Sermon LXVIII. [CXVIII. Ben.] On the same words of the Gospel, John i., “In the beginning was the word,” etc. 1. All ye who are looking for a man’s many words, understand the One Word of God, “In the beginning was the Word.”3598 Now, “In the beginning God made the heaven and the earth.”3599 But, “The Word was,” since we have heard, “In the beginning God made.” Acknowledge we in Him the Creator; for Creator is He who made; and the creature what He made. For no creature which was made “was,” as God the Word “was,” by whom it was made, always. Now when we heard “The Word was,” with whom was It? We understand the Father who did not make nor create the Same Word, but begat Him. For, “In the begin- ning God made the heaven and the earth.” Whereby made He them? “The Word was, and the Word was with God;”3600 but what kind of Word? Did it sound and so pass away? Was it a mere thought, and motion3601 of the mind? No. Was it suggested by memory, and uttered? No. What kind of Word then? Why dost thou look for many words from me? “The Word was God.” When we hear, “The Word was God,” we do not make a second God; but we understand the Son. For the Word is the Son of God. Lo, the Son, and What but God? For “The Word was God.” What the Father? God of course. If the Father is God and the Son God, do we make two Gods? God forbid. The Father is God, the Son God; but the Father and the Son One God. For the Only Son of God was not made, but born. “In the be- ginning God made the heaven and the earth;” but the Word was of the Father. Was the Word therefore made by the Father? No. “All things were made by Him.”3602 If by Him all things were made, was He too made by Himself? Do not imagine that He by whom thou hearest all things were made was Himself made among all things. For if He were made Himself, all things were not made by Him, but Himself was made among the rest. You say, “He was made;” what, by Himself? Who can make himself? If then He was made, how by Him were all things made? See, Himself too was made, as you say, not I, for that He was begotten, I do not deny. If then you say that He was made, I ask by what, by whom? By Himself? Then He “was,” before He was made, that He might make Himself. But if all things were made by Him, understand that He was not Himself made. If thou art not able to un- derstand, believe, that thou mayest understand. Faith goes before; understanding follows after; since the Prophet says, “Unless ye believe, ye shall not understand.3603 The Word 3598 John i. 1. 3599 Gen. i. 1. 3600 John i. 1. 3601 Volvebatur. 3602 John i. 3. 3603 Isa. vii. 9, Sept. On the same words of the Gospel, John i., ‘In the beginning was the word,’ etc. 966 On the same words of the Gospel, John i., ‘In the beginning was the word,’…