ner as of a man. In
consequence, the Anthropomorphites stood condemned of heresy because
they attributed to the divine essence a human form.

160. Because the Anthropomorphites fancied such gross things, they
have rightly been condemned. Their fancy is manifestly erroneous, for
a spirit, as Christ says (Lk 24, 39), has not flesh and bone. I am
rather of the opinion that the Anthropomorphites intended to adapt the
form of their doctrine to the plainest people. For in his substance,
God is unknowable, indefinable, inexpressible, though we may tear
ourselves to pieces in our efforts to discern or portray him.

161. Hence, God himself condescends to the low plane of our
understanding and presents himself to us with childlike simplicity in
representations, as in a guise, so that he may be made known to us in
some way. Thus the Holy Spirit appeared in the form of a dove; not
because he is a dove, but in this crude form he desired to be
recognized, received and worshiped, for it was really the Holy Spirit.
No one, to be sure, will say that the same passage defines God as a
voice speaking from heaven, yet under this crude image, a human voice
from heaven, he was received and worshiped.

162. When Scripture thus ascribes to God human form, voice, actions
and state of mind, it is intended as an aid only for the uncultivated
and feeble; we who are great and learned and of discernment in
reference to Scripture, should likewise lay hold of these
representations, because God has put them forth and revealed himself
to us through them. The angels likewise, appear in human form, though
it is certain that they are only spirits; spirits we cannot recognize
when they present themselves as such, but likenesses we do recognize.

163. This is the simplest way of treating such passages, for the
nature of God we cannot define; what he is not we can well define--he
is not a voice, a dove, water, bread, wine. And yet in these visible
forms he presents himself to us and deals with us. These forms he
shows to us that we should not become wandering and unsettled spirits
which dispute concerning God, but are completely ignorant concerning
him, since in his unveiled majesty he can not be apprehended. He sees
it to be impossible for us to know him in his own nature. For he
lives, as the Scripture says in 1 Timothy 6, 16, in an inaccessible
light, and what we can apprehend and understand he has declared. They
who abide in these things will truly lay