However, the manner, how and wherein Father, Son and holy Ghost are three and also one, we do not think that God has so fully revealed to us in his word; that also all the knowledge of it is not necessary to salvation, since it is a high or deep mystery, which here in this life can be known but in part, as if seen through a glass darkly, 1 Cor. 13:12. The perfect knowledge and true contemplation of which, is hoped for by faith, in this life, but will only hereafter, in the life eternal, be fully known. 1 John 3:2. Wherefore deep investigation of this matter, beyond or above the word of God, is more subtilty than Christian simplicity. The terms, _of one essence_, _trinity_, _three persons_, invented in former times by the ancients, we avoid, because they are unknown to the Scriptures, and because it is dangerous, in naming God, to use other words than those of the holy Scriptures. By the words, three beings, or three in one being, previously used by Jaques Outerman, as also by some of our teachers, we understand nothing else than what is comprehended in this our preceding confession.
_Of the incarnation of the Son of God._
We believe and confess, that God, willing to show his very great love to the human race (who through sin had fallen into death and into much corruption), and to perform by the deed his gracious promises made to the fathers (Gen. 3:15; 12:3; 22:18; Deut. 18:18), sent to this purpose his only (John 3:16), dear (Luke 9:35), and beloved Son (Matthew 3:17), who was from eternity (Heb. 1:2), by whom all things were created and made (Col. 1:16; Heb. 1), into this world (John 3:17; 1 John 4:9), who gladly obeyed the will of his Father (Ps. 40:8; Heb. 10:7), and came from above (John 3:31; 8:23), from heaven (3:13; 6:62), came forth from his Father (16:28), leaving his divine glory (17:5), form (Philip. 2:6), and riches (2 Cor. 8:9), descended (Eph. 4:9), came into this world (John 16:28), so that the virgin Mary, by the power of the Most High (Luke 1:35), conceived him (Is. 7:14; Matt. 1:23; Luke 2:7), so that also the same, and no other, was born of her (Is. 7: Matthew 1:25; Luke 1; Gal. 4:4). For although Mary bore the Son of God in another form, than in which he was with the Father before the foundation of the world; yet it is nevertheless the same, whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting, Micah 5:2; Is. 9:6. For the Word or Son became flesh. John 1:14. Yea, he that was like unto God, became like another man. Philip. 2:7. The Son of God appeared in the form of sinful flesh (Romans 8:3), and God was manifested in the flesh (1 Timothy 3:16), so that the second man Christ is the Lord himself from heaven. 1 Cor. 15:47. Hence that which the apostles saw in Christ, with their eyes, heard with their ears, and handled with their hands, was of the Word of life; so that they saw that eternal life which was with the Father. 1 John 1. For God brought his first begotten Son into the world, whom all angels and men must worship. Heb. 1:6; Philip. 2:10. And when we thus believe, we have in our favor the testimony of God and of all the righteous, who with one accord unanimously exclaim: that this visible man Christ is the Son of God (Matt. 3:17; John 1:2; 9:37; 11:27; Matt. 16:16; 1 John 4:10; 5:5), who dwelt among men (John 1:14: Zech. 2:10; Bar. 3:37), and whom the high priests, because he confessed himself to be the Son of God, also condemned to death. Mark 14:64; John 18:35. For, not knowing him, they nailed the Lord of glory, that is the Lord from heaven, to the cross. 1 Cor. 2:8; 15:47. There the Son of the living God suffered (Heb. 5:8), whom God did not spare (Rom. 8:32), but delivered him up for the life of the world (John 3:16; 1 John 4:14), to the most ignominious death of the cross. Philip. 2:8. There the Son of God shed his precious blood for the forgiveness of our sins (Acts 20:28; Col. 1:14; 1 John 1:7; Rev. 1:5); he by whom God made the worlds, by himself purged our sins. Heb. 1:2,3. He was buried, and the third day was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father. 1 Cor. 15:12; Acts 3:26: Rom. 6:4; 1 Thess. 1:10. He ascended up to where he was before. John 3:13; 6:62; 16:28; Eph. 4:8; 1 Tim. 3:16. He is sitting there at the right hand of the Majesty of his Father (Eph. 1:20; Heb. 1:3), whence he shall come in the clouds of heaven, to judge the quick and the dead. Matt. 24:30; Acts 10:42; Rev. 1:7.