dwelt among us,"3 the same Wisdom which is unchangeable, independent of the condition
THE WORKS OF ST. AUGUSTIN. [Cuap. IV.
God through the adoption of sons, according to the truth commended to us by apostolic teaching.* Thus, then, the Son according to nature (zaturalis filius) was born of the very substance of the Father, the only one so born, subsisting as that which the Father is," God of God, Light of Light. We, on the other hand, are not the light by nature, but are enlightened by that Light, so that we may be able to shine in wisdom. For, as one says, ''that was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world." Therefore we add to the faith of things eternal likewise the temporal dispensation * of our Lord, which He deemed it worthy of Him to bear for us and to minister in behalf of our salvation. For in so far as He is the onlybegotten Son of God, it cannot be said of Him that He was and that He shall be, but only that He zs; because, on the one hand, that which was, xow zs not; and, on the other, that which shall be, as yet ts not. He, then, is unchangeable, independent of the condition of times and variation. And it is my opinion that this is the very consideration to which was due the circumstance that He introduced to the apprehension of His servant Moses the kind of name [which He then adopted]. For when he asked of Him by whom he should say that he was sent, in the event of the people to whom he was being sent despising him, he received his answer when He spake in this wise: "I AMTHATI AM." 'Thereafter, too, He added this: °° Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, HE THAT Is (Quz est) has sent me unto you." *5 however great they declare the creature to be, if it is a creature, it has been fashioned and made.* For the terms fashion and create? mean one and the same thing; although in the usage of the Latin tongue the phrase create is employed at times instead of what would be the strictly accurate word, beget. But the Greek language makes a distinction. For we call that creatura (creature) which they call xzioua@ or xtio1s; and when we desire to speak without ambiguity, we use not the word c¢creare (create), but the word condere (fashion, found). Consequently, if the Son is a creature, however great that may be, He has been made. But we believe in Him by whom a// things (omnia) were made, not in Him by whom the ves? of things (cetera) were made. For here again we cannot take this term @// ¢hings in any other sense than as meaning whatsoever things have been made.
6. But as °° the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us,"3 the same Wisdom which was begotten of God condescended also to be created among men.' There is a reference to this in the word, *' The Lord created me in the beginning of His ways."5 For the beginning of His ways is the Head of the Church, which is Christ® endued with human nature (homine indutus), by whom it was purposed that there should be given to us a pattern of living, that is, a sure"? way by which we might reach God. For by no other path was it possible for us to return but by humility, who fell by pride, according as it was said to our first creation, ** Taste, and ye shall be as gods."*® Of this humility, therefore, that is to say, of the way by which it was needful for us to return, our Restorer Himself has deemed it meet to exhibit an example in His own person, '' who thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant;"9 in order that He might be created
7. From this, I trust, it is now made patent to spiritual minds that there cannot possibly exist any nature contrary to God. Forif He 7s,—and this is a word which can be spoken with propriety only of God (for that which truly zs remains unchangeably; inasmuch as that which is changed has been something which now it is not, and shall be something which as yet it is not),—it follows that God has nothing contrary to Himself, For if the question were putto us, What is contrary to white? we would reply, black; if the question were, What is contrary to hot? we would reply, cold; if the question were, What is contrary to quick? we would reply, slow; and
Man in the beginning of His ways, the Word by whom all things were made. Wherefore, in so far as He is the Only-begotten, He has no brethren; but in so far as He is the Firstbegotten, He has deemed it worthy of Him to give the name of brethren to all those who, subsequently to and by means of His preeminence, * are born again into the grace of born. We follow the Benedictine reading, guz post egus et per ejus primatum in Dei gratiam renascuntur, But there is another, although less authoritative, version, viz. guz post ejus primitias in Det gratia nasctmur = all of us who, subsequently to His first-fruits, are born in the grace of God.
I Condita et facta est. 2 Condere and creare. 4 Adopting in hominibus creavt. omnibus = amongst all.
3 Johni, 14. One important Ms, gives 7"
5 Prov. viii. 22, with creavit me instead of the Aossessed me of the English version.
11 Luke viii. 21; Rom. viii. 15-17; Gal. iv. 5; Eph. i. 5; Heb. ii. 11. 12 Jd existens quod Pater est, etc. Another version is, 7dem extstens quod Pater Deus = subsisting asthe same that God the Father is. 13 John i. g. 14 The term disfensatio occurs very frequently as the equivalent of the Greek oixovoyia = economy, designating the Incarnation. 15 Ex. ili. 14.
6 Various editions give principium et caput Ecclesia est Christus=the beginning of His ways and the Head of the Church is Christ. 7 For vza certa others give via recta = a right way. 8 Gen. iii. 5. 9 Phil. ii. 6, 7. 10 Per egus primatum = by means of His standing as the First-