fingers. Also, I will dwell in Jacob, and Israel shall be my tabernacle. 7. But in that Christ calls his Father a heavenly Father, his meaning is that his Father's lustre and power appear and shine very bright and pure in heaven; and that above the circle or enclosure which we behold with our eyes, and which we call heaven, doth appear the totally triumphing Holy Trinity, The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. 8. Thereby Christ also distinguisheth his heavenly Father from the father of nature, which is indeed the stars and the elements; these are our natural father, out of which we are made, and by whose impulse we live here in this world, and from whence we have our food and nourishment. 9. Therefore God is our heavenly Father, in that our soul continually longeth after him, and is desirous of him, yea it thirsteth and hungereth continually after him. 10. The body hungereth and thirsteth after the father of nature, viz. the stars and the elements, and that father feedeth and nourisheth the body. 11. But the soul thirsteth after the heavenly holy Father, and he giveth meat and drink to it, feeding it with his holy Spirit, and the spring, source or fountain of joy. 12. Yet we have not two fathers, but one only: For heaven is made by his power, and the stars are made out of his wisdom which is in him, and which proceedeth forth from him. Of the Substance and Property of the Father. 13. When we consider the whole nature and its property, then we see the Father. 14. When we behold heaven and the stars, then we behold his eternal power and wisdom: So many stars stand in the whole heaven that they are innumerable and incomprehensible to reason, and some of them are not visible, so manifold and [so] various is the power and wisdom of God the Father. 15. But every star in heaven differeth in its power and quality, which also maketh so many distinctions in and among the creatures upon the earth, and in the whole creation. 16. All the powers which are in nature proceed from God the Father; all light, heat, cold, air, water; and all the powers of the earth, bitter, sour, sweet, astringent, hard and soft, and more than can be reckoned; all have their beginning from the Father. 17. Therefore if a man would liken the Father to anything, he should liken him to the round globe of heaven. 18. Thou must not conceive here that every power which is in the Father standeth in a peculiar severed or divided part and place in the Father, as the stars do in heaven. 19. No, the spirit sheweth that all the powers in the Father are one in another as one power. 20. A resemblance, image or figure whereof we have in the Prophet Ezekiel, [Chap. 1] who seeth the Lord in the spirit and resemblance like a wheel, having four other wheels one in another, the four being like one another; and when they moved they went straight forward, which way soever the wind did sit or blow, and that way they all went forward, having no cause of returning.
21. Thus it is with God the Father; for all the powers are in the Father, one in another, as one power; and all powers consist in the Father, in an unsearchable light and clarity or brightness and glory. 22. Yet thou must not think that God, who is in heaven and above heaven, doth there stand and hover, like a power and quality which hath in it neither reason nor knowledge. 23. As the sun which turneth round in its circle, and poureth forth from itself heat and light, whether it be for benefit or hurt to the earth and creatures, which indeed would be for hurt if the other planets and stars did not hinder. 24. No, the Father is not so, but he is an allmighty, allwise, allknowing, allseeing, allhearing, allsmelling, allfeeling, alltasting God, who in himself is meek, friendly, gracious, merciful and full of joy, yea joy itself. 25. And he is thus from eternity to eternity unchangeable: He never changed himself in his being, neither will he change himself in all eternity. 26. He is proceeded or born of nothing, but he himself is all, in eternity; and all whatsoever is, is come from his power, which from eternity goeth forth from him. 27. His immensity, height and depth, no creature, no nor any angel in heaven, can search into, but the angels live in the power of the Father, very meekly and full of joy, and they always sing in the power of the Father.
fingers. Also, I will dwell in Jacob, and Israel shall be my tabernacle. 7. But in that Christ calls his Father a heavenly Father, his meaning is that his Father's lustre and power appear and shine very bright and pure in heaven; and that above the circle or enclosure which we behold with our eyes, and which we call heaven, does appear the totally triumphing Holy Trinity, The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. 8. Thereby Christ also distinguishes his heavenly Father from the father of nature, which is indeed the stars and the elements; these are our natural father, out of which we are made, and by whose impulse we live here in this world, and from whence we have our food and nourishment. 9. Therefore God is our heavenly Father, in that our soul continually longs after him, and is desirous of him, yea it thirsts and hungers continually after him. 10. The body hungers and thirsts after the father of nature, viz. the stars and the elements, and that father feeds and nourishes the body. 11. But the soul thirsts after the heavenly holy Father, and he gives meat and drink to it, feeding it with his holy Spirit, and the spring, source or fountain of joy. 12. Yet we have not two fathers, but one only: For heaven is made by his power, and the stars are made out of his wisdom which is in him, and which proceeds forth from him. Of the Substance and Property of the Father. 13. When we consider the whole nature and its property, then we see the Father. 14. When we behold heaven and the stars, then we behold his eternal power and wisdom: So many stars stand in the whole heaven that they are innumerable and incomprehensible to reason, and some of them are not visible, so manifold and [so] various is the power and wisdom of God the Father. 15. But every star in heaven differs in its power and quality, which also makes so many distinctions in and among the creatures upon the earth, and in the whole creation. 16. All the powers which are in nature proceed from God the Father; all light, heat, cold, air, water; and all the powers of the earth, bitter, sour, sweet, astringent, hard and soft, and more than can be reckoned; all have their beginning from the Father. 17. Therefore if a man would liken the Father to anything, he should liken him to the round globe of heaven. 18. You must not conceive here that every power which is in the Father stands in a peculiar severed or divided part and place in the Father, as the stars do in heaven. 19. No, the spirit shows that all the powers in the Father are one in another as one power. 20. A resemblance, image or figure whereof we have in the Prophet Ezekiel, [Chap. 1] who sees the Lord in the spirit and resemblance like a wheel, having four other wheels one in another, the four being like one another; and when they moved they went straight forward, which way soever the wind did sit or blow, and that way they all went forward, having no cause of returning.
21. Thus it is with God the Father; for all the powers are in the Father, one in another, as one power; and all powers consist in the Father, in an unsearchable light and clarity or brightness and glory. 22. Yet you must not think that God, who is in heaven and above heaven, does there stand and hover, like a power and quality which has in it neither reason nor knowledge. 23. As the sun which turns round in its circle, and pours forth from itself heat and light, whether it be for benefit or hurt to the earth and creatures, which indeed would be for hurt if the other planets and stars did not hinder. 24. No, the Father is not so, but he is an allmighty, allwise, allknowing, allseeing, allhearing, allsmelling, allfeeling, alltasting God, who in himself is meek, friendly, gracious, merciful and full of joy, yea joy itself. 25. And he is thus from eternity to eternity unchangeable: He never changed himself in his being, neither will he change himself in all eternity. 26. He is proceeded or born of nothing, but he himself is all, in eternity; and all whatsoever is, is come from his power, which from eternity goes forth from him. 27. His immensity, height and depth, no creature, no nor any angel in heaven, can search into, but the angels live in the power of the Father, very meekly and full of joy, and they always sing in the power of the Father.
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