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Epistles on the Arian Heresy

Alexander of Alexandria

Section 7

About this work

Author: Alexander of Alexandria

7. Wherefore, since it appears that this hypothesis

‹ Section 6 Section 8 ›

of

a

creation

from

things

which

are

not

is

most

impious

,

it

is

necessary

to

say

that

the

Father

is

always

the

Father

.

But

He

is

the

Father

,

since

the

Son

is

always

with

Him

,

on

account

of

whom

He

is

called

the

Father

.

Wherefore

,

since

the

Son

is

always

with

Him

,

the

Father

is

always

perfect

,

being

destitute

of

nothing

as

regards

good

;

who

,

not

in

time

,

nor

after

an

interval

,

nor

from

things

which

are

not

,

hath

begotten

His

only

-

begotten

Son

.

How

,

then

,

is

it

not

impious

to

say

,

that

the

wisdom

of

God

once

was

not

which

speaks

thus

concerning

itself

:

“

I

was

with

Him

forming

all

things

;

I

was

His

delight

;

”

or

that

the

power

of

God

once

did

not

exist

;

or

that

His

Word

was

at

any

time

mutilated

;

or

that

other

things

were

ever

wanting

from

which

the

Son

is

known

and

the

Father

expressed

?

For

he

who

denies

that

the

brightness

of

the

glory

existed

,

takes

away

also

the

primitive

light

of

which

it

is

the

brightness

.

And

if

the

image

of

God

was

not

always

,

it

is

clear

also

that

He

was

not

always

,

of

which

it

is

the

image

.

Moreover

,

in

saying

that

the

character

of

the

subsistence

of

God

was

not

,

He

also

is

done

away

with

who

is

perfectly

expressed

by

it

.

Hence

one

may

see

that

the

Sonship

of

our

Saviour

has

nothing

at

all

in

common

with

the

sonship

of

the

rest

.

For

just

as

it

has

been

shown

that

His

inexplicable

subsistence

excels

by

an

incomparable

excellence

all

other

things

to

which

He

has

given

existence

,

so

also

His

Sonship

,

which

is

according

to

the

nature

of

the

Godhead

of

the

Father

,

transcends

,

by

an

ineffable

excellence

,

the

sonship

of

those

who

have

been

adopted

by

Him

.

For

He

,

indeed

,

is

of

an

immutable

nature

,

every

way

perfect

,

and

wanting

in

nothing

;

but

these

since

they

are

either

way

subject

to

change

,

stand

in

need

of

help

from

Him

.

For

what

progress

can

the

wisdom

of

God

make

?

What

increase

can

the

truth

itself

and

God

the

Word

receive

?

In

what

respect

can

the

life

and

the

true

light

be

made

better

?

And

if

this

be

so

,

how

much

more

unnatural

is

it

that

wisdom

should

ever

be

capable

of

folly

;

that

the

power

of

God

should

be

conjoined

with

infirmity

;

that

reason

should

be

obscured

by

unreason

;

or

that

darkness

should

be

mixed

up

with

the

true

light

?

And

the

apostle

says

,

on

this

place

,

“

What

communion

hath

light

with

darkness

?

and

what

concord

hath

Christ

with

Belial

?

”

And

Solomon

says

,

that

it

is

not

possible

that

it

should

come

to

pass

that

a

man

should

comprehend

with

his

understanding

“

the

way

of

a

serpent

upon

a

rock

,

”

which

is

Christ

,

according

to

the

opinion

of

Paul

.

But

men

and

angels

,

who

are

His

creatures

,

have

received

His

blessing

that

they

might

make

progress

,

exercising

themselves

in

virtues

and

in

the

commandments

of

the

law

,

so

as

not

to

sin

.

Wherefore

our

Lord

,

since

He

is

by

nature

the

Son

of

the

Father

,

is

by

all

adored

.

But

these

,

laying

aside

the

spirit

of

bondage

,

when

by

brave

deeds

and

by

progress

they

have

received

the

spirit

of

adoption

,

being

blessed

by

Him

who

is

the

Son

by

nature

,

are

made

sons

by

adoption

.

Notes

17
Prov. viii. 30 (LXX.).
18
2 Cor. vi. 14, 15.