to admit of an evil report, 301 | concerning them; discouraging tale-bearers, flatterers, and 302 | slanderers; love and care of our own good name, and 303 | defending it when need requireth; keeping of lawful promises; 304 | study and practising of whatsoever things are true, honest, 305 | lovely, and of good report. 306 | 307 |

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310 | 311 | WLC Q. 145. What are the sins forbidden in the ninth 312 | commandment? 313 | A. The sins forbidden in the ninth commandment are, all 314 | prejudicing the truth, and the good name of our neighbors, as 315 | well as our own, especially in public judicature; giving false 316 | evidence; suborning false witnesses; wittingly appearing and 317 | pleading for an evil cause; out-facing and overbearing the 318 | truth; passing unjust sentence; calling evil good, and good 319 | evil; rewarding the wicked according to the work of the 320 | righteous, and the righteous according to the work of the 321 | wicked; forgery; concealing the truth; undue silence in a just 322 | cause, and holding our peace when iniquity calleth for either a 323 | reproof from ourselves, or complaint to others; speaking the 324 | truth unseasonably, or maliciously to a wrong end, or 325 | perverting it to a wrong meaning, or in doubtful and equivocal 326 | expressions, to the prejudice of truth or justice; speaking 327 | untruth, lying, slandering, backbiting, detracting, tale-bearing, 328 | whispering, scoffing, reviling, rash, harsh, and partial 329 | censuring; misconstructing intentions, words, and actions; 330 | flattering, vain-glorious boasting, thinking or speaking too 331 | highly or too meanly of ourselves or others; denying the gifts 332 | and graces of God; aggravating smaller faults; hiding, 333 | excusing, or extenuating of sins, when called to a free 334 | confession; unnecessary discovering of infirmities; raising 335 | false rumours, receiving and countenancing evil reports, and 336 | stopping our ears against just defence; evil suspicion; envying 337 | or grieving at the deserved credit of any, endeavouring or 338 | desiring to impair it, rejoicing in their disgrace and infamy; 339 | scornful contempt; fond admiration; breach of lawful promises; 340 | neglecting such things as are of good report; and practicing or 341 | not avoiding ourselves, or not hindering what we can in 342 | others, such things as procure an ill name. 343 |

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351 | 352 | Article 12 WE AFFIRM that the grace of God in Christ gives both merciful pardon and 353 | transforming power, and that this pardon and power enable a follower of Jesus to put to 354 | death sinful desires and to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord. WE DENY that the grace of 355 | God in Christ is insufficient to forgive all sexual sins and to give power for holiness to every 356 | believer who feels drawn into sexual sin. 357 | 358 |

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360 | 361 | Article 13 WE AFFIRM that the grace of God in Christ enables sinners to forsake 362 | transgender selfconceptions and by divine forbearance to accept the God-ordained link 363 | between one’s biological sex and one’s self-conception as male or female. WE DENY that 364 | the grace of God in Christ sanctions self-conceptions that are at odds with God’s revealed 365 | will. 366 | 367 |

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372 | 373 | WCF XIII.I They who are effectually called and regenerated, 374 | having a new heart and a new spirit created in them, are 375 | further sanctified, really and personally, through the virtue of 376 | Christ’s death and resurrection, by his Word and Spirit 377 | dwelling in them; the dominion of the whole body of sin is 378 | destroyed, and the several lusts thereof are more and more 379 | weakened and mortified, and they more and more quickened 380 | and strengthened, in all saving graces, to the practice of true 381 | holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. 382 |

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385 | WCF XIII.II This sanctification is throughout in the whole man, 386 | yet imperfect in this life; there abideth still some remnants of 387 | corruption in every part, whence ariseth a continual and 388 | irreconcilable war, the flesh lusting against the spirit, and the 389 | spirit against the flesh. 390 |

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393 | 394 | WCF XIII.III In which war, although the remaining corruption 395 | for a time may much prevail, yet, through the continual supply 396 | of strength from the sanctifying Spirit of Christ, the regenerate 397 | part doth overcome; and so the saints grow in 398 | grace, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. 399 |

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407 | Article 14 WE AFFIRM that Christ Jesus has come into the world to save sinners and that 408 | through Christ’s death and resurrection forgiveness of sins and eternal life are available to 409 | every person who repents of sin and trusts in Christ alone as Savior, Lord, and supreme 410 | treasure. WE DENY that the Lord’s arm is too short to save or that any sinner is beyond his 411 | reach 412 |

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416 | WCF VII.III Man by his fall having made himself incapable of 417 | life by that covenant, the Lord was pleased to make a 418 | second, commonly called the covenant of grace: wherein he 419 | freely offered unto sinners life and salvation by Jesus Christ, 420 | requiring of them faith in him that they may be saved, and 421 | promising to give unto all those that are ordained unto life his 422 | Holy Spirit, to make them willing and able to believe. 423 |

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427 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- /data/miscellany/catechism-young-children.yaml: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 | --- 2 | name: Catechism for Young Children 3 | type: catechism 4 | publication_year: 1800 5 | questions: 6 | - number: 1 7 | question: Who made you? 8 | answer: >- 9 | God. 10 | verses: {} 11 | - number: 2 12 | question: What else did God make? 13 | answer: >- 14 | God made all things. 15 | verses: {} 16 | - number: 3 17 | question: Why did God make you and all things? 18 | answer: >- 19 | For his own glory. 20 | verses: {} 21 | - number: 4 22 | question: How can you glorify God? 23 | answer: >- 24 | By loving him and doing what he commands. 25 | verses: {} 26 | - number: 5 27 | question: Why ought you to glorify God? 28 | answer: >- 29 | Because he made me and takes care of me. 30 | verses: {} 31 | - number: 6 32 | question: Are there more gods than one? 33 | answer: >- 34 | There is only one God. 35 | verses: {} 36 | - number: 7 37 | question: In how many persons does this one God exist? 38 | answer: >- 39 | In three persons. 40 | verses: {} 41 | - number: 8 42 | question: What are they? 43 | answer: >- 44 | The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. 45 | verses: {} 46 | - number: 9 47 | question: What is God? 48 | answer: >- 49 | God is a Spirit, and has not a body like men. 50 | verses: {} 51 | - number: 10 52 | question: Where is God? 53 | answer: >- 54 | God is everywhere. 55 | verses: {} 56 | - number: 11 57 | question: Can you see God? 58 | answer: >- 59 | No; I cannot see God, but he always sees me. 60 | verses: {} 61 | - number: 12 62 | question: Does God know all things? 63 | answer: >- 64 | Yes; nothing can be hid from God. 65 | verses: {} 66 | - number: 13 67 | question: Can God do all things? 68 | answer: >- 69 | Yes; God can do all his holy will. 70 | verses: {} 71 | - number: 14 72 | question: Where do you learn how to love and obey God? 73 | answer: >- 74 | In the Bible alone. 75 | verses: {} 76 | - number: 15 77 | question: Who wrote the Bible? 78 | answer: >- 79 | Holy men who were taught by the Holy Spirit. 80 | verses: {} 81 | - number: 16 82 | question: Who were our first parents? 83 | answer: >- 84 | Adam and Eve. 85 | verses: {} 86 | - number: 17 87 | question: Of what were our first parents made? 88 | answer: >- 89 | God made the body of Adam out of the ground, and formed Eve from the 90 | body of Adam. 91 | verses: {} 92 | - number: 18 93 | question: What did God give Adam and Eve besides bodies? 94 | answer: >- 95 | He gave them souls that could never die. 96 | verses: {} 97 | - number: 19 98 | question: Have you a soul as well as a body? 99 | answer: >- 100 | Yes; I have a soul that can never die. 101 | verses: {} 102 | - number: 20 103 | question: How do you know that you have a soul? 104 | answer: >- 105 | Because the Bible tells me so. 106 | verses: {} 107 | - number: 21 108 | question: In what condition did God make Adam and Eve? 109 | answer: >- 110 | He made them holy and happy. 111 | verses: {} 112 | - number: 22 113 | question: What is a covenant? 114 | answer: >- 115 | An agreement between two or more persons. 116 | verses: {} 117 | - number: 23 118 | question: What covenant did God make with Adam? 119 | answer: >- 120 | The covenant of works. 121 | verses: {} 122 | - number: 24 123 | question: What was Adam bound to do by the covenant of works? 124 | answer: >- 125 | To obey God perfectly. 126 | verses: {} 127 | - number: 25 128 | question: What did God promise in the covenant of works? 129 | answer: >- 130 | To reward Adam with life if he obeyed him. 131 | verses: {} 132 | - number: 26 133 | question: What did God threaten in the covenant of works? 134 | answer: >- 135 | To punish Adam with death if he disobeyed. 136 | verses: {} 137 | - number: 27 138 | question: Did Adam keep the covenant of works? 139 | answer: >- 140 | No; he sinned against God. 141 | verses: {} 142 | - number: 28 143 | question: What is Sin? 144 | answer: >- 145 | Sin is any want of conformity unto, or transgression of the law of 146 | God. 147 | verses: {} 148 | - number: 29 149 | question: What is meant by want of conformity? 150 | answer: >- 151 | Not being or doing what God requires. 152 | verses: {} 153 | - number: 30 154 | question: What is meant by transgression? 155 | answer: >- 156 | Doing what God forbids. 157 | verses: {} 158 | - number: 31 159 | question: What was the sin of our first parents? 160 | answer: >- 161 | Eating the forbidden fruit. 162 | verses: {} 163 | - number: 32 164 | question: Who tempted them to this sin? 165 | answer: >- 166 | The devil tempted Eve, and she gave the fruit to Adam. 167 | verses: {} 168 | - number: 33 169 | question: What befell our first parents when they had sinned? 170 | answer: >- 171 | Instead of being holy and happy, they became sinful and miserable. 172 | verses: {} 173 | - number: 34 174 | question: Did Adam act for himself alone in the covenant of works? 175 | answer: >- 176 | No; he represented all his posterity. 177 | verses: {} 178 | - number: 35 179 | question: What effect had the sin of Adam on all mankind? 180 | answer: >- 181 | All mankind are born in a state of sin and misery. 182 | verses: {} 183 | - number: 36 184 | question: What is that sinful nature which we inherit from Adam called? 185 | answer: >- 186 | Original sin. 187 | verses: {} 188 | - number: 37 189 | question: What does every sin deserve? 190 | answer: >- 191 | The wrath and curse of God. 192 | verses: {} 193 | - number: 38 194 | question: Can any one go to heaven with this sinful nature? 195 | answer: >- 196 | No; our hearts must be changed before we can be fit for heaven. 197 | verses: {} 198 | - number: 39 199 | question: What is a change of heart called? 200 | answer: >- 201 | Regeneration. 202 | verses: {} 203 | - number: 40 204 | question: Who can change a sinner's heart? 205 | answer: >- 206 | The Holy Spirit alone. 207 | verses: {} 208 | - number: 41 209 | question: Can any one be saved through the covenant of works? 210 | answer: >- 211 | None can be saved through the covenant of works. 212 | verses: {} 213 | - number: 42 214 | question: Why can none be saved through the covenant of works? 215 | answer: >- 216 | Because all have broken it, and are condemned by it 217 | verses: {} 218 | - number: 43 219 | question: With whom did God the Father make the covenant of grace? 220 | answer: >- 221 | With Christ, his eternal Son. 222 | verses: {} 223 | - number: 44 224 | question: Whom did Christ represent in the covenant of grace? 225 | answer: >- 226 | His elect people. 227 | verses: {} 228 | - number: 45 229 | question: What did Christ undertake in the covenant of grace? 230 | answer: >- 231 | To keep the whole law for his people, and to suffer the punishment due 232 | to their sins. 233 | verses: {} 234 | - number: 46 235 | question: Did our Lord Jesus Christ ever commit the least sin? 236 | answer: >- 237 | No; he was holy, harmless, and undefiled. 238 | verses: {} 239 | - number: 47 240 | question: How could the Son of God suffer? 241 | answer: >- 242 | Christ, the Son of God, became man that he might obey and suffer in 243 | our nature. 244 | verses: {} 245 | - number: 48 246 | question: What is meant by the Atonement? 247 | answer: >- 248 | Christ's satisfying divine justice, by his sufferings and death, in 249 | the place of sinners. 250 | verses: {} 251 | - number: 49 252 | question: What did God the Father undertake in the covenant of grace? 253 | answer: >- 254 | To justify and sanctify those for whom Christ should die. 255 | verses: {} 256 | - number: 50 257 | question: What is justification? 258 | answer: >- 259 | It is God's forgiving sinners, and treating them as if they had never 260 | sinned. 261 | verses: {} 262 | - number: 51 263 | question: What is sanctification? 264 | answer: >- 265 | It is God's making sinners holy in heart and conduct. 266 | verses: {} 267 | - number: 52 268 | question: For whom did Christ obey and suffer? 269 | answer: >- 270 | For those whom the Father had given him. 271 | verses: {} 272 | - number: 53 273 | question: What kind of life did Christ live on earth? 274 | answer: >- 275 | A life of poverty and suffering. 276 | verses: {} 277 | - number: 54 278 | question: What kind of death did Christ die? 279 | answer: >- 280 | The painful and shameful death of the cross. 281 | verses: {} 282 | - number: 55 283 | question: Who will be saved? 284 | answer: >- 285 | Only those who repent of sin, believe in Christ, and lead holy lives. 286 | verses: {} 287 | - number: 56 288 | question: What is it to repent? 289 | answer: >- 290 | To be sorry for sin, and to hate and forsake it because it is 291 | displeasing to God. 292 | verses: {} 293 | - number: 57 294 | question: What is it to believe or have faith in Christ? 295 | answer: >- 296 | To trust in Christ alone for salvation. 297 | verses: {} 298 | - number: 58 299 | question: Can you repent and believe in Christ by your own power? 300 | answer: >- 301 | No; I can do nothing good without the help of God's Holy Spirit. 302 | verses: {} 303 | - number: 59 304 | question: How can you get the help of the Holy Spirit? 305 | answer: >- 306 | God has told us that we must pray to him for the Holy Spirit. 307 | verses: {} 308 | - number: 60 309 | question: How long ago is it since Christ died? 310 | answer: >- 311 | More than nineteen hundred years. 312 | verses: {} 313 | - number: 61 314 | question: How were pious persons saved before the coming of Christ? 315 | answer: >- 316 | By believing in a Savior to come. 317 | verses: {} 318 | - number: 62 319 | question: How did they show their faith? 320 | answer: >- 321 | By offering sacrifices on God's altar. 322 | verses: {} 323 | - number: 63 324 | question: What did these sacrifices represent? 325 | answer: >- 326 | Christ, the Lamb of God, who was to die for sinners. 327 | verses: {} 328 | - number: 64 329 | question: What offices has Christ? 330 | answer: >- 331 | Christ has three offices. 332 | verses: {} 333 | - number: 65 334 | question: What are they? 335 | answer: >- 336 | The offices of a prophet, of a priest, and of a king. 337 | verses: {} 338 | - number: 66 339 | question: How is Christ a prophet? 340 | answer: >- 341 | Because he teaches us the will of God. 342 | verses: {} 343 | - number: 67 344 | question: How is Christ a priest? 345 | answer: >- 346 | Because he died for our sins and pleads with God for us. 347 | verses: {} 348 | - number: 68 349 | question: How is Christ a king? 350 | answer: >- 351 | Because he rules over us and defends us. 352 | verses: {} 353 | - number: 69 354 | question: Why do you need Christ as a prophet? 355 | answer: >- 356 | Because I am ignorant. 357 | verses: {} 358 | - number: 70 359 | question: Why do you need Christ as a priest? 360 | answer: >- 361 | Because I am guilty. 362 | verses: {} 363 | - number: 71 364 | question: Why do you need Christ as a king? 365 | answer: >- 366 | Because I am weak and helpless. 367 | verses: {} 368 | - number: 72 369 | question: How many commandments did God give on Mount Sinai? 370 | answer: >- 371 | Ten commandments. 372 | verses: {} 373 | - number: 73 374 | question: What are the ten commandments sometimes called? 375 | answer: >- 376 | The Decalogue. 377 | verses: {} 378 | - number: 74 379 | question: What do the first four commandments teach? 380 | answer: >- 381 | Our duty to God. 382 | verses: {} 383 | - number: 75 384 | question: What do the last six commandments teach? 385 | answer: >- 386 | Our duty to our fellow men. 387 | verses: {} 388 | - number: 76 389 | question: What is the sum of the ten commandments? 390 | answer: >- 391 | To love God with all my heart, and my neighbor as myself. 392 | verses: {} 393 | - number: 77 394 | question: Who is your neighbor? 395 | answer: >- 396 | All my fellow men are my neighbors. 397 | verses: {} 398 | - number: 78 399 | question: Is God pleased with those who love and obey him? 400 | answer: >- 401 | Yes; he says, "I love them that love me." 402 | verses: {} 403 | - number: 79 404 | question: Is God displeased with those who do not love and obey him? 405 | answer: >- 406 | Yes; "God is angry with the wicked every day." 407 | verses: {} 408 | - number: 80 409 | question: What is the first commandment? 410 | answer: >- 411 | The first commandment is, Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 412 | verses: {} 413 | - number: 81 414 | question: What does the first commandment teach us? 415 | answer: >- 416 | To worship God alone. 417 | verses: {} 418 | - number: 82 419 | question: What is the second commandment? 420 | answer: >- 421 | The second commandment is, Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven 422 | image, or any likeness of any things that is in heaven above, or that 423 | is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; thou 424 | shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I, the Lord 425 | thy God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon 426 | the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate 427 | me; and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my 428 | commandments. 429 | verses: {} 430 | - number: 83 431 | question: What does the second commandment teach us? 432 | answer: >- 433 | To worship God in a proper manner, and to avoid idolatry. 434 | verses: {} 435 | - number: 84 436 | question: What is the third commandment? 