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ὁ πατὴς, δ γ
ἑτερόθεν αὐτῷ,

S. Greg. Naz.

* neither his Being from another, nor from himfelf; not from another, that * Αναρχος οὖν
were repugnant to his Paternity; not from himself, that were a contradiction
in it felf. And therefore thofe expreffions are not to be understood pofitively side wag sau-
and affirmatively, but t negatively and exclufively, that he hath his Effence τοῦ τὸ εἶναι
from none, that he is not begotten of any, nor hath he any caufe of his exi- γνησι
ftence. So that the proper notion of the Father in whom we believe is this, γεγίνη), οὔθ'
that he is a Perfon fubfifting eternally in the one infinite Effence of the God-tou, out"
head; which Effence or Subfiftence he hath received from no other perfon, Athan. Sirur-

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ὑφ' ἑτέρω. S.

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femetipfo fit accipias, nemo fibi ipfi & munerator & munus eft. S. Hilar. de Trin. 1. 2. Qui putant Deum ejus potentiæ effe ut feipfum ipfe genuerit, eo plus errant, quòd non folum Deus ità non eft, fed neque corporalis neque fpiritualis creatura. Nulla enim omnino res eft quæ feipfam gignat ut fit. Et ideo non eft credendum, vel dicendum, quod Deus genuit fe. S. Aug. † This appeareth by thofe expofitions which have been given of such words as feem to bear the affirmation; ως αυτό λίθο, αυτοφυής, αὐτό δονΘ, αυτό χής, &c. Αὐτοχής, αυτογένεθλο, οὐκ ἔκ τινΘ ενώ. Hefych. And Auτολόχος]@, Θεὸς ἀγέννη]Θ-, αὐτογέννη. [d. And after him Suidas; Αὐτολόγου Θ, αὐτογέννη[Θ, ὁ Θεὸς ὁ ἀγέννη Θ. And if αὐτογέννη© be not αὐτόθεν γυνητὸς, no more is αὐτίθε@ to be taken for αὐτίθεν, or ἐξ ἑαυτοῦ Θεὸς. Eufebius in his Panegyrical Oration gives this title to the Son, Οἷα τοῦ καθόλυ θεοῦ παῖδα γνήσιον καὶ αὐτίθεον προσκείας. Hift. l. 1o. 6. 4. and in his Evangelical Demonfiration calls him, αυτονοι, καὶ αὐτολόγον, και αυτοσοφίαν, καὶ ἔτι ἢ αὐτοκαλὸν καὶ αὐτοα[αθόν, 1. 4. c. 2. and in the 13. chapter of the fame book, with relation to the former words, τοῦ Θεοῦ λόγΘ αὐτοζωὴ τυγχάνων, καὶ αὐτο φῶς νοερὸν, καὶ ὅσα ἄλλα προκαλείλεκ). Theodoret terms him, αὐτοδιίαμον καὶ αὐτοζων καὶ αὐτοσοφίαν. contra Anathem. 4. Cyrilli. S. Bafil. αὐτοζωω, in Pfal. 48. & de Spiritu Sandto, c. 8. and αὐτοδικαιοσμύίω. Ep. 141. S. Chryfoft. αὐτοαθανασίαν, αὐτομακαριότητα. S. Athan. gives him them, and many more to the fame purpofe. And before all thefe Origen ; Ο, νομίζομθμ ε πεπείσμεθα ἀρχῆθεν εἶναι Θεὸν, καὶ τὸν Θεοῦ, οὐτῷ ὁ αὐτολό [ο· ἐεὶ, καὶ ἡ αὐτοσοφία, καὶ ἡ αὐτοαλήθεια. And again, Τις μᾶλλον τ Ἰησοῦ ψυχῆς ἢ καν το βαπλησίως κεκόλλης της Κυρίῳ, τῷ αὐτολόγῳ, καὶ αὐτοσοφίᾳ καὶ αὐτοαληθείᾳ καὶ αὐτοδικαιοσκύῃ, 1. 