The logical necessity of the Trinity

In "The Pleasures of God" Piper develops his idea of the Trinity and quotes Jonathan Edwards extensively in the footnotes. I'll quote it as well because it's unbelievably brilliant. I don't think it could be worded better or more clearly. Hard to believe it was written in the 1700's.

Beginning with a human analogy, Edwards writes,
“If a man could have an absolutely perfect idea of all that pass'd in his mind, all the series of ideas and exercises in every respect perfect as to order, degree, circumstance etc. for any particular space of time past, suppose the last hour, he would really, to all intents and purpose, be over again what he was that last hour. And if it were possible for a man by reflection perfectly to contemplate all that is in his own mind in a hour, as it is and at the same time that it is there, in its first and direct existence; if a man, that is, had a perfect reflex or contemplative idea of every thought at the same moment or moments that that thought was, and of every exercise at and during the same time that that exercise was, and so through a whole hour, a man would really be two during that time, he would be indeed double, he would be twice at once. The idea he has of himself would be himself again. (Edwards, An Essay on the Trinity, 102)

From this Edwards carries the analogy over to God.
"Therefore as God with perfect clearness, fullness and strength, understands Himself, views His own essence (in which there is no distinction of substance and act but which is wholly substance and wholly act), that idea which God hath of Himself is absolutely Himself. This representation of the Divine nature and essence is the Divine nature and essence again; so that by God's thinking of the deity, [deity] must certainly be generated. Hereby there is another person begotten, there is another infinite eternal almighty and most holy and the same God, the very same divine nature.
And this person is the second person of the Trinity, the only begotten and dearly beloved Son of God: He is the eternal, necessary, perfect, substantial and personal idea which God hath of Himself; and that it is so seems to me to be abundantly confirmed by the word of God.(Edwards, An Essay on the Trinity, 103)

In a later footnote he quotes Edwards again concerning the “procession” of the Holy Spirit
“The Godhead being thus begotten by God's loving an idea of himself and shewing forth in a distinct subsistence or person in that idea, there proceeds a most pure act, and an infinitely holy and sacred energy arises between the Father and Son in mutually loving and delighting in each other, for their love and joy is mutual, Proverbs 8:30-”'I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him'”- This is the eternal and most perfect and essential act of the divine nature, wherein the Godhead acts to an infinite degree and in the most perfect manner possible. The Deity becomes all act, the Divine essence itself flows out and is, as it were, breathed forth in love and joy. So that the Godhead therein stands forth in yet another manner of subsistence, and there proceeds the third person in the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, viz. the deity in act, for there is no other act but the act of the will. (Edwards, An Essay on the Trinity, 108)

Piper summarizes the idea with a final quote from Edwards.
“And this I suppose to be the blessed Trinity that we read of in the Holy Scriptures. The Father is the deity subsisting in the prime, unoriginated and most absolute manner, or the deity in its direct existence. The Son is the deity generated by God's understanding, or having an idea of Himself and subsisting in that idea. The Holy Ghost is the deity subsisting in act, or the divine essence flowing out and breathed forth in God's infinite love to and delight in Himself. And I believe the whole Divine essence does truly and distinctly subsist both in the Divine idea and Divine love, and that each of them are [sic] properly distinct persons. (Edwards, An Essay on the Trinity, 118)

I have not given Edwards biblical defense of this, but the arguments and scriptural references can be found in the original work. When I read this I was blown away with how logical the Trinity is. In fact, God, as in the true God who is infinite in all ways, could not exist in any other form. As God he must have a perfect understanding of himself which in turn must be divine. The love that must exist between themselves must itself be divine.

I believe this may be another form of the transcendental argument, but not for God but rather specifically for the Trinity. Basically the Trinity must exist because of the impossibility of the contrary. An infinite God cannot exist in any other form. In if/then form, if an infinite God exists, he exists in a Trinity. An infinite God does exist, therefore he exists in a Trinity. Obviously I have not given any of the transcendental arguments for the existence of God here, but as that has long been a subject I've wanted to write on it, I will try and make that my next post.

Just as side note, for those unfamiliar with Jonathan Edwards, I would encourage you to at the least read his wikipedia page. Though brief, it gives a glimpse at what an extraordinary man he was. And interestingly enough I was born 222 years to the day after his death.