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The Attributes of God on A Puritan's Mind

The Attributes of God and the Doctrine of God
Today, many Christians are turning back to the puritans to, “walk in the old paths,” of God’s word, and to continue to proclaim old truth that glorifies Jesus Christ. There is no new theology. In our electronic age, more and more people are looking to add electronic books (ePubs, mobi and PDF formats) to their library – books from the Reformers and Puritans – in order to become a “digital puritan” themselves. Take a moment to visit Puritan Publications (click the banner below) to find the biggest selection of rare puritan works updated in modern English in both print form and in multiple electronic forms. There are new books published every month. All proceeds go to support A Puritan’s Mind.

McMahon’s work on The Doctrine of God:

McMahon covers that God is incomprehensible, Trinitarian, glorious, a pure spirit, self-sufficient, simple, unified, impassible, immutable, infinite, omnipresent, eternal, invisible, omniscient, all wise, light, truth, free, holy, good, faithful, love, gracious, merciful, longsuffering, sovereign, omnipotent, righteous, just, wrathful, jealous, and eminently beautiful. He ends with a concluding chapter on how the Christian should always be rejoicing in God’s majesty. Check out the book here.

Books on the Attributes of God Online at A Puritan’s Mind (or Linked)

The Christian’s Desire to See God Face to Face by Richard Sibbes (Modernized)
The Harmony of the Divine Attributes in the contrivance and accomplishment of man’s redemption by the Lord Jesus Christ, or, Discourses wherein is shewed how the wisdom, mercy, justice, holiness, power, and truth of God are glorified in that great and blessed work – by William Bates (1625-1699).
The Christian’s Reasonable Service Volume 1 – Wilhelmus aBrakel
The Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin
A Body of Divinity by Thomas Watson (1620-1686)
The Existence and Attributes of God – by Stephen Charnock (1628-1680)
Christ and the Covenant – Meditating on the Attributes of God by William Bridge (1600-1670)
Grace for Grace – an Explanation of the Attributes of God – by William Bridge (1600-1670)
The All-sufficiency of God by Ezekiel Hopkins (1633-1690) (See also the last part of his works in volume 2)
The Incomparable Goodness and Attributes of God by George Swinnock (1627-1673)
The Doctrine of the Trinity by John Owen (1616-1683)
Systematic Theology by Louis Berkhof
The Doctrine of God by Herman Bavinck
The Marrow of Theology Online by William Ames (1576-1633)
The Decrees of God – by William Ames (1576-1633)
The Attributes of God and Christ’s Deity from Volume 5 of his works – by Thomas Brooks (1608-1680)
A Post-script to the Late Letter of the Reconcileableness of God’s Prescience, – by John Howe (1630-1705)
A Treatise of the Nature of God – by Thomas Morton (1564-1659).
Life Eternal or, A Treatise of the Knowledge of the Divine Essence and Attributes – by John Preston (1587-1628).
The Remaining Discourses on the Attributes of God, viz. his Goodness. His mercy. His patience. His long-suffering. His power. His spirituality. His immensity. His eternity. His incomprehensibleness. God the first cause, and last end – John Tillotson (1630-1694)
Several Discourses on the Attributes of God – by John Tillotson (1630-1694)
A Philosophical Essay Towards an Eviction of the Being and Attributes of God. Seth Ward (1617-1689)
On The Knowledge and Wisdom of God by Stephen Charnock PDF
Calvin’s Doctrine of the Knowledge of God by BB Warfield PDF
The Divine Triunity of the Godhead by Francis Cheynell EEBO
A Treatise Concerning the Trinity of Persons in Unity of the Deity by Alexander Gill EEBO
A Discourse in Vindication of the Doctrine of the Trinity by Edward Stillingfleet EEBO
The Doctrine of the Blessed Trinity by John Wallis (1616-1703) EEBO
The Trinity – by Dr. Louis Berkhof
The Trinity – by Dr. RL Dabney
The Trinity – by Rev. John Hales
Three Persons but One God – by Rev. Thomas Watson (1620-1686)
The Self-Existence of the Son – by William Romaine
The Divine Trinity – by Dr. Herman Bavinck
Of the Holy Trinity – by Rev. Thomas Boston (1676-1732)
Father, Son and Holy Spirit: Each Have a Part in Saving Sinners by James Buchanan
On the Eternity of God by Stephen Charnock
Personal Distinctions in the Trinity by RL Dabney
The Attributes of God and Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion – by C. Matthew McMahon
The Attributes of God by AA Hodge
The Attributes of God by Louis Berkhof
The Attributes of God by William S. Plumer
The Being of God by Thomas Watson
The Biblical Doctrine of the Trinity by BB Warfield
The Divine Attributes by RL Dabney
The Divine Attributes by WGT Shedd
The Doctrine of the Trinity in the Early Church by William Cunningham
The Eternity of God by Charles Hodge
The Holy Trinity by Thomas Boston
The Names and Titles of God by William S. Plumer
The Omniscience of God by Thomas Watson
The Trinity by Thomas Watson
The Trinity by William S. Plumer
Trinity and Unity by William Cunningham

