Westminster Confession (Chapter II)

Proofs | Search | Previous | Contents | Next


Chapter II
Of God, and of the Holy Trinity

I. There is but one only,a living, and true God,b who is infinite in being and perfection,c a most pure spirit,d invisible,e without body, parts,f or passions;g immutable,h immense,i eternal,k incomprehensible,l almighty,m most wise,n most holy,o most free,p most absolute;q working all things according to the counsel of his own immutable and most righteous will,r for his own glory;s most loving,t gracious, merciful, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin;u the rewarder of them that diligently seek him;w and withal, most just, and terrible in his judgments,x hating all sin,y and who will by no means clear the guilty.z

(a) Deut 6:4; 1 Cor 8:4,6; Gal 3:20
(b) 1 Thess 1:9; Jer 10:10
(c) Job 11:7-9; Job 26:14; Ps 139:6
(d) John 4:24
(e) 1 Tim 1:17; John 1:18
(f) Deut 4:15-16; John 4:24; Luke 24:39
(g) Acts 14:11,15
(h) Jas 1:17; Mal 3:6
(i) 1 Kgs 8:27; Jer 23:23-24
(k) Ps 90:2; 1 Tim 1:17
(l) Ps 145:3; Rom 11:34
(m) Gen 17:1; Rev 4:8
(n) Rom 16:27
(o) Isa 6:3; Rev 4:8
(p) Ps 115:3; Isa 14:24
(q) Isa 45:5-6; Exod 3:14
(r) Eph 1:11
(s) Prov 16:4; Rom 11:36; Rev 4:11
(t) 1 John 4:8; 1 John 4:16; John 3:16
(u) Exod 34:6-7
(w) Heb 11:6
(x) Neh 9:32-33; Heb 10:28-31
(y) Rom 1:18; Ps 5:5-6; Ps 11:5
(z) Exod 34:7; Nah 1:2-3,6

II. God hath all life,a glory,b goodness,c blessedness,d in and of himself; and is alone in and unto himself all-sufficient, not standing in need of any creatures which he hath made,e nor deriving any glory from them,f but only manifesting his own glory in, by, unto, and upon them. He is the alone fountain of all being, of whom, through whom, and to whom are all things;g and hath most sovereign dominion over them, to do by them, for them, or upon them whatsoever himself pleaseth.h In his sight all things are open and manifest,i his knowledge is infinite, infallible, and independent upon the creature,k so as nothing is to him contingent, or uncertain.l He is most holy in all his counsels, in all his works, and in all his commands.m To him is due from angels and men, and every other creature, whatsoever worship, service, or obedience he is pleased to require of them.n

(a) Jer 10:10; John 5:26
(b) Acts 7:2
(c) Ps 119:68
(d) 1 Tim 6:15; Rom 9:5
(e) Acts 17:24-25
(f) Luke 17:10
(g) Rom 11:36
(h) Rev 4:11; Dan 4:25,35; 1 Tim 6:15
(i) Heb 4:13
(k) Rom 11:33-34; Ps 147:5
(l) Acts 15:18; Ezek 11:5
(m) Ps 145:17; Rom 7:12
(n) Rev 5:12-14

III. In the unity of the Godhead there be three persons, of one substance, power, and eternity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost:o 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.q

(o) Matt 3:16-17; Matt 28:19; 2 Cor 13:14; Eph 2:18
(p) John 1:14,18; Heb 1:2-3; Col 1:15
(q) John 15:26; Gal 4:6