Lords many but to us there is but one God the Father of whom are all things and we in for him and one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things and we by him Q. But who are they that in a good sense may be called Gods A. They in a good sense may be called Gods first who in some Imployment are instead of God Secondly They who in Government are the Sons of God Such both Men and Angels who in some Imployment from God are to others instead of God may be called by the very Name of the most high God As for instance in Exod. 7.1 The Lord saith to Moses See I have made thee a God Elohim to Pharaoh that is instead of God as it is exprest in Exod. 4.16 The Angel of the Lord appeared unto Moses in the flame of a Fire out of the midst of a Bush Exod. 3.2 This Angel is called in vers 4. Jehovah and Elohim or as we english it The Lord and God Also they who in Government over others are the Sons of the most High are called Gods See Psal 82.1 6. God standeth in the Congregation of the Mighty he judgeth among the Gods I have said Ye are Gods and even all of you are Children Sons of the most High John 10.32 c. Jesus answered them Many good Works have I shewed you from my Father for which of these Works do ye stone me The Jews answered him saying For a good Work we stone thee not but for Blasphemy because that thou being a Man makest thy self God Jesus answered them Is it not written in your Law I said Ye are Gods If he called them Gods unto whom the Word of God came and the Scripture cannot be broken Say ye of him whom the Father hath sanctified and sent into the World Thou blasphemest because I said I am the Son of God In Psal 8.5 we read thus Thou hast made him a little lower than the Angels In the Hebr. 't is than the Gods Here and in the like places a single Person is not Elohim but Eloah which is sometimes used of the most High as in Psalm 18.32 Job 12.4 Now the great God is in distinction from these sometimes called The God of Gods and Lord of Lords Deut. 10.17 Josh 22.22 Psal 136.2 Dan. 11.36 Chap. 2.42 And he is said to be greater than all Gods and above all Gods Psal 135.5 He is also said to be high above all the Earth and exalted far above all Gods Psalm 97.9 He is called The high God Psalm 78.35 56. The most High Numb 24.16 Deut. 32.8 2 Sam. 22.14 Dan. 4 17. and elsewhere often and in Acts 7.48 The most High God Gen. 14.18 Heb. 7.1 and elsewhere often The Lord the most high God Gen. 14.22 The Lord most High Psal 47.2 In Psal 83.18 That Men may know that thou whose Name alone is JEHOVAH art the most High over all the Earth See Dan. 5.21 In the place now quoted the same word is rendred High and most High Q. You said That God is a Spirit How prove you that A. Jesus Christ himself hath taught us That God is a Spirit Joh. 4.24 Jesus saith unto the Woman of Samaria Woman believe me the hour cometh when ye shall neither in this Mountain nor yet at Jerusalem worship the Father ye worship ye know not what We know what we worship for Salvation is of the Jews 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 God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth John 4.21 22 23 24. Q. What must we understand by this That God is a Spirit A. By this That God is a Spirit we must understand two things in the general First That God is more excellent than all things Secondly That the Spirit of Man may be unto us in some manner a Shadow of God Although Method challengeth this place for the confirmation of this That God is said to be a Spirit in way of allusion to the Spirit of Man yet the proof of it shall be reserved for the close of this Discourse concerning God as consider'd in himself where it may be done more easily and in fewer words The Excellency of God is diversly expressed in the Holy Scriptures In 2 Pet. 1.17 He is called The Excellent Glory In the Scripture there is ascribed to God Excellency Deut. 33.26 Job 13.11 Ch. 37.4 Psal 68.34 Isa 35.2 Greatness of Excellency Exod. 15.7 He is said to be excellent in Power Job 37.23 More excellent than the Mountains of Prey Psal 76.4 O Lord our God how excellent is thy Name in all the Earth who hast set thy Glory above the Heavens Psal 8.1 Let them praise the Name of the Lord for his Name alone is excellent His Glory is above the Earth and Heaven Psal 148.13 In the same sence he is called the great God Tit. 2.13 Rev. 19.17 Dan. 2.45 Jer. 32.19 Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised and his greatness is unsearchable Psal 145.3 There is none like to the God of Jesurun Deut. 33.26 And Solomon said