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his will." Again he observes, "The divine Word says, that what is said, though it is in itself true, and is fit to persuade, yet is not sufficient to reach the human soul, εαν μη και δύναμις τις Θεω εκδοθη, unless a certain power is given from God to him that speaks,' and grace flourishes in what is said: and this is not without God, in them who speak with energy." To which may be added the following expressions of hist: "Now the word of his preaching is known to all, so that it is received by very many, almost in all the world; that they may understand what are believed, not by persuasory words of wisdom, but by demonstration of the Spirit and power; wherefore they may conclude they are brought to faith and credulity, cœlesti virtute imo etiam plusquam cœlesti, by a heavenly power, yea, by more than a heavenly one." Once more: 66 This," says het, "is a new thing, that those who are strangers from the covenants of God, aliens from the promises, and afar off from the truth, δυναμει τινι θεια, by a certain divine power receive it." Yea, sometimes he expresses himself as though he thought some sort of force and violence were used with men in the conversion and salvation of them. "The only begotten Son of God is present," he says §: "he defends, he keeps, he draws us to himself: hear how he speaks; And lo, I am with you unto the end of the world; but neither is it sufficient that he is with us, sed quodam modo vim nobis facit, ut nos pertrahat ad salutem, but in some sort he forces us, that he may draw us unto salvation;' for he says in another place, When I shall be lifted up, I will draw all unto me. You see, how that he not only invites the willing, but draws those that delay." And a little after, "The Lord himself, the Father, does not neglect the dispensation of our salvation, for he not only calls us to salvation, but he draws; for so the Lord says in the gospel, No man comes to me, but whom my heavenly Father draws. But the Father of the family, who sent his servants to invite his friends to the marriage of his Son, after they who were first invited excused themselves, says to the servants, Go forth to the highways and alleys, and whomsoever ye find, compel them to come in; so therefore we are not only invited by God, sed et trahimur et cogimur ad salutem, but we are drawn and compelled unto salvation." Moreover he signifies, that this call of God to the participation of his grace, entirely arises from his sovereign will and pleasure. "The God of gods," he says, " calls from the east and west to partake of himself by Jesus Christ, ovs Bovλerai, whom he pleases." Wherefore there should be no boasting in the creature, but all glorying should be in God. "There are," he observes," some among the Gentiles, of good manners and honest behaviour, who yet do not refer what they have to God, nor acknowledge the grace given to them by him; but either ascribe it to their own industry, or glory in their masters and instructors; but the apostle shows to us, that all that is good is from God, and given by the Holy Spirit; as the apostle James says, chap. i. 17, Contr. Cels. 1. 6, p. 276; vide 1. 1, p. 21, et 1. 5, p. 231.

* Περί Αρχών, 1. 4, c. 1, fol. 151, D.
§ In Num. homil. 20, fol. 131, 132, I, K.

Contr. Cels. 1. 8, P. 405.
Contr. Cels. 1. 8, p. 381.

¶ In Rom. 1. 9, fol. 211, E.

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that he that glories, may glory in the Lord.” That which is worthy of boasting," he says*, ουκ ημετερον αλλα δωρον εστι Θεου, ' is not ours, but is the gift of God; from him is wisdom, from him is strength, and so of the rest." To all which may be added the following words of hist, which not only express his own, but the sense of the whole church at that time: "It is the united sense of the whole church, that all the law is indeed spiritual; yet these things which the law breathes oue are not known to all, but to them only to whom the grace of the Holy Spirit is given, in the word of wisdom and knowledge."

SECTION VIII.

CYPRIAN. A. D. 250.

CYPRIAN clearly expresses his sense of the efficacy of divine grace in the sanctification of a sinner, and of the continuance of it, for the carrying on and perfecting of that work, as well as of the need the saints always stand in of the aids of it for the performance of every good work. In one of his epistles he seems surprised at his own conversion, and wonders how it was possible that it should be; when he had lain in darkness, was first a stranger to light and truth, so implicated in the errors of a past life; and so obsequious to sin and vice; this he ascribes to divine grace in his second birth, which desuper lumen infudit, postquam cœlitus Spiritu hausto in novum hominem reparavit, "infused light from above, and after the Spirit was derived from heaven repaired him a new man:" and then goes on to beat down all boasting in the creature, and to give the whole glory to God. In his Treatise of the Lord's Prayer, he says many things which confirm this. Upon the first clause in that prayer he makes this remark §, "A new man, a regenerated person, and one restored to his God, per ejus gratiam, through his grace,' says, in the first place, Father, because now he begins to be a son." And a little after ||," Most beloved brethren," says he, "we ought to consider and understand not only this, that we call Father which is in heaven, but we add and say, Our Father, that is, of them that believe; of them, who being sanctified by him, et gratiæ spiritualis nativitatæ reparati, and repaired through the birth of spiritual grace,' begin to be the children of God." And upon the first petition, Hallowed be thy name, he has this observation T, "Not that we should desire of God, that he may be sanctified by our prayers, but that we should request of him, that his name may be sanctified in us. Moreover, by whom is God sanctified, qui ipse sanctificat, who himself sanctifies? But because he says, Be ye holy, for I am holy; this we desire and ask, that we who are sanctified in baptism, might persevere in that which we begin to be; and this we daily pray for, opus est enim nobis quotidiana sanctificatione, for we have need of daily sanctification,' that we who daily sin, may purge away our sins by a daily sanctifica

