2. 8. What is meant by the word [Godhead]?

A. The divine nature or effence, Rom. i. 20. compared with Gal. iv. 8.

2. 9. What is meant by a [person] in the Godhead?

A. A complete, intelligent, and individual fubfiftence, which is neither a part of, nor fuftained by any other; but is diftinguifhed by an incommunicable property in the fame undivided effence.

2 10. Has each person then a distinct nature, or essence, of his own?

A. No: but the fame divine nature, or effence, is common to all the three glorious perfons, 1 John v. 7-These three are one; not only united in will and affection, but in one and the fame common nature, or effence: it being the tranfcendent and incommunicable property of the divine nature, to refide in more persons than one.

2. What was the herefy of the Sabellians, and Tritheists, in oppofition to this fundamental doctrine of the Trinity?

A. The Sabellians maintained that there is but one perfon in the Trinity under three different names; the Tritheifts, that the three perfons are three Gods.

212 is the word PERSON, as applied to this mystery made use of in fcripture?

A Yes: for the fon is faid to be the express image of the Father's perfon, Heb. i. 3.

2 13. How do ye prove that there are [three persons】 in the Godhead?

A. From the inftitution of baptifm, Matth. xxviii. 19. ; from the apoftolical bleffing, 2 Cor. xiii. 14; from John's falutation to the seven churches, Rev. i. 4, 5.; and from the baptim of Chrift, Matth. iii. 16, 17.; where the Father is manifefted by a voice from heaven; the Son, by his bodily appearance on earth; and the Holy Ghoft, by his lighting on him in the fhape of a dove.

2 14. How is it further evident that they are three diftinct perfons ?

A. From the diftinct capacities in which they are reprefented to act; for, in the work of redemption, we find in feripture, the Father ordaining, the Son purchafing, and the Holy Ghoft applying it, Pet. i. 2.

Q. 15. How are the perfons in the Godhead diftinguifhed from each other?

A. By their perfonal properties which are incommuni.

cable to each other.

216. What is the perfonal property of the Father? A. To beget the Son, and that from all eternity, Pfalm ii. 7.

Q17. What is the personal property of the Son?

A. To be eternally begotten of the Father, John i. 14. -We beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father.

Q. 18. What is the perfonal property of the Holy Ghost? 4. To proceed eternally from the Father and the Son;. John xv. 26. When the Comforter is come, whom I will fend unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall teftify of me."

2. 19. How doth it appear that the Holy Ghost proceedeth from the Son, as well as from the Father, when it is not expressly affirmed that he doth so, in the above text?

A. Because he is called the Spirit of the Son, Gal. iv. 6. ; the Spirit of Chrift, Rom. viii 9; the Spirit is faid to receive all things from Chrift, John xvi 14, 15.: to be fent by him, John xv. 26 and the Father is faid to fend him in Christ's name, John xiv. 26. : from all which, it may be fafely gathered, that he proceedeth from the Son, as well as from the Father.

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Q. 20. What is the difference betwixt a personal and an effential property?

A. A perfonal property is peculiar to one of the perfons only, but an essential property is common to them all.

221. Why are the perfonal properties called incommunicable?

A. Because each of them is fo proper to one of the perfons in the Trinity, that it cannot be affirmed of any of the other two.

2. 22. Is it the divine effence that begets, is begotten, or proceeds?

A. No for these are not effential, but perfonal acts. It is the Father, who begets the fon; the Son who is begotten of the Father; and the Holy Gholt, who proceeds from both.

223. Are the terms neceffaryexiflence, fupreme Deity, and the title of the only true God, effential or perfonal properties? A. They are effential properties of the divine nature, and

fo common to all the perfons of the adorable Trinity, who have all the fame effence, wholly, equally, and eternally.

Q24 May the above terms be taken, or are they by found authors, taken in a sense that includes the perfonal property of the Father, and fo not belonging to the Son and Holy Ghoft?

A. They may not, and never are, by found authors, taken in that fenfe; for this would be to make the Son and Holy Ghost inferior to, and dependent upon the Father, for being or existence, which is the very foul of Arianifm.

2.25. Doth not the Father, being called the firft; the Son, the fecond; and the Holy Ghoft, the third perfon in the Godhead, imply an inequality, or preference of one perfon to another?

A. Thefe are only terms of mere order, and imply no preference or priority, either of nature, excellency, or du ration; and therefore we find in Scripture, that sometimes the Son is named before the Father, as in 2 Cor. xiii. 14. Gal. i. 1.; and sometimes the spirit before the Son, as in Rev. i. 4, 5.

Q. 26. Are not each of these glorious perfons truly and properly God?

A. Each of these perfons is God, in the true and proper fenfe of the word; though none of them can be called the Deity, exclufively of the reft, in regard the Deity, being the fame with the divine nature, or effence, is common to them all.

