A. That therefore God is the fittest object of our delight and love, and of our trust and confidence, (1.) Of our delight and love ; Psal. cxvi. 1. I love the Lord, because he hath heard my voice, and my supplications. (2.) Of our trust and confidence ; Psal. xxxiv. 8. O taste and see that the Lord is good ; blessed is the man that trusteth in him.
Q. 11. What is the third inference from God's goodness.?
A. That Christians should imitate God in his goodness, in love to our enemies ; INIatth. v. 44, 45. But I say unto you, love your ene- mies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you, that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven.
Q. 12. What is the last inference from God's goodness ?
A. That Christians have great encouragement to go to God for pardon in case of sin ; Psal. cxxx. 4. But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared ; and for refuse in dangers. The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble ; he knoweth them that trust in him, Nahum i. 7.
Quest. 1. ^VhAT is the truth of God ?
A. It is an essential property of his nature, whereby he is perfectly faithful in himself, and in all that he hath spoken ; Deut. xxxii. 4. He is the rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are judgment ; a God of truth, and without iniquity, just and right is he, Psal. cxix. 142. Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth.
AN EXPOSITION OF THE ASSEMBLY'S CATECHISM. 157
Q. 2. What is the first property of Divine trutli ?
J. The first property of it is, That it is essential and necessary to God : He cannot lie, Titus i. 2.
Q. 3. What is tlie second property of it ?
J. The second property is, That it is everlasting, and abiding to all generations, Psal. c. 5. For the I^ord is good, his mercy is ever- lasting, and his truth endureth to all generations. Isa. xxv. 1. O
Lord, thou art my God, I will exalt thee thy counsels of old
are faithfulness and truth.
Q. 4. What is the third property of Divine truth ?
A. The third property is, that he is universally true in all his words and works. (1 .) In all his words; John xvii. 17. Thy word is truth. (2.) In all his works ; Psal. xxv. 10. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth, unto such as keep his covenant.
Q. 5. What is the first lesson from God's truth to be learnt ?
A. That truth and sincerity of heart is that which is most suitable and pleasing to God ; Psal. h. 6. Behold thou desirest truth in the inward parts.
Q. 6. What is the second lesson from God's truth ?
A. That whatever God hath foretold shall assuredly come to pass, and be fulfilled in his time ; Josh, xxiii. 14. Not one thing hath fail- ed of all the good things which the Lord our God spake concerning you ; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof
Q. 7. What is the third lesson from the trutli of God .?
A. That a promise from God is full security to the faith of his people, and they may look upon it as good as a mercy in hand; Heb. X. 2,S. For he is faithful that promised.
Q. 8. What is the fourth lesson from God's truth ?
That whatever God hath threatened in his word against sinners shall surely come upon them except they repent ; Zech. i. 6. But my word, and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not take hold of your fathers ? and they returned, and said, like as the Lord of hosts thought to do unto us, according to our ways, and according to our doings, so hath he dealt with us. Ezek. xii. 27, 28. The word which I have spoken shall be done, saith the Lord God.
Q. 9. What is the fifth lesson from God's truth ?
A. That falsehood in words and actions is contrary to God's nature, and abhorred by him ; John viii. 44. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do ; he was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there was no truth in him ; when he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own ? for he is a liar, and the father of it.
Q. 10. What is the last lesson from God's truth ?
A. The day of judgment will rightly and justly state every man's
15S AN EXPOSITION OF THE ASSEMBLY'S CATECHISM.
condition ; Rom. ii. 2. But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.
Quest. 5. xSlRE there more gods than one ?
A. There is but one only^ the living and true God,
Q. 1. How doth it appear that there is but one God ?
A. It is evident from scripture there is but one God ; Deut. vi. 4. Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord. Jer. x. 10. but the Lord is the true God; he is the hving God, and an everlasting King: and as scripture reveals no more, so reason will allow no more.
Q. 2. Why will reason allow no more but one God ?
A. Because God is the first being; Rev. i. 11. Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last ; and there can be but one first being, and God is the most perfect and excellent being ; Psal. Ixxi. 19. Thy righteousness, also, O God, is very high, who hath done great things : O God, who is hke unto thee ? And there can be but one most perfect and excellent being.
Q. 3. But doth not the scriptures say, in 1 Cor. viii. 5. that there are gods many, and lords many ?
A. Yes ; there are many in title, and many in opinion, but one only in truth; Jer. x. 10. But the Lord is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting King.
Q. 4. Why is he called the true God ?
A, To distinguish him from the idols and false gods of the hea- thens ; 1 Thes. i. 9. How ye turned to God from idols, to serve the living and true God. Acts xiv. 15. We preach unto you, that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein.
Q. 5. Why is he called the living God ?
A. Because all life, natural, spiritual, and eternal, is in him, and from him only. Firsts Natural life; Acts xvii. 28. For in him we live, and move, and have our being. Secondly^ Spiritual life ; Eph. 11. 1. You hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins. Thirdly^ Eternal life in glory ; Col. iii. 4. When Christ who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
Q. 6. What is the first instruction from hence ^
A. If but one God, then all his children should be of one heart, having one and the same Father ; Eph. iv. 5, 6. One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
Q. 7. What is the second inference from hence ?
A. That it is idolatry to perform worship to any other but God only ; Psal. Ixxxvi. 9, 10. All nations whom thou hast made, shall come and worship before thee, O Lord, and shall glorify thy name, for thou art great, and dost wondrous things, thou art God alone.
Q. 8. What is the third inference from it ?
' AN EXPOSITION OF THE ASSEMfiLv's CATECHISM. 1-59