Q 24. From whence then doth the finfulness or vici cufness of actions proceed? A. Although the power of acting be from God, yet the vicioufnefs or malignity of the action, is entirely from the inherent corruption of our own natures, James i 13, 14. Q. 25. Doth not God prefent the object which is the occafion of finning? A. Sin doth not arife from the object which God, in his providence, prefents to us, but from our own inward depravity, called, the corruption that is in the world through luft, 2 Pet. i. 4. God delivered Chrift to the Jews; he prefented him to them; but neither infused that malice in them, whereby they crucified him, nor did excite it, but it was entirely of themfelves, Aas ii. 23.1 Q26 What are the properties of God's providence? A. It is [oft holy, wife, and powerful ] Q. 27. Why is the providence of God called [moft bob]? A. Because of the infinite boliness and purity that fhines in all his adminiftrations, Pfal. cxlv. 17. Q. 28. Wherein doth the holiness of God's providence appear? A. In bringing glory to his mercy and juftice out of fin. 2 29. How doth he bring glory to his mercy out of fin? A. In making the worst of finners become the choiceit of faints, as in the instance of Paul, 1 Tim. i. 12, 13. and others. 23c. How doth he bring glory to his juftice out of fin? A. By the judgements which he executes upon finners, even in this life, Pfal. ix. 16. 231 Why is the providence of God faid to be [wife]? A. Because it makes all things fubfervient to the end which God had fixed for himself, Rom. viii. 28. 2 32. How is the wisdom of providence manifested ? 4. In the exact harmony of all the motions thereof with the word, Hof. xiv. 9. 233- Why is God's providence called [powerful]? A. Because it cannot be refifted, Dan iv. 35 He dɔth according to his will, in the army of heaven, and among the inbabitants of the earth: none can stay his hand, or fay unto him, What deft thou? 2 34. How does the power of providence difcover itfelt? A. In bringing about great events, by small and contemptible like means: thus he makes worm Jacob to thresh the mountains, Ifa. xli. 15.; and by the foolishness of preaching faves them that believe, Cor. i. 21. 235. How is the providence of God ufually diftinguithed? A, Into ordinary and extraordinary, common and fpecial. 236. What is the ordinary providence of God? 4. It is his obferving the order of things, which he appointed from the beginning, Hof. ii. 21, 22. 237. What is the extraordinary providence of God? A. it is his going beyond, or contrary to the natural order of things; and fuch events are called miraculous. 238. What is a miracle? 4. It is such an altonishing and furprising effect, contrary to the ordinary course of nature, as surpasses the power of all created beings, and can be produced by divine omnipotence only; fuch as, dividing the waters of the Red Sea and Jordan, making the fun to ftand still, raising the dead, giving eye fight to the born blind, curing all manner of difeafes by a word, and the like. 239. What is common providence? A. It is that which is exercised about all the creatures in general, Acts xvii. 28. called God's natural govern ment. 2 40. What is special providence? d. It is that which is exercised about rational creatures in particular, Deut. xxx. 16, 17, 18 called his moral go vernment. 241. What is the fpecial providence which God exercifes about his church and people? 4. His eyes run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to fhew himself frong in behalf of them, whofe heart is perfect-towards him, 2 Chron. xvi. 9.; and he makes all things work together for their good, Rom. viii. 28. 242. Are not all the difpenfations of providence, profperous or adverfe, to be carefully obferved? A. Yes: for. whofe is wife, and will obferve these things, even they shall underfland the loving kindness of the Lord, Pial. cvii. 43. Q:43. How are the providences of God to be observed? A. With humility and reverence, under a sense of our weakness to penetrate into them, Rom. xi. 34.: and with gratitude and thankfulness, because there is always fome mixture of mercy with judgement in this life, Pfal. ci. Q. 44. Is it not dangerous to overlook the operations of divine providence? A. Yes: for it is faid, Pfal. xxviii 5. Because they regard not the works of the Lord, nor the operation of his hands, be fhall deftroy them, and not build them up. Q. 45. Are not fome difpenfations of providence very dark and myfterious? A. Yes his ways are many times in the fea, and his paths in the great waters, and his footfteps are not known, Pfal lxxvii. 