Chapter XIV.

The sentence of the Judge is set forth, the counterpleas of the opposers are considered, and the finality of the sentence, from which there is no appeal, proved.

123. What verdict do we look for from Christ? That do I know. Do I say, what verdict will He give? Nay, He hath already pronounced sentence. We have it in our hands. “Let all,” saith He, “honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son, honoureth not the Father, Who hath sent Him.”412    S. John v. 23.

124. If the sentence please you not, appeal to the Father, cancel the judgment that the Father hath given. Say that He hath a Son Who is unlike Him. He will reply: “Then have I lied, I, Who said to the Son, ‘Let us make man in Our image and likeness.’”413    Gen. i. 26.

125. Tell the Father that He hath created the Son, and He will answer: “Why, then, hast thou worshipped One Whom thou thoughtest to be a created being?”

126. Tell Him that He hath begotten a Son Who is inferior to Himself, and He will reply: “Compare Us, and let Us see.”

127. Tell Him that you owed no credence to the Son, whereto He will answer: “Did I not say to thee, ‘This is My well-beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased: hear ye Him’?”414    S. Matt. xvii. 5. What mean these words “hear ye Him,” if not “Hear Him when He saith: ‘All things that the Father hath are Mine’”?415    S. John xvi. 15; xvii. 10. This did the apostles hear, even as it is written: “And they fell upon their faces, and were greatly afraid.”416    S. Matt. xvii. 6. If they who confessed Him fell to the earth, what shall they do who have denied Him? But Jesus laid His hand upon His apostles, and raised them up—you He will suffer to lie prone, that ye may see not the glory ye have denied.

128. Let us look to it, then, forasmuch as whom the Son condemneth, the Father condemneth also, and therefore let us honour the Son, even as we honour the Father, that by the Son we may be able to come to the Father.

CAPUT XIV.

0585A

Judicis exponit sententiam; discussisque adversariorum cavillis, ab ea provocationem non dari planum facit.

123. Quid putamus Christum judicaturum? Ego scio, judicaturum dico? Immo jam judicavit. Tenemus ejus sententiam: Omnes, inquit, honorificent Filium, sicut honorificant Patrem. Qui non honorificat Filium, non honorificat Patrem, qui misit illum (Joan. V, 23).

124. Si displicet sententia, appella ad Patrem, rescinde judicium, quod Pater detulit. Dic quia dissimilem habet Filium. Respondebit tibi: Ego ergo mentitus sum, qui dixi Filio: Faciamus hominem ad 0585B imaginem et similitudinem nostram (Gen. I, 26).

125. Dic quia creavit. Respondebit tibi: Cur ergo adorasti, quem creaturam putasti?

126. Dic quia minorem generavit Filium. Respondebit: Metire, videamus.

127. Dic quia ei non debuisti credere. Referet ad hoc: Non tibi dixeram: Hic est filius meus dilectissimus, in quo complacui, ipsum audite (Matth. XVII, 5)? Quid est, ipsum audite? Dicentem utique: Omnia quae Pater habet, mea sunt (Joan. XVII, 10). Hoc audierunt apostoli, sicut scriptum est: Et ceciderunt in faciem suam, et timuerunt valde (Matt. XVII, 6). Si ceciderunt qui confessi sunt, quid facient qui negarunt? Sed illos Jesus tetigit et levavit: vos jacere patietur; ne videatis gloriam, quam negastis.

0585C 128. Videamus ergo quoniam quem Filius damnat, et Pater damnat. Et ideo honorificemus Filium, sicut honorificamus Patrem; ut per Filium ad Patrem pervenire possimus.