Linked Articles are to the Right Under the Heading “The Attributes of God”

Introduction to the chart by C. Matthew McMahon:

The foundation of all Christian religion is the character of God, seen in the attributes of God. God possesses in Himself all glory and holiness, demonstrating his supreme worthiness to be honored for who he is. God obligates the creature who has been placed directly under his Creator to honor and serve God and devote his entire existence to Him. Thus, our time of private “devotions” and public worship ought to begin and end with honoring God to whom such honor is due. God’s character eternally obligates the creature where the form (or essence) of religion consists of man’s knowledge, recognition, and zealous endorsement of this covenanted obligation. Man is to live to God at all times and in all things with all that he is and is capable of performing for the glory of God – even if he is simply eating and drinking (1 Cor. 10:31). God, by virtue of His nature, is due this glorifying obedience. Man is, therefore, to devote himself to God as a spiritual sacrifice (Rom. 12:1-2) surrendering himself to the service of God in all points (Heb. 12:28). Man does so because God is his God, and his eternal happiness depends on it as an obligation. “Establish Your word to Your servant, Who is devoted to fearing You,” (Psa. 119:38).

Essential to rightly drawing near to God and honoring his holy and glorious name is the revelation of God’s will in His Regulative Principle. God alone determines the manner in which sinners approach him. It has not been left to man to determine the manner in which he would serve God. Anyone who engages himself in ways not appointed by God in private or public worship exalts himself above God and displeases the Lord in all his activity, bringing disgrace in his function in light of the character of God’s holiness. “But in vain they do worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men,” (Mat. 15:9). In regulating one’s life as a transformed Christian under the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the power of the Spirit, the Christian is to offer to God his due according to his word and in light of the glory of his character. “Who is like You, glorious in holiness,” (Exod. 15:11). In this way, the attributes of God as found in Scripture, aid the obligated worshipper to understand the God he serves.

Consider the following chart, which is housed with Scripture, the 1647 Westminster Confession, The Marrow of Theology by William Ames, and the book Systematic Theology by Louis Berkhof as aids to help you to see God more clearly as one professing obligation in his service as a covenanted member of his church and body.

(See the attributes of God as they are laid out in Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Region here.)

