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| Chapter XIX. The Saint having turned to God the Father, explains why he does not deride that the Son is inferior to the Father, then he declares it is not for him to measure the Son of God, since it was given to an angel--nay, perhaps even to Christ as man--to measure merely Jerusalem. Arius, he says, has shown himself to be an imitator of Satan. It is a rash thing to hold discussions on the divine Generation. Since so great a sign of human generation has been given by Isaiah, we ought not to make comparisons in divine things. Lastly he shows how carefully we ought to avoid the pride of Arius, by putting before us various examples of Scriptures.
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Chapter XIX.
The Saint having turned to God the Father, explains why
he does not deride that the Son is inferior to the Father, then he
declares it is not for him to measure the Son of God, since it was
given to an angel—nay, perhaps even to Christ as man—to
measure merely Jerusalem. Arius, he says, has shown himself to be
an imitator of Satan. It is a rash thing to hold discussions on
the divine Generation. Since so great a sign of human generation
has been given by Isaiah, we ought not to make comparisons in divine
things. Lastly he shows how carefully we ought to avoid the pride
of Arius, by putting before us various examples of Scriptures.
227. To Thee now,
Almighty Father, do I direct my words with tears. I indeed have
readily called Thee inapproachable, incomprehensible, inestimable; but
I dared not say Thy Son was inferior to Thyself. For when I read
that He is the Brightness of Thy glory, and the Image of Thy
Person,2814
I fear lest,
in saying that the Image of Thy Person is inferior, I should seem to
say that Thy Person is inferior, of which the Son is the Image; for the
fulness of Thy Godhead is wholly in the Son. I have often read, I
freely believe, that Thou and Thy Son and the Holy Spirit are
boundless, unmeasurable, inestimable, ineffable. And therefore I
cannot appraise Thee so as to weigh Thee.
228. But be it so, that I desired with a daring
and rash spirit to measure Thee? From whence, I ask, shall I
measure Thee? The prophet saw a line of flax with which the angel
measured Jerusalem. An angel was measuring, not Arius. And
he was measuring Jerusalem, not God. And perchance even an angel
could not measure Jerusalem, for it was a man. Thus it is
written: “I raised mine eyes and saw and beheld a man, and
in his hand there was a
line
of flax.”2815
He was a
man, for a type of the body that was to be assumed was thus
shown. He was a man, of whom it was said: “There
cometh a man after me, Whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to
unloose.”2816
Therefore Christ in a type measures Jerusalem. Arius measures
God.
229. Even Satan transforms himself into an
angel of light;2817
what wonder
then if Arius imitates his Author in taking upon himself what is
forbidden? Though his father the devil did it not in his own
case, that man with intolerable blasphemy assumes to himself the
knowledge of divine secrets and the mysteries of the heavenly
Generation. For the devil confessed the true Son of God, Arius
denies Him.
230. If, then, I cannot measure Thee,
Almighty Father, can I without blasphemy discuss the secrets of Thy
Generation? Can I say there is anything more or less between Thee
and Thy Son when He Himself Who was begotten of Thee, says:
“All things which the Father hath are Mine.”2818
Who has made Me a judge and a
divider of human affairs? This the Son says,2819
and do we claim to make a division and
to give judgment between the Father and the Son? A right feeling
of duty avoids arbiters even in the division of an inheritance.
And shall we become arbiters, to divide between Thee and Thy Son the
glory of the uncreated Substance?
231. “This generation,” it says,
“is an evil generation. It seeketh a sign, and there shall
no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet.”2820
A sign of the Godhead then is not
given, but only of the Incarnation. Thus when about to speak of
the Incarnation the prophet says: “Ask thee a
sign.” And when the king had said: “I will not
ask, neither will I tempt the Lord,” the answer was:
“Behold a Virgin shall conceive.”2821
Therefore we cannot see a sign of
the Godhead, and do we seek a measure of it? Alas! woe is me! we
impiously dare to discuss Him, to Whom we cannot worthily
pray!
232. Let the Arians see to what they do. I
have unlawfully compared Thee, O Father, with Thy works in saying that
Thou art greater than all. If greater than Thy Son, as Arius
maintains, I have judged wickedly. Concerning Thee first will
that judgment be. For no choice can be made except by comparison,
nor can anyone be put before another without a decision being first
given on Himself.
233. It is not lawful for us to swear by heaven,
but it is lawful to judge about God. Yet Thou hast given to Thy
Son alone judgment over all.
234. John feared to baptize the flesh of the
Lord, John forbade Him, saying: “I have need to be baptized
of Thee, and comest Thou to me?”2822
And shall I bring Christ under
my judgment?
235. Moses excuses himself from the
Priesthood, Peter is for avoiding the obedience demanded in the
Ministry; and does Arius examine even the deep things of God? But
Arius is not the Holy Spirit. Nay, it was said even to Arius and
to all men: “Seek not that which is too deep for
thee.”2823
236. Moses is prevented from seeing the face
of God;2824
Arius merited
to see it in secret. Moses and Aaron among His Priests.
Moses who appeared with the Lord in glory, that Moses then saw only the
back parts of God in appearance; Arius beholds God wholly face to
face! But “no one,” it says, “can see My face
and live.”2825
237. Paul also speaks of inferior
beings: “We know in part and we prophesy in
part.”2826
Arius
says: “I know God altogether and not in part.”
Thus Paul is inferior to Arius, and the vessel of election knows in
part, but the vessel of perdition knows wholly. “I
know,” he says, “a man, whether in the body or out of the
body, I cannot tell, God knoweth, how he was caught up into Paradise
and heard unspeakable words.”2827
Paul carried up to the third heaven, knew not himself; Arius rolling in
filth, knows God. Paul says of himself: “God
knows;” Arius says of God: “I know.”
238. But Arius was not caught up to heaven,
although he followed him who with accursed boastfulness presumed on
what was divine, saying: “I will set my throne upon the
clouds; I will be like the Most High.”2828
For as he said: “I
will be like the Most High,” so too Arius wishes the Most High
Son of God to seem like himself, Whom he does not worship in the
eternal glory of His Godhead, but measures by the weakness of the
flesh.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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