from the express declarations of the Holy Scriptures. (b) Q. 7. What is meant by the immutability of God? and how is it proved? A. By His immutability is meant His unchangeableness in His essence, perfections, purposes, promises, and threatenings.-This perfection of God is proved from His self-existence and eternity, from the unchanging order exhibited in the works of creation and providence, and from the Bible. (c) Q.8. What is meant by the omnipresence of God? and how is it proved? A. By His omnipresence is meant His being ever present in every place throughout the universe. He is confined to no part, and excluded from no part. This perfection of God may be argued from His other perfections, from His particular agency at all times in all parts of the universe, and from the Sacred Scriptures. (d) Q. 9. What is meant by the omniscience of God? and how is it proved? A. By His omniscience is meant His knowledge of all things without any limitation. His knowledge extends to all times, past, present, and future; and to all places, creatures, and events, distinctly, infallibly, and perpetually.- -That God is possessed of this (b) Deut. xxxiii. 27. The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.-Ps. xc. 2. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God. (c) James i. 17. Every good gift, and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.-Ps. xxxiii. 11. The counsel of the Lord standeth forever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations. (d) Ps. cxxxix. 7-10. Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heav en, thou art there, if I make my bed in hell, behold thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. perfection, is evident from His purposes and designs from His being the Creator, Preserver, and Governor, of all things; and from the express language of Scripture. (e) Q. 10. What is meant by the omnipotence of God? and how is it proved? A. By His omnipotence is meant His almighty power, His ability to do whatever, in the nature of things, is not impossible, or does not imply contradiction.- -That God is thus powerful, is manifest from his creating, preserving, and governing the universe; and from the testimony of the Scriptures. (f) Q. 11. What is meant by the independence of God? and how is it proved? A. By His independence is to be understood, that He does not depend for His existence, His perfections, or His blessedness, on any other being. That He possesses this perfection, is evident from the consideration of His other perfections; and that He is above all things; and that they are entirely dependent on Him, and He, consequently, independent of them; and that the Bible also teaches this perfection of God. (g) Q. 12. What is meant by the unity of God? and how is it proved? A. By His unity is meant His oneness of essence or nature, in opposition to plurality of essence or na (e) P3. xciv. 9, 10. He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shali he not see? he that chastiseth the heathen, shall not he correct? he that teacheth man knowledge, shall not he know?-Acts xv. 28. Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.-1 Chron.' xxviii. 9. The Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts. (f) Rev. xix. 6. And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.-Matt. xix. 26. But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. (g) Eph. iv. 6. One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. ture. When it is said, God is one, the meaning is, that there is but one self-existent being.- -The unity of God may be argued from His natural perfections; from the unity of design discoverable in the works of creation and providence; from there being no necessity of more than one God; and from the explicit declarations of Scripture. (h) Q. 13. What is meant by the goodness of God? and how is it proved? A. By His goodness is meant a disposition to bestow upon all His creatures, both in time and in eternity, every blessing, which is proper and best for them, and which it is consistent for Him, in view of the highest good of the universe, to bestow.This perfection of God is proved from the works of creation and providence; and from the Bible. (i) Q. 14. What is meant by the wisdom of God? and how is it proved? A. Wisdom in God is partly a natural, and partly a moral perfection. It unites the omniscience and goodness of God in accomplishing the greatest good in the universe; or it consists in knowing and choosing the best ends, and in knowing choosing, and adopting the best means for the accomplishment of them. This perfection of God is proved from the Divine omniscience and goodness, from creation, providence and redemption; and from express declarations of Scripture. (j) Q. 15. What is meant by the holiness of God? and how is it proved? A. By His holiness is meant His perfect freedom from all sin--the perfect absolute purity and rectitude of His nature.- -That God possesses this perfection, is evident from His works of creation and prov (h) Deut. vi. 4. Hear, O Israel! the Lord our God one Lord. (i) Ps. cxix. 68. Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes. (j) Rom. xvi. 27. To God only wise be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen. idence; from His treatment of all moral beings; and from the instructions of His word. (k) Q. 16. What is meant by the justice of God? and how is it proved? A. By his justice is meant a disposition to do no wrong to any, and a disposition to do right by every one, or the rendering unto all their due. It is remunerative and punitive, and is exercised in conferring rewards on the holy, and in inflicting punishment on the unholy, and respects the future state, as well as the present. -That God possesses this perfection, may be argued from His other perfections; from the displays of His justice in the moral world; and from the Scriptures. (1) Q. 17. What is meant by the mercy of God? and how is it proved? A. Mercy in God means a disposition to pity the miserable and to bestow good upon the ill-deserving.* -That God possesses this perfection, we have abundant proof from the gift of His Son; from His forbearance with sinners; from His provision of the means of salvation; from His proffers of eternal happiness; and from express declarations of His word. (m) Q. 18. What is meant by the truth of God? and how is it proved? A. Truth in God means His perfect veracity of disposition, and the accordance of His declarations (k) Isaiah i. 4. They have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger.-Lev. xix. 2. Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy. (1) Ps. cxix. 137. Righteous art thou, O Lord, and upright are thy judgments. (m) Eph. ii. 4, 5. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ. * Mercy is frequently used as synonymous with grace; though in their strict and natural sense these words differ. In this sense, mercy means good shown to the miserable, and grace, good shown to the ill deserving. with the real state of things, His faithfulness in fulfilling His promises, in executing His threatenings, and in accomplishing His predictions. -This perfection of God may be proved from His other moral perfections; from His conduct, and from His word. (n) Q. 19. Is God incomprehensible? A. He is not so to Himself; but he is so to us. His incomprehensibility arises solely from our incapacity to comprehend Him. God is infinite; we are finite; and it is impossible that finite beings should comprehend the infinite God. He must, therefore, of necessity, be incomprehensible to us in His nature, purposes, and works. (0) sist? 20. In what does the greatness of God con A. In the infinitude of His perfections. Q. 21. In what does the glory of God consist? A. In His moral perfections. His natural perfections derive their real glory from His moral perfections, the former being exercised under the influence of the latter. (p) CHAPTER IV. Q. 1. Do the Scriptures teach the doctrine of three Persons in the Godhead? A. They teach, that there is one God, numerically one in essence, and that, in this one God, there is a threefold subsistence or distinction, or three Per (n) Num. xxiii. 19. God is not a man, that he should lie, neither the son of man, that he should repent; hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? (0) Job xi. 7. Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? (p) Exod. xxxiii. 18, 19. And he said, I beseech thee show me thy glory. And he saiu, i will make all my goodness pass before thee; and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee, and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. |