183.（9）关于神的各种荒谬怪异的观念就是从《亚他尼修信经》所宣称的每个位格都单独为神的三位格三一而生出的，它们全都是幻想，是畸形的观念。永恒的三神性位格的教义本身是基督教会所持全部教义中的首要教义，已滋生出众多有关神的不恰当观念，这些观念与基督教界是不相称的。然而，基督教界在神及其一体性的问题上，本应并能够成为全球各地各族人民的一道亮光。凡在基督教会之外的，包括伊斯兰教徒、犹太教徒，以及各个宗教的异教徒，拒绝基督教的唯一原因就是它的三神信仰。传教士们十分清楚这一点，所以他们极其小心，不去公开谈论如《尼西亚信经》和《亚他尼修信经》中所描述的三位格三一。因为那时，他们的皈依者会跑开，并取笑他们。
荒谬可笑、毫无意义的观念已经从永恒的三神性位格的教义中涌出来，并仍在凡坚持相信从眼耳上升到思维视野中有关该教义的那些话之人的心里向上喷涌。这些观念是：父神坐在头顶上的高处，子坐在祂的右手边，他们面前的圣灵则聆听，并跑遍全世界，以根据他们的决定分配称义的恩赐，将其铭刻在人们身上，将人们从烈怒之子变成恩典之子，从被诅咒的变成被拣选的。我请问神职人员中的学者和受过教育的平信徒，他们心里是不是只有这样一幅形像，因为这样一幅形像会自动从该教义本身涌入脑海（参看记事，16节）。
由此涌入脑海的，还有一种好奇心，即人们会猜测他们在创世前彼此谈论什么，是不是谈论创造这个世界，或如堕落前预定论者所认为的，谈论谁注定得救并称义，亦或谈论救赎。同样，自创世之后，他们又会谈论什么，会谈论父凭其权柄和能力去分配，子凭其能力去调解吗？此外，分配，也就是拣选，来自一般为所有人、特别为某些人所代求的子，而父因被对子的爱，以及目睹子在十字架上遭受的极度痛苦所打动，便向这些人施恩典。但是，谁看不出关于神的这类观念就是精神错乱后的胡言乱语？然而，在基督教界，这些却是圣物，要用口唇来亲吻，不可以头脑的想象来探究，因为它们超越理性，若被举过记忆，进入认知，人就会发疯。而这不会逐出三神观，只会引发一种愚蠢的信仰。这信使得人们在思想神时，好比梦游者在夜晚的黑暗中四处游荡，或像生来瞎眼的人在白天行走。
183. (9)因為三個位格的三一,每一位格各自是上帝(如『亞他尼修信經』宣稱的三位一體), 引發了關於上帝的各樣荒謬的,奇特的,虛構的,畸形的想法。
從永遠(萬世之先)就有三個神性位格是基督徒教會所有教導中的基礎, 這樣的教導引發了眾多關於上帝的不恰當的想法。然而這與基督徒世界並不相稱, 因為基督徒能夠,且應當成為全球各方各族人民的明燈, 引導世人對上帝和祂的唯一有正確的概念。
所有基督徒教會之外的, 包括伊斯蘭教徒,猶太教徒, 還有各樣宗教的外邦人, 都因三位一體上帝之信而拒絕基督教。宣教士們應該意識到這點, 因此他們極其小心,不去公開談三位一體——就是『尼西亞信經』和『亞他尼修信經』所宣稱的, 因為他們的歸信者們會迅速跑開, 甚至嘲笑他們。
[2]自永遠就有三個神性位格的教導, 產生了荒謬的,奇特的,畸形的想像。事實上, 這些想像回過頭來又讓人去相信這些教導的文字說法, 從人的眼和耳, 直到腦中的形像化。
想像父上帝高坐在我們的上方, 子坐在祂的右手邊。聖靈坐在二位的前方, 聆聽二位所說, 並按吩咐立即飛遍全球各角落, 按父與子的決定,將稱義之恩賜分發給應得之人。聖靈分發那些恩賜,將憤怒之子轉為恩典之子,當詛咒的轉為被揀選的。
我曾向有學問的牧師及受教的平信徒們挑戰, 除了上述這幅圖像, 他們的腦中能否有其它的圖像？從三個神性位格的教導中只會流出這樣的圖像(如第16節的經歷所描繪)。
[3]這樣的信還會讓人去猜想, 這三個神性位格在創世之先會彼此談論什麼呢？他們會討論怎樣去創造宇宙, 誰當預定得救和稱義(如預定論者所信)？還會討論如何救贖？類似的, 自從創世之後, 他們彼此又討論什麼呢？父有權力和能力去歸算(將屬靈的獎與罰分配), 祂會怎麼說呢？子有能力去調解與代求, 又會說什麼呢？這個信還會讓人去猜想, 因為子的調解與代求, 人得以被揀選; 子為所有人,特別是為某些人代求。這些人獲得由父而來的恩典, 是因父愛子,看到祂在十架上的所受的痛苦。
誰看不出來, 這些猜想的內容極不理性, 甚至胡說八道？然而這些概念在基督徒世界卻是神聖之事,以嘴親之。並不用任何頭腦的分析, 因為認定它們遠在理性的水準之上。如果某人將它們從記憶層面上升到認知層面, 會令他抓狂發瘋。這還是不能去除三位上帝的念頭, 卻導致一個愚蠢之信。使人們思想上帝時, 就像某人夢遊, 在漆黑的夜晚四處遊蕩, 或像生來瞎眼之人在白天亂逛。
183. 9. Many absurd, alien, imaginary, and misshapen ideas of God have come into existence from the Athanasian Creed's assertion of a trinity of persons, each of whom is individually God. The teaching that there have been three divine persons from eternity - the chief of all teachings in Christian churches - has produced many unseemly ideas about God that are unsuitable for the Christian world, especially since that world could be and ought to be a light revealing God and his unity to all the peoples and nations in the four quarters of the earth.
All who live outside the Christian church, both Muslims and Jews, as well as other non-Christians with whatever kind of worship, have rejected Christianity solely because of its belief in three gods. Christian missionaries know this. They are extremely careful not to publicize the trinity of persons taught in the Nicene and Athanasian Creeds, because people would go away laughing.
[2] The teaching that there have been three divine persons from eternity has produced absurd, ludicrous, and silly mental images. In fact, these mental images keep coming up in any of us who continue to believe the words of this teaching. They rise up through our ears and eyes into the visualization in our thoughts.
The images are that God the Father sits high above our heads. The Son sits by his right hand. The Holy Spirit sits in front of them both, listening to them and then immediately running around the planet dispensing the gifts of justification according to their decision. The Holy Spirit instills those gifts, turning children of anger into children of grace and the damned into the chosen.
I challenge learned clergy and educated laity to check and see whether they harbor any other picture besides this one in their minds. This picture, you see, flows in spontaneously from this teaching (see the memorable occurrence above at 16).
[3] This teaching also leads people to conjecture what the three talked about before the world was created. Did they talk about creating the world? Did they talk about predestining people and justifying them, as the Supralapsarians would have us believe? Did they talk about redemption? For that matter, what have they been saying to each other since the world was created? What is the Father saying, with his power and authority of assigning spiritual credit and blame? What is the Son saying, with his power of mediating? This teaching also leads some to conjecture that it belongs to the Son's mercy to assign people spiritual credit or blame, which is the same as choosing them for hell or heaven, since the Son generally intercedes for all people and specifically intercedes for some individuals. Toward these individuals the Father has an attitude of grace because he is moved with love for the Son, having seen the Son's anguish on the wood of the cross.
Anyone can see that these conjectures are a form of irrationality about God. Yet in the Christian churches they are sacred objects that we have to kiss with our lips. Nevertheless, we must not give them close mental attention, because they transcend rationality and will make us insane if they are raised from our memory into our intellect. This precaution, though, does not do away with our mental picture of three gods - it just gives us a stupid belief. Thoughts about God that are based on this faith resemble the footsteps of someone sleepwalking and dreaming in the dead of night, or the footsteps of someone born blind who is walking in the light of day.