437 | answer: >- 438 | The third commandment is, Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy 439 | God in vain: for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his 440 | name in vain. 441 | verses: {} 442 | - number: 85 443 | question: What does the third commandment teach me? 444 | answer: >- 445 | To reverence God's name, word, and works. 446 | verses: {} 447 | - number: 86 448 | question: What is the fourth commandment? 449 | answer: >- 450 | The fourth commandment is, Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. 451 | Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work, but the seventh day is 452 | the Sabbath of the Lord thy God; in it thou shalt not do any work, 453 | thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy 454 | maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy 455 | gates: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and 456 | all that in them is, and rested the seventh day; wherefore the Lord 457 | blessed the Sabbath Day, and hallowed it. 458 | verses: {} 459 | - number: 87 460 | question: What does the fourth commandment teach us? 461 | answer: >- 462 | To keep the Sabbath holy. 463 | verses: {} 464 | - number: 88 465 | question: What day of the week is the Christian Sabbath? 466 | answer: >- 467 | The first day of the week, called the Lord's day. 468 | verses: {} 469 | - number: 89 470 | question: Why is it called the Lord's day? 471 | answer: >- 472 | Because on that day Christ rose from the dead. 473 | verses: {} 474 | - number: 90 475 | question: How should the Sabbath be spent? 476 | answer: >- 477 | In prayer and praise, in hearing and reading God's Word, and in doing 478 | good to our fellow men. 479 | verses: {} 480 | - number: 91 481 | question: What is the fifth commandment? 482 | answer: >- 483 | The fifth commandment is, Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy 484 | days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. 485 | verses: {} 486 | - number: 92 487 | question: What does the fifth commandment teach me? 488 | answer: >- 489 | To love and obey our parents and teachers. 490 | verses: {} 491 | - number: 93 492 | question: What is the sixth commandment? 493 | answer: >- 494 | The sixth commandment is, Thou shalt not kill. 495 | verses: {} 496 | - number: 94 497 | question: What does the sixth commandment teach us? 498 | answer: >- 499 | To avoid angry passions. 500 | verses: {} 501 | - number: 95 502 | question: What is the seventh commandment? 503 | answer: >- 504 | The seventh commandment is, Thou shalt not commit adultery. 505 | verses: {} 506 | - number: 96 507 | question: What does the seventh commandment teach us? 508 | answer: >- 509 | To be pure in heart, language, and conduct. 510 | verses: {} 511 | - number: 97 512 | question: What is the eighth commandment? 513 | answer: >- 514 | The eighth commandment is, Thou shalt not steal. 515 | verses: {} 516 | - number: 98 517 | question: What does the eighth commandment teach us? 518 | answer: >- 519 | To be honest and industrious. 520 | verses: {} 521 | - number: 99 522 | question: What is the ninth commandment? 523 | answer: >- 524 | The ninth commandment is, Thou shalt not bear false witness against 525 | thy neighbor. 526 | verses: {} 527 | - number: 100 528 | question: What does the ninth commandment teach us? 529 | answer: >- 530 | To tell the truth. 531 | verses: {} 532 | - number: 101 533 | question: What is the tenth commandment? 534 | answer: >- 535 | The tenth commandment is, Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, 536 | thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his 537 | maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy 538 | neighbor's. 539 | verses: {} 540 | - number: 102 541 | question: What does the tenth commandment teach us? 542 | answer: >- 543 | To be content with our lot. 544 | verses: {} 545 | - number: 103 546 | question: Can any man keep these ten commandments perfectly? 547 | answer: >- 548 | No mere man, since the fall of Adam, ever did or can keep the ten 549 | commandments perfectly. 550 | verses: {} 551 | - number: 104 552 | question: Of what use are the ten commandments to us? 553 | answer: >- 554 | They teach us our duty, and show our need of a Savior. 555 | verses: {} 556 | - number: 105 557 | question: What is prayer? 558 | answer: >- 559 | Prayer is asking God for things which he has promised to give. 560 | verses: {} 561 | - number: 106 562 | question: In whose name should we pray? 563 | answer: >- 564 | Only in the name of Christ. 565 | verses: {} 566 | - number: 107 567 | question: What has Christ given us to teach us how to pray? 568 | answer: >- 569 | The Lord's Prayer. 570 | verses: {} 571 | - number: 108 572 | question: Repeat the Lord's Prayer. 573 | answer: >- 574 | Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom 575 | come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day 576 | our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 577 | And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine 578 | is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. 579 | verses: {} 580 | - number: 109 581 | question: How many petitions are there in The Lord's Prayer? 582 | answer: >- 583 | Six. 584 | verses: {} 585 | - number: 110 586 | question: What is the first petition? 587 | answer: >- 588 | "Hallowed be thy name." 589 | verses: {} 590 | - number: 111 591 | question: What do we pray for in the first petition? 592 | answer: >- 593 | That God's name may be honored by us and all men. 594 | verses: {} 595 | - number: 112 596 | question: What is the second petition? 597 | answer: >- 598 | "Thy kingdom come." 599 | verses: {} 600 | - number: 113 601 | question: What do we pray for in the second petition? 602 | answer: >- 603 | That the gospel may be preached in all the world, and believed and 604 | obeyed by us and all men. 605 | verses: {} 606 | - number: 114 607 | question: What is the third petition? 608 | answer: >- 609 | "Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." 610 | verses: {} 611 | - number: 115 612 | question: What do we pray for in the third petition? 613 | answer: >- 614 | That men on earth may serve God as the angels do in heaven. 615 | verses: {} 616 | - number: 116 617 | question: What is the fourth petition? 618 | answer: >- 619 | "Give us this day our daily bread." 620 | verses: {} 621 | - number: 117 622 | question: What do we pray for in the fourth petition? 623 | answer: >- 624 | That God would give us all things needful for our bodies and souls. 625 | verses: {} 626 | - number: 118 627 | question: What is the fifth petition? 628 | answer: >- 629 | "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors." 630 | verses: {} 631 | - number: 119 632 | question: What do we pray for in the fifth petition? 633 | answer: >- 634 | That God would pardon our sins for Christ's sake, and enable us to 635 | forgive those who have injured us. 636 | verses: {} 637 | - number: 120 638 | question: What is the sixth petition? 639 | answer: >- 640 | "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." 641 | verses: {} 642 | - number: 121 643 | question: What do we pray for in the sixth petition? 644 | answer: >- 645 | That God would keep us from sin. 646 | verses: {} 647 | - number: 122 648 | question: How many sacraments are there? 649 | answer: >- 650 | Two. 651 | verses: {} 652 | - number: 123 653 | question: What are they? 654 | answer: >- 655 | Baptism and the Lord's Supper. 656 | verses: {} 657 | - number: 124 658 | question: Who appointed these sacraments? 659 | answer: >- 660 | The Lord Jesus Christ. 661 | verses: {} 662 | - number: 125 663 | question: Why did Christ appoint these sacraments? 664 | answer: >- 665 | To distinguish his disciples from the world, and to comfort and 666 | strengthen them. 667 | verses: {} 668 | - number: 126 669 | question: What sign is used in baptism? 670 | answer: >- 671 | The washing with water. 672 | verses: {} 673 | - number: 127 674 | question: What does this signify? 675 | answer: >- 676 | That we are cleansed from sin by the blood of Christ. 677 | verses: {} 678 | - number: 128 679 | question: In whose name are we baptized? 680 | answer: >- 681 | In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. 682 | verses: {} 683 | - number: 129 684 | question: Who are to be baptized? 685 | answer: >- 686 | Believers and their children. 687 | verses: {} 688 | - number: 130 689 | question: Why should infants be baptized? 690 | answer: >- 691 | Because they have a sinful nature and need a Savior. 692 | verses: {} 693 | - number: 131 694 | question: Does Christ care for little children? 695 | answer: >- 696 | Yes; for he says, "Suffer the little children to come unto me, and 697 | forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God." 698 | verses: {} 699 | - number: 132 700 | question: To what does your baptism bind you? 701 | answer: >- 702 | To be a true follower of Christ. 703 | verses: {} 704 | - number: 133 705 | question: What is the Lord's Supper? 706 | answer: >- 707 | The eating of bread and drinking of wine in remembrance of the 708 | sufferings and death of Christ. 709 | verses: {} 710 | - number: 134 711 | question: What does the bread represent? 712 | answer: >- 713 | The body of Christ, broken for our sins. 714 | verses: {} 715 | - number: 135 716 | question: What does the wine represent? 717 | answer: >- 718 | The blood of Christ, shed for our salvation. 719 | verses: {} 720 | - number: 136 721 | question: Who should partake of the Lord's Supper? 722 | answer: >- 723 | Only those who repent of their sins, believe in Christ for salvation, 724 | and love their fellow men. 725 | verses: {} 726 | - number: 137 727 | question: Did Christ remain in the tomb after his crucifixion? 728 | answer: >- 729 | No; he rose from the tomb on the third day after his death. 730 | verses: {} 731 | - number: 138 732 | question: Where is Christ now? 733 | answer: >- 734 | In heaven, interceding for sinners. 735 | verses: {} 736 | - number: 139 737 | question: Will he come again? 738 | answer: >- 739 | Yes; at the last day Christ will come to judge the world. 740 | verses: {} 741 | - number: 140 742 | question: What becomes of men at death? 743 | answer: >- 744 | The body returns to dust, and the soul goes into the world of spirits. 745 | verses: {} 746 | - number: 141 747 | question: Will the bodies of the dead be raised to life again? 748 | answer: >- 749 | Yes; "The trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised." 750 | verses: {} 751 | - number: 142 752 | question: What will become of the wicked in the day of judgment? 753 | answer: >- 754 | They shall be cast into hell. 755 | verses: {} 756 | - number: 143 757 | question: What is hell? 758 | answer: >- 759 | A place of dreadful and endless torment. 760 | verses: {} 761 | - number: 144 762 | question: What will become of the righteous? 763 | answer: >- 764 | They shall be taken to heaven. 765 | verses: {} 766 | - number: 145 767 | question: What is heaven? 768 | answer: >- 769 | A glorious and happy place, where the righteous shall be forever with 770 | the Lord. 771 | verses: {} 772 | ... 773 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- /data/reformation/95-theses.yaml: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 | --- 2 | name: Martin Luther's 95 theses 3 | publication_year: 1517 4 | type: document 5 | numbered: true 6 | chapters: 7 | - When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said, "Repent" (Mt 4:17), he willed 8 | the entire life of believers to be one of repentance. 9 | - This word cannot be understood as referring to the sacrament of 10 | penance, that is, confession and satisfaction, as administered by the 11 | clergy. 12 | - Yet it does not mean solely inner repentance; such inner repentance 13 | is worthless unless it produces various outward mortification of the flesh. 14 | - The penalty of sin remains as long as the hatred of self (that is, 15 | true inner repentance), namely till our entrance into the kingdom of 16 | heaven. 17 | - The pope neither desires nor is able to remit any penalties except 18 | those imposed by his own authority or that of the canons. 19 | - The pope cannot remit any guilt, except by declaring and showing 20 | that it has been remitted by God; or, to be sure, by remitting guilt in 21 | cases reserved to his judgment. If his right to grant remission in these 22 | cases were disregarded, the guilt would certainly remain unforgiven. 23 | - God remits guilt to no one unless at the same time he humbles him in 24 | all things and makes him submissive to the vicar, the priest. 25 | - The penitential canons are imposed only on the living, and, 26 | according to the canons themselves, nothing should be imposed on the dying. 27 | - Therefore the Holy Spirit through the pope is kind to us insofar as 28 | the pope in his decrees always makes exception of the article of death and 29 | of necessity. 30 | - Those priests act ignorantly and wickedly who, in the case of the 31 | dying, reserve canonical penalties for purgatory. 32 | - Those tares of changing the canonical penalty to the penalty of 33 | purgatory were evidently sown while the bishops slept (Mt 13:25). 34 | - In former times canonical penalties were imposed, not after, but 35 | before absolution, as tests of true contrition. 36 | - The dying are freed by death from all penalties, are already dead as 37 | far as the canon laws are concerned, and have a right to be released from 38 | them. 39 | - Imperfect piety or love on the part of the dying person necessarily 40 | brings with it great fear; and the smaller the love, the greater the fear. 41 | - This fear or horror is sufficient in itself, to say nothing of other 42 | things, to constitute the penalty of purgatory, since it is very near to 43 | the horror of despair. 44 | - Hell, purgatory, and heaven seem to differ the same as despair, 45 | fear, and assurance of salvation. 46 | - It seems as though for the souls in purgatory fear should 47 | necessarily decrease and love increase. 48 | - Furthermore, it does not seem proved, either by reason or by 49 | Scripture, that souls in purgatory are outside the state of merit, that is, 50 | unable to grow in love. 51 | - Nor does it seem proved that souls in purgatory, at least not all of 52 | them, are certain and assured of their own salvation, even if we ourselves 53 | may be entirely certain of it. 54 | - Therefore the pope, when he uses the words "plenary remission of 55 | all penalties," does not actually mean "all penalties," but only 56 | those imposed by himself. 57 | - Thus those indulgence preachers are in error who say that a man is 58 | absolved from every penalty and saved by papal indulgences. 59 | - As a matter of fact, the pope remits to souls in purgatory no 60 | penalty which, according to canon law, they should have paid in this life. 61 | - If remission of all penalties whatsoever could be granted to anyone 62 | at all, certainly it would be granted only to the most perfect, that is, to 63 | very few. 64 | - For this reason most people are necessarily deceived by that 65 | indiscriminate and high-sounding promise of release from penalty. 66 | - That power which the pope has in general over purgatory corresponds 67 | to the power which any bishop or curate has in a particular way in his own 68 | diocese and parish. 69 | - The pope does very well when he grants remission to souls in 70 | purgatory, not by the power of the keys, which he does not have, but by way 71 | of intercession for them. 72 | - They preach only human doctrines who say that as soon as the money 73 | clinks into the money chest, the soul flies out of purgatory. 74 | - It is certain that when money clinks in the money chest, greed and 75 | avarice can be increased; but when the church intercedes, the result is in 76 | the hands of God alone. 77 | - Who knows whether all souls in purgatory wish to be redeemed, since 78 | we have exceptions in St. Severinus and St. Paschal, as related in a 79 | legend. 80 | - No one is sure of the integrity of his own contrition, much less of 81 | having received plenary remission. 82 | - The man who actually buys indulgences is as rare as he who is really 83 | penitent; indeed, he is exceedingly rare. 84 | - Those who believe that they can be certain of their salvation 85 | because they have indulgence letters will be eternally damned, together 86 | with their teachers. 87 | - Men must especially be on guard against those who say that the 88 | pope's pardons are that inestimable gift of God by which man is reconciled 89 | to him. 90 | - For the graces of indulgences are concerned only with the penalties 91 | of sacramental satisfaction established by man. 92 | - They who teach that contrition is not necessary on the part of those 93 | who intend to buy souls out of purgatory or to buy confessional privileges 94 | preach unchristian doctrine. 95 | - Any truly repentant Christian has a right to full remission of 96 | penalty and guilt, even without indulgence letters. 97 | - Any true Christian, whether living or dead, participates in all the 98 | blessings of Christ and the church; and this is granted him by God, even 99 | without indulgence letters. 100 | - Nevertheless, papal remission and blessing are by no means to be 101 | disregarded, for they are, as I have said (Thesis 6), the proclamation of 102 | the divine remission. 103 | - It is very difficult, even for the most learned theologians, at one 104 | and the same time to commend to the people the bounty of indulgences and 105 | the need of true contrition. 106 | - A Christian who is truly contrite seeks and loves to pay penalties 107 | for his sins; the bounty of indulgences, however, relaxes penalties and 108 | causes men to hate them -- at least it furnishes occasion for hating them. 109 | - Papal indulgences must be preached with caution, lest people 110 | erroneously think that they are preferable to other good works of love. 111 | - Christians are to be taught that the pope does not intend that the 112 | buying of indulgences should in any way be compared with works of mercy. 113 | - Christians are to be taught that he who gives to the poor or lends 114 | to the needy does a better deed than he who buys indulgences. 115 | - Because love grows by works of love, man thereby becomes better. Man 116 | does not, however, become better by means of indulgences but is merely 117 | freed from penalties. 118 | - Christians are to be taught that he who sees a needy man and passes 119 | him by, yet gives his money for indulgences, does not buy papal indulgences 120 | but God's wrath. 121 | - Christians are to be taught that, unless they have more than they 122 | need, they must reserve enough for their family needs and by no means 123 | squander it on indulgences. 124 | - Christians are to be taught that they buying of indulgences is a 125 | matter of free choice, not commanded. 126 | - Christians are to be taught that the pope, in granting indulgences, 127 | needs and thus desires their devout prayer more than their money. 