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catechism

The Baptist Catechism

1695 · 114 questions

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Tradition
baptist, reformed
Also called
Keach’s Catechism; A Brief Instruction in the Principles of Christian Religion
Related
The same text as The Baptist Catechism (modernized, 1695); Parallel to Westminster Larger Catechism (1647); Adapts Westminster Shorter Catechism (1647)
Follows
A Brief Instruction in the Principles of Christian Religion. Agreeable to the Confession of Faith, put forth by the Elders and Brethren of many Congregations of Christians, (baptized upon Profession of their Faith) in London and the Country, the fifth edition, 1695 (London); Wing B4602, ESTC R40299 · the scan (PDF) , from archive.org
Transcribed
From a source not recordedChecked against EEBO-TCP A29458: all 114 questions and their proofs, word by word, and the printings of 1747, 1764, 1765, 1784 and 1851 where ours differs; the differences, and what was corrected, are in WITNESSES.md, by Claude, for cco3, 2026-10-28
License
Public domain
Notes

The 1695 printing, the earliest that survives (its title page calls it the fifth edition), in modern spelling and capitals, as a modern-spelling text that circulates online has it (the Association of Confessional Baptist Churches UK’s has the same slips); who made that text, and from what, is unknown. The later printings checked (London, 1747; 1764; 1765; Bristol, 1784; Rippon’s of 1794, as reprinted in Philadelphia in 1851) are farther from it. Against A29458, 90 of the 114 questions have the same words, capitals and punctuation aside, 19 differ only in spelling and 5 in a word (53 “especially”, 62 “the stranger”, 98 “towards”, 102 “shown”, 114 “teach us”), and the proofs of 89 name the same verses; ours adds references in 16 questions, mostly ones the 1695 printing lacks, and leaves some out in 7. On 2026-10-28 slips of wording in 13 questions (“of king” in 26, “because of his grace” in 112) and wrong references in 15 (Psalm 45 for 95 in 57, 1 Corinthians 4:16 for 14:16 in 114), which the 1695 printing and the later ones all contradict, were corrected. catechisms/bc1695/WITNESSES.md has it all, question by question. Beddome’s Scriptural Exposition of it is beddome1752.

Spelling
As printed; modernized in bc1695-modernized
Commentaries
Benjamin Beddome, A Scriptural Exposition of the Baptist Catechism (1752), with each question
Side by side
The Shorter Catechism and the Baptist Catechism
Download
bc1695.json · 758 kB

