Against the Arians. (Orationes contra Arianos IV.)

 Four Discourses Against the Arians.

 Chapter II.—Extracts from the Thalia of Arius. Arius maintains that God became a Father, and the Son was not always the Son out of nothing once He w

 Chapter III.—The Importance of the Subject. The Arians affect Scripture language, but their doctrine new, as well as unscriptural. Statement of the Ca

 Chapter IV.—That the Son is Eternal and Increate. These attributes, being the points in dispute, are first proved by direct texts of Scripture. Concer

 Chapter V.—Subject Continued. Objection, that the Son’s eternity makes Him coordinate with the Father, introduces the subject of His Divine Sonship, a

 Chapter VI.—Subject Continued. Third proof of the Son’s eternity, viz. from other titles indicative of His coessentiality as the Creator One of the

 Chapter VII.—Objections to the Foregoing Proof. Whether, in the generation of the Son, God made One that was already, or One that was not.

 Chapter VIII.—Objections Continued. Whether we may decide the question by the parallel of human sons, which are born later than their parents. No, for

 Chapter IX.—Objections Continued. Whether is the Unoriginate one or two? Inconsistent in Arians to use an unscriptural word necessary to define its m

 Chapter X.—Objections Continued. How the Word has free will, yet without being alterable. He is unalterable because the Image of the Father, proved fr

 Chapter XI.—Texts Explained And First,Phil. II. 9, 10 Various texts which are alleged against the Catholic doctrine: e.g. Phil. ii. 9, 10 . Whether t

 Chapter XII.—Texts Explained Secondly, Psalm xlv. 7, 8. Whether the words ‘therefore,’ ‘anointed,’ &c., imply that the Word has been rewarded. Argued

 Chapter XIII.—Texts Explained Thirdly, Hebrews i. 4. Additional texts brought as objections e.g. Heb. i. 4 vii. 22 . Whether the word ‘better’ impl

 Discourse II.

 Chapter XV.—Texts explained Fifthly,Acts ii. 36. The Regula Fidei must be observed made applies to our Lord’s manhood and to His manifestation and

 Chapter XVI.—Introductory to Proverbs viii. 22, that the Son is not a Creature. Arian formula, a creature but not as one of the creatures but each cr

 Chapter XVII.—Introduction to Proverbs viii. 22continued. Absurdity of supposing a Son or Word created in order to the creation of other creatures as

 Chapter XVIII.—Introduction to Proverbs viii. 22continued. Contrast between the Father’s operations immediately and naturally in the Son, instrumental

 Chapter XIX.—Texts explained Sixthly,Proverbs viii. 22. Proverbs are of a figurative nature, and must be interpreted as such. We must interpret them,

 Chapter XX.—Texts Explained Sixthly, Proverbs viii. 22 Continued. Our Lord is said to be created ‘for the works,’ i.e. with a particular purpose, whi

 Chapter XXI.—Texts Explained Sixthly, Proverbs viii. 22, Continued. Our Lord not said in Scripture to be ‘created,’ or the works to be ‘begotten.’ ‘I

 Chapter XXII.—Texts Explained Sixthly, the Context of Proverbs viii. 22 Vz. 22–30 It is right to interpret this passage by the Regula Fidei. ‘Founded

 Discourse III.

 Chapter XXIV.—Texts Explained Eighthly,John xvii. 3. and the Like. Our Lord’s divinity cannot interfere with His Father’s prerogatives, as the One Go

 Chapter XXV.—Texts Explained Ninthly, John x. 30 xvii. 11, &c. Arian explanation, that the Son is one with the Father in will and judgment but so a

 Chapter XXVI.—Introductory to Texts from the Gospels on the Incarnation. Enumeration of texts still to be explained. Arians compared to the Jews. We m

 Chapter XXVII.—Texts Explained Tenthly, Matthew xi. 27 John iii. 35, &c. These texts intended to preclude the Sabellian notion of the Son they fall

 Chapter XXVIII.—Texts Explained Eleventhly, Mark xiii. 32 and Luke ii. 52 Arian explanation of the former text is against the Regula Fidei and again

 Chapter XXIX.—Texts Explained Twelfthly, Matthew xxvi. 39 John xii. 27, &c. Arian inferences are against the Regula Fidei, as before. He wept and th

 Chapter XXX.—Objections continued, as in Chapters vii.—x. Whether the Son is begotten of the Father’s will? This virtually the same as whether once He

 Discourse IV.

 6. But in answer to the weak and human notion of the Arians, their supposing that the Lord is in want, when He says, ‘Is given unto Me,’ and ‘I receiv

 8. Eusebius and his fellows, that is, the Ario-maniacs, ascribing a beginning of being to the Son, yet pretend not to wish Him to have a beginning of

 9. ‘I and the Father are One .’ You say that the two things are one, or that the one has two names, or again that the one is divided into two. Now if

 11. They fall into the same folly with the Arians for Arians also say that He was created for us, that He might create us, as if God waited till our

 13. This perhaps he borrowed from the Stoics, who maintain that their God contracts and again expands with the creation, and then rests without end. F

 15. Such absurdities will be the consequence of saying that the Monad is dilated into a Triad. But since those who say so venture to separate Word and

 25. Arius then raves in saying that the Son is from nothing, and that once He was not, while Sabellius also raves in saying that the Father is Son, an

 26. But that the Son has no beginning of being, but before He was made man was ever with the Father, John makes clear in his first Epistle, writing th

§25. Marcellian illustration from 1 Cor. xii. 4, refuted.

