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mony of the ancient fathers,* we may well ascribe unto God the Father, in the explication of this article, the dominion over all, and the rule and government of all.

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

What the nature of this authoritative power is, we shall the more clearly understand, if we first divide it into three degrees or branches of it: the first whereof we may conceive, a right of making and framing any thing which he willeth, in any manner as it pleaseth him, according to the absolute freedom of his own will; the second, a right of having and possessing all things so made and framed by him, as his own, properly belonging to him, as to the Lord and Master of them, by virtue of direct dominion; the third, a right of using and disposing all things so in his possession, according to his own pleasure. The first of these we mention only for the necessity of it, and the dependence of the other two upon it. God's actual dominion being no otherwise necessary, than upon supposition of a precedent act of creation; because nothing, before it hath a being, can belong to any one, neither can any propriety be imagined in that which hath no entity.

considers those vulgar terms of their politics, δημοκρατία, and ἀριστοκρατία, from whence it appears that porongaria might as well have been used as μοναρχία: and in that sense αὐτοκράτως is the proper title given by the Greeks to the Roman emperor, as not only the latter historians, but even the coins of Julius Cæsar witness. Hesych. Αὐτοκράτως, αὐτεξούσιες, κοσμοκράτως : because the Roman emperor was ruler of the known world. So the devils or princes of the air are termed by St. Paul, noozgározɛs, Eph. vi. 12. which is all oue with ἄρχοντες τοῦ κόσμου, as will appear, John xii. 31. xiv. 30. xvi. 11. As therefore Ker; signifieth of itself rule and authority, Hesych. Κράτος, βασιλεία, ἐξουσία· Κράτει, ἀρχῇ, ἐξουσία. to which sense Eustathius hath observed Homer led the following writers by those words of bis, σὰν δὲ κράτος αἰὲν ἀέξειν, Iliad. m. v. 214. τὸ μὲν κράτος συλλαμβάνεταί τι τοῖς ὕστερον τὴν βασιλείαν κράτος λέγουσι whence Eschylus calls Agamemnon and Menelaus δίθρονον κράτος ̓Αχαιών, Agum. 42. and Sophocles after him, δικρατεῖς ̓Ατρείδας, Aj. 251. and as ngarav to rule or govern, (Κρατεί, κυριεύει, ἄρχει from whence Κρατὺς, ἄρχων, ἐξουσιάζων·) so also in composition, marronparwg, the ruler of all.

Па

τοκράτωρ, ὁ Θεὸς πάντων κρατῶν. Hesych. Παντοκρατορία, πανταρχία. Suid.

* Αἱρετικοὶ οὐκ οἴδασιν ἕνα παντοκράτορα Θεόν· παντοκράτωρ γάρ ἐστιν ὁ παντων κρατών, ὁ πάντων ἐξουσιάζων. οἱ δὲ λέγοντες τὸν μὲν εἶναι τῆς ψυχῆς δεσπότην, τὸν δὲ τοῦ σώματ τος, οὐ τέλειον λεγουσιν· ὁ γὰρ ψυχῆς ἐξουσίαν ἔχων, σώματος δὲ ἐξουσίαν μὴ ἔχων, πῶς παντοκράτως, καὶ ὁ δεσπότης σωμάτων, μὴ ἐξουσιάζων δὲ πνευμάτων, πῶς παντοκράτως ; S. Cyril. Hieros. Catech. 8. '526 yàp Tà πῦρ ἰσχυρότατον τῶν στοιχείων, καὶ πάντων κρατοῦν, οὕτω καὶ ὁ Θεὸς παντοδύναμος καὶ παντοκράτως, ὁ δυνάμενος κρατῆσαι, ποιῆσαι, τρέφειν, αὔξειν, σώζειν, σώματος καὶ ψυχῆς iouslav Exwv. Theodotus apud Cl. Alex. ex Ser. Proph. Ecl. c. 26. p. 804. Unus est Dominus Jesus Christus per quem Deus Pater dominatum omnium tenet; unde et sequens sermo Omnipotentem pronunciat Dominum. Omnipotens autem ab eo dicitur, quod omnium teneat potentatum.' Ruffin. in Symb. §. 6.

† Εξουσία. Luke xii. 5. Acts i. 7. Jude 25. Rev. v. 13.

† Ας της κύριος, δεσπότης. Εν μὲν τὸ κυρίως καὶ πρώτως ὂν, οὗ ἐν τῇ χειρὶ πάντα, καὶ ὃς πάντων δεσπόζει· τὰ γὰς σύμπαντα δοῦλά σα. Phat. Εp. 162.

But the second branch or absolute dominion of this Almighty, is farther to be considered in the independency and infinity of t. First, it is independent in a double respect, in reference both to the original, and the use thereof. For God hath received no authority from any, because he hath all power originally in himself, and hath produced all things by the act of his own will, without any commander, counsellor, or coadjutor. Neither doth the use or exercise of this dominion depend upon any one, so as to receive any direction or regulation, or to render any account of the administration of it; as being illimited, absolute, and supreme, and so the fountain from whence all dominion in any other is derived. Wherefore he being the "God of gods," is also the " Lord of lords, and King of kings," the "only Potentate ;"* because he alone hath all the power of himself, and whosoever else hath any, hath it from him, either by donation or permission.

