633.在基督教界众所周知，自那时起，三个神性身位的信就被接受了，而且得到所有主教、大主教、教会领袖以及长老的支持和传讲，直到现在。因为由此而来的有关三位神的虚假信仰已侵入人的心智，所以除了适用于依次的三个身位的信外，不可能再有带来光明的任何信了。这信声称，圣父必须被靠近，并被祈求转嫁祂儿子的公义，或由于圣子十字架受难而施予怜悯，并派出圣灵带来方法和救恩的最终果效。
这信是脱胎于那两个信经的产物；但当其襁褓被剥离后，进入眼帘的不是一个，而是三个，起初仿佛拥抱在一起，但后来就分开了。因为他们规定，本质将他们联结在一起，但他们却因各自的功能（即创造、救赎和运作，或报应，转嫁公义和实现）而分开。由于这个原因，尽管他们从三个神中炮制出一个神，却没有从三个身位中炮制出一个身位，以防止三个神的观念被摧毁。因为只要这信坚持每个身位单独为神，如信经所言，那么若这三个身位因此成为一个，建立在这三个支柱上的整个大厦就会轰然倒塌，成为一堆废墟。
那次公会之所以引入永恒的三个神性身位的教义，是因为他们没有恰当地检查圣言，以至于没能从中找到反对阿里乌派的其它证据。后来他们将这各自为神的三个身位拼接起来，制造出一个神，因为他们害怕三大洲的每个理性虔诚之人指控他们信仰三个神，并谴责他们。他们发明的信之教义适用于依次的所有三个神，因为这是那前提的不可避免的后果。对此，再补充一点，如果这三个中任一个被忽略，那么第三个就不会被派出，因而神性恩典的整个运作都将是徒劳的。
633. 在基督教界众所周知, 自那时起, 三个神性身位的信就被接受了, 而且得到所有主教, 大主教, 教会领袖以及长老的支持和传讲, 直到现在。 因为由此而来的有关三位神的虚假信仰已侵入人的心智, 所以除了适用于依次的三个身位的信外, 不可能再有带来光明的任何信了。 这信声称, 圣父必须被靠近, 并被祈求转嫁祂儿子的公义, 或由于圣子十字架受难而施予怜悯, 并派出圣灵带来方法和救恩的最终果效。
这信是脱胎于那两个信经的产物; 但当其襁褓被剥离后, 进入眼帘的不是一个, 而是三个, 起初仿佛拥抱在一起, 但后来就分开了。 因为他们规定, 本质将他们联结在一起, 但他们却因各自的功能 (即创造, 救赎和运作, 或归算, 转嫁公义和实现) 而分开。 由于这个原因, 尽管他们从三个神中炮制出一个神, 却没有从三个身位中炮制出一个身位, 以防止三个神的观念被摧毁。 因为只要这信坚持每个身位单独为神, 如信经所言, 那么若这三个身位因此成为一个, 建立在这三个支柱上的整个大厦就会轰然倒塌, 成为一堆废墟。
那次公会之所以引入永恒的三个神性身位的教义, 是因为他们没有恰当地检查圣言, 以至于没能从中找到反对阿里乌派的其它证据。 后来他们将这各自为神的三个身位拼接起来, 制造出一个神, 因为他们害怕三大洲的每个理性虔诚之人指控他们信仰三个神, 并谴责他们。 他们发明的信之教义适用于依次的所有三个神, 因为这是那前提的不可避免的后果。 对此, 再补充一点, 如果这三个中任一个被忽略, 那么第三个就不会被派出, 因而神性恩典的整个运作都将是徒劳的。
633. After that time a belief in three divine persons was accepted, ratified, and proclaimed by all the bishops, prelates, church leaders, and elders in the Christian world right up to the present day, as we all know.
Because this belief led directly to a mental image of three gods, it could not help but result in a faith that is applied to these three persons in sequence. That is, we are to turn to God the Father and beg that he either assign us the justice of his Son or else have mercy on us because of the Son's suffering on the cross, and send us the Holy Spirit to produce the intermediate and final effects of our salvation.
