merely in the sense in which it is applied to
Cuap. IX.] ON FAITH AND THE CREED. 327 not to lead us to suppose that God the Father is, as it were, circumscribed by a human form, so that, when we think of Him, a right side or a left should suggest itself to the mind. Nor, again, when it is thus said in express terms that the Father sitteth, are we to fancy that this is done with bended knees; lest we should fall into that profanity, in [dealing with] which an apostle execrates those who to the authority which is contained in the Acts of the Apostles.® It is in accordance with this temporal dispensation, therefore, that He speaks in the Apocalypse, where it is written in this wise: '* These things saith He, who is, and who was, and who is to come.''?
/ HOLY. SPIRIT "AND THE MYSTERY OF THE TRINITY,
changed the glory of the incorruptible God into the likeness of corruptible man.''* For itis unlawful for a Christian to set up any such image for God ina temple; much more nefarious is it, [therefore], to set it up in the heart, in which truly is the temple of God, provided it be purged of earthly lust and error. This expression, "' at the right hand,"' therefore, we must understand to signify a position in supremest blessedness, where righteousness and peace and joy are; just as the kids are set on the left hand,? that is to say, in misery, by reason of unrighteousness, labors, and torments. And in accordance with this, when it is said that God ''sitteth,"' the expression indicates not a posture of the members, but a judicial power, which that Majesty never fails to possess, as He is always awarding deserts as men deserve them
16. The divine generation, therefore, of our Lord, and his human dispensation, having both been thus systematically disposed and commended to faith,* there is added to our Confession, with a view to the perfecting of the faith which we have regarding God, [the doctrine of] THE Hoty Spirit, who is not ofa nature inferior? to the Father and the Son, but, so to say, consubstantial and co-eternal: for this Trinity is one God, not to the effect that the Father is the same [Person] asthe Son and the Holy Spirit, but to the effect that the Father is the Father, and the Son is the Son, and the Holy Spirit is the Holy Spirit; and this Trinity is one God, according as it is written, '' Hear, O Israel, the Lord your God is one God." * At the same time, if we be interrogated on the subject of each separately, and if the question be put to us, ""Is the Father God?" we shall reply, '' He is God." If it be asked whether the Son is God, we shall answer to the same effect. Nor, if this kind of inquiry be addressed to us with respect to the Holy Spirit, ought we to affirm in reply that He is anything else than God; being earnestly on our guard, [however], against an acceptance of this merely in the sense in which it is applied to men, when it is said, '' Ye are gods." * For of all those who have been made and fashioned of the Father, through the Son, by the gift of the Holy Spirit, none are gods according to nature. For it is this same Trinity that is signified when an apostle says, '' For of Him, and in Him, and through Him, are all things.''*? Consequently, although, when we are interrogated on the subject of each [of these Persons] severally, we reply that that particular one regarding whom the question is asked, whether it be the Father, or the Son, or the Holy Spirit, is God, no one, notwithstanding this, should suppose that three Gods are worshipped by us.
(digna aignis tribuendo); although at the last judgment the unquestionable brightness of the only-begotten Son of God, the Judge of the living and the dead, is destined yet to be* a thing much more manifest among men.
CHAP. 8.—OF CHRIST'S COMING TO JUDGMENT.
15. We believe also, that at the most seasonable time HE WILL COME FROM THENCE, AND WILL JUDGE THE QUICK AND THE DEAD: whether by these terms are signified the righteous and sinners, or whether it be the case that those persons are here called the guzck, whom at that period He shall find, previous to [their] death,5 upon the earth, while the dead denote those who shall rise again at His advent.
This temporal dispensation not only zs, as holds good of that generation which respects His being God, but also hath been and shall be. For our Lord hath been upon the earth, and at present He 7s in heaven, and [hereafter] He shall be in His brightness as the Judge of the quick and the dead. For He shall yet come, even so as He has ascended, according
6 Acts i, 11. 7 Rev, 1.8: 8 Instead of Adeigue commendata et divina generatione, etc., another, but weakly supported, versionis, ide atgue commendata divina, etc., which makes the sense = The faith, therefore, having been systematically disposed, and our Lord's divine generation and human dispensation having been commended to the understanding, etc.
t Rom. i. 23. 2 Matt. xxv. 33. 3 Reading propter iniguitates, labores atgue cruciatus. Several mss. give propter iniquitatis labores, etc. = by reason of the labors and torments of unrighteousness.
4 Reading futura sit; for which /wlsura sit also occurs = is destined to shine much more manifestly, etc. ; 5 The text gives simply ante mortem. Some editions insert nostramt = previous to our death,
9 Non minore natura guam Pater. The Benedictine editors suggest #7or for mznore = not inferior in nature, etc.
10 Deut. vi. 4. 11 Ps, Ixxxii. 6. 12 Rom, x1. 36.