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| Chapter IV
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Chapter
IV.
But should it be the Jew who gainsays these arguments, our discussion
with him will no longer present equal difficulty1951
| 1951 i.e.as with the Greek. | ,
since the truth will be made manifest out of those doctrines on which
he has been brought up. For that there is a Word of God, and a Spirit
of God, powers essentially subsisting, both creative of whatever has
come into being, and comprehensive of things that exist, is shown in
the clearest light out of the Divinely-inspired Scriptures. It is
enough if we call to mind one testimony, and leave the discovery of
more to those who are inclined to take the trouble. “By the Word
of the Lord,” it is said, “the heavens were established,
and all the power of them by the breath of His mouth1952
.” What word and what breath? For the
Word is not mere speech, nor that breath mere breathing. Would not the
Deity be brought down to the level of the likeness of our human nature,
were it held as a doctrine that the Maker of the universe used such
word and such breath as this? What power arising from speech or
breathing could there be of such a kind as would suffice for the
establishment of the heavens and the powers that are therein? For if
the Word of God is like our speech, and His Breath is like our breath,
then from these like things there must certainly come a likeness of
power; and the Word of God has just so much force as our word, and no
more. But the words that come from us and the breath that accompanies
their utterance are ineffective and unsubstantial. Thus, they who would
bring down the Deity to a similarity with the word as with us render
also the Divine word and spirit altogether ineffective and
unsubstantial. But if, as David says, “By the Word of the Lord
were the heavens established, and their powers had their framing by His
breath,” then has the mystery of the truth been confirmed, which
instructs us to speak of a word as in essential being, and a breath as
in personality.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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