€ 
 
TheTrimitive T>G^^i^^^ of ChristV T>ivmitj : 
 O R, A 
 
 SPECIMEN 
 
 O F 
 
 A fall View oF the Ante-nicene Doilrinc, 
 
 IN AN 
 
 ESSAY 
 
 O N 
 
 I R E N JE U S. 
 
 Wherein all the dccifive Paflagcs arc collcdcd 
 and mcthodiz'd : The Scnlc of dilputcd Ex- 
 prellions enquir'd into, and detcrmin'd : The 
 Principles, into which his Rcaibnings are rc- 
 folv'd, cxtraded, and improv'd for clearing up 
 his Scheme : And his Confiftency with him- 
 felf is demonftrated. 
 
 By John Alexander. 
 
 FortaJJ'e mireris, quod tanttim /acinus audeavi. Patiemurne igitur 
 extingui aut opprimi Veritate??i ? Ego vera libentUu vcl fub 
 hoc onere defeceritn. Laftant. de Op. Dei. Cap. 20. 
 
 Kif zj-etAif i'^oVwin, y^ott isclXiy y,Tlt}!^>ia-ovTin. Euftath. Antloch. apud 
 Theodor. H. E. Lib. i. Cap. 8. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed for John Clark a^d Richard Hktt, at the 
 Bible and Crown in the Poultry, m.dcc.xxvu. 
 
t^3 T^.K. 
 
 A 376? 
 THE 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 TH E following Colledioii is a Spe- 
 cimen of a Method to determine 
 a controverted Point of Fad^ viz. What 
 'was the Senfe of the Antc-nicene Fathers 
 concerning the DoEirine oj the Trinity and our 
 Sa'viours Di'vinity? For as to the Streft 
 to be laid on their Authority in Contro- 
 verfies of Faith, I meddle not with it. I 
 fee all Parties would be glad to have them 
 on their Side : And I confefs, it affords me 
 afenfiblePleafure to obferve, that the Scrip- 
 ture-Dodrine in this momentous Point, 
 wasfo long preferved pure and uncorrupt- 
 ed in the Chriftian Church. I cannot 
 bear, that the Memory of Perfons eminent 
 for primitive Zeal and Hojinefs fhould be 
 treated with Contempt 5 as their other Ac- 
 complifliments were fir from being Con- 
 temptible, fo the real Proofs that they gave 
 of their Love to Chrift and his Truth by 
 A z rejijiing 
 
ii TJje P R E FA C E. 
 
 reftjiing e'ven unto Blood, oblifre us to ho- 
 nour and eftecm 'em. But J adore the 
 Fulnefs of the Scriptures: and if any one 
 fhould thruft away my Bible, to make 
 room for their orthodox and learned Works, 
 I cannot tell, whether I could obferve due 
 Decorum in repelling fuch an Attempt. 
 
 I only appeal to them as competent 
 Witnefles of the Primitive Do6lrine of 
 Chrift's Divinity, as held by themfelves, 
 and reputed Apoflolical and Scriptural in 
 their Time. And conddering it as a Fad, 
 or Point of Chriftian Antiquicy, I fee no 
 Caufe to defpair of its being determin'd 
 with a ^ood degree of Certainty : Since 
 we ftill have many valuable Monuments 
 of Antiquity, in which they explain and 
 defend the c^eac Points of Chriftian Faith, 
 it may juftly be matter of \\7onder, if an 
 impartial Enquirer cannot find out their 
 real Doclrine. hideed, while we content 
 our felves with a general View of the Fa- 
 thers, and only catch at a few broken Paf- 
 figes, applying 'em to a particular Purpofe, 
 Avc may find fomething to fay on both 
 Sides, and difpute on long enough. But 
 
The P R E F A C E. iii 
 
 I have been long perfuaded, that it is not 
 impoflible to find out a Method, that 
 would bid fair to bring our Debates about 
 this Fa£b to a good IlTue. 
 
 In order to this, I cannot think of any 
 more unexceptionable and (afe Method, 
 than to take a full View of all the Ante- 
 nkene Writers fay on this gteat Point, and 
 fo to methodize the fevcral Paffages, that 
 thofe of the like Import may by their 
 Harmony carry the ftronger Evidence with 
 them, and more general and ambiguous 
 Expreffions may be illuftrated by thofe 
 of a more clear and determinate Senfe. And 
 then to clear up any remaining Obfcuri- 
 tics, and lo carry the Matter to the ut- 
 mod degree of Certainty it is capable of^ 
 it may be of good Uic, not only to call 
 in all the Aids that (olid Criticifm will af- 
 ford, but accurately to enquire into the 
 Maxims and Principles thole Authors go 
 upon in their Reafonings, and make ufe 
 of them to determine their Scnfe, and find 
 out their Scheme. Words and Sentences 
 may fometimes admit different Scnfes, and 
 leave room for Evafions : But the Princi- 
 ^ * pfcs 
 
iv The P R E F A C E. 
 
 pies an Author lays Srrefs on in his Argu- 
 ments, lead us to his inward Senfe. I have 
 obferv'd what ftrange Work they make 
 withtheAntients, who bring a Set of Prin- 
 ciples of their own to them, and make ufe 
 of them to determine their Senfe^, and find 
 out their Opinion concerning particular 
 Points, when, perhaps, they knew nothmg 
 of thofe Principles, but had very different 
 ones in view in their Expreflions. And 
 Tm apt to think, that the greateft Injuf- 
 tice is done to Authors, both facred and 
 others, generally in this way. How far 
 Dr. Clarke has been guilty of this unfair 
 dealing in fupport of his Scheme, has been 
 obferved by others : he has made ufe of 
 fome Maxims of his own to draw Confe- 
 quences from the Primitive 'Writers, with- 
 out any Proof of their being owned by 
 them, or lo much as known to them. But 
 to them that are not fervilely difpofed to 
 (wallow every thing, he has, I think, af- 
 forded a Prefervative againft his own Mif- 
 takcs, by applying his Maxims to the Pojl- 
 nicene Fathers and other Orthodox Wri- 
 ters^ and drawing Confequences from them 
 
 diredly 
 
Tlje P R E F A C E. V 
 
 direully contrary to their known Senti- 
 ments. I cannot help thinking, that this 
 is a folid Demonftration, that his way of 
 treatincT Authors has no Tendency to lead 
 us to their real Senfe. 
 
 It is not enough^ that the Pnnciples, 
 by which we explain an Author's Expret- 
 fions, and judge of his Scheme be true, 
 or even felj-e'videnty but they mud: be 
 owned by him j el(e they will not juftify 
 our Confequences from him. As for In- 
 fiance ; if any one finding in Laclantiusy 
 thefe Words: '^ It is impojjible^ hut that 
 <c gq^gyy thing that no^oj has a heing^ nrnjl 
 *^ fometimeha'vehad a feg/?;?;/77g ; * " fliould 
 hadily conclude, that he did not believe 
 the Being of God, upon this (elf-evident 
 Maxim, viz. That njuhich is not ahfolutely 
 eternal i hut once hadaheginningyis not God -y 
 he would very much mifreprefent LaSlan- 
 tius, who had no Doubts about the Exit 
 fence of God, tho' he might hold a Prin- 
 ciple really inconfiftent with it : Or if he 
 
 * Quia fieri non potcft, quin id, quod fit, aliquando efTe coepe- 
 Tit ; confequens ert, ut quando nihil .mte ilium (Deum) fuit, ipfe 
 ante omnia ex leipfo fit procreatus. Inftit. Lib. i. Cap. 7. p. 18. 
 Ed. Cant. 
 
 had 
 
Vi rhe P R E F A C E. 
 
 had faidj That the Father and Son both had 
 a beginning of their Exijlence, and there 'was 
 a time ivhen they "were not 5 it would not 
 be juft to infer, that he deny'd the Divi- 
 nity of the Father and Son. In like man- 
 ner, if it was true, that Origen deny'd the 
 abfolute Omnipotence {vrc<,floduvA[.ciccy) of 
 God, as many have fappofed *, we could 
 not infer his being of Arian Principles, 
 tho' he had deny'd the Son to be Almighty 
 in the fame Senfe. It would be eafy to 
 multiply Inftances of this Sort, if the de- 
 figned Bounds of a flicrt Preface would 
 permit. He that regards only particular 
 Expreffions of an Author, without mind- 
 ing the Prniciples that are the Suhjiratum 
 of his Reafonings, goes no deeper than the 
 Surface, andean (carcely avoid often draw- 
 ing wrong Confequences from his Words : 
 But he that finds out his Principles^ pene- 
 trates into his Scheme, and by an allow- 
 able Inquifition draws his inward Senfe 
 from him. The former, for want of a 
 Key, will find, it may be, many Obfcuri- 
 ties and feeming Inconfiflencies in him : 
 
 * Vid. Huet. Origenian. Lib. 1 1. Cap. 2. 0^,1. pp. 28, 29. 
 
 But 
 
The P R E F A C E, vii 
 
 but the latter will fee, that he is not Co 
 often at Variance with himfelf^ as the haf- 
 ty and fuperficial Reader is apt to fuppofe. 
 
 This Method I have endeavoured to ex- 
 emplify in the following Sheets, by giving 
 a full View of all the decifive, together 
 with many illuflrating and corroborating 
 PafTages of Irenausy whether feemincr to be 
 for or againft the Dodrine of the Blelled 
 Trinity, and our Saviour's Godhead. I 
 have placed 'cm in fuch a Light and Or- 
 der, as, 1 hope, will give no juftCaufe of 
 Complaint. And have labour'd to make 
 him, as much as might be, his own In- 
 terpreter. And if any learned Reader will 
 be at the Pains to take his Meaning along 
 with his Words, and treat him with com- 
 mon Juftice and Candor, which, I think, 
 is due to dead as well as living Authors, I 
 doubt not, but he will find him entirely 
 confident with himfelf. 
 
 Had I been to chufe an Arbitrator in 
 the Controverfy of the Trinity, andaWit- 
 nefs of the Dodrine of the Primitive 
 Church, before the Rife of Arianifmy I 
 don't fee, that any juil Exception could 
 
 a have 
 
viii The P R E FA C E. 
 
 have been made by either Side againft Ire- 
 naus. He lived fo near the Apoftolic Age, 
 that he was a Difciple of good old Poly- 
 carp^ an Apoftolical Man, and faithful 
 Martyr of Chrift, who learned his Doc- 
 trine from the Apoftle John^ that great 
 Afferter of his beloved Mafter's Divinity, 
 and was by him {John) appointed Bilhop 
 of Smyrna, This we learn from Iren^us 
 himfelf, who in his Epiftle to Florinusy 
 lately fallen into Herefy, writes to this 
 Purpofe; " * The Elders of the laftAge, 
 ^^ who were the immediate Difciples of the 
 ^^ Apoflles, never taught you thefe Doc- 
 ^^ trines. For when I was but very young 
 ^^ in the lower Ajia with Poly carp ^ I faw 
 
 * Apud Eufeb. H. E. LIb.V. Cap. 20. -TecZrst tu Ky^tUTX, ot 
 ^ga iu/Sr Titter [iuripciy cl km toii^ 'Ar^^o^Xoii (rv//i(poir^TX»Ti(, «' Ttx^iou- 
 
 X.UV a-Oi. A$*> •>'«(! (Ti TTXic, &y fTt CV TYj KCtTCU 'AoZU ^fX^X TM noXVKUfXUf 
 
 >,afAi7r{ai ZfurlenTce, u Tjj B«(r<Pi«>£>i «y^l), "if rrn^aifd^ov iu^Kiy^fi* Treco" 
 UVTu. ^uXXot ^ 7K TtTi ^»[ji,v7}f/jonvu, rS» 'tvayx,^ yivof/jituv ctl ^ 
 flx t:ui%ji fXjxSiia-Ui a-vtoio%n<rKi r'yj ^vx,]u ifSvTcn uvrv)- u^i fAii O'uvti^ 
 iixiTv xca Tit) 7?Vs^ h o Kti9i^(3fJjiy&' ^tXiyiro 6 MctKXgt<^ U«XvKcip7[<^' 
 XM TXi TT^ca^ui xvtS Ktti w5 hn^i' xatt lif ;^^«p«K.TlJPa5 t5 /3<», x<«i th» 
 7-5 (rti/ujiitT@^ i^Mr vccii -mg ^te/.Xii,ni «? iVonTro tt^o^ to TtXvi^oi' kou 
 Ti)» f/jirx 'luuvy-s u-ww»?^o<p\v ecg UTT^yfiXXs, »en thii fXtiTO, im Xoinm 
 TUf iupaMTui lit w/'pjoy x«< ui uxtfjuvn uanvi m^ Xiym uvra*, kxi 
 trtpl ToZ Kvptx wa nv « 5r«f ikmu* ec,x.r)Kcii' km «rtf» tuv avvuf/jiut uv- 
 rS, ««( ^«f» Tw? ^i^ma-KxXMi, ifi Tra^lt uvroTfluv -rtii tome, tS Aoy« 
 !irxfuX^(pui 6 Ilc?<uKxp7Toi, u^tiy fiXXt vccrrx <rijf^(pum rxTi yp«^ot~s. t«?- 
 
 TX KXi Tin ^X TV iXi<^ tS ©£8 TV «V t/ASJ yiyotOi ff^K<5^f»5 «»»»', 
 
 you 
 
The P R E FA C E. ix 
 
 you living in great Splendor in the Im- 
 perial Court, and endeavouring to re- 
 commend your felf to him. I remem- 
 ber what then pafTed much better, than 
 much later Occurrences j for thofe ear- 
 ly Impreffions that are made upon us 
 in our tender Years, growing up with 
 us, are deeply inlay 'd in the Memory. 
 So that I can tell the very Place where 
 the bleffed P^/^^r^^r^ fat and difcourfedj as 
 alfo his going out, and coming in, the 
 Manner of his Life, and the Make of 
 his Body. I remember his Sermons to 
 the People, and how he reported, what 
 intimate Converfition he had with (the 
 Apoftle) J-ohriy and others v/ho had feen 
 the Lord : And how he was wont to re- 
 peat dieir Sayings, and what he had heard 
 from them concerning the Lord. And 
 all that Polycarp reported concerning his 
 Miracles and Dodrinc, as he had re- 
 ceived of Eye-witnefTes of the Word oi 
 Life, was agreeable to the Scriptures. 
 Thefe Things, c\ei\ at that Age, thro' 
 the Mercy of God toward me, I atten- 
 ^ tively heard, and recorded 'cm, not on 
 
 a i ^^ Paper, 
 
i Tie P R E FA C E. 
 
 ^' Paper, but my very Heart j and to this 
 " Day, by the Grace of God, IwithPlea- 
 ^^ furc ruminate upon them." Thus from 
 Irenaus's own "^ords, wherein he breaths 
 forth the Apoftolical Spirit, we learn how 
 greedily he imbib'd pure Chriftian Dec- 
 trine from the Mouth of holy Poly carp j 
 how much he valu'd it, and how faithful- 
 ly he retain'd it. And his great Worth, 
 Abilities and Orthodoxy were (o well 
 known, that he acquired great Authority 
 in the Church, and learnedly defended its 
 Dodlrine againft the antient Hcrcticks. 
 He alfo made a Stand againft the firft 
 Workings of a Spirit of Tyranny in the 
 Roman See, by his celebrated Epiftle to 
 Pope VtUoV:, on Behalf of the Ajiatic 
 Churches. And I may add, that it does 
 not appear that he was in the leaft tinc- 
 tured with the Notions of any Se6t of 
 Philofbphers j left any ihould think, he 
 derived any of his Dodrines from their 
 Speculations. So that, upon the whole, 
 I can fee no Reafon to doubt, but Ire^ 
 maus's Dodrine in this weighty Point, 
 which lies fo near the Center of Chrifti- 
 
 anity. 
 
The P R E F A C E. xi 
 
 anity, is the {amethat the Apoftles preach- 
 ed, and the Catholic Church then beUev- 
 ed, whereof we cannot eafily have a more 
 authentic and unexceptionable Witnefe, 
 fince Infpiration ceafed. But my pitch- 
 ing upon him for a Specimen of this Me- 
 thod, was owing to an Accident, that the 
 World is not at all concerned to know. 
 
 I have added a iliort Diflertation on 
 Pro'v. viii. 11. as read by the Fathers in the 
 Septuagint Verfion. And, another much 
 larger concerning the U(e and Import of 
 the Terms ym'^ky ayivy^rogy ysvrjTcg and 
 dyivtjTog in relation to the Dodrine of the 
 Trinity, in which fome Paflages oflrenaus 
 are more fully confidered, is, for fomc 
 Reafbns, referved for another Opportu- 
 nity, tho' at firft defigned to be annexed 
 to this Collection, and fometimes referred 
 to in it. 
 
 Thus this finall Effay ventures abroad, 
 and is fubmitted to the Judgment of the 
 Learned and Impartial. If by the Blefling 
 of God it lliould be in the lead (erviceable 
 to the Cau(e of Truth, and the Great Re-^^ 
 dccmer's Honor, I fliall think my Time 
 4 and 
 
xii The P R E FA C E. 
 
 and Pains well beftow'd. If any impar- 
 tial Friend, or candid Adverfary Ihould dif- 
 cover any Miftake, or important Omiffion 
 in it, I ihall reckon my felf obliged to him 
 for giving me Notice of it • and fliall not 
 fail to acknowledge it, if ever I Ihould 
 have an Opportunity. 
 
 I muft confefs, I have no great Relifli 
 of the vulgar Method of managing Con- 
 troverfies : And therefore if any Writer 
 ihould in that Spirit and Way attack a few 
 Paflages, not effential to the Caufe I plead, 
 I cannot promife, that I ihall pay the 
 Compliment of a Reply to fuch an At- 
 tempt : But if any thing weighty and fuh- 
 ftantial, that affeds the Merits of the Caufe, 
 ihould appear, I Ihall think my felf obliged 
 to take fome Notice of it. 
 
 And as the Defign of this Trad is to 
 enquire into an important Fa6t, and to 
 furnifh the Reader with all the Help that 
 Iretjaus could afford, to fettle his Judgment 
 concerning it 5 I am not at all concern'd, 
 that the Heat of the Controverfy is over, 
 before it appears in the World. For, tho' 
 fome may overlook it upon that Score, 
 
 yet. 
 
The ? R E FA C E. 
 
 XllI 
 
 yet, I hope, the allaying of Mens Heats 
 will rather make room for a cool and im- 
 partial Confideration of an Eflay, not 
 written in the Method and Spirit of Con- 
 troverfy, nor defigned to raife Mens Paili- 
 ons, but to clear up a Point of Chriftian 
 Antiquity. 
 
 I only add, that even in cafe the World 
 fhould not encourage the Author to carry 
 this Defign any further, in a like View of 
 other Ante-Nicene Writers, the Method 
 here exemplified may yet be of fomc Ufe 
 to thole that would not take Things up- 
 on Truft, but acquaint themfelves with 
 Primiti've Chrijiiamtyy by going to the Foun- 
 tain-head, and reading the Fathers them- 
 felves. 
 
 ERRATA. 
 
 pAgc 36. line 25. read,>'^/ felf-exiftent. p.-^i. 1. 10. Not. r. lo- 
 cutus. p. 96. 1.4. Not. r. <i?ropp»(p^(re>T«(. p. 136. 1. 26. for 
 have, r. leave, p. 145. 1.8. Not. r.Jj rt, p. 149. 1. j.r. indidta. 
 p. 172. 1. 26. x.^rrjiiirtyTUh 
 
 THE 
 
THE 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 SO ME General Principles^ either plainly exprefs'd^ or 
 into which his Reasonings mufi necejfarily be refolv'd. 
 
 Page I. 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 Paffages relating to the two dijiin^ Natures^ the Divine and 
 Human^ united in the Perfon of Chriji. p. 8. 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 ^he Pajfages^ wherein the Father ^ Sen and Spirit are men- 
 tion^d. p id. 
 
 G H A P. IV. 
 
 General Pajfages relating to ChrijVs Deity. p, 37. 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 Pafjages exprejjing the Son's Confuhjlantiality, or being of 
 the fame Nature and EJfence with the Father : The Ge- 
 neration of the Son confidered. p. 60. 
 
 CHAP. VI. 
 
 The Pajfages of Scripture underjiood by Irenasus concerning 
 Chriji^ which prove his Belief of his Diety. p. 8 j*. 
 
 CHAP. VII. 
 Divine Attributes afcribed to the Son. p. 98. 
 
 CHAP. VIII. 
 The Divine Works of Creation and Providence afcribed to 
 ChriJl. p. 104. 
 
 C H A P. IX. 
 
 The Pajfages pleaded by the Arians. p. 118. 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 Concerning the Holy Ghejl. p. i j'8. 
 
 A DISSERTATION owProv.v'm.ii. 
 Read by the Fathers in the Verfion of the LXX. K^f^es «k7«ts 
 fxtt 'A^yjtt oS'Z* uvTu. a.r.f. That IS, The Lord created me 
 in the beginning of hit Ways. p. 170. 
 
( t ) 
 
 > 
 
 THE 
 
 Primitive Doctrine 
 
 O F 
 
 C H R I S T's Divinity, 
 
 Set forth in a full ColleB'ion of the 
 pcijfciges concerning it in Iren^us. 
 
 C H A P. I. 
 
 Some General principles, either plainly ex- 
 prefs'dy or into 'which his Reafonings 
 muft necejfariljf be refolv'd. 
 
 LP/mT^HERE is but one only True 
 I God, who created all things. 
 
 This Iren^us lays the greateft 
 Screfs on, as the ifirft Principle of all Religion, 
 and ufes it as a Teft of men's Schemes of Doc- 
 trine. 
 
 " Since we hold the Rule of Truth, faith he, 
 " which is, that there is one God Almighty, 
 
 Lib.i. 22 1. Cum tencamus autem nos rcgulam veritatis, 
 id eil, quia fit unus Deus omnipotens, qui omnia condidit 
 per verbum fuum. ...Hanc ergo tenentes regulam, licet 
 
 valde v-iria & multa dicant, £icile eos deviafTe a v'eritate ar- 
 guimus. Omnes cnim fere quotquot funt Hasrefes, Deum 
 quidem unum dicunt, fed per fententiam malam immu- 
 tantjw ■■ quemadmodum &gentes per Idololatriam. 
 
 B " who 
 
( 2 ) 
 
 *' who created all things by his Word.— — 
 " tho' the Heretics fay many things, and of 
 *' very different import, we eadly fhew, that 
 " they depart from the Truth. For almoft 
 " all the Heretics own in words but one God, 
 *' but by a corrupt meaning change (and un- 
 '' dermine this Article)— even as the Gen- 
 " tiles do by their Idolatry." 
 
 To /ettle the meaning of this firfl; Article, 
 as underftood by Irenaus^ I obferve, 
 
 1 . All the Gnojlks agreed, that there was but 
 one fupream God, who in fome point of Eter- 
 nity, immediately or mediately, produced feve- 
 ral other fubordinate Powers, of whom the 
 Creator was one : yet Iren^us reprefents 'em, as 
 fubverting the Article of the Divine Unity by 
 holding a plurality of Gods, and confequently 
 lymbolizing With the idolatrous Gentiles. 
 
 2. He expreflly denies all other Gods, befides 
 the one true God, whether fuperior, inferior, 
 or co-ordinate. ^ " The Creator, faith he, is 
 *■' the only God, and there is no other God be- 
 " (ides him." And he proves, ^ there is no 
 God either above, or beneath him. 
 
 3. It unavoidably follows, that, if he held 
 the Son to be God at all, he believ'd him to 
 be the fame God with the Father : and when 
 he afferts the one God and Creator to be the Fa- 
 ther of our Lord Jefus Chrijf^ and fays. He is 
 that God^ above whom there is no other God : he 
 
 * ii. 16. 3. Fabricator Deus hie, qui mundum fecit, folus 
 cfl: Deus, & non eft alius Deus praeter eum. 
 
 ■^ ii. Prsef. Et quia unus Deus conditor,. n & quiane- 
 que fuper ilium, neque poft eum eft aliquid. 
 
 Confer Tertulliaa adv. Hertnogenem, c. 7. neque enim pro- 
 ximi erimus opinionibus Nationum, qus fi qusndo cogun- 
 lur Deum confiteri, tamen & alios infra ilium volant. Divi- 
 flitas autem gradum non habet, utpote unica. 
 
 mufl 
 
(3 ) 
 
 muft be underftood, according to his fcope, to 
 exclude the Vdentinian JRons^ which the He- 
 retics plac'd above the Creator, ^c. But in con- 
 fidence with this great Principle of the Unity 
 of God, and his notion of the ineffable Union 
 of the Father and Son, to include the Son in 
 the Father, as always underllood to be in, and 
 with him, not as a Creature, or another God, 
 but the fame God. The Heretics held one fu- 
 pream, and many fubordinate Gods ; Irenaus 
 oppofes to this Tenet the firft Article of the 
 Creed, plainly grounded on Scripture, and uni- 
 verfally received in the Churches. But Hill it 
 would be afk'd, who this one God is? Irenaus^ 
 in anfwer to this defcribes him as the Creator 
 of the World, and the Father of Chrill. And 
 that he underftood him to be the one God, 
 not exclufive of the Son and Spirit, but, ac- 
 cording to the Chriftian Scheme of Doctrine, 
 having in himfelf the other two glorious Per- 
 fons, will appear by comparing two paflages. • 
 
 The former is to this purpofe : " This God 
 " {i.e. the one God) is the Father of our Lord 
 " Jefus Chrift} and therefore the Apottle P<3«/ 
 " faid J One God the Father^ who is over all^ 
 " and thro' all^ and in us all.^''* 
 
 In another place he explains thefe words of 
 the whole ever-blefTed Trinity, which mufl 
 therefore be included in the one God, tho' the 
 Father only is expreflly mention'd. 
 
 — " Thus, faith he, one God the Father is ma- 
 " nifefted, who is over all, and thro' all, and in 
 
 ' ii. 2. 6. Quoniam autem hie Deus, eft pater Domini 
 noftri Jefu Chrifti ; & idco Paulus Apoflolus dixit ; unm Dent 
 puter, qui fuper omne), ^ per omni*, ^ in omnibHi ntbit, Eph. 
 iv. 6. 
 
 B 2. " all 
 
(4 ) 
 
 *« all. The Father is over all j— the Word i$ 
 " thro' all; — and the Spirit is in us all.'^" 
 
 If. Prin. All things, befides the uncreated 
 God, had a beginning of their Being, and con- 
 fequently a precarious Exiilence and Duration, 
 depending entirely upon the good Pleafure of 
 the Creator : And this is the great Difference 
 between God and the Creature. 
 
 In anfwer to an Obje6tion againft the Immor- 
 ality of the Soul, which is not a necelTary Be- 
 ng, becaufe a Creature, he fays : 
 
 " Let 'em learn, that God alone, who is 
 
 ' Lord of all, is without beginning and end, 
 
 ' truly and for ever the fame, and exifting af- 
 
 ' ter the fame manner. But all things that 
 
 have been, or ftill are made by him, have a 
 
 beginning of their Exiflence, and for that 
 
 reafon are inferior to him, that made 'em, 
 
 becaufe they are not uncreated. And they 
 
 " continue their Exiftence unto Eternity by 
 
 the Will of God their Creator : as he gave 
 
 'era their Being at firft, fo alfo Continuance 
 
 in it ^ 
 
 Again : " God differs from Man in this, that 
 '' God makes, and Man is made : And he that 
 
 *v. i8. 2. I Et fic unus Deus pater oftenditur, qui 
 
 eft fuper omnia, & per omnia, & in omnibus. Super om- 
 nia quidem Pater :- i .. per omnia autem Verbum :•— in om- 
 nibus autcm nobis Spiritus.— — — 
 
 * ii. 34. 2. fc-Difcant, quoniam fme initio & fine fine, vere 
 & femper idem, & eodem modo fe habens folus eft Deus, 
 qui eft omnium Dominus. Quae autem funt ab illo omnia, 
 quascunque fafta, & fiunt, initium quidem fuum accipiunt 
 gcherationis, & per hoc inferiora funt ab eo qui ea fecit. 
 Perfeverant autem & extenduntur in longitudinem faeculo- 
 rum, fecundum voluntatem Faftoris Dei : ita ut fic initio 
 iierent, & poftea ut fint, eis donat. 
 
 ' * " makes 
 
(5 ) 
 
 '' makes, is ever the fame : but what Is made, 
 " muft receive a beginning, and ilicceedrng 
 " Space of Exiftcnce, and Growth and Itn- 
 '' provement : And God is the Benefadtor, 
 " and Man the Receiver : And God is perfe(5b 
 " in all things, ever like, and equal to him- 
 " felf} fince he is all Light, all Mind, and all 
 " Subftance, and the Fountain of all good 
 *' things : But Man is capable of Incrcafe and 
 " Improvement in gradual Approaches toward 
 « God^. 
 
 Again : g " All created Beings had a begin- 
 " ning : and things that once had a beginning, 
 '* arc capable of DifTolution, are in Subjedion, 
 " and depend upon their Maker." 
 
 III. Prin. The want of ncccflary Exiftcnce Is 
 the Ground of the Imperfc6lion of all things 
 that had a beginning: an utter Incapacity to re- 
 ceive Perfeftion is infeparable from a created Be- 
 ing : It mult at firft pafs thro' a fort of Infan- 
 cy, and a ftate of Growth and improvement, 
 and fo by flow ftcps arrive to its defign'd Acme, 
 
 —-Upon this principle he accounts for Man's 
 being not made perfc61: at firft, i. <?.as knowing, 
 glorious, and uncapable of finning, as he will 
 be in Heaven. 
 
 ' iv. II. 2. Et h6c Deus ab homine difFert, quoniant 
 Deus quidem facit, homo autem fit: & quidem qui ficit, fem- 
 per idem eft; quod autem fit, & initium, & mcdietatem, & 
 adjedtionem, & augmentum accipere debetm & Deus qui- 
 dem perfeftus in omnibus, ipfe flbi asqualis & fmiilis ; totus 
 cum fit lumen, & totus mens, & totus fubftantii, & fons om- 
 nium bonorum : homo vero profcftum accipiens, & augmen- 
 tum ndDeum. 
 
 8 iii. 8. 3. Qux vero ab eo funt fj.ifln, initium fumpfe- 
 runt, &c. 
 
 V. Lgcum integrum infra exhibendum. 
 
(«) 
 
 ^ " To God, faith he, as being ever the fame, 
 " and uncreated, for his own part, all things 
 " are pofTible : But things made by him, as 
 *' they afterwards had a beginning of their Ex- 
 " iftence, muft for that very reafon fall ihorc 
 " of their Maker. For things but lately pro- 
 " duced, could not be neceflarily and eternally 
 ^' exillent j and as not neceflarily exiftent, they 
 " rauft needs come fhort of Perfe6tion : And 
 *' as they are but of yefterday, they are in an 
 *' Infant-ftate j and confequently for want of 
 <' Ufe and Exercife are uncapable of their high- 
 " eft Improvement, ^c." 
 
 Again : ' " Thus God has the Pre-eminence 
 '' in all things, as he alone is uncreated, the 
 *' firft of all beings, and the Author of the be- 
 *' ing of all others :" But all the reft continue 
 in fubje6lion to God. 
 
 IV. Prin. He that is fubje<5t to a Superior, 
 cannot be called God, or the great King. 
 
 Upon this Principle he argues againft them 
 that held the Creator to be only a fubordinate 
 Deity, from Mat. v. 34, 3f. compared with Ifa. 
 Ixvi. I . Whence it appears, that 'tis the Crea- 
 tor, whofe Throne Heaven is. 
 
 * iv. ^8. I. I Tai flfV/ ®if. Bin KCCTOl TOi eCVTeC »m, KCU 
 
 tOTX, XCLBo fJUiTlTCUrx yiHTiCJ^ eif^YtV idMV f^S, KXTCC TUTOKXt Vft- 
 
 jcc, miiK^i yiyivnitfjitivx' x,x6o os fjutf i?tv eiyitvtjTX, x-xrx rSro xxi 
 vftfSHxt rS TsAfia" kx6o ^l muTipu, xa,Tu rcZre x.xt djttix, kxtcc 
 revTo y.xi x<rv)iti6n, xxi clyvyi/vx^x jrpe? rnv nXuxv xyuyni. 
 
 'Ibid. 3. — Kaj wtuc, ts^utivu yutt iv zrxTi* e ®ioi, o xMt 
 fi/iv(^ xyiyi7ir(^, KXi zrfuT®^ z^vluy, xxi tS iivxt roii zs'UTurx- 
 *«iTi(^' Tit ^i AsiTflf zs-»flx h yxnTxyy fAfyti rtv Oiov. 
 
 k « Be- 
 
(7) 
 
 ^ " Befides him, faith he, there is no other 
 " God J elfe our Lord would never call him 
 " God, or the great King 5 — For he that has 
 " any Superior above him, and is in the pow- 
 ** er of another, can neither be ftiled God, nor 
 '' the great King. 
 
 V. Prin. There is no Creature, or Order of 
 Creatures highef, or more excellent, than the 
 Angels. 
 
 This Suppofition runs thro' his whole Book 5 
 when he afcends to the top of the Creation, he 
 mentions only the feveral Names, or Orders of 
 Angels ^ . 
 
 VI. Prin. He that is himfelf a Creature, can- 
 not have Dominion over the Creation. 
 
 This is to our Author a felf-evident Maxim, 
 by which he confutes the Devil's claim to a 
 delegated Dominion over this lower World, 
 contain'd in thefe Words : jill thefe things are 
 delivered to me^ £cc. 
 
 *■ iv. 2. 5. Et prseter hunc alius non eft Deus; Caete- 
 rum a Domino neque Deus, neque magnus "Rex diceretur.— 
 Qui enim fuper fe habet aliquem fuperiorem, & Tub alterius 
 poteftate eft, hie neque Deus, neque magnus Rex dici poteft. 
 
 ' ii. 30.3. Quid autem ilia, quas fuper Caelum, & quas 
 non praetereant, quanta funt, Angeli, Archangeli, Throni, 
 Dominationes, Poteftates innumerabiles ? 
 
 Ibid. §. 6. —Si per ipfos ea, quse funt fuper Coelos, fa6li 
 funt ; dicant nobis, quas fit inviftbilium naturaj enarrent nu- 
 merum Angelorum, & ordinem Archangelorum ; demon- 
 ftrent Thronorum Sacramenta, & doceant diverfitates Do- 
 minationum, Principatuum & Poteftatum atque Virtutum. 
 
 Item. iii. 25. 3. Sapientia igitur praecellet Pater fuper om- 
 nem hnmAnam ^ Angtlmm S<*piemMm. 
 
 « The 
 
in 
 
 *' The Creation, faith he, is not in his pow- 
 *^ er } fince he is one of the Creatures himfelf ™ " 
 
 Other more fpecial Maxims ihall be produ- 
 ced in their proper places. 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 ^affages relating to the two diJiinB Na- 
 tures, the T>ivme and Human, united 
 in the T erf on of Chr'tfl. 
 
 I. f^\ U R Saviour was not a mere Man, but 
 V^ as begotten of the Father, had a glo- 
 rious Divine Nature, prse-exiftent to his Incar- 
 nation. 
 
 • " — The Word of God, who is the Saviour 
 
 " of all, and Ruler of Heaven and Earth, 
 
 " who alfo afllimed Fleih, and was anointed 
 " with the Spirit by the Father, became Jefus 
 
 '^ Chrill:. For as the Word of God was Man, 
 
 " of the Root oijejfe^ and the Son q^ Abraham^ 
 " the Spirit of God refted upon him, and he 
 '** was anointed to preach Glad -tidings to the 
 
 "* V. 22. 2. Illud igitur quod ait : H<ec omntu mm tradltn 
 fwra, ^ CM 'volo, do ea, ut in fuperbiam elatus ait. Neque 
 enim conditio fub ejus poteilate eft : quandoquidem & ipfe 
 «nus de creaturis eft. 
 
 ' iri 9.3. — Verbum Dei, qui eft Salvator omnium, & 
 Dominator Cceli & Tense, qui & affiimpfit Carnem, & 
 
 tinftus eft a Patre Spiritu, Jefus Chriftus faflus eft— — — . 
 nam fecundum id quod verbum Dei homo erat, ex Radice 
 Jeffe, & Filius Abrahs, fecundum hoc requiefcebat Spiritus 
 Dei fuper eum, & ungebatur ad evangelizandum humilibus. 
 Secundum autem quod Deus erat, non fecundum Gloriam 
 {xxTu. 7-jjV <?V|acf, fecundum opinionem) judicabat, &c. 
 
 « humble. 
 
( 9 ) 
 
 '* humble. But as he was God, he did not 
 " judge according to Appearance. 
 
 ^ " Having clearly dcmonftrated, that the 
 " Word, that was in the beginning with God,— 
 *^ was, at the time appointed by the Father, u- 
 '' nited to his own WorkmanOiip, and became 
 " a fufFering man, I have left no room for their 
 " contrary Opinion, who fiy j If Chriji was 
 " then born^ he had no being before. For I have 
 *' fliewn, the Son of God did not then begin 
 *' to exilt, but was ever with the Father, ^c. 
 
 II. The X67©', or Divine Nature of Chrift 
 did alTume true and perfcft human Nature, con- 
 fiding of Soul and Body, into a clofe and in- 
 effable Union with Himl'cif, fo as to make but 
 one Chrifl. Ircn^us did not dream of the 
 
 Xoy©* its being pafTible, and fupplying the 
 Place of an human Soul in the Man Chrifl 
 Jefus. 
 
 The F'alentinians divided the Perfon of Chrifl, 
 by diilinguifhing Chiji from the Saviour, and 
 both from Jefus ; they held, that the Superior 
 Nature, which they called Chriji, was not per- 
 fonally united to the Man Jefus, but only dc- 
 fcendcd on, and dwelt in Him a while, and then 
 return'd to his place above. 
 
 To this Error he oppofes the Catholic Doc- 
 trine of the Union of the two Natures in the 
 fame Perfon of Chrift, which he afferts from 
 Scripture by many Arguments ^. 
 
 •" iii. 18. 1. Oftenfo manifefte, quod in principio Verbum 
 exiftens apud Deuin,— — hunc— fecundum praeiinitum tem- 
 p\xs a Patre, unitum iuo plafmati, paflibilem hominem 
 fa£tum ; exclufa ell omnis contradidlio dicentium : li ergo 
 tunc natus eft, non erat ergo ante Chriftus. Oilendimus 
 enim, quia non tunc coepit Filius Dei, exiftens femper apud 
 Patrem. 
 
 1 Vide Libri 3'" caput 16""" per totum, &:c. 
 
 C dui.xhe 
 
( 10 ) 
 
 I . ^ " The Son of God became the Son ot 
 '* Man, that thro' Him we might receive the 
 " Adoption of Sons, the Man having in him, 
 '* and as it were, holding and containing the 
 " Son of God," (i.e. The Human Nature was 
 like a Tabernacle^or Fejfel fiW d with the Indwell- 
 ing Deity i) " Therefore Mark alfo faith : The 
 " beginning of the Gofpel of Jsfus Chrifi the Son 
 " of God ^ as it is written in the Prophets^ Mar. i. i . 
 '' owning the Son of God Jefus Chrift to be 
 " one and the fame Perfon, who was preach'd 
 " by the Prophets, and is Emmanuel of the 
 " fruit of David's body." 
 
 Here he ftrongly exprefTcs and proves, that 
 Jefus Chrift, the Son of God, and the Son of 
 Man, was not one, and another, but one and 
 the Same Perfon j He that was of the Seed of 
 David after the FleJJ}^ was declared to be the very 
 Son of God^ Rom. i. i , i, 3, 4. He who came of 
 the JevJs^ ^ith refpe6t to the aflumed humani- 
 ty, was alfo God over ally blejfed for Ever, chap. 
 ix. f. The fame Perfon, who was the Son of 
 God by eternal Generation, was made of a JVo- 
 man by his birth in time, Gal. iv. 4. For upon 
 thefe Texts he grounds his Do6trine of the U- 
 nity of Chrifl's Perfon. Befides, it deferves a 
 Remark too, that Irenaus fuppofes all along, 
 the Filiation belong'd properly and originally to 
 Chrift's Divine Nature, and was founded in 
 eternal Generation j he never dreamt, that the 
 
 '' iii. 16. 3. «— Filius Dei, hominis filius faftus, ut per 
 eum adoptionem percipiamus, portante homine, & capiente, 
 & compleftente Filium Dei. Propter hoc & Marcus ait : 
 Jnitium Evangelii Jefu Chrifti Filii Dei, quemadmodum Scriptum 
 fji in Prophetis. Unum & eundem fciens Filium Dei Jefum 
 Chriftum, qui a Prophetis annunciatus eft, qui ex frudtu Ven- 
 tris David Emmanuel, &c. 
 
 Son 
 
( " ) 
 
 Son of God was a Name of an Office, or Title 
 grounded on his Birth of a Virgin ; but ufes it 
 in Contra-dillin6lion to his human Nature, 
 by which he was the Son of Man. The Man 
 Chrift was the Son of God only by Virtue of a 
 perfonal Union with the \oyQ^, who was the 
 Son of God by Nature, /. e. by Eternal Gene- 
 ration, and being God of the Same Nature with 
 the Father. 
 
 2. ^ " — The only begotten Word of God, 
 who is ever prefcnt with Mankind, being inti- 
 mately united to his own Workmanship, ac- 
 cording to the Fathei"^s good Pleafurc, and 
 made Flcfli, is fefus Chrill our Lord, who 
 fuffer'd for us. 
 
 3. ^ " He united Man to Godj for if it had 
 not been Afan that overcame the Enemy of 
 Man, He had not been julHy vanquifh'd. 
 Again i had it not been God that gave us Sal- 
 vation, we could never with any certainty 
 have depended upon it. And if Man had not 
 
 • iii. 16. 6. — Nefcientes, quoniam hujus Verbum Uni- 
 genitus, qui femper humano generi adeft, unitus & * con- 
 fparfus fuo plafmati fecundum plncitum P.itris, & caro faflus, 
 ipfe ell Jefos Chrillus Dominus nofter, qui paffus eft pro no- 
 bis.—— 
 
 * nsjtji^svcc Gra:ce. quo fere fenfu apvid Plurarchum in Romnlp, 
 n%pvpf-thn cdfAcLTi -^vyn, i. e. anlma Corpori commixta, ich intime unita 
 dic'itur. V. Mifluet. Not. In loc. 
 
 ^ iii. 18. 7. I I "EtutTiv c\jv,, .T cit?(a7Tet r" Otcu' U 
 
 hx ccv (iiQcciuq t^'Ofjt,i> kvTr,v' y.»\ u ^ri Q-vvf^ia^ri ecyfieuT!^ 
 
 (pt^txt x.xt ofjttovotccv rt5 Uffjipoti^ve, (rvvxyxytif. 
 
 Confer locum plane geminum, cap. feq. i. — Qui Filius 
 pei eft, filius hominis fadus eft j— -non enim aliter po- 
 t^ramus incorruptelam & immorcalitatcm, pcrcipere, &c. 
 
 C i « been 
 
( 12 ) 
 
 '^ been united to God, he could never have 
 *' been partaker of Immortality : For the Me- 
 *■' diator between God and Men, muft, by be- 
 " ing clofely ally'd to both Parties, rellore mu- 
 " tual Friendfhip and Concord betwixt 'em." 
 
 'Tis evident, he here by God means the true 
 God, or one who has the Nature of God 3 and 
 not a God by Appointment, or by being en- 
 trufted with Dominion. For as his Office of 
 Mediator between God and Men, made it ne- 
 ceflary he fhould be true Man, lb by a parity 
 of Reafon he mud hkewife have the nature of 
 God. And as he was ally'd to us by Confub- 
 ilantiality, and the fame common Nature, fo 
 his Alliance to the other party muft alfo imply 
 Confubftantiality with God. If a fubordinate 
 Ruler's being united to our Nature, had any 
 tendency to make us immortal, then a mere 
 Man, entrufted with fuch Divine Dominion, 
 might be qualify'd to be our Mediator, and 
 'the Author of Eternal Salvation j which Taps 
 the very Foundation of his Argument. 
 
 4. 8 " That we confift of a Body taken from 
 " the Earth, and a Soul receiving the Spirit 
 " from God, no Body will deny: Therefore 
 " the Son of God became the Same^'' {ajfumd a 
 Soul and Body) " fumming up his own Work- 
 '' manfhip in Himfelf j and upon that account 
 " owns himfelf to be the Son of Man." 
 
 He proceeds to prove there the Truth of his 
 human Nature from the Sufferings of his Body, 
 
 ^ iii. 22. 1. Nos autem quoniam corpus fumus de terrt 
 acceptum, & anima accipiens a Deo Spiritum, omnis qui- 
 cunque confitebitur. Hoc itaque faftum eft Verbum Dei, 
 fuum plafma in femetipfum recapitdans : & propter hoc fili- 
 um hominis fe confitetnr.n v. quae fequuntur. 
 
 and 
 
( 13 ) 
 
 and Sorrows of his Soul. His Reafonings are 
 refolved into this Principle, That He had not 
 been true Man^ without ajjuming both the Confti' 
 tuents of a Man^ the Body and Soul. Compare 
 with this what he ellewhere fays. 
 
 ^^ '^ — Man is made after the Likenefs of God, 
 and not a part of Man : the Soul and Spirit 
 may be a part of the Man, but not the Man 
 himfelf : a compleat Man is a Compofition 
 and Union of a Soul receiving the Spirit of 
 the Father, and of that Flefli joined with it, 
 which was made after the Image of God. 
 Again : ■ " The flcflily Frame is not by it 
 felf a perfe6t Man > but the body and part of 
 a Man : nor is the Soul in it felf a Man j but 
 the Soul, and a part of the Man : nor is the 
 Spirit a Man 5 for 'tis called the Spirit, and 
 not a Man. But all thcfe put together, and 
 united, make a compleat Man. 
 f . ^ " The Prophets, who fct him forth as 
 Emmanuel to be born of the Virgin, figni- 
 fy'd the union of the Word of God with his 
 
 '' V. 6. I. —Fit homo fecundum fimilitudinem Dei, fed 
 non pars hominis. Anima autem & Spiritus pars hominis 
 effe poflunt, homo autem nequaquam. Perfeftus autcm ho- 
 mo commixtio & adunitio eft animae affumentis Spiritum 
 Patris, & admixta ei carni, qux eft plafmata fecundum Ima- 
 ginem Dei. 
 
 ' Et poft pauca. Neque cnim plafmatio carnis ipfa fe- 
 cundum fe homo perfe£lus eft ; fed corpus hominis, ^- pars 
 hominis. Ncque enim & anima ipfa fecundum fe homo ; fed 
 anima hominis, & pars hominis. Neque Spiritus homo • 
 Spiritus enim, & non homo vocatur. Commixtio auiem & 
 unitio horum omnium, perfeftum hominem efficit. 
 
 * iv. 33. II. Et qui eum ex Virgine Emmanuel praedir 
 cabant, adunitionem vcrbi Dei ad plafma ejus manifeftabant : 
 quoniam Verbum caro erit, & Filius Dei Filius hominis;— 
 & hoc faftus, quod & nos, Deus fortis eft, & incnarrabile ha- 
 bct genus. 
 
 4 /< own 
 
( 14 ) 
 
 «' own Workmanfhip, that the Word fliould 
 *' be made Flefh, and the Son of God the Son of 
 
 '' Man 3 and that being made of the Same 
 
 '' Nature with us. He is the mighty God^ Ifa. ix. 
 '^ 5. and has an ineffable Generation^ chap.liii.8. 
 
 6. * '^ Remember, that you arc redeemed by 
 " the Flefh and Blood of our Lord, and hold- 
 " ing the Head^ from which the ivhole Body of 
 " the Churchy being knit together^ increafeth^ [Col. 
 " ii. ip.] that is, the Son of God's coming in 
 " the Fleih, both confeiling Him to be God, 
 " and firmly believing his human Nature,— y^. 
 
 7. "^ " The Lord by the Law confuted Sa- 
 '' tan, faying : // is written again^ thou fhalt not 
 *' tempt the Lord thy God. Shewing, by that 
 *' faying taken out of the Law, his own hu- 
 *' man Nature, that being Man he fhould not 
 *' tempt God j but as it concern'd him (Satan,) 
 " that he fhould not tempt the Lord his God, 
 " in that Man that was vifible : " i. e. God ma- 
 nifefted in Chrift's human Nature. 
 
 I cannot fee, that, tho' this PafTage is fome- 
 what obfcure, it is fairly capable of any other 
 lenle. To nar* avG^WTov, muft be oppofed to 
 Chrift's Divine Nature, and confcquently fignify 
 his Manhood, which was under the Law. And 
 then he obferves, that the Reafon and Equity 
 
 ' V. 14. 4. Memor igitur, Dileftiffime, quoniam Came 
 Domini noftri redemptus es, & fanguine ejus redhibitus, ?? 
 tmtns CapHt, ex quo univerfum Corpus EccleJiA compaginatum 
 augefcit, hoc eft, Carnalem Adventum Filii Dei, & Deum 
 confitens, & hominem ejus iirmiter excipiens, &c. 
 
 " V. 21. 2. Dominus itaque legitime confutavit eum, di- 
 cens : Item fcriptum eft, non tentabis Dominum Deum tuum y 
 per earn vocem, quae eft in Lege, oftendens, id quidem quod 
 eft fecundum hominem, quoniam non debet homo tentare 
 Deum ; quantum autem ad ilium, quoniam in eo homine qui 
 videbatur, non tentaret (aj. tentare) Dominum Deum fuum. 
 
 o£ 
 
( IJ ) 
 
 of that prohibition extended to the Devil alfo, 
 tho' not a Man j and that he fhould not tempt 
 his Lord, even appearing in the Nature of Man. 
 An apoftate and fugitive Servant ought not to 
 lift up his Hand againft his Mafter and Sove- 
 reign i for he afterwards fays, the Word did 
 overcome, and bind him, as his own Fugitive, 
 or Run-away Servant". 
 
 ° 8. " As the hght Wood funk under Wa- 
 " ter, and the heavy Iron fwam, i Kings vi. 6. 
 " fo God the Word being united to Flefh by 
 '' a phyfical and hypoftatical Union, the heavy 
 '' and earthly Nature was lifted up to Heaven 
 " by the Divine Nature." 
 
 Tho' this Paflage is only taken out of a Greek 
 Catena on the Books of Kings^ found in the French 
 King's Library 5 yet he that will be at the trou- 
 ble to compare it with fome Paflages in Irenaeus 
 not unlike it p, will fee little Reafon to doubt 
 of its Gcnuinenefs. 
 
 " V. 21. §. 3. Fugitivum eum homo ejus, & *Legis 
 
 Tranfgreflbrem, & Apoftatam Dei oftendens, poftea jam Ver- 
 bum conftanter eum colligavit, quafi fuum Fugitivum. » 
 * Legis Tranfgrefrorem oftendit Satanam Dormnusi quod Dominum 
 Deum fuum in Carne conrpicuum tencare aufui eflec : nam illud hue re- 
 ferendum puro. 
 
 " Fragm. I. p. 347. Ed. B. — 'n$ »;^ tp xs^dVarev |yAo» 
 vzcQ^u^iof yiycviv, 6 3 (Ssc^t/TocT©- sVfrroAst^s mo^^^ «t« to? 
 ©£ot( Xoyn, iraa-fi, tjJ kx6' liTrofua-tf ^wr»»ci}, ivu6i]iT®" T>j (rufxl 
 79 fiei^u Kut yuio^i iiTTo to; d'ttte; (pufriui t'<; ifccvm «V£A)i^3')}. 
 
 f Confer I. 5. c. 17. 4. necnon 1. 4. c. 34. 4. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
( I<5 ) 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 The Tajfages, wherein the Father, Son and 
 Spirit are mention d, 
 
 I. » « rpHE Church, tho' it be difpeifed 
 JL " over all the World unto the ends 
 " of the Earth, received from the Apoftles and 
 *' their Difciples, the Faith in one God, the Fa- 
 *' ther Almighty, the Maker of Heaven, and 
 *' Earth, and Sea, and all things in them : And in 
 *' one Chrill Jefus, the Son of God, who was in- 
 *' carnate for our Salvation : And in the Holy 
 *' Ghoft, who by the Prophets foretold the 
 " Difpenfations of God, and the Advents, and 
 " the Birth of a Virgin, and the Paffion, and 
 " the Refurre6bion from the Dead, and the bo- 
 " dily Afcenflon to Heaven, of the beloved 
 " Chriftjefus our Lord. 
 
