To define God perfectly, as that great and Christian1 xLogician said, we had need of Gods own Logic, whose nature known only to himself, infinitely exceedeth all thought and apprehension that can possibly be in any creature: wherefore to keep us within the limits of sobriety, not taking upon us to define that we know not, which were folly and madness, much less attempting it in the God-head, which were extreme ungodliness, we must remember the answer that God made unto Moses, desiring to see the Majesty of his presence, that he should see his hinder yparts, but his face could not be seen. There is then in God a forepart, and a face, there is a hinder part and back. By his face, that is, his very Majesty and Essence, no man or Angel is able to define GOD, but by those steps and marks of his glory, whereby he hath manifested himself in his Word and Works, as it were by his hinder and back parts, we may in some sort describe him, which what they are, appear in the next Chapter, when passing by Moses, (whom he set in the hollow of a Rock, and covered with his hand till he were gone by) he cried, zJEHOVAH, JEHOVAH, the mighty God, merciful and gracious, long suffering, and full of kindness and truth, preserving kindness for thousands, forgiving iniquity, and rebellion, and sin, by no means freeing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of fathers upon children, and upon children's children to the third and fourth Generation. All which, and whatsoever notes of his glory else, scattered here and there, in the whole Volume of the Scriptures, or shining every-where in the large Volume of the Heavens, are many times comprehended in one only word, as Jah, Jehovah, or Ehieh, (that is to say, I am) as if you would say, Being or perfection it self. For these three (coming from the same aroot, and being in effect but one) are that essential and proper name of God, whereby he calleth himself, when he would paint out▪ men the excellency of his Nature, and distinguish it from all other things that are in Heaven, or upon the earth, or under the earth. So Exod. 3. 13, 14, 15. unto Moses, ⟨p. 8⟩asking him, When I shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you, and they say to me, What is his name? what shall I say to them? JEHOVAH answered MOSES, EHIEH (or I am) for I am.
To define God perfectly, as that great and Christian1 xLogician said, wee had neede of Gods owne Logicke, whose nature knowne onely to himselfe, infinitely exceedeth all thought and apprehension that can possibly bee in any creature: wherefore to keepe vs within the limits of sobriety, not taking vpon vs to define that wee know not, which were folly and madnesse, much lesse attempting it in the God-head, which were extreme vngodlinesse, we must remember the answere that God made vnto Moses, desiring to see the Maiestie of his presence, that he should see his hinder yparts, but his face could not be seene. There is then in God a forepart, and a face, there is a hinder part and backe. By his face, that is, his very Maiestie and Essence, no man or Angell is able to define GOD, but by those steps and markes of his glory, whereby he hath manifested himselfe in his Word and Works, as it were by his hinder and backe parts, we may in some sort describe him, which what they are, appeare in the next Chapter, when passing by Moses, (whom he set in the hollow of a Rocke, and couered with his hand till he were gone by) he cryed, zIEHOVAH, IEHOVAH, the mighty God, mercifull and gracious, long suffering, and full of kindnesse and truth, preseruing kindnesse for thousands, forgiuing iniquity, and rebellion, and sinne, by no meanes freeing the guiltie, visiting the iniquity of fathers vpon children, and vpon childrens children to the third and fourth Generation. All which, and whatsoeuer notes of his glory else, scattered here and there, in the whole Volume of the Scriptures, or shining euery-where in the large Volume of the Heauens, are many times comprehended in one onely word, as Iah, Iehouah, or Ehieh, (that is to say, I am) as if you would say, Being or perfection it selfe. For these three (comming from the same aroot, and being in effect but one) are that essentiall and proper name of God, whereby he calleth himselfe, when he would paint out▪ men the excellency of his Nature, and distinguish it from all other things that are in Heauen, or vpon the earth, or vnder the earth. So Exod. 3. 13, 14, 15. vnto Moses, ⟨p. 8⟩asking him, When I shall say vnto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me vnto you, and they say to me, What is his name? what shall I say to them? IEHOVAH answered MOSES, EHIEH (or I am) for I am.
- 1God is Jehovah, three persons. Jehovah (which is Being or perfection it self)God is Iehouah, three persons. Iehouah (which is Being or perfection it self)
- xRamus in his Theology.
- yExod. 33. 23.
- zExod. 34. 6.
- a[Greek or Hebrew]〈non-Latin alphabet〉