177.（6）败坏整个基督教会的信就是由尼西亚公会和《亚他尼修信经》所定义的三一产生的。无论尼西亚的三一，还是亚他那修的三一，都是三神的三一。这一点从前面（172节）所引用的信经可以看出来。这就是当今教会之信的源头，即信父神、圣子神和圣灵神。信父神会分配圣子、救主的功义，将它归于人；信圣子神调解和代求；信圣灵会通过将圣子的公义归给人而实现这种分配，并以使他称义、成圣和重生而盖印确认它。这就是当今的信，由此足以明显看出，如今所承认和敬拜的是三神的三位一体。
无论哪个教会，它的一切敬拜和一切信条都是从信流出的。因此，可以说，教会的信如何，它的教义就如何。由此可知，当今教会的信是信三神，故已败坏了教会中的一切事物。因为信是第一原则，教义则是衍生物，并且衍生物从第一原则得其本质。人若逐一检查这些教义，如关于神、基督位格、仁爱、悔改、重生、自由意志、拣选、洗礼和圣餐这两项圣礼的作用等的教义，就会清楚看出，每个教义都包含三神的三一观。纵然表面上不明显，但它仍是源头，这些教义由此涌出。这样的测试虽无法在此进行，却有助于打开人们的眼睛，故我要给此书加一个附录，在附录中证明这一切。
教会关于神的信仰如同灵魂之于身体，而它的教义则如同身体的各个部位。再者，对神的信就象一个女王，它的教义则如同女王的朝臣。正如这些朝臣对女王惟命是从，教义同样完全取决于信仰告白。至少从这信就能看出一个教会是如何理解圣言的。因为信仰会将它所吸收的一切仿佛用绳索那样捆住并拖向自己。若信仰是错的，它会奸淫其中的一切真理，滥用并歪曲它，以致人们在属灵事物上变得疯狂、神志不清。相反，若信仰是纯正的，那么整部圣言都会支持它，圣言的神，也就是主神救主，会将光芒倾泻在它上面，并向它呼出其神圣的同意，使人变得智慧。
在附录中还会看到，当今之信（就其内在形式而言，它信三神，就其外在形式而言，它信一神）已熄灭了圣言之光，将主赶出教会，从而将教会的早晨变成了夜晚。这就是尼西亚公会前、以及后来尼西亚公会前后的异端邪说所做的事。但是，对于一个如主在约翰福音（10:1，9）所说的，不从门进入羊圈，而是从别处爬进去的公会，有何信赖可言呢？他们的讨论，就跟瞎子在白天行走，或能看见的人在黑夜里行走差不多。他们都看不到面前的壕沟，直到一头栽进去。例如，对于一个设立教皇职位、给死人封圣、把他们当成神明来祈求，拜他们的像、发放赎罪券、分别圣餐等等的公会，有何信赖可言？对于一个确立惨无人道的预定论邪说，并把它当成宗教保护神，堂而皇之地挂在教堂前的公会，有何信赖可言？但是，我的朋友，请靠近圣言的神，从而靠近圣言自身，由此从门进入羊圈，即教会，你会得到启示。然后，你将如同站在山巅那样，不但亲眼看见绝大多数人在下面幽暗森林中的行踪，还能看到自己以前的行踪。
177. (6)由『尼西亞信經』和『亞他尼修信經』所定義的三位一體而導致的信仰令整個基督徒教會走向墮落。
在上面172節已經說明, 無論是『尼西亞信經』還是『亞他尼修信經』, 所定義的三一是三位上帝的三位一體。
這是當今教會信仰的源頭, 就是信父上帝,子上帝和聖靈上帝。信父上帝, 在於祂將兒子的義分配與歸算給人; 信子上帝, 在於祂為人調解和代求; 信聖靈上帝, 在於祂將歸算給人的義真實地實行給人, 並使人稱義,成聖和重生。這就是當今的信仰, 由此可明顯看出, 教會承認並敬拜三位上帝的三一。
[2]在任何教會, 不僅一切的敬拜,甚至一切的教導最終都會回到這樣的信仰。你可以說, 教會的性質如何, 取決於教會的教導如何。於是, 現今"三位上帝"的信仰已經滲透到教會的方方面面。信是個源頭, 教導由此而來, 派生的事物從其源頭獲得它的本質。
如果你仔細檢閱一下教會具體的教導, 例如關於上帝,基督,稱義,悔改,重生,自由選擇,預定揀選,受洗,聖餐等等, 你將會清楚看到, 每個教導之中都包含三位上帝的三一概念。即使有的教導從表面上看並無此教導, 但一定是源自三個位格之三一, 如同流水從源頭而出。
我不在此一一列舉這類的檢驗, 但為了打開人們看清楚教導與信仰之間的關係, 我會在本章附錄舉例說明。
[3]教會對上帝的信, 就像身體之靈魂, 而教會的教導則如身體之四肢。對上帝之信也如同一名女王, 教會的教導如同她朝廷的官員。正如官員對女王的話唯首是瞻, 因此教義之教導當以教會申明之信為準則。
至少可以從某個教會之信看出該教會如何理解聖言, 因為信將聖言吸收給自己, 如同信拿著繩子, 將所需要的從聖言中往自己的方向拉。
如果信錯了, 就會污穢聖言中的所有真理, 引入歧途,歪曲褻瀆。錯誤之信, 會令人變得屬靈上的愚蠢。如果正確, 會認同全部的聖言。這位聖言的上帝, 就是主上帝拯救者, 將注入光亮, 給予屬靈上的認可, 使人變得有智慧。
[4]現今教會之信(內在而言, 信三位上帝; 儘管外表上看, 信一位上帝)熄滅了聖言之光, 並將主從教會移除, 將教會從早晨迅速帶向夜晚(這點詳見本章附錄)。此信的變化由尼西亞會議之前的異端造成, 也包括會議期間和會議之後的異端。
當他們並不是從門進羊圈, 而是如主在約翰福音10:1, 9所說"從別處爬進去", 這樣的信經, 我們要怎樣信呢？在這些會議中, 他們的爭論就像瞎子在白晝遊蕩,不瞎的在深夜亂竄, 兩個都看不見要跌進去的陷井。
例如, 在這些會議中, 將教宗列為上帝的代言人, 拜一些死人, 向他們祈求(似乎他們有超自然能力), 崇拜人的形像, 頒發贖罪券, 將聖餐(的餅杯)分離, 等等, 讓人如何信任這些會議呢？還建立不可思議的預定揀選的邪說, 還把它作為教會標誌豎立在教會建築門口, 讓人如何相信這些會議呢？
我的朋友啊, 我們當親近聖言, 走向聖言之上帝, 由門進入教會之羊圈。這樣, 你就會被光照。於是, 你就如同站在山頂, 看到大多數人走過的路, 包括你自己之前的腳蹤, 在山腳的幽暗森林中遊蕩。
177. 6. The Nicene and Athanasian views of the Trinity led to a faith that has perverted the whole Christian church. On the Nicene and Athanasian Trinity being a trinity of gods, see the evidence from those creeds given above at 172. Those creeds gave rise to the faith in the modern-day church, which is a faith in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The faith in God the Father is that he assigns and ascribes to us the justice of his Son the Savior. The faith in God the Son is that he intercedes and bargains for us. The faith in the Holy Spirit is that he actually instills the justice of the Son that has been assigned to us and seals it as an established fact by justifying us, sanctifying us, and regenerating us. This is the modern faith, which is enough evidence all by itself to prove that the church acknowledges and worships a trinity of gods.
[2] In any church, not only all its worship but also all its dogma ultimately go back to that church's faith. You could say, then, that the nature of a church's faith determines the nature of its teachings. It follows that the faith in question, because it is a faith in three gods, has perverted every aspect of the church. Faith is an origin; teachings are derived from it. What is derived receives its essence from its origin.
If you carefully examine the church's individual teachings - for example, on God, the person of Christ, goodwill, repentance, regeneration, free choice, the selection of the chosen people, the purpose of the sacraments of baptism and the Holy Supper - you will clearly see that there is a trinity of gods in each one of them. If some teaching does not make the Trinity completely apparent, it still flows from the Trinity the way water flows from a spring.
I cannot present an examination of this kind here, but it would be worth presenting at some point, to open people's eyes to the relationship between teachings and faith. Therefore I will show this relationship in an appendix to this work.
[3] The church's faith in God is like a body's soul. The church's teachings are like the body's limbs.
Faith in God is also like a queen, and dogmatic teachings are like her court officials. Just as the officials hang on the queen's every word, so dogmatic teachings depend on the stated faith.
One can judge solely from its faith how a given church understands the Word. A faith adapts the Word to itself. As if the faith had ropes, it pulls whatever it can get from the Word in its own direction.
If a faith is false, it commits prostitution with every truth in the Word, dragging that truth into perversion and falsifying it. A false faith drives us spiritually insane. If a faith is true, it agrees with the whole Word. The God of the Word, who is the Lord God the Savior, then pours light into that faith, blesses it with his divine assent, and makes us wise.
[4] The modern-day faith (which in its inner form is a faith in three gods, although in its outer form it is a faith in one God) has extinguished the light in the Word and has removed the Lord from the church. It has quickly turned the church's morning into night. (This point too will be seen in the appendix.) The changes in the faith were made by heretics before the Council of Nicaea as well as heretics at the council and after it.
How much trust should we put in councils when they do not use the door to enter the sheepfold? Instead they "climb up some other way," as the Lord says in John 10:1, 9. The debating at those councils was like the walking of a blind person by day or a sighted person by night, each of whom fails to see a great pit before falling into it.
For example, how much trust should we put in councils when they have established the notions of viewing the pope as Christ's representative, deifying dead people, calling on them as supernatural powers, venerating their images, authorizing indulgences, splitting the Eucharist, and more? How much trust should we put in the council that established the horrendous idea of predestination and erected it as a religious icon in front of all church buildings?
Instead, my friend, as you approach the Word, go to the God of the Word and enter the sheepfold of the church through the Door. Then you will be enlightened. Then, as if you were on a mountain top, you will see the earlier tracks and mistaken turns in the dark forest at the foot of the mountain - not only those of many other people, but also your own.
177. (vi) THE TRINITY AS DEFINED BY THE COUNCIL OF NICAEA AND BY ATHANASIUS CAUSED A FAITH TO ARISE WHICH HAS PERVERTED THE WHOLE CHRISTIAN CHURCH.
It was shown above (172) from the Creeds that both the Nicene and the Athanasian definitions of the Trinity were of a Trinity of Gods.
This was the source of the faith of the present-day church, in God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. It is in God the Father, so that He may impute the righteousness of His Son the Saviour and ascribe it to man; in God the Son, so that He may intercede and add His authority; in the Holy Spirit, so that He may realise the imputed righteousness of the Son by inscribing it, and when it is established sealing it, making man justified, sanctified and regenerated. This is the present-day faith, which by itself is evidence enough that it is a Trinity of Gods which is acknowledged and worshipped.
[2] The faith of any church is not only the source from which its worship flows, but all its theology. Hence it can be said that such as its faith is, such is its doctrine. It follows from this that the present faith, being faith in three Gods, has subverted everything in the church; for faith is the principle, and matters of doctrine are derivatives, and derivatives get their essence from their principle. If anyone puts to the test any points of doctrine, such as their belief about God, the person of Christ, charity, repentance, regeneration, free will, election, the use of the sacraments of baptism and the Holy Supper, he will see plainly that they each contain the idea of a Trinity of Gods. And even if this does not in fact appear to be contained in them, it is still the source from which they gush forth. Since such a testing cannot be undertaken here, useful though it would be to open people's eyes, I shall add an Appendix to this book, in which this will be proved.
[3] A church's belief about God is like the soul in relation to the body; and its doctrines are like the members of the body. Again, faith in God is like a queen, and its dogmas are like the officials of her court. just as they hang upon the queen's lips, so the dogmas depend upon the statement of faith. At least one can see from that faith how the Word is understood in that church; for faith grapples and hauls in to itself as it were by ropes whatever it can. If it is a false faith, it commits adultery with every truth in it, leading it astray and falsifying it, so that people become of unsound mind in spiritual matters. If, however, it is a true faith, then it enjoys the favour of the whole Word, and the God of the Word, who is the Lord God the Saviour, pours in light, and breathes His Divine assent upon it, so that people become wise.
[4] It will also be seen in the Appendix that the present-day faith, which in inward form is faith in three Gods, though the outward form speaks of one God, has put out the light in the Word, and banished the Lord from the church, thus chasing its morning headlong into night. This is what was done by the heretics before the Council of Nicaea, and then by the heretics in it and after it. But what reliance can be placed on Councils which do not enter the sheep-fold through the door, but climb up another way, as the Lord said in John 10:1, 9? Their debates are not far different from a blind man walking about by day, or a man with sight walking by night, neither of whom see the pitfall before falling into it. For example, what reliance can be placed in Councils which have established the position of the Pope as God's vicar, the canonisation of the dead, their invocation as if they were divine powers, the veneration of their images, the authority to grant indulgences, and the division of the Eucharist, not to mention many more things? What reliance can be placed in the Council which established the unspeakable heresy of predestination, and hung this out as an ensign in front of the churches of their sect? Rather, my friend, approach the God of the Word, and so the Word, and enter by this gate into the sheep-fold, that is, into the church, and you will be given enlightenment. Then you will see, as if you stood on a mountain, not only the way most people have gone, but also your own previous steps and wanderings in the dark wood lying below the mountain.
177. (6) From the Nicene Trinity and the Athanasian Trinity together a faith arose by which the whole Christian church has been perverted. That both the Nicene and Athanasian trinities are a trinity of Gods can be seen from the creeds above quoted (n. 172). From these the faith of the present church has arisen, which is a faith in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, in God the Father that He will impute the righteousness of His Son the Savior and ascribe it to man, in God the Son that He will intercede and covenant, and in the Holy Spirit that He will in reality inscribe upon man the Son's imputed righteousness, and confirm it with a seal, by justifying, sanctifying, and regenerating him. This is the faith of the present day; and it is sufficient evidence that a trinity of Gods is what is acknowledged and worshiped.
[2] From the faith of any church flow forth not only all its worship but also all its dogmas; thus it may be said that such as its faith is such is its doctrine. From this it follows that inasmuch as the faith of the present church is a faith in three Gods, it has perverted all things belonging to the church, for faith is the first principle and doctrinals are derivatives; and derivatives derive their essence from the first principle. If anyone will put these doctrinals one by one under examination, as the doctrine of God, of the person of Christ, of charity, repentance, regeneration, freewill, election, and the use of the sacraments, baptism and the Holy Supper, he will see plainly that there is a trinity of Gods within each one; and even if it does not actually appear within each, they all flow from it as from their fountain. But as such an examination cannot here be made (and yet in order that man's eyes may be opened it is well worth making), an Appendix shall be added to this work in which this will be shown.
[3] The faith of the church respecting God is like the soul in the body, and doctrinals are like the members of the body. Or again, faith in God is like a queen, and dogmas like the officers of her court; and as these all hang upon the word of the queen, so do dogmas upon the utterance of faith. Solely from the faith of a church it can be seen how the Word is understood in that church; for a faith inwardly adapts and draws to itself, as if by cords, whatever things it can. If the faith is false it plays the harlot with every truth therein, and perverts and falsifies it, and in the spiritual things makes man insane. But if the faith is true the whole Word sustains it; and the God of the Word, who is the Lord God the Savior, pours light upon it and breathes upon it His Divine assent and makes man wise.
[4] It will also be seen in the Appendix that the faith of the present day (which in its inward form is a faith in three Gods, but in its outward form a faith in one God) has quenched the light in the Word and taken away the Lord from the church, and has thus changed its morning into night. This was done by heresies before the council of Nice, and further by heresies arising from that council and after it. But what confidence is to be placed in councils which "Enter not through the door into the sheepfold but climb up some other way." (according to the Lord's words in John 10:1, 9)?
Their deliberation is not unlike the walking of a blind man in the daytime or of a man not blind at night, neither of whom sees a ditch until he has tumbled into it. What confidence, for example, can be placed in councils that established the vicarship of the pope, the canonization of the dead, the invocation of the dead as deities, the worship of their images, the granting of indulgences, the division of the Eucharist, and other things? Or what confidence is to be placed in a council that established the unspeakable doctrine of predestination, and hung it up before its church buildings as the palladium of religion? But, my friend, go to the God of the Word, and thus to the Word itself, and so enter through the door into the sheepfold, that is, into the church, and you will be enlightened; and then as from a mountain top you will see for yourself the goings and wanderings, not only of the many but your own also previously in the gloomy forest below.
177. (6) FROM THE NICENE AND ALSO FROM THE ATHANASIAN DOCTRINE CONCERNING THE TRINITY HAS ARISEN A FAITH WHICH HAS PERVERTED THE WHOLE CHRISTIAN CHURCH.
As was shown above in 172 from the Nicene and Athanasian Creeds 1 the trinity, according to them, is a trinity of gods. From them arose the faith of the present Church, which is a belief in God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit: in God the Father, as imputing the righteousness of His Son, the Savior, and ascribing it to man; in God the Son, as interceding and mediating; and in the Holy Spirit, as actually inscribing on man the imputed righteousness of the Son, and sealing it when confirmed by justifying, sanctifying and regenerating him. This is the faith of the present day, which alone is sufficient to prove that a trinity of gods is acknowledged and worshiped.
[2] From the faith of every Church is derived all its worship and doctrine: and it can therefore be said that such as its faith is, such is its doctrine. Hence it follows that this faith in three gods has perverted everything pertaining to the Church, for faith is the first principle and doctrinal teachings are derivatives, and derivatives take their essence from their first principle. If any one examines the particulars of this doctrine in relation to God, the Person of Christ, charity, repentance, regeneration, free will, election, and the use of the sacraments of Baptism and the Holy Supper, he will clearly see that a trinity of gods enters into every one of them; and if it does not actually appear to be in them, yet it is the source from which they flow. It is not possible, however, at this point to undertake such an examination; but since it is expedient to do so for the sake of opening men's eyes, an Appendix will therefore be added to this work in which this point will be demonstrated.
[3] The faith of the Church respecting God is like the soul in the body, and particulars of doctrine are like its members. Moreover, faith in God is like a queen, and doctrinal tenets are like the officers of her court; and as these depend on the authority of the queen, so doctrinal tenets depend on the declarations of faith. From the nature of this faith may be seen how the Word is understood in the Church, for faith bends and attracts to itself whatever it can, as it were with cords. If it is a false faith, it plays the harlot with every truth in the Word; it puts a wrong interpretation upon it, and falsifies it, and renders a man insane in regard to spiritual matters. If however it is a true faith, then the whole Word is in harmony with it, and the God of the Word, who is the Lord God the Savior, sheds light and breathes upon it His Divine assent, and makes a man wise.
[4] The faith of the present day, which in its internal form is a faith of three gods but is its external form is a faith of one God, has extinguished the light in the Word, and removed the Lord from the Church, and has thus turned its morning into night, as will also be seen in the Appendix. This was done by heretics before the Council of Nice, and then by the heretics of that Council and those who followed.
But what confidence ought to be placed in Councils which do not enter "by the door into the sheepfold, but climb up some other way," according to the words of the Lord in John 10:1, 9?
Their deliberations are not unlike the steps of a blind man by day, or those of a man who has the use of his eyes by night, neither of whom sees the ditch before he falls into it. For example, what confidence ought to be placed in Councils which have established the Pope's vicarship, the canonization of the dead, the invocation of them as deities and the worship of their images, the authority of indulgences, the division of the Eucharist, 2 and so on? Moreover, what confidence ought to be placed in a Council which established the abominable doctrine of predestination, and hung this up before the temples of their Church as the palladium of their religion? But do you, my friend, go to the God of the Word, and so to the Word, and in this way enter by the door into the sheepfold, that is, the Church, and you will be enlightened. You will then see for yourself as from a mountain top not only the errors of many others, but also the tracks of your own former wanderings in the dark forest at the foot of the mountain.
Footnotes:
1. Athanasian Symbol or Creed. Although bearing the name of Athanasius, it was probably composed by Hilary, in the century after the formulation of the Nicene Creed, A.D. 325. The name was given to it about the year A.D. 670 as an excellent system of the doctrines of Athansius concerning the Trinity and the Incarnation, principally in opposition to the Arians. It is received by the Romish Church and also by the Reformed.
2. Eucharist, Holy Supper, thanksgiving.
177. VI. QUOD EX TRINITATE NICAENA ET SIMUL ATHANASIANA EXORTA SIT FIDES, QUAE TOTAM ECCLESIAM CHRISTIANAM PERVERTERAT. Quod Trinitas Nicaena et simul Athanasiana sit Trinitas Deorum, ex Symbolis illorum supra 172, ostensum videatur; inde exorta est Fides hodiernae Ecclesiae, 1 quae est in Deum Patrem, Deum Filium, et Deum Spiritum Sanctum; in Deum Patrem, ut imputet justitiam Salvatoris Filii sui, ac illam adscribat homini; in Deum Filium ut intercedat et constipuletur; in Spiritum Sanctum, ut actualiter justitiam Filii imputatam inscribat, et constabilitam sigillet, hominem justificando, sanctificando et regenerando; haec est Fides hodierna, quae sola testari potest, quod Trinitas Deorum sit, quae agnoscitur et colitur.
[2] Ex fide cujusvis Ecclesiae redundat non modo omnis Cultus ejus, sed etiam omne dogmaticum ejus, quare dici potest, quod qualis fides est, talis sit doctrina ejus; quod illa Fides, quia est fides in tres Deos, perverterit omnia Ecclesiae, inde sequitur, nam Fides est principium, et doctrinalia 2 sunt principiata, et principiata a principio trahunt suam essentiam. Si quis sub examen mittit singula doctrinalia, sicut id quod de Deo, de Persona Christi, de Charitate, de Poenitentia, de Regeneratione, de Libero 3 Arbitrio, de Electione, de usu Sacramentorum, Baptismi et Sanctae Coenae, manifeste videbit, quod Trinitas Deorum singulis insit, et si non actualiter apparet inesse, usque ex illa sicut ex suo fonte scaturiat: sed quia tale examen hic non fieri potest, et tamen operae pretium est ad aperiendum oculos ut fiat, ideo huic operi adjungetur Appendix, in qua hoc demonstrabitur.
[3] Fides Ecclesiae de Deo, est sicut Anima corporis, et doctrinalia sunt sicut membra hujus; et insuper Fides in Deum est sicut Regina, et dogmatica sunt sicut officiarii 4 aulae ejus, et sicut hi pendent ex ore Reginae, ita dogmatica ab effato fidei; ex illa fide duntaxat videri potest, quomodo intelligitur Verbum in ejus Ecclesia, fides enim inapplicat sibi, et trahit sicut per funes ad se quaecunque potest; si fides falsa est, meretricatur illa cum omni vero ibi, ac trahit ad sinistrum et falsificat illud, et facit hominem in spiritualibus insanire; si autem Fides vera est, tunc favet totum Verbum, et Deus Verbi, qui est Dominus Deus Salvator, infundit lucem, et aspirat Divino suo assensu, et facit hominem sapere.
[4] Quod hodierna Fides, quae in interna forma est trium Deorum, in externa autem unius Dei, exstinxerit lucem in Verbo, et removerit Dominum ab Ecclesia, et sic mane ejus praecipitaverit in noctem, in Appendice etiam videbitur; hoc factum est ab haereticis ante Concilium Nicaenum, ac deinde ab haereticis ex illo et post illud: sed quid fidendum est Conciliis, quae non per Januam intrant in Ovile, sed ASCENDUNT ALIUNDE, secundum Domini verba apud Johannem 10:1, 9; est illorum deliberatio non absimilis ambulationi caeci in die, aut oculati in nocte, quorum uterque non videt foveam, priusquam in illam illapsi sunt. Quid pro exemplo fidendum est Conciliis, quae constabiliverunt Vicariatum Papae, Apotheosin mortuorum, et horum sicut Numinum invocationem, eorundem imaginum venerationem, indulgentiarum auctoritatem, et Eucharistiae divisionem, praeter plura. Tum quid fidendum est Concilio, quod constabilivit infandam Praedestinationem, et hanc ut Palladium religionis ante templa Ecclesiae suae appenderunt. Sed, mi amice! adi Deum Verbi, et sic Verbum, ac ita 5 intra per Januam in Ovile, hoc est, in Ecclesiam, et illustraberis, et tunc ipse visurus es sicut e monte, non modo plurium, sed etiam priores tuos gressus et errores in sylva opaca sub monte.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: Ecelesiae.
2. Prima editio: dostrinalia.
3. Prima editio: Liberio.
4. Prima editio: officiciarii.
5. Prima editio: ta.