From These and Other the like Expreffions in Scripture and the First Writers of the Church, fome of the Antients took occafion to fpeak as if the Son of God was produced by the Father just before the Creation of the World; As Lactantius, lib. 4, cap. 6, Deus igitur machinator, conftitutorque rerum; antequam præclarum hoc opus munai adoriretur; fanctum, incorruptibilem Spiritum genuit, quem filium nuncuparet ; i, c, God, the Maker and Former of all things, before he began this admirable Workmanship of the World, begat a Holy Incorruptible Spirit, whom he called his Son:] And Others feem to have imagined unintelligibly, that (the λy die) the Internal Reafon and Wifdom of God, was, a little before the Creation of the World, begotten into a Perfon; [As Athenagoras, Tatian, and Theophilus.] But the Words of Scripture, neither give any Ground for fuch Metaphyfical Speculations; neither, when they declare the Generation of the Son, do they ever express any Li "mitation of Time or particular Manner of Production but only affure us, that He WAS in the Beginning, and WAS with God, and WAS before all things, and was the First-born of every Creature. ; Upon the whole, Nothing can be better expreft on this Head, than Ireneus has done it in the following Words: If any one (faith he) ask us, How then was the Son inproduced by the Father? We answer, that the Generation of the Son, whether you call it his being Produced, or Begotten, or Spoken forth, [with regard to his Name, the Word;] or Born, [allu Siquis nobis dixerit, Quomodo ergò Filius prolatus a patre eft? dicimus ei, quia Prolationem iftam, five Ge nerationem, five Nuncupationem, five Adapertionem, aut quomodolibet quis Nomine vocaverit, generationem ejus inenarrabilem exiftentem nemo novir; non Valentinus, non Marcion, neque ding, as I fuppofe, to neque Saturninus, neque Ba- 938. Col. i; 19, 20. For it pleafed the Father, that in Him fhould all Fulness dwell: 939. 940. by him to reconcile all things to See No 188, 642. ii 12. The operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. 15. Having spoiled Principalities and Powers, he made a fhew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. † So our Tranflators render it; But in the Greek it is, in Him, viz. in Chrift. For fo the Conftruction of the fore-going words, requires it to be underftood: God raifed Him [Christ] from the dead: And you bath he quickned together with him; blotting out the hand-writing nailing it to [save, not His Cross, as we render it, for the Apoftie is fpeaking of God the Father: But] the Cross, viz, the Crofs of Chrift; ] And having Spoiled Principalities and Powers, he made a fhew of them openly, [θριαμβεύσας αὐτές ἐν αὐτῷ] lea ding them in Triumph in (or by) Him; viz. caufing Chrift to lead them in Triumph. 941. Col. iii, 1. Where Chrift fitteth on the right hand of God. 942. I Thefi, 10. Whom He raised from the Dead. 943. us Chrift. V, 9 God hath appointed to obtain Salvation, by our Lord Jefus 944. 2 Thefii, 14. He [viz. God] called you, to the obtaining of the Glory of our Lord Jefus Chrift. 945. 1 Tim. vi; 14, 15, 16. Until the appearing of our Lord Jefus Chrift; Which in his Times He fhall fhew, who is the Blessed and Only Potentate, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Who only hath Immortality, dwelling in the Light which no man can approach unto, whom no man hath seen or can fee, to whom be Honour and Power everlasting, Amen. 946. 2 Tim. i, 1: 947. Paul an Apostle of Jefus Chrift, by the Will of God, according to the Promife of Life, which is in Chrift jefus. 8, 9. God, who hath faved us, ac according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus. 948. Tit. iii; 4, 6. The Kindness and Love of God tour Saviour; - which He fhed on us abundantly, through Jefus Chrift our Saviour. + See N° 244. 949. Heb. i; 1, 2, God 950. hath in these laft days fpoken unto us by his Son; Whom he hath appointed Heir of all things, by whom alfo He made the Worlds. 3, &c. Who being the Brightness [awaizaoμa, a bright Ray] of his Glory, and the exprefs Image of his Person, and upholding all things by the Word of his Powfat down on the right hand of the er; Majefty on high. Being made fo much better than the Angels, as he hath by Inheritance obtained a more excellent Name than they. For unto which of the Angels faid he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again; I will be to him a Father, and he fhall be to me a Son? And again, when he bringeth in the firf begotten into the World, he faith, &c. iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oyl of gladness above thy fellows, &c. But to which of the Angels faid he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine Enemies thy footstool? 951. Heb ii; 5, 8. Unto the Angels hath he not put in Subjection the World to come ;-But 952. 953. 954. 955. 956. Thou haft put all things in Subjection under His (viz. Chrifts] feet. 9. That He [Jefus ] by the Grace [the gracious Will and Pleasure] of God, fhould tafte Death for every man. 11. For, both he that fanctifieth, and they who are fanctified, viz. Chrift and all good Chriftians,] are all of One, [viz. of God; for which cause he is not ashamed to call them Brethren. 13. Behold, I [viz. Chrift,] and the Children which God hath given me. 17. That he [viz. Chrift] might be a merciful and faithful High-Prieft, in things pertaining to God. iii; 1, 2. The Apoftle and HighPrieft of our Profeffion, Chrift Jesus; Who was Faithful to him that appointed him, |