. . . Justin Martyr, in his treatise
against Tryphon; where he saith that “The God who appeared to Moses and to the
Patriarchs, was the Son and not the Father;” (Jus. contr. Tryph. p. 283, et
356, edit. Paris. 1615) inasmuch as the Father is not capable of locomotion,
neither can he properly be said to ascend or descend: and that “No man ever saw
the Father, but only heard his Son, and his angel, who is also God, by the will
of the Father.” Ουτε ουν ‘Αβρααμ, ουτε Ισααχ, ουτε ‘Ιαχωβ, ουτε αλλος ανθρωπων ειδε τον
πατερα και δρρητον χυριον των παντων απλως, και αυτου του Χριστου, αλλ’ εκεινον,
τον κατα βουλην την εκεινου και Θεον οντα, υιον αυτου, και αγγελον, εκ του υπηρετειν
τη γνωμη αυτου, &c. (Ibid. p. 357)
These words of his cannot be very well
explained, without allowing a difference of nature in the Father and the Son;
which were to establish Arianism. (John Daillé, A Treatise on the Right Use
of the Fathers in the Decision of Controversies Existing at This Day in
Religion [2d ed.; Philadelphia: Presbyterian Board of Publication, 1856], 112-13)
