Saint Athanasius against the Arians.–Book III.
The Son being of the same substance as the Father, He can justly say that He has what the Father has. Hence it was fitting and proper that after the words “I and the Father are one,” (Jn. 10.30) he should add, “that you may know that I am in the Father and the Father in Me.” (Jn. 14.11) He had already said the same thing. “He who sees Me sees the Father.” (Jn. 14.9) There is one and the same mind in these three sayings.
To know that the Father and the Son are one is to know that he is in the Father and the Father in the Son. The Godhead of the Son is the Godhead of the Father. The man who receives this understands “that he who sees the Son sees the Father.” For the Godhead of the Father is seen in the Son. This will be easier to understand from the example of the king’s image which shows forth his form and likeness. The king is the likeness of his image.
The likeness of the king is indelibly impressed upon the image, so that any one looking at the image sees the king, and again, any one looking at the king recognises that the image is his likeness. Being an indelible likeness, the image might answer a man, who expressed the wish to see the king after contemplating it, by saying, “The king and I are one. I am in him and he is in me. That which you see in me you see in him, and the man who looks upon him looks at the same in me.” He who worships the image worships the king in it. The image is his form and likeness.
The same, to Antiochus the Ruler.
What do our adversaries say to these things, they who maintain that we should not worship the effigies of the saints, which are preserved amongst us for a remembrance of them.
St Ambrose of Milan, to the Emperor Gratian concerning the Incarnation of God the Word.
God before flesh was made, and God in the flesh. There is a fear lest, abstracting the double principle of action and wisdom from Christ, we should glorify a mutilated Christ. Now, is it possible to divide Christ whilst we adore His Godhead and His flesh? Do we divide Him when we adore at once the image of God and the Cross? God forbid.
Read More about Mrs Bullfrog Part 4
