Prologus 8

By the same author, On Faith. By the grace of the good God, having learned the command of your reverence, worthy of the love in Christ toward God, in which you sought from us a written confession of pious faith, at first, perceiving my own humility and weakness, I hesitated to respond. But when I recalled the Apostle saying, "Bearing with one another in love," and again, "For it is believed in the heart for righteousness, but confessed with the mouth for salvation," I considered it not without danger either to contradict you or to be silent about the saving confession, having confidence through Christ toward God, as it is written: "Not that we are able of ourselves to reason anything, as from ourselves; but our ability is from God, who then made them, and now also us, and this through you, capable of becoming ministers of the New Covenant, not of the letter, but of the spirit." And it is surely known to you yourselves that it is proper for a faithful minister to preserve uncorrupted and unadulterated for his fellow servants whatever he is entrusted to administer by the good Master. So I am a debtor to set before you, according to what is pleasing to God, for the common benefit, what I have learned from the God-inspired Scripture. For if the Lord Himself, in whom the Father was well pleased, in whom are all the hidden treasures of wisdom and knowledge, who received all authority and all judgment from the Father, says, "He gave me a command, what I should say and what I should speak," and again, "What I speak, as the Father has told me, so I speak.

and the Holy Spirit does not speak from itself, but whatever it hears from him, these it speaks; how much more is it both pious and safe for us to think and do this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ? As long, then, as it was necessary to contend against the heresies that arose from time to time, following those who had preceded, I considered it consistent with the difference of the impiety sown by the devil to prevent or even overturn the blasphemies brought in by contrary expressions, and at other times by others, as the need of the sick compelled, and these often unwritten, yet not alienated from the pious meaning according to Scripture; the Apostle having often not refrained from using even Greek expressions for his own purpose. But now, fitting our common purpose and yours, I thought to fulfill the command of your love in Christ in the simplicity of sound faith, saying what I was taught by the God-inspired Scripture; sparing both those names and expressions which are not contained in the divine Scripture in their very words, yet preserve the meaning that lies in Scripture; but whatever, besides the strangeness of the expression, also introduces a meaning foreign to us, and which cannot be found proclaimed by the saints, these I entirely reject as foreign and alien to pious faith.

Faith, then, is an undivided assent to what has been heard, in the full assurance of the truth of what has been proclaimed by the grace of God, which Abraham demonstrated when he was tested, because he was not divided by unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what was promised, He is able to accomplish. But if the Lord is faithful in all His words, and all His commandments are faithful, established for eternity, made in truth and righteousness, then it is a manifest falling away from faith and an accusation of arrogance either to reject any of the things that are written, or to introduce anything that is not written, since our Lord Jesus Christ said: "My sheep hear my voice," and before this He said: "They will not follow a stranger, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers." And the Apostle, in a human example, more strongly forbids adding or subtracting anything in the divinely inspired Scriptures, through what he says: "Nevertheless, no one annuls or adds a codicil to a covenant that has been ratified by a man.

We have therefore always determined, and now determine, to avoid every voice and thought foreign to the Lord's teaching. And the aim, as I said before, which is now set before us and you, is far different from those subjects on account of which we were at other times prompted to write or speak. For then the refutation of heresy and the overthrow of the devil's machinations were the object of our zeal, whereas now a simple confession and manifestation of sound faith lies before us. Therefore the character of our discourse is not the same as is now fitting for us. For just as a man would not take up the same implements when fighting and when farming (for those who in peace cultivate the means of life for themselves have one set of implements, and those who are drawn up in battle have another set of armor), so the one who exhorts in sound teaching would not say the same things as the one who refutes opponents. For the form of refutatory discourse is one thing, and the form of hortatory discourse is another. There is one simplicity for those who in peace confess piety, and other labors for those who stand against the antitheses of false knowledge. So that if we also, managing our discourses with judgment in this manner, should use everywhere what is consistent with the protection or edification of faith, at one time more combatively resisting those who by the devil's craft attempt to destroy it, at another time more simply and appropriately expounding it to those who wish to be built up in it, and doing nothing other than that which the Apostle said: to know how you must answer each one.

