A Treatise of Novatian Concerning the Trinity.

 A Treatise of Novatian Concerning the Trinity.

 The Rule of truth requires that we should first of all things believe on God the Father and Lord Omnipotent that is, the absolutely perfect Founder o

 And over all these things He Himself, containing all things, having nothing vacant beyond Himself, has left room for no superior God, such as some peo

 Him, then, we acknowledge and know to be God, the Creator of all things—Lord on account of His power, Parent on account of His discipline—Him, I say,

 Him alone the Lord rightly declares good, of whose goodness the whole world is witness which world He would not have ordained if He had not been good

 Moreover, if we read of His wrath, and consider certain descriptions of His indignation, and learn that hatred is asserted of Him, yet we are not to u

 And although the heavenly Scripture often turns the divine appearance into a human form,—as when it says, “The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous

 But when the Lord says that God is a Spirit, I think that Christ spoke thus of the Father, as wishing that something still more should be understood t

 This God, then, setting aside the fables and figments of heretics, the Church knows and worships, to whom the universal and entire nature of things as

 The same rule of truth teaches us to believe, after the Father, also on the Son of God, Christ Jesus, the Lord our God, but the Son of God—of that God

 But of this I remind you , that Christ was not to be expected in the Gospel in any other wise than as He was promised before by the Creator, in the Sc

 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.

 Why, then, should we hesitate to say what Scripture does not shrink from declaring? Why shall the truth of faith hesitate in that wherein the authorit

 And thus also John, describing the nativity of Christ, says: “The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, the glory as of the o

 And yet the heretic still shrinks from urging that Christ is God, whom he perceives to be proved God by so many words as well as facts. If Christ is o

 If Christ is only man, how is it that He says, “Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true:  because I know whence I came, and whither I go

 If Christ was only man, how is it that He Himself says, “And every one that believeth in me shall not die for evermore?” And yet he who believes in ma

 What if Moses pursues this same rule of truth, and delivers to us in the beginning of his sacred writings, this principle by which we may learn that a

 Behold, the same Moses tells us in another place that “God was seen of Abraham.” And yet the same Moses hears from God, that “no man can see God and l

 What if in another place also we read in like manner that God was described as an angel? For when, to his wives Leah and Rachel, Jacob complained of t

 But if some heretic, obstinately struggling against the truth, should persist in all these instances either in understanding that Christ was properly

 And indeed I could set forth the treatment of this subject by all heavenly Scriptures, and set in motion, so to speak, a perfect forest of texts conce

 But why, although we appear to hasten to another branch of the argument, should we pass over that passage in the apostle: “Who, although He was in the

 In this place I may be permitted also to collect arguments from the side of other heretics. It is a substantial kind of proof which is gathered even f

 But the material of that heretical error has arisen, as I judge, from this, that they think that there is no distinction between the Son of God and th

 Therefore, say they, if Christ is not man only, but God also—and Scripture tells us that He died for us, and was raised again—then Scripture teaches u

 But from this occasion of Christ being proved from the sacred authority of the divine writings not man only, but God also, other heretics, breaking fo

 But since they frequently urge upon us the passage where it is said, “I and the Father are one,” in this also we shall overcome them with equal facili

 Hereto also I will add that view wherein the heretic, while he rejoices as if at the loss of some power of seeing special truth and light, acknowledge

 Moreover, the order of reason, and the authority of the faith in the disposition of the words and in the Scriptures of the Lord, admonish us after the

 And now, indeed, concerning the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, let it be sufficient to have briefly said thus much, and to have laid down t

 Thus God the Father, the Founder and Creator of all things, who only knows no beginning, invisible, infinite, immortal, eternal, is one God to whose

Chapter XXVI.195    According to Pamelius, ch. xxi.  Argument.—Moreover, Against the Sabellians He Proves that the Father is One, the Son Another.

