Westminster Assembly

This painting by John Rogers Herbert depicts a particularly controversial speech before the Assembly by Philip Nye against presbyterian church government

The Westminster Assembly of Divines (1643–1653) was a council of theologians (or "divines") and members of the English Parliament appointed to restructure the Church of England.

Quotes

Confession of Faith

• The books commonly called Apocrypha, not being of divine inspiration, are no part of the canon of the Scripture, and therefore are of no authority in the Church of God, nor to be any otherwise approved, or made use of, than other human writings.
  • Ch. 1, sect. 3

• God hath all life, glory, goodness, blessedness, in and of Himself; and is alone in and unto Himself all-sufficient, not standing in need of any creatures which He hath made, nor deriving any glory from them, but only manifesting His own glory in, by, unto, and upon them.
  • Ch. 2, sect. 2

Shorter Catechism

• Q. What is the chief end of man?
  A. Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever.
  • 1

• Q. What is God?
  A. God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth.
  • 4

• Q. What is sin?
  A. Sin is any want of conformity unto, or transgression of, the law of God.
  • 14