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one only living and true God; whose (Jer. x. 10; Isai. xlviii. 12) subsistence is in and of himself (Exod. iii. 14), infinite in being and perfection, whose essence cannot be comprehended by any but himself; (John iv. 24) a most pure Spirit, (1 Tim. i. 17; Deut. iv. 15,16) invisible, without body, parts, or passions, who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto, who is (Mal. iii. 6) immutable, (1 Kings viii. 27; Jer. xxiii. 23) immense, (Psal. xc. 2) eternal, incomprehensible, (Gen. xvii. 1) Almighty, every way infinite, (Isa. vi. 3) most holy, most wise, most free, most absolute," (Ps. cxv. 3; Isa. xlvi. 10) working all things according to the counsel of his own immutable and most righteous will (Prov. xvi. 4; Rom. xi. 36) for his own glory, most loving, gracious, merciful, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin (Exod. xxxiv. 6,7; Heb. xi. 6), the rewarder of them that diligently seek him, and withal most just, (Neh. ix. 32, 33) and terrible in his judgments, (Ps. v. 5, 6) hating all sin, and who will by no means clear the (Exod. xxxiv. 7; Nahum i. 2, 3) guilty.

2. God, having all (John v. 26) life, (Ps. cxlviii. 14) glory, (Ps. cxix. 68) goodness, blessedness, in and of himself, is alone in, and unto himself all-sufficient, not (Job. xxii. 2, 3) standing in need of any creature which he hath made, nor deriving any glory from them, but only manifesting his own glory in, by, unto, and upon them; he is the alone fountain of all being, (Rom. xi. 34, 35, 36) of whom, through whom, and to whom are all things, and he hath most sovereign (Dan. iv. 25, and v. 34, 35) dominion over all creatures, to do by them, for them, or upon them, whatsoever himself pleaseth; in his sight (Heb. iv. 13) all things are open and manifest, his know

2 [The Westminster and Savoy Confessions read :-"There is but one only living and true God; who is infinite in being and perfection; a most pure Spirit, invisible, without

body, parts, or passions; immutable, immense, eternal, incomprehensible, almighty; most wise, most holy, most free, most absolute." &c.]

ledge is (Ezek. xi. 5; Acts xv. 18) infinite, infallible, and independent upon the creature, so as nothing is to him contingent, or uncertain; he is most holy in all his counsels, in (Psal. cxlv. 17) all his works, and in all his commands; to him is due (Rev. v. 12, 13, 14) from angels and men, whatsoever worship, service, or obedience, as creatures they owe unto the Creator, and whatever he is further pleased to require of them.

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3. In this divine and infinite Being there are three subsistences, (1 John v. 7; Mat. xxviii. 19; 2 Cor. xiii. 14) the Father, the Word (or Son), and Holy Spirit, of one substance, power, and eternity, each having the whole divine essence, (Exod. iii. 14; Joh. xiv. 11; 1 Cor. viii. 6) yet the essence undivided; the Father is of none, neither begotten nor proceeding, the Son is (John i. 14, 18) eternally begotten of the Father, the Holy Spirit (John xv. 26; Gal. iv. 6) proceeding from the Father and the Son; all infinite, without beginning, therefore but one God, who is not to be divided in nature and being, but distinguished by several peculiar, relative properties, and personal relations; which doctrine of the Trinity is the foundation of all our communion with God, and comfortable dependence on him.

CHAP. III.

Of God's decrees.

1. God hath (Isa. xlvi. 10; Eph. i. 11; Heb. vi. 17; Rom. ix. 15, 18) decreed in himself, from all eternity, by the most wise and holy counsel of his own will, freely and unchangeably, all things whatsoever come to pass; yet so as thereby is God neither the author of sin (Jam. i. 15, 17; 1

3 [The Savoy Confession reads: "In the unity of the Godhead there be three persons, of one substance, power, and eternity, God the Father,

God the Son, and God the Holy
Ghost," &c.]

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["All infinite" &c. This sentence is not in the Savoy Confession.]

John i. 5) nor hath fellowship with any therein, nor is violence offered to the will of the creature, nor yet is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather (Acts iv. 27, 28; John xix. 11) established; in which appears his wisdom in disposing all things, and power, and faithfulness (Numb. xxiii. 19; Eph. i. 3, 4, 5) in accomplishing his decree.

2. Although God knoweth whatsoever may, or can come to pass upon all (Act. xv. 18) supposed conditions: yet hath he not decreed anything, (Rom. ix. 11, 13, 16, 18) because he foresaw it as future, or as that which would come to pass upon such conditions.

