(D) John iv. 24.-God is a spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

(E) 1 Tim. i. 17.-Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory, for ever and ever. Amen. Deut. iv. 15, 16.-Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the Lord spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire: Lest ye corrupt yourselves and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female.

(F) Mal. iii. 6.-For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

(G) 1 Kings viii. 27.-But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded.

(H) Ps. xc. 2.- Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God

(1) Gen. xvii. 1.-And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.

(K) Isa. vi. 3.-And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory.

(L) Psalm cxv. 3.-But our God is in the heavens; he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased. Isa. xlvi. 10.-Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.

(M) Prov. xvi. 4.-The Lord hath made all things for himself: yea. even the wicked for the day of evil. Rom. xi. 36.-For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

(N) Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7.-And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation. Heb. xi. 6.—But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

(0) Neh. ix. 32, 33.-Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who keepest covenant and mercy, let not all the trouble seem little before thee, that hath come upon us, on our kings, on our princes, and on our priests, and on our prophets, and on our fathers, and on all thy people, since the time of the kings of Assyria unto this day. Howbeit thou art just in all that is brought upon us; for thou has done right, but we have done wickedly.

(P) Ps. v. 5, 6.-The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity. Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the Lord will abhor t e bloody and deceitful man.

(a) Exod. xxxiv. 7.-Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty: visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation. Nahum i. 2, 3.-God is jealous, and the Lord revengeth; the Lord revengeth and is furious; the Lord will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies. The Lord is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the Lord hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.

2. God, having all (R) life, (s) glory, (T) goodness, blessedness, in and of himself, is alone in and unto himself all-sufficient, not (u) 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, (x) of whom, through whom, and to whom are all things, and he hath most sovereign (r) dominion over all creatures, to do by them, for them, or upon them,

whatsoever himself pleaseth; in his sight (z) all things are open and ananifest, his knowledge is (A 1) 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 all (B 1) his works, and in all his commands; to him is due, (c 1) 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.

(R) John v. 26.-For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself.

(s) Ps. cxlviii. 13. Let them praise the name of the Lord: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven.

(T) Ps. cxix. 68.-Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes.

(u) Job xxii. 2, 3.-Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself? Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that thou art righteous? or is it gain to him, that thou makest thy ways perfect?

(x) Rom. xi. 34, 35, 36.-For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

(y) Dan. iv. 25, 34, 35.-That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. And at the end of the days, I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?

(z) Heb. iv. 13.-Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. (A1) Ezek. xi. 5.—And the Spirit of the Lord fell upon me, and said unto me Speak: Thus saith the Lord; Thus have ye said, O house of Israel; for I know the things that come into your mind, every one of them. Acts xv. 18.-Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.

(B1) Ps. cxlv. 17.-The Lord is rightec us in all his ways, and holy in all his works.

(cl) Rev. v. 12, 13, 14.-Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I s'ying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. And the four beasts said. Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.

3. In this Divine and Infinite Being there are three subsistences, (D1) the Father, the Word or Son, and Holy Spirit, of one substance, power, and eternity, each having the whole Divine Essence, (E 1) yet the Essence undivided: the Father is of none, neither begotten nor proceeding; the Son is (F 1) eternally begotten of the Father; the Holy Spirit (G1) 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.

(D1) 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. 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. 2 Cor. xiii. 14.-The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.

(E1) Exod. iii. 14.—And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM : and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. John xiv. 11.-Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me, or else believe me for the very works' sake. 1 Cor. viii. 6.-But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.

(F1) John i. 14, 18.-And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of gace and truth. No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

(G1) John xv. 26.-But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me. Gal. iv. 6.-And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

CHAP. III.

OF GOD'S DECREE.

1. God hath (A) decreed in himself, from all eternity, by the most wise and holy counsel of his own will, freely and unchangeably, all things, whatsoever comes to pass; yet so as thereby is God neither the author of sin (B) 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 (c) established; in which appears his wisdom in disposing all things, and power and faithfulness (D) in accomplishing his decree.

(A) Isa. xlvi. 10.-Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure. Eph. i, 11.-In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. Heb. vi. 17.-Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath. Rom. ix 15, 18.-For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will be hardeneth.

(B) James i. 13.-Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man. 1 John i. 5.This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

(c) Acts iv. 27, 28.-For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done. John xix. 11.-Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.

(D) Numb. xxiii. 19.—God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it ? or hath be spoken, and shall he no make it good? Eph. i. 3, 4, 5.—Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.

2. Although God knoweth whatsoever may or can come to pass, upon all (E) supposed conditions, yet hath he not decreed anything, (F) because he foresaw it as future, or as that which would come to pass upon such conditions.

(E) Acts xv. 18.-Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.

(r) Rom. ix. 11, 13, 16, 18.- For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.

3. By the decree of God, for the manifestation of his glory, (G) some men and angels are predestinated, or foreordained to eternal life through Jesus Christ, to the (H) praise of his glorious grace; others being left to act in their sin to their (1) just condemnation, to the praise of his glorious justice.

(G) 1 Tim. v. 21.-The elect angels. Matt. xxv. 34.-Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

(H) Eph. i. 5, 6-Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

(1) Rom. ix. 22, 23.-What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory. Jude 4.-For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

4. These angels and men thus predestinated and foreordained, are particularly and unchangeably designed, and their (K) number so certain and definite, that it cannot be either increased or diminished.

(K) 2 Tim. ii. 19.-Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. John xiii. 18.-I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me.

5. Those of mankind (L) 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, (M) without any other thing in the creature as a condition or cause moving him thereunto.

(L) Eph. i. 4, 9, 11.-According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love. Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself. In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. Rom. viii. 30.-Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called; and whom he called, them he also justified; and whom he justified, them he also glorified. 2 Tim. i. 9.-Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began. 1 Thess. v. 9.-For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.

(M) Rom. ix. 13, 16-As it is written, Jaccb have I loved, but Esau have I hated. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. Eph. ii. 5, 12.—Even when we were dead in sins, hath

quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved). That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world.

6. As God hath appointed the elect unto glory, so he hath by the eternal and most free purpose of his will, foreordained (N) all the means thereunto; wherefore they who are elected, being fallen in Adam, (o) are redeemed by Christ, are effectually (P) called unto faith in Christ, by his Spirit working in due season are justified, adopted, sanctified, and kept by his power through faith (q) unto salvation; neither are any other redeemed by Christ, or effectually called, justified, adopted, sanctified, and saved, but the elect (R) only.

(N) 1 Pet. i. 2.-Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. 2 Thess. ii. 13.-But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth.

(0) 1 Thess. v. 9, 10.-For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.

(P) Rom. viii. 30.-Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called : and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. 2 Thess. ii. 13.-But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth.

(a) 1 Pet. i. 5.-Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

(R) John X. 26.-But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. Chap. xvii. 9.-I pray for them: I prav not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me for they are thine. Chap. vi. 64.—But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.

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 (s) eternal election; so shall this doctrine afford matter (T) of praise, reverence, and admiration of God, and (u) of humility, diligence, and abundant (x) consolation to all that sincerely obey the gospel.

(s) 1 Thess. i. 4, 5.-Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance. 2 Pet. i. 10.-Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall.

(T) Eph. i. 6.—To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. Rom. xi. 33.-0 the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

(u) Rom. xi. 5, 6, 20.-Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear.

(x) Luke x. 20.-Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.