The Westminster Confession of Faith (1646)
 Whole Text

Written by the Westminster Assembly at the call of Parliament together with the Larger and Shorter catechisms and heavily influenced by Reynolds. It is written in the context of the English Civil War and as a response to high church Anglicanism. The central doctrines of this and the following two catechisms are the sovereignty of God and the authority and proper interpretation of Scripture.

• Chapter-by-chapter summary of the Confession by Dr. James Bordwine
  Windows on Westminster from C.A.P.O.
  Westminster Confession by Presbyterian Reformed Church

The Westminster Confession affirms God's work from its beginning in creation to its end in resurrection and last judgment. God is first, last, and preeminent in all things. God's people are to understand and bring their lives into accord with God's wondrous ways and magnificent will.

The confession begins with God's self-revelation in Scripture: God is the "one living and true God, infinite in being and perfection, invisible, immutable, immense, eternal, incomprehensible, almighty, most wise, most holy, most free, most absolute." Out of nothing, God created all that is, including humans, whom God upholds, directs, and governs. Humans, however, did not remain in blessed harmony with God's will. Sin's intervention, which God permitted but did not cause, resulted in corruption of the human condition and of humans' relationship to God. Yet, God has made a covenant of grace with humans; through Christ, relationship to God is restored. The Christian life--and glory--prepares for God's predetermined end of mercy (salvation of the elect) and of justice (damnation of the reprobate).