§2. He then discusses the “willing” of the Father concerning the generation of the Son, and shows that the object of that good will is from eternity, which is the Son, existing in the Father, and being closely related to the process of willing, as the ray to the flame, or the act of seeing to the eye.

After these distinctions on our part no one can well be longer in doubt how the Only-begotten at once is believed to be “of the Father,” and is eternally, even if the one phrase does not at first sight seem to agree with the other,—that which declares Him to be “of the Father” with that which asserts His eternity. But if we are to confirm our statement by further arguments, it may be possible to apprehend the doctrine on this point by the aid of things cognizable by our senses. And let no one deride our statement, if it cannot find among existing things a likeness of the object of our enquiry such as may be in all respects sufficient for the presentation of the matter in hand by way of analogy and resemblance. For we should like to persuade those who say that the Father first willed and so proceeded to become a Father, and on this ground assert posteriority in existence as regards the Word, by whatever illustrations may make it possible, to turn to the orthodox view. Neither does this immediate conjunction exclude the “willing” of the Father, in the sense that He had a Son without choice, by some necessity of His Nature, nor does the “willing” separate the Son from the Father, coming in between them as a kind of interval: so that we neither reject from our doctrine the “willing” of the Begetter directed to the Son, as being, so to say, forced out by the conjunction of the Son’s oneness with the Father, nor do we by any means break that inseparable connection, when “willing” is regarded as involved in the generation. For to our heavy and inert nature it properly belongs that the wish and the possession of a thing are not often present with us at the same moment; but now we wish for something we have not, and at another time we obtain what we do not wish to obtain. But, in the case of the simple and all-powerful Nature, all things are conceived together and at once, the willing of good as well as the possession of what He wills. For the good and the eternal will is contemplated as operating, indwelling, and co-existing in the eternal Nature, not arising in it from any separate principle, nor capable of being conceived apart from the object of will: for it is not possible that with God either the good will should not be, or the object of will should not accompany the act of will, since no cause can either bring it about that that which befits the Father should not always be, or be any hindrance to the possession of the object of will. Since, then, the Only-begotten God is by nature the good (or rather beyond all good), and since the good does not fail to be the object of the Father’s will, it is hereby clearly shown, both that the conjunction of the Son with the Father is without any intermediary, and also that the will, which is always present in the good Nature, is not forced out nor excluded by reason of this inseparable conjunction. And if any one is listening to my argument in no scoffing spirit, I should like to add to what I have already said something of the following kind.

Just as, if one were to grant (I speak, of course, hypothetically) the power of deliberate choice to belong to flame, it would be clear that the flame will at once upon its existence will that its radiance should shine forth from itself, and when it wills it will not be impotent (since, on the appearance of the flame, its natural power at once fulfils its will in the matter of the radiance), so that undoubtedly, if it be granted that the flame is moved by deliberate choice, we conceive the concurrence of all these things simultaneously—of the kindling of the fire, of its act of will concerning the radiance, and of the radiance itself; so that the movement by way of choice is no hindrance to the dignity of the existence of the radiance,—even so, according to the illustration we have spoken of, you will not, by confessing the good act of will as existing in the Father, separate by that act of will the Son from the Father. For it is not reasonable to suppose that the act of willing that He should be, could be a hindrance to His immediately coming into being; but just as, in the eye, seeing and the will to see are, one an operation of nature, the other an impulse of choice, yet no delay is caused to the act of sight by the movement of choice in that particular direction811    Oehler’s punctuation here seems faulty.    This section of the analysis is so confused that it cannot well be literally translated. In the version given above the general sense rather than the precise grammatical construction has been followed.,—(for each of these is regarded separately and by itself, not as being at all a hindrance to the existence of the other, but as both being somehow interexistent, the natural operation concurring with the choice, and the choice in turn not failing to be accompanied by the natural motion)—as, I say, perception naturally belongs to the eye, and the willing to see produces no delay in respect to actual sight, but one wills that it should have vision, and immediately what he wills is, so also in the case of that Nature which is unspeakable and above all thought, our apprehension of all comes together simultaneously—of the eternal existence of the Father, and of an act of will concerning the Son, and of the Son Himself, Who is, as John says, “in the beginning,” and is not conceived as coming after the beginning. Now the beginning of all is the Father; but in this beginning the Son also is declared to be, being in His Nature that very thing which the Beginning is. For the Beginning is God, and the Word Who “was in the Beginning” is God. As then the phrase “the beginning” points to eternity, John well conjoins “the Word in the Beginning,” saying that the Word was in It; asserting, I suppose, this fact to the end that the first idea present to the mind of his hearer may not be “the Beginning” alone by itself, but that, before this has been impressed upon him, there should also be presented to his mind, together with the Beginning the Word Who was in It, entering with It into the hearer’s understanding, and being present to his hearing at the same time with the Beginning.

