ons, this being hard to be erstood, tries our confidence our faith in the truth of 1. Those, who have faith in God, will believe him, though he says things surprising, mysteri ous and incomprehensible. They, who, on this ground, reject this doctrine, would, like Pharaoh, have denied that the judgments of Egypt were wrought by the finger of God; like the Jews they would have denied the miracles of Jesus Christ to be effected by his power, because they were in comprehensible. It is not strange that many reject the doctrine of the Trinity, for all mof have not faith.

"Now unto him, who is able to keep us from falling, and to present us faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy; to the only wise God, our Saviour, be glory, and majesty, and dominion, and power, both now and forever." Amen.

PHILO.

A SURVEY OF THE CHURCHES IN MASSACHUSETTS.

"If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning. If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth."

THE cause of the Christian church is, of all causes, the most important. It involves the glo ry of God our Saviour, and the highest interests of mankind. Accordingly good men esteem that cause above every personal and every worldly advantage. They prefer it above their chief joy. For Zion's welfare they are piously concerned. They rejoice in its prosperity and glo

ry; they labour and pray for its enlargement, and tenderly mourn over its desolations.

The affection, which good men have entertained for Zion, has led them frequently to survey its moral state, to observe its disorders, and to adopt suitable measures to remove them. АН this is only a distant imitation of Zion's King. What a gracious affection did he manifest to the churches in Asia. What a faithful care did he exercise over them. Those seven churches were planted by his own right hand, and for some time enjoyed his favourable presence. But when John received his revela, tion in the Isle of Patmos, most of them had lost their first love, had fallen from their primitive sanctity, and forfeited all their privileges. In the excellent epistles, which Jesus condescended to address to them by the hand of John, he noticed with approbation, what was commendable in them, reproved what was blameworthy, and gave them the encouragement and admonition, which their circumstances required. Should it please the exalted Redeemer to address the churches in New England, especially in this Commonwealth, we have reason to conclude, that his language would not be wholly unlike that, which he addressed to the Asiatic churches. would certainly find as little to approve, ard as much to condemn, as we found there. Not a single erroneous opinion or practice existed among them, which does not, in substance, exist among us. Not a single reproof or warning was given them, which might not with propriety be given to us. They

He

A remarkable passage in Isaiah very plainly represents the divine Trinity. The seraphs eried one to another and said, "Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts. Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, whom shall I send, and who will go for US?" A plurality is certain from the plural pronoun us; the Trinity may be expressed by the triple address of holy, holy, holy. "Who will go for us," us three, whom the seraphs have individually addressed? That this is certainly the meaning of the text may be inferred from John xii. 41, where the evangelist applies this very passage to Jesus Christ. "These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory and spake of him ;" and from Acts xxviii. 25, where the apostle applies this passage of Isaiah to the HoLy Ghost; "Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto the fathers." Thus what Isaiah declares that Jehovah said to him, John ascribes to Christ, and St. Paul to the Holy Ghost. This is all the evidence we need; the divinity of the Son and Holy Spirit are direcly as

serted, and that of the Father is not denied. This is not the gloss or opinion of a writer untaught; but the comment and assertion of an apostle and evangelist, inspired by God himself.

Some learned critics in the Hebrew language have supposed, that the prophets employ a style, or mode of address, which implies, the doctrine was well known and believed among the people whom they instructed. Without giving any notice or explanation, they often use expressions, which have little propriety or meaning, unless the doctrine of the Trinity be understood. Of this description are the following passages. Isaiah xli. 4. "I the Lord, the first and with the last, I, He." In this literal translation three persons speak, while Jehovah speaks in his own name; "I, I, He." The same mode of expression is found Isaiah xliii. 11. “I, I, the Lord, and beside me there is no Saviour." Ver. 25. I, I, He, that blotteth out thy transgressions." Here three persons constitute the "Saviour," and are united in blotting out transgressions. Finally, chap. li. 12. "I, I, He, that comforteth you.' These are more literal translations of those passages. They are very strange and unaccountable phrases, unless we suppose the Trinity a doctrine of the Bible; but adopting this doctrine, they are intelligible, proper, and forcible.

In John, chap. i. we read, "The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us; and the Word was God." Perhaps it would not be easy to arrange words, more explicitly to declare the divinity of Jesus Christ. In di

rect terms the divinity of the A Holy Spirit is asserted, Acts v. 84,"Why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie unto the Holy Ghost? Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God." They had" lied to the Holy Ghost;" they had "lied unto God." In what language could the proper deity of the Holy Spirit be more explicit By declared?

At the baptism of Jesus Christ was an astonishing display of all the persons in the Trinity. The Son comes up from Jordan; the Holy Spirit descends from heaven in the form of a dove; a voice from the Father proclaims, This is my beloved Son."

The formula of Christian baptism is thought conclusive evidence of the divine Trinity.

Go," saith Christ," disciple all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." The three are put on terms of perfect equality. To unite God the Father with two creatures, on equal terms; to honour them as we honour him, is an outrage on all the laws of propriety, decency, and piety. Would it not shock all our serious feelings to baptize in the name of God, and Peter, and Paul? Would it not be a species of idolatry so to honour Peter and Paul as we honour God himself? Would it · not be a kind of blasphemy?

The beloved disciple saw four living creatures in heaven, who rest not day nor night; saying, "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come." Here three persons are addressed in the same Janguage, heard by Isaiah hundreds of years before, from the same throne of glory. To this

we may add the constant and familiar introduction of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit in every part of the New Testament, and the constant ascription of divinity to all three. These evidences, displayed by "the pen of a ready writer or the tongue of the learned," would most certainly confirm the wavering, silence gainsayers, and convince the most obdurate. These arrows, in the hands of the mighty, would subdue all opposition. It is hoped, however, that the sacred truths of this feeble sketch may give comfort and satisfaction to candid and serious inquirers, concerning this infinitely important doctrine, the TRINITY.

