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He is HOLY.

Ye shall be holy, for I am holy. Lev. xi. 45; xix. 2. 1Pet. 15, 16.

He is an holy God; he is a jealous God. Josh. xxiv. 19.
There is none holy as the Lord. 1 Sam. ii. 2.

Thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness. Ps. v. 4.
Worship at his footstool; for he is holy. Ps. xcix. 5.

One cried, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts. Isa. vi. 3.
Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil. Hab. i. 13.
Holy Father, keep those whom thou hast given me.
xvii. 11.

Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty. Rev. iv. 8.
How long, O Lord, holy and true. Rev. vi. 10.

He is JUST.

John

Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? Gen. xviii. 25. Just and right is he. Deut. xxxii. 4.

Justice and judgment are the habitation of his throne. Ps. lxxxix. 14.

The Lord is righteous in all his ways. Ps. cxlv. 17.

I the Lord, a just God and a Saviour. Isa. xlv. 21.
Are not my ways equal? Ezek. xviii. 29.

He shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on his left. Matt. xxv. 32, 33.

God is no respecter of persons. Acts x. 34.

Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Rom. xii. 19. He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins. 1 John i. 9.

He is a God of LOVE. He hateth nothing that he hath
made, and loveth his people with an everlasting love.
How excellent is thy loving-kindness, O God. Ps. xxxvi. 7.
The Lord is good to all, &c. Ps. cxlv. 9.

I have loved thee with an everlasting love. Jer. xxxi. 3.
God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son.
John iii. 16.

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. John xv. 13.

God commendeth his love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Rom. v. 8.

The God of love and peace shall be with you. 2 Cor. xiii. 11. His great love wherewith he loved us. Eph. ii. 4, 5.

Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us.

1 John iii. 1.

God is love. 1 John iv. 8. 16.

In this was manifested the love of God, &c. 1 John i. 8, 9.
He is MERCIFUL.

The Lord God, merciful and gracious, keeping mercy for thousands. Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7.

Thou art a God ready to pardon, a gracious and merciful God. Neh. xi. 17. 31.

His mercy is everlasting. Ps. c. 5.

As the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. Ps. ciii. 11.

the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting. Ps. ciii. 17.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed. Lam. iii. 22. To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgiveness. Dan. ix. 9.

He sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust, &c. Matt. v. 45. Be ye merciful, as your Father also is merciful. Luke vi. 36. The Father of mercies. 2 Cor. i. 3.

God, who is rich in mercy. Eph. ii. 4.

According to his mercy he saved us. Tit. iii. 5.

The Lord is very pitiful and of tender mercy. James v. 11. He is a God of TRUTH and FAITHFULNESS. and abhors lies.

1 John v. 10.

He hates If you believe not, you make him a liar. Ask yourself, How dreadful an insult!

Do I believe him?

Thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds. Ps. xxxvi. 5.
His truth endureth to all generations. Ps. c. 5; cxvii. 2.
Thee, the only true God. John xvii. 3.

Let God be true, but every man a liar. Rom. iii. 4.

God is faithful. 1 Cor. i. 9.

God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able. 1 Cor. x. 13.

Eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised. Tit. i. 2.
He is a COVENANT-KEEPING God.

The covenant made with Noah. Gen. ix. 9. 11. Abraham, Gen. xvii. 2-9. Isaac, Gen. xvii. 19. Jacob, Gen. xxviii. 13-15. Confirmation of the covenant. Exod. vi. 4.

Promise of a new covenant. Jer. xxxi. 31.

Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant. Heb. viii. 6-9. Which keepeth covenant and mercy, &c. Deut. vii. 9. 12. 1 Kings viii. 23. 2 Chron. vi. 14. Neh. i. 5; ix. 32.

Yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant.

xxiii. 5.

My covenant will I not break. Ps. lxxxix. 34.

My spirit shall not depart out of my mouth. Isa. lix. 21.

He is UNCHANGEABLE.

I am the Lord, I change not. Mal. iii. 6.

The immutability of his counsel. Heb. vi. 17.

2 Sam.

With whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. James i. 17.

He is unchangeable in his determination to punish all unrepenting sinners, and in his love and mercy to those who fear and obey him.

God is not a man that he should lie, neither the son of man that he should repent. Num. xxiii. 19.

The strength of Israel will not lie nor repent. 1 Sam. xv. 29. Yet, however positive the denunciations of God against sin may appear, they are not to be understood as shutting up any repenting sinner in despair. Nor can we have any encouragement to expect the fulfilment of any promises in

which we once appeared to have an interest, after we have forsaken that path of holiness, which was the evidence of our title to those blessings.

And the Lord repented of the evil that he thought to do unto his people. Exod. xxxii. 14.

It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king. 1 Sam. xv.

11. 35.

And God repented of the evil that he had said he would do unto them; and he did it not. Jon. iii. 2. 10.

If that nation do evil in my sight, I will repent of the good wherewith I said I would benefit them. Jer. xviii. 8—10; see also Jer. xxvi. 13; xlii. 10.

