CHAP. II.

Of God and of the Holy Trinity.

1. The Lord our God is but ²²²² 1 Cor. 8.4 6. Deut. 6.4.one only living, and true God; whose ²³²³Jer 10.10. Isaiah 48.12.subsistence is in and of himself, ²⁴²⁴ Exod 3.14.infinite in being, and perfection, whose Essence cannot be comprehended by any but himself; ²⁵²⁵Joh. 4.24.a most pure spirit, ²⁶²⁶1 Tim. 1.17. Deut. 4.15,16. invisible, without body, parts, or passions, who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light, which no man can approach unto, who is ²⁷²⁷ Mal. 3.6. immutable, ²⁸²⁸1 King. 8.27. Jer. 23.23. immense, ²⁹²⁹Ps. 90.2. eternal, incomprehensible, ³⁰³⁰Gen. 17.1. Almighty, every way infinit, ³¹³¹Isa. 6.3.most holy, most wise, most free, most absolute, ³²³² Ps. 115.3. Isa. 46.10.working all things according to the councel of his own immutable, and most righteous will, ³³³³ Pro. 16.4. Rom. 11.36.for his own glory, most loving, gracious, merciful, long suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin, ³⁴³⁴ Exod. 34.6,7. Hebr. 11.6.the rewarder of them that diligently seek him, and withall most just, ³⁵³⁵ Neh. 9.32,33.and terrible in his judgements, ³⁶³⁶ Ps. 5.5,6.hating all sin, and who will by no means clear the ³⁷³⁷ Exod. 34.7. Nahum. 1,2,3.guilty.

2. God having all ³⁸³⁸Joh. 5.26. life, ³⁹³⁹Ps. 148.13. glory, ⁴⁰⁴⁰Ps. 119.68.goodness, blessedness, in and of himself: is alone in, and unto himself all-sufficient, not ⁴¹⁴¹ Job, 22.2,3.standing in need of any Creature which he hath made, nor deriving any glory from them, but onely manifesting his own glory in, by, unto, and upon them, he is the alone fountain of all Being, ⁴²⁴² Rom. 11.34.35,36. of whom, through whom, and to whom are all things, and he hath most soveraign ⁴³⁴³ Dan. 4.25. and v. 34, 35.dominion over all creatures, to do by them, for them, or upon them, whatsoever himself pleaseth; in his sight ⁴⁴⁴⁴Heb. 4.13. all things are open and manifest, his knowledge is ⁴⁵⁴⁵ Ezek. 11.5 Act. 15.18.infinite, infallible, and independant upon the Creature, so as nothing is to him contingent, or uncertain; he is most holy in all his Councels, in ⁴⁶⁴⁶ Ps. 145.17.all his Works, and in all his Commands; to him is due ⁴⁷⁴⁷ Rev. 5.12,13,14.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.

3. In this divine and infinite Being there are three subsistences, ⁴⁸⁴⁸ 1 Joh. 5.7. Mat. 28.19. 2 Cor. 13.14.the Father the Word (or Son) and Holy Spirit, of one substance, power, and Eternity, each having the whole Divine Essence, ⁴⁹⁴⁹ Exod. 3.14. Joh. 14.11. 1 Cor. 8.6.yet the Essence undivided, the Father is of none neither begotten nor proceeding, the Son is ⁵⁰⁵⁰Joh. 1.14.18.Eternally begotten of the Father, the holy Spirit ⁵¹⁵¹ Joh. 15.26. Gal. 4.6.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 dependance on him.