St Athanasius the Great FOUR DISCOURSES AGAINST THE ARIANS, Part II, Complete

Translated by Cardinal Newman.

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Page 103

5. From Deuteronomy; 'But ye that did attach yourselves unto the Lord your God are alive every one of you this day [3299] .' From this we may see the difference, and know that the Son of God is not a creature. For the Son says, 'I and the Father are One,' and, 'I in the Father, and the Father in Me;' but things originate, when they make advance, are attached unto the Lord. The Word then is in the Father as being His own; but things originate, being external, are attached, as being by nature foreign, and attached by free choice. For a son which is by nature, is one [3300] with him who begat him; but he who is from without, and is made a son, will be attached to the family. Therefore he immediately adds, 'What nation is there so great who hath God drawing nigh unto them [3301] ?' and elsewhere, 'I a God drawing nigh [3302] ;' for to things originate He draws nigh, as being strange to Him, but to the Son, as being His own, He does not draw nigh, but He is in Him. And the Son is not attached to the Father, but co-exists with Him; whence also Moses says again in the same Deuteronomy, 'Ye shall obey His voice, and apply yourselves unto Him [3303] ;' but what is applied, is applied from without.

[3299] Deut. iv. 4.

[3300] i. 26, n. 2.

[3301] Deut. iv. 7, LXX.

[3302] Jer. xxiii. 23, LXX.

[3303] Deut. xiii. 4.

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