Trinity And Scripture

Ergo sunt tria quaedam coaeterna, consubstantialia, coessentialia. Sed cum quaereretur a Patribus, et diceretur: Quid tria? Nec essentias, nec substantias, nec naturas dicere ausi sunt; ne aliqua forte diversitas crederetur essentiarum, aut naturarum, aut substantiarum: sed dixerunt tres personas, unam essentiam: uti una essentia declareret Deum unum, tres autem personae sanctam Trinitatem ostenderent. Nec hoc dicimus, quod tantummodo Deus Trinitas sit, et non unaquaeque persona. Nam et Pater solus Deus est, et Filius solus Deus est, et Spiritus sanctus solus Deus est. Solus dico, quia Pater non est Filius, et Filius non est Pater, et Spiritus Sanctus non est Pater aut Filius. Caetereum Trinitas inseparabilis, incommutabilis, infinita non recipit tres deos, sicut non recipit tres essentias, aut subtantias, aut naturas, et idcirco nullatenus dicendus est Filius in id quod aequalis est Patri, aut creatus ex aliquo, aut de nihil substitutus: quis quod est Pater hoc genuit, Deus Deum, lux lucem, incommutabilis incommuntabilem , infinitus infinitum, aeternus coaeternum. Similiter et de Spiritu Sancto credimus quia hoc est quod ille a quo procedit. Videamus igitur deinceps utrum haec quae diximus sanctarum Scripturarum testimoniis approbemus. Primum etiam quaerendum est si Deus Trinitas sit. Faciamus, iniquit, hominem ad imaginem et similitudinem nostram. Et rursum. Venite, descendamus, inquit, et confundamus ibi linguas eorum. Nostram, vero, et descendamus, pluralitatem personarum, non deorum insinuat. Similiterque Abrahae visio trium virorum et unius Domini deprecatio. Et: Pluit Dominus a Domino super Sodomam et Gomorrham sulphur et ignem a Domino. Et: Dixit Dominus Domino meo: Sede a dextris meis. Et: Verbo Domini coeli firmati sunt, et Spiritu oris ejus omnis virtus eorum. Quid aliquid haec quam Trinitatem ostendunt? Apertiusque sane Dominus in Evangelio: Ite, baptizate omnes gentes in nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti. Et rursum: Facta est vox de coelo dicens: Hic est Filius meus dilectus: ipsum audite. Identidemque ait, Vidi Spiritum Dei descedentem, et manentem sicut columbam in ipso. Sanctus Fulgentius Ruspensis, Ad Felicem Notarium, De Trinitate, Caput III Source: Migne 65.499d-500b

Therefore the three are co-eternal, consubstantial, coessential. But when it was considered by the Fathers and it was said, 'What are the three?' They did not dare to speak of essences, nor substances, nor natures, lest perhaps there be thought to be a difference in essences or natures or substances, but they said three persons, one essence, so to declare the one essence of the one God, and to show the three persons of the Trinity. Nor do we say that God alone is the Trinity and not any of the persons. For the Father alone is God, and the Son alone is God and the Holy Spirit alone is God. I say 'alone' because the Father is not the Son and the Son is not the Father and the Holy Spirit is not the Father nor is He the Son. For the Trinity is inseparable, and unchangeable and infinite, and does not allow three gods, as it does not allow three essences, or substances, or natures, and therefore it should not be said of the Son, that because He is equal to the Father, either he was created from something, or established from nothing, because He is whom the Father generated, God from God, light from light, the unchangeable from the unchangeable, the infinite from the infinite, the eternal from the coeternal. We believe likewise concerning the Holy Spirit because He proceeds from Him. Let us see, then, whether these things which we have said we may confirm from the testimonies of Holy Scripture. First we must seek if God is a Trinity. He says: 'Let us make man after our image and likeness.' 1 And again He says, 'Come, let us descend and confound their tongues.' 2 'Our' and 'let us descend' intimate a plurality of persons, not gods. Likewise Abraham's vision of the three men, and his petition of the one Lord. 3 And: 'The Lord over Sodom and Gomorrha rained sulphur and fire from the Lord.' 4 And 'The Lord said to my Lord: Sit at my right hand' 5 And: 'By the word of the Lord the heavens were made firm, and the spirit of His mouth is all their power.' 6 And what do these show but the Trinity? And most openly the Lord says in the Gospel: 'Go, baptise all the peoples in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.' 7 And again: 'There was a voice from heaven saying: This is my beloved Son: listen to Him.' 8 And in the same manner it says: 'I saw the Spirit of God descending and remaining on Him like a dove.' 9 Saint Fulgentius of Ruspe, On The Trinity, To Felix The Notary, Chapter 3 1 Gen 1.26 2 Gen 11.7 3 Gen 18.1-3 4 Gen 19.24 5 Ps 109.1 6 Ps 32.6 7 Mt 28.19 8 Mt 17.5 9 Jn 1.32