hensible is his being, and unsearchable his divinity! Adore God as the infinite eternal Being, the Being of beings, the Being of yourself. Adore him as present in all places, especially in churches, where he manifests his presence by conferring benefits; and in heaven, where he is seen, not as here, by faith only, but in his glory. Rejoice that you have a God of infinite power and wisdom, who can find a thousand means to save and deliver you out of all evils; and never cease to praise his infinite goodness and bounty, from whence you have received so many excellent gifts, both of grace and nature; He openeth his hand, and filleth every living creature with blessings. Psalm cxliv. 16. Man in particular, to whom he gives himself, and with himself all things; in return, he requires that you love him above all things; this is his greatest commandment, and your essential good: how jealous then ought you to be of those visible things that rob you of your heart? Rather place your affections all in one, in whom all the good that is in created things, centres; who, by himself alone, without them, can give you all the happiness they can give, and infinitely more, which they cannot give. Adore God in his infinite mercy; though you have reason to fear his justice, you have still greater reason to hope in mercy fear his justice then, that you may not too much presume; but still adhere to his mercy, that you may not be too much dismayed and terrified by justice. Adore him even in his justice: what would become of all the good, if there was not a just God; if there was no judge, no justice, to distinguish between the cause of the just, and the cause of the impious? Who must relieve the poor, the injured, the persecuted, and oppressed, unless there was a just God to call the wicked to account? Where would virtue be, if there was not justice to undertake its cause? It is the justice of God that patronises all that is good, both in heaven and upon earth. To conclude, adore and glorify God in his divine providence over you and all creatures. what would become of the world, if there was not such a providence? How many blessings do you daily receive from that hand? How many mischiefs intended you are daily warded by that hand? Admire the dominion of God, in this his just government of the universe: see how sweetly does he govern, not as tyrants, but as a father, alluring us to virtue by rewards; not forcing, but giving every one inclinations to their good: yet, how strongly does he govern, his dominion reaching from the beginning to the end of every thing: at the same time how justly his providence, having no other end but to communicate the good which he has to us, to preserve us in that good, and to bring all to the perfect possession of it. O that all, who in

this world govern under God, would imitate this form of gov crnment; govern sweetly, not despotically; strongly, not negligently; justly, not partially: not for their own interest and ambition, but for the good of those they govern, and for the glory of the supreme Governor of mankind! Let us rejoice, at least, that we live under so good, so wise, so powerful, and just a God: only strive to make yourself worthy, that he may have that special care of you which he has for all the good; and this by seeking the kingdom of God, and his justice, in the first place, (St. Matt. vi. 33,) esteeming nothing more, nothing so much, as that eternal and celestial kingdom, where you are to see and enjoy God, and the justice of it; that is, those vir tues, those good works, and that grace, which is your title to that kingdom: then you may safely rely that providence will make all things co-operate to your good, and let nothing finally hinder your salvation.

SECT. III.

Q. WHAT mean those words, Father Almighty? A. That God the Father is the first person of the blessed Trinity; by nature, the Father of the second person; by grace and adoption, the Father of all good Christians; and by creation, of all

creatures.

INSTRUC.-God the Father is the first person of the blessed Trinity, because he proceeds from no other person. The Son is the second person, because he proceeds from the Father, by eternal generation. The Holy Ghost is the third person, because he proceeds both from the Father and the Son: yet we must not imagine there is any inequality among them, who have one and the same essence, one and the same power, one and the same greatness.

2. As we say a man is a father of a family, because his children are his offspring, and because they have their education and inheritance from him; by much greater reason, God is the common Father of all; because all have their being from him: We are his offspring, (Acts xvii.) and his universal providence provides for all but as Christians, by a singular favour and grace, received through the death and passion of Christ, they are adopted sons of God, and heirs to the kingdom of heaven, and have this title to call God their Father, by the right of adoption, which others have not.

3. We call him Almighty, which imports an unlimited power to do all things, infinitely more than man can conceive; and therefore it is a great folly to deny what God has revealed, merely because it might seem strange and incomprehensible to man. This omnipotent power of God is mentioned in the

very first article of our creed, because our whole faith and hope is grounded upon it; for we can have no reason to mistrust any mystery of our faith, when grounded on the authority of an omnipotent Being; or to despond under an omnipotent God.

EXHOR.-With what awe and profound respect ought you, O Christians, to begin your creed, wherein you profess your belief of the infinite and eternal God! With what love, when you name him your Father, and great Creator of heaven and earth! Learn to fear his Almighty power. This fear is the beginning of wisdom: let it ever accompany your faith, the better to preserve you in an humble submission to it; let it accompany all your actions, that in them you may avoid evil, and do good more perfectly; let it accompany your thoughts, to banish all evil, even from your mind. Learn, above all things, to love God, whose being you profess to adore, whom you name your Father, your Creator, that gave you life and being. If, by grace, you are adopted among the sons of God, and heirs of heaven, let your souls dwell in heaven, while your bodies are on earth, and remember heaven is your home, your happiness, and last end: Our conversation is in heaven.

