there were none; but cannot consist with their reason to assert there is none, when even the very poets of the heathen have taught us" that we are his offspring." (Acts xvii. 28.),

It is necessary thus to believe there is a God, First, Because there can be no divine faith without this belief. For all faith is therefore only divine, because it relieth upon the authority of God giving testimony to the object of it; but that which hath no being can have no authority, can give no testimony. The ground of his authority is his veracity, the foundations of his veracity are his omniscience and sanctity, both which suppose his essence and existence, because what is not is neither knowing nor holy.

Secondly, It is necessary to believe a Deity, that thereby we may acknowledge such a nature extant as is worthy of, and may justly challenge from us, the highest worship and adoration. For it were vain to be religious and to exercise devotion, except there were a Being to which all such holy applications were most justly due. Adoration implies submission and dejection, so that while we worship we cast down ourselves: there must be therefore some great eminence in the object worshipped, or else we should dishonour our own nature in the worship of it. But when a Being is presented of that intrinsical and necessary perfection, that it depends on nothing, and all things else depend on that, and are wholly governed and disposed by it, this worthily calls us to our knees, and shews the humblest of our devotions to be but just and loyal retributions.

This necessary truth hath been so universally received, that we shall always find all nations of the world more prone unto idolatry than to atheism, and readier to multiply than deny the Deity. But our faith teacheth us equally to deny them both, and each of them is renounced in these words, I believe in God. First, in God affirmatively, I believe he is, against atheism. Secondly, in God exclusively, not in gods, against polytheism and idolatry. Although therefore the existence and unity of God be two distinct truths, yet are they of so necessary dependence and intimate coherence, that both may be expressed by* one word, and included in onet Article.

*Solum Deum confirmas, quem tantum Deum nominas.' Tertull. de Testim. Anima, c. 2. When Leo, bishop of Rome, in an Epistle to Flavianus, had written these words, ep. x. c. 2. 'Fidelium universitas profitetur credere se in Deum Patrem omnipotentem, et in Jesum Christum Filium ejus' one of the Eutychians objected with this question: "Cur non dixerit in unum Deum Patrem, et in unum Jesum, juxta Nicæni Decretum Concilii? To which Vigilius, bishop of Trent, or rather of Tapsus, gives this answer: 'Sed Romæ et an

tequam Nicæna Synodus conveniret, a temporibus Apostolorum usque ad nunc, ita fidelibus Symbolum traditur, nec præjudicant verba ubi sensus incolumis permanet: magis enim cum D. J. Christi sententia hæc fidci professio facit, dicentis, Creditis in Deum, et in me credite: (Ioan. xiv. 1.) nec dixit in unum Deum Patrem, et in unum meipsum. Quis enim nesciat, unum esse Deum, et unum J. Christum Filium ejus.'. Vigil. 1. iv. contra Eutych. §. 1.

† Rab. Chasdai in Or Adonai. R. Joseph Albo in Hikkarim.

And that the unity of the Godhead is concluded in this Article is apparent, not only because the Nicene Council so expressed it by way of exposition, but also because this CREED in the * churches of the east, before the Council of Nice had that addition in it, I believe in one God. We begin our CREED then as + Plato did his chief and prime epistles, who gave this distinction to his friends, that the name of God was prefixed before those that were more serious and remarkable, but of gods, in the plural, to such as were more vulgar and trivial." Unto thee it was shewed (saith Moses to Israel), that thou mightest know that the Lord he is God, there is none else beside him." (Deut. iv. 35.) And as the Law, so the Gospel teacheth us the same. "We know that an idol

is nothing in the world, and there is none other God but one." (1 Cor. viii. 4.) This unity of the Godhead will easily appear as necessary as the existence, so that it must be as impossible there should be more gods than one, as that there should be none: which will clearly be demonstrated, first, out of the nature of God, to which multiplication is repugnant; and, secondly, from the government as he is Lord, in which we must not admit confusion.

For, first, the nature of God consists in this, that he is the prime and original cause of all things, as an independent Being upon which all things else depend, and likewise the ultimate end or final cause of all; but in this sense two prime causes are inimaginable, and for all things to depend of one, and to be more independent beings than one, is a clear contradiction. This primity God requires to be attributed to himself; "Hearken unto me, O Jacob, and Israel my called, I am he, I am the first, I also am the last." (Isa. xlviii. 12.) And from this primity he challengeth his unity; "Thus saith the Lord, the King. of Israel, and his Redeemer the Lord of Hosts, I am the first, and I am the last, and beside me there is no God." (Isa. xliv. 6.)

