Of God's Unchangeableness.

Quest. 1. WHAT Scriptures plainly affert this Attri

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A. Exod. iii. 14. And God faid unto Mofes, I AM, that 1 AM, Dan. vi. 26. For he is the living God, and ftedfast for ever, Jam. i. 17. With whom is no Variableness, neither Shadow of Turning.

Q. 2. Whence doth God's Immutability flow?

A. 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 lefs good than he is, then he were not the chiefeft Good, and confequently not God.

Q. 3. 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 fomething to him he had not before, then there is fomething in God which he had not from Eternity: And if he change by Diminution, then there was fomething in God from Eternity, which now is not; but from everlasting to everlasting, he is the fame God, and therefore changeth

not.

Q. 4. But it is faid, God repents, and Repentance is a Change; how then is he unchangeable, and yet repents?

A. In thofe Phrafes God fpeaks to us, as we muft fpeak 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 fill the fame.

Q6. What is the first Inftruction from God's Immutability?

A. That thofe that are most unchangeable in Holiness, are most like God. Let him that is holy be holy fill.

Q.7. What is the fecond Inftruction from hence ?

A. That the Happiness of God's People is firm, and fure, being built upon the Word of an unchangeable God, Mal. iii. 6. For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye Sons of Ja-. cob are not confumed, Heb. vi. 18.

Q. 8. What is the third Inftruction 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 threatned he will do.

Q. 9. What is the laft Inftruction from God's Immutability?

A. That Chriftians may take as much Encouragement now from the Nature, Word, and Providence of God, as the Saints in any former Generation did, or might do; for he is the fame now, as he was then.

Queft. I.

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Of God's Wisdom.

OW manifold is the Wisdom of God? A. There is a perfonal and effentia! Wif dom of God; the perfonal Wifdom 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 eflential Wifdom of God, is the Effence of God; of which this Queftion speaks.

Q. 2. What is the effential Wisdom of God?

A. The effential Wisdom of God, is his most exact and perfect Knowledge of himself, and all his Creatures, and his ordering, and difpofing them in the moft convenient Manner, to the Glory of his own Name, Ephef. i. 11. According to the Purpose of him who worketh all Things after the Council 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; C

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but his from none. Ifa. xl. 14. With whom took he counsel? and who inftructed him, and taught him in the Path of Judgment, and taught him Knowledge, and fhewed to him the Way of Understanding?

Q. 4. What is the fecond Property of God's Wifdom? A, The fecond Property is, That he is incomprehenfible in his Wifdom, Rom. xi. 33, 34. Oh the Depth of the Riches, both of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God, &c.

Q5. 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 Discovery of the Wisdom of God?

A. The most glorious Difplay of the Wisdom of God was in the Work of our Redemption by Jesus Christ, Col. ii. 3. In whom are hid all the Treajures of Wisdom and Knowledge, 1 Cor. i. 24. Chrift the Wisdom of God.

Q. 7. What is the first Inftruction from God's Wisdom? A. The first Inftruction 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 exhalted, that he may have Mercy upon you; for the Lord is a God of Judgment; blessed are all they that wait for him.

Q. 8. What is the fecond Inftruction from hence ?

A. The fecond Inftruction is, 'That it is a dangerous Ar rogancy in the Creature, either to prescribe unto God, and direct his Maker, Job xxi. 22. Shall any teach God Knowledge, Jeeing he judgeth thofe that are high? Or to quarrel with his Providences, as not fo fit and convenient as they fhould be, Job xl. z. Shall he that contendeth with the Al mighty inftru&t him? He that reproveth God, let him answer it. Q. 9. What is the third Inftruction from it?

A. That the People of God have much Reafon to quiet, and encourage themfelves, when crafty and fubtil Enemies furround them. For the Foolishness of God is wiser than Man, 1 Cor. i. 25.

Q. 10. What is the fourth Inftruction from God's Wifdom?

A. The

A. The fourth Inftruction is, That the true Way to Wifdom, 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 Fountain of it, Jam. i. 5. If any Man lack Wifdom, let him afk it of God.

Q. 11. What is the last Instruction from God's Wisdom? A. That the Study of Christ, and of the Scriptures, is to be preferred to all other Studies in the World, Col. ii. 3. In whom are bid all the Treasures of Wisdom, and Knowledge. And the Scriptures contain all that Wisdom which is for our Salvation, i Cor. ii. 7. But we speak the Wisdom of God in a Myftery, even the bidden Wifdom which God ordained before the World, unto our Glory.

Quest. 1.

Of God's Power.

WHAT is the Power of God?

A. An effential Property of his Nature, whereby he can do all Things that he pleases to have done, Jer. xxxii. 17. Ah Lord God, behold thon haft made the Heavens, and the Earth by thy great Power, and stretched-out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee.

Q. What Evidences have we before our Eyes of the Almighty Power of God?

A. It appears in the Creation of the World, Rom. i. 20. For the invifible Things of him from the Creation of the World are clearly feen, being understood by the Things that are made, even his eternal Power and Godhead. And its Suftentation, Heb. i. 3. Who upholdeth all Things by the Word of his Power. Q3. Did God's Power ever act its utmost?

A. No, he can do more than ever he did, or ever will do. Mat. iii. 9. God is able of thefe Stones to raise up Children unto Abraham, Mat. xxvi. 53.

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Q4. Are there not fome Things which God cannot do? A. Yes, there are, but they are fuch Things as are inconfiftent with his Truth and Holinefs, Tit. i. 2.--which God that cannot lie, 2 Tim. ii. 13. He cannot deny himself. Q. 5. What is the first Thing inferred from God's Power? A. That

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A. That all the Creatures neceffarily depend on him for what Ability they have, and without the Permiffion of the fupreme Power they can do us no Hurt, Joh xix. 11. Thou culdeft have no Power against me except it were given thee from above.

Q6. What is the fecond Inference from hence?\

A. That the Difficulties which lye in the Way of the Promifes, need be no ftumbling-blocks to our Faith, Rom. iv, 20, 21. He staggered not at the Promifes through Unbelief, being fully perfuaded, that what he had promifed, he was able alfo to perform.

Q. 7. What is the third Inference from this Attribute?

A. The Saints need not be scared at the Greatness of their Sufferings: their God can carry them through, Dan. iii. 17. Our Ged whom we serve, is able to deliver us from the burning fiery Furnace.

Q. 8. What is the fourth Inference?

A. That the Salvation of God's People is certain, whatever their Dangers be; being kept by this mighty Power,, 1 Pet. i. 5. Who are kept by the Power of God through Faith to Salvation.

Q.9. What is the last Inference hence?

A. That the State of the damned is unconceivably miferable. Their Punishment proceeding from the Glory of the Almighty, 2 Thef. i. 9. Who shall be punished with everlafting Deftruction, from the Prefence of the Lord, and the Glory of his Power.

Quest. I.

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Of God's Holiness.

OW manifold is the Holinefs of God? A. The Holiness of God is twofold; Communicable or incommunicable; of his communicable Holiness the Apostle speaks, Heb. xii. 10. But he for our Profit, that we might be Partakers of his Holiness. Of his incommunicable Holiness that Scripture fpeaks, 1 Sam. ii. 2. is none holy as the Lord.

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Q. 2. What is the effential and incommunicable Holiness of God?