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for this end, and given them a soul capable of doing it, beyond irrational creatures. Psalm c. 3, Know ye that the Lord he is God, it is he that made us, and not we ourselves. Prov. xvi. 4, The Lord made all things for himself. Psalm ciif. 1, Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless his holy name. 2. Because God doth preserve them and makes provision for them, that they might glorify him. Psalm lxvi. 8, 9, O bless our God, O ye people! which holdeth our soul in life. Psalm xcv. 6, 7, O come, let us worship before the Lord, for we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. 3. Because God hath redeemed them, and bought them with the price of his Son's blood, that they may glorify him. 1 Cor. vi. 19, 20, Ye are not your own, for yeare bought with a price: Therefore glorify God in body, and in your spirit, which are God's 4. Because your he hath given them his word to direct, his Spirit to assist, and promiseth his kingdom to encourage them to glorify him. Psalm cxlvii. 19, 20, He sheweth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel: He hath not dealt so with any nation. Praise ye the Lord. Rom. viii. 26, Likewise the Spirit helpeth our infirmities. James ii. 5, Heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised unto them that love him.

Q. 9. Why ought men chiefly to desire and seek the enjoyment of God for ever?

A. 1. Because God is the chief good, and in the enjoyment of God doth consist man's chiefest happiness. Matth. xix. 17, There is none good but one, that is God. Psalm iv. 6, 7, There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.. Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased. 2. Because God is but imperfectly and inconstantly enjoyed here: and men cannot be perfectly happy until they come to the eternal enjoyment of God in heaven. 1 Cor. xiii. 9, 10, We know in part; but when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. Philip. iii. 13, Not as though I had already attained, either were already per

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fect But I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended. Psalm xvi. 11, In thy presence there is fulness of joy.

Q. 2. What rule hath God given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him?

A. The word of God which is contained in the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him.

Q. 1. Why is the word contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments called the word of God?

A. Because it was not from the invention of the men which wrote the scriptures, but from the immediate inspiration of the Spirit of God, who indicted them. 2 Tim. iii. 16, All scripture is given by inspiration of God. 2 Pct. i. 21, Prophecy of the scripture came not by the will of man: But holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

Q. 2. How do you prove the word in the scriptures to be the word of God?

A. 1. Because of the majesty of the scriptures.

1. God is frequently brought in, speaking to and by the prophets, and his Majesty set forth in such high expressions, as are not to be found in any human writings. Isaiah lvii. 15, Thus saith the high and lofty one who inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place. 1 Tim. vi. 15, 16, Who is the blessed and only potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto. 2. The style and way of the scripture is with such majesty as is not in other writings; duties are therein prescribed, which none but God can require; sins are therein condemned, which none but God can prohibit: threatenings of punishments are therein denounced, which none but God can inflict promises of such rewards are therein made, which none but God can bestow, and all in such a majestic way, as dóth evidence God to be the author of this book of the scriptures.

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2. Because of the holiness and purity of the scriptures. Rom. i. 2, Which God hath promised before by his prophets in the holy scriptures. Psalm xii. 6, The words of the Lord are pure words; as silver tried in a furnace of earth, and purified seven times. The scrip

tures are holy from the beginning of them unto the end; they do not savour at all of any thing that is earthly or impure; especially the laws of the word are holy, commanding every thing that is holy, and forbidding every thing that is impure and unholy: Whence it is evident, that the scriptures are the word of the holy God, and that the holy men which wrote them were actuated herein by the Holy Ghost.

3. Because of the consent and harmony of the scriptures: In the scriptures there is a consent between the Old Testament and the New; a consent between the types and figures under the law, and the things typified and prefigured under the gospel: between the prophe cies of the scriptures, and the fulfilling of those prophecies. There is in the scriptures a harmony or agreement in precepts, and a harmony or agreement of histories, and a harmony and agreement of design. Wherefore since the scriptures were written by so many several men, in so many several ages and different places, and yet agreeing so well in their writings, that no irreconcileable difference is to be found in them; it is evident that they are all actuated by the same spirit of God; and therefore that the scriptures are the word of God.

