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pared to Hunger and Thirst, as the usual Proverbs, Pf. xlii. 2. My Soul thirfteth for God, for the living God. And Matt. v. 6. Bleed are they which do hunger and thirst after Righteousness.

Q. But may every one who hath this Hunger and Thirst, fully acquiefce therein.

A. By no Means; but he must endeavour to be fully affured of his Faith, Heb. vi. 11. And we defire that every one of you do fhew the fame Diligence, to the full Affurance of Hope unto the End. And pray with the Difciples of Jefus, Lord increase our Faith, Luke xvii. 5. Q: Why must he endeavour to attain fuch Affurance? A. For Reason of the Sweetness of its Enjoyment, which is unexpreffible, and inconceivable; for it is a Mercy above all Eftimation. The leaft and lowest Act of faving Faith is precious, and above all Value; but much more the highest and most excellent Acts of Faith, being a Sweetness in the Affurance of Faith that few Men have the Privilege to tafte; and they that do, can find no Words to express it to another's Understanding. The weakeft Chriftian is exalted above other Men; but the affured Chriftian hath a Preference before all other Chriftians; he can take Chrift into the Arms of Faith, and fay, My Beloved is mine, and I am his; return to thy Reft, Q my Soul, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee. He knows that he is in Chrift; and it is but a little while before he shall be with Christ and arrive at the full Satisfaction of his very Heart. O what Pleasure doth every Glance give to the fealed Soul? Who fhould not endeavour to obtain so desirable a Mercy?

Q. What is our Duty in order to attain this moft defirable Mercy?

A. Our Duty is, 1ft, To exercife and manifeft more Love to Chrift, and that he may be much upon our Hearts, whilft he loves them that love him, Prov. viii. 17. 2d, To exercise continually our Faith upon Jefus Chrift. 3d, To mourn over all thofe Sins that

cause

aufe the Lord to hide his Face from our Souls. 4th, To pour out our Souls to God in hearty Defires, to befeech him to pity our poor afflicted Souls, which hath lain down and rifen fo long with Fears and Tremblings, and been a Stranger to Comfort for fo many Days; to tell him how weak our Hands have been, and still are, in Duties of Obedience, for Want of Strength and Encouragement; to engage our Soul (without Delay) to him; to be more active, chearful and fruitful in his Service; to cry out with the Words of the Spouse, Cant. viii. Set me as a Seal upon thy Heart, as a Seal upon thy Arm, &c. Then the Heavens who were overcast and clouded, will be clear over us, and the Sun of Righteoufnefs thine out in its Brightness upon our Souls..

The 24th Question of the HEIDELBERG. CATECHISM..

OW do you divide thefe Articles?·

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A. Into three Parts, viz. The firft treats of God the Father, and our Creation; the fecond of God the Son, and our Redemption; the third "of God the Holy Ghoft, and our Sanctification." Q. When you profefs to believe in God the Father, in God the Son, and in God the Holy Ghost, do you comprehend three Gods?

A. Far from it; for there is but one only living and true God.

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Q. How doth it appear that there is but one God?
A, First, by Nature; fecondly, by the holy Scrip-

tures.

Q. How do you prive it by Nature?

A. In a twofold Manner; fuit Becafe that auißch may be known of God, is manifested in w/ Rom is 13, and Rom. ii. 15. Which fhew the Work of the Law written in their Hearts; their Confcience aifs bearing

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Witness;

Witness; and their Thoughts the mean while accufing, or elfe excufing one another. Secondly, By the View of the Creation, Pf. xix. 1. The Heavens declare the Glory of God; and the Firmament fheweth his bandy Work. And Rom. i. 20. For the invifible Things of him from the Creation of the World, are clearly feen, being underftood by the Things that are made, even his eternal Power and Godhead.

Q. From whence are you fufficiently convinced of the Being of a God; or that fuch Belief is necessary for Salvation?

your

A. From the holy Scriptures, Heb. xi. 6. For he that cometh to God, must believe that he is, and that he is a Rewarder of them that diligently feek him.

Q. What is God?

A. God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in his Being, Wildom, Power, Holiness, Juftice, Goodness and Truth.