Lord God of Israel there is no God like thee in Heaven above or on Earth beneath 1 King 8.23 All Nations before the Lord are as nothing and they are counted to him less than nothing and vanity To whom then will ye liken God or what likeness will ye compare unto him To whom then will ye liken me Or shall I be equal saith the Holy One Isa 40.17 18 25. To whom will ye liken me and make me equal and compare me that we may be like Isa 46.5 Who in the Heaven can be compared unto the Lord Who among the Sons of the Mighty can be likened unto the Lord Psal 89.6 As the Heavens are higher than the Earth so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts Isa 55.9 But will God indeed dwell on the Earth Behold the Heaven and the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain thee how much less this House that I have builded 1 King 8.27 See Jer. 23.23 24. Acts 7.49 But how may we gather that God is thus excellent from his being called a Spirit Thus Jesus Christ here discovers the Divine Nature by the most excellent thing that is vulgarly known to wit the Spirit of Man Hereby he plainly signifies the Excellency of God And in that he discovers this Excellency not as it is in it self but by a Shadow he clearly intimates that this Excellency of God is such and so exceeding great that we now cannot perceive the same as it is in it self being far above the present strength of our Understanding and way of Knowledg The like we are to observe in many other scriptural forms of Speech concerning some things that are Spiritual and those things that pertain to another World See John 3.10 11 12. It was said That the Spirit of Man
us to know God and Jesus Christ Answ Yes for Jesus Christ himself in his Prayer to the Father said This is Life Eternal that is This is that which the Doctrine that hath the promise of Eternal Life does teach and require for the obtaining of Eternal Life to wit that they may know thee the only truly God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent Joh. 17.3 Quest Well But what does Jesus Christ here intend by Mens knowing him who is the only true God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent Answ To know him who is the only true God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent is according to Christ's intendment here not only to understand or apprehend that which must be known concerning him who is the only true God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent but also to love them as such or according to such a knowledg of them to acknowledg them * Quest But how can you prove that Jesus Christ here intendeth such a knowledg as this * Answ That Jesus Christ here intendeth such a knowledg of things necessary to be known concerning the only true God and him whom he hath sent which has a suitable love to them or answerable acknowledgment of them joined therewith I am able clearly to prove and that abundantly * Quest The proof of this being very needful I am willing to hear it and therefore I now ask you How it may be confirmed Answ First I shall offer this That these Phrases or Expressions To know God and To know Jesus Christ are oftentimes so used in the Holy Scriptures Whence I gather that it is not strange so to accept and take them here Hos 53.4 Tit. 1.16 Jer. 9.3 Ch. 31.34 Heb. 8.11 Dan. 11.32 Hos 2.20 Joh. 15.21 Ch. 17.25 1 Thess 4.5 Psal 36.10 Job 18.21 Isa 53.11 1 John 2.3 4. Ch. 4.6 * Quest You do well to infer no more seeing these Phrases are frequently restrained to a meer knowledg or notion of God and Christ or for knowledg as distinct from Love and Acknowledgment Yea sometimes they are said to know God and to know Christ who have only the means of knowing them Rom. 1.21 Joh. 8.28 But what ground have you to conclude that in this saying of Christ Love and Acknowledgment is implied in knowledg * Answ It plainly appears that Jesus Christ here intends such a knowledg as implies in it Love and Acknowledgment if we consider only this That Christ here declares this to be sufficient for obtaining Eternal Life namely To know the Father the only true God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent Now it is in it self absurd to conceive that it is enough only to understand and notion the Truth concerning God and Jesus Christ * Quest It is so But have you any thing more to say in confirming it * Answ I shall add this That the Scriptures declare expresly that more than meerly to know or only to understand God and Jesus Christ is necessary for obtaining Eternal Life This is so well known that the