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The infinity of God's dominion, if we respect the object, appears in the amplitude or extension; if we look upon the manner, in the plenitude or perfection; if we consider the time, in the eternity of duration. The amplitude of the object is sufficiently evidenced by those appellations which the Holy Writ ascribeth unto the Almighty, calling him the "Lord of heaven," the Lord of the whole earth," the "Lord of heaven and earth;"+ under which two are comprehended all things both in heaven and earth. This Moses taught the distrusting Israelites in the wilderness: 'Behold the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the Lord's thy God, the earth also with all that is therein." (Deut. x. 14.) With these words David (Psal. lxxxix. 11.) glorifieth God: "the heavens are thine, the earth also is thine," so acknowledging his dominion; "as for the world and the fulness thereof, thou hast founded them," so expressing the foundation or ground of that dominion. And yet more fully, at the dedication of the offerings for the building of the Temple, to shew that what they gave was of his own, he saith, "Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine. Thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all. Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all." (1 Chron. xxix. 11, 12.) If then we look upon the object of God's dominion, it is of that amplitude and extension, that it includeth. and comprehendeth all things; so that nothing can be imagined which is not his, belonging to him as the true owner and

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proprietor, and subject wholly to his will as the sole governor and disposer: in respect of which universal power we must confess him to be Almighty.

If we consider the manner and nature of this power, the plenitude thereof or perfection will appear: for as in regard of the extension, he hath power over all things; so in respect of the intention, he hath all power over every thing, as being absolute and supreme. This God challenged to himself, when he catechized the prophet Jeremy in a potter's house, saying, "O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the Lord. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in my hand, O house of Israel." (Jer. xviii. 6.) That is, God hath as absolute power and dominion over every person, over every nation and kingdom on the earth, as the potter hath over the pot he maketh, or the clay he mouldeth. Thus are we wholly at the disposal of his will, and our present and future condition framed and ordered by his free, but wise and just, decrees. "Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?" (Rom. ix. 21.) And can that earth-artificer have a freer power over his brother potsherd (both being made of the same metal), than God hath over him, who by the strange fecundity of his omnipotent power, first made the clay out of nothing, and then him out of that?

The duration of God's dominion must likewise necessarily be eternal, if any thing which is be immortal. For, being every thing is therefore his, because it received its being from him, and the continuation of the creature is as much from him as the first production; it followeth that so long as it is continued it must be his, and consequently, being some of his creatures are immortal, his dominion must be eternal. Wherefore St. Paul expressly calleth God" the King eternal," (1 Tim. i. 17.) with reference to that of David, "thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations." (Psal. cxlv. 13.)† And Moses in his Song hath told us, "the Lord shall reign for ever and ever:" (Exod. xv. 18.) which phrase for ever and ever in the original signifieth thus much, that there is no time to come assignable or imaginable, but after and beyond that God shall reign.

The third branch of God's authoritative or potestative power consisteth in the use of all things in his possession, by virtue of his absolute dominion. For it is the general dictate of reason, that the use, benefit, and utility of any thing, redoundeth unto him whose it is, and to whom as to the proprietor it

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belongeth. It is true indeed, that God, who is all-sufficient and infinitely happy in and of himself, so that no accession ever could or can be made to his original felicity, cannot receive any real benefit and utility from the creature. "Thou art my Lord (saith David), my goodness extendeth not to thee." (Psal. xvi. 2.)* And therefore our only and absolute Lord, because his goodness extendeth unto us, and not ours to him, because his dominion is for our benefit, not for his own for us who want, and therefore may receive: not for himself who cannot receive, because he wanteth nothing, whose honour standeth not in his own, but in our receiving.t

But though the universal Cause made all things for the benefit of some creatures framed by him, yet hath he made them ultimately for himself; and God is as universally the final as the efficient cause of his operations. The apostle hath taught us, that not only "of him," and "by him," as the first author, but also "to him," and "for him," as the ultimate end," are all things." (Rom. xi. 36. 1 Cor. viii. 6. Heb. ii. 10.) And it is one of the proverbial sentences of Solomon, "The Lord hath made all things for himself, yea even the wicked for the day of evil." (Prov. xvi. 4.) For though he cannot receive any real benefit or utility from the creature, yet he can and doth in a manner receive that which hath some similitude or affinity with it. Thus God "rejoiceth," (Psal. civ. 31.) at the effects of his wisdom, power, and goodness, and taketh delight in the works of his hands. Thus doth he order and dispose of all things unto his own glory, which redoundeth from the demonstration of his attributes.

