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689. Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty.- That this signifies the acknowledgment that all being, life, and power are from the Lord, is evident from the signification of saying and giving thanks, as denoting to acknowledge, since to fall upon the face and to adore, and then to give thanks, can have no other signification than to acknowledge, in this case, the omnipotence of the Lord; from the signification of the Lord God, as denoting the Lord as to Divine Good and as to Divine Truth, for where Divine Good is meant in the Word, there the words Lord and Jehovah are used, and where Divine Truth is meant the term God is used; therefore by the Lord God and Jehovah God is meant the Lord as to Divine Good and Divine Truth; and moreover Jehovah in the Old Testament, is called Lord in the New; and from the signification of Almighty, as denoting to be, to live, and to have power of Himself, and also that the being (esse), life, and power (posse) of angels and men are from Him.
[2] That these things are meant by omnipotence, may be seen above (n. 43), also, that by the Divine Omnipotence is meant what is infinite (n. 286). In regard to the Divine Omnipotence it does not involve any power of acting contrary to order, but it involves all power of acting according to order, for all order is from the Lord; it therefore follows that no one has any power of acting according to order, except from Him who is the source of order. From this it is evident that it is of the Divine Omnipotence to lead man according to order, and this every moment from the beginning of his life even to eternity and according to the laws of order, which are innumerable and inexpressible by number. Yet this can take place so far as a man suffers himself to be led, that is, so far as he does not desire to be led of himself, for in the measure that he desires this he is brought into opposition to order. And because it is of the Divine Omnipotence to lead a man who desires to be led, according to order, and thus to lead no one contrary to order, therefore, it is not of the Divine Omnipotence to lead any one to heaven who desires to lead himself, because it is a law of order, that what a man does, he should do from reason and freedom, since what is received by reason and done from freedom remains with a man, and is appropriated to him as his own, but not that which is not received by the reason and not done from freedom. It is therefore evident that it is not of the Divine Omnipotence to save those who do not desire to be led according to order, for to be led according to order is to be led according to the laws of order, and the laws of order are the precepts of doctrine and of life from the Word; therefore to lead a man who desires to be led, every moment and continually to eternity according to these, is of the Divine Omnipotence. For every moment there are infinite things to be seen, to be removed, and to be insinuated, in order that a man may be withheld from evils and held in goods, and this continually and connectedly according to order. It is also of the Divine Omnipotence to protect men from the hells, so far as it can be done without injury to their freedom and reason; for all the hells are as nothing against the Lord's Divine power; without this power of the Lord it is impossible for any man to be saved. But more respecting omnipotence may be seen above (n. 43).
689. Verse 17. Saying, we give Thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, signifies the acknowledgment that all being, living, and ability are from the Lord. This is evident from the signification of "saying and giving thanks," as being to acknowledge, since "to fall upon the face and to worship," and then "to give thanks," can have no other signification than to acknowledge, here the omnipotence of the Lord. Also from the signification of "the Lord God," as being the Lord in respect to Divine good and Divine truth; for where Divine good is meant in the Word the names "Lord" and "Jehovah" are used, and where Divine truth is meant the name "God" is used, therefore "the Lord God" and "Jehovah God" mean the Lord in respect to Divine good and Divine truth. Moreover, "Jehovah" in the Old Testament, is called "Lord" in the New. It is also evident from the signification of "Almighty," as being to be, to live, and to have ability of Himself, and also that the being, life, and ability of angels and men are from Him. (That this is meant by omnipotence, may be seen above, n. 43; also that Divine omnipotence means what is infinite, n. 286.)
