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4. And I know not whether the words, "They are one," are ever
found in Scripture as spoken of things of which the nature is
different. But if there are more things than one of the same nature,
and they differ in sentiment, they are not one, and that so far as
they differ in sentiment. For if the disciples were already one by the
fact of being men, He would not say, "That they may be one, as we
are one," when commending them to the Father. But because Paul and
Apollos were both alike men, and also of like sentiments, "He that
planteth," he says, "and he that watereth are one." When,
therefore, anything is so called one, that it is not added in what it
is one, and yet more things than one are called one, then the same
essence and nature is signified, not differing nor disagreeing. But
when it is added in what it is one, it may be meant that something is
made one out of things more than one, though they are different in
nature. As soul and body are assuredly not one; for, what are so
different? unless there be added, or understood in what they are one,
that is, one man, or one animal [person]. Thence the apostle
says, "He who is joined to a harlot, is one body;" he does not
say, they are one or he is one; but he has added "body," as though
it were one body composed by being joined together of two different
bodies, masculine and feminine. And, "He that is joined unto the
Lord," he says," is one spirit:" he did not say, he that is
joined unto the Lord is one, or they are one; but he added,
"spirit" For the spirit of man and the Spirit of God are different
in nature; but by being joined they become one spirit of two different
spirits, so that the Spirit of God is blessed and perfect without the
human spirit, but the spirit of man cannot be blessed without God.
Nor is it without cause, I think, that when the Lord said so much
in the Gospel according to John, and so often, of unity itself,
whether of His own with the Father, or of ours interchangeably with
ourselves; He has nowhere said, that we are also one with Himself,
but, "that they may be one as we also are one." Therefore the
Father and the Son are one, undoubtedly according to unity of
substance; and there is one God, and one great, and one wise, as we
have argued.
5. Whence then is the Father greater? For if greater, He is
greater by greatness; but whereas the Son is His greatness, neither
assuredly is the Son greater than He who begat Him, nor is the
Father greater than that greatness, whereby He is great; therefore
they are equal. For whence is He equal, if not in that which He
is, to whom it is not one thing to be, and another to be great? Or
if the Father is greater in eternity, the Son is not equal in
anything whatsoever. For whence equal? If you say in greatness,
that greatness is not equal which is less eternal, and so of all things
else. Or is He perhaps equal in power, but not equal in wisdom?
But how is that power which is less wise, equal? Or is He equal in
wisdom, but not equal in power? But how is that wisdom equal which is
less powerful? It remains, therefore, that if He is not equal in
anything, He is not equal in all. But Scripture proclaims, that
"He thought it not robbery to be equal with God." Therefore any
adversary of the truth whatever, provided he feels bound by apostolical
authority, must needs confess that the Son is equal with God in each
one thing whatsoever. Let him choose that which he will; from it he
will be shown, that He is equal in all things which are said of His
substance.
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