Page images
PDF
EPUB

Creature, Pfalm cxix. 68. Thou art good, and doft good, teach me thy Statutes.

Q. 2. How doth the Goodness of God differ frora the Mercy of God?

A. It differs in its Objects; for Mifery is the Object of Mercy; but Goodness extends to the Creatures that are happy, as well as miferable; as the Angels, Pfal. cxlv. 9. The Lord is good to all, and his tender Mercies are over all his Works.

Q3. What is the Firft Property of God's Goodness ?

A. That all his other Attributes flow out of it as their Fountain: The other Acts of God are but the Effluxes of his Goodness, Exod. xxxiii. 19. And he faid, I will make all my Goodness pass before thec, and I will proclaim the Name of the Lord before thee, and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will fhew Mercy unto whom I will fhew Mercy, Exod. xxxiv. 6. And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed the Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longSuffering, and abundant in Goodness and Truth.

Q. 4. What is the Second Property of the divine Goodnefs?

A. That it is fupream, and perfect in itself, so as the Goodness of no Creature is, or can bẹ, Luke xviii. 19. None is good fave one, and that is God: And confequently above all additions from the Creature, Psalm xvi. 2. O my Soul, thou haft faid unto the Lord my Goodness extendeth not unto

thee.

Q. 5. What is the Third Property of God's Goodness ? A. That it is communicative with Pleasure and Delight to the Creature: No Mother draws out her Breaft to an hungry Child with more Pleasure than God doth his Goodnefs to the Saints, Pfalm cxlv. 9. The Lord is good to all, and his tender Mercies are over all his Works.

Q. 6. In what Acts hath God first manifested his Goodnefs?

A. He hath manifefted it in the Creation and Government of the World, Pfalm civ. 24. O Lord, how manifold are thy Works? in Wisdom haft thou made them all.

Q7. What was the principal Work in which God hath manifefted his Goodness to Men ?.

A. The

A. The principal Manifestation of God's Goodness, was in the Work of Redemption by Chrift, Rom. v. 8. God commended bis Love towards us, in that while we were yet Sinners, Chrift died for us, 1 John iv. 8, 9. In this was manifefted the Love of God towards us, because that God fent his only begotten Son into the World, that we might live through

him.

Q. 8. But are not the Judgments of God on the wicked, and his Afflictions on the Saints, Impeachments of his goodness?

A. No; it is the Property of goodnefs to hate and punish Evil in the Impenitent, Exod. xxxiv. 7. Keeping Mercy for Thousands forgiving Iniquity, and Tranfgreffion, and Sin, and that will by no Means clear the Guilty, &c. And the Afflic tions of the Saints flow from his goodness, and end in their true and eternal good. Heb. xii. 6. For whom the Lord loveth, he chafteneth, and scourgeth every Son whom he receiveth, Pfalm cxix. 71. It is good for me that I have been affticted, that I might learn thy Statutes.

Q. 9. What may we infer from the goodness of God?

A. The firft Thing is, that Sin hath made our Natures bafe, and difingenuous, in that we take no Notice of his goodness, Ifa. i. 3. The Ox knoweth his owner, and the Afs bis Mafter's Crib; but Ifrael doth not know, my People doth not confider; and anfwer not the Defign of it, Rom. ii. 4. Not knowing that the Goodness of God leadeth thee to Repentance. Q. 10. What is the fecond Inference from the goodness of God?

A. That therefore God is the fittest Object of our Delight, and Love, and of our Truft and Confidence. (1) Of our Delight and Love, Pfalm cxvi. 1. I love the Lord, becaufe be bath heard my Voice, and my Supplication. (2) Of our Truft and Confidence, Pfalm xxxiv. 8. O tafe and fee that the Lord is good; blefed is the Man that trufteth in him.

Q. 11. What is the Third Inference from God's goodnefs?

A. That Chriftians fhould imitate God in his goodness, in Charity to their Enemies, Matt. v. 44, 45. But I fay unto you, Love your Enemies, bless them that curfe you, do good to them that hate you, pray for them which despitefully use you, and perfecute

perfecute you, that ye may be the Children of your Father which

is in Heaven.

Q. 12. What is the Last Inference from God's goodness? A. That Christians have great Encouragement to go to God for Pardon in Cafe of Sin, Pfalm cxxx. 4. But there is Forgiveness with thee, that thou mayft be feared; and for Refuge in Dangers, Nahum i. 7. The Lord is good, a strong Hold in the Day of Trouble; he knoweth them that trust in him. Of God's Truth.

Quest. 1.

W

HAT is the Truth of God?

A. It is an effential Property of his Nature, whereby he is perfectly faithful in himself, and in all that he hath spoken, Deut. xxxii. 4. He is the Rock, his Work is perfect, for all his Ways are judgment; a God of Truth, and without Iniquity, just and right is he, Pfal. cxix. 142. Thy Righteoufuefs is an everlasting Righteousness, and tby Law is the Truth.

Q. 2. What is the first Property of Divine Truth?

A. The first Property of it is, That it is essential and neceffary to God; He cannot lie. Tit. i. 2.

Q3. What is the Second Property of it?

A. the Second Property is, that it is everlasting, and abiding to all Generations, Pfalm c. 5. For the Lord is good, bis Mercy is everlasting, and his Truth endureth to all Generations. Ifa. xxv. i. O Lord, thou art my God, I will exalt thee Counfels of old are Faithfulness and Truth.

thy

Q4. What is the Third Property of Divine Truth? A. The third Property is, that he is univerfally true în all his Words and Works. 1. In all his Words, John xvii. 17. Thy Word is Truth. 2. In all his Works, Pfalm xxv. All the Paths of the Lord are Mercy and Truth, unto fuch as keep his Covenant.

10.

Q5. What is the first Leffon from God's Truth to be learnt ?

A. That Truth and Sincerity of Heart is that which is moft fuitable, and pleafing to God, Pfalm li. 6. Behold, thou defireft Truth in the inward Parts.

Q. 6. What is the fecond Leffon from God's Truth?

A. That

A. That whatever God hath foretold, fhall affuredly come to pass, and be fulfilled in his Time, Joh. xxiii. 14. Not one Thing bath failed of all the good Things which the Lora our God Spoke concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, ana not one Thing bath failed thereof.

Q. 7. What is the third Leffon from the Truth of God? A. That a Promife from God is full Security to the Faith of his People, and they may look upon it as good as a Mercy in Hand, Heb. x. 23. For he is faithful that promised.

Q. 8. What is the fourth Leffon from God's Truth?

A. That whatever God hath threatned in his Word against Sinners, hall furely come upon them, except they repent, Zech. i. 6. But my Word, and my Statutes, which I commanded my Servants, the Prophets, did they not take hold of your Fathers? and they returned, and said, Like as the Lord of Hoffs thought to do unto us, according to our Ways, and according to our Doings, fo hath be dealt with us, Ezek. xii. 27, 28. The Word which I have spoken, shall be done, faith the Lord God.

Q. 9. What is the Fifth Leffon from God's Truth?

A. That Falfhood in Words and Actions is contrary to God's Nature, and abhorred by him, John viii. 44. Ye are of your Father the Devil, and the Luft of your Father ye will do ; he was a Murtherer from the Beginning, and abode not in the Truth, because there is no Truth in him; when be speaketh a Lie, he fpeaketh of his own; for he is a Liar, and the Father of it.

Q. 10. What is the Last Leffon from God's Truth ?

A. The Day of Judgment will rightly and juftly ftate every Man's Condition, Rom. ii. 2. But we are fure that the Judgment of God is according to Truth, against them which commit Such Things.

Of One God.

Queft. 5. ARE there more Gods than one?

and true God.

A. There is but one only, the living

Q. How doth it appear that there is but one God?

A. It is evident from Scripture there is but one God, Deut. vi. 4. Hear, O Ifrael, the Lord our God is one Lord, Jer. x. 10. But the Lord is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlafting King; and as Scripture reveals no more, fo Reason will allow no more.

Q. 2. Why will Reafon allow no more but one God? › A. Because God is the First Being, Revel. i. 11. Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the First and the Laft; and there can be but one First Being, and God is the moft perfect, and excellent Being, Ffalm lxxi. 19. Thy Righteoufnefs also, O God, is very high, who hath done great Things: O God, who is like unto thee? And there can be but one most perfect and excellent Being.

Q. 3. But doth not the Scripture fay in 1 Cor. viii. 5. That there are Gods many, and Lords many?

A. Yes, there are many in Title, and many in Opinion ; but one only in Truth, Jer. x. 10. But the Lord is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting King.

Q4. Why is he called the true God?

A. To diftinguifh him from the Idols and falfe Gods of the Heathens, Thef. i. 9. How ye turned to God from Idols, to ferve the living and true God, Acts xiv. 15. We preach unto you, that ye fhould turn from thefe Vanities unto the living God, which made Heaven and Earth, and the Sea, and all Things that are therein.

Q5. Why is he called the living God?

A. Because all Life, natural, fpiritual, and eternal, is in him, and from him only. First, Natural Life, Acts xvii. 28. For in him we live, and move, and have our being. Secondly, Spiritual Life, Eph. ii. 1. You bath be quickened, who were dead in Trefpafes and Sins. Thirdly, Eternal Life in Glory, Col. iii. 4. When Chrift who is our Life shall appear, then fhall ye also appear with him in Glory.

Q. 6. What is the first Inftruction from hence?

A. If but One God, then all his Children fhould be of one Heart, having one and the fame Father, Eph. iv. 5, 6. One Lord, one Faith, one Baptifm, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

Q7. What is the fecond Inference from hence ?

A. That

« PreviousContinue »