4. What do you call the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost?

The three persons of the most blessed Trinity.

5. Is each of these persons God?

Yes: the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Ghost is God.

self is always necessary. He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved; he that believeth not shall be condemned. (Mark xvi. 16.) But the open profession of our belief is not always necessary, for our blessed Lord recommends concealment in some cases; when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another. (Matt. x. 23.) It should, however, be remembered, that though no man is obliged to deliver himself up to persecution, by openly announcing his religion, yet he must at the same time be careful neither to do nor to say anything that may be equivalent to the denial of it; for whosoever, says our Saviour, shall deny me before men, him will I deny before my Father who is in heaven. (Ibid. 33.)

3. In the name.-Such was the command of our Lord to his apostles: Go ye and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. (Matt. xxviii. 19.) 4. Persons-Trinity.-Separately we call them persons, because we have no word more fit to express, that they subsist distinct from each other; but when we speak of them all together, we use the word trinity, because that word points out their number of three.

5. The Father is God.-This appears from innumerable passages in Scripture, in which God and the

6. Are they not then three Gods?

No: the three, though really distinct as persons, are but one God.

Father are employed to denote the same almighty being.

The Son is God.-The word (that is, the Son) was God. (John i. 1.) My Lord and my God, words addressed to our Saviour, (John xx. 28.) He is over all things God, blessed for ever. (Rom. ix. 15.) In him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. (Coll. ii. 9.)

The Holy Ghost is God.- Why hath Satan tempted thy heart that thou shouldst lie unto the Holy Ghost? Thou hast not lied unto men but

unto God. (Acts v. 3, 4.) 6. Distinct as persons.—I will ask the Father, and he will give to you another Paraclete, that he may abide with you for ever. (John xiv. 16.) The Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my name. (Ibid. 26.) The Paraclete whom I will send unto you from the Father. (John xv. 26.) In all these passages, the distinction of persons is most clearly marked: for the person who asks, must be distinct from him of whom he asks; and the person sent, must be distinct both from him who asks for him, and from him by whom he is sent. Son asks the Father to send the Holy Ghost; the Father, then, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost, must be persons distinct from each other.

The

Are but one God. -Hear O Israel, the Lord thy God is one God. (Deut. vi. 4.) The Lord he is God, and there is none other besides him. (Deut. iv. 35, 39.) I am God, and besides me there is no God. (Isaiah xlvi. 9.) The Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one. (1 John v. 7.)

CHAP. II.

OF GOD.

1. What then do you understand by God? A spiritual being, existing from eternity, everywhere present, of infinite power, knowledge, and holiness, and sovereign lord of all things.

2. Why do you say that he is a "spiritual being?"

To denote that he has not a body, as we have; and therefore cannot be seen by us in this life.

3. Why that he "exists from eternity?"

Because he always was, always is, and always will be.

2. A spiritual being.- God is a spirit (John iv. 24.); he is the king invisible. (1 Tim. i. 17.) We are not to question his existence, because we see him not. Matter alone is the object of sight; and yet we continually believe in the existence of immaterial, and therefore invisible beings. When I speak to another man, it is not to his body, or to any visible part of his body, that I address myself, but to something invisible, which I believe to dwell in that body, though I cannot see it. That something is his soul, which, being a spirit, is invisible. In the same manner God being a spirit, cannot be seen with the eyes of the body. 3. From eternity.-From everlasting to everlasting thou art God. (Ps. lxxxix. 2.) He inhabiteth

4. Why that he is "every where present"? Because he is in all places at the same time, and sees and observes every thing, even our most secret thoughts.

5. Why that he is a being of "infinite power"? Because he can do all things, whatsoever he

pleases.

6. Why that he is a being of "infinite knowledge "?

eternity. (Is. lvii. 15.) He is the king of ages, and immortal. (1 Tim. i. 17.) I am the first and the last behold, I live for ever and ever. (Rev. i. 17.) The Lord God Almighty, who was, and who is, and who is to come. (Rev. iv. 8.)

4. Everywhere present. - Shall a man be hidden in secret places, and I not see him, saith the Lord? Do I not fill the heaven and the earth, saith the Lord? (Jer. xxiii. 23, 24.) Whither shall I flee from thy face? If I ascend up to heaven thou art there; if I descend into hell, thou art there. (Ps. cxxxviii. 7, 8, 12.) Hence it follows, that wheresoever we may be, we are still in his presence. In secret as well as in public, in darkness as well as in light, his eye is always fixed upon us, to observe our conduct; and his ear always open to listen to our prayer.

5. Being of infinite power. He spake the word, and they were made; he commanded, and they were created. (Ps. clxviii. 5.) Whatsoever the Lord pleased, he hath done. (Ps. cxxxiv. 6.) No word shall be impossible with God. (Luke i. 37.) I am the Almighty; holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty. (Rev. i. 8, iv. 8.)

6. Of infinite knowledge.—There is no creature invisible in his sight. All things are naked and open

Because he knows all things, past, present,

and to come.

7. Why that he is a being of "infinite holiness"? Because in him there can be no sin, nor can he endure sin in others.

8. Why that he is "sovereign Lord of all things"?

Because all things are his property: because his dominion extends over all, and because nothing can happen without his pleasure or permission.

to his eyes. (Heb. iv. 13.) The works of all flesh are before him, and there is nothing hidden from his eyes. He seeth from eternity to eternity. (Eccles. xxxix. 24, 25.)

7. Infinite holiness.-Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts. (Is. vi. 3.) It is written, be ye holy, for I am holy. (1 Pet. i. 16.) Thou hatest all the workers of iniquity. (Ps. v. 7.)

8. Sovereign Lord.-The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof. (Ps. xxiii. 1.) He upholdeth all things by the word of his power. (Heb. i. 3.) Thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. (Rev. iv. 11.) Our lots are in his hands. (Ps. xxx. 16.) The heart of the king is in the hands of the Lord; whithersoever he will, he shall turn it. (Prov. xxi. 1.) Behold the birds of the air; your heavenly Father feedeth them. (Matt. vi. 26.) Not one of them shall fall to the ground without your Father. (Matt. x. 29.) Yea, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. (Ibid. 30.) The Lord killeth and maketh alive. He bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth back again. The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich. humbleth, and he exalteth. (Sam. ii. 7.)

He