Scripture 1647 Westminster Confession William Ames – The Marrow of Theology Louis Berkhof – Systematic Theology
Trinity Genesis 1:26, 3:22; Deut 6:4; 1 Tim. 2:5; 1 John 5:7; Matt. 3:16-17; 2 Cor. 13:14; Titus 3:4–6; Heb. 9:14; 1 Peter 1:2 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, The Father is of none, neither begotten nor proceeding; the Son is eternally begotten of the Father; the Holy Ghost eternally proceeding from the Father and the Son. (WCF 2:3) The subsistence  of God is that one Essence, as it exists with its Personal properties. The same essence is common to three subsistences; and as touching the Deity, every subsistence is of itself. (1:5:1-2) In this one Divine Being there are three Persons or individual subsistences, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This is proved by the various passages referred to as substantiating the doctrine of the Trinity. (89ff)
Aseity Exod. 3:14; Deut. 32:40; Psalm 90:2, 102:25-27; Acts 17:23-25; Isa. 40:28-31, 44:6; John 5:26; Rev. 4:10; Jer. 10:10 There is but one only living and true God… (WCF 2:1) Question 7: What is God? Answer: God is … in and of himself infinite in being. (WLC Q7) God exists of himself; that is, he is neither from another, nor of another, nor by another, nor for another. The sufficiency of God is that whereby he himself has sufficient in himself for himself, and for us; hence he is also called All-sufficient.(1:4:16, 1:4:10) He is said to live in himself, because he receives neither being nor life from any other, in any part. (1:4:36) The aseity of God includes the positive idea of his self-existence and self-sufficiency. (32)
Incomprehensible Exod. 20:21; Deut. 4:11; 1 Kings 8:12; Job 11:7–9, 15:8, Job 37:1–24; Psa. 18:11, 97:2; Isa. 40:12–31; 1 Cor. 2:16 There is but one only living and true God, … Incomprehensible. (WCF 2:1) Question 7: What is God? Answer: God is … Incomprehensible. (WLC Q7) God as he is in himself, cannot be apprehended by any but himself. (1:4:2) God is incomprehensible, because he is void of any bounds to encompass him. (1:4:46) The Christian Church confesses on the one hand that God is the Incomprehensible one, but also on the other hand, that He can be known and that knowledge of Him is an absolute requisite unto salvation. (Job 11:7; Isa. 40:18; John 17:3.) (29)
Simple or Impassible Exod. 3:14; Num. 23:19; Deut. 4:15-16; 1 Sam. 15:29; Psalm 110:4, 145:3-8; Isa 6:1-4; John 4:24; 1 Tim. 1:17; Heb. 11:27. There is but one only living and true God, who is … without body, parts, or passions. (WCF 2:1) These attributes in God are one most pure and simple act. (1:4:20) When we speak of the simplicity of God, we use the term to describe the state or quality of being simple, the condition of being free from division into parts, and therefore from compositeness. It means that God is not composite and is not susceptible of division in any sense of the word. (62)
Unity Deut. 6:4; 1 Kings 8:60, 20:28; Isa. 42:8, 45:41; Her. 23:34; Mark 12:29-32; John 17:3; 1 Cor. 8:4-6; Gal. 3:20; 1 Tim. 2:5; James 2:19 There is but one only living and true God who is infinite in being and perfection … without body, parts, or passions. (WCF 2:1) Question 7: What is God? Answer: God is perfection. (WLC Q7) First, that God is one, and only one. (1:4:15) There is in the Divine Being but one indivisible essence (ousia, essentia). God is one in His essential being or constitutional nature. (89ff, 3.a.)
Infinite 1 Kin. 8:27; 2 Chr. 2:6; Psa. 147:5; Jer. 23:24; Judg. 13:18; Job 5:8-9, 9:10; Isa. 40:28; Rom. 11:33-34; 1 Cor. 2:10-11, 16; Eph. 3:8 There is but one only living and true God, who is infinite in being… (WCF 2:1) Question 7: What is God? Answer: God is … infinite in being. (WLC Q7) God is infinite, as he is void of all bounds of his Essence. (1:4:43) The infinity of God is that perfection of God by which He is free from all limitations. In ascribing it to God we deny that there are or can be any limitations to the divine Being or attributes. It implies that He is in no way limited by the universe, by this time- space world, or confined to the universe. (59)
