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any pretend unto without the word, is but darknefs, in which whofoever walketh, he must needs ftumble and fall into the ditch. Ifa. viii. 20. To the law and to the tefti. mony; if they speak not according to this word, it is becaufe there is no light in them.'

2. Whatever spirit any have, which leadeth them against, or befides the rule of the fcriptures, it is not the fpirit of God, and of truth, but a spirit of error and delufion. The feripture telleth us plainly, that fuch as hear not the apoftles fpeaking in the word, are acted by an erroneous fpirit. 1. John iv. 1, 6. Beloved, believe not every spirit but try the fpirits whether they are of God, because many falfe prophets are gone out into the world. We are of God, he that knoweth God, heareth us; he that is not of God, heareth us not; hereby know we the fpirit of truth and the spirit of error.'

III. Queft. What do the fcriptures principally teach ?

Anf. The fcriptures principally teach, what man is to believe concerning God, and what duty God requireth of

man.

Q1What is it to believe?

A. To believe, is to affent or give credit to truths, be caufe of the authority of another.

Q. 2. What is it to believe what the fcriptures teach ?

A. To believe that which the feriptures teach, is to affent or give credit to the truth thereof, because of the authority of God, whofe word the fcriptures are; this is divine faith.

Q. 3. What is implied in the things concerning God, which the fcriptures teach ?

A. In the things concerning God, which the feriptures teach, is implied all points of faith, as it is divine.

Q4. Are Chriftians to believe nothing as a point of faith, but what the fcriptures teach ?:

A. No. Becaufe, no other book of the world is divine authority but the fcriptures, and therefore not abfolutely infallible.

Q5. What is meant by the duty which God requireth of

man?

A. By the duty which God requireth of man, we are to understand that which is God's due, or that which we

owe to God, and are bound to do, as we are creatures, and fubjects, and children.

Q. 6. Are we bound to nothing in point of practice, but what is required in the fcriptures ?

A. No. Because the laws and commandments of God in the fcriptures are fo exceeding large and extensive, that they reach both the inward and outward man, and whole converfation; fo that nothing is lawful for us to do, except it be directly or confequentially prescribed in the word.

Q.7. How do the foriptures teach matters of faith and practice ?

A. The fcriptures reach the matters of faith and prac tice, by revealing these things externally; but it is the Spirit of God only, in the fcriptures, which can teach them internally and effectually unto falvation.

Q.8. Why are the fcriptures faid principally to teach what man is to believe concerning God, and what duty God requireth of man?

A. Because though all things taught in the fcriptures are alike true, having the ftamp of divine authority upon them; yet all things in the fcriptures are not alike neceffary and ufeful. Thofe things which man is bound to believe and do, as neceflary to falvation, are the things which the fcriptures do principally teach..

IV. Queft. What is God?

Anfw. God is a Spirit, infinite,, eternal, unchangeable, in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, juftice, goodness, and truth.

Q. 1. What kind of fubftance is God?

A. God is a Spirit. John iv. 24. God is a Spirit, and they that worship him, must worship him in spirit and in truth."

Q. 2. What is a Spirit?

A. A fpirit is an immaterial substance, without flesh or bones, or bodily parts. Luke xxiv. 39.

Behold my hands, and my feet, that it is I myfelf; handle me and fee, for a fpirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye fee me have.” Q: 3. How is God faid then in fcripture to have eyes, and! ears, and mouth and hands, and other parts. Pfal. xxxiv. 15. "The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are

open unto their cry.'

Ifa. i. 20.

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The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.' Heb. x. 31. It is a fearful thing to fall in the hands of the living God.'

A. Thefe and the like bodily parts are not in God properly, as they be in men ; but figuratively, and after the manner of men, he is pleased to condefcend (in expreffing himself thereby) to our weak capacities, that we might the more eafily conceive of him by fuch resemblances.

Q. 4. How doth God differ from angels and the fouls of men, who alfo are fpiritual and immaterial substances ?

A. 1. Angels and the fouls of men are created spirits, and depend in their being upon God; but God is an uncreated fpirit, and dependeth in his being upon none. 2. Angels and the fouls of men are finite fpirits; but God is an infinite fpirit.

Q.5. What is it to be infinite?

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A. To be infinite, is to be without measure, bounds, or limits.

Q.6. In what regard is God infinite?

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A. 1. God is infinite, or without bounds, in regard of his being and perfection; and therefore is incomprehenfible. Job xi. 7. Canft thou by fearching find out God? Canft thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? 2. God is infinite, and without méafure and bounds, in regard of place; and therefore he is every where prefent. Jer. xxiii. 24. Can any hide himself in secret places, that I shall not see him, faith the Lord: Do not I fill heaven and earth? And yet neither the earth, nor the heavens, nor the heaven of heavens, is able to contain him, 1 Kings, viii. 27. 3. God is infinite, or without measure and bounds, in regard of time; and therefore he is eternal. 1 Tim, i. 17. Now unto the king eternal, immortal, invifible, the only wife God, be honor and glory, for ever and ever. Amen.' 4. God is infinite, or without meafure and bounds, in regard of all his communicable attributes.

Q. 7. What is it to be eternal.

A. Tobe eternal, is to have neither beginning nor ending.
Q.8. How doth it appear that God is eternal?
A. 1. From fcripture. Pfal. xc. 2.

Before the moun

tains were brought forth, or ever thou hadft formed the

earth or the world even from everlasting to everlasting thou art God.'

2. From reafon. 1. God gave a being to the world, and all things therein, at the beginning of time; therefore he must needs be before the world, and before time, and therefore from everlasting. 2. God is an abfolutely neceffary being, becaufe the first being, becaufe altogether independent, and beyond the reach of any power to put an end to him; therefore he is unchangeable; therefore to verlafting he is God.

Q. 9. How doth God differ from his creatures, in regard of his eternity?

A. 1. Some creatures have their beginning with time, and their ending with time; as the heavens and the foundations of the earth. 2. Some creatures have their be ginning in time, and their ending also in time; as thofe creatures upon the earth, which are generated and cor rupted, which are born, and live for a while, and then die. 3. Some creatures have their beginning in time,. yet do not end with or in time, but endure forever; as angels and the fouls of men. 4. But God differeth from all, in that he was from everlasting, before time, and will remain unto everlasting, when time shall be no more. Q. 10. What is it to be unchangeable?

A. To be unchangeable, is to be always the fame, without any alteration.

Q. 11. In what regard is God unchangeable?

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A. . God is unchangeable in regard of his nature and effence. Pfal. cii. 25, 26, 27. Of old thou haft laid the foundations of the earth; and the heavens are the work of thine hands. They fhall perish, but thou fhalt endure they fhall be changed, but thou art the fame.' z. God is unchangeable in regard of his counsel and purpofe. Ifa. xlvi. 1o. My counfel fhall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.' Heb. vi. 17. Wherein God willing to fhew the immutability of his counfel.' 3. God is unchangeable in regard of his love and fpecial favors.. Rom. xi., 29.. The gifts and calling of God are without repentance. James i. 17. Every good gift, and every perfect gift, is from above, and cometh down from the father of lights, with whom is no variablenefs, neither fhadow of turning.'

Q. 12. How is God faid to be infinite, eternal, unchangeable in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, juftice, goodness and truth?

A. 1. In that being, wisdom, power, holiness, juftice, goodness, and truth, which are communicable unto, and may be in fome degree and measure found in the crea tures, they are in God, infinitely, eternally and unchangeably, and fo altogether in an incommunicable manner. 1. Creatures have a being, but it is a finite being; a being in time, a changeable being: God's being is infinite, eternal and unchangeable. 2. Creatures may have wifdom, but it is finite and imperfect wifdom: God's wisdom is infinite and abfolutely perfect. 3. Creatures may have fome power, but it is finite and limited power, such as may be taken away; they may have power to do fomething dependingly upon God: but God is infinite in power, he is omnipotent, and can do all things independently, without the help of any. 4. Creatures may have fome holinefs, and juftice, and goodness, and truth; but all these are qualities in them; they are finite, and in an inferior degree, and they are fubject to change: but these things are effence in God, they are infinite and perfect in him; his holiness is infinite, his juftice is infinite, his goodness is infinite, his truth is infinite; and all these are eternally in him, without any variableness or poffibility of change.

Q.13. What is the wisdom of God?

A. The wifdom of God is his effential property, whereby by one fimple and eternal act, he knoweth both himfelf and all poffible things perfectly, and according to which he maketh, directeth, and ordereth all future things for his own glory.

Q. 14. Wherein doth the wisdom of God appear?

A. 1. God's wisdom doth appear in his perfect knowledge of all poffible things, all past things, all prefent things, all future things, in their natures, caufes, virtues, and operations; and that not by relation, obfervation, or induction of reafon, as men know fome things; but by one fimple and eternal act of his understanding. Pfal. cxlvii 5. His understanding is infinite.' Pfal. cxxxix. 1, 6. ‘O Lord, thou haft fearched me and known me: fuch

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