§ 1.
By the solution then of this, like their other cavils, it is clearly shewn, that neither the Prophets nor the Apostles ever named or entitled any one God or Lord besides the true and only God.1 Much less the Lord Himself; Who also directs the things which are Cæsar’s to be rendered unto Cæsar, and the things of God unto God:2 Cæsar, you see, He entitles Cæsar, but God He acknowledges to be God.3 In like manner that saying of His, Ye cannot serve two Masters, He Himself interprets, saying, Ye cannot serve God and Mammon: first acknowledging God as God, then naming Mammon, according to what it really is. It is not that He calls Mammon Master, when He saith, Ye cannot serve two Masters: but He teaches that the disciples, being servants of God, are not subject to Mammon, nor ruled by him as master.4 For whosoever, saith He, committeth sin, is the servant of sin. As therefore He calls them who serve sin, sin’s slaves, yet does not denominate Sin itself a God: so those also who serve Mammon He calls slaves of Mammon, without calling Mammon a God. But Mammon is, in the Jewish speech, (which also the Samaritans use) “covetous, and wanting to have more than one ought”: (but in the Hebrew the syllable Mam is used as a Prefix): or it signifies “gluttonous,” i.e., one who cannot refrain from inordinate eating. In respect therefore of both its meanings, we cannot serve God and Mammon.
§ 2.
Again, having called the Devil a strong man, not altogether,5 but as compared with us, the Lord declares Himself to be strong over all things, and in reality, saying, That one Cannot in any other way spoil the goods of the strong man, except one first bind the strong man himself;6 and then he will spoil his house. (Now his goods and his house we were, so long as we were in apostasy; for he treated us as he pleased, and the unclean spirit abode in us.) For not against him who was binding him, and spoiling his house, was he strong: but against those who were at his disposal, even Men: because he had caused their judgment to depart from God. Whom the Lord delivered, as Jeremiah also saith, The Lord hath redeemed Jacob,7 and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he.
If now He had not mentioned the Person who binds him and spoils his goods, but had only called him by this name, Strong, the Strong Man might be invincible. But He hath added besides one holding him down: for he who binds, holds, while he who is bound, is holden.
And this He hath done without drawing a comparison, so as not to set against the Lord His slave, being apostate. For not he alone, but also not any one of the things which are created and are in subjection, shall be compared unto the Word of God, by Whom all things were made; Who is our Lord Jesus Christ.
§ 3.
For as to the fact, that whether they be Angels or Archangels, or Thrones, or Dominions,8 they were both created and made by Him Who is God over all, through His Word: this John hath signified as follows: Having spoken of the Word of God, that He was in the Father, he added,9 All things were made by Him, and without Him was nothing made. David also having counted His Praises, and specially all that we have specified, and the Heavens, and all the powers therein,10 added—For He commanded and they were created; He spake, and they were made. Whom then did He command? His own Word, of course; through Which, saith He, The Heavens were established,11 and by the Spirit of His Mouth all the might thereof.
Again, how that He did Himself make all things freely, and as He would,12 David saith again, But our God is in the Heavens above, and in the Earth He hath done things whatsoever He willed. Now the things which were established, are different from Him Who established them, and those which were made, from Him Who made them. For He is Himself unmade, and without beginning, and without end, and wanting nothing, Himself sufficient unto Himself, and moreover bestowing on all other things the very gift of existence: but the things which were made by Him, received a beginning. Now whatever received a beginning, and may undergo dissolution, and are subject, and stand in need of Him Who made them, must of absolute necessity have a different name even with such as have but a little sense to make such distinctions: so that He indeed Who made all, with His Word, is justly called God and Lord alone; but when we come to the things which were made, they ought not to share in the same title, nor have they justly a right to assume that Title, belonging as it does to the Creator.