Q. 9. What is the third instruction from it ?
A. That the people of God have much reason to quiet and encou- rage themselves, when crafty and subtle enemies surround them ; for the foolishness of God is wiser than men, 1 Cor. i. 25.
Q. 10. What is the fourth instruction from God's wisdom ?
A. The fourth instruction is, that the true way to wisdom is to be sensible of our own folly; 1 Cor. iii. 18. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. And to apply ourselves by prayer to God the foundation of it, Jam. i. 5. If any man lack wisdom, let him ask it of God.
Q. 11. What is the last instruction from God's wisdom ?
A. That the study of Christ, and of the scriptures, is to be preferred to all other studies in the world ; Col. ii. 3. In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. And the scriptures contain all that wisdom which is for our salvation ; 1 Cor. ii. 17. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the world unto our glory.
Quest. 1. TV HAT is the power of God ?
A. An essential property of his nature, whereby he can do all things that he pleases to have done ; Jer. xxxii. 17. Ah Lord God, behold, thou hast made the heavens and the earth by thy great power and stretched-out arm ; and there is nothing too hard for thee.
Q. 2. What evidences have we before our eyes of the almighty power of God .''
152 AN EXPOSITION OF THE ASSEMBLY'S CATECHISM.
A. It appears in the creation of the world ; Rom. i. 20. For the invisible things of him, from the creation of the world, are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead. And its sustentation ; Heb. i. 8. Who up- holdeth all things by the word of his power.
Q. Did God's power ever act its utmost ?
A. No ; he can do more than ever he did, or ever will do ; Mat. iii. 9. God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham, Mat. xxvi. 53.
Q. 4. Are there not some things which God cannot do ?
A. Yes, there are ; but thev are such things as are inconsistent
with his truth and holiness; Tit. i. f2.- which God, that cannot
lie; 2 Tim. ii. 13. He cannot deny himself
Q. 5. What is the first thing inferred from God's power ?
A. That all the creatures necessarily depend on him for what ability they have; and without the permission of the supreme power they can do us no hurt ; John xix. 11. Thou couldcst have no power against me, except it were given thee from above.
Q. 6. W^hat is the second inference from hence ?
A. That the difficulties which lie in the way of the promises need be no stumbling-blocks to our faith ; Rom. iv. 20, 21. He staggered not at the promises through unbelief, being fully persuaded, that what he had promised he was able also to perform.
Q. 7. What is the third inference from this attribute ?
A. The saints need not to be scared at the greatness of their suffer- ings; their God can carry them through; Dan. iii. IT. Our God, whom we serve, is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace.
Q. 8. What is the fourth inference ?
A. That the salvation of God's people is certain, whatever their dangers be, being kept by this mighty power ; 1 Pet. i. 5. Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.
Q. 9. What is the last inference hence ?
A. That the state of the damned is inconceivably miserable ; their punishment proceeding from the glory of the Almighty ? 2 Thes. i. 2. Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction, from the pre-^ sence of the Lord, and the glory of his power.
Quest. 1. iloW manifold is the holiness of God ?
A. The holiness of God is tv/ofold ; communicable, or incommuni- cable ; of his communicable holiness the apostle speaks, Heb. xii. 10. But he, for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Of his incommunicable holiness that scripture speaks, 1 Sam. ii. 2. There is none holy as the Lord. Q. 2. What is the essential and incommunicable holiness of God ?■ A. It is the infinite purity of his nature, whereby he delights in his own holiness, and the resemblance of it it his creatures, and hates all
AN EXPOSITION OF THE ASSEMBLY'S CATECHISM. 153
impurity; Hab. i. 13. Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity.
Q. S. What is the first property of God's holiness ?
J. He is essentially holy : Holiness is not a separable quality in God, as it is in angels and men ; but his being and his holiness are one thing.
Q. 4. What is the second property of God's holiness ?
A. God is essentially holy, the author and fountain of all commu- nicated holiness ; Lev. xx. 8. I am the Lord which sanctifieth you.
Q. 5. What is the third property ?
A. That the holiness of God is the perfect rule and pattern of holiness to all creatures ; 1 Pet, i. 16. Be ye holy, for I am holy.
Q. 6. What is the first instruction ?
A. That the holiest of men have cause to be ashamed and hum- bled when they come before God ; Isa. vi. 3, 5. And one cried vmto another, saying, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of his glory." Then said I, Woe is me, for I am undone, because I am a man of unclean lips, S^c.
Q. 7. What is the second instruction from God's holiness ?
A. That there is no coming near to God without a Mediator ; for our God is a consuming fire.
Q. 8. Wlmt is the third instruction from God's holiness ?
A. That holiness is indispensably necessary, to all those which shall dwell with him in heaven ; Heb. xii. 14. And holiness, with- out which no man shall see the Lord.
Q. 9. What is the fourth instruction from hence ?
A. That the gospel is of inestimable value, as it is the instrument of conveying the holiness of God to us ; 2 Cor. iii. 18. But we all with open face, beholding as it were in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord : John xvii. 17. Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth.
Q. 10. What is the last instruction from God's holiness ?
A. That all the despisers of, and scoffers at, holiness, are despisers of God ; for holiness is the very nature of God ; and in the creature it is his represented image.
Quest. 1. What is the justice of God ?
A, The justice of God is the perfect rectitude and equity of his nature; whereby he is just in himself, and in all his ways towards the creatures ; Deut. xxxii. 4. He is the rock, his work is perfect ; for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth, and without ini- quity : just and right is he.
Q. 2. What is the first property of God's justice ?
4' That it infinitely excels all human justice in the perfection of
it. No creature can compare in justice with God ; Job ix. S. How
shall man be just with God ?