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| Moreover, Against the Sabellians He Proves that the Father is One, the Son Another. PREVIOUS SECTION - NEXT SECTION - HELP
Chapter
XXVI.5209
5209
According to Pamelius, ch. xxi. |
Argument.—Moreover, Against the Sabellians He Proves that
the Father is One, the Son Another.
But from this occasion of Christ being proved from
the sacred authority of the divine writings not man only, but God also,
other heretics, breaking forth, contrive to impair the religious
position in Christ; by this very fact wishing to show that Christ is
God the Father, in that He is asserted to be not man only, but also is
declared to be God. For thus say they, If it is asserted that God
is one, and Christ is God, then say they, If the Father and Christ be
one God, Christ will be called the Father. Wherein they are
proved to be in error, not knowing Christ, but following the sound of a
name; for they are not willing that He should be the second person
after the Father, but the Father Himself. And since these things
are easily answered, few words shall be said. For who does not
acknowledge that the person of the Son is second after the Father, when
he reads that it was said by the Father, consequently to the Son,
“Let us make man in our image and our likeness;”5210 and that after
this it was related, “And God made man, in the image of God made
He him?” Or when he holds in his hands: “The
Lord rained upon Sodom and Gomorrha fire and brimstone from the Lord
from heaven?”5211 Or when he reads
(as having been said) to
Christ: “Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten
Thee. Ask of me, and I will give Thee the heathens for Thine
inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Thy
possession?”5212 Or when also that beloved writer
says: “The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit Thou on my right
hand, until I shall make Thine enemies the stool of Thy
feet?”5213 Or
when, unfolding the prophecies of Isaiah, he finds it written
thus: “Thus saith the Lord to Christ my
Lord?”5214
5214
Isa. xlv. 1. Some transcriber has written
Κυρίῳ for
Κύρῳ,
“the Lord” for “Cyrus,” and the mistake has
been followed by the author. | Or
when he reads: “I came not down from heaven to do mine own
will, but the will of Him that sent me?”5215 Or when he finds it
written: “Because He who sent me is greater than
I?”5216 Or when
he considers the passage: “I go to my Father, and your
Father; to my God, and your God?”5217 Or when he finds it placed side
by side with others: “Moreover, in your law it is written
that the witness of two is true. I bear witness of myself, and
the Father who sent me beareth witness of me?”5218 Or when the voice from heaven
is: “I have both glorified Him, and I will glorify Him
again?”5219 Or
when by Peter it is answered and said: “Thou art the Son of
the living God?”5220 Or when by the Lord Himself the
sacrament of this revelation is approved, and He says:
“Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood hath
not revealed this to thee, but my Father which is in
heaven?”5221 Or
when by Christ Himself it is expressed: “Father, glorify me
with that glory with which I was with Thee before the world was
made?”5222 Or when
it was said by the same: “Father, I knew that Thou hearest
me always; but on account of those who stand around I said it, that
they may believe that Thou hast sent me?”5223 Or when the definition of the
rule is established by Christ Himself, and it is said: “And
this is life eternal, that they should know Thee, the only and true
God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent. I have glorified Thee
upon the earth, I have finished the work which Thou gavest
me?”5224 Or
when, moreover, by the same it is asserted and said: “All
things are delivered to me by my Father?”5225 Or when the session at the
right hand of the Father is proved both by apostles and prophets?
And I should have enough to do were I to endeavour to gather together
all the passages5226
5226
[Cap. xxi. p. 632, supra.] | whatever
on this side; since the divine Scripture, not so much of the Old as
also of the New Testament, everywhere shows Him to be born of the
Father, by whom all things were made, and without whom nothing was
made, who always has obeyed and obeys the Father; that He always has
power over all things, but as delivered, as granted, as by the Father
Himself permitted to Him. And what can be so evident proof
that this is not the Father, but the Son; as that He is set forth as
being obedient to God the Father, unless, if He be believed to be the
Father, Christ may be said to be subjected to another God the
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