Page:Ante-Nicene Christian Library Vol 5.djvu/418

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392
IRENÆUS AGAINST HERESIES.
[Book iv.

by the Son that Father who begat the Son: and these things do indeed address all men in the same manner, but all da not in the same way believe them. But by the law and the prophets did the Word preach both Himself and the Father alike [to all]; and all the people heard Him alike, but all did not alike believe. And through the Word Himself who had been made visible and palpable, was the Father shown forth, although all did not equally believe in Him; but all saw the Father in the Son: for the Father is the invisible of the Son, but the Son the visible of the Father. And for this reason all spake with Christ when He was present [upon earth], and they named Him God. Yea, even the demons exclaimed, on beholding the Son: "We know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God."[1] And the devil looking at Him, and tempting Him, said: "If thou art the Son of God;"[2]—all thus indeed seeing and speaking of the Son and the Father, but all not believing [in them].

7. For it was fitting that the truth should receive testimony from all, and should become [a means of] judgment for the salvation indeed of those who believe, but for the condemnation of those who believe not; that all should be fairly judged, and that the faith in the Father and Son should be approved by all, that is, that it should be established by all [as the one means of salvation], receiving testimony from all, both from those belonging to it, since they are its friends, and by those having no connection with it, though they are its enemies. For that evidence is true, and cannot be gainsaid, wdiich elicits even from its adversaries striking[3] testimonies in its behalf; they being convinced with respect to the matter in hand by their own plain contemplation of it, and bearing testimony to it, as well as declaring it.[4] But after a while they break forth into enmity, and become accusers [of what they had approved], and are desirous

  1. Mark i. 2-4.
  2. Matt. iv. 3; Luke iv. 3.
  3. Singula, which with Massuet we here understand in the sense of singularia.
  4. Some, instead of significantibus, read signantibus, "stamping it as true."