Vía de salvación (Path of Salvation)

1st

I believe in Thee, omnipotent God, sovereign cause of all causes, universal being of all beings, that without thee no creature angelical, celestial or terrestrial could have existence; but Thou existeth without needing anyone, for Thou dost suffice unto Thyself; that Thou didst show unto us the reality of Thy existence in Sinai when Thou didst say: I Adonai thy God, etc. (Ex. 20). Thus do I confess, thus do I covenant and applaud with profound respect. Adonai He the God, Adonai He the God (I Kings 18,39).

2nd

I believe that Thou art singularly one, and that Thy most uniquely simple oneness does not have party with the specific one, which is divided into parts, nor with the generic one, which comports with many ones, nor with the arithmetic one, which admits multiplication, but Thou art in Thy infinity beyond all understanding one. Thus do I believe, thus do I testify and thus shall I confess, until the last breath of my life. Semá Israel: Adonai Elohenu Adonai ejad (Deut. 6, 4).

3rd

I believe, oh only God! that there is not in Thee corporeality, nor body, nor even likeness of body, nor corporeal accidents, nor is there anything that can demonstrate to us Thine ineffable spirituality; and that the corporeal dispositions of Thine inaccessible greatness, to which reference is made in the Scripture, as are: sight, hearing and others similar to these, do not refer to Thy divine essence, but to Thine attributes: and in this man is manifested to be made in Thine image and likeness: in Thine image—with respect to the essence of the soul; in Thy likeness—with respect to the similitude which the members have with the attributes; and thus David said: All my bones shall say: Adonai, who like Thou! . . . (Psalm 35, 10).

4th

I believe, Lord, that Thou alone art truly from before eternity, beginning, without beginning, of all beginnings; that all beginnings emanated from Thee; that Thou didst create everything when Thou didst please so to do; and among such variety of creatures Thou didst produce me into the world through Thine immense goodness, Thou didst fill me with benefactions and raise me up. Oh, Creator! Thy hands made me and worked me: do not abhor the work of Thy palms. Do not leave me, Adonai: my God! do not go far from me (Psalm 38, 22).

5th

I believe that Thou art absolute lord of all the world, and as such Thou shalt be adored and served by all creatures, the intention referring directly to Thee, without interposing mediate causes, nor giving manner of worship to any other thing outside of Thee, since only to Thee does it correspond to be glorified by Thy works. And thus I, as a work of Thy hands, in so far as it should be Thy will to grant me life, Thee alone must fear, Thee alone must I serve, to Thee alone must I hold, who art my God, who art my praise, my shelter and my refuge.

6th

I believe that, in addition to the special grace that Thou hadst toward us of choosing us Thy people, Thou dost inspire those whom Thou findest opportune with the gift of prophecy in different manners and degrees, by means whereof Thou dost manifest most high mysteries, which human knowledge could not reach, and only the inspiration of Thy sacred spirit can declare them with certainty. Lord, let Thy servant share this spirit on this occasion, if not to reach Thine inscrutable judgments (for I am not worthy of so much good), at least to fortify myself in Thy divine love.

7th

I believe that the principal one of all the Prophets, as regards prophecy, was Thy servant Mosé; that neither before nor after was there nor shall there be his like; who came to be so sanctified in life that he saw himself exempt from the accidents of matter; that his prophecy was not through the interposition of angels, nor in nocturnal vision, nor in ecstasy, nor with disturbance of the senses, nor at determined hours and times, as the other Prophets; but he had the immediate inspiration of Thy mouth, being actually awake and in all his senses, and each and every time that he sought. Fortunate human creature who deserved such a prerogative, and fortunate people who deserved having such a Prophet for their teacher.

8th

I believe inarguably that the divine Law, which Thou didst give to us through Thy faithful Prophet Mosé, was pronounced by Thee Thyself in the degree of prophecy called dictation, that no other can comprehend: for which cause it is equally sacred, both in the narrative of history, as in the ten commandments; because all was equally dictated from Thine immense wisdom, and thus all is holy, sacred and true. Thus do I believe and I do testify, Adonai, God of truth. Mosé truth, and his Law truth.