Contents

  1. 1Who is the first and chiefest being?
  2. 2Ought everyone to believe there is a God?
  3. 3How may we know there is a God?
  4. 4What is the word of God?
  5. 5May all men make use of the holy scriptures?
  6. 6What things are chiefly contained in the holy scriptures?
  7. 7What is God?
  8. 8Are there more gods than one?
  9. 9How many persons are there in the Godhead?
  10. 10What are the decrees of God?
  11. 11How doth God execute his decrees?
  12. 12What is the work of creation?
  13. 13How did God create man?
  14. 14What are God’s works of providence?
  15. 15What special act of providence did God exercise towards man in the estate wherein he was created?
  16. 16Did our first parents continue in the estate wherein they were created?
  17. 17What is sin?
  18. 18What was the sin whereby our first parents fell from the estate wherein they were created?
  19. 19Did all mankind fall in Adam’s first transgression?
  20. 20Into what estate did the fall bring mankind?
  21. 21Wherein consists the sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell?
  22. 22What is the misery of that estate whereinto man fell?
  23. 23Did God leave all mankind to perish in the estate of sin and misery?
  24. 24Who is the Redeemer of God’s elect?
  25. 25How did Christ, being the Son of God become man?
  26. 26What offices doth Christ execute as our Redeemer?
  27. 27How doth Christ execute the office of a prophet?
  28. 28How doth Christ execute the office of a priest?
  29. 29How doth Christ execute the office of a king?
  30. 30Wherein did Christ’s humiliation consist?
  31. 31Wherein consisteth Christ’s exaltation?
  32. 32How are we made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ?
  33. 33How doth the Spirit apply to us the redemption purchased by Christ?
  34. 34What is effectual calling?
  35. 35What benefits do they that are effectually called partake of in this life?
  36. 36What is justification?
  37. 37What is adoption?
  38. 38What is sanctification?
  39. 39What are the benefits which in this life do accompany or flow from justification, adoption and sanctification?
  40. 40What benefits do believers receive from Christ at their death?
  41. 41What benefits do believers receive from Christ at the resurrection?
  42. 42But what shall be done to the wicked at their death?
  43. 43What shall be done to the wicked, at the day of judgment?
  44. 44What is the duty which God requireth of man?
  45. 45What did God at first reveal to man for the rule of his obedience?
  46. 46Where is the moral law summarily comprehended?
  47. 47What is the sum of the ten commandments?
  48. 48What is the preface to the ten commandments?
  49. 49What doth the preface to the ten commandments teach us?
  50. 50Which is the first commandment?
  51. 51What is required in the first commandment?
  52. 52What is forbidden in the first commandment?
  53. 53What are we especially taught by these words before me, in the first commandment?
  54. 54Which is the second commandment?
  55. 55What is required in the second commandment?
  56. 56What is forbidden in the second commandment?
  57. 57What are the reasons annexed to the second commandment?
  58. 58Which is the third commandment?
  59. 59What is required in the third commandment?
  60. 60What is forbidden in the third commandment?
  61. 61What is the reason annexed to the third commandment?
  62. 62Which is the fourth commandment?
  63. 63What is required in the fourth commandment?
  64. 64Which day of the seven hath God appointed to be the weekly Sabbath?
  65. 65How is the Sabbath to be sanctified?
  66. 66What is forbidden in the fourth commandment?
  67. 67What are the reasons annexed to the fourth commandment?
  68. 68Which is the fifth commandment?
  69. 69What is required in the fifth commandment?
  70. 70What is forbidden in the fifth commandment?
  71. 71What is the reason annexed to the fifth commandment?
  72. 72What is the sixth commandment?
  73. 73What is required in the sixth commandment?
  74. 74What is forbidden in the sixth commandment?
  75. 75Which is the seventh commandment?
  76. 76What is required in the seventh commandment?
  77. 77What is forbidden in the seventh commandment?
  78. 78Which is the eighth commandment?
  79. 79What is required in the eighth commandment?
  80. 80What is forbidden in the eighth commandment?
  81. 81Which is the ninth commandment?
  82. 82What is required in the ninth commandment?
  83. 83What is forbidden in the ninth commandment?
  84. 84Which is the tenth commandment?
  85. 85What is required in the tenth commandment?
  86. 86What is forbidden in the tenth commandment?
  87. 87Is any man able perfectly to keep the commandments of God?
  88. 88Are all transgressions of the law equally heinous?
  89. 89What doth every sin deserve?
  90. 90What doth God require of us that we may escape his wrath and curse, due to us for sin?
  91. 91What is faith in Jesus Christ?
  92. 92What is repentance unto life?
  93. 93What are the outward means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption?
  94. 94How is the word made effectual to salvation?
  95. 95How is the word to be read and heard, that it may become effectual to salvation?
  96. 96How do baptism and the Lord’s supper become effectual means of salvation?
  97. 97What is baptism?
  98. 98To whom is baptism to be administered?
  99. 99Are the infants of such as are professing believers to be baptized?
  100. 100How is Baptism rightly administered?
  101. 101What is the duty of such who are rightly baptized?
  102. 102What is the Lord’s supper?
  103. 103Who are the proper subjects of this ordinance?
  104. 104What is required to the worthy receiving of the Lord’s supper?
  105. 105What is prayer?
  106. 106What rule hath God given for our direction in prayer?
  107. 107What doth the preface of the Lord’s prayer teach us?
  108. 108What do we pray for in the first petition?
  109. 109What do we pray for in the second petition?
  110. 110What do we pray for in the third petition?
  111. 111What do we pray for in the fourth petition?
  112. 112What do we pray for in the fifth petition?
  113. 113What do we pray for in the sixth petition?
  114. 114What doth the conclusion of the Lord’s prayer teach us?