ture. When it is said, God is one, the meaning is, that there is but one self-existent being.—The unity of God may be argued from His natural perfections; from the unity of design discoverable in the works of creation and providence; from there being no necessity of more than one God; and from the explicit declarations of Scripture. (h)

Q. 13. What is meant by the goodness of God? and how is it proved?

A. By His goodness is meant a disposition to bestow upon all His creatures, both in time and in eternity, every blessing, which is proper and best for them, and which it is consistent for Him, in view of the highest good of the universe, to bestow.This perfection of God is proved from the works of creation and providence; and from the Bible. (i)

Q. 14. What is meant by the wisdom of God? and how is it proved?

A. Wisdom in God is partly a natural, and partly a moral perfection. It unites the omniscience and goodness of God in accomplishing the greatest good in the universe; or it consists in knowing and choosing the best ends, and in knowing choosing, and adopting the best means for the accomplishment of them.- -This perfection of God is proved from the Divine omniscience and goodness, from creation, providence and redemption; and from express declarations of Scripture. (j)

Q. 15. What is meant by the holiness of God? and how is it proved?

A. By His holiness is meant His perfect freedom from all sin--the perfect absolute purity and rectitude of His nature. -That God possesses this perfection, is evident from His works of creation and prov

(h) Deut. vi. 4. Hear, O Israel! the Lord our God is one Lord.

(2) Ps. cxix. 68. Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes.

(1) Rom. xvi. 27. To God only wise be glory through Jesus Christ forever.

Amen.

idence; from His treatment of all moral beings; and from the instructions of His word. (k)

Q. 16. What is meant by the justice of God? and how is it proved?

A. By his justice is meant a disposition to do no wrong to any, and a disposition to do right by every one, or the rendering unto all their due. It is remunerative and punitive, and is exercised in conferring rewards on the holy, and in inflicting punishment on the unholy, and respects the future state, as well as the present. -That God possesses this perfection, may be argued from His other perfections; from the displays of His justice in the moral world; and from the Scriptures. (1)

Q. 17. What is meant by the mercy of God? and how is it proved?

A. Mercy in God means a disposition to pity the miserable and to bestow good upon the ill-deserving.*

-That God possesses this perfection, we have abundant proof from the gift of His Son; from His forbearance with sinners; from His provision of the means of salvation; from His proffers of eternal happiness; and from express declarations of His word. (m)

Q. 18. What is meant by the truth of God? and how is it proved?

A. Truth in God means His perfect veracity of disposition, and the accordance of His declarations

(k) Isaiah i. 4. They have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger.-Lev. xix. 2. Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.

(1) Ps. cxix. 137. Righteous art thou, O Lord, and upright are thy judgments.

(m) Eph. ii. 4, 5. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ.

*Mercy is frequently used as synonymous with grace; though in their strict and natural sense these words differ. In this sense, mercy means good shown to the miserable, and grace, good shown to the ill deserving.

with the real state of things, His faithfulness in fulfilling His promises, in executing His threatenings, and in accomplishing His predictions.-This perfection of God may be proved from His other moral perfections; from His conduct, and from His word. (n) Q. 19. Is God incomprehensible?

A. He is not so to Himself; but he is so to us. His incomprehensibility arises solely from our incapacity to comprehend Him. God is infinite; we are finite; and it is impossible that finite beings should comprehend the infinite God. He must, therefore, of necessity, be incomprehensible to us in His nature, purposes, and works. (0)

Q. 20. In what does the greatness of God consist?

A. In the infinitude of His perfections.

Q. 21. In what does the glory of God consist? A. In His moral perfections. His natural perfections derive their real glory from His moral perfections, the former being exercised under the influence of the latter. (p)

CHAPTER IV.
Trinity.

Q. 1. Do the Scriptures teach the doctrine of three Persons in the Godhead?

A. They teach, that there is one God, numerically one in essence, and that, in this one God, there is a threefold subsistence or distinction, or three Per

(n) Num. xxiii. 19. God is not a man, that he should lie, neither the son of man, that he should repent; hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

(0) Job xi. 7. Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?

(p) Exod. xxxiii. 18, 19. And he said, I beseech thee show me thy glory. And he saiu, i will make an my goodness pass before thee; and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee, and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy, on whom I will show mercy,

sons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, possessing numerically the same essence, and the same perfections. This mode of existence is neculiar to the great Jehovah. In the one self-existent Being, there is a something, which is the ground of His existing as a Trinity in Unity. (a)

Q. 2. Why is the term person used in reference to the Trinity in the Godhead?

A. Because distinct personal attributes or properties, and acts, are ascribed to the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; and because the three personal pronouns I, Thou, and He are in Scripture applied to them. This lays the foundation for using the term, though its meaning, when applied to the Trinity, is not the same, in all respects, as when applied to men. But no better term can be found to convey our ideas of the threefold subsistence or distinction in the Godhead, and therefore it may and should be used.

Q. 3. Is the doctrine of the Trinity taught in the Sacred Scriptures only?

A. It is they only reveal it.

And

(a) Matt. xxviii. 19. Go ye, therefore, teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.-2 Cor. xiii. 14. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.-1 John v. 7. For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one.-2 Thess. iii. 5. the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.—Gen. i. 26. And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.-Gen. iii. 22. And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us to know good and evil.-Gen. xi. 7. Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.-Isaiah vi. 8. Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?Isaiah xlviii. 16. And now the Lord God and his Spirit hath sent_me.-Gal. i. 7. Grace be to you, and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ.-1 Pet. i. 2. Eloct according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ

Q. 4. Are the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, each, truly and essentially Divine?

A. They are. In the Sriptures, to each Person Divine names and titles are given, Divine attributes, prerogatives and works are ascribed, Divine offices are assigned, and Divine worship and honors are paid. Surely, then, the Father must be God, the Son must be God, and the Holy Ghost must be God. (b)

(b) Jude 1. Jude the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father.-John iv. 23. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth; for the Father seeketh such to worship him.-Isaiah ix. 6. For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called, Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.-John i. 1. In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God.-John x. 13. I and my Father are one.-John xx. 28. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.-Heb. i. 8. But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever; a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.--1 John v. 20. And we know, that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true; and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.-Rom. ix. 5. Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen. Tit. ii. 13. Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ.-Rev. 1. 8. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.-Rev. xvii. 14. These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them; for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings.-Jer. xxiii. 6. And this is his name whereby he shall be called, the Lord our Righteousness.-Heb. xiii. 8. Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and to-day, and forever. Matt. xxviii. 18. And Jesus came, and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Matt. xviii. 20. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.-John xxi. 17. And he said unto him, Lord thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee.-Heb. iii. 4. For every house is builded by some man, but he that built all things is God.Col 16, 17. For by him were all things created, that