6. Εἰκὼν μὲ τοῦ θεοῦ ὁ πρωτότοκα πάσης κλίσεως ἐσιν ὁ αὐτολό[@, καὶ ἡ αὐτοαλήθεια, ἔτι ἢ καὶ ἡ αὐτοσοφία. Ib. And certainly in the fame fenfe that auros is joined with one attribute, it may be joined with any other, and with the God head: because all the attributes of God are really the fame, not only with themselves, but with the Effence. But in what fenfe it ought to be understood, when thus used by the Fathers, it will be neceffary to enquire, left it be fo attributed to the Son, as it prove derogatory to the Father. S. Bafil, I confefs, may feem fo to fpeak, as if the Son were therefore αὐτοζωὴ, becaufe he hath life of himfelf, not from the Father, and confequently he may be termed αντίθε@, as Gold of himfelf, not from the Father for he denieth thofe words, 1 live by the Father, to be spoken of Chrift according to his divine nature, and that only for this reafon, that if it were fo underfood he could not be called αὐτοζωή. Εἰ 2 ο πατέρας ο υος ζῆ, δὲ ἕτερον, καὶ οὐ δὲ ἑαυτὸν ζῆ, ὁ ἢ δὲ ἕτερον ζῶν αὐτοζωὴ εἶναι οὐ διύα. from whence he concludeth, εις *' ενανθρώπησιν οιώ καὶ οὐκ εἰς τὰ θεότητα, τὸ εἰρημθρον νοεῖν δεῖ. contra Eunom. l. 4. But becaufe the authority of that book is questioned, I shall produce the fame Author upon the fame Scripture, Speaking to the fame purpose, in his 141 Epistle, which is unqueftionally genuine : Εν]αῦθα ἢ τὸ ῥητὸν οὐκ αὐτί προαιώνιον, ὡς οἶμαι, ζωνὴ ὀνομάζει· πᾶν δὲ τὸ δὲ ἕτερον ζών αὐτοζωὴ εἶναι οὐ διώα). Το which tefimonies I anfwer, firf, that thofe words of bis, ὡς οἶμαι, (as I think) (hew that he doth not abfolutely deny these words of Chrift to be underflood of his Divinity, of which the rest of the Fathers quoted. before did underland it ; and not only they but s. Bafil himfclf, in his book de Spiritu Sando, c. 3. bath delivered a clear refolution of this point according to that interpretation, wholly confonant to his Doctrine of the Trinity in other parts of his works : "Όμως θύ τοι ἵνα μή ποτε ἐκ τοῦ μεγέθες το ενεργε μέρων αδειασα πώριν, εἰς τὸ φαν]αειναι ἄναρχον είναι τ * κύριον, τί φησίν ἡ αὐτοζωή; Εδώ ζω αν πατέρα καὶ ἡ τοῦ θεοῦ διύαμις ; οὐ δεαν ὁ τὸς ποιεῖν ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ οὐδὲν. καὶ ἡ αὐτοτελής σοφία; Ἐντολῶ ἔλαβον τὶ εἴπω καὶ τὶ λαλήσω ; Chrift therefore as αὐτοζωή fpake thefe words, I live by the Father, and by them fhewed his origination from him, from whom he received his life, power and wisdom, as receiving his effence, which is the fame with them wherefore thofe former paffages are to be looked upon, as if auris in compofition did not deny origination, but participation, or receiving by way of affection. And that he understood it fo, appears out of the places themfelves : for in the frft, after ὁ δὲ ἕτερον ζῶν αὐτοζωή είναι οὐ διώα), immediately followerh, οὐ ἢ γδο και χάριν ἅδια αὐτοά[ι@· and in the Second, after πᾶν τὸ δὲ ἕτερην ζῶν αὐτοζωὴ εἶναι οὐ δώα), followeth likewife, ὡς οὐ ἢ τὸ ὑφ' ἑτέρα θερμανθὲν αὐτοθερμότης είναι. The meaning them of s. Bafil mut be this, that he which receiverh life frons another meerly as a grace or favour, as the Saints receive their Sanftity, cannot properly be termed αὐτοζωή, no more than they avrodios or if he receive it by derivation