Eternal Deut. 33:27; Job 36:26; Psa. 9:7, 33:11; Isa. 48:12; Jer. 10:10; Dan. 4:34; Rom. 1:20; Eph. 3:21; 1 Tim. 1:17 There is but one only living and true God, who is … eternal. (WCF 2:1) Question 7: What is God? Answer: God is eternal. (WLC Q7) God is also eternal, because he is without beginning and end. (1:4:48) The infinity of God in relation to time is called His eternity. The form in which the Bible represents God’s eternity is simply that of duration through endless ages, Ps. 90:2; 102:12; Eph. 3:21. (61)
Immensity or Omnipresence Job 34:21; Psalm 139:7-10; Prov. 15:3; Isa 43:2, 66:1; Jer. 23:24; Matthew 6:6, 18:20; Acts 17:24-27; Heb. 4:13 There is but one only living and true God, who is … immense. (WCF 2:1) Question 7: What is God? Answer: God is … everywhere present. (WLC Q7) He is present everywhere, because there is no place from which he is excluded, nor is he included anywhere. (1:4:47) The infinity of God may also be viewed with reference to space, and is then called His immensity. It may be defined as that perfection of the Divine Being by which He transcends all spatial limitations, and yet is present in every point of space with His whole Being. (60)
Immutable Num. 23:19-20; 1 Sam. 15:29; Job 23:13; Psa. 33:11; Prov. 19:21; Eccl. 3:14; Isa. 40:28; Mal. 3:6; Rom. 11:29; Heb. 6:17-18; James 1:17. There is but one only living and true God, who is … immutable. (WCF 2:1) Question 7: What is God? Answer: God is …  unchangeable. (WLC Q7) He is void of that power which is called passive; hence he is unchangeable. (1:4:17) The Immutability of God is that perfection of God by which He is devoid of all change, not only in His Being, but also in His perfections, and in His purposes and promises. In virtue of this attribute He is exalted above all growth or decay in His Being or perfections. (60)
Spirit 1 Kings 8:27; 2 Chr. 2:6; Acts 7:48-49. Psa. 139:3–10; Jer. 23:23-24; John 4:24; Gen. 1:2; Matt. 1:18-20; 1 John 5:6–8; Rev. 22:17. There is but one only living and true God, who is … a most pure spirit, invisible. (WCF 2:1) Question 7: What is God? Answer: God is a Spirit … all-sufficient. (WLC Q7) God is a Spirit having life in himself. Joh 4.24, God is a Spirit. Joh 5.26, The Father has life in himself. He is called a Spirit, 1. Negatively, because he is not a body. 2. Analogically, or by a certain likeness, because there are many perfections in spiritual substances which shadow forth the Divine nature more than any bodily thing can. (1:4:33-34) Christ said to the Samaritan woman, “God is Spirit,” John 4:24. It includes the thought that all the essential qualities which belong to the perfect idea of Spirit are found in Him: that He is a self-conscious and self-determining Being. (65)
Invisible Exod. 33:20; 1 Kings 8:12; Job 9:11; John 1:18; John 5:37; Rom. 1:20; Col. 1:13–15; 1 Tim. 1:17; Heb. 11:27; 1 John 4:12 There is but one only living and true God, who is … a most pure spirit, invisible, without body, parts, or passions… (WCF 2:1) Question 7: What is God? Answer: God is a Spirit … everywhere present. (WLC Q7) See Spirit. God has none of the properties belonging to matter, and He cannot be discerned by the bodily senses. (1 Tim. 1:17; 1 Tim. 6:15-16). (66)
Knowledge or Omniscience 1 Kings 8:39; 1 Chron. 28:19; Psalm 147:5; Isa. 40:28; Matthew 10:30; Acts 1:24, 15:18; Romans 8:29; Hebrews 4:13; 1 John 3:20 There is but one only living and true God, who is … most wise, … most free, most absolute, working all things according to the counsel of his own immutable and most righteous will. (WCF 2:1) Question 7: What is God? Answer: God is … knowing all things, most wise. (WLC Q7) The understanding of God is simple,  without any composition, discourse, or representation of shapes. (Heb 4:13). 54. The understanding of God is unchangeable; he does not know otherwise, nor one thing more than another, nor more before than now, or now than before. (Acts 15:18). 55. The understanding of God is eternal; it neither begins nor ends. Ibid. 56. The understanding of God is Infinite, because he perceives all truths, and the reasons for all things. (Job 11:8-9; Psalm 139:6). (1:4:54-56) The knowledge of God may be defined as that perfection of God whereby He, in an entirely unique manner, knows Himself and all things possible and actual in one eternal and most simple act. (66)
