165.单凭理性，无法明白当如何理解这些经文，是理解为有三个神，他们在本质和名义上为一；还是理解为他们是一个主体的三个方面，也就是说，纯粹是一位神的三个各有其名的属性或品质；或者还有其它理解方式？我们该怎么办？唯一的途径是，靠近主神救主，在祂的指引下阅读圣言，因为祂是圣言的神；然后，我们必被启示，看到真理，并且是理性也会承认的真理。但是，若不靠近主，哪怕你读圣言千遍，在里面看到圣三一，以及神的一体性，你仍旧什么也理解不了，只知道三个神性位格，其中每一个都单独为神的教义；这意味着有三个神。然而，这与全世界所有人的常识相矛盾。因此，为避免批评，他们就杜撰了这样的教义：尽管事实上有三位神，但信仰仍要求我们不可以说三位神，只能说一位。此外，为避免层出不穷的责难，他们尤其在这一点上确定，认知必须在信仰的控制下被囚禁和束缚；自此以后，这在基督教会成了按立职务的神圣原则。
这种麻痹的产物就是由于他们没有在主的指引下阅读圣言造成的。凡不在主的指引下阅读圣言的，都是以自己的聪明为指引来阅读它。在诸如处于属灵之光的事物，如教会的一切本质教义上，人自己的聪明就像猫头鹰。若人如此阅读圣言中有关三一的内容，并出于他所读的认为尽管有三位神，但他们仍是一，那么这个问题对他来说，就像是德尔斐神谕的回复。他因不理解而在齿间翻滚它，若把它放在眼前，它就成了一个谜。他越想解开这个谜，就越把自己卷入黑暗，直到最后开始不加理解地思考它，就像不用眼睛去观看一样。总之，人若在自己的聪明指引下阅读圣言，如所有不承认主是天地之神，因而不单单靠近和敬拜主的人所做的那样，就好比玩耍的孩子蒙上眼睛，试图沿着直线行走，甚至以为自己正直往前走，其实却一步步偏向一边，最后走在相反的方向上，以至于绊倒在石头上，摔倒了。
这种人也好比船长航海却不用指南针，致使他们的船撞到礁石上而沉没。他们还好比人在浓雾中行走在宽阔的平原上，看见一只蝎子，却以为是只鸟，然后试图抓住它，捡起来，不料受到致命的踅伤。这种人又好比一只水鸟或鱼鹰，一看见大鱼的背部露出水面那么一点点，就俯冲下去，将它的尖喙刺进去，结果被大鱼拖入水中淹死了。同样，他们好比人在没有向导或线绳的情况下进入迷宫，越往里走，就越找不到出口。人若在自己的聪明，而非主的指引下阅读圣言，就会认为自己的视力比林叩斯的还要敏锐；而事实上，他无法内在洞察一丁点真理，只看到虚假；并且在自我说服下，这种虚假在他看来，就像是一颗北极星，指引其思维的一切航线；到那时，他和鼹鼠一样，再也看不见真理，即便看到，也会把它们扭过来，以支持他的幻想，从而败坏并歪曲圣言的神圣事物。
165. 倘若自行理解, 沒法明白這三一的含義。我們當如何理解這三個部分呢？他們是一個本質的三位上帝？是一個物體的三個不同屬性, 也就是一位上帝的三個不同屬性或特性, 各有其名？又或其它的解答方式？
我們當怎樣做呢？唯一的方法就是轉向主上帝我們的拯救者,並在祂的指引下閱讀聖言, 因為祂是聖言之上帝。我們將會被光照並明白真理, 甚至理性亦可接受的真理。
但若你並非轉向主, 哪怕你讀千遍聖言, 看到了聖三一, 也看到上帝的唯一性, 但除了三位神性位格,每位各自是上帝(就是三位上帝的意思), 你仍舊不能明白任何別的什麼。然而這樣的認知與全世界的共識(只有一位上帝)相矛盾。因此為了避免被批評, 人們就發明了這樣的教義:儘管事實上有三位, 我們的信仰依然要求我們不可以說三位上帝, 只能說一位。還有, 為了避免承擔辱駡和抨擊, 人們對此的認知必須受制於此並以順服為由被捆綁, 這就成了後來所有基督徒教會聖職人員的規定, 並以此為聖。
[2]這就是沒有在主的指引下讀聖言, 製造出這樣麻痹的產物。凡是不在主的指引下讀聖言者, 都是以自己的聰明為指引。但是當面臨屬靈之光下的事物, 就是一切教會之本質的教義時, 人的聰明就變瞎,如日光下的貓頭鷹。當這類之人在聖言中讀到關於三一的地方時, 會被如此思想引導:儘管有三位上帝, 他們依然是一位; 如同從神諭而來的高深莫測。因為人不理解, 就在嘴中不停含糊; 假如放在眼前, 勢必會困惑。越是努力去弄清這個困惑, 越是難以認知,陷入昏暗之中, 直到最後放棄使用他的認知力來思考這個難題, 如同某人不用眼睛看物。
簡言之, 以某人自己的智力引導下讀聖言, 不承認主就是天地之上帝, 不單單靠近祂,敬拜祂。就好比孩子們在遊戲中用布綁著雙眼, 試圖去走一條直線。他們一步一步小心翼翼行走, 滿以為走直了, 結果去走到另一邊, 甚至反了方向, 一不小心碰上石頭摔倒了。
[3]如果我們靠自己的聰明來讀聖言, 就像船長駕船航海而不帶羅盤, 結果撞上礁石沉沒了。或者像人在濃霧的曠野走路, 有只毒蠍, 他以為是小鳥。抓住它時, 被踅了一口, 中毒了。又或像一隻海鷗或一隻魚鷹, 水下有只大魚露出一丁點魚背。它看見了就俯衝攻擊, 卻不料鳥喙被卡, 然後被大魚拖下水沉沒了。又像人在沒有嚮導或一卷線的情況下走進迷宮, 他走得越深, 就越找不到出口。
人讀聖言, 以自己的聰明來指引, 而非依靠主的指引, 認為自己眼光銳利如林叩斯(希臘神話人物), 眼睛多如阿格斯(希臘神話中的百眼巨人), 卻不能識別一點真理, 而只會是偽謬。不過自我說服, 認為這是真理, 並以此如同北極星, 讓自己的思想朝此方向航行。然而, 他對真理的視力如同鼴鼠, 凡所見之物, 都屈向迎合他的愛好, 於是就歪曲並褻瀆聖言的神聖。
165. Nonetheless, left to itself reason is utterly unable to see this Trinity. How are we to understand its three parts? Are they three gods who are one God in essence and name? Are they three distinct qualities of one underlying material, meaning that they are just qualities or attributes of a single God that have names? Or is there some other alternative?
The only good advice tells us to turn to the Lord God our Savior and read the Word under his supervision (since he is the God of the Word). Then we will be enlightened and see truths that even reason will acknowledge.
