637.在早期时代，基督教界所有人都承认主耶稣基督是神，用祂自己的话说：“天上地下所有的权柄都赐给我了”，“ 管理凡有血气的”（马太福音28:18；约翰福音17:2），他们信祂，遵守从父神赐下的诫命（约翰福音3:15，16，36；6:40；11:25，26），这一点也可从为了以圣经权威驳斥和谴责否认自童女马利亚所生的主，救主之神性的阿里乌斯及其追随者，君士坦丁大帝召集所有主教明显可知。他们的确成功做到了这一点，但在避开狼的同时，却迎来了狮子，或如谚语所说，人若想要避开卡律布狄斯，就得面对斯库拉。他们虚构了自永恒而来的神儿子，祂降世为自己取了人的样式，他们以为，他们因此夺回并恢复了主的神性，殊不知是神自己、宇宙的创造者亲自降临，旨在成为救世主、因而二次创造者，旧约的以下经文清楚说明了这一点：以赛亚25:9；40:3，5，10，11；43:14；44:6，24；47:4；48:17；49:7，26；60:16；63:16；耶利米书1. 34；何西阿书13:4；Ps. 19:14；约翰福音1:14；19:15。
637. 在早期时代, 基督教界所有人都承认主耶稣基督是神, 用祂自己的话说: “天上地下所有的权柄都赐给我了”, “ 管理凡有血气的” (马太福音28:18;约翰福音17:2), 他们信祂, 遵守从父神赐下的诫命 (约翰福音3:15-16, 36; 6:40; 11:25-26), 这一点也可从为了以圣经权威驳斥和谴责否认自童女马利亚所生的主, 救主之神性的阿里乌斯及其追随者, 君士坦丁大帝召集所有主教明显可知。 他们的确成功做到了这一点, 但在避开狼的同时, 却迎来了狮子, 或如谚语所说, 人若想要避开卡律布狄斯, 就得面对斯库拉。 他们虚构了自永恒而来的神儿子, 祂降世为自己取了人的样式, 他们以为, 他们因此夺回并恢复了主的神性, 殊不知是神自己, 宇宙的创造者亲自降临, 旨在成为救世主, 因而二次创造者, 旧约的以下经文清楚说明了这一点: 以赛亚书25:9; 40:3, 5, 10-11; 43:14; 44:6, 24; 47:4; 48:17; 49:7, 26; 60:16; 63:16;
637. In those early times, all who were then part of the Christian world acknowledged that the Lord Jesus Christ was God and that he had all power in heaven and on earth and power over all flesh, as he himself says (Matthew 28:18; John 17:2). In obedience to his command from God the Father, they believed in him (John 3:15-16, 36; 6:40; 11:25-26). The truth of this is obvious from the fact that when Arius and his followers began denying the divinity of our Lord and Savior who was born from the Virgin Mary, the emperor Constantine the Great called together all the bishops in order to convict and condemn that position, using Sacred Scripture. The bishops did indeed accomplish this, but to avoid a wolf they stumbled onto a lion, or as the saying goes, the one who tried to avoid Charybdis fell upon Scylla: They invented a Son of God from eternity, who descended and took on a human nature. They believed that by doing this they had rescued and restored the Lord's divinity. They did not realize that God himself, the Creator of the universe, had come down in order to become the Redeemer and therefore to be the Creator once again, according to the following clear statements in the Old Testament: Isaiah 25:9; 40:3, 5, 10-11; 43:14; 44:6, 24; 47:4; 48:17; 49:7, 26; 60:16; 63:16; Jeremiah 50:34; Hosea 13:4; Psalms 19:14.
637. In those earliest times all in that Christian world acknowledged that the Lord Jesus Christ was God, and to Him was given all power in heaven and on earth, and power over all flesh, as His actual words declare (Matthew 28:18; John 17:2). They believed in Him in accordance with His command from God the Father (John 3:15-16, 36; 6:40; 11:25-26). This same fact is also evident from the summoning of all the bishops by the emperor Constantine the Great, in order that Arius and his followers, who denied the divinity of the Lord the Saviour born of the Virgin Mary, should be convicted and condemned on the authority of scripture. This they succeeded in doing, but in avoiding the wolf they ran into the lion; or, as the proverb has it, the man who seeks to avoid Charybdis runs into Scylla. They devised the fiction of a Son of God from eternity, who came down and took upon Himself a human form, believing that they were thus claiming back and restoring His divinity to the Lord. But they did not know that God the Creator of the universe Himself came down in order to become the Redeemer, and thus a second Creator, as is clearly stated in the Old Testament (Isaiah 25:9; 40:3, 5, 10-11; 43:14; 44:6, 24; 47:4; 48:17; 49:7, 26; 60:16; 63:16; Jeremiah 50:34; Hosea 13:4; Psalms 19:14; add to these John 9:15 1 ).
Footnotes:
637. That in that primitive time all in the then Christian world acknowledged that the Lord Jesus Christ is God, to whom was given "all power in heaven and on earth," and "power over all flesh," according to His own express words (Matthew 28:18; John 17:2), and that they believed in Him, according to His command given from God the Father (John 3:15, 16, 36; 6:40; 11:25, 26), is also clearly evident from the convoking of all the bishops by the Emperor Constantine the Great, in order that they might from the sacred writings refute and condemn Arius and his followers, who denied the Divinity of the Lord the Savior born of the virgin Mary. This indeed they did, but in trying to escape the wolf they came upon the lion, or, according to the proverb, wishing to avoid Charybdis they ran upon Scylla; which they did by inventing a Son of God from eternity, who descended and assumed a Human, believing that they had thus vindicated and reestablished the Lord's Divinity, not knowing that God Himself the Creator of the universe descended in order to become a Redeemer, and thus a Creator anew, according to the following plain declarations in the Old Testament:Isaiah 25:9; 40:3, 5, 10, 11; 43:14; 44:6, 24; 47:4; 48:17; 49:7, 260:16; 63:16; Jeremiah 1:34; Hosea 13:4; Psalms 19:14; to which add John 1:14; 19:15.
637. In those early days all Christians throughout the world acknowledged that the Lord Jesus Christ was God, to whom all power has been given in heaven and in earth, and power over all flesh, according to His own words, Matthew 28:18; John 17:2; and they believed in Him, according to His commandment delivered to them from God the Father, John 3:15-16, 36; 6:40; 11:25-26. This is also plainly evident from the fact that the Emperor Constantine the Great 1 convened all the bishops for the purpose of refuting and condemning, from the sacred writings, Arius 2 and his followers, who denied the Divinity of the Lord the Savior, born of the virgin Mary. This indeed was done; but, endeavouring to escape a wolf, they ran into a lion; for, in the words of the proverb, "He who wishes to avoid Charybdis 3 falls upon Scylla." 4 By inventing the fiction of a Son of God from eternity, who descended and assumed humanity (Humanum), they supposed they would thus vindicate and restore Divinity to the Lord: they did not know that God Himself, the Creator of the universe, descended in order to become the Redeemer, and thus a Creator anew, according to these plain declarations in the Old Testament:
Isaiah 25:9; 40:3, 5, 10-11; 43:14; 44:6, 24; 47:4; 48:17; 49:7, 26; 60:16; 63:16 Jeremiah 50:34; Hosea 13:4; Psalms 19:14; and to these add John 1:14.
Footnotes:
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Charybdis, whirlpool between Sicily and Italy, opposite the rock Scylla.
4. Scylla, rock between Italy and Sicily, opposite to Charybdis, a whirlpool.
637. Quod in primaevo illo tempore, omnes in Christiano isto Orbe agnoverint, 1 quod Dominus Jesus Christus esset Deus, Cui data est omnis potestas in Coelo et in Terra, et potestas omnis carnis, secundum ipsissima Ejus verba, Matthaeus 28:18; Johannes 17:2et quod crediderint in Ipsum, secundum mandatum Ipsius ex Deo Patre, Johannes 3:15-16, 36; 6:40; 11:25-26, idem hoc etiam manifeste patet ex convocatione omnium Episcoporum ab Imperatore Constantino magno, propter causam, ut Arium et ejus asseclas, qui negabant Divinitatem Domini Salvatoris a Maria Virgine nati, ex sacris literis convincerent et damnarent; quod quidem factum, sed hi vitaturi lupum inciderunt in leonem, aut sicut dicitur in proverbio, 2 cupiens vitare Charybdin 3 incidit in Scyllam; 4 fingendo Filium Dei ab aeterno, qui descendit et assumsit Humanum, credentes quod sic vindicaverint et restituerint Domino Divinitatem; non scientes quod Ipse Deus Creator universi descenderit, ut fieret Redemptor, et sic e novo Creator, secundum haec manifesta in Veteri Testamento, Esaias 25:9; 40:3, 5, 10-11; 43:14; 44:6, 24; 47:4; 48:17; 49:7, 26; 60:16; 63:16, Jeremias 50:34, Hoschea 13:4, Psalm 19:15, 5 his adde Johannes 4:42. 6
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: agnoverunt.
2. Prima editio: provervio.
3. Prima editio: charybdin.
4. Prima editio: scyllam.
5. Sic Schmidt et Biblia Hebraica, sed 19:14 apud Biblia Anglica.