636. 第4节 转嫁基督功德的信对于早期使徒教会来说闻所未闻, 圣言也没有一处教导这信
尼西亚公会之前的教会被称为使徒教会。 它毫无疑问是一个分布广泛的教会, 遍及全球三大洲, 即亚洲, 非洲与欧洲, 因为君士坦丁大帝是一个基督徒, 也是一个宗教狂热者, 他统治的疆域不但覆盖后来分裂的欧洲众多王国, 而且还延伸至欧洲以外的邻近国家。 所以, 如上所述, 为了将阿里乌的可耻教义从他的帝国逐出去, 他将亚非欧三大洲的主教召集到他位于小亚西亚尼西亚城的宫殿。 这一切是按着主的天命进行的, 因为若主的神性被否认, 基督教会就会死亡, 变得象写有“长眠于此”题字的坟墓。
在这个时代之前的教会被称为使徒教会; 其杰出作者被称为教父 (the Fathers), 其余的所有真正基督徒都是兄弟。 该教会不承认三个神性身位, 因此也不承认自永恒而生的神儿子, 而只承认后来生的神儿子, 这一点通过信经 (该信经被其教会称为使徒信经) 明显可知。 该信经说: “我信上帝, 全能的父, 创造天地的主; 我信我主耶稣基督, 上帝的独生子, 因着圣灵感孕, 从童贞女马利亚所生; 我信圣灵, 我信圣而公之教会, 我信圣徒相通。 ”由此清楚可知, 他们只承认因着圣灵感孕, 从童贞女马利亚所生的神儿子, 决不承认自永恒而生的神儿子。 该信经和其它那两个一样, 也被整个基督教会公认为真正的信经, 直到今天。
636. The Concept of a Faith That Assigns the Merit of Christ Was Completely Unknown in the Apostolic Church That Existed before the Council of Nicaea; and Nothing in the Word Conveys That Concept Either
The church that existed before the Council of Nicaea was called the apostolic church. The fact that this was an extensive church that had developed on three of the world's continents (Asia, Africa, and Europe) is clear from the empire of Constantine the Great, which included many countries in Europe (though they later separated from the empire), as well as nearby countries outside of Europe. Constantine was a Christian and a vigorous champion of his religion. Therefore, as mentioned above, he called together bishops from Asia, Africa, and Europe to his palace in the city of Nicaea in Bithynia in order to throw Arius's offences out of his empire.
This happened as a result of the Lord's divine providence, because a denial of the Lord's divinity would have killed the Christian church and made it like a tomb engraved with the epitaph "Here lies . . . "
[2] The church that existed before that time was called the apostolic church; its noteworthy writers were called the apostolic fathers, and other true Christians were called brothers and sisters. It is clear from the creed known as the Apostles' Creed (so named for the church at the time) that that church did not acknowledge three divine persons, and that it did acknowledge a Son of God born in time but not a Son of God from eternity:
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord, who was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, and the communion of saints.
Clearly, then, they acknowledged no other Son of God than the one who was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, which completely rules out any Son of God born from eternity. This creed, like the other two, has been accepted as a true and universal creed by the entire Christian church right up to our time.
636. IV. Faith which imputes Christ's merit was unknown to the earlier, Apostolic church, and is nowhere to be understood in the Word.
The church which existed before the Council of Nicaea was called the Apostolic church. This was extensive, having been spread to three continents, Asia, Africa and Europe, as is evident from the Emperor Constantine the Great, whose dominion covered not only a number of European kingdoms that subsequently broke away, but also the nearer parts outside Europe, being a Christian and zealous for his religion. He therefore, as said above, summoned the bishops from Asia, Africa and Europe to his palace in the city of Nicaea in Bithynia, in order to expel from his empire the scandalous teachings of Arius. This took place by the Lord's Divine providence, since if the Lord's divinity is denied, the Christian church dies off, and becomes like a tomb bearing the inscription: HERE LIES...
The church which existed before this time was called Apostolic, and its notable writers were known as the Fathers, and the true Christians beside them as brethren. It is certain from the Creed known after that church as the Apostles', that it did not acknowledge three Divine Persons and thus not a Son of God from eternity either, but only a Son of God born in time. The Creed says:
I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ His only Son our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, was born of the Virgin Mary. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic church, the communion of saints.
This makes it plain that they acknowledged no Son of God other than Him who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, certainly not a Son of God born from eternity. This Creed, like the two others, has been acknowledged down to the present day by the whole Christian church as a genuine and catholic creed.
636. IV. THE FAITH IMPUTATIVE OF CHRIST'S MERIT WAS UNKNOWN IN THE PRECEDING APOSTOLIC CHURCH, AND IS NOWHERE TAUGHT IN THE WORD.
The church that preceded the Nicene Council is called the Apostolic church. It was evidently a widespread church, extending over the three parts of the globe, Asia, Africa and Europe, for the Emperor Constantine the Great was a Christian, and also a zealot in religion, and his dominion extended not only over many kingdoms of Europe that were afterward separated, but also over the neighboring countries outside of Europe. So as just said, he assembled the bishops from Asia, Africa and Europe, in his palace at Nice, a city of Bithynia, in order that he might banish from his empire the scandalous dogmas of Arius. This was done by the Lord's Divine Providence, because when the Divinity of the Lord is denied the Christian church dies, and becomes like a sepulchre adorned with the epitaph, Hic jacet. The church that existed before this time was called Apostolic; its distinguished writers were called the Fathers, and all true Christians held the relation of brethren. This church did not acknowledge three Divine persons, nor therefore a Son of God born from eternity, but only a Son of God born in time, as is evident from the creed, which by their church was called the Apostles' Creed, where the following words occur:
"I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ His only Son our Lord, who was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary; I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic church, the communion of the saints."
From this it is clear that they acknowledged no other Son of God than the one conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, and by no means a Son of God born from eternity. This creed, like the two others, has been acknowledged as truly Catholic by the entire Christian church up to the present day.
636. IV. FAITH WHICH IMPUTES CHRIST'S MERIT WAS NOT KNOWN IN THE APOSTOLIC CHURCH, WHICH EXISTED EARLIER, AND IS NOWHERE MENTIONED OR IMPLIED IN THE WORD.
The Church which existed before the Council of Nice 1 has been called the Apostolic Church. This was widespread, extending over three parts of the globe, Asia, Africa and Europe; for the Emperor Constantine the Great 2 was a Christian, zealous for religion, and his empire not only embraced many kingdoms of Europe which afterwards broke away, but also many neighboring kingdoms outside Europe. As was stated above, he summoned the bishops of Asia, Africa and Europe to his palace at Nice, a city of Bithynia, in order to purge his empire of the scandalous doctrines of Arius. 3 This was done from the Divine Providence of the Lord since, if the Lord's Divinity is denied, the Christian Church dies, and becomes like a tomb adorned with this epitaph, "Here lies."
The Church which existed before this period has been called Apostolic, and its distinguished writers were called Fathers, and true Christians from their close relationship were called brethren. This Church did not acknowledge three Divine Persons, and consequently not a Son of God born from eternity, but only a Son of God born in time, as is evident from the Creed named from this Church the Apostles' Creed, in which it is said:
"I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic church, the communion of saints."
It is evident from this that they acknowledge no other Son of God than the one conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary; and by no means any Son of God born from eternity. This Creed, like the two others, has been acknowledged as genuinely Catholic by the whole Christian Church to the present day.
Footnotes:
1. Nice (Nicaea), city of Asia Minor, in Bithynia. In A.D. 325 it was the seat of a Council summoned to settle the Arian controversy. The creed there adopted is known as the Nicene Creed.
2. Constantine, Emperor of Rome, A. D. 272-337. A convert to Christianity, he summoned the Council of Nice, A.D. 325 to settle the Arian controversy. This Council gave its name to the Nicene Creed which resulted, and which subsequently became the standard creed of the Christian Church.
3. Arius, theologian of Alexandria, A.D 256-336; founder of Arianism, affirming that Christ was an originated Being. Excommunicated by bishops of Egypt for denying that Christ was made of the same substance (homo-ousion) of any previously existing substance. To settle the consequent dispute Constantine called the Council of Nicaea, A.D. 325. Athanasius successfully led the opposition to Arius; and Arius, with Eusebius, who also refused to accept the Athanasian position, was banished.
636. Quod Fides imputativa meriti Christi non fuerit nota in Ecclesia Apostolica, quae praecessit; et nullibi intellecta in Verbo.
Ecclesia, quae Synodum Nicaenam praecessit, vocata est Ecclesia Apostolica, quae quod fuerit ampla, et in tres partes Orbis, Asiam, Africam et Europam propagata, constat non modo ex Imperatore Constantino magno, et ejus Monarchia super plura Regna Europae postea divisa, sed etiam super viciniora extra Europam, quod fuerit Christianus, ac Zelotes pro religione; quare, ut supra dictum est, convocavit Episcopos ex Asia, Africa et Europa in Regiam suam Niceae urbis Bithyniae, ut Arii scandala ex Imperio suo ejiceret. Hoc factum est ex Divina Domini Providentia, quoniam si negatur Divinitas Domini, Ecclesia Christiana emoritur, et fit sicut sepulcrum ornatum Epitaphio hoc, hic jacet.
[2] Ecclesia, quae fuit ante hoc tempus, vocata est Apostolica; et Scriptores insignes istius Ecclesiae dicti sunt Patres, ac veri Christiani a latere fratres. Quod haec Ecclesia non agnoverit tres Personas Divinas et inde nec Filium Dei ab aeterno, sed modo Filium Dei natum in tempore, constat ex Symbolo, quod ab Ecclesia illorum vocatum est Apostolicum, ubi haec leguntur, "Credo in Deum Patrem Omnipotentem, Creatorem Coeli et Terrae. Et in Jesum Christum Filium Ejus unicum, Dominum nostrum, qui conceptus de Spiritu Sancto, natus ex Virgine Maria. Credo in Spiritum sanctum; sanctam Ecclesiam Catholicam, sanctorum communionem." Ex quo patet, quod non alium Filium Dei agnoverint, quam conceptum de spiritu sancto, et natum ex Maria Virgine; et prorsus non aliquem Filium Dei natum ab aeterno. Hoc Symbolum, sicut duo altera, pro sincero Catholico ab universa Ecclesia Christiana ad hodiernum 1 diem, agnitum est.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: hodienum.