Q. 3. What is the highest | his, who spoke them into being, perfection of being? Psalm xxxiii, 6. 9. A. That to which nothing can be added, and from which nothing can be taken, and is independent on all things else, Job XXXV. 6, 7, 8. Q. 4. Can being itself, or being in a proper and strict sense, be attributed to any but God only? A. No for though the heavens and the earth, angels and men, have a being; yet there is no infinite, eternal, and unchangeable being, but God only. It is God alone that can say, I am,” Exod. iii. 14. Q. 5. What is the import of that name, I AM? A. It is of the same import with the name JEHOVAH: as if he had said, I am being itself, the author and fountain of all beings, in heaven or earth. Q. 6. What are all other beings, in comparison with the being of God? A. All other beings are but created, contingent, and shadowy beings, if compared with Of God's Wisdom. Q. 1. Is not omniscience, or A. From 1 John iii. 20.infinite knowledge and under-"God's is greater than our heart, standing, inseparably connected and knoweth all things." with infinite [wisdom]? A. Yes: "For the Lord is a God of knowledge, by him actions are weighed," 1 Sam. ii. 3. Q. 2. What is God's omniscience? Q. 4. How doth God's omniscience appear from reason? A. He who made all things cannot but know and comprehend his own workmanship, Psal. xciv. 9. Q. 5. How doth it appear, that he hath a perfect knowledge of intelligent creatures? A. It is that perfection of his nature, whereby he knows all things most perfectly in himself, by one eternal act, Acts xv. 18. A. If he did not perfectly Q. 3. How do you prove from know them and their actions, scripture that he knows all he could not be their supreme things? governor and judge, Heb. iv. 13. Q. 6. What is the object of the divine knowledge or omniscience? A. God himself, Matt. xi. 27. and all other things whatsoever, John xxi. 17. Q. 7. How is it evident, that God has a most perfect knowledge of himself, and his own glorious excellencies? A. Because otherwise his understanding would not be infinite, as it is asserted to be, Ps. cxlvii. 5. in regard all other objects, beside himself, are but finite. Q. 8. Is the knowledge of God absolutely independent upon the creature? 66 A. It is so independent upon the creature, as nothing is to him contingent, or uncertain, Acts xv. 18. Ezek. xi. 5."* Q. 9. How doth it appear, that God has a certain and infallible knowledge of contingent actions, or of such things as seem casual and accidental to us? A. It appears from this, that future events, which depend upon the freedom of man's will, or upon second causes, are expressly foretold in scripture, and therefore certainly foreknown by God; such as Joseph's preferment, and Israel's oppression in Egypt; Ahab's death, though by an arrow shot at a venture; Cæsar's decree that all the world should be taxed, bringing about Christ's birth at Bethlehem; and many other instances. Q. 10. How doth God know things that are only possible? A. He knows them in his power, which could easily bring them to pass, if he had so decreed, Matth. xix. 26. Q. 11. How doth God know things future, or such as actually come to pass in time? A. He knows them not only in his power, as able to effect them; but in his will, as determining their futurition, or after existence, Gen. xvii. 21. Q. 12. Is God's knowledge of things general, or particular? A. It is a particular knowedge of every individual creature, and every circumstance about it, Psal. cxxxix. 2. Matt. x. 29, 30. Q. 13. Is there any succession in his knowledge, or doth he know one thing before another? A. As there is no succession in his essence, so there is none in his knowledge: he knows all things eternally, infallibly, and immutably, by one single act of his infinite understanding; Heb. iv. 13-"All things are naked and opened, unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do." Q. 14. What conception may we have of the difference betwixt the infinite knowledge and wisdom of God? A. His infinite knowledge comprehends all things in heaven and earth, by one intuitive glance of his infinite mind; but his infinite wisdom directs these things to the proper ends for which he gave them their being, Rom. xi. 36. Q. 15. How doth the wisdom of God appear in the work of creation? A. It appears in the excellent order, beauty and harmony that is to be seen, in all the parts of the creation, Psalm xix. 1-7; in the subserviency of one thing to another, Hos. ii. 21, 22; and * Confession, chap. 2. § ii. the tendency of the whole, to manifest the glory of God, Rev. iv. 11; and calculate also, for the good of man as his peculiar favourite, Psalm cxv. 16. Q. 16. How doth the wisdom of God appear in the work of providence? A. In adjusting the whole of his administration according to the plan laid in his infinite mind from eternity; or his most judicious and regular putting his counsels into execution, Psalm xxxiii. 10, 11. Q. 17. How doth the wisdom of God shine in the work of redemption? A. In making an honourable egress and vent for his mercy and love to sinners of mankind, in the way of satisfying his justice to the full, by the obedience and death of the blessed Surety, Rom. v. 51. Q. 18. What encouragement ought we to take from the wisdom of God? A. That he will make all things work together for our good, Rom. viii. 28; and that no plot can be so deeply laid for our ruin, but his wisdom can easily frustrate and disappoint, Job v. 13. Of God's Power. Q. 1. What is the [power] of God? A. It is that essential perfection of his nature, whereby he can do whatsoever he pleases, in heaven and earth, in the seas, and all deep places, Psalm cxxxv. 