4. Because of the high mysteries which are revealed in the scriptures: We read in the scriptures, of the trinity of persons in the God-head, the incarnation of the Son of God, the mystical union of Christ and his members; these and such like mysteries, were beyond the reach of the most wise and learned men to invent, much more beyond the reach of unlearned fishermen by whom they were revealed. Whence it is evident, that they spake not their own words, but that they were taught by the immediate inspiration of the Spirit.

5. Because of the antiquity of the scriptures: they were written in part before any other writings of men;

and they contain a history of the most ancient things, namely, the creation of the old world, the flood, and the like. Such ancient things are there revealed which none but God knew, and therefore God must needs be the author of them.

6. Because of the power and efficacy of the scriptures. 1. The scriptures are powerful to convince, and awaken and wound the conscience. Heb. iv. 12, The word of God is quick and powerful, sharper than a two-edged sword. 2. The scriptures are powerful to convert and change the heart. Psalm xix. 7, The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul. 3. They are powerful to quicken men out of spiritual death and deadness. Isa. Iv. 8, Hear and your soul shall live. Psalm cxix. 50, Thy word hath quickened me. 4. They are powerful to rejoice, and comfort under the deepest distresses. Psalm xix. 8 The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart. The scriptures opened, and applied, are made effectual to produce such powerful effects, as do exceed the power of nature, and can be effected only by the power of God; which showeth that God only is the author of the scriptures, which he would not so far own and honour, if they were not his own.

7. Because of the design and contrivement of the scriptures. 1. The design of the scriptures is to give all the glory to God the design is not to exalt any, but to debase and empty all men, and exalt God's name and grace in the world. 2. The marvellous contrivement of wisdom, in finding out a way for man's recovery and salvation by Jesus Christ, when fallen by sin into a state of misery, which no mortal brain could have invented; this doth show not only that this contrivance was from the infinitely wise God; but also, that the scriptures which have revealed this, are his book.

8. Because the scriptures are confirmed by miracles. We read of many miracles in the scriptures, especially those which were wrought by Jesus Christ, and his disciples, to confirm their doctrine that was from God; such as, curing some that were born blind, raising the dead, calming the sea with a word, and many more. Now

these and the like miracles were from the immediate hand of God, and the relation we have faithfully handed down unto us, as appeareth by the writings still among us, of several holy men upon them, and concerning them; as also by the several copies of them (which could not be forged and not be found out) agreeing in the same relation. And as surely as God did effect those miracles, so surely is God the author of the scriptures, which is confirmed by them.

9. Because the scriptures were confirmed by the blood of martyrs. There were many thousand Christians in the primitive times, who sealed and gave testimony to the truth of the scriptures with the loss of their lives. The great faith of the primitive Christians in the truth of the scriptures, who might easily have found out the deceit, had there been any deceit imposed upon men in them; and the great patience and constancy which they showed in their sufferings, as an evidence of their faith is a weighty argument in conjunction with others, to prove the divine authority of the scriptures.

10. Because of the testimony of the Spirit of God, in, and with, and by the scriptures, upon the hearts of believers. 1 John ii. 20, Ye have an unction from the holy One, and ye know all things; because, ver. 27, The same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie. Without this testimony and teaching of the spirit, all other arguments will be ineffectual to persuade unto a saving faith.

Q. 3. Why was the word of God put into scriptures or writings?

A. 1. That the history and doctrine of the word might be the better conveyed down to posterity. For if the word revealed to holy men, so many ages since, had been entrusted only unto the memories of men, by tradition to hand it down from one generation to another, (supposing the persons with whom the word was entrusted, were faithful) yet the memories of men being weak and unfaithful, many truths in all likelihood would have been lost by this time: therefore there was not a more sure way to make known the grace of God unto future ages,

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