THE DIVINITY OF CHRIST

Behold, O ye Arians, and acknowledge hence the truth. The Psalmist
speaks of us all as fellows or partakers of the Lord, but were he
one of things which come out of nothing and of things generated he
himself had been one of those who partake. But since he hymned him
as the eternal God, saying, "Thy throne, O God, is forever and
ever," and has declared that all other things partake of him, what
conclusion must we draw, but that he is distinct from generated
things, and he only the Father's veritable word, radiance, and
wisdom, which all things generate partake, being sanctified by him
in the Spirit? And, therefore, he is here "anointed," not that he
may become God, for he was so even before; nor that he may become
king, for he had the kingdom eternally, existing as God's image, as
the sacred oracle shows; but in our behalf is this written, as
before. For the Israelitish kings, upon their being anointed, then
became kings, not being so before, as David, as Ezekias, as Josias,
and the rest; but the Savior, on the contrary, being God, and ever
ruling in the Father's kingdom, and being himself the Dispenser of
the Holy Ghost, nevertheless is here said to be anointed, that, as
before, being said as man to be anointed with the Spirit, he might
provide for us more, not only exaltation and resurrection, but the
indwelling and intimacy of the Spirit. And signifying this, the Lord
himself hath said by his own mouth, in the Gospel according to
John: "I have sent them into the world, and for their sakes do I
sanctify myself, that they may be sanctified in the truth." In
saying this, he has shown that he is not the sanctified, but the
Sanctifier; for he is not sanctified by other, but himself
sanctifies himself, that we may be sanctified in the truth. He who
sanctifies himself is Lord of sanctification. How, then, does this
take place? What does he mean but this? "I, being the Father's Word,
I give to myself, when become man, the Spirit; and myself, become
man, do I sanctify in him, that henceforth in me, who am truth (for
'Thy Word is Truth'), all may be sanctified."

If, then, for our sake, he sanctifies himself, and does this when he
becomes man, it is very plain that the Spirit's descent on him in
Jordan was a descent upon us, because of his bearing our body. And
it did not take place for promotion to the Word, but again for our
sanctification, that we might share his anointing, and of us