 2. ^ " We hold the Rule of Truth, which 
 isj that there is one God Almighty, who 
 
 " made 
 
 cc 
 
 ««£(»»» ft/xdi^'mv 7retpoe,Xx^ou<rx ttjv h\ 'ivx &ilv, ?r»riex 7r<x,vrox.PX' 
 Te^x, trs^owjxora t ifxvot, x,Xi t^k yw, kui roi<; ^»Xot<r(rx<i, f^ TTcarct 
 Toi it avroii, "mi^n' 5^ h^ Ivoi Xfii^ov 'IiitoZv, T htov roZ Qiov, tov 
 ffcef»&)6fvTX uTTif '^ iifjjiTi^Xi <rcort)fiXi;' Ktx,] sig fTviZyjot, <x,yiov, to 
 aicx, rZv TT^oCpijrZii xiKtiov%6<; TUi oiKovofAjMc,, kxi 7oc.<;tXiu(rUi,xxi TTjt 
 sx. TTM^ivis ym7]<rty, xxt to ^u,6'^, xxi t>}v iyico'tv i>c viKpaiv, xxi t^v 
 tytrxfKov ii<i Toui ouoxjisi ti^ccXt^n tov yiyxTi'tj/jjiva Xfifou ly}<Tou too 
 
 •" i. 22. X. Cum teneamus autem nos Regulam Veritatis, 
 id eft, q^uia fit unus Deus omnipotens, qui omnia condidit 
 per Verbum fuum, & aptavit, & fecit ex eo quod non erat, 
 ad hoc ut fint omnia, quemadmodum Scriptura dicit : Verba 
 enim Domini Cceli firmfiti fmt, C? S^iritn oris ejus omnis virtut 
 
 mum. 
 
( 17 ) 
 
 made^all things out of nothing by his Word ; 
 " as the Scripture faith : By the Word of the 
 '^ Lord were the Heavens ejiablified 5 and by the 
 " Spirit of his Mouth all their Hofs^ Pfal. xxxiii. 
 " 6. And again : yill things were made by him ; 
 " and without him was nothing made^ Joh.i.3. 
 " (now from all things nothing is excepted) 
 " but the Father made all things by him, whe- 
 
 '' ther vilible or invifible and not by An- 
 
 '^ gels, nor by any Powers feparatcd from his 
 " own Mind: for the God of all (lands in need 
 " of nothing : but by his own Word and Spi- 
 '' rit makes, and orders and governs, and gives 
 *' being to all things. He that made the 
 
 " World, and formed Man, he is the God 
 
 " of ^braham^ and the God of Ifaac^ and the 
 " God of Jacob^ above whom there is no other 
 " God, nor Principality, nor Power, nor Ple- 
 " nitude : This is the Father of our Lord Jefus 
 « Chrift. 
 
 3. "" " (The Creator) himfelf freely and by 
 '' his own Power made, difpofed, and finifh'd 
 " all things of himfelf j — He alone is found to 
 " be God, who made all things, the alone Om- 
 
 " nipotent, 
 
 eorum. Et iterum : Omnia per ipfum facia funt, ^ fine ipfo 
 faiium ejl nihil. (Ex omnibus aucem nihil fubtraftum elt ; 
 fed omnia per ipium fecit Pater, five vifibilia, five invifibi- 
 lia' ■) non per Angelos, nequc per Virtutes aliquasabfciflas 
 ab ejus fententiii ; nihil enim indiget omnium Deus : fed &: 
 per Verbum & Spiritum fuum omnia faciens, & difponens, & 
 gubcrnans, & omnibus efle prsftans : hie qui mundum fecit,— 
 hie qui hominem plafmavit, hie Deus Abraham, &: Deus 
 Ifaac, & Deus Jacob, fuper quern alius Deus non ell, ncque 
 Initium, neque Virtus, neque Pleroma, hie pater Domini 
 noftri Jefu Chrifti. 
 
 * ii. 30.9. I ilpfe {{c. Demiurgus) a femetipfo fecit li- 
 bere & ex fua potelbte, &difpofuit, &• per fecit omnia ; ■ ■ 
 Solus hie Deus invenitur, qui omnia fecit, folus omnipotent 
 D & folus 
 
 cc 
 
( IS ) 
 
 '' nipotent, and the alone Father creating all 
 
 " things vifible and invifible hy the Word 
 
 " of his Power: And he adjutled and difpofed 
 '^ all hy his Wifdom j and tho' comprehending 
 ^' all things, himfelf alone can be comprehend- 
 '' ed by none : Himfelf is the Creator, Author 
 '' and Lord of all things : And there is none 
 *' befides him, or above him, not that Mo- 
 " thcr, which they falfely imagine, nor Mar- 
 " cioii's other God, nor any Pleroma of thirty 
 
 *' jEons-i nor a Bythus^ nor Proarche^ 
 
 *' n'or any one of the monilrous Inventions of 
 *' thefe, and of all Heretics. But the one God 
 " the Creator alone, he is above all Principa- 
 " lity and Power, and Dominion, and Might : 
 " This is the Father, this is God, this is the 
 '' Creator and Maker, who by himfelf^ that is, 
 '' by h'ls own JVoid and Spirit^ made Heaven, 
 " and Earth, and Seas, and all things that arc 
 " in 'em : He is juft, he is good : This is he 
 " that formed Man, that planted Paradife, that 
 " framed the World, that fent the Deluge, 
 
 « that 
 
 &■ folus Pater condcns & faciens omnia, & viiibilia, & invifl- 
 bilia,— — Ke>-^o Virtutis fu£: Et omnia aptavit, & difpofuit Sa- 
 pientia Aia, & omnia capiens, folus autem a nemine capi po- 
 teft: ipfe fabricator, ipfe conditor, ipfe inventor, ipfe faftor, 
 ipfe Dominus omnium : & neque praeter ipfum, neque fuper 
 ipfum, neque Mater, quam illi admentiuntur ; nee Deus al- 
 ter, quem Marcion affinxit ; nee Pleroma 30 yEonum, quod 
 vanum oftenfum eft ; neque Bythus, nee Proarche ; nee 
 
 in totum quidquam eorum, qus ab his, & ab omnibus Hasre- 
 ticis delirantur. Sed folus imus Deus Fabricator, hie qui eft 
 fuper omnem Principalitatem, & Poteftatem, & Dominatio- 
 nem, & Virtutem : hie Pater, hie Deus, hie conditor, hie 
 fadlor, hie fabricator, qui fecit ea per femetipfum, hoc eft, 
 per Verbum, & per Sapientiam fuam, Coelum, & Terram, & 
 Maria, & omnia quae in eis funt : hie juftus, hie bonus : hie 
 eft qui formavit hominem, qui plantavit Paradifum, qui fabri- 
 cavit mundum, qui Diluvium induxit, qui Noe falvavit : hie 
 
 Deus 
 
( 19 ) 
 
 " that faved Noe : This is the God of Jhra- 
 " ham^ and the God o^ Ifaac^ and the God of 
 " Jacob^ the God of the living, whom the 
 " Law {hews forth, and the Prophets declare, 
 *' whom Chrift reveals, and the Apollles preach, 
 " and the Church believes in. This Father of 
 " our Lord Jefus is revealed and made known 
 " to all, that have any Difcovery of him, by 
 *' his own Word, who is his Son." 
 
 I have fet down thefe important Pafh^ges al- 
 moft entire, tho' feveral things in 'em will with 
 more Propriety come under Confideration here- 
 after. The Reader may pleafe to obfcrve con- 
 cerning 'em, a few Particulars. 
 
 I . That the Truths contained in 'em are de- 
 liver'd as the known and avowed DocStrinc of 
 the whole Catholic Church, received from the 
 Apollles and their immediate Difciples, and care- 
 fully prcfcrved in the Primitive Creeds. 
 
 1. There are three Perfons, in whom they 
 believed, the Father^ Son^ and Holy Spirit : the 
 two latter often called the f-Ford and the IFif- 
 dom of God : And the Doftrine of this glorious 
 Trinity was, it fecms, the Summary and Ground- 
 work of all that Chriitians believ'd. 
 
 3. 'Tis as plain almoft as Words can make it, 
 that when the one God, the only Omnipotent and 
 Creator of <«//, be/ides whom there is no God^ is 
 faid to be the Farher of our Lord Jefus Chrifl:, 
 'tis not to exclude the Son and Holy Ghoft, 
 but the imaginary Deities of the Valentinians^ 
 and other Heretics. For clearing this, it muft 
 
 Deus Abraham, & Deus Ifaac, &: Deus Jacob, Deus vivorum, 
 quern c^- Lex annuntiat, quern Prophetas prsconant. querri 
 Chriftus revelat, quern Apoftoli tradunt, quern Ecclefia cre- 
 dit. Hie Piter Domini nollri Jefu Chrilti, per \'erbum fuum, 
 qui ell Fill us ejus, per eum revelatur & manifeltatur omnibus, 
 quibus reveh^tur. 
 
 D i be 
 
( 20 ) 
 
 be obferved, that our Author's profefTed De- 
 sign was to confute the wild Schemes of the fe- 
 veral Sedts of the Gnojlic Heretics, of whom 
 the Falentiniam were the chief. They taught, 
 that the Demlurgus^ or Creator of the World, 
 was not the fupream God, but far inferior to 
 him. Their fupream God and Father of all 
 they called Bythus^ i. e. the Depth^ or incompre- 
 henfihk Beings 6cc. him they fuppofed to have 
 fikntly enjoy 'd himfelf from all Eternity j and 
 at laft, long before the beginningof the World, 
 to have produced a glorious Mon^ equal to 
 himfelf, and capable to comprehend him : 
 whom they called the only-begotten {Monogenes) 
 and the Mind^ {Nus) they coupled him with 
 another Female- y^o;^ emitted at the fame time, 
 termed (^Alethid) ^ruth. Thefe foon propagated 
 another brace of ALons, called Logos and Zoe^ 
 the Word and the Life ; and fo others proceed- 
 ed from them, till the Number of thirty was 
 filled up, all contained in one Plerbma^ or Ple- 
 nitude. The lafl Female-^o?^, called Sophia^ 
 Wtfdom^ thro' an immoderate Defire to fearch 
 out, and comprehend the unknown Father, had 
 almofl loft her Place in the Pleroma of the 
 ^ons : And tho' recover'd after fome time, yet 
 produced a monftrous Birth, called Mother 
 ylchamoth , a blind, fhapelefs jEon^ made up of 
 Ignorance and Paflion, caft forth without the 
 Pleroma^ and yet under fome Influence and 
 Management of thofe within it : She produced 
 the Demiurgus^ or the Creator, who made the 
 World. Others had Schemes different from 
 this : Some held the World was created by (e- 
 ven Angels, the firft of whom was the Patron 
 oi the Jews^ and Author of the Law. Mar- 
 cion held two Gods, a fupream, xh^xfent Chrift, 
 z who 
 
( 21 ) 
 
 who alone was good } and a fubordinate, who 
 made the World, and gave the Law -, him he 
 fuppofed to be juft without Goodnefs. How- 
 ever, they generally agreed, that the Creator 
 and God of the Old Teftament, was not the fu- 
 pream Father that Chrift came to reveal j 
 whom they fuppofed to be unknown before. 
 
 Now confidering, that 'tis this heap of BhC- 
 phemy and monllrous Opinions, and not the 
 Do6trine of the Trinity that Jren^us is difprov- 
 ing, to take his Words, curtailed and mangled, 
 and, by clapping 'em in after an Avian Propo- 
 fition, to fet 'em in fuch a Light, that the Rea- 
 der mull underftand 'cm to have been leveled 
 againlf the Divinity of the Son and Spirit, will 
 not, I think, bear (o much as an Appearance of 
 Ingenuity and fair Dealing ^. Let the Reader, 
 that would not be impofed upon, carry his Icope 
 in his Thoughts, and take a view of his Ex- 
 predions in their native Simplicity, and try whe- 
 ther they will bear the Jr'ian Senfe. When he 
 fo ftrongly aflerts, there is but one only God^ 
 he expreiles the known Do6trine of the Church, 
 in Oppofition not only to more fuprcam Gods, 
 but to one fupream, and others fubordinatcj 
 which Tenet is common to the Avians with all 
 the Heretics he oppofcs : hence he aflerts, there 
 is no Godj not only above him^ hut beftdes him. 
 When he had proved, that the Creator ot the 
 World Is the one God, he adds, This is the Fa- 
 thev of Chvift^ in Oppofition to their Opinion, 
 who held, that the God revealed by Chrift, and 
 the Maker of Heaven and Earth, were two dif- 
 ferent Beings.— When he fays of the one God, 
 
 * See Dr. Ckrkfs Scripture-Do<^rine, p. 212, 213, 214, 
 215. Ed. 2. 
 
 chat 
 
( 22 ) 
 
 that there is no God above him^ his profcflcd 
 Scope dire6ts us to underftand him fimply to 
 deny their Scheme, who fet many Gods above 
 the Creator, and not to infinnate any Diftin6li- 
 on between him, and a fubordinate God, or 
 Gods, that have another God above them : for 
 this is really the heretical Scheme oppofed by 
 him, and utterly inconfiftent with Chriftian Prin- 
 ciples. But that the impartial may judge, whether 
 the Son and Spirit are here ftruck off by the 
 exclufive Terms, or all along taken in with the 
 Father, as fuppofed to be infeparably united to 
 him, according to Chriftian Do6trine, I fhall 
 give a brief view of the Evidence in the Mar- 
 gin ^ 
 
 But 
 
 * Charafters of the one on- 
 ly God here fet down. 
 
 I . He is the Creator of all 
 things. 
 
 2. He has his Word and 
 Wifdom in, and with him- 
 felf, which cannot be fuppof- 
 ed to be Beings diftinft from 
 him in Nature, or to be fe- 
 parately confider'd. 
 
 3.. He is incomprehenfible 
 to all others. 
 
 4. He is the God of Abra- 
 ham, &c. the God of the liv- 
 ing. 
 
 5. He planted Paradife, 
 caufed the Flood, faved Ncf> 
 
 The Son and Spirit are in- 
 cluded in the one only God. 
 
 1 . This Charafter belongs 
 to the Son and Spirit, which 
 were not inferior Agents in 
 this Work, as fhall be fhewn. 
 
 2. The Son and Spirit are. 
 termed his Word and Wif- 
 dom, to exprefs their ineffa- 
 ble Union with Him, in op- 
 pofition to feparate Powers 
 and all fubordinate Agents, 
 and not to make 'em mere 
 Attributes. 
 
 3. But the Son. compre- 
 hends him, as fhall be fhewn ; 
 and therefore is not oppofed 
 to him, but included in him 
 here, 
 
 4. Chrifl himfelf with the 
 Father is the God of the 
 living, '^c. iv. 5. 2. 
 
 5. All thefe, and the like 
 are often afcribed perfonally 
 to the Son. 
 
 6. He 
 
( 23 ) 
 
 But [renins fufficiently explains himfelf, and 
 cxprefTly fhews whom he intended to exclude 
 by thcfe Terms : — " There is no other God, 
 " faith he, either befides him, or above him 5 
 " not Achamoth^ nor Marciofi's other God, nor 
 " the thirty JEons^ nor the Bythus, Sec. But 
 
 " the one God the Creator alone." The 
 
 Argument grounded on the exclufive Terms 
 fhall be fully confider'd in a proper Place : I 
 would only obferve at prefcnt, that, as they are 
 fometimes taken refpehrjely^ not excluding all 
 abfolutely, but only thofe that the Author's 
 Scope led him to exclude 5 as Iren<£us prefaces 
 the third Paflage fet down above, with fuch an 
 AfTcrtion, quod ^ fulum veriim e[i^ And this only 
 is the Truth : i. e. This is the Truth, and not 
 the contrary Do61:rine, or any other Opinion 
 not confiilent with it : So our Author cannot 
 be fuppofcd to exclude from the Godhead the 
 Son and Spirit, that arc, in his ftrong Exprei* 
 Hon of the Unity, the Father himjelf. 
 
 4. When all things are faid to be created by the 
 Son and Spirit, the Divine Work of the Creation 
 is not afcribed to Creatures, Inllruments, or infe- 
 rior Agents 5 for he dill: inguifhes them from the 
 Angels, and all feparate Powers, di(Hn£l from 
 the one God 5 and looks upon it as inconfiftent 
 with the Divine Self- fufficicncy, to employ any 
 Agents in this glorious Work, not of the fame 
 
 6. He is fuppofed to be un- 6. So is the Son, for all 
 created. th'mgi were made by him ; and 
 
 all here admits no Exception, 
 as Ireȣus cxpreflly obferves. 
 
 7. He made all things alcne, 7. The Son and Spirit then 
 and by himfelf. are not excluded,but reckoned 
 
 one with hinifc'f. 
 8 He is above all Princi- 8. So is the Son, Eph. i. 
 
 pality, ^c 
 
 21. 
 
 Nature, 
 
( 2+) 
 
 Nature, and one with himfelfj as hereafter 
 ihall be more fully fhewn ^. 
 
 f . Tho' there are three Divine Perfons, yet 
 they make not fo many Gods j for the Son and 
 Spirit are not confidcred as created Beings, or 
 Powers diftinft from the one God, but included 
 in him, and fo clofely united to the Father, that 
 they may be called himjelf : — By himfelf^ faith 
 he^ i. e. by his Word and Spirit he made Hea~ 
 'uen and Earthy &c. And this way of working 
 fhew'd his Self-fufficiency, that he needed not 
 the Co-operation or Inftrumentality of any Be- 
 ing befides himfelf. How could he more plain- 
 ly intimate, that the Son and Spirit are one God 
 with the Father? To do any thing, &\ IcturS, 
 hy himfelf^ is a Greek Phrafe, oppofed to the 
 Agency of others 5 and plainly here, and in the 
 PafTage to be next produced, was intended to 
 exclude the Agency of Angels, or any fubordi- 
 nate Powers, that are not God himfelf. Now ac- 
 cording to the Arian Scheme, Irenaus his Ex- 
 preflion would be a glaring Contradi6tion j and 
 he fhould have faid, God created the World^ not 
 hy himfelf^ hut hy his Word and Spirit. \i any 
 orthodox Father, defcanting on the Apoflle's 
 Words, Heh. i. 3. had faid, Chrifl did not redeem 
 us hy Proxy ^ or by the Blood of Calves and Goats^ 
 hut hy himfelf^ i.e. hy his human Soul and Body. 
 Every body would underftand, that he fup- 
 pofed the Soul and Body, in which our Saviour 
 fuflfered, were fo ineffably united to his Divine 
 Nature, that both made but one Chrifl; : or if 
 one fhould fay, A Man did any thing hy himfelf y 
 i.e. with his own Hands, it would neceflarily 
 imply, that his Hands were not accounted fo- 
 
 f See chap. 8. 
 
 reign 
 
( 25 ) 
 reign Inftruments or AfTiftants, but Parts of the 
 Man himfelf. So our Author's Expreffion mud 
 fignify the ineffable Union of the Father, Son, 
 and Spirit in the fime Nature and Godhead j 
 for thefe Three are one God ; (o that the Fa- 
 ther's working by the Word and Spirit, was not 
 going out of himfelf to makeufc of foreign Aid, 
 or Agency, but exerting himfelf in his natural 
 way, by thofe that are one with him by an in- 
 effable Communion in the fune Godhead. And 
 he fevims manifeftly to refer to feveral PafTages 
 of Scripture, in which Creation is afcribed to 
 God alone, exclufive of all others j as Jol? ix. 8. 
 which alone fpreadeth out the Heavens, &c. but 
 efpecially Ifa. xliv. 2,4.— I am the Lord th.it 
 maketh all things^ that fpreadeth forth the Hea~ 
 njens alone^ that fpreadeth abroad the Earth b y 
 MY SELF. To create by himfelf^ was to do 
 it alone : and yet this does not exclude, but take 
 in the Word and Spirit, who are not inferior 
 Agents, but God himfelf. And as Iret?a:ui''s 
 Comment on thefe Words was grounded on the 
 Chriftian Do6trine, (o it was agreeable to the 
 traditional Explication of the Jews j for the 
 Cbaldee Paraphrad gives the Senfe of that Text 
 thus : — il am the Lord the Ahker of all things^ 
 I fir etched out the Heavens by my fVord-, I found- 
 ed the Earth by my Power. The next PaflTige 
 will farther illuftrate and confirm this. 
 
 4. ^ " We learn, that God is fo great, 
 
 " and that 'tis he that by himfelf created, ■ 
 
 " adorned, 
 
 * iv. 20. i. ■Difcimns, quoniam eft ixntws Deus, & 
 
 ipfe eft qui jer Jemetipjum conftituit,— — & adomavit, & con- 
 
 E tinct 
 
C 26 ) 
 
 " adorned, and upholds all things* The An- 
 " gels did not form us j nor could the Angels 
 " themlelves make the Image of God, nor any 
 " other but the Word of the Lord, nor any 
 " Power far remov'd from the Father of all. 
 " For God needed none of them, to make what 
 " he had detcrmin'd with himfelf, (ince he had 
 " his own Hands. For he has ever with him 
 " his Word and Wifdom, his Son and Spirit, 
 " by whom, and in whom he voluntarily and 
 " freely made all things; and to whom he ad- 
 " drefs'd himfelf, faying, Let us make Man af- 
 " ter our Image and Likeuefs; taking from him- 
 " felfthe Subftance of the Creatures, the Mo- 
 " del of the Works, and the Figure of the Or- 
 " naments of the World." 
 
 Here he fcems to afcribe the Creation of the 
 Matter or Subflance of the Univerfe to God 
 the Father, the Ideas and Patterns of Things 
 to the Son, and the adorning and finifhing Part 
 to the Spirit; and obferves, he was not be- 
 holden to others for any of thefe, but had 'em 
 all in, and of himfelf: which excludes the A- 
 gency of inferior Powers, and confirms the U- 
 nity of the blefled Three, who are no other 
 than God himfelf* 
 
 Dr. Clarke faw there was need of Artifice to 
 
 tinet omnia. • ■ . Non ergo Angeli fecerunt nos, nee nos 
 plafmaverunt, nee Angeli potuerunt imaginem facere Dei; 
 nee alius quis praerer verbum Domini, nee virtus longe ab- 
 fifteps a Patre univerforum. Nee enim indigebat hiorum Deus, 
 ad faciendum quse ipfe apud fe prsedefinierat fieri, quafi ipfe 
 fuas non haberet m.mus. Adefi enim ei Temper Verbum & 
 Sapientia, Filius & Spiritus, per quos, & in quibus omnia li- 
 bere & fponte fecit, ad quos & loquitur, dicens : faciamus 
 hominem ad imaginem & iimilitudinem noflram ; ipfe a fe- 
 7netipfo {nhiiinUzm. creaturarum, & exemplum faftorum, &: 
 figuram in mundo ornamentorum accipiens. 
 
 evade 
 
( 27 ) 
 
 evade the force of this ftrong and plain Expref- 
 fion, viz. God's making all things by h'mfelf ^ 
 which according to his Scheme, mull mean, 
 that God did not do this Work by himfelf^ but 
 by two fubordinate Powers that execute his 
 Will. To bring it to this Senfe, which is the 
 Contradi61:ion of it, he produces the other Ex- 
 preflion, viz. His doing this IVork with his oivn 
 Hands., that is., his H ord and Spirit j and fup- 
 pofeth this was intended to be explicatory of 
 the other, and to mean no more, than that they 
 (as fubordinate Agents) excrcife the Poioer^ and 
 execute the JVill of God^ as a Mali's ozvn Hwds 
 execute his Power and H-^tU'K Whereas, iji good 
 Senfe, the latter Exprcflion, as figuracivc and 
 more general, fliould be explain'd by the former, 
 which is proper and of a more determinate Sig- 
 nification} as always the more fpccific Decla- 
 rations explain and determine the Scnfc of more 
 loofe and general ones. Befidcs, the Doctor 
 llrips the latter ExprefTion of its Emphafis, and 
 puts an infipid Senfe upon it, in order not ta 
 explain, but really deftroy the former, and ad- 
 vance the contradictory of it. 
 
 But let Irenaus be explained by his own Words 
 in their intended Senfe and Emphafis, and by 
 his Argument and Scope, and not by Arian 
 Principles, that he never heard ofj and he'll 
 fpeak confidently. His profefied Scope in this 
 nnd other Places, is to confute their heretical 
 Schemes, who held, the World was made by 
 fubordinate Powers, and not by the fupream 
 God: and tho' thev fuppofed alfo, this Work 
 was done without the Command of the Father 
 of all, yet 'tis not this part of their Scheme he 
 
 I Scripture Dodrine, p. 282, 283. Ed. 2. 
 
 E 2. here 
 
( 28 ) 
 
 here oppofes j elfe he would have faid, God did 
 not authorize or command tbefe fuppofed Creators^ 
 and fhew'd, that without his Pleafure nothing 
 could be created : But he fays, God did not need 
 ""em to execute his Will^ arguing againft the Agen- 
 cy of all inferior Powers from the Self-fufficien- 
 cy of God, who has all the requifites to Crea- 
 tion in, and of himfelf. The Argument and 
 Scope of the Place, the neceflary import of his 
 Expreflion, creating by himjelf^ compar'd with 
 the Scriptures plainly refer'd to, which aflerc 
 his making all things alone^ all thefe unavoidably 
 exclude all fubordmate Agents, or created In- 
 flruments, and imply, or rather fully exprefs 
 God's applying himfelf immediately to this glo- 
 rious Work. And confequently, he intended a 
 fpecial Emphafis in his favourite Simile of the 
 Father's creating with his own two Hands, that 
 is, the Son and Spirit : as when a Mafter does 
 not fit flill, and ufe theMiniftry of his Servants, 
 but does his Work himfelf, he is faid to do it 
 with his own Hands. Al laurs, and icJ^iaiz -^^i^^rh 
 ljya^£(^aj are equivalent Phrafes in Greek, and 
 both fignify aurs^yfav, i. e. doing any thing im- 
 mediately, without the Agency of others. And 
 thus indeed the two Expreflions mutually ex- 
 plain one another, and are grounded on Texts 
 of Scripture of the fame import: asT/^. xlv. iz. 
 /, even my Hands have Jlr etched out the Heavens. 
 And chap, xlviii. i 3. Mitie Hand hath laid the 
 Foundation of the Earthy and my Right-hand hath 
 /panned the Heavens, Thefe Texts carry the fame 
 meaning in them with the former,that afTertGod's 
 creating all things alone and by himfelf, and are 
 render'd alike by the ancient C'/;'<«/<:/^^ Paraphraft, 
 viz. that God made Heaven and Earth by his 
 Word and Power* The ancient Jews, who 
 
 difowned 
 
( 29 ) 
 
 difowned all inferior Gods and Creators, urider= 
 flood by the Hands of God his two glorious 
 Powers, which are no other but the Word and 
 Spirit of God ^. And 'tis as plain from Scripture 
 that his Hands are not different from himfelf. 
 
 f . 1 " Our Lord, after his Incarnation, re- 
 *' ceived Power over all things from the Fa- 
 '' ther, who made by his Word, and by his 
 " Wifdom adorned all things." 
 
 This Power that Chrift received from the 
 Father, was not fuppofed by Irerideus to be his 
 original, Divine Dominion j nor was his Fa- 
 ther's Donation the only Foundation of his Ti- 
 tle to fovereign Authority : for he aflerts him to 
 have been Lord of the whole Creation before 
 his Incarnation, and as he had the fame Divine 
 Power jointly with the Father, fo he had the 
 fame Title to it, which was founded in Crea- 
 tion. This he fully exprefles clfewhcrc, ground- 
 ing this Do6trine on the Scripture, Job. i. 10, 1 1. 
 "* He was in the JVorld^ and the World zvas made 
 by him: He came unto his own In rd 'la^icti 
 
 ^ See Dr. J/ix's Judgment of the Jcwijh Church againft 
 the Unitarians. 
 
 * iv. 20. 2. I.. Ab eodem, qui omnia Verbo fecit, & 
 Sapientia adornnvit, accipicns omnium poteftatem, quando 
 Verbum caro faftum eft. 
 
 '" V. 1 8. 2. Dcinde de ipfo Verbo dixit : In lioc mundo 
 erat, & mundus per ipfum taftus eft. — In fua propria venit, 
 &z fui eum non rercperunt. » - .Minifcftc cftendens, — quo- 
 niam unus Deus Pater fuper omnes, & unum Verbum Dei 
 quod per omnes, per quern omnia fada funt : & quoniam 
 hie mundus proprius ipfius, & per ipfum faftus eft voluntate 
 Patris, & non per Angelos ; neque per Apoftafiam, &-c. 
 
 Et N° 3. Mundi enim fadlor verc Verbum Dei eft: hie 
 autem eft Dominus nofter, qui. -■ fecundum invifibilitatem 
 continet, quae fada funt, omnia, & in univerfi conditione 
 infixus, quoniam \^erbum Dei gubernans & difponens om- 
 nia ; & propter hoc in fua venit, &rc. 
 
 into 
 
( 30) 
 
 into his own World, where he had right to fo- 
 vereign Dominion, as a Man has in his own 
 Houfe) and his own received him not. — " This 
 *' fhevvs, faith he, that there is one God the 
 " Father over all, and one Word of God, that 
 *' is thro' all, by whom all things were made : 
 " and that this World is his own, and was made 
 " by him by the Will of the Father, and not 
 <' by Angels (fuppofed to do it without his Con- 
 <' fent or Command) nor by Apollafy, ^f.'* 
 
 — And a little lower: " The Word of God 
 *' is truly the Maker of the World : now this is 
 *' our Lord, who— after an invifible manner up- 
 " holds all things that were made, and fills and 
 *' pervades the whole Creation, becaufe he is 
 '' the Word of God governing and difpofing 
 " all things j and therefore he came into his 
 " own World." And even in the place under 
 Confideration, he gives a plain Hint of Chrifl's 
 •original Dominion, that, as the Word of God, 
 and Creator of the World, he had antecedent- 
 ly to his Incarnation and the Father's Donation, 
 and alfo diilinguifhes from it his mediatorial 
 Power derived by a new Grant from the Fa- 
 ther > for it was given him as a righteous Man^. 
 As God by refcuing Ifrael from Egyptian Bon- 
 dage acquired a new Title to be the Lord their 
 God, without derogating from his eflential and 
 original Right to the Allegiance of all his Crea- 
 tures. 
 
 Belides, it fhould be obferved, that Irenaus^ 
 
 " Accipiens omnium poteftatem, quando Verbum caro 
 faftum eft, ut quemadmodum in Ccelis principatum habuit 
 Verbum Dei, fie & in terra haberet Principatum, quoniam 
 Homo juftus, qui peccatum non fecit. principatum autem 
 
 habeat eorum qu£e funt fub terra, ipfc primogenitus mor- 
 tuorum faftus. 
 
 in 
 
( JI ) 
 
 in inculcating this Derivation of Power to the 
 Mediator, had no thought of degrading him, 
 or leading us to the origin of all his Po\^erand 
 Divine Dominion, as the Brians would have it 
 believ'd without Proof: But by the Scripture- 
 Doftrinc of the Saviour's being appointed Lord 
 of the whole Creation by the Father, he con- 
 futes the Heretics, who held, that the Father 
 of Chriil; had no Title to Sovereignty in this 
 World by Creation: his Argument runs thus 5 
 Chrift (as Man and Mediator) received Power 
 over the whole Creation from his own Father: 
 now, how could he deliver to him a World 
 that was not his own? Would the infinitely juft 
 and good be liberal of what he had no right toj 
 and fend his Son as an Ufurper into the Work- 
 manfhip and Poflefl'ion of another °? He con- 
 cludes therefore, this World mult be God's by 
 Creation. 
 
 6. P " Man is made up of Soul and Flelh, 
 " formed after the hkenefs of God, and fafhi- 
 " oned by his Hands^ that is, by the Son and 
 '' Spirit, to whom he faidj Let us make Man^ 
 " GV//. i. i6. 
 
 7, 1 " Tho' we cannot find Solutions of all 
 '^ the Difficulties of Scripture, yet we muft not 
 
 " fee' 
 
 * Ibid. Omnia mihi, inquit, tradita funt a Pat re meo; m 
 nifefte ab eo, qui omni.i fecit : non enim aliens, fed fu- 
 tradidit ei. 
 
 Confer, v. 2. i . Vani autem & qui in alicna dicunt Deum 
 venifl'e, velut aliens concupifcentem, uti eum hominem, 
 qui ab altero f\dlu? eflct, exliiberet ei Deo, qui ncquc fe- 
 ciflet, neque condidiflet, &c. 
 
 P iv. Prasf. 4. Homo eft autem temperatio animas & car- 
 nis, qui lecundum fimilitudinem Dei formatus eft, &• per 
 manus ejus plafmatus eft, hoc eft, per Filiuni L Spiritum ; 
 quibus & dixit : Faciamus hotrimn. 
 
 \ ii. z%. 2. Si autem omnium, quse in Scripturis rcqui- 
 
 runtur, 
 
cc 
 
 ( 32 ) 
 
 feek for another God, befides the true one j— » 
 but leave fuch things to the God that made 
 US', being well aflured, that the Scriptures 
 
 " are perfeS, as being endited by the Word 
 
 " and Spirit of God. 
 
 8. ' " In the name of Chrift, he that anoint- 
 " ed, he that was anointed, and the Un£tion it 
 ** felf, with which he was anointed, areunder- 
 " Itood. Now it was the Father that anointed 
 " him, and the Son was anointed with the Spi- 
 '' rit, who is the Un6bion : wherefore theWord 
 " faith by I/aiah j T'he Spirit of God is upon me^ 
 " becaufe he hath anointed me-, fignifying the 
 " anointing Father, the anointed Son, and the 
 " Un£lion, which is the Spirit. 
 
 9. *" " God is known by Men, not in refpe6b 
 
 " of his Greatnefs, or his Subftancej but 
 
 " only fo far as to fatisfy 'em, that he who 
 
 " made 'em and by his Word eftablifh'd, 
 
 <' and by his Wifdom framed all things, is the 
 '' only true God. 
 
 10. ' " There is in, and thro' all one God 
 
 " the 
 
 runtur, abfolutiones non pofTumus invenire, alterum tamen 
 Deum, prsrer eum qui eft, non requiramus.— . Cedere autem 
 base tilia debemus Deo, qui & nos fecit, reftiffime fcientes, 
 quia Scripturse quidem perfedlas funt, quippe a Verbo Dei & 
 Spiritu ejus difls. . 
 
 ■■ iii. 1 8. 3. In Chrilli enim nomine fubauditur qui unxit, 
 & ipfe qui unflus eft, & ipfa Undlio, in qua unftus eft. Et 
 unxit quidem Pater, unftus eft vero Filius, in Spiritu, qui 
 ertUndlio; quemadmodum per Efaiamait Sermo: Spiritus 
 Del j'uper me, propter quod unxit me; fignificans & ungentem 
 Patrem, & undlum Filium, & Unftionem, qui eft Spiritus. 
 
 ^iii. 24. 2. In agnitionem autem (venit hominibusDeus) 
 non lecundum mngnitudinem, nee fecundum fubftantiam ; — 
 fed fecundum illud, ut fciremus, quoniam qui fecit & plaf- 
 mavit, ■ .Verbo fuo confirmans, & Sapientia compingens 
 omnia, hie eft qui eft folus verus Deus. 
 
 * '\y. 6.7. Et propter hoc in omnibus, & per omnia unus 
 
 Dcus 
 
( 33 ) 
 
 '' the Father, and one Word, the Son, and one 
 " Spirit, and one Salvation to all that bclievo 
 " in him. 
 
 11. " " When that which is perfect is come, 
 '' weihallnot fee another Father, but the fame, 
 " that now we long to lee j — nor lliall we look 
 " for another Chrill and Son of God, but him 
 '^ that was born of the Virgin Mary^ and fuf- 
 " fered, and whom we believe in, and love ;— 
 " nor receive any other holy Spirit, but the 
 *' fame that is with us, and cries, jibba^ Father. 
 
 1 2. ^^ " By all thcfe Methods is God the Fa- 
 '' ther maniFelled, by the Operation of the Spi- 
 " rit, by the Miniitry of the Son, and by the 
 " good Pleafureof the Father. 
 
 13. ^ " So Rahab the Harlot, condemning 
 '' hcrfelf, becaufc flic was an Heathen, and 
 " guilty of all manner of Sins, yet received, 
 " and hid in her Houfe the three Spies, — 'viz, 
 " the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit." 
 
 Irenaus is fpeaking of the Signification of 
 fome typical A£bions and hillorical PalTages in 
 the Old Teflamentj and fuppofes, that as Mofes 
 
 Deus Pater, S: unum Verhiim, Filius, & unus Spiritus, &: una 
 falus omnibus credentibus in eum. 
 
 " iv. 9. 2. Sicut igitur vcniente perfe£lo, non altcrum 
 Patrem videbimus, fed hunc, quern nunc videre concupi- 
 mus :— ncque alium Chrillum, &: Dei Filium expeflabimus ; 
 fed hunc, qui ex Maria Virgine, qui & pafllis eft, in qucin 
 &• credimus, quern & diligimus :—— nequc alium Spiritum 
 Sanflum pcrcipimus, nifi hunc, qui cil nobilcum, & qui 
 clamat, Abba, Fatir. 
 
 " iv. 20. 6. Per omnia enim h^ec Deus Pater oftenditur, 
 Spiritu quidem operante, Filio vero minillrante, Patre vcro 
 comprobante, Gr. t'yJlsxsvT©-. 
 
 * iv. 20. 12. Sic autem & Raab fornicaria, femetipfam 
 quidem condemnans, quoniam cflet gentilis, omnium pec- 
 catorum rea, fufcepit autem tres Speculatores,— & npud fe 
 abfcondit, Patrem fcilicet & Filiuni cum Spiritu Sando. 
 
 F bis 
 
( 34) 
 
 his marrying an Ethiopian Woman, was a Pre- 
 diction convey 'd by 'Things of the future Con- 
 verfion of the Gentiles -, fo Rahab's entertain- 
 ing the Spies, whom by a flip of Memory he 
 fuppofed to be Three, was a typical Reprefen- 
 tation of the Sinners of the Gentiles, their re- 
 ceiving the Holy Trinity by obedience to the 
 Gofpel. 
 
 14. y " The fpiritual Man has a found Faith 
 "■ in one God Almighty, of whom are all things, 
 and a firm Belief in the Son of God, Chrifl 
 Jcfus our Lord, by whom are all things, and 
 the Difpenfations, by which the Son of God 
 became Man, and in the Spirit of God, who 
 gives the Knowledge of the Truth, and ex- 
 plains the Difpenfations of the Father and the 
 
 Son. 
 
 Again : ^ '*' He owns, that God, and the 
 Word, and the Spirit are ever the fame. 
 If. " "Man is made after the Image and 
 
 cc 
 
 y iv. 33.7. m^Tlxtlx (toJ Omnia enim ei conftant : 
 
 zrvi-JiAXTtxai) (TvveT-ix-iv' itq tvx & in unum Deum omnipo- 
 ■ Geov -MeifloafixTcfcc, i\ ^ rk tentem, ex quo omnia, fides 
 •jsu^ct,, sr/^-*? oXo>t.X7i^<^' ^ in; Integra } & in Filium Dei 
 T bill/ TH ©sS lyiaSii Xjifov, r Chriftum Jefum Dominunx 
 xi>§to» iivjav, ^ a Tc« 5r«vl«, ;^ noftrum, per quern omnia, 
 ras? oix-MCfiiiu^ uvToZ , ^' av &Difpofitiones ejus, per quas 
 «^^f*5!■®- iyinro vioc, rcu homo faftus eft Filius Dei, 
 ©£», arsio-povt) fiiZutcc' xui i($ fententia firma, qu^e eft in 
 W ^viujAx TOW ©ia'.. Spiritu Dei, qui praeftat ag- 
 
 nitionem Veritatis, qui Dif- 
 
 pofitiones Patris & Filii ex- 
 
 pofuit, &c. 
 
 ' N°i;j. —— Semper eundem Deum fciens, & femper 
 
 eundem Verbum Dei cognofcens ;— — & femper eundem 
 
 Spiritum Dei cognofcens.- 
 
 ■' iv. 38. 3. 'Oysl'V/ircS «fl64 Z5-£TA«£0-jI/75V©-' «V^^»J7©- KXT* ilXf 
 
 »x Kaii cf/jciaa-tv rod Qcyinvtra ytnTcct ©tS* tS fZ/iv zr«7"«o? Ivaoxiv- 
 
 " Like- 
 
( 35 ) 
 
 " Likencfs of the uncreated God, by the Fa- 
 " ther willing and giving out Orders, by the 
 '' Son executing and creating, and by the Spi- 
 " rit nouriiliing and encrcafing." 
 
 See this Pallage fully vindicated in the fub- 
 joincd DiHertation concerning the ufc of the 
 Word, a7svvnT(^ : — Man was made in the Like- 
 nefs, as well as by the Operation of the Son and 
 Spirit, to whom the Father faid : Let us -make 
 Man after our Image. — And are neceflarily here 
 included in the uncreated God and Creator of 
 all. 
 
 i6. "^ " As Chrift's two Hands llretched out 
 " on the Crofs, fignificd the People of the J^^j- 
 " and Gentiles difperfed unto the ends of tlie 
 " Earth 5 fo there was one Head betwij^t 'em, 
 " becaufe there is but one God, who is over 
 " all, and thro' all, and in us all. 
 
 And a little after he fliews who this one God 
 is, in thefe Words : '^ " Thus one God the Fa- 
 " ther is manifefted, who is over all, and thro' 
 ^' all, and in all. The Father is over all, and 
 " he is the Head of Chriilj and the Word is 
 *' thro' all, and he is the Head of the Church ; 
 " and the Spirit is in us all, and he is the liv- 
 " ing Water, that the Lord gives to all that 
 *' believe on him aright." 
 
 Here he exprcflly declares, that in the one 
 
 * V. 17.4. ■ iDuse quidem manus, quia & duo populi 
 difperfi in fines terrse : unum autem medium Caput, quoniam 
 tc unus Deus fuper omnes, & per omnes, & in omnibus 
 nobis. 
 
 ' Ibid. 18.2. Et fic unus Deus Pater oftenditur, qui eft 
 fuper omnia, & per omnia, & in omnibus, fuper omnia qui- 
 dem Pater, & ipfe eft Caput Chrifti : per omnia autem Ver- 
 bum, & ipfe eft Caput Ecclefiae : in omnibus autem nobis 
 Spiritus, & ipfe eft aqua viva, quam prsftat Dominus in fe 
 rede credentibus, &c. 
 
 F i God 
 
( 36 ) 
 
 God there is a Trinity of Perfons j and tho' the 
 Father only is mention'd by the Apoftle,£/>^.iv.(5. 
 yet 'tis not to be underftood exclufive of the Son 
 and Spirit, but they are included, as having the 
 fame Godhead, and infeparably united with the 
 Father. 
 
 From the whole it appears the Doftrine of a 
 Trinity was believed and preached in the Primi- 
 tive Church, as the great fundamental Article 
 of Chriftianity, contain'd in all their Creeds, 
 and profefTed by all their Catechumens, when 
 received into the Communion of the Church 
 by Baprifm. And they believed in the Father, 
 Son and Holy Ghoft, as three Perfons in the 
 fame Godhead, and not as God and two Crea- 
 tures i elfe they would never have joined 'em 
 together, as of the fame Nature and Order : 
 For Jremeiis cenfures it as a great Abfurdity in 
 the Vakntinians^ that they reckon'd their Pro- 
 pator with the reft, as one of the thirty JEons^ 
 becaufe they fuppofed him to be felf-exiftent, 
 and the others produced in time. ^ " The Fa- 
 " ther of all, faith he, ought not to be num- 
 " ber'd with,th£ other jEons : He that was not 
 *' prolated, -a«i felf-exiftent, with thofe that 
 *' were prolated, and begotten in timej the in- 
 " comprehendble with them that are compre- 
 
 " hended by him : For as he is more excel- 
 
 '' lent than the reft, he ought not to be reckon'd 
 
 ^ ii. 12. I . Primo quidem de Triacontade eorum fie di- 
 cemus.. Primo quidem, quoniam annumerant reliquis 
 jEonibus Propatorem. Pater enim omnium enumerari non 
 debet cum reliqua Emiffione : qui non eft emiffus, cum el 
 quae emifl'a eft: & innatus, cum ea quae nata eft : & quem 
 nemo capit, cum ea quae ab eo capitur, & propter hoc inca- 
 pabilis -1.1 I ,. , fecundum enim id quod melior, quam reliqui^ 
 pon debet cum eis annumerari, 
 
 " witl^ 
 
( 37 ) 
 
 " with them."- — Had itbeentheconllant known 
 Practice of the whole Chriftian Church to num- 
 ber two Creatures with the infinite God and 
 Father of all, why {hould the like be imputed 
 to the Heretics, as a great Incongruity ? — If the 
 Chrillian Trinity (r^ids) was a Colle61:ion of 
 Beings To different in Nature and Dignity, as 
 the Jrians fay, why fhould the Valentinian T'ria- 
 contas^ or number of thirty be, upon the fame 
 account, any Crime ? 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 General Tajfages relating to Chrifls T>eity. 
 
 N 
 
 Either our Lord, nor the Holy 
 Gholl, nor the Apollles would 
 
 ever politively and abfolutely have given any 
 " one the Title of God, unlcfs he were truly 
 " Gody nor lliled any one Lord^ in their own 
 '' Perfon, but him that is Lord of all, ^'/;3. God 
 " the Father, and his Son, who received from 
 " the Father Dominion over the whole Crca- 
 '^ tion. 
 
 — '' " But when the Scripture calls them 
 " Gods that arc not fo, it docs not fimply and 
 ^< fully ftile 'cm fo, but with fomc Reilridion, 
 
 ' iii. 6. I. Neque igitur Dominu?, neqiie SpiritusSnnflus, 
 neque Apoftoli euni, qui non cfTet Deus, definitive &- aliiolute 
 Deum nominailent aliquando, nifi cflet vere Deus : neque 
 Dominum appcUaflcnt aliquem ex fua pcrfona, nifi qui do- 
 minUur omnium, Deum Patrcm, Sc Filium ejus, qui Domi- 
 nium accepit a Patre fuo omnis Conditionis. 
 
 '' Ibid. 3. Cum autem cos, qui non funt Dii, nominat, 
 non in totum,. Scriptura oftendit illos Deos ; fed cum 
 
 aiiquo additamento & fignificatione, per quam oftenduntur 
 non cfle Dii.. 
 
 " and 
 
( 38 ) 
 
 *' and fuper-addcd Hint, by which it appears, 
 " that they are not Gods." 
 
 We have here a plain Maxim and Rule of in- 
 terpreting Scripture, and deciding that great 
 Point, viz. IVloo is to he looked upon as true God. 
 Let us fee alfo how he applies it. 
 
 1 . <= " Since the Father is truly Lord, and 
 " the Son is truly Lord, the Holy Ghoft has 
 " juftly given them the Title of Lord. 
 
 2. Again : ^ " Thy Throne^ O God, is for e- 
 " ver : — Thou Jovefi Right eoufnefs^ and hateft Ini- 
 " quity : Therefore God, thy God hath anointed 
 *' thee^ — Pfal. xlv. 6, 7. The Spirit has given 
 ** both the Title of God, viz. the Son, that is 
 " anointed, and the Father, who anointed him. 
 " And again : God food in the JJfemhly of the 
 " Gods^ and in the midfl judges the Gods^ Pfal. 
 *' Ixxxi. I. He fpeaks of the Father and Son, 
 *' and of thofe that received the Adoption of 
 *' Sons j that is, the Church, which is the Sy- 
 " nagogue of God, that God, i.e. the Son ga- 
 " ther'd by himfelf, (or in his own Perfon.) 
 " Of whom he fays again : T'he God of Gods, 
 '' the Lord hath fpoken, &c." 
 
 He iniifts on this Argument at large in feve- 
 
 • iii. I. Vere igitur cum Pater fit Dominus, &Filius vere 
 fit Dominus, merito Spiritus Sanftus Domini appellatione 
 fignavit eos. 
 
 '' Ibid. m^Sedes tua, Dens, in sternum :mm.^DilexiJii yu/ii' 
 t'tam, C? odijli inicjuitaiem ; propterea unxit ie Deus, Deus tuusm-m 
 utrofque enim Dei appellatione fignavit Spiritus, & eum, qui 
 ungitur, Filium, & eum qui ungit, id eft, Patrem. Et ite- 
 rum: Deus ftetit in Synagoga Deorum, in medio autem Dios dif- 
 cernit. De Patre, & Filio, & de his qui adoptionem percepe- 
 runt, dicit : Hi autem funt Ecclefia. Haec enim eft Syna- 
 goga Dei, quam Deus, hoc eft, Filius ipfe per femettpfum 
 (A;' itx.vrf>Z) collegit. De quo iterum dicit ; Beui Deorttm 
 Dominus loeimtHt e/?, &c. 
 
 ral 
 
( 39 ) 
 
 ral Chapters ; and fhews, that he that is ftiled 
 God in Scripture, without any diminiJJnng Ad- 
 dition to iliew he is not God, but only called 
 fo, is God in the proper and primary Senfe. 
 
 ^ " It has been fully demonftrated, that the 
 " Prophets and Apoftles never ftiled any one 
 *' God or Lord, but the true and only God. 
 
 Again : ^ " It has been plainly fhewn, that 
 " neither the Prophets, nor the Apoftles, nor 
 *' the Lord Chrill ever confefled any one to be 
 '' Lord or God in their own Perfon, but him 
 *' that is primarily (the Arians would fay, in 
 " the higheji Senfe) God and Lord. For the 
 *' Prophets and Apoftles confefs the Father and 
 '^ Son, and ftile none elfe either God or Lord, 
 " and the Lord himfelf taught his Difciples on- 
 " ly, that the Father is that God and Lord, 
 " who is the only God and Governor of all. 
 
 Again : 8 " The Preachers of Truth, and the 
 '^ Apoftles of Liberty ftiled none other God or 
 " Lord^ but the only true God, the Father, 
 " and his Word, who has the Pre-eminence in 
 " all things." 
 
 ' iii. 8. I . Manifefte oftenfum eft, quoniam nunquam ne- 
 que Prophetae, neque Apoftoli alium Deum nominaverunt, 
 vel Dominum appellaverunt, prreter verum & folum Deum. 
 
 '' Ibid. 9. I. Oftenfo hoc igitur plane,— neininem alte- 
 ram Dominum vcl Deum, neque Prophctas, neque Apoftolos, 
 neque Dominum Chriftum Confeilum efle ex fua perfona, 
 fedpraecipue Deum & Dominum : Prophetis quidem Sc Apof- 
 tolis Patrem & Filium confitentibus, alteram autem nemi- 
 nem, neque Deum nominantibus, neque Dominum confi- 
 tentibus : & iplb Domino Patrem tanCum Deum & Domi- 
 num eum, qui folus eft Deus & Dominator omnium, tra- 
 dente Difcipulis.. 
 
