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Halt! do not fashion one thing, as it were something composite, and three-faced, or altogether anthropomorphic? Away with it, and you will cry out in opposition, may he not even see the face, whatever it is, of God, who holds such views. What then do the hypostases mean to us, or the persons to you? for I will ask further. That the three are divided, not by natures, but by properties. Excellent. How could any agree more and say the same thing, than those who hold this view, even if they differ in their syllables? See what a reconciler I am for you, leading you to the spirit from the letter, just as the Old and the New.

17. But I must return again to the same argument. So let the unbegotten, and the begotten, and that which proceeds be spoken of and conceived, if anyone is fond of coining names; for we shall not fear, lest the incorporeal be ever conceived corporeally, as seems to be the case with the insolent assailants of the Godhead. But let it be called a creature of God; for this is a great thing for us too; but God, by no means. Or I will accept that God is a creature, when I too become properly God. For it is thus. If he is God, he is not a creature; for a creature is on our level, who are not gods. But if he is a creature, he is not God; for he began in time. And what began, there was a time when it was not. And that of which 'was not' is the elder, is not properly being. But how can that which is not properly being be God? Therefore neither is any one of the Three a creature; nor, what is worse than this, made for my sake; so that it might not only be a creature, but also less honorable than we are. For if I am for the glory of God, and this is for my sake (the fire-tongs for the sake of the wagon, or the saw for the sake of the door), I prevail by the cause. For as much as God is 36.480 higher than creatures, so much of me who subsists for God, that which is made for my sake is less honorable.

18. In response to this, let there be no entry into the Church of God for Moabites and Ammonites, with dialectical and mischievous arguments, who, meddling with the generation of God and the ineffable procession, boldly rise up against the Godhead; as though it were necessary either that things beyond reason be attainable by them alone, or that they not even exist, because they themselves have not comprehended them. But we, following the divine Scriptures, and removing the worms that lie within for those who are blind, will lay hold of salvation, daring everything first, rather than to act rashly against God. We will indeed pass over the testimonies to others, having been written out many times by many, and by us not cursorily. And at the same time it is at least very shameful for me, to now be collecting the proofs of things long believed. For it is not the best order to teach first and then to learn, not to mention things divine and of so great a magnitude, but not even anything else of the small things and those worthy of nothing. And to solve and articulate the difficulties from Scripture, is not for the present moment, but of a more complete and greater earnestness than according to the present impulse of the subject. Our argument, therefore, to put it in a nutshell, is this. And I have gone through these things, not that I might contend against our opponents (for we have often contended already, even if moderately), but that I might show you the character of my teachings, if I am not your fellow-combatant, standing both against the same things and for the same things.

19. This, O men, is the apology for my presence; if it is praiseworthy, thanks be to God, and to you who called me; but if it is less than your hope, even so, thanks. For it is not entirely blameworthy, I know well, and I do not disbelieve you when you say so. Have we defrauded this people in any way? Have we managed any of our own affairs, as I see many suffering? Have we grieved the Church in any way? Others perhaps, who think we have condemned them in their absence, we have set up our argument against; but you in no way, as far as I am conscious. "I have not taken your ox," says the great Sa 36.481 muel, when contending with Israel concerning the king; "not a ransom for your souls," "the Lord is witness among you;" "not this or that," saying more, so that I may not myself enumerate each thing; but I have kept the priesthood pure and unadulterated.

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ωπα; μὴ ἓν, οἷόν τι σύνθετον, ἀναπλάσσετε, καὶ τριπρόσωπον, ἢ ἀνθρωπόμορφον ὅλως; Ἄπαγε, καὶ ὑμεῖς ἀντιβοήσετε, μηδὲ πρόσωπον, ὅ τί ποτέ ἐστιν, ἴδοι Θεοῦ, ὃς οὕτως ἔχει. Τί οὖν ἡμῖν αἱ ὑπο στάσεις βούλονται, ἢ ὑμῖν τὰ πρόσωπα; προσ ερήσομαι γάρ. Τὸ τρία εἶναι τὰ διαιρούμενα, οὐ φύ σεσιν, ἀλλ' ἰδιότησιν. Ὑπέρευγε. Πῶς ἄν τινες συμφρονοῖεν μᾶλλον καὶ τὸ αὐτὸ λέγοιεν, ἢ οὕ τως ἔχοντες, κἂν ταῖς συλλαβαῖς διαφέρωσιν; Ὁρᾶτε οἷος ἐγὼ διαλλακτὴς ὑμῖν, πρὸς τὸν νοῦν ἄγων ἀπὸ τοῦ γράμματος, ὥσπερ τὴν Παλαιὰν καὶ τὴν Νέαν.

