BE33.我们说三位上帝的观念主要产生于教导三位一体的《亚他那修信经》，是因为当中“位格”（或“身位”，Persons)一词导致该观念的产生，通过该信经中的以下条款，这个词进一步灌输到人们的头脑中去：父一位，子一位，圣灵亦一位。然后说：父是上帝，是主；子是上帝，是主；圣灵亦是上帝，是主。尤其还加上这些话：依基督真道、我等不得不认三位均为上帝、均为主；依大公教，我等亦不得谓（原文是：被禁止说）上帝有三、亦不得谓主有三。这些话意味着：依基督真道，我们不得不认同并承认三位上帝和三位主，但是依大公教会的信仰，我们又不允许去说或称呼三位上帝和三位主；这样，我们可以有三位上帝和三位主的观念，但口头上不能如此承认。尽管如此，若将《亚他那修信经》中的多个身位或位格的三一取代为一个身位或位格的三一——这三一就在救主上帝耶稣基督之中（参阅《新耶路撒冷教义之主篇》Lord.55-61），那么这个信经中所说的也就与真理相符了。
33. The reason the idea of three Gods proceeded chiefly from the Athanasian Creed, where a Trinity of Persons is taught, is because the word "person" begets such an idea. Moreover, this idea is further implanted by these words in the Creed "There is one person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Ghost" and later "The Father is God and Lord, the Son is God and Lord, and the Holy Ghost is God and Lord" but especially by these words in the Creed "For like as we are compelled by the Christian verity to acknowledge every Person by himself to be God and Lord, so we are forbidden by the Catholic Religion to say there are three Gods or three Lords." The import of these words is that by the Christian verity we are bound to confess and acknowledge three Gods and three Lords, but by the Catholic religion we are not allowed to say, or to mention, three Gods and three Lords; consequently, we may have an idea of three Gods and three Lords, but we are not to make oral confession thereof. Nevertheless, the doctrine of the Trinity in the Athanasian Creed agrees with the truth if only there is substituted for a Trinity of Persons a Trinity of Person which is in God the Saviour Jesus Christ, as may be seen in THE DOCTRINE OF THE NEW JERUSALEM CONCERNING THE LORD 55-61, published at Amsterdam in the year 1763.
33. The reason why the idea of three Gods has principally arisen from the Athanasian Creed, where a Trinity of Persons is taught, is, because the word Person begets such an idea, which is further implanted in the mind by the following words in the same Creed: "There is one Person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Spirit"; and afterwards:
The Father is God and Lord, the Son is God and Lord, and the Holy Spirit is God and Lord"; but more especially by these: "For like as we are compelled by the Christian verity to acknowledge every Person by Himself to be God and Lord, so are we forbidden by the Catholic religion to say there be three Gods or three Lords"; the result of which words is this, that by the Christian verity we are bound to confess and acknowledge three Gods and three Lords, but by the Catholic religion we are not allowed to say, or to name three Gods and Lords; consequently we may have an idea of three Gods and Lords, but not an oral confession of them. Nevertheless, that the doctrine of the Trinity in the Athanasian Creed is agreeable to the truth, if only instead of a Trinity of Persons there be substituted a Trinity of Person, which Trinity is in God the Saviour Jesus Christ, may be seen in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the Lord, published at Amsterdam, in the year 1763 (n. THE TEACHING ABOUT THE LORD 55-61.)
33. Quod idea Trium Deorum imprimis effluxerit ex Symbolo Athanasiano, ubi Trinitas personarum traditur, est quia nomen Personae illam ideam parit, et quoque hanc implantant haec verba ibi "Alia est Persona Patris, alia Filii, alia Spiritus Sancti;" et postea, "Pater est Deus et Dominus, Filius est Deus et Dominus, et Spiritus sanctus est Deus et Dominus:" principaliter autem haec ibi: "Sicut singulatim unamquamque Personam Deum et Dominum confiteri Christiana Veritate compellimur ita tres Deos aut tres Dominos dicere Catholica Religione prohibemur;" ex quibus verbis resultat hoc, quod ex Christiana Veritate oporteat confiteri et agnoscere tres Deos et Dominos, sed quod ex Catholica Religione non liceat dicere seu nominare tres Deos et Dominos; proinde habere ideam trium Deorum et Dominorum, non autem oralem confessionem. Quod tamen usque Doctrina Trinitatis in Symbolo Athanasiano concordet cum veritate, dummodo pro Trinitate personarum ibi substituatur Trinitas Personae, quae est in Deo Salvatore Jesu Christo, videatur in DOCTRINA NOVAE HIEROSOLYMAE 1DE DOMINO, An. 1763. Amstelodami edita, n. 55-61.
Footnotes:
1. solymae... edita pro solyme... edito.