or participation, as water receiveth heat from fire, he deferverh the fame name no more than water heated to be called αὐτοθερμότης. And this is fully confonant to the expreffions of the reft of the ancients : as particularly Athanafius, Οὐ καὶ μετοχών ταῦτα ὤν, οὐδὲ ἔξωθεν, ἐπιγινομθύων τούτων αὐτῷ καὶ τοὺς αὐτοῦ μετέχοντας, καὶ σοφιζομθύες δὲ αὐτοῦ, καὶ δικαιοῦς καὶ λογικούς ἐν αὐτῷ γινομύρες ἀλλ' αὐτοσοφία, αὐτολό[Θ, αὐτοδύναμις ἰδία τοῦ πατρὸς ἐσιν, αὐτοφῶς, αὐτοαλήθεια, αὐτοδικαιοσμύη, αὐτοαρετή• in fine Protrept. And to the fame purpofe, Οτι οὐ μεθεκτί ἔχε 7 δωρεάν, ἀλλ' αὐτοπηγὴ καὶ αὐτόῤῥιζα πάντων ἐςὶ 7 ἀ[αθῶν, αὐτοζωὴ καὶ αὐτοφῶς, καὶ αὐτοαλήθεια, in the MS. Catena in the K. of France's Library, Petav. de Trin. l. 6. c. II. All therefore which thefe compofitions fignifie, is either a negation of a derivative participation, or an affirmation of a reality and identity of fubftance, as yet farther appears by S. Epiphanius, αὐτουσία ἐσιν ὁ θεὸς παλὴς καὶ ὁ υἱὸς, καὶ τὸ ἅδιον πνεῦμα, καὶ οὐχ ἑτερεσία. and Origen himfelf upon S. John, ἡ αὐτοδικαιοσιώη ἡ ουσιώδης Χρισός ἐςι, as alfo ἡ αὐτοαλήθεια ἡ οὐσιώδης, καὶ ἐν' οὕτως εἴπω, πρωγότετα ἐν ταῖς λογικαῖς ψυχαῖς ἀληθείας. Το conclude, there is a Catholick fenfe in which the Son is termed αὐτόθεG, αὐτοσοφία, &c. by the ancient Fathers; and another fenfe there is in which thefe terms are fo proper and peculiar to Indeed αὐτόθε, in the higheft fenfe, ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ Θεός, pofitively taken, bethe Father, that they are denied to the Son. longeth neither to the Son nor to the Father, as implying a manifeft contradiction; because nothing can have its being actually from it felf, as communicated to it felf, and that by it felf: but in a negative way of interpretation, by which that is said to be of it felf, which is and yet is not of or from another, αὐτόθεG belongs properly to the Father, neither generated by, nor proceeding from another; and in that fenfe it is denied to the Son, because he is generated by the Father, as ἐκ θεοῦ θεὸς, εκ σοφοῦ σοφία, ἐκ λογικοῦ λόγο, και εκ πατρός εός, faith S. Athanafius cont. Ar. Οr. 5. from whence he thus proceeds, ἐκτὸς εἰμὴ ἄν τις εἴποι αὐτοσοφίαν εἶναι καὶ αὐτολόγον τ θεὸν, ἀλλ' εἰ τοῦτο εἴη ἂν αὐτὸς ἑαυτοῦ παλὴς καὶ ψός. And again, εἰ ἢ αὐτοσοφία ὁ θεὸς, καὶ τὸ ἐκ τούτε ἄτοπον είρη) τα Σαβελλίῳ. Lafly, in another fenfe, in which αὐτὸς in compofition is taken not in obliquo, but in refto αὐτόθεG, that is, αὐτὸς ὁ Θεὸς, God himielf, and αὐτοζωὴ, αὐτὴ ἡ ζωή, life it felf: fo all thefe terms are attributed to the Son as truly, really and effentially, as to the Father. And that the Fathers took it fo appears, because they did fometimes refolve the compofition as when Eufebius calleth Chrift aiτόθεον, in the Panegyrick before cited, prefently after he fpeaketh thus ; Τί γ καὶ ἔμελλε τοῦ παμβασιλέως καὶ πανηδεμόνα και αὐτοῦ θεοῦ λόγῳ ἐντήσας τι πνεύμαζι; where αὐτοῦ Θεοῦ is the fame with αὐτοθέα.

