of the stile, the harmony of the different parts, the efficacy of the doctrine on the foul, the many miracles wrought in confirmation of them, and the joyful fufferings of martyrs for them. Q. Is there not fomething elfe, that is more effectual to perfwade us of the divinity of the fcriptures than all these arguments. "A. Though thefe be fufficient to convince men of reafon, and to ftop the months of gainfayers; yet it is the Spirit of God bearing witnefs by and with the fcriptures in our hearts, that only can eftablifh us in the belief of the fcriptures being the very word of God, John xvi. 13. Q. How are the fcriptures divided? A. Into two parts, to wit, the fcriptures of the Old and New Teftament. Q. Why are they called a teftament? A. Because they contain God's will concerning the falvation of finners, as it was revealed and confirmed by Christ the teftator. And this will is either called a teftament or covenant. Q. Do the fcriptures of the Old and New Teftament contain two different teftaments or covenants ? A. No; they both hold forth one and the fame covenant of grace for fubftance, feeing we find the fame mediator, and the fame way of falvation through faith in him, pointed at in both. But the circumftances and forms of adminiftring this covenant being fo very different, it is distinguished into the Old and New Teftament, or the old and new covenant of grace. Q. Why are the fcriptures in the former part of the Bible called the Old Teftament? A. Because they contain the old difpenfation of the cove. nant of grace before Chrift's coming in the flesh, which was by manifold rites, prophecies, types and facrifices, all prefiguring the Meffiah then to come. Q. Why are the fcriptures in the latter part of the Bible called the New Testament? A. Because they fet forth the new difpenfation of the covenant, by Chrift's coming in the flesh to fulfil the types and figures of the Old Teftament, and inftituting a more fpiritual worship in the room thereof, and revealing his grace more clearly and extenfively to the world. Q. How could the first part of the Bible have the fore: of B teflament, while it was not confirmed by the death of the ftator? A. It was confirmed by Chrift's death typically in the flain facrifices, on which account Chrift is called the Lamb flain from the foundation of the world. And the bleffings of the Old Teftament, being difponed to believers in view of the actual death of the teftator prefigured by the flaying of the facrifices, were upon their believing made good to them. Q. Are the fcriptures of the Old Teftament a part of our rule, as well as the New? A. Yes, for they exprefs much of Chrift and his gospel; they contain the moral law, and are often cited in the New Teftament, Matth. xxii. 29, &c. John v. 39. Acts xvii. 11. Rom. xv. 4. 1 Cor. x. 6. Heb. iv. 2. Gal. iii. 8. Q. Are the writings in the Apocrypha books to be read and received as the word of God? A. No; for though they are useful, as many other human writings, yet they are no part of holy fcripture; feeing we find they are not written in the original language of the Old Teftament, nor by any of the infpired prophets, but after Malachi that was the last of them: nor were they owned as canonical by the Jews, to whom of old were committed the oracles of God. Q. Doth the authority of the feriptures depend upon the teftimony of the church? A. No; for the church herself is built on the fcriptures as her foundation, and whatever the church teacheth is to be tried by them, Eph. ii. 19, 20 Ifa. viii. 20. Acts xvii. 11. Q. Is there nothing else to be received as a rule to direct us in the way to happiness, but the boly Scriptures? A. No; not our natural reafon, as Deifts affert; not unwritten traditions, Papifts teach; not the light within, or fpirit without the fcriptures, as Quakers and Enthufialts pretend to, Ifa. viii. 20. Gal. vi. 16. 1 John iv. 1, 6. Q. Why is not the light of nature or realon fufficient to di rect us in the way to happiness? A. Becaufe, though it teach us that there is a God, and that he is to be worshipped; yet it cannot difcover to us the wonderful work of redemption through Jefus Chrift. Q. But is the word of God fufficiently plain, full and perfect to be a rule to us? A. Whatever Papifts object against it, to make way for their traditions and papal decrees; yet the rule of God's word is fufficiently plain and compleat, as it contains the whole counfel of God concerning all things neceflary for us to know or believe for promoting God's glory and our falvation. And this we have either in exprefs words, or in juft and neceffary confequences, obvious to the weakest understanding, 2 Tim. iii. 15, 16, 17. Pfalm xvi. 7, 8, 9. Pfalm cxix. 105, 130. Q. Do the feriptures then contain the whole revealed will of God to the world? A. Yes. Q. Are we to believe nothing but what we have written in the word of God? A. Yes, many things, though not as neceffary to falvation. Q. Is the word of God to be obferved as our rule of worship, as well as of faith? A. Yes. Q. Is it not lawful for us to add fome decent inventions to the worship of God, as the fign of the cross in baptifm, kneeling at the Lord's fupper, bowing to the altar, the organ in praife? A. No; not a pin should be added to the tabernacle, but what is of God's own appointment, Heb. viii. 5. Q. What doth the apoftle call fuch inventions and additions? A. Beggarly elements, and will-worship. Gal. iv. 9. Col. ii. 23. Q. What will God fay to thefe who add them? A. He will fay to them as to the Jews, Ifa. i. 12. Who hath required thefe things at your hands? Q. How should we value the fcriptures? A. We should reckon it a great mercy and privilege that we have God's will revealed in them, as a light to guide us in the way to heaven; and therefore we fhould dearly love them, and daily use them. Q. Are they not in a miferable cafe who want the fcriptures? A. Yes; for, where there is no vifion, the people perish, Prov. xxix. 18. Q. Will the word fave any without the Spirit's influence? A. No. Q. What will become of these who have the word, and yet defpife it? A. They will be destroyed, Prov. xiii. 13. QUESTION III. What do the Scriptures principally teach? A. The Scriptures principally teach what man is to believe concerning God, and what Duty God requires of Man. Q. What are the two great leons which the fcriptures teach us? A. The fcriptures teach us, firft, The truths we must believe. Secondly, The duties we must perform. Why is faith put before obedience? A. Because faith is the fpring and principle of all true obedience, and no duty can be performed acceptably without it, Heb. xi. 6. Q. What do the fcriptures teach us to believe concerning God? A. Three things; as 1. That God is. 2. What God is, 3. What God doth. And therefore we should aim to grow in the knowledge and belief of the being, the nature, and the works of God. Q. Ought we not in the first place to study to be established in the belief of the being of a God? A. Yes. Q. How doth it appear that there is a God? A. This is evident, not only from the Bible, but also from the light of nature, the works of creation, the being of the heavens, earth, and fea, with the various creatures therein; the beautiful order and motion of the luminaries of heaven, the regular ebbing and flowing of the fea, the wonderful frame of man's body and foul, the miracles which have been wrought, the prophecies which have been fulfilled, the confent of all nations to this truth, and the confcience of man, which accufes him when guilty, and excufes him when innocent: all thefe do plainly declare the being of God, to`the confounding of all these who would oppose this moft clear and evident truth. Q. How do we call these who think there is no God? Q. What doth the Spirit of God call them? A. Fools, Pfal. xiv. 1. Q. Why are they called fools? C A. Because what they imagine is contrary to the rational dictates of their own fouls, and the common fentiments of all the wife and fober part of mankind, and alfo against the teltimony of every creature; feeing the being and wifdom of God may evidently be feen in every thing we fet our eyes upon, as a bird, a fly, a tree, a flower, and every pile of grass. QUESTION IV. S Q. What is God? A. God is a Spirit, Infinite, Eternal, and Unchangeable, in his Being, Wisdom, Power, Holinefs, Juftice, Goodness and Truth. Q. Is it poffible for creatures to give any perfect definition of God? A. No. Q. Are not all our uptakings of the nature and effence of God most imperfect? A. Yes. Q. Why are they fo? A. Because the nature of God, being fpiritual and infinite, is fo exalted above us, that he cannot be declared by human fpeech, perceived by human fenfe, or conceived by human understanding, Job. xi. 7, 8, 9. Q. What fort of fubftance is God? A. An invifible being or substance, that hath understanding and will, without a body or bodily parts, Luke xxiv. 39. Q. Are not angels and the fouls of men spirits too? A. Yes. Q. What difference is there between God and thefe fpirits? A. Thefe are but finite fpirits, created by God, and dependent upon him: but God is an uncreated Spirit, infinite and independent, who made all things according to his pleafure. Q. If God be a Spirit, how doth the fcripture afcribe face, eyes, ears, mouth, hands, and other bodily parts unto God? A. These are not proper, but only figurative expreffions of God: for if God should speak in his own language, and defcribe himself to us, as he really is, we could not underfland him; therefore he is pleased to speak of himself to us after the |