William Ames

In the exercise of God's efficiency, the decree of God comes first. This manner of working is the most perfect of all and notably agrees with the divine nature. ↗

— William Ames

#decree #divine #divine nature #efficiency #exercise

Nothing exists from eternity but God, and God is not the matter or a part of any creature, but only the maker. ↗

— William Ames

#creature #eternity #exists #god #maker

Participation in the blessings of the union with Christ comes when the faithful have all the things needed to live well and blessedly to God. ↗

— William Ames

#christ #comes #faithful #god #live

The attributes of God tell us what He is and who He is. ↗

— William Ames

#god #tell #us #who

The efficiency of God may be understood as either creation or providence. ↗

— William Ames

#efficiency #either #god #may #providence

The first act of religion, therefore, concerns those things which are communicated to us from God. The other concerns those things which we yield to God. ↗

— William Ames

#communicated #concerns #first #god #other

The good pleasure of God is an act of the divine will freely and effectively determining all things. ↗

— William Ames

#all things #determining #divine #effectively #freely

The goodness of a thing created is the perfection of its fitness for the use which it serves. Now that use is either particular or universal. ↗

— William Ames

#either #fitness #goodness #now #particular

The starting point of sanctification is the filthiness, corruption, or stain of sin. ↗

— William Ames

#point #sanctification #sin #stain #starting

The will of God is eternal because He does not begin to will what He did not will before, nor cease to will what He willed before. ↗

— William Ames

#before #begin #cease #did #does