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Hilary of Poitiers ( 315 – 367 ) . Holy Father, Almighty God, we will confess Thee to be not only eternally God, but also eternally Father. We will not assert that Thou wast ever without Thy Wisdom, and Thy Power, and Thy Word, without God Only-begotten, my Lord Jesus Christ. .
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Hilary of Poitiers (315 – 367)
Holy Father, Almighty God, we will confess Thee to be not only eternally God, but also eternally Father. We will not assert that Thou wast ever without Thy Wisdom, and Thy Power, and Thy Word, without God Only-begotten, my Lord Jesus Christ.
Our thoughts shall not attempt to grasp and master the origin of Thy Only-begotten Son. nor shall our faculties strain to reach beyond the truth that He is our Creator and our God. His birth is before times eternal. If anything exist which precedes eternity, it will be something which, when eternity is comprehended, still eludes comprehension. And this something is Thine, and is Thy Only-begotten;
We hold fast in our consciousness the truth that Thy Holy Spirit is from Thee and through Him, although we cannot by our intellects comprehend it. For in Thy spiritual things we are dull, as Thy Only-begotten says, "Marvel not that I said unto thee, ye must be born anew. The Spirit breathes where it will, and thou hearest the voice of it; but dost not know whence it comes or whither it goes. So is everyone who is born of water and of the Holy Spirit."
Though we hold a belief in our regeneration, we hold it in ignorance; We possess the reality, though we comprehend it not. For our own consciousness had no part in causing this new birth, which is manifest in its effects. Moreover the Spirit has no limits; He speaks when He will, and what He will, and where He will.
We will say nothing beyond our comprehension about Thy Only-begotten, but simply declare that He was born, so also after their example we will not trespass beyond that which human intellect can know about Thy Holy Spirit, but simply declare that He is Thy Spirit.
May my lot be no useless strife of words, but the unwavering confession of an unhesitating faith! Keep, I pray Thee, this my pious faith undefiled, and even till my spirit departs, grant that this may be the utterance of my convictions: so that I may ever hold fast that which I professed in the creed of my regeneration, when I was baptized in the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Let me, in short, adore Thee our Father, and Thy Son together with Thee; let me win the favor of Thy Holy Spirit, Who is from Thee, through Thy Only-begotten.
For I have a convincing Witness to my faith, Who says, "Father, all Mine are Thine, and Thine are Mine," none other than my Lord Jesus Christ, abiding in Thee, and from Thee, and with Thee, for ever God: Who is blessed for ever and ever. Amen.