to the Holy Spirit; and whose operations agree with none other. It is incontestible, that the offices assigned by our Lord to the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of Truth, the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, can accord alone with a Divine Agent; and yet it has been demonstrably proved, by an appeal to the Scriptures, the Socinian's acknowledged test, that this Divine Agent cannot be God the Father. In so perplexing a dilemma, the Socinian is asked, Who can it be? While he hesitates and is confounded, the Christian answers, in conformity with the Genuine Church in all ages, "The Third Person in the Ever Blessed Trinity."

That the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, recognised by Christ, and sent by him, after his exaltation, is a Divine Person, our opponents themselves allow, and yet this Divine Agent, it has been fully shown, by the most irrefragable series of proofs, is not, as Socinians affirm, God the Father! It has also been shown, with an excess of evidence, that the Scriptures ascribe to Christ, the Son of God, qualities and actions, like those assigned to the Holy Spirit, wholly incompatible with other than a Divine Person: and yet all admit, there is but One God. This is that "mystery of godliness," above human comprehension, but undeniably taught in Scripture, as a test of our faith; out of which necessarily arises the Christian doctrine of "TRINITY IN UNITY."

SUPPLEMENT.

1. It should be considered that the declarations of Scripture, including Precepts and Doctrines, were made to plain unlettered men, who understood all that was addressed to them in the customary idiomatical sense; so that when Christ called himself "The Son of God," they must have received his words, as claiming a super-human nature; especially when he so often declared God to be his Father; that he came from the Father ; and was going to the Father; John v. 17; and offered, by his miracles, such undeniable confirmation of his claims. That this meaning was understood by the Jews, is evident, by their interpretation of our Saviour's words. "Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, Many good works have I showed you, for which of these works do ye stone me? The Jews answered him, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God." John x. 31-33. The Jews also, who accused our Lord, before Pilate, confirmed the meaning which the words of Christ bore. The Jews answered him, (Pilate) We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God." John xix. 7. Did Christ correct their misapprehension, which, had it been such, he was bound to have done by the most solemn dictates of rectitude? On the contrary, he established the sense they had entertained, and thus expressed his remonstrance. * * 66 Say ye of him whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest, because I said, I am the Son of God? If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not." John x. 36, 37.

Locke has remarked, as substantiating our Lord's miracles, that, "they were never at the time questioned by friend or foe." Had the least suspicion existed of their validity, how promptly would the hostile Jews, on this occasion, have accepted the

challenge, and, if they could so have done, have justified their infidelity, by questioning or denying the miracles thus adduced as a charge against them!

3. When Christ, also, stood before the Sanhedrim, the High Priest addressed him thus:- "I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of the Blessed :" Matt. xxvi. 63. Mark xiv. 61: still attaching to the words a super-human meaning. "Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven." Mark xiv. 62. "Then the High-priest rent his clothes, and saith, What need we any further witnesses ? Ye have heard the blasphemy: what think ye? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death." Mark xiv. 63, 64.

The blasphemy, in the estimation of the Jewish council, being thus established, why was not the law of Moses, by stoning, immediately executed, as it was in the case of Stephen? Because, he "who knew what was in man;" who inspected all hearts, and secretly regulated all actions, had determined, that, like the Brazen Serpent of old, he should be "lifted up," that he might present his great Offering on the Cross "for the sins of the world." Socinians will not deny the possession of a spotless integrity in Christ; but how could this integrity have appeared, if, when charged with blasphemy, and being exposed to its established penalty, through words inaccurately understood, he allowed the misapprehension to exist, while he confirmed the error, by announcing his future exaltation, "On the right hand of power?" How could an equitable mind have permitted the Jewish Sanhedrim to incur the guilt of murder, by condemning to death one, whose words were merely misunderstood? Had such misconception existed, Christ was bound by the most sacred obligations to correct the error, as a debt due, both to himself, and to the Jews. That he did not do it, is a demonstrative evidence that he designed the severest sense should be attached to his words, and that his disciples, and mankind at large, should understand him as claiming Divine Honours. This interpretation is confirmed by the current language of Scripture.

