A. It appears in the creation of the world; Rom. i. 20. For the invifible things of him, from the creation of the world, are clearly feen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead And its fuftentation; Heb. i. 3. Who upholdeth all things by the word of his power.

Q. 3. Did God's power ever act its utmost?

A. No; he can do more than ever be did, or ever will do; Matth. iii. 9. God is able of thefe ftones to raise up children unto Abraham, . Matth. xxvi. 53.

Q. 4. Are there not fome things which God cannot do?

A. Yes, there are; but they are fuch things as are inconsistent with his truth and holiness; Tit. i. 2.— which God, that cannot lie; 2 Tim. ii. 13. He cannot deny himself.

-

Q. 5. What is the first thing inferred from God's power?

A. That all the creatures neceffarily depend on him for what ability they have; and without the permiffion of the fupreme power

1 they can do us no hurt; John xix. 11. Thou couldeft have no power against me, except it were given thee from above.

Q. 6. What is the fecond inference from hence?

A. That the difficulties which lie in the way of the promises need be no ftumbling-blocks to our faith; Rom. iv. 20, 21. He staggered not at the promises through unbelief, being fully perfuaded, that what he had promifed he was able alfe to perform.

Q. 7. What is the third inference from this attribute?

A. The faints need not to be feared at the greatnefs of their fufferings; their God can carry them through; Dan. iii. 17. Our God, whom we ferve, is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace. Q. 8. What is the fourth inference;

A. That the falvation of God's people is certain, whatever their dangers be, being kept by this mighty power; 1 Pet. i. 5. Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto falvation.

Q.9. What is the laft inference hence?

A. That the ftate of the damned is inconceivably miferable; their punishment proceeding from the glory of the Almighty; 2 Theff. i. 2. Who fhall be punished with everlafting deftruction, from the prefence of the Lord, and the glory of his power.

Quest. I.

Of God's Holiness.

OW manifold is the holiness of God?

HOW

A. The holinefs of God is twofold; communicable, or incommunicable; of his communicable holiness the apoftle fpeaks, Heb. xii. 10. But he, for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Of his incommunicable holiness that fcripture fpeaks, 1 Sam. ii. 2. There is none holy as the Lord.

Q. 2. What is the effential and incommunicable holiness of God? A. It is the infinite purity of his nature, whereby he delights in his own holiness, and the resemblance of it in his creatures, and hates all

mpurity; Hab. i. 13. Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canft not look on iniquity.

Q. 3. What is the first property of God's holiness?

A. He is effentially holy: Holiness is not a feparable quality in God, as it is in angels and men; but his being and his holiness are one thing.

Q4. What is the fecond property of God's holiness?

4. God is effentially holy, the author and fountain of all communicated holiness; Lev. xx. 8. I am the Lord which fanctifieth you. Q. 5. What is the third property?

4. That the holiness of God is the perfect rule and pattern of holinefs to all creatures; 1 Pet. i. 16. Be ye holy, for I am holy. Q. 6. What is the first instruction?

A. That the holiest of men have cause to be ashamed and humbled when they come before God; Ifa. vi. 3, 5. And one cried unto another, faying, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of his glory. Then faid I, Woe is me, for I am undone, because I am a man of unclean lips, &c.

Q. 7. What is the second inftruction of God's holiness?

A. That there is no coming near to God without a Mediator; for our God is a consuming fire.

Q. 8. What is the third inftruction from God's holiness?

A. That holiness is indifpenfibly neceffary, to all thofe which fhall dwell with him in heaven; Heb. xii. 14. And holiness, without which no man fhall fee the Lord.

Q. 9. What is the fourth inftruction from hence?

A. That the gofpel is of ineftimable value, as it is the instrument of conveying the holiness of God to us; 2 Cor. iii. 18. But we all with open face, beholding as it were in a glafs the glory of the Lord, are changed into the fame image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord: John xvii. 17. Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth.

10. What is the last instruction from God's holiness?

4. That all the defpifers of, and fcoffers at, holiness, are defpifers of God; for holiness is the very nature of God; and in the creature it is his reprefented image.

Quest. 1.

Of God's Justice.

HAT is the juftice of God?

WHAT 4. The juftice of God is the perfect rectitude

and equity of his nature; whereby he is just in himself, and in all his ways towards the creatures; Deut. xxxii. 4. He is the rock, his work is perfect; for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth, and without iniquity: juft and right is he.

Q. 2. What is the firft property of God's juftice?

A. That it infinitely excels all human juftice in the perfection of VOL. VI.

U

it. No creature can compare in juftice with God; Job ix. 2: How fhall man be just with God?

Q. 3. What is the fecond property of God's juftice?

A. That he is univerfally righteous in all his adminstrations in the world; Pfal. cxlv. 17. The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.

Q. 4. What was the greatest demonstration of the justice of God, that ever was given to the world?

A. The greateft evidence that ever was given of the juftice of God, was in his exacting full fatisfaction for our fins of Chrift; Rom. iii. 25, 26. Whom God hath fet forth, to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteoufnefs for the remiffion of fins that are past, through the forbearance of God. To declare, I say, at this time, his righteoufnefs, that he might be juft, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jefus, Rom. viii. 32. He fpared not his own fon, but delivered him up for us all.

Q. 5. What is the fecond difcovery of God's juftice?

A. The fecond discovery of the justice of God, is in the eternal punishment of fin in hell, upon all that do not repent, and come to Chrift by faith, in this world; Rom. ii. 5. But after thy hardness and impenitent heart, treafureft up unto thyfelf wrath against the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgment of God. Q. 6. What is the third evidence of God's juftice?

i.

A. The third evidence of the juftice of God, is in making good all the mercies he hath promised to believers, exactly to a tittle; 1 John 9. If we confefs our fins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our fins, and to cleanfe us from all unrighteousness, 2 Tim. iv. 8. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteoufnefs, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me at that day.

7. What is the first inference from God's justice?

A. That finners have no caufe to complain of God's judgments, though they be never fo terrible or durable; Rom. ii. 5. But after thy hardness, and impenitent heart, treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgment of God.

Q. 8. What is the second inference from God's justice?

A. That without doubt there is a judgment to come in the next life, otherwise God would not have the glory of his juftice; Ecclef. iii. 16, 17. I faw under the fun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteoufnefs, that iniquity was there; I faid in mine heart, God fhall judge the righteous, and the wicked.

O. 9. What is the third inference from God's juftice?

A. That penitent and believing finners need not doubt of the forgiveness of their fins; 1 John i. 9. If we confefs our fins he is faithful and juft to forgive us our fins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteoufnefs.

Q. 10. What is the laft inference from it?

A. The laft inference is, that meekness and patience under afflictions, is our unquestionable duty; and murmuring against God, is a great fin and evil; Lam. iii. 39. Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his fins?

Of God's Goodness.

Queft. 1. WHAT is the goodness of God?

A. It is an effential property of his nature, whereby he is abfolutely and perfectly good in himfelf, and the fountain of all communicated goodness to the creature; Pfal. cxix. 68. Thou art good, and doft good, teach me thy ftatutes.

Q. 2. How doth the goodnefs of God differ from the mercy of God?

4. It differs in its objects; for mifery is the object of mercy; but goodness extends to the creatures that are happy, as well as miferable, as the angels; Pfal. cxlv. 9. The Lord is good to all, and his tender mercies are over all his works.

Q. 3. what is the first property of God's goodness?

A. That all his other attributes flow out of it as their fountain : the other acts of God are but the effluxes of his goodnets; Exod. xxxiii. 19. And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee, and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will fhew mercy unto whom I will fhew mercy. Exod. xxxiv. 6. And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-fuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth.

Q4. What is the secondary property of the divine goodness? 4. That it is fupreme and perfect in itself, fo as the goodness of no creature is, or can be; Luke xviii. 19. None is gone fave one, and that is God: And confequently above all additions from the creature; Pfal. xvi. 2. O my foul, thou haft faid unto the Lord, My goodness extendeth not unto thee.

2.5. What is the third property of God's goodness?

A. That it is communicative with pleasure and delight to the creature: no mother draws out her breast to an hungry child with more pleafure than God doth his goodness to the faints; Pfal. cxlv. 9 The Lord is good to all, and his tender mercies are over all his works. Q. 6. In what acts hath God manifelied his goodness?

A. He hath manifefted it in the creation and government of the world; Pfal. civ. 24. O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wifdom haft thou made them all.

Q. 7. What was the principal work in which God hath manifested his goodness to men?

4. The principal manifeftation of God's goodnefs was in the work of redemption by Chrift; Rom. v. 8. God commended his love towards us, in that while we were yet finners, Chrift died for us. I John iv. 9. In this was manifefted the love of God towards us, be

cause that God fent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

Q. 8. But are not the judgments of God on the wicked, and his afflictions on the faints, impeachments of his goodness.

A. No; it is the property of goodness to hate and punish evil in the impenitent; Exod. xxxiv. 7. Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, and tranfgreffion, and fin, and that will by no means clear the guilty, &c. And the affliction of the faints flow from his goodness, and end in their true and eternal good; Heb. xii. 6. For whom the Lord loveth he chafteneth, and fcourgeth every fon whom he receiveth, Pfal. cxix. 71. It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy ftatutes.

Q. 9. What may we infer from the goodness of God?

A. The first thing is, that fin hath made our natures bafe and dif ingenuous, in that we take no notice of his goodness; Ifa. i. 3. The ox knoweth his owner, and the afs his master's crib; but Ifrael doth not know, my people doth not confider, and answer not the defign of it; Rom. ii. 4. Not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance.

Q. 10. What is the fecond inference from the goodness of God? 4. That therefore God is the fittest object of our delight and love, and of our trust and confidence. (1.) Of our delight and love; Pfal. cxvi. 1. I love the Lord, because he hath heard my voice, and my fupplications. (2.) Of our truft and confidence; Pfal. xxxiv. 8. O tafte and fee that the Lord is good; bleffed is the man that trusteth in him.

Q. 11. What is the third inference from God's goodness? A. That Chriftians should imitate God in his goodness, in love to our enemies; Matth. v. 44, 45. But I fay unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curfe you, do good to them that hate you, pray for them which defpitefully use them, and perfecute you, that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven.

Q. 12. What is the laft inference from God's goodness?

A. That Chriftians have great encouragement to go to God for pardon in cafe of fin; Pfal. cxxx. 4. But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared; and for refuge in dangers. The Lord is good, a ftrong hold in the day of trouble; he knoweth them that trust in him, Nahum i. 7.

Queft. I.

Of God's Truth.

THAT is the truth of God?

WH

A. It is an effential property of his nature, whereby he is perfectly faithful in himfelf, and in all that he hath fpoken; Deut. xxxii. 4. He is the rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are judgment; a God of truth, and without iniquity, juft and right is he, Pfal. cxix. 142. Thy righteoufnefs is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth,