and to whom are all things; and hath most sovereign dominion over them, to do by them, for them, or upon them, whatsoever himself pleaseth. In his sight all things are open and manifest; his knowledge is infinite, infallible, and independent upon the creature,k so as nothing is to him contingent or uncertain. He is most holy in all his counsels, in all his works, and in all his commands. To him is due from angels and men, and every other creature, whatsoever worship, service, or obedience he is pleased to require of them."

III. In the unity of the Godhead there be three persons, of one substance, power and eternity; God the Father,

g

Rom. xi. 36. For of him, and through him, and to him are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen. h Rev. iv. 11. Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honour, and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are, and were created. 1 Tim. vi. 15. (See letter d immediately foregoing.) Dan. iv. 25, 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 Hight ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doth 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?

i Heb. iv. 13. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

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k Rom. xi. 33, 34. O the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord, or who hath been his counsellor? Psal. exlvii. 5. Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.

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

m Psal. cxlv. 17. The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works. Rom. vii. 12..Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.

n 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, saying, 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 wor shipped him that liveth for ever and ever.

God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. The Father is of none, neither begotten nor proceeding: The Son is eternally begotten of the Father :P the Holy Ghost eternally proceeding from the Father and the Son.9

Chapter III.

OF GOD's ETERNAL DECREE.

GOD from all eternity did, by the most wise and holy counsel of his own will, freely and unchangeably ordain whatsoever come to pass : yet so, as thereby neither is God the author of sin, nor is violence offered to the will of

III. o 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. Mat. iii. 16, 17. And Jesus, when he was baptised, went up straightway out of the water: and lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him. And lo, a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Mat. 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.

P John i. 14, 18. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we behold his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father) full of grace 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.

unto

q John xv. 26. But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send 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.

1. 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. Rom. xi. 33. O the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! 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, he hardeneth.

s James i. 13, 17 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. Every good gift, and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom

the creatures, nor is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established.t

II. Although God knows whatsoever may or can come to pass upon all supposed conditions ; yet hath he not decreed any thing because he foresaw it as future, or as that which would come to pass upon such conditions.w

III. By the decree of God, for the manifestation of his glory, some men and angels are predestinated unto everlasting life, and others fore-ordained to everlasting death.y

is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. 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.

t Acts ii. 23. Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and fore-knowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain. Mat. xvii. 12. But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed: likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them. 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. Prov. xvi. 33. The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord.

II. v Acts xv. 18. Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world. 1 Sam. xxiii. 11, 12. Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? Will Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard? O Lord God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant. And the Lord said, He will come down. Then said David, Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul? And the Lord said, they will deliver thee up. Mat. xi. 21, 23. Wo unto thee Chorazin; wo unto thee Bethsaida: for if the mighty works which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.

w 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.

III. x 1 Tim. v. 21. I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things, without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality. Mat. xxv. 41. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.

y Rom. ix. 22, 23. What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to

IV. These angels and men, thus predestinated and foreordained, are particularly and unchangeably designed; and their number is so certain and definite, that it cannot be either increased or diminished.z

V. Those of mankind that are predestinated unto 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, 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 moving him thereunto ;b and all to the praise of his glorious grace.c

VI. As God hath appointed the elect unto glory, so hath he, by the eternal and most free purpose of his will, fore

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? 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. Prov. xvi. 4. The Lord hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.

IV. z 2 Tim. ii. 19. Nevertheless, the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. 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 lift up his heel against me.

V. a 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.

b Rom. ix. 11, 13, 16. (See letter w immediately foregoing,) Eph. i. 4, 9. (See letter a immediately foregoing.)

c Eph. i. 6, 12. To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

ordained all the means thereunto.d Wherefore they who are elected, being fallen in Adam, are redeemed by Christ,e are effectually called unto faith in Christ, by his Spirit working in due season; are justified, adopted, sanctified,f and kept by his power through taith unto salvation.g Neither are any other redeemed by Christ, effectually called, justified, adopted, sanctified and saved, but the elect only.h

VII. 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

VI. d 1 Pet. i. 2. Elect according to the fore-knowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience, and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. Eph. i. 4, 5. 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. Eph. ii. 10. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. 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.

e 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. Tit. ii. 14. Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

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f 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. Eph. i. 5. Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will. 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.

g1 Pet. i. 5. Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time.

h John xvii. 9. I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me, for they are thine. Rom. viii. 28. And we know that all things work together for good, to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose, &c. (to the end of the chapter.) John vi. 64, 65. 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. And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father. John x. 26. But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. John viii. 47. He that is of God, heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God. 1 John ii. 19. They went out from us, but they were not of us: for if they had been of us, they would no