Chapter V.
Passages brought forward from Scripture to show that
“made” does not always mean the same as
“created;” whence it is concluded that the letter of Holy
Writ should not be made the ground of captious arguments, after the
manner of the Jews, who, however, are shown to be not so bad as the
heretics, and thus the principle already set forth is confirmed
anew.
35. the same
time, becoming does not always
imply creation; for we read: “Lord, Thou art become
our refuge,” and “Thou
hast become my salvation.” Plainly, here is no statement of the fact or purpose of a creation, but God is said to have become my “refuge” and have turned to my “salvation,” even as the Apostle hath said: “Who became for us Wisdom from God, and Righteousness, and Sanctification, and Redemption,” that is, that Christ was “made” for us, of the Father, not created. Again, the writer has explained in the sequel in what sense he says that Christ was made Wisdom for us: “But we preach the Wisdom of God in doctrine of mystery, which Wisdom is hidden, foreordained by God before the existence of the world for our glory, and which none of the princes of this world knew, for had they known they would never have crucified the Lord of glory.” When the mystery of the Passion is set forth, surely there is no speaking of an eternal process of generation.
36. The Lord’s Cross, then, is my
wisdom; the Lord’s Death my redemption; for we are redeemed with
His precious blood, as the Apostle Peter hath said. With His blood, then, as man, the Lord redeemed us, Who also, as God, hath forgiven sins.
37. Let
us not, therefore, lay snares as it were in words, and eagerly seek out
entanglements therein; let us not, because misbelievers make out the
written word to mean that it means not, set forth only what this letter
bears on the face of it, instead of the underlying sense. This
way went the Jews to destruction, despising the deep-hidden meaning, and following only after the bare form of the word, for “the letter killeth, but the Spirit maketh alive.”
38. And yet, of these two grievous
impieties, to ascribe to the Godhead what is true only of manhood is
perchance more detestable than to attribute to spirit what belongs only
to letter. The Jews feared to believe in manhood taken up into
God, and therefore have lost the grace of redemption, because they
reject that on which salvation depends; the Arians degrade the majesty
of Godhead to the weakness of humanity. Detestable as are the
Jews, who crucified the Lord’s flesh, more detestable still do I
hold them who have believed that the Godhead of Christ was nailed to
the Cross. So one who ofttimes had dealings with Jews said: “An heretic avoid, after once reproving him”
39. Nor, again, are these men careful to
avoid doing dishonour to the Father, in their impious application of
the fact, that Christ was “made” Wisdom for us, to His
incomprehensible generation, that transcends all limits and divisions
of time; for, leaving it out of account that dishonour done to the Son
is an insult to the Father, they do even carry their blasphemy in
assault upon the Father, of Whom it is written: “Let God be
made truthful, but every man a liar.” If indeed they think that the
Son is spoken of, they do not foreclose against His
generation, but in that
they rest on the authority of this text they do confess that which they
reject, namely, that Christ is God, and true God.
40. It would be a lengthy matter were I to
pass in review each several place where we read of His being
“made,” not indeed by nature, but by way of gracious
dispensation. Moses, for example, saith: “Thou art
made my Helper and Protector, to save me;” and David: “Be unto me for a
God of salvation, and an house of refuge, that Thou mayest save
me;” and
Isaiah: “He is become an Helper for every city that is
lowly.” Of a
surety the holy men say not to God: “Thou hast been
created,” but “By Thy grace Thou art made a Protector and
Helper unto us.”