If you do not turn to the Lord, even if you read the Word a thousand times and see a divine trinity and a divine unity there, the only understanding you will get will be that there are three divine persons, each of whom is individually God; and therefore there are three gods. The common sense of all in the whole world finds this conclusion repulsive, however. Therefore to avoid being abused, people have come up with a strange compromise: although there are in fact three gods, the faith insists that we not say three gods; instead we must say there is one God. Furthermore, if we do not wish to undergo a barrage of verbal hostility, our intellect has to be especially imprisoned in this regard and held in chains under obedience to faith - from now on, according to the Christian leadership in the Christian church, this has to be the holy way.
[2] Such is the paralyzed offspring that was born as a result of not reading the Word under the Lord's supervision. Any of us who do not read the Word under the Lord's supervision read it under the supervision of our own intelligence; but when it comes to objects in spiritual light, such as all the essential teachings of the church, our intelligence is [as blind] as an owl [in daylight]. In that case, when we read about the Trinity in the Word and we get the impression that although there are three, still they are one, it seems to us like a response from an oracle. Since we do not understand it, we chew on it, because if we put it straight in front of our eyes it would be a puzzle. The harder we worked to solve the puzzle, the more we would entangle ourselves in darkness, until we began to set our intellect aside as we thought about it, which is like setting our eyes aside in the act of seeing.
To put it briefly, when we read the Word under the supervision of our own intelligence (which we all do if we do not acknowledge that the Lord is the God of heaven and earth, and turn to him and worship him alone), we are like children playing a game of blindfolding their eyes and trying to walk in a straight line. They believe they are walking straight, although step by step they turn increasingly to one side, till they come around to the opposite direction, bump into a stone, and fall over.
[3] If we read the Word with our own intelligence, we are like sailors navigating without a compass, who steer their ship onto the rocks and perish. We are like someone out walking through a large field in a thick fog who sees a scorpion but thinks it is a bird; in trying to catch it and pick it up, the person is fatally stung. We are like a seagull or an osprey that sees a tiny part of the back of a huge fish under the water, so it flies down and attacks, but its beak becomes stuck and it is dragged underwater and drowns. We are like someone who goes into a labyrinth without a guide or a spool of thread; the deeper we go in, the more we forget the way out.
If we read the Word under the supervision of our own intelligence rather than under the Lord's supervision, we think we are as keen-sighted as Lynceus and have more eyes than Argus, when nevertheless inwardly everything we see is false and nothing true. As we convince ourselves of this falsity, it looks to us like the North Star, and we point all the sails of our thought toward it. By then our eyesight for truths is no better than a moles: if we see truths at all, we bend them to favor things we ourselves made up - we distort and falsify the holy contents of the Word.
165. If the reason is left to itself, there is no way it can see how these statements are to be understood; it could be that there are three Gods, who are one in essence and therefore in name; it could be that they are three aspects of a single subject, so that it is merely qualities or attributes of one God which bear these names; or other solutions may be possible. What then are we to do? The only way is to approach the Lord God the Saviour, and read the Word under His guidance, since He is the God of the Word; we shall then be enlightened and see the truths, which the reason too will acknowledge. But if you do not approach the Lord, though you should read the Word a thousand times and see in it the Divine Trinity as well as the oneness of God, still you will never be able to grasp anything but the doctrine of three Divine persons, each of which taken singly is God; and this means three Gods. However, since this is repugnant to the general perception shared by all people throughout the world, to avoid criticism they invented the doctrine that although in truth there are three Gods, faith none the less demands that we should not speak of three Gods, but one. Moreover, to avoid having insults heaped on them, in this respect especially the understanding has to be imprisoned and kept chained under the control of faith; and this is henceforward to be prescribed by the ordained ministry of the Christian church.
[2] That is the kind of paralysed offspring which is produced by not reading the Word under the Lord's guidance. Everyone who does not read the Word under His guidance must do so under the guidance of his own intelligence; and this is as blind as an owl in matters illuminated by spiritual light, as are all the essential doctrines of the church. When such a person reads about the Trinity in the Word and is led by this to think that although there are three Gods they are none the less one, he finds this as enigmatic as a reply from the Delphic oracle 1 . Since he does not understand it, he rolls it round his teeth, for if he put it before his eyes, it would be a riddle, which becomes the more obscure the more he strives to solve it, until finally he begins to think about it without using his understanding, which is like seeing without using one's eyes. In brief, reading the Word under the guidance of one's own intelligence, as all do who fail to acknowledge the Lord as the God of heaven and earth and do not approach Him and worship Him alone, can be compared to children who in play tie a bandage over their eyes, and then try to walk in a straight line; they even think they are walking straight when step by step they turn to one side and end up walking in the opposite direction, so that they trip over a stone and fall down.
[3] They are also like ships' captains who sail without a compass, run their ship on rocks, and so are drowned. Or they are like a man who walking through a broad plain in a thick fog sees a scorpion and thinks it is a bird; he goes to grasp it and pick it up, and then gets a fatal sting. He is also like a sea-bird or a kite, which spots a small patch on the back of a large fish breaking the surface of the water, dives on it and jabs its beak into it, but is pulled under by the fish and drowns. He is also like a man who goes into a maze without a guide or a thread to pay out, and the farther he goes in, the more he loses track of the way out. A person who reads the Word under the guidance of his own intelligence instead of the Lord's thinks he is gifted with the vision of Lynceus 2 , and has more eyes than Argus 3 when in fact he cannot inwardly discern the smallest truth, but only falsity. But having persuaded himself that this is the truth, he shapes the course of all his thinking by reference to this apparent cynosure. Yet then he is as blind to truth as a mole, and what he does see, he bends to suit his fancy, so perverting and falsifying the holiness of the Word.
Footnotes:
1. Literally, 'from the tripod', the source of oracles given at Delphi.
2. A man in Greek myth famous for keenness of sight.
3. The hundred-eyed monster of Greek myth.
165. But in what manner these passages are to be understood, whether as meaning that these are three Gods, who in essence and consequently in name are one God; or that they are three objects belonging to one subject, that is, merely qualities or attributes of one God which are so named; or in some other way, the reason left to itself is incapable of seeing. What then is to be done? There is no other way than for man to go to the Lord God the Savior, and under His auspices read the Word; for He is the God of the Word; and man will then be enlightened and will see truths which reason also will acknowledge. But on the other hand, if you do not approach the Lord, though you read the Word a thousand times, and see therein the Divine trinity and the unity also, you will never understand otherwise than that there are three Divine persons, each one of whom singly is God, and thus that there are three Gods. But because this is repugnant to the common perception of all men throughout the world, to escape reproaches men have invented the notion that although there are in truth three Gods, it is indispensable to faith that one God only, and not three, be named. Furthermore, lest they should be overwhelmed with censure it was determined that on this point especially the understanding should be imprisoned and held bound under obedience to faith; and that this should evermore be a sacred principle of Christian order in the Christian church
[2] Such a paralytic birth resulted from their not reading the Word under the Lord's auspices; for everyone who does not read the Word under His auspices reads it under the auspices of his own intelligence, which is like an owl in such things as are in spiritual light, as all the essentials of the church are. And when one so reads in the Word what is said of the trinity, and from what he reads thinks that although there are three Gods they are still one, the matter appears to him like a response from a tripod, which, because he does not understand it he rolls about between his teeth; for if he should set it before his eyes it would become a riddle, which the more he tries to solve the more he involves himself in darkness, until finally he begins to think about it without understanding, which is like seeing without an eye. In short, those who read the Word under the auspices of one's own intelligence, as is done by all who do not acknowledge the Lord as the God of heaven and earth, and therefore approach and worship Him alone, may be likened to children at play, who tie a bandage over their eyes and try to walk in a straight line, and even think that they are going straight ahead, when yet they turn step by step to one side and finally go in the opposite direction, and strike against a stone and fall.
[3] Such are also like mariners sailing without a compass, who run their vessel on the rocks and perish. They are also like a man walking over a wide plain in a thick fog, who seeing a scorpion takes it for a bird, and attempting to seize and pick it up with his hand receives a deadly wound. Such again are like a waterfowl or a hawk, which sees above the water a little of the back of a big fish, and darts down and fixes its beak in it, and is drawn under by the fish and drowned. Again they are like one entering a labyrinth without a guide or a cord, and the farther he goes in the more he loses sight of the way out. A man who reads the Word not under the Lord's auspices but under the auspices of his own intelligence, thinks himself a lynx and better sighted than Argus; and yet he inwardly sees not a shred of truth, but only what is false; and under self-persuasion this falsity seems to him like a polar star towards which he directs all the sails of his thought; and then he no more sees truths than a mole does, or if he sees them he bends them to favor his phantasies, and so perverts and falsifies the holy things of the Word.
165. But how these passages are to be understood, whether there are three Gods, who in essence and consequently in name are one God, or whether three aspects of one subject are so named, which are thus only qualities or attributes of one God, or whether they are to be understood in some other way, unaided reason can by no means discern. Where shall we turn then for counsel? There is no other way than for a man to approach the Lord God the Savior, and read the Word under His guidance, for He is the God of the Word; and he will be enlightened, and see truths which his reason also will acknowledge. But on the other hand, if you do not approach the Lord, although you were to read the Word a thousand times over, and perceive the Divine Trinity and also the Unity therein, you will perforce be convinced that there are three Divine Persons, each of whom is separately God, and therefore that there are three Gods. This idea, however, is repugnant to the common perception of all men everywhere; and so, to avoid reproach, some invented the dogma that although in reality there are three Gods, yet faith requires that they should not be called three Gods, but one; adding, lest they should be overwhelmed with censure, that on this point particularly the understanding should be fettered, bound in obedience to faith; and that this must hereafter be established as a law of Christian order in the Christian Church.
[2] This was the paralyzing result of not reading the Word under the Lord's guidance; and every one who does not so read it, reads it guided by his own intelligence; and this is like an owl regarding matters which are seen only in spiritual light, as are all the essentials of the Church. When such a man reads those passages in the Word which relate to the Trinity, and, thence forms the opinion that although they are three, still they are one, this appears to him like an answer from an oracle, which he merely mumbles because he does not understand it. For if he were to examine it closely, it would simply be an enigma, which becomes the more involved in darkness the more he tries to solve it; till at length he begins to think concerning it without using his understanding, which is like trying to see without using the eyes. In short, those who read the Word under the guidance of their own intelligence, which is the case with all who do not acknowledge the Lord as the God of heaven and earth, and who consequently do not approach and worship Him alone, may be likened to boys at play, who tie a handkerchief over their eyes, and try to walk in a straight line. They even imagine they are so walking, but with every step they are going now to the one side and now to the other, till they stumble against a stone and fall to the ground.
[3] Such men may also be compared to mariners who, sailing without a compass, steer their ship against rocks, and so perish. They are also like a man walking over a wide field in a thick fog, who sees a scorpion, and supposes it to be a bird; and while trying to catch it and take it up in his hand, receives a deadly wound. They may also be compared to a cormorant or a kite, which, seeing a small part of the back of a great fish above the water, darts down and fixes its beak in it; but is drawn under water by the fish and drowned. They are also like one who enters a labyrinth without either guide or clue: the farther he penetrates the more difficult he makes it to find his way out. The man who does not read the Word under the guidance of the Lord, but under the guidance of his own imagines himself to be as keen-sighted as a lynx, and to have more eyes than Argus, 1 when yet interiorly he does not see a single truth, but only what is false; and having persuaded himself that this is true, it appears to him like the pole star by which he directs all the sails of his thought. He has then no more discernment of truth than a mole, and what he does discern he bends in favor of his own delusions, and so perverts and falsifies the holy things of the Word.
Footnotes:
1. Argus, the watcher with a hundred eyes.
165. Sed quomodo illa intelligenda sunt, sive quod tres Dii sint, qui essentia et inde nomine unus Deus sunt, sive quod tria objecta unius subjecti, ita quod sint modo qualitates aut attributa unius Dei, quae ita nominantur, sive aliter, Ratio sibi relicta nullatenus potest videre; sed quid consilii; non datur aliud, quam ut homo adeat Dominum Deum Salvatorem, et sub Ipsius auspicio legat Verbum, est enim ille Deus Verbi, et illustrabitur, et videbit Veritates, quas Ratio etiam agnoscet. At vero, si non adis Dominum, si millies legeris Verbum, et videris ibi Divinam Trinitatem, et quoque Unitatem, nequicquam aliud intellecturus es, quam quod tres Divinae Personae sint, quarum unaquaevis singulatim est Deus, et sic tres Dii; at quia hoc repugnat communi perceptioni omnium hominum in Universo Mundo, ideo ad evitandum contumelias, invenerunt, quod tametsi tres sunt in veritate, usque fides efflagitet ut non tres Dii nominentur, sed Unus; ac insuper, ne vituperiis circumfundantur, quoad hoc imprimis incarcerabitur intellectus, et sub obedientia fidei vinctus tenebitur; et hoc erit sanctum ex Christiano Ordine in Ecclesia Christiana posthac.
[2] Talis foetus paralyticus natus est ex eo, quod non sub auspicio Domini legerint Verbum, et omnis qui non sub Ipsius auspicio legit Verbum, ille legit illud sub auspicio propriae intelligentiae, et haec est sicut noctua in talibus quae in spirituali luce sunt, qualia sunt omnia essentialia Ecclesiae; et hic dum legit illa quae Trinitatis sunt in Verbo, et ex illis cogitat quod tametsi tres, usque unum sint, apparet hoc illi simile responso ex tripode, quod quia non intelligit, volvit illud inter dentes, nam si poneret illud ante oculos, foret aenigma, quod quo plus satagit evolvere, eo plus se intricat tenebris, usque dum incipit de illo absque intellectu cogitare, quod simile est sicut videre absque oculo; in summa, legere Verbum sub auspicio propriae intelligentiae, quod fit omnibus, qui non agnoscunt Dominum pro Deo Coeli et Terrae, et inde Ipsum unice adeunt et colunt, assimilari possunt pueris ludentibus, qui panniculetum ligant ante oculos, et volunt recta gradiri, et quoque credunt quod recta gradiantur, et tamen pede a pede declinant ad latus, et tandem in oppositum pergunt, et impingunt in lapidem, et cadunt.
[3] Et quoque sunt similes naucleris, qui absque pyxide magnetica navigant, et dirigunt navem in scopulos, et pereunt: et quoque sunt sicut ille, qui per latum 1 campum in opaco nimbo ambulat, et videt scorpium et credit esse 2 avem, et hanc vult palma arripere et elevare, et tunc vulnere lethali icitur: similis etiam est mergo aut milvo, qui videt paucum tergi a pisci magno super aquas, ac involat ac infigit ei rostrum, ac a pisce subtrahitur et suffocatur: et quoque est sicut, qui labyrinthum absque duce aut filo intrat, et quo interius penetrat, eo plus sibi obliterat vias exitus. Homo qui non sub auspicio Domini legit Verbum, sed sub auspicio propriae intelligentiae, credit se lynceum, et plus ocularem quam Argus, cum tamen intus ne hilum veri videt, sed modo falsum, quod cum sibi persuasit, apparet hoc illi sicut cynosura, ad quam omnia vela cogitationis suae dirigit; et tunc non videt vera plus quam talpa, et si videt, inflectit illa ad favorem phantasiae suae, et sic pervertit et falsificat sancta Verbi.
Footnotes: