His Nature in and of Himself, as being the Original and First Cause of all Things.

2. But how does it appear that this First Cause, or Maker of all Things, doth answer the Notion and Character you give of Him?

A. Because the Things that are made, evidently shew Him that made them to be as Good, Great, and Wife, as I have defcribed God to be: And it is indeed impoffible that any Perfon fhould make fuch a Variety of excellent Creatures, as Angels and Men, the Heavens and the Earth, and all that therein is, unless He had all the Perfections that we find in any, or all these Creatures together, and was in Himself infinitely Perfect.

Does St. Paul any where acknowledge this to be a Proof of the Being of a God?

A. Yes; for he fays, Rom. i. 20. The Invisible Things of Him from the Creation of the World are clearly feen, being understood by the Things that are made, even His Eternal Power and Godhead. And Acts xiv. 17. He left not Himself without Witness, in that He did good, and gave us Rain from Heaven and Fruitful SeaJons, filling our Hearts with Food and Gladness.

What further Proof have you of a God?

A. The univerfal Confent of Mankind; all acknowledging a Supreme Being, tho' too many are mistaken in their Notions of Him.

And lastly, every Man's Confcience confeffing the fame, by their Fears of Divine Vengeance upon doing ill, and their Hopes of Reward upon doing well.

2. What is the Ufe of believing this?

A. We from hence become actually perfwaded of the Being of a God, tho' He dwelleth in the Light which no Man can approach unto: And it muft difpofe us to ferve Him faithfully, if we ftedfaftly believe in Him.

Q. What then becomes our Duty in this Cafe?

A. To convince and perfwade our felves more and more that there is a God, and to prepare our felves to appear before Him.

The

2. TH

The Father.

HE firft thing that you are to believe is, that there is a God: What is it to believe That God to be the Father?

A. It is to believe him to be the Father of us Men, but chiefly the Father of our Lord Chrift.

Q. Does not the giving the Title of Father to God fuppofe, that there is a Distinction of Persons in the Godhead?

A. Yes; and it may be proved that there are Three Perfons, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghoft; Who are that One Being which we call Ged; from Mat. xxviii. 19. and I John v. 7.

Q. Why do you use the Word Perfon, faying, There are Three Perfons, &c.

A. Not that I conceive the Word Perfon is, in a. ftrict Senfe, proper to Either of Them: But because fome Words must be used in fpeaking of them; and Perfonal Acts, fuch as Coming, Going, Sending, are frequently afcribed to them in Holy Scripture; and the Holy Ghost speaking of the Son, maketh Ufe of a Word, that may be, and, according to our Tranflation, is fo render'd: For Heb. i. 3. the Son is called the Brightness of His Father's Glory, and the Exprefs Image of His Perfon.

This great Mystery of the Trinity will be spoken more of hereafter: But at prefent let me ask you, upon what Account is God called Our Father?

A. Because he first brought us into Being: For, Hath not One God created us? fays Malachi ii. 1c. And as he created us, he ftill retains the Care of a Father for us; and the very Hairs of your Heads are all numb'red by him, Luke xii. 7.

But in this, God is no more Our Father, than he is the Father of all his Creatures; they also, as we, having derived their Being from him. Is he in no other Refpect a Father to us? A. Yes;

A. Yes; because he hath made us his Adopted Children; and because he hath begotten us to a Life of Grace here, and Glory hereafter.

2. Prove that God hath adopted us into his Family, and taken us for his Children.

A. The Apostle Paul fays, Rom. viii. 15. Having receiv'd the Spirit of Adoption, we cry, Abba, Father. And I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you; and ye fhall be my Sons and Daughters, faith the Lord Almighty, 2 Cor. vi. 18.

Prove that God is in that other Refpect a Father to us; I mean, in that he hath begotten us to a Life of Grace here.