 6 Ibid. 15. 3. — Neminem alium Deum vocaverunt, vel 
 Dominum nominaverunt, qui Veritatis fuerunt praedicatores, 
 & Apoftoli libertatis, nifi folum Verum Deum, Patrem & 
 Verbum ejus, qui in omnibus principatum habet.. ■■■ 
 
 3 Here 
 
( 40 ) 
 
 Ha"e he proves, that none is abfolutely filled 
 God or Lord in Scripture, but the only true God^ 
 *who is (prx'cipue Deus & Dominus) primarily 
 God and Lord. And this is noE the Father on- 
 ly i but he takes Pains to demonlrrate, that the 
 Son too is ililed God and Lord in this primary, 
 undiminiihed Senfe j and fo is included in the 
 only true God. This is undeniable Faft, that 
 every one muil fee, that reads Irenceus : And 
 'tis as plain he intended to prove, that he who 
 is ftiled God abfolutely and without Rejiritiion^ 
 muft be fiipreme God, i. e. the only true God; 
 for his Scope is, to alTert the fupreme Deity of 
 the Creator, whom his Adverfaries fuppofed to 
 be only an inferior Power, that had a God above 
 him. And his Rule, by which he proves his 
 Supremacy, as well as proper Godhead, he ap- 
 plies to the Son, as well as the Father. Where- 
 as, had he argu'd upon Arian Principles, he 
 would have faid, the Father only was God in 
 this Senfe 5 and when the Son is called God, 'tis 
 not abfolutely, but with fome lefTening Additi- 
 on or Circumftance, that fhews he is not God 
 in the higheft Senfe : For Arians treat the Son, 
 as our Author does thofethat are, no Gods 3 that 
 is, when he is Ililed God in facred Writ, they 
 labour to fhew there is fomething added to qua- 
 lify the Senfe of the Word, and bring it down 
 to that low Acceptation, in which they afcribe 
 Divinity to him. 
 
 Nor is there any room for an Evafion here 
 by pleading, that by the Godhead, which is 
 common to the Father and Son, he meant on- 
 ly Dominion-., and that Chrifl is truly and pro- 
 perly God, as he has real Power and Authority 
 derived from the Father : for our Author never 
 dreamt of this profound Criticifm, that con- 
 founds 
 
( 41 ) 
 
 founds the Titles of God and Lord^ which be 
 always fpeaks of as very dirtin6t : This would 
 have aker'd his whole Scheme of Thoughts, 
 and way of reafoning on this Subjcft j Mofes 
 muft have been allow'd to be a true God in the 
 lower Senfc, as clothed with veal Authority and 
 Power by God. ''But, faith he, " Moj'ci was 
 " made a God before Pharaoh j and yet he is 
 " not Hi led truly Lord, or God by the Pro- 
 " phets, but is called by the Spirit, Mofei the 
 " faithful Servant of God'' — But one Paflagc, 
 if well confider'd, will fully clear this Point : 
 When Irenaus comes to make ufe of theabove- 
 mention'd Rule for the Gonfutation of the He- 
 retics who deny'd the fupream Godhead of the 
 Creator j ' " This, faith he, manifeftly con- 
 " futes thofe Deceivers and pervcrfe Sophillers, 
 " who fiy. He is God and Father by Nature, 
 *' whom they have invented j but the Creator 
 *' is by Nature neither God nor Father, but 
 " only is ll:iled fo, becaufe he has Dominion 
 " over the Creation j fo fay thefe p;^rverfe Cri- 
 " tics, employing their Wit and Invention a- 
 " gainll God." The Valentiniam^ it feems, 
 when told, that the Creator is frequently fliled 
 
 *" iii. 6. 5- Et ipfe autem Mo-^fcs homo Dei exiftens, Deus 
 quidem datus ell ante Pharaonem : non autem vere Domi- 
 nus appellatur, nee Dcus vocatur a Prophctis, fed Fidehs 
 Moyfes Famulus (3 Jervus Dei, dicitur a Spiritu ; quod & 
 erat. 
 
 ' iv. I. I. •— .Manifelle falfa oftenduntur ea quae dicunt 
 clrcumventorcs Sc perverfiirimi Sophilta;, dicentes, natura- 
 liter il- Deum it Patrem efic, quern ipfi adinvenerunt : De- 
 miurgum vero naturalicer neque Deum, neque Patrem elTe, 
 fed verbo tenus dici, eo quod dominetur conditionis, ficiit 
 dicunt perverfi Grammatici, excogitantes in Deum. 
 
 Conf. Tcrtullian adv. Hermog. c. 3. Deus fubftantiaj ipfius 
 nomen, id eft, Divinitatis ; Domihus vero non fubltaniiae, 
 fed poteftatis. 
 
 G God 
 
( 4i ) 
 
 God in Scripture, endeavour'd to come ofF by 
 an uncatholic Diftindlion, viz. A Being may he 
 called Gody either upon account of the Divine Sub- 
 ftance and Perfed:ions ; and in this Senfe the By- 
 thus only is God: or upon account of Divine Do- 
 minion^ tho"" he has not the Nature of God ; and 
 thus the Creator comes by the Title of God. And 
 this was one of their Myileries, for which he 
 calls 'em perverfe Critics, that rack'd their In- 
 vention to ungod their Maker j and yet even 
 they durft not carry the Criticifm fo far as to fay, 
 the Word God did not fignify his metaphyfical 
 Nature and Sublfance, but only his Dominion 
 over his Creatures j tho' this would have feiTcd 
 their Purpofe much better. 'Tis plain, how- 
 ever, our Author reje6ls the heretical Diitincti- 
 on of a God by Nature^ and a God by Domi- 
 nion^ and the Criticifm of thofe bright Men, 
 who held, the Creator might be ftiled God on 
 the fcore of mere Dominion, without the Di- 
 vine Nature and Subflance. 
 
 Our Evidence for Irenaus his holding the 
 Catholic Doctrine of Chrill's Divinity runs not 
 fo low, that I need collect PaHIiges to fhew he 
 ftiles him- God abfolutely^ and compare them 
 with his own Rule : I fhall only take notice of 
 one or two Places. 
 
 ^ — " All that faw God after his Refurredi- 
 " on;" which he repeats a little lower. Again: 
 ^ " The Ebionites receive not by Faith the U- 
 " nion of God and Man, viz. in the Perfon of 
 
 ^ iii. 13. I- ■Cum prsedixiiTet omnes qui Deum poft 
 
 refurreftionem viderunt, intulir, &c. & infra, — qui Deum 
 viderunt, &c. 
 
 ' V. I. 3. Vani autem & Ebionasi unitionem Dei & ho- 
 minis per fidem non recipientes. ■ ....i ■ m. 
 
 « Chrift.'* 
 
(43 ) 
 
 « Chrift ." Again ;— >" " Some hold, that God 
 " came into a World that was^not his own." 
 
 But I proceed to other Paflages. 
 
 2. " " If any one cannot find out the rea- 
 " fons of all things he enquires into, let him 
 " confidcr, that he is but a Man infinitely kfs 
 '' than God, that he has receiv'd Grace but in 
 " parr, and is not yet equal to, or like his Ma- 
 " ker j nor can have experience and infight in- 
 " to all things, as God; But by how much he, 
 " who was made to day, and had a beginning 
 " of his Birth, is lefs than him who was not 
 " made, but is ever the famej by fo much, in 
 " refpe6t of Knowledge and fearching out the 
 " Caufcs of all things, muft he be lefs than his 
 *' Maker. For thou art not unmade, O Man, 
 " nor didft thou always co-cxifl with God, as 
 " his own Word : But thro' his tranfcendcnt 
 "■ Goodnefs, having now a beginning of Ex- 
 " iftence, thou gradually learnell: from the 
 " Word the Difpeniations of God that made 
 « thee." 
 
 'Tis plain here, the Word, who teaches us 
 Knowledge, is oppofed to imperfect Alan, as 
 
 " V. 2. I. Vani aiitcm & qui in aliena dicunt Deum vc- 
 niffe.i 
 
 " ii. 25. 3. Si autem & aliquis non invenerit caufam om- 
 nium qux rcquiruntur, cogitet quia homo eft in infinitum 
 minor Deo, & qui ex parte acceperit gratiam, & qui non- 
 dum aequalis, vel fimilis fit Faftori, & qui omnium experien- 
 tiam & cogitationem habere non poffit, ut Deus : Scd in 
 quantum minor eft ab eo, qui Eiftus non eft, & qui femper 
 idem eft, ille qui hodie fliftus eft, & initium faduras accc- 
 pit, in tantum iecundum Scientiam & ad inveftigandum cau- 
 hs omnium, minorem eiTe co qui fecit. Non enim inteftus 
 (Gr. oi'yi„ii7<^) es, 6 homo, neque femper coexiftebas Deo, 
 ficut proprium ejus Verbum : fed propter eminentem boni- 
 tatem ejus, nunc initium fafturae acciplens, fenftm difcis a 
 Verba difpofitiones Dei, qui te fecit. 
 
 G z uncreated. 
 
( 44 ) 
 
 uncreated, eternal, and perfed in Knowledge 5 
 and this is fo obvious, that it would never have 
 been quellion'd; but to make the PalTage con- 
 fident with Men's darling Schemes. But the 
 
 Argument and Scope, compared with the plain 
 Expreflions, abundantly determine the Senfe of 
 the Place, and leave no room for Evafions. To 
 filence the Heretics, that were great Pretenders 
 to Knowledge in Divine Mylleries, he argues, 
 that Man {liould keep within the Bounds pre- 
 fcribed by Nature, and be content with limited 
 and imperfect Knowledge : For Man, faith he, 
 is but a Creature, that had a beginning j and 
 perfect Knowledge is the Prerogative of the un- 
 created and eternal God ; To pretend to it is 
 to forget we are made Beings^ and grafp at Di- 
 vinity. On the one fide of the Comparifon is 
 God, who knows all things, becaufe he is an 
 uncreated, necellarily exiftent, and abfolutely 
 eternal Being : On the other is Man, who can 
 have but Hmited Knowledge with a mixture of 
 Ignorance, becaufe he is a created Being, that 
 had a beginning, and confequently muft be infi- 
 nitely lefs than his Creator in all Perfections. 
 Now if the Word be not included in the un- 
 made Being, by the Author's Argument he mufl 
 be infinitely inferior to God j as a Creature, that 
 had a beginning of Exigence, he muft be im- 
 perfect in Knowledge, ^c. which no Man in his 
 Senfes can believe to have been his Opinion. 
 And indeed he leaves not this to Confequences, 
 but expreflly places the Word on the other fide 
 of the Comparilbn in oppoficion to imperfedt, 
 ignorant Man : Man, faith he, differs from the 
 omnifcient Being, as he had a beginning of his 
 Exiftence: but the IFord had an eternal Co-ex- 
 ijlence with God : for as this co-exifiing ever with 
 2 God 
 
( 45 ) 
 
 God is diiedlly oppofed to having a beginning 
 of Birth and Exillence, (d^^Av yivi^nas,) ot 
 which imperfc(5c Knowledge is a neccfTary Con- 
 fcqiience, it mull unavoidably iignify abfolute 
 Co-eternity 5 and then his being unmade, and 
 his necefTary Exiftcnce, his furpafling Man in- 
 finitely in Knowledge and all Pcrfe6bions, as 
 God and Creator, are ncccilarily connected with 
 this. But fee this Paflage more fully vindi- 
 cated in the Diflcrtation concerning the Word 
 aytvvriT^^jScc. and compare Principle 3. above. 
 
 3. ° " The Aij^i flic w'd by their Gifts, who 
 " he was whom they worlTiip'd j for they of- 
 " fer'd Myrrh, bccaulc he was to dic^ — and be 
 " bury'd ; and Gold, becaufe he was that King, 
 " of whofe Kingdom there is no end; andFrank- 
 " incenfe, becaufe he is God, who was made 
 " known in Judca^ and manifejied to them that 
 " y^^'^^^^ f^^^^ not''' 
 
 ChrilVs Godhead, as contra-diftinguifli'd from 
 his kingly Dominion, mull fignify his Divine 
 Nature J in refpe<5tof which he fhews, he was 
 the God of Ifracl^ of whom 'tis faid, he was 
 known in Judah^ — Pfal. Ixxvi. i. and who fays 
 by the Prophet, / was made manifeji to them 
 that afkcd not after mc^ Ifa. Ixv. i . And how 
 flioald Frank incenfe have any reference to his 
 being God, unlcfs he fuppofcd him to be Jeho' 
 'vah^ to whom alone fweet Incenfe was offer'd 
 daily under the Old Teilament ? and confequent- 
 
 " iii. 9. 2. Matthxus autem magos ab oriente vcnientes 
 ait. per ca qua: obtulcrunt muncra oftendilFc, quis erat 
 qui adorabatur : Myrrham quidem, quod ipfe erat, qui pro 
 mortali humano genere morcretur & fepcliretur: Aurum. 
 vero, quoniam Rex, cujus Rcg?ii finis non eft : Thus vero, 
 quoniam Deus, qui ts' notus in Jiidaa fa^us eft, & mani- 
 feftiis eis, qui non quarebant cum. 
 
 ly 
 
(46) 
 
 ly he was the only true God, to whom they of- 
 fer'd Sacrifices, and addrcfs'd all their religious 
 WorlTiip j for it had been Idolatry to burn In- 
 cenle to any other. 
 
 4. P " He who fufFer'd under Pontius Pi- 
 " late^ is the Lord of all, and King, and God, 
 " and fudge, receiving Power from the God of 
 " all, hecaufe he was obedient to the Death''' 
 
 The Words will bear, if not require, that 
 the Genitive, omniivm^ of all^ Ihould be repeat- 
 ed, and joined with the other Subilantivcs, thus j 
 '' Chrifi is Lord^ f^^^gt God^ and Judge of all'' 
 And then, according to Dr. Clarke^ they might 
 be rcnder'd to this EfFe6t : He is fupream Lordy 
 jupream God^ 6cc. 
 
 ^, q ^t Who {hall declare his Generation ? 
 '^ for he is Man, and who can know him ? now 
 '* he knows him to whom the Father- — reveals 
 '• him, to let him underftand, that the Son of 
 " Man, who was horn not of the Will of the 
 " Flefb^ nor of Man^ is Chrid the Son of the 
 *' living God. For we have fhewn from the 
 " Scriptures, that no one of all the Sons of A- 
 " da'm is itiled God or Lord, as he is. And all 
 
 " that 
 
 *" ill. 12. 9. m.mm^ 0~i 7!rx^m Ivl Ilwlis Tli^MT}} , ciir^ 
 •<:/j(@- T^'j TTU'/iuv. >iiii fiaa-iXniti, km ©so?, y.oii KeiTtj; tftv'i i ■ 
 (^^rmiam qui pAfllis ell fub Poiuio Pilato, hie Dominus eft 
 orani'.im, & Rex, & Deus, & Judex ; ab eo qui eft omnium 
 Deus, accipiens poteftatem, quoniam fubjectus fa5ius eft uf- 
 que ad mcrtem, &. c. 
 
 •J Ibid. 19.2. Propter hoc Generationem ejus quis efiarrabit F 
 (IiA.Iiii.8.) quoniam homo eft, lnj quis agnofcet cu'in, (Jer.xvii.9.) 
 Cognofcit autem ilium is, cui Pater qui eft in Coelis revela- 
 vit, ut intelligat, quoniam is qui non ex voluntate carnisy 
 neque ex voluninte viri natus eft Filiushominis, hie eft Chrif- 
 tus Filius Dei vivi. Quoniam enim nemo in totum ex iiliis 
 Adje, Deus appellatur lecundum eum, aut Dominus nomi- 
 natur, ex Scripturis demonftrdvimus. Quoniam autem ipfe' 
 
 propria 
 
( 47 ) 
 
 " that never fo little apply thcmfelvcs to find out 
 " the Truth, may fee, that he pecuiiarly, above 
 " all Men, that had ever a Being before, was 
 " preach'd as God, Lord, the everlalling King, 
 '^ and the Only-begotten, and the incarnate 
 " M^ord, by all the Prophets, the Apollles, 
 
 *' and the Spirit himfclf. And upon account 
 
 " of his twofold Generation, w^:. that glorious 
 " one of the moll high Father, and his extra- 
 " ordinary Birth of the Virgin, the Scriptures 
 " witnefs concerning him, both that he fliould 
 " be a fuffering Man, witjiout Form or Com- 
 
 '' linefsj and alfo the Lord the Holy One, 
 
 " the IVonderful Counfellor^ I fa. ix. 6. Fairer 
 " than the Children of Mcn^Vi\\.x\\. z. and the 
 '' mighty God, as the Judge of all coming in 
 " the Clouds, Dart.vu. 13. 
 
 He is Man — ) So the LXX render the He- 
 brew W ox<\ ^-P^t) reading it with other points, 
 ti^.^^f , a Man^ Jcr. xvii.p. and fo the Syriac Vcr- 
 fion gives the Senfe of it j Man is hard-hearted 
 above all. 
 
 Here he gives us two glorious Titles ofChrirt: 
 from the Prophefy, Ifa. ix. 6. The fVonderful 
 Counfellor^ the Mighty God. If we conllder 
 how much he valu'd and prefcr'd the Verfion 
 afcrib'd to the 70 Interpreters, looking upon 
 
 proprie praeter omnes, qui tunc fuerunt homines, Dcus, & 
 Dominus, & Rex xternus, & Unigenitus, 6c \'erbum incar- 
 natum pracdicatur & a Proplietis omnibus, & Apoftolis, & 
 ab iplb Spiritu, adeft videre omnibus qui vel modicum de ve- 
 ritate attigerint.. Sed quoniam prncclaram prreter omnes 
 habuit in fe eam, quae eft ab altiflimo Patre, genituram, prae- 
 clara autem funftus eft & ea, quas eft ex Virginc, gcnera- 
 tione ; utraque Scripture divins dc eo teftificantur : & quo- 
 niam homo indccorus Sc paffibiUs—— . & quoniam Dominus 
 fanftus & Mirabilis, Conliliarius, & dccorus Specie, Si Deus 
 fortis, fuper nubes veniens univerforum Judex.— 
 
 'em 
 
( 48 ) 
 
 'em as almofl: infpired in tranflating the Scrip- 
 ture, and what Httle regard he had to other 
 Tranflations, »^it will appear moft probable, that 
 the more corre6t Copies of the LXX had this 
 Text then according to the Hebrezv. And elfe- 
 where he joins this Text with a Claufe of the 
 preceding Chapter, and gives us the true lite- 
 ral Verfion, ^ " I came unto the Prophetefs, 
 " and fhe brought forth a Son, and his Name 
 '' is called Wonderful^ Counfillbr^ the Mighty 
 « Godr 
 
 A place of fuch fublime Senfe was liable to 
 be mifunderllood j this occafion'd its being in- 
 terpolated in the vulgar Copies j other Veriions 
 of the Words, or even ignorant GiofTcs were 
 let down in the Margin, and by the Ignorance 
 and Inattention of Tranfcribers crept into the 
 Text 5 and either jultlcd out the original pure 
 Tranflation, or were joined with itj fothat 'tis 
 not eafy to diftinguifh 'em : Thus the Alexan- 
 drian MS. has manifeftly two rendrings of the 
 Words IVonderful Counfellor. And it would 
 feem [renins XQ^id both, tho' perhaps not in the 
 fame Copies ; for elfewhcre he has, ixzydXri^ 
 /3sXr]V ayyiki^.) The Angel of the Great Counfel-, 
 which is a Glofs rather than Tranflation : This 
 is a Title of the Meflias, who is the Angel of 
 the Covenant^ Mal.iii. i. but, I think, has no re- 
 ference to the Covenant here j but is to be un- 
 
 ' iii. 21. 3, 4. Cum tanta igitur veritate & gratia Dei in- 
 
 terpretatae fint Scripturas vere impudorati & audaces 
 
 oflenduntur, qui nunc volant aliter interpretationes facere— 
 unus enim & idem Spiritus Dei. .in Prophetis quidem be- 
 /Jie prsconavitj— — in Senioribus autem interpretatus eft 
 bene- , ., 
 
 •^ iv. 33. II. ■' ' Veni ad Prophet am, & peperit Filium, 
 ^ vacatur nomen ejus Admirabilis, Conjiliarius, Deus fortis. 
 
 derftood, 
 
( 49 ) 
 
 derftood, as ^'^^-'ixxii. according to the Hebrew^ 
 andxxKix. according totheLXX.v. ip. xu'^i©' 
 Ixi-ydKn^ iSsXrifj i- e. 7^/je Lord great in Counfel : 
 And the Word j^ngcl came in to explain the 
 Word, S^Sj Wonderful^ by comparing it with 
 what the Angel, afterwards called God, laid to 
 Mamah^ ]u<^g. xiii. 18. IVby afkeji thou after 
 my Name^ fi^^^g if i^ ^^VH), IFondcrful ? * 
 
 The Son of God appeared to bring meflliges 
 to Men under the Old Teftament, by way of 
 Prelude to his Incarnation, and the Form of a 
 Servant he was to aflume ; and by his Conde- 
 fcenfion concealed his highell Charafter : His 
 Name was Secret and Wonderful. But he was 
 fuch an Angel, as was alfo the Mighty God. We 
 need go no farther than to the next Chap- 
 ter to find this is a peculiar Title o^ the God 
 of Ifrael^ Ila. x. 2 1 . The Remnant pall return— ^ 
 to the Mighty God, \ ini hH ^K The Words 
 are the Himc. 
 
 6. ' " And that the Son of God, who is God, 
 " would come from the fouthern part of the 
 " Inheritance of Jfida, and he that was of Beth- 
 " lehem, where the Lord was born, would fend 
 *' forth his Praife into all the Earth 5 as faith 
 " the Prophet Hahakkuk : God pall come from 
 *' the South, (Heb. Teman,) and the Holy One 
 " from Mount Effrem, (Heb.Paran :) His Power 
 " co'ver'd the Heavens, and the Earth is full of 
 
 ♦ V. Philon. de nominum mutatione, pag. 810. 
 
 ' iv. 20. 4. — Et quoniam ex ea parte, quje eft fecundum 
 Africum hsereditatis Judae, veniet Filius Dei, qui Deus eft, 
 & qui erat ex Bethleem, ubi natus eft Dominus, in omiicin 
 terram emittet laudationem ejus, ficut ait Habacuc Propheta : 
 Dcus ab Africo veniet, & Sandlus de Monte Effrem. Co- 
 operuit Coelum virtus ejus, & laudatione ejus plena eft ter- 
 ra.— Manitefte fignificans, quoniam Deus, & quoniam in Beth- 
 leem adventus ejus, & ex Monte Eftrem,— .& quoniam homo. 
 
 H " his 
 
( 50) 
 
 ^^ his Praife, Hab. iii. 3, 4. Plainly declaring 
 " that he is God, and that he would come at 
 
 " Bethlehem^ and from Mount Effrem j 
 
 '' and that he is Man." • 
 
 His profeflcd Scope here is to prove that 
 Chrilt is God as well as Man : and as his being 
 Man fignifies his having the Nature of Man, fo 
 by force of the Oppoiition, his being God is 
 his having the Divine Nature, i. e. the EfTcnce 
 and Perfections of God. He allows that Max- 
 im, ro sH©s» yjvvnOb, ©so? \^i' He that is begot- 
 ten of God^ is God : for the Son of God^ faith he, 
 is God, viz. as the Son of Man is Man. And 
 he fuppofes Chriftis ftiled God abfolutely,with 
 the Article, and in the fubjed: of a Propofition 
 in Scripture, 6 ©scf 'm Sctiiiav (diro vora^exTheO' 
 dotione, aut forte Glofsd Marginali) i\^it. k. t. f. 
 He has the Titles of the God of Jfrael, and the 
 fame Glory and Majefty is afcribed to him, as 
 may be feen in the Context refer'd to. 
 
 7. " " God then became Man, and the Lord 
 ^' himfelf faved us, giving the Sign of the Vir- 
 
 This is the Refult of the Argument difplay'd 
 in the lall: PaiTage and Context, by which he 
 proves that Chrift was God as well as Man : 
 The Laws of Argumentation require the Terms 
 fhou'd have the fame Senfeand Emphafis in the 
 Conclufion, that they had in the Prcmifles : now 
 what God does he ipeak of in his Proofs ? no 
 lefs than the God of Jfrael, the Holy One, filled 
 God abfolutely, and. with the Article, and with 
 a fuitable difplay of his incomparable Majefty, 
 
 ° iv. 2 1 . I . 'O 08=5 ol) el\9^6)Z^ iytfiTo, y.M eivrci ku^i<^ 
 ie-ua-tv ifjticii, oisi t« ty,/; TTx^^tva (ryif/buof Deus igitur homo 
 fad as eft, & ipfe Dominus falvavit nos, iple dans Virginis 
 lignum. 
 
 as . 
 
( 51 ) 
 
 as we have feen above 3 That God of v/hom the 
 Prophet Ifaiah faith, Chap. xxxv. 4 — Behold 
 our God He himfelf will come and fave us. 
 
 And Chap. Ixiii. p. The Lord himfelf ivill fa've 
 us: as he cites him according to the Greek of 
 theLXX. — The only God oilfaeJ^ of whom 
 the Prophet A//V^/6 faith, Chap.vii. 18, i^.lVho 
 is a Godlike unto thee ? 'He will turn again ; he 
 will have Compaffon upon us^ &c. For from 
 thefc and other Texts he proves his Godhead : 
 Since then in the Premifles we have God abfo- 
 lutely in the only proper Senfe, and with the 
 Article too; 'tis too late to begin to ilrip it of 
 its Emphaiis in the Conclufion : This God, 
 who was made Man, is the only true God, of 
 whom he faid fuch great things before. 
 
 But tho' 'tis undeniable Fail, that here Chrifl 
 is lliled God with the Article, and abfolutcly, 
 i.e. without any addition to relhiin and limit 
 th'" Senfe, yet Dr. Clarke denies its unlimited, 
 or abfolute Acceptation, becaufe it refers to 
 what went before, and lo is to be refolved thus > 
 
 Conccrnmg this I would obferve a few Par- 
 ticulars. 
 
 !■ The Do6tor's Rule is, that when ©for, 
 God, is put abfolutcly, and with the Article, ic 
 mult always fignify God in the highcll Senfe, 
 that is the Perlbn of the Father : now accord- 
 ing to this new fliift, it mull be firther limited 
 thus J " fo that 6 ©c-oV, h not applfd to a Pcr- 
 *' fon fpoken of before ;" And then the Rule will 
 be of very little ufe j for after we have had the 
 term once, as for inftance in the firfl: Verfe of 
 the Bible, it prefently lofes its Spirit, and has a 
 limited Senfe, or is capable of it. Again, if 
 the infpired Writers of the New Teftament had 
 H 2, ttiled 
 
( 52 ) 
 
 ililed Chrift 6 ©so? never fo often, after they had 
 once (ignify'd the Pcrfon of the Son, this would 
 not have given any Light in this Controverfyj 
 it muil have been brought down to alow Senfe, 
 6 uV«'5;^^ojv ©sor, who being a God^ i. e. a Perfon 
 exalted to great Power. 
 
 Certainly this Evafion would have done the 
 VaUntinians great Service j for in anfwer to Ire- 
 naus^ who proves the fupreme Godhead of the 
 Father and Son, from their being ftiled God 
 ahfolutely in Scripture, they might have faid, 
 ©£&V, or ©fcf, has always a Reference to the 
 God of the Jews^ and even in the firft of Gene- 
 fis the fubie6t matter limits the Senfe to the 
 Creator ; and is thus to be refolv'd, Iv d^x^ 
 
 The Creator being a God. 
 
 But if the Do6lor fays, that when once the 
 Word is ufed in the abfolute, higheft Senfe, it 
 muft have the fime Acceptation in the Repeti- 
 tion of it, by virtue of its reference to the Sub- 
 ject fpoken of 5 then let this be but apply'd to 
 the PafTagc under Confideration, and all is well j 
 for we have feen Chrift is ftiled God abfolutely, 
 and with the Article, and under the higheft Cha- 
 radlcrs in the preceding Paragraph. 
 
 2. His Refclution of the Word God^ with 
 the Article, Vi, impertinent : for, if we Should 
 llippofe that we Chriftians had Gods many^ and 
 fpeaking of one particular God, fhould ftile him 
 6 ©£cs-, the Article in that Cafe would have 
 the fame Senfe as if it .vere »t©', i. e. the 
 God I am /peaking of. But if Mofes were the 
 Subject of Difcourfe, would any miderftand- 
 ing Perfon prefently fay concerning him, o ©tor 
 
 \\a.\r,cz God fpake to the Children of Ifrael^ 
 
 and think to come off by faying his Meaning 
 
 was, 
 
( 53 ) 
 
 was, 6 Mcoucr/i? J7ra^;^Mv etc? > i. e. Mofes l;eing a 
 God fo Phdxao fpake^ &ic. 
 
 3. This Criticifm is grounded on a Suppofiti- 
 on of more Gods than one. When we meet 
 with ^ios, or 6 ^to9 in a Pagan Writer, we muft 
 look backward to find out whether 'tis Jupiter, 
 or j4pollOj or Mercury j 6cc. but to us Chriltians 
 there is but one God. However, iince Irenaui 
 proves, the Scripture ftiles Chrift Godabfolute- 
 ly, and infers from it, that he is God in the pri- 
 mary Senfe^ why fhould any Attempts be made, 
 againft plain Fa6b, to evade the abfolute Senfe 
 of the Word in himfelf ? But Iren,£us has fully 
 exprefled the Emphafis of the Term, 6 ©soV, by 
 calling him the Lord himfelf in the fame Pal- 
 fage. Now fince he takes this Expreflion from 
 the Old Teftament, he cannot mean by it any 
 fubordinate Lord, fuppofed by xhcArians to be 
 revealed in the New Teftament j but the fu- 
 prcam Lord, who fpake by the Prophets. And 
 the very Expreffion implies his coming in Per- 
 fon to fave us, in Oppofition to any Agent or 
 Meflenger : For if the Lord had lent another, 
 he had not (lived us himfelf. The Scriptures he 
 had in his Eye here feem to be thefe, Ifa. vii. 
 14. 77:7^ Lord himfelf fl) all give you a Sign' 
 compared with chap, xxxv. 4. Behold our God—^ 
 him/elf (Gwdurosfhe himfelf ) will come and/ave 
 you; which he underftood of the Son of God : 
 Or rather, chap.lxiii.p. which runs thus, as cited 
 from the LXX. by Iren^euSf ^^not a Me^enger or 
 " Angela hut the Lord himfelf favcd than ^," i. e. 
 God will not fend another as a fubftitute or in- 
 ferior Agent, but will come in Perfon^ as we 
 exprefs it, to fave his People : For God comes 
 
 ]^ See this Text confidered, chap. vi. N°. 15. 
 
 himfelf^ 
 
( 54) 
 
 him/elf, or if^ Perfon^ when any of the three 
 Divine Perlbns come ; the Senfe of the Expref- 
 fion being no more, than that God faves us im- 
 mediately^ and not by any under- Agent : So that 
 there is no room here formetaphylical Subtilties 
 and Quibbles about the Word Ferfon. 
 
 Now if any will infer from hence, that ac- 
 cording to this Expofition of his Words, Ire^ 
 n£us mud have held, that the Son is the Per- 
 fon of the Father, and fo was a Sabellian : I 
 anfwer, this Confequence being grounded on 
 fome metaphyfical Speculations of a modern 
 Scheme, which our Author knew nothing of, 
 is unjuftly impofed upon him, as his Opinion : 
 For whether the Criticifm and Maxim about 
 Perfon and Being be true or falfc, they can be of 
 no ufe to find out his Meaning, unlefs it do ap- 
 pear they were owned by him. We might with 
 as much Juftice make ufe of Maxims of mo- 
 dern Philofophy, as Newton's Principia^ to fet- 
 tle the Meaning of Paflages in Plato or jirifto- 
 tie. It will be time enough to vindicate him 
 from the Imputation of ISahellianifm^ when a 
 ferious Charge is adv^anced againfl him. 
 
 8, ^ " Chrift: (iiith to 'em again: And you 
 " ha've made void the IVord of God by your Tra- 
 '' dition ', manifeftly owning him to be Father 
 *' and God, who faid in the Law ; Honour thy 
 " Father and Mother. — For the true God con- 
 " fefTed a Precept of the Law to be the Word 
 
 '^ iv. 9.3. — Et iterum ait els: Et frujiratl eflls Sermo- 
 r.em Dei propter traditionem veftratn. Mat. xv. 6. Manifef- 
 tillime Patrem & Deum confitens Chriftus eum, qui in lege 
 dixit, Ho?iora Patrem U Mat rem: Exod. xx. iz. — Ver- 
 bum enim Dei confeffus eft Legis prseceptum verax Deus, & 
 neminem alterum Deum appellavit, quam fuum Patrem. 
 
 " of 
 
( 55 ) 
 
 " of God ; and yet called none God, but his 
 " Father." 
 
 Here our Saviour is ftilcd the true God, 
 (Gr. 6 aXnS'nV, or aXnQivos- gsc?) in therubjcd of 
 a Propofition, in oppofition to the Blaiphemy 
 of the Heretics againft the God of the Old 
 Teftamcnt, whofe Word they would not take 
 for a Proof of his being the only true God. And 
 po/Iibly they might fuppofc the Title of the 
 true God, i Job. v. zo. was to difling^ifli him 
 from the God of the Jews, whole niie God- 
 head they deny'd : I think Iren^us took this 
 Title from that Text, and that it denotes pri- 
 marily.^ and direHly the Truth of his Godhead, 
 and confequentially of his Word : But if it figni- 
 fy only his Veracity, as the Latin Interpreter 
 renders it, it comes to the fame Scnfe ; for the 
 God ofT'ruth.^ the God that cannot Iic.,m-c incom- 
 municable Chara6bers of the God of Ifrael. 
 
 p. y " The moral Precepts common to both 
 *' Teftaments are Proofs of one and the fame 
 " God ; And this is our Lord, the Word of 
 " God, who firft made Men Servants to God, 
 
 " and afterwards gave them Liberty, as he 
 
 " faith to his IDifciples > Henceforth I call yon, 
 " not Servants,}o\\. xv. 1 5'. — hut I have called you 
 
 " Friends. By (Iiying, nozv I call you not Ser- 
 
 " vants, he plainly hints, that it was himfelf 
 " that impofed upon Men a Yoke of Servitude 
 
 a 
 
 to 
 
 ' iv. 13. 4. Affentire Deo, & fcqui ejus verbum, ■■ Sc 
 qusecunq; talia coinmunia utrifq; funt, unum & eundem of- 
 tendunt Deum. Hie eft autcm Dominus nofter, Verbum 
 Dei, qui primo quidem fervos attraxit Deo, poftea autem 
 liberavit eos: ■ quemadmodum ipfe ait difcipulis: yam 
 non dicam vos jervosi , vos autem ?ixi amicos, Joh. xv. 19. 
 " ■ In CO enim quod dicit : Jam non dicam vos fervos, ma- 
 
 nifeftiffime 
 
( 56 ) 
 
 '' to God by the Law, and afterwards gave 'em 
 
 " Liberty. And by calling his Difciples 
 
 '' Friends of God, he manifeitly fhews, that 
 *' he is the Word of God, whom Abraham fol- 
 '' lowed, — - and fo became the Friend of 
 
 u God. 
 
 As fometimes, fpeaking of the one God, he fays, 
 He is the Father, not excluding the Son j fo here 
 he affirms the fame of the Son : "the one God of 
 the OlcMknd New Tejiament is our Lord Jefus 
 Chrifi. "' 
 
 10. "^ " And when Johi could not bear the 
 '' Vifion, (for, / fell at bis Feet^ faith he^ as 
 '^ dead. Rev. i. 17. fo that the Scripture was 
 '' fulfilled : No Matifhallfee God^ and livey Exod. 
 " xxxiii. 20.) the Word revived him. 
 
 11. * " The fpiritual Man fhall judge the 
 " Ebionites : How can they be faved, if he was 
 " not God (0 esor) who work'd their Salvati- 
 " on on Earth '^ or how fhall Man attain to 
 " Union with God, unlefs God (6 ©sor) dwelt 
 " in Man, and became Man." 
 
 The Ebionites deny'd Chrift's Divinity : In 
 oppofition to 'em he aflerts his fupreme Deity 
 in plain and full terms, calling him God abfo- 
 
 nifeftiffime fignificavit fe effe, qui primo quidem earn fervi- 
 tutem, quse eft erga Deum, hominibus per legem conftitue- 
 rit, poft deinde libertatem eis donaverit. ., In eo autem 
 quod amicos Dei dicit fuos difcipulos, manifeile oftendit fe 
 gSc Verbum Dei, quern & Abrahanji ifeguens, amicus fac- 
 tus eft Deo.. .. — 
 
 '^ Ibid. 20. II. Joanne vero non fuftinente vifionem, [ce- 
 eidi, enim inquit, ad pedes ejus quaji mortuus, ut fieret, quod 
 fcriptumeft: nemo videt Deum, ^ vivet) & vivificans eum 
 Verbum, &c. 
 
 ' Ibid. 33. 4. 'AfuiK^ivs; ^ y^tci rave, 'H^iuviii' tr^? ^vccvtui 
 
 z lutely 
 
( 57 ) 
 
 lutely with the Article twice : By God he mufl: 
 mean one that has the Nature, i. e. the Eflence 
 and infinite Perfedtions of God, as appears by 
 the Oppofition to Man, which fignifies the hu^ 
 mane Nature ', otherwife why might not a Man 
 exalted and ?nade a God be our Saviour, if he 
 meant only a God by Office and Dominion o- 
 ver us ? — And let it be obferved, he aflerts 
 alfo the Saviour's Godhead, as a Qiialification 
 neceflary, in the Nature of the Thing, and 
 not merely by Divine Appointment, and confe- 
 quently the utter Incompetency of any Crea- 
 ture for this Office: which is an Article of 
 pure, primitive Do6trine, in oppofition to their 
 Blafpheiny, who fay, any one might have been 
 appointed our Saviour. 
 
 12. » " When our Lord forgave Sins, he 
 *' both healed the Man, and plainly fhcwed, 
 " who himfelf was j for fince none can forgive 
 " Sins but God only j and yet our Lord did 
 " forgive 'em, and heal Men; 'tis evident, that 
 " he was the Word of God, made the Son of 
 " Man, and receiving from the Father Power 
 " to forgive Sins, becaufe he is Man, and be- 
 " caufe he is God j that as he fufFered with us, 
 " as Man } fo as God he might have Mercy on 
 " us, and forgive us our Debts, we owe to God 
 " our Maker. 
 
 * V. 17, 3. Peccat.-i igitur remittcns, hominein quidcm 
 curavit, femetipfum autcm manifefte oltendit quis efTct. Si 
 enim nemo poteft remittcre peccata, nifi folus Deus; rc- 
 mittebat autem hasc Dominus, & curabat homines : mani- 
 fellum, quoniam ipfe erat Vcrbum Dei, Filius hominis fac- 
 tus, a Patre poteftatem remiffionis peccatorumaccipicns, quo- 
 niam homo, & quoniam Deus : ut quomodo homo compaf- 
 fas eft nobis, tanquam Deus mifereatur noftri, & rcmittat 
 nobis debita noftra, quae fadtori noftro debemus 'Dqo. 
 
 I No 
 
( 58 ) 
 
 No one can with any Attention and Impar- 
 tiality read thefe Words, but muft fee, he al- 
 lows the Truth of thefe Principles, viz. None 
 cafi forgive Sin, but God alone^ which is expref- 
 fed. — x^nd He that forgives^ muji be that very 
 God, to whom we were Debtors. And he thus 
 reafons : None can forgive Sins, but God alone : 
 Chrift forgave Sins: The Conclufion fhould 
 be } therefore Chriji is God. But this was not 
 particular enough j this had left it undetermin'd 
 whether he was the Father, or the Son, or 
 Holy Spirit : The Senfe of his Conclufion is, 
 " It is evident, that he was God, not the Fa- 
 *' ther, for He was not incarnate, nor was wont 
 *' immediately to converfe with Men, but the 
 *' Word, or Son appearing in our Nature." 
 And according to Iren^us to be the IVord of 
 God is to be God^ only with a perfonal Diftinc- 
 tion. The Arian Senfe of thefe Words is evi- 
 dently falfe, viz. Therefore he is one that has 
 Authority from God to forgive Sins, for this 
 would not difcover who he was > he might be 
 no more than an ordinary Prophet having a 
 Commifiion to declare the Pardon of Sin, as 
 Nathan the Prophet, z Sam. xii. 1 3 . And tho' 
 he fpeaks of Chrill's receiving Power to for- 
 give Sins as the Son of Man, and Saviour fent 
 into the World, referring to his own Words, 
 Mat. ix. 6. Yet he does not quit his Princi- 
 ple, viz. that he mufi be God^ who forgives 
 Sim, nor lay the llrefs of it upon his having 
 a CommiiTion from God : For he ftill expref- 
 feth the Neceility of his being God in order 
 to exercife this Royal Power of granting For- 
 givenefs of Sins : He was qualify'd for it by his 
 being Man and God : As Man, he could have 
 Compaffion on thofe, whofe Nature he wore 5 
 z and 
 
( 59 ) 
 
 and as God, he could grant pardon of Sins, 
 which is an A6t of infinite Mercy, and the 
 Prerogative of that God, againft whom we had 
 finned. The mere minillcrial declaring of Par- 
 don does not require, he fhould be God, nor 
 is it an A6t of Mercy, but of Obedience, in 
 the Servant, that brings the Meflage. But 
 Chriit's forgiving Sin is exercijing his Mercy^ as 
 he exprefles it, referring to Alic. vii. ip. or 
 Pfal. li. i, ^c. And he grants it in a Royal 
 Manner, as a Prince forgives Offences com- 
 mitted again It his own Government, If we 
 look back to the beginning of the Chapter, 
 we fliall fee, that Irenaus fuppofes God the Fa- 
 ther and the Son to be one and the fame God, 
 whofe Precept Man tranfgrefs'd in Paradife. 
 " ^ The Precept was given to Man by the 
 " Word ; For Adam^ faith he^ heard the Voice 
 " of the Lord God, Gen. lii. 8. The Word 
 " then might well fay to the Man, thy Sins are 
 *' forgroen thee. Mat. ix. i. The very fame, 
 " whom we had finned againft in the Beginning, 
 " granting remiflion of Sins in the Endj or 
 " elfe, if we had tranfgrefs'd the Command 
 " of one, and it had been another, that faid : 
 '^ I'hy Sins are forgi-ven thee-, he had neither 
 " been good, nor true, nor juft." Obferve, he 
 not only infers from the Son's granting For- 
 givenefs, that the Father, whofe Command 
 
 '' Ibid. N". I . Datum eft autem praeceptum homini per 
 Verbum : Audivit enim Adam, ait, vocem Domini Dei. Be- 
 ne igitur Verbum ejus ad homincm dicit: Remittuntur tibi 
 peccata ; idem ille, in quern peccaveramus in initio, re- 
 miffionem peccatorum in fine donans. Ant fi alterius qui- 
 dem tranfgreffi fumus praeceptum, alius autem erat qui dixit: 
 Remittuntur tiU peccata tua j neq; bonus, ncq; verax, neq; 
 jullus ell hujufmodi. 
 
 I z Man 
 
( 60 ) 
 
 Man difobeyed, grants it, but lays exprefly, 
 the IVord is the Jame^ again/} whom we finned: 
 Idem ilk, does not, cannot refer to the Fathers 
 the Condruction will not bear it, but agrees 
 
 plainly with the Logos; Verbum ejus Hem 
 
 ilk ———^Gr. \oy\^ aura —6 auroj. — Had it 
 been the Ablative abfolute, it might have feem'd 
 ambiguous -, but now there is no Ambiguity 
 in it. Bcfides, his afTcrting, that he who laid ; 
 Thy Sins are forgive fi thee, is one and the fame 
 with him, whofe Precept we tranfgrefs'd, con- 
 firms the fame Scnfcj for he never afcribes 
 thefe Words to the Father. 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 Taffages exprejjlng the Sons Confubftan- 
 tialtty, or being of the fame Nature and 
 EJfence 'with the Father : The Genera- 
 tion of the Son conjtdered. 
 
 AL L the PafTages already produced prove 
 our Lord's Confubllantiality (to 6/jto»cnov) 
 With the Father, which implies no more, than 
 his having the fame Divine Nature, without 
 intruding into Things we have not feen, or 
 determining whether it be a numerical, or on- 
 ly fpecific Samenefs, or fomewhat different from 
 both, and peculiar to the Three Perfons of the 
 ever-blefled Trinity, who are not {eparate, like 
 Three Individuals of the human Species, nor 
 fo much one, as a fingle Individual, which 
 would deftroy their dillin6b Perfonality. I 
 fhall now add fome Teftimonies, that plainly 
 fhew, Chrift is not another God, but the fame 
 God with the Father. 
 
 I . » " Peter 
 
( 61 ) 
 
 I . =» " Peter did not declare another Gncf^ but 
 *' gave them notice of the Son of God^ who 
 " became Man, and fuffercd. 
 
 Again : " '' The Apolllcs preached the Son 
 '' of God, whom Men knew not, — but did 
 " not introduce another God. 
 
 z. ^ " I am the God of Jhfaham.^ and the 
 " God of Ifaac^ and the God oj Jacoh : God is 
 '' not the God of the Dead^ but of the Living. 
 Matth. xxii. zp, 30, 31. — " Hereby our 
 " Lord plainly fhew'd, that he that fpake to 
 '' Alofes from the Bufli, and declared himfelf 
 " to be the God of the Fathers, is the God of 
 " the Living. For who is the God of the 
 " Living, but the God who 1 S, above whom 
 " there is no other God? Whom alfo thePro- 
 " phet Daniel declared, when Cyrus King of 
 " Perfia fiid to him j fd'hy dofi thou not nnor^ 
 " fjjip Bel ? He anfwered : Becaufe I worfjyip 
 
 * iii. 12. 3. 'OvK ocXXo)) ^lof xxrwyyiX^iUv, ce,>Xu -rot viov 
 Toy &iev, Toy KXt eivSfuz'e* ytyevoTX, x«t TTuB-otrcc, in iTnyvuvi* 
 (cyuv Tvv l(r(XtjX, 
 
 ^ Ibid. N°. 7. — Filium ergo Dei, quem ignorabant 
 homines, annuntiabant Apoftoli, —fed non alterum Dcum 
 inferebant. 
 
 •^ iv. 5. 2. ^~Ego fu?fi Deus Jhrtihnm, l^ Deus IJaac,lS 
 Deus "Jacob, Sc adjecit : no;i eft Dcus mortuorum, fed viven- 
 tium, —Per ha:c utiq; manifcftum fecit, quoniam is qui dc 
 Rubo locWtus Moyfi, & manifeftavit fc efie Deum patrum, 
 hie eft viventium Deus. Quis enim eft vivorum Dcus, nift 
 qui eft Deus, fuper quem alius non eft Deus ? Quem &; Da- 
 niel Propheta, cum dixiflct ei Cyrus Rex Perfarum, ^lare 
 non adoras Bel ? annunciavit dicens : ^^oniam non colo Idola 
 tnaniifa5la, fed vivum Deum. — Iterum dixit : Dominum 
 Deum meum adorabo, quoniam hie eft Deus vivus. Qui 
 igitur a Prophetis adorabatur Deus vivus, hie eft vivorum 
 Deus, & Verbum ejus, qui & loquutus eft Moyfi, qui &: Sad- 
 ducaeos redarguit, qui & Refurreftionem donavit. — Ipfe 
 igitur Chriftus cum Patre vivorum eft Deus, qui loquutus 
 eft Moyfi, qui & Patribus manifeftatus eft. 
 
 « not 
 
( 62 ) 
 
 " not Idols made with Hands^ hut the Living 
 " God: •— iVgaiiij / ivill worJJjipj [aid he^ the 
 " Lord my God^ becaufe he is the Living God, 
 " Therefore the Living God, who was wor- 
 " fhippcd by the Prophets, he is the God of 
 '' the Living, and his Word, who fpake to 
 " Mofes^ confuted the Sadducees, and gave the 
 
 '' Refurre6lion. Therefore Chrill him- 
 
 '' felf with the Father is the God of the Liv- 
 " ing, who fpake to Mofes^ and appeared to 
 '' the Fathers. 
 
 Iremeus could not invent Words more plain 
 and full to exprefs, that our Saviour is the fu- 
 preme God, the fame God with the Father. 
 He proves him to be the God of the Living, 
 who fpake to Mofes from rtie Bufh, and faid ; 
 I am the God of Abraham^ &c. and who was 
 worfhipped, as the Living God. And the 
 God of the Living is the fupreme God, the 
 God that I S^ above "whom there is no other 
 God: Yea, afterwards he {hews, he is the only 
 God : '' ^ Abraham believed firf:^ that he is tie 
 " Maker of Heaven and Earthy the only God. 
 
 And then he joins Chriit and the Father to- 
 gether, and aderts, that they are the God (not 
 the Gods) of the Living} fo that he is the 
 fame God with the Father, and he and his Fa^ 
 ther are one, Joh. x. 30. 
 
 Dr. Whitby^ Anfwer to this Paffage, as ci- 
 ted by Bp. Bull^ is hardly to be parallel'd. 
 "" After he had taken pains to fliew, that it was 
 not the Farher^ but the Son, that appeared in 
 
 ^ Ibid. N°. 3. — Credidit Abraham Deo i — primum 
 quidem, quoniam ipfe eil Faftor Cceli & terrje, folus 
 Deus 
 
 \ Difquifit. Mod. pp. 122, 123, 124, 125. 
 
 fhe 
 
( 63 ) 
 
 the Biifh, and faid, / am the God of Ahra- 
 ham^ 6cc. Stupidly imagining, Dr. Bull was 
 his Adverfary in this ; whereas he is only con- 
 futing an Error of the Prefs {Patreyn for Pa^ 
 trum) in Iren<£us\ own Words, little think- 
 ing, he was all the while betraying his wretch- 
 ed Caufe : He anfwers, by denying him that 
 [pake to Mofes out of the BujJo to be the God of 
 the Living g, which is contradi6ling, not an- 
 fwering henaus : For "'tis evident^ faith he, that 
 
 he who [pake from the BiifJj to Mofes is the 
 
 God of the Living. Again, The Living God^ and 
 
 his Pl'^ord^ "who [pake to Mofes, is the God 
 
 of the Living. Again, Chriji himfelf with the 
 Father is tie God of the Livings who [pake to 
 Mofes, and appeared to the Fathers. But he 
 contradi6ls a greater than Irenaus^ even Chrilt 
 himfelf, who plainly teaches, that he who faid 
 to Mofes^ I am the God of Abraham, (^c. is 
 the God of the Living. 
 
 And finally, he contradicts hifnfelf; for he 
 comes afterwards to give fome Account of 
 Chrift'sbeing the God of the Living. Now 
 inflcad of a fair Account of thefe plain and 
 full ExpreiTions of Iren£us^ the Dr. has recourfe 
 to a Piece of Arian Machinery, often ufed to 
 help 'em out in great Diftrefs, viz. The Son as 
 the Father'' s Mejfenger and Reprefentaiive [pake 
 in his Perfon^ when he /aid, I am the God of 
 Abraham^ 6cc. 
 
 5 Ibid. Falfa eft ergo praefulis propofitio, Is qui de ruba 
 Mos'fi hcutiis eft, eft Deus vlvoruin. 
 
 irenaeus. ►— Is qui de rubo locutus eft Moyfi, & manifef- 
 tavit Te efle Deum Patrum, hie eft viventium Deus.«— . 
 
 Etpoft pauca :«Deus vivus^ hie eft vivorum Deus, & Vcr- 
 bum ejus, qui & locutus eft Moyfi..— — 
 
 Et poftea : Ipfe igitur Chriftus cum Patre vivorum eft 
 Deus, qui loquutus eft Movfi.— — .— . 
 