REFLECTIONS.

We see the importance of searching the sacred scriptures. The Trinity is a doctrine of scripture, a doctrine known and proved no where else. The scriptures are the field where is found this pearl of great price. Some other doctrines are confirmed by other evidence, this depends entirely on the word of God. Tho' traditions of this doctrine have extended to all countries and ages of the world, as we have shown in former numbers; yet these traditions must have had their origin in divine Revelation. No wonder, therefore, if those, who attend to business or pleasure, more than to religion, should reject the doctrine; no wonder if those, who read books of amusement or science more than they do the oracles of God, should oppose the doctrine of the Trinity.

2. From the doctrine of the Trinity we infer, that Deity

All

might enjoy the noblest felicity in himself before creation. our feelings, all our observations, all our reasonings, teach us, that society is necessary to the felicity of rational beings. Admitting the simple unity of God, no possible society existed for an eternity before creation. The universe was an infinite solitude. No thought was communicated; no affection was exercised; love and goodness were names unknown. Even now, unless a Trinity exist, Deity enjoys society with none, but worms of the dust, or creatures chargeable with "folly" in his sight. But three persons of the same rank, the same designs, the same characters, may know the most elevated joys of rational society, of various powers, of united designs, of benignity and wisdom.

3. Those, who deny the doctrine of the Trinity, do, in fact, reject the gospel. The Trinity are the three agents in the work of redemption. On these golden pillars rests the whole gospel church. The Father elects to eternal life, the Son redeems, the Spirit sanctifies. All the blessings of the gospel are promised" in the name and by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost."

4. From the doctrine of the Trinity, we infer, that those, who deny the divinity of Jesus Christ, do not worship the true God. Jesus Christ is evidently one of the three, who constitute the eternal Jehovah. He himself says, he is one with the Father. In view of his hearers, he made himself" equal" with God. He knew this, and did not attempt to remove the impression.

This was claiming equality with God. So would not Paul, nor Silas, nor any honest man have done. Therefore, he was God, The Father also saith unto the Son, "Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever." He is also in the scriptures of truth, expli citly, declared to be "the only wise God, our Saviour." There fore we are required in another scripture "to honour the Son, even as we honour the Father." Were he not the Almighty God, this would be idolatry; but the scriptures never command idolatry, therefore Jesus Christ is the Almighty God; those, there fore, who deny his divinity, do not worship the true God. They are idolators,

5. Those, who deny the doctrine of the Trinity, merely be cause it is incomprehensible, show they have no confidence, no faith in God.

Because the doctrine is mysterious and incomprehensible,some persons erase it from the articles of their belief. This proves they have little humility and less faith. It requires no faith to believe what is probable, plain, and evident. In such circums stances we should believe our greatest enemy, the most notorious for falsehood. But we show our confidence in our friends, when we believe them, while they assert things improbable, hard to be understood, and incomprehensible. If we believe God, when he declares his exist, ence, this argues no faith in God; we probably believe this on other evidence. The things seen, every bird, and flower, and tree, declare the eternal power and godhead. But when God teaches us that he exists in three

sons, this being hard to be lerstood, tries our confidence I our faith in the truth of d. Those, who have faith in God, will believe him, though he says things surprising, mysterious and incomprehensible. They, who, on this ground, reject this doctrine, would, like Pharaoh, have denied that the judgments of Egypt were wrought by the finger of God; like the Jews they would have denied the miracles of Jesus Christ to be effected by his power, because they were in comprehensible. It is not strange that many reject the doctrine of the Trinity, for all men have not faith.

"Now unto him, who is able to keep us from falling, and to present us faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy; to the only wise God, our Saviour, be glory, and majesty, and dominion, and pow. er, both now and forever." Amen. PHILO.

A SURVEY OF THE CHURCHES IN MASSACHUSETTS.

"If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning. If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth."

THE cause of the Christian church is, of all causes, the most important. It involves the glory of God our Saviour, and the highest interests of mankind. Accordingly good men esteem that cause above every personal and every worldly advantage. They prefer it above their chief joy. For Zion's welfare they are piously concerned. They rejoice in its prosperity and glo

ry; they labour and pray for its enlargement, and tenderly mourn over its desolations.

The affection, which good men have entertained for Zion, has led them frequently to survey its moral state, to observe its disorders, and to adopt suitable measures to remove them. AH this is only a distant imitation of Zion's King. What a gracious affection did he manifest to the churches in Asia. What a faithful care did he exercise over them. Those seven churches were planted by his own right hand, and for some time enjoyed his favourable presence. But when John received his revela tion in the Isle of Patmos, most of them had lost their first love, had fallen from their primitive sanctity, and forfeited all their privileges. In the excellent epistles, which Jesus condescended to address to them by the hand of John, he noticed with approbation, what was commendable in them, reproved what was blameworthy, and gave them the encouragement and admonition, which their circumstances required. Should it please the exalted Redeemer to address the churches in New England, es. pecially in this Commonwealth, we have reason to conclude, that his language would not be wholly unlike that, which he addressed to the Asiatic churches. He would certainly find as little to approve, ard as much to condemn, as we found there. Not a single erroneous opinion or practice existed among them, which does not, in substance, exist among us. Not a single reproof or warning was given them, which might not with propriety be given to us. They