the same verse they are called one. 2. They are not three manifestations, because all the attributes of God are manifestations, and so there would be more than three or thirteen; and then one manifestation would be said to beget and send another, which is absurd., 3. They are not something else beside persons, therefore they are three distinct persons, distinguished by their relations, and distinct personal properties. Q. What should we judge of them that deny that there are three distinct persons in one Godhead? A. 1. We ought to judge them to be blasphemers, { because they speak against the ever glorious God, who hath set forth himself in this distinction in the scripture. 2. To be damnable hereticks. The doctrine of the distinction of persons in the unity of essence, being a fundamental truth, denied of old by the Sabellians, Arians, Photinians, and of late by the Socinians, who were against the Godhead of Christ the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; among whom the Quakers are also to be numbered, who deny this distinction. 7. Q. What are the decrees of God? A. The decrees of God are his eternal purpose, according to the counsel of his own will, whereby for his own glory he hath foreordained whatsoever comes to pass. Q. 1. What is it for God to decree ? A. For God to decree, is eternally to purpose and foreordain, to appoint and determine what things shall be. ? Q. 2. How did God decree things that come to pass A. God directed all things according to the counsel of his will; according to his will, and therefore most freely; according to the counsel of his will, and therefore most wisely, Eph. i. 11. Being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things according to the counsel of his own will. Q. 3. Wherefore did God decree all things that come to pass? A. God decreed all things for his own glory. A. There are God's general decrees, and God's special decrees. Q. 5. What are God's general decrees? A. God's general decrees, are his eternal purpose whereby he hath foreordained whatever comes to pass, not only the being of all creatures which he doth make, but also of their motions and actions; not only good actions which he doth effect, but also the permission, of evil actions, Eph. i. 11. Who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will, Acts iv. 27, 28. Against thy holy child Jesus. Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel were gathered together, for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done. Q. 6. What are God's special decrees? A. God's special decrees, are his decrees of predestination of angels and men: especially his decrees of election and reprobation of men. Q. 7. What is God's decree of the election of men? A. God's decree of election of men, is his eternal and unchangeable purpose, whereby out of his mere good pleasure, he hath in Christ chosen some men unto everlasting life and happiness, as the end; and unto faith and holiness, as the necessary means in order hereunto, for the praise of his most rich and Tree grace, Eph. i. 5, 6. According as he hath chosen us in him, before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy, and without blame before him in love being predestinated according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, 2 Thes. ii. 13. God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation, through the sanctification of the spirit, and belief of the truth, Q. 8. What is God's decree of reprobation of men? A. God's decree of reprobation, is his eternal pur-. pose (according to his sovereignty, and the unsearchable counsel of his own will) of passing by all the rest of the children of men, which are not elected, and leaving them to perish in their sins, unto the praise of the power of his wrath, and infinite justice in their everlasting punishment, Rom. xi. 21, 22. Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted for destruction. Q. 9. Whence is it that God doth decree the election of some, and the reprobation of others of the children of men? : A. It was neither the good works foreseen in the one, which moved him to choose them, nor the evil works foreseen in the other, which moved him to pass them by but only because he would, he chose some, and because he would not, he did not choose the rest, but decreed to withhold that grace which he was no ways bound to give unto them, and to punish all, if he had so pleased, Rom. ix. 11, 13, 18. The children being not yet born, neither having done good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth, it was said, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. For he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will, he hardeneth. Q. 10. May any know whether they are elected, or reprobated in this life? A. 1. Those which are elected, may know their election by their effectual calling, 2 Pet. i. 19. Give diligence to make your calling and election sure. But, 2. None can know certainly in this life (except such as have sinned against the holy Ghost) that they are reprobated, because the greatest sinners (except such as have committed that sin) may be called, 1 Cor. vi. 9, 10, 11. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor thieves, &c. shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of God. And we read of some called at the eleventh hour, Mat. xx. 6, 7. 8. Q. How doth God execute his decrees? A. God doth execute his decrees, in the works of creation and providence. Q. 1. What is it for God to execute his decrees? A. God executeth his decrees, when he doth what he eternally proposed to do, when he bringeth to pass what he had before foreordained should be. Q. 2. Wherein doth God execute his decrees? A. God doth execute his decrees, in the works of creation, wherein he maketh all things according as he eternally decreed to make them and in his works of providence, wherein he preserveth and governeth all things, according to his eternal purpose and counsel. 9. Q. What is the work of creation? A. The work of creation, is God's making all things of nothing, by the word of his power, in the space of six days, and all very good. Q. 1. What is meant by creation? A. 1. Negatively, by creation is, not meant any ordinary production of creatures, wherein second causes are made use of. 2. Positively, creation is, J. A making things of nothing, or a giving a being to a thing which had no being before. Thus the heavens were made of nothing, the earth and waters, and all the matter of inferior bodies were made of nothing and that still the souls of men are made of nothing being immediately infused by God. 2. Creation is a making things of matter naturally unfit, which could not by any power (put into the second causes) be brought into such a form: Thus all beasts, and cattle, and creeping things, and the body of man was at first made of the earth, and the dust of the ground, and the first woman was made of a rib out of the man. Q. 2. Are all things that are made God's creatures? A. Yes: 1. All things that were made the first six days, were most properly and immediately created by God. 2. All the things that are still produced, are God's creatures. 1. Because the matter of them was at first created by God. 2. Because the power which one creature hath of producing another, is from Dod. 3. Because in all productions God doth concur as the first cause, and most principal agent. And lastly, Because the preservation of things by God in their beings, is (as it where) a continual creation. Q. 3. Whereby did God create all things at first! A. God created all things by the word of his power; it was the infinite power of God, which did put forth itself in erecting the glorious frame of the heavens, and the earth, and that by a word speaking, Gen. i. 3, 6. God said, Let there be light, and there was light; Let there be a firmament, and the firmament was made, &c. Psal. xxxiii. 6, 9. By the word of the Lord were the heavens made: and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. He spake, and it was done; he commanded and it stood fast. Q. 4. In what time did God create all things? A. God created all things in the space of six days he could have created all things together in a moment, but he took six days time to work in, and rested on the seventh day, that we might the better apprehend the order of the creation, and that we might imitate him in working but six days of the week, and in resting on the seventh. Q. 5. What was God's work on the first day? A. On the first day, 1. God created heaven, that is, the highest heaven, called, the third heaven, which is removed above all the visible heavens where the throne of God is, and the seat of the blessed; in which the angels were created,who are called the hosts of heaven, and the sons of God who rejoiced in the view of his other works, Job xxxviii. 7. 2. God created the earth, and the water mingled together, without such distinct beautiful form, either of themselves, or of the creatures, which afterwards were produced out of them. 3. God created light, which was after placed in the sun and moon, and other starswhen they where made. Q. 6. What was God's work on the second day? A. On the second day, 1. God created the firmament, which seemeth to include both the heaven, in which afterwards the sun, moon and stars were placed? and likewise the air, (called often heaven in scripture) where after the birds did fly. 2. God divided the |