Q 27. But does not our Lord fay, that the Father is the only true God, John xvii. 3. This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God?

A Our Lord does not fay, that the Father only is the true God, exclufive of the other perfons of the Trinity; but that He is the only true God (as each of the other perfons is) in oppofition to idols, or gods, falfely fo called.

Q 28. How doth it appear that the [Father] is God? A. From his being exprefsly fo called every where in fcripture: particularly, 1 Cor viii, 6. and xv. 24. Gal. ì. 1, 3. &c.

Q. 29. Is it proper to fay, that the Father is the fountein of the Deity?

A. The expreffion is dangerous, and now ufed by adversaries in an unfound fenfe, to exclude felf exiftence and independency from the fon and Holy Ghoft, and therefore to be avoided.

2. 30. How doth it appear from fcripture, that Chrift, the Son] is truly and properly the fupreme God, equal with the Father?

A. From the fame names, attributes, works, and worship ascribed to him in fcripture, as are ascribed unto the Father, and in as full and ample a sense.*

Q. 31. What are the names afcribed to Christ, that prove him to be equal with the Father?

A. He is expressly called God, John i. I.; the great God, Titus ii. 3.; the mighty God, Isaiah ix. 6.; the true God, 1 John v. 20.; the only wife God, Jude verse 25.; and JɛHOVAH, which is a name never afcribed to any, in fcrip. ture, but the living and true God. Jer. xxiii. 6. Pfalm lxxxiii. 18.

Q. 32. What are the divine attributes ascribed unto Chrift, that prove him to be the fupreme God?

A. Eternity, in the ftrict and proper fenfe of the word, Mic. v. 2.; unchangeablenefs Heb xiii. 8.; omnisciencè, John xxi. 17; omnipotence, for he calls himself the Almighty, Rev. i. 8.; omniprefence, Lo, fays he, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world, Mat. xxviii. 2c.; and fupremacy, Rom. ix. 5.

Q. 33. What are thefe works which manifefted Chrift to be the true God?

A. The creating and preferving of all things, Col. i. 16, 17.; the obtaining eternal redemption for us, Heb ix. 12. ; the working of miracles by his own power, Mark v. 41.; the forgiving of fins, Mark ii. .; the raifing of the dead at the last day, John v. 28, 29.; and his judging the world, Rom. xiv. 10.

Q. 34. What is that worship afcribed unto Christ which proves him to be the fupreme God?

A. The fame divine worship and adoration that is given unto the Father, John v. 33; we are commanded to believe in him equally with the Father, John xiv. 1.; and we are baptized in his name, as well as in the name of the Father, Mat. xxviii. 19.

See Larger Cat, 2. 11,

Q3r. In what fenfe does Chrift fay, John xiv. 28. My Father is greater than I?

A. He does not speak in that place of his nature, as God, but of his office, as Mediator: in which refpect he is the Father's fervant, Isaiah xlii. 1.

Q. 36. How do you prove the fupreme Deity of the [Holy Ghoft]?

A. From the fame arguments whereby the Deity of the Son was proved; for, (1.) He is exprefsly called God, Acts v. 3 4 (2.) Attributes, which are peculiar only to God, are afcribed unto him, Heb. ix. 14. 1 Cor. ii. 1c. Lu. ii. 26. Pf. cxxxix. 7 (3.) Works which can be accomplished by none but God, are performed by him, Pía, xxxiii. 6. Job xxvi. 13. Luke i 35. 2 Pet. i. 21. John xvi. 13. Rom. xv. 16. (4.) The fame divine worship is paid to him, as to the Father and Son, Mat. xxviii. 19. 2 Cor. xiii. 14

Q37. Could the Trinity of perfons, in the unity of effence, have been discovered by the light of nature?

A. By no means; for then it would be no mystery, feeing divine mysteries are fuch fecrets, as the wisdom of man could never have found out, Mat. xi. 27. 1 Cor. ii. 9, 10, 14.

Q. 38. Is it lawful to explain this mystery by natural fimilitudes ?

A. No: for there is no fimilitude amongst all the creatures, that has the remoteft refemblance to this adorable mystery of the three one God. By making fimilies or comparifons of this kind, men have become vain in their imaginations, and their foolish minds have been darkened, Rom. i. 21-26; and therefore as this doctrine is entirely a matter of faith, it becomes us to adore it, without prying curioufly into what is not revealed.

9. 39. Doth the afferting of three perfons in the Godhead, with diftinct perfonal properties, infer any feparation, or divifion in the divine effence?

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A. No for the persons in the Godhead are not feparated, but diflinguished from one another, by their perfonal properties. As the unity of the effence doth not confound the perfons, fo neither doth the diftinction of perfons imply any divifion of the effence, 1 John v. 7.

240. Can any worship God aright, without the faith of this mystery of the Trinity?

A. No: for he that cometh to God, muft believe that he