Q. 3. What is the distinguishi^ig property of the person of the Father?
A. To be of himself only the fountain of the Godhead. — John V. 26, 27; Eph. i. 3.
Q. 4. What is the property of the Son ?
A. To be begotten of his Father from eternity. — Ps. ii. 7 ; John i. 14, iii. 16.
Q. 5. What of the Holy Ghost?
A. To proceed from the Father and the Son. — John xiv 17, xvi. 14, XV. 26, XX. 22.
Q. 6. Are these three one?
A. One "every way, in nature, will, and essential properties, ''dis- tinguished only in their personal manner of subsistence. — " John X. 30; Rom. iii. 30.—" John xv. 26; 1 John v. 7.
1 Notliing is to be ascribed unto God, nor imagined of liim, but what is exactly agreeable to those his glorious properties.
- These last are no less essential unto God than the former; — only we thus dis- tinguish them, because these are chiefly seen in his works.
^ This is that mysterious ark that must not be pried into, nor the least tittle spoken about it, wherein plain Scripture goetji not before.
^ To deny the Deity of any one person, is in effect to deny the whole Godhead; for whosoever hath not the Son, hath not the Father.
' This only doctriue remained undefiled in the Papacy.
THE DOCTRINE OF CHRIST. 473
Q. 7. Can we conceive these things as they are in themselves'?
A. Neither *we nor yet the ''angels^ of heaven are at all able to dive into these secrets, as they are internally in God ; ° but in respect of the outward dispensation of themselves to us by creation, re- demption, and sanctification, a knowledge may be attained of these things, saving and heavenly. — * 1 Tim. vi. 16. — ** Isa. vi. 2, 8. — ° Col. i. 11-14
CHAP. IV. — Of the Works of God ; and, First, of those that are Internal and Immanent.
Q. 1. What do the Script u7-es teach concerning the works of God?
A. That they are of two sorts ; first, internal,^ in his counsel, de- crees, and purposes, towards his creatures; secondly, external, in his works over and about them, to the praise of his own glory. — Acts XV. 18; Prov. xvi. 4.
Q. 2. What are the decrees of God ?
A. * Eternal, "unchangeable purposes^ * ^ of his will, concerning the being and well-being of his creatures. — * Mic. v. 2 ; Eph. iii. 9-1 1 ; Acts XV. 18.—" Isa. xiv. 24, xlvi. 10; Rom. ix. 11 ; 2 Tim. ii. 19.
Q. 3. Concerning which of his creatures chiefly are his decrees to be considered?
A. Angels and men, for whom other things were ordained. — 1 Tim. v. 21; Jude 6.
Q. 4. What are the decrees of God concerning men?
A. Election and reprobation. — Rom. ix. 11-13.
Q. 5. What is the dec7'ee of election ?
A. The ^eternal, "free, ''immutable'^'' purpose of God, ** whereby in Jesus Christ he chooseth unto himself whom he pleaseth out of * whole mankind, determining to bestow upon them, for his sake, ' grace here, and everlasting happiness hereafter, for the praise of his glory, by the way of mercy.^ — *Eph. i. 4; Acts xiii. 48; Rom.
' We must labour to make out comfort from the proper work of every person towards us.
- The purposes and decrees of God, so far as by him revealed, are objects of our faith, and full of comfort.
* Farther reasons of God's decrees than his own will, not to be inquired after.
4 The changes in the Scripture ascribed unto God are only in the outward dis- pensations and works, variously tending to one infallible event, by him proposed.
5 The Arminians' blasphemy, in saying God sometimes fails of his purposes.
« The decree of election is the fountain of all spiritual graces, for they are be- stowed only on the elect.
' In nothing doth natural corruption more exalt itself against God, than iu opposing the freedom of his gi-ace in his eternal decrees.
8 From the execution of these decrees flows that variety and difference we see in the dispensation of the means of grace, — God sending the Gospel where he hath a remnant accordinjj to election.
474 THE PRINCIPLES OF
viii. 29, 30.— "Matt. xi. 26.— "2 Tim. ii. 19.— 'Eph. i. 4, 5; Matt, xxii. 14.—^ Rom. ix. 18-21.— 'John vi. 37, xvii. 6, 9, 11, 24.
Q. 6. Both any thing in us move the Lord thus to choose us from amongst others?
A. No, in no wise; we are in the same lump with others rejected, when separated by his undeserved grace. — Rom. ix. 11, 12; Matt. xi. 25; 1 Cor. iv. 7; 2 Tim. i. 9.
Q. 7. What is the decree of reprohation ?
A. The eternal purpose of God to suffer many to sin, leave them in their sin, and not giving them to Christ, to punish them for their sin.— Rom. ix. 11, 12, 21, 22; Prov. xvi. 4; Matt. xi. 25, 26; 2 Pet. ii. 12; Jude 4.
CHAP. V. — Of the Works of God that outwardly are of Him.
Q. 1. What are the works of God that outwardly respect his crea- tures ?