Looking unto Jesus a view of the everlasting gospel, or, the souls eying of…

For the first, that God hath a most excellent understanding, or that he is understanding it self in the highest degree, is very clear; for he that gives understanding to all his intelligible creatures, must needs have it, and be it most eminently in himself: if fire be the cause of heat in other things, it must needs be, that fire is the hottest of any thing;^* the axiom is common, but the Scripture verifies it, with God is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding. Nay, that this understanding is his very being is very plain, Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom, I am understanding, and I am strength.

For the first, that God hath a most excellent understanding, or that he is understanding it self in the highest degree, is very clear; for he that gives understanding to all his intelligible creatures, must needs have it, and be it most eminently in himself: if fire be the cause of heat in other things, it must needs be, that fire is the hottest of any thing;^* the axiome is common, but the Scripture verifies it, with God is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding. Nay, that this understanding is his very being is very plain, Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom, I am understanding, and I am strength.

1. *Propter quod unum quodque tale, illud est magis tal•. Job 12 13 Prov. 8.14

For the second, that this understanding in God everlastingly acts or works, is very clear; for that understanding (which is the nature, essence, and being of God) is a mere act, or the first act, it is all one with the life of God; now as all life is active in it self, so the chief life (such as in the highest degree is to be attributed to God) must needs be active; what is the life of God, but an essential property, whereby the Divine nature is in perpetual action, living and moving in it self? and hereof is that speech in Scripture so often used,