Q. How must I do to worship him with my spirit and heart?—A. Thou must first get the good knowledge of him. 'And thou, Solomon my son,' said David,' know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart' (1 Chron 28:9). Mind you, he first bids know him, and then serve him with a perfect heart.
Q. Is it easy to get a true knowledge of God?—A. No; Thou must cry after knowledge, and lift up thy voice for understanding. 'If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God' (Prov 2:4,5).
Q. How comes it to be so difficult a thing to attain the true knowledge of God?—A. By reason of the pride and ignorance that is in us, as also by reason of our wicked ways (Psa 10:4; Eph 4:18,19; Titus 1:16).
Q. But do not every one profess that they know God?—A. Yes; but their supposed knowledge of him varieth as much as do their faces or complexions, some thinking he is this, and some that.
Q. Will you shew me a little how they vary in their thoughts about him?—A. Yes; Some count him a kind of an heartless God, that will neither do evil nor good (Zeph 1:12). Some count him a kind of an ignorant and blind God, that can neither know nor see through the clouds (Job 22:13). Some again count him an inconsiderable God, not worth the enjoying, if it must not be but with the loss of this world, and their lusts (Job 21:9-15). Moreover, some think him to be altogether such an one as themselves, one that hath as little hatred to sin as themselves, and as little love to holiness as themselves (Psa 50:21).
Q. Are there any more false opinions of God?—A. Yes; There are three other false opinions of God. 1. Some think he is all mercy and no justice, and that therefore they may live as they list (Rom 3:8). 2. Others think he is all justice and no mercy, and that therefore they had as good go on in their sins and be damned, as turn and be never the better (Jer 2:25). 3. Others think he is both justice and mercy, but yet think also, that his justice is such as they can pacify with their own good works, and save themselves with their own right hand (Job 40:14); contrary to these scriptures (Habb 1:13; Isa 45:21).
Q. How then shall I know when I have the true knowledge of God?—A.
When thy knowledge of him and the holy Scriptures agree.
Q. The Scriptures! Do not all false opinions of him flow from the Scriptures?—A. No, in no wise; it is true, men father their errors upon the Scriptures, when indeed they flow from the ignorance of their hearts (Eph 4:18).
Q. But how if I do not understand the holy Bible, must I then go without the true knowledge of God?—A. His name is manifested by his Word: the Scriptures are they that testify of him (John 17:6-8, 5:39). And they are able to make the man of God perfect in all things, and wise unto salvation through faith in Jesus Christ (2 Tim 3:15,16).
Q. But what must one that knoweth not God do, to get the knowledge of God?—A. Let him apply his heart unto the Scriptures (Prov 22:17, 23:12). 'As unto a light that shineth in a dark place,' even this world, 'until the day dawn, and the day star arise in his heart' (2 Peter 1:19,20).