114. To the same effect the confession of
the centurion, and others who were with him, when the foundations of
the world were shaken at the Lord’s Passion,—and this,
heretic, thou deniest! The centurion said, “Truly this was
the Son of God.” S. Matt. xxvii. 54.
“Was” said the centurion—“Was not”
says the Arian. The centurion, then, with bloodstained hands, but
devout mind,
declares both
the truth and the eternity of Christ’s generation; and thou, O
heretic, deniest its truth, and makest it matter of time! Would
that thou hadst imbued thy hands rather than thy soul! But thou,
unclean even of hand, and murderous of intent, seekest Christ’s
death, so far as in thee lies, seeing that thou thinkest of Him as mean
and weak; nay, and this is a worse sin, thou, albeit the Godhead can
feel no wound, still wouldst do thy diligence to slay in Christ, not
His Body, but His Glory.