Q. 112. What is the second petition?
A. “Thy kingdom come.”

Q. 113. What do we pray for in the second petition?
A. That the gospel may be preached in all the world, and believed and obeyed by us and all men.

40. Lord’s Day

Q. 105. What does God require in the sixth commandment?
A. That neither in thoughts, nor words, nor gestures, much less in deeds, I dishonour, hate, wound, or kill my neighbour, by myself or by another: [a] but that I lay aside all desire of revenge: [b] also, that I hurt not myself, nor wilfully expose myself to any danger. [c] Wherefore also the magistrate is armed with the sword, to prevent murder. [d]

Q. 106. But this commandment seems only to speak of murder?
A. In forbidding murder, God teaches us, that he abhors the causes thereof, such as envy, [a] hatred, [b] anger, [c] and desire of revenge; and that he accounts all these as murder. [d]

Q. 107. But is it enough that we do not kill any man in the manner mentioned above?
A. No: for when God forbids envy, hatred, and anger, he commands us to love our neighbour as ourselves; [a] to show patience, peace, meekness, mercy, and all kindness, towards him, [b] and prevent his hurt as much as in us lies; [c] and that we do good, even to our enemies. [d]

Chapter 24: Of Marriage and Divorce

1: Marriage is to be between one man and one woman: neither is it lawful for any man to have more than one wife, nor for any woman to have more than one husband, at the same time.^[474]

2: Marriage was ordained for the mutual help of husband and wife,^[475] for the increase of mankind with a legitimate issue, and of the Church with an holy seed;^[476] and for preventing of uncleanness.^[477]

3: It is lawful for all sorts of people to marry, who are able with judgment to give their consent.^[478] Yet it is the duty of Christians to marry only in the Lord.^[479] And therefore such as profess the true reformed religion should not marry with infidels, papists, or other idolaters: neither should such as are godly be unequally yoked, by marrying with such as are notoriously wicked in their life, or maintain damnable heresies.^[480]

4: Marriage ought not to be within the degrees of consanguinity or affinity forbidden by the Word.^[481] Nor can such incestuous marriages ever be made lawful by any law of man or consent of parties, so as those persons may live together as man and wife.^[482]The man may not marry any of his wife’s kindred, nearer in blood then he may of his own: nor the woman of her husband’s kindred, nearer in blood than of her own.^[483]

5: Adultery or fornication committed after a contract, being detected before marriage, gives just occasion to the innocent party to dissolve that contract.^[484] In the case of adultery after marriage, it is lawful for the innocent party to sue out a divorce and, after the divorce,^[485] to marry another, as if the offending party were dead.^[486]

6: Although the corruption of man be such as is apt to study arguments unduly to put asunder those whom God has joined together in marriage: yet, nothing but adultery, or such wilful desertion as can no way be remedied by the Church, or civil magistrate, is cause sufficient of dissolving the bond of marriage:^[487] wherein, a public and orderly course of proceeding is to be observed; and the persons concerned in it not left to their own wills, and discretion, in their own case.^[488]

The Fifth Head of Doctrine: The Perseverance of the Saints

Article 3: God’s Preservation of the Converted

Because of these remnants of sin dwelling in them and also because of the temptations of the world and Satan, those who have been converted could not remain standing in this grace if left to their own resources. But God is faithful, mercifully strengthening them in the grace once conferred on them and powerfully preserving them in it to the end.

Article 4: The Danger of True Believers’ Falling into Serious Sins

Although that power of God strengthening and preserving true believers in grace is more than a match for the flesh, yet those converted are not always so activated and motivated by God that in certain specific actions they cannot by their own fault depart from the leading of grace, be led astray by the desires of the flesh, and give in to them. For this reason they must constantly watch and pray that they may not be led into temptations. When they fail to do this, not only can they be carried away by the flesh, the world, and Satan into sins, even serious and outrageous ones, but also by God’s just permission they sometimes are so carried away — witness the sad cases, described in Scripture, of David, Peter, and other saints falling into sins.

Q. 156. Is the Word of God to be read by all?
A. Although all are not to be permitted to read the Word publicly to the congregation,^[1001] yet all sorts of people are bound to read it apart by themselves,^[1002] and with their families:^[1003] to which end, the holy scriptures are to be translated out of the original into vulgar languages.^[1004]

Q. 157. How is the Word of God to be read?
A. The holy Scriptures are to be read with an high and reverent esteem of them;^[1005] with a firm persuasion that they are the very Word of God,^[1006] and that he only can enable us to understand them;^[1007] with desire to know, believe, and obey the will of God revealed in them;^[1008] with diligence,^[1009] and attention to the matter and scope of them;^[1010] with meditation,^[1011] application,^[1012] self-denial,^[1013] and prayer.^[1014]

Q. 158. By whom is the Word of God to be preached?
A. The Word of God is to be preached only by such as are sufficiently gifted,^[1015] and also duly approved and called to that office.^[1016]

