1102. Verse 3. For of the wine of her whoredom all nations have drunk, signifies the adulteration of all things of the good of heaven and the church by direful falsities of evil. This is evident from what has been explained above (n. 881), where there are like words. It is there said that "she made all nations to drink," but here that "all nations have drunk." (Continuation respecting the Athanasian Faith.) Now as to the doctrine of the Trinity that was written by Athanasius, and established by a council at Nice. This doctrine is such that when it is read it leaves a clear idea that there are three Persons, and thus that there are three unanimous Gods, but an obscure idea that God is one; and yet, as has been said above, the idea of thought of one God is what primarily opens heaven to man, and on the other hand the idea of three Gods closes heaven. Whether this Athanasian doctrine, when it has been read, leaves a clear idea that there are three Persons, and thus three unanimous Gods, and whether this unanimous Trinity gives rise to the thought that there is one God, let everyone consider from his own thought about it. For it is said in the Athanasian Faith in plain words, "There is one Person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Spirit. The Father is uncreate, infinite, eternal, Almighty, God, Lord." Likewise is the Son, and likewise the Holy Spirit. Also, "The Father was made and created of none; The Son was born of the Father; And the Holy Spirit proceedeth from both.
Thus there is one Father, one Son, and one Holy Spirit. And in this Trinity the whole three Persons are co-eternal and co-equal." From all this no one can think otherwise than that there are three Gods; neither could Athanasius nor the Nicene Council think otherwise; as is evident from these words inserted in the doctrine, "Like as we are compelled by the Christian verity to acknowledge every Person by Himself to be God and Lord, yet we cannot from Christian faith make mention of three Gods or three Lords." This cannot be understood otherwise than that it is allowable to acknowledge three Gods and Lords, but not to name them, or that it is allowable to think that there are three Gods and Lords, but not to say it.
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