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 creature is unlike all other creatures; and no creature can create. The Word then differs from all creatures in that in which they, though otherwise differing, all agree together, as creatures; viz. in being an efficient cause; in being the one medium or instrumental agent in creation; moreover in being the revealer of the Father; and in being the object of worship.

18. (continued). Now in the next place let us consider the passage in the Proverbs, ‘The Lord created me a beginning of His ways for His works491    Prov. viii. 22. [This text, which had been immemorially applied to the Λόγος (supr. p. 168, note 7), and which in the false rendering of the LXX. strongly favoured the Arian side], is presently explained at greater length than any other of the texts he handles, forming the chief subject of the Oration henceforth, after an introduction which extends down to 44.;’ although in shewing that the Word is no work, it has been also shewn that He is no creature. For it is the same to say work or creature, so that the proof that He is no work is a proof also that He is no creature. Whereas one may marvel at these men, thus devising excuses to be irreligious, and nothing daunted at the refutations which meet them upon every point. For first they set about deceiving the simple by their questions,492    From the methodical manner in which the successive portions of his foregoing Oration are here referred to, it would almost seem as if he were answering in course some Arian work. vid. also supr. Orat. i. 37, 53. infr. Orat. iii. 26. He does not seem to be tracing the controversy historically. ‘Did He who is make from that which was not one that was not or one that was493    Supr. ch. vii.?’ and, ‘Had you a son before begetting him494    Ch. viii.?’ And when this had been proved worthless, next they invented the question, ‘Is the Unoriginate one or two495    Ch. ix.?’ Then, when in this they had been confuted, straightway they formed another, ‘Has He free-will and an alterable nature496    Ch. x.?’ But being forced to give up this, next they set about saying, ‘Being made so much better than the Angels497    Ch. xiii.;’ and when the truth exposed this pretence, now again, collecting them all together, they think to recommend their heresy by ‘work’ and ‘creature498    Ch. xiv. and xv..’ For they mean those very things over again, and are true to their own perverseness, putting into various shapes and turning to and fro the same errors, if so be to deceive some by that variousness. Although then abundant proof has been given above of this their reckless expedient, yet, since they make all places sound with this passage from the Proverbs, and to many who are ignorant of the faith of Christians, seem to say somewhat, it is necessary to examine separately, ‘He created’ as well as ‘Who was faithful to Him that made Him499    Ch. xiv. Heb. iii. 2;’ that, as in all others, so in this text also, they may be proved to have got no further than a fantasy.

19. And first let us see the answers, which they returned to Alexander of blessed memory, in the outset, while their heresy was in course of formation. They wrote thus: ‘He is a creature, but not as one of the creatures; a work, but not as one of the works; an offspring, but not as one of the offsprings500    Vid. Arius’s letter, de Syn. 16. This was the sophism by means of which Valens succeeded with the Fathers of Arminium. vid. S. Jerome in Luciferian. 18. vid. also in Eusebius, supr. Ep. Eus. 6..’ Let every one consider the profligacy and craft of this heresy; for knowing the bitterness of its own malignity, it makes an effort to trick itself out with fair words, and says, what indeed it means, that He is a creature, yet thinks to be able to screen itself by adding, ‘but not as one of the creatures.’ However, in thus writing, they rather convict themselves of irreligion; for if, in your opinion, He is simply a creature, why add the pretence501    De Syn. 32., ‘but not as one of the creatures?’ And if He is simply a work, how ‘not as one of the works?’ In which we may see the poison of the heresy. For by saying, ‘offspring, but not as one of the offsprings,’ they reckon many sons, and one of these they pronounce to be the Lord; so that according to them He is no more Only begotten, but one out of many brethren, and is called502    υἵον χρηματίζειν. The question between Catholics and Arians was whether our Lord was a true Son, or only called Son. ‘Since they whisper something about Word and Wisdom as only names of the Son, &c.’ ὀνόματα μόνον, supr. i. 26, note 1, and de Decr. 16, note 10. And so ‘the title of Image is not a token of a similar substance, but His name only,’ supr. i. 21, and so infr. 38. where τοῖς ὀνόμασι is synonymous with κατ᾽ ἐπίνοιαν, as Sent. D. 22. f. a. Vid. also 39. Orat. iii. 11. 18. ‘not named Son, but ever Son,’ iv. 24. fin. Ep. Æg. 16. ‘We call Him so, and mean truly what we say; they say it, but do not confess it.’ Chrysost. in Act. Hom. 33. 4. vid. also νόθοις ὥσπερ ὀνόμασι, Cyril. de Trin. ii. p. 418. Non hæc nuda nomina, Ambros. de Fid. i. 17. Yet, since the Sabellians equally failed here, also considering the Sonship as only a notion or title, vid. Orat. iv. 2. (where in contrast, ‘The Father is Father, and the Son Son,’ vid. supr. p. 319, note 1.) 12. 23. 25. the word ‘real’ was used as against them, and in opposition to ἀνυπόστατος λόγος by the Arians, and in consequence failed as a test of orthodox teaching; e.g. by Arius, supr. p. 97. by Euseb. in Marc. pp. 19, d. 35, b. 161, c. by Asterius, infr. 37. by Palladius and Secundus in the Council of Aquileia ap. Ambros. Opp. t. 2. p. 791. (ed. Bened.) by Maximinus ap. August. contr. Max. i. 6. offspring and son. What use then is this pretence of saying that He is a creature and not a creature? for though ye shall say, Not as ‘one of the creatures,’ I will prove this sophism of yours to be foolish. For still ye pronounce Him to be one of the creatures; and whatever a man might say of the other creatures, such ye hold concerning the Son, ye truly ‘fools and blind503    Matt. xxiii. 19..’ For is any one of the creatures just what another is504    And so S. Ambrose, Quæ enim creatura non sicut alia creatura non est? Homo non ut Angelus, terra non ut cœlum. de Fid. i. n. 130, and a similar passage in Nyss. contr. Eun. iii. p. 132, 3., that ye should predicate this of the Son as some prerogative505    ἐξαίρετον. vid. infr. Orat. iii. 3. init. iv. 28. init. Euseb. Eccl. Theol. pp. 47. b. 73. b. 89. b. 124. a. 129. c. Theodor. H. E. p. 732. Nyss. contr. Eunom. iii. p. 133. a. Epiph. Hær. 76. p. 970. Cyril. Thes. p. 160.? And all the visible creation was made in six days:—in the first, the light which He called day; in the second the firmament; in the third, gathering together the waters, He bared the dry land, and brought out the various fruits that are in it; and in the fourth, He made the sun and the moon and all the host of the stars; and on the fifth, He created the race of living things in the sea, and of birds in the air; and on the sixth, He made the quadrupeds on the earth, and at length man. And ‘the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made506    Rom. i. 20.;’ and neither the light is as the night, nor the sun as the moon; nor the irrational as rational man; nor the Angels as the Thrones, nor the Thrones as the Authorities, yet they are all creatures, but each of the things made according to its kind exists and remains in its own essence, as it was made.

20. Let the Word then be excepted from the works, and as Creator be restored to the Father, and be confessed to be Son by nature; or if simply He be a creature, then let Him be assigned the same condition as the rest one with another, and let them as well as He be said every one of them to be ‘a creature but not as one of the creatures, offspring or work, but not as one of the works or offsprings.’ For ye say that an offspring is the same as a work, writing ‘generated or made507    γεννηθέντα ἢ ποιηθέντα; as if they were synonymous; in opposition to which the Nicene Creed says, γεννηθέντα ἢ ποιηθέντα. In like manner Arius in his letter to Eusebius uses the words, πρὶν γεννηθῇ ἤτοι κτισθῇ, ἢ ὀρισθῇ, ἢ θεμελιωθῇ, Theodor. H. E. p. 750. And to Alexander, ἀχρόνως γεννηθεὶς καὶ πρὸ αἰ& 240·νων κτισθεὶς καὶ θεμελιωθείς·de Syn. 16. And Eusebius to Paulinus, κτιστὸν καὶ θεμελιωτὸν καὶ γεννητόν Theod. p. 752. The different words profess to be Scriptural, and to explain each other; ‘created’ being in Prov. viii. 22. ‘made’ in the passages considered in the last two chapters, ‘appointed’ or ‘declared’ in Rom. i. 4. and ‘founded’ or ‘established’ in Prov. viii. 23. which is discussed infr. 22, &c. vid. also 52..’ For though the Son excel the rest on a comparison, still a creature He is nevertheless, as they are; since in those which are by nature creatures one may find some excelling others. Star, for instance, differs from star in glory, and the rest have all of them their mutual differences when compared together; yet it follows not for all this that some are lords, and others servants to the superior, nor that some are efficient causes508    21, note 2., others by them come into being, but all have a nature which comes to be and is created, confessing in their own selves their Framer: as David says in the Psalms, ‘The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament sheweth His handy work509    Ps. xix. 1.;’ and as Zorobabel the wise says, ‘All the earth calleth upon the Truth, and the heaven blesseth it: all works shake and tremble at it510    1 Esdr. iv. 36..’ But if the whole earth hymns the Framer and the Truth, and blesses, and fears it, and its Framer is the Word, and He Himself says, ‘I am the Truth511    John xiv. 6.,’ it follows that the Word is not a creature, but alone proper to the Father, in whom all things are disposed, and He is celebrated by all, as Framer; for ‘I was by Him disposing512    Prov. viii. 30, LXX.;’ and ‘My Father worketh hitherto, and I work513    John v. 17..’ And the word ‘hitherto’ shews His eternal existence in the Father as the Word; for it is proper to the Word to work the Father’s works and not to be external to Him.

21. But if what the Father worketh, that the Son worketh also514    Orat. iii. 11. note., and what the Son createth, that is the creation of the Father, and yet the Son be the Father’s work or creature, then either He will work His own self, and will be His own creator (since what the Father worketh is the Son’s work also), which is absurd and impossible; or, in that He creates and worketh the things of the Father, He Himself is not a work nor a creature; for else being Himself an efficient cause515    ποιητικὸν αἴτιον, also, infr. 27. and Orat. iii. 14. and contr. Gent. 9 init. No creature can create, vid. e.g. about Angels, August. de Civ. Dei xii. 24. de Trin. iii. 13–18. Damasc. F. O. ii. 3. Cyril in Julian, ii. p. 62. ‘Our reason rejects the idea that the Creator should be a creature, for creation is by the Creator.’ Hil. Trin. xii. 5. πῶς δύναται τὸ κτιζόμενον κτίζειν; ἢ πῶς ὁ κτίζων κτίζεται; Athan. ad Afros. 4 fin. Vid. also Serap. i. 24, 6. iii. 4, e. The Gnostics who attributed creation to Angels are alluded to infr. Orat. iii. 12. Epiph. Hær. 52. 53, 163, &c. Theodor. Hær. i. 1 and 3., He may cause that to be in the case of things caused, which He Himself has become, or rather He may have no power to cause at all.

For how, if, as you hold, He is come of nothing, is He able to frame things that are nothing into being? or if He, a creature, withal frames a creature, the same will be conceivable in the case of every creature, viz. the power to frame others. And if this pleases you, what is the need of the Word, seeing that things inferior can be brought to be by things superior? or at all events, every thing that is brought to be could have heard in the beginning God’s words, ‘Become’ and ‘be made,’ and so would have been framed. But this is not so written, nor could it be. For none of things which are brought to be is an efficient cause, but all things were made through the Word: who would not have wrought all things, were He Himself in the number of the creatures. For neither would the Angels be able to frame, since they too are creatures, though Valentinus, and Marcion, and Basilides think so, and you are their copyists; nor will the sun, as being a creature, ever make what is not into what is; nor will man fashion man, nor stone devise stone, nor wood give growth to wood. But God is He who fashions man in the womb, and fixes the mountains, and makes wood grow; whereas man, as being capable of science, puts together and arranges that material, and works things that are, as he has learned; and is satisfied if they are but brought to be, and being conscious of what his nature is, if he needs aught, knows to ask516    De Decr. 11. it of God.