3. By the decree of God, for the manifestation of his glory, (1 Tim. v. 21; Mat. xxv. 41) some men and angels are predestinated or forcordained to eternal life, through Jesus Christ, to the (Eph. i. 5, 6) praise of his glorious grace; others being left to act in their sin to their (Rom. ix. 22, 23; Jude 4) just condemnation, to the praise of his glorious justice.5

4. These angels and men thus predestinated, and foreordained, are particularly and unchangeably designed; and their (2 Tim. ii. 19; Joh. xiii. 18) number so certain, and definite, that it cannot be either increased or diminished.

5. Those of mankind (Eph. i. 4, 9, 11; Rom. viii. 30; 2 Tim. i. 9; 1 Thess. v. 9) that are predestinated to life, God, before the foundation of the world was laid, according to his eternal and immutable purpose and the secret counsel and good pleasure of his will, hath chosen in Christ unto everlasting glory, out of his mere free grace and love; (Rom. xix. 13, 16; Eph. i. 6, 12) without any other thing in the creature as a condition or cause moving him thereunto."

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[Instead of the sentence following, the Westminster and Savoy Confessions read, "and others foreordained to everlasting death."]

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["Without any foresight of faith, or good works, or perseverance in either of them, or any other thing in the creature, as conditions or causes

6. As God hath appointed the elect unto glory, so he hath, by the eternal and most free purpose of his will, fore-ordained (1 Pet. i. 2; 2 Thess. ii. 13) all the means thereunto, wherefore they who are elected, being fallen in Adam (1 Thess. v. 9, 10), are redeemed by Christ, are effectually (Rom. viii. 30; 2 Thess. ii. 13) called unto faith in Christ, by his Spirit working in due season, are justified, adopted, sanctified, and kept by his power through faith (1 Pet. i. 5) unto salvation; neither are any other redeemed by Christ, or effectually called, justified, adopted, sanctified, and saved, but the elect (John x. 26; xvii. 9; vi. 64) only.

7. The doctrine of this high mystery of predestination is to be handled with special prudence and care; that men attending the will of God revealed in his word and yielding obedience thereunto, may, from the certainty of their effectual vocation, be assured of their (1 Thess. i. 4, 5; 2 Pet. i. 10,) eternal election; so shall this doctrine afford matter (Ephes i. 6; Rom. xi. 33) of praise, reverence, and admiration of God, and (Rom. xi. 5, 6) of humility, diligence, and abundant (Luke x. 20) consolation to all that sincerely obey the gospel.7

CHAP IV.

Of Creation.

1. In the beginning it pleased God the Father (John i. 2, 3 ; Heb. i. 2; Job xxvi. 13), Son, and Holy Spirit, for the manifestation of the glory of (Rom. i. 20) his eternal power,

moving him thereunto, and all to the praise of his glorious grace." West. and Savoy Conf.]

7 [Under this article, the following paragraph is found in the Westminster and Savoy Confessions: "7. The rest of mankind, God was pleased according to the unsearchable counsel

of his own will, whereby he extendeth or withholdeth mercy as he pleaseth, for the glory of his sovereign power over his creatures, to pass by and to ordain them to dishonour and wrath for their sin, to the praise of his glorious justice."]

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wisdom, and goodness, to create or make the world, and all things therein (Col. i. 16; Gen. ii. 1, 2), whether visible or invisible, in the space of six days, and all very good.

2. After God had made all other creatures, he created (Gen. i. 27) man, male and female, with (Gen. ii. 7) reasonable and immortal souls, rendering them fit unto that life to God for which they were created; being (Eccles. vii. 29; Gen. i. 26) made after the image of God, in knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness; having the law of God (Rom. ii. 14, 15) written in their hearts, and power to fulfil it; and yet under a possibility of transgressing, being left to the liberty of their own will, which was (Gen. iii. 6) subject to change.

3. Besides the law written in their hearts, they received (Gen. vi. 17, iii. 8-10) a command not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil; which whilst they kept, they were happy in their communion with God, and had dominion (Gen. i. 26, 28) over the creatures.

CHAP. V.

Of divine providence.

1. God, the good Creator of all things, in his infinite power and wisdom doth (Heb. i. 3; Job xxxviii. 11; Isa. xlvi. 10, 11; Psa. cxxxv. 6) uphold, direct, dispose, and govern all creatures and things, from the greatest even to the (Matt. x. 29-31) least, by his most wise and holy providence, to the end for the which they were created, according unto his infallible foreknowledge, and the free and immutable counsel of his (Eph. i. 11) own will; to the praise of the glory of his wisdom, power, justice, infinite goodness, and mercy.

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["Of nothing:"-West. and Savoy Conf.]

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" ["God, the great Creator of all

things, doth uphold," &c.; West. and Savoy Conf.]

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