Again, if there were more gods than one, then were not all perfections in one, neither formally, by reason of their distinction, nor eminently and virtually, for then one should have power to produce the other, and that nature which is producible is not divine. But all acknowledge God to be

* "Orientales Ecclesiæ omnes ista tradunt: Credo in unum Deum Pa trem omnipotentem.' Ruff. in Symb. §. 4. Bene hæc omnia poterunt ad solos Hæreticos pertinere, quia falsaverunt Symbolum, dum alter dixerit duos Deos, cum Deus unus sit.' Optat. 1. i. p. 13. ed. Lond. 1631. Nos enim et scimus, et legimus, et credimus, et tenemus, unum esse Deum, qui fecit coelum pariter ac terram, quoniam nec alterum novimus, nec Hosse, cum nullus sit, aliquando po

terimus.' Novatianus de Trinit. c. 30. And before all these Irenæus, citing under the title of Scripture, a passage out of the book of Hermas, called Pastor: Bene ergo Scriptura dicit, Primo omnium crede quoniam unus est Deus, qui omnia constituit et consummavit, et fecit ex eo quod non› erat, ut essent omnia, omnium capax, et qui a nemine capiatur.' l. iv. c. 37.

+ Euseb. in demonstr. Evang. 1. iii. §. s', p. 129. The passage is yet ex« tant in the epistles of Plato.

absolutely and infinitely perfect, in whom all perfections imaginable which are simply such must be contained formally, and all others which imply any mixture of imperfection virtually.

But were no arguments brought from the infinite perfections of the divine nature able to convince us, yet were the consideration of his supreme dominion sufficient to persuade us. The will of God is infinitely free, and by that freedom doth he govern and dispose of all things. "He doth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth," (Dan. iv. 35.) said Nebuchadnezzar out of his experience; and St. Paul expresseth him as "working all things after the counsel of his own will." (Ephes. i. 11.) If then there were more supreme governors of the world than one, each of them absolute and free, they might have contrary determinations concerning the same thing, than which nothing can be more prejudicial unto government. God is a God of order, not confusion; and therefore of unity, not admitting multiplication. If it be better that the Universe should be governed by one than many, we may be assured that it is so, because nothing must be conceived of God but what is best. He therefore who made all things, by that right is Lord of all, and because all † power is his, he alone ruleth over all.

Now God is not only one, but hath a unity ‡ peculiar to bimself by which he is the only God; and that not only by way of actuality, but also of possibility. Every individual man is one, but so as there is a second and a third, and consequently every one is part of a number, and concurring to a multitude. The sun indeed is one; so as there is neither third nor second sun, at least within the same vortex: but * Τὰ ὄντα οὐ βούλεται πολιτεύεσθαι κακῶς· Οὐκ ἀγαθὸν πολυκοιρανίη, εἷς Koipavoç. Aristot. Metaph. 1. xii. c. ult. Unus omnium Dominus est Deus: neque enim illa sublimitas potest habere consortem, cum sola omnem teneat potestatem.' S. Cyprian. de Idol. Vanit. §. 5.

: אלוה זה אחד הוא ואינו לא שנים ולא יותר על שנים אלא אחד שאין כייחודה אחד, מן האחרים הנמצאים בעולם לא אחד במין שהוא כולל אחדים הרבה ולא אחד בגוף שהוא נחלק למחלקות ולקצוות אלא אחד שאין ייחוד God is one, not אחד כמותו בעולם:

two, or more than two, but only one; whose unity is not like to that of the individuals of this world, neither is he one by way of species comprehending many individuals, neither one in the manner of a body which is divisible into

parts and extremes: but he is so one, as no unity like his is to be found in the world, Moses Maim. de Fundam. Legis, c. i. §. 4. Quod autem diximus,Orientis Ecclesias tradere unum Patrem Omnipotentem, et unum Dominum, hoc modo intelligendum est, unum non numero dici, sed universitate: verbi gratia, si quis dicat unum hominem, aut unum equum, hie unum pro numero posuit, potest enim et alius homo esse, et tertius, vel equus. Ubi autem secundus et tertius non potest jungi, unus si dicatur, non numeri, sed universitatis est nomen. Ut si exempli causa dicamus unum Solem, hic unus ita dicitur ut alius vel tertius addi non possit; multo magis Deus cum unus dicitur, unus non numeri, sed universitatis vocabulo nuncupatur, id est, qui propterea unus dicatur, quod alius non sit.' Ruffin. in Symb. §. 6.

though there be not, yet there might have been; neither in the unity of the solar nature is there any repugnancy to plurality; for that God which made this world, and in this “the sun to rule the day," might have made another world by the same fecundity of his omnipotency, and another sun to rule in that. Whereas in the divine nature there is an intrinsical and essential singularity, because no other being can have any existence but from that; and whatsoever essence hath its existence from another is not God. "I am the Lord (saith he), and there is none else, there is no God besides me: that they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none besides me, I am the Lord, and there is none else." (Isa. xlv. 5, 6. Deut. iv. 35. and xxxii. 39. Psal. xviii. 31.) He who hath infinite knowledge knoweth no other God beside himself. "Is there a God besides me? yea, there is no God, I know not any." (Isa. xlv. 18. 21, 22. and xliv. 8.) And we who believe in him, and desire to enjoy him, need for that end to know no other God but him: "For this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God;” (John xvii. 3.) * as certainly one, as God.