SECT. IV.

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth.

Q. WHO made heaven and earth? A. God. Q. Of what did he make them? A. Not of any pre-existent matter, but of nothing, by his only word. Q. Why did he make them? A. To manifest his power, wisdom, and goodness. Q. In how long time were all things made? A. In six days.

INSTRUC. As the belief of one God, Creator of the world, is the foundation of all true religion, hence the creed and Scripture begin with the creation, as the first point of the divine law, and teach expressly, that the world was not from eternity, or made of any pre-existent matter uncreated, but was created and made, both as to matter and form, by the divine power only of the supreme God; and this, not all at once, but in six days successively, and by parts; the first day being assigned to the creation of the elements, the heavens, the earth, the waters, the light and the following days, to the distinct creation of the ornaments belonging to each element; as the sun, moon, and stars, for the heavens; animals, trees, and plants, for the earth; fowls for the air, and fishes for the sea which seems to have been done with design to root the worship of one God

in our minds; by convincing them, that not only heaven and earth, but every species in them, were the immediate work of no other agent but the omnipotent God; so to overthrow the idolatry of the heathens, who adored the creatures of every element, for the Creator of them.

The

On the first day then of the creation, God made heaven and earth; and heaven he filled with bright spirits innumerable, which we call angels. The earth was then without ornaments or productions, covered over with the waters, which were also created the first day, and the whole overwhelmed with darkness, caused by the absence of light; when God said, Let. light be made, and light was made, which, if it were only over one part of the earth, or one hemisphere, could only enlighten that hemisphere, (as the sun at present,) which, if moved round the earth, must make alternate light and darkness, and this alternate light and darkness one day. The second day he made the firmament, and divided the waters that are under the firmament from those that are above the firmament: the firmament, or expansion, (as in the Hebrew,) may comprise the whole space from the earth to the highest stars, or the whole body of air, which, to this day, sustains an immense quantity of waters in clouds all round the earth, for rain in due season. third day he collected the waters, that were left on the earth, into one place, proper, by the inferiority of its situation, for a receptacle of them; and these are the seas: the waters being gone off, the dry land appeared, and this is the earth; which he commanded to shoot forth all kinds of herbs and trees. The fourth day, he made and settled the celestial bodies, the stars, and the two great luminaries of the earth; one greater, and the other less, the sun and moon, to rule the day and night, and make a distinction of times and seasons; thus our day and night depends upon the appearance of the sun above the horizon; our year upon his annual revolution; and by the variation of his appearance, over different quarters of the horizon, he makes the distinction of the four seasons. The fifth day he created the fishes and the fowls, one, the inhabitants of the waters; the other, the inhabitants of the air. The sixth day he made all the living creatures of the earth; as all the beasts, as well domestic as those of the field; and all reptiles, or creatures that creep; some of these for our food, some for our clothing, some for burden. On the sixth day also, but in the last place, was made man; because the world, which was to be his palace or abode, must be first made, with all its ornaments; that, as soon as ever he was created, his eyes might be delighted with the sight of the creation; his ears with the music of the birds, and his taste with the sweet things God had made

for his food, that so his heart might glorify the Creator, for all those things which he had created for the preservation and happiness of his life.

EXHOR.-Adore, O Christian, the infinite power of God in the creation. Give thanks without ceasing, for his great goodness in communicating such blessings to yourself and all creatures. His works are incomprehensible; dive not into the nature of what you cannot in the least comprehend; but learn rather to live well, for a good life is far better than great knowledge. Endeavour to answer the end of your creation, which is to glorify and enjoy your Creator for ever. How can you cast up your eyes to those celestial bodies, the sun, moon and stars, and not admire and revere his power? But how dare you offend that power? If the least of his works are beyond your conception, what must the Maker be? Or if so great be their extent, so beautiful, so glorious the light of those bright stars in the firmament, what must be the extent of the glory of God himself? The thought is amazing! As often then as you behold the heavens, raise up your hearts, and praise God for all the wonders you contemplate there, as well as for all those you have seen on earth; and say, Blessed be our Lord in the firmament of heaven, and praiseworthy, and glorious, for ever.

SECT. V.

Of the Creation of Angels.

Q.

Q. WHAT are the angels? A. They are pure spirits, of a nature purely intellectual and spiritual. Q. When did God create the angels? A. On the first day, (as is the most probable opinion,) when he made heaven to be their abode. How are they divided? A. Into good and bad. Q. Who were the good? A. They who persevered in grace: them God established in glory, and made them the guardians of men. Q. Who are the bad? A. They who rebelled against God; them he cast into hell; they are called devils, and tempters of mankind; they are the evil spirits, the powers of darkness.

INSTRUC.-When God made the heavens, he created the angels spiritual beings, and placed them therein. They were created in grace, with free-will to choose good or evil. They were not yet in the state of glory; nor did they all along continue in the state of grace; but many of them rebelled against God. For this, he cast them out of heaven, and made a hell to punish them, where they are to be in torment for all eternity. The good, who followed the cause of God, he confirmed for ever in grace and glory. The prince of this celestial