Do you not believe, that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The words that I speak to you, I speak not of myself. But the Father who abideth in me, he doth the works.

“(vii. de Trin) That the Father dwells in the Son, shews that He is not single, or solitary; that the Father works by the Son, shews that He is not different or alien. As He is not solitary who doth not speak from Himself, so neither is He alien and separable who speaketh by Him. Having shewn then that the Father spoke and worked in Him, He formally states this union: Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me: that they might not think that the Father worketh and speaketh in the Son as by a mere agent or instrument, not by the unity of nature implied in His Divine birth.”

“(Hom. lxxiv. 2) Mark the abundant proof of the unity of substance. For He continues; But the Father that dwelleth in Me, He doeth the works. As if He said, My Father and I act together, not differently from each other; agreeing with what He said below: If I do not the works of My Father, believe Me not. But why does He pass from words to works? Why does He not say as we might have expected, He speaketh the words? Because He means to apply what He says both to His doctrine, and to His miracles; or because His words are themselves works.”

“Here the Lord resolves the doubt arising in the disciple, and first the position of the one doubting is set forth; second, the removal of the doubt, at the place, "Jesus said to him," etc. Concerning the first, it must be known that the Lord above promised the disciples a certain thing to come, namely the perfect knowledge of God, when he said: "From now on you shall know him"; and something in the past, namely that they had seen him. Hearing this, Philip believed that he had seen the Father; but he asks for knowledge of him, saying, "Lord, show us the Father," so that the request for this showing is not referred to sight but to knowledge; "and it is enough for us." Nor is this strange, since the vision of the Father is the end of all our desires and actions, so that nothing further is required; Psalm 15:11: "You will fill me with the vision of your countenance"; Psalm 102:5: "who fills me with gladness by your countenance," that is, "fills your desire with good things." Here the doubt is removed, and first the removal of the doubt is set forth; second, the manifestation of what was said is added, at the place: "The words that I speak to you, I do not speak from myself." In the first, he first charges Philip with slowness; second, he teaches the truth, at "Philip, he who sees me sees also the Father"; third, he reproves the request, at "How do you say, Show us the Father?" He says therefore first, "I have been with you so long a time, and you have not known me?" As if to say: from the long companionship in which I have dwelt with you for so long a time, you ought to have known me. And if you had known me, you would certainly have known the Father also. From the fact, then, that you do not know the Father, you let it be understood that you do not know me; in which you are to be charged with slowness. Matthew 15:16: "Are you also even yet without understanding?" Hebrews 5:12: "Whereas for the time you ought to be teachers, you again have need to be taught." But here a doubt arises: because above the Lord said to the disciples that they knew him, when he said, "You know the way," etc.; but here he seems to say the contrary, saying, "If you had known me, you would also have known my Father." But it must be said, according to Augustine, that among the disciples there were some who knew Christ according as he was the Word of God; of whom one was Peter, where he said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." There were others who truly did not know him, among whom was Philip. As to the first, therefore, the Lord says: "Where I go, you know"; but as to the second, he says: "If you had known me, you would also have known my Father." Or otherwise. Christ could be known in two ways: namely, according to human nature, and thus all knew him; and as to this he says: "And where I go, you know, and the way you know." And according to the divine nature, and thus they had not yet known him perfectly; and as to this he says, "If you had known me, you would also have known my Father." And this is clear from what he adds: "Philip, he who sees me sees also the Father"; as if he were to say: if you knew me, you would know the Father; and so you would not say, "Show us the Father," because you would already have seen him, having seen me. Above, John 8:19: "If you knew me, perhaps you would also know my Father." But from this Sabellius takes the support for his error, saying: what is this that he said, "he who sees me sees also the Father," unless that the Father and the Son are the very same? To this Hilary says: if this were so, the Lord would have said, "He who sees me sees the Father," with no conjunction added; but because he added the conjunction, saying, "sees also the Father," he shows a distinction. And it is a similar manner of speaking, according to Augustine, as when someone speaking of two similar things says: if you have seen this one, you have seen that one also. In the Son, however, there is the most perfect likeness of the Father; and therefore he says, "he who sees me sees also