CONCERNING THE TRINITY. 323
CHAPTER XIL
Argument. — That Christis God, isproved by theauthority
of theOld TestamentScriptures.
Why, then,should we hesitateto say what Scripturedoes
not shrink from declaring? Why shallthe truth of faith
hesitatein thatwherein the authorityof Scripturehas never
hesitated? For, hehold,Hosea the prophet says in the
person of the Father : " I willnot now save them by bow,
nor by horses,nor by horsemen ; but I willsave them by
the Lord theirGod." 1 If God saysthat He saves by God,
stillGod doesnot saveexceptby Christ. Why, then,should
man hesitateto callChristGod, when he observesthat He
isdeclaredto be God by the Father accordingto the Scrip
tures? Yea, if God the Father does not save except by
God, no one can be saved by God the Father unlesshe shall
have confessedChrist to be God, in whom and by whom
the Father promisesthatHe willgivehim salvation:so that,
reasonably,whoever acknowledges Him to be God, may find
salvationin ChristGod; whoever doesnot acknowledge Him
to be God, would losesalvationwhich he couldnot findelse
where than in ChristGod. For in the same way as Isaiah
says,"Behold, a virginshallconceiveand bear a son,and
ye shallcallHis name Emmanuel, which is,interpreted,God
with us;"2 so Christ Himself says,"Lo, I am with you,
even to the consummation of the world."8 Therefore He
is " God with us;" yea,and much rather,He is[God] in us.
Christ iswith us,thereforeitisHe whose name isGod with
us, because He alsoiswith us ; or isHe not with us ? How
then does He say thatHe iswith us ? He, then,iswith us.
But because He iswith us He was calledEmmanuel, that
is, God with us. God, therefore,because He is with us,
was calledGod with us. The same prophet says: " Be ye
strengthened,ye relaxed hands, and ye feeble knees; be
consoled,ye thatare cowardly in heart; be strong; fearnot.
1 Hos.i.7. 2 Isa.vii.14. 8 Matt.xxviii.20.