6. Q. 2. What is the object of divine power, or whereunto doth it extend? A. To all things possible, though limited, by his will, to those things only which he hath decreed to be done, Matt. xxvi. 53, 54. Q. 3. Is it any impeachment of God's omnipotence that he cannot lie, he cannot deny himself? Q. 4. Wherein doth God manifest his infinite power? A. In creation, providence, and redemption. Q. 5. How is the power of God manifested in creation? A. In calling "those things that be not, as though they were," Rom. iv. 7. without the assistance, and instrumentality of any whatsoever, Isa, xliv. 24. Q. 6. How is it displayed in the conduct of providence? A. In upholding and preserving all his creatures from sinking into their original nothing, Heb. i. 3; and particularly in protecting and defending his church, in midst of all the dangers and enemies, with which it is surrounded, Matt. xvi. 18. of redemption? A. By no means, for on the contrary, God is therefore om- Q. 7. How is the power of God nipotent, because it is impossi-illustrated in the glorious work ble for him to do evil, or depart from the infinite rectitude of his own will, 1 Sam. xv. 29. The strength of Israel will not lie." A. By laying the chief cornerstone thereof, in the union of the human nature unto the person of the Son of God; supporting him under the inconceivable wrath of man more than the load of divine wrath, for our displeasure of God, Isa. li. 12, 13. sins, and spoiling principalities Q. 9. What improvement may and powers in that very nature faith make of the power of a prowhich Satan had vanquished at mising God? first; hence is he called "the power of God," 1 Cor. i. 24; "the arm of the Lord," Is. liii. 1; and "the man of his right hand," Psalm lxxx. 17. Q. 8. How is the power of God"If God be for us, who can be denied or abused by men? against us?" Rom. viii. 31; A. It can fasten thereupon, for the performance of his gracious word, Rom. iv. 20, 21; for resisting and conquering sin, Satan, and the world, saying, A. By limiting it, as Israel and for the practice of any comdid, Psalm lxxviii. 19; by trust-manded duty, however difficult, ing more to an arm of flesh, saying, "I can do all things than to the arm of God, Jer. through Christ which strengthxvii. 5; and by fearing the eneth me," Phil. iv. 13. Of God's Holiness. Q. 1. What is the [holiness] | able to behold the brightness of of God? God's holiness? A. It is that essential rectitude or integrity of his nature, whereby be infinitely delights in his own purity, and in every thing agreeable to his will, Hab. i. 13; and hath a perfect hatred and abhorrence of every thing contrary thereunto, Jer. xliv. 4. A. No: for when the angels themselves view his infinite holiness, as manifested in Christ, they are represented as covering their faces with their wings, Isa. vi. 2. Q. 5. How are sinners of mankind made partakers of his holiness? Q. 2. Is God necessarily holy? A. By regenerating grace, A. Holiness is as necessary and spiritual ingraftment into to him as his being: he is as ne- the second Adam, John xv. 4. cessarily holy, as he is necessa- 5; by faith's improvement of rily God: "Who shall not fear the great and precious promisthee, O Lord?-for thou only es, 2 Pet. i. 4; and by beholding art holy," Rev. xv. 4. the glory of this attribute as it Q. 3. What peculiar honour shines in the person and sufferdoth God put upon his own ho-ings of the Son of God, presentliness? ed to our view in the glass of the gospel revelation, 2 Cor. v. 21. A. He singles it out as the attribute to swear by, for the accomplishment of his promises and threatenings; Psalm lxxxix. 35. "Once have I sworn by my holiness, that I will not lie unto David." Q. 4. Are finite creatures Q. 6. Doth every thing pertaining to God, bear a stamp and impress of his holiness? A. Yes: he is holy in all his works, Psal. cxlv. 17; his word is holy, Rom. i. 2; his covenant or promise is holy, Psal. cv. 42; A. He hates it necessarily, his Sabbath is holy, Isa. lviii. and with a perfect hatred, Psal. 13; his people are holy, chap. v. 4, 5, 6. lxii. 12; his ministering spirits are the holy angels, Rev. xiv. 10; and the place where he dwells, is the high and holy place, Isa. lvii. 15. Q. 12. Since God thus hates sin, how doth his permission thereof consist with his holiness? A. It fully consists therewith, Q. 7. Wherein did the holi- because his permission of sin ness of God appear in the crea- hath no influence upon the com tion of man? A. In making him upright, Eccl. vii. 29. after his own image, Gen. i. 27; and writing a law upon his heart, which was the transcript of his holiness, Rom. vii. 12. Q. 8. How hath God discovered his holiness in his providential procedure? mission thereof, which entirely flows from the free will of the sinner, James i. 13, 14. Besides, God thereby takes occasion to give a brighter display of his holiness and detestation of sin, than though Adam had continued in innocency; when he spared not his own Son, but gave him unto death on account of it, Rom. viii. 32. A. In not sparing the angels who sinned; and in the visi- Q. 13. What improvement ble and remarkable judgments ought we to make of the holiwhich he has inflicted upon no-ness of God? torious offenders in this life, 2 Pet. A. To give thanks at the reii. 4, 5, 6. Q. 9. What was the highest display of God's holiness, and detestation of sin? A. His hiding his face from his own beloved Son, as bearing our iniquity, Matt. xxvii. 46. Q. 10. What is the greatest opposite of the holiness of God? A. Sin: therefore called that abominable thing which God hates, Jer. xliy. 4. membrance of his holiness, Psal. xxx. 4; to proclaim the glory thereof, Exod. xv. 11; and to study holiness in all manner of conversation, 1 Pet. i. 15. Q. 14. How may we know if we have suitable impressions of of God's holiness? A. If we stand in awe to offend him, Gen. xxxix. 9; and have an habitual desire after more conformity unto him, 1 Q. 11. How doth God hate sin? John iii. 3. of his nature, whereby he is in-self, or to rational creatures? finitely righteous and equal in Q. 3.. What is God's justice himself, and in all his ways as it relates to himself? A. It is his making his own glory the fixed and invariable |