Article 1. There is but one living and true God, whose subsistence is in and of Himself, infinite in being and perfection; who is a most pure spirit, invisible, without body, parts, or passions, and who alone has immortality; who is omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, immutable, eternal, incomprehensible, most wise, most holy, most free, most absolute; who works all things according to the counsel of His own immutable and most righteous will for His own glory; who is most loving, gracious, merciful, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin; who rewards them who diligently seek Him, and is most just and terrible in His judgments, hating all sin, and who will by no means acquit the guilty.
Article 2. God, having all life, glory, goodness, and blessedness in and of Himself, is alone in and to Himself all-sufficient, not standing in need of any created things or deriving any glory from them, but only manifesting His own glory in, by, to, and upon them. He is alone the fountain of all being, of whom, through whom, and to whom are all things. He has most sovereign dominion over all created things, to do by them, for them, or upon them, whatsoever He pleases. In His sight all things are open and manifest, and His knowledge is infinite, infallible, and independent of the creature, so that 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.
Article 3. This one divine and infinite being consists of three real persons (or subsistences), the Father, the Word or Son, and the Holy Spirit, of one substance, power, and eternity, each having the whole divine essence, yet the essence undivided. The Father is of none neither begotten nor proceeding. The Son is eternally begotten of the Father. The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son. These three are infinite and without beginning and are therefore only one God, who is not to be divided in nature and being, but are distinguished by several distinctive relative properties and personal relations. This truth of the Trinity is the foundation of all of our fellowship with God and of our comforting dependence on Him.
Article 2. God, having all life, glory, goodness, and blessedness in and of Himself, is alone in and to Himself all-sufficient, not standing in need of any created things or deriving any glory from them, but only manifesting His own glory in, by, to, and upon them. He is alone the fountain of all being, of whom, through whom, and to whom are all things. He has most sovereign dominion over all created things, to do by them, for them, or upon them, whatsoever He pleases. In His sight all things are open and manifest, and His knowledge is infinite, infallible, and independent of the creature, so that 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.
Article 3. This one divine and infinite being consists of three real persons (or subsistences), the Father, the Word or Son, and the Holy Spirit, of one substance, power, and eternity, each having the whole divine essence, yet the essence undivided. The Father is of none neither begotten nor proceeding. The Son is eternally begotten of the Father. The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son. These three are infinite and without beginning and are therefore only one God, who is not to be divided in nature and being, but are distinguished by several distinctive relative properties and personal relations. This truth of the Trinity is the foundation of all of our fellowship with God and of our comforting dependence on Him.
Q: Who is the first and chiefest being? |