the Father." But yet in the Son there is a greater likeness than in men, because in men there can never be a likeness according to the same form or quality in number, but only according to species; whereas in the Son there is the same nature in number as is in the Father; and therefore the Father is seen more in the vision of the Son than the Father is seen in the vision of any man, however alike they may seem. But it is to be noted that from the words spoken here, the error of Arius is excluded as to two points. First, as to the fact that he denied the consubstantiality. For it is impossible that in the vision of a created substance an uncreated substance could be seen, just as through the knowledge of a substance of one genus, knowledge of a substance of another genus cannot be had. It is manifest, therefore, that the Son is not a created substance, but is consubstantial with the Father; otherwise he who sees the Son would not see the Father. Second, as to what they say concerning that text of 1 Timothy 1:17, "to the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God," namely that the Father alone is invisible, but the Son has often been seen in his nature: for if this were so, it would follow also that the Father had frequently been seen, since he who sees the Son sees also the Father. Since, then, the Father is invisible according to his nature, it is impossible that the Son according to his nature should have been seen. But someone objects: why did the Lord rebuke Philip, who, seeing the Son, was seeking to see the Father, since no one is to be blamed who, seeing an image, wishes to see the thing imaged? To this Chrysostom responds, saying that Philip, hearing about the vision and knowledge of the Father, wanted to see the Father himself with bodily eyes, just as he supposed he had seen the Son himself; and therefore the Lord disapproved of this, showing him that he had not even seen the Son himself in his nature with a bodily eye. Augustine, however, says that the Lord did not disapprove of the request, but the soul of the one requesting. For Philip says, "Show us the Father, and it is enough for us," as if he were saying: we know you, but this is not enough. And thus he believed that there was not perfect sufficiency in the knowledge of the Son, but in the knowledge of the Father. From which he seemed to think that the Son was less than the Father. And this the Lord rebuked, showing that in the knowledge of the Son there is the same sufficiency that is in the knowledge of the Father, saying, "he who sees me sees also the Father." And so, consequently, when he says, "How do you say, Show us the Father?" he first disapproves of his request; second, the root of the request. He disapproves of the request indeed, saying, "How do you say, Show us the Father?"—since, namely, the Father is seen in the Son. Philip could indeed have said what is found in Job 39:34: "I who have spoken lightly, what can I answer? I will put my hand upon my mouth." He disapproves of the root of the request when he says, "Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in me?" As if he were to say: you wish to have the Father, believing that in him you have sufficiency; but if you believe this, you do not believe that I am in the Father and the Father in me. For if you believed this, you would hope that in me you would have all the sufficiency that is in the Father. Now this that he says, "I am in the Father and the Father in me," is said on account of the unity of essence, of which it is said above, John 10:30: "I and the Father are one." For it is to be known that essence stands otherwise in relation to person in divine things than in men. For in men, the essence of Socrates is not Socrates, because Socrates is something composite; but in divine things the essence is the same as the person in reality, and thus the essence of the Father is the Father, and the essence of the Son is the Son. Wherever, then, the essence of the Father is, the Father himself is; and wherever the essence of the Son is, the Son himself is. But the essence of the Father is in the Son, and the essence of the Son is in the Father. Therefore the Son is in the Father, and the Father in the Son. And thus Hilary explains it. Here the Lord manifests his response, and first through the works which he does by himself; second, through the works which he was going to do through the disciples, at "Amen, amen I say to you: he who believes in me, the works that I do, he also shall do." In the first, therefore, he first sets forth the works which he himself does; second, he draws the conclusion of faith, at "Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in me?" Now faith concerning Christ, that he was God, could be manifested from two things: namely, from his teaching, and from his miracles. And these two things the Lord states below: "If I had not done among them the works that no one else has done, they would not have sin"—as to the first. And "If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin," and, above, John 7:46, "Never did man speak like this"—as to the second. Above, John 9:32, the blind man said of him: "From the beginning of the world it has not been heard that anyone opened the eyes of one born blind." From these two things the Lord shows his divinity. As to the first he says, "The words that I speak to you"—namely, through the instrument of his humanity—"I do not speak from myself, but from him who is in me," namely from the Father; above, John 8:26: "I speak in the world the things which I have heard from my Father." The Father, then, who speaks in me, is in me. But because whatever a man speaks, it is necessary that he have this from the first word; and the first Word, namely the Word of God, is from the Father; therefore it is necessary that all the words we speak be from God. When, therefore, someone speaks words which he has from the Father, the Father is in him. As to the second, he says, "The Father abiding in me, he himself does the works," because no one could do the works that I do; above, John 5:19: "The Son cannot do anything of himself." But Chrysostom asks how Christ, beginning from words, comes to works. For he said: "The words that I speak to you, I do not speak from myself," and afterward says: "he himself does the works." But this is resolved in two ways. In one way, according to Chrysostom, who says, according to the aforesaid manner of conjunction, that he first speaks of the teaching, and afterward speaks of the miracles. According to Augustine, it must be said that he calls the words which the Lord spoke, works: above, John 6:29: "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he sent." Therefore when he says, "he himself does the works," he gives to understand that his words are themselves a kind of works. But note that from these two, distinctly, two heresies take their support: because what he says, "I am in the Father," Sabellius takes for himself, saying that the Father and the Son are the same; but what he says, "I do not speak from myself," Arius takes up, concluding from this that the Son is less than the Father. But by these very same words the said heresies are excluded. For if the Father and the Son were the same, as Sabellius pretends, the Son would not say, "The words that I speak to you, I do not speak from myself." But if the Son were less than the Father, as Arius blasphemes, he would not say, "The Father abiding in me, he himself does the works." Since, then, from the two aforesaid things the faith of the Trinity is manifested, therefore, in response, he concludes that very faith, saying, "Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in me?" How this is to be understood has indeed been explained above. In the Greek it reads "believe," namely, believe me, that I am in the Father, and the Father in me. Or: it is a wonder that you do not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in me. But note that before this he spoke only to Philip; but from the place where he says, "The words that I speak," etc., he speaks to all the apostles together. For if the words that I say do not suffice to show the consubstantiality, at least believe on account of the works themselves. Above, John 5:36: "The works which the Father has given me to accomplish, these bear witness of me"; and John 10:38: "If you do not believe me, believe the works." After the Lord manifested what he had said through the works that he did by himself, here he manifests it through the works that he was going to do through the disciples; and first he sets forth the works of the disciples; second, he suggests the manner of operating, at "whatever you shall ask." In the first, he first sets forth the works of the disciples; second, he assigns the reason for what he has said, at "because I go to the Father." He says therefore first, "Amen, amen I say to you," as if to say: the works that I do are so great that they sufficiently provide an argument for my divinity; but if these do not suffice for you, look to the works which I am going to do through others. For the greatest sign of great power is that a man work outstanding things not only by himself, but also through others; and therefore he says, "Amen, amen, I say to you: he who believes in me, the works that I do, he also shall do"; which words show not only the power of the divinity in Christ, but also the power of faith, and the union of Christ with the faithful. For just as the Son operates on account of the Father abiding in him through unity of nature, so also the faithful operate on account of Christ abiding in them through faith; Ephesians 3:17: "that Christ may dwell through faith in your hearts." Now the works which Christ did, and which the disciples do by the power of Christ, are works of miracles; Mark, last chapter, 17: "And these signs shall follow those who believe: in my name they shall cast out devils, they shall speak with new tongues, they shall take up serpents," etc. But it is a wonder what he adds: "and greater than these he shall do." In one way we may say that the Lord does more and greater things through the apostles than through himself. For the greatest among the miracles of Christ was that the sick were healed by the touch of the hem of his garment, as is found in Matthew 9:20. But of Peter it is read in Acts 5:15 that the sick were healed by his shadow. Now it is a greater thing for a shadow to heal than a hem. In another way, we may say that Christ did more through the words of the disciples than through his own. For here the Lord speaks of works that were done through words, as Augustine says, which he then called works where the words that were spoken, and the fruit of those same words, was