Section 527
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COUNCIL OF NICE. 45 " of the substance of the Father," and " consubstantial with the Father," were not suffered to pass without examination. Hence, therefore, several questions arose, and answers were made, and the sense of these terms was carefully considered. They admit ted that the words " of the substance" signified that the Son was of the Father, but not as a part of the Father. We thought it well to assent to this explanation, as conveying the pious doctrine, I that the Son was of the Father ; but not, however, a part of the Fa< ther. We therefore agreed to this opinion ; nor did we reject the word consubstantial, having in view the promotion of peace, and being anxious to avoid a departure from the right belief. For the same reason, we approved also of the words "begottenjnwtjnade," since the word made, they said, was common to the other crea tures which were made by the Son, and to which he has nothing similar ; and that therefore he is not made like those who were created by himself, but is of a more excellent substance than any created being. The divine oracles inform us, that he was of the Father, by a mode of generation, which can neither be conceived nor expressed by any created intelligence. The question whether the Son is consubstantial with the Fa ther being thus examined, it was agreed that this was not to be understood according to the manner of material things, nor that of mortal beings, since it could be neither by division, nor abscis sion, nor by a change of Oie paternal essence and power, si the unbegotten nature of the Father is foreign from aU these thino-s But by the expression « consubstantial with the Father nothing else is intended, than that the Son of God has no snnih tude with created beings, but resembles in all things the Father only, by whom he was begotten, and that he is of no other s stance or essence than that of the Father. The prop— bemg thus explained, we thought that we might justly accede to ^ since we knew that some of the most learned and feting SS^Si bishops and writers had ^-^**Z substantial, in treating of the divinity of the Fathei Son.*