Dogmatic Theology Vol 1 - Shedd - XIX - Chapter 4 Trinity in unity continued

Required reading

Dogmatic Theology Vol 1 by William G.T. Shedd (Available from Amazon or free here) - Continue Chapter 4 Trinity in unity by reading up to the paragraph beginning 'The external characteristics, notae externae, of the three persons, are transitive acts, opera ad extra.' (page 304 in my edition).

My summary

This week, we begin to hear of the two classes of characteristics by which the trinitarian Persons are discriminated:

(i) Internal;

(ii) External.

This week is only concerned with the internal, those acts of the Supreme Being which are within the essence, and are confined to it.  There are two internal characteristics:

(i) generation;

(ii) spiration.

After explaining the terms, Shedd notices the following particulars about these internal acts:

(i) they are not creative acts;

(ii) they are eternal and unceasing acts;

(iii) they are necessary acts.

Shedd then gives Biblical proof texts for these internal activities.

The rest of our reading gives supporting statements and further explanations of these internal activities and their implications for understanding the trinity.

What grabbed me

I liked Shedd's description of the mystery of the trinity: 'The great mystery of the Trinity is, that one and the very same substance, can subsist as an undivided whole in three persons simultaneously. That a substance can be divided up, and distributed, so as to constitute a million or a billion of individuals, as in the instance of the human nature or species, is comparatively easy to comprehend. But that a substance without any division, or distribution, can at the same instant constitute three distinct persons, baffles the human understanding. In the sphere of matter, this would not only be incomprehensible, but absurd. A pint of water could not possibly be contained in three different pint cups at one and the same instant. But spirit is not subject to the conditions of matter; and as the whole human soul may all of it be in every part, and every point of the body, at one and the same instant, so the Divine essence may all of it be in each of the three Divine persons simultaneously. It is no contradiction, taking the nature of unextended spiritual substance into view, to say that the one numerical Divine essence is indivisibly and wholly present at a million points of space at the same time, without making it a million of essences. If so, it is no contradiction to say that the one numerical Divine essence subsists indivisibly and wholly in three modes or persons at the same instant, without making it three essences. If the plurality of points at which the Divine omnipresence is found does not multiply the essence in the first case, the trinality of the persons in which the Divine existence is found does not multiply the essence in the second case.'

There is mystery in the trinity, but no contradiction.

Next week's reading

Continue Chapter 4 Trinity in unity by reading up to the paragraph beginning 'The Deity of God the Son was the subject of one of the greatest controversies in the Patristic church' (page 312 in my edition).

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.