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Epistles on the Arian Heresy

Alexander of Alexandria

Section 5

About this work

Author: Alexander of Alexandria

5. Wherefore I do not think that he is

‹ Section 4 Section 6 ›

to

be

reckoned

amongst

the

pious

who

presumes

to

inquire

into

anything

beyond

these

things

,

not

listening

to

this

saying

:

“

Seek

not

out

the

things

that

are

too

hard

for

thee

,

neither

search

the

things

that

are

above

thy

strength

.

”

For

if

the

knowledge

of

many

other

things

that

are

incomparably

inferior

to

this

,

are

hidden

from

human

comprehension

,

such

as

in

the

apostle

Paul

,

“

Eye

hath

not

seen

,

nor

ear

heard

,

neither

have

entered

into

the

heart

of

man

,

the

things

which

God

hath

prepared

for

them

that

love

Him

.

”

As

also

God

said

to

Abraham

,

that

“

he

could

not

number

the

stars

;

”

and

that

passage

,

“

Who

can

number

the

sand

of

the

sea

,

and

the

drops

of

rain

.

”

How

shall

any

one

be

able

to

investigate

too

curiously

the

subsistence

of

the

divine

Word

,

unless

he

be

smitten

with

frenzy

?

Concerning

which

the

Spirit

of

prophecy

says

,

“

Who

shall

declare

his

generation

?

”

And

our

Saviour

Himself

,

who

blesses

the

pillars

of

all

things

in

the

world

,

sought

to

unburden

them

of

the

knowledge

of

these

things

,

saying

that

to

comprehend

this

was

quite

beyond

their

nature

,

and

that

to

the

Father

alone

belonged

the

knowledge

of

this

most

divine

mystery

.

“

For

no

man

,

”

says

He

,

“

knoweth

the

Son

,

but

the

Father

:

neither

knoweth

any

man

the

Father

,

save

the

Son

.

”

Of

this

thing

also

I

think

that

the

Father

spoke

,

in

the

words

,

“

My

secret

is

to

Me

and

Mine

.

”

Notes

10
Ecclus. iii. 22. [Compare the canonical equivalent, Ps. cxxxi. 1.]
11
1 Cor. ii. 9.
12
Gen. xv. 5.
13
Ecclus. i. 2.
14
Isa. liii. 8.
15
Matt. xi. 27.