the faith of those who heard. For it is read of Christ, Matthew 19:22, that the young man was not induced to sell what he had and to follow him. For when he said to the young man, "Go and sell all that you have, and give to the poor," it is added: "he went away sad." But of Peter and the other apostles it is read, Acts 4, that when they preached, people sold their possessions and all that they had, and brought the price of them to the feet of the apostles. But someone objects that the Lord does not say that the apostles will do greater things, but "he who believes in me." Is it then the case that he who has not done greater things than Christ is not to be counted among those who believe in Christ? Far from it. For this would be a hard thing. Therefore it must be said otherwise, that Christ does a twofold work. One without us, namely to create heaven and earth, to raise the dead, and things of this kind; the other he works in us, but not without us: which is the work of faith, by which the impious is brought to life. Of these, then, the Lord speaks here, which are common to the believer. And this is the work which Christ does in us, but not without us; for whoever believes does the same things; because what is done in me by God is also done in me by myself, namely through free will. Whence the Apostle says: "yet not I"—understand, alone—"but the grace of God with me." And of these he says, "the works that I do, he also shall do, and greater than these he shall do": because it is a greater thing to justify the impious than to create heaven and earth. For the justification of the impious, as far as it is in itself, perseveres forever; Wisdom 1:15: "justice is perpetual and immortal." But heaven and earth shall pass away, as is said in Luke 21:33. Likewise, because a corporeal work is ordered to a spiritual one: but heaven and earth are a corporeal work, whereas the justification of the impious is a spiritual work. But here a doubt arises. For in the creation of heaven and earth is included also the creation of the holy angels. Does he, then, who cooperates with Christ toward his own justification, do greater things than to create an angel? This Augustine does not determine, but says: let him judge who can, whether it is a greater thing to create righteous angels than to justify impious men; certainly, if both are equal as to power, this is of a greater mercy. But if we attend carefully to which works the Lord is speaking of here, we do not prefer the creation of the angels to the justification of the impious. For by what he says, "and greater than these he shall do," we are not obliged to understand all the works of Christ, but only, perhaps, those which he was doing at that time. But at that time he was acting by the word of faith; and it is indeed a lesser thing to preach the words of righteousness, which he did apart from us, than to justify the impious, which he so does in us that we also do it. Consequently he assigns the reason for what was said, "therefore he shall do greater things," saying, "because I go to the Father." This can be applied in three ways. In one way, according to Chrysostom: I operate as long as I am in the world, but, when I depart, you will be in my place; and therefore what I do, you will do, and even greater things, because I go to the Father, and beyond this I work nothing further by myself, namely by preaching. In another way, let the sense be: the Jews believe that, with me killed, my faith will be extinguished; and this is not true, but rather it will be the more approved, and you will do greater things because I go to the Father; that is, I do not perish, but remain in my own dignity, and I shall be in the heavens; above, John 13:31: "Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him." In a third way: you will do greater things, and this because I go to the Father; as if he were to say: since I shall be more glorified, it befits me to do greater things, and also to give you powers for doing greater things. Whence, before Jesus was glorified, the Spirit was not given to the disciples in that fullness in which he was given afterward; above, John 7:39: "the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified." Here he suggests the manner of operating, and first he sets forth what he intends; second, he assigns the reason, at "that the Father may be glorified in the Son," etc. Concerning the first, it must be known that, since the Lord had said, "and greater than these he shall do," so that from the greatness of the works the greatness of the doer might be known, someone could believe that he who believes in the Son of God would be greater than he himself. And therefore the Lord excludes this from the manner of acting, because the Son does his works by his own authority, but he who believes in him does them with entreaty; and therefore he says, "and whatever you shall ask the Father in my name, this I will do." Here the equality of believers to the Son is excluded in three ways. First indeed, because they, as has been said, act by entreating: whence he says, "whatever you shall ask"; Matthew 7:8: "everyone who asks, receives." Second, because they act by the power of the Son; whence he says, "in my name," that is, in the power of my name; Acts 4:12: "there is no other name given under heaven to men, by which we must be saved." For this name is