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dent, and self-existent God, but appropriated it to that other subordinate deity, whom they fancied to be the creator of the universe; and unto whom for this reason they attributed the very word "almighty," which is in the creed. As for the true and supreme God, they con fined him within their feigned plenitude, im agining him there to live in ease and quiet, in rest and silence; that as he did not make the world, so neither was he in any manner concerned about the guidance and direction there. of; therein agreeing, as Irenæus observes, "with the Epicureans; and being full with the spirit of the Devil, they invented a father, neither taking care, nor providing about those things that relate unto us."

And as for the Marcionites, they did not only, as it hath been already related, introduce two eternal causes, God and the Devil, and ascribe the creation of the world unto the latter; but they also attributed the rule and government thereof unto him, calling him for that reason, as Irenæus informs us, Cosmocrator, or the ruler of the world: whereas, as the said father excellently well proves in opposition thereunto, the Devil hath no natural and lawful authority over man, the chief inhabitant of this inferior world, and the principle subject of divine providence here below; that

whatsoever dominion he hath, it is all usurp ed, obtained through that apostasy and rebel lion into which he drew mankind with him. self; that the Lord Jesus Christ hath undertaken for the rescue and delivery of human na◄ ture, and in that nature he hath in his own person already conquered and subdued the Devil, wresting his unjust power and dominion from him; and that in his own appointed time, he will enable all his members to do the same, to tread down satan under their feet, personally and particularly for themselves.

That which gave occasion to this and other heresies of the like nature, was their setting up an odd and incomprehensible notion of good and evil: for they imagining, bonity and pravity not to be affections or qualities of beings, but beings themselves; that all natures were substantially evil, or substantially good; and consequently apprehending the necessity of an origin or maker suitable to these different essences, they introduced two eternal causes, God and the Devil; the one essentially good, author of all created good, and the gov ernor and ruler thereof; the other essentially evil, author of all created evil, and the governor and ruler thereof: so that not only the creation, but also the providence of God was blasphemed by these Marcionites, in allotting

unto the Devil the rule and government of this inferior world, at least of the greatest part thereof; which latter words I add, because those of them who maintained three eternal

principles, allowed unto the supreme God since the promulgation of the gospel, the con duct and gubernation of the Christians: As when Megethius, a Marcionite of this sect, affirmed, that" there were three principles;" Adamantius replied unto him, "that according to his apprehension, the word Arke, or principle came from dia to arkein tinos, from a persons ruling and governing; and therefore he would willingly know of him, over whom these three principles did preside:" Unto which Megethius answers, that "the good principle rules the Christians, the maker of the world the Jews, and the evil principle, the heathens." So that even this sect of those heretics, who acknowledged some part of God's dominion and providence, did so far blaspheme it, as that they made the extent thereof very narrow and inconsiderable, much beneath what the scripture saith of it; that [Psal. ciii. 19.] "his kingdom ruleth over all ;” that not only the [Psal. Ixxxix. 11.]“ heavens, but the earth also is his, [Psal. xxiv. 1.] with the fulness whereof, the world, and they that dwell therein." Wherefore, in the dialogues of O

rigen, after Eutropius had fully heard the dis putation between the orthodox Christian, and the two Marcionites, he adjudges the victory to the former, and ratifies his confession of faith, that there was but one God," who ru, leth over all, whom nothing can oppose, and unto whose will nothing can resist :" and where he again repeats the substance of the creed, he explains God's almightiness, by "all things being subject unto him;" which, with what hath been said before, sufficiently proves, that this epithet of almighty in the creed includes, in opposition to the Gnostics and Márcionites, the dominion, rule and authority of the one only God, and his providential dispo sal of all affairs and events in the world.

But, thirdly, there is yet another interpre tation of this word almighty, which is, that it signifies God's immensity, infiniteness, or om nipresency; that he is every where, and in every place; that he contains all things, and is himself contained of none; that he is immeasurable, incircumscriptible, without bounds or limits, which was also designed against the Gnostics; for these monstrous and abominable blasphemers supposed a certain space or plenitude, called in Greek Pleroma, far above this inferior world, bounded by a certain being called Horos; or that I may speak it in

plain English, terminated and environed by a circle within the sides whereof the supreme and incomprehensible God was contained, and never came out from thence to take notice of the affairs of this lower region, but satisfied himself in rest and silence with the other Aions in those vast and ineffable spaces limited by that circle which did encompass it, Such, base and contemptible thoughts did these deluded wretches entertain concerning the divine majesty, whose greatness is incomprehensible, his being infinite, and essence unmeasurable, [Isa. xl. 12.] who "hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with his span, and comprehends the dust of the earth in a measure;" who, as Irenæus writes, "fills both heaven and hell, and is with every one of us." Whosoever would see any more of this blasphemous frenzy, with a solid confutation thereof, he may find enough of it in the five books of Irenæus, and partic ularly in the places quoted in the margin.

But that which is pertinent to the matter in hand, is, that the fathers levelled this clause of God's almightiness in the creed, against this impious heresy, and therefore we find that Adamantius, an orthodox Christian, sus pecting probably Marinus a Bardesianist, to incline to these Gnostical dotages, asked him,

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