is, Heb. xi. 6.; namely, that he is God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

241. How is our worship to be directed to this threeone God?

A. We are to worship the Father, in Chrift the Son, by the Spirit; and thus when we pray, we are to ask the Father, in the name of the Son by the Holy Ghost, Eph. ii. 18. and v. 2c.

242. Will not this mystery be more fully known and difplayed in heaven?

A. Yes: for, fays, Chrift, at that day ye shall know, that I am in my Father, John xiv. 20. See alfo 1 Cor. xiii. 12. 1 Jɔ.

iii. 2.

Q. 43. What comfortable inftruction may we learn from this doctrine of the Trinity?

A. That the gift of eternal life, in the promise and offer of the gospel, to finners of mankind, is attefted by the three famous witneffes in heaven, who are above all exception, John v. 7, 118; and confequently that a portion infinitely rich, is infured by the covenant of grace to all them that believe, when it makes over all the three perfons to them, as their God, Jer. xxxi. 33.、

244 What is the duty of the judicatures of the church. with reference to Arians, Socinians, and Deifts, who deny this fundamental doctrine of the Trinity?

A. It is their duty, after the firft and fecond admonition, to reject them as heretics, Tit. iii. 1c.

7. QUEST. What are the decrees of God? ANSW. The decrees of God are his éternal purpose, according to the counsel of his will, whereby, for his own glory, he hath fore-ordained whatfoever comes to pafs.

21. What doth the word, [counfel], as afcribed unto God, import?

4 Not the receiving the knowledge of things from ano ther, or in the way of study and advisement, as among PART I

H

men; but the eternity, wisdom, and immutability of his determinations, Pfal. xxxiii. 11. Prov. xix. 21.

22. Doth the fcripture fpeak exprefsly of God's decrees?

A. Yes; in many places: fuch as, Pfalm ii. 7. Job xxvii. 26 and xxxviii. 1c. Ifa. x. 22. Jer. v. 22, &c.

23. Whether by the decrees of God], are we to underftand the things decreed, or the act decreeing?

A. The act decreeing or decerning.

24. Is the decreeing act of God one fimple act only? 4. Yes; because of the perfect oneness or fimplicity of his nature, on account whereof he could not but decree all things at once; because all things are naked and opened unto his omnifcient eye, Heb. iv. 13; and because of his inmutability, Mal in 6.

Q5. Why then do we speak of the divine decrees as various, or many?

A. Because of the many objects which the decreeing act of God doth refpect: the things decreed are many, but the act decreeing is but one only.

Q. 6. What are the properties of the divine decrees? A. That they are eternal, most wife, abfolute, and unchangeable.

Q.7. How do ye prove the decrees of God to be eternal ? A. The decrees of election, and publifhing the gospel, are eternal, as is evident from Eph. i. 4 and 1 Cor ii. 7. ; and therefore all other decrees must be eternal likewise, because he decreed all things at once by one fimple act, Acts

XV 18

2. 8. Wherein does the wisdom of God's decrees appear?

A. In the beautiful order wherein they are executed, Mark vii. 37. He hath done all things well.

29. Why are the divine decrees faid to be abfolute?

A. Because they depend upon no condition without God himself, but entirely and folely upon his own fovereign will and pleasure, Eph. i. 11.

2. Are there not certain means whereby the decrees of God are executed?

A Yes; but thefe means are decreed as well as the end, 2 Theff. ii. 13.

Q. 11. How doth it appear from feripture, that the means and the end are connected in the decree?

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hel

A. From the prefervation of Paul, and those who were with him in the fhip; God had deereed to preserve them all, Acts xxvii. 24. yet lawful means were to be used; the fhipmen must not get leave to flee out of the ship, otherwife the reft cannot be faved, as Paul tells the centurion and the foldiers, ver. 31.

212. What is the difference betwixt the means of execution, and decreeing conditionally?

A. The means of execution are ftated in the decree; but to decree a thing conditionally, is to decree it upon an ~uncertain event, which may, or may never take place.

2. 13. What is the abfurdity of conditional decrees? A. They make the will of God, which is the first cause, to depend upon the will of the creature: and they plainly fuppofe, that either God is ignorant of the event, or incapable to accomplish it, or that he has determined nothing certainly about it; all which are blafphemously abfurd

2. 14. Are all the decrees of God then unchangeable? A. Yes: "from all eternity he hath, for his own glory, " unchangeably fore ordained whatsoever comes to pafs in "time," Eph. i. 11*.

2. 15. How do you prove the decrees of God to be unchangeable?

A. From scripture, and from reafon.

2. 16. How is it proven from scripture?

A. From Job xxiii. 13. He is in one mind, and who can turn him? Isa, xlvi. 10. My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.

217. How do you prove from reason, that the divine decrees are unchangeable?

A. From this one argument;-That there is in God no defect of wisdom, power, or faithfulness, from whence any change of his will may flow; as is the cafe among men, when they alter their refolutions.

2. 18. Doth the immutability of God's decree destroy the liberty of man's will, or the contingency of fecond caufes ?

A. No; there is thereby no" violence offered to the "will of the creatures, nor is the liberty or contingency "of fecond caufes taken away, but rather established, "Mat. xvii. 12. Acts ii. 23 †.”

* Larger Cat. 2 12. t Conf, chap. iii. Se&t. 1.

2. 19. Whence is it, that the abfolute or unchangeable decree, does not take away the liberty of the will?

A Becauf: God, in the execution of his decree, does not change the nature of things, but fuffers rational agents to act freely and voluntarily, as being under no more contraint or compulfion, than though there had been no such decree.

220. How is this made clear from scripture?

A. By the inftance of Pilate and the Jews, when they crucified the Lord of glory: what they did, was with full freecom of their will, and yet they did nothing but what God's hand and counfel determined before to be done, Acts iv.

27, 28

Q21, Doth any thing come to pass in time, but what was decreed from eternity?

A, No: for the very reafon why any thing comes to pass in time, is becaute God decreed it, Eph. i, 11. A&ts

XV 18.

2. 22. Are things that are cafual or accidental pofitively decreed?

A. Yes: as is evident from the inftances of Jofeph's advancement in Egypt; and the not breaking a bone of Chrift; and many others.

1

223. What has the decree of God fixed with respect to man's continuance in this world?

A. It has immoveably fixed the precife moment of every one's life and death; with every particular circumstance thereof.

2 24. How may it be proved, that the precife moment of every one's death is unalterably fixed in the decree?

A. From exprefs fcripture testimony, Job xiv. 5. Pfalm xxxix. 4; from the reafon given why the Jews could not lay hands on Chrift, namely. because his hour was not yet come, John vii. 3c.; and from God's numbering the hairs of our head, Mit. x. 3c.; much more the days and moments of our life.

2. 25. Were there not fifteen years added to Hezekiah's days, after the prophet faid to him, Set thine house in order; for thon fhalt die, and not live, Ifa. xxviii. 1, 5.?

A. The fentence of death by the prophet, was not an intimation of the decree of God, that Hezekiah was prefently to die; but of the nature of his difeafe, which, acording to the ordinary courfe of fecond caufes, was mor

tal, if the power of God had not miraculously interpofed. 2 26 How does (the decree of God extend to things naturally and morally good?

A Effectively; because God is the author and efficient of all good, Phil. ii 13.

2. 27. How does it extend to things morally evil? A. Permiffively and directively only, Acts xiv. 16. Q, 28. is the permiffive decree a bare inactive permiting of evil?

A. No: it determines the event of the evil permitted, and over rules it to a good end, contrary to the intention both of the work and worker.

Q. 29. What fcripture example is there hereof?

A. God permits Jofeph's brethren to fell him into Egypt, and Potiphar to throw him, unjuftly into prison, and yet over-rules both these evils, and makes them means, contrary to the intention both of the work and workers, for executing the decree of his advancement to the greatest honour Gen. xlv. 5,-8. and 1. zo-Ye thought evil against me, (fays Jofeph to his brethren), but God meant it unto good.

Q. 3. How can the decree of God be permiffive and efficacious at the fame time?

A. It is permiffive, with refpect to the finfulness of the action as a moral evil; and efficacious, with respect to the matter of it as a natural act.

Q. 31. How do you prove that God cannot be the author of fin?

A. From the contrariety of it to his holy nature and law, and the indignation he has manifefted against it, in what Chrift fuffered on account of it; for he can never be the author of that whereof he is the avenger.

Q. 32. What is the great end of all God's decrees?

A. [His own glory]. Prov. xvi. 4. The Lord hath made all things for himself; and particularly the glory of his mercy and justice, Rom. ix. 22, 23. ; and next to his own glo. ry, the good of the elect, both here and hereafter, Rom. viii. 28.

Q33. Who are the special objects of God's decree? A. Angels and men.

Q. 34. What is God's decree concerning angels and men, commonly called? A. His predeftinating of them. Q. 35. What is meant by predeftination?