Complete Works, Vol. XXXIV

an image, such as this world, which is not properly called an image, but a vestige of the Creator; because although it represents the Trinity, it does not imitate it, nor is it capable of it, as man is. However, the world was made to the image of God because God had no other model to whose likeness He might make creatures, except Himself. There is a begotten image, as the Son, and a created image, as man and angel; and there is a made image, as the statue of Hercules, which represents him.

From these, it is clear that "to be an image" belongs to the Creator and to the creature. To the Creator, indeed, because of the Son, who is the image of the Father Cf. Colossians 1:15.. To the creature, however, it belongs as much to the corporeal as to the spiritual, as well as to the composite. Properly speaking, however, it is said that the corporeal creature is a vestige of the Creator. Whence the Apostle: The invisible things of God... by the things that are made, etc. Romans 1:20. There, this preposition "by" does not mean a disposing medium, insofar as the creature is considered in itself, but an exciting one, insofar as it is a likeness of the Creator; because it does not dispose to the knowledge of the Creator, nay, by such a mode, it would rather impede cognition,

Dissimilitude between Creator and creature.

since between the Creator and the creature there is a greater dissimilitude than similitude. The spiritual creature created being, however, is called a similitude of the Creator. Ezekiel 28:12: Thou art the seal of likeness, etc.:

A more expressive likeness in an angel.

and this is because in an angel, due to the simplicity of nature, the likeness to God is more expressive than in man. Man is the image of the Trinity. The composite creature, that is, man, is called the image of God divine reflection. Genesis 1:26: Let us make man to our image and likeness, etc.: and this is because in man are found more trinities than in an angel; whence, in this regard, he is rather called the image of the Trinity.

The Son of God possesses a triple excellence, as the Apostle hints, Hebrews 1:3: Who being the brightness of his glory, and the figure of his substance, and upholding all

Most excellent Figure of the Father; the Son, in what way

things by the word of his power. The first, namely, in respect to the Father, from whom He is produced, and thus He is the brightness of the paternal glory. He is (as Dionysius says) the fontal ray, manifesting the paternal glory in Himself. The second, in respect to the Holy Spirit, whom He produces from Himself; and thus He is the figure, that is, the similitude of the substance of the Father Cf. Hebrews 1:3.. For He is another person from Him, just as He is from the Father; which the Holy Spirit did not receive from the Father as the Son did. Creatures are produced through the Son. The third, in respect to creatures, which are produced through Him, and thus He is upholding all things by the word of His power.

Eternal Word

On account of the first, the Word the Son is called the Son of the Father; because He perfectly speaks the goodness and the highest liberality of the Father; who willed to have nothing that He did not communicate to His Son. This is the Word eternally begotten, temporally promised by the Prophets, preached by the Apostles, and announced by the Angel in the incarnation.

Three equal persons.

On account of the second, the Son is called the image of the Father. For although the three persons are equal in eternity, majesty, and power, the Son is called the image of the Father rather than the Holy Spirit; because He has not only agreement within with the Father in identity of essence, just as the Holy Spirit also has, but He also has agreement without with the Father; from the fact that just as the Son proceeds from the Father, so the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Son, but no one proceeds from the Holy Spirit. For according to the mode of understanding, the respects of these relations are extrinsically existing, because they are from something rather than in something. For the intelligence of relations looks to that to which it is referred; whence if I do not have a father, I am not a son, and vice versa.

The Son is the power of the Father.

On account of the third, the Son is called the power of the Father, 1 Corinthians 1:23-24: But we preach Christ... the power of God, and the wisdom of God.