An Help for the Ignorant, WSC Question 4

QUEST. 4. What is God?

ANSW. God is a spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable, in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth.

Q. What doth the name GOD properly signify?

A. A being of infinite perfection.

Q. What are we to believe concerning God?

A. That he is, what he is, and what he has done.

Q. What religious principle must we first in order believe?

A. That there is a God, Hebrews 11:6.

Q. What things teach us that there is aGod?

A. Both scripture and reason, Malachi 3:6.

Q. Wherein are all men taught that there is a God?

A. In the works of creation and providence.

Q. How does creation-work prove there must be a God?

A. Because nothing can make itself; and so there must be a God who has made all things, Romans 1:20.

Q. How do the works of providence prove there must be a God?

A. Because so many, so vast and unruly things, could never be preserved and guided to one common end, if there was not a God to over-rule them.

Q. How does our own being prove there is a God?

A. The curious frame of our bodies, the noble powers of our souls, our consciences daily accusing or excusing us, together with our inability to live, move, or do any thing of ourselves, clearly prove it.

Q. Can the works of nature now teach us what God is?

A. They may teach us some things darkly concerning God, but nothing savingly, Acts 17:27.

Q. What do the works of nature more darkly show God to be?

A. They show that he is holy, just, wise, good, eternal, etc, Romans 1:20.

Q. Who only can teach us the saving knowledge of God?

A. Christ, by his word and spirit.

Q. What does the scripture or word of Christ declare God to be?

A. Light, love, and a Spirit.

Q. Why is God called light?

A. Because of his purity, knowledge, and being the Father of light.

Q. Why is God called love?

A. Because in Christ all his other attributes are employed to exalt his love.

Q. Why is God called a spirit?

A. Because his nature and attributes are spiritual.

Q. What is a spirit?

A. It is a living, thinking , and invisible substance, without any matter or bodily parts.

Q. If God be a spirit, how are eyes, ears, arms, feet, face, fingers, mouth, lips, etc. ascribed to him in scripture?

A. God, in condescension to our weakness, does by these bodily members point out some property in himself, the work of which some way resembles the use of such members in man.

Q. What is meant by eyes and ears, when ascribed to God?

A. His knowledge, care, and pity, Psalm 34:17.

Q. What do face, nose or nostrils mean, when ascribed to God?

A. His knowledge, favour, or wrath, Psalm 18:8; and face also signifies his glory.

Q. What is meant by mouth or lips, when ascribed to God?

A. His truth, word, authority, or love.

Q. What is meant by arms, hands, and fingers, when ascribed to God?

A. His power; and some times arms and hands signify his mercy and love, Deuteronomy 33:27.

Q. What does heart mean when ascribed to God?

A. His love, approbation, or purpose.

Q. What does bosom, when ascribed to God, mean?

A. His love, care, and protection, Isaiah 40:11.

Q. What do feet, when ascribed to God, mean?

A. His power and providential works.

Q. What is meant by God’s sitting?

A. His authority, and undisturbed happiness, Psalm 29:10.

Q. What is meant by his standing?

A. His readiness to help his people, and destroy their enemies.

Q. What is meant by walking, running, riding, or flying, when ascribed to God?

A. The calm, speedy, or kind manner of his working.

Q. Are there any other spirits besides God?

A. Yes; angels, and souls of men.

Q. How do these differ from God?

A. These are finite, created, and changeable spirits; but God is an infinite, eternal, and unchangeable spirit.

Q. What is meant by the attributes of God?

A. The properties or perfections of his nature.

Q. Are all the properties of God the very same with his nature, and with one another?

A. Yes; and so one cannot be separated from another, as the divine nature is most simple and uncompounded.

Q. Why then are they represented to us as different?

A. Because of their different respects to the creatures, and because we cannot take them up [i.e. understand them] as they are in God.

Q. How may the attributes of God be distinguished?

A. Into communicable, which may be some way resembled by creatures; and incommunicable, which can no way be resembled by creatures.

