صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني

have produced the Word, or Son,||beginning, and whatever had a from all eternity, by way of beginning was not from eternity, generation; on which occasion as Christ is said to be, Is. ix, 6. the word generation raises a pecu-Col. i, 16, 17. That the sonship liar idea that procession which of Christ respects him as mediator is really affected in the way of will be evident, if we compare understanding is called gene-John x, 30, with John xiv, 28. In ration, because, in virtue thereof, the former it is said, "I and my the Word becomes like to Him Father are one." In the latter, from whom he takes the original;" My Father is greater than I." or, as St. Paul expresses it, the These declarations, however opfigure or image of his substance;posite they seem, equally respect i. e. of his being and nature. him, as he is the Son; but if his And hence it is, they say, that sonship primarily and properly the second person is called the signify the generation of his DiSon; and that in such a way and vine nature, it will be difficult, manner as never any other was, is, if not impossible, according to or can be, because of his own Di- that scheme, to make them harvine nature, he being the true, monize. Considered as a distinct proper, and natural Son of God, person in the Godhead, without begotten by him before all worlds. respect to his office as mediator, Thus, he is called his own Son, it is impossible, that, in the same Rom. viii, 3, his only begotten Son, view, he should be both equal and John iii, 16. Many have at- inferior to his Father. Again; he tempted to explain the manner expressly tells us himself, that of this generation by different si-" the Son can do nothing of himmilitudes; but as they throw lit-self; that the Father sheweth him tle or no light upon the subject, all things that he doeth; and that we shall not trouble the reader he giveth him to have life in himwith them. Some, however, sup-self," John v, 19, 20, 26. Which pose that the term Son of God expressions, if applied to him as refers to Christ as mediator; and God, not as mediator, will reduce that his sonship does not lie in us to the disagreeable necessity of his divine or human nature, sepa-subscribing either to the creed of rately considered, but in the union Arius, and maintain him to be of both in one person. See Luke God of an inferior nature, and i, 35. Matt. iv, 3. John i, 49. thus a plurality of Gods, or to Matt. xvi, 16. Acts ix, 20, 22. embrace the doctrine of Socinus, Rom. i, 4. It is observed, that it who allows him only to be a God is impossible that a nature pro-by office. But if this title belong perly divine should be begotten, to him as mediator, every diffisince begetting, whatever idea is culty is removed. And, lastly, annexed to it, must signify some it is observed, that though Jesus kind of production, derivation, be God, and the attributes of eterand inferiority; consequently, that nal existence ascribed to him, yet whatever is produced must have a the two attributes, eternal and son,.

are not once expressed in the same|| lations of the Old Testament is text as referring to eternal gene-rendered a odra, in which sense it ration. See article SON OF GOD; frequently occurs in the New TesOwen on the Person of Christ; tament; as in Matth. vi, 32, “ All Pearson on the Creed, Ridgely's these things the nations or Gentiles Body of Divinity, p. 73, 76, 3d seek." Whence the Latin church edition; Gill's Divinity, p. 205, also used gentes, in the same sense vol. i, 8vo edition; Lambert's Ser-as our Gentiles, especially in the mons, ser. 13, text John xi, 35; New Testament. But the word Hodson's Essay on the Eternal Figentes soon got another significaliation of the Son of God; Watts's tion, and no longer meant all such Works, vol. v, p. 77. as were not Jews, but those only GENEROSITY, the disposi- who were neither Jews nor Christion which prompts us to bestow tians, but followed the superstitions favours which are not the purchase of the Greeks and Romans, &c. In of any particular merit. It is dif- this sense it continued among the ferent from humanity. Humanity christian writers, till their manner is an exquisite feeling we possess of speech, together with their reliin relation to others, so as to gion, was publicly, and by authogrieve for their sufferings, resent rity, received in the empire, when their injuries, or to rejoice at their gentiles, from gentes, came into prosperity; and as it arises from use; and then both words had sympathy, it requires no great self-two significations, viz. in treatises denial, or self-command; but ge- or laws concerning religion, they nerosity is that by which we are signified Pagans, neither Jews nor led to prefer some other person Christians; and in civil affairs to ourselves and to sacrifice any in-they were used for all such as terest of our own to the interest of were not Romans. See HEAanother.

THEN.

