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116 THE HISTORY OF HERESIES,
word created (here used in the text of Proverbs and Ecclesiasti-
cus), as St. Jerome and St. Augustin (2) teach us, does not exactly
mean creation, for the Greeks promiscuously used the words
created and begotten, to signify sometimes creation, sometimes
generation, as appears from Deuteronomy (xxxii, 16) :
" Thou hast
forsaken the God that begot thee, and hast forgotten the Lord
that created thee." Hence generation is taken for creation.
There is a passage also in the Book of Proverbs, which, if we
consider the text, can only be understood of the generation of
the Divine Wisdom :
"
I was set up from eternity, and of old,
before the earth was made Before the hills I was brought
forth" (Proverbs, viii, 23). We should remark here the expres
"
sion, I was set up from eternity." That shows how we ought
to understand the word created is to be understood in the former
quotation. We might also answer, with St. Hilary, that the
word created refers to the human nature the Word assumed, and
the words, brought forth, to the eternal generation of the
Word (3). Wisdom here is spoken of as created, and, imme
diately after, as begotten ; but creation is to be referred, not to
the immutable nature of God, but to the human generation.
"
Sapientia itaque quse se dixit creatam, eadem in consequent! se
dixit genitam : creationem referens ad Parentis inde mutabilem
naturam, qusQ extra humani partus speciem, et consuetudinem,
sine imminutione aliqua, ac diminutione sui creavit ex seipsa quod
genuit." In the text of Ecclesiasticus, cited immediately after,
it is clear that the Incarnate Wisdom is spoken of: "He that
made me rested in my tabernacle ;"
was verified.
"
God, who
humanity,
"
for
this by the Incarnation
created" Jesus Christ according to his
rested in his tabernacle" that is, reposed
in that
created humanity. The following passage is even, if possible,
clearer :
"
Let thy dwelling be in Jacob, and thy inheritance in
Israel, and take root in my elect." All this surely refers to the
Incarnate Wisdom, who came from the stock of Israel and Jacob,
and was then the root of all the elect. Read on this subject St.
Augustin, St. FulgentiuS; and, above all, St. Athanasius (4).
(2) St. Hieron. in Cap. 4; Ep. ad (4) St. Aug. /. Eph. St. August. lib. de Fid. &
5, de Trin. c. 12; St.
Fulgent, lib. contra serm. fastid.
/"oxS TTM
Arian. St. Athanas. Orat. contra
(3) St. Hilar. lib. de Synod, c. 5. Arian.