Parents want to bring up their children to understand the ways of the Lord, but where can we start? As well as telling them who God is and what Jesus did, we also want them to learn the patterns and rhythms of the Christian life. According to Thomas Wilson, a preacher in Maidstone who was a member of the Westminster Assembly, this includes the things we practice in a community of others of the Lord’s people — a Christian church. These concepts are not to be seen as beyond children and young people’s ability to grasp, but rather things it is entirely expected for them to be familiarised with. Thomas Wilson drew up a set of questions and answers to help our young theologians understand the Christian faith and life. He called it “The Child’s Trade” and described it as the basics of the doctrine of Christ, by which “babies may have milk, children may have bread, and those who are in darkness may have a candle.” In his catechism he introduced the key teachings of theology in brief and accessible terms, including, in the following updated extract, how godliness is to be practiced both in our own personal devotions and in a churchly way.

What may the godly look for in their way?
Many afflictions (Acts 14:22).

What is our comfort in afflictions?
All is working for good (Rom. 8:28).

What is our help against Satan?
God will tread him down (Rom. 16:20).

What is our help against sin?
God’s grace will be sufficient (2 Cor. 12:9).

What is our support when people reproach us?
The great reward in heaven (Matt. 5:12).

What is our supply in infirmities?
God will be sparing (Mal. 3:17).

Where there is true grace, what should be done?
Grace should increase more and more (1 Thess. 4:1).

The Word

What is the first means of growth in grace?
The Word of God (1 Pet. 2:2).

How must the Word be used?
Hear it with an honest heart (Luke 8:15).

How is the Word to be used on our own?
Meditate on it day and night (Psa. 1:1–2).

How is the Word to be used in company?
Discuss and talk together of it (Deut. 6:7).

Prayer

What is another means of growth in grace?
Prayer in the Holy Spirit (Jude 20).

What is prayer?
Pouring out the heart to God (Psa. 62:8).

What are the parts of prayer?
Petition and thanksgiving (Phil. 4:6).

What is petition?
Asking for something which we lack (Matt. 7:7).

What is thanksgiving?
Praising God for His goodness to us (Psa. 50:15).

When must we pray?
Continually (1 Thess. 5:17).

How must we pray?
With expectant watching (Col. 4:2).

Where must we pray?
In every place (1 Tim. 2:8).

What is the first kind of prayer are we to make?
Public in the congregation (Psa. 56:7).

What is the second kind of prayer?
Together in our family (Jer. 10:25).

What is the third kind of prayer?
Personal, on our own in private (Matt. 6:6).

To whom must we pray?
To God alone (Psa. 65:2).

By whom must we pray?
In Christ’s name (John 14:13).

What is the help to prayer?
God’s Spirit (Rom. 8:26).

For whom must we pray?
For all sorts of people (1 Tim. 2:1).

What is the pattern of prayer?
The Lord’s prayer (Matt. 6:9).

What supports us in prayer?
God’s goodness and greatness — He is a Father in heaven (Luke 11:2).

Who can pray?
Only the child of God can truly pray (Rom. 8:15).

What is the principal grace in prayer?
Faith to believe God that will grant (Mark 11:24).

The Lord’s prayer

What are the chief desires we may express in prayer?
Those in the six petitions in the Lord’s prayer (Luke 11:2–4).

What do we desire in the first petition?
God to be glorified (Matt. 6:9).

What do we desire in the second petition?
That God may rule, and sin not reign (Matt. 6:10).

What do we desire in the third petition?
God’s will to be done, and not ours (Matt. 6:10).

What do we desire in the fourth petition?
All things needful for this life (Matt. 6:11).

What do we desire in the fifth petition?
To be justified (Matt. 6:12).

What do we desire in the sixth petition?
To be freed from the dominion of sin (Matt. 6:13).

What are we to do after prayer?
Hearken to what God says (Psa. 85:8).

What if He does not answer straight away?
Wait on His name (Psa. 52:9).

What if it is a long time before He answers?
Do not faint (Luke 18:1).

What should we do in the meantime?
Knock (Matt. 7:7).

What can we expect while we knock?
The door shall be opened (Matt. 7:8).

The sacraments

What is another means to grow in grace?
The sacraments (1 Cor. 12:13).

Do the sacraments produce grace?
No, but they confirm it where it is (Rom. 4:11).

What is a sacrament?
God’s seal of His covenant (Gen. 17:9–11).

What is the covenant?
“I will be your God, and you shall be my sons and daughters” (2 Cor. 6:18).

Why is it a seal?
To help faith (Rom. 4:11).

Who gave this help?
The Lord gave the sign (1. Cor. 11:23).

Why did God give a sign?
Because we are slow to grasp heavenly things (1 Cor. 10:16).

How many sacraments are there?
Two, baptism and the Lord’s supper (1 Cor. 12:13).

Who may administer the sacraments?
Someone who is called to the ministry and no one else (Heb. 5:4).

Baptism

What is baptism?
The sacrament of our new birth (Tit. 3:5).

What is outward in baptism?
Washing with water (Matt. 28:19).

What is inward in baptism?
Cleansing by the blood of Christ (Rev. 1:5).

Will outward baptism save us?
No, but Christ’s blood sprinkled will (1 Pet. 3:21).

Why are we baptised in the name of the Trinity?
To assure our communion with them (Matt. 28:19).

Why are infants baptised?
The promise is to them (Acts 2:39).

How often are we to be baptised?
Once, just as it is enough to be new born once (1 Cor.1:16).

May someone be saved even if they die before they are baptised?
Yes, by virtue of the covenant (Acts 2:39).

May someone be damned even if they have been baptised?
Yes, if they do not believe (Mark 16:16).

What does baptism oblige us to do?
To repent and believe (Mark 1:15).

What is our part in baptism?
To die to sin, and live to newness of life (Rom. 6:3–4).

When is all this assured to us?
When we believe (Heb. 10:22).

The Lord’s supper

What is the Lord’s supper?
A sacrament of our nourishment in Christ (1 Cor. 10:16).

What does the Lord’s supper add to baptism?
The covenant made in baptism is renewed (1 Chron. 34:32).

What is the outward sign in the Lord’s supper?
The elements and actions (1 Cor. 11:23–25).

What is the inward reality it signifies?
All Christ’s benefits and merits (1 Cor. 10:16).

What are the elements?
Bread and wine (1 Cor. 11:28).

What does the bread signify?
Christ’s body (Matt. 26:26).

What does the wine signify?
Christ’s blood (Matt. 26:28).

What actions are we to observe?
Those of the ministers and the receivers (1 Cor. 11:24–25).

What does the minister consecrating the elements show?
God blessing Christ and setting Him apart to be a Mediator (John 6:27).

What is signified by breaking the bread and pouring out the wine?
The bruising of Christ’s body and the shedding of His blood (1 Cor. 11:24–25).

What is signified by the minister giving the elements?
God offering Christ, and giving Him truly to all believers (John 6:32).

What is signified by the receivers taking the bread and wine?
Receiving Christ by faith (John 1:12).

What is signified by the eating and drinking?
Applying Christ particularly to myself (Gal. 2:20).

When should we receive the Lord’s supper?
Not once, but often (1 Cor. 11:26).

Why should we come to the Lord’s supper?
Because Christ’s command is, “Do this” (1 Cor. 11:24–25).

What profit do we get by the Lord’s supper?
Christ’s promise is, “This this is my body and blood (that is, a sign and seal of it), given and shed for you” (Mark 14:22–24).

Who may come to the Lord’s supper?
Those who examine themselves (1 Cor. 11:28).

What must we examine ourselves about first?
Our knowledge and spiritual understanding (1 Cor. 11:29).

What the second thing to examine?
Our faith (2 Cor. 13:5).

What the third thing to examine?
Our repentance (Matt. 3:8).

What the fourth thing to examine?
Our love (1 Cor. 10:17).

What if these graces are missing?
Then the person would come to the Lord’s supper unworthily (1 Cor. 11:29).

What is the danger of coming unworthily?
We become guilty of the body and blood of the Lord (1 Cor. 11:27).

Is it enough to simply come?
No. If we do not discern the Lord’s body, we eat and drink damnation to ourselves (1 Cor. 11:29).

What is meant by discerning the Lord’s body?
Knowing and believing the spiritual presence of Christ’s body and blood, which is signified, sealed and really given by God in this sacrament (1 Cor. 11:24–25).

What if someone’s faith and grace are weak?
Then they should come to the Lord’s supper to get strength (Matt. 11:28).

What should we do while sitting at the Lord’s supper?
Meditate on Christ’s death (1 Cor. 11:26).

What should we do after the Lord’s supper?
Live, not in sin, but in sincerity and truth (1 Cor. 5:8).

Things that crop up from time to time

What is to be done about those whose life brings reproach to the gospel?
Warn them (1 Thess. 5:14).

What if they do not amend their ways?
Note them and have no company with them (2 Thess. 3:14).

If someone has been justly excommunicated, what is their situation?
They have been delivered up to Satan (1 Cor. 5:5).

What if an excommunicated person repents?
Then we are to confirm our love towards them (2 Cor. 2:8).

What is to be done in situations of extraordinary need?
Fast, to assist our spirits before God in prayer (Joel 2:12).

What is to be done when we have marvellous mercies?
Feast, for public thanksgiving (Est. 9:22).

What is to be done if we find our hearts inconstant?
Vow obedience, and by serious promise testify our love to God (Psa. 119:106).

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