The rule of faith, or, An exposition of the Apostles Creed so handled as…

For the third point, Almightiness is attributed in the Creed to the Father, not to import that the Son and holy Ghost were not almighty; but because, when the father is said to be almighty, it must needs follow that they are almighty also; because the father being the fountain and original of the person of the Son and holy Ghost doth communicate to them, his whole Nature, and all the Attributes of the Divinity: And the Father being first in the order of working, fitly is the power of working given to him in the first place.

For the third point, Almightinesse is attributed in the Creed to the Father, not to import that the Sonne and holy Ghost were not almighty; but because, when the father is said to be almighty, it must needs follow that they are almighty also; because the father being the fountaine and originall of the person of the Sonne and holy Ghost doth communicate to them, his whole Nature, and all the Attributes of the Diuinitie: And the Father being first in the order of working, fitly is the power of working giuen to him in the first place.

For the fourth point: The things which God cannot do may be referred to five Heads: for first, he cannot do things ⟨p. 140⟩that be false or sinful: He cannot lye, or deny himself, or do unjustly, as divers Scriptures show. Secondly, he cannot do things that be contrary to his Nature, he cannot dye or be finite, or be ignorant of any thing, or be corporeal, or the like. Thirdly, he cannot do things which he cannot will, or are contrary to his will: He can do many things more then he will; but he cannot do any thing, which he cannot will: for his will is as infinite as his power, nor can he do any thing against his will, or contrary to his own purpose or decree. Fourthly, he cannot do contradictories, to make one and the self same thing to be and not to be at the same time, to make a Creature finite and infinite, in that wherein he is finite. Fifthly, he cannot do things simply impossible; I say simply impossible, for many things are impossible to men and Angels, which in their own Nature are not impossible: As it is impossible for us to make a Cable to go through the Eye of a Needle, but it is not simply impossible in it self, and therefore God can do it: God is therefore called omnipotent, because he can do all possible things. Neither do any of these