 This 
 
( 64 ) 
 
 This Evafion is grounded on a Suppofition, 
 that Perfons' employed to carry MeiTages, were 
 wont to fpeak in the Pcrfon of their Mafters, 
 and in the Tame Stile and Language, as if their 
 Principals were prefent, and Ipoke themfelves -, 
 which has not fo much as a Shew of Proba- 
 bility, nor has been fupported by one plain 
 Fact: Rabfhakeh fpeaks in his Mailer's Namej 
 and yet durft not lay, / am the King of AJJyria : 
 
 but thus faith the Great King z Ki^g xviii. 
 
 IP, &c. The Prophets often repeat, thus faith 
 the Lord: the Angel that appeared to Zacha- 
 rias faid not, / am God Mmighty^ but / am 
 Gabriel^ Sec. Luke i. ip. Befides, if this were 
 true, as Chrift might have faid, J am the Fa- 
 ther : So had he aflerted never fo often, that he 
 was the mofl High God^ this Shift would have 
 fervcd 'em to get clear of fuch Teftimonies, as 
 well as others. 
 
 But even fuppofing the Truth of this Sub- 
 terfuge, 'tis wholly impertinent in this Cafe, 
 and is brought in without any Judgment or 
 Modelly ; For 'tis Demonilration, that Irenaeus 
 knew nothing of it 5 elfe he could not have in- 
 ferred from the Words fpoken in the Bulh, 
 that the Son zvas the God of the Livings as he 
 certainly does, but only that he was his Re- 
 pefentati've and Mejjmger. And is there any 
 Senfe or Candor in explaining an Author by 
 a Maxim difowned by him ? Befides, though 
 an Angel might (iiy, I am God the Father \ and 
 Rahjhakeh might fay, / am the Great King of 
 Jlffyria^ or / am Sennacherib ; which is ridicu- 
 lous to fuppofe: Yet no Man in his Senfes, 
 "Would fay of them in the third Perfon, 'The 
 Angel is God Almighty^ or Gabriel has made it 
 evident^ that he is Jehovah -, or Rabfoakeh is the 
 
 Qreat 
 
(65 ) 
 
 great King -, much lefs would any one be Co ridi- 
 culous, as to join them together in this Aanner : 
 Jehova and bis Jngel are God Almighty j or 
 Rabfhakeh and Sennacherib are the King of 
 AJfyria. Why muft we be troubled with fuch 
 Impertincncies ! — Have thcfe Men no Know- 
 ledge ? 
 
 ^. fi " Our Lord taught us, that none can 
 " know God, without God's teaching of him, 
 " that is, God is not to be known without 
 
 " God. And the Father was manifcfted 
 
 " by the Word himfelf made capable to be (ctn 
 *' and felt, tho' all did not equally believe him j 
 '* but all faw the Father in the Son : for the 
 *' Father is that which is invifible of the Son, 
 " and the Son is that which is to be feen of the 
 « Father." 
 
 The plainefl: Words may be perplexed with 
 metaphyseal Subtilties ; but thefe Expreflions, 
 taken in their native Simplicity, ftrongly fet 
 forth the clofe and ineffable Union of the Fa- 
 ther and Son in the fame Nature and Godhead. 
 And both are God according to the former part 
 of the Pafliige j the Father cannot be known 
 without the Son revealing him, that is, God is 
 not to be known without God. 
 
 4. ^ " It was not one that was known, and 
 ■ " another that faid- No Man knows the Father j 
 
 « but 
 
 8 iv. 6. 4. Edocuit autem Dominus, quoniam Deum 
 fcire nemo potell, nifi Deo docente, hoc eft, fine Deo non 
 cognofci Deum. Et poflea, N°. 6.— Et per ipfum Verbum 
 vifibilem & palpabilem faftum. Pater oftendebatur, etiamft 
 non omnes fxmiliter credebant ei ; fed omnes viderunt in Filio 
 Patrem : Invifibile etenim Filii Pater, vifibile autem Patris 
 Filius. 
 
 ^ Ibid. N" 7. Non ergo alius erat qui cognofcebatur, & 
 
 alius qui dicebat : Nemo cognofcit Patrem ■> fed unus & idem, 
 
 K omnia 
 
( 66) 
 
 " but one and the fame, whom the Father made 
 " all things fubjeft to, and who received Tefti- 
 *' mony from all, that he is truly Alan, and truly 
 " God, from the Father, the Spirit, the An- 
 *' gels, the Creation it felf, from Men, and 
 " apoftate Spirits and Devils, from the Enemy, 
 " and finally from Death it felf" 
 
 If he means that the Son fpoken of. Mat. xi. 
 27. and our Saviour, that fpoke thefe Words, 
 are one and the fame, it mull be underftood of 
 thefafne Per/on. But finceinthe Words, as here 
 cited, the Father only is mention'd, and the 
 Character, (qui cognofcebatur) he that was known^ 
 beft fuits the Father, the moffc natural and obvi- 
 ous Senfe of 'em is, that Chrift the Son and the 
 Father are one and the fame 5 as 'J oh. x. 3. I and 
 my Father are one : that is, one, not in Perfon, 
 but in Nature and Godhead -, for fince he is truly 
 God, as here he explains himfelf, he muft be 
 one and the fame God j for there are not two 
 Gods. 
 
 f . ' " God the Father, and his Word, that 
 ^^ is always prcfent with Mankind, are one and 
 ^' the fame." 
 
 The Generation of the Son may properly fall 
 under Confideration here, becaufe it will far- 
 ther confirm his Confubflantiality, as well as 
 Coetcrnity. I fhall gradually proceed in enqui- 
 ring into Iren^us's Do6lrine concerning this in- 
 effable Myflery. 
 
 omnia fubjiciente ei Patre, & ab omnibus accipiens teftimo- 
 nium, quoniam vere homo, & quoniam vere Deus, a Patre, 
 a Spiritu, ab Angelis, ab ipfa Conditione, ab hominibus, & ab 
 Apoftaticis Spiritibus, & Daemoniis, & ab inimico, & no- 
 viffime ab ipsa morte. 
 
 ' iv. 28. 2, Cum fit unus & idpm Deus Pater, & Verbum 
 ejus, Temper adfiftens humano gcneri. 1 ■ 
 
( 67 ) 
 
 i. '^ " A Son, as one has obferved before 
 " us, may be two ways undcrftood : one is a 
 " Son by Nature, becaufe he is begotten j and 
 '' another is reputed a Son, as he is made fo : 
 " t|io' there be a difference between that which 
 " i^ begotten, and that which is made. For 
 " the one is begotten of him (the Father,) and 
 " the other is made by him, either as created, 
 *' or formed by In{lru6tion." 
 
 Here Generation is contra-diftinguilh'd from 
 Creation and other Methods of making Sons, 
 and is allow'd to be the only Foundation of true 
 FiUation : He who is begotten, is really a Son, 
 and that by Nature j but he that is made a Son 
 by Creation or otherwife, is only a reputed Son. 
 
 2. ^ " And the Word ivas God, — rightly in- 
 '' fer'd } for that which is begotten of God, is 
 u God. 
 
 Whether thefe are our Author's own Words, 
 or only reported from the Reafonings of the 
 yalentinians, they certainly contain a Catholic 
 Maxim, mentioned without the leaft Mark of 
 Difapprobation. Compare Chap. 4. N° 6. and 
 Note there. And I'heophUus o{ Antioch'^. And 
 the Word was God. The Word then is God^ 
 
 ^ iv. 41.2. Filius cnim, quemadmodum & quidam ante 
 nos dixit, dupliciter intelligitur : alius quidem fecundum na- 
 turam, eo quod natusfit Filius ; alius autem fecundum id quod 
 faftus eft, reputatur Filius : licet fit differentia inter natuna 
 & faftum. Quoniam ille quidem ex eo natus eft, illc autem 
 ab ipfo faftus eft, five fecundum Couditionem, five fecun- 
 dum Doflrina; magifterium. 
 
 ' I. 8. 5. «fl£*0£o? »jf o >^<ty<^,ec.KeXisB-uc,' t» ^ sx ©iS ymn- 
 ^ff, ©£»? tV«. Vet. Interp. Et Dcus crat Verbum, confequen- 
 ter ; quod enim ex Deo natum eft, Deus eft. 
 
 "" fheophil. ad Autolycum, L. 2. p. 1 30. Ed. Oxon—^Qioi; 
 
 K 2 and 
 
(<S8 ) 
 
 and begotten of God. And TertulUan : " U^e 
 
 have learned.) that this Word was prolated hy 
 God, and by Prolation begotten j and is therefore 
 filled the Son of Godj and God from the Unity of 
 
 Subftance. So that what came forth from God.^ 
 
 is God J and the Son of God, and both are one. 
 
 I {hall give his Dodiine of the Generation 
 of the Son in thefe Propodtions. 
 
 I. Prop. Chrill:, with refpeft to his higheft 
 Nature, was ineffably begotten of God the Fa- 
 ther i and by this myfterious Generation is the 
 Son of God, and very God, as by his Birth of 
 the Virgin he became true Man, 
 
 1. o " One of the Gofpels declares his prince- 
 " ly, powerful, and glorious Birth of the Fa- 
 " ther, faying : In the beginning was the JVord^ 
 '' ayid the Word was with Gody and the Word 
 **^ was God. 
 
 2. P "Becaufeof his tranfcendently glorious 
 '' Generation of the moil high Father, and his 
 ^* extraordinary Birth of the Virgin, the Scrip- 
 '' tures witnefs of him, both that he is Man— • 
 " and that he is the Lord the holy One, — and 
 " the mighty God. 
 
 ^ Tertull. Apolog. Cap. 2 1 . Hunc ex Deo prolatum didici- 
 mus, & prolatione generatum ; & idcirco Filium Dei, & De- 
 iim diftum ex unitate fubllantise.— Ita & quod de Deo pro- 
 feftum eft, Deus eft, & Dei Filius, & unus ambo. 
 
 ° iii. 1 1. 8. Aliiid enim (fc. Evangelium) illam quse eft a 
 Patre, principalem, & efficabilem, & gloriofam Generatio- 
 nem ejus enarrat, dicens fic : In principio erat Verbum, Sec. 
 yoan. i. I, &c. 
 
 P Ibid. 19.2. — Qaoniam prseclaram praeter omnes ha- 
 butt in fe earn, qus eft ab altiflimo Patre, genituram, prae- 
 clara autem funftus eft & ea, quas ex Virgine, generatione ; 
 utraque Scripturse Divinae de eo teftificantur ; & quoniam 
 homo»— I & quoniam Dominus Sanftus,— • & Deus fortis.— 
 
 5, q "The 
 
(69) 
 
 3- q '' The Prophet faith concernhig him : 
 *' /i^ho Jhall declare his Generation ? \{\. liii. 8. 
 " But you (Heretics) guefling at his Generati- 
 " on of the Father, and transferring the Pro- 
 " lation from the Word of Men made by the 
 '* Tongue to the Word of God, witnefs againft 
 *' your felves, that you underlland neither hu- 
 
 '' man nor divine Things. If any one aflc 
 
 " us, How then was the Son brought forth 
 *' by the Father ? We anfwer, that this Pro- 
 *' lation or Generation, — or however elfe you 
 *' exprefs his Generation, which is indeed in- 
 " effablc J it is underltood by none, neither 
 " Valentinm^ nor Marcion^ nor Saturninus^ nor 
 " Bafilides; no, nor by the Angels, nor Arch- 
 *' angels, nor Principalities, nor Powers ; but by 
 " the Father only which begat, and by the Son, 
 " which is begotten of him. Wherefore, fince 
 *' his Generation is unfpeakable, they that en- 
 *' deavour to declare the Generations and Prola- 
 *' tions, know not what they do, undertaking 
 *' to give an account of things unaccountable.'* 
 
 •J ii. 28. 5- Et Propheta quidem ait de eo : Generationem 
 ejus quii enarrabit ? Vos autcm generationem ejus ex Pa- 
 tre divinantes, k. verbi hominum per lingiiam faftam prola- 
 tionem transferentes in Verbum Dei, jufte dctegimini a vobis 
 ipfis, quodneque humana, nee divina noveritis. Et N°.6. 
 Si quis itaquc nobis dixerit : Quomodo ergo Filius prolatus 
 a Patre ell ? Dicimus ei, quia prolationem iftam, five gene- 
 rationem,— — aut quolibet quis nomine vocaverit genera- 
 tionem ejus inenarrabilem exiftentem, nemo novit ; non 
 Valentinus, non Marcion, neque Saturninus, neque Bajiiidcs, 
 neque Angeli, neque Archangeli, neque Principes, neque 
 Poteftates, nifi folus qui generavit Pater, «& qui natus eft Fi- 
 lius. Inenarrabilis itaque generatio ejus cum lit, quicunque 
 nituntur Generationes& Prolationes enarrare, non funt com- 
 potes fui, ea quae inenarrabilia funt enarrare promittentes. 
 
 II. Prop. 
 
(70) 
 
 II. Prop. This Generation of the Son wa§ 
 from all Eternity, without beginning j and con- 
 fequently he is confubflantial, and co-eternal with 
 the Father. 
 
 I . '^ " The Heretics fay, the JVord was fpo- 
 *' ken forth by the Mind: which every Body 
 " knows may well enough be apply'd to the 
 " Cafe of Men fpeaking their Mind: But there 
 " cannot be any Emiflion in this Order, in 
 " the fupreme God, fince he is all Mtnd^ and 
 " all IVord {Logos ^) and has nothing in him an- 
 '^ cienter or later, or different from himfelf ; 
 " but ever continues all uniform, fimilar, and 
 
 *' perfe6bly one. He that fays he is all Mind, 
 
 " and all Word, tho' he has but imperfe6b Ap- 
 " prehenfions of the Father of all 5 yet has 
 " more becoming Thoughts than they that 
 '' transfer the Generation of a Word utter'd by 
 *' Men, to the eternal Word of God, and a- 
 " fcribe to him a beginning of his being fpo- 
 " ken forth, and temporary Produ61:ion, as to 
 " their own Word. Now wherein fhall the 
 *' Word of God, or rather God himfelf, fince 
 " he is the Word, differ from the Word of 
 
 *■ ii. 13.8. .Dlcunt a Nu efle emiiTum Logon : quod 
 
 quidem omnes videlicet fciunt, quoniam in hominibus qui- 
 dem confequenter dicatur ; in eo autem qui fit fuper omnes 
 Deus, totus Nus, & totus Logos cum fit & nee aliud an- 
 
 tiquius, nee pofterius, aut aliud alterius habente in fe, fed 
 toto aequali, &c fimili, & uno perfeverante, jam non talis hu- 
 jus ordinationis fequitur Emiffio.— — — Qui ait totum ilium 
 fenfum, (s-si/) & totum Verbum,., .minus quidem adhuc 
 
 de Patre omnium fentiet : Decentiora autem magis quam hi, 
 qui generationem prolativi hominum Verbi transferunt in 
 Dei cCternum Verbum, & Prolationis initium donantes & ge- 
 nefin, quemadmodum & fuo Verbo. Et in quo diftabit Dei 
 Verbum, immo magis ipfe Deus, cum fit Verbum, a Verbo 
 hominum, fi eandem habuerit ordinationem Bi\ emiffionem 
 generationis ? 
 
 « Men, 
 
( 71 ) 
 
 " Men, if he was generated and fpoken forth 
 *' in the fame Manner and Order?" 
 
 Here he plainly aflerts the Co-eternity and 
 Confubftantiality of the Word. 
 
 I . The Co-ettrnity of the Son, and his be- 
 ginninglefs Generation is fully exprefs'd, in op- 
 polition to the Heretics. They divided the Soa 
 into as many /Eom almoft as he has Names, w'z. 
 only-begotten Son, the Word, Wifdom, Saviour, 
 Chrift, i^c. They fuppofed, that a Series of thefc 
 and others was fucccflively produced : and the Ge- 
 neration of the firll-bcgotten was antemundane, 
 but not abfolutely eternal > and the Word had 
 only the third place in this imaginary Series. Ire- 
 naus fhcws the abfurdity of mppofing a tem- 
 porary Generation of the Word j he expreflly 
 reckons it an heretical Tenet to afcribe a begin- 
 ning of Generation to him, tho' fuppofed to 
 precede the Creation of the World many Ages j 
 and we never find they prefum'd to determine 
 the precifc Time or Point of Eternity, when 
 the Pleroma was fiU'd with jEons. They have 
 unworthy Apprehcnfions of the incomprehen- 
 fible God, who hold a temporary Generation 
 of the erernnl Word of God : The eternal Word 
 here {d'ic^ii^ Xoy(^,) as oppofed to a beginning 
 of Being, mult lignify abfolutely eternal. Be- 
 fides, a little before this Palfage, he obferves, 
 that Bajilides held Qnitia emijjionum) Divine Ge- 
 nerations that had a beginnings ^ borrow'd from 
 the old GnoflicSy intimating, that the Venom 
 and iAbfurdity of his Herely confilted in this. 
 
 ' ii. 13. 8. Hsec m .fimiliter & adverfus eos, qui a Ba/t- 
 lide funt, aptata funt : & adverfus reliquos Gnofiicos, a quibus 
 & hi initia emiiSonum accipientes, convidli funt.- 
 
 He 
 
( 72 ) 
 
 He denies that there is any thing prior^ or pofle- 
 rior to another in God, who is a Being perfe6t- 
 ly fimple and uncom pounded j whatfoever is in 
 him, is God himfelf > therefore to fuppofe, that 
 the fFord is pofterior in Exiftence and Dura- 
 tion to the Mind of God, and that his Mind 
 muft pre-exift and conceive a Thought, and 
 then produce the Word, is to make God prior 
 and pofterior to himfelf, and to bring him down 
 to a Level with imperfe6t Man, who in this 
 Order produceth his Word. This is evidently 
 his Argument here, and in other Places. TiVims 
 here iignifics a temporary Generation^ or the Pro- 
 duction of that which once had no Being '. The 
 Order of Generation he finds fault with, is fup- 
 poling the Mind to be pre-exiftent to the Con- 
 ception, the Conception to the external Word, 
 ^c. And hence he expofes the abfurdity of 
 the heretical Scheme, which reprefentcd fome 
 >Eons older^ and fome younger. 
 
 u cc Were the Mons^ faith he, emitted all at 
 ^' once, or fucceffively in fome Order, fo that 
 
 *' fome of 'em are older and fome later ?" 
 
 and comparing them to fo many Lights derived 
 from the paternal Light, and to co-eval Rays 
 flowing from the San, he plainly levels his Ar- 
 gument againft: the temporary Production, and 
 fuppofes they muft be co-eternal, if generated 
 of God. And how can one jEon^ faith he, be 
 fuppofed to be younger, and another elder, fince 
 there is but one Light of the whole Pleroma * ? 
 
 * See the DifTertation at the end concerning uyiiint^. 
 
 " ii. 17. 2. lUtrum in eodem emiffi funt, ut ejufdem 
 
 temporis effent fibi ; an fecundum ordinem quendam, ita ut 
 antiquiores quidam ipforum, alii vero juniores effent ? 
 
 * Ibid. N" 5. QuQmodo autem & junior aliquis, aut fe- 
 nior in ipfis iEon dici poteft, cum fit unum lumen totius 
 Pleromatis ?ii 
 
 z 2. The 
 
( 73 ) 
 
 i. The Confubftantiality (ro oncbo-iov) of the 
 Son is fet forth in ftrong Exprcfiions. The 
 Word is God himfelf 5 rbe Word of God^ faith 
 he, or rather God himfelf^ fince he is the Word. 
 ■—He aflerts the perfc61: Simplicity of the Di- 
 vine Being : there is nothing in God different 
 from himfelf j fo that his Xoy;^, or Word be- 
 gotten of him muft be of the lame Eflencc and 
 Nature. He often inculcates this Doftrine in 
 parallel PalTagcs : — ^ " God is not like Men, 
 " faith he, neither are his Thoughts as Mens 
 " Thoughts; For the Father of all is far remo- 
 '' ved from human Affe(5bions and Paflions : He 
 " is fimple, uncompoundcd, and uniform in 
 " his Edencej and all that is in him is like 
 *' himfelf i fince he is all Mind, and all Spi- 
 « rit, (^c. 
 
 Again ; y " Since God is all Mind, and all 
 '' Word, what he conceives in his Mind, is the 
 " fame that he fpeaks forth, and what he fpeaks 
 " forth, is the fame that he conceives. For 
 '' his Conception is his Word, and his Word 
 " is his Mind, and the all-containing Mind is the 
 " Father himfelf 
 
 It plainly follows, that the Word (or \oy^) 
 who is in the Father, and ineffably begotten 
 
 * ii. 13, 3. —-Non fie Deus, quemadmodum homines; 
 ic non fie cogitationes ejus, quomodo cogitationes homi- 
 num. Multum enini diftat omnium Pater ab his, quae pro- 
 veniunt hominibus, afFeflionibus Sc pafTionibus : & fimplex, 
 & non compofitus, & fimilimembrius, Sc totus ipfe fibimetipfi 
 limilis, & asqualis eft ; totus cum fenfus {vS(,) Sc totus fpi- 
 ritus, &e. 
 
 y ii. 28, 5. Deus autem totus exiftens mens, & totus 
 exiftens Logos, quod cogitat, hoc & loquitur ; & quod lo- 
 quitur, hoc & cogitat. Cogitatio enim ejus Logos, & Lo- 
 dges Mens, Si omnia concludens Mens, iple eft Pater,.. , ■ 
 
 L of 
 
( 7+) 
 
 of him, is God himfclf, i. e. of the fame Na- 
 ture and SlTence with the Father : this Confe- 
 quence is exprefly owned by Iren^us himfelf 
 in very plain Words : ^ " The Father of all, 
 " fays he, is not, as a compounded Animal, 
 " fomething different from his Mindj —but 
 " the Father is Mind, and the Mind is the Fa- 
 " thcr. Therefore it necedlirily follows, that 
 " the Word (h.oy^) which is of him, or ra- 
 " ther the Mind it felf, fince it is the Word, 
 " is perfe6t and impafTible. 
 
 Again: '^ " If the Word exifting in the Fa- 
 " ther knows at all, he is not ignorant of him 
 " in whom he is ; that is, of himfelf.—— 
 
 The Word then is not in Effence different 
 from the Father, but fo inefEibly one with him, 
 that he may be faid to be the Father himfelf. 
 
 Now if any one obje6t, that in thefe PafTa- 
 ges Iren^ui ipeaks of the Internal Reafon^ or 
 IVord of God, but has no reference to the 
 perfonal Word^ who is begotten of him j I an- 
 fwer; 'tis undeniably plain, he fpeaks of the 
 Word, which was fpoken forth, and ineffably 
 generated j and this is not the internal Reafon, 
 but the Son of God. — A little after one of the 
 cited PafTages, ^ " He that afTigns, faith he, 
 
 ■^ ii. 17. 7. Non enim ut compofiitum animal quiddam 
 eft omnium Pater, prsster Nun ;■ Sed Nus Pater, & Pa- 
 ter Nus. Neccfie itaq; eft & eum, qui ex eo eft Logos, im- 
 mo magis autem ipfum Nun, cum lit Logos, perfeftum & 
 impaffibilem efTe.— — 
 
 ^ Ibid. 8. «— Si enim exiftens in Patre (Logos) cog- 
 nofcit, hunc in quo eft, hoc eft fsmetipfum ncn ignorat. 
 
 '' ji. 28, 5. I Similiter autem rurfus & de Logo 
 
 tertJam prolationem ei a Patre donans,— — — porro & longe 
 Logon a Deo feparavit. Et Propheta quidem ait de eo : Ge- 
 nerauoneni, ejus quit enarrabit? .— fi quis itaq; nobis dixcrit, 
 ^omodo ergo Filius prolatus a Patre eft ? &c. 
 
 « to 
 
( 7$ ) 
 *' to the Word Generation of the Father in 
 *' the third Place,— feparates him from the Fa- 
 *' ther at a great Dilbnce. Now the Prophet 
 " faith concerning him : Who JJjciIl declare^ his 
 " Generation ? '> 
 
 And after he had fmartly rebuked the Prc- 
 fumption of the Heretics in prying into, and 
 pretending to explain this ineffable Myilcry of 
 the Generation of the Son, he fubjoins the fli- 
 mous Paflage above-cited concerning the man- 
 ner of this Generation, in which he owns, it 
 is unfearchable even to the Heavenly Intelli- 
 gences '^. 
 
 Again, between two other PafTagcs produ- 
 ced alio above, he has thefe Words ; ^ " The 
 " Word therefore, as if it were generated in 
 " the third Place, is not ignorant of the Fa- 
 " ther, as they teach : For though this may 
 " perhaps feem probable in the Generation of 
 " Men, becaufc they oft-times know not their 
 " Parents > yet in the Word of God it is ut- 
 " terly impoflible. — 'Tis the perfonal, fub- 
 fiding Word only that was begotten of the 
 Father ; of which therefore he reafons, as we 
 have feen, allowing him to be of the fame Ef- 
 fence and Subllancc with the Father. 
 
 On the other hand, perhaps, fome ■will in- 
 fer, that Irenaus deny'd the diilinft Subfijlcnce^ 
 or Pcrfonality of the Word, fuppofing him to 
 be no more than the Reafon of the Father, and 
 confequently was of the SahdUan Notion in 
 
 ^ See this Paflage above in Prop, i . 
 
 '' ii. 17, 8. Non igitur jam Logos quafi tertiam ordi- 
 nem generationis habens ignoravit Patrem , quemadmo- 
 dum docent hi : hoc enim in hominum qaidem generatione 
 fortaffe putabitur verifimile elFe, eo quod faepe ignorant fuos 
 parentes j in Logo autem Patris omnimodo impoflibik eft. 
 
 L 2. this 
 
( 76 ) 
 
 this Point: To which'I anfweri 'tis evident 
 to a Demonftration from other Places, that he 
 beheved the Perfonality of the Word 3 nor can 
 there be any rational doubt of it. And con- 
 fequenrly, when he fpeaks of the Son, as the 
 Father's Mind and Reafon, he muft be under- 
 ftood llrongly to exprefs the Unity of Sub- 
 ftance, and not to confound the Perfons, or to 
 make the Son only an Attribute or Faculty. 
 For as he held fad the Catholic Faith^ fo he had 
 alfo Catholic Modefty^ very different from the 
 Pride and Prefumption of Heretics: He feerns 
 plainly to allov^, that the Do6i;rine of the Ge-* 
 neiation of the Son, his Union with, and yet 
 Diftin6tion from the Father, does far furpals 
 the utmoft Reach of human or angelic Thought : 
 And therefore he fuppofed, thefe Expreilions, 
 The Mind, the Reafon and IVord fpoken forthy 
 not to be an Explication, but only an imperfe6t 
 Illujiration of this incomprehenfible Myftery. 
 For when his Thoughts and Pen were employ- 
 ed about this great Subjc6l, and when he had 
 juft aflerted, that all that is in God, is God 
 himfelf, he adds : ^ " Now God is above thefe 
 " Things, and upon the Account of thefe 
 " Things, ineffible. He may well be termed 
 *' the all-comprehending Mindj but is not like 
 " the Mind of Men : He may alfo be rightly 
 *' called Light, but yet is not at all like our 
 
 ^ ii. 13, 4. Efl:autem& fuper hsc, & propter hasc in- 
 enarrahilis. Senfus enim capax omnium bene & refte dice- 
 tnr, fed non fimilis hominum fenfui : & Lumen refliffime 
 dicetur, fed nihil limile ei, quod eft fecundum nos, lumini. 
 Sic autem & in reliquis omnibus nulli fimilis erit omnium 
 Pater hominum pufillitati : & dicitur quidem fecundum haec 
 propter diledlionem, feptitur autem fuper hasc fecundum mag- 
 nitudinem. 
 
 " Light, 
 
( 77 ) 
 
 " Light. And Co in all other Things the Father 
 " of all is not like poor imperfc6t Men : He 
 " is exprefTed and reprefented by rhefe Things 
 " in a way of Condefcenfion j but is under- 
 " ftood far to furpafs them in tranfccndent 
 " Greatnefs. The Son then is termed the Fa- 
 ther's Reafon and IVord^ not that he is only an 
 internal Faculty, or an Expreilion of inward 
 Conceptions j but to give us an Adumbration 
 of his ineffable Unity and CoeifTentiality with 
 the Father. 
 
 But I return to give flirthcr Proofs of the 
 Son's being of the lame Subflance with the 
 Father : And if we confider his Rcafonings a- 
 gainft the Vakntinians^ chiefly in the 17'^'^Chap. 
 of the z^ Book, we ihall find it was a Prin- 
 ciple with him, that, 
 
 " On Suppofition of Generation in God, that 
 " which is begotten mud: be confublhintial, or 
 " of the fame Eflence with the Father. 
 
 For to prove the Abfurdity of that Part of 
 their Scheme, in which the generated jEons 
 were all, except the Only-bcgoiten^ fuppofcd 
 capable of Ignorance and Paflion, he affumcs 
 the intermediate Idea of Confubltantiality; and 
 argues to this EfFe6t, " The Jions^ as begotten 
 " of the Supreme Father, mufl have the fame 
 " Nature, Subftance, or Eficnce with him ; 
 " and confequently mufl: be uncapable of Im- 
 *' perfeftion. Ignorance, and PafTion 5 for thefe 
 " arc incompatible to the Divine Subftance, 
 " which fuflains the Qualities and Attri- 
 " butes. 
 
 ^ " If the jEons be fuppofed to be generated, 
 
 « fo 
 
 ^ ii. 17, 3. Scd ^i quidem efficabiliter& fecundum fuam 
 genefin unufquifq; illorum (/Eonum) eniiffus eft fecundum 
 
 hominum 
 
( 78 ) 
 
 *' fo as to have a feparate Exiflence, as the 
 " Individuals of Mankind, then thofe that are 
 " begotten, mull either be confubftantial to 
 '' the Father , and fo like him that begat 
 " 'em i or i£ they appear to be unlike him, it 
 '' mud be own'd, that they are of fome other 
 " Subflance. 
 
 Note, This later he mentions as an Abfurdi- 
 ty, to which the fuppofed Imper^c£bion^ and 
 Unlikenefs of the uEons did neceflarily lead, tho' 
 inconfiftent with divine Generation, and proba- 
 bly difown'd by the Heretics themfelves. 
 
 Again : g " But if the jEons were derived 
 " from the M^ord^ and the Word from the 
 '' Mind^ and the Mind from Bythus^ as one 
 
 " Light from another they may perhaps 
 
 '' differ from one another in their Derivation 
 " and Greatnefs : but fince they are of the fame 
 *' Subflance with him, from whom they are 
 " originally derived, either they muft all re- 
 "^ main impaffible, or the Father himfelfmufl: 
 " alfo partake of Paflion. —Or if any one 
 " lliould call them Stars, they fhall all never- 
 *' thelefs have the fame common Nature. For 
 " tho' one Star differ from another in Glory^ 
 
 '^ I Cor. 
 
 hommum fimilitud'inem ; vel generationes Patris erunt ejuf- 
 dem Subftantias ei, & fimiles Generator! ; (Gr. forte, *i yim- 
 fjijMTcc t5 sr«T^fi5 i^a,i 6f/joi!(nx ie.vrui, r^ ofjiioioe, yivvljo-xvlt) vel fi 
 difEmiles parebunt, ex altera quadam fubftantia confiteri eos 
 cffe necefle eft. 
 
 ^ ii. 17. 4. Si autem, velut a lumine lumina accenfa, funt 
 Mones a Logo, Logos autem a Nu, & Nus a By tho ; ge- 
 
 neratione quidem & magnitudine fortafle diftabunt ab invi- 
 cem : ejufdem autem Subftantiae cum fint cum Principe emif- 
 fionis ipforum, aut omnes impaffibiles perfeverant, aut & Pa- 
 ter ipforum participabit pafliones Se6l. 5.— Et iiquis Stel- 
 las dicat eos, nihilo minus eadem univerfj apparebunt natura 
 
 parti- 
 
( 79 ) 
 
 " I Cor. XV. 41 . yet not in Quality or Subftance, 
 " by which any thing is pailible or impailible. 
 *' But fince they arc all from the paternal Light, 
 " they mull needs either be all naturally impaf- 
 " lible and unchangeable j or elfe all with the 
 " paternal Light it relt' be pallible and capable 
 " ot corrupting Changes. 
 
 Again : s " I f they lay, their jEons were de- 
 " rived, as Rays from the Sun, fince they are 
 *' all Confubllantial, and from the fimc Foun- 
 *' tain, they muft either all be capable of Paf- 
 '' fion with him, from whom they are derived, 
 " or all, one as well as another, continue im- 
 « paflible." 
 
 From thefe PafTages I would obferve, 
 I, That probably Iren^Ui ufed the Word 
 6/txo8a-i(^, Confubftantial^ that was fo famous af- 
 terwards in the Controvcrfy between the Catho- 
 lics and the Arians. For where the Greek is 
 preferved, we find o/jiosVi©' is the Word that is 
 rendered, as here, ejufdemSuhjiantia^ of the fame 
 Suhjlance ^. 'Tertullian renders it by Confuhflan- 
 tivm K And perhaps Irenaus was one of thoic 
 
 participantes. Etenim ft Stella a Stella in claritate differt ; 
 fed non lecundum qualitatcm, nee fecundum fubftantiam, 
 fecundum qu.im paffibile aliquid vcl impaffibile eft; fed aut 
 univerfos, ex Lumine cumfint paterno, naturaliter impaHibiles 
 & immutabiles effe oportet : aut univerfi cum paterno lumine, 
 & paflibiles, Sc commutationum corruptionis capaces funt. 
 
 2 Ibid. 7. Si autem, quomodo a Sole Radios, iflonas ipfo- 
 rum emifliones habuifTe dicent, ejufdem Subftantiae & de eo- 
 dem omnes cum fint, aut omnes capaces paflionis erunt cum 
 CO, qui ipfos emiiit, aut omnes impaffibilcs perfeverabunt. 
 
 i. r. 1. B-aTo ^sii Tmvfii'-CTiKct fhvt nahtri&ui, ccvtyi (L. ifriji') 
 fjiie^^iirxi, i^rndi'n ifjuo^'a-uv vTT^^^iv uvtv. iSpirJtale quidem 
 
 non potuifTe earn formare, qnoniam ejuidem Subftanti^ ei 
 
 erat.— & poftea."— 'Bao-iAta Tscitlav, riv T£ of/joaa-M) iiVTu.. » 
 
 Regem omnium ejufdem Subibmti^ ei, Sec. 
 
 ' Tertullian. adv. Valent. c. 18. Fere enim paria & con- 
 fubftautiva, in alterutrum valere Societas Nature negavit. 
 
 3 Ancients 
 
( 80 ) 
 
 Ancients who ufed the term o/xoacrj©' con- 
 cerning the Father and the Son, as jE^y^/^//^^ wit- 
 ncfleth in his Epiille concerning the Decifions 
 of the Council of Nice ^. For tho' he does 
 not directly aflert the Son's being of the fame 
 Subftance with the Father, he does it confequen- 
 tially. But if the Greek here was, tw? aur^c 
 ^nyia^y as BlUius conjeftures, the Senfc is the ve- 
 ry fame j for the Do6trine of the Confubftan- 
 tiahty was often fo exprefs'd about, and after the 
 time of the Nicene Council ^. 
 
 2. He explains the Senfe of the Word o/xo- 
 »cri©^, or confuhjiantial^ by Communion in the 
 fame Nature, eadem naturd part'icipantes^ having 
 the fame co?nmon Nature : And it is fuch a Same- 
 nefs of Subflance or Nature, as neceffarily in- 
 fers all the fame ellential Properties : For he con- 
 cludes, from the Confubftantiality of the Mons^ 
 that they mull be uncapable of Imperfections j 
 fuch as Ignorance, Paflion, Changes, ^c. 
 
 And this he illullrates by the Comparifons of 
 one Lamp lighted by another, and of the Rays 
 ftreaming forth from the Sun j which the Or- 
 thodox Fathers alfo ufe as fome imperfe6t Re- 
 femblances of the ineffable Generation of the 
 Son. 
 
 ^ Apud Socrat. H. E. i. 8.' ^-'Ejtsj jcJ ts^k ztuXmuv rivui 
 Aoyia? Xj i'itiCpa.mt, iTiKricoTTisi .t,' (rvly^u<fBci<;, iyyufAiiv em -rm m 
 
 ' Sozom. E. H. L. 2. C. 21. de Eufebio & Theognio — e«5 
 
 ■zs-KT^i h\uQiir & oftensa fiul vefte, dixit Eufebius, st toZto to 
 
 Tj 4. C. 28. De MelctiOm.—^oi>x(f>t>cy^o¥ t^ eivrni ia-ixf 
 
 7u zrctTp\ T itov UTTi^y^vXTO. 
 
 ' — Theodoret. H. E. L. i . C. 2. De Alexandro Alexan- 
 ^rinc I ifJiJoriiAcy 'iXiyt tbu wctT^lq r tnov, »^ th* uvtw nintt}) 
 
 fX^iy tZ ytytyyixtn ©j5, 
 
 3. As 
 
{ 81 ) 
 
 3- As Confubflantiality is the necefniry Con- 
 fequence of Divine Generntion, as underllood 
 by the: Ante-nicene Fathers > lb the Word does 
 not determine, whether the Identity of Sub- 
 ftance be numericdl or fpecificil : Nor does it ap- 
 pear to me, that ever the Fathers enter 'd into 
 this Enquiry: They look'd upon the L':iity and 
 DiffinBion of the F'ather and Son, as incompre- 
 henfible; That the Son as God had the Nature 
 and Subftance of God, as in order to be true 
 Man, he aflum'd the Nature and Subllancc of 
 Man, they firmly behev'dj but durfl not mea- 
 fure God by our low Idea's borrowed from the 
 Individuals of any Species among Creatures 5 
 thefe lecret things they left to the Lord, and 
 were content with what God had revealed in 
 Scripture. They held indeed, that the Son was 
 not TauTcs'jj©^, of the fame EJfence^ in the Sa- 
 belliaa Scnje^ which deitroy'd the Diilinftion of 
 Perions, and alfo that he was not sTS5oa'c-j(^^, as 
 the Avians held, which amounted to a Denial 
 of his Godhead. TheGitholic Medium equally 
 avoided both thefe Extremes, as being fubver- 
 five of the Notion of true Generation j for if 
 there be no Diftin6lion of Perfons, 'tis plain, 
 there can be no Generation : and on the other 
 hand, if there was not a Communication of the 
 fame Nature, it was not Generation, but Crea- 
 tion. 
 
 4. When Irenaus feems to allow, that the 
 ^ons^ tho' confubllantial with the Father, and 
 one another, might differ with refpe61: to Great- 
 ncfs and Glory, as Stars do, it ought not to be 
 infer'd, that he fuppofed a real Inequality in the 
 coniuNllantial Trinity. For, as his Adverfaries 
 fuppofed fuch an Inequality among their con- 
 fubflantial ^o»j', he only waves that parr of the 
 Al Difpute, 
 
( 82 ) 
 
 Difpute, which was not then to his Purpofe, as 
 is ulual in Controverfies, and carries his Argu- 
 ment no farther than his Scope required, and 
 the Simile he ufes would bear : For there are 
 greater and lelTer Lights, and one Star differs 
 from another in Glory. And he here yields in 
 the fame manner the temporary and fucceflive 
 Derivation of Light from Light '" j which yet 
 he elfewhere ftrenuoufly oppofes in the Cafe of 
 the eternal Word of God. 
 
 in. Prop. The Son by his Generation had 
 not a feparate Exiftence from the Father, nor 
 are the two Perfons two feparate Beings, like 
 the feveral Individuals of the human Species } 
 but they are ineffably united, the Son being in 
 the Father, and the Father in the Son. 
 
 n tc Were the JLons united to him that emit- 
 '' ted 'em, as the Rays and the Sun j or were 
 " they generated by way of Divifion, fo that 
 " they exift feparately in their proper Forms, 
 " as particular Men, and other Animals do ? 
 
 ° " If they were thus produced, — — they 
 " mud be fuppofed to be entirely feparate from 
 
 '' one 
 
 ^ ii. 17- 4- Neque en'im quae poftea accenfa eft Facula, 
 alterum lumen habebit, quam illud quod ante earn fuit.— 
 Er poftea: Quod autem juvenius eft, & antiquius, neque in 
 ipfo lumine inteiligi poteft fed tantum fecundum ac- 
 
 cenfionem, quoniam altera quidem ante pufillum tempus, al- 
 tera autem nunc accenfa eft. 
 
 " Ibid. 17. 2. Quasritur igitur, quemadmodum emifli funt 
 reliqui JEones ? utrum uniti ei qui emiferit, quemadmodum 
 a Sole Radii, an efficabiliter & partiliter, uti fit unufquifque 
 eorum feparatim, & fuam ligur tionem habens, quemadmo- 
 dum ab hom".ne homo, & a pecude pecus ? 
 
 ° Ibid. 3. Sed fi quidem efBcabiliter, & fecundum fuam 
 genefin unufquifque illorum emiilus eft fecundum hominum 
 
 fimili- 
 
( 83 ) 
 
 '' one another, as Co many Men arc, without 
 
 " any clofe Union." 
 
 Tho' the Rays flow from the Sun as their 
 Fountain, yet they fo neceflarily co-cxill, that 
 'tis impoflible for 'em to have a feparatc Exif- 
 tence. And if the Son was fo incomprehen- 
 fibly begotten of the Father, as to admit of this 
 lUuflration, it follows according to IrertieuSy that 
 the Father and Son have nor, cannot have fuch 
 a dillinft Being and fcparate Exiilcncc, as two 
 individual Men. Befides, if he reckoned it a 
 great Abfurdity in the Valentinian Scheme, that 
 their JEom^ held by them to be generated of 
 God, ihould be fuppofed to have fuch a diftindb 
 and feparate Exiflencc, much more would he 
 have thought it Blafphemy to aflert this con- 
 cerning the Son, who has the fame Ellence with 
 the Father, and is fo ineffably one with him, 
 that he may be faid to be the Father himfelf. 
 
 And this feems to lead us to the true Me- 
 thod, the Ancients took to explain the Unity 
 of God, in confidence with the Diflin6lion of 
 Perfons, and the true Godhead of the Son and 
 Holy Ghoft. As the Sun and its Rays make 
 not two Suns, becaufe the Rays neceffarily llream 
 from the Sun, and don't make a dillind: lumi- 
 nous Body i fo the Father and Son are not two 
 Gods, becaufe the Son had. not a feparate Exif- 
 tence of himfelf, but proceeded from the Fa- 
 ther by eternal Generation, and naturally and 
 neceflarily fubfiils in, and with him in theftrift- 
 eft Union. In this Senfe only they refer the 
 Unity to the Father ; Had the Son and Holy 
 
 fimilitudinem ; ■ fecundum hanc rationem unufquif- 
 
 que eorum iep.iratim divilus ab altero intelligetur, quemad- 
 modum homines, non admixtus, nee unitus alter altero— ' 
 
 M i Spirit 
 
( H ) 
 
 Spirit been two eternal Minds^ not proceeding 
 fiom the Father, they could not according to 
 their Principles have ialv'd the Unity. But be- 
 caufe there is but one Fountain of the Deity, 
 and the Son and Spirit in their diftinct Perfona- 
 hty did not exill of themfelves, but were of the 
 Father's Subftance by Generation and Proceili- 
 on, they cannot exill feparately to make fo ma- 
 ny Gods, but naturally remain ineifably united, 
 and one God with him. 
 
 The Principle into which his i^rgument here 
 is refolv'd, he applies elfewhere to the Son, by 
 aflerting his ineffable Union with the Father. 
 
 P " By the Son, who is in the Father, and 
 " hath the Father in him, the God that truly 
 " is, is manifefted. 
 
 ^ Again : " Not only before Adam^ but be- 
 " fore any thing was created, the Word glo- 
 " rify'd his Father, abiding in him^ and himfelf 
 " was glorify'd by the Father." 
 
 P iii. 6. 2. Per Filium itaque, qui eft in Patre, & habet 
 in fe Patrem, is qui eft, manifeftatus eft Deus. 
 
 '^ iv. 14. I . Non enim folum ante Adam, fed & ante om- 
 nem conditionem glorificabat Verbum Patrem fuum, manens 
 in eo j & ipfe a Patre clarificabatur.., ■ . 
 
 CHAP. 
 
( 85 ) 
 CHAP. VI. 
 
 The TaJJfages of Scripture underflood by 
 Irenxus concerning Chriji, '■johich prove 
 
 life Rfilipf nf hie ^T^Pifv 
 
 his Belief of his T)eity. 
 
 I _ a « -y T is nQt probable, that one made the 
 \^ " Body, and another formed the 
 '' Eyes i but the very fame that created j^clam 
 " from the beginning, — manifefting himfelf to 
 ^' Men in the later Days, formed the Sight of 
 " him that was bhnd from Adam. Where- 
 " fore the Scripture hinting at fomething fu- 
 '' ture, {ays, when Adam hid himfelf upon arc- 
 " count of his Difobedience, the Lord came 
 " to him in the Evening, and called him, fay- 
 " ing. Where art thou ? Gen. iii. p. Which 
 " implies, that the dime Word of God would 
 
 *' come in the laft Days to call Man. 
 
 2. ^ " At the Overthrow of the Sodomites^ 
 " the Scripture faith j And the Lord rained on 
 " Sodom and Gomorrah Fin and Brimflonc 
 " from the Lord out of Heaven^ Gen. xix. 24. 
 
 Inti- 
 
 * V. 15. 4. ^-Nec confequens eft alterum quidem Cor- 
 pus, alteram vero pLifmafie oculos : Sed idem-ipfe qui ab 
 initio plafmavit Adam. in noviffimis temporibus fcmetip- 
 
 fum manifeft.ins hominihus, ei qui ab Adam caecus erat, for- 
 mavit vifioncm. Et propter hoc Scriptura iignificans quod 
 futurum erat, ait, abfcondito Adam propter inobedientiam, 
 Dominum venifie vcfperc ad eum, & evocaffe eum, & dixifTe 
 ci : JJbi ei ? hoc eft, quoniam in noviffimis temporibus idip- 
 fum venit Verbum Dei Lidvocarc hominem.— — ■ 
 
 '' iii. 6. I . Et iterum, in everftone Sodomitarum fcrip- 
 tura ait : Et pluit Domifius fuper Sodomam iff Gomorrham 
 ignem ij fulftir a Domino de Coelo, Filium enim hie figni- 
 
 licat. 
 
( 86) 
 
 " Intimating, that the Son, who alfo conver- 
 '' fed with Abraham^ received Power from the 
 " Father to judge the Sodomites for their Ini- 
 
 This is an Inlrance of the Son, as well as 
 the Father's being abfolutely ftiled Lord in Scrip- 
 ture j which to /r^/^ff-z/i was an Evidence of his 
 true Godhead and fupreme Dominion. He in- 
 timates alfo, that he appeared as one of the three 
 Angels, who is called Jehova, and with whom 
 ulbraham interceded for Sodom^ Gen. xviii. 
 compare Job. v. zz. 
 
 3. <= " The Son fpeaking to MofeSy faith ; 
 *' I am come down to deliver this People^ Exod. 
 '' iii. 8. For 'tis he that defcends and afcends 
 " for the Salvation of Men. 
 
 4. ^ " Deut. xxxii. 6. Do ye thus requite 
 " the Lord^ O foolijh People and unwife ? Is not 
 '' he thy Father that fojfefs'd thee^ that made and 
 *' created thee ? 
 
 Again: " The Father of Mankind is the 
 " Word of God 5 as Mofes has fhew'd in thefe 
 " Words : Is not he thy Father that pojfefs'd 
 « thee ? &c. 
 
 ficat, qui & Abraha coUoquutus fit, a Patre accepiffe potefta- 
 tem ad judicandum Sodomitas, propter iniquitatem eorum. 
 
 ' Ibid. 2. — Et iterum, loquente Filio ad Moyfen j De- 
 frendi, inquit, eripere populum hunc. Ipfe eft enim qui de- 
 fcendit, & afcendit propter falatetn hominum. 
 
 ^ iv. 10. 2. Quapropter Moyfes increpans populum,— 
 ait: Sic populus fatuus, dff naji Sapiens, hac Domino retri- 
 buijiis ?» Et iterum : nonne hie idem Pater tuus pojfedit 
 te, ^ fecit te, iff creavit te F 
 
 Et Cap. 31.2. Pater autem generis humani Verbum Dei : 
 quemadmodum Moyfes oilendit, dicens : nonne hie ipfe Pa- 
 ter tuus pojfedit te] i^ fecit te, ^' creavit te ? 
 
 f.««They 
 
( 87 ) 
 
 5". e " They who call upon the Principali- 
 '' ties in Heaven to open the e'verlafiiag Gates, 
 *' that the King of Glory may enter ^ preached 
 
 " Chrill's Refurre6tion and his Afceniion 
 
 " to Heaven." 
 
 Chriil is the King of Glory defcribcd, Pfal. 
 xxiv. where he is ililed Jebo^va^ the mighty God, 
 the Lord of Hojis ; which are feme of the pe- 
 culiar.; and greatell Titles of the God oi JJrael. 
 
 6. ^ " Plal. xlv.7, 8. thy 'Throne^ O God, is 
 '' for ever -, a Scepter of Right eoufnefs is the 
 " Scepter of thy Kingdom. 'Thou hafl loved 
 '' Right eoufnefs^ and hated Iniquity ; therefore 
 '' God, thy God, hath anointed thee. 
 
 7. g " The Church is the Synagogue of God j 
 *' which God, that is, the Son himfelf gather'd 
 " by himfelf (in Perfon.) Of whom he faith 
 '' again. 'The God of Gods the Lord hath fpoken, 
 " and called the Earth. What God ? he of 
 " whom he faid : God fJjall vifibly come, even 
 " our God, and will not be ftlent ; that is, the 
 « Son,^^^." 
 
 Thefe two lafl Texts arc produced as Proofs, 
 that the Son is truly God and Lord, becaufe fo 
 ftilcd abfolutely in Scripture j and can any one 
 fuppofe that Iren^us took him to be a Creature 
 or inferior God, who fpeaks with fuch Majefty, 
 and afllimes fuch great Titles in the f o^*' Pfalm ? 
 
 ^ iv. 33. 13. • — Et pra;cipientes principibus Coelorum, ape- 
 rire sternas portas, ut introeat Rex Glorije, refurreftionem 
 ejus,— — & receptionem in Coelos praeconaverunt. 
 
 ^ iii. 6. I. Sedes tua, Deus, in seternum ; Virga diredio- 
 nis, &c. 
 
 ° Ibid. — Haec enim (Ecclefia) eft Synagoga Dei, qu»m 
 Dcus, hoc eft, Filius ipfe per femetipfum collegit. De quo 
 iterum dicit : Deus Deortnn Doniinus loquutus eji, & voca- 
 vit terram. Quis Deus ? de quo dixit: Deus mamfejle vt' 
 met, Deus nofier, IS nonfilebit im^hoc eji^ Filius, (?'<•. 
 
