Of the Life Itself, which is God, and of the Divine attributes, Eternity, Infinity and Omnipotence, The laws of Divine order respecting man's reforma- tion, regeneration, and consequent salvation, which are called laws of Divine Providence, Of the first and second law of Divine Providence, third law of Divine Providence, fourth law of Divine Providence, fifth law of Divine Providence, sixth law of Divine Providence, seventh law of Divine Providence, eighth law of Divine Providence, ninth law of Divine Providence, tenth law of Divine Providence, THE ATHANASIAN CREED. EXTRACTED FROM THE APOCALYPSE EXPLAINED. 1. "WHOSOEVER will be saved it is altogether necessary for him to keep the catholic faith; which faith unless every one shall keep whole and entire without doubt, he shall perish everlastingly. The catholic faith is this, that we worship one God in trinity, and trinity in unity; neither commixing the persons, nor separating the substance (essence). Since there is one person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Spirit, but the Divinity of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, is one and the same, the glory equal, and the majesty co-eternal. Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Spirit. The Father is uncreate, the Son is uncreate, and the Holy Spirit is uncreate. The Father is infinite, the Son infinite, and the Holy Spirit infinite. The Father eternal the Son eternal, and the Holy Spirit eter nal: and yet there are not three eternals, but one eternal; and there are not three infinites, nor three uncreate, but one uncreate and one iufinite. In like manner as the Father is omnipotent, so the Son is omnipotent, and the Holy Spirit is omnipotent: and yet there are not three omnipotents, but one omnipotent. As the Father is God, so the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God: and yet there are not three Gods, but one God. Although the Father is Lord, the Son is Lord, and the Holy Spirit is Lord, still there are not three Lords, but one Lord for as we are obliged, by the christian verity, to acknowledge every person by himself to be God and Lord, yet are we forbidden by the catholic religion to say there be three Gods or three Lords (according to others, we cannot, from the christian faith, make mention of three Gods or three Lords). The Father was made of none, neither created nor born. The Son is of the Father alone, not made, nor created, but born. The Holy Spirit is of the Father and of the Son, neither made, nor created, nor born, but proceeding. Thus there is one Father, not three Fathers, one Son, not three Sons, one Holy Spirit, not three Holy Spirits. And in this trinity none. is prior or posterior to the other, neither is he greater or less than the other; but all the three persons are together eternal, and are altogether equal. So that in all things, as was before said, the unity in trinity and the trinity in unity is to be worshipped; (according to others, three persons in one Godhead, and one God in three persons is to be worshipped). Wherefore, whoever would be saved, must thus think of the trinity. It is also further necessary for salvation, that he believe rightly the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ; (according to others, that he constantly believe that our Lord Jesus Christ is true man). Since the true faith is, that we believe and confess, that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and man, God of the substance (or essence ; according to others, nature) of the Father, born before the world, and man of the substance, (according to others, nature) of the mother, born in the world: perfect God and perfect man, consisting of a rational soul and a human body: equal to the Father as to the Divine (principle), and inferior to (according to others, lesser than) the Father as to the Human (principle). Who, although God and man, yet they are not two, but one Christ: one, not by conversion of the Divine Essence into the Human (of the Divinity into body), but by assumption of the Human Essence into the Divine (into God): one altogether, not by commixture of essence (of substance), but by unity of person (according to others, because they are one person): since as the rational soul and body are one man, so God and man is one Christ. Who suffered for our salvation, descended into hell, and reascended on the third day from the dead, and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father God Almighty; from whence he is about to come to judge the living and the dead. At whose coming all men shall rise again with their bodies; and they who have done good things shall enter into life eternal, and they who have done evil things, into eternal fire. This is the catholic faith, which unless a man believe faithfully, he cannot be saved. Glory to God the Father and Son and Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be forever, word without end. Amen." 2. This is the doctrine concerning God received throughout the whole christian world, because received from a general council. But, before we take that doctrine into examination, it may be expedient to make known an arcanum concerning the state of faith and love with man in this world, and afterwards in the other, into which he comes after death; for until this be made known, man knows no other than that every one, without any regard to his faith, may be let into heaven and saved by the Divine mercy; in which idea is grounded the erroneous belief of the Roman Catholics, that heaven is open to man at the good pleasure of the pope, and by the favour of his vicars. The arcanum is this, that all the thoughts of man |