19. Q. 46. Wherein doth the mystery of providence appear? A. In the myfterious tract, and mysterious outward appearance thereof. Q. 47. How is providence myfterious in the tract of it? A. In attaining its end by contrary like means; fuch as making Joseph's imprisonment, the ftep to his being fecond in the kingdom, and the cafting of Daniel into the lions den, the path to his higher preferment. Q48. Wherein is providence myfterious in the cutward appearance of it? A. In that all things come alike unto all; there being one event to the righteous and to the wicked; and no man knowing love or hatred, by all that is before him in this life, Eccl. ix. 1, 2. Q. 49. How do you prove, that love or hatred cannot be known by the outward difpenfations of providence in this life? A. From the parable of the rich man and Lazarus : the rich man, in his life time, received good things, and Lazarus evil things; and yet, after death, Lazarus is comforted and the other tormented, Luke xvi. 19,-27. Q5. Is this feemingly unequal appearance of providence in this life, any reflection upon the wisdom and righteousness thereof ? A. No: for, though good men may be fometimes put to a ftand, by the outward prosperity of the wicked, and the traits and wants of the godly, as Jeremiah was, chap. xii. -Wherefore doth the way of the wicked profper? wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously? Yet, if the enjoyments of the one, and wants of the other, are laid in the balance, it would be found, that a little that a righteous man hath, is better than the riches of many wicked, Pfal xxxvii. 16. Q5. What is our duty when providence feems to run crofs to the promise? A. It is to believe the promise, and that providence is running in a direct line to the accomplishment thereof, though we cannot fee it at the time, as Abraham did, ho against hope believed in hope, and ftaggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, Kom iv. 18, 20. Q. 52. Will not dark providences be opened to the faints fome time or other? A. Yes: for, fays Chrift, What I do thou knoweft not now, bat the fhalt know hereafter, John xiii. 7. Q 53. When will the mystery of providence be opened to the faints? A. It fhall be fully unveiled at the end of the day, whèn the mystery thereof fhall be finished, and all the labyrinths, wherein the faints were led, fully unwinded, Rev. x. 6, 7. Q 54. What will be the language of the faints, when the whole mystery of providence thall be explained? A. They will fay, He hath done all things well, Mark vii 37. Not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lordfpake all are come to pass ;-not one thing hath failed thereof, Josh, xxxiii. 14. Q5. What improvement ought we to make of this doctrine of providence? A. To commit our way unto the Lord; to truft alfe in him, and he fhall bring it to pass, Pfal. xxxvii. 5. 12. QUEST. What special act of providence did God exercife towards man in the eftate wherein he was created? ANSW. When God had created man, he entered into a covenant of life with him, upon condition of perfect obedience; forbidding him to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, upon the pain of death. 21. Was there any thing special in God's government of man, when he was created above the other creatures? A. Yes: for God gave man a moral law, which the other creatures, not endued with reason, were not capable of :- Job xxxv. 10, 11. None faith, Where is God niy maker? -who teacheth us more than the beafts of the earth, and maketh us wifer than the fowls of heaven. 22. What call you a moral law? A. A moral law fignifies a law of right manners, or good and fuitable behaviour towards God and man, and adapted to man's rational nature, Rom, vii, 12. 23. How was this law first given unto man? A It was written upon the table of his heart, the moment that God created him in his own image, Gen, i. 27. 24. What do you understand by God's writing the law upon the table of his heart? A God's inlaying a principle of obedience in his heart, difpofing him to obey out of love to God, and a fingular regard to his authority, Eccl. vii. 29. 25. What was the peculiar favour which God manifefted to man in a ftate of innocency, befides writing the law upon his heart? A. The reducing of that law into the form of a covenant, whereby man became confederate with heaven, 26 What is a covenant? A. A mutual free compact and agreement betwixt two parties, upon exprefs terms or conditions. 2. 7. How many covenants are there, relating to the life and happiness of man? A. Two; the covenant of works, and the covenant of grace, Gal. iv. 24.-Thefe are the two covenants. 28. Which of thefe was the covenant which God entered into with man, when he was created? A. The covenant of works, or of life. 2. 10. Why called [a covenant of life]? 2 11. How doth it appear that God entered into a covenant with man in innocency? A. From the condition and penalty that were in the first covenant, Gen. ii. 16, 17.; and from exprefs men. PART I. L |