Q. What are the communicable attributes of God?

A. Being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, etc.

Q. Which are his incommunicable properties?

A. His independency, infinity, eternity, and unchangeableness.

Q. What is proper independency?

A. It is to have in and of one’s self whatever is necessary for being, happiness, and work.

Q. How do you prove that God is independent?

A. The scripture affirms, that he needs nothing from, nor can be profited by any creature, Acts 17:25.

Q. Do all other things depend on God in being and acts?

A. Yes, and cannot do otherwise, Romans 11:36.

Q. What is meant by God’s being infinite?

A. His being without bounds or limits.

Q. How do you prove that God is infinite?

A. Because he cannot by searching be found out to perfection, Job 11:7.

Q. Wherein is God infinite?

A. In being, perfection, and presence, Exodus 3:14; Psalm 147:5.

Q. How is God infinite in perfection?

A. The glory of his perfections can admit of no addition or increase.

Q. How may God be said to be infinite in presence?

A. He is present in all his works; nay, the heaven of heavens cannot contain him, 1 Kings 8:27.

Q. How may the presence of God be distinguished?

A. Into his essential and operative presence.

Q. Is God’s essential presence partly in heaven, and partly in earth, or partly within, and partly without the limits of creation?

A. No; the whole being of God is equally everywhere.

Q. How may the operative presence of God be distinguished?

A. Into his natural presence with all creatures, in preserving and governing them; his symbolic presence in the ordinances of his grace; his gracious presence with his saints on earth, by the indwelling and influence of his spirit; his glorious presence in heaven, as the blessed portion of angels and saints; and his vindictive presence in hell, by taking vengeance on devils and wicked men.

Q. Is there not, besides all these, a singular presence of God with the man Christ?

A. Yes; the fulness of the Godhead dwells in him bodily, Colossians 2:9.

Q. How is God’s infinity terrible to the wicked?

A. Their loss of him as a portion is unspeakable; and his treasures of wrath against them cannot be exhausted, Romans 2:4-5.

Q. How is it sweet to believers?

A. Because God is their sweet and boundless portion and joy.

Q. What is meant by the eternity of God?

A. His being without beginning, end, or succession of duration.

Q. How do you prove that God is without beginning or end?

A. He is said to be from everlasting to everlasting God, Psalm 90:2.

Q. How prove you that God is without succession of duration?

A. Because one day is with him as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

Q. How doth eternity differ from time?

A. Time can be measured by days and years, and one part of it follows another; but it is not so with eternity.

Q. Is any other besides God eternal?

A. Angels and souls of men have a sort of eternity, as they live forever.

Q. How does their eternity differ from that of God?

A. Angels and souls of men have a beginning and succession of duration, which God has not.

Q. How is the eternity of God terrible to the wicked?

A. It secures the eternal duration of their torments.

Q. How is God’s eternity sweet to believers?

A. It secures his being their everlasting portion and joy.

Q. What is meant by God’s being immutable or unchangeable?

A. His being always the same.

Q. How prove you that God is unchangeable?

A. Himself says, I am the Lord, I change not.

Q. Can nothing be added to, or taken from the glorious perfections of God?

A. No.

Q. Why may not their glory be diminished?

A. Because it is essential to God.

Q. Why may not their glory be increased?

A. Because it is infinite.

Q. Did not God change when he became a Creator, or when the son of God became man?

A. No; the change only respected the creature.

Q. Were God’s power and will to create or become man the same from all eternity?

A. Yes.

Q. If God change not, how is he said to repent?

A. His repenting means only a change of his work, but no change of his will, Genesis 6:6-7.

Q. Why is this change of work called a repenting?

A. In allusion to the case of men, whose change of work shows a change of their will.

Q. Can a creature be by nature unchangeable?

A. No; for as they have their being from the will of God, they may be changed as he sees meet [i.e. fit; suitable].

Q. Are not holy angels, and glorified saints, unchangeable?

A. Yes; but they are so by the gracious will of God, not by nature.

Q. How is God’s unchangeableness terrible to the wicked?

A. It secures the full execution of all his threatenings upon them, 1 samuel 15:28-29.

Q. How is it sweet to believers?

A. It secures God’s resting in his love to them, fulfilling all his promises, and finishing the work of grace in them.

Q. Wherein is God independent, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable?

A. In his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth.

Q. What is meant by the essence or being of God?

A. His very nature.

Q. What is the highest perfection of being?

A. To depend on nothing, and have all other beings dependent on it.

Q. Is God happy only in himself, and all in all to himself and others?

A. Yes; and every being is from him.

Q. Are they not then fools and brutish who prefer created beings to God?

A. Yes, Jeremiah 2:13.

Q. Does not the very being of God secure the accomplishment of all his promises?

A. Yes, Exodus 6:3.

Q. Wherein does the being of God differ from that of creatures?

A. The being of God is independent, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable; but that of creatures is dependent, finite, created, and changeable.

