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Translated by Cardinal Newman.
St Athanasius the Great Resources Online and in Print
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13 Pages
Page 6
4. As to their blasphemous position that "the Son knows not the Father perfectly," we ought not to wonder at it; for having once set themselves to fight against Christ, they contradict even His express words, since He says, "As the Father knoweth Me, even so know I the Father [377] ." Now if the Father knows the Son but in part, then it is evident that the Son does not know the Father perfectly; but if it is not lawful to say this, but the Father does know the Son perfectly, then it is evident that as the Father knows His own Word, so also the Word knows His own Father Whose Word He is.
5. By these arguments and references to the sacred Scriptures we frequently overthrew them; but they changed like chameleons [378] , and again shifted their ground, striving to bring upon themselves that sentence, "when the wicked falleth into the depth of evils, he despiseth [379] ." There have been many heresies before them, which, venturing further than they ought, have fallen into folly; but these men by endeavouring in all their cavils to overthrow the Divinity of the Word, have justified the other in comparison of themselves, as approaching nearer to Antichrist. Wherefore they have been excommunicated and anathematized by the Church. We grieve for their destruction, and especially because, having once been instructed in the doctrines of the Church, they have now sprung away. Yet we are not greatly surprised, for Hymenaeus and Philetus [380] did the same, and before them Judas, who followed the Saviour, but afterwards became a traitor and an apostate. And concerning these same persons, we have not been left without instruction; for our Lord has forewarned us; "Take heed lest any man deceive you: for many shall come in My name, saying, I am Christ, and the time draweth near, and they shall deceive many: go ye not after them [381] ;" while Paul, who was taught these things by our Saviour, wrote that "in the latter times some shall depart from the sound faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils, which reject the truth [382] ."
[377] John x. 15.
[378] chamaileontes. vid. de Decr. S:1. Hist. Ar. S:79.
[379] Prov. xviii. 3 [cf. Orat. iii. 1, c. Gent. 8. 4, &c.]
[380] 2 Tim. ii. 17.
[381] Luke xxi. 8.
[382] (1 Tim. iv. 1.) Into this text which Athan. also applies to the Arians (cf. note on Or. i. 9.), Athan. also introduces, like Alexander here, the word hugianouses, e.g. Ep. Aeg. S:20, Orat. i. 8 fin. de Decr. 3, Hist. Arian. S:78 init. &c. It is quoted without the word by Origen contr. Cels. v. 64, but with hugious in Matth. t. xiv. 16. Epiphan, has hugiainouses didaskalias, Haer. 78. 2. hugious did. ibid. 23. p. 1055.
Reference address : https://www.elpenor.org/athanasius/deposition-arius.asp?pg=6