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but hath communicated the fame Effence, in which himself fübfifteth by Generation to another perfon, who by that Generation is the Son.

Howfoever, it is most reasonable to affert that there is but one Person who is from none; and the very generation of the Son and proceffion of the Holy Ghost undeniably prove, that neither of those two can be that Perfon. For whofoever is generated is from him which is the Genitor, and whofoever proceedeth is from him from whom he proceedeth, whatsoever the nature of the generation or proceffion be. It followeth therefore that this Person is the Father, which name speaks nothing of dependence, nor supposeth any kind of priority in another.

a

From hence it is obferved that the name of God, taken * abfolutely, is often in the Scriptures fpoken of the Father: as when we read of God fendding his own Son; of the grace of our Lord Jefus Chrift, and the love of God; and generally wherefoever Chrift is called the Son of God, or the Word of God, the name of God is to be taken particularly for the Father, because he is no Son but of the Father. From hence he is ftiled one God, the true God, the only true God, the † God and Father of our Lord Ozw, xweis Jefus Chrift.

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iwosalind, Tiv Taling dnλoi. Theod. Abucara Opufc. 42. a 2 Cor. 13. 14. b1 Cor. 8. 6. Eph.4. 6. 1 Theff. 1. 9. d John 17. 3. 2 Cor. 1. 3. Eph. 1. 3. Unxit te Deus, Deus tuus. Id enim quod ait, tuus, ad nativitatem refertur; cæterùm non perimit naturam. Et idcirco Deus ejus eft, qui ex Deo natus in Deum eft. Non tamen per id quòd Pater Deus eft, non & Filius Deus eft. Unxit enim te Deus, Deus tuus; defignatâ videlicet & authoris fui & ex eo geniti fignificatione, uno eodémque dicto utrumque illum in naturæ ejufdem & dignitatis nuncupatione conftituit. S. Hilar. l. 4. Deo enim ex quo omnia funt Deus nullus eft qui fine initio æternus eft. Filio autem Deus Pater eft, ex eo enim Deus natus eft. Id. paulo poft. Cum autem ex Deo Deus eft, per id Deus Pater Deo Filio & nativitatis ejus Deus eft, & naturæ Pater, quia Dei nativitas & ex Deo eft, & in eo generis eft natura quâ Deus eft. Id. L. II. So S. Cyril of Jerufalem, Catech. 11. Θεὸς ὁ γυνήσας, Θεὸς ὁ Κυνηθείς· Θεὸς μὲ τὸ πάντων· Θεὸν ἢ ἑαυτῷ τ πα τέρα ἐπιγραφόμμα.

*

Which, as it is most true, and so fit to be believed, is also a most necessary Mμ-truth, and therefore to be acknowledged, for the avoiding multiplication τε, δύο θεός TE, dúo 9's and plurality of Gods. For if there were more than one which were from κηρύσσει, που audiav xalaf- none, it could not be denied but there were more Gods than one. Wherefore ée, due this origination in the Divine Paternity hath anciently been looked upon as the affertion of the Unity: and therefore the Son and Holy Ghost have been believed to be but one God with the Father, because both from the Faiv duo, ther, who is one, and fo the* union of them.

