affirmation of these attributes is perfection, while their very negation is deficiency. If He were not described by them, deficiency would necessarily attach to Him; the product would be deemed more perfect than the producer, and the originated, contingent, created being would be judged more perfect than the pre-eternal, necessary, self-existent Creator. Such a notion is rejected by even the most rudimentary intellects.

These questions are set out in detail elsewhere; we have merely hinted at them here to show some of the avenues by which the Lord’s attributes are known, and to expose the fact that these people are among the most ignorant of all religious communities concerning the Lord.

The paths by which His perfection is recognized are both rational and scriptural. As for these people, they possess in the words of the prophets expressions whose meanings they have largely failed to grasp, and many of which they have distorted. In the realm of reason they hold only such arguments as the Jews surpass them in; yet although the Jews are more knowledgeable than they, the Jews are also more obstinate, more arrogant, and more willful in denying the truth. The Christians are more ignorant and further astray than the Jews, yet they are more devout, more ascetic, and of better character; for this reason they are closer in affection to the believers than either the Jews or the polytheists.