Sound speech that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be afhamed, having no evil thing to fay of you. V. 15. These things speak and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee. Hebrews 13. 17. Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit your felves for they watch for your fouls, as they that muft give account: that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you. 1 Peter 5. 1-----4. The elders which are among you, I exhort, who am alfo an elder, and a witnefs of the fufferings of Chrift, and alfo a partaker of the glory that fhall be revealed: Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the overfight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over Gods heritage, but being enfamples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd fhall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. 2 Pet. 1. 12----15. I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, tho' ye know them, and be established in the prefent truth. Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to ftir you up, by putting you in remembrance. Knowing Knowing that shortly I muft put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jefus Chrift hath fhewed me. Moreover, I will endeavour, that you may be able after my decease, to have these things always in remembrance. DIRE (45) DIRECTIONS For STUDYING the Thirty nine Articles O F RELIGION. The FIRST ARTICLE. T HERE is but one living and true God, everlafting, without body, parts, or paffions; of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness, the maker and preferver of all things both visible and invifible. And in Unity of this Godhead there be three perfons of one fubftance, power, and eternity; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghoft. This Article contains Eight Propofitions. 3. The 3. The living and true God is without Body, Parts, or Paffions. 4. The living and true God is of infinite Power, 5. The living and true God is the Maker and Pre- 7. In Unity of this Godhead (viz.. the Divine 8. These Three Perfons (viz. the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghoft) are of one Substance, Power and Eternity. The word God is taken in different Senfes. Sometimes it betokens a fictitious Deity of the Heathens, at other times the Image of fuch a fuppos'd Deity, at other times an Angel, at other times a Magistrate. For this reafon there are Gods many, as the Apostle speaks, 1 Cor. 8. 5. Our Church therefore determins the Meaning of the Word, and fhews in what Senfe fhe is here to be understood, by adding the Epithets living and true. Wherefore The treats in this Article of that one independent, immutable, and felf-exiftent Being, who does in the highest Sense deserve to be call'd GOD; and fhe gives him the Appellation of the true God, to distinguish him, 1. from those Gods or Images of the Heathen, which have not an independent, immutable, and felf-existent Nature, and are for that reafon no Gods, that is, no true Gods, but false and pretended Deities, or the Images of fuch fanfied Beings. 2. From thofe Angels or Magiftrates, who tho they have the fame Appellation, never theless theless are not true Gods, that is, they are not Gods in a strict and proper Senfe, but in a borrowed and Metaphorical one. She gives him also the Appellation of a living God, to distinguish him from thofe lifelefs Idols which the Pagans ador'd, and from all other Beings, which tho' they have Life, yet receive it from another. Whereas God has in himself an effential felf-existent Life, that is (not any fuch grofs thing as what we call an animal Life, which depends upon an organiz'd Frame, and a Difpofition of corporeal Parts; but) an internal active Principle of his own, which is infeparable from him. So that God is living, or does live (not as the Creatures do, by virtue of a fuperior fuftaining Power; but) abfolutely, neceffarily, and of himself. The First Propofition contain❜d in this First Article, viz. That there is a living and true God, Dr. Clarke has proved in the Four First Propofitions of his Demonftration. The Second Propofition. See the Fifth Propofition of the fame Book. The Third Propofition. See the Eighth Propofition of it. For fince he has fhewn, that God is immaterial, therefore he can have no Body or Parts, and confequently he can have no Paffions, which are bodily Affections. But because God, in condefcenfion to human Weaknefs, is fometimes represented in Scripture, as having the Paffions of Love, Anger, &c. therefore the Tenth, Eleventh, and Fourteenth Chapters of the Second Book of Limborch's Syftem may be perufed. The Fourth Propofition. See Bishop Pearfon on the First Article, beginning at I believe in God the Father Almighty, and ending at. Maker of Heaven and Earth; |