Τούτων οὖν ἡμῖν οὕτω διῃρημένων οὐκέτ' ἄν τις ἀμφιβάλλοι πῶς καὶ ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς ὁ μονογενὴς εἶναι πεπίστευται καὶ ἀϊδίως ἔστι, κἂν δοκῇ κατὰ τὴν πρόχειρον ἔννοιαν μὴ συμβαίνειν ὁ λόγος τῷ λόγῳ ὁ ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτὸν εἶναι λέγων τῷ μαρτυροῦντι αὐτῷ τὸ ἀΐδιον. εἰ δὲ χρὴ καὶ δι' ἑτέρων τὸν λόγον πιστώσασθαι, δυνατὸν ἂν γένοιτο νοῆσαι τὸ περὶ τούτου δόγμα διά τινων τῶν κατὰ τὴν αἴσθησιν ἡμῖν γνωριζομένων. μηδεὶς δὲ ἐπηρεαζέτω τῷ λόγῳ μὴ δυναμένῳ τοιαύτην ἐν τοῖς οὖσιν εὑρεῖν εἰκόνα τοῦ ζητουμένου, ἣ διὰ πάντων ἀρκέσει δι' ἀναλογίας τινὸς καὶ ὁμοιότητος πρὸς τὴν τοῦ προκειμένου παράστασιν. βουλόμεθα γὰρ τοὺς λέγοντας πρότερον βεβουλεῦσθαι τὸν πατέρα, εἶθ' οὕτως ἐλθεῖν ἐπὶ τὸ γενέσθαι πατέρα καὶ διὰ τούτου τὸ μεταγενέστερον τῷ λόγῳ κατασκευάζοντας πεῖσαι δι' ὧν ἂν γένοιτο δυνατὸν ἡμῖν ὑποδειγμάτων μετάγειν πρὸς τὸ εὐσεβὲς τὴν διάνοιαν. οὔτε γὰρ ἡ ἄμεσος αὕτη συνάφεια ἐκθλίβει τὴν βούλησιν τοῦ πατρὸς ὡς κατά τινα φύσεως ἀνάγκην ἀπροαιρέτως τὸν υἱὸν ἐσχηκότος, οὔτε ἡ βούλησις διΐστησι τοῦ πατρὸς τὸν υἱὸν ὥς τι διάστημα μεταξὺ παρεμπίπτουσα, ὡς μήτε ἐκβάλλειν τοῦ δόγματος τὴν ἐπὶ τῷ υἱῷ βούλησιν τοῦ γεννήσαντος, οἷον στενοχωρουμένην ἐν τῇ συναφείᾳ τῆς τοῦ υἱοῦ πρὸς τὸν πατέρα ἑνότητος, μήτε μὴν τὴν ἀδιάστατον διαλύειν συνάφειαν, ὅταν ἐνθεωρῆται τῇ γεννήσει ἡ βούλησις. τοῦτο γὰρ τῆς βαρείας ἡμῶν καὶ δυσκινήτου φύσεώς ἐστιν ἴδιον, τὸ μὴ ἐν ταὐτῷ πολλάκις παρεῖναι ἡμῖν καὶ τὸ ἔχειν τι καὶ τὸ βούλεσθαι, ἀλλὰ νῦν μὲν βουλόμεθά τι ἔχειν ὧν οὐκ ἔχομεν, μετὰ ταῦτα δὲ τυγχάνομεν ὧν τυχεῖν ἠβουλήθημεν. ἐπὶ δὲ τῆς ἁπλῆς καὶ παντοδυνάμου φύσεως ὁμοῦ τὰ πάντα καὶ κατὰ ταὐτὸν νοεῖται, καὶ τὸ θέλειν