And they fay, Εἰς μίαν ἁγίαν, καθολικὴν καὶ αποςο

λικὴν Εκκλησίαν.

?האמינו ביהוה האמינו בנביאיו

Chron. XX. 20.

To believe in God here implieth,

1. Our Perfwafion and full Affurance of
God's Existence and Glory, Heb. xi. 6:
And fo of the Truth of every Article.
2. Our publick Profeffion of it to the World,
Rom. x. 8, 9.

This Confeffion is neceffary.

1. Because commanded, 1 Pet. iii. 15. And it is commanded, because it advances God's Glory.

2. There are Promises made to it, Matt. x. 32, 33. Luke ix. 26.

3. The frequent Confeffion of our Faith, is an excellent Means to confirm both our felves and others in it.

Hence it hath been the constant Practice of the Church in all Ages to repeat the Creed in publick Devotions.

Queft. 3. What Neceffity is there of our believing of this Article, That there is a God?

1. It is the Foundation of all our Faith; for
unless we believe in God, we can have no
divine Faith; that being grounded upon
the Teftimony of God.

2. It is the Foundation of all our Religion;
God being the only Object of all our Ser-
vices and Devotions. 1 Cor. XV. 17.
3. A firm Belief of this Article is the strongest
Check against Sin, Gen. xxxix. 9. Pfal.
xxxix. 6, 7.
F 2
4. It

4. It is the greatest Comfort in all Conditions, Pfal. xxvii. 13.

5. A firm Belief of this, will confirm our Faith in all the Affertions, Threatnings, and Promises of God; and fo is the only Way to get to Heaven.

НЕВ.
HE B. xi. 6.

He that cometh unto God, must believe that he is, and that he is a Rewarder of them that diligently Seek him.

Queft. 1. W treating of the Existence of God?

HAT Neceffity is there of our

1. We live in an Age full of Atheism and Infidelity, many having had the Impudence to deny God's Existence, and deride his Worship.

2. Of them that profefs to believe it, few do fo really, at least few believe it fo firmly, as they ought.

3. Of them that do moft firmly believe it, fome may often have doubtful Thoughts of it fuggefted by the Devil.

4. Howfoever, this is the Foundation of all Religion; and therefore we must take Care to lay it deep, and fix it firmly in the Minds of thofe committed to our Charge, as without which it is impoffible to build them up aright in their most holy Faith.

Queft.

Queft. 2. What Arguments have we to prove that God is?

1. From the Order of Caufes: For of every Effect there must be a Cause, till we come to the first and univerfal Caufe of all Things. Every Thing that is, was either made, or not made; if made, it must be made by something that was not made.

For every Thing that is, is an Argument that God is, Rom. i. 20.

1. All Things above us; Sun, Moon, Stars, Clouds, Pfal. xix. 1. Acts 14. 16, 17.

2. About us; Men, Trees, Beafts, Birds, &c. 3. Beneath us; the Earth, Flowers, Plants. 4. Within us; our Souls and Bodies, Zach.xii. 1. 2. From the natural Confcience that accufeth, or elfe excufeth Men for their Actions, Rom. ii. 14, 15. Isa. xxxiii. 14.

3. From the Miracles wrought in all Ages; which being above the Power of Natural Caufes, muft needs argue a Supernatural Being, Pfal. xliv. 1. Pfal. lxxii. 18.

4. From the Prophecy and Predictions of Things to come.

5. From the univerfal Confent of all. Nulla gens ufquam eft adeo contra leges, morefque projecta ut non aliquos Deos credat. Senec. Nulla gens tam fera eft, nemo omnium tam immanis cujus mentem non imbuerit Deorum opinio Cic... So that this Article, Credo in Deum, is acknowledged by all.

Queft. 3. What are we to Believe concerning God?

1. He is but One, Deut. vi. 4: Isai, xliv. 6. Isa. xlv. 5, 6, Ifa. xliv. 8. F3

2. There

2. There be Three Perfons in this Godhead,
every One of which is that One Eter-
nal God, Matt. xxviii, 10. I Job. v. 7.
3. That he is an abfolute independent felf-
exifting Being, Exod. iii. 14. Therefore
IM, Kúe, from wig,

called,
anciently the fame with up
ὑπαρ

سرم

and

.

4. He is every where, and knows every Thing, Pfal. cxxxix. 7. Heb. iv. 13.

5. That he is Almighty, and can do whatfoever he pleases, Matt. xix. 26.

6. That by this Almighty Power, he made and still preserveth all Things, Gen. i. 1; Act. xvii. 28. Matt. x. 29, 30.

7. That all infinite Perfections whatsoever are concentred in him, Pfal. xi. 7. Isa. xxx. 18. xxxiv. 6, 7. 1 Tim. i. 17. Pfal. cxlvii. 1.

8. He will reward all thofe that diligently seek him.

1. Love him, Deut. vi. 5.

2. Fear him, Fer. v. 22.

3. Truft on him, Pfal. xxvii. r.

4. Defire his Favour and Prefence, Pfal. xlii.

1, 2. Pfal. xiii. 25.

5. Obey him, 1 Chron. xxviii. 9.

JOHN

Queft. 1.

JOHN iv. 24.

God is a Spirit.

Herefore is God faid to be a Spirit?
And what Conceptions are we there-

fore to have of him?

1. Being a Spirit, he is a living Subftance for tho' all living Things be not Spirits, every Spirit is a living Thing.

The Soul and Angels are Spirits, therefore live, but not in themfelves, Act. xvii. 18. God lives in and of himself, Job. v. 26. Pfal. xxxvi. 9.

2. He is Incorporeal, or without Body, Luke xxiv. 39.

The Anthropomorphite and Audiarii of Old,and fo fome New Hereticks, have afferted God to have a Body, contrary to Rom. i. 23. Ifai. xl. 18.

OBJECT. God is faid to have an Head, Dan. vii. 9. Face, Pfal. xxvii. 8. Pfal. xxxiv. 6. Eyes, Pfal. xxxiv. 15. Hands, Pfal. xxxviii. 3. Act. iv. 28. Mouth,Matt. iv. 4. Ears,Pfal. xxxi. 2. Arms, Exod. vi. 6. Ifa. liii. 1. Fingers, Exod. xxxi. 18. Bowels, Ifa. lxiii. 15.

RESP. Ταυτα ανθρωποπαθῶς μὲν λέγονται θεοπρε πῶς δὲ νοῦν του.

God in these Things speaks after the manner of Men, and to our Capacity.

We fee by the Eye; by that therefore God fignifies to us his Omniscience, &c.