Propositions and principles of diuinitie propounded and disputed in the vniuersitie of Geneua, by certaine students of diuinitie there, vnder M. Theod. Beza, and M. Anthonie Faius ... Wherein is contained a methodicall summarie, or epitome of the common places of diuinitie. Translated out of Latine into English, to the end that the causes, both of the present dangers of that Church, and also of the troubles of those that are hardlie dealt vvith els-vvhere, may appeare in the English tongue.

THE SIXT SORT OF PRINCIPLES CON∣CERNING THE OMNIPOTENCY OF GOD.

THE ATTRIBVTES OF GOD IN GENE∣rall haue bene dealt with: now some of them in speciall are to be handled.

1 THe omnipotencie of God, is that very immeasura∣ble and infinite essence of God, which is commu∣nicable vnto no creature; alwaies doing, neuer suffering; and which cannot decist to be that which it is.

2 This being in deed but one, may yet in diuerse conside∣rations, be said to be manifolde.

3 For the omnipotencie is one way considered, when we speake of it, as God doth alway worke in him selfe, & it is a∣nother way regarded, in respect that God worketh out of him selfe, and can worke innumerable thinges, if it pleaseth him.

4 For wee hold, that God is omnipotent, in as much as, besides that, he is able to do whatsoeuer he will; he can both will and do innumerable things, which hee will neuer, either will or doe.

We do therefore condemne them, who say, that God is for no other cause omnipotent, but in as much, as hee can with∣out exception, worke whatsoeuer can bee, either spoken or imagined. And we doe dislike of them, who thinke, that God is in that respect, onely called omnipotent, because he can do onely whatsoeuer he will: For his power is in it selfe infinite, whereas his will is as it were, bounded, within the verie act of will.

5 Now we hold, that God cannot do any of these things, which either are repugnant vnto his personall proprieties, (as that the Father cannot bee begotten, neither the Sonne begotten) or are contrarie vnto his essence, as to be finite; or which implie a contradiction, of which sort, it is to make, that a bodie shall bee truly naturall, and yet, neither to haue quantity, nor to be contained in any place. Brieflie we denie,

that God can doe any thing, which if they were done, might shew him to haue defects and weaknes in him, as to die, to lie, to sinne, &c.

6 And as by faith, we beleeue according vnto the Scrip∣tures, and the Creeds appointed in the church, that God on∣ly is omnipotent, so we do professe and publish the same with our mouth.

7 For it is no lesse repugnant vnto his nature, that there should be many omnipotents, then that there should be ma∣ny Gods.

Whence it is, that Christian Religion, doeth not acknow∣ledge in God distinct into three persons, three omnipotents, but one omnipotent.

Now concerning the humane nature of Christ, although it be vnited vnto the deuine, in the person of the Sonne, who is but one, yet as it is not therefore made God, so is it not properlie made omnipotent: but it retained even it own in∣firmities, before it was glorified, wherein it might suffer and dye for vs, and now being glorified, although it be free from all infirmities and glorious; yet is it not in it selfe made om∣nipotent.

Defended by WILLIAM MO••NES of Niuerse.