Q. 9. What is the fifth property of God's decrees? A. They are most pure, and altogether unspotted of sin; 1 John 1:5. This is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, That God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

Q. 8. What is the fourth property of God's decrees? A. They are eternal, and before all time; Acts 15:18. Known unto God are all his works, from the beginning of the world.

Q. 7. What is the third property of God's decrees? A. They are most firm and stable; 2 Tim. 2:19. Nevertheless, the foundation of God standeth sure; having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his; Zech. 6:1.

Q. 6. What is the second property of God's decrees? A. The decrees of God are most free, all flowing from the mere pleasure of his will; Rom. 9:18. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.

Q. 5. What is the first property of God's decrees? A. That they are most wise acts of God, laid in the depth of wisdom and counsel; Rom. 11:33. O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways are past finding out!

Q. 4. Who are the objects of God's special decrees? A. Angels and men are the objects of God's special decrees; 1 Tim. 5:21. I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things, &c. Rom. 8:33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect?

But there are some evil things done in the world; Do they fall under God's decree? A. Though God doth neither approve them, nor necessitate men to commit them, yet he doth permit and suffer them to be done, and will turn them to his own glory; Acts 4:27, 28. For of a truth, against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel are gathered together, for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.

Q. 2. What is the end of God's decrees? A. The glory of his own name; Eph. 1:11, 12. Who worketh all things according to the counsel of his own will, that we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

Jeremy Walker is a pastor of Maidenbower Baptist Church in Crawley, England. He is the author of several books including The Brokenhearted Evangelist and The New Calvinism, A Personal and Pastoral Assessment. Sermon: https://youtu.be/EcRwXGtfffU Revival: https://www.heritagebooks.org/products/revival-documentary-dvd-streaming.html Through the eyes of Spurgeon: https://youtu.be/4a6R96XhPaA

Thomas Boston (17 March 1676 – 20 May 1732) was a Scottish Presbyterian church leader, theologian and philosopher. Boston was successively schoolmaster at Glencairn, and minister of Simprin in Berwickshire, and Ettrick in Selkirkshire. In addition to his best-known work, The Fourfold State, one of the religious classics of Scotland, he wrote an original little book, The Crook in the Lot, and a learned treatise on the Hebrew points. He also took a leading part in the Courts of the Church in what was known as the "Marrow Controversy," regarding the merits of an English work, The Marrow of Modern Divinity, which he defended against the attacks of the "Moderate" party in the Church. Boston, if unduly introspective, was a man of singular piety and amiability. His autobiography is an interesting record of Scottish life, full of sincerity and tenderness, and not devoid of humorous touches, intentional and otherwise

Q. 10. What is the fourth instruction from the trinity? A. That as it is the duty of all the saints to give distinct glory to the three persons in the Godhead; so it will be a special part of their blessedness in heaven, to contemplate the distinct benefits received from them all; Rev. 1:5. And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth; unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood.

Q. 9. What is the third instruction from the trinity? A. That the covenant of grace conveys a rich portion to believers in making over all three persons to them; Jer. 31:33. But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my law into their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Q. 8. What is the second instruction from the trinity? A. Hence we learn the true order and manner of worshipping God, in the Son; John 16:23. Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he shall give it you. And by the Spirit; Eph. 6:18 Praying always, with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit.

What is the first instruction from the trinity? A. That the doctrine of the gospel concerning Christ, is fully confirmed and ratified by three witnesses from heaven, who are above all exceptions; 1 John 5:7. For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost.

Q. 6. What farther evidence is there of it in scripture? A. From plain positive assertions of the scripture, asserting, First, A trinity of persons Secondly, A unity of essence? 1 John 5:7. For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one.

Q. 5. What is the third proof from scripture? A. From the apostolical benediction; 2 Cor. 13:14. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the holy Ghost, be with you all, Amen: Where the three distinct blessings are wished from the three divine persons in the godhead, grace from Christ, love from the Father, and communion with the Spirit.

Q. 4. How else in the second place, doth it appear? A. From the institution of our baptism; Mat. 28:19 Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

Q. 3. How doth it appear there are three persons, and no more? A. First, From Christ's baptism; Mat. 3:16, 17. And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water, and lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending, like a dove, and lighting upon him; and lo, a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.

Q. 2. what is a person in the godhead? A. It is the godhead distinguished by personal properties; each person having his distinct personal properties; Heb. 1:3. Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, upholding all things by the word of his power.

Q. What mean you by the word, godhead? A. It is the nature, essence, or being of God, as the apostle speaks, Acts 17:29. Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art, and man's device.