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wherein all the reason and philosophy of atheism is confuted, and

wherein all the reason and philosophy of atheism is confuted, and

wherein all the reason and philosophy of atheism is confuted, and

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232 H^e Pagans held both many Gods, Book t.not <strong>the</strong> truth <strong>of</strong> Faujlus h<strong>is</strong> general affertion concerning <strong>the</strong> Pagans.L. 20. ffl/'.io. Which <strong>is</strong> again fully confirmed by Si. Aujiin in h<strong>is</strong> reply; Siqu<strong>is</strong> itci di-"^'^^^-i "^ ^'^^ aJ5!;7ro'r«7oi, many unproduced <strong>and</strong> felfexiflentdeities, but according to fome o<strong>the</strong>r notion or equivocation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>word gods. For God <strong>is</strong> t«i; TroAXaj^uj Afj/o/xEvuv, one <strong>of</strong> th<strong>of</strong>e words, thathath been ufed in many different fenfes, <strong>the</strong> A<strong>the</strong>ifts <strong>the</strong>mfelves acknowledginga God <strong>and</strong> gods, according to fome private fenfes <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir own, (which yet<strong>the</strong>y do not <strong>all</strong> agree in nei<strong>the</strong>r,) <strong>and</strong> Theifts not always having <strong>the</strong> famenotion <strong>of</strong> that word ; forafmuch as angels in Scripture are c<strong>all</strong>ed gods in onefenfe, that <strong>is</strong>, as underft<strong>and</strong>ing beings fuperior to men, immortal, holy,<strong>and</strong> happy ; <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> word <strong>is</strong> again fometimes carried down lower to princes<strong>and</strong> magillrates •, <strong>and</strong> not only fo, but alfo to good men as fuch, when <strong>the</strong>yare faid to be made partakers <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> divine nature '. And thus that learnedPhil<strong>of</strong>opher <strong>and</strong> Chriftian Boethius *, Omn<strong>is</strong> beatus deus ; fed natura quidemunus, participatione verb nihil prohibet effe quamplurimos : Every good <strong>and</strong>happy man <strong>is</strong> a god, <strong>and</strong> though <strong>the</strong>re be only one God by nature, yet nothinghinders but that <strong>the</strong>re may be many by participation. But <strong>the</strong>n again, <strong>all</strong> men<strong>and</strong> angels are alike denied to be gods in o<strong>the</strong>r refpeds, <strong>and</strong> particularly, asto religious worfhip : Thou floalt worfhip <strong>the</strong> Lord thy God, <strong>and</strong> him onlyfhaltthou ferve. Now th<strong>is</strong> <strong>is</strong> that, vvhich feems to be eflenti<strong>all</strong>y included in <strong>the</strong>Pagan notion <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> word God or gods, when taken in general, namely, arefpeft to religious worlhip. Wherefore a God in general, according to <strong>the</strong>fenfe-I 1 Peter I. 4; ? Di Confolat. Phil<strong>of</strong>. Lib. III. p. 72. i.

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