登陆注册
5214200000162

第162章

If the Platonists prefer to call these angels gods rather than demons, and to reckon them with those whom Plato, their founder and master, maintains were created by the supreme God,(1) they are welcome to do so, for I will not spend strength in fighting about words.For if they say that these beings are immortal, and yet created by the supreme God, blessed but by cleaving to their Creator and not by their own power, they say what we say, whatever name they call these beings by.And that this is the opinion either of all or the best of the Platonists can be ascertained by their writings.And regarding the name itself, if they see fit to call such blessed and immortal creatures gods, this need not give rise to any serious discussion between us, since in our own Scriptures we read, "The God of gods, the Lord hath spoken;"(2) and again, "Confess to the God of gods;"(3) and again, "He is a great King above all gods."(4) And where it is said, "He is to be feared above all gods," the reason is forthwith added, for it follows, "for all the gods of the nations are idols, but the Lord made the heavens."(5) He said, "above all gods," but added, "of the nations;" that is to say, above all those whom the nations count gods, in other words, demons.By them He is to be feared with that terror in which they cried to the Lord, "Hast Thou come to destroy us?" But where it is said, "the God of gods," it cannot be understood as the god of the demons; and far be it from us to say that "great King above all gods" means "great King above all demons." But the same Scripture also calls men who belong to God's people" gods:" "I have said, Ye are gods, and all of you children of the Most High."(6) Accordingly, when God is styled God of gods, this may be understood of these gods; and so, too, when He is styled a great King above all gods.

Nevertheless, some one may say, if men are called gods because they belong to God's people, whom He addresses by means of men and angels, are not the immortals, who already enjoy that felicity which men seek to attain by worshipping God, much more worthy of the title? And what shall we reply to this, if not that it is not without reason that in holy Scripture men are more expressly styled gods than those immortal and blessed spirits to whom we hope to be equal in the resurrection, because there was a fear that the weakness of unbelief, being overcome with the excellence of these beings, might presume to constitute some of them a god? In the case of men this was a result that need not be guarded against.Besides, it was right that the men belonging to God's people should be more expressly called gods, to assure and certify them that He who is called God of gods is their God; because, although those immortal and blessed spirits who dwell in the heavens are called gods, yet they are not called gods of gods, that is to say, gods of the men who constitute God's people, and to whom it is said, "I have said.Ye are gods, and all of you the children of the Most High." Hence the saying of the apostle, "Though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, as there be gods many and lords many, but to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by Him."(7)We need not, therefore, laboriously contend about the name, since the reality is so obvious as to admit of no shadow of doubt.

That which we say, that the angels who are sent to announce the will of God to men belong to the order of blessed immortals, does not satisfy the Platonists, because they believe that this ministry is discharged, not by those whom they call gods, in other words, not by blessed immortals, but by demons, whom they dare not affirm to be blessed, but only immortal, or if they do rank them among the blessed immortals, yet only as good demons, and not as gods who dwell in the heaven of heavens remote from all human contact.But, though it may seem mere wrangling about a name, yet the name of demon is so detestable that we cannot bear in any sense to apply it to the holy angels.Now, therefore, let us close this book in the assurance that, whatever we call these immortal and blessed spirits, who yet are only creatures, they do not act as mediators to introduce to everlasting felicity miserable mortals, from whom they are severed by a twofold distinction.And those others who are mediators, in so far as they have immortality in common with their superiors, and misery in common with their inferiors (for they are justly miserable in punishment of their wickedness), cannot bestow upon us, but rather grudge that we should possess, the blessedness from which they themselves are excluded.And so the friends of the demons have nothing considerable to allege why we should rather worship them as our helpers than avoid them as traitors to our interests.As for those spirits who are good, and who are therefore not only immortal but also blessed, and to whom they suppose we, should give the title of gods, and offer worship and sacrifices for the sake of inheriting a future life, we shall, by God's help, endeavor in the following book to show that these spirits, call them by what name, and ascribe to them what nature you will, desire that religious worship be paid to God alone, by whom they were created, and by whose communications of Himself to them they are blessed.

同类推荐
  • 江南闻见录

    江南闻见录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Lizzie Leigh

    Lizzie Leigh

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Renascence and Other Poems

    Renascence and Other Poems

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 三论玄义

    三论玄义

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Character

    Character

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 重生之复仇冷妃

    重生之复仇冷妃

    一道圣旨,赐死了刚生产的皇妃白若兰和她的孩子,七年恩情一朝尽,含恨死去后的白若兰重生了,成为韩府大小姐。面对重生后的人生,她开始重新布局,绝不蹈前世的覆辙,从韩府开始,展开她的复仇计划。步步为营,重新入宫,她发誓要让那些人血债血偿!
  • 妃常开心:九皇叔难为

    妃常开心:九皇叔难为

    现代落魄千金楚梦歌摇身一变,成了古代国公府嫡女。宫斗虐心?宅斗费脑?那江湖大乱斗呢?!她洒脱不羁爱自由,却碰到个轻狂高傲的九皇叔。总爱管她闲事,难道他们前生有一场相爱相杀的孽缘?!红烛垂泪,轻纱曼舞。然而新房里却是另一种景象:乌烟瘴气,杯盘狼藉。楚梦歌:“洞房?梦歌有一千种办法叫你待不下去!”“可惜,你打不过本王。”卿玖玄从楚梦歌身后紧紧拥住她,在她耳边暧昧低语。“滚开,信不信本姑娘叫你断子绝孙!”“你成亲了,不算姑娘。”【他宠溺一笑。】卿玖玄轻挑起她下巴,“我怎舍得让你葬送自己下半生的幸福?”楚梦歌:“你无耻!…”卿玖玄:“你卑鄙我无耻,不是天生绝配吗?”
  • 狂野皇妃粉有爱Ⅰ:魅君倾心

    狂野皇妃粉有爱Ⅰ:魅君倾心

    一个来自2011年的彪悍美女,因为一次劫杀任务莫名囧穿。一个邪魅无比的风流王爷,一个温柔腹黑的当朝右相,一个情深意重君临天下的帝王。他们曾经用自己的温柔欺骗她,为了保护心爱的女子将她推向风浪尖伤她至深。当她心神据崔想要抽身离开时,他们又残忍的将她留在身边。当心已经死去的时候,当爱已经淡薄的时候,就没有任何东西可以牵绊住她。且看我倾墨然如何玩转古代。。
  • 魂穿之空间种田

    魂穿之空间种田

    云朵穿越了,心塞!这叫什么事啊!云朵穿到一个没有手机连电都没有的古代,吃不饱穿不暖,这日子怎么过啊!还好有万能的空间,可这空间怎么也不令人省心啊!(本文架空)
  • 斗罗大陆之无敌穿越系统

    斗罗大陆之无敌穿越系统

    少年唐凡在用手机看斗罗大陆小说时被雷电劈中,竟穿越到斗罗大陆世界里,这里没有魔法,没有斗气,没有武术,但是却有神奇的武魂,唐凡转世成为宁风致长子,带着无敌穿越系统穿越各个位面,争霸各个世界,成就各个世界的巅峰
  • 冷总家的糖果影后

    冷总家的糖果影后

    【霸道超暖男闺蜜vs可爱单纯小影后】十年前,从来你家跟你送糖果被你家小狗追着满院子跑,你站在窗台边上幸灾乐祸开始我就知道,你以后跑不掉了。T市最近停电,冷千哲出差途中收到短信,却忘记告诉他家那个胆小鬼了,急急忙忙买张票回家,却发现她正在家里背台词,背对着沙发而坐。“宝宝,我回来了!”他刚打开门,还没来得及换鞋,沙发上的胆小鬼就扔掉手里的手电筒和台词本,毫不犹豫的扑到了他的怀里。“怎么了?我不在家你害怕了?”“不怕,我就知道你会回来找我,所以我才不会怕呢,有你在,谁敢来欺负我啊!”是啊,从上学起,只要也你在我身边,谁敢欺负我啊。你的小哥哥发货,请注意查收!新书《快穿之妖孽王爷何处逃》已上线,注意查收!璐爷书友群1080286304,感兴趣可以去看看啊,里面有最新剧透和红包哟!
  • 主播天然熊

    主播天然熊

    直播平台网红主播楚皓轩某雨夜家中床上惊现一头熊,从此开始了被奴役,被鞭挞的苦逼日子。论和熊相处的日常——请问怎么能帮助一头熊减肥到变成正常人类的体态。三观不是很相合是怎么走到一起的。先说好,生活习惯这么不一样麻烦不要互相强迫好不好!!可是,为毛他最后会喜欢上一头暴力熊?他大概是个抖M!楚皓轩用全身心贯彻了什么叫把一头熊宠上天。亲爱哒,能够动嘴的时候可不可以不要动手——媳妇儿忒强,打不过媳妇儿怎么办?在线等,急!!实力宠崽,从怂做起,女票有大男子主义?他只要小鸟依人就可以了!老公,想要亲亲抱抱举高高不好意思,抱不动QWQ
  • 陀罗尼集经

    陀罗尼集经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 箫音袅袅

    箫音袅袅

    铁血的他为了一个空空的诺言舍生忘死,岁月的利刃将柔情的她变得冷酷无情!千年的等待,千年的期盼,他终于将她拥入怀中!她问他:这一切对于你来说很重要吗?他望着那潭碧绿幽兰的潭水无言无语胸中却荡漾着万丈豪情!一根紫竹箫奏出千年的哀怨!断肠的箫音缠绵凄婉,秦时的明月无情冰冷。。。。。。他和她俩在奶池中如同婴儿般游弋,他说“甜甜的乳汁”怎么变咸?她痴痴的笑,她两眼无神呆呆的望着流动的奶水。。。。。。哎哎嘿。。。哎哎嘿。。。哎嘿。。。哎。。嘿。烈日下,众人在他的声音熏染下发出了相同的节律。。。。。。
  • 美人有毒

    美人有毒

    水无双从大学一毕业就开始从事导游这个行业,虽然近两年的经历不敢说资深,但是就沂蒙山区这一带的风景,她能倒背如流地说出来。“蒙山,素有七十二峰、三十六洞、七十古刹之说……又被誉为天然氧吧……”这是她今年开春以来所接的第二十四个团队,现在正是游游旺季,她已经有一个多月没有过休息天了,每天接团上山,导游讲解,下山送客,日子过得忙碌而充实,可是总觉得缺少点什么。听到游客们对着窗外的……