God is infinite and incomprehensible how then may we conceiue of him A. By his y Exod. 34. 6 7. properties 14 and by his z Psa 19. 1. 8. 1. Iob 36. 24. c. and 37. 1. 18. workes Expos 14. A propertie in God is that whereby his diuine nature is knowne in it selfe and distinguished from all other The properties of God do not really differ from the diuine essence nor one of them from the other but onely in our manner of conceiuing wherefore euery propertie in God is inseparable and incommunicable Q. What are his properties A. He is 15 most a Rom. 16. 27. wise 16 b Iob 12. 13. strong c Mat. 19. 17. 17 good d Exod. 33. 19. Rom. 5. 8. 18 gracious e Psa 145. 17. 19 iust f Psal 103. 11. and 145. 8. 9. 20 mercifull g Matth. 5. 48. Iob 35. 7 8. 21 perfect h Mark 14. 16. Rom. 9. 5. 22 blessed and i 1. Cor. 2. 8. 23 glorious Expos 15. Wisedome is that whereby God by one Heb 4. 13. infinite Ps 139. 6. and 147. 5. Esa 40. 28. eternall Eph. 1. 4. simple Exod. 3. 14. and vnchangeable act of his vnderstanding Esa 46. 10. doth knowe himselfe Matth. 11. 27. Ioh. 1. 18. and 7. 29. 1. Cor. 2. 10. 11. and all things 1. Ioh. 3. 20. Ioh. 16. 20. and 21. 17. and actions clearely infallibly and distinctly 1. Chr. 28. 9. 2. Tim. 2. 19. Psal 56. 8. and 147. 4. Matth. 10. 30. with all their circumstances 1. Sam. 23. 11. 12. Matth. 11. 21. Mat. 24. 22. Ioh. 7. 30. discerning a most wise reason of them Eph. 1. 11. Pro. 8. 14. 16. Strength is that whereby God doth most freely Psal 115. 3. 135. 6. without resistance or wearines whatsoeuer he doth will Dan. 4. 35. Esa 40. 28. and can do whatsoeuer he can will Mat. 3. 9. 17. Goodnesse is that whereby God beeing the cheife good Mark 10. 18. sheweth himselfe very good and bountifull to all his creatures Psal 86. 5. Gen. 1. 31. Psal 33. 5. and 36 6. and 145. 9. 18. Gratiousnesse is that whereby God beeing truely amiable in himselfe Psal 86. 15. and 111. 5. is freely bountiful vnto his creatures Rom. 3. 24. louing and cherishing them tenderly without any desert of theirs Psal 145. 8. and 36. 5 7 9. Luk. 1. 30. 19. Iustice is that whereby God is true in all his sayings Eccl. 12. 10. Rom. 3. 4. and righteous in all his doings Gen. 18. 25. Deut. 32. 4. Iob. 8. 3. and 34. 10. 36. 23. Psal 9â— 15. Rom. 9. 14. 2. Chron. 19. 7. Dan. 9. 14. 20. Mercy is that whereby God of his free grace and loue is ready to succour such as are Psal 57. 10. and 108. 4. Psal 103. 4. and 145. 14. or might be in miserie by the condition of their nature 21. Perfectnes is that whereby God is necessarily all-sufficient in and of himselfe Gen. 17. 1. Iob. 22. 2. 35. 5 6 7. Ps 16. 2. and the cause of all perfection and goodnesse in euery thing besides Iam. 1. 17. 2. Cor. 3. 5. and 4. 7. 1. Cor. 8. 4. 6. Rom. 11. 36. 22. Blessednes is that whereby God fully and essentially knowing and willing that perfection which is in himselfe hath all fulnesse of delight and contentment in and of himselfe Gen. 17. 1. 1. Tim. 6. 15. and 1. 11. and is the cause and obiect of the blessednesse of his creatures Psal 16. 11. and 17. 15. Ioh. 17. 3. 1. Ioh. 1. 3. 6. 23. Glorie in God is rhe admirable excellencie of his most holy and diuine nature wherby he infinitely excelleth all creatures Exod. 33. 18. Psal 8. 1. Ioh. 12. 41. Rom. 1. 23. Psal 29. 9. This glory the Lord doth manifest more obscurely in this life Num. 12. 8. Exod. 33. 20. 1. Cor. 13. 12. by his Gospel 2. Cor. 4. 4. 6. and signes of his presence Exod. 33. 22. Esa 6. 1. viz. some shining brightnesse Luk. 2. 9. Matth. 17. 2. 5. or thicke cloud and darkenesse Exod. 16. 10. and 24. 16. 1. Kin. 8. 11. and excellent acts beseeming his greatnesse Psal 19. 1. Psal 29. 9. Exod 9. 16. Ioh. 2. 11. 2. Thess 1. 10. But more clearely it is reuealed in heauen Reu. 21. 23. Ioh. 17. 