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and Holy Ghost, are said to be one; by which we mean, that the Son and Holy Ghost have all the perfections of the divine nature, in the same sense as the Father has; to say less than this, is to assert no more than what our adversaries will allow; for they will not deny them perfections, nor would they be thought to deny them to have divine perfections; yea, many of them will not stick to say, that they are truly and properly God; by which they mean, that whatever deity is attributed to them in scripture, by the appointment of the Father, that is, whatever divine authority they have, this properly belongs to them: but, I think, they will none of them allow that they have the divine nature in the same sense in which the Father is said to have it. This is what we shall endeavour to prove; and more need not be said concerning them, in order to establish that supreme worship which is due to them, as well as the Father; and, in order hereto, we shall consider the force of those arguments contained in one of these answers, and, together with them, the sense of that scripture, John x. 30. in which our Saviour says, I and my Father are one; as also that other scripture, 1 John v. 7. that the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, who bear record in heaven, are one; the consideration whereof we shall reserve to a following head.

And inasmuch as they are said to be equal in power and glory, we may observe, that there are two expressions, which we often use, to set forth the deity of the Son and Spirit; sometimes we say they are God, equal with the Father; at other times, that they have the same essential perfections. To which, it may be, some will reply, that if they are equal, they cannot be the same; or, on the other hand, if they are the same, they cannot be equal. For the understanding what we mean by suchlike expressions, let it be observed, that when we consider them as having the divine essence, or any of the perfections thereof, we do not chuse to describe them as equal, but the same; we do not say that the wisdom, power, holiness, &c. of the Son and Spirit are equal to the same perfections, as ascribed to the Father: but when we speak of them as distinct Persons, then we consider them as equal: the essential glory of the Father, Son, and Spirit, is the same; but their personal glory is equal; and in this sense we would be understood, when we say the Son and Holy Ghost are each of them God, or divine Persons, equal with the Father. (a)

(a) "The doctrine of a plurality appears in the very first words of inspiration. God would not record the history of creation, without informing the Church that the character of Creator was by no means to be confined to one person. It has often been observed, that this is taught in the words rendered God created, where we have a noun in the plural joined with a verb in the singular number, plamly

III. We shall prove that the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, are distinct persons in the Godhead, by applying what has been

expressing a plurality in unity. That this is the genuine sense of the passage appears from the work ascribed, in the next verse, to the Spirit of God, who is said to have "moved on the face of the waters." By modern Jews, whom some Christians have followed, this expression has been rendered, " a wind of God," or "a mighty wind." But the firmament, or expanse, was not created till the second day. This includes the atmosphere which surrounds our earth: for the fowl is said to "fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven." Now, it cannot reasonably be supposed that there could be a mighty wind, or any wind at all, before the existence of an atmosphere.

If we turn to the gospel-history, we find a third person mentioned as engaged in the work of creation. “All things were made by" that Word, who " in the beginning existed with God."

This plurality appears still more expressly, when the sacred historian gives an account of the creation of man: " And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness." But it is a plurality in unity: "So God created man in his own image." It has been justly observed, that to this the language of Elibu, and of the royal Preacher, agrees: "None saith, Where is God my Makers,” and, "Remember now thy Creators." Nothing can be more absurd than the various attempts which have been made to shew, that this language may be otherwise understood. God could never speak in this manner to angels, or to any second causes. For to whomsoever these words were addressed, they must have been co-operators with God in this divine work. They must have assisted him in making man. Philo the Jew expressly says that these words, Let us make, declare a plurality. That the Jewish writers in general view this language as including a mystery, not to be made known to the vulgar, and indeed studiously concealed by them, from their abhorrence of Christianity, has been elsewhere demonstrated. It is therefore unnecessary to enlarge here. I shall only add, that the modern Jews are so fully convinced that the doctrine of a plurality is contained in these words, as to wish to alter the reading. Instead of Let us make man, they incline to read, Let man be made; although the Samaritan text, the Septuagint, the Talmudists, and all their translations, whether ancient or modern, express the language in the same manner with our version.