25. Arius then raves in saying that the Son is from nothing, and that once He was not, while Sabellius also raves in saying that the Father is Son, and again, the Son Father1558    §13., in subsistence1559    ὑποστάσει, iii. 65, n. 9. One, in name Two; and he1560    i.e. Marcellus. raves also in using as an example the grace of the Spirit. For he says, ‘As there are “diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit,” so also the Father is the same1561    (1 Cor. xii. 4.) So Marcellus, §13., but is dilated into Son and Spirit.’ Now this is full of absurdity; for if as with the Spirit, so it is with God, the Father will be Word and Holy Spirit, to one becoming Father, to another Son, to another Spirit, accommodating himself to the need of each, and in name indeed Son and Spirit, but in reality Father only; having a beginning in that He becomes a Son, and then ceasing to be called Father, and made man in name, but in truth not even coming among us; and untrue in saying ‘I and the Father,’ but in reality being Himself the Father, and the other absurdities which result in the instance of Sabellius. And the name of the Son and the Spirit will necessarily cease, when the need has been supplied; and what happens will altogether be but make-belief, because it has been displayed, not in truth, but in name. And the Name of Son ceasing, as they hold, then the grace of Baptism will cease too; for it was given in the Son1562    §21.. Nay, what will follow but the annihilation of the creation? for if the Word came forth that we might be created1563    ii. 24, n. 6; iv. 11, n. 4., and when He was come forth, we were, it is plain that when He retires into the Father, as they say, we shall be no longer. For He will be as He was; so also we shall not be, as then we were not; for when He is no more gone forth, there will no more be a creation. This then is absurd.

25 Μαίνεται μὲν οὖν Ἄρειος ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων εἶναι λέγων τὸν υἱόν, καὶ «ἦν ποτε, ὅτε οὐκ ἦν». Μαίνεται δὲ καὶ Σαβέλλιος λέγων τὸν πατέρα εἶναι υἱόν, καὶ ἔμπαλιν τὸν υἱὸν εἶναι πατέρα, ὑποστάσει μὲν ἕν, ὀνόματι δὲ δύο. Μαίνεται δὲ καὶ παραδείγματι χρώμενος τῇ τοῦ πνεύματος χάριτι. Φησὶ γάρ· «ὥσπερ διαιρέσεις χαρισμάτων εἰσίν, τὸ δὲ αὐτὸ πνεῦμα», οὕτως καὶ ὁ πατὴρ ὁ αὐτὸς μέν ἐστιν, πλατύνεται δὲ εἰς υἱὸν καὶ πνεῦμα. Ἔστι δὲ τοῦτο μεστὸν ἀτοπίας. Εἰ γὰρ ὡς ἐπὶ τοῦ πνεύματος, οὕτως καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ θεοῦ ἐστιν, ἔσται ὁ πατὴρ λόγος καὶ πνεῦμα ἅγιον, ᾧ μὲν γινόμενος πατήρ, ᾧ δὲ λόγος, ᾧ δὲ πνεῦμα πρὸς τὴν χρείαν ἑκάστου ἁρμοζόμενος, καὶ ὀνόματι μὲν υἱὸς καὶ πνεῦμα, τῷ δὲ ὄντι πατὴρ μόνον, ἀρχὴν μὲν ἔχων τὸ γίνεσθαι υἱός, παυόμενος δὲ τοῦ λέγεσθαι πατήρ, καὶ ἐνανθρωπήσας μὲν ὀνόματι, τῇ δὲ ἀληθείᾳ μηδὲ ἐπιδημήσας, καὶ ψευδόμενος μὲν τῷ λέγειν «ἐγὼ καὶ ὁ πατήρ», τῷ δὲ ὄντι αὐτὸς ὢν πατήρ; καὶ ὅσα ἄλλα ἄτοπα ἐπὶ Σαβελλίου ἀπαντᾷ. Ἀνάγκη δὲ καὶ παυθήσεσθαι τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ υἱοῦ καὶ τοῦ πνεύματος τῆς χρείας πληρωθείσης· καὶ ἔσται λοι πὸν ἄχρι παιδιᾶς τὰ γινόμενα, ὅτι μὴ ἀληθείᾳ, ἀλλ' ὀνόματι ἐπεδείχθη. Παυομένου δὲ τοῦ ὀνόματος τοῦ υἱοῦ κατ' αὐτοὺς παύσεται καὶ τοῦ βαπτίσματος ἡ χάρις· εἰς γὰρ υἱὸν ἐδόθη. Καὶ τί ἀκολουθήσει ἢ ἀφανισμὸς τῆς κτίσεως; Εἰ γάρ, ἵνα ἡμεῖς κτισθῶμεν, προῆλθεν ὁ λόγος, καὶ προελθόντος αὐτοῦ ἐσμεν, δῆλον, ὅτι ἀναχωροῦντος αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸν πατέρα, ὥς φασιν, οὐκ ἔτι ἐσόμεθα. Οὕτως γὰρ ἔσται, ὥσπερ ἦν· οὕτως οὐκ ἔτ' ἐσόμεθα, ὥσπερ οὖν οὐκ ἦμεν. Οὐκ ἔτι γὰρ προελθόντος οὐκ ἔτι ἡ κτίσις ἔσται.