suitable gratitude in us; encouragement and enforcement to our duty, strong faith and hope in God; as also to direct and order our devotion toward him.

But these considerations (with the further probation of this great truth against some, who have dared to oppose it) I shall refer to that article, in which we most expressly confess, that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and consequently that God is his Father. And therefore proceed to the next word,

Almighty.

xvi. 27.

Though all the divine perfections (being intrinsecal unto, and identified with, the divine nature or essence) do really and equally belong to each Person of the blessed Trinity, yet are eminently in some re- Vid. Rom. spect attributed to the Father, as the first Person in order of nature, the original fountain and root of the Deity: Plikewise although all divine operations ad extra (as proceeding from the same divine will and power) do proceed from all the three Persons, conspiring in them, yet are some Kar' oikovoμíav, (by way of mysterious dispensation,) appropriated to one, some to another: as creation and dilection to the Father; reconciliation and redemption to the Son; illumination and sanctification to the Holy Ghost. Omnipotency therefore is here ascribed to God the Father not exclusively, but eminently, (for the Son

• Omne nomen dictum de Deo respectu creaturæ indicat essentiam, adeoque prædicatur de tribus personis simul, exceptis quæ pertinent ad unionem seu dispensationem, id est ad incarnationem sive assumptam carnem. Forb. p. 24.

P Quando unus trium in aliquo opere nominatur, universa operari Trinitas intelligitur. Aug.

Una voluntas est Patris et Filii, et inseparabilis operatio. Id.

John i. 3.

Col. i. 16.

and the Holy Ghost by participation of the divine nature from the Father are also omnipotent.) And God the Father is called the Maker of heaven and earth; although by the Son (or Eternal Word) also all things were made, and without him was made nothing that was made: and all things were created by him, both things in heaven, and things in earth, and things upon earth; both things visible, and things invisible: and the Spirit of God is said to have garnished the heavens, (Job xxvi. 13.) and, By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, and all the host of them by the spirit of his mouth, Psal. xxxiii. 6. This I premise to prevent mistake, in supposing the glorious perfections, of works attriJohn v. 19. buted to God the Father, to be ascribed to him, in distinction, and excluding the other Persons. Now to the attributes themselves.

Matt. xii.

28.

Almighty.] The title or epithet TavтOKράTwp (which we render Almighty, or Omnipotent, there being no other word more properly and fully to express it) is often (in a manner peculiar and characteristical (ascribed to God in the scripture; but in the New Testament from imitation (as it seems) or translation of the Greek in the Old, where it answers to two famous and usual names of God, Sabaoth and Shaddai, (especially to the former, for the latter is only so rendered in some places of the book of Job;) the name Sabaoth, I say; (for that it is so, we have exJer. 1. 34. pressly affirmed in several places; Their Redeemer is strong; Jehovah Sabaoth is his name, Jer. 1. 34. Amos iv. (so also Isa. xlviii. 2.) and Amos iv. 13. He that Isa. xviii.7.formeth the mountains, and createth the wind, and

13.

xlviii. 2.

Sancta et inseparabilis Trinitas nunquam aliquid extra se sigillatim operare noverit. Ambros. in Symb. cap. ix. Forb. p. 23.

Diis S. cap.

*Aristoph.

ciii. 21.

Ps. cxlvi.