Q. 159. How is the Word of God to be preached by those that are called thereunto?
A. They that are called to labour in the ministry of the Word, are to preach sound doctrine,^[1017] diligently,^[1018] in season and out of season;^[1019] plainly,^[1020] not in the enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit, and of power;^[1021] faithfully,^[1022] making known the whole counsel of God;^[1023] wisely,^[1024] applying themselves to the necessities and capacities of the hearers;^[1025] zealously,^[1026] with fervent love to God^[1027] and the souls of his people;^[1028] sincerely,^[1029] aiming at his glory,^[1030] and their conversion,^[1031] edification,^[1032] and salvation.^[1033]

Q. 160. What is required of those that hear the Word preached?
A. It is required of those that hear the Word preached, that they attend upon it with diligence,^[1034] preparation,^[1035] and prayer;^[1036] examine what they hear by the Scriptures;^[1037] receive the truth with faith,^[1038] love,^[1039] meekness,^[1040] and readiness of mind,^[1041] as the Word of God;^[1042] meditate,^[1043] and confer of it;^[1044] hide it in their hearts,^[1045] and bring forth the fruit of it in their lives^[1046].

Article 22: The Righteousness of Faith

We believe that for us to acquire the true knowledge of this great mystery the Holy Spirit kindles in our hearts a true faith that embraces Jesus Christ, with all his merits, and makes him its own, and no longer looks for anything apart from him. For it must necessarily follow that either all that is required for our salvation is not in Christ or, if all is in him, then he who has Christ by faith has his salvation entirely. Therefore, to say that Christ is not enough but that something else is needed as well is a most enormous blasphemy against God– for it then would follow that Jesus Christ is only half a Savior. And therefore we justly say with Paul that we are justified “by faith alone” or by faith “apart from works.”[53] However, we do not mean, properly speaking, that it is faith itself that justifies us– for faith is only the instrument by which we embrace Christ, our righteousness. But Jesus Christ is our righteousness in making available to us all his merits and all the holy works he has done for us and in our place. And faith is the instrument that keeps us in communion with him and with all his benefits. When those benefits are made ours they are more than enough to absolve us of our sins.

Q. 79. Which is the tenth commandment?
A. The tenth commandment is, Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbor’s.^[168]

Q. 80. What is required in the tenth commandment?
A. The tenth commandment requireth full contentment with our own condition,^[169] with a right and charitable frame of spirit toward our neighbor, and all that is his.^[170]

Q. 81. What is forbidden in the tenth commandment?
A. The tenth commandment forbiddeth all discontentment with our own estate,^[171] envying or grieving at the good of our neighbor, and all inordinate motions and affections to anything that is his.^[172]

Q. 110. What is the first petition?
A. “Hallowed be thy name.”

Q. 111. What do we pray for in the first petition?
A. That God’s name may be honored by us and all men.

39. Lord’s Day

Q. 104. What does God require in the fifth commandment?
A. That I show all honour, love and fidelity, to my father and mother, and all in authority over me, and submit myself to their good instruction and correction, with due obedience; [a] and also patiently bear with their weaknesses and infirmities, [b] since it pleases God to govern us by their hand. [c]

Chapter 23: Of the Civil Magistrate

1: God, the supreme Lord and King of all the world, has ordained civil magistrates, to be, under Him, over the people, for His own glory, and the public good: and, to this end, has armed them with the power of the sword, for the defence and encouragement of them that are good, and for the punishment of evil doers.^[460]

2: It is lawful for Christians to accept and execute the office of a magistrate, when called thereunto:^[461] in the managing whereof, as they ought especially to maintain piety, justice, and peace, according to the wholesome laws of each commonwealth;^[462] so, for that end, they may lawfully, now under the New Testament, wage war, upon just and necessary occasion.^[463]

3: The civil magistrate may not assume to himself the administration of the Word and sacraments, or the power of the keys of the kingdom of heaven:^[464] yet he has authority, and it is his duty, to take order that unity and peace be preserved in the Church, that the truth of God be kept pure and entire, that all blasphemies and heresies be suppressed, all corruptions and abuses in worship and discipline prevented or reformed, and all the ordainances of God duly settled, administrated, and observed.^[465] For the better effecting whereof, he has power to call synods, to be present at them and to provide that whatsoever is transacted in them be according to the mind of God^[466]

4: It is the duty of people to pray for magistrates,^[467] to honor their persons,^[468] to pay them tribute or other dues,^[469] to obey their lawful commands, and to be subject to their authority, for conscience’ sake.^[470] Infidelity, or difference in religion, does not make void the magistrates’ just and legal authority, nor free the people from their due obedience to them:^[471] from which ecclesiastical persons are not exempted,^[472] much less has the Pope any power and jurisdiction over them in their dominions, or over any of their people; and, least of all, to deprive them of their dominions, or lives, if he shall judge them to be heretics, or upon any other pretence whatsoever.^[473]