above every name; Psalm 113:9: "Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory"—third, because the Son himself does all the works in them and through them: whence he says, "this I will do." And note that the Father is asked, and the Son does it; because the works of the Father and the Son are indivisible; above, John 5:19: "whatever the Father does, these the Son likewise does also." For the Father does all things through the Son; above, chapter 1:3: "all things were made through him." But what is the meaning of his saying, "whatever you shall ask, this I will do," since we see his faithful ones ask and not receive? But, according to Augustine, it must be considered here, first, that he says "in my name," and then what he adds, "this I will do." For the name of Christ is the name of salvation; Matthew 1:21: "You shall call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins." He, therefore, who asks something pertaining to salvation, asks in the name of Christ. But it happens that someone asks for something not pertaining to salvation, from two causes. Namely, from a depraved affection; as, for instance, when he asks for something to which he is inclined, which, however, if he had it, would impede his salvation. And therefore he who asks in this way is not heard, because he asks amiss; James 4:3: "you ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss." For when someone, out of a depraved affection, is going to make bad use of what he wishes to receive, he rather does not receive it, by the mercy of the Lord, because he was not heard according to his wish, but rather according to his benefit. For the good Lord often denies what we ask, in order to grant what we would prefer. Second, from ignorance, when someone sometimes asks for what he believes is expedient for him, and yet it is not expedient. But, rather consulting for these, God does not do what they ask. For Paul, who labored more than all, thrice besought the Lord that the sting of the flesh might depart from him, and yet did not obtain what he asked, because it was not expedient for him; 2 Corinthians 12:8; and Romans 8:26: "for we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself asks for us with unspeakable groanings"; Matthew 20:22: "you do not know what you ask." It is clear, therefore, that when we ask in his name, namely in the name of Jesus Christ, he himself will do this. Now he says "this I will do" in the future, and not "this I do" in the present, because sometimes he delays doing what we ask, in order to increase our desire, and so that it may be done at a fitting time; Leviticus 26:3: "I will give you rain in its seasons"; Isaiah 49:8: "in the day of salvation I have heard you." It also sometimes happens that we ask on behalf of someone for whom perhaps we are not heard, namely when his merits stand in the way; Jeremiah 7:16: "Therefore do not pray for this people, for I will not hear you"; and 15:1: "If Moses and Samuel should stand before me, my soul is not toward this people." Consequently, when he says, "that the Father may be glorified in the Son," he gives the reason. And this is read thus by Augustine: "whatever you shall ask the Father in my name, this I will do"—so that here is the pause. And he resumes: "that the Father may be glorified in the Son; if you shall ask me anything in my name, this I will do"; as if he were to say: therefore I will do what you ask in my name, that the Father may be glorified in the Son, etc.; and all things that the Son does are ordered to the glory of the Father; above, John 8:50: "I do not seek my own glory." Thus also we ought to order all our works to the glory of God; 1 Corinthians 10:31: "do all things to the glory of God."”

“Believe ye not that I am in the Father , &c. Observe 1. Here again the distinction of the Divine Persons is signified. Nor is any one properly said to be in himself, but in another. 2. The oneness of the Divine Nature is signified. For because the Father and the Son are, and exist in one and the same Divine Nature, therefore the Father is in the Son, and the Son in the Digitized by v^iOOQLe 90 Father. Christ proved this by the effect. For He had His doctrine and works from the Father, and common with the Father. Therefore He had the same common Nature with Him. Hence, 3. By this saying is consequently signified the perfect and intimate union and indwelling of one Divine person in the Other, and the converse. By which it comes to pass that the Father is in the Son and the Holy Ghost, the Son in the Father and the Holy Ghost, the Holy Ghost in the Father and the Son. Damascene (/. de Fid c. 11) calls this, v and from him the schoolmen call it circumincessio . Concerning which mystery S. Augustine treats (/. 