A. Our Saviour told Nicodemus, John iii. 5. That he must be born of Water and the Spirit. And St. James fpeaking of those that had undergone this Second Birth, fays, of his own Will begat he us with the Word of Truth, James i. 18.

Prove that God hath begotten us to a Life of Glory hereafter.

A. This is proved from 1 Pet. iii. 4. Bleed be the God and Father of our Lord Jefus Christ, which according to his abundant Mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively Hope by the Refurrection of Jefus Chrift, to an Inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, referved in Heaven for us.

2. For thefe Reafons God is with all Thankfulnefs to be own'd a Father to us Chriftians above all other Creatures whatsoever. But how is God the Father of

our Lord Jefus Chrift?

A. In a much higher manner than he is the Father of us Men And hence God is called Chrift's own Father, John v. 18. as Chrift is called God's own Son, Rom. viii. 32.

Q. How do you conceive that the Lord Jefus was be gotten of his Father?

A. He was fo begotten as to receive his Godhead from him, and to be God of God, Very God of Very God.

2. What

Q. What are the Duties that arise from confidering God as Our Father?

A. The Duties of Gratitude, Love, Honour, and Obedience.

Q. And what follows from confidering God as the Fa ther of our Lord Christ?

A. That we should admire God's Love to us, In this was manifefted the Love of God towards us; because that God fent his Only Begotten Son, that we might live through him; 1 John iv. 9.

Almighty.

Pon what Accounts is God acknowledged to be
Almighty?

A. Upon Two Accounts: Because of his Power and Dominion; and because he can do all things whatsoever himself pleafeth.

Q. How is God Almighty as to his Dominion?

A. In Three Refpects. First, Because he hath Power over all Things. Secondly, Because he hath all Power over them. Thirdly, Because he hath, and will have this Power over all and every Thing, at all Times and for ever. And therefore he is called the King Eternal, 1 Tim. i. 17. And it is written, Exod. xv. 18: The Lord fhall reign for ever and ever.

Q. What Proof have you of God's being Almighty in the other Senfe, of his being able to do all Things.

A. Job confeffes to God, ch. xlii. 2. I know Thou canst do all Things. And a Greater than he hath faid, Abba, Father, all things are poffible to Thee, Mark xiv. 36.

2. Is this as agreeable to Reason as to Scripture? A. Yes; for what can be more reasonable than to believe, that he, Who is the Fountain of all Power and Might, fhould be capable of doing what any Might or Power can do?

But are there not fome things, which it is faid, God cannot do?

A. Yes;

A. Yes: He cannot lie, he cannot deny himself, nor any thing that discovers the least Weakness or Imperfection in him.

2. And why is this?

A. Becaufe the doing these things is contrary to the Divine Nature, and would make him ceafe to be the most Perfect of all Beings..

2. Are there any other things that God cannot do? A. Yes; fuch things as imply a manifest Contradiction, as to make any thing to be, and not to be at the fame Time.

2. But why cannot God do this?

A. Because these are things, which no Power can do. But feeing God can do, not only fome things, but. every thing that is poffible and confiftent with the Di. vine Nature, this is fufficient to prove him Almighty. 2. What Examples are there in Scripture of God's Almighty Power fince the Creation?

A. The Saving Noab and his Family; the Delivering the Ifraelites at the Red Sea, the Three Children in the fiery Furnace, and Daniel in the Den of Lions.

2. What are you to learn from God's being the Lord and Governour of all things?

A. I from hence learn that we are the Subjects of a King Eternal, an Almighty Lord; and are bound in all things and at all times to live in Subjection to him. 2. What do you learn from God's being able to do every thing?

A. This may be a Comfort to Good Men, and must be a Terror to the Wicked. The Almightiness of God may fupport the one in the greateft Diftreffes, and must make the other tremble before him. For it is because "God is Almighty, that the Devils believe and tremble.

Maker of Heaven and Earth.

Hat do you understand by God's being Maker of Heaven and Earth?