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* Comment. in Matt. p. 227; vide IIg Agxwv, 1. 3, c. 1, fol. 139, B.
† 11sg Agxwv, 1. 1, Prom. fol. 112, C.
§ De Oratione Dominica, p. 265.

| Ib. p. 266.

Ep. 2, ad Donat. p. 6.
Ibid.

tion; which sanctification is what is bestowed upon us de Dei dignatione, through the favour of God." And a little after, "This we ask night and day, that sanctification and vivification, quæ de Dei gratia sumitur, ipsius protectione servetur, which proceed from the grace of God, might be preserved by his protection." Upon the third petition, Thy will be done in earth, as in heaven, he has this note*; " We add and say this, not that God may do what he will, but that we may do what God wills; for who ha th resisted God that he may not do what he will? But because we are withstood by the devil, that our minds and actions might not in all respects obey God, we pray and desire, that the will of God may be done in us; which that it may be done in us, opus est Dei voluntate, id est, ope ejus et protectione, 'there is need of the will of God, that is, of his help and protection;' for no man is strong suis viribus, by his own strength,' but is safe through the grace and mercy of God." And a little after, speaking of the combat between the flesh and the Spirit, he adds, "Therefore we earnestly desire, that an agreement may be made between these two, ope et auxilio Dei, 'by the help and assistance of God;' that whilst the will of God is done both in the spirit and in the flesh, the soul may be saved, quæ per eum renata est, which is regenerated by him." And in another treatise of his, concerning Patience, he thus speaks +: "This virtue we have in common with God; from hence patience begins; from hence its glory and worth take their rise; the original and greatness of patience spring Deo auctore, from God the author."

SECTION IX.

EUSEBIUS CESARIENSIS. A. D. 330.

EUSEBIUS represents conversion as a wonderful change wrought in the soul through the power of divine grace; "Who should be those Canaanites," says he, "but we, who before were aliens; and who, out of all nations, that were formerly profane and ungodly, are preserved sheep for Christ ; οι και δια της αυτου χαριτος μεταβεβλημεθα, “ who also are changed by his grace;' and understanding the things before prophesied of, have received the true knowledge of the word of the Lord." And in another place he breaks out in a pathetic exclamation, after this manner §, "Who is he that is not amazed at this surprising affair, when he sees such who from the beginning worshipped stones, wood, devils, brutes, demons, reptiles &c.-who in their manner of living suffered nothing from the savage beasts, vvvi dia тηs тov σwτηpos ημων ενθεου δυναμεων μεταβληθεντες και ωσπερ εξ ετερων ετεροι γεγονότες, now through the divine power of our Saviour changed, and, as it were, become other men." All which he supposes was brought about, not by moral suasion, or merely by the ministry of the word; but by a secret, unspeakable, and almighty power, which attended it; to which he always || * De Oratione Dominica, p. 267.

Demonstr. Evangel. 1. 10, p. 484.

+ De Bono Patientiæ, p. 313.
§ Preparat. Evangel. 1. 1, c. 5, p. 21.

Vide Eccl. H st. 1. 2, c. 1, p. 39; c. 3, p. 41; c. 14, p. 52; 1. 3, c. 37, p. 109. Preparat. Evangel. 1. 1, c. 4 p. 10; 1. 2, c. 4, p. 68.

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ascribes the success of the gospel: "You have," says he *, "plain and evident demonstrations, that is, in prophecy, from whom the gospel should begin, even from Christ himself; by whom it should be preached, namely, by his apostles; besides also, ποια δυναμει κρατησει, οτι μη αντ Oрonela, with what power it should obtain or overcome; that it should not be by that which is human." It would be too tedious to transcribe all the passages of this kind which are observable in this writer; I shall only add, that he considered sanctification as the peculiar work of the Spirit of God, as appears from his following words+; "Wherefore the Holy Spirit dwells in a friendly manner with the saints only, being imparted by the Son to those whom the Father would approve of, kaι τουτ' αν ειη εργον αυτου το παντας αγιάζειν, and this is his work, to sanetify all, to whom he gives some one or more of his gifts."

SECTION X.

ATHANASIUS. A. D. 350.