6, de Trim c. ult) and S. Hilary (lib. 4, de Trim) Each one of the Divine Persons is in each of the others, not only as regards Their Essence, but also as regards Their relation and proper Person, because all are most intimately conjoined and united with One Another. Whence it follows that he who fully knows and beholds one Divine Person — as, for example, the Son — as the Blessed see Him, not only sees the Godhead common to the Father and the Son, but sees also the very Person of the Father, both because the Person of the Father is most intimately related to the Person of the Son, and also because in that relationship is included the essential order. For it is the Father who of His Essence begetteth the Son. And this is what Christ here means when He saith, Believe ye not that I am in the Father and the Father in Me ? The words which I speak, &c. They are not human but Divine words. They proceed not from My Humanity, but from My Divinity, which I have received of the Father. Wherefore whoso heareth Me speak, heareth not so much Me as God the Father speaking in Me and by Me. Observe, the Godhead common to the Father and the Son was the efficient cause of the Divine words which Christ uttered. Yet the thing signified by the words was often peculiar to the Person of the Son, not of the Father, as when He said, “I am the Son of God,” “I have taken flesh,” “The things which I say and do I have received of the Father.” For these things He said concerning Himself, not the Father, as is plain. Digitized by v^iOOQLe THE FATHER IS IN THE SON. 91 For not the Father was made man, but the Son. And yet the Father equally with the Son was the efficient cause as well of the Incarnation, as of the words uttered by the Word Incarnate. For the works of the Holy Trinity, ad extra , as theologians say, are undivided, and common to all the Three Divine Persons. But the Father abiding in Me , &c. The Father , as the prime source not only of creatures, but of the other Divine Persons, that is, the Son and the Holy Ghost. For when the Father by begetting communicated His Divinity to the Son, He communicated also His omnipotence, virtue, and power of working. Wherefore, if not the Son but the Father Himself had assumed Humanity, He would have spoken and done the self-same things which the Son spoke and did. For the Father both spoke and wrought in the Son : and also there is one Godhead and omnipotence of the Father and the Son, which spoke and wrought all things through the Humanity whidh He assumed. Wherefore Christ left it to be gathered by the Apostles that when they saw and heard Him speaking they were to think that they saw and heard the Father. “From these My words and deeds,” as Ribera paraphrases, “ ye are able to understand how good My Father is, how kind, how much He loves you. From My miracles ye may know My omnipotence, and that I know all things, and have in Me all good. From whence ye understand that the Father likewise hath the same. And since these external things lead you to the knowledge of such great good things, what, think ye, will be yours when ye shall behold My and the Father’s Essence without glass, or figure?” Ver. 11, 12. — Believe ye not that I am in the Father l & c. For believe ye not l the Greek has marsvert pot, Believe Me. But the meaning is the same, and one includes the other. Believe ye not that I am in the Father, & c. i.e., “ Believe, because I assert this to you.” “ But if ye do not believe this simply on My assertion, at least believe on account of the works themselves, because the Father by working in Me and by Me so many and so great miracles, shows by those very works that He dwelleth in Me, and doeth by Me such mighty things.” Digitized by v^iOOQLe X 92 Amen , Amen , / jary unto you , whoso believeth in Me, &c. Christ wishes to prove that He is in the Father, and the Father in Him. The force of the argument stands thus : he that believeth that the Father is in Me, by this faith, or by the power and virtue of this faith, shall do similar Divine works and miracles to those which I do ; yea, he shall do greater than I do. Therefore that faith must needs be true, which believes that the Father is in Me, and worketh in Me. For the Father worketh by true faith, and by miraculous works affords to such an one testimony of the truth, but not to a false faith, for otherwise, He who is the prime Verity would be a witness and approver of a lie. And greater works , &c. Not every believer, but some of them, such as the Apostles and apostolic men. What were these greater works ? i. Origen (Horn. 7, in JVum.) thinks that such things are meant as feeble men overcoming the flesh, the world, and the devil. For, saith he, it is a greater thing that Christ should overcome in us, than that He should overcome in Himself. 2. S. Chrysostom thinks that the greater works were such as that Peter should heal the sick by his shadow, which Christ did not do. 3. And better : S. Augustine thinks that these greater works were the conversion of all the nations of the whole world by twelve Apostles. For Christ converted a far less number, or only about 500. Listen to S. Augustine, whose diffuse words I have contracted into a few : “What are those greater works? Are they perchance such as that Peter healed by his shadow? For it is a greater thing to be healed by one’s shadow than by the fringe of one’s garment But when He said those things He was referring to the works of His words. When He said, The Father abiding in Me , He doeth the works , He called the words which He spoke works , the fruit of which was their faith. For when His disciples preached the Gospel, not merely a few in number like themselves, but nations believed. The rich man departed from the Lord sorrowful. Yet afterwards what that one man would not do, many did when He spake by His disciples. ‘Then he speaks of a marvellous paradox.’ I say that herein is Digitized by Google “GREATER WORKS.” 