15. We have now expounded the Dispensation
of the Mysteries, through which the heretics deceive certain of the
unlearned into ascribing to infirmity in the divinity, what Christ said
and did through His assumed human nature, and attributing to the form
of God what is appropriate only to the form of the servant. Let
us pass on, then, to answer their statements in detail. We can
always safely distinguish the two kinds of utterances, since the only
true faith lies in the confession of Jesus Christ as Word and flesh,
that is, God and Man. The heretics consider it necessary to deny
that our Lord Jesus Christ by virtue of His nature was divine, because
He said, Why callest thou Me good? None is good save one,
God St. Mark x. 18; cf. St. Matt. xix. 17; St. Luke
xviii. 19, and note on c. 2
of this book.. Now a satisfactory answer must
stand in direct relation to the matter of enquiry, for only in that
case will it furnish a reply to the question put. At the outset,
then, I would ask these misinterpreters, “Do you think that the
Lord resented being called good?” Would He rather have been
called bad, as seems to be signified by the words, Why callest thou
Me good? I do not think any one is so unreasonable as to
ascribe to Him a confession of wickedness, when it was He Who said,
Come unto Me, all ye that labour, and are heavy laden, and I will
refresh you. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me: for I
am meek and lowly of heart, and ye shall find rest unto your
souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light St. Matt. xi. 28, 30.. He says He is meek and
lowly: can we believe that He was angry because He was called
good? The two propositions are inconsistent. He Who
witnesses to His own goodness would not repudiate the name of
Good. Plainly, then, He was not angry because He was called
good: and if we cannot believe that He resented being called
good, we must ask what was said of Him which He did resent.