τὸ ἀγαθὸν καὶ τὸ ἔχειν ὅπερ ἠθέλησε. πάντοτε γὰρ ἐνεργὸν καὶ ἐνούσιον καὶ ἐνυπόστατον τῇ ἀϊδίῳ φύσει τὸ ἀγαθόν τε καὶ τὸ ἀΐδιον ἐνθεωρεῖται θέλημα, οὔτε ἀπό τινος ἰδιαζούσης ἀρχῆς ἐγγινόμενον οὔτε δίχα τοῦ θελητοῦ νοηθῆναι δυνάμενον. οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐνδέχεται παρὰ τῷ θεῷ ἢ τὸ ἀγαθὸν θέλημα μὴ εἶναι ἢ μὴ συνεῖναι τὸ θελητὸν τῷ βουλήματι, οὐδεμιᾶς αἰτίας οὔτε τὸ πρέπον τῷ πατρὶ μὴ πάντοτε εἶναι [μὴ] οὔσης οὔτε πρὸς τὸ ἔχειν τὸ βουλητὸν ἐμποδιζούσης. ἐπεὶ οὖν φύσει τὸ ἀγαθόν, μᾶλλον δὲ παντὸς ἀγαθοῦ ἐπέκεινα ὁ μονογενὴς θεός, οὐκ ἀβούλητον δὲ τῷ πατρὶ τὸ ἀγαθόν, φανερῶς ἀποδείκνυται διὰ τούτων ὅτι καὶ ἄμεσός ἐστι τοῦ υἱοῦ ἡ πρὸς τὸν πατέρα συνάφεια καὶ οὐκ ἐξωθεῖται οὐδὲ ἐξείργεται ὑπὸ τῆς ἀδιαστάτου συναφείας τὸ βούλημα τὸ τῇ ἀγαθῇ φύσει διὰ παντὸς ἐνυπάρχον. εἰ δέ τις ἀνεπηρεάστως ἀκούει τοῦ λόγου, καὶ τοιοῦτόν τι τοῖς εἰρημένοις προσθεῖναι βούλομαι.
Ὥσπερ εἴ τις (λέγω δὲ καθ' ὑπόθεσιν) προαιρετικήν τινα τῇ φλογὶ δύναμιν δοίη, δῆλον ἂν εἴη ὅτι ὁμοῦ τῷ εἶναι ἡ φλὸξ καὶ τὴν αὐγὴν ἐκλάμπειν ἀφ' ἑαυτῆς θελήσει, θελήσασα δὲ πάντως οὐκ ἀδυνατήσει, τῆς φυσικῆς δυνάμεως ἐπιτελὲς ποιούσης ὁμοῦ τῷ συστῆναι τὴν φλόγα τὸ περὶ τὴν αὐγὴν βούλημα, ὡς ἀναντιρρήτως εἰ τοῦτο δοθείη τὸ προαιρετικῶς κινεῖσθαι τὴν φλόγα, πάντων κατὰ ταὐτὸν τὴν συνδρομὴν νοεῖσθαι, τῆς τε τοῦ πυρὸς ἐξάψεως καὶ τοῦ περὶ τὴν αὐγὴν θελήματος καὶ αὐτῆς τῆς αὐγῆς, ὡς μηδὲν τῆς προαιρετικῆς κινήσεως πρὸς τὴν ὀξεῖαν τῆς αὐγῆς ὑπόστασιν ἐμποδιζούσης_οὕτως κατὰ τὸ ῥηθὲν ἡμῖν ὑπόδειγμα καὶ τῷ πατρὶ τὸ ἀγαθὸν θέλημα συνομολογῶν οὐκ ἀποστήσεις διὰ τοῦ θελήματος τοῦ πατρὸς τὸν υἱόν: οὐδὲ γὰρ εἰκός ἐστι τὸ τοῦ εἶναι αὐτὸν βούλημα ἐμπόδιον τοῦ εὐθὺς εἶναι γίνεσθαι, ἀλλ' ὥσπερ ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ τό τε βλέπειν καὶ τὸ θέλειν βλέπειν τὸ μὲν φύσεώς ἐστιν ἐνέργεια τὸ δὲ ὁρμὴ προαιρέσεως, οὐ μὴν ἀναβολὴν ἐμποιεῖ τῇ ἐνεργείᾳ τοῦ βλέπειν πρὸς αὐτὸ τοῦτο τῆς προαιρέσεως ἡ κίνησις (ἰδίᾳ γὰρ τούτων ἑκάτερον καὶ ἐφ' ἑαυτοῦ θεωρεῖται, οὐδὲν ἐμπόδιον πρὸς τὸ εἶναι τὸ ἕτερον τῷ ἑτέρῳ γινόμενον, ἀλλὰ τὰ δύο τρόπον τινὰ μετ' ἀλλήλων ἐστί, τῆς τε φυσικῆς ἐνεργείας τῇ προαιρέσει παρομαρτούσης καὶ τῆς προαιρέσεως πάλιν τοῦ κατὰ φύσιν οὐκ ἀπολιμπανομένης κινήματος): ὡς οὖν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ ἡ κατανόησις συμφυής ἐστι καὶ ἡ τοῦ ὁρᾶν βούλησις οὐδεμίαν ὑπέρθεσιν πρὸς αὐτὸ τὸ ὁρᾶν ἐνεποίησεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ θέλει αὐτῷ εἶναι τὴν ὅρασιν καὶ ὃ θέλει ἐστίν, οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς ἀρρήτου καὶ ὑπὲρ πᾶσαν ἔννοιαν φύσεως πάντων ἅμα κατὰ ταὐτὸν ἐγγίνεται ἡμῖν ἡ διάνοια, τῆς τε ἀϊδίου τοῦ πατρὸς ὑπάρξεως καὶ τοῦ περὶ τὸν υἱὸν θελήματος καὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ, καθώς φησιν ὁ Ἰωάννης, ἐν τῇ ἀρχῇ ὄντος καὶ οὐ μετὰ τὴν ἀρχὴν νοουμένου: ἀρχὴ δὲ τοῦ παντὸς ὁ πατήρ. ἀλλ' ἐν τῇ ἀρχῇ ταύτῃ καὶ ὁ υἱὸς εἶναι κεκήρυκται ἐκεῖνο ὢν κατὰ τὴν φύσιν, ὅπερ ἐστὶν ἡ ἀρχή. θεὸς γὰρ ἡ ἀρχὴ καὶ ὁ ἐν τῇ ἀρχῇ ὢν λόγος θεός ἐστιν. τῆς δὲ ἀρχῆς τὸ ἀΐδιον ἐνδεικνυμένης καλῶς ὁ Ἰωάννης τῇ ἀρχῇ συνάπτει τὸν λόγον ἐν αὐτῇ εἶναι λέγων τὸν λόγον, τοῦτο ὡς οἶμαι κατασκευάζων, ἵνα μὴ φθάσῃ μόνη καθ' ἑαυτὴν ἐγγενέσθαι ἡ ἀρχὴ τῷ ἀκούσαντι, ἀλλὰ πρὶν ταύτην ἐντυπωθῆναι τῇ διανοίᾳ συγκατανοηθῇ τῇ ἀρχῇ καὶ ὁ λόγος ὁ ἐν ἐκείνῃ ὤν, συνεισελθὼν μετ' αὐτῆς εἰς τὴν τοῦ ἀκούοντος ἔννοιαν καὶ μετὰ τῆς ἀρχῆς τῇ ἀκοῇ ἐγγενόμενος.