with the knowledge imparted to us through the Holy Scriptures, as we nevertheless learn therefrom as much about God and his essence as is needful for our salvation. [4] From what has been said it is manifest in what sense God may be defined. He cannot be literally defined, i.e., we cannot express in words what God is as to his essence, what he is in himself, because no adequate conception can be formed of him; but a definition of God, in a wider sense, may nevertheless be given, in so far, namely,