A. It is the infinite Purity of his Nature, whereby he delights in his own Holiness, and the Resemblance of it in his Creatures, and hates all Impurity, Hab. i. 13. Thou art of purer Eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on Iniquity.

Q. 3. What is the first Property of God's Holiness?

A. He is essentially holy. Holiness is not a feparable 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 communicated Holiness, Lev. xx. 8. I am the Lord which Sanctifieth you.

Q5.

What is the third Property?

A. That the Holiness of God is the perfect Rule and Pattern of Holiness to all Creatures, I Pet. i. 16. Be ye holy, for I am holy.

Q. 6. What is the first Instruction?

A. That the holiest of Men have caufe to be ashamed and humbled when they come before God, Ifa. vi. 3, 5. And one cried unto another, faying, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of Hoft, the whole Earth is full of his Glory. Then faid I, Woe is me, for I am undone, because I am a Man of unclean Lips,

&c.

Q. 7. What is the second Instruction from God's Holinefs ?

A. That there is no coming near to God without a Mediator; for our God is a confuming Fire.

Q. 8. What is the third Instruction from God's Holiness? A. That Holiness is indispensibly necessary, to all those which shall dwell with him in Heaven, Heb. xii. 14. And Holiness, without which no Man shall fee the Lord.

Q. 9. What is the fourth Instruction from hence?

A. That the Gospel is of inestimable Value, as it is the Inftrument of conveying the Holiness of God to us, 2 Cor. iii. 18. But we all with open Face beholding as in a Glass the Glory of the Lord, are changed into the fame Image, from Glory to Glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord, Joh. xvii. 17. Sanctify them through thy Truth, thy Word is Truth.

Q. 10. What is the last Instruction from God's Holiness? A. That

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A. That all the Despisers and Scoffers of Holiness, are Despisers of God: For Holiness is the very Nature of God; and in the Creature it is his reprefented Image.

Quest. 1.

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Of God's Justice.

HAT is the Justice of God?

A

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 perfett, for all his Ways are Judgment; a God of Truth, and without Iniquity, just and right is he.

Q. 2. What is the first Property of God's Justice ? A. That it infinitely excels all human Justice in the Perfection of it. No Creature can compare in Justice with God. Job ix. 2. How shall Man be just with God.

Q. 3. What is the second Property of God's Justice? A. That he is universally righteous in all his Adminiftrations in the World, Pfal. cxlv, 17. The Lord is righteous in all bis Ways, and holy in all his Works.

Q. 4. What was the greatest Demonftration of the Juftice of God that ever was given to the World ?

A. The greatest Evidence that ever was given of the Juf tice of God, was in his exact ng full Satisfaction for our Sins upon Chritt, Rom. iii. 25, 26. Whom God hath set forth, to be a Propitiation through Faith in bis Blood, 10 declare bis Righteousn fs for the Remiffion of Sins that are past, through the Forbearance of God. To declare, I say, at this Time, his Righteousness, that he might be just, and the Justifier of him which believeth in Jesus, Rom. viii. 32. He spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all.

Q. 5. What is the second Discovery of God's Justice? A. The second Difcovery of the Justice of God is in the eternal Punishment of Sin in Hell, upon all that do not repent, and come to Christ by Faith in this World, Rom. ii. 5. But after thy hardness and impenitent Heart, treatureth up unto thy felf Wrath against the Day of Wrath, and Revelation of the righteous Judgment of God.

Q. 6. What is the Third Evidence of God's Justice? A. The Third Evidence of the Justice of God is, in making good all the Mercies he hath promised to Believers, exactly to a Tittle, 1 Joh. i. 19. If we confess our Sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our Sins, and to cleanse us from all Unrighteousness, 2 Tim. iv. 8. Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me at that Day.

Q. 7. What is the First Inference from God's Justice? A. That Sinners have no Cause to complain of God's Judgments, though they be never so terrible, or durable, Rom. ii. 5. But after thy Hardness, and impenitent Heart, treafureft up unto thyself Wrath against the Day of Wrath, and Revelation of the righteous Judgment of God.

Q. 8. What is the Second Inference from God's Justice ? A. That without Doubt there is a Judgment to come in the next Life, otherwise God would not have the Glory of his Justice? Ecclef. iii. 16, 17. I saw under the Sun the Place of Judgment, that Wickedness was there; and the Place of Righteousness, that Iniquity was there: I faid in mine Heart, God shall judge the righteous, and the wicked.

