Propositions and Principles of Divinity Disputed, Section 1 – Section 2
FIRST CONCERNING GOD.
1 SEing that the whole ſumme of all wiſedome and felicitie, doth conſiſt in the true knoledge of God: it is moſt meet that all our endeuors ſhould be ſpent, in ſeeking to attain vntounto that knowledge, as far as we may be capable of it.
2 Not that a full & a perfect knowledge of his Majeſtie, who is far greater, then the capacitie of men, and Angels can reach vntounto, may be any waies comprehended within our vnderſtanding: but that wee ſhould bend all the powers of our ſoules and bodies, to knowe that one God, who is the author and giuer, both of ſoule and body.
3 And although humaine reaſon, bee able to affoord vsus ſome proofs, wherby we may be taught, that there is a God, and but onelyonly one: and whereby alſo his attributes, may bee in ſome ſort, made knowen vntounto vsus. Yet notwithſtanding, thoſe proofes are more ſure and ſtrong, yea, and altogeather the moſt vndoubted, which for this purpoſe are fetched and drawen out of Gods word: that is, out of the ſacred writings of the holie Prophets and Apoſtles, contained in the old and new Teſtament.
4 For howbeit, that the knowledge of God, which is deriued from the conſideration of his workes and power, hath many notable vſes: yet is it nothing comparable, with that light, which is gotten from the holy Scriptures; both becauſe this knowledge reuealed by the word, doth wholie flow and proceede from God him ſelfe: and alſo, in aſmuch as, God in this his written woorde, hath manifeſted, howe, and after what manner, he will be knowen, and worſhipped of men.
Now, whether there be a God or no, we are to be ſo farre from making any queſtion thereof, that wee are bound moſt firmely, with all our hearts, without all wauering and doubting, to beleeue that point.
And therfore we auouch, that the rauing madnes of all Atheiſts, who make a queſtion, whether there be a God or no, ought not ſo much to be confuted by words and reaſon, as it ought to bee cleane rooted out of the ſocietie of men by the Magiſtrat, and the ſtiffe maintainers of it, taken from amongeſt men.
For though al men by nature, as it is now corrupt, be void of the true God: neuertheleſſe, there are certaine motions and ſparks of the knowledge of God, imprinted in the mind of eueryevery man, which cannot altogeather be put out: And as theſe motions doe teſtifie, that man was borne to worſhippe God: So vnles, a more full light bee joyned vntounto them, they leaue man ſtraying and groping in the darke, and are ſmallie or nothing behoofull vntounto him.
Therefore, as the knowledge, which man hath by nature, is not altogeather of no vſe vntounto ſaluation: ſo is it verie farre, from being of it ſelfe, ſufficient therunto: It bereaueth them indeede of all excuſe, who quench that ſmall lighr of nature, though neuer ſo corrupt, which is left in them.
5 True it is indeed, that he who goeth beyond al bounds, can in no wiſe be defined, and that that exceeding brightnes of God, which no man can attaine vntounto, cannot bee comprehended by our darknes, yet hee may be, as it were, ſhadowed out by this diſcription, and ſo wee may ſay, that God is hee who hath his beeing in himſelfe, whoſe nature is of himſelfe, inuiſible without beginning, without ending, infinite, incomprehenſible, indiuiſible, vnchangeable, no bodily ſubſtance, but a being moſt pure, moſt ſimple, and eueryevery way moſt perfect, wiſe, mightie, good, iuſt, mercifull, free, who hath created all things of nothing, &c.
And therfore, we do deteſt the multitude of Gods, acknoledged, among the Gentils, the groſnes of the *Heretiks ſo called, becauſe they held God, to hauehave a body and members like a man.Anthropomorphites, the furie of the Manichaeis, and all ſuch like. And here it is to be obſerued, that thoſe things which are attributed vntounto God, by the former Epithites and attributes, are not to betaken, as qualities inhaerent in him: for we are to knowe, that there is nothing in God, which is not God himſelfe.
6 As where it is ſayd, that God is iuſt, good, merciful, &c. That is ſo to bee vnderſtood, as if hee were ſaid to be iuſtice, goodnes, and mercy it ſelfe.
And therefore, although that when we ſpeake of God, we muſt not conceiue of him, as hauing any liknes or affinitie with the nature of man, or of any creature: yet ſuch is the excellencie of the Lorde, and mans weaknes, that when wee ſpeake of his Majeſty, we are enforced to vſe borrowed ſpeaches from creatures. And herein hee is ſo far from diſliking of vsus, that he himſelfe, deſcending, as it were, into our capacitie, doth eueryevery where thus ſpeake of himſelfe,
Defended by SAMVEL AVIENVS of Berne.
THE SECOND SORT OF PRINCIPLES, CONCERNING THE HOLY AND VNSEARCHABLE TRINITIE.
1 THat knowledge of God, which we attaine vntounto, by his written word, doth far ſurpas al that, whatſoeuer it be, whereunto the light of nature, doth or can lead vsus.
2 For, that God is one in ſubſtance, and three in perſons, is no where els to bee learned, ſaue onelyonly out of the worde. The truth of which Doctrine, it ſetteth downe moſt clearlie and vndoubtedly, but ſo as it leaueth the reaſon thereof, as a matter altogeather vnſearchable, and a myſterie, not to bee ſought out by humain arguments, but to be reuerenced and embraced by faith onelyonly.
3 Theſe words, Trinitie, Eſſence, or Subſtance, Perſon, and Coeſſentiall, though they bee not in expreſſe ſyllables (the word aHeb. 1.3Perſon onelyonly excepted) to be found in the Canonicall Scriptures; yet notwithſtanding, they were not without juſt cauſes, brought into vſe, by the godly auncient Fathers; neither are they to be rejected, as adding any thing vntounto the word, but rather, to bee ſtill profitablie, and wholſomelie retained in the Church.
4 By the word TRINITY, we vnderſtand the nōber of the perſons, contained in the diuine eſſence, which is one onelyonly.
5 By the word eſſence, in this doctrin is ment, that which in deed is one, and of al things moſt ſingular or ſingle, wherein the ſeuerall perſons, being eueryevery one of them, the whole & the ſame eſſence, do ſubſiſt, being diſtinguiſhed in their peculiar proprieties. Theſe perſons are, the Father, the Sonne, and the holy Ghoſt.
6 The Perſons in the Deitie, are the whole and the verie ſame ſubſtance of the Deitie, diſtinguiſhed the one from the other, by their peculiar or reſpectiue incommunicable proprieties.
7 The proprieties whereby the perſons are diſtinguiſhed, are the diuers maner of being, that they hauehave in the Deitie, whereby the ſubſtance of the Godhead, is no wiſe deuided aſſunder, nor the perſons of the ſame eſſence ſeperated, but yet ſo diſtinguiſhed, as the one of them cannot posſiblie bee the other.
8 The diuine Eſſence, the Deitie or Godhead, & God, are eſſentiallie the one and the ſame.
9 Theſe perſons, are ſayd to be foreign or coeſſential, not becauſe, they are only of like eſſence and ſubſtance, as we ſee the particulars of the ſame kinde to bee: but inaſmuche as they are indeed, the one and the ſelfe ſame ſimple eſſence: of which ſort, nothing that is created can be.
And therefore, the perſons of the Deitie, cannot without blaſphemie, be ſaid to bee onelie cohaerent togeather in ſubſtance, or onelyonly of like ſubſtance.
10 Amongſt theſe perſons, diſtinguiſhed indeed, by their reſpectiue proprieties, although there be an order; yet is ther not any degree, whence either any inferioritie, inequalitie, or confuſion may ariſe.
Therefore wee conclude, that there are indeed, three perſons in nomber, yet but one Godhead, and one GOD in regard of ſubſtance.
11 The proprietie of the perſon of the father, is to be vnbegotten, and to beget; The proprietie of the ſonne, is to be begotten of the father; The proprietie of the holy ghoſt, is to proceed, from the father and the ſonne.
Wherefore in concluſion, we do from our hearts deteſt, all the blaſphemies, that both old and new heretiks hauehave maintained, contrary vntounto this doctrine.
Defended by IOHN CHEROPONTIVS of Neocome.