128 | - Christians are to be taught that papal indulgences are useful only 129 | if they do not put their trust in them, but very harmful if they lose their 130 | fear of God because of them. 131 | - Christians are to be taught that if the pope knew the exactions of 132 | the indulgence preachers, he would rather that the basilica of St. Peter 133 | were burned to ashes than built up with the skin, flesh, and bones of his 134 | sheep. 135 | - Christians are to be taught that the pope would and should wish to 136 | give of his own money, even though he had to sell the basilica of St. 137 | Peter, to many of those from whom certain hawkers of indulgences cajole 138 | money. 139 | - It is vain to trust in salvation by indulgence letters, even though 140 | the indulgence commissary, or even the pope, were to offer his soul as 141 | security. 142 | - They are the enemies of Christ and the pope who forbid altogether 143 | the preaching of the Word of God in some churches in order that indulgences 144 | may be preached in others. 145 | - Injury is done to the Word of God when, in the same sermon, an equal 146 | or larger amount of time is devoted to indulgences than to the Word. 147 | - It is certainly the pope's sentiment that if indulgences, which are 148 | a very insignificant thing, are celebrated with one bell, one procession, 149 | and one ceremony, then the gospel, which is the very greatest thing, should 150 | be preached with a hundred bells, a hundred processions, a hundred 151 | ceremonies. 152 | - The true treasures of the church, out of which the pope distributes 153 | indulgences, are not sufficiently discussed or known among the people of 154 | Christ. 155 | - That indulgences are not temporal treasures is certainly clear, for 156 | many indulgence sellers do not distribute them freely but only gather them. 157 | - Nor are they the merits of Christ and the saints, for, even without 158 | the pope, the latter always work grace for the inner man, and the cross, 159 | death, and hell for the outer man. 160 | - St. Lawrence said that the poor of the church were the treasures of 161 | the church, but he spoke according to the usage of the word in his own 162 | time. 163 | - Without want of consideration we say that the keys of the church, 164 | given by the merits of Christ, are that treasure. 165 | - For it is clear that the pope's power is of itself sufficient for 166 | the remission of penalties and cases reserved by himself. 167 | - The true treasure of the church is the most holy gospel of the glory 168 | and grace of God. 169 | - But this treasure is naturally most odious, for it makes the first 170 | to be last (Mt. 20:16). 171 | - On the other hand, the treasure of indulgences is naturally most 172 | acceptable, for it makes the last to be first. 173 | - Therefore the treasures of the gospel are nets with which one 174 | formerly fished for men of wealth. 175 | - The treasures of indulgences are nets with which one now fishes for 176 | the wealth of men. 177 | - The indulgences which the demagogues acclaim as the greatest graces 178 | are actually understood to be such only insofar as they promote gain. 179 | - They are nevertheless in truth the most insignificant graces when 180 | compared with the grace of God and the piety of the cross. 181 | - Bishops and curates are bound to admit the commissaries of papal 182 | indulgences with all reverence. 183 | - But they are much more bound to strain their eyes and ears lest 184 | these men preach their own dreams instead of what the pope has 185 | commissioned. 186 | - Let him who speaks against the truth concerning papal indulgences be 187 | anathema and accursed. 188 | - But let him who guards against the lust and license of the 189 | indulgence preachers be blessed. 190 | - Just as the pope justly thunders against those who by any means 191 | whatever contrive harm to the sale of indulgences. 192 | - Much more does he intend to thunder against those who use 193 | indulgences as a pretext to contrive harm to holy love and truth. 194 | - To consider papal indulgences so great that they could absolve a man 195 | even if he had done the impossible and had violated the mother of God is 196 | madness. 197 | - We say on the contrary that papal indulgences cannot remove the very 198 | least of venial sins as far as guilt is concerned. 199 | - To say that even St. Peter if he were now pope, could not grant 200 | greater graces is blasphemy against St. Peter and the pope. 201 | - We say on the contrary that even the present pope, or any pope 202 | whatsoever, has greater graces at his disposal, that is, the gospel, 203 | spiritual powers, gifts of healing, etc., as it is written. (1 Co 204 | 12[:28]) 205 | - To say that the cross emblazoned with the papal coat of arms, and 206 | set up by the indulgence preachers is equal in worth to the cross of Christ 207 | is blasphemy. 208 | - The bishops, curates, and theologians who permit such talk to be 209 | spread among the people will have to answer for this. 210 | - This unbridled preaching of indulgences makes it difficult even for 211 | learned men to rescue the reverence which is due the pope from slander or 212 | from the shrewd questions of the laity. 213 | - "Such as: \"Why does not the pope empty purgatory for the sake of 214 | holy love and the dire need of the souls that are there if he redeems an 215 | infinite number of souls for the sake of miserable money with which to 216 | build a church?\" The former reason would be most just; the latter is 217 | most trivial." 218 | - Again, "Why are funeral and anniversary masses for the dead 219 | continued and why does he not return or permit the withdrawal of the 220 | endowments founded for them, since it is wrong to pray for the 221 | redeemed?" 222 | - Again, "What is this new piety of God and the pope that for a 223 | consideration of money they permit a man who is impious and their enemy to 224 | buy out of purgatory the pious soul of a friend of God and do not rather, 225 | beca use of the need of that pious and beloved soul, free it for pure 226 | love's sake?" 227 | - Again, "Why are the penitential canons, long since abrogated and 228 | dead in actual fact and through disuse, now satisfied by the granting of 229 | indulgences as though they were still alive and in force?" 230 | - Again, "Why does not the pope, whose wealth is today greater than 231 | the wealth of the richest Crassus, build this one basilica of St. Peter 232 | with his own money rather than with the money of poor believers?" 233 | - Again, "What does the pope remit or grant to those who by perfect 234 | contrition already have a right to full remission and blessings?" 235 | - Again, "What greater blessing could come to the church than if 236 | the pope were to bestow these remissions and blessings on every believer a 237 | hundred times a day, as he now does but once?" 238 | - "Since the pope seeks the salvation of souls rather than money by 239 | his indulgences, why does he suspend the indulgences and pardons previously 240 | granted when they have equal efficacy?" 241 | - To repress these very sharp arguments of the laity by force alone, 242 | and not to resolve them by giving reasons, is to expose the church and the 243 | pope to the ridicule of their enemies and to make Christians unhappy. 244 | - If, therefore, indulgences were preached according to the spirit and 245 | intention of the pope, all these doubts would be readily resolved. Indeed, 246 | they would not exist. 247 | - Away, then, with all those prophets who say to the people of Christ, 248 | "Peace, peace," and there is no peace! (Jer 6:14) 249 | - Blessed be all those prophets who say to the people of Christ, 250 | "Cross, cross," and there is no cross! 251 | - Christians should be exhorted to be diligent in following Christ, 252 | their Head, through penalties, death and hell. 253 | - And thus be confident of entering into heaven through many 254 | tribulations rather than through the false security of peace (Acts 14:22). 255 | ... 256 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- /data/second-london/1858-abstract-of-principles.yaml: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 | --- 2 | name: Abstract of Principles of 1858 3 | publication_year: 1858 4 | type: confession 5 | chapters: 6 | - name: The Scriptures 7 | number: 1 8 | text: >- 9 | The Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments were given by inspiration 10 | of God, and are the only sufficient, certain and authoritative rule of 11 | all saving knowledge, faith and obedience. 12 | - name: God 13 | number: 2 14 | text: >- 15 | There is but one God, the Maker, Preserver and Ruler of all things, 16 | having in and of Himself, all perfections, and being infinite in them 17 | all; and to Him all creatures owe the highest love, reverence and 18 | obedience. 19 | - name: The Trinity 20 | number: 3 21 | text: >- 22 | God is revealed to us as Father, Son and Holy Spirit each with 23 | distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence 24 | or being. 25 | - name: Providence 26 | number: 4 27 | text: >- 28 | God from eternity, decrees or permits all things that come to pass, 29 | and perpetually upholds, directs and governs all creatures and all 30 | events; yet so as not in any wise to be the author or approver of sin 31 | nor to destroy the free will and responsibility of intelligent 32 | creatures. 33 | - name: Election 34 | number: 5 35 | text: >- 36 | Election is God's eternal choice of some persons unto everlasting 37 | life-not because of foreseen merit in them, but of His mere mercy in 38 | Christ-in consequence of which choice they are called, justified and 39 | glorified. 40 | - name: The Fall of Man 41 | number: 6 42 | text: >- 43 | God originally created Man in His own image, and free from sin; but, 44 | through the temptation of Satan, he transgressed the command of God, 45 | and fell from his original holiness and righteousness; whereby his 46 | posterity inherit a nature corrupt and wholly opposed to God and His 47 | law, are under condemnation, and as soon as they are capable of moral 48 | action, become actual transgressors. 49 | - name: The Mediator 50 | number: 7 51 | text: >- 52 | Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, is the divinely appointed 53 | mediator between God and man. Having taken upon Himself human nature, 54 | yet without sin, He perfectly fulfilled the law; suffered and died 55 | upon the cross for the salvation of sinners. He was buried, and rose 56 | again the third day, and ascended to His Father, at whose right hand 57 | He ever liveth to make intercession for His people. He is the only 58 | Mediator, the Prophet, Priest and King of the Church, and Sovereign of 59 | the Universe. 60 | - name: Regeneration 61 | number: 8 62 | text: >- 63 | Regeneration is a change of heart, wrought by the Holy Spirit, who 64 | quickeneth the dead in trespasses and sins enlightening their minds 65 | spiritually and savingly to understand the Word of God, and renewing 66 | their whole nature, so that they love and practice holiness. It is a 67 | work of God's free and special grace alone. 68 | - name: Repentance 69 | number: 9 70 | text: >- 71 | Repentance is an evangelical grace, wherein a person being by the Holy 72 | Spirit, made sensible of the manifold evil of his sin, humbleth 73 | himself for it, with godly sorrow, detestation of it, and self- 74 | abhorrence, with a purpose and endeavor to walk before God so as to 75 | please Him in all things. 76 | - name: Faith 77 | number: 10 78 | text: >- 79 | Saving faith is the belief, on God's authority, of whatsoever is 80 | revealed in His Word concerning Christ; accepting and resting upon Him 81 | alone for justification and eternal life. It is wrought in the heart 82 | by the Holy Spirit, and is accompanied by all other saving graces, and 83 | leads to a life of holiness. 84 | - name: Justification 85 | number: 11 86 | text: >- 87 | Justification is God's gracious and full acquittal of sinners, who 88 | believe in Christ, from all sin, through the satisfaction that Christ 89 | has made; not for anything wrought in them or done by them; but on 90 | account of the obedience and satisfaction of Christ, they receiving 91 | and resting on Him and His righteousness by faith. 92 | - name: Sanctification 93 | number: 12 94 | text: >- 95 | Those who have been regenerated are also sanctified by God's word and 96 | Spirit dwelling in them. This sanctification is progressive through 97 | the supply of Divine strength, which all saints seek to obtain, 98 | pressing after a heavenly life in cordial obedience to all Christ's 99 | commands. 100 | - name: Perseverance of the Saints 101 | number: 13 102 | text: >- 103 | Those whom God hath accepted in the Beloved, and sanctified by His 104 | Spirit, will never totally nor finally fall away from the state of 105 | grace, but shall certainly persevere to the end; and though they may 106 | fall through neglect and temptation, into sin, whereby they grieve the 107 | Spirit, impair their graces and comforts, bring reproach on the 108 | Church, and temporal judgments on themselves, yet they shall be 109 | renewed again unto repentance, and be kept by the power of God through 110 | faith unto salvation. 111 | - name: The Church 112 | number: 14 113 | text: >- 114 | The Lord Jesus is the head of the Church, which is composed of all His 115 | true disciples, and in Him is invested supremely all power for its 116 | government. According to His commandment, Christians are to associate 117 | themselves into particular societies or churches; and to each of these 118 | churches He hath given needful authority for administering that order, 119 | discipline and worship which He hath appointed. The regular officers 120 | of a Church are Bishops or Elders, and Deacons. 121 | - name: Baptism 122 | number: 15 123 | text: >- 124 | Baptism is an ordinance of the Lord Jesus, obligatory upon every 125 | believer, wherein he is immersed in water in the name of the Father, 126 | and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, as a sign of his fellowship 127 | with the death and resurrection of Christ, of remission of sins, and 128 | of giving himself up to God, to live and walk in newness of life. It 129 | is prerequisite to church fellowship, and to participation in the 130 | Lord's Supper. 131 | - name: The Lord's Supper 132 | number: 16 133 | text: >- 134 | The Lord's Supper is an ordinance of Jesus Christ, to be administered 135 | with the elements of bread and wine, and to be observed by His 136 | churches till the end of the world. It is in no sense a sacrifice, but 137 | is designed to commemorate His death, to confirm the faith and other 138 | graces of Christians, and to be a bond, pledge and renewal of their 139 | communion with Him, and of their church fellowship. 140 | - name: The Lord's Day 141 | number: 17 142 | text: >- 143 | The Lord's Day is a Christian institution for regular observance, and 144 | should be employed in exercises of worship and spiritual devotion, 145 | both public and private, resting from worldly employments and 146 | amusements, works of necessity and mercy only excepted. 147 | - name: Liberty of Conscience 148 | number: 18 149 | text: >- 150 | God alone is Lord of the conscience; and He hath left it free from the 151 | doctrines and commandments of men, which are in anything contrary to 152 | His word, or not contained in it. Civil magistrates being ordained of 153 | God, subjection in all lawful things commanded by them ought to be 154 | yielded by us in the Lord, not only for wrath, but also for conscience 155 | sake. 156 | - name: The Resurrection 157 | number: 19 158 | text: >- 159 | The bodies of men after death return to dust, but their spirits return 160 | immediately to God-the righteous to rest with Him; the wicked, to be 161 | reserved under darkness to the judgment. At the last day, the bodies 162 | of all the dead, both just and unjust, will be raised. 163 | - name: The Judgment 164 | number: 20 165 | text: >- 166 | God hath appointed a day, wherein He will judge the world by Jesus 167 | Christ, when every one shall receive according to his deeds; the 168 | wicked shall go into everlasting punishment; the righteous, into 169 | everlasting life. 170 | ... 171 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- /data/three-forms-of-unity/church-order-dort.yaml: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 | --- 2 | name: Church Order of Dort 3 | publication_year: 1618 4 | type: document 5 | markdown: true 6 | chapters: 7 | - name: Article 1 8 | text: | 9 | 10 | For the maintenance of good order in the Church of Christ it is 11 | necessary that there should be: offices; assemblies; supervision of 12 | doctrine, sacraments, and ceremonies; and Christian discipline; of 13 | which matters the following articles treat in due order. 14 | 15 | ## First Head - Of the Offices 16 | 17 | - name: Article 2 18 | text: | 19 | 20 | The offices are of four kinds: of the Ministers of the Word, of the 21 | Professors of Theology, of the Elders, and of the Deacons. 22 | 23 | - name: Article 3 24 | text: | 25 | 26 | No one, though he be a Professor of Theology. Elder, or Deacon, shall 27 | be permitted to enter upon the ministry of the Word and the Sacraments 28 | without having been lawfully called thereunto. And when any one acts 29 | contrary thereto, and after being frequently admonished does not 30 | desist, the Classis shall judge whether he is to be declared a 31 | schismatic or is to be punished in some other way. 32 | 33 | - name: Article 4 34 | text: | 35 | 36 | The lawful calling of those who have not previously been in office, in 37 | cities as well as rural districts, consists: 38 | First, in the Election, after previous fasting and prayer, by the 39 | Consistory and Deacons, not without (proper correspondence with the 40 | Christian magistrates of the respective districts, and) the knowledge 41 | or advice of the Classis, where this had been customary up to now. 42 | Secondly, in the Examination, both of doctrine and life, by the 43 | Classis, in the presence of all, or some of the delegates of Synod. 44 | Thirdly, in the Approbation and endorsement (by the magistrates and 45 | then also) by the members of the Reformed Congregation of that city, 46 | if, the name of the Minister having been announced in the churches 47 | over a period of fourteen days, no objection arises. 48 | Finally, in the public Ordination before the congregation, which 49 | shall take place with appropriate stipulations and interrogations, 50 | prayer and the laying on of the hands by the ordaining Minister and by 51 | other Ministers, if more are present, in accordance with the Form for 52 | this purpose. It is understood that the imposition of hands may take 53 | place in the Classical assembly to the newly graduated Ministers, 54 | being sent to the Churches under the Cross. 