My friend, Errol Vincent Amey shared the following patristic text with me from Aristides (c. 125). In light of the anti-Mormon abuse of Isa 44:6; 45:5 and other like texts, this is rather รก propos:
“For if the body of man while consisting of many parts does not cast off any of its own members, but preserving an unbroken unity in all its members, is harmonious with itself, how shall variance and discord be so great in the nature of God?
“For if there had been a unity of nature among the gods, then one god ought not to have pursued or slain or injured another. And if the gods were pursued by gods, and slain, and kidnapped and struck with lightning by them, then there is no longer any unity of nature, but divided counsels, all mischievous. So that not one of them is a god.”
(Aristides, ca. 125, 'Apology' 13, in 'Ante-Nicene Fathers' 9:274-275)
“For if the body of man while consisting of many parts does not cast off any of its own members, but preserving an unbroken unity in all its members, is harmonious with itself, how shall variance and discord be so great in the nature of God?
“For if there had been a unity of nature among the gods, then one god ought not to have pursued or slain or injured another. And if the gods were pursued by gods, and slain, and kidnapped and struck with lightning by them, then there is no longer any unity of nature, but divided counsels, all mischievous. So that not one of them is a god.”
(Aristides, ca. 125, 'Apology' 13, in 'Ante-Nicene Fathers' 9:274-275)
