Page:History of the First Council of Nice.djvu/98

88, are said to be of God, the Son alone is said to be of the substance of the Father; this being peculiar to the only begotten Son—the true Word of the Father. This is the reason why the bishops were led to write, that he is of the substance of the Father.

"The Arians, who seemed few in number, were again interrogated as to whether they would admit the following points of doctrine: 'That the Son is not a creature, but the Power, and the Wisdom, and likewise the Image, of the Father; that he is eternal—in no respects differing from the Father, and that he is very God.' It was remarked, that the Eusebians signified to each other by signs, that these declarations were equally applicable to us; for it is said that we are the image and the glory of God. This is said of us because we arc living beings. There are (to pursue their train of argument) many powers; for it is written, 'All the powers of God went out of the land of Egypt,' (Exod. xii. 41.) The canker-worm and the locust are said to be great powers. (Joel ii. 25.) And elsewhere it is written, 'The God of powers is with us; the God of Jacob is our helper.' For we are not merely children of God, but the Son also calls us brethren. Their saying that Christ is God in truth, gives us no uneasiness; for he was true, and he is true.

"The Arians made false deductions; but the bishops, having detected their deceitfulness in this matter, collected from Scripture those passages which say of Christ that 'He is the glory, the fountain, the stream, and the figure, of the substance,' and they quoted the following words: ' In thy light we shall see light;' and likewise, 'I and the Father are one.' They then clearly and briefly confessed that the Father and the Son are of the same