Divine Attributes
Omnipotent, all-knowing, eternal, good: naming the perfections of God
The divine attributes are the perfections that belong to God, such as omnipotence, omniscience, eternity, and goodness. Early apologists like Aristides spoke of them, and they were later systematized by writers such as John of Damascus. These attributes are not separate parts of God but ways of describing his single, perfect nature, helping believers speak truly of a God who infinitely surpasses human comprehension.
How it traveled
- RomansCorinth · 67explains
- RevelationPatmos · 100explains
- A Plea for the ChristiansAlexandria · 190explains
- Against Hermogenes.— · 220explains
- A Treatise of Novatian Concerning the Trinity.Rome · 258explains
- A Treatise on the Anger of God Addressed to Donatus— · 325explains
- The Life of Constantine with Orations of Constantine and EusebiusCaesarea · 339explains
- The HexæmeronCaesarea (Cappadocia) · 379explains
- The Catechetical Lectures of S. CyrilJerusalem · 386explains
- Select Orations of Saint Gregory NazianzenNazianzus · 390explains
- Answer to Eunomius' Second BookNyssa · 395explains
- Against EunomiusNyssa · 395explains
- The Great CatechismNyssa · 395explains
- Exposition of the Christian FaithMilan · 397explains
- A Commentary on the Acts of the ApostlesConstantinople (Istanbul) · 407explains
- City of GodHippo Regius · 430explains
- Concerning the Nature of Good, Against the ManichæansHippo Regius · 430explains
- Expositions on the Book of PsalmsHippo Regius · 430explains
- The ConfessionsHippo Regius · 430explains
- Against the Epistle of Manichæus, Called FundamentalHippo Regius · 430explains
- On the Holy TrinityHippo Regius · 430explains
- The EnchiridionHippo Regius · 430explains
- Reply to Faustus the ManichæanHippo Regius · 430explains
- MonologiumCanterbury · 1109explains
- ProslogiumCanterbury · 1109explains
- Treatise on The One God (QQ[2-26])Paris · 1274explains
- Treatise on The Most Holy Trinity (QQ[27-43])Paris · 1274explains
- Treatise on the Conservation and Government of Creatures (qq[103]-119)Paris · 1274explains
- Treatise on the Work of the Six Days (qq[65]-74)Paris · 1274explains
- Treatise on the Angels (qq[50]-64)Paris · 1274explains
- Book First. of the Knowledge of God the CreatorGeneva · 1564explains
- Book Third. the Mode of Obtaining the Grace of Christ. the Benefits It Confers, and the Effects Resulting from ItGeneva · 1564explains
- Book Second. of the Knowledge of God the Redeemer, in Christ, as First Manifested to the Fathers, Under the Law, and Thereafter to Us Under the GospelGeneva · 1564explains
- Dissertation on the End for Which God Created the WorldNorthampton, Massachusetts · 1758explains
- A Treatise Concerning Religious Affections, in Three PartsNorthampton, Massachusetts · 1758explains
- Seventeen Occasional SermonsNorthampton, Massachusetts · 1758explains
- a careful and strict inquiry into the prevailing notions of the freedom of willNorthampton, Massachusetts · 1758explains
- XIV Five discourses on the soul's eternal salvationNorthampton, Massachusetts · 1758explains
- Five Sermons. On Different OccasionsNorthampton, Massachusetts · 1758explains
- Fifteen Sermons. On Various SubjectsNorthampton, Massachusetts · 1758explains
Key passages(20)
Book First. of the Knowledge of God the Creator · John Calvin
9. We see there is no need of a long and laborious train of argument in order to obtain proofs which illustrate and assert the Divine Majesty. The few which we have merely touched, show them to be so
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Dissertation on the End for Which God Created the World · Jonathan Edwards
Some further observations concerning those things which reason leads us to suppose God aimed at in the creation of the world. From what was last observed, it seems to be the most proper way of procee
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What can or cannot be stated concerning the substance of this Being. NOT without reason I am now strongly impelled to inquire as earnestly as I am able, which of all the statements that may be made r
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For this Being it is the same to be just that it is to be justice; and so with regard to attributes that can be expressed in the same way: and none of these shows of what character, or how great, but
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Seventeen Occasional Sermons · Jonathan Edwards
1. It is agreeable to God’s design in the creation of the universe to exercise every attribute, and thus to manifest the glory of each of them. God’s design in the creation was to glorify himself, or
