But to us there is but one God, the Father
In this Christians and Jews agree with the best and wisest
philosophers of the Gentiles, that there is but one God; which is
clear from the perfections of God, as necessary existence,
eternity, infinity, omnipotence, all-sufficiency, goodness, and
perfection; from one first cause of all things; from the
government of the world; and from the writings of the Old and New
Testament: so that to us believers this point is out of all
doubt; but who this one God is the Gentiles knew not, and the
Jews are very ignorant of; but we Christians know him to be "the
Father"; by whom meant either God essentially considered, the one
God, Father, Son, and Spirit, called the Father, not in relation
to any person in the Godhead, but in relation to the creatures:
so this one God, Father, Son, and Spirit, is the Father of
spirits, the creator of angels, and the souls of men, the God of
all flesh, the Father of all the individuals of human nature, the
Father or author of all the mercies and blessings the children of
men enjoy. Or else personally considered, and so designs the
first person in the Godhead, who is called so in relation to his
Son, who is styled the only begotten of the Father: and when he
is said to be the one God, it must be understood, not as
exclusive of the Son and Spirit; for if the Son stands excluded
in this clause from being the one God with the Father, by the
same rule of interpretation, the Father, in the next clause must
stand excluded from being the one Lord with Christ; but as
dominion or lordship belongs to the Father, so deity to the Son,
and also to the Spirit.
Of whom are all things;
all created beings and things; angels are of him, are created by
him, serve and worship him; devils are of him, and under him, and
at his control, though they have rebelled against him; all
mankind are of him, and are his offspring; the whole universe,
the heavens, the earth, and seas, and all that in them are, are
of him; all things in nature, providence, grace, and glory, come
of him: he is the author of every mercy, temporal and spiritual.
And we in him:
or "for him": as creatures we are not only made by him, but live
in him, and are supported in him, and by him, and are created for
his glory: though this seems rather to respect what believers
are, as new creatures; they are in God; they are interested in
him as their covenant God, and in his everlasting and immutable
love; they are engraven on his hands, and set as a seal on his
heart; they are "into him", as it may be rendered; they are
brought into nearness to him, and communion with him; and are
"for him", are chosen, redeemed, regenerated, and called for the
glorifying of his grace, and to show forth his praise.
And one Lord Jesus Christ;
so called, not to the exclusion of the Father and Spirit, but in
opposition to the lords many before mentioned, and with respect
to all his people. Christ is the one Lord of all, as he is God
over all, the Creator and Former of all things; and he is so
likewise as Mediator, having all power, dominion, and government
put into his hands: he is, in a special sense, the one Lord of
his people, and that by right of marriage to them; by right of
redemption of them; through his being an head unto them, and King
of them; and by a voluntary surrender of themselves to him,
rejecting all other lords, as sin, Satan, and the world, who have
formerly had dominion over them, they acknowledge him to be their
one and only Lord:
by whom are all things;
in nature; all the created beings of this, or the other world,
whether visible or invisible, thrones, dominions, principalities,
and powers, are by him; no creature was made without him, and all
by him; and all things in grace, our election, redemption,
reconciliation, pardon, justification, and everlasting glory and
happiness,
And we by him;
we are redeemed by him from sin, Satan, the law, death, and hell;
we are by him what we are, as Christians, as believers in him; by
him, and from him, we have all the grace and the supplies of it
we have; by him we have access to the Father, and fellowship with
him; by him we are governed, influenced, protected, and preserved
to his kingdom and glory; and by him we are, and shall be, saved
with an everlasting salvation.