93 something greater than to create the heavens and the earth. For these shall pass away, but the salvation and justification of the elect shall endure. There are also in heaven the angels who are the work of Christ. And although it be an equal display of power to create them and to justify the ungodly, yet is this latter a greater work of mercy. However, there is no need to understand all the works of Christ when He saith, greater works shall he do . For perchance He spoke of those which He was then doing. Now it is a less thing to preach the words of justice which He did for our sake than it is to justify the ungodly, and this He so works in us that we work also.” You will ask why Christ willed to do greater works by the Apostles than by Himself. I reply, i. Because He wished the faith in Him to be gradually disseminated, and thus to grow, lest if it should grow up suddenly it should be supposed to be fancy, and He Himself a magician, or impostor. For that which grows by degrees, by degrees gains confidence, and is more durable. 2. That the modesty as well as the power of Jesus might be commended. That it might be seen that He was not only mighty in Himself to work, but that He was able to infuse the same powers of working in an equal, and even in a greater degree, into His Apostles. For the Apostles did not do these works by their own power, but by Christ’s. 3. Because it behoved Christ first to suffer and to die, and by His death to merit those wonderful works, which afterwards He wrought by His Apostles. 4. Because it behoved Christ first to rise and ascend into Heaven, and then to send the Holy Ghost, who should work such great miracles. This reason Christ adds, when He says, Because I go to the Father. Let prelates and superiors here learn from Christ to keep for themselves the lower and meaner offices, and to leave to their inferiors the greater and more honourable. They will do greater things by their subjects than by themselves. For what the subject doeth, the superior is considered to do through him. S. Ignatius, the Founder of our Society, when he was made General, publicly catechised, whilst Digitized by v^iOOQLe 94 he left to his companions under him the honour of filling notable pulpits. Because I go to the Father . When after death I have obtained the victory, and have triumphed over the world, the devil, and hell, I will ascend in glory to the Father’s throne, and thenceforward I will, through you, show forth greater works than I did whilst I was yet struggling in this life. There is no reason why I should then veil my face in poverty and humility, as I have done when I willed to submit to My Passion for the redemption of mankind. That being accomplished, I shall go up to My Father, who wills that My Name shall be manifested and adored in all the world by the preaching of the Apostles. Wherefore He will work greater things by them than He wrought by Me in this life. So S. Cyril {lib. ix . c. 41)”

“Believest thou not that I am in the Father?.... This surely is, as it must needs be, and ought to be, an article of your faith, "that I am in the Father", and the Father in me; phrases which are expressive of the sameness of nature in the Father and the Son; of the Son's perfect equality with the Father, since the Son is as much in the Father, as the Father is in the Son; and also of the personal distinction there is between them; for nothing with propriety can be said to be in itself. The Father must be distinct from the Son who is in him, and the Son must be distinct from the Father, in whom he is; the Father and Son, though of one and the same nature, cannot be one, and the same person: the words that I speak unto you, I speak not of myself. The doctrines which I preach among you are a proof of what I assert, and to them I appeal; for these are not of myself, as man, but the Father that dwelleth in me; and so prove that I am truly God, of the same nature with my Father; that he is in me, and I in him; since they are such as none but the only begotten, who is in the bosom of the Father, could ever have declared and made known unto you; Likewise, the works which I do, as man, I do not of myself; but he doth the works: for so this passage must be understood and supplied, in which Christ proceeds to another argument, taken from his works, proving the Father to be in him, and that he is in the Father, which, is enlarged on in Joh 14:11.”

“I am in the Father, and the Father in me? - We are essentially one; and those who have seen me have seen him who sent me. He doeth the works - We are not only one in nature, but one also in operation. The works which I have done bear witness of the infinite perfection of my nature. Such miracles as I have wrought could only be performed by unlimited power.”

“Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? These words confirm the equality of the Father and the Son: nor can they be expounded of an union of affection only, by what Christ told them before. (John v. 17. and 19.) As the Father worketh till now, so I work: and whatsoever things the Father worketh, these also in like manner the Son doth. (Witham) — In the Son and in the Father, there is one and the same essence, the same wisdom, the same power; so that what the Son says, he does not say it of himself, and what the Son does, he does not do it of himself; but it is the Father, who abideth in the Son, who both acts and speaks.”