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4. It is the greatest Comfort in all Conditions, Pfal. xxvii. 13.

5. A firm Belief of this, will confirm our Faith in all the Affertions, Threatnings, and Promises of God; and fo is the only Way to get to Heaven.

HE B. xi. 6.

"He that cometh unto God, must believe that he is, and that he is a Rewarder of them that diligently feek him.

Queft. 1. WHAT Neceffity is there of our

treating of the Existence of God? 1. We live in an Age full of Atheism and Infidelity, many having had, the Impudence to deny God's Exiftence, and deride his Worship.

2. Of them that profefs to believe it, few do fo really, at least few believe it fo firmly, as they ought.

3. Of them that do moft firmly believe it, some may often have doubtful Thoughts of it fuggefted by the Devil.

4. Howfoever, this is the Foundation of all Religion; and therefore we must take Care to lay it deep, and fix it firmly in the Minds of those committed to our Charge, as without which it is impoffible to build them up aright in their most holy Faith,

Quest,

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Thefaurus Theologicus.

69

prove that

Queft. 2. What Arguments have we to God is? 1. From the Order of Causes: For of every Effect there must be a Caufe, till we come to the first and univerfal Caufe of all Things. Every Thing that is, was either made, or not made; if made, it must be made by fomething that was not made.

For every Thing that is, is an Argument that God is, Rom. i. 20.

1. All Things above'us; Sun, Moon, Stars,. Clouds, Pfal. xix. 1. Acts 14. 16, 17.

2. About us; Men, Trees, Beafts, Birds, &c. 3. Beneath us; the Earth, Flowers, Plants. 4. Within us; our Souls and Bodies, Zach.xii. 1. 2. From the natural Conscience that accuseth, or elfe excufeth Men for their Actions, Rom. ii. 14, 15. Ifa. xxxiii. 14.

3. From the Miracles wrought in all Ages; which being above the Power of Natural Caufes, muft needs argue a Supernatural Being, Pfal. xliv. 1. Pfal. lxxii. 18.

4: From the Prophecy and Predictions of Things to come.

5. From the universal Consent of all. Nulla gens ufquam eft adeo contra leges, moresque projecta ut non aliquos Deos credat. Senec.

Nulla gens tam fera eft, nemo omnium tam immanis cujus mentem non imbuerit Deorum opinio, Cic. So that this Article, Crèdo in Deum, is acknowledged by all.

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Queft. 3. What are we to Believe concerning God?

1. He is but One, Deut. vi. 4: Ifai. xliv. 6. Ifa. xlv. 5, 6, Ifa. xliv. 8.

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2. There be Three Perfons in this Godhead, every One of which is that One Eter nal God, Matt. xxviii. 10. 1 Job.v. 7.

3. That he is an abfolute independent felfexifting Being, Exod. iii. 14. Therefore called,, Kue, from wew, anciently the fame with up and m.

He is every where, and knows every Thing, Pfal. cxxxix. 7. Heb. iv. 13.

5. That he is Almighty, and can do whatfoever he pleases, Matt. xix. 26.

6. That by this Almighty Power, he made and ftill preferveth all Things, Gen. i. 1. Act. xvii. 28. Matt. x. 29, 30.

7. That all infinite Perfections whatsoever are concentred in him, Pfal. xi. 7. Ifa. xxx. 18. xxxiv. 6, 7. 1 Tim. i. 17. Pfal. cxlvii. 1.

8. He will reward all thofe that diligently feek him.

1. In this Life.

2. In that to Come.

US E.

Is he fo glorious a God?"
Then,

1. Love him, Deut. vi. 5.
2. Fear him, fer. v. 22.

3. Truft on him, Pfal. xxvii. 1.

4. Defire his Favour and Prefence, Pfal. xlii.

1, 2. Pfl. xiii. 25.

5. Obey him, 1 Chron. xxviii. 9.

JOHN

JOHN iv. 24.

God is a Spirit,

Queft. 1. W And what Conceptions are we shere"Herefore is God faid to be a Spirit? fore to have of him?

1. Being a Spirit, he is a living Substance for tho' all living Things be not Spirits, every Spirit is a living Thing.

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The Soul and Angels are Spirits, therefore live, but not in themselves, Act. xvii. 18. God lives in and of himself, Job. v. 26. Pfal. xxxvi. 9.

2. He is Incorporeal, or without Body, Luke xxiv. 39.

The Anthropomorphite and Audiarii of Old,and fo fome New Hereticks, have afferted God to have a Body, contrary to Rom. i. 23. Ifai. xl. 18.

OBJECT. God is faid to have an Head, Dan. vii. 9. Face, Pfal. xxvii. 8. Pfal. xxxiv. 6. Eyes, Pfal. xxxiv. 15. Hands, Pfal. xxxviii, 3. A&t. iv. 28. Mouth, Matt. iv. 4. Ears,Pfal. xxxi. 2. Arms, Exod. vi. 6. Ifa. liii. 1. Fingers, Exod. xxxi. 18. Bowels, Ifa. lxiii. 15.

RESP. Ταυτα ανθρωποπαθῶς μὲν λέγονται θεοπρε πῶς δὲ νοῦνται.

God in thefe Things fpeaks after the manner of Men, and to our Capacity.

We fee by the Eye; by that therefore God fignifies to us his Omnifcience, &c.

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He cannot be felt, because no Body.

OBJECT. Act. xvii. 27.

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RESP. We cannot feel God himself, but by his Creatures, Rom. i. 19, 29.

4. He is invisible, or cannot be feen, Job ix. 11. 1 Job. iv. 12. No Man can see him, Exod. xxxiii. 20. 1 Tim, yi. 16,

REASON.

God hath no Body, Shape, nor Colour, and we cannot fee our Souls.

OBJECT. God appeared to Abraham, Gen, xviii. 1. and to Ifrael, Deut. v. 24. and others.

RESP. Not in any outward Shape, but only by fome Manifestations of his Glory, and fpecial Prefence to them,

OBJECT. We fhall fee God, 1 Job. iii. 2. I Cor. xiii. 12.

RESP. With our Soul, not Bodily Eyes: Job faith, He fhall behold God, Fob xix. 26. That is, God the Son in our Nature, not in his own Di̟vine Effence.

Queft. 2. In what Senfe is God to be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth?

Not as if no external Rites were now to be ufed in his Worship. Chrift himfelf lift up his Eyes to Heaven, Job. xvii. 1. He kneeled down,

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