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But it is quite time to finish the book, aye and the whole work, if I
may however add the sayings of a few saintly men and illustrious priests,
to support by the faith of the present day what we have already proved by
the authority of holy Scripture. Hilary, a man endowed with all virtues and
graces, and famous for his life as well as for his eloquence, who also, as
a teacher of the churches and a priest, advanced not only by his own merits
but also by the progress of others, and remained so steadfast during the
storms of persecution that through the fortitude of his unconquered faith
he attained the dignity of being a Confessor, -- he testifies in the
First book on the faith that the Lord Jesus Christ, Very God of Very God,
was both begotten before the world, and afterwards born as man. Again in
the Second book: "One only Begotten God grew in the womb of the holy Virgin
into the form of a human body; He who contains all things, and in whose
power all things are, is brought forth according to the law of human
birth." Again in the same book: "An angel is witness that He who is born is
God with us." Again in the Tenth book: "We have taught the mystery of God
born as man by the birth from the Virgin." Again in the same book: "For
when God was born as man, He was not born on purpose not to remain God."
Again in the same writer's preface to his exposition of the gospel
according to Matthew: "For to begin with it was needful for us that for
our sakes the only Begotten God should be known to be born as man." Again
in what follows: "that besides being God, He should be born as man, which
He was not yet." Again in the same place: "Then this third matter was
fitting: that as God was born as man in the world" etc.: Here are a few
passages out of any number. But still you see even from these which we have
quoted, how clearly and plainly he asserts that God was born of Mary. And
where then is this saying of yours: "The creature could not bring forth the
Creator: and that which is born of the flesh, is flesh." It would take too
long to quote passages bearing on this point from each separate writer. I
must try to enumerate them rather than to explain them: for they will
sufficiently explain themselves.
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