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Lord Jesus Christ, who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power. 2 Thess. i. 8, 9.

They shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb! Rev. xiv. 10. And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever; and they have no rest day nor night. Rev. xiv. 11. Cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. Rev. xx. 10.

But the least

Will there be degrees of misery among the damned?
Yes:-So Scripture leads us to suppose.
degree of it will be dreadful beyond conception.

It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah,
in the day of judgment, than for that city. Matt. x. 15.
Wo unto thee, Chorazin! Wo unto thee, Bethsaida! it shall
be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment
than for you. Matt. xi. 21, 22.

That servant which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required; and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. Luke xii. 47, 48.

How dreadful an idea do these passages of Scripture give us of the state of the wicked after death! Does it not alarm you?-Ask yourself,

Who shall dwell with everlasting burnings? Isa. xxxiii. 14. Remember, that the wrath of God will for ever be the wrath to come. 1 Thess. i. 10.

How awful! Is it not

A fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Heb. x. 31.

Let the terrors of hell alarm you here, lest they torment you hereafter. Death, which will irreversibly decide on which hand of the Judge you are to appear, is not far from you.

In the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be. Eccl. xi. 3.

Death will not alter your character. If you live and die unholy, you will be raised again unholy.

It should be the business of our lives to be making preparation for that great day, by repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God,

wherein the heavens, being on fire, shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat. 2 Pet. iii. 12. Let your mind frequently dwell on these important truths. Follow the example of St. Paul, and be able to say with him,

I (therefore) exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God and toward men. Acts xxiv. 16.

As hell is so dreadful a place, seek earnestly to avoid it, and inquire diligently how you may get to heaven. Read your Bible, in which the way is fully revealed, and attend to the instructions of your minister and teachers, who are desirous of explaining it to you. Bless God for the redemption of mankind by Christ; look to Jesus your forerunner; rely on the merits of his death; and follow him as your pattern. Heb. xii. 1, 2.

What does the word Amen mean?

It means truly; and its repetition at the end of the Creed expresses our belief in all the articles contained in it.

When you repeat the Creed, may you ever feel a due sense of the importance of the truths it contains, and may you always be able to say Amen to it from your hearts.

CHAPTER VII.

SUMMARY OF THE CREED.

ON THE TRINITY.

WHAT dost thou chiefly learn in these articles of thy belief? "First, I learn to believe in God the Father, who hath made me and all the world. Secondly, in God the Son, who hath redeemed me and all mankind. Thirdly, in God the Holy Ghost, who sanctifieth me, and all the people of God."

What relation do these three Divine Persons bear to us?

1st. "God the Father made us, and all the world."

He hath made all nations of men to dwell on the face of the earth. Acts xvii. 26.

2d." God the Son redeemed us and all mankind."

For thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation. Rev. v. 9.

He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. 1 John ii. 2.

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By his one oblation of himself once offered, he has made a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction, for the sins of the whole world;' (Communion Service) so that now

Every one that seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life. John vi. 40.

3d. "God the Holy Ghost sanctifieth all the people of God."

Because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit. 2 Thess. ii. 13.

The character of God has been considered under several of those attributes mentioned in Scripture. Let us now proceed to inquire,

Is there more than one God?

The Gentiles worshipped many;

There be gods many and lords many. 1 Cor. viii. 5.

But these were false gods and idols, the work of men's hands. There is but one living and true God.

The Lord, he is God, there is none else beside him. Deut. iv. 35.

The Lord our God is one Lord. Deut. vi. 4.

The Lord your God is God of gods. Deut. x. 17.

Who is God, save the Lord? Ps. xviii. 31.

I am the Lord, and there is none else. Isa. xliv. 6. 8; xlv. 5, 6. xlv. 18. 21; xlvi. 9.

I am the first; I also am the last. Isa. xlviii. 12.

The Lord our God is one Lord, and there is none other but he. Mark xii. 29. 32.

This is life eternal, to know thee, the only true God. John xvii. 3.

There is none other God but one. 1 Cor. viii. 4.

To us there is but one God, the Father. 1 Cor. viii. 6.

One God, and Father of all. Eph. iv. 6.

