32. If heresy, in its folly and wickedness,
shall attempt to entice the simple-minded and uninstructed away from
the true belief that these words were spoken in reference to God the
Son, by feigning that they are an utterance of God the Father
concerning Himself, it shall hear sentence passed upon the lie by the
Apostle and Teacher of the Gentiles. He interprets all these
prophecies as allusions to the passion of the Lord and to the times of
Gospel faith, when he is reproving the unbelief of Israel, which will
not recognise that the Lord is come in the flesh. His words
are:—For whosoever shall have called upon the name of the Lord
shall be saved. How shall they call on Him in Whom they have not
believed? But how shall they believe in Him of Whom they have not heard?
And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they
preach, excerpt they have been sent? As it is written, How
beautiful are the feet of them that proclaim peace, of them that
proclaim good things. But all do not obey the Gospel. For
Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? So then faith
cometh by hearing and hearing through the word. But I say, Have
they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth,
and their words unto the ends of the world. But I say, Did not
Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy
against them that are no people, and against a foolish nation I will
anger you. Moreover Esaias is bold, and saith, I appeared unto
them that seek Me not, I was found by them that asked not after
Me. But to Israel what saith He? All day long I have
stretched forth My hands to a people that hearken not Rom. x. 13–21.. Who art thou that hast mounted up
through the successive heavens, knowing not whether thou wert in the
body or out of the body, and canst explain more faithfully than he the
words of the prophet? Who art thou that hast heard, and mayst not
tell, the ineffable mysteries of the secret things of heaven, and hast
proclaimed with greater assurance the knowledge granted thee by God for
revelation? Who art thou that hast been fore-ordained to a full
share of the Lord’s suffering on the Cross, and first has been
caught up to Paradise and drawn nobler teaching from the Scriptures of
God than this chosen vessel? If there be such a man, has he been
ignorant that these are the deeds and words of the true God, proclaimed
to us by His own true and chosen Apostle that we may recognise in Him
their Author?