Chapter IV.

The Unity of God is necessarily implied in the order of Nature, in the Faith, and in Baptism. The gifts of the Magi declare (1) the Unity of the Godhead; (2) Christ’s Godhead and Manhood. The truth of the doctrine of the Trinity in Unity is shown in the Angel walking in the midst of the furnace with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

31. All nature testifies to the Unity of God, inasmuch as the universe is one. The Faith declares that there is one God, seeing that there is one belief in both the Old and the New Testament. That there is one Spirit, all holy,68    The Spirit here spoken of is, according to Hurter’s interpretation, not the Third Person of the Trinity, but the Triune God, Who is a Spirit (John iv. 24; 2 Cor. iii. 17). grace witnesseth, because there is one Baptism, in the Name of the Trinity. The prophets proclaim, the apostles hear, the voice of one God. In one God did the Magi believe, and they brought, in adoration, gold, frankincense, and myrrh to Christ’s cradle, confessing, by the gift of gold, His Royalty, and with the incense worshipping Him as God. For gold is the sign of kingdom, incense of God, myrrh of burial.69    Hymns A. and M. 76, stanza 4.

32. What, then, was the meaning of the mystic offerings in the lowly cattle-stalls, save that we should discern in Christ the difference between the Godhead and the flesh? He is seen as man,70    Phil. ii. 7. He is adored as Lord. He lies in swaddling-clothes, but shines amid the stars; the cradle shows His birth, the stars His dominion;71    Rev. i. 16; xxii. 16: S. Matt. ii. Cf. Num. xxiv. 17. it is the flesh that is wrapped in clothes, the Godhead that receives the ministry of angels. Thus the dignity of His natural majesty is not lost, and His true assumption of the flesh is proved.

33. This is our Faith. Thus did God will that He should be known by all, thus believed the three children,72    Dan. iv. 17. and felt not the fire into the midst whereof they were cast, which destroyed and burnt up unbelievers,73    Dan. iv. 22. whilst it fell harmless as dew upon the faithful,74    Hosea xiv. 5. for whom the flames kindled by others became cold, seeing that the torment had justly lost its power in conflict with faith. For with them there was One in the form of an angel,75    Dan. iv. 28. comforting them,76    S. Luke xxii. 43. to the end that in the number of the Trinity one Supreme Power might be praised. God was praised, the Son of God was seen in God’s angel, holy and spiritual grace spake in the children.77    Dan. iv. 25. In the number of the three children was shadowed forth the number of Persons in the Trinity, whilst in the Angel, who was one, was shown the Unity of power or nature. In another way, too, St. Ambrose points out, was the Trinity typified in that event, inasmuch as God was praised, the Angel of God was present, and the Spirit, or the Grace of God spake in the children.—H.

CAPUT IV.

Argumentis aliquot ad probandam Dei unitatem collectim propositis, in tribus magorum muneribus Christi divinitatem humanitatemque adumbratas ostendit; non secus ac in angelo cum tribus pueris 0535B inter flammas deambulante, divinitatis ac trinitatis veritatem.

31. Unum Deum communis natura testatur, quia unus est mundus. Unum Deum fides significat, quia una fides novi et veteris Testamenti. Unum Spiritum sanctum testificatur gratia, quia unum baptisma in nomine Trinitatis est. Unum Deum Prophetae dicunt, Apostoli audiunt. Unum Deum Magi crediderunt, et aurum, thus et myrrham supplices ad Christi cunabula detulerunt, auro regem fatentes, ut Deum thure venerantes. Thesaurus enim regni, sacrificium Dei, myrrha est sepulturae.

32. Quid igitur voluerunt sibi mystica munera inter abjecta praesepia, nisi ut intelligeremus in 0535C Christo differentiam divinitatis et carnis? 450 Ut homo cernitur, ut Dominus adoratur: jacet in pannis, sed fulget in stellis: cunae nascentem indicant, et stellae dominantem: caro est quae involvitur: divinitas, cui ab angelis ministratur. Ita nec dignitas naturalis majestatis amittitur, et assumptae carnis veritas comprobatur.

33. Haec est fides nostra. Sic se Deus cognosci voluit ab omnibus, sic tres pueri crediderunt, nec incendia circumjecta senserunt; cum infidos noxius ignis exureret, et fidelibus innoxia flamma roraret, quibus aliorum incendia refrigerabant; quia merito fidei perdiderat suam poena naturam. Aderat enim in specie angeli qui monebat ut in numero Trinitatis, 0536A unius esset laudatio potestatis. Benedicebatur Deus, videbatur in angelo Dei Filius, sancta et spiritalis in pueris gratia loquebatur.