55 | 56 | - name: Article 5 57 | text: | 58 | 59 | Ministers already in the ministry of the Word who are called to 60 | another congregation, shall likewise be called in this manner, 61 | (including aforesaid correspondence) in cities as well as rural 62 | districts, by the Consistory and the Deacons, with the advice or 63 | approval of the Classis, to whom the aforesaid Ministers called, shall 64 | show good ecclesiastical testimonials of doctrine and life; (after 65 | approval by the magistrate of the respective district and) after being 66 | presented to the congregation over a period of fourteen days, as 67 | before stated, they shall be installed after previous stipulations and 68 | prayers. All due regard must also be given here to the things 69 | previously mentioned with respect to proper right of presentation, or 70 | any other right, in so far as it can be employed to edification, 71 | without detriment to the Church of God and good Church Order; to which 72 | (the Civil Authorities and) the Synods of the respective districts are 73 | to give their careful attention, and make proper regulations, to the 74 | welfare of the Churches. 75 | 76 | - name: Article 6 77 | text: | 78 | 79 | No minister shall be at liberty to serve in any private manors, 80 | institutions of mercy, or otherwise, unless he previously be admitted 81 | in accordance with the preceding Articles; and he shall, no less than 82 | others, be subject to the Church Order. 83 | 84 | - name: Article 7 85 | text: | 86 | 87 | No one shall be called to the ministry of the Word without stationing 88 | himself in a particular place, unless he be sent either to preach in 89 | one place or another for the Churches under the Cross, or to do Church 90 | extension work. 91 | 92 | - name: Article 8 93 | text: | 94 | 95 | No school teachers, artisans, or others who have not studied, shall be 96 | admitted to the ministry, unless there is definite assurance of their 97 | beings exceptionally gifted, godly, humble, modest, and possessed of 98 | good sense and discretion, as well as gifts of public address. When 99 | such persons present themselves for the ministry, the Classis shall 100 | (if the Synod approve) first examine them, and, the examination being 101 | satisfactory, permit them to preach in private for a certain length of 102 | time, and then further deal with them as it shall deem edifying 103 | - name: Article 9 104 | text: | 105 | 106 | Novices, priests, monks, and others who have left some sect, shall not 107 | be admitted to the ministry in the Church, except with extreme caution 108 | and circumspection, and after a definite period of probation. 109 | 110 | - name: Article 10 111 | text: | 112 | 113 | A Minister, once lawfully called, may not leave the congregation which 114 | unconditionally received him to accept a call elsewhere, without the 115 | consent of the consistory and the deacons, (and those who previously 116 | held the office of elder and deacon, together with the magistrate), 117 | nor without the knowledge of the Classis; likewise no other church 118 | shall be permitted to receive him until he has presented a legal 119 | certificate of dismission from the church and the Classis where he 120 | served. 121 | 122 | - name: Article 11 123 | text: | 124 | 125 | On the other hand, the Consistory, as representing the congregation, 126 | shall also be bound to provide for the proper support of its 127 | Ministers, and shall not dismiss them without the knowledge and 128 | judgment of the Classis who, in the event of lack of support, shall 129 | judge whether or not to remove aforesaid Ministers. 130 | 131 | - name: Article 12 132 | text: | 133 | 134 | Inasmuch as a Minister of the Word, once lawfully called in conformity 135 | to the above, is bound to the service of the Church for life, he is 136 | not allowed to enter upon a secular vocation except for important and 137 | weighty reasons, which shall be subject to the cognizance and judgment 138 | of the Classis. 139 | 140 | - name: Article 13 141 | text: | 142 | 143 | In the event that Ministers are rendered incapable of performing the 144 | duties of their office due to age, sickness, or otherwise, they shall 145 | nevertheless retain the honour and title of a Minister, and the church 146 | which they have served shall honorably provide for them in their 147 | needs, also for the widows and orphans of Ministers. 148 | 149 | - name: Article 14 150 | text: | 151 | 152 | If any Minister, for the aforesaid or any other reason, is compelled 153 | to discontinue his service for a time, which shall not take place 154 | without the advice of the Consistory, he shall nevertheless at all 155 | times be and remain subject to the call of the congregation. 156 | 157 | - name: Article 15 158 | text: | 159 | 160 | No one shall be permitted, neglecting the ministry of his Church, or 161 | being without a fixed charge, to preach indiscriminately without the 162 | consent and authority of Synod or Classis. Likewise, no one shall be 163 | permitted to preach or administer the Sacraments in another Church 164 | without the consent of the Consistory. 165 | - name: Article 16 166 | text: | 167 | 168 | The office of the Ministers is to continue in prayer and in the Ministry 169 | of the Word, to dispense the Sacraments, to watch over their brethren, 170 | the Elders and Deacons, as well as the Congregation, and finally with 171 | the Elders, to exercise church discipline and to see to it that 172 | everything is done decently and in good order. 173 | 174 | - name: Article 17 175 | text: | 176 | 177 | Among Ministers of the Word, equality shall be maintained with respect 178 | to the duties of their office and also in other matters as far as 179 | possible, according to the judgment of the consistory, and, if 180 | necessary, of the Classis; which equality shall be maintained in the 181 | case of the Elders and Deacons. 182 | 183 | - name: Article 18 184 | text: | 185 | 186 | The office of the Doctors or Professors of Theology is to expound the 187 | Holy Scriptures and to uphold sound doctrine against heresies and 188 | errors. 189 | 190 | - name: Article 19 191 | text: | 192 | 193 | The Churches shall make efforts to obtain students of theology, which 194 | are to be supported by them. 195 | 196 | - name: Article 20 197 | text: | 198 | 199 | In the Churches having more capable Ministers the practice of 200 | preparing some for the ministry of the Word by allowing them to speak 201 | a word of edification shall be instituted, in conformity to the rule 202 | in this matter, as specially prescribed by this Synod. 203 | 204 | - name: Article 21 205 | text: | 206 | 207 | The consistories everywhere shall see to it that there are good school 208 | teachers, not only to teach the children reading, writing, languages, 209 | and the liberal arts, but also to instruct them in godliness and in 210 | the Catechism. 211 | 212 | - name: Article 22 213 | text: | 214 | 215 | The Elders shall be chosen by the judgment of the Consistory and the 216 | Deacons, so that every church shall be at liberty, according to its 217 | circumstances, to present to the Congregation as many Elders as are 218 | needed, that they may be installed with public prayers and 219 | stipulations after being approved by and with the assent of the 220 | congregation, unless any obstacle arise; - or twice the number of 221 | Elders needed may be present, half of them to be chosen by the 222 | congregation, and installed in office in the same manner, according to 223 | the Form for this purpose. 224 | 225 | - name: Article 23 226 | text: | 227 | 228 | The office of the Elders, in addition to what was said in Article 16 229 | to be their duty in common with the Ministers of the Word, is to take 230 | heed that the Ministers, together with their other Fellow-helpers and 231 | the Deacons, faithfully discharge their office; - and, insofar as 232 | circumstances of time and place permit, to do house visitation both 233 | before and after the Lord's Supper for the edification of the 234 | congregation, in order particularly to comfort and instruct the 235 | members of the congregation, and also to exhort others in respect to 236 | the Christian Religion. 237 | 238 | - name: Article 24 239 | text: | 240 | 241 | The Deacons shall be chosen, approved, and installed in the same 242 | manner as was stated concerning the Elders. 243 | 244 | - name: Article 25 245 | text: | 246 | 247 | The office peculiar to the Deacons is diligently to collect alms and 248 | other contributions of charity, and after mutual counsel, to 249 | distribute the same faithfully and diligently to the poor, both to 250 | residents and to strangers, as their needs may require it; to visit 251 | and comfort those in distress, and to exercise care that the alms are 252 | not misused; of which they shall render an account in Consistory, and 253 | also (if anyone desires to be present) to the Congregation, at such a 254 | time as the Consistory may see fit. 255 | 256 | - name: Article 26 257 | text: | 258 | 259 | In places where there are Visitants to shut-ins or other Almoners, the 260 | Deacons shall request them lo maintain proper correspondence with them 261 | to the end that the alms may the better be distributed among those who 262 | have the greatest need. 263 | 264 | - name: Article 27 265 | text: | 266 | 267 | The Elders and Deacons shall serve two years, and every year half 268 | their number shall retire and others shall be substituted, unless the 269 | circumstances and the profit of any church require otherwise. 270 | 271 | - name: Article 28 272 | text: | 273 | 274 | As it is the office of Christian Magistrate to promote holy Divine 275 | Services in every way, to recommend them by their example to their 276 | subjects, and to assist whenever necessary the Ministers, Elders, and 277 | Deacons and to protect them by proper regulations, so it is the duty 278 | of all Ministers, Elders, and Deacons diligently and sincerely to 279 | impress upon the entire Congregation the obedience, love, and respect 280 | which they owe the Magistrates; further, all Church Officers shall set 281 | a good example to the Congregation, and seek to gain and retain the 282 | good will of the Magistrates toward the Churches by means of proper 283 | respect and correspondence, to the end that, each acting for the 284 | mutual welfare, in the fear of the Lord, all suspicion and distrust 285 | may be prevented, and true concord be maintained to the welfare of the 286 | Churches. 287 | 288 | ## Second Head - Of the Ecclesiastical Assemblies 289 | 290 | 291 | - name: Article 29 292 | text: | 293 | 294 | Four things of ecclesiastical assemblies shall be maintained: the 295 | Consistory, the Classical Meetings, the Particular Synod, and the 296 | General or National Synod. 297 | 298 | - name: Article 30 299 | text: | 300 | 301 | In these assemblies ecclesiastical matters only shall be transacted 302 | and that in an ecclesiastical manner. In major assemblies only each 303 | matters shall be dealt with as could not be finished in minor 304 | assemblies, or such as pertain to the churches of the major assembly 305 | in common. 306 | 307 | - name: Article 31 308 | text: | 309 | 310 | If anyone complain that he has been wronged by the decision of a minor 311 | assembly, he shall have the right to appeal to a major ecclesiastical 312 | assembly, and whatever may be agreed upon by a majority vote shall be 313 | considered settled and binding, unless it be proved to conflict with 314 | the Word of God or with the Articles formulated in this General Synod, 315 | as long as they are not changed by another General Synod. 316 | 317 | - name: Article 32 318 | text: | 319 | 320 | The proceedings of all assemblies shall begin by calling upon the Name 321 | of God and be closed with thanksgiving. 322 | 323 | - name: Article 33 324 | text: | 325 | 326 | Those who are delegated to the assemblies shall bring with them their 327 | credentials and instructions, signed by those sending them, and they 328 | only shall have a vote. 329 | 330 | - name: Article 34 331 | text: | 332 | 333 | In all assemblies there shall be not only a president, but also a 334 | clerk to keep a faithful record of that which deserves to be recorded. 335 | 336 | - name: Article 35 337 | text: | 338 | 339 | The office of the president is to state and explain the business to be 340 | transacted, to see to it that everyone observe due order in speaking, 341 | to silence the captious and those who are vehement in speaking; and 342 | properly to discipline them if they refuse to listen. Furthermore his 343 | office shall cease when the assembly arises. 344 | 345 | - name: Article 36 346 | text: | 347 | 348 | The Classis has the same jurisdiction over the Consistory as the 349 | Particular Synod has over the Classis and the General Synod over the 350 | Particular. 351 | 352 | - name: Article 37 353 | text: | 354 | 355 | In all churches there shall be a Consistory composed of the Ministers 356 | of the Word and the Elders, who shall meet at least once a week. The 357 | Minister of the Word, or the Ministers, if there be more than one, in 358 | turn, shall preside and regulate the proceedings (And also the 359 | Magistrates of the place respectively shall, if they desire to do so, 360 | delegate one or two of their number, being members of the 361 | Congregation, to the Consistory to listen to the matter under 362 | discussion and to participate in the deliberation.) 363 | 364 | - name: Article 38 365 | text: | 366 | 367 | In places where the Consistory is to be constituted for the first time 368 | this shall not take place except with the advice of the Classis. And 369 | whenever the number of Elders is very small, the Deacons may be added 370 | to the Consistory. 371 | 372 | - name: Article 39 373 | text: | 374 | 375 | In places where as yet there is no Consistory, the Classis shall in 376 | the meantime take care of the work which would otherwise be performed 377 | by the Consistory in accordance with this Church Order. 378 | 379 | - name: Article 40 380 | text: | 381 | 382 | Likewise the Deacons shall meet every week to transact the business 383 | pertaining to their office, calling upon the Name of God, whereunto 384 | the Ministers shall take good heed and if necessary they shall be 385 | present. 386 | 387 | - name: Article 41 388 | text: | 389 | 390 | The Classical meetings shall consist of neighbouring churches that 391 | respectively delegate, with proper credentials, a Minister and an 392 | Elder, to meet at such a time and place as was determined by the 393 | previous Classical meeting, with the understanding that this be within 394 | the next three months. In these meetings the Ministers shall preside 395 | in rotation or the assembly shall choose one to preside; however, the 396 | same Minister shall not be chosen twice in succession. Furthermore, 397 | the president shall, among other things, ask each of them if 398 | Consistory meetings are held in their churches; if church discipline 399 | is exercised; if the poor and the schools are cared for; lastly, if 400 | they need the judgment and help of the Classis for the proper 401 | government of their Church. The Minister designated by the previous 402 | Classis shall preach a brief sermon from the Word of God, of which the 403 | others shall judge and point out if anything be lacking in it. 404 | Finally, at the last meeting before the Particular Synod delegates 405 | shall be chosen to attend said Synod. 406 | 407 | - name: Article 42 408 | text: | 409 | 410 | When there are more Ministers than one in a church, all of them may 411 | attend the Classis and have a vote, except in matters which 412 | particularly concern their persons or churches. 413 | 414 | - name: Article 43 415 | text: | 416 | 417 | At the close of the Classical and other major Assemblies, censure 418 | shall be exercised over those who have done something worthy of 419 | punishment in the meeting, or who have scorned the admonition of the 420 | minor assemblies. 421 | 422 | - name: Article 44 423 | text: | 424 | 425 | The Classis shall authorize a number of its Ministers, at least two of 426 | the oldest, most experienced and competent ones, to visit all the 427 | Churches once a year, in cities as well as in rural districts, and to 428 | take heed whether the Ministers, Consistories, and School-teachers 429 | faithfully perform the duties of their offices, adhere to sound 430 | doctrine, observe in all things the adopted order, and properly 431 | promote as much as lies in them, by word and deed, the edification of 432 | the Congregation including the youth, to the end that they may in time 433 | fraternally admonish those who have in anything been negligent, and 434 | may by their advice and assistance help direct all things unto peace, 435 | upbuilding, and neatest profit of the Churches and Schools. And each 436 | Classis may continue these Visitors in service as long as it sees fit, 437 | except where the Visitors themselves request to be released for 438 | reasons of which the Classis shall judge. 439 | 440 | - name: Article 45 441 | text: | 442 | 443 | It shall be the duty of the church in which the Classis, and likewise 444 | the Particular or General Synod meets, to furnish the following 445 | meeting with the minutes of the preceding. 446 | 447 | - name: Article 46 448 | text: | 449 | 450 | Instructions concerning matters to be considered in major assemblies 451 | shall not be written until the decisions of the previous Synod have 452 | been read, in order that what was once decided be not again proposed 453 | unless a revision be deemed necessary. 454 | 455 | - name: Article 47 456 | text: | 457 | 458 | Every year, or if need be oftener, four or five or more neighbouring 459 | Classes shall meet as a Particular Synod, to which each Classis shall 460 | delegate two Ministers and two Elders. At the close of both, the 461 | Particular and the General Synod, some church shall be empowered to 462 | determine with the advice of the Classis the time and place of the 463 | next Synod. 464 | 465 | - name: Article 48 466 | text: | 467 | 468 | Each Synod shall be at liberty to solicit and hold correspondence with 469 | its neighbouring Synod or Synods, in such manner as they shall judge 470 | most conducive to general edification. 471 | 472 | - name: Article 49 473 | text: | 474 | Each Synod shall delegate some to execute everything ordained by Synod 475 | both as to what pertains to the High Authorities and to the respective 476 | Classes resorting under it; and likewise to supervise together or in 477 | smaller numbers all examinations of future Ministers. And furthermore, 478 | in all other eventual difficulties they shall extend help to the 479 | Classes in order that proper unity, order, and soundness of doctrine 480 | may be maintained and established. They shall also keep proper record 481 | of all their actions to report thereof to Synod, and if it be 482 | demanded, give reasons. They shall also not be discharged from their 483 | service before and until Synod itself discharges them. 484 | 485 | - name: Article 50 486 | text: | 487 | 488 | The National Synod shall ordinarily be held every three years, unless 489 | an urgent need arises to make it a shorter period. Two Ministers and 490 | two Elders shall be sent from each Particular Synod (from both the 491 | German and the Welsh speaking churches). Further, the church charged 492 | with appointing the time and place of the General Synod shall convene 493 | its Particular Synod if the General Synod is to be called within the 494 | three years (and inform the nearest church speaking the other 495 | language, which is to send four persons there) to determine jointly 496 | the time and place. (When the church which has been appointed to 497 | convene the General Synod is consulting with the Classis regarding the 498 | time and place, it is to inform the High Authorities in due time, that 499 | with their knowledge, if it be their pleasure also to send some to the 500 | Classis, the matter be decided in the presence and with the advice of 501 | their Deputies.) 