Secundianus said; ‘Then would he be a liar.’
Ambrose, Bishop, said; ‘In this you practise an evasion to avoid saying
very God, but instead thereof, God, very only-begotten, and therefore
say simply, The only-begotten Son of God is very God.’
Secundianus said; ‘I called Him the only-begotten Son of God.’
69. EUSEBIUS, Bishop, said; ‘This Photinus does not deny, this Sabellus
confesses.’
Ambrose, Bishop, said; ‘And he who does not confess this is justly
condemned, and on this point I appeal to you many times though by
cavilling you have denied the truth. I do not ask you to call Him
merely the very only-begotten Son of God, but to call Him also very
God.’
Secundianus said; ‘I profess myself the servant of truth. What I say is
not taken down and what you say is taken down. I say that Christ is the
true Son of God. Who denies that He is the true Son of God?’
70. AMBROSE, Bishop, said; ‘He who denies that the only-begotten Son of
God is very God, let him be anathema.’
Secundianus said; ‘The only-begotten Son of God, very God! why do you
state to me what is not written?’
Ambrose, Bishop, said: ‘It is plain sacrilege, that Arius denied Christ
the Son of God to be very God.’
Secundianus said; ‘Forasmuch as Christ is called the Son of God, I call
the Son of God very Son[36]; but that He is very God is not written.’
71. AMBROSE, Bishop, said; ‘Have you not yet recovered your senses?’
And he added; ‘Lest it should appear that he has been unfairly
treated, let him state his opinion. Let him then say that Christ the
only-begotten Son of God is very God.’
Secundianus said; ‘I have already said. What more would you wring from
me?’
Ambrose, Bishop, said; ‘What have you said? certainly if you had said
so great truths, what is said gloriously, may well be often repeated.’
Sidenote: S. Matt. v. 37.
Secundianus said; ‘It is written, _Let your conversation be yea, yea,
nay, nay_.’
72. AMBROSE, Bishop, said; ‘He who says that the Father Himself is the
Son, is sacrilegious. This I ask of you that you would say that the Son
of God is begotten very God of very God.’
Sidenote: Heb. i. 5.
Secundianus said; ‘I say that the Son is begotten of God, as He says
Himself _I have begotten Thee_, and that He confesses Himself to be
begotten.’