Anf-02 vi.iv.i.i Pg 4.1
Anf-02 vi.iii.iii.vi Pg 5.1
Anf-03 v.v.xviii Pg 15
See Prov. viii.
Let Hermogenes then confess that the very Wisdom of God is declared to be born and created, for the especial reason that we should not suppose that there is any other being than God alone who is unbegotten and uncreated. For if that, which from its being inherent in the Lord6304 6304 Intra Dominum.
was of Him and in Him, was yet not without a beginning,—I mean6305 6305 Scilicet.
His wisdom, which was then born and created, when in the thought of God It began to assume motion6306 6306 Cœpti agitari.
for the arrangement of His creative works,—how much more impossible6307 6307 Multo magis non capit.
is it that anything should have been without a beginning which was extrinsic to the Lord!6308 6308 Extra Dominum.
But if this same Wisdom is the Word of God, in the capacity6309 6309 Sensu.
of Wisdom, and (as being He) without whom nothing was made, just as also (nothing) was set in order without Wisdom, how can it be that anything, except the Father, should be older, and on this account indeed nobler, than the Son of God, the only-begotten and first-begotten Word? Not to say that6310 6310 Nedum.
what is unbegotten is stronger than that which is born, and what is not made more powerful than that which is made. Because that which did not require a Maker to give it existence, will be much more elevated in rank than that which had an author to bring it into being. On this principle, then,6311 6311 Proinde.
if evil is indeed unbegotten, whilst the Son of God is begotten (“for,” says God, “my heart hath emitted my most excellent Word”6312 6312
Anf-02 vi.iii.iii.vi Pg 5.1
Anf-02 vi.iv.i.xiii Pg 9.1
Anf-03 v.iv.v.xvi Pg 35
Deut. xv. 7, 8.
Loans are not usually given, except to such as ask for them. On this subject of lending,4068 4068 De fenore.
however, more hereafter.4069 4069 Below, in the next chapter.
Now, should any one wish to argue that the Creator’s precepts extended only to a man’s brethren, but Christ’s to all that ask, so as to make the latter a new and different precept, (I have to reply) that one rule only can be made out of those principles, which show the law of the Creator to be repeated in Christ.4070 4070 This obscure passage runs thus: “Immo unum erit ex his per quæ lex Creatoris erit in Christo.”
For that is not a different thing which Christ enjoined to be done towards all men, from that which the Creator prescribed in favour of a man’s brethren. For although that is a greater charity, which is shown to strangers, it is yet not preferable to that4071 4071 Prior ea.
which was previously due to one’s neighbours. For what man will be able to bestow the love (which proceeds from knowledge of character,4072 4072 This is the idea, apparently, of Tertullian’s question: “Quis enim poterit diligere extraneos?” But a different turn is given to the sense in the older reading of the passage: Quis enim non diligens proximos poterit diligere extraneos? “For who that loveth not his neighbours will be able to love strangers?” The inserted words, however, were inserted conjecturally by Fulvius Ursinus without ms. authority.
upon strangers? Since, however, the second step4073 4073 Gradus.
in charity is towards strangers, while the first is towards one’s neighbours, the second step will belong to him to whom the first also belongs, more fitly than the second will belong to him who owned no first.4074 4074 Cujus non extitit primus.
Accordingly, the Creator, when following the course of nature, taught in the first instance kindness to neighbours,4075 4075 In proximos.
intending afterwards to enjoin it towards strangers; and when following the method of His dispensation, He limited charity first to the Jews, but afterwards extended it to the whole race of mankind. So long, therefore, as the mystery of His government4076 4076 Sacramentum.
was confined to Israel, He properly commanded that pity should be shown only to a man’s brethren; but when Christ had given to Him “the Gentiles for His heritage, and the ends of the earth for His possession,” then began to be accomplished what was said by Hosea: “Ye are not my people, who were my people; ye have not obtained mercy, who once obtained mercy”4077 4077
Anf-01 ix.vi.xix Pg 28
Prov. xix. 17.