 2 The 
 
( 88 ) 
 
 The Son then is Jehova^ our God^ the God of 
 Gods^ the mojl High^ who is PoJ/eJ/or of Heaven 
 and Earthy to whom the Ifraelites offer'' d their Sa- 
 crifices ^ 6vc. Let the Reader look over the 
 "whole Pfalm^ and judge whether any ferious 
 Perfon could poffibly believe, that he who is 
 fpoken of, and fpeaks in fuch a lofty Strain, was 
 but a Creature, or any one lefs than the mofl 
 High God. I'm fure, if he be not the fupreme , 
 God, who is here defcrib'd, we may defpair to 1 
 find him in the Old Teftament. Afcribing thefe 
 high Chara6ters to an inferior Being, would 
 give fome Countenance to the old Heretics, that 
 dcny'd the God of the Jews^ and blafphemouf- 
 ly aiTerted, that partly thro' Ignorance, partly 
 thro' Vanity he aflum'd thofe Chara6ters that 
 belong'd not to him. 'Tis obfervable, that the 
 Fathers did not conclude, that a Divine Perfon 
 fpoken of in the Old Teftament, was not the 
 Son, but the Father, becaufe of the high Cha- 
 rafters afcribed to him : They made no diffe- 
 rence in this refpeft : But if they found in the 
 Context any Indications, that it was a Perfon, 
 who was wont to converfe with Men that was 
 to come vifibly, or to be the Judge of the 
 World, ^c. they underftood the Text of the 
 Son, tho' defcrib'd under never fo glorious Cha- 
 ra6lers and Titles, as Jehova^ the Lord of Hofls^ 
 the God of Gods^ the moft High^ the Holy one and 
 God of Ifrael, the Living and true God^ befides 
 whom there is no God^ &c. Can any one, that 
 knows the Spirit of Arianifnij fufpecl 'em to 
 have been in the leaft tinftur'd with it ? 
 
 8. ^ " The Word, the Maker of all things, 
 
 " who 
 
 ^ iii. 11,8. 'O im cifTecylatTtXytrtn Ae'y^j i x«^»/*Jv©- sVi 
 
{ 89 ) 
 
 " who fits upon the Cherubim, and upholds all 
 " things, when manifelled to Men, gave us a 
 " fourfold Gofpel, enditcd by one Spirit. Even 
 " as David praying for his coming, faith j Thou 
 " that Jit te ft upon the Cherubim^ appear^ Pf Ixxx. r . 
 
 9. • Pfal. Ixxxii. I . ^' God flood in the jif- 
 " femhly of the Gods^ ^c. 
 
 I have had occafion above to obferve, that 
 Irentsus underftood this, and alfo the 76'^ Pfilm, 
 God is made known in Judah^ &c. concerning 
 our blefied Lord, in both which he is fpokcn of 
 as the God of Ifrael^ and lliled 6 Bto?, God with 
 the Article, without any polTible reference to 
 what preceded, becaufe he is fo ftiled in the be^ 
 ginning of thefc Pfalms. 
 
 10. "^ Pfal. xcix. I. The Lord reigned^ let the 
 People rage^ he that fitteth upon the Cherubim 
 (reigned^) let the Earth be moved. 
 
 The whole Pfalm mull neceffarily be under- 
 ftood of the fupreme God, the God of Jfrael^ 
 who, as it follows there, is great in Zion, and 
 nvhofe great and terrible Name is to bepraifed^ &c. 
 
 11. * Ifi. vii. 14. Behold^ a Firgin floall con- 
 ceive^ and bring forth a Son^ and ye fljall call his 
 
 Name 
 
 sdluKiv ifiMv TiTeufjuoctpcf n iyayytAtov, m ^ Tinuf/jctTi a'vvi^cf/tttct' 
 xxCui Adoi^ cctTisiJbiv®^ uvtS Tijw zrx^xtrixv, (punt' o KccS'tifjui- 
 
 ' Ibid. 6. I. 6 Qici i<^7i it a-vfecyayvi Btvv, tv fjuta-v |) 9-t»5 
 dlxK^mti. & Pfal. xcvi. i. yvu^-c^ « rtj 'ln^anct 6 ©£05, it rZ 
 'J(rf«>iA fAjtyx 79 evofji/* acvrev. L. 4. 33. I I. 
 
 •^ iv. 33. 13. Et qui diccbant : Dominus regnavity irafcantur 
 populi, qui fedet fiiper Cherubim, commoveatur terra > par- 
 tim earn, qiize port afTumptroncm ejus tafta eft fuper eos qui 
 in eum crediderunt, iram.-. & motum— ?. adverfus Eccleiiam 
 prophetabant, &c. 
 
 ' iii. 21.4. Ecce, Virgo in ventre accipict, iff pfiriet Filiam, 
 y vocabitis nomen ejus Emmanuel, ^V Diligcnter igitur fig- 
 
 N nificavit 
 
( 90) 
 
 Name Emmanuel, (^c. " The Holy Ghoft has 
 " plainly fignified his Birth of the Virgin, and 
 " his Subftance, vi-z. that he is God : (for fo 
 '^ the Name Emmanuel fignifies) and fhews, 
 " that he is Man, by faying j Butter and Honey 
 
 " pall he eat. But that he frjoidd not confent 
 
 " to J^Vickednefs^ that he might chuft the Goody 
 *' is his peculiar as God." 
 
 11. "^ Ifa. viii. 3, p. 6. / went unto the 
 
 Prophetefs^ and Jhe brought forth a Son^ and his 
 Name is called U^onderful Counfeller^tbe Mighty 
 God. 
 
 See above, Chap. IV. N° f, and the Note 
 upon it. Since I writ That., I have had a Sufpi- 
 cion, that the true Verfion of the later part of 
 that famous Text, Ifa. ix. 6. being put in the 
 Margin of the vulgar Tranflation of the LXX. 
 either from better Copies or the original He- 
 brew^ might happen to creep into the Text out 
 of its proper Place, as perhaps, Chap. viii. 3. 
 which may be the reafon of Irenceus's joining 
 the two Texts, as here. And Clement of Alex- 
 andria feems to have produced the two Parts 
 of that Verfe from different Places in the Pro- 
 phet. " 'I'he Spirit^ faith he, calls the Lord 
 " himfelf a Child, giving forth this Oracle by 
 *' Ifaiah : Behold to us a Child is born^ and unto 
 " us a Son is given ; whofe Government (Gr. Prin- 
 
 nificavit Spiritus Sanftuf— — — generationem ejus, quae eft 
 ex Virgine, & fubftantiam, quoniam Deus : [Emmanuel enim 
 nomen hoc fignificat) & manifeilat, quoniam homo, in eo 
 quod dicit : Butyrum & mel manducabit. ... ■- Quod autem 
 non confentiet nequitice, ut eligat bonum, proprium hoc eft 
 Dei, &c. Tertull.de Anima, c. 41. Solus enim Deus fme 
 peccato, & folus homo fme peccato Chriftus, quia & Deus 
 Chriftus. 
 
 " iv. 33. 1 1. ■ .■■i.iVeni ad Prophetam, & peperit Filiym, 
 & vocatur nomen ejus Admirabilis, Confiliarius, Deus, Fortis, 
 
 " cipality) 
 
( 91 ) 
 
 *' cipaVtty) is upon his Shoulder^ and his Name is 
 " called the Angel of great Counfel. Who is 
 " then the Infant Child ? he, after whofe Image 
 " we are Infants. By the fame Prophet he de- 
 " elites his Greatnefs : JVonderful Counfellor^ the 
 " Mighty God^ the E'verlajiing Father^ the Prince 
 
 " of Peace. O the great God ! O the per- 
 
 " fc6b Child! The Son in the Father, and the 
 " Father in the Son." ^ 'Tis plain this was 
 not taken from the other Greek Verfions, for 
 neither Jqiiila^ 'Theodotion^ nor Symmachus had 
 ^EcV (cr;^'j^of, or c/^uya7ri? in their Verfions. 
 
 13. <» **• Neither fhall wc look for another 
 '' Chrift and Son of God, but him, who was 
 " born o f the Virgin yV/^r)', and fuffered, whom 
 " alfo we believe in, and lovcj as Efaias faith : 
 " u^nd they fljall fay in that Day : Behold^ the 
 " Lord our God^ in whom ive boped^ and re- 
 " joiced in our Salvation^ I fa. xxv. p. 
 
 14. P " Behold, our God executes Judg- 
 " mcnt, and will execute it j himfclf will come^ 
 
 "Clem. Alex. Pa;dag. L.i. Cap.5. p.i 12. Ed. Oxon. r xvPitt 
 uvroy oyeujul^n ar««s/or, tcuto ffi Htretm B-i<ryrtC<>¥ t» wviZf/jU, 'iJli 
 zrictsiey fytvtii&>i ifftjiv iio^ Koti iacB'/] Yf/jV), it y, et^X-"* »V« t» af/jn 
 iivTcv, x.oii iJcAij^fl TT cycfX/X ecvrou f/jtyccXtii; /SsAiI? osyyfA©-. tj x» 
 TV TTctiOiov T* tviTTiov' t>u KCCT i.Kty* itfJUiTi 01 t^xtoi. Aix rav ctv- 
 Tou 7rpo(piiTH olriyiiTcci -n lAiyiB'ci civtoZ' QavfAX^oi e^ufJi/^^X^^, 
 0£e? (ft;v««-t)5, TstTtif i»»v»©-, ufX.e»v ttptji')?;' ai ro'u fji/iyu?iit 
 
 ©fOU" a TcZ TfAfiSf TTUlCllii' X. T. s. 
 
 ° iv. 9. 2. I I. .Nequc alium Chriftum, & Dei Filium ejr- 
 peftabimus ; fed hunc, qui ex Mi:ria Virgine, qui &: pafTus 
 eft, in quern & crcdimus, quern & diligimus ; quemadmodum 
 Efaias ait. Et diccnt in ilia die : ecce, Dominus Deus noflery 
 in quern fperavirmn, iff exultavimus injalutenoftra. 
 
 P iii. 20. 3. Propter hoc ergo fignum falutis noftras eum, 
 qui eft ex Virgine Emmanuel, eft ipfe Dominus hoc 
 
 autem & Efaias ; . ,Ecce, Deus nofter judicium rctribuit, 
 
 iff reiribuiurus eft : ipfe veniet, iff falvabit nos. V. etiam 
 Lib. 4. C. 33. II. 
 
 N z "or 
 
( 90 
 
 " or he will come himfelf, and fave us, Ifa. 
 
 '' XXXV. 4. 
 
 If. *i " Again: That it was neither a mere 
 '^ Man that laves us, nor yet without Flclli 
 " (for the Angels are without Flefh) he has de- 
 **• claredj faying : Neither an Elder (Gr. Ambaf- 
 *' fador,) nor an Angel j hut the Lord himfelf 
 '' Jloallfave them ; becaufe he loves them^ and will 
 '' [pare them^himfelfJJjull redeem them^ ch.lxiii.p. 
 
 The learned Dr. jdllix ^ fufpe6bs, that the 
 LXX. whofe Verfion Irenam follows, read in 
 this Text of the Prophet Ifaiahy '"W It^b not a 
 Prince or Angel, inllead of 1!S )sl as we now 
 have it in all the Copies. But there is no 
 ground to fuppofe, that their unpointed Copy 
 difFer'd in the leaft from oursj only they joined 
 the later part of the preceding Verie with this, 
 and by their way of pointing and diflinguifh- 
 ing, render'd it thus : And he became their Sa- 
 viour out of all their Afflitlion 5 not a Mejfenger 
 (Heb:'p '^'^'i n°]i i<h) nor Angel; {but) himfelf^ or 
 the Lord himfelf, according to Iremeus and the 
 Alexandrian MS. \_Heb. his Face, i.e himfelf in 
 Perfon^ as Exod. xxxiii. 14. 137'' ^32 wy Face^ 
 we render it, 'my Prefence floall go with thee j but 
 the LXX, 'AuTor 'ZiJjcxogsuffo/uLat crs, I my felf 
 will go before thee j compare 2, Sam. xvii. 11. 
 
 ' 131 ZD^D^n l^iBI and that thou go to Battel in 
 thine own Perfon^ faved them^ Scc. They read 
 ^ as the Text ftill has it, and not according 
 to the critical Note of the Maforites^ called 
 
 •J iii. 20. 4. Rurfus, quoniam neque homo tantum erit, 
 qui falvat nos, neoue fine carne, (iine carne enim Angeli 
 iunt) prsedicavit enim dicens : neque Senior, neque Ange- 
 las, fed ipfe Dominus falvabit eos, quoniam dUigit eos, & 
 parcet eis, ipfe libcrabit eos. 
 
 ' Judgment oi the Jewijh Church, chap. 8. p. 109. 
 
 the 
 
(93 ) 
 
 the Kerlf andfo did the Chaldee Paraph raft -dnd 
 the anticnt Syriac Interpreter j and R. D. Kim- 
 chi gives the Senfe both according to the textual 
 and marginal Reading. V. Com. in locum. 
 
 And "1^ they read not with a Camcts^ as now, 
 but with the long Chirec, which frequently has 
 not (1) T^t for "l^>i that is a Meflenger, Gr. 
 TO-^££rCur, it fhould rather have been wQiaSis, as 
 perhaps the famous Interpreters left it, and 
 hence the ^Alexandrian MS. has vr^iaCu^. But 
 tho' -nr^jaCu? is tolerable, it gave occafion to 
 the Latin Interpreter to millake the Senfe, and 
 render it Senior, an Elder. And fo Cyprian al- 
 fo has it ^ J but 'tertullian has render'd it Lega- 
 tus, a MeJJhiger^. And finally, they did not 
 conftrue ^sVo and CD^J2 together, for the An^ 
 gel of his Face, or Prefence, but feparated 'cm, 
 and fuppofed the later to fignify God himfelf, in 
 oppofition to any inferior Agent, as I have re- 
 prefented above. 
 
 This I take to be a good Proof, that the an- 
 tient Jews believed, that the Divine Perfon, 
 called the 'Word of God, the Shcchinah, the An- 
 gel of his Face, 6cc. that deliver 'd their Ancef- 
 tors out of Egypt, w^s not a created Angel, but 
 the Lord himfelf. A Paffage of this Import is 
 found in the Jerufalem Talmud ^ where their an- 
 tient Doftors fay : " When the merciful God came 
 to deliver his People out of Egypt, he did not 
 
 ^ Tcflimon. adv. Judseos. ii. 7. p. 36. Ed. Oxon.— Non 
 Senior, nequc Angelas ; fed iple Dominus libcrabit illos, &c. 
 
 ' Adv. Mircion. iv. 22. Non legatus, inquit Efaias, nee 
 nundus, fed ipfe Dominus falvos eos fecit, v. etiam Lib. de 
 came Chrifti, c. 14. 
 
 " Talmud Hierofol. Horajoth, Cap. 3. apud Buxtorfium 
 Lex. Chal. in voce |U"n Quando Deus mifericors vcnit ad 
 liberandum Ifraelem ex Egypto, non milit Legatum vel An- 
 gelum, fed Dcus Bcnediilus ipfemet venit, Sec. 
 
 Z fend 
 
( 94 ) 
 
 fend a Mejfenger or Angel ; but the hlejfed God 
 himfclf came^ &c. And Jonathan interprets this 
 Text in Chaldee of the fFord j and his TVord^ 
 faith he, became their Redeemer^ ^c. 
 
 But I infert this Text to exprefs Irenaus'^s 
 Opinion of the Son, whom he underftood to 
 be here fet forth, as the Lord himfelf^ in oppo- 
 fition to an Angel, Ambaflador, or Agent. 
 
 He often lays an Emphafis upon his being the 
 Lord himfelf^ as a little above : That Sign of our 
 Salvation^ faith he, is the Lord himfelf^ isjho is 
 Emmanuel of the Firgin-y for it "xas the Lord 
 himfelf that faved them. Compare Chap. IV. 
 N° 7. and Note there. 
 
 — He fubjoins thefe Words, as a Paflage of 
 the fame Prophet : The Lord^ the Holy one of If- 
 rael reinemhred his Dcad^ that flept in the Grave 
 {in the Land of burying) and came down to ""em^ 
 to preach to ""em the glad Tidings of his Saliva" 
 tion. ^^ 
 
 This, it feems, was found in fome Copies of 
 the LXX Verfion, and the matter and turn of 
 Expreffion was fuch, as might eafily impofe up- 
 on thofe Fathers that were not acquainted with 
 the Hebrew Code : Juftin Martyr fufpc^led it was 
 wanting in many Copies of the LXX, by a 
 Fraud of the Jews^. I fuppofe this PafTage 
 was originally found in fome apociyphal Wri- 
 ting of the Hellenijiical Jews^ and from thence 
 
 ■^ iii. 20. 4. Et quonlam non folum homo erat, qui mo- 
 riebatar pro nobis, Efaias ait : Et Commemoratus efl Domi- 
 nus SanSius Ifrael f/ioi-tuorum fuorum, qui dormierant in terra 
 Jepultionis : Csf defcendit ad eos evajigelizare falutem quts eji 
 ab eo, ut faharet cos. 
 
 * Con. Tryph. p. 298. '^u.w,Sivt j xw^i©- d 0^5 i^ra (lege, 
 «V<®-) 'ifTf^nX r^K vtKtuy uvtS tuv Kiy-oif/iTjfAivut, if, y^i ^aiftjx- 
 
 transfer'd 
 
( 95 ) 
 
 transfer'd by fome Cbriilian to the Margin of 
 the Greek Bible over-againll feme Expreilion of 
 like Import in the Prophet Ifaiah or Jeremiah \ 
 for 'tis afcribed to both j and fo came to pafs 
 for Text in fome Copies. It plainly cxprefleth 
 Chrift's Divine Nature, that he is that God, 
 known by the Character of the Lord the Holy 
 one of Ifrael. 
 
 i6. y " The Son — faith : I openly appeared 
 " tothem^ that fought me not^ Ita. Ixv. i. 
 
 17. ^ " Becaufe the Word of God forms us 
 *' in the Womb, he faith 10 Jeremiah : Before 
 '* 1 formed thee in the Belly ^ I knew thee j and 
 " before thou camejl forth out of the IVomh^ I 
 '' fan6lifyd thee^ and I ordained thee a Prophet 
 " among the Nations^ Jcv.i j"." 
 
 He fuppofes alfo, that he that appeared to the 
 Prophet Ezckiel, chap. i. and to the Apoftle 
 John, Rev. iv. as the God of Ifrael, fitting on 
 a Throne fupportcd by four Animals, was the 
 Son of God.* 
 
 18. ^ " The Lord hath fpokcn in Sion, and 
 " uttered his Voice out of Jerufalem^ Amosi. 2. 
 " Joel iii. 1(5. 
 
 I p. <^ " And becaufe he was not only a Man 
 
 « that 
 
 y iii. 6. 1. ■ Filius, qui fecundum manifeftationcm ho- 
 minibus advcnit,— dicit : Palam apparui his, qui me non qu^^ 
 runt. 
 
 ^ V. 15. 3. Quoniam autem in ventre plafmnt nos Ver- 
 bum Dei, ait Hieremiae : Priujqnam plafmarem te in liter o^ 
 novi te, iff pri'/fquam exires de Vulva fanSiificavi te, ^ Pro- 
 phetam in gentibus pofui te. 
 
 » Vid. iii. II. 8. 
 
 ^ iii. 20. 4. Et rurfus fignificnns locum adventus ejus, 
 ait : Dominus ex [alibi in) Sion loquutus ejl, iff ex Hicrufa- 
 \<ivci iJedit vocem fuain. v. ctiam, iv. 33. 11. 
 
 ^ Ibid. Et (juoniani noa folun; homo erat, qui morieba- 
 
 tur 
 
( 96 ) 
 
 " that dy'd for us, — the Prophet ^mos (Micab) 
 " (iiith : He hunfelf will return^ and have Mer- 
 *' cy on us ; he will aboliJJj our Iniquities.^ and 
 " caft into the depth of the Sea our »S';;^;5Mic.vii. i p. 
 
 20. ^ "And fpeaking o^John^ he faith thus: 
 " For he jhall be great in the Sight of the Lord.—' 
 '' Jnd many of the Children t;/ Ifrael fiall he turn 
 '' to the Lord their God j and he Jloall go before 
 *' him^ in the Spirit and Power of Elias, — to 
 " prepare a perfect People for the Lordy Luke i. 
 " If, i5, 17. For whom then did he prepare a 
 " People? and in what Lord's Sight was he 
 " great ? even his, who faid, that ]ohn was great' 
 " er than a Prophet^ &;c. Mat. xi.pjio." 
 
 As the necellary Conllruftion of St. Luke^^ 
 Words leads us to underftand thefe Words, the 
 Lord their God^ as fpokcn of Chrift, before 
 whom John did go as a Harbinger j fo Irenaus 
 expounds 'em o^him^ who therefore is the God 
 of Ifrael; above whom there is no God. For 
 he produces this Text as a Proof, that he who 
 is here fpoken of, as being ftiled Lord and God 
 abfolutely^ is the fupremc God, jind no other 
 than the God of Ifrad^ or God of the Old 
 Teftament, whom the ^'fu?; had revolted from, 
 and by Repentance were to return to. ^ " Luke^ 
 " iiiith he, fimply, abfolutely, and ftrongly con- 
 *' fefs'd him God and Lord in his own Perfon, 
 " who chofe Jerufalem^ and gave the Law of 
 
 « the 
 
 mr pro nobis, 'Amos Propheta ait , Ipfe convertetur., 
 
 Cff mijerebitur nojiri : di[folvet (pro x.xrx^ua-it, legit x.«T«Au(r£<) 
 injufiitias nojlras, (ff projuiet UTfefpi-^et^ quod habet MS. 
 Alexandrinum ; non, ut Editio Romana, ctizo'^jiB^trovlai, male,) 
 in altitudinem jriaris peccata noftra. 
 
 ^ iii. 10. 1. ^ Lucast . .■ fimpliciter, & abfolute, & firme 
 .Deuin Si Dominum confitens ex fua Perfona, eum qui elege- 
 r.i Joruj'alem, k kgis dationem Sacerdotii fecerit, cujus eft 
 
( ^7 ) 
 
 " the Prieflhood, and whofc Angel Gabriel is. 
 " For he knew no other above him > for if he 
 " had any Knowledge of a more perfe£b God 
 " and Lord, bcfides him, he would never have 
 " lliled him — God and Lord in fo full and ab- 
 " folute a manner,"— and then cites the Text 
 of Luke inferted above ; where our blcfled Sa- 
 viour is ftiled God and Lord abfolutely, and con- 
 lequently is, according to Irenaus^ that God 
 who had no God above him ; and herein his 
 Scheme differs from Dr. Clarke's ^. 
 
 2,1. He underllood the whole Text, Rom. ix. 
 f . concerning Chrill, as having two Natures 
 joined in one Perfon. ^ " And again, faith he, 
 '' Paul writing to the Romans concerning If- 
 " rael^ fiith : IVhofe are the Fathers^ and of 
 " whom Chriji^ according to the FleJJ} came^ who is 
 " God over all ( fupreme God., as Dr. Clarke would 
 render it in another Cafe) ^^blejfed for evermore.^* ^ 
 
 Sc Angelas Gabriel. Etenim alterum fuper hunc nefciebat : 
 Si enim intelleftum perfeftioris alicujus Dei & Domini, prae- 
 ter hunc, hahuiflct, non utique hunc,— abfolutc, & in totum, 
 Dominum & Deum confiterctur— — Sed & de "Joaime di- 
 cens, fie ait : Erit enim magnus in confpeSiu Domini, isf mul- 
 tos filiorum \\x:xi\ convertet ad Dominum Deum ip forum, iff 
 ipfe preecedet in confpe8u ejus., in Spiritu tff virtute Helite, 
 fr<£parare Dofnino plebem pcrfe5la?n. Cui ergo populum 
 prseparavit, & in cujus Domini confpedu ma nus fadus eft ? 
 utique ejus, qui dixit : !^toniam plufquam Propheta habuit 
 aliquid Joannes, l^c. 
 
 ^ Scripture-Doftrine, N° 534. p- 71, 72. 
 
 ^ iii. 16. 2, 3, — .^— Neque alium quidem Jefum, alte- 
 rum autem Chriftum fulpicaremur fuifle, ied unum & eun- 
 dem fciremus eflc Paulus ad Romanos fcribens de 
 
 Ifraely dicit : ^orum Patres, iff ex quibus Chriflus fecund urn 
 carnem, qui ejl Deus fuper omnes benediiius in facula. 
 
 O CHAP. 
 
( 9S ) 
 
 CHAP. Vll. 
 
 T>ivine Attributes afcribed to the Son, 
 
 I. np H E Son is equal to the infinite Father 
 JL in Greatnefs and Knowledge. 
 
 1 . ^ " God doth all things in Meafure and 
 Order j and there is nothing unmeafur'd with 
 him, becaufe there is nothing unnumber'd. 
 And one faid well, that the immenfe Father 
 himfelf is meafur'd in the Son : For the Mea- 
 fure of the Father is the Son, becaufe he 
 comprehends (or contains) him. 
 
 2. ^ " Now the Father, who in refpefl: of 
 us, is invifible and immenfe, his own Word 
 knows i and tho' he is ineffable, he declares 
 him to us j and on the contrary, the Father 
 only knows his own Word." 
 
 The former Palfage is the Teftimony of two 
 Witnefles, Iren^eus and another Catholic Fa- 
 ther, either antienter, or contemporary, whofe 
 Saying he cites with Approbation : The Expref- 
 iions are clear and ftrong, and can fignify no 
 lefs than the Equality of the Father and Son, 
 which is the Foundation of their mutual Com- 
 prehenfion. For as the Reafon of our Incapa- 
 
 * iv. 4. 2. '^A^ocvlei IJiffT^* >^ T«f|£' o Qis<i zroiii, i^^oiv Ufjui' 
 TfoK Ts-ce.^' oivTM, cri fjijti^iii ct,vx^lifA,ytrBv Omnia enim men- 
 
 fura & ordine Deus facit, &: iiihil non menfum apud eum, 
 quoniam nee incompolltum. Et bene, qui dixit ipfum im- 
 jnenfum Patrem in Filio menfuratum : menfura enim Patris, 
 Filius, quoniam & capit eum. 
 
 '' iv. 6. 3. Et Patrem quidem invifibilem & indetermina- 
 bilem, quantum ad nos eft, cognofcit fuum ipfius Verbum : 
 & cum fit inenarrabilis, ipfe enarrat eum nobis ; rurfum au- 
 tem Veibuih fuum folus cognofcit Pater. 
 
 city 
 
( 99 ) 
 
 city to comprehend God, is the Difproportion 
 between him and us ; he is infinite, and wc finite > 
 as a Nutfhell cannot hold and meafure the vafl 
 Ocean. So the Son's Capacity to meafure and 
 comprehend the infinite Father is founded in an 
 Equahty of Nature. Compare what Tatian fnys 
 to this Purpole : ^ " That which is lefs, faith he, 
 " cannot attain the comprehenfive Knowledge 
 " of that which is greater, ' or of God. The 
 f^akfitinians thcmiclves were fenfible of this, and 
 fo held, that the only-begotten Son, who alone 
 could comprehend the Greatnefs of the Father, 
 was equal to him"^. And Iren^us, by aficrting 
 elfewhere God's being incomprehcnlible to all 
 Creatures, fhews what were his Sentiments con- 
 cerning the Son, who perfectly comprehends 
 him. " God, laith he, is in refpe6t of his 
 '' Greatnefs, unknown to all that were made 
 " by him «. 
 
 II. He is Co-eternal. 
 
 I. ^ " Not only before Adam, but before 
 " any thing at all was created, the Word glo- 
 '' rify'd his Father, abiding in him j and was 
 " himfelf glorify'd by the Father, as he faith : 
 
 " Father^ 
 
 * Tatian. Con. Grsecos, p. 154- c. To ^ sAarJoi', x«r<(> 
 ** Iren. i. I . i . m^ Txortiv (Styliv ) ■ upre^vtiirat KS», 
 
 Confer Philon. Lib. Quis rerum divinarum hjeres fit. p. 
 400. D. uu TO Ts-t^is^ov rS ■PTi^ii^^ofjuivs f/jir^ov. 
 
 ' iv. 20. 4. Deus fecundum magnitudinem quidem 
 
 ignotus efl omnibus his, qui ab eo flifti funt. 
 
 ^ iv. 14. I. Non enim folum ante Adam, fed & ante om- 
 
 nem conftitutionem, glorificabat Verbum Patrcm fuum, ma- 
 
 nens in eo i & ipfe a Patre clarificabatur, quemadmodum ipfc 
 
 O 2 ait: 
 
( 100 ) 
 
 " Father^ glorify me ivitb the Glory which I had 
 " with thecy before the World was made^ John 
 « xvii. f ." 
 
 'Tis obfervable here, i . That there was a Re- 
 lation and perfonal Diltin^bion between the Fa- 
 ther and Son, fuppoied in their glorifying one 
 another, antecedent to the Son's going forth to 
 the Work of Creation, which mull be founded 
 in a prior and eternal Generation. 
 
 2, He draws an Argument from the Father 
 and Son's Co-exiftence and mutual Glorifica- 
 tion before the Creation, to prove, that God 
 is felf-fufficient, and did not make Man, becaufe 
 he needed his Service j which Argument ne- 
 ceffarily fuppofeth, that the Son is not a Crea- 
 ture, but God himfelfj elfe his needing him 
 would deftroy his Self-fufficiency, as much as 
 his wanting Man's Service. And if any one 
 will impartially confider the Place, he will find, 
 that Self-fufficiency^ which is the fame as Inde- 
 pendence^ is fuppofed to be a Divine Attribute 
 common to the Father and Son s. So that Dr. 
 Clarke greatly differs from our Author, in reckon- 
 ing (t£Xs{©Jj avsvc^syi'f) Perfection and Indepen^ 
 dence perfonal Characters of the Father, where- 
 by he is dilfinguifh'd from the Son*^. 
 
 3. His exprefling the Son's eternal Co-exif- 
 tence with the Father by his being with him 
 le fore the beginning of the World ^ is grounded on 
 
 ait : Pater, clarifica me daritate, quam iiabui apud t'C, pritif- 
 quam miindus jieret. 
 
 s iv. 13. 4. Sed neque Abrahi^ amicitiam propter indi- 
 gentiam affumprit Dei Verbum, exiftens ab initio perfeftus : 
 ■ 'Sed ut ipii Abrahce donaret seternam vitam, exiftens bo- 
 nus.— — Con ;"cr, quae fufius Cap. fequenti differit. c. 14. i- 
 Igitur initio non quafi indigens Deus hominis, plafmavit 
 Jdam. m .., lEt pollea, eft enim dives, perfedus, & line indi- 
 gentia. Gr. ri A£<(^ kj civivhm. 
 
 ^ Scripture-Doftrine, p. 273. Ed. 2^. 
 
 this 
 
( loi ) 
 
 this Scripture-principle, viz. Tijat before the Vlo- 
 faic Creation nothing had a beings but the eternal 
 God, The Diftin6bion of an ante-mundane and 
 abfolute Eternity was unknown to the infpired 
 Writers and the Orthodox Fathers. Irenaus^ 
 in anfwer to that curious Queftion, viz. IVhat 
 ivas God doing before the Creation of the fVcrld ? 
 owns his Ignorance and the Scriptures Silence 
 in this Point ' : An Argument, that he knew 
 nothing of ante-mundane Productions j elfe he 
 might have anfwer'd, that he produced his own 
 Son, a Work, according to the Arians^ at leall 
 as great as the Creation of the World. For to 
 make a Creator was certainly more difficult than 
 to create a World, which, it Teems, a Creature 
 was capable of. But that there was a Creation 
 before the Mofaic one, and a Beginning before 
 the fcriptural Beginning, and a temporary Be- 
 ing before the Commencement of Time, are 
 mere Fi6tions of Men, that would be ivife a- 
 hove what is written: and upon that account 
 are to be rcjefted together with an ante-mun- 
 dane World of JEons^ the Produ61:ions of the 
 fruitful Imaginations of Men. 
 
 2. ^ "The Son, who always co-exiftedwith 
 " the Father, of old and ever fince the Begin- 
 " ning reveals the Father to Angels and Arch- 
 *' angels, to Principalities and Powers. 
 
 ' ii. 2S. 3. ■ iSi quis interroget : Antequam mundum 
 faceret Dcus, quid agebat ? dicimus, quoniam ifta rcfpoiifio 
 fubjacet Deo. Quoniam autem mundus hie fadus apotelellos 
 a Deo, temporale initium accipiens, Scripturse nos docent : 
 quid autem ante hoc Deus fit operatus, nulla Scriptura mani- 
 feftat, &c. 
 
 ^ ii. 30. 9. Semper autem coexiftens Filius Patri, olim & 
 ab initio Temper revelat Patrem, & Angelis, k Archangelis, 
 & Poteftatibus & Virtutibus, &:c. 
 
 3.1 "God 
 
( I02 ) 
 
 5- ^ " God needed not the Angels for the 
 " Produ6tion of thofe things that he had deter- 
 *' min'd with himfelf to make, fince he had 
 '* his own Hands : For his Word and Wifdom, 
 '^ his Son and Spirit arc ever with him. 
 
 4. ™ " Now that the Word, that is, the 
 '' Son was always with the Father, I have de- 
 *' monllrared at large. 
 
 f . ° " I have fhewn, that the Son did not 
 *' begin to exift when he was born, having al- 
 " ways exifted with the Father." • 
 
 See more of this in the Chapter concerning 
 the Generation of the Son ; and compare Chap. 
 IV". Paflage 2, and the Note upon it, and the 
 DilTertation in the end, upon dyivvnr'^, 
 
 III. He is unchangeable. 
 
 1 . ° " The Word of God is ever the fame. 
 
 2. P " Since the Word of God is always 
 *' one and the fame." 
 
 IV. He is impaflible in his pre-exiftent Na- 
 ture. 
 
 ' iv. 20. 1 . Nee enim indigebat horum (Angelorum) Deus 
 ad faciendum quae ipfe apud fe prasdefinierat fieri, quafi ipfe 
 fuas non haberet manus. Adeft enim ei femper Verbum & 
 Sapientia, Filius & Spiritus, &c. 
 
 "* Ibid. N° 3. Et quoniam Verbum, id eft, Filius, femper 
 cum Patre erat, per multa demonftravimus. 
 
 " iii. 1 8. 1 . Exclufa eft omnis contradiflio dicentium : fi 
 ergo tunc natus eft, non erat ergo ante Chriftus. Oftendi- 
 mus enim quia non tunc coepit Filius Dei, exiftens femper 
 apud Patrem. 
 
 " iv. 35. 2. Semper enim id ipfum (Gr. «5 iurc?, idem) 
 Vejbum Dei. 
 
 P iv. 36. 4. Unum & idem ciiin femper fit Verbum Dei, 
 &c. 
 
 "i.qThe 
 
( 103 ) 
 
 1 . q *' The Prophets fpake of him as prefent, 
 " who was not yet come, and as pafliblc, who 
 " is impaflible. 
 
 2. f " The invifible one became viflble, the 
 " incomprehenfible was made comprchenfible, 
 " he who is impaflible, capable of fufFering, 
 " and the Word, Man. 
 
 V. He is Almighty. 
 
 ^ " The ftrong Man cannot be overcome by 
 "*^ one that is lefs, or equal j but by one that is 
 *' mightier, now the Word of God is mighty 
 " above all. 
 
 t " — The Word, who is perfect in all things, 
 " becaufe he is the powerful Word, and true 
 
 « Man." Again: " The Word of God 
 
 " powerful in all things." 
 
 He exprefles the Divine Omnipotence in the 
 fame manner elfewhere : " Gc^, faith he, is 
 " powerful in all things "", i. e. God can do all 
 things.— Perhaps he call'd the Word xcavlo- 
 tPuva[ji(^^ in Imitation of the Author of the 
 Book of Wifdom * j or if it was, hs ■ma.'fia. 
 
 •J iv. 20. 8. ■■ Eum qui nondum aderat, adefle dicentes 
 (Prophetae) & imp.^flibilem paffibilcm annuntiantes.— — 
 
 "■ iii. 1 6. 6- — Invifihilis vifibilis fadlus, & incomprehen- 
 fibilis fadlus comprehenfibilis, & impaffibilis paffibilis, & Ver- 
 bum homo. I ■ ■ 
 
 ^ V. 22. 1. ^Neque enim a minori, neque ab jequali fortis 
 vinci poteft, fed ab eo qui plus poteft. Plus autem poteft 
 fuper omnia Verbum Dei. 
 
 iii.S.z. Sed & Diabo'am cum dixiflet fortenriinon in tocum,fed veluc 
 in comparatione nollra ; femecipfum in omnia & vere forcem oflendit 
 Dominui.' 
 
 * V. I. I. — Verbi, qui eft perfeftus in omnibus : quo- 
 
 niam Verbum potens, & homo verus. — & pollea. Ibid. 
 
 potens in omnibus Dei Verbum. 
 
 " iv. 20. 5. Potens eft enim in omnibus Deus. 
 
 "^ Sap. 18. 15. — JI«)'7»^wc</w.®- (tS Piey<^, x. t. *. 
 
 Confer 
 
( 10+ ) 
 
 (Pwaroc^ in the Creek^ the Senfe is the fame- 
 See the next Chapter. 
 
 CHAP. VIII. 
 
 ne divine Works of Creation and Tro- 
 'Vtdence afcribed to Chrift. 
 
 I. np HE Creation of the World is the Son's 
 JL glorious Work, and a Proof of his e- 
 ternal Power and Godhead. 
 
 That we may have a juft Reprefentation of 
 the Primitive Faith in this great Point, I fhall 
 give a brief Account of it, as deliver'd by Ire- 
 nteus^ in a few Proportions. 
 
 Prop. I. Creation cannot without Abfurdity 
 be afcribed to a Creature. 
 
 » " It does not appear, that the Devil made 
 *' any thing at all, fince even he is a Creature 
 " of God himfelf, as the other Angels alfoare." 
 
 Prop. II. The Son of God made the World 
 by an inherent Power, not communicable to 
 other Beings. 
 
 ^ " The Angels did not make us ; nor in- 
 " deed could they make the Image of God, nor 
 *' any other, but the Word of God." 
 
 Confer Tertall. adv. Prax. C. 17. — .Quafi qui venturus 
 eft, non fit omnipotens : cum & Filius omnipotentis tam om- 
 nipotens fit, quam Deus Dei Filius. 
 
 * iv. 41. I. Nihil enim in totum Diabolus invenitur fe- 
 ciffe, videlicet cum & ipfe Creatura fit Dei, quemadmodum 
 & reliqui Angeli. 
 
 •^ iv. 20. I . Non ergo Angeli fecerunt nos, nee nos plaf- 
 maverunt, nee Angeli potuerunt imaginem facere Dei ; nee 
 alius quis prster Verbum Domini. 
 
 ^ If 
 
( t05 ) 
 
 if the Word created only by the Father's 
 Power, and that Power might be communica' 
 ted to a finite Creature, 'tis undeniable that ah 
 Angel might exercife it, which Iremeus denies. 
 
 Prop. III. Creation is a Work of Divine 
 and Almighty Power, and a plain Proof of the 
 Godhead of the Creator. 
 
 Irenaus rcprefents it as a great Abfurdity in 
 the Heretics, that they held this World to be 
 the Work of an inferior Power. *= " They pre- 
 " tend, faith he, that they can fhew fomething 
 " higher and greater than the God that made 
 '' the Heaven and Earth, and all things in them. 
 
 ^ " To afcribe the Subllance of created things 
 '* to the Power and Will of the God of all, is 
 " credible and confillent enough 5 and in this 
 " Cafe we may well fay -, IVhat is impojJibU 
 " with Men^ is pojjible with God. For Men 
 " cannot make any thing of nothing, but of 
 " pre-exiftent Matter : But God is more ex- 
 " cellent than Men, on this account chiefly, 
 " that he himfclf produced Matter to work 
 " on, which had no being before. 
 
 This Principle, viz. That the Creation of the 
 World is a Work of Almighty Power ^ and a de^ 
 monjirative Proof of the fiipreme Godhead of its 
 
 •^ I. Prjef. I . .Ill F I -I '^c, l']/yi?,oTffoy Ti k: (JbiiZov \^ov\ii tTTi' 
 
 ^ ii. 10. 4. Attribuere enim Subllantiam eorum, quae 
 fa£la funt, virtuti & voluntati ejus, qui eft omnium Deus, & 
 eredibile, & acceptabile, & conftans : Et in hoc bene dicetur, 
 quoniam qu<r hnpojftbilia ftir.t apud homines, pojjibilia funt 
 apud Deum. Quoniam homines quidem de nihilo non pof- 
 funt ali quid face re, fed de materia fubjaccnti: Deus autem, 
 quam homines hoc primo melior, eo quod materiam fabri- 
 cationis fuse^ cum ante non effet, ipfe adinvenit. 
 
 P imvii' 
 
( 106 ) 
 
 immediate j^uthor^ is plainly fuppofed true every 
 where by our Author ^> and fcems indeed to be 
 a felf-evidcnt Truth, acknowledged even by 
 Heathens : And if you convince an Atheift, 
 that an intelligent Agent was the Maker of the 
 World ; by the force of this Maxim he will 
 own, that the immediate Author is God omni- 
 potent and fupreme. And the contrary, viz. 
 ^hat this glorious Fabric of the Heavens and 
 Earth might be the Work of an inferior Agent ^ or 
 a Creature^ was firfl vented by Simon Magus, 
 and held by the feveral Se5is of the Gnoftics, 
 whom Irenseus expreflly refutes. The Arians 
 agree with 'em in this general Principle; and 
 fo, I think, fap the Foundations of Natural Re- 
 ligion, which is built on this great Principle, 
 viz. Tihat this World Jhews it [elf to be the Work 
 of God^ that is^ of an ahnighty^ all-wife^ and in- 
 finitely perfe^ Beings whom we ought to know<y 
 worfJjip and glorify as our Creator. This is the 
 Voice of Nature, the Di<5bate of every Man's 
 Confcience, and the Doftrine of the Scripture, 
 cxprefs'd in the cleareft Terms, and every where 
 fuppofed true in its Reafonings. No impartial 
 Perfon, one would think, could admit the Ari- 
 an Evafion, viz, " The Work of Creation is 
 " a manifeft Proof of an eternal felf-exiftenc 
 '' Being : but whether it was made by him im- 
 " mediately^ or by another in fubordination to 
 " him, doth not at all concern the Argument^." 
 For what Abfurdity then is in the Valentinian 
 
 ^ Iren. ii. 9. i. . Ethnicis vero ab ipsa conditione 
 
 difcentibus. Ipfa enim conditio oftendit eum, qui condidit 
 earn ; & ipfa faftura fuggerit eum qui fecit ; & mundus ma- 
 nifeftat eum, qui fe difpofuit.. .-Confule locum. 
 
 Abfurdum ducit, alitim ejfe Deum fuper mundi Fabricats- 
 rem. Ibid. cap. x. z. 
 
 { Appeal to a ^urky Sec. p. 119. 
 
 Scheme ? 
 
( 107 ) 
 
 Scheme ? For if the World might be made 
 by one that was not Almighty, how can we 
 tell how many fubordinate Powers may be be- 
 tween us and the fupreme fclf-exiftent God ? 
 How can we convince an Infidel, that this 
 World is not the Work of an Apoftate Spirit ? 
 If once we quit this Principle, I don't fee, that 
 we leave our felves any firm Ground to Hand 
 on, to deal with Atheifts and Infidels. And 
 then the Argument for the Exiftence of God, 
 taken from the Creation, is only fuch an one as 
 may be borrow'd from a Wind-mill or Joint- 
 ftool made by Man: For we muft always at lad 
 run it up to a firft Caufe. Irenaus has precluded 
 this Evafion feveral waysj as we have fcen,and 
 Ihall yet farther make appear in the Sequel. 
 
 Prop. IV. God the Father made the WorI4 
 by the Son, not as a created Inftrument, or in- 
 ferior Agent, but as his own eternal Word, un- 
 created, and of the fimc Nature with himfelf. 
 
 I . He gives the Son the Title of the Creator 
 of the Worlds which according to him belongs 
 to the principal Agent, and not to a mere In- 
 ftrument. 
 
 1. g " The Word of God the Maker of all 
 
 *' things pcrfe6bly cur'd his own Work^ 
 
 *' manlhip. 
 
 2. '^ " The Word of God the Creator, Form- 
 er and Maker of all things." 
 
 cc 
 
 s V. 12.6. F.\bricator enim univerforum Dei Verbum,—* 
 fuum plafma omni modo cur.wit. 
 
 ^ i. 15. 5. Q^is fuftinebit te in Schemata & nume- 
 
 ros- ii.concludcntem univerforum Conditorem, & Demiur- 
 gum, & Faftorem Verbum Dei ? .. Gr. rev im tsu^wv ■^^<;\>, 
 
 P z Compare 
 
( 108 ) 
 
 Compare with thefe and the like PafTages, 
 what he fays concerning Inftruments elfewhere. 
 ^ *' We afcribe not, faith he, the felUng and 
 " cutting of Timber to the Ax and Saw, but 
 " to the Man that made (and ufes) them. In 
 *' Uke manner, the Father of all, according to 
 *' their Scheme, may be fitly ftiled the Maker 
 *^ of this World, and not the Angels, i^cP 
 
 2. He frequently aflerts, that God made all 
 things by himfelf^ to exclude external, inferior 
 Agents. 
 
 K « —God the Father, who made all things 
 ^' by himfelf''' See above, Chap. III. N° 3. and 
 4. with the Notes. 
 
 3. This Do£tnne can hardly be more plainly 
 exprefs'd, than it is, in the two following Paf- 
 fages. 
 
 I. 1 ^^ This Difcourfe {'viz. concerning the 
 '^ World's being made by Inftruments or infe- 
 ^' rior Agents) may, perhaps, be apt to per- 
 f' fuade, or rather feduce them that know not 
 *' God, and fuppoie him to be Hke weak Men, 
 *' who cannot immediately make any thing, but 
 f' have need of many Inftruments for their Af- 
 
 " fiftance 
 
 ^ ii. 2. 3. — Quapropter non jam fecurim dicimus con- 
 cidere ligna, vel ferram fecare, fed hominem concidere & fe- 
 care reftiffime quis dicat eum, qui ipfam fecurim & ferram 
 ad hoc fecit, & multo prius armamenta omnia, per quae fa- 
 bricata funt fecuris & ferra. Sic igitur jufte, fecundum illa- 
 Tum rationem> Pater omnium dicetur fabricator hujus mun- 
 di, & non Angeli, neque alius quis mundi fabricator, prse- 
 ter ilium qui fuit prolator, &c. 
 
 ^ iv. 36. 1. ■! Deum Patrem, qui per feipfum omnia 
 fecit. 
 
 ' ii. 2. 4, 5. Sit fortaffe hie Sermo fuaforius, five feduc- 
 torius apud eos, qui ignorant Deum, & qui hominibus affi- 
 inilant eum inopibus, & his qui non poffunt ftatim aliquid 
 ex parato fabricare, fed indigentibus multis Organis ad eorum 
 ~ ^ ■ " " ~ fabri- 
 
( 109 ) 
 
 -^' (iftance in their Work : But has no Colour 
 '' of Truth to them that know, that the felf^ 
 " fufficient God of all created all things by his 
 ^' Word, needing not the Co-operation and 
 " AfTiftance of Angels in the Creation, nor of 
 
 ^* any Power far inferior to himfelf But he 
 
 <' himfelf, in a manner ineffable and incompre- 
 " henfible to us, fore-ordained in himfelf, and 
 " made all things according to his own Pleafure. 
 
 '' Now all things that were made, he 
 
 *' created by his never-failing Word. For it is 
 " the peculiar Glory of God, in which he ex- 
 " eels all others, that he needs not other Inftru- 
 *' ments for creating things •, and his own Word 
 " is able and fufficient for the Formation of all 
 «' things." 
 
 Thcfe Words need no Commentary : Tofup- 
 pofe God to have made the World by any In- 
 llrument, or fubordinate Agent, is, according 
 to this good Father, to entertain Thoughts un- 
 
 fibricationem : non autem verifimilis in totum apud eos, 
 qui fciunt, quoniam nullius indigens omnium Deus, Verho 
 condidit omnia & fecit ; neque Angelis indigens adjutoribus 
 ^d ea, qua; fiunt, neque Virtute aliqua valdc inferiori ab 
 illo... Sed ipfe in femetipfo, fecundum id quod eft enaj- 
 rahile, (lege, inenarrabile,) & inexcogitabile nobis, omnia 
 pra^deftinans fecit, quemadmodum voluit ■■ omnia autem 
 quae fafta funt, * infatigabili Verbo fecit. Proprium eft enim 
 hoc Dei fupercminentix, non indigere aliis Organis ad con- 
 ditionem eorum, quae fiunt : Et idoneus eft & fufficiens ad 
 formationcm omnium proprium ejus Vcrbum, Sec. 
 
 * Conf. Sen. Ep. 65. - Plato Ideas appellat, immortales. iminu- 
 
 labiles, infatigabiles.— ^Ep. j2. Hx (Idez) immortales, immutabileii 
 iaviolabiles funr. DeExemplari rerum sterno muhadifierit Plat.: illud 
 aj/tvvMTcv, (XitT/ov x.«< aimXi^fO)/ efle ait, tUi //sv iTvai-, yiviaiv (Te juri eX""* 
 tin xitTu raifitct Kai ua-auTus iX^ii, &c. Vide ipfum in Tima:o, pp. Jl^t 
 ji7> &e. Quic de ExempUri hoc o.^yytiTtK y.cu d.uSoTrog-al.'Tw fuo mora 
 differuit Plato, ea ad t/x^^'X'^'' Dei xijov transferebant Philo Judaus & 
 Patres Chriftiani, ut fatis notum. V. Phil, de mundi Oplficio, p. 4.-r- 
 
 worthy 
 
(no) 
 
 worthy of God, and inconfiftent with his Self- 
 flifficiency : And the Power and AU-fufficiency 
 of his Almighty Word, is an Argument, that 
 he needed not have recourfe to external, created 
 Inftruments for doing this great Work. And it 
 hence appears, that the Word created by an ef- 
 fential, inherent Powers elfehefhould have faid, 
 the Father could have made an Angel the Creator 
 of the World by lending him his Power to ex- 
 ercife, contrary to his Scope and Argument. But 
 'tis plain to a Demonftration, that the Word as 
 Creator is oppofed to all Inftruments, and his 
 creative Power is ufed as a Proof of God's Self- 
 fufficiency : The Word therefore is not an infe- 
 rior Agent, but the fame God with the Father} 
 and to create by him is to create by him/elf, in 
 oppofition to created Agents. Compare Chap. 
 III. No 2, and 4. 
 