Q. How may the wisdom of God be distinguished?

A. Into his omniscience, and wisdom strictly so called.

Q. What is the omniscience of God?

A. That essential attribute whereby he knows all things.

Q. How do you prove that God knows all things?

A. Reason shows, and the scriptures expressly affirm it, John 21:17; 1 John 3:20; Hebrews 4:13.

Q. Does God learn any thing by experience, information, observation, or reasoning, as we do?

A. No; he knows all things by the simple glance of his eye.

Q. What is the object of the knowledge of God?

A. Himself, and all things possible or real.

Q. What doth God know of himself?

A. He knows his own nature, perfections, and decrees.

Q. How prove you that?

A. Because his understanding is infinite, Psalm 147:5.

Q. What things does God know?

A. All past, present, future, and possible things.

Q. How do you prove that God knows all past things?

A. Because he never forgets any thing, Amos 8:7.

Q. How prove you that God knows all present things?

A. Because nothing can be hid from him, and he searches our very hearts, Hebrews 4:13.

Q. How prove you that God knows all things that are to come?

A. Because known to God are all his works from the beginning of the world, and he has often foretold the most accidental of them, Acts 15:18.

Q. How prove you that God knows all possible things?

A. Because he knows his own power, and what it can do.

Q. Does God know all things particularly, in all their properties, relations, circumstances, etc.?

A. Yes.

Q. What is the wisdom of God?

A. His skill in directing and ordering all things to proper ends [purposes].

Q. Wherein do wisdom and knowledge differ?

A. Knowledge views things in their natures, qualities, etc.; but wisdom directs things to their proper ends.

Q. Wherein does God’s wisdom appear?

A. In the works of creation, providence, and redemption.

Q. How doth God’s wisdom appear in creation?

A. In his framing so many creatures, so fit for showing forth his own glory, and promoting their own and one another’s good, Psalm 104:24.

Q. How does it appear in the work of providence?

A. In God’s directing all the motions of his creatures, however opposite, to one common end, his own glory, the good of his people, and of one another.

Q. In what of redemption is the wisdom of God displayed?

A. In the contrivance, purchase, and application thereof.

Q. How is the wisdom of God displayed in the contrivance of redemption?

A. In choosing a most fit Redeemer and ransom, and most suitable objects and means of receiving redemption.

Q. How is Christ a most fit person to be our Redeemer?

A. He being the second person in the Godhead, and Son of God, is most fit to be sent by the Father, send the spirit, and make us the sons of God.

Q. How is Christ’s righteousness a most fit ransom or price of redemption?

A. It at once brings the highest glory to God, and the greatest good to men.

Q. How are the elect most suitable objects of redemption?

A. They being not angels, but men, and these commonly the meanest or worst, the choice of them pours contempt on worldly greatness, and highly exalts free grace, 1 Corinthians 1:24-29.

Q. How is faith a most fit means of receiving redemption?

A. It most exalts the free grace, and other attributes of God; most deeply humbles man, and yet best secures his happiness.

Q. How is the wisdom of God evidenced in the purchase of redemption?

A. sin at once slays, and is slain by Christ; and God’s strict justice and free grace therein meet together, and exalt one another.

Q. How is the wisdom of God displayed in the application of redemption?

A. As, by occasion of our sin and misery, we are made to give most glory to God, and receive most good to ourselves; and are made glorious in the way of debasing all our self-righteousness, wisdom, and strength, Romans 5:20-21.

Q. Wherein does the knowledge and wisdom of God differ from that of creatures?

A. The knowledge and wisdom of God is independent, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable; but that of creatures is dependent, finite, created, and changeable.

Q. How is the knowledge and wisdom of God sweet to believers?

A. As God knows all their concerns, and will make all things work for their good.

Q. How are they terrible to the wicked?

A. As none of their sins can be hid from God’s sight, and as he makes all things work for their ruin.

Q. What is the power of God?

A. That attribute whereby he can do all things, Genesis 17:1.

Q. Can God repent, lie, or do anything sinful?

A. No; for to be capable of such things would evidence imperfection and weakness, 1 Samuel 15:29.

Q. Could God’s power do more than ever he will do?

A. Yes; nothing is too hard for him, Jeremiah 32:17.

Q. Wherein is the power of God manifested?

A. In creation, providence, and redemption.

Q. How does God’s power appear in creation?

A. In his bringing so many and powerful creatures out of nothing, in so quick and easy a manner, by a word.

Q. How doth it appear in common providence?

A. In upholding all things, and ordering all their motions.

Q. How doth God’s power appear in his special providence?

A. In his working so many miracles for, and protecting his church amidst so many dangers and enemies, and at last making her to triumph over them all.