Q. Can the Nature of God be fa defined, as that a Man may exprefs properly and strictly what God is?

A. No. Because our Understanding is finite, and God is Infinite, having no Bounds or Limits within which he is contained, as created Things are; being alfo Incomprehenfible, Job xi. 7. Canft thou, by fearching, find out God? Canft thou find out the Almighty unto Perfection?

Q. Although God is incomprehenfible, may we not conceive fome Knowledge of his Nature, though we should come fhort of a thorough Knowledge of his Perfections?

A. Yes, to meditate on his Names, Properties, and Works.

Q How mang Names do we find of the Supreme Being?

A. They are very numerous and full of meaning as in the Hebrew, Jehovah, Jah, Adonai, Elohim, &c. and in our Language, God, the Lord, &c.

Q. Which is his particular Name by which he is diAinguished from others?

The

A. The Name of Jehovah, or Lord, which fignifies his being of himself, his Eternity, Omnipotence, and Immutability; which Name belongeth to none befide him, Ifa. xlii. 8. I am the Lord, that is my Name; and my Glory will I not give to another, neither, my Praife to graven Images.

Q. What do you mean by his Properties?

A. The Perfections and Virtues which are in God, fuch as Eternity, Infinity, Omnifcience, Omnipotence, Unchangeablenefs, Goodness, Holiness and Juftice,& Q. Which are the principal Works of God, by which he hath manifefted himself?

A. By thofe of Creation, Providence and Re demption.

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Q. How doth it appear that there is but one God? A. It is evident from Scripture, Deut. vi. 4. Hear O Ifrael, the Lord our God is one Lord. Jer. x. 10. And 1 Cor. viii. 5. 6. And as Scripture reveals no more, fo Reason will allow no more, as there Acan be but one Infinite, one Omnipotent, and one Firft Cause, and that is God, the most perfect and excellent Being, Pf. lxxi. 19. Thy Righteousness alfo, O God, is very high, who hath done great Things: O God, wha is like unto thee?

Q. Doth not the Scripture fay, I Cor. viii. 5. That there are Gods many, and Lords many?

A. Yes.. There are many in Title, and many in Opinion, but one only in Truth, fer. x. 10. But the Lord is the true God.

Q. Why is he called the true God?

A. To diftinguifh him from the Idol and falfe Gods of the Heathen, 1 Thef. i. 9. Ye turned to God from Idols, to ferve the living and true God. And Acts xiv. 15.

Q. Why is he called the living God?

A. Because all Life, natural, fpiritual, and eternal is in him, and from him only, As xvii. 28. Eph. ii. 2. Col, üii. 4,

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The 25th Question of the HEIDELBERG CATECHISM.

Q. SINCE there is no more than only one divine Effence, why do you name three Perfons, the Father,

the Son, and the Holy Ghoft?

"A. Because according to the Manner that God "has revealed himfelf in his Word, thofe three di"ftinct Perfons are the only true and eternal God." Q. What is a Perfon in the Godhead?

A. It is the Godhead diftinguished by perfonal Properties, each Perfon having his diftinct perfonal Properties, Heb. iii. 1. Who being the Brightness of his Glory, and the exprefs Image of his Perfon, upholding all Things by the Word of his Power.

Q: How doth it appear there are three Perfons, and

no more?

A. First, from the Old Teftament, Ifa. Ixiii. 9, 10. In all their Affliction he was afflicted, and the Angel of his Prefence Javed them; in his Love and in his Pity he redeemed them, and he bare them and carried them all the Days of old. But they rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit; therefore he was turned to be their Enemy, and he fought against them. And Hag. ii. 4, 5. Yet now be ftrong, Ŏ Zerubbabel, faith the Lord, and be strong, O Jofhua, Son of Jofedech, the high Priest, and be Strong, all ye People of the Land, faith the Lord, and Work; for I AM WITH YOU, faith the Lord of Hofts. According to the WORD that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, fo my SPIRIT remaineth among you. Q Does this appear from the New Testament?

A. Yes. First from Chrift's Baptism, Matt. iii. 16, 17. And Jefus, when he was baptized, went up Atraightway out of the Water; and lo, the Heavens were opened unto him, and he faw the Spirit of God defcending upon him like a Dove, and lighting upon him. And lo, a Voice from Heaven, saying, This is my beloved

Son,

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