written, '' The Lord said to Moses;'' andthey were wrought by angels; but not from
Cuap. II.] ON THE TRINITY. 65 the dispensation of the New Testament was to be distinguished from the dispensation of the Old, according to the fitness of ages and of times, that not only those visible things, but dignity, and any corporeal action of those bodies; yet, according to the Spirit of God sent to us from above, and to His grace imparted to our minds, I dare to say confidently, that neither God the Father, nor His Word, nor His Spirit, which is the one God, isin any way changeable in regard to that which He is, and whereby He is that which He is; and much less is in this regard visible. Since there are no doubt some things changeable, yet not visible, as are our thoughts, and memories, and wills, and the whole incorporeal creature; but there is nothing that is visible that is not also changeable.
also the word itself, was wrought by angels. For it is said thus: '' But to which of the angels said He at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool? Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?"4 Whence it appears that all those things were not only wrought by angels, but wrought also on our account, that is, On account of the people of God, to whom is promised the inheritance of eternal life. As it is written also to the Corinthians, '' Nowall these things happened unto them in a figure: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world arecome."s And then, demonstrating by plain consequence that
CHAP. II.—THE ESSENCE OF GOD NEVER APPEARED IN ITSELF. DIVINE APPEARANCES TO THE FATHERS WROUGHT BY THE MINISTRY OF ANGELS. AN OBJECTION DRAWN FROM THE MODE OF SPEECH REMOVED. THAT THE APPEARING OF GOD TO ABRAHAM HIMSELF, JUST as at that time the word was spoken by the angels, so now by the Son; '' Therefore," he
AS THAT TO MOSES, WAS WROUGHT BY ANsays, '" we ought to give the more earnest heed
GELS, THE SAME THING IS PROVED BY THE LAW BEING GIVEN TO MOSES BY ANGELS. WHAT HAS BEEN SAID IN THIS BOOK, AND WHAT REMAINS TO BE SAID IN THE NEXT.
to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received
Wherefore the substance, or, if it is better so to say, the essence of God,' wherein we understand, in proportion to our measure, in however small a degree, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, since it isin no way changeable, can in no way inits proper self be visible.
a just recompense of reward; how shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?'' And then, as though you asked, What salvation ?—in order to show that he is now speaking of the New Testament, that is, of the word which was spoken not by angels, but by the Lord, he says, '' Which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto
22. It is manifest, accordingly, that all those appearances to the fathers, when God was presented to them according to His own dispensation, suitable to the times, were wrought through the creature. And if we cannot discern in what manner He wrought them by ministry of angels, yet we say that they were wrought by angels; but not from our own power of discernment, lest we should seem to any one to be wise beyond our measure, whereas we are wise so as to think soberly, as God hath dealt to us the measure of faith;? and we believe, and therefore speak. For the authority is extant of the divine Scriptures, from which our reason ought not to turn aside; nor by leaving the solid support of the divine utterance, to fall headlong over the precipice of its own surmisings, in matters wherein neither the perceptions of the body rule, nor the clear reason of the truth shines forth. Now, certajnly, it is written most clearly in the Epistle to the Hebrews, when us by them that,heard Him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to His own will.'' °
23. But some one may say, Why then is it written, '' The Lord said to Moses;'' and not, rather, The angel said to Moses? Because, when the crier proclaims the words of the judge, it is not usually written in the record, so and so the crier said, but so and so the judge. In like manner also, when the holy prophet speaks, although we say, The prophet said, we mean nothing else to be understood than that the Lord said; and if we were to say, The Lord said, we should not put the prophet aside, but only intimate who spake by him, And, indeed, these Scriptures often reveal the angel to be the Lord, of whose speaking it is from time to time said, ''the Lord said," as we have shown al-
| ready.
But on account of those who, since the Scripture in that place specifies an angel, will have the Son of God Himself and in t ['*Substance,"' from sw stams, is a passive term, denoting latent and potential being. '' Essence,'' from esse, is an active term, denoting energetic being. The schoolmen, as Augustin does here, preferred the latter term to the former, though employing both to designate the divine nature.—W. G. T. S.]
4 Heb. i. 13, 14. Si Core xX, 12. 6 Heb. ii. 1-4.
2 Rom. xii. 3. 3 2 Cor. iv. 13.