But from this occasion of Christ being proved from the sacred authority of the divine writings not man only, but God also, other heretics, breaking forth, contrive to impair the religious position in Christ; by this very fact wishing to show that Christ is God the Father, in that He is asserted to be not man only, but also is declared to be God. For thus say they, If it is asserted that God is one, and Christ is God, then say they, If the Father and Christ be one God, Christ will be called the Father. Wherein they are proved to be in error, not knowing Christ, but following the sound of a name; for they are not willing that He should be the second person after the Father, but the Father Himself. And since these things are easily answered, few words shall be said. For who does not acknowledge that the person of the Son is second after the Father, when he reads that it was said by the Father, consequently to the Son, “Let us make man in our image and our likeness;”196    Gen. i. 26. and that after this it was related, “And God made man, in the image of God made He him?” Or when he holds in his hands: “The Lord rained upon Sodom and Gomorrha fire and brimstone from the Lord from heaven?”197    Gen. xix. 24. Or when he reads (as having been said) to Christ: “Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten Thee. Ask of me, and I will give Thee the heathens for Thine inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Thy possession?”198    Ps. ii. 7, 8. Or when also that beloved writer says: “The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit Thou on my right hand, until I shall make Thine enemies the stool of Thy feet?”199    Ps. cx. 1. Or when, unfolding the prophecies of Isaiah, he finds it written thus: “Thus saith the Lord to Christ my Lord?”200    Isa. xlv. 1. Some transcriber has written Κυρίῳ for Κύρῳ, “the Lord” for “Cyrus,” and the mistake has been followed by the author. Or when he reads: “I came not down from heaven to do mine own will, but the will of Him that sent me?”201    John vi. 38. Or when he finds it written: “Because He who sent me is greater than I?”202    John xiv. 28. Or when he considers the passage: “I go to my Father, and your Father; to my God, and your God?”203    John xx. 17. Or when he finds it placed side by side with others: “Moreover, in your law it is written that the witness of two is true. I bear witness of myself, and the Father who sent me beareth witness of me?”204    John viii. 17, 18. Or when the voice from heaven is: “I have both glorified Him, and I will glorify Him again?”205    John xii. 20. Or when by Peter it is answered and said: “Thou art the Son of the living God?”206    Matt. xvi. 16. Or when by the Lord Himself the sacrament of this revelation is approved, and He says:  “Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood hath not revealed this to thee, but my Father which is in heaven?”207    Matt. xvi. 17. Or when by Christ Himself it is expressed: “Father, glorify me with that glory with which I was with Thee before the world was made?”208    John xvii. 5. Or when it was said by the same: “Father, I knew that Thou hearest me always; but on account of those who stand around I said it, that they may believe that Thou hast sent me?”209    John xi. 12. Or when the definition of the rule is established by Christ Himself, and it is said: “And this is life eternal, that they should know Thee, the only and true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent. I have glorified Thee upon the earth, I have finished the work which Thou gavest me?”210    John xvii. 3, 4. Or when, moreover, by the same it is asserted and said: “All things are delivered to me by my Father?”211    Luke x. 22. Or when the session at the right hand of the Father is proved both by apostles and prophets?  And I should have enough to do were I to endeavour to gather together all the passages212    [Cap. xxi. p. 632, supra.] whatever on this side; since the divine Scripture, not so much of the Old as also of the New Testament, everywhere shows Him to be born of the Father, by whom all things were made, and without whom nothing was made, who always has obeyed and obeys the Father; that He always has power over all things, but as delivered, as granted, as by the Father Himself permitted to Him. And what can be so evident proof that this is not the Father, but the Son; as that He is set forth as being obedient to God the Father, unless, if He be believed to be the Father, Christ may be said to be subjected to another God the Father?

CAPUT XXVI, al. XXI. Adversus autem Sabellianos Scripturis probat alium esse Filium, alium Patrem.

