De Principiis, Book I
God is not a body: fire, spirit, light§1.1
1.1I know some will try from our Scriptures to say God is a body, finding in Moses our God is a consuming fire and in John God is spirit. Fire and spirit they take as nothing but body. Ask them what they say of God is light, and in him is no darkness. That light is what illumines every mind that can receive truth, as the psalm says in your light we see light — that is, in your Word and Wisdom, your Son, we see you the Father. The name “light” does not make him like this sun’s bodily light.
Latin · §1.1
Scio quoniam conabuntur quidam etiam secundum scripturas nostras dicere deum corpus esse, quoniam inveniunt scriptum esse apud Moysen quidem: "Deus noster ignis consumens est", in evangelio vero secundum Iohannem: "Deus spiritus est, et eos qui adorant eum, in spiritu et veritate oportet adorare". Ignis vero et spiritus non aliud apud eos quam corpus esse putabitur. Quos interrogare volo, quid dicant de eo quod scriptum est, quia "deus lux est", sicut Iohannes in epistola sua dicit: "Deus lux est, et tenebrae non sunt in eo". Ista nempe lux est, quae inluminat omnem sensum eorum, qui possunt capere veritatem, sicut in tricesimo quinto psalmo dicitur: "In lumine tuo videbimus lumen". Quid enim aliud lumen dei dicendum est, in quo quis videt lumen, nisi virtus dei, per quam quis inluminatus vel veritatem rerum omnium pervidet vel ipsum deum cognoscit, qui veritas appellatur? Tale est ergo quod dicitur: "In lumine tuo videbimus lumen", hoc est, in verbo tuo et sapientia tua, qui est filius tuus, in ipso te videbimus patrem. Numquidnam quia lumen nominatur, simile putabitur solis huius lumini?
Christ as Wisdom and Word; the Holy Spirit (I.2–3)§1.2-1.3
1.2-1.3After the Father, we treat the Son: he is the Wisdom of God, the Word who was with God, image of the invisible God, not a creature among creatures. The Holy Spirit is joined in the apostolic preaching with the Father and the Son; Scripture assigns him unique works of sanctification, and he is not to be ranked among the made things.
Latin · §1.2-1.3
(Rufinus Latin working file; see sources/princ_b1_2_8_working_latin.txt)
Withdrawal from the good; rational natures (I.4–5)§1.4-1.5
1.4-1.5Scripture and reason speak of a falling away or cooling from the good, not of evil as a substance created by God. Rational natures — holy powers and those that turned — remain creatures of one Creator; diversity of ranks is not diversity of creator.
Latin · §1.4-1.5
(Rufinus Latin working file; see sources/princ_b1_2_8_working_latin.txt)
End and restoration; bodies; angels — BOOK I CLOSEOUT (I.6–8)§1.6-1.8
1.6-1.8On the end: God will be all in all; the healing of rational creatures is hoped under providence, without making evil eternal as a rival principle. Corporeal and incorporeal are distinguished carefully; angels are rational ministers, not a second god. BOOK I CLOSEOUT.
Latin · §1.6-1.8
(Rufinus Latin working file; see sources/princ_b1_2_8_working_latin.txt)
Preface: church rule before inquiry (Rufinus)§pref
prefAll who believe and are sure that grace and truth came through Jesus Christ, and who know Christ to be the truth as he said I am the truth, receive the knowledge that calls people to live well and blessedly not from any source but from Christ’s words and teaching. Many who profess Christ disagree even on the greatest things — God, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, and the other creatures — so we must first set a clear line and open rule on each, then inquire further. Use these as elements and foundations, according to the command light for yourselves the light of knowledge, to build one body of teaching from the holy Scriptures and from what follows by right consequence.
Latin · §pref
Omnes qui credunt et certi sunt quod gratia et veritas per Iesum Christum facta sit, et Christum esse veritatem norunt, secundum quod ipse dixit: "Ego sum veritas", scientiam quae provocat homines ad bene beateque vivendum non aliunde quam ab ipsis Christi verbis doctrinaque suscipiunt. Christi autem verbis dicimus non his solum, quae homo factus atque in carne positus docuit; prius namque Christus Dei sermo in Moyse atque prophetis erat. Quoniam ergo multi ex his, qui Christo se credere profitentur, non solum in parvis et minimis discordant, verum etiam in magnis et maximis, id est vel de deo vel de ipso domino Iesu Christo vel de spiritu sancto, non solum autem de his, sed et de aliis creaturis: propter hoc necessarium videtur prius de his singulis certam lineam manifestamque regulam ponere, tum deinde etiam de ceteris quaerere. Oportet igitur velut elementis ac fundamentis huiusmodi uti secundum mandatum, quod dicit: "Inluminate vobis lumen scientiae", omnem qui cupit seriem quandam et corpus ex horum omnium ratione perficere, ut manifestis et necessariis assertionibus de singulis quibusque quid sit in vero rimetur, et unum corpus efficiat exemplis et affirmationibus, vel his, quas in sanctis scripturis invenerit, vel quas ex consequentiae ipsius indagine ac recti tenore reppererit.