Watts - BX5200 .W3 1813 v.6

292 THE ARIAN INVITED TO ORTHODOX FAITH. ployed both in creation and government, though eminently in creation. In his treatise de mundi opificio, he says, " the vast intel- ligible world, or the idea according to which God framed the visible world, can have no place but in the Ásß aoya-, or divine word, for the other powers of God do not afford it a proper place." And a little after he saith, " this intelligible idea, in plain words, is nothing else than the Aoy6. zw ow, the word of. God, or the reason of God creating the world." He speaks of God's creation of the world by the as Logos," as an instrument, opyavov, in several places. And in hisplantation of Noah, he tells us, that G0 man's rational soul is the image of the invisible God, whose character, or express image is eternal reason, or his ever- lasting word, a xapaxl+te u-e ease. aoy& though whether these two last citations, refer rather to the angelic " Logos," may ad- mit some doubt. He supposes this " logos" ofGod to be the same as Sophia, or wisdom, which in his allegorical way he makes the " daugh- ter of God, and the mother ofall things, by which the world was brought forth. This Is that wisdom which was with Godbefore the world." See Dr. Allix, page 147, andMr. Nye against Dr. Allix, page 71, 77. Now that by this " logos," the divine reason, or wisdom, Philo does not mean a real distinct person, in the literal sense of the word person, is evident ; because he says, " before the world was made God was toe-, alone ; e, one Being; and as w aoa- ,. averws, not consisting of snore :" And he often speaks ofthe person of God, as one ; though he represents several powers in him. See Nye, page 69. We may observe that Philo speaks of wisdom in the femi- pine and once he gives this reason for it, viz. to " preserve to God the character of a Father." So Dr. Allix, page 271. But Mr. Nye does not remember that this divine essential wisdom is ever called the Son of God ; and he cites " Origen contra Celsum, book ii. page 79. saying, as I have often disputed with the Jewish rabbies : They would none of them acknowledge that the Hoye,, that is, the,divine reason, word or wisdom, is the Son of God," page 51. Whence we may infer, that this name Son, seems rather to be appropriated to the Logos, considered as the great archangel ; even as all the angels are in scripture called the sons of God. Dr. Allix, indeed says, `page 122. " that Philo asserts the word of God to be the eternal Son of God," and quotes Isis book, de confusione linguarum. Now I have turned over that book, and have not found this express appel- lation : But what expressions of that kind I have met with there and in other of his treatises shall be cited under the following heads.

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=