(9) Further also, the most conspicuous fact of all theology--the God-formation of Jesus amongst us--is both unutterable by every expression and unknown to every mind, even to the very foremost of the most reverend angels. The fact indeed that. He took substance as man, we have received as a mystery, but we do not know in what manner, from virginal bloods, by a different law, beyond nature, He was formed, and how, with dry feet, having a bodily bulk and weight of matter, He marched upon the liquid and unstable substance; and so, with regard to all the other features of the super-physical physiology of Jesus. Now, we have elsewhere sufficiently spoken of these things, and they have been celebrated by our illustrious leader, in his Theological Elements, in a manner far beyond natural ability--things which that illustrious man acquired, either from the sacred theologians, or comprehended from the scientific, search of the Oracles, from manifold struggles and investigations respecting the same, or was instructed from a sort of more Divine Inspiration, not only having learnt, but having felt the pangs of things Divine, and from his sympathy with them, if I may so speak, having been perfected to their untaught and mystic union and acceptance. And that we may display, in fewest words, the many and blessed visions of his most excellent intelligence, the following are the things he says, concerning the Lord Jesus, in the Theological Elements compiled by him.

(6) And yet some one might say the seal is not whole and the same in the images throughout. But of this the seal is not the cause, for it imparts itself all and the same to each; but the difference of the recipients makes the figures dissimilar, since the archetype is one and complete and the same. For instance, if the wax were soft and impressionable, and smooth and unstamped, and neither unimpressionable and hard, nor running and dissolving, it will have the figure clear and sharp and fixed. But if it should lack any of the aforesaid aptitudes, this will be the cause of the non-participative and un-figured and indistinct, and whatever else arises from inaptitude for reception. Further, there is a distinction from the goodly work of God towards us, in that the superessential Word was invested with being amongst us--from us--wholly and truly, and did and suffered whatever things are choice and pre-eminent in His human work of God. For in these, the Father and the Spirit in no respect communicated, except perhaps, one might say, as regards the benign and philanthropic purpose, and as regards all the pre-eminent and unutterable work of God which the unchangeable, qua God and Word of God, did when He had been born amongst us. Thus we, too, strive to unite and distinguish in the Word the things Divine, as the things Divine themselves, are united and distinguished.

(90) For in what Proportion or Harmony soever, or innate or infant Generating or Production of Qualities soever, the Spirit comprehends, conceives, and forms the Word, and goes forth therewith, just such an innate or infant Birth, Penetrating, Rising, Wrestling, and Overcoming; it has also in Nature.

(25) And now as the whole Earth was, together with the Word, so was the Fruit also, but the Word remained in the Center of the Heaven, which is also in this Place hiddenly; and this Birth or Geniture caused the seven qualifying or fountain Spirits, out of or from the outermost, corrupt, and dead Birth or Geniture, to form the Body; and itself, viz. the Word or Heart of God, remained in its heavenly Seat, sitting on the Throne of Majesty, and filled the astral and also the mortal Birth or Geniture, but to them was the holy Life altogether incomprehensible.

(10) From the Theological Elements of the most holy Hierotheus. Deity of the Lord Jesus,-- the Cause and Completing of all, which preserves the parts concordant with the whole, and is neither part nor whole, and whole and part, as embracing in Itself everything both part and whole, and being above and before--is perfect indeed in the imperfect, as source of perfection, but imperfect in the perfect, as super-perfect, and pre-perfect--Form producing form, in things without form, as Source of form--formless in the forms, as above form,--Essence, penetrating without stain the essences throughout, and superessential, exalted above every essence--setting bounds to the whole principalities and orders, and established above every principality and order. It is measure also of things existing, and age, and above age, and before age--full, in things that need, super-full in things full, unutterable, unspeakable, above mind, above life, above essence. It has the supernatural, supernaturally,--the superessential, superessentially. Hence, since through love towards man, He has come even to nature, and really became substantial, and the Super-God lived as Man (may He be merciful with regard to the things we are celebrating, which are beyond mind and expression), and in these He has the supernatural and super-substantial, not only in so far as He communicated with us without alteration and without confusion, suffering no loss as regards His super-fulness, from His unutterable emptying of Himself--but also, because the newest of all new things, He was in our physical condition super-physical--in things substantial, super-substantial, excelling all the things--of us--from us--above us.

(45) But that there are so many Formings, Figurings, or Framings in him, is caused by his eternal Birth or Geniture, which first is threefold, and out of or from that Trinity, or Ternary, it generates itself infinitely, or immensely, inconceivably.

(138) When the Father speaks or pronounces the WORD, that is, generates his Son, which is always done for ever and eternally, then that Word first takes its Original. in the astringent Quality; therein it fixes, conceives, or compasses itself; and in the sweet Quality it takes its Fountain, Spring, or Source, and in the bitter Quality it sharpens, and moves itself, and in the Heat it rises up, and kindles the Middle sweet Fountain or Source. And