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δύο κηρύττει Jess. S. Bafil. Homil. 26. In duobus ingenitis diverfa Divinitas invenitur, in uno autem genito ex uno ingenito naturalis unitas demonftratur. Fulgen. Refp. contra Arian ad Obj. 5. Si quis innafcibilem & fine initio dicat Filium, tanquam duo fine principio, & duo innafcibilia, & duo innata dicens, duos faciat Deos, Anathema fit. Concil. Sirm. Deus utique procedens ex Deo fecundam perfonam efficiens, fed non eripiens illud Patri quod unus eft Deus. Si enim natus non fuiflet, innatus comparatus cum eo qui effet innatus, æquatione in utroque oftensâ, duos faceret innatos, & ideo duos faceret Deos. Si non genitus effet collatus cum eo qui genitus non effet, æquales inventi duos Deos merito reddidiffent non geniti; atque ideo duos Deos reddidiffet Chriftus, fi fine origine effet ut Pater inventus; & ipfe principium omnium ut Pater, duo faciens principia, duos oftendiffet nobis confequenter & Deos, &c. Novatian, de Trin, c. 31. †Ωσπες ἢ μία ἀρχὴ, καὶ καὶ τέτο εἷς θεός. S. Athan. Orat. 5. Τηροῖτο μ, ὡς ὁ ἐμὸς λόγο, εἷς μὲ θεὸς, εἰς ἓν αἴτιον καὶ ὡς καὶ ἁγία πνεύματα αναφερομένων. S. Gregor. Naz. Orat. 29. Ὅπε η μία ᾗ ἡ ἀρχὴ, ἓν ἢ τὸ ἐξ αὐτῆς, καὶ ἓν μὲ τὸ ἀρχέτυπον, μία ἢ ἡ εἰκῶν, ὁ τ ἐνότητα λόγου & Διαφθείρε). S. Bafil. Homil. 26. Patri fuo originem fuam debens, difcordiam Divinitatis de numero duorum Deorum facere non potuit, qui ex illo qui eft unus Deus originem nafcendo contraxit. Novatian, c. 31. Confitemur non Deos duos fed Deum unum, neque per id non & Deum. Dei Filium, eft enim ex Deo Deus; non innafcibiles duos, quia authoritate innafcibilitatis Deus unus eft. S. Hilar. de Synod. whofe affertion is, Unum Deum effe ex quo omnia, unam virtutem innafcibilem, & unam hanc effe fine initio poteftatem: which words belong unto the Father, and then it followeth of the Son; Non enim Patri adimitur quòd Deus unus eft, quia & Filius Deus eft. Eft enim Deus ex Deo, unus ex uno. Ob id unus Deus, quia ex fe Deus. Contra verò non minùs per id Filius Deus, quia Pater Deus unus fit. Eft enim unigenitus Filius Dei non innafcibilis, ut Patri adimat quod Deus unus fit. De Trin. l. 4. * Φύσις ἢ τοῖς τρισὶ μία θεὸς· ένωσις ἢ ὁ παλῆς, ἐξε καὶ πρὸς ov diváse Ta ins. Greg. Naz. Orat. 32. Unto which words thofe of Theod. Abucara have relation, Osos jégagétws XEγεῇ, ἐπειδὴ ἡ ἕνωσις, ἤτοι ἀνάπτυξις καὶ ἀνακεφαλαίωσις, τριάδα, ὁ πατὴς ἐσιν, ὡς εἶπεν, ὁ Θεολό α. ορτζ. 42.

Secondly, It is neceffary thus to believe in the Father, because our Salvation is propounded to us by an accefs unto the Father. We are all gone away and fallen from God, and we must be brought to him again. There is no other notion under which we can be brought to God as to be faved, but the notion of the Father; and there is no other person can bring us to the Ephef. 2 18. Father, but the Son of that Father: For, as the Apostle teacheth us, through him we have an access by one Spirit unto the Father.

Having

Having thus defcribed the true nature and notion of the Divine Paternity, in all the feveral degrees and eminencies belonging to it, I may now clearly deliver, and every particular Chriftian understand, what it is he speaks, when he makes his Confeffion in these words, I believe in God the Father: by which I conceive him to exprefs thus much.

As I am affured that there is an infinite and independent Being, which we call a God, and that it is impoffible there should be more Infinities than one : fo I affure my self that this one God is the Father of all things, especially of all Men and Angels, fo far as the mere act of creation may be ftiled generation; that he is farther yet, and in a more peculiar manner, the Father of all those whom he regenerateth by his Spirit, whom he adopteth in his Son, as heirs and co-heirs with him, whom he crowneth with the reward of an eternal inheritance in the heavens. But beyond and far above all this, befides his general off-fpring, and peculiar people, to whom he hath given power to become the fons of God; I believe him the Father, in a more eminent and tranfcendent manner, of one fingular and proper Son, his own, his beloved, his only-begotten Son: whom he hath not only begotten of the blessed Virgin, by the coming of the Holy Ghost, and the over-fhadowing of his power; not only fent with fpecial authority as the King of Ifrael; not only raised from the dead, and made heir of all things in his house but antecedently to all this, hath begotten him by way of eternal generation in the fame Divinity, and Majesty with himself: by which Paternity, coæval to the Deity, I acknowledge him always Father, as much as always God. And in this relation, I profess that eminency and priority, that as he is the original Cause of all things as created by him, fo is he the fountain of the Son begotten of him, and of the Holy Ghost proceeding from him.

A

I believe in God the Father Amighty.

