第二节 论神性三一
163# 前文已经论及上帝——创造者，同时也论及创造；其后又论及主——救赎者，同时也论及救赎；最后论及圣灵，同时也论及神性运行。既然如此，既已论到三一上帝，便也必须论及神性三一。此神性三一，在基督教世界中虽为人所知，实则仍属未知；因为唯有借此，人才能获得关于上帝的正当观念。
而关于上帝的正当观念，在教会中犹如圣殿中的至圣所与祭坛；又如君王坐于宝座之上时，头上所戴的冠冕、手中所执的权杖。整个神学体系皆由此悬系，如同锁链悬于其首环。若你们愿意相信，每个人在天堂所得之位分，皆取决于他对上帝所持的观念；因为这观念如同试金石，由此可验明金银，也就是验明人里面善与真的品质。盖在人里面，若非从上帝而来，便没有任何拯救性的善；若非从善之怀中取得自身品质，亦没有任何真理。
然而，为使人能以双眼分明看见何谓神性三一，须将其阐明分列为若干条目；其内容如下：
一、神性三一确实存在，即父、子与圣灵。
二、父、子与圣灵这三者，乃是一位上帝的三个本质要素；它们合而为一，正如人里面的灵魂、身体与运行合而为一。
三、在世界被造以前，并无此三一；乃是在世界被造以后，当上帝成肉身时，此三一才被预备并成就，并且是在主上帝、救赎者与救主耶稣基督里面。
四、倘若认定自永恒、世界被造以前便有神性位格的三一，则此三一在思想观念中便是三位上帝的三一；而这种观念，不能借口头承认一位上帝而被废除。
五、位格的三一在使徒教会中并不为人所知；此说乃起于尼西亚会议，并由此被引入罗马天主教会，又从罗马天主教会传入那些与之分离的各教会。
六、从尼西亚三一，并同时从亚他那修信经之三一，产生了一种信仰；这种信仰已经败坏了整个基督教会。
七、由此便有那“行毁坏可憎的”，以及“从来没有、以后也必没有的灾难”；这些都是主在但以理书、福音书和启示录中所预言的。
八、由此亦可明见：倘若主不建立新天与新教会，则凡血气的，无一人能得拯救。
九、按亚他那修信经，若谓三个位格各自分别为上帝，则由此三位格之三一，已产生许多关于上帝的荒谬而异质的观念；这些观念无非是幻想与畸胎。
以下将逐条加以说明。
163# 前面论述了神创造者和创造，还论述了主救赎主和救赎，最后论述了圣灵和神性运作。既然如此论述了三位一体神，那么也有必要论述在基督教界已知，然而又未知的神性三位一体。因为只能通过这个教义，才能获得正确的神观。在教会，正确的神观就像圣殿中的圣所和祭坛，或像坐在宝座上的国王头上的冠冕和手中的权杖，因为整个神学体系都取决于一个正确的神观，就像一条链子取决于第一个链环一样。如果你们相信，每个人都照着他的神观而在天堂有自己的地方。事实上，神观就是一种试金石，用来检验金和银，也就是说，检验人的良善和真理的品质或性质。因为若不从神那里，人就没有得救的良善；人也没有不从良善的至内层或核获得其品质的任何真理。但为了擦亮双眼清楚看到神性三位一体的性质，对它的解释需要分成以下几点：
（1）有一个神性三位一体，即父、子和圣灵。
（2）父、子和圣灵这三者是一位神的三个要素，它们构成一体，就像灵魂、身体和运作在人里面构成一体一样。
（3）在创世之前，这神性三位一体并不存在；而是在创造之后，就是当神道成肉身时，它才被提供并存在，然后出现在主神救赎主和救主耶稣基督里面。
（4）在思维观念上，来自永恒或创世之前的三个神性位格的三位一体是三神的三位一体；这种观念无法通过口头承认一位神来消除。
（5）使徒教会并不知道三个位格的三位一体，它是由尼西亚议会提出或孵化出来的，然后被引入罗马天主教会，并由此被引入与它分离的各教会。
（6）从尼西亚的三位一体和亚他那修的三位一体中产生了一种扭曲整个基督教会的信仰。
（7）这就是主在但以理书、福音书和启示录中所预言的“荒凉的可憎和从未有过，将来也不会有的灾难”的源头。
（8）出于同样的原因，除非主建立一个新天堂和一个新教会，否则没有肉体能得救。
（9）从如《亚他那修信经》所断言的三位格（其中每一个都独为神）的三位一体中，产生了关于神的许多不一致、荒谬和异质的观念，这些观念都是幻想和怪胎。
现逐一解释这些要点。
163. The Divine Trinity
We covered God the Creator and creation; then we covered the Lord the Redeemer and redemption; lastly we covered the Holy Spirit and the divine action. Because we have covered the triune God in this way, we need to cover the divine Trinity as well. The Trinity is well known to the Christian world, yet in other ways it is unknown. Only through understanding the Trinity can we gain a just idea of God; and in the church a just idea of God is like the sanctuary and the altar in a church building. It is like the crown on the head and the scepter in the hand of a monarch sitting on a throne. The entire body of theology depends on it the way a chain hangs from its hook. Believe it or not, we are even allotted our own place in heaven depending on our idea of God. It is like a touchstone for testing the quality of gold and silver, that is, the goodness and truth in us. There exists no goodness in us that brings salvation except the goodness we have from God; and there exists no truth in us whose quality does not come from that core of goodness.
For us to see the nature of the divine Trinity in full perspective, the explanation of the Trinity needs to be divided into points as follows:
1. There is a divine Trinity, which is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
2. These three, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, are three essential components of one God. They are one the way our soul, our body, and the things we do are one.
3. This Trinity did not exist before the world was created. It developed after the world was created, when God became flesh. It came into existence in the Lord God the Redeemer and Savior Jesus Christ.