Wisdom Job 12:13; Psalm 104:1-34; Proverbs 3:19, 8:1ff; Dan. 2:20–28; Eph. 3:10; James 3:17; Rom. 11:33; 1 Cor. 2:7; Rev. 7:12. There is but one only living and true God, who is … most wise. (WCF 2:1) Question 7: What is God? Answer: God is … knowing all things, most wise. (WLC Q7) His ordination assigning to everything his use, Let it be to this or that end. Hence the wisdom of God shines forth whereby he has assigned several uses to everything, in a most fitting way, Jer 10.12; 51.15.  He made the Earth by his power; he established the habitable World by his wisdom; and he stretched out the Heavens by his prudence. (1:8:49) God’s wisdom is His intelligence as manifested in the adaptation of means to ends. We may be a little more specific and call it that perfection of God whereby He applies His knowledge to the attainment of His ends in a way which glorifies Him most. (69)
Truth Deut. 32:4; Psalm 31:5; Isa. 65:16; Jer. 10:10; John 7:13; 1 Thess. 1:9; Titus 1:2; Heb. 6:18; 1 John 1:5, 5:20-21 There is but one only living and true God, who is … working all things according to the counsel of his own immutable and most righteous will, … abundant in … truth. (WCF 2:1) Virtue is attributed to God as it denotes a readiness to do; not with respect to a habit that is distinct from faculty and act. (1:4:64) The truth of God is that perfection of His Being by virtue of which He fully answers to the idea of the Godhead, is perfectly reliable in His revelation, and sees things as they really are. (69)
Faithfulness Deut 7:9; Psalm 89:8; Isa 25:21; Lam. 3:23; 1 Cor. 1:9, 10:13; Heb. 2:17; 1 Peter 4:19; Rev. 3:14, 22:6 There is but one only living and true God, who is the … rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (WCF 2:1) Question 7: What is God? Answer: God is … unchangeable, … everywhere present, … almighty, knowing all things, most wise, … most just … abundant in goodness and truth. (WLC Q7) Faithfulness is that by which he effects what he has decreed, as he has decreed it. Isa 46.10, My Counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure. (1:7:6) Faithfulness is that truth of God in virtue of which He is ever mindful of His covenant and fulfils all the promises which He has made to His people. This faithfulness of God is of the utmost practical significance to the people of God. It is the ground of their confidence, the foundation of their hope, and the cause of their rejoicing. (70)
Goodness Gen. 1:31; Exod. 34:6; Ezra 3:11; Psalm 52:1, 68:10, 73:1, 107:1; Rom. 2:4, 11:22; 2 Thess. 1:11 There is but one only living and true God, who is … abundant in goodness. (WCF 2:1) Question 7: What is God? Answer: God is … unchangeable, … everywhere present, … almighty, knowing all things, most wise, … most just … abundant in goodness and truth. (WLC Q7) Beneficence is that whereby, being rich in goodness, he pours forth many good things, even upon Sinners. (1:12:27) The fundamental idea is that He is in every way all that He as God should be, and therefore answers perfectly to the ideal expressed in the word “God.” He is good in the metaphysical sense of the word, absolute perfection and perfect bliss in Himself. It is in this sense that Jesus said to the young ruler: “None is good save one, even God,” Mark 10:18.
Love Deut. 7:13; Prov. 8:17, 21; Song of Songs 2:4; John 3:16; Romans 5:5, 8:39; 2 Cor. 13:14; 2 Thess. 3:5; 1 John 2:5 There is but one only living and true God, who is … most loving. (WCF 2:1) Question 20. Did God leave all mankind to perish in the estate of sin and misery? Answer: God having, out of his mere good pleasure, from all eternity, elected some to everlasting life, did enter into a covenant of grace, to deliver them out of the estate of sin and misery, and to bring them into an estate of salvation by a Redeemer. (WSC Q20) God also has love of well-pleasedness towards us, Heb 13.16. But his well-pleasedness is in those good things which are communicated by him to us: but our well-pleasedness is in that goodness and Divine perfection which in no way depends on us. (2:7:12) When the goodness of God is exercised towards His rational creatures, it assumes the higher character of love, and this love may again be distinguished according to the objects on which it terminates. In distinction from the goodness of God in general, it may be defined as that perfection of God by which He is eternally moved to self-communication. (71)
Grace Exod. 34:6; Num. 6:25; 2 Chron. 30:9; Neh. 9:17; Psalm 103:8; 1 Cor. 15:10; Eph. 3:7; Titus 2:11; Heb. 2:9; 1 Peter 2:3 There is but one only living and true God, who is … most … gracious. (WCF 2:1) Question 7: What is God? Answer: God is… gracious. (WLC Q7) The restoring of man is lifting him up from an estate of sin and death, to an estate of grace and life. 2. The cause of this restoring was the merciful purpose of God. Eph 1.9, According to his free good will which he had purposed in himself. For there was nothing in man which could confer any force to procure this restoring; but rather, there was much made to the contrary, such as sin, in which there was an enmity against God, which in that respect commends this love of God towards us. Rom 5.8, But God commends his love towards us in that, when we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (1:18:1-2) The Bible generally uses the word to denote the unmerited goodness or love of God to those who have forfeited it, and are by nature under a sentence of condemnation. The grace of God is the source of all spiritual blessings that are bestowed upon sinners. (71)
Mercy Deut. 7:9; 1 Kings 8:23; Ezra 9:9; Psalm 86:15, 136:26; Luke 1:78; Rom. 9:16; Gal. 6:16; Eph. 2:4; 1 Tim. 1:2; 1 Peter 1:3 There is but one only living and true God, who is … merciful. (WCF 2:1) Question 7: What is God? Answer: God is… merciful. (WLC Q7) Mercy here shining forth is that by which he punishes Sin less than the condign  desert of it. 22. This mercy is clemency, or beneficence. 23. Clemency is that by which he moderates the punishments that are due. Lam 3.22, It is the Lord’s great kindness that we are not consumed. 24. Clemency appears in patience and long sufferance. (1:12:22-24) Mercy may be defined as the goodness or love of God shown to those who are in misery or distress, irrespective of their deserts. In His mercy God reveals Himself as a compassionate God, who pities those who are in misery and is ever ready to relieve their distress. (72)
Longsuffering Exod. 34:6; Num. 14:18; Psalm 86:15; Jer. 15:15; Rom. 2:4, 9:22; 1 Tim. 1:16; 1 Pet. 3:20; 2 Pet. 3:9, 15 There is but one only living and true God, who is … long suffering. (WCF 2:1) Question 7: What is God? Answer: God is… long suffering. (WLC Q7) 25. Patience is that whereby he forbearingly allows Sin, and spares the Sinners. 26. Long sufferance is that whereby he long suspends revenge. (1:1225-26) The longsuffering of God is  that aspect of the goodness or love of God in virtue of which He bears with the froward and evil in spite of their long continued disobedience. (72)
Holiness Exod. 28:36, 39:30; Lev. 11:44-45; Deut. 4:24; Psalm 99:9; Isa. 6:1-4, 62:9; 1 Thess. 1:7; Heb. 12:14, 29; 1 Peter 1:16 There is but one only living and true God, who is … most holy. (WCF 2:1) Question 7: What is God? Answer: God is… most holy. (WLC Q7) The holiness of God in the largest sense of the term, is that by which he is free, and as it were, separated from all imperfections, Isa 6.3; Rev 4.8.  But that holiness of God which properly shines forth there, is that by which — being pure from any spot of Sin — he cannot commune with any Sin. (1:12:18) This ethical holiness of God may be defined as that perfection of God, in virtue of which He eternally wills and maintains His own moral excellence, abhors sin, and demands purity in his moral creatures. (73)
Righteousness Ezra 9:15; Psalm 7:9, 116:5; Dan. 9:14; Rom. 1:17, 2:5, 3:5, 3:21; 2 Thess. 1:5-6; 2 Peter 1:1 There is but one only living and true God, who is … most just and terrible in his judgments; hating all sin, and who will by no means clear the guilty. (WCF 2:1) Question 7: What is God? Answer: God is… most just. (WLC Q7) See Justice. Righteousness is the rectitude of the divine nature, in virtue of which God is infinitely righteous in Himself, and is that perfection of God by which He maintains Himself over against every violation of His holiness, and shows in every respect that He is the Holy One. (74)