4. St. John says, "In the beginning was the Word, (or Logos) and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

5. "Wisdom" (or the Logos) is prophetically, though clearly depicted in the Proverbs, and such qualities are ascribed to Wisdom, which nothing but the most forced and unjustifiable construction could apply to a quality rather than to a person, as the impartial mind will perceive. "Counsel is mine, and

me.

sound wisdom." If wisdom had been merely a property, it would be manifest tautology; I wisdom am wisdom. "I am understanding; (without which there could be no wisdom) I have strength. By me kings reign, and princes decree justice. I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting; from the beginning, or ever the earth was. When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding in water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills, was I brought forth while as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world. When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth: when he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep: when he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth: then I was by him, as one brought up with him : and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him; rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men. Whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the Lord. But he that sinneth against me, wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.' Prov. viii. 14, 15. 17. 22—31. 35, 36.

Those who deny the pre-existence of Christ, find an extreme difficulty in giving a plausible interpretation to this animated description of the Logos; but those who admit Christ's preexistence, are reduced to no such dilemma. They behold a harmony in the imagery employed, which naturally illustrates the views they entertain. He who is "higher than the kings of the earth," Ps. lxxxix. 27. might say, "By me kings reign, and princes decree justice:" but this could not be applicable to wisdom, as a quality of the mind. Likewise, when it is said, "The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his ways," it is, if the allusion be made to wisdom, as a faculty, a sheer truism; as though there were any moment, early or late, when the Supreme was divested of this, or either of his attributes: but the Son, who was in the bosom of the Father," "before all worlds," and meditated human redemption, might adopt such language, and consistently say, "My delights were with the sons of men."

6.

66

"All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made." John i. 3.

In this passage Chrst is declared not only to have pre-existed, but, to be co-eternal with the Father, and without whom nothing was made a declaration so often reiterated in the Epistles.

7. "Of whom, as concerning the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever." Rom. ix. 5.

A long list might here be given of the most distinguished scholars, who have contended for this, the popular rendering; but it is fair to state, that Griesbach translates the latter clause, "Over all, God be blessed for ever." But, as he admits the Divinity of Christ, (p. 99.) and here acknowledges that Christ is proclaimed to be "over all," these words comprise every point that can be desired. If Christ be " over all," no impartial mind will deny that his Divinity is established; and the Trinitarian can always unite in saying, "God be blessed for ever!"

8. The declaration that Christ" came in the flesh," to the unprejudiced mind, conveys a clear indication, that it was a new and subordinate condition into which he had entered, essentially different from the one preceding. This idea is enforced by what the same Apostle affirms in another place; "God sending," (not a Servant, not a Prophet, but his Son; and, to extend to the words an emphatic meaning, it is said) "his own Son," and that, "in the likeness of sinful flesh." Rom. viii. 3. Can any one conceive of the Apostle, when he intended to express that a mere man was born into the world, adopting so circuitous a phraseology? But Christ being "sent," and born "in the likeness of sinful flesh," implies, in every equitable interpretation, a prior state of existence, from which he descended, when he was thus born. In any other view, the words are bombastic and unmeaning. This reasoning is confirmed by the language which follows.

9. "Without controversy, great is the mystery of Godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory." 1 Tim. iii. 16. Griesbach substitutes for "God manifest in the flesh," "he who was manifest in the flesh: "and Socinians deem this a great advantage to their cause. Without noticing the many eminent men who differ from Griesbach, such is the strength of the undisputed portions of this passage, that the advocates for the Divinity of Christ can afford to concede the point, for a moment, satisfied that the emendation still leaves more than is sufficient for the cause of truth; as will readily be perceived.

The commencement announces, "Great is the mystery of God