wherein all the reason and philosophy of atheism is confuted, and

Chap. IV. to the Pfeudo^Platonkk.55^Church in Sahellitis and others. Wherefore we conclude it to be a trinity ofhypoftafes, or fubfiftences, or perlbns.The fecond thing, that we obferve concerning the Chriftian Triiiity, isthis,that though the fecond hypoftafis, or perfon thereof, were begotten from thefirfl , and the third proceedeth both from the firft and ftcond ; yet areneither this fecond, nor third, creatures ; and that for thefe following reafons.Firll, becaufe they were not made i^ bV. o'vtuv, as Aritis maintained,that is, from an antecedent non-exiftence brought forth into being, nor canIt be faid of either of them, Erat quandonon erant^ that once they is;ere notybut their goingforth zvasfrom eternity, and they were botii coevc and coeternalwith the father. Secondly, becaufe they were not only eternal emanations(if we may fo call them) but alfo neceflary, and therefore are they both alfoabfolutely undeftroyable and unannihilable. Now, according to true philofophyand theology, no creature could have exifted from eternity, nor beabfolutely undeftroyable ; and therefore that, which is both eternal and undeftroyable,h ipfo faSio uncveiLttd. Neverthelefs, becaufe feme philofophershave aflerted (though erroneoufly) both the whole world's eternity, and itsbeing a necelfary emanation alfo from the Deity, and confequently, that itis undeftroyable •, we ftiall therefore further add, that thefe fecond and thirdhypoftafes or perfons of the Fldy Trinity are not only therefore uncreated,becaufe they were both eternal and neceflary emanations, and likewife areunannihilable ; but alfo becaufe they arc univerfal, each of them comprehendingthe whole world, and all created things under it : which univerfaiityof theirs is the fame thing with infinity ; whereas all other beings, befides thisHoly Trinity, are particular and finite. Now we fay, that no intellectualbeing, which is not only eternal, and neceflarily exiftent, or undeftroyable,but alfo univerfal, or infinite, can be a creature.Again, in the laft place, we add, that thefe three hypoftafes, or perfons,are truly and really one God. Not only becaufe they have all eflTentially oneand the fame will, according to that of Origen, ^^r^a-xidoy-ev vv rov ttxti^x rij?^.. ^ g^i6jiV.,-, x^ -oj ifov rr,v aAtj.^.'iav, cw« iJ'.'o tv? uVoracfi 'f^xyij.ot.TOc, eu Si rvi of/.o)ioia.[Ljy VlH.Jxj TV] (ruiai^Jwjta jt) T>) TavTSTUTi T^,- j3»Ar.(7£aj- IVe iJi'orJlnp the father of truth, andthe fon the truth it felf, being two things as to hypoftafis ; but one in agreement,confent, andfamenefs of will : but alfo becaufe they are phyfically (if we mayfo fpeak) one alfo ; and have a mutual 7reaip^war,o-ic, and lut/VjtoJir, inexiftenceand permeation of one another, accordrng to that of our Saviour Chrift, I antin the Father^ and ihc Father in we ; and the Father that dwelleth in me, hedoth the -u-orks. We grant indeed, that tliere can be no inftance of the likeunity or onenefs found in any created beings ; neverthelefs, we certainlyknow from our very felvcs, that it is not impoflible for two diftinft fub-•ftanres, that are of a very difterent kind from one another, the one incorporeal,the other coiporeal, to be fo clofely united together, as to becomeone animal and perfon ; much Icfs therefore ftiould it be thought impofliblefor thefe three divine hypoftafes to be one God.C c c cWe