citing of places will be needless notwithstanding I will repeat the saying of the Apostle Paul Knowledg puffeth up but Charity Love edifieth 1 Cor. 8.1 The Devils have knowledg of God and Christ Jam. 2.19 Mar. 1.24 Act. 19.15 And so have some of the worst of Men. Quest Seeing it is so as you have said we may draw up concerning the Doctrine we are chiefly to learn these two Propositions 1. That it teacheth us to know or apprehend him who is the only true God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent 2. That it teacheth to love or acknowledg him who is the only true God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent Concerning these two I desire now to hear from you a general and brief Account what you have learned out of the Holy Scriptures And first I will ask you some Questions touching the first Proposition And my first Query shall be this What are we to understand by the only true God Answ By the only true God we are to understand the only Creator and most high Lord or Governor of all things 2 Kings 19.19 Now therefore O Lord our God I beseech thee save us out of his hand that all the Kingdoms of the Earth may know that thou art the Lord God even thou only Jude 4. Certain Men crept in denying the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ 2 King 19.15 And Hezekiah prayed before the Lord and said O Lord God of Israel which dwellest between the Cherubims thou art the God even thou alone of all the Kingdoms of the Earth thou hast made Heaven and Earth Isa 44.24 c. Thus saith the Lord thy Redeemer and he that formed thee from the Womb I am the Lord that maketh all things that stretcheth forth the Heavens alone that spreadeth abroad the Earth by my self that frustrateth the Tokens of the Lyars c. Nehem. 9.6 c. Thou even thou art Lord alone thou hast made Heaven the Heaven of Heavens with all their Host the Earth and all things that are therein the Seas and all that is therein and thou preservest them all and the Host of Heaven worshippeth thee c. Dan. 5.18 c. O thou King the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy Father a Kingdom c. But when his heart was lifted up and his mind hardned in pride he was deposed from his Kingly Throne c. till he knew that the most high God ruled in the Kingdom of Men and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will Rom. 1.25 They served the Creature more than the Creator who is blessed for ever Amen Matth. 11.25 At that time Jesus answered and said I thank thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth c. Psal 22.18 The Kingdom is the Lords and he is the Governour among the Nations Rom. 11.36 Of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory for ever Amen Quest What are we to understand by Him whom the Father hath sent Answ By him whom the Father hath sent we are to understand him whom the Father hath sent to be the Saviour of the World 1 John 4.14 And we have seen and do testify That the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the World John 6.39 40. And this is the Father's Will which hath sent me that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the last day c. Quest Now concerning the second Proposition I shall ask you several Questions as first How can you prove from the Scriptures that we must not only know him who is the only true God but also love him as such Answ We are not only to know him who is the only true God but also to love him as such For it is written Hear O Israel The Lord our God is one Lord. And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine Heart and with all thy Soul and with all
unlikely that our Saviour especially in speaking to a Woman of Samaria should in this term Spirit allude to Angelical Spirits it being a matter much to be doubted whether these Creatures were at this time known to any in the World unless a few by the name of Spirits But however this is certain That such a Metaphor or Comparison would have been when used by our Saviour of little or no use at all in the World for that there were any such Beings that were Spirits or incorporeal Substances was a thing not generally known in the World and denied by a considerable Party among the Jews themselves for as we read Acts 23.8 The Sudduces say That there is no Resurrection neither Angel nor Spirit That is to say no Angel which is a Spirit or incorporeal Substance For 't is not imaginable that the Sadduces who owned the five Books of Moses should deny that there were any Angels there being in those Writings so evident and frequent mention of them but 't is easily conceivable that they might deny Angels to be incorporeal in that the History of Moses does often speak of their appearance with Bodies like unto Men But that which fully and clearly determines the Matter is that which follows in the Text namely these words but the Pharisees confess both Whence it appears that the preceeding words contain in them no more than two things denied by the Sadduces which cannot be unless my Interpretation be admitted for they must needs be three if we distinguish betwixt Angel and Spirit as different Subjects as any may reckon that can but tell three for Resurrection Angel and Spirit must needs be three My Exposition may also be defended from that which follows in vers 9. and from the Absurdities which will follow the denial of it But to return I say That if our Saviour by the term Spirit intended an allusion to Angels the word would import little or nothing at all For what could Men conceive thence concerning God That he is not corporeal Be it so Notwithstanding this is certain that some would not thence so conceive and that at least the Woman of Samaria and others of the vulgar sort could hardly if at all find any such document in the similitude But what else could Men from this Metaphor learn concerning God Little else upon any clear and undoubted evidence the nature of these Spirits being so little known by the wisest of Men. Surely our Saviour intended in this Metaphor a clear and plentiful instruction concerning God and for the use of the vulgar sort Whence I conclude that Jesus has not respect here to Angelical Spirits in this Comparison but to the Spirit of Man In this sense the Comparison is suited to vulgar Capacities for there is no Man but experimentally knows that he has a Spirit And there is nothing vulgarly known in the whole Creation of God that does excel or may be equal to humane Spirits And moreover this noble part of Man passeth commonly under this name of Spirit How fruitful of instruction the Similitude is as thus understood hath already in some measure been shewed It only remains that I shew how well this sense of the term Spirit agrees with the Context This in as few words as may be thus To what the Woman of Samaria said vers 20. Our Fathers worshipped in this Mountain and ye say that in Jerusalem is the place where Men ought to worship To this I say our Saviour replies in vers 21 22 23 24. In this reply we have both a prophetical and doctrinal discovery For in vers 21. he foretells the destruction of both Temples that in Jerusalem and that also in Samaria and the removal of the Jews and Samaritans out of their own Countries So that they should not worship in the places about which they contended what mind soever they might have thereunto Woman saith our Saviour believe me the hour cometh when ye shall neither in this Mountain nor yet at Jerusalem worship the Father In the next place our Saviour teacheth the Woman divers things of no mean importance For in respect of former times and the time present he informs her that in the Controversy now mentioned the Jews had Truth on their side and the Samaritans were in a wrong Opinion and that not only in respect of the place of Worship but also in the manner of worshipping This Jesus asserteth thus vers 22. Ye worship ye know not what or ye know not after what manner ye worship that is ye Samaritans have no good reason or ground for your way of worshipping but we Jews know after what manner we worship having a good ground for worshipping at Jerusalem by offering Sacrifices there and for the way of worshipping Then our Saviour thus confirmeth it for Salvation is of the Jews that is the Doctrine teaching Men so to worship God as to please him and obtain Salvation is from Prophets that are of the Jewish Nation In vers 23 24. our Saviour informs the Woman as to the future time which was now at hand these two things 1. That there must be a new kind of Worshippers whom he calls True Worshippers because typified by and more excel-cellent than legal Worshippers and a new way of worshipping to wit in Spirit and Truth that is to say in such a manner as is different from the legal way and was typified by it and which therefore is more excellent This Worship the Doctrine of the New Covenant teacheth for this Doctrine abrogates the legal Form and does introduce that Worship which the legal Worship was a type and shadow of This new Covenant Doctrine is upon this account called Spirit and Truth as the Mosaical Doctrine in relation to it is called the Letter and is said to have the shadow of good things to come 2 Cor. 3.6 c. Joh. 1.17 Heb. 10.1 2. Our Saviour shews why such Worshippers and such a way of Worship must be This he does first barely express in these words For such the Father seeketh to worship him vers 23. Then he briefly explains it vers 24. where he discovers 1. Why the Father seeketh such to worship him God is a Spirit Therefore now at length having a mind to discover himself more clearly than in times past he will no longer be worshipped after the more gross and carnal way of the Law but in a more spiritual and excellent way yet in such as was prefigured by the Law This is to worship in Spirit and Truth i.e. in such a way as being compared with the legal does as much differ from it and excel it as the Spirit that is the signification of a Letter differs from and excels the Letter it self The like may be said of a Shadow and its Body see Rom. 3.29 7.6 Col. 3.3 2. What it is for the Father to seek such to worship him To seek is to command which is here signified by the moral necessity that Men have of worshipping the
thy Might Deut. 6.4 5. Mat. 12.29 30. Knowledg puffeth up but Love edifieth And if any Man think that he knoweth any thing he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know But if any Man love God the same is known of him 1 Cor. 8.1 2 3. see 1 John 4.7 8. Quest How does our love to God manifest and discover it self Answ Our Love to God discovers it self by our keeping the Commandments of God which require us to trust in him and live to him as the only true God Deut. 10.12 And now Israel what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to fear the Lord thy God to walk in all his ways and to love him and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy Heart and with all thy Soul 1 John 5.3 This is the love of God that we keep his Commandments 1 John 4.20 If a Man say I love God and hateth his Brother he is a liar Quest How do you prove from Scripture that we must not only know him whom God hath sent but also love him as such Answ I prove it from John 8.42 Jesus said unto them If God were your Father ye would love me for I proceeded forth and came from God neither came I of my self but he sent me Quest How does our love to him whom God hath sent manifest and discover it self Answ Our love to him whom God hath sent discovers it self in our keeping his Commandments which require us to trust in him and live to him as one whom God hath sent to be the Saviour of the World John 14.15 If ye love me keep my Commandments Vers 21. He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me Vers 23. If a Man love me he will keep my Words Vers 24. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings the Word which ye hear is not mine but my Fathers which sent me 1 John 2.3 c. And hereby we do know that we know him if we keep his Commandments He that saith I know him and keepeth not his Commandments is a liar and the Truth is not in him But whoso keepeth his Word in him verily is the love of God perfected Hereby know we that we are in him Quest Tell me now what you intend by the Acknowledgment of God and of Christ which you have mentioned Answ By the Acknowledgment of God and Christ I intend nothing else but that Love now spoken of as manifested by the keeping of God's Commandments Quest Why do you call this an Acknowledgment of God and of Christ Answ I so call it because they who thus keep the Commandments of God do indeed acknowledg and confess That he who sent Jesus Christ is the only true God and that Jesus Christ is he whom God hath sent Quest Does the Holy Scripture express it in the same way and manner Answ Yes and in many places Col. 1.10 Ephes 4.13 Col. 2.2 1 Tim. 2.4 Ch. 4.3 2 Tim. 2.25 Tit. 1.1 2 Pet. 1.2 3. Prov. 3.6 2 Cor. 1.13 1 Joh. 2.23 Rom. 10.9 10. 1 King 8.33 Mat. 10.32 1 Tit. 1.16 Heb. 3.1 Ch. 4.14 Ch. 10.23 Quest You said as I remember in your first Answer That the best and chiefest thing we are to learn is the Doctrine that teacheth us to know God and Jesus Christ But why said you so Answ I said that the Doctrine which teacheth us to know God and Jesus Christ is the best and chiefest thing we are to learn for this Reason Because this Doctrine which is Truth revealeth to us the Promise of Eternal Life and directeth us in the way and means of obtaining this Eternal Life Quest How prove you this Answ I prove it from the words of our Saviour which we have now been discoursing of namely This is Eternal Life that Men may know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent Quest What do you gather from these words Answ First I gather from them that the Doctrine of Christ is a Doctrine concerning Eternal Life * Secondly That to know the Father the only true God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent is that which is required of us for obtaining Eternal Life ‑ These things are clearly and plentifully witnessed in the Holy Scriptures * 1 John 5.11 And this is the Record that God hath given to us Eternal Life and this Life is in his Son John 12.50 And I know that his Commandment is Life Everlasting John 6.68 Then Simon Peter answered him Lord to whom shall we go Thou hast the words of Eternal Life 2 Tim. 1.10 Our Saviour Jesus Christ hath abolished Death and hath brought Life and Immortality to light through the Gospel ‑ 1 John 2.24 25. Let that therefore abide in you which ye have heard from the beginning If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you ye shall continue in the Son and in the Father And this is the Promise that he hath promised us even Eternal Life James 1.12 Blessed is the Man that endureth temptation for when he is tried he shall receive the Crown of Life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him 1 Cor. 2.9 10. Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard neither have entered into the Heart of Man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit 1 Pet. 1.8 9. Whom to wit Jesus Christ having not seen ye love in whom though now ye see him not yet believing ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory receiving the end of your Faith even the Salvation of your Souls 1 Cor. 16.22 If any Man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha 1 Thess 1.8 The Lord Jesus shall take vengeance of them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 1.2 Grace and Peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledg or acknowledgment of God and of Jesus our Lord. Quest What do you conclude of hence Answ I hence conclude That there is nothing in the World we should so esteem of and glory in as the knowledg of God and of Christ Jer. 9.23 24. Thus saith the Lord Let not the wise Man glory in his Wisdom neither let the mighty Man glory in his Might let not the rich Man glory in his Riches but let him that glorieth glory in this that he understandeth and knoweth me that I am the Lord which exercise Loving-kindness Judgment and Righteousness in the Earth for in these things I delight saith the Lord. Phil. 3.7 8. What things were gain to me those I counted loss for Christ yea doubtless I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledg of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dung that I may win Christ c. The Second Part. Treating of Religion in the General and more particularly of the
Father in Spirit and Truth And therefore they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and Truth Now let the Reader judg CHAP. II. Of God considered in his Works of Creation Q. NOw seeing we have discoursed of God as considered in himself we are in the next place to discourse of him as considered in his Works Wherefore I shall first ask you What are the Works of God A. The Works of God we ought to consider and althô they are manifold yet they may be said in the general to be two-fold namely His Work of Creation and his Work of Government Job 37.14 16. Eccles 7.13 Psal 77.12 46.8 111.2 Rom. 1.20 Q. What is God's Work of Creation A. God's Work of Creation is that Work of his whereby he hath made Heaven the Heaven of Heavens with all their Host the Earth and all things that are therein the Seas and all that is therein Nehem. 9.6 See Gen. 1. Job 38.4 c. Psal 104.5 c. and 136.5 c. Thus saith the Lord thy Redeemer and he that formed thee from the Womb I am the Lord that maketh all things that stretcheth forth the Heavens alone that spreadeth abroad the Earth by my self Isa 44.24 Act. 4.24 14.15 17.24 Rev. 10.6 Thus saith God the Lord he that created the Heavens and stretched them out he that spread forth the Earth and that which cometh out of it he that giveth breath unto the People upon it and Spirit to them that walk therein Isa 42.5 See Isa 45.12 18. Mark 10.6 Q. In what manner did God create the World and the things that are therein A. God by reason of his Will and Pleasure did in his Wisdom by his Power and for himself make form or create in six days all things and all very good He created all things by reason of his Will or Pleasure Rev. 4.11 Thou O Lord hast created all things and for or by reason of thy pleasure they are and were created See also before God created them in his Wisdom Psal 104.24 O Lord how manifold are thy Works in Wisdom hast thou made them all Prov. 3.19.20 The Lord by Wisdom hath founded the Earth by Vnderstanding hath he established the Heavens by his Knowledg the Depths are broken up and the Clouds drop down the Dew Psal 136.5 He hath created all things by his Power Jer. 10.12 He hath made the Earth by his Power he hath established the World by his Wisdom and hath stretched out the Heavens by his Discretion Jer. 32.17 Ah Lord God behold thou hast made the Heaven and the Earth by thy great Power and stretched-out Arm and there is nothing too hard for thee or nothing hid from thee See Isa 40.26 2 Pet. 3.5 Psal 33.6 By the Word of the Lord were the Heavens made and all the Host of them by the breath of his Mouth Vers 9. For he spake and it was done he commanded and it stood fast See Psal 148.5 Gen. 1.3 God said Let there be Light and there was Light 2 Cor. 4.6 God commanded the Light to shine out of Darkness Job 26.13 By his Spirit he hath garnished the Heavens his Hand hath formed the crooked Serpent Job 33.4 The Spirit of God hath made me and the Breath of the Almighty hath given me Life Prov. 16.1 He made all things for himself He made all things in six days and all very good Gen. 1. and Ch. 2.1 2. Exod. 20.11 Q. What are the principal Creatures that God did make A. The principal Creatures that God did make are Angels and Men. Q. What have you learn'd concerning the Creation of Men A. I have learn'd concerning the creation of Men That God after he had made all other Creatures created Man in his own Image in the Image of God created he him Male and Female created he them and that God blessed them and said unto them Be fruitful and multiply and replenish the Earth and subdue it and have dominion over the Fish of the Sea and over the Fowl of the Air and over every living thing that moveth upon the Earth Gen. 1.27 28. Jam. 3.9 Q. Can you express more distinctly the Creation of Men A. Yes after this manner The Lord God created at the first only a Man and a Woman called Adam and Eve For the Lord God formed the Man of the Dust of the Ground and breathed into his Nostrils the Breath of Life and the Man became a living Soul Afterwards the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam and he slept and he took one of his Ribs and closed up the Flesh instead thereof And of the Rib which the Lord God had taken from the Man made he a Woman and brought her to the Man to be his Wife and a meet help unto him Of these two have all others of Mankind descended by that blessing of Multiplying and increasing which God gave to Adam and his Wife Gen. 2.7 18 21 22. and 5.1 2. 1 Cor. 11.8 9. 1 Tim. 2.13 Job 4.17 32.22 33.6 34.19 Psal 139.13 c. Jer. 1.5 Zech. 12.1 Eccles 11.5 Job 10.8 c. and 31.15 CHAP. III. Of God's Work of Government in General and in Special as relating to Angels Q. LEt us now speak of God's Work of Government concerning which I shall first ask you this Question What mean you by God's Work of Government A. By God's Work of Government I mean that Work of his in which by his Power he ruleth and reigneth over all throughout all Generations for ever and ever as Lord of Heaven and Earth and as a great King above all Gods God ruleth or reigneth or does exercise Dominion and Kingship over all Psal 103.19 c. The Lord hath prepared his Throne in the Heavens and his Kingdom ruleth over all Bless the Lord ye his Angels that excel in strength that do his Commandments hearkning to the Voice of his Word Bless the Lord all ye his Hosts ye Ministers of his that do his pleasure Bless the Lord all his Works in all places of his Dominion Bless the Lord O my Soul See Job 25.2 3. Josh 2.11 Isa 66.1 God by his Power ruleth and reigneth throughout all Generations for ever and ever Psal 66.7 He ruleth by his Power for ever his Eyes behold the Nations Psal 145.13 Thy Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom or a Kingdom of all Ages and thy Dominion endureth throughout all Generations Psal 93.2 Thy Throne is established of old thou art from everlasting Psal 10.16 The Lord is King for ever and ever 1 Tim. 1.17 Now unto the King Eternal Immortal Invisible the only Wise God be honour and glory for ever and ever Amen See Psal 29.16 Jer. 10.10 Psal 146.10 Dan. 4.3 34. Jude 25. 1 Cor. 15.24 28. Then cometh the end when he shall have delivered up the Kingdom to God even the Father c. And when all things shall be subdued unto him then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that