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us proceed to the direct evidence of the particular doctrine of the Trinity. In the sixth chapter of Isaiah, the Lord speaking of sending the Saviour, says, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Here the sender, after expressing himself in the singular number, I; changed to the plural number, us. He that consented to go, was a third person. This makes a trinity of persons in the Godhead. Accordingly, when the seraphims, as in the same chapter, celebrate, in heavenly strains, the glory of God, it is the glory of the triune God. "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of his glory." Another passage in the forty eighth chapter, is clearly indicative of the sacred Trinity. In this, the Redeemer himself, anticipating his coming in the flesh, says," And now the Lord God, and his Spirit hath sent me. Here the Trinity is expressed most distinctly, Thus we find, even in the old testament, many indications and expressions of this mysterious doctrine.

In the new Testament, this doctrine is doubtles confuted or confirmed. That it is confirmed, and not confuted, will appear from the plainest testimony. The Apostle John, who had occasion, on account of the heresies which sprang up in his old age, to write more particularly, on the Unity and Trinity of the Godhead, than his fellow apostles, has stated the subject very clearly. "There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one. This testimony is so clear and explicit, that it admits of no evasion. The only shift that can be made, is, to pronounce it uncanonical. Admit this testimony, and the point is settled. But, even supposing this passage to be doubtful, or even uncanonical; yet we have evidence remaining abundantly sufficient to establish the doctrine of the Trinity. The Apostle, in his epistle to the Colossians, speaks of the acknowledgment of "the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ." God and the Father will be admitted as terms denoting divinity: and Christ has the same rank and dignity. With great propriety, this is the acknowledgment of a mystery. view of the same subject, it is said, "Great is the mystery

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of godliness, God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit," &c. Mystery is admitted in this, as well as in other subjects, the truth of which is unquestionable. Mystery implies no absurdity, no contradiction; and of course, it is no objection to this nor to any other doctrine of divine revelation. Do any object to the doctrine of creation or providence, on account of mystery? But if the works of God are mysterious, may we not expect to find the mode of his existence equally mysterious?

To proceed with the argument. When we attend to the history of the Saviour, as recorded by the evangelists, we find him always speaking of the Father, and of the Holy Spirit as of God; and he hesitates not to consider himself as one and the same God. "I and the Father are one." He requires that all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He speaks also of the Holy Spirit, who should come in his name, as one who should exercise infinite power and goodness: who should guide his people into all the truth; and " reprove the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgment." He never speaks of the Holy Ghost as a being inferior to God. And when he says of himself, " My Father is greater than I," he evidently has respect to his human nature, in distinction from the divine. Otherwise he must be guilty of a palpable contradiction, in saying "I and the Father are one;" and in demanding equal honor with the Father.

Again; The doctrine of the Trinity clearly results from the distinct and separate evidence of the divinity of Christ, and of the Holy Ghost. These two persons. being proved to be divine, the great doctrine of the Trinity follows, and is established. That Christ is God, is evident, not only from his own declarations, but from the testimony of others divinely inspired. "Thy Maker is thine husband," says the evangelical prophet," the Lord of hosts is his name, and thy Redeemer, the God of the whole earth shall he be called." The plain meaning is, that he is the Deity. He is said to be the root and the offspring of David." In prophecy, he is called IMMANUEL, God with us. Beyond à doubt, he was revealed to

Abraham and the patriarchs, to Moses and the prophets, as well as to the antediluvians, as the Lord their God. He was the Angel of the church in the wilderness; and when the people provoked and tempted their God in the wilderness, the Apostle calls it tempting Christ. "Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents." Concerning God's providential care of his people in the wilderness, it is said, "the angel of his presence (Christ) saved them, and in his love, and in his pity, he redeemed them, and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old." Thus evident is the divinity of Christ from the old testament. From the new testament we may calculate for equal, if not for greater evidence. Here we read, that he is the "brightness of God's glory, and the express image of his person, upholding all things by the word of his power."

In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily." "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." Such are the direct testimonies of Christ's divinity; and these testimonies are confirmed by his mighty works. To him is ascribed the creation of the world. "All things were made by him." 66 By him were all things created that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers; all things were created by him, and for him." He is also the God of providence; for "by him all things consist." The miracles of Christ, are also a strong attestation of his divinity. These works of infinite power and mercy were wrought in his own name, and by his own, underived authority; and for the express purposes of supporting, not only his doctrines, but his claims to real and proper divinity. All divine attributes, as well as works are ascribed to him, in the scriptures; and these attributes have been abundantly displayed. Nothing has failed, of all that is considered as evidence of his divinity.

Respecting the distinct personality and divinity of the Holy Spirit, we may observe, that to him belonged, and still belong, the great works of regeneration and sancti

fication. Those who are the subjects of regenerating grace, are said to be born of the Spirit: they are also expressly said to be born of God. The Spirit, therefore, is God. "All scripture is given by inspiration of God." "But holy men of old, spake as they were moved, by the Holy Ghost." The inspiration of the Holy Ghost, therefore, is the inspiration of God. Baptism is in the name of the Holy Ghost, as well as in that of the Father and the Son. The Holy Ghost is therefore, equally with the others, a divine person. The three constitute one and the same God. "Why hath Satan filled thine heart, to lie unto the Holy Ghost ?" said Peter to Annanias, "Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God." The Holy Ghost is, therefore, the true God. To him also, are the attributes and works of God ascribed. In the resurrection of Christ, he was said to be quickened by the Spirit. When the miracles of Christ were blasphemously imputed to the power of Beelzebub; it was the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, and was the unpardonable sin. By the power of the Holy Ghost, therefore, miracles were wrought. Evidence is not wanting, to prove the divinity of the Holy Ghost. Having proved distinctly and separately, that Christ and the Holy Spirit are God, equally with the Father, there ought not to remain the least doubt, respecting the Trinity in Unity of the Godhead.

Another observation, tending to confirm the doctrine of the Trinity, and at the same time to impress on our minds its infinite importance, is this, that if the doctrine be denied, and if it prove untrue; the whole gospel scheme is subverted. For if this article of faith be groundless, there remains no foundation for the covenant of redemption, nor for the work of redemption; no foundation for an atonement, or mediation between a righteous God, and sinful men: no foundation for any sanctifying operation upon the hearts of sinners: no foundation for grace nor peace, pardon nor christian hope. Mysterious or offensive as the doctrine of the Trinity may appear to be, it is evidently the basis of the christian

scheme. And whoever denies it, must deny, not only the doctrines of grace, through the atoning blood of Christ; but also the necessity of God's executing the penalty of his law, either in time or in eternity. We may, on the whole, as well deny the being of a God, as to deny his Trinity in unity. For there is no other God revealed to us in the holy scriptures; and the scriptures are the principal source of light on this great subject. The Apostle John considers it as, not only antichristian, but atheistical, to deny this doctrine. "Who is a liar, but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father."

Finally, it is absurd for people to call themselves christians, while they deny the doctrine of the Trinity. Do any think it impossible that there should be three distinct persons in one divine being or essence? let them consider, that it belongs not to them to determine what is possible, and what is impossible with God; and especially in the mode of his existence. Were it not a matter of fact, in the mode of man's existence in this world, that a mortal body is connected with an immortal soul; the thing would have been thought impossible. But the Trinity in unity of the Godhead as really exists, as the union of soul and body. Since the truth of the scriptures is demonstrated, we are bound to credit their testimony concerning the unity and Trinity of God, as fully as we credit our own observation and experience, with regard to the mysterious union of soul and body in man.

True it is, that the doctrine of the Trinity is an article of faith; and is neither an article of intuitive knowledge, nor of demonstration, by the power of human reasoning. But do any despise the idea of implicit faith in the known testimony of God? If so, then let them calculate to live and die in darkness. The boundaries of human knowledge are very narrow. Little can be known of God, but by divine instruction; and still less can be comprehended, even by the best instruction. If we be truly humble and candid, and consider well the scantiness of all hu

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