4. At a conceptual level, the idea of a trinity of divine persons from eternity (meaning before the world was created) is a trinity of gods. This idea is impossible to wipe out just by orally confessing one God.
5. The apostolic church knew no trinity of persons. The idea was hatched by the Council of Nicaea. The council introduced the idea into the Roman Catholic church; and the Roman Catholic church introduced the idea into the churches that have since separated from it.
6. The Nicene and Athanasian views of the Trinity led to a faith that has perverted the whole Christian church.
7. The result is the abomination of desolation and the affliction such as has never existed before and will never exist again, which the Lord foretold in Daniel, the Gospels, and the Book of Revelation.
8. In fact, if the Lord were not building a new heaven and a new church, the human race would not be preserved.
9. Many absurd, alien, imaginary, and misshapen ideas of God have come into existence from the Athanasian Creed's assertion of a trinity of persons, each of whom is individually God.
Now these points will be elaborated one by one.
163. THE DIVINE TRINITY
I have discussed God the Creator, and at the same time the creation, and then the Lord the Redeemer, and at the same time the process of redemption; and now finally the Holy Spirit, and at the same time how God works. So having discussed God the Three-in-one, I must now also discuss the Divine Trinity, a subject familiar to Christian people, yet actually one they know nothing about. For this is the only way of acquiring a correct idea of God; and a correct idea of God is to the congregation like the sanctuary and altar in a church, or like a crown on the head and a sceptre in the hand of a king, as he sits upon his throne. From this hangs the whole body of theology, like a chain from its anchor-point. If you are prepared to believe me, the idea everyone has of God determines his place in the heavens. It is like the touchstone used to test gold and silver, that is to say, it tests the nature of the good and truth a person has. For he cannot have any good which leads to salvation except from God, nor any truth which does not get its quality from the good deep within it. But to reveal the nature of the Divine Trinity so that it can be seen by both eyes, the discussion must be split up into propositions, as follows.
(i) There is a Divine Trinity consisting of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
(ii) Those three, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, are the three essentials of a single God, which make one as soul, body and activity do with a person.
(iii) This Trinity did not exist before the creation of the world, but it was provided and made after the creation of the world, when God became incarnate, and then it was in the Lord God, the Redeemer and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
(iv) A Trinity of Divine persons from eternity, or existing before the creation of the world, implies thinking about a Trinity of Gods; and this thought cannot be banished by a verbal confession of belief in one God.
(v) The Trinity of persons was unknown to the Apostolic church, but was the invention of the Council of Nicaea, leading to its introduction into the Roman Catholic church, and thus to the churches which split from it.
(vi) The Trinity as defined by the Council of Nicaea and by Athanasius caused a faith to arise which has perverted the whole Christian church.
(vii) This is the source of the abomination of desolation and the affliction such as never has been nor shall be, both of which the Lord predicted in Daniel, the Gospels and Revelation.
(viii) Further, unless a new heaven and a new church are founded by the Lord, no flesh can be saved.
(ix) From a Trinity of persons, each of which individually is God, as asserted by the Athanasian Creed, many absurd ideas of various kinds have arisen about God, which are mere fancies and abortions.
These propositions will now be explained one by one.
163. THE DIVINE TRINITY.
God the Creator, together with creation, has been treated of; also the Lord the Redeemer, together with redemption; and lastly the Holy Spirit, together with the Divine operation. Having thus treated of the Triune God, it is necessary to treat also of the Divine trinity, which is known and yet unknown in the Christian world; for only through this can a right idea of God be acquired; and a right idea of God in the church is like the sanctuary and altar in a temple, or like the crown upon the head and the scepter in the hand of a king on his throne; for on a right idea of God the whole body of theology hangs, like a chain on its first link; and if you will believe it, everyone is allotted his place in the heavens in accordance with his idea of God. For that idea is like a touchstone by which the gold and silver are tested, that is, the quality of good and truth in man. For there can be no saving good in man except from God, nor any truth that does not derive its quality from the bosom of good. But that it may be seen with both eyes what the Divine trinity is, the explanation of it shall be divided into sections as follows:
(1) There is a Divine Trinity, which is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
(2) These three, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, are the three essentials of one God, and they make one as soul, body, and operation make one in man.
(3) Before the world was created this Trinity was not; but after creation, when God became incarnate, it was provided and brought about; and then in the Lord God the Redeemer and Savior Jesus Christ.
(4) In the ideas of thought a Trinity of Divine Persons from eternity, or before the world was created, is a Trinity of Gods; and these ideas cannot be effaced by a lip-confession of one God.
(5) A Trinity of Persons was unknown in the Apostolic church, but was hatched by the Nicene Council, and from that was introduced into the Roman Catholic church, and from that again into the churches separated from it.
(6) From the Nicene Trinity and the Athanasian Trinity together a faith arose by which the whole Christian church has been perverted.
(7) This is the source of that "abomination of desolation, and that tribulation such as has not been nor ever shall be," which the Lord foretold in Daniel and in the Gospels and in the Apocalypse.
(8) So too, unless a new heaven and a new church were established by the Lord there could no flesh be saved.
(9) From a Trinity of Persons, each one of whom singly is God, according to the Athanasian Creed, many discordant and heterogeneous ideas respecting God have arisen, which are phantasies and abortions.
These propositions shall now be explained one by one.
163. THE DIVINE TRINITY.
We have now treated of the following subjects: God the Creator and Creation, the Lord Redeemer and Redemption, the Holy Spirit and the Divine Operation. Having thus treated of the Triune God, we must now treat of the Divine Trinity, which is known, and yet unknown, in the Christian world. For by this doctrine alone is a right idea of God acquired; and a right idea of God is in the Church like the sanctuary and altar in the Temple, and like the crown on the head and sceptre in the hand of a king, sitting upon his throne. On this doctrine depends the whole body of theology, like a chain upon its first link; and, if you will believe it, every one has his place in heaven according to his idea of God, for it is a kind of touchstone by which gold and silver, that is, the nature of good and truth in a man, are tested, since man has no saving good except from God, nor any truth which does not derive its quality from the very inmost of good. In order, however, that the nature of the Divine Trinity may be clearly seen, an exposition of it will be given in detail, arranged under the following articles:
(1) There is a Divine Trinity, which consists of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
(2) These three, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, are three essentials of one God, which make one, as soul, body and operation make one in a man.
(3) Before the creation of the world this Trinity did not exist; but after the creation of the world, when God became incarnate, it was provided for and came into existence, and was then in the Lord God, the Redeemer and Savior, Jesus Christ.
(4) A Trinity of Divine Persons from eternity, or before the world was created, is in idea a Trinity of Gods; and this idea cannot be removed by the oral confession of one God.
(5) A Trinity of Persons was unknown in the Apostolic Church, but was put forward by the Nicene Council, then introduced into the Roman Catholic Church, and from this into the Churches that separated from it.
(6) From the Nicene and also from the Athanasian doctrine concerning the Trinity has arisen a faith which has perverted the whole Christian Church.
(7) Hence has sprung that abomination of desolation and that affliction, the like of which has not been nor ever shall be, which the Lord foretold in Daniel, in the Evangelists and in the Revelation.
(8) For the same reason, unless a new heaven and a new church were established by the Lord, no flesh should be saved.
(9) From a trinity of persons, each of whom is separately God, according to the Athanasian Creed, 1 have arisen many discordant and incongruous ideas concerning God, which are delusive and monstrous.
These articles will now be explained separately.
Footnotes:
1. Athanasian Symbol or Creed. Although bearing the name of Athanasius, it was probably composed by Hilary, in the century after the formulation of the Nicene Creed, A.D. 325. The name was given to it about the year A.D. 670 as an excellent system of the doctrines of Athansius concerning the Trinity and the Incarnation, principally in opposition to the Arians. It is received by the Romish Church and also by the Reformed.
163. DE DIVINA TRINITATE.
Actum est de Deo Creatore, et tunc simul de Creatione, et postea de Domino Redemptore et simul tunc de Redemptione et demum de Spiritu Sancto, et simul de Divina Operatione, et quia sic de Deo Triuno actum est, necessum est ut etiam de Divina Trinitate, quae in Orbe Christiano nota est, et tamen ignota, agatur; per hanc enim solam comparatur justa idea de Deo, ac justa idea de Deo, est in Ecclesia sicut adytum et ara in Templo; ac sicut Corona super capite, et sceptrum in manu Regis sedentis super Throno, inde enim pendet, sicut catena a suo capite, universum corpus Theologicum, et si credere vultis, quisque sortitur suum locum in Coelis secundum ideam Dei, est enim illa sicut Lapis lydius, per quem exploratur aurum et argentum, hoc est, bonum et verum, qualia haec sunt apud hominem; non enim datur apud illum aliquod bonum salvificum nisi a Deo, nec aliquod verum, quod non quale suum trahit ex sinu boni. Sed ut ambobus oculis videatur, quid Divina Trinitas, 1 Expositio ejus in Articulos dispescenda est, qui sequentes erunt, I. Quod Divina Trinitas sit, quae est, Pater, Filius, et Spiritus Sanctus. II. Quod tres illi, Pater, Filius, et Spiritus Sanctus, sint tria Essentialia unius Dei, quae faciunt unum, quemadmodum Anima, Corpus et Operatio apud hominem. III. Quod ante Mundum Creatum non fuerit haec Trinitas, sed quod post Mundum creatum, quando Deus incarnatus est, provisa et facta sit, et tunc in Domino Deo Redemptore et Salvatore Jesu Christo. IV. Quod Trinitas Divinarum Personarum ab aeterno, seu ante Mundum creatum, 2 sit in ideis cogitationis Trinitas Deorum, et quod haec non aboleri possit per confessionem oralem unius Dei. V. Quod Trinitas Personarum ignota fuerit in Ecclesia Apostolica, sed quod exclusa sit a Concilio Nicaeno, et inde introducta in Ecclesiam Romano Catholicam, et ab hac in Ecclesias separatas ab illa. VI. Quod ex Trinitate Nicaena et simul Athanasiana, exorta sit Fides, quae totam Ecclesiam Christianam perverterat. VII. Quod inde sit illa abominatio desolationis, et afflictio qualis non fuit nec futura est, quas Dominus apud Danielem et Evangelistas et in Apocalypsi praedixerat. VIII. Tum hoc, quod nisi Novum Coelum, et Nova Ecclesia a Domino conduntur, non conservaretur ulla caro. IX. Quod ex Trinitate Personarum, quarum unaquaevis singulatim est Deus, secundum Symbolum Athanasianum, plures absonae ac heterogeneae ideae de Deo exstiterint, quae sunt phantasiae et abortus. Haec nunc singulatim explicabuntur.
Footnotes: