THESIS FIRST.

GOD dwells in inaccessible light, whom no one has seen, nor can see: but the only begotten, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared Him to us. 1 Tim. 6; John 1.

II.

Therefore, we cannot approach God by our own natural powers, nor conceive Him with the eyes of the body or the sharpness of the mind, given the great corruption of our nature.

III.

But in order that we may know Him (in which eternal life consists, John 17), the καταγγελία proclamation of the divine Word alone, brought forth from the bosom of the heavenly Father, is to be followed by us in the present age, until, with the veil of this mortal and corruptible life removed, we behold God in future glory face to face, and as He is. 1 Cor. 13; 1 John 3.

IV.

Therefore, the catholic faith, leaning upon the testimonies of the divinely inspired Scripture, acknowledges God as one in Trinity, and Trine in Unity.

V.

For God is one in essence and in number. Hear, O Israel, says the Scripture, our Jehovah, Jehovah is one. Deut. 6.

VI.

From this it follows that there is one God not by genus or species. For those things which are one by genus or species are many in number on account of matter and concretion, and they have separate essences. By this reasoning, in reality, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit would be many gods in number, contrary to the most manifest testimonies of Scripture.

VII.

Furthermore, the unity of genus and species declares only a logical community, by which the intellect reduces things that are actually secret outside the complex of the mind to one common reason and καθ' ὅλου universal concept, so that that unity happens to things different in number from the understanding of our mind, whereby they are not one by themselves and simply, but are only understood to be one.

VIII.

But God reveals Himself not insofar as anything happens to Him from our mind, but as He is in Himself.

(Following: But further)