24. Q. What are his Workes A. They are three Decree Creation and Prouidence Q. What is the decree A. That whereby God hath from eternitie set downe k Ephes 1. 11. with himselfe whatsoeuer 1 shall come to passe Expos 1. All things with their causes effects circumstances and manner of being are decreed by God Act. 2. 23. and 4. 27. 28. Eph. 1. 11. This decree is most wise Rom. 11. 33. iust Rom. 9. 13. 14. eternall Eph. 1. 4. 5. 2. Thes 2. 13. Act. 15. 18. 1. Cor. 2. 7. necessarie Psal 33. 11. Pro. 19. 21. vnchangeable Heb. 6. 17. most free Rom. 9. 18. and cause of all good Iam. 1. 17. but not of any sinne 1. Io. 1. 5. The speciall decree of God concerning Angels and men is called predestination Rom. 8. 30. of the former little is spoken in holy Scripture of the latter more is reuealed not vnprofitable to be knowne It may be defined the wise free iust eternall and vnchangeable sentence or decree of God Eph. 1. 11. determining with himselfe to create and gouerne man for his speciall glory viz. the praise of his glorious mercy or great iustice Rom. 9. 17. 18. Rom. 11. 36. Of this decree there be two parts Election and Reprobation 1. Thes 5. 9. Iude. 4. v. Election is the decreee of God of his free loue grace and mercy chusing some men to faith holines and eternall life for the praise of his glorious mercy 1. Thes 1. 4. 2. Thes 2. 13. Eph. 1. 4. 5. 6. Rom. 8. 29. 30. The cause which mooued the Lord to elect them who are chosen was none other but his meere good-will and pleasure Luk. 12. 32. Rom. 11. 5. and 9. 11. 16. Eph. 1. 5. 2. Tim. 1. 9. The end is the manifestation of the riches of his grace and mercy Rom. 9. 23. Eph. 1. 2. The sending of Christ faith holines and eternall life are the effects of Gods loue by which he manifesteth the infinite riches of his grace Io. 3. 16. 1. Io. 4. 10. Act. 13. 48. Tit. 1. 1. Col. 1. 12. Rom. 6. 23. In the same order God doth execute this decree in time he did decree it in his eternall counsell 1. Thes 5. 9. 2. Thes 2. 13. Reprobation is the wise iust and absolute decree of God ordaining to leaue some men vnto themselues to suffer them to fall and to inflict vpon them eternall punishment deserued by their sins for the praise of his vnspeakable and great iustice Rom. 9. 11. 13. 22. Iude. 4. v. Ier. 6. 30. The cause of this decree is the absolute will and good pleasure of God Mat. 11. 26. Rom. 9. 13. mans sinne is the
said to be made in the image of God Genes 9. 6. 8. As God knowes himselfe Ioh. 8. 55. 1. Cor. 20. 10. and all things besides Ioh. 16. 30. so man did truely distinctly perfectly and effectually knowe God Rom. 1. 19. 20. his will Rom. 2. 15. and workes Gen. 2. 20. 23. and his own happinesse in God and his owne present estate though he was ignorant of the future 9. As God willeth himselfe as the cheife good Esa 42. 8. and can will nothing but what is good so mans wil was able to choose God and all good freely readily and orderly and to doe what was required 1. Chron. 28. 9. and 29. 9. His affections also were subiect to the rule of perfect reason duely and with an holy moderation caried vnto that which is good respecting God or man Tit. â— 5. 12. 1. Tim. 3. 2. Matth. 22. 37 38 39. Deut. 6. 5. Q. Wherein did mans happinesse consist A. In the enioying w Gen. 1. 29. of 10 sweet peace and communion with the Lord. Expos 10. God did loue fauour and accept of man and man did behold reioyce and rest in the Lord with full delight Q. What further priuiledges did man enioy in this state of innocencie A. Hee was placed in x Gen. 2. 15. paradise had libertie to eate of y Gen. 2. 16. euerie tree in the garden except the tree of 11 knowledge of good and euill and was made a Gen. 2. 19. Psa 8. 6. ruler of all earthly creatures z Gen. 2. 