 2. *" " If our Lord had not mention'd him 
 '' that binds the ftrong Man, (Mai. xii. 19.) and 
 '' fpoils his Goods, and had only call'd him the 
 *' mighty One^ he muft have been fuppofed to be 
 '' an invincible ftrong one. But he added a Con- 
 " queror j for he who binds, conquers 5 and he 
 *' is overcome, who is bound. And this he did 
 " without any Comparifon, left an apoftate Ser- 
 " vant fhould be compared with his Lord : For 
 ^' neither he, (Satan,) nor any of thofe Beings 
 
 « that 
 
 ^ iii. 8. 2, 3. ——Si igitur non fignificafTet eum qui al- 
 ligat, & diripit ejus Vafa, hoc autem folum eum fortem 
 dixiffet, efTet fortis inviftus. Sed & adjecit * obtinentem ; 
 tenet enim qui alligat, tenetur autem qui alligatus eft. Et 
 hoc fine comparatione fecit, ut non comparetur Domino fer- 
 vus apoftata exiftens : non enim tantum hie, fed nee quid- 
 quam ex his quae conftituta funt, & in fubjeftione funt, com- 
 
 * Gr. forte> x^xTiiilsL, feu x^nrrs-avlcL' ?f*Ts7 yd^ c /iicrac, x-^aminti 
 it c S'iSifj.'vm, i.e. fed adjecit & vi£lorem ; vincit enim qui ligat (Captivum) 
 fic vincitur qui vinculis conftringitur, 
 
 parabitur 
 
( III ) 
 
 *' that are created, and in Subje£lion, (hall be 
 " compared with the Word of God, by whom 
 " all things were made, who is our Lord Jefus 
 " Chrift. For whether they be Angels, or Arch- 
 " angels, or Thrones, or Dominions, that they 
 " were created by the God over all, and made 
 *' by his Word, John has intimated. For when 
 " he faid, that the Word was in the Father, he 
 " added : All things 'were made by him^andivith' 
 " out him was nothing made^John i. 3. And Da- 
 " vid likewife, having enumerated the things 
 " that praife him, namely, all the Beings al- 
 *' ready mention'd, and the Heavens, and all 
 *' their Hods, or Powers, he adds: For he com- 
 *' manded^ and they were created : he fpake^ and 
 " they were made, Pfal. cxlviii. f. comp. xxxiii. p. 
 >' Whom did he command ? without doubt the 
 " Word: by which, faith he, the Heavens were 
 '' made, and all their Hofi by the Spirit of his 
 
 " Mouth, v. 6. Now created things are dif- 
 
 " ferent from the Creator, and made Beings 
 " from him who made them. For he is uncreat- 
 '' ed, without beginning or end, independent, 
 " felf-fufficient, and moreover gives their very 
 
 " Being 
 
 parabitur Verbo I)ei, per quern fafta funt omnia, qui eft Do- 
 ininus noftcr Jefus Chriftus. Quoniam enim five Angcli, fiv^e 
 Archangeli, iive Throni, five Dominationcs, ab eo qui fuper 
 omnes eft Deus, & conftituta funt, & fada per Verbum ejus, 
 Joavnes quidem fie fignificavit : Cum enim dixiiFct de Ver- 
 bo Dei, quoniam erat in Patre, adjecit : omnia per eumfaFla 
 funt, l^ fine eo fiiBimi eft nihil, Joan. i. 3. David quoque 
 cum laudationes enumerafl"et, nominatim univerfa quaecunque 
 diximus, & Coelos, & omnes Virtutes eorum, adjecit : ^tcni- 
 am ipfe pr^crpit, iff creatajunt : ipfe dixit, & fa8a fiint, 
 Pfal. cxlviii. 5. & xxxiii. 9. Cui ergo prsecepit? Verbo fcili- 
 cet : per quod, inquit, CccU firmati funt, y Spirit u oris 
 ejus omnis Virtus eorum, lb. v. 6. Altera autcm funt, quae 
 conftituta funt, ab co qui conftituit, & qua; faifla funt, ab 
 4 eo 
 
( 112 ) ^ 
 
 *« Being to all things befides. But things that 
 " were made by him, had a beginning : and 
 «' whatever Beings had a beginning, are alfo ca- 
 <' pable of Diflblution, and in Subje6bion, and 
 « depend on him, who made them. So that 
 <« 'tis abfolutely neceflary, they fhould have a 
 *c different Appellation with them, that have 
 « never fo little Skill to judge of fuch Matters : 
 <« So that he who made all things, may, toge- 
 «' ther with his Word, juftly be iHled God and 
 " Lord alone } but made Beings muft notfhare 
 *« in the fame Title, nor can they righteoufly 
 *« alTume that Appellationj which belongs to 
 *' the Creator." 
 
 The Reader, by confulting the Place, will 
 £nd, that after Irenaus had aflerted, that none 
 is lliled God or Lord abfolutely, but the Father 
 and Son, who are fo in the fulleft Senfe, he 
 comes here to confider an Inftance oppofed to 
 this Afrertion,'z;;;2. that the Devil is called o \(^- 
 gor, the ftrong one^ Mat. xii. 2,9. This Paffage is 
 his AnfwertothisObjediotti wherein he fhews, 
 the Title of the mighty One is not taken in the 
 abfolute Senfe, becaufe our Saviour fpeaks of 
 one mightier, who overcomes, binds and fpoils 
 him. Nor is he ftiled ftrong in refped of our 
 
 CO qui fecit. Ipfe enim infeftus, & fine initio, & fine fine, & 
 nullius indigens, ipfe fibi fufficiens, & adhuc reliquis omni- 
 bus, ut fint, hoc ipfum praeftans j Quze vero ab eo funt fafta, 
 initium fumpferunt : Qu3ecunque autem initium fumpferunt, 
 & diffolutionem polTunt percipere, & fubjefta funt, & indi- 
 gent ejus qui fe fecit ; necefie eft omni modo, uti difFerens 
 Vocabulum habeant apud eos etiam, qui vel modicum fen- 
 fum in difcernendo talia habent : ita ut is quidem, qui oninia 
 fecerit, cum Verbo fuo jufte dicatur Deus & Dominus folus ; 
 quEe autem fafta funt, non jam ejufdem vocabuli participabi- 
 iia effe, neque jufte id VocabulUm fumere debere, quod eft 
 Creatoris. 
 
 Lord, 
 
( m ) 
 
 Lord, but of weak Men, oppre/Ted by him. 
 And he Ihews the Abfurdity of an apoftate Ser- 
 vant's coming under the fiime common Appel- 
 lation with the Lord Chrill, bccaufe he (Satan) 
 is a Creature and in a State of Subjedionj but 
 Chriil is the Creator and Lord of all. " Nei- 
 " ther he, nor any other of thofe Beings that 
 '' were created, faith he, and are in Sub;e6t:ion, 
 " fhall be compared to the Word of God, by 
 " whom all things were made." So that the 
 Word is the Creator, exprcflly dilHnguiili'd 
 from all Creatures, and Beings fubjeft to Go J. 
 He proves him to be the Creator of all things, 
 even of Angels, Archangels, Thrones and Do- 
 minions, i. e. the higheit Orders of Creatures : 
 And then obfcrves, there mull be a vaft Dillance 
 between the Creator and his Creatures, how ex- 
 cellent foever they be, in order to fhew, that 
 one common Name cannot fit both. 'Tis ma- 
 nifell, that the Son is not only comprehended 
 in the Creator, in oppolition to made Beings, 
 but principally intended, as his Scope does un- 
 doubtedly require. 
 
 'Tis plain, the Son is not rank'd with the 
 Creatures ; for they all had a beginning, and 
 may have an end ; and are in a State of Sub- 
 jection and Dependence j all which arc incon- 
 iillent with the Chamber and Perfections of the 
 Creator : And if the creating Word were a Crea- 
 ture, he could not be ftiled God, Lord, or the 
 mighty One in the abfolutc Senfe, as he alferts 
 and proves he is. It would be Robbery for a 
 Creature and Subject to afllime the Titles of his 
 Creator and Sovereign. So that Iren^us here 
 aflerts, that the Son, as Creator of all things, is 
 uncreated and fclf-exiftent, eternal, without be- 
 ginning or end, independent and felf-fufficient. 
 
 Ct See 
 
( "4) 
 
 See this Paflage fully confiderM and vindica- 
 ted in the DifTertation on the Word dyivvriTQ*. 
 
 Several Corollaries might be infer'd trom this 
 Primitive Do6trine j as, 
 
 t. That Independence is not aperfonal Cha- 
 ra6ter of the Father, but common both to Fa- 
 ther and Son. 
 
 2. That as Subje6tion to, and infinite Dif- 
 tance from the Creator is a neceflary Confe- 
 quence of being a Creature j To Irenceus knew 
 nothing of the Father's Supremacy over the Son, 
 as a Being in a State of Subje^iim and Depen- 
 dence ; for he ranks him with the Father, as 
 Creator, God, and Lord with him, and confe- 
 quently poflefs'd of the fame infinite Perfe6ti- 
 ons -y and contra-diftinguiflies him from all Be- 
 ings fo derived, as to be in a State of Subje6tion 
 to God. So that he manifeftly deftroys the y^rian 
 Supremacy of the Father, and Subordination of 
 the Son j he always refers to the Supremacy of 
 God the Creator, in which Charader the Son 
 and Spirit are included, over the Creatures -, all 
 which, and only which are in a State of Sub- 
 jection to God : And this is one remarkable dif- 
 ference between the Creator and Creatures > he 
 is independent, felf-fufficient, and the Author 
 of their Being, and confequently has fupreme 
 Dominion over 'em : but they depend entirely 
 upon him, and fo are neceflarily fubje6t to his 
 Rule, they are in Subjedfion, faith he, and de- 
 fend on him luho gave ''em a Being. And elfe- 
 where : " God has the Pre-eminence in all things^ 
 'who alfo is alone unmade, the Firji of all things, 
 and the Author of Being to all: but all other Be- 
 
 111. 38. 3- K'='» c'vrui; zf^uTivH fJtttv sr Trutrtv 6 ©£»?, o >^ 
 /x/ov©- etyi,tiiT(^, }c, 7rcZT(^ Tcxilm, KXi Toy fffut Tfli? 7rcc<ri »■«- 
 
 2 * ings 
 
( "5 ) 
 
 ings continue in SuhjeSiion to God. A Creature 
 and a Being in Subjection to God were conver- 
 tible Terms with him -, a creating Creature^ and a 
 Creator fubje6l to the fupreme Dominion of a Su~ 
 perior^wtvc Monfters not heard of in his Days, 
 except in the Dreams of the feveral Se<5ls of the 
 Gnoftics. 
 
 3. That the Son's Concern in the Creation 
 of the World was fuch, that his Divine Attri- 
 butes, his Dignity and Excellency above all 
 Creatures may be inferred from it. He knew 
 of no Agency in this glorious Work, but what 
 was a Demon ftration of the Godhead^ i. e. the 
 Supremacy^ Self-exifience^ Independence^ Self-fuf' 
 ficiency^ and other Perfections of the Creator. 
 For he makes ufe of Creation as a Medium to 
 prove the infinite Perfections of the Creator, 
 even when fpcaking of the creating Word, and 
 with a View to apply his Argument to him. 
 
 See the like Reafoning in the Appendix con- 
 cerning the Spirit, fecond Paflage. 
 
 II. The no lefs Divine Work of Providence, 
 or the Prefervation and Government of the 
 whole World is afcribed alfo to the Son. 
 
 ° " The Word of God is truly the Maker 
 " of the World ; and this is our Lord, who 
 " in the laft Times became Man, being in this 
 " World, and in an invifible manner contains 
 
 and upholds all things that are made, and per- 
 
 cc 
 
 " V. 1 8. 3. Mundi enim faftor vere Verbum Dei eft : hie 
 autem eft Dominus noftcr, qui in noviflimis temporibus ho- 
 mo fadus eft, in hoc mundo exiftens, & fecundum invifibili- 
 tatem continet quae fafta funt omnia, & in universa condi- 
 tione infixus, quoniam Verbum Dei gubernans & difponens 
 omnia; & propter hoc in fua inviflbiliur (lege, vilibilitcr) 
 vcnit, & caro fa<^um eft.— — 
 
 Q i " vades 
 
( 116 ) 
 
 " vades and is prefent in the whole Creation, 
 " becaufe he is the Word of God governing 
 *' and dilpofing all things j and therefore he 
 *' came viiibly into his own World, and was 
 " made Flcfli, ^c. 
 
 p '-'• The Lord came vifibly into his own 
 " World, and his own Creation, which is up' 
 " held by him, bore himfelf." 
 
 Obiervc here, i . The Government and Pre- 
 fervation of the whole Creation, here afcribed 
 to the Son, was to Iren^us no lefs a peculiar 
 Work of God, than Creation, of which no 
 Creature is capable : " For the Creation, fays he 
 " elfewhcrc, is not under Satan's Power } fince 
 *' he is one of the Creatures himfelf i". See 
 Chap. I. Princ. VJ. 
 
 2. The Son, as the eternal Word of God, is 
 not concerned in this divine Work, as an A- 
 gent for another j but has a natural Propriety in 
 the World by Right of Creation : And he came 
 into it, not as a Steward, or Viceroy to over- 
 fee what was not his own^ but as a Mailer into 
 his own Houfc, and a King into his own King- 
 dom. 
 
 3 . He fupports and governs the whole Crea- 
 tion, which is a Work of Divine and Almighty 
 Power, by way of invifihk Omniprefence : He 
 pervades and fills all things, is prefent and ope- 
 rates every where : And this is an incommuni- 
 cable Attribute of the infinite Being, whofe im- 
 menfe Efience fills all things. 
 
 P Ibid. 19. I. Manifefte itaque in fua propria venientem 
 Dominum, 6c fua propria eum bajulante conditione, quae ba- 
 julatur ah ipfo, &c. 
 
 1 V. 24. 2. Ncque enim conditio fub ejus (Satanae) po- 
 teftate eil : quandoquidem & ipfe unus de Creaturis ell. 
 
 4. When 
 
( 117 ) 
 
 4- When the Creation is faid to bear {portare^ 
 hajulare) the Son, and the Father is elfewhere 
 {iiid to bear the Creation^ and his Word too '^, thefe 
 Expreflions imply nothing injurious to the Ho- 
 nour of the Divine Nature of Chrift. The 
 Creation contain'd and bore his human Nature, 
 as the Virgin Mary^ bore God^ when our Savi- 
 our was in her Womb ; and holy Men are faid 
 to bear ^ i.e. to have in them the Spirit of God ^ 
 And thus henceiis fuppofes the Creation to have 
 born both the Father and Son, becaufe the Fa- 
 ther is in the Son". When therefore he fays, 
 the Father bears his Word, as well as the whole 
 Creation,thc meaning is notjthat theSon is furtain- 
 ed in Being by the Power of the Father, as Crea- 
 tures arej but only, that the Son is in thcFather. 
 
 N. B. It may eafily be inferred from Irenaus'% 
 Belief of Chriil's Divinity, that he allow'd of 
 his Worfloip and hwocat'ton. 
 
 * " The Catholic Church does nothing by 
 " Invocations of Angels, or by Inchantments j— 
 " but in a holy, pure and open manner addrcf- 
 " (ing Prayers to the Lord, who made all thing?, 
 " and calling on the Name of our Lordjefus Chrijl^ 
 " works Miracles for the Benefit of Men, and 
 *' not to deceive and feduce them." 
 
 'v. 1 8. 2. Pater conditioncm fimul & Vcrbum furnn 
 portans, & Verbum portatum a Patre, praeftat Spiritum. ■ 
 
 ^ Ibid. 19. I. •— Hsec (Virgo Maria) ' evangclizata eft, 
 Ht portaret Deum.i 
 
 ' iv. 20. 6. - I .Videbitur Deus ab hominibus, qui por- 
 tant Spiritum ejus——. 
 
 " V. I 8. I. 11 Cum dixerit Dominus : quoniatn ego in 
 Ptitre, (ff Pater in vie eft ; quomodo Patrem & Filium funul 
 fabricatio Angelorum portare fuftinuit ? 
 
 * ri. 32. 5. Nee invocationibus Angelicis facit aliquid, 
 nee incantationibu?,— .Sed mundc, & pure, & manifeftc ora- 
 tiones dirigens ad Dominum, qui omnia fecit, & nomcn Do- 
 mini noftri Jefu Chrifti invocans, Virtutes ad utilitates ho- 
 mimm, fed lion ad leduitionem perficit. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
( 118 ) 
 
 CHAP. IX. 
 The Tajfages pleaded by the Arians. 
 
 I. /"^ O D the Father is faid to be the only God^ 
 
 VJT above whom there is no God. 
 
 ^ "• Confider, all you that invent fuch things, 
 *' fince he alone is IHled God the Father, and 
 " is truly fo, whom you call the Creator j and 
 *' fince the Scriptures own him alone to be God, 
 '' and our Lord confefTeth him only to be his 
 
 '' Father, and knows no other : Confider, 
 
 " I fay, how greatly you blafpheme him, who 
 " is truly God. 
 
 ^ " O Lord God of Abraham^ Ifaac^ 
 
 *^ and Jacob ^ — who art the Father of our Lord 
 
 '' Jefus Chrift, who art the only and true 
 
 " God, above whom there is no other God :— 
 *' Grant to every one that reads this Writing, 
 <^ to know thee, that thou art God alone." 
 
 The Fa6t not to be controverted here is, that 
 the Father of our Lord Jefus Chrill alone is faid 
 to be God, or to be the only God : nor is there 
 in the Places any exprefs Intimation, that the 
 
 ' ii. 2?. 4. Cogitate enim, o omnes qui talia adinvenitis, 
 cum ipfe folus Pater Deus dicatur, qui & vere eft, quern vos 
 Demiurgum dicitis ; fed & cum Scripturas hunc folum fciant 
 Deum, fed & cum Dominus hunc folum confitetur propri- 
 um Patrem, & alterum nefciat : .confiderate magnitu- 
 
 dinem blafphemiae in cum, qui vere eft Deus. 
 
 '' iii. 6. 4. — — Domine Deus Abraham, & Deus Ifaac, 
 & Deus Jacob,,, .qui es Pater Domini noftri Jefu Chrifti, — 
 qui es folus & verus Deus, fuper quern alius Deus non eft : 
 da omni legenti hanc ScrJpturam agnofcere te, quia fo- 
 lus Deus es.i ' ■ 
 
 Son 
 
( 119) 
 
 Son is comprehended with the Father j but he 
 is mcntion'd as contra-diftinguiih'd from him. 
 
 And the Point to be debated is. Whether the ex- 
 clufive Term, Jlone^ or Only^ is intended to reach 
 the Son, and deny his being God, at leaftinfomc 
 exalted Senfe, in which the Father alone is God. 
 
 Now to enable the judicious Reader to deter- 
 mine this Point, 1 fliall obfcrve, 
 
 I. That 'tis certain, that the exclufive Terms 
 don't always exert their force univerfally^ but 
 are often ufed refpe5fively according to the Au- 
 thor's Scope. This is what every body knows, 
 except a few Perfons, who love to ftep out of 
 the common road, and are for new Schemes in 
 Grammar as well as in Divinity : but they come 
 too late to teach old Authors the ufe of Terms 
 and Phrafes. So that, I think, we mud endea- 
 vour to find out their Senfe by parallel Expref- 
 lions and Modes of Speaking authorifed by an- 
 tient Ufage. Jofephus fays, '^ " Noe alone was 
 *' faved in the Deluge : " and elfewhere, that 
 ^ Abraham alone came out of Mefopotamia into 
 Canaan: where the Families of thefe Patriarchs 
 are not excluded. And Chrift himfclf is faid to 
 be God with the exclufive Terms, and other 
 Expreflions of the fame Import ; and yet the 
 Father's Deity is not dcny'd. Sozomen^ in his 
 Account of the Converfion of the Iberians^^zys^ 
 ^ They were all aftonifh'd at a Miracle wrought 
 by the Power of our Lord, and confejfed Chriji 
 alone to be the true God. And in another Place 
 
 •^ Antiq. Jud. Lib. i. Cap. 3. 2. p. 10. Ed. Oxon. K«i 
 
 «i (Alt* —oc^Xfi?^ot]oci irumi. Nas©- ^ iroi^trxt f/jov®^. 
 
 ^ Lib. ii. Cap. 9. Se£l. 3. p. 74. Ka< A'c^xfitot ft^u ^lyoi Sx, 
 Ty.i Mfg-eveT»ytt*i fi; Tqr Xx*xvXiKy TTx^xytvofji/iyoii iu^xi[juof»irxt, 
 
 K. T. f. 
 
 ' H. E. Lib. ii. 7. p. 55. Ed. Cant. — KxruTrXi/yiHuy oZwtn- 
 
 he 
 
( 120 ) 
 
 he fuppofes, that the Emperor Conftantine^ by 
 iifing the Sign of the Crois in the Imperial 
 Standard, intended to teach the Romans to for- 
 get their antient Rehgion, ^ and belie've him a^ 
 lone to be God^ivhom the Emperor worjhip'd. And 
 Laclantius applies to our Saviour Pafl'ages that 
 fpeak of the true God, befides whom there is 
 no other God. 8 Efaias witnejfeth^ faich he, that 
 Chrifl is God in thefe Words : Egypt is weary^ 
 and the Nation of the Ethiopians and Sabeans > 
 tall Men pall come over to thee^ and he thy Ser^ 
 'vants; and Jh all follow thee^ hound with Chains-, 
 and they fJoall worjhip thee^ and pray to thee j he' 
 caufe God is in thee^ and there is no other God be^ 
 fides thee. For thou art God^ and we knew it not^ 
 O God of Ifrael, the Saviour^ Ifa. xlv. 14, if .— 
 The Prophet Jeiemy alfo faith thus : This is our 
 God^ and no other Jhall befo accounted befides him^ 
 who found out all the way of Prudence^ and gave 
 it to Jacob his Servant^ and to Ifrael his beloved. 
 After this he was feen on Earthy and converfed 
 with Men^ Baruch iii. 37, 38. 
 
 It would be cafy to add innumerable Inftances 
 of the Hkc Nature^. But thefe may fuffice to 
 Ihew, that even when the Term Alone^ or Only^ 
 
 ^ L. i. 4. p. 13. «! iiMcyey jj toutcv Viyu&an ©£oi», 6» xa6i 
 
 (iUCiAiVi Ci'cSt. 
 
 s Lib. 4. C^p. 13. pp. 193, 194. Ed. Cant. Efaias Deum 
 fuifTe teftatur his verbis : Fatlgata eft Egyptus, & natio Ethio' 
 ■pum Sc Saba ; viri alti ad te tranfgredientur j & tui erunt 
 fervi i & poft te ambulabunt vinfti compedibus ; & adora- 
 bunt te, & te precabuntur ; quoniam in te Deus eft ; & non 
 alius Deus praeter te. Tu enim Deuses, & nefciebamus, Deus 
 Ifrael Salvator.— — — Item Propheta Hieremas lie ait : Hie 
 Deus nofter eft, & non deputabitur alius abfque illo, qui in- 
 venit omnem viam Prudentise j & dedit Cdsn Jacob puero fuo, 
 & Ifrael diledo fibi. Poft hsec in terris vifus eft ; ii cum ho- 
 minibus verfatus eft. 
 
 ^^ V. Grot, in Joh.viii. g. 
 
 is 
 
{ 121 ) 
 
 is added to a human Perfon, as Noe, or ^ha- 
 ham^ It does not exclude thofe thatmuft befup- 
 pofcd to be taken in with him upon the account 
 of ibme AlHance or moral Union ; much more, 
 that the Belief of the Antients concerning the 
 ineffable Union of the Father and Son in the 
 fame Godhead was fuch, that they apprehend- 
 ed, when the Father alone^ or Chrill alone was 
 fiiid to be the true God, befides whom there is 
 no other God ; the other Perfon (and for the 
 fame reafon the Holy Ghod too) was neccfllu'i- 
 ly underllood to be mcluded. This their Scheme 
 of the blelfed Trinity did require j by which we 
 may judge, how different it was from that of 
 the Arians^ antient, or modern. 
 
 2,. Iren^us neither did, nor, according to his 
 own Principles, could exclude the Son, when 
 he calls the Father the only true God. For, 
 
 I. His Scope was not to degrade our bleffcd 
 Saviour, but to affcrt the Divinity of the Fa- 
 ther and the Creator, in oppofition to Alar^ 
 don's two Gods, and the Bythus^ and many 
 JEo^s of the FalentinianSj ds:c. And fo he calls 
 him the Father of Chrill:, to dilHnguifh him 
 from all thefe pretended Deities fet up in oppo- 
 fition to him, and not to exclude his own eter- 
 nal Son from Communion in the fame God- 
 head '. Tho' the aptcft Simile taken from earth- 
 ly things mud be very imperfe6V, yet perhaps 
 the Exprcilions under Confideration may admit 
 
 of the following Illuftration. Let us fup- 
 
 pofe, that in the l\.(^\gn o{ Theoch/i us the Greaf^ 
 there were many Pretenders, as xhcr^wtxe fome -, 
 and that Authors writing in Defenfe of his 
 Right in Oppofition to 'em, had maintain'd, 
 that Theodojius was the only true Emperor-, no 
 
 ' See above, Ch. lU. of this Colledion, N° 3^ and Notes. 
 
 R body 
 
( 122 ) 
 
 body would have fufpeded them to deny the 
 Title of his Son Arcaditis^ on Suppofition of 
 his being then cloth'd with the Imperial Pur- 
 ple. And, to carry the Simile a little farther, 
 let us alfo fuppofe, that thofe Traitors had, to- 
 gether with their Pretenfions to the Imperial 
 Dignity, aflum'd each of 'em the Name of "Theo- 
 dofius : And fo the Defenders of the Emperor's 
 Right had exprefs'd their Pofition thus : Theo- 
 doiius, the Father o/Arcadius, is the only right- 
 ful Emperor i I hardly think, they had been lia- 
 ble to an Impeachment for High-Treafon, as 
 denying the Son's Title. 'Tis true, they would 
 contra-diftinguifh the Father from the Son ; but 
 yet by proving the Father's Title direSlly^ they 
 would confequentially eftabliili the Son's. 
 
 2. But the Cafe of God the Father and Son 
 is very different from that of the Individuals of 
 the human Species, how nearly foever ally'd : 
 For they are really, and in the Opinion of Ire^ 
 naus^ fo ineffably one in Nature and Godhead, 
 that the Son cannot be excluded by the fore- 
 mentioned Expreffions. He is always confider- 
 ed, as being in, and with the Father : He can 
 never be conceived to be feparate from him, no 
 more than a Man's Mind^ or Reafon^ or his 
 Hands can be excluded, when himfelf is fpo- 
 ken of. " The Word of God, faith he, or ra- 
 " ihcvGodhifnfelf, who is the Word." Again : 
 '' The living God, together with his Word, is 
 " the God of the Living." And again : " Chrift 
 " himfelf with the Father is the God of the 
 " Living^." And therefore, according to the 
 
 ^ See all thefe PalTages above, Chap. V. Prop. II.— Dei 
 Verbum, immo magis ipfe Deus, cum fit Verbum.— Et ib. 
 N" 2— Deus vivus, hie eft vivorum Deus, & Verbum ejus.— 
 Ipfe igitur Chriftu.s cum Patre vivorum eft Deus.—— And 
 compare Chap. III. N° 3 and 4, with the Notes. 
 
 4 Primitive 
 
( 123 ) 
 
 Primitive Scheme of the ever-bleflcd Trinity, 
 to exclude the Son, when the Father is fpoken 
 of, as God, would be to exclude the Father 
 himfelf^ that is, one that is the felf-famc God 
 with him. So that when Irenaus fpeaks of the 
 one only true God^ it is indifferent to him to fub- 
 join either. This is the Father of our Lord Jefus 
 Chrifl ', or, T'his is our Lord, the IVord of God \ 
 For after he had faid, that the Harmony of the 
 moral Precepts of bothTcftaments, flicw'd one 
 and the fame God, he adds : " Now This is our 
 
 « Lord the Word of Godr 
 
 5. And hence I farther obfcrve, 'tis our Au- 
 thor's way to include the Son in the only true 
 God, and that not cofifequcntially only, but ex' 
 prefsly : So that when all fecm to be excluded, 
 he is not. As when he fays of the Father, 
 *" That he comprehends all things^ but himfelf a- 
 lone can be comprehended by none. The Confe- 
 quences of this, according to the Arian Scheme, 
 would be, that the Son is not incomprehcnfi- 
 ble, nor is capable to comprehend the Father ; 
 both which are falfe, and never intended, but 
 expredly difclaim'd by Irenaus* As where he 
 fays, that the Son incomprehenfibk in his pre- 
 exiftent Nature, became comprehenfible by his In- 
 carnation ; And that the Son comprehends, and, 
 as it were, contains the immenfe Father ". And 
 when the Apollle cries out, Who hath known the 
 Mind of the Lord ? &c. Rom. xi. 34. Irenaui 
 
 * iv. 13. 4. — Qusscunque- Communia utrifque funt, 
 
 unum & eundem oflendunt Deum. Hie autem eft Dominus 
 noftcr, Verbum Dei. See above. Chap. IV. N^g. 
 
 '" ii. 30. 9. Omnia cnpiens, folus autem a nemine 
 
 capi poteft. See Chap. III. N'^ 3, above. 
 
 " iii. 1 6. 6. Incomprehenfibilis faftus Comprehen- 
 
 fibilis. . iv. 4.2. Menfura enim Patris Filius, quo- 
 
 niam ^ capit eum. 
 
 R 2 takes 
 
( 124 ) 
 
 takes it for granted, that the Son is not exclud- 
 ed i for thus he paraphrafeth the Words : ° IFha 
 
 elfe has knoian the Mind of the Lord ? Who elfe 
 has been his Counfellor ? 
 
 But that which is full to the Purpofe, and 
 precludes all Evafion, is, that he expreflly in- 
 cludes the Son in the only God : We have had 
 the Pallliges already. " He -who made all things y 
 faith he, " may^ together with his PTord^ j^fi^y 
 ^' be Jiiled the only God and Lord?.'" And again: 
 " q Jt has been plainly demonjlrated^ that neither 
 " the Prophets^nor j^pojiles ever ganje any the Title 
 " of God or Lord^but the true and only God.'''' But 
 as 'tis Fa6t, that according to Irencsus^ the Pro- 
 phets and Apoflles often llile Chrift God and 
 Lord, and that abfolutely too ; fo 'tis the very 
 Point he had been making out by many In- 
 flances. I add only one Place more, where he 
 fets the fame Conclufion in this Light : " ^ JVe 
 " have plainly pewn^ faith he, that neither the 
 *' Propbets^nor Apoflles^ nor the LordChrifi ever 
 " confefs'd in their own Perfon^ any other to be God 
 " or Lord^ but h'lm that is primarily God and Lord : 
 1^ The Prophets and Apoflles confeffed the Father and 
 
 ^'tbe 
 
 " V. I.I. Neque enim alius poterat enarrare nobis quae 
 funt Patris, nifi proprium ipfms Verbum. ^is enim alius 
 tognovit fenfum Dcmini .^ aut quis alius ejus Confiliarius f ac- 
 tus eft ? 
 
 P iii. 8. 3. Ita ut is quidem, qui omnia fecerit, cum 
 
 Verbo fuo jufte dicatur Deus & Dominus folus. 
 
 1 Ibid. I. Manifefte oftenfum eft, quoniam nunquam 
 
 neque Prophetae, ncque Apoftoli alium Deum nominaverunt, 
 vel Dominum appellaverunt, praeter verum & folum Deum. 
 
 ' iii. g. I. Oftenfo hoc igicur plane .neminem alte- 
 
 Tum Dominum vol Deum, neque Prophetas, neque Apollo- 
 los, neque Dominum Chriftum confelTum efteex fua Perfona, 
 fed praecipue Deum & Dominum : Prophetis quidem & A- 
 poftolis Patrem & Filium confitentibus ; alterum autem ne- 
 minem. 
 
( 125 ) 
 
 ^' the Son ; without owning any other God or Lord 
 " befides. And the Lord himfelf taught his Difci- 
 " ples^ that the Father only is that God and Lord^ 
 " who is the alone God and Ruler of all things.^* 
 
 Here 'tis as plain as Words can make it, that 
 none are ftiled God or Lord abfolutely in Scrip- 
 ture, but the only true God^ he that is fo in the 
 only proper and primary Senfe : And this is not 
 the Father only, but both the Father and Son. 
 —And let it be obfcrved, that if the cxclufive 
 Terms in the later part of the lad PafTage fhould 
 be underftood, as urged by the Arians^ Iren^iis 
 muft be funpofed to have believ'd, that our blef- 
 fed Lord contradi£ted the Do6lrine of the Pro- 
 phets and Apoftles. FoV if he taught, that the 
 Father aloncy in Exclufion of himfelf, is the true 
 God ; and they owned both the Father and Son 
 as fuch, there is a plain Contradifbion in their 
 Doftrine. But the Truth is, the Father's be- 
 ing the only God and Lord, did not exclude 
 the Son j who yet was not, in our Author's Opi- 
 nion, explicitely to teach this in his own Per- 
 fon, becaufe he was not to glorify himfelf. And 
 confequently, according to Irenaus^s Scheme of 
 the Trinity, the Son's Godhead is not deny'd, 
 when the Father is fiid to be the only true God : 
 which is a Demonftration, that it was vaftly 
 different from the Arian Do6lrinc ; for by its 
 Principles and Maxims Iren^us can never be re- 
 conciled to himfelf. And I think. Dr. Clarke 
 has fhewn, that the fame Maximsa nd Rules of 
 Interpretation, that oblige the Ante-nicene Fa- 
 thers to df<^lare for Arianifm^ will equally exert 
 
 mijjpfrfT ncque Deum nominantibus, neque DomJnum confi- 
 tthtibus : Et iplo Domino Parrem tantum Deum & Domi- 
 num eum, qui idus ellDeus & Dominator omnium, tradentc 
 Difcipuljy.i 
 
 their 
 
{126) 
 
 their Influence, when apply'd to the Pofl- 
 nicems alfo, from Athanafius^ Bafil^ Gregory 
 Naztanzen^ 6cc. down to the Compilers of the 
 EngliJIo Liturgy, Bifhop Bull^ and other Ortho- 
 dox Moderns, all zealous Oppofers o^ Arianifm. 
 And this may help the Reader to judge, whe- 
 ther the Antients have not been injur'd by the 
 Arts of the modern Ar'ians. 
 
 If the Reader would rather hear an Ante- 
 fiicene Father give his Senfe of this Point, I fhall 
 refer him to TertuUian^ in his Anfwer to an Ob- 
 jeftion of Praxeas^ who argued againft the Per- 
 fonality of the Son from the Father's being faid 
 to be God alone^ beftdes whom there is no God-, 
 and his Jiretching out the Heavens alone. The 
 Argument of the old Noetians^ or SabelUans^ as 
 afterwards they were called, and of the later 
 Avians^ is the fame j and the fame Anfwer may 
 ferve. The Paflage is long : I fhall only tranf- 
 late Part of it, and refer the learned Reader to 
 Tertullian himfelf The Principle thefe early He- 
 retics built upon, was. That one God is one Per- 
 fon, viz. the Father, and more Perfons in the God- 
 head would make more Gods than one. But not 
 having Affurance enough to deny the Son's pro- 
 per and fupreme Godhead, they were obliged, 
 by the force of their heretical Principle, to 
 make him the fame Perfon with the Father. 
 Their Argument from the exclufive Terms, Ter' 
 tullian thus anfwers. 
 
 f " There is then but one God the Father, 
 *' and there is no other befides him : which 
 " when he affirms, he does not exclude the 
 
 « Son, 
 
 ^ Adv. Prax. C. i8, 19. Igitur unus Deus Pater, 5f 
 
 alius abfque eo non eft. Quod ipfe inferens non Filium ne- 
 gat, fed alium Deum. Casterum, alius a Patre Filius non 
 
 eft. 
 
( 127 ) 
 
 '' Son, but another God. Now the Son is not 
 " another God befides the Father. And then, 
 '' if you confider the Sequel of fuch Allcrtions, 
 " you will find them molHy levelled againlt 
 " Idolaters ; that the Unity of the Godhead 
 " might exclude a multitude of falfe Gods : 
 " but fo as t/jat Unity Ihould flill comprehend 
 " the Son, who is always to be underitood to 
 " be included in the Father, even tho' not ex- 
 " preilly mentioned, as he is ever undivided 
 " and infeparablc from the Father : Nay, ic 
 *' would rather have fuppofed his being fcpa- 
 " rate, if he had named him : as if he had faid ; 
 " There is no other hefides mc^ but my Son. For 
 '' by excepting him from others, he would 
 *' have really made him another. Suppofc the 
 " Sun iliould (Iiy, I am the Sim^ and there is no 
 " other be fides me^ except my Rays ; you would 
 " obferve a necdlcfs Expcnce of Words, fince 
 " the Rays are included in the Sun. 'Fhere- 
 " fore he denied, that there was any other God 
 " befides him, becaufe of the Idolatry both of 
 " the Heathen and o^Ifrael: as alfo in Oppo- 
 " fition to the Heretics, who made Idols by 
 
 " their 
 
 eft. Denique, infpice fequcntia hujufmodi pronuntiatio- 
 num, &: invenics fere ad Idolorum faftitatores & cultores 
 dcfinitioncm eariim pertinere ; ut multitudinem falforum 
 Deorum unio Divinitatis expellat, habens tamen Filium 
 quanto individuum & infcparatum a Patre, tanto in Patre 
 reputandum, etfi non nominatum. Atquin fi nominaflet 
 ilium, feparaffet, ita dicens, alius praeter me non eft, niii 
 Filius meus. Alium enim etiam Filium feciflet, quem dc 
 aliis excepiflet. Puta Solem dicere, Ego Sol, & alius praetcr 
 me non eft, nifi Radius mcus; nonne denotaffes Vanitatem; 
 quafi non & radius in Sole deputetur. Itaque prretcr Semet- 
 ipfum non eftc alium Deum, hoc propter Idololatriam tam 
 Nationum quam Ifraelis : Etiam propter Hjercticos, qui fi- 
 
 cut 
 
( t28 ) 
 
 <' their Do6irine, as the Nations did with their 
 *' HandSj viz. another God, and another Chrill. 
 " When therefore he alFerted his Unity, the 
 " Father a6ted for the Son, left Chrift ihonld 
 " be llippofed to come from any other God, 
 " but him who had before faid : / am God, 
 " and there is not another he fides me ; who de- 
 '' clares himfelf to be the only one^ but togc- 
 " ther with the Son, with whom he firetched 
 '' out the Hea'vens alone. And even this Ex- 
 *' prejjton they will lay hold on, as an Argu- 
 " ment for one Perfon only in the Godhead. 
 '' I firetched out^ faith he, the Heavens alone^ 
 *' Ifai. xliv. 24. i. e. in vefpe6t of other Powers 
 " alone^ guarding againft the Conjectures of 
 *' Heretics, who fuppofe the World to have 
 *' been created by Angels and different Pow- 
 
 '' ers." And again : " Thus by prefently 
 
 " mentioning the Son, he has expkin'd, in what 
 " Senfe he ftretched out the Heavens alone^ viz, 
 '^ alone with the Son, as he is one with the 
 *' Son. And confequently, it was the Son al- 
 '' fo, who faid, / firetched out the Heavens ' 
 " alone; for by the Word the Heavens were 
 « framed, ^cr 
 
 cut Nationes manibus, ita & ipli verbis Idola fabricantur, id 
 eft, aliuin Deum & a'ium Chriftum. Igitur & cum fe uni- 
 cum pronuntiabat, Filio Pater procurabat ; ne ab alio Deo 
 Chriftus venifle credatur, fed ab illo qui prsedixerat, Ego 
 Deus, & alius abfque me non eft ; qui fe unicum, fed cum 
 Filio oftendit, cum quo Coelum Solus extendit. Quin & hoc 
 diftum ejus, in argumentum Singukritatis arripient : Exten- 
 di, inquit, Ccelum iolus. Quantum ad cseteras Virtutes, fo- 
 luS, praeftruens adverfus Conjedluras Haereticorum, qui mun- 
 
 dum ab Angelis & poteftatibus diverfis volunt ftruftum 
 
 Et poft pauca, — ita Filium fubjungens ipfe interpretator eft, 
 quomodo Ccelum folus extenderit, fcilicet cum Filio folus, 
 ficut cum Filio unum. Proinde & Filii erit Vox, extendi 
 Ccelum folus j quia Sermone Coeli confirmati funt.-— 
 
 II. Ano- 
 
( 129 ) 
 
 li. Another PafTage, which the Ar'tam lay 
 great Strefs on, is that famous one, wherein 
 they fuppofe Irenaus afcribes to the Son Igno- 
 rance of the Day of Judgment. 
 
 ' " But you are unrealonably puff 'd up, and 
 '' boldly give our, that you know the inetfa- 
 '' ble Mylleries of God j whereas even the 
 *' Lord himfelf, the Son of God, own'd that 
 " the Father alone knev/ the Day and Hour 
 " of the Judgment, plainly faying : But of that 
 *' Day and Hour knozueth no Mayi^ neither the 
 " Son^ hut the Father alone ^ Mark xiii. 31. Now 
 " if the Son was not afhamed to refer the Know- 
 '' ledge of that Day to the Father, but fpoke 
 " what was true, neither let us be alliamed to 
 " leave to God thofe Enquiries that are too hard 
 " for us ; for no Man is above his Mailer. 
 
 And a little lower: " " If any one enquire 
 " into the Reafon why the Father, who in all 
 " things communicates to the Son, is declared 
 " by our Lord alone to know that Hour and 
 " Day i he cannot at prcient find a more fir, 
 " or decent, or indeed any other lafc Account 
 " of it, than this : That we might learn by him, 
 
 " (fincc 
 
 * ii. 28. 6. Irrationabiliter autem inflati, audaciter ine- 
 narrabilia Dei myfteria fcire vos dicicis: quandoquidem & 
 Dominus, ipfe Filius Dei, ipfum Judicii diem & horam con- 
 ceffit fcire folum Patrem, maniteftc dicens; de die autem ilia 
 i^ hora nemo fcit, neque Filius, nifi Paler fo/uu Si igitur 
 fcientiam diei illius non erubuit referre ad Patrem, fed dixit 
 quod verum eft ; neque nos erubefcamus, quae funt in quae- 
 ilionibus majora fecundum nos, refcrvareDeo. Nemo enim 
 fuper magiftrum eft... 
 
 " Ibid. Sed. 8. Etenim fiquis exquirat caufam, propter 
 quam in omnibus Pater communicans Filio, folus fcire ho- 
 ram &diem a Domino manifeftatus eft ; neque .'>pcabilem ma- 
 gis, neque decentiorem, nee fine periculo alteram quam 
 hanc inveniat in praefenti ; (quoniam enim folus verax Ma- 
 S gift" 
 
( 130 ) 
 
 *' (fince our Lord is the only true Teacher) that 
 "- the Father is over all : for the Father^ faith 
 " he, is greater than /, Joh. xiv.28. The Fa- 
 " ther then is declared by our Lord to have the 
 ^' Preference in Knowledge alfo, to the End, 
 " that we likewife, as long as we live in this 
 " World, may leave perfect Knowledge, atid 
 " fuch hard Qaeftions to God." 
 
 Thefe PalTages muft refer either to Chrift's 
 divine, or human Nature. 
 
 LTho' welhould fuppofe that Irenceus fpeaks 
 of the Son, as God, yet 'tis certain he does not 
 ^mpute Ignorance to him. This will appear by 
 trcnfidering the Place it felf, and comparing o- 
 thers with it. 
 
 I . To make out T^his from the Parages them- 
 felves, I would obferve that his Scope is not to 
 degrade the Son, or to deny his Godhead, which 
 is not confiftent with the leaft degree of Igno- 
 rance ; but to expofe the afluming Pretenfions 
 of the Heretics to a perfe6t Knowledge of the 
 deep Things of God : To make them blufh, if 
 poiiible, he fets before them the Humility of 
 Chrift, who did not come into the World to 
 glorify himfelf^ but the Father, and fo refer'' d to 
 him the Knowledge of the Day and Hour of 
 Judgment. For he never fays, that the Son -was 
 ignorant of that Day, but that the Father is fet 
 forth by our Saviour, as alone knowing it, /". e. 
 He refers the Knowledge of it to the Fatherly and 
 the Father is declared to have the Preference in 
 
 gifter eft Dominus) ut difcamus per ipfum, fuper omnia t^Q 
 Patrcm. Etenim Pater, ait, major me eft. Et fecundum ag- 
 nitionem itaque praepofirus effe Pater annuntiatus eft a Domi- 
 no noftro ad not, ut & nos, in quantum in figura hujus mun- 
 di fumus, perf^ftam Scientiam, & tales quseftiones conceda- 
 mus Deo. 
 
 5 Know- 
 
( IM ) 
 
 Knowledge^ \vh\ch is original ix) him, ^nddcriz'sd 
 in the Son, as begotten of him from all Eter- 
 nity. 
 
 This muft be plain to every one, that impar- 
 tially confiders his ExprefTions. Had he be- 
 liev'd the Son to have been really ignorant of 
 this great Secret, he would have framed his Ar- 
 gument in a different manner, and with greater 
 Advantage, to this Purpofe: " Was our Lord 
 " himfelf ignorant of that Day ? Did the Fa- 
 " ther with-hold from his own Son the Know- 
 " ledge of it ? What infupportable Arrogance 
 " is it in you to pretend to be intimately ac- 
 '' quainted with far more abflrufe and ineffable 
 « Mylteries?" 
 
 Befides, 'tis obiervable, with what Caution 
 he expreffeth himfelf, how he qualifies thefeem- 
 ing Harflmefs of the Expreffions, as fenlible of 
 the Difficulty of the Subject, and the Danger 
 of Error and Impiety in aicribing any degree of 
 Ignorance to the Son. The Text cited by him 
 {Mark xiii. 31.) appeared to him to contain a 
 Difficulty, that it was not eafy to find a Soluti- 
 on of, and in which an Error is very dange- 
 rous, for no other reafon, but becaufe our Lord 
 feems to decline affuming to himfelf, in fome 
 refpeft or other, the Knowledge of one Secret, 
 and refers it to the Father. Now had he fup- 
 pofed the Logos capable of Ignorance, why 
 ihould not the Place feem as plain and cafy to 
 him, as to our modern y^rians ? 
 
 "Tis plain, our Saviour is not confider'd here, 
 as an Inftance of Ignorance in the leaft degree, 
 but as an excellent VMitw^o^ Humility and Self- 
 ahafement in not exalting himfelf, but referring 
 ail to the Father. And hence in this very Place 
 S z he 
 
( 132 ) 
 
 he fpcaks of him, as omnifcient. * " The Fa- 
 " ther, faith he, in all things communicates to 
 " the Son." Again : '^ '• Thefe things wc 
 " muft leave to God and ro his Word." Again : 
 " y ^he Spirit of our Saviour, which is in him^ 
 " fearches all things.^ even the deep things of God.^'' 
 This, without doubt, is meant of Chrift's di- 
 vine Nature j for to That the Fathers often re- 
 fer this Text of the Apoftle^ i Cor. ii. lo, ii. 
 which is ignorantly, and without ground de- 
 ny'd by Dr. IVhitby"^. See the Paflnges refcr'd 
 to in the Margin*. 
 
 2. 'Tis demonftrably certain from other Places, 
 that Irenaus did not believe the Xoy©», or di- 
 vine Nature to be capable of Ignorance. For 
 he every where fuppofes him to be perfect in 
 Knowledge^ to comprehend the immenfe Fa- 
 ther, ^c. as has been fhewn above. 
 
 But he had a very dire6b Occafion to ihew 
 his Abhorrence of fuch a blafphemous Tenet, 
 by fo often expofing the Folly, Impiety and 
 Inconfiftency of the Falentinians in afcribing 
 Ignorance to the Word and Wifdom of God, 
 which they divided into two diftinfb JEons. He 
 proves from the Generation and Nature of the 
 Logos^ that he is not capable of any Ignorance, 
 which cannot be imputed to him, without 
 confequentially charging the Father with it, 
 
 ^ ii. 28. 8. ——In omnibus Pater communicans Filio, 
 V. fupra. 
 
 '' Ibid. Sed. -— Cedere oportet Deo & Verbo ejus. 
 
 y Ibid. Etfi enim Spiritus Salvatoris, qui in eo eft, Scru , 
 tatur omnia, & Altitiidines Dei, Sec. 
 
 ^ Difquifit. Mod. p. 119. 
 
 * TertuUian. adv. Hermogen. c. 1 8. Quis enim fcit, quae 
 
 funt Dei, & quae in ipfo, nifi Spiritus qui in ipfo ? Sophia 
 
 autem Spiritus.— iV. etiam adv. Prax. c. 8. necnon, c 19. 
 
 buif 
 
( 133 ) 
 
 *■ " If it be impious to impute Tgnornnce and 
 " Pallion to the Father of all, how can they 
 ^' fay, that a pailible jEon was generated by 
 " him ? And even tho' they fal fly afcribe the 
 '' fame Impiety to the very Wifdom of God, 
 " will they ftill call thcmfelvcs Religious ?" 
 " Again : <= " They (the Heretics) falfly im- 
 " pute Ignorance and Blindnefs to the Word of 
 " God." And a little lower : ^ " O you vain 
 " Sophifters ! How could the Father's Mind, 
 " or rather the Father himfelf, fince he is Mind 
 " and perfc6t in all things, beget his Logos an 
 " imperfect and blind Aion .?" And again: 
 « " How filly and abfurd is it, that they fay, 
 " that even the Wifdom of God was in Igno- 
 " ranee? For this is altogether inconfiilent 
 
 " with the Nature of Wifdom." 
 
 Now can any one fuppofc, that all the while 
 Iren^us was confcious of his holding the fame 
 Opinion himfelf, which he reprefents as impious 
 and abfurd in them ? No certainly : Accord- 
 ing to his Principles the Son's Ignorance of 
 any of the Father's Counfels, would be like the 
 Spirit of a Man's being ignorant of the things 
 
 •* ii. 17.6. Si autcm impium eft Patri omnium ignoran- 
 tiam & Paflionem affingcrc, quomodo ab eo emiflum dicunt 
 itonem paflibilem, & hoc ipfi Sophiae Dei eandum impieta- 
 tem affingentcs, femedpfos religiofos efle dicent ? 
 
 "^ Ibid.^— g. i^m Ignorantiam & c:ecitatem commentientes 
 Verbo Dei. 
 
 ^ Ibid. —10. Et quemadmodum, o v.miflimi Sophiftae! 
 Nus Patris, immo etiam ipfe Pater, cum fit Nus & perfeclus 
 ill omnibus, imperfeftum & ccecum ./Eonem emifit fuunx 
 Logoji ?. . M 
 
 *■ ii. 18. I. Quomodo autem non vanum eft, quod etiam 
 Sophiam ejus dicunt in igfiorantia, 8c in deminoratione, & 
 in paffione fuifle? Hjec enim alieaa funt a Sophia, & con- 
 traria.i m < 
 
 of 
 
( '34) 
 
 of a Man, or not knowing it felf, and its own 
 Counfels and Purpofes. " For, faith he, ^ It 
 " is abfolutcly impoilible for the Logos not to 
 " know the Father j for if he knows, as ex- 
 " iftjng in the Father, he is not ignorant of 
 " liim in whom he is, that is, of himfelf " 
 
 I think therefore 'tis plain, even upon Sup- 
 polition, that his fuperior Nature is here meant, 
 that Iren£us did not impute real Ignorance to 
 the Logos. So that I cannot help being amaz'd 
 at the Boldnefs of our Avians^ who llrive to 
 outdo all their Predecefibrs in talking with fo 
 much Aflurance and Indecency on this Topic. 
 Pr. Clarke is fo candid, as to own that Irenaus 
 meant no more, than that this Knowledge was 
 originally in the Father, and to be referred up to 
 him as the Fountain. And many of the rigid- 
 eft Sort of the antient Arians^ I mean the Euno- 
 miansy went this way in expounding the con- 
 troverted Text, Mark xiii. 32.. For there hap.r 
 pened once to be a Conteft among them con- 
 cerning this Point : One Eutycbius aver'd, 'That 
 the Son 'was not ignorant of that Day^ as having 
 derived all things from the Father^ fo as to want 
 nothing^. And upon his meeting with Oppo- 
 Ution from others, he went to their Patriarch 
 Ennomius^ then in Exile, who approved of his 
 Tenet. 
 
 *' ii. 17. 8. —In Logo autem Patrid omnimodo impoir^- 
 bile eft. Si enim exfiftens in Patre cognofcit, hunc in quo 
 eft, hoc eft, femetlpfum non ignor.it. 
 