How does the Creed further describe God?

As the "Maker of heaven and earth;" the Nicene creed adds, "and of all things visible and invisible."

We must believe, not only that they were made, but that they were made by God, and at the time and in the manner described by Scripture. Men work from materials; but God formed all things from nothing.

He calleth those things which be not as though they were. Rom. iv. 17.

The worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. Heb. xi. 3.

The work of creation is described in the first and second chapters of Genesis.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Gen. i. 1.

1st day. He made the light.

2d day. The firmament.

3d day. Waters separated from the land; grass, and fruit trees. 4th day. The sun, moon, and stars.

5th day. Inhabitants of water, and fowls.

6th day. Beasts and reptiles.-Man out of dust.

(Dust thou art. Gen. iii. 19.)

7th day. He rested, and hallowed the seventh day.

In six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth. Exod. xx. 11; xxxi. 17.

The heavens, the work of thy fingers, &c. Ps. viii. 3.

He commanded, and they were created. Ps. cxlviii. 5.

He made the earth by his power, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion. Jer. x. 12; li. 15.

Thou, Lord, in the beginning, hast laid the foundation of the earth. Heb. i. 10.

Every house is builded by some man, but he that built all things is God. Heb. iii. 4.

Angels were also created by God.

Who maketh his angels spirits, his ministers a flame of fire. Ps. civ. 4. Heb. i. 7.

Why were all things created?

For the pleasure of the Almighty.

Thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. Rev. iv. 11.

Do you believe in God the Father, in all his characters and attributes, as revealed in the Scriptures? Have you been reconciled to him through his son Jesus Christ? If so, you are living a blameless and holy life-obedient to your parents and teachers-desirous to receive instruction -reverencing the sabbath-doing to others as you would that they should do to you-in short, keeping all the commandments of God, and hating every evil way. Then happy indeed is your state, and you are ripening for still more exalted happiness in another world. But if the absence of these holy habits and inclinations, and an attachment to sin and sinful companions, show that you do not yet truly believe in him, that you are still unreconciled and at enmity with him, let the conviction stop your dangerous career. Reflect on the character of him with whom you have to do. Tremble at his vengeance-lay hold on his mercy-betake yourself unto him, and say, with humble confidence, but salutary fear," Lord, I believe; help thou my unbelief."

NOTE.

ON THE WORDS, I BELIEVE.

THERE is probably a misapprehension, in the minds of many persons, with respect to the nature of the faith which is professed by every individual, who says of all the articles of the creed I believe. He thereby expresses his assent to them, and professes his faith in them to the world. "Remember, then, since we profess this faith, which is the proper seat of faith. Not our books, our tongues only, or memories, or judgment, but our conscience; and not our natural conscience defiled and stuffed with sin, but renewed and sanctified by grace. Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.'" 1 Tim. iii. 9.-Exposition of the Creed, by Archbishop Leighton.

In Bishop Pearson's exposition of the creed it is well said: "In the heart faith is seated; with the tongue confession is made: between these two salvation is completed. If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.' Rom. x. 9. This faith of the heart every one ought, and is presumed to have; this confession of the mouth every one is known to make when he pronounceth these words of the CREED I believe; and if true he may with comfort say, 'the word of faith is nigh me, even in my mouth and in my heart.' Rom. x. 8. First in my heart really assenting, then in my mouth clearly and sincerely professing with the prophet David, 'I have believed, therefore I have spoken.' Ps. exvi. 10."

ON THE CREED.

$2. ON OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.

WHAT is the second article in the Creed?

"And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord." What is the meaning of the word JESUS?

It signifies Saviour, and was given him because he came to save all who believed on him, from sin and hell.

That thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth. Isa. xlix. 6.

Thou shalt call his name JESUS; for he shall save his people from their sins. Matt. i. 21.

The Son of man is come to save that which was lost. Matt. xviii. 11. Luke xix. 10.

And hath raised up a horn of salvation for us. Luke i. 69.
Mine eyes have seen thy salvation. Luke ii. 30.

That the world through him might be saved. John iii. 17.
The Christ, the Saviour of the world. John iv. 42.

I came not to judge but to save the world. John xii. 47.
There is none other name, whereby we must be saved. Acts
iv. 12.

From whence we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus. Phil. iii. 20.

Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come. 1 Thess. i. 10. God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thess. v. 9.

Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. 1 Tim. i. 15. Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity. Tit. ii. 14.

He became the author of eternal salvation to all them that obey him. Heb. v. 9.

Having obtained eternal redemption for us. Heb. ix. 12.

Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sin, should live unto righteousness. 1 Pet. ii. 24.

The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin. 1 John i, 7.

What was the state of man to require this salvation?

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Our church, in her ninth article, describes man as very far gone from original righteousness, and of his own nature inclined to evil, so that the flesh lusteth always contrary to the spirit: and therefore, in every person born into this world, it deserveth God's wrath and damnation." Dead in trespasses and sins. Eph. ii. 1.

The heart is totally depraved.

And God saw that the wickedness of man was great; and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Gen. vi. 5.

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