Q. In what of redemption-work is the power of God manifested?

A. In the constitution of Christ’s person; in his sufferings, resurrection, and coming to judgment; and in calling, justifying, adopting, sanctifying his people, etc.

Q. How is God’s power manifested in the constitution of Christ’s person?

A. In so closely uniting his two natures, though in themselves at an infinite distance from one another, 1 Timothy 3:16.

Q. How is it manifested in the sufferings of Christ?

A. In laying such a load of wrath on him, supporting him under, and making him victorious over it, and all his enemies, Isaiah 53:11-12.

Q. How is it manifested in Christ’s resurrection?

A. God thereby broke open the prison of death, and exalted him to glory in name of his elect seed.

Q. How will it appear in Christ’s judging the world?

A. In his raising the dead, sifting men and devils at his bar, driving all his enemies at once to hell, and perfecting the happiness of his people.

Q. How doth God’s power appear in calling and converting sinners?

A. In turning them from enmity to love, from filth to holiness, from darkness to light, from death to life, by the word of his grace, Acts 26:18.

Q. How doth God’s power appear in our justification?

A. In his ready and full forgiveness of so many and great offences, Numbers 14:17-20.

Q. How doth it appear in our sanctification?

A. In keeping alive weak grace in the midst of so many corruptions and temptations, and making it at last, victorious over them all, 1 Peter 1:5.

Q. What are some of the more open displays of the power of God in favour of his church?

A. Israel’s deliverance from Egypt, and entrance into Canaan; the destruction of the Assyrian army, Chaldean, Syrian, and Roman empires; the overthrow of Pagan idolatry, destruction of Antichrist, etc.

Q. How is the power of God sweet to believers?

A. As it is easy with God to perform all his promises, and supply all their wants.

Q. How is it terrible to the wicked?

A. As it is to be glorified in their everlasting destruction.

Q. What is the holiness of God?

A. It is the purity of his nature, whereby he delights in whatever is pure and holy, and abhors every thing sinful.

Q. What peculiar honour doth God put upon his holiness?

A. He swears by it, calls every thing pertaining to him by its name, and counts it the beauty and glory of his other perfections, Psalm 89:35.

Q. What things pertaining to God are called holy?

A. His name, work, word, covenant, promise, dwelling-place, angels, people, and service, Psalm 111:9. etc.

Q. How is God’s holiness the beauty of his other perfections?

A. As thereby they are all pure, glorious, and lovely, Exodus 15:11.

Q. Can any creature behold the full brightness of this beauty of God’s holiness?

A. No, Isaiah 6:2.

Q. Wherein does the holiness of God appear?

A. In creation, providence, and redemption.

Q. How did it appear in creation?

A. In God’s enduing all reasonable creatures with perfect holiness.

Q. How doth it appear in providence?

A. In God’s giving holy laws, and strong encouragements to keep them; and in severely punishing angels and men for sin.

Q. How doth God’s holiness appear in redemption?

A. In his setting up Christ as a perfect pattern of holiness; in making vile sinners holy by conversion and sanctification; and especially in smiting, and hiding his face from his own son, when bearing our iniquities.

Q. What doth God only hate?

A. Sin.

Q. In what manner does God hate sin?

A. With a boundless hatred, as a thing most abominable to him.

Q. How then is God in scripture said to bid men sin, and to harden them in it?

A. The meaning only is, that he permits, and punishes men by sin.

Q. If God hate sin so much, how can he permit it?

A. His permission does not in the least effect or encourage sin; nor would he have permitted it, but to display his holiness by occasion thereof, especially in punishing it upon Christ.

Q. How do the power and holiness of God differ from that of creatures?

A. The power and holiness of God are independent, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable; but that of creatures is dependent, finite, created, and changeable.

Q. How is God’s holiness sweet to believers?

A. It secures the complete destruction of sin, and perfection of grace in them.

Q. How is it terrible to the wicked?

A. It secures God’s most fierce indignation against them for ever.

Q. What is the justice of God?

A. It is that attribute of his nature whereby he is disposed to give himself and all creatures their due.

Q. What doth God render to himself as his own due?

A. He makes his own glory his chief end and motive, and his will his rule in all his works, Proverbs 16:4.

Q. What is the common justice or due that God renders to all creatures?

A. His governing them according to their natures, and the law he has given them.

Q. How may God’s special justice, which respects reasonable creatures, be distinguished?

A. Into legislative and distributive justice.

Q. What do you mean by legislative justice?

A. The giving to rational creatures holy and good laws, suited to their natures, powers, and circumstances.

Q. Is it just to require obedience to these laws from creatures whom sin has disabled for it?

A. Yes; for such have lost their power to obey by their own fault, and so God must not lose his due.

Q. What is the distributive justice ofGod?

A. It is his rendering to rational creatures the due wages of their works, 2 Thessalonians 1:6-7.

Q. How is distributive justice usually distinguished?

A. Into remunerative and vindictive justice.

Q. What is God’s remunerative or rewarding justice?

A. That which gives rewards for keeping his law.

Q. What is God’s vindictive or revenging justice?

A. That which renders punishment for breaking his law.

Q. According to what laws does God distribute justice to men?

A. According to the law of works, and the law of faith, Romans 3:26-27.

Q. What is a sinner’s due according to the law or covenant of works?

A. The eternal wrath of God.

Q. What is his due according to the law of faith, or covenant of grace?

A. Eternal life through Christ.

Q. Can God pardon sin without satisfaction to his justice?

A. No, Exodus 34:7.

Q. How prove you that?

A. Because God cannot but hate sin with an infinite hatred; and as ruler of the world, must punish what disturbs it: and if he could have pardoned sin without a satisfaction, he would not have exposed his only and beloved son, as our surety, to his most fierce wrath.

Q. Wherein does God’s rewarding justice appear?

A. In rewarding external obedience with temporal rewards, and believers gracious obedience with gracious rewards; and rewarding Christ’s righteousness with his own exaltation, and his people’s salvation.

Q. Wherein does God’s revenging justice appear?

A. In the punishments of sinners here and hereafter, and especially in laying on Christ all the wrath due to an elect world, Romans 8:32.

Q. How is the justice of God sweet to believers?

A. It secures to them, however unworthy, all the blessings Christ has purchased for them.

Q. How is it terrible to the wicked?

A. It binds God to pursue them with his everlasting wrath.

Q. What is the goodness of God?

A. It is that attribute whereby he is good, and the giver of all good.

Q. How is the goodness of God usually distinguished?

A. Into his absolute and relative goodness.

Q. Wherein do these differ?

A. His absolute goodness is an essential property in himself, and is the fountain; but his relative goodness is that kindness which flows out from that fountain upon his creatures.

Q. How is God’s relative goodness distinguished?

A. Into his common goodness, which he exercises towards good and bad; and his special goodness, which he exercises towards his elect only.

Q. What are some branches of God’s common goodness?

A. The exercise of his longsuffering patience towards sinful men, giving them the offers of salvation, and space to repent of their sin, with corn, wine, oil, fruitful seasons, and other temporal blessings.

Q. What are the branches of God’s special goodness?

A. saving grace, and eternal glory, Psalm 84:11.

Q. What are the properties of special goodness?

A. It is unspeakably great, sweet, satisfying, seasonable, unchangeable, and everlasting.

Q. Where is this goodness laid up for the elect?

A. In Christ, in whom all fulness dwells, Colossians 1:19.

Q. How is it brought near to us sinners?

A. In the promise and offer of the gospel.

Q. How doth it all become our own?

A. By our receiving Christ, in whom it is laid up.

Q. What are the fruits and effects of our receiving it?

A. Wonder, joy, delight, satisfaction, self-abasement, and love to God, Christ, and the souls of men.

Q. From what fountain doth this special goodness flow?

A. From God’s love, grace, and mercy in Christ.

Q. Wherein do love, grace, and mercy differ?

A. They are much the same; only love views the elect as creatures, grace views them as unworthy, and mercy views them as in misery.

Q. What are the different actings of God’s love towards the elect?

A. Choosing, blessing, and delighting in them, Ephesians 1:5; Zephaniah 3:17.

Q. Wherein doth God’s absolute goodness appear?

A. In creation, providence, and redemption.

Q. How does the goodness of God appear in creation?

A. In God’s making all things very good.

Q. How does it appear in the works of providence?

A. In God’s preserving and making plentiful provision for his creatures, Psalm 145:9, 16.

Q. How does it appear in redemption-work?

A. In the gracious contrivance and execution of it.

Q. How doth God’s goodness appear in the contrivance of redemption?

A. In his so early, freely, and kindly remembering elect sinners, and laying their help upon One mighty to save, Psalm 134:23.

Q. How doth God’s goodness appear in the execution of redemption?

A. In his sending his Son to assume our nature, and pay our debt; and in bestowing all his purchased blessings upon us.

Q. Is not mercy or goodness, as employed in redemption, God’s darling attribute?

A. Yes.

Q. How prove you that?

A. Because God oftener ascribes mercy to himself than any other attribute; all the divine persons, perfections, operations, and relations, and all the servants of God, are employed in promoting the work of mercy; and the greatest price was laid out in showing mercy.

Q. How is God’s goodness terrible to impenitent sinners?

A. Their contempt of it heaps up for them wrath against the day of wrath, Romans 2:4-5.

Q. How is it sweet to believers?

A. Because they shall be for ever filled and satisfied with its ravishing pleasures, Psalm 16:11.

Q. Is it not very encouraging to such as desire to believe?

A. Yes; for it runs to meet such with mercy and kindness, Luke 15:17, 20.

Q.What is the truth of God?

A. It is that perfection whereby he cannot but hate all deceit and falsehood.

Q. How may the truth of God be distinguished?

A. Into sincerity and faithfulness.

Q. What is the sincerity or uprightness of God?

A. His speaking and acting as he thinks and designs.

Q. How is God sincere when he offers eternal life to such as are in his decree appointed to wrath?

A. He is really willing to give salvation to all to whom it is offered, if they would receive it; and his decree no way necessitates them to refuse it, John 5:40.

Q. How can he be sincere in offering reprobates a salvation which was never purchased for them?

A. The purchased salvation, and price thereof in itself, is equally applicable to every gospel-hearer; and therefore believe the gospel promise and offer who will, he shall be saved, John 3:16.

Q. What is the veracity and faithfulness of God?

A. That whereby he cannot but do as he hath said.

Q. Wherein is God’s faithfulness manifested?

A. In the exact accomplishment of all his promises, prophecies, and threatenings.

Q. Did not God’s word fail of accomplishment, when Saul came not down to Keilah, and Nineveh was not destroyed in forty days, as he had said?

A. No; for God’s word bore no more than, if David stayed at Keilah, Saul should come down; and if Nineveh did not repent, it should be destroyed.

Q. Do not unbelievers make God a liar, in stopping the fulfilment of the gospel-promises?

A. They indeed call him a liar, and refuse the benefit of the promise to themselves; but their unbelief cannot make the faith of God of none effect.

Q. Wherein is God’s faithfulness most brightly manifested?

A. In his fulfilling the most improbable promises and threatenings, though long suspended.

Q. What was the most improbable promise?

A. That of Christ’s coming to die for us.

Q. What made this promise appear difficult?

A. It was astonishing that God should stoop so low; it required great power to unite our nature to his; and infinite provocations had been given to cause him refuse such kindness, Jeremiah 31:22.

Q. What appeared the most difficult threatening?

A. The threatening of God’s wrath upon Christ as our surety, Zechariah 13:7.

Q. What made this threatening appear difficult?

A. God’s infinite love to Christ his beloved son.

Q. How does the accomplishment of such promises or threatenings, after being long suspended, show the faithfulness of God?

A. As it shows, that God cannot forget his word, or change his mind.

Q. When will God’s truth (as well as his other perfections) be most openly manifested?

A. In the day of judgment.

Q. How will God’s truth be then manifested?

A. In his rendering rewards and punishments exactly according to his promises and threatenings.

Q. Wherein does God’s justice, goodness, and truth, differ from that justice, goodness, and truth in creatures?

A. God’s justice, goodness, and truth, is independent, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable; but that in creatures is dependent, finite, created, and changeable.

Q. How is God’s truth sweet to believers?

A. It secures God’s fulfilling all his promises to them.

Q. How is it terrible to the wicked?

A. It secures God’s executing all his threatenings upon them.

Q. How does faith improve all the attributes of God?

A. It takes his wisdom for its guide, his power for its strength, his holiness for its pattern, his justice for its advocate, his goodness for its portion, his truth for its security; and all to be its plea before God, and the ground of its expectations of grace and glory.