The Shorter Catechism
of the Westminster Assembly
Explained and Proved
from Scripture

by Thomas Vincent

XLIV. Ques. What doth tho preface to the ten commandments teach us?
Ans. The preface to the ten commandments teacheth us, that because God is the Lord, and our God and Redeemer, therefore we are bound to keep all his commandments.

Q. 1. How many reasons or arguments are there in the preface, to oblige and persuade us to keep all God's commandments?
A. There are in the preface three reasons or arguments to oblige and persuade us to keep all God's commandments. 1. Because God is the Lord: "I am the Lord." 2. Because God is our God: "I am the Lord thy God." 3. Because God is our Redeemer: "Which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage."

Q. 2. How can God be said to bring his people out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage now?
A. As God brought his people of old out of the earthly' Egypt, and the bondage of men; so he doth now bring his people out of the spiritual Egypt, and the bondage they are in unto the devil and their own lusts.

Q. 3. How are we bound and obliged to keep God's commandments as he is the Lord?
A. We are bound and obliged to keep God's commandments as he is the Lord, because, as he is the Lord, he is our Creator and supreme Sovereign, and we owe to him all obedience, as we are his creatures and subjects. "Serve the Lord with gladness. Know that he made us, and not we ourselves."— Ps. 100:2, 3. "Who would not fear thee, O King of nations? for to thee doth it appertain." – Jer. 10:7.

Q. 4. How are we bound and obliged to keep God's commandments as he is our God?
A. We are bound and obliged to keep God's commandments as he is our God, because, as our God, he hath taken us into covenant, and brought us into a special relation to himself; and hereby laid a greater obligation upon us to do him service. "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, and keep his charge, and his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments alway."— Deut. 11:1.

Q. 5. How are we bound and obliged to keep God's commandments as he is our Redeemer?
A. We are bound and obliged to keep God's commandments as he is our Redeemer, because God hath redeemed us for this end, that, being free from the slavery of sin and Satan, we might be encouraged and enabled to yield obedience unto him. "Ye are not your own, for ye are bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."— 1 Cor. 6:19, 20. "That we, being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life."— Luke 1:74, 75.