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Treatise on The One God (QQ[2-26]) · Thomas Aquinas
Objection 2: Further, Dionysius says (Div. Nom. i): "You will find a chorus of holy doctors addressed to the end of distinguishing clearly and praiseworthily the divine processions in the denomination
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Treatise on The One God (QQ[2-26]) · Thomas Aquinas
Reply to Objection 3: We cannot know the essence of God in this life, as He really is in Himself; but we know Him accordingly as He is represented in the perfections of creatures; and thus the names i
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Treatise on The One God (QQ[2-26]) · Thomas Aquinas
After considering the divine love, we must treat of God's justice and mercy. Under this head there are four points of inquiry: (1) Whether there is justice in God? (2) Whether His justice can be cal
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Treatise on The One God (QQ[2-26]) · Thomas Aquinas
Objection 1: It seems that the justice of God is not truth. For justice resides in the will; since, as Anselm says (Dial. Verit. 13), it is a rectitude of the will, whereas truth resides in the intell
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Treatise on The One God (QQ[2-26]) · Thomas Aquinas
We next consider the goodness of God; under which head there are four points of inquiry: (1) Whether goodness belongs to God? (2) Whether God is the supreme good? (3) Whether He alone is essentiall
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Treatise on The One God (QQ[2-26]) · Thomas Aquinas
Objection 2: Further, if good is what all things desire, since being itself is desired by all, then the being of each thing is its good. But everything is a being essentially; therefore every being is
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The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Timothy, Titus, and Philemon · John Chrysostom
Homily XVIII. 1 Timothy vi. 13–16 “I give thee charge in the sight of God, Who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, Who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession; that thou keep t
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Exposition of the Christian Faith · Ambrose of Milan
11. “Every kingdom divided against itself shall quickly be overthrown,” saith the Lord. Now the kingdom of the Trinity is not divided. If, therefore, it is not divided, it is one; for that which is no
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John of Damascus: Exposition of the Orthodox Faith · John of Damascus
When, then, we have perceived these things and are conducted from these to the divine essence, we do not apprehend the essence itself but only the attributes of the essence: just as we have not appreh
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Prologue. The presiding ministers of the “mystery of godliness”i.e. whether he presupposes the existence of a God, or concurs with the atheistic view. Should he say there is no God, then, from the co
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The Wisdom of God Displayed in the Way of Salvation · Jonathan Edwards
In this way of salvation wonderful glory redounds to God, as the effect of divine wisdom. 1. By this contrivance for our redemption, God’s greatest dishonour is made an occasion of his greatest glory
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Treatise on The Most Holy Trinity (QQ[27-43]) · Thomas Aquinas
Objection 3: Further, property is prior to the appropriated, for property is included in the idea of the appropriated. But the essential attributes, in our way of understanding, are prior to the perso
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That we are not atheists, therefore, seeing that we acknowledge one God, uncreated, eternal, invisible, impassible, incomprehensible, illimitable, who is apprehended by the understanding only and the
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A Treatise Concerning Religious Affections, in Three Parts · Jonathan Edwards
It is unreasonable to think otherwise, than that the first foundation of a true love to God, is that whereby he is in himself lovely, or worthy to be loved, or the supreme loveliness of his nature. Th
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A Treatise Concerning Religious Affections, in Three Parts · Jonathan Edwards
It has been already shown, under the former head, that the first objective ground of all holy affections is the supreme excellency of divine things as they are in their own nature. I now proceed furth
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