The First Principles of the Oracles of God, Part 2
Now concerning the works of God.
Q. Thus much concerning Gods sufficiency, What i… his efficiency?
A. Whereby he worketh all things, and all in all things. Rom. 11. 36. Esa. 45. 7.
Q. What of God shines forth, and are you to behold in his Efficiency?
A. Two things.
First, Gods Omnipotency, in respect of his Essence.
Secondly, the co-operation and distinct manner of working of the three Persons. Rom. 1. 20. Iohn 5. 17.
Q. What is Gods Omnipotency?
A. It is his Almighty power, whereby he is able to bring to passe all that he doth will, or what ever he can will or decree. 2 Chron. 20. 6. Phil. 3. 21. Mat. 3. 9. Psal. …15. 7.
Q. What is Gods Decree?
A. It is his Eternall and determinate purpose, concerning the effecting of all things by his mighty power, according to his counsel. Eph. 1. 11.
Q. What attributes or glory of God appear in his Decree?
A. First, His Constancy, whereby his Decree remains unchangeable. Num. …3. 19.
Secondly, His Truth, whereby he delivereth nothing but what he hath decreed. Jer. 10. 10.
Thirdly, His Faithfullnesse, whereby he effecteth what ever he decreeth according thereunto. Esa. 46. 10.
Q. What is Gods Counsell?
A His deliberation as it were, for the best effecting of every thing according to his Wisdom. Act. 4. 24. Psal. 40. 24.
Q What is Gods Wisdom?
A. It is the Idaea or perfect platform of all things in the mind of God, which either can be known, or shall be done, according to the good pleasure of his will. Heb. …1. 3. Prov. 8. 12, 13.
Q. What is the good pleasure of Gods will?
A. It is the most free Act of his Will, whereby he willeth himself directly, as the greatest good, and all other things for himself, according to his good pleasure. Mat. 11. 25. Prov. 16. 4.
Q. What learn you from hence?
A. That Gods good pleasure is the first and best cause of all things. Psal. 115. 3. Psal. 33. 8, 9, 10, 11.
Q What is the Co-operations of the three Persons in Gods Efficiency?
A. Whereby they work the same thing together unseparably. Joh. 5. 17, 19. & 16. 13, 14.
Q. If they work the same thing together, How is it that some works are attributed to God the Father, as Creation; some to the Son, as Redemption; some to the holy Spirit, as application?
A. This is not because the same work is not common to all the three Persons, but because that work is principally attributed in Scripture to that person whose distinct manner of working appears chiefly in the work.
Q. What is God the Fathers distinct manner of working?
A. His working is from himself by the Son, and to the holy Ghost, Psal. 33. 6. Joh. 1. 3, and hence the beginning, and so the Creation of all things is attributed to him.
Q. What is God the Sons manner of working?
A. His working is from the Father, by the Holy Ghost, Ioh. 14. 16. and hence the dispensation of all things, and so Redemption, is attributed unto him.
Q. What is the holy Gosts manner of working?
A. His working is from the Father and the Sonne, Joh. 14. …6. and hence the consummation of all things, and so application, is attributed unto him.
Q. Wherein doth Gods efficiency or working appear?
A. In two things.
First, In his creation of the world.
Secondly, In his providence over the world. Esa. 37. 16.
Q. What is his creation?
A. It is Gods efficiency, whereby he made the whole world of nothing, originally exceeding good. Psal. 33. 9. Gen. 1. 31.
Q. Did the Lord make the world in an instant?
A. No, but by parts, in the space of six dayes, described at large by Moses. Gen. 1.
Q. When did the Lord make the third heaven, with the Angels their inhabitants?
A. In the first day, in the first beginning of it. Gen. 1. 1. Job 38. 6, 7.
Q. What is the creation of the third heaven?
A. Whereby he made it to be the heaven of heaveas, a most glorious place, replenished with all pleasure which belongs to eternall happinesse, wherein his Majesty is seen face to face, and therefore called the habitation of God. 2 Chr. 2. 5, 6. Psal. …6. 11. Psal. 63. 15.
Q. VVhat is the creation of the Angels?
A. Whereby he created an innumerable number of them, in holiness, to be ministring spirits, with most accutenesse of understanding, liberty of will, great strength, and speedy in motion, to celebrate his praises, and execute his commands, specially to the heirs of salvation. Heb. 11. 22. Joh. 8. 44. Heb. 1. 14. 2 Sam. 14. 20. Jude 6. 2 Pet. 2. 11. Esa. 6. 2. Psal. 130. 20.
Q. When did God create man?
A. The sixt day. Gen. 1. 27.
Q. How did God create man?
A. He made him a reasonable creature, consisting of body, and an immortall Soul, in the Image of God. Gen. 2. 7. Gen. 1. 28.
Q. What is the Image of God wherein he was made?
A. That hability of man to resemble God, and wherein he was like unto God, in wisdom, holiness, righteousnesse, both in his nature, and in his government of himselfe and all creatures. Col. 3. 10. Ephes. 4. 24. Gen. 1. 26.
Q. What became of man being thus made?
A. He was placed in the Garden of Eden, as in his Princely Court, to live unto God, together with the wom…n which God gave him. Gen. 2. 15.
Thus much of Gods Creation.