22. If then God also wrought and compounded out of materials, this indeed is a gentile thought, according to which God is an artificer and not a Maker, but yet even in that case let the Word work the materials, at the bidding and in the service of God517    προσταττόμενος καὶ ὑπουργῶν. It is not quite clear that Athan. accepts these words in his own person, as has been assumed de Decr. 9. note 2, de Syn. 27 (3). Vid. de Decr. 7. and infr. 24. and 31, which, as far as they go, are against the use of the word. Also S. Basil objects to ὑποῦργος contr. Eunom. ii. 21. and S. Cyril in Joan. p. 48. though S. Basil speaks of τὸν προστάττοντα κύριον. i. 46, note 3. and S. Cyril of the Son’s ὑποταγή, Thesaur. p. 255. Vid. ‘ministering, ὑπηρετοῦντα, to the Father of all.’ Just. Tryph. p. 72. ‘The Word become minister, ὑπηρέτης, of the Creator,’ Origen Hom. in Joan. p. 61. also Constit. Ap. viii. 12. but Pseudo-Athan. objects to ὑπηρετῶν, de Comm. Essent. 30. and Athan. apparently, infr. 28. Again, ‘Whom did He order, præcepit?’ Iren. Hær. iii. 8. n. 3. ‘The Father bids, ἐντέλλεται (allusion to Ps. xxxiii. 9. vid. infr. 31), the Word accomplishes.…He who commands, κελεύων, is the Father, He who obeys, ὑπακούων, the Son.…The Father willed, ἠθέλησεν, the Son did it.’ Hippol. contr. Noet. 14. on which Fabricius’s note. S. Hilary speaks of the Son as ‘subditus per obedientiæ obsequelam.’ de Syn. 51. Vid. below, on §31. In note 8 there the principle is laid down for the use of these expressions. [Supr. p. 87, note 2.]. But if He calls into existence things which existed not by His proper Word, then the Word is not in the number of things non-existing and called; or we have to seek another Word518    Cf. Ep. Æg. 14. vid. also supr. p. 155. and Orat. iii. 2. 64. Aug. in Joan. Tract. i. 11. Vid. a parallel argument with reference to the Holy Spirit. Serap. i. 25. b., through whom He too was called; for by the Word the things which were not have come to be. And if through Him He creates and makes, He is not Himself of things created and made; but rather He is the Word of the Creator God and is known from the Father’s works which He Himself worketh, to be ‘in the Father and the Father in Him,’ and ‘He that hath seen Him hath seen the Father519    Vid. John xiv. 9, 10.,’ because the Son’s Essence is proper to the Father, and He in all points like Him520    τὴν κατὰ πάντα ὁμοιότητα: vid. parallel instances, de Syn. 26 (5) note 1, which add, ὅμοιος κατὰ πάντα, Orat. i. 40. κατὰ πάντα καὶ ἐν πᾶσι, Ep. Æg. 17, c. τοῦ πατρὸς ὅμοιος, Orat. ii. 17. Orat. iii. 20, a. ‘not ὅμοιος, as the Church preaches, but ὡς αὐτοὶ θέλουσι᾽ (vid. p. 289, note 4), also de Syn. 53, note 9.. How then does He create through Him, unless it be His Word and His Wisdom? and how can He be Word and Wisdom, unless He be the proper offspring of His Essence521    As Sonship is implied in ‘Image’ (supr. §2, note 2), so it is implied in ‘Word’ and ‘Wisdom.’ Orat. iv. 15. Orat. iii. 29 init. de Decr. 17. And still more pointedly, Orat. iv. 24 fin. vid. also supr. i. 28, note 5. And so ‘Image is implied in Sonship: ‘being Son of God He must be like Him,’ supr. 17. And so ‘Image’ is implied in Word;’ ἐν τῇ ἰδί& 139· εἰκόνι, ἥτις ἐστὶν ὁ λόγος αὐτοῦ, infr. 82, d. also 34, c. On the contrary, the very root of heretical error was the denial that these titles implied each other, vid. supr. 27, de Decr. 17, 24, notes., and did not come to be, as others, out of nothing? And whereas all things are from nothing, and are creatures, and the Son, as they say, is one of the creatures too and of things which once were not, how does He alone reveal the Father, and none else but He know the Father? For could He, a work, possibly know the Father, then must the Father be also known by all according to the proportion of the measures of each: for all of them are works as He is. But if it be impossible for things originate either to see or to know, for the sight and the knowledge of Him surpasses all (since God Himself says, ‘No one shall see My face and live522    Vid. Ex. xxxiii. 20.’), yet the Son has declared, ‘No one knoweth the Father, save the Son523    Matt. xi. 27.,’ therefore the Word is different from all things originate, in that He alone knows and alone sees the Father, as He says, ‘Not that any one hath seen the Father, save He that is from the Father,’ and ‘no one knoweth the Father save the Son524    John vi. 46, not to the letter.,’ though Arius think otherwise. How then did He alone know, except that He alone was proper to Him? and how proper, if He were a creature, and not a true Son from Him? (For one must not mind saying often the same thing for religion’s sake.) Therefore it is irreligious to think that the Son is one of all things; and blasphemous and unmeaning to call Him ‘a creature, but not as one of the creatures, and a work, but not as one of the works, an offspring, but not as one of the offsprings;’ for how not as one of these, if, as they say, He was not before His generation525    Vid. supr. 1. and Exc. B.? for it is proper to the creatures and works not to be before their origination, and to subsist out of nothing, even though they excel other creatures in glory; for this difference of one with another will be found in all creatures, which appears in those which are visible526    Greek text dislocated..

23. Moreover if, as the heretics hold, the Son were creature or work, but not as one of the creatures, because of His excelling them in glory, it were natural that Scripture should describe and display Him by a comparison in His favour with the other works; for instance, that it should say that He is greater than Archangels, and more honourable than the Thrones, and both brighter than sun and moon, and greater than the heavens. But he is not in fact thus referred to; but the Father shews Him to be His own proper and only Son, saying, ‘Thou art My Son,’ and ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.527    Ps. ii. 7; Matt. iii. 17.’ Accordingly the Angels ministered unto Him, as being one beyond themselves; and they worship Him, not as being greater in glory, but as being some one beyond all the creatures, and beyond themselves, and alone the Father’s proper Son according to essence528    De Decr. 10.. For if He was worshipped as excelling them in glory, each of things subservient ought to worship what excels itself. But this is not the case529    Vid. Orat. iii. 12.; for creature does not worship creature, but servant Lord, and creature God. Thus Peter the Apostle hinders Cornelius who would worship him, saying, ‘I myself also am a man530    Acts x. 26..’ And an Angel, when John would worship him in the Apocalypse, hinders him, saying, ‘See thou do it not; for I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren the Prophets, and of them that keep the sayings of this book: worship God531    Rev. xxii. 9..’ Therefore to God alone appertains worship, and this the very Angels know, that though they excel other beings in glory, yet they are all creatures and not to be worshipped532    [A note, to the effect that ‘worship’ is an ambiguous term, is omitted here.], but worship the Lord. Thus Manoah, the father of Samson, wishing to offer sacrifice to the Angel, was thereupon hindered by him, saying, ‘Offer not to me, but to God533    Vid. Judg. xiii. 16..’ On the other hand, the Lord is worshipped even by the Angels; for it is written, ‘Let all the Angels of God worship Him534    Heb. i. 6.;’ and by all the Gentiles, as Isaiah says, ‘The labour of Egypt and merchandize of Ethiopia and of the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over unto thee, and they shall be thy servants;’ and then, ‘they shall fall down unto thee, and shall make supplication unto thee, saying, Surely God is in thee, and there is none else, there is no God535    Is. xlv. 14..’ And He accepts His disciples’ worship, and certifies them who He is, saying, ‘Call ye Me not Lord and Master? and ye say well, for so I am.’ And when Thomas said to Him, ‘My Lord and my God536    John xiii. 13; xx. 28.,’ He allows his words, or rather accepts him instead of hindering him. For He is, as the other Prophets declare, and David says in the Psalm, ‘the Lord of hosts, the Lord of Sabaoth,’ which is interpreted, ‘the Lord of Armies,’ and God True and Almighty, though the Arians burst537    διαῤ& 191·ηγνύωσιν ἑαυτούς· also ad Adelph. 8. and vid. supr. note on de Decr. 17. vid. also διαῤ& 191·ηγνύωνται, de Syn. 54, καὶ διαῤ& 191·αγοῖεν, Marcell. ap. Euseb. Eccl. Theol. p. 116. also p. 40 τρίζωσι τοὺς ὀδόντως, de Fug. 26. init. τριζέτωσαν, ad Adelph. 8. Hist. Ar. 68. fin. and literally 72. a. κόπτουσιν ἑαυτούς. In illud Omnia 5. at the tidings.

24. But He had not been thus worshipped, nor been thus spoken of, were He a creature merely. But now since He is not a creature, but the proper offspring of the Essence of that God who is worshipped, and His Son by nature, therefore He is worshipped and is believed to be God, and is Lord of armies, and in authority, and Almighty, as the Father is; for He has said Himself, ‘All things that the Father hath, are Mine538    John xvi. 15..’ For it is proper to the Son, to have the things of the Father, and to be such that the Father is seen in Him, and that through Him all things were made, and that the salvation of all comes to pass and consists in Him.

Φέρε λοιπὸν καὶ αὐτὸ τὸ ἐν ταῖς Παροιμίαις λεγόμενον· Κύριος ἔκτισέ με ἀρχὴν ὁδῶν αὐτοῦ, εἰς ἔργα αὐτοῦ, θεωρήσωμεν· εἰ καὶ μάλιστα, δειχθέντος τοῦ Λόγου, ὅτι μὴ ποίημά ἐστι, δέδεικται, ὅτι μηδὲ κτίσμα ἐστί. Ταὐ τὸν γάρ ἐστιν εἰπεῖν ποίημα καὶ κτίσμα· ὥστε καὶ τὴν ἀπόδειξιν τὴν περὶ τοῦ μὴ εἶναι ποίημα τὴν αὐτὴν εἶναι καὶ περὶ τοῦ μὴ εἶναι κτίσμα. ∆ιὸ καὶ θαυμάσειεν ἄν τις αὐτοὺς ἐπινοοῦντας ἑαυτοῖς προφάσεις εἰς ἀσέβειαν, καὶ μὴ αἰσχυνομένους ἐπὶ τοῖς γενομένοις καθ' ἕκαστον ἐλέγχοις. Πρότερον μὲν γὰρ ἐπενόουν ἀπατᾷν πυνθανόμενοι τῶν ἀκε ραίων· «Ὁ ὢν τὸν μὴ ὄντα ἐκ τοῦ μὴ ὄντος ἐποίη σεν, ἢ τὸν ὄντα;» καὶ, «Εἰ εἶχες υἱὸν, πρὶν γεννή σῃς;» ὡς δὲ δέδεικται τοῦτο σαθρὸν, ἐφεῦρον λέγειν· «Ἓν τὸ ἀγένητον, ἢ δύο;» εἶτ' ἐν τούτῳ διελεγχθέντες συνῆψαν εὐθύς· «Αὐτεξούσιός ἐστι, καὶ τρεπτῆς ἐστι φύσεως;» Ἀλλὰ ἐκβληθέντος καὶ τούτου, πάλιν ἐφεῦρον λέγειν· Τοσούτῳ κρείττων γενόμενος τῶν ἀγγέλων. Ὡς δὲ καὶ τοῦτο ἡ ἀλήθεια διήλεγξε, νῦν λοιπὸν ἐκεῖνα πάντα συνάγοντες, διὰ τοῦ ποιήματος καὶ κτίσματος, τὴν αἵρεσιν αὐτῶν συνιστᾷν νομίζουσι. Πάλιν γὰρ ἐκεῖνα σημαίνουσι, καὶ οὐκ ἀφίστανται τῶν ἰδίων κακονοιῶν, τὰ αὐτὰ ποικίλως ἀντιμεταβάλλοντες καὶ μεταστρέφοντες, ὅπως ἴσως τῇ ποικιλίᾳ τινὰς ἀπατῆσαι δυνηθῶσιν. Εἰ καὶ τὰ μάλιστα τοίνυν καὶ τὰ προειρημένα δεί κνυσιν αὐτῶν καὶ ταύτην τὴν ἐπίνοιαν ματαίαν· ὅμως, ἐπειδὴ τῷ ἐκ τῶν Παροιμιῶν ῥητῷ τεθρυλλήκασι τὰ πανταχοῦ, καὶ παρὰ πολλοῖς τοῖς ἀγνοοῦσι τὴν Χρι στιανῶν πίστιν δοκοῦσί τι λέγειν, ἀναγκαῖον καὶ αὐτὸ τὸ ῥητὸν, ὥσπερ τὸ, Πιστὸν ὄντα τῷ ποιήσαντι αὐτὸν, οὕτω καὶ τὸ, ἔκτισε, καθ' ἑαυτὸ ἐξετά σαι· ἵν', ὡς ἐν πᾶσι, καὶ ἐν τούτῳ δειχθῶσι μηδὲν πλέον ἔχοντες ἢ φαντασίαν. Καὶ πρῶτά γε ἴδωμεν ἅπερ ἐπιδεδώκασι κατὰ τὴν ἀρχὴν, ἡνίκα ἡ αἵρεσις ἐπλάττετο παρ' αὐ τῶν, τῷ μακαρίτῃ Ἀλεξάνδρῳ. Ἔγραψαν τοίνυν λέγοντες· Κτίσμα ἐστὶν, ἀλλ' οὐχ ὡς ἓν τῶν κτισμά των· ποίημά ἐστιν, ἀλλ' οὐχ ὡς ἓν τῶν ποιημάτων· γέννημά ἐστιν, ἀλλ' οὐχ ὡς ἓν τῶν γεννημάτων. Θεασάσθω δὴ ἕκαστος τὸ πανοῦργον καὶ δόλιον τῆς αἱρέσεως ταύτης· εἰδυῖα γὰρ τὸ πικρὸν τῆς ἰδίας κακοφροσύνης, καλλωπίζειν ἑαυτὴν βιάζεται πιθανότητι ῥημάτων· καὶ λέγει μὲν, ὅπερ φρονεῖ, ὅτι κτίσμα ἐστὶ, νομίζει δὲ δύνασθαι κρύπτειν ἑαυτὴν ἐν τῷ λέ γειν· Ἀλλ' οὐχ ὡς ἓν τῶν κτισμάτων. Μᾶλλον δὲ οὕτω γράψαντες, διὰ τούτων πλέον ἤλεγξαν ἑαυτῶν τὴν ἀσέβειαν. Εἰ γὰρ ὅλως καθ' ὑμᾶς κτίσμα ἐστὶ, πῶς ὑποκρίνεσθε λέγοντες, Ἀλλ' οὐχ ὡς ἓν τῶν κτι σμάτων; καὶ εἰ ὅλως ποίημά ἐστι, πῶς οὐχ ὡς ἓν τῶν ποιημάτων; ἐν οἷς καὶ τὸν ἰὸν τῆς αἱρέσεως θεωρεῖν ἔξεστι. Λέγοντες γὰρ γέννημα, ἀλλ' οὐχ ὡς ἓν τῶν γεννημάτων, πολλοὺς υἱοὺς συντάττουσι, καὶ τού των ἕνα εἶναι τὸν Κύριον δογματίζουσιν· ὡς μηκέτι κατ' αὐτοὺς Μονογενῆ εἶναι, ἀλλ' ἐκ πολλῶν ἀδελφῶν ἕνα καὶ αὐτὸν γέννημα καὶ Υἱὸν χρηματίζειν. Τίς οὖν χρεία τῆς ὑποκρίσεως, ὥστε λέγειν μὲν αὐτὸν κτίσμα, λέγειν δὲ αὐτὸν μὴ κτίσμα; Καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἐὰν λέγητε, οὐχ ὡς ἓν τῶν κτισμάτων, ἀνόητον ὑμῶν τὸ τοιοῦτον σόφισμα δειχθήσεται· ἓν γὰρ πάλιν τῶν κτι σμάτων αὐτὸν εἶναι λέγετε· καὶ οἷα ἄν τις εἴποι καὶ περὶ τῶν ἄλλων κτισμάτων, τοιαῦτα καὶ περὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ φρονεῖτε, ὡς ἀληθῶς μωροὶ καὶ τυφλοί. Ποῖον γὰρ καὶ ἕτερον τῶν κτισμάτων τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν, οἷον γέγονε καὶ τὸ ἕτερον, ἵνα τοῦτο περὶ Υἱοῦ ὡς ἐξαί ρετόν τι λέγητε; Καὶ πᾶσα ἡ φαινομένη κτίσις ἐν ἓξ ἡμέραις γέγονε· καὶ τῇ μὲν πρώτῃ τὸ φῶς, ὅπερ ἐκάλεσεν ἡμέραν· τῇ δὲ δευτέρᾳ τὸ στερέωμα· καὶ τῇ τρίτῃ, συναγαγὼν τὰ ὕδατα, ἔδειξε τὴν ξηρὰν, καὶ τοὺς ἐν αὐτῇ ποικίλους προήγαγε καρ πούς· καὶ τῇ μὲν τετάρτῃ πεποίηκε τὸν ἥλιον καὶ τὴν σελήνην, καὶ πάντα τὸν τῶν ἀστέρων χορόν· τῇ δὲ πέμπτῃ τῶν ἐν τῇ θαλάσσῃ ζώων, καὶ τῶν ἐν τῷ ἀέρι πετεινῶν τὴν γένεσιν ἔκτισε· τῇ δὲ ἕκτῃ τὰ τε τράποδα τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς πεποίηκε, καὶ λοιπὸν τὸν ἄνθρωπον· Τά τε ἀόρατα αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ κτίσεως κό σμου, τοῖς ποιήμασι νοούμενα, καθορᾶται· καὶ οὔτε τὸ φῶς ὡς ἡ νὺξ, οὔτε ὁ ἥλιος ὡς ἡ σελήνη, οὔτε τὰ ἄλογα ὡς ὁ λογικὸς ἄνθρωπός ἐστιν· οὔτε οἱ ἄγγελοι ὡς οἱ θρόνοι, οὔτε οἱ θρόνοι ὡς αἱ ἐξουσίαι· ἀλλὰ κατὰ γένος τῇ ἰδίᾳ οὐσίᾳ, ὡς γέγονεν, ἐστί τε καὶ Ἢ τοίνυν ὁ Λόγος ἐξαιρείσθω τῶν ποιημάτων, καὶ ὡς κτίστης ἀποδιδόσθω τῷ Πατρὶ, καὶ ὁμο λογείσθω φύσει Υἱός· ἢ εἰ ὅλως κτίσμα ἐστὶ, τὴν αὐτὴν ὁμολογείσθω τάξιν ἔχειν, οἵαν ἔχει καὶ τὰ ἕτερα πρὸς ἄλληλα· λεγέσθω δὲ κἀκείνων ἕκαστον κτίσμα, ἀλλ' οὐχ ὡς ἓν τῶν κτισμάτων, γέννημα ἢ ποίη μα, οὐδ' ὡς ἒν τῶν ποιημάτων ἢ γεννημάτων. Ταὐτὸν γὰρ εἰρήκατε τὸ γέννημα καὶ τὸ ποίημα, γράψαντες, γεννηθέντα ἢ ποιηθέντα· κἂν γὰρ ὑπερέχῃ τῶν ἄλλων τῇ συγκρίσει ὁ Υἱὸς, ἀλλ' οὐδὲν ἧττόν ἐστι κτίσμα, ὥσπερ κἀκεῖνα· καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἐν αὐτοῖς τοῖς φύσει κτίσμασιν εὑρεῖν ἔστιν ἕτερα ἑτέρων ὑπερ έχοντα. Ἀστὴρ γοῦν ἀστέρος διαφέρει ἐν δόξῃ· τά τε ἄλλα ἕκαστα πρὸς ἄλληλα κατὰ σύγκρισιν ἔχει τὴν διαφοράν· καὶ οὐ διὰ τοῦτο τὰ μὲν κύρια, τὰ δὲ τοῖς βελτίοσι δουλεύει· οὐδὲ τὰ μὲν ποιητικὰ αἴτιά ἐστι, τὰ δὲ παρ' αὐτῶν γίνεται· ἀλλὰ πάντα τοῦ γί νεσθαι καὶ κτίζεσθαι τὴν φύσιν ἔχει, ὁμολογοῦντα δι' ἑαυτῶν τὸν δημιουργὸν ἑαυτῶν, ὡς ψάλλει ∆αβίδ· Οἱ οὐρανοὶ διηγοῦνται δόξαν Θεοῦ· ποίησιν δὲ χει ρῶν αὐτοῦ ἀναγγέλλει τὸ στερέωμα· καθάπερ καὶ Ζοροβάβελ ὁ σοφὸς λέγει· Πᾶσα ἡ γῆ τὴν ἀλήθειαν καλεῖ· καὶ ὁ οὐρανὸς αὐτὴν εὐλογεῖ· καὶ πάντα τὰ ἔργα σείεται καὶ τρέμει. Εἰ δὲ πᾶσα ἡ γῆ τὸν δημιουργὸν καὶ τὴν ἀλήθειαν ὑμνεῖ, καὶ εὐλογεῖ, καὶ τρέμει· δημιουργὸς δὲ ταύτης ὁ Λόγος ἐστὶ, καὶ αὐ τὸς λέγει· Ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ἀλήθεια· οὐκ ἄρα κτίσμα ἐστὶν ὁ Λόγος, ἀλλὰ μόνος ἴδιος τοῦ Πατρὸς, ἐν ᾧ τὰ πάντα ἥρμοσται, καὶ αὐτὸς ὑμνεῖται παρὰ πάν των, ὡς δημιουργός· Ἤμην γὰρ, ὡς αὐτός φησι, παρ' αὐτῷ ἁρμόζουσα· καὶ, Ὁ Πατήρ μου ἕως ἄρτι ἐργάζεται, κἀγὼ ἐργάζομαι. Τὸ δὲ, ἕως ἄρτι, δείκνυσι τὸ ἀϊδίως, ὡς Λόγον, ὑπάρχειν αὐτὸν ἐν τῷ Πατρί· Λόγου γὰρ ἴδιον ἐργάζεσθαι τὰ τοῦ Πα τρὸς ἔργα, καὶ μὴ εἶναι ἐκτὸς αὐτοῦ. Εἰ δὲ ἃ ὁ Πατὴρ ἐργάζεται, ταῦτα καὶ ὁ Υἱὸς ἐργάζεται· καὶ ἃ κτίζει ὁ Υἱὸς, ταῦτα τοῦ Πατρός ἐστι κτίσματα· ἔργον δὲ καὶ κτίσμα ἐστὶ τοῦ Πατρὸς ὁ Υἱός· ἢ καὶ αὐτὸς ἑαυτὸν ἐργάσεται, καὶ αὐτὸς ἑαυ τὸν ἔσται κτίζων· (ἐπειδὴ ἃ ἐργάζεται ὁ Πατὴρ, ταῦτα καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ ἐστιν ἔργα·) ὅπερ ἄτοπον ἂν εἴη καὶ ἀδύ νατον· ἢ τὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς κτίζων καὶ ἐργαζόμενος, αὐ τὸς οὐκ ἂν εἴη ἔργον οὐδὲ κτίσμα, ἵνα μὴ, ὁ αὐτὸς ποιητικὸν αἴτιον ὢν, ἐν τοῖς ποιουμένοις εὑρίσκηται ποιῶν, ὅπερ γέγονεν αὐτός· μᾶλλον δὲ μηδὲ ποιεῖν δυνάμενος. Πῶς γὰρ, εἰ καθ' ὑμᾶς ἐξ οὐκ ὄν των γέγονεν, οἷός τέ ἐστι τὰ οὐκ ὄντα εἰς τὸ εἶναι δη μιουργεῖν; Εἰ δὲ κτίσμα ὢν δημιουργεῖ καὶ αὐτὸς κτίσμα· ἔσται καὶ ἐφ' ἑκάστου κτίσματος τὸ αὐτὸ νοούμενον, ὥστε δύνασθαι καὶ αὐτὰ δημιουργεῖν. Καὶ εἰ τοῦτο οὕτω βούλεσθε, τίς ἡ χρεία τοῦ Λόγου, δυναμένων τῶν ὑποβεβηκότων παρὰ τῶν ὑπερεχόν των γίνεσθαι; ἢ ὅλως δυναμένου καὶ κατὰ τὴν ἀρχὴν ἑκάστου τῶν γενομένων ἀκοῦσαι παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ· Γε νοῦ, καὶ, Ποιήθητι· καὶ οὕτως ἂν ἕκαστον ἐδημιουρ γεῖτο. Ἀλλ' οὐδὲ γέγραπται τοῦτο, οὔτε δυνατὸν ἦν. Τῶν γὰρ γινομένων οὐδέν ἐστι ποιητικὸν αἴτιον· πάντα γὰρ διὰ τοῦ Λόγου γέγονεν· οὐκ ἂν ἐργασαμένου καὶ αὐτοῦ τὰ πάντα, εἰ καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ Λόγος τῶν κτισμάτων ἦν· οὐδὲ γὰρ οὐδὲ ἄγγελοι δημιουργεῖν δυνήσονται, κτίσματα ὄντες καὶ αὐτοὶ, κἂν Οὐαλεν τῖνος καὶ Μαρκίων καὶ Βασιλείδης τοιαῦτα φρονῶσι. καὶ ὑμεῖς ἐκείνων ζηλωταὶ τυγχάνητε· οὐδὲ ὁ ἥλιος, κτίσμα ὢν, ποιήσει ποτὲ τὸ μὴ ὂν εἰς τὸ εἶναι· οὐδὲ ἄνθρωπος ἄνθρωπον πλάσει, οὐδὲ λίθος λί θον ἐπινοήσει, οὐδὲ ξύλον ξύλον αὐξήσει· ἀλλ' ὁ Θεὸς μέν ἐστιν ὁ πλάσσων ἐν κοιλίᾳ ἄνθρωπον, καὶ ὄρη τιθεὶς, καὶ ξύλον μηκύνων· ὁ δὲ ἄνθρωπος ἐπιστή μης ὢν δεκτικὸς, ταύτην τὴν ὕλην συντίθησι καὶ μεταῤῥυθμίζει, καὶ τὰ ὄντα ἐργάζεται, ὡς ἔμαθε· καὶ ἀγαπᾷ, ὅτι μόνον γέγονε· τήν τε φύσιν ἐπιγινώσκων τὴν ἑαυτοῦ, ἐάν τινος δέηται, τὸν Θεὸν οἶδεν αἰτεῖν. Εἰ μὲν οὖν καὶ ὁ Θεὸς ἐξ ὕλης ἐστὶν ἐργαζό μενος καὶ συντιθεὶς, Ἑλληνικὸν μὲν τὸ φρόνη μα, καὶ τεχνίτης, οὐ ποιητὴς ἂν κληθείη ὁ Θεός. Ἐρ γαζέσθω δὲ ὅμως οὕτω τὴν ὕλην ὁ Λόγος προσταττόμενος καὶ ὑπουργῶν τῷ Θεῷ. Εἰ δὲ τὰ οὐκ ὄντα καλεῖ διὰ τοῦ ἰδίου Λόγου εἰς τὸ εἶναι, οὐκ ἔστι τῶν μὴ ὄντων καὶ καλουμένων ὁ Λόγος, ἵνα μὴ καὶ ἕτε ρον Λόγον ζητῶμεν, δι' οὗ καὶ οὗτος ἐκλήθη· Λόγῳ γὰρ τὰ οὐκ ὄντα γέγονε. Καὶ εἰ δι' αὐτοῦ κτίζει καὶ ποιεῖ, οὐκ ἔστι τῶν κτιζομένων καὶ ποιουμέ νων αὐτός· ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον τοῦ κτίζοντος Θεοῦ Λόγος ἐστὶν, ὅστις καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἔργων τοῦ Πατρὸς, ὧν αὐτὸς ὁ Λόγος ἐργάζεται, γινώσκεται, ὅτι αὐτὸς ἐν τῷ Πατρί ἐστι, καὶ ὁ Πατὴρ ἐν αὐτῷ, καὶ ὁ ἑωρακὼς αὐτὸν ἑώρακε τὸν Πατέρα, διὰ τὸ ἴδιον τῆς οὐσίας καὶ τὴν κατὰ πάντα ὁμοιότητα τοῦ Υἱοῦ πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα. Πῶς οὖν δι' αὐτοῦ κτίζει, εἰ μὴ ὁ Λόγος ἐστὶν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἡ Σοφία; Πῶς δὲ Λόγος ἂν εἴη καὶ Σοφία, εἰ μὴ ἴδιον γέννημα τῆς οὐσίας αὐτοῦ, ἀλλ' ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων καὶ αὐτὸς ἐγένετο; Πῶς δὲ πάντων ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων καὶ κτισμάτων ὄντων, καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ κατ' ἐκείνους ἑνὸς ὄντος τῶν κτισμάτων, καὶ τῶν οὐκ ὄντων ποτὲ, μόνος οὗτος ἀποκαλύπτει τὸν Πατέρα; καὶ οὐδεὶς ἄλλος εἰ μὴ μόνος αὐτὸς γινώσκει τὸν Πατέρα; Εἰ γὰρ δυνατὸν ποίημα ὄντα τοῦτον γινώσκειν τὸν Πατέρα, γι νωσκέσθω καὶ παρὰ πάντων κατ' ἀναλογίαν τῶν ἑκά στου μέτρων· ποιήματα γὰρ πάντα, ὥσπερ καὶ αὐτός. Εἰ δὲ οὐ δυνατὸν τοῖς γενητοῖς οὔτε βλέπειν οὔτε γινώσκειν, ἀλλ' ὑπερβαίνει πάντας ἥ τε ὄψις καὶ ἡ περὶ τούτου γνῶσις· καὶ γὰρ καὶ αὐτὸς μὲν ὁ Θεὸς εἶπεν· Οὐδεὶς ὄψεται τὸ πρόσωπόν μου, καὶ ζήσεται· ὁ δὲ Υἱὸς εἴρηκεν· Οὐδεὶς γινώσκει τὸν Πατέρα εἰ μὴ ὁ Υἱός· ἄλλος ἂν εἴη τῶν γεννη τῶν ὁ Λόγος, μόνος γινώσκων καὶ μόνος βλέπων τὸν Πατέρα, ὡς εἶπεν, Οὐχ ὅτι τὸν Πατέρα τις ἑώρακεν εἰ μὴ ὁ ὢν παρὰ τοῦ Πατρός· καὶ, Οὐδεὶς γινώσκει τὸν Πατέρα εἰ μὴ ὁ Υἱός· κἂν Ἀρείῳ μὴ δοκῇ. Πῶς οὖν ἔγνω μόνος, εἰ μὴ μόνος ἦν ἴδιος αὐτοῦ; Πῶς δ' ἂν ἦν ἴδιος, εἰ κτίσμα ἦν, καὶ μὴ Υἱὸς ἦν ἀληθινὸς ἐξ αὐτοῦ; Τὰ αὐτὰ γὰρ λέγειν καὶ πολλάκις περὶ εὐσεβείας οὐκ ὀκνητέον. Ἀσεβὲς ἄρα τὸ φρονεῖν ἕνα τῶν πάντων εἶναι τὸν Υἱόν· βλάσφημον δὲ καὶ ἀνόητον τὸ λέγειν κτί σμα, ἀλλ' οὐχ ὡς ἓν τῶν κτισμάτων· καὶ ποίημα, ἀλλ' οὐχ ὡς ἓν τῶν ποιημάτων· γέννημα, ἀλλ' οὐχ ὡς ἓν τῶν γεννημάτων. Πῶς γὰρ οὐχ ὡς ἓν τού των, εἴ γε κατ' αὐτοὺς οὐκ ἦν, πρὶν γεννηθῇ; Ἴδιον γὰρ τῶν κτισμάτων καὶ ποιημάτων τὸ μὴ εἶναι πρὶν γενέσθαι, καὶ ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων ὑφίστασθαι, κἂν τῇ δόξῃ τῶν ἄλλων ὑπερέχῃ· τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ἄλλοις κτίσμασι πρὸς ἑαυτὰ διαφέροντα εὑρεθή σεται, ὥσπερ καὶ βλεπόμενα δείκνυται. Ἀλλ' εἴπερ κατὰ τοὺς αἱρετικοὺς κτίσμα μὲν ἢ ποίημα ἦν, οὐχ ὡς ἓν δὲ τῶν κτισμάτων, διὰ τὸ ἐν δόξῃ διαφέρειν αὐτῶν, ἔδει πρὸς τὰ ἄλλα ποιή ματα τῇ κατὰ τὸ βέλτιον συγκρίσει σημαίνεσθαί τε παρὰ τῆς Γραφῆς καὶ δείκνυσθαι αὐτὸν, οἷον ἔδει λέ γεσθαι αὐτὸν μείζονα ἀρχαγγέλων· ἔδει ἐντιμό τερον τῶν θρόνων, καὶ λαμπρότερον μὲν ἡλίου καὶ σελήνης, μείζονα δὲ τῶν οὐρανῶν. Νῦν δὲ οὕτω μὲν αὐτὸς οὐ σημαίνεται· Υἱὸν δὲ αὐτὸν ἴδιον καὶ μόνον δείκνυσιν ἑαυτοῦ ὁ Πατὴρ, λέγων· Υἱός μου εἶ σύ· καὶ, Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ Υἱός μου ὁ ἀγαπητὸς, ἐν ᾧ ηὐδόκησα· διὸ καὶ διηκόνουν αὐτῷ οἱ ἄγγελοι, ὡς ἄλλῳ παρ' αὐτοὺς ὄντι· καὶ προσκυνεῖται παρ' αὐ τῶν, οὐχ ὡς τῇ δόξῃ μείζων, ἀλλ' ὡς ἄλλος παρὰ πάντα τὰ κτίσματα καὶ παρ' ἐκείνους ὢν, μόνος δὲ τοῦ Πατρὸς ἴδιος ὢν κατ' οὐσίαν Υἱός. Εἰ γὰρ ὡς ὑπερέχων τῇ δόξῃ προσεκυνεῖτο, ἔδει καὶ ἕκαστον τῶν ὑποβεβηκότων τὸν ὑπερέχοντα προσκυνεῖν. Ἀλλ' οὐκ ἔστιν οὕτω· κτίσμα γὰρ κτίσματι οὐ προσκυνεῖ, ἀλλὰ δοῦλος δεσπότην, καὶ κτίσμα Θεόν. Πέτρος μὲν οὖν ὁ ἀπόστολος προσκυνῆσαι θέλοντα τὸν Κορνήλιον κωλύει, λέγων, ὅτι Κἀγὼ ἄνθρωπός εἰμι· ἄγ γελος δὲ θέλοντα προσκυνῆσαι τὸν Ἰωάννην ἐν τῇ Ἀποκαλύψει κωλύει, λέγων· Ὅρα μή. Σύνδουλός σου εἰμὶ, καὶ τῶν ἀδελφῶν σου τῶν προφητῶν, καὶ τῶν τηρούντων τοὺς λόγους τοῦ βιβλίου τού του. Τῷ Θεῷ προσκύνησον. Οὐκοῦν Θεοῦ ἐστι μόνου τὸ προσκυνεῖσθαι· καὶ τοῦτο ἴσασι καὶ αὐτοὶ οἱ ἄγ γελοι, ὅτι κἂν ἄλλων ταῖς δόξαις ὑπερέχωσιν, ἀλλὰ κτίσματα πάντες εἰσὶ, καὶ οὐκ εἰσὶ τῶν προσκυνουμένων, ἀλλὰ τῶν προσκυνούντων τὸν ∆εσπότην. Τὸν γοῦν πατέρα τοῦ Σαμψὼν τὸν Μανωὲ, θέλοντα θυσίαν προσενεγκεῖν τῷ ἀγγέλῳ, ἐκώλυσεν ὁ ἄγγελος λέγων ὅτι, Μὴ ἐμοὶ, ἀλλὰ τῷ Θεῷ προσένεγκε. Ὁ δὲ Κύριος καὶ παρ' ἀγγέλων προσκυνεῖται· γέ γραπται γάρ· Καὶ προσκυνησάτωσαν αὐτῷ πάν τες ἄγγελοι Θεοῦ· καὶ παρὰ πάντων δὲ τῶν ἐθνῶν, ὡς ὁ Ἡσαΐας φησίν· Ἐκοπίασεν Αἴγυπτος καὶ ἐμπορία Αἰθιόπων, καὶ οἱ Σαβαεὶμ ἄνδρες ὑψηλοὶ ἐπὶ σὲ διαβήσονται, καί σοι ἔσονται δοῦ λοι· εἶτα ἑξῆς· Καὶ προσκυνήσουσί σοι, καὶ ἐν σοὶ προσεύξονται· ὅτι ἐν σοὶ ὁ Θεός ἐστι, καὶ οὐκ ἔστι Θεὸς πλὴν σοῦ. Τούς τε μαθητὰς προσκυνοῦντας δέχεται, καὶ πληροφορεῖ τούτους, ὅστις ἐστὶ λέγων· Οὐχ ὑμεῖς λέγετέ με, ὁ Κύριος καὶ ὁ διδάσκαλος; καὶ καλῶς λέγετε· εἰμὶ γάρ. Καὶ τὸν Θωμᾶν δὲ λέγοντα αὐτῷ, Ὁ Κύριός μου καὶ ὁ Θεός μου, συγχωρεῖ λέγειν, καὶ μᾶλλον ἀποδέχε ται, μὴ κωλύων αὐτόν. Ἔστι γὰρ αὐτὸς, ὡς οἵ τε ἄλλοι προφῆται λέγουσι, καὶ ∆αβὶδ ψάλλει, Κύριος τῶν δυνάμεων, Κύριος Σαβαὼθ, ὃ ἑρμηνεύε ται, Κύριος τῶν στρατιῶν, καὶ Θεὸς ἀληθινὸς καὶ παντοκράτωρ, κἂν οἱ Ἀρειανοὶ ἐν τούτῳ διαῤῥηγνύωσιν ἑαυτούς. Οὐκ ἂν δὲ οὐδὲ αὐτὸς προσεκυνήθη, οὐδὲ ταῦτ' ἐλέγετο περὶ αὐτοῦ, εἰ ὅλως τῶν κτισμάτων ἦν. Νῦν δὲ ἐπειδὴ οὐκ ἔστι κτίσμα, ἀλλ' ἴδιον τῆς οὐσίας τοῦ προσκυνουμένου Θεοῦ γέννημα, καὶ φύσει Υἱός ἐστι· διὰ τοῦτο προσκυνεῖται, καὶ Θεὸς πιστεύεται, καὶ Κύριος στρατιῶν καὶ ἐξουσιαστὴς καὶ παντοκράτωρ ἐστὶν, ὡς ὁ Πατήρ· αὐτὸς γὰρ εἴρηκε· Πάντα, ὅσα ἔχει ὁ Πατὴρ, ἐμά ἐστιν· Υἱοῦ γὰρ ἴδιον τὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς ἔχειν, καὶ τοιοῦτον αὐτὸν εἶναι, ὡς ἐν αὐτῷ θεωρεῖσθαι τὸν Πατέρα· καὶ δι' αὐτοῦ τὰ πάντα πεποιῆσθαι, καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ τὴν σωτηρίαν τῶν πάντων γίνεσθαί τε καὶ συνίστασθαι·