ΙΖʹ. Ἀλλ' ἐπανιτέον μοι πάλιν πρὸς τὸν αὐτὸν λόγον. Τὸ μὲν οὖν ἀγέννητον, καὶ τὸ γεννητὸν, καὶ τὸ ἐκπορευτὸν λεγέσθω τε καὶ νοείσθω, εἴ τῳ φίλον δημιουργεῖν ὀνόματα· οὐ γὰρ δείσομεν, μή ποτε νοῆται σωματικῶς τὰ ἀσώματα, ὅπερ δο κεῖ τοῖς ἐπηρεασταῖς θεότητος. Κτίσμα δὲ, Θεοῦ μὲν λεγέσθω· μέγα γὰρ ἡμῖν καὶ τοῦτο· Θεὸς δὲ, μηδαμῶς. Ἢ τότε δέξομαι κτίσμα εἶναι Θεὸν, ὅταν κἀγὼ γένωμαι κυρίως Θεός. Ἔχει γὰρ οὕτως. Εἰ μὲν Θεὸς, οὐ κτίσμα· μεθ' ἡμῶν γὰρ τὸ κτίσμα, τῶν οὐ θεῶν. Εἰ κτίσμα δὲ, οὐ Θεός· ἤρξατο γὰρ χρονι κῶς. Ὃ δὲ ἤρξατο, ἦν ὅτε οὐκ ἦν. Οὗ δὲ πρε σβύτερον τὸ οὐκ ἦν, τοῦτο οὐ κυρίως ὄν. Τὸ δὲ μὴ κυ ρίως ὂν, πῶς Θεός; Οὔτε οὖν κτίσμα τῶν τριῶν, οὐδὲ ἕν· οὔτε, ὃ τούτου χεῖρον, δι' ἐμὲ γενόμενον· ἵνα μὴ κτίσμα ᾖ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡμῶν ἀτιμότερον. Εἰ γὰρ ἐγὼ μὲν εἰς δόξαν Θεοῦ, τοῦτο δὲ δι' ἐμὲ (ἡ πυράγρα διὰ τὴν ἅμαξαν, ἢ ὁ πρίων διὰ τὴν θύραν), νικῶ τῇ αἰτίᾳ. Ὅσῳ γὰρ κτισμάτων Θεὸς 36.480 ὑψηλότερος, τοσοῦτον τοῦ διὰ Θεὸν ὑποστάντος ἐμοῦ, τὸ δι' ἐμὲ γινόμενον, ἀτιμότερον.