Sed ex hac occasione quia Christus non homo tantum, sed et Deus, Divinarum Litterarum sacris auctoritatibus approbatur, alii haeretici erumpentes statum in Christo religionis concutere machinantur, hoc ipso Patrem Deum volentes ostendere Christum esse, dum non homo tantum asseritur, sed et Deus promitur. Sic enim, inquiunt: si unus esse Deus 0936C promitur, Christus autem Deus; ergo, inquiunt, si Pater et Christus est unus Deus, Christus Pater dicetur. In quo errare probantur Christum non noscentes, sed sonum nominis approbantes: nolunt enim illum secundam esse personam post Patrem, sed ipsum Patrem. Quibus quia facile respondetur, pauca dicentur. Quis enim non secundam Filii post Patrem agnoscat esse personam, cum legat dictum a Patre consequenter ad Filium: Faciamus hominem ad imaginem et similitudinem nostram (Gen. I, 26, 27); et post haec relatum, et fecit Deus hominem, ad imaginem Dei fecit illum? Aut cum inter manus teneat: Pluit Dominus super Sodomam et Gomorrham ignem et sulphur a Domino de coelo? (Gen. XIX, 24.) Aut cum ad Christum : Filius meus es tu, ego hodie genui te; postula 0936Da me, et dabo tibi gentes haereditatem tuam, et possessionem tuam terminos terrae? (Psal. II, 7, 8.) Aut cum etiam ille desideratus scriba ait: Dixit Dominus 0937ADomino meo: Sede a dextris meis, donec ponam inimicos tuos, scabellum pedum tuorum? (Psal. CIX, I.) Aut cum Isaiae prophetias explicans, invenit positum sic: Haec dicit Dominus Christomeo Domino? (Isa. XLV, 1.) Aut cum legit: Non descendi de coelo ut faciam voluntatem meam, sed voluntatem ejus qui misit me? (Joan. VI, 38.) Aut dum invenit positum: Quoniam qui me misit, major me est? (Joan. XIV, 28.) Aut cum considerat scriptum: Eo ad patrem meum et Patrem vestrum, Deum meum et Deum vestrum? (Joan. XX, 17.) Aut quando habet cum caeteris collocatum: Sed in lege vestra scriptum est, quia duorum testimonium verum est; ego de me testificor, et testificatus est de me qui me misit Pater? (Joan. VIII, 17, 18.) Aut quando vox de coelo redditur: Et honorificavi, et honorificabo?0937B (Joan. XII, 28.) Aut quando a Petro respondetur et dicitur: Tu es Filius Dei vivi? (Matth. XVI, 16.) Aut quando ab ipso Domino sacramentum hujus revelationis approbatur, et dicitur: Beatus es, Simon Barjona: quoniam hoc tibi non revelavit caro et sanguis, sed Pater meus qui in coelis est? (Ibid. v. 17.) Aut quando ab ipso Christo exprimitur: Pater, clarifica me eo honore quo fui apud te, antequam mundus fieret? (Joan. XVII, 5.) Aut cum ab eodem dicitur: Pater, sciebam quia semper me audis; verum propter circumstantes dixi, ut credant quia tu me misisti? (Joan. XI, 42.) Aut cum definitio regulae ab ipso Christo collocatur, et dicitur: Haec est autem vita aeterna, ut sciant te unum et verum Deum, et quem misisti Jesum Christum. Ego te honorificavi super terram, opus perfeci quod dedisti 0937Cmihi? (Joan. XVII, 3, 4.) Aut cum item ab eodem asseritur et dicitur: Omnia mihi tradita sunt a Patre meo? (Luc. X, 22.) Aut cum sedere ad dexteram Patris (Psal. CIX, 1; Marc. XVI, 9; Hebr, I, 3), et a Prophetis et ab Apostolis approbatur? Et satis longum facio, si enisus fuero omnes omnino ad hanc partem voces congregare; quandoquidem non tam veteris quam etiam novi Testamenti Scriptura divina ubique ostendat, illum ex Patre natum, per quem facta sunt omnia, et sine quo factum est nihil, qui obedierit 0938A semper Patri et obediat, semper habentem rerum omnium potestatem, sed qua traditam, sed qua concessam, sed qua a Patre proprio sibi indultam. Quid enim tam evidens potest esse, hunc non Patrem esse, sed Filium, quam quod obediens Patri Deo proponitur, ne si Pater esse credatur, alteri jam Deo Patri Christus subjectus esse dicatur.