174.（5）使徒教会并不知道三位格的三一，它是由尼西亚公会杜撰出来的，并由此被引入天主教会，再由天主教会被引入从它分裂出去的各教会。使徒教会不仅包括使徒时代存在于各地的教会，还包括后来二、三世纪的教会。不过，最终他们开始将圣殿之门从折叶上拆下来，像盗贼一样闯入它的圣所。圣殿是指教会，它的门是指主神，救世主，圣所是指祂的神性。因为耶稣说：
我实实在在地告诉你们，人进羊圈，不从门进去，倒从别处爬进去，那人就是贼，就是强盗。我就是门；凡从我进来的，必然得救。（约翰福音10:1，9）
犯此罪的便是阿里乌斯及其追随者。正因如此，君士坦丁大帝才在庇推尼城的尼西亚召开公会。为了肃清阿里乌异端邪说的流毒，参会者们杜撰、确定并批准了这样的教义：自永恒就存在三个神性位格，即父、子、圣灵，其中每一个都有一个位格，都是凭自己并在自己里面生成并继续存在；还有，第二个位格或子，降世取了人的样式并施行救赎，祂的人性通过这种方法凭位格合一而拥有了神性，因此祂凭合一而密切了与父神的关系。从那时起，关于神与基督位格的一大堆异端邪说就从世上涌现出来，反基督者开始抬头，将神分为三个位格，将主救主一分为二，从而摧毁了主藉使徒建立起来的圣殿。照主的话说（马太福音24:2），这一过程一直持续到每块石头都松动，没有一块石头留在石头上不被拆毁了。此处，圣殿不仅指耶路撒冷的实体建筑物，还指教会，整个24章都在讲述教会的终结或末了。
可是，对于这次公会，或随后的议会还有什么好期待的呢？因为它们同样将神性一分为三，将具有人体的神置于他们的脚凳之下。
他们“从别处爬进去”，即绕过主，直接跨越到似乎是另外一位神的父神那里，由此将教会的头从身子那里砍掉，然后只在口头上提及基督的功德，也就是父由于它的缘故而施怜悯，公义也因此直接流入他们里面，连同伴随它的一切，就是罪的赦免、改造、成圣、重生和救赎，并且所有这一切都无需人这一方的任何介入。
174. (5)使徒教會並不知道三個位格的三一, 是由尼西亞會議虛構的, 並被引入羅馬公教會, 並因此進入由羅馬公教會分裂出去的眾教會。
這裡所說的"使徒教會"並不限於使徒在世時各地的教會, 也包括接下來兩三個世紀的教會。不過, 最終人們開始從門樞上拆卸敬拜聖殿之門, 像盜賊那樣闖入至聖所。敬拜的聖殿, 我指的是教會, 門指主上帝救贖者, 至聖所指祂的神性。因為耶穌說:"我實實在在地告訴你們, 人進羊圈, 不從門進去, 倒從別處爬進去, 那人就是賊, 就是強盜。我就是門; 凡經我進的, 必然得救"(約翰福音10:1, 9)。犯此罪過之人就是亞流和他的跟隨者們。
[2]於是君士坦丁大帝在比提尼亞一個名為尼西亞的城市召集了一次會議。參會者們為了驅逐亞流主義這種危害嚴重的異端思想, 發明,推論並批准了這樣的教義:三個神性的位格——父,子,聖靈, 自永遠(創世以前)就存在, 並各自有一位格, 憑自己以及在自己而存在。他們還推論出, 其中第二個位格子上帝降臨人間, 取了人的樣式顯現, 施行了救贖; 因此祂藉著實質的聯合,祂的人性成為神性; 並因這聯合,與父上帝有了親密的關係。
從那以後, 關於上帝,以及基督之人身的大量不可思議的異端席捲全地。敵基督開始抬起頭來, 將上帝分裂為三, 將主拯救者分離為二。因此摧毀了主通過祂的使徒們建立的殿, 直到每一塊石頭被撬松, 以至於沒有一塊留在石頭上, 正如祂的話中預言(馬太福音24:2)。這裡的"殿"並非僅指耶路撒冷的聖殿, 而且指教會。整個十二四章都是講教會的終結。
[3]從尼西亞會議還有什麼能指望的呢？接下來的會議, 同樣的將神性一分為三,將道成肉身的上帝置於這三者之下,作他們的腳凳, 除了這些還有什麼能指望的呢？他們通過"從別處爬進去", 就是繞過主而達到父上帝那裡, 似乎祂是另一位上帝, 這就砍掉了教會的頭。僅僅是口上堅持說"基督的功德"之類的詞語(意思是基督為他們做了一切), 為的是父上帝因此而憐憫並施恩予他們。因此, 他們盼望稱義會直接流入他們, 伴隨著罪得赦免,更新,成聖,拯救, 而無需在人方面的任何介入。
174. 5. The apostolic church knew no trinity of persons. This idea was first developed by the Council of Nicaea. The council introduced the idea into the Roman Catholic church; and it in turn introduced the idea into the churches that have since separated from it. By "the apostolic church" I mean not only the church that existed in various places in the time of the apostles but also the church that existed over the two or three centuries after their time. Eventually, however, people started to tear the door to the house of worship off its hinges and break into the sanctuary like thieves. By the house of worship I mean Christianity; by the door I mean the Lord God the Redeemer; and by the sanctuary I mean his divinity. Jesus said, "Truly I say to you, those who do not enter through the door to the sheepfold but instead climb up some other way are thieves and robbers. I am the door. Anyone who enters through me will be saved" [John 10:1, 9].
The crime just mentioned was committed by Arius and his followers.
[2] Therefore Constantine the Great called a council in Nicaea, a city in Bithynia. The people who had been called there to throw out Arius's damaging heresy invented, defended, and gave sanction to the idea that three divine persons - the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit - had existed from eternity, each with a personality, a reality, and a continued existence of his own. They also concluded that the second person, the Son, came down, took on a human manifestation, and brought about redemption; and that his human nature was divine because of a hypostatic union. Through this union he had a close relationship with God the Father.
From that time on, balls of atrocious heresies relating to God and the person of Christ began to roll out across the globe, raising the head of the Antichrist, dividing God into three and the Lord the Savior into two, and destroying the temple that the Lord had erected through his apostles to the point where not one stone was left attached to another, as the Lord said (Matthew 24:2, where "the temple" means not only the Temple in Jerusalem but also the church, on whose close or end that whole chapter focuses).
[3] What else could be expected from the Council of Nicaea? What else could be expected from subsequent councils that likewise split divinity into three parts and placed the incarnate God beneath all three, on their footstool? These councils removed the church's head from its body by "climbing up some other way," that is, bypassing the Lord and going up to God the Father as some other god. They kept just the phrase "the merit of Christ" in their mouths, wishing for God the Father to have mercy on its account and hoping that justification would thereby flow in directly with its whole entourage: the forgiving of sins, renewal, sanctification, regeneration, and salvation - all without any participation from the individual.
174. (v) THE TRINITY OF PERSONS WAS UNKNOWN TO THE APOSTOLIC CHURCH, BUT WAS THE INVENTION OF THE COUNCIL OF NICAEA, LEADING TO ITS INTRODUCTION INTO THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH, AND THUS TO THE CHURCHES WHICH SPLIT FROM IT.
The Apostolic church means not only the church which existed in various places in the time of the Apostles, but also in the following two or three centuries. But eventually they began to tear the door of the temple off its hinges, and like thieves to break into its sanctuary. The temple means the church, its door the Lord God the Redeemer, and the sanctuary His Divinity. For Jesus says:
Truly I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up another way, is a thief and a robber. I am the door; if anyone enters by me, he will be saved. [John 10:1, 9.]
[2] This crime was committed by Arius and his followers. Consequently a Council was summoned by Constantine the Great to meet at Nicaea, a city of Bithynia 1 ; and its members, in order to expel the damaging heresy of Arius, invented, concluded and laid down the doctrine that the three Divine persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, existed from eternity, each of whom had a personality, and came into and continued in existence by Himself and in Himself. They also held that the second person, the Son, came down and took upon Himself human form and carried out the redemption, and by this means His Human has divinity by hypostatic union, so that by this union He has close kinship with God the Father. This was the beginning from which there spread over the earth heaps of unspeakable heresies about God and the person of Christ. Antichrist then began to rear his head, and split God into three, and the Lord the Saviour into two, thus destroying the Temple the Lord had built by means of His Apostles; this went so far that every stone was pried loose, until not one was left upon another, as predicted by His words (Matthew 24:2). Here 'Temple' does not mean just the Temple in Jerusalem, but also the church; and the whole of that chapter deals with its consummation or end.
[3] But could anything else have been expected of that Council, or those which followed it, seeing that they likewise divided the Divinity into three parts, and put the incarnate God on their footstool beneath them? For they cut off the church's head from its body by climbing up another way, that is, by by-passing the Lord and crossing over to God the Father, as if He were another God, simply keeping on their tongues the phrase 'Christ's merit,' so that He should pity them for its sake. Thus, they thought, justification would flow directly into them, together with all that accompanies it, forgiveness of sins, renewal, sanctification, regeneration and salvation, and all this without any intervention on the person's part.
Footnotes:
1. The ancient name for the north-western province of Asia Minor.
174. (5) A Trinity of Persons was unknown in the Apostolic Church, but was hatched by the Nicene Council, and from that was introduced into the Roman Catholic church, and from that again into the churches separated from it. By the Apostolic church is meant the church that existed in various places not only in the time of the apostles, but also in the second and third centuries after. But at length men began to wrench the door of the temple off its hinges, and to break robber-like into its sanctuary. The temple is the church; the door is the Lord God the Redeemer; and the sanctuary His Divinity; for Jesus says:
Verily, I say unto you, he that entereth not by the door into the sheep fold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. I am the door; by Me if any man enter in he shall be saved (John 10:1, 9).
This crime was committed by Arius and his followers.
[2] On this account a council was convoked by Constantine the Great at Nice, a city in Bithynia; and in order to overthrow the pernicious heresy of Arius it was devised, decided upon, and ratified by the members of the council that there were from eternity three Divine persons, a Father, a Son, and a Holy Spirit, to each one of whom belonged personality, existence, and subsistence, by Himself and in Himself; also that the second person, or the Son, came down and took on a Human and wrought redemption; and therefore His Human, by a hypostatic union, possesses Divinity, and through that union He has close relationship with God the Father. From that time heaps of abominable heresies about God and the person of Christ began to spring up from the earth, and Antichrists began to rear their heads and to divide God into three persons, and the Lord the Savior into two, thus destroying the temple set up by the Lord through the apostles, and this until not one stone was left upon another that was not thrown down, according to the Lord's words (Matthew 24:2), where by "the temple" not only the edifice at Jerusalem is meant but also the church, the consummation or end of which is treated of in the whole chapter.
[3] But what else could have been expected from that council, or from those that followed, which in like manner divided the Godhead into three, and placed God in the flesh beneath them on their footstool? For by climbing up some other way they took the Head of the church away from its body; that is, they passed Him by, and mounted beyond to God the Father as to another, with the mere mention on their lips of Christ's merit, that is, that God on account of it might be merciful, and justification might thus flow into them directly with all that goes with it, namely, remission of sins, renovation, sanctification, regeneration, and salvation, and this without any meditation on man's part.
174. (5) A TRINITY OF PERSONS WAS UNKNOWN IN THE APOSTOLIC CHURCH, BUT WAS PUT FORWARD BY THE NICENE COUNCIL, THEN INTRODUCED INTO THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH, AND FROM THIS INTO THE CHURCHES THAT SEPARATED FROM IT.
By the Apostolic Church is meant the Church which existed in various places not only in the time of the Apostles but for two or three centuries later. Then men began to wrench the door of the Temple off its hinges and to rush like thieves into its sanctuary. By the Temple is understood the Church, by the door the Lord God the Redeemer, and by the sanctuary His Divinity; for Jesus says:
"Verily, I say unto you, he that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber... I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved." [John 10:1, 9.]
[2] This crime was committed by Arius 1 and his adherents. A council was therefore convened by Constantine the Great 2 at Nice, a city in Bithynia; and to destroy the pernicious heresy of Arius, those assembled there devised, decided upon Divine Persons from eternity, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, to each of whom, by Himself and in Himself, belonged personality, existence and subsistence. Further, that the second Person, or the Son, descended and assumed the Human, and accomplished the work of redemption; and consequently that Divinity pertains to His Human by hypostatic union, through which He has close affinity with God the Father. From that time numerous impious heresies concerning God and the Person of Christ began to spring up from the earth, which exalted the head of Antichrist, divided God into three and the Lord the Savior into two, and thus destroyed the Temple which the Lord had built by means of His Apostles, and this with such effect that not one stone was left upon another which was not thrown down, according to His own words in Matthew 24:2. In this passage by the Temple is meant not only that at Jerusalem, but also the Church, the consummation or end of which is treated of in that chapter.
[3] But what else could be expected from that Council, and those that succeeded it, which similarly divided the Divinity into three, and placed the incarnate God below them on their footstool? For they removed the head of the Church from its body, by "climbing up another way;" that is, they passed by Jesus Christ, climbing up to God the Father as to another Divinity, with only the merit of Christ on their lips, in order that God, on account of it, might be merciful; and thus that justification might directly flow into them with all its train, namely, remission of sins, renewal, sanctification, regeneration and salvation, and this without the use of any effort on man's part to bring it about.
Footnotes:
1. Arius, theologian of Alexandria, A.D 256-336; founder of Arianism, affirming that Christ was an originated Being. Excommunicated by bishops of Egypt for denying that Christ was made of the same substance (homo-ousion) of any previously existing substance. To settle the consequent dispute Constantine called the Council of Nicaea, A.D. 325. Athanasius successfully led the opposition to Arius; and Arius, with Eusebius, who also refused to accept the Athanasian position, was banished.
2. Constantine, Emperor of Rome, A. D. 272-337. A convert to Christianity, he summoned the Council of Nice, A.D. 325 to settle the Arian controversy. This Council gave its name to the Nicene Creed which resulted, and which subsequently became the standard creed of the Christian Church.
174. V. QUOD TRINITAS PERSONARUM IGNOTA FUERIT IN ECCLESIA APOSTOLICA, SED QUOD EXORTA SIT A CONCILIO NICAENO, ET INDE INTRODUCTA IN ECCLESIAM ROMANO-CATHOLICAM, ET AB HAC IN ECCLESIAS SEPARATAS AB ILLA. Per Ecclesiam Apostolicam intelligitur non modo Ecclesia, quae variis in locis fuit tempore Apostolorum, sed etiam binis et trinis saeculis post illorum tempora: sed tandem inceperunt e cardine suo evellere januam Templi, et sicut fures irrumpere in adytum ejus; per Templum intelligitur Ecclesia, per Januam Dominus Deus Redemptor, et per Adytum Ipsius Divinitas; dicit enim Jesus, AMEN DICO vobis, qui non ingreditur per Januam in Ovile, sed ASCENDIT ALIUNDE, fur et latro est: Ego sum Janua; per Me si quid introiverit, salvabitur[,Johannes 10:1, 9].
[2] Hoc facinus factum est ab Ario et ejus asseclis; quapropter a Constantino Magno convocatum est Concilium in Nicaeam Urbem in Bethynia, et a convocatis ibi, ad ejiciendum damnosam Arii haeresin, inventum, conclusum et sancitum est, quod Tres Personae Divinae, Pater, Filius, et Spiritus Sanctus, ab aeterno fuerint, quarum cuique personalitas, existentia et subsistentia per se et in se esset; tum, quod Secunda Persona, seu Filius, descenderit et assumserit Humanum, et Redemptionem fecerit, et quod inde Humano Ipsius per Unionem hypostaticam Divinitas, et quod per hanc unionem Ipsi esset arcta affinitas cum Deo Patre; ex illo tempore coeperunt glomeres nefandarum haeresium de Deo, et de Persona Christi, e terra evolvi, et Antichristi extollere caput, ac dividere Deum in tres, et Dominum Salvatorem in duos, et sic destruere Templum a Domino per Apostolos erectum, et hoc eousque, dum non lapis super lapide, qui non dissolutus, relinqueretur, secundum Ipsius verba, Matthaeus 24:2, ubi per Templum non modo intelligitur Templum Hierosolymitanum, sed etiam Ecclesia, de cujus consummatione seu fine in toto illo Capite agitur.
[3] Sed quid aliud a Concilio illo, et a Sequentibus, quae Divinitatem similiter tripartita sunt, et Deum incarnatum sub illis super scabello pedum eorum posuerunt, exspectari potuit; removerunt enim Caput Ecclesiae a suo Corpore per id, quod ascenderint aliunde, hoc est, praeteriverint Ipsum, et transcenderint ad Deum Patrem ut ad alium, solum cum vocabulo Meriti Christi in ore, ut misereatur 1 propter illud, et quod sic immediate influeret Justificatio cum toto comitio ejus, quod est remissio peccatorum, renovatio, sanctificatio, regeneratio, et salvatio, et haec absque omni mediato ab homine.
Footnotes:
1. Sic Errores Typographici.