502 | 503 | - name: Article 51 504 | text: | 505 | 506 | (Whereas two languages are spoken in the Netherlands, it is deemed 507 | proper that the churches of the German and the Welsh languages each 508 | have their own Consistories, Classical Meetings, and Particular 509 | Synods.) 510 | 511 | - name: Article 52 512 | text: | 513 | 514 | (Notwithstanding, it is reso1ved that in the cities where before 515 | mentioned Welsh churches are found, some Ministers and Elders from 516 | both sides meet every month to maintain proper unit and correspondence 517 | with each other and, as much as possible, assist one another with 518 | advice as the need arises.) 519 | 520 | 521 | ## Third Head - Of the Doctrine, Sacraments, and Other Ceremonies 522 | 523 | 524 | - name: Article 53 525 | text: | 526 | 527 | The Ministers of the Word of God and likewise the Professors in 528 | Theology shall subscribe to the Confession of Faith of the Netherlands 529 | Churches (which is proper for the other Professors as well), and the 530 | Ministers who refuse to do so shall de facto be suspended from their 531 | office by the Consistory or Classis until they shall have declared 532 | themselves fully in this matter, and if they obstinately persist in 533 | refusing, they shall be deposed from their office. 534 | 535 | - name: Article 54 536 | text: | 537 | 538 | Likewise the Schoolteachers shall subscribe to the aforesaid Articles 539 | or instead thereof to the Christian Catechism. 540 | 541 | - name: Article 55 542 | text: | 543 | 544 | No one of the Reformed Religion shall presume to have printed or 545 | published in any other way any book or writing, treating of Religion, 546 | prepared or translated by himself or by someone else, unless it is 547 | previously looked over and approved by the Ministers of the Word of 548 | his Classis, or by the Particular Synod, or by the Professors of 549 | Theology of these provinces, but with the knowledge of his Classis. 550 | 551 | - name: Article 56 552 | text: | 553 | 554 | The Covenant of God shall be sealed to the children of Christians by 555 | Baptism as soon as the administration thereof is feasible, in the 556 | public assembly when the Word of God is preached. But in those places 557 | where sermons are preached less frequently, a certain day of the week 558 | shall be set aside for the administration of Baptism in a special 559 | service, not however, without the preaching of a sermon. 560 | 561 | - name: Article 57 562 | text: | 563 | 564 | The Ministers shall do their best and put forth every effort to have 565 | the father present his child for baptism. And in the Congregations 566 | where Spons0rs or Witnesses are taken at Baptism beside the father 567 | (which custom, not being objectional in itself, is not easily changed) 568 | it is proper that such be taken who agree with the pure doctrine and 569 | are pious in their conversation. 570 | 571 | - name: Article 58 572 | text: | 573 | 574 | In baptizing both children and adults, the Ministers shall employ the 575 | Forms pertaining to the institution and administration of Baptism 576 | which have been drawn up respectively for this purpose. 577 | 578 | - name: Article 59 579 | text: | 580 | 581 | Adults are incorporated through Baptism into the Christian Church and 582 | are received as members of the Church, and are therefore obliged also 583 | to partake of the Lord's Supper, which they shall promise to do at 584 | their Baptism. 585 | 586 | - name: Article 60 587 | text: | 588 | 589 | The names of those baptized, together with those of the parents and 590 | witnesses, and likewise the date of Baptism, shall be recorded. 591 | 592 | - name: Article 61 593 | text: | 594 | 595 | None shall be admitted to the Lord's Supper except those who, 596 | according to the usage of the Church to which they unite themselves, 597 | have made Confession of Religion, besides being reputed to be of a 598 | godly conversation, without which also those who come from other 599 | Churches shall not be admitted. 600 | 601 | - name: Article 62 602 | text: | 603 | 604 | Every Church shall administer the Lord's Supper in such a manner as it 605 | shall judge most conducive to edification; provided, however, that the 606 | outward ceremonies as prescribed in God's Word be not changed and all 607 | superstition be avoided, and that at the conclusion of the sermon and 608 | the usual prayers on the pulpit, the Form for the administration of 609 | the Lord's Supper, together with the prayer for that purpose, shall be 610 | read at the Table. 611 | 612 | - name: Article 63 613 | text: | 614 | 615 | The Lordly Supper shall be administered once every two months, 616 | wherever possible, and it will be edifying that it take place at 617 | Easter, Pentecost, and Christmas where the circumstances of the Church 618 | permit. However, in those places where the Church has not yet been 619 | instituted, first of all Elders and Deacons shall be provided. 620 | 621 | - name: Article 64 622 | text: | 623 | 624 | Whereas the Evening Prayer Meetings are found profitable in many 625 | places, every Church shall govern their use in a manner they judge to 626 | conduce most to their edification. However, in case they would desire 627 | to discontinue them, this is not to be done without the judgment of 628 | the Classis (and of the Authorities who favour the Reformed Religion). 629 | 630 | - name: Article 65 631 | text: | 632 | 633 | If funeral sermons are not in use, they are not to be introduced, and 634 | if they already have come to be accepted, diligence shall be exercised 635 | to dispose of them by the most suitable means. 636 | 637 | - name: Article 66 638 | text: | 639 | 640 | In times of war, pestilence, calamities, heavy persecution of the 641 | Churches, and other general distresses, the Ministers of the Churches 642 | shall request the Government to employ their authority and command 643 | that public days of Fasting and Prayer be appointed and set aside. 644 | 645 | - name: Article 67 646 | text: | 647 | 648 | The Churches shall observe, in addition to Sunday, also Christmas, 649 | Easter, and Pentecost, with the following day, and whereas in most of 650 | the cities and provinces of the Netherlands the day of Circumcision 651 | and of Ascension of Christ are also observed, Ministers in every place 652 | where this is not yet done shall take steps with the Government to 653 | have them conform with the others. 654 | 655 | - name: Article 68 656 | text: | 657 | 658 | The Ministers everywhere shall briefly explain on Sunday, ordinarily 659 | in the afternoon sermon, the sum of Christian doctrine comprehended in 660 | the Catechism which at present is accepted in the Netherland Churches, 661 | so that it may be completed every year in accordance with the devision 662 | of the Catechism itself made for that purpose. 663 | 664 | - name: Article 69 665 | text: | 666 | 667 | In the Churches only the 150 Psalms of David, the Ten Commandments, 668 | the Lord's Prayer, the Twelve Articles of Faith, the Song of Mary, 669 | that of Zacharias, and that of Simon shall be sung. It is left to the 670 | individual Churches whether or not to use the hymn "Oh God! who art 671 | our Father." All other hymns are to be excluded from the Churches, and 672 | in those places where some have already been introduced they are to be 673 | removed by the most suitable means. 674 | 675 | - name: Article 70 676 | text: | 677 | 678 | Whereas up to now various usages in regard to marriages are maintained 679 | everywhere, and it nevertheless is proper that uniformity be exercised 680 | in this matter, therefore the Churches shall adhere to the method 681 | which they, in conformity to the Word of God and previous 682 | ecclesiastical regulations have maintained up to now, until the High 683 | Authorities (which are to be asked to do so at the earliest 684 | opportunity) shall prepare a general Regulation with the advice of the 685 | Ministers of the Churches, to which this Church Order refers itself in 686 | this matter. 687 | 688 | 689 | ## Fourth Head - Of Censure and Ecclesiastical Admonition 690 | 691 | 692 | - name: Article 71 693 | text: | 694 | 695 | As Christian discipline is of a spiritual nature, and exempts no one 696 | from civil trial or punishment by the authorities, so also besides 697 | civil punishment there is need of ecclesiastical censure, to reconcile 698 | the sinner with the Church and with his neighbour, and to remove the 699 | offense out of the Church of Christ. 700 | 701 | - name: Article 72 702 | text: | 703 | 704 | In case anyone transgresses against the purity of doctrine or 705 | godliness of conversation, as long as it is of a private character and 706 | has not given public offense, the rule clearly prescribed by Christ in 707 | Matthew 18 shall be followed. 708 | 709 | - name: Article 73 710 | text: | 711 | 712 | Secret sins of which the sinner repent after being admonished by one 713 | person in private or in the presence of two or three witnesses, shall 714 | not be laid before the Consistory. 715 | 716 | - name: Article 74 717 | text: | 718 | 719 | If anyone, having been admonished in love concerning a secret sin by 720 | two or three persons, does not give heed, or otherwise has committed a 721 | public sin, the matter shall be reported to the Consistory. 722 | 723 | - name: Article 75 724 | text: | 725 | 726 | The reconciliation of all such sins as are of their nature of a public 727 | character, or have become public because the admonition of the Church 728 | was despised, shall take place, when definite signs of repentance are 729 | evident, publicly, by the judgment of the Consistory; and in rural 730 | districts or smaller towns having only one Minister, with the advice 731 | of two neighbouring Churches, in such a form and manner as shall be 732 | judged to be conducive to the edification of each Church. 733 | 734 | - name: Article 76 735 | text: | 736 | 737 | Such as obstinately reject the admonition of the Consistory, and 738 | likewise those who have committed a public or otherwise gross sin, 739 | shall be suspended from the Lord's Supper. And if he, having been 740 | suspended after repeated admonitions, shows no signs of repentance, 741 | the Consistory shall at last proceed to the extreme remedy, namely, 742 | excommunication, agreeably to the Form adopted for that purpose 743 | according to the Word of God. But no one shall be excommunicated 744 | except with previous advice of Classis. 745 | 746 | - name: Article 77 747 | text: | 748 | 749 | Before proceeding to excommunication, the obstinacy of the sinner 750 | shall be publicly made known to the Congregation, explaining the 751 | offense, together with the diligence bestowed upon him in reproof, 752 | suspension from the Lord's Supper, and manifold admonitions; and the 753 | Congregation shall be exhorted to speak to him and to pray for him. 754 | There shall be three such admonitions. In the first the name of the 755 | sinner shall not be mentioned, that he be somewhat spared. In the 756 | second, with the advice of the Classis, his name shall be mentioned. 757 | In the third the Congregation shall be informed that, unless he 758 | repent, he will be excluded from the fellowship of the Church, so that 759 | his excommunication, in case he remains obstinate, may take place with 760 | the tacit approbation of the Church. The interval between the 761 | admonition shall be left to the discretion of the Consistory. 762 | 763 | - name: Article 78 764 | text: | 765 | 766 | Whenever anyone who has been excommunicated desire to become 767 | reconciled to the Church in the way of penitence, it shall be 768 | announced to the Congregation, either before the administration of the 769 | Lord's Supper or at some opportune time, in order that, in so far as 770 | no one can mention anything against him to the contrary, at the next 771 | Lord's Supper he may, with profession of his repentance be publicly 772 | reinstated according to the Form for that purpose. 773 | 774 | - name: Article 79 775 | text: | 776 | 777 | When Ministers of the Divine Word, Elders, or Deacons have committed 778 | any public, gross sin, which is a disgrace to the Church, or worthy of 779 | punishment by the Authorities, the Elders and Deacons shall 780 | immediately, by preceding sentence of the Consistory of that Church 781 | and the nearest adjoining Church, be deposed from their office, but 782 | the Ministers shall be suspended. But whether or not they are to be 783 | entirely deposed from their office shall be subject to the judgment of 784 | the Classis. 785 | 786 | - name: Article 80 787 | text: | 788 | 789 | Furthermore, among the gross sins which are worthy of being punished 790 | with suspension or deposition from office, these are the principal 791 | ones: false doctrine or heresy, public schism, public blasphemy, 792 | simony, faithless desertion of office or intrusion upon that of 793 | another, perjury, adultery, fornication, theft, acts of violence, 794 | habitual drunkenness, brawling, filthy lucre; in short, all sins and 795 | gross offenses as render the perpetrators infamous before the world, 796 | and which in any private member of the Church would cause him to be 797 | considered worthy of excommunication. 798 | 799 | - name: Article 81 800 | text: | 801 | 802 | The Ministers of the Word, Elders, and Deacons shall exercise 803 | Christian censure among themselves, and in a friendly spirit admonish 804 | one another with regard to the discharge of their office. 805 | 806 | - name: Article 82 807 | text: | 808 | 809 | To those who remove from the Congregation, a Certificate of Dismission 810 | or testimony regarding their conversation shall be given them at the 811 | discretion of the Consistory, under the seal of the Church, or where 812 | there is no seal, signed by two. 813 | 814 | - name: Article 83 815 | text: | 816 | 817 | Furthermore, the poor shall, when removing for sufficient reasons, 818 | receive assistance from the Deacons at their discretion provided it be 819 | noted on the reverse side of their Certificate of Dismission to places 820 | to which they wish to go, and the assistance they have received. 821 | 822 | - name: Article 84 823 | text: | 824 | 825 | No church shall in any way lord it over other Churches, no Minister 826 | over other Ministers, no Elder or Deacon over other Elders or Deacons. 827 | 828 | - name: Article 85 829 | text: | 830 | 831 | Foreign Churches whose usages regarding nonessentials differ from ours 832 | shall not be rejected. 833 | 834 | - name: Article 86 835 | text: | 836 | 837 | These Articles, relating to the lawful Order of the Churches, have 838 | been so drafted and adopted by common convent, that they, if the 839 | profit of the Churches demand otherwise, may and ought to be altered, 840 | augmented, or diminished. However, no particular Congregation, 841 | Classis, or Synod shall be at liberty to do so, but they shall show 842 | all diligence in observing them, until it be otherwise ordained by the 843 | General, or National Synod. 844 | 845 | - name: Formula of Subscription 846 | text: | 847 | 848 | WE, the undersigned, Professors of The . . . Reformed Church, 849 | Ministers of the Gospel, Elders and Deacons of The . . . Reformed 850 | congregation of . . . of the Classis of . . . do hereby sincerely and 851 | in good conscience before the Lord, declare by this, our subscription, 852 | that we heartily believe and are persuaded that all the articles and 853 | points of doctrine, contained in the Confession and Catechism of the 854 | Reformed Churches, together with the explanation of some points of the 855 | aforesaid doctrine, made by the National Synod of Dordrecht, 1618-'19, 856 | do fully agree with the Word of God. 857 | We promise therefore diligently to teach and faithfully to defend the 858 | aforesaid doctrine, without either directly or indirectly 859 | contradicting the same, by our public preaching or writing. 860 | We declare, moreover, that we not only reject all errors that 861 | militate against this doctrine and particularly those which were 862 | condemned by the above mentioned Synod, but that we are disposed to 863 | refute and contradict these, and to exert ourselves in keeping the 864 | Church free from such errors. And if hereafter any difficulties or 865 | different sentiments respecting the aforesaid doctrines should arise 866 | in our minds, we promise that we will neither publicly nor privately 867 | propose, teach, or defend the same, either by preaching or writing, 868 | until we have first revealed such sentiments to the consistory, 869 | Classis and Synod, that the same may be there examined, being ready 870 | always cheerfully to submit to the judgment of the consistory, Classis 871 | and Synod, under the penalty in case of refusal to be, by that very 872 | fact, suspended from our office. 873 | 874 | And further, if at any time the consistory, Classis or Synod, upon 875 | sufficient grounds of suspicion and to preserve the uniformity and 876 | purity of doctrine, may deem it proper to requite of us a further 877 | explanation of our sentiments respecting any particular article of the 878 | Confession of Faith, the Catechism, or the explanation of the National 879 | Synod, we do hereby promise to be always willing and ready to comply 880 | with such requisition, under the penalty above mentioned, reserving 881 | for ourselves, however, the right of an appeal, whenever we shall 882 | believe ourselves aggrieved by the sentence of the consistory, the 883 | Classis or the Synod, and until a decision is made upon such an 884 | appeal, we will acquiesce in the determination and judgment already 885 | passed. 886 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- /data/three-forms-of-unity/dort-sabbath.yaml: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 | --- 2 | name: The Synod of Dort on Sabbath Observance 3 | publication_year: 1618 4 | type: document 5 | markdown: true 6 | chapters: 7 | - name: '' 8 | text: | 9 | Rules on the observation of the Sabbath, or the Lord's Day, with the 10 | agreement of the brothers from Zeeland the following concepts were 11 | explained and approved by Doctor Professors of Divinity. 12 | 13 | - name: I. 14 | text: | 15 | In the fourth Commandment of the divine law, part is ceremonial, part is 16 | moral. 17 | 18 | - name: II. 19 | text: | 20 | The rest of the seventh day after creation was ceremonial and its rigid 21 | observation peculiarly prescribed to the Jewish people. 22 | 23 | - name: III. 24 | text: | 25 | Moral in fact, because the fixed and enduring day of the worship of God is 26 | appointed, for as much rest as is necessary for the worship of God and 27 | holy meditation of him. 28 | 29 | - name: IV. 30 | text: | 31 | With the Sabbath of the Jews having been abrogated, the Lord's Day is 32 | solemnly sanctified by Christians. 33 | 34 | - name: V. 35 | text: | 36 | From the time of the Apostles this day was always observed in the ancient 37 | Catholic Church. 38 | 39 | - name: VI. 40 | text: | 41 | This same day is thus consecrated for divine worship, so that in it one 42 | might rest from all servile works (with these excepted, which are works of 43 | charity and pressing necessity) and from those recreations which impede 44 | the worship of God. 45 | ... 46 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- /data/westminster/directory-for-family-worship.yaml: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 | --- 2 | name: The Directory for Family Worship 3 | publication_year: 1647 4 | type: document 5 | markdown: true 6 | chapters: 7 | - name: Preface 8 | text: | 9 | 10 | Assembly at Edinburgh, August 24, 1647, Sess. 10. 11 | 12 | *Act for observing the Directions of the GENERAL ASSEMBLY for secret 13 | and private Worship, and mutual Edification; and censuring such as 14 | neglect Family-worship.* 15 | 16 | The General Assembly, after mature deliberation, 17 | doth approve the following Rules and Directions for cherishing piety, 18 | and preventing division and schism; and doth appoint ministers and 19 | ruling elders in each congregation to take special care that these 20 | Directions be observed and followed; as likewise, that presbyteries and 21 | provincial synods enquire and make trial whether the said Directions be 22 | duly observed in their bounds; and to reprove or censure (according to 23 | the quality of the offence), such as shall be found to be reprovable or 24 | censurable therein. And, to the end that these directions may not be 25 | rendered ineffectual and unprofitable among some, through the usual 26 | neglect of the very substance of the duty of Family-worship, the 27 | Assembly doth further require and appoint ministers and ruling elders to 28 | make diligent search and enquiry, in the congregations committed to 29 | their charge respectively, whether there be among them any family or 30 | families which use to neglect this necessary duty; and if any such 31 | family be found, the head of the family is to be first adminished 32 | privately to amend his fault; and, in case of his continuing therein, he 33 | is to be gravely and sadly reproved by the session; after which reproof, 34 | if he be found still to neglect Family-worship, let him be, for his 35 | obstinacy in such an offence, suspended and debarred from the Lord's 36 | supper, as being justly esteemed unworthy to communicate therein, till 37 | he amend. 38 | 39 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 40 | 41 | ## DIRECTIONS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY 42 | 43 | *Concerning secret and private worship, and mutual edification; for 44 | cherishing piety, for maintaining unity, and avoiding schism and 45 | division.* 46 | 47 | Besides the publick worship in congregations, mercifully established in 48 | this land in great purity, it is expedient and necessary that secret 49 | worship of each person alone, and private worship of families, be 50 | pressed and set up; that, with national reformation, the profession and 51 | power of godliness, both personal and domestick, be advanced. 52 | 53 | - name: I. 54 | text: | 55 | 56 | And first, for secret worship, it is most necessary, that every one 57 | apart, and by themselves, be given to prayer and meditation, the 58 | unspeakable benefit whereof is best known to them who are most exercised 59 | therein; this being the mean whereby, in a special way, communion with 60 | God is entertained, and right preparation for all other duties obtained: 61 | and therefore it becometh not only pastors, within their several 62 | charges, to press persons of all sorts to perform this duty morning and 63 | evening, and at other occasions; but also it is incumbent to the head of 64 | every family to have a care, that both themselves, and all within their 65 | charge, be daily diligent herein. 66 | 67 | - name: II. 68 | text: | 69 | 70 | The ordinary duties comprehended under the exercise of piety which 71 | should be in families, when they are convened to that effect, are these: 72 | First, Prayer and praises performed with a special reference, as well to 73 | the publick condition of the kirk of God and this kingdom, as to the 74 | present case of the family, and every member thereof. Next, Reading of 75 | the scriptures, with catechising in a plain way, that the understandings 76 | of the simpler may be the better enabled to profit under the publick 77 | ordinances, and they made more capable to understand the scriptures when 78 | they are read; together with godly conferences tending to the 79 | edification of all the members in the most holy faith: as also, 80 | admonition and rebuke, upon just reasons, from those who have authority 81 | in the family. 82 | 83 | - name: III. 84 | text: | 85 | 86 | As the charge and office of interpreting the holy scriptures is a part 87 | of the ministerial calling, which none (however otherwise qualified) 88 | should take upon him in any place, but he that is duly called thereunto 89 | by God and his kirk; so in every family where there is any that can 90 | read, the holy scriptures should be read ordinarily to the family; and 91 | it is commendable, that thereafter they confer, and by way of conference 92 | make some good use of what hath been read and heard. As, for example, if 93 | any sin be reproved in the word read, use may be made thereof to make 94 | all the family circumspect and watchful against the same; or if any 95 | judgment be threatened, or mentioned to have been inflicted, in that 96 | portion of scripture which is read, use may be made to make all the 97 | family fear lest the same or a worse judgment befall them, unless they 98 | beware of the sin that procured it: and, finally, if any duty be 99 | required, or comfort held forth in a promise, use may be made to stir up 100 | themselves to employ Christ for strength to enable them for doing the 101 | commanded duty, and to apply the offered comfort. In all which the 102 | master of the family is to have the chief hand; and any member of the 103 | family may propone a question or doubt for resolution. 104 | 105 | - name: IV. 106 | text: | 107 | 108 | The head of the family is to take care that none of the family withdraw 109 | himself from any part of family-worship: and, seeing the ordinary 110 | performance of all the parts of family-worship belongeth properly to the 111 | head of the family, the minister is to stir up such as are lazy, and 112 | train up such as are weak, to a fitness to these exercises; it being 113 | always free to persons of quality to entertain one approved by the 114 | presbytery for performing family-exercise. And in other families, where 115 | the head of the family is unfit, that another, constantly residing in 116 | the family, approved by the minister and session, may be employed in 117 | that service, wherein the minister and session are to be countable to 118 | the presbytery. And if a minister, by divine Providence, be brought to 119 | any family, it is requisite that at no time he convene a part of the 120 | family for worship, secluding the rest, except in singular cases 121 | especially concerning these parties, which (in Christian prudence) need 122 | not, or ought not, to be imparted to others. 123 | 124 | - name: V. 125 | text: | 126 | 127 | Let no idler, who hath no particular calling, or vagrant person under 128 | pretence of a calling, be suffered to perform worship in families, to or 129 | for the same; seeing persons tainted with errors, or aiming at division, 130 | may be ready (after that manner) to creep into houses, and lead captive 131 | silly and unstable souls. 132 | 133 | - name: VI. 134 | text: | 135 | 136 | At family-worship, a special care is to be had that each family keep by 137 | themselves; neither requiring, inviting, nor admitting persons from 138 | divers families, unless it be those who are lodged with them, or at 139 | meals, or otherwise with them upon some lawful occasion. 140 | 141 | - name: VII. 142 | text: | 143 | 144 | Whatsoever have been the effects and fruits of meetings of persons of 145 | divers families in the times of corruption or trouble, (in which cases 146 | many things are commendable, which otherwise are not tolerable,) yet, 147 | when God hath blessed us with peace and purity of the gospel, such 148 | meetings of persons of divers families (except in cases mentioned in 149 | these Directions) are to be disapproved, as tending to the hinderance of 150 | the religious exercise of each family by itself, to the prejudice of the 151 | publick ministry, to the rending of the families of particular 152 | congregations, and (in progress of time) of the whole kirk. Besides many 153 | offences which may come thereby, to the hardening of the hearts of 154 | carnal men, and grief of the godly. 155 | 156 | - name: VIII. 157 | text: | 158 | 159 | On the Lord's day, after every one of the family apart, and the whole 160 | family together, have sought the Lord (in whose hands the preparation of 161 | men's hearts are) to fit them for the publick worship, and to bless to 162 | them the publick ordinances, the master of the family ought to take care 163 | that all within his charge repair to the publick worship, that he and 164 | they may join with the rest of the congregation: and the publick worship 165 | being finished, after prayer, he should take an account what they have 166 | heard; and thereafter, to spend the rest of the time which they may 167 | spare in catechising, and in spiritual conferences upon the word of God: 168 | or else (going apart) they ought to apply themselves to reading, 169 | meditation, and secret prayer, that they may confirm and increase their 170 | communion with God: that so the profit which they found in the publick 171 | ordinances may be cherished and promoved, and they more edified unto 172 | eternal life. 173 | 174 | - name: IX. 175 | text: | 176 | 177 | So many as can conceive prayer, ought to make use of that gift of God; 178 | albeit those who are rude and weaker may begin at a set form of prayer, 179 | but so as they be not sluggish in stirring up in themselves (according 180 | to their daily necessities) the spirit of prayer, which is given to all 181 | the children of God in some measure: to which effect, they ought to be 182 | more fervent and frequent in secret prayer to God, for enabling of their 183 | hearts to conceive, and their tongues to express, convenient desires to 184 | God for their family. And, in the meantime, for their greater 185 | encouragement, let these materials of prayer be meditated upon, and made 186 | use of, as followeth. 187 | 188 | > Let them confess to God how unworthy they are to come in his presence, 189 | > and how unfit to worship his Majesty; and therefore earnestly ask of God 190 | > the spirit of prayer. 191 | 192 | > They are to confess their sins, and the sins of the family; accusing, 193 | > judging, and condemning themselves for them, till they bring their souls 194 | > to some measure of true humiliation. 195 | 196 | > They are to pour out their souls to God, in the name of Christ, by the 197 | > Spirit, for forgiveness of sins; for grace to repent, to believe, and to 198 | > live soberly, righteously, and godly; and that they may serve God with 199 | > joy and delight, walking before him. 200 | 201 | > They are to give thanks to God for his many mercies to his people, and 202 | > to themselves, and especially for his love in Christ, and for the light 203 | > of the gospel. 204 | 205 | > They are to pray for such particular benefits, spiritual and temporal, 206 | > as they stand in need of for the time, (whether it be morning or 207 | > evening,) as anent health or sickness, prosperity or adversity. 208 | 209 | > They ought to pray for the kirk of Christ in general, for all the 210 | > reformed kirks, and for this kirk in particular, and for all that suffer 211 | > for the name of Christ; for all our superiors, the king's majesty, the 212 | > queen, and their children; for the magistrates, ministers, and whole 213 | > body of the congregation whereof they are members, as well for their 214 | > neighbours absent in their lawful affairs, as for those that are at 215 | > home. 216 | 217 | > The prayer may be closed with an earnest desire that God may be 218 | > glorified in the coming of the kingdom of his Son, and in doing of his 219 | > will, and with assurance that themselves are accepted, and what they 220 | > have asked according to his will shall be done." 221 | 222 | - name: X. 223 | text: | 224 | 225 | These exercises ought to be performed in great sincerity, without delay, 226 | laying aside all exercises of worldly business or hinderances, not 227 | withstanding the mockings of atheists and profane men; in respect of the 228 | great mercies of God to this land, and of his severe corrections 229 | wherewith lately he hath exercised us. And, to this effect, persons of 230 | eminency (and all elders of the kirk) not only ought to stir up 231 | themselves and families to diligence herein, but also to concur 232 | effectually, that in all other families, where they have power and 233 | charge, the said exercises be conscionably performed. 234 | 235 | - name: XI. 236 | text: | 237 | 238 | Besides the ordinary duties in families, which are above mentioned, 239 | extraordinary duties, both of humiliation and thanksgiving, are to be 240 | carefully performed in families, when the Lord, by extraordinary 241 | occasions, (private or publick,) calleth for them. 242 | 243 | - name: XII. 244 | text: | 245 | 246 | Seeing the word of God requireth that we should consider one another, to 247 | provoke unto love and good works; therefore, at all times, and specially 248 | in this time, wherein profanity abounds, and mockers, walking after 249 | their own lusts, think it strange that others run not with them to the 250 | same excess of riot; every member of this kirk ought to stir up 251 | themselves, and one another, to the duties of mutual edification, by 252 | instruction, admonition, rebuke; exhorting one another to manifest the 253 | grace of God in denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, and in living 254 | godly, soberly and righteously in this present world; by comforting the 255 | feeble-minded, and praying with or for one another. Which duties 256 | respectively are to be performed upon special occasions offered by 257 | Divine Providence; as, namely, when under any calamity, cross, or great 258 | difficulty, counsel or comfort is sought; or when an offender is to be 259 | reclaimed by private admonition, and if that be not effectual, by 260 | joining one or two more in the admonition, according to the rule of 261 | Christ, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be 262 | established. 263 | 264 | - name: XIII. 265 | text: | 266 | 267 | And, because it is not given to every one to speak a word in season to a 268 | wearied or distressed conscience, it is expedient, that a person (in 269 | that case,) finding no ease, after the use of all ordinary means, 270 | private and publick, have their address to their own pastor, or some 271 | experienced Christian: but if the person troubled in conscience be of 272 | that condition, or of that sex, that discretion, modesty, or fear of 273 | scandal, requireth a godly, grave, and secret friend to be present with 274 | them in their said address, it is expedient that such a friend be 275 | present. 276 | 277 | - name: XIV. 278 | text: | 279 | 280 | When persons of divers families are brought together by Divine 281 | Providence, being abroad upon their particular vocations, or any 282 | necessary occasions; as they would have the Lord their God with them 283 | whithersoever they go, they ought to walk with God, and not neglect the 284 | duties of prayer and thanksgiving, but take care that the same be 285 | performed by such as the company shall judge fittest. And that they 286 | likewise take heed that no corrupt communication proceed out of their 287 | mouths, but that which is good, to the use of edifying, that it may 288 | minister grace to the hearers. 289 | 290 | The drift and scope of all these Directions is no other, but that, upon 291 | the one part, the power and practice of godliness, amongst all the 292 | ministers and members of this kirk, according to their several places 293 | and vocations, may be cherished and advanced, and all impiety and 294 | mocking of religious exercises suppressed: and, upon the other part, 295 | that, under the name and pretext of religious exercises, no such 296 | meetings or practices be allowed, as are apt to breed error, scandal, 297 | schism, contempt, or misregard of the publick ordinances and ministers, 298 | or neglect of the duties of particular callings, or such other evils as 299 | are the works, not of the Spirit, but of the flesh, and are contrary to 300 | truth and peace. 301 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- /data/westminster/epistle-to-the-reader.yaml: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 | --- 2 | name: Mr Thomas Manton's Epistle To The Reader 3 | publication_year: 1646 4 | type: creed 5 | markdown: true 6 | text: | 7 | 8 | Christian Reader, 9 | 10 | I cannot suppose thee to be such a stranger in England as to be ignorant of 11 | the general complaint concerning the decay of the power of godliness, and more 12 | especially of the great corruption of youth. Wherever thou goest, thou wilt 13 | hear men crying out of bad children and bad servants; whereas indeed the 14 | source of the mischief must be sought a little higher: it is bad parents and 15 | bad masters that make bad children and bad servants; and we cannot blame so 16 | much their untowardness, as our own negligence in their education. 17 | 18 | The devil hath a great spite at the kingdom of Christ, and he knoweth no such 19 | compendious way to crush it in the egg, as by the perversion of youth, and 20 | supplanting family-duties. He striketh at all those duties which are publick 21 | in the assemblies of the saints, but these are too well guarded by the solemn 22 | injunctions and dying charge of Jesus Christ, as that he should ever hope 23 | totally to subvert and undermine them; but at family-duties he striketh with 24 | the more success, because the institution is not so solemn, and the practice 25 | not so seriously and conscientiously regarded as it should be, and the 26 | omission is not so liable to notice and publick censure. Religion was first 27 | hatched in families, and there the devil seeketh to crush it; the families of 28 | the Patriarchs were all the Churches God had in the world for the time: and 29 | therefore. (I suppose,) when Cain went out from Adam's family, he is said to 30 | go out from the face of the Lord, Gen. 4:16. Now, the devil knoweth that this 31 | is a blow at the root, and a ready way to prevent the succession of Churches: 32 | if he can subvert families, other societies and communities will not long 33 | flourish and subsist with any power and vigour; for there is the stock from 34 | whence they are supplied both for the present and future. 35 | 36 | For the present: A family is the seminary of Church and State; and if children 37 | be not well principled there, all miscarrieth: a fault in the first concoction 38 | is not mended in the second; if youth be bred ill in the family, they prove ill 39 | in Church and Commonwealth; there is the first making or marring, and the 40 | presage of their future lives to be thence taken, Prov. 20:11. By family 41 | discipline, officers are trained up for the Church, 1 Tim. 3:4, *One that ruleth 42 | well his own house*, etc.; and there are men bred up in subjection and 43 | obedience. It is noted, Acts 21:5, that the disciples brought Paul on his way 44 | with their wives and children; their children probably are mentioned, to 45 | intimate, that their parents would, by their own example and affectionate 46 | farewell to Paul, breed them up in a way of reverence and respect to the pastors 47 | of the Church. 48 | 49 | For the future: It is comfortable, certainly, to see a thriving nursery of young 50 | plants, and to have hopes that God shall have a people to serve him when we are 51 | dead and gone: the people of God comforted themselves in that, Ps. 102:28, *The 52 | children of thy servants shall continue*, etc 53 | 54 | Upon all these considerations, how careful should ministers and parents be to 55 | train up young ones whilst they are yet pliable, and, like wax, capable of any 56 | form and impression, in the knowledge and fear of God; and betimes to instil 57 | the principles of our most holy faith, as they are drawn into a short sum in 58 | Catechisms, and so altogether laid in the view of conscience! Surely these 59 | seeds of truth planted in the field of memory, if they work nothing else, will 60 | at least be a great check and bridle to them and, as the casting in of cold 61 | water doth stay the boiling of the pot, somewhat allay the fervours of 62 | youthful lusts and passions. 63 | 64 | I had, upon entreaty, resolved to recommend to thee with the greatest 65 | earnestness the work of catechising, and, as a meet help, the usefulness of 66 | this book, as thus printed with the Scriptures at large: but meeting with a 67 | private letter of a very learned and godly divine, wherein that work is 68 | excellently done to my hand, I shall make bold to transcribe a part of it, and 69 | offer it to publick view. 70 | 71 | The author having bewailed the great distractions, corruptions, and divisions 72 | that are in the Church, he thus represents the cause and cure: 73 | 74 | > Among others, a principal cause of these mischiefs is the great and common 75 | > neglect of the governors of families, in the discharge of that duty which they 76 | > owe to God for the souls that are under their charge, especially in teaching 77 | > them the doctrine of Christianity. Families are societies that must he 78 | > sanctified to God as well as Churches; and the governors of them have as truly a 79 | > charge of the souls that are therein, as pastors have of the Churches. But, 80 | > alas, how little is this considered or regarded ! But while negligent ministers 81 | > are (deservedly) cast out of their places, the negligent masters of families 82 | > take themselves to be almost blameless. They offer their children to God in 83 | > baptism, and there they promise to teach them the doctrine of the gospel, and 84 | > bring them up in the nurture of the Lord; but they easily promise, and easily 85 | > break it; and educate their children for the world and the flesh, although they 86 | > have renounced these, and dedicated them to God. This covenant-breaking with 87 | > God, and betraying the souls of their children to the devil. must lie heavy on 88 | > them here or hereafter. They beget children, and keep families merely for the 89 | > world and the flesh: but little consider what a charge is committed to them, and 90 | > what it is to bring up a child for God, and govern a family as a sanctified 91 | > society. 92 | > 93 | > 94 | > O how sweetly and successfully would the work of God go on, if we would but all 95 | > join together in our several places to promote it! Men need not then run without 96 | > sending to be preachers; but they might find that part of the work that 97 | > belongeth to them to be enough for them, and to be the best that they can be 98 | > employed in. Especially women should be careful of this duty; because as they 99 | > are most about their children, and have early and frequent opportunities to 100 | > instruct them, so this is the principal service they can do to God in this 101 | > world, being restrained from more publick work. And doubtless many an excellent 102 | > magistrate hath been sent into the Commonwealth, and many an excellent pastor 103 | > into the Church, and many a precious saint to heaven, through the happy 104 | > preparations of a holy education, perhaps by a woman that thought herself 105 | > useless and unserviceable to the Church. Would parents but begin betimes, and 106 | > labour to affect the hearts of their children with the great matters of 107 | > everlasting life, and to acquaint them with the substance of the doctrine of 108 | > Christ, and, when they find in them the knowledge and love of Christ, would 109 | > bring them then to the pastors of the Church to be tried, confirmed and admitted 110 | > to the further privileges of the Church, what happy, well-ordered Churches might 111 | > we have ! Then one pastor need not be put to do the work of two or three hundred 112 | > or thousand governors of families, even to teach their children those principles 113 | > which they should have taught them long before; nor should we be put to preach 114 | > to so many miserable ignorant souls, that be not prepared by education to 115 | > understand us, nor should we have need to shut out so many from holy communion 116 | > upon the account of ignorance, that yet have not the grace to feel it and lament 117 | > it, nor the wit and patience to wait in a learning state, till they are ready to 118 | > be fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God. But now they 119 | > come to us with aged self-conceitedness, being past children, and yet worse than 120 | > children still; having the ignorance of children, but being overgrown the 121 | > teachableness of children, and think themselves wise, yea wise enough to quarrel 122 | > with the wisest of their teachers, because they have lived long enough to have 123 | > been wise, and the evidence of their knowledge is their aged ignorance; and they 124 | > are readier to flee in our faces for Church-privileges, than to learn of us, and 125 | > obey our instructions, till they are prepared for them, that they may do them 126 | > good, like snappish curs that will snap us by the fingers for their meat, and 127 | > snatch it out of our hands; and not like children, that stay till we give it 128 | > them. Parents have so used them to be unruly, that ministers have to deal but 129 | > with too few but the unruly. And it is for want of this laying the foundation 130 | > well at first, that professors themselves are so ignorant as most are, and that 131 | > so many, especially of the younger sort, do swallow down almost any error that 132 | > is offered them, and follow any sect of dividers that will entice them so it be 133 | > but done with earnestness and plausibility. For, alas ! though by the grace of 134 | > God their hearts may be changed in an hour, (whenever they understand but the 135 | > essentials of the faith,) yet their understandings must have time and diligence 136 | > to furnish them with such knowledge as must stablish them, and fortify them 137 | > against deceits. Upon these, and many the like considerations. we should entreat 138 | > all Christian families to take more pains in this necessary work, and to get 139 | > better acquainted with the substance of Christianity. And, to that end, (taking 140 | > along some moving treatises to awake the heart,) I know not what work should be 141 | > fitter for their use, than that compiled by the Assembly at Westminster; a Synod 142 | > of as godly, judicious divines, (notwithstanding all the bitter words which they 143 | > have received from discontented and self-conceited men,) I verily think, as ever 144 | > England saw. Though they had the unhappiness to be employed in calamitous times, 145 | > when the noise of wars did stop men's ears, and the licentiousness of wars did 146 | > set every wanton tongue and pen at liberty to reproach them, and the prosecution 147 | > and event of those wars did exasperate partial discontented men to dishonour 148 | > themselves by seeking to dishonour them; I dare say, if in the days of old, when 149 | > councils were in power and account, they had had but such a council of bishops, 150 | > as this of presbyters was, the fame of it for learning and holiness, and all 151 | > ministerial abilities, would, with very great honour, have been transmitted to 152 | > posterity. 153 | > 154 | > 155 | > I do therefore desire, that all masters of families would first study well this 156 | > work themselves, and then teach it their children and servants, according to 157 | > their several capacities. And, if they once understand these grounds of 158 | > religion, they will be able to read other books more understandingly, and hear 159 | > sermons more profitably, and confer more judiciously, and hold fast the doctrine 160 | > of Christ more firmly, than ever you are like to do by any other course. First, 161 | > let them read and learn the Shorter Catechism, and next the Larger and lastly, 162 | > read the Confession of Faith. 163 | 164 | 165 | Thus far he, whose name I shall conceal, (though the excellency of the matter 166 | and present style, will easily discover him,) because I have published it 167 | without his privily and consent, though, I hope, not against his liking and 168 | approbation. I shall add no more, but that I am, 169 | 170 | Thy servant, in the Lord's work, THOMAS MANTON. 171 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- /data/westminster/solemn-league-and-covenant.yaml: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 | --- 2 | name: The Solemn League and Covenant 3 | publication_year: 1643 4 | type: creed 5 | markdown: true 6 | text: | 7 | 8 | We noblemen, barons, knights, gentlemen, citizens, burgesses, ministers of the 9 | Gospel, and commons of all sorts, in the kingdoms of Scotland, England, and 10 | Ireland, by the providence of GOD living under one king, and being of one 11 | reformed religion, having before our eyes the glory of God, and the advancement 12 | of the kingdom of our Lord and Saviour JESUS CHRIST, the honour and happiness of 13 | the king's majesty and his posterity, and the true public liberty, safety, and 14 | peace of the kingdom, wherein every one's private condition is included: and 15 | calling to mind the treacherous and bloody plots, conspiracies, attempts, and 16 | practices of the enemies of GOD, against the true religion and professors 17 | thereof in all places, especially in these three kingdoms, ever since the 18 | reformation of religion; and how much their rage, power, and presumption, are of 19 | late, and at this time, increased and exercised, whereof the deplorable state of 20 | the Church and kingdom of Ireland, the distressed state of the Church and 21 | kingdom of England, and the dangerous state of the Church and kingdom of 22 | Scotland, are present and public testimonies: we have now at last (after other 23 | means of supplication, remonstrance, protestation, and sufferings), for the 24 | preservation of ourselves and our religion from utter ruin and destruction, 25 | according to the commendable practice of these kingdoms in former times, and the 26 | example of GOD'S people in other nations, after mature deliberation, resolved 27 | and determined to enter into a Mutual and Solemn League and Covenant, wherein we 28 | all subscribe, and each one of us for himself, with our hands lifted up to the 29 | Most High GOD, do swear, 30 | 31 | I. THAT we shall sincerely, really, and constantly, through the grace of GOD, 32 | endeavor, in our several places and callings, the preservation of the reformed 33 | religion in the Church of Scotland, in doctrine, worship, discipline, and 34 | government, against our common enemies; the reformation of religion in the 35 | kingdoms of England and Ireland, in doctrine, worship, discipline, and 36 | government, according to the Word of GOD, and the example of the best reformed 37 | Churches; and shall endeavour to bring the Churches of GOD in the three 38 | kingdoms to the nearest conjunction and uniformity in religion, Confession of 39 | Faith, Form of Church Government, Directory for Worship and Catechising; that 40 | we, and our posterity after us, may, as brethren, live in faith and love, and 41 | the Lord may delight to dwell in the midst of us. 42 | 43 | II. That we shall, in like manner, without respect of persons, endeavour the 44 | extirpation of Popery, Prelacy (that is, Church government by archbishops, 45 | bishops, their chancellors and commissioners, deans, deans and chapters, 46 | archdeacons, and all other ecclesiastical officers depending on that 47 | hierarchy), superstition, heresy, schism, profaneness, and whatsoever shall be 48 | found contrary to sound doctrine and the power of Godliness; lest we partake 49 | in other men's sins, and thereby be in danger to receive of their plagues; and 50 | that the Lord may be one, and his name one, in the three kingdoms. 51 | 52 | III. We shall, with the same sincerity, reality, and constancy, in our several 53 | vocations, endeavour, with our estates and lives, mutually to preserve the 54 | rights and privileges of the Parliaments, and the liberties of the kingdoms; 55 | and to preserve and defend the king's majesty's person and authority, in the 56 | preservation and defence of the true religion and liberties of the kingdoms; 57 | that the world may bear witness with our consciences of our loyalty, and that 58 | we have no thoughts or intentions to diminish his majesty's just power and 59 | greatness. 60 | 61 | IV. We shall also, with all faithfulness, endeavour the discovery of all such 62 | as have been or shall be incendiaries, malignants, or evil instruments, be 63 | hindering the reformation of religion, dividing the king from his people, or 64 | one of the kingdoms from another, or making any faction or parties among the 65 | people, contrary to this League and Covenant; that they may be brought to 66 | public trial, and receive condign punishment, as the degree of their offences 67 | shall require or deserve, or the supreme judicatories of both kingdoms 68 | respectively, or others having power from them for that effect, shall judge 69 | convenient. 70 | 71 | V. And whereas the happiness of a blessed peace between these kingdoms, denied 72 | in former times to our progenitors, is, by the good providence of GOD, granted 73 | unto us, and hath been lately concluded and settled by both Parliaments; we 74 | shall, each one of us, according to our place and interest, endeavour that 75 | they may remain conjoined in a firm peace and union to all posterity; and that 76 | justice may be done upon the willful opposers thereof, in manner expressed in 77 | the precedent article. 78 | 79 | VI. We shall also, according to our places and callings, in this common cause 80 | of religion, liberty, and peace of the kingdoms, assist and defend all those 81 | that enter into this League and Covenant, in the maintaining and pursuing 82 | thereof; and shall not suffer ourselves, directly or indirectly, by whatsoever 83 | combination, persuasion, or terror, to be divided or withdrawn from this 84 | blessed union and conjunction, whether to make defection to the contrary part, 85 | or to give ourselves to a detestable indifferency or neutrality in this cause, 86 | which so much concerneth the glory of God, the good of the kingdom, and honour 87 | of the king; but shall, all the days of our lives, zealously and constantly 88 | continue therein against all opposition, and promote the same, according to 89 | our power, against all lets and impediments whatsoever; and what we are not 90 | able ourselves to suppress or overcome, we shall reveal and make known, that 91 | it may be timely prevented or removed: All which we shall do as in the sight 92 | of God. 93 | 94 | And, because these kingdoms are guilty of many sins and provocations against 95 | GOD, and his Son JESUS CHRIST, as is too manifest by our present distresses 96 | and dangers, the fruits thereof; we profess and declare, before GOD and the 97 | world, our unfeigned desire to be humbled for our own sins, and for the sins 98 | of these kingdoms; especially that we have not, as we ought, valued the 99 | inestimable benefit of the Gospel; that we have not laboured for the purity 100 | and power thereof; and the we have not endeavoured to receive Christ in our 101 | hearts, not to walk worthy of him in our lives; which are the causes of other 102 | sins and transgression so much abounding amongst us: and our true and 103 | unfeigned purpose, desire, and endeavour, for ourselves, and all others under 104 | our power and charge, both in public and in private, in all duties we owe to 105 | GOD and man, to amend our lives, and each one to go before another in the 106 | example of a real reformation; that the Lord may turn away his wrath and heavy 107 | indignation, and establish these Churches and kingdoms in truth and peace. And 108 | this Covenant we make in the presence of ALMIGHTY GOD, the Searcher of all 109 | hearts, with a true intention to perform the same, as we shall answer at that 110 | great day, when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed; most humbly 111 | beseeching the LORD to strengthen us by his HOLY SPIRIT for this end, and to 112 | bless our desires and proceedings with such success, as may be deliverance and 113 | safety to his people, and encouragement to other Christian Churches, groaning 114 | under, or in danger of the yoke of antichristian tyranny, to join in the same 115 | or like association and covenant, to the glory of GOD, the enlargement of the 116 | kingdom of JESUS CHRIST, and the peace and tranquillity of Christian kingdoms 117 | and commonwealths. 118 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- /data/westminster/to-the-christian-reader.yaml: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 | --- 2 | name: To the Christian Reader, especially heads of families 3 | publication_year: 1646 4 | type: creed 5 | markdown: true 6 | text: | 7 | 8 | As we cannot but with grief of soul lament those multitudes of errors, 9 | blasphemies, and all kinds of profaneness, which have in this last age, like a 10 | mighty deluge, overflown this nation; so, among several other sins which have 11 | helped to open the flood-gates of all these impieties, we cannot but esteem 12 | the disuse of family instruction one of the greatest. The two great pillars 13 | upon which the kingdom of Satan is erected, and by which it is upheld, are 14 | ignorance and error, the first step of our manumission from this spiritual 15 | thraldom consists in having our *eyes opened, and being turned from darkness to 16 | light*, Acts 26:18. How much the serious endeavours of godly parents and 17 | masters might contribute to an early seasoning the tender years of such as are 18 | under their inspection, is abundantly evident, not only from their special 19 | influence upon them, in respect of their authority over them, interest in 20 | them, continual presence with them, and frequent opportunities of being 21 | helpful to them; but also from the sad effects which, by woeful experience, we 22 | find to be the fruit of the omission of this duty. It were easy to set before 23 | you a cloud of witnesses, the language of whose practice hath been not only an 24 | eminent commendation of this duty, but also a serious exhortation to it. As 25 | *Abel, though dead, yet speaks* by his example to us for imitation of his faith, 26 | etc., Heb. 11:4, so do the examples of Abraham, of Joshua, of the parents of 27 | Solomon, of the grandmother and mother of Timothy, the mother of Augustine, 28 | whose care was as well to nurse up the souls as the bodies of their little 29 | ones; and as their pains herein was great, so was their success no way 30 | unanswerable. 31 | 32 | We should scarce imagine it any better than an impertinency, in this noon-day 33 | of the gospel, either to inform or persuade in a duty so expressly commanded, 34 | so frequently urged, so highly encouraged, and so eminently owned by the Lord 35 | in all ages with his blessing, but that our sad experience tells us, this duty 36 | is not more needful, than it is of late neglected. For the restoring of this 37 | duty to its due observance, give us leave to suggest this double advice. 38 | 39 | The *first* concerns heads of families in respect of themselves; That as the Lord 40 | hath set them in place above the rest of their family, they would labour in all 41 | wisdom and spiritual understanding to be above them also. It is an uncomely 42 | sight to behold men in years babes in knowledge; and how unmeet are they to 43 | instruct others, who need themselves to be taught *which be the first principles 44 | of the oracles of God*, Heb. 5:12. Knowledge is an accomplishment so desirable, 45 | that the devils themselves knew not a more taking bait by which to tempt our 46 | first parents, than by the fruit of the tree of knowledge; *So shall you be as 47 | gods, knowing good and evil*. When Solomon had that favour shewed him of the 48 | Lord, that he was made his own chuser what to ask, he knew no greater mercy to 49 | beg than wisdom, 1 Kings 3:5, 9. The understanding is the guide and pilot of the 50 | whole man, that faculty which sits at the stern of the soul: but as the most 51 | expert guide may mistake in the dark, so may the understanding, when it wants 52 | the light of knowledge: *Without knowledge the mind cannot be good*, Prov. 19:2; 53 | nor the life good, nor the eternal condition safe, Eph. 4:18. *My people are 54 | destroyed for lack of knowledge*, Hos.4:6. It is ordinary in scripture to set 55 | profaneness, and all kind of miscarriages, upon the score of ignorance. Diseases 56 | in the body have many times their rise from distempers in the head, and 57 | exorbitancies in practice from errors in judgment: and indeed in every sin there 58 | is something both of ignorance and error at the bottom: for, did sinners truly 59 | know what they do in sinning, we might say of every sin what the Apostle speaks 60 | concerning that great sin, *Had they known him, they would not have crucified the 61 | Lord of glory*; did they truly know that every sin is a provoking the Lord to 62 | jealousy, a proclaiming war against Heaven, *a crucifying the Lord Jesus afresh, 63 | a treasuring up wrath unto themselves against the day of wrath*; and that, if 64 | ever they be pardoned, it must be at no lower a rate than the price of his 65 | blood; it were scarce possible but sin, instead of alluring, should affright, 66 | and instead of tempting, scare. It is one of the arch devices and principal 67 | methods of Satan to deceive men into sin: thus he prevailed against our first 68 | parents, not as a lion, but as a serpent, acting his enmity under a pretence of 69 | friendship, and tempting them to evil under an appearance of good; and thus hath 70 | he all along carried on his designs of darkness, by transforming himself into an 71 | angel of light, making poor deceived men in love with their miseries, and hug 72 | their own destruction. A most sovereign antidote against all kind of errors, is 73 | to be grounded and settled in the faith: persons unfixed in the true religion, 74 | are very receptive of a false; and they who are nothing in spiritual knowledge, 75 | are easily made any thing. *Clouds without water are driven to and fro with every 76 | wind*, and ships without ballast liable to the violence of every tempest. But yet 77 | the knowledge we especially commend, is not a brain-knowledge, a mere 78 | speculation; this may be in the worst of men, nay, in the worst of creatures the 79 | devils themselves, and that in such an eminency, as the best of saints cannot 80 | attain to in this life of imperfection; but an inward, a savoury, an heart 81 | knowledge, such as was in that martyr, who, though she could not dispute for 82 | Christ, could die for him. This is that spiritual sense and feeling of divine 83 | truths the Apostle speaks of, Heb. 5:14, *Having your senses exercised*, etc. 84 | 85 | But, alas, we may say of most men's religion what learned Rivet speaks 86 | concerning the errors of the fathers, "They were not so much their own errors, 87 | as the errors of the times wherein they lived." Thus do most men take up their 88 | religion upon no better an account than Turks and Papists take up theirs, 89 | because it is the religion of the times and places wherein they live; and what 90 | they take up thus slightly, they lay down as easily. Whereas an inward taste and 91 | relish of the things of God, is an excellent preservative to keep us settled in 92 | the most unsettled times. Corrupt and unsavoury principles have great advantage 93 | upon us, above those that are spiritual and sound; the former being suitable to 94 | corrupt nature, the latter contrary; the former springing up of themselves, the 95 | latter brought forth not without a painful industry. The ground needs no other 96 | midwifery in bringing forth weeds than only the neglect of the husbandman's hand 97 | to pluck them up; the air needs no other cause of darkness than the absence of 98 | the sun; nor water of coldness than its distance from the fire; because these 99 | are the genuine products of nature. Were it so with the soul, (as some of the 100 | philosophers have vainly imagined,) to come into the world as an *abrasa tabula*, 101 | a mere blank or piece of white paper, on which neither any thing is written, nor 102 | any blots, it would then be equally receptive of good and evil, and no more 103 | averse to the one than to the other: but how much worse its condition indeed is, 104 | were scripture silent, every man's experience does evidently manifest. For who 105 | is there that knows any thing of his own heart. and knows not thus much, that 106 | the suggestions of Satan have so easy and free admittance into our hearts, that 107 | our utmost watchfulness is too little to guard us from them? whereas the motions 108 | of God's Spirit are so unacceptable to us, that our utmost diligence is too 109 | little to get our hearts open to entertain them. Let therefore the excellency, 110 | necessity, difficulty of true wisdom stir up endeavours in you somewhat 111 | proportionable to such an accomplishment; *Above all getting, get understanding*, 112 | Prov. 4:7; and *search for wisdom as for hidden treasures*, Prov. 2:4. It much 113 | concerns you in respect of yourselves. 114 | 115 | Our *second* advice concerns heads of families, in respect of their 116 | families. Whatever hath been said already, though it concerns every private 117 | Christian that hath a soul to look after; yet, upon a double account, it 118 | concerns parents and masters, as having themselves and others to look after: 119 | some there are, who, because of their ignorance, cannot; others, because of 120 | their sluggishness, will not mind this duty. To the former we propound the 121 | method of Joshua, who first began with himself, and then is careful of his 122 | family. To the latter we shall only hint, what a dreadful meeting those 123 | parents and masters must have at that great day, with their children and 124 | servants, when all that were under their inspection shall not only accuse 125 | them, but charge their eternal miscarrying upon their score. 126 | 127 | Never did any age of the Church enjoy such choice helps as this of ours. Every 128 | age of the gospel hath had its Creeds, Confessions, catechisms, and such 129 | breviaries and models of divinity as have been singularly useful. Such forms 130 | of sound words (however in these days decried) have been in use in the Church 131 | ever since God himself wrote the Decalogue, as a summary of things to be done; 132 | and Christ taught us that prayer of his, as a directory what to 133 | ask. Concerning the usefulness of such compendiary systems, so much hath been 134 | said already by a learned divine of this age, as is sufficient to satisfy 135 | all who are not resolved to remain unsatisfied. 136 | 137 | Concerning the particular excellency of these ensuing treatises, we judge it 138 | unneedful to mention those eminent testimonies which have been given them from 139 | persons of known worth, in respect of their judgment, learning, and integrity, 140 | both at home and abroad, because themselves spake so much their own praise; gold 141 | stands not in need of varnish, nor diamonds of painting: give us leave only to 142 | tell you, that we cannot but account it an eminent mercy to enjoy such helps as 143 | these are. It is ordinary in these days for men to speak evil of things they 144 | know not; but if any are possessed with mean thoughts of these treatises, we 145 | shall only give the same counsel to them that Philip gives Nathanael, *Come and 146 | see*, John 1:46. It is no small advantage the reader now hath, by the addition of 147 | scriptures at large, whereby with little pains he may more profit, because with 148 | every truth he may behold its scripture foundation. And, indeed, considering 149 | what Babel of opinions, what a strange confusion of tongues, there is this day 150 | among them who profess they speak the language of Canaan, there is no 151 | intelligent person but will conclude that advice of the prophet especially 152 | suited to such an age as this, Isa. 8:20, *To the law, and to the testimony; if 153 | they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in 154 | them*. If the reverend and learned composers of these ensuing treatises were 155 | willing to take the pains of annexing scripture proofs to every truth, that the 156 | faith of people might not be built upon the dictates of men, but the authority 157 | of God, so some considerable pains hath now been further taken in transcribing 158 | those scriptures; partly to prevent that grand inconvenience (which all former 159 | impressions, except the Latin, have abounded with, to the great perplexing and 160 | disheartening of the reader,) the misquotation of scripture, the meanest reader 161 | being able, by having the words at large, to rectify whatever mistake may be in 162 | the printer in citing the particular place; partly, to prevent the trouble of 163 | turning to every proof, which could not but be very great; partly, to help the 164 | memories of such who are willing to take the pains of turning to every proof, 165 | but are unable to retain what they read; and partly, that this may serve as a 166 | Bible commonplace, the several passages of scripture, which are scattered up and 167 | down in the word, being in this book reduced to their proper head, and thereby 168 | giving light each to other. The advantages, you see, in this design, are many 169 | and great; the way to spiritual knowledge is hereby made more easy, and the 170 | ignorance of this age more inexcusable. 171 | 172 | If, therefore, there be any spark in you of love to God, be not content that 173 | any of yours should be ignorant of him whom you so much admire, or any haters 174 | of him whom you so much love If there be any compassion to the souls of them 175 | who are under your care, if any regard of your being found faithful in the day 176 | of Christ, if any respect to future generations, labour to sow these seeds of 177 | knowledge, which may grow up in after-times. That you may be faithful herein, 178 | is the earnest prayer of, 179 | 180 | * Henry Wilkinson D.D. A.M.P. 181 | * John Fuller 182 | * George Griffiths 183 | * Matthew Haviland 184 | * Roger Drake. 185 | * James Nalton 186 | * Edward Perkins 187 | * William Blackmore 188 | * William Taylor 189 | * Thomas Goodwin 190 | * Ralph Venning 191 | * Richard Kentish 192 | * Samuel Annesley 193 | * Matthew Pool 194 | * Jeremiah Burwell 195 | * Alexander Pringle 196 | * Thomas Gouge 197 | * William Bates 198 | * Joseph Church 199 | * William Wickins 200 | * Charles Offpring 201 | * John Loder 202 | * Has. Bridges 203 | * Thomas Watson 204 | * Arthur Jackson 205 | * Francis Raworth 206 | * Samuel Smith 207 | * John Jackson 208 | * John Cross 209 | * William Cooper 210 | * Samuel Rowles 211 | * John Seabrooke 212 | * Samuel Clerk 213 | * William Jenkin 214 | * John Glascock 215 | * John Peachie 216 | * Samuel Slater 217 | * Thomas Manton 218 | * Leo. Cooke 219 | * James Jollife 220 | * Willinm Whittaker 221 | * Thomas Jacomb 222 | * John Sheffield 223 | * Obadiah Lee 224 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- /test/requirements.txt: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 | # GitHub Annotations support added in 1.25.0 2 | yamllint>=1.25.0 3 | PyYAML>=5.0.0 4 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- /test/validate_data_files.py: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 | #!/usr/bin/env python3 2 | """ 3 | A simple validation script for data files 4 | 5 | We want all data files to conform to a common spec. This way we can ensure 6 | consistency across the board. 7 | """ 8 | import os 9 | import yaml 10 | import sys 11 | 12 | DOCUMENT_TYPES = [ 13 | 'confession', 14 | 'catechism', 15 | 'psalter', 16 | 'document', 17 | 'creed', 18 | 'psalm-index' 19 | ] 20 | 21 | 22 | def find_files(data_dir): 23 | files = os.walk(data_dir) 24 | 25 | for (dirpath, dirnames, filenames) in files: 26 | for filename in filenames: 27 | if filename.endswith('yaml'): 28 | yield os.path.join(dirpath, filename) 29 | 30 | 31 | def read_yaml_file(filename): 32 | data = open(filename).read() 33 | return yaml.load(data, Loader=yaml.Loader) 34 | 35 | def _validate_verses(text_w_ref, obj, chapter_number = 0): 36 | for ref in obj['verses']: 37 | assert '[' + str(ref) + ']' in text_w_ref, 'Missing Citation ' + str(ref) + ' from chapter ' + str(chapter_number) + ' Article ' + str(obj['number']) 38 | 39 | def validate_confession(data): 40 | for chapter in data['chapters']: 41 | assert isinstance(chapter, dict), 'Chapter not a dict' 42 | 43 | assert 'name' in chapter, 'Missing chapter name' 44 | assert 'number' in chapter, 'Missing chapter number' 45 | 46 | assert isinstance(chapter['name'], str), \ 47 | 'Chapter name not a string' 48 | assert isinstance(chapter['number'], int), \ 49 | 'Chapter number not an int' 50 | 51 | if 'articles' not in chapter: 52 | continue 53 | 54 | assert isinstance(chapter['articles'], list), \ 55 | 'Articles not a list' 56 | 57 | for article in chapter['articles']: 58 | assert isinstance(article, dict), 'Article not a dict' 59 | if 'verses' in article: 60 | _validate_verses(article['text'], article, chapter['number']) 61 | 62 | assert 'number' in article, 'Missing article number' 63 | assert 'text' in article, 'Missing text in article' 64 | 65 | assert isinstance(article['number'], int), \ 66 | 'Article number not an int' 67 | assert isinstance(article['text'], str), \ 68 | 'Article text not a string' 69 | 70 | 71 | def _validate_question(question): 72 | assert isinstance(question, dict), 'Question not a dict' 73 | 74 | assert 'question' in question, 'Missing question' 75 | assert 'answer' in question, 'Missing answer' 76 | assert 'number' in question, 'Missing question number' 77 | 78 | assert isinstance(question['question'], str), \ 79 | 'Question not a string' 80 | assert isinstance(question['answer'], str), \ 81 | 'Answer not a string' 82 | assert isinstance(question['number'], int), \ 83 | 'Question number not an int' 84 | if 'verses' in question: 85 | _validate_verses(question['answer'] + question['question'], question) 86 | 87 | 88 | def validate_catechism(data): 89 | if 'days' in data: 90 | for day in data['days']: 91 | for question in day['questions']: 92 | _validate_question(question) 93 | else: 94 | for question in data['questions']: 95 | _validate_question(question) 96 | 97 | 98 | def validate_file(filename): 99 | print('Validating', filename) 100 | try: 101 | data = read_yaml_file(filename) 102 | assert isinstance(data, dict), 'File is not a dict' 103 | 104 | assert 'name' in data.keys(), 'Name missing' 105 | assert 'type' in data.keys(), 'Type is missing' 106 | 107 | if data['type'] != 'creed': 108 | assert 'publication_year' in data.keys(), 'Year is missing' 109 | 110 | assert data['type'] in DOCUMENT_TYPES, 'Invalid type' 111 | 112 | if data['type'] in ['document', 'psalter', 'creed', 'psalm-index']: 113 | return 114 | 115 | assert any([ 116 | 'questions' in data, # Checking for a catechism 117 | 'chapters' in data, # Checking for a confession 118 | 'days' in data # Checking for Heidelberg 119 | ]), 'Missing questions or chapters' 120 | 121 | if 'chapters' in data: 122 | validate_confession(data) 123 | 124 | if 'questions' in data: 125 | validate_catechism(data) 126 | 127 | if 'days' in data: 128 | validate_catechism(data) 129 | 130 | except Exception as err: 131 | return err 132 | 133 | 134 | def main(data_dir): 135 | files = find_files(data_dir) 136 | failures = 0 137 | 138 | for f in files: 139 | err = validate_file(f) 140 | 141 | if err: 142 | print('FAIL', f, err) 143 | failures += 1 144 | 145 | if not failures: 146 | print('All files successfully validated.') 147 | else: 148 | sys.exit(1) 149 | 150 | 151 | if __name__ == '__main__': 152 | import argparse 153 | parser = argparse.ArgumentParser() 154 | parser.add_argument('-d', '--data-dir', action='store', 155 | dest='data_dir', default='data') 156 | args = parser.parse_args() 157 | main(args.data_dir) 158 | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------