The same important doctrine is introduced in the history of the Fall. That three-one God, who said, "Let us make man after our image," in the same character laments the loss of this image. "JEHOVAH God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us;" or, as some read the passage," Behold the man, who was as one of us!" Here Philo observes; "These words, as one of us, are not put for one, but for more than one." The learned Allix has remarked that the ancient Jewish writers maintain, that God "speaks not this to the angels, who had no common likeness to the unity or essence of God, but to Him who was the celestial Adam, who is one with God." To whom this character applies, we learn from the Targum of Jonathan on the place, who here speaks of" the only begotten in heaven." This doctrine is also taught in the history of the Confusion of Tongues. "JEROVAH said,-Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language." Here the Jews repeat their contemptible subterfuge, that God addresses his "house of judgment," that is, created angels. For it is an established doctrine with them, that "God does nothing without previously consulting with his family above." But it has justly been observed, that these words, if spoken to angels, would imply that God were one of them, or that he descended in the same manner with them, by a real change of place. Besides, in a moment to change one language into many, and to infuse these into the minds of men, who were utter strangers to them before, so that they should entirely forget their ormer modes of speech, is a work that far surpasses the power of angels, and can be accomplished by no being but that God, with whom to will and to do is the same.

It must be evident to every one, who reads the history of the Old Testament with any degree of attention, that an Angel is often introduced as speaking the

but now observed, by which any one may, by our common mode of Speaking, be denominated a person; and to this we

language, performing the works, and accepting the worship, which exclusively belong to the Supreme Being. In other words, one, who is undoubtedly a divine person, often appears in a delegated character. Now, while it was the will of God in this manner constantly to remind his Church of the economy of redemption, he at the same time taught her a distinction of persons in the divine essence. It was this Angel who appeared to Abraham on different occasions, to Hagar, to Jacob, to Moses, to Joshua, to the Israelites at Bochim, to Gideon, to Manoah and his wife. But I enter not into a particular consideration of these appearances, having endeavoured to illustrate the character of this divine Messenger in another place. There it has also been proved, that the law was given to the Israelites at Mount Sinai by the second person of the adorable Trinity, in the character of the Angel of JEHOVAH. It deserves particular attention, that at the very time that the God of Israel gave his people a law, by which they were to be distinguished from all the idolatrous nations around, one special design of which was to preserve the doctrine of the divine unity;-at the very time that he pronounced that leading precept, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me;" he, according to the Sacred History, viewed in its connexion, sustained the character of an Angel, and was pleased to communicate the knowledge of this fact to his people. How can these apparent contradictions be reconciled, but by admitting that it was the will of God to reveal himself to his church, as at the same time possessing essential unity and personal plurality?

The more ancient Jewish writers declare, that two persons were engaged in promulgating the law. They say; "The two first precepts were spoken by the "Supreme Spirit, but he spoke all the rest by his Glory, who is called El Shad"dai, known to the fathers; by whom the prophets foretold future events; who " is called Jah: in whom the Name of God is; the Beloved of God who dwelt in "the temple; and the Mouth of the LORD; and the Face of the LORD; and the "Rock; and that Goodness which Moses saw, when he could not see God." Elsewhere they call him "the Schechinah, by whom we draw near to God, and pre"sent our supplications to him; who is that Angel in whom the name of God is, "who is himself called God and JEHOVAH." The change of person, in the promulgation of the law, asserted by these writers, is evidently a mere fancy. But their language deserves attention; as it shews how fully they were convinced of the doctrine of a plurality in unity, when they introduced it in this manner.