declareth unto man what is his thought-Jehovah Elohei Sabaoth is his name: from whence some critics deduce Ζεὺς Σαββάσιος, mentioned in some Seld. de heathen writers.) Now the name Sabaoth doth 3. seem to import God's universal dominion over the et Cicero. world for all things of the world, as being ranged in a goodly order (like an army marching in array, or marshalled to battle) are called armies: thus the heavens and earth were finished, and all the host of them, (kai nas kooμos auтav, saith the Greek and all Gen. ii. 1. the world, or the furniture of them :) By the word Ps. xxxiii.6. of the Lord were the heavens made, and all the host of them: Bless the Lord all ye his hosts; (that is, all creatures :) Lift up your eyes on high, saith Isa. xl 26. the prophet Isaiah, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names, by the great- Compare ness of his might, for that he is strong in power, not one faileth: where God is represented bringing forth, and ordering his creatures, as a general summons together to a rendezvous, and musters, and embattles his host. Hence, I say, this title of God (Tavτoxρáтwp) seems derived; (which in the Revelation of St. John is most frequently attributed to him; Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, ó Tavтoкpáтwp, Rev. i. 8. who was, and is, and art to be, is that heavenly iv. 8. xi. hymn there resounded to God.) But not dealing so strictly, but taking the word TavTокрάτwp in its common latitude, for ὁ πάντων κρατῶν, (or ὁ πάντων κράτος exov,) it may import, either right and authority over all, (omnipotestas ;) or power and ability to do all things, (omnipotentia;) or actual exercise of such authority and power, in ruling and disposing all things, (omnipotentatus ;) also the possession or hold

17, &c.

1 Tim. vi.

16.

Rev. xix.

19.

4.

ogāv,

καὶ δεσπόζον

Qúru. i. 1.

ing all things, (omnitenentia ;) and the preservation or upholding all things, (omnicontinentia:) for кpaTEŇ hath in propriety and ordinary use all these significations; and according to them all God is truly navτoкPÚτωρ. He hath, first, a just right and authority over all things; he is naturally the sovereign Lord and Ps. cxxxvi. King of the world; The Lord of lords, and King of Deut. x. 17. kings; the spring and original of all right and authority. Whatever imaginable reason or ground there is of authority, it doth in respect of all things agree to Pol. i. 1, 3, God. Aristotle in his Politics discourseth thus: To duvav Government doth aim at and tend to the mutual beδιανοία diving-nefit of the governor and governed; that therefore xor puru, which is most able and best disposed to provide for and procure the common benefit in natural reason and justice deserves to be, and is fitly the governor ; whence the soul hath a right to govern the body, and men naturally do rule over beasts; and were there any such men as did so eminently exceed others in wisdom and goodness, to them, according to natural congruity, the government of others should appertain. If then such excellency of nature be a foundation of authority, God, who in wisdom and goodness doth incomparably exceed all things, hath a Rom. xvi. right to govern all he is only wise, (and thence able,) only good, (and thence willing to manage all Luke xviii. for the general welfare and benefit of the world.) If eminency of power do qualify for dominion, (as surely it doth, for what cannot be withstood, must in reason be submitted unto; it is vain to question that authority which by force altogether irresistible can maintain itself,) God hath the only right; nothing in the Ps. lxxxix. world being able to dispute his title; For who in the heaven can be compared unto the Lord? who

27.

19.

6, 8.

7.

among the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the Lord? O Lord God of hosts, who is a strong Lord like unto thee? All things are weak and feeble in comparison; are in his hand; lie under his feet; are wholly at his discretion and disposal; The Lord Jer. x. 10. is the true God, saith the prophet, and the everlasting king; at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation. How terrible art thou in thy works! through Ps. Ixvi. 3, the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee: He ruleth by his power for ever; his eyes behold the nations: let not the rebellious exalt themselves. If to have made all things and to preserve them, do create a right of governing, (as it must needs: for what can we challenge justly a dominion over, if not over our own works; over that which we feed and nourish continually; over that which depends altogether upon us, and which subsists but at our pleasure?) then well may the elders acknowledge, Worthy art thou, O Lord, Rev. iv. 11. to receive the glory and the honour and the power; (that is, the royal majesty and dominion over the world :) for thou hast made all things, and for thy will they are and were made. Well might every creature that is in the heaven, and in the earth, and under the earth, and those things which are in the sea, and all things in them, cry out; To him that Rev. v. 13. sitteth upon the throne (and to the Lamb) be the blessing, and the honour, and the glory, and *the ♦ Tò xgáros. dominion for ever and ever: and Nehemiah; Thou, Neh. ix. 6. even thou, art the Lord alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their hosts, the earth, and all things that are therein, the sea, and all that is therein, and thou prsesrvest them