THE TEN COMMANDMENTS by Thomas Watson (1620 - 1686)
Thomas Watson was an offical signer of the Westminster Standards ...more
Contents (with questions covered in each section)
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Obedience
What is the duty which God requireth of man?
What is the rule of obedience?
What are the ingredients in our obedience that make it
acceptable?
Whence is it that men do not obey God? They know their duty,
but do it not.
What means shall we use that we may obey?
1.2 Love
What is the sum of the Ten Commandments?
What is love?
What is the antecedent of love to God?
Wherein does the formal nature of love consist?
How must our love to God be qualified?
What are the visible signs of our love to God?
What shall we do in order to love God aright?
1.3 The Preface to the Commandments
What is the preface to the Ten Commandments?
How are we to understand that, God spake, since he has no
bodily parts or organs of speech?
But what man can obey all God's commandments?
How comes God to be our God?
What is implied by God being our God?
How may we know that by covenant union, God is our God?
Why does the Lord mention the deliverance of Israel out of
Egypt?
Wherein does it appear to be so great a blessing to be
delivered from places of idolatry?
Why is it that we are prone to idolatry?
Why does God let his people be in the house of bondage or in an
afflicted state?
How do the afflictions of the godly differ from the afflictions
of the wicked?
How are they happy?
In what manner does God deliver his people out of trouble?
When are the times and seasons that God usually delivers his
people out of the bondage of affliction?
Why does God bring his people out of the house of bondage?
How may it be known that a deliverance comes in love?
How does it seem to comport with God's justice to punish a sin
committed in a moment, with eternal torment?
How shall I know I am delivered from hell?
1.4 The Right Understanding of the Law
What is the difference between the moral law and the gospel?
But is the moral law still in force to believers; is it not
abolished to them?
How was Christ made a curse for us?
How and in what sense may we be said to partake of, and have a
hand in the sins of others?
2. THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
2.1 The First Commandment
Why is the commandment in the second person singular, Thou? Why
does not God say, You shall have no other gods?
Why must use cleave to the Lord as our God?
What is meant by the words, Before me?
2.2 The Second Commandment
But did not Moses make the image of a brazen serpent? Why,
then, may not images be set up?
But is not God represented as having hands, and eyes, and cars?
Why nay we not, then, make an image to represent him, and help our
devotion?
If it be not lawful to make the image of God the Father, yet
may we not make an image of Christ, who took upon him the nature of
man?
But how shall we conceive of God aright, if we may not make any
image or resemblance of him?
What are the properties of God's mercy?
In how many ways is God said to show mercy?
How may I know that my sins are pardoned?
How shall we know it belongs to us?
How shall we get a share in God's special mercy?
How must our love to God be characterised?
How may we know whether we love God?
What means should be used to excite our love to God?
But why must faith be mixed with obedience to the commandments?
But who can keep all his commandments?
How shall we keep God's commandments?
2.3 The Third Commandment
How do we speak against God?
2.4 The Fourth Commandment
Why has God appointed a Sabbath?
How comes it to pass that we do not keep the seventh-day
Sabbath as it was in the primitive institution, but have changed it
to another day?
But how comes the first day in the week to be substituted in
the room of the seventh day?
Whence do these roving and distracting thoughts in hearing
come?
How shall we get rid of these vagabond thoughts?
I am as bad as ever! Why then do I labour in vain?
2.5 The Fifth Commandment
How should parents so act towards their children as to be
honoured and reverenced by them?
2.6 The Sixth Commandment
How many ways is murder committed?
What are the aggravations of this sin of murder?
How can we have our souls saved?
2.7 The Seventh Commandment
Wherein appears the greatness of this sin?
How does the Lord show his abhorrence of the adulterer?
How shall we know our souls are pure?
2.8 The Eighth Commandment
What are the aggravations of this sin?
What is to be done to avoid stealing?
2.9 The Ninth Commandment
How can you converse or bargain with a man when you cannot trust a word he says?
2.10 The Tenth Commandment
What is it to covet?
What means should we use to keep us from coveting that which is
our neighbour's?
3. THE LAW AND SIN
3.1 Man's Inability to keep the Moral Law
Is any man able perfectly to keep the commandments of God?
If a man has no power to keep the whole moral law, why does God
require it of him? Is this justice?
Why does God permit such an inability in man to keep the law?
What comfort may be given to a regenerate person under the
failures and imperfections of his obedience?
3.2 Degrees of Sin
Are all transgressions of the law equally heinous?
What is the sin of presumption, which heightens and aggravates
sin, and makes it more heinous?
How many ways may a man sin against illuminations and
convictions?
3.3 The Wrath of God
What does every sin deserve?
What is this wrath?
How does it consist with God's justice to punish sin, which
perhaps was committed in a moment, with eternal fire?
What shall we do to prevent and escape the wrath to come?
Who would not be willing to bear the wrath of man that knows he
shall never feel the wrath of God?
4. THE WAY OF SALVATION
4.1 Faith
What does God require of us, that we may escape his wrath and
curse due to us for our sin?
How comes faith to be so precious?
4.2 Repentance
But my sins are so great, that if I should repent, God would
not pardon them!
4.3 The Word
How may the word be read effectually?
How may we hear the word that it may be effectual and saving to
our souls?
4.4 Baptism
What are the sacraments in general?
Is not the word of God sufficient to salvation? What need then
is there of sacraments?
What are the sacraments of the New Testament?
What is baptism?
What is meant by the parent when he presents his child to be
baptised?
What is the benefit of baptism?
Is this all the benefit?
How does it appear that children have a right to baptism?
But what benefit can the child have of baptism if it understand
not the nature of baptism?
The party to be baptised is to be engaged to God; but how can
the child enter into such an engagement?
4.5 The Lord's Supper
What is the Lord's supper?
What are the ends of the Lord's supper?
In what manner are we to remember the Lord's death in the
sacrament?
Why are we to receive this holy supper?
Should the Lord's supper be often administered?
Are all to come promiscuously to this holy ordinance?
What is required for this self-examination?
What is self-examination?
What is the rule by which we are to examine ourselves?
What are the principal reasons for self-examination before we
approach the Lord's supper?
What must we examine?
4.6 Prayer
What is prayer?
Why must prayer be made to God only?
What are the several parts of prayer?
What are the several sorts of prayer?
How shall we cure these vain impertinent thoughts, which
distract us in prayer, and, we fear, hinder its acceptance?