Q. 9. What is the Third Inference from God's Juftice? A. That penitent and believing Sinners need not Doubt of the Forgiveness of their Sins, 1 John i. 9. If we confess our Sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our Sins, and 10 cleanfe us from all Unrighteousness.

Q. 10. What is the last Inference from it?

A. The Laft Inference is, thar Meekness and Patience under Aflictions, is our unquestionable Duty; and Murmuring against God, is a great Sin and Evil, Lam. iii. 39. Wherefore doth a living Man complain, a Man for the Punishment of his Sins?

Of God's Goodness.

Queft. 1.

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HAT is the Goodness of God?

A. It is an effential Property of his Nature, whereby he is absolutely and perfectly good in himfelf, and the Fountain of all communicated Goodness to the

Creature,

Creature, Pfalm cxix. 68. Thou art good, and doft good, teach me thy Statutes.

Q. 2. How doth the Goodness of God differ from the Mercy of God?

A. It differs in its Objects; for Misery is the Object of Mercy; but Goodness extends to the Creatures that are happy, as well as miferable; as the Angels, Pfal. cxlv. 9. The Lord is good to all, and his tender Mercies are over all bis Works.

Q. 3. What is the First Property of God's Goodness ? A. That all his other Attributes flow out of it as their Fountain: The other Acts of God are but the Effluxes of his Goodness, Exod. xxxiii. 19. And he said, I will make alt my Goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the Name of the Lord before thee, and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew Mercy unto whom I will shew Mercy, Exod. xxxiv. 6. And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed the Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longSuffering, and abundant in Goodness and Truth.

Q. 4. What is the Second Property of the divine Goodness ?

:

A. That it is fupream, and perfect in itself, so as the Goodness of no Creature is, or can be, Luke xviii. 19. None is good fave one, andthat is God: And confequently above all additions from the Creature, Pfalm xvi. 2. O my Soul, thou haft faid unto the Lord my Goodness extendith not unto thee.

Q. 5. What is the Third Property of God's Goodness? A. That it is communicative with Pleasure and Delight to the Creature: No Mother draws out her Breaft' to an hungry Child with more Pleasure than God doth his Goodness to the Saints, Pfalm cxlv. 9. The Lord is good to all, and his tender Mercies are over all his Works.

Q. 6. In what Acts hath God first manifested his Goodness?

A. He hath manifested it in the Creation and Government of the World, Pfalm civ. 24. O Lord, how manifold are thy Works? in Wisdom hast thou made them all.

Q. 7. What was the principal Work in which God hath

A. The principal Manifestation of God's Goodness, was

in the Work of Redemption by Christ, Rom. v. 8. God commended bis Love towards us, in that while we were yet Sinners, Chrift died for us, 1 John iv. 8, 9. In this was manifefted the Love of God towards us, because that God fent bis only begotten Son into the World, that we might live through him.

Q. 8. But are not the Judgments of God on the wicked, and his Afflictions on the Saints, Impeachments of his goodness?

A. No; it is the Property of goodness to hate and punish Evil in the Impenitent, Exod. xxxiv. 7. Keeping Mercy for Thousands forgiving Iniquity, and Transgression, and Sin, and that will by no means clear the Guilty, &c. And the Affictions of the Saints flow from his goodness, and end in their true and eternal good. Heb. xii. 6. For whom the Lord loveth, be chafteneth, and scourgeth every Son whom he receiveth, Pfalm cxix. 71. It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy Statutes.

Q. 9. What may we infer from the goodness of God? A. The first Thing is, that Sin hath made our Natures base, and difingenuous, in that we take no Notice of his goodness, Ifa. i. 3. The Ox knoweth his owner, and the Afs bis Master's Crib; but Ifrael doth not know, my People doth not confider; and answer not the Design of it, Rom. ii. 4. Not knowing that the Goodness of God leadeth thee to Repentance. Q. 10. What is the second Inference from the goodness of God?

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, Psalm cxvi. 1. I love the bord, because be hath heard my Voice, and my Supplication. (2) Of our Trust and Confidence, Pfalm xxxiv. 8. O taste and fee that the Lord is good; blessed is the Man that trusteth in him.

Q. 11. What is the 'Third Inference from God's goodnefs?

A. That Chriftians should imitate God in his goodness, in Charity to their Enemies, Matt. v. 44, 45. But I say unto you, Love your Enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, pray for them which despitefully use you, and perfecute