Special rules against the sophisms of heretics and such as we necessary for the understanding of Scripture.

1. There is nothing objectionable in the declaration that those who are equal in nature may be unequal in office.

2. That which the Father has given to the Son that he may retain, he will never take from him again; but that which has been given and committed to him for a certain time, he must of necessity resign.

3. A consequence which is drawn from that which is relative to that which is absolute, is not of force.

4. It does not follow that he who has his person from another, has his essence likewise from another.

5. That which is proper to one nature only, is attributed to the person in the concrete, but not otherwise than in respect to that nature to which it is proper.

6. Wisdom is two-fold: there is one kind which is in creatures, which is the order of things in nature wisely constituted: and there is another wisdom which is in God, which, when it is opposed to creatures, is the divine mind itself, or the eternal decree of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost in relation to this order. But when this wisdom in God is distinguished from God, then it is properly taken for the Son of God. The former wisdom is created, the latter uncreated.

7. Whenever one person of the Godhead is opposed in the Scripture to creatures, or false gods, and thus distinguished from them, the other persons are not thereby excluded, but only creatures with whom there is a comparison of the true God. The same is to be observed in all exclusive and superlative declarations.

8. When God is named absolutely in the Scriptures, it is always to be understood as referring to the true God.

9. Whereas the Son and Holy Ghost are from the Father; and whereas the Father works through the Son and Holy Ghost, and did not humble himself, as the Son; the Scriptures oftentimes, and especially in the discourses of Christ, understand by the name of the Father, also the Son and Holy Ghost.

10. When God is considered absolutely, or by himself, or is opposed to creatures, the three persons are comprehended; but when he is opposed to the Son, the first person of the Godhead, which is the Father, is understood.

11. The Scriptures distinguish the persons when they oppose or compare them with each other, or when they express their personal properties, by which they restrict to one of the persons of the Godhead, the name of God common to them all. But they embrace and mean all the persons of the Godhead, when they oppose the true God to creatures, or false gods, or consider him absolutely according to his nature.

12. The Son is wont to refer to the Father that which he has in common with him, not making any mention of himself, in as much as he speaks in the person of the mediator.

13. The Son is said to see, to learn, to hear and to work as from the Father in respect to both natures, but yet with a just and proper distinction; for the will of God is made known to his human understanding by revelation. But his Godhead by itself, and in his own nature, knows and sees most perfectly from everlasting the will of the Father.

14. If the external operations of the three persons were distinct they would make distinct essences, because, if when one would work another should rest, there would be different essences.

15. When God is called the Father of Christ and of the faithful, it does not follow that he is their, and his Father in the same name.

16. The Father has never been without the Son, nor the Father and the Son without the Spirit, in as much as the Godhead can neither be increased, diminished, nor changed.