 ^ Sozomen. H. E. L. 7. C. 17. p. 302. Ed. Cant..— 'Efrt/- 
 
 V. locum. 
 
 II. But 
 
( 135 ) 
 
 II. But upon a clofe Confideration of this 
 i?oint, I am fully convinced that Iren^eus fup- 
 pofed our Saviour rcfer'd to his human Nature 
 and his State of Ahafcment^ when he fpokc of 
 the Son's not knowing the Day of Judgment. 
 For, 
 
 \ . From what has been obferved, it is unde- 
 niable, that Iremtns thought it impaflible for 
 the divine Nature of Chrid to have any Secret 
 with-held from it j he never fpeaks of the Lo- 
 goSy as fuch, having any Revelation made to 
 him J and held, that the Spirit, by which all 
 fuch Difcoveries are made, was not communi- 
 cated to his divine Nature, which did not need 
 it, but to him, as Man'\ The Text o^ Mark 
 refers plainly to that Knowledge that is grant- 
 ed by way of Vouchfifcment and a divine Fa- 
 vour, that is, revealed Knoivlcdge : And there- 
 fore the Fathers could not fuppofe the Logos^ as 
 fuch, to have any Concern in this^ as bemg 
 ejfentially and necejfarily acquainted with all the 
 Father's Counfels, as a Man's Spirit knows the 
 things of a Man, not by voluntary Communica- 
 tion') but by intimate Confcioufnefs. 
 
 z. He confiders Chrift, as condefcending to 
 be our Pattern, and inftru6ling us by his Bcha- 
 'viour and Deportment,^ as well as his Do^rine. 
 Wc might have been taught the fame thing by 
 a Voice from Heaven, or feveral other ways j 
 but this good Father conceiv'd it to be a more 
 excellent and effectual way to learn this Truth, 
 and the Influence itfliould have upon our Spirits 
 and humble Deportment toward God, by the 
 Son of God's alUiming the Form of a Servant,^ 
 and accommodating himfelf to that Nature and 
 
 ^ See above, Chap. II. Scd. i. 
 
 State 
 
( 136 ) 
 
 State by his exemplary Humility -, particularly 
 in his Deportment toward the Father, carrying 
 it toward him, as one far below him, emptying 
 himfelf, and referring all to the Father's Glory. 
 This is plainly the Meaning of thefe Words, ut 
 difcamus per ipfum^ i. e. 'That we might learn 
 by him^ not only as inculcating the Infiru^lion in 
 Words, but as condefcending to appear in fuch 
 a fervile Form, as we do, and fhewing us by his 
 abafing himfelf^ and glorifying the Father in that 
 Condition, how we ought to give God the 
 Glory of his unrival'd Excellencies. In like 
 manner, our blefled Lord fays, in effeU^ in the 
 Gofpel to his Followers, who are naturally back- 
 ward to Suffering: " Your Lord and Mafter 
 " is obliged to bear a Crofs : God fpares not his 
 " own Son : And do you cxpe6t to be excu- 
 " fed? are you above your Mailer?" 
 
 That this Inftance of Humility refer'd wholly 
 to our Saviour's abafed State in our Nature, ap- 
 pears farther from Iren^eus's hinting, that it was 
 intended for our In{lru6tion only in the prefent 
 
 imperfect State. Ut ^ nos, in quantum in 
 
 figurd hujus mundi fumus^ Sec. To the end^ that 
 ijue alfo, as long as we live in this JVorld^ may 
 iiave perfeB Knowledge to God. 
 
 3. Befides, it is well known, that the Fa- 
 thers refer'd fuch Expreflions, as this^ to the In- 
 carnation and the voluntary Oeconomy Chrifl fub- 
 mitted to for our Salvation. As he came not 
 into the World to exalt himfelf, but rather to 
 hide his Glory under a Veil of Humanity; fo he 
 fuited his Behaviour and Expreflions to this State 
 of Exinanition. No wonder then, that cecono- 
 mical Expreflions frequently dropt from him : 
 He generally called himfelf the Son of Man^ for- 
 bad his Difciples to pubUfhi his being the Chrifl, 
 
 the 
 
( 137 ) 
 
 the Son of the Living God, and his glorious 
 Appearance on the Mount. Irenaus fuppofes, 
 as we have ah-eady obferved, that the' he was 
 truly God and Lord^ yet he taught his Difciples 
 only, that the Father was fo'. Thus in Pfalm 
 xxii. 6. as undcrftood by the Fathers, he fays, 
 I am a IVorm^ and no Man: — which is an In- 
 flance of his emptying himfelf, but not of de- 
 nying the Truth of his human Nature. Juftin 
 Martyr\ Comment on that Pfalm is highly 
 worth the learned Reader's Notice : It gives 
 us a jull Idea of the way of Thinking the An- 
 tients fell into, concerning this Matter. It con- 
 tains, in their Opinion, a mournful Complaint 
 of our Lord in great Dilbcfs, in which he con- 
 ceals his divine Power, and exprefles his Depen- 
 dence upon the Father for all the Aids he need- 
 ed. This they took to be an Inftance, not of 
 his -want of Fower^ but of his Piety toward the 
 Father, whom he came to glorify. ^ " I would 
 " even recite the whole Pfalm, faith this Chrif- 
 " tian Philofopher, that you may perceive his 
 *' Piety toward the Father^ and how he refers 
 '' all unto himj and prays to be faved even from 
 *' Death by him. — And again : " ' And intima- 
 " ting, that he fhould be faved himfelf by the 
 " fame God, but not boafting of doing any 
 '* thing l?y his own Coun/el or Strength. For in- 
 
 ' iii. 91. V. fupra. 
 
 ^ DuloEr. con. Tryph. p. ^24. D. Kaw tt^uHx -j 4'«Pi^» 
 ttvotfjiji uv, oTTUi xMt TV ixfo? T nrof.Ti^cc tva-ict^ ccvTts tKna-riTt, 
 
 UTCO tS S«»fl6Tif TUTU CCiTUf, K. T. i. 
 
 ' Ibid. p. 328- A. F"rff eivTc^ (ruSvi<rt&cct Ivo tS ctvrS 
 
 xat« 'f> tVj yn^ -n uvtv tVf«|«, >\.iyevl'^ icvruj nici, Aideta-KxJ^t 
 
 X *' deed 
 
( ns ) 
 
 " deed he did the fame on Earth j when one 
 " laid to him, Good Mafter I he anlwei-'d, JVhy 
 " calkfl thou me good ? there is one good^ even 
 « ffiy father, who is in Heaven T 
 
 The Expreflion now under Confideration is 
 very parallel to this : Our Saviour, in his low 
 Eftate, refers the Knowledge of the Day of Judg- 
 ment to the Father, and takes no Notice of his 
 own divine Knowledge ; which therefore was 
 no Intimation of his abfolute Ignorance, but an 
 Inilance of his exemplary Self-abafement and 
 Piety toward the Father. We might as well 
 conclude from the Expreflions already produ- 
 ced, that Chrifi was not good, that the Creator 
 o.f Hsaien and Earth had no Power to fave him- 
 jclf from his Pevfecutors, that he was not a true 
 Man, 6cc. as from the difputed Text, that he 
 was abfohitety ignorant of that Day. 
 
 They who obj eft again ft this, his being called 
 the Son, feem not to be well acquainted with 
 Scripture-language : I own, the Denomination 
 is here taken from his Godhead and his Relation 
 to the Father, and an Emphaiis is laid on it. 
 ]^ut wc ought not therefore to conclude, that 
 what is laid of him, under that Denomination, 
 belongs to that Nature from whence it is taken. 
 Irenaus often allerts, that the Word of God be- 
 came vijible, ■pafjible, dec. »" That he was cru- 
 city'd, ipfum Verhum Dei incarnatmn fufpenfum 
 eft fuper lignum ; that is, the incarnate Word of 
 God was himfelf hanged on the I'ree^. But did 
 not mean that his fuperior Nature was vifible, 
 paflible, Gradually fuffer'd. The Virgin is faid 
 
 ™ See above, Ckip. VII. 4. as alfo the lafl: part of this 
 Ch;)pter. 
 " V. 18. I. 
 
 2 prtare 
 
( 139 ) 
 
 portare Deum^ to carry^ or to he big ''jjith God =', 
 i. e. him who is both God and Man j and not 
 that, as God, he was conceived or born of her. 
 The Son of Man is faid to be^ or to have been, 
 in Heaven.) and to come do-Jon from Heaven^ Joh. 
 iii. I 3. Yet it was a great Error in Apollinaris 
 to infer from hence, that Chriil's human Fleili 
 pre-exifted to his Birth of the Virgin, and came 
 down from Heaven Pj and in the Soclnians to 
 concUide, that the Man Chrifl Jefus had been 
 lately cauglit up to Heaven. 
 
 But there is a particular Beauty and Energy 
 in the ExprcfTion now under Confidcration : 
 The Difciplcs had, it fcems, a great deiire to 
 know the time of Chrill's fecond Coming: The 
 Words contain an Argument to check this Cu- 
 riofity, and to make 'cm content to have this 
 Secret concealed from them. " This is reveal- 
 " ed to none in Heaven, or Earth, no, not to 
 '^ the Son^ as dear as he is to the Father." The 
 Son, even as Man, is the mod dignify'd of all 
 Creatures, and the Father's greatell Favourite : 
 So that it is like thcfe Exprellions : God [pared 
 not his own Son, but deliver'' d him up, Rom. viii. 
 3 2. T'he Son of God gave hitnfelf for me. Gal. ii. 
 20. They crucify to themfclves the Son of God, Sec. 
 Hcb. vi. 6. The Meaning is not, that that Na- 
 ture, which was begotten of the Father, fuffcr'd : 
 But the mentioning of his highell Nature and 
 Relation to the Father puts an Emphafis on his 
 Dignity, and gives Life and Beauty to the Ex- 
 
 " V. 19. I. I iHaec (Virgo Maria) per Angelicum Ser- 
 monem evangelizata eft, ut portaret Deum... 
 
 P V. Nazianzeni Epiftohm ad Nedlarium apud Sozomen. 
 E. H. 6.27. p. 255. Ed. Cant. ■ " •'Hi Kon zr^'iv >i.ocTi>i5-t7f 
 
 ' X T 2 predion ; 
 
( 140 ) 
 
 preflion : The Scnfe is the fame, as Heh. v. 8. 
 Kal-ni^ (^v mos. Thd' he were a Son^ yet he fuf' 
 fefd^ viz. in his human Nature. 
 
 And it may be obferved, that fome things are 
 deny'd of Chrift without any Limitation in the 
 Words, which yet mud be underftood only of 
 his human Nature j as he is faid not to be in the 
 IVorld after his Afcenfion, John xvii. 1 1 . And 
 yet the Scripture plainly afierts, and the Arians 
 would not feem to deny, his being ever prefent 
 with his People on Earth, in refpe6t of his di- 
 vine Nature. But I am not to vindicate the 
 Text it felf, but Iren^uSy from the falfe Glofles 
 
 of the Arians. In a Word, let the Reader 
 
 obferve, that, according to Irenaus and other 
 Fathers, when the Father is mention'd even with 
 the exclufive Term folus, alone, the Son is to 
 be underftood as included. And when our Sa- 
 viour fpake in his abafed State on Earth, par- 
 ticularly when he would be our Pattern of an 
 humble, fubmiftive Behaviour toward God, he 
 had the Oeconomy in his Eye, and adapted his 
 Speech to his Circumftanccs. 
 
 III. There are many Paflages in Iren<eus, in 
 which the Father is reprefented as ordering and 
 commanding, and the Son as minifiring to him, 
 and executing his Orders, as in the Creation of 
 the World : From whence the Arians infer, 
 that the Son is in Nature inferior to the Father. 
 
 1 " The Son miniftring to the Father does 
 *' all things from the beginning to the end, and 
 " without him none can know God. 
 
 ■i iv. 6, 7. Omnia au tern Filius adminiftrans Patri, per- 
 ficit ab initio ufque ad finem, & fine illo nemo poteft cog- 
 liofcere Peum. 
 
 ' « Our 
 
( 141 ) 
 
 ' " Our Lord, that form'd the Eye, is the 
 " fame that made the whole Man, minijierially 
 " executing the Father's JVilW'' 
 
 The Qiiellion grounded on thefc, and the 
 like Exprellions is. Whether we may infer from 
 them, that the Son is in Nature inferior to the 
 Father ? 
 
 That I may open the way to the Deciiion of 
 this Point, I would obfervc, 
 
 I. That afting a minillerial Part, and execu- 
 ting the Counfels and Orders of others docs 
 not always fix a fervilcy or inferior Character 
 upon Perfons. The doing any any good Office 
 in compliance with the Defires, or only for the 
 Benefit of others, is exprefled by Terms of this 
 Import i as Pliny calls the Divine Providence, 
 Trifte Minifterium^ a Minijiery^ or Attendance full 
 of Care ^ The Mailer in the Gofpel is fuppo- 
 fed, SiMcmu to few e^ Luke xii. 37. or wait on his 
 own Servants : And our Lord himfelf came not 
 to be miniflred tmtOy but to miniffcr^ Mat. xx. 28. 
 and condefcended to do the Office of the meaneft 
 Servant in wafhing his Difciplcs Feet j and yet was 
 Itill their Lord and Mafter,7o/j.xiii. The Words 
 ufed to exprefs the Son's miniftring to the Fa- 
 ther, are iTrn^iTM, iTm^yiTf, winifrare, infervire^ de- 
 fervire, &c. I fhall endeavour to demonftrate 
 by the frequent Ufe of them in other Cafes, that 
 no folid Argument can be drawn from them, to 
 
 ' V. 15. 3. Qui enim vifionem formavit Dominus, hie 
 eft qui univerfum hominem formavit, voluntati Patris defer- 
 vicns. Conf. V. 5. z. Manus Dei ideferviens vo- 
 
 luntati Patris. Gr. i;.».rew 0£ow ;t;£if— •/TapycDc-as rm 9-tA«(AC6Ti 
 Tc'6 &tcZ K*t ■^XT^ei, 
 
 ^ N. H. L. 2. C. 7. Irridendum vero agere curam rerum 
 humanarum illud quicquid eft fummum. Anne tarn trifti at- 
 que multipliciinii;»ifterio non pollui credamus dubitemufve ? 
 
 determine 
 
( Hi ) 
 
 determine the Nature, or the Condition of A- 
 gents. 
 
 Jofephus fays, ^ Balaam order'' d King Balac to 
 huUd fe'ven Altars^ and prepare the fame Num- 
 ber of Bullocks and Rams -, and he executed his 
 Orders^ Sec. where Balaam is iiiid Kthivi», to com- 
 mand^ and the King to minifer^ iTm^yuK And lb 
 Hiram^ a fovereign Prince, is reprefented hy 
 the fame Hiftorian, as miniftring to King Solo- 
 mon^ or ferving him by helping him to Timber 
 for building the Temple ". 
 
 Helena^ Mother of Conflantine the Great^ is 
 celebrated by the ecclefiaftical Hiftorians for 
 condcfcending to wait on the facred Virgins her 
 felf at a great Entertainment fhe provided for 
 them, when fhe was at Jerufalem. Compare 
 the Accounts of this in the Margin ^% and you'll 
 find a great Perfonage a6ted the minifterial Part 
 to her inferiors, and fo is laid y^nm^yu^, kxxmuv, 
 IfTfifiTw, yr^>£T.? y^i£fui, 6cc. i.c. to mimfer, "joait^ or 
 ferve^ and to become a Servant. 
 
 And this leads us to an obvious and ealy Me- 
 thod to reconcile a fceming Contradi6tion among 
 the Antients. 'Tis common with them to con- 
 
 * Antiq. Jad. L. iv. C. 5. 4. p. 1 50. Ed. Hudf.. ■ . Bw^k? 
 
 aCC'JTH. K. r. I, 
 
 " L. viii. c. 2. 7. p. 340. '£'/» y xTium hTra^yiitru rk 
 ^ Socrat. H.E. L. i. C. 17. ad fin. p. 47. Ed. Cant. Kxi 
 
 Sozom. H. E. L. 2. C. 2. pp. 45, 46. Aryi-xi lyi ecvriii 
 
 yiviiBxi Tis^l Til Jcrrvflu, TTx^XTduirxv to. o-^x, >cxt uatvf reui ^tf- 
 
 Theodorit. H. E. L. I. C. 18. p. 48.— 'Avra Bc(X7:xin^<^ 
 
 fider 
 
( 143 ) 
 
 fickr Chrift, as miniftring to the Father in the 
 Creation of the World, and the Inlb-u6tion of 
 Mankind : He may therefore, in a qualify'd Scnfe, 
 from the condefcending part he a6ts, be called 
 vfTTicirtii, uWis|y©-, Sec. And yet Juflin Martyr de- 
 nies him. to be w-JiptV;)?, a Servant or Minifier. 
 '''.God fends his Word, faith he, not, as fomc 
 " may giiefs, difpatching a Alinijler^ or yingcl 
 " to Men '^." And T'^i/M/; has the like Thought, 
 ■when he argues againd the Worfhip of the Sun 
 and Moon, bccaufe they are only Seyjants. 
 " How can I worfliip minii1:ring Creatures y ?' 
 He apprehended, it feems, that Chrifl was not 
 a minijiring Servant^ elfe he would not have a- 
 dorcd him, for fear of Idolatry. 
 
 Now, as the Emprefs Helen did a61: the mi- 
 nijicrial Part, by Condefcenfion j and {o is faid 
 'vTzit^iTw, and i<Tn'f£7-<5 '/««&««, to ferve^ and to become 
 a Servant : And yet if any one lliould call her 
 a Servant^ that is, a Perfon in a fervile Condition^ 
 he might very julHy be cenfured for injurioufly 
 degrading her. So the Son of God is not to 
 be accounted a mere Servant^ or inferior Agent^ 
 bccaufe he minilliers to the Father. And hence 
 the Eunomians were cenlur'd, becaufe they could 
 luithout Horror preachy that the Son is the Fa- 
 ther's Servant and Minifier^ and the Spirit the 
 Son's'^. And Macedonius degraded and blaf- 
 phem'd the Holy Ghoft, by calling him (J*a*«e» 
 >^ 'vTTfifiTyiv) a Servant and minijiring Spirit^, Ire- 
 
 * Bpift. ad Diognet. p. 498. ■ 'Oa, Kxitort^ «r t«<; 
 UKeuruiv, om^foiwoni u77r,firy,[i nm 7rifA,'<l'et<;, 11 uyyiXev. ic. r. A, 
 
 y Orat. con. Graec. p. 144. D. Ila/s t»5 ifrjjssVflt? crfia-Kv- 
 
 ^ Philoftorg. H. E. L. 6.C. 2. KaJ* r l/iov inatAVspw raw 
 sr«T^o? eiXov x^ uitr^tTiif, fC dti f^ i^ znZfbX roZ \jioZ, <pohifoii isoit 
 iyovm AsysiK. 
 
 * Sozom. L. 4. C. 27.. p. 173. Ed. Cant. 
 
( 144 ) 
 
 n<gus himfeK, in his Application of the Parable 
 of the Hufbandrnan, plainly diftinguifhes the 
 Son from Servants'^. " The fame Houfholder 
 *' fent at one time Servants^ at another his own 
 " Son. — Now the Son coming from him as a 
 *' Father with princely Authority, faid j But I 
 *' fay unto you : But the Servants came from 
 " him as a Lord in a fervile way, and therefore 
 " faid : Thus faith the Lord.''' 
 
 Thus the Son is often called an Angel in Scrip- 
 ture, according to the Fathers, becaufe he con- 
 defcended to carry Meflages, and appear as an 
 Angel: But yet was not of the fame Nature 
 and Order with thofe miniftring Spirits. Hence 
 'Jtijiin Martyr fays of two of the three Angels 
 that appeared to Abraham^ that they were really 
 Angels ^'y implying, that the firft, whom he 
 fuppofed to be the Son himfelf, was not fo. 
 And T'ertulUan is very full to this Purpofe 5 
 ^ " The Son of God, faith he, is called the 
 " Angel, that is, the Meflenger of the great 
 ^' Counfel ; an Appellation implying Office, 
 
 " not Nature. But is not therefore to be 
 
 '' underftood to be an Angel in the fime Senfe, 
 " as a Gabriel or Michael : For the Son, as well 
 
 as 
 
 '' iv. 36. I. — Et eundem hunc Patrem familias [oftendit 
 Dominus] aliquando quidem mittentem Servos, aliquanda 
 
 quidem Filium fuum. Sed Filius quidem quafi a Patre ve- 
 
 niens principal! auftoritate, dicebat : Ego autem dico vobiSy 
 Mat. V. Servi autem quafi a Domino ferviliter ; & propter 
 hoc dicebant: Heec dicit Dominus. — Conf. Tertull. de came 
 Chrifti, C. 1 4. — Ipfe enim erat Dominus coram, ex fua aufto- 
 ritate pronuntians. Ego autem dico vobis. 
 
 ^ Adv. Tryph. p. 279. ''Ay-ysAoj ra cvlt iiiroiv. 
 
 ^ De Carne Chrifti, C. 14. Diftus eft quidem magni Con- 
 iilii Angelus, id eft Nuntius ; Ofiicii, non Naturae vocabulo- 
 
 Non ideo tamen fie Angelus intelligendus, ut aliqui Ga- 
 
 briel aut Michael. Nam & Filius a Domino vineae mittitur 
 
 ad 
 
( 145 ) 
 
 " as the Servants, is fenc by the Lord of the 
 " Vineyard to the Hulbandmen, to demand 
 " the Fruits : But the Son is not therefore to 
 " be reckoned one of the Servants, becaufe he 
 " fubmitted to do the 0(Bcc of Servants." 
 
 But to return from this Digreflion j it ap- 
 pears, that when Pcrfons do any thing for o- 
 thers, as executing their Couufels, they arc com- 
 monly faid l7rovfyi7*, bTrvjciTw, 6cc. and fometimes 
 are termed iTrnfirxi, vVafv'^*, Sec. tho' they be their 
 Equals, or even Superiors. As Theodoret calls 
 PJoilip^ prime Minifter {Pr^^fe^us pr^torio) to 
 the Emperor Conftantius^ the Minijier of the 
 'Wicked Counfels of the j^rians ^, tZ) Trm^m fix>vXivi^u- 
 rm i7tr,^irr.i. That is, hc cxccutcd all their un- 
 righteous Counfels and Projefbs. And of ano- 
 ther great Man under Falens^ Peter of Alexan- 
 dria favs, ^ He was the Infirument of their Cruelty^ 
 
 And even doing good Offices for our Friends, 
 is exprefs'd by Words of the like Import j as 
 we commonly fpeak of ferving a Friend. 
 
 Bur left I fhould tire the Reader with the 
 multitude of References, I {hall only add a few- 
 more ExprefTions of this fort in the Margin 8. 
 
 2. Now, 
 
 ad cultores, ficut & famuli, de fruftibus petitum. Sed non 
 propterea unus ex famulis deputabitur Filius, quia famulorum 
 fucceflit Officio. 
 
 ' Theod. H. E. L. ii. C. 5. p. 72. Ed. Cant. 
 
 ^ Apud Theodorit. H. E. L. iv. C. 22. p. i8i. ^ 
 
 s Ifocrat. ad Demon. UoiwuTti f/uif iv, eir,^i p To7i ^.Asi? 
 
 Sophocl. in Ajace, p. 35— Isi Toy <p!xw. t,t T*- 
 Toe-xuS' itra^oit aXptMiv jitiMirofAiXi, 
 Qi ctiit oil iA,iticu»rx. 
 
 Opufc. Mytholog. p. 747. nf»4 ^ '"^^« «r«|/«5, ri iroi xft- 
 Zw, 91/ 75 ixj<V««? <rv[A(pt(C)i, ilySTyi^tT»Tti*. 
 
 U Sozomen, 
 
( 1+6 ) 
 
 2. Now, for ought I fee, it is plain, that 
 thefe Expreflions concerning the Son and Spi- 
 rit leave the Matter jull; where it wasj for they 
 don't neceffarily infer any Superiority^ much leis 
 a Difference in Nature. But we are to regulate 
 our Conceptions of that Matter according to 
 the Subjects fpoken of. If a Superior executes 
 the Counfels of, or does a good Office to one 
 of a lower Station, he does it not by Confiraint^ 
 but by voluntary Condefcenfion. The like may 
 be faid proportionably of Equals. If an Equa- 
 lity in Nature and Perfections be confiftent 
 with a Subordination, as in the ever-blefled 
 Trinity, the feveral Perfons maya6t their diltin6b 
 Parts in a voluntary Oeconomy^ and the Son and 
 Spirit may undertake the minifterial Part 5 and 
 this Oeconomy may have its Foundation in the 
 mutual Relations of the Perfons too ; And yet 
 we cannot from hence conclude, that they are 
 not of the fame Nature and Perfections with 
 the Father. As in the produced Inftances we 
 are not prefently to reduce to an inferior or fer- 
 vile State great Perfonages, who are faid toferve^ 
 or minifter to others, ^c. but confider their Cha« 
 ra6ter, and fuit our Conceptions to that. So 
 when Chrift is reprefented as minijiring to the 
 
 Sozomen. H. E. L. vi. C. 32. p. 267. de Silvano. '^O* Jws 
 T))!' etyou oifsTtiv, 05JT) ccyyiXn VTZi^^iTitfXiivev B-tuSiivui Xcyd^, 
 
 Juflit Conftantinus Imp. Provinciarum Reflores v^^iu^x.^'viy 
 x«i cfTn^ului h7i:n^i7ii£}(n Te^ li^iutri. Id. L. i. C. 8- p. 19. 
 
 Et Lauricius Dux Militum in Concilio Seleucienfi adeffe 
 juflus eft, h^n^yviarut, u hiitrot, roTi sVto-xeira*?. Socrat. L. ii. 
 C.39. 
 
 Theodor. Left. L. i. C. 5. de Marciano Imp.— T^r^ ;t;f£««'5 
 
 «V«Mr«(? ^TfiSu/ACiii UTTrifiTiKri. 
 
 Dialog, de Orataribus ad calcem opp. C. Taciti. Cujus 
 [Matris] praecipua laus crot, tueri domum. & infervire li- 
 beris, p. 603. 
 
 Father, 
 
( 147 ) 
 
 Father, or executing his Pleafure, we fhould not 
 forget his Charafter and Relation to the Fa- 
 ther, 'viz. that he is his oivn Son, his IVord and 
 Wifdom^ of the fame Nature and Perfe6tions 
 with him 5 and underftand his a6ling the mini- 
 fterial Part in a Senfe fuitable to his Dignity. 
 Nor fhould I at all wonder, to find fomething 
 in the incomprehenfible God, that has no pa- 
 rallel among Creatures, and can fcarccly be il- 
 luftratcd by a Compariibn with them. Surely 
 'tis too afluming to think, that our Ideas repre- 
 fent, or Words exprefs the deep Things of Gody 
 but in a very imperfe6b Manner. 
 
 And what if the Fathers meant no more by 
 the Son's miniftring, than to exprefs the Force 
 of the Prepofition {^ix) /'j, or tbro\ viz. that 
 the Father did thcfe things l^y the Son in a way 
 becoming himfelf, without prefuming to deter- 
 mine the Modus ? as God is fometimes faid to 
 be his own Place^ uvrl^ ixvrf tojt®-, not to turn 
 him into mere Space, but to exprefs his not be- 
 ing circumfcribed by Place, but being iv iuvrS. 
 
 Were I to enlarge, 1 could eafily demon- 
 ftrate, that there is no Strefs to be laid on that 
 Criticifm concerning the Import of the Prepo- 
 fitions vTTe and S't'k, the one fignifying the prin- 
 cipal Efficient, the other only the inllrumental 
 Caiffc, or miniilerial Agent. It had its rife, I 
 fuppofe, in the Schools of the Philofophers, 
 who exprefs'd the Agency of feveral forts of 
 Caufes by different Prepolitions, Cip' oZ, Si ol,ii cZ. 
 Philo firfl borrow'd it from them, and finds 
 Fault with Scripture-exprellions, wherein this 
 
 Virg. iEneid. 7. v. 616, &c. 
 
 Hoc &c turn itneadis indicere bella Latinus V 
 More jubebatur, trillifque recludere portas. 
 Abftinuit taftu P.Uer, averfufque refugit 
 Fceda Minijlerifi. ■ 
 
 U i Accu- 
 
( 148 ) 
 
 Accuracy is not obferved^. He was foUow'd 
 by Origen^ and Eufehius of Ca^farea^ &c. To 
 fhevv the Weaknefs of it I fhall only obfervc, 
 that when the fame Effect is afcribed to two 
 concurring Agents, the Prepofition (<?.ic) is in- 
 differently ufed to denote either the Principal or 
 the Inftrumental, according as the one or the 
 other was the Subje6fc of Difcourfe, or happened 
 to be firft fpoken of. As in giving fcith Pro- 
 phefies the Holy Ghoft is certainly the princi- 
 pal Agent, and the Prophets only (o^yw*) In- 
 ffruments. And yet, as it is ufual to fay, T'he 
 Holy Ghofi fpake by them -y A6lsxxviii. if. IVell 
 fpake the Holy Ghoft^ ^U 'Ho-au ro5 Tt^txp^rov, by the 
 
 Prophet Efaias : So are they faid to fpeak 
 
 By the Holy Gbojl. As in Jujiin Martyr^ 7Cft<p^T6u 
 
 siTTevT^ oiu rou ssfe^^jTjjteu vrnvfJUXT©- ^ . AnCl in If^e- 
 n^HS.-^Acc\cZyrm itoc tm Snu[AXT®~ ^. Lct thc Icam- 
 
 ed Reader call his Eye on fome more Inftances 
 of the like Import at the bottom of the Page', 
 and he'll fee there muft be a great Defe<5l fome- 
 where, when Men thmk fuch Strefs may be 
 laid on a weak Criticifm, as to raife an Argu- 
 ment from it to determine the Nature of Things, 
 and affign to them their proper Places in the 
 Scale of Caufes and Beings. 
 
 '' De Cherub, ad Finem. p. 129. ' Juft. M. Apol^z. p. 
 7. D. ''Iren. v. 6. i. ' Efai. xxx. i. -^ 'E?tojiio-«t£ /3»A;)i', 
 ou ol ifjbcv, XXI (TtivB'tix-ctii, eu dice reu Tiyiuf/joiToi f/ttov. 
 
 Hof. viii. 4. ^Euvro7%, f^et,iriXfv<r»ft ^<*i ou tfV if/tov. 
 
 Gen. iv. 1 . 'E)CT)}(roifji,nv eivB-fuffov ^ec raS &ioZ. 
 
 Heb. vii. 21. 'Op \_fifm yiyevi] m.^^x rou Xiywr®^. x.T.t. 
 
 Efth. viii. 10. 'Eyfa^jj 3 Jias rou fixinXiac , 
 
 Theophil. ad Autol. p. 38. Ed. Oxon. Oi [tjo^jit*!] mi 
 fr^oHTTtv aix •zviuf/jctT®^ Qteu. 
 
 . Plato fic Jovem loquentem inducit, in Timaso, p- 53O) 53 1 • 
 Ed. Lugd. At sfji/ou ^ TwSrt* ytyefAiim Keti /3(» ^£T«^ei/T«, 
 
 If 
 
( 149 ) 
 
 If they fuppofe, that the Word Orclering or 
 Commanding will bear an Argument, we have 
 already feen in the Cafe of Balaam and Balaky 
 that it does not always imply Authority, or the 
 Exercife of Dominion > but the Senfe of it is 
 accommodated to the Character and Relations 
 of the Perfons fpoken of If Hiftory mform 
 us, that the y^ugurs ordered the Rojnans to offer 
 fuch and fuch Sacrifices, t^c. or that a Phyfician 
 ordefd his Prince to take Mcdiciiies for reco- 
 vering his Health j we fhould not from hence 
 infer, that the fovereign Power was lodged in 
 the College o^ ylugitrs^ or that the Prince was 
 a Subject to his Fhylician. The Margin con- 
 tains two Inftanccsof this Nature, which might 
 eafily be multiply'd ■". 
 
 3. Thus, I think, it is plain, that draining 
 innocent Words, beyond the Author's Scope 
 and Intention, is not the way to come at the 
 Truth in any Cafe. But, in this Irrllancc, it is 
 great Injufticc to draw from our Author's Ex- 
 predions, Confequences that he does not allow, 
 and father them upon him, as his real Senti' 
 ments^ tho' it appears, from the whole Tenor 
 of his Do6trine, that he did not hold 'cm, but 
 has rather expreflly difclaim'd them. For he 
 abundantly explains his Meaning elfewhcre, and 
 teaches, as has been Ihewn, that God's creating 
 
 Philo de Mundi Opific. p. 16. Ta! <Jjj %utT»)v TtetT^l Qw, 
 ru fi/iv cTaoxiX ei' avrou fjucyoi Ttoiw etKHoTUTov ȴ. 
 
 Epiil. C(4nc. Arimin. r.pud Socrat. H. E. L. 2. Cap. 37.- — 
 'Oi 'ATofoAej tfl« Tov Kv^iK ijfXicit 'itirev ^eiTov tit«rt»|«». 
 
 Sozom. E. H. Pr^f. p. 3. Yloitrui izita-xviircic, oc^tryy ^\t<E>teZ, 
 
 "■ Bafilius Ancyranus Provinciarum Reftoribus piraecepit 
 ( ro7^ occ^cvc-ir tTtrar/jv ) ut Clericos quofdam iivdida causa 
 condemmrent. Sozom. H. E. L. iv. C 24. p. 168. 
 
 Antiochus Joviani manum repulit, »<«» rein j(,u^e.Toiii*7U9 
 itrroK^iStimi t^^co-itu^s. Theodorit. H. E. L. iv. C. 15. p. 166. 
 
 all 
 
(no) 
 
 all Things by his Word and Spirit was not em- 
 ploying Seyvants^ Creatures, Infirumettts, 6cc. but 
 doing this Work by himfclf, by his own PVifdom 
 and Power, or 'with his oivn Hands. According 
 to him to make life of an inferior jigent, is in- 
 confiftent with the divine All-fufficiency. He 
 manifcftly oppofes the Son and Spirit to created 
 Attendants and Inftruments, and to all that are 
 in a State of Subje6bion. " The Father, faith 
 " he, needed not Angels to create the World 
 
 '6 by; Nor did he need any to minifter to 
 
 " him in the creating of his Creatures, or order- 
 '' ins; the Affairs of Men. But he has a fuffi- 
 " cient and ineffable Miniftery: For his own 
 " Offspring and his Image minifter to him in 
 '' all things, that is, the Son and Holy Spirit, 
 " his Word and his Wifdom, whom all the 
 " Angels ferve and are fubjecl to "." 
 
 4. Befides, the Son was not a mere Inftrument 
 in the Creation according to Iremeus, for that 
 would not make him Lord and Proprietor of the 
 World, any more than a General's Conqueft of 
 a Country for his Sovereign would make him 
 rightful King of it, or a Servant's building a 
 Houfe by his Mafter's Order, would give him 
 a Title to the Houfe. But it has been fhewn 
 above, that Irenaus held Chrift to be by the 
 right of Creation, fovereign Lord of the World, 
 which he could not be by a6ling a purely mini- 
 
 " Iv. 7. ad Fin. Non iruligente Patre Angeli^ uti faceret 
 Conditionem, & formaret hominem— — Neque rurfus in- 
 digente 7n'niifierio ad fabricationem eorum, quse fafta funt, 
 ad difpolitionem eorum negotioruni, quae fecundum hominem 
 erant ; fed habente copiofum Sc inenarrabile mhiifterium, mi- 
 niftrat enim ei ad omnia fua Progenies & Figuratio fua, i. e. 
 Filius & Spiritus Sanflus, Verbum & Sapieotia, quibus fer- 
 viunt, ii fubjedli funt omncs An^eli. 
 
 ftcrial 
 
( 151 ) 
 
 fterial Part. «" Plainly ihewing, (Iiith he, that 
 " there is one God the Father over iill, and one 
 " Word of God, which is thro' all, by which 
 *' all things were made j and that this World is 
 " bis own^ and was made by him according to 
 « the Father'_s Will." 
 
 And this leads mc to another Obfervation, that 
 tends to illullrate this Subjcft, 'viz. that when 
 our Author fo often inculcates, that the Son in 
 creating the World, ?}2iniJJer''d to the Father^ and 
 executed bis IVill^ he had no Dclign to Icflen or 
 deprefs the 6on, but only to oppofe the Here- 
 tics, who held, that the World was created 
 ■without the Confent of the Father of all. He 
 would maintain the Father's Concern in the 
 Work of Creation and Providence j and that 
 he exprefles by his ■ivilUng and ordering it, which 
 belongs to him as the firll Perfon in the Trini- 
 ty. And defervire 'voluntati Patris, Gr. l~ou^iT» 
 tZ ^ixiifA^itTi TcZ TUT^U, lignifies no more than to 
 execute the Father's JVill^ in Oppofition to do- 
 ing it of himfelfj without the Father's having 
 any Concern in it. For he lays no Emphafis 
 upon commanding and minijlering^ as inferring 
 Supremacy and Inferiority j nor feems to have 
 had any Speculations about thefej fimply mean- 
 ing, that the World was made by the Father's 
 Will, and 'tis his Work, as he had that Con- 
 cern in it, that propeily belong'd to him, as the 
 Father i and fuppofing, that there is a natural 
 Order in the Trinity, and an Oeconomy of the 
 Perfons in all divine Works. 
 
 ° V. 1 8. 2. ManiFefte oftcndens ■ quoniam 
 
 unus Deus Pater fuper omnes, & unum Verbum Dei, quod 
 per omnes, per quein omnia f.ifta funt. Et quoninu hie 
 munduj proprius iplius, & per ipl'um fa^^lus eft voluntatc Pa- 
 
 ''' 4 IV. The 
 
( 152 ) 
 
 IV. The laft Expreflion that feems to favour 
 the Brians is, the Son's being reprefented as 
 'vifibk and comprehenfibk -^ whereas the Father 
 can be comprehended by none, but is the invi' 
 hie God^ 'whom no Man hath feen^ or can fee, 
 
 p " God, faith Irenaem^ in the laft Days gives 
 '' (thefe Bleflings) to Mankind by his Son, the 
 *' incomprehenjible by one that is comprehenjibky 
 " the inviftble by him that is vijible.'''' 
 
 There is nothing in our Author, or perhaps 
 in any Ante-riicene Writer, more exprefs in Fa- 
 vour of the Allan Scheme, than this may feem 
 to be to thofe that follow the mere Sound of 
 Words. Here there feems to be no need of 
 doubtful Reafoning^ or foreign Principles to force 
 a Confequence from the Words never intended 
 by the Author : In comparing the Father and 
 Son, a difference of Nature and Perfe6lions 
 feems to be plainly exprefs'd : The Father is the 
 invijible and incomprehenjible God j but the Son 
 is both "oifible and comprehenfible. 
 
 And if we fhould attempt to aflbil this Diffi- 
 culty, by replying, that the Author meant no 
 more, but that the Son, who in his divine Na- 
 ture is equally inviftble and incomprehenftble v/'ith 
 the Father, did by Condefcenfion accommodate 
 himfelf to our Capacity, fo as to become viftble 
 and comprehenfible to us, as in affuming a vifible 
 Species, and at lafl true human Nature, in 
 order to converfe with Men ; this, I doubt, 
 would encreafe their Triumphs, and occafion, 
 perhaps, fome fevere Inve6tives againfl their 
 Adverfaries, for draining plain Expreffions, that 
 need no Commentary. 
 
 P iii. 11.5. Deus — & benedidtionem efcae &gratiam po- 
 tus, in noviilimis temporibus per Filium fuum donat huma- 
 jio generi, incomprehenjibilis per comprehenfibikmy 8c inviji- 
 bilis per vifibilent. 
 
 But 
 
( 153 ) 
 
 But it has happen'd well, that Iretkeus had 
 frequent Occafion to touch upon this Subje6t ; 
 I don't defire the Reader to regard what I fay, 
 but only to hear our Author guarding his Ex- 
 preiHons, and fully explaining himfelf on this 
 Head. 
 
 1 " Our Lord Jefus Chrift, fum'd up 
 
 " Man alfo in himfelf, the invijible being made 
 " vijible^ the incomprehenfihle becoming compre- 
 " henfibk^ the impajjihk pajjibk^ and the IVord 
 " Man. 
 
 ^ " The Father revealed himfelf to all, ma- 
 
 " king his Word vifiblc to all. And by the 
 
 " Word himfelf madevifible and palpable, the 
 " Father is Ihewn. 
 
 ^ " The Word of God, tho* naturally invifi' 
 " ble^ became palpable and vifible among Men. 
 
 ^ " And for this Rcafon the Son of God, tho' 
 " he was perfect, became an Infant, and ac- 
 " commodated himfelf to the Infancy and weak 
 " Capacity of Man j not upon his own Ac- 
 " count, but becaufe of Man's Incapacity be- 
 '' coming thus comprehenftbUy as Man was able 
 " to take in the Knowledge of him. For there 
 
 ^ iii. 1 6. 6. — Chrirtas Jefus Dominus nofter,— & homi- 
 nem — in femetipfum recapitulans eft, invifibilis vifibilis fac- 
 tus, & incomprehenfibilis faftus comprehenlibilis, & impaffi- 
 bi]is paffibilis, & Verbum Homo. 
 
 '' iv. 6. 5, 6. Omnibus igicur revelavit fe Pater, omnibus 
 
 Verbum fuum vifibile fiiciens. Et per ipfum Verbum vifi- 
 
 bilem & palpabilem fadlum. Pater oftendebatur. 
 
 ^ iv. 24. 2. Et hujus [Dei] Verbum naturaliter quidem 
 invifibilem, palpabilem & vifibilem in hominibus fadlum, &c. 
 
 ' iv. 38. 2. K«t KotTWTn <rvviy'i;7nx^tp 11104 tow 0£eu, TtAfif^ 
 
 X "is 
 
(15+) 
 
 " is noWeaknefs or Indigence on God's part, 
 " but on Man's, who but lately came into be- 
 " ing, and that becaufe he is not unmade. 
 
 Again : " " Wherefore our Lord, in the la- 
 
 " ter Days came unto us, not as he might 
 
 '<• have done, but as we were able to behold 
 '' him. For he might have come to us in his 
 " own ineffable (Gr. incorruptible) Glory, but 
 " we were not able to bear the Greatnefs of his 
 « Glory. — - 
 
 w " In Times pad, it was mdttdfaid^ that 
 " Man was made after the Image of God, but 
 " no fenfible Demonftration of it was given 5 
 " for the Word was yet invifible. But when 
 
 " the Word of God was made Flefh, he 
 
 " made Man like to the invifible Father by the 
 « vifible Word." 
 
 And that we might underfland, that the Fa- 
 ther, or Son's being 'uijible or in'uifible^ compre- 
 henfibk or incomprehenftble^ in his Senfe, was not 
 the neccflary Refult of their Nature^ but purely 
 a Matter of voluntary Oeconomy^ he fhews how 
 far the Father himfelf condefcends to be feen 
 and comprehended both here and hereafter, and 
 why he fo far keeps himfelf invifible. 
 
 The Heretics, it feems, argued from the In- 
 vifibihty of God the Father afferted in the New 
 
 " Ibid. Se6l. I . Aid toSto kUi i yJ(i(^ ^f/jm STT^ i^uray rav 
 xctifav, mA3-j tt^o^ ^f^aii, ou^ a^ uv-rii viouvuto, aJAA' ac, ^//jtii 
 
 ecvrav ta'ii'v yiShveifji/idcc' 'AyTPj [jjiv '^ if rvj oi^S'UfTa) (Int. Lat. 
 inenarrabili, quafi legiffet, up^iru vel ei(P(cii-») xvrou J^'ljj^rpo? 
 
 dvTOV Sci^X^Ht H^VVCifJljiix. 
 
 ^ V. 16. 2. 'Ev TeTi 7rfo<r6iv xp"'"^ iXiyiTo ujtv x»t* liKcvec 
 ©40? '/iyovivxt T ocv^^c-TToy, cote i^iUwTo ~^ iri »^ «iag«T(^ hv o 
 ^oy®^. '-ivoTi H a-ccp^ tyinro o Ac'y©- tov ©sou cvvi^e- 
 
 l^joiaxrcKi T ettB-^uTToy tZ eco^xrai zr«T^i per vifiibile Vcrbum. 
 
 Lat, Interp. 
 
 Tefta- 
 
( 155 ) 
 
 Teftaraent, againft his being the fame with the 
 God of the Jews^ who varioufly appeared to 
 the Fathers, and fpake to Mofes Face to Face.—* 
 In anfwer to this he fays. 
 
 ^ " God fhall be feen of Men, as our 
 
 ^' Lord faith : Blejfed are the pure in Hearty for 
 " they fJjall fee God, M^t. v. 8. And yet in re- 
 " fpedt of his Greatnefs and 'wondeifitl Glory, no 
 '' Man f J all fee God, and live, Exod. xxxiii. lo. 
 " For the Father is incomprehcnfible. But in 
 " regard of his Love, Kindnefs and Almighty 
 " Power, he grants even this to them that love 
 '* him, that is, the Vifion of God. 
 
 Again : y " The Word of God was made 
 " the Steward and Difpenfer of the Father's 
 
 " Grace for the Benefit of Men, fhcwing 
 
 " God to Men, and prelenting Man to God : 
 " Both keeping the Father invifible, lelt Man 
 " fhould contemn God, and that there might 
 " be room for progreflive Knowledge j and again 
 " by many Difpenfations difcovering God, and 
 " making him vifible to Men, left Man Ihould 
 
 wholly revolt from God, and lofe his Being. 
 
 cc 
 
 " iv. 20. 5. — Videbitur Deus ab hominibus ; qucmad- 
 modum & Dominus ait : Beati mundo Corde, quoniam ipji 
 Detim videbunt. Mat. v. 8. Sed fccundum magnitudinem 
 quldem ejus, & mirabilem Gloriam, nemo videbit Deum, if? 
 vivet, Exod. xxxiii. 20. incapabilis enim Pater : Secundum 
 autem dileftionem Sc humanitatem, & quod omnia pofGt, eti- 
 am hoc concedit iis qui fe diligunt, id eft, vidcre Deum. 
 
 y Ibid. Sed. 7. — Verbum Difpenfator patcrnae gratiae 
 faftus eft ad utilitatem hominum,— hominibus quidcm often- 
 dens Deum, Deo autem exhibens hominem : Et invifibilita- 
 tem quidem Patris cuftodiens, ne quando homo fieret con- 
 temptor Dei, & ut femper haberet ad quod proficerct ; vifi- 
 bilem autem rurfus hominibus per multas difpofitiones often- 
 dens Deum, ne in totum deficiens a Deo homo, ceflaret 
 effe. 
 
 X 2. Again: 
 
( 156 ) 
 
 Again: "^ " They receive Life, who fee God. 
 " And therefore the inconceivable^ incomprehen- 
 '' fible and invifible God condefcends to hcfeen^ 
 " underfiood and comprehended by the faithful. 
 
 And in the fame Chapter, where he profefled- 
 ly handles this Argument, he exprelTly fays, it 
 was the Word, whofe Glory Mofes defired to 
 fee, and who faid, No Man Jh all fee my Face^ 
 and live. 
 
 » " The Word, faith he, fpake to Mofes Face 
 
 " to Face j and Mofes defired plainly to fee 
 
 " him that talked with him, and it was faid to 
 " him : Stand in the high Place of the Rock^ &c. 
 " Intimating, both that Man is uncapable to 
 " fee God, and yet that, by the Wifdom of 
 " God in the lail Days, Man fhould fee him on 
 '' the top of the Rock -, that is, in his Incar- 
 '>■ nation." 
 
 ■"•Now it would be an Affront to the Reader's 
 Underftanding, to fuppofe, that he needs be 
 told, that according to Irenaus^ the Son was 
 not naturally vifible or comprehenfible^ but only 
 became fo in his Senfe by his Incarnation, and 
 often appearing and converfing with Men in an 
 aflumed Species, which was generally Symbolic 
 
 ^ Ibid. Sed. 5. Percipiunt ergo vitam, qui videntDeum. 
 Et propter hoc incapabilis, & incompreheniibilis, [& invilibi- 
 lis,] viiibilem fe, & comprehenfibilem, & capacem homini-. 
 bus praeftat. Grsec. Zmi tiiv fAiSi^ea-tv e'l c^una Qur %cci ^«« 
 
 * iv. 20. 9. Et Verbum quidem loquebatur Moyfi appa- 
 rens in conlpeftu.— — Moyies vero cupivit manifefte videre 
 eum qui fecum loqueretur, & didlum eft ei : Sta i?i loco alto 
 pet )■<£.< I Utraque fignificans, quoniam & impoffibilis eft 
 homo videre Deum, & quoniam per Sapientiam Dei in no- 
 viffimis temporibus videbit eum homo in altitudine petrae, 
 hoc eft, in eo qui eft fecundum hominem ejus adventu. 
 
 cal 
 
( 157 ) 
 
 cal and Prophetical -, and that by the like Con- 
 defcenfion the Father himfelf has been, or at 
 leaft will be feen and comprehended by the faith- 
 ful for their compleat BleHednefs. 
 
 And let him frame as good an Excufe as he 
 can, for thofe who can allow themfelves to pro- 
 duce fuch a Paflage, and fet it before their Rea- 
 ders, as meant abfolutely j whereas, if they have 
 read Irenaus^ they could not but know his own 
 Explication of it, which leaves no room for 
 the Confcquenc^ they would draw from it. 
 
 A N 
 
( 158 ) 
 
 A N 
 
 APPENDIX 
 
 Concerning the Holy Ghost. 
 
 SO much has been already faid concerning the 
 Holy Spirit in the third Chapter of this 
 Colleccion, that might fatisfy any impartial Per- 
 fon, that Irenceus believ'dhis Divinity 5 andcon- 
 fequently, that it was an Article of the Catho- 
 lic Faith. He is every where diftinguifh'dfrom 
 the Father and Son, as a third divine Pcrfon, in 
 whom the Church believed ; and yet is joined 
 with 'em, as having Communion in the fame 
 Nature. He was ever in, and with the Father, 
 as his Wifdom : He is diftinguifh'd from all 
 Creatures, as the Object of Faith, and Creator 
 of all Things : And when God made all Things 
 by this glorious Spirit, he did not work by an 
 Inftrument, inferior Agent, or Power feparate 
 from himfelf> that would have been inconlilfent 
 with his Self-fufficiency, and difcover'd Imper- 
 fection and Indigence, like that of the Crea- 
 tures : But he did it hy hlmfelf^ by his Wifdomy 
 with his oinn Hands^ which he never was, nor 
 could be without ^ 
 
 And fcvcral other Expreffions and Arguments 
 of the fame Tendency have already occur'd, that 
 if all were laid together and review'd, it would 
 hardly be podible to miftake his Senfe. For 
 tho' Men may quibble and explain away parti- 
 
 ^ See above, Chsp. III. N*" i, 2, 3, 4, and Notes on them. 
 
 cular 
 
( 159 ) 
 
 cular Expreilions, be they never fo clear and 
 llrong, yet upon comparing his Principles and 
 Reafonings with them, they will find themfelves 
 fo hem'd in on every fide, that there is left no 
 room for Evafion. However I cannot fitisfy 
 my fclf to conclude this Colle61;ion without add- 
 ing a few Pafl'ages more concerning the eternal 
 Spirit. 
 
 I. '' "Now that the Word, that is, the Son 
 " was ever with the Father, we have fliewn at 
 " large. And that Wifdom alfo, which is the 
 " Spirit, was with him before any thing was 
 " created, he fiys by Solomon j God by JVifdom 
 " founded the Earthy he prepared the Heaicns by 
 " Prudence.'-—^ And again ; 7'be Lord created 
 " me the beginning of his IVays to his H^orks , he 
 " founded me before the Ages^ or from everlall- 
 *' ing, in the beginning before he made the 
 
 " Earth. He begat mc before all the Hills. 
 
 " And again : When he prepared the Heavens^ I 
 " was with him, d^c.''' 
 
 This Pafiage exprefles the Coeternity of the 
 Spirit, for he plainly afcribes the fame Eternity 
 to the Spirit, as to the Son : Having largely 
 prov'd the one, he proceeds to the Proof of the 
 other ; and when he a little before fays, ^ His 
 Son and Spirit are ever with him, if abfolute 
 
 •* iv. 20. 3- Et quoniam Verhum, id eft, Filius, femper 
 cum P.itre erat, per multa demonftravimus. Quoniam autem 
 & Sapientia, qux eft Spiritus, erat apud eum ante omncni 
 Conrtitutionem, per Salomonem ait : Dei/s Sapientia funda- 
 vit terrain, paravit autcm Caelu?n Trudentia. Et rur- 
 
 fus : Dominus creavit tne Pri?icipium viarum fuarum in opera 
 fua, ante feecula finidavit ?ne, in initio antequam terrain fa- 
 
 teret Ante omnes autem colics genuit me. Et iterum : Cum 
 
 parartt Caelum, eram cum illo, &c. 
 