It is necessary thus to believe the unity of the Godhead, that being assured there is a nature worthy of our devotions, and challenging our religious subjection, we may learn to know whose that nature is to which we owe our adorations, lest our minds should wander and fluctuate in our worship about various and uncertain objects. If we should apprehend more gods than one, I know not what could determine us in any instant to the actual adoration of any one: for where no difference doth appear (as, if there were many, and all by nature gods, there could be none), what inclination could we have, what reason could we imagine, to prefer or elect any one before the rest for the object of our devotions? Thus is it necessary to believe the unity of God in respect of us who are obliged to worship him.

Secondly, It is necessary to believe the unity of God in respect of him who is to be worshipped. Without this acknowledgment we cannot give unto God the things which are God's, it being part of the worship and honour due unto God, to accept of no compartner with him. When the Law was given, in the observance whereof the religion of the Israelites consisted, the first precept was this prohibition, "Thou shalt have

"Veritas Christiana districte pronunciavit, Deus si non unus est, non est; quia dignius credimus non esse, quodeunque non ita fuerit ut esse debebit.' Tertull. adv. Marcion. 1. i. c. 3. 'Deus cum summum magnum sit, recte veritas nostra pronunciavit, Deus si non unus est, non est. Non quasi dubitemus esse Deum, dicendo, si non unus, non est Deus;

sed quia, quem confidimus esse, idem definiamus esse, quod si non est, Deus non est, summum scilicet magnum. Porro, summum magnum unicum sit necesse est, ergo et Deus unicus erit, non aliter Deus, nisi summum ma. gnum; nec aliter summum magnum, nisi parem non habens; nec aliter parem non habens, nisi unicus fuerit.' 1bid.

*

no other gods before me;" (Exod. xx. 3.) and whosoever violateth this, denieth the foundation on which all the rest depend, as the Jews observe. This is the true reason of that strict precept by which all are commanded to give divine worship to God only, "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve;" (Matt. iv. 10.) because he alone is God: him only shalt thou fear, because he alone hath infinite power; in him only shalt thou trust,because "he only is our rock and our salvation;" (Psal. Ixii. 2.) to him alone shalt thou direct thy devotions, because "he only knoweth the hearts of the children of men." (2 Chron. vi. 30.). Upon this foundation the whole heart of man is entirely required of him, and engaged to him. "Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one God: And (or rather, Therefore) thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might." (Deut. vi. 4. 5.) Whosoever were truly and by nature God, could not choose but challenge our love upon the ground of an infinite excellency, and transcendent beauty of holiness; and therefore if there were more Gods than one, our love must necessarily be terminated untó+ more than one, and consequently divided between them; and as our love, so also the proper effect thereof, our cheerful and ready obedience, which, like the child propounded to the judgment of Solomon, as soon as it is divided, is destroyed. "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other: or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other." (Matt. vi. 24.)

Having thus described the first notion of a God, having demonstrated the existence and unity of that God, and having in these three particulars comprised all which can be contained in this part of the Article, we may now clearly deliver, and every particular Christian understand, what it is he says when he makes his confession in these words, I believe in God; which in correspondence with the precedent discourse may be thus expressed:

Forasmuch as by all things created is made known the "eternal power and Godhead," (Rom. i. 20.) and the dependency of all limited beings infers an infinite and independent essence; whereas all things are for some end, and all their operations directed to it, although they cannot apprehend that end for which they are, and in prosecution of which they work, and therefore must be guided by some universal and overruling wisdom; being this collection is so evident, that

Moses Maimon. de Fundam. Legis, c. 1. §. 3.

+Numerus divinitatis summa ratione constare deberet, vel quoniam et cultura ejus in anceps deduceretur, Ecce enim, duos intuens Deos tam pares quam duo summa magna, quid facerem si ambos colerem? Vererer,

ne abundantia officii superstitio potius quam religio crederetur: quia duos tam pares et in altero ambos possem in uno demereri; hoc ipso testimonium præstans parilitati et unitati corum, dum alterum in altero venerarer, dum in uno mihi duo sunt.' Tertull: adv. Marcion. 1. i. c. 5.