ΙΗʹ. Πρὸς ταῦτα, Μοαβίταις μὲν καὶ Ἀμμωνίταις μηδὲ εἰσιτητὸν εἰς Ἐκκλησίαν ἔστω Θεοῦ, λόγοις δια λεκτικοῖς τε καὶ κακοπράγμοσιν, οἳ γέννησιν Θεοῦ πολυπραγμονοῦντες, καὶ πρόοδον ἄῤῥητον, κατεξαν ίστανται τολμηρῶς θεότητος· ὡς δέον, ἢ ἐφικτὰ μό νοις εἶναι τὰ ὑπὲρ λόγον, ἢ μηδὲ εἶναι, ὅτι μὴ αὐ τοὶ κατειλήφασιν. Ἡμεῖς δὲ ταῖς θείαις Γραφαῖς ἑπόμενοι, καὶ τὰ ἐγκείμενα σκῶλα τοῖς τυφλώττουσι λύοντες, τῆς σωτηρίας ἑξόμεθα, πάντα τολμῶντες πρότερον, ἢ κατὰ Θεοῦ τι νεανιεύεσθαι. Τὰς μὲν δὴ μαρτυρίας ἄλλοις παρήσομεν, πολλοῖς τε λογο γραφηθείσας ἤδη πολλάκις, καὶ ἡμῖν οὐ παρέργως. Καὶ ἅμα λίαν αἰσχρὸν ἐμοὶ γοῦν, νῦν τὰς πίστεις συλλέγειν τῶν πάλαι πεπιστευμένων. Τάξις γὰρ οὐκ ἀρίστη διδάσκειν πρότερον, εἶτα μανθάνειν, μὴ ὅτι τὰ θεῖα καὶ τηλικαῦτα τὸ μέγεθος, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ ἄλλο τι τῶν μικρῶν καὶ τοῦ μηδενὸς ἀξίων. Καὶ τὰ ἐκ τῆς Γραφῆς προσκόμματα λύειν καὶ διαρθροῦν, οὐ τοῦ παρόντος καιροῦ, σπουδῆς δὲ τελεωτέρας καὶ μείζονος, ἢ κατὰ τὴν παροῦσαν ὁρμὴν τῆς ὑποθέσεως. Ὁ δ' οὖν λόγος ἡμῶν, ὡς ἐν κεφαλαίῳ περιλα βεῖν, ἔστιν οὗτος. Καὶ ταῦτα διῆλθον, οὐχ ἵν' ἀγωνί σωμαι πρὸς τοὺς ἀντιθέτους (πολλάκις γὰρ ἤδη δι ηγωνισάμεθα, εἰ καὶ μετρίως), ἀλλ' ἵν' ὑμῖν ἐπι δείξω τὸν χαρακτῆρα τῶν ἐμῶν διδαγμάτων, εἰ μὴ τῶν ὑμετέρων ἐγὼ συναγωνιστὴς, καὶ κατὰ τῶν αὐ τῶν, καὶ ὑπὲρ τῶν αὐτῶν ἱστάμενος.

ΙΘʹ. Οὗτος ὑμῖν, ὦ ἄνδρες, ὁ τῆς ἐμῆς ἀπόλογος παρουσίας· εἰ μὲν ἐπαινετῶς ἔχων, τῷ Θεῷ χάρις, καὶ ὑμῖν τοῖς καλέσασιν· εἰ δὲ τῆς ἐλπίδος ἐνδεέστε ρον, καὶ οὕτω χάρις. Οὐ γὰρ πάντη ψεκτῶς, εὖ οἶδα, καὶ ὑμῖν οὐκ ἀπιστῶ λέγουσιν. Μή τι τὸν λαὸν τοῦ τον ἐπλεονεκτήσαμεν; μή τι τῶν ἡμετέρων ᾠκονο μήσαμεν, ὃ τοὺς πολλοὺς ὁρῶ πάσχοντας; μή τι τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν παρελυπήσαμεν; Ἄλλους μὲν ἴσως, οἷς ἐρήμην ἡμᾶς ᾑρηκέναι νομίζουσι, τὸν ἡμέτερον ἀντεστήσαμεν λόγον· ὑμᾶς δὲ οὐδὲν, ὅσα ἐμαυτῷ συνεπίσταμαι. Οὐ βοῦν ὑμῶν εἴληφα, φησὶ Σα 36.481 μουὴλ ὁ μέγας, πρὸς τὸν Ἰσραὴλ ὑπὲρ τοῦ βασιλέως διαφερόμενος· οὐ ψυχῶν ὑμῶν ἐξίλασμα, μάρτυς Κύριος ἐν ὑμῖν· οὐ τὸ καὶ τὸ, πλείονα λέ γων, ἵνα μὴ αὐτὸς ἀπαριθμῶμαι καθ' ἕκαστον· ἀλλὰ καθαρὰν καὶ ἀκίβδηλον τὴν ἱερωσύνην ἐφύλαξα.