[2] In respect to Divine omnipotence: it does not involve any power to act contrary to order, but it involves all power to act according to order, for all order is from the Lord; from this it follows that no one has any power to act according to order except from Him from whom is order; and this shows that it is of the Divine omnipotence to lead man according to order, and this every moment from the beginning of his life even to eternity, and this it does according to the laws of order, which are innumerable, and the number of which cannot be expressed; and yet this can be done only so far as man suffers himself to be led, that is, so far as he is willing not to be led by himself; for so far as he wishes to be led by himself he is brought into opposition to order. Because it is of the Divine omnipotence to lead one who wishes to be led according to order, and thus to lead no one contrary to order, therefore it is not of the Divine omnipotence to lead anyone to heaven who wishes to lead himself, since it is a law of order that what a man does he shall do from reason and from freedom, because that which is received by the reason and done from freedom remains with man, and is appropriated to him as his own, but not that which is not received by the reason and done from freedom. Thence it is clear that it is not of the Divine omnipotence to save those who are not willing to be led according to order, for to be led according to order is to be led according to the laws of order, and the laws of order are the precepts of doctrine and life from the Word; it is therefore of the Divine omnipotence to lead a man who is willing to be led according to these every moment and continually to eternity. For every minute there are infinite things to be seen, to be removed, and to be insinuated, that man may be withheld from evils and held in goods, and this continually in connection according to order. It is also of the Divine omnipotence to protect men from the hells, so far as this can be done without injury to freedom and reason; for all the hells are as nothing against the Lord's Divine power; without this power of the Lord it is impossible for any man to be saved. (But more respecting omnipotence may be seen above, n. 43.)
689. [Vers. 17.] "Dicentes, Gratias agimus Tibi, Domine Deus omnipotens." - Quod significet agnitionem quod omne esse, vivere et posse sit a Domino, constat ex significatione "dicere et gratias agere", quod sit agnoscere, quoniam per "cadere super facies et adorare", et tunc "gratias agere", non aliud significari potest quam agnoscere, hic omnipotentiam Domini: ex significatione "Domini Dei", quod sit Dominus quoad Divinum Bonum et quoad Divinum Verum; nam in Verbo ubi intelligitur Divinum Bonum ibi dicitur "Dominus" et "Jehovah", ac ubi intelligitur Divinum Verum dicitur "Deus"; inde per "Dominum Deum" et per "Jehovam Deum" intelligitur Dominus quoad Divinum Bonum et quoad Divinum Verum; et praeterea Jehovah in Veteri Testamento dicitur Dominus in Novo: et ex significatione "omnipotentis", quod sit esse, vivere et posse ex Se; et quoque quod angelorum et hominum esse vivere et posse sit ex Ipso. (Quod haec per omnipotentiam intelligantur, videatur supra, n. 43; tum quod per Divinam omnipotentiam intelligatur infinitum, n. 286.)
[2] Quod Divinam omnipotentiam concernit; illa non involvit aliquid potentiae faciendi contra ordinem, sed involvit omnem potentiam faciendi secundum ordinem, nam omnis ordo est ex Ipso; inde sequitur quod nihil potentiae sit alicui faciendi secundum ordinem, nisi ex Ipso ex quo ordo; ex eo constare potest quod omnipotentiae Divinae sit ducere hominem secundum ordinem, et hoc quovis momento a principio vitae ejus usque in aeternum, et hoc secundum leges ordinis, quae innumerabiles et ineffabili numero sunt; verumtamen quantum homo patitur se duci, hoc est, quantum non vult duci a semet ipso, quantum enim hoc vult tantum fertur contra ordinem: et quia omnipotentiae Divinae est ducere hominem qui vult duci secundum ordinem, proinde non aliquem contra ordinem, ideo non omnipotentiae Divinae est ducere aliquem ad caelum qui semet ipsum vult ducere, quia lex ordinis est ut homo ex ratione et ex libero agat quod agit, ex causa quia id quod ratione recipitur, et ex libero agitur, manet apud hominem, et ei appropriatur sicut suum; non autem quod non ratione recipitur et ex libero agitur: inde constare potest quod omnipotentiae Divinae non sit salvare illos qui non secundum ordinem volunt duci, nam duci secundum ordinem est secundum leges ordinis, ac leges ordinis sunt praecepta doctrinae et vitae ex Verbo; quare secundum has ducere hominem qui vult duci, omni momento et continue in aeternum, est omnipotentiae Divinae; sunt enim infinita quovis minuto quae videnda, quae removenda, quae insinuanda, ut homo detineatur a malis ac teneatur in bonis, et illa jugiter in nexu secundum ordinem. Omnipotentiae Divinae etiam est tutari homines ab infernis, quantum id fieri potest absque laesione liberi et rationis; omnia enim inferna contra Divinam Domini potentiam sunt sicut nihil; absque illa Domini potentia non aliquis homo salvari potest. (Sed plura de omnipotentia 1
videantur supra, n. 43.)
Footnotes:
1. The editors made a correction or note here.