Chapter I.

The author distinguishes the faith from the errors of Pagans,10Jews, and Heretics, and after explaining the significance of the names “God” and “Lord,” shows clearly the difference of Persons in Unity of Essence.11 In dividing the Essence, the Arians not only bring in the doctrine of three Gods, but even overthrow the dominion of the Trinity.

6. Now this is the declaration of our Faith, that we say that God is One, neither dividing His Son from Him, as do the heathen,12 nor denying, with the Jews, that He was begotten of the Father before all worlds,13 and afterwards born of the Virgin; nor yet, like Sabellius,14 confounding the Father with the Word, and so maintaining that Father and Son are one and the same Person; nor again, as doth Photinus,15 holding that the Son first came into existence in the Virgin’s womb: nor believing, with Arius,16 in a number of diverse Powers,17 and so, like the benighted heathen, making out more than one God. For it is written: “Hear, O Israel: the Lord thy God is one God.”18

7. For God and Lord is a name of majesty, a name of power, even as God Himself saith: “The Lord is My name,”19 and as in another place the prophet declareth: “The Lord Almighty is His name.”20 God is He, therefore, and Lord, either because His rule is over all, or because He beholdeth all things, and is feared by all, without difference.21

8. If, then, God is One, one is the name, one is the power, of the Trinity. Christ Himself, indeed, saith: “Go ye, baptize the nations in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”22 In the name, mark you, not in the names.”23

9. Moreover, Christ Himself saith: “I and the Father are One.”24 “One,” said He, that there be no separation of power and nature; but again, “We are,” that you may recognize Father and Son, forasmuch as the perfect Father is believed to have begotten the perfect Son,25 and the Father and the Son are One, not by confusion of Person, but by unity of nature.26

10. We say, then, that there is one God, not two or three Gods, this being the error into which the impious heresy of the Arians doth run with its blasphemies. For it says that there are three Gods, in that it divides the Godhead of the Trinity; whereas the Lord, in saying, “Go, baptize the nations in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” hath shown that the Trinity is of one power. We confess Father, Son, and Spirit, understanding in a perfect Trinity both fulness of Divinity and unity of power.27

11. “Every kingdom divided against itself shall quickly be overthrown,” saith the Lord. Now the kingdom of the Trinity is not divided. If, therefore, it is not divided, it is one; for that which is not one is divided. The Arians, however, would have the kingdom of the Trinity to be such as may easily be overthrown, by division against itself. But truly, seeing that it cannot be overthrown, it is plainly undivided. For no unity is divided or rent asunder, and therefore neither age nor corruption has any power over it.28

445 CAPUT PRIMUM.

Catholicam fidem a gentilium, Judaeorum, ac haereticorum erroribus distinguit: expositoque vocum Dei et Domini significatu, personarum discrimen, et naturae unitatem demonstrat: quam dum separant Ariani, non tres Deos tantum inducunt, sed etiam Trinitatis regnum destruunt.

6. Assertio autem nostrae fidei haec est, ut unum Deum esse dicamus: neque, ut gentes, Filium separemus: neque ut Judaei, natum ex Patre ante tempora, et ex Virgine postea editum denegemus: neque ut Sabellius, Patrem confundamus et Verbum; ut eumdem Patrem asseramus et Filium: neque ut 0530B Photinus, initium Filii ex Virgine disputemus: neque ut Arius, plures credendo et dissimiles potestates, plures deos gentili errore faciamus, quia scriptum est: Audi, Israel, Dominus Deus tuus, Deus unus est (Deut. VI, 4).

7. Deus enim et Dominus nomen magnificentiae, nomen est potestatis, sicut ipse dicit: Dominus nomen est mihi. Et sicut alibi Propheta asserit: Dominus 0531Aomnipotens nomen est ei (Esai. XLII, 8). Dominus ergo et Deus vel quod dominetur omnibus, vel quod spectet omnia, et timeatur a cunctis.

8. Si ergo unus Deus, unum nomen, potestas una est Trinitatis. Denique ipse dicit: Ite, baptizate gentes in nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus sancti (Matth. XXVIII, 19). In nomine utique, non in nominibus.

9. Ipse etiam dicit: Ego et Pater unum sumus (Joan. X, 30). Unum dixit, ne fiat discretio potestatis et naturae: sumus addidit, ut Patrem Filiumque cognoscas; quod perfectus Pater perfectum Filium genuisse credatur: et Pater et Filius unum sint, non confusione personae, sed unitate naturae.

10. [Alias cap. II.] Unum ergo Deum, non duos aut tres deos dicimus; ut impia Arianorum haeresis dum 0531B criminatur, incurrit. Tres enim deos dicit, qui divinitatem separat Trinitatis; cum Dominus dicendo: Ite, baptizate gentes in nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus sancti, unius esse Trinitatem potestatis ostenderit. Nos Patrem 446 et Filium et Spiritum sanctum confitemur; ita ut in Trinitate perfecta et plenitudo sit divinitatis, et unitas potestatis.

11. Omne regnum in se divisum facile destruetur, Dominus hoc dicit (Matth. XII, 25). Non ergo divisum est regnum Trinitatis. Si ergo divisum non est, unum est; quod enim unum non est, divisum est. Tale ergo regnum esse cupiunt Trinitatis, quod divisione sui facile destruatur. Immo quia non potest destrui, constat non esse divisum. Non enim dividitur unitas, nec scinditur; et ideo nec corruptelae 0531C subditur, nec aetati.