Q. 5. Can none enjoy him in heaven, who do not glorify him on earth?

A. No adult person can fcripturally expect happiness in heaven without holinefs on earth; Heb. xii. 14. And holinefs, without which no man shall fee the Lord. Rom. viii. 30. Whom he justified, them he also glorified.

Q. 6. How comes the glory and enjoyment of God our chief end? 4. He is our master, and rightful Owner and Benefactor; we receive our being and prefervation from him, of him, and through him, and therefore to him be all things, Rom. xi. 36.

Q.7. Do all men make God their chief end?

A. No, they do not; fome make their fenfual pleasure their chief end: Phil. ii. 19. Whofe God is their belly: and fome the world, Col. iii. 5. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth, and covetoufnefs, which is idolatry.

Q8. What are the figns of a man's making himself his chief end?

A. Those make themselves their chief end, who afcribe the glory of what they have, or do, to themfelves, and not to God; Dan. iv. 30. The king fpake, and faid, Is not this great Babylon which I have built? Ifa. x. 18. For he faith, By the ftrength of my hand have I done it; and by my wisdom, for I am prudent; therefore they facrifice to their own net, and burn incenfe unto their drag, Hab. i. 16.

Q. 9. Why are the glorifying and enjoying of God put together, as making up our chief end?"

A. Because no man can glorify God, that takes him not for his God; and none takes him for his God, that takes him not for his supreme good; and both thefe being effentially included in this notion of the chief end, are therefore juftly put together.

Q.10. What is the first truth inferred hence?

A. That God hath dignified man above all other creatures on earth, in giving him a capacity of glorifying God here, and of enjoying him hereafter.

Q. 11. What is the second truth inferred hence?

A. That the foul of man is not annihilated by death, but advanced by it; Phil. i. 21. To die is gain. V. 23. Having a defire to depart, and to be with Chrift, which is far better.

Q. 12. What is the third truth inferred hence ?

A. That is the duty and wisdom of every Christian to renounce, deny, and forfake all inferior interefts and enjoyments, when they come in competition with the glory of God, and our enjoyment of him: Luke xiv. 33. So likewife whofoever he be of you, that forfaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

Q. 13. What is the fourth inference hence?

A. That we are to abhor and renounce all thofe doctrines and practices, that debafe the glory of God, and exalt and magnify the

creature.

Of the Scriptures as our Rule.

Queft. 2. W glorify and enjoy him?

THAT rule hath God given to direct us how we may

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

Q1. How can the fcriptures be called the word of God, feeing the things contained there were spoken and written by men?

A. They are truly and properly called the word of God, becaufe they came not by the will of man; but holy men of God fpake as they were moved by the Holy Ghoft, 2 Pet. i. 21.

Q. 2. What are the principal arguments to perfuade us that the fcriptures are of Divine authority and inspiration?

A. Three things especially convince us: First, The holiness of the doctrine therein contained. Secondly, The awful efficacy thereof on the foul. Thirdly, The uncontroulable miracles by which they are fealed, put it beyond all rational doubt that they are the very words of God.

Q.3. What is the holiness of the fcriptures? and how doth that prove them to be God's word?

A. The holiness of the fcriptures doth appear in two things: Fir, In commanding and encouraging whatfoever is pure, and holy; Phil. iv. 8. Whatsoever things are pure. Secondly, In forbidding all unholiness, under pain of damnation; 2 Cor. vi. 9. Know ye not, that the unrighteous fhall not inherit the kingdom of God, &c. This fhews that they came not from Satan, being cross to his defign; nor from man, it being against his corrupt nature; and therefore from God only.

Q.4. What is their authority and efficacy on the foul? and how doth that prove them divine?

A. Their authority, and efficacy on the foul, confifts in three things: Firft, In the power they have to fearch and difcover the fecrets of men; Heb. iv. 12. The word of God is quick and powerful, and fharper than any two-edged fword, piercing even to the dividing afunder of foul and fpirit, and of the joints and marrow; and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Secondly, In their converting efficacy, changing and renewing the foul; Pfalm xix. 7. The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the foul. Thirdly, In their cheering and restoring efficacy, when the foul is caft down under any inward or outward trouble; Pfal. xix. 8. The ftatutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart. No human power can do fuch things as thefe; John xvii. 17. Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word

is truth.

Q. 5. How do miracles confirm it?.

A. Because all proper miracles are wrought only by the hand of God: John iii. 2. And no man can do thefe miracles that thou

doft, except God be with him: and fo are his feal to whatsoever he affixes them, and it confifts not with his truth and holiness to fet it to a forgery.

Q. 6. What was the end of writing the word?

A. That the church to the end of the world might have a fure, known, standing-rule, to try and judge all things by, and not be left to the uncertainty of traditions; John v. 39. Search the fcriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and they are they which teftify of me.

Q7. Doth not the authority of the, fcriptures depend on the church, fathers, and councils?

A. No, the fcriptures are not built on the authority of the church, but the church on them; Eph. ii. 20. And are built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jefus Chrift himself being the chief corner-ftone. And as for councils and fathers, the fcriptures are not to be tried by them; but they by the fcriptures; Ifa. viii. 20. To the law and to the teftimony; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

Q. 8. What may be fairly inferred from this propofition, that the fcriptures are the word of God?

A. Three things may be hence inferred. First, The perfection of the fcriptures, which being the only rule given by God, muft therefore be perfect. Secondly, That it is the right of common people to read them; John v. 39. Search the fcriptures, Acts xvii. 11. These were more noble than thofe of Theffalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and fearched the fcriptures daily, whether those things were fo. Thirdly, That we owe no obedience to the injunctions of men farther than they are fufficiently warranted by the written word; Matth. xv. 9. But in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

Of Faith and Obedience.

Queft. 3. WHAT do thriptures principally teach what man is te the fcriptures principally teach? believe concerning God, and what duty God requires of man.

Q. 1. Why is faith conjoined with obedience, and put before it? A. Because faith is the principle from whence all obedience flows; and no man can perform any duty aright in the eftate of unbelief; Heb. xi. 6. But without faith it is impoffible to please him; for he that cometh to God, muft believe that he is.

Q. 2. Can there be no faving faith where the scriptures are not known and preached?

A. No; for the apoftle faith, Rom. x. 14, 15. How then fhall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how fhall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? and how shall they preach except they

be fent? And ver. 17. So then, faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Q3. Are not we bound to believe what learned men teach us, as points of faith, though the things they teach be not contained in the word of God?

A. No; if the things they teach be not contained expressly, or by neceffary confequence in the word of God, we are not obliged to believe them as points of faith; Ifa. viii. 20. To the law, and to the teftimony, if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in thein: Gal. i. 8. Though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accurfed. And Chrift hath charged us, Matth. xxiii. 10. To call no man master, for one is your master, even Chrift.

Q. 4. Are there fome things in fcripture more excellent than others; because it is faid, the fcriptures principally teach matters of faith and duty?

A. Every part of fcripture is alike pure; Prov. xxx. 5. Every word of God is pure, and of equal authority, but not of equal weight; as feveral pieces of gold are alike pure, and of the fame ftamp, but not of equal value.

Q5. What may be inferred hence for use?

A. First, Hence it is our duty to examine what we hear, by the word; and not receive any doctrine because men confidently affirm it, but because the fcriptures require it; Acts xvii. 11. These were more noble than thofe of Theffalonica, in that they received the word with all readinefs of mind, and fearched the fcriptures daily, whether these things were fo. Secondly, That the Chriftian religion is not notional, but practical; and that impractical faith faves no man; James ii. 20. Faith without works is dead.

Queft. 4.

God is a Spirit.

THAT is God?

WH

A. God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, juftice, goodness, and truth. Q. 1. Can the nature of God be defined, fo as men may express properly and ftrictly what God is?

4. No; Job xi. 7. Canft thou by fearching find out God? canft thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?

We do then conceive most rightly of God, when we acknowledge him to be inconceivable; and therefore, one being afked the queftion, what God is? answered rightly; If I fully knew that, I fhould be a God myfelf; for God only knows his own effence.

Q. 2. How many ways are there by which men may know and describe the nature of God, though still with imperfect knowledge? A. There are two ways of knowing God in this life. First, By VOL. VI.

T

C

way of affirmation; affirming that of God by way of eminence, which is excellent in the creature; as when we affirm him to be wife, good, merciful, &c. Secondly, By way of negation, when we remove from God, in our conceptions, all that is imperfect in the creature; fo we fay, God is immenfe, infinite, immutable; and in this fenfe we also call him a Spirit, i. e. he is not a grofs corporeal fubftance.

Q. 3. How many forts of fpirits are there? and of which fort is God?

4. There be two forts of fpirits, created and finite, as angels and the fouls of men are. Secondly, Uncreated, and infinite; and such a Spirit God only is, infinitely above all other spirits.

Q4. If God be a Spirit, in what fenfe are we to understand all thofe fcriptures which fpeak of the eyes of the Lord, the ears and hands of God?

A. We are to understand them as expreffions of God, in condefcenfion to the weakness of our understanding; even as the glory of heaven is expreffed to us in fcripture by a city, and the royal feaft. Thefe fhadows are useful to us whilft we are in the body; but we fhall know him in heaven after a more perfect manner.

Q. 5. What may be inferred from the fpiritual nature of God? A. Hence learn, that it is both finful and dangerous to frame an image or picture of God. Who can make an image of his foul, which yet is not fo perfect a fpirit as God is? And as it is finful to attempt it, fo it is impoffible to do it; Deut. iv. 15, 16. Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye faw no manner of fimilitude on the day that the Lord fpake to you in Horeb, out of the midft of the fire; left ye corrupt yourfelves, and make you a graven image, the fimilitude of any figure, &c.

Q. 6. What elfe may be inferred from thence?

A. That our fouls are the most noble and excellent part of us, which most resembles God; and therefore our chief regard and care fhould be for them, whatever becomes of the vile body; Matth. xvi. 26. For what is a man profited, if he gain the whole world, and lofe his own foul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his foul? Q. 7. What further truth may be inferred hence?

A. That men fhould beware of fpiritual fins, as well as of grofs and outward fins; for there is a faithfulness of the fpirit, as well as of the flesh; 2 Cor. vii. 1. Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit; and as God fees them, fo he greatly abhors them, as fins that defile the nobleft part of man, on which he stamped his own image.

Q. 8. What alfo may be inferred from hence?

A. Hence we learn, that spiritual worship is moft agreeable to his nature and will; and the more fpiritual it is, the more acceptable it will be to him; John iv. 24. God is a Spirit, and they that worfhip him must worship him in fpirit and in truth. Externals in worfhip are of little regard with God; as places, habits, geftures, &c.