GENIUS, a good or evil spirit, GENTLENESS, softness or or dæmon, whom the ancients sup-mildness of disposition and behaposed was set over each person to viour. Little as this disposition is direct his birth, accompany him in thought of by many, we find it his life, and to be his guard. considered in scripture as a cha

Genius signifies that aptitude racteristic of the true christian. which a man naturally possesses to "The wisdom that is from above,” perform well and easily that which saith St. James, "is gentle," ch. others can do but indifferently, and iii, 17. "This gentleness, indeed, with a great deal of pain. is to be distinguished from passive

GENTILE, in matters of reli- tameness of spirit, and from unligion, a Pagan, or worshipper of mited compliance with the manners false gods. The origin of this of others. That passive tameness, word is deduced from the Jews, which submits without struggle to who called all those who were not every encroachment of the violent of their name gojim, i. e. and assuming, forms no part of gentes, which in the Greek trans-christian duty, but, on the contra

ry, is destructive of general hap-ticon, shews that genuflection, or piness and order. That unlimit-kneeling, has been a very ancient ed complaisance, which on every custom in the church, and even occasion falls in with the opinions under the Old Testament dispenand manners of others, is so far sation; and that this practice was from being a virtue, that it is observed throughout all the year, itself a vice, and the parent of excepting on Sundays, and during many vices. It overthrows all the time from Easter to Whitsteadiness of principle, and pro-suntide, when kneeling was forbidduces that sinful conformity with den by the council of Nice. Others the world which taints the whole have shewn, that the custom of character. In the present corrupt-not kneeling on Sundays had obed state of human manners, always tained from the time of the aposto assent and to comply, is the tles, as appears from St. Irenæus very worst maxim we can adopt. and Tertullian; and the Ethiopic True gentleness, therefore, is to church, scrupulously attached to be carefully distinguished from the the ancient ceremonies, still retains mean spirit of cowards and the that of not kneeling at divine serfawning assent of sycophants. It vice. The Russians esteem it an renounces no just right from fear; indecent posture to worship God it gives up no important truth from on the knees. The Jews usually flattery; it is, indeed, not only prayed standing. Baronius is of consistent with a firm mind, but opinion that genuflection was not it necessarily requires a manly established in the year of Christ spirit and a fixed principle, in or- 58, from that passage in Acts xx, der to give it any real value. It 36. where St. Paul is expressly stands opposed to harshness and mentioned to kneel down at prayseverity, to pride and arrogance, er; but Saurin shews that nothing to violence and oppression; it is can be thence concluded. The same properly that part of charity which author remarks, also, that the primakes us unwilling to give pain to mitive christians carried the pracany of our brethren. Compassion tice of genuflection so far, that prompts us to relieve their wants; some of them had worn cavities forbearance prevents us from re-in the floor where they prayed: taliating their injuries; meekness and St. Jerome relates of St. restrains our angry passions; can- James, that he had contracted a dour our severe judgments; but hardness on his knees equal to that gentleness corrects whatever is of-of camels. fensive in our manners, and, by a constant train of humane attentions, studies to alleviate the burden of common misery."

GHOST HOLY. See HOLY GHOST.

GIFT OF TONGUES, an ability given to the apostles of readily GENUFLECTION, the act of and intelligibly speaking a variety bowing or bending the knee, or of languages which they had never rather of kneeling down. The learnt. This was a most glorious Jesuit Rosweyd, in his Onomas-and important attestation of the

gospel, as well as a suitable, and|tributed to God, in'atloration o indeed in their circumstances, a worship. The state of felicy necessary furniture for the mission prepared for the Righteous. See for which the apostles and their HEAVEN.