ATHANASIUS acknowledges the necessity of divine grace, and the efficacy of it in sanctification, when he says, "As the Son, the giver of the Spirit, does not disdain to say, that as man he cast out devils by the Spirit; so likewise the same being the giver of the Spirit, disdains not to say, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me, with respect to his being made flesh, as John says; that he might show that we are in both respects such, οι και εν τω αγιαζεσθαι δεομενοι της του Πνευματος χαριτος, who in sanctification stand in need of the grace of the Spirit; and also are not able to cast out devils without the power of the Spirit." And a little after, "So likewise David shows, οτι ουκ αν άλλως μετεγωμεν του Πνευατος και ηγιασθημεν, ' that we could not otherwise partake of the Spirit, and be sanctified,' unless the Word himself, the giver of the Spirit, had said, that he would be anointed by the Spirit for us." And in another place he argues after this manner, in favour of the Deity of Christ §; "Otherwise, if the Son was a creature, there being one and the same nature of rational creatures, no help could be given to a creature by a creature, dia то TаνTAS δεισθαι της παρα Θεου χαριτος, inasmuch as all stand in need of the grace of God." That the image of God, imparted to man, and whatsoever holiness he has, is not from nature, but is owing to the grace and power of God, is owned by him, when he observes |, that "God being good, hath imparted his image, our Lord Jesus Christ, to men; and hath made them according to his image and likeness, that they, dia Tηs Tolavтns xapiros, 'through such grace,' understanding the image, the Word of the Father, might be able, through him, to receive the knowledge of the Father; and so knowing the Creator, might live a truly happy and blessed life." And elsewhere he says of Christ ¶, that he only is the true and natural image of the Father; for

* Demonstr. Evangel. 1. 3, Præm. p. 89.

† De Eccles. Theolog. 1. 3. c. 6, p. 174. § Ib. 3, p. 412.

Athanas. contr. Arian. orat. 2, vol. i. p 257. De Incarnat. Verbi Dei, p. 63, 64.

¶ Contr. Arian. orat. 4, p. 463, 472.

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though we are made again after his image, and are called the glory and image of God, aλλ ov di' éavrovs, but not because of ourselves; but because that the true image and glory of God, which is the Word of God, dwells in us, who being at last made flesh for us, TAUTηS TNS κλήσεως εχομεν την χαριν, we have the grace of this vocation. And much to the same purpose he says in another place *, "We e are made sons, but not as he, by nature, and in truth, aλλa kaтa XaρI TOV kaλŋσavтos, but according to the grace of him that calleth." And men, who are of the earth, are called gods, but not as the true God, or his Word, but as God pleases, who gives this, that is grace, to them. So likewise we are made merciful as God, but not equal to him, ovde quoi, και αληθινοι ευεργεται γινομενοι, ου γαρ ημων ευρεμα ευεργετείν, αλλα του Θεού εις ημας κατα χαριν γινόμενον, nor by nature, or true benefactors, are we made; nor is it our invention to do well; but this is according to the grace of God to usward." That sanctification is a creation-work, and so a work of almighty power, is asserted by him, when having mentioned these words, Except a man be born again, he says, "not hereby signifying generation by women, but showing, that the soul is regenerated, kaι avaktiČoμevny, and created again according to his image, the image of God." And especially in these words +, Every intelligent hearer knows, that to sanctify is to create when we hear, Create in me a clean heart, O God! what else do we understand but this, Sanctify a clean heart in me, O God?" And a little after, "To create is the work of God, but it is not greater than to sanctify, for it is written, Holy Father, sanctify them through thy truth." Yea, he adds, that "to sanctify is greater than to create." This last passage is indeed cited from a tract which is thought by some learned men not to be the work of Athanasius, but of Maximus, who lived many years after him. Theodore Beza, who has given us a Latin translation of the whole, says§, that in the margin of the first dialogue, in the copy he made use of, were written by another hand these words, "Some say this present dialogue is Athanasius's, others that it is Maximus's;" however, since not only these dialogues are allowed by all to be pious, learned, and worthy to be read, but also by Beza said to have nothing in them unworthy of Athanasius, or unsuitable to his times, I have ventured to make the above citation from them.

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SECTION XI.

MACARIUS ÆGYPTIUS. A. D. 350.

MACARIUS, the Egyptian, ascribes regeneration and sanctification to the Spirit and grace of God; he says, it is "through the participation of the Holy Spirit that men are born again of God, and counted worthy to be the children of God in truth and power." And again¶: As God is love, joy, peace, kindness, and goodness, so the new man

* De Incarn. p. 66.

De S. Trinitate, dialog. 3, vol. ii. p. 232.
Præfat. p. 137, ed. Commelin.

Vide Rivet. Critic. Sacr. 1. 3, c. 6, p. 254, 255.
Homil. 5, p. 33.

Ib. 2, p. 12.

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