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caufe thefe original tongues are not known to all the people of God who have right unto and inter. eft in the fcriptures, and are commanded in the fear of God, to read and fearch them', therefore they are to be tranflated into the vulgar language of every nation unto which they come", that the word of God dwelling plentifully in all, they may worship him in an acceptable manner", and, through patience and comfort of the scriptures may have hope*.

IX. The infallible rule of interpretation of fcripture is the fcripture itfelf; and, therefore, when there is a question about the true and full

t John 5. 39. Search the fcriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life and they are they which testify of me, v. 1 Cor. 14. 6, 9, 11, 12. 24, 27, 28. Now brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what fhall I profit you, except I fhall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophefying, or by doctrine?So likewife ye, except ye utter by the tongue words eafy to be understood, how fhall it be known what is spoken? for ye fhall speak into the air. Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice. I fhall be unto him that fpeaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh fball be a barbarian unto me.-Even fo ye, for as much as ye are zealous of fpiritual gifts, feek that you may excel to the edi. fying of the church.-But if

all prophefy and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all.If any man fpeak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the moft by three, and that by courfe; and let one interpret.-But if there be no interpreter, let him keep filence in the church; and let him fpeak to himself and to God.

w Col. 3. 16. Let the word of Chrift dwell in you richly in all wifdom; teaching and admonishing one another in pfalms, and hymns, and fpiritual fongs, finging with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

x Rom. 15. 4. For whatfoever things were written aforctime were written for our learning, that we, through patience and comfort of the fcriptures might have hope.

'fenfe of any fcripture, (which is not manifold, but one) it may be fearched and known by other places that speak more clearly".

X. The fupreme Judge, by whom all controverfies of religion are to be determined, and all decrees of councils, opinions of ancient writers, doctrines of men, and private fpirits, are to be examined, and in whose sentence we are to reft, can be no other but the Holy Spirit speaking in the fcripture".

IX. y Aas 15. 15. And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written. John 5. 46. For had ye believed Mofes, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.

X. z Mat. 22. 29, 31. Jefus anfwered and faid unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the fcriptures, nor the power of God-But as touching the refurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was

spoken unto you by God. Eph. 2. 20. And are built upon the foundation of the apoftles and prophets, Jefus Christ himself being the chief corner-ftone. Acts 28. 25. And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had fpoken one word, Well fpake the Holy Ghoft by Efaias the prophet unto our fathers.

CHA, P. II.

Of God, and of the Holy Trinity.

TH

HERE is but one only living and true God", who is infinite in being and perfection, a moft pure fpirit, invisible, without body, parts,

I, a Deut. 6. 4. Hear, O Ifrael, the Lord our God is, one Lord; 1 Cor. 8. 4, 6. As concerning therefore the eating of thofe things that are offered in facrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one. But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are, all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jefus Chrift, by whom are all things, and we by nim.

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bi Thefs. 1. 9.-Ye turned to God from idols, to ferve the living and true God, Jer. 10. 10. But the Lord is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlafting King.

c Job 11. 7, 8, 9. and 26. 14. Canft thou by fearching find out God? Canft thou find out the Almighty unto per fection?-It is high as heaven, what cant thou do? deeper than hell; what canft thou know? The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the fea.-Lo,

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thefe are parts of his ways; but how little a portion is heard of him? but the thunder of his power, who can underftand?

d John 4. 24. God is a Spirit, and they that worship him, must worship bim in spirit and in truth.

e 1 Tim. I. 17. Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invifible, the only wife God, be honor and glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

f Deut. 4. 15, 16. Take ye therefore good heed unto yourfelves; for ye faw no manner of fimilitude on the day that the Lord fpake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire. Left ye corrupt yourfelves, and make you a graven image, the fimilitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female. Luke 24. 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 ice me have. John 4. 24.

or passions, immutable, immense', eternal*, incomprehenfible', almighty", most wife", most holy, moft free", most abfolute, working all things according to the counsel of his own immutable and most righteous will', for his own

g Acts 14. 11, 15. And when the people faw what Paul had done, they lift up their voices, faying in the fpecch of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men.-And faying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like paffions with you, and preach unto you that ye fhould turn from thefe vanities unto the living God, which made heaven and earth and the fea and all things that are therein.

h Jam. 1. 17.-The Father of lights, with whom is no variablenefs, neither fhadow of turning. Mal. 3. 6. For I am the Lord, I change not.

i 1 Kings 8. 27. But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven, and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee, how much lefs this houfe that I have builded? Jer. 23. 23, 24. Am I a God at hand, faith the Lord, and not a God afar off? Can any hide himself in fecret places that I fhall not fee him? faith the Lord. Do not fill heaven and earth? faith the Lord.

k Pfal 90 2, Before the mountains wire brought forth, or ever thou hadit formed the

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I Pfal. 145 3.-His greatnefs is unfearchable.

m Gen. 17. 1.-I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. Rev. 4. 8.

n Rom. 16. 27. To God only wife, be glory through Jefus Chrift for ever.

Amen.

o Ifai. 6. 3. And one cried unto another, and faid, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hofts: the whole earth is full of his glory. Rev. 4. 8.

p Pfal. 115. 3. But our God is in the heavens: He hath done whatfoever he pleased.

q Exod. 3. 14, And God faid unto Mofes, I AM THAT I AM; and he faid, Thus fhalt thou fay unto the children of Ifrael, I AM, hath fent me unto you..

r Eph. I. II. In whom alfo we have obtained an inheri-. tance, being predeftinated according to the purpose of him, who worketh all things after the counfel of his own will:

glory's most loving, gracious, merciful, longfuffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, tranfgreffion and fin'; the rewarder of them that diligently feek him"; and withal most just and terrible in his judgments*; hating all fin', and who will by no means clear the guilty.

f Prov. 16. 4. The Lord hath made all things for himfelf: Yea, even the wicked for the day of evil. Rom. 11. 36. For of him, and through him, and to him are all things. To whom be glory for ever. Amen. Rev. 4. 11.

t 1 John 4.8. He that loveth not, knoweth not God, for God is love.

v Exod. 34. 6, 7. And the Lord paffed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-fuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and tranfgreffion and fin, and that will by no means clear the guilty.

w Heb. 11. 6. For he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently

feek him.

x Neh. 9. 32, 33- Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who keepest covenant and

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mercy; let not all the trouble feen little before thee, that hath come upon us, on our kings, on our princes, and on our priefts, and on our proph ets, and on our fathers, and on all thy people, fince the time of the kings of Affyria, unto this day. Howbeit, thou art juft in all that is brought upon us; for thou haft done right, but we have done wickedly.

y Pfal. 5. 5, 6. The foolish fhall not ftand in thy fight: thou hateft all workers of iniquity. Thou fhalt destroy them that fpeak leafing the Lord will abhor the bloody and deceitful man.

z Nahum . 2, 3. God is jealous, and the Lord reveng eth and is furious, the Lord will take vengeance on his ad

verfaries, and he referveth wrath for his enemies.-The Lord is flow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked. See Exod. 34. 7.

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