assistants were designed. Nor is The glory of God is the manithere any reason, with Dr. Middle- festation of the Divine perfecton, to understand it as merely an tions in creation, providence, and occasional gift, so that a person grace. We may be said to give might speak a language most flu-glory to God when we confess our ently one hour, and be entirely ig- sins, when we love him supremenorant of it the next; which nei-ly, when we commit ourselves to ther agrees with what is said of him, are zealous in his service, the abuse of it, nor would have improve our talents, walk humbly, been sufficient to answer the end thankfully, and cheerfully before proposed. See Acts ii. See Gill him, and recommend, proclaim, and Henry in Loc.; Fortin's Re- or set forth his excellencies, to marks, vol. i, p. 15-21; Essay on others, Jos. vii, 19. Gal. ii, 20. the Gift of Tongues; Middleton's John xv, 8. Ps. 1, 23. Mat. v, 16. Miscel. Works, vol. ii, p. 379: GNOSIMACHI, aname which Doddridge's Lect. lec. 141. distinguished those in the seventh GILBERTINES, a religious century who were professed eneorder; thus called from St. Gilbert, mies to the Gnosis, i. e. the of Sempringham, in the county of studied knowledge or science of Lincoln, who founded the same christianity, which they rested about the year 1148; the monks wholly on good works; calling it of which observed the rule of St. a useless labour to seek for knowAugustine, and were accounted ledge in the scripture. In short, canons, and the nuns that of St. they contended for the practice of Benedict. The founder of this morality in all simplicity, and order erected a double monastery, blamed those who aimed at imor rather two different ones, con- proving and perfecting it by a tiguous to each other, the one for deeper knowledge and insight into men, the other for women, but the doctrines and mysteries of reparted by a very high wall. St. ligion. The Gnosimachi were the Gilbert himself founded thirteen very reverse of the Gnostics. monasteries of this order, viz. GNOSTICS (from TGINOS, four for men alone, and nine for knowing), ancient heretics, famous men and women together, which from the first rise of christianity, had in them 700 brethren, and principally in the east. It appears 1500 sisters. At the dissolution, from several passages of scripture, there were about twenty-five hous- particularly 1st John ii, 18. 1st es of this order in England and Tim. vi, 20. Col. ii, 8. that many Wales. persons were infected with the GLASSITES. See SANDE- Gnostic heresy in the first century; though the sect did not renGLORY, praise, or honour, at-der itself conspicuous, either for

MARIANS.

umbers of reputation, before the||person, has any true religion. He time of Adrian, when some writers affirms, that, were it possible for erroneously date its rise. The the knowledge of God to be sename was adopted by this sect, on parated from eternal salvation, the presumption that they were the Gnostic would make no scruple the only persons who had the true to choose the knowledge; and knowledge of christianity. Ac- that if God would promise him cordingly they looked on all other impunity in doing of any thing he christians as simple, ignorant, and has once spoken against, or offer barbarous persons, who explained him heaven on those terms, he and interpreted the sacred writings would never alter a whit of his in a low, literal, and unedifying measures. In this sense the father signification. At first, the Gnos-uses Gnostics, in opposition to the tics were the only philosophers heretics of the same name; afand wits of those times, who form-firming, that the true Gnostic is ed for themselves a peculiar system grown old in the study of the holy of theology, agreeable to the phi- scripture, and that he preserves losophy of Pythagoras and Plato; the orthodox doctrine of the aposto which they accommodated alltles, and of the church; whereas their interpretations of scripture. the false Gnostic abandons all But Gnostics afterwards became the apostolical traditions, as imaa general name, comprehend-gining himself wiser than the ing divers sects and parties of tles. heretics, who rose in the first cen- Gnostics was sometimes also turies; and who, though they more particularly used for the differed among themselves as to successors of the Nicolaitans and circumstances, yet all agreed in Carpocratians, in the second censome common principles. They tury, upon their laying aside the corrupted the doctrine of the gos-names of the first authors. Such pel by a profane mixture of the as would be thoroughly acquainted tenets of the oriental philosophy, with all their doctrines, reveries, concerning the origin of evil and and visions, may consult St. Irethe creation of the world, with its naus, Tertullian, Clemens Alexandivine truths. Such were the drinus, Origen, and St. EpiphaValentinians, Simonians, Carpo- nius; particularly the first of these cratians, Nicolaitans, &c. writers, who relates their sentiGnostics sometimes also occursments at large, and confutes them. in a good sense, in the ancient Indeed, he dwells more on the ecclesiastical writers, particularly Valentinians than any other sect Clemens Alexandrinus, who, in of Gnostics; but he shews the gethe person of his Gnostic, de-neral principles whereon all their scribes the characters and qualities mistaken opinions were founded, of a perfect christian. This point and the method they followed in he labours in the seventh book of explaining scripture. He accuses his Stromata, where he shews that them of introducing into religion none but the Gnostic, or learned certain vain and ridiculous ge

« السابقةمتابعة »