It is an amazing instance of condescension, and an inexpressible favour which God bestows on man, that he should manifest himself to him, and that not only in such a way as he does to all mankind, by the light of nature, which discovers that he is; but that he should, in so glorious a way, declare what he is, as he does in his word: this is a distinguishing privilege, as the Psalmist observes, when speaking of God’s _shewing his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel_, Psal. cxlvii. he mentions it, as an instance of discriminating grace, in that he _has not dealt so with any other nation_. This raised the admiration of one of Christ’s disciples, when he said, _Lord how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself to us, and not unto the world_! John xiv. 22. And it is still more wonderful, that he should discover to man what he does, or rather what he has decreed or purposed to do, and so should impart his secrets to him; how familiarly does God herein deal with man! Thus he says concerning the holy patriarch of old, _Shall I hide from Abraham the thing which I do?_ Gen. xvi. 17. However, it is one thing to know the secret purposes of God, and another thing to know the various properties thereof; the former of these, however known of old, by extraordinary intimation, are now known to us only by the execution of them; the latter is what we may attain to the knowledge of, by studying the scriptures. Now as the scriptures make known, _First_, What God is; _Secondly_, The persons in the Godhead; _Thirdly_, His decrees; And _Fourthly_, The execution thereof; so we are directed hereby in the method to be observed in treating of the great doctrines of our religion; and accordingly the first part of this Catechism,[47] which treats of doctrinal subjects, contains an enlargement on these four general heads; the first whereof we proceed to consider. Footnote 47: That is unto the 91st Quest. Quest. VII. QUEST. VII. _What is God?_ ANSW. God is a Spirit, in and of himself, infinite in being, glory, blessedness, and perfection, all-sufficient, eternal, unchangeable, incomprehensible, every where present, almighty, knowing all things, most wise, most holy, most just, most merciful, and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth. Before we proceed to consider the divine perfections, as contained in this answer, let it be premised,