a Matt. xxviii. 19. Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

b 1 John v. 7. For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one.

7 Q. What are the decrees of God? A. The decrees of God are his eternal purpose, according to the counsel of his own will, whereby, for his own glory, he has fore-ordained whatsoever comes to pass a.

a Eph. i. 11. Being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. 12. That we should be to the praise of his glory.

8 Q. How doth God execute his decrees?

A. God executeth his decrees in the works of creation a, and providence b. a Rev. iv. 11. Thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

b Dan. iv. 35. He doth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth.

9 Q. What is the work of Creation? A. The work of Creation is God's making all things a, of nothing, by

space

the word of his power b, in the of six days, and all very good c.

a Gen. i. 1. In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

b Heb. xi. 8. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

c Gen. i. 31. And God saw every thing that he had made, and behold it was very good; and the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

10 Q. How did God create man?

A. God created man male and female, after his own image a, in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness b, with dominion over the creatures c.

a Gen. i. 27. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him, male and female created he them.

b Col. iii. 10. And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge, after the image of him that created him.

Eph. iv. 24. And that ye put on the new man, which, after God, is created in righteousness, and true holiness.

c Gen. i. 28. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

a Matt. xxviii. 19. Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

b 1 John v. 7. For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one.

7 Q. What are the decrees of God? A. The decrees of God are his eternal purpose, according to the counsel of his own will, whereby, for his own glory, he has fore-ordained whatsoever comes to pass a.

a Eph. i. 11. Being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. 12. That we should be to the praise of his glory.

8 Q. How doth God execute his decrees?

A. God executeth his decrees in the works of creation a, and providence b. a Rev. iv. 11. Thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

b Dan. iv. 35. He doth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth.

9 Q. What is the work of Creation? A. The work of Creation is God's making all things a, of nothing, by

the word of his power b, in the space of six days, and all very good c.

a Gen. i. 1. In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

b Heb. xi. 8. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

c Gen. i. 31. And God saw every thing that he had made, and behold it was very good; and the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

10 Q. How did God create man?

A. God created man male and female, after his own image a, in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness b, with dominion over the creatures c.

a Gen. i. 27. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him, male and female created he them.

b Col. iii. 10. And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge, after the image of him that created him.

Eph. iv. 24. And that ye put on the new man, which, after God, is created in righteousness, and true holiness.

c Gen. i. 28. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

11 Q. What are God's works of providence?

A. God's works of providence are his most holy a, wise b, and powerful c, preserving and governing of all his creatures, and all their actions d.

a Psalm cxiv. 17. The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.

b Isa. xxviii. 29. This also cometh forth from the Lord of Hosts, who is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working.

c Heb. i. 3. Upholding all things by the word of his power.

d Psa. ciii. 19. His kingdom ruleth over all. Matt. x. 29. Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall to the ground without your Father?

12 Q. What special act of providence did God exercise towards man in the state wherein he was created?

A. When God had created man, he entered into a covenant of life with him, upon condition of perfect obedience a, forbidding him to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil upon pain of death b.

a Gal. iii. 12. And the law is not of faith; but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.