Folio 45

The Formula "Merciful Trinity"

printed p. 12 · pdf p. 45

one God. For although we name three persons, we publicly declare with the catholic and apostolic voice that they are one substance. Therefore the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, these three are one [cf. I John 5:7]. Three, neither confused, nor separated, but both distinctly joined, and, though joined, distinct; united in substance, but differentiated in name, joined in nature, distinct in person, equal in divinity, entirely similar in majesty, united in trinity, sharers in splendor. They are one in such a way, that we do not doubt that they are also three; and they are three in such a way that we acknowledge that they cannot be disjoined from one another. Therefore there is no doubt, that an insult to one is an affront to all, because the praise of one pertains to the glory of all.

18. 'For this is the principal point of our faith according to the Gospel and the apostolic doctrine, that our Lord Jesus Christ and the Son of God are not separated from the Father either in the acknowledgement of honor, or in the power of virtue, or in the divine nature of substance, or by an interval of time.'1 And therefore if anyone says that the Son of God, who just as he is truly God, so also is true man except in sin alone, did not possess something belonging to human nature or did not possess something belonging to the Godhead, he should be judged wicked and hostile to the Catholic and apostolic Church.

THE CREED OF THE COUNCIL OF TOLEDO OF THE YEAR 400 [AND 447]2

[Formula, "A little book like a Creed"]

The rule of the Catholic faith against all heresies [(Here) begin the rules of the Catholic faith against all heresies, and especially indeed against the Priscillianists, which the bishops of Tarraco, Carthage, Lusitania, and Baetica have composed and with a command of Pope Leo of the City transmitted to Balconius, bishop of Gallicia. . . .].

  1. S. Hilarius, De synodis 61 [ML 10, 522]. ↩

  2. I. A. de Aldama, El simbolo Toledano I. [Analecta Gregoriana VII.] 1934, pag. 29 ff. KAnt 43 ff. KBdS 8 f. and 31 ff.; H 209 ff.; ap. Msi III 1003 A; Hrd I 993 A; cf. Hfl II 306 ff. According to de Aldama there exist two forms of this antipriscillianist creed, the one shorter, which is due to the council of Toledo of the year 400, the other longer, worked out with great care by Pastor, the Palencian bishop, and approved in the council of Toledo of the year 447. These changes (not very light ones) which are due to the council of the year 447, are shown in the text enclosed in brackets. A similar refutation of errors is found in "Statutis ecclesiae antiquis" [falsely held for acts of the fourth Council of Carthage; cf. note ad n. 150] in the form of questions which ought to be proposed to bishops about to be ordained [ML 56, 879 A f.]. ↩