I have all along argued from the Medicean edition of St Ignatius's Epistles, first given to the world by the learned ISAAC VOSSIUS, afterwards adopted by the judicious USHER, nobly vindicated by the accurate PEARSON, and universally received, as the only genuine edition, by all the learned men whose opinions I have been now discussing. For, upon the footing of the Vossian, (as they all admit), being the true edition, I feel no hesitation in saying, that, as the language of eternal generation' was not the language of St Ignatius, so the doctrine of ⚫ eternal generation' could not be the doctrine of that distinguished primitive writer. While, on the other hand, upon Mr Whiston's supposition, that the old and larger edition is the true one, and that this great man's epistles were, by the Athanasians, both abridged and altered, to prove the deity of Christ, I am, with equal confidence, ready to assert, that, without having recourse to the doctrine of‘eter'nal generation' at all, this fundamental article of our faith God manifest in the flesh'-can be both proved, and defended. LET 86 LETTER IV. NEXT to the epistles of St Ignatius, the Apostolical Constitutions," as they have been unduly termed, are regarded by the advocates of ⚫ eternal generation,' as countenancing that doctrine. In this huge bundle of utilia et inepta,' which seems to be a compilation by different hands, and at different periods, within the first three or four centuries, I do not deny, that frequent mention is made of a sort of eternal generation,' and that no small stress is laid on it. But the doctrine, as espoused by the author of the Constitutions, is found to be clogged with such additions and restrictions, as have caused its modern abettors to stumble not a little. For instance, in the article of the Creed, which treats of our Saviour, the author of the Constitutions' says" I believe, and am baptized into the Lord Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, the first-born of the whole creation 66 από τον προ αιώνων ευδοκια τα πατρος γεννηθεντα (8 κτισθεντα) begotten before the ages by the good pleasure of "the Father-not made." This last expression Mr Whiston and the Arian party reject, as an interpoOn the other hand, Dr Bull produces the betα, not made, when arguing against D 2 Sandius, 66 66 lation. words 8 — 66 Sandius, the Arian; and says, that they cannot be reconciled with his tenets, by any argument which does not deserve to be laughed at'. Yet Dr Bull omits * γεννηθεντα ευδοκια τα πατρον Begotten by the good pleasure of the Father;" 'probably for the reason, which the French Huguenot Daillé has assigned, when he calls this clause" durissima et ab apostolicæ doctrinæ charactere aliena-most harsh "and contrary to the character of apostolic doctrine" a description just enough, if divine generation" be apostolic doctrine, and if it also be, as its maintainers say it is, not voluntary, but natural and necessary. 66 -- Again, in the draught of a liturgy, contained in the " Apostolical Constitutions," we meet with the following language" auToy de TIGO πaνT WV ALWYWY yɛve αυτον δε προ παντων αιωνων γεν νησας βάλησει και δυναμει και αγαθότητι,” &c. Thou "didst beget him by thy will and power, and goodness, before all ages." Here the doctrine of necessary generation, of which I see not how, in any case, the mind can form an idea, is still more ef fectually combated. Accordingly we find the venerable Bishop Rattray omitting the words just quoted, in his valuable collection of ancient liturgies, for the following reason-" because the compiler of "the Apostolic Constitutions seems to me to have so tampered with the long thanksgiving, that it is not 1 Dr Bull, Defensio, &c. Sect. II. c. 3. § 6. 1 "not easy to distinguish his additions and alterations "from what has been originally in it';" asserting in another place, "that these alterations appear to "have been made to serve an hypothesis, and to "make the liturgy more consistent with the Arian "scheme "." I contend, however, that, if the Apostolical Constitutions' be thought worthy of being cited in defence of the doctrine of eternal generation,' they ought to be taken as they stand, without those purgations and restrictions to which they have been so liberally subjected. For it appears to me, upon my hypothesis, completely practicable, to adjust every "harsh" expression, which has offended the modern enemies of Arianism, and shew the language of the Constitutions to be both opposite to, and destructive of, the Arian scheme. Dr Bull and his friends acknowledge that the Ante-Nicene Fathers believed a "goλv5-going forth" of the Logos 66 Про πgо τwу avv-before the ages." This they called a Yewnois-generation," and took it, among other acceptations, to be a prelude of the promised incarnation. May not this yewnois-generation,' therefore, be very properly ascribed to the "donia Tαευδοκια Tgos-the good pleasure of the Father?" "ova o vi σε με το αγαπητος, εν σοι ηυδόκησα 3« Thou art my beloved Son, in thee I am well pleased," being the 66 3. very See the Ancient Lit. &c. p. 11. 2 Preface to Ditto, Note p. 6. 3 St. Luke iii, 22. very language of heaven, out of which, as the espousers of the doctrines of Arius cannot draw any inference, which can give authority to these doctrines, so cannot the espouser of eternal—that is, essential-generation, draw any inference corroborative of such a tenet. But from the "Apostolical Constitutions," where there appears to me to be little decisive on either side, the next step of enquiry brings us to the COUNCIL of NICE, that venerable convocation of Bishops, many of whom had been confessors for the faith under the recent persecutions, and all of them were now assembled from every part of the christian world, by the indulgence of their respective civil rulers, in order to settle the government, regulate the discipline, and declare the faith of the christian church. The Creed, composed by this numerous assembly, and published under its authority, has been very properly, and almost universally, received as the standard of what is called orthodory; and, under this character, has been boldly laid claim to, as teaching, in the article of our Lord Jesus Christ, none other doctrine than the doctrine of "eternal generation." Before, however, proceeding to discuss this claim, I have some preliminary observations to make, not unworthy, I trust, of the theological student's notice. The members of the Nicene Council, be it remembered, were placed in a most embarassing predicament-gathered, as they were, from all quarters of |