Before coming to the confession of faith itself, it is also worth noting this: that the majesty and glory of God, being both inexpressible in speech and incomprehensible to the mind, could not be indicated or conceived by a single word or thought; rather, through many expressions turned about in our usage, the divinely inspired Scripture has barely hinted at it, as through a mirror, to those pure in heart. For face-to-face encounter and perfect knowledge have been promised to the worthy in the future age; but now, even if one is a Paul or a Peter, he truly sees what he sees and is not deceived, nor does he imagine things, yet he sees through a mirror and in a riddle, and gratefully accepting the partial now, he joyfully awaits the perfect in the future. This is confirmed by the Apostle Paul, who constructs the argument in such a manner, saying: Just as, when I was a child, just learning the elements of the beginning of the oracles of God, I spoke as a child, I thought as a child, I reasoned as a child; but when I became a man and am pressing on to reach the measure of the fullness of Christ, I have abolished the things of the child. And I made such progress and improvement in the comprehension of divine things that the knowledge in the Jewish worship resembled the movements of an infantile mind, while the knowledge through the Gospel befits a man already perfect in all things. Thus, in comparison with the knowledge that will be revealed to the worthy in the future age, even what now seems perfect in knowledge is so small and dim that it falls far short of that in the future.

In an age of clarity, or as much as seeing through a mirror and in a riddle falls short of face-to-face vision. And those around the blessed Peter and John, disciples of the Lord, also confirm this, themselves attesting that the surpassing knowledge preserved in the future age is not less than the perpetual increase and progress toward the greater in the present life. They, after being deemed worthy of selection by the Lord, of living with him, of being sent by him, of the distribution of spiritual gifts, after hearing, "To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven," after such knowledge, after the revelation of things hidden from others, nevertheless later, at the time of the Lord's passion itself, hear, "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now." From these and similar things we learn that the inspired Scripture knows the boundlessness of knowledge to such an extent, and the inaccessibility of divine mysteries in the present to human nature to such an extent, that more is always added to each according to progress, while all always fall short of what is fitting, until the perfect comes, when the partial will be abolished. Therefore, neither is one name sufficient to declare all the glories of God at once, nor can each be taken in its entirety without risk. For if one says "God," he has not indicated "Father"; and with "Father," "Creator" is missing.

These again require goodness, wisdom, power, and the other attributes borne in holy Scripture. Again, the term "Father," taken in its full human sense, if we apply it to God, we are impious; for it implies passion, emanation, ignorance, weakness, and all such things. Similarly also the term "Creator." For in our case there is need of time, matter, tools, assistance; from all of which the pious conception of God must be free, as far as is possible for a human. For to speak worthily, as I said, even if all minds were united for the investigation, and all tongues concurred for the declaration, no one would ever attain it. The most wise Solomon clearly presents this notion to us, saying: "I said, I shall become wise, and it was far removed from me, farther than it was"—not by its fleeing, but because its incomprehensibility is especially revealed to those to whom, by the grace of God, knowledge has been more abundantly granted. The divinely inspired Scripture necessarily uses many names and expressions for a partial and enigmatic representation of the divine glory. But for us to recount all that has been said everywhere by the divinely inspired Scripture concerning Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is neither within our power nor our leisure, because of your urgency; but setting forth a few from among all, we consider these sufficient for your conscience, both for the manifestation of our own scriptural understanding, and for the assurance of yourselves and of those who wish to be assured by us.

Just as the many things declare to us the one pious concept, so also from the few, the well-disposed person, I think, recognizes the pious in all things. We therefore believe and confess one only true and good God, and Father Almighty, from whom are all things: the God and Father of our Lord and God Jesus Christ. And one only-begotten Son, our Lord and God Jesus Christ, alone true, through whom all things were made, both visible and invisible; and in whom all things consist; who in the beginning was with God, and was God; and afterwards, according to Scripture, appeared on earth and lived among men; who, existing in the form of God, did not consider it a usurpation to be equal to God, but emptied himself, and through birth from a Virgin took the form of a servant, and being found in appearance as a man, fulfilled all that is written concerning him and about him according to the command of the Father, becoming obedient unto death, death by the cross; and on the third day rising from the dead, according to the Scriptures, appeared to his holy disciples and to the rest, as it is written; and ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father; whence he comes at the end of this age to raise all, and to render to each according to his deed; when the righteous will be taken up into eternal life and the kingdom of heaven, and the sinners will be condemned to eternal punishment, where their worm does not die, and the fire is not extinguished.

And one only Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, in whom we are sealed for the day of redemption: the Spirit of truth, the Spirit of adoption, in whom we cry, "Abba, Father"; the one that distributes and activates the gifts from God to each for their benefit, as it wills; the one that teaches and reminds of all that it hears from the Son; the good one, the one that guides into all truth, and strengthens all who believe for sure knowledge, accurate confession, pious worship, and spiritual and true adoration of God the Father and of His only-begotten Son, our Lord and God Jesus Christ, and of itself; each name clearly distinguishing for us the property of the one named, and concerning each of the named, certain exceptional properties being piously contemplated, the Father in the property of the Father, the Son in the property of the Son, and the Holy Spirit in its own property; the Holy Spirit not speaking of itself, nor the Son doing anything of itself; and the Father sending the Son, and the Son sending the Holy Spirit. Thus we believe, and thus we baptize into a consubstantial Trinity, according to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, who said, "Go, disciple all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to keep all that I commanded you." Which, if we keep, we show our love for Him, and are deemed worthy to remain in it, as it is written.

But if we do not keep them, we are proven to be contrary. For the Lord says, "He who does not love me does not keep my words." And again, "He who has my commandments and keeps them, that is the one who loves me." I am especially amazed that, although our Lord Jesus Christ Himself says, "Do not rejoice that the demons are subdued before you; rejoice rather that your names are written in the heavens," and again, "By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another," whence the Apostle, showing the necessity of love in all things, testifies saying, "Even if I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a resounding brass or a clashing cymbal; and even if I have prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and even if I have all faith so as to move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing." And a little later, "Whether prophecies are abolished, or tongues cease, or knowledge is abolished," and so forth, to which he adds, "But now faith, hope, love, these three remain; and greater than these is love." With these and such things thus defined by both the Lord and the Apostle, I say, amazed, how it is that concerning the things that are abolished and cease, men have such zeal and agitation, but concerning the things that remain, and especially the greatest of all, love, which characterizes the Christian, not only do they themselves take no care, but they also oppose those who are zealous, and by fighting they fulfill what is said: "They themselves do not enter, and they hinder those who are entering from entering.

Therefore I exhort and beseech you, having ceased from superfluous inquiry and unseemly word-battles, to be content with what has been said by the saints and by the Lord Himself, to think thoughts worthy of the heavenly calling, and to live worthily of the Gospel of Christ, in hope of eternal life and the heavenly kingdom prepared for all who keep the commandments of God and Father, those according to the Gospel of the blessed God Jesus Christ our Lord, in the Holy Spirit and truth. Having been reminded by your reverence to dictate these things at the end, and to make our own mind manifest to you and through you to the brethren in Christ, for the assurance of you and of them in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we have considered it necessary and incumbent upon us, so that the mind of some may in no way be carried away by the difference of things set forth by us at one time in one way and at another in another, we who are always compelled to resist the hypothesis introduced by those who oppose the truth, nor that some be shaken by the contrariety of those among us who wish to ascribe alien things to us, or who often falsely attribute their own passions to our mind in order to carry off the simpler ones; whom it is necessary for you also to guard against as alien to the evangelical and apostolic faith and love; and to remember the Apostle saying, "But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should proclaim to you a gospel contrary to what we have proclaimed to you, let him be anathema," so that, keeping also that other saying, "Beware of false prophets.

and that you refrain from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which they received from us, let us follow the rule of the saints, as those built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, the cornerstone being our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, in whom every building, fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. May the God of peace sanctify you wholly, and may your entire spirit, soul, and body be preserved blamelessly at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful who calls you, and He will also do so, if we keep His commandments, by the grace of Christ in the Holy Spirit. Considering that matters concerning sound faith have been sufficiently stated for the present in what precedes, let us hasten from here to fulfill the promise concerning ethics in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, whatever we find in the New Testament, for the time being, scattered as prohibited or approved, these we have endeavored, as far as possible for us, to gather into summary definitions for the ease of those who wish, appending to each definition also the number of the scriptural chapters contained in it, whether from the Gospel, or from the Apostle, or the Acts, so that the reader, upon seeing the definition and the first or second number placed beside it, then taking up the Scripture itself and searching for the chapter of the aforementioned number, may thus find the testimony for which the definition was made.

I would have wished, then, to set forth first the things from the Old Testament that are said in harmony with each matter in the New, to accompany the definitions. But since need pressed, and the brethren in Christ have now especially demanded of us more earnestly the things long promised, I recalled the one who said: "Give a wise man a starting point, and he will be wiser." So it is possible for anyone who wishes, having taken a sufficient starting point from what is at hand, to take up the Old Testament and recognize for himself the harmony in all the God-inspired Scriptures, especially since one voice suffices for the faithful and for those who are fully assured of the truth of the Lord's sayings. Therefore, I considered it sufficient to set forth not all things in the New Testament, but a few from among all.