Q. 15. What is the work of creation? A. The work of creation is that wherein God did in the beginning, by the word of his power, make of nothing, the world and all things therein for himself, within the space of six days, and all very good. (1)

Q. 16. How did God create angels?

A. God created all the angels (2) spirits, (3) immortal, (4) holy, (5) excelling in knowledge, (6) mighty in power; (7) to execute his

inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.

(1) Gen. 1st chap. Heb. xi. 3. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God; so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. Prov. xvi. 4. The Lord hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil. Rev. iv. 11.

(2) Col. i. 16. For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers; all things were created by him, and for him.

(3) Ps. civ. 4. Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire.

(4) Matt. xxii. 30. For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.

(5) Matt. xxv. 31. When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory.

(6) 2 Sam. xiv. 17. As an angel of God, so is my lord the king, to discern good and bad. Matt. xxiv. 36. (7) 2 Thess. i. 7. And to you who are troubled, rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven, with his mighty angels.

commandments, and to praise his name, (1) yet subject to change. (2)

Q. 17. How did God create man?

A. After God had made all other creatures, he created man, male and female; (3) formed the body of the man of the dust of the ground,(4) and the woman of the rib of the man; (5) endued them with living, reasonable, and immortal souls; (6) made them after his own image, (7) in knowledge, (8) righteousness and holiness, (9) having the law of God written in their hearts, (10) and power to ful

(1) Ps. ciii. 20, 21. Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word. Bless ye the Lord, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.

(2) 2 Pet. ii. 4. For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment.

(3) Gen. i. 27. So God created man in his own image: in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

(4) Gen. ii. 7. And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground.

(5) Gen. ii. 22. And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.

(6) Gen. ii. 7. And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. See Job XXXV. 11. Eccl. xii. 7. Matt. x. 28. Luke xxiii. 43. (7) Gen. i. 27. So God created man in his own image: in the image of God created he him. (8) Col iii. 10.

(9) Eph. iv. 24.

(10) Rom. ii. 14, 15. For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto them

fil it, (1) with dominion over the creatures; (2) yet subject to fall. (3)

Q. 18. What are God's works of providence? A. God's works of providence are his most holy, (4) wise, (5) and powerful preserving, (6) and governing all his creatures; (7) ordering them, and all their actions, (8) to his own glory. (9)

Q. 19. What is God's providence toward the angels?

selves; which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another.

(1) Eccl. vii. 29. God hath made man upright. (2) Gen. i. 28.

(3) Gen. iii. 6. Eccl. vii. 29.

(4) Ps. cxlv. 17. The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.

(5) Ps. civ. 24. O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all. Isa. xxviii. 29. This also cometh forth from the Lord of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working.

(6) Heb. i. 3. Who, being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power.

(7) Ps. ciii. 19. The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.

(8) Matt. x. 29, 30. Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Gen. xlv. 7. And God sent me before you, to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.

(9) Rom. xi. 36. For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things; to whom be glory for ever. Amen. Isa. Ixiii. 14. So didst thou lead thy people, to make thyself a glorious came.

A. God by his providence permitted some of the angels, wilfully and irrecoverably, to fall into sin and damnation, (1) limiting and ordering that, and all their sins, to his own glory; (2) and established the rest in holiness and happiness; (3) employing them all, (4) at his pleasure, in the administrations of his power, mercy, and justice. (5)

Q. 20. What was the providence of God toward man in the estate in which he was created?

A. The providence of God toward man in the estate in which he was created, was, the placing him in paradise, appointing him to dress it, giving him liberty to eat of the fruit of the earth, (6) putting the creatures under his dominion, (7) and ordaining marriage for his help; (8)

(1) Jude 6. And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains, under darkness, unto the judgment of the great day. 2 Pet. ii. 4. John viii. 44.

(2) Job i. 12. And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thy hand. Luke x. 17. Matt. viii. 31. (3) 1 Tim. v. 21. I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels. Mark viii. 38. Heb. xii. 22.

(4) Ps. civ. 4. Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire. (5) Heb. i. 14.

Are they not all ministering spirits,

sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of sal

vation? 2 Kings xix. 35.

(6) Gen. ii. 8, 15, 16.

(7) Gen. i. 28.

Gen. ii. 18. And the Lord God said, It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him an help neet for him.

affording him communion with himself, (1) instituting the Sabbath, (2) entering into a cove nant of life with him, upon condition of personal, perfect, and perpetual obedience, (3) of which the tree of life was a pledge; (4) and forbidding to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, upon the pain of death. (5)

Q. 21. Did man continue in that estate wherein God at first created him?

A. Our first parents, being left to the freedom of their own will, through the temptation of Satan, transgressed the commandment of God, in eating the forbidden fruit, and thereby fell from the estate of innocency wherein they were created. (6)

(1) Gen. i. 27, 28.

(2) Gen. ii. 3. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it; because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

(3) Rom. v. 14.

that was to come.

Adam-who is the figure of him Gal. iii. 12. And the law is not of faith: but, the man that doeth them shall live in them. Rom. x. 5. Gal. iii. 10. 1 Cor. xv. 22, 47. Hos. vi. 7. (4) Gen. ii. 9. And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food: the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

(5) Gen. ii. 17. But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

(6) Gen. iii. 6, 7, 8, 13. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat; and gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat.-And they knew that they were naked.-And Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God