A treatise of novatian concerning the trinity.

 A treatise of novatian concerning the trinity.

 Chapter i. argument. —novatian, with the view of treating of the trinity, sets forth from the rule of faith that we should first of all believe in god

 Chapter ii.  argument. —god is above all things, himself containing all things, immense, eternal, transcending the mind of man inexplicable in discou

 Chapter iii. argument. —that god is the founder of all things, their lord and parent, is proved from the holy scriptures.

 Chapter iv. argument. —moreover, he is good, always the same, immutable, one and only, infinite and his own name can never be declared, and he is inc

 Chapter v. argument. —if we regard the anger, and indignation, and hatred of god described in the sacred pages, we must remember that they are not to

 Chapter vi.  argument. —and that, although scripture often changes the divine appearance into a human form, yet the measure of the divine majesty is n

 Chapter vii.  argument. —moreover, that when god is called a spirit, brightness, and light, god is not sufficiently expressed by those appellations.

 Chapter viii.  argument. —it is this god, therefore, that the church has known and adores and to him the testimony of things as well visible as invis

 Chapter ix.  argument. —further, that the same rule of truth teaches us to believe, after the father, also in the son of god, jesus christ our lord go

 Chapter x.  argument. —that jesus christ is the son of god and truly man, as opposed to the fancies of heretics, who deny that he took upon him true f

 Chapter xi.—and indeed that christ was not only man, but god also that even as he was the son of man, so also he was the son of god.

 Chapter xii.  argument. —that christ is god, is proved by the authority of the old testament scriptures.

 Chapter xiii.  argument. —that the same truth is proved from the sacred writings of the new covenant.

 Chapter xiv. argument. —the author prosecutes the same argument.

 Chapter xv. argument. —again he proves from the gospel that christ is god.

 Chapter xvi. argument. —again from the gospel he proves christ to be god.

 Chapter xvii.   argument. —it is, moreover, proved by moses in the beginning of the holy scriptures.

 Chapter xviii.   argument. —moreover also, from the fact that he who was seen of abraham is called god which cannot be understood of the father, whom

 Chapter xix. argument. —that god also appeared to jacob as an angel namely, the son of god.

 Chapter xx. argument. —it is proved from the scriptures that christ was called an angel. but yet it is shown from other parts of holy scripture that h

 Chapter xxi.   argument. —that the same divine majesty is again confirmed in christ by other scriptures.

 Chapter xxii.   argument —that the same divine majesty is in christ, he once more asserts by other scriptures.

 Chapter xxiii.   argument. —and this is so manifest, that some heretics have thought him to be god the father, others that he was only god without the

 Chapter xxiv.   argument. —that these have therefore erred, by thinking that there was no difference between the son of god and the son of man becaus

 Chapter xxv.   argument. —and that it does not follow thence, that because christ died it must also be received that god died for scripture sets fort

 Chapter xxvi.   argument. —moreover, against the sabellians he proves that the father is one, the son another.

 Chapter xxvii.   argument. —he skilfully replies to a passage which the heretics employed in defence of their own opinion.

 Chapter xxviii.  argument. —he proves also that the words spoken to philip make nothing for the sabellians.

 Chapter xxix. argument. —he next teaches us that the authority of the faith enjoins, after the father and the son, to believe also on the holy spirit,

 Chapter xxx.  argument. —in fine, notwithstanding the said heretics have gathered the origin of their error from consideration of what is written:   a

 Chapter xxxi. argument. —but that god, the son of god, born of god the father from everlasting, who was always in the father, is the second person to

A Treatise of Novatian Concerning the Trinity.

Preface.

Novatian’s treatise concerning the Trinity is divided into thirty-one chapters. He first of all, from chapter first to the eighth, considers those words of the Rule of Truth or Faith,1    Which we call the Creed. which bid us believe on God the Father and Lord Almighty, the absolutely perfect Creator of all things.  Wherein among the other divine attributes he moreover ascribes to Him, partly from reason and partly from the Holy Scriptures, immensity, eternity, unity, goodness, immutability, immortality, spirituality; and adds that neither passions nor members can be attributed to God, and that these things are only asserted of God in Scripture anthropopathically.2    From the ninth chapter to the twenty-eighth he enters upon the diffuse explanation also of those words of our creed which commend to us faith in the Son of God, Jesus Christ, the Lord our God, the Christ promised in the Old Testament, and proves by the authority of the old and new covenant that He is very man and very God. In chapter eighteenth he refutes the error of the Sabellians, and by the authority of the sacred writings he establishes the distinction of the Father and of the Son, and replies to the objections of the above-named heresiarchs and others. In the twenty-ninth chapter he treats of faith in the Holy Spirit, saying that finally the authority of the high admonishes us, after the Father and the Son, to believe also on the Holy Spirit, whose operations he recounts and proves from the Scriptures. He then labours to associate the unity of God with the matters previously contended for, and at length sets forth the sum of the doctrines above explained. [Anthropopathy, see cap. v. p. 615.]

ARGUMENTUM.

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Dividitur tractatus Novatiani de Trinitate in triginta et unum caput. Primum de iis verbis regulae veritatis, seu fidei (quam Symbolum vocamus) commentatur, quae nos credere jubent in Deum Patrem et Dominum omnipotentem, rerum omnium perfectissimum creatorem, a capite 1 ad 8 usque, ubi, inter alia etiam attributa divina, immensitatem, aeternitatem, unitatem, bonitatem, immutabilitatem, immortalitatem, spiritualitatem, partim ex ratione, partim ex SS. Litteris adstruit; additque nec passiones, nec membra Deo attribui posse, haecque in Scriptura solummodo ἀνθρωποπαθικῶς de Deo enuntiari. A capite 9 usque ad 28, ad ea Symboli nostri quoque verba late explicanda accedit, quae nobis fidem commendant in Filium Dei Jesum Christum, Dominum, 0885BDeum nostrum. Christum in Veteri Testamento promissum verum hominem, verumque Deum esse, Scripturam Veteris Novique Foederis auctoritate probat; capite 18 errorem Sabellianorum refutat, et auctoritate SS. Litterarum distinctionem Patris et Filii confirmat, hujusque haeresiarchae objectionibus aliorumque dein respondet. De fide in Spiritum sanctum agit capite 18, inquiens: Deinceps fidei auctoritatem admonere nos, post Patrem et Filium, credere etiam in Spiritum sanctum: 0886Acujus operationes ex Scripturis recenset, et comprobat. Dein unitatem Dei cum ante disputatis conjungere studet, tandemque summam rerum expositarum exhibet.