2

;

Fter the relation of God's Paternity, immediately followeth the glorious Attribute of his * Omnipotency: that as thofe in Heaven in their Devo- * For the oldeft and shorttions, fo we on earth in our confeffions might acknowledge that a Holy, holy, eft Creed had holy Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come; that in our fo- always this lemn meetings of the Church of God, with the joint expreffion and concurring red in it. language of the Congregation, we might fome way imitate that voice of a infomuch thas great multitude, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty Havloxetwe thunderings, faying, Allelujah, for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth.

b

Attribute ex

was ordinarily by the Ancients taken for the Father, as Origen, l. 7. adv. Celfum. 'Exel autòv- ἐκθέας αὐταῖς λέξεσι τὰς προβελείας ἔτ ̓ ἐν αἷς Θεὸς Πανοκράτως ἐπηγέλλετο εἶναι ὁ λέγων, εἴτ ̓ ἐν αἷς ὁ ὑὸς τῇ Θεῖ, ἔτ ̓ ἐν οἷς τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅΓιον λέγον εἶναι ixisselo. And according to this general Confeffion did Polycarpus begin his Prayer at his Martyrdom: Kies & Oidg ὁ παντοκράτως, ὁ τὰ ἀγαπητοῦ καὶ εὐλογητοῦ παιδός (ε Ιησού Χριςοῦ παλης. Eccl. Smyrn. Εpiβ. 2 Revel. 4. 8. b Revel, i rã C8 Epift. 19. 6. Οι παῤῥησίαν ειληφότες ε παντοκράτορα πατέρα καλεν. Conftit. Apoβt. l. . I. Proæm.

This notion of Almighty in the Creed muft certainly be interpreted according to the sense which the original word beareth in the New Testament; and that cannot be better understood than by the Greek Writers or Interpreters of the Old, especially when the Notion it felf belongs unto the Gofpel and the Law indifferently. Now the word which we tranflate* Almighty, the * Harloxemost ancient Greek Interpreters used fometimes for the title of God, the Lord we, tranflaof hofts, fometimes for his name Shaddai, as generally in the book of Job: by and s. Aug.

ted by Tertul.

Omnite

nens, (as Tertullian tranflates xorμoxgrogas munditenentes) by Prudentius, Omnipollens, by all, Omnipotens, (as S. Hilary tranflated norμoxeroogs mundipotentes,) and, as I conceive, it is tranflated Capax univerforum, by the Latin Interpreter of Hermas. Primum omnium credo quod unus eft Deus, qui omnia creavit, & confummavit, & ex nihilo fecit. Ipfe capax univerforum, folus immenfus eft, l. 2. Mand. 1. Which by the Interpreter of Irenæus is thus tranflated, Omnium capax, & qui à nemine capiatur, l. 4. c. 37.

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the first they seem to fignific the Rule and Dominion which God hath over all; by the second, the ftrength, force, or power by which he is able to form all things. The heavens and the earth were finished, faith Mofes, and all the host of them: and he which begun them, he which finished them, is the Ruler and Commander of them. Upon the right of Creation doth he justly Ei xe challenge this dominion. I have made the earth, and created man upon it; I, Cabane iTxa- even my hands have ftretched out the heavens, and all their hoft have I τέλιπεν ἡμῖν commanded. And on this dominion or command doth he raife the title of απέρμα. * the Lord of hofts: which, though preferved in the † original language the words of both by S. Paul and S. James, yet by S. John is turned into that word which we tranflate Almighty. Wherefore from the use of the facred Wrienters, from the *notation of the word in Greek, and from the testimony of eis Tara Ku- the ancient † Fathers, we may well afcribe unto God the Father, in the exeis Cabawe iv. plication of this Article, the dominion over all, and the rule and govern

Rom. 9. 29.

Ifai. 1. 9.

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Jam. 5.4. which are the

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words of S. James in relation to Deut. 24. 15. "A, ä[@, ä♫© xúc • OÈòs • waν]oxeyrwg. Rev. 4. 8. which were before in Ifaiah. "A[Q, *[@, ä[@ xver Cabal, Ifa. 6. 3. To d'omorov igen sy oer & Cabude Owins, worλaxÿ f ἐπωδῶν του Καλαμβανομλύης· ὅτι εἰ μελελαμβάνομαι τὸ ὄνομα εἰς τὸ Κύρια 7 δυνάμεων, η κύρια τρατιών, ή παντοκράτως, (Διαφόρως γι' αὐτὸ ἐξεδέξαντο οἱ ερμίωσύοντες αὐτὸς δὲν ποιήσομ.μ. Origen contra Celf. 1. 5. * That παντοκράτως should have the fignification of government in it, according to the compofition in the Greek Language, no man can doubt, who but only confiders thofe vulgar terms of their Politicks, droneglia, and deisoneglia, from whence it appears that movanglia might as well have been used as povagxia" and in that sense oroxerwe is the proper title given by the Greeks to the Roman Emperor, as not only the latter Hiftorians, but even the Coins of Julius Cæfar witness. Hefych. Aloxera, AUTEŽÉTIO, XOOμORedrag, because the Roman Emperor was Ruler of the known world. So the Devils or Princes of the air are termed by S. Paul, xoooxogtoges, Eph. 6. 12. which is all one with agxovles to xócμe, as will appear, John 12. 31. and 14. 30. and 16. 11. As therefore Keur fignifieth of it felf Rule and Authority, Hefych. Kogir, Bacinda, igeria Keárd, dexñ, égxrių to which fenfe Euftathius bath obferved Homer led the following Writers by zhofe words of hits, τον 5 κράτου αλὲν ἀέξειν, Iliad Μ. τὸ μὲ κράτο συλλαμβάνεται τι τοῖς ὕτερον ἢ βασιλείαν κράτο Also whence fchylus calls Agamemnon and Menelaus diegrov x Axar, and Sophocles after him, dixegTHs Argadas and as xoglev to rule or govern, (Keale, xverdd, äext from whence Keals, gxar, iσiál) So alfo in compofition, παντοκράτως, the Ruler of all. Παντοκράτως, ὁ θεὸς, πάντων κρατῶν, Hefych. Παντοκρατορίας παναρ χία. Suid. † Αἱρεῖικοὶ ἐκ οἴδασιν ἕνα παντοκράτορα θεόν. πανοκράτως γάρ ἐσιν ὁ πάντων κρατῶν, ὁ πανίων ἐξεσιάζων. οἱ 5 λέγοντες τ τ εἶναι ἢ ψυχῆς δεασότίω, τ ἢ τὸ ζώμα, ε τέλειον λέξεσιν· ὁ δὲ ψυχῆς ἐξεσίαν ἔχων, σώματα 5 εξα σίαν μὴ ἔχων, πῶς παντοκράτως, καὶ ὁ δεατότης σωμάτων μὴ ἐξασιάζων ἢ πνευμάτων πῶς παντοκράτως ; S. Cyril. Catech. 8. Theodorus apud Cl. Alex. p. 804. Ὡς γδ τὸ πῦς ἰχυρότατον ὅ τοιχείων, καὶ πάντων κρατῶν, ὅτω καὶ ὁ Θεὸς παντο διύαμον καὶ παντοκράτως, ὁ δινάμμου κρατήσαι, ποιήσαι, τρέφειν, αύξειν, σώζειν, σώματα καὶ ψυχῆς ἐξεσίαν ἔχων. Unus eft Dominus Jefus Chriftus per quem Deus Pater dominatum omnium tenet; unde & fequens fermo Omnipotentem pronunciat Dominum. Omnipotens autem ab eo dicitur, quòd omnium teneat potentatum. Ruffin. in Symb.

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Acts 1.7. Jude 25.

Rev. 5.13.

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This authority or power properly poteftative is attributed unto God in the facred Scriptures; from whence thofe † names or titles which most aptly and fully exprefs Dominion, are frequently given unto him; and the rule, empire, or government of the world is acknowledged to be wholly in him, as neceffarily following that natural and eternal right of dominion.

What the nature of this authoritative power is, we fhall the more clearly xves, understand, if we first divide it into three degrees or branches of it: the first σπότης, ἓν μὲ 3 To us whereof we may conceive, a right of making and framing any thing which wed, he willeth, in any manner as it pleafeth him, according to the abfolute freeἐν τῇ χειρὶ 1,dom of his own will; the fecond, a right of having and poffeffing all things - fo made and framed by him, as his own, properly belonging to him, as to the Stray Cμ- Lord and Master of them, by virtue of direct dominion; the third, a right of Phot. Ep. 162. ufing and difpofing all things fo in his poffeffion, according to his own pleafure. The firft of these we mention only for the neceffity of it, and the dependence of the other two upon it. God's actual dominion being no otherways neceffary, than upon fuppofition of a precedent act of Creation; becaufe nothing, before it hath a being, can belong to any one, neither can any propriety be imagined in that which hath no entity.

