Chapter X.
Those who acknowledge the Son to be like the Father, but deny that they are of the same substance, do not differ from those who came before them. For it is not possible for there to be an accidental or partial likeness between them; such likenesses are attributed to mere humans in relation to God, but the likeness between the Son and the Father is of nature, of which the Son is also the perfect image. Therefore, the term 'begotten' does not hinder the Catholic faith, but reveals the perfidy of heretics; for by using an unfamiliar term in Scripture, they denied the omnipotence that is attributed to those persons there.
But most of those who follow the same sect think that they disagree with them in the form of discussion, those who say that the Son is dissimilar to the Father in all things. Therefore, let us also refute the nonsense of those who say that the Son is similar, but not of one substance with the Father.
But those things that are not of the same nature are necessarily different and distant: and those that are of different nature, it follows that they cannot be similar; unless perhaps you say they are similar in appearance, but dissimilar in truth. For both milk and snow and a white swan are of the same color, but they preserve the difference of their distinct natures; nor does the difference of natures of species become colored by the similarity of appearance.
How then do they say that the Father and the Son are similar, who deny the unity of substance? Do they think that they are similar according to form, figure, and color? But these are attributes of the body, they indicate a certain composition. But how do we fit invisibility with similarity according to color or form? Or how can a creature be similar to the uncreated? How can the splendor of glory and the character of his substance (Heb. I, 3) be similar if, as they say, glory and substance are different?
They say that the Son is similar in glory and operation, and therefore he is called the image of God. Therefore, if he is similar in some things, but not in all things, he is similar in part and dissimilar in part. It follows from this proposition that if he is similar in part, he is not identical in whole, but is a composite image of God. And therefore, it follows that he himself appears to be composite, whose image is composite. But if the composite maintains similarity in its parts, its image cannot be similar in part.
But those who deny similarity according to the unity of nature, consider similarity to others. For they often say: Why do you think that Scripture gave much to the Son because it said image; when God himself said to men: Be holy, for I am holy (Lev. XIX, 2)? And the Son said: Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect (Matth. XVI, 48)? And they do not understand that by this it is implied: that the Son is similar to the Father not according to a part, but according to the fullness of divinity and the perfection. Finally, if many are similar, why is only the Son called the invisible image of God, and the character of his substance; unless it is because in him is the unity of the same nature, and the expression of his majesty?
For there is one kind of likeness according to imitation, another according to nature, as the words themselves of the examples proposed indicate; for the Scripture says: Be holy, that they may become so through imitation. Therefore, it is said to men: Be holy, because they are not so; but God says of Himself: I am holy, because I am so by nature, not by progress in growing holiness. Then Wisdom says: Be perfect, that they may begin to possess what they do not yet possess. But concerning the Father it says: As your Father, who is in heaven, is perfect. Therefore the Father is perfect, who always is. Hence His being, whether in Greek called οὐσία, because it always exists, or in Latin called substance, because it remains in itself and does not subsist by the help of another.
Therefore, the Father is holy and perfect, the Son is also holy and perfect, as the image of God. But the image of God, because all things that are God are seen in the Son, that is, eternal divinity, omnipotence, and majesty. Therefore, just as God is, so His image appears. Therefore, it is necessary that you believe the image to be such as God is. For if you take away from the image, it will appear that you have taken away from the one whose image it is. If you believe the image to be lesser, then a lesser God will appear in the image. For as you have judged the image to be, so shall he appear to you, whose image is invisible. The image said: He who sees me, sees the Father also (John 14:9). And as you have judged him to be, whose image you believe the Son to be; so necessarily must the Son be judged by you. Hence, since the Father is uncreated, so is the Son uncreated; since the Father is not less, so is the Son not less; since the Father is omnipotent, so is the Son omnipotent.
Therefore it has been said, even if they use what they do not read, so that they may call it innate; nevertheless, that word does not hinder us from believing that Christ is of one nature and substance with the Father. And if of one nature, certainly of one power.
This place is not difficult to refute the studies of the perfidious. For how do they deny the omnipotent Christ, which is written, who are willing to claim that which they do not teach in writing? For we have taught the omnipotent Christ above (Book 2, De Fide, chapter 3), in the Apocalypse of John the Evangelist, and in the prophecy of Zechariah, and in the Gospel. If anyone thinks these things should be reviewed, let him review and repeat.
However, because I almost passed by there due to the congestion of testimonies, let them say about what they think was said, that which Amos prophesied; for it is written thus: 'The Lord who touches the earth, and it trembles, and all who dwell in it mourn. And he rises up like the river of Egypt, for he builds his ascent above the heavens, and he establishes his promise upon the earth: he calls the waters of the sea and pours them out upon the face of the earth, the Lord Almighty is his name.' Do they not understand that all these things agree in the Son, who, descending to the earth, touched it, was moved in his passion, ascended from the earth into heaven, and descended upon the earth from heaven, as he himself promised?
But why do I labor about the Son, when Scripture also testifies about the omnipotent Spirit? For it is written: By the word of the Lord the heavens were established, and by the breath of His mouth all their power (Psalm 32:6). And concerning Wisdom, it is written that it possesses the omnipotent Spirit; for Solomon says: For Wisdom, the artificer of all, taught me (Wisdom 7:12). Indeed, in Wisdom there is a spirit of understanding, holy, unique, manifold, subtle, mobile, clear, immaculate, manifest, invulnerable, loving what is good, keen, provident, powerful, benevolent, steadfast, untroubled, all-seeing, and penetrating through all intelligent spirits.