Apply this, First, To superftitious men, Ifa. lxvi. 1, 2, 3. nor what they say. Quest. 1. Of God's Infinity. HAT is the sense and meaning of this word, [in Whity A. It fignifies that which hath no bounds or limits, within which it is contained, as all created things are. Q. 2. In how many respects is God infinite ? A. God is infinite or boundless in three respects. First, In respect of the perfection of his nature; his wisdom, power, and ho'iness, exceed all measures and limits; as I Sam.ii. 2. There is none holy as the Lord, &c. Secondly, In respect of time and place; no time can measure him; Isa. lvii. 15. Thus faith the high and lofty One, that inhabiteth eternity; 1 Kings viii. 27. Behold the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee, how much less this house which I have built? The heaven of heavens contains all created things; but not the Creator. Thirdly, In respect of his incomprehensibleness, by understanding of all creatures; Job xi. 7. Canst thou by fearching find out God? Canft thou find out the Almighty to perfection? Q.3. If God be thus infinite, and no understanding can comprehend him, how then is it said in I John iii. 2. We shall fee him as he is? the 4. The meaning is not, that glorified saints shall comprehend God in their understandings; but that they shall have a true apprehenfive knowledge of God; and that we shall fee him immediately, and not as we do now through a glass darkly. Q. 4. What is the first lesson to be learnt from God's infinity? A. That therefore men should tremble to fin even in secret; Pfal. cxxxix. 11. If I fay, surely the darkness shall cover me, even the night shall be light about me. Q. 5. What is the second instruction from hence? 4. The second instruction is, That there is an infinite evil in sin, objectively confidered, as it is committed against an infinite God; and therefore it deserves eternal punishment; and no fatisfaction can poffibly be made for it, but by the blood of Christ; 1 Pet. i. 18. Forasmuch as ye know that we are not redeemed with corruptible things, as filver and gold-but with the precious blood of Chrift. Q. 6. What is the third instruction from God's infinity ? A. The third instruction is, that those who are reconciled to God in Christ, need not fear his ability to perform any mercy for them; for he is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think, Eph. iii. 20. And those that are not reconciled are in a very miferable condition, having infinite power set on work to punish them; 2 Theff. i. 9. Who shall be punished with everlasting def truction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power. Q. 7. What is the fourth inftruction from God's infinity ? A. That no place can bar the access of gracious fouls to God: They are as near him in a dungeon, as when at liberty; and that he knows their thoughts when their tongues cannot utter them. Quest. 1. [Eternal.] THAT is it to be eternal, as God is ? WH A. The eternity of God is, to be without beginning, and without end; Pfal. xc. 2. From everlasting thou art God. Q. 2. How doth God's eternity differ from the eternity of angels, ⚫ and human fouls? A. It differs in two respects; First, In this, that though angels, and the fouls of men shall have no end; yet they had a beginning, which God had not. Secondly, Our eternity is by gift from God, or by his appointment; but his eternity is necessary, and from his own nature. Q. 3. In what sense is the covenant called the everlasting cove nant? A. The covenant is called an everlasting covenant, 2 Sam. xxiii. 5. because the mercies of it, conveyed to believers, as pardon, peace; and salvation, are mercies that shall have no end. Q. 4. In what sense is the gospel everlasting? A. The gospel is called the everlasting gospel, Rev. xiv. 6. because the effects thereof, upon the fouls it fanctifies, will abide in them for ever. Q. 5. In what sense is the redemption of Christ called the eternal redeinption? A. The redemption of Christ is called eternal redemption in Heb. ix. 12. because those whom he redeems by his blood, shall never more come into condemnation; John v. 24. He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is paffed from death unto life. Q. 6. Why is the last judgment of the world by Chrift called eternal judgment? A. The last judgment is called eternal judgment, not becaufe God judged men from eternity, or because the day of judgment shall last to eternity; but because the confequences of it will be everlasting joy or mifery to the fouls of men; therefore it is called eternal judgment; Heb. vi. 2. Q. 7. What may wicked men learn from the eternity of God? A. Hence wicked men may fee their own misery in the perfection of it; that they will have an eternal enemy to avenge himself upon them for ever, in the world to come; 2 Theff. i. 9. Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction, from the prefence of the Lord. : ایا Q. 8. What may good men learn from it? A. That their joy and happiness will be perfect and endless, who have the eternal God for their portion; Pfal. xvi. II. In thy prefence is fulness of joy, at thy right hand there are pleasures for ever more. Q.9.. What may all men, good and bad, learn from it? A. All men may learn three things from the eternity of God; First, That their life is a thing of nought compared with God; Pfal. xxxix. 5. Mine age is as nothing before thee. Secondly, That sins, or duties, long fince committed, or performed, are all present before God. Thirdly, That God can never want opportunity to do his work, and carry on his designs in the world. All time is in the hand of the eternal God; Rev. xii. 12. The devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. Queft. I. Of God's Unchangeableness. THAT scriptures plainly affert this attribute ? W A. Exod. iii. 14. And God faid unto Mofes, I AM that I AM. Dan. vi. 16. For he is the living God, and stedfalt forever; James i. 17. With whom is no variablenefs, neither shadow of turning. Q. 2. Whence doth God's immutability flow? 4. The immutability of God flows from the perfection of his nature, to which nothing can be added, and from which nothing can be taken away. If any thing could be added to make him better than he is; or if any thing could be taken away, to make him less good than he is, then he were not the chiefest good, and, consequently, not God. Q3. By what other argument prove you his immutability? A. I prove it from the eternity of God. If God be eternal, he must be immutable: for if he change by addition of something to him he had not before, then there is something in God which he had not from eternity: And if he change by diminution, then there was something in God from eternity, which now is not; but from everlasting to everlasting he is the fame God, and therefore changeth not. Q4. But it is faid, God repents, and repentance is a change: How then is he unchangeable, and yet repents? A. In these phrafes God speaks to us, as we must speak of, and to him; not properly, but after the manner of men; and it only notes a change in his outward providence, not in his nature. Q. 5. But how could God become man, and yet no change made on him? A. There is a twofold change; one active, made by God, that we allow: He made a change upon our nature by uniting it to Chrift; but a paffive change made upon God, we deny. The nature of man was made more excellent, but the divine nature was still the fame. Q. 6. What is the first instruction from God's immutability? like God: Let him that is holy be holy still.. Q. 7. What is the second instruction hence ? A. That the happiness of God's people is firm and fure, being still I upon the word of an unchangeable God; Mal. iii. 6. For I am the Lord; I change not: therefore ye sons of Jacob are not confumed, Heb. vi. 18. 1 Q. 8. What is the third instruction from this attribute ? A. That the hopes of all wicked men are vain, being built upon a $prefumption, that God will not deal with them as he hath threat ened he will do. Q. 9. What is the last instruction from God's immutability? A. That Chriftians may take as much encouragement now from the nature, word, and providence of God, as the faints in any former generation did, or might do; for he is the fame now he was then. Quest. 1. Of God's Wisdom. Es teakb OW manifold is the wisdom of God? HOW A. There is a personal and essential wisdom of God; the perfonal wisdom is the Son of God; 1. Cor. i. 24. Chrift, the power of God, and the wisdom of God; Col. ii. 3. In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. The essential wisdom of God is the essence of God; of which this question speaks. Q. 2. What is the essential wisdom of God. A. The essential wisdom of God is his most exact and perfect knowledge of himself and all his creatures, and his ordering and difposing them in the most convenient manner, to the glory of his own name; Eph. i. 11. According to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. Q. 3. What is the first property of God's wisdom? A. The first property is, he is only wife; Rom. xvi. 27. To God, only wife, be glory: And whatsoever wisdom is in angels, or men, is all derived and borrowed from God, but his from none; Ifa. xl. 14. With whom took he counsel? and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding? Q. 4. What is the second property of God's wisdom? A. The second property is, that he is incomprehenfible in his wifdom; Rom. xi. 33, 34. O the depth of the riches, both of the wifdom and knowledge of God, &c. Q. 5. What is the third property of the wisdom of God? A. The third property is, that God is perfectly wife, which no creatures, no, not the very angels in heaven are: Job iv. 18. And his angels he chargeth with folly. Q. 6. What is the most glorious and eminent difcovery of the wifdom of God? A. The most glorious display of the wisdom of God, was in the work of our redemption by Jesus Chrift; Col. ii. 3. In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge; 1 Cor. i. 24. Chrift the wisdom of God. Q7. What is the first instruction from God's wislom? 4. The first instruction is, that God is a fit object of our trust, dependence, and refignation; Ifa. xxx. 18. And therefore will the Lord wait, that he may be gracious unto you; and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you; for the Lord is a God of judgment; bleffed are all they that wait for him. Q. 8. What is the second instruction from hence ? A. The second inftruction is, that it is a dangerous arrogancy in the creature, either to prescribe unto God, and direct his Maker; Job xxi. 22. Shall any teach God knowledge, seeing he judgeth those that are high? Or to quarrel with his providences, as not fo fit and convenient as they should be; Job xl. 2. Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? He that reproveth God, let him anfwer it. Q. 9. What is the third instruction from it? } A. That the people of God have much reason to quiet and encou-r rage themselves, when crafty and fubtle enemies surround them; for the foolishness of God is wiser than men, 1 Cor. i. 25. Q.10. What is the fourth instruction from God's wisdom? A. The fourth inftruction is, that the true way to wisdom is to be fenfible of our own folly, 1 Cor. iii. 18. If any man among you feemeth to be wife in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wife. And to apply ourselves by prayer to God the foundation of it, Jam. i. 5. If any man lack wisdom, let him afk it of God. Q. 11. What is the last instruction from God's wisdom? A. That the study of Chrift, and of the scriptures, is to be preferred to all other studies in the world; Col. ii. 3. In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. And the scriptures contain all that wisdom which is for our salvation; 1 Cor. ii. 17. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the world unto our glory. Queft. 1. Of God's Power. THAT is the power of God? W A. An essential property of his nature, whereby he can do all things that he pleases to have done; Jer. xxxii. 17. Ah Lord God, behold, thou hast made the heavens and the earth by thy great power and stretched-out arm; and there is nothing too hard for thee. Q. 2. What evidences have we before our eyes of the almighty power of God? ! |