17. Expos 11. The euent of mans eating or forbearing that fruit did giue the name to that tree If he had obeyed he should be happie hauing experience of good if he did eate thereof he by experience should knowe what good hee lost thereby and what miserie he brought on himselfe Q. Were these things bestowed vpon man that he might liue as he list A. No but that hee might 12 serue the b Reu. 4. 11. Psal 95. 6. Lord his Maker who therefore gaue man a law binding him alwaies to perfect obedience and a speciall commaundement to try him c Rom. 2. 14. Expos 12. God the Creator of man Psal 100. 3. and in that respect his supreame and absolute soueraigne hauing bestowed so great gifts and maine liberties vpon man freely might vpon his owne will and pleasure require at the hands of man what obedience soeuer he had or would inable him to performe Deut. 11. 31. 32. Ier. 27. 5. and might also inioyne him to manifest his loaâ—tie and humilitie by abstaining from some act in it selfe indifferent for no other reason but because he was so commanded Dan. 4. 32. 35. Psa 115. 3. Q. What was that speciall commaundement A. Of the tree of d Gen. 2. 17. knowledg of good and euill thou shalt not eate for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death Q. Death we heare was threatned if hee did disobey what promise was made to incourage him to this dutie A. The continuance e Gen. 2. 9. both of 13 himselfe and his 14 posteritie in that good estate Expos 13. The tree of life seemes to be a signe and seale of the continuance of his happinesse if he had obeyed Gen. 3. 22 23 24. Pro. 3. 18. Apoc. 2. 7. 14. All mankind was created good in Adam Eccl. 7. 31. Rom. 5. 12. 1. Cor. 15. 22. as other creatures were in their kind Gen. 1. 31. and God did enter into couenant with our first parents Gen. 2. 17. as they were the roote of all their posterity so that what they had actually promised to them we had promised to vs also in them Q. Did man continue in that good estate A. No but 15 he f 1. Tim. 2. 14. fell from God thorough the enticements of Sathan Expos 15. Man was created good but mutable so that he might fall Gen. 2. 17. Eccl. 7. 31. and God not beeing bound to vphold him Rom. 11. 35. Gen. 17. 1. did suffer him to fall knowing how to order the same for the setting forth of his glorie Prou. 16. 4. God knew before that â—â—an would transgresse Act. 15. 18. Psal 139. 2. yet was he not therefore to forbeare to giue man a most wise iust and easie precept whereby he would shewe forth his Soueraigntie ouer man 1. Sam. 15. 2. 9. Q. How did he fall A. By sinning g Eccl. 7. 29. or 31. Rom. 5. 12. 1. Ioh. 3. wilfully 16 against God taansgressing his law Expos 16. Sathan was the principall outward cause of the sinne of man Gen. 3. 1. Ioh. 8. 44. Apoc. 12. 9. who enuying the glorie of God and the saluation of man did vse the serpent as his instrument to seduce the woman Gen. 3. 1. 2. Cor. 11. 3. and the helpe of the woman to seduce the man Gen. 3. 6. The qualitie of the fruite by accident was a cause to mooue them to eate thereof Gen. 3. 6. and the iust and good law of God forbidding that sinne may be said to be an occasion of the sinne as it did forbid an act in it selfe indifferent that man could not commit it without sinne but the principall inward cause of mans fall was his owne free-will freely and voluntarily transgressing Gods commandement which he might and ought to haue obeied but would not Gen. 2. 7. 17. and 3. 23. 24. Rom. 5. 19. Eccl. 7. 31. Q. What was the sinne he did commit A. The h Gen. 3. 6. eating of 17 the forbidden fruit Expos 17. The tree of knowledge in it selfe was good Gen. 11 12. 1. Tim. 4. 4. Gen. 3. 6. but the fruit thereof vnlawfull to be eaten because God had forbidden it to be eaten 1. Ioh. 3. 4. Gen. 2. 