THE PREFACE. ] 9
So also Jerome expresseth his mind, herein: (Comment, in Psal. Ixvi. :) " Illuminet vultum suum super nos; Dei fades quae est? utique imago ejus. Dicit enim apostolus imaginem Patris esse filium ; ergo imagine sua nos illuminet; hoc est, imaginem suam filium illu- minet super nos; ut ipse nos illuminet; lux enim Patris lux filii est." — " Let him cause his face to shine upon us; or lift up the light of his countenance upon us. What is the face of God ? even his image. For the apostle says, that the Son is the image of the Father. Wherefore, let him shine on us with his image; that is, cause his Son, which is his image, to shine upon us, that he may illuminate us; for the light of the Father and of the Son are the same." Christ being the image of God, the face of God, in him is God represented unto us, and through him are all saving benefits com- municated unto them that believe.
Eusebius also speaks often unto this puipose, as: (Demonstratio Evangelica, lib. iv. cap. 2 :) 'Odev slxorag o'l yjriaixoi SsoXo/oDvrsc, Ssoc yivriTov auTov avofcchouGiv, ug av Tr\g dvsK^pdffrov xai d<7rBpivorjTou '^lorrirog ficvov £v avTu) fspovTa rijv slxova, di' ^v xat Ssov iivcti n avrh xai X'syeffdai rrjg rrphg to rrpurov st,ofj.oiu)Ssojg yjf.pi'i. — " Wherefore, the holy oracles, speaking theologically, or teaching divine things, do rightly call him God begotten," (of the Father,) " as he who alone bears in himself the image of the ineffable and inconceivable Deity. Wherefore, he both is, and is called God, because of his being the character, simili- tude, or image of him who is the first." The divine personality of Christ consists in this, that the whole divine nature being commu- nicated unto him by eternal generation, he is the image of God, even the Father, who by him is represented unto us. See the same book, chap, vii., to the same purpose; also, De Ecclesiast. Theol. contra MarcelL, lib. ii. cap. 17.
Clemens alwunds much in the affirmation of this truth concern- ing the person of Christ, and we may yet add, from a multitude to the same purpose, one or more testimonies from him. , Treating of Christ as the teacher of all men, his 'zaihayuyhg, he affirms that he is @ihg h dvdpuimu ffy^rj/j^aTi, " God in the figure or for|^ of man ; ", aypavTog^ 'Trarpix.ui ^iXrj/j,ari 8/dKovog, Xoyog, Qibg, 6 sv irarpi, 6 sk bi^iSiv Tou 'ffarphg, siiv Tcai ru sy^'^/j^ari &iov, " impolluted, serving the will of the Father, the Word, God, who is in the Father, oil the right hand of the Father, and in or with the form of God." Ourog rj/j,Tv sJxojv h aKrjXidwTog, rourw vdvri e&svti TiipaTsov l^o/xo/ouv r^v -y^vy^v. — "He is the image (of God) unto us, wherein there is no blemish ; and with all our strength are we to endeavour to render ourselves like unto him." This is the great end of his being the representative image of God unto us. And: (Stromat., Kb. iv. :) 'o /xh oh Qihg dvaTohixTog ILv, ouz 'iffTiv iirieTYifiovixog. 'O hi xj'iog Sofia rs Idri •x.a.l Inerri^ari. xoci dKri&na, xal,
20 THE PEEFACE.
osa aXka rohru) evyyivri. — " As Gocl " (absolutely) " falls not under demonstration/' (that is, cannot perfectly be declared,) " so he doth not" (immediately) " effect or teach us knowledge. But the Son is wisdom, and knowledge, and truth, unto us, and every thing which is cognate hereunto." For in and by him doth God teach us, and represent himself unto us.
Chap. VII. Upon the glory of this divine person of Christ de- pends the efficacy of all his offices ; an especial demonstration whereof is given in his prophetical office. So it is well expressed by Irenseus, " qui nil molitur iuepte:" Lib. i. cap. 1. " Non enim aliter nos discere poteramus quae sunt Dei, nisi magister noster verbum existens, homo factus fuisset. Neque enim alius poterat enarrare nobis quse sunt Patris, nisi proprium ipsius verbum. Quis enim alius cognovit sen- sum Domini ? aut quis alius ejus consiliarius factus est ? Neque rursus nos aliter discere poteramus, nisi Magistrum nostrum videntes, et per auditum nostrum vocem ejus percipientes, uti imitatores quidem operum, factores autem sermonum ejus facti, communionem habea- mus cum ipso." — " We could not otherwise have learned the things of God, unless our Master, being and continuing the" (eternal) "Word, had been made man. For no other could declare unto us the things of God, but his own proper Word. For who else hath known the mind of the Lord ? or who else hath been his counsellor ? Neither, on the other side, could we otherwise have learned, unless we had seen our Master, and heard his voice," (m his incarnation and ministry,) " whereby, following his works, and yielding obedience unto his doc- trine, we may have communion with himself."
I do perceive that if I should proceed with the same kind of attestations unto the doctrine of all the chapters in the ensuing dis- course, this preface would be drawn forth unto a greater length than Avas ever designed unto it, or is convenient for it. I shall therefore choose out one or two instances more, to give a specimen of the con- currence of the ancient church in the doctrine declared in them, and so put a close unto it.