183. (ix) FROM A TRINITY OF PERSONS, EACH OF WHICH INDIVIDUALLY IS GOD, AS ASSERTED BY THE ATHANASIAN CREED, MANY ABSURD IDEAS OF VARIOUS KINDS HAVE ARISEN ABOUT GOD, WHICH ARE MERE FANCIES AND ABORTIONS.
The doctrine of three Divine persons from eternity, which is in itself the chief of all the doctrines held by the Christian churches, has given rise to many unbecoming ideas about God, unworthy of the Christian world, which, however, can and ought to be a light to all peoples and races in all four quarters of the globe concerning God and His oneness. All who live outside the Christian church, Mohammedans as well as Jews, and the heathen besides of whatever religion, reject Christianity solely on account of its belief in three Gods. Missionaries are well aware of this; so they take the greatest care not to speak openly of the Trinity of persons as described in the Nicene and Athanasian Creeds, since then their converts would run away and make fun of them.
[2] The absurd, ridiculous and frivolous ideas which have arisen from the doctrine of three divine persons from eternity, and which still arise in the mind of anyone who sticks to believing the wording of that doctrine, rising from the ears and eyes to the level of mental contemplation, are these. God the Father sits overhead on high, with the Son at His right hand and the Holy Spirit in front of them listening, and rushing off on the instant through the world to hand out the gifts of justification according to the decision taken, inscribing these gifts and making their recipients sons of grace instead of sons of wrath, and elect instead of damned. I challenge the learned among the clergy and educated laymen to say whether they have in their minds any other picture than this imaginary one. For this springs to mind of its own accord from the doctrine itself; see the experience described in 16 above.
[3] Another thing that springs to mind is a curiosity to guess what they talked to each other about before the creation of the world. Did they talk about creating the world, about who were predestined to be saved and justified, as the Supralapsarians believe, and also about redemption? Likewise, what do they talk to each other about since the creation of the world, the Father with His authority and power to impute, the Son with His power to mediate; that imputation, which is election, is dependent upon the mercy of the Son who intercedes for all, and individually for some; and these receive grace from the Father, who is moved by love for His Son and by seeing His suffering on the cross. Can anyone fail to see that such ideas of God are the ravings of a deranged mind? Yet in Christian churches those are the holy things to be kissed with the lips, not inspected by any mental vision, because they are above the level of reason; if anyone were to lift them above the memory level to that of the understanding, they would drive him mad. But still this does not banish the idea of three Gods, but induces a foolish faith, which makes people think about God like someone dreaming in his sleep, walking in pitch darkness at night, or like a person blind from birth walking in daylight.
183. (9) From a Trinity of Persons, each one of whom singly is God, according to the Athanasian creed, many discordant and heterogeneous ideas respecting God have arisen, which are phantasies and abortions. From the doctrine of three Divine persons from eternity, which in itself is the head of all the doctrinals in the Christian churches, there have arisen many ideas of God that are unbecoming and unworthy of the Christian world, which, on the subject of God and His oneness ought to be and might be a light to all peoples and nations in the four quarters of the globe. All who dwell outside the Christian church, both Mohammedans and Jews, and besides these the Gentiles of every cult, are averse to Christianity solely on account of its belief in three Gods. This its propagandists know; and therefore they are very cautious about divulging the doctrine of a trinity of persons as it is taught in the Nicene and Athanasian creeds; for if they did they would be shunned and ridiculed.
[2] The absurd, ludicrous, and frivolous ideas that have sprung up out of the doctrine of three Divine persons from eternity, and that still spring up in every man who retains a belief in the words of that doctrine, rising from his ears and eyes into the sight of his thought, are as follows: That God the Father sits on high overhead; the Son at His right hand; and the Holy Spirit before them listening, and forthwith traversing the whole world, dispensing according to their decision the gifts of justification, inscribing them upon men and changing men from children of wrath to children of grace, and from being damned to being elect. I appeal to the learned of the clergy and well-informed of the laity, whether in their minds they cherish any other visual image than this, for this flows of itself from the same doctrine (see Memorable Relation, n. 16).
[3] There flows from it also a curiosity for conjecturing what they conversed about before the world was made, whether about making the world, or perchance about those who according to the Supralapsarians were to be predestined and justified, or also about redemption; likewise what they have been conversing about among themselves since the world was created - the Father from His authority and power to impute, the Son from His power to mediate; moreover that imputation, which is election, is from the mercy of the Son who intercedes for all in general and for some individually, and that the Father, being moved by love to the Son and by the agony witnessed in Him when on the cross, has grace for such. But who cannot see that such things are silly conceits about God? And yet in the Christian churches these are the very sanctities, which are to be kissed with the lips, but not looked into by any mental vision because they are above the reason, and if they were lifted out of the memory into the understanding man would become insane. This, however, does not take away the idea of three Gods but induces a stupid faith, because of which a man, when thinking about God, may be likened to a sleep-walker wandering about in the darkness of night, or to one blind from birth wandering in the light of day.
183. (9) FROM A TRINITY OF PERSONS, EACH OF WHOM IS SEPARATELY GOD, ACCORDING TO THE ATHANASIAN CREED, 1 HAVE ARISEN MANY DISCORDANT AND INCONGRUOUS IDEAS CONCERNING GOD, WHICH ARE DELUSIVE AND MONSTROUS.
From the doctrine of three Divine Persons from eternity, which in itself is the head of all the doctrinal teachings in Christian Churches, have arisen many unbecoming ideas concerning God, unworthy of the Christian world, which ought to be, and which might be, a light to all peoples and nations in the four quarters of the earth, on the subject of God and His Unity. All who live outside the Christian Church, Mohammedans, 2 Jews and also Gentiles, whatever religion they profess, hold Christianity in aversion, solely because of its belief in three gods. Its missionaries know this; and they are therefore particularly cautious in expounding the trinity of Persons, as it is in the Nicene and Athanasian Creeds, since in doing so they might be shunned and ridiculed.
[2] The following are the discordant, unreal and worthless ideas which have arisen from the doctrine of three Divine Persons from eternity, and which still arise in the mind of every one who continues to believe in the words of that doctrine, and which surge into his range of thought from what he hears and reads: Somewhere overhead God the Father sits on high, the Son at His right hand, and the Holy Spirit before them, attending to what is said, who instantly runs over the whole earth, dispensing the gifts of justification according to what has been decided, inscribing them on the hearts of men, and changing them from children of wrath to children of grace, and transforming them from the condemned to the elect. I appeal to the learned, both clergy and laity, whether they entertain in their minds any other view of the Trinity than this, for it flows spontaneously from that doctrine, as may be seen in the Narrative above, 16.
[3] Where this view is held there is also curiosity regarding what the three Persons conversed about with one another before the world was created; whether about the world that was to be created, about those who were to be predestined and justified, according to the Supralapsarians, 3 or even about redemption; and also regarding what they now converse about with one another since the creation of the world, the Father speaking from His authority and power of imputation, the Son from His power of mediation. Thus it will be concluded that imputation, which is election, comes from compassion roused by the Son's pleading for all men, and particularly for some to whom the Father is moved to show favor from His love of the Son, and from the agony which He saw Him endure on the cross.
Who cannot see that such ideas concerning God are but ravings of the mind? And yet they are in the Christian Churches the holy things, themselves, to be revered by the lips but not to be examined by the mind, because they transcend reason, and if raised from the memory into the understanding, would drive a man mad. Nevertheless this does not remove the idea of three gods, but it induces a stupid faith, from which a man thinks about God like who dreams in his sleep, or who walks in the darkness of night, or like one blind from his birth who walks in the light of day.
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. Mohammad, the founder of Mohammedanism or Islam, A.D. 571-632, was born at Mecca, where his father was spiritual and temporal head. He married a wealthy and devout widow, and owed much to her influence. In the visions to which he was subject he received confirmations of his Divine mission. He also received messages from Gabriel which were incorporated in the KORAN, the sacred book of Mohammedanism. Early persecution drove him from Mecca and in the year A.D. 622 he fled to Medina, where he was cordially welcomed. This flight, or Hejira, marks the beginning of the Mohammedan year, and from Medina he set out on his conquest of Arabia. Mohammedanism proclaims the unity of the God-head, and condemns idolatry; but the peaceful methods of propaganda soon gave place to ruthless persecution of infidels and merciless extermination of idolators.
3. Supralapsarian, one who maintains that the decree of election as regards eternal salvation of some and the eternal reprobation of others was a part of the original plan; and that the fall of Adam was predestinated from all eternity. (Supra, beyond, and lapsus, the fall.)
183. IX. QUOD EX TRINITATE PERSONARUM, QUARUM UNAQUAEVIS SINGULATIM EST DEUS, SECUNDUM SYMBOLUM ATHANASIANUM, PLURES ABSONAE ET HETEROGENEAE IDEAE DE DEO EXSTITERINT, QUAE SUNT PHANTASIAE ET ABORTUS. Ex Doctrina Trium Personarum Divinarum ab aeterno, quae in se est Caput omnium doctrinalium in Ecclesiis Christianis, exortae sunt plures indecorae ideae de Deo, indignae Christiano Orbi, qui tamen et debet esse et potest esse Luminare omnibus populis et gentibus in quatuor Telluris partibus de Deo et ejus Unitate; omnes qui extra Ecclesiam Christianam habitant, tam Mahumedani quam Judaei, et praeter hos Gentiles, cujusvis cultus, aversantur Christianismum unice propter fidem trium Deorum ibi; propagatores ejus hoc sciunt; quare cavent sibi summopere 1 Trinitatem Personarum, qualis est in Symbolis, Nicaeno et Athanasiano, propalare, quoniam tunc aufugerent et subsannarent.
[2] Ideae absonae, ludicrae et frivolae, quae ex Doctrina trium Personarum Divinarum ab aeterno, exortae sunt, et apud unumquemvis, qui manet in fide verborum istius Doctrinae, exoriuntur, et ex auribus et oculis in visum cogitationis, exsurgunt, 2 sunt hae. Quod Deus Pater supra caput in alto sedeat, ac Filius ad dextram Ejus, ac Spiritus sanctus ante illos auscultans, et actutum percurrens terrarum Orbem, et secundum decisum dispenset dona justificationis, ac inscribat illa, ac faciat illos a filiis irae filios gratiae, et a damnatis electos; provoco ad doctos e Clericis et ad eruditos e Laicis, num alium visum, quam hunc idealem, in mentibus suis foveant, influit enim ille sua sponte ex ipsa Doctrina; vide MEMORABILE supra 16.
[3] Influit etiam curiositas conjecturandi, quid ante Mundum creatum inter se colloquuti sunt, numne de Mundo creando, numne etiam de praedestinandis ac justificandis secundum Supralapsarios, numne etiam de Redemptione: pariter quid colloquuntur inter se post Mundum creatum, Pater ex auctoritate et potentia imputandi, et Filius ex potestate mediandi, et quod imputatio, quae est electio, sit ex misericordia Filii intercedentis pro omnibus, et singulatim pro aliquibus, et quod pro illis gratia sit Patri commoto ex amore in Filium, et ex miseria visa in illo super ligno crucis. Sed quis non potest videre, quod talia sint deliria mentis de Deo, et tamen illa in Ecclesiis Christianis sunt ipsa Sancta, quae ore osculanda sunt, sed non lustranda aliquo visu mentis, quia suprarationalia sunt, quae si ex memoria elevantur in intellectum, insanit homo; sed usque hoc non tollit ideam trium Deorum, sed inducit fidem stupidam, ex qua homo cogitat de Deo, sicut dormiens in somnio, ambulans in caligine noctis, aut sicut caecus a nativitate in luce diei.
Footnotes: