Part 25

Nu mage ge, gebrodhru, understandan, gif ge wylladh, thaet twa dhing syndon: ['a]n is Scyppend, odher is gesceaft. He is Scyppend sedhe gesceop and geworhte ealle dhing of nahte. Thaet is gesceaft thaet se sodha Scyppend gesceop. Thaet sind aerest heofonas, and englas the on heofonum wuniadh, and sydhdhan theos eordhe mid eallum dham dhe hire on eardiadh, and s['ae] mid eallum dham the hyre on swymmadh. Nu ealle dhas dhing synd mid anum naman genemnode, gesceaft. Hi naeron aefre wunigende, ac God hi gesceop. Tha gesceafta sind fela. An is se Scyppend the hi ealle gesceop, se ana is Aelmihtig God. He waes aefre, and aefre he bidh thurhwunigende on him sylfum and dhurh hine sylfne. Gif he ongunne and anginn haefde, butan tweon ne mihte he beon Aelmihtig God; sodhlice thaet gesceaft dhe ongann and gesceapen is, naefdh nane godcundnysse; fordhi aelc edwist thaette God nys, thaet is gesceaft; and thaet the gesceaft nis, thaet is God.

Se God wunadh on Dhrynnysse ['u]ntodaeledlic, and on ['a]nnysse ['a]nre Godcundnysse, sodhlice odher is se Faeder, odher is se Sunu, odher is se Halga Gast; ac theah-hwaedhere dhaera dhreora is ['a]n Godcundnys, and gel['i]c wuldor, and efen-ece maegendhrymnys. Aelmihtig God is se Faeder, Aelmihtig God is se Sunu, Aelmihtig God is se Halga Gast; ac theah-hwaedhere ne sind dhry Aelmihtige Godas, ac ['a]n Aelmihtig God. Dhry h['i] sind on hadum and on naman, and ['a]n on Godcundnysse. Thry, fordhi the se Faeder bidh aefre Faeder, and se Sunu bidh aefre Sunu, and se Halga Gast bidh aefre Halig Gast; and hyra n['a]n ne awent naefre of dham dhe he is. Nu habbadh ge gehyred tha Halgan Thrynnysse; ge sceolon eac gehyran dha sodhan Annysse.

{278} Sodhlice se Faeder, and se Sunu, and se Halga Gast, habbadh ['a]ne Godcundnysse, and ['a]n gecynd, and ['a]n weorc. Ne worhte se Faeder n['a]n dhing ne ne wyrcdh, butan dham Suna, odhdhe butan tham Halgan Gaste. Ne heora n['a]n ne wyrcdh n['a]n dhing butan odhrum; ac him eallum is ['a]n weorc, and ['a]n r['ae]d, and ['a]n willa. Aefre waes se Faeder, and aefre waes se Sunu, and aefre waes se Halga Gast ['a]n Aelmihtig God. Se is Faeder, sedhe nis nadher ne geboren ne gesceapen fram nanum odhrum. Se is Faeder geh['a]ten, fordhan dhe he haefdh Sunu, dhone dhe he of him sylfum gestrynde, butan aelcre meder. Se Faeder is God of nanum Gode. Se Sunu is God of dham Faeder Gode. Se Halga Gast is God fordhstaeppende of dham Faeder and of dham Suna. Thas word sind sceortlice gesaede, and eow is neod thaet we hi swutelicor eow onwreon.

Hwaet is se Faeder? Aelmihtig Scyppend, na geworht ne acenned, ac h['e] sylf gestrynde Bearn him sylfum efen-ece. Hwaet is se Sunu? He is dhaes Faeder Wisdom, and his Word, and his Miht, thurh dhone se Faeder gesceop ealle dhing and gefadode. Nis se Sunu na geworht ne gesceapen, ac he is acenned. Acenned he is, and theah-hwaethere he is efen-eald and efen-ece his Faeder. Nis na swa on his acennednysse swa swa bidh on ure acennednysse. Thonne se mann sunu gestryndh, and his cild acenned bidh, thonne bidh se faeder mara, and se sunu laessa. Hw['i] swa? Fordhi thonne se sunu wyxdh, thonne ealdadh se faeder. Ne fintst thu na gelice on mannum faeder and sunu. Ac ic dhe sylle bysne, hu dhu Godes acennednysse thy bet understandan miht. Fyr acendh of him beorhtnysse, and seo beorhtnys is efen-eald tham fyre. Nis na thaet fyr of dhaere beorhtnysse, ac seo beorhtnys is of dham fyre. Thaet fyr acendh tha beorhtnysse, ac hit ne bidh naefre butan dhaere beorhtnysse. Nu dhu gehyrst thaet seo beorhtnys is ealswa eald swa thaet fyr the heo of cymdh; gedhafa nu fordhi thaet God mihte gestrynan ealswa eald Bearn, and ealswa ece swa he sylf is. Se dhe maeg understandan thaet ure Haelend Crist is on dhaere Godcundnysse ealswa eald swa his Faeder, {280} h['e] dhancige thaes Gode, and blissige. Sedhe understandan ne maeg, he hit sceal gelyfan, thaet he hit understandan maege; fordhan thaes witegan word ne maeg beon a['i]dlod, dhe thus cwaedh, "Buton ge hit gelyfan, ne mage ge hit understandan." Nu habbadh ge gehyred thaet se Sunu is of dham Faeder butan aelcum anginne; fordhan dhe he is thaes Faeder Wisdom, and he waes aefre mid tham Faeder, and aefre bidh.

Uton nu gehyran be dhan Halgan Gaste, hwaet he s['y]. He is se Willa and seo sodhe Lufu thaes Faeder and thaes Suna, dhurh dhone sind ealle dhing gel['i]ffaeste and gehealdene, be dham is thus gecweden, "Godes Gast gefyldh ealne ymbhwyrft middangeardes, and he hylt ealle dhing, and he haefdh ingeh['y]d aelces gereordes." Nis h['e] geworht, ne gesceapen, ne acenned, ac h['e] is fordhstaeppende, thaet is ofgangende, of dham Faeder and of dham Suna, tham h['e] is gelic and efen-ece. Nis se Halga Gast na Sunu, fordhan dhe h['e] nis na acenned, ac h['e] gaedh of dham Faeder and of dham Suna gelice; fordhan dhe h['e] is heora beigra Willa and Lufu. Crist cwaedh thus be him on his godspelle, "Se Frofor-g['a]st, the ic eow asendan wille, Gast dhaere sodhfaestnysse, dhe of minum Faeder gaedh, he cydh gecydhnysse be me." Thaet is, He is min gewita thaet ic eom Godes Sunu. And eac se rihta geleafa us taecdh, thaet we sceolon gelyfan on dhone Halgan Gast: he is se liffaestenda God, se gaedh of dham Faeder and of dham Suna. Hu gaedh h['e] of him? Se Sunu is thaes Faeder Wisdom, aefre of dham Faeder; and se Halga Gast is heora beigra Willa, aefre of him b['a]m. Is fordhi thonne ['a]n Faeder, sedhe aefre is Faeder, and ['a]n Sunu, sedhe aefre bidh Sunu, and ['a]n Halig Gast, sedhe aefre is Halig Gast.

Aefre waes se Faeder, butan anginne; and aefre waes se Sunu mid tham Faeder, fordhan dhe he is thaes Faeder Wisdom; aefre waes se Halga Gast, sedhe is heora beigra Willa and Lufu. Nis se Faeder of nanum odhrum, ac he waes aefre. Se Sunu is acenned of dham Faeder, ac he waes aefre on dhaes Faeder {282} bosme, fordhan dhe he is his Wisdom, and he is of dham Faeder eal thaet he is. Aefre waes se Halga Gast, fordhan dhe he is, swa we ['ae]r cwaedon, Willa and sodh Lufu thaes Faeder and dhaes Suna; sodhlice willa and lufu getacniadh an dhing: thaet thaet thu wylt, thaet dhu lufast; and thaet thaet dhu nelt, thaet dhu ne lufast.

Seo sunne dhe ofer us scindh is lichamlic gesceaft, and haefdh swa-dheah dhreo agennyssa on hire: an is seo lichamlice edwist, thaet is dhaere sunnan trendel; odher is se leoma odhdhe beorhtnys aefre of dhaere sunnan, seodhe onliht ealne middangeard; thridde is seo haetu, the mid tham leoman cymdh to ['u]s. Se leoma is aefre of dhaere sunnan, and aefre mid hire; and dhaes Aelmihtigan Godes Sunu is aefre of dham Faeder acenned, and aefre mid him wunigende; be dham cwaedh se apostol, thaet he waere his Faeder wuldres beorhtnys. Dhaere sunnan haetu gaedh of hire and of hire leoman; and se Halga Gast gaedh aefre of dham Faeder and of tham Suna gelice; be dham is thus awriten, "Nis n['a]n the hine behydan maege fram his haetan."

Faeder, and Sunu, and Halig Gast ne magon beon togaedere genamode, ac h['i] ne beodh swa-theah nahw['a]r totwaemede. Nis se Aelmihtiga God na dhryfeald, ac is Dhrynnys. God is se Faeder, and se Sunu is God, and se Halga Gast is God: na dhry Godas, ac h['i] ealle dhry ['a]n Aelmihtig God. Se Faeder is eac wisdom of nanum odhrum wisdome. Se Sunu is wisdom of dham wisan Faeder. Se Halga Gast is wisdom. Ac dheah-hwaedhere h['i] sind ealle aetgaedere ['a]n wisdom. Eft se Faeder is sodh lufu, and se Sunu is sodh lufu, and se Halga Gast is sodh lufu; and h['i] ealle aetgaedere ['a]n God and ['a]n sodh lufu. Eac swilce is se Faeder gast and halig, and se Sunu is gast and halig untwylice; theah-hwaedhere se Halga Gast is synderlice geh['a]ten Halig Gast, thaet thaet h['i] ealle dhry sind gemaenelice.

Swa micel gelicnys is on dhyssere Halgan Dhrynnysse, thaet se Faeder nis na mare thonne se Sunu on dhaere Godcundnysse; {284} ne se Sunu nis na mare thonne se Halgan Gast; ne nan heora ['a]n nis na laesse thonne eall seo Dhrynnys. Swa hwaer swa heora ['a]n bidh, thaer h['i] beodh ealle dhry, aefre ['a]n God untodaeledlic. Nis heora n['a]n m['a]re thonne odher, ne n['a]n laessa dhonne odher; ne n['a]n beforan odhrum, ne n['a]n baeftan odhrum; fordhan swa hwaet swa laesse bidh thonne God, thaet ne bidh na God; thaet thaet lator bidh, thaet haefdh anginn, ac God naefdh n['a]n anginn. Nis na se Faeder ana Dhrynnys, odhdhe se Sunu Dhrynnys, odhdhe se Halga Gast Dhrynnys, ac thas dhry hadas sindon ['a]n God on anre Godcundnysse. Thonne dhu gehyrst nemnan thone Faeder, thonne understenst dhu thaet he haefdh Sunu. Eft, thonne thu cwyst Sunu, thu wast, butan tweon, thaet he haefdh Faeder. Eft, we gelyfadh thaet se Halga Gast is aegdher ge dhaes Faeder ge dhaes Suna Gast.

Ne bepaece n['a]n man hine sylfne, swa thaet he secge odhdhe gelyfe thaet dhry Godas syndon; odhdhe aenig h['a]d on thaere Halgan Thrynnysse sy unmihtigra thonne odher. Aelc dhaera threora is God, theah-hwaedhere h['i] ealle ['a]n God; fordhan dhe h['i] ealle habbadh ['a]n gecynd, and ['a]ne godcundnysse, and ['a]ne edwiste, and ['a]n gedheaht, and ['a]n weorc, and ['a]ne maegendhrymnysse, and gel['i]c wuldor, and efen-ece r['i]ce. Is hwaedhere se Sunu ana geflaeschamod and geboren to men, of dham halgan maedene Marian. Ne weardh se Faeder mid menniscnysse befangen, ac hwaedhere h['e] asende his Sunu to ure alysednysse, and him aefre mid waes, aegdher ge on life ge on dhrowunge, and on his aeriste, and on his upstige. Eac eal Godes geladhung andet, on dham rihtum geleafan, thaet Crist is acenned of dham claenan maedene Marian, and of dham Halgan Gaste. Nis se Halga Gast theah-hwaedhere Cristes Faeder; ne n['a]n cristen man thaet naefre ne sceal gelyfan: ac se Halga Gast is Willa thaes Faeder and dhaes Suna; fordhi thonne swidhe rihtlice is awriten on urum geleafan, thaet Cristes menniscnys weardh gefremmed thurh dhone Halgan Willan.

Beheald thas sunnan mid gleawnysse, on dhaere is, swa we aer cwaedon, haetu and beorhtnys; ac seo haetu drygdh, and {286} seo beorhtnys onlyht. Odher dhing dedh seo haetu, and odher seo beorhtnys; and dheah dhe h['i] ne magon beon totwaemde: belimpdh, hwaedhere dheah, seo haedhung to dhaere haetan, and seo onlihting belimpdh to dhaere beorhtnysse. Swa eac Crist ana underfeng dha menniscnysse, and na se Faeder, ne se Halga Gast: theah-hwaedhere h['i] waeron aefre mid him on eallum his weorcum and on ealre his fare.

We sprecadh ymbe God, deadhlice be Undeadhlicum, tyddre be Aelmihtigum, earmingas be Mildheortum; ac hw['a] maeg weordhfullice sprecan be dham dhe is ['u]nasecgendlic? He is butan gemete, fordhy dhe he is aeghwaer. He is butan getele, fordhon dhe he is aefre. He is butan h['e]fe, fordhon the he hylt ealle gesceafta butan geswince; and he h['i] ealle gelogode on tham dhrim dhingum, thaet is on gemete, and on getele, and on h['e]fe. Ac wite ge thaet n['a]n man ne maeg fullice embe God sprecan, thonne we furdhon tha gesceafta the he gesceop ne magon asmeagan, ne areccan. Hw['a] maeg mid wordum dhaere heofenan freatewunge asecgan? Odhdhe hw['a] dhaere eordhan waestmbaernysse? Odhdhe hw['a] heradh genihtsumlice ealra tida ymbhwyrft? Odhdhe hw['a] ealle odhre dhing, thonne we furdhon tha lichomlican dhing, the we onlociadh, ne magon fullice bef['o]n mid ure gesihdhe? Efne dhu gesihst dhone mannan beforan dhe, ac on dhaere tide the dhu his neb gesihst, thu ne gesihst na his hricg. Ealswa, gif dhu sumne cladh sceawast, ne miht dhu hine ealne togaedere geseon, ac wenst abutan, thaet dhu ealne hine geseo. Hwylc wundor is, gif se Aelmihtiga God is unasecgendlic and unbefangenlic, sedhe aeghwaer is eall, and nahwar todaeled?

Nu smeadh sum undeopdhancol man, hu God maege be['o]n aeghwaer aetgaedere, and nahwar todaeled. Beheald thas sunnan, hu heage heo astihdh, and hu heo asent hyre leoman geond ealne middangeard, and hu heo onliht ealle dhas eordhan the mancynn on-eardadh. Swa hradhe swa heo up-asprincdh on aerne merigen, heo scindh on Hierusalem, and on Romebyrig, and on dhisum earde, and on eallum eardum aetgaedere; and {288} hwaedhere heo is gesceaft, and gaedh be Godes dihte. Hwaet wenst dhu hu miccle swidhor is Godes andweardnys, and his miht, and his neosung aeghwaer. Him ne widhstent nan dhing, nadher ne staenen weall ne bryden w['a]h, swa swa hi widhstandadh thaere sunnan. Him is nan dhing digle ne uncudh. Thu gesceawast dhaes mannes neb, and God sceawadh his heortan. Godes gast afandadh ealra manna heortan; and dha dhe on hine gelyfadh and hine lufiadh, tha he claensadh and gegladadh mid his neosunge, and dhaera ungeleaffulra manna heortan he forbyhdh and onscunadh.

Wite eac gehw['a], thaet aelc man haefdh threo dhing on him sylfum untodaeledlice and togaedere wyrcende, swa swa God cwaedh, thatha h['e] aerest mann gesceop. He cwaedh, "Uton gewyrcean mannan to ure gelicnysse." And h['e] worhte dha Ad['a]m to his anlicnysse. On hwilcum daele haefdh se man Godes anlicnysse on him? On thaere sawle, na on dham lichaman. Thaes mannes sawl haefdh on hire gecynde thaere Halgan Thrynnysse anlicnysse; fordhan the heo haefdh on hire dhreo dhing, thaet is gemynd, and andgit, and willa. Thurh thaet gemynd se man gedhencdh tha dhing dhe he gehyrde, oththe geseah, oththe geleornode. Thurh thaet andgit he underst['e]nt ealle dha dhing dhe he gehyrdh odhdhe gesihdh. Of dham willan cumadh gedhohtas, and word, and weorc, aegdher ge yfele ge gode. An sawul is, and an l['i]f, and an edwist, seodhe haefdh thas dhreo dhing on hire togaedere wyrcende untodaeledlice; fordhi thaer thaet gemynd bidh thaer bidh thaet andgit and se willa, and aefre h['i] beodh togaedere. Theah-hwaedhere nis nan dhaera dhreora seo sawul, ac seo sawul thurh thaet gemynd gemandh, thurh thaet andgit heo understent, thurh dhone willan heo wile swa hwaet swa hire licadh; and heo is hwaedhere ['a]n sawl and ['a]n l['i]f. Nu haefdh heo fordhi Godes anlicnysse on hire, fordhan dhe heo haefdh threo dhing on hire untodaeledlice wyrcende. Is hwaedhere se man ['a]n man, and na dhrynnys: God sodhlice, Faeder and Sunu and H['a]lig Gast, thurhwunadh on dhrynnysse hada, and on annysse anre godcundnysse. Nis na se man on dhrynnysse {290} wunigende, swa swa God, ac he haefdh hwaedhere Godes anlicnysse on his sawle thurh dha dhreo dhing the we aer cwaedon.

Arrius hatte an gedwolman, se fl['a]t widh aenne bisceop the waes genemned Alexander, w['i]s and riht-gelyfed. Tha cwaedh se gedwolman thaet Crist, Godes Sunu, ne mihte na beon his Faeder gelic, ne swa mihtig swa he; and cwaedh, thaet se Faeder waere aer se Sunu, and nam bysne be mannum, hu aelc sunu bidh gingra thonne se faeder on dhisum life. Tha cwaedh se halga bisceop Alexander him togeanes, "God waes aefre, and aefre waes his Wisdom of him acenned, and se Wisdom is his Sunu, ealswa mihtig swa se Faeder." Tha begeat se gedwola thaes caseres fultum to his gedwylde, and cwaedh gem['o]t ongean dhone bisceop, and wolde gebigan eal thaet folc to his gedwyldum. Tha wacode se bisceop ane niht on Godes cyrcan, and clypode to his Drihtne, and dhus cwaedh, "Dhu Aelmihtiga God, d['e]m rihtne d['o]m betwux me and Arrium." Hi comon dha thaes on mergen to dham gemote. Tha cwaedh se gedwola to his geferum, thaet he wolde g['a]n embe his neode fordh. Thadha he to gange c['o]m and he ges['ae]t, tha gewand him ['u]t eall his innewearde aet his setle, and he saet thaer dead. Tha geswutulode God thaet he waes swa geaemtogod on his innodhe swa swa he waes ['ae]r on his geleafan. He wolde d['o]n Crist laessan thonne he is, and his godcundnysse wurdhmynt wanian; tha weardh him swa bysmorlic deadh geseald swa swa he wel wyrdhe waes.

Odher gedwolman waes se hatte Sabellius. He cwaedh, thaet se Faeder waere, thatha he wolde, Faeder; and eft, dhadha he wolde, he waere Sunu; and eft, dhadha he wolde, waere H['a]lig Gast; and waere fordhi ['a]n God. Tha forweardh eac thes gedwola mid his gedwylde.

Nu eft thaet Iudeisce folc dhe Crist ofslogon, swa swa h['e] sylf wolde and gedhafode, secgadh thaet h['i] willadh gelyfan on thone Faeder, and na on dhone Sunu dhe hyra magas ofslogon. Heora geleafa is naht, and hi fordhi losiadh. For ure alysednysse Crist gedhafode thaet h['i] hine ofslogon. Hit ne mihte {292} eal mancynn ged['o]n, gif he sylf nolde; ac se Halga Faeder gesceop and geworhte mancyn thurh his Sunu, and he wolde eft thurh dhone ylcan us alysan fram helle-w['i]te, dhadha we forwyrhte waeron. Buton aelcere dhrowunge he mihte us habban, ac him dhuhte thaet unrihtlic. Ac se deofol forwyrhte hine sylfne, dhadha h['e] tihte thaet Iudeisce folc to dhaes Haelendes slege, and we wurdon alysede, thurh his unscyldigan deadh, fram dham ecan deadhe.

We habbadh thone geleafan dhe Crist sylf taehte his apostolum, and hi eallum mancynne; and dhone geleafan God haefdh mid manegum wundrum getrymmed and gefaestnod. Aerest Crist dhurh hine sylfne dumbe and deafe, healte and blinde, wode and hreoflige gehaelde, and dha deadan to l['i]fe araerde: sydhdhan, thurh his apostolas and odhre halige men, thas ylcan wundra geworhte. Nu eac on urum timan, gehwaer thaer halige men h['i] restadh, aet heora deadum banum God wyrcdh fela wundra, to dhi thaet he wile folces geleafan mid tham wundrum getrymman. Ne wyrcdh God na thas wundra aet nanes Iudeisces mannes byrgene, ne aet nanes odhres gedwolan, ac aet riht-gelyfedra manna byrgenum, dha dhe gelyfdon on dha Halgan Dhrynnysse, and on sodh Annysse anre Godcundnysse.

Wite gehw['a] eac, thaet nan man ne mot beon tuwa gefullod; ac gif se man aefter his fulluhte aslide, we gelyfadh thaet he maege beon gehealden, gif he his synna mid wope behreowsiadh, and be lareowa taecunge h['i] gebet. We sceolon gelyfan thaet aelces mannes sawul bidh thurh God gesceapen, ac hwaedhere heo ne bidh na of Godes agenum gecynde. Thaes mannes lichaman antimber bidh of dham faeder and of dhaere meder, ac God gescypdh thone lichaman of dham antimbre, and asent on thone lichaman sawle. Ne bidh seo sawl nahwar wunigende ['ae]ror, ac God h['i] gescypdh thaerrihte, and beset on dhone lichaman, and laet h['i] habban agenne cyre, swa heo syngige swa heo synna forbuge. Theah-hwaedhere heo beh['o]fadh aefre Godes fultumes, thaet heo maege synna forbugan, and eft to hyre Scyppende gecuman thurh gode geearnunga; fordhon dhe nan man ne dedh butan Gode nan dhing to g['o]de.

{294} Eac we sceolon gelyfan thaet aelc lichama dhe sawle underfeng sceal arisan on domes daege mid tham ylcum lichaman the he nu haefdh, and sceal onf['o]n edlean ealra his daeda: thonne habbadh dha g['o]dan ece l['i]f mid Gode, and he syldh tha m['e]de aelcum be his geearnungum. Tha synfullan beodh on helle-wite ['a] dhrowigende, and heora wite bidh eac gemetegod aelcum be his ge-earnungum. Uton fordhi geearnian thaet ece l['i]f mid Gode thurh dhisne geleafan, and dhurh gode geearnunga, sedhe thurhwunadh on Dhrynnysse ['a]n Aelmihtig God ['a]['a] on ecnysse. Amen.

WEDNESDAY.

OF THE CATHOLIC FAITH.

Every christian man should by right know both his Pater noster and his Creed. With the Pater noster he should pray, with the Creed he should confirm his faith. We have spoken concerning the Pater noster, we will now declare to you the faith which stands in the Creed, according to the wise Augustine's exposition of the Holy Trinity.

There is one Creator of all things, visible and invisible; and we should all believe in him, for he is true and God alone Almighty, who never either began or had beginning; but he is himself beginning, and he to all creatures gave beginning and origin, that they might be, and that they might have their own nature, so as it seemed good to the divine dispensation. {277} Angels he created, which are spirits, and have no body. Men he created with spirit and with body. Cattle and other beasts, fishes and birds he created in flesh without soul. To men he gave an upright gait; the cattle he let go bending downwards. To men he gave bread for sustenance, and to the cattle grass.

Now, brethren, ye may understand, if ye will, that there are two things: one is the Creator, the other is the creature. He is the Creator who created and made all things of naught. That is a creature which the true Creator created. These are, first, heaven, and the angels which dwell in heaven; and then this earth with all those which inhabit it, and sea with all those that swim in it. Now all these things are named by one name, creature. They were not always existing, but God created them. The creatures are many. The Creator, who created them all, is one, who alone is Almighty God. He was ever, and ever he will continue in himself and through himself. If he had begun and had origin, without doubt he could not be Almighty God; for the creature that began and is created, has no divinity; therefore every substance that is not God is a creature; and that which is not a creature is God.

God exists in Trinity indivisible, and in unity of one Godhead, for the Father is one, the Son is one, the Holy Ghost is one; and yet of these three there is one Godhead, and like glory, and coeternal majesty. The Father is Almighty God, the Son is Almighty God, the Holy Ghost is Almighty God; but yet there are not three Almighty Gods, but one Almighty God. They are three in persons and in name, and one in Godhead. Three, because the Father will be ever Father, and the Son will be ever Son, and the Holy Ghost will be ever Holy Ghost; and neither of them will ever change from what he is. Ye have now heard concerning the Holy Trinity; ye shall also hear concerning the true Unity.

{279} Verily the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost, have one Godhead, and one nature, and one work. The Father created nothing nor creates, without the Son, or without the Holy Ghost. Nor does one of them anything without the others; but they have all one work, and one counsel, and one will. The Father was ever, and the Son was ever, and the Holy Ghost was ever One Almighty God. He is the Father, who was neither born of nor created by any other. He is called Father, because he has a Son, whom he begot of himself, without any mother. The Father is God of no God. The Son is God of God the Father. The Holy Ghost is God proceeding from the Father and from the Son. These words are shortly said, and it is needful for you that we more plainly expound them.

What is the Father? The Almighty Creator, not created nor born, but he himself begot a Child coeternal with himself. What is the Son? He is the Wisdom of the Father, and his Word, and his Might, through whom the Father created and disposed all things. The Son is neither made nor created, but he is begotten. He is begotten, and yet he is coeval and coeternal with his Father. It is not with his birth as it is with our birth. When a man begets a son, and his child is born, the father is greater and the son less. Why so? Because when the son waxes the father grows old. Thou findest not among men father and son alike. But I will give thee an example, whereby thou mayest the better understand the birth of God. Fire begets brightness of itself, and the brightness is coeval with the fire. The fire is not of the brightness, but the brightness is of the fire. The fire begets the brightness, and it is never without the brightness. Now thou hearest that the brightness is as old as the fire of which it comes; allow therefore that God might beget a Child as old and as eternal as he himself is. Let him who can understand that our Saviour Christ is in the Godhead as old as his {281} Father, thank God therefore and rejoice. He who cannot understand it shall believe it, that he may understand it; for the word of the prophet may not be rendered void, who thus spake, "Unless ye believe it ye cannot understand it." Ye have now heard that the Son is of the Father without any beginning; for he is the Wisdom of the Father, and he was ever with the Father, and ever will be.