Are all persons who are baptized, sincere in their profession; and do they all fulfil the promises made at their baptism?

The visible church is imperfect and mixed; and there are many, who have been baptized, who are Christians only in name.

"Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps." Matt. xxv. 1—4.

Are such persons then in a state of salvation; and will they obtain everlasting life?

Unless they repent, they will have their portion with hypocrites, in everlasting misery.

"Then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me ye, that work iniquity." Matt. vii. 23.

"The children of the kingdom shall be cast out, into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Matt. viii. 12.

Is there no danger of your being among this awful number?

I must diligently examine my heart and life, and prove by my holy conduct that my profession is

sincere.

"Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves." 2 Cor. xiii. 5.

"Be not slothful, but followers of them, who through faith and patience inherit the promises." Heb. vi. 12.

By what marks or evidences may you discover your true state before God?

If I am born again of the Spirit of God, I shall bring forth the fruits of the Spirit.

"The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.' Gal. y. 22.

Being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life." Rom. vi. 22.

CHAPTER II.

THE BELIEF, OR CREED.

REPEAT the articles of your belief.

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth:

And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried. He descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God, the

Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy Catholic Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.

"He that believeth not God, hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life; and this life is in his Son.' 1 John v. 10, 11.

What do you chiefly learn in these articles of your belief?

First, I learn to believe in God the Father, who hath made me, and all the world.

Secondly, in God the Son, who hath redeemed me, and all mankind.

Thirdly, in God the Holy Ghost, who sanctifieth me, and all the elect people of God.

"Grace be unto you, and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father." Gal. i. 3, 4.

"Being sanctified by the Holy Ghost." Rom. xv. 16.

What is God?

God is a Spirit, without beginning and without end most holy and merciful, wise and powerful, just and good.

"The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth." Exod. xxxiv. 6.

You say you believe in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost; are there then three Gods?

No; there are three glorious Persons in one eternal Godhead.

"There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one." 1 John v. 7.

Why is the first Person in the blessed Trinity called the Father?

Because he made all creatures in heaven and earth.

"O Lord, thou art our Father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand." Isaiah lxiv. 8.

On what other accounts is He called the Father? Because he is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; and, in him, the reconciled Father of all believers.

"That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee; that they also may be one in us." John xvii. 21.

"Ye are all the children of God, by faith in Christ Jesus." Gal. iii. 26.

What are you taught to believe of God the Father?

That he is Almighty; and that he is the Maker or Creator of heaven and earth.

"Thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host; the earth, and all things that are therein; the seas, and all that is therein-and thou preservest them all." Neh. ix. 6.

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Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God."* Heb. xi. 3.

How did God create man?

In his own image.

"In the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." Gen. i. 27.

"God made man upright." Eccl. vii. 29.

Did our first parents continue in this state?

No; they fell from it by eating of the tree, which God forbade them to touch.

"Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, Test ye die." Gen. iii. 3.

"The woman took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat." Gen. iii. 6.

What was the consequence of their disobedience?

They and all their posterity became subject to God's anger; sorrow and pain, death and eternal misery.

*The work of creation is sometimes attributed to the Son and Holy Spirit, as well as to the Father. (See John i. 5; Col. i. 16, 17; Gen. i. 2; Job xxvi. 13). The peculiar offices of the Son and Spirit in like manner are sometimes ascribed to the Father, which proves the three Persons to be one in being

and will.

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