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Exposition of the Christian Faith — Source paragraphs and footnotes

Chapter XVII.

4 complete historical source paragraphs and 0 editorial footnotes. Author and edition credits are shown for each record; original wording is retained.

English translation and editorial credits: Augustus Henry Eugene de Romestin, Eugene de Romestin (assistant), Henry Thomas Forbes Duckworth (assistant).

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Date uncertain | Ambrose of Milan

216. Yet if either He was ignorant, or had not power (for you would sooner agree to say that the Father did not know than own that the Son knows), you see from this very

Complete source paragraph · Exposition of the Christian Faith, Chapter XVII., source paragraph 12 · Original source

Date uncertain | Ambrose of Milan

fact that the Son is of one Substance with the Father; seeing that the Son like the Father (to speak in accordance with your foolish ideas) does not know all things, and cannot do all things. For I am not so eager or rash in giving praise to the Son as to dare to say that the Son can do more than the Father; for I make no distinction of power between the Father and the Son.

Complete source paragraph · Exposition of the Christian Faith, Chapter XVII., source paragraph 13 · Original source

Date uncertain | Ambrose of Milan

217. But perhaps you say that the Father did not say so, but that the Son erred about the Father. So now you convict the Son not only of weakness, but also of blasphemy and lying. However if you do not believe the Son with regard to the Father, neither may you believe Him with regard to that. For if He wished to deceive us in saying that the Father was in doubt as though He knew not what would take place, He wished also to deceive us about Himself in saying that He did not know the future. It would be far more endurable for Him to stretch the veil of ignorance in front of that which He does of His own accord, than that He should seem to be deluded by a result contrary to what He had foretold in the things He had declared of His Father.

Complete source paragraph · Exposition of the Christian Faith, Chapter XVII., source paragraph 14 · Original source

Date uncertain | Ambrose of Milan

218. But neither is the Father deceived, not does the Son deceive. It is the custom of the holy Scriptures to speak thus, as the examples I have already given, and many others testify, so that God feigns not to know what He does know. In this then a unity of Godhead, and a unity of character is proved to exist in the Father and in the Son; seeing that, as God the Father hides what is known to Him, so also the Son, Who is the image of God in this respect, hides what is known to Him.

Complete source paragraph · Exposition of the Christian Faith, Chapter XVII., source paragraph 15 · Original source