Anfw. He executed the work of providence intirely without means, by the word of his power; but he executes the works of providence, for ordinary, in the use of them.

Queft. 11. What may we learn from God's executing his decrees?

Anfw. That all his promifes fhall be punctually accomplished, and not one of them fall to the ground, Mark xiii. 31.

9. QUEST. What is the work of creation?

ANSW. The work of creation is God's making all things of nothing, by the word of his power, in the fpace of fix days, and all very good.

Queft. 1. How do you know that the world had a beginning?

Anfw. The light of nature teaches, that there must be a first caufe: befides, through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, Heb. xi. 3. Gen. i. 1.

Queft. 2. Might not this world have exifted from eternity?

Anfw. No; it is impoffible: this fuppofition is not only contrary to scripture, but to common fenfe and reafon, which tells us, that what is created, and hath a duration by a succession of time, muft have had a beginning.

Queft. 3. From whom did this world receive its being and beginning ?

Anfw. From God only, who is being itself, and gives being unto all things, Neh. ix. 6. Job ix. 8. Queft. 4. When did God create this world? Anfw. In the beginning of time, Gen. i. 1. Queft. 5. Was there any pre-exiftent matter out of which God created the world? Anfw. No:

Anfw. No: for, by his powerful word, he called thofe things whieh be not, as though they were: fo that things which are feen, were not made of things which do appear; that is, of any pre-existent matter, Rom. iv. 17. Heb. xi. 3.

Queft. 6. In what time did God create all things? Anfw. In the space of fix days, Gen. i. 31. Exod.

XX. 11.

Queft. 7. Could he not have created all things in a moment of time?

Anfw. Yes: but he faw it more for his own glory, and the good of mankind, to set them an example of working fix days, and refting the seventh.

Queft. 8. On which of the fix days is it reckoned that the angels were created?

Anfw. It is probable they were created upon the first day, as appears from Job xxxviii. 4, 7. Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth?--when the morning fars fang together, and all the fons of God fhouted for joy, Compared with Gen. ii. 1.

Queft. 9. Can creating power be imparted unta any creature?

Anfw. No: it implies a contradiction for a creature to create, seeing it is to veft a finite creature with infinite power and wisdom, Isa. xl. 12. and xlv. 12. Jer. x. 11, 12.

Quest. 10. Is it not then a clear proof of the fupreme Deity of the Son of God, that all things were made by him?

Anfw. No doubt it is: for, none but he, who is truly and properly God, can command things that are not into being, Ifa. xliv. 24.

Quelt. 11. Is creation a work common to all the perfons of the trinity?

Anfw. Yes: for all the external works of God are common to each perfon; every one of the three adorable perfons being the fame in fubftance, equal in power and glory.

Quest. 12.

Queft. 12. For what end did God make all things? Anfw. He made all things for himfelf, or for the difplay of his matchlefs excellencies, Prov. xvi 4.

Quest 13. What are these excellencies or perfections of God, which are more especially displayed in the works of creation?

Anfw. His infinite power, extensive goodness and manifold wifdom, Rom. i. 20.

Queft. 14. How does the infinite power of God Shine forth in creating the world?

Anfw. In bringing all things, of a fudden, out of nothing by his bare word, Gen. i. 3. Pfalm xxxiii. 6

Queft. 15. What was that bare word?

Anfw. Let fuch a thing be.

Queft. 16. How is his manifold wisdom difplayed in this work?

Anfw. In the vaft variety of creatures, great and fmall, which he has made; the order and harmony of them all; and their fubferviency one to another, Pfalm civ. 24.

Queft. 17. Why is it faid that he made all things very good?

Anfw. Because God, upon a furvey of his works, declared them to be fo, Gen. i. 31. God faw all that he had made, and behold it was very good.

Queft. 18. Wherein confifts the goodness of the creatures of God?

Anfw. In the perfection of their nature, their being fit to answer the end of their creation; and their usefulness to man, being both profitable and pleasant to him.

Quest. 19. Are not many creatures hurtful unto

man?

Anfw. They were not fo at their firft creation, and while man continued in his allegiance to God; but through his finning against God, he has brought a curfe

a curfe on himself, and the whole creation, Gen. iii. 17. Curfed is the ground for thy fake.

Queft. 20. Is not God faid to create evil, faiah xlv. 7.?

Anfw. Not the evil of fin, but of punishment, as a just judge, Rom. iii. 5, 6. Amos iii. 6.

Quest. 21. How then came fin and death into the world?

Anfw. Man is the parent of fin, and fin opened the door to death: By one man fin entered into the world, and death by fin, Rom. 12.

Queft. 22. Upon what day did God rest from creating the world?

nw. Upon the feventh day, Gen. ii. 2, 3.; which was therefore appointed to be the weekly fabbath, till the refurrection of Christ.

Queft. 23. Doth this refting, on the seventh day, Say that he was weary with working ?

Anfw. No: The everlafting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary, Ifa. xl. 28.

Quest. 24. What then is meant by his resting ? Anfw. It is spoken after the manner of men, and the meaning is, that God ceafed to create any other forts of creatures than he had already made.

Queft. 25. Is not the fame power that created all things exerted in fuftaining them in their being?

Anfw. Yes: for he, by whom the worlds were made, is faid to uphold all things by the word of his power, Heb. i. 2, 3.

Queft. 26. Do not the fcriptures speak of a new creation, as well as of the old?

An/w. Yes: the Spirit of God, in scripture speaks of a new world of grace, under the name of new heavens and a new earth, Ifa. lxv. 17. and lxvi, 22. Rev. xxi. r. Heb. ii. 5.

Queft. 27. What is to be understood by this new creation, or new world of grace?

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Anfw. The

Anfw. The true church of of Christ, particularly under the New Teftament, not excluding the church triumphant in heaven.

Queft. 28. By whom is this new world created? Anfw. By the fame God that made the old world; Behold I create new heavens, and a new earth, Ifa. lxv. 17.

Queft. 29. Who are the inhabitants of this new world?

Anfw. They are all new creatures, taken out of the old world.

Queft. 30. How come they out of this material, into that fpiritual world?

Anfw. By the new birth: for, except a man be born again he cannot enter into it; flesh and blood, or corrupted nature, continuing fuch, cannot inherit it, John iii. 3. 1 Cor. xv. 50.

Queft. 31. Is there any difference of nations, sexes, or perfons in this new world?

Anfw. No: for, there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcifion nor uncircumcifion, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free, but Chrift is all, and in all, Col. iii. 11. Queft. 32. By what door do men enter into this new world of grace?

Anfw. Chrift fays, I am the door, by me if any man enter in, he shall be faved; and shall go in and out, and find pasture, John x. 9.; and, chap. xiv. 6. I am the way, -no man cometh unto the Father but by me.

Queft. 33. Wherein lies the happiness of the inhabitants of this new world of grace?

Anfw. None fo happy as they, because they dwell in God, and God dwells in them, as in a temple; and walks in them as in his garden of pleasure ; and, at death, they are tranfported by the ministry of angels, to the world of glory above, 1 Cor. iii. 16. 2 Cor. vi. 16. Luke xvi. 22.

Queft. 34. What may we learn from the doctrine of the creation? Aufw. That