An explicit belief of this authoritative power and absolute dominion of the Almighty is necessary, First, for the breeding in us an awful reverence of his majesty, and entire subjection to his will. For to the highest excellency the greatest honour, to the supreme authority the most exact obedience is no more than duty. If God be our absolute Lord, we his servants and vassals, then is there a right in him to require of us whatsoever

Ille nostra servitute non indiget, nos vero dominatione illius indigemus, ut operetur et custodiat nos: et ideo verus et solus est Dominus, qui non illi ad suam, sed ad nostram utilitatem salutemque, servimus. Nam si nobis indigeret, eo ipso non verus Dominus esset, cum per nos ejus adjuvaretur necessitas, sub qua et ipse serviret.' S. August. de Gen. ad lit. l. viii. c. 11. Dixi Domino, Deus meus es tu: quare? quoniam bonorum non eges. Ille non eget nostri, nos egemus ipsius; ideo verus Dominus. Nam tu non valde verus Dominus servi tui; ambo homines, ambo egentes Deo. Si vero putas egere tui servum tuum, ut des panem ; eges et tu servi

tui, ut adjuvet labores tuos. Uterque vestrum altero vestrum indiget: itaque nullus vestrum vere dominus, et nullus vestrum vere servus. Audi verum Dominum, cujus verus es servus, Dixi Domino, Deus meus es tu: quare tui dominus? quoniam bonorum meorum non eges.' Id. ad Psal. Ixix.

† Τιμὴν ποιεῖται τοῦ ἀνενδεοῦς τὴν τῶν ἀπ ἐκείνου προτεινομένων ἀγαθῶν ὑποδοχήν. Hierocl, in Aurea Cur. p. 22. ed. prin. And again: Οστις τιμᾷ τὸν Θεὸν ὡς προσδεόμενον, οὗτος λέληθεν οἰόμενος ἑαυτὸν τοῦ θεοῦ εἶναι κρείττονα.

p. 25.

† Ἡμεῖς δὴ μεγάλοιο Διὸς πειθώμεθα βουλῇ, *Ος πᾶσι θνητοῖσι καὶ ἀθανάτοισιν ἀνάσσει Hom. ll. M. 241.

we can perform, and an obligation* upon us to perform whatsoever he commandeth. Whosoever doth otherwise, while he confesseth, denieth him; while he acknowledgeth him with his tongue, he sets his hand against him. "Why call ye me Lord, Lord (saith our Saviour), and do not the things which I say?" (Luke vi. 46.)

Secondly, This belief is also necessary to breed in us equanimity and patience in our sufferings, to prevent all murmuring, repining, and objecting against the actions or determinations of God, as knowing that he, who is absolute Lord, cannot abuse his power; he, whose will is a law to us, cannot do any thing unwisely or unjustly. "Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth: shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou?" (Isa. xlv. 9.) But let the man after God's own heart rather teach us humble and religious silence. "I was dumb (saith he), and opened not my mouth, because thou didst it." (Psal. xxxix. 9.) When Shimei cast stones at him, and cursed him, let us learn to speak as he then spake: "The Lord hath said unto him, Curse David: who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so?" (2 Sam. xvi. 10.)

Thirdly, The belief of God's absolute dominion is yet farther necessary to make us truly and sufficiently sensible of the benefits we receive from him, so as by a right value and estimation of them to understand how far we stand obliged to him. No man can duly prize the blessings of heaven, but he who acknowledgeth they might justly have been denied him; nor can any be sufficiently thankful for them, except it be confessed that he owed him nothing who bestowed them.

But as the original word for Almighty is not put only for the Lord of Hosts, but often also for the Lord Shaddai; so we must not restrain the signification to the power authoritative, but extend it also to that power, which is properly operative, and executive. In the title of the Lord of Sabaoth we understand the rule and dominion of God, by which he hath a right of governing all: in the name Shaddai we apprehend an infinite force and strength, by which he is able to work and perform all things. For whether we take this word in composition, as signifying the All-sufficient; whosoever is able to suppeditate all things to the sufficing all, must have an infinite power or whether we deduce it from the root denoting vastation or destruction; whosoever can destroy the being of

Ἐμοὶ πόλις ἐστὶ καὶ καταφυγὴ καὶ νόμος
Καὶ τοῦ δικαίου τοῦ τ ̓ ἀδίκου παντὸς κριτὴς
Ο δεσπότης· πρὸς τοῦτον ἕνα δεῖ ζῆν ἐμέ.
Servus apud Menand, ap. Stob. Flor.

tit. 62.

So R. Solomon will have it compounded of the pronoun and T, T

because in God there is באלהותי לכל בריד

sufficiency, that is, sufficient power over every creature: from whence the LXX. Ruth i. 20, 21. Job xxi. 15. xxxi. 2. translate it inavos, as Symmachus, Job xxii. 3. and Aquila with him, Ezek. i. 24.

‡TTY vastavit, destruxit, perdidit; from whence the destroyer; and because utter destruction requireth power equi

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