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20. Accordingly, the word that sounds outwardly is the sign of the
word that gives light inwardly; which latter has the greater claim to
be called a word. For that which is uttered with the mouth of the
flesh, is the articulate sound of a word; and is itself also called a
word, on account of that to make which outwardly apparent it is itself
assumed. For our word is so made in some way into an articulate sound
of the body, by assuming that articulate sound by which it may be
manifested to men's senses, as the Word of God was made flesh, by
assuming that flesh in which itself also might be manifested to men's
senses. And as our word becomes an articulate sound, yet is not
changed into one; so the Word of God became flesh, but far be it
from us to say He was changed into flesh, For both that word of ours
became an articulate sound, and that other Word became flesh, by
assuming it, not by consuming itself so as to be changed into it. And
therefore whoever desires to arrive at any likeness, be it of what sort
it may, of the Word of God, however in many respects unlike, must
not regard the word of ours that, sounds in the ears, either when it
is uttered in an articulate sound or when it is silently thought. For
the words of all tongues that are uttered in sound are also silently
thought, and the mind runs over verses while the bodily mouth is
silent. And not only the numbers of syllables, but the tunes also of
songs, since they are corporeal, and pertain to that sense of the body
which is called hearing, are at hand by certain incorporeal images
appropriate to them, to those who think of them, and who silently
revolve all these things. But we must pass by this, in order to
arrive at that word of man, by the likeness of which, be it of what
sort it may, the Word of God may be somehow seen as in an enigma.
Not that word which was spoken to this or that prophet, and of which
it is said, "Now the word of God grew and multiplied;" and again,
"Faith then cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ;"
and again, "When ye received the word of God which ye heard of us,
ye received it not as the word of men but, as it is in truth, the word
of God" (and there are countless other like sayings in the
Scriptures respecting the word of God, which is disseminated in the
sounds of many and diverse languages through the hearts and mouths of
men; and which is therefore called the word of God, because the
doctrine thai is delivered is not human, but divine); but we are now
seeking to see, in whatsoever way we can, by means of this likeness,
that Word of God of which it is said, "The Word was God;" of
which it is said, "All things were made by Him;" of which it is
said, "The Word became flesh;" of which it is said "The Word of
God on high is the fountain of wisdom." We must go on, then, to
that word of man, to the word of the rational animal, to the word of
that image of God, that is not born of God, but made by God; which
is neither utterable in sound nor capable of being thought under the
likeness of sound such as must needs be with the word of any tongue;
but which precedes all the signs by which it is signified, and is
begotten from the knowledge that continues in the mind, when that same
knowledge is spoken inwardly according as it really is. For the sight
of thinking is exceedingly like the sight of knowledge. For when it is
uttered by sound, or by any bodily sign, it is not uttered according
as it really is, but as it can be seen or heard by the body. When,
therefore, that is in the word which is in the knowledge, then there
is a true word, and truth, such as is looked for from man; such that
what is in the knowledge is also in the word, and what is not in the
knowledge is also not in the word. Here may be recognized, "Yea,
yea; nay, nay." And so this likeness of the image that is made,
approaches as nearly as is possible to that likeness of the image that
is born, by which God the Son is declared to be in all things like in
substance to the Father. We must notice in this enigma also another
likeness of the word of God; viz. that, as it is said of that
Word, "All things were made by Him," where God is declared to
have made the universe by His only-begotten Son, so there are no
works of man that are not first spoken in his heart: whence it is
written, "A word is the beginning of every work." But here also,
it is when the word is true, that then it is the beginning of a good
work. And a word is true when it is begotten from the knowledge of
working good works, so that there too may be preserved the "yea yea,
nay nay;" in order that whatever is in that knowledge by which we are
to live, may be also in the word by which we are to work, and whatever
is not in the one may not be in the other. Otherwise such a word will
be a lie, not truth; and what comes thence will be a sin, and not a
good work. There is yet this other likeness of the Word of God in
this likeness of our word, that there can be a word of ours with no
work following it, but there cannot be any work unless a word
precedes; just as the Word of God could have existed though no
creature existed, but no creature could exist unless by that Word by
which all things are made. And therefore not God the Father, not
the Holy Spirit, not the Trinity itself, but the Son only, which
is the Word of God, was made flesh; although the Trinity was the
maker: in order that we might live rightly through our word following
and imitating His example, i.e. by having no lie in either the
thought or the work of our word. But this perfection of this image is
one to be at some time hereafter. In order to attain this it is that
the good master teaches us by Christian faith, and by pious doctrine,
that "with face unveiled" from the veil of the law, which is the
shadow of things to come, "beholding as in a glass the glory of the
Lord," i.e. gazing at it through a glass, "we may be transformed
into the same image from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the
Lord;" as we explained above.
21. When, therefore, this image shall have been renewed to
perfection by this transformation, then we shall be like God, because
we shall see Him, not through a glass, but "as He is;" which the
Apostle Paul expresses by "face to face." But now, who can
explain how great is the unlikeness also, in this glass, in this
enigma, in this likeness such as it is? Yet I will touch upon some
points, as I can, by which to indicate it.
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