17. And this sinne of Adam was exceeding great because it was the breach of so easie a commaundement Gen. 1. 29. with Gen. 2. 17. that God had giuen for the the triall of his obedience committed by him that had receiued great fauours from God Gen. 1. 26 27 28 c. and that in Paradise Gen. 3. 6. 23. Also it was accompanyed with an heape of other sins infidelie idolatrie vnthankefulnesse to God and contempt of him blasphemie in subscribing to the deuil murther c. Q. Did all mankind sinne in Adam A. Yes i for 1â— wee were all in his loynes 1. Rom. 5. 12. 1. Cor. 15. 22. Heb. 7. 9 10. Expos 18. Adam was not a priuate person but the common parent of vs all and as hee receiued integâ—itie for himselfe and vs so he lost it for himself vs. Q. What is the state of all men hy reason of Adams fall A. They are k Eph. 2. 1. 2. dead 19 in Sinne and bondslaues 20 of Sathan Expos 19. To bee dead in sinne is to be vtterly depriued of all life of grace Eph. 5. 18. so that we can mooue to nothing of our selues that is truly acceptable in the sight of God 20. To be Bondslaues of
powers thereof is not of and from it selfe therefore it must proceede from another cause which is power wisedome and vnderstanding it selfe and that is God 2. In the vnderstanding there are certaine principles whereby it diserneth truth and falsehood good and euill this gift man hath not of himselfe therefore it springs froâ— a supreame and most wise vnderstanding the principall cause being euer more excellent then the effect 3. The mind is not satisfied with the knowledge nor the will with the possession of all things in this world but still they seeke and earnestly thirst after some higher good there is therefore a Soueraigne truth and cheife good which being perfectly knowne and enioyed will giue contentment 4. By the power and faculties of the Soule man is capable of happines or of the cheife good but in vaine should he be made capable thereof if there were not a cheife good to be possessed and enioyed 5. By the assaults and suggestions of Satan we feele there is a Deuill may we not then certainly conclude that there is a God 2. Satan labours by all meanes to extinguish the light of the Gospel to lead men on in ignorance error and prophanenesse and to turne them out of the path of holines Now why should Satan warre thus against God his word and Saints why should he seeke Gods dishonour and mans destruction if there were not a God a lawe and an euerlasting life Q. How else A. By the 6 consent of nations 7 defence m Psal 9. 16 and 58. 10. 11. of the Church 8 support and n Ier. 33. 9. comfort of the godly but principally by the o Es 42. 8. Scripture Expos 6. All nations in euery age time and place of the world haue acknowledged that there was a God 2. The Gentiles could not endure him who denied a diuine power 3. They adored stockes stones bruite beasts and the basest creatures rather then they would haue no dietie at all 4. They were zealous and forward in the worship of their Idols which shewes that though they acknowledged not the true God yet they knewe there is a God to whom diuine worship is due 5. Such as haue studied to become Atheists could neuer blot this truth out of their consciences but the maiestie of God hath affrighted and his terrors made them afraid 7. The deuill with great malice and fury and vngodly men with all their might authority malice and policy haue laboured to find out and extirpate all those that call vpon the name of the Lord Iesus but they haue been miracuously hid preserued and defended by the Lord. 2. God hath wonderfully frustrated all the deuises of the wicked enemies of his Church by the meanes they practised to roote it out it was encreased 3. God fought from heauen against the persecutors of his children