|
The Father is Father and not Son: the Son is Son and not
Father: the Holy Spirit is Spirit and not Father or Son. For
the individuality is unchangeable. How, indeed, could individuality
continue to exist at all if it were ever changing and altering?
Wherefore the Son of God became Son of Man in order that His
individuality might endure. For since He was the Son of God, He
became Son of Man, being made flesh of the holy Virgin and not
losing the individuality of Sonship.
Further, the Son of God became man, in order that He might again
bestow on man that favour for the sake of which He created him. For
He created him after His own image, endowed with intellect and
free-will, and after His own likeness, that is to say, perfect in
all virtue so far as it is possible for man's nature to attain
perfection. For the following properties are, so to speak, marks of
the divine nature: viz. absence of care and distraction and guile,
goodness, wisdom, justice, freedom from all vice. So then, after
He had placed man in communion with Himself (for having made him for
incorruption, He led him up through communion wills Himself to
incorruption), and when moreover, through the transgression of the
command we had confused and obliterated the marks of the divine image,
and had become evil, we were stripped of our communion with God (for
what communion hath light with darkness?): and having been shut out
from life we became subject to the corruption of death: yea, since He
gave us to share in the better part, and we did not keep it secure,
He shares in the inferior part, I mean our own nature, in order that
through Himself and in Himself He might renew that which was made
after His image and likeness, and might teach us, too, the conduct
of a virtuous life, making through Himself the way thither easy for
us, and might by the communication of life deliver us from corruption,
becoming Himself the firstfruits of our resurrection, and might
renovate the useless and worn vessel calling us to the knowledge of God
that He might redeem us from the tyranny of the devil, and might
strengthen and teach us how to overthrow the tyrant through patience and
humility.
The worship of demons then has ceased: creation has been sanctified by
the divine blood: altars and temples of idols have been overthrown,
the knowledge of God has been implanted in men's minds, the
co-essential Trinity, the uncreate divinity, one true God,
Creator and Lord of all receives men's service: virtues are
cultivated, the hope of resurrection has been granted through the
resurrection of Christ, the demons shudder at those men who of old
were under their subjection. And the marvel, indeed, is that all
this has been successfully brought about through His cross and passion
and death. Throughout all the earth the Gospel of the knowledge of
God has been preached; no wars or weapons or armies being used to rout
the enemy, but only a few, naked, poor, illiterate, persecuted and
tormented men, who with their lives in their hands, preached Him Who
was crucified in the flesh and died, and who became victors over the
wise and powerful. For the omnipotent power of the Cross accompanied
them. Death itself, which once was maws chiefest terror, has been
overthrown, and now that which was once the object of hate and loathing
is preferred to life. These are the achievements of Christ's
presence: these are the tokens of His power. For it was not one
people that He saved, as when through Moses He divided the sea and
delivered Israel out of Egypt and the bondage of Pharaoh; nay,
rather He rescued all mankind from the corruption of death and the
bitter tyranny of sin: not leading them by force to virtue, not
overwhelming them with earth or burning them with fire, or ordering the
sinners to be stoned, but persuading men by gentleness and
long-suffering to choose virtue and vie with one another, and find
pleasure in the struggle to attain it. For, formerly, it was sinners
who were persecuted, and yet they clung all the closer to sin, and sin
was looked upon by them as their God: but now for the sake of piety
and virtue men choose persecutions and crucifixions and death.
Hail! O Christ, the Word and Wisdom and Power of God, and God
omnipotent! What can we helpless ones give Thee in return for all
these good gifts? For all are Thine, and Thou askest naught from us
save our salvation, Thou Who Thyself art the Giver of this, and
yet art grateful to those who receive it, through Thy unspeakable
goodness. Thanks be to Thee Who gave us life, and granted us the
grace of a happy life, and restored us to that, when we had gone
astray, through Thy unspeakable condescension.
|
|
