{"collection":"chr","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/chr/ecf/210/2100273.htm","path":"chr/ecf/210/2100273.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/chr/ecf/210/2100273.htm","text":"The Saint having turned to God the Father, explains why he does not deride that the Son is inferior to the Father, then he declares it is not for him to measure the Son of God, since it was given to an angel\u2014nay, perhaps even to Christ as man\u2014to measure merely Jerusalem. Arius, he says, has shown himself to be an imitator of Satan. It is a rash thing to hold discussions on the divine Generation. Since so great a sign of human generation has been given by Isaiah, we ought not to make comparisons in divine things. Lastly he shows how carefully we ought to avoid the pride of Arius, by putting before us various examples of Scriptures.\n227. To Thee now, Almighty Father, do I direct my words with tears. I indeed have readily called Thee inapproachable, incomprehensible, inestimable; but I dared not say Thy Son was inferior to Thyself. For when I read that He is the Brightness of Thy glory, and the Image of Thy Person, 2814 I fear lest, in saying that the Image of Thy Person is inferior, I should seem to say that Thy Person is inferior, of which the Son is the Image; for the fulness of Thy Godhead is wholly in the Son. I have often read, I freely believe, that Thou and Thy Son and the Holy Spirit are boundless, unmeasurable, inestimable, ineffable. And therefore I cannot appraise Thee so as to weigh Thee.\n228. But be it so, that I desired with a daring and rash spirit to measure Thee? From whence, I ask, shall I measure Thee? The prophet saw a line of flax with which the angel measured Jerusalem. An angel was measuring, not Arius. And he was measuring Jerusalem, not God. And perchance even an angel could not measure Jerusalem, for it was a man. Thus it is written: \u201cI raised mine eyes and saw and beheld a man, and in his hand there was a p. 314 line of flax.\u201d 2815 He was a man, for a type of the body that was to be assumed was thus shown. He was a man, of whom it was said: \u201cThere cometh a man after me, Whose shoe\u2019s latchet I am not worthy to unloose.\u201d 2816 Therefore Christ in a type measures Jerusalem. Arius measures God.\n229. Even Satan transforms himself into an angel of light; 2817 what wonder then if Arius imitates his Author in taking upon himself what is forbidden? Though his father the devil did it not in his own case, that man with intolerable blasphemy assumes to himself the knowledge of divine secrets and the mysteries of the heavenly Generation. For the devil confessed the true Son of God, Arius denies Him.\n230. If, then, I cannot measure Thee, Almighty Father, can I without blasphemy discuss the secrets of Thy Generation? Can I say there is anything more or less between Thee and Thy Son when He Himself Who was begotten of Thee, says: \u201cAll things which the Father hath are Mine.\u201d 2818 Who has made Me a judge and a divider of human affairs? This the Son says, 2819 and do we claim to make a division and to give judgment between the Father and the Son? A right feeling of duty avoids arbiters even in the division of an inheritance. And shall we become arbiters, to divide between Thee and Thy Son the glory of the uncreated Substance?\n231. \u201cThis generation,\u201d it says, \u201cis an evil generation. It seeketh a sign, and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet.\u201d 2820 A sign of the Godhead then is not given, but only of the Incarnation. Thus when about to speak of the Incarnation the prophet says: \u201cAsk thee a sign.\u201d And when the king had said: \u201cI will not ask, neither will I tempt the Lord,\u201d the answer was: \u201cBehold a Virgin shall conceive.\u201d 2821 Therefore we cannot see a sign of the Godhead, and do we seek a measure of it? Alas! woe is me! we impiously dare to discuss Him, to Whom we cannot worthily pray!\n232. Let the Arians see to what they do. I have unlawfully compared Thee, O Father, with Thy works in saying that Thou art greater than all. If greater than Thy Son, as Arius maintains, I have judged wickedly. Concerning Thee first will that judgment be. For no choice can be made except by comparison, nor can anyone be put before another without a decision being first given on Himself.\n233. It is not lawful for us to swear by heaven, but it is lawful to judge about God. Yet Thou hast given to Thy Son alone judgment over all.\n234. John feared to baptize the flesh of the Lord, John forbade Him, saying: \u201cI have need to be baptized of Thee, and comest Thou to me?\u201d 2822 And shall I bring Christ under my judgment?\n235. Moses excuses himself from the Priesthood, Peter is for avoiding the obedience demanded in the Ministry; and does Arius examine even the deep things of God? But Arius is not the Holy Spirit. Nay, it was said even to Arius and to all men: \u201cSeek not that which is too deep for thee.\u201d 2823\n236. Moses is prevented from seeing the face of God; 2824 Arius merited to see it in secret. Moses and Aaron among His Priests. Moses who appeared with the Lord in glory, that Moses then saw only the back parts of God in appearance; Arius beholds God wholly face to face! But \u201cno one,\u201d it says, \u201ccan see My face and live.\u201d 2825\n237. Paul also speaks of inferior beings: \u201cWe know in part and we prophesy in part.\u201d 2826 Arius says: \u201cI know God altogether and not in part.\u201d Thus Paul is inferior to Arius, and the vessel of election knows in part, but the vessel of perdition knows wholly. \u201cI know,\u201d he says, \u201ca man, whether in the body or out of the body, I cannot tell, God knoweth, how he was caught up into Paradise and heard unspeakable words.\u201d 2827 Paul carried up to the third heaven, knew not himself; Arius rolling in filth, knows God. Paul says of himself: \u201cGod knows;\u201d Arius says of God: \u201cI know.\u201d\n238. But Arius was not caught up to heaven, although he followed him who with accursed boastfulness presumed on what was divine, saying: \u201cI will set my throne upon the clouds; I will be like the Most High.\u201d 2828 For as he said: \u201cI will be like the Most High,\u201d so too Arius wishes the Most High Son of God to seem like himself, Whom he does not worship in the eternal glory of His Godhead, but measures by the weakness of the flesh.\nS. John i. 27.\n314:2817 314:2818\nS. John xvi. 15.\n314:2819\nS. Luke xii. 14.\n314:2820\nS. Luke xi. 29.\n314:2821\nIsa. vii. 11 ff.\n314:2822\nS. Matt. iii. 4.\n314:2823 314:2824 314:2825 314:2826 314:2827\n2 Cor. 13:3, 4.\n314:2828","title":"Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Ser. II, Vol. X: Dogmatic...","type":"page"}