and executed vpon them the fiercenes of his displeasure dreadfull iudgements did ouertake many of them and such horror fell vpon some that they were forced to leaue their places of honour and rule and betake themselues to a solitarie and priuate life 4. The Lord hath armed his children with inuincible courage and fortitude to endure disgrace contempt pouerty death and the most exquisite torments that hell could inuent he hath supported them vnder the burthen of an accusing conscience and inwardly refâ—â—shed them as it were suddenly with sweete peace and consolation and by the power strength and comfort of the holy Ghost hath enabled them to sing Psalmes in prison and in the midst of the fire which courage strength and comfort of theirs doth plainely demonstrate that there is a God specially if you compare it with that feare faintnes and vnquietnesse vexation and deadnes which is in other men when they suffer any thing Q. What is God A. He is p Ioh. 4. 24. a 9 Spirit hauing q Luk. 24. 39. his being of 10 himselfe Expos 9. God is a spirituall invisible and immateriall substance 1. Tim. 1. 17. Luk. 24. 39. 10. God is without beginning Psal 90. 2. and 93. 2. Esa 43. 1â— and 44. 6. and without cause Apoc. 1. 8. Esa 41. 4. and 43. 10. and 48. 12. and so hee is without composition infinite Psa 147. 5. 145. 3. Exod. 3. 14. eternall Prou. 8. 22 23. Rom. 16. 26. incomprehensible Exod. 33. 22. 23. 1. Tim. 6. 16. 1. Kin. 8. 27. Esa 66. 1. and vnchangeable Iam. 1. 17. Mal. 3. 6. Q. How many Gods be there A. Onely r Deut. 6. 4. 1. Cor. 8. 4. 6. one 11 God and 12 three Å¿ Matth. 28. 19. 1. Ioh. 5. 7. Persons the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost Expos 11. There can be but one Omnipotent Dan. 4. 35. infinite eternall most perfect first cause and directer of all things all things are referred to one first Rom. 11. 35. Apocal. 1. 8. and 4. 11. 12. A person generally taken is one intire substance not common to many â—ndued with life and vnderstanding wil and power A person in the Godhead is the Godhead restrained or distinguished by his personall propertie Ioh. 14. 16. and 15. 1. The whole diuine nature being indiuisible 1. Cor. 8. 6. is common to all three persons Farher Sonne and Holy Ghost Act. 4. 24. 2. Cor. 1. 3. Ioh. 1. 1. Rom. 9. 5. Heb. 1. 8. Numb 12. 6. 7. with Act. 1. 16. 1. Pet. 1. 11. Heb. 1. 1. Act. 4. 25. with 2. Pet. 1. 21. and therfore whatsoeuer doth absolutely agree to the diuine nature or is spoken of the diuine nature by relation vnto the creatures that doth agree likewise to euery person in Trinitie Ioh. 1. 1. Prou. 8. 22. Apoc. 1. 8. Matth. 18. 20. Ioh. 3. 13. Iob 26. 13. and 33. 4. Ioh. 14. 26. Luk. 1. 35. Euerie person in Trinitie is equall in glory and eternitie Ioh. 10. 30. Ioh. 17. 5. Phil. 2. 6. Eph. 1. 17. with Ioh. 12. 41. and there is a most neere communion and vnion between them by which each one is in the rest and with the rest Ioh. 14. 10. 11. Io. 1. 1. and cuery one doth possesse loue and glorifie each other Prou. 8. 22. 30. v. Ioh. 17. 5. working the same things Ioh. 5. 19. But the Godhead considered with the personall property of begetting is the Father c. Q. What is the propertie of the Father A. To bee of himselfe and t 1. Ioh. 1. 18. and 3. 18. to 13 beget his Sonne Expos 13. The diuine nature doth neither beget nor is begotten but the Father doth beget his Sonne by an eternall and necessarie communication of his essence wholly and indiuisibly to his Son which yet he wholly retaineth in himselfe Ioh. 1. 1. Pro. 8. 22 23. Q. What is the propertie of the Sonne A. To be u Ioh. 3. 18. begotten of the Father Q. What is the propertie of the Holy Ghost A. To proceed from the w Ioh. 15. 26. Father and x Rom. 8. 9. Gal. 4. 6. the Sonne Q. The nature of