Justice Deut. 33:21; Job 8:3, 37:23; Psalm 89:14; Isa. 45:21; Jer. 50:7; Zeph. 3:5; Acts 22:14; 1 John 1:9; Rev. 15:3 There is but one only living and true God, who is … most just and terrible in his judgments; hating all sin, and who will by no means clear the guilty. (WCF 2:1) Question 7: What is God? Answer: God is… most just. (WLC Q7) The revenging justice of God which here shines forth, is that by which he inflicts evil upon those who do evil. (1:12:19) Justice usually serves to designate God’s rectitude in the execution of the law, and relates to the distribution of rewards and punishments; seen in two ways Remunerative and Retributive. (75)
Wrath Psalm 78:31; John 3:36; Rom. 1:18; Eph. 5:6; Col. 3:6; 1 Thess. 1:10; Rev. 14:10, 19, Rev. 15:1, 7, 16:1 There is but one only living and true God, who is … most just and terrible in his judgments; hating all sin, and who will by no means clear the guilty. (WCF 2:1) Question 7: What is God? Answer: God is… most just. (WLC Q7) This Justice as it plainly burns against Sin, is called wrath, Rom 1:18; Eph 5:6. As it more fiercely waxes hot, it is called fury, Deu 29:28. As it pronounces the sentence to be executed against a Sinner, it is called judgment, Rom 2:5. As it executes the sentence given, it is properly called revenge [or vengeance], Heb 10:30. (1:12:20) Retributive justice is an expression of the divine wrath. (75)
Sovereign Gen. 14:19; Exod. 18:11; Deut. 10:14-17; Psalm 115:3; Isa. 41:4, 43:13, 46:10; Jer. 27:5; Dan. 4:17, 35; Acts 17:24-26; Rom. 9:19-21; Rev. 19:6 There is but one only living and true God, who is … most free and most absolute working all things according to the counsel of his own immutable and most righteous will, for his own glory. (WCF 2:1) The chief title of God whereby he is distinguished from all idols, is that he is the living God, Deu 32.40; Psa 84.2; Jer 5.2. (1:4:37) Sovereignty is that perfection of His Being whereby He, in a most simple act, goes out towards Himself as the highest good (i.e. delights in Himself as such) and towards His creatures for His own name’s sake, and is thus the ground of their being and continued existence. (77)
Almighty Gen. 17:1; Ruth 1:20; Job 33:4; Psalm 91:1; Rom. 1:16; 1 Cor. 2:5; 2 Cor. 6:18; 2 Tim. 1:8; 1 Peter 1:5; Rev. 4:8, 11:17 There is but one only living and true God, who is … almighty. (WCF 2:1) The power of God being considered as plainly powerful, is altogether the same as his sufficiency, and it properly pertains to the nature of God, as it is considered under the respect of a being; and so it is before the knowledge and will of God. (1:6:6) Power in God may be called the effective energy of His nature, or that perfection of His Being by which He is the absolute and highest causality. (79)
Jealous Exod. 20:5, 34:14; Deut. 4:24, 5:9, 6:15; Joshua 24:19; Nah. 1:2; Zech. 8:2; John 2:17; 2 Cor. 11:2 There is but one only living and true God, who is … most free and most absolute working all things according to the counsel of his own immutable and most righteous will, for his own glory. (WCF 2:1) Question 7: What is God? Answer: God is… most holy … most just. (WLC Q7) The immediate object to which Religion is carried, is God. And that is so adequate that no duty of Religion may be referred to any other object without greatest injury to God. This pertains to that title of God whereby he is said to be Zelotes, Zelotypus, zealous or Jealous. (2:4:19) God is jealous of any use by man of unauthorized methods of worship or service. He uniformly insists upon this very point of His sovereign right of dictating methods of worship and service, as well as terms of acceptance. (361)
Beauty 1 Chron. 16:29; 2 Chron. 20:21; Psalm 27:4, 29:2, 45:11, 90:17, 96:9; Isa. 61:3; 1 Cor. 13:12; Rev. 22:4 Question 7: What is God? Answer: God is… perfection. (WLC Q7) Question 104: What are the duties required in the first commandment? Answer: The duties required in the first commandment are, the knowing and acknowledging of God to be the only true God, and our God; and to worship and glorify him accordingly. (WLC 108)
Glory Psalm 19:1; Prov. 25:2; Isa. 42:8; John 11:4; Acts 7:55; Rom. 3:23; 1 Cor. 10:31; Phil. 2:11; Rev. 21:11, 23 There is but one only living and true God, who is … most free and most absolute working all things according to the counsel of his own immutable and most righteous will, for his own glory. (WCF 2:1) Question 7: What is God? Answer: God is… infinite in being and glory. (WLC Q7)

 

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