It has been universally admitted by the friends of revelation, that the great end which God hath in view in the work of Redemption is the display of his own adorable perfections. But there is doubtless another, although less attended to, nowise incompatible with this, nay, itself an eminent branch of the supreme end. This is the manifestation of the mystery of the Trinity, and of the mode of subsistence peculiar to each person in the divine essence. This must undoubtedly be viewed as included in the one great design of the all-wise God in our redemption; and it is evident that he hath still kept it in eye, in the revelation given to the Church, and especially in the history of that work, as it is recorded in the gospels. We may trace the doctrine of a Trinity in the accounts given of the old creation; but it appears with far superior evidence in the history of the new. This corresponds to the superior greatness of the work, and to the brighter and more extensive display of divine perfection.

Such was the state of the Church, as to admit of a more full manifestation of this mystery. It was more obscurely revealed to the patriarchs, and under the Mosaic economy. This was analogous to the general character of the revelation then made; as well as to the state of the Church, yet in her infancy, and exposed to constant temptations to polytheism, from the situation of all the surrounding nations. But "when the fulness of the time was come," that the gospel should be preached to every creature, and the kingdom of Satan fall as lightning from heaven, in the overthrow of heathen darkness; there were no such impediments to the more clear revelation of this mysterious doctrine. The

shall add something concerning those personal properties, mentioned in one of the answers we are explaining, with respect to

rest of the divine conduct indeed rendered this necessary. God had now "sent "forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that "were under the law." The ends of this mission could not be accomplished, without a full revelation of the character of this illustrious Messenger. He could not otherwise receive that homage from the Church, which he merited as her Redeemer, and which was necessary, in order to her salvation. Now, his character, as essentially the Son of God, and at the same time a divine Messenger, could not be properly unfolded, without a declaration both of the paternity of the First Person, and of that wonderful dispensation, according to which the Second, although equal in power and glory, voluntarily "emptied himself.” Nor could the unity of the work of redemption, as pervading all the dispensations given to the Church, and the beautiful harmony of the law and the gospel, be otherwise displayed. Without a full revelation of this mystery, how could it have been known that he, who appeared in the end of ages as sent of God, was the very same person who had formerly led the Church, as the Angel of his face; that He, who now brought spiritual redemption to his folk, was no other than that Angel-Redeemer, who had already so frequently delivered them from temporal calamities?

If this mystery be unknown or disbelieved, there can be no faith in Christ as the Mediator between God and men. For he who believes not that the Son is in the Father, and the Father in the Son, as to identity of essence, while at the same time there is a distinction of persons, denies the voluntary subjection of the Son to the Father in the eternal covenant, and thus the whole foundation of his merit and of our salvation. In relation to the work of our redemption, and in the history given of it, are revealed various internal actings of the divine persons towards each other, as well as those of an external nature. The Father appoints, gives, sends, prepares a human nature for his Son; the Son undertakes, gives himself, comes, assumes this nature.

From the history given of the conception of Christ, we find that three divine persons were engaged in the creation of this "new thing in the earth." The Father appears in the character of "the Highest ;" the Third Person, as "the "Holy Ghost," and "the Power of the Highest," and the Second, as "the Son "of God." When this wonderful Person, the incarnate Word, was to be manifested to Israel at his baptism, each divine Person concurred in the work. The Father testified his presence and approbation by a voice from the excellent glory, announcing Jesus as his beloved Son; and the Holy Ghost descended like a dove, and rested on him. The history of his death, viewed in its connexion, affords a proof of a similar kind. As "it pleased JEHOVAH," in the person of the Father, sustaining the character of Judge, to bruise the Son as our Surety; and as he, having power over his own life, commended his spirit into the hands of his Father, thus presenting unto him a sacrifice of a sweet-smelling savour; he did so "through the Eternal Spirit." The same thing appears from the resurrection of Jesus. He was "powerfully declared to be the Son of God in his "resurrection from the dead;" for he had "power to take again" that which no one could take from him. This work is frequently ascribed to God, where the term evidently denotes the First Person. "God hath raised up Jesus again; "as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee." As he was "put to death in the flesh, he was quickened by the "Spirit," by that Spirit of holiness, "by which also he went and preached unto "the spirits in prison." Nor is this less evident from the account given of the effusion of the Spirit. This is undoubtedly a divine work; and it is described as belonging to each adorable Person. Jesus had foretold that the Comforter should come, that himself should send him, and that he should at the same time be sent by the Father. Accordingly, from the account given of this wonderful event by the apostle Peter, which is left on record for the instruction of the Church, we find that cach divine Person was engaged in accomplishing it:

the eternal generation of the Son, and the procession of the Holy Ghost. And,

“Jesus, having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, hath shed "forth this which ye now see and hear."

It is undeniable, that one special end, which Christ had in view in his miraculous works, was to confirm his doctrine with respect to his equality with the Father. When he gave thanks at the tomb of Lazarus, before raising him from the dead, it was because of the people who stood by, that they might believe that the Father had sent him; and sent him as a Messenger invested with divine power, because essentially possessing divine perfection. For he had previously said to his disciples: "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, "that the Son of God might be glorified thereby;" and taught Martha, that if she "would believe, she would see the glory of God," in seeing the manifestation of that power which essentially belonged to himself, as "the Resurrection "and the Life." When he cured the man sick of the palsy, it was in order to prove that he had "power on earth to forgive sin;" while he admitted the principle held by the scribes, that no one could forgive sins but God only. On different occasions he refers to his miraculous works, as irrefragable evidences of his having the same essence with the Father; and of the mutual inexistence, as some have expressed it, of the Father in the Son, and of the Son in the Father, in respect of this essential unity, while there is at the same time a real distinction of persons. When his enemies accused him of blasphemy, because he said, "I "am the Son of God," "making himself God;" he replied, "If I do not the "works of my Father, believe me not. But if I do, though ye believe not me, "believe the works; that ye may know and believe that the Father is in me, " and I in him." To Philip, when desiring to see the Father, he said, "Believe "me, that I am in the Father, and the Father in me; or else believe me for the "very work's sake." The Evangelist John, when referring to the signs recorded in the preceding history, subjoins this declaration; "These are written, that ye "might believe that Jesus is the Son of God." That he appropriates this character to Jesus, as expressive of supreme deity, is evident from the uniform tenor of the gospel which bears his name.

The doctrine of the Trinity is peculiarly elucidated by the history of redemption; as it does not merely exhibit all the adorable Persons as engaged in this work, but ascribes a peculiar operation to each Person. The contrivance of our redemption is ascribed to the Father; the purchase of it to the Son; and the effectual application of this purchased redemption to the Holy Spirit. The Father sends his Son as our Surety; the Son cheerfully comes in this character; and the Holy Spirit is sent by both. The purpose of election is more immediately ascribed to the Father; the objects of his love are all chosen in Christ; and they, who were thus chosen from eternity, are in time chosen out of the world, and separated for himself, by the renewing and sanctifying work of the Spirit.

Nor is this all. The peculiar operation of each Person, in the work of our salvation, is perfectly analagous to the order of subsistence in the Holy Trinity; and thus beautifully illustrates the mutual relations of the divine Persons. All the external works of God, indeed, are common to each Person; as the divine nature is the same indivisible principle of operation. Yet these works are distinctly ascribed to the three Persons, because each Person operates according to the order of subsistence. In the old creation, the Father called all things into being by his co-essential Word, communicating life immediately by the Spirit, as exercising a generating power on the unformed mass. When God created man, the First Person formed him by the Second, as his essential Image, giving him life, both natural and moral, by the Third, as "the Spirit of life." Yet this implies no inferiority, or mere instrumentality, in any of the adorable Persons; but only the most perfect order and harmony. The case is the same in the new creation. It seems most consistent with divine wisdom, that he who is first in the order of subsistence should rather send than be sent; that the Son, who is "the image of the in"visible God," should procure the restoration of that blessed image lost by sin; and that he, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, should be sent by both,

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