[2] This belief is the offspring that was born from these two creeds. When the swaddling cloths are unraveled, however, what comes into view is not one child but three. At first the three are joined in a kind of embrace, but soon they are separated. People have decided that the three are joined by one essence but distinguished by various properties or activities: creating, redeeming, and working; or the assigning of justice, the justice assigned, and the carrying into effect, respectively. Although people made one God out of these three, they did not make one Person out of these three persons; if they had, the idea of three gods would have been obliterated. As long as each person is individually recognized as a God, as the creed indicates, this trinitarian view remains in place. The danger was that if three persons were to have become one, the whole house built upon these three as its pillars would have collapsed into a heap.
[3] The Council of Nicaea introduced the idea of three divine persons from eternity for the reason that it had not properly examined the Word and had therefore found no other protection against the Arians. The reason why they then collated those three persons, each of whom is God all by himself, into one was out of fear. They were afraid that every rational, religious person on all three continents would have accused them of believing in three gods and would have vilified them.
The reason why they handed down a belief that applied to those three in sequence was that no other belief would have been consistent with that starting point.
One might add to this that if one of the three were omitted, the third would not be sent out, and so all the workings of divine grace would be ineffectual.
633. It is well known in the Christian world that from that time on a faith in three Divine Persons has been accepted, supported and preached by all bishops, archbishops and princes of the church, and by the clergy, down to the present day. Since from this a false belief about three gods has invaded people's minds, it was impossible for any faith to be brought to light except one which is applied to the three persons in turn. This claims that God the Father is to be approached and begged to impute the righteousness of His Son, or to show mercy on account of the Son's suffering on the cross, and to send the Holy Spirit to bring about the means and final effects of salvation.
[2] This faith is the offspring born of those two Creeds. But as its swaddling clothes are unwrapped, what comes into view is not one but three, at first joined as if embracing, but later separated. For they lay down that essence joins them together, but they are separated by their individual functions - creating, redeeming and working; or imputation, imputed righteousness and realisation. This is the reason why, although they made one God out of the three functions, they still did not make one God out of the three Persons, to prevent the idea of three Gods being wiped out. For, as long as the belief persists that each Person singly is God, as the Creed says, then if the three Persons were as a result to become one, the whole edifice founded as it were on three columns would collapse into a pile of ruins.
[3] The reason why the Council introduced the idea of three Divine Persons from eternity was their failure to examine the Word properly, so that they could find from it no other refuge as a defence against the Arians. They then brought the three Persons, each of whom is by Himself God, together to make one God, through fear that every rational and pious person in the three continents would accuse them of believing in three Gods and slander them. They devised the doctrine of faith applied to all three in turn, because this is the inevitable consequence of that premise. A further reason was that if one of the three were overlooked, the third would not be sent, so that the whole working of Divine grace would be nullified.
633. That a belief in three Divine persons has been accepted since that time, and has also been confirmed and preached by all bishops, hierarchs, church rulers, and presbyters up to the present time, is known in the Christian world; and because a mental persuasion of the existence of three Gods has emanated therefrom, men have been unable to devise any other faith than one that could be applied to these three in their order; namely, this, that God the Father must be approached and be implored to impute His Son's righteousness, or to be merciful on account of His Son's passion on the cross, and to send the Holy Spirit to work out the mediate and final effects of salvation.
[2] This faith is the offspring born from those two creeds; but when its swaddling clothes are stripped off, there comes to view not one but three, at first joined together, as it were, in an embrace, but afterward separated, for it is declared that their essence unites them, but their properties - which are creation, redemption, and operation (that is, imputation, imputed righteousness and the making it effectual) separate them. And for this reason, although out of three Gods they have made one, yet they have not made one Person out of three, from a fear that the idea of three Gods might be obliterated; for then, as stated in the creed, each Person singly can still be believed to be God; while if the three Persons were in consequence to become one, the whole house, built upon these three as its columns, would tumble into a heap.
[3] That council introduced the doctrine of three Divine persons from eternity because they had not properly searched the Word, and could therefore find no other defense against the Arians. Afterwards they combined those three Persons, each one of whom is God by Himself, into one God, from a fear of being accused of a belief in three Gods and reproached for it by every reasonable religious person on the three continents. They taught a belief that applied to the three Gods in their order, because no other faith could issue from that principle; to which is to be added, that if one of the three were passed by, the third would not be sent, and thus every operation of Divine grace would be fruitless.
633. It is well known in the Christian world that a belief in three Divine Persons has been generally received since that time, and has been confirmed and preached by all bishops, prelates, rulers of the Church and presbyters even to the present day. As this has resulted in a mental persuasion that there are three Gods, no other faith could be devised than one applicable to those three in their due order, as the faith which teaches that God the Father must be approached and implored to impute the righteousness of His Son, or to be merciful for the sake of His Son's passion of the cross, and to send the Holy Spirit to operate the mediate and ultimate effects of salvation.
[2] This faith is a birth from the Nicene 1 and Athanasian Creeds; 2 but when stripped of its swaddling clothes, not one but three Persons come to view, at first joined together, as it were, in close embrace, but presently separated. For it is stated that they are joined in essence, but separated in their particular functions of creation, redemption, and operation; or of imputation, imputed righteousness, and effectual application. Therefore, although they have made one God of three, yet they have not made one Person of three, lest the idea of three should be obliterated. It is not obliterated as long as each Person singly is believed to be God, as stated in the Creed; but if the three Persons should be made one, the whole edifice, built upon the three as supporting pillars, would collapse in a heap of ruins.
[3] The Nicene Council introduced the dogma of three Divine Persons from eternity because they did not rightly examine the Word, and consequently found no other refuge against the Arians. They afterwards formed into one God those three Persons, each of whom is God by Himself, because they were afraid of being censured and reproached by every sensible religious man throughout the world for affirming a belief in three Gods. They taught a faith in conformity with the idea of three Persons in due order, because no other faith proceeded from that principle. Moreover, if one of the three were omitted, the third could not be sent forth, and thus the whole operation of Divine grace would come to naught.
Footnotes:
1. Nice (Nicaea), city of Asia Minor, in Bithynia. In A.D. 325 it was the seat of a Council summoned to settle the Arian controversy. The creed there adopted is known as the Nicene Creed.
2. 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.
633. Quod fides trium Personarum Divinarum ab illo tempore recepta sit, et ab omnibus Episcopis, Hierarchis, Dynastis Ecclesiae, et Presbyteris usque ad praesens tempus confirmata 1 et praedicata sit, in Christiano Orbe notum est; et quia inde emanavit persuasio mentalis de tribus Diis, non potuit alia Fides excludi, quam quae Tribus illis in suo ordine applicata esset, quae est, quod Deus Pater adeundus sit, et implorandus, ut imputet justitiam Filii sui, aut ut misereatur propter passionem crucis Filii, et mittat Spiritum Sanctum ut operetur salutis effectus medios et ultimos.
[2] Haec fides est foetus ex duobus illis Symbolis enatus; sed dum fasciae evolvuntur, in conspectum non venit unus sed tres, primum conjuncti sicut amplexu, at mox separati, statuunt enim, quod Essentia conjungat illos, sed proprietates, quae sunt creatio, redemptio, operatio, seu imputatio, justitia imputata et effectuatio, separent illos: quae causa est, quod tametsi ex tribus unum Deum composuerunt, usque tamen ex tribus Personis non fecerint unum, propter causam, ne idea trium Deorum obliteraretur; nam quamdiu unaquaevis Persona singulatim creditur Deus, ut in Symbolo dicitur, si tunc consequenter tres Personae fierent una, tota Domus super tribus sicut columnis fundata in acervum decideret.
[3] Quod Synodus illa introduxerit tres Personas Divinas ab aeterno, fuit causa, quia non rite scrutati sunt Verbum, et inde non aliud azylum contra Arianos invenerunt. Quod postea tres illas Personas, quarum quaelibet est Deus per se, contulerint in unum Deum, fuit ex timore, ne ab omni rationali religioso in tribus Orbis Partibus inculparentur Fidei trium deorum, et blasphemarentur: Quod tradiderint fidem applicatam tribus in ordine, fuit causa, quia non alia ex illo principio profluit: huic accedit, si unus ex tribus praeteriretur, non mitteretur tertius, et sic omnis operatio Divinae gratiae incassum iret.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: corfirmata.