Commonplace Iii (1625 Exegesis ): On The Most Holy Mystery Of The All -H Allowed And Ineffable Trinity
COMMONPLACE III (1625 EXEGESIS)
ON THE MOST HOLY MYSTERY
OF THE ALL-HALLOWED
AND INEFFABLE TRINITY
§ 1. We plan to explain the sacrosanct and august mystery of the Trinity from the writings of the eternal and unmoved truth that is revealed in the Word and to support it against the venomous tongues of the Photinians, the enemies of God. Longing with our deepest sighs for the strength of divine grace, we pray as follows from the hymn of Alcuin (p. 70, Konstanz edition of 1596):
Be present, true Light, Father, omnipotent God. Be present, Light of Light, Word and Son of God, omnipotent God. Be present, Holy Spirit, harmony of the Father and the Son, omnipotent God. Be present, one omnipotent God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We confess this faith in You, through You, of You. We confess You, one in substance, three in persons. O Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, blessed Trinity, God, Lord, Paraclete; Love, Grace, Communication; Begetter, Begotten, Regenerator; true Light, true Light of Light, Illumination; the invisibly Invisible, the invisibly Visible, the visibly Invisible; Fountain, River, Watering; from whom, through whom, and in whom are all things; the living Life, the Life from the Living One, Life-Giver of the living; truthful Father, Son who is the Truth, the Spirit of Truth; one essence, one might, one goodness; God, above whom is nothing, outside of whom is nothing, and without whom is nothing; God, under whom is everything, in whom is everything, and with whom is everything: we invoke You, we worship You, we praise You. Teach us faith, stir up hope, pour in love. Amen.
Having now offered these prayers to God, we go on to the actual explanation of the article, which we shall accomplish in two parts. The first will contain an introductory preface regarding this mystery; the latter will present the actual substance of this article, dealing both with the nomenclature [
] and the factual content [
].