9th

I believe, great God! that Thy divine Law is eternally firm, and that Thou shalt not five another Law outside of it, in any time; nor shall it be abrogated, nor commuted into another, nor shall it have any alteration of increase nor of decrease more than what is prescribed in it, that it is Thy word, and as such is firm and permanent for always, and it is most perfect, as David said: Perfect Law of Adonai, makest the soul return . . . (Psalm 19, 8).

10th

I believe also that Thou hast knowledge, universal and individual, of all the works of Thy creatures, of their intentions and thoughts; that Thou knowest from before eternity, with infallible foreknowledge, what was, is and shall be, without distinction of times, because from before the beginning Thou hast equally present the future and past; that Thou dost examine and weigh our works, our words and thoughts in Thy most just tribunal. And this truth being so patent, what account shall I be able to give in Thy terrible judgment, of the long period of a life damaged with so many vices, disordered with such enormous faults and spotted with such criminal delicts? Ah Lord! Do not pass judgment on Thy servant; for none living shall justify himself before Thee (Psalm 143, 2).

11th

I believe, Lord, that the knowledge that Thou dost take of our works, and the examination that of them Thou dost make, is in order to give with particular providence to each one his desert, rewarding those who observe Thy commandments and punishing those who contravene, incurring in what Thou dost prohibit or failing to do what Thou dost order. And although Thine omnipotence has divers manners of reward or punishment, the principal reward is the glory of the soul in the other world, and the greatest punishment is the privation of Thy grace, the soul being separated from its root center. Woe is me, oh most just Judge! if Thou dost punish me according to my faults. But Thou art so clement that Thou dost not wish other than the submission of the sinner. If I offended thee, Lord, now I submit myself to Thee with living grief for having offended thee. Have pity on me, Adonai, have pity on me, and do not as a recompense for my bad works requite Thou me.

12th

I believe firmly that, at the time determined by Thine immense wisdom, Thou shalt send the longed for Annointed One in order to redeem those who with such constancy await the end of his coming: and although this time so desired may be deferred through our faults, I shall never distrust Thine indubitable word, but, as Job said: Although I may die, yet I shall trust . . . And in as much as I may not deserve to see him, my soul shall have the consolation of his coming, glorying in the glory of Thy most holy name, which is, through our cause, profaned among the gentiles, and then it shall be universally feared and adored.

13th

Finally I believe that Thou shalt revive the dead of Thy people Israel, and some of the dead of the nations of the world, in order that they may make known to their own nation the deception of the abuse and error in which they lived, manifesting to them the truth which they found out in their torments; and the dead of Thy people Israel, who perished in this captivity, shall revive in order to enjoy the good that they did not see in life; and that by means of them Thy greatness may be recognized and Thy most holy name celebrated. Oh God of our salvation! help us because of the glory of Thy name; that it may be sanctified and its oneness declared by means of us, for ever and ever, amen.

Oh, great God! may this confession which I have made of the thirteen fundamental articles of Thy divine Law be so that the meriting of Abraham and Isaac, first circumcised, in whose circumcision thirteen precepts were set down, and the meriting of Jacob and his sons, who are thirteen, may fructify; and Thou mayest have pity on me among those who affirm Thy Law, which is declared with thirteen rules. Bless me so as to hold myself to Thee and to guard myself from accidents; and do not take away from me the thirteen conditions of Thy mercies—make Thy faces to shine upon me, and bring out my understanding to act, with the rectitude of the thirteen articles that I confess—lift up the luminous light of Thy divinity to me, and be with me—and give me peace, from the obstacles that I can have in these thirteen points: in order that I may merit the joy of the purification in those 13 mysterious rivers which thou hast reserved for Thy Good Ones, and I shall delight myself with the love of the unity of Thy most holy name, sanctified in Ejad, which adds up to thirteen. Semá Israel: Adonai Elohenu Adonai ejad.

Other works by de Acosta: Historia sacra real (1691); Conjeturas sagradas sobre los Prophetos primeros (1722).