 ■^ iv. 2o. I . Adeft cnim ei femper Verbum & Sapientia, 
 Filius & Spiritus. 
 
 Eternity 
 
( l<5o ) 
 
 Eternity is contained in that ExprefHon, it is 
 equally afciibed to both : But it has been fully 
 ihewn'^, that beginninglefs Duration is aflerted 
 concerning the bon j I think, therefore, there 
 can be no rational Doubt, but he intended to 
 prove in thefe Words the Eternity of the Spirit. 
 Befides, Irenaus^ as has alfo been noted, knew 
 of no Creatures pre-exiiling to the Creation and 
 Beginning of all Things : He dillinguifheth the 
 Spirit from all created Beings by his exifting, 
 ante omnem Confiitutionem^ before aiiy Thing ivas 
 created^ and by his being the Creator of all 
 Things. To fay, there was a Creature before 
 all Creation^ founds very like a Contradiftion. 
 And by his inferring the Eternity of the Spirit 
 from his being faid to have exifted with the Fa- 
 ther before the Heavens, the Earth, the Hills 
 and Fountains were made, we may with fome 
 Certainty fuppofe, that he underftood that Paf- 
 fage, Pfal.xc. i. to be exprellive of the abfolute 
 Eternity of God, and that to have exifted before 
 the beginning of the IVorld^ and to be without 
 beginnings or eternal^ are with him Expreffions 
 of the fame Import «. 
 
 2. ^ " The Breath of Life, which made Man 
 '* a living Soul, (Gr. Animal) is one thing, and 
 " the quickning Spirit, that makes him fpiri- 
 " tual, is another. And therefore £/2j/^j faith ; 
 " Thus faith the Lordy that made Heaven^ and 
 
 " efiablifhed 
 
 ^ See Chap. IV. N° 2— Chap. V. Prop. II.— Chap. VII. 
 N° 1 1 . & paffim. 
 
 ^ See the Text, Prov. viii. 22. confider'd in a Differtation 
 at the end of this Appendix. 
 
 '" V. 5. 2. Aliud enim eft afflatus Vitae, qui & animalem 
 efEcit homin^rn : Et aliud Spiritus vivificans, qui & fpirita- 
 lem efficit eu"^- Et propter hoc Efaias ait : Sic dicit Domi- 
 nus, qui fecit C^hm, ^ fixit illud, qui firmavit t err amy 
 
 3 ^ 
 
( 161 ) 
 
 '' ejlablijjjed if, that fixed the Earth, and the 
 " things that are in it, and gave Breath to the 
 " People upon it, and the Spirit to them that 
 " tread on it, Ifa. xlii. f . Intimating, that the 
 *"' Breath was given in common to all People 
 _" upon Earth j but the Spirit peculiarly to thofe 
 " that trample upon earthly IaiIIs. V/herc- 
 " fore the fame £/^/^j-,di{tinguifhingthe things 
 *' already mentioned, faith : For the Spirit Jhall 
 *' proceed from me, and I have made the Breath 
 " of all, ifa. Ivii. i6. fpeaking of the Spirit as 
 " peculiarly belonging to God, and ranking it 
 -" with him, who in the lall Days poured it out 
 " upon Mankind by the Adoption j but reckon* 
 '' ing the Breath in common to the Creation, ^nd 
 *' declaring it to be a made Being. Now whut 
 " was made, mull be different from the Ma- 
 " ker. Therefore the Breath is temporary-^ 
 '' but the Spirit is eternal." ^i'^ 
 
 If any one that underftands Words will con- 
 fidcr this Pafiage with tolerable Attention, he 
 will find, there is hardly any Pollibility of mif- 
 taking the Scnfe, or evading the Force of it. 
 
 Our 
 
 ^ff ^u<e ifi ea junt : Et dedlt aflat urn pepulc, qui fit per earn 
 eji > y Spiritum his qui calcant ilium. Afflatum quidem 
 conimunlter omni qui iuper terr.im eil; populo dicens datum : 
 Spiritum aiitem proprie his, qui inculcant terrenas coneupif- 
 centias. Propter quod rurfus ipfe Efaias diltinguens quae 
 prjedifta funt, ait : Spiritus enim a me exiet, t^ afflatum om- 
 nem ego fiLi,l(i.\\\\. \6. Spiritum quidem proprie in Deo 
 deputans, quem in noviflimis temporibus efFudit per adoptio- 
 ncm filiorum in genus humamim: afflatum autem communi- 
 ter in conditionem, & fafturam oftendcns ilium. Aliud au- 
 tem eft quod fadum eft, ab eo qui fecit. Afflatus igitur 
 tempor.ilis ; Spiritus autem fempiternus, &:c. Gr. srs^e'ii fV« 
 
 vnZfAiX ^uoTfetH*, to koh n-vivf/uxriKcv ccvtcv UTroTi^.eov' )cut eiot 
 
 y w«ri) 
 
( 162 ) 
 
 Our Author flievvs the Difference between 
 the Breath of Lite, and the Holy Spirit of God : 
 By the former, I fuppofe, he means the human 
 Spirit, by the breathing vf which into Man at 
 his, Creation, he became a li-ving Soul, Gen. ii. 7, 
 And hence the natural or animal Man (4'U%{>to? 
 av^^ctiTrQ') is denominated. And there is no 
 room to doubt, but that the quickning Spirit is 
 the Holy Ghoft, by vvhofe fandifying Influences 
 Men are made fpiritual. 
 
 He ilates the Difference between thefe two, 
 in thefe Particulars. 
 
 I . The Afflatus^ or Breath is given indiffe- 
 rently to all, but the Holy Spirit only to the 
 Children of God, who have the Earth under 
 their Feet. 
 
 z. The Spirit came forth from God, and is 
 God, but the Afflatus is a Creature. This he 
 infers from that Text, Ifa. Ivii. \6. which, ac- 
 cording to the Verfion of the LXX, runs thus ; 
 Ihe Spirit ftjall proceed from mc^ and I have made 
 the Breath of all. His Reafoning on this Paf- 
 fage of the Prophet, is plainly to this Purpofe. 
 ^' The Spirit is here fpokcn of, not as created^ 
 " but as proceeding forth from God, and oppo- 
 '^ fed to the Spirit of Man, which God made. 
 ^' There are but two Orders of Being, God 
 " and the Creature : The Spirit belongs not to 
 " the later, but to the former j he is included 
 "in God, the uncreated Being, and ranked 
 
 25"«i'/i KOiva'i tS i^l y«5 \ciuj <pyircti aihiBect' ro jj 7rnZf/j» ia'.a)% 
 y-xiUTtontZiTi rt)t.% yia^tui iTtB'DUiicii;. Aia y.oii TsctXiv o uvni^ 
 Ua-Mcti 6ia,ci};Xav rot rr^oii^tjijunct <P'>)(rl' TlttvfJiioi, if* "tso,^ Ifttw 
 
 QioZ Ta|«5 7tv in^ioA©^ «y7i ■— — . Jli« -^ c/(c.9-£(r(fl6? im thiv oif- 
 
 ^iOtrcii civ-nV iT^^w ai sft tv 7toir,(iv tov TroittTciyl^' ^ ""' ^'■'''i 
 W^og-)l,OUe®^y TV Ij mtZftjQi iiflStCV. ». t. t. 
 
 " with 
 
( le; ) 
 
 " with him :'* For that is the Senfe of theGrcek 
 Phrafe, Itti tS ©ss rdrliiv, which, when diffe- 
 rent Orders of Beings are conlider'd, as here, is 
 of the fame Import with ajjerting him to he God: 
 As £v xKneco Tsraf/jiiv©' is one of the Clergy, ahd 
 Iv Xaod TaVlE^ac, is to be a Lay-man. So xara 
 T8r yjwjysf rarlsc^aj, fignifies to be an Husband^ 
 mani. The Latin Phrafe ufed by the Interpre- 
 ter, carries alfo the iame Senfe, in Deo deputariy 
 is to be included in God^ or fpoken of as compre- 
 hended in God^ and one 'with him. As TertuUian 
 illuftrating the Unity of the Father and Son as 
 God, by the Simile of the Sun and its Rays, 
 fays, Radius in Sole dcputatur^ The Rays arc in- 
 eluded in the Sun^^ ; fo that, when the Sun is 
 fpoken ofj they are to be underftood as com- 
 prehended in, and belonging to it. Wc may 
 therefore, according to TertuUian^ fiy? FiliuSy 
 or Spiritus San^us in Deo deputatur^ meaning, 
 that the Son and Spirit are fo in God, as to be 
 of the fame Nature^ and to make but one God 
 with him. Befides, what is faid of the Jffla- 
 tus or Breathy in oppofition to the Spirit, fully 
 determines the Senfe : For t/iv -nrvojiv xoivw? 
 [raTleivJ eti t?? xn/o-iw?, fignifies undeniably 
 to make a Creature of it^ or to rank it ivith 
 Creatures^ which is explain'd by declaring it to 
 be a made T'hing ; Gr. k^ -aroinfxa avayo^ivaas 
 «uTn'v. The Greek found hi a Catena on Genefis^ 
 ihews, that the Latin fhould be read Fa^urawy 
 which the Senfe alfo requires, as it is publifired 
 in the Eenedi£line Edition from the Clermont MS. 
 
 2 Max. Tyr. DifTert. 15. V. eundem Diflert. i. iy vtriecc 
 
 cij Tci'y (puiTio;* risTut (Sc. rm yoy,Ta» >) ecuriiiTuv) ttv ©see ra,ic'.fo*. 
 
 ^ Tcrtull. r.dv. Praxeam. Cap. 18. Puta Solem dicere r 
 Ego Sol, & alius prster me non eft, niii ndius meus ; nonne 
 denotaffes vanitatem ; quaft non & raiiius iv SoJe deputetur. 
 
 Y X The 
 
( 164 ) 
 
 The Occafioftof the Miflake was the Copy id's 
 inadvertently fuppofing the Word to be joined 
 in Conftriidion with the Jblative going be- 
 fore 5 thus : Conditione ^ fadlurd. And I would 
 obierve by the bye^ that the former fliould not 
 have been alter'd by the Editor, but left, {in 
 conditioner which is the proper rendering of, 
 \-k\ Tiis- xUfcrsMrj as above, Ittj t« ©sa, is rendered 
 in Deo) as in the vulgar Editions , For rd^a? is 
 to be here repeated d-no y.oivis, as I have repre- 
 |.ented it above : The Conitru6tion does not de- 
 pend upon the Verb Effudit > which would re- 
 quire, I-kI rriv >t1/'(Tiv, in conditionem. He plain- 
 ly afierts then, that the Spirit is not a Creature, 
 but God, or a divine Perfon, included in the 
 uncreated Being. This is confirmed by what 
 follows. 
 
 3. The Spirit, as the Creator is eternal, but 
 the Affiatus^ being a Creature, is temporary. 
 After Iremetis had proved the Spirit to be God, 
 to Ihew the vail Difference between him, and 
 the Spirit breathed into Man, he confiders him 
 as the Creator r and the other as a made Being : 
 '' The Creatuie^ faith he, mull be very diffe- 
 ^' rent from the Creator :'' And then concludes 
 one remarkable Difference between them fuited 
 to his Scope, viz, the Breath,, by which Man 
 lives the animal Life,, is only temporary, it ani* 
 mates the Body a- while, and then leaves it breath* 
 lefs and dead : But the Spirit of God is eternally 
 and fo never fails, but abides for ever in his liv- 
 ing Temples, and the fpiritual is changed into 
 cccrnal Life. 
 
 v- .As this is plainly the Senfe and Argument of 
 this Place, fo it agrees with his known Do6trine 
 of the Spirit's being Creator of the World. 
 And he fcems to refer to feve-rai Scriptures of 
 
 that 
 
( 1^5 ) 
 
 that Import i as Pfal. xxxiii. 6. Job xxxiii. 4. 
 The Spirit of God hath made me. And Pfal. civ. 
 30. Thou fendefl forth thy Spirits a?id they are 
 created^ 6cc, 
 
 And let it be noted, that he applies the fame 
 Reafoning to the Spirit here, that he ufcs con- 
 cerning the Son ellcwhcre'. And according to 
 it, the Spirit alfo is unmade and necejfflirily-ex- 
 ijient^ is eternal without beginning or end^ is inde- 
 pendent^ felf-fufficient^ &c. 
 
 What Dr. ^IVhithy %s of this Paflligc \ I 
 chufc for his fake to anfwer with Silence j there 
 is no body fo (lupid, as not to fee, that he ra- 
 ther deferves Pity, than needs an Anfwer. 
 
 To the fame Vm^o^tlrenaus elfewhere fpeaks 
 of the Spirit, as uncreated. 
 
 3. 1 « — The Word that is, in the Father, 
 " gives the Spirit unto all, according to the 
 " Father's Plcafiire ; to fome by Creation, and 
 " that is a made Thing : And to fome by Adop- 
 " tion, and that is of God, which is their Re- 
 " generation. And thus it is made out, that 
 " there is one God the Father, who is over all, 
 " and thro' all, and in all. The Father is over 
 
 " all, the Word is thro' all, and the 
 
 *' Spirit in us all."— 
 
 ' See above, Chap. VIII. Prop. IV. N° 3. Paff. 2. and 
 the fame confider'd in the Differtation concerning iytyyir®-. 
 
 '' Difquif. Mod. p. 1 29. 
 
 ' V. 18.2. «— Et V(ybum portatum a Patre, praeftat 
 Spiritum omnibus, qucmadmoduni vult Pater : quibufdam. 
 quidem fecundum conditionem, quod eft faftum: quibufdam 
 autem fecundum Adoptionem, quod eft ex Deo, quod eft ge- 
 neratio. Et fie unus Deus Pater oftenditur, qui eft fuper 
 omnia, Sc per omnia, & in omnibus. Super omnia quidcni 
 Pater :— per omnia autem Verbum :— in omnibus autem no- 
 bis '^p''-'^"" 
 
 z Here 
 
( 166 ) 
 
 Here is the (iime Difl:in6tion of the Spirit, or 
 Afflatus^ that is indifferently given to all, and 
 of the Holy Spirit communicated only to the 
 Children of God in their Regeneration. The 
 former is a Creature^ or made 'Thing j but the 
 later is contra-diftinguifh'd from it, by being 
 faid to he of God; which Expreffion, borrow'd 
 from the Apoftle, i Cor. ii. ii. to ■zErvtO'/jta to Ik 
 ry ©!», muff here fignify his being God^ and un- 
 created^ as appears by the Oppoiition between 
 a made Beings and that which is of God. So 
 that the Prepofition (Ik) has the fame Force and 
 Emphafis here, as in the Nicene Creed, ©jc? \y, 
 ©e», God of God., that is. In to? iicrias rQ ©js, 
 cf the EJ/ence of God, which is the Meaning of 
 the Word o/aosV/i^, Confubfiantial. Iren<eus 
 therefore can mean no lefs, than that the Spirit 
 is not a made Being, but uncreated and Confub- 
 fiantial with God the Father. And afterwards 
 he fhews, that the Spirit, as well as the Word, 
 is one God with the Father j in which he fol- 
 lows the Apoflle in the Context referr'd to, who 
 reprefcnts the Spirit, as being in God, and inti- 
 mately confcioLis of all his Secrets, as the Spirit 
 of a Man is in a Mat?, and knows the things of 
 Man, I Cor. ii. lo, ii. 
 
 The divine Works of Creation, Prefervation, 
 and Government of all Things alcribed to the 
 Spirit, prove his Belief of his Godhead. 
 
 4. ™ " There is one God, who by his iVord 
 •-' and Wijdo-ra made and order'd all Things." — 
 
 Tet the Reader fee more Pafiages to the fame 
 Purpofe in the Chapter concerning the Father, 
 Son and Spirit > and compare them with Ire~ 
 
 *[' \v. 20. 4. Unus igitur Ihus, qui Verbo & SapientiH 
 f«cit & aptavit omnia. • 
 
 nueus's 
 
( 167 ) 
 
 Rf^«;'s Do6trine of the Creation of the World ", 
 and it will evidently appear, that the creating 
 Spirit can be no Creature, but uncreated^ inde- 
 pendent ^ felf-Jnfficient^ abfolutcly eternal.^ Sec. /. e. 
 truly and properly God. 
 
 ^, o ct When a Grain of Wheat falls into 
 " the Earth, and is diflblved, it fpringsup with 
 " great Iftcreafe thro' the Spirit, which con- 
 " tains and upholds all Things. 
 
 6. P " There is one Spirit, that difpofcth all 
 « Things." 
 
 One Thing is oppofcd to all this, viz. that 
 Irenaiis fays. That the Father ami Son only are 
 Jliled God and Lord in Script tire °i. 
 
 ^ " No one, l^iith he, is called God and Lord 
 " by the Spirit, but the God, who rules all, 
 " together with his Word." 
 
 And in fevcral other Paflages produced above, 
 he applies thefe Titles only to the two firft 
 Perfbns, but not to the Spirit. Ar.d this, I fup- 
 pofe, is the only Reafon, that fomc, who were 
 no Enemies to the Do6trine of the Trinity, have 
 blam'd our Author for not plainly declaring his 
 Belief of the Divinity of the Spirit. Concern- 
 ing this, I obferve, 
 
 " See above, Ch.ip. VIII. 
 
 ° V. 2. 3. O ■<.lx.K<^ rS' ciTu TTttruv u? ttji' yw, x-ui aiaXo- 
 
 IK "TTzivix. — .V. Interp. Granum tritici decidens in terrain, 
 & diflblutum, multiplex furgit per Spiritum Dei, gui confi- 
 ne t omnia. 
 
 ■P iv. 36. 7. — Et unus Difpenfator ; unus enim Spiritus 
 Dei, qui difponit omnia. Gr. K«tj il^ ciKcyojx,<^y iv yi to 
 7ryiZ(/joc, TOW 0SCW, td CitTtcv ru ttuvIx. 
 .'I Vide Whitbf^ Difqaif. Mod. p. 128. 
 '' iv. I.I. Cum fit hoc — . firmum & conflans, neminem 
 alterum Deum & Dominum a Spiritu prsdicatum, nifi eum 
 oui dominatur omnium Dcus, cum Verbo fuo. 
 
 I. That 
 
( I6S ) 
 
 1 . That he had not Occafion to fay Co much 
 of the Holy Spirit, as of the Son j for he con- 
 tented himfelf to confider and confute the firit 
 Rank of imaginary yEo^j, which contain'd the 
 eight primary ones, as being the Bafis and Foun- 
 dation of the whole Pleroma. In this he met 
 with two Denominations of the fecond Perfon, 
 VIZ. the Only-begotten^ and the Word; but none 
 of the Holy Ghoft. And yet, tho' it was not 
 his Purpofe to eltablifh and explain the Chrilli- 
 an Scheme, but as he was led to it by oppofing 
 his Adverfarics, enough has been faid to ihew, 
 that he has fully exprefs'd his Belief of the Deity 
 of the Sacred Spirit. 
 
 2. He is not inconfiftent with himfelf, when 
 he proves the Father and Son only to be called 
 God and Lord; for he ufes that Argument only 
 affirmatively^ to fhew, that the Father and his 
 Word are God and Lord in the proper and pri- 
 mary Senfe j but not to deny and difprove the 
 Deity of the Holy Ghoft : nor can he be ex- 
 cluded according to the Primitive Scheme, when 
 the Father as God is fpoken of j for by com- 
 paring him nnd TertuUian, we have obferved, that 
 the Spirit is included in God^ as the Rays in theSun^ 
 (Spirit us in Deo deputatur^ ficat Radius in Sole.) 
 
 3. But one fingle Obfervation will, I think, 
 fully folve this Difficulty : And it arifes from a 
 Confideration of the Oeconomy of Perfons in 
 the ever-blefled Trinity, as underftood by our 
 Author. The Son is fent into the World by 
 the Father \ and his Bufinefs is not to glorify 
 himfelf, but the Father j agreeably to this De- 
 fign he taught his Difciples. that the Father on- 
 ly is God and Lord ^, as has oeen obferved. In 
 
 *■ iii. g. I. Et ipfo Domino Patrem tantum Deum& 
 
 Dominum eum, qui folus eft Deus, & Dominator omnium, 
 tradentc difcipulis.— — - 
 
 like 
 
( 1^9 ) 
 
 like manner the Holy Spirit is fent forth by the 
 Father and Son to glorify them, not himfelf. 
 Job. xvi. 14. He (the Spirit) fi all glorify me-y 
 faith our Saviour, who had veiled his own Glo- 
 ry. Now there is an exa6b Parallel in the Cafe ; 
 The Son teaches, that the Father only is God 
 and Lord j and none is ftiled fo hy the Sfirit^ 
 but the Father and Son. As therefore it is cer- 
 tain, from Iren^us^ that the Son abftain'd from 
 thcfe Titles, not becaufe they did not belong to 
 him, but becaufe he w.xs not to feck hisozvnGlory^ 
 but his who fent him^ Job.vW. 18. So the Spirit 
 is not filled God and Lord, according to him, 
 by himfelf y not becaufe he is not truly God and 
 Lord, but becaufe he was not to v/itnefs. of him- 
 felf, but of the Father and Son. And it is the 
 Spirit that infpircd the Prophets and Apoftles, 
 and is the Author of the Scripture. And this 
 feems to be the Rcafon, according to this Fa- 
 ther, that the Holy Ghoft is fo feldom exprefsly 
 and perfonally ililed God in Sacred Writ. 
 
 A DIS- 
 
( I^) 
 
 DISSERTATION 
 
 On P R. O V. VIII. 22. 
 Read by the Fathers in the Verfion of the 
 
 That is, The Lord created me the begin- 
 7iing of his Ways-, &c. 
 
 THIS celebrated Text, generally under- 
 ftood by the Antients of the Son, is by 
 Irencetis apply 'd to the Holy Spirits where- 
 in, tho' he differs from mod others, he is very 
 confiitent with himfelf : for he often ftiles the 
 Spirit the Wifdom of God^ as contra-diftinguifh'd 
 from the Word of God. 
 
 The original Hebrew^ which alone is authen- 
 tic, has no Difficulty in it. ly^^'^ ''Jip Hin^ 
 ^^U1 yyyiTh^lis^Jeho'ua pojfejjed me theheginning 
 of his /Fay, dec. It has been well obferved by 
 fomc, that the Word (HJp) fignifies to acquire 
 by Price, Indufiry, or even by Generation; for 
 fo it is ufcd by our common Mother, Gen. iv. i . 
 ''TYl'p I have gotten, (viz. by Generation) <« iW^« 
 from the Lord. And the fame Word (in Hiphil) 
 is render'd to heget by the LXX themfelvcs, 
 Zech xiii. 5*.— ort avS^gwT©^ iykvvccri jue Ik vsotjj- 
 rc : /jt», For a Man begat me (^JJpH) from my 
 lonth. However, the Expreffion muft here fig- 
 nify the Son's eternal Co-exifience and ineffable 
 Union with the Father : The Lord pjfejjed me^ 
 z that 
 
( 171 ) 
 
 that is, he had me in, and witl) himfclf as his 
 Wifdom, which he never could be without. 
 
 But the Greek Verfion, afcribed to the LXX 
 Interpreters, has a harili Expreiiion hcie, that 
 the Avians made much ufe of: xu^rv^ ex1<o-s y.i. 
 K. \. as reprefented above: "^he Lord created me 
 the beginning of his Ways. This rendering has 
 occ.ilion'd all the Difficulty j for this Tranlla- 
 tion was in common Ufe and greatell Repute 
 among the Fathers in the Greek Church j and 
 the old Italic Verfion, and others ufed by the 
 Latines before Jerome's Time were taken from it. 
 
 Now conlidering, that the Word ixljae is not 
 cxprefiivcof the trueScnfeof the Hebrew -y that 
 thcfe celebrated Interpreters almoli every where 
 ^//^ render it otherwifej that Aq^uHa^Symmachus^y 
 and'Thcodotion'^^Q.Q. in rendering it, snl/iVaTo, — 
 pojjeffed; and that the Subie6i: here Ipoken of, 
 and Circumllances of the Place could not pof- 
 (ibly tempt the LXX to depart from the Pro- 
 priety of the Word, and their ufual rendering 
 of it J for the creating of IVifdom is at lealt an 
 uncouth Exprertlon, efpecially in fpeaking of 
 that JVifdom^ which was with the Father before 
 the Creation, and by which he made the World : 
 Conddcrmg all this^ I fay, I am inclin'd to fuf- 
 pe£t an Interpolation or Miftake of Tranfcribers 
 herej and fuppofe the antient Interpreters left, 
 cHlnVaTc jut«> in their Copy 5 but that it was fir ft 
 changed into lyTlijaro, as it is found in Philo to 
 this very Day^ If he wrote it i)i]r.<Taro, he 
 probably found it fo at leaft in feme Copies of 
 the LXX J for being an Alexandrian Jew, 'tis 
 mofl probable, he took it from that Verfion, 
 
 * Philo Jud. de Temulent. p. 244. 'O Oik iVl/o-aro /ai 
 
 Z 2. which 
 
( 172 ) 
 
 which was of greateft Authority among his 
 Countrymen, or rather the only one then ex- 
 tant : And had he chofe to render it by the Verb 
 jfl'i^o)^ I am pcrfuaded he would have ufed the 
 a6bive Voice, kltfxs, and not i>iliaa.ro in an un- 
 ufual Form. Or if he really left it, as it is now 
 read, which I hardly believe, it is not hkely 
 that he did it without the Authority of fome 
 Copies. On the former Suppoficion, it is a 
 probable dire£b Proof from the earlieft Citation 
 of the Text, that it was originally ixHria-aro in 
 the LXX Verfionj and at the fame time af- 
 fords an Inftance of the eafy interchange of 
 iK%rraro and iAlcaro j which later was, perhaps, 
 prefum'd to be right, becaufe conformable to 
 the modern Text of the LXX. And the later 
 Suppofition fhews, how early iKl'taaro, (put, no 
 doubt, for sM,1/i'c-aTo) by an eafy flip crept into 
 the Copies. And IjiIiWto, as unufual, would 
 of courfe be changed into sxHro-s, as it appears 
 at this Day. However, the two Words have 
 been interchanged elfewhere by a manifeft Error 
 of Copyifts : An Inftance of which we have j 
 Jer. xxxii. if. 'in Kli^rtaovlai dy^ci. k. t. s. 
 (Heb.^^ljlljp^ -ny) without all doubt, itfhould 
 be v^Ti^ri7o-r\a.i^ Fields Jloall he fur chafed^ or pof- 
 feffed J as appears by the Alexandrian Copy, and 
 the 45*^ Verfe of the fame Chapter. xAnd in 
 Pfal. civ. 24. it is obfervable, that >Odam^ is put 
 for xlr^'cTfcof, as the Hebrew Word fignifies, and 
 is render'd in the following Pfalm cv. 21 . And 
 yet tbis Error is fo antient, that it is got into 
 feveral old Verfions from the LXX. Indeed, 
 the Word (TOp) Gen. xiv. ip and 22, is para- 
 phrafed,in our modern Copies, by oV sjt'ltTs, -who 
 created Heaven and Earth y and it is by Creation 
 that God is become the Owner or Pojfejfor of 
 
 all 
 
( 173 ) 
 
 all Things. But 'tis very pofTible, this might 
 have been os iy.%(Ta.ro at fiilt, as the Word is 
 almofl: conftantly render'd in other Places : For 
 often the Senfe of the Places, as well as the 
 Affinity of the Words, has occafion'd their be- 
 ing interchanged by Copy ids, ignorant of the 
 Hebrew. He that pur chafed^ or pojffe (fed Heaven 
 and Earthy is an uncommon Expreilionj and 
 confequently would be apt to be changed into, 
 the Creator of Heaven and Earthy by which God 
 is commonly defcrib'd ''. Philo indeed has it 
 now, o\- sjclij-6 > but by his Paraphrafe of the 
 Words one would be apt to fuppofe, that he 
 had cf Ixlu'craTo in his Eye : Foi thus he makes 
 Abrahahi Ipeak j / vjill take nothing from you^ 
 but from God^ ivho is Pojfejjor of all 'Things '. 
 He (iiys, xliijutara. not xl/cr/jtaTcc. 
 
 However, if this Verfion of Prov. viii. 22. 
 be corrupted, it was done very early. And, 
 perhaps, this Change was owing to the Hellc' 
 nifiical l^'iN^ o'i. Alexandria^ who were tinftur'd, 
 with fome Speculations of the Platonic School, 
 and foon began to fpeak of divine Things in the 
 Diale<5t of Plato. Hence the Son o? Sirach has 
 thefc bold Exprcllions concernmg Wifdom : 
 
 ^ So the Greek Word uiZv, in Pfal. xvii. 14. was changed 
 into vu>v or luuv, becaufe being filled with Children, was an 
 ExprcfTion odd and unufual among the Greeks ; and by a very 
 fmali Alteration it was made to fignify being filled with Swine'' s 
 Flep or Park, which is an obvious expreflion, and reprefent- 
 ed the Perfons defcribed, as impious and abominable to the 
 yezvs. So this Reading is follow'd by both the Arabic Ver- 
 fions and the Roman Pfaltcr. Thus alfo, Salii ardore, was 
 changed into Solis ardore in the vulgar Latin, Deut. xxix. 23. 
 
 ' Philo Jud. de Tcmulent. p. 255. — 'Exy^i riiv x.^'i^'^ (A/h 
 
 TT^oi Toy Qio'i Tov y\f ifov, ej f»x«0"£ tbv iffawi'. K, T. f. 
 
 Et poll p-iuca : p. 256. B. —Oaf" w/aSv fX/tv eu^tv, vu^x 
 ^ Tcu Qtou Xyjyouteii, tu T« TKrTtt KT^fX/tCTfi, k, t, i. 
 
( -74 ) 
 
 w^ori^ct mdvlm i/li^ai ao^ta, fP'i/dom was creat- 
 ed before all 1'hiugs^ Ecclus. i. 4. And again : 
 Before all Ages^ even from the beginning he creat- 
 ed me^ faith PVifdom^ chap. xxiv. 14. And yet 
 they did not mean proper Creation by thefe Ex- 
 preflions, as may be obferved hereafter. 
 
 But whatever was the Original rendering of 
 this Vcrfe, it is certain moft of the Fathers read 
 snlfu-f in their Copies. For tho' Origen once has 
 this Paflage according to the Original % the Lord 
 fojfejj'ed me^ 6cc. And it is certain, he does not 
 cite the Words from any of the other famous 
 Greek Verfioiis, as may be obferved by compa- 
 ring them in the Margin^: Yet we cannot, per- 
 haps, with any Certainty infer from hence, that 
 he found it fo in any Copies of the LXX. He 
 might corre6t the vulgar Tranflation from the 
 Original, and by comparing the other Verfions 
 with it. And yet I think it not improbable, 
 that this learned and induftrious Father, who 
 was qualify'd to be the Author of that labori- 
 ous Work, called Hexapla and 05lapla^ might 
 have found it, as cited by him, in fome antient 
 and more corre6t MSS. But be this as it will, 
 lihall demonftrate, that the Fathers did not un- 
 derftand this Verfe in the Arian Senfe by two 
 Obfervations. 
 
 I . They did not take the Word WtSi in its 
 proper Senfe for creating. 
 
 *= Orig. Comment, in Mat. p. 470. Ed. Huet. 'O Bioi U- 
 xoii TT^o Tov citat^ f^ifji/i^iuTt fJiti h a^x^ *?" ''**' '^*"' V^' f «'?o-«<, 
 
 ». T. i. 
 
 ^ Aquila. Kt/f*®- iKTwxro jW/s d^^^tv xxTc^ua-f/^oiTuf 
 »vTcu. Sym. ^— ci^x*>» o^m uvraZ Tt^a r?5 l^yttfriae, urtrw. 
 
 They 
 
 
( 1>J ) 
 
 They might take itasexpreflive of the myfle- 
 rious Generation of the Sonj which they were 
 led to, not only by the Nature of the Subjeft, 
 biit by the Context it felf j for as it would be 
 a Coiitradi6tion to fay, JVifdom ivns credited be- 
 fore any tiling was made 5 fo the Word is ex- 
 plain'd by begetting^ v. i^. be fore all the Hills^ he 
 begat me. And Origen^ who was fo much fuf- 
 pe6ted of favouring the Notions afterwards em- 
 brac'd by the Avians^ tho' unjuflily, does yet ex- 
 plain this ExpreHloii of Begetting of eternal Ge- 
 neration 8} and compares it to the neccflary 
 Emanation of the Light or Brightnefs of the 
 Sun''. 
 
 And left any fliould wonder, that thii Expref- 
 fion of Creating^ and others of the like Import, 
 fhould feem tolerable, and capable of an Or- 
 thodox Meaning to the good Fathers, I would 
 defire the Reader to obferve, 
 
 I . That Generation in the common Accep- 
 tation is often expreffed in Words much to the 
 fame Purpofe. As reKvoTrouTv, creare^ procreare^ 
 facer e^ 8cc. We make Children^ faith TertuUian^ 
 even tho' we beget them\ The Inftances are 
 innumerable, and known even to School-boys; 
 fo that one would wonder what the Author of 
 the Difquifitiones Mode ft a meant by producing 
 
 ^ Comment, in Job. p. 3 1 . A. ett j to- i<o? j«.» s« a-u, iyu 
 
 •1)1*1*811 ytytvtvixM xrt, A/ytTeM !Tf«4 uvre* h^n roZ ©£ot/, a ccti 
 •r» 7» mi/A/i^at, eux tn rp itrTrt^ faiov, tyu ^ v,yufitcn crt euot 
 vguVx, ctXX' o (rvfjuvufitxliiiuv ri^ UytviiTai km «(<?!«» avrtu llui\, 
 » UTu^ uTTu, ;tjf6i'v^, tif/tifx tfiv civro) cnuiieov, tt » ysysvvsjT** « 
 
 Confer eundem Horn. 9. in Jereip. p. 106. 
 
 »" Ibid. 
 
 ' Adv. Hermog. C. 32. ■ Ut credas abyfTum quot[ue 
 genitam, id eft fadam, quia & filios facimus. Jicei gencre- 
 mus. 
 
 this 
 
( I7<5 ) 
 
 this Sentence out of La5laKtms, in favour of 
 jdriamjm^viz. Deus creatus fine opcre Gemtoris^^, 
 Words utterly uncapable of the falfe Meaning, 
 he intended his inadvertent Reader fhould fup-^ 
 pofe, they carry 'd in them ; for he put them in 
 another Character, and in his Reply to Dr. 
 fFaterland without blufhing fets down thefe. 
 Word?, Deus Great us"^^ as an Inftance of the 
 Son's being called a Greature^ with refpe6b to, 
 his divine Nature. But I am perfuaded, there' 
 is not an jirian in the World fo llupid, as to 
 refer this Expreflion, either to the Generation 
 of the Logos^ or to his being made God in their 
 Senfej for they fuppofeboth to be done by the 
 Father > and fo not fine opcre Genitoris^ ivithout 
 a Father. As the very mention of a Father car- 
 ries a reference to fome Birth 5 fo 'tis impofii- 
 ble the Words fhould refer to any thing, but 
 his being born of the Firgin^ in refpe6k of which 
 he was d-Trdroi^^ without Father. 
 
 z. The Fathers were accuftomed to the Lan- 
 guage of the Philofophers and others, whoex- 
 prefs'd the operation of neceflary Caufes by 
 Words of the like Import. Some of the Phi- 
 lofophers held, that there were feveral Beings, 
 among which fome reckon'd the World it felf, 
 that neceffarily^ and eternally co-exifted with God^ 
 and are therefore faid to be dyivvf\ra, of whofe 
 Exillence God is the Fountain : And yet he is 
 iHlcd their Caufe, Author^ Maker^ Scc. air/ce, 
 a(Tj(^5 -cSoxtcrU. v.. X. And is faid yevva v, -ara^a- 
 ysiv, 'wom'it Sec. to beget^ produce.^ make them, 
 ^C" And, which is Hill more furprifing, 
 
 they 
 
 ^ DIfquif. Mod. p. 1 01. 
 
 ' P- 74- 
 
 ^ Salluft. de Diis & mundo. C. 13. p. 266. 
 
 Hierocl. 
 
they fluck not to ufe the fiime Words concern- 
 ing the felf-exiflent Being, laying that he was 
 the Caufe of his own Beings fdf produced^ that 
 he made himfelf^ Sec. Concerning this, the Rea- 
 der may confult Plotinus ", and the Author of 
 the ^iiefliones ad Gr^cos^ among Juflin Martyr'' s 
 Works °. I fliould have incHned to put a fa- 
 vourable Conftru61:ion upon this odd Speculati- 
 on, which m its obvious Meaning is a down- 
 right Contradidtion : I have query'd, whether 
 they might not conceive of the Necejjity of the 
 Exijietjce of God, as Prior in order of Nature^ 
 not of Duration^ to the Being of God, exert- 
 ing it felf eternally in the aftual Exillencc of 
 God. And bccaufe every thing in God is God 
 himfelf, they might confider this NeceHity, as 
 God himfelf acting upon himfelf, and by an eter- 
 nal A6t neceflitating his own ExillenceP. But 
 Candor it felf can hardly frame an Excufe for 
 
 them. And, perhaps, this Speculation might 
 
 origi- 
 
 Hicrocl. de Provident, ex Phot. L. 2. p. 262. Ed. Necdh. 
 
 K«T* jsTtxv inwot XtyiTHH TCtHlW. X. T. t. 
 
 Qureil. ad Grsecos inter opera Juft. M. Quaeft. 2.«— — ttch? 
 reivvn [0 0£«?] tvv x-to-fijoi it etvrZ tjstco oTtiet^t. m—ytaii^^Tzi 
 xofTfAev ■jtcrloiv ctviiv iit], Kott e y.oa-^h'^ tZ [hii ctu (p^n^iT^xi 
 yt'vtTxi, r3 -j «i» ilvoii ecvTv\, iyi'yijr©- vtiu^^h, Qu3?ll. 3 -^i^ 
 6 &ICC i>cyin^T<^ av, xyiyyiiTUi TToiiT 7nx,vrx js yivcf/ztyx, otAAos 
 CvfV^t^-Xfjttivx. 
 
 Origen. Comment, in Jerem. Horn. 9. ad fin. p. 106. Ed. 
 Huet.— -^-i 7» (pai TToturtKcy tS xTTx-jyua-f^xr®^ . 
 
 " Plotin. Ennead. 6. L. 8. a Cap. 13. ad finem — C. 13. 
 p. "J ^% m^coTTt ccvrzv T£7reu)K£y«J xvrif, o Xiy(^ a'psy^w.— C.l 4. 
 
 KXt Ct-JTOfAjXTM X.Xt frVfjJ^XfTU eCiTlCV lOiVT^' ICXt TTUg XVTeZ, KM 
 
 JV eciz¥ etWo'?.— & Cap. feq. p. -50.— ■*'«''"« *V« oOr<^ !rctSf 
 ixu-nv Kxi >tJf«<^ ixvToZ. Sec. 
 
 " Qusft. 3. p. 224. Ed. Steph. — <5i«f •"' xvroTmexKlcv tlvxi 
 
 TJ)* Ol'dH. 
 
 P This, I think, is countenanc'd by Simp/Ii-ius''s Definition 
 of felf-exiftent Beings, viz. y?/r^ as have the Caufe or Ground 
 
 Aa of 
 
( 178 ) 
 
 orginally arife from the J^wi/^ Tradition of Ge^ 
 neration in God deliver'd obfcurely, and mifun- 
 derllood by the Philofophers. However that 
 be, I mention this here only to fhew, that the 
 Harfhnefs of fuch Expreflions was much foftcn'd, 
 and qualify'd to thole Fathers that were accuf- 
 tom'd to the Language of the Schools in their 
 Day : And having an Author or Caufe^ and be- 
 ing froduced^ was not infome Senfe apprehended 
 to be inconfiftent with the Idea of a neceflaiy 
 Being : And fincc they confider'd the Genera- 
 tion of the Logos as an eternal and neceflary E- 
 manation of the Son from the Father, 'tis a 
 Wonder they did not often ufe thefe Terms 
 to exprefs it. If it w^as commonly faid, ^hat 
 the felf-exiftent God was airi'^ lauTco t» «vat, 
 the Caufe of his own Beings no Wonder, that 
 Juftin Martyr^ a converted Philofopher, fhould 
 think the Son's eternal Generation of the Fa- 
 ther would authorife him, in faying, 'The Father 
 is the Caufe of the Son's Being % 6cc. a'tn^ a utoji 
 T8 sfvaj, ilj o^ma.T^i Kj Hy^i'ojj ;^ ©jco. \iJofephus 
 could conform to the Senle of the Schools, by 
 calling God fomewhere sgyov laurs, his own 
 
 of their Exiffence in themfehes, and not without them.y ■ 
 
 xut cvK i^ciiSiii. Comment, in Epift. p. 202. 
 
 So that, perhaps, the Philofophers might mean no more 
 than Dr. Clarke does in his Dcvionjlration a priori, tho' they 
 exprefs'd themfelves more uncautioully. Befides, 'tis poffi- 
 ble, that the Terms, at/Tcywl)?, <ii;Tr^tij);, See. fignifying no 
 more at firix than felf-exiflent, might, thi'o' the Miftake and 
 Subtilty of fome myftical Philofophers, produce this mon- 
 llrous Speculation of God^s caufing his own Exijlence. 
 
 And certainly LaFiantius did not take the Opinion of the 
 Philofophers right, who grofly adds to it, that God had a 
 beginning. De falsa Relig. L. i. p. 18. Ed. Cant, 
 ^q Con.Tryph.p. 358.D. 
 
 Work, 
 
( 179 ) 
 
 TVork^ and Plotinus faid, that the AH: oflVilling 
 is from God^and as it isjcre his IVork^ «■ >] (iii\r]7i: 
 sra^' a UTS, >y oiov i^yov axit^y we need not won- 
 der, that Tattan^ a Philofopher alfo, iTiould call 
 the Word^ an eternal Emanation of the infi- 
 nite Mind, or his being fent forth to create the 
 World, '^E^yovtfTgoJTOToxov T» -a^aT^oV, orrs Tirv?J» 
 fj.arQ^i as it is commonly read ^ And yet, when 
 Origen ventur'd to ufe the Word K^/fco, in this 
 Cafe, he was fo fcnfible of the Impropriety and 
 Harlhnefs of it, that he qualifies it by putting 
 in, if I may fo fpeak ". 
 
 3. But, I fuppofe, the Fathers generally took 
 the Senfe of the Word s vIkte, in Proverbs^ from 
 the Hellcnifiical Greek^ as figni tying to appoint 
 or confiitute. That it was commonly ufcd in 
 this Senfe, appears from feveral Paflages in Si- 
 racides^ Hate not laborious JVork^ faith he, and 
 Husbandry created^ (/. e. appointed) by the mofi 
 high"^. Again: Give place to the Phyjician, for 
 God hath created (ordained) him'*^. And the 
 Apoltle Peter's a vd-^WTr/vn Kl/cn? muft be taken in 
 the fame Senfe for an human Ordinance or Con- 
 flit utiony. Eufebius of defarea^ a Perfon well 
 vers'd in the Writings of the jlnte-nicene Fa- 
 
 ' Ennead. 6. L. 8. C 1 3. p. 748. 
 
 ^ Conf. Damaf. de Fid. Orth. L. i. C. viii. p. 133. >i fiyt* 
 yinrio-Ki ctyx^^®^ Kxi a'i^t^, (purta^ igyev eviru, xxi ix. t«5 ousixi 
 TS-^eUyua-ct, &c. 
 
 ' Orat. Con. Grarc p. 145. 
 
 " Comment, in Johan. p. 1 9. K«» Micliey or» tcl^Tea; (L. KTta-a^) 
 
 ■A. T. i. 
 
 ^^ Ecclus. vii. 17. Mo (jiji(ri(rv,i l^rrrevov i^yunxy, kxi ytwf- 
 yixv UTTO i'4'<V» iKTHTfjjiyyiv. 
 
 " Cap. 38. 12. K^t <«T^3 «5 TVTTcf, ftxi y^ xinit i»t«c8 
 xufi'^. Conf. V. I. 
 
 ^ I Pet. ii. 13. 
 
 A a J thers, 
 
( ISO ) 
 
 thers, and never fufpeded of Partiality to the 
 Orthodox in this Point, has, I think, truly re- 
 prefented the Senfe of the Antients in his Ex- 
 pofition of this Text in his Books againft Mar- 
 cellus ^. " Tho' he (the Son) fays^ he was created^ 
 faith he, fpeaking of this Text, he does not mean^ 
 as if he had come into Being out of a State of 
 Non-exijience^ or as if he alfo had been made out 
 of nothings like the other Creatures^ as fome have 
 erroneoufly imagined : But that having a Subfifience 
 and Life^ and being pre-exijient to the Creation 
 of the whole Worlds he was confiituted by the 
 Lord his own Father^ the Governor of the Uni- 
 verfe 5 creating being here put for confiituting and 
 appointing^ 6cc. Athenagoras alfo plainly applies 
 this Text to the Son's coming forth to create, 
 to which he was pre-exiftent, and expreflly 
 guards againft the Error of his being made, or 
 having a beginning of Exiftence". 
 
 2. 'Tis obvious to obferve from this Account 
 of the Text, that the Ante-nicene Writers did 
 not refer the force of the Verb sxHite, to xhtEf- 
 fence or Exijience of Wifdom, or the Logos^ but 
 to what immediately follows, 1^/2. what the Son 
 was made or appointed to be by the Father. For 
 they did not ftop at, the Lord created me^ or 
 
 j^ Con. Marcel. L. 3. &apudSocrat.H.E. L. 2. C.^2i. — 
 »('-) Atyj* tK-na-^xt s«f tbv, sir ac ix. reu ujy. cvt®^ ui it tlvxi zru- 
 
 «? u(pts-Ui U)U xaci tav, z^som rs kui zrfiovTretpy^m TKi "rou -mivr®^ 
 Koa-i/,^ <rv?xtnuc,' ec.ex.Ut jj tuv o>M7 vthi tou zv^m row ixvtou ttu- 
 
 r^Oi KXT(tTlTO!.yfJI,it<^' TOU iKTinv illTciuSx, OtyTl TOV XMTiTX%iV tj 
 
 KXTi^wiv iifitif/ijiiiii. Confule locum. 
 
 * Legat. pp. 38, 41. Ed. Oxon. neSrov ymtifjux iTveCi rS 
 
 >^oyu KM TV argo(P)}TiX9tr svtZfjitKy ^tyji©- y>, <pytTlt, iKTurt fi^i «!g- 
 
 > z read 
 
( I8l ) 
 
 read the Verfe, the Lord created me in the he- 
 ginning^ &c. But they carry'd on the Senfe 
 thus : 'the Lord created me the beginnings or 
 the Prince and Governor, (^c. There is as 
 much Difference between thefe two Expref- 
 lions, as between faying, The King created the 
 Honourable Mr. Bridges j jind this Expreflionj 
 The King created Mr, Bridges a Peer 0/ Great 
 Britain, or Duke of Chandois. '^^x^ "^^^^ ^^^" 
 derftood to be a Title of Honour belonging 
 to the Son, as the Head and Governor of the 
 whole Creation : Thus Philo flilcs the firft 
 of the two fupreme Powers, the Beginnings or 
 Principality^. It is plain therefore, that the 
 Meaning of the Text, according to the Fathers, 
 was, that the Son by the Father's Will went 
 forth to create the World, or the Father made 
 and conftitutcd him, who was ever with him, 
 the Creator and Lord of the Univerfe : So Eu- 
 febius expounds it, as we have fcen. Thus Chrift 
 is faid to be made unto us Wifdom^ &:c. i Cor. i. 
 30. And Hicroclcs fays, that the good Man 
 makes his Soul an Image of God^ and frames his 
 Mind to he a Temple for the Reception of the di- 
 vine Light ^. 
 
 '' De Sacrific. Abelis & Caini. p. 139. — ..'O ©m; ^«^: 
 
 (Pe^ifAit^ um Shut T»y etiurotTU SiimfAW*, 'Aex,*ii rt tcv x«t 
 uycc^BTHT<^. K. X. 
 
 " In Aur. Carm. p. 24. Ed.Nccdh. '0«y«A^« QiTop tiictcu- 
 Kwc T)»» ixvTH 4't/;^;H^', iuu v«ev tic 'u7lchx,r,i tJ ^dt ^mii^ Tit 
 
 FINIS. 
 
BOOKS Trinted for John Clark 
 and Richard Hett, at the Bible 
 and Crown in the Poultry. 
 
 I. nr^Hirtcen Sermons concerning the Doc- 
 1 trine of the Trinity. Preached at the 
 Merchants-Ledure^at S alters- Hall. Together 
 with a Vindication of that celebrated Text, 
 I John V. 7. from being fpurious j and an Ex- 
 plication of it, upon the Suppofition of its be- 
 ing Genuine : In four Sermons, preach'd at the 
 fame Lecture, ^«. i/ip, 1720. By Edmund 
 Calamy, D. D. 
 
 II. The Doftrine of the blefled Trinity ftated 
 and defended by fome London Minifters. 
 
 III. The Chriftian Dodrine of the Trinity > 
 or Father, Son, and Spirit, three Perfons and 
 one God, aflerted and proved -, with their di- 
 vine Rights and Honours vindicated by plain 
 Evidence of Scripture, without the Aid or In- 
 cumbrance of human Schemes. Written chiefly 
 for the ufe of private Chriftians. By I. Watts. 
 
 IV. By the fame Author j feven Diflertations 
 on the tame Subjcd. In Tv70 Piirts. 
 
 V.A 
 
V. A Vindication of the true Deity of our 
 blefled Saviour j in Anfwer to a Pamphlet, in- 
 titled, An humble Enquiry into the Scripture 
 Account of Jcfus Chrift, ^c. By Joseph 
 B o Y s E. The Third Edition. 
 
 VI. Twenty-eight Sermons concerning Of- 
 fences, Revilings, and a Confcflion of Faith 5 
 preach 'd at Pinners- Hall. 
 
 VIL The Power of Chrift over Plagues and 
 Health, and his Name, as the God of Jfrael^ 
 confider'd j as Arguments of his fuprcmeDeicy. 
 In ten Sermons j the two laft by Thomas 
 Bradbury. 
 
 VIII. An Attempt to prove the Godhead of 
 Chrift, byfettlingthe ScnfcofafingleTextji;/^. 
 John XX. 28. My Lord and my God. In a Ser- 
 mon preach'd at Norivkh^ Feb. 17, I72f-<S. By 
 Thomas Scott. With a Preface by the Re- 
 verend Mr. I. Watts. 
 
 IX. The Holy Spirit a divine Perfon ; or 
 the Do6lrine of his Godhead reprefented, as evi- 
 dent and important, in feveral pra6tical Sermon?, 
 on I Cor. xii. 11. By John Gu yse. 
 
 X. Some plain and fhort Arguments from 
 Scripture, proving the Lord Jefus Chrift to be 
 the fupveme God, or one and the dime God 
 with the Father, notwithftanding his acknow- 
 ledged Inferiority to the Father, with refpe6t 
 to his human Nature and Mediatorftiip. The 
 feventh Edition. Price zd.ov izs.-x Hundred. 
 
 Jn 
 

 Jn the Prefs^ and-will portly be fuhViJloed^ 
 
 I. Sermons on various Subje6ts. Vol. III. 
 By the Reverend Mr. I. Watts. 
 
 z. Several Difcourfes on Juftification. By the 
 late Reverend Richard Tayi.or, A. M. 
 
t 
 
\ ■'' \ ,o'i!.;'^