1. The dogmas which express the knowledge of God and the world are dominated by the fundamental idea that the world as the created, conditioned, and transient is contrasted with something self-existing, unchangeable and eternal, which is the first cause of the world. This self-existing Being has none of the attributes which belong to the world; hence he is exalted above every name and has in himself no distinctions. This implies, first, the unity and uniqueness of this eternal Being; secondly, his spiritual nature, for everything bodily is subject to change; and, finally, his perfection, for the self-existent and eternal requires nothing. Since, however, he is the cause of all being, himself being unconditioned, he is the fulness of all being or true being itself (Tatian 5: [Greek: katho pasa dunamis oraton te kai aoraton autos hupostasis en, sun auto ta panta]). As the living and spiritual Being he reveals himself in free creations, which make known his omnipotence and wisdom, i.e., his operative reason. These creations are, moreover, a proof of the goodness of the Deity, for they can be no result of necessities, in so far as God is in himself perfect. Just because he is perfect, the Eternal Essence is also the Father of all virtues, in so far as he contains no admixture of what is defective. These virtues include both the goodness which manifests itself in his creations, and the righteousness which gives to the creature what belongs to him, in accordance with the position he has received. On the basis of this train of thought the Apologists lay down the dogmas of the monarchy of God ([Greek: ton holon to monarchikon]), his supramundaneness ([Greek: to arreton, to anekphraston, to achoreton, to akatalepton, to aperinoeton, to asugkriton, to asymbibaston, to anekdiegeton]; see Justin, Apol. II. 6; Theoph. I. 3); his unity ([Greek: eis Theos]); his having no beginning ([Greek: anarchos, hoti agenetos]); his eternity and unchangeableness ([Greek: analloiotos kathoti athanatos]); his perfection ([Greek: teleios]); his need of nothing ([Greek: aprosdees]); his spiritual nature ([Greek: pneuma ho Theos]); his absolute causality ([Greek: autos hyparchon tou pantos he hypostasis], the motionless mover, see Aristides c. 1); his creative activity ([Greek: ktistes ton panton]); his sovereignty ([Greek: despotes ton holon]); his fatherhood ([Greek: pater dia to einai auton pro ton holon]) his reason-power (God as [Greek: logos, nous, pneuma, sophia]); his omnipotence ([Greek: pantokrator hoti autos ta panta kratei kai emperiechei]); his righteousness and goodness ([Greek: pater tes dikaiosunes kai pason ton areton chrestotes]). These dogmas are set forth by one Apologist in a more detailed, and by another in a more concise form, but three points are emphasised by all. First, God is primarily to be conceived as the First Cause. Secondly, the principle of moral good is also the principle of the world. Thirdly, the principle of