But are not Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost, each of them God?

Yes and the same Divine attributes are equally ascribed to them as to God the Father.

Christ-who is over all, God blessed for ever. Rom. ix. 5.
In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. Col.

ii. 9.

Jesus Christ existed from eternity, he created all things, he supports and sustains all things, he is omnipresent and omniscient, and is the object of Divine worship. See chapter On the Divinity of Christ.

He said to his disciples,

All things that the Father hath are mine. John xvi. 15
He is Lord of all. Acts x. 36.

And will be the judge of all.

To the Holy Ghost, creation, omnipresence, and omniscience, are ascribed, and the souls of believers are sanctified by his gracious influence. He also is God. See chapter On the Holy Ghost.

Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. Acts v. 3, 4.

Now we cannot imagine that a God who is so jealous of his own honour, that he has declared, (Isa. xlviii. 11,) “I will not give my glory unto another," would give so strong testimony in his holy word to the divinity of Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Ghost, if they were created beings, however exalted their nature: we therefore conclude, that the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Ghost is God; and yet they are not three Gods, but one God.' They are three persons in the Godhead, 'none of which is before or after the other, none is greater or less than another.'

How do you prove a plurality in the Godhead?

And God said, Let us make man. Gen. i. 26.

And God said, Behold the man is become as one of us. Gen. iii. 22.

And God said, Let us go down, &c. Gen. xi. 6, 7.

Whereas they [the Holy One, see verse 13,] commanded. Dan. iv. 26.

And they (the Most High God) took his glory. Dan. v. 18. 20. In what passages of Scripture are the Three Persons of the Godhead mentioned ?

The form of benediction appointed to be used by the priests under the law, is supposed to allude to the Three Persons in the Godhead.

The Lord bless thee and keep thee-The Lord make his face shine upon thee-The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee. Num. vi. 24-26.

Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of Hosts. Isa. vi. 3.

It appears from John xii. 41; Acts xxviii. 25, that this adoration was addressed to the Three Persons of the Trinity.

Seek ye out of the book of the Lord-for my mouth it hath commanded, and his Spirit, &c. Isa. xxxiv. 16.

The Lord God and his Spirit hath sent me, (Christ.) Isa. xlviii. 16. Baptizing in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Matt. xxviii. 19.

That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles,

ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost. Rom. xv. 16.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost. 2 Cor. xiii. 14.

Through him (Christ) we both have access, by one Spirit, unto the Father. Eph. ii. 18.

The Lord (the Holy Ghost) direct your hearts, into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ. 2 Thess. iii. 5. Christ, through the eternal Spirit, offered himself to God. Heb. ix. 14.

Elect, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the Spirit, to sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. 1 Pet. i. 2.

There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost. 1 John v. 7.

Divine teaching is ascribed to all the Persons of the Godhead.

They shall be all taught of God. John vi. 45.

Neither was I taught it but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Gal. i. 12.

The Holy Spirit will teach you all things. John xiv. 26.
The divine law is the law of the Trinity.

It is called the law of God. Rom. vii. 25.

The law of Christ. Gal. vi. 2.

The law of the Spirit of Life. Rom. viii. 2.

Sin is an offence against the Trinity.

You shall not tempt the Lord your God. Deut. vi. 16.

Neither let us tempt Christ. 1 Cor. x. 9.

Ye have agreed to tempt the Spirit of the Lord. Acts v. 9. The three Persons of the Trinity have fellowship with

the faithful.

Our fellowship is with the Father. 1 John i. 3.

And with his Son Jesus Christ. 1 John i. 3.

The communion of the Holy Ghost. 2 Cor. xiii. 14.

The three Persons of the Trinity are spiritually present in the souls of believers.

God is in you. 1 Cor. xiv. 25.

Jesus Christ is in you. 2 Cor. xiii. 5.

The Spirit dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. John xiv. 17. There are texts to prove, in the same way, that each Person is eternal, true, holy, omnipresent, and the fountain

of life.

What gratitude ought we to feel towards God for having brought us into existence, and made us capable of so much happiness: but above all, for having redeemed us from sin and hell by the blood of his only Son, and sent his Holy Spirit to sanctify us, and make us fit for eternal glory.

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