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But the fecond branch, or abfolute dominion of this Almighty, is farther to be confidered in the Independency and Infinity of it. First, it is independent in a double respect, in reference both to the original, and the ufe thereof. For God hath received no authority from any, because he hath all power

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originally in himself, and hath produced all things by the act of his own will, without any Commander, Counsellor, or Coadjutor. Neither doth the use or exercife of this dominion depend upon any one, fo as to receive any direction or regulation, or to render any account of the administration of it; as being illimited, abfolute, and fupreme, and fo the fountain from whence all dominion in any other is derived. Wherefore he being the a God of Gods, is alfo the Lord of Lords, and King of Kings, the only Po-a Deut. 10.17. tentate; because he alone hath all the power of himself, and whofoever else Pfal. 136. 3. hath any, hath it from him, either by donation or permiffion.

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Mic. 4.13.

The Infinity of God's Dominion, if we refpect the Object, appears in the amplitude or extenfion; if we look upon the manner, in the plenitude or perfection; if we confider the Time, in the eternity of duration. The am- 2 plitude of the Object is fufficiently evidenced by thofe appellations which the holy Writ afcribeth unto the Almighty, calling him the Lord of hea- avv. ven, the Lord of the whole earth, the Lord of heaven and earth; under 3.24. which two are comprehended all things both in heaven and earth. This Mofes taught the diftrufting Ifraelites in the Wilderness: Behold the bea- rias duwasns. ven and the heaven of heavens is the Lord's thy God, the earth alfo with a g all that is therein. With these words David glorifieth God: The hea- b Dan. 5. 23. Pfal. 97. 5. vens are thine, the earth alfo is thine; fo acknowledging his dominion; Joh.3.11,13. as for the world and the fulness thereof, thou hast founded them; fo expreffing the foundation or ground of that dominion. And yet more fully, Zac. 4. 14. at the dedication of the Offerings for the building of the Temple, to fhew and 6.5. that what they gave was of his own, he faith, Thine, O Lord, is the great-Acts 17. 245 nefs, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for Deut.10. 14all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine. Thine is the Kingdom, & Pfal. 89. 11. O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all. Both riches and honour 11, 12, come of thee, and thou reigneft over all. If then we look upon the object of God's Dominion, it is of that amplitude and extenfion, that it includeth and comprehendeth all things; fo that nothing can be imagined which is not a Tos dos his, belonging to him as the true owner and proprietor, and fubject whol-wall wall ly to his will as the fole governour and difpofer: in respect of which univer- iron of tot fal Power we must confefs him to be Almighty.

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If we confider the manner and nature of this Power, the Plenitude thereof ped. Cyr. 1.2. power or perfection will appear: for as in regard of the extenfion, he hath over all things; fo in refpect of the intention, he hath all power over every thing, as being abfolute and fupreme. This God challenged to himself, when he catechized the Prophet Jeremy in a Potter's Houle, faying, O £ Jer. 18. 6. boufe of Ifrael, cannot I do with you as this potter? faith the Lord. Be-. bold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, fo are ye in my hand, O house of Ifrael. That is, God hath as abfolute power and dominion over every perfon, over every Nation and Kingdom on the earth, as the Potter hath over the pot he maketh, or the clay he mouldeth. Thus are we wholly at the difpofal of his will, and our present and future condition framed and ordered by his free, but wife and juft, decrees. Hath not the potter power over the Rom. 9. 11. clay; of the fame lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto difhonour? And can that earth-artificer have a freer power over his brother potfheard, (both being made of the same metal) than God hath over him, who by the strange foecundity of his omnipotent power, firft made the clay out of nothing, and then him out of that?

The duration of God's dominion must likewife neceffarily be eternal, if any thing which is be immortal. For, being every thing is therefore his, because it received its being from him, and the continuation of the creature is as much from him as the firft production; it followeth that fo long as it is continued it must be his, and consequently, being fome of his Creatures are

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