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 7as(!)[L(DQ[i(Bii\[L  sacaaQaQi?, 
 
 PRINCETON,   N.  J 
 
 x»  o  :v  -^  T  X  o  iv     CJ  !•- 
 
 SAMUEL    AGNEW, 
 
 (IK     P  H  I  I.  A  1>E  LP  D  I  A  ,     PA. 
 
 ^OA^cIf  ^(Ttl.  -/^^  f, 
 
 Simpson,  David,  1745-1799. 
 An  Apology  for  the  Doctrine 
 of  the  Trinity 
 
 ^5<. 
 
 5CC 
 
AN 
 
 APOLOGY 
 
 Boctrme  of  tl)t  Crinit^ : 
 
 A  Chronological  View 
 
 OF  WHAT  IS  RECORDED 
 
 C  O  N  C  e  R  N  1  N  C,  , 
 
 THE  PERSON  OF  CHlUST,  THE  HOLY  SPIRIT,  AND 
 THE  BLESSED  TRINITY, 
 
 {(■'hdhrr  in  the  saaed  ff'ittings,  or  in  'Je^'iih,  Heathen,  and  Christian 
 AUTHORS. 
 
 By  the  Rev.  DAVID  SIMPSON,  M.  A. 
 
 I  dciirc  only  to  have  thing?  fairly  rcpiccnied,  as  tliey  really  are  ;  no  evidence 
 smothered  or  stifled  on  either  side.  Let  every  reader  sec  plainly  what  may  be 
 justly  pleaded  hrrc,  or  there,  n.il  no  more;  and  then  let  it  be  left  to  his  im- 
 partial judgirciit,  after  a  full  view  of  the  ca<e.  Misquoutions  and  misrepre- 
 sentdtioiis  will  do  j  good  cja.-c  harm,  and  will  not  long  be  of  service  to  a  bad 
 one.  Water  LAND. 
 
 :^af  clc0ficlti : 
 
 PRINTED  AND  SOLD  BY  EDWARD  BAYLEY  j 
 
 SOLD  ALSO  BY 
 
 Dillv,  in  London  ;    and  Clarke,   in  Manchester. 
 1798. 
 
,   out^QSW^    "* 
 
 THE  author  of  this  Apology  has  often  wished  to  find  a 
 complete  treatise  upon  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity, 
 Various  are  the  persons  who  have  written  upon  different  branches 
 of  the  subject,  and  said  all  that  seemed  necessary,  to  establish 
 their  own  particular  views ;  but  what  he  wished  to  see,  was,  a 
 full,  yet  compendious  digest  of  the  whole  evidence,  that  every 
 man  might  learn,  at  one  view,  what  the  Word  of  God,  together 
 with  Heathen,  Jewish,  and  Christian  antiquity,  actually  contains 
 upon  this  great  subject,  without  having  recourse  to  many  books. 
 Not  meeting  with  any  work  of  this  kind,  which  came  up  to  the 
 idea  he  had  formed  in  his  own  mind,  he  resolved,  as  expeditiously 
 as  his  other  engagements,  and  an  infirm  stale  of  health,  would 
 permit,  to  examine  for  himself,  and  to  pursue  his  own  plan  of  in- 
 vestigation. He  does  not  know  that  the  result  of  his  inquiries 
 will,  by  any  means,  afford  that  satisfaction  to  others,  which  he 
 hath  received  from  them  himself:  nor  is  he  so  vain  as  to  suppose, 
 that  no  method  can  be  invented  more  likely  to  ascertain  what  are 
 the  real  doctrines  of  holy  scripture  upon  the  subjects  in  question. 
 Every  man  hath  his  own  peculiar  way  cf  thinking ;  and  every 
 man  is  obliged,  to  the  utmost  of  his  power,  no:  only  to  investigate 
 truth  for  himself,  but  as  far  as  he  can,  to  guard  the  unwary  from, 
 error,  and  labour  the  promotion  of,  wliat  he  conceives  to  be,  im- 
 portant truth.  His  thoughts  have  proceeded  in  the  following 
 train.  He  hath,  First,  made  some  general  observations  upon  the 
 doctrines  under  consideration.  Secondly,  he  hath  traced  the  scrip- 
 tures concerning  our  Lord's  person  and  character,  chronologi- 
 cally, through  every  age,  from  the  beginning  of  the  world,  till 
 the  close  of  the  divine  car.on.     Thirdly,  the  doctrine  concerning 
 
 A   2  the 
 
iv  PREFACE. 
 
 the  Holy  Spirit  Is  examined  through  the  Old  and  New  Testa- 
 ments, though  not  with  that  variety  of  observation  as  the  former. 
 This  he  did  not  conceive  to  be  necessary  ;  because,  if  the  doctrine 
 of  a  plurality  of  persons  in  the  Divine  Nature  can  be  fairly  esta- 
 blished, it  will  not  admit  of  a  dispute  what  persons  compose  that 
 jnysterious  unity.  Fourthly,  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  is 
 traced  in  the  same  chronological  manner  as  the  divinity  of  Christ, 
 and  through  the  same  extent  of  duration.  A  chronological  me- 
 thod of  investigati /n  seemed  preferable  to  every  other,  because 
 the  divinitv  of  Christ,  and  Holy  Spi  ri  t,  together  with  the 
 doctrine  of  the  Sacred  Tri  N  ITY,  have  been,  in  some  mea>. 
 sure,  hidden  from  ages  and  generations,  and  were  not  all  at  once, 
 but  gra  iually  made  known  to  the  sons  of  men. 
 
 In  the  course  of  this  inquiry,  he  hath  produced  the  opinions  of 
 various  Jews  and  Heathens,  who  lived  both  before,  and  since 
 our  Saviour's  time.  If  they  are  found  to  have  entertained  similar 
 serrtiments  with  us  upon  these  subjects,  it  will  aiFord  a  strong  pre- 
 sumption, that  our  interpretations  of  the  Old  Testament  writings 
 are  just;  and  a'ceftain  confirmation,  that  our  views  of  these  great 
 doctrines  are  not  so  novel  as  some  zealous  moderns  would  wish 
 inankind  to  believe. 
 
 The  Christian  fathers  also,  who  flourished  in  the  three  or  four 
 first  centuries,  are  of  great  importance  in  this  inquiry.  They  ap- 
 pear to  him  the  very  best  and  most  authentic  interpreters  of  holy 
 scripture,  so  far,  at  least,  as  they  are  consistsnt  one  with  another. 
 They  lived  near  the  age  of  our  Saviour.  Some  of  them  knew 
 him  personally.  Others  were  apostles  themselves,  or  conversed 
 familiarly  with  the  apostles.  Several  of  them  were  great,  most  of 
 them  pious  and  learned  men.  They  had,  accordingly,  much  bet- 
 ter opportunities  of  knowing  in  what  sense  the  scriptures  were 
 originally  understood,  than  we  can  have  in  these  latter  ages,  unless 
 we  interpret  them  under  the  guidance  of  their  writings-  This  is 
 the  method,  which  hath  been  pursued,  by  the  most  judicious  and 
 successful  interpreters  of  scripture,  in  every  period  of  the  Chris- 
 tian church.  And  this,  therefore,  he  lays  down  as  a  principle, 
 from  which  we  should  cautiously  depart,  that  the  most  reasonable 
 
 and 
 
PREFACE.  * 
 
 and  safe  mode  of  understanding  the  Word  of  God,  is,  to  consult 
 the  general  sense  of  the  Christian  writers,  who  lived  in  the  first 
 centuries  after  the  birth  of  our  Saviour.  They  are  our  best 
 human  guides,  at  least  so  far  as  facts  are  concerned  ;  and  what  they 
 have  concurred  to  establish,  under  the  direction  of  the  sacred 
 writings,  bids  fair  to  be  the  truth. 
 
 in  addition  to  the  whole,  he  hath  thrown  into  the  notes  the  ob- 
 servations and  reasonings  of  many  of  our  first  theologians,  to 
 corroborate  and  illustrate  what  had  been  advanced  in  the  text ;  and 
 he  makes  no  question  but  these  will  be  considered  as  the  mosc 
 valuable  parts  of  the  work.  The  opinions  of  the  Fathers  too, 
 have  been  frequently  added,  to  illustrate  a  variety  of  passages, 
 and  sometimes  even  more  than  once,  besides  the  general  view  of 
 their  opinions  which  is  given  in  the  seventh  part.  This  is  the  case 
 likewise  with  some  of  the  scriptural  quotations  ;  but  then  they 
 are  always  produced  with  different  views,  and  to  prove  a  different 
 doctrine.  In  short ;  the  author  hath  used  every  help  within  the 
 compass  of  a  small  library,  in  a  country  place,  and  without  any 
 advice  or  assistance  from  the  learned.  This  he  hath  done  for  his 
 own  satisfaction.  The  labour  hath  been  considerable,  but  not 
 unpleasant.  And  he  hath  reaped  the  consolation  of  finding,  that 
 the  divinity  of  Christ,  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  together  with  the 
 doctrine  of  the  Blessed  Irinity,  are  not  only  contained  in 
 the  pages  of  divine  revelation,  but  have  pervaded  all  nations  and 
 ^l«_£^      all  time,  with  greater  or  less  degrees  of  perspicuity. 
 
 But,  these  doctrines  are  attended  with  difficulty  ! — True. 
 —This,  however,  is  not  our  concern.  The  simple  question  is — 
 1)6  the  sacred  writings  contain  these  distinguishing  peculiarities  } 
 If  they  do,  the  point  in  question  is  g-iined.  To  the  latv  and  1§ 
 the  testimotty  ;  if  they  speak  not  according  to  that  nxjord,  it  is  because 
 there  is  no  light  in  them.  The  difficulty  attending  the  comprehension 
 of  any  particular  representation  of  the  nature  of  the  Divine  Be- 
 ing, supposing  it  to  be  clearly  revealed,  is  no  substantial  objec- 
 tion. The  first  principle  of  natural  religion  contains  innumer- 
 able— I  had  almost  saic — impossibilities.  What  is  God?  is 
 involved  in  the  most  absolute  incomprehensibility.     And  yet  we 
 
 mtist 
 
M  PREFACE. 
 
 must  either  admit  the  principle,  or  embrace  ten  thousand  absurdi- 
 ties and  impossibilities.  Man  was  not  made  to  cavil  at  every  thing 
 he  doth  not  fully  comprehend  (for  what  does  he  fully  compre- 
 hend f )  but  modestly  to  investigate  the  truth — to  submit  to  the 
 best  evidence  the  nature  of  the  case  will  admit— and  zealously  to 
 adore  the  Author  of  his  being,  according  to  the  fullest  light, 
 which  reason  and  revelation  have  afforded  him. 
 
 It  is  much  to  be  apprehended,  various  mistakes  will  be  discover- 
 'ed  by  the  attentive  reader  in  the  course  of  so  long  a  work, 
 tespecially  in  the  quotations,  references,  and  translations.  The 
 Author  deprecates  the  severity  of  criticism.  He  can  assure 
 the  reader,  however,  much  attention  has  been  paid  to  these  matters, 
 snd  he  is  rot  conscious  of  having,  in  any  instance,  perverted  a 
 sentiment  to  favour  an  hypothesis.  He  sincerely  wishes  truth  to 
 have  its  full  scope.  If  any  passage  is  turned  from  its  proper 
 meaning,  he  is  not  conscious  of  it,  is  sorry  for  it,  and  intreats  the 
 reader  to  restore  it  to  its  genuine  signification.  It  has  been  his 
 endeavour  to  bring  every  thing  that  is  material  upon  the  great 
 doctrines  under  consideration,  into  one  view,  to  make  certain 
 observations  upon  such  as  seemed  to  need  it,  and  then  to  leave 
 the  serious  Christian  to  draw  his  own  conclusions.  He  contends 
 for  no  human  creeds  or  explications  whatever.  He  would  not 
 give  a  rush  for  a  million  of  themi.  They  may  be  right,  or  they 
 may  be  wrong.  He  troubles  not  his  head  about  them.  The 
 scripture  is  enough  for  him.  Every  other  authority  is  human. 
 Christ  alone  is  king  in  his  own  church. 
 
 It  will  be  perceived,  that  one  or  more  asterisks  are  placed  before 
 several  of  the  quotations  from  scripture.  These  are  designed 
 to  draw  the  reader's  attention  to  such  passages  as  are  more  import- 
 ant than  ordinary,  and  absolutely  conclusive  against  some  peculi- 
 arity of  the  Arian  or  Socinian  schemes. 
 
 Some  of  the  other  scriptures  quoted,  he  freely  confesses,  appear 
 to  him  fanciful  or  impertinent,  nor  does  he  mean  to  repose  any 
 serious  stress  upon  them.  But,  as  they  have  all  been  brought 
 forward,  by  one  or  another,  he  has  noticed  them  in  their  respective 
 ptaces,  bearing  his  testimony,  at  the  same  time,  against  all  evi- 
 dence 
 
PREFACE.  VII 
 
 dence  that  Is  not  solid  and  substantial.  Nothing  will  stand,  no-» 
 thing  can  stand,  but  what  is  so.  Nor  ought  we  even  to  wish  to 
 extract  meanings  from  texts,  which  the  Divine  Spirit  never  in- 
 tended. We  always  injure  the  cause  of  truth,  when  we  attempt 
 to  make  scripture  prove  too  much. 
 
 The  strength  of  the  following  evidence  will  depend  very  mainly 
 upon  the  connected  view  of  it.  But  though  every  text  of  scrip* 
 ture,  which  is  brought  to  support  any  particular  doctrine,  were 
 set  aside,  but  one,  as  being  little  or  nothing  to  the  purpose,  that 
 one  ought  to  be  considered  as  conclusive,  till  the  validity  of  it  can 
 be  fairly  disproved. 
 
 It  is  disingenuous  to  conclude  we  have  subverted  any  particular 
 doctrine,  when  we  have  only  tried  our  strength  with  its  feeblest 
 supports,  while  its  main  arguments  are  left  untouched. 
 
 As  the  author  avows  himself  a  believer  of  the  pre-existence 
 and  divinity  of  the  Saviour  of  mankind,  together  with  the  per- 
 sonality and  deity  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  after  the  fullest  investiga- 
 tion and  most  serious  consideration  of  these  subjects  of  which 
 he  is  capable,  the  reader  will  peruse  those  parts  of  this  Apology 
 with  caution,  and  weigh  the  premises  and  conclusions  with  the> 
 most  scrupulous  exactness. 
 
 He  Is  not  backward  to  confess,  that  to  him  these  doctrines  ap-^ 
 pear  essential  to  the  Christian  scheme  of  redemption.  If  others 
 are  of  a  different  opinion,  he  has  no  quarrel  with  them.  Every 
 man  must  examine  and  judge  for  himself.  To  our  own  Master 
 we  stand  or  fall. 
 
 He  has  no  fear  but  the  genuine  truths  of  Christianity  shall 
 ultimately  prevail,  whatever  those  truths  may  be.  God  will  vin- 
 dicate his  own  cause.  The  gates  of  hell  have  long  been  at  work 
 to  subvert  the  whole  system  of  divine  truth,  but  they  have  nor 
 yet  prevailed,  nor  is  it  to  be  suspected  they  ever  will.  The 
 great  Head  of  the  church,  indeed,  is  shaking  the  nations,  and  is 
 about  to  purge  his  floor.  The  gold,  silver,  and  precious  stones 
 shall  abide  the  day  of  trial ;  but  the  chaff  will  be  blown  away  ; 
 ihe  wood,  hay,  and  stubble  shall  be  burnt  up  ;  all  superstitious 
 ordinances  shall  be  subverted  ;  but  the  Word  of  the  Lord  shall 
 eudiire  forever. 
 
 Here 
 
Yin  PREFACE. 
 
 Kere  then  the  author  of  this  treatise  posits  his  faith.  Anti- 
 christ may  fall ;  superstlcious  observances  may  ceaae  ;  religious 
 establishments  may  be  tumbled  into  ruins  ;  empires  and  kingdoms 
 may  he  overturned  ;  princes  and  governours  may  be  deposed  ; 
 the  wise  men  of  the  world  may  take  pare  with  the  eneniies  of 
 truth  ;  error  and  delusion  may  run  like  wild-fire  among  the  thick- 
 est ranks  of  the  people ;  unbelievers  may  rage,  and  minute  phi- 
 losophers imagine  a  vain  thing  ;  but  the  Bilf/e  shall  arise  out  of 
 its  present  obscurity,  and,  being  stripped  of  all  human  appen- 
 dages, shall  be  universally  had  in  honour  ;  the  method  of  redeem- 
 ing a  lo";!  race  therein  revealed  shall  be  generally  seen  and  em- 
 braced ;  the  enemies  of  evangelical  religion  shall  be  confounded 
 world  without  end  ;  JesuS  shall  reign,  maugre  all  opposition,  in 
 his  glorified  human  body,  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Majesty  on 
 high,  till  all  the  ends  of  the  earth  have  seen  his  great  salvation, 
 and  every  opposing  power  is  brought  into  complete  suljection. 
 At  the  present  moment,  he  is  dashing  the  nations  together  like  the 
 vessels  of  a  potter  ;  but  yet,  notwithstanding  the  confusion  and 
 disorder  of  the  world,  of  which  we  have  heard  so  much,  and 
 which  we  ourselves  may  yet  possibly  witness ;  all  the  dispensations 
 of  creation,  providence,  and  grace,  are  founded  in  wisdom  and 
 goodness,  and  shall  wind  up,  to  the  Redeemer's  everlasting  credit. 
 
 DAVID  SIMPSON. 
 
 Macclesfield, 
 Jan.   I.   17(^8. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 PREFACE ^        ■      
 
 Introduction,   containing  miscellaneous  ob- 
 servations  upon  the  Divinity  of  Christ,   and 
 the  Doctrine  of  the  Trinity,  with  illustrations,' 
 and  answers  to  the  most  common  objections       i — 71 
 Section   t. 
 Information  concerning  the  Messiah  for  the 
 
 first  3000  years  of  the  world  71 — S3 
 
 Section   1. 
 Information  concerning  the  Messiah   from 
 the  Psalms  and  writings  of  David         —  83 — 96 
 
 Section  3. 
 Information   concerning  the  Messiah  from 
 
 the  writings  of  Solomon 97 — ^^^ 
 
 Section  4. 
 Information  concerning  the  Messiah  from 
 the  writings  of  the  proplicts  Amos,  Hosea, 
 
 Isaiah,  and  Micah  loi— 120 
 
 Section   5. 
 Information  concerning  the  Messiah  from 
 Jeremiah,  Ezekiel,  Daniel,  Haggai,  Zechari- 
 
 ah,  and  Mdlachi  121— 132 
 
 Section  6. 
 Observations  on  the  name   Jehovah,   and 
 the  invisibility  of  the  Divine  Being  133 — '3^ 
 
 SiiCTiON  7. 
 Opinions  of  both  Ancients  and  Moderns 
 on  the   Divine  Appearances,  under  the  Old 
 
 Testament  dispensation  137 — 155 
 
 Section   8. 
 A  short  view  of  the  Divine  Appearances 
 recorded  in  the  Old  Testament  —  155 — 17^ 
 
 «  PART 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Page. 
 
 PART    II. 
 Section    i. 
 Various   testimonies  to   the   Person   and 
 Character  of  Christ,  immediately  antecedent 
 to  his  birthj  and  during  his  abode  upon  earth   177 — 190 
 Section   2. 
 The  testimony  of  Christ  himself,  concern- 
 ing his  own  Person  and  Character       190 — 220 
 
 Section  3. 
 Christ's  Manner  of  working  miracles  a 
 
 proof  of  his  divinity  220 — 222 
 
 Section  4- 
 Christ's  testimony  to  his  own  Person  and 
 Character  at  the  close  of  his  life  and  after  nis 
 
 resurrecdon  223 — 230 
 
 Section  5. 
 Testimonies  to  the  Person  and  Character 
 of  Christ,   by  his   Apostles  and   Disciples, 
 after  his  ascension  into  heaven  —  230—242 
 
 Section  6. 
 The  Divinity  of  Christ  argued  from  some 
 circumstances  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  242—246 
 Section  7, 
 The  Invocation  of  Christ  a  proof  of  his 
 
 Divinity         246—262 
 
 Section   8. 
 The  Divinity  of  Christ  argued  from  vari- 
 ous passages  in  the  writings  of  St.  Paul  262 — 282 
 Section   9. 
 The  Divinity  of  Christ  argued  from  se- 
 veral passages  in  the  Episde  to  the  Plebrcws     282 — ^96 
 Section   10. 
 The  Divinity  of  Christ  argued  from  se- 
 veral passages  in  the  Gospel  of  St.  John        297-^315 
 Section    ii. 
 The  Divinity  of  Christ  argued  from  som.c 
 passages  and  in  the  first  Epistle   of  St.  John  315 — 322 
 
 Sec- 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Page. 
 
 Sectioh    12. 
 The  Divinity  of  Christ  argued  from  some 
 passages  in  the  book  of  Revelation     —         322—330 
 PART    III. 
 Section   i. 
 A  view  of  the  doctrine  concerning  the 
 Holy  Spirit,  from  the  Old  Testament  331—343 
 
 Section   2. 
 A  view  of  the   doctrine  concerning  the 
 Holy  Spirit,  from  the  New  Testament  348—375 
 
 PART    IV. 
 Section   i. 
 A  view  of  the  doctrine  of  the  Holy  Tri- 
 nity from  the  Old  Testament         — —  276 — 407 
 Section   2. 
 A  view  of  the  doctJine  of  the  Holy  Tri- 
 nity from  the  New  Testament         —         407 — 438 
 PART    V. 
 Section    i. 
 Opinions  of  the  ancient  Jews  concerning 
 the  plurality  of  the  Divine  Nature,  from  the 
 
 Apocryphal  books  439—445 
 
 Section  2. 
 The  Opinions  of  Philo,  and  other  ancient 
 Jews  concerning  the  plurality  of  the  Divine 
 
 Nature        •   ■  446 — 469 
 
 PART    VI. 
 Section    i. 
 Opinions  of  the  ancient  Heathen  concern- 
 ing the  plurality  of  the  Divine  Nature     —     469 — 482 
 Section  2. 
 Opinions  of  the  more  modern  Heathen 
 concerning  the  plurality  of  the  Divine  Nature  483 — 498 
 
 PART  vn. 
 
 On  the  utility  of  the  writings  of  the  Chris- 
 tian fathers  in  determining  the  question  con- 
 cerning the  doctrine  of  the  Holy  Trinity        498 — 506 
 
 Sec- 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Page. 
 
 Section  a. 
 
 The  opinions   of  the   Apostolical  fathers 
 
 concerning  the  Person  of  Christ  and  doctrine 
 
 of  the  Trinity         506 — 5 1 8 
 
 Section  3. 
 The  opinions  of  the  Christian  fathers,  who 
 lived  in  the  first  part  of  the  second  century, 
 concerning  the    Person  of  Christ,   and  the 
 
 doctrine  of  the  Trinity         518 — 522 
 
 Section  4. 
 The  opinion  of  Justin  Martyr  concerning 
 the  Person  of  Christ,  with  a  vindication  of 
 him  from  the  charge  of  innovation      —         522 — 534 
 Section  5. 
 The  opinions  of   the   Christian   fathers, 
 who  lived  in  the  latter  part  of  the  second 
 century,  concerning  the  Person  of  Christ, 
 and  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  ■ —  534 — 549 
 
 Section  6. 
 The  opinions  of  the  Christian  fiithers  and 
 others,  of  the  third  century,  concerning  the 
 Person  of  Christ,  and  the  doctrine  of  the 
 
 Trinity  571—594 
 
 Section  7. 
 
 Opinions   of  the   Christian  fathers,    and 
 
 others,  who  flourished  in  the  fourth,  and  be-. 
 
 ginning  of  the  fifth  centuries,  concerning  the 
 
 Person  of  Christ,   and  the   doctrine  of  the 
 
 Trinity         571—5^4 
 
 Section  8. 
 Pvliscellaneous  evidence  to  the   Person  of 
 Christ,  and  doctrine  of  the   Trinity,   from 
 Councils,  Heretics,  and  other  circumstances 
 
 of  the  first  ages  594 — 602 
 
 Recapitulation  of  the  v/holc  Evidence         603 — 627 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 A 
 
 RIGHT  knowledge  of  God,  and  the  relation  we 
 stand  in  to  him,  arc  essentially  necessary,  it  should  seem, 
 in  all  ordinary  cases,  to  the  attainment  of  future  felicity. 
 If  our  general  notions  of  the  Divine  Being  are  wrong, 
 considered  as  an  object  of  worship,  we  adore  a  creature 
 of  our  own  imagination,  rather  than  the  living  and  true 
 God.  If  we  are  not  well  acquainted  also,  with  our  own 
 real  and  relative  state  respecting  him,  it  is  impossible 
 we  should  demean  ourselves  in  a  becoming  and  accep- 
 table manner :  for,  we  should  ever  remember,  that  very 
 different  conduct  is  due  from  an  innocent  creature,  to 
 that  which  is  due  from  one  in  a  state  of  degeneracy  and 
 moral  depravity. 
 
 An  innocent  creature  can  be  in  no  need  of  a  Saviour, 
 in  no  need  of  repentance,  in  no  need  of  pardon,  in  no 
 need  of  sanctification.  Guilty  fears,  dread  of  God*s 
 wrath,  remorse  of  conscience,  and  the  like  uneasy  sen- 
 sations of  mind,  are  things  to  which  he  must  ever  be  a 
 stranger,  while  he  retains  his  integrity.  But  a  sinner, 
 as  such,  is  in  want  of  pardon;  and,  if  his  Creator  thinks 
 not  proper  to  grant  that  pardon,  by  an  absolute  act  of 
 sovereignty,  he  is  in  want  of  a  Saviour ;  and  if  his  na- 
 ture, at  the  same  time  that  it  contracted  guilt,  contract- 
 ed also  a  moral  stain,  and  became  depraved,  he  will  need 
 a  Sanctifier :  repentance,  fear,  dread,  remorse,  and  all 
 the  other  concomitants  of  guilt,  are  not  less  the  sure 
 consequences  thereof,  than  they  are  becoming  his  situa- 
 tion and  circumstances. 
 
 B  This 
 
2  INTRODUCTION. 
 
 This  is  the  state  of  human  nature.  IFc  have  all  sin- 
 ned j  and  ccme  short  of  the.  <^lcry  cf  God.,  and  he  hath  de- 
 clared he  will  not  pardon,  by  an  absolute  act  of  grace ; 
 and  if  we  have  all  sinned,  and  God  will  not  pardon,  by 
 an  absolute  act  of  grace,  we  stand  in  need  of  a  Saviour: 
 and  if  our  natures  have  contracted  a  moral  taint,  v/c 
 want  some  being  or  other,  to  restore  our  lapsed  powers. 
 Fear,  dread,  and  remorse  of  conscience  become  us. 
 And  not  to  repent,  not  to  be  grieved  and  sorry,  not  to 
 be  possessed  with  fear,  dread,  remorse,  and  the  like  un- 
 easy sensations,  is  unnatural,  and  infinitely  unbecoming 
 our  situation. 
 
 But,  if  we  are  in  want  of  a  Saviour,  and  if  a  Saviour 
 has  been  graciously  provided  for  us,  it  will  become  us, 
 not  only  to  believe  in  him,  but  narrowly  to  examine, 
 under  the  guidance  of  God's  own  manifestations,  into 
 the  nature  and  offices  of  that  Saviour  j  and,  at  the  same 
 time,  closely  to  consider,  in  what  respects  we  stand  in 
 need  of  his  assistance.  These  two  views  will  have  a 
 tendency  to  throw  light  upon  each  other.  And,  if  wc 
 act  a  reasonable  part,  our  dependance  upon,  and  confi- 
 dence in  the  Redeemer,  will  be  in  exact  proportion  to 
 our  own  wants,  his  ability,  and  the  knowledge  we  have 
 of  God,  the  Redeemer,  and  ourselves.  For  instance ; 
 if  we  think  ourselves  innocent,  the  gospel  of  Christ  is 
 to  us  no  better  than  sounding  brass  and  a  tinkling  cymbal-, 
 it  is  a  pretended  remedy  where  there  is  no  need.  And 
 if  we  think  ourselves,  though  not  innocent,  yet  pretty 
 good,  and  in  no  eminent  danger  of  future  misery,  our 
 love  to  Christ  will  be  faint,  weak,  feeble,  almost  nothing. 
 To  whom  little  is  forgiven:,  they  will  love  little.  If  we  are 
 convinced  of  sin,  and  of  our  dangerous  condition,  so  far 
 as  to  be  weary  and  distressed  with  its  burden,  the  news 
 of  salvation  by  Jesus  Christ  will  be  glad  tidings  of 
 great  joy.  To  whom  much  is  forgiven,  they  will  love  much. 
 On  the  other  hand,  if  v/e  consider  God  as  a  being  all 
 mercy,  without  any  regard  to  the  veracity,  justice,  and 
 holiness  of  his  nature  j  then  Christ  will  not  be  so  super- 
 eminently 
 
INTRODUCTION.  3 
 
 eminently  precious ;  because  we  shall  not  discover  either 
 the  necessity  or  fitness  of  his  mediation. 
 
 If  we  look  upon  our  blessed  Saviour  as  a  mere  man 
 only,  then  we  shall  esteem  him  but  little  more  than  as 
 Moses,  or  as  one  of  the  Prophets.  If  we  consider  him 
 at  all,  in  short,  with  regard  to  his  superior  nature,  as  a 
 created  being,  though  of  the  most  exalted  kind,  our  re- 
 gard to  him,  and  esteem  for  him,  will  be  that  of  one 
 creature  to  another ;  considerable  indeed,  according  to 
 the  rank  he  bears ;  but  far  from  that  supreme  regard, 
 that  unbounded  confidence,  that  matchless  love,  which 
 are  due  to  him,  in  common  with  the  Father  and  the 
 Holy  Ghost. 
 
 From  this  consideration  it  may  be  observed  how  ne* 
 cessary  it  is,  that  v/e  should  have  a  competent  scriptural 
 knowledge  of  the  person  and  offices  of  the  Redeemer, 
 if  v/e  would  pay  unto  him  a  reasonable  service.  If  he  i$ 
 a  mere  man,  he  ought  to  be  looked  upon  as  such,  by  all 
 created  intelligences.  If  he  is  but  an  angd,  though  of 
 the  highest  order,  he  ought  to  be  regarded  as  an  angel. 
 He  ought  not,  surely,  to  have  religious  adoration  paid 
 him;  nor  is  he  capable,  scripture  and  reason  being 
 judge,  of  making  satisfaction  to  divine  justice  for  the  sins 
 of  the  world. 
 
 But,  if  he  is  God  and  man  ineffably  united  in  one 
 mediator :  if  he  is  "  God,  of  the  substance  of  the  Fa- 
 "  ther,  begotten  before  the  worlds ;  and  man,  of  the 
 "  substance  of  his  m.other,  born  in  the  world :  if  he  is 
 *'  perfect  God  and  perfect  rrmn,  of  a  reasonable  soul 
 "  and  human  flesh  subsisting,"  then  only,  as  it  seems  to 
 me,  he  is,  and  can  be,  such  a  Redeemer  as  we  stand  in 
 need  of.  Then  only  he  is,  in  comm.on  with  the  Father, 
 the  proper  object  of  divine  worship,  prayer,  praise,  and 
 adoration.  And  if  he  is  God,  equal  with  the  Father, 
 and  we  Christians  have  in  the  bible  sufficient  evidence  of 
 this  matter  of  fact,  it  must  be  an  inexcusable  dishonour 
 to  his  glorious  majesty,  to  demean  him  to  the  level  of  a 
 mere  man,  or  to  the  more  exalted  rank  of  an  angel.     If, 
 
 B  2  I  say. 
 
^  INTRODUCTION. 
 
 I  Say,  he  is,  in  his  divine  nature,  equal  with  the  Father 
 in  niajesty,  glory  and  power  j  not  to  honour  him  even  as 
 we  honour  the  Father,  is,  to  dethrone  him,  and,  for  any 
 thing  we  know  to  the  contrary,  will  one  day  be  resented 
 by  him  upon  his  adversaries.  To  ilkistrate  my  mean- 
 ing by  an  historical  fact :  Maximinus,  emperor  of  Rome, 
 no  sooner  came  to  the  throne,  than  he  adopted  his  son 
 Maximus  with  him,  as  partner  and  emperor,  with 
 equal  power  and  authority.  Let  it  be  supposed,  that 
 we,  being  the  subjects  of  Maximinus,  refused  to  pay  the 
 same  respect  to  Maximus,  the  son,  v^hich  we  did  to 
 Maximinus,  the  father,  under  a  pretence  that  there  could 
 be  but  one  emperor  in  any  one  empire :  if  instead  of 
 tfeating  Maximus  as  emperor,  we  had  upon  all  occasi- 
 ons considered  him  only  as  an  equal,  or  as  the  first 
 fiobleman  in  the  country:  would  not  this  have  been  to 
 degrade  him,  and  to  deny  the  emperor  of  Rome,  in  a 
 very  str-ong  sense  ?  To  have  degraded  him  in  such  a 
 manner  would,  probably,  have  mortified  him  beyond 
 forbearance.  One  may,  at  least,  venture  to  assert,  that 
 his  dignity  would  have  been  so  far  affected,  as  to  cause 
 him  to  with- hold  future  favours  from  us.  And  if  Max- 
 iitius's  power  were  equal  to  his  inclination,  we  should  have 
 assuredly  felt  the  weight  of  his  indignation.  Our  ho- 
 nouring the  father,  as  emperor,  could  not  make  satisfac- 
 tion for  dishonouring  the  son.  But  if  we  should  go  still 
 farther,  and  instead  of  treating  Maximus  as  emperor  of 
 Rome,  or  as  the  first  nobleman  in  the  country,  we  should 
 have  considered  him  in  no  higher  a  lio;ht  than  a  mere 
 animal,  destitute  of  all  moral  and  religious  principle ; 
 and,  moreover,  if  we  should  have  used  our  most  stre- 
 nuous endeavours  to  make  all  his  subjects  consider  him 
 as  a  being  of  an  inferior  order,  and  unworthy  even  to 
 rank  with  intelligent  creatures,  he  would  have  reason  to 
 reprobate  our  conduct  with  still  greater  severity. 
 
 In  like  manner,  if  Jesus  Christ,  in  his  higher  nature, 
 possesses  divinity ;  if  he  is  of  the  same  essence  with 
 his  heavenly  Father,  as  every  son  in  this  world  is  of  the 
 
 same 
 
INTRODUCTION.  5 
 
 same  nature  and  essence  with  his  earthly  parent  >  *  and 
 if  he  hath  made  satisfaction  to  divine  justice  for  the  sins 
 of  mankind ;  to  deny  that  divinity,  and  to  reject  that 
 satisfaction ;  *  to  deny  and  reject  that,  in  which  alone  his 
 truest  glory  consists,  and  to  degrade  him  to  the  level  of 
 a  mere  man,  is,  surely,  to  deny  the  "Lord  that  bought  us : 
 And  it  may  be  left  for  every  man  to  judge,  whether  it  be 
 not  one  of  those  damnable  heresies  spoken  of  by  the 
 apostle  of  the  circumcision. ' 
 
 Be  this,  however,  as  it  may,  I  maist  own  it  has  often 
 appeared  to  me,  when  I  have  reflected  upon  these  si^b- 
 jects,  that  our  blessed  Lord,  in  every  age  of  the  Chris-  \ 
 tian  church,  hath  clearly  shewn  his  disapprobation  of 
 these  degrading  doctrines.  For,  in  what  societies  so- 
 ever the  divinity  of  the  Son  and  Spirit  of  God  has  been 
 
 B  3  rejected, 
 
 *  **  For  as  nature  itself  hath  dictated,  that  he  must  be  believed  to  be 
 "  man,  who  is  ofF  man  ;  so  the  same  nature  hath  dictated  likewise, 
 *'  that  he  must  be  believed  to  be  God,  who  is  off  God." 
 
 Novatian  De  Trinit.  cap.  n, 
 "  In  all  effects  that  are  voluntary,  the  cause  must  be  prior  to  the 
 •*  effect ;  as  the  father  is  to  the  son,  in  human  generation.  But  in 
 *'  all  that  are  necessary,  the  effect  must  be  co-eval  with  the  cause; 
 *'  as  the  stream  is  with  the  fountain,  and  light  with  the  sun.  Had  the 
 *'  sun  been  eternal  in  its  duration,  light  would  have  been  co-eternal 
 *'  with  it.  Was  the  fountain  from  everlasting,  the  stream  would  be 
 **  equally  from  everlasting  too.  And  the  Son  of  God,  in  the  faith 
 **  and  confession  of  the  Jews,  was  the  Second  Jehovah,  or  the  Me- 
 "  diate  God  of  the  universe ;  an  Eternal  De-rivation  from  the  Eter- 
 **  nal  Fountain  of  Deity,  an  Everlasting  De-radiapon  from  the  Ever- 
 "  lasting  Sun  of  Divinity,  in  God  the  Father." 
 
 Whitaker's  Origin  of  Arianism,  p.  i~5» 
 "^  "  U  we  trace  the  Christian  religion  through  the  various  revola- 
 "  tions  of  the  church,  we  shall  observe  two  doctrines,  which,  beyond 
 "  all  the  rest,  mark  with  a  distinguishing  lustre  the  creed  which  juft- 
 *'  ly  deserves  the  appellation  cf  catholic.  Explications  of  those  doc- 
 **  trines  mny  vary  ;  but  the  grand  essentials  of  them  seem  to  be  in- 
 *.*  terwovcn  with  the  original  texture  of  Chriitian  faith  ;  I  mean  the 
 "  d:i?ctrines  of  the  Divinity  and  Atonement  cf  Christ  ;  doctrines 
 *'  alike  unknown  to  the  lioran  of  Mahomet  and  the  Creed  of  Soci- 
 "  nus." 
 
 Professor  White's  Notes  to  his  Sermons,  p.  61, 
 
 ^  See  z  Peter  2.  i— -5.  and  Jude  3,4. 
 
6  INTRODUCTION. 
 
 rejected,  there  also  hath  been  a  visible  declension,  not 
 only  in  piety  and  good  morals,  but  usually  in  the  mem- 
 bers of  such  societies,  except  where  the  officiating  mi- 
 nister happens  to  be  a  man  of  very  popular  talents.  Let 
 us,  moreover,  look  through  the  kingdom  where  we 
 please,  and  attend  to  the  state  of  the  Arian  and  Socinian 
 congregations,  and  we  shall  generally,  if  not  universally,  . 
 discover  among  them,  a  great  want  of  serious  godliness, 
 much  compliance  with  the  spirit  of  the  world,  and  a 
 sovereign  contempt  of  all  those  Vv'ho  embrace  the  sys- 
 tem of  orthodoxy.  *  As  they  unanimously  treat  the  Son 
 of  God  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  with,  comparative,  con- 
 tempt ;  so  the  grace  of  that  Son,  and  the  communica- 
 tions of  that  Spirit,  without  which  we  can  do  no  man- 
 ner of  t]iing  that  is  good,  seem  to  be  restrained  and 
 with-hcld  from  them.  And  this  is  perfecdy  reasonable, 
 \f  those  blessed,.Persons  are  treated  with  indignity  and 
 impropriety  by  them.  On  the  contrary,  wherever  the 
 orthodox  principles  are  plainly  and  faithfully  inculcated, 
 there  we  see  the  congregations  increase,  the  people  are 
 converted  from  the  error  of  their  ways,  become  serious 
 in  their  spirits,  moral  in  their  conduct,  and,  usually,  die 
 triumphing  in  the  God  of  their  salvation.  It  is  very 
 remarkable  too,  that  when  Arianism,  Sabellianism,  and 
 various  other  Isms,  had  over-run  the  churches  in  the 
 fourth,  fifth,  and  sixth  centuries,  it  pleased  God,  soon 
 after,  to  szveep  them  with  the  bescm  of  destruction.  The 
 barbarous  nations  broke  in  upon  the  western  churches 
 in  the  fifth  age,  and  carried  slaughter  and  devastation 
 wherever  they  came.  Upon  a  large  part  of  the  eastern 
 churches  Mahomet  came  in  the  seventh  age,  and  propa- 
 gated with  fire,  sword,  and  wonderful  success,  his  hor- 
 rid delusion.     And  when  the  period  arrives,  that  Soci- 
 
 nianism 
 
 ♦  "  To  see  such  men  as  bishop  Hurd  in  this  class  of  writers,  (the 
 *'  defenders  of  orthodoxy)  when  he  is  qualified  to  class  with  Tillot- 
 •*  son,  Hoadley,  and  Clarke,  equally  excites  one's  pity  and  indigna- 
 "  tionl" 
 
 Priestley's  Corrup.  of  Christ,  vol.  2.  p.  47  S-. 
 
INTRODUCTION.  7 
 
 nianism  becomes  the  prevailing  religion  of  this  country, 
 as  it  shall  in  a  little  tinne,  if  the  predirtions  of  some 
 warm  contenders  for  it  may  be  credited,  *  it  is  exceeding- 
 ly probable,  that  the  indignation  of  the  Almightv,  with 
 a  fiood  of  vengeance,  v  ill  follow  hard  after.  To  ilhjs- 
 trate  my  meaning  again  by  another  historical  fict :  Let  it 
 be  supposed,  that  when  Carus,  emperor  also  of  Rome, 
 joined  his  two  sons  Carinus  and  Numerianiis  with  him, 
 making  them  partners  in  the  empire,  and  giving  them 
 equal  power  and  authority  with  himself:  let  it  be  sup- 
 posed, I  say,  that  any  of  their  subjects  had  rejected  the 
 authority  of  either  Carinus,  or  Numerianus,  or  both, 
 under  a  pretence  that  Carinus  was  the  only  proper  and 
 lawful  emperor ;  in  such  a  case,  the  opposers  of  their 
 honour  and  dignity  could  have  had  no  jubt  reason  to 
 complain,  if  the  two  sons  should,  not  only  have  with- 
 held their  favours  from  such  refractory  subjects,  but  even 
 have  wrecked  their  vengeance  upon  them. — The  appli- 
 cation is  obvious. 
 
 Those,  who  are  so  zealous  in  degrading  our  blessed 
 Saviour,  bring  us  several  passages  of  scripture  to  prove, 
 that  he  is  a  man,  and,  of  consequence,  inferior  to  the  Fa- 
 ther; such  as — 'fhere  is  one  God.,  and  one  Mediator  be- 
 tween God  And  meny  the  man  Christ  Jesur.  And — God 
 hath  commanded  all  men  every  where  to  repent ;  because  he 
 hath  appointed  a  day  in  the  "which  he  iJuiH  judge  the  world  in 
 righteousness  by  that  man  whom  he  hath  ordained.  Now 
 these,  and  all  such  like  passages,  are  really  n  thing  to  the 
 purpose  for  which  they  are  brought;  because  we  our- 
 selves also,  as  earnestly  contend  as  the  advei'saries  to  the 
 divinity  of  Jesus,  that  he  is  perfect  man  as  well  as  per- 
 fect God. '   It  is  abiurd,  therefore,  and  disingenuous,  to 
 
 B  4  dwell 
 
 '  See  Priestley  on  the  Importance  of  Free  Inquiry,  passim. 
 
 *"If  our  Saviour  be  spoken  of  thus  exclusively  in  his  different  na- 
 "  tures  ;  it  ought  not  to  be  matter  of  wonder,  that  ihi*  Son  of  God 
 **  and  Son  of  Man  should  be  described  at  times,  with  all  thatdiffer- 
 **  ence  of  character  which  subsists,  in  an  infinite  degree,  between 
 
8  INTRODUCTION. 
 
 dv/ell  upon  this,  while  we  insist  upon  the  truth  and  im- 
 portance of  such  declarations  as  strenuously  as  they  can 
 do.  If  the  adversaries  of  the  divinity  of  Christ  would 
 say  any  thing  to  the  purpose,  they  should  shew  us  how 
 all  those  passages  of  scripture,  which  speak  of  him  in  the 
 highest  stile  of  deity,  can  be  easily  reconciled  vv'ith  those, 
 which  speak  of  his  simple  manhood.  Till  this  is  done 
 they  must  give  us  leave  to  think,  with  the  catholic  church 
 in  all  ages,  that  Christ  is  perfect  God  and  perfect  man;  ' 
 that  the  deity  and  humanity  are  ineffably  united  in  him, 
 as  the  soul  and  the  body  are  ineffl^bly  united  in  a  human 
 being.  Upon  this  supposidon,  all  the  seem.ing  incon- 
 sistences in  holy  scripture,  concerning  the  character  of 
 Messiah,  vanish,  and  speak  the  same  harmonious  truth.  * 
 
 It 
 
 **  God  and  man.  It  ought  not  to  be  matter  of  wonder,  that  he  who 
 •*  in  the  former  capacity  was  to  make  the  dead  hear  his  'voice,  should 
 **  in  the  latter  recei've  authority  to  execute  judgment  :  that  he,  who  in 
 "  the  foriner  kne<vj  all  things,  should  in  the  latter  not  kmnu  the  day,  and 
 "  hoar,  nvhen  judgment  'was  to  he  executed  by  himself :  that  he,  whom 
 '*  in  the  former  no  man  knoixeth  but  the  Father,  should  tell  the  Jews 
 *'  in  the  latter,  that  they  both  kneiv  him,  and  ^-whence  he  nxias  :  that  he 
 •'  by  whom  as  God  all  things  consist,  should  say  of  himself,  as  man, 
 *'  and no=w  I  am  no  more  in  the  <vcorld.  The  importance  of  attendhig 
 •*  to  this  distinction  between  our  Saviour's  natures,  may  be  inferred 
 •'  from  the  question  which  he  himself  put  to  his  insidious  enemies, 
 "  hovj  Christ  could  be  David'' s  Lord,  and  at  the  same  time  his  Son  ? 
 "  A  question,  by  which  they  were  so  affected,  that,  as  St.  Matthewr 
 *'  declares,  nomanivas  able  to  ansiver  him  a  ivord  :  neither  durst  any 
 *'  man  from  that  day  forth  ask  him  any  more  questions. 
 
 Eveleigh's  Two  Sermons  on  the  Trinity,  p.  ■^fi  and  37. 
 
 "*  "  To  reject  or  disbelieve  things,  because  we  understand  not  the 
 •■*  whole  of  their  nature,  modes  of  existence  or  fitness,  is  not  reason 
 *'  but  stupidity.  It  is  either  to  make  our  minds  the  rule  of  truth,  or 
 •'  to  affirm  that,  because  God  has  not  given  us  all  the  reasons  of 
 *'  things,  it  is  not  possible  there  should  be  any ;  both  which  are 
 "  equally  irrational."  Dr.  Ellis's  Knowledge  of  Divine  Things 
 from  Revelation,  not  from  Reason  or  Nature,  p.  260. 
 
 *  There  is  an  excellent  little  tract  written  by  Mr.  William  Hey, 
 Surgeon,  of  Leeds  in  Yorkshire,  entitled^  "  A  short  Defence  of  the 
 Doctrine  of  the  Divinity  of  Christ,"  which  is  worthy  the  attention 
 of  the  public.  It  is  designed  as  an  antidote  to  some  small  pieces 
 published  by  Dr.  Priestley  against  our  Lord's  Divinity.  While  I  re- 
 commend the  whole  pamphlet  to  the  perusal  of  the  Reader,  1  will  take 
 
INTRODUCTION.  ^ 
 
 Ic  Is  not  Improbable  but  some  persons  will  be  ready 
 to  say,  by  v/ay  of  getting  clear  of  ail  these  difficulties  in 
 a  compendious  manner,  suited  to  their  own  indolent,  or 
 
 negligent 
 
 the  liberty  of  presenting  him  with  an  extract  from  it  on  the  stibject 
 before  us: — "  Those  who  deny  the  divinity  of  cur  Lord  Jesus 
 "  Christ,"  says  this  valuable  writer,  "  bring  us  many  passages  of 
 "  scripture  to  prove,  that  he  was  a  man  and  inferior  to  the  Father; 
 •'  but  these  [lassages  are  really  nothing  to  their  purpose,  for  they  do 
 **  but  prove  what  we  ourselves  contend  for.  We  believe  that  the 
 "  Eternal  Word  not  only  took  our  nature  upon  him,  but  also,  that  he 
 *'  sustained  the  office  of  Mediator  on  our  account ;  that  through  his 
 **  own  voluntary  condescension,  he  was  sent  by  the  Father  iiuo  the 
 "  world  ;  fulHiled  all  righteousness  in  our  nature,  and  became  obedi- 
 **  ent  even  unto  death  ;  that  in  consequence  of  this  humiliation,  he 
 *'  was  highly  exalted,  made  head  overall  things  to  the  church,  and 
 **  constituted  the  judge  of  quick  and  dead  ;  and  that,  finally,  when 
 **  the  work  for  which  he  undertook  the  ctTice  of  Mediator  shall  be 
 **  fully  accomplished,  he  will  then  lay  aside  the  peculiar  dignities  of 
 •*  his  office,  or  mediatorial  kingdom,  and  reign  in  the  preceding  dig* 
 *'  nity  of  his  nature  forever  and  ever. 
 
 "  I'here  is  not,  tiierefore,  the  least  contradiction  in  representing 
 *'  Christ  as  inferior  to  the  Father,  with  respect  to  his  human  nature,' 
 f  yet  equal  to  him  with  resptct  to  his  divine  ;  for  the  different  re- 
 ♦'  presentations,  and  seeming  contraaictions  in  the  scriptural  character 
 *'  of  our  Saviour  plainly  prove,  that  his  compound  person  partook  of 
 *'  natures  essentially  dift'erent  from  each  octier.  We  use  a  similar 
 **  manner  of  speaking  with  regard  to  ourselves,  and  on  a  similar  ac- 
 *'  count.  When  a  writer  calls  mankind  sometimes  mortal,  sometime* 
 "  immortal;  at  one  time  corruptible,  at  another  incorruptible;  novv 
 **  vile,  then  precious  ;  instead  of  charging  him  with  contradictions, 
 **  we  immediately  perceive,  that  he  has  a  reference  to  those  totally 
 **  diiFerent  substances,  a  material  body  and  immaterial  soul,  which 
 "  are,  in  an  inexplicable  manner,  united  in  us.  JL,et  us  use  the  same 
 "  degree  of  common  sense  with  regard  to  the  scriptures,  and  all  the 
 *'  difficulties  concerning  the  character  of  Christ  will  vanish.  There 
 "  will  then  appear  no  contrariety  in  calling  him  the  Son  of  man,  and 
 **  yet  the  Lord  of  glory.  Luke  19.  10. — i  Cor.  2.  8.  Hut  it  lies 
 *•  upon  those  who  deny  the  divinity  of  Christ,  to  reconcile  those 
 "  passages  of  scripture,  which  attribute  divine  perfections  to  Christ, 
 *'  and  speak  of  him  as  G©d,  with  those  that  are  expressive  of  his 
 "  inferiority  to  the  Father.  And  till  this  is  satisfactoiily  done,  they 
 "  must  give  us  leave  to  think,  that  the  former  refer  to  his  original 
 "  nature,  and  the  latter  to  his  assumed  manhood,  at^d  mediatorial 
 "  character;  which  appears  to  me  to  be  the  only  way  of  reconcil- 
 "  ing  those  scriptures  chat  otiierwise  would  be  quite  contradictory, " 
 
to  INTRODUCTION. 
 
 negligent  state  of  mind — It  is  of  little  or  no  importance 
 what  we  think,  or  what  we  believe  concerning  the  Re- 
 deemer and  Sanctifier,  if  we  are  but  virtuous,  and  chari- 
 table.— 
 
 These  qualifications  are,  beyond  doubt,  essential  parts 
 of  the  character  of  a  believer  in  the  Son  of  God ;  but 
 yet  they  are  not  the  whole  of  it.  If  the  Son  and  Spirip 
 are  by  nature  possessed  of  divinity,  they  ought  to  be 
 worshipped.  ^  li  they  are  not  by  nature  possessed  of 
 divinity,  they  ought  not  to  be  worshipped.     If  they  arc 
 
 by 
 
 9  **  The  essence  of  natural  religion  maybe  said  to  consist  in  reli- 
 gious regards  to  God  the  Father  Almighty :  And  the  essence  of 
 revealed  religion,  as  distinguished  from  natural,  to  consist  in  reli- 
 gious regards  to  the  Son,  and  to  the  Holy  Ghost.  And  the  obli- 
 gations we  are  under,  of  paying  these  religious  regards  to  each  of 
 these  Divine  Persons  respectively,  arises  from  the  respective  relati- 
 ons, which  they  each  stand  in  to  us.  How  these  relations  are  made 
 known,  whether  by  reason  or  revelation,  makes  no  alteration  ia 
 the  case  ;  because  the  duties  arise  out  of  the  relations  themselves, 
 not  out  of  the  manner  in  which  we  are  informed  of  them.  The 
 Son  and  Spirit  liave  each  his  proper  office,  in  that  great  dispensa- 
 tion of  Providence,  the  redemption  of  the  world  ;  the  one  our  Me- 
 diator, the  other  our  Sanctifier.  Does  not  then  the  duty  of  religious 
 regards  to  both  these  Divine  Persons,  as  immediately  arise  to  the 
 view  of  reason,  cut  of  the  very  nature  of  these  offices  and  relations ; 
 as  the  inward  good  will  and  kind  intention,  which  we  owe  to  our 
 fellow  creatures,  arises  out  of  the  common  relations  between  us  and 
 them  ?  But  it  will  be  asked,  what  are  the  inward  religious  regards, 
 appearing  thus  obviously  due  to  the  Son  and  Holy  Spirit,  as  arising 
 not  merely  from  command  in  scripture,  but  from  the  very  nature 
 of  the  revealed  relations,  which  they  stand  in  to  us  ?  I  answer,  the 
 religious  regards  of  reverence,  honour,  love,  gratitude,  fear,  hope. 
 In  what  external  manner  this  inward  worship  is  to  be  expressed, 
 is  a  matter  cf  pure  revealed  command ;  as  perhaps  the  external 
 manner,  in  which  God  the  Father  is  to  be  worshipped,  may  be 
 more  so  than  we  are  ready  to  think.  But  the  worship,  the  inter- 
 nal worship  itself,  to  the  Son  and  Holy  Ghost,  is  no  father  matter 
 of  pure  revealed  command,  than  as  the  relations  they  stand  in  to  us, 
 are  matter  of  pure  revelation :  For  the  relations  being  knuiwn,  the 
 obligations  to  such  internal  worship  are  obligations  of  reason,  aris- 
 ing out  of  those  relations  tnemselves.  In  short,  the  history  of  the 
 gospel  as  immediately  shews  us  the  reason  of  these  obligations,  as 
 it  shews  us  the  meaning  of  the  words.  Son  and  Holy  Ghost. 
 
 Butler's  Analogy,  part  2.  chap,  i. 
 
INTRODUCTION.  ^i 
 
 by  nature  possessed  of  divinity,  our  public  forms  contain 
 a  reasonable  service.  If  they  are  not  by  nature  posses- 
 sed of  divinity,  our  religious  worship,  every  sabbath  day, 
 is  full  of  gross  idolatry. 
 
 The  unity  of  God  is  a  first  principle  in  all  true  reli- 
 gion, whether  natural  or  revealed.     The  scripture  is  full 
 of  it. — 'Thou  shalt  have  none  other  Gods  but  me.  *  — Unto 
 thee  it  iz-as  shewed,  that  thou  mightest  hiczv  that  the  Lord 
 he  is  God,   there  is  none  else  besides  him.     Knoix^  therefore 
 this  day  and  consider  it  in  thine  heart,   that  the  Lord  he  is 
 God  in  heaven  above,  and  upon  the  earth  beneaih  ;  there  it . 
 none  else. — Hear,  O  Israel,  the  Lord  cur  God  is  one  LcrJ. 
 — 6Vtf  now  that  J,  even  I  am  he,  and  there  is  no  Gcd  wiib 
 me.— 'There  is  none  besides  thee. — IVho  is   God  save  the 
 Lord,  and  who  is  a  rock  save  our  God? — Thou,  even  thou^ 
 art  Lord  alone. — Thou  art  Gcd  alone. — Before   thee  there 
 was  no  God  ftrmed,  neither  shall  there  be  any  after  thee, 
 — Is  there  a  God  besides  me  ?  Tea,  there  is  no  God.     I 
 know  not  any, — /  am  the  Lord,  and  there  is  none  else ;  there 
 is  no  Gcd  besides  me. — 1  am  God  and  there  is  none  like  me\ 
 before  me  there  was  no  God  formed,  neither  shall  there  be 
 after  me. — Thou  shalt  worships  the  Lord  thy  Gad,  and  him 
 snly  shalt  thou  serve. 
 
 The  first  and  fundannental  principle  of  religion  then, 
 is,  that  there  is  a  God.  The  second,  that  there  is  but 
 one  living  and  true  God.  And  the  third,  that  religious 
 worship,  and  divine  honours,  are  to  be  paid  to  this  one 
 living  and  true  God  alone.  Either,  therefore,  the  Fa- 
 ther, Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  in  the  true  scriptural  sense 
 of  the  words,  are  this  one  living  and  true  God,  though  in 
 a  way  inexplicable  by  us,  or  else  we  transgress  these  fun- 
 damental laws  of  nature  and  of  God,  every  time  we  pray 
 
 and 
 
 ■  **  One  considerable  objection  against  the  Arian  scheme,  is,  that 
 **  it  stands  in  opposition  to  the  first  and  great  commandmeni ;  intro- 
 **  ducing  two  Gods,  and  two  objects  of  worship ;  not  only  against 
 •*  scripture,  but  also  against  the  unanimous  sense  of  the  Christian 
 •*  church,  from  the  beginning,  and  of  the  Jewish  before  ;  which 
 •*  together  are  the  safest  and  best  comment  we  can  have  upon 
 *•  icripture."  Waterland's  Eight  Sermons,  preface,  p.  30* 
 
12  INTRODUCTION. 
 
 and  ascribe  glory  to  either  the  Son  or  the  Holy  Spirit. 
 This  being,  confessedly,  the  real  state  of  the  ease,  it  no 
 longer  remains,  I  should  think,  a  matter  of  indifference, 
 whether  side  of  the  question  we  take.  The  doctrine  of 
 the  divinity  of  Christ,  *  and  the  blessed  Spirit,  is  by  no 
 means  that  speculative  and  insignificant  thing  some 
 would  persuade  us  it  is.  It  seems  rather  to  enter  most 
 essentially  into  the  whole  scheme  of  redemption.  All  the 
 other  doctrines  of  the  gospel  depend  upon  it.  ^  It  is  the 
 foundation  and  corner-stone  of  that  wonderful  structure. 
 J  Remove 
 
 '  "  The  divinity  of  Christ  is  a  scripture  truth  as  much  as  the  dlvi- 
 *'  nity  of  the  Father;  and  one  is  no  raore  a  metaphysical  speculati- 
 "  on  than  the  other.  Besides  that  it  is  strangely  improper  and  absurd 
 **  to  call  these  principles  pure  speculations,  which  are  of  so  great  im- 
 •*"  portance  for  the  regulating  our  worship,  that  we  can  neither  omit 
 •*  to  worship  Christ,  if  they  are  true,  withcut  the  greatest  impiety  ; 
 *■*  nor  perform  it,  if  they  are  false,  without  being  guilty  of  idolatry." 
 Waterland's  Eight  Sermons,  pref.  p.  26. 
 3  "  Many  apprehend  the  doctrine  of  the  Tiinity  to  be  what  is  call- 
 **  ed  a  speculative  doctrine  onIy,that  is  to  say,  a  doctrine  concerning 
 "  which  men  may  think,  and  conjecture,  and  reason,  and  dispute 
 *♦  for  their  amusement,  but  of  no  effect  or  importance  in  a  religious.. 
 **  life.  This,  is  a  considerable  mistake  in  judgment ;  and  to  prove 
 **  that  it  is  so,  let  us  only  ask  one  question  : — What  is  the  doctrine 
 "  of  most  importance  to  man,  in  his  religious  concerns  ?  Undoubted- 
 *'  ly,  it  is  that  of  his  redemption  from  sin  and  sorrow,  from  death 
 "  and  hell,  to  righteousness  and  joy,  immortality  and  glory.  But 
 "  of  juch  redemption  what  account  do  the  scriptures  give  us  ?  By 
 "  whom  was  the  gracious  scheme  originally  concerted,  and  after- 
 *'  wards  carried  into  execution  ?  Was  it  not  by  the  three  persons  of 
 «*  the  ever-blessed  and  adorable  Trinity  ? 
 
 "  h  was  not  an  after-thought,  a  new  design,  formed  upon  the 
 *•  transgression  and  fall  of  our  first  parents.  That  event  was  fore- 
 "  seen,  and  provision  made  accordingly  :  for  upon  the  very  best  au- 
 *'  thority  we  are  informed,  that  Christ  was  /be  Lamb  slain  from  the 
 **  foundation  of  the  'wcrld ;  that  is  (for  it  cannot  be  otherwise  under- 
 **  stood)  slain  in  effect,  in  the  divine  purpose  and  council.  It  is 
 *'  likewise  said,  that  grace  ijcas  given  us  in  Christ  Jesusy  before  the 
 *'  nvorU  began.  The  words  intimate,  that,  previous  to  the  creation 
 "  of  the  world,  something  had  passed  in  our  favour  above;  that  the 
 "  plan  of  our  future  redemption  was  then  laid  ;  that  some  agreement, 
 **  some  covenant,  relative  to  it,  had  been  entered  into  :  grace  ^as 
 "  gi'ven  us,  not  in  our  proper  persons,  for  as  yet  we  were  not — we 
 "  Jiad  no  being — but  in  the  person  of  him  who  was  afterward  to  be« 
 
INTPs-ODUCTION.  13 
 
 Remove  it,  and  the  whole  fabric  of  evangelical  truth 
 
 fells 
 
 **  come  our  representative,  onr  Saviour — in  Christ  Jesvs.  Now  the 
 "  plan  must  have  been  laid,  the  covenant  entered  into,  by  the  parties 
 *'  who  have  been  since  graciously  pleased  to  concern  themselves  in 
 "  its  execution.  Who  these  are  we  cannot  be  ignorant.  Jt  was  the 
 **  Son  of  God  who  took  our  nature  upon  him,  and  in  that  nature  made 
 "  a  full  and  sufficient  oblation,  satisfaction,  and  atonement,  for  the 
 *'  sins  of  the  world.  It  was  the  Father  who  accepted  such  oblation, 
 "  satisfaction,  and  atonement,  and  in  consequence  forgave  those 
 ••  sins.  It  was  the  Holy  Spirit,  who  came  forth  from  the  Father 
 •*  and  the  Son,  through  the  preaching  of  the  word,  and  the  adminis- 
 '«  tration  of  the  sacraments,  by  his  enlightening,  healing,  and  com- 
 "  forting  grace,  to  apply  to  the  hearts  of  men,  for  all  the  purposes 
 *'  of  pardon,  sanctilication,  and  salvation,  the  merits  and  benefits  of 
 *'  that  oblation,  satisfaction,  and  atonement. 
 
 "  Say  no  more,  then,  that  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  is  a  matter 
 "  of  curiosity  and  amusement  only.  Our  religion  is  founded  upon 
 "  it :  for  what  is  Christianity,  but  a  manifestation  of  the  three  divine 
 •'  persons  as  engaged  in  the  great  work  of  man's  redemption,  begun, 
 *'  continued,  and  to  be  ended  by  them,  in  their  several  relations  of 
 «*  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  Creator,  Redeemer,  and  Sanctifier; 
 **  three  persons,  one  God  ?  Jf  there  be  no  Son  of  God,  where  is  our 
 <'  redemption  ?  If  there  be  no  Holy  Spirit,  where  is  our  sanctificati- 
 *'  on  ?  Without  both,  where  is  our  salvation  I  And  if  these  two  per- 
 '«  sons  be  any  thing  less  than  divine,  why  are  we  baptized,  equally, 
 ««  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost? 
 "  Let  no  man  therefore  deceive  you  :  This  is  the  true  (JoJ,  and  eter- 
 *'  nallife." 
 
 Bishop  Home's  Discburse  on  the  Trinity,  p.  43 — 45. — See  also 
 Trapp  on  the  Trinity,  p.  4 — 6- 
 
 Mr.  Hawker  likewise,  m  his  very  sensible  Sermons  on  the  Divi- 
 nity of  Christ,  says,  "The  divinity  of  Jesus,  I  conceive  to  be  the 
 '•  chief  corner-stone  in  the  edifice  of  Christianity.  Remove ^this 
 *'  from  the  building  and  the  whole  fabric  immediately  totters.  The 
 •*  foundation  is  shaken  to  the  very  centre.  There  appears  at  oncu 
 *'  an  evident  disproportion  between  the  end  and  the  means,  the  im- 
 *'  portance  of  the  object  proposed,  and  the  person  by  whom  it  was 
 *'  accomplished.  And  then  the  great  doctrine  of  atonement  and  ex- 
 «*  piation,  by  the  blood  of  its  author,  falls  to  the  ground,  and  all  the 
 "  rich  promises  of  the  gospel  are  done  away." — 
 
 Again  : — "  The  divinity  of  Jesus  is  so  conspicuous  a  feature  in 
 "  the  gospel,  and  is  supported  by  evidences  which  press  upon  us  so 
 *'  closely  on  every  side,  that,  I  flatter  myself,  there  is  not  any  one 
 ««  point  of  Christ's  religion  more  capable  of  being  proved  and  ascer- 
 *♦  rained,  than  his  claim  to  a  divine  nature." 
 
 P32CS  Sth.  and  40.th. 
 
14  INTRODUCTION. 
 
 falls  to  the  ground,  *  and  we  are  reduced  again  to  a  mere 
 system  of  moral  philosophy.  We  acknowledge,  in- 
 deed, and  glory  in  the  truth,  that  the  holy  gospel  doth 
 contain  a  system  of  moral  philosophy,  and  the  most 
 perfect,  by  many  degrees,  with  which  the  world  was  ever 
 favoured  : '  but  we  insist  upon  it,  as  a  truth  of  all  con- 
 ceivcable  importance,  that  it  contains  far  more  j  that  it 
 opens  a  new  and  living  way,  whereby  sinners  may  be  re- 
 conciled unto  God,  through  the  alone  mediation  of  his 
 own  dear  and  only-begotten  Son.  And  the  divine  ori- 
 gin of  it  is  displayed  by  its  wonderful  suitableness  to  the 
 situation  of  man.  All  that  he  wants  it  contains.  Not 
 that  it  is  designed  to  bring  about  infallibly  the  salvation  of 
 the  whole  human  race,  neither  the  salvation  of  all  those 
 who  come  within  the  sound  of  it.  Rather,  it  is  intended 
 as  a  scheme  of  redemption  for  cureable  dispositions  on- 
 ly. And,  therefore,  God  hath  afforded  us  all  the  evidence 
 of  its  veracity  that  his  wisdom  saw  needful  for  such  dis- 
 positions, rather  than  all  the  evidence  his  power  might 
 nave  afforded  for  the  conviction  of  the  careless,  obsti- 
 nate, high-minded,  and  conceited  inquirers  after  truth. 
 And,  in  pursuance  of  this  design,  its  doctrines  are  a« 
 
 admirably 
 
 ♦  "  The  faith  of  the  holy  Trinity  is  so  fundamental  to  the  Chris- 
 *•  tian  religion,  that  if  Christianity  be  worth  contending  for,  that  is. 
 "  For  if  God  have  rot  an  eternal  Son,  and  an  eternal  Spirit,  the 
 **  whole  mystery  of  our  redemption  by  Christ,  and  of  our  sanctifi- 
 *'  cation  by  the  Spirit,  which  in  its  consequences  is  the  whole  of  the 
 "  gospel,  and  distinguishes  it  from  all  other  religions,  is  utterly  lost." 
 
 Sherlock's  Socinian  Controversy,  p    i. 
 
 Let  the  Reader,  who  has  any  doubts  upon  his  mind  concerning 
 the  Importance  of  the  doctrine  of  the  Holy  Trinity,  read  carefully 
 Bishop  Bull's  Judgment  of  the  Catholic  Church  of  the  three  first 
 centuries  concerning  the  necessity  of  believing,  that  our  Lord  Jesuj 
 Christ  is  true  God,  and  Dr.  Waterland's  Importance  of  the  Doctrin*; 
 of  the  Holy  Trinity,  and  he  will  receive  all  the  satisfaction  he  can 
 reasonably  expect  or  desire.  The  Socinians  pretend  to  despise  these 
 books.  They  do  well.  It  is  much  easier  to  pretend  to  despise  such 
 authors,  than  to  answer  them. 
 
 '  "  The  morality  of  the  gospel  of  Christ  doth  so  excel  that  of 
 •*  other  books,  that  to  give  a  man  a  full  knowledge  of  morality,  he 
 **  need  read  no  other  book  but  the  New  Testament."    Lock. 
 
INTRODUCTION,  15 
 
 admirably  calculated  to  try  the  obedience  of  our  under- 
 standing, as  its  precepts  that  of  our  will.  ^  Now,  as  man 
 consists  of  two  distinct,  yet  essential  parts,  so  the  vices 
 to  which  we  are  prone  respect  both  these  parts  of  our 
 constitution.  For  we  may  be  very  free  from  the  vices 
 peculiar  to  die  body,  and  yet  extremely  addicted  to 
 those  of  the  mind.  The  former  are  more  peculiar  to 
 the  vulgar,  the  latter  to  the  learned  and  philosophic 
 part  of  our  race.  By  subjecdon  to  the  one,  v/e  resemble 
 the  brute  creation  j  by  obedience  to  the  other,  the  apos- 
 tate spirits.  We  ought,  therefore,  to  be  serious,  and 
 lay  aside  all  pride  and  conceitedncss  in  our  understand- 
 ing, as  well  as  superfluity  of  naughtiness  in  our  passions, 
 and  attend  with  humility  and  prayer  to  the  things  which 
 God  hath  revealed  concerning  himself.  The  truths  of 
 his  word  are  sufficiendy  plain  to  the  humble  and  sincere 
 inquirer]  but  there  is  obscurity  enough  to  baffle  and 
 confound  the  most  enlarged  minds  of  those,  who  are 
 wise  in  their  own  eye?,  and  prudent  in  their  own  con- 
 ceits. Clouds  and  darkness  are  round  about  him,  though 
 righteousness  and  equity  are  the  habitation  of  his  throne. — 
 
 None 
 
 *  Dr.  Watts  has  the  same  idea : — "  It  is  as  possible  and  as  pro- 
 *'  per,  tlvu  God  should  propose  doctrines  to  our  understanding, 
 **  which  it  cannot  comprehend,  as  duties  to  our  practice,  which  wc 
 *'  cannot  see  the  reason  of;  for  he  is  equally  superior  to  our  under- 
 "  standing  and  will,   and  he  puts  the  obedience  of  both  to  a  trial." 
 
 Appendix  to  Watts's  life  by  Johnson  and  Palmer,  p.    120. 
 
 Lord  Bacon  speaks  to  the  same  purpose  :  '*  The  prerogative  of 
 **  God,"  says  this  great  man,  "  comprehends  the  whole  man  ;  and  is 
 "  extended,  as  well  to  the  reasoi,  as  to  the  luill  of  man  :  that  is,  that 
 *•  man  renounce  himself  wholly,  and  draw  near  to  God.  Wherefore, 
 **  as  we  are  to  oiey  his  la-iu,  though  we  find  a  reluctation  in  our  iy/'//; 
 »'  so  we  are  to  helie-ve  his  ivorJ,  though  we  find  a  reluciation  in  our 
 •'  reason  :  for  if  we  believe  only  that  which  is  agreeable  to  our  rea-' 
 *'  son,  we  give  assent  to  the  matter,  not  to  the  author,  which  is  no 
 **  more  than  we  would  do  towards  a  suspected  and  discredited  wit- 
 *'  ness. — Sacred  theology  is  grounded  on,  and  must  be  deduced  from, 
 •'  the  Oracles  of  God  ;  and  not  from  the  light  of  nature,  or  the  dic- 
 •'  tates  of  reason. — To  the  lavj  and  to  the  testimony  :  if  they  speak  net 
 **  accordnig  to  this  <worJ,  it  is  because  there  is  no  light  in  them" 
 
 Advancement  of  Learning,  p.  468, 
 
i6  INTRODUCTION. 
 
 None  cf  the  wicked  sball  understand  •■,  hut  the  "wise  shall  u ft- 
 derstand. — "[the  meek  will  be  guide  in  judgmenty  and  the 
 meek  will  he  karn  his  way. — And  God  saldy  Go  and  tell 
 ibis  peopUy  who  are  proud,  wicked,  conceited,  and  self- 
 righteous,  Hear  ye  indeedy  but  understand  not;  and  see  ye 
 in  deed y  hut  perceive  not :  make  the  heart  of  this  people  fat  y 
 and  make  their  ears  heavy,  and  shut  their  eyes  i  lest  they 
 should  see  with  their  eye^y  and  hear  with  their  ears,  and 
 understand  with  their  hearty  and  convert,  and  he  healed. 
 
 All  these  scriptures  were  most  awfully  fulfilled,  when 
 our  Saviour  was  upon  earth.  The  modest  inquirers 
 after  truth  among  the  Jews  sufficiently  discovered,  from 
 the  writings  of  Moses  and  the  Prophets,  that  he  was  the 
 true  Messiah.  But  yet,  it  is  a  notorious  fact,  that  the 
 bulk  of  the  people,  and  especially  the  more  learned  and 
 polite  part  of  the  nation,  rejected  him  as  an  impostor 
 and  deceiver.  They  did  nor  reject  him  for  want  of  evi- 
 dence that  he  was  the  Messiah ;  for  there  was  evidence 
 enough  to  satisfy  any  impardal  inquirer;  but  they  re- 
 jected him  through  pride  of  heart,  and  carnal  views  and 
 expectations.  They  approved  not  his  appearance  and 
 pretensions.  His  views  were  upon  another  world,  theirs 
 were  upon  this ;  and  therefore  they  rejected  him  with- 
 out faithfully  examining  whether  he  were  the  Christ  or 
 not.  In  vain  did  our  blessed  Saviour  reason,  expostu- 
 late, and  appeal  to  his  ov/n  miracles,  and  their  sacred 
 writings.  They  had  made  up  their  minds ;  and  he 
 must  either  erect  a  worldly  standard,  or  he  shall  not  be 
 Christ.  Instead  of  learning  from  the  scripture  what  the 
 character  of  Mes<,iah  vv'as  to  be,  they  brought  their  own 
 erroneous  ideas  to  the  word  of  God,  and  were  deter- 
 mined it  should  speak  their  language.  '  No  evidence 
 was  sufHcicnr.     Lazarus  is  raised  from  the  dead  before 
 
 their 
 
 '  Many  a  time  has  their  conduct  herein  been  imitated  both  by  rfc- 
 ligious  communities  and  individuals.  Indeed  we  are  all  too  prone 
 to  bring  our  own  principles  to  the  bible,  rather  than  come  to  it  with 
 the  simplicity  of  little  children  to  learn  from  it  what  the  genu- 
 ine doctrines  of   Christianity  are.     We  take  for  granted  what  is  to 
 
INTRODUCTION.  .       17 
 
 their  eyes.     No ;  this  will  not  do.    Rather  than  give 
 
 C  credit 
 
 be  proved.  It  is  more  flattering  to  the  pride  of  our  hearts  to  be 
 teachers  than  learners.  And  a  kind  of  obstinacy  in  maintaining 
 preconceived  opinions,  without  due  modesty  and  examination,  is  no 
 uncommon  thing.  The  motives,  however,  may  be  very  different,  when 
 the  conduct  itself  is  equally  absurd.  Thus  the  Roman  Catholics  at 
 the  council  of  Constance  took  for  granted  John  Huss  and  Jerome 
 of  Prague  were  both  heretics.  They  were  determined  to  destroy 
 them  ;  and  the  strongest  appeals,  the  most  eloquent  oratory,*  and 
 the  most  glaring  innocence  were  of  no  avail.     They  must  die. 
 
 So  when  good  bishop  Latimer,  at  the  time  of  the  Reformation, 
 was  brought  upon  his  trial,  he  was  so  sensible  of  the  determination 
 of  his  enemies  to  destroy  him,  that  he  gave  himself  very  litde  trou- 
 ble, but  committed  his  cause  to  God.  Truth  was  not  the  thing  they 
 wanted.  He  must  submit,  or  die.  Yea,  and  if  he  had  submitted, 
 it  is  probable,  notliing  but  his  blood  could  have  satisfied  his  adver- 
 saries, as  the  excellent  Cranmer,  indeed,  experienced  in  the  following 
 year. 
 
 Voltaire  too,  actuated  by  motives  very  different,  took  for  granted, 
 without  due  examination,  the  falscliood  of  the  bible,  and  ridiculed 
 both  it,  and  every  thing  serious,  all  the  days  of  his  life. 
 
 His  more  noble  countryman,  the  amiable  author  of  Telemachus, 
 actuated  by  an  excess  of  humility,  or  some  worse  principle,  imme- 
 diately upon  the  condemnation  of  his  book,  entitled  Maxims  of 
 the  Saints,  submits  to  the  sentence,  prohibits  the  reading  of  the 
 book,  supposing  it  erroneous,  and  yet  never  offered  to  shew  where 
 the  error  lay.  The  Pope  condemned  it,  and  therefore  he  would 
 submit. 
 
 Le  Pluche,  another  French  writer,  and  author  of  Spectacle  de  la 
 Nature,  a  work  known  to  all  the  world,  was  a  believer  in  all  the 
 mysteries  of  his  church,  even  to  an  extreme ;  and  when  certain 
 freethinkers  used  to  express  their  astonishment,  that  a  man  of  Abbe 
 Le  Pluche's  force  of  understanding  could  think  so  like  the  vilgar.  he 
 used  to  say,  "  I  glory  in  this  :  it  is  more  reasonable  to  believe  the 
 *'  word  of  God,  than  to  follow  the  vain  and  uncertain  lights  of  rea- 
 **  son."  An  excellent  conclusion,  if  what  he  pretended  to  believe 
 had  been  the  word  of  God. 
 
 The  justly  celebrated  Dr.  Clarke  also,  in  his  book  on  the  Trinity, 
 takes  for  granted  what  ought  to  be  proved,  and  what  never  can  be 
 proved,  that  God  is,  strictly  speaking,  "  one  simple,  uncompounded, 
 "  undivided,  intelligent  agent,  or  person  ;  who  is  the  author  of  all 
 "  being,  and  the  fountain  of  all  power."  And,  having  thus  begged 
 the  question,  and  laid  this  pecarious  foundation,  he  proceeds  to  build 
 the  whole  superstructure  of  his  book  upon  it.  But  if  the  premises 
 be  denied,  what  becomes  of  the  conclusion  ?  Dr.  Clarke,  with  all  his 
 *  See  a  fine  example  isf  this  in  GUphi's  Lit-  ^f  Jerome  of  Prague,  p.  261. 
 
iS  INTRODUCTION. 
 
 credit  to  his  mission,  both  Lazarus  and  Christ  must  be 
 
 put 
 
 rxtraordinary  penetration,  knew  no  more  of  the  essence  of  a  God  in 
 one  person,  than  he  knew  of  the  essence  of  one  in  three.  As  to  his 
 book  on  this  subject,  it  must  be  acknowledged,  that  the  plan  is  ex- 
 cellent; but  it  is  evident  there  was  a  strong  bias  upon  his  mind. 
 Hence  he  takes  every  opportunity,  and  sometimes  very  unreasona- 
 bly, of  lowering  the  character  of  Christ,  by  giving  up  as  spurious 
 some  texts  of  scripture  which  speak  of  his  dignity,  and  refining 
 ethers,  till  their  spirit  is  evaporated  and  gone. 
 
 But  the  most  faulty  part  of  liis  book  is  that  where  he  quotes  from 
 the  Fathers.  It  is  well  known,  that  whatever  the  scripture  doctrine 
 may  be,  the  Fathers  were  pretty  unanimous  in  their  belief  of  the  di- 
 vinity of  Christ :  and  yet  Dr.  Clarke,  from  his  manner  of  quoting 
 them,  would  lead  any  person,  who  is  a  stranger  to  their  writings,  to 
 suppose  they  were  all  on  his  side  of  the  question.  This  is  not  in. 
 genuoas.  In  the  same  way  of  proceeding  one  may  prove  any  thing 
 either  from  scripture  or  the  fathers.  This  great  man  was  herein  to 
 be  blamed.  It  is  agreed  on  all  hands,  that  Christ  is  both  man,  and 
 iTiediator  between  God  and  man.  What  avails  it  therefore  to  prove 
 what  all  are  agreed  in  ?  If  we  would  say  any  thing  honestly  and  to 
 good  purpose,  either  from  the  scriptures  or  fathers,  we  should  pro- 
 duce all  their  highest  and  most  magnihcent  declarations  concerning 
 the  Son  of  God,  and  shew  how  they  can  be  made  consistent  with 
 the  lowest,  and  those  which  describe  him  as  human.  And  we  should 
 give  all  the  highest  descriptions  their  full  force  and  meaning,  as 
 well  as  the  lowest.  Every  conduct  unlike  this  is  not  fair  and  honest. 
 We  should  be  as  willing  to  do  the  Son  full  justice  as  the  Father. 
 The  Father  will  thank  no  man  for  belying  and  misrepresenting  the 
 Son.  The  Reader  will  find  a  good  account  of  Dr.  Clarke's  book  oa 
 the  Trinity  in  Bishop  Horsley's  Tracts,  page  279,  &c. 
 
 Dr.  Priestley  proceeds  in  his  controversy  on  the  Trinity  much  in 
 the  same  manner  with  Dr.  Clarke,  tho'  he  embraces  a  very  different 
 system.  He  takes  for  granted  and  lays  it  down  as  a  first  principle, 
 that  the  doctrinej  of  the  Trinity  and  Atonement  are  impossible,  and 
 such  as  no  miracles  can  prove,  and  then  he  proceeds  to  mangle  and 
 distort  the  holy  scriptures  to  make  them  speak  a  language  agreeable 
 to  the  notions  he  has  formed,  to  the  utter  subversion  of  common 
 sense,  llie  Doctor  is  certainly  a  very  laborious  and  ingenious  man, 
 and,  upon  some  subjects,  has  few  equals  :  but  ingenious  men  have 
 sometimes  strange  whims,  and  render  themselves  extremely  ridicu- 
 lous. This  is  the  case  with  the  learned  Gentleman  in  question.  Few 
 writers,  perhaps,  have  been  so  glaringly  inconsistent  with  themselves 
 as  he  has  been.  And  the  late  Mr.  Fletcher,  vicar  of  Madely,  in 
 Shropshire,  hath  set  his  inconsistencies  in  a  very  striking  point  of 
 view,  in  a  small  treatise  published  since  his  death  by  Mr.  Joseph 
 Benson,  entitled,   A  rational  Vindication  of  the    Catholic  Faith. 
 
INTRODUCTION.  19 
 
 put  to  death.     Not  so,  however,  Nicodemus,  Natha- 
 
 C  2  niel 
 
 1  will  take  the  liberty  of  extracting  what  he  hath  said  upon  this  sub- 
 ject for  the  information  and  entertainment  of  the  Reader  : — "  It  is 
 "  one  of  the  loudest  dictates  of  reason"  says  this  truly  pious  author, 
 "  that,  as  we  cannot  grasp  the  universe  with  our  hands,  so  we  can- 
 "  not  comprehend  the  Maker  of  the  universe  with  our  thoughts. 
 
 '♦  Nevertheless,  a  set  of  men,  who  make  much  ado  about  reason, 
 "  after  they  have  candidly  acknowledged  their  ignorance,  with  re- 
 *•  gard  to  the  Divine  Nature,  are  so  incoRsistent  as  to  limit  God, 
 "  and  to  insinuate  that  he  can  exist  only  according  to  their  shallow, 
 "  dark,  and  short-sighted  ideas.  Hence  it  is,  that,  if  he  speak  of 
 "  his  Essence  otherwise  than  they  have  conceived  it  to  be,  they 
 "  either  reject  his  revelation,  or  so  wrest  and  distort  it,  as  to  force  it 
 "  to  speak  their  preconceived  notions ;  in  direct  opposition  to  the 
 *'  plain  meaning  of  the  words,  to  the  general  tenor  of  the  scrip- 
 *'  tures,  to  the  consent  of  the  catholic  church  in  all  ages,  and  to 
 "  the  very  form  of  their  own  baptism. 
 
 "Is  not  the  learned  Dr.  Priestley  a  striking  instance  of  this  un- 
 "  philosophical  conduct  ?  Great  philosopher  in  natural  things,  does 
 *•  he  not  forget  himself  in  things  divine  ?  Candid  Reader,  to  your 
 *'  unprejudiced  reason  we  make  our  appeal.  With  a  wisdom  wor- 
 ••  thy  of  a  Christian  sage,  he  speaks  thus,  in  his  Disquisitions  on 
 "  Matter  and  Spirit  :  '  Of  the  sulsfance  of  the  Deity,  we  have  no 
 
 *  IDEA    AT   all;  and,  therefore,  all  that  <vje  can  concei've,  ox   tro- 
 
 *  NOUNCE,  concerning  if,  must  he  ME  kzly    hypothetical:  p. 
 
 *  109,  no. — But  has  he  behaved  consistently  with  this  reasonable 
 "  acknowledgement  ?  And  may  we  not,  upon  his  just  concession, 
 "  raise  the  following  query  ? 
 
 *'  When  a  Doctor  has  granted  that  lue  have  no  idea  at  all  of  the 
 "  Di-vinc  Substance,  Uc  is  he  not  both  inconsistent  and  unreason- 
 '*  able,  if,  so  far  from  pronouncing  hypothetically  concerning  it,  he  ab- 
 "  solutely  declares,  that  the  Divine  Substance,  of  which  he  has  mo 
 "  IDEA  AT  all,  is  incompatible  with  the  three  Divine  Subsist- 
 "  enccs,  which  the  scripture  calls  the  Father,  the  Word,  and  the  Holy 
 "  Ghost? 
 
 *'  But  Dr.  Priestley,  after  having  granted  the  former  proposition 
 "  in  his  Disquisitions,  absolutely  pronounces  the  latter  in  his  Corrup- 
 "  tions  of  Christianity.  Js  not,  therefore.  Dr.  Priestley  both  in- 
 •*  consistent  and  unreasonable  ? 
 
 *•  The  learned  Doctor,  continuing  to  speak  as  a  true  philosopher, 
 "  says,  '  We  know  there  must  be  a  first  Cause,  because  things  do 
 '  actually  exist,  and  could  never  h.nve  existed  without  a  Cause, 
 '  and  all  secondary   Causes  necessarily  lead   us  to  a  primary  one, 
 
 *  But  o/"  the  nature  of  the  existence  of  this  primary  Cause  concerning 
 
 *  nuhich  nve  KNOW  rroTHiNG  but  by  its  effects,  n/je  cannot  have 
 "  ANY   coNCEPTiOK.     Wc  ate  absolutely  confounded,  bewildered, 
 
20  INTRODUCTION. 
 
 niel,  Joseph  of  Arimathea,  and  ether  pious  Jews ;  they 
 
 were 
 
 '  and  lost,  when  we  attempt  to  speculate  concerning  it.  This 
 '  speculation  is  attended  with  insuperable  difficulties.  Every 
 '  description  of  the  Divine  Being  in  the   New   Testament  gives  us 
 
 *  an  idea  of  something  filling  and  penetrating  all  things,  and  there- 
 
 *  fore  of  ro   known     mode    of    existence.     Disquisitions,  p. 
 
 *  III,   146. 
 
 **  Upon  these  second  concessions,  we  raise  this  second  argument. 
 *'  A  Ooctor,  who  grants  that  <u;^  know  nothing  of  the  ffrst  Cause 
 "  hut  by  Its  effects,  that  <vce  hanje  no  conception  of  its  nature,  that  it 
 "  has  NO  KNOWN  MODE  of  existence,  and  that  this  speculation  is 
 *'  attended  'wtth  insuperable  difficulties — must  have  an  uncom  m  on 
 *'  share  of  assurance^  or  of  inattention,  if  he  pretend  to  argue  the 
 *'  Catholic  Church  out  of  the  belief  of  the  Trinity,  because  ive  ha-ve 
 *'  no  (char)  conception  of  its  nature,  because  iX.  has  NO  Know  a  mode 
 *'  of  existence,  and  because  (in  our  present  state)  the  speculation  of 
 *'  it  is  attended  '-with  some  insuperable  difficulties. 
 
 "  But  Dr.  Priestley  has  made  all  these  fair  concessions  in  his  Dis- 
 *'  quisitions,  and  yet  he  pretends  to  argue  us  out  of  our  faith  in  the 
 "  Trinity,  because  ive  ha've  no  clear  conception  of  its  nature,  tSc. 
 "  Hath  not,  therefore,  the  Doctor  an  uncommon  share  of  assurance, 
 "  or  of  inattention  ? 
 
 Continuing  to  speak  like  a  Christian  philosopher,  he  says,  *  In  two 
 
 *  circumstances  that  we  do  know,  and  probably   in  many  others, 
 
 *  ofnvhich  we    have    no   KNOWLEDGE  AT    ALL,   the  human  and 
 
 *  Divine   Nature,   finite  and   infinite  Intelligence,   most  essenti- 
 
 *  ALLY  differ.     The  first  is,  that  our  attention  is  necessarily  confined 
 
 *  to  one  thing,  whereas  he  who  made,  and  continually  supports  all 
 '  things,  must  equally  attend  to  all  things  at  the  same  time  ;  which 
 '  is  a  most  astoriirhii-.g,  but  necessary  attribute  of  the  one  supreme 
 '  God,  of  which  we  can  form  no  conception,  and  consequently, 
 
 *  in  ihis  respect,    no  finite  7)iitid  can  be  compared  ^jjith  the  Divine, 
 
 *  Again,  the  Deity  not  only  attends  to  every  thing,  but  must  be  ca- 
 
 *  pable  of  either  producing  or  annihilating   any    thing  :  so  that,  in 
 
 *  this  respect  also,  the  Di^vine  Nature  must  ie  zsset^t  i  ally  DIF- 
 
 *  FERE  NT  from  ours  :  p.  106. — There  is,  therefore,  upon  the  whole, 
 '  manifold  reason  to   conclude,    that  the  Dinjine  Nature  or  Essence, 
 
 *  besides  being  simply  unknown   to  us,  has  properties  most  esse- 
 
 *  NTIALLY  DIFFERENT  from  euery  thing  else.  p.    107. — God    is, 
 
 *  and   every  must  remain,  the    Incomprkhensi  ble.'    p.   ig8. 
 "  Upon  this  set  of  unavoidable  concessions,   made  by  Dr.  P.  we 
 
 '*  raise  this  third  argument.  A  philosopher  who  grants  that  God 
 *'  is  the  Incomprehensible — iha.t  the  human  and  Di'vine  Nature 
 "  (of  consequence  human  and  Divine  Personality)  tnost  essentially 
 "'  differ — and  that  the  Di'vins  Essence  has  properties  most  essentially 
 "  different  from  e'very  thing  else :  A   Philosopher,   I  say,  who   pub« 
 
INTRODUCTION.  21 
 
 were  sincere,   upright,  humble  men  -,  they  patiently  ex- 
 amined 
 
 **  licly  grants  this,  must  be  one  of  the  most  pr^'judiced  of  all  men, 
 *'  if  he  rejects  the  sacred  Trinity,  into  whose  name  he  was  bap- 
 "  tized,  because  the  Trinity  is  in  some  sense  incomprehensible,  and 
 "  because  he  insists  that  three  Dinjine  Persons  must  bt-  divided  and 
 "  separated  Wke  three  human  persons;  just  as  if  he  did  not  himself 
 "  maintain,  that  the  Divine  Essence,  or  Personality,  hath  prcpirties 
 "  most  essentially  different  from  men,  angels,  and  e'very  thing  else. 
 
 *•  We  shall  produce  but  one  more  set  of  the  pl.ilosophical  conces- 
 •*   sions,  of  which  Dr.   P.  loses  sight  in  his  theological  works. 
 
 *  In  the   first  place,'   says  he,  'it  must  be  confessed,  with  awful 
 
 *  reverence,   that    we    know  but  little  of  ourselves,   and   therefore 
 
 *  MUCH  LESS  of  our  Maker,   even   with  respect  to  his  attributes. 
 
 *  We  know  but  little  of  the  ivorks  of  God,  and  therefore  certainly 
 
 *  MUCH  LESS  of  ln\s  Essence.     In  fact,  we  have  no  proper  idea 
 
 *  of  any  essence  whatever.     It  will  hardly  be  pretended  that  we  have 
 
 *  ANY  PROPER  IDEA  of  the  substance  even  of  matter,  considered 
 
 *  as  divested  of  all  its  properties.' — Disquisitions,  p.    IC3,   104. 
 
 "  From  these  last  concessions,  and  from  the  tenor  of  Dr.  P. 
 *•  Corruptions,  it  appears,  that  men,  who  confess  they  kno^v  little  of 
 "  God's  auor is,  and  less  of  his  Essence  ',  and  who  have  not  e'ven  any 
 "  proper  idea  of  the  essence  of  a  straw,  pretend,  nevertheless,  to 
 "  KNOW  CLEARLY  what  is  inconsistent  with  the  Divine  Essence; 
 "  insomuch,  that  setting  up  as  reformers  of  the  three  creeds,  they 
 *♦  try  to  turn  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  out  of  the  church,  and  the 
 "  Lamb  of  God  out  of  his  divine  and  everlasting  throne. 
 
 "  Now  is  not  this  as  absurd,  as  if  they  said  to  the  Catholics, 
 *'  We  have  indeed  been  all  baptized  in  the  name  of  the  God  of  the 
 "^  Christians,  x.\\Vi\.h,  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Sen,  and 
 "  of  the  Holy  Ghost : — but  we  new  Gnostics,  we  modern  Reformers, 
 "  lAjho  knoiu  nothing  of  ihe  Father's  essence,  or  even  of  the  essence 
 *'  of  an  insect — -xue  ire  nevertheless  so  perfectly  acquainted  with 
 *'  the  Divine  Essence,  as  to  decide,  that  it  is  absolutely  inconsistent 
 "  with  the  nature  of  the  Father,  to  have  a  li'ving  IVcrd,  or  z  proper 
 **  Son,  and  a  rational  Spirit  ;  and,  therefore,  reforming  our  God 
 "  himself,  we  strike  the  Word  and  the  Holy  Ghost  out  ef  the  number 
 •'  of  the  Divine  Persons,  whom  at  cur  baptism  we  vowed  to  serve 
 "  jointly  forever. 
 
 "  O  ye  Philosophers  of  the  age,  can  men  of  sense  admire  your 
 "  philosophy,  any  more  than  men  of  fn'nh.  admire  your  orthodoxy  ? 
 "  May  we  not  hope,  that,  when  the  blunder:  of  your  Logic  are 
 "  brought  to  light,  they  will  be  a  proper  antidote  for  the  poison  ol 
 **  your  errors  :  And  will  your  admirers  be  still  so  inattentive,  as  not  tr. 
 "  see,  that  your  capital  objections  against  the  Trinity  are  sufficiently 
 **  answered  by  applying  to  them  the  short  reply  you  make  on  ano'- 
 **  ther  occasion.  This  is  an  argument  vjhich  deri-ves  all  its  force  frsn: 
 "    OUR   IGNORANCE?" 
 
22  INTRODUCTION. 
 
 amined  into  the  nature  of  his  doctrine  and  pretensions ; 
 and  they  saw  and  believed.  All  the  rest  of  the  nation, 
 with  a  few  other  exceptions,  God  gave  up  to  judicial 
 blindness  and  hardness  of  iieart,  TJie  consequence  was, 
 they  rejected  him  who  alone  was  able  to  save  them. 
 They  imprecated  his  blood  upon  their  own  guilty  and 
 ill-judging  heads;  and  they  died  in  their  sins,  under 
 every  possible  mark  of  the  divine  dihpleasure. ' 
 
 In  like  manner,  we  may  have   abundant  evidence,  in 
 the  word  of  God,  concerning  the  unity  of  nature  and 
 plurality  of  persons  in  the  Godhead,  *  and  yet  through 
 inattention,  pride  of  understanding, '  afiectation  of  sin- 
 gularity, 
 
 ^  For  a  fuller  illustration  of  this  subject  I  would  recommend  the 
 Reader  to  consult  Jones  on  the  Trinity,  preface,  p.  21 — 31. 
 
 *  The  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  i?  "  an  imperfect  discovery,  not  a 
 '"  contradiction."     See  Horsley's  Tracts,  p.  70. 
 
 5>  There  is  a  little  pamphlet,  said  to  be  written  by  the  Revd.  Mr. 
 Jones,  author  of  the  Catholic  Doctrine  of  a  Trinity,  entitled,  A 
 Preservative  against  the  Publications  dispersed  by  modern  So- 
 cinians,  which  I  could  wish  to  be  in  the  hands  of  every  person 
 whose  mind  is  conversant  in  these  speculations.  The  price  is  only 
 three  pence,  and  the  book  m.ay  be  got  from  London  by  any  of  the 
 booksellers.  I  don't  know  that  every  position  in  the  book  is  strictly 
 defensible;  but  upon  the  whole,  I  think,  it  is  v/ell  suited  to  counter- 
 act the  ill  tendency  of  those  writings  it  is  designed  to  oppose.  Dr. 
 Priestley  has  animadverted  upon  one  or  two  passages  in  this  little 
 work,  and  shewn  the  rashness  of  an  assertion,  and  the  weakness  of 
 the  reasoning  in  those  paragraphs.  And  in  my  judgement  the 
 Doctor  has  very  justly  reproved  the  author  in  those  particular  instan- 
 ces. But  then  it  docs  net  follow,  that  because  he  has  given  a  very 
 fair  answer  to  one  or  two  of  the  weakest  arguments  in  a  book,  that 
 he  has  given  a  satisfactory  reply  to  the  more  substantial  and  impor- 
 tant parts.  In  like  manner,  the  Doctor  has  answered  the  same  Mr. 
 Jones's  Catholic  Doctrine  of  the  Trinity.  He  has  given  us  some 
 strictures  upon  a  few  of  the  looser  and  more  feeble  conclusions  of  the 
 book,  and  then  he  would  make  the  inattentive  reader  believe  he  has 
 subverted  the  whole.  This  is  a  very  unfair  mode  of  proceeding. 
 A  generous  adversary  would  attack  a  few,  at  least,  of  the  strongest 
 positions  of  his.  antagonist,  and  leave  the  other  to  fall  by  their  own 
 weight.  But  this  is  too  much  to  be  expected  from  polemics.  Dr. 
 Randolph  complains  of  the  same  unfair  dealing  in  Mr.  Lindsey. 
 "   It  is  a  common  artifice  of  our  author,"  says  he,  "  when  he  meets 
 
INTRODUCTION.  23 
 
 gularky,  and  their  dreadful  consequerxce,  judicial  blind- 
 hess,  we  may  reject  the  evidence,  despise,  ridicule  *  and 
 sneer  at  the  doctrine,  and  die  in  our  sins.  We  should, 
 therefore,  be  very  serious  and  earnest  in  our  inquiries, 
 and  betake  ourselves  to  the  word  of  God  with  humility 
 and  pious  zeal.  *  We  should  lift  up  our  hearts  to  the  foun- 
 tain of  light  for  that  wisdom  which  is  profitable  to  di- 
 rect. And  we  should  not  only  be  careful  to  learn  the 
 will  of  God,  but,  when  we  have  learnt  it,  faithfully  and 
 honestly  practise  it :  so  may  we  expect,  according  to 
 a  variety  of  scripture  declarations,  to  be  led  into  all  sav- 
 ing truth. 
 
 Some  modern  authors,  of  considerable  name,  have 
 attempted  to  prove,  that  all  the  scripture  requires  in 
 order  to  our  acceptance  with  God,  is,  to  believe  that 
 Jesus  is  the  MefTiah,  and  to  obey  his  moral  precepts : ' 
 
 But 
 
 •*  with  what  he  thinks  a  weak  argument  in  an  orthodox  writer,  to  lajr 
 "  hold  of  that,  and  pass  by  all  the  rest."     Vindication,  p.  5. 
 
 In  the  same  mode  of  proceeding,  it  is  a  very  easy  matter  to  an- 
 swer the  most  conclusive  book  that  ever  was  written. 
 
 **  *  Obloquy  and  ridicule  seem  to  be  the  trials  which  God  hath  ap- 
 *'  pointed,  instead  of  persecution,  in  the  present  age,  to  prove  the 
 **  sincerity  and  patience  of  the  faithful.  The  advocate  of  that 
 "  sound  form  of  words,  which  was  originally  delivered  to  the  saints, 
 **  hath  to  expect  that  his  opinions  will  be  the  open  jest  of  the  Uni- 
 "  tarian  party  :  that  his  sincerity  will  be  called  in  question  ;  or  if  u 
 "  bare  possibility  of  his  being  in  earnest  be  charitably  admitted,  the 
 **  misfortune  of  his  education  will  be  lamented,  and  his  prejudices 
 "deplored.  All  this  insult  will  not  alarm  nor  discompose  him.. 
 **  He  will  rather  glory  in  the  recoIL-ccion,  that  his  adherence  to  the 
 '*  faith  of  the  first  ages  iia:h  provoked  it.  The  conviction,  which 
 ••  he  will  all  the  while  enjoy,  that  his  philosophy  is  Plato's,  and  hii 
 *'  creed  St.  John's,  will  alleviate  the  mortification  he  might  other- 
 **  wise  feel  in  differing  fr0;Ti  Dr.  Priestley  ;  nor  sufFi;r  him  to  think 
 **  the  evil  insupportable,  altnough  the  consequence  of  this  dissent 
 •*  should  be,  that  he  must  share  with  the  excellent  Bishop  of  Wor- 
 **  cester,  in  Dr.  Priestley's  pity  and  indignation." 
 
 Bishop  Horsley's  Tracts,  p.  72. 
 
 *  "  I  gratefully  receive,  and  rejoice  in  the  light*  of  Revelation, 
 "  which  sets  me  at  rest  in  many  things,  the  manner  whereof  my  poor 
 <*  reason  can  by  no  means  make  out  to  me."     Lock. 
 
 2  Sec  Priestley':  Imnoitance  of  Free  Inquiry,  patiim. 
 
24  INTRODUCTION. 
 
 But  there  appears  to  be  dangerous  fallacy  in  their  rea- 
 soning. For,  to  believe  this  single  proposition,  that 
 Jesus  is  the  Messiah,  implies  a  belief  also  of  all  that 
 Jcsiis  and  his  Apostles  both  did  and  taught.  And  we 
 can  no  more  with  safety  reject  their  doctrines  than  their 
 mission.  From  the  truth  of  their  mission  we  must 
 infer  the  truth  of  what  they  taught.  And  professed- 
 ly to  reject  any  part  of  the  latter,  is,  virtually  to  reject 
 the  former. 
 
 Now,  it  is  certain,  that,  if  we  credit  the  wridngs  of 
 the  Apostles,  we  must  suppose  there  are  several  opini- 
 ons destructive,  as  well  as  absolute  infidelity.  And, 
 moreover,  it  very  frequently  happens,  that  erroneous 
 principles  beget  erroneous  practices.  Impure  fountains 
 cannot  send  forth  pellucid  streams.  From  the  very  in- 
 iancy  of  Christianity  this  observation  was  strongly  ex- 
 emplified in  the  various  errors  that  arose  among  those 
 who  were  professed  believers  in  Christ  Jesus.  He  was 
 aware  of  the  growth  of  noxious  weeds,  and  cautioned 
 his  followers  against  them.  Beware  of  false  prophets^ 
 said  he,  which  come  to  you  in  sheep:>  clothings  but  inwardly 
 they  are  ravening  wolves.  Ye  shall  know  them  by  their 
 fruits.  The  Apostles  likewise  frequently  do  the  same. 
 And,  according  to  their  predictions,  whole  shoals  of 
 erroneous  opinions  broke  in  upon  the  church,  even  in 
 its  earliest  days.  "  Simon  Magus,  the  first  author  of 
 *'  all  heresy,  fell  from  the  christian  faith  almost  as  soon 
 "  as  he  had  embraced  it.  Hymeneus  and  Phileius  de- 
 **  nied  the  resurrecdon.  *  Others,  v/hom  the  Apostles 
 ''  have  not  pointed  out  by  name  in.  the  sacred  writings, 
 "  m.aintained  the  necessity  of  circumcision,  and  of  ob- 
 serving 
 
 Dr.  Fiddes  very  justly  observes,  that  "  an  assent  to  that  one  ar- 
 "  tide  (namely  that  Jesus  Christ  was  the  promised  Messiah)  was,  in 
 "  efFect,  and  implicitly,  an  assent  to  all  which  that  article  contained; 
 "  the  whole  Christian  religion." 
 
 Body  of  Divinity,  vol.  i.  page  407. 
 
 •*  "  The  resurrection  of  the  body  is  what  no  force  of  human  wis- 
 "  doxn  could  have  discovered  ;  yet  reason  tells  us  it  is  possible,  and 
 
INTRODUCTION.  25 
 
 "  serving  the  law  of  Moses.  Ochers  maintained  that 
 "  Jesus  Christ  had  not  con:ie  in  the  flesh ;  that  is,  had 
 "  not  assumed  a  real  body  and  soul.  Ochers  denied  Jesus 
 "  to  be  the  Christ,  or  the  begotten  Son  of  God ;  say- 
 "  ing  that  Jesus  was  a  mere  man,  on  whom  the  Christ 
 *•  descended  when  he  was  baptized  by  John  in  the  river 
 "  Jordan.  All  these,  and  their  doctrines,  are  spoken  of^ 
 "  and  reprobated  by  the  Apostles  in  difl:erent  places  of 
 "  the  New  Testament ;  some  are  declared  to  be  ac- 
 "  cursed ;  others  are  called  seducers  and  antichrists  ; 
 "  and  of  all  of  them  in  general,  and  particularly  of  the 
 "  professors  of  the  two  latter  heresies,  St.  John  says, 
 "  'They  went  out  from  us,  but  they  ivere  not  of  us ;  for  if 
 "  they  had  been  of  us,  they  would  no  doubt  have  continued 
 "  with  us :  but  they  went  out,  that  they  might  bs  made 
 "  manifest  that  they  were  not  all  of  us.  *  "  i  Ep.  2.  19. 
 Hence,  I  think,  it  appears  as  clear  as  any  proposition  in 
 Euclid,  that  some  doctrines  are  fundamental,  as  well  as 
 certain  practices,  and  that  the  belief  of  them  is  as  ne- 
 cessary to  salvation,  as  obedience  to  the  moral  precepts 
 of  the  gospel.  Indeed,  'without  true  faith  there  can  be 
 no  legitimate  practice,  any  more  than  an  effect  without 
 a  cause,  e 
 
 D  One 
 
 "  wuHin  the  power  of  God  to  efFect  it ;  therefore  the  understanding 
 
 **  may  fuDy  assent  to  it,  without  knowing  the  bounds  of  Omnipo- 
 
 **  tence,  or  in  what  manner  he  will  accomplish  and  bring  it  to  pass.'* 
 
 Ellis's  Knowledge  of  Divine  Things,  p.   25 1. 
 
 5  See  the  Revd.  James  Barnard's  Letters  to  Dr.  Priestley,  pre- 
 face, page  I  and  2. 
 
 *  Irenaeus  was  a  learned  and  pious  bishop  in  the  second  century, 
 and  wrote  five  books  upon  the  heresies  which  had  prevailed  from  the 
 origin  of  Christianity  to  his  own  times.  I  have  often  thought,  that 
 we  should  be  extremely  careful  how  we  admit  or  deny  any  religious 
 principles  which  he  receives  not  or  admits.  Now,  it  is  very  certain, 
 that  he  ranks  the  Ebionites  among  the  heretics  of  former  times,  and 
 therefore,  were  he  living  now,  he  would  consider  the  Socinians  in  the 
 same  light;  for  they  are  in  the  present  day,  what  the  Ebionites 
 were  of  old.  Dr.  Priestley,  indeed,  gets  over  this  difficulty  with  the 
 greatest  ease  imaginable,  as  he  does  over  every  other.  Difficul- 
 ics   insuperable  to  others  are   none  to  him.     Mountains  shall   be 
 
26  INTRODUCTION. 
 
 One  great  ob'ecrion  which  I   have  long  had  to  the 
 principles  of  our  modern  Socirjans, '  is,  that  they  mar- 
 vellously 
 
 plains,  or  plains  shall  be  mountains,  as  suits  his  convenience.  Facts, 
 however,  are  stubborn  things  And  if  Irenaeus  does  really  rank  the 
 Ebio!  ites  in  his  cata](-gue  of  heretics,  Dr.  Priestley's  denying  it,  or 
 settir.g  light  by  his  judgment,  will  be  of  little  avail.  Let  the  Reader 
 then  judge  wh:it  the  good  o!d  Bishop  and  glorious  Martyr's  opinion 
 was,  from  the  extracts  he  will  find  out  of  his  writings  in  a  subsequent 
 part  of  this  work. 
 
 '  The  Socirians  frequently  make  their  boast  of  Dr.  Clarke,  as 
 though  he  were  a  favourer  of  their  scheme  ;  whereas  it  is  well 
 known,  that  he  was  no  friend  to  their  degrading  doctrines.  He  held 
 both  the  reality  of  the  Trinitv  and  the  Atonement,  though  not  ex- 
 actly in  the  orthodox  sense.  And  speaking  of  our  modern  Ebionites 
 he  says  : — "The  Socinian  writers  have  'very  unreasonably  presumed  to 
 *'  collf  ct,  that  our  Saviour  was  no  greater  a  person  than  a  mere 
 "  man  born  of  the  virgin  Mary  without  any  former  existence,  and 
 *'  exalted  bv  the  power  of  God  to  this  state  of  dignity  in  heaven. 
 *'  But  this  their  inference,  I  say,  is  t'ery  unreasonable ;  for  though 
 **  the  derivati  n  of  our  Lord's  power  from  the  Father,  must  and 
 "  ought  to  be  acknowledged  ;  that  all  men's  confessing  Jesus  to  be 
 **  Lord  may  be  to  the  glory  of  God  the  Father  ;  yet  from  those  other 
 "  texts  of  scripture,  wherein  it  is  affirmed,  that^  Christ  God  created 
 *'  all  things  ;  that  he  was  in  the  form  of  God,  before  he  appeared  in 
 **  t  hi  form  of  a  ser'vant ;  that  he  luas  'with  God,  and  had  glory  'with 
 *'  God  bifore  the  'world  'was ;  from  these  texts,  I  say,  it  undeniably 
 *'  appears,  that  our  Lord's  having  all  power  given  him  both  in  hea- 
 "  ven  and  earth,  cannot  signify  the  original  exaltation  of  one  who 
 *'  had  no  being  before  he  was  born  of  the  Virgin  ;  but  the  exaltation 
 *'  of  him  into  the  form  of  God,  who  voluntarily  emptied  himself  of 
 *'  that  glory  he  had  before,  and  with  unparalleled  humility  took 
 *'  upon  himself  the  form  of  a  servant,  and  suffered  in  that  form  for 
 *'  our  sakcs,  and  therefore  was  'worthy  to  recei-ve  ponver  and  riches 
 *'  and  'wisdom  and  strength  and  honour  and  glory  and  blessingy  because 
 •*  he  'was  slain,  and  redeemed  us  to  God  by  his  o^-n  blood,  out  of  e'very 
 *'  tongue  and  kindred  and  people  and  nation.* 
 
 Grotlus  too  is  frequently  mentioned  as  a  great  champion  for  the 
 Socinian  cause  ;  but  without  any  just  reason  :  for  both  in  his  Cate- 
 chism and  Poems,  as  well  as  in  his  Comment  on  the  first  chap- 
 ter of  St.  John,  he  declares  his  faith  in  the  Holy  Trinity,  in  as 
 ample  a  manner  as  any  man  can  reasonably  desire.  Let  the  Reader 
 consult  his  own  writings,  especially  the  three  places  just  mentioned, 
 and  Stillingflcet  on  the  Trinity  pages  157 — 14.3,  where  he  is  suffici- 
 ently vindicated  from  the  charge  of  Socinianism. 
 
 Sir  Isaac  Newton  is  likewise  oftentimes  named  as  a  favourer  of 
 *  RcT.  5.  9,  12.  Clarke's  Sermon":,  vol,  6.  p.  59. 
 
INTRODUCTION,  1^ 
 
 vellously  debase  the  Christian  scheme.  ^  The  salvation 
 of  man  is  constantly  represented  in  holy  scripture  as 
 something  extremely  important,  and  the  means  tor  pro- 
 curing that  salvation  as  being  equally  bO.  All  the  Pncri- 
 archs  and  Prophets,  with  the  whole  Jewish  ueconomy  of 
 types  and  shadows  were  preparatory  to  the  Messiah's 
 advents  and  all  the  angels  in  heaven  administered 
 to  the  great  design,  lost  in  astonishment  at  tiie  Di- 
 vine proceedings.  This  apparatus  appears  to  me  by 
 far  too  splendid  and  magnificent,  if  our  blessed  Saviour 
 
 D.2  Were 
 
 the  same  scheme  ;  for  no  other  reason,  I  suppose,  but  because  he 
 wrote  against  the  authenticity  of  the  famous, verse  in  the  first  Epistle 
 of  St.  John.  We  are  informed,  however,  in  the  Critical  Kevicn  for 
 September  1790,  on  the  Religious  Sentiments  ot  Liymen,  that 
 •'  the  Arians  and  Socinians  have  each  claimed  Sir  Isaac  as  their 
 *•  own  ;  but  Whiston  has  told  us,"  continues  the  Reviewer,  "  that 
 *'  Sir  Isaac  was  irreconcilably  angry  with  him  because  ne  said  that 
 *•  he  was  an  Arian." 
 
 Mr.  Whitaker  in  his  Origin  of  Arianism  controverts  this  opinion. 
 Seep.  458.  See  also  Historical  Memoirs  of  Religious  Dissenbion, 
 p.  34,. — The  same  Mr.  Whitaker  attempts  to  prove  tnat  the  above 
 Dr.  Samuel  Clarke  died  in  the  sound  and  orthodox  faith,  p.  456 — 
 
 47°-.  .  .      , 
 
 Milton,  Watts,  and  Lock  have  sometimes  been  claimed  a$  patrons 
 
 of  Socinianism  ;  but  without  any  just  foundation,    indeed,  ttiose  who 
 
 can  rank  St.  John  and  St.  Paul  in   that  degrading  list,  will   have 
 
 little  difficulty  in  claiming  any  other  writers  whom  they   may  tniik 
 
 an  honour  to  their  opinions.     For  a  vindication  of  Miuo.i  from  tne 
 
 charge  of  Socinianism,  see   Burgh's    Sequel,    p.  262  —  266    i'or  a 
 
 vindication  of  Watts,  see  the  Revd.   Samuel   Palmer's  account  of  his 
 
 Jast  sentiments  on  the  Trinity  in  Dr.  Johnson's  Life  of  Watts,  with 
 
 Notes,  p.  42 — 112.   And  for  a   vindication  of   Lock,  see  his  own 
 
 Second  Vindication  of  the  Reasonableness  of  dnstianity,  p.  6t)8, 
 
 where  he  tells  us,  "  that  it  is  very  hard  for  a  Lnristian,   who  reads 
 
 *'  the  scripture  with  attention,  and  an  unprejudiced  mind,  to  deny 
 
 **  the  satisfaction  of  Christ ;"  a  position    utterly   inconsistent  with 
 
 every  idea  of  Socinianism. 
 
 "  •*  Socinianism  cuts  to  the  very  root  of  all  that  is  distinguishing  in 
 
 "  the  gospel.     It  destroys  the  necessity,  and  even   the  importance 
 
 "  of  a  miraculous  interposition,  and  gives  the  infidel  too  great  rea- 
 
 *'  son  to  exclaim,  that  all  that  was  extraordinary    was  superfluous  ; 
 
 **  and  that  the  apparatus  was  too  expensive  and  too  splendid  for  the 
 
 "  purposes  to  which  it  was  applied."     Professor  White's  Notes  to 
 
 his  excellent  Sermons,  p.  68. 
 
28  INTRODUCTION. 
 
 were  nothing  naore  than  a  mere  man. '  All  the  infinite 
 
 glory 
 
 ^  Dr.  Clarke  has  given  us  the  following  compendious  view  of  the 
 Son,  Holy  Ghost,  and  blessed  Trinity.  How  utterly  inconsistent  it 
 is  with  every  idea  of  Socinianism  the  Reader  will  easily  judge, 
 
 I.     OF  THE  SON, 
 
 **  He  knows  men's  thoughts. 
 
 •*  He  knows  things  distant. 
 
 "  He  knows  all  things. 
 
 *•  He  is  the  judge  of  all. 
 
 **  It  would  have  been  a  condescension  in  him  to  take  upon  him 
 
 "  the  nature  of  angels. 
 "  He  knows  the  Father,  even  as  he  is  known  of  the  Father. 
 "  He  so  reveals  the  Father,  as  that  he  who  knows  him,  knowi 
 
 "  the  Father. 
 "  He  takes  away  the  sin  of  theyivorld. 
 *'  He  forgave  sins,  and  called  God  his  ovm  Father. 
 **  All  things  are  his. 
 *'  He  is  Lord  of  all. 
 **  He  is  Lord  of  glory. 
 ^    "  He  appeared  of  old  in  the  person  of  the  Father. 
 *'  He  is  greater  than  the  temple. 
 **  He  is  the  same  forever. 
 *'  He  hath  the  keys  of  hell  and  of  death. 
 *'  He  hath  the  seven  spirits  of  God. 
 **  He  is  the  alpha  and  omega,  the  beginning  and  the  end, 
 **  He  is  the  prince  of  life. 
 *'  He  and  his  Father  are  one. 
 *'  He  is  in  the  Father  and  the  Father  in  him." 
 **  He  is  the  power  and  wisdom  of  God. 
 *'  He  is  holy  and  true. 
 
 *'  He  is  in  the  midst  of  them  who  meet  in  his  name. 
 *'  He  will  be  with  them  always,  even  unto  the  end.  ". 
 
 *'  He  will  work  with  them  and  assist  them. 
 **  He  will  give  them  a  mouth  and  wisdom. 
 *'  He  will  give  them  what  they  ask  in  his  name, 
 *'  He  hath  life  In  himself. 
 *'  He  hath  power  to  raise  up  himself. 
 **  He  will  raise  up  his  disciples. 
 
 **  He  works  as  the  Father  works,  and  does  all  as  he  doth, 
 *♦  He  has  all  power  in  heaven  and  in  earth. 
 <*  He  is  above  ^11. 
 
 "  He  sits  on  the  throne,  and  at  the  right  hand  of  God. 
 *'  He  was  before  Abraham. 
 *'  He  was  in  the  beginning  with  God, 
 ♦'  He  had  glory  with  God  before  the  world  was. 
 ♦'  He  was  in  the  form  of  God. 
 
INTRODUCTION.  29 
 
 glory  of  the  gospel  scheme  vanishes ;  the  scriptures, 
 which  I  used  to  consider  as  the  word  of  God,  and  re- 
 plete with  wisdon)  wortliy  of  their   Author,  lose  their 
 
 majesty, 
 
 *'  He  came  down  from  heaven,  and  is  in  heaven. 
 
 *'  He  is  the  head  under  whom  all  things  are  reconciled  to  God. 
 
 *'  In  him  dwelleth  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead. 
 
 **  He  is  the  image  of  God. 
 
 *'  He  is  in  the  bosom  of  the  Father. 
 
 **  His  generation  none  can  decla.'e. 
 
 *•  He  is  the  word  of  God. 
 
 *'  He  is  the  Son  of  God. 
 
 "  He  is  the  only-begotten  Son  of  God. 
 
 *•  He  is  the  first-born  of  every  creature. 
 
 "  Other  scriptures  speak  thus : — 
 *'  The  kingdom  of  Christ  and  of  God. 
 '^  The  throne  of  God  and  of  the  Lamb. 
 "  The  wrath  of  God  and  of  the  Lamb. 
 *'  The  first-fruits  to  God  and  to  the  Lamb. 
 "  God  and  the  Lamb  the  light  of  the  new  Jerusalem. 
 **  God  and  the  Lamb  the  temple  of  it.-j- 
 
 IL    OF  THE  HOLY  SPIRIT. 
 
 *•■  He  is  the  immediate  author  and  worker  of  all  miracles. 
 
 **  He  is  the  conducter  of  Christ  in  all   the  actions  of  his  life 
 
 "  here  upon  earth. 
 "  He  is  the  inspirer  of  the  prophets  and  apostles. 
 "  He  is  the  sanctifier  of  all  hearts,  and  the  supporter  and  com- 
 
 "  forter  of  Christians  under  all  their  difficulties. 
 "  Blasphemy  against  him  is  unpardonable. 
 *'  He  is  eternal. 
 
 "  He  is  the  power  of  the  Highest. 
 "  He  is  the  Spirit  of  truth  which  proceedeth  from  the  Father, 
 
 "  and  which  the  world  cannot  receive. 
 *'  To  lie  unto'him  is  the  same  as  to  lie  unto  God. 
 "■  To  resist  him  is  the  same  as  to  resist  God. 
 *♦  He  gave  injunctions  to  the  church. 
 *'  He  is  the  Spirit  of  glory  and  of  God. 
 ••  He  knows  the  mind  of  God,  as  perfectly  as  a  man  knows  his 
 
 "  own  mind. 
 *•  Men's  bodies  by  being  temples  of  the  Spirit  are  temples  of 
 
 "  God. 
 
 +  Let  the  Reader  compare  the  above  characters  of  our  blessed  Saviour  with  that 
 curious  declaration  of  Dr.  Priestley,  where  he  says,  "  As  to  the  Divinity  of  Christ, 
 '*  an  ingenious  man  would  easily  find  as  many  plausible  arguments  for  the  divinity 
 "-  of  Moses,"  and  then  judge  how  little  dependence  is  to  be  placed  oa  the  i-oi.u- 
 jcnt  assertions  cf  this  over-zealous  asd  uii^guiied  mau. 
 
3« 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 majesty,  and  seem  calculated  rather  to  mislead  than  in- 
 form.    I  conclude,  therefore,  that  the  principles  of  So- 
 
 cinus 
 
 He  is  the  author  of  liberty  and  knowledge. 
 
 He  reveals  things  which  even  the  angels  desire  to  look  into. 
 
 He  raiseth  the  dead. 
 
 We  are  to  baptize  in  his  name. 
 
 To  wish  grace  and  peace  and  blessing  frcm  him. 
 
 To  appeal  to  him  as  witness  in  solemn  affirmations. 
 
 To  take  heed  not  to  resist  him. 
 
 "  not  to  do  despite  to  him. 
 
 "  not  to  tempt  him. 
 
 '  **  not  to  grieve  him. 
 
 ««  Once. 
 
 «< 
 
 Once. 
 
 <c 
 
 Once. 
 
 « 
 
 Once. 
 
 te 
 
 Twice. 
 
 «c 
 
 Twice. 
 
 « 
 
 Once. 
 
 « 
 
 Once. 
 
 *e 
 
 Once. 
 
 «( 
 
 Once. 
 
 <( 
 
 Once. 
 
 << 
 
 Once. 
 
 *f 
 
 Once. 
 
 *f 
 
 Four  times. 
 
 <( 
 
 Once. 
 
 ft 
 
 Five  times. 
 
 *i 
 
 Once. 
 
 «t 
 
 Once. 
 
 << 
 
 Five  times. 
 
 « 
 
 Four  times 
 
 « 
 
 Five  times. 
 
 *r 
 
 Four  times, 
 
 *{ 
 
 Twice, 
 
 *( 
 
 Once. 
 
 « 
 
 Once. 
 
 III.    THE  HOLY  TRINITY. 
 
 The  three  persons  are  stiled. 
 
 He  nvhich  is  and'wkicb  •-in as,  and  'which  is  to  come  :  the 
 **  se'vcn  Spirits  nukick  are  hefhre  his  throne  :  and 
 "  Jesus  Christ,  tiji faithful nxitness. 
 
 The  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost. 
 
 The  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Spirit. 
 
 The  Father,  the  Word,  and  the  Holy  Ghost. 
 
 The  Father,  Jesus,  the  Spirit. 
 
 The  Father,  Jesus,  the  Holy  Ghost. 
 
 The  Father,  Christ,  the  Spirit, 
 
 The  Father,  Jesus  Christ,  the  Spirit. 
 
 The  Father,  the  Lord,  tiie  Spirit. 
 
 God  the  Father,  Jesus  Christ,  the  Spirit. 
 
 He  that  raised  up  Jesus  from  the  dead,  Jesus,  the 
 Spirit. 
 
 The  living  God,  Christ,  the  Spirit. 
 
 The  living  God,  Christ,  the  eternal  Spirit. 
 
 God,  Jesus,  the  Sfiirit. 
 
 God,  the  Son  of  God,  the  Holy  Ghost. 
 
 God,  Jesus,  the  Holy  Ghost. 
 
 God,  Jesus  Christ  the  Son  of  God,  the  Spirit  of  ho- 
 liness. 
 
 God,  Christ,  the  Holy  Ghost. 
 
 God,  Christ,  the  Spirit. 
 
 God,  Jesus  Christ,  the  Holy  Ghost. 
 
 God,  Jesus  Christ,  the  Spirit. 
 
 God,  the  Lord,  the  Spirit. 
 
 God,  his  Son,  the  Spirit. 
 
 God,  the  Lord,  the  Holy  Ghost. 
 
 God,  Christ,  the  eternal  Spirit." 
 
 Scripture  Doctrine  of  the  Trinity,  passim. 
 
INTRODUCTION.  31 
 
 clnus  and  his  followers  are  false  and  dangerous,  and 
 highly  unworthy  the  espousal  of  men,  who  are  concern- 
 ed for  the  honour  of  God,  and  the  advancement  of  true 
 religion.  * 
 
 But  the  grand  objection  to  the  doctrine  of  the  Holy 
 and  Undivided  Trinity,  is,  the  seeming  absurdity  and 
 contradiction  of  the  thing,  that  three  shall  be  one,  and 
 one  three.  Now 
 
 *  "  All  the  mysteries  of  the  New  Testament  are  pure  and  noble, 
 *'  august  and  becoming  the  majesty  of  the  God  of  gods.  The  ve- 
 '•  nerab'e  mysteries  of  the  incarnation,  the  sacred  Trinity,  the  resur- 
 "  rection  and  glorification  of  human  bodies,  are  not  vain  speculations 
 '*  to  amuse  the  fancy  ;  but  are  the  essential  doctrines  and  fundamen- 
 "  tals  of  the  purest  religion  in  the  world  ;  that  are  graciously  de- 
 "  signed  and  directly  tend  to  improve  the  understanding,  and  rectify 
 *'  the  will,  to  raise  gratitude,  and  all  duty  and  devout  affections  to 
 **  God.  They  have  a  certain  and  full  influence  on  the  present  and 
 *'  future  happiness  of  mankind.  It  is  observable  that  in  the  Epistles 
 "  that  treat  most  fully  a'd  magnificently  of  the  sublime  doctrines 
 *'  and  awful  objects  of  (^ur  fiith,  there  is  always  in  the  conclusion 
 *•  a  choice  collection  of  morals  and  sound  precepts  of  pure  life  ; 
 *'  which  are  the  true  consequences  of  those  most  lofty  and  venerable 
 "   truths  and  essentials  of  the  Christian  creed. 
 
 "  Those  awful  and  venerable  secrets,  which  t/:e  angels  desire  to  look 
 *'  into,  are  by  free-thinksrs,  and  profane  pretenders  to  philosophy, 
 **  made  to  be  no  secrets  at  all  ;  and  so  the  majesty  of  the  thoughts 
 •*  of  the  sacred  writers,  and  the  propriety  and  nobleness  of  their  lan- 
 "  guage  are  debased,  and,  comparatively,  sunk  into  meanness  and 
 **  contempt.  Tne  goodness  of  God  the  Father,  and  the  condescen- 
 "  sion  of  our  Saviour  in  redeeming  the  human  race,  are  depretiated, 
 **  and  infinitely  undervalued ;  and  by  consequence  the  obligations  of 
 *■■  mankind  to  love,  obedience,  and  gratitude  for  infinite  mercies  are 
 "  horridly  weakened  and  lessened.  Ill  principles  and  heretical  de- 
 "  pravations  of  the  gospel  mvsteries  naturally  tend  to  vice  and  cor- 
 *'  ruption  of  manners.  But  if  Jesus  Chrisr,  according  to  the  plain 
 **  language,  the  whole  contexture  and  design  of  the  sacred  books, 
 "  be  true,  natural,  eternal  God,  without  any  quibble  or  evasion,  then 
 •'  how  adorable  is  the  love  of  God  the  Father,  who  spared  not  his 
 "  own  Son  for  our  salvation  ?  How  infinitely  great  and  obligatory  the 
 "  condescension  of  God  the  Son,  who  took  our  nature  and  suffered  for 
 "  us  ?  How  stupendous  the  charity  and  grace  of  God  the  Holy  Ghost, 
 "  who  inspires  Christians  with  a  due  sense  of  this  great  salvation  > 
 •*  and  with  qualifications  to  entitle  us  to  it,  and  make  us  capable, 
 "  fully  and  with  eternal  satisfaction  to  enjoy  it.?" 
 
 Blackwall'3  Sacred  Classics,  v.  i.  p.  320. 
 
32  INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Now,  this  may  be  cither  true  or  false,  absurd  or  other- 
 wise, according  as  it  is  explained  and  understood.  If 
 •we  said,  that  three  are  one,  and  one  three,  exactly  in 
 the  same  sense,  the  thing  is  not  only  absurd,  but  im- 
 possible; it  is  a  contradiction.  But  to  say,  the  Di- 
 vine Being  is  only  one  in  essence  and  three  in  person  ; 
 that  he  is  three  in  one  respect,  and  only  one  in  another 
 fespect,  is  no  absurdity,  no  contradiction ;  but  may  be 
 an  eternal  truih,  founded  in  the  nature  of  things.  And 
 if  this  were  well  considered,  there  would  be  an  end  to 
 ail  opposition  to  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity,  from  the 
 seeming  absurdity  of  the  thing.  It  is  confessed  on  all 
 hands,  that  the  doctrine  is  abstruse  and  incomprehen- 
 sible. So  is  the  doctrine  of  the  Divine  Nature,  upon 
 any  hypothesis  whatever.  Yet  we  do  not  say,  it  is  ab- 
 surd. We  are  obliged  to  submit  our  understandings,  and 
 silently  acquiese  and  adore.  So  with  respect  to  the 
 three  persons,  who  bear  record  in  heaveUy  the  Father.,  the 
 Wordy  and  the  Holy  Ghosts  the  scripture  assures  us  they 
 are  one.  *  And  as  reason  as  well  as  scripture  assures  us, 
 there  can  be  but  one  God,  we  therefore  conclude,  these 
 three  persons  are  partakers  of  one  common  essence. 
 Though  they  are  three  in  one  respect,  yet  they  are  only 
 one  in  another. 
 
 This  will  not  appear  so  strange,  perhaps,  if  we  con- 
 sider, that  there  are  several  objects  in  nature,  besides  the 
 Divine  Being,  which  are  three  and  one;  not  three  and 
 one  in  the  same  respect,  but  three  in  one  respect,  and 
 only  one  in  another.  This  may  render  the  doctrine  of 
 the  Trinity  more  easy  of  comprehension ;  at  least, 
 make  it  appear  not  so  absurd  as  someiimes  it  is  repre- 
 sented by  rash  and  inconsiderate  mortals.  Illustrations, 
 indeed,  not  do  prove  the  truth  of  any  doctrine;  they 
 only  render  it  more  easy  of  admittance  into  our  minds 
 and  belief,  when  we  see  other  objects,  with  which  we 
 are  well  acquainted,    under  similar  circumstances.    Let 
 
 *  The  authenticity  of  this  verse  is  questioned  by  some  persons  of 
 the  utmost  respectability  for  their  literary  attainments.     Sub  judice  lis 
 
 CJt. 
 
INTRODUCTION.  33 
 
 Let  us  then  look  round  us,  and  examine  if  there  be 
 any  objects  in  nature,  Vv'hich  are  strictly  one  in  essence 
 and   yet   three   in   properties.    What  think  we   of  the 
 Sun  ?  It  is  certainly  one  of  the  most  lively  images  in  na- 
 ture of  the  Holy  and  Undivided  Trinity. '    It  is  one  in 
 essence,   and  is   the  great  fountain  and  source  of  both 
 light  and  heat  to   the  world.  As  it  is  the   fountain   and 
 source  of  ail  its  properties,  it  may  be  considered  as  re- 
 presenting the  eternal  Father,  who  is  the  fountain  of  the 
 Deity,  and  the  great  original  of  all  Being.    The  light 
 which  issues  from  the  sun,  may  be  considered  as  repre- 
 senting the  second  person  in  the  Divine  Nature ;  for  our 
 Saviour  is  called  the  sun  of  righteousness,  and  the  light  of 
 the  world:  and  the  heat  proceeding  from  the  sun,   and 
 which  accompanies  the  light,  may  be  considered  as  re- 
 presenting the  Holy  Spirit,  the  third  person  in  the  Di- 
 vine Nature,  who  proceeds  both  from   the  Father  and 
 the  Son,  and  gives  life  to  the  world.  The  light  and  heat 
 both  proceed  fro.n  the  sun.    Unless  the  sun  existed, 
 there  could  not  be  either  one  or  the  other.    And  on  the 
 other  hand,  if  there  is  a  sun  in  the  firmament,  there  must 
 be  both  light  and  heat:  for  it  is  of  the  very  nature  of  that 
 vast  body  to  produce  these  two  properties.    So  that  the 
 sun,  light,  and  heat,  are  coexistent,  they  cannot  be  divid- 
 ed.   As  long  as  there  is  a  sun  there  must  be  its  essential 
 properties.     The  sun,  indeed,  is  not  the  light,  neither  the 
 heat,   but  it  is  the  cause  and  source  of  both.    They  are 
 all  distinct,  yet  undivided.    The  sun  depends  not  upon 
 the  light,  or  heat,   or  both,  for  its  existence ;  but  yet  it 
 cannot  be  without  them;  they  are,  as  we  said  before,  its 
 
 E  essential 
 
 3  The  excellent  Grotius  has  given  us  the  same  illustration  of  the 
 doctrine  of  the  Trinity  in  his  Institutio  Baptizatorum  Puerorum. 
 The  translation  runs  thus  ; — 
 
 **  Why  is  one  God  set  forth  in  persons  three  ? 
 
 "  In  holy  writ  thus  known  is  he. 
 "  That  three  are  07ie,  what  reason  can  us  teach  ? 
 
 "  God  is  above  all  human  reach. 
 "  Can  it  by  no  similitude  be  shewn  ? 
 
 "  The  sun  J  light,  heat,  are  three  yet  «/»?," 
 
34  INTRODUCTION. 
 
 essential  properties ;  and  if  it  could  be  supposed  to  lose 
 those  properties,  it  would  cease  to  be  a  sun.  * 
 
 Now,  apply  all  this,  not  by  way  of  proof,  but  by  way 
 of  illustration  -,  by  way  of  aiding  our  Conceptions  of  the 
 Divine  Being,  and  we  shall  find  there  is  a  wonderful  si- 
 militude. The  Father  is  the  fountain  of  the  Godhead. 
 The  Son  and  Holy  Spirit  spring  from  him,  and  depend 
 upon  him.    He  depends  not  upon  them,  but  they  upon 
 h'.m.     He    springs   not  from   them,    but  they  derive 
 thrir   being   from  him.     If  it  could  be   supposed  the 
 Father  were  annihilated,  the  Son  and  Spirit  could  no 
 longer  exist,   they  would   be  annihilated  likewise.  But 
 as  the  Father  is  independent  of  the  Son  and  Spirit,  and 
 they  are   absolutely  dependent  upon  him,   as  the  foun- 
 tain of  the  Deity,  so  neither  can  he  be  without  them. 
 They  naturally  and  essentially  proceed  from  him,  as  the 
 light  and  heat  naturally  and  essentially  proceed  from  the 
 sun.  The  Fatlier  cannot  be  without  the  Son  and  Spirit, 
 •  any  more  than  the  sun  can  be  without  its  essential  pro- 
 percirs.    The  Father  was  everlastingly  a  Father,    the 
 Son   everlastingly  a  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  everlast- 
 ingly a  proceeding   Spirit.  So  that  though  the  Father 
 is  the  fountain  of  the  Deity,  yet  all  the  three  are  undi- 
 vided, inseparable,  coequal  and  coeternal  together. 
 
 Take  another  illustration  of  this  mysterious  and  in- 
 comprehensible 
 
 ♦  "  The  several  similitudes  which  the  ancients  used  to  illustrate  this 
 matter,  manifestly  shew,  that  they  neve'r  dreamed  of  the  Son's  being 
 created.  Those  similitudes  are  ?.!1  of  them  low,  and  infinitely  short 
 of  what  they  are  intended  to  represent.  Some  of  them  perhaps  are 
 too  coarse,  and  such  as  might  better  have  been  spared.  But  writers 
 are  not  always  upon  their  guard.  They  had  a  pious  design  in  adapt- 
 ing their  comparisons  to  the  very  meanest  capacities. The  com- 
 parisons of  fountain  and  stream,  root  and  branch,  body  and  effluvia, 
 light  and  light,  fire  and  flame,  &c.  served  more  particularly  to  signify 
 the  con  substantiality.  Those  of  mind  and  thought,  light  and  splen- 
 dor, were  more  particularly  calculated  to  denote  coeternity,  abstract- 
 ing from  the  consideration  of  consubstantiality." 
 
 Waterland's  first  and  second  Defences,  passim. 
 
INTRODUCTION.  3$ 
 
 comprehensible  doctrine. '  It  is  said,  when  God  created 
 man  he  made  him  in  his  own  image  and  Hkencss.  And 
 from  the  history  of  creation  it  is  pretty  clear,  that  each 
 of  the  eternal  Three  was  concerned  in  that  great  under- 
 taking. May  not  something  more  then  be  meant  than 
 is  usually  supposed,  when  God  said,  Let  us  make  man 
 in  OUR  imagey  after  our  likeness?  As  the  Holy  Trini'-y 
 was  engaged  in  the  creation  of  our  natures,  may  w."  not 
 from  these  expressions  expect  to  find  a  Hvely  repr">en- 
 tation  of  that  Trinity  in  those  natures? 
 
 Whether  it  was  designed  or  not,  it  is  certain  rh'tfo. 
 is  a  striking  illustration  of  the  doctrine  of  the  Trifiiiy 
 both  in  our  souls  and  bodies.  I  say  illustration,  be- 
 cause there  cannot  be  an  exact  resemblance. 
 
 The  body,  for  instance,  consists  of  length,  breadth, 
 and  thickness.  These  three  properties  are  all  essential 
 to  matter.  We  cannot  destroy  one  without  destroying 
 the  whole:  'nor  can  we  by  any  means  make  its  essential 
 properties  either  more  or  less.     Here  then,  as  well  is 
 
 E  2  ia 
 
 '  The  pious  Dr.  Henry  Moore,  in  his  Divine  Dialogues,  endea- 
 vours to  enter  into  the  philosophy  of  the  doctrine  of  the  Holy  Hrini- 
 ty.  I  pretend  not  to  determine  whether  the  view  that  he  gives  of  it 
 is  proper  or  otherwise  ;  but  he  there  says  : — '*  That  God  might  en- 
 "  joy  a  most  happy  and  perfect  life,  it  is  necessary  that  he  should 
 *'  have  a  companion  equal  to  himself,  and  a  proper  witness  nd  con- 
 "  gratulator  of  his  own  perfections  :  which,  since  he  cannot  othei  - 
 "  wise  have,  unless  we  will  suppose  God  to  be  really  imperfect;  he 
 "  must  beget  of  himself ;  whom  we  Christians  call  his  only-begot- 
 **  ten  Son,  who  is  the  eternal  witness,  congratulator,  and  heir  uf  his 
 *'  Father's  perfections.  Observe,  and  take  the  matter  rigfit.  1  he 
 *'  Divine  nature  is  such,  according  to  the  very  idea  of  God,  who  is' 
 *'  a  Being  absolutely  perfect,  that  it  could  not  but  beget  tliis  noble 
 "  and  divine  Son  of  itself,  any  more  than  it  could  not  exist  of  itself, 
 "  or,  that  existing,  not  be  most  happy." 
 
 He  speaks  thus  of  the  Holy  Spirit : — "  As  the  Father  by  a  reflex 
 "  conception  in  himself  begot  the  Son  or  eternal  Logos,  so  this 
 "  Logos  by  the  congratulatory  contemplation  of  the  Father's  perfec- 
 **  tions,  that  he  might  not  seem  steril  or  fruitless,  made  this  living 
 "  Essence  to  spring  in  himself,  which  we  commonly  call  the  Holy 
 •'  Ghost,  or  Divine  Essential  Love." — See  his  reasoning  at  large. 
 Supplement  to  3.  Dialogue,  p.  536. 
 
36  INTRODUCTION. 
 
 in  the  sun  are  three  and  one.  Not  three  and  one  in 
 the  same  respect,  for  that,  as  was  before  observed, 
 would  be  a  contradiction ;  but  three  properties  and  one 
 essence,  and  this  is  no  contradiction. 
 
 The   soul  of  man  likewise  is  another  lively  image  of 
 the  unity  of  nature  and  plurality  of  persons  in  the  Deity: 
 for  it  consists  of  three   essential  faculties ;  the  under- 
 standing, the  memory,  and  the  will.  *    The  understand- 
 ing 
 
 *  Grotius  represents  the  powers  of  the  mind  nearly  In  the  same 
 manner  : — 
 
 "  May  we  not  some  such  thing  in  mankind  see  ? 
 
 "  Life,  reason,  'v.-ill,  in  one  are  three. 
 "  Are  Father,  Son,  and  Spirit  equal  ?  they 
 
 "  With  equal  might  one  sceptre  sway  ?" 
 
 Dr.  Francis  Gregory  in  his  Divine  Antidote,  speaking  upon  the 
 difficulty  of  comprehending  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity,  says,  "  The 
 **  resurrection  of  the  dead  is  a  doctrine  atterided  with  such  intrica- 
 "  cies,  and  so  many  difficulties,  that  human  reason  scarce  knoweth 
 "  how  to  admit  it"  for  a  certain  truth,  though,  indeed,  it  be  so. 
 **  In  St.  Paul's  time  it  was  thought  to  be  a  thing  incredible,  and 
 **  Celsus  stiles  it  in  Origen  a  thing  impossible,  and  yet  we  believe, 
 **  not  only  that  it  may,  but  m.ust  be.  Now,  as  there  are  some  things 
 •'  in  nature,  which  are  looked  Hpon  as  types,  emblems,  and  represen- 
 **  tations  of  the  resurrection  ;  so  likewise  are  there  some  instances 
 •*  in  nature,  which,  though  they  cannot  be  urged  as  proofs  for  the 
 **  certainty,  yet  may  serve  as  useful  illustrations  to  help  our  weak 
 **  apprehensions,  and  somewhat  facilitate  our  belief,  as  to  the  possi- 
 **  bility  of  the  Trinity.  As  for  instance  :  There  is  in  every  living 
 *'  man  a  rational,  a  jenshi've,  and  a  'vegetii-e  soul ;  and  yet  tlie  soul 
 *'  of  man  is  but  one  :  so  here,  there  is  in  the  Deity  a  Father,  a  Son, 
 **  and  an  Holy  Ghost,  and  yet  the  Deity  is  but  one.  Only  here  is 
 "  the  difference,  reason,  sense,  and  'vegetation,  are  but  three  essential 
 *•  and  distinct  faculties,  or  powers  of  one  and  the  same  soul  :  where- 
 **  as  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  are  three  essential  and  distinct 
 **  subsistences  in  one  and  the  same  Godhead  ;  and  for  the  belief  of 
 **  this,   the  scripture  is  our  only  authentic  warrant."        -Page  24S. 
 
 Tertullian  illustrates  the  procession  of  the  Son  from  the  Father  by 
 several  comparisons,  which  serve,  indeed,  to  convey  some  light  into 
 the  subject,  but  yet  fall  infinitely  short  of  a  just  and  adequate  repre- 
 sentation : — "  The  Word,"  says  he,  "  was  always  in  the  Father,  as 
 *'  he  saith,  I  am  in  the  Father.  John  14.  10.  And  the  Word  was 
 *'  always  with  God,  as  it  is  v.'ntxer\,  Jlnd  the  Word  ivas  nxjith  God. 
 *'  John  I.  30.  and  never  was  separated  from  the  Father,  or  another 
 
INTRODUCTION.  21 
 
 ing  may  be  considered  as  the  leading,  father  faculty, 
 the  memory  and  the  will  as  dependent.  They  are  all 
 equally  necessary  to  the  existence  of  a  human  soul,  but 
 yet  absolutely  distinct.  The  understanding  is  not  the 
 memory,  neither  the  memory  the  will  -,  nor  is  the  will 
 either  the  understanding  or  the  memory.  Without  the 
 understanding  there  can  be  no  memory,  and  withont 
 both  there  can  be  no  will,  nor  can  either  the  memory 
 or  the  will  exist  without  first  supposing  the  understand- 
 ing. So  the  soul  of  man,  every  whit  as  well  as  the  Ho- 
 ly Trinity,  may  be  called  one  in  three  and  three  in  one, 
 all  coequal  and  coessential.  Destroy  one  and  you  de- 
 stroy the  whole. 
 
 These 
 
 *'  from  the  V2Li\'iCv,hzczM%Q  I  atid  tie  Father  are  one.  John  lo.  30. 
 *'  This  assertion  will  be  a  defence  of  the  truth,  the  guardian  of  the 
 *'  Unity,  by  which  we  declare  the  Son  to  be  deduced   from  the  Fa- 
 
 **  ther,  but  not  separated.     For  as  even  the  Paraclete  teacheth,  God 
 
 "  put  forth   his   Word  as  a  root  puts  forth  the  stem,  and  a  fountaia 
 
 *'  the  river,  and  the  sun  a  ray  ;  for  these  several  species  arc  the 
 
 ••  extensions    of  the  substances   from  which   they    proceed.      Nor 
 
 "  should  I  scruple  to  call  the  fruit  the   son  of  the  root,  a  river  the 
 
 **  son  of  the  fountain,  and  a  ray  the  son  of  the  sun  ;  because  every 
 
 *•  origin  is  a  parent  ;  and  every  thing  which  is  brought  forth  from 
 "  an  origin  is  a  progeny  :  much  more  the  Word  of  God  who   hatii 
 
 *•  even  with  propriety  received  the  name  of  the  Son.      Yet  neither 
 
 **  is   the  fruit   sundered  from  the  root,  nor  the  river  from  the  foun- 
 
 "  tain,  nor  the  ray  from  the  sun,   so  neither  the   Word  from   God. 
 
 "  Therefore   according  to  the  manner  of  these  examples  I  profess 
 
 "  that  I  call  God  and  his  Word,  the  P'ather  and  his  S»n,  two.     For 
 
 "  both  the  root  and  stem  are  two  things,   but  conjoined  ;  and  the 
 
 "  fountain  and  river  are  specifically  two  tnings,  but  not  divided  ;  and 
 
 "  the  sun  and  ray  are  two  forms,  but   cohering  together.     It  is  ne- 
 
 "  cessary,  that  whatsoever  proceeds   shall   be  second   to  that  from 
 
 *'  which  it  proceeds,  but  not  that  it  shall  be  therefore  separate.     But 
 
 "  where  there  is  a  second,  there  are  two  ;  and  where  there  is  a  third, 
 
 *'  there  are  three.     But  the  Spirit  is  third  from  God,   and   the  Son, 
 
 **  as  the  fruit  from  the  stem  is  a  third  from  the  root,  and  a  stream 
 
 *'  from  a  river  a  third  from  the  fountain,  and  a  gleam   from  the  ray 
 
 *'  a  third  from  the  sun.     There  is  yet  no  alienation  from  the  radical 
 
 "  source  from  which  it  deduces  its   peculiarities.     So  the  Trinity, 
 
 "  running  down  from  the  Father  by   compacted  and   connected  de- 
 
 *•  grees,  in  no  wise  opposes    the  monarchy,  while  it   supports  the 
 
 *'  state  of  the  dispensation."     Adv.  Pr.ix.  cap.   S. 
 
JS  INTRODUCTION.     ' 
 
 These  'two  illustrations,  from  the  soul  and  body  of 
 man,  are  pursued  more  at  large  by  the  late  Mr.  Charles 
 Leslie  in  his  Socinian  Controversy  discussed  j  a  work 
 v/hich  every  man  should  read  carefully,  and  either  an- 
 swer, or  think  himself  capable  of  answering,  before  he 
 rejects  the  doctrine  of  the  Holy  and  Undivided  Trinity. 
 I  confess,  however,  that,  in  my  judgment,  no  man 
 ever  did,  or  ever  cz.^  fairly  answer  what  this  gentleman 
 has  written  upon  that  subject.  A  man  of  learning  and 
 ingenuity  may  cavil  with  such  a  writer,  and  treat  him 
 with  ridicule  and  contempt;  he  may  possibly  over- 
 turn some  of  his  weaker  positions  ;  but  he  can  no  more 
 give  him  a  fair,  solid  answer,  such  as  ought  to  satisfy  a 
 reasonable  man,  com.petent  to  judge,  than  he  can  prove 
 that  two  and  two  do  not  make  four.  Mr.  Hammon  can 
 prove  there  is  no  God — Voltaire  and  Paine  can  prove 
 that  the  bible  is  all  a  lie — Dr.  Priestley  that  Jesus  Christ 
 was  a  mere  man,  and  St.  Paul  an  inconclusive  reasoner-— 
 but  how  ?  by  what  arguments  ? 
 
 The  same  Mr.  Leslie  hath  given  us  a  summary  of 
 his  reasoning  upon  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  in  a  let- 
 ter to  Mr.  Gildon,  the  celebrated  Deist,  who  had  been 
 converted  to  Christianity  by  reading  that  Gentleman's 
 book  entitled,  A  Short  Method  with  the  Deists:  and  as 
 it  may  afford  satisfaction  to  some  persons,  who  might 
 not  oLherwise  have  an  opportunity  of  seeing  it,  I  will 
 transcribe  the  substance  of  it  in  this  place: — "  We  must 
 *'  acknowledge,"  says  this  great  man,  "  that  there  arc 
 "  many  things  in  the  Divine  Nature  far  out  of  the 
 *^  reach  of  .our  reason:  for  how  can  finite  comprehend 
 ^^  infinite?  Who  can  think  what  eternity  is  ?  a  duration 
 *^  without  beginning,  or  succession  of  parts  or  time! 
 "  Who  can  so  much  as  imagine  or  frame  any  idea  of 
 "  a  Being  neither  made  by  itself,  nor  by  any  other  !  of 
 *'  omnipresence!  of  a  boundless  immensity  ! 
 
 *'  Yet  all  this  reason  obliges"  us  to  allow,  as  the  ne- 
 "  cessary  consequences  of  a  first  cause. 
 
 "  And  where  any  thing  is  established  upon  the  full 
 
 *^  proof 
 
INTRODUCTION.  39 
 
 *'  proof  of  reason,  there  ten  thousand  objections  or  dlf- 
 "  ficukies,  though  we  cannot  answer  them,  are  of  no 
 "  force  at  all  to  overthrow  it.  Nothing  can  do  that, 
 "  but  to  refute  those  reasons  upon  which  it  is  established. 
 "  Till  then,  the  truth  and  certainty  of  the  thing  remains 
 "  unshaken,  though  we  cannot  explain  it,  nor  solve  the 
 "  difficulties  that  arise  from  it. 
 
 "  And  if  it  is  so  upon  the  point  of  reason,  much 
 "  more  upon  that  of  revelation,  where  the  subject  mat- 
 "  ter  is  above  our  reason,  and  could  never  have  been 
 "  found  out  by  it. 
 
 "  All  to  be  done  in  that  case,  is,  to  satisfy  ourselves 
 "  of  the  truth  of  the  fact,  that  such  things  were  reveal- 
 "  ed  of  God,  and  are  no  imposture. 
 
 "  And  as  to  the  contradiction  alledged  of  three  be- 
 "  ing  one,  it  is  no  contradiction,  unless  it  be  said,  that 
 "  three  are  one  in  the  self-same  respect :  for  in  divers 
 "  respects,  there  is  no  sort  of  difficulty,  that  one  may 
 '*  be  three,  or  three  th;)usand ;  as  one  army  may  con- 
 "  sist  of  many  thousands,  and  yet  it  is  but  one  army» 
 "  There  is  but  one  human  nature,  and  yet  there  arc 
 "  multitudes  of  persons  who  partake  of  that  nature. 
 
 "  Now,  it  is  not  said,  that  the  three  persons  in  the 
 "  Divine  Nature  are  one  person  ;  that  would  be  a  con- 
 "  tradiction  :  but  it  is  said,  that  the  three  persons  are 
 "  one  in  nature.  'Bjppy  are  not  three  and  one  in  the 
 "  same  respect*,  .they  are  three  as  to  persons,  and  one 
 "  as  to  nature. '•'Here  is  no  contradiction, 
 
 "  Again;  that  may  be  a  contradiction  in  one  nature, 
 "  which  is  not  so  in  another  :  for  example  ;  It  is  a  con- 
 "  tradiction,  that  a  man  can  go  two  yards  or  miles 
 "  as  soon  as  one,  because  two  is  one,  and  another 
 "  one,  yet  this  is  no  contradiction  to  sight,  which  can 
 "  reach 'a  star  as  soon  as  the  top  of  the  chimney,  and  the 
 *'  sun  darts  his  rays  in  a  few  moments  from  heaven  to 
 "  earth.  But  more  than  all  these  is  the  motion  of 
 "  thought,  to  which  no  distance  of  place  is  any  interrup- 
 "  tion,  which  can  arrive  at  Japan  as  soon  as  at  a  yard's 
 
 "  distcjnce ; 
 
40  INTRODUCTION. 
 
 *^  distance ;  and  can  run  into  the  immensity  of  possibl- 
 *'  lilies. 
 
 ^'  Now,  there  are  no  words  possible,  whereby  to 
 "  give  any  notion  or  idea  of  sight  or  light  to  a  man 
 "  born  blind;  and  consequently  to  reconcile  the  pro- 
 "  gress  of  sight  or  light  to  him  from  being  an  absolute 
 *'  contradiction;  because  he  can  measure  it  no  other- 
 •'  wise  than  according  to  the  motion  of  legs  or  arms, 
 *'  for  he  knows  no  other :  therefore  we  cannot  charge 
 "  that  as  a  contradiction  in  the  Incomprehensible  Na- 
 "  turc,  of  being  three  and  one,  though  we  found  it  to  be 
 .**  so  in  our  nature  ;  which  we  do  not,  because,  as  before 
 "  said,  they  are  not  three  and  one  in  the  same  respect. 
 
 **  Now,  let  us  consider  further,  that  though  there  is 
 *'  no  comparison  betwixt  finite  and  infinite,  yet  we 
 **  have  nearer  resemblances  of  the  three  and  one  in 
 "  God,  than  there  is  of  sight  to  a  man  born  blind :  for 
 **  there  is  nothing  in  any  of  the  other  four  senses  that 
 "  has  any  resemblance  at  all  to  that  of  seeing,  or  that 
 "  can  give  such  a  man  any  notion  whatever  of  it. 
 
 "  But  we  find  in  our  own  nature,  which  is  said  to  be 
 'f  made  after  the  image  of  God,  a  very  near  resemblance 
 "  of  this  holy  Trinity,  and  of  the  different  operations  of 
 *'  each  of  the  Divine  Persons. 
 
 **  For  example  ;  To  know  a  thing  present,  and  to 
 *'  remember  what  is  past,  and  toyJove  or  hate,  are  dif- 
 "  ferent  operations  of  our  miira,  and  performed  by 
 "  different  faculties  of  it.  Of  these,  the  understanding 
 *'  is  the  flither  faculty,  and  gives  being  to  things,  as  to 
 "  us ;  for  what  we  know  not,  is  to  us  as  if  it  were  not. 
 "  This  answers  to  creation.  From  this  faculty  pro- 
 "  ceeds  the  second,  that  of  memory,  which  is  a  pre- 
 '*  serving  of  what  the  understanding  has  created  to  us. 
 **  Then  the  third  faculty  is  that  of  the  will,  which  loves 
 "  or  hates,  and  proceeds  from  both  the  other;  for  we 
 "  cannot  love  or  hate  what  is  not  first  created  by  the 
 '^  understanding,   and  preserved  to  us  by  the  memory. 
 
 *'  And  though  these  are  different  faculties,  and  their 
 
 operations 
 
INTRODUCTION.  41 
 
 "  operations  different ;  that  the  second  proceeds  from 
 *'  the  first,  or  is  begotten  by  it;  and  the  third  proceeds 
 "  from  the  first  and  second  in  conjunction,  so  that  one  is 
 "  before  the  other,  in  order  of  nature,  yet  not  in  time ; 
 "  for  they  are  all  congenial,  and  one  is  as  soon  in  the 
 *'  soul  as  the  other:  and  yet  they  make  not  three 
 *'  souls,  but  one  soul:  and  though  their  operations 
 "  are  different,  and  the  one  proceeds  from  the  other,  yet 
 "  no  one  can  act  without  the  other,  and  they  all  con- 
 "  cur  to  every  act  of  each  j  for  in  understanding  and 
 "  remembering  there  is  a  concurrent  act  of  the  will, 
 "  to  consent  to  such  understanding  or  remembering; 
 "  so  that  no  one  can  act  without  the  other ;  in  which 
 "  sense,  no  one  is  before  or  after  the  other  i  nor  can 
 "  any  of  them  be  or  exist  without  the  other. 
 
 "  But  what  we  call  faculties  in  the  soul,  v/e  call  per- 
 "  sons  in  the  Godhead;  because  there  are  personal 
 "  actions  attributed  to  each  of  them ;  as  that  of  sending, 
 "  and  being  sent,  to  take  flesh,  to  be  born,  and  the 
 "  like. 
 
 "  And  we  have  no  other  word  whereby  to  express 
 "  it.  We  speak  it  after  the  manner  of  men  ;  nor  could 
 "  we  understand,  if  we  heard  any  of  those  unspeakable 
 *'  words  which  express  the  Divine  Nature  in  its  proper 
 "  essence ;  therefore  we  must  make  allowances,  and 
 "  great  ones,  when  we  apply  words  of  our  nature  to  the 
 "  Infinite  and  Eternal  Being.  We  niust  not  argue 
 "  strictly  and  philosophically  from  them,  more  than 
 "  from  God's  being  said  to  repent,  to  be  angry,  and  the 
 "  like.  They  are  words  in  condescension  to  our  weak 
 "  capacities ;  and  without  v/hich,  we  could  not  under- 
 *'  stand. 
 
 "  But  this  I  say,  that  there  are  nearer  resemblances 
 "  afforded  to  us  of  this  ineffable  mystery  of  the  Holy 
 "  Trinity,  than  there  is  between  one  of  our  outward 
 "  senses  and  another  j  than  there  is  to  a  blind  man  of 
 "  colours,  or  of  the  motion  of  light  or  sight.  And 
 "  a  contradiction  in  the  one  will  not  infer  a  contradiction 
 
 F  in 
 
42  INTRODUCTION. 
 
 "  in  the  other  -,  though  it  is  impossible  to  be  solved, 
 "  as  in  the  instance  before  given  of  a  man  born  blind, 
 "  till  we  come  to  know  both  natures  distinctly. 
 
 "  And  if  we  had  not  the  experience  of  the  different 
 "  faculties  of  the  mind,  the  contradiction  would  appear 
 "  irreconcilable  to  all  our  philosophy,  how  tiiree  could 
 '^  be  one,  each  distinct  from  the  other,  yet  but  one  soul: 
 "  one  proceeding  from,  or  being  begot  by  the  other; 
 <^  and  yet  all  coeval,  and  none  before  or  after  the  other. 
 *'  And  as  to  the  difference  between  faculties  and  persons, 
 *^  substance  and  subsistance,  it  is  a  puzzling  piece  of 
 "  philosophy.  And  though  we  give  not  a  distinct  sub- 
 "  sistence  to  a  faculty,  it  has  an  existence ;  and  one  fa- 
 '^  culty  can  no  more  be  another,  than  one  person  can 
 *'  be  another.  So  that  the  case  seems  to  be  alike  in 
 "  both,  as  to  what  concerns  our  present  difficulty  of 
 "  three  and  one :  besides  what  before  is  said,  that  by 
 "  the  word  person,  when  applied  to  God,  for  want  of 
 "  a  proper  word  whereby  to  express  it,  we  must  mean 
 *'  something  infinitely  different  from  personality  among 
 "  men.  And  therefore  from  a  contradiction  in  the  one, 
 "  suppose  it  granted,  we  cannot  charge  a  contradiction 
 "  in  the  other,  unless  we  understand  it  as  well  as  the 
 "  other:  for  how  else  can  we  draw  the  parallel? 
 
 "  What  a  vain  thing  is  our  philosophy,  when  we 
 "  would  measyre  the  Incomprehensible  Nature  by  it? 
 "  when  we  find  it  nonplust  in  our  own  nature,  and  that 
 "  in  many  instances  ?  If  I  am  all  in  one  room,  is  it,  not 
 "  a  contradiction  that  any  part  of  me  should  be  in  ano- 
 "  ther  room  ?  Yet  it  was  a  common  saying  among  phi- 
 "  losophers,  that  the  soul  is  all  in  all,  and  all  in  every  part 
 *^  of  the  body.  How  is  the  same  individual  soul  pre- 
 *^  sent  at  one  and  the  same  time,  to  actuate  the  distant 
 *'■  members  of  the  body,  without  either  multiplication 
 "  or  division  of  the  soul  ?  Is  there  any  thing  in  body 
 "  can  bear  any  resemblance  to  this,  without  a  manifest 
 *'  contradiction  ?  Nay,  even  as  to  bodies,  is  any  thing 
 "  more  a  self-evident  principle,  than  that  the  cause  must 
 
 «  be 
 
INTRODUCTION.  45 
 
 "  be  before  the  effect  ?  Yet  the  li^ht  and  heat  of  the 
 '<■  sun  are  as  old  as  the  sun :  and  supposing  the  sun  to 
 "  be  eternal,  they  would  be  as  eternal. 
 
 "  And  as  light  and  heat  are  of  the  nature  of  the 
 "  sun,  and  as  the  three  faculties,  before  mentioned,  are 
 "  of  the  nature  of  the  soul,  so  that  the  soul  could  not 
 "  be  a  soul,  if  it  wanted  any  of  them ;  so  may  we, 
 "  from  small  things  to  great,  apprehend  without  any 
 "  contradiction,  that  the  three  persons  are  of  the  very 
 "  nature  and  essence  of  the  Deity,  and  so  of  the  same 
 "  substance  with  itj  and  though  one  proceeding  from 
 "  the  other,  as  the  faculties  of  the  soul  do,  yet  that  all 
 *'  three  are.  consubstantial,  coeternal,  and  of  necessary 
 "  existence  as  God  is  ;  for  that  these  three  are  God  j 
 "  and  God  is  these  three ;  as  understanding,  memory, 
 "  and  a  will  are  a  soul ;  and  a  soul  is  understanding, 
 "  memory,  and  will. ' 
 
 An  unanswerable  argument  for  the  divinity  of 
 Christ,  as  it  appears  to  me,  may  be  taken  from  the 
 doctrine  of  atonement.  Various  parts  of  holy  scrip- 
 ture are  full  of  it.  And,  indeed,  without  it  the  bible 
 would  be  one  of  the  most  strange  and  unaccountable 
 books  in  the  world.  But,  if  Christ  were  no  more  than 
 a  mere  man,  this  doctrine  becomes  impossible  in  the  na- 
 
 F  2  ture 
 
 ^  Leslie  to  Gildon. 
 
 Dr.  Cheyne  seems  to  have  had  nearly  the  same  views  of  this  pro- 
 found subject  when  he  said — "  It  is  impossible  the  Son  should  be 
 **  without  the  Father,  or  the  Father  without  the  Son,  or  both  without 
 "  the  Holy  Gaost.  It  is  impossible  the  Son  should  not  necessarily 
 *'  and  eternally  be  begoiJ^-n  of  the  Father,  or  that  the  Holy  Ghost 
 "   should  not  necessarily  and  eternally  proceed  from  both." 
 
 Philosophical  Principles  of  Religion,  p.  82. 
 
 Lord  Bacon  too  appears  to  have  had  the  same  views  when  he  pro- 
 fessed— "    1  believe   that  nothing   is  without  beginning   but   God; 
 "  no  nature,   no  matter,  no  spirit,  but  one  only,  and  the  same  God. 
 *•  That  God,  as  he  is  eternally   almighty,  only  wise,  only  good  in  his 
 "  nature  ;  so  he  is  eternally  Father,  Son,  and  Spirit,  in  persons." 
 Confession  of  Faith. 
 
 The  same  ideas  concerning  the  Divine  Nature  are  entertained  bjj 
 M.  Malbranche  in  his  Treatise  of  Morality,  part  2.  chap.  5, 
 
44  INTRODUCTION. 
 
 tLire  of  the  thing.  I  conclude,  therefore,  that  our  bles- 
 sed Saviour  is  possesed  of  a  nature  equal  to  this  under- 
 taking, or,  in  other  words,  that  he  is  God  over  ail  Messed 
 forever.  Amen. 
 
 "  This  doctrine  of  satisfaction  is  the  foundation  of 
 "  the  Christian  religion ;  that  when  man  had  sinned, 
 "  and  was  utterly  unable  to  make  any  satisfaction  for  his 
 "  sin,  God  sent  his  own  Son  to  take  upon  him  our 
 "  flesh,  and,  in  the  same  nature  that  offended,  to  make 
 "  full  satisfaction  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world,  by  his 
 "  perfect  obedience,  and  the  sacrifice  of  himself  upon 
 "  the  cross. 
 
 "  Some  say,  What  need  any  satisfaction  ?  Might  not 
 *^  God  forgive  without  it  ?  It  would  shew  greater  mer- 
 "  cy.  But  these  men  consider  not,  that  God  is  not  only 
 "  just,  but  he  is  justice  itself,  justice  in  the  abstract, 
 "  he  is  essential  justice.  And  justice,  by  its  nature, 
 "  must  exact  to  the  utmost  farthing;  else  it  were  not 
 "  justice.  To  remit  is  mercy,  it  is  not  justice.  And 
 "  the  attributes  of  God  must  not  fight  and  oppose 
 *'  each  other:  they  must  all  stand  infinite  and  com- 
 *'  plete.  You  may  say,  then.  How  can  God  for- 
 "  give  at  all  ?  How  can  infinite  mercy  and  justice  stand 
 "  together.'' 
 
 "  This  question  could  never  have  been  answered,  if 
 *'  God  himself  had  not  shewed  it  to  us,  in  the  wonder- 
 "  ful  oeconomy  of  our  redemption  :  for  here  is  his  jus- 
 <^  tice  satisfied  to  the  least  iota,  by  the  perfect  obedi- 
 **  ence  and  passion  of  Christ,  who  is  God,  in  the  sarne 
 *'  human  nature  that  ofi^ended.  Here  is  infinite  wisdom 
 '^  expressed  in  this  means  found  out  for  our  salvation ; 
 **  and  infinite  mercy  in  affording  it  to  us.  Thus  all  his 
 *f  attributes  are  satisfied,  and  filled  up  to  the  brim. 
 *^  They  contradict  not,  but  exalt  each  other.  His  mer- 
 *'  cy  exalts  and  magnifies  his  justice  ;  his  jusdce  exalts 
 "  his  mercy,  and  both  his  infinite  wisdom. 
 
 '*  This  is  the  sum  and  substance,  the  Alpha  and  Ome- 
 "  ga  of  the  Christian  religion.     Whoever  hold  not  this 
 
 "  doctrine. 
 
INTRODUCTION.     '  45 
 
 *'  doctrine,  join    not   with  them,  nor  bid  them   god- 
 «  speed."  * 
 
 The  sum  of  what  the  scripture  reveals  about  this 
 great  truth,  commonly  called  the  satisfaction  of  Christ, 
 may  be  reduced  to  these  heads. 
 
 1.  That  Adam  being  made  upright  sinned  against 
 God,  and  ail  his  posterity  in  him.  Gen.  i.  27  i — 3.  1 1; 
 — Eccl.  7.  29; — Rom.  5.   12,   18,   19. 
 
 2.  That  by  this  sin  of  our  first  parents  all  men  are 
 brought  into  a  state  ofapostacy  from,  and  enmity  against 
 God.  Gen.  6.  53 — Ps.  51.  53 — Rom.  3.  235 — 8.  7; 
 — Ep.  2.   li — 4.   18; — Col.   2.   13. 
 
 3.  That  in  this  state  all  men  continue  in  sin  against 
 God,  and,  of  themselves,  are  not  able  to  do  otherwise. 
 Rom.  3.   TO— 12;— 7.   15,   18,   19,  23. 
 
 4.  That  the  justice  and  holiness  of  God,  as  the  mo- 
 ral Governour  of  the  world,  require  the  punishment  of 
 sin.  Ex.  34.  7; — Jos.  24..  193 — Ps.  5.  4 — 6;  Hab. 
 I.  13;— Is.  33.  14;— Rom.  I.  32;— 3.  5,  6j  2  Thcss. 
 I.  6;  Pleb.   12.   29. 
 
 5.  That  God  hath  also  engaged  his  veracity  and  faith- 
 fulness not  to  leave  sin  unpunished.  Gen.  2.  173 — 
 Dcut.  27.  16; — Gal.  3.    10. 
 
 6.  That  God,  out  of  his  infinite  goodness,  grace  and 
 love  to  mankind,  sent  his  only  Son  to  save  and  deliver 
 them  out  of  this  condition.  Mat.  i.  21  ; — John  3.  16, 
 I7i — Rom.  5.  8i — I  John  4.  9,  lO; — i  Thess.  1. 
 10. 
 
 7.  That  the  way  in  general,  whereby  the  Son  of 
 God,  being  incarnate,  is  to  save  lost  sinners,  was  by  a 
 substitution  of  himself,  in  the  room  of  those  whom  he 
 was  to  save.  2  Cor.  5.  21 ; — Gal.  3.  133 — Rom.  5. 
 7.   8;— 8.  3;— I    Pet.   2.   24i— 3-.8. 
 
 8.  This  way  of  saving  sinners  is  expressed  in  a  va- 
 riety of  manners  in  scripture  : 
 
 I.  He  offered  himself  a  sacrifice  for  sin  to  God.  Is. 
 
 S3' 
 
 "  Leslie  to  Gildon. 
 
46  INTRODUCTION. 
 
 53.   10; — John  I.  29; — Ep.   5.  2 J — Heb.  2.    17 i— 
 9.   11—14. 
 
 2.  He  redeemed  us  by  paying  a  price,  a  ransom  for 
 us.  Mark  10.45; — ^  ^'^''-  ^'  ^^^ — ^  Tim.  2.  6;  — 
 Tit.  2.   14; — 1   Pet.   I.   II,  18. 
 
 3.  He  bare  our  sins,  or  the  punishment  due  to  them. 
 Is.  ^;^.  5,   II  i — I   Pet.  2.  24. 
 
 4.  He  answered  the  law  and  the  penalty  of  it.  Rom. 
 8.  3  J— Gal.  3.   13;— 4.  4,  5. 
 
 5.  He  died  for  sin  and  sinners,  to  expiate  the  one,  and 
 instead  of  the  other.  Rom.  4.  25; — 5.  lo; — i  Cor. 
 15.   3; — 2   Cor.    ^.    14; — 1    Thess.    5.    9,    10. 
 
 6.  The  effect  hereof  was — i.  That  the  righteousness 
 of  God  was  glorified.  Rom.  3.  25,  26.-^2.  The  law  ful- 
 filled and  satisfied.  Rom.  8.  3. — Gal.  3.  13,  14; — 4. 
 5. — 3.  God  reconciled.  2  Cor.  5.  18,  19; — Heb.  2. 
 17. — 4.  Atonement  was  made  fotsin,  an  end  made  of 
 sin,  and  peace  with  God  obtained.  Rom.  5.  iij-^Ep. 
 2.    14. — Dan.  9.  24.  * 
 
 Another  argument  for  the  divinity  of  Christ  arises 
 from  the  absurdity  of  his  being  no  more  than  a  mere 
 man.  All  the  great  things  spoken  of  him  in  holy  scrip- 
 ture seem  incongruous  to  simple  humanity.  There  is 
 an  indecorum  in  the  thing,  that  a  mere  man  should  be 
 placed  at  the  head  of  the  universe,,  and  all  the  beings  in 
 it  made  subjecu  unto  him.  I  submit  it  to  the  Reader's 
 consideration^  whether  there  is  not  something  as  absurd 
 in  this  hypothesis,  as  any  thing  that  can  be  alledged 
 against  the  doctrine  of  the  Holy  and  Undivided  Trinity, 
 when  fairly  and  candidly  explained.  One  may  justly, 
 1  think,  retort  Dr.  Priestley's  own  words,  that  the  hy- 
 pothesis is,  '*  such  as  no  miracles  can  prove."  The 
 position  appears  to  me  so  highly  improbable  as  to  ren- 
 der the  whole  scripture  where  such  doctrines  are  con- 
 tained infinitely  incredible.  * 
 
 Irenasus 
 
 5  See  Dr.  Owen  on  the  Trinity,  p.  io8. 
 
 '  "  The  Socinians  have  been  unlucky  in  the  execution    of  their 
 
 "  main  design:  for  they  have  not  purged  mystery  cut  of  the  scrip- 
 
INTRODUCTION.  47 
 
 Irenseus  relates  a  story,  *  which  he  had  from  his 
 master  Polycarp,  that  going  with  some  friends  at  Ephe- 
 sus  to  a  bath,  and  finding  Cerinthus,  *  the  arch-heretic, 
 ^there  before  him,  he  with  great  abhorrence  turned  back, 
 crying  out,  '^  L.et  us  escape  immediately,  lest  the  build- 
 "  ing  fall  upon  our  heads,  since  Cerinthus,  the,  enemy 
 "  of  God  and  his  truth  is  in  it."  Now,  whether  this 
 relation  be  in  itself  true  or  false,  it  incontestably  shev/s 
 us  in  what  abhorrence  the  principles  of  Cerinthus  were 
 held  in  the  time  of  Irenseus,  the  disciple  of  Polvcarp, 
 and  in  the  time  of  Polycarp,  the  disciple  of  St.  John : 
 And,  if  the  story  be  true,  of  which  there  is  no  solid  rea- 
 son to  doubt,  we  may  add,  in  the  time  of  St.  John, 
 the  bosom  friend  and  beloved  disciple  of  our  Lord. 
 
 Another  argument  for  the  divinity  of  Christ  arises 
 from  his  being  so  strangely  joined  with  his  Father  in 
 various  parts  of  the  holy  scripture :  I  mean  in  such 
 passages  as  these  : — Grace  to  yoUy  and  peace  from  God  our 
 Father  J  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.,  repeated  in  most  of 
 the  epistles  of  St.  Paul  : — James^  a  servant  of  God,  and  of 
 
 the  Lord  Jesus  Christ : Grace  and  peace  be  multiplied 
 
 unto  you  through  the  knowledge  of  God,  and  of  Jesus  our 
 
 Lord : To  them  zvho  are  sanctified  by  God  the  Father, 
 
 and  preserved  in  Jesus  Christ ,  and  called,  *    Now,  up':^n 
 
 the 
 
 *'  ture,  they  have  only  changed  its  place:  they  have  taken  mystery 
 "  out  of  the  doctrine  of  the  scripture,  where  it  was  venerable,  and 
 "  worthy  the  majesty  of  God,  and  have  placed  it  in  the  phrase  of 
 *'  the  scripture,  wiiere  it  is  opprobrious  and  repugnant  to  God's  sin- 
 "  cerity." 
 
 Young's  Sermons,  vol.  2.   p.  78. 
 
 *  Book  3d.  chap.  3d. —  ^  "  Cerinthus  believed  that  Christ  was  a 
 "  mere  man,  born  of  Joseph  and  Mary,  but,  in  his  baptism,  a  celes- 
 *•  tial  virtue;,  descended  on  him  in  fjrm  of  a  dove,  by  means 
 *'  whereof  he  was  consecrated  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  made  Christ." 
 He  entertained  besides  various  other  errors.  See  Irensus  for  the  par- 
 ticulars. 
 
 ♦  "  It  is  an  old  and  true  distinction,"  says  Dean  Swift,  "  that 
 *'  things  may  be  above  our  reason,  without  b  ing  contrary  to  it. 
 *'  Of  this  kind  are  the  power,  the  nature,  and  the  u.iiversai  presence 
 *'  of  God,  with  immmerable  other  points.     How  little  do  those,  who 
 
43  INTRODUCTION. 
 
 the  supposition  that  Christ  was  no  more  than  a  mere 
 good  man,  exalted  by  the  pleasure  of  the  Father,  this 
 seems  strange  unguarded  language.  There  is  an  inde- 
 cency, an  impropriety,  an  unsuitableness  in  such  represen- 
 tations. The  scriptures  are  calculated  to  mislead  and 
 deceive.  Let  the  Reader,  however,  judge  and  deter- 
 mine for  himself. 
 
 Another  argument  for  the  divinity  of  Christ  arises 
 from  the  necessity  of  the  thing :  for  if  he  had  not  been 
 possessed  of  a  divine  nature  as  well  as  a  human,  he 
 could  not  have  been  a  suitable  Mediator  between  God 
 and  man.  Hence  we  find  several  of  the  most  early  Fa- 
 thers of  the  church  reasoning  concerning  the  different 
 natures  of  the  Redeemer  in  the  manner  following; — 
 "  There  is  one  physician,"  says  the  blessed  Ignatius, 
 *^  both  fleshly  and  spiritual,  made  and  not  made  ;  God 
 •^  incarnate ;  true  life  in  death ;  both  of  Mary  and  of 
 *'  God  ;  first  passsible,  then  impassible  j  even  Jesus 
 "  our  Lord.     Wherefore  let  no  man  deceive  you."  s 
 
 "  Corruption,"  says  Justin  Martyr  "  being  become 
 "  natural  to  us,  it  was  necessary  that  he,  who  would 
 
 save 
 
 *'  quarrel  with  mysteries,  know  of  the  commonest  actions  of  nature? 
 "  The  growth  of  an  animal,  of  a  plant,  or  of  the  smallest  seed,  is  a 
 "  mystery  to  the  wisest  among  men.  If  an  ignorant  person  were 
 *'  told  that  a  loadotone  would  draw  iron  at  a  distance,  he  might  say, 
 *'  it  was  a  thing  contrary  to  his  reason,  and  he  could  not  believe  before 
 **  he  saw  it  with  his  eyes. 
 
 "  The  manner  whereby  the  soul  and  body  are  united,  and  how  they 
 "  are  distinguished,  is  wholly  unaccountable  to  us.  We  see  but  one 
 "  part,  and  yet  we  know  we  consist  of  two;  and  this  is  a  mystery 
 •*  we  cannot  comprehend,  any  more  than  that  of  the  Trinity. 
 
 '*  God  never  did  command  us  to  believe,  nor  his  ministers  to  preach 
 *•  any  doctrine  which  is  contrary  to  the  reason  he  hath  been  pleased 
 "  to  endue  us  with;  but,  for  his  own  wise  ends,  has  thought  fit  to 
 **  conceal  from  us  the  nature  of  the  thing  he  commands';  thereby  to 
 "  try  our  faith  and  obedience,  and  increase  our  dependence  upon 
 «*  him." 
 
 Sermons,  p.  24 — 26. 
 
 See  too  the  late  Revd.  John  Wesley's  Sermon  on  the  Trinity, 
 where  are  some  useful  reflections. 
 
 5  Epist.  to  Ephe.  sect.  7. 
 
INTRODUCTION.  49 
 
 "  save  us,  should  destroy  that  which  corrupted  us. 
 "  This  could  not  otherwise  be,  except  what  was  na- 
 "  turally  life  was  joined  to  that  which  was  corruptible, 
 ^'  to  vanquisli  corruption,  and  for  the  future  preserve 
 *^  that  immortal,  which  was  obnoxious  to  it.  It  was 
 "  therefore  necessary,  that  the  Word  should  be  enibo- 
 "  died,  to  free  us  from  the  death  of  our  natural  cor- 
 "  ruption."* 
 
 Irenaeus,  in  his  learned  work,  more  than  once  incul- 
 cates the  same  important  doctrine.  "  Christ,"  says  he, 
 "  united  man  to  God.  For  if  man  had  not  conquered 
 "  the  adversary  of  man,  he  had  not  been  lawfully  con- 
 "  quered.  Again,  if  God  had  not  given  salvation,  we 
 "  could  not  have  firmly  obtained  it.  And  if  man  had 
 "  not  been  united  to  God,  he  could  not  have 
 "  been  partaker  of  incorruption.  For  it  behoved  the 
 "  Mediator  of  God  and  men,  by  a  proper  familiarity 
 "  with  both,  to  bring  them  to  friendship  and  unani- 
 "  mity,  to  present  man  to  God,  and  to  make  known 
 "  God  to  men."' 
 
 From  the  nature  of  the  thing,   and  from  these  high 
 authorities,  and  various  others  that  might  be  produced,  * 
 it  may,  therefore,  be  fairly  concluded,  that  if  our  blessed 
 Saviour  is  not  both  divine  and  human,  strictly  speaking, 
 he  is  inadequate  to  the  business  of  man's  salvation. 
 
 Dr.  Priestley,  in  defence  of  the  simple  humanity  of 
 Christ,  dwells  much  upon  the  expectations  of  the  Jews 
 in  our  Saviour's  time.  They  expected  a  mere  man 
 for  their  Messiah,  and  therefore  Christ  is  no  more  than 
 a  mere  man.  Now,  taking  for  granted  the  supposition 
 is  just  (and  it  may  befiirly  questioned)  it  v.'ill  not  fol- 
 low that  the  objection  proves  any  thing  to  the  point  in 
 
 G  hand. 
 
 *  Grabe's  Specil.  vol.   i.  cent.  2.  p.  172. 
 
 '  Lib.  3.  cap.  20. 
 
 "See.  Iren.  lib.  3.  cap.  21.  Tertul.  De  resur.  cam.  c.   51,  63, 
 
 and  De  cam.  Christ.  Hippol.  cont.  Noei.  sec.    17.    Cyp.  Dz  idol. 
 
 vanit.  sect.  6,  7.  Novat.  De  Trinit.  c.  i6,  18.  Lact.  lib.  4.  c.  13. 
 
50  INTRODUCTION. 
 
 hand.  Indeed,  it  proves  too  much.  We  should  not  at- 
 tend to  what  the  Jews  did  expect  so  much,  as  to  what 
 they  ought  to  have  expected,  according  to  their  own 
 prophetic  scriptures.  For  it  is  manifest  they  were  ill 
 guides,  mistaken  in  many  things,  and  extremely  obsti- 
 nate in  their  errors.  We  may  illustrate  this  by  an  in- 
 stance. It  is  plain  from  all  their  history,  that  they  ex- 
 pected a  temporal  and  triumphant  Messiah ;  whereas 
 it  is  equally  plain  they  ought  to  have  expected  a  suffer- 
 ing Messiah,  their  own  prophets  having  clearly  foretold 
 his  sufferings.  After  three  score  and  two  weeks  shall 
 Messiah  he  cut  off^  but  not  for  himself.  '  — He  was  wounded 
 for  our  transgressions^  he  was  bruised  for  our  iniquities  ; 
 the  chastisement  of  our  -peace  was  upon  him,  and  with  his 
 stripes  we  are  healed.  *  The  Jev/s  were  accordingly 
 often  reproved  for  not  expecting  a  suffering  Messiah, 
 and  on  this  account  charged  with  ignorance  of  the  holy 
 scriptures.  O  fools  and  slow  of  heart  to  believe  all  that 
 the  prophets  have  spoken :  ought  not  Christ  to  have  suffer- 
 ed these  things,  and  to  enter  into  his  glory  ?'^  These  are 
 the  words  of  cur  Saviour  himself  to  the  two  disciples 
 going  to  Emmaus.  And  at  another  time  he  said  to  the 
 whole  body  of  disciples  :  These  are  the  words  which  I 
 spake  unto  you,  while  I  was  yet  with  you,  that  all  things 
 must  be  fulfilled  which  were  written  in  the  law  of  Moses, 
 and  in  the  prophets,  and  in  the  psalms  concerning  me. — 
 Thus  it  is  written  and  thus  it  behoved  Christ  to  suffer, 
 and  to  rise  again  from  the  dead  the  third  day.  ^  St.  Peter, 
 the  apostle  of  the  'circumcision,  made  the  same  decla- 
 ration to  his  hearers  in  the  serm'm  recorded  by  St. 
 Luke :  Those  things  which  Gcd  before  had  shewed  by  the 
 mouth  of  all  bis  prophets,  that  Christ  should  suffer,  he  hath 
 so  fulfilled.  *  And  in  the  same  manner  St.  Paul  addres- 
 sed the  Jews :  They  that  dwell  at  Jerusalem,  and  their 
 rulers,  because  they  knew  him  not,  nor  yet  the  voices  of  the 
 
 prophets 
 
 ^  Dan.  9.  26. *  Is.  53. *  Luke  24.  25,  26. 
 
 3  Ibid.  24.  44,  ^6. *  Acts  3.  18. 
 
INTRODUCTION.  51 
 
 prcphets  which  are  read  every  sabbath-day^  they  have  ful- 
 filed  them  in  condemning  him. '  From  all  these  conside- 
 rations it  fully  appears,  that  the  arguments  against  any 
 part  of  our  blessed  Saviour's  personal  or  mediatorial 
 character,  which  are  deduced  from  the  ignorance  of  his 
 countrymen  respecting  ic,  are  manifestly  inconclusive, 
 because  it  is  clear  beyond  all  contradiction  that  they 
 were  unacquainted  with  his  real  character.  None  more 
 positive  and  secure  than  they  in  the  justness  of  their  opi- 
 nions, none  more  awfully  mistaken.  This  consideration 
 ou^lit  most  certainly  to  moderate  the  confidence  of 
 llaming  zealots  of  every  description,  and  incline  them 
 to  contend  for  what  they  judge  to  be  the  truth  with  fear 
 and  trembling. 
 
 There  is  anuther  objection,  which  is  frequently  made 
 to  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  by  men  from  whom 
 one  would  expect  better  things.  If  we  admit  the  doc- 
 trine of  the  Trinity,  say  they,  why  may  we  not  as  well 
 admit  the  doctrine  of  transubstantiadon  ?  for  they  are 
 both  equally  absurd.  ^ 
 
 G  2  Are 
 
 5  Ibid.  13.  27. 
 *  This  objection  hath  been  answered  upon  many  occasions  by  men 
 every  way  qualified,  and  yet  it  continues  to  be  urged  by  the  enemies 
 of  the  Trinity  as  though  no  notice  had  ever  been  taken  of  it.  This 
 is  disingenuous.  Men  that  pretend  to  be  lovers  of  truth  should  des- 
 pise such  arts.  If  an  objection  is  really  valid,  let  it  be  urged  with 
 all  the  force  of  which  it  is  capable.  But  if  it  i;  answerable,  and  has 
 been  answered  very  frequently,  we  should  be  ashamed  to  bring  it  in- 
 to the  field  again.  Dr.  Priestley  is  one  of  the  ficst  who  would  de- 
 spise a  man  for  being  guilty  of  such  conduct  in  his  own  case;  and 
 yet.  I  am  sorry  to  see,  that  he  continues  to  repeat  in  various  of  his 
 publications  the  obj\'Ction  before  us  ;  when  he  must  know  in  his  con- 
 science, if  he  thinks  seriously  upon  it,  that  it  is  of  no  force  in  this 
 argument.  The  late  Mr.  Fletcher,  before  quoted,  hath  answered 
 the  objection  with  his  usual  sprightliness  ;  and,  1  am  persuaded,  it  will 
 gratify  the  Reader  to  see  it  in  his  own  words : — "  If  the  philoso- 
 "  phers,"  says  this  good  man,  "  who  attack  the  catholic  faith,  can- 
 •'  not  overthrow  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  by  the  arguments  they 
 *'  draw  from  their  avowed  ig7iQra)ice  of  the  Divine  Na:ure,  they 
 *'  seem  determined  to  make  us  give  up  the  point,  by  arguments 
 *'  drawn  from  yivzr  and  from  sha?nc.  Availing  himself  of  our  ^/ti?/ 
 "  of  Popery,  and   of  our  contempt  for  the  Popish  error  of  f^'isuh- 
 
52  INTRODIjCTION. 
 
 Are  they  both  equally   absurd?  Do  v. e  understand 
 
 all 
 
 *'  stantiaiion,  the  learned  Doctor  loses  ro  opportunity  to  compare 
 *'  that /rrtfz?r/f(^  mystery,  that  despicable  absurdity,  with  the  aivful 
 "  mystery  of  the  Trinity— exhorting  us  to  reject  them  both,  as 
 "  equally  contrary  to  reason  and  common  sense.  Thus,  in  his  Ap- 
 **  peal  to  the  Professors  of  Christianity,  speaking  of  the  Divinity  of 
 **  Christ,  he  says,  *  The  prevalence  of  so  impious  a  doctrine  can  be 
 
 *  ascribed  to  nothing  but  that  mystery  of  iniquity,  which  began  to 
 
 *  work  in  the  times  of  the  Apostles  themselves. — This,  among  other 
 
 *  shocking  corruptions  of  Christianity,  grew  up  with  the  system  of 
 
 *  Popery.     After  exalting  a  man  into  God,  a  creature  into  a  creator, 
 
 *  men  made  a  piece  of  bread  into  one  also,  and  then  bowed  down  to, 
 
 *  and  worshipped  the  work  of  their  own  hands.  *'  And,  in  the  Preface 
 **  of  his  Disquisitions,  he  writes^"  '  Most  Protestants  will  avow  they 
 
 *  have  f/iade  up   their  7ninds  with  respect  to  the   Popish  doctrine  of 
 
 *  transubstantiation,  so  as  to  be  justified  in  refusing  even  to  lose  their 
 
 *  time  in  reading  what  may  be  addressed  to  them  on  it ;  and  I  avow 
 
 *  it  with  respect  to  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity.' 
 
 *'  As  these  comparisons  are  the  second  store-house,  whence  the 
 **  learned  Doctor  draws  his  arguments  against  our  supposed  idolatry, 
 *'  it  is  proper  to  shew  the  unreasonableness  of  his  method.  For  this, 
 "  three  remarks  will,  I  hope,  be  sufficient. 
 
 1.  *' The  question  between  Dr.  Priestley  and  us  is,  Whether  there 
 *'  zx^.  three  Divine  Subsistences  in  the  one  Divine  Essence  ?  Now  it 
 *'  is  plain,  that  to  deny  this  proposition,  as  reasonably  as  we  deny  that 
 *•  bread  is  flesh,  and  that  wine  is  human  blood,  we  must  be  as  well 
 *•  acquainted  with  the  nature  of  the  Divine  Essence,  and  of  Divine 
 **  Personality,  as  we  are  with  the  taste  of  bread  and  wine.  But  how 
 **  widely  different  is  the  case,  the  Doctor  himself  being  judge  ?  Do 
 •*  not  his  T>\ha^v^\\\QiV\%  2L.^%txX.,\\i^\.  the  Di'vine  Essence  hath  properties 
 *'  most  essentially  different  from  e-uery  thing  else — that  of  Goa's  sub- 
 *'  stance  ixse  ha^ve  no  idea  at  all — and  that  he  must  forever  remain  the 
 "  Incomprehensible  }  Therefore,  if  God  hath  revealed,  that 
 "  he  exists  w  ith  the  three  personal  distinctions  of  F'ather,  Word,  and 
 **  Holy  Ghost,  the  learned  Doctor,  after  liis  concessions,  can  never 
 *'  deny  it,  without  exposing  at  once  his  piety,  his  philosophy,  his 
 **  logic,  and  his  common  sense;  unless  he  should  make  it  appear, 
 *'  that  he  is  the  first  man,  who  can  pertinently  speak  of  ^.vhat  he  has 
 *'  no  idea  at  all,  and  who  perfectly  comprehends  what  must  forever 
 •*  remain  1  NCOMPREHENSiBLE.     £ut, 
 
 2.  "  The  question  between  the  Pope  and  us,  with  respect  to  tran- 
 **  substantiation,  is  quite  within  our  reach  ;  since  it  is  only,  whe- 
 *'  ^zx  Ircadhe-fesh  2Si6.  bcnes  \  whcihex 'wine  he  human  blood ',  whe- 
 *•  thcr  the  same  identical  body  can  be  nn-holly  in  heaven,  and  in  a 
 **  million  of  places  on  earth,  at  the  same  time ;  and  v/hether  a  thin 
 "  rcui.d  wafer,  an  inch  in  diameter,  is  the  real  person  of  a  man  five 
 
INTRODUCTION.  53 
 
 all  the  properties  of  the  Divine  Nature  as  well  as  wc 
 understand  all  the  common  properties  of  bread  and 
 wine  ?  Does  the  doctrine  of  the  tloly  Trinity  contra- 
 dict all  our  senses  as  transubstantiation  does  ?  Certain- 
 ly no.  The  cases  are  not  parallel,  and  the  comparison 
 will  not  hold.  No  man  therefore  can  urge  this  objecti- 
 on, whose  mind  is  not  blinded  with  the  most  invincible 
 prejudice.  It  is  reasoning  from  what  we  are  confessed- 
 ly ignorant  of  in  a  very  high  degree,  to  what  we  are  in- 
 timately acquainted  with  ;  whereas  we  ought  to  reason 
 directly  the  contrary  j  from  what  we  well  understand, 
 to  what  we  understand  not  at  all,  or  less  perfecdy. 
 
 "  Do  what  you  can,  says  the  Socinian,  you  must 
 *'  either  sacrifice  the  Unity  to  the  Trinity,  or  the  Tri- 
 "  nity  to  the  Unity :   for  they  are  incompatible. 
 
 "  But  who  says  it?  Certainly  not  our  Lord,  who 
 "  commands  all  nations  to  be  baptized  into  the  one 
 "  name  of  the  Father,  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy 
 "  Ghost.  And  if  Dr.  P.  say  it,  then  he  says  it  with- 
 "  out  KNOWING  it;  for  speaking  Hke  a  judicious  Phi- 
 *'  losopher,  he  has  just  told  us,  that  j)robably  the  Divine 
 "  Nature^  besides  being  simply  unknown  to  him,  most 
 "  essentially  differs  from  the  human  in  many  circumstan- 
 "  ceSt  of  which  he  hath  no  knowledge  at  all. 
 "  To  this  sufficient  answer,  we  beg  leave  to  add  an  ilkis- 
 
 *'  tration, 
 
 "  or  six  feet  high.     Here,  we  only  decide  about  things  known  to  us 
 
 **  from  the  cradle,  and,  concerning  which,  our  daily  experience,  and 
 
 **  our  five  senses,  help  us  to  bear  a  right  judgment,  agreeable  to  the 
 
 *'  tenor  of  the  scripture.     Therefore, 
 
 3.  "  Considering  that  the  two  cases   are  diametrically  contrary, 
 
 **  and  differ  as  much  as  the  depths  of  the  Divine  Nature  differ  from 
 
 "  a  piece  of  bread  ;  as  much  as  the  most  incomprehensible  tiling  ii\ 
 
 "  heaven,  differs  from  the  things  we  know  best  upon  earth — we  are 
 
 *'  bold  to  say,  that,  when  the  learned  Doctor  involves  the  Protestant 
 
 "  worshippers  of  the  Trinity,  and  the  Popish  worsWppers  of  a  bit 
 
 **  of  bread,  in  the  same  charge  of  absurd   idolatry,  he  betrays  a-: 
 
 ♦*  great  a  degree  of  laiphilosop.hical  ^\t\^6.\zt,  and  ///(T^/Vis/ reasoning, 
 
 *'  as  ever  a  learned  and  wise  man  v/as  driven  to,  in  the  height  ol  a 
 
 **  disputation  for  a  favourite  error." 
 
54  INTRODUCTION. 
 
 «*  tration,  which  may  throw  some  light  upon  the  Doc- 
 "  tor's  unphilosophical  positiveness. 
 
 "  Modern  physicians  justly  maintain  the  circulation 
 "  of  the  blood,,  which  being  carried  from  the  heart 
 **  through  the  arteries,  flows  back  to  it  by  the  veins. 
 '^  But  a  learned  Doctor,  very  fond  of  unity,  availing 
 *^  himself  of  the  connexion  which  the  arteries  have  \\ith 
 *^  the  veins  in  all  the  extremities  of  the  body,  insists 
 "  that  one  set  of  vessels  is  more  agreeable  to  the  sim- 
 "  phcity  of  the  human  frame.  What!  says  he,  Arte- 
 '^  ries !  Veins!  and  lymphatic  Vessels  too!  I  pro- 
 "  nounce  that  one  set  of  uniform,  circular  vessels,  is 
 *'  quite  sufficient.  You  must  therefore  sacrifice  the 
 "  arkries  to  the  veinsy  or  the  veins  to  the  arteries ;  for 
 *^  they  are  quite  incompatible.  This  dogmatical  po- 
 *^  sitiveness  of  the  Unitarian  Anatomist,  would  surprize 
 ^^  us  the  more,  if  we  had  just  heard  him  say,  that  there 
 "  are  many  things  in  anatomy,  of  which  he  has  no 
 "  KNOWLEDGE  AT  ALL,  and  assert,  that  the  minute 
 "  ramifications,  and  delicate  connexions  of  the  vessels 
 ^'  which  compose  the  human  frame,  are,  and  must  for- 
 "  ever  remain  incomprehensible  to  those  who  have 
 '^  our  feeble  and  imperfect  organs. 
 
 "  From  this  simile,  which,  we  hope,  is  not  improper, 
 "  we  infer,  that  if  positiveness  on  this  anatomical  ques- 
 '-  tion  would  not  become  the  learning  and  modtsty  ot  a 
 '^  Doctor  in  Physic,  a  like  degree  of  peremptorl- 
 *^  ness  and  assurance,  in  a  matter  infinitely  more  out  of 
 "  our  reach,  is  as  unsuitable  to  the  humble  candour  of 
 *^  a  Doctor  in  Divinity,  as  to  the  cautious  wisdom 
 "  of  a  Philosopher."' 
 
 It  is,  moreover,  perpetually  objected  by  those  who 
 are  wise  in  their  own  eyes,  and  prudent  in  their  own 
 conceit,  that  is,  by  the  vain -glorious  philosophers  of 
 the  day  j    Ic  is  not  in  our  power  to   believe  what  we 
 
 will, 
 
 '  This  argument  Is  wholly  taken  from  Mr.  Fletcher  before  men- 
 tioned. 
 
INTRODUCTION.  SS 
 
 will,  but  we  must  have  reason  and  evidence  on  our  side. 
 
 Experience,  however,  will  easily  make  it  appear, 
 that  the  inclination  of  man  has  frequently  more  influence 
 upon  our  belief,  than  reason  and  argument.  What 
 any  man  would  willingly  have  to  be  true,  he  finds  it  not 
 difficult  to  believe.  Nothing  is  more  common  than 
 for  inclination  to  over-rule  reason.  Where  affection  and 
 prepossession  take  place,  there  judgment  becomes  par- 
 tial and  blind,  and  we  are  made  capable  of  embracing 
 the  most  absurd  proposidons  in  nature.  We  refuse  our 
 assent  as  often  for  want  of  inclination  as  we  do  for  want 
 of  argument  and  evidence;  and  we  may  say  with  a  re- 
 spectable writer — "  What  men  at  first  call  reason,  and 
 "  afterwards  conscience ;  is  oftentimes  no  other  than 
 "  affectation,  and  prejudice,  and  wilfulness  crept  into  the 
 "  chair."  We  may  therefore  safely  conclude,  that  an 
 humble  and  ready  faith,  casting  do-Jon  imaginations,  and 
 every  thin^  that  exalts  itself  against  the  knowledge  of  Christy 
 is  the  only  expedient  both  to  make  and  keep  men  wise.  * 
 
 Another  argument  for  the  pre-cxistence  and  divinity 
 of  Christ  arises  from  the  hist()ry  of  the  various  here- 
 sies which  sprung  up  in  the  Christian  church  in  the  ear- 
 liest ages.  We  know  when  most  of  them  arcbc,  what 
 was  the  occasion  of  them,  and  what  reception  they  met 
 with  from  the  Apostles  and  their  immediate  successors. 
 Simon  Magus  was  the  nrst  heretic,  and  the  father  of  alj. 
 heresy.  Hymeneus  and  Philetus  denied  the  resurrection. 
 Others,  who  are  anonymous,  maintained  the  necessity 
 of  circumcision,  and  of  observing  the  law  of  Moses. 
 Others  asserted,  that  Christ  had  not  ome  in  the  flesh. 
 Some  denied  Jesus  to  be  the  Christ.  Some  said  he  had 
 no  divine  nature  ;  others,  he  had  no  human.  All  these, 
 and  abundance  of  other  errors,  crept  into  the  church 
 within  the  tvv'o  first  centuries,  and  were  strenuously 
 opposed  by  St.  Peter,  St.  Paul,  St.  John,  Ig  :anus, 
 Polycarp,  Irenjeus,  and  odiers,  who  all  maintained,  with 
 unshaken  confidence,   that  Jesus  Christ  not  only  pre- 
 
 existed, 
 
 ^  See  Ycune's  Sermon?,  p.  St. 
 
S6  INTRODUCTION. 
 
 existed,  but  xvas  the  proper  Son  of  God,  and  the  creator 
 of  the  world.  All  this  they  not  only  asserted,  but 
 treated  the  oppugncrs  thereof  with  great  and  just  indig- 
 nation.    I  add,  lastly,  that 
 
 \Vhen  the  several  kingdoms  in  Europe  had  been  bu- 
 ried in  Egyptian  darkness  for  many  ages,  through  the 
 prevalence  of  the  corruptions  of  the  church  of  Rome, 
 the  Reformation  took  place  in  the  sixteenth  century. 
 And  it  is  remarkable,  that  all  the  churches  in  Christen- 
 dom, which  cast  oft  the  delusions  of  popery,  still  retain- 
 ed the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  as  a  fundamental  article 
 of  the  Christian  religion.  However  they  might  differ 
 from  each  other  in  smaller  matters,  they  were  all  per- 
 fectly agreed  in  this  one  principle.  The  confession  of 
 the  Helvetic,  the  French,  the  Belgic,  the  English,  the 
 Scotch,  the  Polish,  the  Saxon,  the  Bohemian,  the  Ger- 
 man churches,  the  churches  of  the  Swedes  and  Danes, 
 besides  the  different  denominations  of  Dissenters  in  this 
 country :  These  all,  or  in  general,  professed  to  make 
 the  holy  scriptures  alone  the  rule  of  their  faith ;  they  all 
 differed  very  materially  one  from  another,  in  several  re- 
 ispectsj  and  yet  they  all  agreed,  that  the  doctrine  of  the 
 Trinity  is  not  only  scriptural  but  fundamental  in  Chris- 
 tianity. * 
 
 In  answer  to  every  thing  that  can  be  advanced  in  fa- 
 vour of  the  pre-existence  and  divinity  of  Christ,  it  is 
 further  objected,  that  there  are  various  passages  of  scrip- 
 ture, which  speak  a  different  language,  and  seem  to  say, 
 that  he  is  a  mere  human  creature. 
 
 It  is  readily  granted  there  are  several  scriptures  of 
 this  kind;  and  if  any  of  them  asserted  plainly  and  une- 
 quivocally that  Christ  was  a  mere  man,  and  no  more 
 than  a  mere  man,  then  we  should  be  obliged,  either  to 
 conclude,  that  the  scriptures  contradicted  themselves,  or 
 that  all  the  other  passages,  which  represent  him  as  be- 
 ing 
 
 5  See  this  proved  at  large  by  some  London  Ministers  in  the  Doc- 
 trine of  the  Blessed  Trinity  stated  and  defended. 
 
INTRODUCTION.  57 
 
 ing  more  than  man,  must  be  brought  down  to  a  level 
 with  those,  which  speak  of  iiis  simple  humanity.  But 
 seeing  some  parts  of  the  sacred  writings  speak  of  our 
 Saviour  as  being  man,  *  and  others  speak  of  him  as  be- 
 ing God,  and  the  Son  of  God,  it  has  been  the  custom  in 
 every  age  of  the  church,  in  order  to  reconcile  these 
 seemingly  inconsistent  declarations,  to  apply  the  former 
 to  his  humanity,  and  the  latter  to  his  divinity.  Parallel 
 to  the  case  before  us  is  the  account  which  is  given  in 
 various  parts  of  scripture,  of  the  nature  both  of  men 
 and  angels.  Men  are  sometim.es  therein  said  to  be 
 mortal,  sometimes  immortal.  Angels  too  are  sometimes 
 spoken  of  as  mm,  at  other  times  as  being  what  they 
 really  are.  Two  or  three  instances  will  illustrate  my 
 meaning.  The  first  is  that  of  the  angels  who  appeared  to 
 Abraham.  They  are  expressly  called  men,  three  times 
 over,  in  the  compass  of  the  eighteenth  chapter  of 
 Genesis,  and  yet  the  whole  context  shews  them  to  have 
 been  angels,  and  one  of  the  three  to  have  been  even  the 
 Lord  of  angels,  and  the  Judge  of  all  the  earth. 
 
 Another  instance  may  be,  the  history  of  the  two 
 angels,  who  appeared  to  Lot,  while  he  dwelt  at  Sodom. 
 In  that  short  account,  they  are  four  times  denominated 
 men,  though  the  whole  history  declares  them  to  have 
 been  angels. 
 
 So  in  the  story  of  Manoah  and  the  angel,  he  is  more 
 than  once  called  both  a  man,  and  a  man  of  God,  and 
 yet  he  gave  sufficient  proof  that  he  was  of  more  than 
 mortal  origin. 
 
 In  like  manner  when  Gabriel  descended  from  heaven, 
 in  answer  to  the  prayer  of  Daniel,  he  is  positively  called 
 the  man  Gabriel.  * 
 
 H  We 
 
 1  It  ^e  can  no  more  conclude  that  Jesus  Christ  is  not  God,  be- 
 **  cause  the  Holy  Spirit  sometimes  speaks  of  him  as  a  simple  man, 
 **  than  we  can  conclude,  that  he  is  not  man,  because  he  speaks  of 
 **  him  sometimes  as  God." 
 
 Saurin  by  Robinson,  vol.  3.  p.  119. 
 *  Dan.  9.  21. 
 
5S  INTRODUCTION. 
 
 We  have  other  instances  in  the  New  Testament. 
 The  two  angels,  who  appeared  to  the  women,  that  were 
 coming  to  anoint  the  body  of  Jesus,  after  his  crucifix- 
 ion, are  said  to  have  been  two  men  in  shining  garments.s 
 And  afterwards,  when  he  ascended  into  heaven,  two  men 
 in  white  apparel  stood  by  the  disciples,  and  told  them, 
 that  Jesus  shall  come  again  in  like  manner  as' they  had 
 seen  him  go  into  heaven.  * 
 
 Now,  if  any  one  should  insist,  that  the  angels  are  no 
 more  than  mere  men,  because  they  are  sometimes  called 
 by  that  name,  as  in  the  several  instances  here  produced, 
 he  would  act  just  as  improperly  as  they  do,  who  attempt 
 to  prove,  that  the  Son  of  God  is  possessed  of  a  nature 
 no  higher  than  humanity,  because  he  is  sometimes  deno- 
 minated a  man,  and  the  son  of  man.  We  will,  however, 
 proceed  to  produce  some  of  the  most  remarkable  of 
 those  scriptures,  which  speak  for  the  humanity 'of  Christ, 
 and  are  usually  urged  by  the  Socinians  to  prove,  that  he 
 is  nothing  more  than  man.  The  order  in  which  they 
 are  found  in  the  bible  may  be  as  convenient  as  any 
 other. 
 
 1.  Why  callest  thou  me  good?  There  is  none  good  hut 
 cney  that  is  God.     Mat.   19.   17. 
 
 To  see  the  force  of  this,  we  must  reason  with  the 
 man  upon  his  own  mistaken  principles.  Why  do  you 
 call  me  good,  whom  you  do  not  believe  to  be  any  other 
 than  a  mere  man  ?  There  is  none  truly  good  but  God, 
 who  is  the  only  author  of  all  goodness  and  happiness. 
 This  is  the  common  answer  that  is  given  to  the  difficul- 
 ty in  this  text,  and  appears  sufficiently  satisfactory.  It 
 seems  a  question  proposed  to  the  man,  as  in  Mat.  9. 
 28.  Ibid.  22.  43.  and  John  9.  2^.  to  make  him  pro- 
 fess his  belief  of  our  Lord's  being  the  Son  of  God. 
 See  a  good  criticism  on  the  Greek  text  in  Jones's  Ca- 
 tholic Doctrine  of  the  Trinity,  chap.  i.  sect.  24.  See 
 too  Dr.  Trapp  on  the  Trinity,  p.  109,  no. 
 
 2.  To  sit  on  my  right  hand  and  on  my  left  is  7iot  mine  to 
 
 givey 
 3  Luke  24.  4.——+ Acts  1.  10,  11. 
 
INTRODUCTION.  59 
 
 givey  hut  it  shall  be  given  unto  them  for  whom  it  is  prepare 
 edofmy  Father.     Mat.   10.  23. 
 
 This  difficulty  is  solved  by  this  single  observation, 
 that  Christ  derived  his  divine  nature  from  his  Father 
 as  well  as  his  human,  and  that  through  the  whole  of  his 
 life  here  in  the  world,  he  acted  as  his  Father's  delegate. 
 It  was  no  part  of  his  undertaking  here  below  to  allot  to 
 men  their  future  abodes.  I'he  law  promulged  from  the 
 eternal  throne,  is,  that  every  man  shall  be  rewarded,  not 
 according  to  peculiar  and  foolish  partialities,  but 
 according  to  his  works. — Our  blessed  Saviour  has  pro- 
 mised elsewhere,  to  bestow  this  reward  in  his  own  right: 
 To  him  that  overcometh  will  I  grant /(?  sit  with  me  in 
 MY  THRONE.  Rev.  3.  21.  Consulc  Joncs  on  the  Tri- 
 nity, chap.  I.  sect.  32,  for  a  criticism  on  the  original 
 text. 
 
 3.  All  power  is  given  unto  me  in  heaven  and  in  earth. 
 Mat.  28.   19. 
 
 Christ  was  mediator  between  God  and  man.  As  his 
 divine  nature  had  ineffably  existed  with  his  Father  from 
 everlasting,  so  his  human  nature  became  invested,  after 
 his  resurrection,  with  universal  dominion.  He  was 
 exalted  as  God- Man  mediator,  where  he  ever  liveth  to 
 make  intercession,  and  sitteth  at  his  Father's  right  hand 
 till  all  opposing  power  is  reduced  into  subjection  to  his 
 authority. 
 
 4.  But  of  that  day  and  hour  hioweth  no  man^  no  not  the 
 angels  which  are  in  heaven^  neither  the  Son,  hut  the  Fa- 
 ther.    Mark  13.  32. 
 
 As  God,  Christ  knew  all  things,  and  was  possessed  of 
 all  possible  perfection.  As  man,  he  was  ignorant  of  many 
 things,  the  day  of  judgment  in  particular.  He  grew  in 
 ■wisdom,  as  well  as  in  stature.  It  was  no  part  of  his  com- 
 mission among  men,  to  reveal  the  particular  time  when 
 this  event  shall  be.  This  last  seems  to  be  the  sense  of  the 
 passage,  because  he  is  frequently  said  in  other  parts  of 
 scripture  to  know  all  things.  See  a  good  solution  of 
 the  difficulty  contained  in  this  text  in  Waterland's  Eight 
 
 H  2  Sermon.^ 
 
6o  INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Sermons  on  the  Divinity  of  Christ,  p.  268 — 273.  And 
 for  a  defence  of  the  Fathers  on  the  passage,  consult  his 
 Vindication  of  the  Divinity  of  Christ,  p.  104 — 1 1 2  and 
 p.  415.  See  too  what  Dr.  Bishop  has  advanced  in 
 his  Eight  Sermons  at  Lady  Moyer's  lecture,  p.  107 — 
 116.  Consult  also  Trapp  on  the  Trinity  p.  113,  114. 
 "  Our  Saviour's  design  in  this  place  being  only  to 
 represent  the  day  here  spoken  of  as  a  secret  not  to 
 be  made  known  unto  men  until  it  should  come  upon 
 them,  that  they  might  always  stand  upon  their  guard, 
 watch,  and  prepare  for  it:  let  but  the  word  ^^ois;  be 
 taken  to  signify  make  known  (which  fully  answers  the 
 design  of  the  place,  and,  as  it  is  evident,  St.  Paul 
 uses  the  same  word,  i  Cor.  2.  2.  I  diienninedj  says, 
 he,  rtot  io  know^  that  is,  not  to  make  known  or  teach, 
 any  thing  among  you.^  save  Jesus  Christ  and  him  cruci- 
 fied:) and  then  the  most  natural  paraphrase  of  that 
 place  will-  be  this — But  that  day  and  hour  there  is  no 
 one  who  shall  or  can  make  known  unto  you ;  nOj  not  the 
 angels  which  are  in  heaven  (who  may  be  supposed  to 
 be  ignorant  of  it  themselves)  nor  even  the  Son  him- 
 self {y^ho,  although  he  knoweth  all  things.  John  21. 
 1 7,  yet  can  do  nothing  of  himself,  but  what  he  seeth  the 
 Father  do.  John  5.  19,  and  who  speaketh  not  of  him- 
 self, but  the  Father  which  sent  him  gave  him  command- 
 ment what  he  should  say.  John  12.  49.)  but  the  Fa- 
 ther only  shall  in  his  own  time,  make  it  known  by  bring- 
 ing it  to  pass, ' 
 
 5.  My  Father  is  greater  than  I.     John  14.   28. 
 This  would  have  been  a  declaration  of  the  utmost 
 impudence,  on  the  supposidon  Christ  was  no  more  than 
 a  mere  man,  or  an  angel.     But  admitting  he  was  the 
 eternal  Son  of  his  eternal  Father,  and  acted  under  him 
 as  mediator  and  delegate,  to  say.  My  Father  is  greater 
 than  I,  is  highly  proper,  and  a  sentiment  worthy  of  his 
 piety.     The  Father  is  the  fountain   of  the  Godhead, 
 from  whence  the  Son  eternally  derived  his  eternal  ex- 
 istence. 
 5  Gentleman's  Religion,  p.  2.  p.  26,  27. 
 
INTRODUCTION.  6i 
 
 istcnce.  There  is  therefore  a  precedence  in  the  Father 
 as  Father,  "  such  as  the  priority  of  earthly  parents  may 
 **  be  supposed  to  possess,  though  at  the  same  time  the 
 "  most  perfect  equality  of  nature  remains."  See  Haw- 
 ker's Sermons  on  the  Divinity  of  Christ,  p.  176 — 178, 
 for  a  sensible  observation  on  this  passage.  Consult 
 Clarke  on  the  Trinity,  p.  141 — 147.  Ibid.  p.  260 — 
 262-  Ibid.  273 — 281.  Dr.  Bishop  too  has  given  a 
 good  view  of  the  text,  and  produced  other  testimonies 
 from  the  Fathers,  besides  those  in  Dr.  Clarke's  book. 
 Consult  likewise  Trapp  on  the  Trinity,   p.   115 — 124. 
 
 6.  y^nd  ibis  is  life  eternal ^  that  they  might  know  thee  the 
 only  true  Gody  and  Jesus  Christ  whom  thou  bast  sent. 
 John  17.  3. 
 
 There  were  two  grand  points,  which  all  that  were 
 converted  to  the  Christian  faith  were  to  learn:  they 
 were  to  turn  from  all  their  false  gods  to  serve  the  one 
 true  God,  and  to  believe  that  Jesus  was  the  Christ. 
 This,  and  no  other  is  the  lesson  conveyed  in  these  words. 
 They  assert  nothing  more.  The  true  God  is  used  in 
 opposition  to  false  godsj  Jesus  Christ  in  opposition  to 
 all  other  saviours. 
 
 This  passage  of  scripture  being  more  important  than 
 ordinary,  we  will  examine  in  what  manner  the  Ancients 
 understood  it. 
 
 "  Our  Lord  preached  to  those  who  had  fallen  into 
 "  polytheism  the  one  only  true  God  his  Father."  Ignat. 
 larger  Epist.  to  the  Mag.  Sect.   11. 
 
 "  If  Christ  would  not  have  us  understand  him  also 
 "  to  be  God,  why  did  he  add  these  words — /Ind  Jesus 
 "  Christ  "whom  thcu  hast  sent  ?  for  which  addition  there 
 *'  could  be  no  other  reason,  but  this,  that  he-Avould  have 
 "  himself  taken  for  God  j  for  were  it  otherwise,  he 
 **  would  have  added,  Jnd  the  man  Christ  Jesus  whcm 
 **  thou  hast  sent :  he  added,  however,  no  such  thing  j 
 "but  here  joined  himself  to  God,  that  by  this  conjunc- 
 "  tion  we  might  understand  him  to  be,  v/hat  indeed  he 
 
 "  is. 
 
62  INTRODUCTION. 
 
 ''  is,  God."  Tertul.  quoted  by  Maldonatus  on  the 
 place. 
 
 St.  Austin  has  it  thus: — "  The  order  in  which  these 
 "^  words  are  to  be  understood  is  this — That  they  may 
 '^  know  theey  and  Jesus  Christy  whom  thou  hast  sent,  to  be 
 '^  the  only  true  God.'*     De  Trin.  1.  6.  c.  9. 
 
 Athanasius  says,  "  These  two  clauses  of  our  Lord's 
 '^  speech  are  knit  together  by  the  copulative,  and  the 
 "  sense  of  them  is,  'That  they  may  know  thy  Son  to  be 
 *^  the  true  God,  even  as  they  know  thee  the  Father  to 
 "  be  so:"     Disp.  ad,  Arium. 
 
 Basil  has  it  thus : — ■''  Our  Lord  calls  his  Father,  the 
 "  only  true  God ;  not  as  if  his  person  alone  were  so,  but 
 '^  in  opposition  to  those  idols  which  were  then  thought 
 *'  to  be  God,  but  were  not  so  :  but  the  title  of  the  true 
 *^  God  doth  equally  belong  to  the  Father  and  the  Son." 
 Adv.  Eunom.  1.  4. 
 
 In  short;  all  the  ancient  writers,  who  have  had  oc- 
 casion to  mention  this  text  of  scripture,  speak  of  it  much 
 in  the  same  stile  v/ith  the  above.  And  the  reader  will 
 please  to  take  notice,  that  there  is  a  very  wide  difference 
 between  saying  the  Father  is  the  only  true  God,  and  the 
 Father  only  is  the  true  God.  The  former  is  our  Lord's 
 declaration,  the  latter  is  the  meaning  Socinians  put  upon 
 it. 
 
 Grotius  upon  the  place  saith,  "  The  Father  is  called 
 '^  the  only  true  God,  to  exclude  all  those  whom  the  false 
 "  persuasion  of  the  Gentiles  had  introduced  for  gods." 
 
 Erasmus  too  has  much  the  same  sentiment: — "  When 
 *^  our  Lord  stilus  his  Father,  the  only  true  God,  he  does 
 "  not  exclude  himself,  who  is  the  Son  ;  but  distinguishes 
 "  the  true  God  from  the  idols  of  the  Heathens." 
 
 Consult  Trapp  on  the  Trinity,  p.  no — 113,  and 
 Whitby  on  the  place. 
 
 7.  Unto  us  there  is  hut  one  God  the  Father,  of  whom  are 
 all  things  and  we  in  him,  and  one  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by 
 whom  are  all  things  and  we  by  him.      i  Cor.   8.   6. 
 
 Nothing  is  asserted  in   this  passage  contrary  to  what 
 
 is 
 
INTRODUCTION.  63 
 
 is  called  the  catholic  faith.  There  is  one  God,  and  one 
 Mediator.  Whether  that  Mediator  is  a  person  in  the 
 divine  substance  is  neither  asserted,  nor  denied  in  this 
 place.  If  the  term  God  is  used  in  an  exclusive  sense, 
 it  proves  too  much  :  for  we  may  as  well  say,  there  is 
 but  one  Lord,  as  that  there  is  but  one  God. 
 
 Origen  has  spoken  pretty  much  at  large  upon  this  pas- 
 sage of  scripture  : — "  I  wonder  how  any  one,"  says  he, 
 "  who  reads  what  the  apostle  Paul  has  said,  that  ihsrg 
 **  is  one  God,  the  Father,  of  whom  are  all  things^  and  one 
 *^  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by  whom  are  all  things,  should  yet 
 "  deny  that  they  ought  to  confess  the  Son  of  God  to  be 
 *?  God,  lest  they  should  seem  to  acknowledge  two  Gods. 
 "  How  will  they  dispose  of  this  passage  of  the  Apostle, 
 "  in  which  Christ  is  openly  declared  to  be  God  over 
 "  all?  Rom.  9.  5.  But  they  who  hold  these  opinions 
 "  do  not  consider,  that  as  he  has  not  termed  the  Lord 
 "  Jesus  Christ  the  one  Lord  in  such  an  exclusive  man- 
 "  ner,  that  God  the  Father  shall  not  be  Lord  ;  so  also 
 "  he  has  not  denominated  God  the  Father,  God  in  such 
 "  an  exclusive  manner,  as  that  the  Son  shall  not  be  be- 
 "  lieved  to  be  God."  In  Epist.  ad  Rom.  lib.  7.  chap. 
 «  9. 
 
 8.  'The  head  of  Christ  is  God.   i   Cor.    11.  j. 
 
 This  is  similar  to  some  of  the  foregoing.  The  Fa- 
 ther is  the  fountain  of  the  Godhead.  Christ  derived  his 
 deity  from  him  ;  his  humanity  from  him  ;  his  mediato- 
 rial office  from  him.  In  all  these,  and  in  every  other 
 possible  sense,  the  head  of  Christ  is  God :  but  it  by  no 
 means  from  hence  follows,  that  Christ  is  no  more  than 
 man. 
 
 9.  Then  Cometh  the  end  when  he  shall  have  delivered  up 
 the  kingdom  to  God  even  the  Father,   i   Cor.   1  5.   24. 
 
 This  is  one  of  the  most  difficult  portions  of  sacred 
 scripture,  not  because  of  any  thing  in  itself,  but  because 
 it  is  an  imperfect  revelation.  It  is  a  hint  thrown  out 
 concerning  a  great  event  which  is  to  take  place  in  the 
 M'orld  of  glory,  bur  not  pursued  to  any  length.     The 
 
 force 
 
64  JNTRODUCTION. 
 
 force  of  it  seems  to  lie  in  this  circumstance,  that  when 
 all  the  purposes  for  which  Christ  undertook  the  mediato- 
 rial office  shall  have  been  answered,  that  office  shall 
 cease,  as  being  no  longer  necessary,  and  pure  deity  shall 
 alone  continue.  But  this  does  not  prove  that  Christ  will 
 then  in  all  respects  cease  to  be  a  king.  His  natural  and 
 essential  kingdom  will  have  no  end.  But  his  medi- 
 atorial dignity  and  office  will  cease  through  eternity, 
 as  being  no  longer  necessary.  This  view  seems  calculat- 
 ed to  reconcile  this  passage  with  that  other  of  St.  Luke, 
 where  he  says.  He  shall  reign  over  the  house  of  Jacob 
 forever ;  and  of  his  kingdom  there  shall  be  no  end.  See 
 Jones  on  the  Trinity,  chap.   i.  sect.  25. 
 
 This  difficult  passage  of  scripture  is  very  well  ex- 
 plained by  Peter  Martyr,  as  quoted  by  Bishop  Bull  in 
 his  Prim,  et  Apost.  Tradit.  cap.  6.  sect.  9.  "  To  reign 
 "  is  sometimes  taken  for  excelling  others,  having  the 
 *'  pre-eminence,  or  highest  place  over  others.  Now 
 "  in  this  sense  Christ  will  always  reign.  But  if  v/e  say, 
 "  that  to  reign  is  the  same  as  to  exercise  the  offices  of 
 "  a  king,  to  fight  for,  to  defend,  to  conquer,  and  the 
 ^'  like  i  Christ  will  not  always  reign.  For  when  we 
 "  are  perfect  and  complete,  we  shall  have  no  occasion 
 "  for  the  aids  of  Christ.  When  he  came  into  the  world, 
 "  he  preached,  he  taught,  he  died  for  our  salvation; 
 *^  now  also  he  intercedes  for  us  with  the  Father,  he 
 *'  defends  us  from  eminent  dangers,  and  never  inter- 
 "  mits  his  mediatorial  offices  and  actions.  But  at  the 
 "  end,  when  he  hath  made  an  universal  peace,  he  will 
 *'  resign  these  offices  to  the  Father,  because  then  there 
 "  will  be  no  further  occasion  for  them.  Thus,  when 
 *•  a  powerful  prince  sends  his  only  son  to  somie  province 
 "  of  his  realm,  which  is  seditious,  tumultuary,  and  re- 
 *^  bellious,  the  son  goes  with  command  and  strong  force; 
 "  but  when  he  has  quieted  the  commotions,  and  sub- 
 "  dued  the  rebels,  he  returns  conqueror  to  his  father, 
 "  triumphs,  and  delivers  up  the  province  in  peace  to 
 
 his 
 
INTRODUCTION.  65 
 
 "  his  father,  no  longer  uses  the  military  command,  or 
 "  the  legions,  &c." 
 
 I  o.  There  is  one  Lord,  and  one  God  and  Father  of  all,  zvho 
 is  above  all,  and  through  all,  and  in  you  all.     Ep.  4.   ^^  6. 
 
 This  asserts  only  that  there  is  one  God,  and  one  Me- 
 diator, whom  he  calls  one  Lord.  God's  being  called 
 one  God,  no  more  excludes  Christ  from  that  high  title,  than 
 Christ's  being  called  the  one  Lord,  excludes  the  Father 
 from  the  same  appellation  and  dominion. 
 
 1 1 .  For  there  is  one  God,  and  one  Mediator  between 
 God  and  men,  the  man  Christ  Jesus,      i  Tim.   2.   5. 
 
 This  is  in  the  same  predicament  with  some  of  the  fore- 
 going. There  is  one  God  and  one  Mediator.  If  the  stress 
 is  laid  on  man:  li  is  replied,  Tiie  angels  arc  frequently 
 called  the  same,  but  yet  they,  at  the  very  t'l^ne,  were 
 possessed  of  an  higher  nature.  St.  Cyprian  says,  "  This 
 "  Christ  is  our  God,  who  put  on  man,  that,  as  a  media- 
 ''  tor  between  both,  he  might  lead  man  to  the  Father." 
 De  Vanit.  Idol. 
 
 11.  The  revelation  of  Jesus  Christ,  which  God  gave  un- 
 to him,  to  shew  unto  his  servants  things  which  must  shortly 
 come  to  pass.     Rev.   i.    i. 
 
 The  sentiment  here  is  the  same  as  in  many  other 
 places.  Christ  acted  as  his  Father's  delegate,  and  de- 
 rived all  his  authority  from  him.  Llis  mediatorial  and 
 delegated  office  will  continue  till  the  consummation  of 
 all  things,  when,  every  opposing  power  being  brought 
 into  subjection,  lie  will  deliver  up  his  office  to  his 
 Father,  and  God  shall  be  all  in  all. 
 
 It  is  possible  these  answers  to  objections  may  not  give 
 satisfaction  to  the  minds  of  some  readers.  Nor  is  it 
 likely  that  any  thing,  which  can  be  written  upon  so  pro- 
 found a  subject,  will  give  sadsfaction  to  every  reader. 
 Difficulties  will  occur,  what  opinions  soever  we  em- 
 brace. But  if  difficulties  attending  a  doctrine,  other- 
 wise well  established  on  scripture  evidence,  are  per- 
 mitted to  operate  upon  the  mind,  to  its  entire  subver- 
 sion, there  is  no  one  principle  either  of  natural  or  re- 
 
 l  vealed 
 
66  INTRODUCTION. 
 
 vealed  religion,  however  important  in  itself,  can  possi- 
 bly keep  its  ground.  Many  of  the  doctrines  of  religion 
 are  attended  with  circumstances  of  the  most  palpable  in- 
 comprehensibility to  the  present  coniined  and  limited 
 powers  of  man.  The  existence  and  perfections  of  God, 
 the  immortality  of  the  human  soul,  the  resurrection  of 
 the  body  :  whd  can  enumerate  the  difficulties  attending 
 tliese  indisputable  doctrines  of  natural  and  revealed  re- 
 ligion ?  But  wiien  once  a  doctrine  is  firmly  established 
 upon  a  scriptural  foundation,  die  difficulties  attending  a 
 full  comprehension  of  it  must  give  v/ay,  in  every  case 
 short  of  contradiction.  ^ 
 
 I  observe  still  farther,  that  the  word  of  God  is  die 
 best  authority  in  the  world  upon  every  subject  where  ic 
 is  concerned.  If  it  contains  any  particular  proposition, 
 we  may  be  well  satisfied  such  proposition  contains  an 
 undoubted  truth,  whether  we  are  able  to  comprehend 
 all  the  reasons  of  it  or  otherwise. '    The  government 
 
 of 
 
 •  There  are  some  other  passages  of  scripture  that  are  supposed  to 
 militate  aeainst  the  divinity  of  Christ,  bat  which  all  admit  of  a  rea- 
 sonable solution.  Those  I  have  mentioned  seem  the  strongest  of 
 any.  If  the  Reader  is  dissatisfied  with  the  answers  given,  he  may 
 have  recourse  to  the  Commentators,  where  they  are  considered  more 
 at  large.  Whitby  alone,  on  the  New  Testament,  will  be  found  compe- 
 tent to  the  satisfying  the  scruples  of  all  dispassionate  inquirers  into 
 the  truths  of  the  divine  word.  To  him,  therefore,  I  will  refer  the 
 Reader  whenever  he  is  pressed  with  an  objection  to  the  Divinity  of 
 his  Saviour.  The  great  Dr.  John  Owen,  when  speaking  on  this 
 subject,  says  :  "  For  my  part,  J  do  not  see  in  any  thing,  but  that  the 
 *'  testimonies  given  to  the  God-head  of  Christ,  the  eternal  Son  of 
 **  God,  are  every  way  as  clear  and  unquestionable  as  those  are, 
 *'  which  testify  to  the  Being  of  God,  or  that  there  is  any  God  at 
 "  all." 
 
 On  the  Trinity,  p.  40. 
 '  That  is  a  fine  simile  of  the  honourable  Robert  Boyle  where  he 
 says : — "  As  among  the  stars,  that  shine  in  the  firmament,  though 
 *'  there  be  a  disparity  of  greatness  compared  one  to  another,  yet 
 **  they  are  all  of  them  lucid  and  celestial  bodies,  and  the  least  of 
 *'  them  far  vaster  than  any  thing  on  earth;  so  of  the  two  testaments, 
 *'  that  compose  the  bible,  though  there  may  be  some  disparity  in  re- 
 *'  lation  to  themselves,  yet  are  they  both  heavenly  and  instructive 
 
 t# 
 
INTRODUCTION.  67 
 
 of  the  world  belong^s  not  to  man.  What  is  therein  de- 
 livered  is  as  firm  as  the  throne  of  God.  His  power  is 
 engaged  to  fulfil  what  his  mouth  hath  spoken.  And  as 
 he  is  a  God  without  iniquity,  just  and  right  in  all  his 
 ways,  we  may  be  assured,  what  he  hath  declared  by 
 liis  servants,  the  Prophets  and  Apostles,  shall  every  jot 
 and  tittle  be  found  true.  It  is  inconsistent  with  his  na- 
 ture to  set  his  seal  to  a  lie.  If  therefore  any  particular 
 doctrine  is  found  in  the  Lively  Oracles,  v/c  hesitate  not 
 to  embrace  it  as  the  truth  of  God,  even  though  it  should 
 be  liable  to  a  variety  of  objecdons.  ^  No  doctrine  of 
 revelation,  indeed,  can  be  true  that  is  contradictory 
 to  any  other  doctrine  either  ot  nature  or  of  rc\  elation: 
 nor  can  any  be  founded  in  truth  that  is  not  perfectly 
 consistent  with  the  purest  principles  of  sound  reason 
 and  philosophy.    But  surely  it  cannot  be  justly  argued 
 
 froni 
 
 volumes,  and  Inestimably  out-valuing  any  the  earth  aftbrds,  or 
 human  pens  ever  traced.  And  I  must  add,  tliat  as  mineralists  ob- 
 serve, tTiat  rich  mines  are  wont  to  lie  hid  in  those  grounds,  whose 
 surface  bears  no  fruit  trees,  (too  much  maligned  by  tha  arsenical 
 and  resembling  fumes)  nor  is  well  stored  with  useful  plants  or 
 verdure;  (as  if  God  would  endear  those  ill-favoured  lands  by 
 giving  them  great  portions  :)  so  divers  passages  of  holy  writ, 
 which  appear  barren  and  unpromising  to  our  firsc  survey,  and  hold 
 not  obviously  forth  instructions  or  promises,  being  by  a  sedulous 
 artist  searched  into  (and  the  original  word  epvvuTc  used  in  that 
 text  of  Search  the  scriptures.  John  5.  39,  does  properly  enough 
 signify  the  searching  for  hid  treasure)  afford,  out  of  their  pene- 
 trated bowels,  rich  4nd  precious  mysteries  of  divinity." 
 
 On  the  Style  of  Scripture,  4th  Obj.  p.  109. 
 '"When  philosophy  and  the  scripture  see/;;,  to  disagree,  it  is  al- 
 "  ways  the  safest  course  to  believe  what  is  taught  by  God,  whose 
 "  exact  veracity  is  included  in  his  most  perfect  nature,  who  posseses 
 "  an  intellect,  not  only  of  a  superior  ordtr  to  ours,  but  truly  omni- 
 "  scient,  and  who  does  most  clearly  know,  not  only  all  gradual  veri- 
 "  ties,  and  all  those,  that  are  but  conditional  truths,  or  grounded  up- 
 "  on  suppositions,  but  all  the  complete,  absolute  and  eternal  truths, 
 "  that  our  philosophy  and  reasoriings  are  built  on:  and,  most  pro- 
 *'  bably,  many  more,  neither  atiained,  nor  so  much  as  attainable,  by 
 "  natural  reason  j  though  never  so  well  improved  by  merely  humaa 
 *'  philosophy." 
 
 Boyle's  Christian  Virtuoso,  p.  680, 
 
CZ  INTRODUCTION. 
 
 from  this  concession,  that  no  doctrine  is  to  be  embraced 
 but  what  we  fully  comprehend.  We  believe  the  exis- 
 tence, the  eternity,  the  immensity,  the  omnipotence, 
 the  omniscience,  and  every  other  perfection  of  the  Su- 
 preme Being:  butnvhat  man  upon  earth  pretends  to 
 comprehend  how  these  things  are  ?  Reason  and  revela- 
 tion concur  in  estabhshing  the  reality  of  the  facts ;  but 
 neither  reason  nor  revelation  inform  us  how  they  are. 
 And  it  is,  moreover,  exceedingly  probable,  that  if  we 
 had  been  informed  much  more  fully  concerning  these 
 deep  things  of  God,  we  have  no  powers  to  comprehend 
 them.  Yet  w-e  believe  them,  and  act  upon  the  persua- 
 sion, through  the  whole  course  of  our  lives.  In  like 
 manner  we  believe  the  unity  of  God.  This  we  are  con- 
 firmed in  the  persuasion  of  both  by  reason  and  revela- 
 tion. But  while  reason  has  nothing  to  reply,  being  lost 
 in  the  profundity  of  the  subject,  revelation  informs  us, 
 that  in  this  unity  of  nature,  there  are  three  persons,  dis- 
 tinguished by  the  names  of  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
 Ghost  j  three  persons  engaged  for  the  salvation  of  the 
 human  race,  to  whon^  are  frequently  ascribed  divine  and 
 incommunicable  perfections.  Not  knowing  how  to  re- 
 concile these  things  in  any  other  or  better  manner,  we 
 say,  the  Godhead  is  one,  but  the  persons  in  that  one 
 Godhead  are  three  :  and  we  worship  this  one  Godhead 
 under  these  three  personal  distinctions  :  To  the  Father, 
 the  fountain  of  the  Godhead,  we  ascribe,  emphatically, 
 Creation ;  to  the  Son,  Redemption  -,  and  to  the  Holy 
 Ghost,  Sanctification;  and  in  this  order  we  pay  our  ado- 
 rations. These  principles  we  believe,  and  these  practices 
 we  observe,  not  because  we  pretend  to  comprehend 
 the  mode  and  manner  how  the  one  is  three,  and  three 
 are  one;  but  because  the  holy  scriptures  have  given  us 
 this  information.  We  receive  the  doctrine  on  what  we 
 conceive  to  be  the  authority  of  heaven.  Our  scriptures 
 teach  us  this  doctrine.  We  have  cxaniined  the  authen- 
 ticity and  authority  of  those  scriptures,  and^  we  find  that 
 authenticity  to  be  unquestionable,  and  that  authority  to 
 
 be 
 
INTRODUCTION.  6g 
 
 be  such  as  commands  our  assent.  While  this  is  our  si- 
 tuation, we  can  do  no  other  than  embrace  the  doctrine 
 of  the  Sacred  Three.  Not  to  do  so  would  be  absolute 
 rebellion  against  the  highest  obligations,  and  to  involve 
 ourselves  in  deserved  condemnation.  If  we  err  herein, 
 we  err  in  good  company.  If  we  are  mistaken,  we  mis- 
 take with  the  greatest  and  best  of  men.  Friends  and 
 enemies  have  concurred  in  sentiment  with  us,  that  the 
 scriptures  do  actually  contain  the  doctrine.  Jews,  Hea- 
 thens, Mahometans,  all  concur  with  the  great  body  of 
 Christians  from  the  beginning,  that  the  doctrine  of  the 
 Trinity  is  a  doctrine  of  our  New  Testament.  We  are 
 so  far,  therefore,  from  feeling  shame  at  being  thought 
 to  embrace  this  sentiment,  that  we  glory  in  the  prin- 
 ciple before  the  assembled  world  of  infidels  and  philo- 
 sophers, and  are  persuaded  it  throws  a  divine  lustre  over 
 the  records  of  our  salvation,  and  makes  them  worthy  of 
 God  to  reveal,  and  of  all  acceptation  by  man. ' 
 
 "  See  the  divinity  of  Chriit  and  the  doctrine  of  the  Holy  Trinity 
 vindicated  from  the  objections  of  Socinians  in  the  44th  Sermon  of 
 archbishop  Tillotson. 
 
■\     w  rr  Yr*. 
 
An  Apology  for  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity, 
 
 PART   FIRST. 
 
 SECTION     I. 
 
 Information  concerning  the  Messiah  for  the  first  three  thousand  years 
 of  the  World. 
 
 THE  general  observations  intended  being  dispatch- 
 ed, we  will  now  proceed  to  investigate  the  seve- 
 ral doctrines  themselves.  And  that  this  may  be  done 
 with  greater  precision,  let  it  first  be  considered,  what 
 genuine  Christianity  is. — Real  Christianity,  then,  it  will 
 be  granted  by  every  person,  let  his  private  views  of 
 it  be  what  they  may,  is  that  mode  of  worshipping  and 
 serving  the  Almigiity,  which  the  gospel  of  Christ  re- 
 quires of  us.  Whoever  serves  God  in  this  way,  is  truly 
 religious.  Whoever  serves  God  in  any  other  way,  if  he 
 lives  under  the  dispensation  of  the  gospel,  is  not  truly 
 religious. 
 
 Now,  the  gospel  of  our  blessed  Saviour  plainly  con- 
 tains the  following  principles : 
 
 1.  There  is  a  God. 
 
 2.  Man  is  an  accountable  creature. 
 
 3.  He  hath  offended  his  Maker,  and  is  become  a  sin- 
 ner. 
 
 4.  He  hath  contracted,  in  some  way  or  other,  wrong 
 propensities,  and  is  now  depraved  in  his  moral  powers. 
 
 5.  Fie  is  absolutely  incapable  of  making  satisfaction 
 to  his  Creator  for  the  sins  he  hath  committed  j  and 
 equally  as  incapable  of  rectifying  the  disorders  of  his 
 nature,  without  divine  assistance. 
 
 6.  God  hath  taken  pitv  on  his  creature,  and  provided, 
 
 and 
 
72  .  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 and  made  known,  both  a  Saviour  to  die  for  his  sins,  and 
 also  an  Holy  Spirit  to  rectify  the  moral  disorders  of  his 
 nature. 
 
 7.  This  Saviour,  and  this  Sanctifier,  are  spoken  of 
 through  the  scripture  in  terms  that  signify  the  highest 
 dignity,  as  being  partakers  of  real  divinity. 
 
 We  will  conline  ourselves  to  this  last  proposition. 
 And,  in  order  to  examine  the  matter  to  the  bottom,  we 
 will  pursue  the  following  method : 
 
 1.  See  what  the  scriptures  inform  us  con- 
 cerning  THIS  Saviour. 
 
 2.  We  will  then  examine  what  the  word  of 
 God   reveals   concerning  the  Holy  Spirit. 
 
 3.  Produce  the  scriptural  account  of  the 
 Sacred  Trinity. 
 
 4.  See  what  the  ancient  Jews  thought  of 
 these  subjects. 
 
 5.  What  the  learned  Heathen. 
 
 6.  What  the  Christian  fathers. 
 
 ,7.  We  may  afterv/ards  throw  the  whole  into 
 one  view. 
 
 It  is  not  needful  to  attempt  here  to  prove  the  ex- 
 istence of  a  Supreme  Being,  as  it  is  agreed  on  all  hands, 
 that  "  there  is"  one,  and  "  but  one,  living  and  true  God, 
 "  everlasting,  v.ithout  body,  parts,  or  passions;  ofin- 
 *'  finite  power,  wisdom,  and  goodness;  the  Maker 
 *'  and  Preserver  of  all  things,  both  visible  and  invisi- 
 "  bJe."  The  question  is,  whether  "  in  the  unity  of 
 "  this  Godhead  tliere  be"  not  *'  three  persons,  of  one 
 "  substance,  power,  and  eternity;  the  Father,  the  Son, 
 "  and  Holy  Ghost  ?" 
 
 In  order  to  determine  this,  we  will.  First,  enquire 
 
 IN  what    manner    the    HOLY    SCRIPTURES    SPEAK    OF 
 
 OUR  BLESSED  Saviour.  '  And  the  several  passages  to 
 this  purpose  will  be  best  produced,  I  think,  in  chrono- 
 logical order,  because  the  nearer  we  come  to  the  time 
 of  his  birth,  the  clearer  and  fuller  the  descriptions  usually 
 are. 
 
 I.  The 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  71 
 
 u  The  first  passage  we  meet  with,  is  that  most  ancient 
 one  recorded  in  the  third  chapter  of  Genesis.  It 
 was  made  immediately  after  the  fall  of  our  great 
 progenitor,  and  about  four  thousand  years  before 
 Jesus  Christ  was  born:  I  will  put  enmity  between 
 thee  and  the  woman^  and  between  thy  seed  and  her  seed: 
 it  shall  bruise  thy  head,  and  thou  shalt  bruise  his  heeL 
 Gen.  3.  15.  *  Does  not  the  seed  of  the  womany  the 
 term  here  made  use  of,  seem  to  imply,  that  there 
 should  be  something  supernatural  in  the  person,  or 
 K  in 
 
 *  Maimonides,  one  of  the  greatest  and  best  of  the  Jewish  writers, 
 who  lived  in  the  twelfth  century,  saith,  "  This  is  one  of  the  pas- 
 **  sages  in  scripture  which  is  most  wonderful,  and  «ot  to  be  under- 
 "_5.tood,  according  to  the  letter  ;  but  contains  great  wisdom  in  it." 
 
 More  Nevochim,  p.  z.  cap.  30. 
 
 This  prophetic  scripture  is  applied  to  the  Messiah  by  the  mosE 
 learned  of  the  ancient  Jews,  as  appears  both  from  the  Targum  of 
 Jonathan,  and  that  of  Jerusalem.  The  former  paraphrases  the  pas- 
 sage thus : — ♦*  But  I  will  put  enmity  between  tliee  and  the  woman, 
 *'  between  the  seed  of  thy  son  and  the  seed  of  his  sons  :  and  it  shall 
 *'  come  to  pass  when  the  sons  of  the  woman  shall  observe  the  pre- 
 *'  cepts  of  the  law,  they  will  endeavour  to  smite  thee  on  thy  head. 
 "  But  when  they  shall  neglect  the  precepts  of  the  law,  thou  shalt 
 "  endeavour  to  bite  them  on  their  heel  :  yet  there  shall  be  a  remedy 
 **  for  them,  but  for  thee  there  shall  not  be  a  remedy  ;  because  a  re- 
 **  medy  shall.be  produced  for  the  heel  in  the  days  of  king  Messiah.'* 
 — The  latter  paraphrase  has  it  thus : — "  And  it  shall  come  to  pass 
 ••  when  the  children  of  the  woman  shall  observe  the  law  and  perform 
 "  the  commandments,  they  will  endeavour  to  bruise  thy  head  and 
 **  slay  th^e  ;  but  when  the  children  of  the  woman  shall  neglect  the 
 "  precepts  of  the  law,  and  observe  not  the  commandments,  thou 
 **  shalt  endeavour  to  bite  them  on  their  heel,  and  so  do  them  an  in- 
 *'  jury  :  yet  there  shall  be  a  remedy  for  the  children  of  the  woman, 
 *'  but  for  thee  the  serpent  there  shall  be  no  remedy  ;  nevertheless  it 
 **  shall  come  to  pass,  that  they  shall  perform  a  cure  upon  each  other 
 «*  on  the  heel,  in  the  last  days,  that  is  in  the  days  of  king  Messiah." 
 
 It  may  be  convenient  to  observe  here,  for  the  sake  of  the  unlearn- 
 ed reader,  that  these  Targums  are  paraphrases  of  the  Hebrew  scrip- 
 tures into  the  Chaldean  language,  and  were  made  before  or  about  the 
 time  of  our  Saviour,  to  accommodate  those  persons  who  did  not  un- 
 derstand the  pure  Hebrew  language.  A  good  account  of  them  may  be 
 seen  in  Prideaux's  Connection  of  the  Old  and  New  Testament,  par; 
 2.  book  8. 
 
♦4  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 in  the  birth  of  the  Messiah  ?  Comp.  Gal.  4.  4  j  and 
 I  John  3.  8. 
 
 1.  Enoch,  the  seventh  from  Adam,  by  a  prophetic 
 spirit,  said,  Beholdy  the  Lord  comet b  with  ten  thou- 
 sand of  his  saints  to  execute  judpnent  upon  ally  and  to 
 convince  all  that  are  ungodly  among  them^  of  all  their 
 ungodly  deeds,  which  they  have  ungodlily  committed, 
 and  of  all  their  hard  speeches,  which  ungodly  sinners 
 have  spoken  against  him,     Jude  14,  15. 
 
 If  the  Son  of  God  is  represented  in  this  prophetic 
 passage  of  scripture  as  the  Judge  of  the  world ;  it 
 is  an  office,  surely,  very  much  above  the  abilities 
 of  any  merely  human  being,  however  exalted  by  the 
 favour  of  his  Maker.  Compare  i  Thes.  4.  14 — 
 18.  It  is  not,  indeed,  perfectly  clear  that  this  pro-  ' 
 phecy  is  applicable  to  the  Son,  exclusive  of  the 
 Father.     It  seems  ambiguous. 
 
 3.  The  next  passage  which  speaks  of  our  Saviour,  is 
 that  of  God  to  Abraham  in  the  twelfth  chapter 
 of  Genesis,  about  430  years  after  the  flood,  and 
 1920  years  before  the  Messiah  came  into  the 
 world :  Now  the  Lord  had  said  unto  Abraham,  Get 
 thee  out  of  thy  country,  and  from  thy  kindred,  and  from 
 thy  father^ s  house,  unto  a  land  that  I  will  shew  thee: 
 and  I  will  make  of  thee  a  great  nation,  and  I  will 
 bless  thee  and  make  thy  name  great;  and  thou  shall 
 he  a  Messing.  And  I  will  bless  them  that  bless  thee, 
 and  curse  him  that  curseth  thee:  and  in  thee  shall 
 nil  families  of  the  earth  be  blessed.  Gen.  12.  i — 3. 
 This  promise  was  first  made  to  Abraham  when  he 
 was  75  years  of  age,  and  afterwards  repeated  to  him 
 nine  or  ten  different  times;  once  the  same  year; 
 once  three  years  after;  twice  the  same  day  five 
 years  after  j  once  sixteen  years  after ;  two  or  three 
 times  again  the  same  year;  and  once  more  when 
 he  was  125  years  of  age,  and  his  son  Isaac  twenty 
 five.  All  these  repetitions  of  the  promise  were 
 fundamentally  the  same,  though  with  some  little 
 
 variation 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  75 
 
 variation  in  the  expression.     Compare  Gal.  3.  8, 
 16  i  and  Mac.   i.   i. 
 About   1800  years  before  the  birth  of  Christ,  and 
 1 20  after  the  calling  of  Abraham,  God  appeared 
 to  Isaac  and  renewed  to  him  the  promise  which  had 
 been  so  frequently  made  to  his  father.    This  was 
 repeated  to  him  but  twice :    The  Lord  appeared'un- 
 to  Isaac,  and  said.  Go  not  down  into  Egypt :  dwell 
 in  the  land  which  1  shall  tell  thee  of.    Sojourn  in  this 
 land,  and  I  will  be  with  thee,  and  will  bless  thee : 
 for  unto  thee  and  unto  thy  seed  I  will  give  all  these 
 countries,  and  I  will  perform  the  oath  which  I  sware 
 unto  Abraham  thy  father.     And  I  will  make  thy  seed 
 to   multiply  as  the  stars  of  heaven,  and  I  will  give 
 unto  thy  seed  all  these  countries:  and  in  thy  seed 
 shall  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  be  blessed;  because 
 that  Abraham  obeyed  my  voice,  and  kept  my  charge, 
 my  commandments,  my  statutes,  and  my  laws.     Gen, 
 a6.  1 — 5.     And  again,   in  a  more  compendious 
 form,  at  die  twenty  fourth  verse  of  die  same  chap- 
 ter. 
 Several  years  afterwards  God  appeared  to  Jacob, 
 and  renewed  to  him  the  promise  of  his  fathers,  Abra- 
 ham and  Isaac,  and  nearly  in   the  same  words:  / 
 am  the  Lord  God  of  Abraham  thy  father^  and  the 
 God  of  Isaac ;  the  land  whereon  thou  liest,   to  thee 
 will  I  give  it,   and  to  thy  seed.     And  thy  seed  shall  be 
 as  the  dust  of  the  earth  \  and  thou  shalt  spread  abroad 
 to  the  west,  and  to  the  east,  and  to  the  north,  and  to 
 the  south:  and  in  thee,  and  in  thy  seed,  shall  all  the 
 families  of  the  earth  be  blessed.     Gtn.  1%.   13,    14. 
 We  have  the  authority  of  the  two  great  apostles, 
 Peter  and   Paul,   for  applying  the  promise   here 
 made  to  Abraham,  Isaac,   and  Jacob,  at  different 
 periods,   to  the   Messiah.     Indeed,  the  words  are 
 applicable  to  no  odier  person  that  ever  was  born 
 into  the  world,  and  diercfore  they  have  been  right- 
 ly interpreted  by  .ill  antiquity, 
 
 K  3  6„ 
 
76  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 6.  *  The  prayer  of  good  old  Jacob  for  the  children  of 
 
 his  son  Joseph,  in  the  forty  eight  chapter  of  this 
 book,  seems  to  have  been  addressed  to  the  Mes- 
 siah, whom  he  calls  the  Angel  which  redeemed  him 
 from  all  evil:  And  Jacob  Messed  Joseph^  and  saidy 
 God,  before  whom  my  fathers  Abraham  and  Isaac 
 did  walk,  the  God  which  fed  me  all  my  life  long  unto 
 this  day,  the  Angel  which  redeemed  me  from  all  evil, 
 hle^s  the  lads.     Gen.  48.   15,   16. 
 
 Many  of  the  most  learned,  both  of  the  ancient 
 Jews  and  Christians,  understood  this  whole  pas- 
 sage of  no  other  than  the  Son  of  God,  the  Angel 
 of  the  covenant,  in  whom  God's  name  dwelt ;  * 
 for  God  the  Father  is  never  called  an  angel.  In- 
 deed  there  would  be  the  most  manifest  impropriety 
 in  such  a  denomination.  For  by  whom  should  the 
 Father  of  the  universe  be  sent? 
 
 7.  The   next  promise  we  have  of  the  Messiah  is  In  the 
 
 forty  ninth  chapter  of  Genesis :  'The  sceptre  shall 
 not  depart  from  Judah,  nor  a  lawgiver  from  between 
 his  feet,  until  Shiloh  come,  and  unto  him  shall  the 
 gathering  of  the  people  be.  ^  Gen.  49.  lo.-  This 
 was  given  about  1690  years  before  the  birth  of  our 
 Saviour,  and  is  generally  understood  both  by  Jews 
 and  Christians  of  the  Messiah. 
 
 8. 
 
 *  See  an  excellent  Dissertation  on  tliis  subject  by  Allix,  at  the  end 
 of  his  "  Judgment  of  the  Jewish  Church  against  the  Unitarians." 
 Consult  also  Ainsworth  and  Patrick  on  the  place. 
 
 3  Onkelos  paraphrases  this  verse  in  the  following  manner  : — "  He 
 •'  that  hath  dominion  shall  net  be  removed  from  the  House  of  Judah, 
 *•  nor  a  scribe  from  the  sons  of  his  children,  until  Messiah  comes, 
 •*  whose  is  the  kingdom,  and  whom  the  people  shall  obey." 
 
 The  Jerusalem  Targum  is  much  the  same : — *•  Kings  shall  not 
 **  fail  from  the  house  of  Judah,  nor  skilful  teachers  of  the  law  from 
 *'  the  sons  of  his  children  until  the  time  when  king  Messiah  shall 
 «'  come.  His  is  the  kingdom,  and  him  at  length  shall  all  the  king- 
 *•  doms  of  the  earth  obey.  How  beautiful  is  king  Messiah,  who 
 *'  shall  arise  from  the  house  of  Judah  !" 
 
 See  Prideaux's  Connection,  part  2d.  book  8.  page  579,  580,  on 
 this  verse.     Consult  too  Ainsworth  and  Patrick  on  the  place. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  77 
 
 8.  I  HAVE  waited  for  thy   sahatmj  O  Lord.     Gen. 
 49.   18.* 
 
 The  salvation  here  spoken  of,  is  understood  by 
 the  ancient  Jews  to  be  the  salvation  of  Messiah, 
 who  is  addressed  by  the  dying  Patriarch  with  the 
 incommunicable  name  Jehovah.  *  Nor  is  there 
 any  thing  strained  and '  far  fetched  in  this  supposi- 
 tion, when  we  consider,  that  he  gave  indisputable 
 proofs  of  being  under  divine  influence,  by  pre- 
 dicting the  fortunes  of  his  children  to  the  latest 
 generations.  And  as  it  is  allowed  on  all  hands, 
 that  he  prophesied  of  the  coming  of  Christ  in  the 
 tenth  verse,  it  was  very  natural  for  the  good  old 
 man  to  break  out,  in  the  course  of  his  prophetic 
 discourse,  when  almost  spent,  and  ready  to  expire 
 with  fatigue  j  I  have  waited  for  thy  sahaticni  O 
 Lord:  I  long  to  see  that  happy  day,  when  thou 
 shalt  appear  tor  the  deliverance  of  thy  people.  If 
 this  is  a  just  view,  Jacob,  as  well  as  Abraham, 
 foresaw  the  day  of  Christ. 
 
 9- 
 
 ♦  Jonathan  paraphrases  the  verse  thus : — "  Jacob  said  when  he 
 "  saw,"  (by  the  prophetic  Spirit  with  which  he  was  inspired) 
 **  Gideon  the  son  of  Joash,  and  Samson  the  son  of  Manoah,  who 
 *«  should  be  deliverers  :  The  salvation  of  Gideon  I  expect  not,  nei- 
 «'  ther  the  salvation  of  Samson  do  I  regard,  because  their  salvation 
 **  is  a  temporal  salvation  ;  "but  I  expect  and  regard  thy  salvation,  O 
 *'  Lordi  because  thy  salvation  is  an  everlasting,  salvation." 
 
 The  Jerusalem  Targum  runs  thus  : — "  Our  father  Jacob  said, 
 *«  My  soul  expects  not  the  redemption  of  Gideon  the  son  of  Joash, 
 "  which  is  temporal  ;  neither  the  redemption  of  Samson,  which  is  a 
 *'  created  salvation  ;  but  the  redemption  which  thou  hast  declared  by 
 *•  thy  word  shall  come  to  thy  people  the  children  of  Israel  j  this  thy 
 *•  salvation  my  soul  waiteth  for." 
 
 The  lesser  Venetian  copy  of  the  Targum  is  somewhat  diirerent : — 
 ♦*  Our  father  Jacob  said  in  his  prophecy,  I  have  expected  thy  re- 
 «'  demption,  O  Lord  ;  not  the  redemption  of  Gideon — not  the  re- 
 <*  demption  of  Samson — but  the  redemption  of  the  Messiah,  the  son 
 *'  of  David,  which  will  be  for  the  deliverance  of  the  children  of 
 •'  Israel,  and  their  freedom  from  bondage.  This  thy  salvation  my 
 "  soul  waits  for." — See  Fleming's  Christology,  page   14.2.  _ 
 
 5  Possibly,  the  Jehovah  here  addressed  may  not  mean  king  Mes- 
 siah, but  rather  the  Father  of  Jesus  Christ.    It  seems  ambiguous. 
 
7S  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 * 
 
 The  story  of  Mekhizcdek,  recorded  in  the  four- 
 teenth chapter  of  this  book,  should  have  come  in 
 immediately  after  the  mention  of  Abraham ;  but 
 as  his  history  and  that  of  Isaac  and  Jacob  are  so 
 closely  connected,  we  have  reserved  it  for  this 
 place,  that  it  might  not  interfere  with  them,  though 
 it  be  a  little  out  of  its  proper  order.  The  history 
 of  this  pious  priest  and  king,  then,  as  expounded 
 by  the  great  Apostle  of  the  Gentiles,  contains  an 
 unquestionable  proof,  not  only  of  the  pre-existence, 
 but  of  the  eternal  existence,  of  our  blessed  Saviour. 
 For,  because  this  eminent  type  of  Christ  had  no 
 beginning  of  days  recorded  of  him,  the  Apostle 
 says,  he  -was  without  father ^  without  mother ^  with- 
 cut  descent y  having  neither  heginning  of  daySy  nor  end 
 of  life  y  and  in  these  respects  he  v/as  made  like  unto 
 the  Son  of  God,  and  abideth  a  •priest  continually,  ** 
 Comp.  Gen.  14.  17 — 24,  with  Heb.  7.  i— 10. 
 10,  If  we  compare  Ex.  17.  7,  with  i  Cor.  10.  9,  we 
 shall  have  an  incontestable  proof,  that  Christ  ii)  the 
 latter  place  is  the  Jehovah  described  in  the  for- 
 mer, and  consequently,  that  he  is  possessed  of  real 
 and  proper  divinity,  because  Jehovah  is  aljowed 
 on  all  hands  to  be  an  incommunicable  name :  And 
 Moses  called  the  name  of  the  -place  Massah  and  Me- 
 ribahy  because  of  the  children  of  Israel,  and  because 
 they  tempted  the  hordy  saying.  Is  the  Lord  among 
 lis  or  not  ?  The  Apostle's  words  are,  Neither  let  us 
 tempt  Christy  as  some  of  them  also  tempt edj  and  were 
 
 destroyed 
 
 ^  Dr.  Jortin  says  on  this  passage  : — "  What  Melchizedek  was 
 *'  figuratively,  Christ  was  really.  Melchizedek  had  neither  begin- 
 ♦'  ning  of  days,  nor  end  of  life,  nothing  being  recorded  in  scripture 
 *'  with  regard  to  his  birth  or  death,  consequently  the  Son  of  God  had 
 "  in  reality  neither  beginning  of  days  nor  end  of  life."  Remarks 
 on  Eccl.  Hiit.  vol.  3.  p.  89.  See  also  Waterland's  Eight  Sermons, 
 p,  248. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  79 
 
 destroyed  of  serpents. '  How  could  they  tempt 
 Christ,  if  he  had  no  existence  ?  It  is  evident,  there- 
 fore, from  this  single  comparison,  that  St.  Paul 
 believed  the  pre -existence,  at  least,  of  our  blessed 
 Saviour,  and  from  various  other  places,  that  he  was 
 a  determined  advocate  for  his  divinity.  Compare 
 Gal.  3.  8,  17.  Dr.  Priestley  finds  himself^so 
 pressed  with  these  and  such  like  passages,  that  he 
 has  no  way  of  answering  them,  but  by  saying  of 
 tlie  Apostles  in  general,  that  they  "  often  applied 
 "  the  scriptures  very  improperly,  and  with  no 
 .  "  better  judgment  than  their  unbeheving  contry- 
 "  mcnj"  and  of  St.  Paul  in  particular  that  he 
 "  often  reasons  inconclusively." 
 
 Socinianism  must  be  hard  put  to  it,  before  de- 
 clarations like  these  could  be  made  by  one  of  its 
 most  able  and  zealous  advocates,  seeing  it  is  in  fact 
 a  yielding  the  day  to  orthodoxy. 
 II.  The  people  spake  against  God  and  against  Moses.  And 
 the  Lord  sent  fiery  serpents  among  the  people,  and  they 
 hit  the  people  y  and  much  people  of  Israel  died,  '•there- 
 fore the  people  came  to  Moses,  and  said,  JVe  have 
 sinned;  for  we  have  spoken  against  the  Lord,  and 
 against  thee :  pray  unto  the  Lord,  that  he  may  take 
 away  the  serpents  from  us.  And  Moses  prayed  for 
 the  people.  And  the  Lord  said  unto  Mxoses,  Make 
 thee  a  fiery  serpent,  and  set  it  upon  a  pole:  and  ic 
 shall  come  to  pass,  that  every  one  that  is  bitten,  whc/t 
 he  lookelh  upon  it,  shall  live.  And  Moses  made  a 
 serpent  of  brass,  and  put  it  upon  a  pole ;  and  it  cams 
 to  pass,  that  if  a  serpent  had  bitten  any  man,  vjhen 
 he  beheld  the  serpent  of  brass,  he  lived.  Num.  21, 
 5—9. 
 
 The  Chaldee  paraphrast  applies  this  passage  tj 
 the   Messiah: — "   The    Lord   said   unto   Mose.% 
 
 "  make 
 
 ■^  I  Cor.  10.  9.  Consult  Whitby  on  this  verse,  where  the  pre- 
 •sent  reading  and  application  are  defcinded.  See  also  Hawker's  iJer- 
 aions  on  the  divinity  of  Christ,  p.  iC2. 
 
to  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 "  make  thee  a  brazen  serpent,  and  set  it  in  a  high 
 "  place  ;  and  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that  if  a  ser- 
 "  pent  bite  any  one,  if  he  looketh  upon  it  he  shall 
 "  live,  if  he  direct  his  heart  to  the  najne  of  the 
 *'  Word  of  the  Lord.  And  Moses  made  a  ser- 
 "  pent  of  brass,  and  set  it  in  a  high  place ;  and  it 
 "  came  to  pass  whensoever  a  serpent  had  bitten  any 
 **  man,  if  he  beheld  the  serpent  of  brass,  and  di- 
 •'  rected  his  heart  to  the  name  of  the  Word  of  the 
 «  Lord,  he  lived."  » 
 
 Our  Saviour  himself  seems  to  acknowledge  the 
 propriety  of  this  application  of  the  brazen  ser- 
 pent to  the  name  of  the  Word  of  the  Lord  when  he 
 says.  As  Moses  lifted  up  the  serpent  in  the  wilder- 
 xesSy  even  so  must  the  Son  of  man  he  lifted  up  ;  that 
 whosoever  bdieveth  in  him  should  not  perish,  hut 
 have  eternal  life.  John  3.  14,  15.  And  St.  Paul 
 expressly  says,  that  it  was  Christ,  who  was  tempt- 
 ed by  the  disobedient  Jews  in  the  wilderness. 
 Neither  let  us  tempt  Christ,  says  he,  as  some  of 
 them  also  tempt ed,  and  were  destroyed  of  serpents.- 
 I  Cor.  19.  9.  These  two  applications  of  the  his- 
 tory of  the  brazen  serpent  to  our  blessed  Saviour, 
 seem  to  render  it  morally  certain,  that  both  Christ 
 and  St.  Paul  understood  the  passage  in  the  sense 
 of  the  Chaldee  paraphrast,  and  that  the  said  Para- 
 phrast,  was  right  in  his  application  of  it  to  the 
 Messiah.  But  if  this  is  granted,  then  it  will  follow 
 that  Christ  is  the  Word  of  the  Lord  to  whom 
 (he  wounded  Israelites  prayed  for  the  healing,  con- 
 sequently that  he  pre-existed  his  being  born  of  the 
 Virgin,  and  of  course  that  the  Socinian  hypothesis 
 is  without  any  foundation  in  the  holy  scriptures. 
 
 This  sense  of  the  history  of  the  brazen  serpent 
 seems  confirmed  by  the  author  of  the  Wisdom  of 
 Solomon,  where  he   says: — "   When — they   pe- 
 rished 
 
 •  Targum  of  Jonathan, 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  Si 
 
 *^  rished  with  the  stings  of  crooked  serpents,  thy 
 "  wrath  endured  not  forever ;  but  they  were  trou- 
 "  bled  for  a  small  season,  that  they  might  be 
 "  admonished,  having  a  sign  of  salvation,  to  put 
 "  them  in  remembrance  of  the  commandment 
 "  of  thy  law :  for  he  that  turned  himself  toward 
 "  it,  was  not  saved  by  the  thing  that  he  saw,  but 
 "  by  thee,  who  art  the  Saviour  of  all : — it  was 
 "  neither  herb,  nor  mollifying  plaister,  that  re- 
 "  stored  them  to  health  ;  but  thy  Word,  O  Lord, 
 "  which  HEALETH  all  things.''   Wisdom  i6  chap. 
 
 12.  Balaam,  the  prophet  of  the   Gentiles,  foretels  the 
 
 coming  of  an  extraordinary  person  : — /  shall  see 
 hitriy  but  not  now :  I  shall  behold  him,  but  not  nigh : 
 there  shall  come  a  star  out  of  Jacob,  and  a  scep- 
 tre shall  rise  out  of  Israel,  and  shall  smite  the  cor- 
 ners of  Moab,  and  destroy  all  the  children  of  Sheth.^ 
 Num.  24.  17.  These  words  were  spoken  about 
 1450  years  before  Christ,  and  near  900  after 
 the  flood. 
 
 13,  About  the  same  period,  in  all  probability,  is  to  be 
 
 placed  the  prophetic  declaration  of  holy  Job  : — 
 I  know  that  my  Redeemer  liveth,  and  that  he  shall 
 stand  at  the  latter  day  upon  the  earth :  and  though  af- 
 ter my  skin,  worms  destroy  this  body,  yet  in  ray  flesh 
 shall  I  see  God  ;  whom  I  shall  see  for  myself,  and 
 mine  eyes  shall  behold,  and  not  another.  Job  1 9. 
 25 — 27.  If  these  words  are  spoken  by  the  Spi- 
 rit of  prophecy  concerning  the  Messiah,  then  it  is 
 clear  he  pre-existed  the  birth  of  his  mother  ac- 
 cording to  nature.  It  is  probable  too,  that  it  is 
 the  same  person  whom  he  calls  God,  and  de- 
 L  clares 
 
 5  These  words  are  applied  to  Christ  by  all  the  three  Targums  of 
 Onkelos,  Jonathan,  and  Jerusalem.  The  paraphrase  is  to  the  fol- 
 lowing effect : — "  A  king  shall  arise  out  of  the  house  of  Jacob,  and 
 *'  the  Messiah  shall  be  anointed  of  the  house  of  Israel." — See  Pri- 
 deaux's  Connection,  part  2.  book  8.  p.  580,  and  Patrick  upon  the 
 place. 
 
«2  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 clares  he  shall  see  him  in  the  flesh.  Every  man 
 must  form  a  judgment  according  as  the  evidence 
 appears  unto  him.  Very  good  and  able  mea  have 
 been  on  each  side  of  the  question.  * 
 
 14.  Near  the  time  that  Balaam  delivered  the  prophecy 
 
 concerning  the  star  and  sceptre,  we  find  Moses, 
 the  man  of  God,  foretelling  the  advent  of  a  very 
 distinguished  prophet :  *  — The  Lord  thy  God  will 
 raise  up  unto  thee  a  prophet  from  the  midst  of 
 thee^  of  thy  brethren,  like  unto  me\  unto  him  shall  ye 
 hearken.  Deut.  18.  15 — 19.  This  remarkable 
 prophecy  is  applied  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles 
 to  our  blessed  Saviour  by  two  infallible  persons. 
 But,  as  the  application  is  not  disputed,  it  will  be 
 unnecessary  to  produce  it  here. 
 
 15.  About  1 165  years  before  his  birth,  our  Saviour  is 
 
 prophesied  of  by  Hannah,  as  a  victorious  King. 
 Balaam's  prediction  had  intimated  something  of 
 the  same  idea,  by  the  termiS  star  and  sceftre. 
 Hannah,  however,  expressly  calls  him  a  King : 
 The  adversaries  of  the  Lord  shall  be  broken  to  pieces: 
 cut  of  heaven  shall  he  thunder  upon  them ;  the  Lord 
 shall  judge  the  ends  of  the  earth,  and  he  shall  give 
 strength  unto  his  King,  and  exalt  the  horn  cf  his 
 Anointed.^  i  Sam.  2.  10.  The  former  part 
 of  this  prophecy  was  fulfilled  about  forty  years 
 
 afterwards, 
 
 *  See  Mr.  Peters's  Critical  Dissertation  on  the  book  of  Job,  and 
 Mr.  Scott's  Appendix  to  his  Translation  of  the  same  book.  No.  3. 
 where  these  words  are  proved  to  be  applicable  to  the  Messiah.  Dr. 
 Durell,  however,  in  his  Critical  Remarks  rejects  this  application  to 
 the  Messiah,  and  says  that  our  best  Commentators  have  justly  ex- 
 ploded this  meaning. 
 
 *  That  the  ancient  Jews  expected  their  Messiah  to  be  more  than 
 man,  is  evident  from  the  saying  which  was  common  among  them, 
 *•  that  he  should  be  exalted  above  Abraham,  lifted  up  above  Moses, 
 "  and  higher  than  the  angels  of  the  ministry." — See  Patrick  on  the 
 passage.     See  also  Hervey's  Theron  and  Aspasio,  Let.  8,  p.   175. 
 
 3  This  is  the  first  time  Messiah,  or  Anointed,  occurs  in  the  bible. 
 And  D.  Kimchi,  the  famous  Jewish  writer,  who  Jived  towards  the 
 close  of  the  twelfth  century,  ingenuously  acknowledges,  that  "the 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  8j 
 
 afterwards,  as  appears  from  the  seventh  chapter  of 
 the  same  book,  and  the  latter  part  in  the  exaltati- 
 on of  Messiah  to  be  king  of  the  universe. 
 
 These  several  promises  and  predictions,  it  will 
 be  observed,  are  surrounded  with  a  considerable 
 degree  of  obscurity.  That  Messiah  should  be  a 
 Prophet^  Priest,  and  King,  is  sufficiently  clear. 
 And  that  there  should  be  something  super-human 
 in  his  person,  is,  I  think,  strongly  intimated  j  but 
 wherein  the  peculiar  singularity  of  his  person 
 should  consist,  was  left  to  future  revelations  more 
 fully  to  make  known.  We  will  proceed  to  them 
 in  order. 
 
 SECTION     II. 
 
 Information  concerning  MESSIAH,  from  the  Psalms  and  writings  of  David. 
 
 THE  Psalms  of  David  were  written  at  different 
 periods  of  his  reign,  about  a  thousand  and  forty 
 years,  more  or  less,  before  the  birtii  of  our  Saviour. 
 Some  of  them  too  v/ere  composed  by  other  authors,  on 
 various  occasions,  but  all  before  the  birth  of  Christ. 
 Several  of  them  are  undoubtedly  prophetic,  and  foretel 
 a  variety  of  circumstances  concerning  the  life,  death, 
 resurrection,  ascension,  and  universal  dominion  of  the 
 Son  of  God.  But,  before  we  enter  upon  the  coni^ider- 
 ation  of  those  psalms,  which  predict  these  several  circum- 
 stances, it  is  needful  to  observe,  that  we  shall  take  for 
 granted,  in  this  investigation,  the  truth  of  every  part 
 both  of  the  Old  and  New  Testament  -,  that  all  the  Old 
 Testament  prophecies  zvere  given  by  inspiration  of  God, 
 and  that  holy  men  of  God  spake  as  thev  were  moved  by 
 
 the 
 
 *'  King  here  mentioned  is  the  Messiah  ;  of  whom  Hannah  spake 
 "  either  by  prophecy  or  tradition."     See  Patrick  on  the  place. 
 
84  •  AN  APOLOGY  FQR  THE 
 
 the  Holy  Ghost ;  and  that  the  same  Divine  Spirit,  which 
 dictated  the  writing-s  of  the  Old,  *  directed  the  minds 
 of  the  Apostles  and  Evangelists,  in  their  application  of 
 them  in  the  New  :  consequently  every  prophecy  of  the 
 Old,  which  is  applied  to  Jesus  Christ  in  the  New,  is 
 rightly  applied ;  is  applied  according  to  the  mind  of  the 
 Spirit,  and  the  original  intention  of  that  Divine  Sug- 
 gestcr.  He  that  suggested  ideas  in  the  former,  appli- 
 ed those  ideas  in  the  latter,  according  to  his  own  will.  * 
 
 This 
 
 ♦  "  The  scripture  may  have  more  senses  besides  the  literal,  be- 
 *'  cause  God  understands  all  things  at  once  ;  but  a  man's  writing 
 **  has  but  one  true  sense,  which  is  that  which  the  author  meant  when 
 **  he  writ  it." 
 
 Selden's  Table  Talk,  p.   lo. 
 
 5  "  We  cannot  think  the  Jews  were  so  void  of  judgment  as  to 
 "  imagine  that  the  Apostles,  or  any  one  else  in  the  world,  had  a 
 "  right  to  produce  the  simple  words  of  the  Old  Testament,  and  to 
 "  urge  them  in  any  other  sense,  than  what  was  intended  by  the  wri- 
 **  ter,  directed  by  the  Holy  Ghost.  It  must  be  his  sense  as  well  as 
 **  his  words,  that  should  be  offered  for  proof  to  convince  a  reasonable 
 *'  man.  But  we  see  that  the  Jews  did  yield  to  such  proofs  out  of 
 *'  scripture  concerning  the  Messiah,  in  which  some  critics  do  not  sefe 
 *'  the  force  of  those  arguments  that  were  convincing  to  the  Jews. 
 **  They  must  then  have  believed,  that  the  true  sense  of  such  places 
 **  was  the  literal  sense  in  regard  of  the  Messias,  whom  God  had  then 
 **  in  view  at  his  inditing  of  these  books  ;  and  that  it  was  not  literal 
 **  in  respect  of  him,  who  seems  at  first  sight  to  have  been  intended 
 *'  by  the  prophecy."     Allix's  Judgment,  p.  50,  51. 
 
 *'  The  writers  of  the  N.  T.  frequently  quote  passages  from  the 
 *'  Old,  either  in  proof  of  their  doctrine,  or  to  shew,  that  the  pre- 
 "  dictions  of  Prophets  are  fulfilled.  Whenever  this  is  their  point 
 *•  in  view,  the  passages  they  quote  from  the  O.  T.  must,  in  their 
 *♦  literal  sense,  signify  what  they  are  alledged  to  signify.  It  is  an 
 *'  inexcusable  presumption  in  L,e  Cierc  and  other  interpreters  of 
 *'  scripture  to  pretend,  that  the  Apostles  cite  the  authority  of  the 
 **  O.  T.  in  the  Jewish  way  of  drawing  conclusions,  which  in  sound 
 •*  logic  would  have  been  rejected.  If  they  were  under  the  influence 
 **  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  we  cannot  suppose  their  writings  to  contain 
 "  any  false  reasoning,  however  common  it  might  be  among  their 
 *'  countrymen  to  argue  absurdly." 
 
 Michaelis's  Lect.  on  the  N.  T.  sec.   11. 
 
 For  a  good  view  of  the  applications  of  the  O.  T.  prophecies  to 
 the  events  of  the  New,  see  this  whole  section  of  Michaelis — Marsh's 
 Michaelis,  vol.  i.  chap.  5. — Hartley's  Observations  on  Man,  vol. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  85 
 
 'This  being  premised,  let  iis  now  proceed  to  examine  iti 
 what  manner  the  Psahns  of  David,  and  the  following 
 Prophetic  scriptures,  speak  of  our  blessed  Saviour,  and 
 how  they  have  been  applied  by  his  Apostles  and  others, 
 under  the  new  dispensation. 
 
 16.*  The  second  psalm  is  undoubtedly  prophetic, 
 and  is  more  than  once  applied  to  Christ  by 
 those  who  can  neither  deceive,  nor  be  deceived.  * 
 In  the  first,  and  historical  sense,  it  unquestionably 
 refers  to  king  David.  In  the  full,  and  most 
 important  sense,  it  received  its  accomplishment 
 in  king  Messiah  alone.  David  is  the  type, 
 Christ  is  the  antitype.  What  the  former  was  in 
 shadow,  the  Ijttcr  was  in  substance.  In  this  psalm 
 we  have  various  circumstances  respecting  the 
 Messiah,  i.  That  he  sliould  meet  with  much  op- 
 position, 1.  That  he  should  be  a  great  king.  3. 
 That  he  should  prevail  against  all  his  adversaries. 
 4.  That  he  should  be  Son  of  Cod. '  5.  That  he  should 
 
 reigii 
 
 Z-  prop.  32  and  33 AIllx's   Judgment,  chapters  2,  3,  and  4. — 
 
 Dr.  Randolph's  Prophecies  and  other  Texts  cited  in  the  N.  T. 
 compared  with  the  original  Hebrew  and  the  Septuagint — Sec,  more- 
 over, Dr.  Henry  Owen's  Modes  of  Quotation  used  by  the  Evan- 
 gelical Writers  explained  and  vindicated. 
 
 It  was  well  spoken  by  Clemens  R.omanus — '<  Look,  brethren,  in- 
 *'  to  the  holy  scriptures,  which  are  the  true  words  of  the  Holy 
 "  Ghost.  Ye  know  that  there  is  nothing  unjust  and  counterfeit 
 "  written  in  them." 
 
 Epist.  ad  Corint.  sect.  45. 
 
 *  Acts  4.  25,  26; — Acts   13.  33; — Heb.   i.  5;  and  5.  5. 
 
 '  The  learned  Selden  assures  us,  that  "  by  the  Son  of  God  the 
 "  Jews  meant,  the  Wop.  d  of  God,  as  he  is  called  in  the  Chaldee 
 *'  Paraphrast,  which  was  all  one  as  to  profess  himself  God." 
 
 De  Jure  Nat.  et  Gent.  1.  2.  c.   12. 
 
 Our  learned  Pccock  also  saith,  that,  "  according  to  the  sense  of 
 *♦  the  ancient  Jews,  the  Son  of  God,  spoken  of  in  the  second 
 "  Psalm,  was  itiQ  ^eternal  Son  oi  Godi,  oi  l\\t  same  substance  njuitb 
 **  the  Father." 
 
 Not.  -Miscel.  ad  Maim.  p.  307,  &c. 
 
 These  two  notes  arc  taken  from  Stillingfleet  on  the  Trinitv,  p, 
 f44. 
 
80  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 reign  over  all  nations,  6.  That  all  mankind  must 
 submit  to  him  or  be  miserable.  7.  That  all  who 
 believe  in  the  Son  of  God,  and  put  their  trust  in 
 him  for  salvation,  obeying  his  high  behests,  shall 
 assuredly  be  happy. 
 
 The  present  Jews  deny  all  this,  and  explain 
 the  whole  psalm  of  David  alone  ;  but  the  ancient 
 Jews,  as  appears  from  the  Targum,  understood 
 it  oi  Messiah,  as  we  Christians  now  do.  *  I  know 
 none  but  the  Socinians  who  deny  it. 
 
 17.  In  the  eighth   psalm,   as  applied  by  St.  Paul,  we 
 
 have  a  prediction  of  the  humiliation  and  exalta- 
 tion of  our  blessed  Saviour.     Heb.   1.   6 — 9. 
 
 18.  In  the  sixteenth  psalm,  as  applied  by  St.  Peter  and 
 
 St.  Paul,  we  have  a  prediction  of  the  death,  re- 
 surrection, and  glorification  of  Jesus  Christ. 
 Acts  2.  31,  and  13.  •i^'^. 
 
 19.  The   nineteenth   psalm  is  applied  to  Messiah  by 
 
 Justin  Martyr,  and  the  twenty  first  psalm  by  the 
 Chaldee  Paraphrast. 
 
 20.  The  twenty  second  psalm  describes,  in  a  very  par- 
 
 ticular manner,  the  sufferings  of  our  blessed  Re- 
 deemer. There  are  some  expressions  in  it  which 
 seem  applicable  to  no  other  event  which  ever 
 took  place  among  men.  It  is  quoted,  or  alluded 
 to,  near  twenty  times  in  the  New  Testament. 
 1 1 .  The  twenty  third  psalm  was  applied  to  the  Messi- 
 ah by  the  ancient  Jews,  »  and  our  Saviour  him/- 
 self,  probably,  alluded  to  it,  when  he  called  him- 
 self the  good  shepherd  who  giveth  his  life  for  the 
 sheep.  If  so,  then  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Jehovah 
 mentioned  in  the  psalm.  * 
 
 22.  The 
 
 See  Prideaux's  Connection  on  this  psalm  ;  p.  2.  c.  8.  p.  583.— 
 Consult  also  Waterland's  Defence  of  some  Queries,  p.  134 — 163, 
 where  the  question  of  the  Son's  generation  is  discussed  at  some  length. 
 
 *See  AUix's  Judgment,  p.  402,  and  Prideaux's  Connec.  p.  2.  b.  8. 
 
 *■  See  Allix's  judgment,  p.  275  and  304. 
 
 ?  Mr.  Jones,  in  iiis  Catholic  Doctrine,  has  the  following  argu- 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  87 
 
 11.  The  twenty  fourth  psalm  was  likewise  applied  to 
 the  Messiah  by  the  ancient  Jews,  *  and  by  seve- 
 ral of  the  most  learned  of  the  Christian  fathers. 
 If  it  is  rightly  applied,  then  Christ  was  the  Lord 
 of  hosts,  and  the  King  of  glory ^  long  before  he  took 
 upon  him  human  nature.  ^  And  this  is  the  more 
 probable,  as  he  is  unqestionably  called  in  the  New 
 Testament,  the  Lord  of  glory. 
 
 23.  *  The  fortieth  psalm,  as  explained  and  applied  by 
 St.  Paul,  foretels  the  sacrifice  and  atonement  of 
 Christ  for  the  sins  of  the  world.  "*     The  Psalmist 
 
 says, 
 
 ments  upon  the  character  of  our  blessed  Saviour  as  a  Shepherd;  how 
 far  they  are  conclusive  for  his  divinity  I  leave  the  Reader  to  deter- 
 mine : 
 
 **   Ps.   23.      I.  The  Lord  is  my  Si^ZPHZ's.vi. 
 
 *'   John    10.    16.  '■fhere  shall  he  one  fold  and  OK  z    SHEPHHRn. 
 
 "  If  Christ  be  not  the  Lord,  in  unity  with  the  Father,  there  must 
 "  of  course  be  two  distinct  beings,  to  whom  the  scripture  has  ap- 
 "  proprJated  this  character  of  a  shepherd ;  and  that  would  make  two 
 "  shepherds.  But  Christ  has  affirmed  there  is  but  one  shepherd,  and 
 "  that  is  himself,  the  Shepherd  nf  the  sheep,  v.  2.  whom  St. 
 **  l^ettx  CdXU  \.\ic  chief  shepherd,  i   Pet.  5.  4.     So  a^ain — 
 
 *'  Ps.  100.  3.  Knonv  ye  that  the  Lord  he  is  God — nx:e  are  his 
 "  people  and  the  sheep  o/"his  pasture. 
 
 "  John   lo.  3.  He  (Christ)  calleth  his  own  sheep. 
 
 *'  And  again — John  21.  16.  Feed  my  sheep,  said  Christ  to  Peter: 
 *'  which,  in  the  language  of  St.  Peter  himself,  i  Pet.  5.  2.  is — 
 *'  Feed  the  fiock  of  God." 
 
 *  See  Allix's  Judgment,  p.  416. 
 
 3  The  P'athers  who  applv  this  psalm  to  the  Messiah  are  Justin 
 Martyr,  Origen,  Cyprian,  Eusebius,  and  Ambrose.  See  VVaterlaad's 
 Eight  Sermons,  p.   230. 
 
 Justin  Martyr,  in  particular,  writing  on  this  psalra,  expressly  ca]!> 
 Christ,   *•  God,  and   the  Lord  of    hosts." 
 
 Let  it  be  observed  here  once  for  all,  that,  I  lay  no  stress  upon  any 
 applications  of  the  psalms,  or  other  prophe:ic  scriptures,  by  the  anci- 
 ent Jews  or  Christians  to  the  Messiah,  uiilcss  the  passages  have  been 
 applied  in  the  same  manner  by  the  writers  of  the  New  Testairsert; 
 or  the  context  itself  fairly  justiries  the  application.  Such  applicati- 
 ons, however,  even  though  erroneous,  incontestibly  prove,  that  iK.'i 
 Ancients  were  warm  advocates  for  the  pre-existence  and  div'nity  or 
 our  Saviour. 
 
 ♦  Ps.  40.  6 — 10. 
 
8S  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 says,  Sacrifice  and  offering  thou  didst  not  desire^ 
 mine  ears  hast  thou  opened :  burnt-offering  and  sin- 
 offering  hast  thou  not  required :  .  then  said  7,  Lo,  I 
 come :  in  the  volume  of  the  hook  it  is  "written  of 
 me :  I  delight  to  do  thy  willy  0  my  God ,-  yea^  thy 
 law  is  within  my  heart:  Thus  applied  by  the 
 Apostle  : — The  lazv  having  a  shadozv  of  good  things 
 to  comey  and  not  the  very  image  of  the  things^  can 
 never  with  those  sacrifices  which  they  offered  year 
 hy  year  continually^  make  the  comers  thereunto  per- 
 fect. For  then  would  they  not  have  ceased  to  he  of- 
 fered ?  because  that  the  worshippers  once  purged^ 
 should  have  had  no  more  conscience  of  sins.  But  in 
 those  sacrifices  there  is  a  remembrance  again  made 
 of  sins  every  year.  For  it  is  not  possible  that  the 
 blood  of  bulls  and  of  goats  should  take  away  sins. 
 Wherefore  when  he  cometh  into  the  world  he  sailhy 
 Sacrifice  and  offering  thou  wouldst  not,  but  a  body 
 hast  thou  prepared  me :  in  burnt-offerings  and  sa- 
 crifices for  sin  thou  hast  had  no  pleasure  :  then  said 
 7,  Loj  I  come  (in  the  volume  of  the  book  it  is 
 written  of  me)  to  do  thy  will,  O  God.  Above^ 
 zvhen  he  said.  Sacrifice  and  offering,  and  burnt -of- 
 ferings, and  offering  for  sin  thou  zvouldst  not,  nei- 
 ther hadst  pleasure  therein,  (zvhich  are  offered  by 
 the  lazv)  then  said  he,  Lo,  I  come  to  do  thy  zvill, 
 O  God.  He  iaketh  away  the  first,  that  he  may 
 establish  the  second.  By  the  vshich  zvill  zve  are 
 sanctified,  through  the  offering  of  the  body  of  Jesus 
 Christ  once  for  all.  And  every  priest  standeth  dai- 
 ly  ministering  and  offering  oftentimes  the  same  sa- 
 crifices, which  can  never  take  azvay  sins :  hut  this 
 man  after  he  had  offered  one  sacrifice  for  sins,  for- 
 ever sat  down  on  the  right  hand  of  God ;  from 
 henceforth  expecting  till  his  enemies  be  made  his 
 footstool.  For  hy  one  offering  he  hath  perfected  for- 
 ever 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  89 
 
 ever  them  that  are  sanctified. '  Hcb.  10.  i — 14. 
 This  is  a  remarkable  application  of  the  words 
 of  the  royal  Psalmist,  and  never  can  be  under- 
 stood or  justified,  but  upon  the  principle  of  a 
 real,  proper,  and  sufficient  sacrifice,  oblation,  and 
 satisfaction  for  the  sins  of  the  world,  made 
 by  the  death  of  Christ.  No  man,  as  it  seems  to 
 me,  can  give  any  other  tolerable  meaning  to  the 
 passage.  But,  if  this  is  the  case,  Socinianism  falls 
 to  the  ground.  Let  the  Reader,  however,  com- 
 pare tfie  two  passages  together,  and  judge  for 
 himself. 
 
 •24.  The  third  verse  of  the  forty  third  psalm  is  applied 
 to  Messiah  by  the  ancient  Jews ;  O  send  out  thy 
 LIGHT  and  thy  truth.  In  perfect  conformity 
 with  this  idea,  our  Saviour  is  called  in  the  New 
 Testament  both  LIGHT  and  TRUTH.* 
 
 25.  *  The  forty  fifth  psalm  is  applied  to  our  Saviour 
 in  the  New  Testament,  in  a  manner  that  seems  deci- 
 sive for  his  divinity.  7%  throne^  O  God,  is  for- 
 ever  and  ever.  St.  Paul  quotes  the  passage  thus  : 
 — But  unto  the  Son  he  saith,  Thy  throne,  O  God,  is 
 forever  and  ever :  a  sceptre  of  righteousness  is  the 
 sceptre  of  thy  kingdom.  Thou  hast  loved  righteous- 
 ness, and  hated  iniquity :  therefore  God,  even  thy 
 God,  hath  anointed  thee  with  the  oil  of  gladness 
 above  thy  felloivs.  Heb.  i.  8,  9. '  Christ, 
 therefore,  is  God,  and  the  Son  of  God. 
 
 "  It  ought  not  to   be   concealed,"   says  Dr. 
 M  Clarke, 
 
 5  For  an  able  defence  of  the  doctrine  of  atonement  see  Veysie's 
 eight  Sermons  at  the  Bampton  Lecture. 
 
 <*  See  Allix's  Judgment,  p.  44;  John  9.  5;  14.  6  .  Compare 
 Mai.  4.  2. 
 
 '  In  the  word  Christ,  "  saith  Irenaeus,  there  is  understood  the 
 "  Jnointer,  the  Ancintedy  and  the  Unction.  The  Anointer  is  the 
 *'  Father y  the  Anointed  is  the  Son,  and  the  Unction  is  the  Spirit  ;  as 
 **  he  saith  by  the  prophet  Isaiah,  Tt^e  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is  upon  me, 
 *'  because  he  hath  anointed  me  ;  signifying  the  Father  who  anointcth, 
 **  the  Son  who  is  anointed,  and  the  Spirit  who  is  the  oil.'*  Lib.  3. 
 c.  20. 
 
90  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 Clarke,  "  that  the  words,  Thy  thronCy  O  God,  is 
 *^  forever  and  ever,  may  with  equal  propriety, 
 *'  both  from  the  Greek  and  Hebrew,  be  also  thus 
 *'  rendered,  God  is  thy  throne  forever  and  ever : 
 "  that  is,  God  is  the  support  of  thy  throne  forever 
 "  and  ever."  Script.  Doct.  p.  77.  Dr.  Priest- 
 ley follows  Clarke  in  this  supposition,  and  what 
 the  latter  says  may  be  the  translation,  the  latter 
 asserts  must  be  so.  These  two  learned  Doctors 
 may  as  well  say,  because  the  thing  is  possible, 
 therefore  a  man  may  with  equal  propriety  stand 
 upon  his  head  as  his  feet.  They  should  have  ob- 
 served, however,  that  the  great  stream  of  Com-* 
 mentators  both  ancient  and  modern  applied  this 
 passage  to  the  Messiah  according  to  the  common 
 acceptation.  Learned  men  should  not  be  so  un- 
 candid.  What  is  it  we  all  want  but  to  arrive  at 
 truth,  the  real  truth  as  it  is  in  scripture  ? 
 
 The  ancient  Jews,  in  the  Chaldee  paraphrase, 
 expressly  apply  this  psalm  to  king  Messiah.  See 
 the  Paraphrase  itself,  and  Prideaux's  Connection, 
 p.  1.  b.  8.  p.  583. 
 
 This  passage  too,  'Thy  throne,  0  God,  is  forever 
 and  ever,  is  applied  to  the  Son  of  God  by  most 
 of  the  Christian  fathers,  in  the  sense  here  repre- 
 ,  sented.  See  Justin  Martyr's  Dial,  cum  Tryph. 
 p.  277.  C.  D.  Ed.  Col.  1686.  Irenseus,  lib.  3. 
 c.  6.  Tert.  adv.  Prax.  c.  13.  Orig.  cont.  Cel.  p. 
 43.  Edit.  Cant.  Lact.  1.  4.  Inst.  c.  13.  Euseb. 
 Ecc.  Hist.  1.  I.e.  4.  Lib.  cont.  Marc.  c.  20.  and 
 Chrysost.  serm.  3.  ad  Heb. 
 26.  The  forty  seventh  psalm,  which  is  much  in  the 
 same  stile  with  the  twenty  fourth,  is  also  applied  to 
 our  Saviour  both  by  the  ancient  Jews  and  Chris- 
 tians. ^  It  appears  to  me,  however,  that  no  con- 
 viction can  be  produced  in  the  mind  from  this, 
 
 and 
 
 •  See  Allix's  Judgment,  p.  404,  and  Justin  Martyr's  Dialogue 
 with  Trypho,  likewise  Eusebius  on  the  23d.  psalm. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  9I 
 
 and  similar  applications.  We  can  only  say,  "joith 
 certainty^  they  are  accommodations.  But  yet  all 
 such  accommodations,  whether  right  or  wrong, 
 imply,  that,  in  the  judgment  of  the  persons  so  ap- 
 plying them,  the  Messiah  was  to  be  a  person 
 possessed  of  perfections  strictly  divine. 
 
 27.  The  sixty  first  psalm  is  very  particularly  applied  to 
 king  Messiah  by  the  Chaldee  paraphrast. 
 
 28.*  The  sixty  eighth  psalm  is  applied  in  like  manner  by 
 an  infallible  guide: — The  chariots  of  God  are 
 twenty  thousand^  even  thousands  of  angels :  the 
 Lord  is  among  them  as  in  Sinai .^  in  the  holy  place. 
 Thou  hast  ascended  on  highj  thou  hast  led  cap- 
 tivity captive :  thou  hast  received  gifts  for  men, 
 yea^  for  the  rebellious  also,  that  the  Lord  God 
 might  dwell  among  them.  Y.  17,  18.  St.  Paul  hesi- 
 tates not  to  apply  these  words  unto  our  Saviour : 
 •—But  unto  every  one  of  us  is  given  grace  according 
 to  the  measure  of  the  gift  of  Christ.  Wl^ercfore  he 
 saiih,  when  he  ascended  up  on  highy  he  led  capti- 
 vity captive^  and  gave  gifts  unto  men.  Ep.  4.  7, 
 8.  Jesus  Christ,  therefore,  according  to  the  ap- 
 plication of  this  inspired  Apostle,  is  the  Lord 
 God  spoken  of  in  the  psalm.  Clemens  Alexan- 
 drinus,  speaking  of  this  passage  of  scripture,  says, 
 **  The  Almighty  God  himself  hath  given,  some 
 apostles,"  &c.  p.  624.  ed.  Ox. 
 
 And  again : — "  God  hath  given  to  the   church, 
 '^  some  indeed  apostles,"    &c,  p.  234. 
 
 29.  The  sixty  ninth  psalm  is  descriptive  of  the  sufferings 
 of  Christ,  and  is  applied  accordingly  in  several 
 parts  of  the  New  Testament. 
 
 30.*  The  seventy  second  psalm,  which  prophesies  of 
 the  goodness,  the  glory,   the  dominion,   and  the 
 adoration  of  some  great  king,   was  generally  un- 
 derstood of  Messiah,  both  by  the  ancient  Jews 
 M  2        '  .    an<;l 
 
99  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 and  Christians.  '  Solomon  was  the  type;  Christ 
 was  the  antitype.  What  the  former  was  in  figure; 
 the  latter  was  in  reality.  "  The  language  of  the 
 "  psalm  itself  fully  demonstrates,"  say  Justin 
 Martyr,  "  that  it  refers  only  to  the  eternal 
 "  King,  that  is,  to  Christ;  for,  as  I  make  it 
 "  appear  from  all  the  scriptures,  Christ  is  there- 
 "  in  proclaimed  a  King,  and  a  Priest,  and 
 "  God,  and  Lord,  and  an  Angel,  and  a  Man, 
 *'  and  a  Captain  of  hosts,  and  a  Stone,  and  an 
 "  Infant  ;  first  made  liable  to  sufferings, 
 "  thence  ascending  up  into  heaven,  and  again  re- 
 "  turning  with  glory,  and  possessing  an  eternal 
 *'  kingdom."    Dial,    cum  Try.  p.   251. 
 
 31.  The  seventy  eighth  psalm  and  fifty  sixth  verse,  says. 
 
 They  tempted  and  provoked  the  most  high  God, 
 a?id  kept  not  his  testimonies.  If  this  too  is  compared 
 with  I  Cor.  10.  9,  Neither  let  us  te^npt  QnKisTy 
 as  so7ne  of  them  also  tempted;  will  it  not  follow 
 that  Christ  is  called  the  most  high  god? 
 
 32.  The  eightieth  psalm   is  uniformly  applied  by  the 
 
 ancient  Jews  to  the  Messiah.  * 
 
 2,2'  The  eighty  ninth  psalm  also,  is  understood  in  the 
 same  sense,  both  by  the  ancient  Jews  and  Chris- 
 tians. *  Compare  Col.   i.   15,  and  Rev.   19.   i6. 
 
 34,*  The  ninety  seventh  psalm  has  a  passage  which  is 
 applied  to  the  Messiah  in  the  New  Testament, 
 strongly  expressive  cf  his  divinity : — Confounded 
 he  all  they  that  serve  graven  image Sy  that  boast 
 themselves  of  idols :  worship  Imn,  all  ye  godsy 
 V.  ydi. '  This  is  quoted  by  St.  Paul  in  the  fol- 
 lowing manner  : — And  again,  when  he  bringeih  in 
 
 the 
 
 5  See  Allix's  Judgment,  p.  319,  and  404.— —See  also  Prideaux's 
 Connection,  p.  2.  b.  8.  p.  583. 
 
 '  See  Allix's  Judgment,  p.  270. 
 
 *  Ibid.  p.  44,  256  and  270. 
 
 ^  See  Leslie's  Socinian  Controversy  discussed,  where  this  verse  is 
 ably  defended,  p.  270. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  93 
 
 the  First-begotten  into  the  zvorld,  he  saith.  And 
 
 LET    ALL    THE    ANGELS    OF    GOD    WORSHIP    HIM. 
 
 Heb.  I.  6.  Christ,  therefore,  is  an  object  o£ 
 religious  homage  and  adoration,  to  all  the  angels 
 in  heaven,  as  well  as  to  all  the  men  upon  earth.  * 
 
 2^.*  Another  remarkable  passage,  applied  in  the 
 same  manner,  is  towards  the  close  of  the  102 
 psalm : — /  said,  O  my  God,  take  me  not  azvay 
 in  the  midst  of  my  days :  thy  years  are  throughout 
 all  generations.  Of  old  bast  thou  laid  the  foun- 
 dations of  the  earth  :  and  the  hravrns  are  the  work 
 of  thy  hands.  They  shall  perish^  but  thou  shalt  en- 
 dure :  yea,  all  of  them  shall  zvax  old  like  a  gar- 
 ment;  as  a  vesture  shalt  thou  change  them,  and 
 they  shall  be  changed:  but  thou  art  the  same,  and. 
 thy  years  shall  have  no  end.  This  fine  scripture  is 
 thus  applied  by  the  same  Apostle  to  the  Son  of 
 God. — And  thou.  Lord,  in  the  beginning  hast 
 laid  the  foundation  of  the  earth  ;  and  the  heavens 
 are  the  zvorks  of  thine  hands.  They  shall  perish, 
 hut  thou  remaincst :  and  they  all  shall  ivax  old  as 
 doth  a  garment ;  and  as  a  vesture  shalt  thou  fold 
 them  up,  and  they  shall  be  changed :  but  thou  art 
 the  same,  and  thy  years  shall  not  fail.  Heb.  i. 
 10 — 12. ' 
 
 The  application  of  this  passage  to  our  blessed 
 Saviour  by  an  inspired  Apostle  seems  decisive  for 
 his  real  and  proper  divinity. 
 
 ^d,*  They  lusted  exceedingly  in  the  wilderness,  and  tempt- 
 ed God  in  the  desert.  Ps.  106.  14.  If  this  is 
 compared  as  before  in  similar  cases  with  the  de- 
 claration of  St.  Paul,  Neither  let  us  tempt  Christy 
 as  some  of  them  also  tempted,  and  were  destroyed 
 of  serpents,  i  Cor.  10.  9.  will  it  not  follow  that 
 Christ  is  the  God  who  was  tempted.  '^. 
 
 37.*  The 
 
 ♦  Justin  Martyr  applies  the  ggth  psalm  also  to  the  Messiah.     See 
 his  Dial.  cum.  Tryp,  p.  256. '  See  Whitby  on  the  place. 
 
94-  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 37.*  The  hundred  and  tenth  psalm  is  wholly  propheti- 
 cal, and  is  written  pretty  much  in  the  spirit  of 
 the  second  psalm,  and  the  sixty  third  chapter  of 
 ,  Isaiah.  David,  under  the  image  of  a  young 
 prince,  taking  possession  of  a  kingdom,  and  go- 
 ing forth  to  subdue  all  those  who  oppose  him, 
 foretellcth  that  the  Messiah  should  be  exalted  to 
 the  right  hand  of  Godj  should  be  the  king  and 
 high-priest  of  his  church;  and  should  gloriously 
 establish  his  kingdom,  and  triumph  over  all  his 
 enemies.  In  Mr.  Green's  translation,  which  the 
 reader  may  compare  with  our  two  common  ones, 
 the  whole  psalm  runs  thus  :— 
 
 **  Jehovah  said  unto  my  Lordy 
 
 **  Sit  thou  on  my  right  hand,  till  I  make 
 
 "  Thineenemies  thy  footstool. 
 
 "  Jehovah  shall  deliver  to  thee 
 
 *'  The  sceptre  of  thy  power  out  of  Sion  : 
 
 **  Rule  thou  in  the  midst  of  thine  enemies. 
 
 **  Thy  people  shall  freely-oiFer  themselves 
 
 "  On  the  day  when  thou  shalt  assemble  thy  forces 
 
 *'  Upon  the  holy  hills.     The  youth  of  thine  army 
 
 *'  Shall  be  like  the  dew  from  the  womb  of  the  morning. 
 
 "  Jehovah  hath  sworn,  and  will  not  repent, 
 
 "  Thou  art  a  priest  forever, 
 
 "  After  the  order  of  Melchizedek. 
 
 "  The  Lord  on  thy  right  hand,  O  Jehovah, 
 *'  Shall  smite  kings  in  the  day  of  his  wrath. 
 
 **  He  shall  execute  judgment  among  the  nations ; 
 "  He  shall  fill  the  field  of  buttle  with  dead  bodies  j 
 *'  He  shall  smite  the  Head  of  many  countries. 
 *'  He  shall  drink  of  the  brook  in  the  way  ; 
 "  Therefore  shall  he  lift  up  his  head. 
 
 The  first  verse  of  this  prophetic  composition 
 is  expressly  apphed  by  Christ  to  himself:  While 
 
 the 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  95 
 
 the  Pharisees  zvere  gathered  together,  Jesus  asked 
 them,  saying.  What  think  ye  of  Christ  ?  Whose  son 
 is  he  ^  They  say  unto  him,  The  son  of  David.  He 
 saith  unto  them,  How  then  doth  David  in  Spirit, 
 or  by  the  Spirit,  eall  him  Lord,  saying.  The  Lord 
 said  unto  my  Lj)rd,  Sit  thou  on  my  right  handy 
 till  I  make  thine  enemies  thy  footstool?  If  David 
 then  call  him  Lord,  how  is  he  his  son?  Mat.  22. 
 41—45. 
 
 As  the  three  first  and  three  last  verses  of  the 
 psalm  predict  the  kingly  office  of  Messiah,  so 
 the  third  predicts  his  priestly  office,  and  is  appli- 
 ed in  this  manner  by  the  Apostle  of  the  Gentiles 
 in  the  fifth,  sixth,  and  seventh  chapters  of  the 
 Episde  to  the  Hebrews. 
 
 I  observe  too  still  farther  upon  the  whole 
 psalm,  that  as  it  has  received  some  accomplish- 
 ment in  the  destruction  of  Rome  Pagan,  so"  it  is 
 about  to  receive  a  more  complete  fulfilment  in 
 the  destruction  of  Rome  Christian,  and  all  its 
 appendages.  May  not  the  Head  of  many  coun- 
 tries mean  the  Pope  ? 
 
 38.*  The  dew  of  thy  birth  is  of  the  womb  of  the  morning. 
 Ps.  no.  3.  Or,  Li  the  beauties  of  holiness  from 
 the  womb  of  the  morning;  thou  hast  the  dew  of  thy 
 youth.  The  Septuagint  explains  this  difficult 
 passage  by  rendering  it^  From  the  zvomb,  before  the 
 morning  star  I  begat  thee.  If  this  is  a  just  trans- 
 lation, it  strongly  declares  for  the  pre-existencc 
 of  Jesus  Christ,  and  is  in  the  spirit  of  the  eighdi 
 chapter  of  Proverbs.  If  it  is  not  a  just  transla- 
 tion, yet  it  shews  their  opinion  was,  that  Messiah 
 existed  before  the  foundation  of  the  world.  In 
 either  case  it  militates  powerfully  against  the  So- 
 cinian  hypothesis. 
 
 39.  The  last  words  of  this  great  king,  spoken  upwards 
 of  a  thousand  years  before  the  incarnation  of  our 
 blessed  Saviour,  are  now  generally  understood  to 
 contain  a  clear  prophecy  of  him.    David  lived 
 
 and 
 
^6  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 and  died  speaking  of  Jesus.  But  as  the  passage  is 
 fxtremely  obscure  in  our  common  translation, 
 I  will  lay  it  before  the  reader  in  a  new  one  by 
 the  learned  Mr.  Green. 
 
 •*  Now  these  were  the  last  words  of  David  : 
 
 •'  David  the  son  of  Jesse  saith, 
 *'  Even  the  man  who  was  raised  on  high  saith, 
 "  The  anointed  of  the  God  of  Jacob, 
 **  And  the  sweet  psalmist  of  Israel. 
 
 "  The  Spirit  of  Jehovah  speaketh  by  me, 
 *•  And  his  word  is  upon  my  tongue. 
 
 "  The  God  of  Israel  saith, 
 **  Even  to  me  doth  the  Rock  of  Israel  speak  : 
 
 «  The  JUST  ONE  «  ruleth  over  men  ! 
 **  He  ruleth  in  the  fear  of  God. 
 
 *'  As  the  light  of  the  morning  a  sun  shall  rise, 
 *'  A  morning  without  clouds  for  brightness, 
 **  When  the  tender  grass  after  rain  springeth  out  of  the  earth. 
 
 "  For  is  not  my  house  established  with  God  ? 
 •'  Yea,  he  hath  made  with  me  an  everlasting  covenant, 
 **  Ordered  in  all  things,  and  observed  : 
 *•  Surely  in  him  is  all  my  salvation,  and  all  ray  delight. 
 
 "  Doubtless  the  wicked  shall  not  flourish  : 
 "  They  are  all  like  thorns  thrust  away, 
 "  Which  shall  not  be  taken  by  the  hand, 
 "  But  the  man  who  shall  lay  hold  of  them, 
 '♦  Shall  be  armed  with  iron,  and  the  staff  of  a  spear, 
 *•  And  they  shall  be  utterly  burned  with  fire. 
 
 *  This  is  understood  of  Messiah  both  by  the  Septuagint  and  the 
 Chaldee  Paraphrase. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  97 
 
 SECTION    III. 
 
 Information  concerning  the  MESSIAH,  from  the  writings  of  Solomon, 
 
 40.*QOLOMON,  the  son  of  David,  lived  a  thousand 
 )^  years  before  our  Saviour,  and  hath  left  us  some 
 most  invaluable  writings.  His  fine  description  of  wis- 
 dom, in  the  eighth  chapter  of  his  Proverbs,  has  been 
 ascribed  by  all  antiquity  to  our  blessed  Saviour,  who  is 
 both  the  'zvisdom  a)7d  poiver  of  Gody ''  in  "whom  are  bid  all 
 the  treasures  of  wisdom  and  knozv/edge.  '  — Tbe  Lord  pos- 
 sessed me  in  the  beginning  of  his  ways,  before  his  works 
 of  old.  I  was  set  up  from  everlastings  from  the  begin- 
 ning, or  ever  the  earth  was.  '  JVhcn  there  zvere  no  depths 
 I  was  brought  forth ;  zvhen  there  zvere  no  fountains  a- 
 boundiiig  with  zvater. — JPljen  he  prepared,  the  heavens  I 
 was  there  ;  when  he  set  a  eompass  upon  the  face  of  the 
 depth ;  zvhen  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  alzvays  before  him  ; 
 rejoicing  in  the  habitable  part  of  the  earth :  and  my  de- 
 lights zvere  with  the  sons  of  men.''^ 
 
 It  should  seem,  I  think,  that  this  fine  description  of 
 wisdom  is  more  than  a  personification.     The  two  fol- 
 
 N  lowing 
 
 '  I  Cor.  I.  24.      8  Col.  2.  3. 
 
 5  Irenasus  says,  "  We  shew  that  the  Word,  existent  in  the  begln- 
 *'  ning  with  God,  onited  himself  to  the  work  of  his  own  hands,  when 
 "  he  became  a  man  capable  of  suffering."     Lib.  3.  cap.  20. 
 
 Clemens  Alexandrinus  also  calls  the  Son,  "  Existing  or  begotten 
 "  without  commencement." 
 
 Origen  too  says,  "  There  never  was  duration  when  the  Son  was 
 **  not ;  but  according  to  the  Spirit  he  was  before  all  things ;  and 
 ♦'  time  was  not  when  he  was  not." 
 
 Opera  Grig.  Par.  Edit.  vol.  i.  p.  4S3. 
 
 *  Milton  applies  this  whole  description  to  the  Son  of  God.  Parad. 
 Lost.  b.   7.   1,   S. 
 
98  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 lowing  passages  from  the  Apocryphal  books  are  of  a 
 similar  kind,  and  will  have  a  tendency  to  illustrate  the 
 meaning  of  the  royal  philosopher :  "  Wisdom,  which 
 is  the  worker  of  all  things,  taught  me  :  for  in  her  is 
 an  understanding  spirit,  holy,  one  only,  manifold, 
 subtil,  lively,  clear,  undefiled,  plain,  not  subject  to 
 hurt,  loving  the  thing  that  is  good,  quick,  which  can- 
 not be  letted,  ready  to  do  good,  kind  to  man,  sted- 
 fast,  sure,  free  from  care,  having  all  power,  oversee- 
 ing all  things,  and  going  through  all  understanding, 
 pure,  and  most  subtil,  spirits.  For  wisdom  is  more 
 moving  than  any  motion :  she  passeth  and  goeth 
 through  all  things  by  reason  of  her  pureness.  For 
 she  is  the  breath  of  the  power  of  God,  and  a  pure 
 influence  flowing  from  the  glory  of  the  Almighty : 
 therefore  can  no  defiled  thing  fall  into  her.  For  she 
 is  the  brightness  of  the  everlasting  light,  the  unspotted 
 mirror  of  the  power  of  God,  and  the  image  of  his 
 goodness.  And  being  but  one,  she  can  do  all  things : 
 and  remaining  in  herself,  she  maketh  all  things  new : 
 and  in  all  ages  entering  into  holy  souls,  she  maketh 
 them  friends  of  God,  and  prophets.  For  God  loveth 
 none  but  him  that  dwelleth  with  wisdom.  For  she  is 
 more  beautiful  than  the  sun,  and  above  ail  the  order 
 of  stars :  being  compared  with  the  light,  she  is  found 
 before  it." 
 
 St.  Paul  expressly  applies  some  part  of  this  descrip- 
 tion to  the  Son  of  God  in  his  most  learned  epistle  to  the 
 Hebrews  :  God  bath  in  these  last  days  spoken  unto  us  by 
 his  SoHi  zvhofn  he  hath  appointed  heir  of  all  things-,  by 
 whom  also  he  made  the  zvorlds.  Who  being  the  bright- 
 ness of  his  glory^  and  the  express  image  of  his  person^  and 
 upholding  all  things  by  the  word  of  his  pozver^  when  he 
 had  by  himself  pinged  our  sins,  sat  down  on  the  right  hand 
 of  the  Majesty  on  high.  Ch.    i.    i — ^3. 
 
 Since  then  the  description  in  the  book  of  Proverbs 
 seems  to  be  intended  of  the  same  person  or  thing, 
 with  that  in  the  Wisdom  of  Solomon,  and  seeing  the 
 
 latter 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  99 
 
 latter  Is  applied  in  part  to  the  Son  of  God  by  an  infal- 
 lible pen,  we  are  at  full  liberty,  I  think,  to  apply  the 
 fornner  to  the  same  person. 
 
 But  if  the  Wisdom,  spoken  of  in  such  high  terms  by 
 Solomon,  is  to  be  understood  of  the  Messiah,  then  it 
 will  follow,  that,  even  in  the  lowest  sense  of  the  de- 
 scription, he  pre-existed,  and  was  present  with  the  Fa- 
 ther at  the  creation  of  the  world. 
 
 Very  remarkable  surely  it  is,  and  highly  to  be  regard- 
 ed, that  the  great  stream  of  antiquity  both  Jewish '  and 
 Christian  *  runs  in  favour  of  this  interpretation.  Nei- 
 ther was  it  any  part  of  the  controversy  between  the 
 Catholics  and  the  Arians  in  the  time  of  Constantine. 
 They  both  agreed  in  the  application  of  it  to  the  Re- 
 deemer of  men. 
 
 41.*  Near  the  time  of  Solomon  must  be  placed  the 
 words  recorded  in  the  thirtieth  chapter  of  Pro- 
 verbs : — Who  hath  ascended  up  into  heaven^  or 
 descended  r'  zvbo  hath  gathered  the  wind  in  bis 
 fists  ?  who  hath  bound  the  waters  in  a  garment  ? 
 who  hath  established  all  the  ends  of  the  earth  r* 
 what  is  HIS  NAME,  and  what  is  his  Son's  name, 
 if  thou  canst  tell!'  The  Creator  seems  to  be  here 
 spoken  of,  and  spoken  of  as  having  a  Son.  They 
 are  both  spoken  of  too  as  being  incomprehen- 
 sible. ^ 
 
 42.  I  will  be  to  him  a  Farther,  and  he  shall  be  to  me  a 
 
 N  1  Son, 
 
 *  See  Allix's  Judgment,  passim. 
 
 *  for  the  Fathers,  see  Justin  Martyr's  Dial,  cum  Tryph.  p.  284, 
 359. — Irera;us,  I.  4.  cap.  7, — Athcnag.  p.  10.  ed.  Par. — Clem. 
 Alex.  p.  832. — Tertul.  cont.  Herm.  cap.  18.  cont.  Prax.  c.  6. — 
 Orig.  C'omm.  in  Johan.  p.  ii.  17.  ■x,^.  36. — Theoph.  Aniioch.  p. 
 82. — Athan.  in  disput.  adv.  Arium,  p.  izi.— Baiil  M.  adv.  Eunom. 
 1.  4.  p.  105. — Greg.  Nyss.  adv.  Eunom.  p.  78. — Hieron.  in  Prov. 
 8. 
 
 3  Sommerus  and  Francis  David,  two  Spcinian  writers  of  the  six- 
 teenth century,  rather  than  grant  that  God  has  a  Son,  denied  the  au- 
 thority of  the  book  of  Proverbs,  and  placed  it  among  the  apocryphal 
 writings. — See  AUi.x's  Judgment,  p.  428. 
 
100  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 Son.  *  These  words  were  spoken  originally  of 
 Solomon:  but  they   are  applied  both  by  the  an- 
 cient Jews  and  St.  Paul  to  the  Messiah.     And  if 
 God  was  a  figurative  father  to  Solomon,  who  was 
 the  type,  will  it  not  follow,  that  he  must  be  a  real 
 father  to  Christ,  who  was  the  antitype  ? 
 43.  The:  Song  of  Songs  was  understood  by  all  the  an- 
 cient Jews  to  be  a  book  belonging  to  the  sacred 
 canon.     They  universally  concurred  in  suppos- 
 ing, that  it  was  not  written  on  account  of  Solo- 
 mon's marriage  with  Pharaoh's  daughter,  but  in 
 his  old  age,  after  his  repentance.     If  this  is  the 
 case,  it  must  be  considered  in  the  light  of  a  divine 
 allegory,  as  the  fifth  chapter  of  Isaiah,  and  the 
 forty  fifth  Psalm.     Most  Christian  divines,  I  be- 
 lieve, have  looked  upon  the  whole  as  a  meta- 
 phorical description  of  the  love  of  Christ  to  his 
 church,  and  of  the  church  to  Christ,  her  heavenly 
 bridegroom.     The  apostle  of  the   Gentiles  pur- 
 sues the  same  idea  in  the  fifth  chapter  of   his 
 Epistle  to  the  Ephesians.     If  this  observation  is 
 founded  in  propriety,  our  blessed  Saviour  is  here 
 called   the  Rose  of  Sharon,  and  the  Lily  of 
 
 THE  VALLEYS the  ChIEF  AMONG  TEN  THOU- 
 SAND,    AND  ALTOGETHER   LOVELY.       The    wholc 
 
 of  the  poem  represents  him  as  the  great  object  of 
 the  soul's  desire.  It  is  uniformly  applied  by  the 
 Chaldee  paraphrase  to  king  Messiah.  Maimo- 
 nides  says,  "  The  whole  book  is  a  metaphorical 
 "  discourse  concerning  the  love  of  God."  * 
 
 ♦  2  Sam.  7.  14.  Compare  Heb.   i.  5.  See  AlHx's  Judgment,  p. 
 60,  61.  where  there  is  a  good  account  of  this  application, 
 
 5  Teshuba,  last  chap. 
 
•     DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  loi 
 
 SECTION     IV. 
 
 Information  concerning  the  MESSIAH,  from  t!ie  writings  of  th©  prophets 
 Amos,  Hosca,  Isaiili,  and  Micah. 
 
 IN  the  writings  of  the  Prophets,  all  of  whom  lived 
 .some  ages  after  Solomon,  we  find  several  passages, 
 which  strongly  prove,  not:  only-  the  pre-existcnce  of 
 Jesus  Christ,  but  that  he  is  possessed  of  real  and  pro- 
 per divinity.  We  will  produce  some  of  the  most  re- 
 markable of  them,  and  leave  the  reader  to  judge  of  the 
 inferences  which  ought  to  be  drawn  from  this  kind  of 
 evidence. 
 
 44.  The  prophet  Amos,  who  began   to  speak  in  the 
 
 name  of  the  Lord  787  years  before  the  birth  of 
 our  Saviour,  makes  mention  of  two  persons  that 
 were  concerned  in  the  destruction  of  Sodom  and 
 Gomorrah :  /  have  sent  among  you  the  -pestiience 
 after  the  manner  of  Egypt  -,  your  young  men  have  I 
 slain  with   the  swcrd^  and  have  taken  avoay  your 
 
 horses : /  have  overthrozvn  some  of  you,  as  God 
 
 overthrew  Sodom  and  Gomorrah — yet  ye  have  not 
 returned  unto  me,  saith  the  Lord.  '  Ch.  4.  ic,  1 1. 
 
 45.  The  Lord  God  hath  sworn  by  himself  saith  the  Lord, 
 
 the  God  of  hosts,  /  abhor  the  excellency  of  Jacob, 
 Chap.  6.  8. 
 
 If  nothing  more  is  intended  in  the  former  of 
 these  passages,  than  that  Goo  destroyed  Sodom 
 and  Gomorrah,  and  in  the  latter,  than  that  God 
 declared  he  abhorred  the  excellency  of  Jacob, 
 they  seem  not  only  uncommon,  but  even  im.pro- 
 per  modes  of  speaking.  In  the  one,  Jehovah 
 declares  he  had  overthrown  some  of  the  Jewish 
 
 cities, 
 
 •  See  this  more  at  Jarge,  where  we  speak  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah. 
 
102  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 cities,  as  God  overthrew  Sodom  and  Gomorrah. 
 And  in  the  other,  the  Lord,  the  God  of  hosts, 
 tells  the  Prophet,  that  the  Lord  God  had  sworn 
 by  himself.  Do  not  these  expressions  imply, 
 either  the  existence  of  two  Gods,  or  a  plurality 
 of  persons  in  the  Divine  nature  ?  or  are  they 
 mere  idioms  of  the  Hebrew  language  ? 
 46*.  Hosea  lived  about  785  years  before  our  Saviour. 
 Li  his  prophecy  he  introduces  Jehovah  as  saying. 
 Call  her  name  Lo-ruhamah  :  for  I  will  no  more  have 
 mercy  upon  the  house  of  Israel  i  but  I  will  utterly 
 take  them  away.  But  I  will  have  mercy  upon  the 
 house  of  Judahy  and  will  save  them  by  Jehovah 
 THLiR  God.  Hos.  i.  7.  Here  is  one  person, 
 who  is  called  Jehovah,  promises  to  save  the 
 house  of  Judah  by  the  hand  of  another  person, 
 whom  he  calls  by  the  name  of  Jehovah  their 
 God.  '  This  is  more  evident  still,  if  we  compare 
 it  with  Luke  1.  11.  where  the  Angel  tells  the 
 shepherds  :  Unto  you  is  born  this  day^  in  the  city  of 
 Davidy  a  Saviour,  which  is  Christ  the  Lord. 
 
 47.  Afterward 
 
 '  It  is  remarkable,  that  the  Chaldee  Paraphrast  understood  this 
 scripture  in  the  manner  J  have  here  represented  it : — "  I  will  save 
 "  them  by  the  Word  of  the  Lord  their  God."  This  was  a  well 
 known  title  for  the  Messiah. — Novatian  likevvise  applies  the  passage 
 in  the  same  manner: — "  Why  therefore,"  says  he,  "  should  we  hesi- 
 "  tate  to  say  that  which  the  scripture  hath  not  hesitated  to  express  ? 
 *'  Why  should  true  faith  hesitate  to  believe,  where  the  authority  of 
 *'  scripture  is  clear?  For  behold  the  prophet  Hosea,  speaking  in  the 
 *•  person  of  the  Father,  /  ivill  not  sa-Tje  them  no-JO  by  bo-w,  nor  by 
 *'  horses,  nor  by  horsemen,  but  1  ^will  save  them  by  the  LoR  D  THEIR 
 "  God.  If  God  says  he  will  save  them  by  God,  and  God  doth  not 
 **  save  them  but  by  Christ  ;  why  therefore  should  a  man  scruple 
 "  to  call  Christ  God,  whom  he  conceives  to  be  ranked  as  God  by 
 **  the  Father  in  the  scriptures  ?  Nay,  if  God  the  Father  doth  not 
 *'  save  but  by  God,  no  man  can  be  saved  by  God  the  Father, 
 "  unless  he  confess  that  Christ  is  God,  in  whom,  and  by  whom,  the 
 *'  Father  hath  promised  that  he  will  give  salvation  :  as  truly  every 
 *•  one,  who  acknowledges  him  to  be  God,  will  find  salvation  in 
 *'  Chiist  who  is  God.     Whosoever  will  not  acknowledge  him  as 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  ,03 
 
 47.  Afterward  shall  the   children  of  Israel  return  and 
 
 seek  the  hoRD  their  GoDy  andDAViD  their  King, 
 and  shall  fear  the  Lord,  and  his  goodness  ///  the 
 latter  days.  Hosea  3.  5.  David  is  a  well-known 
 name  for  the  Messiah,  in  the  writings  of  the  Pro- 
 phets. May  not  xht  tx^Ytshion  his  goodness  hcTQ 
 be  put  for  the  Messiah  ?  David  was  a  type  of  the 
 Messiah,  who  therefore  is  called  by  the  name  of 
 David  both  here,  and  in  several  other  places. 
 In  like  manner  John  the  Baptist  is  called  Elias, 
 because  he  was  to  resemble  him,  and  succeed 
 him  in  his  office. 
 
 48.  IVhen  Israel  was  a  child  I  loved  him ,  and  called  viy 
 
 Son  out  of  Egypt.  ^  Hos.  11.  i.  When  we  read 
 the  application  of  this  passage  to  Jesus  Christ  by 
 St.  Matthew  in  the  New  Testament,  we  are  some- 
 what surprized.  Rut  the  text  was  applied  in  the 
 same  manner  by  the  ancient  Jews ;  and  Israel  is 
 called  God's  Son,  and  his  First-born,  in  the  fourth 
 chapter  of  Exodus.  In  this  respect,  he  was  an 
 eminent  figure  of  the  Messiah,  in  whom  all  God's 
 promises  are  fulfilled. 
 49*.  He  took  his  brother  by^the  heel  in  the  womb,  and  bv 
 his  strength  he  had  pozver  with  Ctod  :  yea,  he  had 
 power  over  the  Angel,  and  prevailed :  he  wept 
 and  made  supplication  unto  him :  he  found  him  in 
 Bethel,  and  there  he  spake  with  us :  even  the  Lord 
 God  of  HOSTS,  Jehovah  is  his  metnorial.  '  It  is 
 evident  from  this  passage,  that  the  Angeh  with 
 whom  Jacob  wrestled  in  the  thirty  second  chap- 
 ter of  Genesis,  was  the  Angel  of  the  covenant, 
 who  is  here  denominated  God — the  Lord  God 
 Of  HOSTS— and  Jehovah. 
 
 But 
 
 **  God,  will  lose  salvation,  which  no  where  else  can  be  fpuad  but 
 **  in  the  God,  C^vj/."*     See  Lowth's  Commentary  on  the  place. 
 
 *  See  Allix's  Judgment,  p.  58,  and  Lowth  on  the  place. 
 .  .'  Hosea  12.  3—5.  Consult  Lowth  on  the  place,  where  he  applies 
 It  m  the  same  manner, 
 
 *  De  Trlnitate,  cap.  iz. 
 
J04  AN  apology' FOR  THE 
 
 But  the  clearest  a  nd  fullest  predictions  of  our  bles- 
 sed Lord,  are  to  be  found  in  the  writings  of  the  pro- 
 phet Isaiah.  He  biegan  to  speak  in  the  nanne  of  the 
 Lord  760  years  bf  fore  the  birth  of  Christ,  and  conti- 
 nued in  the  prop'netic  office  near  60  years.  We  will 
 consider  a  few  pas'^ages  of  his  book,  which  relate  to  the 
 person  2ltA  of Jice  o't  our  blessed  Saviour,  in  the  order  in 
 which  they  are  fc  und  in  his  writings. 
 
 50.  Cease  ye  frmn  man, 'whose  breath  is  in  his  nosirils ; 
 for  wherehi  is  he  to  be  accounted  of?  Is.  2.  22, 
 A  valuable  author  hath  observed  upon  this  pas- 
 sage, that  it  denotes  the  divinity  of  Messiah. 
 For,  says  he,  "  although  commentators  take  no 
 *'  noticf,  of  it,  hath  it  not  an  eye  to  the  divinity 
 "  of  Christ,  warning  us  not  to  look  upon  him 
 "  as  a  mere  man  ?  For,  as  Such,  how  Could  he 
 "  possibly  save  us,  or  even  himself?  Were  he  no 
 "  more  than  other  men,  a  mortal  man  only,  whose 
 *'  bratnth  is  in  his  nostrils,  we  might  well  say, 
 "  Ji'^ herein  is  he  to  be  accounted  of?  That  of  the 
 "  P'j.almist  would  be  as  applicable  to  him,  as  to 
 *',  O'chcrs  J  None  can  by  any  means  redeem  his  bro- 
 ^^  iJocr,  nor  give  to  God  a  ransom  for  him ;  for  it 
 *'  C'Ost  more  to  redeem  their  souls  :  therefore  must  he 
 *'  Jet  that  alone  forever.  *  But  Christ  hath  redeem - 
 "  ed  his  brethren ;  therefore  he  is  more  than 
 "  man,  even  God  as  well  as  man ;  true  God,  and 
 ^^  true  man,  in  one  person,  never  to  be  divided."* 
 
 51.*  The  Lord  himself  shall  give  you  a  sign;  Beheld,  a 
 \'iRGiN  shall  conceive,  and  bear  a  sen,   and  shall  ^ 
 
 call 
 
 '  Ps.   49.  7,  8. 
 
 *  Wagan's  Essay  on  the  Proper  Lessons,  vol.  i.  p.  33,  34. — No- 
 Tatian  j'ustly  observes,  "  If  Christ  is  only  a  man,  why  is  our  hope 
 ••  put  in  him,  seeing  hope  in  man  Is  pronounced  accursed  ?"  L)e 
 Trin.  c-  13  and  14.     See  Jeremiah  17.  5. 
 
 ^  To  be  called  is  tlie  same  in  scripture -phrase  as  to  be.  When, 
 thercfgre,  our  Saviour  was  to  be  called  E/nmauuel,  it  means  that  he 
 should  really  and  truly  be,  what  that  name  imported,  namely,  Gon 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  105 
 
 call  his  name 'Emmanuel.  Is.  7.  14.  This  mys- 
 terious portion  of  holy  scripture,  is  abundantly 
 cleared  up  with  respect  to  the  fact,  though  not 
 wi:h  regard  to  the  mode  of  that  fact,  in  the  his- 
 tory of  our  Saviour's  birth  : — Behold)  a  virgin 
 shall  be  with  childy  and  shall  bring  forth  a  son,  and 
 they  shall  call  his  name  Kmm an uiL^  whichy  be- 
 ing inierpreiedy  isy  God  v^ith  us.  Mat.  I.  18-23. 
 See  the  whole  passage. 
 52.*  Sanctify  the  Lord  of  Hosts  himself  j  and  let 
 him  be  your  feary  and  let  him  be  your  dread. 
 And  he  shall  be  for  a  sanctuary  ;  but  for  a  stone  of 
 stu?nbling  and  for  a  rock  of  offence  to  both  the 
 houses  of  Israeli  for  a  gin  and  for  a  snare  to  the  in- 
 habitants of  Jerusalem.  And  many  among  them 
 shall  stumbky  and  fall y  and  be  brokeny  and  be  snar- 
 edy  and  be  taken,     ch.   8.   13,  14,  15. 
 
 This  is  applied  to  Christ  by  St.  Peter:  "The 
 stone  which  the  builders  disallozvedy  the  same  is 
 made  the  head  of  the  cornery  and  a  stone  of 
 STUMBLING,  and  a  ROCK  of  OFFENCE,  cven  to 
 them  which  stumble  at  the  zvordy  being  disobedient ; 
 zvhereunto  also  they  zvere  appointed,  i  Peter  2. 
 7,  8.  See  also  Rom.  9.  23-  where  it  it  is  applied 
 in  the  same  manner. — Hence  it  should  seem,  that 
 Christ,  in  his  divine  nature,  is  the  Lord  of  Hosts 
 
 HIMSELF.  * 
 
 ^2.*  This    idea   will   be  confirmed  by  that  celebrated 
 
 prophecy  in  the  ninth  chapter: — Unto  us  a  child 
 
 O  IS 
 
 \viTH  US — God  in  human  nature — God  and  m  a n  in  one  mediator. 
 See  Dr.  Lowth  on  the  place.  In  the  eighth  verse  of  the  eighth  chap- 
 ter the  land  of  Judea  is  named  the  land  of  Emmanuel  seven  centu- 
 ries before  he  was  born  ;  which  seems  to  imply,  in  conformity  with 
 various  other  passages,  that  he  was  at  that  time  the  real,  though  in- 
 visible. King  of  the  Jews.  St.  John  explains  the  whole:— //<? 
 came  unto/jis  oxuw  nation,  and  l^is  o%vn  people  ri  ceiled  him  not..  John  I.  1 1 . 
 .  *  'I'his  passage  is  ascribed  in  the  Targum  to  the  Word  of  the 
 Lord. 
 
io6 
 
 AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 is  horny  unto  us  a  son  is  given  ;    a?id  the  governe 
 ment   shall  be   upon  his  shoulder ;  and  his  nam- 
 shallhe  calledy  Wonderful,   Counsellor,  the 
 MIGHTY    God,   the  everlasting   Father,  ^ 
 THE  Prince  of  Peace.  * 
 
 This  passage  is  extremely  important;  and  they 
 who  deny  the  divinity  of  our  blessed  Saviour  are 
 greatly  distressed  with  it.  They  have  various 
 ways  of  reconciling  it  with  the  idea  of  his  mere 
 humanity;  but  one  of  the  most  common,  is,  by  de- 
 nying the  justness  of  our  translation.  To  put 
 the  matter,  therefore,  out  of  all  dispute,  and  to 
 give  the  unlearned  reader  every  possible  satis- 
 faction, we  will  set  down  several  translations,  that 
 they  may  have  it  in  their  power  to  judge  for  them- 
 selves. And  we  will  not  alter  the  words,  though 
 it  will  make  them  bald  English,  that  every  per- 
 son may  see  what  ground  there  is  for  saying  that 
 cur  common  translation  is  wrong. 
 
 The  Hebrew  then  is  thus :  "  For  a  Man  Child 
 is  born  to  uSy  a  Son  is  given  to  uSy  and  shall  be 
 the  Rule  upon  his  Shoukiery  and  shall  be  called 
 his  Namey  IVonderfuly  Counsellory  Gody  Mighty, 
 Father  of  Eternity y  Prince  of  Peace. ''^ 
 The  Chaldee  Paraphrase :  "  A  Man  Child  is 
 born  to  uSy  a  Son  is  given  to  uSy  and  he  shall  take 
 the  Lazv  upon  hiniy  that  he  may  keep  /V,  and  his 
 Name  shall  be  called  from  the  face  of  the  admi- 
 rable Councily  Gody  a  Man  enduring  to  Eternityy 
 Christy  whose  Peace  shall  be  multiplied  upon  us 
 in  his  days.^* 
 
 Syriac : 
 5  Irenseus  says,  probably  in  allusion  to  this  expression,  that  *'  the 
 "  Word  of  God  is  the  Father  of  mankind."  Lib.  4.  cap.  51. 
 ^  Is.  9.  6.  That  the  ancient  Jews  applied  this  remarkable  pas- 
 sage of  the  Prophet  to  the  Messiah,  see  Allix's  Judgment,  p.  44. — 
 That  part  of  the  prophecy  too,  which  is  contained  in  the  following 
 verse,  is  applied  by  the  angel  Gabriel  to  Jesus  Christ,  before  he  was 
 born.     Compare  Is.  9.  7.  with  Luke  i.  31   and  32. 
 
 The  Christian  Fathers  also,  uniformly  applied  this  whole  passage 
 to  Jesus  Christ  in  the  manner  we  usually  do  now.    Justin  Martyr 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  107 
 
 Syriac  ;  "  A  Child  is  born  to  us,  a  Son  is  given 
 '*  to  usj  and  his  Empire  is  made  upon  his  Shouldery 
 *'  and  his  Name  is  called  Admiration,  and  Coun- 
 "  seller,  the  most  mighty  God  of  Ages,  the  Prince 
 '^  of  Peace,  of  whose  Principality  to  Plenty  and 
 "  Peace,  there  shall  be  no  bounds 
 
 Arabic :  "  A  Man  Child  his  born  to  us,  a  Son 
 "  is  given  to  us,  whose  Dominion  is  upon  his  Shoul- 
 "  ders,  and  his  Name  shall  be  called,  the  Angel  of 
 cc  g^'eat  Council^  the  admirable  Counsellor,  the 
 '*  strong  God,  the  Emperor,  the  Lord  of  Peace ^  the 
 "  Father  of  the  Age  to  come." 
 
 Greek:  "  A  young  Child  is  born  to  us,  a  Son  is 
 "  given  to  us,  the  Government  of  whom  is  upon  his 
 "  Shoulder,  and  his  Name  shall  be  called.  The  An- 
 "  gel  of  the  great  Council,  wonderful  Counsellor, 
 "  the  Mighty i  the  Govcrnour,  the  Prince  of  Peace, 
 "  the  Father  of  the  Age  to  come.''  ' 
 
 The    Latin,    French,   and    other    translations 
 
 are 
 
 quotes  not  the  passage  entire  indeed,  in  any  one  place,  but  he  calls 
 the  Messiah,  "The  mighty  Go  n,  who  is  to  be  adored,  and  the 
 '*  Angel  of  the  great  cou7icil."  See  his  Works,  passim. — Irenasus 
 tells  us,  from  the  same  Prophet,  that,   "  his  name  should  be  called 
 
 "    WONDERFUL,      COUNSELLOR,      THE      MIGHTY      GoD. —  He    is 
 
 "  THE  MIGHTY  GoD,  and  hath  an  iaefFable  extraction."  See 
 book  4.  ch.  66. — Clemens  Alexandrinus  cites  the  text  in  the  follow- 
 manner  : — "Wonderful,  counsellor,  the  mighty  God, 
 
 THE     everlasting     FATHER. 
 
 Dionysius  Alexandrinus  quotes  the  text  thus  : — "  He  proclaims 
 "  him  THE  MIGHTY  GoD,  the  God  who  is  achild."  Epist.  cont. 
 Paul.  Samos.  p.  852.  Labb. — St.  Cyprian  has  it  thus  : — "Behold, 
 **  to  us  a  chil(t  is  born,  to  us  a  son  is  gi-ven,  and  the  government  shall 
 *'  he  upon  his  shoulders  ;  and  his  name  shall  be  called.  Won  derful, 
 *'  Counsellor."  Test,  against  the  Jews,  chap.  21. — Athanasius 
 thus  : — "  His  name  shall  be  called.  The  Angel  of  the  great 
 **  council.  Wonderful,  Counsellor,  /^^  Mi  ght  y  God, 
 "  the  Governour,  the  Prince  of  peace,  the  Father  of 
 **  the  future  age."  De  Incarn.  cor.t.  Arian.  cap.  22. — 
 The  elder  Cyril  thus  : — '*  His  name  shall  be  called.  The  Angel 
 ««  of  the  great  council  of  the  Father,  Wonderful, 
 *♦  Counsellor,  the  Mighty  God,"  &c. 
 
 '  The  Greek  copies  differ  very   considerably  upon  this  verse. 
 
o8  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 are    all    to   the  same   purpose,   with  very  little 
 
 variation. 
 
 will  lay  before  the  Reader  the  remarks  of  the  learned  Dr.  V/ater- 
 lind  upon  it : — "  The  Seventy,  as  Jerome  remarks,  in  rendering  Is. 
 *■'  9.  6.  have  took  a  very  unusual  freedom.  For,  thinkiig  it 
 *'  strange  and  harsh  to  apply  the  name  of  God,  and  mighty,  &c. 
 *■'  to  a  person  just  before  called  a  child,  they  chose  raihei  to  vary  the 
 "  sense,  and  to  make  a  comment,  instead  of  a  translation,  put- 
 *'  ting,  Angel  of  the  great  council,  instead  of  those  other  higher  titles 
 *'  and  epithets.  But,  most  probably  the  fault  lay  not  in  the  Seventy 
 "  interpreters,  but  in  the  Jews,  who  after  Christ's  time,  had  cor- 
 *'  rupted  some  copie;;  of  the  Seventy.  Certain  it  is,  that  Irenaeus, 
 *'  who  was  a  professed  admirer  and  follower  of  the  version  ot  the 
 *'  Seventy,  looking  upon  it  as  an  inspired  performance,  yet 
 "  quotes  not  this  text  of  Isaiah  according  to  the  Septuagint,  as  it 
 •'  now  is,  or  as  it  vvas,  in  some  copies  at  least,  in  the  time  St.  Je- 
 "  rome,  Eusebius,  and  even  Justin  Martyr;  but  accordit.g  to  v\hat 
 **  it  should  be,  and  as  it  lies  in  the  Hebrew  text  ;  citing  it  in  proof 
 •'  of  the  divinity  of  Christ.  In  like  manner  Clemens  of  Alexan- 
 "  dria,  though  equally  an  admirer  of  the  Septuagint  version,  yet 
 *'  cites  the  same  text  of  Isaiah,  much  after  the  same  sense  with 
 "  Irenaeus,  and  not  according  to  the  Seventy  ;  drawing  an  argument 
 *'  from  thence  of  the  greatness,  majesty,  and  essential  divinity  of 
 "  the  Son  of  God.  It  is  the  less  to  be  wondered  at,  if  afterwards 
 *'  we  but  seldom  meet  with  this  text  cited  in  proof  of  Christ's  divi- 
 *'  nity,  since  the  Septuagint,  which  the  primitive  Fathers  chi.fly 
 *'  followed  and  quoted  from,  exhibited  another  sense  of  the  passage. 
 •*  Yet  we  find  it  cited  by  Athanasius,  if  the  piece  concerning  the 
 "  Incarnation  be  his,  and  the  Elder  Cyril,  for  tliat  purpose  :  and 
 "  there  the  verse  is  cited  according  to  the  Hebrew  original  ;  only 
 *'  taking  in  part  of  the  Seventy's  translation  :  from  whence  one 
 "  might  suspect  that  there  had  been  two  versions  of  the  same 
 "  words,  and  both,  by  degrees,  taken  in  to  the  text,  and  tacked  to- 
 "  gether."  Eight  Sermons,  p.   219. 
 
 We  will  add  to  these  observations  of  the  learned  Watcrland  those  of 
 Br.  Apthorp  : — "  The  Arabic  version,"  says  he,  "  is  formed  oa 
 *'  the  Seventy,  which  in  the  Vatican  copy  is  thus  expressed  :  Unto 
 **  us  a  child  is  horn,  unto  us  a  son  is  given,  his  government  shall  be 
 *'  upon  his  shoulder,  and  his  name  shall  be  called,  "-rhe  Angel  of  the 
 *'  great  council— for  I  'vjill  bring  peace  upon  his  gonjernours,  and 
 "  health  to  him.  This  is  evidently  a  mutilated  passage,  as  appears 
 *'  from  the  Vulgate  and  Arabic;  and  from  the  more  ample  Greek 
 "  version  in  the  Alexandrian  Manuscript."* — See  the  Greek  version 
 above. — "  Not  even  this  version  hath  escaped  entire  :  for  1  have  no 
 *'  doubt,  that  the  genuine  reading  was.  Mighty  God,  and  that  the 
 "  word  Gcrt'was  left  out  either  by  design,  or  because  of  the  similar 
 *  Discouises  on  Prophecy,  vol.    i.    p,   177,   178. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  109 
 
 variation.  I  will  close  them  with  the  late  vener- 
 able bishop  Lovvth's : 
 
 "  For  unto  us  a  Child  is  born  ;  unto  us  a  Son  is 
 '^  given ;  and  the  government  shall  be  upon  his 
 *'  shoulder :  and  his  name  shall  be  called^  IVonder- 
 "  fid.,  Counsellor.,  the  mighty  Gody  the  Father  of  the 
 "  everlasting  age^  the  Prince  of  peace," 
 
 How  little  is  gained  by  rejecting  our  present 
 translation,  even  the  unskilful  in  lano;ua£;e  will 
 hence  be  competent  to  judge. ' 
 
 The  chief  objection  to  this  passage,  is,  the 
 phrase  Mighty  God.  This  is  supposed  to  be  in- 
 consistent with  the  character  of  Messiah.  But 
 when  it  is  considered,  that  the  prophet  Isaiah  was 
 more  fully  enlightened  into  the  character  of  Jesus 
 than  ordinary,  that  the  New  Testament  has  several 
 
 expressions 
 
 *'  ending  in  i7%\jpcq  like  the  usual  contractioa  in  that  manu_ 
 *<  script  0C,  for  the  Vulgate  has,  Admirabilis,  consilia- 
 
 "    R.1U.S,     DeUS,      FORTIS,      pater      FUTURl      SECUtI,    P  R  I  ^f- 
 
 "  CEPs  PACis.  I  the  rather  suspect  fraud  and  ill  faith  in  omit- 
 "  ting  0£o^,  because,  though  so  essential  a  word  is  the  un- 
 *'  doubted  reading  of  the  Hebrew  text,  it  is  omitted  by  A.  S.  0. 
 *'  whose  versions  are  represented  in  Montfaucon's  Hexapla,  II.  103, 
 "  The  word  QeoQ  is  in  the  Aid.  and  Compl.  LXX.  and  Deus, 
 **  in  the  Latin  of  Irenaius,  IV.  66. 
 
 **  Eusebius,  D.  E.  p.  336.  gives  the  Greek  version  uncorrupt- 
 
 *'    ed,  WONDE  RFUL,    COUNSELLOR,    MiGHTV    GoD. 
 
 "  The  very  learned  Mr.  Woide  of  the  British  Museum  obliging- 
 "  ly  pointed  out  to  me  a  passage  of  Clemens  Alexandrinus,  Pajdag. 
 *'  I.  5.  which  confirms  my  suspicion  of  fraud  in  suppressing  Qsoi 
 '*  in  the  Greek  translations.  The  passage  of  St.  Clement  is  wor- 
 *•  thy  to  be  transcribed  entire.  Edit.  Potteri,  p.  112.  What  is 
 "  therefore  this  infant  boy,  after  whose  image  we  are  children  ?  By 
 *'  the  same  prophet  he  declares  his  greatness:  Wonderful, 
 «i  Counsellor,  mighty  God,  everlasting  Father, 
 **  PRINCE  OF  PEACE  :  of  the  increase  of  his  go'verinnent  and  peace 
 '*  there  shall  be  no  end.  O  great  GvOD  !  O  perfect  child! 
 **  the  Son  'in  the  Path  er,  and  the  Father  in  the  Son." 
 
 *  For  these  translations  from  the  several  languages  of  the  East, 
 see  Leslie's  Dialogues  on  the  Socinian  controversy. 
 
.1 10  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 expressions  equally  strong,  and  that  the  Jews  al- 
 ways admitted  it,  till  the  Septuagini:  translation 
 was  nnade,  I  do  not  see  why,  even  a  priori,  wc 
 should  hesitate  in  adopting  the  expression  in  all 
 its  extent.  ' 
 54.*  And  there  shall  come  forth  a  rod  out  cf  the  stem  of 
 Jessey  and  a  branch  shall  grow  out  of  his  roots, 
 jlnd  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  shall  rest  upon  him,  the 
 spirit  cf  wisdom  and  understandings  the  spirit  of 
 courage  and  mighty  the  spirit  of  knowledgey  and  of 
 the  fear  of  the  Lord :  and  shall  make  him  of  quick 
 understanding  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  and  he  shall 
 not  jud^^e  after  the  sight  of  his  eyesy  neither  re- 
 prove after  the  hearing  of  his  ears.  Is.  11.  i — j. 
 We  Christians  understand  this  whole  chapter  of 
 the  Messiah.  The  ancient  Jews  did  the  same,  as 
 appears  from  their  Targum  on  the  first  and  sixth 
 verses.  It  is  remarkable  also,  that  in  the  tenth 
 verse  Messiah  is  called  the  Root  of  Jesse,  though 
 not  born  till  upwards  of  a  thousand  years  after 
 him.  This  root  of  Jesse,  was  to  stand  for  an  en- 
 sign of  the  people,  and  to  it  should  the  Gentiles 
 seek.  This  is  applied  by  St.  Paul  to  our  Savi- 
 our, and  he  tells  us  the  Gentiles  should  trust  in 
 him.  Rom.  15.  12.  Compare  Mat.  12.  21,  and 
 Jer.  17.  5.  In  this  last  passage  a  curse  is  pro- 
 nounced on  the  man  who  trusieth  in  man  and  mak- 
 eth  ficsh  his  arm.  Does  not  this  imply  something 
 in  the  nature  of  Christ  superior,  at  least,  to  mere 
 humanity  ?  If  we  are   to   trust  in  Christ,  and  if 
 
 cursed 
 
 "  The  translation  of  Lowth  has  been  animadverted  upon  by  a  Mr. 
 Dodson  in  a  new  version  of  this  Prophet ;  and  he  has  taken  the  li- 
 berty of  altering  the  text  of  this  important  passage  to  get  dear  of  the 
 doctrine  it  contains.  His  disingenuous  conduct  herein  has  been 
 animadverted  upon  by  Dr.  Sturges  in  a  small  pamphlet  entitled. 
 Short  Remarks  on  a  new  translation  of  Isaiah,  which  the  learned 
 reader  may  do  well  to  consult.  The  substance  of  his  criticism  upon 
 this  passage  may  be  found  in  the  Monthly  Review  for  March  1792, 
 p.  30. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  m 
 
 iursed  be  the  man  thai  trusteth  in  man^  then  Christ, 
 in  whom  we  are  to  trust,  must  be  more  than  man. 
 
 55.  In  that  day  shall  the  Lord  of  hosts  be  for  a  croivn  of 
 glory y  and  for  a  diadem  of  beauty  unto  the  residue 
 of  his  people.  Is.  28.  5.  The  TargLim  renders 
 this — "  In  that  day  the  Mess r as  of  the  Lord  of 
 *^  hosts  shall  be  crowned  with  joy."  For  Jeho- 
 vah, in  the  original,  it  substitutes  Messias.  It  is 
 evident  from  this,  and  many  other  passages,  that 
 the  ancient  Jews  found  Christ  in  a  variety  of 
 places  of  the  Old  Testament,  where  we  should 
 scarce  expect  to  meet  with  him.  *  He  was  then 
 their  glory  and  joy,  and  they  were  glad  to  dis- 
 cover the  smallest  traces  of  his  footsteps.  Why 
 should  we  Christians  be  more  shy  of  him  ?  I 
 would  not  sacrifice  my  understanding  to  a  mere 
 imaginary  interpretation;  but  neither  would  I 
 reject  a  meaning  that  gives  dignity  to  the  scrip- 
 tures, if  there  is  any  probability  of  its  having  been 
 in  the  mind  of  the  Spirit. — At  all  events,  such 
 interpretations  give  us  a  very  satisfactory  view  of 
 the  opinions  of  the  ancient  Jews  concerning  their 
 Messiah. 
 
 5^.  7hus  saith  the  Lord  God,  Behold,  I  lay  in  Zionfor  a 
 foundation,  a  stone,  a  tried  stone,  a  precious  corner- 
 stone, a  sure  foundation  :  he  that  believeth  shall  not 
 wake  haste,  ch.  28.  16.  This  passage  is  applied 
 to  Christ  several  times  in  the  New  Testament, 
 and  was  understood  of  the  Messiah  also  by  the 
 ancient  Jews,  as  appears  from  the  Targum  upon 
 the  place.  To  this  St.  Paul,  probably,  alludes 
 when  he  says.  Other  foundation  can  no  man  lav,  than 
 that  is  laid,  zvhich  is  Jesus  Christ. 
 
 5*7.*  Strengthen  ye  the  zveak  hands,  and  confirm  the  fee- 
 hie  knees.  Say  to  them  that  are  of  a  fearful  heart. 
 Be  strong,  fea j •  not :  behold  y 0  u  r  G o d  ■:;'///  come  with 
 
 vengeance, 
 
 *  See  Jamieson's  Vindication,  vol.  i.  p.  83. 
 
112  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 •vengeance^  even  god  zvilh  a  recompence ;  he 'will 
 come,  and  save  you.  Then  the  eyes  of  the  blind  shall 
 he  opened^  and  the  ears  of  the  deaf  shall  be  inls top- 
 ped. Is.  2S',  3—5- 
 
 Our  Saviour  expressly  applies  this  prophecy 
 to  himself,  and  closes  it  with  saying,  Blessed  is 
 hCy  whosoever  shall  not  be  offended  in  me.  Mat. 
 II.  1 — 6.  Christ  therefore  is  the  God  that 
 should  come  with  a  recompence. 
 
 58.*  The  voice  of  him  that  crieth  in  the  wilderness j  Pre- 
 pare ye  the  way  o/"  Jehovah,  make  straight  in  the 
 desert  a  high-way  for  our  God.  Every  valley 
 shall  be  exalted^  and  every  mountain  and  hill  shall 
 be  -  made  low ;  and  the  crooked  shall  be-  made 
 straight,  and  the  rough  places  plain :  and  the  glory 
 of  the  Lord  shall  be  revealed,  and  all  fiesh  shall  see 
 it  together ;  for  the  mouth  of  Jehovah  hath  spo- 
 ken it.  Is.  40.  3 — 5.  Compare  Mark  i.  3. 
 In  this  passage,  like  that  in  Plosea,  are  evi- 
 dently two  Jehovahs  made  mention  of. 
 
 1^*0  thou  that  tellest  good  tidings  to  Zion,get  thee  up 
 into  the  high  mountains :  O  thou  that  tellest  good 
 tidings  to  Jerusalem,  lift  up  thy  voice  with  strength  : 
 lift  it  up,  be  not  afraid;  say  unto  the  cities  ofjudah, 
 Behold  your  God  /  Behold,  the  Lord  God 
 will  come  ivith  a  strong  hand,  and  his  arm  shall  rule 
 for  him  :  behold,  his  reward  is  with  him,  and  his 
 work  befcre  him.  Chap.  40.  9,  10.  Compare  this 
 passage  with  Rev.  22.  12.  Behold,  I  come  quick- 
 ly, and  MY  reward  is  with  me,  to  give  every  man 
 according  as  his  work  shall  be.  What  is  said 
 of  the  Lord  God  in  the  former  of  these  scrip- 
 tures, is  expressly  declared  of  himself  by  our 
 Saviour  in  the  latter  ;  it  should  seem,  therefore, 
 that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Lord  God  spoken  of 
 by  the  Prophet. 
 
 60.*  He — THE  Lord  God — shall  feed  his  fiock  like  a 
 shepherd  ;  he  shall  gather  the  lambs  with  his  arm, 
 
 and 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITy.  113 
 
 and  carry  them  in  his  bosoniy  and  shall  gently  lead 
 those  that  are  with  young.  Ch.  40.  11.  The  shep- 
 herd in  this  verse,  who  is  called  the  Lord  God 
 in  the  context,  seems  to  be  no  other  than  the  good 
 SHEPHERD,  who  gave  his  life  for  the  sheep.  See  the 
 tenth  chapter  of  St.  John's  gospel. 
 
 61.*  Thus  saith  the  LjORDj  the  king  0/"  Israel j  and  his 
 Redeemer,  the  Lord  cf  Hosts  ;  I  am  the  first, 
 and  I  am  the  Last  j  and  besides  me  there  is  no  God, 
 Ch.  44.  6. — Compare  Rev.  1.8./  am  Alpha 
 and  Omega,  the  beginning  and  the  Ending, 
 saith  the  Lordy  which  is,  and  which  was,  and 
 which  is  to  come,  the  /llmighty. — Again  : — /  am 
 Alpha  and  Omega,  the  first  and  the  last. 
 Rev.  I.  II. — Also  Rev.  22.  13,  I  am  Alpha 
 and  OuLGA,  the  beginning  and  the  end,  the 
 first  and  the  last. 
 
 From  these  comparisons  it  appears,  that  Jesus 
 Christ  is  Isaiah's  Lord,  King  of  Israel,  and 
 Lord  of  Hosts,  the  First  and  the  Last. 
 
 62.  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  The  labour  of  Egy'pt,  and  mer- 
 chandise of  Ethiopia,  and  of  the  Sabeans,  men  of 
 stature,  shall  come  over  unto  thee,  and  they  shall  be 
 thine,  they  shall  come  after  ihee,  in  chains  they 
 shall  come  over ;  and  they  shall  fall  down  unto  thee, 
 they  shall  make  supplication  unto  thee,  saying.  Sure- 
 ly God  is  in  thee,  and  there  is  none  else,  there  is  no 
 God.  Verily  thou  art  a  God  that  hidest  thyself 
 O  God  of  Israel,  the  Saviour.  Ch.  45.  14,  15. 
 This  passage  is  usually  applied  to  Jesus  Christ  by 
 the  Fathers  of  the  primitive  church ;  *  thoiigii 
 the  first  part  of  the  passage,  I  think,  is  applica- 
 ble to  Cyrus  only,  or  to  the  church. 
 
 62*'^  Look  unto  ME  and  be  ye  savedy  all  the  ends  of  the 
 
 P  earth ; 
 
 *  See  Tert.  adv.  Prax.  c.  13. — Cyp-  adv.  Jud.  1.  2.  c  6. — 
 Hippol.  cont.  Noet»  sect.  4.— Patres  Syn.  Ant.  adv.  Paul,  Samos. 
 —and  others. 
 
JH  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 earth  i  for  I  a7nGoT>y  and  there  is  none  else.  I 
 have  szvorn  by  ray  self ^  the  word  is  gone  out  of  my 
 viouth  in  righteousness^  and  shall  not  return-.  That 
 unto  me  every  knee  shall  bow,  every  tongue  shall 
 szvear.  Ch.  45.  22,  23. — Compare  Rom.  14. 
 9 — 12.  To  this  end  Christ  both  died,  and  rose, 
 and  revived,  that  he  might  be  Lord  both  of  the 
 dead  and  living. — For  we  must  all  stand  before 
 the  judgment- seat  o/' Christ.  For  it  is  written. 
 As  I  live,  saith  the  Lord,  every  knee  shall  bow 
 to  ME,  and  every  tongue  shall  confess  unto  God.— 
 Also  in  another  place — At  the  name  of  Jesus 
 every  knee  shall  bow.  Phil.  2.   10. 
 
 Every   person  will  draw  the   conclusion     for 
 himself.     See  Lowth's  Commentary  on  this  pas- 
 sage, where  it  is  applied  in  the  same  manner. 
 64.*  Surely  shall  one  say.  In  Jehovah  have  1  righteous- 
 ness and  strength :  even  to  HIM  shall  men  come, 
 and  all  that  are  incensed  against  HIM  shall  be 
 ashamed.     /»  Jehovah  shall  all  the  seed  of  Israel 
 be  JUSTIFIED,  and  shall  glory.  Ch.  45.  24,  25. 
 This  declaration  of  the  Prophet  seems  well  ex- 
 plained by    that    of  the  Apostle  : — Of  him,  are 
 ye  in  Christ  Jesus,  who  of  God  is  made  unto  us 
 wisdom,  and  righteousness,  and  sanciification,  and  re- 
 demption ;  that,  according  as  it  is  written.  He  that 
 glorieth,  let  him  glory  in  the  LORD.   i.  Cor. 
 1.  30,  31.     Is  it  not  a  fair  conclusion  from  this 
 comparison,  that  Christ  is  the  Jehovah  spoken 
 of  by  the  Prophet  ?  1  think  it  is.     Nor  can  this 
 conclusion  be  honestly  evaded. 
 €>.^.*  How  beautiful  upon  the  mountains  are  the  feet  of 
 him  that  bringeth  good  tidings,  that  publisheth  peace, 
 that  bringeth  good  tidings  of  good,   that  publisheth 
 salvation,  that  saith  unto  Zion,  Thy  God  reign- 
 eth.  Ch.  52.  7.    This   remarkable  scripture  is 
 applied  to  Jesus  Christ  by  St.  Paul,  Rom.  10.  15. 
 It  was  applied  also  to  the  Messiah  by  both  the  anci- 
 ent 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  115 
 
 ent  Jews> '  and  Christians.  *  It  follows,  there- 
 fore, of  course,  that  Christ  is  the  God  who 
 REiGNETH,  in  the  language  of  the  Prophet ;  not, 
 surely,  independent  of  his  Father,  but  with  hini, 
 as  a  son  with  a  father.  All  powevy  says  he,  is 
 given  unto  me  in  heaven  and  in  earth. 
 66*  This  Prophet's  wonderful  prediction  of  our  Savi- 
 our's sufferings,  and  consequent  glory,  must 
 not  be  passed  over  here  without  notice.  And  as 
 there  are  some  parts  of  it  obscure  in  our  version, 
 I  will  transcribe  it  in  bishop  Lowth's  nev.-  transla- 
 tion : 
 
 *'  Behold,  my  servant  shall  prosper; 
 *'  He  shall  be  raised  aloft,  and  magnified,  and  very  highly  ex- 
 alted. 
 **  As  many  were  astonished  at  him  ; 
 **  (To  such  a  degree  was  his  countenance  disfigured,  more  than 
 
 that  of  man ; 
 **  And  his  form,  more  than  the  sons  of  men  ;) 
 '*  So  shall  he  sprinkle  many  nations , 
 **  Before  him  shall  kings  shut  their  mouths  ; 
 *'  For  what  was  not  before  declared  to  them,  they  shall  see, 
 "  And  what  they  had  not  heard,  they  shall  attentively  consider, 
 
 "  Who  hath  believed  our  report ; 
 
 "  And  to  whom  hath  the  arm  of  Jehovah  been  manifested  ? 
 
 **  For  he  groweth  up  in  their  sight  like  a  tender  sucker  ; 
 
 ♦•  And  like  a  root  from  a  thirsty  soil : 
 
 **  He  hath  no  form,  nor  any  beauty,  that  we  should  regard  him} 
 
 **  Nor  is  his  countenance  such,  that  we  should  desire  him. 
 
 **  Despised,  nor  accounted  in  the  number  of  men ; 
 
 **  A  man  of  sorrows,  and  acquainted  with  grief  j 
 
 **  As  one  that  hideth  his  face  from  us : 
 
 "  He  was  despised,  and  we  esteemed  him  not. 
 
 **  Surely  our  infirmities  he  hath  borne  : 
 
 *'  And  our  sorrows,  he  hath  carried  them : 
 
 *'  Yet  we  thought  him  judicially  stricken  ; 
 
 "  Smitten 
 
 3  See  Allix's  Judgment,  p,  33. *  See  do.  p.  36. 
 
"6  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 "  Smitten  of  God,  and  afflicted. 
 
 "  But  he  was  wounded  for  our  transgressions ; 
 
 "  Was  smitten  for  our  iniquities  : 
 
 "  The  chastisement,  by  which  our  peace  is  effected,  was  laid 
 
 upon  him  ; 
 **  And  by  his  bruises  we  are  healed. 
 **  We  all  of  us  like  sheep  have  strayed  ; 
 "  We  have  turned  aside,  every  one  to  his  own  way; 
 *'  And  Jehovah  hath  made  to  light  upon  him  the  iniquity  of  us 
 
 all. 
 "  It  was  exacted,  and  he  was  made  answerable,  and  he  opened 
 
 not  his  mouth: 
 "  As  a  Iamb  that  is  led  to  the  slaughter, 
 "  And  as  a  sheep  before  her  shearers, 
 "  Is  dumb;  so  he  opened  not  his  mouth. 
 "  By  an  oppressive  judgment  he  was  taken  off; 
 "  And  his  manner  of  life  who  would  declare  ? 
 "  For  he  was  cut  off  from  the  land  of  the  living ; 
 **  For  the  transgression  of  my  people  he  was  smitten  to  death. 
 "  And  his  grave  was  appointed  with  the  wicked  j 
 "  But  with  the  rich  man  was  his  tomb. 
 **  Although  he  had  done  no  wrong, 
 "  Neither  was  there  any  guile  in  his  mouth  ; 
 "  Yet  it  pleased  Jehovah  to  crush  him  with  affliction. 
 *'  If  his  soul  shall  make  a  propitiatory  sacrifice, 
 **  He  shall  see  a  seed,  which  shall  prolong  their  days, 
 **  And  the  gracious  purpose  of  Jehovah  shall  prosper  in  his 
 
 hands. 
 *'  Of  the  travail  of  his  soul  he  shall  see  the  fruit  and  be  satisfied : 
 "  By  the  knowledge  of  him  shall  my  servant  justify  many ; 
 *•  For  the  punishment  of  their  iniquities  he  shall  bear. 
 *'  Therefore  will  I  distribute  to  him  the  many  for  his  portion ; 
 *'  And  the  mighty  people  shall  he  share  for  his  spoil : 
 *'  Because  he  poured  out  his  soul  unto  death  ; 
 **  And  was  numbered  with  the  transgressors  : 
 "  And  he  bore  the  sin  of  many ; 
 "  And  made  intercession  for  the  transgressors. 
 
 That 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  117 
 
 That  the  Prophet  speaks  of  Christ  In  this 
 whole  passage,  no  Christian  can  reasonably  doubr, 
 there  being  scarce  a  verse  in  the  whole  that  is  not 
 by  the  Holy  Ghost  in  the  New  Testament  ap- 
 plied to  him.  And  though  the  latter  Jews  will  ' 
 not  allow  of  this  application,  yet  some  of  thein 
 not  only  do  own,  that  their  ancient  Rabbins  did 
 with  one  mouth  confess  these  words  were  spoken 
 of  Messiah  the  King;  but  also  speak  thus  of 
 him  : — "  The  holy,  blessed  God  began  to  cove- 
 "  nant  with  the  Messiah  when  he  created  him, 
 "  and  said  to  him.  The  sins  of  Aose  who  arc 
 "  laid  up  in  secret  with  thee,  will  make  thee  to. 
 "  come  under  an  iron  yoke,  and  make  thee  like 
 *^  to  this  young  heifer,  whose  eyes  are  dim,  and 
 ^^  fill  thy  spirit  with  anguish ;  and  because  of 
 "  their  iniquities  thy  tongue  shall  cleave  to  the 
 "  roof  of  thy  mouth:  Wilt  thou  then  undergo 
 "  this  condition  for  them  ? 
 
 "  The  Messiah  said,  I  undertake  it  with  the 
 **  joy  and  exultation  of  my  heart,  on  this  con- 
 "  dition,  That  not  one  of  Israel  may  perish,  and 
 "  that  not  only  they  may  be  saved  who  live  in  my 
 "  days,  but  also  they  who  are  dead  from  the  days 
 "  of  the  first  man  to  this  very  day.  And  again, 
 "  when  God  created  the  world,  he  held  forth  his 
 "  hand  under  the  throne  of  glory,  and  created 
 "  the  soul  of  the  Messiah,  and  his  company,  and 
 "  said  to  him.  Wilt  thou  head  and  redeem  my 
 "  sons  after  six  thousand  years  ?  He  answered 
 "  him.  Yes.  God  said  to  him,  If  so,  wilt  thou 
 "  bear  chastisements  to  expiate  their  iniquities, 
 "  according  to  what  is  written,  Is.  ^2-  4-  Sure^ 
 "  /)'  he  hove  our  griefs  ?  He  answered,  I  will  en- 
 "  dure  them  with  joy,"  Whence  three  things 
 are  observable : 
 
 I.  The  ]^\^z  were  acquainted  with  the  Father's 
 
lis  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 covenant  with   Messiah  concerning  his  sufferings 
 for  the  sins  of  the  people. 
 
 i.  They  believed  their  Messiah  was  to  suffer 
 for  their  sakes,  to  make  atonement  for  their  sins, 
 
 3.  He  was  to  be  the  salvation  of  all  from  the 
 
 beginning  to  the  end  of  time.  ^ 
 
 67.  I'hy  Maker  is  thine  husbandj  the  Lord  of  Hosts 
 
 is  his  name.  Ch.  54.  5. — Compare  this  with  John 
 
 3.   1^.  He   that  hath  the   bride  is  the  bridegroom. 
 
 If  the  Lord  of  hosts  is  the  husband  of  the 
 church :  if  Christ  also  is  the  bridegroom  of  the 
 church  :*  and  if  the  church  cannot  have  two  hus- 
 bands :  will  it  not  follow  that  Christ  is  the  Lord 
 of  hosts  ? 
 ^%.  Behold:,  I  have  given  him  for  a  witness  to  the  people j 
 a  leader  and  commander  to  the  people.  Is.  55.  4» 
 Part  of  this  chapter  is  applied  by  St.  Paul  to  Jesus 
 Christ  in  the  13  chapter  of  Acts,  and  the  anci- 
 ent Jews  understood  the  whole  of  the  Messiah.  * 
 69.*  Who  is  this  that  comcth  from  Edojn,  with  dyed gar^ 
 mentsfrom  Bozrah  ?  this  that  is  glorious  in  his  ap- 
 parel,   travelling  in  the  greatness  of  his  strength  l" 
 
 I  that  speak  in  righteousness^  mighty  to  save. 
 
 Wherefore  art  thou  red  in  thine  apparel,  (^nd  thy 
 garments   like  him  that  treadeth  in  the  wine-fat  f 
 
 I  have  trodden  the  wine-press  alone,  and  of  the 
 people  there  was  none  with  me :  for  I  will  tread 
 them  in  mine  anger,  and  trample  them  in  my  fury, 
 and  their  blood  shall  be  sprijikled  upon  my  garme7its, 
 and  I  will  stain  all  my  raiment.  For  the  day  of 
 vengeance  is  in  my  heart,  and  the  year  of  my  re- 
 deemed is  come.    And  I  looked,  and  there  was  none 
 
 to 
 
 5  See  Whitby  on  Acts  8.  verse  32. 
 
 The  Targum  of  Jonathan  interprets  this  description  of  the  sufFer- 
 ings  of  Christ,  as  we  Christians  do.  See  Prideaux's  Connection, 
 part  2.  b.  8,  p.  581,  582. 
 
 '  See  Allix's  Judgment,  p.  55. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  119 
 
 to  help  ;  and  I  wondered  there  was  none  to  uphold  - 
 therefore  mine  own  arm  brought  salvation  unto  me, 
 and  my  fury  it  upheld  me.  And  I  will  tread  down 
 the  people  in  mine  anger^  and  make  them  drunk  in 
 my  fury,  and  I  will  bring  down  their  strength  to 
 the  earth.  Ch.  6^.  i — 5. 
 
 This  remarkable  scripture  is  applied  to  our 
 blessed  Saviour  by  the  best  Commentators,  and 
 is  expressive,  not  only  of  his  pre-existence,  but 
 also  of  his  more  than  human  power.  Language 
 like  this  ill  becomes  a  mere  mortal  man,  especi- 
 ally a  man  of  the  meek  and  lowly  character  of  the  ^ 
 Messiah. 
 
 It  is  the  more  likely  that  this  passage  is  appli- 
 cable only  to  the  Messiah,  because  all  the  three 
 persons  of  the  Divine  Nature  are  expressly  men- 
 tioned in  the  following  part  of  the  chapter.  Mes- 
 siah is  called  the  Angel  of  God's  presence,  and  the 
 people  are  said  to  have  rebelled  and  vexed  his  Ho- 
 hY  Spirit,  which  he  had  put  within  them.  Mes- 
 siah, therefore,  may  well  be  supposed  to  be  the 
 person  introduced  in  the  above  sublime  dramatic 
 representation. ' 
 70.  I  am  sought  of  them  that  asked  not  for  me;  I  am 
 found  of  them  that  sought  me  not :  I  said.  Behold 
 me,  behold  me,  unto  a  nation  that  was  not  called  by 
 my  name.  1  have  spread  out  my  hands  all  the  day 
 unto  a  rchcUious  people. '  Ch,  65.  i,  2.  This  pas- 
 sage is  most  commonly  applied  by  the  Christian 
 fathers  to  our  Saviour.  If  it  is  justly  applied,  it 
 will  prove  him  to  be  the  God  who  spake  the 
 words. 
 
 Micah, 
 
 7  See  Knight's  Sermons  on  the  Dh'lnity  of  Christ,  where  this 
 meaning  is  ably  vindicated,  p.  172 — 186.  Consult  Lovvth's  Com- 
 mentary on  the  place,  and  his  observations  on  the  9th  verse.  The 
 Av.gel  of  his  presence  sa--ved  them,  where  he  speaks  of  the  appearances 
 of  Christ  before  bis  incarnation.  See  too  bishop  Lowth's  notes. 
 This  learned  Prelate  applies  it  iii  the  same  manner. 
 
 •  See  Knight's  Sermons  on  the  Divinity  of  Christ,  p.  1S6— 190 
 
I20  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 Micah,  the  prophet,  who  lived  upwards  of  700 
 years  before  the  birth  of  our  Saviour,  foretold,  not 
 only  the  place  of  his  birth,  but  his  pre-existence,  and 
 eternal  generation : 
 
 71.*  But  thoUy  Bethlehem  Ephratah,  though  thou  he  little 
 among  the  thousands  of  Judahy  yet  out  of  thee  shall 
 he  come  forth  unto  me^  that  is  to  be  ruler  in  Israeli 
 WHOSE  GOINGS  FORTH  huve  been  from  of  old, 
 FROM  EVERLASTING.  Ch.  5.  2.  This  remark- 
 able passage  was  always  applied  to  Messiah  by 
 the  ancient  Jews,  as  well  as  the  Christian  fa- 
 thers, and  it  contains  a  full  and  satisfactory  proof 
 of  his  pre-existence,  and  a  probable  proof^  at 
 least,  of  his  eternal  existence.  ^ 
 
 *  I  add  too,  that  in  ch.  2.  13,  it  is  probably  Messiah,  who  is 
 called  King  Jehovah. — The  Chaldee  Paraphrase  has  this  text 
 thus  : — "  Whose  name  was  said  from  eternity,  from  the  days  of  the 
 
 *'  age." The   Syriac:'-'*  Whose  going   forth  is  from  the  be- 
 
 **  ginning,  from  the  eternal  days." The   Arabic: — "  Whose 
 
 **  out-goings  in  Israel  are  from  everlasting  days." The  Greek  : 
 
 — "  And  his  goings  forth  from  the  beginning,  from  the  days  of 
 •'  eternity." 
 
 The  Jews  couple  this  phrase,  and  that  in  Ps.  72.  17, — His 
 name  shall  be  continued  as  long  as  the  sun — together,  and  say,  — "  His 
 "  name  was  Son  before  the  sun  was  made  ;"  and  understand  both  of 
 the  Messiah.  See  bishop  Chandler's  Defence  of  Christianity,  p. 
 153,  and  Waterland's  Eight  Sermons,  p.   239,  240. 
 
 Bishop  Newcome  translates  the  phrase  : — ^nd  his  goings  forth  have 
 been  from  of  old,  potn  the  days  of  hidden  ages. 
 
 See  Prideaux's  Connection,  part  2.  b.  8.  p.  582,  and  Lowth 
 upon  the  place. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.    -  121 
 
 SECTION     V. 
 
 Information  concerning  the  MESSIAH,   from  Jeremiah,  Ezekiel,  Daniel, 
 Joel,  Haggdi,  Zechariah  and  Malachi. 
 
 JEREMIAH  began  to  prophesy  630  years  before 
 Christ,  and  continued  in  that  oifice  upwards  of  40 
 years.  The  person  and  character  of  our  Saviour  are 
 the  objects  of  at"  least  tv/o  of  his  predictions.  But  there 
 is  one  place  in  his  book,  by  wliich,  wh^n  compared  with 
 others,  we  may,  indirectly,  be  assured,  that  Messiah 
 should  be  more  than  man.    I  will  quote  it  at  large. 
 
 72.*  'J'hus  saith  the  Lord y    Cursed  he  the  man  that 
 TRUSTETH  IN  MAN,  aud  makctb  flesh  his  arm,  and 
 whose  heart  depart eth  from  the  Lord  -,  for  he  shall 
 he  like  the  heath  in  the  desert,  and  shall  not  see  when 
 good  Cometh;  hut  shall  inhabit  the  parched  places  in 
 the  wilderness,  in  a  salt  land  and  not  inhabited. 
 Blessed  is  the  man  that  trusteth  in  the  Lord,   and 
 whose  hope  the  Lord  is  -,  for  he  shall  he  as  a  tree 
 planted  by  the  waters,   and  that  spreadeth  out  her 
 roots  by  the  river,  and  shall  not  see  when  beat  com- 
 eth,  hut  her  leaf  shall  he  green,  and  shall  not  he  care- 
 ful in  the  year  of  drought,  neither  ihall  cease  from 
 yielding  fruit.    Jeremiah    17.  5 — 9.     The  gene- 
 ral tenor  of  scripture  is,  that  we  should  trust  in 
 Christ.     Here  is  a  curse  denounced  upon  every 
 one  who  trusteth  in  man.     Christ,  therefore, 
 is  more  than  mere  man,  or  the  scripture  issues 
 contradictory  injunctions. 
 The  two    predictions    concerning    the    person  and 
 character   of  our    Saviour,  just   mentioned,   are   very 
 remarkable,  and  of  considerable  importance  in  the  con- 
 troversy on  the  dignity  of  Messiah.     It  will  be  needful 
 to  produce  them  both. 
 
 Q^  73.*  The 
 
tit  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 73.^  The  first  runs  thus  : — Behold,  the  days  rome,  saith 
 the  Lord,  that  I  ivill  raise  unto  David  a  p.ighte- 
 ous  BR  A^^CH J  and  a  KING  shall  reign  and  prosper, 
 and  shall  execute  judgment  and  justice  in  the  earth. 
 In  his  days  Judah  shall  be  saved,  and  Israel   shall 
 dzvell  safely :  and  this  is  his  name  'whereby  he  shall 
 be  called.  The  Lord  our  righteousness.  Ch. 
 23.  5^  6. 
 74'  The  second  thus  :  — ///  those  days,  and  at  that  time, 
 will  I  cause  the  branch  of  righteousness  ta 
 grow  up  unto  David ;  and  he  shall  execute  judg- 
 ?nent  and  righteousness  in  the  land.     In  those  days 
 shall  Judah  be  saved,   and  yerusalem  shall  dwell 
 safely,  and  this  is  the  name  zvherezvith  he  shall  be 
 calledj  The  Lord  our  righteousness.  Ch.  33. 
 16. 
 The  former  of  these  passages  is  decisive  in  favour 
 of  the  divinity  of  our  blessed    Saviour,    if  we  admit 
 of  the  present  translation.     But  then  we  are  told  by  a 
 learned  man,  that  the  vulgar  rendering  is  not  accurate, 
 and  that  it  ought  to  be  translated — This  is  the  name  by 
 which  Jehovah  shall  call  him,  Our  Righteousness.     Now, 
 it  appears  to  me,  that  there  are  some  substantial  reasons 
 for  supposing,  that  our  translation  is  the  only  just  one, 
 and  that  no  other  can  be  supported  without  doing  vio- 
 lence both  to  the  text  and  context.     The  text  is, 
 
 :  i^pi^i  mn^  \^"ip^  'Wi^  '\12'^  n]i 
 Our  Bible-translation  is,  yf;?^ /i?u/j"  ^/^  name  whereby  he 
 shall  be  called,  Tn^  Lord  our  Righteousness. 
 
 Dr.  Blayney  gives  the  above  new  transladon,  and 
 then  he  adds  the  following  note : — ''  I  doubt  not  but 
 *^  some  persons  will  be  offended  with  me  for  depriving 
 '^  them  by  this  translation  of  a  favourite  argument  for 
 *^  proving  the  divinity  of  our  Saviour  from  the  Old 
 *^  Testament.  But  I  cannot  help  it :  I  have  done  ic 
 '^  with  no  ill  design,  but  purely  because  I  think,  and 
 *'  am  morally  sure,  that  the  text,  as  it  stands,  will  not 
 "  properly  admit    of  any    other    construction.     The 
 
 Seventy 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  123 
 
 "  Seventy  have  so  translated  before  rne,  in  an  age 
 "  when  there  could  not  possibly  be  any  bias  of  pre- 
 "  judice  either  for  or  against  the  before  mentioned 
 "  doctrine ;  a  doctrine  which  draws  its  decisive  proof 
 "  from  the  New  Testament  only.  In  the  parallel  passage, 
 **'  Ch.  53.  16,  the  expression  is  a  little  varied,  but  the 
 "  sense  according  to  a  just  and  literal  translation  is  pre- 
 *^  cisely  the  same  : — And  this  is  he  'cishoiu  Jehovah  shall 
 "  cally  Our   rightj-ousness," 
 
 Our  translation  of  this  parallel    text    is   nearly    the 
 same  as  that  of  the  former.     The  original  is — 
 :  "lipTii  mn*'  n^  Nip*'  "t^l's*  n\) 
 
 The  translation  :  This  is  the  navie  zvherezvith  she  shall 
 he  called^  The  Lord  our  Righteousness.  This  is 
 the  parallel  place,  and  might  properly  be  rendered — 
 This  is  the  name  wherewich  he  shall  be  called,  not  she. 
 The  Lord  our   Righteousness. 
 
 It  is  remarkable,  however,  that  the  Septuagint  fli- 
 vours  Dr.  Blayney's  nev/ translation,  and  that  the  origi- 
 nal Hebrew  will  admit  cither  of  the  new  or  old.  This 
 being  the  case,  and  the  Septuagint  favouring  the  new 
 one,  is  a  very  considerable  circumstance  in  its  favour. 
 Their  words  are  : — Kui  thto  ro  c-joij.a  avrn,  0  ■,'.y.Ks7ei  uvto-j 
 Kv(^iog,  luaehy. — Aud  this  is  the  navie  of  hi)ii,  zvhich  the 
 Lord  shall  call  him.  Righteousness. 
 
 But  I  have  an  objection  to  placing  an  implicit  confi- 
 dence in  this  Greek  transladon,  more  especially  on  the 
 Prophets.  For  in  that  famous  passage,  Is.  9.  6.  Unto 
 us  a  child  is  I^a-h,  &c.  some  of  the  copies  of  that  ver- 
 sion miserably  malm  and  curtail  the  text,  while  the 
 original,  and  several  of  tlie  other  translations  preserve  the 
 place  entire.  *   It  appears  to  me,  that  not  being  able  to 
 
 conceive, 
 
 *  "  The  Septuagint  version  of  Isaiah  is  not  so  oIJ  ss  that  of  the 
 Pentateuch  by  a  hundred  years  and  more  ;  having  been  made  in 
 all  probability  after  the  time  of  Antiochus  Epiphanes. — And  it 
 unfortunately  happens,  tliat  Isaiah  has  had  the  hard  fate  to 
 meet  with  a  Translator  very  unworthy  of  him,  there  being  hardly 
 any  book  of  the  Old  Testament  so  ill  rendered  in  that  version  as 
 
124  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 conceive,  how  such  hio-h  tides  should  belong-  to  Mes- 
 siah,  the  translator  of  that  book  has  taken  the  liberty  of 
 abridging,  or  curtailing  them,  and  has  left  only  such  as 
 were  agreeable  to  his  own  ideas  of  Messiah's  character. 
 But  tliis,  the  reader  will  observe,  is  snaking  scripture, 
 and  not  translating  it.  A  translator  has  no  riglit  to 
 deviate  from  the  original,  nor  to  represent  things  other- 
 wise than  as  they  really  are  in  the  copy. 
 
 All  the  other  translations  of  this  passage  are  favoura- 
 ble to  ours. — The  Vulgate  has  it :  And  this  is  the  name 
 which  they  shall  call  him,  The   Lord  our   Just  One, 
 
 The  Syriac  :  And  this  is  his  name  by  which  they  shall 
 call  him.  The  Lord  our  Righteousness. 
 
 The  Arabic :  And  that  is  the  name  by  which  they 
 shall  name  him.,  The  Lord  Righteousness. 
 
 The  Chaldee  Paraphrase  differs  somev/hat  from 
 them  all :  This  is  his  name  by  which  they  shall  call  him. 
 Righteousness  shall  be  to  us  from  before  the  Lord  in  his 
 days. 
 
 From  the  above  considerations  on  the  Septuagirr, 
 and  a  comparison  of  all  these  other  translations  widi  the 
 original  Hebrew  text,  I  conclude  that  our  common  ren- 
 dering is  the  only  true  and  legitimate  one. 
 
 Besides ;  it  is  extremely  probable,  that  the  Jews 
 should  understand  their  ovv^n  phraseology  as  well  or  bet- 
 ter than  we  can  understand  it  for  them  at  this  distance 
 of  time.  And  we  do  not  find  that  they  translated  this 
 phrase,  The  Lord  our  Righteousness,  in  any  other 
 way  than  we  do  3  *  onlv  they  explained  it  away,  as  they 
 do  all  the  other  scriptures  which  affect  their  views  of  the 
 Messiah.  Nay,  they  are  so  far  from  varying  from  t  ur 
 vulgar  translation  of  the  passage  in  question,  that  they 
 expressly  say  the, name  of  the  Messiah  was  to  be  Jeho- 
 vah 
 
 <'  this  of  Isaiah.     Add  to  this,  that  the  version  of  Isaiah,  as  wclJ  as 
 •'  other  parts  of  the  Greek  version,  is  come  down  to  us  in  a  bad  con- 
 **  dition,  incorrect,  and  with  frequent  omissions  and  interpolaticns." 
 Bishop  Lowth's  Prelim  :  Disstrt.  to  Isaiah  p,  fc6i 
 '■^  See  Allix's  Judgment,  p.  408. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  125 
 
 VAH  OUR  Righteousness.  '  This  is  so  clear  and  sa- 
 tisfactory, that  even  Socinus  himself  could  not  deny  the 
 propriety  of  the  translation,  though,  like  the  Jews,  he 
 evaded  the  force  of  it,  though  in  a  different  way. 
 
 Our  translation  is,  moreover,  greatly  strengthened  by 
 having  recourse  to  the  context,  which  appears  to  me 
 higiily  to  favour  our  vulgar  rendering.  For  it  is  the 
 Lord  Almighty,  the  Fatiier  of  our  Lord,  who  is  speak- 
 ing, and  speaking  only  of  the  righteous  Branch,  de- 
 scribing him,  and  telling  how  he  shall  be  called.  Be- 
 hold, the  days  come,  SAITH  THE  LORD,  thai  I  will 
 raise  unto  David  ^z  righteous  branch,  and ^  k i n c  shall 
 reign  and  prosper,  and  shall  execute  judgment  and  justice  in 
 the  earth.  In  his  days  Judah  shall  be  saved,  and  Israel 
 shall  dwell  safely  :  and  this  is  his  Jiame  whereby  HE  shall 
 be  called.  The  Lord  our  Righteousness.  It  is  the 
 Lord  himself  who  speaks,  and  not  the  Prophet,  and 
 tells  us  what  the  name  of  this  king  should  be  whom  he 
 was  about  to  raise   up  for  the  salvation  of  his  people. 
 
 His 
 
 '  Let  the  Reader  by  all  means  consult  the  excellent  Bishop  Pearson 
 on  the  Creed,  p.  148,  149,  where  this  is  proved  with  great  ability. 
 He  says  the  Jews  constantly  attribute  the  name  Jeho-vah  to  the 
 Messiah  from  this  one  particular  text  :  as  in  the  Sepher  Ikkarim, 
 1.  2.  c.  8.  i2pTi  ^^  rVt'r:i'n  UV  nn^n  Mlp**"!,  The  Scripture 
 calleth  the  name  of  the  Messias,  Jehovah  our  Righteousness.  And 
 in  Midrasch  Tillim  on  Ps.  21. 
 
 r\^r\^  iMnp-*  -^^i<  )dv:  np  i^riD  n^-jcn  ibom  m2v  nn"^ 
 
 God  calleth  the  Messiah  by  his  own  name,  and  his  name  is  Jehovah  ; 
 as  it  is  said,  Ex.  15.  3.  T/je  Lor^ is  a  man  o/ivar,  yc/jovat?  is  /jis 
 name.  And  it  is  written  of  the  Messiah,  Jer.  23.  6,  Jnd  this  is 
 the  name  'which  they  shall  call  him,  Jeko'vah  our  righteousness.  Thus 
 Echa  Rabati,  Lam.  i.  6.  "I^pl^i  r-\'\7}''  IKip^  -|£72s4  IQC^  r\\\  yCf 
 inw  n'\r\\  ?<ax  bh^  n^t:;^  bZ'  ice;  no— what  is  the  name 
 of  the  Messias  ?  R.  Abba  said,  Jehovah  is  his  name  ;  as  it  is  said, 
 Jer.  23.  6.  uind  this  is  the  na?ne  nuhich  they  shall  call  him,  ]z\io- 
 VAH  OUR  RIGHTEOUSNESS.  The  samc  hc  reports  of  Rabbi  Levi. 
 — See  the  whole  note  for  a  defence  of  this  interpretation  against  the 
 Socinians, 
 
J  26  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 His  name  should  be,  and   his  nature  should  correspond 
 with  his  name,  Jehovah  our  Righteousness. 
 
 It  ought  not  to  be  forgotten  too,  that  this  view  of  the 
 passage  is  more  agreeable  to  all  the  parallel  scriptures. 
 Surely  shall  one  say,  //z  Jehovah  have  I  righteous- 
 ness AND  strength  :  even  to  him  shall  men  come :  and 
 all  that  are  incensed  against  him  shall  be  ashamed.  In 
 Jehovah  shall  all  the  seed  of  Israel  be  justified,  and 
 shall  glory.  *  Are  these  words  applicable  to  any  other 
 but  Jesus  Christ?  If  not,  then  Jesus  Christ  is  the 
 Jehovah  in  whom  we  have  righteousness  and 
 strength.  He  is  the  end  of  the  lazvfor  righteoxjs- 
 N£ss  to  every  one  that  believe  thy  '  — being  made  of  God  unto 
 uszvisdom,  righteousness,  sanctificntion,  and  redemption: 
 ihat  according  as  it  is  ivritten,  FIe  thai  glorieth  let 
 him  glory  /;/  the  Lord.*    Compare  2  Cor.  5.  21. 
 
 From  all  these  considerations  I  conclude,  that  our 
 vulgar  translation  of  this  text  is  the  only,  just  one,  and 
 tliat  it  contains  an  unanswerable  argument  for  the  divi- 
 nity of  our  blessed  Saviour,  at  least  so  far  as  the  appli- 
 cation of  the  term  Jehovah  is  a  proof  of  that  divinity. 
 The  candid  reader  will  weigh  the  reasons  here  pro- 
 duced, and  judge  according  to  evidence. ' 
 
 Kzekiel 
 
 ♦Is.  45.  2^,  25. — 5  ]^om.  10.  4. 
 *  I   Cor.   I.  30,  31. 
 
 '  Consult   the  Appendix  to  Dr.   Eveleigh's   two  Sermons    on  the 
 
 Trinity. "  Jer.   23.   5.  6.  relates  to  tiie  Messias  in  the  judgment 
 
 "  of  all  the  ancient  Jews.  Our  Socinians  will  not  allow  this;  but 
 *'  rather  than  own  that  the  Messias  is  named  God,  they  refer  the 
 ♦'  title  of,  The  Lord  our  Ri  g  hteousn  ess,  to  the  people  there 
 "  spoken  of." 
 
 Allix's  Judg.  p.  418. 
 
 Consult  Lowth's  Commentary  on  the  place,  whera  he  says, 
 *•  Messiah  shall  be  what  his  name  imports.  Pie  shall  be  Jehovah, 
 "  or  the  true  God,  and  our  rigl^teousness,  or  the  mta.\is  oi  o\xr  ]\is- 
 '*  tification. — The  title  of  Jehovah  is  elsewhere  given  to  the 
 "  Messiah  by  the  Prophets  :  iJee  Is.  40.  10;  48.  17;  Hos.  i.  7. 
 •*  Zech.  2.  10,  II  ;  Mai,  3.  1."  Consult  for  the  Jewish  applica- 
 tion of  Jehovah  our  righteousness  to  Messiah,  Martini  Pugio 
 i'iJei,  p.  517;  and  Jamieson's  Vindication,    vol.    i.   p.    81,  82. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  127 
 
 Ezeklel  prophesied  in  Babylon  while  Jeremiah  did  the 
 same  in  Judea.  He  lias  spoken  sparingly  of  the  person 
 of  Jesus,  but  yet  he  is  not  altogether  silent  concerning 
 him. 
 
 75.  I  zvill  set  up  one  Shepherd  over  my  Jiockj  and  he  shall 
 feed  them,    even  my  servant   David:  he  shall  feed 
 them,  and  he  shall  be  their  Shepherd,     And  I  the 
 Lord  will  be  their  God,  and  my  servant  David  a 
 Prince  amon^  them :    I  the   Lord  have  spoken  it. 
 And — I  will  raise  up  for  them  a  Plant  of  Renown.  ^ 
 Contemporary  with  Jeremiah  and  Ezekiel  was  the 
 prophet  Daniel.     He  seems  to  have  been  favoured  with 
 as  large  a   share  of  the  Spirit  of  inspiration   as  almost 
 any  that  went  before,   or  that  came  after,  till  John  the 
 Baptist  arose.    Indeed  his  predictions  are  so  particular 
 and  distinct,   that  some  have  contended  they  were  writ- 
 ten since  the  events  took  place. 
 
 •76.  His  account  of  the  stone  cut  out  of  a  mountahi  zviih- 
 o'.it  hands  seems  to  imply  something  supernatural, 
 either  in  the  person  of  our  Saviour,  or  in  the  mode 
 of  his  advancement  to  universal  empire.  ' 
 77.*  I  sazv  in  the  Jiight  visions ,  and,  behold,  one  like  the 
 SoM  OF  MAN  came  ivith  the  clouds  of  heaven,  and 
 came  to  the  ANCIENT  OF  DAYS  and  they 
 brought  him  near  before  him.  And  there  vi'as  given 
 him    dominiouy  and  glory,  and  a  kingdom,    tha'j- 
 
 ALL  PEOPLE,  NATIONS,   AND  LANGUAGES  SHOULD 
 
 SERVE  him:  his  dominion  is  an  everlasting  domi-^ 
 nion,  which  shall  not  pass  azViiy,  and  his  kingdom, 
 that  which  shall  not  be  destroyed.  Ch.  7.  13,  14. 
 This  is  a  prediction  of  Messiah's  kingdom,  and 
 that    all   people,   nations,    and  languages   should 
 
 serve 
 
 *  Ez.  34.  23,  24,  29.  Wc  have  the  same  ideas  in  the  thirty 
 seventh  chapter,  where  Messiah  is  called  the  Shepberdy  the  Prince, 
 and  the  King  oF  his  people,  together  with  God's  Servan:  David. 
 See  Lowth's  Commentary  on  Ez.  57.  22. 
 
 5>  Dan.  2.  34,  35,  44,  45.  Sec  Bishop  ChandL'r's  Defence  ci" 
 Christianity,  p.   \zz. 
 
128  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 serve  him.  Does  not  this  imply  religious  hom- 
 age ?  And  is  this  homage  consistent  with  the  cha- 
 racter of  simple  humanity  ?  Consult  Lowth's 
 Commentary  on  this  remarkable  passage. 
 
 78.  O  Lord  our  God,  hear  the  prayer  of  thy  servant,  and 
 
 his  supplications,  and  cause  thy  face  to  shine  upon 
 thy  sanctuary  that  is  desolate,   for   the   Lord's 
 SAKE.    Ch.  9.   17.  For  the  sake  of  the  Messiah 
 hear  the  prayer  of  thy  servant.     The   Socinians 
 will  say,  this  is  an  idiom  of  the  Hebrew  language. 
 It  may  be  so:  but  when  the  general  sense  of  the 
 holy  scriptures  is  considered,  I  think  it  will  bear 
 the  sense  here  put  upon  it.     It  is  not  of  any  great 
 consequence,  however,   in  what  manner  it  is  un- 
 derstood. See  Lowth's  Commentary  on  the  place, 
 where  he   understands    it  in    the   same   manner. 
 "  For  the  sake   of  the  Messiah,  known  by  the 
 "  title  of  the  Lord  among  the  Jews;  see   Ps. 
 "  no.   I.  and  called  Messiah  the  Prince,  verse 
 **  25th.  of  this  chapter." 
 The  information  which  the  archangel  Gabriel  gave  to 
 Daniel,   more   especially  with  respect  to  the  atonement 
 Messiah  should  make  for  sin,  seems  strongly  to  imply, 
 that   he   should   be   more  than  man :    for  no  mere  man 
 could  make  atonement  for  the  sins  of  man.     The  So- 
 cinians are  so  sensible  of  this,  that  they  universally  re- 
 ject, not  only  the  divinity,   but  also  the  atonement  for 
 sin,  v.'hich  he  made  by  the  shedding  of  his  blood.    Let 
 the  reader  peruse  the  passage,  however,   and  judge  for 
 himself  whether  it  doth  not   contain  the  doctrine   of 
 atonement. 
 
 79.  "  Seventy  precise  weeks  are  upon  thy  people,  and 
 
 "  upon  thy  holy  city,  to  restrain   the  apostacy, 
 
 "  and  to  put  an  end  to  sins,   and  to  expiate  ini- 
 
 "  quity,  and  to  bring  in  the  righteousness  of  ages, 
 
 "  and  to  seal  the  vision  even  of  the  prophet,  and 
 
 "  to  anoint  the  holy  of  holies.    Yet  know  and 
 
 "  understand,  from  the  going  forth  of  an  edict 
 
 «  to 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  129 
 
 *'  to  rebuild  Jerusalem  until  Messiah  the  prince, 
 "  shall  be  seven  weeks,  and  threescore  and  two 
 "  weeks  ;  it  shall  be  rebuilt,  the  streets  and  their 
 "  v/alls,  in  the  narrow  limit  of  the  times :  then 
 "  after  the  threescore  and  two  weeks  shall  Mes- 
 "  siah  be  Cut  off;  and  thouo;h  none  shall  be  for 
 "  him,  the  people  of  the  Prince  that  cometh 
 ^'  shall  destroy  the  city  and  the  sanctuary;  so 
 "  that  they  shall  cut  down  as  with  an  inundation, 
 "  and  even  to  the  end  of  a  decisive  war  shall  be 
 <^  desolations.  Yet  one  week  shall  make  a  firm 
 "  covenant  with  many,  and  the  midst  of  the 
 "  week  shall  cause  the  sacrifice  and  the  meat-of- 
 ^^  fering  to  cease;  and  when  upon  the  border 
 "  shall  be  the  abomination  of  desolation,  that 
 "  which  is  decided,  until  the  full  accomplishment, 
 *'  shall  be  poured  upon  the  desolate.  * 
 About  550  years  before  the  Son  of  God  was  born, 
 
 lived  the  prophet  Haggai,   who  clearly  predicted   the 
 
 Saviour's  advent. 
 
 80.  Thus  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts,  2>/  once,  it  is  a  little 
 while.,  and  I  will  shake  the  heavens,  and  the  earth, 
 and  the  sea,  and  the  dry  land;  and  I  zvill  shake  all 
 nationsy  and  the  Desire  0/ ail  nations  shall  come  : 
 and  I  will  fill  this  house  with  glory,  saith  the  Lord 
 of  hosts.  The  silver  is  ?nine,  and  the  gold  is  mine, 
 saith  the  Lord  of  hosts.  The  glory  of  this  latter 
 house  shall  be  greater  than  of  the  former.,  saith  the 
 Lord  of  hosts  :  and  in  this  place  will  I  give  peace, 
 saith  the  Lord  of  hosts.  * 
 Zechariah  was  contemporary  with  Haggai,  and  he 
 
 describes  the  person  of  our  Saviour  under  more  figures 
 
 tlian  one.  ^ 
 
 R  82.*  Sing, 
 
 *  Dan.  9.  24 — 27.  This  is  Wintle's  new  translation,  which  may 
 be  compared  with  the  common  one.  It  is  not  easy  to  render  the 
 passage  in  intelligible  English.  See  Lowth's  Com.  for  a  good 
 explanation  of  this  ditiicult  passage. 
 
 *  Hag.  2.  6—9.  See  Allix's  Judg.  p.  358. 
 
I30  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 8i.*  Singy  and  rejoice ^  O  daughter  of  S ion:  for  loy  I 
 comey  and  I  "will  dwell  in  the  midst  of  thce^  sailh 
 the  Lord.  And  many  nations  shall  be  joined  to 
 the  Lord  in  that  dayy  and  shall  be  my  people:  and 
 I  vjill  dzvell  in  the  midst  of  thee^  and  thou  shalt 
 knozv  that  the  Lord  of  hosts  hath  sent  me  unto 
 thee. '  Jehovah  speaks  and  declares  that  the 
 Lord  of  hosts  had  sent  him.  These  can  be  no 
 other  than  the  Father  and  the  Son. 
 
 82.  Thus  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts — Behold^  I  will  bring 
 
 forth   MY   SERVANT,  THE  BrANCH.    Ch.    3.    7,    8. 
 
 Here  the  Lord  speaks,  and  declares  that  he  will 
 bring  forth  his  Servant,  the  Messiah,  whom  he 
 calls  the  Branch -y  which  is  sometimes  translated 
 the  Easty  and  in  St.  Luke  the  Day-Spring. 
 
 83.  Thus  speaketh  the  Lord  of  hosts,  saying.  Behold 
 
 the  MAN  whose  name  is  the  Branch,  and  he  shall 
 grow  up  out  of  his  place,  and  he  shall  build  the  tem- 
 ple of  the  Lordy  and  he  shall  bear  the  gloryy  and 
 shall  sit  and  rule  upon  his  throne,  and  he  shall 
 he  a  PRIEST  upon  his  throne,  and  the  counsel  of 
 p)eace  shall  be  between  them  both.*  Messiah  was 
 to  be  both  a  King  and  a  Priesty  and  the  counsel 
 of  peace  was  to  be  between  the  Father  and  his  Son, 
 the  Messiah. 
 
 84.  Rejoice  greatly,  O  daughter  of  Zion ;  shout y  O  daugh- 
 
 ter of  Jerusalem :  behold y  thy  King  cometh  unto 
 thee  :  he  is  justy  and  having  salvationy  lowly y  and 
 riding  upon  an  ass,  and  upon  a  colt,  the  foal  of  an 
 ass.  Ch.  9.  9.  Messiah  is  often  spoken  of  in  scrip- 
 ture as  the  King  of  Israel;  see  Ps.  i.  7;  Jer. 
 23.  5;  ibid.  30.  9;  Hosea  3.  5;  John  i.  49; 
 
 and 
 
 3  Zech.  2.  10,  II.  This  was  always  referred  to  Messiah  by  the 
 ancient  Jews.  See  Allix's  Judgment,  p.  37,  and  Pearson  on  the 
 Creed,  Art.  2.  p.   149. 
 
 ♦  Zee.  6.  12,  13.  Both  Philo  and  Jonathan  refer  this  passage  to 
 the  Messias.  See  Allix's  Judg.  p.  408,  and  Fleming's  Christo- 
 logy,  vol.  I.  p.  249. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  131 
 
 and  compare  Mark  11.   10  j  and  Luke  19.  38. 
 
 85.  I  ivill  strengthen  them  in  the  Y^OKXi^  and  they  shall 
 walk  up  and  down  in  Yi.1%  name^  saith  the  Lord. 
 Ch.  I.  12.  Is  this  an  idiom  of  the  Hebrew  lan- 
 guage, or  is  it  expressive  of  two  Jehovahs^  the 
 Father  and  the  Son  ? 
 
 86.*  And  I  said  unto  them^  If  ye  think  good.t  give  me  7ny 
 price  ;  and  if  not  if  or  bear  ;  so  they  weighed  for  my 
 price  thirty  pieces  of  silver.  And  the  Lord  said 
 unto  ME,  Cast  it  unto  the  potter  ^  a  goodly  price 
 that  I  was  prized  at  of  them  !  And  I  took  the 
 thirty  pieces  of  silver^  and  cast  them  to  the  potter  in 
 the  house  of  the  Lord.  Ch.  11.  12,  13.  Mes- 
 siah is  here  again  evidently  distinguished  by  the 
 mm^  Jehovah.  Compare  Mat.  27.  9,   10. 
 
 S7.  I  will  pour  upon  the  house  of  David,  and  upon  the  in- 
 habitants of  Jerusaleniy  the  Spirit  of  grace  and  of 
 supplications,  and  they  shall  look  upon  me  whom 
 they  have  pierced,  and  they  shall  mourn  for  him, 
 as  one  mournethfor  his  only  son,  and  shall  be  in 
 bitterness  for  him,  as  one  that  is  in  bitterness  for 
 his  first-born.  Ch.  12.  10.  It  is  the  Lord  that 
 speaks  in  this  passage,  and  declares  himself  to  be 
 the  person  whom  the  Jews  should  pierce.  Com- 
 pare John  19.  37.-  See  Lowth's  Commentary  on 
 the  place,  who  applies  it  in  this  manner,  and  refers 
 toGrotiiis,  Pearson,  and  Chandler,  as  of  the  same 
 opinion. 
 
 88.*  Awake,  O  szvord,  against  my  Shepherd,  and 
 against  the  man  that  is  my  fellow,  saith  the  Lord 
 OF  HOSTS;  smite  the  shepherd,  and  the  sheep  shall 
 he  scattered,  *    Ch.   13.  7. 
 
 R  2  90.*  And 
 
 5  This  expression — The  man  that  is  my  fellow — is  well  explain- 
 ed by  that  of  St.  Paul,  Phil.  2.  6,  where  the  Apostle  szys—^ha 
 being  m  the  form  of  God,  ttiought  it  not  robbery  to  bs  e  qjj  a  l  with 
 God.  The  original  word  is  "'Jn^Dj;  contribu!is,  vel  coequalis— 
 my  felloe,  or  my  equal.  The  expression  occurs  no  where,  but  in 
 tlus  verse,  and  in  the  book  of  Lgviucus.    In  one  t?xt  ii  is  explained 
 
132  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 89.*  And  //^(?  Lord  MY  God  "  shall  come,  and  all  the 
 saints  ivith  thee.  Zech.  14.  5.  or  with  him. 
 This  is  explained  by  a  multitude  of  passages  in  the 
 New  Testament,  where  Christ  is  represented  as 
 coming  to  judge  the  world,  attended  with  his 
 mighty  angels.  Christ  therefore  is  the  person 
 who  is  here  denominated.  The  Lord  my  God, 
 Compare  Matt.  16.  27525.  31;  and  Mark  8. 
 38.  See  Lowth  on  the  place. 
 Malachi  was  the  last  of  the  Prophets.    He  lived  near 
 
 400   years   before    Christ.     One  of  his  predictions  of 
 
 Messiah  is  very  remarkable. 
 
 5c.*  Behold,  I  11- ill  send  my  Messenger-,  and  he  shall 
 prepare  the  in-ay  h fore  me;  and  the  Lord  whom 
 ye  seek  shall  suddenly  corne  to  his  temple,  even  the 
 Messenger  of  the  covenant,  whom  ye  delight  in  ; 
 behold y  he  shall  come^^  saith  ihe  Lord  o/"  hosts. 
 Ch.  3.  I.' 
 
 9 1 .  Unto  you  thai  fear  my  name  shall  the  Sun  o/'righte- 
 ousNESS  arise  with  healing  in  his  wings.  *  Our 
 Saviour  announces  himself  as  the  Light  of  the 
 world,  John  9.  5,  agreeable  to  this  prophetic 
 character. 
 
 by  brother,  or  partaker  of  the  same  nature.  In  the  other  place,  I 
 believe,  it  will  be  found  to  signify,  net  barely  a  neighbour,  but  an 
 equal;  one  who  stands  upon  the  same  level,  with  regard  to  the 
 claims  of  equity,  and  the  common  rights  of  life. — In  either  sense 
 it  militates  strongly  for  the  divinity  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  See 
 Hervey's  Theron  and  Aspasio,  let.  8. 
 
 "  The  original  Hebrew  word,"  says  Dr.  Eveleigh,  "  will  justify 
 "  any  inference  concerning  the  equality  of  the  persons  compared, 
 '*  which  may  be  drawn  from  the  word  Fellonu  iu  our  translation. — 
 "  The  expresMon  means  the  same  as  Zech.  2.  S — 11,  where  the 
 •'  Father  and  the  So!i  arc  equally  stiied  Lord  of  Hosts." 
 
 '  Mr.  Whitalcer  in  his  Origin  of  Arianisra,  p.  zi8,  considers 
 Messiah  as  the  speaker  in  this  passage.  If  the  conjecture  is  just, 
 Messiah  is  the  Lord  of  hosts. 
 
 ^  Mai.  4.  2.  This  was  applied  to  Messiah  by  the  ancient  Jewj, 
 See  AHix's  Judgment,  p.  44. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  133 
 
 SECTION    VI. 
 
 Observations  on    the    name    JEHOVAH,   and  the  invisih'diiy    of    the 
 DIVINE  BEING. 
 
 .(-►»®®|<^^^^^>-l^i©»««: 
 
 THESE  are  some  of  the  most  clear  and  striking 
 prophecies,  contained  in  the  Old  Testament,  con- 
 cerning the  person  of  our  blessed  Saviour.  There  arc 
 many  others,  dispersed  up  and  down  that  wonderful 
 volume,  ■  which  indicate  various  other  circumstances 
 concerning  both  his  person,  offices,  and  kingdom,  that 
 are  not  necessary  to  be  produced  in  the  present  inquiry.* 
 It  will,  however,  throw  considerable  light  upon  the 
 subject,  if  v/e  attend  to  the  most  remarkable  supernal 
 
 tural 
 
 9  An  epitome  of  these  prophecies  I  will  insert  into  this  note  : — 
 1.  The  time  of  our  Sai'iour's  coming  was  predicted.  Gen.  49  10. 
 —  Dan.    9.  24. — and  Hag.  2.   3 — 9. — 2.  The  place  of  his  birth, 
 
 Mic.  5.  2, — Mat.  2    8. 3.  That  he  should  spring  from  David, 
 
 Is.  9.  6,  7. — Luke   I.  26,  27,  32. 4.  That  he  should  be  born 
 
 of  a  virgin.  Gen.  3.    15.— Is.  7.   14. —  Luke  i.  27,  35. — 5.  That 
 he  should  have  a  forerunner,  Is,  40.   3. — Mai.   3.    1. — Luke  3.  4. 
 
 — Mat.  3.   I. 6,  That  he  should   work   miracles.  Is.  35.  4,  5. 
 
 — Mat.   II.  5. 7.  That  he  should  come  with   great  meekness. 
 
 Is.  42.   1,  2,  3. — Mat.   12.   17 — 21. 8.  That  he   should  enter 
 
 Jerusalem   on   an  ass,    Zee.    9.  9. — Mat.  21.  4. 9.  That   he 
 
 should  be  betrayed  by  one  of  his  own  disciples,  Ps.  41.  9. — Mat. 
 
 26    47. 10.  That  he  should  be  sold  for  thirty  pieces  of  silver. 
 
 Zee.    II.   12. — Mat.   26.    15. II.  His   sufferings  are   described 
 
 like  an  history.  Is.  53. — Mat.  26  and  27.- 12.  His  burial   was 
 
 predicted,    Ps.    88.    4,    5,    6. — Is.  53.  9 — Mat.  27.  60. 13. 
 
 That  he  should  rise  again,  Ps.   16.  9. — Mat.  28.  6. 14.  That 
 
 his  resurrection  should  be  on  the  third  day,  Hos.  6.  2. —  Mat.  27. 
 
 63;  and  28.  6. 15.  That  he  should  establish  a  new  law,  Jer.  3i« 
 
 31. — Heb.  8.  8. 16.  The  he  should  abolish   the  old   sacrifices 
 
 and  be  the  author  of  a   new   sacrifice,  Mai.   i.   10,   il. — Luke  2Z. 
 
 \g. — Heb.   13.   10. 17.  That  the  Jews   should   be  cast  off.  Is. 
 
 50.   I,  2. — Acts  13.  46;  and  28.  25— zi?. 18.  That  the  Gen- 
 tiles  should  become  the  people  of  God,  Ps.  2.  8. — Hos.   i.  9. — 
 
 Rom.    10.   18. — Ibid.  9.  26. 19.  That  he  should  come  with  all 
 
 his  saints,  Zcch.   14.  5. — 2  Thess.   i.  7,  S. 20.  That  he  shall 
 
 yeign  forever,  Dan.  7.  13,  14.— Luks  i.  ^i. 
 
134  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 ///ra/ appearances,  recorded  in  the  writings  of  Moses, 
 and  the  Prophets  i  for,  they  seem  to  me,  to  convey 
 very  strong  evidence,  not  only  for  our  Lord's  pre-ex- 
 istence,  but  also  for  his  supereminent  dignity  and  glory. 
 Some  of  these  we  will  now  therefore  attend  to.  But, 
 in  order  to  do  this  with  greater  effect,  it  will  be  proper 
 to  make  these  two  observations  :  first,  that  the  name 
 Jehovah  is  never  applied  to  any  merely  created  being: 
 and,  secondly,  that  no  man  hath  seen  God,  the  Father,  at 
 any  time.  These  tv/o  assertions  are  both  founded  upon 
 the  plainest  declarations  of  holy  writ. 
 
 I.  Thus,  with  respect  to  the  former  it  is  said,  I  AM 
 THAT  I  AM.  '^ihus  shall  thou  say  unto  the  children 
 of  Israel.^  I  AM  hath  sent  me  unto  you.   Ex.  3.   14. 
 
 1.  God  commanded  Moses  to  say  unco  the  children 
 of  Israel,  Jehovah^  the  God  of  your  fathers  y  &c.  hath  sent 
 me  unto  you  :  this  is  my  name  forever ^  and  this  is  my  me- 
 morial unto  all  generations.  Ex.  3.  15.  That  this  last 
 clause  relates  to  the  name  Jehovah,  and  not  to  his 
 merely  being  the  God  of  Abraham,  &c.  appears  by 
 comparing  it  with  the  former  verse,  and  also  with  Ro- 
 sea 12.  5.  Jehovah, /i?<?  Go^  of  hostSj  Jehovah  is  his 
 memorial. 
 
 3.  Abraham  called  on  the  name  <?/"  Jehovah,  the  ever- 
 lasting God.  Gen.  21.  23-  Hence  it  should  seem,  Jeho- 
 vah, and  EVERLASTING  GoD,  are  synonymous  and 
 convertible  terms. 
 
 4.  T'hcu  hast  avouched  Jehovah  this  day  to  he  thy 
 God — and  Jehovah  hath  avouched  thee  this  day  to  be 
 his  peculiar  people.  Deut.   26.  17,  18. 
 
 5.  That  thou  may  est  fear  this  glorious  and  fearful  name, 
 Jehovah  thy  God.  Deut.  28.  58. 
 
 6.  Jehovah  is  thy  name  forever '.  Jehovah  is  thy 
 memorial  from  generation  to  generation.  Ps.    135.   13. 
 
 7.  Jehovah  is  the  true  Gcd,  he  is  the  living  Gody  and 
 an  everlasting^  King.  Jer.   10.   10. 
 
 8.  /tfz«  Jehovah,  that  is  my  name^  and  my  glory  will 
 I  not  give  to  another.  Is,  42.  8, 
 
 9.  I  am 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  135 
 
 9.  I  am  Jehovah,  and  there  is  none  elsey  there  is  no 
 God  besides  me.  Is.  45.  5. 
 
 10.  T'hoUy  whose  name  alone  is  Jehovah,  aj't  the 
 ■most  hi'^h  over  all  the  earth.  Ps.   83.   18. 
 
 1 1.  Jehovah  is  a  man  of  war  :  Jehovah  is  his  name. 
 Ex.   15.  3. 
 
 Besides  these  passages,  where  the  name  of  Jehovah 
 is  appropriated  to  the  Divine  Being,  there  are  many 
 others,  where  the  same  term  is  used  to  assert  his  su- 
 preme power  and  authority,  glorying  and  triumphing 
 in  it  as  his  distinguishing  character.  The  folio v/ing  may 
 be  suScient : — 
 
 1.  If  even  I  dm  Jehovah  J  and  besides  me  there  is  no 
 Saviour.  Is.  43.   1 1. 
 
 2.  I  form  the  lights  and  create  darbies  Sy  I  make  peace 
 and  create  evil :  I  Jehovah  do  ail  these  things.  Is.  45.  7. 
 
 3.  IVho  hath  declared  this  from  ancient  time  ^  Have  not  I 
 Jehovah  ?  and  there  is  no  God  else  besides  me.  Is  45.   21. 
 
 4.  Beholdy  I  am  JehovapI,  the  God  of  all  flesh :  Is  there 
 any  thing  too  hard  for  me?  Jer.  23-  27- 
 
 5.  I  am  Jehovah  ;  I  change  not.    Mai.  3.6. 
 
 6.  All  the  gods  of  the  nations  are  idols  :  but  Jehovah 
 made  the  heavens.  Ps.  96.  5. 
 
 ■7.  Against  all  the  gods  of  Egypt  1  will  execute  judg- 
 went:  I  am  Jehovah.  Ex.   12.   12. 
 
 From  these  several  texts  of  holy  writ,  it  is  evi- 
 dent, that  the  name  Jehovah  is  peculiar  to  the  Supreme 
 Being.  It  is  equally  evident,  from  various  other  pas- 
 sages, that  it  is  frequently  applied  to  Messiah.  Messiah 
 therefore  is  possessed  of  real  and  proper  divinity. 
 
 The  latter  observation  I  proposed  to  make,  was,  that 
 no  man  hath  seen  God,  the  Father,  at  any  time.  The 
 scripture  is  as  positive  upon  this  as  the  former.  Thus 
 St.  John : — 
 
 1.  No  man  hath  seen  God  at  any  time j  the  only  begot- 
 ten Son,  zvho  is  in  the  bosom  of  the  Father ,  he  hath  dcclar-^ 
 ed  him.  John  i.   18. 
 
 2.  Again,   our  Saviour  himself; — Not  that  any  man 
 
 hath 
 
13^  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 hath  seen  the  Father,  save  he  who  is  of  God,  he  hath 
 seen  the  Father.  John  6.  46. 
 
 3.  St.  Paul  calls  the  Father,  The  King  eternal,  immor- 
 tal, INVISIBLE.   I  Tim.   I.   17. 
 
 4.  And  again,  speaking  of  the  same  blessed  Being, 
 he  says,  IVho  only  hath  immortality,  dwelling  in  the  light 
 which  no  man  can  approach  unto,  whom  no  man  hath 
 SEEN,  or  CAN  SEE.   I  Tim.  6.  16. 
 
 5.  Again: — The  invisible  God.  Col.    i.   15. 
 
 6.  And,  lastly  : — Him  who  is  invisible.  Heb.  1 1.  27. 
 From  these  six  declarations,  I  deduce  an  argument, 
 
 thac  Christ  is  more  than  man.  For  if  no  mere  man  hath 
 ever  seen  the  Father,  or  can  sf^e  him^  and  if  Jesus  Christ 
 hath  seen  that  glorious  Being,  which  he  declares  he  has  -, 
 then  it  will  follow,  that  Jesus  Christ  is  more  than  mere 
 man. 
 
 In  conformity  with  these  two  observations,  it  was  the 
 general  opinion  of  the  Ancients,  both  Jews  *  and  Chris- 
 tians, that  all  the  appearances  of  God  under  the  Old 
 Testament  dispensation,  and  even  from  the  beginning  of 
 the  world,  were  made  by  the  Loi^os,  the  eternal  Son  of 
 the  eternal  Father  j  nay,  that  the  world  itself  was  cre- 
 ated by  this  august  Person.  A  few  of  these  manifesta- 
 tions of  the  Son  of  God  to  the  world  we  will  therefore 
 proceed  to  particularize. 
 
 *  "  R.  Menachem — and  his  authors  teach  constantly,  that  it  was 
 *'  the  Shekinah  (the  Logos)  which  appeared  to  Adam  after  his  sin, 
 "  and  made  him  some  clothes,  fol.  59.  col.  4.  That  it  appeared 
 *'  to  Abraham,  fol.  35.  col.  2.  That  it  appeared  to  Jacob  at 
 *'  night,  fol.  3.').  col.  2.  And  to  the  same  upon  the  ladder,  fol. 
 •"  41  and  42.  That  it  appeared  to  Moses,  Exod.  3.  fol.  55.  col. 
 "  2.  And  to  the  people  upon  mount  Sina,  fol.  56.  col.  2.  That 
 *•  it  spake  to  Moses,  and  gave  the  Law  to  the  people,  fol.  57.  col. 
 
 ♦'  2  and   3.  fol.  58.  col.    i.  and  fol.  84.  col.    i  and  2, They 
 
 *'  say,  that  the  Shekinah  alone  was  intrusted  with  the  care  and  con- 
 **  duct  of  Israel,  fol.  28.  col.  3.  and  fol.   153.  col.  2. 
 
 AUix's  Judgment,  p.   165,   166. 
 
 **  The  Jews  in  the  ages  next  to  the  Paraphrases  assert,  that  God 
 "  descended  nine  times,  and  that  the  tenth  time  he  shall  descend  in 
 "  the  age  to  come,  that  is,  in  the  time  of  the  Messias.  The  first 
 *'  time  was  in  the  garden  of  Eden.  The  second  at  the  confusion  of 
 **  tongues.    The  third  at  the  destruction  of  Sodom.    The  fourth 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  137 
 
 SECTION    VII. 
 
 Opinions  of  both  Ancients  and  Moderns,  on  the  DIVINE  APPEAR- 
 ANCES, under  the  Old  Testament  dispensition. 
 
 92.  TTTHEN  the  Almighty  came  forth  to  create 
 y  Y  the  world  at  the  beginning  of  time,  it  was 
 nor  in  ins  own  proper  person,  but  in  the  person  of  his 
 Son,  the  eternal  Locos,  as  his  vicegerent.  *  That  it 
 was  the  Locos  who  created  the  world,  seems  to 
 have  been  the  prevaihng  opinion  of  ail  the  Ancients. 
 The  Heathen  philosophers,  Tertiillian  tells  us,  some- 
 tiaii-3  spake  of  a  person  under  that  appellation  as  the 
 Maker  of  the  universe.  Zeno,  Heraclitiis,  and  Ame- 
 lias, in  particular,  were  of  that  opinion.  ^  The  learned 
 Philo  has  given  us  his  judgment  in  various  parts  of  his 
 works  to  this  purpose,  particularly  in  his  pieces  De 
 Mundi  Opif  and  De  Monar.  The  Christian  fadiers 
 every  where  took  it  for  granted  as  a  thing  not  to  be 
 calkd  in  question ;  *  and  the  writings  of  the  New 
 Testament  are  as  full  and  explicit  as  human  language 
 
 can  well  make  them.    See  John  i.   1 — 14. Col.   i. 
 
 16,   17. Heb.    I.  2,   10 — 12.  Let  the  reader,  who 
 
 wishes  to  enjoy  an  elegant  intellectual  feast,  turn  to  the 
 seventh  book  of  Milton's  Paradise  Lost,  and  he  will 
 find  the  Locos  of  God  coming  forth  from  his  holy 
 rest,  where  he  eternally  had  dwelt  in  the  bosom  of  his 
 
 S  Father, 
 
 **  at  his  talking  with  Moses  on  mount  Hcreb.  The  fifth  at  his  ap- 
 **  pearance  on  Sinai.  The  sixth  and  seventh  where  he  spake  to 
 *'  Moses  in  the  hollow  of  a  rock.  The  eighth  and  ninth  in  the 
 "  tabernacle.  The  tenth  will  be,  when  he  shall  appear  in  the  times 
 "  of  the  Messias." 
 
 Alllx's  Judg.  p.  282,  283. 
 
 *  Consult  the  first  chapter  of  Genesis. ^  See  Bishop  Home's 
 
 Sermons,  vol.   i.  p.   194. 
 
 *See  the  fifth,  sixth,  and  seventh  parts  of  this  Apology  for  evi- 
 dence at  large  on  these  several  heads. 
 
138  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 Father,  to  create  the  world,  described  with  wonderful 
 strength  and  majesty  of  language. 
 
 ^2'  When  God  appeared  to   our  first  parents  in  the 
 garden  of  Eden,  and  conversed  with  them  after 
 their  unhappy  fall,    it  is  presumed,  this  was  not 
 the   Father  of   the   universe,  but   the  eternal 
 Logos,  who  conducted  all  the  divine  dispensati- 
 ons from  the  beginning. ' 
 That  the  Son  of  God,  before  he  took  upon  him  hu- 
 man nature,  did  conduct  all  the  divine  dispensations,  has 
 been,  and  now  is,  the  opinion  of  some  of  the  most  able 
 and  learned   men   of  every  denomination.     I  know  of 
 none  among  us  who  reject  the  sentiment,  except  the 
 Deists  and  Socinians.     The  Arians  and  Orthodox  are 
 at  one  on  this  subject.     And  as  this  opinion,    if  once 
 fairly  established,  absolutely  subverts  the  Socinlan  hy- 
 pothesis,  that  Christ  had  no  existence  before  he  was 
 born  of  the  virgin  Mary,  we  will  dwell  a  little    on  the 
 subject,  and  advance  some  such  considerations  as  appear 
 to  us  altogether  conclusive. 
 
 1.  It  has  been  the  uniform  opinion  of  men  the  most 
 competent  to  judge,  though  on  other  subjects  they 
 widely  differed  from  each  other. 
 
 2.  It  appears  from  the  internal  marks  of  various  of 
 those  dispensations  recorded  in  scripture. 
 
 3.  From  the  application  of  many  passages  of  the 
 Old  Testament  to  the  Son  of  God  in  the  New  by  the 
 Apostles,  who  wrote  under  the  direction  and  influence 
 of  the  Holy  Spirit,  which  passages  can  be  applied  to  no 
 merely  created  being  whatever. 
 
 4.  From  the  opinion  of  the  m.ost  able  and  learned  of 
 the  ancient  Jewish  writers,  who  usually  applied  the  ap- 
 pearances of  God,  both  before  and  during  their  own 
 dispensation,  to  the  Logos. 
 
 5.  From 
 
 5  What  Moses  calls  i'je  I'otce  of  the  Lord  God,  Gen.  3.  8,  Onke- 
 los  paraphrases,  "  They  heard  the  voice  of  the  Wojld  of  the  Lord, 
 — "  The  Word  of  the  Lord  called  unto  Adam." 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  139 
 
 5.  From  the  uniform  sense  of  the  Christian  church, 
 even  in  its  best  and  purest  ages. 
 
 If  we  can  estabhsh  these  five  propositions,  it  will  be 
 easily  granted,  that  Christ,  in  his  divine  nature,  con- 
 ducted all  the  dispensatiSns  of  God  from  the  beginning. 
 
 I.  It  has  been  the  uniform  opinion  of  men  the  most 
 competent  to  judge,  though  on  other  subjects  they  have 
 differed  most  widely  from  each  other. 
 
 This  proposition,  I  apprehend,  will  be  granted,  though 
 their  concurrence  in  sentiment  will  be  accounted  for  up- 
 on different  principles.  We  will,  however,  produce  the 
 declarations  of  several  of  our  learned  men,  that  tlie 
 reader  may  see  at  one  view  I  am  not  singular  in  the 
 opinion  now  under  consideration. 
 
 1.  Dr.  Hammond  says,  that  "it  was  the  general 
 "  opinion  of  the  ancient  Fathers  of  the  church,  that 
 **  he,  who  appeared  of  old  to  the  Patriarchs,  was  not 
 "  the  first,  but  the  second  person  in  the  Trinity,  and 
 *^  that  these  his  appearances  were  preludes  to  his  incar- 
 "  nation."    On  the  New  Testament,  p.  8  20. 
 
 2.  Dr.  Waterland  says,  that  "  all  the  appearances 
 "  of  God,  under  the  Old  Testament,  were  supposed  by 
 "  the' Ancients  to  have  been  in  and  by  God  the  Son. 
 "  It  was  he  tliat  called  himself  God  of  Abram,  Isaac, 
 "  and  Jacob,  and  all  along  headed  and  conducted  the 
 "  people  of  the  Jews.  This  notion,  so  far,  is  just,  and 
 "  the  fact  true."     Eight  Sermons,  p.   157. 
 
 3.  Shuckford  tells  us,  that  *'  the  God  of  Israel,  tlie 
 *'  Divine  Person,  v/ho  is  many  times  stiled,  in  the  Old 
 "  Testament,  -the  God  of  Abraham,  the  God  of  Isaac, 
 "  and  the  God  of  Jacob,  frequently  appeared  to  them, 
 "  and  was  in  after  ages  made  flt-sh,  and  for  about  three 
 *'  and  thirty  years  dwelt  on  earth  amongst  men." 
 Connexion,  vol.  3.  p.  43. 
 
 4.  Dr.  Gregory  Sharpe  informs  us,  that  "  Messiah 
 "  appeared  to  Abraham  in  the  plains  of  Mamre,  to 
 "  Isaac  in  Gerar,  to  Jacob  in  Bethel,  and  was  seen  of 
 *^  Moses  in  the  wilderness.     He    is   the  leader  of  the 
 
 "  host; 
 
I40  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 "  host  of  Israel,  the  Word  of  God  by  whom  he  made 
 **  the  world  ;  by  whom  he  conversed  with  the  first  and 
 '*  best  of  human  kind ;  whom  he  sent  as  a  Saviour  to 
 "  redeem  his  people  from  their  servitude  and  oppies- 
 *'^  sion  in  Egypt,  their  captivity  in  Babylon ;  and,  at 
 *^  last,  in  the  flesh,  to  redeem  the  world  from  the  pol- 
 "  lution  of  sin,  and  dominion  of  death  -,  the  messen- 
 *'  ger  of  Godi  the  messenger  of  the  covenant;  the 
 *'  Son  of  God  J  the  angel  of  the  Lord  j  one  distinguish- 
 "  ed  as  such  from  all  others  called  the  sons  of  Gud, 
 '*  who  are  ministring  angels  -,  the  desire  of  all  nations ; 
 ^'  descended  from  Abraham,  in  whom  all  nations  of 
 '^  the  earth  were  to  be  blessed;  the  son  of  David,  and 
 '^  in  consequence  of  this  descent,  the  son  of  man  ; 
 *'  whose  appearance  or  likeness,  as  a  man,  was,  upon 
 '*  the  throne,  supported  by  the  Cherubim ;  and  whose 
 '^  likeness  came  with  the  clouds  of  heaven  to  the  An- 
 '*  cient  of  days. — 
 
 *'  It  is,  therefore,  evident,  that  all  the  several  appel- 
 "  lations,  given  to  our  Lord  and  Saviour  in  the  New 
 *'  Testament,  are  no  other  than  had  long  before  btrcn 
 *'  given  by  the  Prophets  to  him,  whom  the  Jews  ex- 
 '*  pected  as  their  deliverer  and  their  king,  about  the 
 "  time  when  Jesus  was  born."  Second  Argument  in 
 Defence  of  Christianity,  p.  71,  &c. 
 
 5.  Bishop  Bull  assures  us,  that'"  all  the  catholic 
 "  Doctors  of  the  three  first  centuries  taught,  that  Je^us 
 "  Christ,  he  who  was  afterv/ards  so  called,  existed,  be- 
 **  fore  he  became  man,  or  before  he  was  born  acccrd- 
 "  ing  to  the  flesh,  of  the  blessed  Virgin,  in  another  na- 
 *'  ture,  far  more  excellent  than  the  human  nature ;  that 
 ''  he  appeared  to  holy  men,  giving  them  an  earnest,  as 
 **  it  were,  of  his  incarnation ;  that  he  always  presided 
 "  over  and  provided  for  the  church,  which  in  time  to 
 *^  come  he  would  redeem  by  his  own  blood ;  and  of 
 "  consequence  that  from  the  beginning  the  whole  order 
 "  or  thread  of  the  divine  dispensation  ran  through  him; 
 *'  farther  yet,  that  he  was  with  his  Father  before  the 
 
 ^'  foundatiqa 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  141 
 
 "  foundation  of  the  world,  and  that  by  him  all  things 
 "  were  made. — He  is  a  stranger  to  the  Fathers  who 
 "  knows  not  this."    Defensio  Fid.  Nic.  sect.  i.  cap.  i. 
 
 6.  Bishop  Conybeare  says,  "  the  Jews  were  related 
 "  to  Christ  in  an  especial  manner,  as  the  angel  of^.the 
 "  covenant^ — their  redeemer  from  captivity — the  giv- 
 "  er  of  their  law — their  guide  in  the  wilderness — the 
 "  constant  governour  of  their  state — and,  at  last,  when 
 **  he  assumed  human  nature,  as  their  king,  by  descent 
 *^  from  David."     Sermons,  vol.   i.  p.  48. 
 
 7.  The  late  Dr.  Law,  bishop  of  Carlisle,  a  good 
 judge  in  these  matters,  and  one  who  was  strongly  dis- 
 posed to  lean  to  the  opposite  scheme,  if  evidence  to 
 the  contrary  had  not  been  extremely  satisfactory,  allows 
 ail  that  we  are  here  contending  for.  "  The  Angel,'* 
 says  he,  "  which  God  sent  before  the  Israelites,  to  keep 
 "  them  in  the  way,  was  probably  Christ  himself,  who 
 "  seems  to  have  spoken  unto  Moses  in  mount  Sina, 
 "  Acts  7.  38;  and  whom  the  children  of  Israel  are 
 "  said  to  have  tempted  in  the  wilderness,  i  Cor.  10.  9. 
 "  (Comp.  Whitby)  to  which  also  some  refer  Heb.  1 1. 
 "  26.  Vid.  Doddridge  in  loco.  Nor  is  it  less  probable, 
 **  that  the  same  divine  person,  who  created  the  world, 
 "  Col.  I.  16.  had  also  the  government  and  administration 
 "  of  it  from  the  very  beginning ;  appearing  to  our  first 
 *'.  parents,  to  the  Patriarchs  and  their  posterity,  (Gen. 
 
 "  ly*  i>  3S'  9>  '^'  ^3*  4^-  ^5>  ^^0  sometimes  in 
 *'  the  nafne  and  character  of  Jehovah,  Ex.  23.  21. 
 "  (Is.  6.  I,  5,  comp.  John  12.  41,)  or  in  the  pre- 
 "  sence  of  God,  ib.  2;^.  14.  or  his  JVord^  according 
 to  the  Jerusalem  Targum,  passim.  Sometimes  as 
 an  Angely  Is.  (ii,.  9.  Vid.  Lowth.  the  captain  of  his 
 *'  host,  Josh.  5.  13,  14.  the  messenger  of  his  cove- 
 *'  nant,  Mai.  3.  i.  though  under  the  name  of  Miehaely 
 "  the  archangel,  he  was  more  particularly  distinguished 
 *^  as  the  tutelary  Prince  of  Israel,  Deut.  3  2.  8,  9.  ac- 
 *'  cording  to  the  Seventy,  Dan.  i©.  21 ;  12.  i.  Ec- 
 "  clus.   17.    17.  Rev.   12.  7."^ 
 
 ^  Theory  of  Religion,  p.  87. 
 
 (C 
 
1 42  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 8.  Our  great  Epic  poet  hath  delivered  the  same  sen- 
 timent:— 
 
 «  Whom  shall  I  send  to  judge  them  ?  Whom  but  thee, 
 
 **  Vicegerent  Son  ?  To  thee  I  have  transferr'd 
 
 *'  All  judgment,  whether  in  heaven,  or  earth,  or  hell." 
 
 Paradise  Lost,  book  lo.  1.  55. 
 
 The  above  instances  may  suffice  as  specimens  of 
 the  opinions  of  learned  men  upon  the  subject  in  question. 
 Much  more  to  the  same  purpose  might  be  produced. 
 We  will  now,  however,  proceed  to  the  next  thing  pro- 
 posed, which  was  to  observe, 
 
 2.  That  there  are  certain  internal  marks  in  the  se- 
 veral manifestations  of  God,  recorded  in  the  Old  Tes- 
 tament, whereby  it  appears,  that  those  manifestations 
 were  made  to  mankind,  not  by  the  Father  of  the  uni- 
 verse, in  his  own  person,  but  by  his  eternal  Son^  the 
 Messenger  of  the  covenant. 
 
 The  truth  of  this  proposition,  will  be  sufficiently 
 manifest,  from  a  careful  perusal  of  the  several  histories 
 of  God's  Providence  now  under  consideration,  if  we 
 observe  in  such  perusal,  that  the  Being,  who  appears 
 and  speaks,  is  evidently  more  than  an  Angela  and  that 
 God  the  Father  never  is  called  an  angel,  and  never 
 hath  been  seen  by  man.  If,  therefore,  the  glorious 
 Being,  who  appears  in  those  several  dispensations,  is 
 neither  the  Father  of  the  universe,  nor  2.  mere  An- 
 CEL  ;  we  have  every  reason  to  conclude  it  is  the  Logos 
 of  God. 
 
 3.  From  the  application  of  many  passages  of  the 
 Old  Testament  to  the  Son  of  God  in  the  New  by  the 
 Apostles,  who  wrote  under  the  direction  and  influence 
 of  the  Holy  Spirit,  which  passages  can  be  applied  to  no 
 merely  created  being  whatever,  it  appears  Christ  was 
 the  conducter  of  all  the  divine  dispensations  from  the 
 beginning  of  x\\^  world. 
 
 For  the  proof  of  this  important  proposition,  I  need 
 only  refer  the  reader  to  the  first  chapter  of  the  Epistle 
 
 to 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  143 
 
 to  the  Hebrews.  This  single  chapter  is  decisive.  The 
 Socinians  are  so  sensible  of  the  force  of  the  Apostle's 
 application  of  the  Old  Testament  to  the  Son  of  God 
 in  the  chapter  before  us,  that,  not  being  able  to  preserve 
 their  hypothesis,  some  of  them  expunge  the  chapter  as 
 spurious.  Dr.  Priestley,  indeed,  has  not  told  the  pub- 
 lic, I  think,  that  he  considers  it  as  an  interpolation,  but 
 then  he  proceeds  in  a  way  that  conveys  a  much  greater 
 reflection  upon  all  the  Apostles,  and  the  whole  word  of 
 God  recorded  in  the  New  Testament.  For  he  tells  us 
 that  "  it  is  evident  the  Apostles  often  applied  the  scrip- 
 "  tures  very  improperly,"  '  and  "  he  thinks  he  has 
 "  shewn  that  St.  Paul  often  reasons  inconclusively."  * 
 The  question  then  comes  to  this,  whether  the  Apostles 
 in  general,  and  St.  Paul  in  particular,  have  applied  the 
 scriptures  properly,  and  reasoned  conclusively,  or  whe- 
 ther Dr.  Priestley  has  proved  them  erroneous.  If  Dr. 
 Priestlev  is  right  and  they  are  wrong,  Socinianism  has 
 got  the  day,  and  the  New  Testament  is  calculated  only 
 to  mislead  and  deceive.  If,  on  the  contrary,  the  Apos- 
 tles have  applied  the  scriptures  properly,  and  St.  Paul 
 has  reasoned  conclusively,  then  Jesus  Christ  pre-existed 
 his  conception  in  the  womb  of  the  blessed  Virgin,  con- 
 ducted the  (divine  dispensations  from  the  beginning,  ac- 
 cording to  the  opinion  of  most  moderate  and  candid  men, 
 and  the  cause  of  Socinianism  loses  the  day.  It  is  Dr. 
 Priestley  and  St.  Paul,  and  the  writings  of  Dr.  Priest- 
 ley and  the  writings  of  St.  Paul.  If  the  former  is 
 right,  the  latter  is  wrong  ;  but  if  St.  Paul  is  right  then 
 Dr.  Priestley  is  wrong.  Reader,  judge  for  thyself,  and 
 take  thy  side  ;  for  thou  canst  not  concur  with  both,  any 
 more  than  thou  canst  serve  God  and  mammon, 
 
 4.  From  the  opinions  of  the  most  able  and  learned 
 of  the  ancient  Jewish  writers,  who  usually  applied  the 
 appearances  of  God,   botli  before  and  during  their  own 
 
 dispensation 
 
 '  Theolog.  Repos.  vol.  4.  p.  44.2. 
 *  Hist,  of  Cor.  vol,  2.  p.  370. 
 
144  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 dispensation  to  the  Logos^  it  is  manifest  the  same  Logos 
 was  the  conductor  of  the  divine  oeconomy  from  the  be- 
 ginning. 
 
 We  have  already  observed,  that  Philo,  the  learned 
 Jew,  whose  works  we  now  have,  and  who  lived  in  the 
 time  of  our  Saviour,  before  his  countrymen  had  con- 
 ceived such  prejudices  against  the  gospel,  and  contrived 
 means  to  alter  their  ancient  and  approved  method  of  in- 
 terpreting the  writings  of  Moses  and  the  Prophets} 
 this  same  Philo,  I  say,  ascribes  the  creation  of  the  world 
 to  the  Logos  of  God.  And,  in  his  book  concerning 
 Dreams,  he  expressly  says,  that  is  was  the  Logos  who 
 spake  to  Adam  in  the  garden ;  who  called  Moses  out 
 of  the  bush,  saying,  Moses  !  Moses !  and  who  rained 
 fire  and  brimstone  upon  Sodom  and  Gomorrah.  He 
 says,  moreover,  that  the  Angel,  who  presided  over  the 
 Israelites  in  the  wilderness,  was  the  Word,  the  First-be- 
 gotten of  the  Father,  by  whom  he  governs  all  things. 
 "  He  often  affirms  there  are  three  things  in  God ;  and 
 "  he  calls  the  Reason,  or  Word  of  God,  the  Name  of 
 "  God,  the  Maker  of  the  world  ;  not  unbegotten,  as 
 *'  is  God  tiie  Father  of  all ;  nor  yet  begotten  in  like 
 *'  manner  as  men  are.  The  same  is  likewise  called  the  . 
 **  Angel,  or  the  Ambassador,  who  takes  care  of  the 
 "  universe." ' 
 
 Moses,  the  son  of  Nachman,  another  ancient  Jewish 
 •writer,  is  of  the  sam.e  opinion  with  the  learned  Philo 
 upon  this  subject.  And,  indeed,  they  do  not  seem  to 
 deliver  these  sentiments  as  any  opinions  peculiar  to 
 themselves,  but  rather  as  the  common  notions  of  their 
 learned  countrymen.  The  said  Moses  observes,  that  the 
 *'  Angel,  to  speak  the  truth,  is  the  Angel,  the  Redeem- 
 "  er,  of  whom  it  is  written.  Because  my  Name  is  in  him. 
 "  That  Angel,  I  say,  who  said  to  Jacob,  /  am  the  God 
 "  of  Bethel.    Fie  of  whom  it  is  said.  And  God  called 
 
 Moses 
 
 9  Grotius  de  Verlt.  lib.  5.  sect.  21,  where  the  Reader  will  find 
 all  the  places  in  the  works  of  Philo  referred  to.  We  shall  produce 
 them  at  large  in  another  part  of  this  work. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  145 
 
 Moses  out  of  the  bush.  And  he  Is  called  an  i\.ngel, 
 because  he  governs  the  world.  For  it  is  written, 
 Jehovah  brought  us  out  of  Egypt;  and  in  other 
 places,  he  sent  his  Angel,  and  brought  us  out  of 
 Egypt.  Besides,  it  is  written,  And  the  Angel  of  his 
 presence  hath  made  them  safe;  namely,  that  Angel 
 which  is  the  presence  of  God,  concerning  whom  ic 
 is  said,  My  presence  shall  go  before-^  and  I  will  cause 
 thee  to  rest.  Lastly,  this  is  the  Angel  of  whom  the 
 Prophet  said.  And  suddenly  the  Lord  whom  ye  seek 
 shall  come  into  his  temple^  even  the  Angel  of  the  cove- 
 nant whom  ye  desire.'* 
 And,  again,  other  words  of  the  same  person  to  this 
 purpose :  "  Consider  diligently  what  those  things 
 "  mean;  My  face  shall  go  before  thee:  for  Moses  and 
 "  the  Israelites  always  wished  for  the  first  Angel ;  but 
 **  they  could  not  rightly  understand  who  he  was.  For 
 "  they  had  it  not  from  others,  nor  could  they  arrive 
 *'  fully  at  it  by  prophetic  knowledge.  But  the  pre- 
 *'  scnce  of  God  signifies  God  himself,  as  is  confessed 
 "  by  all  interpreters ;  neither  could  any  one  understand 
 **  those  things  by  dreams,  unless  he  were  skilled  in  the 
 "  mysteries  of  the  law." 
 
 And,  again  :  "  My  presence  shall  go  before,  that  Is, 
 **■  the  Angel  of  the  covenant  whom  ye  desire,  in  whom 
 **  my  presence  will  be  seen.  Of  whom  it  is  said,  / 
 ''  will  bear  thee  in  an  acceptable  time ;  for  my  Name  is 
 **  in  hiviy  and  I  zvill  make  thee  to  rest ;  or  I  will  cause 
 **  him  to  be  kind  and  merciful  to  thee.  Nor  shall  he 
 **  guide  thee  by  a  rigid  law,  but  kindly  and  ger.tly."  * 
 Such  are  the  sentiments  of  these  ancient  and  learned 
 Jewish  writers  ! 
 
 The  Chaldee  Paraphrases,  which  are  nearly  as  anci- 
 ent as  any  Jewish  books  we  now  have  (the  writings  of 
 Moses  and  the  Prophets  excepted)  abound  with  appiica- 
 
 T  tions, 
 
 '  Vide  Poll  Syn,  in  Josh.  5.  14;   and  Janiieson's  Vindication, 
 vol.  I,  p.  70, 
 
146  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 tions,  of  the  appearances .  of  the  Ahiiighty,  to  the 
 IVord  of  God,  his  eternal  Son.  In  the  Chaldee  he  is 
 called  the  Memra  of  God,  which  answers,  to  the  Logos'* 
 of  God  in  Greek,  and  the  JVord  of  God  in  Enghsh. 
 To  this  Memra  these  Paraphrases  ascribe  the  creation 
 and  government  of  the  world,  and  particularly  the  go- 
 vernment of  the  Jevv'ish  church  and  nation.  Now,  the 
 question  is,  what  is  meant  by  this  Mtinrdy  in  the  sense 
 of  the  Paraphrasts  ?  On  this  subject  there  is  a  contro- 
 versy. Much  does  not,  indeed,  depend  upon  it,  which 
 way  soever  the  meaning  is  determined,  but  yet  it  is  of 
 some  importance.  The  Socinians  take  one  side  of  the 
 question,  the  Arians  and  Orthodox  the  other.  The 
 Socinians  say,  it  is  a  mere  idiom  of  the  Chaldee  lan- 
 guage, and  signifies  no  more  than  hhuself.  The  Arians 
 and  Orthodox,  on  the  contrary,  insist  upon  it,  that  when 
 the  Paraphrasts  say,  The  Memni  of  God  did  or  spoke 
 such  and  such  a  thing,  we  are  to  understand  their  mean- 
 ing to  be,  that  the  Legos  or  Son  of  God,  our  blessed 
 Saviour,  before  his  incarnation,  did  or  said  such  and 
 such  things.  ^  Now,  I  confess,  there  is  much  to  be  ad- 
 vanced 
 
 *  The  late  Mr.  Robert  Robinson  of  Cambridge  has  observed, 
 that  "  no  word  has  occasioned  greater  controversies  than  this.  The 
 ♦*  truth  seems  to  be — that  Christ  appeared  to  the  patriarchs  before 
 "  his  incarnation — that  the  Jews  called  the  person  appearing  Mem- 
 *'  RA  JehovjE,  the  Word  of  the  Lord — that  the  Targumists  used 
 "  this  term  to  describe  the  Messiah — that  St.  John  writing  in 
 **  Greek,  translated  Mem  ra  into  Logos,  by  which  terms  the  hel- 
 "  lenistic  Jews  understood  the  Messiah." 
 
 Claude's  Essay,  vol.   i.  p.  306. 
 
 3  Jonathan  on  Deut.  32.  43.  speaks  of  the  atonement  as  being 
 made  by  this  Memra  ;  "  God  will  atone  by  his  Word  for  his  land, 
 *'  and  for  his  people,  even  a  people  saved  by  the  Word  of  the 
 "  Lord." 
 
 There  are  two  or  three  places  in  the  26th  chap,  of  Levit.  which 
 fully  determine  the  Memra  to  be  a  person  distinct  from  God  the 
 Father.  In  the  9th  verse  it  is  said,  /  H.viil  ha've  respect  imto you. 
 This  is  rendered  by  Onkelos ;  "  I  will  look  upon  you  in  my  Word." 
 At  the  nth  verse  it  is,  My  soul  shall  not  abhor  you. .  This  he  ren- 
 ders, **  My  WoRD  shall  not  abhor  you."     At  the  12th  verse  the 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY. 
 
 vanced  on  each  side  of  diis  curious  question  ;  and  as  the 
 point  does  not  appear  to  me  so  clear  as  to  carry  full  con- 
 viction, to  an  honest  mind,  either  way,  I  should  be  sor- 
 ry to  res:  any  important  point  of  doctrine  absolutely 
 upon  so  precarious  a  foundation.  Mr.  Lindsey  in  his 
 Apology,  p.  88,  does  not  do  //^// justice  to  the  learn- 
 ed Prideaux  and  Capellus.  He  says  they  have  set  aside 
 those  fancies  of  the  Orthodox,  who  explain  the  phrase 
 Memra  of  God,  concerning  the  Son  of  God.  It  ap- 
 pears, however,  to  me,  that  neither  of  these  Gentlemen 
 do  absolutely  reject  the  interpretation  of  the  Orthodox, 
 but  only  think  the  foundation  too  insecure  on  which  to 
 rest  a  cause  of  so  m.uch  importance.  They  both  saw 
 the  force  of  the  arguments  from  the  commonly  received 
 interpretation  of  the  expression,  but  then  they  saw 
 the  objections,  that  may  be  brought  against  it,  in 
 so  strong  a  light,  that  though  they  both  cordially  em- 
 braced the  orthodox  scheme,  yet  they  durst  not  risque 
 the  cause  upon  the  justness  of  this  interpretation.  In 
 so  doing  they  acted  the  part,  in  my  judgment,  of  wise 
 and  moderate  men.  I  am  sorry  to  say  Mr.  Lindsey 
 does  not  act  the  same  moderate  and  candid  part,  in  the 
 inference  he  draws  from  Prideaux's  words  on  the  89th 
 page  of  his  Apology.  Mr.  Lindsey's  presumption,  I 
 apprehend,  never  entered  the  head  of  this  learned  man. 
 He  knew  too  well  that  the  mcanins;  of  the  term  Lo<roSy 
 in  the  beginning  of  St.  John's  gospel,  had  no  necessary 
 dependance  upon  the  word  Maura  in  tiie  Chaldee  pa- 
 raphrases. *  When  will  men  of  learning  study  the  inter- 
 est of  truth,  more  than  those  of  an  hypothesis  ? 
 
 But 
 
 Lord  Siiith,  /  •■will  ^jjaJk  among  you,  an/i  ivill  be  your  God,  an  J  ye  shall 
 he  tny  people.  To  this  Jonathan  gives  this  gloss ;  "  I  will  be  your 
 "  God,  and  my  Word  shall  be  unto  you  God  the  Redeemer." 
 
 ♦  The  term  Word  made  use  of  in  the  beginning  of  this  gospel 
 seems  to  occur  upon  several  occasions  in  the  Old  Testament  for  the 
 personal  Word  of  God  ;  so  that  there  is  no  need  to  consider  it  as  al- 
 together taken  from  the  Chaldee  paraphrasts,  David  says,  2  Sam. 
 7.  21.  For  thy  V/ord's  sake,  and  j-^cording  to  thine  own  heart, 
 hait  thou  done  all  these  things.     Compare  this  with  its  parallel  placCj, 
 
148  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 But  it  does  not  follow  from  the  concessions  of  Pri- 
 deaux  and  Capelliis,  that  the  cause  of  the  Orthodox  is 
 desperate  in  this  question.  Bishop  Kidder  and  Dr. 
 Allix  are  not  to  be  answered  by  a  mere  literary  squib 
 at  the  bottom  of  a  page.  The  Demonstration  of  the 
 Messias,  of  the  former,  and  the  Judgment  of  the  An- 
 cient Jewish  Church  against  the  Unitarians,  of  the  lat- 
 ter, are  truly  learned  and  valuable  works.  Possibly, 
 they  may  have  carried  the  matter  too  far  on  the  subject 
 of  the  A'lemra  of  God.  The  expression  may,  some- 
 times, be  an  idiom  of  the  Chaldee  language.  Nay 
 even  in  several  of  those  places  which  they  have  pro- 
 duced in  their  learned  works  it  may  be  such  an  idiom. 
 Yet  it  does  not  follow  from  this  concession,  that  it  is 
 a  jjiere  idiom.  It  may  be  used  in  several  and  different 
 senses.  And  this,  I  apprehend,  is  the  truth  of  the  case. 
 For  it  appears,  m.ost  incontestably,  from  the  works  of 
 Philo,  and  other  Jewish  writers,  that  they  did  frequent- 
 ly, though  not  always,  apply  the  term  Logos  to  the  ex- 
 pected Messiahj  and  considered  him  as  the  second  of 
 the  three  divine  Principals,  and  the  creator  and  pre- 
 server of  the  world.  It  is  exactly  the  same  with  the 
 New  Testament  writers.  They  use  the  term  Logos  not 
 less  than  300  times;  but  then  not  always  in  the  same 
 sense.  Sometimes,  it  evidently,  from  the  context,  sig- 
 nifies, 
 
 I  Chron.  17.  19.  O  Lon^,  /or  fhy  Szkv ant's  lake,  and  accord' 
 ing  to  thine  onjon  heart,  hast  thou  done  all  this  greatness.  Here  the 
 Word  of  God  in  the  former  place  is  called  the  Servant  of  God 
 in  the  latter.  And  we  know  that  the  term  Servant  is  common- 
 ly applied  to  the  Messiah  in  scripture.  So  Is.  42.  i.  Behold  tny 
 Servant  ^.vhotn  I  uphold. 
 
 There  is  an  expression  of  a  similar  kind  in  1  Sam.  3.  21.  The 
 Lord  appeared  again  in  Shiloh  ;  for  the  Lord  re'vealed  himself  to  Samuel 
 in  Shiloh,  hy  the  WoR  D  of  the  Lord. 
 
 So  Gen.  15.  1.  After  these  things  the  Word  of  the  Lord  came 
 unto  Ahrarn  in  a  -uision,  saying.  Fear  not,  Ahram  :  /  am  thy  shield. 
 
 See  also  Ps.  18.  30;  Gen.  15.  3,  4,  5  ;  Hag.  2.  4,  5  ;  Prov. 
 8;  Wisdom  7.  22;  Heb,  4.  12,  13  ;  Mat.  9.  19;  Luke  11.  49. 
 C©nsult  also  jamieson's  Vindication  upon  ail  these  passages,  booif 
 I,  chap.  9. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRIl^ITY.  149 
 
 nifies,  the  JVord,  or  Son  of  God ;  sometimes  a  word-, 
 somttimes  a  saying ;  sometimes  reason  i  sometimes  a 
 thing ;  and  sometimes  a  work. ' 
 
 If,  therefore,  Philo,  and  other  Jewish  authors,  as  well 
 as  the  New  Testament  writers,  who  have  indisputably 
 used  the  term  Logos  in  this  sense,  were  prior  to,  or  con- 
 temporary with,  the  aurhors  of  these  Chaldee  para- 
 phrases, ic  is  natural  to  suppose,  that  the  same  expres- 
 sion, though  in  a  different  language,  should  sometimes 
 occur.  This  is  in  fact  the  case.  For  though  the  Mem- 
 RA  of  God  may  sometimes,  or  even  very  frequently, 
 be  a  mere  idiom  of  the  language,  yet  it  is  not  always 
 such.  Sometimes,  at  least,  it  is  used  in  such  a  connec- 
 tion, that  it  cannot  be  understood  in  any  other  sense, 
 but  as  the  Logos,  and  eternal  Son  of  the  most  high 
 God.  I  submit  it  to  the  consideration  of  the  reader,  ^ 
 if  he  will  be  at  the  trouble  to  weigh  in  the  balance  of 
 an  impartial  judgment  the  following  passages,  whether 
 they  are  not  all,  or  most  of  them,  of  this  description. 
 Gen.  3.  8.  And  they  heard  the  voice  of  the  Lord  God 
 walking  in  the  garden.  Paraphrase  :  "  And  they  heard 
 "  the  voice  of  the  Word  of  the  Lord  God  walking 
 "  in  the  garden." — Gen.  3.  10.  And  he  said^  I  heard 
 thy  voice  in  the  garden.  Para :  "  I  heard  the  voice  of 
 "  thy  Word  in  the  garden." — Gen.  6.  6.  And  it  re- 
 pented the  Lord  that  he  had  made  man  on  the  earthy  and 
 it  grieved  him  at  his  heart.  And  the  Lord  saidy  I  will 
 destroy  man.  Para :  "  And  it  repented  the  Lord  with 
 "  his  Word  that  he  had  made  man  on  the  earth  ;  and 
 "  he  spake  with  his  Word,  that  he  would,"  &c.- — ■ — 
 Gen.  7.  16.  And  the  Lord  shut  him  in.  Para:  ''And 
 "  the  Lord  by  his  Word  covered  him  over." — Gen, 
 8.  21.  And  the  Lord  said  in  his  hearty  I  will  not  again 
 curse  the  ground.    Para:  "  And  God  said  by  his  Word, 
 
 «  I 
 
 5  I  could  wish  the  reader  would  consult  Kidder  and  Allix  for  him- 
 self on  the  subject  of  the  Memra  of  God,  and  for  a  very  late  ap- 
 plication of  it  to  the  Messiah  Jamieson's  Vindication  against  Dr. 
 Priestley,  Book  i.  chap.  5. 
 
150  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 "  I  will  not  again  curse  the  ground." — Gen.  9.  15. 
 And  I  will  remember  my  covenant  which  is  between  me  and 
 you.  Para  :  "  And  I  will  remember  my  covenant  which 
 "  is  between  my  Word  and  you." — Gen.  9.  16.  And 
 the  how  shall  be  in  the  cloudy  and  I  will  look  upon  it^  that 
 I  may  remember  the  everlasting  covenant  between  God  and 
 every  livir.g  creature.  Para :  "  Eveil'.ibti.ig  covenant 
 "  which' is  between  the  Word  of  God  and  between 
 "  every  living  soul." — Gen.  9.  17.  ntid  God  said — 
 ^his  is  the  token  of  the  covenant — between  me  and  all  flesh. 
 Para :  "  This  is  the  sign  of  the  covenant  between  my 
 "  Word  and  all  flesli." — Gen.  15.  i.  I  am  thy  shield.'' 
 Para:  "  My  Word  is  thy  shield."— Gen.  15.  6.  And 
 he  believed  in  the  Lord.  Para :  *'  And  he  believed  in 
 "  the  Word  of  the  Lord." — Gen.  21.  23.  Swear  un- 
 to me  here  by  Gcd.  Para:  "  Swear  unto  me  here  by 
 "  the  Word  of  the  Lord." — i  Kings  8.  57,  The 
 Lord  our  God  be  with  us.  Para :  "  The  W^ord  of  the 
 *'  Lord  God  be  with  us." — 2  Kings  18.  5.  He  trust- 
 ed in  the  Lord  God  of  Israel.  Para:  ^\h\  the  Word  of 
 '*  the  Lord  God  of  Israel  he  trusted." — 2  fIino;s  18. 
 7.  And  the  Lord  was  with  him.  Para:  "  And  the 
 *'  Word  of  the  Lord  was  for  his  help. "-^2  Kings  20. 
 6.  /  will  defeyid  this  ciiy  for  mine  own  sake,  and  for  my 
 Servant  David's  sake.  Para:  "  I  will  defend  this  city 
 ''  for  my  Word's  sake,  and  for  ray  servant  David's 
 *'  sake." — Is.  9.  7.  'The  zeal  of  the  Lcrd  of  hosts  will 
 ■perfGrr.t  this.  Para:  "^  By  the  W^ord  of  the  Lord  of 
 hosts  this  shall  be." — Is.  lo.  20.  They  shall  stay  upon 
 the  JLord,  the  IJcly  One  of  Israel,  in  truth.  Para  :  "  They 
 "  shall  ti  ust  upon  the  Word  of  the  Lord,  the  Holy 
 •*'  One  of  Israel,  in  truth." — Is.  45.  17.  Israel  shall 
 he  saved  by  the  Lord.  Para  :  *'  Israel  shall  be  saved  by 
 *'  the  Word  of  the  Lord." — Jer.  i.  19.  I  am  with 
 thecy  saith  the  Lord,  to  deliver  thee.  Para :  **  M  y  Word 
 *'  is  for  tliy  help,  saith  the  Lord,  to  deliver  thee." — 
 Jer.  27.  5.  /  have  made  the  earth.  Para:  "  I  by  my 
 *'  Word  have  made  the  earth." — Ps.   no.  i.  The  Lord 
 
 said 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  151 
 
 said  unto  my  Lord.     Para  :  "  The  Lord  spake  with  his 
 "  Word." 
 
 These  several  instances  are  taken  from  the  Targums 
 of  Onkelos,  and  those  which  follow  it  in  Walton's 
 Polyglot.  But  if  we  turn  to  the  fourth  volume,  and 
 examine  the  Jerusalem  Targum  upon  Gen.  18.  2,  v;e 
 shall  find  the  Memra,  or  Word'  of  God  appeared  un- 
 to Abraham  as  an  Angel  of  the  Lord,  along  with  other 
 two,  and  spake  and  acted  as  the  judge  of  tjie  whole 
 earth.,  This  could  be  no  other  than  the  Son  of  God, 
 the  Angel  of  die  covenant.  * 
 
 If  to  these  several  considerations  we  add  the  various 
 declarations  of  the  learned  Philo  concerning  the  Logos 
 of  God,  such  as  that  he  is  '*  the  first- begotten  Son  and 
 *'  Word  of  God,"  and  the  like,  of  which  his  writings 
 are  full,  as  will  be  seen  in  different  parts  of  this  Apolo- 
 gy, no  doubt-  can  remain  upon  the  mind,  but  that  die 
 Mem'ra  of  God,  so  frequently  used  by  the  Paraphrasts, 
 sometimes^  at  least,  signifies  the  Messiah.  ^ 
 
 5.  Fifthly,  and  lastly  i  that  this  vievv'  of  tlie  Locos 
 of  God  is  the  only  just  one,  in  opposition  to  the  Soci- 
 nians,  is  still  more  probable  from  the  uniform  sense  of 
 the  writers  of  die  Christian  church,  \\ho  lived  in  its 
 first  and  purest  ?ges,  some  of  whom  were  contempora- 
 ry with  the  Chaldce  Paraphrasts.  Lideed,  the  opinions 
 of  these  writers  are  so  full  and  clear,  respecting  the 
 Locos  of  God,  and  their  opportunities  for  conning  vy 
 the  knowledge  of  the  truth  in  these  matters  so  ample, 
 that  they  appear  to  me  to  reduce  the  question,  nov/  un- 
 der consideration,  to  an  abs^)lute  certainty.  I  will  pro- 
 duce their  testimony,' and  then  leave  the  decision  to  thi; 
 judgment  of  every  candid  m.an. 
 
 I.  Justin 
 
 ^  See  too  the  Jeruyalem  Targiim  on  Gen.  49.  18.  Consult  also, 
 Fleming's  Chrlscology  on  these  two  passages,  vol.  i.  p,  135 — 14?; 
 or  turn  back  to  the  77th  page  of  tliis  Apology,  where  these  para- 
 phrases are  inserted. 
 
 ^  I  could  wish  the  reader  to  turn  to  Scott's  Christian  Life,  vol. 
 '5*  P-  '35  —  i^°j  where  he  will  find  considerable  eviderce  to  this 
 purpose. 
 
I  Si  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 1.  Justin  Martyr  hath  delivered  his  sentiments  very 
 freely  upon  the  divine  appearances.  ''  Our  Christ,'* 
 says  he,  "  conversed  with  Moses  out  of  the  bush,  in 
 **  the  appearance  of  fire. — And  Moses  received  great 
 **  strength  from  Christ,  who  spake  to  him  in  the  ap- 
 **  pearance  of  fire." 
 
 Again :  — "  The  Jews  are  justly  reproved,  for  ima- 
 **  gining  that  the  Father  of  all  things  spake  to  Moses, 
 *'  when  indeed  it  was  the  Son  of  God,  who  is  called 
 *'  the  Angel  and  the  Messenger  of  the  Father. — ^He 
 '*  formerly  appeared  in  the  form  of  fire,  and  widiout  a 
 "  human  shape  to  Moses  and  the  other  Prophets :  but 
 "  now — being  made  a  man  of  the  Virgin,"  *  &c. 
 
 2.  Irenaeus  says;  "  The  scripture  is  full  of  the  Son 
 "  of  God's  appearing,  sometimes  to  talk  and  eat  with 
 **  Abraham  ;  at  other  times  to  instruct  Noah  about  the 
 "  measures  of  the  ark  ;  at  another  time  to  seek  Adam ; 
 "  at  another  time  to  bring  down  judgment  upon  So- 
 "  dom ;  then  again  to  direct  Jacob  in  the  way,  and 
 **  again  to  converse  with  Moses  out  of  the  bush."  ^ 
 
 3.  Tertullian  is  still  more  explicit : — '*  It  was  the 
 "  Son,  who  judged  men  from  the  beginning,  destroy- 
 "  ing  that  lofty  tower,  and  confounding  their  languages  j 
 "  punishing  the  whole  world  with  a  flood  of  v/aters; 
 **  and  raining  fire  and  brimstone  upon  Sodom  and  Go- 
 "  morrah,  the  Lord  pouring  it  down  from  the  Lord  :— 
 '^  for  he  always  descended  to  hold  converse  with  men, 
 '*  from  Adam  even  to  the  Patriarchs  and  Prophets,  in 
 "  visions,  in  dreams,  in  mirrors,  in  dark  sentences,  always 
 "  preparing  his  way  from  the  beginning  :  *  — Neither 
 *'  was  it  possible,  that  the  God  ;  who  converged  with 
 "  men  upon  earth,  could  be  any  other  than  that  Word, 
 *^  which  was  to  be  made  flesh." 
 
 4.  Clemens  Alexandrinus  says,  "  the  Paedagogus 
 *'  appeared  to  Abraham,  to  Jacob,  wrestled  with  him, 
 **  and  lastly  manifested  himself  to  Moses."- 
 
 Again  :  "Christ  gave  the  world  the  law  of  nature, 
 
 *'  and 
 •  Apol.  I.  p.  95.— -»  Lib.  4.  cap.  23.—.*  Adv.  Prax.  gap.  i6» 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  153 
 
 '«  zn^  the  written  kw  of  M  )ses.  Wiierefore  the  Lord 
 '  dcr'iAnr  froTi  one  fountain,  both  the  first  and  second 
 *  precepts  which  he  give,  neither  overlooked  th  )se 
 «  who  were  brf)re  t'le  la^,  so  as  to  leave  them  without 
 law;  nor  suffered  those  who  minded  not  the  philo- 
 sophy of  the  Barbarians  to  do  as  they  pleased.  He 
 gave  to  the  one  precepts,  to  the  other  philosophy, 
 and  concluded  them  in  unbelief  till  his  coming, 
 wlien,  whosoever  believes  not,  is  without  excuse."  * 
 
 5.  Origen  says,  "  My  Lord  Jesus  Christ  de- 
 scended to  the  earth  more  than  once.  He  came 
 down  to  Esaias,  to  Moses,  and  to  every  one  of  the 
 Prophets."  ' 
 
 Again  : — "  That  our  blessed  Saviour  did  some- 
 times become  as  an  angel,  we  may  be  induced  to 
 believe,  if  we  consider  the  appearances  and  speeches 
 of  angels,  who,  in  some  te.<ts,  have  said,  /  a?n  the 
 God  of  Al^raham,  and  the  God  of  IsaaCy  6cc"  * 
 
 6.  Theophilus  of  Antioch  also  assures  us,  that  it  was 
 the  Son  of  G  )d  who  appeared  to  Adam  immediately 
 after  the  fall,  who,  *'  assuming  the  person  of  the  Father 
 "  and  Lord  of  all,  came  into  paradise  under  the  person 
 "  of  Gody  and  conversed  with  Adam."  ' 
 
 7.  The  Synod  of  Antioch: — ''  The  Son,"  say  they, 
 "  is  sometimes  called  an  Angel,  sometimes  the  Lord^ 
 "  sometimes  God.  For  it  is  impious  to  imagine,  that 
 **  the  God  of  the  universe  is  any  where  called  an  Angel, 
 "  But  the  Messenger  of  the  Father  is  the  SoUy  who 
 "  himself  is  Lord  and  Goo:  for  it  is  written,  The 
 **  Angel  of  the  great  council.'''  ^ 
 
 8.  St.  Cyprian  observes,  "  that  the  Angel  who  ap- 
 "  peared  to  the  Patriarchs  is  Christ  and  God."  And 
 this  he  confirms  by  producing  a  number  of  those  pas- 
 sages from  the  Old  Testament  where  an  Angel  of  the 
 Lord  appeared  and  spake  in  the  name  of  God.  ^ 
 
 U  .    9.  St. 
 
 '  Strom.  7. 3  Huet.  Origen.  lib.  2.  quasst.  3.      -*  Orig.  ia 
 
 Joan. 5    A3    AuidI.  lib.  2.  p.   100. *  Epist.    Syii.  ad  Paul, 
 
 sJamos. 1  Test.  adv.  Jud.  lib.  2.  sect.  5  and  6. 
 
154  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 9.  St.  Hilary  to  the  same  purpose : — "  He  who  is 
 "  called  the  Angel  of  God,  the  same  is  Lord  and 
 "  God.  For  the  Son  of  God,  according  to  the  Pro- 
 "  phet,  is  the  Angel  of  the  great  council.  That  the  disr- 
 "  tinction  of  persons  might  be  entire,  he  is  called  the 
 "  Angel  oi  God ;  for  he  who  is  God  off  God,  the  same 
 *'  also  is  the  Angel  (or  Messenger)  of  God :  and  yet, 
 "  that  at  the  same  time  due  honour  might  be  paid  him, 
 "  lie  is  also  called  Lord  and  God."  * 
 
 10.  St.  Basil: — ".Who  then,"  says  be,  "is  it,  that 
 *'  is  called  both  an  Angel  and  God  ?  Is  it  not  h,e,  whose 
 "  name  we  are  told  is  called  the  Angel  of  the  great  cove- 
 "  nant  ?  For  though  it  was  in  after  times,  that  he  be- 
 "  came  the  Angel  of  the  great  covenant ;  yet  even  before 
 "  that,  he  did  not  disdain  the  title  of  an  Angel  (or  Mes- 
 "  sengcr.")'  1 
 
 Again: — "  It  is  manifest  to  every  one,  that  where  the 
 "  same  person  is  stiled  both  an  Angel  and  God,  it  must 
 "  be  meant  of  the  Only-begottln,  who  manifests 
 "  himself  to  mankind  in  different  generations,  and  de- 
 "  clares  the  will  of  the  Father  to  his  saints.  Where- 
 "  fore  he  who,  at  his  appearing  to  Moses,  called  him- 
 "  self  I  AM,  cannot  be  conceived  to  be  any  other  per- 
 "  son,  than  God  the  Word,  who  was  in  the  beginning 
 "  with  Godr  " 
 
 1  [.  St.  Athanasius  also: — "  Who  was  he  to  whom 
 "  Abraham  fell  to  the  earth  ?  Were  they  men  ?  One  of 
 "  them  was  God,  with  whom  he  discoursed.  The 
 "  other  two  were  angels. — The  scripture  itself  doth 
 "  most  clearly  teach,  that  one  of  the  two  angels  was 
 *^  the  Son  of  God''  This  is  part  of  a  dialogue  be- 
 tween Athanasius  and  Macedonius.  And  Macedonius 
 himself  confesses,  that  "  he  who  was  seen  by  Abraham 
 *'  was  the  Son  of  God."  * 
 
 12.  St.  Cyril  of  Jerusalem,  speaking  of  the  passage 
 in  the  sixth  chapter  of  Isaiah,  where  he  saw  God  sitting 
 
 upon 
 
 "  De  Trinit.  lib.  4. 9  Cont.  Eunom.  lib.  2. '  Jbid.-— -» 
 
 *  Athan.  dial.  3.  de  Trin. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  15$! 
 
 upon  the  throne  of  his  glory,  saith,  "  The  Father, 
 "  hath  no  man  seen  at  any  time  j  but  he  who  then  ap- 
 "  peared  to  the  Prophet  was  the  Son."  ' 
 
 13.  Theodoret,  speaking  of  the  third  chapter  of 
 Exodus,  says,  "  The  reading  of  this  place  declares  who 
 *'  it  was  that  was  seen  by  Moses.  The  text  saith,  'The 
 '^  Angel  of  the  Lord  appeared  to  Moses-,  and  saidy  I  ant 
 "  the  God  of  Abraham,  &c.  And  again,  I  AM  THAT 
 '*  I  AM.  This  whole  context  proves  him  that  ap- 
 "  peared  to  be  God  j  but  which  person  might  it  be  ? 
 "  Not  the  Father,  not  the  Holy  Spirit,  who  are 
 "  never  called  Angels:  wherefore  it  remains,  that  he  v/as 
 "  the  Son  of  Gody  who  is  the  Angel  of  the  great  coun- 
 
 This  evidence  is  ample,  in  proof  of  the  matter  of 
 fact,  that  the  great  body  of  the  Ancients,  as  well 
 Jews,  as  Heathens,  and  Christians,  considered  the  Lo- 
 gos of  God,  the  Angel  of  the  covenant,  as  the  Con- 
 ductor of  all  the  dispensations  of  Divine  Providence  in 
 the  government  of  the  world.  * 
 
 SECTION    VIIL 
 
 A  short  view  of  the   DIVINE  APPEARANCES  j-ecorded  in  the 
 Old  Testament. 
 
 WE  have  said  under  fhe  second  proposition,  that 
 there  are  certain  internal  marks  in  the  several 
 manifestations  of  God,  recorded  in  the  Old  Testament, 
 whereby  it  appears,  those  manifestation  were  made  to 
 mankind,  not  by  the  Father  of  the  universe,  in  his 
 own  person,  but  by  the  Locos,  his  eternal  Son,  the 
 Messenger,   in  aftertimes,  of  the  new  covenant.     We 
 
 U  2  will 
 
 '  Cat.  14. ♦In  Excd.3.  ^* *  ^^^   ^^^  sentiments  of  the 
 
 Fathers  more  at  large  in  the  7th  part  ci'this  work. 
 
156  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 will  now  return  to  the  consideration  of  that  propositi* 
 on,  and  take  a  concise  view  of  those  appearances,  and 
 see  if  there  be  not  certain  traits  in  each,  whereby  it  is 
 made  manifest  in  fact,  that  the  Son  of  God  pre-existed 
 his  incarnation  of  the  Virgin, 
 
 94.  The  confusion  of  tongues,  in  the  building  of  the 
 tower  of  Babel,  v  as  effected  by  the  Logos  of 
 God,  in  the  opinion  of  the  Ancients,  both  Jews 
 and  Christians;  and  it  is  presumed  from  certain 
 internal  marks  in  the  narrative,  tliat  this  opinion 
 was  just.  See  Gen.  11.  1—9,  where  the  per- 
 son who  appeared  is  constantly  denominated  Je- 
 hovah. Bishop  Patrick  judges,  in  conforn.ity 
 v/ith  this,  that  where  God  says.  Let  vs  go  doii;tij 
 he  spake  to  his  Son. 
 
 ^^,  Afler  th^se  things  the  Word  of  the  lord  came 
 imto  Abrajn  in  a  vision^  sayingy  Fear  not^  Alram  ; 
 J  am  thy  shield^  and  thy  exceeding  great  reward. 
 And  Abram  said.  Lord  God,  ivhat  wilt  thou 
 give mey  i^c}  Behold,  the  YJ okd  of  the  Lord 
 came  unto  him,  saying,  This  shall  not  he  thine  heir, 
 ^c.  And  he  (the  Word  of  the  Lord)  brought 
 him  forth  abroad^  and  said.  Look  now  toward  hea- 
 ven, cind  tell  the  stars^  if  thou  be  able  to  number 
 them  :  and  he  said  unto  him,  So  shall  thy  seed  be. 
 And  he  believed  in  the  "Lord,  &c.  And  he  said 
 unto  him,  J  am  the  Lord,  that  brought  thee  out  of 
 Ur  of  the  Chaldees,  to  give  thee  this  land  to  inherit 
 it.  And  he  said.  Lord  God,  whereby  shall  I 
 know  that  I  shall  inherit  it  P — In  t^'e  same  day  the 
 Lord  made  a  covenant  with  Abram.  Gen.  15. 
 I — 18.  The  Word  of  the  Lord  in  this  place, 
 who  is  addressed  under  such  magnificent  titles,  is 
 supposed  by  very  good  judges,  to  be  the  Logos 
 of  God,  the  Conductor  of  all  the  Divine  dispen- 
 sations, and  the  Mediator  between  God  and  man, 
 before  he  became  incarnate  for  our  salvation,  He 
 
 that 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  157 
 
 that  created  the  world  at  first  by  his  power,  the 
 same  governed  it  by  his  wisdom,  redeemed  it  by 
 his  blood,  and  will  judge  it  in  the  end  by  the 
 strictest  rules  of  mercy  and  equity.  * 
 96*,  The  Angel  of  the  Lord  that  appeared  unto  Ha- 
 gar  in  the  wilderness,  seems  to  have  been  more 
 than  a  common  Angel,  and  is  generally  supposed 
 by  the  Ancients  to  have  been  no  other  than  the 
 Son  of  God,  the  eternal  Logos  of  the  Father, 
 Sec  Gen.  16.  9 — 13,  where  there  appear  some 
 internal  marks  of  this  superiority.  The  Chaldee 
 paraphrase  translates  the  13th  v^rse,  "And  she 
 "  called  on  the  name  of  the  Lord,  who  spake 
 "  with  her,"  And  the  Jerusalem  Targum  saith, 
 **  She  prayed  in  the  name  of  the  Word  of  the 
 **  L^rd,  that  was  revealed  to  her,  and  said,  Bles- 
 *'  sed  ?rt  thou,  O  God,  &c." 
 
 *^  This  passage  cannot  suit  with  the  person  of 
 "  the  Father,  whom  it  would  not  be  proper  to 
 "  call  an  Angel  \  nor  with  the  person  of  2<n  Angela 
 "  which  it  would  not  be  proper  to  call  God  ;  but 
 "  it  may  comport  with  the  person  of  Christ  to 
 *'  be  God,  as  the  Son  of  God,  and  to  be  aa 
 "  Afigcl  too,  as  sent  to  reveal  his  Father's  will. 
 **  The  heretics  ought  to  consider  that  t!-.ey  run 
 **  counter  to  sacred  writ,  while  they  admit  that 
 <«  Christ  is  an  Angel,  and  yet  refuse  to  acknow- 
 ^^  ledge  that  he  is  God  also,"     Novat.  c.  26. 
 
 Again : 
 
 '  In  the  I  Kings  18.  24,  this  %%me  ,Memra,  or  Logos  of  God, 
 is  spoken  of  as  one  satt.  I  nvill  cati  on  the  navu  of  the  Lord,  is  para- 
 phrased by  Jonathan  ;  "  I  will  pray  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  and 
 **  he  shall  seiid  his  Word." 
 
 Deut.  4..  7,  is  paraphrased  ;  "  God  is  near  in  the  name  cf  the 
 «'  Lord." 
 
 Hosea  4.  9,  is  paraphrased  ;  "  God  will  receive  the  prayer  of 
 **  Isratl  by  his  Word,  aid  have  mercy  upon  ihein,  and  vvill  make 
 *•  thtm  by  his  Word  like  a  beautiful  figtrce." 
 
 Jer,  29.  14,  is  rei-dtred  ;  "  1  will  be  sought  by  ycu  in  rry 
 *•  WoRD,anu  I  will  be  eriquired  of  through  ycu  by  my  V/ord.'' 
 See  Jamieson's  Vind.  vo'.  i.  p.  54,  55. 
 
»S*  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 Again : — "  This  jingelj  if  he  were  oiily  an 
 "  Angely  why  does  he  take  upon  him  to  say— - 
 **  /  "joill  viake  of  hhn  a  great  nation  /" — whereas 
 *'  such  power  belongs  to  God,  and  cannot  be- 
 *'  long  to  an  Angd,"     Ibid. 
 
 Let  the  reader  consult  the  context  and 
 judge,  whether  the  transactions  therein  described 
 can  be  attributed  either  to  the  Father  of  the 
 universe,  or  any  merely  created  Angel. 
 57.*  The  Being,  who  appeared  to  Abraham,  and  with 
 whom  he  interceded  for  Sodom,  is  addressed  all 
 the  way  through  the  history  of  that  melancholy 
 event  by  the  appellation  of  Jehovah  : — And  Je- 
 hovah appeared  unto  Abraham  tn  the  plains  of 
 Mamre.  And  Jehovah  said-,  Shall  I  hide  from 
 Abraham  that  thing  which  I  do  F  ^seeing  that 
 Abraham  shall  surely  become  a  great  and  mighty 
 nation^  and  fll  the  nations  of  the  earth  shall  be  bles- 
 sed in  him  ?  For  I  know  him  that  he  will  command 
 his  children^  and  his  household  after  him^  and  ihey 
 shall  keep  the  way  <?/ Jehovah,  to  do  justice  and 
 
 judgment;  //^j/ Jehovah  may  bring  upon  Abra- 
 ham that  zvhich  he  hath  spoken  of  him,'  And  Je- 
 hovah said^  Because  the  cry  of  Sodom  and  Gomor- 
 rah is  greats  and  because  their  sin  is  very  grievous  ; 
 /  will  go  down  nozv  and  see  whether  they  have  done 
 altogether  according  to  the  cry  of  ity  which  is  come 
 unto  me ;  and  if  not^  I  will  know.  And  the  men 
 turned  their  faces  from  thence^  and  zvent  towards 
 Sodom  :  but  Abraham  stood  yet  before  Jehovah. 
 And  Abraham  drezv  near  and  said,  IVilt  thou 
 also  destroy  the  righteous  zvith  the  wicked  F  Per- 
 adventure  there  be  jifty  righteous  within  the  city  : 
 wilt  thou  also  destroy,  and  not  spare  the  place  for 
 the  ffty  righteous  that  are  therein  F  That  be  far 
 
 from  thee  to  do  after  this  manner,  to  slay  the  righte- 
 ous zvith  the  zvicked,  and  that  the  righteous  should 
 h  as  the  zvicked:  that  be  far  from  thee :  Shall  not 
 
 the 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  159 
 
 the  Judge  of  all  the  earth    do   7-ight  ?  And 
 Jehovah  said.  If  I  find  in  Sodom  fifty  righteous 
 within  the  city,  then  I  will  spare  all  the  place,  for 
 their    sakes.      And  Abraham  answered  and  said. 
 Behold,  now  I  have  taken  upon  me  to  speak  unto 
 Jehovah,  who  am  but  dust  and  ashes  :  peradven^ 
 ture   there  shall  lack  five  of  the  fifty  righteous  : 
 wilt  thou  destroy  all  the  city  for  lack  of  five  ?  A)id 
 he  said.  If  I  find  there  forty  and  five   I  will  not 
 destroy  it.     And  he  spake  unto  hijn  yet  again,   and 
 said,  Peradventure  there  shall  be  found  forty  there  ^ 
 A7id  he  said,  I  will  not  do  it  for  forty's  sake.     And 
 he  said  unto  him.   Oh,  let  not  Jehovah  be  angry 
 and   I  will  speak :    Peradventure    there  shall  be 
 thirty  found  there  f  And  he  said,  I  will  not  do  it, 
 if  1  find  thirty  there.     And  he  said.  Behold,  now 
 I  have  taken  upon  vie  to  speak  unto  Jehovah.- 
 Peradventure  there  shall  be  twenty  found  there  ? 
 And  he  said,  I  will  not  destroy  it  for  twenty's  sake. 
 And  he  said.  Oh,  let  not  Jehovah   be  angry,  and 
 I  will  speak  yet  but  this  once :  Peradventure  ten 
 shall  be  found  there  f  And  he  said,  I  zvill  not  de- 
 stroy it  for  ten's  sake.     And  Jehovah  went  his 
 way,  as  soon  as  he  had  left  communing  with  Abra- 
 ham :  and  Abraham  returned  unlq  his  place. 
 
 Now  what  shall  we  say  to  this  pathetic  narra- 
 tion ?  Our  Saviour  assures  us,  that  God  the  Fa- 
 ther never  has  appeared  to  any  man,  at  any  time. 
 Jehovah  is  a  name  never  given  to  the  Angels, 
 but  is  always  confined  to  the  great  I  AM.  The 
 Logos  of  God,  therefore,  is  the  JepJovah  here 
 spoken  of,^  as  conversing  with  Abraham. 
 
 That  this  was  the  opinion  of  the  ancient  Jews 
 is  evident  from  the  Jerusalem  Targum  upon  this 
 chapter,  where  one  of  the  three  angels  is  called 
 the  Monra  of  God.  Thus  speaks  that  Para- 
 phrast  upon  Gen.  18.  1.  "Three  angels  were 
 "  sent  unto  our  father  Abraham,  and  these  three 
 
 **  were 
 
j6»  an  apology  for  the 
 
 "  were  sent  for  three  purposes,  since  it  is  impos- 
 "  sible  for  one  of  the  highest  angels  to  be  sent 
 "  but  for  one  thing.  The  first  angel  was  sent  to 
 "  tell  our  father  Abraham,  that  behold  Sarah 
 **  should  bring  forth  Isaac ;  the  second  was  sent 
 "  to  deliver  Lot  out  of  the  midst  of  the  over- 
 **  throw  :  the  third  angel  was  sent  to  destroy 
 "  Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  Adm.ah  and  Zeboim. 
 *'  Therefore  he  was  the  prophetic  Word,  and 
 "  the  Word  of  the  Lord  appeared  to  him  in  the 
 "  valley  of  vision." 
 
 The  learned  Philo  was  of  the  same  opinion j 
 for  he  says  in  his  book  of  Dreams,  after  recit- 
 ing th  )se  wjrds  of  Genesis,  The  sun  ivas  risen 
 upon  the  earth  when  hot  entered  into  Zcar,  and 
 the  Lord  rained  brimstone  and  fire  npon  Sodom  and 
 Gomorrah,  he  immediately  adds,  "  For  the  Word 
 **  of  God,  when  he  visits  the  earth,  assists  those 
 *'  that  are  virtuous,  or  inclined  to  be  so,  in  af- 
 "  fording  them  all  refuge  and  safety  j  but  to  them 
 "  who  oppose  him  he  sends  inevitable  ruin  and 
 "  destruction." 
 
 Justin  Martyr  is  of  the  same  opinion : 
 "  When  the  scripture  says,  The  Lord  rained  fire 
 *'  from  the  Lord  cut  of  heaven^  the  prophetic 
 "  word  indicates  two  numerical  existences,  the  one 
 *'  existing  on  earth,  whom  it  reports  to  have 
 "  come  down  in  order  to'  examine  the  cry  of 
 **  Sodom,  the  other  abiding  in  the  heavens,  who 
 **  is  also  the  Lord  of  the  Lord  on  earthy  as  be- 
 "  ing  Father  and  God,  and  the  cause  of  ex- 
 *'  istence  to  him,  who  is  both  powerful,  and 
 **  Lord,  and  God."  Dial,  cum  \  ryph.  p.  358. 
 <j%.  The  story  of  Abimelech  and  Abraham,  and 
 God's  appearing  to  vindicate  Sarah's  honour,  is 
 of  a  nature  similar  to  all  the  other  Divine  mni- 
 fcstations.     See  Gen.  20.  3 — 7,  where  the  Chal« 
 
 dec 
 
'     DOCTRINE  OF  THE  "TRINITY.  161 
 
 dee  paraphrase  has  it,  "  The  Word  came  from 
 "  before  God." 
 
 99.  The  appearance  of  God  to  Abraham  again  con- 
 cerning I^hmael  is  o-f  the  same  kind.  The  cir- 
 cumstances of  the  story  render  it  inconsistenc 
 cither  with  the  Fathlr  of  the  universe,  or  a 
 created  Ancel.  It  must  have  been,  therefore, 
 the  Logos  of  God,  who  appeared,  accor(^ing  to 
 the  opinion  of  all  antiquity.  See  Gen.  21. 
 12 — 21. 
 
 soo.*  The  cirrumstances  of  the  history  make  It  vcr\' 
 evident  also,  that  it  was  the  same  glorious  Being  v/ha 
 appeared  to  Abraham  again,  afcer  he  had  offered 
 his  only  son  Isnac  in  sacrifice. '  The  chapter  be- 
 gins with  informing  us.,  that  God  did  tempt  Ahm- 
 ham.  At  the  twelfth  verse  the  Angel  of  God 
 says.  Lay  ml  thy  havd  upon  the  lad.,  for  now  I 
 knoiv  thou  fearest  God,  seeing  thou  hast  not  uilh- 
 held  thy  son  from  Mr:.  If  the  Angel  of  God. 
 the  Angel  of  the  covenant,  had  not  been  the 
 person,  who  tempted  Abraham  to  offer  up  his 
 son,  he  would  certainly  have  used  the  pronoun 
 him  instead  of  me^  as  the  term  GoD  immediately 
 precedes.  This  will  be  confirmed  by  what  fol- 
 lows, where  the  Angel  swears  by  himself,  and 
 blesses  Abraham  for  obcvin;:!'  his  voice,  the  voice 
 of  the  Angel,  and  not  the  voice  of  God,  which 
 it  ought  to  have  been,  had  the  person  who  spoke 
 X  been 
 
 ^  Gcri.  22.  In  our  account  of  all  these  Divine  manifestations,  th« 
 reader  would  do  well  to  have  his  bible  in  his  hand,  and  turn  to  the 
 chapters  as  thc;y  occur,  since  it  would  swell  this  treatise  (already  too 
 large)  to  a  much  greater  bulk,  were  we  to  produce  all  the  histories 
 at  length.  Upon  such  perusal  he  will  find,  that  the  Person,  who 
 appears  and  speaks,  is  neither  the  Father  of  the  universe,  nor  any 
 created  Angel.  There  are  certain  traits,  however,  in  every  one  of 
 these  sacred  stories,  which  indicate  the  character  of  the  person  to  be 
 truly  divine. 
 
i6z  '      AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 been  an  inferior  messenger  acting  in  the  name  of 
 Jehovah. * 
 
 101.  When  Jacob  fled  from  his  brother  Esati,  he  was 
 favoured  with  a  very  singular  and  comfortable 
 vision  of  the  Almighty,  who  declared  himself  to 
 be  the  God  of  his  fathers,  Abraham  and  Isaac* 
 See  Gen.  28.  10 — 17,  and  compare  it  with  Gen, 
 31.  I  r,  13,  and  Gen.  48.  15,  16.  Upon  this- 
 .  comparison  it  appears,  that  the  God  of  Abraham 
 and  Isaac,  in  the  first  passage,  is  an  Angel,  in 
 the  other  places.  But  the  Father  of  the  uni- 
 verse is  never  called  an  Angel  :  the  whole  must 
 be  attributed,  therefore,  to  the  Son  of  God,  who 
 was,  at  the  same  time,  the  God  of  Abraham  and 
 IsaaCj  the  God  of  Bethel,  the  God  that  fed 
 Jacob  all  his  life  long,  the  Angel,  which  redeem- 
 ed him  from  all  evil,  and  the  Messenger  of  the 
 covenant.  Compare  John  i*  51J  and  see  Mau- 
 rice's   Indian   Antiquities,   vol.  4.  p.   504,  505. 
 
 102.*  The  story  of  Jacob's  wrestling  with  an  angel 
 is  of  a  similar  kind.  *  This  will  appear  pretty 
 manifest,  if  the  narrative  be  compared  with  the 
 account  the  prophet  Hosea  gives  of  the  same 
 transaction :  jaco^  took  his  brother  by  the  heel  in 
 the  ivomb,  and  by  his  strength  he  had  power  "with 
 God :  yeay  he  had  power  over  the  Angel,  and 
 prevailed.  He  wept  and  made  supplication 
 unto  HIM.  He  found  him  in  Bethel^  and  there  he 
 spake  with  us  i  even  the  Lord  God  cf  hosts,  the 
 Lord  is  his  memorial. ' 
 
 103.*  Is  not  the  appearance  of  the  Angel  to  Moses  in 
 
 the 
 
 *  See  the  faith  of  the  ancient  Jews,  concerning  that  person  who  is 
 called  the  Angel  of  the  Lord,  in  Jamieson's  Vindication,  book  1. 
 chap.  8.  where  the  several  appearances  are  set  in  a  very  satisfac- 
 tory point  of  view. 
 
 •  Gen.  32.  24 — 30. 
 
 ■  Hos.  12.  3 — 5. — **  The  Lord  shewed,  that  it  was  not  only  a 
 *J  man  who  then  wrestled  with  Jacob,  but  also  Cod,^*    Novat.  c.  27. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  i6$ 
 
 the  bush  of  the  same  kind  also  ?  I  think  it  is. 
 The  serious  person  will  read  the  passage  and 
 judge  :  ^nd  the  Angel  of  the  Lord  appeared  unto 
 Moses  in  a  fame  of  fire  out  of  the  midst  of  a  bush  : 
 and  he  looked^  and  behold  the  bu.h  burned  with  fire y 
 and  the  bush  zvas  not  consumed.  And  Mcses  said, 
 I  will  now  turn  aside  and  see  this  great  sight y  why 
 the  bush  is  not  burned.  And  when  the  Lor  d  saw 
 that  he  turned  aside  to  see,  God  called  unto  him  out 
 of  the  midst  of  the  bush,  and  said,  M(.ses,  Moses, 
 And  he  said.  Here  am  I.  And  he  said.  Draw  not 
 nigh  hither:  put  off  thy  shoes  from  offthyjeet;  for 
 the  place  whereon  thou  standest  is  holy  ground. 
 Moreover,  he  said,  I  am  the  God  of  thy  father ^ 
 the  God  of  Abraham,  the  God  of  Isaac,  and  the 
 God  of  Jacob.  And  Moses  hid  his  face ;  for  he  was 
 afraid  to  look  upon  God.  Ex.  3.  1 — 7. 
 
 Let  this  account  be  compared  with  the  history 
 of  the  same  transaction  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apos- 
 tles ;  And  when  forty  years  were  expired,  there  ap- 
 peared to  Moses,  in  the  wilderness  of  mount  Sina, 
 an  As  GEL  of  the  Lord  in  a  fame  of  fire  in  a  bush. 
 And  when  Moses  saw  it  he  wondered  at  the  sight  .*- 
 and  as  he  drew  Jiear  to  behold  it,  the  voice  of  the 
 Lord  came  unto  him,  sayings  I  am  the  God  0/  thy 
 fathers,  the  Gop  of  Abraham,  and  the  God  of 
 Isaac,  and  the  God  of  Jacob.  Then  Moses  trem- 
 bled and  durst  not  behold,  then  said  the  Lord  to 
 him.  Put  off  thy  shoes  from  thy  feet  i  for  the  place 
 where  thou  standest  is  holy  ground.  I  have  seen, 
 I  have  seen,  the  affliction  of  my  people,  which  is  in 
 Egypt,  and  I  have  heard  their  groaning,  and  am 
 come   down  to  deliver   them.  *    Comp.    Jos.     5. 
 
 104.*  It 
 
 *'  He  was  both  an  Anqel,  and  God,  and  Lord>  who,  in  thp 
 **  formof  a  man,  wrestled  with  Jacob." 
 
 Just.  Dial,  cum  Tryph.  p.  281. 
 *  Acts  7,  30 — 34.    Justin  Martyr,  sneaking  of  this  transaction. 
 
16+  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE  ^ 
 
 104,*  It  seems  to  have  been  no  other  than  the  Son  of 
 God  who  slew  all  the  first-born  of  the  land  of 
 •Egypt :  for  the  sacred  history  attributes  the 
 whole  to  Jehovah.  The  Chaldce  paraphrase 
 applies  the  destruction  to  the  Word  of  the  Lord^ 
 a  term  common  in  that  work  for  the  Son  of 
 God:  ar.d  the  Wisdom  of  Solomon,  another 
 Jewish  composition,  tells  us  it  was  "  the  Al- 
 mighty Word  of  God,"  who  leaped  out  of 
 his  throne,  and  executed  the  mighty  destruction  : 
 — "  While  all  things  were  in  quiet  silence,  and 
 **  that  night  was  in  the  midst  of  her  swift  course  ; 
 "  thine  Almighty  Word  leaped  down  from 
 "  heaven  out  of  thy  royal  throne,  as  a  fierce  man 
 ^'  of  war,  into  the  midst  of  a  land  of  destruc- 
 "  tion  ;  and  brought  thine  unfeig.ied  command- 
 "  ment,  as  a  sharp  sword  j  and,  standing  up, 
 *'  filled  all  things  with  death  :  ami  it  touched  the 
 *?  heavens,  but  it  stood  upon  the  earth."  Wis- 
 dom  18.  1 4-— 16. 
 
 105.  It  seems  also  to  have  been  the  Son  of  God,  who 
 gave  the  Law^  on  mount  Sinai,  surrounded  by  his 
 host  of  angels.  Ex.    19.   1^—6. 
 
 Irensus  says,  that  "  the  Lord  himself  (that 
 *'  is  Christ)  spake  the  words  of  the  decalogue.** 
 See  lib.  4.  c.  31. 
 
 Clemens  Alexand.  says  also,  that  "  the  Word 
 *'  declared  himself  the  p^edagogue,  when  he  said 
 "  in  person,  /  am  the  Lord  thy  God^  ivbo  brought 
 "  thee  cut  of  the  Land  of  Egypt.  Psedag.  lib.  i . 
 p.   13 1.  And 
 
 says,  '*  Permit  me  to  shew  you  out  of  the  book  of  Exodus,  how  the 
 *'  very  same  person,  who  appeared  to  Abraham  and  Jacob,  as  an 
 *'  Angel,  and  GcD,  and  Lord,  and  Man,  appeared' to  Moses  in 
 **  a  flame  of  fire  out  of  the  bush,  and  talked  with  him." — Soon  after 
 he  adds — "  You  have  seen,  gentlemen,  that  the  same  person  whom 
 •"  Moses  calls  an  Angel,  and  who  conversed  with  him  in  a  flame 
 **  of  fire  ;  that  very  per. on  being  God,  signifies  to  Moses,  that  him- 
 V  $elf  is  the  God  of  Abraham,  and  of  Isaac,  and  of  Jacob." 
 
 Dial,  cum  '4r>T^'  P*  281,  2820 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  165 
 
 And  our  learned  Lightfoot  tells  us  that  "the 
 **  great   Angel   Christ,  at   the    giving  of  the 
 
 ,'  *'  law,  was  the  speaker,   and  all   the  created  an- 
 
 "  gels  his  silent  attendants."  Works,  vol.  1.  p. 
 1 229. 
 106.*  Vv'as  not  the  Angel  that  accompanied  the  Isra- 
 elites in  the  wilderness,  by  day  in  a  pillar  of  a 
 cloud,  and  by  night  in  a  pillar  of  fire,  the  Son  of 
 God  also  .''  It  should  seem  so.  The  reader  will 
 fcrm  his  own  judgment  when  he  has  carefully 
 perused  the  histoiy  of  that  wonderful  appoint- 
 ment. • 
 
 ,107,  The  glorious  Being,  who  revealed  himself  to 
 Moses  and  Aaron,  Nadab,  and  Abihu,  and  the 
 seventy  Elders  of  Israel,  appears  to  have  been 
 the  same.  Ex.  ■24,   9 — 11. 
 
 J08.  It  appears  from  the  circumstances  of  the  history, 
 that  the  Angel,   who   withstood  Balaam   in    t!ie 
 way,  as  he  went  to  curse  the  Israelites  at  the  in- 
 stigation of  Balak,  was  no  other  than  the  Son  of 
 God,  and  the  Lord  of  angels,  the  eternal  Word, 
 
 by 
 
 3  See  Ex.  23.  20 — 22. — Ibid.  32,  34. — Ibid.  33.  2. — Isaiah  6j. 
 9,10 — 1  Cor.  10.  9. — The  learned  Philo  says,  that  God  hath  set 
 over  the  works  of  his  hands  his  true  Word,  \\\sjirst-begcnen  Son. 
 And  then  he  quotes  that  passage  in  the  23d  cf  Exodus,  isehold  1  am, 
 and  1  nn'til  send  tny  Angel  before  thy  face  to  kefp  thee  in  the  nuay. 
 
 Philo  de  Agricultura,  p.  195. 
 
 Clemens  Alexandrinus  also  says,  "  It  was  the  Son  of  God  who  led 
 "  the  people  in  the  wilderness." 
 
 Paedagogus,  B.  i.e.  7. 
 
 Our  very  learned  Bishop  Patrick  hesitates  in  ascribing  this  and  some 
 other  appearances  of  angels  to  the  Logos  of  God,  although  he  ad- 
 mits of  such  appearance  when  any  epithet  discriptive  of  his  character  is 
 added.  He  is  affVaid  of  degrading  me  Son  of  God,  by  attributing  to 
 him  an  othce  beneath  his  proper  dignity.  But  when  we  consider 
 how  extremely  low  he  afterwards  conoescended  to  redeem  the  humaa 
 race,  we  shall  not  find  it  difhcuh  to  suppcse  he  might  be  the  Lader  oi" 
 the  hosts  of  Israel  through  the  wilderness,  and  submit  to  other  cfiices;, 
 which  we  might  think  t)eneath  him,  for  the  good  of  his  people.  Sec 
 ■f^trick  on  Gen.  4a*.  16,  and  Excd.  23.  20. 
 
i66  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 by  whom  the  worlds   were   made.  *    Num.    2 a? 
 
 22—35- 
 109.*  Is  not  the  appearance  of  the  Angel  to  Joshua 
 
 of  a  similar  kind  ?  It  should  seem  from  his  man- 
 ner of  addressing  him,  that  he  was  the  same  be- 
 ing who  some  years  before  had  spoken  to 
 Moses  in  the  burning  bush.  See  Jos,  5.  13 — 15, 
 and  compare  the  two  appearances.  Archbishop 
 Usher  says  upon  this  place,  "  Jesus  our  Lord, 
 "  the  Prince  of  his  Father's  host,  appearing  to 
 "  him  who  was  a  type  of  him  at  Jericho,  with 
 "  a  drawn  sword,  promised  to  be  the  defender  of 
 "  the  people."  Consult  Patrick  on  the  place^ 
 who  is  particularly  satisfactory. 
 
 110.*  The  Angel  of  the  Lord,  that  came  up  frorr^ 
 Gilgal  to  Bochim,  where  he  rebuked  the  children 
 of  Israel,  was  the  same  who  brought  them  up 
 out  of  Egypt,  and  established  them  in  Canaan, 
 for  I,  says  he,  viade  you  to  go  up  out  of  Egypt,  ami 
 ha-ve  brought  you  unto  the  land  zvhich  I  siv..re  un-r 
 ^0  your  fathers,  and  I  said,  I  zmll  never  break  my 
 covenant  zvith  you — but  ye  have  not  obeyed  my 
 voice.  See  Judg.  2.  i- — 23.  Consult  Patrick  on 
 the  place,  where  he  ascribes  all  that  is  here  said  to 
 the  same  Angel,  who  had  appeared  to  Jcshua 
 by  Jericho,  and  calls  him  the  Angel  of  the  cove^. 
 nam. 
 
 jii.*  The  Angel  that  appeared  to  Gideon,  likewise, 
 seems  to  have  been  no  other  than  the  Son  of 
 God  in  human  guise.  See  Judg.  6.  1 1 — 27, 
 In  thp  twelfth  verse  the  Targum  translates  it, 
 *'  The  Word  of  the  Lord  is  thy  help  :"  where- 
 by it  appears,  the  ancient  Jews  did  not  look  up- 
 on this  angel  merely  as  an  heavenly  messenger 
 sent  from  God,  but  as  the  Lord  himself,  as  he  is 
 
 called 
 
 ♦  *'  The  angel  who  appeared  to  Balaam  was  a,\I\oc;  0  Xoyog,  saya 
 J'renaeus,  in  Fragm.  p.  471.     Jortin's  Dissertations,  p.  186. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  167 
 
 fcalled,  ver.  14,  16,  23,  24,  25,  27.  In  the 
 thirteenth  verse  the  Targum  makes  it,  "  Is  the 
 "  ScHECHiNAH  of  the  Lord  our  help  ?  Whence 
 "  then  hath  all  this  happened  unto  us  ?"  From 
 which  it  appears  the  Word  of  the  Lordy  and  the 
 ScHECHiNAH  vf  the  Lordy  were  with  them  the 
 same.  Consult  Patrick  on  the  whole  chapter, 
 especially  the  23d.  verse,  where  he  attributes  the 
 appearance  to  the  Son  of  God. 
 
 112.*  The  ANGEL,  that  appeared  to  Manoah  and  his 
 wife,  seems  to  have  been  the  same,  who  appeared 
 to  Gideon,  and  Joshua,  and  the  other  ancient 
 Worthies  before  mentioned.  Jud.  13.  2 — 23. 
 I  must  refer  the  reader  to  Bishop  Patrick  again, 
 who  considers  this  Angel  also  to  be  the  Locos 
 of  God. ' 
 
 113.  The  same  person,  that  is  so  frequently  denominat- 
 ed the  Word  of  the  Lord,  is,  at  other  times 
 characterized  by  the  title,  the  Name  of  Jehovah, 
 miT  rDW  as  in  Isaiah  30.  27  j  Behold,  the  Name 
 0/  Jehovah  comet h  from  far,  burning  with  his  an^ 
 ger.  In  Prov.  18.  10,  we  have  a  similar  expres- 
 sion; The  Name  of  the  Lord  is  a  strong  tower  : 
 
 thither 
 
 •  A  learned  man  hath  summed  up  these  divine  mamfestatlons  ia 
 the  manner  following  : — "  It  was  the  voice  of  the  Logos  Adam  and 
 •'  Eve  heard  walking  in  the  garden. — It  was  he  who  swept  away  the 
 »*  old  world  by  a  flood,  and  preserved  Noah  and.  his  farnily.  It  was 
 *'  he  who  cursed  Ham  and  his  son  Canaan,  by  the  mouth  of  Noah. — 
 ••  It  was  he  who  called  Abraham. — And  in  a  word,  it  was  God  the 
 •'  Father  mediately,  and  the  Son  immediately  that  did  and  acted  alt 
 •*  that  is  attributed  to  God  in  the  Old,  as  well  as  in  the  New  Testa- 
 •*  ment. —  Hence  we  may  easily  see  whence  it  is  said,. that  Moses 
 "*'  chose  to  suffer  affliction,  rather  than  to  sin,  as  esteeming  the  re- 
 •♦  proach  of  Christ  better  than  all  the  treasures  of  Egypt :  and  upon 
 *'  what  account  we  are  exhorted  not  to  tempt  Christ,  as  the  Israelites 
 •*  in  the  wilderness  did  :  and  whence  it  is  that  Peter  asserts,  that 
 *♦  Christ,  by  his  Spirit,  did  irradiate  the  Prophets  of  old,  with  all 
 *"»  those  predictions  we  find  in  their  writings,  of  Christ's  sufferings, 
 ^*  and  the  New  Testament  times." 
 
 Fleming's  Chiistology,  vol.  i.  p.  227 — 234.. 
 
i<58  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 thither  the  righteous  runneth^  and  is  safe.  This  13 
 applied  to  Messiah  in  Midrasch  Tillim.  And 
 Philo  cells  us,  that  the  Logos  is  the  Name  of 
 the  Lord.  So  that  it  is  not  improbable,  but  the 
 Name  of  the  Lardy  in  the  Prophet,  is  the  same 
 person.     Comp.  Ps.   23.  3. 
 
 114.  Daniel  has  given  us  a  most  extraordinary  manifes- 
 
 tation  both  of  the  Father  and  the  Son.     Few- 
 descriptions  are  so  sublime  and  magnificent.      The 
 ;  frst  person  in  the  sacred  Trinity  is  described  in 
 
 the  following  manner  :— /  beheld  till  the  thrones 
 zverefxedy  and  the  ANCIENT  OF  DAYS  did 
 sit,  'in'hose  garment  "Ji'as  ix:hite  as  snow^  and  the 
 hair  of  his  head  like  the  pure  wool:  his  throne  was 
 like  the  fiery  flame ^  and  his  wheels  like  burnings  fire. 
 A  fiery  stream  issued  and  came  forth  from  before 
 him:  thousand  thou  hinds  ministered  unto  him,  and 
 ten  thousand  times  ten  thousand  stood  before  him : 
 the  Judgment  was  set,  and  the  books  were  opened. 
 After  this,  the  second  person  of  the  Trinity  is 
 introduced: — And,  behold,  one  like  the  Son  op 
 Man  came  with  the  clouds  of  heaven,  and  came  to 
 the  ANCIENT  OF  DAYS:  and  there  was 
 given  him  dominion,  and  glory,  and  a  kingd.Tii ;  that 
 till  people,  nations,  and  languages,  should  serve  him. 
 His  doyninion  is  an  everlasting  dominion,  which  shall 
 vot  pass  aWay,  and  his  kingdom  that  zvhiih  shall  nb't 
 be  destroyed.  Dan.  7.  13,  14.  When  this  visi.- 
 onary  representation  is  compared  with  the  other 
 celestial  appearances  we  have  had  occasion  to  re- 
 view, it  will  be  fuund,  I  apprehend,  to  confirm 
 this  general  proposition,  that  the  Son  of  God, 
 ■who  is  here  called  the  Son  of  man,  pre-existed 
 •  his  human  conception. 
 
 115.  The  prophet  Zechariah  had  a  vision  of  a  MajSt 
 riding  upon  a  red  horse,  who  is  called  in  the  fol- 
 lowing verses  an  Angel  ;  which  is  generally 
 supposed  to  be  the  Angel  of  the  covenant.  CH# 
 
 u 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  169 
 
 I.  7 — II.  See  Lowth  on  these  verses,  where  he 
 considers  one  of  the  Angels  rrientioned  as  the  l^o- 
 GO'n  of  God y  with   a  good  degree   of  plausibility. 
 
 116.  And  he  shewed  me  Joshua  the  high-priest  standing 
 before  the  Angel  of  ihe  Lord,  and  Satan  standing 
 at  his  right  hand  to  resist  him.  And  the  Lord 
 said  unto  Satany  T'he 'Lord  rebuke  thee,  O  Satan^ 
 even  the  Lord  that  hath  chosen  Jerusakm  rebuke 
 thee.  Zech.  3.  i,  2.  Here  seem  to  be  two  Je- 
 HOVAHS  mentioned,  one  of  whom  is  called  an 
 Angel,  which  can  be  no  other  than  the  Angel 
 of  the  covenant.  Comp.  Ch.  12.  8.  See  Lowth 
 on  the  place. 
 
 117.  Isaiah  was  favoured  with  a  vision  of  the  Almighty 
 
 truly  sublime  and  magnificent.  In  ihe  year  that 
 king  Uzziah  diedy  says  he,  /  sazv  also  the  Lord  sit- 
 ting upon  a  thronCy  high  and  lifted  ?//>,  and  his  train 
 filled  the  temple.  Ch.  6.  i — 3.  In  the  fifth  verse 
 of  this  chapter  the  same  person  is  called  the  Kingy 
 /i?^  Lord  OF  hosts.  St.  John,  ch.  12.  41,  tells 
 us,  that  the  person,  whom  the  Prophet  saw  in  this 
 vision,  was  Jesus  Christ.  These  things  said  Isaiah 
 when  he  saw  his  (Christ's)  glory,  and  spake  of  him, 
 Christ,  therefore,  in  the  opinion  of  St.  John,  is 
 the  Lord  of  hosts. 
 
 Eusebius  understands  this  whole  representation 
 of  the  Prophet  as  applicable  to  the  Son  of  God 
 only.  "  What  Lord  was  this,"  says  he,  "  which 
 -"  the  Prophet  saw  ?  No  other  surely  but  he  that 
 "  was  seen  by  Abraham  and  the  old  Patriarchs, 
 "  and  with  whom  they  spake  and  conversed  -, 
 "  even  he  who  was  at  once  God,  and  Lord,  and 
 '  *'  Angel,  and  supreme  General  of  God's  ?t- 
 "  mies.  He  being  about  to  give  the  Prophet  an 
 "  account  of  his  appearing  among  men,  thought 
 "  fit  to  represent  unto  him  first  the  glory  of  his 
 "  kingdom,  and  therefore  discovers  himself  as 
 "  sitdng  in  state  and  majesty  upon  a  most  glo- 
 Y  "  rious 
 
170  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 '^  rious  throne;  which  throne  is  the  santie  that 
 "  the   Psalmist  speaks   of,  when   he   says,  Thy 
 "  throne^  O  God,   is  forever  and  every  &c.  where 
 '*  it  is  plain  that  God  speaks  to  Christ  his  Son 
 "  concerning  his    kingdom.     And   of    this    the 
 '=  Psalmist  speaks  again,  when  he  says,  The  Lord 
 "  said   unto  my  Lord,  sit  thoiiy^  &c."    Dem, 
 Evang.  i.  7.  c.   I. 
 If  all  the  Divine  dispensations  from  the  beginning  of 
 time  have  been  conducted  by  the  Logos  of  God,  as  the 
 Son,  and  Heir,  and  Angel  of  his  almighty  Father, 
 then  we   may,   with  propriety,  apply  to  him  the  most 
 sublime  hymn  of  the  prophet  Habakkiik.    This  is  the 
 more  allowable,  because  the  thirteenth  verse  expressly 
 ascribes  the  mighty  works  commemorated  in  the  hymn 
 to  the  agency  of  Messiah.     Thou  went  est  forth  for  the' 
 salvation  of  thy  people^for  salvation  with  thy  MESSIAH. 
 He  is  speaking  of  the  successes  of  Joshua,  and  proba- 
 bly alludes  to  the  Captain  of  the  Lord's  host  mention- 
 ed in  Jos.  5.   13 — 15.  It  may  be  allowable,  therefore, 
 to  consider  Messiah  as  the  conductor  of  all  the  wonder- 
 ful works  described  with  so  much  sublimity  in  this  noble 
 composition. 
 
 The  subject  of  it  is  this  :  God  having  threatened  that 
 he  would  send  his  people  into  captivity  for  their  sins, 
 the  Prophet  undertakes  to  intcrceed  with  him,  that  the 
 time  of  it  may  be  shortened.  This  is  the  introduction, 
 and  is  comprehended  in  the  second  verse.  Then  from 
 that  to  the  sixteenth  verse  he  takes  a  survey  of  the  many 
 wonderful  works  which  God  had  wrought  for  Israel  in 
 bringing  them  out  of  Egypt,  and  giving  them  possession 
 
 of 
 
 *  This  application  of  the  Prophet's  vision  to  Christ  is  confirmed  by 
 the  concurring  testimony  of  most  of  the  Christian  fathers.  See 
 Just.  Mart.  Quest,  et  Resp.  p.  417. — Irensus,  lib.  4.  c.  37.— 
 Athan.  p.  877,  889.— Hil.  Trin.  1.  5.  c.  33.— Basil  Cont.  Eunom. 
 1-  S- — Hieron.  in  loco. — Epip.  Ancorat.  p.  13,  !5.'-Cyril  Hier. 
 Cat.  14. — Amb.  de  Fid.  1.  i.  c.  12. — Greg.  Nyss.  contt  Eunom. 
 1.  2. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  171 
 
 of  the  land  of  Canaan.  In  the  sixteenth  verse  the  Pro- 
 phet describes  in  what  manner  he  was  affected  with  the 
 threat<rning,  and  takes  occasion  from  thence  to  pray, 
 that  he  might  be  gathered  to  his  fathers  in  peace,  before 
 tiie  king  of  Babylon  should  invade  Judea,  and  carry  the 
 people  captive ;  adding  in  the  seventeenth  verse,  as  a 
 reason  for  his  prayer,  a  description  of  the  desolation 
 which  should  then  come  upon  the  land. 
 
 After  this,  the  Prophet  concludes  in  the  eighteenth 
 verse  with  declaring,  that  whatever  became  of  himself, 
 he  W'Mjld  still  rejoice  in  hope,  that  God  would  visit  his 
 people  again  with  his  salvation.  And  then,  verse  nine- 
 teenth, glorying  in  Jehovah  as  their  strength,  the  Pro- 
 phet rests  assured,  that  he  would  in  due  time  j^estore  the 
 captive  Jews  to  their  own  land,  giving  them  the  agility 
 of  the  hind  to  return  once  more  to  the  fertile  and  darl- 
 ing hills  of  Judea. 
 
 We  will  now  transcribe  the  whole  hymn  from  Green '^ 
 translation,  only  making  two  or  three  alterations,  which 
 seem  more  a";reeable  to  the  original. 
 
 *C3' 
 
 118.  *'  A  Prayer  of  the  Prophet  Habakuk. 
 
 **  O  Lord,  I  have  heard  thy  threatening  : 
 *'  I  am  in  pain,  O  Lord,  for  thy  work; 
 "  In  the  midst  of  the  years  revive  it : 
 "  In  the  midst  of  the  years  shew  compassion  i 
 "  In  wrath  remember  mercy. 
 **  God  went  forth  from  Tern  an, 
 "   Even  the  Holy  One  from  mount  Paran. 
 "  His  majesty  covered  the  heavens, 
 "   And  his  glory  filled  the  earth. 
 
 ,  "  His  brightness  was  as  the  brightness  of  the  sui 
 "  He  had  beams  of  light  issuing  from  his  hand, 
 "   And  there  was  the  hiding  place  of  his  powci. 
 
 **  The  pestilence  marched  before  him, 
 **  And  devouring  fire  followed  after  iiiin, 
 
 Y  z 
 
1^2  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 "  He  stood  and  measured  out  the  land, 
 
 **  He  beheld  and  scattered  the  nations. 
 
 "  The  eternal  mountains  dispersed, 
 
 *'  The  everlasting  hills  bowed, 
 
 **  The  everlasting  ways  owned  their  Lord. 
 
 "  I  saw  the  tents  of  Cusham  in  consternation  ; 
 
 **  And  the  tent  curtains  of  the  land  of  Midian  trembled, 
 
 **  Was  the  Lord  displeased  at  the  rivers  ? 
 **  Was  thine  indignation  against  the  rivers  ? 
 **  Was  thy  wrath  against  the  sea, 
 **  When  thou  rodest  on  thine  horses 
 *'  And  thy  chariots  of  salvation  ? 
 
 "  No  ;  thou  laidest  bare  thy  bow  to  fight  for  Israel^ 
 
 *•  According  to  thy  oath  unto  the  tribes,  and  thy  promise. 
 
 **  Thou  deavedest  the  dry  land  into  rivers  ; 
 
 "  The  mountains  saw  thee,  and  were  in  pangs. 
 
 •'  The  overflowing  water  hasted  away  ; 
 
 "  The  deep  uttered  its  voice, 
 
 •*  And  lifted  up  its  hands  on  high. 
 
 "  The  sun  and  moon  stood  still  in  their  habitation  ; 
 
 **  By  their  light,  thine  arrows  flew  abroad  ; 
 
 •'  And  by  their  shining,  thy  glittering  spear. 
 
 "  Thou  marchedst  through  the  land  in  indignation, 
 
 *'  Thou  trampledest  underfoot  the  nations  in  anger. 
 
 *'  Thou  wentest  forth  for  the  salvation  of  thy  people, 
 
 *'  For  salvation  with  thy  MESSIAH.* 
 
 '*.  Thou  woundedst  the  head  of  the  house  of  the  wicked  ; 
 
 «♦  Thou  raisedst  the  foundation  of  it,  even  to  the  rock  ; 
 
 "  Thou  piercedst  through  with  thy  sceptre  the  head  of  the 
 
 village. 
 **  When  they  came  out  as  a  whirlwind  to  scatter  us, 
 *'  Their  rejoicing  was,  as  when  about 
 **  To  devour  the  poor  man  in  secret. 
 "  Thou  marchedst  with  thine  horses  to  the  western  sea, 
 
 •'  To  the  heap  of  miehty  waters. 
 
 .  ^  ^    '  ''  When 
 
 *See  Whitby  on  i  Cor.  lo.  9. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  173 
 
 **  When  I  heard  thy  threat eningt  my  bowels  were  troubled ; 
 "  My  lips  quivered  at  thy  voice  ; 
 **  A  wasting  entered  into  my  bones, 
 **  And  my  steps  tottered  under  me. 
 
 *»  Oh,  that  I  might  be  at  rest  before  the  day  of  distress, 
 **  When  the  invader  shall  come  up  against  the  people  with  his 
 , '  troops ! 
 
 «*  For  then  the  ligtree  shall  not  flourish, 
 
 *'  Nor  shall  fruit  be  on  the  vines ; 
 
 **  The  produce  of  the  olive  shall  fail, 
 
 "  And  the  fields  shall  yield  no  food  ; 
 
 *'  The  flock  shall  be  cut  off  from  the  fold, 
 
 «'  And  no  herd  shall  be  left  in  the  stalls. 
 
 **  Nevertheless,  I  will  rejoice  in  the  Lord  ; 
 
 **  I  will  be  exceeding  joyful  in  the  God  of  my  salvation. 
 
 **  The  Lord  Jehovah  is  my  strength  ; 
 
 **  He  will  make  my  feet  like  hinds  feet, 
 
 *'  And  cause  me  to  tread  again  on  my  own  fertile  hills  !'* 
 
 The  words  of  Eusebiiis  will  close  this  account  of 
 the  divine  manifestations  with  effect : — "  I  will  here  ex- 
 plain myself,"  says  this  learned  Father,  "  upon  the 
 fundamental  point  of  Christ's  divinity  and  humanity, 
 so  as  to  silence  those  adversaries,  who  call  the  Chris- 
 tian religion  a  new  and  upstart  institution.  They  are 
 therefore,  desired  to  understand,  that  its  author's  na- 
 ture and  substance  is  of  an  existence  ineffably  eter- 
 nal ;  for  who  shall  declare  hh  generation  ?  No  one  has 
 known  the  Father  but  the  Sony  and  no  one  the  Son  but 
 the  Father  \  with  whom,  and  from  whom  he  subsisted 
 from  everlasting,  the  glorious  minister  of  his  will; 
 by  whom,  as  he  created,  so  he  governs  all  things, 
 his  only-begotten  Son,  truly  God:  for  in  the  begin- 
 ning was  the  Word^  and  the  Word  was  with  God^  and 
 the  Word  was  God.  All  things  were  made  by  him, 
 and  without  him  was  nothing  made.  Accordingly, 
 Moses  assures  us,  that  the  Father  communicated  vvith 
 
 -  «  him 
 
174-       '  ■    AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 *'  hini  his  counsel  of  creating  man,  where  he  says,  Let 
 *'  us  make  man  after  our  image.  To  the  same  effect  the 
 **  Pialmist  J  He  spake  and  they  were  made  ;  he  command- 
 "  ed  and  they  were  created.  The  Father  pronounced 
 "  his  pleasure,  which  the  Son  administered.  This  is  he 
 "  whom  the  Patriarchs  and  Prophets,  both  before  and 
 "  after  Moses,  beheld  frequently  exhibited  before  their 
 **'  eyes,  and  as  frequently  received  with  adorations.  This 
 "  is  the  Lord  God,  that  appeared  to  Abraham  in  a  hu- 
 "  man  shape,  before  whom  he  kneeled,  and  to  whom 
 "  he  addressed  himself  in  these  Vv'ords,  Shall  not  the 
 "  herd  of  the  whole  earth  judge  righteomly  ?  The  scrip- 
 *^  ture  cannot  lie,  nor  the  God-head  become  a  human 
 *'  body  ;  so  that  unless  by  the  Lord  of  the  whole  earth, 
 *'  in  this  place,  is  meant  the  first  unbegotten  cause  of 
 *'  things,  which  it  cannot  be,  it  must  signify  the  Logos, 
 ^'^  or  Word;  concerning  whom  the  Psalmist,  Ue  sent 
 **  out  his^No's.T)  and  healed  tbeniy  and  they  were  saved 
 *^  from  their  destruction.  This  is  that  Lord  that  rained 
 "  fre  upon  Sodcni  and  Gomorrah  from  the  Lord  out  of 
 *'  heaven  ;  that  God  who  wrestled  with  Jacob,  and 
 «'  fi-om  whom  he  called  the  place  where  they  strove, 
 **  ^he  vision  of  God,  because  he  had  s<:en  him  face  to 
 *'  face.  Nor  were  these  the  appearances  of  angels ; 
 ''  the  scripture  ascribing  them  nor,  as  at  other  times, 
 "  to  angels,  but  to  God.  Thus,  again,  when  he  pre- 
 *'  sented  himself  in  the  form  of  a  man  before  Joshua, 
 "  he  tells  him  the  place  is  sanctified  by  his  presence ; 
 <^  at  which  Joshua  falls  upon  his  knees,  and  acknow- 
 <^  ledges  him  Captain  of  the  host  of  the  Lord.  So  vv'e 
 "  find  the  place  where  he  talked  with  Moses  consecrat- 
 **  ed  by  his  presence  ;  for  he  was  the  God  of  Abraham, 
 <^  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  the  Wisdom  of  God  l^efore  the 
 «'  foundation  of  the  world,  that  pitched  his  tabernacle  with 
 »*  prudence  and  called  to  him  knowledge  and  understanding'^ 
 <'  by  whom  princes  ride,  and  nobles,  even  all  the  judges  of 
 "  the  earth  \  whom  the  Lord  created  the  beginning  of  his 
 "  ways,  before  his  works  cfold.     Thus  it  pleased  the  di- 
 
 "  vine 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  175 
 
 "  vine  goodness  to  manifest  itself — till  the  world  being 
 "  prepared  for  the  entertainment  of  his  divine  truths, 
 '^  the  Son  of  God  came  incarnate  to  perform,  to  teach, 
 "  and  to  suffer  whatever  the  Prophets  had  foretold 
 *^  concerning  him ;  and,  lastly,  to  receive  that  kingdom, 
 **  that  universal  everlasting  dominion,  which  the  pro- 
 "  phet  Daniel  represents  him  invested  wich,  in  the 
 "  midst  of  thousand  thousands  and  ten  thousand  times 
 *'  ten  thousands.  All  these  characteristics  are  apphca- 
 "  ble  only  to  the  eternal  Word  incarnate."  ' 
 
 We  have  brought  our  Inquiry,  concerning  the  Person 
 of  Jesus,  down  through  the  historical  and  prophetical 
 scriptures,  for  a  period  of  3600  years  ;  or  rather,  from 
 the  beginning  of  the  world  to  the  birth  of  Christ,  which 
 is  about  4000  years;  and  the  amount  of  the  evidence 
 seems  to  me  very  considerable  for  the  pre-existence  and 
 eternal  divinity  of  the  Son  of  God.  The  reader  will 
 pay  it  that  attention  which  he  judges  it  deserves. 
 
 Eccleslast.  Hist.  1.  i.  c.  2, 
 
 END  OF  THE  FIRST  PART. 
 
PART  SECOND. 
 
 SECTION    I. 
 
 Various  testimonies  to  the  PERSON  and  CHARACTER  of  Christ,  im- 
 mediately antecedent  to  his  birth,  and  during  his  abode  upon  earth, 
 
 IT  is  time  to  proceed  to  an  examination  of  the  New 
 Testament.     And  here,  likewise,  we  wUl  conduct 
 our  inquiry,  as  near  as  may  be,  according  to  the  order 
 of  time,  because  the  evidence  grows  clearer  and  fuller,  > 
 till  we  arrive  towards  the  close  of  the  scriptural  canon. 
 
 1 15.*  First,  then,  the  angel  Gabriel  spake  strong  things 
 of  the  Redeemer's  glory,  sometime  before  he 
 was  conceived  in  the  womb  : — Many  of  the  child- 
 ren of  Israel^  says  he  to  Zacharias,  shall  John  turn 
 to  the  Lord  their  God.  And  he  shall  go  be- 
 fore HIM  in  the  spirit  and  power  of  EliaSy  to  turn 
 the  hearts  of  the  fathers  to  the  children ;  and  the 
 disobedient  to  the  ivisdo?n  of  the  Just ^  to  make  rea- 
 dy a  people  prepared  for  the  Lord.  * 
 
 1 20.*  Fear  not^  Mary  ;  for  thou  hast  found  favour  with 
 
 God.    Andj  beholdj  thou  shalt  conceive  in  thy  womhy^ 
 
 Z  and 
 
 '  Luke  I.  16,  17. — Dr.  Clarke  observes  upon  the  above  words, 
 the  Lord  their  God,  that  "  they  are,  in  strictness  of  construction,  im- 
 *'  mediately  connected  with  the  fbllovving  word,  him  ;  which  must 
 "  necessarily  by  understood  of  Christ."  Whether  the  expression,  the 
 Lord  their  God,\y\\\,  in  consequence,  belong  likewise  to  him,  the  rea- 
 der must  judge.  It  seems  so  to  me  ;  and  the  learned  Doctor  appears 
 to  have  been  of  the  same  opinion. 
 
 Scrip.  Doct.  p.  72, 
 
 9  "  Vain  are  the  Ebionites,  who"  says  Irensus,  "  do  not  receive 
 **  into  their  faithless  minds  the  union  of  God  and  man,  but,  per- 
 *'  sisting  in  the  old  leaven  of  production,  are  unwilling  to  understand, 
 **  that  the  Holy  Ghost  came  upon  Mary,  and  the  power  of  the  High- 
 
1 73  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 and  bring  forth  a  souy  and  shall  call  his  name  Jesus, 
 He  shall  be  greaty  and  shall  be  called  the  Son  of 
 the  Highest ;  and  the  Lord  God  shall  give  unto 
 him  the  throne  of  his  father  David :  and  he  shall 
 reign  over  the  house  of  Jacob  forever ;  and  of  his 
 kingdom  there  shall  be  no  end.  Then  said  Mary 
 unto  the  Angela  How  shall  this  be^  seeing  I  know 
 not  a  man  ?  And  the  Angel  answered  and  said  unto 
 hery  The  Holy  Ghost  shall  come  upon  thecy  and  the 
 pozver  of  the  Highest  shall  overshadow  thee  ;  there- 
 fore 
 
 '*  est  overshadowed  her ;  wherefore  that  which  was  conceived  is 
 "  holy,  and  the  Son  of  the  most  high  God,  the  Father  of  the  uni- 
 *'  verse,  who  effected  his  incarnation,  and  shewed  an  example  of  a 
 •*  new  generation ;  that,  inasmuch  as  by  the  former  generation,  we 
 "  inherited  death,  so  by  this  generation  we  might  inherit  life." 
 Lib.  5.  cap.   I. 
 
 Tertullian  expresses  this  miraculous  transaction  in  various  ways: 
 — -"  He  is  a  ray  of  God,  which,  darting  down  upon  a  certain  virgin, 
 **  and  being  in  her  womb  fashioned  into  flesh,  ivas  horn  a  Man  mixt 
 *'  tvith  God.''*     Apol.  adv.  Gentes,  cap.  21. 
 
 Again :  — "  We  have  learned  that  Christ  proceeded  forth  from 
 *'  God,  and  was  begotten  by  procedure,  and,  therefore,  that  he  is 
 **  called  the  Son  of  God,  and  God,  from  the  unity  of  substance." 
 Ibid. 
 
 Again  : — "  The  sun  will  be  in  the  ray,  because  the  ray  is  ofF  the 
 **  sun,  nor  is  the  substance  separated,  but  extended  :  what  goeth 
 *'  forth  from  God  is  God,  and  the  Son  of  God,  and  both  are  one." 
 Ibid. 
 
 Again  : — *'  The  flesh  is  not  God,  but  he  who  was  born  in  the  flesh 
 "  is  God. — A  double  state  then  we  see,  not  confused,  but  united  in 
 *'  one  person.  Go n  and  the  Man   Jesus."     Adv.  Prax.  cap    27. 
 
 Origen  says,  "  The  Word  of  God,  clothed  in  the  flesh  of  Mary, 
 *'  came  forth  into  the  world,  and,  indeed,  it  was  one  thing  which  in 
 *'  him  was  seen,  another  which  was  understood.  For  the  appear- 
 **  ance  of  flesh  in  liim  was  obvious  to  all ;  buc  to  few  and  chosen 
 **  persons  was  the  knowledge  of  his  Godhead  imparted."  Horn. 
 I.  in  Levit. 
 
 Again  :—"  Christ  is  the  Word  of  God  ;  but  the  Word  ivcs 
 *'  made  flesh.  In  Christ,  therefore,  there  is  one  substance  from 
 **  above,  another  assumed  of  the  human  nature  and  the  virgin's 
 *'  womb."     Horn.  9.  in  Genesin. 
 
 St  Cyprian  declares  of  him,  that  **  the  Holy  Ghost  co-operating, 
 **  he  took  flesh  of  a  virgin,  and  thus  became  God  mixed  'witk 
 *'  Man."    De  Vanitate  Idol. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  179 
 
 fore  also  that   holy   things   'which  shall  he  horn  of 
 thee,  shall  he  called   The  Son  of   God.  Luke 
 
 121.*  The  tescimony  of  Elizabeth,  the  mother  of  John 
 the  Baptist,  is  this : — And  EUzaheth   "juas  filled 
 iviih  the  Holy  Ghost  j  and  she  spake  cut  "with  a 
 loud  voicey  and  said.  Blessed  art  thou  among  zuomen, 
 and  hies  sed  is  the  fruit  of  thy  womh.     And  ivhence 
 is  this  to  me,  that  the  mother  of  my  Lord  should 
 cometofucF  Lnke   i.  41 — 43. 
 122.*  The  declarations  of  Zacharias,  the  father  of  John, 
 are  somewhat  similar  to  those   of  his  wife.     Be- 
 ing filled   with  the    Holy  Ghost  he  said : — And 
 thou,    cbildy    shah   he  called,   the  prophet   of  the 
 Highest  ;  for  thou  shalt  go  lefore  the  face  of  the. 
 Lord  to  prepare  his  zvays ^  to  give  knowledge  of 
 salvation  unto  his  people,  hy  the  remission  of  their 
 sins,  through  the  tender  mercy  of  our  God ;  zvherehy 
 THE  DAY-SPRING  from  on  high  hath  visited  us, 
 to  give  light  to  them  that  sit  in  darkness,  and  in  the 
 shadow  of  death,  to  guide  our  feet  into  the  way  of 
 peace.  Luke   i.   76 — 79. 
 123.*  The  Angel,  after  the  birth  of  our  Saviour,  gave 
 the  shepherds  to  understand,  that  there  was  some- 
 thing very  extraordinary  in   his  character :- — And 
 there  zvcre  in  the  country  shepherds  abiding  in  the 
 field,  keeping  watch  over  their  fiock  hy  night.    Andy 
 lo,  the  Angel  of  the  Lord  came  upon  them,  and  the 
 glcry  of  the  Lord  shone  round  ahout  ihem  /  and  they 
 were  sore  afraid.     /Ind  the  Angel  said  unto  them. 
 Fear  not :  Jor,  heboid,  I  bring  you  good  tidings  of 
 great  joy,  which  shall  he  to  all  people.     For  unto 
 you  is  kc-rn   this  day,  in  the  city  of  David,  a  Savi- 
 our,  which   is   Christ    the    Lord. — Suddenly 
 there  was  zvith  the  Angel  a  multitude  of  ihe  hea- 
 venly host  praising  God  and  saying.  Glory  to  God  in 
 the  highest,  and  on  earth  peace,  good  will  tozvards 
 men.  Luke  2.  8 — 14. 
 
 Z  2  124.  The 
 
i8o  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 124,  The  testimony  of  good  old  Simeon  is  much  the 
 same  with  all  the  former  : — There  i^as  a  man  in 
 Jerusakm  whose  name  was  Simeon  ;  and  the  same 
 man  was  just  and  devout  ^  waitino^for  the  Consola- 
 tion of  Israel :  and  the  Holy  Ghost  was  upon  him. 
 And  it  was  revealed  unto  him  hy  the  Holy  Ghost-, 
 that  he  should  not  see  death  before  he  had  seen  the 
 Lord's  Christ,  And  he  came  by  the  Spirit  into  the 
 temple.  And  when  the  parents  brought  in  the 
 child  Jesus  to  do  for  him  after  the  custom  of  the 
 lazi'y  then  took  he  him  up  in  his  arms,  and  blessed 
 God,  and  said,  Lord,  now  lettest  thou  thy  servant 
 depart  in  peace,  according  to  thy  word  ^  for  mine 
 eyes  have  seen  thy  Salvation,  which  thou  hast 
 prepared  before  the  face  of  all  people  ^  ^  Light 
 to  lighten  the  Gentiles,  and  the  Glory  of  thy  peo- 
 ple Israel.  Luke  2.  25 — 32. 
 
 X25.  St.  Matthew's  account  of  his  birth  is  well  known  : 
 —^Now,  says  he,  the  birth  of  Jesus  Christ  was  on 
 this  wise :  J-Iljcn  as  his  mother  Mary  zvas  espoused 
 to  Joseph,  before  they  came  together,  she  was  found 
 with  child  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Then  Joseph^ 
 her  husband,  being  a  just  man,  and  not  willing  to 
 make  her  a  public  example,  was  minded  to'  put  her 
 away  privily.  But  while  he  thought  on  these  things, 
 behold,  the  Angel  of  the  Lord  appeared  unto  hitn  in 
 a  dream,  saying,  Joseph,  thou  son  of  David,  fear 
 fiot  to  take  unto  thee  Mary,  thy  wife;for  that 
 which  is  conceived  in  her  is  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
 And  she  shall  bring  forth  a  son,  and  thou  shalt  call 
 his  fiame  Jesus  ;  for  he  shall  save  his  people  from 
 their  sins'.  Now  all  this  zvas  done,  that  it  might 
 be  fulfilled  zvhich  was  spoken  of  the  Lord  by  the 
 Prophet,  saying.  Behold,  a  virgin  shall  be  zzith 
 child,  and  shall  bring  forth  a  sen,  and  they  shall 
 call  his  name  Emmanuel ',  which,  being  interpret- 
 ed, is  God  with  us.  *  Some  writers  would  in- 
 sinuate, 
 VJVfat,  1.  18—23.  See  Whitby  on  the  place. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  i8t 
 
 sinuate,  that  St.  Matthew  may  here  mean  the 
 Fathers  but  a  bare  -perusal  of  the  passage  will 
 easily  refute  the  supposition.  The  text  is  plain 
 and  full  to  the  contrary.  It  is  then  pretended, 
 that  the  name  Emmanuel  proves  nothing  more, 
 in  point  of  argument,  than  the  names  of  places, 
 such  as  Jehovah-Jireh,  Jehovah-Shammah,  Jeho- 
 vah-Shalom, Jehovah-Nissi,  and  the  like.  In 
 answer  to  this  surmise,  we  will  throw  into  the 
 bottom  of  the  page  the  reasoning  of  bishop  Pear- 
 son upon  it  i  *  and  I   would  observe,  that  most, 
 
 if 
 
 *  "  That  the  name  of  God  invested  by  way  of  excellency  with 
 ***  an  article  is  attributed  in  the  scriptures  unto  Christ,  may  thus  be 
 *'  made  good.  He  who  is  call§d  Emmanuel  is  named  God  by  way  of 
 *'  excellency  ;  for  that  name,  saith  St.  Matthew,  being  interpreted^ 
 *'  is  God  HAjith  us,  and  in  that  interpretation  the  Greek  article  is 
 "  prefixed.  But  Christ  is  called  Emmanuel;  that  it  might  be 
 "  fulfilled  n.vhich  ijuas  spoken  of  the  Lord  by  the  Prophet ;  saying,  Be- 
 *'  hold,  a  Virgin  shall  be  ijoith  child,  and  shall  bring  forth  a  son,  and 
 "  they  shall  call  his  name  Emmanuel.  Therefore  he  is  that  God 
 *'  with  us,  which  is  expressed  by  way  of  excellency,  and  distinguish- 
 *'  ed  from  all  other  who  are  any  way  honoured  with  that  name. 
 "  For  it  is  a  vain  imagination  to  think  that  Christ  is  called  Emma- 
 **  Nu  EL,  but  that  he  is  not  what  he  is  called:  as  Moses  built  an 
 **  altar,  and  calle'd  the  name  of  it  Jehovah-Nissi,  and  Gideon  ano- 
 «'  ther  called  Jehovah-Shalom  ;  and  yet  neither  altar  was  Jehovah  : 
 **  as  Jerusalem  was  called  the  Lord  our  Righteousness,  and  yet  that 
 «*  city  was  not  the  Lord.  Because  these  two  notions,  which  are 
 f*  conjoined  in  the  name  Emmanuel,  are  severally  true  of  Christ. 
 *'  Fir>>t,  he  is  Emmanu,  that  is,  ^vith  us,  for  he  hath  d-zvelt 
 **  among  us  :  and  when  he  parted  from  the  earth,  he  said  to  his  dis- 
 **  ciples,  /  am  ivith you  alivay,  enjen  to  the  end  of  the  ivorld.  Second* 
 *'  ly,  he  is  EL,  and  that  name  was  given  hirn,  as  the  same  Prophet 
 **  testifieth  ;  for  unto  us  a  child  is  bom,  unto  us  a  sort  is  given  ;  and 
 *'  his  name  shah  be  called  Wonderful,  Counsellor,  the 
 *'  Mighty  God.  He  then  who  is  both  properly  called  EL,  that 
 **  is,  God,  and  is  also  really  Emmanu,  that  is,  with  us,  he  muit 
 "  infallibly  be  that  Emmanuel  who  is  God  nvith  us.  Indeed,  if 
 •'  the  name  Emmanuel  were  to  be  interpreted  by  way  of  a  pro- 
 *•  position,  God  is  with  us,  as  the  Lord  our  righteousness,  and  the 
 *•  Lord  is  there,  must  be  understood  where  they  are  the  names  cf 
 V  Jerusalem  ;  then  should  it  have  been  the  name  not  of  Christ,  but 
 «*  of  his  church  :  and  if  we  under  the  gospel  had  been  called  sc^ 
 
»82  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 if  not  all  the  Fathers  of  the  church,  from  IrencTus 
 downwards,  always  considered  this  text  as  a  proof 
 that  Christ  was  possessed  of  real  and  proper  di- 
 vinity, ^ 
 Let  us  now  pass  on  to  what  John  the   Baptist,  and 
 forerunner  of  our  Lord,  hath  delivered  concerning  him. 
 His  evidence  is  confined  within  a  narrow  compass,  but 
 yet  it  is  stronger  and  fuller  than  any  of  the  former,  and 
 confirmative  of  all  the  predictions  which  had  gone  be- 
 fore concerning  him.     His  v/ords  are  these  : — 
 
 12.6.*  /  indeed  baptize  ycu  ijvith  water  ,  hut  one  mightier 
 than  I  ccmethy  the  latchet  of  whose  shoes  I  am  not 
 worthy  to  unloose;  he  shall  baptize  you  with  the 
 Holy  Ghost,  and  with  fire:  whose  fan  is  in  his' 
 hand,  and  he  will  thoroit^hly  purge  his  floor,  and 
 will  gather  the  wheat  into  his  garner  ;  but  the  chaff 
 be  will  burn  with  fire  unquenchable.*  Luke  3.  16, 
 
 127.*  John  hare  witness  of  him  J  and  cried,  saying,  This 
 
 zvas 
 
 "  it  would  have  received  no  other  interpretation  in  reference  to  as. 
 "  But  being  it  is  not  ours,  but  our  Saviour's  name,  it  bears  no  kind 
 **  of  similitude  with  those  objected  appellations,  and  is  as  properly 
 *'  and  directly  to  be  attributed  to  the  Messias  as  the  name  of  Jesus. 
 **  Wherefore  it  remaineth  that  Christ  be  acknowledged  God  with  hs, 
 **  according  to  the  evangelical  interpretation,  with  an  expression  of 
 **  that  excellency  which  belongeth  to  the  Supreme  Deity." 
 
 On  the  Creed,  art.  2.  p.    130. 
 
 ^  See  Irenacus,  lib.  3.  cap.  21,  and  lib,  4,  cap.  66 — Tertul. 
 adv.  Jud.  cap.  9,  et  cort.  Marc.  lib.  3.  cap.  12.  Vide  et  cont. 
 Prax.  cap.  27. — Novat.  cap.  12. — Cyp.  Test.  lib.  2.  cap.  6. — 
 Eus.  Comment,  in  Is.  7.   14. 
 
 *  The  reader  will  be  much  edified  by  a  perusal  of  the  Rev.  Dr. 
 Bell's  Enquiry  into  the  Divine  Missions  of  John  the  Baptist,  and 
 Jesus  Christ.  It  is  an  able  and  ingenious  performance.  And  it  will 
 be  convenient  to  peruse  carefully  his  Arguments  for  the  authenticity 
 of  the  two  first  chapters  of  St.  Matthew  and  St.  Luke's  gospels. 
 They  appear  to  mc  decisive.  See  too  the  learned  Dr.  Campbell  on  the 
 Four  Gospels,  vol.  i.  p.  358,  where  he  delivers  in  few  words  the 
 substance  of  all  that  can  be  advanced  on  the  authenticity  of  the  two 
 chapters  in  St.  Matthew. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  i8j 
 
 ijuas  he  ofivhom  I  spake y  He  that  cometh  after  me 
 is  preferred  before  me :  for  he  was  before  me.  ' 
 And  of  his  fulness  have  all  we  received y  and  grace 
 for  grace.  For  the  law  was  given  by  Mose^,  but 
 grace  and  truth  came  by  Jesus  Christ.  No  man 
 hath  seen  God  at  any  time:  the  only-begotten 
 Son,  which  is  in  the  bosom  of  the  Father,  he 
 hath  declared  him.  ^  John  i.   15 — 18. 
 
 128.*  I  am  the  voice  of  one  crying  in  the  wilderness ^  Make 
 straight  the  way  of  the  Lord,  as  said  the  pro- 
 phet Esaias.  John   i.   23.  Compare  Is.  40.  3. 
 
 129.  T^he  next  day  John  seeth  Jesus  coming  unto  him, 
 and  saith,   Behold  the  Lamb'   of    God    which 
 
 TAKETH     AWAY      THE      SIN     OF      THE     WORLD.* 
 
 This  is  he  of  whom  I  said,  After  me  cometh  a  man 
 which  is  preferred  before  me;  for  he  was  before 
 ME.  •    And  1  knew  him  not :  but  that  he  should  be 
 made  manifest  to  Israel,  therefore  I  am  come  bap- 
 tizing with  water,     ylnd  John  bare  record,  saying, 
 I  saw  the  Spirit  defending  from  heaven  like  a  dove, 
 and  it  abode  upon  him.     And  I  knew  him  not ;  but 
 he  that  sent  me  to  baptize  with  water,  the  same  said 
 unto  me.  Upon  whom  thou  shalt  see  the  Spirit  de- 
 scending and  remaining  on  him,  the  same  is  he  which 
 baptizeth  with  the   Holy  Ghost.     And  I  saw  and 
 bare  record,  that  this  is  the  Son  of  God.  John 
 I.  29—34. 
 130.*'  And  again,  on  another  occasion,  we  find  the  sannc 
 faithful  witness  addressing  the  cavilling  Jews  in 
 the  following  strain  : — A  mjn  can  receive  nothing 
 except  it  he  given  him  from  heaven,    Te  yourselves 
 bear  me  witness  that  I  said,    I  am  not  the  Christ, 
 hut  that  I  am  sent  before  him.    He  that  hath  the 
 bride  is  the  bridegroom  :  but  the  friend  of  the  bride- 
 groom, 
 
 *  Here  is  a  clear  declaration  of  Christ's  pre-existence. 
 
 *  This  is  a  declaration  of  Christ's  immensity. 
 '  See  Whitby  on  the  place. 
 
 '  This  passage  contains  the  doctrine  of  atonement. 
 1  Behold  here  the  prc-e;ds:ence  of  the  Savicur. 
 
184  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 groomy  which  standeth  and  heareth  hinty  rejoicetb 
 greatly  because  of  the  bridegroom 's  voice.  This  tny 
 Joy  therefore  is  fulfilled.  He  must  increase,  but  I 
 must  decrease.  He  that  cometh  from  above 
 IS  ABOVE  all:  he  that  is  of  the  earth  is  earthly 
 andspeaketh  of  the  earth :  he  that  cometh  from 
 HEAVEN  IS  above  ALL.  And  what  he  hath  seen 
 and  HEARD,  *  that  he  testifieth ;  and  no  man  receiv- 
 eth  his  testimony.  He  that  hath  received  his  testimo- 
 ny hath  set  to  his  seal  that  God  is  true.  For  he 
 whom  God  hath  sent  speaketh  the  words  of  God: 
 for  God  giveth  not  the  Spirit  by  measure  unto  him. 
 The  Father  loveth  the  Son,  and  hath  given  all 
 THINGS  INTO  HIS  HAND.  He  that  belicvcth  on 
 the  Son  hath  everlasting  life :  and  he  that  believeth 
 not  the  Son  shall  not  see  life-y  but  the  wrath  of  God 
 abideth  on  him.  John  3.  27 — 36. 
 tji.*  Nathaniel,  whom  our  Saviour  dignified  with  the 
 appellation  of  an  Israelite  indeed  in  whom  was  no 
 guile,  struck  with  a  proof  ot  his  omniscience,  cri- 
 ed out.  Rabbi,  thcu  art  the  Son  of  God ;  thou  art 
 the  King  of  Israel ,  *  thou  art  he  who  for  so  many 
 ages  hast  been  considered  as  the  King  of  the  Jews. 
 
 132.  Martha,  the  sister  of  Lazarus  and  Mary,  was  no 
 stranger  to  the  character  of  Jesus.  I  believe,  said 
 this  good  woman,  that  thou  art  the  Christ,  the 
 Son  cf  God,  which  should  come  into  the  world. 
 John  II.  27. 
 
 133.  The  confession  of  Peter  is  of  a  similar  kind  : — 
 
 Lord,  to  whom  shall  zve  go  ?  Thou  hast  the  words 
 cf  eternal  life.  And  we  believe  and  are  sure  that 
 thou  art  that  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living  God. 
 John  6.  68,  69. 
 134.*  IV hen  Jesus  came  into  the  coasts  cf  Cesar ea  Phi- 
 lippi,  he  asked  his  disciples,  saying.   Whom  do  men 
 
 say, 
 
 ■  Here  are  in    this  passage  three  declarations  of  Christ's  pre- 
 exlstence. 
 
 »  John  I.  49. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  185 
 
 say,  that  /,  the  Son  of  man,  am  ?  And  they  said. 
 Some  say^  that  thou  art  John  the  Baptist-^  some 
 Elias ;  and  ethers  JeremiaSy  or  one  of  the  Prophets, 
 He  saith  unto  them^  But  whom  say  ye  that  I  am  ? 
 And  Simon  Peter  answered  and  said.  Thou  art  the 
 Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living  God.  Mat.  16.  13 — 
 16.  Our  Saviour  was  much  pleased  with  the 
 frank  and  noble  confession  which  Peter  had  made 
 in  the  name  of  all  his  other  disciples,  and  de- 
 clared, that  he  had  come  to  the  knowledge  of  his 
 real  character  by  no  ordinary  means.  Jesus  an^ 
 swered  and  said  unto  him.  Blessed  art  thou,  Simon, 
 bar-jona,  for  flesh  and  blood  hath  not  revealed  it  un- 
 to thee,  but  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven.  Mat. 
 16.  17.  He  then  proceeds  to  inform  the  zealous 
 Apostle,  that  upon  this  confession,  of  his  being 
 the  Son  of  God,  his  church  should  be  founded, 
 and  all  the  powers  of  darkness  should  never  pre- 
 vail against  it :  And  I  say  also  unto  thee,  that  thou 
 art  Peter,  and  upon  this  rock  I  will  build  my  church , 
 and  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail  against  it. 
 And  I  will  give  unto  thee  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of 
 heaven :  and  whatsoever  thou  shalt  bind  on  earth 
 shall  be  bound  in  heaven ;  and  whatsoever  thou 
 shalt  loose  on  earth  shall  be  loosed  in  heaven.  Mat. 
 1 6.  18,  19.  If  to  the  above  confession  of  Peter 
 we  add  the  declaration  which  he  made  upon  ano- 
 ther occasion.  Lord,  thou  knowest  all 
 THINGS,  thcu  knowest  that  I  love  thee,  ^  it  will  ap- 
 pear, that  even  then,  before  the  descent  of  the 
 Holy  Ghost  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  he  had  a 
 veiy  exalted  opinion  of  the  character  of  Jesus. 
 135.  And  when  the  Wise  M-^nzverecome  into  the  house, 
 they  saw  the  young  child  with  Mary  his  mother, 
 and  fell  down,  and  worshipped  him :  and  when  they 
 A  a  had 
 
 3  John  21.  17.  See  Whitby  on  the  place. 
 
i86  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 had  opened  their  treasures^  they  presented  unto  him 
 S'fi^  >  ^oldy  and  frankincense  .^  and  myrrh.  * 
 
 This  was  the  testimony  of  Heathens  to  the 
 divinity  of  Jesus.  We  find  all  his  own  Apostles 
 together  acknowledging  the  same  thing  : — 
 
 136.*  iSioii\  say  they,  ive  are  sure  that  thou  knowest 
 ALL  THINGS,  and  needest  not  that  any  man  should 
 ask  thee;  by  this  zve  believCy  that  thou  games t 
 FORTH  PROM  GoD.  John  16.  JO.  Herc  we  have 
 both  the  omniscience  and  pre-existence  of  the 
 Redeenner. 
 
 137.  Upon  our  Lord's  calming  a  violent  tempest  on 
 
 the  sea,  the  people  of  the  ship  came  and  paid  him 
 
 worship,  saying.  Of  a  truth  thou  art  the  Son   of 
 
 God. ' 
 
 Jt  is  to  be  observed  likewise,  that  our  Saviour's 
 
 greatest 
 
 *  Mat.  2.  II,  Tertullian  says  that  the  prophecy  in  the  72d  psalm 
 was  fulfilled  by  the  gifts  made  to  the  infant  Saviour,  and  by  the  hon- 
 our paid  to  him  at  Bethlehem  by  the  wise  men;  "who,  when  they 
 *'  knew  him  honoured  him  with  gifts,  and,  believing  in  Christ,  on 
 "  their  knees  adored  him  as  their  God  and  King."  Adv.  Judasos, 
 cap.  9. 
 
 Origen  was  of  the  same  opinion  : — "  The  wise  men,"  says  he, 
 "  conceiving  our  Lord  to  be  greater  than  all  their  gods,  resolved  to 
 **  worship  him,  and  coming  into  Judea  they  offered  symbols  to  him, 
 *'  who,  if  we  may  so  speak,  was  compounded  of  God  and  mortal 
 "  man,  gold  as  to  a  king,  myrrh  as  to  one  who  was  to  die,  and  frank- 
 *'  incense  as  to  God.. — And,  as  he  was  God  superior  to  the  assistant 
 *'  angels,  being  the  Saviour  of  mankind,  the  angel  rewarded  their 
 *'  piety  in  worshipping  Jesus,  by  warning  them  not  to  return  to 
 "  Herod."     Adv.  Celsum,  lib.   1. 
 
 Then  was  fulfilled  the  prophecy  of  David — The  kings  of  Tarshish 
 and  of  the  isles  shall  bring  presents,  atid  the  kings  of  Sheba  and  Seba 
 shall  offer  gifts.  Ps.  72.  lo.  This  is  what  Tertullian  alludes  to 
 above. 
 
 5  Mat.  14.  53.  "  Wc  never  find  that  the  Apostles  accepted  wor- 
 *'  ship,  on  account  of  the  miracles  done  by  them,  but  refused  it 
 *•  when  offered  with  the  utmost  detestation  ;  referring  all  worship  to 
 *'  the  living  God,  and  him  only.  It  is  strange  that  our  blessed 
 "  Lord,  who  was  all  meekness  and  humility,  should  not  have  been 
 "  more  resigned  in  this  particular,  had  he  been  any  thing  less  than 
 "  the  eternal  Son  of  God." 
 
 Fiddes's  Theologia  Speculativa,  vol.  i.  p.  412. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  187 
 
 greatest  adversaries,  upon  some  occasions,  bore 
 very  honourable,  though  undesigned  testimony  to 
 his  character.  Pilate,  the  Roman  governour,  for 
 instance,  proclaimed  to  all  the  world  upon  the 
 cross  : — 
 
 138.  ^his  is  y^sus  of  Nazaretby  the  king- of  the  Jczvs — 
 intimating  thereby,  through  the  over-ruling  pro- 
 vidence of  God,  that  Jesus  was  the  person  who 
 had  acted  as  king  of  Israel  all  through  the  Mo- 
 saic dispensation.  Nor  is  the  confession  of  the 
 Heathen  Centurion,  when  struck  with  amazemeac 
 at  the  wonderful  transaction  of  the  crucifixion, 
 to  be  disregarded  :— 
 
 '3 9'  ^^"^'^  zvken  the  Centiiriony  and  they  that  "were  with 
 him  watching  Jesus ^  saw  the  earth-quake, .  and  those 
 things  that  were  done,  they  feared  greatly y  saying, 
 Truly  this  was  the  Son  of  God.  ^ 
 
 But  what  is  still  more  remarkable  than  either 
 the  testimony  of  Pilate  or  the  Centurion,  is,  that 
 even  the  Devils  bore  testimony  to  the  divinity  of 
 our  Saviour's  character. 
 
 140.  For  when  he  was  come  into  the  country  of  the  Ger- 
 gesenes  there  met  him  two  possessed  with  devils,  and 
 they  cried  out,  saying,  What  have  we  to  do  with 
 thee,  Jesus,  thou  Son  ^  God  '^  ylrt  thou  cojne  hi- 
 ther to  torment  us  before  the  time  Y  Mat.  8.  28,  29. 
 
 141.  yh:d  unclean  spirits  when  they  saw  him,  fell  down 
 before  him,  and  cried,  saying.  Thou  art  the  Son  of 
 God.  And  he  strictly  charged  them,  that  they  should 
 not  make  him  known.    Mark  3.   11,   12. 
 
 142.  And  devils  also  came  out  of  many,  crying  cut,  and 
 saying,  Thou  art  Christ,  the  Son  of  God.  And  he, 
 rebuking  them,  suffered  them  not  to  speak  :  for  they 
 knew  that  he  was  Christ.    Luke  4.  41. 
 
 There  is  another  testimony  to  the  character  of 
 
 Jesus  still  higher  than  any   of  the  former,  vv^hich 
 
 ought  by  no  means  to  be  passed  over  in  silence. 
 
 A  a  2  For 
 
 **Mat.  27.  54. 
 
i88  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 For  the  God  of  heaven,  his  eternal  Fathei*,  more 
 than  once  bore  witness  from  the  clouds  to  the 
 divinity  of  his  Son. 
 
 143.  And  Jesus y  when  he  ivas  bapiizedy  went  up  straight- 
 
 way out  of  the  water:  andy  lo,  the  heavens  were 
 opened  unto  himj  and  he  saw  the  Spirit  of  God  de- 
 scending like  a  dove,  and  lighting  upon  him  ;  and, 
 lo,  a  voice  from  heaven,  saying.  This  is  my  be- 
 loved Son,  in  zvhom  I  am  well  pleased.  Mat.  3. 
 16,   17. 
 
 144.  JVhile  Peter  yet  spake,  behold  a  fright  cloud  over- 
 shadoived  them  :  and  behold  a  voice  out  of  the  cloud 
 which  said.  This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom 
 I  am  well  pleased :  hear  ye  him.  Mat.  17.  5.  In 
 both  these  places,  and  on  both  these  occasions, 
 it  is  not  improbable  but  the  Divine  voice  had  an 
 allusion  to  various  parts  of  the  Old  Testament, 
 and  particularly  to  these  words  of  the  evangelical 
 Prophet : — Behold,  my  servant  whom  I  uphold, 
 mine  elect  in  whom  my  soul  delight eth ;  /  have  put 
 my  Spirit  upon  him ;  he  shall  bring  fcrth  judgment 
 to  the  Gentiles.  Is.   42.   i.   Comp.  John  12.  28. 
 
 I  will  add  here  one  more  attestation  to  the  super- 
 human, and  super- angelical  character  of  the  Sa- 
 viour of  the  world  ;  and  that  is  the  attestation  of 
 the  incredulous  Thomas : — 
 145.*  And,  after  eight  days  again,  his  disciples  were 
 within,  and  I'hcmas  with  them :  then  came  Jesus, 
 the  doors  being  shut,  and  stood  in  the  midst,  and 
 said.  Peace  be  unto  you.  'Then  saith  he  to  Thomas, 
 Reach  hither  thy  finger,  and  behold  my  hands :  and 
 reach  hither  thy  hand,  and  thrust  it  into  my  side ; 
 md  be  not  faithless,  but  believing.  And  Thomas 
 answered  and  said  unto  him,  My  Lord  and 
 MY  God  ! '   Jesus  saith  unto  him,  Thomas,  because 
 
 thou 
 
 '  St,  Cyprian  uses  nearly  the  same  expression  : — "  We  should  la- 
 *'  hour  with  all  our  industry  and  application  to  gain  the  favour  pf 
 **  Christ  the  Judge,  both  our  Lord  and  our  God."  Epist.  60. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  189 
 
 tkou  hast  seen  me^  thou  hast  believed ;  hie  sued  are 
 they  that  have  not  seeriy  and  yet  have  believed.  ®  It 
 should  seem,  that  if  Jesus  were  but  a  mere  man, 
 he  ought  to  have  reproved  Thomas  for  such  an 
 address.  The  Apostles -did  so  upon  similar  oc- 
 casions, and  so  did  even  the  Angels  themselves, 
 when  their  characters  were  misunderstood  by  their 
 ?;dorers.  But  we  never  find  that  our  Saviour  re- 
 jected 
 
 ^  John  20.  26 — 29.  See  Whitby  on  the  place.— A  learned  and 
 able  defender  of  the  divinity  of  Christ  hath  represented  this  address 
 of  St.  Thomas  in  the  following  striking  manner  : — "  It  was  a  very 
 *'  surprising  thing,  that  Jesus,  when  he  appeared  to  Thomas,  after 
 "  his  resurrection,  should  suffer  him  to  cry  out.  My  Lord,  and  tnj, 
 *'  God  I  without  saying  a  word  to  him  about  the  impiety  and  blas- 
 **  phemy  of  an  exclamation,  which  treats  the  creature  as  if  he  were 
 '•  the  Creator.  Thomas,  before,  was  an  unbeliever  ;  now  he  is  an 
 *'  idolater.  Till  that  instant  he  would  not  believe  that  Jesus  was 
 "  risen  ;  he  considered  him  as  a  man  lying  under  the  power  of 
 "  death  ;  but  now,  on  a  sudden,  he  addresses  him,  as  God  ;  he  bows 
 **  and  adores.  Of  the  two  extremes,  the  latter  is  most  condem- 
 **  nable  ;  for  unbelief  is  not  so  criminal  as  idolatry.  That  dishonour- 
 "  ing  Jesus  Christ;  this  usurping  the  throne  of  God,  Better  for 
 "  Thomas,  therefore,  to  have  persisted  in  his  unbelief,  than,  by  re- 
 ♦*  nouncing  it,  to  fall  into  idolatry. — And  yet,  strange  indeed  ! 
 **  strange  to  astonishment ;  who  can  account  for  it  ?  Jesus  upbraids 
 **  him  only  with  the  former  ;  not  at  all  with  the  latter."  See  Abbadie 
 on  the  Divinity  of  Christ,  by  Booth,  p.  24. 
 
 Another  learned  Author  observes  upon  this  profession  of  St. 
 Thomas : — "  After  Christ  was  risen,  when  he  was  pleased  to  satisfy 
 *•  St.  Thomas's  scruples  about  the  truth  of  his  resurrection,  Thomas, 
 '*  being  convinced,  answered  and  said  unto  him,  My  Lord  and  my 
 •*  God.  This  his  confession  of  faith  our  Saviour  accepted  and  ap- 
 *•  proved  of — Jesus  saith  unto  him — Thomas,  because  thou  hast  seer\ 
 *'  me,  thou  hast  beiie-ued. — But,  if  he  had  not  been  really  God,  he 
 *'  would  surely  rather  have  corrected  his  Apostle,  than  accepted  of 
 *'  his  confession."     See  Randolph's  Vindication,  part  2.  p.  52. 
 
 For  a  fuller  vindication  of  this  text  see  Bishop  Pearson  on  the 
 Creed,  art.  p.   131. 
 
 Dr.  Clarke  thus  paraphrases  the  text : — "  Thou  art  indeed  njy 
 **  Lord,  the  same  that  was  crucified  :  and  I  acknowledge  thy  Al- 
 "  mighty  power  in  having  triumphed  over  death,  and  adore  thee  as 
 "  my  God." 
 
 Thus  too  Dr.  Hammond : — "  I  acknowledge  that  thou  art  my 
 *«  very  Lord  and  Master,  and  that  is  an  evidence  that  thou  art  thr 
 *'  omnipotent  God  of  heaven." 
 
190  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 -  lectcd  any  adoration,  or  ascriptions  of  honour 
 that  were  given  to  him  by  persons  who  rightly 
 apprehended  his  pretensions.  He  was  therefore 
 either  more  than  man,  or  with  an  ill  grace  it  was 
 •  that  he  could  say,  'Take  my  yoke  upon  you y  and  learn 
 of  me,  for  I  am  meek  and  lowly  in  hearty  and  ye 
 shall  find  rest  unto  your  souls  ;  and  claim  to  him- 
 self the  exalted  honour  of  being  the  faithful  and 
 true  witness. 
 
 -»«»*»>'i¥*»5<»^'» 
 
 PART  SECOND. 
 
 SECTION    n. 
 
 The  testimony  of  CHRIST  himself,  concerning  hi?  own  PERSON 
 and  CHARACTER. 
 
 LET  US  next  attend  to  what  our  Saviour  himself 
 spake  at  various  times,  and  upon  different  occasi- 
 ons, concerning  his  own  dignity.  He  was,  indeed,  very 
 sparing  of  self-commendation,  and  seemed  rarely  to 
 discover  his  pretensions  to  the  world,  except  closely 
 pressed  so  to  do  by  some  or  other  of  his  adversaries.  * 
 
 And 
 
 *  "  We  must  confess  that  our  Lord  has  not  so  plainly  and  posi- 
 tively delivered  this  doctrine  of  his  divinity,  as  afterwards  his 
 Apostles  did.  His  enemies  sought  all  opportunities  to  lay  hold 
 of  his  words,  while  the  peop'.e,  and  his  own  disciples,  were  ready 
 on  the  least  encouragement  to  proclaim  him  their  king.  On  both 
 these  accounts  he  found  himself  obliged  to  speak,  and  act  with 
 great  caution  and  reserve.  We  scarce  ever  find  him  in  express 
 and  positive  terms  declaring  himself  the  Christ,  though  the  whole 
 tenor  of  his  life  and  doctrine  gave  strong  intimations  of  this  truth. 
 In  like  manner,  and  for  the  same  reasons,  we  shall  find  his  divi- 
 nity rather  strongly  intimated,  than  expressly  taught."  Ran- 
 dolph's Vindication,  p.  2.  p.   37. 
 
 The  learned  Dr.  Burnet  is  of  the  same  opinion.    **  I  do  not  re- 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  191 
 
 And  the  reason  he  gives  for  his  conduct  in  this  respect, 
 is  perfectly  consistent  with  the  general  tenor  of  all  the 
 former  divine  dispensations.  /  have  many  things  to  say 
 unto  youy  my  disciples,  said  he  a  litde  before  his  death, 
 but  ye  cannot  hear  them  nowy  while  I  am  with  you  in  this 
 low  disguise.  Your  minds  are  not  yet  sufficiently  pre- 
 pared. Nevertheless  when  he^  the  Spirit  of  truths  is  come, 
 he  zvill  guide  you  into  all  truth.  He  shall  glorify  me  : 
 for  he  shall  receive  of  mine ^  and  shall  shew  it  unto  you. 
 John  16.  12 — 14.  All  this  plainly  implies  that  there 
 was  something  in  the  character  of  Jesus  with  which  his 
 disciples  were  at  that  time  not  fully  acquainted,  and 
 with  which  they  should  continue  to  be  unacquainted  till 
 after  the  effusion  of  the  Holy  Ghost  on  the  day  of  Pen- 
 tecost. It  is,  therefore,  in  the  writings  of  the  Apos- 
 tles, after  that  time,  we  are  to  look  for  a  full  manifesta- 
 tion of  the  character  of  Jesus,  and  the  doctrines  of  the 
 gospel.  All  former  dispensations  were  growingly 
 clearer,  and  preparatory  to  this.  But  the  dispensation 
 of  the  Spirit,  after  the  ascension  of  our  Lord  into  hea- 
 ven, was  to  be  the  last  and  most  satisfactory  of  all. 
 These  things  being  premised,  we  will  now  produce  a 
 number  of  our  Saviour's  ov/n  declarations  respecdn"- 
 his  person,  character,  and  mission. 
 
 146.  He 
 
 "  member,"  says  he,  *'  that  Christ  openly  says  in  the  gospel,  that 
 **  he  is  God  :  but  Thomas  the  Apostle  made  use  of  that  name  in 
 *'  the  hearing  of  Christ  without  reprehension,  John  20.  28.  And 
 *'  the  Jews  seem  to  have  understood  the  words  of  Christ  in  that 
 **  manner,  John  5.  18.  and  lo.  30,  &c.  And  Christ  himself  in- 
 *'  stitutcd  a  new  form  of  baptism  in  the  nime  of  the  Father,  Son, 
 "  and  Holy  Spirit,  Mat.  28.  19.  and  coinmanded  that  rJt  should 
 **  honour  the  Son,  a$  tl^ey  honour  the  Father,  John  5.  23.  and  said 
 *'  i\i2X  all  things  ivbich  the  Father  hath  are  his,  1 6.  1 5.  Where- 
 **  fore,  if  there  be  no  crime  in  so  saying,  Christ  spake  too  presump- 
 **  tuously  of  himself,  and  heard  others  to  speak  so  likewise,  if  he 
 "  knew  himself,  in  the  mean  time,  to  be  no  more  but  a  mere  man  ; 
 "  and  permitted  the  error  of  others  without  correction." 
 
 De  Fide  et  Ofiiciis,  p.   115. 
 
192  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 146.  He  was  the  promised  and  long  expected  Messiah. 
 This  he  avowed  upon  several  occasions.  We 
 will  only  mention  two.  The  one  was  to  the 
 woman  of  Samaria,  and  the  other  to  a  blind  man 
 whom  he  had  restored  to  sight.  /  knozvy  says  the 
 former,  that  Messiah  come  thy  zvhich  is  called 
 Christ :  zvhen  he  is  come  he  zvill  tell  us  all  things, 
 yesus  saith  unto  hcTy  I  that  speak  unto  thee  am 
 be. — Dost  thou  believe  on  the  Son  of  God  F  said 
 Jesus  to  the  latter.  He  anszvered  and  said,  JVho 
 is  hcy  Lordy  that  I  might  believe  on  him  ?  And 
 Jesus  said  unto  hinty  Thou  hast  both  seen  hinty  and 
 it  is  he  that  talketb  with  thee.  And  he  saidy  Lordy 
 I  believe.    And  he  zvorshipped  him.  John  9.  2S — 
 
 He  existed  before  he  was  born  of  the  virgin  Mary.  * 
 Notwithstanding  the  difficulty  of  conceiving  how  this 
 could  be,  I  cannot  see  how  any  person  can  reasonably 
 doubt  of  it,  who  is  disposed  to  give  the  least  credit  to 
 his  own  declarations.     Indeed, 
 
 *'  I  know  the  learned  can  with  ease 
 
 **  Twist  words  and  meanings  as  they  please  : 
 
 But  to  plain,  honest  men,  I  believe,  the  following 
 
 clear 
 
 *  Both  the  orthodox  scheme,  which  supposes  Christ  was  God  be- 
 fore he  was  born  of  the  Virgin  ;  and  the  Arian  scheme,  which  sup- 
 poses he  was  a  glorious  Being,  superior  to  the  angels  before  he  took 
 on  him  human  nature  ;  and  the  high  Socinian  hypothesis,  which  con- 
 siders Christ  as  begotten  in  a  supernatural  manner  by  the  Holy 
 Ghost ;  are  encumbered  with  difficulties  inscrutable  by  the  highest 
 powers  of  human  reason.  Dr.  Priestley,  therefore,  to  rid  himself 
 of  all  these  incumberances  at  once  rejects  each  of  the  above  schemes 
 as  equally  improbable,  and  supposes  that  Christ  was  begotten  of  Jo- 
 seph and  the  Virgin,  so  called,  according  to  the  common  course  of 
 procreation.  Thus,  in  order  to  get  clear  of  one  difficulty,  he  in- 
 volves himself  in  many.  For  if  Christ  did  not  exist  before  he  was 
 born  into  the  world,  in  some  capacity  or  other,  the  whole  bible  is 
 only  calculated  to  mislead  and  deceive.  The  following  passages  will 
 bear  witness  to  this  declaration. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  193 
 
 clear  testimonies  from  the  mouth  of  him  who  can- 
 not lie,  and  who  never  did  cozen  or  mislead  man- 
 kind, will  be  abundantly  satisfactory. 
 
 147.*  No  man  halh  ascended  up  to  hc.iveu,  but  he  tfiat 
 CAME  DOWN  1-ROM  HEAVEN^ '  evcH  the  Son  of 
 man,  WHICH  is   in  heaven.*    John  3.   13. 
 
 148.*  Ferily,  verily ,  I  say  unto  you,  Mo:-cs  gave  you.  not 
 that  bread  from  heaven  ,•  but  my  Father  giveth  you 
 the  true  bread  from  heaven.  For  the  bread  of 
 God  is  he  which  cometh  down  from  hea- 
 ven, and  give th  life  unto  the  Vi'orld. — For  I  came 
 DOWN  FROM  heaven,  not  to  do  mine  own  zvilly 
 but  the  zvill  of  him  that  sent  me.-^The  Jews  then 
 murmured  at  him,  because  he  said,  I  am  the  bread 
 B  b  zvhieh 
 
 3  *'  Nothing  can  be  more  unreasonable  and  groundless  than  the 
 **  Socinians  interpretation  of  this  passage  ;  who  feign  that  Christ 
 **  was  taken  up  into  heaven,  as  Moses  of  old  into  the  mount,  to 
 "  receive  his  instructions;  and  then  came  down  again  to  preach. 
 *'  Whereas  the  plain  meaning  is,  that  he  was  in  the  beginning  with 
 *'  God,  before  he  was  made  flesh,  and  came  into  the  world." 
 
 Clarke  on  the  Trinity,  p.  84. 
 
 *  "  As  he  is  God,  his  throne  is  in  the  heavens,  and  he  fills  all 
 *'  things  by  his  immensity  :  as  he  is  man,  he  is  circumscribed  by  an 
 **  uneasy  cradle,  and  cries  in  a  stable.  As  he  is  God,  he  is  seated 
 **  upon  a  super-exalted  throne  :  as  man,  exposed  to  the  lowest  estate 
 "  of  uneasiness  and  need.  As  God,  clothed  in  a  robe  of  glory,  at 
 **  the  same  instant  when  you  may  behold  and  wonder  at  his  huma- 
 **  nity  wrapped  in  cheap  and  unworthy  cradle-bands.  As  God,  he 
 "  is  incircled  with  millions  of  angels  ;  as  man,  in  the  company  of 
 **  beasts.  As  God,  he  is  the  eternal  Word  of  the  Father  eternal, 
 "  sustained  by  himself,  all-sufficictit,  and  without  need  :  and  yet  he 
 "  submitted  himself  to  a  condition  imperfect,  inglorious,  indigent 
 "  and  necessitous."     Bishop  Taylor's  Life  of  Christ,  p.   13. 
 
 Tertullian  writes  to  the  same  purpose  :  "  You  have  the  Son  on 
 **  earth,  you  have  the  Father  in  heaven.  It  is  not  a  separation,  but 
 "  a  divine  disposition.  Yet  you  ought  to  know,  that  God  is  also 
 "  within  the  abysses,  and  exists  every  where  ;  but  it  is  by  his  might 
 "  and  power  ;  and  likewise  that  the  Son  is  every  where  with  him, 
 **  as  not  divided  from  him.  In  the  dispensation,  however,  the  Fa- 
 "  thcr  would  have  the  Son  to  dwell  on  earth,  and  himself  in  heaven." 
 Adv.  Prax.  c.  23. 
 
194  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 ivhich  came  down  from  heaven^  And  they  saidy  Is 
 not  this  Jesus  the  son  of  Josepby  whose  father 
 and  mother  we  know  ?  How  is  it  then   that   be 
 
 Saithj     I     CAME     DOWN      FROM     HEAVEN  ?  ^  Not 
 
 that  any  man  hath  seen  the  Father^   save  he  zvhicb 
 
 is  of  God,   HE   HATH    SEEN     THE    FaTHER. ThIS 
 
 IS    THE     BREAD     WHICH     COMETH      DOWN     FROM 
 
 HEAVEN,  that  a  man  may  eat  thereof  and  not  die, 
 I  am  the  living  bread  ^HicH  came  down  from 
 HEAVEN. — This  is  that  bread  which  came  down 
 from  heaven. — If'Tyaty  and  if  ye  shall  seethe 
 Son  of  man  ascend  up  \NViLKi.  he  was  before?* 
 
 149.  And 
 
 s  Novatian,  quoting  the  words,  Te  kno^  not  ^whence  I  came,  nor 
 mokither  1  go,  proceeds,  "  Behold  here  he  says,  that  he  will  return 
 **  thither,  whence  he  declares  he  came  before.  He  was  sent  from 
 **  heaven.  He  descended  then  whence  he  came,  as  he  goes  thither, 
 '*  whence  he  descended.  Wherefore,  if  Christ  had  only  been  a 
 **  man,  he  had  not  come  thence  ;  but  by  coming  from  whence  man 
 *'  cannot  come,  he  shewed  himself  to  have  been  God  who  came. — 
 *•  As  man  could  not  come  from  heaven,  so  as  to  challenge  a  return 
 **  thither,  he  must  be  God,  who  descended  thence,  whence  man 
 *'  could  not  come."    De  Trinit.  Cap.  23. 
 
 *  John  6  ch.  passim.  Dr.  Price  says — "  The  Jews  understood 
 **  our  Lord's  expression  to  be  an  intimation,  that  he  had  existed  in 
 *'  heaven  before  he  came  into  this  world,  and  therefore  murmured 
 *'  at  him,  and  said.  Is  not  this  Jesus  the  Son  of  Joseph,  'whose  father 
 *'  and  mother  ^ve  ifioiv  r'  Hoiv  is  it  then  that  he  saith,  I  came  Jo-zvn 
 *'  from  heaven  ?  There  is  in  this  case,"  continues  the  Doctor,  "  a 
 "  presumption,  that  the  sense  in  which  the  Jews  understood  our  Lord, 
 *•  was  the  most  obvious  and  natural  sense.  If,  however,  it  was  not, 
 **  and  the  Jews  perversely  misinterpreted  his  words,  it  was  reason- 
 •*  able  to  expect,  that  he  would  have  said  something  to  correct  their 
 **  mistake.  But  instead  of  this,  we  find,  that,  in  his  reply,  he  re- 
 *'  peated  the  same  declaration  in  stronger  language,  and  intimated 
 "  that  they  understood  him  rightly  ;  Does  this  offend  you  ?  What  and 
 •**  ifyc  shall  see  the  Son  of  man  ascend  up  <where  be  ijuas  before?  Ser- 
 mons, p.   132. 
 
 The  same  Gentleman  saith  again  :  =♦  I  must  think  this  text  as 
 **  decisive  a  declaration  of  Christ's  pre-existence  by  himself  as 
 *'  words  can  well  express." 
 
 Another  able  Writer  observes  upon  this  subject ;  "  Whether  our 
 **  Saviour  had  an  existence  in  heaven  with  God  the  Father  before 
 f*  his  incarnation,  I  think  one  may  safely  rest  the  decision  of  this 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  195 
 
 149.*  And  Jesus  said  unto  the  Jews,  Te  are  from  be- 
 neath;  I  AM  FROM  above;   Te  are  of  this  "uuorld ; 
 
 I    AM    NOT    OF    THIS    WORLD.    Jolin    8.    23. 
 
 150.*  I  Speak  that  which  I  have  seen  with  my  Fa- 
 ther. John  8.  38. 
 
 151.*  Jesus  said  unto  the  JeivSj  If  God  were  your  Father, 
 ye  would  love  me ,-  for  1  proceeded  forth  and 
 CAME  from  God;   neither  came  I  of  myself  but 
 
 HE    SENT    ME.    John    8.    42.> 
 
 152.*  Jesus  knowing  that  the  Father  had  given  all  things 
 into  his  hands,  and  that  he  was  coaie  from  God, 
 and  zvent  to  God*  John   13.  3. 
 
 153.*  All  things  that  I  have  heard  of  my  Father, 
 I  have  made  knozvn  unto  yon.  John   15.   15. 
 
 154.*  These  things  have  I  spoken  unto  you  in  proverbs  \ 
 hut  the  time  cometh  when  I  shall  speak  no  more 
 unto  you  in  proverbs,  but  I  shall  shezv  you  plainly 
 of  the  Father.  At  that  day'^ye  shall  ask  in  my 
 name  ;  and  I  say  not  unto  you,  that  I  zvill  pray  the 
 Father  for  you  :  for  the  Father  himself  loveth  you, 
 because  ye  have  loved  me,  and  have  believed, 
 
 THAT  I  CAME  OUT  FROM    GoD.       I  CAME   FORTH 
 
 from  THE  Father,  and  am  come  into  the  world  : 
 again,  J  leave  the  zvorld  and  go  to  the  Father, 
 His  disciples  said  unto  him,  Lo,  now  speakest  thou 
 plainly,  and  speakest  no  proverb.  Nozv  are  we 
 sure,  that  thou  knowest  all  things,  and 
 needest  not  that  any  vian  should  ask  thee  :  by  this 
 zve  believe  that  thou  camest  forth  from 
 God.  ' 
 
 B  b  2  Fronn 
 
 "  question  with  a  Turk  or  an  Indian,  or  any  other  plain,  honest,  up- 
 "  right   person  in  the  world,  who  could  read  our  New  Testament. 
 
 Harwood's  Socinian  Scheme,  p.  31,. 
 '  John  16.  25 — 30. — "  The  argument  in  favour  of  our  Lord's 
 **  pre-existence  is  exceedingly  strengthened  from  the  consideration 
 *'  of  the  very  familiar  manner  in  which  Christ  occasionally  speaks 
 **  of  the  glories  of  heaven.  The  difference  between  our  Lord  and 
 ^*  his  Apostles,  even  after  their  inspiration,  in  this  particular  is  very 
 *  This  is  St.  John'3  testimony. 
 
196  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 From  these  words  it  is  most  evident  our  Saviour's 
 disciples  understood  him  as  declaring,  that  he  came 
 down  from  heaven  into  the  world.  It  was  equally  clear 
 he  did  not  endeavour  to  correct  their  wrong  apprehen- 
 sions, which,  one  should  naturally  suppose,  he  would  and 
 ought  to  have  done,  if  they  had  really  misunderstood 
 his -meaning.  It  follows,  therefore,  as  justly  and  forci- 
 bly as  any  conclusion  in  dialectics  well  can  do,  that  the 
 disciples  understood  their  Lord  and  Master  in  a  proper 
 manner,  and  that  he  actually  was  in  heaven  before  he 
 was  born  of  the  Virgin,  and  came  down  from  thence 
 for  the  salvation  of  the  world.  * 
 
 155.*  And  nowy  O  Father,  glorify  thou  me  with  thine  own 
 self,  with  the  glory  which  I  had  with  thee  before 
 
 THE  WORLP  WAS.  ° 
 
 156.  Again: 
 
 G 
 
 **  observable.  They  seem  to  be  lost  in  the  contemplation,  when- 
 *'  ever  they  have  occasion  to  describe  the  heavenly  state,  and  ap- 
 *'  pear  to  be  oppressed  with  the  weight  of  the  subject ;  but  with 
 **  Jesus  nothing  can  seem  to  be  more  natural  and   familiar."     *  It  is 
 
 *  like  a  prince,'  says  Doddridge,  '  who  having  been  educated  in  a 
 
 *  splendid  court,  could  speak  with  ease  of  many  magnificent  things 
 
 *  at  the  sudden  view  of  which  a  peasant  would   be  swallowed  up  in 
 
 *  astonishment,  and  would  iind  himself  greatly   embarrassed   in  an 
 
 *  attempt  to  explain  them  to  his  equals  at  home.' 
 
 "  Whoever  compares  the  plain  representation  our  blessed  Lord 
 **  hath  given  of  heaven,  with  the  laboured  expressions  of  the  Apos- 
 •'  ties  upon  this  subject,  will  be  struck  with  the  justness  of  this 
 *'  observation,  and  no  inconsiderable  argument  will  arise  therefrom, 
 **  of  our  Lord's  pre-existence  in  glory." 
 
 Hawker's  Sermons,  p.  4^,  45. 
 
 '  "  Cannot  one  know  (says  an  excellent  writer,  thoroughly  con- 
 **  versant  in  these  subjects)  that  the  oocinian  interpretation  of  John 
 **  I.  I.  and  Heb.  i.  10.  or  of  the  texts  relating  to  Christ's  pre-exis- 
 *'  tence,  is  not  the  mind  of  scripture  ?  Yea,  one  may  know  it  as  cer- 
 *•  tainly,  as  that  a  counter  is  not  the  king's  coip,  or  that  a  monster 
 '*  is  not  a  man." 
 
 »  John  17.  5.  "  The  Socinians  interpretation  of  this  passage  is 
 ♦*  too  much  forced  ;  who  understand  it  to  signify  only  the  glory 
 "  which  Christ  had  in  the  foreknowledge  and  predetermination  of 
 **  God."    Clarke  on  the  Trinity,  p.   103. 
 
 Dr.  Harwood  says  of  this  scripture,  **  Were  there  no  intimation 
 in  the  whole  New  Testament  of  the  pre-existence  of  Christ,  this 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  197 
 
 156.*  Again: — I  have  given  unto  them  the  words  which 
 thou  gavest  me ;  and  they  have  received  them^  and 
 have  KNOWN  surely  that  I  came  out  from 
 THEE,  and  they  have  believed  that  thou  didst 
 SEND  ME.     John   17.   8, 
 
 157.*  And  again: — Father  ^  I  will  that  they  also  he  with 
 me  where  I  am ;  that  they  may  behold  my  glory, 
 which  thou  hast  given  me;  for  thou   lovedst  me 
 
 BEFORE      the       FOUNDATION      OF      THE      WORLD, 
 
 John  17.  24. 
 To  my  apprehension  nothing  can  be  clearer  from  all 
 these  passages,  than  that  our  blessed  Saviour  meant  to 
 assert  his  own  pre-existencc.  *  Great  art  and  perversion 
 must  be  used  to  make  them  speak  a  different  language. 
 Nay,  many  of  our  Socinians  are  so  sensible  of  this,  that 
 they  are  obliged  to  suppose,  by  way  of  getting  clear  of 
 them  as  cleverly  as  may  be,  that  Jesus  was  taken  up  into 
 
 heaven 
 
 single  passage  would  irrefragably  demonstrate,  and  establish  it. 
 Our  Saviour,  here  in  a  solemn  act  of  devotion,  declares  to  the  Al- 
 mighty, that  he  had  glory  with  kim  before  the  world  was,  and  fer- 
 vently supplicates  that  he  would  be  graciously  pleased  to  reinstate 
 him  in  Wis  former  felicity.  The  language  is  plain  and  clear.  Every 
 word  hath  great  moment  and  emphasis  : — Glorify  thou  me  nvith  that 
 glory  'vchich  I  enjoyed  in  thy  presence,  and  near  thy  person,  before  the 
 ijuorld  tvas. — Upon  this  single  text  1  lay  my  finger.  Htfre  I  posit  my 
 system." 
 
 Of  the  Scclnian  Scheme,  p.  47. 
 
 *  The  Fathers  are  unanimous  in  this  doctrine : — "  The  Son  of 
 "  God,"  says  Hermas,  "  is  more  ancient  than  all  creatures,  inso- 
 *•  much  that  he  was  present  in  consult  with  his  Father  at  the  making 
 *'  of  the  creature."    Pastor,  Sim.  9. 
 
 '*  Who  was  with  the  Father,"  says  Ignatius,  "  before  all  ages, 
 "  and  appeared  at  the  end  of  the  world."   Epist.  ad  Mag.  sect.  6. 
 
 Justin  Martyr  to  the  same  purpose  : — *'  But  the  Son  of  the  Fa- 
 *'  ther,  even  he  who  alone  is  properly  called  his  Sen,  the  Word 
 *'  which  was  with  him  before  tlic  crcaiion,  because  by  him  he  in  the 
 **  beginning  made  and  disposed  all  things  ;  he,  Arc."     Apol.   i. 
 
 And  again  : — "  But  thii.  Being,  who  was  really  begotten  of  the 
 **  Father,  and  proceeded  from  him,  did  before  all  creatures  were 
 "  made,  exist  with  the  Father,  and  the  Father  conversed  with  him." 
 
 Dialog,  cum  Tryph. 
 
198  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 heaven  before  he  entered  upon  his  pubhc  ministry,  and 
 instructed  in  what  he  was  to  do,  and  what  he  was  to 
 say.  *  But  the  reader  will  observe,  this  is  making 
 scripture,  and  not  interpreting  it.  And,  if  we  are 
 allowed  to  take  those  liberdes  with  the  word  of  God, 
 there  is  an  end  of  all  certainty.  It  shall  be  any  thing  or 
 nothing  just  as  pleases  our  fancy.  I  conclude,  therefore, 
 upon  true  scriptural  principles,  that  Jesus  Christ  did 
 really  and  properly  pre-exist,  and  consequently,  that  the 
 Socinian  scheme  is  subverted  root  and  branch,  and  can 
 never  be  established,  but  upon  the  ruin  of  scripture,  and 
 all  just  and  authentic  interpretation.  Let  the  reader, 
 however,  judge  for  himself 
 
 158.*  The  conversation  which  our  Saviour  held  with 
 his  countrymen,  where  he  declares  himself  prior 
 to  the  Father  of  the  faithful,  is  very  remarkable. 
 Tour  father  Abraham,  says  he,  rejoiced  to  see  my 
 day^  and  he  saiv  it,  and  was  glad.  'Then  said  the 
 Jews  unto  him,  Thou  art  not  yet  fifty  years  eld, 
 and  hast  thou  seen  Abraham  ?  Jesus  said  unto  them, 
 Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  Before  Abraham 
 WAS,  I  AM.  ^  '^ihen  took  they  up  stones  to  cast  at 
 him:  but  Jesus  hid  himself,  and  went  out  of  the 
 
 tempk) 
 
 '  See  this  Inatter  discussed  at  large  in  Stillingfleet  on  the  Trinity, 
 p.   133,  &c. 
 
 3  ♦*  The  Socinian  interpretation  of  this  passage  is  very  languid 
 *'  and  unnatural;  that  Christ  was  before  Abraham  in  the  foreknow- 
 *'  ledge  and  appointment  of  God.  The  plain  meaning  is,  that  he 
 **  was  realiy  <witb  God  hi  the  beginning,  and  before  the  ^ivorld  ivas*' 
 John  I.   1  ;  and  17.  5, 
 
 "  Many  expositors,  from  our  Saviour's  using  in  this  passage  the 
 **  words,  I  am,  instead  of,  I  nvas  (though  the  like  manner  of  speak- 
 *'  ing  is  found  also  in  other  places  of  this  gospel;  as  ch.  14.  9) 
 *'  conclude  that  he  here  refers  to  his  own  peculiar  manner  of  exis- 
 *'  tence.  And  indeed,  that  possibly  he  might  hereby  intend  toinsinuate 
 "  his  derivation  of  being  from  the  Father,  to  have  been  in  a  singular 
 **  manner,  incomprehensible  and  unrevealed;  and  that  he  was  that 
 "  person  in  whom  the  name  of  God  was ;  namely,  that  he  was  that 
 *'  visible  person,  who  in  the  Old  Testament  appeared  and  was  called 
 "  Jehovah,  or  I  AM  ;  this,  I  say,  cannot  indeed  positively  be  de-. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  199 
 
 temple,   going  through  the  midst  of  them,    and   so 
 passed  by.  * 
 It  is  cvidenn  from  the  context,  that  the  Jews   un- 
 
 undcrstood 
 
 **  nied.  But  to  suppose  that  he  here  describes  himself  to  be  ab- 
 "  solutely,  the  self-existing  being  or  person  (0  '^''^t  or  to  cv) 
 *'  this  is  downright  Sabellianism,  and  directly  contrary  to  the  whole 
 **  tenor  of  scripture."     Clarke  on  the  Trinity,  p.  88. 
 
 These  are  the  observations  of  Dr.  Clarke  upon  this  celebrated 
 text.  Bishop  Sherlock  has  done  it  more  justice.  "  Our  blessed 
 «*  Saviour  claims  to  himself  that  awful  name  I  AM,  which  belongs 
 *'  only  to  the  Supreme  Being;  Before  Abraham  njoas,  1  AM.  Had 
 •'  our  Saviour  only  said.  Before  Abraham  -ivas,  I  was ;  thus  much  at 
 **  least  would  have  been  the  consequence,  that  he  had  an  existence 
 **  before  Abraham  :  but  now  that  he  says.  Be/ore  Abraham  'vjas, 
 "  1  AM  ;  something  more  is  implied  ;  something  that  peculiarly 
 "  belongs  to  the  expression  I  AM,  and  what  that  is,  we  may  Icara 
 "  from  the  original  use  of  the  words.  They  are  the  words  which 
 *«  God  made  choice  of  to  express  his  own  eternity  and  power,  when 
 **  Moses  inquired  after  the  name  of  God:  he  answered  him,  I  AM 
 "  THAT  1  AM.  Thus  shah  thou  say  to  the  children  of  Israel,  i 
 *'  AM  hath  se?it  ?/ie  i/nto  jou.  Ex.  3.  14.  What  now  could  tempt 
 "  our  Saviour  to  use  and  apply  this  expression  to  himself?  He  knew 
 **  that  it  never  bad  been  applied  to  any  but  God,  and  would  have 
 "  been  in  the  man  so  applying  it,  in  the  highest  degree,  committing 
 '*  the  robbery  of  making  himself  equal  nvith  God.  Besides,  accord- 
 *'  ing  to  analogy  of  language,  the  words,  without  this  construction, 
 *'  express  nothing  :  no  idea  belongs  to  them  ;  for  a  man  cannot 
 •'  in  his  mind  carry  the  present  time  back,  and  make  it  antecedent  to 
 •*  the  time  already  past;  and  therefore  to  say.  Before  a  thing  avas, 
 *'  I  AM,  is  shufiling  ideas  together,  which  can  have  no  place  La 
 **  the  understanding.  If,  therefore,  you  admit  the  expression  t« 
 **  have  any  meaning,  you  must  allow  the  I  AM  to  belong  to  Christ, 
 •*  in  its  proper  and  pi.'culiar  use,  as  signifying  eternity  and  perma- 
 **  nency  of  duration."     Discourse   ist.  vol.  4. 
 
 Dr.  Harwood  says,  "  This  plain  declaration  of  our  Saviour,^  will, 
 «'  I  think,  forever  stand  in  full  force  against  all  the  acumen  of  cri- 
 •*  ticism  and  sagacity  of  relinement  which  may  be  employed  to  in- 
 "  validate  and  explain  away  its  natural  and  obvious  signification." 
 
 Of  the  Secinian  Scheme,  p.  40. 
 
 ♦  John  8.  56 — 59.  Novatian  observes  upon  this  passage,  "  ]f 
 "  Christ  be  only  a  man,  how  does  he  say.  Before  Abraham,  1  AM  I 
 •'  He  either  therefore  speaks  falsely  and  deceives,  if  he  was  not  be- 
 "  fore  Abraham,  who  vvas  from  Abraham.  Or  he  doth  not  deceive, 
 *•  if  he  is  also  God,  while  he  was  before  Abraham."     Cap.  23.  26. 
 
 Let  the  Reader  consult  the  44th.  of  Tillotson's   Sernious ;  Dr. 
 
too  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 derstood  our  Saviour  as  asserting  his  own  divinity,  or 
 at  least  his  own  pre-existcnce ;  for  they  ininiediately 
 took  up  stones  to  cast  at  him.  s  And  he,  without  mak- 
 ing the  smallest  apology  for  what  he  had  said,  or  at- 
 tempting in  the  least  to  explain  himself  to  any  other 
 sense,  exerted  his  supernatural  power,  and  escaped  out 
 of  their  hands,  leaving  them  in  full  possession  of  the 
 opinion  they  had  formed  concerning  him. 
 
 Two  other  passages  of  the  New  Testament,  spoken 
 by  our  Saviour  himself,  are  of  simikr  import.  Nor 
 can  they  be  fairly  interpreted,  in  my  judgment,  but  up- 
 on the  supposidon  of  the  pre-existence  of  the  Son  of 
 God.  We  may  indeed  deny  the  truth  of  any  proposition, 
 warp  it  to  any  meaning  we  please,  and  even  assert  that 
 black  is  white,  but  men  whose  minds  are  honest  and 
 simple  dare  not  do  so.  They  conceive  not  that  they 
 have  any  right  to  form  their  religious  system  as  they 
 please,  but  are  bound  to  receive  that  which  God  hath 
 thought  proper  to  reveal.- — But,  to  the  passages  in  ques- 
 tion :— 
 
 159.*  While  the  Pharisees  ivere  gathered  together  Jesus 
 
 asked 
 
 Whitby  on  the  passage,  who  has  ably  vindicated  it  from  the  perver- 
 sions of  the  Socinians  ;  and  Whitaker's  Origin  of  Arianism  Disclos- 
 ed, p.  26 — 29. 
 
 Dr.  Price  remarks  upon  this  scripture,  that  "  it  is  a  circumstance 
 "  of  some  consequence,  that  the  words  were  occasioned  by  an  of- 
 **  fence  which  Jesus  had  given  the  Jews  by  an  expre.'sion  which 
 *'  they  thought  implied,  that  he  had  existed  in  the  days  of  Abra- 
 "  ham." 
 
 See  his  Sermons,  p.   133. 
 
 5  "  It  is  plain  that  our  Saviour's  audience,"  says  Dr.  Harwood, 
 •'  took  these  words  in  their  natural  accrf>tation  ;  for  upon  his  assert- 
 •'  ing  to  them,  that  he  was  in  being  before  their  great  ancestor, 
 **  they  were  instantly  transported  into  the  last  excesses  of  fury 
 •*  against  him  as  a  blasphemer  and  impostor,  and  took  up  stones 
 •*  with  a  design  to  murder  him.  These  actual  violences  of  the 
 **  Jews,  prove,  1  apprehend,  better  than  a  thousand  inane  and  chi- 
 "  merical  theories,  ho=w  our  Redeemer  was  understood,  and  intended 
 *'  to  be  understood." 
 
 Of  the  Socinian  Scheme,  p.  41. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  201 
 
 asked  them,  saying,  IVhat  think  ye  cf  Christ  ?  whose 
 son  is  he  ?  'They  say  unto  him.  The  Son  cf  David. 
 He  saith  unto  them.  How  then  doth  David  in  Spirit 
 call  him  Lord,  saying.  The  Lord  said  unto  my  Lordy 
 Sit  thou  on  my  right-hand,  till  I  make  thine  enemies 
 thy  footstool?  If  David  then  call  him  Lord, 
 
 HOW    IS    HE    HIS    SON  ?  * 
 
 iSOi  The  other  scripture  to  which  I  referred  is  in  the 
 book  of  Revelation :  Jam  the  root  and   the 
 OFFSPRING   OF  David,  a72d  the  bright  and  morn- 
 ing star. ' 
 If  all  these  passages  taken  together,   and  consider- 
 ed as  explanatory  one   of  another,    prove  not  the   pre- 
 existence  '   of  the  Son  of  God,  I  confess  myself  incom- 
 petent to  judge  of  the  nature  of  any  evidence  whatever. 
 Pass  we  on  now  to  various  other  declarations  of  the 
 Son  of  God  concerning  himself,  which  convey,  or  seem 
 to  convey,   sentiments   utterly   inconsistent  with  every 
 idea  of  his  being  but  a  mere  human  creature. 
 
 C  c  161.  All 
 
 •^  Mat.  22.  41 — 45.  **  Let  any  man  of  a  plain  common  under- 
 **  standing  read  this  passage  as  it  stands  in  the  New  Testament,  and 
 **  then  determine  for  himself;  will  it  not  instantly  strike  him,  that 
 "  our  blessed  Lord  meant  to  infer,  that  something  above  the  nature 
 **  of  an  human  being  was  appointed  to  distinguish  the  character  of 
 **  the  Messiah  ?  that,  notwithstanding  Christ,  according  to  the  flesh, 
 **  was  to  spring  from  the  seed  of  David,  yet,  at  the  same  time,  he 
 **  was  to  be  David's  Lord  ?  That  our  Saviour's  argument  was  con- 
 ••  sidered  in  this  light  by  his  hearers,  and  that  it  wrought  a  convic- 
 *'  tion  of  this  kind  upon  their  minds,  seems  highly  probable  ;  for 
 **  the  Evangelist  adds.  They  nucre  not  able  to  anszver  him  a  ivonl, 
 *'  neither  durst  any  man,  from  that  day  forth,  ask  him  any  more  qites' 
 *'  tions," 
 
 Hawker's  Sermons,  p.  19. 
 
 ^  Rev.  22.  16. 
 
 •  "  Some  of  these  passages,  when  detached  from  their  proper 
 *•  places  in  scripture,  or  from  each  other,  may  appear,  perhaps, 
 *'  susceptible  of  other  meanings  :  but  when  compared  with  each 
 **  other,  and  especially  with  the  passages,  in  which  Christ  asserts  his 
 "  divinity,  they  carry  only  one  meaning,  the  pre-existence  of  Christ, 
 *'  and  the  union  in  him  of  the  divine  and  human  nature." 
 
 Burgess's  Sermon  on  the  Divinity  of  Christ,  p.  14. 
 
2(52  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 1 6  r .  All  things  are  delivered  unto  me  of  my  Father  ; 
 a'ld  no  man  knoweth  the  Son  but  the  Father  ; 
 neither  knoiveth  any  man  /^i?  Father,  save  the 
 Son,  and  he  to  whomsoever  the  Son  will  reveal 
 him.  ° 
 
 'I'hese  words  evidently  declare,  as  Dr.  Dod- 
 dridge justly  observes,  that  there  is  something 
 inexplicably  mysterious  in  the  nature  and  person 
 of  Jesus. 
 162.  As  the  ¥  AT  HEVi.  knozveth  me,  even  so  know  I  the 
 Father.  ' 
 
 What  strange,    arrogant  language  would  this 
 be,  upon  the  supposition  he  were  no  more  than  a 
 
 mere 
 
 9  Mat.  II.  27.  If  Christ  was  no  more  than  a  mere  man,  how 
 do  these  words  consist  with  the  foliowing  declaration,  /  am  meek  and 
 lo-jvly  in  heart  ? 
 
 •*  The  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,"  saith  Irenaeus,  "ma- 
 "  nifests  and  reveals  himself  to  all,  whom  he  is  at  all  revealed  to, 
 •'  by  his  Word  who  is  his  Son.  For  they  know  the  Father,  to 
 •*  whomsoever  the  Son  will  reveal  him.  Now  the  Son,  co-existing 
 *'  always  with  the  Father,  reveals  the  Father  of  old,  even  always 
 *'  from  the  beginning,  to  Angels  and  Archangels,  and  Powers  and 
 ^'  Dominions,  and  to  men,  whom  God  thinks  iit  to  reveal  himself 
 *'  to."     Lib.   2.  cap.  55. 
 
 Mr.  Burgess  in  his  late  excellent  Sermon  before  the  University  of 
 Oxford,  on  the  Divinity  of  Christ,  observes  on  this  passage  of  holy 
 scripture,  that,  "  when  our  Saviour  addressed  these  words  to  the 
 *'  Jews,  who  were  present  with  him,  and  before  whom  he  had  been 
 **  accustomed  to  call  God  his  Father,  and  himself  the  Son,  he  must 
 ♦*  have  referred  to  some  invisible  nature  distinct  from  his  human 
 *'  person.  It  is  clear  from  our  Saviour's  v»'ords,  that  the  Father  and 
 **  the  Son  were  equally  unknown  to  mankind,  and  consequently,. 
 "  that  the  Son  in  his  invisible  and  essential  nature,  was  equally  di- 
 "  vine  with  the  Father."     Page   13. 
 
 *  John  ID.  15. — "  When  thou  hearest  the  title  Father,"  saith 
 Ruffinus,  ♦'  understand  that  he  hath  a  Son,  who  is  the  image  of  his 
 *•  substance  ;  for,  as  no  man  is  called  a  Lord,  unless  he  hath  a  ser- 
 *'  vant  or  a  possession,  which  he  lords  it  over  ;  and  no  man  is  called 
 "  a  Master,  except  he  hath  a  scholar  :  so  no  one  can  in  any  manner 
 "  be  called  a  Father,  unless  he  hath  a  Son.  By  this  name,  there- 
 •'  fore,  by  which  God  is  called  a  Father,  the  Sen  is  also  demonstrat- 
 "  ed  to  subsist  likewise  with  him." 
 
 Exposit.  in  Symb.  Apost.  sect.  4. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  203 
 
 mere  man  ?  Instead  of  being  a  teacher  come  from 
 God  to  instruct  mankind  in  the  divine  will,  he 
 might  rather,  in  that  case,  be  considered  as  a 
 blasphemer  and  vain -glorious  boaster. 
 16^.  What  thinkest  thou.,  Simon?  Of  whom  do  the  kings 
 of  the  earth  take  custom  or  tribute  r'  of  their  own 
 children.,  or  strangers  ?  Peter  saith  unto  him^  Of 
 strangers.     Jesus  saith    unto    him.     Then  are  the 
 
 CHILDREN /r^-d".       Mat.     1 7.    25,    16. 
 
 In    this  beautiful   little   piece   of  history    our 
 Saviour  seems  to  insinuate,  that,  because  he  him- 
 self was  the  Son  of  the  great  King,  to  whorn  hea- 
 tven,  earth,  and  sea,  with  all  things  in  them    be- 
 long, he  was  not  obliged  to  pay  tribute,  as  holding 
 any  thing  by  a  derived  right  from  any  king  vvhat- 
 •  ever.     As  a  mere  man  he  could  have  had  no  just 
 pretence  to  any  such  exemption.  The  whole  force 
 of  the  passage  consists  in,  or  depends  upon,  our 
 Lord's  being  the  true,  proper,    and  natural  Son 
 of  God,  and  is  illustradve  and  confirmative  of  all 
 those    scriptures    which    speak    of  God   as    the 
 Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
 164.   The  So-ii  of  man  is  Lord  even  cf  the   sabbath. 
 
 DAY.  * 
 
 Does  not  this  declaration  carry  us  back  to  the 
 original  institudon  of  the  sabbath  ?  And  does  it 
 seem  decent  for  a  mers  man  to  m.ake  use  of  lan- 
 guage like  this  ?  There  is  an  arrogance  in  such 
 a  pretension  infinitely  unsuitable  to  the  charac- 
 ter of  simple  humanity. 
 iG^.  Jf  two  of  you  shall  agree  on  ?arth  as  tcuchin<^  any 
 thing  that  they  shall  ask^  it  shall  he  done  for  them  cf 
 my  Father  zvhirh  is  in  heaven.  For  zvhere  tzvo  or 
 three  are  gathered  together  in  my  name ;  there  am 
 1  in  the  midst  of  them.  ^ 
 
 C  c   2  This 
 
 *  Mat.    12.   8.  See  Wliiiby  on  Mat.   12.  2. 
 '  Mat,   18.   19,  20. — Novatian    saith,  "  If   Christ  were  only  a 
 *"  man,  how  is  he  present  wheresoever  he  is  called   upon,  tince  this. 
 
«04  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 This  passage  is  spoken  by  our  blessed  Sa- 
 viour himsclfj  and  I  appeal  to  the  reader  whe- 
 ther or  no  it  contains  sentiments  proper  for  a 
 mere  man.  The  person  whose  language  it  is, 
 evidently  claims  the  two  divine  attributes  of  Om- 
 nipresence and  Omniscience. 
 
 l66,  God  so  loved  the  worlds  that  he  gave  his  only- 
 begotten  Son,  that  ivhosoever  believeth  in  him^ 
 should  not  perishy  hut  have  everlasting  life.  * 
 
 Where  was  the  extraordinary  love  of  God  to  the 
 world,  if  Jesus  was  nothing  more  than  a  mere 
 man  ?  Upon  the  supposition  that  he  was  of  an 
 higher  order,  and  God's  own  proper  Son,  all  is 
 natural  and  easy. '  On  any  other  principle,  one 
 of  the  finest  and  most  important  passages  of  the 
 whole  bible,   is   rendered  absurd   and  ridiculous. 
 
 167.*  When  our  Saviour  was  only  twelve  years  of  age, 
 he  claimed  kindred  with  heaven  in  a  very  pecu- 
 liar 
 
 *'  is  not  the  nature  of  man,  but  of  God,  that  he  can  be  present  in 
 *'  every  place."     Ch.   14. 
 
 And  again  on  Mat.  28.  20  : — "  God  is  therefore  with  us ;  yea, 
 *'  much  more,  he  is  even  in  us."     Cap.   12. 
 
 ♦  John  3.   16.  See  Whitby  on  the  place. 
 
 '  "  It  is  certain  that  the  love  of  God  towards  us  is  greatly  exalted 
 "  in  that  he  sent  his  only-begotten  Son  into  the  world,  and  gave  him 
 *'  up  to  the  death  of  the  cross,  to  save  sinners,  the  children  of 
 **  wrath.  But  if  the  Son  of  God  denotes  no  more  than  Jesus, 
 *•  born  of  the  virgin,  we  cannot  see  so  clearly  why  this  love  should 
 **  be  so  greatly  extolled,  as  if  it  denotes  the  Son,  whom  he  begat 
 **  before  ages.  For  the  Son,  born  of  the  virgin,  was  therefore 
 **  born  of  her,  that  he  might  die  for  sinners.  Now,  where  was  the 
 *'  extraordinary  love  of  God,  in  giving  up  that  Son  to  death,  who 
 *'  was  begotten  of  the  virgin,  by  his  pleasure,  and  conceived  of  the 
 ♦'  Holy  Spirit  for  that  purpose  ?  But  if  you  conceive  it  to  be  the 
 **  Son  of  God,  who  was  begotten  of  the  Father  before  ages,  who 
 **  was  under  no  necessity  of  being  sent  into  the  world,  whose  digni- 
 **  ty  was  greater  than  that  he  should  be  sent,  or  come  in  the  flesh, 
 «*  much  less  die,  who  seemed  dearer  to  the  Father,  than  that  he 
 •*  should  force  him  upon  so  much  calamity  ;  then,  indeed,  the  splen- 
 «'  dour  and  glory  of  the  Divine  love  towards  mankind  shines  forth 
 "  greatly." 
 
 Episcopius,  vol.  i.  p.  337. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  205 
 
 liar  sense,  by  saying  to  his  human  parents,  Wist  ye 
 not  that  I  must  be  about  uy  Father's  bminess? 
 — Or,  as  it  ought  rather,  perhaps,  to  be  trans-r 
 lated.  Wist  ye  not  that  I  must  be  in  my  Father's 
 house  ?  Does  not  our  blessed  Lord  by  this  inter- 
 rogation, under  such  circumstances,  indirectly 
 declare,  that  Joseph  was  not  his  natural  and  pro- 
 per father  ?     Luke  2.  48. 
 
 16$.  I  am  not  alone;  but  I  and  t hi,  Father  that  sent 
 me.     John  8.   16. 
 
 16^.  I  am  one  that  bear  "joitness  of  my  self ^  and  thy.  Fa- 
 ther that  sent  me  beareth  witness  of  me.  Then 
 said  they  unto  him.,  IVhere  is  thy  Father  F  Jesus  an- 
 szveredy  Te  neither  know  me  nor  my  Father  ; 
 if  ye  had  known  me^ye  should  have  known  my  Fa- 
 ther also.     John  8.   18,   19. 
 
 170.  As  MY  Father  hath  taught  mey  I  speak  these 
 things. — The  Father  hath  not  left  me  alone, 
 John  8.   28,   29. 
 
 171.*  The  servant  abide th  not  in  the  house  forever  ;  but 
 the  Son  abide  th  ever.  If  the  Son,  therefore^ 
 shall  make  you  free^  ye  shall  be  free  indeed.  John 
 ?•  ZS^  3^-  '^^^^  shews  that  Christ  is  the  natu- 
 ral and  proper  Son  of  God.  Compare  Mat.  17. 
 24—27. 
 
 172.  /  speak  that  zvhich  I  have  seen  i^ith   my  Father, 
 
 John  8.  38. 
 
 173.  I  honour  my  Father.  John  8.  49. 
 
 174.  //  is  my  Father  that  hanoureth  me.  John  8.   54. 
 
 175.  Father,  the  hour  is  come -y  glorify  thy  Soiiy  that 
 thy  Son  also  may  glorify  thee,     John  17.   i. 
 
 176.  AndnoWy  O  FATHEiiy  glorify  thou  me.  John  17.  5. 
 
 177.  Holy  Father,  keep  through  thine  own  name  those 
 whom  thou  hast  given  me.     John  17.    11. 
 
 178.  That  they  all  may  be  one,  ^j- thou.  Father,  art 
 in  mey  and  I  in  thee.     John  17.   21. 
 
 179.  Father,  I  will  that  they  also  whom  thou  hast  given 
 me,  be  with  me  where  I  am,     John  17.  24. 
 
 180.  O 
 
2d6  an  apology  for  THE 
 
 1 80.  O  RIGHTEOUS  Father,  the  zvorld  hath  noP  knoivn 
 thee.     John  17.   25. 
 
 181.  Thinkcst  thou  that  I  cannot  nozv  pray  to  my   Fa- 
 
 TH-ER,  and  he  shall  presently  give  me  more  than 
 twelve  legions  of  angels  ?  Mat.   28.   53. 
 
 182.  Andy  behold,  I  send  the  promise  0/  my  Father 
 upon  you.  Luke  24.  49. 
 
 183.  Take  these  things  hence;  jnake  not  my  Father's 
 house,  an  house  of  merchandise,  John  2.  16. 
 In  a]]  these  cases,  where  Christ  so  familiarly  calls 
 God  his  Father,"  there  seems  to  be  an  allusion  to 
 his  true  and  proper  sonship.  To  hear  him  speak 
 in  such  a  stile,  and  to  suppose  no  more  is  meant 
 by  it,  than  that  he  was  peculiarly  beloved  of  God, 
 seems  by  no  means  to  satisfy  that  expectation, 
 which  arises  from  so  frequent  a  repetition  of 
 such  expressions  as  these,  under  such  circum- 
 stances. *  184.  Destroy 
 
 *  There  is  a  little  work  published  in  the  nineteenth  volume  of  the 
 late  Rev.  John  Wesley's  Works,  translated  from  the  French,  and 
 entitled,  A  Treatise  concerning  the  Godhead  of  Jesus  Christ, 
 which  deserves  the  attention  of  all  those  who  reject  the  divinity  of 
 our  blessed  Saviour.  I  do  not  say  that  every  expression  in  it  is 
 justifiable,  on  the  contrary  f  think  some  few  savour  of  Sabellianism  ; 
 but  upon  the  whole,  it  is  a  serious  pamphlet.  The  several  propositi- 
 ons contained  in  the  treatise  arc  these  :  1.  If  Jesus  Christ  is  not  of 
 the  same  essence  with  the  Father,  the  Christianity  which  we  profess 
 is  the  corruption  of  the  Christian  religion,  and  Mahometanism  the 
 re-establishment  of  it.  2.  Jf  Jesus  Christ  is  not  of  the  same  esr 
 sence  with  the  Father,  we  must  regard  Mahomet  as  sent  of  God. 
 3.  If  Jesus  Christ  is  not  of  one  essence  with  the  Father,  Mahomet 
 is  a  great  prophet,  the  greatest  of  the  prophets,  and  even  preferable 
 in  all  respects  to  Jesus  Christ.  4.  If  Jesus  Christ  is  not  of  the 
 same  essence  with  the  Father,  Mahomet  was  more  true,  more  wise, 
 more  charitable,  and  more  zealous  for  the  glory  of  God  than  he. 
 5.  That  Jesus  Christ  takes  the  name  of  God.  6,  That  his  disci. 
 pies  ascribe  to  Jesus  Christ  all  the  principal  titles,  which  in  the  writ- 
 ings of  the  prophets  form  the  idea  of  the  supreme  God,  and  essen- 
 tially distinguish  him  from  all  creatures.  7.  That  the  apostles  make 
 Jesus  Christ  equal  with  God.  8.  That  Jesus  Christ  required  and 
 received  adoration.  9.  That  those  passages  in  the  Old  1'estamcn.t, 
 which  most  incontestably  contain  the  characters  of  the^  jupreme 
 God,  are  applied  in  the  New  to  Jesus  Christ. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  20? 
 
 184.  Destroy  this  temple^  and  in  three  days!  will  raise  it ^ 
 up.  John  1.   19.  See  Acts  2.   24. 
 
 185.  It  this  declaration  of  our  Saviour  is  compared 
 with  that  other  of  similar  import — /  have  power 
 to  lay  dozvn  my  lifc^  and  I  have  pozver  to  take  it 
 again.  John  10.  18.  It  will  appear  that  he  had 
 an  actual  and  almighty  existence  at  the  very  time 
 his  body  was  laying  lifeless  in  the  grave. ' 
 
 186.  Jesus  said  unto  Martha,  I  am  the  resurrection  and 
 the  life ;  he  thai  believeth  in  me,  though  he  zvere 
 dead,  yet  shall  he  live  ;  and  whosoever  liveth  and 
 believeth  in  nie  shall  never  die.  John  11.  25,  26. 
 '*  If  Jesus  had  been  no  more  than  a  mere  man, 
 "  such  language  would  have  appeared  haughty 
 "  and  assuming,  and  scarcely  reconcileable  with 
 "  his  humility  and  submission  to  his  Father."  * 
 
 187.  Be  not  ye  called  Rabbi ;  for  one  is  your  Master, 
 even  Christ ;  and  all  ye  are  brethren. — Neither  be 
 ye  called  Masters ;  for  one   is  your  Master  even 
 
 Christ,  Mat.  23.  8,  10.  These  were  titles  usu- 
 ally bestowed  by  the  Jews  on  their  teachers  and 
 learned  men,  with  much  vain  pomp  and  ceremo- 
 ny. Christ  alone,  however,  had  a  right  to  such 
 distinctions. — See  an  instructive  note  in  Whitby 
 on  these  verses. 
 
 188.  ne 
 
 '  St.  Ignatius  says,  "  Jesus  Christ  did  truly  suffer,  so  also  he 
 **  did  truly  raise  up  himself."     Epist.  ad  Smyr. 
 
 Origen  speaks  more  at  large  :— "  Who,"  says  he,  "  has  broken 
 '*  the  snares  of  death,  save  he  who  alopc  could  not  be  holden  of 
 "  them  ?  For  though  he  was  under  the  dominion  of  death,  it  was 
 *•  voluntary,  and  not  by  the  law  of  sin  as  we  are.  It  was  lie  alone 
 "  who  was  free  among  the  dead.  And  because  he  was  free  among 
 **  the  dead,  having  vanquished  him  who  had  the  power  of  death, 
 *♦  he  took  away  the  bondage  to  death  ;  and  not  only  raised  himseif 
 *'  from  the  dead,  but  at  the  same  time  raised  up  those  also  who  were 
 *•  detained  in  death."     Hom.   3.  in  Cant.  Canticorum. 
 
 St.  Cyprian  expresses  the  same  sentiment  : — "  He  dismissed  his 
 *'  spirit  of  his  own  accord ;  and  of  his  own  accord  rose  again  on 
 '*  the  third  day  from  the  dead."     De  Vanit.  Idol. 
 
 ^  Jortin's  Sermons,  vol.  6.  p.  189. 
 
2o8  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 1 8  8 .  "The  Son  cf  man  came  not  to  be  ministered  unto.,  hut 
 to  minister.,  and  to  give  his  life  a  ransom  for 
 many.  Mat.  20.  28.  Here  seems  a  plain  in- 
 timation of  that  atonement,  which  he  was,  in  due 
 time,  to  make  for  the  sins  of  the  world,  and  which 
 was  more  fully  and  circumstantially  revealed  af- 
 ter he  had  ascended  into  his  glory. 
 
 189.  If  a  man  love  me  he  will  keep  my  words ,  and  my 
 Father  will  love  him,  and  we  will  come  unto  him, 
 and  make  our  abode  with  him, '  What  strange, 
 and  even  impudent  language  would  this  be,  upon 
 the  supposition  that  Christ  was  no  more  than  a 
 mere  man  ?  Read  it  again  and  again,  and  see  if 
 there  be  not  here  an  intercommunity  between  the 
 Father  and  the  Son  by  the  Spirit  inconsistent 
 with  every  idea  of  simple  humanity. 
 
 190.  Let  not  your  heart  be  troubled:  ye  believe  in  God, 
 
 believe  also  in  me.  In  my  Father  s  house  are  many 
 mansions  ;  if  it  were  not  so.,  I  would  have  told  you  : 
 I  go  to  prepare  a  place  for  you.  And  if  I  go  and 
 prepare  a  place  for  you,  I  zvill  come  again,  and 
 receive  you  unto  myself,  that  where  I  am,  there  ye 
 may  be  also.  And  whither  I  go  ye  knozv,  and  the 
 way  ye  know.  Thomas  saith  unto  hijn,  Lord,  we 
 know  not  whither  thou  goest,  and  how  can  we  know 
 the  way  f  Jesus  saith  unto  him,  I  am  the  way,  and 
 the  TRUTH,  and  the  life  :  no  man  comet h  unto 
 the  Father  but  by  me.  If  yc  had  known  me^  ye 
 should  have  known  my  Father  also  :  and  from  hence- 
 forth ye  know  him,  and  have  seen  him,  Philip  saith 
 unto  him,  Lord,  shezv  us  the  Father,  and  it  sufficeth 
 us.  Jesus  saiih  unto  him.  Have  I  been  so  long  time 
 with  you,  and  yet  hast  thou  not  known  me,  Philip  ? 
 He  that  hath  seen  me,  hath  seen  the  Father  ,♦  and 
 how  say  est  thou  then,  shew  us  the  Father  f  Believ- 
 
 est 
 
 9  John  14.  23.  It  was  a  saying  among  the  Jews,  that  if  any  one 
 '*  sit  and  learn  in  the  Law,  the  Schechinah  will  rest  upon  him." 
 
 Pirke  Avoth.  cap.  3.  sect.  6, 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  209 
 
 est  thou  nat  that  I  am   in  the  Father,   and  the 
 Father   in  me  F  ^    The  words  that  I  speak  unto 
 youj   I  speak  not  of  myself:  kit  the  Father  that 
 DWELLETH    IN  ME,   he  doth  the   zvorks.     Believe 
 viej   that  I  am  in  the  Fa'^'her,    ajid  the  Father 
 ?n  ME  /  or  else  believe  me  for  the  very  zvork's  sake, 
 • — 14'^hat soever  ye  shall  ask  in  my  name^  that  zvill  I 
 doy  that  the  Father  may  be  glorified  in  the  Son.     If 
 ye  shall  ask  any   thing  in  my  name,  I  'will  do  it. — 
 He  that  loveib  me^   shall  be  loved  of  my  Father, 
 and  I  will  love  him^  and  will  manifest  myself  unto 
 him. — /  am  the  true  vine,   and  my   Father  is  the 
 husbandman. — IVhen   the   Comforter     is    come, 
 whom  I  will  send  unto  you  from  the  Father,  even 
 //ft' Spirit  OF  -^-j^uth,  which  pro ceedeth  from  the 
 Father,  he  shall  testify  of  we. — //   is  expedient 
 foryouy  that  I  go  away  :  for  if  I  go  not  away,  the 
 Comforter  will  not  come  unto  you  ;  but  if  I  de- 
 party  I  Will  send  him  unto  you. — IVhcn  the  Com- 
 forter  is  come,  he  shall  glorify  me :  for  he  shall 
 receive  of  mine,  and  shall  shczv  it  unto  you.     All 
 
 THINGS  that  the  FaTHER  HATH  ARE  MINE.* 
 
 D  d  Let 
 
 '  "  Is  this  a  stile  proper,  I  do  not  say  for  any  mere  man,  but  to 
 **  the  highest,  or  most  perfect  of  all  created  beings  ?  Let  any  So- 
 "  cinian,  or  Arian  tell  us,  what  occasion  there  was  for  a  mere   em- 
 "  bassador  cr  agent  between   God    and  man,   to  assume  so  much 
 "  every  where  to  himself,  to  lay  so  much  stress  upon   his  own    per- 
 sonal dignity,  to  set  forth  his  own  personril   powers   and  preroga- 
 tives, and,  upon  these  grounds  to  demand  honour  and  worship  to 
 *'  himself,  together  with  the  Father.     Would  it  not  have  been  suf- 
 ficient for  him  to  have  pressed  and  inculcated  the  doctrine  of  the 
 "  one  God;  the  necessity  of  obedience  to  his  laws;  the  rewards 
 attending  it;  and  the  penalties   consequent  upon  the  neglect  of 
 
 See  several  other  excellent   thoughts  upon   the  same  subject  in 
 Fiddes's  Theo.   Spec.  vol.   i.  p.  416. 
 
 These  are  strong  expressions,  but  must  appear  very  strange 
 "  too,  and  unaccountable,  if  the  Son  were  a  creature  only  ;  or  if 
 "  "°  ^°^^  were  meant  by  them  than  that  he  was  a  teacher  sent  from 
 *•  God.     If  we  may  believe  plain  words  spoken  by  our  blessed  Sa- 
 
210  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 I.ct  the  serious  reader  judge,  whether  these  various 
 declarations  of  the  Saviour  of"  mankind  are  consistent 
 with  the  character  of  simple  manhood,  however  digni- 
 fied by  the  favour  of  his  Maker.  Jesus  Christ  doth  not 
 bay,  I  grant,  in  any  of  them,  that  he  is  the  eternal  Son 
 of  the  eternal  Father,  but  he  saith  many  things  which 
 would  be  the  highest  blasphemy  in  any  m,ere  mortal 
 man.  Upon  the  supposition  that  he  is  the  natural  and 
 proper  Son  of  God,  there  is  a  propriety  and  consistency 
 in  the  highest  of  them.  And  he  might  with  the  strict- 
 est decorum  declare,  All  things  that  the  Fa- 
 ther^   HATH  ARE  MINE. 
 
 191.*  And  Jesus  walked  in  the  temple  in  Solomon'' s  porch. 
 Then  dime  the  Jews  round  about  him,  and  said  un- 
 to hiniy  Hozv  long  dost  thou  make  us  to  doubt  F  If 
 thou  be  the  Christ  tell  us  plainly.  Jesus  answered 
 them  J  I  told  yoUi  and  ye  believed  not.  The  zvorks 
 that  I  do  in  my  Father's  name^  they  bear  witness  of 
 me.  But  ye  believe  not,  because  ye  are  not  of  my 
 sheep,  as  I  said  unto  you.  My  sheep  hear  my  voice, 
 and  I  know  them,  and  they  follow  yne :  and  1  give 
 unto  them  eternal  life  j  and  they  shall  never  perish, 
 neither  shall  any  man  pluck  them  out  of  my  hand i. 
 My  Father  which  gave  thein  me  is  greater  than  all  2 
 and  none  is  able  to  pluck  them  out  of  my  Father' s 
 
 hand, 
 
 "  vlour  himself,  here  is  a  full  proof  of  a  perfect  communication  of 
 *'  all  things,  and  of  an  individual  unity  of  power  in  the  three  persons 
 *'  of  the  ever  blessed  Trinity,  as  could  have  been,  supposing  our 
 *'  principles  really  true." 
 
 See  Fiddes's  Theo.  Spec.  vol.  i.  p.  419. 
 3  "  Observe,"  saith  St.  Austin,  "  that  when  in  the  creed  the 
 *'  name  of  God  the  Father  is  conjoined,  it  is  thereby  declared,  that 
 *'  he  was  not  first  of  all  a  God,  and  afterwards  a  Father  ;  but  with- 
 •'  out  any  beginning,  he  is  always  both  God  and  Father.  When 
 "  thou  hearest  the  word  Father,  acknowledge  that  he  hath  a  Son 
 '"  truly  born,  as  he  is  called  a  possessor,  who  possesseth  any  thing, 
 **  and  a  governour  who  governs  any  thing  :  so  God  the  Father  is  a 
 *^  term  of  a  secret  mystery,  whose  true  Son  is  the  Word." 
 
 Serm.  de  Temp.  Serm.  181. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  211 
 
 hand,     I  and   my   Father    are    one.  *     I'hfn 
 D  d  2  the 
 
 ♦  See  Vv^'hitby  on  the  place. — Doddridge  hath  this  observation  up- 
 on the  declaration  before  us  : — "  If  we  attend,  not  only  to  the  obvi- 
 ous meaning  of  these  words,  in  comparison  with  other  passages  of 
 scripture,  but  to  the  connexion  of  this  celebrated  text,  it  so  plainly 
 demonstrates  the  Deity  of  our  blessed  Redeemer,  that  I  think 
 it  may  be  left  to  speak  for  itself,  without  any  laboured  comment. 
 — How  widely  different  that  sense  is,  in  which  Christians  are  said 
 to  be  one  nuitb  God,  John  17.  2 1,  will  sufficiently  appear,  by 
 considering,  how  flagrantly  absurd  and  blasphemous  it  would  be, 
 to  draw  that  inference  from  their  union  with  God,  which  Christ 
 does  from  his." 
 
 Several  of  the  ancient  Fathers  have  quoted  or  alluded  to  this  re- 
 markable saying  of  our  Lord — /  and  ?ny  Father  are  one — and  have 
 understood  it  pretty  much  in  the  same  sense  we  usually  do. 
 
 Athenagoras  says  : — "  The  Son  of  God  is  the  Word  of  the 
 "  Father,  in  power  and  energy.  By  him  and  through  him  were  all 
 *'  things  created  :  ior  the  Father  and  the  Son  are  One.  The  Fa- 
 "  ther  is  in  the  Son,  and  the  Son  is  in  the  Father,  by  the  unity  and 
 **  power  of  the  Spirit:  for  the  Son  of  God  is  the  Word  and 
 "  Wisdom  of  God."*     Apol.  p.   10. 
 
 I  shall  insert  here  a  passage  from  Bishop  Brown's  Letter  against 
 Toland's  book  on  Christianity  not  mysterious,  concerning  the  divi- 
 nity of  the  Son  of  God.  This  Letter  is  designed  not  only  as  an  an- 
 swer to  Toland's  book,  but  to  all  the  opposers  of  Revelation  and 
 Mysteries.  His  words  are  these  : — *'  I  am  convinced  by  the  com- 
 *'  pletion  of  prophecies,  the  miracles  he  wrought,  and  the  agreeable- 
 *•  ness  of  his  doctrine  to  the  natural  sentiments  of  our  minds,  that 
 "  whatever  Jesus  Christ  was,  he  came  from  God.  I  find  him  m 
 "  many  places  assuming  the  name,  and  titles,  and  worship  of  God, 
 **  In  discoursing  with  the  Jews,  he  useth  this  form  of  speech.  Before 
 "  Abraham  -ivas,  I  am,  on  purpose  to  signify  to  them,  that  he  was 
 *'  that  very  Divine  Being  which  was  revealed  to  Moses  under  that 
 "  name.  And  some  time  after,  he  tells  them  that  as  he  was  the 
 *•  Son  of  God,  so  he  and  the  Father  zvere  ofw.  That  the  Jews  un- 
 "  derstood  him  in  this  sense,  I  am  sure,  because  they  took  up  stones 
 "  at  each  of  these  sayings,  to  stone  him  as  a  blasphemer,  because 
 *'  he  made  himself  fy/^rt/cv//^  God.  If  these  expressions  were  not 
 "  to  be  understood  in  the  sense  they  took  them,  he  would  certainly 
 **  have  undeceived  them,  and  made  it  known,  that  he  was  not  God 
 
 *See  also  Tertul.   adv.  Prax.  c.    22,   2J,   and  ■}  ^.. Novat.  de  Trin.   c.   22, 
 
 —Basil.  Mag.  adv.  Eunom.  1.  i.  and  1.  4.— -Athan.  in  Disput.  adv.  Arium. 
 •—Greg.  Naz,  orat.  16  and  41).— St.  Chryst.  in  loco. — Theoph.  in  loco,™ 
 Greg.  Nys7.  adv.  Eun.  p.  8.— C\ril  Hie.  in  Cat.  11.— Aug.  dc  Trin.  I.  4. 
 c.  9,  et  lib.  5.  c.  3.— And,  in  short,  MalJonatus  on  the  place  says,  that  all  thp 
 Catholic  writers  expounded  it  of  the  divine  essence. 
 
212  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 the  Jews  took  up  stones  again  to  stone  him.     Jesus 
 
 answered 
 
 *'  in  the  sense  they  understood  him  ;  but  that  he  was  only  a  God 
 **  by  deputation,  according  to  the  wild  notion  of  the  Socinians. 
 •*  But  he  spake  the  truth,  and  the  Jews  understood  him  right,  that 
 **  he  was  eternal  God,  equal  with  the  Father,  the  \'ery  same  God 
 **  who  was  signified  by  that  sacred  name  I  am.  And  he  hath  never 
 *'  undeceived  either  them  or  us  to  this  day  ;  but  instead  thereof, 
 **  hath  u'-ed  many  expressions  to  countenance  and  encourage  this 
 **  notion  of  him  ;  and  therefore  if  1  act  like  a  reasonable  man,  I  am 
 *'  under  a  necessity  either  of  giving  my  assent  to  this,  or  of  utterly 
 ^*  rejecting  him  as  an  Impostor. 
 
 •'  Now,  had  he  been  an  Impostor,  God,  who  shewed  himself 
 **  always  very  jealous  of  his  honour,  wduld  never  have  confirmed 
 *'  this  doctrine  of  his  with  such  repeated  testimonies.  If  we  sup- 
 "  pose  him  to  be  only  a  messenger  come  from  God,  and  a  m.ere 
 *'  man,  who  spake  only  by  his  Spirit  and  commission,  he  would 
 "  never  have  used  such  expressions  as  must  naturally  be  misunder- 
 *'  stood,  and  lead  thousands  into  the  gross  sin  of  idolatry,  which  of 
 *'  all  ethers  is  most  detestable  to  God.  Moses  was  never  suffered 
 **  to  enter  into  the  land  of  Canaan,  for  a  much  less  suspicious  ex- 
 *'  prcssion,  Num.  20.  10,  and  in  the  heat  of  passion  too — Must  lue 
 *'  (^rin^  ivatei-  out  of  the  reck  ?  Which  was  a  vain  glorious  insinua- 
 **  tion,  that  they  wrought  that  miracle  by  their  own  immediate 
 *'  power,  and  pioper  efficacy.  This  comes  much  short  of  these 
 *'  expressions  of  our  Saviour — Destroy  this  temple,  and  in  three 
 "  ^ajs  1  luill  raise  it  again. — /  hwje  po-iver  to  lay  aonvn  my  life,  and 
 **  /  ha've ponx.'er  to  take  it  up, — Before  Abraham  nuas  I  am.  And, 
 *'  indeed,  that  passage  concerning  Moses  seems  to  have  been  upon 
 **  record  by  the  special  providence  of  God,  for  this  purpose,  that  it 
 "  might  be  a  good  argument  of  conviction  to  the  Jews  of  the  Di- 
 "  vinity  of  the  Son,  since  this  inference  was  very  natural  and  ob- 
 *.y  vious  from  it,  to  wit : 
 
 "  If  God  was  so  incensed  with  Moses  for  making  use  of  one 
 
 *'  expression,  which  seemed  to   encroach   upon  his  prerogative  ; 
 
 **  then  how  far  would   he   have  been    from  giving  testimony  of 
 
 **  much  more  frequent  and  greater  miracles,  to  a  person,   who, 
 
 *'  by  many  plainer  expressions,  assumed  to  himself  the  full  power 
 
 **  and  perfection  of  the  Godhead,  if  he  were  not  really  what  he 
 
 "  gave  himself  out  to  be  ? 
 
 *'  For  this  reason,  I  say,  because  I  cannot  reject  him  as  an  Impos- 
 "  tor,  therefore  I  believe  this  proposition,  and  confess,  the  blessed 
 »*  Jesus  the  Son  of  God  to  be  eternal  God  equal  with  the  Father. 
 
 "  Now  thus  ff  si  proceed  in  this  mystery  upon  the  slricktest  rules 
 "  of  reason  and  evidence,  and  my  faith  in  this  proposition  is  found- 
 ='  ed  upon  clear  and  distinct  ideas ;  for  I  know  clearly  whom  I 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  213 
 
 dnszvered  them.  Many  good  works  have  I  shezird 
 you  from  my  Father ;  for  ivhich  of  those  works  do 
 ye  stone  me  ?  The  Jews  answered  him^  sayings  For 
 a  good  work  we  stone  thee  not ;  but  for  blasphemy , 
 
 AND      BECAUSE     THAT     THOU,       BEING     A     MAN, 
 
 MAK.EST 
 
 **  mean  by  Jesus  Christ,  namely,  that  person  who  was  born  of  the 
 *'  virgin  Mary,  and  crucified  under  Pontius  Pilate  ;  I  have  a  clear 
 *•  and  distinct  idea  of  what  it  is  for  one  thing  to  be  equal  to  ano- 
 *'  ther ;  and  I  apprehend  very  well  what  is  signified  by  the  name  of 
 *•  God  here,  namely,  that  Divine  Being,  whose  necessary  existence 
 **  I  infer  from  that  clear  knowledge  I  have  of  his  creatures  ;  and  of 
 *'  whose  nature,  though  I  have  not  the  least  notion  as  it  is  in  itself, 
 **  yet  I  form  the  best  idea  of  him  I  can,  by  enlarging  all  the  per- 
 **  fections  that  are  discernable  in  the  creatures.  And  I  have  a  clear 
 *'  and  distinct  idea  of  what  it  is  for  one  person  to  be  the  son  of  ano- 
 **  ther.  Thus  I  understand  the  meaning  of  the  words  ;  nor  is  there 
 *•  any  thing  in  them  contradictory  to  my  reason.  And,  lastly,  I 
 "  have  clear  and  distinct  ideas  of  those  miraculous  proofs  to  the 
 *'  senses  of  men  ;  and  of  those  completions  of  prophecies  ;  and  the 
 "  excellency  of  that  doctrine  they  confirm  ;  the  agreeableness  of  it 
 *'  to  the  common  notions  of  men  ;  and  its  natural  tendency  to  make 
 "  men  easy,  and  pleasant,  and  useful  to  one  another.  All  which 
 "  raise  such  an  evidence  or  knowledge  in  my  mind  of  the  divinity 
 "  (f  his  mission,  who  revealed  this  proposition  to  me,  that  I  must 
 "  do  violence  to  my  reason,  if  I  do  not  give  my  assent  to  it.  And 
 "  thus  far  it  is  not  so  properly  and  strictly  a  mystery. 
 
 '*  But  when  I  think  of  this  proposition  again,  Jesus  the  Son  of 
 **  God,  is  God  equal  with  the  Father;  1  must  own  at  the  same 
 **  time  I  give  my  assent  to  it,  I  have  no  knowledge  of  that  eternal 
 "  generation  which  I  form  an  improper  idea  of  from  the  procreati- 
 "  on  of  one  man  from  another.  Nor  have  I  any  notion  of  this 
 "  wonderful  union  of  the  human  nature  with'the  Divinity.  Nor  can 
 **  I  in  the  least  imagine  wherein  this  equality  consists.  These,  and 
 **  all  other  things  relating  to  the  manntr  of  it,  are  wholly  out  of 
 *'  the  reach  of  all  my  capacities,  and  totally  obscured  from  me. 
 **  These  are  the  things  which  make  it  a  mystery,  and  in  respect  of 
 "  this  part  of  it,  the  authority,  or  veracity  of  God  is  the  only 
 "  ground  of  my  persuasion  ;  and  my  Christian  faith  of  this  article 
 *'  consists  in  thus  giving  my  assent  to  the  existence  of  things  which 
 "  1  have  no  notion  of,  when  he  hath  taken  care  to  give  me  undoubt- 
 **  ed  testimonies  of  the  revelation's  coming  from  him.  And  i  trust 
 "  he  will  accept  of  it,  because  it  is  no  rash  inconsiderate  assent,  but 
 *'  that  I  use  those  powers  of  knowledge  I  have,  as  strictly  and  im- 
 *'  partially  in  this,  as  I  would  do  in  any  affair  which  immediately 
 *.*  concerned  my  life," 
 
214  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 MAKEST   THYSELF   GoD.     JesHs  answeved  tbet?i. 
 Is  it  mi  written  in  your  law,  I  said.,  2'e  are  Gods  ?  ' 
 
 If 
 
 5  A  pious  writer  hath  represented  our  Saviour's  argument  ih  the 
 following  manner  :  **  The  Jewish  kings  and  rulers  were  types  of 
 •*  Christ ;  and  were  named  gods,  and  called  the  children  of  the 
 "  Most  High  ;  as  the  great  antitype  was  the  Son  of  God,  and  one 
 *'  with  his  Father.  They  were  shadows  ;  he  is  the  substance. 
 •'  They  were  called  gods  ;  he  is  really  God.  So  that  this  is  the 
 *'  force  of  our  Saviour's  argument  :• — What  the  types  were  in  name 
 *'  and  shadow,  that  the  antitype  must  be  in  reality  and  substance  ; 
 *'  for  the  scriptures  cannot  be  broken.  But  these  types  were  gods  in 
 *'  name  and  shadow  ;  therefore  the  Messiah,  who  is  the  antitype, 
 ••  must  be  God  in  reality  and  substance.  Thus  in  the  Jewish  sacrr- 
 *'  fices  there  was  a  shadow  of  substitution,  and  they  were  called 
 **  atonements  ;  so  in  Jesus  Christ  there  was  a  real  substitution,  and 
 **  a  real  atonement.  And  indeed,  the  Messiah  must  be  in  reality 
 "  all  that  which  the  types  were  in  name  and  shew ;  otherwise  the 
 "  scripture  would  not  be  accomplished  and  verified. 
 
 *'  If  any,  therefore,  should  say,  that  as  the  Jewish  kings  were 
 *'  gods  by  office,  so  Christ  was  only  a  God  by  office;  as  they  only 
 "  had  the  shadow  of  divinity  ;  so  he  only  has  the  shadow  of 
 •'  divinity  : — I  answer — Then  the  scripture  is  broken  :  the  types 
 **  are  not  accomplished  in  the  antitype,  it  is  all  a  shadow  still, 
 *'  The  substance  is  not  come.  And  the  prophetic  prayer,  with 
 *«  which  the  82d.  psalm  concludes  is  never  to  be  answered  : — 
 "  Arise,  O  Goct,  judge  the  earth ;  for  thou  shalt  inherit  all 
 *'  nations.  For  it  is  not  a  God,  but  a  mere  creature,  that  is  to  have 
 **  the  Heathen  for  his  inheritance,  and  the  utmost  parts  of  the  earth  for 
 •*  his  possession,  Ps.  2.  8.  And  if  bis  divinity  is  but  a  shadow,  so 
 **  is  his  atonement.  The  true  atonement  is  not  ccme.  The  types 
 **  are  not  fuliiiled.  The  scripture  is  broken.  And  v/e  are  yet  in 
 *«  oar  sins.  For  the  blood  of  one  mere  creature  can  no  more  make 
 "  a  real  atonement  than  the  blood  of  another  mere  creature.  The 
 *'  blood  of  a  bull  or  a  goat,  and  the  blood  of  a  mere  man,  are 
 •*  equally  at  an  infinite  remove  from  any  virtue  to  make  a  proper 
 *♦  atonement  for  sin.  Ail  that  has  been  done  is  a  mere  shadow. 
 *'  There  is  no  substance  in  it.  And  so  the  scripture  is  broken,  and 
 **  the  truth  of  divine  revelation  in  general,  overthrown.  For  if  any 
 **  one  thing,  held  forth  in  a  type  or  a  prophecy,  should  fail  of  ac- 
 *'  compliohment,  the  truth  of  that  whole  revelation,  in  which  that 
 "  type  or  prophecy  is  contained,  would  be  overthrown.  So  thus 
 *'  granting  the  Old  Testament  to  be  divinely  inspired,  our  Saviour's 
 "  argument  amounts  to  a  strict  demonstration. 
 
 "  The  sense  the  Arians  give  to  the  words  is  this,  /  .atid  ?ny  Father 
 "  are  one,  that  is,  i  and  my  Father  are  engaged  in  the  same  design. 
 «*  Aitd  when  the  Jews,  through  mistake,  thought  he  meant,  that  he 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY. 
 
 215 
 
 If  he  called  them  Gods,  unto  whom  the  word  of  God 
 came,  and  the  scripture  cannot  be  broken  :  say  ye  of 
 him,  whom  the  Father  hath  sanctified,  and  sent  into 
 the  world.  Thou  blasphemest ;  because  I  said,  I  a;n 
 the  Son  of  God?  If  I  do  not  the  works  of  my  Fa- 
 ther, believe  me  not.  But  if  I  do,  though  ye  believe 
 vot  me,  believe  the  works  j  that  ye  may  know  and 
 believe  that  the  Father  is  in  me  and  I  in  him. 
 The'r'efore  they  sought  again  to  take  him  ;  but  be  es~ 
 caped  out  of  their  hands.  * 
 
 Some  persons  are  pleased  to  tell  us,  that  in 
 this  passage  our  Lord  disclaimed  all  pretensions 
 to  divinity.  But  it  is  very  evident  the  Jews,  to 
 to  whom  he  spake,  thought  far  otherwise;  for 
 tiiey  charge  him  directly  with  blasphemy,  and 
 making  himself  equal  with  God.  He  quotes  the 
 Old  Testament,  and  attempts  to  illustrate  his 
 meaning;  but  it  is  all  so  little  to  their  sadsfaccion, 
 that  they  were  proceeding  to  seize  him,  when  he 
 escaped  out  of  their  hands. '    If  he  had   been  a 
 
 mere 
 
 "  was  one  with  God  :  he  answers,  I  do  not  mean  I  am  God  by 
 **  nature,  but  only  God  by  office. 
 
 *'  Query  i.  What  was  this  answer  to  the  purpose? — Query  2. 
 "  Why  did  not  he  expressly  tell  them,  that  he  only  meant  he  was 
 **  engaged  in  the  same  design  with  his  Father,  as  all  other  good 
 **  men  are  ?  This  would  have  cleared  him  from  the  odious  character 
 **  of  a  blasphemer,  and  prevented  their  taking  up  stones  again  to 
 *'  stone  him.  And  if  indeed  he  was  but  a  man,  all  must  own,  it 
 •'  was  his  duty  to  have  spoken  out,  in  as  plain  a  manner  as  Paul  and 
 "  Barnabas  did,  when  the  people  of  Lystra  took  them  for  gods, 
 "  and  were  about  to  offer  sacrifice  to  them.  But  to  suffer  himself 
 *'  to  pass  for  a  blasphemer  now,  and  soon  after  to  be  pronounced 
 **  worthy  of  death  for  blasphemy  ;  and  yet  never  clear  up  the  mat- 
 "  ter  ;  but  leave  his  disciples  after  him,  to  follow  his  example,  and 
 *'  call  him  God,  the  true  God,  God  blessed  fore-ocr,  by  whom  and 
 **  for  whom  all  things  were  created,  when  he  was  as  reallv  a  mere 
 *'  creature  as  you  and  I,  is  what  can  never  be  accounted  for," 
 
 Dr.  Bellamy  on  the  Divinity  of  Christ,  p.  24. 
 
 "  John  10,  23 — 39. 
 
 '  St.  Cyprian  considers  this  quotation  from  the  Old  Testament  In 
 the  same  light.     "  If  righteous  persons,"  says  he,  "who  paid  due 
 
^i6  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 mere  man,  according  to  his  external  appearance, 
 he  had  nothing  to  do  but  to  tell  them  so,  and  all 
 would  have  been  easy.  But  as  he  used  such  ex- 
 pressions as  led  them  to  think  he  pretended  to  be 
 EQUAL  WITH  GoD,  he  either  was  so  in  reality,  or 
 he  dealt  very  disingenuously  with  them.  He  was 
 to  blame  3  they  were  to  be  pitied.  * 
 
 192.*  There 
 
 **  obedience  to  the  laws  of  God,  might  with  any  degree  of  fitness 
 *'  and  decency  be  entitled  Gods  ;  how  much  more  might  Christy 
 *'  the  Son  of  God,  be  stiled  God  in  his  own  person  ?" 
 
 Test,  against  the  Jews,  b.  2.  sect.  6. 
 '  The  whole  of  this  piece  of  sacred  history  is  set  in  as  clear  a 
 light  as  can  be  desired  by  Fiddes  in  the  same  work  we  have  quoted 
 on  former  occasiotis.  *'  As  our  Lord,"  says  he,  "  was  walking  in 
 *'  the  temple,  the  Jews  came  to  circumvent  him,  asking  him  if  he 
 **  was  the  Messiah.  He,  knowing  their  design  and  malice,  did  not 
 «'  think  fit  to  answer  them  directly,  but  appeals  to  his  miracles,  and 
 *'  tells  ihem  moreover  expressly,  that  God  was  his  Father,  and  that 
 *•  he  and  his  Father  nxiere  one.  The  Jews  immediately  charge  him 
 *'  with  blasphemy,  {or  making  himself  God,  and  prepare  to  stone  him, 
 *•  Our  blessed  Lord,  in  his  own  vindication,  does  not  tell  them  that 
 *'  he  is  not  Gcd,  or  that  he  does  not  make  himself  God  ;  a  method 
 **  which  one  would  think  he  would  have  taken,  had  it  been  consistent 
 *'  with  truth  and  justice,  in  order  to  take  off  so  severe  a  charge  as 
 *'  that  of  blasphemy.  Eat  he  makes  them  two  answers,  which,  in- 
 «  stead  of  removing,  rather  confirmed  their  suspicion,  and  provoked 
 **  them  still  more.  They  are  to  this  eiFect ;  as  if  he  had  said  ;  If 
 •*  some  of  your  own  Sanhedrim  or  Judges,  who  have  no  more  than 
 •*  a  remote  and  imperfect  resemblance  of  divine  Majesty,  in  respect 
 *'  of  their  office,  are  called  Gods  in  holy  scripture ;  shall  one,  who 
 **  has  a  proper  right  and  title  to  that  name;  one  whom  the  Father 
 **  (having  had  him  with  him  all  along)  hath  sanctified,  and  sent  into  the 
 "  ot.cr/a',  be  charged  with  blasphemy,  for  styling  himself  the  Son  of 
 "  God;  a  title  which  he  has  a  strict  and  natural  right  to  ?  Yet  if  yoa 
 •'  will  not  believe  my  words,  at  least  believe  the  <vuorks  thai  1  do  ;  be- 
 *'  ing  manifestly  the  ivorks  of  ?ny  Father ;  so  that  you  may  easily 
 •'  judge  from  my  doing  the  same  things  that  the  Father  doth,  and 
 *'  from  the  unity  of  power  and  operation,  that  we  are  both  one,  and. 
 •*  the  Father  in  me,  and  I  in  him.  The  Jews  were  so  enraged  at 
 *'  this  ;  perceiving  now,  instead  of  clearing  himself  of  what  they 
 *'  called  blasphemy,  he  had  the  more  strongly  asserted  his  divine 
 *•  generation,  that  they  again  would  have  laid  hold  of  him  to  draw 
 "  him  out  of  the  temple,  with  an  intention  to  stone  bim."    vol.  i. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  217 
 
 192.*  There  is  another  very  remarkable  passage  of 
 scripture,  where  our  blessed  Saviour  vindicates 
 his  own  pretensions,  which  contains  various  inti- 
 mations of  his  divine  original : — Je^us  answered 
 the  Jews,  who  were  finding  fault  with  him  for 
 healing  a  man  on  the  sabbath  day,  My  Father 
 worketh  hithertOy  and  I  work.  *  Therefore  the  Jews 
 ioufht  the  7nore  to  kill  him^  because  he  not  only  had 
 broken  the  sabbath^  but  said  also,  that  God  was  his 
 Father^  *  making  himself  equal  with  God. 
 Then  answered  Jesus  and  said  unto  theniy  Verily, 
 verily y  I  say  unto  you,  "The  Son  can  do  nothing  of 
 himself,  but  what  he  seeth  the  Father  do  :  for  what 
 things  soever  he  doth,  these  also  doth  the  Son  like- 
 wise. For  the  Father  loveth  the  Son,  and  shezvetb 
 him  all  things  that  himself  doth  :  and  he  will  shew 
 him  greater  works  than  these,  that  ye  may  marvel. 
 For  as  the  Father  raiseth  up  the  dead  and  quicken- 
 eth  them  :  even  so  the  Son  quickeneth  "whom  he  will. 
 For  the  Father  judge  th  no  man  ;  but  hath  com?nit- 
 ted  all  judgment  unto  the  Son:  that  all  men 
 
 SHOULD  HONOUR  THE  SoN,  EVEN  AS  THEY  HO- 
 NOUR THE  Father.  He  that  honoureth 
 NOT  the  Son,  honoureth  not  the  Father 
 E  e  WHICH* 
 
 See  also  Randolph's  Vindication  of  the  Doctrine  of  the  Trinity, 
 part  2.  p.  43 — 48,  where  this  piece  of  sacred  history  is  set  in  a 
 very  just  and  proper  light.  Consult  too  Trapp  on  the  Trinity,  p. 
 124 — 127. 
 
 ^  "  If  Christ  is  only  a  man,  how  doth  the  Son  accomplish  those 
 "  things  which  the  Father  doth,  since  a  man  is  not  able  to  do  works 
 "  like  to  the  heavenly  actions  of  God  ?" 
 
 Novat.  cap.  14. 
 
 *  "  It  is  very  reasonable  to  conceive,"  says  Dr.  Clarke,  "  that  Je- 
 "  sus  in  this  place,  by  calling  God  his  Father  in  so  absolute  and  parti- 
 "  cular  a  manner,  might  intend  to  hint  to  his  disciples  what  they 
 "  could  not  then,  but  were  afcorwards  to  understand,  namely,  that 
 "  he  was  A.oyoQ  G&0?,  that  Word  'which  v:as  in  the  beginning  with 
 "  Gcd,  and  VJAS  God,  John    I.    1. 
 
 Scrip.  Doct.  p.  86. 
 
218  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 WHICH  HATH  SENT  HIM.  "^  This  Is  a  part  of  our 
 Lord's  vindication  of  his  own  conduct,  when  ac- 
 cused by  the  Jews  of  having  violated  the  sab- 
 bath, because  he  had  performed  a  miraculous 
 cure  on  that  day.  His  vindication,  however, 
 was  so  little  to  their  satisfaction,  that  they  ac- 
 cused him  still  farther  of  making  himself  equal 
 WITH  God.  Our  Saviour  goes  on  to  explain, 
 but  without  making  the  least  concession,  or  giv- 
 ing the  smallest  intimation  of  his  simple  huma- 
 nity. He  claims  God  for  his  own  proper  Fa- 
 ther— assumes  a  right  of  operating  on  the 
 
 SABBATH a  power  OF   IMITATING  GoD    IN    HIS 
 
 works        of      providence OF      QUICKENING 
 
 whomsoever   he  will,    of  those  that  are  dead — 
 
 the  PRIVILEGE  OF  JUDGING  THE  WORLD,  and 
 o[     BEING      HONOURED    LIKE    AS    HIS    HEAVENLY 
 
 Father    is    honoured.  '    That  these  are  the 
 
 pretensions 
 
 *  John  5.  17 — 23.  "  Let  us  here,"  says  Origen,  **  ask  Celsus 
 '  concerning  those  who  are  honoured  by  them  as  Gods,  or  Daemons, 
 '  or  Heroes  ?  How  can  you  shew,  that  these  are  honoured  by  the 
 '  appointment  of  God,  and  not  merely  through  the  ignorance  and 
 '  iblly  of  men,  who  err  and  fall  away  from  him  who  ought  truly  to 
 '  be  honoured  ? — If  Celsus  on  the  other  side,  shall  ask  us  the  like 
 '  question  concerning  Jesus ;  I  shall  shew  that  the  honour  given  to 
 '  him,  is  appointed  of  God  ;  that  all  men  should  honour  the  Son, 
 '  e-uen  as  they  honour  the  Father."     Cont.  Cel.  lib.   8. 
 
 Dr.  Fiddes  observes  upon  this  passage,  that  '•  they  are  too 
 '  strong  expressions  to  come  from  any  person  who  knew  himself  to 
 '  be  no  more  than  a  man,  or  a  mere  creature  ;  and  even  in  answer 
 *  to  a  charge  of  blasphemy,  for  taking  too  much  upon  himself 
 '  before. " 
 
 Theolog.  Speculat.  b.  4.  c.  2. 
 ^  '*  The  title  of  Son  denotes  an  equality  of  nature,  and  we  here 
 *'  find  that  the  Jews  understood  it  in  the  same  sense.  They  sought 
 "  to  kill  him,  because  he  not  only  had  broken  the  sabbath,  but  said 
 *•  also  that  God  was  his  Father — his  o-vcn  proper  Father — Tlo-TS^ti 
 "  thov  eXeys  rov  Qfov — making  himself  equal  with  God.— That 
 *'  the  Jews  understood  him  to  assume  an  equality,  not  of  power  or 
 **  authority  only,  but  of  nature,  is  evident,  because  their  charge  is 
 f  •  founded  upon  his  calling  God — i^'OV  TlciT£^ci.^hi5  owuit  proper  Fa- 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  219 
 
 pretensions  of  Jesus  is  evident  from  the  whole 
 context;  and  that  they  are  inconsistent  with  every 
 idea  we  can  intertain  of  mere  created  excellencey 
 is  what  I  submit  to  the  judgnnent  of  every  im- 
 partial enquirer  into  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus. 
 He  is  eicher,  as  it  seems  to  me,  the  true,  pro- 
 per, NATURAL  Son  of  God,  or  it  is  impossi- 
 ble to  vindicate  him  from  the  most  insolent  and 
 consummate  imposture.  There  is  no  medium  (\ 
 speak  it  with  reverence^  beliveen   his  heing  the 
 
 REAL  AND  GENUINE  SoN  OF  GoD,  cVld  CI  VdQSt, 
 DARING    BLASPHEMER.* 
 
 f  ther.  But  what  does  our  Lord  reply  to  this  ?  Does  he  tell  the 
 *'  Jews  that  they  misunderstood  him  ?  Does  he  explain  what 
 "  he  meant  by  calling  God  his  Father  ?  Does  he  deny  that  this  im- 
 ^*  ported  an  equality  with  the  Father  ?  Does  the  Evangelist  give  us 
 "  any  intimation  that  the  Jews  made  a  wrong  inference  from  his 
 **  words  ?  Something  of  this  kind  surely  might  have  been  expected, 
 **  had  our  Lord  been  only  a  creature.  Instead  of  this,  he  continues 
 *'  to  make  use  of  the  same  offensive  term  ;  and  that  in  such  a  man- 
 "  ner,  as  to  intimate  still  more  strongly  the  closest  conjunction  be- 
 *'  tween  him  and  his  Father — Verily y  'verity ,  I  say  unto  you,  Tl?e  Sen 
 "  can  do  nothing  of  himself,  but  <vuhat  he  seeth  the  Father  do  :  for 
 **  nvhat  tilings  soeuer  he  doth,  these  also  doth  the  Son  likevuise.  For 
 "  the  Father  lo'veth  the  Son,  and  she^ixeth  him  all  things  that  himself 
 *'  fl'o//6.-^But,  I  suppose,  I  shall  be  told,  that  these  words  imply  a 
 "  superiority  in  the  Father.  Our  Saviour  declares  he  could  do  no- 
 *'  thing  of  himself,  and  thereby  acknowledge?  that  his  whole  con- 
 "  duct  was  in  submission  to  the  will  and  commands  of  God  the  Fa- 
 *'  ther. — Very  true.  Our  Lord,  with  regard  to  his  mediatorial 
 *'  office,  acted  as  the  Father's  delegate  and  embassador,  and  did 
 "  nothing  but  by  his  commission.  And  this  was  very  proper  to  in- 
 "  sist  on  in  answer  to  the  Jews,  who  accused  him  of  blasphemy, 
 *'  that  he  had  done  and  said  nothing  but  by  authority  and  commis- 
 *'  sion  from  the  Father." 
 
 Randolph's  Vindication,  p.  2.  p.  38—40; 
 *  "  It  would  hardly  have  been  consistent  with  his  sincerity  and 
 "  probity,  his  integrity  and  honesty,  as  a  man,  if  he  had  not 
 "  been  God  too,  to  let  the  Jews  understand  his  words  in  such  a 
 *'  wrong  sense,  and  lay  such  an  high  charge  of  blasphemy  against 
 "  him  upon  it,  and  not  to  say  any  thing  to  shew  they  were  mistaken, 
 **  and  to  correct  their  error,  and  to  vindicate  and  defend  himself: 
 *•  for  otherwise  it  will  look  as  if  he  had  been  willing  to  let  their 
 ■'  mistake  pass,  though  he  knew  it  to  be  so,  and  to  asjume  to  him- 
 
220  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 PART  SECOND. 
 
 SECTION     III. 
 
 Christ's  MANNER  of  ii^arking  miracles  a  PROOF  of  his  divinity. 
 
 »W«W3W^fWS**!ft« 
 
 J 93.  YT  ought  to  be  observed,  Wxhen  we  are  speaking 
 J_  of  the  pretensions  of  Jesus,  that  the  tnanner 
 of  his  working  miracles  seems  corroborative  of  his  di- 
 vinity. He  conducts  not  himself  herein  as  Moses  and 
 the  Prophets,  as  the  Apostles  and  primitive  Christians, 
 were  wont  to  do,  but  rather  as  the  Lord  of  nature,  in 
 whose  hand  was  the  life  of  every  living  thing.  Son, 
 says  he  to  the  sick  of  the  palsy,  thy  sins  be  forgiven 
 ihce  ^  — to  the  raging  winds  and  seas.  Peace,  be  still — . 
 to  the  leperoiis,  Be  clean — to  the  crooked,  Be  straight 
 — to  the  deaf.  Hear — to  the  blind,  See — to  the  dumb, 
 Speak — to  the  withered  hand.  Be  stretched  out — to  the 
 
 dead 
 
 **  self  the  vanity  of  being  thought  to  be  God,  and  by  his  words  to 
 *'  make  himself  such,  though  he  had  never  said  it,  or  thought  it, 
 "  but  knew  the  contrary,  which  is  an  intolerable  reflection  upon  the 
 *'  meek  and  humble  Jesus  ;  and  not  only  upon  the  truth  of  his  di- 
 **  vinity,  but  even  his  honesty,  as  a  man."  Payne's  Sermons  on 
 **  Christ's  Divinity,  p.  75. 
 
 See  too  the  present  Mr.  Robert  Gray's  Discourses  on  various 
 Subjects,  p.  64,  where  he  considers  this  passage  of  scripture  as  a 
 proof  of  OHt  Lord's  essential  divinity. 
 
 5  Mar.  2.  5,  7.  Dr.  Ckrke  observes  upon  this,  that  "  it  is  not 
 "  improbable,  but  our  Saviour  might  mean  to  give  his  Disciples 
 *'  some  intimation  that  he  was  Aoyog  (}eog  that  JVord  --wi/iclj  nvas  in 
 *' tlje l)£ginning  <u;it/}  Goet,  anJ ijuas  God,  John  I.  1." — And  Irenajus 
 makes  the  following  remark  upon  the  same  passage : — "  Our 
 **  Lord,"  says  he,  "  when  he  forgave  sins,  at  the  same  tinr;e  healed 
 •*  the  man,  and  plainly  declared  who  himself  was :  for  if  none  can 
 *'  forgive  sins,  and  heal  men  ;  it  is  plain  that  he  was  the  Word  of 
 "  God,  made  the  son  of  man,  receiving  from  his  Father  the  power 
 '^'  of  forgiving  sins,  because  he  was  man,  and  because  he  was  God." 
 
 Lib.  5.  cap.  17, 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  221 
 
 dead.  Arise — and  to  the  putrid  carcase,  Conie  forth. 
 Now,  if  our  blessed  Lord  v/as  nothing  more  than  a 
 mere  man,  and  acted  solely  by  commission  from  his 
 Father,  in  like  m.anner  as  Moses  and  the  Prophets  did, 
 and  in  no  higher  a  sense,  there  was  an  arrogance  and 
 presumption  in  his  manner  infinitely  unbecoming  such 
 a  character.  It  is  impossible  not  to  call  to  mind,  on 
 reading  the  wonderful  works  of  our  Saviour,  the  mLin- 
 ner  of  the  Almighty  when  the  foundations  of  the 
 world  were  laid.  Let  there  be  lizhi — Let  there  be  a 
 firmament — Let  the  zvaters  be  collected — Let  the  earth 
 bring  forth  grass — Let  the  waters  abound  with  fish,  and 
 the  earth  with  animals-r-Let  the  sun,  moon  and  stars  en^ 
 liohten  the  heavens.  In  all  this  there  is  a  strikin<2:  si- 
 milarity.  And  in  the  former  instance,  as  well  as  in  the 
 latter,  we  may  say  with  truth,  wiiat  the  flatterers  of 
 Herod  said  feignedly  and  blasphemously,  //  is  the  voice 
 of  a  God,  and  not  of  a  man,  * 
 
 This 
 
 *  Acts  12.  22. — Burnet,  of  the  Charterhouse,  has  expressed  this 
 with  great  elegance.  The  learned  Reader  will  consult  the  original; 
 my  plan  obliges  me  to  give  a  translation,  "  Moreover,"  says  he, 
 "  when  Christ  wrought  his  miracles,  he  spake  not  as  the  Apostles, 
 "  in  the  name  of  another ;  but  commandingly  and  like  a  God. 
 *'  Of  old  God  said.  Let  there  be  light,  and  there  njcas  lig/jt  :  Christ 
 "  said,  I -TAJ ill ;  be  thou  clean  ;  and  the  leper  was  cleansed.  Mat.  8. 
 •'  3. — He  said  to  the  paralytic,  Jrise,  take  up  thy  bed  and  go  to  thy 
 "  house;  and  he  went  away  healed,  Mat.  9.  6. — He  said  to  the  sea, 
 "  while  the  tempest  was  raging,  Peace,  be  still,  and  the  --ivind  ceased 
 *'  and  there  -ivas  a  great  calm.  It  is  not  the  voice  of  a  man  ;  it  is 
 *'   God  himself."     De  Fide  et  OlHciis,  cap.  7.  p.   120. 
 
 "  Let  us  first  look  at  the  air  and  manner,"  says  the  learned  au- 
 thor of  the  Origin  of  Arianism  Disclosed,  "  in  which  he  executes 
 "  his  greater  acts  of  miraculous  might.  He  speaks  to  the  leper, 
 *'  1  'ivill,  be  thou  clean.  Ho  says  to  the  man  with  the  withered  hand, 
 "  Stretch  forth  thine  hand.  He  tells  the  blind  man,  Recei-ve  tl.y 
 ♦*  sight.  He  says  to  him  who  had  now  been  crippled  in  his  limbs  fur 
 *'  eight  and  thirty  years  ;  Take  up  thy  bed  and  --inalk.  He  caiis  to 
 "  Lazarus,  lying 'in  the  vault  of  rock  before  him,  and  swathed 
 "  round  with  sepulchral  linen,  Lazarus,  come  forth.  And  he  finally 
 *'  takes  upon  him,  to  rebuke  the  most  unruly  elements  of  nature, 
 "  the  winds  and  the  waves  ;  and  to  address  these  words  to  the  sea, 
 "  when  wildly  agitated  with  a  storm.  Peace,  be  still.     These  are 
 
232  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 This  will  appear  the  more  remarkable,  when  It  Is 
 compared  with  the  manner  in  which  Moses  and  the 
 Prophets  wrought  their  miracles.  They  were  all  done, 
 except  the  one  of  Moses,  which  lost  him  the  promised 
 land,  with  the  most  profound  humility,  and  direct  ap- 
 peal to  the  Almighty.  This  was  still  more  remarkably 
 the  case  with  the  Apostles  of  our  Lord.  Both  Angels 
 and  Men  have  been  employed  as  the  agents  and  instru- 
 ments of  the  supreme  God ;  but  then  they  never  for- 
 got themselves  and  their  ministerial  character  so  far, 
 as  to  attempt  to  work  a  miracle  at  their  own  pleasure, 
 in  their  own  names,  and  by  their  own  power.  None 
 of  them  ever  spake  as  though  they  were  the  Lords  of 
 nature.  The  Apostles,  in  particular,  carefully  avoided 
 and  disclaimed  this  every  where,  and  upon  all  occasions. 
 Thus,  in  the  case  of  the  impotent  man,  Peter  says. 
 In  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Nazareth  rise  up  and 
 walk.  Acts  3.  6.  So  says  An^jnias,  Brother  Saul,  the 
 Lord,  even  Jesus  that  appeared  to  thee  in  the  way,  has 
 sent  me^  that  thou  mightest  receive  thy  sight.  Acts  9.  17. 
 St.  Peter  says  again,  ALneas,  Jesus  Christ  maketb  thee 
 whole.  Acts  9.  34.  His  name,  says  the  same  Apostle 
 in  another  place,  through  faith  in  his  name,  hath  made 
 this  man  strong.  Acts  3.  16.  In  short :  As  the  mira- 
 culous operations  of  the  Old  Testament,  were  wrought 
 by  an  appeal  to  the  power  of  God,  so  several  of  those 
 of  our  Lord  v/ere  effected  in  the  hig;hest  stile  of  self- 
 conscious  divinity,  and  most  of  those  wrought  by  the 
 hands  of  the  Apostles,  were  professedly  accomplished 
 in  the  nam.e  and  by  the  power  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Na- 
 zareth. Upon  the  supposition  that  Messiah  was  a  mere 
 man,  this  seems  altogether  unaccountable;  but  upon 
 the  principle  that  he  was  God  and  man  united  for  the 
 purposes  of  human  redemption  all  is  plain,  natural,  and 
 easy. 
 
 "  all  imperial  acts  of  authority.  They  are  obviously  in  their  manner. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  223 
 
 TART  SECOND. 
 
 SECTION     IV. 
 
 Christ's  testimony  to  his  own  person  and  character  at  the  close  of  his  life, 
 and  after  his  resurrection. 
 
 THE  several  declarations,  which  our  Saviour  made, 
 when  he  came  cowards  the  last  woe-fraught  scene 
 of  his  life,  are  of  great  importance  in  this  inquiry  into 
 the  original  dignity  of  his  person.  Some  very  able 
 men  have  been  of  opinion,  that  the  professions  he  made 
 before  his  judges  decisively  declare  the  divinity  of  his 
 character. '  I  will  produce  the  passages  from  the  four 
 Evangelists,  that  the  reader  may  be  better  able  to  judge 
 of  the  charge  for  which  our  blessed  Saviour  was  con- 
 demned to  death : — 
 
 1 94.  And  the  high  priest  anszvered  and  said  unto  him ; 
 I  adjure  thee  by  the  living  God,  that  thou  tell  us, 
 whether  thou   be  the   Christ,    the    Son    of 
 
 God. 
 
 **  the  operations  of  inherent  and  essential  Deity.  The  pointed  bre- 
 **  vity  of  the  sentences,  is  the  genuine  sublimity  of  power  ;  the  easy 
 '*  language  of  a  mind,  reposing  upon  its  own  dignity,  and  famihar 
 •*  with  exertions  of  divinity." 
 
 Page  1^. 
 '  The  most  complete,  yet  concise  view  I  recollect  to  have  seen  of 
 the  doctrine  concerning  the  divinity  of  Christ,  the  Sacred  Trinity, 
 and  the  Holy  Spirit,  is  to  be  met  with  in  the  seventh,  part  of  the 
 excellent  Dr.  Doddridge's  Course  of  Lectures.  All  that  can  be  said 
 upon  the  subject,  with  any  degree  of  certainty,  may  there  be  seen  ia 
 a  very  small  compass.  No  man  who  wishes  to  understand  his  reli- 
 gion, no  clergyman  especially,  should  be  without  this  invaluable 
 work.  I  verily  believe  it  has  not  its  equal  in  the  world.  The  last 
 edition  by  Dr.  Kippis  should  be  by  far  the  best ;  but  I  have  had  no 
 opportunity  of  examining  whether  he  hath  acted  impartially  by  it,  or 
 whether  he  hath  given  it  a  turn  to  his  own  centiments. 
 
AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 God.  Jesus  saiih  unto  hinii  Thou  hast  saiD/ 
 nevertheless  I  say  unto  you,  Hereafter  shall  ye  see 
 THE    Son    of    Man    sitting    on  the  right 
 
 HAND    OF    POWliR,    AND   COMING   IN   THE  CLOUDS 
 
 OF  HEAVEN.  Then  the  hi^h  priest  rent  his  clothes, 
 saying.  He  hath  spoken  blasphemy ,-  what  further 
 need  have  ive  of  witnesses  f  Behold,  now  ye  have 
 heard  his  blasphemy.  JVhat  think  ye  ?  They  an- 
 swered and  said,  He  is  guilty  of  death.  ^  Mat. 
 16.  Gi^ — 66. 
 
 195.  Again 
 
 '  '•'  It  is  not  the  mere  appellation  of  the  Son  of  God  as  applied 
 "  to  Christ  by  others,"  says  a  learned  writer,  "  on  which  the  stress 
 **  deserves  to  be  laid,  but  the  appellation,  as  it  was  assumed  by 
 **  himself,  and  understood  by  the  Jews.  They  considered  his  pre- 
 *'  tension  to  the  title  as  blasphemy,  and  at  last  condemned  him  to  death 
 **  for  it.  But  in  what  did  this  blasphemy  consist  ?  In  the  more  ge- 
 **  neral  sense  of  tlie  words  it  could  not  be  considered  as  blasphemy  ; 
 «*  for  the  Jews  called  themselves  Sons  of  God,  and  God  their  com- 
 ««  mon  Father  :  It  could  not  be  as  a  Prophet,  for  he  was  considered 
 **  by  the  generality  of  the  Jews,  as  a  great  Prophet,  and  as  such  he 
 *'  was  entitled  to  the  name  of  the  Son  of  God  in  an  eminent  degree. 
 **  It  must,  therefore,  have  been  in  a  sense,  which  had  never  before 
 **  been  applied  to  man,  and  was  compatible  only  with  xkizt.  great  per- 
 *'  son  so  long  predicted  by  their  Prophets.  That  Jesus  Christ 
 **  meant,  under  the  title  of  the  Son  of  God,  to  represent  himself  as 
 *'  the  Messiah,  the  Christ,  is  admitted  by  all,  who  call  themselves 
 *'  Christians,  as  well  as  by  the  Jews,  who  condemned  him  to  the 
 *'  cross.  His  blasphemy,  therefore,  consisted  in  calling  himself  the 
 •'  Messiah.  But  u'hat  was  the  extent  of  the  blasphemy  ?  The  So- 
 •*  cinians  say,  that  Jesus  Christ  never  professed  himself  to  be  more 
 *•  than  man,  and  that  the  Imputed  blasphemy  did  not  imply  any  pre- 
 "  tension  to  divinity  ;  but  merely  the  assumption  of  a  certain  great 
 "  ctlice  and  commission  from  God,  which  the  Jews  considered  as  an 
 "  imposture  :  and  they  alledge  in  favour  of  tliis  assertion,  the  com- 
 "  Hion  expectation  of  the  Jews,  who  looked  only  for  a  great  tem- 
 '«  poral  deliverer. —  In  answer  to  this  allegation  we  may  reply,  that 
 *'  the  expectation  of  the  Jews  cannot  be  made  the  rule  of  our  belief. 
 "  Predictions  are  never  properly  understood,  till  they  are  accom- 
 *'  plished.  Our  belief,  therefore,  of  Jesus  Christ,  is  not  to  be  re- 
 *'  gulated  by  the  Jews  expectations  of  the  Messiah,  or  their  opini- 
 **  ons  of  Jesus  Christ ;  but  by  hts  professions  of  himself. 
 
 "  Now  from  these  professions,  in  the  many  passages,  where 
 "  Christ  speaks  of  God  as  his  Father,  in  the  most  marked  and  ap- 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  225 
 
 195.  Again  the  high  priest  asked  him^  and  said  unto  hiniy 
 
 Art  thou  THE  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  Bles- 
 sed ?  And  Jesus  saidy  I  am  .*  and  ye  shall  see  ^ 
 the  Son  of  Man  sitting  on  the  right 
 hand  of  power,  and  coming  in  the  clouds 
 OF  HEAVEN.  Then  the  high  priest  rent  his  clothes y 
 and  saithy  What  need  zve  any  further  witnesses  f 
 Te  have  heard  the  blasphemy  :  IVhat  think  ye  ? 
 And  they  all  condemned  him  to  be  guilty  of  death. 
 Mark  14.  61 — 64. 
 
 1 96.  And  as  soon  as  it  was  dayy  the  elders  of  the  people, 
 
 F   f  and 
 
 *'  propriate  relation,  the  obvious  inference  is,  that  the  appellation  of 
 ♦*  the  Son  of  God,  assumed  by  him,  implies  the  same  kind  of  re- 
 *'  lation  to  him,  as  that  of  a  man  to  his  father;  that  is,  it  implies 
 *•  coessentiality  with  God,  and  therefore  equality  of  nature,  and 
 "  consequently  divinity  in  its  full  extent.  Such,  I  say,  appears  to 
 "  be  the  obvious  inference  :  but,  thanks  to  the  evangelical  histori- 
 •'  ans,  we  are  not  left  to  a  mere  presumptive  inference  :  for  we  have 
 •'  the  express  attestation  of  his  living  witnesses  the  Jews,  to  what 
 •'  they  considered  as  his  meaning  :  they  repeatedly  charged  him 
 "  with  blasphemy  for  making  h.\m5t\f  equal  n.vith  God — one  njjith  God 
 *'  — and  God :  and  at  last  condemned  him  to  death  for  his  bias- 
 "  phemy  by  virtue  of  the  Levitical  law. 
 
 "  The  Jews,  indeed,  and  his  enemies,  might  have  exaggerated 
 "  the  charge  against  him  :  But  Christ  knew,  in   what  sense   they 
 **  understood  the  appellation,  which  he  assumed  ;  and  by  his  acqui- 
 **  escence  admitted  the  truth  of  their  allegation.     If  they  had  mis- 
 **  understood  his  pretensions,  he  had  many  opportunities  of  undeceiv- 
 "  ing   them,  and  no  doubt  would  have  undeceived  them,  not  to 
 ••  prevent  his  death  ;  (for  that  end  he  knew  that  he  was  destined;) 
 **  but,  (what  in  his  opinion,  to  consider  him  only  as  the  best  of  all 
 **  just  men,  must  have  been  of  much  greater  consequence,)  to  prevent 
 *•  the  propagation  of  an  error,  which  his  acquiescence  in  their  charge 
 "  could  not  fail  to  establish.     Yet  instead  of  correcting  their  opinions 
 "  he  confirmed  the  charge  by  repeating  his  assertions,  and  submitting 
 "  to  the  sentence,  which  the  Levitical  law  passed  on  him  for  calling 
 **  himself  the  Son  of  God.     Therefore,  if  we  admit  in  any  degree 
 •'  the  truth  of  the  Christian  revelation,    and  believe    that    Christ 
 "   came   into   tfie  I'.'orld,  that  he  should  Bear  nvitness   unto  the  truth ^ 
 **  we  must  believe  him  to  have  been  what  he  professed  himself  to  be, 
 "   THE   Son  of  God,  in  the  literal  sense  of  those  terms,  which  his 
 "  living  witnesses  imputed  to  them,  that  is,  God — equal  ^.vitb  God-~ 
 *'  and  dtie  tvith  God^ 
 
 Burgess's  Sermon  on  the  Divin-ty  of  Christ,  p.  40. 
 
2.26  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 and  the  chief  priests^  and  the  scribes  came  together, 
 and  led  him  into  their  council.,  saying.  Art  thou 
 THE  Christ/*  Tell  us.  And  he  said  unto  them. 
 If  I  do  tell  you,  you  will  not  believe.  And  if  I  ask 
 you,  you  will  not  anszver  me,  Jior  let  me  go.  Here- 
 after shall  THE  Son  of  Man  sit  on  the  right 
 HAND  OF  THE  POWER  OF  GoD.  Then  Said  they 
 all.  Art  thou  then  the  Son  of  God/*  And  he 
 said  unto  them.  Ye  say  that  I  am.  And  they 
 said,  IVhat  need  we  any  further  witness  f  for  we 
 ourselves  have  heard  of  his  own  mouth.  Luke  22. 
 66—71. 
 
 197.  li'loen  the  chief  priests  therefore  and  officers  saw 
 him,  they  cried  out,  saying.  Crucify  him,  crucify 
 him.  Pilate  saith  unto  him,  Take  ye  him,  and 
 crucify  him  ;  for  I  find  no  fault  in  him.  The 
 yezvs  answered  him,  IVe  have  a  law,  and  by  our 
 law  he  oup-ht  to  die,  because  he  made  himself 
 the  Son  of  God.  John  19.  6,  7. 
 From  a  comparison  of  these  four  passages  of  holy 
 
 scripture,  it  is  manifest,  that  our  Saviour,  to  the  very 
 "last  scene  of  his   mortal  life,  professed  himself  to  be 
 
 the  Son    of    God.  '     He  had  done  the  same  upon 
 
 many 
 
 9  The  writings  of  the  Old  Testament  frequently  foretel,  that 
 Messiah  should  be  the  Son  of  God.  See  Ps.  z.  /.^-Ps.  89.  26,  27. 
 — Is.  9.  6. — Hos.  II.  1. — Accordingly  when  our  Saviour  appeared, 
 Messiah  and  the  Son  of  God  were  frequently,  though  not  always, 
 used  as  convertible  terms,  as  is  evident  from  various  passages  in 
 the  New  Testament.  See  particularly.  Mat.  8.  29. — John  1.  49. — 
 John  II.  27. — But  then  there  are  several  senses  in  which  Messiah  is 
 called  the  Son  of  God. 
 
 1.  He  is  so  called  because  of  the  miraculous  manner  of  his  concep- 
 tion.    See  Luke  i.  35. 
 
 2.  He  is  so  called  because  of  his  resurrecSlion  from  the  dead.  See 
 Afts  13.  32,  33. 
 
 3.  He  is  so  called  because  of  his  dignity  and  authority.  See 
 Heb.  1.  2 — 5. 
 
 4.  He  is  so  called  because  of  his  office.     John  10.  36. 
 
 In  all  these  respeds  our  Saviour  was  the  Son  of  God  by  way  of 
 eminency  and  excellency  above  all  others,  except  in  the  first  instance. 
 But  then. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  227 
 
 many  former  occasions.    When  he  was  but  twelve  years 
 
 of 
 
 5.  Christ  is  called  the  Son  of  God  in  such  a  way  and  manner  as 
 never  any  other  was,  is,  or  can  be,  because  of  his  ov/n  divine  nature, 
 he  being  the  true,  proper,  and  natural  Son  of  God,  begotten  by  him, 
 ineffably,  before  all  worlds.  The  New  Testament  speaks  of  this 
 peculiarity  of  his  Sonship  upon  various  occasions.  Thus  : — God  so 
 lo'ved  the  '■jjorU,  that  he  gave  his  onlv  begotten  Son,  that  --who- 
 soe'uer  helie'veth  in  him  should  not  perish,  but  hwve  e^verlasling  lift:  ;  /'or 
 God  sent  not  his  Son  into  the  ijoorld  to  condtmn  the  'world,  but  that  the 
 nvorld  through  him  might  be  su'ved.  He  that  belie-veth  on  him  is  not 
 condemned,  but  he  that  belie-veth  not  is  condemned  already,  because  he 
 hath  not   belie'ved  in  the  name  o/"the  only    begotten  Son  of 
 
 God.        John   3.    16,    17,    18. Again  -.—God  sending   his    OWM 
 
 Son    in  the  likeness    of   sinful  fiesh,    and  for' sin    condemned  sin  in 
 
 the  flesh.     Rom.   8.    3. Again: — When  the  fulness  of  time  -ivas 
 
 come,  God  sent  forth  h  is  Son  made  of  a  luoman,  made  under  the  la-vj. 
 
 Gal.   4.   4. Again: — For    this  purpose  THE    Son    of  God  "ivas 
 
 manifested  that  he  might   dejlroy  the  nuorks  of  the  devil.       I    John 
 
 3.  8. And  again  : — In   this  luas  manifested  the  love  of  God  to- 
 
 fward  tfs,  because  that  God  sent  His  only  begotten  Son. 
 1  John  4.  9. — From  ail  these  passages,  and  others  that  might 
 be  produced,  it  is  evident,  that  Christ  was  the  Son  of  God  m 
 an  high  and  peculiar  sense,  such  as  no  other  Being  was,  is  or 
 can  be.  This  was  the  sense  of  all  the  great  writers  of  the  Christian 
 church  from  the  beginning.  Novatian  says,  "  that  as  our  Sa- 
 "  viour's  being  the  Son  of  Man  declares  his  humanity  ;  so  his 
 **  being  the   Son  of  God  is  an  undeniable  proof  of  his  divinity." 
 
 And   again  : — "  Christ  is    not   only  a  man,  because  the  Son 
 
 **  of  Man,  but  is  also  God,   because   the    Son  of  God." 
 
 De    Trinit.    can.   i  r. 
 
 St.  Athanasius  says,  "  We  believe  in  one  only  begotten 
 *'  Word,  born  of  the  Father,  without  beginning  of  time,  from 
 "  all  eternity,  being  not  a  division  from  the  impassible  nature, 
 "  or  an  emission,   but  a   perfcd  Son." 
 
 Expos.  Fid.  p,  240. 
 
 St.  Cyril  of  Jerusalem  saith,  "  When  thou  hearest  Christ 
 "  called  a  Son,  do  not  think  him  to  be  an  adopted  Son,  but 
 "  a  natural  Son,  an  only  begotten  Son,  not  having  any  brother; 
 **  for  he  is  therefore  called  the  only  begotten,  because  there  is  none 
 *'  other  like  him,   either  as    to  the   dignity    of  his  deity,   or   his 
 
 **  birth   from  his  Father." And  again  : — "  When  thou  hearest 
 
 "  him  called  a  Son,  do  not  understand  him  so  only  abusively  or 
 *'  improperly,  but  understand  him  to  be  a  TRUE  Son,  a  natural 
 "  Son."  Catech.  11.  p.  93,  94. 
 
 Pamphilus  tells  us  Origen  held  that  "  the  Son  was  begotten  of 
 "  the  Father,  and  that  he  is  of  one  substance  with  the  Father, 
 "  but  different  and  distindl  from  created  substance — that  the  only- 
 «  begotten   God  our  Saviour  alone  was  generated  of  the  Father, 
 
228  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 cf  age,  he  reproved  his  anxious  parents,  by  saying, 
 How  is  it  that  ye  sought  me  F  Wist  ye  not  that  I  vmst 
 be  about  my  Father's  business^  Dtirins;  the  whole 
 time  of  his  pubUc  ministry  Hkewise  he  uniformly  spake 
 of  God  as  HIS  OWN  Father.  And  even  when  the 
 Jews  charged  him  with  making  himself  equal  zmth 
 Godj  by  pretending  to  be  his  Son,  he  never  denied  the 
 charge,  or  retracted  his  pretensions,  though  they  threat- 
 ened to  stone  him  to  death  for  blasphemy.  And  here, 
 in  this  last  and  melancholy  scene  of  his  life,  though  he 
 well  knew  from  the  former  conduct  of  the  Jews  to- 
 wards him,  that  they  v/ould  certainly  put  him  to  death, 
 
 if 
 
 **  and  is  his  Son  by  nature,  not  adoption,  born  of  the  intelleft  of 
 *'  the  Father  itself. — The  only-begotten  Son  alone  is  the  Son  of 
 **  the  Father  by  nature." — Origen  conceived  the  Son  to  be  born  of 
 the  very  substance  of  God.  "  He  is  consubstantial,  or  of  the 
 '*  same  identical  substance  with  the  Father.  He  is  not  a  creature, 
 "  neither  by  adoption  a  Son,  but  by  nature,  and  generated  of  the 
 "  Father  himself."  Apol.  pro  Grig  passim. 
 
 To  these  quotations  from  the  Fathers  we  may  add  the  excellent 
 advice  cf  the  famous  Alexander  of  Alexandria,  who  was  the  first 
 opposer  of  Arius : — •'  It  is  true,"  says  he,  "  that  the  Son  was 
 begotten  ;  but  he  that  enquires  farther  into  the  manner  thereof, 
 is  not  to  be  reckoned  among  the  pious,  seeing  he  hearkens  not 
 to  that  which  is  written  : — beek  not  after  things  which  are  too 
 difficult  for  thee,  and  search  not  into  those  things  which  are  too 
 high  for  thee  ;  for  if  the  knowledge  of  many  other  things,  far 
 inferior  to  this,  exceed  the  reach  of  an  human  understandings 
 how  then  shall  any  without  madness  pretend  curiously  to  search 
 into  the  essence  of  God  the  Word }  of  whom  the  prophetic 
 Spirit  saith.  Who  shall  declare  his  generatio7i  ?" 
 
 Theodoret.  Ecc.  Hist.  lib.  i.  cap.  4. 
 See  the  subjeft  of  the  Son's  generation  discussed  at  large  in  the 
 second  article  of  bishop  Pearson's  Exposition  of  the  Creed,  p.  105 — 
 144. — If  any  of  my  younger  brethren  among  the  clergy  wish  to  be 
 informed  what  books  they  fhould  read  for  the  information  of  their 
 minds  and  the  settling  of  their  religious  opinions,  I  cannot  do  them 
 a  greater  kindness  than  by  recommending  to  their  notice  this  most 
 learned,  solid,  and  judicious  bock.  A  man  that  has  read  it  care- 
 fully, and  digested  it  thoroughly,  will  run  little  danger  of  being 
 injured  by  x\\ejii>nsy  theology  of  the  present  day.  It  should  seem  the 
 University  of  Oxford  entertained  the  same  sentiments  of  this  Work, 
 by  their  having  caused  it,  together  with  Hooker's  Ecclesiastical 
 Polity,  to  be  reprinted  at  their  press. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  229 
 
 if  he  still  persisted  in  his  high  pretensions,  he  neverthe- 
 less boldly  declared  in  the  face  of  his  implacable  ene- 
 mies, that  he  was  the  Son  of  God.  This  he  avow- 
 ed to  the  last,  and  for  this  he  was  put  to  death.  Our 
 Saviour,  therefore,  was  either  what  he  pretended  to  be, 
 the  TRUE  and  proper  Son  of  God,  *  without  any 
 figure,  or  equivocation,  or  he  died  bearing  witness  to 
 a  falsehood,  and  was  guilty  of  his  own  blood. 
 
 Besides  all  these,  we  have  several  otlier  testimonies, 
 to  the  personal  "character  of  our  blessed  Saviour,  de- 
 livered by  himself,  after  his  resurrection  from  the  dead, 
 some  before  his  ascension  into  heaven,  and  others  after. 
 Thus,  before  his  ascension  : — 
 
 198.  All   power    is  given  iinio  me  in  nEAY^-a  and  in 
 
 EARTH. 
 
 19  9.  Go  ye  therefore  and -teach  all  nations  ^  baptizing 
 them  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  tloe  Son, 
 and  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
 
 200.  io,  1  am  ivith  you  always  even  unto  the  end  of  the 
 world.  Mat.   28.    18 — 20. 
 
 And  again  when  he  had  been  about  sixty  years 
 in  the  kingdom  of  glory  : — 
 
 201.  Iain  Alpha  ^zW  Omega,  the  beginning  and  the 
 ENDING,  saith  the  Lord,  which  is,  and  which  was, 
 and  zvhich  is  to  come,  the  Almighty.  Rev. 
 I.  8. 
 
 202.  Again: — /^;«  Alpha  ^;/^  Omega.  Rev.   i.  11. 
 
 203.  Again  : — I  ain  the  first  and  the   last.  Rev.   i. 
 
 204.  Again: — lam  he   TtV^/rZ;  searcheth  the  reins 
 
 and  hearts.  Rev.   2.   23. 
 
 205.  And  again: — lam  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  -ez- 
 
 GiumNG  and  the  EUD,  the  first  and  the   last. 
 Rev.  22.   13. 
 
 Now 
 
 '  The  observations  of  Dr.  Fiddes  in  his  Theol.  Specul.  vol.  i. 
 p.  420 — 422,  upon  this  last  scene  of  our  Lord's  life,  are  well  worthy 
 of  the  reader's  attention. 
 
«30  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 Now  let  any  one  calmly  examine  these  several  de- 
 clarations of  our  Saviour,  and  the  manner  of  his 
 working  miracles,  without  any  regard  to  system,  with 
 the  simxplicity  of  a  little  child,  and  then  let  him  say, 
 whether  the  person,  who  hath  said  and  done  such 
 things,  and  in  such  a  manner,  must  not  be  more  than 
 mere  man  ?  whether  he  did  not  exist  before  he  was 
 born  of  the  virgin  Mary  ?  whether  he  came  not  origi- 
 nally from  heaven  ?  whether  he  was  not  naturally  su- 
 perior to  all  the  angelic  creation  ?  and  v/hether  he  did 
 not,  some  how  or  other,  though  in  a  way  inexplicable 
 by  us,  partake  of  divinity  with  his  Father  ?  yea,  whether 
 he  is  not  as  much  the  natural  Son  of  his  heavenly  Fa- 
 ther, as  a  man  is  the  natural  son  of  his  earthly  parent  ? 
 and,  consequently,  whether  he  is  not  possessed  of  all  the 
 perfeftions  of  the  Divine  Nature  ?  or  lastly,  whether, 
 if  he  were  not  originally  and  essentially  of  a  rank  su- 
 perior to  men  and  angels,  he  was  not  (horresco  referens*) 
 one  of  the  most  consummate  impostors  that  ever  ap- 
 peared in  our  world  ? 
 
 »«««^f^f^^s€^^^^)^»».N« 
 
 PART  SECOND. 
 
 SECTION    V. 
 
 Testimonies  to  the  PERSON  and  CHARACTER  of  Christ,  by  his  Apos- 
 tles and  Disciples,  after  his  ascension  into  heaven. 
 
 BUT  all  this  will  more  fully  appear,  by  comparing 
 what  the  Apostles  and  Disciples  of  our  Lord  said 
 of  him,  through  the  inspiration  of  the  Floly  Spirit,  after 
 he  had  with-drawn  from  our  world.  And  this  we  will 
 do,  as  near  as  may  be,  in  the  order  of  time,  that  we 
 piay  preserve  the  same  uniformity  of  plan,  which  has 
 
 been 
 s*  I  am  shocked  while  I  speak  it, 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY  231 
 
 been  observed  in  tracing  his  character  through  the  seve- 
 ral periods  of  the  world,  both  before  he  made  his  ap- 
 pearance in  the  flesh,  and  while  he  conversed  among 
 men.  This  will  complete  the  scriptural  view  of  his 
 character,  be  it  what  it  may.  And  here  we  must  rest. 
 We  can  proceed  no  further  upon  tenable  ground.  If 
 we  candidly  investigate  what  was  said  of  him  by  the 
 inspiration  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  before  he  came  into  the 
 world  :  if  we  fairly  examine  what  were  his  own  preten- 
 sions, while  he  was  in  the  world,  and  what  were  the  opi- 
 nions i)f  others  concerning  him,  during  the  same  period: 
 if  we  attend  with  impardaHty  to  the  views  of  the  Apos- 
 tles, when  they  were  under  the  highest  degree  of  spiritu- 
 al i'kimination  that  they  ever  experienced,  we  shall  be 
 in  the  best  possible  train  for  arriving  at  a  competent 
 knowledge  of  the  Redeemer's  genuine  charadier. — 
 Farther  than  this,  however,  we  cannot  go.  For,  after 
 all,  the  word  of  God  must  decide  the  question. 
 
 206.*  We  will  then  begin  our  further  enquiry  into  the 
 opinions  of  the  Apostles  and  Disciples  of  our 
 Lord,  concerning  the  dignity  of  his  personal 
 character,  with  the  conduct  and  declarations  of 
 blessed  Stephen,  the  proto-martyr.  This  il- 
 lustrious saint  affords  us  an  eminent  example 
 of  invocadon  to  the  Lord  Jesus  ;  who,  in  the 
 most  solemn  of  all  seasons,  commits  his  depart- 
 ing spirit  into  the  hands  of  his  Redeemer  j  as  his 
 Redeemer,  a  litde  before,  had  committed  his 
 departing  spirit  into  the  hands  of  his  heavenly 
 Father,  ff^ben  jtrsus  had  cried  wilh  a  loud  voice, 
 he  saidy  Falbcry  into  thy  hands  I  conwiend  my 
 spirit :  and  having  said  thus,  he  gave  up  the 
 ghost.  Luke  23.  46.  So  this  good  man,  after 
 calling  our  blessed  Saviour,  the  just  one.  Acts 
 7.  52.  and  reproving  the  people  for  betraying 
 and  murdering  him,  being  full  of  the  Holy 
 Ghost,  looked  up  stedfastly  into  heaven,  and  sa'-jj 
 
 the 
 
232  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 the  glory  of  God^  and  Jesus  standing  on  the  right" 
 hand  of  God ;  and  said, 
 10 J.    Behold,  I  see  the  heavens  opened y  and  the  Son  of  man 
 
 standing  on  the  right  hand  of  God. 
 208.*  'Then  they  cried  out  with  a  loud  voice,  and  stopped 
 their  ears,  and   ran  upon  him  with  one  accord,  and 
 cast  him  out  of  the  city,  and  stoned  him.     And  they 
 stoned  Stephen,  invoking,  and  saying.  Lord  Jesus, 
 RECEIVE  MY  SPIRIT.     And  he  kneeled  down,  and 
 cried  with  a   loud  voice.  Lord,  lay  not  this 
 SIN  TO  THEIR  CHARGE.'  And  when  he  had  said 
 this  he  fell  asleep.  Acts  7.    c^^ — 60. 
 St.  Stephen's  commission  of  his  spirit  into  the  hands 
 of  God,  after  the   example   of  his  great   Master,  is   a 
 proof  of  the  separate  existence  of  the  souls  of  men  after 
 death  ;  for  if  they  had  no  souls,  why  should  they  pretend 
 to  commit  them  to  the  care  of  the  Almighty  ?  And  his 
 dying  invocation  of  Jesus  Christ,  in  like  manner  as  the 
 same  Jesus  Christ,  in  similar  circumstances,  had  invok- 
 ed his  Father,  is  a  further  proof,  that  he  believed  him 
 to  be  possessed  of  real  and  proper  divinity.     We  may 
 quibble   as  long   as    we   please    upon  this    conclusion, 
 from  this  piece  of  sacred  history,  but  all  the  sophistry  in 
 the  world  cannot  invalidate  the   force   of  it.     Jesus   is 
 either  the  real  and  proper  Son  of  God,  and  entitled  to 
 divine  honours,  or  else  St.  Stephen,  though  full  of  the 
 Holy  Ghost,  died  in  the  act  of  gross  idolatry. ' 
 
 St.  Peter,  the  apostle  of  the  circumcision,  after  the 
 descent  of  the  Holy  Spirit  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  first 
 began  the  business  of  preaching  the  everlasting  gospel. 
 Before  this,  durino;  the  life -time  of  his  divine  Master, 
 he  had  repeatedly  declared  his  belief,  that  Jesus  was  the 
 Son  of  God :  but  now,  being  more  fully  illuminated, 
 he  throws  out  various  hints,  v/hich  may  be  considered 
 as  explanatory  of  that  high  and  mysterious  term.    This, 
 
 however, 
 
 3  See  Bishop  Horsley  on  this  account  of  dying  Stephen,  Tracts,  p. 
 208. — As  the  latter  of  these  prayers  to  Jesus,  after  his  ascension 
 
DOCTRIME  OF  THE  TRINITY.  233 
 
 however,  is  done  with  considerable  reserve;  because 
 the  great  work  the  apostles  had  then  to  do,  was,  to 
 convince  the  world,  in  the  first  place,  not  so  much  of 
 the  divinity  of  Jesus  Christ,  as  that  lie  was  the  promised 
 Messiah  and  Son  of  God,  whatever  might  otherwise  be 
 the  meaning  of  that  illustrious  and  exalted  title.  All  the 
 other  doctrines  of  the  gospel  would  of  course  follow  in 
 due  time  and  order,  as  the  people's  minds  were  prepared, 
 and  rendered  capable  of  receiving  them. 
 
 These  things  being  premised  in  general,  we  may  now 
 proceed  to  observe,  that  in  the  very  first  of  Peter's 
 discourses,  on  the  same  day  they  were  all  illuminated 
 from  on  high,  he  is  joined  by  the  glorious  company 
 of  the  disciples,  in  offering  up  a  prayer  to  Jesus,  that 
 he  would  direct  the  lot  for  the  choice  of  a  new  apostle 
 in  the  room  of  Judas.  And  as  he  had  before  declared 
 to  Jesus,  when  present,  that  he  knew  all  things,  so  he 
 addresses  him  now,  when  absent,  by  an  appellation  of 
 tlie  same  import : — 
 
 209.*  Thou,  Lord,  which  knowest  the  hearts 
 OF  ALL  MEN,  shrj> 'Whether  cf  thcsc  tWQ  thoii  hdst 
 chose n^  that  he  may  take  part  of  this  ministry  and 
 apes  tie  ship,  from  which  Judas  by  transgression  felly 
 that  be  might  go  to  his  own  place.  * 
 
 G  s;  This 
 
 into  heaven,  was  answered  in  directing  the  lot  for  the  choice  of 
 Matthias,  so  the  former  prayer  of  Jying  Stephen,  was  also  attended 
 to  by  the  Saviour,  in  the  miraculous  conversion  of  the  persecuting 
 Saul,  and  probably  of  several  others  of  those,  who  were  concerned 
 in  his  death,  on  the  day  three  thousand  were  converted  by  the 
 preaching  of  Peter.  Si  Stcphanus  non  orasset,  ecclesia  Paulum 
 non  habuisset,  says  one  of  the  Fathers — \i  Stephen  had  not  prayed, 
 the  church  had  been  destitute  of  Paul. 
 
 *  Acts  1.  24,  25.  See  Whitby  on  the  place,  where  he  observes, 
 that  Woltzogenius  truly  notes,  they  prayed  to  the  Lord  Jesus.  Con- 
 sult too  Burgh's  Scriptural  Confutation  for  an  unanswerable  defence 
 of  this  interpretation,  p.  81 — 85. 
 
 To  these  several  considerations  I  add,  that  the  Christian  fathers 
 are  particularly  careful  to  vindicate  the  omniscience  of  our  blessed 
 Saviour.     Ignatius  says,  «*  There  is  nothing  hid  from  the  Lord  ; 
 
234  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THK 
 
 This  is  a  second  instance  of  direct  prayer  being  made 
 to  the  Lord  Jesus  after  his  ascension  into  heaven. 
 
 That  this  prayer  was  directed  to  Christ  is  probable, 
 because  he  is  stiled  Lord,  which  was  his  common  ap- 
 pellation, and  it  is  his  prerogative,  as  well  as  his  Father's, 
 to  kfwzv  the  hearts  of  all  men ;  to  knozv  what  was  in 
 man,  John  2.  25  ^  to  be  a  discerner  of  the  thoughts  and 
 intents  of  the  hearty  Hebrews  4.  12;  and  to  search  the 
 reins  and  hearts.  Rev.  2.  23  ;  and  because  his  aposdes 
 were  all  of  his  peculiar  appointment ;  he  was,  there- 
 fore, the  proper  person  to  be  invoked  upon  this  occa- 
 sion to  direct  the  choice  j  and  he  himself  afterwards  called 
 St.  Paul  to  be  an  apostle  in  a  miraculous  manner 
 from  heaven.  For  these  reasons  I  think  it  unquestion- 
 ably certain,  that  Jesus  Christ:  is  the  Lord  here  invoked. 
 
 210.  In  the  second  of  St.  Peter's  discourses,  which  was 
 instrumental  in  the  conversion  of  three  thousand 
 souls,  he  tells  us,  such  was  the  character  of 
 Jesus,  it  zvas  not  possible  he  should  be  keft  in 
 the  grave  by  the  pozver  of  death.  ^  Does  not  this 
 imply,  not  only  that  he  had  a  nature  superior  to 
 simple  humanity,  but  that  he  was  Lord  of  the 
 invisible  world,  having  the  keys  of  death  and  the 
 grave  in  his  hand  ? 
 
 III.*  In  the  latter  part  of  the  same  discourse,  St.  Peter 
 speaks  of  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  in 
 away  which  indmatesa  connection,  that  no  mere- 
 
 ly 
 
 **  but  our  very  secret  things  are  nigh  unto  him.  Let  us,  therefore, 
 **  do  all  things,  as  having  him  dwelling  in  us ;  that  we  may  be 
 "  his  temples,  and  he  our  God  in  us."     Ep.  ad  Ep.  cap.   15. 
 
 Clemens  Alexandrinus  tells  us — "  The  Son  cf  God  never  goes 
 *'  oiF  from  his  watch-tower  :  is  never  parted,  never  separated,  nor 
 **  moving  from  place  to  place ;  but  is  always  every  where,  and 
 **  contained  no  where  :  all  mind,  all  light,  all  eye  of  his  Father,  be- 
 *'  holding  all  things,  hearing  all  things,  knowing  all  things." 
 
 A  little  after  : — "  Ignorance  cannot  affect  God,  him  that  was 
 **  the  Father's  counsellor  before  the  foundation  of  the  world." 
 
 Strom,  lib.  7.  cap.  2. 
 
 *  Acts  2.  24,  See  Horsley's  Tracts,  p.  zo6. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  235 
 
 ly  human  being  can  be  supposed  to  have  with  the 
 Lord  of  nature  :  Therefore  being  by  the  right  hand 
 of  God  exalted,  and  having  received  of  the  Father 
 the  promise  of  the  Holy  Ghost y  he  hath  shed  forth 
 this  zvhich  ye  now  see  and  hear.  Acts  i.  2Z' 
 i\i.  In  the  next  discourse,  which  he  made,  he  calls 
 Jesus  Christ,  the  Holy  One  ;   and 
 
 213.  The   JusTi  and 
 
 214.  The  Prince,  or  author,  of  Life.  '  And,  a  few 
 years  afterwards,  when  he  preached  to  Cornelius 
 and  his  friends,  this  same  apostle  informs  them, 
 that 
 
 215.  Jesus  Christ  is  Lord  of  all.    Acts  10.  2^' 
 
 After  this  same  blessed  messenger  of  good  tidings 
 had  published  the  everlasting  gospel  in  various  parts  of 
 the  world  for  many  years,  he  wrote  two  general  Epistles 
 to  the  converts  of  the  dispersion.  In  the  former  of  these, 
 written  about  twenty  seven  years  after  our  Lord's 
 ascension  into  heaven,  he  tells  us,  that 
 
 216.  Jesus  Christ  -juent  and  preached  by  his  Spirit  in  the 
 
 days  of  Noah  to  the  disobedient  spirits  in  prison^ '  and 
 and  that  noWj 
 
 517.  Being  exalted  to  the  right  hand  of  God,  in  his  human 
 nature,  all  the  angels,  authorities,  and  pozvers  are 
 made  subject  unto  him, "  Whatever  is  meajit  by 
 our  Saviour's  preaching  to  the  spirits  in  prison, 
 it  certainly  implies,  that  he  was,  in  the  opinion 
 of  St.  Peter,  living  in  the  days  of  Noah,  and, 
 consequently,  that  he  had  some  kind  of  real  and 
 sensible  existence  before  he  was  born  of  the  virgin 
 Mary  and  became  a  human  being. 
 As  to  all  the  angels,  and  authorities,  and  powers  being, 
 
 made  subject   to  a  mere  weak,  frail,  peccable,  thougK 
 G  g  2  glorified 
 
 •Ibid.  3.  14,  15.    See  Burgh's  Sequel,  p.  129, 
 '  1   Pet.   3.   19,  20. 
 *  Ibid.  3.  22. 
 
2j6  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 glorified  man,  it  is  a  notion  too  idle  to  need  a  serious 
 refutation.  •  The  Sovereign  whom  all  the  angels  in 
 heaven  obey  must  assuredly  be  a  being  whose  nature  is, 
 at  least,  equal  to  their  own.  To  suppose  otherwise, 
 would  be  more  ridiculous  than  to  make  a  monkey  or 
 an  ape  the  absolute  monarch  over  all  the  tribes  of 
 animals.  There  is  an  impropriety,  an  absurdity  in  the 
 very  nature  of  the  thing.  And  nothing  but  the  most 
 absolute  and  incontroulable  evidence  should  incline  us 
 even  to  make  the  supposition.  A  man,  a  mere  man, 
 a  weak,  frail,  peccable  mortal,  to  be  placed  at  the  head 
 of  creation  !  *  — to  take  his  seat  at  the  right  hand  of 
 
 God! 
 
 '  Dr.  Priestley  has  given  us  an  account  of  his  view  of  Christ's 
 mediatorial  kingdom,  and  the  high  character  he  sustains  as  the  pre- 
 sent governour  and  future  judge  of  mankind  in  his  Letters  to  Dr. 
 Price  ;  and  the  result  seems  to  be,  that  as,  while  on  earth,  Christ  was 
 no  more,  exclusive  of  inspiration,  than  one  of  the  common  people 
 and  unenlightened  men  of  his  time,  or  as  he  speaks,  p.  172, 
 **  the  son  of"  Joseph  and  Mary,  possessed  of  no  natural  advantages 
 "  over  his  father  Joseph,  or  any  other  man  in  a  similar  situation  of 
 **  life  in  Judea  :"  So  no^w  in  hcwven  he  is  no  more  than  virtuous 
 Christians  are  to  be,  nor  does  he  possess  any  peculiar  authority  j  nor 
 will  he  hereafter  in  raising  the  world  from  the  dead  and  judging  it, 
 exercise  any  power  which  the  individuals  themselves  then  raised  and 
 judged,  will  not  be  equally  capable  of  exercising. 
 
 See  the  Appendix  to  Dr.  Price's  Sermons,  p.  39c. 
 *  There  is  a  fine  passage  on  this  subject  in  one  of  Dr.  Price's  Ser- 
 mons, which  I  will  take  the  liberty  of  transcribing  here  for  the  edi- 
 fication of  the  reader  . — "  The  scriptures  tell  us,"  says  this  writer, 
 "  that  Christ,  after  his  resurrection  became  Lord  of  the  dead 
 ♦•  and  living  ;  that  he  had  all  power  given  him  in  heaven  and  earth  ; 
 "  that  angels  were  made  subject  to  him  ;  and  that  he  is  hereafter 
 *'  to  raise  all  the  dead,  to  judge  the  world,  and  to  finish  the  scheme 
 *'  of  the  divine  moral  government  with  respect  to  this  earth,  by 
 "  conferring  eternal  happiness  on  all  the  virtuous,  and  punishing  the 
 *'  wicked  with  everlasting  destruction. — Consider  whether  such  an 
 *'  elevation  of  a  mere  man  is  credible,  or  even  possible  ?  Can  it  be 
 ••  believed  that  a  mere  man  could  be  advanced  at  once  so  high  as 
 *'  to  be  above  angels,  and  to  be  qualified  to  rule  and  judge  this 
 *'  world  }  Does  not  this  contradict  all  that  we  see,  or  can  conceive 
 "  of  the  order  of  God's  works  ?  Do  not  all  beings  rise  gradually, 
 *'  one  acquisition  laying  the  foundation  of  another  and  preparing 
 *'  for  higher  acquisitions  ?  What  would  you  think  were  you  told. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITV.  ayj 
 
 God! — to  be  the  king  of  the  armies  of  heaven! — to 
 have  Michael,  Gabriel,  and  all  the  angels,  archangels, 
 cherubim  and  seraphim,  that  adore  and  burn  before  the 
 throne  of  God,  at  his  feet ! — nay,  to  have  the  Holy- 
 Spirit  himself  under  his  dominion  and  direction,  to  send 
 or  not  send  as  he  pleases  !: — to  be  the  universal  judge 
 of  the  world,  to  whom  all  knees  shall  bow,  all  tongues 
 confess,  and  all  hearts  submit! — to  doom  myriads  of 
 wretched  souls  to  everlasting  burnings  with  the  devil 
 and  his  angels,  and  award  crowns  of  immortal  glory  to 
 countless  millions  of  happy  spirits  ! — Is  all  this  the  pro- 
 vince of  a  mere  man  ?  a  weak,  frail,  peccable  mortal? 
 I  cannot  conceive  that  a  more  silly,  romantic  idea  ever 
 entered  the  pericranium  of  a  deranged  soul  in  Bedlam.  * 
 
 There 
 
 "  that  a  child  just  born,  instead  of  growing  like  all  other  human 
 *'  creatures,  had  started  at  once  to  complete  manhood  and  the  go- 
 "  vernment  of  an  empire  ?  This  is  nothing  to  the  fact  I  am  consi- 
 "  dering  — The  power,  in  particular,  which  the  scriptures  teach  us 
 **  that  Christ  possesses  of  raising  to  life  all  who  have  died  and  all 
 *'  who  nxiill  die,  is  equivalent  to  the  power  of  creating  a  world. 
 *•  How  inconsistent  is  it  to  allow  to  him  one  of  these  powers,  and  a< 
 *'  the  same  time  to  question  whether  he  could  have  possessed  the 
 **  other  r — to  allow  that  he  is  to  restore  and  /t^zv-create  this  world  ; 
 "  and  yet  to  deny  that  he  might  have  been  God's  agent  in  originally 
 "  forming  it  ?" 
 
 Page  146 — 148. 
 
 *'*  I  must  be  allowed,"  says  Dr.  Price,  "  to  call  this  an  absurd 
 *'  and  incredible  AQZKxvRf:.'"     Appendix  to  Sermons,  p.  392. 
 
 "  Let  us  for  a  moment,"  says  Mr.  Hawker,  ♦*  pass  the  bounda- 
 *'  ries  of  probability,  and,  in  opposition,  to  the  numberless  obstruc- 
 **  tions  in  the  way,  let  it  be  admitted.  Now,  then,  we  reduce  ia 
 "  idea  the  great  Judge  of  all  the  earth  to  the  humble  standard  of 
 ♦'  humanity.  But  even  here,  again,  a  new  difficulty  arises.  To 
 *'  what  cause  can  we  reasonably  ascribe  this  wonderful  exaltation  i 
 *'  What  was  there  in  the  life  of  Jesus,  simply  considered  as  a  man, 
 "  which  merited  this  astonishing  accession  to  the  right  hand  of 
 *•  power,  to  be  the  Judge  of  quick  and  dead,  and  to  determine  the 
 "  everlafling  fate  of  millions  ?  I  speak  with  all  possiHe  reverence, 
 "  and  even  with  a  religious  apprehension  upon  my  mind,  while  pro- 
 "  posing  questions  of  this  bold  nature.  But  surely,  it  could  never 
 *'  be  merely  for  preaching  a  system  of  moral  virtue,  or  being  a 
 "  pattern  of  the  most  perfect  righteousness,  much  less  for  dying  a* 
 "  a  martyr  to  his  cause,  and  sealing  the  testimony  of  his  doctrine 
 
3  3$  •   AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 There  is  nothing  in  Jacob  Boemcn,  or  Baron  Sweden- 
 bprg,  more  romantic  I 
 
 The  second  Epistle  of  St.  Peter  was  written  upwards 
 
 of 
 
 **  with  his  blood.  These  are  very  inadequate  causes,  wherefore  a 
 "  name  should  be  given  him  nvhich  is  abo-ve  e-verj  name.  Great  as 
 *'  these  qualities  are  in  themselves,  and  surpassing  all  comparison, 
 *•  which  the  highest,  and  the  best  of  men  hear  to  the  person  of 
 '*  Jesus,  yet  there  is  no  proportion  between  the  merit  and  the  re- 
 *'  ward,  but  it  is  without  parallel,  in  all  the  dispensations  of  pro- 
 **  vidence  that  have  ever  been  revealed  to  the  knowledge  of  man- 
 "  kind."     Sermons,  p.  243,  344. 
 
 1  add,  moreover,  a  fine  passage  from  another  able  writer,  upon 
 the  same  subject ; — "  When  I  have  been  contemplating  this  sub- 
 **  ject"  (the  Socinian  hypothesis)  "  it  has  always  appeared  to  me 
 **  very  strange,  that  such  a  magnificent  apparatus  should  be  insti- 
 **  tuted  by  heaven  to  usher  into  the  world  one  who  was  nothing 
 *'  more  than  a  man  !  Angels  after  angels  wing  their  flight  to  Beth- 
 **  lehem,  to  indicate  the  birth  of  a.  man  !  Gabriel,  one  of  the  most 
 **  exalted  of  the  heavenly  spirits,  is  dispatched  from  the  throne  of 
 •'  God  to  announce  the  birth  of  a  ?nan  !  The  Holy  Ghost  should 
 "  come  upon  her,  and  the  power  of  the  Most  High  should  over- 
 ''^  shadow  the  virgin,  to  convey  into  her  uterus  nothing  but  what  was 
 "  human!  Another  celestial  envoy  is  delegated  to  Joseph,  to  bid 
 •*  him  not  hesitate  in  taking  Mary  to  wife,  for  that  which  was  con- 
 *•  ceived  in  her,  was,  indeed,  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  but  was  nothing 
 *^  more  than  OT/7/Z  /  A  most  magnificent  heavenly  choir,  consisting 
 "  of  a  multitude  of  angels,  cheering  the  midnight  hours  with  re- 
 *'  peating.  Glory  to  God  in  the  Highest  !  Good  "Mill  taiuards  men  t 
 *♦  deputed  to  our  world,  and  chanting  these  rapturous  strains  to 
 *'  celebrate  the  birth  of  a  man!  Is  it  not  something  incongruous 
 "'  and  disparate,  that  Heaven  should  display  all  this  splendid  scenery, 
 "  and  lavish  all  this  pomp  and  pageantry  to  introduce  into  our 
 *'  world  a  mere  ordinary  common  man,  distinguished  in  no  one 
 *'  natural  endowment  from  any  other  of  the  species  ?  But  suppos- 
 *'  ing  the  Being  introduced  with  all  this  eclat,  to  be  the  same  who 
 '*  was  in  the  beginning  with  God,  and  had  glory  with  the  Father 
 **  before  the  world  was,  is  not  the  decoration  and  magnificence, 
 *'  with  which  heaven  dressed  the  stage,  on  which  this  Divine  mes- 
 ♦'  senger  would  shortly  appear,  highly  pertinent  and  honourable  .* 
 "  and  is  it  not  with  the  greatest  propriety,  that  multitudes  of  the 
 *'■  heavenly  host,  on  this  great  occasion,  the  greatest  that  ever 
 *'  occurred  in  the  annals  of  this  world,  should  conjoin  with  harmo- 
 '*  nious  voices  and  accordant  hearts,  in  applauding  and  solemnizing 
 *'  a  condescension  and  benevolence,  illustrious  and  great  beyond  all 
 *'  example  1" 
 
 Harwqod's  Socinian  Scheme,  p.  49 — 52. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  t^^ 
 
 of  thirty  years  after  our  Saviour  left  the  world,  and  just 
 before  the  apostle's  own  dissolution.  In  the  opening  of 
 it  he  calls  his  blessed  Master, 
 
 2iS.  Our  God  a/ui  Saviour  Jesus  Christ y^  tells  us, 
 that 
 
 219.  Pleaven  is  the  everlasting  kingdom  of  our  Lord  and 
 Saviour  Jesus  Christ ;  *  that 
 
 220.  To   deny    the  Lord    that  bought*    us  with  his 
 own  precious  life  is  a  damnable  heresy; 
 
 221.  He  exhorts  behevers  to  ^^Tfl-ic; /«  ^•n3!r(?,  and  in  the 
 
 knowledge  ofouir  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ ;  ^ 
 and  then,  as  he  had  opened  his  public  ministry 
 with  a  prayer  to  the  Redeemer  for  direction  in 
 an  important  affair  he  then  had  on  hand,  so  now 
 he  closes  his  life  and  his  ministry  together,  with 
 ascribing  everlasting,  glory  to  the  same  adorable 
 
 Being : 
 
 222.  To 
 
 ^  2  Pet.  I.I.  Mr.  Jones  observes  upon  this  first  verse  of  St.  Peter's 
 'second  Epistle,  that  the  Greek  is — " Ta   Qeov    vi/xwv  y.ai    Swrv^poc 
 
 li/jc-ov  X^iTTH — the  very  same,  as  to  the  order  and  grammar  of 
 <'  the  words,  with  the  last  verse  of  this  Epistle — ^a  Kv^is  i^/xwy 
 "  -ASH  ^Tsry/^o;  Ivj^a  Xf/cra — which  is  thus  rendered  in  our 
 "  English  version — c/our  Lord  and  Sa-uiour  Jesus  Christ.  And  so, 
 «*  without  doubt,  it  should  be  in  the  other  passage  ;  there  being  no 
 *'  possible  reason  why  T8  0f  8  Vj/xwv,  should  not  signify,  our  God,  as 
 *•'  well  as  T8  Kvi^iH  v.fLUv,  our  Lord.  Our  translators  have  preserv- 
 •*  ed  the  true  rendering  in  the  margin. 
 
 "  I'here  is  another  expression,  Tit.  2.  1 3 .  that  ought  to  be  classed 
 "  with  the  foregoing  ;  Looking  for  that  blessed  hope,  and  the  glorious 
 •'  appearing  T8  fMeyciKH  0f8  -/.at  ^xrv,^og  v,i/.xv  ly,Jii  X^/tth, 
 **  oj"  our  Great  God  and  Sai'iour,  Jesus  Christ.*' 
 
 Catholic  Doctrine,  p.   11. 
 
 I  observe,  moreover,  that  St.  Ignatius  has  an  expression  exactly 
 the  same  with  this  of  the  Apostle  : — '«  According  to  faith  and  the 
 "  love  of  Jesus  Christ  our  God  and   Saviour." — Kcflx  tticiv  vJ.l 
 
 Ad  Rom. 
 *2  Pet.  I.  II. 5  2  Pet.  2.  I. «  2  Pet.  -i.  18. 
 
240  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 222.  To    OUR  Lord  and    Saviour  Jesus  Christ* 
 
 says  he,  be  glory  both  now  and  forever. 
 Amen.  ^ 
 This  is  the  evidence,  that  arises  to  the  divinity  of  our 
 Lord  Jesus  Christ,  from  the  discourses  and  writings  of 
 this  warm  and  affectionate  apostle.  Well  might  he 
 declare,  as  he  does  in  one  of  the  same  epistles,  IVe  have 
 not  followed  cunningly  devised  fables,  zvhen  we  made  known 
 tin  to  you  the  pozver  and  coming  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  * 
 He  spake  what  he  knew.  He  had  seen  with  his  own 
 eyes  the  glory  of  his  Lord  and  Master.  He  had  heard 
 with  his  own  ears  the  declaration  of  his  heavenly 
 i^^ather,  when  there  came  such  a  voice  to  him  from  the 
 excellent  glory y  This  is  my  beloved  Son  in  whom  I  am  zvell- 
 f  leased. 
 
 ^Ve  may  observe  farther,  in  addition  to  these  evidences 
 from  the  various  decbrations  of  St.  Stephen  and 
 St.  Peter,  that  the  eunuch  of  Ethiopia,  being 
 instructed  by  Philip  the  apostle,  declared  that, 
 
 223.  He  believed  jfesus  Christ  to  be  the  Son  of  God.  * 
 
 And  St.  James,  another  of  his  friends  and  com- 
 panions, stiles  him, 
 
 224.  L>oRD   OF  GLORY."    The  formet  cliaractcr  IS  cx- 
 
 prcssive  of  what  the  Redeemer  is  essentially  and 
 by  nature,  the  latter  of  his  present  exaltation  and 
 glorified  humanity. 
 
 225.  St.  Judc  says: — There  are  certain  men — turning  the 
 grace  of  our  God  into  lasciviousnesSf  and  denying 
 
 the 
 
 '  2  Pet.  3.  18. — Origen  has  an  ascription  of  glory  to  Christ 
 like  unto  this  of  St.  Peter  : — "  Christ  is  God,"  says  this  great  man, 
 •*  and  he  who  adores  him,  should  adore  him  in  spirit  and  in  truth. 
 •*  Let  us,  therefore,  pray  the  Lord,  that  we  may  be  a  building 
 *'  founded  upon  a  rock,  which  no  storm  shall  have  power  to  over- 
 *'  throw,  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  to  whom  is  glory  and  do- 
 *'  minion  forever  and  ever.  Amen."     Horn.  26.  in  Luc.  cap.  3. 
 
 '  2  Pet.  I.   16,  17. 
 
 9  Acts  8.  37. 
 
 ■James  2.  i.  Lord  is  here  supplied  by  the  translators,  how  justly 
 wc  need  not  enquire. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY  241 
 
 the  ONLY  Lord  God,  and   our  Lord   Jesus 
 Christ.  *    Some  would  render  this  passao-e.  De- 
 nying the  only  Lord  God,    even  our   Lord  Jesus 
 Christy  and  so  make  it  a  proof  of  his  divinity.— 
 Others    would  have  it.  Denying  the  only  Lord  God 
 and  our  Lord,  Jesus  Christ :— Denying  Jesus  Christ 
 our  only  Master,  God  and  Lord -.—Denying  God  the 
 only  Sovereign,  and  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.      Each 
 of  these   translations  is  followed  by  respectable 
 men.     The  reader  will  select  that  which  he  judges 
 most  agreeable  to  the  original.     I  would  ne?er 
 lay   serious   stress    upon  a  passage  which  is   so 
 ambiguous,  in  proof  of  any  important  doctrine 
 226.  ^ow  unto  him  that  is  able  to  keep  you  from  falling, 
 and  to  present  you  faultless  before  the  presence  of  his 
 glory  zvith  exceeding  joy,  to  the  only  wise  God 
 OUR   Saviour,  be  glory  and  majesty,  dominion  and 
 power,  both  now  and  ever.     Amen.  '    This  passao-e 
 appears  to  me  ambiguous,  and  may  be  applied 
 either  to  the  Father,  or  the  Son.     I  am  rather 
 inclined,  however,  to  suppose,  it  was  intended  by 
 bt,  Jude  as  an  ascription  of  praise  to  the  Father 
 of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.     The  reader  will  iudcre 
 for  himself.  ° 
 
 H  h 
 
 »  Jude  4.  Consult  Whitby,  Hammond  and  Doddridge  on  the  dace 
 See  too  Jones  on  the  Trinity,  p.  42—44.  ^  ^       * 
 
 pliesKt'ht'qnV  '^'^^^"f^^'^^he  Trinity,  p.  44,   where  he  ap- 
 plies It  to  the  Son.     Dr.  Guise  also  applies  it  in  the  same  manner 
 giving  h,s  reasons  for  so  doing,   which  reasons  seem  to  me  tended 
 with  some  degree  of  probability.  attended 
 
«42  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 PART  SECOND, 
 
 SECTION    VI. 
 
 The  divinity  of  Christ  argued  from  some  circumstances  in  the  AxtJ 
 of  the  Apostles. 
 
 THE  history  and  writings  of  St.  Paul,  the  great 
 Apostle  of  the  Gentiles,  next  solicit  our  attention. 
 The  field  is  large,  and  this  part  of  our  design  might  be 
 extended  to  a  very  considerable  length.  But  as  it  is 
 intended  to  give  only  a  compendious,  though  full  view 
 of  the  scriptural  representations  of  the  subject  before  us, 
 it  will  be  our  endeavour  to  render  it  as  short  and  com- 
 pact as  is  consistent  with  the  nature  of  our  plan.  In 
 order  to  this,  we  will  first  make  our  observations  upon 
 such  parts  of  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  as  are  to  our  pur- 
 pose, and  then  proceed  to  the  consideration  of  various 
 declarations  in  the  immortal  epistles  of  this  extraordi- 
 nary man.  And  in  all  this,  we  shall  take  for  granted, 
 not  only  that  the  sacred  penmen  always  mean  as  they 
 say,  but  that  they  always  reason  conclusively  j  and  that 
 if  there  be  any  mistakes,  any  false  premises,  any  weak 
 reasonings,  or  any  silly  conclusions,  the  whole  are  to  be 
 imputed  to  us,  and  not,  in  the  smallest  degree,  to  this 
 infallible  writer.  If  I  err  in  this  opinion,  it  is  an  error 
 in  which  I  glory.  For  it  seems  to  me,  that  that  man 
 riiust  not  only  be  greatly  wanting  in  modesty  and  humi- 
 lity, who  sets  up  his  own  judgment  in  opposition  to  that 
 of  the  sacred  writers,  but  that  he  must  be  possessed  of  a 
 very  culpable  degree  of  pride  and  self-conceitednefs. 
 Be  this,  however,  as  it  may,  I  will  produced  a  number 
 of  passages,  and  appeal  to  the  common  sense  of  serious 
 Christians  for  the  proper  meaning  and  application  of 
 
 them 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY. 
 
 243 
 
 them.  For  though  there  are  several  things  in  the  holy- 
 scriptures,  and  especially  in  the  writings  of  this  Apostle, 
 hard  to  be  understood ;  yet,  I  think,  the  difficulties 
 referred  to  by  St.  Peter,  are  not  upon  the  subject  now 
 under  consideration.  To  me,  as  far  as  the  fad  is  con- 
 cerned, the  scriptures  are  herein  attended  witli  no  mate- 
 rial difficulty.  I  receive  their  declarations  as  the  oracles 
 of  heaven,  and  have  no  doubt,  but  they  are  strictly  true, 
 in  the  full,  unequivocal  sense  of  the  text  and  context. 
 If  others  think  differently,  I  have  no  quarrel  with  them, 
 but  leave  them  to  God  the  judge  of  all,  who  will  render 
 unto  every  man  according  to  his  deeds.  We  are  all 
 equally  accountable  for  the  use  we  make  of  our  under- 
 standings,  as  for  our  moral  conduct. 
 
 There  are  some  circumstances  in  the  history  of  this 
 Apostle's  conversion,  which  naturally  draw  one's  atten- 
 tion back  to  the  appearances  of  the  Schechinah  under 
 the  Old  Testament  dispensation ;  and  no  man,  I  think, 
 can  coolly  compare  them  together,  without  any  regard 
 to  a  preconceived  system,  who  would  not  conclude  them 
 to  be,  either  the  very  same,  or,  at  least,  of  the  very 
 same  nature. 
 
 227.*  As  Saul  journeyed^  he  came  near  Damascus:  and 
 suddenly  there  shined  round  about  him  a  light  from 
 heaven.  And  he  fell  to  the  earthy  and  heard  a  voice 
 saying  unto  him,  Saul,  Saul,  why  persecute st  thou  me  ? 
 And  he  said,  fVho  art  thou,  Lord .?  ♦  And  the  Lord 
 said,  I  am  Jesus  whom  thou  persecutest.  It  is 
 hard  for  thee  to  kick  against  the  pricks.  And  he, 
 trembling  and  astonished,  said,  Lord,  what  wilt  thou 
 
 have  me  to  do  ? Then   was  Saul  certain  days 
 
 with  the  disciples  which  were  at  Damascus.      And 
 
 straightway 
 
 ♦  Lord  Barrington  supposes,  that  Paul  being  a  learned  Jew,  knew 
 this  light  to  be  the  Schechinah  ;  and  that  it  imported  the  divine  pre- 
 sence.   He  therefore  with  confidence  asked.  Who  art  thou.  Lord  ? 
 
 Miscel.  Sac.  Ess.  \, 
 
244  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 straightivay  he  preached  Christ  in  the  synagcgueSy 
 that  he  is  the  Son  o/"  God. ' 
 
 Whetlier  all  the  circumstances  of  this  remarkable  his- 
 tory, when  laid  together,  amount  to  a  strict  and  abso- 
 lute proof  of  the  divinity  of  Jesus  Christ,  I  pretend  not 
 to  determine  :  but  I  submit  it  to  the  judgment  of  the 
 pious  reader,  whether  the  idea  before  suggested  (that 
 this  appearance  of  Jesus  Christ  to  Paul  and  his  com- 
 panions in  such  wonderful  splendor  was  the  Schechinah 
 of  former  ages)  is  founded  in  truth.  It  seems  to  me,  to 
 have  been  the  same  glorious  light,  which  appeared  to 
 Adam,  to  Abraham,  to  Moses,  and  to  others,  upon 
 various  occasions.  This  has  been,  at  least,  the  conjec- 
 ture of  learned  men.  *  And  as  it  admits  not  of  abso- 
 lute proof,  I  mention  it  merely  as  a  conjecture,  which 
 is  not  altogether  destitute  of  probability. 
 
 228.*  One  other  passage  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles 
 ought  not  to  be  omitted.      It  is  that  in  the  twen- 
 tieth 
 
 '  Acts  9.  3 — 6  and  ig,  20.  See  also  Acts  22  and  26  chapters, 
 where  the  Apostle  gives  two  separate  accounts  of  this  wonderful 
 transaction,  with  the  addition  of  some  heightening  circumstances. 
 The  learned  Bishop  of  St.  David's  speaks  of  this  extraordinary 
 event  in  the  foUovying  words  : — "  Another  instance,  to  which  I  iball 
 *'  ever  appeal,  of  an  early  preaching  of  our  Lord's  divinity,  is  the 
 "  story  of  St.  Paul's  conversion  :  in  which,  as  it  is  twice  related  by 
 "  himself,  Jesus  is  deified  in  the  highest  terms. — To  me,  I  confess, 
 "  it  appears  to  have  been  a  repetition  of  the  scene  at  the  bush, 
 •'  heightened  in  terror  and  solemnity.  Instead  of  a  lambent  flame 
 *'  appearing  to  a  solitary  shepherd  amid  the  thickets  of  the  wilder- 
 *'  ness,  the  full  effulgence  of  the  Schechinah,  over-powering  the 
 *'  splendor  of  the  mid-day  sun,  bursts  upon  the  commissioners  of 
 **  the  Sanhedrim,  on  the  public  road  to  Damascus,  within  a  small 
 **  distance  of  the  city.  Jesus  speaks  and  is  spoken  to,  as  the  di- 
 *'  vinity  inhabiting  the  glorious  light.  Nothing  can  exceed  the 
 *'  tone  of  authority  on  the  one  side,  the  submission  and  religious 
 *'  dread  upon  the  other.  The  recital  of  this  story  seem.s  to  have 
 ♦'  been  the  usual  prelude  to  the  Apostle's  public  apologies  ;  but  it 
 "  only  proved  the  means  of  heightening  tiie  resentment  of  his  iu- 
 "  credulous  countrymen."     Tracts,  p.  211. 
 
 ^  See  Whitby  on  Acts  22.  6,  where  this  conjecture  is  considered 
 at  large,  aj^d  with  considerable  evidence. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  245 
 
 tieth  chaprer,  where,  addressing  die  elders  of  the 
 church  of  Ephesiis,  die  learned  Aposde  savi', 
 Take  heed  therefore  unto  yourselves ,  and  to  all  the 
 fiock  over  the  zvhich  the  Holy  Ghost  hath  made  you 
 overseers,  to  feed  the  church  cf  God,  "juhich  he  hath 
 -purchased  with  his  own  '   blood. '   The  divinity  of 
 
 our 
 
 ^  Vide  Gnomon  Bengelii  in  loco,  where  he  rende%  this  word  pro- 
 priujn,  his  c-TLti  proper  bleed. 
 
 *  Verse  28.  Dr.    Doddridge  observes    upon   this    scripture  :- 
 
 Hew  very  little  reason  there  is  to  follow  the  few  copies  wi.ich 
 *'  read  Lord  instead  of  God,  the  Rev.  Messieurs  Enty  and  Laving- 
 "  ton  have  so  fully  shewn,  in  their  dispute  with  Mr.  Joseph  Hallet 
 "  on  this  text,  that  I  think  this  passage  mu-^t  be  allowed  as  an  in- 
 *•  contestable  proof,  that  the  blood  of  Ciirist  is  here  called  the 
 **  blood  of  God  ;  as  being  the  blood  of  that  man,  who  is  also  God 
 "  'With  us,  Gcd  matiifcsted  in  the  flesh.  And  I  cannot  but  apprehend, 
 *'  that  it  was  by  the  special  direction  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  that  so 
 **  remarkable  an  expression  was  used." 
 
 See  also  Whitby  on  the  place,  and  Clarke's  Scripture  Doctrine, 
 p.  74.  Mr.  Gilpin  in  his  late  Exposition  says,  '•'  This  very  re- 
 "  markable  expression  I  think  cannot  easily  be  evaded  by  those, 
 **  who  deny  the  divinity  of  Christ." 
 
 I  add  St.  Ignatius  has  two  expressions  similar  to  this  of  St.  Paul. 
 The  first  is  in  his  epistle  to  the  Romans,  sect.  6. — "  Sufl'er  me  to 
 "  imitate  the  passion  of  my  God."  The  second  is  in  the  first  sect, 
 of  his  epistle  to  the  Ephesians  : — "  Encouraging  yourselves  by  the 
 **  blood  of  God."  Expressions  like  these  would  not  have  been 
 used  by  the  pious  Martyr,  one  should  suppose,  unless  he  had  con- 
 ceived himself  authorized  so  to  do  by  scriptural  precident.  Besides, 
 the  church  o/'GoB,  is  a  common  expression  in  the  New  Testament, 
 but  the  church  of  the  Lord  is  never  once  used. 
 
 I  cannot  help  noticing  here  a  liberty  that  is  taken  by  the  learned 
 Mr.  Wakefield  with  this  passage  in  his  late  translation  cf  the  New 
 Testament.  He  has  rendered  it — "  Take  care  to  tend  the  church 
 "  of  God,  which  he  gained  for  himself  by  his  own  son."  The 
 reader  will  observe  this  is  making  scripture,  and  not  translating  it. 
 1  am  not  unmindful  of  the  reasons  advanced  in  the  note  upon  this 
 verse.  They  appear  to  me,  however,  by  no  means  satisfactory. 
 We  must  ever  insist,  that  in  all  passages  of  scripture,  which  contain 
 controverted  doctrines,  the  translator  is  not  at  liberty  to  deviate 
 from  the  original,  to  give  countenance  to  his  own  preconceived  hy- 
 pothesis. He  ought  to  keep  as  near  to  the  original  as  the  idioms  cf 
 the  two  languages  admit,  and  give  his  readers  the  liberty  cf  inter- 
 preting for  themselves  ;  or  else  he  is  propagating  his  own  private 
 sentiments  only,  rather  than  the  truths  contained  in  the  sacred  writ- 
 
246  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 our  blessed  Saviour,  and  the  atonement  which  he 
 made  for  sin,  seem  to  be  clearly  and  strono-jy  in- 
 timated in  this  one  verse.  And  when  it  is  illus- 
 trated and  explained  by  other  more  conspicuous 
 passages,  of  which  great  numbers  are  to  be  met 
 with  in  the  word  of  God,  we  need  not  hesitate  in 
 saying,  it  is  one  of  the  most  important  texts  in 
 the  bjUle. 
 
 ■«««w^^^®:^^S^^^»^>«- 
 
 PART  SECOND. 
 
 SECTION     VII. 
 
 The   INVOCATION  of  Christ,  a  proof  of  his  divinity. 
 
 THERE  are  two  or  three  other  circumstances  inci- 
 dentally mentioned  in  the  history  of  St.   Paul's 
 
 conversion, 
 
 ings.  The  translator,  indeed,  may  be  permitted,  I  conceive,  to 
 add  what  illustrations  and  explanations  to  his  version  he  pleases  ;  but 
 no  liberties  whatever  should  be  taken  with  the  text.  Versions  of 
 this  free  and  liberal  nature  are  admissible  only  as  exercises  of  literary 
 skill;  proper  to  be  consulted  on  critical  points.  As  rules  of  faith 
 they  can  never  be  submitted  to  by  any  person  of  the  smallest  dis- 
 cernment. In  all  such  cases  we  want  to  know  what  is  tlie  will  of 
 God,  and  not,  what  are  the  opinions  of  men.  On  this  principle, 
 the  translations  of  Messrs  Harwood,  Gilpin,  and  Wakefield,  are 
 equally  to  be  rejected.  They  are  all  ingenious,  but  all  conducted  in 
 such  a  manner  as  to  leave  too  much  room  for  the  propagation  of 
 their  own  peculiar  sentiments,  let  those  sentiments  be  what  they  may. 
 And  accordingly  the  first  and  the  last  of  these  learned  gentlemen 
 have  not  failed  to  inculcate  their  respective  private  opinions,  one  the 
 doctrines  of  Arius  and  the  other  those  of  Socinus.  Such  a  conduct, 
 I  think,  cannot  be  considered  as  perfectly  ingenuous.  We  ought  to 
 be  thankful  for  the  labours  of  learned  men,  but  yet  so  as  to  call  no 
 man  master. — See  too  Acts  10.  36,  where  Mr.  Wakefield  has 
 taken  a  similar  liberty  with  the  sacred  text. 
 
 The  learned  reader  will  consult  Mills  in  loco  for  the  various  read- 
 ings on  this  passage,  and  Gnomon  Bengelii,  See  too  Grotius  and 
 Ueza. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  247 
 
 conversion,  which  it  is  proper  to  notice  before  we  take 
 leave  of  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  and  which  amount  to 
 a  very  considerable  proof  of  the  divinity  of  our  blessed 
 Lord  and  Saviour.  For  the  sacred  historian  informs 
 us,  that  it  was  customary,  in  the  days  of  the  apostles, 
 for  all  the  disciples  to  invoke  Jesus  Christ.  If  then, 
 according  to  every  law  human  and  divine,  no  being  is 
 entitled  to  religious  homage  and  adoration  but  the  Deity  j 
 and  if  Jesus  Christ  was  constantly  invoked  in  the  days 
 of  the  apostles ;  it  will  follow,  either  that  he  is  posses- 
 sed of  divinity,  real  and  proper  divinity,  in  common  with 
 his  eternal  Father,  or  else  that  all  the  aposdes  and  first 
 Christians  robbed  God  of  his  incommunicable  honour, 
 and  were  guilty  of  a  very  dangerous  species  of  idolatry. 
 
 But,  because  the  argument  for  the  divinity  of  Christ, 
 taken  from  the  worship  that  appears  to  have  been  paid 
 him  by  the  first  Christians,  amounts  to  what  I  would 
 call  a  theological  demonstration,  it  will  be  necessary  to 
 depart  a  little  from  our  chronological  plan,  and  to  pro- 
 duce all  the  most  material  passages  to  this  purpose  in 
 one  view,  and  then  leave  the  serious  reader  to  form 
 what  judgment  of  it  he  may  think  it  deserves. 
 
 First  then,  let  us  see  whether  the  New  Testament 
 affords  us  any  particular  precepts  concerning  prayer  to 
 the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  And  the  following  will  all 
 or  most  of  them  be  satisfactory,  I  believe,  to  every  im- 
 partial man. 
 
 129.*  Not  every  one  that  saitb  unto  w<?,  Lcrd^  Lordy 
 shall  enter  into  the  kingdom  cf  heaven  ;  but  he  that 
 doeth  the  will  of  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven. 
 Mat.  7.  21.  These  are  the  words  of  our  Sa- 
 viour J  and  do  they  not  seem  to  imply,  that  it 
 would  be  the  practice  of  his  followers  to  address 
 him  with  religious  worship,  and  solemn  invo- 
 cation ? 
 
 2J0'*  Jesus  came  and  spake  unto  his  disciples,  sayings  All 
 
 power 
 
248  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 poiver  is  i>iven  unto  me  in  heaven  and  in  earth :  go 
 ydy  therefor ey  and  teach  all  tiations^  baptizing  them 
 in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and 
 cf  the  Holy  Ghost.  *  Here  is  a  divine  command 
 to  dedicate  the  whole  Christian  world  to  tlie  ser- 
 vice of  the  three  persons  of  the  Divine  Nature, 
 and,  if  so,  to  x.\\g  service  of  the  Son  as  well  as  the 
 other  two  divine  persons.  But  this  will  appear 
 more  clear  and  intelligible  from  the  scriptures 
 which  follow. 
 
 C131.*  For  the  ¥ ATU-EK  judgeth  no  man,  but  hath  com- 
 mitted all  judgment  unto  the  Son  ;  that  all  men 
 should  honour  the  Son,  even  as  they  honour 
 THE  Father.  He  that  honoureth  not  the 
 Son,  honoureth  not  the  Father  which 
 sent  him.  ' 
 232.*  If  ye  shall  ask  any  thing  in  my  name^  I  will  do  it.  * 
 233.*  Where  two  or  three  are  gathered  t02^ether  in  my 
 name,  there  am  I  in  the  midst  of  them.  ^ 
 
 234,*  On 
 '  Mat.  28.  18,  19. 
 
 *  John  5.  22,  23.  See  Whitby  on  this  passage.  Origen,  speak- 
 ing upon  I  Cor.  I.  z.  *'  With  all  that  call  on  the  name  of  the 
 ♦*  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  declares  him  to  be  God,  whose  name  was  call- 
 *•  ed  upon.  And  if  to  call  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord,  and  to 
 "  adore  God,  be  one  and  the  self-same  thing;  then  as  Christ  is 
 •'  called  upon,  so  is  he  to  be  adored.  And  as  we  cifer  to  God  the 
 "  Father,  first  of  all  prayers,  so  must  we  also  to  the  Lord  Jesus 
 "  Christ ;  and  as  we  offer  supplications  to  the  Father,  so  do  we  also 
 «*  to  the  Son  ;  and  as  we  offer  thanksgivings  to  God,  so  do  we  offer 
 •'  thanksgivings  to  our  Saviour.  For  the  holy  scripture  teaches 
 "  us,  that  the  same  honour  is  to  be  given  to  both,  that  is,  to  God 
 **  the  Father  and  the  Son,  when  it  .says,  that  they  may  honour  the 
 *'  Son,  as  they  honour  the  Father.^'  Orig.  Com.  in  Rom.  lo.  lib, 
 8.  p.  478. 
 
 Dr.  Clarke  paraphrases  the  passage,  that  "  It  is  the  will  of  God 
 "  the  Father  that  the  Son  should  be  honoured  with  the  same  faith 
 "  and  obedience  which  he  requires  to  be  paid  to  himself." 
 
 Grotius    remarks     on    it,  "  That  the   power  of  the  Son  being 
 "  known,  men  might  worship  and  reverence   him — Christ  secretly 
 "  shews  how  closely  he  is  united  to  the  Father ;  for  God  does  not 
 *'  give  his  honour  to  any  separate  from  himself." 
 *  John  14.  14. 'Mat.  18.  20. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  249 
 
 234.*  On  the  strength  of  these  assurances  St.  John  says. 
 And  this  is  the  confidence  that  we  have  in  him^  that 
 if  we  ask  any  thing  according  to  his  willj  he  heareth 
 us.  And  if  we  know  that  he  hear  usy  whatsoever 
 we  asky  we  know  that  we  have  the  petitions y  that  we 
 desired  of  him.* 
 ^2^*  Again: — Arise  and  be  baptizedy  and  wash  away 
 thy  sinsy  calling  on  the  name  of  the  Lord. 
 Acts  22.  16. 
 
 St.  Chrysostom  observes  upon  these  words, 
 that  by  them  Ananias  "  shews  that  Christ 
 **  was  God,  because  it  is  not  lawful  to  invoke 
 "  any  besides  God."  See  Whitby  on  the  place. 
 Socinus  was  a  strenuous  advocate  for  the  in- 
 vocation of  Christ.  He  says,  that  "  to  deny 
 "  invocation  to  him,  is  not  a  simple  error,  or 
 "  a  mere  mistake,  but  a  most  filthy  and  per- 
 "  nicious  error  ;  an  error  that  leads  to  Judaism, 
 "  and  is  in  effect  the  denying  of  Christ; — that  it 
 *^  tends  to  Epicurism  and  Atheism." 
 
 Smalcius,  another  Socinian,  says,  *^  that  they 
 "  are  no  Christians  who  refuse  giving  divine 
 "  worship  to  Christ."  Stillingfleet  on  the  Tri- 
 nity, p.  1 50. 
 
 •    According  to  the  same  elder  Socinian  writers, 
 
 Christ,    after  his  resurrection,   reigned  over   all 
 
 nature,  and  became  the  object  of  religious  wor- 
 
 I  i  ship. 
 
 ♦  I  John  5.  14,  15.  "  Nothing  can  shew,"  says  an  able  writer, 
 *'  more  clearly  and  expressly  than  these  passages,  that  Christ  is 
 **  the  proper  object  of  our  prayers,  and  that  he  was  so  considered 
 **  by  St.  John.  They  serve  too  as  a  collateral  proof  of  our  Savi- 
 *'  our's  declaration  of  his  divinity.  For  nothing  less  than  God  can 
 "  be  the  proper  object  of  bur  adorations  ;  therefore,  when  Christ 
 *♦  assures  us,  that  he  will  be  present  to  all  our  supplications,  and 
 **  that  he  will  perform  our  petitions,  he  encourages  and  directs  us 
 "  to  address  our  prayers  to  him,  as  well  as  to  the  Father;  and 
 "  therefore,  declares  himself  God,  as  unequivocally  as  by  any 
 **  appellation  the  most  expressive  of  divinity." 
 
 Burgess's  Sermon  on  the  Divinity  of  Christ,  p.  4'« 
 
250  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 ship.     "  Christ  is  placed  at  the  right  hand  of 
 
 "  God  in  heaven,    and  is  adored  even   by   the 
 
 "  angels." 
 
 "  He  hath  received  all  power  in  heaven  and 
 
 "  in  earth ;  and  all  things,  God  alone  excepted, 
 
 "  are  put  under  his  feet."  ' 
 2^6.*  That  at  the  name  of  Jesus  every  knee  should 
 
 BOW,  *  of  things  in  heaven,  and  things  in  earth, 
 
 and  things  under  the  earth ;  and  that  every  tongue 
 
 should  confess,  that  Jesus  Christ  is  Lord^  to  the 
 
 glory  of  God  the  Father. ' 
 237.*  And  again: — When  he  hringeth  in  the  First -be- 
 
 gotten  into  the  world  he  saithy  And  let  all  the 
 
 angels  of  God  worship  him. 
 Now,  these  fjve  passages  seem,  at  least,  to  enjoin  the 
 worship   of  Jesus  Christ,  not   only    upon   all  human 
 beings,  who  expect  salvation  from  him, '  but  even  upon 
 
 all 
 
 5  Cata.  Ecclesl.  Polonicarum,  sect.  4.  See  also  Price's  Sermons, 
 p.   150. 
 
 "  The  foreign  Soclnians  deny  any  to  be  Chnstians  who  refuse 
 "  divine  adoration  and  invocation  to  Christ.  Hence  they  have  ex- 
 "  eluded  all  our  English  Unitarians,  as  the  Socinians  here  call  them- 
 "  selves,  from  being  Christians,  who  deny  this  to  Christ." 
 
 See  Leslie's  Short  and  Easy  Method  with  the  Jews,  and  the 
 Racov.  cat.  sect.  6.  c.   1.  •     •  r    t 
 
 «  Minutius  Felix,  when  speaking  of  the  worshipping  of  Jesus 
 Christ  and  his  cross,  whom  the  Heathen  denominated  a  criminal, 
 says,  *'  You  strangely  err  from  the  way  of  truth,  when  you  ima- 
 *'  gine,  either  that  a  criminal  can  deserve  to  be  taken  for  a  Deity, 
 *'  or  that  a  mere  man  can  possibly  be  a  God." 
 
 Octavius.  Sect.  29. 
 
 '  Phil.  2.  10,  II. "  Heb.  I.  6. 
 
 9  We  have  the  same  kind  of  commands  for  the  worship  of  Jesus 
 Christ  in  some  of  the  writers  who  immediately  followed  the  Apos- 
 tles. Ignatius  says  to  the  church  of  Rome — "  Pray  to  Christ  for 
 «*  me,  that  by  the  beasts  I  may  be  found  a  sacrifice  to  God." 
 And  to  the  church  of  Smyrna  he  has  this  declaration—*'  If  Jesus 
 «'  Christ  shall  make  me  worthy  by  your  prayer."— The  justly  cele- 
 brated Origen  has  spoken  pretty  much  at  large  upon  the  worship  of 
 our  blessed  Saviour,  and  vindicated  it  from  the  cavils  of  Celsus. 
 "  Therefore,"  says  he,  "  we  worship  the  Father  of  truth,  and 
 ■**  the  Son,  who  is  the  truth,  two  things  in  personal  subsistence,  but 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  251 
 
 all  the  heavenly  host  of  angels  and  archangels.  But, 
 lest  we  should  by  any  means  mistake  their  meaning, 
 and  suppose  they  command  us  to  worship  the  Saviour 
 of  mankind,  when  they  really  do  not,  let  us  further 
 enquire,  from  the  practice  of  the  apostles  and  first 
 Christians  themselves,  how  they  understood  them.  If 
 they  have  left  us  any  clear  and  satisfactory  evidence  of 
 their  own  conduct  respecting  the  worship  of  Jesus 
 Christ,  this  must  be  final  and  conclusive.  We  can  go 
 no  farther.  We  must  either  submit  our  judgments  and 
 practice  to  their  decisions,  or  form  a  religion  for  our- 
 selves, and  remain  in  a  state  of  infidelity. 
 
 238.*  First  then,  dying  Stephen  prayed  to  the  Lord 
 
 Jesus  Christ — Lord  Jesus,  receive  my  spirit! 
 
 239.*  Lord,  lay  not  this  sin  to  their  charge  !  * 
 
 240.*  St.  Paul  prayed  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  three 
 
 times   upon   one   occasion :  —  Lest   I  should  be 
 
 exalted  above  measure  through  the  abundance  of  the 
 
 revelationsy  there  was  given  to  me  a  thorn  in  the 
 
 fleshy  the  messenger  of  Satan  to  buffet  me.     For  this 
 
 thing  I  besought  the  Lord  thrice,  that   it 
 
 might  depart  from  me.     And  he  said  unto  me.  My 
 
 I  i  2  grace 
 
 '*  one  in  agreement,  and  consent,  and  identity  of  will :  so  that  who- 
 **  ever  sees  the  Son,  who  is  the  brightness  of  the  glory  of  God, 
 *'  and  the  express  image  of  his  person,  sees  God  in  him,  as  being 
 **  the  true  image  of  God.  Now  Celsus  imagines,  that  because  to- 
 "  gether  with  God  we  worship  his  Son,  it  follows  upon  our  own 
 *'  principles,  &c. — We  worship  one  God,  and  his  only  Son,  and 
 *'  Word,  and  Image,  with  supplications  and  prayers  to  the  utmost 
 **  of  our  power,  oft'ering  our  prayers  to  God  over  all  by  his  only- 
 **  begotten  Son  ;  to  whom  we  first  present  them,  beseeching  him, 
 *'  who  is  the  propitiation  for  our  sins,  as  our  High  Priest,  to  offer 
 **  our  prayers,  and  sacrifices,  and  intercessions  to  God  the  Lord  of 
 **  all  things.  Therefore  our  faith  relies  only  upon  God,  by  his  Son, 
 **  who  confirms  it  in  us. — We  worship  the  Father  whilst  we  admire 
 **  and  adore  the  Son,  who  is  his  Wo*d,  and  Wisdom,  and  Truth, 
 **  and  Righteousness. 
 
 See  Bingham's  Antiquities,  book   13.  ch.  z.  p.  47. 
 
 •  Acts  7.  59,  60.  Bishop  Burnet  on   the    Articles,  p.  48.  justly 
 
 observes,  that,  "  Stephen  here  nuonhips  Chrift,  in  the  very  same 
 
2S2  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE  • 
 
 grace  is  sufficient  for  thee ;  for  my  strength  is  made 
 perfect  in  weakness.  * 
 241.*  And  it  came  to  pasSy  that  when  I  was  come  again 
 to  Jerusalem^  even  while  I  prayed  in  the  temple,  I 
 was  in  a  trance,  and  saw  him  saying  unto  me. 
 Make  haste,  and  get  thee  quickly  out  of  Jerusalem ; 
 for  they  will  not  receive  thy  testimony  concerning  me. 
 jind  I  saidy  Lord,  they  know  that  I  imprisoned, 
 and  beat  in  every  synagogue  them  that  believed  on 
 THEE.  And  when  the  blood  of  thy  martyr  Stephen 
 was  shed,  I  also  was  standing  by,  and  consenting  un- 
 to his  death,  and  kept  the  raiment  of  them  that  slew 
 him.  And  he  said  unto  me.  Depart :  for  I  will 
 send  thee  far  hence  unto  the  Gentiles. 
 
 Here  is  an  undoubted  example  of  direct  prayer  to  the 
 Lord  Jesus,  after  he  had  left  our  world,  and  had  been 
 in  glory  for  a  considerable  time. 
 
 242.*  He  that  in  righteousness,  peace,  and  joy  in  the  Holy 
 Ghost  SERVETH  Christ  is  acceptable  to  God,  and 
 approved  of  men.  Rom.  14.  17,  18.  Does  not 
 this  expression  imply  religious  adoration  to  Christ .? 
 
 243.*  Servants,  be  obedient  to  them  that  are  your  masters 
 according  to  the  flesh,  with  fear  and  trembling,  in 
 singleness  of  y cur  heart,  as  unto  Christ  :  not  zvith 
 eye-service,  as  men-pleasers,  but  as  the  servants 
 
 of 
 
 •'  manner  in  which  Christ  had  but  a  little  while  before  ^worshipped 
 "  his  Father  on  the  cross."  Doddridge  on  the  place. — The  Bishop 
 adds,  "  From  this  it  is  evident,  that  if  Christ  was  not  the  true 
 **  God,  and  equal  to  the  Father,  then  this  protomartyr  died  in  two 
 *'  acts  that  seem  not  only  idolatrous,  but  also  blasp'iti'.ious ;  since 
 *'  he  worshipped  Christ  in  the  same  acts  in  which  Chrii;  aad  wor- 
 **  shipped  his  Father." 
 
 And  Dr.  Jortin  observes  vjpon  this  passage,  that  Schlictingius, 
 and  other  Socinians,  allow  that  this  is  a  prayer  dedicated  to  Jesus 
 Christ.     See  his  Sermons  vol.  4.  p.  218. 
 
 *2  Cor.  12.  7,  8,  9.  See  Clarke's  Scripture  Doctrine  on  this 
 passage,  where  he  thinks  it  is  applied  to  Clirist. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  253 
 
 OF  Christ,  doing  service,  as  to  the  Lord, 
 and  not  to  men :  knowing  that  zvhatsoever  good 
 thing  any  man  doeth,  the  same  shall  he  receive  of 
 THE  Lord,  whether  he  be  bond  or  free.  Ep.  6. 
 5 — 8.  In  a  similar  passage  in  the  epistle  to  the 
 Colossians  he  adds,  For  ye  serve  the  Lord  Christ. 
 Col,  3.  24.  All  that  I  mean  to  infer  from  these 
 two  scriptures,  is,  that  Christ  is  the  Lord  of  the 
 consciences  of  men,  and  entitled  to  the  reliQ;lo'Js 
 homage  of  his  servants. 
 
 244.*  I  THANK  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord  who  hath 
 enabled  me^  for  that  be  counted  me  faithfuU  putting 
 me  into  the  ministry,  i  Tim.  i.  12.  This  seems 
 plainly  to  be  a  form  of  thanksgiving  to  our 
 blessed  Saviour. 
 
 245.*  Now  OUR  Lord  Jesus  Christ  himself,  and 
 God  even  our  Father,  vcho  hath  loved  us,  and  hath 
 given  us  everlasting  consolation,  and  good  hope 
 through  grace,  comfort  your  hearts,  and  stablish 
 you  in  every  good  ivord  and  work.  1  Thcs.  2.  16, 
 17.  If  the  latter  is  a  prayer  to  God  the  Father, 
 the  former  is  a  prayer  to  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
 
 The  writings  of  this  Apostle  do  indeed  abound  with 
 prayers  to  Jesus  Christ  as  well  as  the  Father : — 
 
 246.*  Grace  to  you  and  peace  from — the-  Lord  Jesus 
 
 Christ.  ^ 
 247.*  T^'he  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be -with 
 
 you.     Anicn.  * 
 248.*  '^he  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  with 
 
 you  all.     Amen,  ^ 
 
 In  short;  this  Apostle,  in  the  course  of  his  fourteen 
 Epistles,  repeats  these,  or  such  like  prayers  to  Jesus 
 Christ  upwards  of  twenty  times.  Three  times  also  he 
 plainly  calls  Christ  to  witness  tlie  truth  of  what  he  said, 
 
 'Rom.  I.  7.——*  Rom.  i6.  20. 'Rom.  16.  24. 
 
254  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 which  surely  he  would  not  have  done,  unless  he  had 
 believed  hun  to  be  omniscient,  and  so  a  proper  object 
 of  prayer.  Several  times,  moreover,  he  offers  up 
 prayers  and  praises  to  the  Lord,  in  a  way  which  leaves 
 it  doubtful  whether  he  meant  the  Father,  or  the  Son : 
 Yet  once,  at  least,  he  seems  to  have  ascribed  glory  to 
 the  Son : 
 
 249**  The  Lord  shall  deliver  me  from  every  evil  work, 
 and  will  preserve  me  unto  his  heavenly  kingdom: 
 to  whom  be]  glory  for  ever  and  ever. 
 Amen,    i  Tim.  4.  i8. 
 
 250.*  St.  Peter  opens  his  ministry  with  prayer,  and 
 closes  it  with  praise,  to  Jesus  Christ: — Thou 
 Lord,  *  said  he  on  the  former  occasion,  which 
 
 KNOWEST      the      HEARTS      OF      ALL     MEN,      sheW 
 
 whether  of  these  tzvo  thou  hast  chosen.  " 
 251.*  And  on  the  latter.   Grow  in  grace,  and  in  the 
 
 knozvledge  of  our   Lord  and   Saviour  Jesus 
 
 Christ:  to  whom  be  glory  both  now  and 
 
 forever.     Amen.^ 
 252.*  St.  John  also  has  some  ascriptions  of  praise  to 
 
 the  Redeemer  similar  to  several  of  those  which 
 
 are  gone  before  : — Grace  be  zvith  you,  mercy  and 
 
 peace  from  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  Son 
 
 of  the  Father.  ® 
 253.*   Again  : — Grace  be   unto  you    and   peace-^from 
 
 Jesus  Christ,  zvho  is  the  faithful  witness,  ' 
 254.*  Again  : — Come,  Lord  Jesus.  * 
 ^SS*  Again: — The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
 
 be  with  you  all.     Amen, ' 
 
 And 
 
 •  Several  of  these  passages  I  have  Introduced  on  a  former 
 occasion,  and  may  do  the  same  again,  but  as  every  introduc- 
 tion is  with  a  view  somewhat  different,  I  trust  the  reader  will 
 pardon  the  repetition. 
 
 '  Acts  1.  24,  25.         *  2  Pet.  3.  18.        '  2  John  3, 
 ■  Rev.  I.  5.        *  Rev,  22.  20,        3  r^v,  22,  21. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  255 
 
 256.*  And  again  : — Unto  him  that  loved  uSy  and  washed 
 us  from  our  sins  in  his  own  blood,  and  hath 
 made  us  kings  and  priests  unto  God  and  his  Father, 
 TO  HIM  BE  GLORY  and  DOMINION  forcvcr  and 
 ever.     Amen.  * 
 
 After  the  religious  homage  which  these  several  ad- 
 dresses present  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  it  may  be 
 observed,  that,  all  the  apostles  worshipped  the  Son 
 of  God  at  one  and  the  same  time  j  not,  to  be  sure,  as 
 the  Father  himself,  but  as  the  Son  of  the  Father: 
 
 257.*  And  Jesus  led  the  apostles  out  as  far  as  Bethany, 
 and  he  lifted  up  his  hands  and  blessed  them.  And 
 it  came  to  pass,  zvhile  he  blessed  them,  he  was 
 parted  from  them,  and  carried  up  into  heaven. — 
 And  THEY  WORSHIPPED  HIM,  and  returned  to 
 Jerusalem  with  great  joy. ' 
 
 But  it  is  by  no  means  necessary  that  we  should 
 prove  the  worship  of  our  blessed  Saviour  to  have  been 
 the  practice  of  the  apostles  by  an  induction  of  particu- 
 lars j  for  it  is  as  clear  as  any  thing  well  can  be,  that  this 
 was  the  common  practice  of  all  Christians  ;  and  the 
 very  badge  of  their  belonging  to  Christ.  The  fol- 
 lowing scriptures  will  justify  these  assertions  : — 
 
 258.*  To  hind  all  that  call  on  thy  name.  * 
 
 259.*  Destroyed  them  who  called  on  this  name.  ' 
 
 260.*  Follow  righteousness,  faith,  charity,  peace,  with 
 
 THEM 
 
 ♦  Rev.  I.  5,  6. 
 
 '  Luke  24.  50 — 52.  "  We  read  of  many  persons,  who,  when 
 *'  Christ  was  upon  earth,  falling  down  upon  their  faces,  and 
 *'  worshipping  him,  were  never  checked  or  reproved  for  so  doing, 
 *•  as  John  was,  when  he  offered  to  worship  the  angel,  and  Cornelius, 
 "  when  he  made  the  same  offer  to  St.  Peter." 
 
 Home's  sixteen  sermons,  p.  i76« 
 
 "Acts  9.  14. 7  Acts  9.  21, 
 
258  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 THEM  THAT  CALL  ON    THE    LoRD    OUt    of  a  pUYe 
 
 heart.  * 
 a6i.*  i:'hc  SAME  Lord    over  all  is  rich  unto  all  that 
 CALL  Upon  him.     For  zvho soever  shall  call  on 
 the  name  of  the  Lord  '  shall  be  saved.     How  then 
 
 shall 
 *  2  Tim.  2.  22.  "Some  critics  tell  us  that  the  phrase  fxiHa- 
 **  KsfJi^evoi  TO  ovOjj.a  X^igrs,  (tailing  upon  the  name  of  CJjrtst,  is  to 
 "  be  taken  passively,  as  denoting  those  who  were  named  by  the  name 
 "  of  Christ,  or  who  were  called  Christians.  But  this  cannot  be. 
 **  The  name,  Christian,  was  not  known  in  the  world,  till  sometime 
 *♦  after  St.  Paul's  conversion,  when,  as  St.  Luke  expressly  informs 
 *'  us,  the  disciples  n.vere  called  Christians  first  at  Antioch  ;  whereas, 
 "  before  that  time,  they  were  distinguished  by  the  title  of  fx/H:z- 
 *'  KsiJievci  TO  ovcixcc  Y.oigr 8,  ^hose  ivho  called  on  the  name  of  Christ, 
 "  Besides  that  exi'/.aKsjj.svoi,  when  followed  by  an  accusative  case, 
 **  always,  signifies  to  in-uoke,  or  nvorship,  except  only  where  it  sig- 
 **  nifies  to  appeal  to.  Thus,  The  same  Lord  is  rich  to  all  ^ho  call 
 *'  upon  him— for  nxihosoe^uer  shall  call  on  the  name  of  the  Lord  shall 
 "  be  sailed. — Saul  is  bidden  to  tjoash  anxiay  his  sins,  calling  on  the 
 •'  name  of  the  Lord.' — And  Origen,  who  must  have  understood  the 
 **  import  and  force  of  a  Greek  participle,  at  least  as  well  as  any 
 "  modern  critic,  commenting  on  one  of  the  above  cited  passages, 
 **  says.  The  Apostle  in  these  Words,  declares  him  to  be  God, 
 **  whose  name  was  called  upon."  Com.  in  Rom.  10.  lib.  8. 
 "  The  argument,  therefore,  deduced  from  this  expression,  we  may 
 •'  venture  to  say,  stands  good ;  nor  can  it  admit  of  any  farther 
 •'  reply,  or  evasion." 
 
 Home's* Sixteen  Sermons,  p.   172,  173. 
 
 '  Porphyry,  an  infidel  and  an  enemy  of  Christ  and  of  all  Chris- 
 tians, who  lived  in  the  third  century,  acknowledges,  that  "  after 
 **  Christ  was  worshipped,  no  body  experienced  any  public  benefit 
 "  from  the  Gods."     Euseb.  Pr^p.  lib.  5.  cap.  3. 
 
 "  We  find  Christ  worshipped  as  Lord,  throughout  the  most  dis- 
 **  tart  countries  of  the  world."     Grotius  de  Verit.  lib.   2.  sect.  2. 
 
 '*  Tacitus  and  others  attest,  that  very  many  were  punished,  be- 
 "   cause  they  professed  the  nvorship  of  Christ.'*      Ibid.   lib.    2.    sect.  3. 
 
 The  same  very  learned  man  observes  still  farther,  that  *'  there 
 **  were  always  very  many  amongst  the  worshippers  of  Christ,  who 
 "  were  men  of  good  judgment,  and  of  no  small  learning."  Ibid, 
 sect.   4. 
 
 "  If  Christ  is  only  a  man,"  says  Novatian,  "  how  is  he  every 
 **  where  present  to  those  who  call  upon  him,  since  this  is  not 
 "  the  nature  of  man  but  of  God,  that  he  can  be  present  in 
 "  every   place. — If  Christ    is    only    a  man,  why    does   man  in- 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  257 
 
 shall  they    call  on   him  in   whom   they  have  not 
 believed  ?  * 
 
 This  scripture,  as  Dr.  Whitby  well  remarks 
 upon  it,  presents  us  with  a  double  argument 
 in  favour  of  our  Lord's  divinity.  First,  it  applies 
 to  him^  what  by  the  prophet  Joel  is  spoken  of 
 Jehovah ;  secondly,  it  affirms  him  to  be  the 
 object  of  religious  adoration. 
 ^62.*  Unto  the  church  of  God  which  is  at  Corinthy  to 
 them  that  are  sanctified  in  Christ  JesuSy  called  to 
 be  saintSy  with  all  that  in  every  place  call 
 
 UPON  THE  NAME    OF    JeSUS    ChRIST  OUR   LoRD, 
 BOTH  THEIRS  AND  OURS.* 
 
 Nor  is  the  worship  of  Jesus  Christ  peculiar  to 
 
 the  church  militant : '   for  even  the  church  tri- 
 
 K  k  umphant 
 
 **  voke  him  in  prayer  as  mediator,  since  the  invocation  of  a 
 "  man  must  be  considered  as  ineffectual  to  the  accomplishing 
 **  deliverance  and  salvation  ?  If  Christ  is  nothing  more  than  a 
 **  mere  man  ;  why  is  our  hope  put  in  him,  seeing  cursed  is  the  hope 
 **  that  is  placed  in  man  ?"     De  Trinit.  cap.   14. 
 
 The  present  Jew  "  reads  how  his  ancestors  saw  him,  (Jesus 
 "  Christ)  adored  by  the  Christians,  in  the  first  century  ;  and  he 
 *'  proves  it — from  the  Talmud,  wherein  are  divers  relations  of 
 *'  R.  Eliezer,  the  great  friend  of  R.  Akiba,  who  lived  in  the  end 
 "  of  the  first  century,  and  the  beginning  of  the  second  century,  con- 
 "  cerning  the  gospels,  and  the  public  ivorskip  rendered  to  Jesus 
 "  Christ  by  the  Christians.'^' 
 
 Allix's  Judgment,  p.  432. 
 
 ■  Rom.  10.  12 — 14.  ' 
 
 *  I  Cor.  1.  2. — Qua:  invocatio  Christi  ?  Tert.  ad  Uxorem,  lib. 
 2.  cap.  6. 
 
 3  The  same  practice  of  praying  to  Jesus  Christ  was  continued  by 
 the  immediate  followers  of  the  Apostles,  and  it  appears  from  various 
 evidence  to  have  been  the  common,  well  known  practice  among 
 them.  For  even  Pliny,  the  Roman,  was  no  stranger  to  it,  since  he 
 tells  the  Emperor  Trajan,  that  it  was  the  custom  of  the  Christians 
 *•  to  sing  an  hymn  to  Christ  as  God"  every  morning. — Polycarp, 
 in  the  introduction  to  his  Epistle  to  the  Philippians,  prays  that  mer- 
 cy and  peace  may  be  "  multiplied  to  them  from  Almighty  God,  and 
 *•  from  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ." — Ignatius  to  the 
 Magnesians  wishes  them  "  health  from  God  the  F'aiher,  and  our 
 **  Lord    Jesus  Christ."— In  his   Epistle  to  the  Romans  he  sayv 
 
258  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 iimphant  is  everlastingly  exercised  in  the  same 
 blessed  emi^loy  : — 
 
 26 2>^  And 
 
 "  Health  in  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  our  God." — In  that  to  the 
 church  of  Smyrna,  "  HeaUh  in  the  immaculate  Spirit,  and  the 
 *'  Word  of  God." — Again  : — "  I  glorify  Jesus  Christ  our  God, 
 **  who  hath  given  unto  you  this  wisdom."  Ibid. — The  ciiurch  of 
 Smyrna  in  her  circular  Letter  to  all  Christians,  prays,  that  "  mercy, 
 "  peace,  and  love  may  be  multiplied  to  them  from  God  the  Father, 
 *'  and  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  And  that  we  may  not  take  these 
 salutations  for  mere  good  wishes  without  any  thing  in  them  of  the 
 proper  nature  of  prayer,  the  same  church  in  the  same  Epistle 
 saith,  "  They  could  not  leave  Christ  and  worship  any  other." 
 Moreover,  Justin  Martyr  speaks  still  more  clearly,  if  possible,  than 
 these  :  ♦'  God,"  says  he,  "  and  his  only-begotten  Son,  together 
 with  the  Spirit,  we  worship  and  adore."  And  again  : — "  Next 
 after  the  unhegotten  and  ineffable  God,  we  adore  and  love  him 
 who  is  the  Word  of  God  ;  because  that  for  our  sakes  he  became 
 man,  and  was  made  partaker  of  our  sufferings,  that  he  might 
 heal  us." 
 
 And  again  : — "  We  know  Jesus  Christ  to  be  the  Son  of  the 
 true  God,  and  therefore  hold  him  to  be  the  second  in  order,  and 
 the  prophetic  Spirit  the  third,  and  that  we  have  good  reason  for 
 worshipping  in  this  subordination,  I  shall  shew  hereafter."* 
 Again  : — "  The  leaders  of  these  sects  have  each,  in  their  differ- 
 ent ways,  taught  their  followers  to  blaspheme  the  Maker  of  the 
 universe,  and  him,  who  by  his  prophets  he  had  foretold  should 
 come,  Christ,  the  God  of  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob  :  with 
 whom  we  hold  no  communion,  knowing  them  to  be  dishonourers 
 of  God  and  religion,  and  despisers  of  the  laws  :  who,  acknow- 
 ledging Jesus  in  namely  only,  refuse  to  pay  him  divine  worship." 
 Dial,  cum  Tryp.  cd.  Thirlb.  p.  207.* 
 
 Again  : — '•  The  scriptures  expressly  declare,  that  Christ  was  to 
 
 *  suffer,  and  is  to  be  worshipped,  and  is  God."     Ibid. 
 
 Irenasus  saith,  that  "  every  knee  should  bow  to  Christ  Jesus,  our 
 '  Lord,  and  God,  and  Saviour,  and  King,  according  to  the  good 
 '  pleasure  of  the  invisible  Father."     Lib.   i.  cap.  2. 
 
 Origen  again  is  very  express  to  the  same  purpose,  and  even  gives 
 us  several  of  his   own    prayers   to  the  Son  of  God  : — "  We  must 
 
 *  pray,"  says  he,  "  to  the  Lord  Jesus  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  that 
 '  he  would  take  away  that  mist  and  darkness,  which  is  contracted 
 '  by  the  filth  of  our  sins,  and  dims  the   sight   of  our  souls."" — And 
 
 again  : — "  I  must  pray  to  the  Lord  Jesus,  that  when  I  seek,  ha 
 "  would  grant  me  to  find,  and  open  to  me  when  I  knock." — Again  : 
 — "  Let  us  pray  from  our  hearts  10  the  Word  of  God,  who  is  the 
 
 ■*  Justin  Martyr's  two  Apologies,  passim. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  259 
 
 263.*  And  zvhen  Jesus  had  taken  the  book,  the  four  hearts 
 
 K  k  2  and 
 
 ■  '*  Only-begotten  of  the  Father,  that  reveals  hitn  to  whom  he  will, 
 "  that  he  would  vouchsafe  to  reveal  these  things  unto  us." — And 
 again  in  one  of  his  Homilies  he  addresses  himself  to  the  Savioar  in 
 these  words  : — "  O  Lord  Jesus,  grant  that  1  may  be  found  worthy 
 •'  to  have  some  monument  of  me  in  thy  tabernacle.  I  could  wish 
 **  to  offer  gold,  or  silver,  or  precious  stones,  with  the  princes  of  the 
 **  people  :  but  because  these  things  are  above  me,  let  me  at  least 
 **  be  thought  worthy  to  have  goats  hair  in  the  tabernacle  of  God, 
 "  only  that  I  may  not  in  all  things  be  found  empty  and  unfruitful." 
 Bingham's  Antiquities,  b.    13.  c.  2.  p.  52. 
 
 It  may  be  observed  too,  that  Origen  has  more  than  one  hundred 
 homilies  which  conclude  with  doxologies  to  the  Son  or  the  Holy 
 Ghost. 
 
 I  add  farther,  that  this  learned  man  has  spoken  expressly  upon 
 this  very  text  of  scripture  and  put  its  genuine  meaning  past  all 
 doubt : — "  The  Jews,"  says  he,  "  have  not  believed  in  Christ,  and 
 "  "therefore  do  not  call  upon  him  whom  they  have  not  believed, 
 **  Rom.  10.  14.  But  in  the  beginning  of  the  epistle  which  he 
 •*  (Paul)  wrote  to  the  Corinthians,  where  he  says.  With  all  'who, 
 "  in  e'very  place,  call  upon  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord,  both 
 **  theirs  arid  ours,  he  pronounces  Jesus  Christ,  whose  name  is  there 
 "  called  upon,  to  be  God.  If  therefore  Enos,  Gen.  4.  26,  and  Moles, 
 *'  and  Aaron,  and  Samuel,  called  upon  the  Lord,  and  he  heard  them 
 «'  ■ — Ps.  99.  6. — without  question  they  called  upon  the  name  of 
 "  Christ  Jesus.  And  if  to  call  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord,  and  to 
 **  adore  God,  be  one  and  the  fame  thing,  like  as  Christ  is  called 
 *'  upon,  Christ  also  is  to  be  adored  ;  and  as  we  first  of  all  addrefs 
 •'  our  prayers  to  God  the  Father,  so  likewise  to  the  Lord  Jesus 
 "  Christ;  and  as  we  prefer  our  petitions  to  the  Father,  so  likewise 
 "  we  prefer  cur  petitions  to  the  Son  :  and  as  we  render  our  thanks- 
 "  giving  to  God,  so  we  likewise  render  thanksgiving  to  our  Saviour  : 
 *'  for  the  holy  scripture  teaches  that  one  honour  snail  be  ascribed 
 "  to  both,  that  is,  to  God  the  Father  and  Son,  when  it  says,  that 
 *'  all  men  should  honour  the  Son  e-jen  as  thty  honour  the  Father.  John 
 "  5.  25.     In  Epist.  ad  Rom.  lib.  8. 
 
 Tertullian,  a  little  before  the  age  of  Origen,  assures  us  the 
 invocation  and  worship  of  Christ  was  the  prattice  cf  all  the  Christian 
 world.  •*  The  kingdom  and  the  name  cf  Christ,"  says  he,  "  are 
 •'  extended  without  limits ;  he  is  every  where  believed  in  ;  he  is 
 "  worshipped  in  all  nations ;  he  reigns  every  where  ;  he  is  every 
 **  where  adored  ;  he  is  in  all  places  equally  ofit-red  to  the  acccpt- 
 "  ance  of  all  ;  he  is  to  all  a  king  ;  to  aii  a  judge  ;  to  all  a  God  and 
 "  Lord."  Adv.  Judreos,  cap.  7. 
 
 St.  Cyprian  frequently  speaks  cf  the  same  practice  : — "  We 
 *'  offer  up  unceasing  thanks  to  God  the  Father  Abnighty,  and  to 
 
z69  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 and  the  four  and  twenty  elders  fell  down  before 
 
 THE  Lamb  J  having  every  one  of  them  harps  and 
 golden  vials  full  of  odours  .^  which  are  the  prayers  of 
 saints:  and  they  sung  a  new  song^  sayings  Thou 
 art  worthy — -for  thou  wast  slain,  and  hast  redeemed 
 us  to  God  by  thy  blood — and  hast  made  us  unto  our 
 God  kings  and  priests  j  and  we  shall  reign  on  the 
 earth.  And  I  beheld,  and  I  heard  the  voice  of 
 many  angels  round  about  the  throne,  and  the  beasts, 
 and  the  elders :  and  the  number  of  them  was  ten 
 thousand  times  ten  thousand ;  saying  with  a  loud 
 voice.    Worthy    is    the    Lamb    that    was 
 
 SLAIN,  TO  RECEIVE  POWER,  AND  RICHES, 
 AND  WISDOM,  AND  STRENGTH  AND  HONOUR, 
 AND        GLORY,       AND       BLESSING.         And     CVCry 
 
 creature  which  is  in  heaven,  and  on  the  earth,  and 
 under  the  earth,  and  such  as  are  in  the  sea,  and 
 all  that  are  in  them,  heard  I,  saying.  Blessing,  and 
 honour,  and  glory,  and  power,  be  unto  him  that 
 sitteth  upon  the  throne,  and    unto   the  Lamb 
 
 FOREVER    AND    EVER.* 
 
 264.*  And  again : — Salvation  to  our  God  which  sitteth 
 upon  the  throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb.  ' 
 Such  is  the  evidence  contained  in  holy  scripture  for 
 the  religious  adoration  of  our  blessed  Lord  and  Saviour. 
 
 How 
 
 "'  his  Christ,  our  Lord,  God,  and  Saviour,  for  his  divine  protection 
 **  of  the  church,"     Epis.  51. 
 
 Again  : — "  We  shall  not  cease  to  give  thanks  to  God  the  Fa- 
 **  ther,  and  to  Christ  his  Son  our  Lord."     Epis.  61. 
 
 Again  : — "  God  the  Father,"  says  he,  ♦'  commanded  that  his 
 "  Son  should  be  worshipped  :  and  the  apostle  Paul,  mindful  of 
 "  the  divine  command,  says  accordingly  ;  God  hath  exalted  him,  and 
 "  hath  gi'ven  him  a  name  ivhich  is  abo'ue  e<very  name  ;  that  at  the 
 "  name  of  Jesus  e<very  knee  should  boiv,  of  things  in  kea-uen,  and 
 **  things  in  earth,  and  things  under  the  earth.  And  in  the  Revela- 
 *'  tion,  when  John  would  have  worshipped  the  Angel,  he  forbad 
 •'  him,  saying  ;  See  thou  do  it  7iot,for  I  am  thy  fello'w-ser'vant,  and 
 **  of  thy  brethren  ;  nucrship  the  Lord  Jesus." 
 
 De  Bono  Patientiae. 
 
 *Rcv.  5.  8—13 5  Rev.  7.  10. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  261 
 
 How  it  may  affect  the  mind  of  other  readers  I  cannot 
 say.  To  me  it  appears  to  contain  no  less  than  a 
 theological  demonstration,  as  we  observed  before,  that 
 Jesus  is  entitled  to  divine  honours.  And  we  are  told 
 Socinus  himself  was  so  affected  with  it,  that  though  he 
 believed  the  Son  of  God  to  be  no  more  than  a  mere 
 man,  he  could  scarce  consider  them  as  Christians  who 
 with-held  adoration  from  him.  He  should  have  gone 
 two  or  three  steps  farther,  and  concluded,  that  if 
 Jesus  Christ  is  entitled  to  divine  honours,  then  he  is 
 possessed  of  a  divine  nature :  and  if  he  is  possessed  of 
 a  divine  nature,  then  he  must  be  ineffably  one  with  his 
 heavenly  Father ;  seeing  both  reason  and  scripture 
 declare,  there  is  but  one  living  and  true  God.  This 
 seems  to  follow  from  what  the  Apostle  says.  Gal.  4.  8. 
 For  to  worship  any  being  as  God,  that  is  not  bv 
 NATURE  God,  is  idolatry.  Yea,  all  religious  worship 
 is  strictly  appropriated  to  God  only :  Thou  shall  worship 
 the  Lord  thy  God^  and  him  only  shall  ihou  serve.  Mat, 
 4.  10.  Since  then  the  Lord  Jesus  has  been,  and  is  to 
 be  adored,  upon  the  highest  authority,  we  thence  infer, 
 upon  the  same  authority,  that  he  is,  though  in  a  man- 
 ner inconceivable  by  us,  of  the  same  nature  and 
 essence  wifh  his  heavenly  Father.  ^ 
 
 •  I  could  wilh  the  reader  would  consult  what  Bishop  Burnet  has* 
 said  upon  the  worship  of  Christ  in  his  exposition  of  the  second  o{ 
 the  thirty  nine  articles  of  the  church  of  England.  It  appears  tQ 
 me  extremely  satisfadory. 
 
26?  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 PART  SECOND. 
 
 SECTION     VIII. 
 
 The  divinity  of  Christ  argued  from  various  passages  in  the  writinjj 
 of  St.   PduU 
 
 IT  is  now  time  to  proceed  to  the  consideration  of 
 such  other  passages  of  the  writings  of  St.  Paul,  as 
 have  not  yet  come  under  our  notice.  And  as  all  the 
 epistles  of  this  wonderful  man  were  written  within  the 
 compass  of  the  last  ten  or  twelve  years  of  his  life,  it 
 will  not  be  necessary  to  attend  scrupulously  to  the 
 order  of  time  in  which  they  were  composed ;  we  will 
 therefore  produce  them  in  the  order  v/hich  may  be 
 thought  most  convenient,  and  make  such  observations  as 
 naturally  arise  in  the  mind  upon  the  perusal  of  them* 
 Not  that  we  undertake  to  press  into  this  service  every 
 text  that  might  be  alledged,  but  only  such  as  are  most 
 material  and  prominent.  For  there  is  a  certain  dignity 
 of  sale,  with  numberless  inimitable  little  touches  in  the 
 compositions  of  all  the  sacred  writers,  especially  in  the 
 works  of  David,  Isaiah,  St.  John,  and  St.  Paul,  which 
 every  competent  reader  will  easily  feel,  but  which  the 
 most  competent  cannot  so  easily  explain.  In  all  their 
 writings  and  discourses  they  proceed  upon  this  general 
 principle,  that  Jesus  was  the  Son  of  God,  as  well  as  the 
 Son  of  man  j  and  though  they  were  not  able  to  illustrate 
 the  full  meaning  of  that  mixed  character,  v/hich  he 
 sustained  solely  for  the  salvation  of  the  world,  yet 
 the  conviction  naturally  affected  all  their  language  with 
 a  certain  peculiarity  of  phrase,  suitable  to  such  high  and 
 exalted  conceptions.  The  pious  and  learned  Christian 
 sees  and  feels  these  fine  traits  of  sentiment,  while  the 
 corhmon  reader  is  attentive  only  to  the  more  obvious 
 
 declarations- 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  263 
 
 declarations,  which  force  themselves  upon  his  attention, 
 as  he  passes  along.  It  is  to  these,  therefore,  we  shall 
 confine  our  present  observations,  leaving  the  reader  to 
 reject  or  admit  them  as  he  judges  expedient.  Nothing 
 but  truth  can  stand  long,  and  no  man  ought  to  wish 
 for  the  establishment  of  error.  Whatever,  therefore, 
 in  any  of  these  strictures  is  not  agreeable  to  the 
 genuine  meaning  and  intention  of  God  in  his  word, 
 I  most  cordially  disavow,  even  though  it  should  extend 
 to  the  subversion  of  my  whole  system. — But  to  proceed. 
 The  passages  in  the  writings  of  this  Apostle,  which 
 most  forcibly  affect  the  mind,  on  the  subject  of  Christ's 
 higher  nature,  may  be  these  that  follow : 
 
 0.6^.  In  the  first  chapter  of  his  Epistle  to  the  Romans, 
 there  is  a  remarkable  passage  relating  to  the  point 
 under  consideration: — His  Son  Jesus  Christ  cur 
 Lordy  zvho  was  made  of  the  seed  of  Davidy  ac- 
 cording TO  THE  FLESH,  and  declared  to  be  the 
 Son  of  God  ivith  power^  according  to  the 
 Spirit  of  holiness,  by  the  resurrection  from  the 
 dead. ' 
 
 Here  is  a  contrast  between  the  two  natures  of  Christ, 
 the  ttrm  flesh  denoting  his  human  nature,  and  the  spirit' 
 of  holiness  his  divine;  for  the  word  spirit  is  used  frequent- 
 ly by  the  earliest  Christian"  writers  to  denote  the  divine 
 -nature  of  Clirisr,  ^    And  by  understanding  the  passage  in 
 
 this 
 
 '  Rom.   1.3,  4. ^  See  the  testimonies  of  Grotius,  on  Mark 
 
 2.  8-  To  which  the  learned  Bishop  Bnll  has  added  others,  Def. 
 N.  F.  p.  19.  and  brought  several  texts  of  scripture  to  confirm  them. 
 Mark  2.  8. —  i  Tim.  3.  16. — Heb.  9.  14.. —  i  Pet.  3.  i3.  See  too 
 Waterland's  Importance  of  the  dodrine  of  the  Holy  Trinity,  p.  303, 
 where  he  produces  the  sentiments  of  the  Fathers. 
 
 Clemens  Romanus  has  a  similar  distindion  : — "  From  him  (Abra- 
 ••  ham)  came  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  according  to  the  flesh.  From 
 '*  him  came  the  kings,  and  princes,  and  rulers  in  judah."  Epis.  i. 
 sect.  32.  The  distinction  made  between  Christ,  and  the  other 
 persons  mentioned,  is  remarkable,  and  strongly  implies  a  difference 
 in  their  natures. 
 
i64  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 this  manner,  the  contrast  is  kept  up  between  flesh  and 
 spirit. — A  similar  contrast  is  observable  in  other  pas- 
 sages of  scripture.     St.  Peter  says, 
 
 lS6.*  Therefore  being  a  prophet,  and  knowing  that  God 
 had  sworn  with  an  oath  to  him,  that  of  the  fruit  of 
 his  loins,  according  to  the  flesh,  '  he  would  raise 
 Up  Christ  to  sit  on  his  throne.  Acts  2.  30. — But 
 that  is  the  most  remarkable  in  the  9th  chapter  of 
 this  same  Epistle  : — ■ 
 
 267.*  Of  whom,  as  concerning  the  flesh,  Christ  came,  who 
 is  over  all,  God  blessed  for  ever.    Amen.     Rom* 
 
 9-  5- 
 
 This  celebrated  text  is  decisive  upon  the  subject  of 
 Christ's  divinity,  and  therefore  all  possible  pains  are 
 taken  by  the  Socinians  to  evade  the  force  of  it.  Dr. 
 Clarke  also  has  tampered  with  it  in  the  beginning  of  his 
 observations  upon  the  passage,  but  in  the  close  he  seems 
 to  grant  all  again,  that  the  most  orthodox  can  desire.  * 
 Indeed,  no  honest  arts  are  equal  to  the  business.  The 
 expressions  are  so  full,  and  the  contrast  between  the 
 human  and  divine  natures  of  the  Redeemer  so  strong, 
 that  we  must  either  quite  give  up  the  question,  or  sup- 
 pose with  Dr.  Priestley  this  is  one  of  those  many  places 
 where   "  St.  Paul  reasons  inconclusively  !" 
 
 268.  He 
 
 ^  "  So  the  Apostle  teaches  concerning  his  two  natures  :  Who  'was 
 'f  made,%zy5  he,  of  the  seed  of  Danjid  \  this  will  be  man,  and  the 
 *'  son  of  man  :  ijoho  is  declared  the  Son  of  God  according  to  the  Spirit, 
 *'  this  will  be  God,  and  the  Word,  the  Son  of  God.  We  see  a  double 
 •'  state,  not  confused,  but  joined  intone  person,  Jesus,  God  and 
 *'  man. 
 
 Tertul,  adv.  Prax.  cap.  27. 
 
 *  See  Clarke's  Scripture  Doftrine,  p.  75.  See  also  the  excellent 
 observations  of  Whitby  upon  the  place.  Dr.  Doddridge  says,  "  I 
 •'  must  render,  and  paraphrase,  and  improve  this  memorable  text, 
 *'  as  a  proof  of  Christ's  proper  Deity,  which,  I  think,  the  opposers 
 "  of  that  doctrine  have  never  been  able  nor  will  ever  be  able  to 
 "  answer."     See  Family  Expositor  on  the  place. 
 
 Mr.  Gilpin  in  loco,  says,  *'  No  criticisms  on  the  original  have 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  265 
 
 268.*  He  that  spared  not  his  own  Son,  but  delivered 
 
 LI'  him 
 
 "  been   able    to    overthrow  its  force   in  proving   the  divinity  of 
 «'  Christ." 
 
 "  The  title  of  God  o-ver  all,  generally  reserved  to  the  Father, 
 *'  yet  is  applied  to  the  Son  too,  by  all  the  ante-nicene  fathers,  as 
 **  well  as  the  post-nicene,  in  their  interpretation  of  the  ninth  chap- 
 **  ter  of  the  Romans,  and  fifth  verse  ;  but  still,  God  off  God." 
 
 Vide  Fiddes's  Theol.  Specul.  vol.  1.  p.  383,  384,  385,  399, 
 423  and  424. 
 
 "  Never  any  ancient  Christian,  interpreter,  or  expositor,  or  any 
 "  other  writer,  did  otherwise  understand  this  text,  but  of  Christ ; 
 **  and  not  only  catholics,  but  even  heretics  and  schismatics,  kc. 
 Dr.  Grabe  on  Whiston's  Testimonies,  p,  23. — See  also  Bp.  Bull's 
 Works,  vol.  3.  p.  944,  where  he  asserts  the  same  thing. 
 
 Ignatius  seems  to  allude  to  this  text  more  than  once  : — "  Our 
 **  God,  Jesus  Christ,"  says  he,  "  was,  according  to  the  dispensa- 
 "  tion  of  God,  conceived  in  the  womb  of  Mary,  of  the  seed  of 
 *'  David,  by  the  Holy  Ghost."     Ep.  ad  Ephes. 
 
 Again  : — "  Gather  yourselves  together  in  the  love  of  Jesus 
 **  Christ,  who,  according  to  the  flesh,  is  of  the  race  of  David,  the 
 **  the  son  man,  and  the  son  of  God."     Ibid. 
 
 Irenaeus,  speaking  of  the  generation  of  Jesus  Christ,  says,  that 
 **  he  is  called  God  nuith  us,  lest  by  any  means  we  should  conceive 
 *'  that  he  was  only  a  man.  For  the  Word  ^vas  made  fiesh,  not  by 
 *'  the  will  of  man,  but  by  the  will  of  God.  Nor  should  we  indeed 
 "  surmise  Jesus  to  have  been  another,  but  know  him  to  be  one  and 
 "  the  same  God.  This  very  thing  Paul  has  interpreted: — And 
 **  again  writing  to  the  Romans  concerning  Israel,  he  saith.  Whose 
 *'  are  the  fathers,  and  of  ix-'ham  Christ  according  to  the  flesh,  ixiho  is 
 *«  God  o^er  all  blessed  foreijer."     Adv.  Haer.  hb.   3.  cap.   1 8. 
 
 TertuUian  says,  "  Of  n.vhom  Christ  'who  is  God  over  all  blessed 
 *'foreueryage"     Adv.   Prax.  cap.   13. 
 
 Again  : — Paul  also  hath  called  Christ  very  God  ;  "  Whose  are 
 "  the  fathers,  andoftvbotn  Christ  according  to  the  flesh  ivho  is  over 
 *•  all  God  blessed  forever.''*     Ibid.  cap.    15. 
 
 St.  Cyprian,  in  his  second  book  against  the  Jews,  produces  this 
 text  in  proof  of  the  divinity  of  Christ  : — "  Whose  are  the  fathers, 
 *'  of 'whom  according  to  tie  flesh  Christ,  -ivho  is  over  all  God  blessed 
 *'  forever.''     Lib.  z.  cap.  6. 
 
 We  have  a  remarkable  testimony  of  the  same  kind  in  the  small 
 treatise  of  Novatian  on  the  Trinity,  which  1  shall  produce  at  some 
 length  : — "  Bat  if,"  says  he,  "  when  it  belongs  to  God  alone  to 
 "  know  the  secrets  of  the  heart,  Christ  looks  into  the  secrets  of  the 
 "  heart :  But  if,  when  it  belongs  to  God  alone  to  forgive  sins,  the 
 "  same  Christ  forgives  sins :  But  if,  v/hen  it  is  not  the  possible  act 
 *♦  of  any  man  to  come  from  heaven^  Christ  in  his  advent  descended 
 
266  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 hi?n  tip  for  us  alU  how  shall  he  not  zvith  him  also 
 freely  give  us  all  things  ?  * 
 This  wonderful  declararipn,  like  that  in  the  third  of 
 John  and  sixteenth  verse,  intimates  infinitely  more  than 
 can  be  expressed  by  any  human  tongue,  and  plainly 
 proceeds  upon  the  supposition,  that  there^  is  something 
 very    peculiar,    and    far   surpassing  simple   humanity 
 
 in 
 
 •*  from  heaven :  But  if,  when  no  man  can  utter  this  sentence,  / 
 •'  and  my  Fattier  are  one,  Christ  alone,  from  a  consciousness  of  his  di- 
 *'  vinity,  declared  it :  But  if,  lastly,  the  apostle  Thomas,  when 
 *•  furnished  with  all  the  proofs  and  evidences  of  the  divinity  of 
 **  Christ,  answering,  said  unto  Christ,  My  Lord  and  jnj  God :  But 
 **  if  the  apostle  Paul  too  in  his  writings  says,  Wiiose  are  tfje  fathers, 
 *'  and  of  ivJyom,  as  concerning  tloe  jlesh,  Clorist  came%  ivho  is  o-ver  alt 
 *'  God  blessed  fore'ver  :  But  if  the  same  person  publishes  himself  to 
 **  have  been  constituted  an  apostle,  not  of  men,  neither  by  man,  but 
 *'  by  Jesus  Christ  :  But  if  the  same  Paul  contend  for  it,  that  he  did 
 *'  not  Jearn  the  gospel  from  men,  neither  recei've  it  by  man,  but  by 
 *'  Jesus  Christ ;  Christ  is  worthily  God."     De  Trinit.  lib.   13. 
 
 Let  the  Reader  who  has  any  remaining  doubts  on  his  mind 
 concerning  the  authenticity,  or  application,  of  this  celebrated  text, 
 consult  the  following  authors  upon  it,  in  addition  to  those  already 
 mentioned : — Namely. 
 
 Waterland's  8  Sermons,  p.  421 — 424. 
 
 Stillingfleet  on  the  Trinity,  p.  38,  153,  and   193. 
 
 Marshall's  St.  Cyprian,  p.  33,  note. 
 
 Knowles's  Primitive  Christianity,  p.  55  and  80. 
 
 Dawson  on  the  Logos,  p.  38. 
 
 Burgh's  Sequel,  p.  23 — 32. 
 
 Mills  on  the  place. 
 
 Bull's  Defence,  p.  78. 
 
 Petavius,  lib.  2.  cap.  9.  p.  154. 
 
 Pearson  on  the  Creed,  p.   132. 
 
 Randolph's  Vindication  of  the  Doctrine  of  the  Trinity,  part 
 2.  p.   16 — 22.    And 
 
 Gnomon  Bengelii  in  loco. 
 *Rom.  8.  32.  "  There  is,"  says  Mr.  Blackwell,  "a  great  em- 
 **  phasis  in  the  words  spared  not  his  own  Son,  which  cannot,  with 
 "  any  propriety,  be  applied  to  any  mere  man,  or  most  glorious  crea- 
 "  ture  whatever.  His  civn  Son,  is  by  way  of  eminence  and  dis- 
 *'  linction  from  those  who  were  sons  of  God  by  adoption,  and  the 
 *'  grace  of  his  own  natural  Son  :  and  the  Father  not  sparing  him, 
 "  supposes  an  antecedent  relation  of  the  highest  kindness  and  most 
 **  sacred  endearment." 
 
 Sacred  Classics,  vol,  i.  p.  ^^77' 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  267 
 
 in  the  nature  and  person  of  Jesus.  ^  Upon  the  hypothe- 
 sis that  he  was  a  mere  man,  these  two,  and,  indeed,  all 
 similar  declarations,  lose  the  whole  of  their  force  and 
 significance.  For  what  is  there  so  remarkably  endear- 
 ing in  the  consideration  of  God's  giving  up  a  man  like 
 ourselves  to  extreme  sufferings  and  disgrace,  when  he 
 had  already  acted  in  a  similar  manner,  in  every  instance 
 where  virtuous  characters  had  fallen  into  the  hands  of 
 unreasonable  and  wicked  men  ?  Or  what  was  there  so 
 condescending  in  the  conduct  of  our  Saviour,  when  he 
 knew  the  infinite  reward  that  was  set  before  him  ?  But 
 if  Jesus  was  the  real,  natural,  and  proper  Son  of  God, 
 in  a  manner  no  other  being  ever  was  or  can  be,  the  love 
 of  God  in  sparing  him  from  his  bosom,  and  the  conde- 
 scension of  Christ  in  leaving  the  infinite  beatitude  of 
 heaven,  taking  upon  him  human  nature,  and  dying  to 
 redeem  the  apostate  sons  of  Adam,  are  conspicuous,  and 
 the  declarations  of  Jesus  and  of  Paul  are  inexpressibly 
 proper,  tender,  and  pathetic. 
 
 269.*  Had  ihey  known  it  they  ivoiild  not  have  crucified 
 the  Lord  of  glory.*  i  Cor.  2.  8. 
 If  this  title  of  our  blessed  Saviour  be  compared  with 
 the  title  King  of  glory,  in  the  twenty  fourth  psalm, 
 and  the  description  there  given,  it  will  appear  to  be 
 a  name  of  great  weiglit  and  significancy.  The  ex- 
 pression, moreover,  implies  that  he  was  the  Lord  of 
 glory  prior  to  his  crucifixion,  otherwise  the  whole  force 
 
 LI  2  of 
 
 3  "  God,  we  find,  hath  chosen  to  express  the  relation,  which  the 
 "  second  person  bears  to  the  first,  by  that  of  a  son  to  a  father. 
 '*  The  first  person  is  called  the  Father,  the  second  the  Son  of  God — 
 *'  tyis  onxjti  Son — his  helo'ved  Son — Ins  one  Son — his  •well-helo'ved — hit 
 *'  dear  Son — his  only-icgotten  Son.  This  title  must  certainly  import 
 *'  something  analogous  to  the  relation  between  an  earthly  father 
 **  and  son ;  and  the  most  natural  and  obvious  sense  of  it  denotes 
 *'  an  equality  of  nature." 
 
 See  this  subject  treated  at  large  by  Dr.  Randolph,  in  his  Vindi- 
 cation of  the  Doctrine  of  the  Trinity,  part  2.  p.  10 — 13. 
 
 ♦  See  Waterland's  Eight  Sermons,  p.  232. 
 
26t  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 of  it  vanishes ;  or  rather,  the  expression  becomes  unsuit- 
 able to  the  Apostle's  argument. 
 
 270.*  The  frst  man  [is  of  ihe  earthy  earthy :  the  second 
 man  is  the  Lord  from  heaven.  '  i  Cor.  15.  47. 
 
 As  Adam  was  originally  from  the  earth,  so  Christ 
 was  originally  from  heaven.  And  his  dominion,  as  well 
 as  origin,  is  strongly  expressed  by  the  Apostle's  saying, 
 The  second  man  is  the  Lord  from  Heaven.  This 
 Xt^Xj  therefore,  according  to  every  fair  and  probable 
 construction,  leaves  us  no  room  to  doubt  concerning 
 the  pre-existence  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ, 
 and  implies  at  the  same  time  that  he  was  in  possession 
 t)f  dominion  before  he  came  into  the  world. 
 
 271.*  Novo  that  he  ascended^  zvkat  is  it  hit  that  he  also 
 descended  first  into  the  lower  parts  of  the  earth  ? 
 He  that  descended^  is  the  same  also  that  ascended 
 up  far  above  all  heavens y  that  he  might  fill  all 
 things.  Ep.  4.  9,  10.  The  Apostle  here  asserts 
 the  original  pre-existence,  and  the  present  im- 
 mensity of  the  Saviour  of  mankind. 
 
 272.*  If  any  man  love  not  the  'Lord  Jesus  Christy  let  him 
 be  Anathefna,  Maranatha.  *    The  manner  in  which 
 
 the 
 
 '  '*  St.  Paul  calls  Jesus  Christ  the  Adam  from  ahwe ;  shewing 
 **  that  he  followed  the  notions  of  the  Jews,  who  call  the  Sheki- 
 *'  nah,  the  Adam  from  above,  the  heavenly  Adam,  the  Adam 
 '*  blessed,   which  are   the  titles   that  they  give  only  to  God." 
 
 Allix's  Judg.  p.   336. 
 
 *  I  Cor.  16.  22.  *' Our  blessed  Lord,"  says  an  able  vindicator 
 of  his  dignity  and  honour,  "  hath  done  great  and  wonderful  things 
 **  for  us.  U  our  respect,  duty,  and  gratitude  happen,  through 
 **  our  ignorance  and  excessive  zeal,  to  rise  too  high ;  this  is  the 
 •*  overflowing  of  our  good  natured  qualities,  and  may  seem  a  piti- 
 **  able  failing.  But,  on  the  other  hand,  if  we  happen  to  fall  short 
 *•  in  our  regards,  there  is  not  only  ingratitude,  but  blasphemy  in  it. 
 •'  It  is  degrading,  and  dethroning  our  Maker,  Preserver,  King,  and 
 "  Judge  i  and  bringing  him  down  to  a  level  with  his  aeatures. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  269 
 
 the  Apostle  here  speaks  of  the  necessity  of  our 
 love  to  Christ,  seems  to  imply  his  having  a  claim 
 to  our  affection  above  what  any  merely  human 
 being  can  be  supposed  to  have.  It  intimates 
 great  merit  on  the  part  of  Christ,  and  vast  obli- 
 gation on  the  part  of  man. 
 273.*  ylll  things  are  of  God,  who  halh  reconciled  us  to 
 himself  by  Jesus  Christ,  and  hath  given  to  us  the 
 jninistry  of  reconciVution  ;  to  wit,  that  God  was 
 IN  Christ,  reconciling  the  world  unto  himself  mi 
 imputing  their  trespasses  unto  them ;  and  bath 
 co7nmitted  unto  us  the  zvord  of  reconciliation.  Now 
 /hen  we  are  ambassadors  for  Christ,  as  though 
 God  did  beseech  you  by  us,  we  pray  you  in  ChrisC's 
 stead,  be  ye  reconciled  unto  God.  For  he  hath 
 made  him  to  be  sin  for  us,  who  knezv  no  sin,  that 
 we  might  be  made  the  righteousness  of  God  in  him.  ' 
 
 This  is  a  very  rich  and  important  passage  of  holy 
 scripture,  and  can  never  be  seriously  read,  without  the 
 most  grateful  wonder,  and  affection  to  those  adorable 
 Persons,  who  have  pitied  our  ruined  state,  and  graciously 
 interposed  for  our  salvation.     To  accomplish  this  great 
 
 purpose 
 
 "  Besides ;  we  have  many  express  cautions  given  us  in  scripture, 
 **  not  to  be  wanting  in  our  respects  and  services  towards  God  the 
 *'  Son  ;  but  have  no  particular  cautions  against  honouring  hin^  too 
 *'  much.  We  know  that  we  ought  to  honour  Ijim  even  as  •we  honour 
 "  the  Father',  which,  if  it  be  an  ambiguous  expression,  we  are  very 
 **  excusable  in  taking  it  in  the  best  sense,  and  interpreting  on  the 
 **  side  of  precept.  We  know  that  by  dishonouring  the  Son,  we 
 "  do,  at  the  same  time,  dishonour  the  Father  :  but  we  are  no  where 
 **  told,  that  the  Father  will  resent  it  as  a  dishonour  done  to  himself, 
 "  if  we  should  chance,  out  of  our  scrupulous  regards  to  the  Father 
 *'  and  Son  both,  to  pay  the  Son  more  honour  than  strictly  belongs 
 *'  to  him.  On  these  and  the  like  considerations  (especially  when 
 *'  we  have  so  many,  and  so  great  appearances  of  truth,  and  such 
 **  a  cloud  of  authorities  to  countenance  us  in  it)  the  error,  if  it  be 
 ♦'  one,  seems  to  be  an  error  on  the  right  hand." 
 
 Waterland's  Defence  of  Queries,  p.  476,  477. 
 
 I2  Cor.  5.   18—21. 
 
270  AN  APOLOGV  FOR  THE 
 
 purpose  the  deity  and  atonement  of  Christ  seem  neces- 
 sary, and  are  not  obscurely  intimated  in  these  words. ' 
 
 'I'here  are  several  -  passages  in  the  writings  of  the 
 Apostles  which  strongly  imply  some  transaction  that 
 took  place  in  behalf  of  man  before  the  foundation  of  the 
 world.  In  this  transaction  there  seem  to  have  been 
 more  than  one  person  concerned.  These  surely,  from 
 the  whole  tenor  of  scripture,  could  have  been  no  other 
 than  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  let  their 
 specific  natures  be  what  they  may.  The  passages  are 
 these : — 
 
 274.*  Whom  he  did  foreknow  he  also  did  predestinate  to 
 
 he  conformed  to  the  image  of  his  Son.    Rom.  8.  29  : 
 
 — The  mystery  which  was  kept  secret  since  the  world 
 
 began.  Ibid.  16.  25. — God  hath  chosen  us  in  Christ 
 
 before  the  foundation  cf  the  world.  Ep.  i.  14. — The 
 
 eternal  purpose  which  God  purposed  in  Christ  Jesus. 
 
 Ibid.   3.  II. — In  hope  of  eternal  life^  which  God 
 
 that  cannot  lie  promised  before  the  world  be^an.  Tit. 
 
 I.  2. — Christ  was  fore-ordavnedbefore  the  foundation 
 
 of  the  world:,   but  was  ma?tifest  in  these  last  times, 
 
 I  Pet.  I.  20.  Compare  2.  Tim.   i.  9,   10. 
 
 From  a  comparison  of  these  several  passages  I  infer 
 
 the  prc-existencc  of  the  Son  of  God,  and  that  he  was  in 
 
 Jbeing  before  the  creation  of  the  vast  frame  of  nature. 
 
 If  so,  Vv'hat  comes  of  the  Socinian  hypothesis  ?  ' 
 
 5.75.*  Te  know  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christy  that 
 
 THOUGH    HE  WAS  RICH,  yct  for  your  sakes  he  be^ 
 
 came  poor,  that  ye  through  his  poverty  might  be  made 
 
 rich.  *  The 
 
 •  See  Dr.  Whitby  on  this  passage,  and  Jones  on  the  Trinity, 
 p.  13,  14. 
 
 ^  The  Rev.  Andrew  Fuller  appears  to  me  to  have  decided  the 
 question  between  the  Socinian  and  Orthodox  schemes  of  religion, 
 with  respect  to  their  moral  tendency.  See  his  very  valuable  book 
 entitled.  The  Calvinistic  and  Socinian  Systems  examined  and  com- 
 pared. 
 
 *  2  Cor.  8.  9.  See  Whitby  on  this  passage. — Dr.  Price  asks— ^ 
 **  When  did  our  Lord  possess  riches  ?  When  did  he  exchange  riches 
 *'  for  poverty  in  order  to  make  us  rich  ?  In  this  world  he  was  si- 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  271 
 
 The  glorious  prc-existence  of  Christ  is  here  strongly- 
 asserted,  according  to  that  other  signal  text  of  the  same 
 
 Apostle } 
 
 "  ways  poor  and  persecuted." — Origen  says,  '*  Christ  Jesus,  when 
 *'  he  was  rich,  became  poor  ;  and  therefore  he  chose  for  a  mother, 
 *'  of  whom  he  should  be  born,  a  poor  woman,  and  for  the  place  of 
 **  his  nativity,  a  poor  town,  of  which  it  is  said,  j^,tJ  thou,  BethU' 
 *'  hem.  Sec."  In  Levit.  cap.  12.  13.  horn.  8.  ex  Erasmi  ver- 
 «*  sione,  p.  163. 
 
 "  This  passage,  is,  in  my  opinion,"  says  Mr.  Hawker,  "  no  in- 
 **  considerable  argument  to  prove,  that  the  earliest  Christians,  and 
 **  in  the  days  of  the  apostles  themselves,  were  not  unbelievers  of 
 *'  our  Lord's  divinity,  but  orthodox  in  this  great  article  of  our  faith. 
 •*  For  the  apostle  writes  to  the  Corinthians  with  all  the  confidence 
 •*  of  one  who  was  mentioning,  not  a  novel  thing,  but  a  truth  long 
 •*  since  received,  and  acknowledged.  For  had  this  point  been  at 
 •*  all  questionable,  or  not  fully  credited,  he  surely  would  not  have 
 **  said,  ya  knoiv  what  they  absolutely  did  not  know,  had  never 
 •'  heard  of  before,  or  perhaps  denied.  A  presumptive  evidence  at 
 *•  least  this,  that  the  Corinthians  were  believers  in  this  important 
 **  doctrine.— 7lt  is  impossible  to  reconcile  the  apostle's  expression  in 
 •*  this  passage  even  with  common  sense,  upon  any  other  terms 
 "  than  the  supposition,  that  he  was  writing  to  a  body  of  men  who 
 **  were  believers  in  the  divinity  of  Jesus."     Sermons,  p.  55. 
 
 **  On  the  Socinian  scheme,"  says  the  learned  Harwood,  "  with 
 •*  what  propriety  can  this  be  predicted  of  our  Lord  ?  Where  and 
 •*  yvhen  was  our  Saviour  rich  in  this  world  ?  His  whole  history 
 **  contradicts  this  assertion.  On  the  contrary,  he  was  so  poor,  that 
 **  he  was  obliged  to  work  a  miracle  to  satisfy  the  demands  of  some 
 "  Jewish  collectors.  He  lived  solely  upon  the  beneficence  of  his 
 **  friends.  He  had  no  place  whereon  to  lay  his  head.  To  inter- 
 **  pret  this  of  our  Lord  being  rich  in  miracles,  and  becoming  poor 
 '**  in  them  at  his  crucifixion,  is  such  a  strange  metaphor  and  mode 
 •*  of  diction,  as,  I  believe,  was  never  employed  by  any  writer,  and 
 **  such  a  jejune  and  forced  criticism,  as,  1  imagine,  was  never  stu- 
 **  died  to  explain  any  author.  But  on  the  hypothesis,  that  our 
 "  Lord  enjoyed  the  most  exalted  station  before  his  embassy  to 
 **  our  world,  every  thing  is  consistent  and  natural.  In  his  pre- 
 *'  existent  state  he  was  rich  in  glory,  honour,  and  happiness  :  with 
 "  a  greatness  and  benevolence  of  soul,  that  can  never  sufficiently 
 **  be  extolled,  he  abdicated  all  this,  and  became  piior,  that  we 
 *'  through  his  poverty  might  become  rich.  The  Apostle's  argument 
 **  to  excite  the  liberality  and  beneficence  of  the  Corinthians  from 
 "  this  stupendous  act  and  instance  of  our  Lord's  condescension 
 *'  and  benevolence,  upon  this  scheme  only,  is  cogent,  apposite, 
 *•  and  very  elegant  and  persuasive." 
 
 Of  the  Socinian  Scheme,  p.  45. 
 
272  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 .ran 
 
 Apostle  ;  lPl)Oy  be'wg  in  the  form  of  God^  thought  it  not 
 robbery  to  he  equal  with  God^  but  made  himself  of  no  repu- 
 tation^ and  took  upon  him  the  form  of  a  servant.  Te 
 KNOW,  says  he,  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
 The  character  of  Jesus  was  no  new  thing  to  the  Cor- 
 inthians. They  were  well  acquainted  with  his  previ- 
 ous dignity  before   he  assumed  human  nature. 
 
 276.*  TVhen  the  fulness  of  time  zvas  ccr/ie,  God  sent 
 FORTH  His  Son,  made  of  a  woman,  made  under 
 the  lazv,  to  redeem  them  that  ""jjere  -under  the  lain, 
 that  we  might  receive  the  adoption  of  sons.  *  Our 
 Saviour's  being  made  of  a  woman  seems  to  allude 
 to  his  miraculous  conception,  and  the  original 
 promise,  that  the  seed  of  the  woman  should  bruise 
 the  serpent's  head. 
 
 277.*  The  love  of  Christ,  which  passeth  knowledge.' 
 
 Where  was  the  extraordinary  love  of  Christ,  if  he 
 existed  not  before  he  was  born  of  the  Virgin,  and  had 
 no  nature  higher  than  m^ere  humanity?  To  talk  of  this 
 love  as  surpassing  knowledge,  is  to  burlesque  itj  seeing 
 many  of  our  fellov/  mortals  have  displayed  equal 
 affection,  with  motives  infinitely  inferior. 
 
 278.*  Let 
 
 *  Gal.  4.  4,  5;.  "  This  language  is  perfectly  proper  on  the 
 *•  supposition  of  Christ's  pre-existence  ;  but  very  improper  on  the 
 *•  contrary  supposition  :  for  how  could  a  mere  man  be  otherwise 
 "  made  than  of  a  womam  ?"     Price's  Ser.  p.   136. 
 
 1  observe  here,  liaving  emitted  it  in  the  proper  place,  that  the 
 first  verse  of  the  first  chapter  of  this  Epistle,  implies  that  our  Sa- 
 viour is  more  than  a  mere  man  :  Paid,  an  apostle  of  jfesus  Christy 
 »i.*  of  men,  neithtr  by  man,  but  by  fesus  Christ  :  Jesus  Christ,  there- 
 fore, must  be  something  more  than,  or  different  from,  simple  hu- 
 manity. 
 
 ^  Ep.  3.  19.  In  what,  according  to  the  Socinian  scheme,  **  con- 
 *'  sisttd  that  love  of  Christ  which  passes  km^jjledge  mentioned  by  St. 
 *'  Paul  ;  and  that  scheme  of  redemption  into  which  he  represents 
 •'  angels  as  stooping  to  look  ?  The  one  is  sunk,  down  into  a  love  which 
 **  men  have  exercised  ;  and  the  other  into  a  scheme  for  teaching  and 
 *♦  reforming  mankind  that  men  could  carry  on." 
 
 Price's  Sermons,  p.  187. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINLTV.  273 
 
 277.*  Let  this  mind  he  in  yoUf  which  was  also  in  Christ 
 Jesus i  wbOi  being  in  the  form  of  Gjd,  thought 
 it  not  robbery  to  be  equal  with  God  /  but  made 
 himself  of  no  reputauony  and  took  upon  him  the  form 
 cf  a  servant,  and  was  made  in  the  likeness  of  men  : 
 and  being  found  in  fashion  as  a  man,  he  humbled 
 himselfy  and  became  obedient  unto  death,  even  the 
 death  of  the  cross.  Wherefore  God  also  bath  highly 
 exalted  him,  and  given  him  a  name  which  is  above 
 every  name :  that  at  the  name  of  Jesus  every  knee 
 should  boWy  of  things  in  heaven,  and  things  in  earth, 
 and  things  under  the  earth;  and  that  every  tongue 
 should  confess,  that  Jesus  Christ  is  Lord,  to  the 
 glory  cf  God  the  Father.  * 
 
 M  m  In 
 
 ♦Phil.  2.  5 — II.  "  I  have  often  considered  carefully,"  says 
 Dr.  Price,  "  the  interpretation  which  the  Socinians  give  of  these 
 "  words  ;  and  the  more  1  have  considered  it,  the  more  confirmed! 
 "  have  been  in  thinking  it  forced  and  unnatural. — Indeed  the  turn 
 *•  and  structure  of  this  passage  are  such,  that  I  find  it  impossible 
 *'  not  to  believe,  that  the  humiliation  of  Christ,  which  St.  Paul 
 *'  had  in  view,  was,  not  his  exchanging  one  condition  on  earth  for 
 **  another,  but  his  exchanging  the  glory  he  had  with  God  before 
 "  the  vvor'.d  was,  for  the  condition  of  a  man,  and  leaving  that  glory 
 *'  to  encounter  the  difficulties  cf  human  life,  and  to  suffer  and  dip 
 "  on  the  cross.  This  was,  in  truth,  an  event  worthy  to  be  held 
 *'  forth  to  the  admiration  of  Christians.  But  if  the  Apostle  means 
 *•  only  that  Christ,  though  exalted  above  others  by  working  mi- 
 "  racles,  yet  consented  to  suffer  and  to  die  like  other  men  ;  if,  1  say, 
 *'  St.  Paul  means  only  this,  the  whole  passage  is  made  cold  and 
 "  trifling,  no  more  being  said  of  Christ  than  might  have  been  said 
 *•  of  St.  Paul  himself,  or  any  of  the  other  Apostles." 
 
 The  excellent  Tillotson  has  explained  this  important  scripture  In 
 a  very  satisfactory  manner : — "  That  Christ  was  not  only  --witt? 
 "  God,"  says  he,  "  before  lie  assumed  human  nature,  but  also  was 
 "  really  God,  St.  Paul  tells  us,  Phil.  z.  5,  6,  7,  8.  Let  this 
 *•  mind  be  in  you, --which  loas  also  in  Christ  Jesus,  ivho  being  in  the 
 "  form  of  God,  «%  ap'Jrciy^x.ov  )^yy,(7aT0  did  ?iot  arrogate  to  himself  to  be 
 **  equal  n.vith  God,  that  is,  he  made  no  ostentation  of  his  divinity  : 
 "  for  this  I  take  to  be  the  meaning  of  that  phrase,  both  because  ic 
 "  is  so  used  by  Plutarch,  and  because  it  makes  the  sense  much  more 
 *'  easy  and  current,  thus,  -luho  being  in  the  form  of  God,  did  not  as- 
 "  sume  an  equality  ^jjith  God;  that  is,  he  did  not  appear  in  the  glory 
 **  of  his  divinity,  which  was  hid  under  a  veil  of  human  flesh  and 
 {'  infirmity  j  but  he  emptied  himself ,  and  took  upon  him  ike  form  of  a 
 
2/4  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 In  the  introduction  to  this  celebrated  text,  the  Apos- 
 tle is  exhorting  to  unity  and  brotherly  love,  with  va- 
 rious other  Christian  graces,  among  the  most  conspicu- 
 ous of  vv'hich,  are  humility  and  self-denial.  And  in 
 order  to  prevail  with  the  people  to  whom  he  wrote 
 more  effectually,  he  sets  before  them  the  example  of 
 Jesus,  shewing  them  how  great  he  was  originally,  how 
 low  he  condescended  for  the  salvation  of  mankind,  and 
 what  were  the  happy  consequences  respecting  himself. ' 
 
 So 
 
 **  sefvantf  and  ivas  made  in  the  likeness  of  ?nen,  and  being  found  tu 
 "  fashion  as  a  man,  or  in  the  habit  of  a  man,  he  became  obedient 
 *'  to  the  death.  Sec.  So  that  if  his  being  made  in  the  likeness  and 
 "fashion  of  a  man  does  signify,  that  he  was  really  man  by  his  in- 
 *'  carnation,  then  surely  his  being  in  the  form  of  God,  when  he 
 •'  took  upon  him  the  fashion  and  likeness  of  man,  and  the  form  of 
 **  a  servant  or  slave,  must  in  all  reason  signify,  that  he  was  really 
 **  God  before  he  became  man  :  for  which  reason  the  same  Apostle 
 *'  did  not  doubt  to  say,  that  God  was  manifested  in  thefesh"  Ser.44. 
 **  I  have  taken  the  pains  to  examine  nearly  all  the  Fathers  of  the 
 **  three  first  centuries,  who  refer  to  this  text :  and  now  I  declare, 
 *'  upon  the  whole,  I  have  not  the  smallest  doubt  remaining  upoa 
 "  my  mind,  that  it  is  justly  translated  in  our  English  bible." 
 Burgh's  Inquiry,  &:c.  p.  299.  See  also  p.  9,  and  144 — 156. 
 
 This  being  a  very  important  passage  of  sacred  writ  I  would  re- 
 commend the  reader  to  consult — 
 
 Burnet  on  the  Articles,  Art.  2.  p.  56.  Octavo. 
 
 Waterland's  Eight  Sermons,  p.  154,  &c. 
 
 Pearson  on  the  Creed,  p.  121,  &c. 
 
 Waterland's  Vindication,  &c.  p.   14—18. 
 
 Knowles's  Primitive  Christianity,  p.  50 — 56. 
 
 Gregory's  Divine  Antidote,  p.  77. 
 
 Clarke's  Scripture  Doctrine,  p.  155 — 161. 
 
 Hawker's  Sermons,  p.  57 — 60. 
 
 Eennet  on  the  Trinity,  p.  39 — 89. 
 
 Sherlock's  Sermons,  vol.  4. 
 
 Gnomon  Bengelii  in  loco. 
 
 Doddridge  in  loco. 
 '  Dr.  Lardner,  by  far  the  most  learned  of  Socinians,  has  four 
 sermons  upon  this  important  text  of  the  Apostle.  In  the  first  he 
 represents  the  Orthodox  view  of  the  Trinity,  in  the  second  the 
 Arian,  in  the  third  and  fourth  his  own,  which  was  the  Socinian. 
 Whether  his  sentiment  was  right  or  wrong,  it  must  be  allowed  he 
 was  a  man  of  an  excellent  spirit.  One  cannot  help,  however,  be- 
 ing surprized,^  that  a  person  of  his  talents,  should  be  satisfied  with 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  275 
 
 So  that  Jesus  Christ  is  evidently  spoken  of  In  these 
 words  as  existing  in  three  very  different  conditions. 
 He  was  in  the  form  of  Gody  and  thought  it  not  robbery  to  be 
 equal  with  God.  *  This  was  the  state  he  was  in  before 
 he  took  upon  him  human  nature.  Yet,  he  made  himself 
 of  no  reputationi  and  took  upon  him  the  form  of  a  servant y 
 
 M  m  2  and 
 
 his  own  interpretations  of  scripture.  Dr.  Price  has  proceeded  near- 
 ly in  the  same  manner  in  his  sermons,  only  he  gives  the  preference 
 to  the  Arian  scheme.  He  first  gives  us,  what  he  calls,  the  Chris- 
 tian doctrine  as  held  by  all  Christians— then  as  held  by  Trinitarians 
 and  Calvinists — and,  lastly,  as  held  by  Unitarians  and  Socinians. 
 
 *  St.  Clement  has  a  passage  somewhat  like  unto  this  of  the 
 Apostle  : — "  The  sceptre  of  the  majesty  of  God,"  says  he,  "  our 
 *•  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  came  not  in  the  pomp  of  vain  glory  and 
 *'  splendid  station,  although  he  was  able,  but  he  came  in  lowliness 
 "  of  mind." — "  If  the  Lord  thus  humbled  himself,  how  should  wc 
 "  do  who  have  come  under  the  yoke  of  his  grace."  Ep.  ad  Cor. 
 sect.  16. 
 
 St.  Barnabas  says,  "  For  this  end  our  Lord  was  content  to  suffer 
 *'  for  our  souls,  even  though  he  be  Lord  of  the  whole  earth,  to 
 "  whom  God  said  before  the  formation  of  the  age,  Let  us  make 
 *'  man  IN  our  image  after  our  likeness.  Ep.   Bar.   sect.   5. 
 
 To  the  same  purpose  Irenasus : — "  Being  invisible,  he  took 
 ♦*  manhood  upon  himself  and  became  visible  ;  being  incomprehen- 
 "  sible,  he  became  comprehensible  ;  and  being  impassible,  he  be- 
 "  came  passible  ;  and  being  the  Word,  he  became  man."  Adv. 
 Hzer.  lib.  3.  cap.   18. 
 
 Again  : — "  To  this  purpose  our  Lord,  in  these  latter  times,  came 
 ♦*  to  us,  not  so  as  he  might  have  come,  but  so  as  vve  might  be 
 "  able  to  behold  him  ;  for  he  might  have  come  to  us  in  his  own 
 «'  unspeakable  glory,  but  we  should  not  have  been  able  to  endure 
 *'  the  magnitude  of  his  glory."     Ibid.  lib.  4.  cap.  74. 
 
 Clemens  Alexandrlnus  expresses  himself  in  terms  of  similar  im- 
 port: — "  Now,"  says  he,  "the  Lord  himself  it  was  who  spake 
 *'  by  Isaiah  ;  he  it  was  who  spoke  by  the  mouth  of  the  Prophets  : 
 **  but  if  you  will  not  believe  the  Prophets  the  Lord  himself  shall 
 "  speak  to  you,  iv/:>o  being  in  the  fortn  of  Gody  thought  it  not  robbery 
 **  to  be  equal -joith  God :  but  the  tenderly  merciful  God,  desirous  to 
 **  save  man,  ?nade  himself  of  tto  reputation.''^  Cohort,  ad  Gentes, 
 p.  8. 
 
 I  add  Tertullian  : — The  Word  is  God,  who,  being  in  the  form  of 
 God,  thought  it  not  robbery  to  be  equal  with  God.  De  Resur.  Christi, 
 cap.  6.  See  also  Ten.  .idv.  Prax.  cap.  7,  and  Adv.  Marcionemi 
 lib,  5.  cap.  20. 
 
57^  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 and  was  made  in  the  likeness  of  men  -,  and  being  foundin  fashi- 
 on as  a  man,  he  humbled  himself,  and  became  chedient  unto 
 death,  even  the  death  of  the  cross.  This  was  the  state  to 
 which  he  humbled  himself:  in  consequence  of  which 
 unparalleled  condescension,  God  hath  highly  exalted  him, 
 in  his  human  nature,  and  given  him  a  name  which  is  above 
 every  name :  that  at  the  name  of  Jesus  every  knee  should 
 bow,  of  things  in  heaven,  and  things  in  earth,  and  things 
 tinder  the  earth  -,  and  that  every  tongue  should  confess,  that 
 Jesus  Christ  is  Lord,  to  the  glory  of  God  the  Father.'  This 
 is  the  state  of  honour  and  immortality  to  which  his 
 human  nature  is  exalted,  in  consequence  of  the  humilia- 
 tion and  condescension  of  the  divine.  And  these  three 
 conditions  of  our  blessed  Saviour  are  essentially  necessary 
 to  the  Apostle's  argument.  Take  away  any  one  of 
 them,  and  the  propriety  of  the  example  is  destroyed;^ 
 and  the  force  of  the  argument  utterly  enervated.  If  we 
 take  away  his  natural  and  original  dignity,  then  there 
 was  no  humiliation  in  becoming  manj  nor  was  there 
 any  propriety  in  God's  bestowing  upon  him  a  reward  so 
 infinitely  superior  to  every  thing  he  could  have  deserved. 
 But  if  he  was  by  nature  the  Son  of  God ;  if  he  was 
 originally  in  the  forin  of  God  j  and  then  humbled  him- 
 self to  the  lowest  pitch  of  poverty  and  distress  to  earn 
 salvation  for  the  sons  of  men,  then  there  was  the 
 strictest  propriety  and  decorum  in  exalting  him  to  the 
 head  of  the  universe. ' 
 
 278*  Our  conversation  is  in  heaven;  from   tvhence  also 
 
 zve  look  for  the  Saviour,   the   Lord  Jesus  Christ; 
 
 ivho   shall  change  our  vile  body,  ■  that   it  may  be 
 
 fashioned  like  unto  his  glorious  body,  according  to 
 
 the 
 
 '  Compare  John  17.  5,  and  z  Cor.  8.  9,  with  this  important 
 passage,  and  they  will  throw  light  one  upon  another.  No  words 
 tzn  more  completely  subvert  the  Socinian  scheme  than  these  three 
 scriptures  do  when  thus  compared  with  each  other. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  17? 
 
 the  "jcorkwz  "Joberehv  he  is  able  even  to  subdue  all 
 things  unto  himself. ' 
 279*.   I  can  do  all  things  through  Christ  zvhich  strength-; 
 eneth  me. ' 
 
 In  these  two  passages  all  the  great  changes  in  the  na- 
 tural and  moral  world  are  ascribed  to  the  power  of 
 Jesus :  the  resurrection  of  all  human  beings  in  the 
 former,  and  all  moral  ability  to  do  good  or  support 
 evil  in  the  latter :  so  that,  in  the  opinion  of  this  inspir- 
 ed Apostle,  our  blessed  Saviour  is  absolutely  clothed 
 with  omnipotence.  But  this  being  one  of  the  incom- 
 municable perfections  of  the  Deity,  Jesus  Christ,  in  his 
 higher  nature,  must  be  ineffably  one  with  his  alm/ighty 
 Father,  or  v/e  have  two  omnipotent  beings  at  the  head 
 of  the  universe  ;  which  is  contrary  to  the  first  principles 
 of  natural  as  well  as  revealed  religion. 
 
 280.*  By  Christ  ivere  all  things  created  that  are  in  hea- 
 veny  and  that  are  in  earthy  visible  and  invisihlcy 
 ''johether  they  be  throneSy  or  dominionSy  or  princi- 
 pal it  ieSy  or  ^powers:  all  things  ivere  created  by 
 hiniy  and  for  him :  and  he  is  before  all  things^  and 
 by  him  all  things  consist,  * 
 
 I  belieVe 
 
 7  Phil.  3.  20,  21. 5>  Phil.  4.  13. 
 
 *  Col.  I,  16,  17.  See  Whitby  on  this  passage.  Dr.  Clarke 
 observes  upon  it — "  Nothing  can  be  more  forced  and  unnatural, 
 **  than  the  Socinian  interpretation  of  this  passage  ;  who  understand 
 "  it  figuratively,  of  the  new  creation  by  the  gospel."  Scripture 
 Doctrine,  p.   80. 
 
 Bishop  Bull  too  says,  **  If  those  words  of  the  Apostle  must  not 
 *»  be  understood  of  a  creation  properly  speaking,  1  should  think 
 *'  the  scriptures  inexplicable,  and  that  nothing  certain  can  be  con- 
 *'  eluded  from  the  most  express  passages  of  them."  Defensiu 
 Fidei  Nicaenae,  cap.   1.  sec.  15, 
 
 It  is  remarkable  that  the  ancient  Arians  speak  of  cur  Saviour  in 
 pretty  near  the  same  terms  that  are  here  used  by  the  Apostle  : — 
 •*  Before  he  made  the  universe,  he  was  constituted  God,  and  Lord, 
 y  and  King,  and  Creator  of  all  future  worlds.  By  the  will  and 
 **  command  (of  his  Father)  through  his  own  power  he  made  things 
 **  in  heaven,  and  things  in  earth,  visible  and  invisible,  bodies  and 
 
278  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 I  believe  this  scripture  may  be  left  to  speak  for  itself. 
 The  Being  of  whom  all  these  great  things  are  predicat- 
 ed must  be  divine.  To  suppose  otherwise  is  to  throw 
 an  impenetrable  cloud  over  all  language,  and  to  render 
 the  bible  the  most  dangerous  book  in  the  world.  How 
 any  serious  and  honest  mind  can  be  satisfied  with  the 
 Socinian  interpretation  is  hard  to  conceive.  Judgment, 
 however,  belongs  not  to  us.  We  must  therefore  leave 
 each  other  till  the  grand  decisive  day.  I  have  no  doubt 
 God  will  be  better  to  us  than  we  usually  are  to  one  another. 
 
 281.*  It  pleased  the  Father^  that  in  him  should  all  ful- 
 ness dwell.  * 
 
 282.*  In  him  are  hid  all  the  treasures  of  wisdom  and 
 knoivledge.  ^ 
 
 283.*  ///   him  dwelleth  all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead 
 bodily.  * 
 
 I  have 
 
 **  spirits,  and  caused  them  out  of  nothing  to  come  into  being.** 
 Ser.  Arianor.  apud  August,  torn.   8.  p.  622. 
 
 See  too  the  first  book  of  Irenseus,  cap.  19,  where  he  applies  this 
 scripture  to  the  first  creation. 
 
 A  learned  writer  observes  upon  this  remarkable  passage  of  holy 
 5cripture,  '*  that  our  Lord  is  represented  as  the  Son  of  God,  not 
 "»cnly  before  his  incarnation,  but  antecedently  to  the  creation  itself. 
 **  And  therefore  it  is  a  vain  and  fruitless  attempt  for  any  one  to  en- 
 "  deavour  to  account  for  the  title  of  Son,  or  only  Son,  from  his  im- 
 "  maculate  conception,  or  even  from  his  Messiahship  ;  both  which 
 ■'  are  confessedly  posterior  to  that  Sonship,  which  St.  Paul  speaks 
 **  of  here  ;  and  from  vv'hence  it  may  be  again  observed,  that  Son  of 
 *'  God  and  Messiah,  though  titles  belonging  to  the  same  person, 
 *'  are  not  phrases  strictly  synonymous." 
 
 Fiddes's  Theo.  Spec.  voL  i.  p.  425. 
 
 *CoL  I.  19. 3  Col.  2.  3. 
 
 ♦  Col.  2.  9,  Dr.  Doddridge  says  upon  this  last  passage,  "  I 
 **  assuredly  believe  that  as  it  contains  an  evident  allusion  to  the 
 •'  Shechinah  in  which  God  dwelt,  so  it  ultimately  refers  to  the  ador- 
 **  able  mystery  of  the  union  of  the  divine  and  human  natures  in 
 **  the  person  of  the  glorious  Emanuel,  which  makes  him  such  an 
 *'  object  of  cur  hope  and  confidence,  as  the  most  exalted  creature, 
 "  with  the  most  glorious  endowments  could  never,  of  himself,  be." 
 Family  Expositor,  vol.  S-  p-  313. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  279 
 
 I  have  unked  these  three  declarations  of  this  eloquent 
 Apostle,  because  they  are  all  of  similar  import.  And 
 though  none  of  them  expressly  say  that  Christ  is  God, 
 yet  they  predicate  such  things  of  him  as  no  merely 
 human  being  can  be  capable  of.  We  may  therefore 
 fairly  conclude,  even  from  these  three  passages  thus 
 compared,  that  Christ  Jesus  the  Lord  is  God  and  man 
 united  in  one  Mediator  for  the  salvation  of  the  world. 
 
 284.*   JVithdiit  controversy  great  is  the  mystery  of  godli' 
 
 ness  :  God  was  manifest  in  the  flesh ;  justified  in 
 
 the    Spirit ;    seen   of  angels ;   preached  unto  the 
 
 Gentiles  i  believed  on  in  the  world ;  received  up 
 
 into  glory. ' 
 
 This  is  another  of  those  leading  passages  in  the  writ- 
 ings of  St.  Paul,  which  speaks  unanswerably  for  the 
 pre-existence  and  divinity  of  our  blessed  Saviour.  We 
 may  cavil  with  it,  and  labour  to  turn  it  in  favour  of 
 whatever  system  we  embrace  ;  but,  after  all  our  best  en- 
 deavours, the  pre-existence  and  divinity  of  the  Re- 
 deemer will  ever  recur  to  the  minds  of  sober  and  dis- 
 passionate 
 
 Whitby  says  upon  the  same  verse,  Col.  2,  9,  quoting  the  words 
 of  the  Ancients,  "  I  conclude,  therefore,  that  the  body  born  of  the 
 **  Virgin,  receiving  the  whole  fulness  of  the  Godhead  bodily,  was 
 *♦  immutably  united  to  the  Divinity,  and  deified ;  which  made  the 
 *'  same  person,  Jesus  Christ,  both  God  and  man." 
 
 See  also  Waterland's  Eight  Sermons,  p.  257 — 264.  and  Fiddss's 
 Theologia  Speculat.  vol.   i.  p.  426,  427. 
 
 5  I.  Tiiii.  3.  16.  Compare  Whitby  on  the  place,  and  Dr. 
 Clarke's  Script,  Doct.  p.  75.  See  also  an  able  vindication  of  the 
 authenticity  of  the  common  reading  in  l^earson  on  tne  Creed,  p. 
 127.  Consult  too  Stillingfleet  on  the  Trinity,  p.  156 — 164; 
 Knowles's  Primitive  Christianity,  p.  49.  and  Waterland's  Eight 
 Sermons,  p.   262. — For  the  various  readings,  see  Mills  in  loco. 
 
 The  ancient  Christian  writers  abound  with  language  like  unto  this 
 of  the  Apostle.  Ignatius  says — "  Christ  was  wicn  the  Father  be- 
 *«  fore  all  ages,  and  in  the  end  was 'made  manilest."  Ep.  ad  Mag. 
 sect.  6. — "  The  love  of  Jesus  Christ  our  God  and  Saviour." — "  la 
 *♦  our  Lord  God  Jesus  Ciirisr."- — "  Our  God  Jesus  Christ,  now 
 *•  that  he  is  in  the  Father,  doth  the  vxoit  appear." — "  God  clothed 
 
28o  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 paslonate  readers.  They  must  suppose,  either  that  St. 
 Paul  is  a  very  absurd  writer,  or  that  there  is  something 
 truly  extraordinary  in  the  character  of  a  person  spoken 
 of  in  this  excellent  portion  of  holy  scripture.  Nor  is  ic 
 necessary  they  should  remain  long  in  doubt  concerning 
 it,  if  they  will  only  be  at  the  pains  to  compare  it  with 
 similar  declarations  in  the  word  of  God:— Go^  with 
 us.  ^  — The  JVord  was  God.  '  — The  J^Fordwas  madejesht 
 and  dwelt  among  us  : '  — The  Life  was  manifested,  and 
 we  have  seen  it :  *  — God  was  in  Christ :  *  — Unto  us  a 
 child  is  born — the  mighty  God.  *  — He  that  was  in  the 
 form  of  God  zvas  found  in  the  likeness  of  men.  ^  — He 
 that  was  God  blessed  for  evermore,  was  also  of  the  seed 
 of  David  according  to  the  flesh  ^  *  All  these  expressions 
 are  applicable  to  no  other  being,  but  the  Son  of  God, 
 and  he  alone  it  is,  who  was  manifested  in  the  flesh.  * 
 
 185.*  /  have  fought  a  good  fight,  I  have  finished  my 
 course,  I  have  kept  the  faith :  henceforth  there  is 
 laid  up  for  me  a  crown  of  righteousness,  which 
 THE  Lord,  the  righteous  judge,  shall  give 
 me  at  that  day :  and  not  to  me  only,  but  unto  all 
 
 *'  in  flesh." — "  Permit  me  to  be  an  imitator  of  the  sufferings  of  my 
 "  God." — Justin  Martyr  says,  "  Christ  is  called  God,  and  is,  and 
 "  will  be  God." — Dial,  cum  Try.  p.  176. — Tatian  his  disciple 
 has  it : — "  We  speak  not  foolishly,  O  Greeks,  nor  do  we  utter 
 "  trifles,  when  we  declare  unto  you,  that  God  was  born  in  the  form 
 "  of  a  man." — p.  115. — Origen  has  a  similar  declaration,  Cont. 
 Cel.  1.  I.  p.  ^^. — "  God,"  says  he,  "  was  seen  in  a  human 
 **  body,  for  the  benefit  of  our  race. 
 
 *  Mat.    I.  23. 7  John  i.   1. — ^^  jbid.   i.   14. 9  i   John 
 
 I.    2. '2    Cor.    5.    19. -Is.    9.    6. 3  piiil.    2.    6,  7. 
 
 *  Rom.  9.   5. 
 
 5  Mr.  Gilpin  in  loco  saith,  "  The  expression  God  manifest  in  the 
 *'  jiesh,  is  capable,  I  think,  only  of  one  sense." 
 
 Bishop  Hurd  has  a  good  sermon  on  this  text.  Which  the  reader 
 would  do  well  to  consult.  "  When  the  scheme  of  man's  redemp- 
 •*  tiort,"  says  he,  "  was  laid,  it  was  not  thought  fit  that  an  apos- 
 *'  tie,  a  prophet,  a  man  like  ourselves,  no,  nor  an  angel  or  archangel, 
 "  should  be  the  instrument  of  it ;  but  that  the  Word  of  God,  the 
 *'  Son  of  God,  nay  God  himself,  as  he  is  here  and  elsewhere  called, 
 "  should  take  this  momentous  office  upon  him."    Vol.  2.  p.  333. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  281 
 
 them  also  that  love  his  appearing.  1  Tim.  4.  7,  8. 
 The  Lord,  the  righteous  judge,  whose  appearance 
 is  to  be  expected,  is  undoubtedly  descriptive  of  the 
 character  of  no  other  than  our  blessed  Saviour.  And 
 is  it  possible  that  a  mere  man  should  be  the  judge 
 of  men  and  angels?  of  all  the  angels  that  fell  from 
 (  heaven,  and  of  all  the  men  that  ever  lived  from  the 
 beginning  to  the  end  of  time  ?  No  less  than  the  per- 
 fections of  Deity  can  be  adequate  to  such  an  undertak- 
 ing. 
 
 286.*   Looking  for  that  blessed  hope  ^  and  the  glorious  ap' 
 pearing  of  the    great    God  and  our  Savi- 
 our Jesus  Christ,  "joho  gave  himself  for  us.  ^ 
 In   this  passage   our   Saviour  is   plainly   called  the 
 GREAT    God:    not  thereby   meaning,    that   he   is    the 
 Father,  neither  the  same  person  as  the  Father ;  but  that 
 he  is  the  natural  and  essential  Son  of  the  Father,  and 
 One  with   him  in  dominion,   power,  and  glory.     Why 
 too,   may   not   he,    who  is  called    God.    John    i.    i; 
 GREAT  God.  Rev.   19.   17;  mighty  God.  Is.  9.  6 ; 
 and    God    over   all  blessed   forever.  Rom.  9.   5  i 
 be  also  called  the  great  God  in  this  place  ?  * 
 
 N  n 
 
 '  Tit.  2.  13.    See   rTammond,  Doddridge,  and  Guise  in    loco. 
 
 *  ••  It  is  highly  probable,"  says  Whitby,  "  that  Jesus  Christ  is 
 *'  here  stiled  the  great  God.  i.  Because  in  the  original  the 
 '*•  article  is  prefixed  only  before  the  ^rffl/  God,  and  therefore  seems 
 "  to  require  this  constr'JCtion — The  appearance  of  jfesus  Christ  tha 
 **  great  God,  and  our  Sa-viour.  2.  Because  as  God  the  Father  is 
 *'  not  said  properly  to  appear ;  so  the  word  £xi<Pxveicc  never  occurs 
 *'  in  the  New  Testament,  but  when  it  is  applied  to  Jesus  Christ, 
 *'  and  to  some  coming  of  his.  3.  Because  Christ  is  emphatically 
 **  stiied  our  hope,  and  the  hope  of  glory.  Col.  I.  23,  and  i  Tim.  i.  1. 
 **  And,  lastly,  because  not  only  all  the  ancient  Commentators  on 
 "  the  place  do  so  interpret  this  text,  but  the  Ante-Nicene  Fa- 
 **  thers  also :  Hippolytus  De  Antichrist,  sect.  64,  speaking  of 
 •*  the  appearance  of  our  God  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ ;  and 
 *♦  Clemens  of  Alexandria,  Admon.  ad  Gent.  p.  5,  6,  proving 
 •*  Christ  to  be  both  God  and  man,  our  Creator,  and  the  author  of 
 ?•  all  our  good  things  from  these  sfix'j  words  of  St,  Paul,"— The 
 
282  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 PART  SECOND. 
 
 SECTION     IX". 
 
 The  DIVINITY  of  Christ  argued  from  several  passages  in  the  Epistk 
 to  the  Hebrews. 
 
 aaB9^5e-a«i 
 
 THERE  is  no  part  of  the  writings  of  this  Apostle, 
 which  speaks  more  excellent  things  of  our  bles- 
 sed Saviour,  than  the  first  chapter  of  his  most  learned 
 Epistle  to  the  Hebrews.  The  whole  is  an  admirable 
 piece  of  reasonings  ^.nd  eloquent,  at  the  same  time,  in 
 a  very  high  degree.  I  verily  believe,  there  is  not  in 
 the  world,  a  piece  of  writing  equally  eloquent  and 
 argumentive,  equally  persuasive    and   conclusive.  ^    It 
 
 has 
 
 **  same  Clemens  saith  that  Christ  is  "God" — "  the  great  God" — 
 "  and  "  God  over  all  blessed  forever." — See  Fleming's  Chris- 
 tolcgy,  vol.  I.  p.  202. — Gill  on  the  Trinity,  p.  130. — Clarke  on 
 the  Trinity,  p.  76. — And  especially  Waterland's  Eight  Sermons, 
 p.  214 — 218. 
 
 Archbishop  Tillotson  observes  upon  the  verse,  that  **  this  cannot 
 *'  be  understood  of  the  appearance  of  two  persons,  namely,  of  the 
 **  Father,  and  his  Son  Jesus  Christ  our  Saviour ;  for  then  the 
 "  article  would  have  been  added  to  distinguish  them,  and  it  would 
 '♦  not  have  been  j/^/  ccorvj^og  i^i^uiv,  but  y^cii  t8  (Twtvj^o?  v^jxwv, 
 *'  as  if  he  had  said.  The  appearance  of  the  great  God,  and  of 
 *'  Jesus  Christ  our  Saviour ;  when,  as  according  to  the  propriety 
 *'  of  the  Greek,  the  article  being  wanting,  it  ought  to  be  rendered 
 "  thus.  Looking  for  the  appearing  of  Jesus  Christ  the  great  God  and 
 **  our  Saviour." 
 
 Sermon  184. 
 
 '  Dr.  Priestley  has  said  this  Apostle  *'  often  reasons  inconclu- 
 *'  sively."  It  suits  the  Doctor's  hypothesis  to  destroy  the  credit  of 
 his  writings  ;  for  if  St.  Paul  alnvays  reasons  condusi'velyt  Dr.  Priest- 
 ley often  reasons  inconclusinjely.  The  attentive  reader,  therefore, 
 will  easily  discover  whence  arises  the  enmity  of  the  Doctor  to  this 
 great  man  and  infallible  messenger  of  heaven.  I  would  recommend 
 him,  however,  to  read  carefully  over,  and  compare  impartially  to- 
 
:  DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  283 
 
 has  been  said,  because  St.  Paul's  name  is  neither  pre- 
 fixed nor  affixed,  according  to  custom  in  his  other 
 writings,  therefore  he  is  not  the  author  of  this  Epis- 
 tle, but  either  St.  Clement,  or  some  other  of  the 
 disciples  of  our  Lord.  Good  reasons,  however,  may 
 be  given,  why  it  differs,  in  this  respect,  from  those 
 which  are  universally  acknowledged  to  be  his  :  and, 
 indeed,  the  Epistle  itself,  has  sufficient  internal  marks, 
 of  its  having  been  written  by  this  truly  great  and  learn- 
 ed man.  For,  without  any  disparagement  of  St. 
 Clement,  and  other  disciples  of  Jesus  Christ,  it  may 
 be  safely  asserted,  they  were  none  of  them  equal  to  the 
 composition  of  such  a  discourse.  We  may,  I  think, 
 confidently  assume,  that  it  is  the  undoubted  v.'ork  of  the 
 fiist  man  in  the  college  of  the  Apostles. 
 
 But,  without  further  introduction,  let  us  proceed 
 to  the  examination  of  this  most  sublime  description  of 
 the  person  and  character  of  the  Son  of  God,  an4 
 Saviour  of  men. 
 
 287.*  God,  who  at  sundjy  times,  and  in  divers  jnanners, 
 spake  in  time  past  unto  the  fathers  by  the  Prophet Sy 
 hath  in  these  last  days  spoken  unto  us  by  his  Son»  * 
 
 It  is  very  evident  from  what  has  been  already  ob- 
 served, that  the  Son  of  God  was  the  person  who  con- 
 N  n  2  ducted 
 
 gether,  the  most  celebrated  of  the  Doctor's  treatises,  whether  on 
 moral,  religious,  or  polemical  subjects,  and  this  Epistle  of  St.  Paul 
 to  the  Hebrews,  and  though  he  may  see  abundant  reason  to  admire 
 the  zeal  and  ingenuity  of  the  good  Doctor,  yet  if  he  does  not  dis- 
 cover a  vast  superiority  both  of  stile,  matter,  manner,  eloquence, 
 and  solid  reasoning,  in  the  composition  of  the  Apostle,  he  must  be 
 as  destitute  of  taste  and  judgment,  as  he  is  of  piety  and  respect  for 
 the  word  of  God. 
 
 ^  Heb.  I.  1,  2. — "This  whole  chapter  is  so  replete  with  terrr.a 
 "  denoting  the  omnipotence  and  eternity  of  Christ,  and  ascribing 
 "  to  him  every  divine  honour,  that  the  sacred  writer  seems  to  la- 
 **  bour  for  expressions  to  describe  the  dignity  and  greatness  of  his 
 "  person." 
 
 Hawker's  Sermons,  p.  64. 
 
284  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 ducted  all  the  divine  dispensations  from  the  beginning 
 of  the  v/orld.  '  When  therefore  the  Apostle  saith,  that 
 God  had  spoken  by  the  prophets  in  former  ages,  and  by 
 his  Son  in  these  latter  days,  we  are  to  understand  it  of 
 his  speaking  to  us  more  clearly,  fully,  [directly,  profes- 
 sedly, and  in  human  form,  he  having  conducted  all  the 
 prior  dispensations  under  the  character  of  an  Angel,  or 
 the  God  of  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob.  * 
 
 Spoken 
 
 •  Dr.  Jortin  tells  us,  that  "  all  the  visible  or  audible  manifestations 
 '•  of  God,  of  which  mention  is  made  in  the  scriptures  of  tlie  Old 
 *'  Testament,  seem  to  have  been  appearances  of  the  Wotcl  cr  the 
 *'  Son  of  God,  acting  and  speaking  in  his  Father's  name  ;  as  after 
 ••  the  incarniiiion  he  acted  and  spake  in  his  own  person  ;  as  when  he 
 **  appeared  to  St.  Stephen,  to  St.  Paul,  and  to  other  saints  and 
 "  disciples.  In  this  the  ancient  Christians,  and  most  of  the  m.o- 
 ■**  derns  are  agreed."     Sermons,  vol.  4.  p.  218. 
 
 Dr.  Clarke  speaks  somewhat  more  at  large.  He  says,  *'  It  is  the 
 **  constant  doctrine  of  all  the  primitive  writers  of  the  church,  that 
 *'  every  appearance  of  God  the  Father  in  the  Old  Testament  was 
 *'  Christ  appearing  in  the  name  or  person  of  the  Father  in  the  form  of 
 **  God,  as  being  tlie  image  of  the  invisible  God  ;  Col.  I.  15;  of  him 
 *'  whom  no  man  hath  seen  at  any  time ;  John  i.  18  ;  of  him  whom 
 "  no  man  hath  seen  or  can  see  ;  i  Tim.  6.  16." 
 
 Script.  Doct.  p.  93. 
 
 He  expresses  himself  to  the  same  purpose  in  another  part  of  the 
 same  work.  "  It  is  the  unanimous  opinion  of  all  antiquity,"  says  he, 
 *'  that  the  Angel,  who  said,  I  ajn  the  God  of  thy  fathers  %  Acts  7. 
 "  30,  31,  32,  was  Christ  (the  Angel  of  the  co'venant ;  Mai.  3.  i  ; 
 "  the  Angel  of  God^s  presence;  \s.  63.  9;  and  in  ivhom  the  name 
 *'  of  God  was  ;  Ex.  23.  21  ;)  speaking  in  the  name  and  person 
 **  of  the  invisible  Father.  Thus  Gen.  16.  10,  The  angel  of  the 
 "  Lord  said  unto  her,  I  ivill  multiply  thy  seed  exceedingly . — Again  : 
 "  Gen,  31.  II,  13,  The  angel  of  God  spake  unto  me  in  a  dream 
 ♦'  saying,  I  am  the  God  of  Bethel,  where — thou  vowedst  a  vow 
 •'  unto  me.  And  chap.  48-  15.  facoh  blessed  Joseph  c.;id  said; 
 *'  God,  before  nvhom  my  fathers  Abraham  and  Isaac  did  -xualk,  the 
 *'  God  -ivkichfed  me  all  my  life  long  unto  this  day,  the  Jtngel  •which 
 "  redeemed  me  from  all  enjtl,  bless  the  lads.  And  Hos.  12.  3,  4, 
 *'  He  had  po-ixer  'with  God ;  yea,  he  had  po^wer  ever  the  angel,  and 
 *'  prevailed.  And  Zach.  12.  8,  The  house  of  David  shall  be  as 
 *'   God,  as  the  angel  of  the  Lord." 
 
 Ibid.  p.   105. 
 
 '  This  is  the  strongest  objection  I  have  met  with  to  all  the  Divine 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  28J 
 
 Spoken  unto  us  by  his  Son :  But  lest  we  should  sup- 
 pose he  was  a  son  in  the  same  sense  in  which  all  man- 
 kind are  called  the  sons  of  God,  the  Apostle  proceeds 
 to  describe  his  nature,  his  dignity,  and  his  glory : — 
 
 288.*  fFbcm 
 
 appearances  being  conducted  by  the  Son  of  God.  The  laiu  nuat 
 gi'ven  by  Moses,  hut  grace  and  truth  came  hy  Jesus  Christ.  Gcd  spake 
 by  the  prophets  in  former  ages,  but  by  his  Son  in  these  latter  :  How 
 then  do  v«e  say  that  Christ  appeared  on  so  many  occasions  before 
 he  was  born  of  the  Virgin  ?  This  is  a  real  difilculty,  and  the  best 
 answei*  1  have  seen  to  it  is  the  following  one  of  Bishop  Watson  ia 
 his  Collection  of  Theological  Tracts,  vol.   /.  p.  68. 
 
 "  May  we  not  distinguish,"  says  this  learned  Prehte,  "  between 
 **  the  Logos  as  a  proxy  of  Deity,  or  as  personating  the  glorious 
 *'  majesty  of  God  in  the  Shcchinah,  and  in  that  capacity,  by  the 
 **  Holy  Spirit,  inspiring  the  prophets,  and  presiding  over  the  an- 
 **  gels  at  tlie  givi'^g  of  the  law ;  and  the  same  Logos  acting  and 
 *'  speaking  to  us,  in  his  incarnate  state,  in  the  capacity  of  a  prophet  ? 
 **  In  the  former  capacity  he  may  be  considered  in  relation  to  God, 
 **  as  personating  God,  or  as  in  the  form  of  God,  whose  agent  he 
 *»  waj  under  c-oay  dispensation  which  God  erected  ;  and  therefore 
 *'  as  doing  nothing  in  his  own  person.  For  thus,  his  person  vvoul4 
 **  coincide  wi'.h  that  of  the  supreme  God,  and  is  not  to  be  consider^ 
 *'  eu  as  different  from  him,  but  as  acting  in  his  name  and  authority. 
 **  In  the  Ijtier  capacity  he  may  be  considered  in  relation  to  ui, 
 **  and  to  our  salvation  by  the  gospel  ;  for  the  accomplishment  ot 
 *«  which,  he  .nooped  so  far  as  to  take  upon  him  our  nature,  and, 
 **  not  as  persorating  God,  but  in  quality  of  a  prophet  sent  from  God, 
 *•  to  publish  among  us  in  his  own  person,  and  name,  the  promise  of 
 *'  eternal  life. 
 
 "  And  must  not  this  bring  us  under  greater  obligations  to  at.- 
 **  tend  t*"  him  ;  and  be  sufficient  to  distinguish  him  as  acting  io 
 *'  delivering  the  law,  and  preaching  the  Gospel  r  He  that  was  in  the 
 *'  form  of  God,  and  represented  God,  when  the  law  was  delivered, 
 "  and  who  delivered  it  by  the  ministry  of  angels  and  oi  Moses  i  that 
 •♦  transcendently  glorious  person  afterwards  became  a  man,  and  iu 
 *'  his  oixin  person,  and  by  his  cwn  ministry,  delivered  to  us  the 
 **  gospel.  Doth  not  this,  in  a  very  peculiar  manner,  recommend 
 •*  to  us  the  gospel,  and  oblige  us  to  attend  to  its  doctrines .''  Hek- 
 •'  1.1,2.  God  •~u}ho  at  sundry  titaes,  and  in  divers  manners,  spake 
 *'  in  time  past  unto  the  fathers  by  the  prophets,  hath  in  these 
 *'  last  days  spoken  unto  us  by  his  Son,  &c.  God  always  spake  by 
 *'  proxy.  And  the  Apostle  might  speak  as  he  doth,  although  i£ 
 *'  be  true,  that  our  Lord  was  tne  proxy  of  Deity  under  the  Old 
 *•  Testament  dispensation.  For  the  Apostle  here  considers,  net 
 **  who  was  the  proxy   of  Deity,  but  by  whom  be   immediately 
 
2?6  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 288.*  Whom  he  hath  appointed  heir  of  all  things,  * 
 
 Being  his  Son  by  nature,  he  is  constituted  the  heir 
 and  possessor  of  the  universe  in  common  with  his.  Fa- 
 ther. 
 
 289.*  By  whom  also  he  made  the  worlds. 
 
 That  Jesus  Christ  existed  before  he  was  born  of  the 
 Virgin,  and,  in  conjunction  with  his  Almighty  Father, 
 was  the  Creator  of  the  world,  is  the  constant  language 
 of  the  New  Testament.  Nothing  can  be  more  express 
 than  the  following  declarations : — In  the  beginning  was 
 the  Word,  and  the  Word  was  with  God,  and  the  Word  was 
 Gcd.     I^he  same  was   in  the  beginning  with  God.     ^11 
 
 things 
 
 •*  spake  to  the  fathers  in  the  Jewish  church,  and  to  us  in  the  Chris- 
 "  tian  church.  And  the  opposition  lieth  between,  not  the  prox- 
 *'  ies  or  representatives  of  Deity,  but  between  the  prophets 
 "  in  the  former  dispensation,  and  the  Son  of  God  in  the  latter. 
 **  By  his  Son,  as  his  proxy,  he  spake  to  the  prophets,  and  by  the 
 "  prophets  he  spake  to  the  Old  Testament  fathers.  But  under 
 "  the  New  Testament  his  well  beloved  Son,  who  before  was 
 "  indeed  in  the  form  of  God,  as  his  proxy,  himself  became  a 
 "  prophet,  and  in  the  form  of  a  man  spake  to  us  immediately 
 *•  as   a   prophet. 
 
 *  Heb.  1.  2.  The  interpretation  of  the  Socinians,  with  Whitby's 
 observation  upon  it,  is  worthy  of  remark  :  "  Christ,"  say  they,  "  is 
 "  made  heir  of  all  things  in  heaven  and  earth,  yea,  of  heaven  and 
 '•  earth  itself;  that  he  is  heir  and  lord  of  all  angels,  and  of  all  men 
 *'  living  and  dead ;  that  he  is  absolutely  the  heir  of  all  things,  and 
 **  hath  the  highest  empire  and  dominion  over  all  angels  and  men;  by 
 **  which  words  is  signified  the  highest  excellency  and  divinity,  and, 
 **  as  it  were,  the  unity  of  Christ  with  God,  though  with  diversity,  in 
 "  that  he  is  his  Son  and  Heir,  and  received  this  dominion  from  ano- 
 «'  ther." 
 
 These  are  the  sentiments  of  Crellius,  the  celebrated  Socinian,  with 
 very  little  variation. 
 
 Whitby  remarks  upon  them  : — "  I  believe  it  is  as  impossible  to 
 *'  understand  how  a  man  should  have  this  empire  over  all  things  in 
 "  heaven  and  earth,  and  over  death  itself,  and  yet  be  a  mere  man, 
 f'  as  it  is  to  understand  any  mystery  of  the  Sacred  Trinity." 
 
 Whitby  on  the  place. 
 
 It  is  but  ju5t  to  observe,  that  the  good  Doctor  changed  his  senti- 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  287 
 
 things  were  made  by  him ;  and  without  htm  was  not  any 
 thin^  made  that  was  made.  ^  — T^o  us  there  is  but  one  God 
 the  Father^  of  whom  are  all  things^  and  we  in  him ;  and 
 one  Lord  Jesus  Christy  by  whom  are  all  things,  and  we  by 
 him.  *  — A'^ain: — God  created  all  things  by  Jesus  Christ. ' 
 A9;ain : — By  Christ  were  all  things  created  that  are  tH 
 heaven,  and  that  are  in  earth,  visible  and  invisible,  whether 
 they  be  thrones,  or  dominions,  or  principalities,  or  powsrs  : 
 all  things  were  created  by  him  and  for  him ;  and  by  him  all 
 thinvs  consist.^ — Again,  in  the  passage  before  usj  By 
 whom  God  made  the  worlds,  or  constituted  the  ages. — > 
 And  again  in.  the  tenth  verse  of  this  same  chapter; 
 7hou,  Lord,  in  the  beginning  hast  laid  the  foundation  of  the 
 earth,  and  the  heavens  are  the  works  of  thine  hands. '  St. 
 Peter  also  is  very  satisfactory  upon  the  same  subject : — 
 For  this  they  ivillingly  are  ignorant  of,  that  by  the  word  of 
 God  the  heavens  were  of  old,  and  the  earth  standing  out  of 
 the  water  and  in  the  water. '  These  seven  passages,  when 
 considered  in  their  context,  and  compared  one  with 
 another,  render  it  as  clear  as  any  thing  well  can  be,  that 
 Jesus  Christ  was,  with  his  Father,  the  Creator  of  the 
 world.  If  this  is  not  a  certain,  and  infallible  conclu- 
 sion, I  am  clearly  of  opinion,  it  is  utterly  in  vain,  to  at- 
 tempt to  prove  any  proposition  whatever  from  the  word 
 of  God.  We  may  infer,  therefore,  with  all  the  as- 
 surance 
 
 ments  before  he  died,  and  wrote  several  things  on  the  Arlan  side  of 
 the  question. 
 
 ^  John  I.  1,2,  3. — ♦  I  Cor.  8.  6. 
 
 5  Ep.  3.  9 — Dr.  Price  says,  "  The  creation  of  the  world  by  Jesus 
 **  Christ  is  a  fact  that  raises  our  ideas  of  his  pre-existent  dignity 
 "  higher  than  any  thing  else  that  is  said  of  him  in  the  New  Tejta- 
 *■'  ment." 
 
 Sermons,  p.  142. 
 
 «  Col.   I.   16,  17. 'Heb.  I.  10. 
 
 •  2  Pet.  3.  5.  Dr.  Whitby  says  upon  this  declaration  of  St. 
 Paul,  By  luhom  also  he  made  the  'vjorlds,  that  this  was  the  doctrine  of 
 all  the  primitive  Fathers  from  the  beginning,  as  well  as  of  all  the 
 Commentators  on  this  text.     See  his  notes  upon  it. 
 
2S8  AM  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 surance  of  conviction  and  demonstration,  that  the  Son 
 of  God  was  the  Creator  of  the  world.  * 
 
 290.*  IVho  being  the  hrighlttess  cf  his  glory. 
 
 After  having  ranked  Jesus  Christ  above  all  the  an- 
 cient prophets,  telling  us,  that  he  was  the  Son  of  God, 
 the  Heir  of  all  things,  the  Constitutor  of  the  ages,  and 
 the  Creator  of  the  universe,  he  proceeds  still  farther^ 
 and  attempts  to  describe  his  natural  and  essential  glory. 
 Language,  however,  seems  to  fail  him,  and  he  recurS 
 to  exprtflions  taken  from  those  who  have  gone  before 
 him  in  the  same  province,  but  which  are  extremely 
 difficult  either  to  explain  or  understand.  The  Son^  says  he, 
 
 is 
 
 5  Dr.  Clarke  says,  "The  Soclnian  ip.terpretation  of  these  words— 
 *'  All  things  'were  made  by  ^//;;— that  the  new  creation  was  made 
 *'  by  him,  or  ail  things  relating  to  the  dispensation  of  the  gospel 
 "  were  done  by  him,  is  extremely  forced  and  unnatural."  Scripture 
 Doctrine,  p.  79. 
 
 The  reader  will  not  be  sorry,  perhaps,  to  see  here  the  opinions  of 
 se\'eral  of  the  Successors  of  the  Apostles  t — St.  Barnabas  declares, 
 that  Christ  is  "  the  Lord  of  the  world,  the  Maker  of  the  sun,  the 
 **  person  by  whom,  and  to  whom  are  all  things."- Justin  Mar- 
 tyr says,  *'  He  is  the  Word  by  which  the  heaven,  the  earth,  and 
 •  <  every  creature  was  mad^,  by  whom  God  at  the  beginning  made 
 *'  and  ordained  all  things,  nan^ely,  the  heavens  and  the  earth,  and  by 
 "  whom  he  will  renew  them." — This  Irepjeus  delivers  as  the  rule 
 of  faith  contained  in  the  scripture.  Some  of  his  declarations,  for 
 he  repeats  the  same  thing  many  times  over,  are  these  : — "  There  is 
 *♦  one  Almighty  God  who  built,  fitted,  and  made  all  things  out  of 
 •'  nothing  by  his  Word. — Many  barbarous  nations,  who  held  the 
 •*  ancient  tradition,  did  believe  in  one  God,  the  Maker  of  heaven 
 <*  and  earth,  and  of  all  things  therein,  by  Jesus  Christ,  the  Son  of 
 "  God." 
 
 Athenagoras  says,  •*  Our  doctrine  celebrates  one  God  the  Creator 
 *•  of  all  things,  who  made  all  things  by  Jesus  Christ,  from  whom, 
 *'  and  by  whom  all  things  were  made." 
 
 See  much  more  to  the  same  purpose  in  Whiiby  on  the  place.— 
 Consult  also — 
 
 Waterland's  Eight  Sermons,  p.  48,  100  and  108. 
 
 Waterland's  Vindication,  p.  23,   188,  &c. 
 
 Stillingfleet  on  the  Trinity,  p.  38,   122,  &c.  and  i63,  &C» 
 
 Fiddes's  Theologia  Spec.  vol.  i.  p.   402,  403. 
 
 Randolph's  Vindication,  &c.  p.   12,   13. 
 
 Clarke's  Scrip.  Doct.  p.  118,  264,  &c.  aad  282,  &;c. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  agp 
 
 u  the  brightness  of  his  Father  s  glory :  *  the  resplendence, 
 the  shining  forth,  the  beam,  the  effijlgent  ray  of  his 
 glory.  All  these  expressions  have  been  used  by  learned 
 mtn  to  explain  the  Apostle's  meaning,  and  to  convey 
 some  idea  of  the  infinite  brightness  and  splendor  of  his 
 nature.  The  ancient  Jews,  from  whom  St.  Paul  copied, 
 had  recourse  to  similar  language,  when  they  wanted  to 
 describe  the  nature  of  Wisdom,  which  was  no  other  with 
 them  than  the  Son  of  God.  For  the  Book  of  Wisdom 
 says  of  her,  that  "  she  is  an  efflux  of  the  sincere  glciry  of 
 "  the  Almighty,  and  the  splendor  of  eternal  light."  * 
 And  the  learned  Philo  saith  of  the  Logos,  that  "  he  is 
 "  the  most  illustrious  and  splendid  light  of  the  invisible 
 "  and  highest  God."' — Plotinus  informs  us,  that 
 *«  he  is  a  light  streaming  forth  from  God,  even  as 
 *'  bri<j;htness  doth  from  the  sun."  He  calls  him  "  the 
 "  Son  of  God,"  and  says,  that  "  being  the  Word  of 
 "  God,  and  the  Image  of  God,  he  is  inseparably  con- 
 "  joined  with  him."  * 
 
 Som.eof  the  Christian  fathers  suppose,  that  this  figu- 
 rative expression  of  the  Apostle  is  taken  from  the  ma- 
 terial sun.  Hence  Justin  Martyr  saith,  "  The  Son 
 "  proceedeth  from  the  Father,  as  the  light  of  the  sun 
 "  in  the  firmament  from  its  own  body,  without  any  di- 
 *'  vision  or  separation  from  it."  *  Others  say,  "  He 
 **  proceedeth,  as  fire  is  kindled  from  fire,  without  the 
 "  diminution  of  the  fire  that  kindled  it,  or  as  one  torch 
 "  is  lighted  from  another."  *  Accordingly  the  creed 
 called  Nicene  expresses  the  procession  of  the  Son  from- 
 *  O  o  the 
 
 *  Dionysius  Alexandnnus  says,  that  •'  Christ  is  the  splendor  of 
 *'  the  eternal  light,  and  he  himself  is  altogether  eternal :  for  as  the 
 '*  light  always  exists,  so  it  is  manifest  the  splendor  must  always  ex- 
 *'  ist."  Apud  Athanas.  de  sent.  Dionys.  p.  253.  See  Water- 
 land's  Vindication,  p.  21. 
 
 *  Ch.  7.  25,  26. '  De  Somn.  p.  448. 
 
 *  For  other  expressions  of  a  similar  kind  see  the  fifth  part  of  this 
 Apology,  and  Scott's  Christian  Life,  vol.  5.  p.   137,  138. 
 
 '  Dial,  with  Trypho,  p.  358.——'  Taiian  and  Tertullian. 
 
29©  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 the  Father  by  saying,  that  he  is,  "  God  off  God,  Light 
 "  off  Light,  very  God  off  very  God." 
 
 291.*  The  Apostle  goes  still  farther;  The  Son  is  the 
 express  image  of  the  Father' s  person. 
 
 On  other  occasions  he  calls  Christ  the  image  of  God,  ^ 
 and  the  image  of  the  invi:iible  God:*  but  here  he  is 
 called,  the  express  image  of  his  person  :*  the  impression, 
 the  representation  of  his  subsistence,  or  the  full  de- 
 lineation of  his  person.  In  this  passage  as  well  as 
 the  former  the  Apostle  had  in  his  eye  the  expressi- 
 ons which  occur  in  the  Jewish  authors  who  preceded  him  : 
 for  Wisdom  is  called  again,  "  the  unspotted  mirror  of 
 "  the  power  of  God,  and  the  image  of  his  goodnefs.'*  * 
 And  Philo  saith  too,  that  "  the  Logos  is  the  eternal 
 *•■  image  of  God,  by  which  the  whole  world  was 
 "  made."  *  Nay,  he  uses  the  very  same  expression, 
 when  speaking  of  the  Son  of  God,  which  die  Apostle 
 here  doth,  saying,  "  He  is  the  charafler,"  the  express 
 image,  "  of  God,"  answering  to  his  Father's  person,  as 
 the  impression  made  upon  wax  by  a  seal,  answers  to  the 
 seal  by  which  it  is  made.  And  no  being,  I  think,  can 
 make  any  such  high  pretensions  as  these,  but  one  that 
 is  truly  and  properly  divine. 
 
 The 
 
 '  2  Cor.  4.  4. '  Col.  1.  15. 
 
 •  *•  If  he  be  the  image  of  the  Invisible,  the  image  itself  must  be 
 **  invisible  too.  I  will  be  bold  to  add,  that  since  he  is  the  resem- 
 **  blance  of  his  Father,  there  could  not  have  been  a  time  when  he 
 *'  was  not."  Origan  apud  Athan.  taken  from  Dr.  Waterland's 
 Defence  of  some  Queries,  p.  20.  The  learned  Doctor  observes 
 in  the  place,  that  Origen  goes  on  to  argue,  that  since  God  is  lights 
 and  Christ  he  A.'KuvyuaiiUj  or  shining  forth  of  that  light,  quoting 
 this  text,  that  they  could  never  have  been  separate  one  from  the 
 other,  but  must  have  been  co-eternal.  ' 
 
 » Wisdom,  ch.  7.  26. 
 
 *  De  Monar.  p.  363  and  De  Ccn.  Ling.  p.  267. 
 *De  Agricult.  liber  2, 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  291 
 
 .  The  Apostle  proceeds  still  further  in  his  description 
 of  the  Son  of  God.  Having  described  his  eternal  divi- 
 nity, and  represented  him  as  the  Creator  of  the  world, 
 he  then  tells  us,  that 
 
 1^1.*  He  upholds  all  things  hy  the  wcrd  ofhispoirer. 
 
 This  is  an  expression  similar  to  that  of  the  same 
 Apostle  in  his  Epistle  to  the  Coloflians,  where  it  is  said, 
 He  is  before  all  things y  and  by  him  all  things  consist.  But 
 then,  what  a  contrast  is  here  ?  The  Son  of  God — the 
 
 HhlR     of      all    things THE    CONSTITUTOR    OF      THE 
 
 AGES THE    BRIGHTNESS    OF     HIS    FaTHER's    GLORY 
 
 THE     EXPRESS    IMAGE    OF    HIS    PERSON AND    THE    SUS- 
 
 TAINER      OF     THE     UNIVERSE BECAME     AN      ATONING 
 
 SACRIFICE  FOR  THE  SINS  OF  THAT  WORLD  WHICH  HIS 
 OWN   HANDS  HAD  MADE  : 
 
 1^2'*  For  by  himself  he  purged  cur  sins.  * 
 
 Amazing  condescension  !  grace  unknown !   After  the 
 O  o  2  Lamb 
 
 '  The  ingenious  Mr.  Gilpin  observes  upon  the  1 8th  verse  of  the 
 10th  chapter  of  this  Epistle,  '•  that  whoever  examines  seriously  St. 
 "  Paul's  application  of  the  Jewish  rites  of  atonement,  to  the  death 
 •'  of  Christ,  in  several  parts  of  this  Epistle,  must  either,  I  think, 
 "  deny  the  authenticity  of  these  passages,  or  believe  the  doctrine 
 "  of  the  atonement." 
 
 Bishop  Burnet  has  treated  of  the  doctrine  of  atonement  in  his 
 Exposition  of  the  thirty  nine  Articles,  art.  2.  p.  65 — 68,  octavo, 
 with  his  usual  perspicuity,  and  Bishop  Butler  in  his  Analogy,  part  2. 
 ch.  5.  has  shewn,  that  it  is  perfectly  reasonable,  and  agreeable  to 
 the  common  course  of  nature.  Grotius's  book  on  the  same  subject 
 is  decisive. — It  has  been  observed  on  the  26  page  of  this  Apology, 
 that  Grotius  has  been  claimed  by  the  Sccinians  as  favouring  their 
 opinions.  Several  of  his  expositions  of  the  New  Testament,  it 
 must  be  allowed,  are  much  the  same  with  theirs;  and,  it  is  remark- 
 able, that  persons  of  very  different  sentiments  have  considered 
 him  as  friendly  to  their  several  opinions.  The  fact  is,  I  supf  >se, 
 that  he  was  of  different  sentiments  at  different  periods  of  his  life, 
 as  many  other  good  men  have  been.  See,  however,  a  satisfactory 
 vindication  of  this  great  man  from  Socinianism,  in  the  6th  book  oi 
 Kjs  Life  written  by  M.  De  Burigny. 
 
»9«  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 Lamb  of  God  had  for  this  purpose  been  slain,  and  the 
 atonement  made  and  accepted,  which  was  fully  mani- 
 fested to  the  world  by  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ 
 from  the  dead,  he  sat  down  on  the  right-hand  of  the 
 majesty  on  high,  in  his  glorified  human  nature,  in  place 
 and  dignity  infinitely  superior  to  the  hig!iest  archangel 
 in  the  kingdom  of  heaven:  yea,  as  much  superior  as 
 God's  only-begotten  Son,  who  must  be  of  the  same 
 nature  with  himself,  is  superior  to  the  work  of  his  own 
 hands  : 
 
 294.  Being  made  so  much  better  than  the  angels,  as  he 
 hath  by  inheritance  obtained  a  more  excellent  name 
 than  they. 
 
 Such  is  the  account,  which  is  here  given  of  the  Son 
 of  the  Highest!  I  don't  exaggerate  the  matter  when 
 I  say,  that  human  language  wants  terms  to  convey  ideas 
 of  a  more  exalted  kind.  What  could  have  been  said  to 
 elevate  his  character  that  is  not  said  ?  We  know  of  no- 
 thing higher,  nothing  greater,  nothing  better,  nothing 
 more  sublime  than  this  description.  The  Son  is  every 
 thing,  but  the  Father,  the  original  and  fountain  of 
 Deity.  And  that  he  could  not  be,  because  he  is  the 
 Son.  Every  thing  else  he  is  which  implies  equality. 
 He  is — give  me  leave  to  repeat  the  glorious  declarations 
 — he  is — THE  Son  of  God — the  heir  of  all  things 
 " — the  constitutor  of  the  ages — the  brightness 
 OF  HIS  Father's  glory — the  express  image  of  his 
 
 PERSON the    SUSTAINER     OF     THE     UNIVERSE.      And, 
 
 having  assumed  human  nature  in  the  womb  of  the 
 Virgin,  he  lived  a  proper  time  in  the  world,  and  then 
 
 died  to  PURCHASE  REDEMPTION  FOR  THE  SOULS 
 WHICH  HE  HAD  MADE. 
 
 From  all  these  considerations  united,  it  is  very  evi- 
 dent we  cannot  think  of  our  blessed  Saviour  too  highly, 
 love  him  too  intensely,  or  expect  too  much  from  him.  ♦ 
 
 295.*  And, 
 
 *  There  was  a  valuable  discourse  published  in  the  year  1794* 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  293 
 
 295.*  Andy  Thouy  Lord,  in  the  beginning  hast  laid  the 
 foundation  of  the  earth;  and  the  heavens  are  the 
 works  of  thine  hands.  'They  shall  -perish,  but  thou 
 remainest\  and  they  all  shall  wax  eld  as  doth  a 
 garment;  and  as  a  vesture  shalt  thou  fold  them  up, 
 and  they  shall  be  changed :  but  thou  art  the  samey 
 and  thy  years  shall  not  fail. ' 
 
 These 
 
 entitled  a  Demonstration  of  the  true  and  eternal  Divinity  of  our 
 Lord  Jesus  Christ,  in  opposition  to  the  attacks  of  tlie  present  age, 
 which  obtained  the  gold  medal  of  the  Hague  Society.  It  was 
 written  by  the  learned  Dutchman  Dr.  Dionysius  Van  De  Wynpersse, 
 professor  of  Mathematics  and  Astronomy  at  Leyden.  He  divides 
 the  whole  into  twenty  one  sections,  in  which,  among  other  matters, 
 he  considers — the  divine  names  of  Christ — the  divine  properties — 
 the  divine  works — and  the  divine  honour.  He  afterwards  considers 
 him  as  the  author  of  our  salvation — and  the  propitiation  for  our  sins. 
 The  twelfth  section  is  the  relation  of  Christ  to  his  church — tlien, 
 the  authority  of  Christ  over  all  God's  ambassadors — Christ  the 
 spirit  of  ancient  prophecy — the  divinity  of  Christ  the  power  of  the 
 gospel — the  coming  of  Christ  to  judgment — the  adoration  of  Christ 
 — the  rejection  of  Christ — the  relation  of  Christ  to  God  tne  Father — 
 the  relation  of  Christ  to  the  Holy  Spirit — the  conclusion. — The 
 nature  of  the  treatise  will  be  seen  from  these  particulars.  Jt  is 
 called  a  Demonstration  :  and,  indeed,  so  it  is,  as  far  as  religious 
 subjects  are  capable  of  this  kind  of  evidence.  Scripture  being  judge, 
 it  admits  of  no  conclusive  answer. 
 
 5  Heb.  I.  10,  II,  12.  See  Whitby  on  the  place,  and  Waterland's 
 Eight  Sermons,  p.  250.  The  same  learned  Author  vindicates  the 
 above  application  of  this  quotation  from  the  •  book  of  psalms  in  the 
 manner  following. 
 
 "  It  is  not  without  good  reason,"  says  he,  "  that  we  understand 
 "  Heb.   I.   10.  of  Christ. 
 
 "  I.  The  context  itself  favours  it.  The  verse  begins  with, 
 "  v.ui  av,  which  properly  refers  to  the  same  who  was  spoken  of 
 "  immediately  before  in  the  second  person.  The  ca  preceding  and 
 "  <Tf  following,  answer  to  each  other.  A  change  of  person,  while 
 **  the  same  way  of  speaking  is  pursued,  must  appear  unnatural. 
 
 "  2.  The  scope  and  intent  of  the  author  was  to  set  forth  the 
 **  honour  and  dignity  of  the  Son  above  the  angels ;  and  no  cir- 
 "  cumstance  could  be  more  proper  than  that  of  his  creating  the 
 *'  world. 
 
 "  3.  If  he  had  omitted  it,  he  had  said  less  than  himself  had  done 
 "  before  in  the  second  verse,  of  which  this  seems  to  be  explanatory, 
 ««  and  as  he  had  brought  proofs  from  the  Old  Testament  for  sevcrij^ 
 
294  -AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 These  words  are  taken  from  the  102  psalm.  There 
 .they  are  descriptive  of  the  immutability  of  the  Father. 
 But  here,  being  applied  to  our  blessed  Saviour  by  an 
 inspired  Apostle,  they  are  equally  descriptive  of  his 
 immutability  also.  Language  admits  not  of  expressions 
 more  pointed  and  decisive.  \ 
 
 296.*  'Jesus,  who  was  made  a  little  lower  than  the  angels y 
 that  he  might  taste  death  for  every  man.- He 
 
 TOOK    NOT    ON     HIM    THE    NATURE    OF    ANGELS  J 
 
 hut  he  took  on  him  the  seed  cf  Abraham.  *  Surely 
 these  expressions  fully  imply  pre-existence,  and 
 that  Christ  was  originally  superior  in  nature  to  the 
 angels. 
 
 297.*  Wherefore^  holy  brethren,  partakers  of  the  heavenly 
 calling,  consider  the  Afostle  and  High -Priest  of  our  . 
 frofesstony  Christ  Jesus,  who  was  faithful  to  him 
 
 that 
 
 *'  other  articles,  nothing  could  be  more  proper  or  more  pertinent, 
 "  than  to  bring  a  proof  from  thence  cf  this  also. 
 
 "  4.  Declaring  him  to  be  Jehovah,  and  Creator  of  the  universe 
 "  might  be  very  proper  to  shew  that  he  was  no  ministering  spirit, 
 "  but  avv^O'JOQ  ;  sitting  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  which  immedi- 
 "  ately  follows. 
 
 "  5.  To  introduce  a  passage  here  about  God's  immutability 
 "  or  stability,  must  appear  very  abrupt,  and  not  pertinent;  because 
 •'  the  Angels  also,  in  their  order  and  degree,  reap  the  benefit  of 
 "  God's  stability  and  immutability.  And  the  question  was  not 
 "  about  the  duration  and  continuance,  but  about  the  sublimity  and 
 ♦*  excellency  of  their  respective  natures  and  dignities. 
 
 "  6.  1  may  add,  that  this  sense  is  very  consonant  to  antiquity* 
 "  which  every  where  speaks  of  the  Son  as  Creator,  and  in  as  high 
 "  and  strong  terms :  such  as  these,  Tf^v/ri/?,  o'/^y.ii'.^yo;,  zoi-/irv,g, 
 •*  av'Sij:,uizuv,  ayyehoiv,  twv  %uvt(iiv,  tuv  oAwv,  T8  •ao(Tixh  and 
 "  the  like.'* 
 
 Waterland's  Defence  of  Queries,  p.  95. 
 
 **  Heb.  2.  9,  16.  *'  Consider  here  how  absurd  it  would  be  to 
 *'  mention,  as  an  instance  of  condescension  and  merit  in  a  mere 
 •'  man,  that  he  submitted  to  be  made  lower  than  the  angels,  and  that 
 *'  he  assisted  not  them  but  the  seed  of  Abraham." 
 
 Price's  Sermons,  p.  136. 
 
 See  Whitby  on  Heb.  z.  16, 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  295' 
 
 that  appointed  him,  as  also  Moses  was  faithful  in  all 
 his  house.  For  this  man  was  counted  worthy  of 
 more  glory  than  Mosesy  inasmuch  as  he  who  hath 
 
 BUILDED  THE  HOUSE,  HATH  MORE  HONOUR  THAN 
 
 THE  HOUSE.     For  cvery  house  is  huilded  by  some 
 man;  but  he  that  built  all  things  is  God.     And 
 Moses  verily  zvas  faithful  in  all  his  house  as  a  ser- 
 vant, for  a  testimony  of  those  things  which  were  to 
 he  spoken  after  \  but  Christ  as  a  Son  over  his 
 OWN  HOUSE;  whose  house  we  are,  if  we  hold  fast 
 the  confidence y  and  the  rejoicing  of  the  hope  firm  unto 
 the  end. ' 
 In  these  words  the  Apostle  represents  our  Saviour  as 
 the  builder  and  founder  of  the  Jewish  church.     This  is 
 an  argument  unanswerable  for  his  pre-existence.     He 
 represents  him  also  as  Son  of  God,  and  Master  of  his 
 own  house.     This  is  an  argument  of  his  real  and  proper 
 divinity. 
 
 298.*  The  Word  of  God  is  quick  and  powerfuly  and  sharp- 
 er  than  any  izvo-edged  swordy  piercing  even  to  the 
 dividing  asunder  cf  soul  and  spirit y  and  of  the  joints 
 and  marroWy  and  is  a  discerner  of  the  thoughts  and 
 intents  of  the  heart :  neither  is  there  any  creature 
 that  is  not  manifest  in  his  sight,-  but  all  things  are 
 nakedy  and  open  unto  the  eyes  of  him  with  whom  we 
 have  to  do.  *  Some 
 
 *  Heb.  3.  1 — 6.  See  Whitby  on  the  place,  and  Fiddes's  Theologia 
 Speculativa,  vol.  i.  p.  428.  Consult  also  Hawker's  Sermons,  p.  68 
 — 72,  where  there  is  a  good  illustration. 
 
 •  Heb.  4.  12,  13.  See  Whitby  on  the  place,  and  Waterland's 
 Eight  Sermons,  p.  256,  257,  where  it  is  applied  to  Christ  with  accu- 
 mulated evidence. 
 
 Clemens  Alexandrinus  says,  "  The  Son  of  God  never  comes  down 
 **  from  his  watch-tower,  as  never  being  divided,  never  parted  asun- 
 *•  der,  and  never  passes  from  place  to  place,  but  is  always  every 
 **  where,  and  contained  no  where  ;  all  mind,  all  the  Father's  light, 
 •*  all  eye,  sees  all  things,  hears  all  things,  knows  all  things,  and  by 
 •*  his  power  searches  the  powers.  Strom;  1.  7.  See  page  234  of 
 this^  Apology,  where  this  same  passage  is  produced,  only  with  a  little 
 variation  ia  the  translation. 
 
±96  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 Some  of  our  most  valuable  authors  apply  these 
 words  to  the  Son  of  Godj  and  others  to  the  written 
 word  of  God.  It  was  applied  to  our  Saviour  by  some 
 of  the  Christian  fathers,  both  before  and  after  the  coun- 
 cil of  Nice.  If  this  application  is  just,  the  passage 
 contains  a  clear  proof  of  the  omniscience  of  the  Son  of 
 God;  which  is  one  of  the  incommunicable  perfections 
 of  the  Divine  Being. 
 
 299.*  See  that  ye  refuse  not  him  that  speaketh.  For  if 
 they  escaped  not  who  refused  him  that  spake  on 
 earthy  much  more  shall  not  we  escape^  if  we  turn 
 away  from  him  thai  speaketh  from  heaven  :  whose 
 voice  then  shook  the  earth.  Heb.  12.  25,  26. 
 Do  not  these  words  suppose,  or  rather  assert, 
 that  it  was  Christ,  the  mediator  of  the  new  cove- 
 nant, who  spake  from  mount  Sinai  at  the  giving 
 of  the  law  ?  See  Doddridge  in  loco. 
 
 300.*  Jesus  Christ  the  same  yesterday^  today  ^  and  forever? 
 
 These  words,  when  considered  in  the  context,  seem 
 strongly  expressive  of  the  inrlmutability  of  our  blessed 
 Saviour;  the  sense  being  the  same  as,  he  zvho  is,  who 
 was,  and  zvho  is  to  come.  Some  apply  the  expression  to 
 the  doctrine  instead  of  the  person  of  Christ.  The 
 reader  will  consult  the  context  and  form  his  own  judg- 
 ment.— These  several  passages,  from  the  writings  of  this 
 pre-eminent  Apostle,  either  convey  to  us  the  idea  of 
 uncreated  excellency,  in  the  nature  of  the  Redeemer,  or 
 it  must  be  allowed,  that  he  was,  not  only  not  inspired, 
 but  a  most  unfortunate  interpreter  of  his  heavenly 
 Master's  will,  and  a  reasoner  in  the  highest  degree 
 inconclusive.  * 
 
 »  Heb.  13.  8.  See  the  above  sense  of  the  passage  well  defended 
 by  Dr.  VVaterland  in  his  Eight  Sermons,  p.  251 — 253.  Consult  also 
 Doddridge  and  Guise  on  the  place. 
 
 •  See  this  Apostle's  character  rescued  from  the  dishonourable 
 aspersions  of  Dr.  Priestley  in  Lord  Littleton's  Observations  on  the 
 Conversion  of  St.  Paul,  and  in  Mr.  Locke's  Preface  to  his  Essay  on 
 St.  Paul's  Epistles.  Consult  too  my  Strictures  on  Religious  Opi- 
 nions, p.  no — 114, 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  tgj 
 
 PART  SECOND. 
 
 S  E  C  T  I  O  N    X. 
 
 The   DIVINITY    of  Christ  argued    from  several  passages  in  the 
 Gotpel    of  St.   John. 
 
 THE  writings  of  St.  John,  the  beloved  disciple  of 
 our  Lord,  come  next  under  consideration.  We 
 have  already  selected  such  parts  of  them  as  our  Saviour 
 himself  is  said  to  have  uttered,  and  die  reasonings  of  the 
 Jev/s  upon  them ;  but  we  will  now  proceed  to  those 
 parts,  where  the  Apostle  delivers  his  own  sentiments 
 concerning  the  person  and  character  of  his  Lord  and 
 Master.  He  was  the  last  of  all  the  Apostles,  and  is  said 
 to  have  compoi^cd  his  Gospel  *  and  Epistles  in  his  old 
 P  p  age, 
 
 '  Irensus  and  Jerome  inform  us,  that  St.  John  was  requested 
 by  the  Bishops  of  Asia  to  write  his  gospel  against  the  rising  heresies 
 of  Cerinthus  and  Ebion.  And  it  is  remarkable,  that  these  two 
 heretics  (especially  the  latter)  were  in  many  respects  the  same  as 
 our  modern  Socinians.  They  both  denied  the  real  and  proper  divi- 
 nity of  Christ.  They  both  considered  him  as  a  mere  man.  They 
 were  both  written  against  by  this  Apostle,  by  Ignatius,  by  Justin, 
 by  Irenaeus,  by  Tertuliian,  and  by  several  others.  Ought  not  this 
 conbideration  to  have  some  weight  with  Dr.  Priestley  and  his  ad- 
 mirers ? 
 
 Irenxus  says,  "  St.  John,  the  disciple  of  our  Lord,  designing  to 
 "  extirpate  that  error,  which  had  beeji  sowed  by  Cerinthus,  and  a 
 •*  great  while  before  by  the  Nicolaitans,  who  are  a  branch  of  that 
 *'  heresy  which  is  falsely  called  Ki;owledgb,  that  he  might  con- 
 *'  found  them,  and  persuade  them  that  there  is  one  God  who  m.ade 
 *'  all  things  by  his  Word  ;  and  that  the  Creator  of  the  universe, 
 *'  and  the  Father  of  cur  Lord,  were  not,  a^  they  pretended,  dis- 
 "  tinct  beings,  wrote  his  gospel." 
 
 Adv.  Haereses,  1.  3.  c.  ii. — See  also,  1.  1.  c.  26.  Consult 
 likewise  Euseb.  Ecc.  ilist.  1.  6.  c.   14.. 
 
 St.  Jerome's  words  are  : — "  John  wrote  his  Gospel  last  of  all, 
 '•  at  tlie  desire  of  the  Bishops  of  Asia,  against  Cerinthus  and  other 
 "  heretics,  and  the  heresy  of  the  Ebioniies,  which  began  to  pre- 
 **  vail  exceedingly  a:  that  time,  who  asserted  that  Christ  was  not 
 
298  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 age,  about  the  year  of  our  Lord  ninety,  and  the  book  of 
 Rfvelation  five  or  six  years  afterwards.  Learned  men, 
 however,  are  not  agreed  as  to  the  precise  year  when 
 the  several  works  of  this  Apostle  vv'ere  composed,  nor 
 even  vvhich  of  them  was  written  first.  Yet  it  is  gene- 
 rally supposed  that  the  book  of  Revelation  was  com- 
 posed first,  while  he  was  in  the  island  of  Patmos  in  the 
 i^gean  sea.  This  holy  man  seems  to  have  had  a  larger 
 share  of  the  Spirit  of  illumination,  and  of  course,  spake 
 more  fully  concerning  the  divine  nature  of  our  blessed 
 Saviour,  than  any  other  of  the  Evangelists.  Hence  we 
 find,  that  each  of  his  three  larger  works  opens  with  a 
 description  of  the  person  of  his  beloved  Master.  A 
 few  general  observations  upon  some  parts  of  these 
 invaluable  compositions,  may  not  be  inexpedient,  and 
 will  close  our  evidence  from  the  holy  scriptures  for  the 
 divinity  of  our  blessed  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ. 
 And,  as  the  Gospel  is  first  in  importance,  we  will  com- 
 mence our  observations  on  the  writings  of  this  Apostle 
 with  the  introduction  to  that  Gospel : 
 
 301.*  In 
 
 y  before  the  virgin  Mary,  upon  which  account  also  he  was   forced 
 *'  to  declare  his  divine  original."* 
 
 The  same  author  in  another  place  speaks  in  the  following  man- 
 ner : — '*  St.  John  the  Apostle  and  Evangelist  being  in  Asia,  and 
 •*  the  heresies  of  Cerinthus,  Ebion,  and  others,  who  denied  that 
 "  Christ  was  come  in  the  flesh,  and  whom  he  also  in  his  Epistle 
 "  calls  Antichrists,  springing  up  at  that  very  time,  he  was  compelled 
 *'  almost  by  all  the  then  Bishops  of  Asia,  and  the  messages  of 
 *'  many  churches,  to  write  concerning  our  Saviour's  divinity  more 
 *♦  particularly.  Whence  it  is  also  related  in  church  history,  that 
 "  being  urged  by  his  brethren  to  write,  he  promised  that  he  would, 
 "  provided  they  would  all  keep  a  fast,  and  implore  the  assistance  of 
 "  God  on  his  behalf,  which  being  accordingly  performed,  he  was 
 "  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  immediately  dictated  as  from 
 '*  heaven  that  Prccemium,  Jn  the  beginning  ^xjas  the  Wordy  &c." 
 
 Catal.  Script.  Kccles.  in  Johann. — Dr.  Priestley  allows  that 
 Ebion  was  contemporary  with  St.  John.  Letters  to  Dr.  Horsley, 
 p.  18. 
 
 *  Cat.  Script.  Pioccra.  in  Mat. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  299 
 
 'JOT.*  hi  the  heginningi^  says  this  most  divine  autho'-, 
 
 was^  /^^woRD, '  and  the  word   was  uiih  Gody 
 
 P  p  2  and 
 
 I 
 
 3  That  is,  says  Grotius,  •*  When  first  the  universe  began  to  be 
 *'  created." 
 
 ♦  The  Word  was  even  then.  It  was  customary,  says  the  same 
 learned  man,  with  the  Hebrews,  to  express  eternity  in  this  popular 
 manner. 
 
 In  what  view  we  are  to  consider  the  eloquent  Historian  of  the 
 Decline  and  Fall  of  the  Roman  empire  I  undertake  not  here  to  de- 
 termine. Dr.  Priestley  and  others  have  treated  him  in  the  light 
 of  an  Infidel.  Be  this  as  it  may,  he  is  clearly  of  opinion,  that  St. 
 John  considered  the  Logos  as  a  divine  person.  This,  indeed,  is 
 what  every  man  must  suppose,  I  should  think,  where  there  is  no 
 preconceived  system  to  support.  Mr.  Gibbon's  words  are  : — "  Ti>e 
 *•  Christian  Revelation,  which  was  consummated  under  the  reign  of 
 *'  Nerva,  disclosed  to  the  world  the  amazing  secret,  that  the  Lonos, 
 "  who  'was  'with  God,  from  the  beginning,  and  jvas  God,  who 
 "  had  made  all  things,  and  for  whom  all  things  hnd  been  made, 
 "  was  incarnate  in  the  person  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth  ;  who  had  beea 
 "  born  of  a  virgin,  and  suffered  de.ith  on  the  cross. — The  prc-ex- 
 •*  istence,  and  divine  perfections  of  the  Locos,  or  Son  of  God, 
 "  are  clearly  defined  in  the  gospel  of  St.  John."  Vol.  2.  p.  240, 
 241.  4to. 
 
 The  same  Mr.  Gibbon,  in  his  Life  written  by  himself,  says, 
 that  "  Dr.  Priestley's  Socinian  shield  has  repeatedly  been  pierced 
 "  by  the  spear  of  Horsley." 
 
 *  The  term  Word,  or  Locos,  made  use  of  here  by  the  Apostle, 
 was  extremely  common  among  the  ancient  Jews  ;  and,  among  other 
 things,  frequently  signified  the  second  hypostasis  in  the  Divine  Na- 
 ture. The  book  of  Wisdom  saith,  "  Thine  ahnighty  Word  leapt 
 *•  down  from  heaven  out  of  thy  royal  throne,  as  a  fierce  man  of 
 "  war,  into  the  midst  of  a  land  of  destruction."  Ch.  18.  15 — 17. 
 — The  Chaldee  paiaphrasts  speak  of  the  Locos  in  like  manner  with 
 St.  John  in  this  chapter.  Thus,  Gen.  31.  22.  "  The -Word 
 "  from  before  the  Lord  came  to  Laban."  And  Ex.  20.  19. 
 "  Let  not  the  Word  from  before  the  Lord  speak  with  us,  lest  we 
 •*  die."  So  Is.  45.  12.  **  I  by  my  Word  have  made  the  earth, 
 •'  and  created  man  upon  it."  And  also  Ex.  20.  19.  •'  Let  not 
 ••  the  Lord  speak  with  us  by  his  Word  which  is  before  the  Lord." 
 
 Philo  uses  the  term  Locns  in  the  same  sense  upon  abundance  of 
 occasions.  Thus  :  *'  The  WoRb  of  God  is  over  the  whole  world, 
 *•  and  more  ancient  than  all  creatures."  De  Leg.  Alleg.  1.  2.  p. 
 93.  "  The  sacred  Word,"  says  he  in  another  place,  "  commands 
 •*  some  as  a  king  what  they  ought  to  do."  De  Vita.  Mos.  p. 
 593- 
 
 Amelius,  the  Heathen  philosopher,  applies  this  intrcdgction  of 
 
300  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 and  the  word   was  God.     "The  same  was  in  the 
 
 beginnii.g 
 
 I 
 St.  John's  gospel  In  like  manner  to  the  second  hypostasis.     See  the 
 Heathen  testin^onies  in  the  6th  part  of  this  Apology. 
 
 JuHan  the  Apostate,  the  most  inveterate  enemy  Christianity  ever 
 had,  makes  this  remarkable  confession  : — "  That  Word  which  he 
 •*  (John)  saith  was  God,  he  also  declares  was  Jesus  Christ,  the 
 "  person  acknowledged  by  the  Baptist."     Jul.  apud  Cyr.  1.   lo. 
 
 Mahomet  in  his  Koran  saith,  "  Eise,  or  Jesus,  is  the  Word  of 
 **  God  ;  and  his  being,  the  Word  of  God,  is  reputed  among  the 
 **  Saracens  as  the  proper  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  so  that  ro  other 
 "  man  is  called  by  his  name,  but  Jesus  only,  whom  in  Arabic  they 
 *'  call  Eise."     See  Lightfoot's  W^orks,  vol.   i.  p.   394. 
 
 The  Christian  fathers  are  unanimous  in  their  application  of  this 
 introduction  to  the  Son  of  God. 
 
 Ignatius  calls  Christ,  "The  eternal  Word  of  God."  Ep.  ad 
 Mag.  sect.   8. 
 
 Justin  Martyr  says,  "  The  Son  is  the  Word,  which  afterwards 
 **  by  incarnation  was  made  man."     Sec.  Ap.  p.  74. 
 
 Again  :  "  Jesus  Christ  our  Saviour  was  made  flesh  by  the  Word 
 **  of  God."     Jbid.  p.  98.  See  too  p.  284. 
 
 Caius  says,  "  All,  the  just  and  the  unjust,  shall  be  brought  before 
 *'  God  the  Logos  ;  for  the  Father  hath  given  all  judgment  unto 
 "  him."     Frag. 
 
 Irenseus  saith  : — "  John,  preaching  the  one  almighty  God,  and  the 
 **  one  only-begotten  Son  Christ  Jesus,  by  whom  all  things  were  made, 
 *'  saith,  that  this  person  is  the  Sen  of  God;  that  this  person  is  the 
 *'  only-begotten,  that  this  person  is  the  maker  of  all  things,  that 
 "  this  person  is  the  true  light,  who  lighteth  every  man,  that  this 
 **  person  is  the  maker  of  the  world,  that  this  is  he  who  came  unto 
 "  his  own,  that  this  same  person  was  made  flesh,  and  dwelt  among 
 **  us."     Lib.   I.  cap.   i. 
 
 Here  we  see,  this  learned  and  pious  martyr,  who  was  the  disciple 
 of  Polycarp,  the  scholar  of  St.  John,  applies  all  the  leading  cha- 
 racteristics of  these  introductory  verses  to  our  blessed  Saviour  in 
 the  fullest  manner.  Several  other  passages  in  the  writings  of  this 
 venerable  Father  are  altogether  to  the  same  purpose. 
 
 "  Thou  art  not  unmade,"  says  he,  "  O  man,  neither  didst  thou 
 "  always  co-exist  with  God,  as  his  own  Word  hath  done."  Ibid. 
 L  2.  c.  43. 
 
 And  again  :  "  There  is  one  God  the  Father,  who  is  over  all  ; 
 "  and  one  Word  of  God,  who  is  through  all,  by  whom  all  things 
 *'  were  made  ;  and  this  world  is  his  property,  and  was  made 
 *'  through  him  by  the  will  of  the  Father — for  the  Word  of  God 
 *'  was  truly  the  maker  of  the  world." 
 
 Clemens  Alexandrinus  says  :—;-"  For  both  are  one  God,  because 
 "  he  baiJ,  //;  the  beginning  the  WoR  D  tuas  nuith  God,  and  the  WoR  P 
 "  'VjasCodr     Fzsd.  lib.   i.  c.  8. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  301 
 
 heginning  isciih  Cod.  All  things  zvcre  made  by 
 him  ;  and  zvithout  him  was  not  any  thing  made  that 
 was  made.  In  him  was  life  ;  and  the  life  was  the 
 light  ofmen^  and  the  light  sbinetb  in  darkness  ;  and 
 the  darkness  comprehended  it  not.  There  zvas  a 
 man  sent  from  God,  whose  name  was  John :  the 
 same  came  for  a  witness,  to  bear  witness  of  the 
 light,  that  all  men  through  him  might  believe.  He 
 was  not  that  light,  but  was  sent  to  bear  witness  of 
 that  light.  That  was  the  true  light,  which  lightetb 
 every  man  that  coraeth  into  the  world.  He  was 
 in  the  world,  and  the  zvorld  was  made  by  him ;  and 
 the  world  knew  him  not.  He  came  unto  his  owny 
 and  his  own  received  him  not.  But  as  many  as  re- 
 ceived him,  to  them  gave  he  poiver  to  become  the 
 sons  of  God,  even  to  them  that  believe  on  his  name : 
 which  were  born,  not  of  blood,  nor  of  the  will  of  the 
 feshj  nor  cf  the  will  of  man,  but  of  God.     And  the 
 
 Word 
 
 Novatian  speaks  to  the  same  purpose: — "  This  is  that  Word, 
 *•  which  came  unto  his  o^vn,  and  his  o-zvn  recei'ved  him  not.  For  the 
 "  nvorld  nvas  made  by  him,  and  the  ijijorld  knenv  him  not. — It  Christ 
 *'  was  only  a  man,  how,  coming  into  this  world,  came  he  to  his 
 "  own,   since  no  man  could  make  the  world."     De  Trinit.  c.    13, 
 
 14. 
 
 Origen,  speaking  of  this  introduction,  says,  "  Who,  though  m 
 "  the  beginning  he  was  with  God,  yet,  for  the  sake  of  those  who 
 "  are  shackled  by  the  flesh,  and  therefore  fleshly,  was  himself  made 
 **  flesh,  that  he  might  be  comprehended  by  those  who  could  not 
 "  by  any  other  means  look  upon  him,  inasmuch  as  he  was  the 
 **  Word,  and  ouai  ^L-ith  God,  and  -loas  God. — For  God,  the  Word, 
 "  is  not  to  be  comprehended — and  the  Son  being  incomprehensible, 
 "  inasmuch  as  he  is  God  the  Word,  by  whom  all  things  were 
 **  made,  and  dwelt  among  us."     Cont.   Cels.  lib.   6.   p.    322,  3^3. 
 
 Athenagoras  says,  '<  I'he  Son  of  God  is  the  Word  of  the  Fa- 
 "  iher  in  power  and  energy  ;  by  him  and  through  him  were  ail 
 "  things  created. — The  Son  of  God  is  the  Word  and  Wisdom  of 
 *'  God. — From  the  beginning,  God  being  an  eternal  mind,  must 
 "  have  had,  from  all  eternity,  the  Word  in  himself,  and  as  the 
 *•  Wisdom  and  Power,  he  excited  himself  in  all  things." 
 
 Apol.  p.   !0. 
 
30«  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 WORD  *  zvas  made  fleshy  and  dwelt  among  us,  and 
 zve  beheld  his  glory  ;  the  glory  as  of  the  only-begot- 
 ten of  the  Father)  full  of  grace  and  truth. 
 
 This  introduction  is  of  the  first  importance  in  ascer- 
 taining the  personal  character  of  our  blessed  Saviour ; 
 and  therefore  every  effort  is  used  by  the  patrons  of  the 
 different  schemes  of  religion,  to  make  it  speak  a  lan-t 
 guage  agreeable  to  the  system  adopted  by  each  party. 
 That  the  reader  may  have  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  and 
 judging  for  himself,  I  will  set  down  at  one  view  the  in- 
 terpretations which  are  given  to  this  passage  by  th^ 
 patrons  of  the  several  schemes. 
 
 The  Sabellian  interpretation  runs  thus :  "  Before 
 "  the  creation  of  the  world.  Reason  did  exist,  for  Rea- 
 "  son  was  then  in  God,  indeed  was  God  himself,  it 
 "  not  being  possible  for  God  to  be  without  it ;  Reason, 
 **  I  say,  did  exist  in  God  before  the  creation  of  the 
 **  world,  every  portion  of  which  was  created  with  the 
 **  greatest  Reason ;  nor  can  any  thing  be  produced  that 
 "  has  been  made  without  ii." 
 
 This  is  Le  Clerc's  interpretation  of  the  three  firs^ 
 verses,  and,  in  my  opinion,  'carries  its  own  refutation 
 on  the  face  of  it. 
 
 The 
 
 *  Ignatius  says,  **  Christ  was  of  the  race  of  David,  of  the  virgin 
 "  Mary  ;  who  was  truly  born,  and  did  eat  and  drink."  Ad  Tral, 
 sect.  9. 
 
 I'ertulllan  stiles  Christ,  *'  God  off  God,  and  man  off  the  flesh  of 
 man."     De  Carne  Christi,  cap.   17. 
 
 Again  :  He  elsewhere  calls  him,  "  God  and  man  without  doubt 
 *'  according  to  the  substance  of  each  nature,  yet  distinct  in  their 
 "  respective  proprieties."     Adv.  Prax.  cap.  27. 
 
 Novatian  writes  to  the  same  purpose  : — "  The  Son  of  God  de- 
 *'  scended,  who,  while  he  took  upon  himself  the  son  of  man,  made 
 **  him  of  consequence  the  Son  God,  because  the  Son  of  God  did 
 ♦*  assume  and  unite  him  to  himself."     De  Trinit.  cap.    19. 
 
 Gregory  Nazianzen  to  the  same  purpose  : — *•  We  do  not  part 
 *'  the  humanity  from  the  Deity,  but  believe  Christ  to  be  one  person; 
 ♦'  at  first,  indeed,  not  man,  but  God,  and  the  only-begotten  Son  of 
 "  God  before  all  ages,  without  a  body  ;  but  in  the  end  a  man  also." 
 
 Orat.  5^, 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  303 
 
 The  Socinian  interpretation,  which  was  never  heard 
 of  in  the  world  for  fifteen  hundred  years  after  Christ,  is 
 to  this  effect : 
 
 .  "  In  the  beginning  of  the  Gospel,  was  the  man 
 **  Christ  Jesus,  otherwise  called  the  Word.  He  was 
 **  with  God,  having  been  taken  up  into  heaven  before 
 "  he  en'"ered  on  his  ministry.  And  he  was  God,  hav- 
 "  ing  the  office,  honour,  and  title  of  a  God  conferred 
 **  upon  him  after  his  resurrection.  The  same  was  in 
 "  the  beginning  of  the  Gospel  with  God.  All  things 
 ^'  belonging  to  the  Gospel-state  were  reformed  and 
 •f  renewed  by  him ;  and  without  him  was  there  not  any 
 "  thing  reformed  or  renewed." 
 
 This  interpretation,  likewise,  as  it  appears  to  me, 
 carries  its  own  refutation  along  with  it. ' 
 
 The 
 
 *  The  above  view  of  the  Socinian  interpretation  of  the  three 
 flrst  verses  of  this  introduction  is  taken  from  Dr.  Waterland's  Eight 
 Sermons  on  the  Divinity  of  Christ,  and  is,  I  believe,  as  accurate  as 
 is  necessary.  Dr.  Priestley,  who  is  at  the  head  of  his  party  in  this 
 country,  is  very  wavering  and  changeable  in  his  sentiments,  and 
 therefore  one  is  at  a  loss  how  to  represent  his  opinions.  He  has, 
 however,  given  us  the  following  view  of  this  introduction  in  his 
 "  Familiar  Illustration,"  which  seems  to  be  partly  Sabellian  and 
 partly  Socinian  : — "  Many  of  the  texts  which  are  usually  alledged 
 **  in  proof  of  the  divinity  of  Christ,"  says  this  Divine,  "  relate  to 
 *•  God  the  Father  only.  One  of  the  most  remarkable  of  these  is 
 «*  John  I. —  To  me  it  appears,  that  the  Apostle  does  not  speak 
 •*  of  the  pre-existence  of  Christ  in  this  place;  but  only  of  the 
 *•  power  and  wisdom  of  God,  which  dwelled,  or  tabernacled  in  his 
 *'  flesh  ;  and  that  he  probably  meant  to  condemn  some  false  opi- 
 **  nions  concerning  the  logos  (which  is  the  Greek  for  word)  which 
 **  are  known  to  have  prevailed  in  his  time.  Now,  in  contradiction 
 *•  to  them,  the  Apostle  here  asserts,  that  by  the  Word  of  God, 
 "  we  are  not  to  understand  any  being  distinct  from  God  ;  but  only 
 "  the  power  or  energy  of  God,  which  is  so  much  ivith  Go  J,  that 
 **  it  properly  belongs  to  his  nature,  and  is  not  at  all  distinct  from 
 *'  God  himself;  and  that  the  same  power  which  produced  all 
 •'  things  was  manifest  to  men  in  the  person  of  Jesus  Christ,  who 
 *'  was  sent  to  enlighten  the  world  ;  that  though  his  power  made  the 
 **  world,  it  was  not  acknowledged  by  the  world,  when  it  was  re- 
 '•'  vea'ed  in  this  manner,  not  even  by  God's  peculiar  people,  the 
 '*  Jews ;  and  notwithstanding  this  power  was  made  manifest  in  a 
 **  more  sensible  and  constant  manner  than  ever  it  had  been  before. 
 
^04  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 The  Arian  interpretation  comes  nearer  to  the  truth, 
 and  is  therefore  more  plausible  and  dangerous.  For 
 there  is  as  nnuch  difference  between  it  and  the  orthodox 
 faith  as  between  the  self-existent  Jehovah  and  the  work 
 of  his  hands.  This  construction  of  St.  John,  which 
 was  never  openly  propagated  till  the  beginning  of  the 
 fourth  century,  is  as  follows : 
 
 "  In  the  besfinniniy  of  all  thin2;s,  before  ever  the 
 "  earth  or  the  world  was  made,  there  existed  a  very 
 "  glorious  and  excellent  creature,  since  called  the  Word, 
 *'  the  Oracle  of  God,  and  Revealer  of  his  will.  That 
 "  excellent  person,  the  first  whom  God  of  his  own  good 
 "  pleasure  and  free  choice  gave  being  to,  was  with  God 
 *'  the  Father;  and  he  was  God,  another  God,  an  in- 
 "  ferior  God,  infinitely  inferior ;  but  yet  truly  God,  as 
 "  being  truly  partaker  of  divine  glory  then,  and  fore- 
 
 "  ordained 
 
 *♦  dwelling  in  human  flesh,  and  tabernacling,  or  abiding  some  con- 
 *'  siderable  time  among  us  ;  so  that  his  glory  was  beheld,  or  made 
 •*  visible  to  mortal  eyes,  and  was  full  of  grace  and  truth." 
 
 I  could  wish  the  reader  would  consult  the  Rev.  Mr.  Shepherd's 
 Free  Examination  of  the  Socinian  Exposition  of  these  verses,  where 
 the  absurdity  of  it  is  made  fully  to  appear.  To  say,  as  Dr.  Priest- 
 ley does,  that  these  introductory  verses  of  St.  John's  gospel  *'  re- 
 **  late  to  God  the  Father  only,"  is  an  arbitrary  and  unfounded  as- 
 sumption, which  no  abilities  can  justify.  He  had  better  assert  up^ 
 on  this  occasion,  as  he  does  upon  another,  that  '*  rather  than  admit 
 *'  the  commonly  received  interpretation,  he  would  suppose  the 
 **  whole  introduction  to  be  an  interpolation,  or  that  the  old  Apostle 
 "  dictated  one  thing,  and  his  amanuensis  wrote  another."* 
 
 The  learned  Sandius  confesses,  that  Socinus's  sense  of  this  in- 
 troduction to  St.  John's  gospel  "  was  wholly  new  and  unheard  of 
 *'  in  the  ancient  church  ;  not  only  among  the  fathers,  but  the  he- 
 **  retics."f  And  the  no  less  learned  Dr.  Randolph  assures  us, 
 that  "  it  is  certain  all  Christian  writers  have  quoted  this  text,  and 
 •'  argued  from  it,  as  a  clear  proof  of  the  eternity  and  divinity  of 
 *'  the  Son."  See  his  Vindication  of  the  Doctrine  of  the  Trinity, 
 part  2.  p.  30,  where  the  reader  will  fitid  a  considerable  number  of  tes- 
 timonies from  the  Fathers,  in  addition  to  those  1  have  produced  ubove. 
 
 *  See  Defences  of  Uuitarianism  for  the  year  1787,  p.   58. 
 +  See   Bishop    Stillingfleet  on  the  Trini  ty,  p.    125.— -Dr.   Doddridge  says  upon 
 this   introduction    to    St.   John's   gospel—"   I  am    fully    sensible  of    the  sublime 
 "  and  mysterious  nature  of  the  doctrine  of  Christ's    deity,    as   here   declared,  and 
 "  it  is  A  matter  of  conscience  with  nic  thus  strongly  to  declare  my  belief  of  it." 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  305 
 
 "  ordained  to  have  true  dominion  and; authority  in  God's 
 "  own  time.  God  employed  him  as  an  instrument,  or 
 "  under-agent,  framing  and  fashioning  the  world  of 
 "  inferior  creatures ;  and  approved  of  his  services  so 
 "  well  as  to  do  nothing  without  him."  ' 
 
 Dr.  Clarke's  observations  upon  this  introduction  to 
 the  gospel  of  St.  John  are  as  follow  : — /;/  the  beginning ^ 
 "  before  all  ages ;  before  the  creation  of  the  world  -, 
 "  before  the  world  was,  John  17.  5.  And  verse  3d. 
 *'  of  this  chapter,  All  things  were  made  by  him^  and 
 "  without  him  zvas  not  any  thing  made  that  was  made. 
 "  And  verse  10,  The  world  was  made  by  him.  Thus 
 "  was  this  phrase  constantly  understood  in  the  primi- 
 "  tive  church.  And  nothing  can  be  more  forced  and 
 **  unnatural,  than  the  interpretation  of  the  Socinian 
 '*  writers,  who  understand.  In  the  beginning,  to  signify 
 "  only,  At  the  first  preaching  of  the  gospel. 
 
 "  IVas  the  Word.  The  Word,  the  Oracle  of  God, 
 "  the  great  Revealei*  of  the  will  of  God  to  mankind. 
 "  Rev.  I.  5,  The  faithful  witness.  Rev.  3,  14,  The 
 ^^  faithful  and  true  witness.  Rev.  19,  11,  Faithful  and 
 "  true.  Rev.  19.  13,  And  his  name  is  called.  The 
 "  IVord  of  God.  The  Word,  the  Interpreter,  and 
 "  Messenger  of  his  Father.  Athanas.  contra  Gentes. 
 "  And  the  Word  was  with  God.  Not  ev  tu  6ew,  but 
 "  'TT^oQ  Tov  Gfov,  was  present  with  God.  Was  with  the 
 "  Father^  i  John  i.  2.  Had  glory  with  God  before  the 
 "  world  zvasy  John  17.  5.  I  was  by  him  as  one  brought 
 "  up  with  him,  Prov.   8.  30. 
 
 "  And  the  Word  zvas  God.  Was  that  visible  person, 
 "  who  under  the  Old  Testament  appeared  fv  y^o<^(pvt 
 "  fifs,  in  the  form  of  God^  Phil.  2.  6.  In  whom  the 
 "  name  of  God  was,  Ex.  23.  21.  God,  the  angel 
 "  of  the  Lord,  Zech.  12.  8;  Plosea  12.  3,  4;  Gen. 
 "  31.    II,    13  i   and  Gen.  48.    15,   16. — Merov.vi  rvj;  row 
 
 Q.  q 
 
 •  $ee  Waterland's  Eight  Sermons,  p.  14,  15. 
 
3o6  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 "  AvTo^sB  ^soT'/fTog  SfOTTo/a/xfvo^j  God  by  communication 
 "  of  Divinity  from  him  who  is  of  himself  God  :  Ori- 
 "  gen  in  Johan :  p.  46,  Huetii. 
 
 "  If  this  be  the  right  interpt'etation  of  the  text  j 
 "  then  the  words  Ev  Ǥ%viv|v  0  Xoycg,  in  the  beginning  was 
 "  the  JVord;  and  0  hoyoQ  (jctt^  eyevero,  the  Word  was 
 "  fiiadefesh  ;  mean,  that  the  same  person,  ivho^  in  the 
 "  fulness  of  time  was  made  Man  and  dwelt  with  usy 
 "  did  before  dwell  with  God,  and  acted  in  the  capacity 
 "  of  a  Divine  person,  as  the  visible  image  of  the  in- 
 "  visible  God,  by  whom  God  made  all  things,  and 
 "  by  whom  all  things  were  from  the  beginning  trans- 
 "  acted  between  God  and  the  creature.  But  on  the 
 "  other  side,  if  the  word  Koyog  here  signifies,  J^oyog 
 "  sv^iu^sTog,  the  internal  reason  or  wisdom  of  the  Fa- 
 "  ther,  which  opinion  was  expressly  condemned  at 
 *'  the  council  of  Sirmium,  then  the  words  ffx^i 
 ' "  sysvsro,  ver.  14..  zvas  made  flesh,  can  mean  only 
 "  figuratively,  that  the  wisdom  of  the  Father  dwelt 
 "  in  the  man  Christ  j  which  is  really  making  him  no 
 **  other  than  a  mere  man."  * 
 
 The  Catholic  construction  of  the  three  first  verses  of 
 this  introduction  is  to  this  purpose  : — "In  the  beginning, 
 before  the  creation  of  the  world,  or  the  first  production 
 of  any  created  Being  whatever,  the  Word  existed;  and 
 the  Yv^ord  was  no  distant  and  separate  power,  estranged 
 from  God,  or  unacquainted  with  him,  but  he  was  origi- 
 nally with  God  the  Father  of  all,  as  one  brought  up 
 ■with  him.  Nay,  by  a  generation  which  none  can  fully 
 comprehend,  the  Word  was  himself  God,  and  possessed 
 of  a  nature  truly  and  properly  divine.  And  when  it 
 pleased  the  Father  to  begin  the  work  of  creation,  all 
 things  in  the  whole  compass  of  nature,  were  made  by 
 this  Almighty  Word;  and  without  him  was  not  so 
 much  as  one  single  Being,  whether  among  the  noblest, 
 
 or 
 
 »  Scripture  Doctrine,  p.  72,  73. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  307 
 
 or  tjie  meanest  of  God's  various  works,    made,  that 
 was  made." 
 
 This  is  the  Catholic  interpretation.  And  that  it  is  the 
 only -true  one  is  evident  to  me  from  a  variety  ot  consi- 
 derations. 
 
 1.  From  the  design  of  St.  John  in  writing  his  gospel. 
 
 2.  From  the  Logos's  being  a  term  in  frequent  use 
 among  the  Jews  for  the  second  hypostasis  in  the  Divine 
 Nature. 
 
 3.  From  the  Heathen  and  Mahometan  applicati  n  o£ 
 the  Logos  of  St.  John  to  a  person  truly  divine. 
 
 4.  From  the  Christian  Fathers  having  been  unanimous- 
 ly of  the  same  opinion. 
 
 5.  From  the  Christian  church's  in  all  ages  and  in  all 
 countries  having  been  of  this  opinion. 
 
 6,  From  several  of  the  most  learned  of  our  own 
 writers  having  given  the  best  and  most  satisfactory 
 reasons  for  this  interpretation. 
 
 For  all  these  reasons  t  conclude,  that  the  Catholic, 
 interpretation  of  these  words,  is  sound,  and  that  Sabci- 
 lianism,  Socinianism,  and  Arianism,  have  no  counte- 
 nance from  the  introduction  to  St.  John's  Gospel.  * 
 
 I.  From  the  design  of  St.  John  in  writing  his 
 gospel. 
 
 This  appears  from  both  Iren^eus  and  Jerome,  and 
 also  from  internal  evidence,  to  have  been  in  opposition 
 to  the  heresies  of  Cerinthus  and  Ebion,  who  denit  d  the 
 divinity  of  our  blessed  Saviour. "  The  testimonies  of 
 Irenseus  and  Jerome  we  have  already  produced  at  'the 
 beginning  of  this  enquiry  into  the  meaning  <f  St.  John. 
 The  internal  marks  arise  from  the  various  terms  made 
 
 Q^  q  2  use 
 
 *  These  Introductcry  verses  are  rescued  from  the  perversions  of 
 the  Socinians  with  considerable  ability  by  Dr.  Jainiesdn  in  his  Vin- 
 dication, book  2.  chap.   1. 
 
 *  Consult  the  very  learned  Michaelis's  Introductory  Lectures  to 
 the  New  Testament,  sec,  98  — 105,  where  there  is  a  particular  ac- 
 count of  the  design  of  St.  John  in  writing  this  most  invaluable 
 gospel. 
 
308  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 use  of  by  the  Apostle  in  this  introduction,  whereby  it 
 appears,  that  he  applies  all  the  leading  teniis  to  Christ, 
 which  the  Cerintlii.ns  and  other  heretics  usually  applied 
 to  their  imaginary /Eons.  "  He  combined  in  the  pcr- 
 "  son  of  Jrini,  wlto  wiis  made  fiesh  and  divclt  amon^  us 
 "  whatever  the  earlier  Gnostics  attributed  to  the  vari- 
 "  ous  divinities  included  in  their  geneal-  gies.  In  him 
 "  the  whole  Pleroma  is  contained.  He  is  Movcyfvv;?, 
 *'  A07C?,  Zwv),  Y.c.pigy  AKv,^£iu.  Ke  is  moreover  the  Crea- 
 "  tor,  the  Enlightner,  the  Saviour  of  the  world  :  and  ail 
 "  who  believe  in  him,  he  consecrates  the  Sens  of  God, 
 "  and  raises  to  the  hope  of  immortal  life."' 
 
 2.  From  the  Logos's  being  a  term  in  frequent  use 
 among  the  Jews  for  the  second  hypostasis  in  the 
 Divine  nature.  ' ' 
 
 This  proposition  has  been  proved  above,  and  will  be 
 shewed  more  at  large,  when  we  come  to  treat  of  the 
 opinions  of  the  ancient  Jews  in  the  fifth  part  of  this 
 work,  to  which  I  beg  leave  to  refer  the  serious  reader. 
 
 3.  From  the  Heathen  application  of  the  Logos  of  St. 
 John  to  a  person  truly  Divine  : 
 
 For  the  proof  of  tiiis  proposition  also,  the  irader  Is 
 respectfully  requested  to  turn  to  the  sixth  part  of  this 
 work,  where  the  subject  is  considered  more  at  large, 
 than  in  the  above  references. 
 
 4.  From  the  Christian  fathcrc  lirtving  been  unanimous- 
 ly of  the  same  opinion. 
 
 The  truth  of  this  prcpooilion  likewise  is  examined  in 
 the  seventh  part  of  this  v/ork,  whither  the  reader  is 
 referred  for  the  proof,  besides  the  quotations  we  hiive 
 already  produced, 
 
 5.  From 
 
 '  See  a  very  ingenious  und  le.irr.cc  dlscoinse  by  ti>e  Rev.  Daniel 
 Veysie,  preached  before  the  University  of  Oxford,  entitled,  "  The 
 **  Doctrine  of  St.  John,  and  the  Fasih  of  the  first  Christians,  not 
 "  Unitarian,"  p.  27,  28.  Dr.  Waterliind  ulio  in  his  Importance 
 of  the  Doctrine  of  the  Tiinivy,  p.  254,  Sec.  has  shewn  at  large 
 how  almost  every  expression  in  the  beginning  of  this  Gospel  is 
 pointed  against  the  heretics  of  those  duys. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  Tx^INITY.  30^ 
 
 5.  Fiorn  the  Christian  church's  in  ali  ages  and  in 
 all  countries  having  b^cn  of  his  opinion. 
 
 This  is  con^-sscdly  true  both  of  the  Greek,  the 
 Roman,  and  the  Protestant  churches  throughout 
 Cliriotendom.  There  v/as  a  temporary  exceptio:.,  in- 
 CiC',i.\i  when  it  was,  "  Athanasius  against  the  world." 
 But  thiy  continued  only  for  a  short  time,  according  to 
 the  inclination  of  the  reigning  princes;  and  even  then 
 there  was  no  dispute  concerning  the  prc-existence  of 
 the  Son  of  God. 
 
 6.  From  several  of  the  most  learned  of  our  own 
 writers  having  given  the  best  and  most  satisfactory 
 reasons  for  this  interpi'ctation. 
 
 One  of  these  I  will  produce  somewhat  at  large,  and  re- 
 fer to  several  others,  who  have  <>;iven  a  similar  account 
 of  It,  m  the  m.argm.  The  one  to  whom  I  would  par- 
 ticularly call  the  attention  of  the  reader  upon  this  sub- 
 ject is  Archbishop  Tillotson.  In  my  judgment  he  has 
 given  a  very  full  and  satisfactory  view  of  the  Apostle's 
 whole  argument. 
 
 This  Prelate  has  four  learned  and  ingenious 
 discourses  upon  our  Lord's  divinity,  which  I  would 
 earnestly  recommend  to  the  repeated  perusal  of  the 
 reader.  They  have  frequently  been  caviled  with  and 
 nibbled  at  by  the  opposers  of  that  great  doctrine,  but 
 have  never  been  fairly  and  honesdy  answered.  That 
 is  impossible.  They  will  maintain  their  ground  as 
 long  as  good  sense,  just  interpretation,  sound  religion, 
 and  the  English  language,  are  known  among  men.  As 
 they  are  not  however  in  every  hand,  I  will  present  the 
 reader  with  his  general  view  of  diis  introducdon  to  the 
 gospel  of  St.  John,  which  is  calculated  to  throw  much 
 light  upon  the  whole  doctrine  of  our  Saviour's  divinity  : 
 **  I  shall  consider  these  two  things,"  says  he,  "distinct- 
 *'  ly  and  severally,  First,  the  reason  of  this  name  or 
 ^"  title  of  the  Word,  here  given  by  the  Evangelist  to 
 *'  our  blessed  Saviour.  And  he  seems  to  have  done 
 *'  it  in  compliance  with  the  common  way  of  speaking 
 
 among 
 
}t*  AN  APOLOGY  FOK  THE 
 
 "  among  the  Jews,  who  frequently  called  the  Messias 
 *'  by  the  name  of  the.  Word  of  the  Lord;  of  which  j 
 *•'  might  give  many  instances  :  but  there  is  one  very  re- 
 /'  markabie,  in  the  Targum  of  Jonathan,  which  renders^ 
 '*  those  words  of  the  psalmist,  which  the  Jews  acknow-. 
 "  ledged  to  be  spoken  of  the  Messias,  viz.  the  Lord 
 "  said  unto  my  Lord,  sit  thou  on  my  right  handy  i^c.  X 
 "  say  it  renders  them  thus,  the  Lord  said  unto  his  fVord^^ 
 "  sit  thou  on  my  right  handy  &c.  And  so  likewise  Phila 
 *'  the  Jew  calls  him  i^y  whom  God  made  the  ujorldy  tbe^ 
 "  Word  of  Gody  and  the  Son  of  God.  And  Plato  proba- 
 «  bly  had  the  same  notion  from  the  Jews,  which  made 
 **  Amehus  the  Platonist,  when  he  read  the  beginning 
 **  of  St.  John's  gospel,  to  say,  this  Barbarian  agrees 
 "  with  PlaiOy  ranking  the  Word  in  the  order  of  principles  y 
 **  meaning  that  he  made  the  Word  the  principle  or, 
 "  efficient  cause  of  the  world,  as  Plato  also  hath  done. 
 
 "  And  this  title  of  the  word  was  so  famously  knowi; 
 "  to  be  given  to  the  Meffias,  that  even  the  enemies  of 
 "  Christianity  took  nonce  of  it.  Julian  the  apostate 
 "  calls  Christ  by  this  name  :  and  Mahomet  in  his  alco- 
 *^  ran  gives  this  name  of  the  Word  to  Jesus  the  son  of 
 "  Mary.  But  St.  John  had  probably  no  reference  to 
 "  Plato,  any  otherwise  than  as  the  Gnosticks,  against; 
 ''  whom  he  wrote,  made  use  of  several  of  Plato's  words 
 "  and  notions-  So  that  in  all  probability  St.  John 
 "  gives  our  blessed  Saviour  this  title  with  regard  to  thq 
 "  Jews  more  especially,  who  anciently  called  the  Mes- 
 "  sias  by  this  name. 
 
 •idly.  "  We  will  in  the  next  place  consider,  what 
 "  might  probably  be  the  occasion  why  this  evangelist 
 "  makes  so  frequent  mention  of  this  tide  of  the  Word, 
 "  and  insists  so  much  upon  it.  And  it  seems  to  be 
 "  diis  :  nay,  I  think  that  hardly  any  doubt  can  be  made 
 "  of  it,  since  the  most  ancient  of  the  fathers,  who  lived 
 *'  nearest  the  time  of  St.  John,  do  confirm  it  to  us. 
 
 "  St.  John,  who  survived  all  the  apostles,  lived  to' 
 "  see  those  heresies  which  sprang  up  in  the  beginning 
 
 of 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  jii 
 
 *'  of  Christianity,  during  the  lives  of  the  apostles, 
 "  grown  up  to  a  great  height,  to  the  great  prejudice 
 •*  and  disturbance  of  the  Christian  religion :  I  mean 
 **  the  heresies  of  Ebion,  and  Cerinthus,  and  the  sever- 
 *<  al  sects  of  the  Gnosticks  which  began  from  Simon 
 **  Magus,  and  were  continued  and  carried  on  by  Valen- 
 '**  tinus  and  Basilides,  Corpocrates  and  Menander:  some 
 *«  of  which  expressly  denied  the  divinity  of  our  Saviour, 
 *'  asserting  him  to  have  been  a  mere  man,  and  to  have 
 ^'  had  no  manner  of  existence  before  he  was  born  of 
 '**  the  blessed  Virgin,  as  Eusebius  and  Epiphanius  tell 
 "  us  particularly  concerning  Ebion :  which  those  who 
 .*'  hold  the  same  opinion  now  in  our  days,  may  do  well 
 '"  to  consider  from  whence  it  had  its  original. 
 
 "  Others  of  them,  I  still  mean  the  Gnosricks,  had 
 
 *'  corrupted  the  simplicity  of  the  Christian   doctrine, 
 
 '*'  bv  minglino;  with  it  the  fancies  and  conceits  of  the 
 
 '"  Jewish  cabbalists,  and  of  the  schools  of  Pythagoras 
 
 **  and  Plato,  and  of  the  Chaldean  philosophy,  more  an- 
 
 '*  cient  than  either  j  as  may  be  seen  in  Eusebius  de  pro'- 
 
 '"  parat.  evang.  and  by  jumbling  all  these  together  they 
 
 '  *'  had  framed  a  confused  genealogy  of  deities,  which  they 
 
 '"'  called  by  several  glorious  names,  and  all  of  them  by 
 
 '"  the  general  name  of  i^ons  or  Ages:  among  which 
 
 "  they  reckoned  Zwvj,  and  Aoy©^,  and  Movoysv/;,  and 
 
 '  "  nxvipwpi«,   that  is,  the  Life,  and  the  Word  and   the 
 
 **  Only-begotten,   and   the  Fulness,   and   many   other 
 
 *'  divine  powers  and  emanations  which  they  fancied  to 
 
 **  to  be  successively  derived  from  one  another. 
 
 "  And  they  also  distinguished  between  the  maker  of 
 *'  the  world  whom  they  called  the  God  of  the  old  testa- 
 *'  ment,  and  the  God  of  the  new :  and  between  Jestts 
 '  **  and  Christ;  Jesus  according  to  the  doctrine  ot  Cc- 
 **  rinthus,  as  Irenasus  tells  us,  being  the  man  thatwa^ 
 *^  born  of  the  virgin,  and  Christ  or  the  Messias,  being 
 *^  that  divine  power  or  Spirit  which  afterwards  dcscend- 
 '**  ed  into  Jesus  and  dwelt  in  him. 
 
 "  If  it  were  possible,  yet  it  would  be  to  no  purpose, 
 
 to 
 
312  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 "  to  go  about  to  reconcile  these  wild  conceits  with  one 
 
 **  another ;  and  to  find  out  for  what  reason  they  were 
 
 **  invented,  unless  it  were  to  amuse   the  people  with 
 
 '*  these   his^h  swelling  words  of  vanity^  and  a  pretence 
 
 "  of  knowledge  falsly  so  called^  as  the  apostle  speaks  in 
 
 '^  allusion  to  the  name  of  Gnosticks,  that  is  to  say,  the 
 
 **  men  of  knowledge,  which  they  proudly  assumed  to 
 
 **  themselves,  as   if  the  knowledge  of  mysteries   of  a 
 
 "  more  sublime  nature  did  peculiarly  belong  to  them.  - 
 
 **  In  opposition  to  all  these  vain  and  groundless  con- 
 
 "  ceits,  St.  John  in  the  beginning  of  his  gospel  chooses 
 
 "  to  speak  of  our  blessed  Saviour,  the  history  of  whose 
 
 "  life  and  death  he  was  going  to  write,  by  the  name  or 
 
 "  title  of  the  Word,  a  term  very  famous  among  those 
 
 "  srcrs:  and  shews  that  this  Word  o€.God,  which  was 
 
 "  also  the  title  the  Jews  anciently  gave  to  the  Messias, 
 
 "  did  exist  before  he  assumed   a  human  nature,  and 
 
 "  even  from  all  eternity :  and  that  to  this  eternal  Word 
 
 "  did  truly  belong  ail  those  titles  which  they  kept  such 
 
 **  a  canting  stir  about,   and  which   they  did    with    so 
 
 "  much   sensless  nicety  and  subtilty   distinguish  from 
 
 "  one   another,   as  if  they   had  been  so  many   several 
 
 "  emanations   from   the   deity:  and  he  shews  that  this 
 
 *'  Word  of  God  was  really  and  truly  the  life,  and  the 
 
 "  light,  and  the  fulness,  and  the  cnly-begotten  of  the  Fa- 
 
 "  ther ;    v.    5       In    h:m    zvas    the    life,    and    the    life 
 
 "  was    the   li'^kt    of   7nen ;    and  ver.   6.   and  the  light 
 
 "  shineth  in  darkness^  and  the  darkness  comprehended  it 
 
 *•  not:  and  ver.  7,  8,  9.  where  the  evangelist  speaking 
 
 '■'■  of  John  the  Baptist,  says  of  him,  that  he  came  for  a 
 
 *'  witness^  to  hear  witness  of  the  light ;   and  that  he  was 
 
 "  not  that   lights  hut  was  sent  to  hear  witness  of  that 
 
 "  light :  and  that  light  was  the  true  light  which  coming 
 
 "  into  the  zvorld  enlightens  every  man',  and  ver.  14.  and 
 
 *'  we  beheld  his  glory  y  the  glory  as  of  the  only -begotten  of 
 
 *"'  the  Fat  her  y  full  of  grace  and  truth  :  and  ver.  16.    ./^nd 
 
 **  of  bis  fulness  we  all  receive,  ^c.     You  see  here  is  a 
 
 **  perpetual  allusion  to  the  glorious  titles  which  they 
 
 gave 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  313 
 
 **  gave  to  their  iEons,  as  if  they  had  been  so  many 
 *^  several  deities. 
 
 "In  short,  the  evangelist  shews  that  all  this  fanciful 
 "  genealogy  of  divine  emanations,  with  which  the  Gnos- 
 '■'  ticks  made  so  great  a  noise,  was  mere  conceit  and 
 "  imagination  ;  and  that  all  these  glorious  titles  did 
 "  really  meet  in  the  Messias  who  is  the  Word,  and  who 
 "  before  his  incarnation  was  from  all  eternity  with  God, 
 "  partaker  of  his  divine  nature  and  glory. 
 
 "  I  have  declared  this  the  more  fully  and  particular- 
 "  ly,  because  the  knowledge  of  it  seems  to  me  to  be 
 "  the  only  true  key  to  the  interpretation  of  this  dis- 
 *5  course  of  St.  John  concerning  our  Saviour  under  the 
 "  name  and  title  of  the  Word.  And  surely  it  is  a  quite 
 "  wrong  way  for  any  man  to  go  about  by  the  mere 
 "  strength  and  subtilty  of  his  reason  and  wit,  though 
 *'  never  so  great,  to  interpret  an  ancient  book,  without 
 **  understanding  and  considering  the  historical  occasion 
 "  of  it,  which  is  the  only  thing  that  can  give  true  light 
 "  to  it. 
 
 "  And  this  Was  the  great  and  fatal  mistake  of  Socinus, 
 "  to  go  to  interpret  scripture  merely  by  criticising  upon 
 "  words,  and  searching  into  all  the  senses  that  they  are 
 "  possibly  capable  of,  till  he  can  find  oney  though  never 
 "  so  forced  and  foreign,  that  will  save  harmless  the 
 *'  opinion,  which  he  was  before-hand  resolved  to  main- 
 "  tain,  even  against  the  most  natural  and  obvious  sense 
 "  of  the  text  which  he  undertakes  to  interpret:  just  as 
 *'  if  a  man  should  interpret  ancient  statutes  and  records 
 "« by  mere  critical  skill  in  words,  without  any  re- 
 "  gard  to  the  true  occasion  upon  which  they  v;ere  m.adc, 
 '*  and  without  any  manner  of  knowledge  and  insight 
 "  into  the  history  of  the  age  in  which  they  v^'ere 
 "  written." 
 
 Such  are  the  reasonings  of  thisiearned  man  upon  this 
 introduction  to  St.  John's  gospel.  To  me  they  are 
 perfectly  satisfactory  :  and,  when  considered  in  connec- 
 tion with  the  great  chain  of  evidence  from  the  beginning 
 
 R  r  o 
 
314  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 of  the  world  to  the  present  time,  they  contain  an  un- 
 questionable proof  of  the  eternal  divinity  of  our  blessed 
 Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ.  * 
 
 302,*  Jesus  did  not  commit  himself  unto  them,  because  ut 
 KNEW  ALL  MEUy  and  needed  not  that  any  should  test  i- 
 fy  of  man  :  for  he  knew  what   was   in   man. 
 John  1.  24,  25. 
 
 '  In  this  p-,issage  the  Apostle  bears  witness  to  the  om- 
 niscience  of  his  divine  Master,  which  is  an  attribute 
 peculiar  to  the  Deity, 
 
 303.*  Jesus  knowing  that  the  Father  had  given  all  things 
 into  his  hands,  and  that  he  was  come  from  God, 
 arid  zveiit  to  God.     John  13.3. 
 
 In  these  words  St.  John  declares  the  pre-existence 
 and  onnnipotence  of  Christ:  an  omnipotence  indeed 
 dcriv  .1  from  his  Father;  but  this  is  what  all  are  agreed 
 in  ;  seeing  the  Son  of  God  confessedly  acts  by  a  power 
 derived  from  his  Father,  as  truly  as  every  earthly 
 offspring  acts  by  a  power  derived  from  his  earthly 
 parent. 
 
 We  may  observe  farther,  that  this  same  divine  author 
 tells  us  expressly,  that  he  wrote  his  gospel  in  order  to 
 prove  Jesus  to  be  Christ,  and  the  Son  of  God,  and 
 that  believing  v/e  might  have  life  through  his  name. 
 
 304.  Tidany  other  signs  truly,  says  he,  did  Jesus  in  The 
 presence  of  his  disciples,  which  are  not  written  in  this 
 book :  but  these  are  written,  that  ye  might  believe 
 that  Jesus  is  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  God;  and  that 
 
 believing 
 
 ♦  For  further  evidence  on  thl«  important  passage  of  holy  scripture, 
 consult  Burnet  on  the  Articles,  art.  2.  p.  54 — 56  ;  Bull's  Judgment 
 of  the  Catholic  church,  c.  2  ;  Grotius,  Lightfoot,  Hammond,  and 
 Whitby  on  the  place.  See  also  Dr.  Randolph's  Vindication,  part 
 2.  p.  23-^32.  The  incomparably  learned  Bishop  Pearson  hath 
 vindicated  the  orthodox  interpretation  with  his  usual  ability  in  his 
 Exposition  of  the  Creed,  p.  116 — 119.  See  likewise  Mr.  Charles 
 Leslie's  unanswerable  reasonings  on  these  verses  of  St.  Jcrfin  in  Ws 
 €:j;<;€]Ient  Dialogues  on  the  Socinian  Controversy, 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  515 
 
 helievingye  might  have  life  through  his  name.     John 
 20.  30,31. 
 
 This  is  a  proper  close  to  a  book,  where  the  autlior 
 had  first  insisted  on  the  personal  dignity  of  ti-.e  Re- 
 deemer,-and  then  confirmed  what  he  had  advanced  by 
 an  induction  of  particular  and  supernatural  acti<jns,  to- 
 gether with  a  variety  of  reasonings  upon  those  actions. 
 And,  upon  the  whole,  it  satisfactorily  appears,  that  the 
 person,  of  whom  the  Aposde  had  been  writing,  v,as  in- 
 deed the  true  and  proper  Son  of  God,  who  was  tn  the 
 beginning  with  Godj  and  who  was  God,  but  who,  if?  the 
 fulness  of  time i  was  made  flesh  for  the  redempdon  of  the 
 human  race. 
 
 >«(MC««K,%ft)CMiM« 
 
 PART  SECOND. 
 
 SECTION    XI. 
 
 The  DIVINITY  of  Christ  argued  from  some  pasages  in  the  fini 
 Epistle  ot  St.  John, 
 
 THIS  same  blessed  Apostle  begins  his  first  Epistle 
 with  a  description  of  the  divinity  and  humanity 
 of  Jesus,  and  ends  it  with  the  strongest  declaration  of 
 his  supreme  Deity.  And  all  this  he  does  in  opposition 
 to  the  several  heresies  of  the  age  in  which  he  lived. 
 For,  it  is  well  known  by  the  leained,  there  were  some 
 then,  who  denied  the  divinity  of  our  Saviour,  and  others 
 who  run  into  the  contrary  extreme,  and  denied  hii  hu- 
 manity. In  opposition  to  which  errors,  St.  John,  by 
 his  apostolical  authority,  asserts  both  the  one  and  the 
 other,  at  the  very  opening  of  diis  divine  discourse.  He 
 had  been  peculiarly  loved  by  his  master,  and  he  retained 
 a  peculiar  concern  for  tlie  honour  of  his  master.     And 
 
 R  r  2  as 
 
31^  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  TKE 
 
 as  he  had  introduced  his  gospel  with  an  account  of  his 
 divine  nature,  and  then  proceeded  to  his  incarnation, 
 so  here  he  introduces  this  epistle  with  an  account  of  his 
 divinity  and  humanity  jointly  : — 
 
 305.*  T'hat  which  zcas  from  the  heglnnhigy  "juhich  we  have 
 looked  upon,  and  cur  hands-  have  handled  of  the 
 Word  of  Life ;  for  the  Life  was  manifejted,  and 
 we  have  seen  it,  and  hear  witness,  and  shew  unto 
 you  that  eternal  life  which  was  with  the  Father,  and 
 zvas  manifested  unto  us ;  that  which  we  have  seen 
 and  heard  declare  we  unto  ycu. 
 
 This  is  a  description  both  of  the  Saviour's  humanity 
 and  divinity.  ^  '^hat  which  was  from  the  beginning — the 
 Word  of  life — that  Eternal  life  which  was  with  the  Fa- 
 ther, and  was  mavifested  unto  us — are  all  expressions  of 
 similar  import  with  several  of  those  in  the  introduction 
 to  his  gospel,  and  are  intended  to  oppose  the  heresy  of 
 those  persons,  who  said  Jesus  Christ  was  nothing  more 
 than  a  mere  mian,  and  had  no  existence  before  he  was 
 born  of  the  Virgin.  So  the  expressions — which  we 
 have  heard — which  zve  have  seen  zvith  our  eyes — 'ii:hich 
 we  have  looked  upon — and  our  hands  have  handled  of  the 
 WORD  of  life — are  all  expressions  intended  to  oppose 
 the  heresy  of  those,  who  denied  his  real  humanity,  and 
 said  he  had  no  body,  no  flesh  and  blood,  but  only  in 
 appearance. 
 
 The 
 
 '  "  The  holy  Apostle  plainly  censures  the  same  heretics  (the 
 "  Docetrs,  Cerinthians  and  Ebionites)  in  this  first  Epistle  also,  and 
 *'  calls  them  all  by  that  one  name  of  Antichrists,  as  Irenzeus,  Ter- 
 **  tullian,  and  others  of  the  ancients  have  observed."  See  Bishop 
 Bull's  Judgment  of  the  Catholic  Church  of  the  three  first  centuries 
 concerning  the  necessity  of  believing,  that  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
 is  true  Gcd.  chap.  2.  sect.  5.  where  there  is  an  admirable  illus- 
 tration of  the  several  phrases  in  this  epistle  which  allude  to  the 
 heresies  then  prevailing  in  the  church.  The  passage  is  too  long  for 
 insertion  here,  otherwise  it  would  throw  much  light  upon  the 
 Apostle's  reasoning.  Consult  too  Waterland's  Importance  of  the 
 Doctrine  of  the  Trinity,  chap.  6.  p.  262—272,  where  th?  dfsiga 
 Ui  the  whole  epistle  is  well  illustrated. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  317 
 
 The  next  place  in  this  epistle,  v/hich  asserts  the 
 divinity  of  the  Son  of  God,  is  diat  in  the  beginning  of 
 the  second  chapter,  where  it  is  said  : — 
 
 306.  If  any  vinn  sin  we  have  an  advocate  ivith  the 
 Father,  Jesus  Christ  the  righteous :  and  he  is  Tfje 
 propitiation  for  our  sins  ;  and  not  for  ours  only^  but 
 also  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world. 
 
 Now,  though  this  passage  does  not  say  in  direct 
 terms,  that  Jesus  is  more  than  man,  yet  it  declares  such 
 things  of  him  as  cannot  be  predicated  of  any  mere  man. 
 For  the  atonement  for  the  sins  of  the  world,  which 
 Jv::,us  made  by  the  shedding  of  his  blood,  and  which 
 ii  so  strongly  expressed  in  these  words,  implies  abso- 
 lurcly  the  super- humanity  of  our  blessed  Saviour. 
 Common  sense  v/i'll  tell  any  person,  that  man  cannot 
 atone  for  man.  Hence  we  find,  that  all  the  Socinians, 
 who  deny  the  divinity  of  Christ,  deny  the  atonement 
 of  Christ.  For  the  atonement  for  sin  implies  tlie  di- 
 vinity. If  therefore  these  words  assert  tn.it  doctrine 
 of  the  atonement,  they  assert  at  the  same  time  the 
 doctrine  of  the  divinity.    They  stand  or  fail  together.  * 
 
 307.  Hereby 
 
 ^  A  volume  of  sermons  has  lately  been  published  upon  the  Atone- 
 ment, made  by  Christ  for  the  sins  of  mankind  by  the  Rev.  Daniel 
 Veysie,  which  were  preached  at  the  Bampton  Lecture.  In  my 
 judgment  they  are  well-reasoned  discourics,  and  perfectly  conclusive. 
 
 'I'he  Rev.  Caleb  Evan's  three  discourses  on  the  fame  subject  are 
 more  popular,  and  in  a  strain  much  more  evangelical.  1  do  not 
 recollect  to  have  seen  any  treatise  upon  the  subject  so  concise,  so 
 scriptural,  so  satisfactory,  and  so  consolatory,  to  an  awakened  mind. 
 
 I  transcribe  here  the  short  view  of  the   doctrine  of  Atonement 
 
 which  Dr.  Samuel  Johnson  gave   to  his  friend  Mr.  Boswell : 
 
 *•  Whatever  difficulty  there  may  be  in  the  conception  of  vicarious 
 '*  punishments,  it  is  an  opinion  which  had  possession  of  mankind 
 *'  in  all  ages.  There  is  no  nation  that  has  not  used  the  practice  of 
 '■'  sacrifices.  Whoever,  therefore,  denies  the  propriety  of  vicarious 
 *'  punishments,  holds  an  opinion  which  the  sentiments  and  practice 
 *•  of  mankind  have  contradicted,  from  the  beginning  of  the  world. 
 V  The  great  sacrifice  for  the  sins  of  mankind  was  offered  at  the 
 **  death  of  the  Messiah,  who  is  called  in  scripture,  T/je  Lamb  *_f 
 f  God,  that  takcth  aivny  the  sins  of  ttoe  nvorld.     To  judge  of  the 
 
$iS  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 307.  Hereby  perceive  we  the  love  of  Godj  because  he 
 laid  down  his  life  for  us,  ' 
 
 Some  copies  of  this  epistle  omit  the  words  of  God, 
 and  hence  it  has  beeii  thought  that  they  are  an  interpo- 
 lation. Whether  this  is  the  case  or  otherwise  I  under- 
 take not  to  determine.  It  is  certain,  however,  tha; 
 the  context  requires  the  words  to  make  sense  of  the 
 passage.  Nor  will  any  other  fill  it  up  with  equal  pro- 
 priety. 
 
 308.  Hereby 
 
 **  reasonableness  of  the  scheme  of  redemption,  it  must  be  considerr 
 **  ed  as   necessary  to  the  government  of  the   universe,  that  God 
 *'  should  make  known  his  perpetual  and  irreconcileable  detestatioa 
 *'  of  moral  evil.     He   might  indeed  punish,  and  punish    only  th$ 
 *'  offenders :  but  as  the  end  of  punishment  is  not  revenge  of  crimes, 
 **  but  propagation   of    virtue,    it  was   more  becoming  the  divine 
 **  clemency  to  find  another  manner  of  proceeding,  less  destructive 
 **  to  man,  and  at  least  equally  powerful  to  promote  goodness.     The 
 "  end  of  punishment  is  to  reclaim   and  warn.     That  punishment 
 **  will  both    reclaim  and   warn,  which  shews  evidently    such   ab- 
 «*  horrence  of  sin  in  God,  as  may  deter  us  from  it,  or  strike  us 
 **  with  dread  of  vengeance  when  we  have  committed  it.     This  is 
 '«<  effected  by  vicarious  punishments.     Nothing  could  more  testify 
 **  the  opposition  between  the  nature  of  God  and  moral  evil,  or  more 
 '*  amply  display  his  justice,  to  men  and  angels,  to  all  orders  and 
 **  successions  of  beings,  than  that  it  was  necessary  for  the  highest 
 y  and  purest  natare,  even  for  DlVI^'ITr  itself,  to  pacify  the  de- 
 "  mands  of  vengeance,  by  a  painful  death  ;  of  which   the  natural 
 **  effect  will  be,  that  when  justice  is  appeased,  there  is  a  proper 
 *'  place  for  the  exercise  of  mercy  ;  and  that  such  propitiation   shall 
 **  supply,  in  some  degree,  the  imperfections  of  our  obedience,  and 
 *'  the  inefRcacy  of  our  repentance.     For,  obedience  and  repentance, 
 "  such  as  we  can  perform,  are  still  necessary.     Our   Saviour   has 
 ••  told  us,  that  he  did  not  come  to  destroy  the  law,   but  to  fulfil : 
 *'  to  fulfil  the  typical  law,  by  the  performance  of  what  those  types 
 *'  had  foreshewn ;    and  the    moral   law,    by  precepts  of  greater 
 "  purity  and  higher  exaltation.— The   peculiar  doctrine  of  Chris- 
 *'  tianity,  is,  that  of  an  universal  sacrifice,   and   perpetual  propitia- 
 **  tion.     Other  prophets  only  proclaimed  the  will  and  the  threaten- 
 f*  ings  of  God.     Christ  satisfied  his  justice." 
 
 Life  of  Johnson  by  Boswell,  vol.  2.  p.  404. 
 '  1  John  3.   16.  Consult  Burgh's  Inquiry  for  an  able  defence  of 
 this  reading,  p.  115 — ng.     See  Doddridge  in  loco,  where  he  in- 
 clines to  reject  the  common  reading. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  319 
 
 308.  Hereby  know  ye  the  Spirit  of  God:  every  spirit 
 that  confesseth  that  Jesus  Christ  is  come  in  the  flesh 
 is  of  God :  *  and  every  spirit  that  confesseth  not 
 that  Jesus  Christ  is  come  in  the  flesh  is  not  of 
 God.  And  this  is  that  spirit  of  Antichrist ^  where- 
 of ye  have  heard  that  it  should  come^  and  evert 
 new  already  is  it  in  the  world. 
 
 ^(09.  In  this  was  manifested  the  love  of  God  toward  Us, 
 because  that  God  sent  his  only-begotten  Son  into  the 
 worldf  that  zve  jnight  live  through  him.  Herein 
 is  love.,  not  that  we  loved  Gody  but  that  he  loved 
 us,  and  sent  his  Son  to  be   the  propitiation  for  our 
 
 sins. And  the  Father  sejil   the  Son  to  be  the 
 
 Saviour  of  the  world.  ' 
 
 Wherte  was  the  extraordinary  love  of  God  in  send- 
 ing his  Sfm,  if  that  Son  was  a  mere  man  like  all  other 
 men  ?  If  such  only  is  their  meaning,  the  scriptures 
 mock  and  deceive  us.  But  if  Jesus  is  possessed  of  a 
 divine  nature,  and  was  with  the  Father  before  the  world 
 existed  ;  and  if  he  assumed  human  nature,  and  in  that 
 nature  made  a  real,  full,  and  proper  atonement  for  the 
 sins  of  the  world,  then  we  may  easily  discover  the  love 
 of  God  to  mankind  in  sending  his  Son  to  die,  and  all 
 those  scriptures  which  speak  of  God's  singular  love 
 to  his  creatures,  are  easy  to  be  comprehended,  and 
 admit  of  the  most  reasonable  interpretation. 
 
 310.  For  there  are  three  that  bear  record  in  heaven f 
 the  Father,  the  IVordj  and  the  Holy  Ghost :  and 
 these  three  are  one.  * 
 
 This 
 
 '  I  John  4.  i,  3.  "  This  language  is  perfectly  proper  on  the; 
 •*  supposition  of  Christ's  pre-existence  ;  but  very  improper  on  the 
 "  contrary  supposition  :  for  how  could  a  mere  man  come  otherwise 
 «*  than  in  the  flesh  r" 
 
 Price's  Sermons,  p.  136. 
 
 »  I  John  4.  9,  10,  14, 
 
 *  I  John  5.7.  "  Though  we  grant  this  text  is  not  quoted  by 
 *?  the  Nicene  Council  agains;  the  Aiians,  and  is  not  fcund  in  many 
 
5ic»  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  TrfE 
 
 This  declaration  is  so   full  and   absolute^  that  I  vvill 
 
 make 
 
 *'  ancient  copies  :  nay,  though  we  should  grant,  that  it  was  not 
 *'  originally  in  the  Epistle  of  St.  John,  It  is,  however,  a  good 
 "  argument  for  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity.     For 
 
 **  Jf  it  was  a  marginal  note,  and  so  crept  into  the  text,  this, 
 "  however,  shows  it  fo  have  been  the  opinion  of  the  most  ancient 
 "  and  primitive  Chrstians,  who  put  this  comment  to  the  text. 
 
 **  If  they  say  this  was  put  in  by  the  orthodox,  it  was  done  in 
 •*  opposition  to  heretics ;  and  this  was  a  sufficient  evidence  of  their 
 *'  firm  belief  of  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  then. 
 
 "  But  if  this  text  was  expunged  by  the  Arians,  who,  as  St. 
 **  Ambrose  observes  of  them,  were  remarkable  for  this  sort  of 
 *•  fraudulent  dealing  with  the  scriptures,  then  there  was  a  great  deal 
 *'  of  reason  for  restoring  it." 
 
 See  Fox  on  the  place  for  the  above  quotation. 
 
 Be  it  genuine  or  otherwise,  the  same  sentiment  is  found  in  other 
 parts  of  scripture,  and  the  ancient  Christian  writers  abound  with 
 expressions  of  a  similar  nature. 
 
 The  Historians  of  the  martyrdom  of  Ignatiiis  say  : — "  Glorify- 
 *'  irg  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  through  whom,  and  with  whom  glory 
 •'  and  power  be  to  the  Father,  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  in  the  holy 
 ♦'  church  forever  and  ever.      Amen." 
 
 Polycarp  died  expressing  his  gratitude  to  God  in  these  words  : — 
 *'  1  praise  thee,  1  bless  thee,  I  glorify  thee,  through  the  eternal 
 *'  High  Priest  Jesus  Christ  thy  beloved  Son,  through  whom,  to 
 "  thee,  with  him,  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  be  glory  both  now,  and  to  all 
 "  succeeding  ages.     Amen." 
 
 TertuUian  has  many  passages  like  unto  this  of  St.  John  : — "  I 
 "  do  testify,"  says  he,  "  that  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost, 
 ••■  are  undivided  one  from  another."     Adv.  Prax.  cap.  9. 
 
 Again  : — ".Two  Gods  or  two  Lords  we  never  have  named  with 
 *_'  our  mouth  ;  not  as  if  the  Father  were  not  God,  and  the  Son 
 **  God,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  God,  and  each  of  them  God."  Ibid, 
 cap.   13. 
 
 Again  : — "  I  every  where  hold  one  substance  in  three  cohering 
 **  together."     Ibid.  cap.   12. 
 
 He  alludes  also  to  this  text  when  he  says  : — "  These  three  are 
 •'  one  (essence  I  not  one  (person)  ;  in  like  manner  as  our  Lord  hath 
 "  said,  I  and  1  he  Father  are  one  (essence),  having  regard  only  to 
 "  the  unity  of  substance,  not  to  the  singularity  of  namber."  Ibid, 
 cap.  25. 
 
 St.  Cyprian  seems  to  have  a  full  quotation  of  this  text,  with 
 very  little  variation: — "  The  Lord  saith,  I  and  the  Father  are  one. 
 "  And  again  concerning  the  Father,  and  the  Son,  and  the  Holy 
 "  Ghost,  it  is  written— >fff^  these  three  are  one."  De  Unit.  Ec. 
 iiber. 
 
Doctrine  of  the  trinity.  321 
 
 make  no  comment  upon  it,  but  leave  the  reader  to  his 
 own  reflections.  It  should  seem,  if  the  Father  is  God, 
 so  is  the  Son,  and  so  is  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  yet  they 
 are  not  three,  but  one  God.  And  whether  the  text  is 
 genuine  or  spurious,  it  is  so  much  in  the  spirit  of 
 several  others,  that  the  doctrine  of  Christ's  divinity  and 
 the  Holy  Trinity  neither  stand  nor  fall  with  ic. 
 
 311.*  JVe  know  I  hat  the  Son  of  God  is  couir,  and  hath 
 given  us  an  understanding  that  zve  may  know  him 
 that  is  true  :  and  Zi'e  are  in  him  that  is  truCy  even 
 in  his  Son  Jesus  Christ.  This  is  the  true  God 
 and  eternal  life.  Little  ehildrenj  keep  yourselves 
 from  idols.     Amen. 
 
 Such  is  the  conclusion  of  this  most  divine  Epistle. 
 The  author  had  opened  it  with  a  declaration  of  the 
 Redeemer's  compound  person,  and  now  he  closes  all 
 his  cautioris  and  observations  with  another  solemn  de- 
 claration of  the  real  and  proper  Deity  of  the  Son  of 
 God.     For  the  whole  context  requires  that  these  words 
 
 S  s 
 
 Whoever  wishes  to  see  what  has  been  advanced  for  and  against 
 the  authenticity  of  this  text  may  consult  Mills,  Hammond,  Pool, 
 Henry,  and  Guise  in  loco.  See  too  Jones  on  the  Trinity,  ch.  3. 
 sect.  18.  There  are  various  other  persons  who  have  written  on 
 both  sides  of  this  question.  The  last  writers  w.ho  have  embarked 
 in  the  controversy  are  Mr.  Archdeacon  Travis  in  his  Letters  to 
 Mr.  Gibbon  in  favour  of  it,  and  Messrs.  Porson  and  Marsh  against 
 it.  Much  is  to  be  said  on  both  sides.  In  point  of  manuscripts, 
 however,  the  evidence,  I  think,  is  clearly  against  it.  But  the  con- 
 text seems  to  me  plainly  to  want  tlie  pass?.ga.  The  evidence  of 
 Tertullian  and  Cyprian  too  is  very  considerable.  As  this  is  the 
 case,  it  would  be  wrong  to  give  up  the  tex:,  but  imprudent  to  lay 
 any  very  serious    stress  upon  it,  in  a  controversy  of  any  magnitude. 
 
 The  reader  will  find  a  pretty  accurate  compendium  of  the  argu- 
 ments both  fur  and  against  the  authenticity  of  this  warmly  contested 
 passage  in  the  notes  to  the  New  Testament  in  Greek  and  English, 
 printed  for  Roberts  in  1729.  The  author  seems  to  have  been  an 
 Arian,  and  discovers  in  placv;s  great  bitterness  of  spirit  against  those 
 ■who  differ  from  him,  and  therefore  should  be  read  with  caution,  but, 
 upon  the  whole,  it  is  a  work  of  some  ability.  Ha  appears  to  wander 
 far  from  the  truth  in  his  interpretation  of  some  of  the  prophecies. 
 
32  2  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 should  be   understood   of  the   Son,   rather  than  of  the 
 Father.  * 
 
 ''^*s£iit»9'a><St^^®@-'^^:^^®®®96**^it>K 
 
 PART  SECOND. 
 
 SECTION     XII. 
 
 The  DIVINITY  of  Christ  argued  from  some   passages  in   the   book 
 ot  Revelation. 
 
 HE  book  of  Revelation  is  one  of  the  most  extra- 
 ordinary and  bei;r  authenticated,  '  of  all  the  com- 
 positions 
 
 *  I  John  5.  20,  21.  See  Whitby  on  the  place,  and  Bishop  Pear- 
 son on  the  Creed,  p.  131. — Dr.  Doddridge  observes  upon  it,  that 
 **  ft  is  an  argument  of  the  Deity  of  Christ,  which  almost  all  who 
 "  have  wrote  in  its  defence  have  urged  ;  and  which,  I  think,  none 
 *'  who  have  opposed  it,  have  so  much  as  appeared  to  answer." 
 
 Dr.  Clarke  has  treated  this  text  with  a  great  degree  of  disinge- 
 nuousness.     See  his  Scripture  Doctrine,  p.  51,  and  compare  Water- 
 land's   Eight  Sermons,  p.  212,  and  Dr.  Randolph's  Vindication  of 
 the  Doctrine  of  the   Trinity,    part    2.  p.   33.    See  also   Fleming's 
 Christology,  b.  2.  c.  5,  p.  20!.     The  learned  Doctor  appears  to 
 disadvantage.     Jamieson's  Vindication,  book   2.  chap.  2.  sets    the 
 doctrine  of  St.  John  in  this  excellent  epistle  in  a  just  light,  in  op- 
 position to  the  Socinians,     I  repeat  again  here,  that  the  reader  will 
 receive  much  satisfaction  from  Waterland's  Importance  of  tlie  doc- 
 trine of  the  Trinity  p.   271,  272.     See  too  his  Eight   Sermons,  p. 
 206 — 214. — It  is  the  more  remarkable  that  Dr.  Clarke  should  ap- 
 ply this  passage  to  the  Father  of  our   Lord,   seeing  he  speaks  such 
 strong  things  of  the  Deity  of  the  Son  in  other  parts  of  his  writings. 
 In  his  Reply  to  the  Objections  of  Robert  Nelson,  Esq.  he  saitli — 
 *'  The  Son  is  by  communication  of  divine  power  and  dominion  from 
 "  the  Father,  really  and  truly  God."   Page  50. — "  He  is  really  and 
 **  truly  God."  p.  52. — •'  The  Son  is  true  God,  by  communication 
 ''  of  divinity  from  the  Father."  p.  62. — "  Christ  is  by  nature  truly 
 "   God;  as  truly,  as  man  is   by   nature  truly  man."  p.   81.      See  va- 
 rious other  places   of  the  same  work  to  the   same  purpose.     His 
 friend  Whiston  also,  in  his  Vindication  of  the  Council  of  Nice,  saith, 
 "  Jesus  Christ  is  truly  God  and  Lord. — He  is  a  God  by  nature  ; 
 '*  and  was  such  before  his  incarnation,  nay,  before  the  creation  of 
 "  the  world."  p.  8. 
 
 '  ♦*  The  Apocalypse  has  more  human  authority  than  any  book 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  323 
 
 positions  In  the  sacred  volume,  and  is  supposed  to  have 
 been  written  the  last  of  all,  and  yet  is  the  most  curi- 
 ously constructed  of  all.  It  is  composed  with  more  tiian 
 human  skill.  It  opens  with  adescriptionof  the  person  of 
 Jesus,  in  his  present  glorified  humanity,  and  displays 
 many  of  the  secrets  of  the  invisible  world.  In  the 
 first  chapter  we  have  a  prayer  to  the  thr.re  persons 
 joindy,  Father,  Spirit,  and  Son,  with  an  ascription  of 
 praise  to  the  Son  alone  ;  and  then  a  particular  account 
 of  the  person  of  that  Son,  as  he  appeared  to  his  ser- 
 vant John. 
 
 312.*  Jo/m  to  the  seven  churches  "jshich  are  in  Asia; 
 
 Grace  be  unto  yoUy   and  peace  from  him  ivhicb  is, 
 
 and  which  was,  and  which  is  to  come  ;  and  from 
 
 the  seven   spirits  *  which  are  before  his  throne ; 
 
 S  s  2  and 
 
 *'  of  the  New  Testament  besides,  even  fircm  the  time  it  v/as  de- 
 "  livered."     Mr.  Joseph  Mede,  p.  602. 
 
 "  I  do  not  find  any  other  book  of  the  New  Testament  so  strong- 
 *'  ly  attested,  or  commented  upon  so  early  as  this  of  the  Apoca- 
 "  lypsc."  Sir  Isaac  Newton's  Observations  on  Daniel,  p.  249. 
 Consult  Lardner's  Credibility,  passim,  for  its  authority. 
 
 ♦  "  By  the  Seven  Spirits  must  be  meant  one  or  more  persons, 
 "  since  he  wishes  or  declares  Gritce  and  Peace  from  them.  Now 
 "  either  this  must  be  meant  of  Angels,  or  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
 "  There  are  no  where  prayers  made,  or  blessings  given,  in  the 
 "  name  of  Angels.  This  were,  indeed,  a  worshipping  them; 
 "  against  which  there  are  express  authorities,  not  only  in  the  other 
 "  books  of  the  New  Testament,  but  Jn  this  book  in  particular, 
 *'  Nor  can  it  be  imagined  that  Angels  would  have  been  named  be- 
 "  fore  Jesus  Christ :  So  then  it  remains,  that  Sc-ven  being  a  num- 
 *•  ber  that  imports  both  variety  and  perfection,  and  that  was  ths 
 "  sacred  number  among  the  Jews,  this  is  a  mystical  expression  ; 
 •'  which  is  no  extraordinary  thing  in  a  book  that  is  all  over  mys- 
 "  terious.  And  it  imports  one  person,  from  whom  all  that  variety 
 •'  of  gifts,  administrations,  and  operations  that  were  t'aen  in  th^ 
 ♦'  church,  did  flow:  And  this  is  the  Holy  Ghost.  But  as  to  his 
 "  being  put  in  order  before  Christ,  as  upon  the  supposition  of  aa 
 *'  equality,  the  going  out  of  the  common  order  is  no  great  matter  ; 
 **  so  since  theie  was  to  come  after  this  a  full  period  that  concerned 
 **  Christ,   it  might  be  a  natural  way  of  writing  to  name  him  last.'* 
 
 Burnet  on  ths  Art.  p.  48. 
 
324  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 and  from  Jesus  Christy  ivho  is  the  faithful  zvitnesSy 
 mid  the  first-begotten  of  the  dead,  and  the  prince 
 of  the  kings  of  the  earth :  Unto  him  that  loved 
 US3  and  ■'vo  ashed  us  from  our  sins  in  his  own  bloody 
 and  hath  viade  us  kings  and  priests  unto  God  and 
 '  his  Father;  to  him  be  glory  and  domini- 
 on   FOREVER    AND    EVER.       Allien. 
 
 After  this  prayer  to  the  three  persons,  Father,  Son, 
 and  Spirit,  and  ascription  of  praise  to  the  Son  alone, 
 comes  in  a  description  of  the  person  of  the  Judge  of 
 the  world : — 
 
 313.*  Behold-,  he  cometh  zvith  clouds  :  and every\eye  shall 
 see  hiniy  and  they  also  which  pierced  him  :  and  all 
 kindreds  of  the  earth  shall  "dcail  because  of  hi'ni  : 
 even  so.  Amen.  I  am  Alpha  and  Omega,  the 
 BEGINNING  and  the  ending,  saith  the  Lord, 
 which  IS,  and  which  was,  and  which  is  to  come, 
 the  Almighty.  ^ 
 
 Here 
 
 5  Rev.  I.  7.  8.  All  the  Ancients,  both  before  and  after  the  council 
 of  Nice,  understand  this  text  of  God  the  Son.  See  Waterland's 
 liight  Sermons,  p.  227,  228,  and  Defence  of  Queries,  p.  451. 
 Consult  likewise  Fiddcs's  Theol.  Spec.  vol.  i.  p.  397.  1  will 
 give  a  specimen  here  again  of  the  Ancients. 
 
 Hermas  teils  us,  that  "  The  name  of  the  Son  of  God  is  great  and 
 **  Vvithout  bounds,  and  the  whole  world  is  supported  by  it."  Sim, 
 9.  sect.   14. 
 
 Barnabas  saith,  "  Christ  is  Lord  of  the  whole  earth."  Epist. 
 sect.  5. 
 
 Tertullian  saith,  "  Christ  is  in  his  own  right  God  Almighty,  as 
 "  he  is  the  Word  of  Almighty  God."     Cont.  Prax.  c.   17. 
 
 Clemens  Alexandrinus  hath  this  saying — "  He  can  w.^nt  nothing, 
 "  who  hath  the  Word,  the  Almighty  God. — For  the  V/ord  is  a 
 **  possesHon  that  has  nothing  wanting  to  it."     Pasdag.  c.  7. 
 
 Origen  hath  the  following  observation  : — *'  That  you  may  know 
 *'  the  omnipotence  of  the  Father  and  the  Son  to  be  one  and  the  same 
 "  as  he  is  one  and  the  same  God  and  Lord  with  the  Father,  hear 
 *•  John  speaking  in  the  Revelation  in  this  manner— These  things 
 **  saith  the  Lord  God  who  is,  and  who  was,  and  who  is  to  come, 
 "  the  Almighty.  For  who  is  the  Almighty  that  is  to  come,  but 
 '•  Christ;" 
 
 De  Princip,  lib.   I.  p.  675. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITV.  325 
 
 Here  we  see,  two  of  the  incommunicable  perfections 
 of  God  are  expressly  applied  to  the  Redeemer  of  man- 
 kind. It  will,  therefore,  follow,  that  he  is,  together 
 with  his  Father,  God  eternal  and  omnipotent. 
 
 314.*  /  mn  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  first  and  the 
 LAST.  ^  This  is  repeated  more  than  once,  with 
 some  little  variation. — /  am  the  first  and  the 
 LAST. — I  have  the  keys  of  hell  and  of  death. — To 
 him  that  overcometh  will  I  give  to  eat  of  the  tree 
 of  life  'ujhich  is  in  the  midst  cf  the  paradise  of  God. 
 — /  zvill  give  thee  a  crown  of  life. — 
 
 These  expressions  seem  to  denote,  not  only  the 
 eternity  of  the  Son  of  God,  but  that  all  the  invisible 
 world  is  absolutely  under  his  controul ;  that  he  is  the 
 Lord  of  it,  killing  and  making  alive  at  his  own  plea- 
 sure ;  and  that  it  is  his  province  to  reward  or  doom  all 
 the  children  of  men  as  he  judges  meet.  These  appear 
 to  be  characters  Infinitely  unsuitable  to  mere  glorified 
 humanity. 
 
 315.*  All  the  churches  shall  know  that  I  am  he  which 
 searcheth  the  reigns  and  heart.    2.    23. 
 
 If  this  declaration  of  our  Saviour  be  compared  wicii 
 what  king  Solomon  says  of  God — ThoUy  even  thou 
 ONLY,  O  Gody  knowest  the  hearts  of  all  the  children  of 
 men,  1  Kings  8.  29 — '^^  will  follow,  that  Christ  chal- 
 lenges to  himself  one  of  the  incommunicable  proper- 
 ties 
 
 •Rev.  1.  11.  Dr.  Doddridge  saith  on  this  verse,  *' That  these 
 "  titles.  Alpha  and  Omega,  first  and  last,  should  be  repeated  so  soon, 
 "  in  a  connection  which  demonstrates  they  are  given  to  Christ,  wil! 
 *■'  appear  very  remarkable,  whatever  sense  be  given  to  the  eighth 
 "  verse.  The  argument  drawn,  in  the  preceding  note  upon  it, 
 *'  would  have  been  strong,  wherever  such  a  passage  as  this  had  beea 
 M  found  ;  but  its  immtdiate  connection  with  this,  greatly  strength- 
 **  ens  it.  And  I  cannot  forbear  recording  it,  that  this  text  has 
 ♦♦  done  more  than  any  other  in  the  bible,  toward  preventing  me 
 "  from  giving  into  that  scheme,  which  would  make  our  Lord  Jesus 
 '-'  Christ  no  more  than  a  deified  creature." 
 
3^6  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 tics  of  the  Divine  Being.  And  I  think  every  candid, 
 person  must  allow,  that  language  like  the  several  pas- 
 sages above,  very  ill  becomes  the  character  of  any 
 merely  human  creature. 
 
 After  the  Son  of  God  had  thus  made  his  appearance, 
 spoken  in  the  highest  stile  of  Deity,  and  ciictated  an 
 epistle  to  each  of  the  seven  churches  in  Asia,  in  wliich 
 these,  and  various  other  similar  declarations  of  the  Son 
 of  God,  occur;  v/e  are  favoured  vy^ith  a  view  ot  the 
 heavenly  inhabitants;  and  there  we  see  Jesus  seated 
 upon  a  throne,  and  receiving  from  ail  the  angelic  world 
 equal  honour  and  praise   with  his  everlasting   Father, 
 
 316.*  Afler  this  I  locked j  aud,  behold,  a  door  was  opened 
 in  heaven,  and  I  saw  what  passed  there.  Jnd, 
 behold,  a  throne  loas  set  in  heaven,  and  cm  sat  on 
 the  throne. — And  lo,  in  the  midst  of  the  throne, 
 and  of  the  four  beasts,  and  in  the  midst  of  the 
 elders,  stood  a  Lamb,  as  it  had  been  slain  ;  and 
 he  came  and  took  the  book  out  of  the  right  hand  of 
 him  that  sat  upon  the  throne.  And  'when  he  had 
 taken  the  book,  the  four  beasts  and  four  and  t'joenty 
 elders  fell  down  before  the  Lamb,  having  every  *one 
 of  them  harps,  and  golden  vials,  full  of  odours, 
 which  are  ruE  prayers  of  saints.'  And  they 
 sung  a  new  song,  saying.  Thou  art  worthy  to  take 
 the  book^  and  to  open  the  seals  thereof :  for  thm 
 wast  slain,  and  hast  redeemed  us  to  Gcd  by  thy 
 blood  out  of  every  kindred,  and  tongue,  and  people, 
 and  nation. — And  I  beheld,  and  I  beard  the  voice 
 of  many  angels  round  about  the  throne  and  the 
 elder i :  and  the  number  of  them  was  ten  thousand 
 times  ten  thousandy  and  thousands  of  thousands; 
 saying  zvith  a  loud  voice.  Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that 
 was  slain  to  receive  power,  and  riches,  and  wisdom, 
 and  strength,  and  honour,   and  glory,  and  blessing. 
 
 And 
 
 'Here  is  both  worship  and  prayer  offered  to  the  Lamb — the 
 prayers  of  ail  the  saints. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY. 
 
 327 
 
 j^nd  cocry  creature  zvhich  is  in  heaven^  and  on  the 
 earth,  and  such  as  are  in  the  sea,  and  all  that  are 
 in  them,  heard  I,  saying,  Blessing,  and  honour,  and 
 glory,  and  pozver,  be  unto  him  that  sitteth  upon  the 
 throne,  and  unto  the  'L. amz  for euer  and  ever,  * 
 
 Let  men  in  this  world  treat  the  Saviour  of  man- 
 kind with  what  indignity  they  may,  it  is  evident  from 
 these  passages,  that  the  angels  in  heaven  are  perfectly 
 well  acquainted  with  his  nature,  and  the  claims  he  hath 
 upon  their  services.  All  the  angels  of  God 
 WORSHIP  HIM  !  And  shall  ungrateful  man,  whom  he 
 hath  redeemed  at  the  price  of  his  blood,  refuse  him 
 that  honour  ? 
 
 In  an-^ther  part  of  this  extraordinary  book,  the  Lord 
 Jesus  is  represented  as  the  great  Vicegerent  of  his  Fa- 
 ther, and  heading  all  t!ic  inhabitants  of  the  upper 
 world : — 
 
 317.*  I  saw  heaven  opened;  and  behold,  a  zvhile  horse  j 
 and  he  that  sat  upon  him  -ivas  called.  Faithful  and 
 True — and  his  name  is  called.  The  Word  of 
 God.  '  ylnd  the  armies  ivhich  zvere  in  heaven  fol- 
 lozved  him  upon  zvhiie  horses^  clothed  in  fine  lin- 
 en, white  and  clean. — And  he  had  on  his  vesture, 
 and  on  his  thigh  a  name  zvritten,  Kikg  of  kings, 
 AND  Lord  of  lords.  * 
 
 J 18.*  Jesus  is  called  the  great  God  in  this  same 
 chapter,  in  conformity  with  Isaiah's  mighty  God, 
 and  St.  Paul's  great  God  and  Saviour  Jesus 
 Christ.  * 
 
 the 
 
 '  Rev.  4  and  5,  passim. 
 
 5  Does  not  tliis  title,  f^iven  here  to  our  Saviour^  amount  to  demon- 
 stration, that  he  is  the  person  described  in  the  first  chapter  of  this 
 same  author's  gospel,  under  the  character  of  the  Word  ? 
 
 '  Rev,   19,  passim. 
 
 *  Ch.  19.  17.  Consult  Waterland's  Eight  Sermons  for  a  vindj- 
 c^ation  of  this  application,  and  for  the  testimonies  of  the  Fathers,  p. 
 21^ — 218. 
 
328  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 Soon  after  this,  we  find  the  Son,  in  common  with 
 the  Father,  is  spoken  of  as  the  temple  of  heaven  j 
 which,  though  a  mode  of  speaking  highly  figurative, 
 is  yet  ascribing  an  honour  to  the  Son,  which  appears 
 incompatible  with  simple  humanity : — 
 
 319.*  And  an  angel  talked  with  me^  sayings  Come  hither, 
 and  I  will  shezv  thee  the  bride,  the  Lamb's  wife. 
 And  he  carried  me  away  in  the  spirit,  and  shewed 
 me  that  great  city,  the  holy  Jerusalem.  And  I 
 saw  NO  TEMPLE  therein  I  for  the  Lord  God 
 Almighty  and  the  Lamb  are  the  temple  of 
 it,     21.   9,   10,   22. 
 
 It  is  further  remarkable,  that  as  the  Lord  God  Al- 
 mighty and  tiie  Lamb  are  in  common  considered  as 
 the  temple  of  the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  so  the  Lamib 
 in  common  with  God  is  the  light  of  the  city : 
 
 320.*  'The  city  hath  no  need  of  the  sun,  neither  of  the 
 moon,  to  shine  in  it :  for  the  glory  of  God  did 
 light e?i  it,  and  the  Lamb  is  the   light  thereof. 
 
 21.  23. 
 
 It  may  be  observed  still  farther,  that  by  a  manner 
 of  speaking  like  unto  the  two  former,  if  the  throne  of 
 God  is  mentioned,  so  is  that  of  the  Lamb ;  and  what 
 is  extremely  remarkable,  is,  that  God  and  the  Lamb 
 are  said  to  have  but  one  throne. 
 
 321.*'  And  the  angel  shewed  me  a  pure  river  of  water 
 of  life,  clear  as  crystal,  proceeding  out  of  the 
 throne  of  Goiy,  and  of  the  Lamb. — Ti^^"  throne 
 of  God    and   of  the  Lamb   shall  be   in  the  city. 
 
 22.  I,  3. 
 
 322.  The  Lord  God  of  the  holy  prophets  sent  uis  an- 
 gel to  shezv  unto  his  servants  the  things  which  must 
 shortly  be  done.  22.  6.  Compare  this  with  the 
 sixteenth  verse :  I  Jesus  have  sent  mine  angel 
 
 t9 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  329 
 
 to  testify  unto  you  these  things  in  the  churches^ 
 The  angel  that  appeared  to  Sr.  John  was 
 the  angel  of  the  Lord  God,  and  the  Lord  God 
 sent  him :  but  he  was  the  angel  of  Jesus,  and 
 Jesus  sent  him  :  therefore  Jesus  is  the  Lord  God 
 of  the  holy  prophets.  ^ 
 
 This  most  sublime  book  shuts  up  the  canon  of 
 scripture  with  several  expressions,  very  unsuitable,  as 
 it  should  seem,  to  the  character  of  mere  glorified  hu- 
 manity, but  perfectly  consistent  and  proper,  it  Jesus  is 
 possessed  of  essential  divinity  : 
 
 3'2J.*  Btholdy  I  come  quickly,  and  my  reward  is  with  me, 
 to  give  every  man  according  as  his  work  shall  he. 
 2.2.  12.  tiere  he  speaks  as  the  Judge  of  the 
 v/orld,  and  the  Arbiter  of  the  final  fates  of 
 men. 
 
 324.*  lam  Alpha  ami  Omega,  the  beginning  and 
 the  END,  the  first  and  the  last.  22.  13. 
 Flere  the  Son  of  God  proclaims  his  own  eternity. 
 
 325.*  I  am  the  ROOT  and  the  OFFSPRJ'SG  of  David.  11. 
 16.  We  have  noticed  this  before,  as  expressive 
 of  the  Redeemer's  pre-existence.  As  God  he 
 was  David's  Lord,  as  man  David's  Son. 
 
 326.  I  am  the  bright  and  morning  star.  22.  16. 
 I  am  he  that  was  prophesied  of  by  Balaam  as  the 
 Star  zi'hich  should  arise  out  cf  Jacob,  Num.  24. 
 17  ;  and  by  Malachi,  4.  2.  as  the  Sun  of  righte- 
 ousness, which  should  enlighten  all  the  ends  of 
 the  earth. 
 
 327.*  Surely  1  come  quickly.  Amen.  Even  so,  come,  Lord 
 Jesus.  11.  20.  This  is  a  direct  prayer  to  the 
 Saviour  of  mankind  to  hasten  his  comini^  The 
 Apostle  then  closes  the  whole  book  with  another 
 more  indirect  one  for  his  readers. 
 
 T  t  328.  The 
 
 3  See  Jones  on  the  Trinity,  p.  5, 
 
3^o  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 328.  "The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  with  you 
 all.     Amen. 
 
 We  have  now  gone  through  the  whole  bible,  and 
 traced  the  personal  character  of  our  blessed  Saviour 
 from  the  beoinnino;  of  the  world  to  the  close  of  the  di- 
 vine  canon.  We  have  seen  what  were  the  expectations 
 of  mankind  before  he  came— what  were  his  own  pre- 
 tensions, both  while  he  was  here  upon  earth,  and  after 
 he  ascended  into  heaven — what  the  declarations  of  God, 
 of  Angels,  of  Devils,  and  of  Men  concerning  him, 
 during  his  abode  here  below^; — and  what  the  represen- 
 tations of  his  Disciples  have  been  since  he  left  our 
 world,  when  they  were  under  the  fullest  degree  of  spi- 
 ritual illumination.  The  reader  will  do  himself  and  the 
 subject  the  justice  to  review  the  whole,  and  then  form 
 his  judgment  according  to  evidence. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  331 
 
 PART  THIRD. 
 
 SECTION     IT 
 
 A  view  of  the  doctrine  concerning  THE  HOLY  SPIRIT,  from  the 
 Old  Testament. 
 
 IN  examining  the  doctrine  concerning  the  Holy  Spi- 
 rit, it  will  be  proper  to  trace  it  through  the  several 
 ages  of  the  world,  as  we  have  already  done  in  the  for- 
 mer case,  because  the  manifestation  grows  more  clear, 
 as  we  advance  towards  the  perfection  of  the  Christian 
 dispensation.     The  bible  opens  with  it. 
 
 329.*  In  the  beginning  God  created  the  heavens  and  tfje 
 earth  i  and  the  earth  zvas  without  form  and  void; 
 and  the  Spirit  of  God  moved  *  upon  thefac^ 
 of  the  "Ji-aters,     Gen.   i.   i,   2. 
 
 T  t  2  From 
 
 ♦  Moved  upon — fi^ni^""^''''^'^''^''"^"'*  *^  ^  ^^^  °^^^  ^^'  chick* 
 ens.     Milton  has  given  us  the  exact  idea. 
 
 "  And  chiefly.  Thou,  O  Spirit,  that  dost  prefer 
 "  Before  all  temples  the  upright  heart  and  pure, 
 **  Instruct  me,  for  thou  know'st :  Thou  from  the  first 
 *'  Wast  present,  and  with  mighty  wings  out  spread 
 ••  Dove-like  satt'st  brooding  on  the  vast  abyss, 
 "  And^ad'st  it  pregnant."     Boole  1, 
 
 The  primitive  writers  of  the  Christian  church  have  spoken  pretty^ 
 much  at  large  upon  the  doctrine  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
 
 He  is  declared  by  Athenagoras  to  "  proceed  from  God,  and  re- 
 "  turn  to  God,  as  a  beam  proceeds  from  the  sun,  and  is  reflected 
 "  back  again. — The  Father  is  in  the  Son,  and  the  Son  is  in  the 
 "  Father,  by  the  unity  and  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  Apol.  p. 
 10. 
 
 He  is  said  by  Tertullian  to  be  "  the  third  divine  person  of  the 
 ♦*  Godhead  ;    the  third  name  of  Miijesty  ;  the  proclaimer  of  the 
 
332  "        AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 From  this  declaration  we  learn,  that  the  Holy  SpU 
 
 rit 
 
 "  monarchy  of  one  God  ;  but  also,  IT  any  will  receive  the  words  of 
 **  this  new  prophecy,  the  interpreter,  of  the  dispensation  ;  and  the 
 **  guit^e  of  all  truth  which  is  in  the  Father,  and  the  Son,  and  the 
 **  Holy  Ghost,  according  to  the  Christian  covenant."  Adv.  Prax, 
 cap.  30. 
 
 Again  : — "  The  Son  I  dedoce  from  rlo  other  source  than  the  sub- 
 **  stance  of  the  Father  ;  the  Spirit  I  think  from  no  other  source 
 *Mhan  the  Father  by  the  Son."     Jbid.  cap.  4. 
 
 And  again  : — "  The  Spirit  is  the  third  from  the  Father  and  the 
 *'  Son."     ibid.  cap.  8. 
 
 ■  Origen  says  : — "  Of  the  Holy  Ghost  T  conceive  that  such  is  his 
 "  sanctity,  that  he  cannot  be  sanctified  :  for  no  foreign  sanctification 
 "  accrues  to  him  from  without,  nor  any,  of  which  he  was  not  before 
 "  possessed,  accede  to  him  who  is  always  holy,  and  whose  sanctity 
 "  never  had  a  beginning.  In  like  manner  we  must  think  of  the 
 *'  Father  and  the  Son,  for  the  substance  of  the  Trinity  alone  is  of 
 **  its  own  nature  holy,  and  not  by  sanctification  from  without :  for 
 **  truly  it  is  God  alone  who  is  always  holy."  Homil.  1 1.  in  Numb. 
 p.  214. 
 
 ^,f  Gri  gory  Nazianzen  shews  the  sense  of  the  church  in  his  time  :  — 
 *'  The  Holy  Spirit,"  says  he,  "  always  was,  and  is,  and  will  be. 
 *'  He  had  no  beginning,  nor  shall  have  any  end,  but  is  always  join- 
 *'  ed  with  the  Father  and  the  Son,  and  numbered  with  them  ;  for  it 
 *'  was  not  fit  either  that  the  Father  should  ever  be  without  the  Son, 
 **  or  the  Son  without  the  Spirit ;  for  that  would  be  the  greatest 
 "  disgrace  to  the  Deity,  that  any  thing  once  wanting,  should  be 
 •'  added  to  it  : — He  was  therefore  always  both  with  himself,  and 
 "  with  those  with  whom  he  is  joined,  the  same,  and  equal,  conceiv- 
 *'  ing,  rot  conceived,  perfecting,  rot  perfected,  filling,  not  filled, 
 "  sanctifyirg,  not  sanctified,  deifying,  not  deified,  invisible,  eter- 
 **  nal,  immense,  unchangeable,  without  quality,  quantity,  form,  tan- 
 *'  gibility,  self-moving,  and  in  eternal  motion,  independent  .in  his 
 *'  will,  self- powerful,  almighty  (yet  as  all  things  which  belong  to 
 ^'  the  only-brgctten  Son  are  referred  to  the  First  Cause,  so  is  it 
 "  with  whatever  belong  to  the  Holy  Spirit)  life,  and  the  giver  of 
 *'  life,  light,  and  the  imparter  of  light,  goodness  itself,  and  the 
 *'  fountain  of  goodness,  the  upright,  leading,  governing,  sending, 
 ^'discerning  Spirit,  building  for  himself  a  temple,  preparing  the 
 *'  way,  bestowing  his  favours  and  working  according  to  his  own 
 **  will,  the  Spirit  of  adoption,  truth,  wisdom,  piety,  counsel,  for- 
 f  titgde,  fear ;  by  whom  the  Father  is  known,  and  the  Son  glori- 
 <'  fied  ;  by  which  two  alone  the  Father  is  known.  They  are  of 
 f*  one  rank,  one  adoration,  power,  perfection,  sanctity,  in  short-; 
 ?'  All  things  whatsoever  v^hich  the  Father  hath,  belong  to  the  Son, 
 ^''  excepting  that  the  Son  is  not  unbegctten.     And  all  things  whicl^. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  333 
 
 rit  was  an  agent  in  the  natural,  as  well  as  moral  cre- 
 ation. For  it  is  evident  the  expression  cannot  be  un- 
 stood  of  the  air  or  wind,  because  that  element  was  not 
 as  yet  separated  from  the  caotic  mass.  See  Mai.  2.  15. 
 
 It  is  remarkable  that  the  ancient  Jews  understood 
 this  of  the  Spirit  of  the  Messiah.  Sec  Gill  on  the 
 Trinity,  p.  27,  where  he  refers  to  the  places.  Both 
 the  Targum  of  Jonathan  and  that  cf  Jerusalem  trans- 
 late this  passage,  "  The  Spirit  of  Mercies  from  be- 
 fore the  Lord." 
 
 The  next  information  we  meet  with  concerning  this 
 Divine  Person,  is,  not  till  upwards  of  fifteen  hundred 
 
 years 
 
 *'  the  Son  hath  belong  to  the  Spirit,  except  that  he  is  not  begotten." 
 Orat.  44.  p.  711,  712. 
 
 Basil  says,  "  If  you  are  ignorant  of  many  tilings ;  nay,  if  the 
 **  things  you  are  ignorant  of,  be  ten  thousand  times  more  than  those 
 "  you  know,  why  should  you  be  ashamed,  among  so  many  other 
 *'  things,  to  take  in  this  likewise,  that  safe  method  of  cuiifessing 
 *'  your  ignorance  as  to  the  manner  of  the  existence  of  the  Holy 
 "   Spirit?"     Orat.  contr.  Sabell.  p.  608,  609. 
 
 In  another  place  he  says,  "  The  very  motions  cf  our  own  mind, 
 *'  whether  the  soul  may  be  said  more  properly  to  create  or  beget 
 "  them  ;  who  can  exactly  determine  ?  What  worder  then  is  it,  that 
 **  we  are  not  ashamed  to  confess  our  ignorance  how  the  Holy  Spi- 
 *'  rit  was  produced  ?  For,  that  he  is  superior  to  created  beings, 
 *^  the  things  delivered  in  scripture  concerning  him  do  suificieuily 
 *'  evidence.  But  the  title  of  utioriginated,  this  no  man  can  be  so 
 "  absurd  as  to  presume  to  give  to  any  other  than  to  the  Suprem« 
 <'  God  :  Nay,  neither  can  we  give  to  the  Holy  Spirit  the  title 
 «'  of  Son  ;  for  there  is  but  one  Son  of  God,  even  the  Only-begot- 
 «'  ten.  What  title  then  are  we  to  g've  the  Spirit  ?  We  are  to  call 
 "  him  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  Spirit  of  God,  the  Spirit  of  Truth, 
 **  sent  forth  from  God,  and  bestowed  through  the  Son  :  not  a  Ser- 
 "  vant,  but  Holy  and  Good,  the  directing  Spirit,  the  quickening 
 *'  Spirit,  the  Spirit  o{  adoption,  the  Spirit  which  knoweth  all  tha 
 •'  things  of  God.  Neither  let  any  man  think,  that  our  refusirg  to 
 *•  call  the  Spirit  a  Creature,  is  denying  his  personality.  For  ic  is 
 *'  the  part  of  a  pious  mind,  to  be  afraid  of  saying  any  thing  con- 
 *«  cerning  the  Holy  Spirit,  which  is  not  revealed  in  scripture;  and 
 "  rather  be  content  to  wait  till  the  next  life,  for  a  pertect  knowledga 
 V  and  understanding  of  his  nature." 
 
 Cent.  Eancxu,  lib.  3.  p.  85,  ^6% 
 
334  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 years  afterwards,  when  the  Ahnighty  is  introduced  de- 
 claring a  little  before  the  flood, 
 
 330.  My  Spirit  '  shall  not  always  strive  with  man. 
 Gen.  6.  3. 
 
 About  seven  hundred  years  after  the  flood,  and  seven- 
 teen hundred  before  the  birth  of  our  Saviour,  we  find 
 that  Pharaoh,  king  of  Egypt,  had  some  notion  of  a 
 Divine  Spirit : — 
 
 ^2 1  •  ^^^  Pharaoh  said  unto  his  sei'vantSy  Can  we  find 
 such  a  one  as  this  is,  a  man  in  whom  the  Spirit  * 
 OF  God  is}   Gen.  41.  38. 
 
 The  author  of  the  book  of  Job,  who  is  supposed 
 by  sonje  to  have  lived  about  the  time  of  Pharaoh,  tells 
 us,  that 
 
 332.*  By  his  Spirit   God  garnished  theheavens.  Job 
 
 26.   13.     And, 
 2ZZ'*  '^^^^   Spirit    of    God    hath  made   me,  and  the 
 
 Breath  of  the  Almighty  hath  given  me  life. '  Job 
 
 ZZ'  4. 
 
 These 
 
 5  *'  The  Jews  knew  the  third  person  in' the  Trinity  by  the  name 
 "  of  Binah  ox  Intelligence,  because  they  thought  it  was  He  that 
 •'  gave  men  that  knowledge  of  what  God  was  pleased  to  reveal  to 
 "  them.  In  particular,  they  called  him  the  Sanctifia-,  and  the  Fa~ 
 "  tloer  of  faith ;  nor  is  any  thing  more  common  among  them, 
 *'  than  to  give  him  the  name  of  the  Spirit  of  Holiness,  or  the  Holj 
 "   Spirit. 
 
 Allix's  Judgment,  p.  173. 
 
 •  "  The  doctrine  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  is  one  of  those  great 
 **  heads  of  gospel  truth,  wherein  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  good 
 "  of  souls  are  most  eminently  concerned.  The  sending  Christ  to 
 •'  redeem  us,  the  sending  the  Spirit  to  dwell  in  us,  and  to  apply  that 
 "  redemption  to  us,  are  the  two  grand  promises  of  God  in  the  bible, 
 "  and  the  principal  objects  of  our  faith  and  hope." 
 
 Hurrion  on  the  Spirit,  p.  20. 
 
 '  The  bock  of  Judith  has  a  sentiment  explanatory  of  these  two 
 passages  : — ";  O  God,  let  all  creatures  serve  thee  ;  for  thou  spakest 
 "  and  they  were  made ;  thou  didst  send  forth  thy  Spirit  and  it 
 f'  created  them."     Ch,  16.  14. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITV*.  335 
 
 These  two  declarations  inform  us  that  the  Spirit  of 
 God  was  an  agent  in  the  original  creation  of  the  world, 
 in  perfect  conformity  with  Gen.  i.  2.  where  it  is  said, 
 The  Spirit  of  God  fnoved  upon  the  face  of  the  waters. 
 Comp.  Mai.  2.   15. 
 
 About  the  same  period  the  vSpirit  of  God  was  given 
 to  Bezaleel,  the  ingenious  artificer. 
 
 334.  And  the    Lord  spake  unto  Moses y  sayingy  See,  I 
 
 have   called  by  name  Bezaleel  the  son  of  Uriy  the 
 
 son  of  Hury  of  the  tribe  of  Judah  ,•  and  I  have 
 
 filled  him  zviih  the  Spirit  of  God,'  in  "wisdofn^ 
 
 and  in  tinders tandingy  and  in  knowledgdy  and  in  all 
 
 manner  of  worhnanshipy  Exodus  31.   i — 3.   The 
 
 same  is  repeated  in  chapter  "i^t^.  30 — 35. 
 
 It  appears  from  these  two  passages  that  the  Spirit  of 
 
 Grod  is  the  proper  author  of  all  ingenious  arts,  ancf  that, 
 
 if  one  man  excels   another,  it  is   because  the  Divine 
 
 Spirit  has  been   bestowed  upon  him  for  these  purposes 
 
 in   a   superior   degree.     Comp.    Deut.  8.   18,  and  Is. 
 
 28.  26 — 29. 
 
 Between  eight  and  nine  hundred  years  after  the 
 ^ood,  we  have  an  account  of  the  Spirit  of  God's  de- 
 scending upon  the  seventy  Elders  in  the  camp  of 
 Israel : — 
 
 Theophilus  bishop  of  Antioch  says,  "By  his  Word  and  hi« 
 **  Wisdom  he  founded  the  universe;  for  by  his  Word  and  his 
 **  Spirit  the  heavens  were  established." 
 
 Theop.  ad  Autol.  lib.  i.  p.  74. 
 
 •  What  is  here  attributed  to  the  Spirit  of  God,  is  by  the  Heathen 
 attributed  to  God  himself.  Pliny  goes  to  far  as  to  say,  "  that  the 
 **  attention  which  the  ancients  paid  to  the  invention  of  arts,  and 
 **  their  kindness  in  delivering  them  down  to  their  posterity,  is  the 
 "  gift  of  God.  If  any  one  should  suppose  that  these  things  could 
 **  be  found  oat  by  the  mere  force  of  human  genius,  he  judges  of 
 "  the  gifts  of  God  ungratefully."     Lib.  27.  c.   i,  z. 
 
 Seneca  has  a  sentiment  much  the  same.  "  Say  not  that  the  in- 
 **  ventioMS  of  men  are  our  own.  The  principles  of  all  the  arts  are 
 •*  planted  within  us,  and  God,  our  great  Master,  secretly  excites 
 f*  and  quickens  our  geniuses,". 
 
 De  Ben.  4.  c.  G. 
 
33^  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 33  S'  ^"^  Moses  went  ouiy  and  told  the  people  the 
 words  of  the  Lordy  and  gathered  the  seventy  men 
 of  the  Elders  of  the  people ^  and  set  thevi  round 
 about  the  tabernacle.  And  the  Lord  came 
 DOWN  IN  A  CLOUD,  and  spake  unto  hitriy  and 
 took  of  the  Spirit  that  was  upon  him,  and  gave 
 it  unto  the  seventy  elders.  And  it  came  to  pass 
 that  zvhen  the  Spirit  rested  upon  them,  they  pro- 
 phesied and  did  not  cease.  But  there  remained  two 
 of  the  men  in  the  camp — and  the  Spirit  rested 
 upon  them,  and  they  prophesied  in  the  camp.  Num# 
 II.   24 — 26. 
 
 The  Schechinah,  or  divine  ^majesty,  appeared  from 
 heaven  in  a  cloud,  and  as  soon  as  they  received  the 
 Spirit  they  prophesifd.  See  Patrick  on  the  place,  where 
 he  explains  from  Maimonides  the  first  and  second  de- 
 grees of  prophecy.  Compare  also  Smith's  Discourse 
 on  Prophecy,  published  by  Patrick. 
 
 It  was  soon  after,  when  the  Spirit  of  God  came  up- 
 on Balaam,  and  enabled  him,  not  only  to  say  many 
 wonderful  things,  in  a  stile  more  than  human,  but  also 
 to  foretel  the  future  fate  of  kingdoms : — 
 
 336.  And  when  Balaam  saw  that  it  pleased  the  Lord 
 to  bkss  Israel,  he  went  not,  as  at  other  times,  to 
 seek  for  enchantment Sy  but  he  set  his  face  tozvard 
 the  wilderness.  And  Balaam  If  ted  up  his  eyes, 
 and  he  saw  Israel  abiding  in  his  tents  according  to 
 their  tribes ;  and  the  Spirit  of  God  catne  upon 
 him. '    Numibers  24.   i,  2. 
 
 This  Spirit,  which  was  bestowed  upon  him,  illumin- 
 ated his  mind  with  the  knowledge  of  a  variety  of  fu^ 
 ture  events,  but  does  not  appear  to  have  effected  any 
 moral  change  upon  him.     He  seems  to  have  lived  and 
 
 died 
 
 ^  9  The  Targum  of  Onkelos  has  this,  "  The  Prophetic  Spirit  from 
 *♦  the  face  of  the  Lord  rested  upon  him.'*      
 
DOCTRINE  OF  1M£  TRINITY.  337 
 
 died  In  his  sins,  notwithr.tandin,-  all  his  high  attainments, 
 and  the  reputation  lie  h„d  acquired.  See  Mat.  7.  22,  23. 
 When  the  Israelites  were  in  want  of  a  successor  to 
 their  great  leader,  the  Lord  said  unto  Moses, 
 
 337.  Take  thee  Joshua  the  son  of  Nun^  a  man  in  'whom 
 
 is  theS>?iKiTi  and  lay  thine  hand  upon   him.* 
 
 Num..  27.   18. 
 A  little  above  a  thousand  years  before  Chrisi;,  the 
 Spirit  of  God  manifested   himself  in  an   extraordinary 
 manner  to  Saul  and  a  company  uf  Prophets : — 
 
 338.  And  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  will  come   upon 
 
 thee,  and  thou  shalt  prophesy  with  them^  and  shall 
 he  turned  into  another  man. — And  the  Spirit  of 
 God  came  upon  Saul  and  he  prophesied  among  the 
 Prophets,  i  Sam.  10.  6,  10.  See  the  whole 
 story. 
 This  is  a  transaction  somewhat  similar  to  that  on  the 
 
 day  of  Pentecost  described  in  the  second  ciiapterof  the 
 
 Acts  of  the  Apostles. 
 
 When  Nahash  the  Ammonite  proposed  ignominious 
 
 terms  of  peace  to  the  men  of  Jabesh-gilead,  we  are  told, 
 
 22^.  'The  Spirit  of  God  came  upon  Saul  when  he 
 heard  the  tidings^  and  his  anger  was  greatly  kind- 
 led.'''   1  Sam.   II.  6. 
 
 U  u  The 
 
 "  How  the  Heathen  came  by  their  information  may  not  he  easy  to 
 ascertain  ;  but  it  is  certain  they  abound  with  sentiments  very  similar 
 to  those  we  find  in  the  sacred  volume.  Seneca  says,  "  No  man  is 
 "  good  without  the  assistance  of  God.  Can  any  one  raise  himself 
 "  superior  to  the  chances  of  human  life,  unless  aided  by  the  Deity  ? 
 *'  It  is  he  who  gives  magnificent  and  upright  counsels.  He  dwells 
 **  in  every  good  man.  If  you  see  a  man  unalarmed  in  the  midst 
 "  of  dangers,  unpolluted  with  lust,  happy  in  adversity,  calm  in 
 "  storms,  looking  down  as  it  were  from  an  eminence  upon  human 
 **  things  ;  don't  you  hold  him  in  admiration  ?  Don't  you  say.  That 
 "  virtue  is  greater  than  the  little  body  in  which  it  dwells ;  the  di- 
 *'  vine  power  hath  descended  thither  ?"     Ep.  41. 
 
 *  This  sentiment  is  finely  expressed  by  Cicero  in  his  oration  for 
 
3j8  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 The  Divine  Spirit  infused  courage,  and  wisdonrij  and 
 fortitude  into  his  soulj  necessary  qualifications  in  the 
 leader  of  an  army^ 
 
 340.  When  this  same  unhappy  king  persecuted  David, 
 he  Jiedy  and  escaped,  and  came  to  Samuel  in  Rarnab. 
 — And  Saul  sent  messengers  to  take  David:  and 
 zvhen  they  saw  the  company  of  the  Prophets  pro- 
 phesyingy  and  Samuel  standing  as  appointed 
 over  themy  the  Spirit  of  God  zi'as  upon  the 
 inessengers  of  Saul,  and  they  prophesied.  And  when 
 it  was  told  Sauly  he  sent  other  messengerSy  and  they 
 prophesied  likewise.  And  Saul  sent  messengers 
 again  the  third  timey  and  they  prophesied  also. 
 Then  went  he  also  to  Ramah — and  the  Spirit 
 OF  God  was  upon  him  also,  and  he  went  on  and 
 prophesied  until  he  came  to  Ramah.  And  he  strips 
 ped  off  his  clothes  alsoy  and  prophesied  before 
 Samuel  in  like  manner ;  and  lay  down  naked  '  all 
 that  day  and  all  that  night.  Wljerefore  they  say^ 
 Is  Saul  also  atnong  the  prophets  ?  i  Sam.  19. 
 18 — 24. 
 
 This  was  an  event  extremely  remarkable.  The  hearts 
 of  all  men  are  in  the  hand  of  God.  1  he  day  of  Pen- 
 tecost was  a  repetition  of  this  miraculous  transaction. 
 
 341.  The 
 
 Sylla,  where  he  openly  declares,  that  the  design  of  saving  his  coun- 
 try, when  Cataline  conspired  against  it,  was  injected  into  his  mind 
 by  the  Gods.  "  O  ye  immortal  Gods,"  says  he,  "  it  was  you 
 *'  who  then  inflamed  my  mind  with  a  desire  of  saving  my  country. 
 "  You  called  me  off  from  all  other  thoughts,  and  turned  me  to  the 
 "  salvation  of  my  country  alone.  You  finally  brought  to  my  mind 
 *'  the  clearest  light  amidst  the  darkest  shades  of  error  and  ignor-. 
 "  ance.  For  1  will  attribute  to  you  what  belongs  to  you.  Nor  will 
 *'  I  ascribe  so  much  to  my  own  genius,  as  that  I  should  of  myself 
 *•  be  able  to  discover  what  was  best  to  be  done  in  that  most  unma- 
 •*  nageable  tempest  of  the  republic." 
 
 '  By  his  laying  down  naked  is  only  meant,  that  he  stripped  off  his 
 loose  upper  garment,  which  was  commonly  worn  in  that  country. 
 
DOCTRINE  OP  THE  TRINITY.  33f 
 
 341.  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  came  upon  David^  and  de- 
 parted from  Saul.   I   Sam.   16.   13,   14. 
 
 342.*  'The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  spake  by  me,  and  his  word 
 was  in  my  tongue :  the  God  of  Israel  said,  the 
 Rock  of  Israel  spake  to  me.  2  Sam.  23,  2,  3. 
 Does  it  not  follow  from  hence,  that  the  Spirit  of 
 the  Lord  is  the  God  and  Rock  of  Israel  ? 
 
 The  Psalms  of  David  were  all  written  several  hun- 
 dreds of  years,  some  upwards  of  a  thousand,  before  our 
 Saviour.  In  them  there  is  mention  of  the  Holy  Spi- 
 rit four  or  five  different  times  :  Thus, 
 
 343.  Take  not   thy    Holy  Spirit /;w«   me.     51.   11. 
 
 344.  Uphold  me  zvith  thy  free  S?\K\T.  51.    12. 
 
 345.*  Thou  sende  St  forth  thy  Spirit,  they  are  created. 
 104.  30. 
 
 346.*  Thy  Spirit  is  good,  lead  me.  143.  10.  Di;. 
 Leusden  translated  this,  Let  thy  good  Spirit  lead 
 me,  which  is  a  form  of  prayer.  Ainsworth  ren- 
 ders it.  Thy  good  Spirit  shall  lead  me.  See  Pa- 
 trick in  loco. 
 
 And  in  the  139  psalm  the  same  inspired  au- 
 thor celebrates  the  omnipresence  of  the  Holy 
 Spirit: —  * 
 
 347.*  O.  Lord,  thou  hast  searched  vie,  and  known  vie. 
 Thou  knozvest  my  down-sitting,  and  my  up-rising  i 
 thou  understandest  my  thoughts  afar  off.  Thou 
 compassest  my  path  and  my  lying- down,  and  art  ac- 
 quainted with  all  jny  ways.  For  there  is  not  a 
 word  in  my  tongue,  hut,  Ic,  O  Lord,  thou  knowest  it 
 altogether.  Thou  hast  beset  me  behind  and  before, 
 and  laid  thine  hand  upon  me.  Such  knowledge  is 
 too  wonderful  for  me  ;    Jl  ^^  ^-^l^^  >  I  cannot  attain 
 
 unto 
 
 ♦  Clemens  Alexandrinus  says,  "  There  is  ore  Father  of  the  uni- 
 *'  verse,  one  Logos  of  the  universe,  and  one  Holy  Spirit,  which 
 *'  is  every  where  present. 
 
 Pi^dag.  1.  I.  c.  6,, 
 
340  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 unto  it.  JVhither  shall  I  go  from  thy  Spirit? 
 or  -whither  shall  I  flee  from  thy  presence  ?  If  I 
 ascend  up  into  heaven,  thou  art  there :  if  I  make  my 
 bed  in  hell,  behold ,  thou  art  there.  If  I  take  the 
 wings  of  the  morningy  and  dwell  in  the  uttermost 
 farts  of  the  sea,  even  there  shall  thy  hand  lead  me^ 
 and  thy  right  hand  shall  hold  me.  If  I  say.,  Surely 
 the  darkness  shall  cover  me ;  even  the  night  shall  be 
 light  about  me.  Tea,  the  darkness  hideth  not  from 
 thee  ;  but  the  night  shineth  as  the  day  ;  the  dark- 
 ness and  the  light  are  both  alike  to  thee.  For  thou 
 bast  possessed  my  reins  :  thou  hast  covered  me  in 
 my  mother's  womb.     Ps.   139.   i — 13. 
 
 The  Spirit  of  God  and  the  presence  of  God  are  the 
 same.     Wherever  God  is,  there  is  also  his  Spirit. 
 
 348.  In  the  time  of  David  it  is  said.  The  Spirit  came 
 
 upon  Amasai.      i  Chron.    12.   18. 
 349.*  Then  David  gave  to  Solomon — the  pattern   of  all 
 
 that  he  had  by  the  Spirit,      i  Chron.   28.   12. 
 
 This  is  an  event  extremely  remarkable.  The  whole 
 proceedings  of  David,  with  regard  to  building  the  tem- 
 ple, and  all  the  improvements  which  he  made  in  the 
 public  worship  of  the  Almighty,  were  suggested  to  him 
 by  the  Holy  Ghost.  The  patterns  of  all  the  utensils 
 were  figured  to  his  mind  by  this  heavenly  Suggestor. 
 
 If  therefore  God  is  immense,  so  is  his  Spirit.  If 
 God  is  every  where  present,  so  is  his  Spirit.  If  God 
 knoweth  all  things,  so  doth  his  Spirit.  If  God  can  do 
 all  things,  so  too  can  his  Spirit.  And,  in  short;  what- 
 ever perfections  are  in  God,  the  same  are  also  in  his 
 Spirit. 
 
 In  the  book  of  Proverbs  we  find  the  Logos  prom.ising 
 to  pour  out  his  spirit  upon  all  those,  who  fhould  be 
 obedient  to  his  admonidons : 
 
 350.  Wisdom  crieth  without — How  long^ye simple  cneSi  will 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  -j^i 
 
 ye  love  simplicity  ? — 'Turn  ye  at  my  reproof -y  behold, 
 
 I  will  pour  out  my   spirit  unto  you;  I  will  make 
 
 known  MY  words  unto  you.     Prov.  i.  20 — 23. 
 551.  In  the  time  of  king  Asa  it  is  said,  The  spirit  of 
 
 God  came  unto  Azariah  the  son  ofOded.     2  ChrOl^. 
 
 15.  I. 
 352.  Nchemiah  saith,   Tbou  gaveji  thy  good  spirit  to 
 
 vijly-uEi  them.  ^   9.  20. 
 2SZ'   ^^hcu  testified  St  against   them  by  thy  spirit  in  thy 
 
 prophets.  9.  30. 
 
 The  prophets  enlarge  more  upon  the  office  of  the 
 HOLY  spirit  than  any  of  the  writers  who  had  gone 
 before  them.  We  will  produce  their  several  declarations 
 in  order,  concerning  that  blessed  person,  witliout  at- 
 tempting at  any  length  to  illuftrate  their  force  and  mean- 
 ing, comparing  only,  as  we  proceed  to  the  end  of  the 
 sacred  canon,  spiritual  things  with  spiritual. 
 
 354.  Woe  to  the  rebellious  children^  that  cover  with  a  cover-' 
 
 ing,  but  not  of  my  spirit.     Is.  30.  i. 
 
 355.  Because  the  palaces  shall  be  forsaken — until  the 
 SPIRIT  be  poured  upon  us  from  en  high,  and  the 
 wilderness  be  a  fruitful  field.     32.   14,15. 
 
 356.  My  mouth  it  hath  commanded,  and  his  spirit  it  hatb 
 gathered  them.     34.   16. 
 
 357.  IFho  hath  directed  the  spirit  of  the  lord,  or 
 being  his  counsellor  hath  taught  him?  40.  13.  If 
 the  reader  will  consult  the  context  in  this  place,  he 
 will  find,  that  the  Spirit  is  spoken  of  in  the  highest 
 stile  of  Deity,  and  as  the  creator  of  the  universe. 
 Lebanon  is  not  suff.cient  to  burn,  nor  the  beasts 
 thereof  sufficient  for  a  burnt -offering.     All  the  nations 
 
 before 
 
 '  Cicero  says,  "  We  ought  to  believe  that  no  man  was  ever  a 
 "  good  man,  without  the  assistance  of  God  :  and  no  man  ever  was 
 \"  a  great  man  without  a  cert^n  divine  inspiration." 
 
 De  Nat.  Deo.  1.  z.  sect.  165,  166., 
 
34»  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 hefore  this  infinite  Spirit  are  as  nothing,  less  than 
 nothing,  and  vanity. 
 
 358.  Behold  my  servant — I  have  put  my  spirit  upon  him. 
 42.  I. 
 
 359.  /  will  pour  MY  SPIRIT   upon  thy  seed,  and  my  bles- 
 
 sing upon  thine  offspring.  44.  3. 
 ^60.*  '^he  Lord  God  and  his  spirit  hath  sent  me.  48. 
 J  6.  The  Divine  Spirit  is  here  spoken  of  under 
 a  personal  character,  as  is  frequently  the  case  in 
 the  following  ages.  "Whether  it  was  Messiah,  or 
 whether  it  was  the  prophet  hinnself  who  spake  these- 
 words,  he  declares  that  he  was  sent  upon  his 
 errand  to  the  Jews  by  the  Lord  God  and  his 
 Spirit. 
 
 361.  This  is  my  covenant  with  them,  saith  the  Lord,  my 
 spirit  that  is  upon  thee,  and  my  words  which  I 
 have  ptit  in  thy  mouth,  shall  not  depart  out  of 
 thy  mouth,  nor  cut  of  the  mouth  of  thy  seed. 
 59.  21. 
 
 362.  I  put  together  two  other  remarkable  promises  of 
 the  same  Prophet,  as  being  one  illustrative  of  the 
 other,  jhd  there  shall  come  forth  a  rod  out  of  th-e 
 stem  of  Jesse,  and  a  branch  shall  groiv  out  of  his 
 roots.  And  the  spirit  of  the  Lord  shall  rest  upon 
 him,  the  spirit  of  wisdom  and  understanding,  the 
 spirit  of  counsel  and  might,  the  spirit  of  know- 
 ledge and  of  the  fear  of  the  Lord.  11.  i,  1. — 
 The  other  place  is — l^he  spirit  of  the  Lord  is 
 upon  me,  because  the  Lord  hath  anointed  me  to 
 preach  good  tidings  unto  the  meek.  61.  i. 
 Compare  Luke  4.  18,  1 9. 
 
 2^2'  '^hey  rebelled  and  vexed  his  holy  spirit,  d^- 
 10.  The  divine  Spirit  was  the  leader  of  the  Israel- 
 ites through  the  wilderness. 
 
 364.  Where  is  he  that  put  his  holy  spirit  within  hipt? 
 63.  II. 
 
 365.*  The  spirit  of  the  Lord  caused  him  to  rest^ 
 ^2'  14. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  343 
 
 By  comparing  these  three  last  passages  with  the  words 
 of  Moses,  Deut.  32.  12,  where  it  is  said,  Jehovah  alone 
 did  lead  him,  and  there  was  no  strange  god  zvith  him — vvc 
 shall  have  a  positive  proof,  that  the  Holy  Spirit  is  Je- 
 hovah. And  by  carrying  the  comparison  to  two  other 
 passages  in  the  psalms,  the  same  conclusion  will  arife : 
 They  provoked  the  most  High  in  the  wilderness^  and  tempt- 
 ed God  in  their  hearts — and — The  Holy  Ghost  saith. 
 Harden  not  your  heart Sy  as  in  the  provocation  in  the  day 
 of  temptation  in  the  ivildernesSy  when  your  fathers  tempted 
 ME.  See  Ps.  78.  17,  18  J  Ps.  95.  7,  8;  and  Hcb.  3.  7» 
 8.  This  is  evidently  a-divine  exhortation  to  make  the 
 Holy  Ghost  the  object  of  our  thanksgiving  and  praise  in 
 common  with  the  Father  and  Son. 
 
 Jeremiah  hath  but  few  discoveries  of  the  Holy  Spirit; 
 there  is  one  eminent  one,  however,  which  is  expressly 
 applied  to  this  Divine  Agent  by  St.  Paul  in  his  Epistle 
 to  the  Hebrews  : 
 
 2^6.  Behold,  the  days  come,  saith  the  Lord,  that  J  will 
 
 make  a  new  covenant  with  the  house  of  Israel,  and 
 
 with  the  house  ofjudah :  not  according  to  the  covenant 
 
 that   I  made  with  their  fathers  in  the  day  that  I 
 
 took  them  by  the  hand^  to  bnng  them  out  of  the  land 
 
 of  Egypt — /-///  this  shall  be  the  covemmt  that  I  zvill 
 
 make  zvith  the  house  of  Israel;  After  those  days, 
 
 saith  the  Lord,  I  will  put  my  law  in  their  inzvard 
 
 parts,  and  zvrite  it  in  their  hearts,  and  will  be  their 
 
 God,  and  they  shall  be  my  people.     And  they  shall 
 
 teach  no  more  every  man  his  neighbour,  and  every  man 
 
 his  brother,  saying.  Know  the  Loj'd  :  for  they  shall 
 
 all  know  me  from  the  least  of  them  unto  the  greatest 
 
 of  them,  saith  the  Lord :  for  I  zvill  forgive  their  in 
 
 iquily.,  an dl  will  remember  their  sin  no  more.  Ch. 
 
 31.  31— H- 
 
 Compare  Hrb*   8.   7 — 13;   9.   8;  and  ic.  15 — 17, 
 
 from  the  two  last  of  which  passages  it  appears,   that 
 
 what  is  applied  to  Jehovah  by  the  Prophet  is  applied  to 
 
 the 
 
34+  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 the  Holy  Ghost  by  the  Apostle.  Is  it  not  then  a  legi- 
 timate conclusion,  that  the  Holy  Ghost  of  the  New 
 Testament  is  the  Jehovah  of  the  Old  ?  Not,  surely,  to 
 the  exclusion  of  the  Father  and  the  Son,  but  in  common 
 with  the  Father  and  the  Son.  The  three  divine  persons 
 are  all  of  equal  power,  dominion,  and  glory,  yet  subtain- 
 ing  different  offices  in  the  oeconomy  of  human  redemp- 
 tion. 
 
 Ezeklel  prophesied  about  600  years  before  the  birth 
 of  Christ.  The  Holy  Spirit  is  frequently  spoken  of 
 in  his  writings.  I  will  not  say  that  every  one  of  the 
 following  instances  is  directly  applicable  to  that  divine 
 person,  though,  I  believe,  it  is  generally  supposed  they 
 are. 
 
 367.*  Wlnther  the  spirit  was  to  go,  they  went,  i.  12. 
 368.*   Whitherjoevcr  the  spirit  zvas  to  gOy  they  went, 
 
 I.  20. 
 369.  And  the  spirit  entered  into  me^  when  he  spake  unto 
 
 me.     2.  2. 
 370.*  Then  the  spirit  took  me  up,  and  I  heard  behind  me 
 
 a  voice.     3.  12. 
 371.*  Then  the  spirit  entered  into  me,  and  set  me  upon 
 
 my  feet.     3.   24. 
 372.*   So  the  %v\v^\T   lifted  me  up,  and  took  me  away, 
 
 3-   14. 
 373.*  The  spirit  lifted  me  up  betzveen  the  earth  and  the 
 
 heaven,  and  brought  me  in  the  visions  of  God  to 
 
 ferusalem.     8.  3. 
 374.  The   spirit   of  the  living  creature   was  in  them. 
 
 10.   17. 
 375.*  Mo7'eover,  the  spirit  lifted  me  up,  and  brought  7ne 
 
 unto  the  east  gate  of  the  hordes  house, — '-and  said 
 
 unto  me.  Son  of  man,  these  are  the  men  that  devise 
 
 mischief,  and  give  wicked  counsel.       11.    i,  2. 
 2^^*  And  the  SPIRIT  of  the  Lord  fell  upon  me,  and  said 
 
 unto  me.  Speak j  Thus  iaith  the  Lord.     11.  5. 
 
 377.*  Afiei'wards 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.      '  345 
 
 377.*  Afierwards  the  spirit  took  me  up,  and  brought  me 
 in  vision  by  the  s?iR\T  of  God  into  Cbaldea.   11.  24. 
 
 The  reader  will  observe  upon  these  several  declara- 
 tions of  Ezekiel,  that  in  most  of  them  the  Divine  Spirit 
 is  spoken  of  under  a  personal  character,  and  as  a  person- 
 al agent.  This  is  more  full/  explained  in  the  New 
 Testament;  especially  in  the  Ads  of  the  Apostles. 
 
 378.  Then  zviil  I  sprinkle  clean  water  upon  ycu,  and  ye 
 shall  be  clean  :  from  all  your  fdt bines s  and  from  all 
 your  idols  will  I  cleanse  you.  A  nezv  heart  also  zvill 
 I  give  you,  and  a  neiv  spirit  will  I  put  within  you, 
 and  I  will  take  away  the  stony  heart  out  of  your 
 flesh,  and  I  will  give  you  an  heart  of  flesh.  And  I 
 will  put  MY  Spirit  within  you,  and  cause  you 
 to  walk  in  my  statutes,  and  ye  shall  keep  my  judg- 
 ments and  do  them.     2^'  ^S"~"^7" 
 
 All  the  moral  changes,  which  are  wrought  in  the 
 minds  of  men,  are  effected  by  the  influence  of  the 
 Holy  Ghost  alone.  The  Father  sustains  his  peculiar 
 office  in  i\\t  redemption  of  mankind,  the  Son  his,  and 
 the  Spirit  his.  All  three  concur  in  every  act  of  re- 
 deeming power  and  love,  but  yet  each  hath  a  depart- 
 ment in  the  business,  v/hich  is  appropriated  to  him 
 alone.  It  is  remarkable,  however,  that  there  are  places 
 in  scripture  where  every  office  is  ascribed  to  every  per- 
 son. 
 
 379.  Te  shall  know  that  I  am  the  Lord  when  I  have 
 opened  your  graves — and  shall  put  my  Spirit  in 
 you,  and  ye  shall  live.     37.   12,   13. 
 
 It  is  not  improbable  but  the  Spirit  in  this,  and  some 
 few  other  places,  may  signify  nothing  more  than  the 
 breath  of  man.  The  context  must  determine  the  sig- 
 nification. It  is  well  known,  that  the  word  for  Spirit, 
 both  in  the  Hebrew  and  Greek  languages,  is  frequently 
 used  in  both  senses. 
 
 V  V  380.  / 
 
346  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 380.  I  have  poured  out  ?4y  Spirit   upon  the  house  df 
 Israel,  saitb  the  Lord  God.  39.  29. 
 
 381.  Daniel i  in  ivhom   is    the  spjrit  of  the  holv  Gods. 
 
 Ch.  4.  8. 
 
 382.  There  is  a  man  in  thy  kingdom,  in  "Ji-hom  is   the 
 spmn  of  the  holy  Gods.     ch.   5.   11. 
 
 383.  I  have  heard  that  the  spirit  of  the  Gods  is  in  thee. 
 ch.  5.  14. 
 
 It  appears  frorln  these  three  passages  that  a  notion  of  a 
 divine  spirit  prevailed  among  the  nations  of  the  East. 
 The  wisest  of  the  Heathens,  indeed,  were  strongly  per- 
 suaded of  the  divine  agency  upon  the  mind  of  man,  not 
 only  in  the  eaftern,  but  also  in  the  western  parts  of  the 
 world.  '^  Whatsoever  good  you  do,"  said  Bias,  "think 
 *'  that  you  receive  it  from  God,"— Timoleon  was  of 
 opinion  that  *^  nothing  is  done  am.ong  men  without 
 '^  the  divine  aid."- — "  There  is  no  good  mind  without 
 "  God,"  says  Seneca.  "  If  any  man  is  possessed  of  an 
 *'  excellent  and  moderate  mind ;  if  any  man  laughs  at 
 '^  what  other  mortals  fear  and  wish  for  j  a  divine  power 
 ^^  actuates  and  governs  such  an  one.  Such  a  frame 
 "■  of  mind  could  not  be  attained  without  the  assistance 
 "  of  the  Deity."     Ep,  73. 
 
 384.  The  prophet   is  a  fool,  the   man  of  the  spirit   is 
 jnad.    Hos.  9.  7. 
 
 The  operations  of  the  Holy  Spirit  were  matters  of 
 jeft  and  ridicule  in  former  times,  as  well  as  in  the  pre- 
 sent day. 
 
 385.  I  will  pour  out  my  spirit  upon  all  fie  sh,  and  your 
 sons  and  your  daughters  shall  prophesy.    Joel  2. -2  8. 
 
 386.  In  those  days  zvill  I  pour  out  w^y  spirit,     ch.  2.  29. 
 
 It  is  sufficiently  evident  from  these  two  promises, 
 that  the  minds  of  men  were  never  intended  by  the  Al- 
 mighty to  be  fully  enlightened  with  the  knowledge  of  the 
 great  truths  of  religion,  till  these  latter  ages. 
 
 387.  My 
 
Doctrine  of  the  trinity.  347 
 
 387.  My  zviKiT  remaimth  among  you:  /(^aryenot.  Hag. 
 2.5. 
 
 The  Holy  Spirit,  in  all  his  prophetic  inflaences,  was 
 with-drawn  from  the  people,  within  a  few  years  after  this 
 declaration,  and  appeared  not  again  till  the  days  of 
 John  the  Baptist;  a  period  of  about  four  hundred  years. 
 It  should  seem,  however,  that  when  this  Divine  Spirit 
 was  with-drawn  from  the  Jews,  it  was  more  copiously 
 bestowed  upon  the  Gentiles.  It  is  certain,  at  least,  that 
 no  period  of  the  ancient  world  ever  produced  so  large 
 a  number  of  rare  geniuses  as  were  raised  up  among  the 
 Greeks  and  Romans  during;  a  few  of  the  centuries  before 
 ihe  birth  of  Jesus  Christ. 
 
 38S.  This  is  the  zvord  of  the  Lord  unto  ZeruhbabeU  say- 
 ings Not  by  mighty  nor  by  power,  but  by  my  Spirit, 
 saith  the  Lord  of  hosts.     Zee.  4.  6. 
 
 389.  Thty  made  their  hearts  as  an  adamant  stone,  lest 
 they  should  hear  the  lazv,  and  the  ivords  zvhich  the 
 Lord  of  hosts  hath  sent  in  his  Spirit  by  the  for- 
 mer prophets.  7.    12. 
 
 390.  I  will  pour  upon  the  house  of  David — //^^  Spirit 
 of  grace  and  supplication.  12.  10:  Or  a  gracious, 
 melting,  penitential  spirit,  of  which  the  Holy 
 Ghost  should  be  the  author. 
 
 391.  Tet  had  he  the  residue  of  the  SviKii.^  Mai.  1. 
 15.  This  is  a  proof  extremely  satisfactory,  that 
 the  Spirit  of  God  was  concerned  in  the  first  cre- 
 ation of  the  world. 
 
 V  V  2  These 
 
 *  It  is  not  the  intention  of  this  work  to  enter  into  a  particular 
 discussion  of  the  various  doctrines  concerning  the  Divine  Spirit,  but 
 only  to  exhibit  to  the  reader  at  one  view  the  true  scripture  principles, 
 leaving  him  to  form  his  own  judgment.  If  he  wishes  to  consider 
 the  subject  more  at  large,  he  will  receive  all  the  satisfaction  he  can 
 reasonably  expect  from  Dr.  Ov/eu's  very  valuable  Discourse  con- 
 cerning the  Holy  Spirit,  which  is  a  large  and  scarce  work.  Mr. 
 3urders's  Abridgment  will  answer  almost  every  purpose  of  the  ori- 
 ginal, au^  may  be  purchased  for  a  few  shillings.     liurrion's  Scripture 
 
348  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 These  are  the  principal,  if  not  all  the  passages  where 
 the  Holy  Spirit  is  mentioned  in  the  Old  Testament. 
 We  will  now  proceed  to  the  New,  and  advance  through 
 the  several  books  in  order,  making  such  observations 
 as  we  go  along,  as  may  seem  necessary  to  draw  the 
 attention  of  the  reader  to  the  true, meaning  of  the  Spi- 
 rit in  these  invaluable  writings. 
 
 -■»««¥M^;S(^!WW»» 
 
 PART  THIRD. 
 
 SECTION     II. 
 
 A  view  of  the  doctrine   concerning  THE  HOLY  SPHllT,   from  the 
 New  Testament. 
 
 THE  existence,  personality,  office,  and  divinity  of 
 the  Holy  Spirit  seem  to  me  to  be  estabhshed 
 with  accumulated  evidence  from  these  writings  of  the 
 Old  Testament  which  we  have  already  surveyed ;  but 
 the  strongest  and  most  satisfactory  proofs  of  these 
 several  particulars  arise  from  the  writings  of  the  new 
 covenant  dispensation.  To  these  we  will  now  there- 
 fore turn  our  attention,  as  we  have  before  done  on  the 
 enquiry  concerning  the  personal  character  of  the  Son  of 
 God  and  Saviour  of  men. 
 
 392.  Before 
 
 Doctrine  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  sixteen  Sermons  is  an  admirable 
 volume.  Dr.  Ridley's  Sermons  on  the  Holy  Spirit  at  Lady  Moyer's 
 Lectures,  is  said  to  be  worthy  the  attention  of  the  theological  stu- 
 dent, but  I  have  not  been  able  to  meet  with  it.  To  these  may  be 
 added  Mr.  Hawker's  eight  Sermons  on  the  Divinity  and  Operations 
 of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  Dr.  Scott's  View  of  the  doctrine  of  the  Holy 
 Spirit  in  the  third  volume  of  his  Christian  Life  ;  but  above  all 
 Eishcp  Pearson  on  the  Creed,  where,  on  the  eighth  article,  he  has 
 defended  the  personality  and  divinity  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  with  his 
 vsual  learning  and  ability,  against  every  material  objection  of  the 
 Socinians. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  349 
 
 392.  Before  they  came  together  she  zvas  found  zviih  child 
 
 of  the  WohY  Gpiost.  '    Mat.   i.   18. 
 
 393.  That  "johich  is  conceived  in  her  is  of  the  Holy 
 Ghost,      i.  20. 
 
 The  Holy  Spirit  was  not  only  engaged  in  the  original 
 formation  of  the  world,  but  he  was  also  the  sole  form- 
 er of  the  body  of  Jesus  in  the  womb  of  the  Vir- 
 gin, as  well  as  the  sole  regeneraior  of  the  souls  of  men 
 in  every  age. 
 
 394.  He  shall  baptize  yon  "uoilh  the  Holy  Ghost  and 
 
 ivith 
 
 '  "  Christ  is  born,"  says  the  eloquent  Nazianzen,  "  the   Spirit 
 "  is  his   forerunner  ;  Christ  is  baptized,   the  Spirit  bears    witness  ; 
 *'  Christ  is  tempted,  the  Spirit  leads  him  away  ;  Christ  works  mira- 
 "  cles,  the   Spirit  works  with   him  ;  Christ  ascends,  the  Spirit  suc- 
 *'  ceeds.     What  is  so  great  and  godlike  which  he  cannot  do  ?  What 
 "  name  is  so  divine,  that  of  unbegotten   and  begotten  excepted,  by 
 "  whicli  he  may  not  be  called? — He   is    called   the   Spirit  of  God, 
 *'  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  the  mind  of  Christ,  the    Spirit  of  the  Lord, 
 *'  himself  being  Lord,  the  Spirit  of  adoption,   the  Spirit  of  truth, 
 **  the   Spirit  of  liberty,   the   Spirit  of  wisdom   and  understanding, 
 *'  the  Spirit  of  counsel   and  strength,  the    Spirit  of  knowledge,  of 
 **  piety,  and  of  the  fear  of  God.      And  as  the  efficient  cause  of  all 
 *'  these,  he   fills  all  things   with   his   essence ;  contains   all  things  ; 
 **   the  world  is  filled  with  his  presence;  and  he   is  himself  greater 
 **  than   that  the  world  can  contain  his  power  and  energy.     He  is 
 "  good,  lighteous,  princely  by  nature,  not  by  donation.     He  sanc- 
 **  tifies,  is  not  sanctified  ;  he  measures,  is  not   measured  ;  he  gives, 
 ••  but  does  not  receive  ;  he  fills,  but  is  not  filled  ;  he  contains,  is  net 
 "  contained  ;  he  is   numbered,  glorified,  rightfully  inherits  with  the 
 *'   Father    and  the   Son.     Being  the  finger  of  God,  as  a  consuming 
 *<  fire,  he  denounces  wrath,  to  shew  that  he  is  of  the  same  essence, 
 '"  The  same  Spirit  who   was   the  maker,  recreates  by  baptism  and 
 '*  the  resurrection.     The  Spirit  knows  and  teaches  all  things  ;  blows 
 "  where  he  will,  and  as  much  as  he  will,    going   before,    speaking, 
 "   sending,  and   recalling.      He  is  angered,  tempted,  reveals,   and 
 •"  withdraws  light   and  life  ;  nay   he  is    light    and   life  itself.     Ha 
 **  builds  temples    and   dwells  in  them  as  God. — He  does  all  things 
 *'  as   God   himself  does.     He   appeared  as  cloven  tongues  of  fne. 
 "   He   distributes  his  gifts  ;    made  apostles,  prophets,    cvaiigtlists, 
 '•  pastors  and  teachers.- — He  is  almighty,  all-seeing,  penetratiiig  ioco 
 "  all  spirits,  at  the  same  moment  of  time,  though  far  sepaiatcd  fro:a 
 <'  each  c;her." 
 
 Oiat.  37.  vol.   I.  p.  610. 
 
3S^  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 with  fire.  3.  11.  The  Spirit  shall  purify  the 
 souls  of  men,  as  metal  is  purified  by  i!-,c  action 
 of  fire. 
 
 395/*  He  sa-zv  /be  Spirit  of  God  descending  like  a  dove, 
 and  lighting  upon  him.  3.  16.  Behold  here  a 
 personal  appearance  of  the  Spirit,  -distinct  from 
 tlie  Father,  and  the  Son. 
 
 2<j(i.  Then  was  Jesus  led  up  of  the  Spirit  into  the  wil- 
 derness to  he  tempted  of  the  devil.  4.  i  :  By  a 
 strong  impulse  upon  his  mind. 
 
 397.  I  zv ill  put  w/ySpiKiT  upon  hinij  and  he  shall  shez^' 
 judgment  to  the  Gentiles.    12.    18. 
 
 398.  //"/  cast  out  devils  by  the  Svikit  of  God,  11.  28. 
 Christ  wrought  all  his  nlighty  works  by  the 
 power  of  the  Spirit.  The  Spirit,  therefore,  is 
 omnipotent. 
 
 399.  The  blasphemy  against  the  Holy  Spirit  shall  7wt 
 be  forgiven  unto  men,   12.  31. 
 
 400.  IVhosoever  speaketh  against  the  Holy  Ghost  // 
 shall  not  be  forgiven  him.  12.  32.  The  sin 
 against  the  Holy  Ghost  seems  to  be  irremissable 
 beyond  every  other,  because  it  is  rejecting  the 
 last  and  only  efficacious  means  appointed  of  hea- 
 ven for  the  salvation  of  sonls. 
 
 401.  How  then  doth  lyav id  in  Spirit    call  him  Lord? 
 
 22.  43.  This  is  agreeable  to  the  sentiment  of 
 St.  Paul — No  man  can  say  thai  Jesus  is  the  Lardy 
 but  by  the  Holy  Ghost,     i  Cor.    12.  3. 
 
 ji^C2.  Go  ye  therefore  and  teach  all  nations^  baptizing  them 
 in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and 
 of  the  Holy  Ghost.  28.  19.  The  whole  Chris- 
 tian world  is  here  commanded,  by  the  Redeemer 
 hiraself,  to  be  dedicated  to  the  service  of  the 
 Holy  Ghost,  in  common  with  the  Father  and  the 
 Son. 
 
 4C3.  He  shall  baptize  you  zvith  the  Holy  Giiost. 
 Mark   i.  8. 
 
 404.  He  saw  the  heavens  opened^  and  the  Spirit  like  a 
 d'vc  dcs^ ending  uf '0:1  him,   1.   ic.  40  <.  Ths 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  351 
 
 405.  T'he  S'PWLir  driveib  kim  into  the 'Vjilderneis.   i.   12. 
 
 406.  David  said  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  'The  Lord  said 
 
 to  my  Lord.   12.   1^^,     David  was  under  the  in- 
 fluence of  the  Divine  Spirit,  not   only  when  he. 
 settled  the   temple  worship,    but  also   when   he 
 composed  his  sacred  hymns.     Compare  1  Sam. 
 23.   2,  3  ;  and   i  Chron.   28.    12. 
 
 407.  U  is  not  ye  that  spenk,  but  the  Holy  Ghost.    13. 
 
 II- 
 
 408.  He  shall  be  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost  even  from 
 his  mother's  womb.  Luke   i .   15. 
 
 409.  The  Holy  Ghost  shall  come  upon  thee^  and  the 
 pczver  of  the  Highest  shall  overshadow  thee :  there- 
 fore also  that  holy  Thing  which  shall  be  born  cf  thee 
 
 shall  be  called  the  Son  of  God.    i.  35. 
 4 TO.   Elizabeth  voas filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost,   t.  41. 
 
 411.  His  father   Zacharias  was  filled  with  the  Holy 
 
 Ghost,  and  prophesied,    i.  67. 
 
 412.  And  the  WoLY  Gi-iosr  was  upon  him.   2.  25. 
 
 413.  //  was  reveiiled  unto  him  by  the  Holy  Ghost, 
 that  he  should  not  see  death  before  he  had  sera  the 
 Lord's  Christ.  2.   26. 
 
 414.  He  came  by  the  S?\-^\t  into  the  temple.  1.  l~i. 
 415.*  And  the  Holy  Ghost  descended  in  a  bodily  shape 
 
 like  a  dove  upon  him.  3.   22. 
 
 416.  He  shall  hapiize  you  zdth  the  Holy  Ghost  and  zvith 
 fire.  3.    16. 
 
 417.  Jesus  being  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost  returned  from 
 Jordan^  and  was  led  by  the  Spirit  into  the  wil- 
 derness, 4.    I . 
 
 418.  jfrsus  returned  in   ike  po~j:cr   of  the  Srir^iT  /v/.^ 
 
 Galilee.  4.    14. 
 
 419.  The  SviKiT  of  the  L)rd  is  upon  me.  4.    \%. 
 
 420.  Hozv  much  more  shall  your   heavenlv   Father  glif 
 
 the  Holy  Spirit  to  ihetn  that  ask  him  ?   it.    13. 
 
 421.  Unto  him  that  blasphemeth  against  the  Holy 
 Ghost  //  shall  not  be  forgiven.   12.   to. 
 
 422.  The  Holy  Ghost  shall  teach  you  i>i  th^  same  hour 
 
 zvbat 
 
352  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 "jchat  ye  ought  to  say.  I2.  I2.  Could  an  unlntel- 
 ligent  agent  be  capable  of  reaching  naan  wisdom  ? 
 
 423.  Behold  1  send  the  Promise  of  my  Father  upon  you  : 
 but  tarry  ye  in  the  city  of  Jerusalem^  until  ye  be 
 endued  with  pozver  from  on  high,   24.  49. 
 
 424.*  John  bare  record^  sayings  I  sazv  the  Spirit  de- 
 scending from  heaven  like  a  dove,  and  it  abode  upofi 
 him,  John   i.  32. 
 
 425.  Upon  whom  thou  shalt  see  the  Spirit  descending 
 and  remaining  on  him^  the  same  is  he  zvho  baptizeth 
 with  the  Holy  Ghost,  i.  23'  Here  is  a  dis- 
 tinct personal  agency. 
 
 426.  Except  a  7nan  be  born  cf  zvater  and  of  the  Spirit, 
 he  cannot  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God.  3 .   5 . 
 
 427.  That  zvhich  is  born  of  the  Spirit  is  spirit.  3.  6. 
 To  be  born  of  the  Spirit,  and  to  be  born  of 
 God,  is  the  same  thing,  therefore  the  Spirit  is  God.- 
 Compare  John   i.   13. 
 
 428.  So  is  every  one  that  is  born  of  the  Spirit.  3.   8. 
 
 429.  God  giveth  not  the  Spirit   by   measure  unto  him. 
 
 Z'  34- 
 
 430.  'This  spake  he  of  ihe  Spirit,  zvhich  they  that  be- 
 
 lieve on  him  should  receive  ;  for  the  Holy  Ghost 
 ZL'as  not  yet  given,  because  that  Jesus  zvas  not  yet 
 glorified,  7,  39. 
 
 43 1.*  /  zvill pray  the  Father,  and  he  shall  give  you  ano^ 
 ther  Comforter,  that  he  may  abide  zvith you  for- 
 ever;  even  the  SPIRIT  of  truth  ;  zvhom  the  zsoorld 
 cannot  receive,  because  it  seeth  him  not,  neither 
 knoweth  him  :  but  ye  knozjo  him  ;  for  he  dzvelletb 
 zvithyoUi  and  shall  be  in  yen.    14.    16,    17. 
 
 432.*  TX'^  Comforter,  '  zvhich  is  the  Holy  Ghost, 
 
 zsohom 
 
 *  Dr.  Owen,  in  his  excellent  book  on  the  Spirit,  illustrates  the 
 personality  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  as  taught  in  scripture,  by  a  pertinent 
 simifitude.  "  It  is  impossible,"  says  he,  "  to  prove  the  Father  to 
 "  be  a  person,  or  the  Son  to  be  a  person,  any  other  way  than  we 
 '*  may  prove  the  Holy  Ghost  to  be  so.  For  he  to  whom  all  per- 
 "  sonal  properties,  attributes,  adjuncts,  and  operations  are  ascribed  ; 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  355 
 
 zvbom  the  Father  zvill  ssnd  in  my  7iame  ;  he  shall 
 W  w  teach 
 
 "  and  to  whom  nothing  is  ascribed  but  what  properly  belongs  to  a 
 •'  person,  he  is  a  person  ;  and  so  are  we  taught  to  believe  him  to  be* 
 "  Thus  we  know  the  Father  to  be  a  person,  and  the  Son  also;  for 
 *'  our  knowledge  of  things  is  more  by  their  properties,  than  by  their 
 *•  essential  forms. — There  is  no  personal  property  belonging  to  the 
 *'  Divine  Nature,  that  is  not  in  one  place  of  scripture  or  other 
 "  ascribed  to  the  Holy  Spirit. 
 
 "  Jf  a  wise  and  honest  man  should  come  and  tell  you,  that  in  a 
 "  certain  country  where  he  has  been,  thjre  is  an  excellent  Govern- 
 *'  or,  who  wisely  discharges  the  duties  of  his  ofHce  ;  who  hears 
 "  causes,  discerns  right,  distributes  justice,  relieves  the  poor,  and 
 *'  comforts  the  distressed  ;  would  you  not  bcii-.-ve  that  he  intended 
 "  by  this  description  a  righteous,  wii.e,  diligent,  intelligent  person  ? 
 *'  What  else  could  any  man  living  imagine  ? 
 
 "   But   now   suppose    that    a    stranger,   or  person    of    suspicious 
 "  character  and  credit,  should  come   and   say,   that  the  former   in- 
 "  formation  which  you  had   received  was  indeed  true,   but  that  no 
 **  man  or  person  was  intended,    but   the  iun,  or   the   vAnd,  which, 
 "  by  their  benign  influences,  rendered  the  country  fruitful  and  rem- 
 "  perate,  and  disposed  the  inhabitants   to   mutual  kindness  and  be- 
 "   nignity  ;  and   therefore,  that  the  whole  description  of  a  governor 
 *'  and  his  actions,  was  merely  fgurativt,  though   no  such  intimation 
 "   had  been  given   you.     Must  you   not   conclude,   either  that  the 
 **  first   person  was  a  notorious  trifler,  and  designed   ycur  ruin,  if 
 **  your  affairs  depended  on  his  report  ;  or  that  your  latter  infjrmer 
 *'  whose  \eracity  vou  had  rea?on   to  suspect,  had   endeavoured    to 
 "  abuse  both  him  and  you.     It  is  exactly  thus  in  the  case   before  us. 
 "  The  scripture  tells,   that  the  Holy  Ghost  governs    the  church; 
 *'  appoints  overseers  of  it;  discerns  and  judges    all  things;    com- 
 "  forts  the  faint ;  strengthens  the   weak  ;  is   grieved   and   provoked 
 *•  by   sin  ;  and  that  in   tnese,   and  many  otiier  afiairs,   he  works, 
 "  orders  and  disposes  all  things,  according  to  the  counsel  of  his  own 
 "  will.     Can  any  man  credit  ihis  testimony,  and  conceive  otherwise 
 *'  of  the  Spirit,  than  as  a  holy,  wise,  intelligent  person  I'  Now  while 
 "  we  are  under  the  power  of  these  apprehensions,  there  come  to  us 
 *'  some  men,  Socir.tani  or  ^takers,    whom    we   have  just   cause  to 
 "  suspect    of  deceit  and  falsehood  ;  and  they  tell  us,  that  what  the 
 *'  scripture  says  of  the  Holy  Ghost  is  indeed /rz/c",  bat  that  no  such 
 *'  person  is  intended  by  these  expressions,   but   only  an  accident,  a 
 *'  quality,  an  e^^'ect.  or  influence  of  the  power   of  God,    which   doth 
 *'  all  these  i\ax\gs  fguruti-uely  ;  that  he  has  a  nvill  figuratively,  an 
 **   understanding  figuratively,   is   sinned  against  figuratively  ;  and  so 
 "  of  all  that  is  said  of  him.     Now  whai  can  any  man,  not  bereft  of 
 "  natural  reason  as   well    as    spiritual  light,  conclude  ?    but  either 
 '*  that  the  scripture  designed  to  draw  him  into  fatal  errors,  or  that 
 
354  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 teach  you  al  thiugs,  and  bring  all  things  to  your 
 rnnembrai.ce  whatsoever  I  have   said  unto    you. 
 
 14.  26. 
 
 433.*  IVljen  the  Comforter  is  come^  zvhom  I  zuill  fend  unto 
 you  from  the  Father,  even  //j(?  spirit  of  truth,  which 
 proceedeth  from  the  Father^  he  shall  testify  of  me. 
 
 15.  26. 
 
 434.*  /  tell  you  the  truth :  It  is  expedient  for  you  that  1 
 go  away;  for  if  I  go  net  away,  the  comforter 
 unll  net  come  unto  you  :  but  if  I  depart  1  will  send 
 him  unto  you  :  and  ivhen  he  is  come,  he  fhall  reprove 
 the  tvcrld  of  sin,  and  of  righteousness y  and  of 
 judgment.      16.  7,  8. 
 
 435.*  When  he,  the  spirit  of  truth,  is  come,  he  will 
 guide  you  into  all  truth:  for  he  shall  not  speak  of 
 himself;  but  whatsoever  he  shall  hear,  that  shall  he 
 speak',  and  he  will  shezv  you  things  to  come.  He 
 shall  glorify  me :  for  he  shall  receive  of  mine,  and 
 shall  shew  it  unto  you.  All  things  that  the  Father 
 hath  are  mine :  therefore  said  /,  that  he  shall  take 
 of  mine,  and  shew  it  unto  you .     1 6.  1 3 — 1 5. 
 
 Language  is  incapable  of  expreffing  the  perfonal  ex- 
 istence of  the  Ploly  Spirit  in  more  forcible  terms  than 
 these.  If  he  is  not  a  distinct,  personal  and  intelligent 
 agent,  expreffions  have  no  meaning. 
 
 436.  He  breathed  on  them,  and  saith  unto  them.,  Receive  ye 
 the  Holy  Ghost.      20.   22.     This  is  an  embli- 
 .  matical  action,  such  as  were  common  among  the 
 Jews. 
 
 The  evidence  to  the  existence,  personal  properties, 
 intelligence,  and  deity  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  are  pretty  nu- 
 merous 
 
 "  those  who  impose  such  a  sense  upon  it,  are  corrupt  seducers,  who 
 **  would  rob  him  of  his  faith  and  comforts  ?  Such  will  they  at  last 
 "  appear  to  be." 
 
 Bu/der's  Abridgment,  p.  28,  29. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  355 
 
 mcrous  and  strong  from  the  four  gofpcls.  The  Acts  of 
 the  Apostles  abound  still  nriore  with  the  same  kind  of 
 information. 
 
 437.  Afler  that  hcy  through  the  Holy  Ghost,  had  given 
 commandment  unto  the  Apostle.     Acts  i.  2. 
 
 438.  IV ait  for  the  promise  of  the  Father.      1.  4. 
 
 439.  Baptized  with  the  Holy  Ghost  not  many  days 
 hence,      i.  5. 
 
 440.  Te  shall  receive  pozver  after  that  the  VioLY  Ghost 
 is  come  upon  you.      i.   8. 
 
 441.  V/hich  the  Holy  Ghost,  hy  the  mouth  of  David 
 spake  before,      i.    16. 
 
 442.  And  they  were  all  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  and 
 began  to  speak  with  other  tongues  as  the  spirit  gave 
 them  utterance.     1.  4. 
 
 443.  It  shall  come  to  pass  in  the  last  days,  saith  Gody  I 
 
 will  pour  out  of  my  spirit  upon  all  flesh.     2.  17. 
 
 444.  I  will  pour  out  in  those  days  of  my  spirit.      2.   18. 
 
 445.  Being  by  the  right  hand  of  God  exalted,  and  having 
 received  of  the  Father  the  promise  of  the  Holy 
 Ghost,  he  hath  shed  forth  this.     2.  23' 
 
 446.  Repent  and  be  baptized  every  one  of  you  in  the  name 
 
 of  Jesus  Christ  for  the  remiffton  of  sins y  and  ye  shall 
 receive  the  gift  cf  the  Holy  Ghost  :  for  the  pro- 
 mise is  to  you,  and  to  your  children.     1.  38,  39. 
 
 447.  Feter,  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  said.     4.  8. 
 
 448.  And  they  were  all  filled  with  the  PIoly  Ghost,  and 
 they  spake  the  word  of  God  with  boldness.     4.  31. 
 
 449.*  fVhy  hath  Satan  filled  thine  heart  to  lie  to  the  Holy 
 Ghost  ?  Thou  hast  not  lied  unto  men,  but  unto 
 God.^   5.  3,  4. 
 
 450.  To  tempt  the  spirit  of  the  Lord?    5.  9. 
 
 45 1 .  fVe  are  witnesses  of  these  things,  and  so  is  also 
 the  Holy  Ghost,  whom  God  hath  given  to  them 
 that  obey  him.     5.  32. 
 
 W  w   2  452.  Men 
 
 *  Lying  to  the  Holy  Ghost,  is  lying  unto  God  ;  therefore  the  Holy 
 Ghost  is  God. 
 
3S6  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 452.  Men  cf  honest  report ^  full  cf  the.  Holy  Ghost, 
 and  wisdom,'    6.  2- 
 
 453.  Slephen,  a  man  full  of  faith  and  the  Holy  Ghost. 
 6.-  5. 
 
 454.  Te  do  always  resist  the  Holv  Ghost.     7.  51. 
 
 455.  Ue  being  full  cf  the  Koly  Ghost  locked  up  sted- 
 f a stly  inio  heaven.     7.   55* 
 
 456.  Prayed  for  them  that  they  might  receive  the  Hoin 
 Gho.-.t.     8.    15. 
 
 457.  'Then  laid  they  their  hands  on  thentj  and  they  received 
 the  Holy  Ghost.     8.   17* 
 
 458.  IF  hen  Simon  sa-ji\  that  through  laying  on  the  Apos^ 
 ties  hands  J  the  Holy  Ghost  was  given  y  he  cjfered 
 them  money  J  ^'^yifigy  Give  me  also  this  power,  that 
 en  whomsoever  I  lay  hands  he  -may  receive  the  Holy 
 Ghwst.      8.    18,  19. 
 
 459.*  Then  the  spirit  said  unto  Philip,  Go  near  and  jcin 
 thyself  to  this  chariot.  8.  29.  Here  the  Spirit  is 
 inrroduced  as  a  personal,  and  intelligent  aj^cnt.  * 
 
 460.*  The  SPIRIT  cf  the  Lord  caught  azi-ny  Philip.  8. 
 39.     We  see  again,  that  as  the  Spirit  had  before 
 
 spoken 
 
 *  St.  Cyprian  has  summed  up  the  several  operations  of  the  Holy 
 Spirit  in  a  manner  worthy  of  our  attention  : — "  AH,"  says  he,  '•  is 
 *'  by  the  guidance  of  the  Holy  Spirit  that  those  who  wandered  are 
 *'  directed,  the  wicked  are  converted,  the  weak  are  strengthened. 
 *'  He.  the  right  Spirit,  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  princely  Spirit,  rules, 
 "  pcrftcts,  dwells  in  our  souls,  which  he  perfects,  and  cur  hearts 
 *'  which  he  possesses.  Nor  does  he  sufFer  those  to  err,  or  be  cor- 
 *^  rupted,  or  overcome  whom  he  hath  taught,  whom  h?  hath  pos- 
 "  sesscd,  and  whom  he  hath  girded  with  the  sword  of  most  pcwer- 
 *'  ful  virtue. — 
 
 **  He  washes  away  sins  ;  he  justifies  the  ungodly,  and  calls  the 
 **  dead  to  life  ;  he  heals  discord,  and  draws  and  binds  with  the  bond 
 **  of  love  ;  he  raises  us  up  to  heaven  ;  and,  freeing  us  from  the 
 **  vanities  of  this  world,  he  makes  us  heirs  of  a  kingdom  above ; 
 "  of  which  this  is  the  chief  happiness,  that  this  body  by  spiritual 
 *•  influences  converses  with  angels  ;  nor  shall  there  be  any  more 
 *♦  the  appetites  of  flesh  and  blood  ;  but  there  shall  be  a  full  suiHci- 
 *'  ency  of  all  things  ;  God  shall  be  known,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  shall 
 "  dwell  within  us." 
 
 Dc  Spirit.  Sancto,  p.  486,  48P. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  35^ 
 
 spoken  to  Philip,  so  here  he  bore  him  miracu- 
 lously away;  a  sufEcient  proof  of  his  personal 
 agency. 
 
 461.  Bi  ether  Saul,  the  LorcU  even  Jesus ^  that  appeared 
 WHO  thee  in  the  way  as  thou  earnest,  bath  sent  mey 
 that  thou  rni'^btest  receive  thy  sight,  and  be  filed 
 zvi:h  the  Holy  Ghost.     9.  17. 
 
 462.  'Then  had  the  churches  rest — and  "talking  in  the  fear 
 of  the  Lord,  and  in  the  comfort  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
 vcere  777ultiplied.      9.   31. 
 
 4^3.*  IV h tie  Peter  thought  on  the  visicn,  the  spirit  said 
 unto  him,  Beheld  three  men  se^k  thee.      10.    19. 
 
 i\f>^  *  Go  vcith  them,  douiling  nothing;  for  I  have  sent 
 them.  10.  20.  In  both  these  cases  the, Spirit  is 
 introduced  as  speaking  to  Peter  in  the  manner  of 
 a  persrjnsl  agent. 
 
 465.  God  anointed  Jesus   of  Nazareth  ivilh  the  Holy 
 
 Gho^t  and zvith  power.      10.  38. 
 
 466.  The  H'.LY  Ghost  fell  on  all  them  voho  heard  ihi 
 ivcrd.      TO.  44. 
 
 467.  On  the  Gentiles  also  was  poured  out  the  gift  of  the 
 Holy  Ghost.      10.  45. 
 
 463.  Can  any'  man  forbid  water,  that  tlcse  should  not  he 
 baptized,  who  have  received  the  Holy  Ghost,  as 
 zvell  as  we  F     10.  47. 
 
 469.*  And  the  spirit  bade  me  go  irith  them,  nothing 
 doubting.  II.  12.  Here  again  the  Spirit  speaks, 
 and  in  such  a  manner  as  implies  that  he  is  the 
 governor  of  the  church. 
 
 470.  As  1  began  to  speak,  the  Holy  Ghost  fellm  them, 
 
 as  on  us  at  the  beginning.      11.    15.  • 
 
 47 1 .  John  indeed  baptized  with  water  ;  but  ye  shall  be 
 
 baptized  with  the  Holy  Gno'iT.      11.    16. 
 
 472.  God  gave  them  the  like  gift  (of  the  Holy  Ghost.  J 
 
 II. '17. 
 
 473.  Barnabas  was  a  good  man,  and  full  oj  the  Holy 
 Ghost  and  of  faith,      it.   24. 
 
 474.   Agalu? 
 
IjS  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 474.  Agabus  signified  by  the  Spirit  great  dearth,  if 
 28. 
 
 475*.  As  they  ministered  to  the  Lord  and  fasted^  the 
 Holy  Ghost  said^  SepanUe  me  Barnabas  and 
 Saul  for  the  work  whereunto  I  have  called  them. 
 13.  2.  Hence  k  appears  the  Spirit  acts  as  a 
 fovereign  in  the  church,  and  the  context  shews 
 the  Apostles  obeyed  his  orders. 
 
 476.*  'Jhejy  being  sent  forth  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  de- 
 parted unto  Seleucia.  13.  4.  The  whole  of  the 
 gospel  dispensation,  and  government  of  the 
 church,  is  in  the  hands  of  the  Spirit. 
 
 477.  '^hen  Sauly— filled  'with  the  Holy  Ghost,  set  hts 
 eyes  on  him.      13.   9. 
 
 478.  'The  disciples  were  fidled  with  joy^  and  with  ih^ 
 Holy  Ghost.      13.   52. 
 
 479.  God^  who  knoweth  the  hearts^  bare  them  witness^ 
 giving  them  the  Holy  Ghost,  even  as  he  did 
 unto  us.     15.    8. 
 
 480*.  It  seemed  good  to Jhe  Holy  Ghost  and  to  us^  to 
 lay  upon  you  no  greater  burden  than  these  necessary 
 things.  15.  28.  Behold  here  again  the  personal 
 and  intellectual  agency  of  the  Spirit. 
 
 "  48 1*.  When  they  bad  gone  throughout  Phrygian—and  were 
 forbidden  of  the  Holy  Ghost  to  preach  the  word 
 in  Asia,  after  they,  were  come  to  Mysia^  they  assay- 
 ed to  go  into  Bithyniai  but  the  Spirit  suffered 
 them- not.  16.  6,  7.  The  same  observation  holds 
 good  here.     The  Holy  Spirit  acts  as  a.  fovereign. 
 
 482.  For  in  him  we  livey  and  move,  and  have  our  being  ; 
 
 ,  ^z^  certain  also  of  your  own  poets  have  said.  For  we 
 
 are  also  his  offspring.      17.  28. 
 
 This  passage  is  much  in  the  spirit  of  the  hundred  and 
 and  thirty  ninth  psalm.  And  as  that  psalm  is  applied  to  the 
 Spirit  of  God  which  filleth  all  things,  so  may  this  verse 
 be  applied  to  the  same  divine  person.  The  poet  to 
 which  the  Apostle  refers  was  Aratus,  who  lived  about 
 
 the 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  359 
 
 the  year  280  before  Christ.     The  poem  quoted  begins 
 in  the  manner  following : — 
 
 "  From  Jove  begin  :  let  not  us  men 
 "  Permit  great  Jove  to  be  unsung. 
 **  For  every  town,  and  every  crowd 
 "  Of  living  men,  with  Jove  are  fill'd. 
 "  With  him  are  fiU'd  both  sea  and  land. 
 **  Of  Jove  we're  every  where  possess'd. 
 *'  For  we,  even  we  his  offspring  are, 
 "  Kindly  he  points  out  good  to  all."* 
 
 483.  Have  ye  received  the  Holy  Ghost  since  ye  heUev- 
 ed  f  And  they  say  unto  hivi^  IVe  have  not  so  much 
 (IS  heard  whether  there  be  any  Holy  Ghost. 
 19.  2.  It  had  never  come  to  our  knowledge  that 
 the  Holy  Spirit  had  been  given  in  any  extraordi- 
 nary manner. 
 
 484.  WJjen  Paul  had  laid  his  hands' on  theniy  the  Holy 
 Ghost  came  on  them.     19.  6. 
 
 485.*  Save  that  the  Holy  Ghost  witnesseth  in  every 
 city^  sayings  that  bonds  and  affiictions  abide  me, 
 10,  23.     The  Spirit  speaks  to  Paul. 
 
 486.*  Take  heed — to  all  the  flock  over  the  which  thel^OLY 
 Ghost  hath  made  you  overseers.  20.  28.  The 
 Holy  Spirit  appoints  all  ministers  in  the  church. 
 
 487.  They  said  to  Paul  through  the  Spirit,  that  he 
 should  not  go  up  to  Jerusalem.     21.4.* 
 
 *  Compare  with  this  the  hymns  oiF  Cleanthes  and  EupoHs  to  the 
 Creator. 
 
 *  The  doctrine  of  the  Holy  Spirit's  influence  upon  the  human 
 mind  is  treated  with  great  and  general  neglect  in  the  present  day. 
 This,  I  conceive  to  be  the  chief  cause  of  that  lukewarmness  and 
 irreligion  which  prevail  in  so  fatal  a  degree  among  all  ranks  of  men. 
 A  most  able  and  animated  defence  of  these  divine  influences  hath 
 lately  been  laid  before  the  public  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Knox,  in  his 
 Christian  Philosophy  ;  a  work  which  has  a  strong  tendency  to  re- 
 vive the  dying  cause  of  religion,  and  to  distinguish  between  what  is 
 spurious  and  what  is  genuine  among  the  professors  of  Christianity. 
 In  my  judgment,  however,  the  learned  Doctor  makes  too  little  ac- 
 count of  external  evidence.  If  he  could  see  it  right  to  rectify  this 
 part  in  the  next  edition,  I  make  no  doubt  the  volumes  would  becom* 
 very  generally  acceptable  to  men  of  inquiring  minds. 
 
36»  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 488.*  He  took  Pattl's  girdle y  and  hound  his  own  hands  and 
 
 feet,  and  said,   Thus  saith  the  Holy  Ghost,   ^S'^ 
 
 shall  the  Jews  at  Jerusalem  hind  the   man   that 
 
 owneth  this  girdle.     21.   n.     The  Holy  Ghost 
 
 speaks  to  Agabus. 
 
 489.*  Well  spake  the  Holy  Ghost  hy  Isaiah  the 
 prophet  unto  oar  fathers,  saying ;  Go  unto  this 
 people y  and  say,  &c. — and  I  should  hsal  then:. 
 28.  25 — 27.  See  Jones  on  the  Trinity  upon  this 
 passage,  ch.  2.  sect.  22,  vv'here  he  proves  by  a 
 comparison  of  it  with  the  sixth  chapter  of  Isaiah, 
 that  the  Holy  Ghost  is  tiic  Lord  of  Hosts. 
 
 The  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  we  have  seen,  abounds 
 largely  with  declararions  concerning  the  Holy  Spirit. 
 The  evidence  from  thence  will  be  found  perfectly  deci- 
 sive for  his  existence,  personality,  intelligence,  and  divi- 
 nity.    The  Epistles  come  next  under  confideration. 
 
 490.  Declared  to  he  the  Son  of  God  wiih  pozver,  according 
 to  the  Spirit  of  holiness.  Rom.  i.  4;  The 
 Spirit  of  holinefs  probably  means  in  this  place 
 the  Divine  Nature  of  Jesus.  The  expression  is 
 ambiguous. 
 
 49  T.  The  love  of  God  is  shed  abroad  in  our  hearts  hy  the 
 ¥ioLY  Ghost  which  is  giV'Vt  unto  us.     5.   5. 
 
 492.  IFho  walk  not  after  the  fesh,  hut  after  the  Spirit. 
 
 8.    I. 
 
 493.  The  law  of  the  Spirit  of  life  in  Christ  Jesus  hath 
 
 made  vie  free.     8.   2. 
 
 494.  Who  walk  not  after  the  fleshy  hut  after  the  Spirit. 
 8.  4.  ' 
 
 495.  They  that  are  after  the  Spirit  do  mind  the  things 
 of  the  Spirit.     8.  5. 
 
 496.  Te  are  not  in  the  flesh,  hut  in  the  Spirit,  if  so  h.- 
 that  the  Spirit  of  God  dwell  in  you.     Nozv  if  ai. 
 man  have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ  he  is  none  c 
 
 hi:  . 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  361 
 
 bis.  8.  9.  The  Holy  Ghost  is  "equally  the 
 Spirit  of  Gu'd  and  of  Christ. 
 
 497.  The  Spirit  is  life  because  of  righteousness.     8.  10. 
 
 493,*  If  the  Spirit  of  hivi  that  raised  up  Jesus  from  the 
 dead  dzvell  in  you,  he  that  raised  up  Christ  from  the 
 dead  shall  also  quicken  your  mortal  bodies  by  hts 
 Spirit  that  dwelleth  in  you.     8.    11. 
 
 The  Spirit  of  God  was  the  agent  in  raising  up  the 
 body  .of  Jesus  Christ  from  the  grave,  and  will  be  the 
 same  in  the  resurrection  of  our  bodies.  It  is  remark- 
 able, however,  that  all  the  three  persons  are  spoken  of  as 
 being  concerned  both  in  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  and  in 
 our  resurrection, 
 
 499.  If  ye  through  the  Spirit  do  mortify  the  deeds  of  the 
 body.,  ye  shall  live.     8 .    13. 
 
 500.  As  many  as  are  led  by  the  Spirit  of  God  they  are 
 
 the  sons  of  God.      8 .   14. 
 
 501.  Te  have  received  the  Spirit  of  adoption.     8 .   15. 
 502.*  The  Spirit  itself  beareth  witness  with  our  spirit, 
 
 8.    16. 
 5  03 .   Who  have  the  first  fruits  of  the  Spirit.     8 .  23 . 
 504.  The  Spirit  helpeth  our  infirmities.     8.   26. 
 505.*  716^  Spirit  itself  make th  intercession  for  us  ivilh 
 
 groanings  zvhich  cannot  be  uttered.     8.  26.     Here 
 
 is  also  perfonal  agency. 
 506.  He  that  searcheth  the  hearts  knozveth  what  is  the 
 
 mind  of  the  Spirit.     8.   27. 
 507.*  My  conscience  bearing  me  witness  in  the  Holy 
 
 Ghost.     9.   i.     Here  is  an  appeal  to  the  Holy 
 
 Ghost,   which  appeal  was  never  to  be  made  to 
 
 any  other  being  but  God  by  the  law.    Deut.  6. 
 
 13,  14.     The  Holy  Ghost  therefore  is  God. 
 
 508.  The  kingdo?n  of  God  is — -Joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost. 
 
 14.  17. 
 
 509.  No'.v  (be  God  of  hope  fill  you  zvith  all  joy  and  peace 
 
 X  X  "  in 
 
362  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  Ttk 
 
 in  helievingy  that  ye  'inay  abound  in  hope  ^through 
 the  pozver  of  the  l-loLY  Guost,      15.   13. 
 
 5 10.  That  the  offering  up  of  the  Gentiles  might' be  accepla-^ 
 bley  being  sanctified hy  the  Holy  Ghost.      15.  i6. 
 
 51 1.  Through  mighty  signs  and  wonders ^  by  the  poller  of 
 
 /i?^:' Spirit  of  God.      15.  19. 
 
 All  the  miracles  wrought  by  the  Apostles  were  ac- 
 complished by  the  power  of  the  Spirit.  Indeed,  there  is 
 that  intercommunityj  if  I  may  so  speak,  between  the 
 Father,  Son,  and  Spirit,  that  they  all  concur  in  every 
 act  of  creation,  providence,  and  grace. 
 
 512.  /  beseech  you — for  the  love  of  the  Spirit.     15.  30. 
 
 513.  My  preaching  was  in  demonstration  of  the  Spirit, 
 and  of  pozver,'  that  your  faith  should  not  stand  in 
 the  zvisdom  ofmen^  but  in  the  power  of  God.  i  Cor. 
 1.  4,  5.     Hence  it  appears  the  Spirit  is  God. 
 
 ^i^*The  things  which  God  hath  prepared  for  them  that 
 love  him^  God  hath  revealed  unto  us  by  his  Spirit  ; 
 for  the  Spirit  searcheth  all  things ^  yca^  the  deep 
 things  of  God.     2.   9,  10.  ■        _ 
 
 515.*  The  things  of  God^  knoweth  no  man,  hut  /^(?  Spirit 
 OF  God.     2.  II. 
 
 if  the  Holy  Ghost  is  capable  of  searching  the  coun- 
 fels  of  the  Divine  mind,  and  of  knowing  all  the  secrets 
 of  God  as  fully  as  the  spirit  of  a  man  knows  all  the  fe- 
 crets  of  his  own  bofom,  he  must  be  comrtiensurate  with 
 that  Infinite  Being,  and  consequently  must  be  infinite 
 himself. 
 
 516.  IP7'  have  received  the  Spirit  which  is  of  Gody  that 
 zve  might  know  the  things  which  are  freely  given  to 
 us  of  God,     1.   12. 
 
 517.  /;/  words  which  the  Holy  Ghost  teatheth,    2.  1J« 
 
 518.  The  Jiatural  man  receive th  not  the  things  of  the 
 Spirit  of  God.     2.  14. 
 
 519.*  Know 
 
DQCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  363 
 
 519,*  Know  ye  not  that  ye  are  the  temple  of  God,  and 
 that.  //?h?  Spirit  of  God ■  dwelleth  in  yoiif  If 
 any  man  defile  the  temple  of  God  him  shall  God  de~ 
 stroy  :  for  the  temple  of  God  is  boly^  which  temple 
 ye  are.'*  3.  16,  17.  The  Holy  Ghost  is  called 
 God  three  times  in  these  two  verses. 
 
 5,20.  But  ye  are  washed,  hut  ye  are  sanctified^  but  ye  are 
 justified  in  the  name  of  the  Lard  Jesusj  and  by  the 
 Spirit  of  our  God.     6.  11. 
 
 52 1.  Know  ye  710 1  that  your  body  is  the  temple  cf  the  Holy 
 
 Ghost,     which     is   in  you,    zvhich  ye  have     of 
 
 God,   and  ye   are  not  your   own  ?       Fcr  ye  are 
 
 bought  with  a  price  :  therefore  glorify  God  *  in  your 
 
 X  X  2  body 
 
 2  St.  Ambrose  says,  when  speaking  of  this  passage,  "  How  im- 
 "  pudently  do  you  deny  the  deity  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  when  you 
 ••  read,  that  the  Spirit  hath  a  temple  ;  for  it  is  written,  Ye  are  the 
 *'  temple  of  GoJ,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  avjells  in  you.  God  therefore 
 *'  hath  a  temple  :  a  creature  hath  no  real  temple  :  but  the  Spirit 
 "  hath  a  temple  ;  for  he  dwelleth  in  you."  De  Spiritu  Sancto,  lib. 
 3.  c.   13. 
 
 Theophylact  upon  it  says,  "  If  we  be.  the  ternple  of  God,  be- 
 *f  cause  the  Spirit  of  God  dwells  in  us,  then  the  Spirit  is  God." 
 
 ♦♦  In  this  place,"  says  Calvin,  •'  we  have  a  clear  testimony, 
 *'  asserting  the  divinity  of  the  Holy  Spirit  :  for  if  he  was  a  crea- 
 '*  ture,  or  a  gift  only,  he  would  not  have  made  them  the  temple  of 
 **  God,  by  dwelling  in  them." 
 
 Bishop  Pearson  says,  "  We  know  no,  other  reason  why  we  are  the 
 *'  temple  of  God,  when  the  Spirit  of  God  dwells  in  us,  but  only 
 '♦  because  the  Spirit  of  God  is  God."     On  the  Creed,  p.  320. 
 
 The  same  learned  man  says  again  :  "  That  person  whose  inhabi- 
 "  tation  makes  a  temple,  is  God  ;  for  if  the  notion  of  a  temple  be 
 "  nothing  else  but  to  be  the  house  of  God,  and  if  to  be  the  house 
 "  of  any  creature  is  not  to  be  a  temple,  as  it  is  not,  then  no  inhabi- 
 **  tation  of  any  created  person  can  make  a  temple  ;  but  the  inha- 
 **  bitation  of  the  Holy  Ghost  inakes  a  temple  : — therefore  the  Holy 
 "  Ghost  is  God."  ■■■■■-■■ 
 
 P.  319. 
 
 *"  The  Jewish  temple,  to  which  there  seems  here  to  be  an  allu- 
 *'  sion,  was  a  place  of  the  most  solemn  religious  worship,  of  that; 
 *'.  God  to  which  the  temple  was  built  ajid  dedicated.  BeU'Cvers  be- 
 *'  ing  the  temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  ats  ljoun4  to  worship  him;, 
 "  waose  temple  they  ar^.*' 
 
 Hurrion,  p.  \i^f 
 
3^4  AN  APOLOGY  FOjl  THE 
 
 hodyy  and  in  your  spirit y  which  are  God's.  6.  19, 
 '  20.  Compare  this  with  2  Cor.  6.  16.  2"e  are  the 
 temple  of  the  living  God  ,-  as  God  hath  said,  I 
 will  dwell  in  them^  and  vjalk  in  them  ;  and  I  will  be 
 their  God,  and  they  shall  be  my  people,  A  nd  with 
 Levit.  26.  II,  12.  J  will  set  my  tabernacle  amongst 
 you  y  and  my  soul  shall  not  at>hor  you.  And  I  zvill 
 walk  among  you  and  will  be  your  Gody  And  ye  shall 
 be  my  people.  To  be  the  temple  of  the  Holy 
 Ghost,  and  the  temple  of  the  living  God^  is  'one 
 and  the  same  thing;  the  Holy  Ghost  therefore  is 
 the  living  God. 
 
 522.  I  think  also  that  I  have  the  Spirit  of  God.  7. 
 40. 
 
 ,52 J.  No  man  speaking  by  the  Spirit  of  God  calleth 
 Jesus  accursed :  and  no  man  can  say  that  Jesus  is 
 the  Lcrdy  but  by  the  Holy  Ghost.      12.  3. 
 
 524.  There  are  diversities  of  gifts,  but  the  same  Spirit. 
 12.  4.  _ 
 
 525.*  The  manifestation  of  the  Spirit  is  given  to  every 
 man  to  profit  tvithal :  for  to  one  is  given  by  the 
 Spirit  the  word  cf  wisdom  :  to  another,  the  zvord 
 cf  knowledge  by  the  same  Spirit  :  to  another,  faith 
 by  the  same  Spirit  :  to  another,  the  gifts  of  healing 
 by  the  same  Spirit.  But  all  these  worketh  that  cne 
 and  the  self- same  Spirit,  dividing  to  every  cne 
 severally  as  he  will.  *    12.  7,  8,  9,  1 1. 
 
 527.*  By 
 
 5  St.  Chrysostom  observes  on  these  words,  "  Js  he  ivill,  it  is 
 ♦*  said,  not  as  he  is  commanded  ;  dividing,  not  as  divided,  he  being 
 **  the  author,  not  subject  to  authority.  Do  you  not  see  the  perfect 
 **  power?  for  they  who  have  the  same  nature,  no  doubt,  have  the 
 "  same  authority  ;  and  they  that  have  the  same  dignity,  have  one 
 ^'  and  the  same  virtue  and  power." 
 
 Irerjeus  in  his  short  view  of  a  Christian's  belief  says  : — "  In  one 
 **  God,  the  Supreme  Governor  over  all,  of  whom  are  all  things  j 
 *'  — and  in  the  Son  of  God,  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord,  by  whom  are 
 *'  are  all  things ; — and  in  the  Spirit  of  God,  which  hath  in  every 
 •*  generation  manifested  unto  men  the  dispensations  both  of  the  Fa- 
 «•  ther  and  the  Son,  according  to  the  will  of  the  Father."  Lib.  4, 
 cap.  62. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  $^5 
 
 526.  By  one  Spirit  we  are  all  baptized'  into  one  hcdy—^ 
 and  have  been  all  made  to  drink  into  one  Sprit. 
 12.    13. 
 
 527.  In  the  S?\vt.iT  he  speaketb  mysteries,      14.   2. 
 
 528.  IV ho  hath  also  sealed  us,  and  given  the  earnest  cf 
 /'!<?  Spirit  in  our  hearts.     1  Cor.  i.  22. 
 
 529.  Tc  are  the  epistle  of  Christ,  zvritUn,  net  zvitb  inky 
 but  zvith  the  Spirit  ef  the  living  God.  3.  3. 
 Compare  Heb.  8.  10. 
 
 53c.  Hjzv  shall  net  the  ministration  of  the  Spirit  he  ra- 
 ther glorious  r*  3 .  8 . 
 
 531.  A^ow  the  Lord  is  that  Spirit :  ami  where  the  Spirit 
 
 of  the  Lord  is,  there  is  liberty.     3.    17. 
 
 532.  Change/ fro/n  glory  to  glory,  even  as  by  the  Spirit 
 of  the  Lord.*  3.  18.  or  by  the  Lord  the  Spirit, 
 as  it  is  in  the  orig-inal. 
 
 (22-  God,  Tjho  also  hath  given  unto  us  the  earnest  of  the 
 Spirit.     5.  5. 
 
 534.  By  the  Holy  Ghost.  6.  6.  Dr.  Harwood  would 
 *'  render  this,  "  By  a  devout  disposition,  or  vir- 
 "  tuous  temper."      Vide  his  Greek  Test,  in  loco, 
 
 535.  7e  are  the  temple  of  the  living  God.  6.  16.  Or 
 of  the  Holy  Ghost,      i.  Cor,  6.    19. 
 
 536.  If  ye  receive  another  Spirit,  which  ye  have  not 
 received.      1 1 .  4. 
 
 537.  The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  love  of 
 
 God,  and   THE   COMMUNION  OF   THE  HoLY  GhOST 
 
 be  with  you  all.     Amen^''     13.  14. 
 
 This 
 
 "  The  Spirit  is  not  without  the  Wcrd,"  says  Athanasius,  "  bat 
 **  being  in  the  Word,  it  is  through  him  in  God  :  so  that  all  gifts 
 *f  are  given  by  the  three  persons.  For  in  the  distribution  of  gifcs, 
 *'  as  the  Apostle  writeth  to  the  Corinthians,  it  is  the  same  Spirit, 
 *'  it  is  the  same  Lord,  and  it  is  the  same  God,  which  worketh  all 
 **  in  all.  For  the  Father  himself,  through  the  Word,  in  the  Spirit, 
 •*  worketh  and  giveth  all  things." 
 
 Ep.   1.  ad  Seiap.  de  Spiritu  Sancto. 
 
 *  Dr.  Clarke  explains  this  whole  chapter  in  a  different  manner. 
 See  his  Commentary  on  40  select  texts  of  scripture,  p.   192 — 206. 
 
 '  Origen  says,  "  A^  for  us,  who  worship  and  adore  no  creature. 
 
5*6  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 This  is  a  prayer  to  the  three  persons  of  the  Divine 
 Nature  for  their  respective  blessings  in  the  covenant  of' 
 redemption.     And  as  the  comnnunications  of  the  Holy 
 Spirit  are  essentially  necessary  to  our  holiness  and  hap-, 
 piness,  those  communications  are   supplicated   for   the 
 believers  of  Corinth  by  the  affectionate  Apostle. 
 
 538.  Received  ye  the  Spirit  hy  the  zvorks  of  the  laWj  or- 
 by  the  hearing  of  faith  ?     Gal.  3.  2. 
 
 539.  Are  ye  so  foolish  ?  having  begun  in  the  SpiriTj  art 
 ye  now  made  perfect  by  the  flesh  ?     Z'  Z' 
 
 540.  He  therefore  that  minis t ere tb  to  you  the  Spirit.  3.5. 
 
 541.  That  we  might  receive  the  promise  of  the  Spirit 
 
 through  faith.     3.  14. 
 
 542.  Because  ye  are  sons^  God  hath  sent  forth  the  Spirit 
 of  his  Son  into  your  hearts.     4.  6. 
 
 543.  Persecuted  him  that  zvas  born  after  the  Spirit. 
 4.   29. 
 
 5^44.  We  through  the  Spirit  1^' ait  for  the  hope  of  right  e-^ 
 ousness  by  faith.     S'  S' 
 
 545.  Walk  in  the  Spirit.     5.   16. 
 
 546.  The  flesh  lusteth  against  the  Spirit,  and  the  Spirit 
 against  the  flesh.      5.  17. 
 
 547.  ]f  \e  be  led  by  the  Spirit,  \e  are  not  under  the  law* 
 
 5.'i8. 
 
 548.  The  fruit  of  the  Spirit  is  lovcj  joy,  peace.     5.   22. 
 
 549.  If  we  live  in  the  Spirit,   let  us  also  walk  in  the 
 
 Spirit.     5.  25. 
 
 550.  He  that  soweth  to  the.SviKiT,  shall  of  the  Spirit 
 
 reap  life  everlasting.     6.  8. 
 
 551.  In  whom  also  after  that  ye  believed,  ye  were  sealed. 
 with  theWo-LY  Spirit  of  promise,     Ep.  i.  13. 
 
 5-52.  That  the  Father  of  glory  may  gize  you  the  Spirit 
 of  wisdom  and  understanding,     i.   17. 
 
 553.*7'/&r<?«^i> 
 
 «  but  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  as  we  do  not  err  ia 
 •*  our  worship,  so  neither  let  us  offend  in  our  actions  and  convcr- 
 **  sation.'* 
 
 In  Epist.  ad  Rom.  lib.  z*^ 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  367 
 
 SS3*  'through  hm  we  both  have  access  by  one  Spirit 
 
 unto  ihe  Father.     2.  18. 
 5.54.*  An  habitation  of  God  through  Z^^-  Spirit.     2.   18, 
 
 God  dwells  in  all  true  believers  by  his  Spirit. 
 
 555.  As  it  is  now  revealed  unto  the  holy  Apostles  and 
 
 Prophets  by  the  Spirit.  •  3.  5. 
 
 556.  Strengthened  with  might  by  his  Spirit  in  the  innet 
 man.     3.    16. 
 
 557.  Keep  the  unity  of  the  Spirit  />;  the  bond  of  peace  * 
 
 4-  3-  . 
 
 558.  'There  is  one  body,  and  one  Spirit.     4.  4. 
 
 559.  Grieve  not  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God,  whereby  ye 
 are  sealed.     4.  30. 
 
 -560.  'The  fruit  of  the  Spirit  is  in  all  goodness,  righteous- 
 
 nessy  and  truth.  *    5.   9. 
 ,561.  Be  filled  with  theSviKiT.     5.   18. 
 
 562.  'Take  the  szvord  of  the  Spirit.     6.   17. 
 
 563.  Praying — with  all  supplication  in  the  Spirit.  6.  18. 
 
 564.  The  supply  of  the  Spirit  of  Jesus  Christ.     Phil. 
 
 I.  19. 
 
 565.  If  any  fellowship  of  the  SPIRIT.     2.  i. 
 
 566.*  JVhich  worship  God  in  the  Spirit.  *  3.  3.  This 
 should  be  translated  God  the  Spirit.  See  Hurrion, 
 p.  143,  144.  Ambrose  understands  it  in  the 
 same  manner.  And  indeed  the  literal  rendering 
 is  unquestionably  God  the  Spirit. 
 
 567.  Our  gospel  came — in  power,  and  in  theYloLY  Ghost. 
 
 I  Thes.  I.  5. 
 
 568.  With  joy  of  the  H.OLY  Ghost,     i.  6. 
 
 569.  God,  who  hath  also  given  unto  us  his  Holy  Spirit. 
 
 4.8. 
 
 570.  ^lench  not  the  Spirit.     5.  19. 
 
 ''^'ji.  God  hath  from  the  beginning  chosen  you  to  salvation 
 through  sanclification  of  the  Spirit,  and  belief  of 
 the  truth.  2  Thes.  2.  13.  572.   The 
 
 *  Cicero  says,  "  If  intelligence,  virtue,  fidelity,  find  harmony, 
 •*  are  found  in  the  human  race  ;  from  whence  could  they  flow  down 
 *'  .upon  earth,  unless  from  the  Supreme  Being  ? 
 
 Dc  Nat.  Deo.  1.  ir.  n.  9;. 
 
26»  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 of  It  vanishes ;  or  rather,  the  expression  becomes  unsuit- 
 able to  the  Apostle's  argument. 
 
 270.*  The  first  man  \is  of  the  earthy  earthy :  the  second 
 man  is  the  Lord  from  heaven.  '  i  Cor.  15.  47. 
 
 As  Adam  was  originally  from  the  earth,  so  Christ 
 was  originally  from  heaven.  And  his  dominion,  as  well 
 as  origin,  is  strongly  expressed  by  the  Apostle's  saying, 
 'The  second  man  is  the  Lord  from  Heaven.  This 
 text,  therefore,  according  to  every  fair  and  probable 
 construction,  leaves  us  no  room  to  doubt  concerning 
 the  pre-existence  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ, 
 and  implies  at  the  same  time  that  he  was  in  possession 
 t)f  dominion  before  he  came  into  the  world. 
 
 27 1  .*  Now  that  he  ascended^  zvkat  is  it  hut  that  he  also 
 descended  first  into  the  lower  parts  of  the  earth  f 
 He  that  descended^  is  the  same  also  that  ascended 
 up  far  above  all  heavens^  thai  he  might  fill  all 
 things.  Ep.  4.  9,  10.  The  Apostle  here  asserts 
 the  original  pre-existence,  and  the  present  im- 
 mensity of  the  Saviour  of  mankind. 
 
 272.*  Jf  any  man  love  not  the  Lord  Jesus  Christy  let  him 
 be  Anathemay  Maranatha,  "    The  manner  in  which 
 
 the 
 
 '  **  St.  Paul  calls  Jesus  Christ  the  Adam  from  ahonje;  shewing 
 **  that  he  followed  the  notions  of  the    Jews,  who  call  the  Sheki- 
 
 nah,  the  Adam  from  above,  the  heavenly  Adam,  the  Adam 
 *•  blessed,   which  are   the  titles   that  they  give  only  to  God." 
 
 Allix's  Judg.  P.J36. 
 
 1  Cor.   16.  22.    *'  Our  blessed  Lord,"  says  an  able  vindicator 
 
 of  his  dignity  and  honour,  "  hath  done  great  and  wonderful  things 
 
 for  us.  \i  our  respect,  duty,  and  gratitude  happen,  through 
 "  cur  ignorance  and  excessive  zeal,  to  rise  too  high ;  this  is  the 
 **  overflowing  of  our  good  natured  qualities,  and  may  seem  a  piti- 
 **  able  failing.  But,  on  the  other  hand,  if  we  happen  to  fall  short 
 "  in  our  regards,  there  is  not  only  ingratitude,  but  blasphemy  in  it. 
 ••  It  is  degrading,  and  dethroning  our  Maker,  Preserver,  King,  and 
 "  Judge  i  and  bringing  him  down  to  a  level  with  his  creatures. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  269 
 
 the  Apostle  here  speaks  of  the  necessity  of  our 
 love  to  Christ,  seems  to  imply  his  having  a  claim 
 to  our  affection  above  what  any  merely  human 
 being  can  be  supposed  to  have.  It  intimates 
 great  merit  on  the  part  of  Christ,  and  vast  obli- 
 gation on  the  part  of  man. 
 273.*  ^11  things  are  of  God,  who  bath  reconciled  us  to 
 himself  by  Jesus  Christy  and  hath  given  to  us  the 
 ministry  of  reconciliation  ;  to  licit ^  that  God  was 
 IN  Christ,  reconciling  the  world  unto  himself  not 
 imputing  their  trespasses  unto  them ;  and  hath 
 committed  unto  us  the  zvord  of  reconciliation.  Now 
 then  we  are  ambassadors  for  Christy  as  though 
 God  did  beseech  you  by  us,  we  pray  you  in  Christy's 
 steady  be  ye  reconciled  unio  God.  For  he  hath 
 made  him  to  be  sin  for  us,  who  knevo  no  sin,  that 
 we  might  be  made  the  righteousness  of  God  tn  him.  ' 
 
 This  is  a  very  rich  and  important  passage  of  holy 
 scripture,  and  can  never  be  seriously  read,  without  the 
 most  grateful  wonder,  and  affection  to  those  adorable 
 Persons,  who  have  pitied  our  ruined  state,  and  graciously 
 interposed  for  our  salvation.     To  accomplish  this  great 
 
 purpose 
 
 "  Besides ;  we  have  many  express  cautions  given  us  in  scripture, 
 *'  not  to  be  wanting  in  our  respects  and  services  towards  God  the 
 **  Son  ;  but  have  no  particular  cautions  against  honouring  him  too 
 *'  much.  We  know  that  we  ought  to  honour  l.um  e^ven  as  ive  /jofiour 
 "  the  Father;  which,  if  it  be  an  ambiguous  expression,  we  are  very 
 *'  excusable  in  taking  it  in  the  best  sense,  and  interpreting  on  the 
 '•  side  of  precept.  We  know  that  by  dishonouring  the  Son,  we 
 *'  do,  at  the  same  time,  dishonour  the  Father  :  but  we  are  no  where 
 *'  told,  that  the  Father  will  resent  it  as  a  dishonour  done  to  himself, 
 **  if  we  should  chance,  out  of  our  scrupulous  regards  to  the  Father 
 *'  and  Son  both,  to  pay  the  Son  more  honour  than  strictly  belongs 
 *'  to  him.  On  these  and  the  like  considerations  (especially  when 
 **  we  have  so  many,  and  so  great  appearances  of  truth,  and  such 
 *'  a  cloud  of  authorities  to  countenance  us  in  it)  the  error,  if  it  be 
 *'  one,  seems  to  be  an  error  on  the  right  hand." 
 
 Waterland's  Defence  of  Queries,  p.  476,  477. 
 
 I2  Cor.  5.  18— zi, 
 
370  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 speaking  of  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord,  and  his  search- 
 ing the  heart,  says,  "  It  is  better  to  offend  the 
 "  foolish  and  proud  men,  than  God."  ' 
 
 575.  God — was  Justified  in  /be  Spirit,      i  Tim.  3.  16. 
 
 576.*  Now  the  Spirit  speaketh  expressly  that  in  the 
 latter  ti?nes  some  shall  depart  from  the  faith.  *  4.  i. 
 
 577.  In  charity^  in  Spirit  y  in  faith.     4.  12. 
 
 578.  TheSpiKiT — of  power,  and  of  love.     2  Tim.  1.7. 
 
 579.  That  good  thing  which  zvas  committed  unto  thecy  keep 
 by  the  Holy  Ghost  which  dwelleth  in  us.  1  Tim. 
 I.  H- 
 
 580.  He  saved  us  by  the  washing  of  regeneration,  and  re- 
 newing (f  the  Holy  Ghost  ;  which  he  shed  on  us 
 abundantly  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Saviour.  Titus 
 
 581.  God  bearing  them  witness — zvith  gifts  of  the  Holy 
 Ghost.     Heb.   1.  4. 
 
 582.  Wherefore  as  the  Holy  Ghost  saithy  To  day  if 
 ye  'will  hear  his  voice.     3.7. 
 
 What  the  Apostle  applies  here  to  the  Holy  Ghost,  is 
 applied  by  the  Psalmist  to  Jehovah  our  Maker.  The 
 Divine  Spirit,  in  common  with  the  Father  and  the  Son, 
 is  therefore  the  Lord  our  Maker.     Compare  Ex.  17.2. 
 
 with 
 
 '  Epist.  1.  sect.  21. 
 *  Mr.  Hawker  sums  up  the  evidence  of  the  Spirit's  personality  in 
 these  words  : — ♦'  He  is  said  to  create  and  gi've  life  ;  to  uphold,  and, 
 by  taking  away  the  breath  of  his  creatures,  to  destroy  :  he  is  said 
 also,  to  feac/j  ;  and  to  guide  into  all  truth  :  he  was  seen  in  a  bodily 
 shape  like  a  do've  :  he  hath  spoken  expressly  :  by  prophets  :  to  apos- 
 tief:  and  to  churihes  :  he  hath  appointed  ministers  :  sent  messen- 
 gers :  hath  borne  ^witness  :  hath  been  appealed  to  as  a  ^witness  : 
 hatb  testified  of  Christ :  he  is  described  as  possessing  all  personal 
 properties,  such  as  joy,  and  grief :  a  mind  :  a  ivill :  and  poixier  : 
 is  declared  capable  of  being  tempted :  of  being  resisted :  of  \i'ax- 
 \r\^  despite  done  unto  him  :  zx\<i  oi  hoin^  blasphemed ;  all  which, 
 more  or  less,  must  be  allowed  to  be  very  highly  demonstrative  of 
 personal  consciousness  and  identity." 
 
 Sermons,  p.  168,  169. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  371 
 
 with  this  declaration  of  the  Apostle,  and  the  whole  nine- 
 ty fifth  psalm.     See  too  Hurrion,  p.  141. 
 
 583,   IVere  made  partakers  of  the  Holy  Ghost.     6.  4. 
 584.*  The  Holy  Ghost  this  signifying.     9.   8. 
 
 It  appears  from  the  context  on  this  passage,  that  St. 
 Paul  corfidered  the  Holy  Spirit  as  the  author  of  the 
 whole  Mosaic  ccconomy.  Comp.  Heb.  10.  15,  and  i 
 Chron.  28.  12. 
 
 585.  Christy  'who  through  the  eternal  Spirit  offered 
 himself  without  spot  to  God.     9.  1 4. 
 
 Origen  says,  "  I  believe  that  there  is  one  God,  the 
 «'  creator  and  maker  of  all  things  j  and  that  the  Word, 
 "  which  came  forth  from  him,  is  God  also,  of  one  sub- 
 "  stance  with  the  Father,  and  eternally  existent;  and 
 "  that  in  these  latter  times  he  took  manhood  of  Mary. 
 "  I  believe  also  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  who  is  eternally 
 "  existent.  Cent.  Marcion.  sect.  i. 
 
 586.  The  Holy  Ghost  also  is  a  witness  to  us.     10.  15. 
 
 587.  Hath  done  despite  to  the  Spirit  of  grace.      10.  29. 
 588.*  Eleft-'-through  samtification  of  the  Spirit,     i 
 
 Pet.   I.  2. 
 
 589.  Searching  whati  or  what  manner  of  time  the  Spirit 
 of  Christ  which  was  in  them  did  signify,  i .  1 1 .  Th^ 
 Spirit  of  Christ  it  was  who  inspired  all  the,  pro- 
 phets of  the  Old  Testament. 
 
 590.  With  the  Holy  Ghost  sent  down  from  heaven, 
 which  things  the  angels  desire  to  look  into.      i.   12. 
 
 What  was  there  so  extraordinary  for  the  angels  to  be 
 so  eager  to  dive  into,  if  the  Holy  Spirit  is  liothing  more 
 than  the  influence  of  God  upon  the  mind  ?  But  if  that 
 Holy  Being  is  what  we  suppose  him  to  be,  there  is  just 
 ground  for  wonder. 
 
 Y  y  2  591.  2> 
 
372  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 591.  Te  have  purified y cur  souls  in  cbeying  the  truth  through 
 the  Spirit,     i.  22. 
 
 592.  Put  to   death    in   the  jlesh,   hut   quickened  hy   tht 
 Spirit.     3.   18. 
 
 ^^;^.  The  Spirit  of  glory  and  of  God  resteth  upon  you, 
 4.  14.     The  glorious  Spirit  of  God. 
 
 594.  Holy  men  of  God  spake  as  they  were  moved  hy  the 
 Holy  Ghost.     2  Pet.   i.  21. 
 
 Compare  this  with  2  Tim.  3.  16.  All  scripture  is 
 given  hy  inspiration  of  God.  And  Heb.  i.  i.  God  vjho 
 at  sundry  times^  and  in  divers  manners  spake  unto  the 
 fathers  hy  the  prophets.  From  hence  will  it  not  appear 
 that  the  Holy  Ghost  is  the  God  who  spake  ? 
 
 595.  7'e  have  an  unction  from  the  FIoly  One,  and  ye 
 know  all  things. '  i  John,  2.  20. 
 
 596.  The  ANOINTING  vihicb  ye  have  received  if  him 
 abideih  in  you.      2.  27. 
 
 597.  Herehy  we  know  that  he  ahideth  in  us  hy  the  Spirit 
 which  he  hath  given  us.     3.24. 
 
 598.  Herehy' know  ye  the  Spirit  OF  God.     4.   2. 
 
 599.  He  hath  given  us  of  his  Spirit.     4.   13. 
 
 600.  It  is  the  SprRrT  that  beareth  witness^  because  the 
 Spirit  is  truth.    5.  6. 
 
 601.  There  are  three  that  bear  record  in  heaven ;  the 
 Father,  the  ^ orb j  and  the  Holy  Ghost  :  and 
 these  three  are  one.  And  there  are  three  that  hear 
 witness  in  earthy  the  Spirit,  and  the  water ^  and 
 the  blood',  and  these  three  agree  in  one. '    5.  7,  8. 
 
 601.   Sensual 
 
 5  It  is  pretty  generally  understood  that  the  former  part  of  this 
 passage  is  thought  by  some  to  be  an  interpolation.  But  let  it  be 
 oetermined  as  it  may,  with  respect  to  the  former  part  of  the  passage, 
 the  latter  part  is  received  as  unquestionable  by  all  ;  and  this,  as  well 
 as  the  other,  is  thought  by  some  to  hold  out  the  doctrine  of  the 
 three  persons  in  the  Divine  Nature.  St.  Augustine  saith,  the  Spirit 
 here  signifies  the  Father,  the  Wattr  signifies  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  the 
 Blcod  represents  the  Son.  See  Peter  Martyr's  Common  Places, 
 part   I.  chap.   \z,  p.   105. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  373 
 
 602.  Sensual^  having  not  the  S?iKn.     Jude  19. 
 
 603.  Praying  in  the  ]rLoLY  Gno^T.     20, 
 
 604.  The  SEviN  Spirits  which  are  before  his  throne. 
 Rev.  1.4. 
 
 Dr.  Lightfoot  says,  "  John  terms  the  Holy  Ghost  the 
 *■'  sevc^n  spirits  according  to  the  Jews  common  speech, 
 "  who  speak  much  of  the  seven  spirits  of  the  Messiah." 
 And  Witsius  well  observes  that  "  the  seven  spirits  are 
 ^^  never  said  to  worship  God,  as  the  elders  and  living 
 "  creatures  do  j  but  on  the  contrary  are  invoked  by 
 "  John  ;  which  honour  belongs  not  to  created  spirits  ; 
 "  and  that  John  invokes  chem  in  the  same  manner  and 
 "  with  the  same  worship  as  he  gives  to  the  Father  and 
 "  the  Son,  as  the  author  with  the  Father  and  Son,  of 
 "  grace  and  peace,  without  any  note  of  discriminati^'n." 
 Exercit.  de  Spirit.  Sanct.  p.  428. 
 
 This  Is  a  clear  instance  of  prayer  to  the  three  Divine 
 Persons,  the  Father,  the  Spirit,  and  the  Son.  Consult 
 Hurrion  on  this  place,  who  is  particularly  satisfactory, 
 p.   152—156. 
 
 605.  /  was  in  the  Spirit  on  the  Lord's  day.      i.   10. 
 
 606.  Let  him  hear  what  the  Spirit  saith  unto  the 
 churches.  1.  7.  This  is  seven  tim(;s  repeated  in 
 the  second  and  third  chapters. 
 
 607.  Immediately  I  was  in  the  Spirit.     4.   2. 
 
 608.  I  beheld-,  and  lo^  in  the  midst  of  the  throne .^  and  of  the 
 four  beasts^  and  in  the  midst  of  the  elders.,  stood  a 
 
 Lamb  as  it  had  been  slain.,  having  .  seven  hornSy  and 
 seven  eyes,  which  are  the  seven  spirits  of  God 
 sent  forth  into  all  the  earth.   5.   6. 
 
 609.  Blessed 
 
 Mr.  Wakefield  considers  the  passage  as  a  proof  of  our  blessed 
 Saviour's  real  dissolution  :  The  spirit,  the  water,  and  the  blood  all 
 concurring  to  prove  the  certainty  of  his  death.  But  then  he  would 
 translate  spirit,  breath.  His  hreath  was  gone,  bljod  and  ijcatcr  issued 
 from  the  pericardium,  when  the  spear  pierced  his  side,  and  therefore 
 no  doubt  can  remain  but  he  was  actually  in  the  state  of  the  dead. 
 See  this  Gentleman's  Evidences  of  Christianity,  Remark  43. 
 p.  227. 
 
374  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 609.  Blessed  are  the  dead  which  die  in  the  Lord" — Tee, 
 saith  /^^  Spirit;  that  they  may  rest  from  their 
 labours.    14.    13. 
 
 6io.  He  carried  me  away  in  the  SviRiT.   17.  3, 
 
 611.  The  testhnony  of  fesus  is  the  Spirit  of  prophecy* 
 
 ic).    10, 
 
 612.  He  carried  me  away  in  the  Spirit  to  a  great  jncun- 
 tain.  21.   10. 
 
 613.  The  Spirit  and  the  hride  say,  Come.  22.     7. 
 
 This  is  the  accoiin!;  which  the  bible  gives  us  of  the 
 person  and  operations  of  the  Holv  Spirit;  from  all 
 which  it  appears,  that  he  is  mentioned  upwards  of  three 
 hundred  times  in  the  two  testaments — that  jie  was  in  the 
 beginning  engaged  with  God  in  the  creation  of  the  na- 
 tural world — that  he  hath  a  real,  true,  and  personal  ex- 
 istence— that  he  is  omnipresent,  omniscient,  omnipo- 
 tent, and  eternal  in  his  nature — that  he  is  equally  the 
 Spirit  of  God  and  of  Christ,  and  proceedeth  both  from 
 <^ne  and  the  other— ^that  he  is  essentially  God,  and  to 
 be  worshipped  byievery  human  creature,  who  believeth 
 in  the  name  of  Jesus- — that  it  was  he  who  led  the 
 Israelites,  and  gave  them  rest  after  their  forty  years 
 travel  in  the  wilderness — that  to  lie  unto  him  is  the 
 same  as  lying  unto  God — that  blasphemy  against  him 
 is  a  sin  never  to  be  forgiven,  either  in  this  world,  or  in 
 the  world  to  come — that  if  we  are  to  be  baptized  in  the 
 f]amc  of  the  Father  and  Son,  so  also  in  the  name  of  the 
 Holy  (jhost — that  if  we  are  to  be  blessed  in  the  name 
 of  the  Father  and  Son,  so  also  in  the  name  of  the  Holy 
 Ghost — that  if  the  Father  and  the  Son  bear  record,  so 
 also  doth  the  Holy  Ghost — that  he  alone  it  was  who 
 form.ed  tlic  body  of  Jesus  in  the  womb  of  Mary — that 
 he  conducted  Christ  in  all  the  actions  of  his  life — en- 
 dued him  with  more  than  human  wisdom  and  know- 
 ledge— enabled  him  to  work  miracles  at  his  own  plea- 
 sure— and  finally  raised  him  from  the  dead,  as  he  will 
 also  be  the  ao-ent  in  raisinpr   the  bodies  of  the  whole 
 
 human 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  37; 
 
 human  race  at  the  last  day — that  it  is  he  who  strivetli 
 with  the  hearts  of  men,  illuminating,  convincing,  re- 
 proving, restraining,  and  drawing  us  from  sin  and  folly 
 to  wisdom,  piety,  and  truth — that  it  is  he  too  who  dv/ells 
 in  the  hearts  of  his  faithful  servants,  as  in  a  temple, 
 claiming  our  obedience  and  adoration — that  all  the 
 qualifications  of  the  Apostles  and  Evangelists  for  the 
 great  work  in  which  they  were  engaged  were  from  him 
 — that  he  enlightened,  roused,  warmed,  and  fortified 
 their  minds,  enabling  them  to  speak  strange  languages, 
 to  work  wonders  in  confirmation  of  the  doctrines  which 
 they  taught,  to  foretel  future  events,  to  speak  witU 
 wisdom  and  courage  before  kings,  and  to  confirm  their 
 testimony  in  every  way  that  was  suitable  with  the  di- 
 vine understanding — that  this  same  blessed  Spirit  is 
 also  the  inspirer  of  all  ingenious  arts  and  inventions, 
 the  reviver  of  the  languiiliing  powers  of  nature,  and 
 the  infuser  of  courage  and  fortitude  into  the  minds  of 
 men  : — that  he  is  the  author  of  all  m^oral  and  religious 
 excellency,  grace,  wisdom,  knowledge,  goodness,  piety, 
 truth,  patience,  long-suffering,  forbearance,  righteous- 
 ness, love,  peace,  joy,  consolation,  hope,  truft,  and 
 whatever  else  can  make  us  holy  and  happy  here,  and 
 prepare  us  for  glory  and  felicity  hercafci-r — that  the 
 Prophets  and  Apostles  spake  only  as  they  were  moved 
 by  him ;  and  to  him  alone  we  are  indebted  for  all  their 
 invaluable  writings — that,  finally,  it  is  his  particular  of- 
 fice to  reveal  Christ  to  our  minds,  and  that  no  man  cau 
 properly  and  savingly  say,  that  Jesus  is  the  Lord,  but 
 by  a  power  derived  from  him. 
 
37^  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 PART  FOURTH. 
 
 SECTION     I. 
 
 A  »i««r  of  the  doctrine  of  the  HOLY  TRINITY  from  the 
 Old  Testament. 
 
 "E  lay  this  down  as  a  first  principle,  agreed  upon 
 by  all  sects  and  denominations  of  Christians 
 throughout  the  world,  that  there  is  none  other  God  but 
 one. 
 
 Let  us  now  examine  the  holy  scriptures,  and  see  how 
 this  one  God  hath  spoken  of  himself  in  the  several  ages 
 of  the  world.  He  must  certainly  be  the  best  judge  in 
 what  manner  to  speak  of  his  own  adorable  nature. 
 And  as  he  hath  spoken  of  himself,  so  ought  we  to 
 j>peak  I'kewise.  Indeed,  we  have  no  right  to  speak  of 
 him  otherwise. '  To  begin  with  Genesis  : 
 
 614.*  In 
 
 ■a 
 
 «  «<  Why  do  we  affert  three  perfons  in  the  Godhead  ?  Not  because 
 "  we  find  them  in  the  Athanasian  creed,  but  because  the  scripture  hath 
 "  revealed  that  there  are  T'hree,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  to 
 •'  whom  the  Divine  Nature  and  Attributes  are  given.  This  we 
 •*  veriiy  bcHeve  that  the  scripture  hath  revealed,  and  that  there  are 
 •*  a  great  many  places,  of  which,  we  think  no  tolerable  sense  can 
 *'  be  given  without  it ;  and  therefore  we  assert  this  doctrine  on  the 
 **  same  grounds  on  which  we"  believe  the  scriptures.  And  if  there 
 *'  are  three  Persons  which  have  the  Divine  Nature  attributed  to 
 •'  them  ;  what  must  we  do  in  this  case  ?  Must  we  call:  ofF  the  Unity 
 "  of  the  Divine  Essence  ?  No ;  that  is  too  frequently  and  plainly 
 "  asserted  for  us  to  call  it  in  question.  Must  we  reject  those  scrip- 
 "  tures  which  attribute  Divinity  to  the  Son  and  Holy  Ghost,  as  well 
 *'  as  to  the  Father  ?  That  we  cannot  do,  unless  we  cast  oiF  those 
 "  books  of  scripture,  wherein  those  things  are  contained."  Stilling- 
 fleet  on  the  Trinity,  p.   112. 
 
 Dr.  Isaac  Barrow,  one  of  the  first  of  Christians  and  Scholars, 
 says  ;  "  That  there  is  one  Divine  nature  or  essence,  common  unto 
 •'  three  persons  incomprehensibly  united,  and  ineffably  distinguish- 
 **  ed  ;  united  in  essential  attributes,  distinguished  by  peculiar  idioms 
 "  and  relations ;  all  equally  infinite  in  every  divine  perfection,  each 
 
DOCtRIN^E  OF  THE  TRINITY.  377 
 
 614.*  In  the  beginnhig  God  '  created  the  heavens  and  the 
 earth.  And  the  earth  was  'without  form  and  void^ 
 and  darkness  ivas  upon  the  face  of  the  deep.  And 
 the  Spi.iit*  cf  God  moved  ii^on  the  face  cf  the 
 waters. 
 
 Now   this  passage  of  sacred  writ,  as  well  as  many 
 others,  contains  some  important  iniormation  in  the  ori- 
 ginal language  which  doe:i  not  appear  in  our  translation. 
 For  it  is  very  remarkable,  that  the  Hebrew  word,  which 
 Z  z  we 
 
 "  difFerent  from  other  in  order  and  manner  of  subsistence ;  that 
 "  there  is  a  mutual  inexistence  of  one  in  all,  and  all  in  one  ;  a  com- 
 "  niunication  without  any  deprivation  or  diminution  in  the  Cora- 
 **  municant  ;  an  eternal  generation,  and  an  eternal  procession  with- 
 "  out  precedence  or  succession,  without  proper  caus;ility  or  depen- 
 ♦'  dence  ;  a  Father  imparting  his  own,  and  the  Son  receiving  his 
 "  Father's  life,  and  a  Spirit  issuing  from  both,  without  any  division 
 "  or  multiplication  of  essence  ;  these  are  notions  which  may  well 
 **  puzzle  our  reason  in  conceiving  how  they  agree,  but  should  not 
 "  stagger  ouiv  faith  in  assenting  that  they  are  true  ;  upon  which  we 
 "  should  mediate,  not  with  hope  to  comprehend,  but  with  disposi- 
 ♦*  tion  to  admire,  veiling  our  faces  in  the  presence,  and  prostrating 
 "  our  reason  at  the  feet  of  wisdom  so  far  transcending  us."  De- 
 fence of  the  Trinity,  p.  7,  8. 
 
 The  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  has  been  a  bone  of  contention  among 
 men  for  many  ages.  Wnoever  wishes  to  see  the  progress  ot  the 
 controversy  may  read  Dr.  Berriman's  Historical  Account  of  it, 
 in  eight  Sermons  at  Lady  Moyer's  Lecture. 
 
 ^ID''n  A^,  The  ancient  Jews  understood  tlys  word  as  conveying 
 the  idea  of  a  plurality  in  the  Godhead.  "  Come,"  says  one  of 
 them,  "  see  the  mystery  of  the  word  Elchim  :  there  are  three  de- 
 *'  grees,  and  every  degree  by  itself  alone,  and  yet,  notwithllandmg, 
 **  they  arc  all  one,  and  joined  together  in  one,  s.nd  are  not  divided 
 "  one  from  another."  Rabbi  Simeon  Ben  jochai,  in  Zoar,  upon 
 the  sixth  section  of  Leviticus.  See  Ainsworth's  Annotations  on 
 the  place. 
 
 'It  has  been  observed  by  several  of  the  Christian  Fathers,  that 
 in  these  two  verses,  the  three  persons  in  the  blessed  Trinity  are 
 plainly  distinguished,  the  first  in  the  word  Go^,  the  second  in  the 
 word  Beginni.^g  or  Principle,  the  third  in  the  words  ^//W/ o/'Go^. 
 See  Bibliotheca  Biblica,  on  the  place,  and  Fleming's  Christology, 
 vol.   I.  p.  276, 
 
3;8  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 we  render   God,  is   used  in  the  plurul  nuaiber. '    Is  it 
 
 nor 
 
 '  R.  Eechai,  a  celebrated  author  among  the  Jews,  discoursing  of 
 the  word  Elohim,  and  of  the  import  and  significaiion  of  it,  adds 
 these  words — According  to  the  Cabbalisiical  nxiay  this  na/ne  Eluhiui 
 is  t-iuo  ivords,  namely.  El  him,  that  is,  Tkey  are  God,  But  the  ex- 
 planation of  the  Jod  is  to  be  fetched  from  Becks.  12.  1.  Remember  thy 
 Creators.  He  that  is  prudent  ivill  understand  it. — These  words 
 do  sufficiently  prove  the  Cabbala  among  the  Jews,  that  though  the 
 Divine  Nature  was  but  one,  yet  there  was  some  kind  of  plurality  in 
 this  Divine  Nature  ;  and  this  is  fairly  insinuated  in  the  Bera  Elohim, 
 which  we  find  in  the  beginning  of  Genesis.* 
 
 R.  Huna  is  introduced  in  a  Jewish  work  as  saying,  that  if  this 
 kind  of  language  had  net  been  written,  it  would  not  have  been  law- 
 ful to  say.  The  Elchim  hath  created,  &c.§ 
 
 Likewise  the  Jewish  Rabbi,  Limborch  tells  us,  that  in  the  word 
 Eloh  im  there  are  three  degrees,  each  distinct  by  itself,  yet  all  one, 
 joined  in  one,  and  not  divided  from  one  another.  Leslie's  Short 
 Method  with  Deists  and  Jews. 
 
 It  is  clear  too,  how  sensible  the  Jews  have  been,  that  there  is  a 
 notion  of  plurality  plainly  imported  in  the  Hebrew  text,  since  they 
 have  forbidden  their  common  people  the  reading  of  the  history  of 
 the  creation,  lest  understanding  it  literally,  it  should  lead  them  into 
 heresy.     Allix,  p,   132. 
 
 The  degrees  in  the  Divine  Nature  are  called  by  the  cabalistic  doc- 
 tors the  Panim,  or  Faces  ;  the  Ha'victh,  or  Subsistences,  and  the 
 Prosopin,  or  Persons. 
 
 Jt  may  be  observed  here  likewise  that  the  Hebrew  doctors  always 
 supposed  the  first  verse  of  Genesis  to  contain  some  latent  mystery. 
 The  Rabbi  Jbba  indeed  expressly  says  it  does,  and  adds,  "  This 
 *'  mystery  is  not  to  be  revealed  till  the  coming  of  the  Messiah." 
 
 It  is  worth  observing  too,  that  the  ancient  Jews,  not  chusing  to 
 use  the  singular  name  Jehovah,  have  substituted  for  it  Jdotiai,  a 
 nbun  in  the  plural  signifying  My  Lords.  See  Maurice's  Indian  An- 
 tiquities, vol.  4.  p.  473,  474. 
 
 In  the  beginning  God  created,\s,  by  the  Jerusalem  Targum,  ren- 
 dered, "  Ijy  his  Wisdom  God  created."  This  is  in  conformity  with 
 the  words  of  Solomon,  where  he  says.  The  Lord  by  WisnoM  hath 
 founded  the  earth,  by  Understanding  hath  he  established  the  hea- 
 'vens.  Prov.  3.  i.  The  book  of  Wisdom  too  says,  "Give  me 
 *'  Wisdom  that  sitteth  by  thy  throne."  Ch.  9.  4.  And  in  the  17 
 verse  of  the  same  chapter  the  author  of  that  book  says  again, 
 **  Thy  council  who  hath  known,  except  thou  give  Wisdom  and 
 **  send  thy  Holy  Spirit  from  above."  This  is  agreeable  to  the 
 notions  of  the  ancient  Jews,  who  usually  called  the  second  number 
 in  the  Divine  essence  Wisdom,  and  the  third  Understanding. 
 Irenasus  seems  to  have  had  the  same  ideas  when  he  said,  "  The  Fa- 
 
 *^Kidder's  Demonstration,  pai't  3.  p.  81. — )  Martini  Pugio  Fidci,  p.  388. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  379 
 
 not  extraordinary,  that  Moses,  the  man  of  God,  who 
 was  above  all  things  careful  to  guard  his  people  against 
 every  species  of  idolatry,  should  in  the  very  beginning 
 of,  and  all  the  way  through,  his  Law,  make  use  of  a 
 word  for  the  name  of  God,  which  led  them  to  think  of 
 a  plurality^  when  the  language  afforded  other  words  in 
 the  singular  number  that  would  have  answered  his  pur- 
 pose equally  v/ell  ?  What  might  be  his  reason?  Upon 
 the  supposition  of  a  plurality  of  persons  in  the  Divine. 
 Nature,  it  is  easily  accounted  for ;  but  not,  I  think,  in 
 a  satisfactory  manner, '  upon  any  other.  And  it  ap- 
 pears fromi  several  of  tnt  Jewish  writings,  which  are 
 not  contained  in  the  bible,  that  they  did  actually  under- 
 stand the  hints,  interspersed  in  the  books  of  Moses,  as 
 conveying  the  idea  of  a  plurality  in  the  Supreme  Be- 
 ing. *  If  it  be  inquired  of  what  persons  this  plurality 
 qonsiits  ?  Two  are  most  evidently  mentioned  in  the 
 Qontcxt,  namely,  the  Father  and  the  Holy  Spirit. 
 And  the  work  of  creation  is  frequendy,  in  the  New 
 Testament,  at  least,  ascribed  to  Jesus  Christ.  There- 
 fore, here  are  three  persons,  nam^ely,  the  Father,  the 
 Son,  and  the  FIoly  Ghost,  most  evidently  concerned 
 in    the   original    creation  of*  the   world.  ^    And  when 
 
 Z  z  2  Moses 
 
 "  THER  has  ever  with  him  his  Word  and  Wisdom,  his  Son  and 
 *'  Sp  I  R  IT,  by  whom  and  in  whom  he  made  all  things  freely."  Lib. 
 4.  c.  20.  And  in  another  place  the  Word  and  Wisdom,  the  Son 
 and  Spi  R  I  T,  are  called  the  Han  DS  of  God  by  which  he  made  the 
 world.  See  the  same  book  and  chapter.  This  idea  was  common 
 bbth  among  the  ancient  Jews  and  Christian  fathers.  See  Bishop 
 Horsley's   I  racts,  p.  47,  &c. 
 
 "  See  Maurice's  History  of  Indostan,  vol.   i.  page  72. 
 
 *  John  Xeics,  a  Jew  converted  here  in  England  some  years  ago, 
 pubhshed  a  sensible  and  affectionate  address  to  his  unbelieving  bre- 
 thren, wherein  he  says,  that  "  the  word  Elohim,  which  is  rendered 
 "  God  in  Gen.  i.  i.  is  of  the  plural  number,  though  annexed  to 
 "  a  verb  of  the  singular  number  ;  which,"  says  he,  "  demonstrates 
 *'  as  evidently  .is  may  be,  that  there  are  several  persons  partaking  of 
 "  the  same  divine  nature  and  essence." 
 
 Jones  on  the  Trin.  chap.  3,  sect.   i. 
 
 '  Irenacus  is  exactly  of  the  same  opinion  : — "The  Father," 
 says  he,  "  made  all  things,  visible  and  invisible,  not  by  angels,  r.cr 
 
38o  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 Moses  made  use  of  a  plural  noun  for  the  name  of  God, 
 v/hich  he  does  thirty  times  in  the  short  history  of  the 
 creation,  and,  perhaps,  Jive  hundred  times  more  in  one 
 form  or  other  in  the  f.ve  books  of  his  writings,  this,  1 
 apprehend,  was  the  idea  lie  meant  to  convey  to  man- 
 kind. He  meant,  or  rather  the  Holy  Spirit,  by 
 whom  he  was  inspired  to  write  his  history,  m.eant,  to 
 give  some  hints  and  intimations  of  a  doctrine  more 
 clearly  to  be  revealed  in  future  ages.  *  This  has  been 
 lYiiL  divine  conduct  from  the  beginning. 
 
 When  God  had  nearly  gone  through  the  six  days 
 creation,  and  Vv-as  come  to  \}i\t  formation  of  the  human 
 species,  he  changes  his  manner  of  speaking,  and  says, 
 not.  Let  man  be,  as  before  j  nor,  I  will  make  man ; 
 but. 
 
 Let 
 
 "  hy  any  powers  separated  from  his  own  mind  ;  for  the  God  of  all 
 "  stands  in  need  of  nothing;  but,  by  his  own  Word  and  Spirit, 
 **  makes,  governs,  and  gives  being  to  all  things." 
 
 Lib.  I.  cap.  22.  sect.  i. 
 *  This  sentiment  may,  perhaps,  be  further  corroberated  by  an  ob- 
 servation which  the  Rabbins  have  made  on  the  verb  ^^"^2i  the  second 
 word  in  tlie  Hebrew  bible,  whi.:h  is  in  the  third  person  singular, 
 tholigh  joined  with  a  nominative  case  in  the  third  person  plural. 
 The  letters  of  this  word  are  supposed  by  them  to  express  these 
 three  characters,  the  Son,  the  Spirit,  and  the  Father.  Thus 
 lis  the  initial  letter  of  p  the  Son;  *1  the  initial  letter  of  Jin. 
 the  Spirit;  arid  i^  the  initial  letter  of  1^?  the  Father. 
 
 See  the  Rev.  Dr.  Bayley's   Sermon  en  the   Trinity,    p.  8.  and 
 Maurice's  Indian  Antiquities,  vol.  4.  p.  535. 
 
 T\\zTria)iglem  Egypt  was  of  old  considered  as  a  just  symbol 
 of  the  threefold  Deity  ;  and  in  the  celebrated  Jewish  book  called 
 Zoliar  the  three  branches  of  the  Hebrew  letter  Schin  are  asserted  to 
 be  a  proper  emblem  of  the  three  persons  that  compose  the  Divine 
 essence.  Sometimes  the  Jews  have  called  these  three  persons  three  . 
 Spirits ;  at  other  times  three  Po=wers ;  and  at  other  times  three 
 'Lights.  It  may  be  observed,  moreover,  that  the  Jews  had  several 
 other  symbolical  representations  of  the  Trinity  besides  the  Hebrew 
 Schin.  There  was  the  three  yods  and  the  Chametx,  in  a  circle  ;  the 
 three  Rays  in  form  of  a  crown  ;  tlie  Sphere  with  three  bands  ;  the 
 Cherubim  ;  and  some  others.  For  a  particular  account  of  which  con- 
 sult Maurice's  Indian  .-^intiquities,  vol.  4. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  381 
 
 615.*  Let  v^  make  man,  in  our  image  after  our  like- 
 ness. ' 
 Let  us^ — plainly  implying,    or    rather,   plainly   ex- 
 pressing 
 
 s  The  Jews  tell  hs,  that  when  Moses  was  writing  the  six-  days 
 works,  and  came  to  this  verse,  he  made  a  stop,  and  said,  "  Lord  of 
 *'  the  world,  why  wilt  thou  give  an  occasion  to  heretics  to  open  their 
 **  mouths  against  the  truth  ?"  They  add  also  that  God  replied  to 
 Moses.  '•  Write  on  ;  he  that  will  err^  let  him  err."  Bereshit  Rab- 
 ba,  Parash.  8  See  alfo  Patrick  on  the  place,  and  Maimonides's 
 More  Nevochim,  par.   2.  cap.    29. 
 
 T  his  fabulous  story  was  inventL-d  on  purpose  by  the  Jews  to  de- 
 fend themselves  against  the  Christians,  who  from  the  beginning 
 contended  for  a  plurality  in  the  Godhead  founded  on  this  text,  it 
 shews  in  a  very  strong  light  the  opinion  the  Jews  had  of  the  force  of 
 this  and  such  like  passag.'S.  Philo,  the  learned  Jew,  says,  that 
 "  the  woriis,  Let  us  make  man,  signify  plurality."  Page  312,  Paris 
 Edit.   1552,  et  alibi. 
 
 The  same  Phi'o  speaks  more  at  large  in  another  place  : — "  Why," 
 says  he,  "  does  God  say  in  the  image  of  God  made  I  man,  and  not  10 
 •'  his  own  image,  as  if  he  had  sp  ken  of  another  God  i  This  scrip- 
 "  ture  expression  is  for  wi;.e  and  g/ud  reasons,  for  nothing  mortal 
 **  can  be  fashioned  after  the  image  of  the  supreme  God  and  Fa- 
 **  ther   of  all  things,    but  cf  his    Word,   who  is  the   second  God." 
 
 Apud  Euseb.   Praep.  Evang.  7.   13. 
 
 See  the  passage  quoted  a',  large  in  Alhx's  Judgment,  p.   ij*. 
 
 *  The  Fatiiers  were  unanimous  in  their  judgnii-nt  that  these  words 
 were  spoken  by  tiie  Fatlicr  to  the  Son,  or  Spirit,  or  both.  1  will 
 produce  a  specimen. —  Barnabas  says  : — "  And  for  this  the  Lord  was 
 *'  contented  to  suffer  for  our  soul,  though  he  be  the  Lord  of  the 
 "  world  ;  to  whom  GoJ  said  the  day  before  the  formation  of  the 
 *•  world.  Let  us  make  man  after  our  image  and  similitude."     Ep. 
 
 *=•  5-  .... 
 
 Hermas  says,  "  He  was  present  in   counsel  with  his  Father  for 
 
 "  the  forming  of  the  creature."     Sim.  9.  sec.    12. 
 
 Theophilus  of  Aniioch  says,  "  He  directed  these  words,  Let  us 
 "  make  man,  to  none  other,  but  his  own  Word  and  his  own  Wiidom." 
 Ad.  Autol.  L  2.  p.  96. 
 
 Irenajus  says,  "  His  Word  and  Wisdom,* his  Son  and  Spirit,  are 
 "  always  present  with  him,  to  whom  also  he  spake,  saying.  Let  us 
 "  make  man,  &c.     Lib.   4.  cap.   37.  and  lib.   5.  c.    15. 
 
 Again  : — Man  was  fashioned  after  the  image  and  likeness  cf  the 
 uncreated  God,  the  Fatiier,  willing  his  creation,  the  Son  ministering 
 and  forming  him,  the  Holy  Ghost  nourishing  and  erxreasing  hinn. 
 Lib.  4.  cap.  75. 
 
 Tertullian  says,  "  Nay,  because  his  Son  is  ever  present  with  him, 
 '*  the  second  person,  his  Word  ;  and  the  third,  the  Spiiit  in  the 
 "  Word  ;  therefore  he  spake  in  the  plural.  Let  us  inane  man  in  our 
 *'  ima^ej"     Adv.  Frax.  c.  12. 
 
582  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 pressing  a  plurality  of  persons.  And,  as  may  be  fuUf 
 gathered  from  o^her  parts  of  the  bible,  the  persons 
 expressed,  or  implied,  are  no  other  than  the  Father, 
 the  SoN",  and  the  Holy  Ghost  :  for  these  three,  and 
 
 no 
 
 Novatian  says,  *'  Who  does  not  acknowledge  tlie  Sen  to  be  the 
 •*  second  person  after  the  Father,  when  he  reads  that  it  was  said  to 
 "  the  Son  by  the  Father,  Let  us  make  man. ^'     Cap.   21,  25. 
 
 Origen  says,  "  To  him  also  spake  he  (the  Father)  Let  us  make 
 **  7nan  afur  our  Imaged     Cont.  Cel.   lib.    i.   p.   63. 
 
 *'  Who  is  this,"  saith  Athanasius,  •*  that  God  converses  with 
 *•  here  ?  To  whom  are  these  notifications  and  determinations  of  his 
 *•  pleasure  directed  ?  Not  to  any  of  the  creatures  already  made  % 
 *'  much  less  to  those  things  which  were  not  yet  created  ;  but,  un- 
 *'  doubtedly  to  some  person,  who  was  then  present  with  the  Father, 
 *'  with  whom  he  communicated  his  counsels,  and  of  whose  agency 
 f*  he  made  use  in  the  creation  of  them.  And  who  could  tins  be 
 •'  but  his  eternal  Word  ?  With  whom  can  we  conceive  the  Father 
 *'  holding  this  conference,  but  with  iiis  Son,  the  divine  Logos,  that 
 "  Wisdom  of  God,  that  was  present  with  him,  and  acted  with  him, 
 **  in  the  creation  of  the  world,  who  was  in  the  beginning  with  God, 
 "  and  was  God  ?  and  who  saith  of  himself,  ff'%en  he  prepared  the 
 "  keanjsns,  I  ivas  there  ;  nx:hen  he  appdnted  the  foundations  of  the, 
 *'  earth,  then  'vjas  I  by  him,  as  one  brought  up  nuith  hirn." 
 
 St.  Augustine  saith,  "  Had  God  said  no  more,  than.  Let  us  make 
 "  ;«««,  it  might,  with  some  colour,  be  understood  as  spoken  to  the 
 *'  angels,  whom  the  Jews  pretend  he  employed  in  framing  the  body 
 *•  of  man,  and  other  creatures  :  but  seeing  it  immediately  follows, 
 *'  after  our  image,  it  is  highly  profane  to  believe,  that  man  was  made 
 "  after  the  similitude  of  angels  ;  and  that  the  similitude  of  God 
 **  and  angels  is  one  and  the  same." 
 
 St.  Ambrose  speaks  to  the  same  purpose:  "  God  could  not  speak 
 *'  thus  to  his  servants,  because  it  is  not  to  be  thought,  that  servants 
 *'  wcie  partners  v.'ith  their  Lord,  in  his  works  of  creation  ;  or  the 
 •'  wciks,  vviih  their  Author.  And,  supposing  this  should  be  admit- 
 "■  ted,  that  the  work  was  common  to  God  and  angels,  yet  the  image 
 "  was  not  common." 
 
 Nay  the  second  counsel  of  Sirmium  which  was  held  in  351  pro- 
 nounces an  atiathcma  upon  all  those  who  denied  this.  The  words 
 are  these  : — "  If  any  one  say,  that  the  Father  did  not  speak  to  tlte 
 •'  Son  when  he  said.  Let  us  make  w«?7,  but  that  God  spake  to  him- 
 •*  Jtlf,  let  him  be  accursed."  Socrat.  lib.  2.  c.  30,  where  the 
 creed  may  be  seen  at  large. — Epiphanius  says,  ♦«  This  is  the  lan- 
 •*  guage  of  God  to  his  Word,  and  Only-begotten,  as  all  the  faith- 
 "  lul  beiieve,"  Hares.  23.  n.  2.  And  again  he  says,  '•'  Adam 
 "  was  formed  by  the  hand  of  the  Father,  and  the  Son,  and  the 
 *'  Holy  Ghost."  Hxres.  44,  n.  4.  See  Bibliotheca  Biblica  o» 
 the  place. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  383 
 
 r.o   other,  were  concerned  in  the   work  of  creation. ' 
 -Compare  Job  16.    13  j  22'  4>    ^^-  33-  ^  '    ^^cc.   12. 
 i;  Is.  40.    T3;  Mai.  2.   15  i  John  i.  3;  Col.  i.  16; 
 and  Hcb.    i.   2,    10. 
 
 616.*  In  the  third  chapter  we  have  an  expression  of  the 
 same  kind  : — /^rJ  the  Loxd  God  said^  Bebold  the 
 man  is  becsni-e  as  ome  of    us,  ' /o  knou}  good  and 
 
 4'VU, 
 
 These 
 
 '  I  observe  more  at  large  from  Irenrc-j?,  that  lie  rejects  the  notion 
 ,of  the  Jews  and  Heretics,  who  supposed  God  spake  to  liis  Angel?. 
 For  disputing  nguinst  heretics,  who  attributed  the  creation  of  the 
 world  to  Angels,  and  powers  separate  tVom  the  one  true  God,  he 
 says  thus  : — "  Angels  did  not  make  us,  nor  did  they  form  us  ;  nei- 
 •'  thcr  was  it  in  their  power  to  make  the  image  of  God  :  none  but 
 **  the  Logos  could  do  this  ;  no  powers  distinct  from  the  Father  of" 
 "  all  things  :  for  God  did  not  want  their  assistance  in  making  the 
 "  things  which  he  had  ordained.  For  his  Word  and  his  VVisdum, 
 **  the  Son  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  are  always  with  him  ;  by  whom  and 
 "  with  whom,  he  made  all  things  freely,  and  of  his  own  accord; 
 "  to  wjiom  albO  he  spake  in  these  words.  Let  us  maki  jnau  in  our 
 *•   image  ami  likeTiefs."      Lib.    4.  cap.   37. 
 
 Dr.  Waterland  says,  that  "  this  text,  Gen.  i.  26.  has  been  un- 
 •*  derstood  of  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  or  at  least  of  Father 
 **  and  Son,  by  the  whole  stream  of  Christian  writers,  down  from 
 "  the  times  of  the  Apostles.  The  Christians  were  not  singular  in 
 **  thinking  that  the  text  intimated  a  plurality.  The  Jews  before, 
 «'  and  after,  believed  so  too,  as  appears  from  Philo,  and  Junin  Mar- 
 "  tyr's  Dialogue  with  Trypho  the  Jew  ;  only  they  interpreted  the 
 "  text  of  God  and  his  Angels,  wliich  the  Chtistians  understood  of 
 ••  the  Persons  of  the  Trinity."      Eight  Sermons,  p.  69. 
 
 For  a  just  view  of  this  consultation  between  the  person?  of  tl.c 
 ,Godhead  see  Dr.  Kennicolt's  Disscriaaon  on  the  Tree  of  Life,  j>. 
 29,  30,  and  71. 
 
 Kircher  quotes  a  whclc  sentence  from  Rabbi  Hakadosch,  where 
 all  the  persons  in  the  Trinity  are  expressly  mentioned — "  I'he  Fj- 
 •'  ther  is  God,  the  Son  God,  the  Holy  Spirit  God,  Trinity  in  UnitiT 
 "  and  Uni'.y  in  Trinity."    See  Mauiice's  JnJian  Antiquiiies,  vol.  4. 
 
 p.     ^7,6. 
 
 *  Justin  Martyr,  quoting  these  words,  says,  "Here  there  is  onr; 
 **  speaking  to  one  other  at  least,  distinct  in  number,  and  raciondl  or 
 *'  intelligent."     Dial,   cum    Tryp.  p.   285. 
 
 Bishop  Pat;ick  upon  the  place  observes,  that  "  these  words  p'ain'y 
 **  iniinuate  a  plurality  of  persons  in  the  Godhead  ;  ar^J  all  otiur 
 "  explications  of  them   see.m  forced   and  unnatural  :    tliat  of  ?\h-. 
 
38+  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 These  words  also  imply  a  plurality,  and  were  so  un- 
 derstood by  several  of  the  Ancients.  Philo,  the  learn- 
 ed Jew,  cjjpressly  says,  that  they  are  to  be  understood  of 
 more  than  one.  '  And  the  Jerusalem  Targum  para- 
 phrases them  thus  : — "  The  Word  of  Jehovah  said, 
 "  }-Iere  Adam,  whom  I  created,  is  the  only- begotten 
 "  Son  in  -the  world,  as  I  am  the  only-begotccn  Son  in 
 "  the  high  heavens." 
 
 617.*   2e    shall  he  as    Qciv>%  kwj^ing  gocd  and  evil :  ^ 
 
 Gods  knoii'ing :  both  the  noun  and  the  participle  are 
 plural.  The  speaker  too,  is  that  apostate  spirit,  who 
 had  been  cast  out  of  heaven,  which  gives  extraordinary 
 significance  to  the  expression". 
 
 618.*  And  the  Lord  said ^  Go   lo;  let  us*  go  downy  and 
 there  confound  their  language.  Gen.   11.  7. 
 
 This 
 
 "  Calvin  being  as  disagreeable  to  the  Hebrew  phrase,  as  that  cf 
 *'  Socinus  to  the  excellency  of  the  Divine  Nature.  This  is  well 
 *'  proved,  I  think,  by  Theodoric  Hackspan,  Disput.  4.  De  Locut. 
 "  Sacris  n.    15,  &c." 
 
 ^  De  Confu.  Ling.  p.  344..  See  also  Bibliotheca  Biblica  on  the 
 place. 
 
 »  Gen.  3.   ;.     "-yi^   D\"iVkD 
 
 *  The  same  Philo,  we  have  just  mentioned  in  these  notes,  con- 
 fesses, that  it  is  plain  "  God  spake  to  some  here  as  worker  together 
 "  with  him."  De  Conf.  Ling.  p.  '  344..  See  also  Bibliotheca 
 Biblica  on  the  place.  Gen.  11.  7.  Consult  likewise  Bp.  Patrick, 
 who  is  of  the  sanzC  opinion. 
 
 Justin  Martyr  says,  "  That  Jehovah,  who  descended  to  see  the 
 tower,  was  the  Son  of  God."     Dial,  cum  Tryph.  p.  356. 
 
 Tertulliaii  says,  "  It  is  the  Son,  who  from  the  beginning  gave 
 *'■  judgment,  beating  down  the  lofty  tower,  and  confounding  their 
 **  tongues."     Ad :  Prax.  c.   16. 
 
 And  Novatian  the  same  : — '*  What  God,"  says  he,  "  do  they 
 •*  suppose  de.'cended  hither  to  that  tower,  seeking  to  visit  those  men 
 "  at  that  time  .''  It  was  neither  the  Father  who  descended,  neither  an 
 *'  Angel  :  it  remains,  therefore,  that  he  descended,  of  whom  the 
 **  the  apostle  Paul  said.  He  that  descended  is  the  same  also  that 
 ascended,  &c.  that  is,  the  Son,  the  Word  of  God."  De  Trinit. 
 c.  25. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  ^^ 
 
 This  is  another  of  those  passages  which  has  been  un- 
 derstood by  many  of  the  most  learned  men  of  all  ages 
 as  conveying  some  intimation  of  a  plurality  of  persons 
 in  the  Divine  Nature. 
 
 6 1 9.*  The  LoR  D  rained  upon  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  brifrt- 
 stone  and  fire  from  the  Lord  out  of  heaven^ 
 Gen.   19.    24. 
 
 Menasseh,  ben  Israel,  confesses  tliis  place  too  hard 
 for  him,  unless  by  the  Lord  who  is  on  earth,  you  un- 
 derstand the  angel  Gabriel,  who,  as  God's  ambassador, 
 bears  the  name  of  God.  The  ancient  Jews,  however, 
 found  no  such  difficulty  in  it :  f  jr  Philo  holds,  that  it 
 was  the  Logos  that  rained  fire  from  heaven.  Ke  says, 
 moreover,  that  God  and  his  two  Powers  are  spoken  of 
 in  the  history  of  Sodom. ' 
 
 A  a  a  620.  And 
 
 3  See  AlHx,  p.  131,  148. 
 
 Philo  says,  that,  in  the  one  true  God  there  are  two  supreme  and 
 primary  Pozvers,  whom  he  denominates  Goodness  and  Authority ; 
 and  that  there  is  a  third  and  Mediatorial  Power  between  the  two 
 former,  who  is  the  Logos.     Dissert,  de  Cherub. 
 
 Speaking  of  the  Divine  Being  appearing  to  Abraham,  he  ac- 
 quaints us,  that  he  came  attended  by  his  tsvo  most  high  and  puissant 
 Povjers,  Principality  and  Goodness  ;  "  himself  in  the  middle  of  those 
 *'  Powers  ;  and,  though  one^  exhibiting  to  the  discerning  soul  the 
 *'  appearance  of  three. ^^ 
 
 In  a  third  place  he  is  still  more  decisive  ;  for,  he  says,  "  The  Fa- 
 **  ther  of  /lUh  ii>  the  middle."  He  moreover  calls  one  the  Po-vuer, 
 Creator,  and  the  other  the  Ponxjer, -Regal.  He  then  adds.  The  Po^zuer, 
 Creator,  is  God ;  the  Regal  Power  is  called  Lord.  See  Maurice's 
 Indian  Antiquities,  vol.  4.  p.  545.  546. 
 
 St.  Ambrose  says  upon  this  passage  : — "  Abraham  was  not  ig- 
 **  norant  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  He  really  saw  three,  and  adored  one  j 
 **  because  one  Lord,  one  God,  and  one  Spirit." 
 
 See  Witsius  en  the  Covenants,  book  4.  ch.  3,  where  he  speaks 
 at  large  on  this  appearance  to  Abraham. 
 
 Prudentius,  a  Christian  poet,  who  flourished  in  the  fourth  century, 
 hath  given  the  judgment  of  the  ancients  on  the  divine  appearances, 
 and  especially  on  this  to  Abraham,  to  the  folJowing  purpose  : 
 
 "  Where-e'er  it's  mentioned  in  the  sacred  code, 
 
 *'  That  human  eye  beheld  the  form  of  God, 
 
 *•  This  notes  the  Son,  the  Son  of  God  mosthighj 
 
3^6  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 620.  And  it  came  to  pass  when  God  caused  me  to  wander 
 from  my  father's  house.  *     In  the   Flebrew   it   is, 
 
 fFhen  Gods  caused  me  to  wander.    Both  the  noun 
 and  the  verb  are  plural. 
 
 621.  There  God  appeared  unto  Jacob  zvhen  he  fled  f rem 
 the  face  of  his  brother.  ^ 
 
 In  the  original  it  runs — There  Gods  appeared  :  both 
 the  noun  and  the  verb  are  again  plural. — In  short :  The 
 word  Aleim,  which  we  translate  God,  is  evidently  of  the 
 plural  number,  and  has  for  its  singular  ale.  It  is 
 sometirries  joined  with  a  verb  in  the  singular  number; 
 and  sometimes  it  is  joined  both  with  adjectives,  pro-- 
 nouns,  and  verbs  of  the  plural  number.  ^ 
 
 622.  But  Gcd  suffered  him  not  to  hurt  me. '     Literally — 
 
 But   the    Elohim    gave  him    not   to  injure  me. 
 The  noun  and  verb  are  both  plural. 
 
 623.  Because  there  God  appeared  unto  him.     Gen.  2S' 
 
 7.     .iVjj  DNl'^Kn    Literally,  because  there  they, 
 
 even 
 
 "  Whose  form  was  manifest  to  human  eye. 
 
 *'  Pure  Deity  our  faculties  transcends  : 
 
 *'  No  eye  can  sec,  no  reason  comprehends. 
 
 "  But  that  to  man  God  might  this  truth  disclose, 
 
 *'  A  shape,  to  sight  conspicuous,  he  chose. 
 
 "  Display'd  to  Abram  this  appearance  was, 
 
 "  Abram  the  founder  of  the  chosen  race. 
 
 "  'Twas  this  the  hospitable  man  did  see 
 
 "  Beneath  the  shade  of  Mamre's  hallow'd  tree. 
 
 "  But  in  the  number  of  three  guests  divine, 
 
 ♦'  The  sacred  Triad  did  mysterious  shine." 
 
 *  Gen.  20.   13.  □Nl'^N^  lyAI 
 
 5  Gen.  35.  7.  □^n'?Sn  "by),     See  Jones's  Cat.  Doct.  p.  89. 
 
 ^  See  Paikhursc's  Hebrew  and  English  Lexicon,  p.  22.  where 
 many  more  of  such  instances  are  referred  to.  Consult  likewise  Mr. 
 Parkhurst's  Pamphlet  against  Dr.  Priestley  and  Mr.  Wakefieltf. 
 p.  3 — 9,  and  p.   148,  dec. 
 
 7  Gen.  31.  7.  □\"lbsM3;i3 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  387 
 
 even  God,  was  revealed  unto  him.  Here  again 
 a  verb  plural,  is  joined  with  the  name  of  God,  to 
 signify  the  mystery  of  the  Trinity  in  the  unity  of 
 the  Godhead.     See  Ainsworth  in  loco. 
 
 624.  For  I  the  Lord  thy  God  am  a  jealous  Goo.  * 
 
 Here  are  three  words  by  which  to  express  the  Al- 
 mighty— Jehovah,  Elohim,  and  El,  referring, 
 as  some  have  thought,  to  the  three  persons  in 
 the  Divine  Nature.  Such,  at  least,  was  the  opinion 
 of  an  ancient  Jewish  writer.  His  words  are  as  follow  : 
 **  I  am  the  hord^  thy  God^  a  jealous  God.  Three  answer- 
 "  ing  to  the  three  by  whom  the  world  was  made."  ' 
 
 When  God  revealed  himself  to  Moses,  he  passed  by 
 and  proclaimed  his  name  three  times  over : 
 
 625.  The  Lord,  the  Lord,  God,  gracious  and  merci' 
 
 This  seems  to  be  an  intimation  of  the  same  mysteri- 
 ous truth,  that  the  Divine  Nature  exists  under  the  three 
 distinctions  q^  Father,  Sun,  and  Holy  Spirit. 
 
 616.  Upy  make  us  Gods,  which  shall  go  before  us,  Ex.  3  2. 
 I.  It  is  plain  the  word  Elohim  is  here  used  as 
 a  plural  noun.  *  Ay^l'^b  0>  ~)^^'>5  □'H^M  12Vn*jy — 
 The  Septuagint  translates  D\17J^  here,  as  well  as 
 in  several  other  places  fleo;  and  flfo;. 
 
 A  a  a  2  The 
 
 *  Ex.  20.   5. «  The   Author  of   Midrash   Tlllim.     See  Kid- 
 der's Demonstration  of  the  Messiah,  p.   3.  p.   84. 
 
 Bishop   Patrick   also  observes  upon   the  40th  verse  of  the  23  ch» 
 of  Leviticus  that  on  a  certain  day  of  the  year  the   Jews  frequently 
 repeat  the  following  prayer,  as  though  they   besought  the   blessed^ 
 Trinity  to  save  and  send  them  help  : 
 
 "  For  thy  sake,  O  our  Creator,  hosanna. 
 "  For  thy  sake,  O  our  Redeemer,  hosanna. 
 *'  For  thy  sake,  O  our  Seeker,  hosanna." 
 
 «  Ex.  34.  6.  '^^  ni.T   m.T— Jehovah,    Jehovah,    God.      See. 
 Ainsworth  on  the  place. 
 
 *  it  is  objccteJ,  that  if  we  make  Elohim  a  plural  noun,  then  Bu- 
 
38*  .AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 The  blessing  pronounced  by  the  priest  upon  the  peo- 
 ple, when  he  dismissed  them  from  the  daily  service  of 
 the  temple,  was  very  remarkable,  and,  as  some  sup- 
 pose, in  the  name  of  the  three  persons  in  the  Divine 
 Nature  :— 
 
 J627.*  'The  Lord  bless  thee^  and  keep  thee\ 
 
 The  Lord  make  his  face  shine  upon  thee^  and  he 
 
 gracious  unto  thee : 
 The  Lord  ////  up  his  ccuntenance  upon  ihee^  and 
 give  thee  peace.  ^ 
 
 May 
 
 alim  and  others  must  be  plural,  because  they  too  are  used  with  verbs 
 in  the  singular  or  plural  number,  according  to  circumstances.  But 
 this  objection  is  of  no  force,  when  it  is  considered,  that  the  Heathens 
 actually  worshipped  a  plurality  of  gods.  If,  therefore,  they  gave 
 them  plural  names  on  any  occasion,  it  is  nothing  more  thao  might 
 have  been  expected.  Besides,  it  is  not  improbable,  but  the  errors 
 which  prevailed  among  them,  respecting  the  multiplicity  of  their 
 Gods,  might  take  their  rise  from  the  Hebrew  Elohim ;  and  they 
 might  chuse  to  speak  of  their  deities  in  a  plural  form  in  imitation  of 
 this  nam^. 
 
 Granting,  however,  that  the  Hebrew  language  does  abound  with 
 such  irregularities  (and  every  other  language  more  or  less  does)  as 
 plural  nouns  with  singular  verbs,  and  the  contrary,  we  do  by  no  mean^ 
 rest  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  upon  this  foundation  alone.  There 
 are  various  other  corroborating  circumstances,  which  the  reader  will 
 strictly  note  as  he  goes  along,  that  give  an  emphasis  to  these  observ- 
 ations upon  the  word  Elohim,  not  to  be  found  in  the  plural  noun 
 £aalitn,  or  any  other  of  a  similar  kind.  And  then,  when  the  great 
 body  of  evidence  for  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  is  taken  into  the 
 account,  it  is  no  way  improbable,  but  God  might  design  to  give 
 some  intimation  of  the  doctrine  at  the  very  opening  of  the  bible, 
 in  the  word  made  use  of  by  which  to  express  the  Divine  Being. 
 This  is  the  more  probable,  because  all  the  dispensations  of  God  to  our 
 world  from  the  beginning  have  been  of  a  progressive  kind. 
 
 3  Num.  6.  24. — 26. — Bishop  Patrick  says,  "  The  repetition  of 
 *'  this  name  three  times,  in  these  three  verses,  and  that  with  a  diifer- 
 *'  ent  accent  in  each  of  them  (as  R.  Menachem  observes)  hath 
 **  made  the  Jews  themselves  think  there  is  some  mystery  in  it : 
 *'  which  we  understand,  though  they  do  not.  For  it  may  well  be 
 "  looked  upon  by  us,  as  having  respect  to  the  three  persons  in  the 
 **  blessed  Trinity,  who  are  one  God,  from  whom  all  blessings  flow 
 *'  unto  us,  2  Cor.  13.  14.  This  mystery,  as  Luther  wisely  ex_ 
 f*  presses  it,  upon  J*salm  5,  is  here  occulie  insinuatum,  secretly  in. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  389 
 
 May  not  St.   Paul  be  justly  supposed  to  explain  this 
 
 divire 
 
 *•  sinuated,  though  not  plainly  revealed.  And  it  is  not  hard  to  fhew, 
 "  if  this  were  a  place  for  it,  how  properly  God  the  Father  may  be 
 **  said  to  bless  and  keep  us  ;  and  God  the  Son  to  be  gracious  unto  us  ; 
 "  and  God  the  Holy  Ghost  to  gi-ve  us  peace." 
 
 The  learned  Witbius  enlarges  somewhat  more  on  this  scripture  :■ — 
 "  The  three  repetitions  of  the  name  Jehovah  intimates  a  great  mys- 
 "  tery  ;.  neither  is  the  remark  of  R.  Mer.achem  to  be  rejected  con- 
 "  cerning  the  three  variations  of  the  accents  on  the  same  word  : 
 *'  which,  what  can  it  signify  more  aptly  than  the  adorable  Trinity 
 "  of  Divine  Persons4n  one  Deity,  whence  as  from  an  ever-flowing 
 "  fountain  all  benediction  is  derived  to  us  ?  Compaie  2  Cor.  13, 
 14.  Rev.   I.  4 — 6. 
 
 '•  The  first  section.  The  Lord  bless  thee  and  keep  thee  \  "  is  very 
 *•  conveniently  referred  to  the  Father,  concerning  whom  Paul  writes, 
 "  Ep.  1 .  3.  Blessed  be  God,  even  the  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
 *'  Christ,  'who  hath  blessed  us  lA.'ith  all  spiritual  benediction,  in  Christ: 
 "  and  to  whom  Christ  himself  saith,  John  17.  11.  Holy  Father t 
 "  keep  them  through  thine  owun  name. 
 
 "  I'he  next  section,  l^he  Lord  make  his  face  to  shine  upoti  thee,  and 
 "  be  gracious  unto  thee — belongeth  unto  Christ,  who  is  the  light  of 
 «♦  the  world,  and  of  the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  Rev.  21.  23;  ivhose 
 "facejhinelhasthesun,Kev.  i.  i6  ;  in  whose  face  is  the  light  rf 
 "  the  kno-joledge  of  the  glory  of  God,  2  Cor.  4.  6;  in  whom  is  most 
 "  completely  accomplished  that  proverb  of  the  wisest  ef  kings, 
 *'  In  the  light  of  the  king^s  countenance  is  life,  and  his  favour  is  as  a 
 *'  cloud  of  the  latter  rain,  Prov.  16.  15;  in  whom,  hnally,  are  tht 
 **  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace,   Eph.   2.   7. 
 
 "  The  last  section.  The  Lord  lift  up  his  countenance  upon  thee, 
 *'  and gi've  thee  peace — where  he  signifies  the  application  of  grace, 
 '•  and  the  communication  of  peace  and  joy,  and  it  is  properly  applied  to 
 "  xhe  Holy  S^'im,  x.\\xo\ig\\vj\\omi\ie  kingdom  of  God  is  to  us  righte- 
 *'  ousness,  and  peace,  and  joy,  Rom.  14.  1 7."  Miic.  Sacr.  lib. 
 2.  diss.  2.   p.   518. 
 
 An  ancient  Jewish  author  says,  that  the  repeating  Jehovah  three 
 times  in  this  place  teacheth  us,  "that  these  names  of  the  blessed 
 *•  God  are  three  powers,  and  adds.  Every  distinct  power  is  like  to 
 "  each  other,  and  hath  the  same  name  with  it."  Kidder's  Dem. 
 part  3.  p.  86. 
 
 "  Petrus  Alphonsi,  an  eminent  Jew,  converted  in  the  beginning 
 "  of  the  1 2th.  century,  and  presented  to  the  font  by  Alphonsus  a 
 **  king  of  Spain,  wrote  a  learned  treatise  against  the  Jews,  wherein 
 •'  he  presses  them  with  this  scripture,  as  a  plain  argument — that 
 *'  there  are  three  persons  to  whom  the  great  and  incommunicable 
 "  name  of  Jehovah  is  applied.  And  even  the  unconverted  Jews, 
 "  according  to  Bechai,  one  of  their  Rabbies,  have   a  tradition,  that 
 
390  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 divine  benediction  upon  tlie  Jewish  chgrch  by  the  fol- 
 lowing benediction  upon  the  Christian  ?  The  grace  of 
 cur  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  love  of  God,  and 
 /i?^' FELLOWSHIP  of  the  HoLY  Ghost,  he  with  yoH  all. 
 Amen.  If  tliis  was  the  view  of  St.  Paul,  as  is  highly 
 probable,  I  think,  then  we  have  the  best  authority  for 
 applying  the  Jewish  benediction  in  quesdon  to  the  three 
 persons  of  the  Divine  Nature,  Father,  Son,  and  Spirit. 
 The  reader  will  attend  to  the  evidence,  and  judge,- 
 
 628.  What  nation  is  there  so  great,  that  hath  God  so 
 nigh  unto  them,  as  the  Lord  our  God  is  in  all  things 
 that  ive  call  upon  him  for  ?  *  \n  the  original,  it  is 
 Gods  so  nigh.  Both  the  noun  and  the  adjective 
 are  plural — DUnp  D"'nVj^ 
 
 6  29.  For  who  is  there  of  all  flesh  that  hath  heard  ih:; 
 voice  of  the  living  God,  speaking  out  of  the  midst  of 
 the  fire?  Deut."  5.  26.  What  we  translate  the 
 living  God  in  this  verse  is  living  Gods.  Both  the 
 noun  and  the  adjective  are  in  the  plural  number, 
 as  in  tiie  last  case — .D**"]!  D'^H^M  When 
 
 *<  when  the  high  Prrest  pronounced  this  blessing  over  the  people — 
 "  elevatione  maniium  sic  digitos  composuit,  ut  Triada  exprimcrent — 
 **  he  lifted  up  his  bands,  and  disposed  his  fingers  into  such  a  form 
 '*  as  to  express  a  Trinity.  All  the  foundation  there  is  for  this  in 
 *'  scripture,  is,  Lev.  9.  22.  As  for  the  rest,  be  it  a  matter  of  fact 
 **  or  not,  yet  if  we  consider  whence  it  comes,  there  is  something 
 *'  very  remarkable  in  it.  See  Observ.  Jos.  de  vois.  in  Pug.  Fid. 
 "  p.  400,  556,  557." 
 
 Jones's  Cathohc  Doctrine,  p.    101. 
 
 Consult  too  Maurice's  Ind.  Ant.  vol.  4.  p.  589,  590,  where 
 this  triple  benediction  is  referred  to  the/^/Y^  Hypostases,  by  the  prac- 
 tice both  of  the  Jews  and  Mahometans. 
 
 *  Deut.  4-  7.  **  The  author  of  Zohar  cites  these  words  of  R, 
 *'  Jose  {2l  famous  Jew  of  the  second  century)  where  examining  this 
 "  text,  Who  ha~oe  tl?eir  Gods  so  near  to  them.  What,  saith  he,  may 
 *'  be  the  meaning  of  this  .?  It  seems  that  Moses  should  have  said, 
 "  Who  have  God  so  near  them.  But — there  is  a  superior  God, 
 **  and  there  is  the  God  who  was  the  fear  of  Isaac,  and  there  is  an 
 "  inferior  God  ;  and  therefore  Moses  saith,  ^Ihe  Gods  so  near.  For 
 ♦'  there  are  many  virtues  that  come  from  the  Only  One,  and  ail  they 
 "  are  One." 
 
 Allix's  Judgment,  p.   169. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  391 
 
 When  Moses  beginneth  to  rehearse  and  explain  tlie 
 Law  to  the  people,  the  first  thing  he  teacheth  thcai,  is, 
 the  nature  of  the  one  living  and  true  God  :  but  this  he 
 doth  in  such  a  way  as  seems  to  insinuate  a  disdnction  in 
 the  Supreme  Being. 
 
 630.  Hedi-y  O  Israel y  the  Lord  our  God  is  one  Lord  ; 
 or  as  it  may  be  rendered,  Hcary  0  Israel,  the  Lord^ 
 our  God  J  the  Lord,  is  one.  *    Here  arc  three  words, 
 
 expressive 
 
 5  Deut.  6.  4.   ins*  mn"*  irn'?.^  r\yrv^  b'A'v::^  V^*j   Bishop 
 
 Patrick  on  the  place  saith  ; — "  Many  cf  the  ancient  Fathers,  par- 
 "  ticularly  'I'heodoret  and  Greg.  Nyssen,  think  there  is  a  plaia 
 "  intimation  of  the  blessed  Trinity  in  these  words.  The  Lord  our 
 "  God  is  o?ie  Lord.  And  some  of  the  Jews  themselves  have  thought, 
 •'  there  was  something  extraordinary  in  it,  that  the  name  of  God. 
 •'  should  be  thrice  mentioned,  as  it  is  in  this  sentence  :  which  signi- 
 "  fies  three  Midoth,  or  properties,  they  confess ;  which  they  some- 
 "  limes  call  three  Faces,  or  Emanations,,  or  Sanctifications,  or  Nu- 
 "  merations,  though  they  will  not  call  them  three  Persons. — The 
 "  Cabbalists  say  as  much,  who  asserting  ten  Sephiroth  in  God, 
 "  which  they  take  to  be  something  different  from  the  essence  of 
 '*  God,  and  yet  not  creatures,  but  emanations  from  it, — they  make 
 •*  the  three  first  of  them  to  be  more  than  the  other  seven  ;  and  call 
 *'  them  Primordial.  The  First  of  which  they  call  the  Wonderful 
 "  Intelligence  and  the  First  Intcllectucd  Light  (as  St.  James  calls  God 
 *'  the  Father  of  Lights)  ariil  xYie  First  Glory.  The  Second  they  call, 
 "  among  other  names,  the  Illuminating  Intelligence,  (just  as  St, 
 "  John  saith,  the  Eternal  Word  enlightens  e--jery  one  that  cometh  into 
 "  the  ivorld,  and  the  Second  Glory.  And  the  Tnird  they  call  the 
 "  Sanctifcd  Intelligence — which  is  the  very  same  with  the  Holy  Spi- 
 "  rit.  AH  this  we  find  in  the  bock  Jeizira,  which  they  fancy  was 
 *•  made  by  Abraham.  From  whence  wc  cannot  but  learn  that  they 
 '♦  had  an  obscure  notion  of  the  bltssed  Trinity  ;  ind  that  the  Apo^- 
 •♦  ties  used  no  other  language  about  it,  than  what  was  among  liie 
 *•  Jews  :  the  best  cf  whom  are  so  sensible  of  such  things,  as  I  have 
 "  mentioned,  that  they  think  we  Christians  are  nor  idolaters,  though 
 "  we  believe  three  Persons  in  the  Godhead  (which  they  fancy  in- 
 "  clines  to  polytheism)  because  we  believe  the  Unity  of  God,  and 
 "  therefore  may  be  saved  as  well  as  they." 
 
 Let  the  reader  consult  also  Bishop  Kidder's  Demonstration  of 
 the  Messias,  part  3d,  p.  S3,  where  he  will  find  another  ancienc 
 Jewish  writer  explaining  this  passage,  Deut.  6.  4,  of  three  distinc- 
 tions in  the  Divine  Nature. 
 
 How  the  ancient  synagogue,  cr  the  clJ   Jewish  vviiteis  understood 
 
3gt  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 expressive,  as  some  suppose,  of  the  three  persons 
 of  the  Divine  Nature. 
 
 631.  The  Lord  God  cf  gods y  the  Lord  God  of  gods ^  he 
 knozveth.  *  These  are  the  words  of  the  children  of 
 Gad,  and  the  children  of  Reuben.  El,  Elohim, 
 Jehovah :  El,  Elohim,  Jehovah,  he  knoweth. 
 This  is  the  literal  translation,  and  seems  to  refer 
 to  the  same  threefold  distinction. 
 
 632.  Te  cannot  serve  the  Lord  ;  for  he  is  an  holy  God  ;  - 
 
 he  is  a  jealous  God.  '  In  the  original  it  is  holy 
 Godsy  the  noun  and  adjective  being  both  plural — 
 .□•tyip  iDTlbj^  In  the  phrase,  he  is  a  jealous 
 Gody  hovvever,  both  the  noun  and  the  adjective 
 are  singular — .Kin  K13p  ^J^i 
 ^23'  t^hat  one  nation  in  the  earth  is  like  thy  people,  even 
 like  Israel,  ivhom  God  zvent  to  redeem  for  a  people 
 to  himself  f     1  Sam.  7.  23.     .□'•n'^K  13bn 
 
 Here 
 
 these  words,  will  be  fartber  evident,  from  an  instance  or  two  front 
 their  book  of  2oar.  The  author  mentioning  this  text  in  Gen.  fol. 
 1.  col.  3.  and  the  three  names  Jet^ot'al:?,  Elolienu,  Jeho'val},  says, 
 *'  These  are  the  three  degrees  in  respect  of  the  sublime  mystery." 
 See  Dr.  Giii  on  the  Trinity,  p.  19,  20,  zj,  for  other  observations 
 of  the  same  kind;  and  Jamieson's  Vindication,  book  r.  crap  6, 
 where  he  produces  much  more  evidence  concerning  the  faith  of  the 
 ancient  Jews.  There  can  be  no  question  Hut  they  embraced  the  faith 
 of  the  Holy  Trinity,  though  with  less  distinct  views  than  we  Chris- 
 tians now  do. 
 
 *  Jos.  22,  22.  An  ancient  Jewish  writer,  the  Author  of  Mid- 
 rash  TilHm,  observes,  that  in  several  texts  of  the  Hebrew  bible  God 
 is  called  by  three  names.  He  particularly  mentions  this  passage, 
 and  the  other  1  have  noticed  from  the  20th  chapter  of  Exodus.  Up- 
 on the  text  before  us  he  says.  Why  are  these  three  names  meniioned 
 twice  ?  And  then  he  answers  :  •'  Because  by  them  the  world  was 
 *'  made,  and  because  by  them  the  law  was  given,"  See  bp.  Kid- 
 der's Demonstration  of  the  Messiah,  part  3.  p.   84. 
 
 '  Jos.  24.  19.  Dr.  Kennicot  observes,  that  the  first  part  of  this 
 verse,  Te  catmot  ser-ve  tlie  Lord,  ought  to  be  translated,  Te  skialt  not 
 cease  to  serve  th.e  Lord,  which  removes  a  difficulty,  and  makes  good 
 sense. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  395 
 
 Here  also  there  is  a  peculiarity  in  the  Hebrew,  wliich 
 dees  not  appear  in  our  version.  It  is  ivbom  Gods  went 
 to  redeem.  The  noun  and  verb  are  both  plural.  Peter 
 Martyr  applies  this  to  the  three  persons  of  the  Divine 
 Nature,  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  and 
 says,  this  opinion  is  true,  sound,  and  catholic.  See  his 
 Common  Places,  part  i.  chap.  12.  p.  10 1,  where  he 
 treats  upon  the  subject  pretty  much  at  large. 
 
 634.  Where  is  Gao  my  Maker  ivho  givetb  songs  in  the 
 vi7ht  ?  s> 
 
 o 
 
 God^  my  Makers,  in  the  riebrew;  alluding,  possibly, 
 to  the  original  consultation — Let  us  make  man.  Job 
 was  no  stranger  to  the  three  persons  of"  the  Divine  Na- 
 ture, though  he  might  not  have  the  same  clear  appre- 
 hension of  their  persons  and  offices  as  we  have,  v.'ho  live 
 under  a  brighter  dispensation.     Compare  chapters  26. 
 
 3  ;  33'  4J   19-  ^5- 
 
 635.  I'bou  rnadest  him  a  Utile  k'-jcer  than  the  anglls, 
 Ps.  8.  5. — D-n'rJ^D  than  the  gods. 
 
 (^3^^  By   the  Word    of  the  Lord  were  the  heavens 
 made  :  and  all  the  host  of  them  by  the  drlath  of 
 his   7?mith.  * 
 This  verse  was  commonly  understood  by  the  ancients 
 of  the  Holy  Trinity.     Here  is  Jehovah,  the  Word 
 of  Jehovah,  and  the  Breath  or  Spirit  .of  Jehovah.   .  The 
 first  denotes  the  Father,  the  second,  the  Son,  and  the 
 third,  the  Holy  Ghost.  Bob  637*.  Thy 
 
 »  Job  35.  10.    ^^V  ni'^h^ 
 
 '  Ps.  33.  6.  See  Aliix's  Judgment  of  tlie  Jewish  Church,  pas- 
 sim :  Likewise  Gill  on  the  Trinity,  p.  60  ;  and  Waterland's  Eight 
 Sermons,  p.  71,  &c.  where  he  vindicates  this  construction,  and  re- 
 fers to  the  places  in  the  works  of  the  Fathers,  where  this  text  is 
 quoted  and  applied  to  the  three  Persons  in  the  blessed  Tiinity. 
 Irenasus  in  particular  says  upon  this  text  . — **  The  Father  made  all 
 "  things  whether  visible  or  invisible — not  by  angels,  nor  by  any 
 *'  powers  separated  from  his  own  mind — senientia — for  the  God  of 
 "  all  stands  in  need  of  nothing  ;  but  by  his  own  IFord  and  Spij-it  he 
 "  makes  and  disposes  all  things ;  and  governs  and  gives  being  to  all 
 "  things."     Adv.  H.-er.  lib.   1.  cap.  22. 
 
 Consult  too  Ainsworth  on  the  place,  where  he  considers  Jehovah, 
 liis  Word,  and  his  S?i  r  n  ,  as  the  Ma  ice rs  of  the  world. 
 
39^  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 5jy  *  q-j^y  ijjyQ^i;.^  O  God,    is  for  ever  and  ever :  the' 
 sceptre  of  thy  kingdom  is  a  right  sceptre.     Thou 
 lovest  righteousness  J  and  hatest  "wickedness  :  there- 
 fore God,  thy  God  hath  anointed  thee  with  the 
 OIL  of  gladness  above  thy  fellows,  * 
 
 In  this  celebrated  passage  is  mention  of  the  Holy 
 Trinity.  Here  is  the  Anointer^  the  Anointed,  and  the 
 heavenly  Unction.  The  Anointer  is  the  Father;  the 
 Anointed  is  the  Son;  and  the  Unction  is  the  Holy 
 Ghost, 
 
 638.  The  MIGHTY  God,  even  the  Lord  hath  spoken, 
 and  called  the  earth  from  the  rising  of  the  sun,  unto 
 the  going  down  thereof  ' 
 
 This  is  one  of  those  places  where  the  name  of  God 
 is  expressed  by  three  words,  as  in  the  twenty  second 
 chapter  of  Joshua,  and  the  twenty  second  verse.  £/, 
 Elohim,  Jehovah,  hath  spoken. 
 
 639.  Verily   he  is  a  God  that  judgeth  in  the  earth. 
 In  the  original,  Verily  the  Elohim  are  judges   in 
 
 the  earth.    Ps.    58,   12. .D^tOSi:;  D\l'?{^     See 
 
 Ainsworth  on  the  place,  and  also  on  the  Ps.  2-  3' 
 
 640.  Man  did  eat  Angels  food.*    Ps.  78.   25. 
 
 641.  IVho  shall  deliver  us  out  of  the  hand  of  these  mighty 
 Gods  ?  These  are  the  Gods  that  smote  the  Egypt- 
 ans  with  all  the  plagues  in  the  wilderness,  i  Sam. 
 4.  8.  Here 
 
 *  Ps.  45.  6,  7.  Consult  Irenaeus,  lib.  3.  cap.  20.  where  the5e 
 verses  are  explained  in  the  same  manner.  See  also  King  on  the 
 Creed,  p.  126;  and  what  has  been  said  more  at  large  upon  this 
 passage  at  No.  25  of  this  Apology. 
 
 '  Fs.  50.  I.  St.  Cyprian  seems  to  apply  these  words  to  Christ 
 when  he  says  : — "  He  is  our  God,  that  is,  he  is  not  the  God  of  all, 
 **  but  only  of  the  faithful  and  such  as  believe.  He  is  the  God 
 "  who  shall  not  keep  silence  when  he  shall  be  manifested  in  his 
 *'  second  coming  ;  for  then  shall  he,  who  came  before  in  obscure 
 "  humility,  appear  manifest  in  power." 
 
 De  Bono  Patientiae. 
 
 *  D'>"lOK  ^i'gkty  ones,  in  the  plural  number.  See  Jone's  Catho- 
 lic Doctrine,  p.  92. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  395 
 
 Here  again  Elohim  is  joined  with  two  adjectives,  mighty 
 and  smiting^  in  the  plural  number.  The  verse  is  literally 
 thus  :  Who  shall  deliver  us  out  of  the  hand  or  these 
 mighty^  or  illustrious,  Elohim  f  These  are  those  Elohim^ 
 the  smiters  of  the  Egyptians.  That  the  words  Aleiy 
 and  Aleim  arc  both  plural,  is  certain  from  psalm  96.  5. 
 and  97.  7.  In  the  former  place  it  is  said,  All  the  Gods  of 
 the  natioms  are  vain — .\l':'j>i  "^^  And  in  the  latter — 
 Worship  himy  all  ye  Gods — .ONl'^hi  "^D  The  reader  will 
 find  considerable  evidence  upon  these  subjects  in  Mr. 
 Parkhurst's  answer  to  Dr.  Priestley. 
 
 642.  I  have  said  ye  are  gods.  Ps.  82.   6.     onj^  D^'^'?^? 
 —Ye  Gods. 
 
 This  is  translated  by  St.  John  in  the  New  Testament 
 in  the  plural  number  6£o/  and  6fo?.  See  John  10.  ^S- 
 Whatever  some,  therefore,  may  talk  of  the  idioms  of 
 the  Plebrew  tongue,  this  number  and  the  last  amount 
 to  a  demonstration,  that  the  Hebrew  word  Aleim, 
 or  Elohim,  which  we  commonly  translate,  God,  in  the 
 singular  number,  is  naturally,  and  properly,  a  plural  noun, 
 
 643.  I'he  Lord   said  unto   my    Lord,  Sit  thou  on  my 
 
 right  hand.     Ps.   no.   i. 
 
 The  ancient  Jews  always  applied  this  verse  to  the 
 Messiah.  And  it  is  remarkable  that  the  Targum  ren- 
 ders it,  "The  L<7n/ said  unto  his  iford.  Sit  thou  on  my 
 "  right  hand." 
 
 The  wise  son  of  Sirach  speaks  nearly  in  the  same 
 terms  : — "  I  called  upon  the  Lordy'  says  he,  "  the  Fa- 
 "  thcr  of  my  Lordy  that  he  would  not  leave  me  in  the 
 "  day  of  my  trouble."     Ec.  51.   10. 
 
 Is  not  that  remarkable  text  in  Genesis  explained  suf- 
 ficiently well  by  these  two  passages  ? — The  Lord  rained 
 upon  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  brimstone  and  fire  from  the 
 Lord  out  of  heaven.     19.  24. 
 
 B  b  b  2  Be 
 
596  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 Be  it  too  diligently  observed,  that  this  is  one  place, 
 where  Word  is  unquestionably  used  for  the  Messiah,  as 
 has  before  been  noted. 
 
 644.  O  give  thanks  unto  the  Lord  ;  for  he  is  good :  for 
 bis  mercy  en dureth  forever. 
 
 O  givs  thanks  unto  the  God  cf  gcds  :  for  his 
 mercy  en dureth  forever.  O  give  thanks  to  the  Lord 
 of  lords :  for  his  mercy  endureth  forever.     Ps.   136. 
 
 Here  again  is  a  repetition  of  three  names  of  the  Al- 
 mighty, which  some  persons  have  thought  may  have 
 an  allusion  to  the  several  persons  in  the  Godhead — Je- 
 hovah, Elohim,  and  Adeni.  For  my  parr,  I  lay  no 
 serious  stress  upon  such  repetitions,  considered  in  them- 
 selves i  but  when  taken  in  conjunction  with  the  great 
 body  of  evidence  dispersed  through  the  two  testa- 
 ments, they  seem  worthy  of  some  attention.  I  con- 
 sider them  in  the  light  of  so  many  allusions  to  a  doc- 
 trine more  fully  afterwards  to  be  revealed.  In  every 
 point  of  view,  they  are  remarkable  constructions,  and 
 should  not  be  passed  over  in  silence  in  an  inquiry  of 
 this  nature. 
 
 645.  Let  Israel  rejoice  in  him  that  made  him.  * 
 
 In  the  Hebrew  it  Is,  Let  Israel  rejoice  in  his  Makers. 
 And  this  is  very  natural  and  proper,  when  we  consider 
 that  the  three  persons  of  the  Divine  Nature,  Fatlier, 
 Son,  and  Spirit,  were  all  concerned  in  the  original 
 formation  of  man.  Let  us  make  man. — Remember  thy 
 Creators. 
 
 646.  'The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  spake  by  me^  and  his  word 
 
 was  in  my  tongue.  The  God  of  Israel  saidy  the 
 Rock  of  Israel  spake  to  me^  He  that  rulcth  over 
 men  must  he  just^  ruling  in  the  fear  cf  Gcd. 
 
 When 
 
 5  Ps.  149.  2.  vn'ya 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  397 
 
 When  this  passage  is  accurately  translated  it  contains 
 the  names  of  the  three  persons  in  the  Divine  Nature. 
 
 *'  The  Spirit  of  Jehovah  speaketh  by  me, 
 
 *'  And  his  word  is  upon  my  tongue. 
 
 *'  The  God  of  Israel  saith, 
 
 *•  Even  to  me  doth  the  Reck  of  Israel  ipeak  : 
 
 •*  The  Just  One  ruleth  over  men  ! 
 
 •*  He  ruleth  in  the  fear  of  God.  ^ 
 
 Here  i.,  Jehovah,  which  represents  the  Father ;  here 
 is  the  Just  one,  which  represents  the  Son  ;  and  the  Spirii 
 0/ Jehovah,  which  represents  the  Holy  Gliost. 
 
 647.  'The  fear  of  the  Lord  is  the  leginnhig  of  wisdom; 
 and  the  /knowledge  of  the  Holy  is  understandiu^. 
 Prov.  9,  10.  The  original  is,  and  the  know- 
 Irdge  of  the  Holy  Ones  is  up.derstanding. — .D^i'lp 
 
 648-  I  neither  learned  "joisdom,  nor  have  the  knozvledge  of 
 the  Holy.  Prov.  30.  31.  Here  again  it  is  in  the 
 ]-Tebrew,  the  knowledge  of  the  hloly  Ones,  as  in 
 the  last  instance. 
 
 649.  IVho  hath  established  all  the  ends  of  the  earth? 
 Wha^  is  HIS  NAME,  and  what  is  his  Son's  name, 
 if  thou  canst  tell?  Prov.  30.  4.  Here  is  evi- 
 drntiy  mention  made  of  two  of  the  Sacred  Three, 
 the  Father  and  the  Son.' 
 
 650.  He  that  is  higher  than  the  highest  rcgardeth,   and 
 
 there  be  higher  than  they.     The  Hebrew  is,  Hvrh 
 onts  over  tkern.*    Eccl.   5.   8. 
 
 651.  Remember  thy  Creator  in  the  days  of  thy  youth. 
 
 *  See  Green's  Poetical  Parts  of  the  Old  Testament,  page  77, 
 where  this  translation  is  defended.     Turn  to  No.  39.  page  96. 
 
 '  See  No.  4!.  page  99. 
 
 *  .□TTU  •'  This  is  understood  even  by  the  Jews  themselves  to 
 *'  mean  the  holy  and  blessed  God,  Junius  and  Tremellius  put 
 "  altissimus  in  their  text,  but  acknowledge  the  Hebrew  to  be  alti — 
 "  pluiale  pro  singulari  superlativo,  mysterium   S.  Triados  notans.'* 
 
 Jones's  Catholic  Doctrine,  p.  91* 
 
J9f  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 In  the  Hebrew  it  is,  Remember  thy  Creators.  "  To 
 *'  the  doctrine  of  three  hypostases  fabricating  the  world, 
 **  there  is  a  most  wonderful  and  decisive  attestation 
 "  afforded  in  Eccl.  12.  i.  Remember  thy  Creators, 
 "  for  so  it  stands  in  the  original  Hebrew  j  which  pas- 
 **  sage  is  thus  translated,  and  commented  upon  by  the 
 *'  great  Michaelis  ;  Memento  Creatorum  tuorum  ;  hoc  est,  ' 
 "  Triunius  Dei  qui  te  creavit.  To  this  testimony  of 
 "  the  Hebrew  patriarchs  and  prophets  beingacquainted 
 "  U'ith  a  tiireefold  distinction  in  the  Divine  Nature, 
 "  may  be  added  that  of  Isaiah  44.  24.  Thus  saitb 
 *'  Jbe  Lord  thy  Redeemers."  • 
 
 652.*  I  sazv  the  Lord  sitting  upcn  a  throne  high  and  It  ft  ^ 
 ed  up,  and  his  train  filled  the  temple.  Above  it 
 stood  the  Seraphims :  each  one  had  six  wings. — u4nd 
 one  cried  unto  another,  and  said.  Holy,  holy, 
 HOLY,  is  the  Lord  of  hosts  :  the  zvhole  earth  is 
 full  of  his  glory.  ' 
 
 Here  we  see  the  Prophet  had  a  vision  of  the  Lord 
 seated  upon  a  throne,  high  and  lifted  up.  The  Cheru- 
 bim and  Seraphim  stood  above  him.  And  they  cried 
 one  to  another  in  alternate  strains,  and  said.  Holy,  holy, 
 holy,  is  the  Lord  of  hosts.  This  ascription  of  holiness 
 three    times   repeated  *  is  supposed  to   belong  to  the 
 
 three 
 
 '  Maurice's  Hist,  of  Indostan,  vol.   i.  p.  78. 
 
 ■  Is.  6.  I — 3. 
 
 *  Mr.  Lowth  in  his  Comment  on  the  place  says,  that  "  the  Chris- 
 "  tian  Church  hath  always  thought,  that  the  doctrine  of  the  blessed 
 **  Trinity  was  implied  in  this  repetition."  See  also  the  late  Bishop 
 Lowth  on  the  place,  where  he  produces  the  words  of  St.  Jerome, 
 declaring  that  the  mystery  of  the  Trinity  is  here  denoted. 
 
 "  What  important  truths  the  Jewish  church  collected  from  this 
 *'  passage  in  Isaiah  will  appear  from  their  Talmud,  which  is  the  best 
 *'  collection  they  have  of  the  writings  of  the  Jewish  Doctors  upon 
 "  the  old  Testament. 
 
 *•  Galatine  has  produced  two  expositions  of  this  text,  which  are 
 "  strictly  applicable  to  our  purpose  :  the  one  is  taken  from  the 
 "  illustrious  R.  Simeon,  who  has  left  a  remarkable  comment  upon  it : 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  z<)g 
 
 three  persons  in  the  Divine  Nature.  For  the  Lord 
 mentioned  in  the  beginning  is  by  all  allowed  to  belong 
 to  the  Father;  St.  John  applies  it  to  the  Sen;  and  St. 
 Paul  to  the  Holy  Ghost.  Justly,  therefore,  may  wc  sup- 
 pose, that  the  glorious  Being,  seen  by  the  Prophet, 
 was  the  Lord  of  hostSy  as  existing  under  the  ineffable 
 threefold  character  of  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost, 
 
 This  is  further  confirmed  by  what  follows  in  the  same 
 chapter.  For  the  enraptured  Prophet  soon  after  heard 
 Jeho\/ah  saving,  JVhoiii  shall  I  send^.  and zvho  will ^o 
 for  us  ? '  plainly  expressing  the  same  plurality  in  the 
 nature  of  the  Divine  Being  which  had  been  celebrated 
 in  the  song  of  the  Cherubim  and  Seraphim,  when  they 
 cried  one  to  another,  Holy,  holy,  holy,  is  the  Lord  of 
 hosts.  This,  at  least,  has  been  the  opinion  of  many 
 very  pious  and  sensible  men,  and  was  the  general  sen- 
 timent of  the  primitive  church,  from  which  no  man 
 should  li2:htlv,  and  without  the  best  reasons,  dare  to 
 dissent. 
 
 The  most  learned  Origen  in  particular  says — "  They 
 **  are  not  content  to  say  holy  once  or  twice  j  but  take 
 "  the  perfect  number  of  the  Trinity,  thereby  to  declare 
 "  the  manifold  holiness  of  God;  which  is  a  repeated 
 *'  intercommunion  of  a   threefold   holiness ;   the   holi- 
 
 '^  ncis 
 
 "  .1>^  H]  ^r\\i  that  is.  Holy,  this  is  the  Father :  .]!  H]  ^1^ 
 "  that  is,  Holy,  this  is  the  Son  :  X'Hprf  mi  H]  ti'Hp  that  is'.  Holy, 
 
 **  this  is  the  Holy   Spirit. The   other  is  from   a   Paraphras:   of 
 
 **  very  considerable  note  for  the  purity  of  his  style,  and  hi»  many 
 *•  useful  explanations  of  the  prophetic  language,  Jonathan,  the  son 
 "  of  Uzzlel,  the  Chaldee  paraphrast,  who  probably  lived  about  the 
 **  time  of  the  first  publication  of  the  gospel.  He  paraphrases  upon 
 *'  the  text  just  in  the  words  of  the  old  Jewioh  language,  the  two 
 *'  languages  being  greatly  alike,  if  not,  as  some  learned  men  have 
 **  imagined,  originally  the  same.  For  thus  his  version  supplies  the 
 '*  whole  sense,  which  was  generally  put  upon  the  prophets — J<!1X 
 
 "  .li?"np  Hcly  Father  :  .jl  limp  Holy  Son  .-'^'Hp  lin  r^p  Ho/j;hr.:^ 
 **  Ghost."* 
 
 *K.nowles's  Primitive  Christi.mitv,   p.   ^^. 
 
 '  Is.  6.  8.     See  Lowth  on  the  place. 
 
400  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 •'  ness  of  the  Father,  the  holiness  of  the  only-begotten 
 "  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost." — Consult  Junes's  Ca- 
 tholic Doctrine,  p.   105 — 109. 
 
 Chrysostom  asks,  "  Whose  glory  ?  the  Father's  ? 
 "  How  then  doth  John  apply  it  to  the  Son,  and  Paul 
 ^'^  to  the  Spirit ;  not  as  confounding  the  persons,  but 
 "  declaring  the  glory  to  be  one  ?" — In  loco. 
 
 JeroiFie  says,  "  Who  that  Lord  was  that  was  seen 
 *'  may  be  fully  learnt  from  John  the  Evangelist  and 
 *'  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  John  evidently  means 
 "  Chriit;  Paul,  in  the  Acts,  says,  14 'ell  spake  the  Holy 
 *'  Ghost  by  Isaias.  But  the  Son  was  seen  in  the  dress 
 "  of  a  king,  and  rheZ/o/)'  Ghost  spake  as  being  a  partner 
 *'  in  the  glory,  and  one  with  him  in  substance." — In  loco. 
 
 Hurrion  says,  This  visionary  representation  to  the 
 Prophet  Isaiah  contains  a  doxology  to  the  Holy  Ghost. 
 See  his  admirable  book  on  the  Spirit,  p.   188. 
 
 ^SZ'  tf^hcn  the  Lord  hath  performed  his  zvhole  zvork 
 upon  Jerusalem — I  "d: ill  punish  the  fruit  of  the  stout 
 heart.     Is.  10.   12. 
 
 The  Lord  and  I  are  here  mentioned  as  though  they 
 were  two  distinct  persons.  Possibly  this  may  not  be 
 the  case.  It  m.ay  be  no  more  than  an  Hebraical  man- 
 ner of  speaking.  The  reader  will  comipare  it  with  che 
 \\'1:iole  body  of  evidence  and  judge. 
 
 654.*  And  there  shall  eome  forth  a  rod  out  of  the  r'.:n  of 
 fesse,  and  a  BRANCH  shall  grow  out  of  h/s  roots  ; 
 and  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  shall  rest  upon  him. 
 
 Is.    II.    I,  2. 
 
 Here  likewise  is  the  doctrine  of  the  Holy  Trinity. 
 Here  is  Jehovah^  representing  the  Father y  the  Rod  hom 
 the  stem  of  Jesse,  representing  the  Son^^  and  the  Spirit 
 of  the  Lord  representing  the  Holy  Ghost. 
 ()^^.  I  IV ill  shake  the  heavens ^  and  the  earth  shall  re^ 
 vuve  out  of  her  place,  in  the  zvratb  of  the  Lord  of 
 HOSTS,  and  in  the    day    of  his  fierce  unger.     Is. 
 
 13-  U- 
 
 Here 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  401 
 
 Here  again  two  persons  seem  to  be  introduced,  un- 
 less we  suppose  that  the  person  speaking  is  the  Prophet. 
 In  that  case,  the  other  is  the  Lord  of  hosts.  If  the 
 Prophet  is  not  the  speaker,  it  can  be  no  other  than  the 
 Father  or  the  Son  declaring  the  displeasure  of  the 
 former  or  the  latter  against  Babylon  for  oppressing  his 
 people. 
 
 6^6.  And  I  will  drive  thee  from  thy  station^  and  from  thy 
 state  shall WY.  pull  thee  down.  Is.  22.  19.  This 
 is  nearly  in  the  same  predicamentwith  the  former. 
 
 ^57.  The  Lord  is  our  judge ,  the  Lord  is  our  lawgiver , 
 the  Lord  is  our  king;  he  will  save  us.  Is.  23' 
 21.  Compare  this  with  th6  former  numbers 
 where  there  is  a  triple  repetition. 
 
 $58.  Seek  ye  out  of  the  book  of  the  Lord  and  read — for  my 
 mouth  it  hath  commanded.^  qnd  his  Spirit  it  hath 
 gathered  them.  Is.  34.  16.  Two  of  the  Divine 
 persons,  the  Father  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  arc 
 clearly  spoken  of  in  this  text.  It  is  not  equally 
 clear  whether  the  Son  may  not  also  be  intimated. 
 
 659.  JVho  hath  directed  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord,  or, 
 being  his  counsellor,  hath  taught  him  f*  Is.  40.  13. 
 Here  too  wc  discover  the  Father  and  the  Holy 
 Ghost. 
 
 ^60.*  Behold  my  servant  zvhom  I  uphold;  mine  elect,  in 
 whom  my  soul  delighteth ;  I  have  put  my  Spirit 
 upon  hijn  :  he  shall  bring  forth  judgmetit  to  the 
 Gentiles.     Is.  42.  i. 
 
 The  Father  is  here  the  speaker,  the  Son  is  the  elect 
 servant,  ajid  the  Holy  Spirit  is  put  upon  that  servant 
 to  qualify  him  for  his  great  office. 
 
 661.  'Thus  saith  the  Lord,  the  King  of  Israel^  and  his 
 Redeemer,  //^^-Lord  of  Hosts  j  /  am  the  first, 
 and  I  am  the  last ;  and  beside  me  there  is  no  God^ 
 h.  44.  6. 
 
 C  c  c  This 
 
4e>2  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 This  passage  may  be  applied  both  to  the  Father 
 and  the  Son.  Some,  however,  apply  it  wholly  to  the 
 Son.  Compare  Revelation  i.  1 1,  17;  2.  8;  22.  13. 
 where  the  characters  o^ first  and  last  are  by  our  Saviour 
 applied  to  himself. 
 
 662.*  And  now  /^,?  Lord  God,  and  his  Spirit,  hath 
 sent  ME.  Is.  48.  16.  *  Christ  represents  him- 
 self in  this  verse  as  being  sent  by  the  Lord  God, 
 his  Father,  and  by  his  Spirit,  the  divine 
 Paraclete, 
 
 66 2,*  For  thy  Maker  is  thine  husband;  the  Lord  of 
 hosts  is  his  name :  and  thy  Redeemer  the  Holy  One 
 of  Israel,  the  God  of  the  whole  earth  shall  he  be 
 called.     Is.   54.   5. 
 
 Thy  Makers  thy  husbands,  in  the  original.  See 
 Jones  on  the  Trinity,  p.  90.  The  Saviour  seems  to 
 be  denominated  here  the  Holy  One  of  Israel^  with  a 
 prophetic  declaration,  that  he  should  become,  in  the  due 
 order  of  providence,  the  God  of  the  whole  earth. 
 
 664.  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  the  Redeemer  of  Israel, 
 and  his  Holy  One,  to  him  whom  man  despiseth — 
 because  of  the  Lord  that  is  faithful,  and  the 
 Holy  One  <?/'  Israel,   and  He   shall  choose  thee. 
 
 49. 
 
 ♦  See  Jones's  Catholic  Doctrine,  p.  97.  See  also  the  observati- 
 ons of  John  Xeres,  a  converted  Jew,  upon  this  passage  in  Maurice's 
 Indian  Antiquities,  vol.  4.  p.  514. 
 
 St.  Chrysostom,  after  he  had  expressed  his  admiration  that  the 
 
 Maker  of  heaven  and  earth  should  be  sent  by  the  Spirit,  adds  :■ 
 
 *'  Honour  the  Holy  Spirit  whom  you  have  received ;  say  often  that 
 "  you  are  well  rewarded  :  Christ  has  taken  thy  flesh,  and  given 
 "  thee  his  Spirit.  This  the  saving  law  suggests,  the  prophets 
 "  speak,  the  apostles  declare,  the  martyrs  confess,  the  godly  believe, 
 **  the  church  consents  to,  ignorance  opposes,  the  faithful  are  fully 
 "  persuaded  of,  Christ  is  glorified ;  for  his  is  the  glory,  and  hon- 
 «'  our,  and  adoration,  together  with  the  Father,  and  the  most  holy 
 **  and  life-giving  Spirit,  now,  and  forever,  and  ages  of  ages. 
 *'  Amen. 
 
 Horn.  De  Spirit.  Sancto. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY. 
 
 40> 
 
 49.  7.  This  verse  is  supposed  by  some  respec- 
 table scholars  to  make  double  mention  of  the 
 three  persons  of  the  Divine  Nature.  * 
 66^.*  So  shall  th^y  fear  the  name  of  the  Lord  from  the 
 westy  and  his  glory  from  the  rising  of  the  sun : 
 when  the  enemy  shall  come  in  like  a  floods  the  Spi- 
 rit of  the  Lord  shall  lift  up  a  standard  against 
 him.  And  //»(?  Redeemer  shall  come  to  Zion,  and 
 unto  them  that  turn  from  transgression  in  Jacob, 
 salt h  the  I.0RD.     Is.   59.    19,   20. 
 
 Here  seems  to  be  an  intimation  of  all  the  three  per- 
 sons of  the  Divine  Nature,  as  in  some  of  the  former 
 cases.  The  Father  is  the  speaker,  the  name  and 
 GLORY  of  the  Lord  seem  to  signify  the  Son  ;  at  least 
 the  term  Redeemer  is  expressive  of  the  Son  ;  and  the 
 Spirit  of  the  Lord  is  mentioned  under  his  own  proper 
 personal  character,  as  acting  in  the  business  of  his  peo- 
 ple's deliverance  from  bondage. 
 
 666.*  As  for  mey  this  is  my  covenant  'ZL-iththemy  sailh  the 
 LoR  D,  My  Spirit  that  is  upon  thcCy  and  my  words 
 which  I  have  put  in  thy  mouthy  shall  not  depart  out 
 of  THY  mouth.  Is.  59.  21.  The  Father  speaks, 
 and  speaks  to  the  Son,  declaring  that  his  Spirit 
 should  rest  upon  him  and  his  people  forever. 
 
 667.*  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  God  is  upon  me:  be- 
 cause the 'L.ord  hdih  anointed  me  to  preach  good 
 tidings  unto  the  meek.     Is.  61.   i. 
 
 We  need  only  to  observe,  that  the  Son  is  the  speaker 
 in  this  passage,  and  the  doctrine  of  the  three  Divine 
 persons  will  instantly  appear. 
 
 668.*  For  the  Lord    saidy   Surely  they  are  my  people, 
 children   that  will  not  lie  :  so  he  was  their  Saviour. 
 In  all  their  affliction  he  zvas  affiiciedy  and  the  An- 
 gel of  his  presence  saved  them. — But  they  rebdled, 
 C  c  c  2  and 
 
 •  See  Woganon  the  Proper  Lessons,  vol.  1.  p.  297. 
 
404  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 and  vexed  his  Holy  Spirit,  therefore  he  zans 
 turned  to  be  their  enemy y  and  he  fought  against 
 them.     Is.  63.   § — 10. 
 
 Here  is  the  Lord,  which  represents  the  Father  ; 
 the  A-NGEL  of  his  presence,  which  is  the  Son  ;  and  the 
 Holy  Spirit,  which  was  vexed  by  the  disobedient 
 conduct  of  the  Israelites. 
 
 (iS^»  Neither  hath  the  eye  seen^  O  God,  beside  thee^  zvhat 
 HE  hath  'prepared  for  him  that  waiteih  for  him. 
 Is.  64.  4.  Two  of  the  persons,  probably  the 
 first  and  second  in  the  Sacred  Trinity,  seem  to 
 be  denoted  in  these  words. 
 
 670.  The  Lord  is  the  true  Gcdy  he  is  the  living  God,  and 
 an  everlasting  King.  Jer.  10.  10.  Compare  the 
 former  passages  where  three  names  seem  to  indi- 
 cate the  several  persons  in  the  Divine  Nature. 
 
 671.  This  matter  is  by.  the  decree  of  the  watchers,  and 
 the  demand  by  the  word  of  the  holy  ones  :  to  the 
 intent  the  living  may  knoWy  that  the  Most  Higk 
 ruleth  in  the  kingdorn  of  men.     Dan.  4.  17. 
 
 Consult  Allix's  judgment,  p.  153,  where  he  attempts 
 to  shew,  that  the  Watchers,  in  this  place,  signify  the 
 persons  in  the  Godhead. 
 
 672.  y^nd  whereas  they  commanded  to  leave  the  stump  of 
 the  tree  roots.  Dan.  4.  <i6.  The  JVatcherSi  the 
 Holy  onesy  mentioned  in  a  former  verse. 
 
 673.  The  most  high  God  gave  to  Nebuchadnezzar  a 
 kingdoWy  and  majesty,  and  glory y  and  honour, — And 
 they  took  his  glory  from  him.  Dan.  5.  18,  20. 
 The  Watcher Sy  the  Holy  ones,  before  mentioned. 
 
 674.  /  beheld  till  the  thrones  zarre  set  upy  and  the 
 
 ancient  of  days  did  sit.     Dan.  7.  9. 
 
 The  authors  of  the  Talmud  appear  to  have  under- 
 stood 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  405 
 
 stood  this  passage  as  conveying  an  idea  of  plurality.  * 
 Thrones  being  erected  seem  to  imply  this. 
 
 675.  Nozvt  therefore y  0  our  God,  hear  the  prayer  of 
 thy  servant — for  the  Lord's  sake.  Dan.  9.  17. 
 for  the  sake  of  Messiah,  who  was  frequently 
 distinguished,  even  among  the  ancient  Jews  by 
 the  appellation  Lord. — 'The  Lord  said  unto  my 
 Lord.     Ps.   iio.   i. 
 
 676.  O  Lord,    hear;  O   I^qkd,  forgive ;    O   Lord, 
 
 hearken  and  do  ;  defer  not,  for  thine  ozvn  sake^    O 
 viy  God.     Dari.  9.   19. 
 
 This  again  is  one  of  those  triple  repetitions,  of 
 which  we  have  had  several  former  instances.  Whether 
 there  may  be  any  peculiar  signification  in  them,  I  un- 
 dertake not  to  determine.  Some  have  been  of  this  opini- 
 on, and  therefore  I  bring  a  number  of  such  constructi- 
 ons into  one  view,  that  the  reader  may  see  and  judge 
 for  himself.  My  own  judgment  wishes  to  rest  the  great 
 doctrine  of  the  Trinity  on  nothing  but  what  is  plain  and 
 solid.  And  enough  of  this  substantial  evidence  is  to 
 be  found  in  the  sacred  writings.  All  human  explications 
 likewise  I  equally  renounce.  They  may  be  just,  or 
 otherwise.  I  regard  them  not.  The  scriptures  alon; 
 are  enough  for  me.    With  them  I  wish  to  stand  or  fall. 
 
 677.  I  zjcill  have  mercy  upon  the  house  of  Judah,  and  will 
 save  them  by  the  Lord   their  God.     Hos.   j.  7. 
 
 Jehovah  is  the  speaker,  and  he  declares  he  will  save 
 the  house  of  Judah  by  the  Lord  their  God,  which  is  evi- 
 dently in  this  place  the  name  of  Messiah,  the  universal 
 Saviour  of  mankind.  No  shuffling  can  honestly  evade 
 this  conclusion,  according  to  my  apprehension.  The 
 deliverance  of  Hezekiah  and  his  people  from  the  inva- 
 sion of  Sennacherib  seems  to  have  been  only  a  type  of  a 
 spiritual  and  much  greater  deliverance. . 
 
 ^78.  Judah 
 
 •  5ee  Maurice's  Ind.  Ant.  vol.  4.  p.  479. 
 
4o6        ^  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 678.  Judah  yet  ruleih  with  Gcd,  and  is  faithful  zvith  the 
 SAINTS.  Hos.  II.  12.  Faithful  with  the  Holy 
 ONES — .a^ii^np 
 
 679.*  I  am  zvith  you  saith  the  Lord  of  Hosts  ;  accord- 
 ing to  the  word  that  I  covenanted  zvith  you  when  ye 
 came  out  of  Egypt ^  so  my  Spirit  remaineth  among 
 you  ;  fear  ye  not.  For  thus  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts — 
 I  will  shake  all  nations j  and  the  desire  of  all  nations 
 shall  come:  and  I  will  fill  this  house  zvith  glo}yi 
 saith  the  Loi'd  of  hosts.     Hag.  2.  5-7. 
 
 Here  we  find  three  sacred  Persons  again  distinctly 
 mentioned.  The  first  is  the  Lord  of  Hosts;  the  se- 
 cond, the  Divine  Spirit  ;v  and  the  third,  the  Desire 
 of  all  nations,  which  is  no  other  than  the  Son  of 
 God. 
 
 680.  I  zvill  dwell  in  the  midst  of  thee^  saith  the  ILord  ; 
 and  jnany  nations  shall  be  joined  to  the  Lord  in 
 that  day  and  shall  he  my  -people ;  and  I  will  dwell 
 in  the  midst  of  thee^  and  thou  shalt  know  that  the 
 Lord  of  hosts  hath  sent  me  unto  thee.  Zech.  2. 
 10,  II. 
 
 This  promise  evidently  hath  respect  to  gospel- times. 
 The  Father  engages  to  send  his  Son,  who  should 
 dwell  in  his  people  by  his  Spirit. 
 
 681.  And  I  will  strengthen  them  in  the  Lord,  and  they 
 
 shall  walk  up  and  down   in  his  narae^  saith   the 
 Lord.     Zech.  10.  12. 
 
 The  Lord  promises  to  strengthen  his  people  by  the 
 Lord.  The  latter  term  seems  to  signify  the  Messiah. 
 The  Father  further  declares,  that  believers  should  walk 
 up  and  down  in  the  name  of  his  Son  with  holy  joy  and 
 confidence. 
 
 682.  Lastly. — If  The  a  master ^  where  is  my  fear  ?    Mai, 
 
 I.  6.     The  Hebrew  is.  If  I  am  masters — ♦D''31J< 
 
 These 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  407 
 
 These  are  the  principal  passages,  which  have  struck 
 my  mind  in  passing  through  the  Old  Testament,  as  de- 
 noting a  plurality  of  divine  persons,  more  or  kss  dis- 
 tinctly. Some  of  them  are  strong  and  clear 3  some 
 contain  bare  intimations  only  of  a  doctrine  more  fully 
 delivered  in  other  places.  A  small  number  of  them,  it 
 is  ni>t  improbable,  may  contain  mere  imaginary  allusions 
 to  the  great  doctrine  in  question.  It  will  be  the  busi- 
 nefs  of  the  reader  to  compare  such  declarations  as  are 
 obscure  with  such  as  are  more  perspicuous,  and  to  form 
 his  own  judgment  according  as  the  evidence  shall  appear 
 to  him,  upon  a  conscientious  investigation  of  the  whole 
 of  revelation.  And  in  such  investigation,  we  should 
 ever  bear  in  mind,  that  the  truth  of  a  doctrine  does  not 
 depend  upon  the  frequency  of  its  repetition  in  the  sacred 
 pages,  but  upon  the  simple  fact,  whether  it  is  revealed  at 
 all.  The  immateriality  of  the  Divine  Being  is  funda- 
 mental in  religion,  but  yet  we  do  not  find  that  it  is  more 
 than  once  declared  in  the  whole  bible.  If  therefore  the 
 doctrine  of  the  Sacred  Three  was  revealed  only  onca 
 clearly,  that  once  would  be  sufficient  to  estabhsh  it  as  a 
 truth. 
 
 — »«e*>»«9«©®®®-<^^-®®'Sr®e9 
 
 PART  FOURTH. 
 
 SECTION    ir. 
 
 A  view  of  the  doctrine  of  the  HOLY  TRINITY  from  tke 
 New  Testament, 
 
 THE  writings  of  the  Old  Testament  are  sufficiently 
 strong  and  clear  to  establish  the  doctrine  of  the 
 Sacred  Trinity.  We  have  seen  that  the  three 
 PERSONS  of  the  Divine  Nature  occur  therein,  in  the 
 same  verse  or  context,  not  less  than  ten  times,  besides 
 
 the 
 
4oS  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 the  frequent  mention  that  is  made  of  each  person  sepa- 
 rately. The  New  Testament,  however,  confirms  ail 
 that  had  been  advanced  upon  the  subject  in  the  Old,  and 
 displays  the  doctrine  still  more  strongly.  All  the  inti- 
 mations of  the  latter  are  confirmed  by  plain  declarations 
 in  the  former,  as  all  the  declarations  of  the  latter  too  are 
 rendered  more  conspicuous  by  the  facts  and  illustrations 
 of  the  former ;  insomuch  that  the  two  Testaments,  taken 
 together,  form  one  complete  code  of  religious  informa- 
 tion ;  sufficiently  luminous  to  be  a  rule  of  faith  and 
 practice,  but  by  no  means  so  full  and  perspicuous  as 
 to  gratify  the  impertinent  inquiries  of  vain  and  sceptical 
 men.  We  will  proceed  to  the  New  Testament  decla- 
 rations in  order,  where  the  reader  will  find  upwards  of 
 one  hundred  places  in  which  the  three  persons  of  the 
 Divine  Nature  are  distinctly  mentioned  together, 
 cither  in  the  same  verse,  or  in  the  course  of  the  context. 
 
 68 J.  ]^7jik  he  thought  on  these  things ,  behold  the  angel  of 
 the  Lord  appeared  unto  him  in  a  dreamy  saying, 
 yosephy  thou  son  of  David^fear  not  to  take  unto  thes 
 Ma}j  thy  zvife  :  for  thai  which  is  conceived  in  her 
 is  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  And  she  shall  hing  forth 
 a  SON,  and  thou  shall  call  his  name  Jesus.  '  Here 
 
 we 
 
 7  Mat.  I.  20,  21.  The  doctrine  of  the  Holy  Trinity  abounds 
 in  the  sacred  scriptpres  and  the  writings  of  antiquity  much  more 
 than  any  person,  who  has  not  investigated  the  subject  could  suppose. 
 Origen  had  a  justjnotion  of  the  importance  of  the  doctrine  when  he 
 said  : — "  When  I  speak  of  the  omnipotence  of  God,  of  his  invisibility 
 «*  and  eternity,  I  speak  of  things  sublime  :  when  I  speak  of  the  coe- 
 **  ternity  of  his  only-begotten  Son,  and  the  other  mysteries  which 
 *'  concern  him,  I  speak  of  things  sublime  ;  when  I  discourse  of  the 
 *'  majesty  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  I  speak  of  things  sublime.  These 
 «*  alone  afford  an  elevated  subject  of  discourse.  After  these  ihret 
 "  you  can  speak  of  nothing  sublime  ;  for  all  things  are  low  and 
 *'  abject,  when  compared  to  the  glorious  height  of  this  Trinity. 
 *'  Cease,  therefore,  to  speak  in  elevated  strains,  unless  when  you 
 "  discourse  of  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost,"  In  Reges 
 Ub.  I. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY. 
 
 409 
 
 we  find  the  Lord,  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  the 
 Son  Jesus. 
 
 6  3 4.  God  is  able  of  these  stones  to  raise  up  children  unto 
 Abraham, — 1  indeed  baptize  you  with  water — but 
 HE  that  cometh  after  me — shall  baptize  you  with  the 
 Holy  Ghost^  and  with  fire.  Mat.3.  9,  11.  Here 
 again  we  have  God,  him  that  came  after  John, 
 the  Messiah,  and  the  Holy  Ghost. 
 
 685.  And  ]esvs,  when  he  was  baptizedy  zvent  up  straiqht^ 
 way  out  of  the  water ^  and  lo,  the  heavens  were 
 opened  unto  him,  and  he  saw  the  Spirit  of  God 
 descending  like  a  dove^  and  lighting  upon  him  ;  and  /c, 
 a  voice  from  heaven,  sayings  This  is  my  beloved  Son, 
 in  whom  I  aju  well-pleased.  Z  This  is  sufficiently 
 D  d  d  plain 
 
 •Mat.  5.  16,  17. — "  It  was  convenient,"  says  the  learned 
 Lightfoot,  •"  that  the  Holy  Ghost  should  reveal  himself  at  this  time  : 
 "  First,  for  the  sake  of  John,  who  was  to  have  a  sensible  sign, 
 *'  whereby  to  inform  him,  which  was  the  Messias,  as  John  1. 
 
 '•  Secondly,  In  regard  of  the  Holy  Ghost  himself,  whose  work 
 *'  in  the  church  was  now  in  a  more  special  and  frequent  manner  to 
 *'  be  shewed  under  the  gospel,  namely,  that  he  might  be  expressed 
 *•  and  revealed  to  be  a  personal  substance,  and  not  an  operation 
 "  of  the  Godhead  only,  or  qualitative  virtue.  For  qualities,  oper- 
 •'  ations,  and  acts,  cannot  assume  bodily  shapes,  nor  ought  but  what 
 ••  is  in  itself  substantial. 
 
 "  Thirdly,  That  a  full  and  clear,  yea,  even  a  sensible  demon- 
 "  stration  of  the  Trinity  might  be  made  at  this  beginning  of  the 
 "  gospel.  For  it  may  be  observed  in  scripture,  that  the  Holy  Ghost 
 •*  hath  a  special  regard  to  express  this  mystery  upon  singular  occa- 
 *'  sions,  that  we  might  learn  to  acknowledge  the  three  persons  in 
 •'  one  Godhead,  as  he  also  doth  the  two  natures  of  Christ,  that  we 
 *'  might  acknowledge  them  in  one  person.  So  the  very  tirst  thing 
 *'  that  is  taught  in  all  the  bible,  is  this  very  mystery.  For  when 
 **  Moses  beginneth  the  story  of  the  creation,  he  beginneth  also  to 
 *«  teach,  that  the  three  persons  in  the  Trinity  were  co-workers  in  it. 
 *«  God  created,  there  is  the  Father.  God  said,  there  is  the  Word, 
 "  or  the  Son.  And  the  Spirit  of  God  mo^jed,  there  is  the  Holy 
 *'  Ghost.  And  the  very  same  mystery  is  intimated  by  the  prophet, 
 •*  treating  upon  the  very  same  subject.  Is.  42.  5.  Thus  saith  God 
 **  the  Lord,  he  that  created  the  heavens,  and  they  that  stretched 
 **  them  out  :  that  we  might  learn,  that  of  him,  through  him,  and  to 
 **  him,  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  are  all  things,  Rom.  11. 
 *'  36.     So  Moses  also,  when  he  is  to  teach  concerning  the  creation 
 
4IO  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 plain,  and  contains  a  sensible  demonstration  of  the 
 doctrine  of  tlie  sacred  Trinity. 
 
 686.  // 
 
 "  of  man,  he  first  teacheth,  that  it  was  the  Trinity  that  created  him. 
 **  Gen.  I.  26.  ^nJ  God  said,  Let  us  make  man  after  our  image. 
 "  He  saith.  Let  us,  to  shew  the  trinity  of  persons  ;  and  he  saith, 
 "  In  OUR  image,  not  in  our  images,  to  shew  the  unity  of  essence  ; 
 "  that  every  man,  even  from  the  reading  of  the  story  of  his  cre- 
 *'  ation  may  learn  to  remember  his   Creators  in    the  days  of  his 
 
 "  youth,  as  Solomon  with  the  word  *]''J^m,  answereth  the  same 
 •'  mystery. — Ec.   12.   i. 
 
 "  So  likewise  at  the  confusion  of  tongues  the  Trinity  is  expressed. 
 *'  Gen.  11.  7.  Let  vs  go  do^wn  and  confound  their  language  :  as  it  is 
 *'  also  at  the  gift  of  tongues,  /  ^ilL  send  the  Comforter  from  the 
 "  Father.  John  15.  26.  Acts  i.  4.  Such  a  one  also  was  the 
 "  blessing  pronounced  by  the  priest  upon  the  people,  when  he  dis- 
 *'  missed  them  from  the  daily  service  of  the  temple,  in  the  name 
 *'  of  the  Trinity,  Num.  6.  24 — 26,  the  name  Jehovah,  or  the 
 *'  Lord,  three  times  repeated,  for  denotation  of  the  three  persons, 
 "  as  Paul  explaineth  it,  2  Cor.  13.  14.  When  Moses  also  be- 
 "  ginneth  to  rehearse  the  law  to  Israel,  and  to  explain  it,  the  first 
 *'  thing  he  teacheth  them  is  the  Trinity  in  Unity,  and  Unity  in  Tri- 
 "  nity,  Deut.  6.  4.  Hear,  O  Israel,  the  Lord,  our  God,  the  Lord 
 *'  is  one.  Three  words  answering  the  three  persons,  and  the  middle 
 "  word  our  God,  decyphering  fitly  the  second,  who  assumed  our 
 *'  nature,  as  is  well  observed  by  Galatinus.  To  these  may  be  added, 
 "  the  entrance  of  Moses's  revelation  with  the  name  of  the  Lord, 
 *'  three  times  rehearsed,  Ex.  34.  6.  The  vision  of  Isaiah  with 
 "  three  holies.  Is.  6.  3.  The  beginning  of  i*s.  50,  and  of  Ps. 
 "  136,  and  many  of  the  like  nature,  which  the  heedful  reader  will 
 *'  observe  himself.  How  fitting  then  was  it,  that  at  the  beginning 
 *'  of  the  new  world,  and  the  new  law,  and  the  baptism  of  Christ, 
 "  the  three  persons  should  be  revealed,  especially  since  he  ordained 
 *•  baptism  to  be  administered  in  their  names  ;  baptize  them  in  the 
 *'  Jiame  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost. ^"^ 
 Mat.  28.   19.     Works,  vol.   i.  p.  483,  484. 
 
 "  The  three  persons  in  the  Godhead  did,  there,  so  conspicuously 
 ••'  manifest  themselves,  that  the  Ancients  took  thence  occasion  to 
 *'  tell  the  Arians  ;  Go  to  the  riiier  Jordan,  and  there  you  shall  see  the 
 *'  Trinity.'*     Allix's  Judgment,  p.  297. 
 
 St.  Augustine  saith — "  The  Trinity  most  manifestly  appear- 
 *'  ed  ;  the  Father  by  a  voice ;  the  Son  in  the  form  of  a  man; 
 "  the   Holy   Spirit    under   the   figure  of  a  dove." 
 
 In  evang.  Joh.  tract.  6. 
 
 St.  Jerome  too  hath  it — "  The  mystery  of  the  Trinity  is  demon- 
 *'  strated  in  baptism:  the  Spirit  descends  in  the  form  of  a 
 **  dove  ;  the  voice  of  the  Father  is  heard  bearing  witness  to  the 
 "  Son."    In  Mat.  3. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  411 
 
 6S6.  //  is  not  ye  thai  speak,  but  the  Spirit  of  your  Fa- 
 ther ivhich  speaketh  in  you.  Mac.  10,  20.  Be 
 it  observed  here,  "that  the  Son  of  God  is  the 
 speaker. 
 
 687.  If  I  cast  out  devils  by  the  Svikit  of  God,  then  the 
 
 kingdom  of  God  is  come  unto  you.     Mat.    12.  28. 
 Here  too  Christ  is  the  speaker. 
 
 688.  All  pozver  is  given  unto  me  in  heaven  and  in  earth. 
 Go  ye  therefore  and  teach  all  ?iations,  baptizing  the?n 
 in  the  name  o/'  /^d-  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and 
 of  the  Holy  Ghost.     Mat.  28.  19. 
 
 This  passage  is  extremely  important.  By  being  bap- 
 tized in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of 
 the  Holy  Ghost,  we  are  dedicated  to  the  worship  and 
 lervice  of  the  sacred  three.  That  this  was  the  senti- 
 ment of  the  primitive  church  will  appear  from  an  induc- 
 tion of  particulars. 
 
 1.  Justin  Martyr  says: — "  God  and  his  only  begot- 
 *'  ten  Son,  together  v.-ith  the  Spirit,  who  spake  by  the 
 *'  prophets,  we  worship  and  adore."      Apol.  1.  p.  56. 
 
 In  another  part  of  the  same  apology  he  tells  the  Em- 
 peror, that  when  any  person  was  admitted  a  member  of 
 the  Christian  society,  he  was  baptized  ''  in  the  name  of 
 "  God  the  Father  and  Lord  of  all,  and  in  the  name  of 
 "  Jesus  Christ,  who  was  crucified  under  Pontius  Pilate, 
 "  and  in  the  name  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  who  spake  by 
 "  the  prophets,  and  foretold  every  thing  concerning 
 "  Christ."  Ibid.  p.  94. 
 
 2.  Iren^us  speaks  largely  concerning  the  Sacred 
 Three,  and  quotes  this  form  of  baptism  in  the  very  words, 
 "  Go  teach  all  nation,  baptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the 
 "  Father,  and  of  the  Son^  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost.'*  L.  3. 
 c.  19. 
 
 In  another  place  he  says,  *'  There  is  one  God  the 
 
 "  Father,  who  is  above  all,  and  through  all,  and  in  all. 
 
 "  The  Father  indeed  is  above  all,  and  he  is  the  head  of 
 
 Ddd  2  "Christ. 
 
41*  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 "  Christ.  The  Word  is  through  all,  and  he  is  the  head 
 "  of  the  church.  Thc.,Ho4y  Spirit  is  in  us  all."  L.  5. 
 c.  18. 
 
 Again  to  the  same  purpose  : — "  The  Father  has  ever 
 "  with  him  his  Word  and  Wisdom,  his  Son  and  Spirit; 
 "  by  whom,  and  in  whom,  he  made  all  things  freely." 
 L,  4.  c.  20. 
 
 And  lastly  : — "  The  God  of  all  stands  in  need  of 
 "  nothing  j  but  by  his  own  Word  and  Spirit,  he  makes, 
 ^^  orders,  governs,  and  gives  being  to  all  things." 
 L.  I.  c.  19. 
 
 3.  Tertullian  frequently  speaks  of  these  three  divine 
 persons,  and  alludes  on  some  occasions  to  this  institution 
 of  baptism  by  our  Lord.  I  will  mention  two  or  three 
 passages  from  his  writings.  In  the  following  words  he 
 makes  the  three  persons  of  the  Divine  Nature  equally 
 the  object  of  our  faith  and  hope,  the  witness  of  our  be- 
 lief, and  the  surety  of  our  salvation  :  "  Our  faith,"  says 
 he,  *'  is  ratified  by  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit. 
 **  Through  the  benediction  we  have  them  the  witnesses 
 "  of  our  belief,  and  the  sureties  of  our  salvation.  By 
 *^  the  Three  both  the  witnessing  of  our  faith  and  the 
 *^  covenant  of  our  salvation  are  pledged."  De  Baptism. 
 c.  6. 
 
 Again  he  says — "  The  Father  is  God,  and  the  Son  is 
 "  God,  and  the  Holy  Qhost  is  God,  and  every  one  is 
 *'  God."     Concr.  Prax.  c.  13. 
 
 Again: — "The  three  persons  are  of  one  substance, 
 "  and  of  one  state,  and  of  one  power,  because  they  are 
 "  one  God."     Ibid.  c.  2. 
 
 And  again  : — "  The  Father,  and  Son,  and  Holy 
 "  Ghost,  are  of  one  divinity."  Id.  de  Pud.  c.  21. 
 
 4.  St.  Cyprian  says,  **  Christ  himself  commands  the 
 "  nations  to  be  baptized  in  the  full  and  united  Trini- 
 '^  TY."  Epist.  73. 
 
 Again:  "Christ  here  signifies  the  Trinity,  into 
 a  covenant  with  which  the  nations  should  be  baptized." 
 Ibid. 
 
 And 
 
j\nci  again :  ♦♦  ne  cnat  is  oaptizcu  may  oucain  grace 
 "  by  calling  upon  the  Trinity,  even  upon  the 
 "  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy 
 "  Ghost."     Epist.  75. 
 
 Firmilianiis  too  calls  baptism  "  a  symbol  of  the 
 "  Trinity."    Ibid. 
 
 5.  Athenagoras  is  equally  satisfactory.  In  answer 
 to  a  charge  of  atheism  he  says : — '*  Who  would  not 
 "  be  astonished  to  hear  us  called  atheists,  who  acknow- 
 "  ledge  the  Father  as  God,  and  the  Son  God,  and  the 
 "  Holy  Ghost,  asserting  their  union  of  power,  and  dis- 
 "  tinction  of  order  ?" 
 
 Again  to  the  same  purpose: — '^  The  Son  of  God  is 
 "  t'lc  Word  of  the  Father,  in  power  and  energy.  By 
 "  him,  and  through  him,  were  all  things  created  :  f  )r 
 "  [he  Father  and  Son  are  one.  The  Father  is  in  the 
 "  Son,  and  the  Son. is  in  the  Father,  by  the  unity  and 
 *'  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  For  the  Son  of  God  is 
 "  die  Wisdom  and  Word  of  God. ' 
 
 6.  Origen 
 
 *  I.egat.  pro.  Christ,  passim. 
 
 1  ad'j  che  words  of  a  great  and  pious  Modern  : — '•'  If  the  holy 
 *•  scripture  teacheth  us  plainly,  and  frequently  doth  inculcate  upon 
 "  us,  that  there  is  but  one  true  God  ;  if  it  as  manifestly  doth  a- 
 "  scribe  to  the  three  Persons  of  the  blessed  Trinity  the  same  august 
 *'  names,  the  ;ame  peculiar  characters,  the  same  divine  attributes, 
 *'  tiie  same  su,)erlatively  admirable  operations  of  Creation  and  Pro- 
 *•  vidence  .;  if  it  also  doth  prescribe  to  them  the  same  supreme  hon- 
 *'  ours,  servicr.s,  praises,  and  acknowledgements  to  be  paid  unto 
 •'  ^hem  ail  ;  this  may  be  abundantly  enough  to  satisfy  our  minds, 
 "  to  stop  our  mouths,  to  smother  all  doubt  and  dispute  about  this 
 **  high  and  holy  mystery."  Dr.  Barrow's  Defence  of  the  Trinity, 
 p.  61,  62. 
 
 The  pious  and  excellent  Richard  Baxter  also,  who  was  a  man  of 
 the  most  co'summate  abilities,  says,  '•  I  unfeignedly  account  the 
 "  doctrine  of  the  1  "rinity,  the  very  su.n  and  kernel  of  the  Christian 
 "  religion,  as  expressed  in  our  baptism." 
 
 *'  The  doctrine  is  neither  contradictory,  incredible,  nor  unlikely." 
 Works,  vol.  2.  p.   132. 
 
 See  this  great  man's  various  reasonings  upon  the  nature  of  the 
 Trinity  in  the  same  chapter  from  whence  the  above  is  taken. 
 
 The  learned  Lightfoot  says  ;  "  Among  the  Jews  the  controversy 
 •'  was  about  the  true  Messiah,  among  the  Gentiles  about  the  true 
 "  God  :  it  was  therefore  proper  among  the  Jews  to  baptize  in  the 
 
 >*•  'fct  -^4   A  "^    ■*.  '^-   ■*• 
 
414'  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 6.  Origen  speaks  to  the  same  purpose  upon  many 
 occasions  : — "  He  who  makes  a  good  confession,"  says 
 he,  "  ascribes  to  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  each 
 *^  their  respective  peculiars,  but  v/ill  nevertheless  con- 
 "  fess  that  there  is  no  diversity  of  nature  or  of  sub- 
 "  stance."     In  Epist.    ad    Rom.    cap.   lo.  lib.  8.  p. 
 
 479- 
 
 Again  : — "  When  we  come  to  the  grace  of  baptism, 
 
 "  renouncing  all  other  gods  and  lords,   we  confess  one 
 
 "  God    alone,    the     Father,    the  Son,  and  the   Holy 
 
 "  Ghost."     Horn.  8.  in  Exod.  20.  p  86. 
 
 Again  : — "  We  believe  the  faith  of  Father,  Son,  and 
 "  Holy  Ghost,  in  which  all  believe  who  are  joined  to 
 "  the  church  of  God."     Horn.  5.  in  Levit.  p.   126, 
 
 Again: — "  We  who  worship  and  adore  no  creature, 
 '^  but  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  as  v/e  err  not  in 
 "  our  worship,  so  neither  indeed  do  we  transgress  in 
 "  our  actions  and  conversation.'*  Lib.  1.  cap.  i.  ia 
 "  Rom.  p.  338. 
 
 And  again  : — "  In  short.  It  is  an  impious  crime,  we 
 "  may  say,  to  worship  any  other  besides  Father,  and 
 "  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit.     Ibid.  p.  ;^2^- 
 
 7.  Hippolytus,  who  was  contemporary  with  Tertul- 
 lian,  quotes  this  very  form  of  baptism,  and  reasons  upon 
 it  in  the  manner  followins:. 
 
 "  If  the  Word  was  v/ith  God,  himself  being  God, 
 "  some  perhaps  may  object.  What,  does  the  Apostle 
 "  then  make  two  Gods  ?  No.  I  will  not  say^two  Gods, 
 "  but  one,  yet  two  persons  ^  for  the  Father  indeed  is 
 ""  one,  but  the  persons  two,  because  of  the  Son  j  and 
 "  and  the  third  is  the  Holy  Ghost.  The  administration 
 "  of  their  harmony  leads  to  one  God,  for  God  is  one. 
 **  The  Father  above  all,  the  Son  through  all,  the  Holy 
 
 '  «  Ghost 
 
 *'  name  of  Jesns,  that  he  might  be  vindicated  to  be  the  true  Mes- 
 *•  siah  ;  among  the  Gentiles  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  thcr 
 **  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  that  they  might  be  thereby  instruct- 
 •'  ed  in  the  doctrine  of  the  true  God." 
 
 Works,  vol.  ?.  p.  275,  and  p.  1150. 
 
'^'  (jhost  m  all.  We  can  no  otherwise  consider  Lrod  as 
 "  one,  but  as  believing  truly  in  the  Father,  and  the  Son, 
 *'  and  the  Holy  Ghost. — The  Word  of  the  Father 
 "  knowing  the  administration,  and  that  it  was  the  will 
 "  of  the  Father  to  be  thus  honoured,  and  not  other- 
 "  wise,  gave  his  disciples  orders,  after  his  resurrt^c- 
 *'  tion,  to  this  purpose ;  Go  teach  all  nations^  baptizing 
 "  them  in  the  name  of  the  Father ,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of 
 "  the  Holy  Ghost ;  signifying,  that  whosoever  should 
 "  leave  out  any  one  of  the  three,  should  come  so  far 
 **  short  of  honouring  God  perfectly :  for  by  this  Tri- 
 "  nity  the  Father  is  glorified.  The  Father  willed,  the 
 "  Son  executed,  the  Spirit  manifested."  Cont.  Noet. 
 "  c.   14.  p.   21. 
 
 8.  Jerome  speaks  of  baptism  in  the  same  manner  : 
 — "  B;iptisni,"  says  he,  "  is  one;  for  in  the  same 
 ''  manner  we  are  baptized  into  the  Father,  and  into  the 
 "  Son,  and  into  the  Holy  Ghost ;  and  are  dipped  three 
 "  times,  that  the  sacrament  of  the  Trinity  might  ap- 
 "  pear  one.  And  we  are  not  baptized  in  the  names 
 "  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Floly  Ghost, 
 "  but  into  the  o//(?  «rtW(f  of  God."  Com.  in  Eph.  c.  4. 
 
 9.  St.  Augustine  reasons  thus  upon  the  form  of  bap- 
 tism:— "  He   is  one  God,  because  we  are  baptized  not 
 
 in  the  names  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of 
 the  Holy  Ghost.  Where  you  hear  one  name,  there 
 God  is  one :  as  it  is  spoken  of  the  seed  of  Abraham, 
 and  the  apoLtle  Paul  expounds  it,  In  thy  seed  shall 
 all  the  nations  be  blessed.  He  speakelh  not  cf  seeds  as 
 of  manvy  but  as  of  onc^  and  in  thy  seed,  zvhich  is  Christ. 
 So,  therefore,  because  he  speakcth  not  there  of 
 seedsy  the  Apostle  wishes  to  teach  us  that  Christ  is 
 one.  So  likewise  here  when  it  is  said  in  tlie  name, 
 not  in  the  names,  in  like  manner  as  there  in  the  seed, 
 not  in  the  seeds,  it  is  proved  that  God  is  cne.  Father, 
 and  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost."  Tract,  in  Evang. 
 [oh.  6. 
 
 689.  He 
 
4i6  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 68 9.  He  shall  be'  great  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord  ; — and 
 HE  shall  be  filled  ivith  the  Holy  Ghost — and  many 
 of  the  children  of  Israel  shall  he  turn  unto  the  Lord 
 their  God.  And  he  shall  go  before  him  in  the 
 spirit  and  poiver  of  Elias^  to  turn  the  hearts  of  the 
 fathers  to  the  children^ — to  make  ready  a  people 
 prepared  for  the 'L.QT^.D.     Luke  i.  15 — 17. 
 
 The  most  inattentive  reader  cannot  fail  of  discover- 
 ing the  three  persons  of  the  Divine  Nature  in  this  and 
 many  of  the  following  quotations  of  holy  ivcripture, 
 without  any  observation  being  made  upon  them  to  that 
 purpose.  * 
 
 690.*  T'he  Holy  Ghost  shall  come  upon  thee^  and  the 
 pozver  of  the  Highest  shall  overshadotv  thee  :  there- 
 fore  also  that  holy  thing   ivhich  shall  be  born  of 
 thee  shall  be  called  the  Son  ^ God.    Luke  i.  35. 
 
 691.*  His  father  7,'icbarias  zvas  filled  zviih  the  Holy 
 Ghost  J  and  prophesiedy  sayings  Blessed  be  the 
 Lord  God  of  Israel ,  for  he  hath  visited  and  re- 
 deemed his  people,  and  hath  raised  up  an  tin  RN  of 
 salvation  for  us  in  the  house  of  his  servant  David. 
 Luke   T.  67 — 69. 
 
 692.  It  zvas  revealed  unto  him  by  the  Holy  Ghost, 
 that  be  should  not  see  death  before  he  had  seen  the 
 Lord's  Christ.     Luke  2.  26. 
 
 693.  He  came  bv  the  Spirit  into  the  tejnple.  And  when 
 the  parents  brought  in  the  child  Jesus — then  took 
 
 he 
 
 *  The  honourable  Duncan  Forbes  observes,  thnt  when  we  have 
 ■well  considered  the  language  of  the  Old  Testament,  concerning  the 
 Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  "  our  surprise  will  cease  at  the  free- 
 "  dom  and  easiness,  with  which  Christ  and  his  Apostles  speak  of 
 *'  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit,  as  distinct  persons  of  the  Deity, 
 *'  as  a  thing  well  known  and  understood,  without  any  preannble  or 
 "  apology  ;  whereas,  if  this  had  not  been  a  notion  commonly  re- 
 "  ceived  by  the  intelligent,  it  is  impossible  that  the  preacher  of  sal- 
 •'  vation  could  have  made  use  of,  or  applied  it,  without  having  first 
 "  explained  it,  and  so  prepared  the  hearers  for  it." 
 
 Thoughts  concerning  Religion,  p.  153. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  4,7 
 
 he  him  up  in  his  arms,  and  blessed  God.  2.  27,  28. 
 
 6"94.  And  the  Holy  Ghost  descended  in  a  bodily  shape 
 like  a  dove  upon  him.,  and  a  voice  came  from  hea- 
 ven, which  said,  Thou  art  my  beloved  Son  ,•  in 
 thee  I  am  well  pleased.     3.  22. 
 
 6(^^.  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is  upon  me.  4.  18,  the 
 speaker,  the  Messiah. 
 
 696.  Hozv  ?nuch  ?nore  shall  your  heavenly  Father  give 
 the  Holy  Spirit  to  them  that  ask  him  f  11.  13. 
 Christ  is  the  speaker. 
 
 697.  Beheld,  I  send  the  V ROMISH  of  77iy  Father  upon 
 you.  24.  49.  Christ  undertakes  to  send  the  Holy 
 Ghost  to  comfort  and  instruct  his  disciples, 
 which  the  Father  had  before  promised. 
 
 698.  Upon  ivhom  thou  shalt  see  the  Spirit  descending  and 
 remaining  on  him,  the  same  is  he  which  baptizeth 
 with  the  Holy  Ghost.  And  I  saw,  and  bar  a 
 record,  that  this  is  the   Sont  of  God.     John   i. 
 
 ;  33^  34. 
 
 S^g.  Except  a  man  he  horn  of  water  and  of  the  Spirit, 
 he  cannot  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God.  3.  5. 
 Christ  is  the  speaker. 
 
 700.  He  whom  God  hath  sent  speaketh  the  words  of 
 God  ;  for  God  giveth  not  the  Spirit  by  measure 
 unto  HIM.  3.  34.  This  is  the  testimony  of  John 
 the  Baptist  to  the  Holy  Trinity. 
 
 701.  I  will  pray  the  Father,  and  he   shall  give  you 
 
 another  Comforter.     14.   16. 
 
 702.  He  that  level h  me  shall  be  loved  of  my  Father, 
 
 and  I  ixiill  manifest  myself  to  him,  (by  my  Spi- 
 rit.)   14.   21. 
 
 703.  The  Comforter,  which  is  the  Holy  Ghost, 
 whom  //?<f  Father  will  send  in  my  7iame,  he  shall 
 teach ycu  all  things.      14.   26. 
 
 704.  IVhen  the  Comforter  is  come,  whom  I  will  send 
 unto  you  from  the  Father,  even  the  Spirit  of 
 truth,  which  proceedeth  from  the  Father,  he  shall 
 testify  of  ME.      15.   26. 
 
 Fee  705.  As 
 
4»8  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 705*  ^s  my  Father  hath  sent  me,  even  so  send  1  you. 
 And  when  he  had  said  this^  he  breathed  on  tbenti 
 and  saith  unto  them.  Receive  ye  the  Holy  Ghost. 
 20.   21,  22. 
 
 706.  IVait  for  the  Promise  of  the  Father,  which  ye 
 have  heard  of  ME.  For  John  truly  baptized  with 
 water ;  but  ye  shall  be  baptized  with  the  Holy 
 Ghost  not  many  days  hence.     Acts   i.  4,  5. 
 
 707.  //  is  not  for  you  to  know  the  times  or  the  seasonSt 
 which  the  Father  hath  put  in  his  own  pozver : 
 but  ye  shall  receive  power,  after  that  the  Holy 
 Ghost  is  come  upon  you.  i.  7,  8.  Christ  is 
 the  speaker  in  each  of  these  seven  last  testimonies 
 to  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity. 
 
 708.  "^his  Jesus  hath  God  raised  up. — Therefore  being 
 by  the  right  hand  of  God  exalt ed,  and  having  re- 
 ceived of  the  Father  the  promise  of  the  Holy 
 GnosTy  he  hath  shed  forth  this.    1.    32,  23- 
 
 709.  Repent  and  be  baptized  every  one  of  you  in  the  name 
 ^  Jesus  CnRiST/or  the  remission  of  sins,  a?id  yg 
 shall  receive  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  For 
 the  pro7nise  is  unto  you,  and  to  your  children,  and 
 to  all  that  are  afar  off,  even  as  many  as  the  Lord 
 cur  God  shall  call.     2.  38,  39. 
 
 710.  Then  Peter,  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  .fW, 
 — by  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ — whom  God 
 raised  from  the  dead,  even  by  him  doth  this  man 
 stand  here  before  you  zvhole.     4.   8 — 10. 
 
 711-  They  were  all  filled,  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  and 
 they  spake  the  word  of  God  with  boldness. — And 
 "with  great  pozver  gave  the  Apostles  witness  of  the 
 resurrection  of  the  I-jORD  Jesus.     4.  31,  23- 
 
 712.  The  God  of  our  fathers  raised  up  Jesus and  we 
 
 are  witnesses   of  these  things,  and  so  is  the  Holy 
 Ghost.     5.  30,  32. 
 
 713.  Stephen  being  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost — saw  the 
 glory  of  God,  and  Jesus  standing  on  the  right  hand 
 of  God.     7.  ss- 
 
 714.  fVhen 
 
7 14'  W^hen  the  Apostles  which  were  at  Jerusalem  heard 
 that  Samaria  had  received  the  word  of  God ^  they 
 sent  unto  them  Peter  and  John:  whoy  when  they 
 were  come  down,  prayed  for  theyn  that  they  might 
 receive  the  Holy  Ghost.  For  as  yet  he  zvas 
 fallen  upon  none  of  them:  only  they  were  baptized 
 in  the  name  of  the  L.OKD  J  Esvs.     8.    14 — 16. 
 
 715.  I  believe  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Son  of  God 
 and  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord   caught  away  Philip. 
 
 8-  37>  39- 
 
 716.  God  anointed  Jesus  of  Nazareth  with  the  Holy 
 Ghost  and  with  power.      10.  38. 
 
 717.  He — Jesus — who  was  ordained  of  God  to  be  the 
 judge  of  quick  and  dead. — IVbile  Peter  yet  spake 
 these  words,  the  Holy  Ghost  fell  on  alt  them 
 which  heard  the  word.      10.  42,  44. 
 
 718.  Then  remembered  I  the  zvord  of  the  Lord,  hoza 
 that  he  saidy  John  indeed  baptized  with  water  ;  but 
 ye  shall  be  baptized  with  the  Holy  Ghost.  'For- 
 asmuch then  as  God  gave  them  the  like  gift  as  he 
 did  unto  us  who  believed  on  the  Lord  Jesus 
 Christ,  what  was  I  that  I  could  withstand  God  ? 
 II.   16,  17. 
 
 719.  IVhen — he  had  seen  the  grace  of  God, — be  exhorted 
 them  to  cleave  unto  the  Lord  :  for  he  was  a  good 
 many  and  full  of  the  IrioLY  Ghost,      ii.  23,  24. 
 
 7  20.  And  Go  d — bare  thrfn  witness,  giving  them  the 
 Holy  Ghost. — Bui  we  believcy  that  through  the. 
 grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  we  shall  be 
 saved  even  as  they.      15.   8,   11. 
 
 721.  I  have  not  shunned  to  declare  unto  you  all  the  coun- 
 
 sel of  God.  Take  heed  therefore — to  all  the  fock 
 over  thewhich  the  Holy  Ghost  hath  made  you 
 overseers,  to  feed  the  church  of  God,  which  he  halh 
 purchased  with  his  own  blocd.     20.   27,  28. 
 
 722.  To  whom  he  expounded  and  testified  the:  kingdom  of 
 
 God,   perstiading   them    concerning    Jesus.— And,, 
 
 when  they   agreed  7wt — thiy  departed,  after  that 
 
 E  e  e  2  Paul 
 
 \ 
 
 >*;     -J.      «t       .*      «»• 
 
 '*^  H  .i  "A  "?i.  ?^ 
 
429  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THft 
 
 Paul  had  spoken  one  wordy  Well  spake  the  Holy 
 GuosT  by  Esaias  the  Prophet,     aS.  23,  25. 
 
 723.  Declared  to  he  the  So-a  of  God  with  power;  ac- 
 cording to  tjje  ^^ir\t  of  HOLINESS,  by  the  resur- 
 rection from  the  dead.     Rom.    i.  4. 
 
 724.  The  love  of  God  is  shed  abroad  in  our  hearts  by  the 
 
 Holy   Ghost   which  is  given  unto  us  :■ For 
 
 Christ  died  for  the  ungodly.     5.   5,  6. 
 
 725.  God  sending  his  own  So^-^who  walk  not  after  the 
 feshy  but  after  the  Spirit.     8.  3,  4. 
 
 726.  Te  are  not  in  the  fleshy  but  in  the  Spirit,  if  so  be 
 
 the  Spirit  of  God  dwell  in  you.  Now  if  any 
 man  have  not  the  Spirit  (s/^ Christ  he  is  none  of 
 his.     8.  9. 
 
 727.  If  the  Spirit  of  luu  that  raised  up  Jesus  from  the 
 dead  dwell  in  you.     8 .    x  i . 
 
 728.  He  that  raised  up  Curist  from  the  dead  shall  also 
 
 quicken  your  mortal  bodies  by  his  Spirit  that 
 dwelleth  in  you.     8.    11. 
 
 729.  The  Spirit  itself  bearetb  witness  with  our  spirit, 
 that  we  are  the  children  of  God  :  and  if  children 
 then  heirs  y  heirs  of  God,  and  joint-heirs  with 
 Christ.     8.   16,   17. 
 
 730.  For  OF  him,  and  through  him,  and  to  him 
 are  all  things :  to  whom  be  glory  forever.     11.36. 
 
 This  has  frequently  been  understood  of  the  Sacred 
 Three.  "  When  all  things  are  done,"  saith  Athana- 
 sius,  "by  God  through  Christ  in  the  Holy  Spirit; 
 "  1  see  the  undivided  operation  of  the  Father,  the  Son, 
 *'  and  the  Holy  Spirit  -,  yet  do  I  not  therefore  so  con- 
 "  found  together,  him  by  whcniy  and  him  through  whonjy 
 "  and  him  in  whom,  all  is  wrought ;  as  to  be  forced  to 
 "  run  the  three  persons  into  one.""     Contra  Sabellianos. 
 
 In  another  place  he  says  : — "  There  is  but  one  sort 
 "  of  Divinity,  which  is  also  in  the  IVord-y  and  one 
 "  God,  which  is  the  Father ;  existing  of  himself,  as 
 '*  being  cwr^// J  and  manifesting  himself  in  the  Son, 
 
 "as 
 
"  as  being  through  all ;  and  in  the  Spirit,  as  working  in 
 "  alii  through  the  Word  and  by  the  Spirit."  Onu.  3. 
 cent.  Arianos. 
 
 Dr.  Berriman,  speaking  of  this  doxology,  says, 
 "  To  the  one  supreme  God,  subsisting  in  a  trinity  of 
 "  persons,  be  glory  ;  of  him,  referring  to  the  Father, 
 "  through  him,  referring  to  the  Son,  and  to  hinty  or  in 
 "  him,  pointing  out  the  Holy  Ghost."  Basil,  Am- 
 brose, and  Augustine,  understood  the  passage  in  the 
 same   manner.     See    Hurrion  .on   the  Spirit,  p.   190, 
 
 731.  For  the  kingdom  cf  God  is — righteousness,  and 
 peace,  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost  :  for  he  that  in 
 these  things  serveth  Christ  :s  acceptable  to  God. 
 14-   I7»   18. 
 
 732.  Now  the  God  of  patience  and  comolation  grant  ycit, 
 to  be  like-minded  one  toward  another,  according  ta 
 Christ  Jesus,  that  ye  may  zvith  one  mind  and  one 
 mouth  glorify  God,  even  the  Father  of  cur  Lor4 
 Jesus  Christ.     15.  5,  6. 
 
 The  God  of  patience  and  consolation  is  here  spokea 
 of  as  a  person  distinct  from  the  Father,  and  from  Christ- 
 Jesus  ;  and  so  it  is  best  understood  to  be  God  the 
 Holy  Ghost,  who  is  the  author  of  the  Christian's  pati- 
 ence and  peace  of  mind. 
 
 733.  There  shall  be  a  root  of  Jesse,  and  he  that  shall 
 rise  to  reign  over  the  Gentiles ,-  in  him  shall  the 
 Gentiles  trust,  Now  the  God  of  hope  Jill  you  zvith 
 all  joy  and  peace  in  believing,  that  ye  may  abound 
 in  hope  through  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
 15.   12,   13. 
 
 734.  The  minister  of  Jesvs    Christ   to  the    Gentiles, 
 
 ministering  the  gospel  of  God,  that  the  o£ering  up 
 of  the  Gentiles  might  be  acceptable,  being  sanctified 
 by  the  Holy  Ghost.     15.   16. 
 
 735.  7  will  not  dare  to  speak  of  any  of  those  things  which 
 Christ  hath  not  wrought  hy  me^  to  make  the  Gen- 
 tile^ 
 
422  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 tiles  ohcdient  by  'word  and  deed,  through  mighty 
 signs  and  wonder s^  by  the  power  of  the  Spirit  of 
 God.     15.  18,  19. 
 
 736.  Now  I  beseech  you,  brethren,  for  the  Lord  Jesus 
 
 Christ's  sake,  and  for  the  love  of  the  Spirit, 
 that  ye  strive  together  with  me  in  your  prayers  to 
 God  for  me.     15.  30. 
 
 737.  I  determined  not  to  know  any  thing  among  you-  save 
 Jesus  ChrisT' — and  my—^preaching  was — in  de~ 
 monstration  of  the  Spirit  and  of  power:  that  your 
 
 faith  should  not  stand  in  the  zvisdom  of  man,  but  in 
 the  pozver  of  God.     i  Cor.  2.  2,  4,  5. 
 
 73  S.  Had  they  known  it  they  would  not  have  crucified  the 
 Lord  of  glory — but  God  haih  revealed  them 
 unto  us  by  his  Spirit,     1.  8,   10. 
 
 129'  ^^^  natural  man  receiveth  not  the  things  of  the  Spi- 
 rit of  God. — For  who  hath  knozvn  the  mind  of 
 the  Lord,  that  he  may  instruct  him  ?  Bui  we 
 have  the  mind  of  Christ,     2.   14,  16. 
 
 740.  But  ye  are  justified  in  the  name  of  the  Y.o'KD  Jesus 
 and  by  the  Spirit  of  our  God.     6.   11. 
 
 741.  Know  ye  not  that  your  bodies  are  the  memhers  of 
 •    Christ  ? — Know  ye  not  that  your  body  is  the  teiJt- 
 
 ple  of  the  Holy  Ghost  which  is  in  you,  which 
 ye  have  of  God,  and  ye  are  not  your  own  /   6.  15, 
 
 742*  Only  irt  the  l^ORD.  But  she  is  happier  if  she  so 
 abide  after  my  judgment.  And  J  think  also  that 
 I  have  the  S'PiKiT  of  God.     7.  39,  40. 
 
 743.  No  man  speaking  by  the  Spirit  qf  God  calleib 
 I'E^M'i,  accursed.      12.  3. 
 
 744.  'There  are  diversities  of  gifts,  but  the  same  Spirit. 
 And  there  are  differences  of  admnistrations,  but  the 
 SAME  Lord.  And  there  are  diversities  of  opera- 
 tions, but  it  is  the  same  God  which  vjorketh  all 
 in  all.     1 2 .  4 — 6. 
 
 745.  Noiv  he  who  stablisheth  us  with  you  in  Christ — ^ 
 is  God  /  who  haib  also  sealed  us,  and  given  the 
 
 earnest 
 
carnesi  oj  itje  opirit  m   our  lyearis.     i  \^or.    i. 
 
 21,    22. 
 
 746.  Ye  are    manifestly    declared    to    he  the  epistle   of 
 
 Christ  ministered  hy  us,  "ji-ritten — with  the  Svi- 
 KiT  of  the  living  God.     3.  3. 
 
 747.  When  it  shall  turn  to  the  Lord,  the  vail  shall  be 
 taken  away.  Now  the  Lord  is  that  Spirit." 
 and  where  the  Spirit  cf  the  Lord  isy  there  is 
 liberty.     3.    16,   17. 
 
 748.  Beholding  as  in  a  glass  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  are 
 changed  into  the  same  image — even  as  by  the  Spi- 
 rit (^//^i?  Lord.     3.    18. 
 
 749.  God,  who  also  hath  given  unto  us  the  earnest  of  the 
 Spirit.  'Therefore  we  are  always  confident^  know^ 
 ing  that  whilst  we  are  at  home  in  the  body^  we  are 
 absent  from  the  Lord.     5.   5,  6. 
 
 750.  jyhat  concord  hath  QiiV(.iST  with  Belial? — Tears 
 the  temple  of  the  living  God  :  As  God  hath  said, 
 I  will  dwell  in  them^  and  walk  in  them.  6.  15, 
 16. — by  my  Spirit.    ' 
 
 751.  'The grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  the 
 love  of  God,  and  the  cojmnunion  of  the  Holy 
 Ghost  be  with  you  all.  Amen.     13.   14. 
 
 Having  produced  the  sentiments  of  the  Christian 
 fathers  pretty  much  at  large  on  our  Saviour's  institution 
 q{  baptism  in  the  twenty  eighth  chapter  of  St.  Mat- 
 thew's gospel,  1  will  here  add  some  of  the  moft  re- 
 markable doxologies  which  we  find  in  their  writings  to 
 the  three  persons  of  the  Godhead,  reserving  the  senti- 
 ments of  the  Fathers  to  be  considered  at  greater  lengdi 
 in  the  seventh  part  ot  these  Disquisitions. 
 
 I.  Polycarp,  when  he  came  to  suffer,  made  an  ad- 
 dress to  God,  which  he  thus  concluded  : — "  To  thee, 
 "  with  him  (Christ)  and  tliy  Holy  Spirit,  be  glory  now 
 *'  and  through  everlasting  ages." 
 
 1.  The   church    of  Smyrna,    writing   an  epistle    to 
 
 give  an  account  of  Polycarp's  martyrdom,  close  their 
 
 •*•  letter 
 
 "ok.  Jt  ^4  A  "A   H.  "•<•   i 
 
424  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 letter  with  these  words ; — "  With  M'horri  (Christ)  be 
 "  glory  to  God,  even  the  Father,  and  to  the  Holy 
 "  Spirit." 
 
 3.  Justin  Martyr  tells  us  that  the  Christians  of  his 
 time  "  worshipped  and  adored  the  Father,  Son,  and 
 **  prophetic  Spirit." 
 
 4.  Clement  of  Alexandria  says ; — '*  Let  us  give  praise 
 "  to  the  only  Father  and  Son,  with  the  Holy  Spirit ; 
 "  to  whom  be  glory  now  and  forever.  Amen."  Pa;- 
 dag.  1.  3. 
 
 5.  Hippolytus  has  this  doxology :— "  To  him 
 "  (Christ)  be  glory  and  strength,  together  with  the 
 "  Father  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  in  the  holy  church,  now 
 "  and  forever,  and  forevermore.  Amen."    Cent.  Noet. 
 
 6.  Dionysius  Alexandrinus  in  the  same  age  has  this 
 doxology  : — "  To  God  the  Father,  and  his  Son,  our 
 "  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  be  glory 
 "  and  power  foreVer  and  ever.  Amen."  Apud.  Basil 
 de  Sp.  Sanct.  C.  29. 
 
 7.  Chrysostom  in  the  next  age  says: — "For  his 
 "  (Christ's)  is  the  glory  and  honour,  and  adoration, 
 "  together  with  the  Father,  and  the  moft  holy,  and 
 "  good,  and  quickening  Spirit,  now  and  forever  and 
 *^  ever.  Amen."     Hom.  de  Spirit.  Sanct. 
 
 8.  To  the  same  purpose  in  another  place; — "  To 
 "  thee  (Christ)  belongs  glory,  honour,  and  adoration  j 
 "  and  by  thee  to  thy  Father,  in  the  Holy  Spirit,  world 
 "  without  end."  Hom.   18.  in  2  Cor. 
 
 752.  GoD  sent  forth  bis  Son  nmi^e  of  a  woman.  Gal. 
 4.  4. — by  the  energy  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
 
 753.  Because  ye  are  sons^GoD   hath  sent  forth  /^^  Spi- 
 
 rit of  his  Son  into  your  hearts.     4.  6. 
 
 754.  That  the  God  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the 
 Father  of  glory ^  may  give  unto  you  the  Spirit 
 of  wisdom  and  revelation.     Ep.    i.   17. 
 
 755.  Through  HIM  ive  both  have  access  by  one  Spirit 
 ««/o //)<?  Father.*    2.   18.  756.  An 
 
 *  "  That  there  is  a  real,  and  not  only  a  nominal  distinction  be^ 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  42^ 
 
 756.  An  hily  temple  in  the  Lord  /  in  zvhom  ye  also  are 
 buildcd  together  for  an  habitation  of  God  throuob 
 the  Spiri  r.      1.   11. 
 
 757-  I  hoi'j  my  knees  unto  the  Father  of  c^^rLoRD 
 Jesus  Christ — that  he  would  grant  yen  to  be 
 strengthened  with  might  by  his  Spirit  in  the  inner 
 man.     3.    14,    16. 
 
 758.  Unto  HUA  that  is  able  to  do  exceeding  abundantly, 
 above  all  that  ive  ask  or  think,  acccr.Uiig  to  the 
 POWER  that  Ivor keth  in  us.:  unto  him  be  glory  in 
 the  Church  by  Christ  Jesus.  3.  20,  11.  The 
 power  that  worketh  in  us  is  unquestionably  the 
 power  of  the  Floly  Ghost. 
 
 759.  There  is — one  Spirit — one  Lord — one  God  and 
 
 FathiiR  of  all,     4.   4 — 6. 
 
 One  God  and  Father  of  all,  who  is  above  all,  and 
 through  all,  and  in  you  all.  4.  6.  This  is  applied  by 
 Irenazus  in  the  manner  following :  "  The  Father  is 
 *•  overall,  and  he  is  the  head  of  Christ;  the  Word  is 
 "  through  all,  and  he  is  the  head  of  the  church  :  and 
 *'  the  Spirit  is  in  us  all.     Lib.   1.  c.   20. 
 
 760.  Grieve  not  the  LIoly  Spirit  of  God — and  he 
 kind — forgiving  one  another  even  as  God  for 
 Qhva^t'^  sake  hath  forgiven  you.     4.  30,  32. 
 
 F  f  f  761.  Be 
 
 *'  tween  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Spirit ;  that  they  are 
 •'  frequently  spoken  of  in  the  holy  scriptures  in  such  terms  as  we 
 **  ordinarily  use  when  we  speak  of  three  persons ;  that,  although. 
 ♦*  the  Sen  be  often  spoken  of  as  really  and  truly  a  man,  yet  many 
 "  things  are  said  of  him,  which  cannot  agree  to  a  mere  man,  or  to 
 "  any  created  being  whatsoever  ;  and  that  there  are  such  things 
 •'  also  spok'?n  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  as  cannut  be  accommodated  unto 
 "  a  creature  :  moreover,  that  the  Son  derives  his  being  from,  and 
 "  always  depends  upon  the  Father,  as  the  Holy  Ghost  does  from 
 •'  and  upon  the  Father  and  the  Son  :  all  these  ihings,  arc  not  to  be 
 "  denied  by  any  one,  who  will  but  interpret  the  holy  scriptures  ac- 
 "  cording  to  the  ordinary  sense  and  signification  of  the  words 
 **  thereof,  and  not  according  to  his  own  prejudices  or  pre-conceived 
 "  opinions." 
 
 Gentleman's  Religion,  p.  2.  p.  20. 
 
42^  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 761.  Be  filled  with  the  Spirit — giving  thanks unt* 
 
 God   and  the  Father,  in  the  name  of  our  Lord 
 Jesus  Christ.     5.    18,   20. 
 
 762.  The  acknowledgement  of  the  mystery  of  GoUy  and  of 
 the  Fat  HER  y  and  of  Christ.     Col.   2.   2. 
 
 It  seemsj  that  the  Holy  Spirit  is  put  first  in  this  pas- 
 sage, and  is  called  God  without  any  epithet  whatever. 
 If  this  is  denied,  which  no  man  can  do  with  any  proper 
 evidence  to  the  contrary,  it  will  follow,  that  the  Father 
 and  Christ,  at  least,  are  equally  partakers  of  the  God- 
 head. See  Browne's  Discourse  on  the  Trinity,  p.  30, 
 31.  And  for  some  judicious  observations  on  the  word 
 mystery,  see  the  same  work,  chap,  i  and  2.  If  the 
 last  meaning  is  thought  to  be  the  true  one,  it  will  be  in 
 the  spirit  of  those  words  of  Novatian : — "  The  Father 
 "  is  declared  to  be  the  one  true  and  eternal  God,  from 
 "  whom  alone  this  Divinity  being  derived  and  com- 
 "  municated  to  the  Son  is  returned  to  the  Father  by 
 "  a  communion  of  substance."     De  Trinit.  cap.  31. 
 
 763.  This  is  the  zvill  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus  concern- 
 ing you.     ^ench  not  the  Spirit,     5.   18,   19. 
 
 764.  If^e  are  bound  to  give  thanks  alway  to  God  for  you, 
 brethren,  beloved  of  the  Lord,  because  God  hath 
 
 from  the  beginning  chosen  you  to  salvation  through 
 sanctification  of  the  Spirit  and  belief  of  the  truth, 
 Whereunto  he  called  you  by  our  gospel  to  the  obtain- 
 ^^Z  ^f  ^'^^  K^^U  ^f  ^^^^  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
 2  Thes.  2.   13. 
 
 765.  The  Lord  direct  your  hearts  into  the  love  of  God, 
 and  into  the  patient  waiting  for  Christ.     3.  5. 
 
 The  Lord  prayed  to  here  is  the  Spirit,  in  express 
 distinction  from  God  the  Father,  and  from  Christ ;  for 
 the  Apostle  prays  to  this  Lord  to  direct  their  hearts 
 into  the  love  of  God,  which  is  the  peculiar  office  of 
 the  Holy  Ghost ;  and  also  to  cause  them  patiently  to 
 wait  for  Christ,  which  likewise  is  the  work  of  the  Spirit. 
 
 The 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  427 
 
 The  Spirit,  therefore,  is  that  Lord  to  whom  he  prayed. 
 
 St.  Ambrose  says,  "  Let  it  be  shewed  what  L  nd  it 
 "  is  that  directs  into  the  love  of  God,  and  pa  i.  ic 
 «  waiting  for  Christ,  if  we  denv  the  direction  of  tac 
 "  Holy  Spirit."     De  Spiritu  Sancto,  Hb.  3.  c.   15. 
 
 "  By  Lord  here  understand  the  Spirit,"  says  Theo- 
 phylact  upon  the  place.  And  the  great  Basil  explains 
 the  text  in  the  same  manner. 
 
 766.  Now  God  himself,  and  our  Father,  and  our 
 Lord  Jesus  Christ,  direct  our  zvay  unto  you, 
 3-   IJ- 
 
 767.  7be  Lord  make  you  to  encrease  and  abound  in  love 
 
 one  towards  another,  to  the  end  he  may  establish 
 your  hearts  unblameable  in  holiness  before  God,  even 
 c^r  Father,  at  the  coming  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
 Christ.     3.   12,   13. 
 
 768.  God  hath  not  given  «j  /^d-  Spirit  of  fear  : — Be  not 
 thou  therefore  ashamed  of  the  testimony  cf  ^ur 
 Lord.     2  Tim.   i.  7,  8. 
 
 769.  But  after  that  the  kindness  and  love  of  God  our 
 Saviour  toward  man  appeared,  not  by  works  of 
 righteousness  which  we  have  done,  but  according  to 
 bis  mercy  he  saved  us  by  the  zvashing  of  regenerati- 
 on, and  renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost  ,•  which  be 
 shed  on  us  abundantly  through  Jesus  Christ  our 
 Saviour,     Tit.  3.  4 — 6. 
 
 770.  Which  at  the  first  began  to  be  spoken  by  the  Lord, 
 and  was  confirmed  to  us  by  them  that  heard  him  ;_ 
 God  also  bearing  them  witness, — with  divers 
 miracles  and  gifts  cf  the  Holy  Ghost,  according 
 to  his  ozvn  will.     Heb.   2.  3,  4. 
 
 771.  Hozv  much  more  shall  the  blood  of  Christ,  who 
 through  the  eternal  Spirit,  offered  himself  without 
 spot  to  God  ?     9-   14. 
 
 772.  Elect  according  to  the  foreknowledge  of  God    the 
 
 Fa/her,     through     sanctification    of  the    Spirit 
 E  e  e  2  untii 
 
428  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 unto  obedience^  and  sprinkling  of  the  blood  o/"  Jesus 
 Christ,      i   Pet.   i.   2. 
 
 The  Constantinopolitan  Fathers  in  their  Sydonical 
 Epistle  written,  A.  D.  382,  speak  in  language  con- 
 formable to  these  several  representations  of  the  three 
 persons  of  the  Divine  Nature  : — *'  We  maintain,"  say 
 they,  "  the  most  ancient  faith,  conformable  to  our 
 "  baptism,  and  teaching  us  to  believe  in  the  name  of 
 "  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost  :  so 
 "  that  whilst  we  believe  the  one  Deity,  power,  and 
 "  essence  of  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  toge- 
 "  ther  with  the  equal  dignity,  and  co-eternal  majesty 
 ^^  in  three  perfect  persons  i  there  is  no  room  for  the 
 "  contagion  oi  Sabellius,  Eunomi.ins,  Arians,"  &c. 
 See  Theodorit.  Ec.  Hist.  lib.   5.  cap.  9. 
 
 773.  'The  precious    Hood  of  Christ — vcho  verily   rxas 
 foreordained  before  the  foundation  of  the  world,  but 
 
 •was  manifest  in  these  last  times  for  you  ;  u-ho  Jy 
 him  do    believe  in  God — seeing  ye  have  panned 
 your  souls  in  obeying  the  truth  through  the  Spirit. 
 T.   19,   21,   22. 
 
 774.  Christ  also  hath  once  suffered  for  sins — -that  he 
 might  bring  us  to  God,  being  put  to  death  in  the 
 fesh,  but  quickened  by  the  S?iK\i:,     3.    18. 
 
 775.  If  ye  be  reproached  for  the  name  of  Christ,  happy 
 are  ye  j  for  the  Spirit  of  glory,  and  of  God  rest- 
 eth  upon  you.     4.    14. 
 
 776.  The  povcer  and  coming  of  cur  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
 — For  he  received  fron  God  the  Father  honour 
 and  glory. — Holy  men  of  God  spake  as  they  zvere 
 moved  by  //?^  Holy  Ghost.  2.  Pet.  i.  16,  17, 
 21. 
 
 777.  Hereby  know  we  the  Spirit  c/"  God  :  Every  spi- 
 
 rit that  confesseth  that  Jesus  Christ  is  come  in 
 the  flesh  is  of  GoT).     i  John  4.   2. 
 
 778.  Hereby  knoiv  we  that  iL'e  dzvell  in  him,  and  he  in 
 us,  because  he  hath  given  us  of  his  Svikit.     And 
 
 we 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  429. 
 
 mc  have  seen  and  do  testify^  that  the  Father  smt 
 the  Son  to  be  the  Saviour  of  the  'world.  4.  13,  14. 
 
 779.  He  that  helicveth  that  Jesus  is  the  Son  of  God  : — 
 
 And  it  is  the  Spirit  that  bearelh  Tdtness,  because 
 the  Spirit  is  truth.     5.  5,  6. 
 
 780.  There  are  three  that  bear  record  in  heaven ;  the 
 Father,  the  Word,  and  the  Holy  Ghost; 
 and  these  three  are  one.     5.  7. 
 
 Whether  this  passage  be  spurious  or  otherwise,  the 
 sentiment  conveyed  in  it  is  extremely  common  in  the 
 writings  of  the  Fathers.  Irena^us  says : — "  He  who 
 "  was  adored  by  the  Prophets  as  the  living  God,  he  is 
 "  the  God  of  the  living  :  and  his  Word  who  spake  ta 
 *'  Moses,  &c. — Christ,  therefore,  with  the  Father,  is 
 "  the  God  <'f  the  living,  who  spake  to  Moses,  ike. — 
 '^  One  and  the  same  God  the  Father,  and  liis  Word, 
 '^-  always  assisting  to  mankind,  &c, — He  that  made  ail 
 *s  tilings,  is,  with  his  W^ord,  justly  called  the  only  God 
 "  and  Lord. — He  made  the  world  by  his  Word,  and  by 
 "  his  Wisdom." 
 
 Athenagoras    says : — "  We    are  not  atheists,  inas-- 
 "  much  as  we  believe  the  Creator  of  ail  things,  and  his 
 "  W^ord,  to  be  God. — Who  can  but  wonder  to  hear  us 
 "  charged  with  atheism,  who  declare  there   is  God  thc- 
 "  Father,  and  God  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost?" 
 
 Tertullian  says  : — "  It  is  mere  Judaism  to  believe  in 
 *'  one  God,  in  such  a  sense,  as  not  to  include  the  Son, 
 **  and  after  the  Son,  the  Spirit."  And  a  lit de  after  he 
 adds — *'  The  three  together  make  one  God." 
 
 See  Dr.  Fiddes's  Theologia  Speculative,  vol.  i.  p. 
 386 — 396,  for  these  and  other  quotations  from  the 
 Fathers.  Turn  back  too  to  the  second  part  of  this 
 Apology,  No.  310,  page  319,  where  the  subject  of  this 
 note  is  considered  more  at  large.  Sec  likewise  part  ih^ 
 third.  No.  601,  page  372. 
 
 781.   Prjvi??g  in  the  Holy  Gkost,   keep  yourselves  in 
 
 the 
 
43«  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 the  Jove  of  God,  looking  for  the  merry  of  our  Lori> 
 Jesus  Christ  unto  eternal  life.^  J^idc  20,  21. 
 782.  Grace  unto  you  and  peace  from  him  zvhicB  JSy  and 
 which  zvas,  and  zvhich  is  to  come  ,•  and  from  the 
 Seven  Spirits  which  are  before  his  throne  ;  and 
 from  Jesus  Christ.     Rev.   i.  4,  5. 
 
 785.  I  John — was  in  the  isle  that  is  called  Paimos  for 
 the  ivord  0/ God  i  and  for  the  testimony  p/  Jesus 
 Christ.  /  was  in  the  Spirit  on  the  Lord's  day. 
 I.  9,   10. 
 
 784.  He  that  hath  an  ear,  lei  him  hear  what  the  Spirit 
 saitb  unto  the  churches :  'To  bi?n  that  overcomeib 
 will  I  give  to  eat  of  the  tree  of  life  /  which  is  in 
 the  midst  of  the  paradise  of  God.     2.  7. 
 
 7S5.  Even  as  I  received  of  my  Father. — He  that  hath 
 an  ear,  let  him  hear  what  the  Spirit  saitb  unto 
 the  churches.     1.   27,   29. 
 
 786.  I  will  confess  his  name  before  my  Father. — He 
 
 that  hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear  whut  the  Spirit 
 saitb  unto  the  churches.     3.  5,  6. 
 
 7.S7.  Him  that  overcometh  will  I  make  a  pillar  in  the 
 temple  of  my  God — -andY  zvill  write  upon  him  the 
 name  of  my  God,  and  the  name  of  the  city  of  iny  God. 
 -^He  that  hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear  what  the  Spi-r 
 1x.1T  saitb  unto  the  churches.     3.    12,   13. 
 
 r83.  To  him  that  overcometh  will  J  grant  to  sit  with  lae; 
 in  my  thrane,  even  as  1  also  overcame,  and  am  set- 
 down  with  my  Father  in  his  throne.  He  thai-' 
 hath  an  ear,  let  him  bear  what  the  Spirit  saitk 
 mito  the  churches.     3.  21,  22. 
 
 789.  And  the  four  beasts- — rest  not  day  and  nighty  say- 
 
 '  "  That  there  is  a  Trinity  in  the  Godhead,  of  Father,  Son  or 
 *'  Word,  and  Holy  Ghost,  is  the  plain,  obvious  sense  of  so  many 
 "  scriptures,  that  it  apparently  tends  to  frustrate  the  design  of  the 
 **  whole  scripture  revelation,  and  to  make  it  useless,  not  to  admit 
 **  this  Trinity,  or  otherwise  to  understand  such  scriptures." 
 
 Howe's  Calm  and  Sober  Enquiry  concerning  the  Possibility  of  a 
 Trinity  in  the  Godhead,  p.  135. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  431 
 
 i'n^,  HoLYj  HOLY,  HOLY,  Lord  God  Almighty  - 
 which  zvasy  and  isj  and  is  to  come.  4.  8 . 
 ^90.  In  the  midst  of  the  elders  stood  a 'La.ub^  as  it  had 
 been  slain — having  seven  eyeSy  which  are  the  Seven 
 Spirits  of  God,  sent  forth  into  all  the  earth. 
 5.   6. 
 
 791.  Here  are  they  that  keep  the  commandments  of  God, 
 and  the  faith  of  Jesus. — Blessed  are  the  dead  which 
 die  in  the  Lord — Tea^  saith  the  Spirit,  that  they 
 may  rest  from  their  labours.       14.  12,  13. 
 
 792.  7  Jesus  have  sent  mine  angel — And  the  Spirit  and 
 the  bride  say^  Come. — If  any  man  shall  add  unto 
 these  things.,  God  shall  add  unto  him  the  plagues 
 thai  are  written  in  this  book. 12.     16 — 18. 
 
 Now  all  these  things,  concerning  the  persons  of  the 
 Father^  the  Son,  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  the  Undivided 
 Trinity,  are  written  in  the  scripture  for  our  edification. 
 The  bible  is  given  by  inspiration  of  God,  and  is  profitable 
 for  doctrine,  for  reproof,  for  correction,  for  instruction  in 
 righteousness,  that  the  man  of  God  may  be  perfect,  tho- 
 roughly furnished  unto  all  good  zvorks. 
 
 If  then  the  bible  is  given  by  divine  inspiration;  if 
 it  contains  all  thing  necessary  to  be  known,  believed, 
 and  done,  to  the  attainment  of  everlafting  salvation  ; 
 and  if,  among  other  important  matters,  it  reveals  the 
 doctrine  of  a  plurality  of  persons  in  the  Divine  Es- 
 sence ;  we  are  bound  to  receive  the  doctrine,  not  be- 
 cause we  fully  comprehend  it,  and  can  account  for  the 
 mode  of  its  existence,  but  simply  upon  the  credit  and 
 veracity  of  the  Revealer.  Its  iacomprehcnsible  nature 
 can  be  no  reasonable  objection  to  our  belief.  There 
 are  a  thousand'' things  in  the  natural  world  that  are  also 
 far  above  our  reach,  which  we  constantly  profess  to  be- 
 lieve, and  to  which  we  are  obliged  to  submit  our  un- 
 derstandings, or  else  act  infinitely  more  absurdly,  by 
 running  into  universal  scepticism.  If  any  man,  indeed, 
 can  demonstrate  the  real  absurdity,  or  the  impossbility, 
 
 of 
 
43*  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 cf  the  doctrine,  then,  but  not  till  then,  it  must  be  given 
 up.  Till  then,  what  v/e  believe  of  the  glory  of  the 
 Father,  the  same  v/e  believe  of  the  glory  Oi  the  Son, 
 and  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  without  any  difference  or  in- 
 equality, except  that  the  Father  is  the  fountain  of  the 
 Godhead. 
 
 We  believe  this,  as  a  matter  of  fact  revealed  in  the 
 scriptures.     But  as  to   the  manner  in  which  they  are 
 united   or  exist,  we   believe    nothing;  we  confess   our 
 ignorance,  and   readily  declare,  that  we  know  nothi  ig 
 concerning  it.     So  with  respect  to  the  existence  of  our 
 ov/n  souls,  what  they  are,  where  they  reside,  and  how 
 they  are  united  to  the  body,  we  know  nothing  certain. 
 It  is  all  mere  conjc^cturc^.     Yet   we   have   sensibk  de- 
 monstration, that  they  do  exist,   and  are  in  an  inexpli- 
 cable manner  united  to   these   curious  clay   machines, 
 which  we  call  the  body.     This  we  do  not  deny.     No- 
 body is   charged   vv^ith  weakness   and  credulity   in  be- 
 lieving it :    and  yet,  with  respect  to  its  mode  or  man- 
 ner of  existing  and   acting,   we  know  just  nothing  at 
 all.     In  like  manner,  with  regard  to  the  onr;  living  and 
 true  God,  the  belief  of  whose  existence  lies  at  the  bot- 
 tom of  all  religion,  natural  and  revealed,   we   take  the 
 fact  -for  granted,  upon  the  principles   of  reason  as   well 
 lis  revelation  j  but  what    do    we  know  of  his  essence, 
 cr   vvhat  do  we    comprehend  of  his  perfections  ?   We 
 say,  he  is  a  spirit.     Yet  what  a  spirit  is,  we  are  not  able 
 to  express,  but  by   negative  terms.     His   etcrnitv,  im- 
 mensity, omniscience,  om.nipotence,  are  all  equally  out 
 of  the   reach  (»f  our  highest  powers.     Such,  however, 
 is  the  necessity   of  these  attributes   to   our  idea  of  a 
 Supreme  Being,  that  we  are  obliged  to  adjiiit  them  all, 
 though  we  are  utterly  incapable  of  comprehending  any 
 one  of  them.     And  then,  as  to  the  existence  of  a   Be- 
 ing without  beginning,  a  Cause  uncaused,  we  know  that 
 the   supposition  involves  an  apparent  absurdity,  and  yet 
 this  absurdity  is  the  foundation  of  all   religion,   whether 
 natural  or  revealed.     The  deist,  equally  with   the   be- 
 liever. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  43J 
 
 iiever,  must  embrace  this  absurdity  as  a  first  principle. 
 If  we  reject  it,  and  commence  atheists,  we  must  em- 
 brace a  thousand  absurdities  and  impossibilities. 
 
 If  then  we  are  assured  that  God  is  one  ;  and  if  he 
 has  been  pleased  to  speak  of  himself  as  existing  under 
 the  three  characters  of  Father,  Son,  and  Spirit;  what 
 are  we  that  we  should  refuse  to  speak  of  him  in  the 
 same  form  ?  Surely  he  best  knovveth  his  own  glorious 
 and  incomprehensible  manner  of  existence,  and  hath  a 
 right  to  say  in  v;hat  language  we,  his  poor  short-sighted 
 creatures,  should  think,  and  conceive,  and  speak  of 
 him. 
 
 But  if  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  be  true,  why  was 
 it  not  more  clearly  revealed  in  the  first  ages  of  the 
 world  ?  Why  was  it  so  long  concealed  ? 
 
 We  may  as  well  ask,  why  God  did  not  create  the 
 world  6000  years  before  it  was  created  ?  Or  why  Christ 
 did  not  die  as  soon  as  man  fell  ?  Or  why  man  was  per- 
 mitted to  fall  at  all  ?  Or  why  the  Gospel  was  not 
 preached  in  all  its  glory  and  fulness  at  the  very  first  ? 
 We  may  as  well  ask  why  man  grows  to  maturity  by  de- 
 grees; and  why  he  is  not  made  in  a  state  of  complete 
 perfection  ?  Nay,  we  may  with  as  much  propriety  find 
 fault  with  God,  and  enquire  of  him,  why  we  are  placed 
 upon  earth  for  a  while,  in  a  state  of  "trial  and  probation, 
 and  not  rather  translated  to  heaven  as  soon  as  born  ? 
 God  Almighty  hath  thought  proper  to  order  it  other- 
 wise. This  we  know  to  be  a  matter  of  fact,  and  this 
 is  answer  sufficient.  It  becomes  not  us  to  dictate  to 
 the  Sovereign  of  the  universe.  All  the  creatures  of 
 God,  we  see,  are  placed  in  a  state  of  growing  perfec- 
 tion. And  all  his  dispensations  towards  mankind,  have, 
 ever  since  the  foundation  of  the  world,  been  advancing 
 from  a  state  of  less  to  a  state  of  greater  light,  greater 
 perspecuity,  and  greater  perfection.  The  Adamical 
 dispensation,  was,  probably,  the  least  clear  and  perfect. 
 The  Patriarchal  v/as  the  next.  The  Mosaical  was  still 
 more  clear.     The  dispensation  of  John  the  Baptist  was 
 
 G  g  g  yet 
 
4H  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 yet  more  bright.  But  the  dispensation  of  the  Gos- 
 pel, under  which  we  live,  is  the  brightest,  the  clearest, 
 the  fullest,  the  most  complete  of  all. 
 
 But  now  that  the  revelations  of  God  to  mankind  ai-e 
 finished,  why  is  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  left  in  so 
 much  obscurity,  that  it  hath  been  a  subject  of  conten- 
 tion ever  since  the  beginning  of  the  Christian  dispensa- 
 tion? 
 
 It  may  be  replied,  that  every  doctrine  both  of  natural 
 and  revealed  religion  hath  been  controverted,  and  is 
 controverted  at  this  day.  Every  principle  in  physics 
 also  hath  been  a  subject  of  debate  by  one  or  another. 
 And  the  more  important  the  principle  or  doctrine,  the 
 more  eagerly  hath  it  been  contested.  But  we  say, 
 secondly,  that  the  doctrine  of  Christ's  divinity  and 
 atonement ;  the  doctrine  of  the  existence,  personality,, 
 divinity,  and  unceasing  energy  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  to- 
 gether with  the  doctrine  of  the  ever-blessed  Trinity, 
 are  revealed  with  sufficient  perspicuity  for  the  purposes 
 of  religion.  Is  the  Father  called  God  ?  So  is  the  Son, 
 and  so  is  the  Holy  Ghost.  Is  the  Father  called  Lord  ? 
 So  is  the  Son,  and  so  is  the  Holy  Ghost.  Is  the  Fa- 
 ther eternal  ?  So  is  the  Son,  and  so  is  the  Holy  Ghost. 
 Is  the  Father  almighty  ?  So  is  the  Son,  and  so  is  the 
 Holy  Ghost.  Is  the  Father  omnipresent  ?  So  is  the 
 Son,  and  so  is  the  Holy  Ghost.  Is  the  Father  omni- 
 scient*? So  is  the  Son,  and  so  is  the  Holy  Ghost.  Is 
 the  Father  uncreated  ?  So  is  the  Son,  and  so  is  the 
 Holy  Ghost.  Is  the  Father  incomprehensible  ?  So  is 
 the  Son,  and  so  is  the  Holy  Ghost.  Was  the  Father 
 concerned  in  the  work  of  creation  ?  So  was  the  Son, 
 and  so  was  the  Holy  Ghost.  Is  the  Father  the  up- 
 iiolder  of  the  universe  ?  So  is  the  Son,  and  so  is  the 
 Holy  Ghost.  Is  the  Father  engaged  in  the  regenera- 
 tion of  human  souls  ?  So  is  the  Son,  and  so  is  the 
 Holy  Ghost.  Are  we  baptized  in  the  name  of  the 
 Father  ?  So  likewise  in  the  name  of  the  Son,  and  in 
 the  name  of  the  Holy  Ghost.     Is  prayer  addressed  to 
 
 the 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  435 
 
 the  Father  ?  So  likewise  to  the  Son,  and  to  the  Holy- 
 Ghost.  Are  we  blessed  in  the  name  of  the  Father  ? 
 So  likewise  in  the  name  of  the  Son,  and  in  the  name 
 of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Hath  the  Father  a  personal  exist- 
 ence ?  So  hath  the  Son,  and  so  hath  the  Holy  Ghost. 
 Did  the  Father  conduct  the  Israelites  to  the  holy  land  ? 
 So  did  the  Son,  and  so  did  the  Holy  Ghost.  Is  the 
 incommunicable  name  Jehovah  given  to  the  Father  ^ 
 So  is  it  given  also  to  the  Son  and  to  the  Holy  Ghost, 
 Is  holiness  ascribed  to  the  Father  ?  So  is  it  ascribed  to 
 the  Son,  and  to  the  Spirit.  Is  goodness  attributed  to 
 the  Father  ?  So  to  the  Son,  and  to  the  Holy  Ghost, 
 Is  glory  given  to  the  Father  ?  So  to  the  Son,  and  to 
 thfe  Holy  Ghost. 
 
 If  it  should  be  objected,  that  we  misunderstand  the 
 scriptures,  and  that  there  is  no  such  doctrine  as  that  of 
 the  Trinity  contained  in  them  :  It  may  be  replied,  that 
 we  do  not  pretend  to  be  free  from  errors  and  mistakes 
 any  more  than  other  men :  but  we  all  know,  that  the 
 most  serious  and  learned,  the  most  inquisirive  and  pious 
 men  in  all  ages  and  nations  of  the  Christian  church, 
 have  steadily  believed  and  professed  it,  as  an  essential 
 truth  revealed  in  the  word  of  God.  ^  It  is  true,  the 
 doctrine  hath  met  with  some  opposers :  but  then  this 
 is  only  what  was  long  ago  foretold  in  the  same  scrip- 
 tures should  come  to  pass.  And  what  doctrine  has  not 
 met  with  opposers  ?  The  very  existence  of  God  hath 
 been  denied.  The  holy  scriptures  have  been  contra- 
 dicted and  blasphemed.  The  existence  of  angels, 
 devils,  and  spirits,  hath  been  called  in  question.  Nay, 
 even  the  existence  of  our  own  souls,  by  which  we 
 think,  and  act,  and  speak  ;  and  the  very  being  of  the 
 substance  and  matter  of  which  our  bodies  are  made, 
 G  s:  sf  2  and 
 
 ♦  "  That  there  subsists  some  such  union  as  that  of  three  persons 
 *•  united  in  one  God  in  the  Divine  Nature,  the  whole  tenor  of  the 
 "  New  Testament  seems  to  express,  and  it  was  so  understood  in  the 
 **  earliest  ages." 
 
 Soame  Jenyns's  View,  p.  27* 
 
436  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 and  which  we  see  with  our  eyes,  and  feel  with  our 
 hands,  have  been  denied  and  questioned.  Let  us  not 
 be  surprized  then,  if  the  doctrine  of  the  Divine  Nature, 
 as  existing  under  the  three  incomprehensible  characters 
 of  Father,  Son,  and  Spirit,  meet  with  its  contradictors 
 and  blasphemers.  It  would  be  very  surprizing  if  it 
 did  not,  in  such  a  world  as  is  this  of  our's,  and  especi- 
 ally as  we  know  this  is  only  what  the  holy  scripture 
 foretold  should  come  to  pass.  But  there  were  false 
 -prophets  also  among  the  people^  even  as  there  shall  be  false 
 teachers  among  yoii^  who  privily  shall  bring  in  damnable 
 heresies,  even  denying  the  Lord  that  bought  theniy  '  and 
 bring  upon  themselves  swift  destruction.  And  many  shall 
 folloiv  their  pernicious  ivays,  by  reason  of  whom  the  zvay 
 of  truth  shall  be  evil  spoken  of.  2  Pet.  1.  i,  2.  Be- 
 loved, when  I  gave  all  diligence  to  write  unto  you  of  the 
 common  salvation ;  it  was  jieedful  for  me  to  write  unto 
 you,  and  exhort  you,  that  ye  should  earnestly  contend  for 
 the  faith  which  was  once  delivered  unto  the  saints.  *  For 
 there  are  certain  men  crept  in  unawares,  who  were  before 
 of  old  ordained  to  this  condemnation,  ungodly  men,  turning 
 the  grace  of  our  God  into  lasciviousness,  and  denying  the 
 only  Lord  God,  and  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Jude  3,  4. 
 These  are  very  striking  and  awful  prophecies,  and 
 
 should 
 
 '  "  That  Christ  suffered  and  died  as  an  atonement  for  the  sins  of 
 "  mankind,  is  a  doctrine  so  constantly  and  so  strongly  enforced 
 "  through  every  part  of  the  New  Testament,  that  whoever  will 
 **  seriously  peruse  those  writings,  and  deny  that  it  is  there,  may, 
 *•  with  as  much  reason  and  truth,  after  reading  the  works  of  Thucy- 
 **  dides  and  Livy,  assert,  that  in  them  no  mention  is  made  of  any 
 "  facts  relative  to  the  histories  of  Greece  and  Rome." 
 
 Soame  Jenyns's  View,  p.  29. 
 
 *  See  Bishop  Home's  excellent  Sermon  on  the  great  duty  of 
 contending  for  the  faith.  The  greater,  the  stronger,  the  more 
 powerful  the  opposition  to  primitive  truths,  the  more  strenuous  and 
 zealous  should  the  friends  of  those  truths  shew  themselves.  This 
 js  not  an  age  for  Christians  to  be  lukewarm.  The  atheist  would  rob 
 us  of  our  God,  the  deist  of  our  Saviour,  the  Socinian  of  the  Spirit, 
 ?nd  atoning  death  of  that  Saviour  :  and  shall  we  be  unconcerned 
 spectators  ? 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  437 
 
 should  make  us  all  extremely  cautious,  how,  and  ia 
 whac  manner  we  conduct  ourselves  towards  the  Lord 
 Jesus  Christ.  Here  are  false  teachers  foretold,  who, 
 in  an  artful  way,  should  labour  to  bring  in  among  the 
 disciples  of  Christ  damnable  heresies.  And  which  i^ 
 the  principal  of  these  heresies  ?  Even  denying  the  Lord 
 that  bought  them.  Now  was  it  ever  known  that  any 
 teachers  in  the  Christian  church  so  much  as  attempted 
 to  deny,  that  there  had  existed  such  a  person  as  Jesus 
 Christ  ?  An  attempt  of  this  kind  was  never  made  by 
 any  Christian  teachers,  since  the  gospel  had  a  being. 
 
 But  there  have  been  several,  and  there  are  several, 
 in  the  Christian  church  at  this  day,  who  degrade  the 
 Redeemer  to  the  level  of  a  man.  There  have  been 
 several  in  times  of  old,  and  there  are  now  several  teach- 
 ers in  the  church  of  England,  and  among  the  Dissent- 
 ers, who  have  brought  in  this  damnable  heresy — clo  not 
 think  the  expression  harsh  and  severe,  it  is  not  mine, 
 but  the  Apostle's  : — And  what  is  this  damnable  heresy? 
 Even  denying  the  Lord  that  bought  them,  so  far  as  to 
 bring  him  almost  to  a  level  with  ourselves.  They  deny 
 his  divinity,  his  godhead,  his  pre-existent  nature,  his 
 merits,  his  atonement,  the  efficacy  of  his  blood.  Now, 
 surely,  if  the  Redeemer  is  a  partaker  of  the  Divine 
 Nature  ;  if  he  assumed  human  form  for  the  purpose  of 
 dying  to  atone  for  the  sins  of  mankind ;  it  he  is  the 
 Creator  and  Upholder  of  the  world,  in  common  vvich 
 the  Father  and  the  Holy  Spirit ;  to  say  he  had  no  exist- 
 ence before  he  was  born  of  the  Virgin,  and  to  make 
 him  a  mere  good  man,  sent  from  God  to  teach  the  child- 
 ren of  Adam  his  will ;  surely  this  is  to  deny  the  Lord 
 •who  bought  us.  And  then,  it  is  very  observable,  that 
 the  same  persons  v/ho  deny  our  Lord's  divine  nature 
 and  atoning  death,  deny  also  the  personal  existence  and 
 divinity  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  They  absolutely  deny, 
 annihilate,  subvert,  destroy  his  very  being,  and  bare- 
 facedly teach  and  profess,  that  there  is  no  Holy  Ghost. 
 
 If  this  is  the  truth,  mankind  are  yet  sitting  in  dark- 
 ness, 
 
43?  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 ness,  and  in  the  region  and  shadow  of  death,  notwith- 
 standing all  the  advantages  we  are  supposed  to  derive 
 from  divine  revelation.  The  bible  is  ill  calculated  to 
 lead  into  all  religious  truth.  It  is  rather  sijited  to  mis- 
 lead the  Christian  world.  And,  indeed,  it  hath  misled 
 the  great  body  of  Christians  from  the  beginning  to  the 
 present  day.  We,  however,  have  not  so  learned  Christ. 
 We  are  well  satisfied  with  the  sacred  writings.  To  the 
 law  and  to  the  testimony ^  by  the  grace  of  God,  we  will 
 evermore  refer,  and  are  persuaded,  that  if  any  man  speak 
 not  according  to  that  zvordy  it  is  because  there  is  no  true 
 light  in  him. 
 
 We  will,  therefore,  close  this  part  of  our  Apology 
 by  saying:  Grace  and  peace  from  him  which  is,  and 
 'which  WAS,  and  which  is  to  come  j  and  from  the  Seven 
 Spirits  which  are  before  his  throne i  and  from  Jesus 
 Christ,  who  is  the  faithful  witness  y  and  the  first  begot- 
 ten of  the  dead,  and  the  prince  of  the  kings  of  the  earth. 
 Unto  him  that  lm:ed  usy  and  washed  us  from  our  sins  in 
 his  own  bloody  and  hath  made  us  kings  and  -priests  unto 
 God  and  his  Father  -.  to  him  be  glory  and  dominion  forever 
 and  ever.     Amen. 
 
 "  To  thee  the  Father,  and  the  So?^,  and  the  Holy 
 **  Spirit,  be  all  glory,  worship,  and  thanksgiving, 
 "  honour,  and  adoration,  both  now,  and  always,  and 
 "  for  everlasting  and  endless  ages  of  ages.  And  let  all 
 *'  the  people  say,  Amen."  ' 
 
 Amen  and  Amen!!! 
 
 ^  Constic.  Apost.  L.  8.  c.  12.- 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  439 
 
 PART  FIFTFL 
 
 SECTION     L 
 
 Opinions  of  the  ancient  ^nvf  concerning  tht  plurality  of  the  DIVINE 
 NATURE,  from  the  Apocryphal  books. 
 
 IT  wHi  possibly  be  replied  to  all  that  has   been  said, 
 though   we    mean  well,  yet   we  are  mistaken,  and 
 misunderstand  the  scriptures  upon  these  subjects. 
 
 This  may  be  the  case.  We  never  have  professed  in- 
 fallability.  And  be  it  observed,  that  the  adversaries  of 
 the  Trinity  are  equally  fallible  with  ourselves.  But  in 
 what  manner  did  the  Ancients  understand  them  ?  If 
 both  learned  Jews,  Heathens,  and  Christians,  who  lived 
 either  before,  or  soon  after  our  Saviour's  time,  believed 
 that  a  Trinity  of  persons  subsist  in  the  Divine  Nature, 
 this  will  be  a  strong  presumption,  that  the  view  we  have 
 before  given  of  the  doctrine  is,  in  the  main,  the  true 
 one.  Now  it  has  already  appeared,  I  apprehend,  that 
 the  ancient  Jews  understood  those  passages  of  the  Old 
 Testament,  which  have  been  produced,  and  others  of 
 a  similar  kind,  as  conveying  the  idea  of  uncreated 
 dignity  in  the  Son  and  Spirit,  and  of  a  plurality  in  the 
 Godhead.  This  has  been  ably  proved  by  several  learn- 
 ed men.  I  will,  therefore,  produce  only  a  few  more 
 instances,  and  'throw  the  whole  into  one  view,  to  satis- 
 fy the  inquisitive  Christian,  v/ho  wishes  to  be  informed, 
 and  who  may  not  have  it  in  his  power  to  examine  such 
 authors  as  contain  this  kind  of  evidence. 
 
 The  Apocryphal  books,  which  were  mostly  written 
 before  our  Saviour's  time  by  some  learned  Jews,  being 
 the  oldest,  we  will  begin  with  them,  and  proceed  as 
 near  as  may  be  in  chronological  order. 
 
 Tobit  is  the  most  ancient  of  these  authors ;  he  hav- 
 ing 
 
440  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 ing  lived   upwards   of  700  years    before   the    birth  of 
 our  Saviour. 
 
 The  only  allusion  to  a  plurality  of  persons  in  the 
 Divine  Nature  to  be  found  in  this  book  is  in  the  prayer 
 of  Tobias : — 
 
 1.  "  Blessed  art  thou,  O  God  of  our  fathers,  and 
 "  blessed  is  thy  holy  and  glorious  name  forever  ;  let 
 "  the  heavens  bless  thee,  and  all  thy  creatures.  Thou 
 *'  madest  Adam,  and  gavest  him  Eve  his  wife  for  an 
 *^  helper  and  stay :  of  them  came  mankind ;  thou 
 "  hast  said.  It  is  not  good  that  man  should  be  alone  ■■,  let 
 *^  us  make  unto  him  an  aid  like  unto  himself."  Ch.  8. 
 5,  6. — In  the  original  of  the  Old  Testament  it  is,  I 
 will  make  an  help  meet  for  him. 
 
 The  book  of  Judith  was  written  about  680  years 
 before  our  Saviour.  In  this  composition,  the  creation 
 of  the  world  is  ascribed  to  the  Spirit  of  God,  or 
 rather,  in  the  language  of  the  Jews,  to  the  Son  and 
 Spirit  of  the  Almighty  : — 
 
 2.  "  I  will  sing  unto  the  Lord  a  new  song.  O 
 "  Lord,  thou  art  great  and  glorious,  wonderful  in 
 "  strength,  and  invisible.  Let  all  creatures  serve  thee, 
 "  for  thou  sPAKEST,  and  they  were  made,  thou  didst 
 "  send  forth  thy  spirit,  audit  created  them,  and  there 
 **  is  none  that  can  resist  thy  voice."  Judith  16.  13, 
 14. 
 
 The  first  book  of  Esdr»s  is  generally  supposed  to 
 have  been  written  upwards  of- 600  years  before  the 
 birth  of  Christ.  I  submit  it  to  the  judgment  of  the 
 pious  reader,  whether  the  description,  which  the  He- 
 brew youth  gave  of  Truth,  might  not  have  some  re- 
 ference to  our  blessed  Saviour,  who  is  emphatically 
 stiled  the  wisdom  of  God^  and  the  IVay^  the  Ti\uth, 
 and  the  Life  :- — 
 
 3.  "  O  yc  men,  are  not  women  strong  ?  Great  is 
 *'  the  earth,  high  is  the  heaven,  swift  is  the  sun  in  his 
 "  course,  for  he  compasseth  the  heavens  round  about, 
 "  and  fetcheth  his  course  again  to  his  own  place  in  one 
 
 «  day. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  44 j 
 
 "  day.  Is  he  not  great  that  maketh  these  things  ? 
 "  Therefore  great  is  the  Truth,  and  strongirr  than  all 
 "  things.  All  the  earth  calleth  upon  the  Truth,  and 
 *'  the  heaven  blesseth  it :  all  works  shake  and  tremble  at 
 "  it,  and  with  it  is  no  unrighteous  thing. — As  for 
 "  Truth  it  endureth  and  is  always  strong;  it  Jivcch 
 "  and  conquereth  forcvermore.  With  her  there  is  no 
 "  accepting  of  persons  or  rewards ;  but  she  dt)eth  the 
 "  things  that  are  just,  and  refraineth  from  all  unjust 
 "  and  wicked  things ;  and  all  men  do  well  like  of  her 
 *'  works:  neither  in  her  judgment  is  any  unrightcous- 
 "  ness ;  and  she  is  the  strength,  kingdom,  power,  and 
 "  majesty,  of  all  ages.  Blc:ssed  be  the  God  of  Truth. 
 *''^  — Great  is  Truth,  and  mighty  above  all  things. 
 I.  Esd.  4.  34 — 41. 
 
 In  the  second  book  of  Esdras  v/e  have  a  particular 
 description  of  the  Son  of  God,  as  of  a  person  superior 
 in  order  to  the  Angels : — 
 
 4.  "  I  Esdras  saw  upon  the  mount  Sion  a  great 
 "  people,  whom  I  could  not  number,  and  they  all 
 "  praised  the  Lord  with  songs.  And  in  the  midst  of 
 "  them  there  was  a  young  man  of  a  high  stature,  taller 
 "  than  all  the  rest,  and  upon  every  one  of  their  heads 
 '*  he  set  crowns,  and  was  more  exalted ;  which  I  mar- 
 "  veiled  at  greatly.  So  I  asked  the  angel,  and  said> 
 "  Sir,  what  are  these  ?  Pie  answered  and  said  unto  me, 
 "  These  be  they  that  have  put  off  the  mortal  clothino;, 
 "  and  put  on  the  immortal,  and  have  confessed  the 
 "  name  of  God  :  now  are  they  crowned,  and  receiv^e 
 "  palms.  Then  said  I  unto  the  angel.  What  young 
 "  person  is  it  that  crovvncth  them,  and  giveth  them 
 *'  palms  in  their  hands  ?  So  he  answered  and  said  unto 
 "  me,  It  is  the  Son  of  God,  whom  they  have  con- 
 *^  fessed  in  the  world.  Then  began  I  greatly  to  com- 
 "  mend  diem  that  stood  so  stiffly  for  the  Njtnc'  of  ths. 
 "  Lord.  Then  the  angel  said  unto  me ;  Go  thy  way> 
 "  and  tell  my  people  what  manner  of  things,  and  how 
 H.  h  h  '*  grca: 
 
442  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 "  great  wonders  of  the  Lord  thy  God,  thou  hast  seen." 
 2  Esd.   2.  42 — 48. 
 
 In  another  place  this  same  Esdras  calls  our  Saviour 
 by  name,  and  expressly  says,  that  he  should  die  : — 
 
 5.  "  For  my  Son  Jesus,"  says  God,  "  shall  be  re- 
 "  vealed  with  those  that  be  with  him,  and  they  that  re- 
 "  main  shall  rejoice  within  four  hundred  years.  After 
 "  these  years  shall  my  Son  Christ  die,  and  all  men 
 *'  that  have  life."     7.  28,  29. 
 
 6.  "  If  I  have  found  grace  before  thee,  send  the 
 "  Holy  Ghost  into  me ;  and  I  shall  write  all  that 
 "  hath  been  done  in  the  world  since  the  beginning." 
 14.  22. 
 
 The  book  intirled  Ecclesiasticus  was  wTitten  about 
 200  years  before  Christ. 
 
 The  author  of  it  seems  to  have  thought  it  was  the 
 Logos  who  conversed  with  Moses  upon  mount  Sinai:— 
 
 7.  *^  He  made  him  to  h'ear  his  voice,  and  brought 
 "  him  into  the  dark  cloud,  and  gave  him  command- 
 '^  ments  before  his  face,  even  the  law  of  life  and  know- 
 *'  ledge,  that  he  might  teach  Jacob  his  covenants,  and 
 "  Lsrael  his  judgments."     Ec.  45.  5. 
 
 The  angel,  which  appeared  to  Joshua,  is  understood 
 by  him  to  have  been  the  Lord  himself: — 
 
 8.  "  He  called  upon  the  most  high  Lord  when  the 
 "  enemies  pressed  upon  him  on  every  side,  and  the 
 *'  great  Lord  heard  him.  And  with  hailstones  of 
 "  mighty  power  he  made  the  battle  to  fall  violently 
 "  upon  the  nations,  and  in  the  descent  he  destroyed 
 "  them  that  resisted,  that  the  nations  might  know  all 
 "  their  strength,  because  he  fought  in  the  sight  of  the 
 "  Lcrd,  and  he  followed  the  Mighty."  Ec.  46.   5,  6. 
 
 The  miracles  wrought  by  Elias,  the  Author  of  this 
 book,  refers  to  the  agency  of  the  Locos: — 
 
 9.  "  By  the  Word  of  the  Lord  he  shut  up  the 
 "  heaven,  and  also  three  times  brought  down  fire. 
 "  O  Elias,  how  wast  thou  honoured  in  thy  wonderous 
 "  deeds !  and  who  may   glory  like  unto  thee  j    who 
 
 "  didst 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  44$ 
 
 'f  didst  raise  up  a  dead  man  from  death,  and  his  soul 
 ♦*  from  the  place  of  the  dead  by  the  Word  of  the 
 «  Most  High?"    Ec.  48.  3,  4,  5. 
 
 That  is  a  remarkable  passage  where  he  calls  God  a 
 Father,  and  is  much  in  the  spirit  of  several  expressions 
 in  the  Old  Testament : — 
 
 10.  "  I  called  upon  the  Lord,  the  Father  of  my 
 "  Lord."     Ec.  51.   10.     Compare  Ps.   no.   i. 
 
 The  second  book  of  Maccabees  was  not  written  till 
 about  an  hundred  years  before  the  birth  of  our  Saviour. 
 There  is  one  passage  in  it  where  the  Author  seems  to 
 have  considered  the  appearance  of  God  to  the  assistant 
 of  the  Jews  in  battle,  as  a  real  and  visible  appearance ; 
 consequently,  as  the  Father  never  did  appear,  it  must 
 have  been  the  Logos. 
 
 11.  "  So  every  man  praised  toward  the  even  that 
 "  glorious  Lord,  saying,  Blessed  be  he  that  hath  kept 
 "  his  own  place  undefiled.-  So  that  fighting  with  their 
 "  hands,  and  praying  unto  God  with  their  hearts,  they 
 "  slew  no  less  than  thirty  and  five  thousand  men  ;  for^ 
 "  through  the  Appearance  of  God  they  were  greatly 
 "  cheered."     1  Mac.    15.   27,  34. 
 
 The  Wisdom  of  Solomon  was  written  by  an  un- 
 known author,  a  little  before  the  time  of  our  Saviour, 
 as  is  generally  supposed.  It  contains  several  passages 
 descriptive  of  the  dignity  both  of  the  Son  and  Spirit  of 
 God.  We  will  produce  some  of  them  in  the  order 
 in  which  they  are  found  in  the  book  : — 
 
 1 1.  "  Into  a  malicious  soul  Wisdom  shall  not  enter ; 
 "  nor  dwell  in  the  body  that  is  subject  unto  sin.  For 
 "  the  Holy  Spirit  of  discipline  will  flee  deceit. — The 
 "  SPIRIT  of  the  Lord   filleth  the  world."     Wisdom 
 
 I.  4>  5'  7.' 
 
 13.  "  Wisdom,  v^hich  is  the  worker  of  all  things, 
 "  taught  me ;  for  in  her  is  an  understanding  spirit, 
 **  holy,  one  only,  manifold,  subtil,  lively,  clear,  unde- 
 *'  filed,  plain,  not  subject  to  hurt,  loving  the  thing  that 
 *'  is  good,  quick,  which  cannot  be  letted,  ready  to  do' 
 II  h  h   2  ''  f?oo(i 
 
444  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 "  good,  kind  to  man,  stedfast,  sure,  free  from  care, 
 "  having  all  power,  overseeing  all  things,  and  going 
 '*  through  all  understanding,  pure  and  most  subtil  spi- 
 "^  fits.  For  wisdom  is  more  moving  than  any  moti- 
 "  on:  she  passeth  and  goeth  through  all  things  by 
 "  reason  of  her  pureness.  For  she  is  the  breath  of  the 
 "  power  of  God,  and  a  pure  influence  flowing  from  the 
 "  glory  of  the  Almighty :  therefore  can  no  defiled 
 "  thing  fall  into  her.  For  she  is  the  brightness  of  the 
 *^  everlasting  light,  the  unspotted  mirror  of  the  power 
 "  of  God,  and  the  image  of  his  goodness.  And  be- 
 **  ing  but  one,  she  can  do  all  things :  and  remaining  in 
 "  herself,  she  maketh  all  things  new ;  and  in  all  ages 
 **  entering  into  holy  souls,  she  maketh  them  friends  of 
 "  God,  and  prophets.  For  God  loveth  none  but  him 
 "  that  dwellcth  with  wisdom.  For  she  is  more  beau- 
 *'  tiful  than  the  sun,  and  above  all  the  order  of  stars : 
 "  being  compared  with  the  light,  she  is  found  before 
 '^  it.  For  after  this  cometh  night  -,  but  vice  fhall  not 
 "  prevail  against  wisdom."   7.   22 — 30. 
 
 Then,  after  these  and  many  other  things  said  of 
 W  isDOM,  he  proceeds  to  pray  for  the  blessing  : — 
 -  14.  "  O  God  of  my  fathers,  and  Lord  of  mercy, 
 "  who  hast  made  all  things  with  thy  word.  Give  me 
 "  WISDOM  that  sitteth  by  thy  throne,  and  reject  me  not 
 ''  from  among  thy  children  ;  wjsdom  was  with  thee  : 
 *'  which  knoweth  thy  works,  and  was  present  when 
 '^  thou  madest  the  world,  and  knew  what  was  accept- 
 ''  able  in  thy  sight,  and  right  in  thy  commandments : 
 '*  O  send  her  out  of  thy  holy  heavens  and  from  the 
 "  throne  of  thy  glory,  that  being  present  she  may 
 *'  -labour  with  me,  that  I  may  know  what  is  pleasing 
 '^  unto  thee.  For  she  knoweth  and  understandeth  all 
 "  things,  and  she  shall  lead  me  soberly  in  my  doings, 
 "  and  preserve  me  in  her  power.  And  thy  counsel 
 ''  who  hath  known,  except  thou  give  wisdom,  and 
 "  send  thy  Holy  Spirit  from  above."  9.  i,  4,  10, 
 ij,   18. 
 
 After 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  445 
 
 After  this  prayer  he  informs  us,  that  every  thing 
 which  has  bten  done  in  the  world  that  is  excellent  has 
 btcn  done  by  wisdom.  It  was  wisdom  that  preserved 
 Ad^m,  Nor,  Abraham,  and  many  others. 
 
 15,  "  Thine  INCORRUPTIBLE  Spirit,  O  Lord^  is'm 
 «'  ail  things."     Wis.    12.    i. 
 
 16.  Again: — "  For  it  was  neither  herb,  nor  moU 
 "  lifying  plaistcr  that  restored  them  to  health ;  but 
 "  thy  Word,  O  Lord,  which  healeth  all  things." 
 16.    12. 
 
 It  is  probable,  I  think,  that  this  account  of  Wisdom 
 is  not  a  bare  personincar-m,  but  that  the  Holy  Spirit, 
 the  third  subsistence  in  the  Divine  Nature,  is  the  per- 
 son sjgniried. 
 
 ■  17.  *'  Thine  almighty  Word  leapt  down  from 
 "  heaven,  out  of  thy  royal  throne,  as  a  fierce  man  of 
 *'  war  into  the  midst  of  a  land  of  destruction."  Wis. 
 18.   15. 
 
 Baruch  is  supposed  by  some  to  have  been  written 
 about  600  years  before  the  birth  of  Christ,  but  others 
 place  it  even  later  than  that  event. 
 
 His  sentiments,  however,  concerning  our  blessed 
 Saviour  are  much  the  same  with  the  rest  of  his  coun- 
 trymen : — 
 
 18.  **  This  is  our  God,"  says  he,  "  and  there  shall 
 "  none  other  be  accounted  of  in  comparison  of  him. 
 *'  He  hath  found  out  all  the  way  of  knowledge,  and 
 *'  hath  given  it  unto  Jacob  his  servant,  and  to  Israel 
 *'  his  beloved.     Afterward  did  he  shew  himself  up- 
 
 *'  ON  EARTH,  AND  CONVERSED  WITH  MEN."   C-h.  3' 
 
 35—37' 
 
44&  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  TRE 
 
 ]^ART  FIFTH. 
 
 SECTION    II. 
 
 The    opinions    of   Philo,    and    other    ancierrt    Jews,    concerning    t-H* 
 flurality  of  the  DIVINE  NATURE. 
 
 SOME  other  learned  men  among  the  Jews,  and 
 Commentators  upon  the  Old  Testament,  who 
 wrote  before,  or  near  to,  the  times  of  our  Saviour,  have 
 spoken  largely  and  strongly  concerning  the  dignity  of 
 Messiah,  and  the  distinctions  in  the  Divine  Nature.  I 
 will  mention  such  as  have  occurred  in  the  course  of  my 
 reading.     We  will  begin  with  Philo. 
 
 Philo  was  one  of  the  most  learned  of  all  the  anci- 
 cient  Jews.  He  flourished,  as  we  are  informed  by 
 Eusebius,  in  the  reign  of  the  emperor  Caligula,  and  was 
 therefore  contemporary  with  the  Apostles.  This  fa- 
 ther of  Ecclesiastical  history  gives  him  an  excellent 
 character.  He  says,  "  He  was  a  man  of  great  eminence 
 "  with  the  generality,  not  merely  of  our  Christian  bre- 
 "  thren,  but  also  of  such  as  have  been  bred  in  Gentile 
 "  literature.  In  his  descent,"  continues  Eusebius, 
 "  he  was  a  Hebrew,  and  yielded  to  none  of  those  ac 
 "  Alexandria,  who  were  distinsuished  for  their  con- 
 *'  sequence.  What  and  how  great  advances  he  made 
 ''  in  the  knowledge  of  the  divine  and  his  country's 
 "  religion,  is  evident  to  all  from  his  works :  and,  in  the 
 "  philosopliic  and  hberal  parts  of  Gentile  literature,  I 
 "  need  not  say  how  great  he  was :  for  studying  with 
 "  peculiar  zeal  the  discipline  of  Plato  and  Pythagoras, 
 "  he  is  reported  by  history,  to  have  surpassed  all  his 
 "  contemporaries."  * 
 
 This  learned  man  hath  said  many  extraordinary  things 
 
 in 
 
 •  Ecd.  Hist.  b.  2.  c.  4. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  447 
 
 in  his  writings  concerning  the  Divine  Nature  ;  *  a  few 
 of  which  I  will  now  proceed  to  lay  before  the  reader 
 in  one  viev/. 
 
 19.  "  The  Divine  Logos — is  the  power  which  also 
 "  made  the  world,  having  the  True  Good  for  his  foun- 
 «  tain,"  • 
 
 20.  "  That  invisible  and  intellectual  Being,  the 
 "  Divine  Logos  and  the  Logos  of  God,  he  (Moses) 
 "  calls  the  image  of  God;  and  the  image  of  this  im- 
 «  a^e  that  intellectual  light  which  was  made  the  image 
 "  of  the  Divine  Logos,  who  has  explained  the  gene- 
 "  ration  of  it :  and  it  is  a  super- celestial  star,  the  foun- 
 "  tain  of  the  sensible  stars,  which  not  improperly  one 
 "  may  call  Universal  lights  from  which  the  sun,  and 
 "  the  moon,  and  the  other  wandering  and  unwandcring 
 <'  stars  draw,  according  to  the  power  of  each,  their 
 «  proper  splendors  of  that  pure  and  unmixed  light, 
 "  which  is  darkened  over  wlien  it  begins  to  turn  in  the 
 "  transformation,  from  intellectual  to  sensible."  *  This 
 is  somev/hat  in  the  spirit  of  St.  John,  who  calls  the 
 Logos  the  true  light  that  enlightcncth  every  man 
 that  Cometh  into  the  world.     Ch.   i.   9. 
 
 21.  "  Every  man  is  related  to  the  Divine  Logos 
 «'  in  his  understanding  ;  being  made  the  express  image 
 **  of  the  blessed  Nature,  or  a  particle  of  it,  or  a  radia- 
 "  tion  from  it."  ' 
 
 •22.  "  The  shadow  of  God  is  ills  Locos,  whom  he 
 <*  used  as  his  instrument  in  making  the  world."  ♦ 
 
 23.  "  Tiie   Divine  Logos  is  very  sharp    sighted, 
 
 "  even 
 
 *  "  The  Jew';  themselves,  finding  every  thing  in  Philo  so   agrce- 
 
 *'  able  to  the  notions,  that  their  ancestors   had  in  his  age,    do  own 
 
 «*  them  (his  writings)  to  be  the  writings  of  a   Jew,  and  of  Phiio  in 
 
 **  particular  ;    as  we  see  in    JVIanassch   Ben    Israel,  who  in  many 
 
 *•  places  urges  his   authority;  and  (in  Exod.  p.   137.)    shews,  that 
 
 **  his  opinions  do  generally  agree  with  those  of  their   most  ancicKt 
 
 *♦  authors,"     Aliix's  Judgment,  p.  78. 
 
 *;p.  4, *p.  6. 5  p.   32, 4  p.  -g. 
 
44?  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 "  even  to  be  a  Being  sufTicicnc  for  the  inspection  of  all 
 "  things."*    See  Hcb.  4.   12,    13. 
 
 24.  "  My  soul  said  to  rr^e,  IVith  that  only  true  God 
 *'  there  art  tivo  si{pn'?;i^  and  Jirst  pow^rSj  naincly,  good- 
 "  7iess  and  power,  and  that  by  ti;e  first  all  things  are 
 "  made  j  and  by  the  second  all  things  that  arc  made, 
 "  are  governed."  *  These  declarations  are  perfectly  in 
 the  spirit  of  the  New  Testament. 
 
 25.  "  He  is  the  cause  of  thy  participating  in  good 
 **  or  evil — who  is  the  rudder — holder  and  governor  of 
 *'  the  universe,  the  Divine  Logos."  '  Compare  Col. 
 I.   16,   17. 
 
 26.  "  By  his  Logos  God  made  all  things."'  Com- 
 pare   John     I.    3;  Col.   I.   16;   and  Heb.   i.   2,   10. 
 
 27.  When  God,  attended  with  his  tzvo  principal 
 "  pozvcTSj  gcvernment  diVidi  goodness  ;  himself,  who  is  one 
 **  only,  being  between  them,  he  framed  three  concep- 
 *'  tions  in  the  contemplative  soul ;  each  of  which  can 
 **  by  no  means  be  comprehended,  for  his  powers  are 
 '.'  unlimited,  they  each  contain  the  whole."  * 
 
 28.  "  The  supreme  God  is  superior  to  these  powers  of 
 "  his,  and  is  to  be  seen  without  them,  and  appears  in 
 "  rhem."  *    Compare  Mat.  28.  19,  and  2  Cor.  13.  14. 
 
 29.  This  learned  man  upon  citing  the  words  of 
 David,  The  Lord  is  ny  shepherd,  I  shall  not  therefore 
 zvant,  immediately  adds  :  "  Every  one  ought  to  say  as 
 "  much  as  this  for  himself.  For  every  friend  of  God 
 '•  is  obliged  to  comipose  such  another  hymn  as  thisi 
 *'  nay,  the  whole  world  ought  to  do  so.  For  God  go- 
 *'  verns  all  this  universe  as  a  shepherd  does  his  flock, 
 *'  or  a  king  his  people,  over-ruling  and  m.anaging  the 
 *'  earth,  water,  air  and  fire,  and  whatever  any  of  these 
 "  do  contain,  whether  vegetables  or  animals,  things 
 "  mortal  or  spiritual ;  and  particularly  the  heavens 
 *'  above,  the  revolutions  of  sun  and  moon,  and  the 
 '*  harmonious  dances  of  the  other  luminaries  and  star5. 
 "  All  these  does  God  govern  according  to  justice '-und 
 
 laWj 
 5  P.  92.--«P.  112.— 7  p.  i,^._»  p.    131.— 9p.   139.— »lbi<i. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  449 
 
 "  law,  having  fee  over  them  his  own  righteous  Logos, 
 
 "  who  is  his  first-born   Son,  and  who  takes  upon 
 
 "  himfclf  the  care  of  this  facred  flock  as  vicegerent  of 
 
 "  this  great  king.     Therefore   it  is   faid,  Ex.  23.  20, 
 
 "  Behold y  I  Jend  my  Angel  before  thee  to  keep  thee  in 
 
 *^  the  ivay :  therefore  let  the  whole  world  fay,  We  are 
 
 "  the  great  and  admirable   flock   of  the    true    God  j 
 
 *'  the  Lord  feeds  me,  and  therefjre  nothing  (hall  be 
 
 "  wanting  to  me."  *    Compare  Is.  40.  10,  11,  and  Heb. 
 
 30.  *'  This  world  is  the  younger  Son  of  God,  as 
 "  being  a  fenfible  objefl ;  for  he  mentioned  not  the 
 "  Son  that  is  older  than  this,  and  he  is  an  inteiletiual 
 *'  Being;  and  he,  confidering  himfclf  as  worthy  of  elder- 
 "  fliip,  thought  proper  to  abide  with  God  himfelf."  ' 
 
 31.  "  Him  the  Father  of  exiftence  produced  as  his 
 "  eldefl;  Son,  whom  at  other  times  he  has  named  his 
 "  First-begotten  i  and  who  indeed  on  being  gene- 
 "  rated,  in  imitation  of  his  Father's  ways,  and  looking 
 "  upon  his  archetypal  patterns,  moulded  forms."  * 
 
 32.  "  If  none  of  us  be  worthy  to  aflTume  the  title  of 
 "  Son  of  God,  yet  do  thou  thy  endeavour  to  be  adorn- 
 "  ed,  as  is  the  first-born  Logos  of  God,  the  mod 
 "  ancient  Angely  even  the  Archangel  who  hath  many 
 "  names,  namely,  the  beginningy  and  the  7iame  of  God, 
 "  and  the  Logos,  and  the  man  according  to  his  image, 
 "  2sA  \.\\t  Jceing  JJrael.  Therefore  I  was  induced  be- 
 "  fore  to  commend  thofe  who  refer  their  original  to 
 "  him.  For  if  we  are  not  worthy  to  be  eftcemed  the 
 "  children  of  God,  yet  we  may  lay  claim  to  this,  that 
 "  we  are  the  children  of  the  moft  holy  Logos,  who  is 
 
 *'    his  eternal  IMAGE.       For  thc  mofll  ANCIENT  WoRD 
 
 "  is  thc  IMAGE  of  God."  *     It  feems  from  this  paflTage 
 that  Philo  confidered  all  the  Divine  appearances  record- 
 ed in  the  Old  Teftament  as  having  been  made  by  thc 
 I  i  i  Loc^os 
 
 »  P.  195.-.^  P.  29?.~*  P.  329.*^'  P.  341. 
 
450  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 Logos  of  God,   as  indeed  he   more  fully  expreltes  it 
 in  other  places. 
 
 23*  "  The  Father  of  all  things  is  in  the  jniddky 
 "  who  in  the  facred  writings  is  by  his  proper  name 
 *^  called,  He  that  is  :  but  on  each  fide  are  the  powers, 
 *'  which  arc  moft  ancient  and  neareil  to  him  that  is,  one 
 "  of  which  is  called  the  Creative^  the  other  the  Royal 
 **  Power.  The  creative  Power  is  called  God  ,•  for  by  it  he 
 *'  hath  placed  and  fet  in  order  all  things  ;  and  the  Royal 
 "  Rower  is  called  hordy  for  it  is  right  that  the  Maker  fhould 
 *^  govern  and  command  that  which  is  made.  He  therefore 
 *^  who  is  in  the  middle^  being  attended  by  each  of  his 
 *^  Powersy  reprefents  to  the  intelligent  mind  the  appear- 
 **  ance  fometimes  of  one,  fometimes  of  three."* 
 From  whencefoever  this  learned  Jew  had  his  intelli- 
 gence, here  is  an  evident  reference  to  the  three  Perfons 
 and  one  God  of  the  Old  Teftament;  which  doftrine 
 is  more  fully  difplayed  by  our  Saviour  and  his  Apoflles 
 in  the  New. 
 
 34.  Speaking  of  the  cherubim  on  the  mercy-feat  as 
 fymbolical  reprefentations  of  what  he  calls  the  creating 
 and  governing  powers,  he  makes  this  additional  reflec- 
 tion:— "  The  Divine  Logos  is  above  thefe,  of  whom 
 "  we  can  have  no  idea  by  the  fight,  or  any  other  fenfe  ; 
 *'  he  being  himfelf  the  i?nage  of  God,  the  eldeft  of  all 
 "  intelligible  beings,  fitting  nearefl  to  him  who  is  truly 
 *'  the  only  one,  there  being  no  diftance  between 
 "  them;  and  therefore  he  fays,  /  ii-iH Jpeak  unto  thee 
 *'  frovi  the  mercy-feat  between  the  two  cherubim  ;  there- 
 **  by  reprefenting  the  Locos,  as  the  charioteer  by  whom 
 *'  the  motion  of  thefe  powers  is  directed  ;  and  himfelf 
 "  who  fpeaks  to  him,  as  the  rider,  who  commands  the 
 **  charioteer  how  he  is  to  manage  the  reins.*' ' 
 
 35.  "  But  this  excellent  gift  the  Father  of  all  things 
 "  hath  beftowed  upon  the  Prince  of  angels,  the 
 
 «  moft 
 
 »  P.  367. 
 1  p.  465.   See  alfo  Dodd.  on  the  firft  of  St.  John's  Gofpel. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  451 
 
 "  mod  ancient  word,  that  {landing  in  the  middUy  he 
 "  might  judge  between  the  creature  and  the  Creator; 
 **  and  he  always  fupplicates  the  immortal  God  for 
 "  mortals,  and  is  the  ambaflador  from  die  fupreme 
 <*  King  to  his  llibjeds  ;  and  in  this  gift  he  rejoices,  as 
 "  highly  valuing  himfelf  upon  it;  faying,  I  ftood  in  the 
 "  middle,  between  you  and  the  Lord,  as  being  neither 
 "  unbegotten  as  God,  nor  yet  begotten  as  you ;  but 
 "  am  a  middle  between  the  extremes,  and  a  pledge  for 
 "  both  J  for  the  creature  with  the  Creator,  that  he  fhall 
 "  not  wholly  apoftatize  from  him,  fo  as  to  prefer  difor- 
 *'  der  before  order  and  beauty ;  for  the  Creator  with  the 
 *^  creature,  to  give  him  an  affured  hope,  that  the  mod 
 "  merciful  God  will  never  abandon  his  own  workman- 
 **  (hip ;  for  I  declare  peace  to  the  creature  from  him 
 "  who  makes  wars  to  ceafc,  even  God,  who  is  the  King 
 *'  of  peace." " 
 
 36.  "  The  holy  Logos  enjoins  to  fome  what  they  arc 
 "  to  do,  as  a  king;  others  acquainted  with  him  he 
 *^  profitably  inftrucls  as  their  mafter;  fome  as  a  coun- 
 "  fcllor  he  leads  into  the  beft  advice  ;  others,  who  of 
 "  themfclves  know  not  what  is  good  for  them,  he  great-r 
 *^  ly  alTifts.  To  fome  as  a  friend  he  fpeaks  gently,  by 
 *'  perfuafion  brings  them  into  knowledge  of  great  fe- 
 "  crets,  fuch  as  the  profane  are  not  admitted  to.  And 
 <*  fometimes  as  he  fpoke  to  Adam  he  alks,  IVhere  art 
 "  thou  ? — He  called  Mofes  out  of  the  bufh,  faying^ 
 "  Mofes  J  Mofes  y  who  anfvvered,  IVhat  is  it  f* 
 
 37.  "  There  are  two  temples  of  God,  one  indeed 
 "  this  world,  in  which  his  First- begotten,  the  di- 
 "  VINE  Logos,  is  alfo  high-pried;  and  the  other  the 
 *'  rational  foul."  ' 
 
 38.  Speaking  of  the  bread- plate  of  the  high-pried  he 
 fays,    "  The  four   rows,   each  of  which  comprehends 
 
 I  i  i  2  "  three 
 
 •  P.  509.  Here  is  dearly  the  dcflrine  of  the  crte  Mediator  ht^ 
 tixeen  God  and  men,  the  man  Cbriji  Jefus. 
 
 '  P.  593.  594.-'  P-  S97- 
 
45*  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 "  three  precious  ftones,  reprefenr  the  oracle  of  the 
 "  Logos.  For  it  was  neceiiary  that  the  priefl,  in  the 
 "  fupphcations  to  the  almighty  Father  of  the  world, 
 "  fhould  therein  make  nfe  of  his  infinitely  perfeSi  Son, 
 "  as  paracletci  in  order  thus  to  obtain  an  amneity  of  fins, 
 "  and  a  fupply  of  defirable  good  things."  *  We  have 
 an  advocate  with  the  Father.,  Jejus  Chnft  the  rtghteousy 
 and  he  is  the  p'opitiation  for  our  fins,      i  John  2.  1,  2, 
 
 39.  "  The  Logos  is  the  charaLler  of  God — the 
 *'  image  of  God — the  bread  and  food  which  God  hath 
 "  given  to  the  foul — the  houfe  of  the  Father  in  which 
 *'  he  dwells — he  is  the  divine  word — the  governour  of 
 "  all  things — the  viceroy  of  the  great  King — the  inftru- 
 "  ment  by  whom  God  made  the  world — all  light  is 
 "  from  this  IVord — he  is  the  mod  ancient  Son  of  the  Fa- 
 "  ther  of  the  univerfe — the  fi.rfi-born  Son  of  God."  ' 
 All  thefe  exprelTions  are  more  or  lefs  confirmed  by  the 
 holy  fcriptures.  I  am  far  from  faying  that  every  thing 
 this  learned  man  has  advanced  is  exaftly  conformable 
 thereunto  :  but,  I  believe,  the  Reader  will  agree  with 
 me,  that  his  views  of  the  facred  Trinity,  and  the  feveral 
 offices  the  Father,  Son,  and  Spirit  fuftain  in  the  fcheme 
 of  man's  redemption,  are  much  clearer  than  might 
 have  been  expected.  ^ 
 
 Eufebius  has  given  us  the  fentiments  of  the  ancient 
 Jews  pretty  much  at  large  in  feveral  of  his  works.  The 
 Evangelical  Preparation  and  Demonftration  abound  with 
 much  valuable  and  curious  information.  I  will  felecft 
 a  {cw  paflages  on  the  fubjeft  of  our  prefent  enquiry. 
 They  will  throw  much  light  upon  the  opinions  of  the 
 ancient  lynagogue. 
 
 40.  "  Examine  alfo  concerning  the  Second  Cauje, 
 *'  whom  the  oracles  of  the  Hebrews  teach  to  be  the 
 "  Logos  ofi  God,  and  to  be  Qod  off  God  ;  as  we  our- 
 
 "  felves 
 
 *  P.  673.--3  philo's  Works,  paflim. 
 *  See  Jamiefon's  Vindication,  part  i.  chap.  1.  for  a  good  account 
 of  the  dodrine  of  Philo. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  455 
 
 "  felves  too  have  been  inflru6led  in  theology.  Mofes 
 "  then  does  exprefsly  give  us  the  theology  or  two  Lards, 
 "  when  he  fays.  And  the  Lord  rained  from  //?<?  Lord 
 "  fire  and  brim/lone  upon  the  city  of  the  ungodly. 
 *'  There  he  hath  familiarly  made  an  equal  application  to 
 "  both  the  two,  of  the  charaders  among  the  Hcbrcws. 
 "  And  this  is  that  theology,  which  is  unfpoken  by  them 
 "  in  the  four  elements.  In  concert  with  him  does 
 "  David,  another  prophet  likewife,  and  king  of  the 
 '^  Hebrews,  fpeak.  The  I^okd  Jaid  unto  my  Lord,  Sit 
 "  thou  on  my  right  hand i  indicating  the  Most  High 
 "  God  by  iht  firjl  Lord,  and  the  stcoND  to  him  by 
 "  the  SECOND  appellation:  For  to  whom  eile  is  it 
 "  lawful  to  fuppofe  the  right  hand  to  be  conceded  by 
 "  the  ungencrated  Deity  j  except  to  him  alone,  of  whom 
 **  we  are  fpeaking?  Whom  the  fame  prophet  in  another 
 *^  place  more  plainly  manifcils  to  be  the  Locos  of  the 
 **  Father,  holding  him  forth  in  his  Theology  to  be  the 
 "  Fabricator  of  the  univerfe  j  when  he  fays.  By  the 
 "  Logos  of  the  Lord  ixjere  the  heavens  eftnhl/jhed."  * 
 Thcfe  fentiments  are  perfedly  confident  widi  che  gene- 
 ral views  of  the  Chriflian  fathers,  and  wich  thoic  doc- 
 trines in  our  day  ufually  deemed  orthodox.     Again, 
 
 41.  "  The  oracles  among  the  Hebrews,  afcer  the 
 **  uncaujed  and  ungenerated  perfon  of  the  God  of  all, 
 "  which  is  unmixt  and  beyond  ^11  comprehenfion ;  in- 
 "  troduce  a  feccnd  perfon  and  divine  power,  the  Princi- 
 "  pie  of  all  created  things,  fubfifting  the  firft,  and  ge- 
 "  nerated  out  of  the  Firfl  Caufej  calling  it  the  Locos, 
 "  and  the  Wisdom,  and  the  Power,  of  God. — David 
 "  celebrates  the  Logos  of  God,  who  fabricated  the  uni- 
 "  verfe. — And  this  Divine  Locos  the  holy  fcripture 
 "  introduces  at  different  times,  as  fent  by  the  Father  for 
 "  the  fafety  of  men :  and  therefore  reports  him  to  have 
 '"^  fliewn  himfelf  to  Abraiiam,  to  Moles,  and  the  other 
 "  prophets  v/lio  were  dear  to  God,  r.nd  to  have  taught 
 
 "  many 
 
 «  P.  312—313. 
 
454  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 "  many  things  by  oracles,  and  to  have  foretold  things 
 "  to  connej  when  it  mentions  God  and  the  Lord,  to 
 <'  have  appeared  to  and  converfed  with  the  prophets. — 
 *'  Well  then  does  the  very  wife  Mofes  fay, — beginning 
 *'  the  cofmogony  with  bim,  In  the  beginning  God  c?-eated 
 "  the  heaven  and  the  earth.  With  him,  he  introduces 
 "  God  in  the  creation  of  man,  as  communing  with  his 
 *^  domeftic  and  firft-begotten  Locos  ;  when  he  writes, 
 *'  And  God  J'aidy  Let  us  make  man  after  our  image  and 
 <^  OUR  likenejs.  To  this  alfo,  the  Pfalmift  alluded, 
 *'  when,  in  difcourfing  of  the  Firft  Caufe,  he  fays.  He 
 **  Jfake  and  they  were  made,  he  cojnmanded  and  they  were 
 "  created;  placing  the  order  and  command  of  the  Firji 
 "  Caufe  oppoled  to  the  Second,  as  of  the  Father  to  the 
 *'  Son.  Truly  it  is  iclf-evident,  that  he  who  fpeaks 
 *^  it  to  another,  and  he  who  commands  any  thing  com- 
 *'  mands  it  to  another  beyond  himlclf.  And  Mofes  ex- 
 "  prcfsly  mentioning  both  the  two  Lordsy  namely,  the  Fa- 
 *'  tber  and  Son^  thus  reports  concerning  the  punifhment 
 "  againft  the  ungodly.  And  the  Lord  rained  from  the 
 *-'  h.ORD  brimjione  and  fire  upon  Sodom  and  Gotaorrah.  In 
 "  harmony  with  which,  David  fays  in  his  Pfalms,  The 
 "  Lord  faid  to  my  Lord,  Sit  thou  on  my  right  hand.'*  * 
 Thefe  being  the  opinions  of  the  ancient  Jews  as  well  as 
 Chriftians,  it  is  no  mean  authority  for  our  interpreta- 
 tion of  the  feverai  palfages  of  fcripture  here  referred 
 to. 
 
 42.  The  opinions  of  the  Hebrews  concerning  God,. 
 the  Firfi  Caufe  of  the  univerfe,  continued. 
 
 "  Thus  has  Mofes  begun  his  theology  :  "  /;/  the 
 "  beginning  God  created  the  heaven  and  the  earth.  Then 
 **  he  fays,  God  faid.  Let  there  be  light,  a?id  there  was 
 *'  light.  And  again,  God  faid,  Let  there  be  a  firinament^ 
 "  and  it  was  fo.  And  again,  God  faid.  Let  the  earth 
 *'  bring  forth  grafs — and  it  was  fo.  And  again,  God 
 ^'  faid.  Let  there  be  lights  in  the  firmament  of  the  heaven 
 
 "  — and 
 
 «  P.  188—190. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  45.5 
 
 «  — and  it  was  Jo. — Such  indeed  is  the  theology  re- 
 "  ceived  among  the  Hebrews,  which  teaches  all  things 
 "  to  have  been  framed  by  the  fabricating   Locos  of 
 "  God.    And  it  afterwards  informs  us,  that  the  whole 
 "  world  was  not  left  thus  defolate  by  him  who  framed 
 *'  it,  as  an  orphan  left  by  a  father ;  but  is  for  ever  go- 
 "  verned  by  the  Providence  of  God  :  fo  that  God  is 
 "  not  only  the   Fabricator  and   Maker  of  the  whole, 
 "  but  alfo  the  Prelerver,  and  Governour,  and  King,  and 
 "  Ruler  J  prefiding  continually  over  the  km  itfcir,  and 
 "  the  moon,  and   the  ftars,  and  the  whole  heaven  and 
 *'  the   world  ;  with   his    great   eye    and  divine   power 
 "  infpedting  all  things,  and  being  prcfent  to  all  things 
 "  heavenly  and  earthly,  and  dirc6ting  and  governing  all 
 "  things  in  the  world. — Concerning  the  framing  of  the 
 "  world  ;    concerning   the   turns   and   changes   of   the 
 "  whole,  the  fubftance  of  the  foul,  and  the  fabrication 
 "  of  the  fcen  and  unfeen  nature  of  all  rational  beings  j 
 "  and  concerning  the  Providence  over  all ;  and  con- 
 "  cerning  what  are  yet  above  thefe,  the  Firji  Cauje  of 
 "  all,  and  the  theology  of  the   Second;  and  concerning 
 "  other  things,  that  are  comprehenfiblc  by  the  undcr- 
 "  ftanding  alone ;  the  Hebrews  have  wound  their  dil- 
 "  courfes  and  their  theories,  well  and  accurately  round: — 
 *'  that  wc  may  know,  the  univerfe  is  not  fpontaneoufly 
 "  direfled,    or  hath   been  always    cxiftlng    at  random 
 *•  and  by  chance,   from  an  irrational  guidance ;  but  is 
 **  conduced  by  the  Charioteer  of  God,  the  Locos, 
 *'  and  is  governed  by  tlie  power  of  unfpeakable  ////- 
 "  do?n'' '    This  cxtra6t  is    much    in  the  fpirit  of  tlie 
 former,  and  afcribes  the  creation,  prefervation,  and  go- 
 vernment of  the  univerfe  to  God  and  his  Powers  ;  th;ir 
 is,   to  fpeak  In  the  language  of  Chriftian  theology,  to 
 the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghofl.     Further, 
 
 43.  "  A  Triad  fliines,  a  Monad  reigns  in  each." 
 *^  Would  not  this  then  be  a  fpeech  the  mcft  worthy  of 
 
 **  God, 
 
 '  P.  186,  i%j,  307. 
 
,45^  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 *'  Godj  of  the  rational  and  all-wife  power  of  God,  to 
 
 "  refer  the  principle   of  the  framing  of  the   univerfe, 
 
 "  rather  to  the  very  Wisdom  and  the  very  Logos  of 
 
 "  God,  than  to  the  elements  that  have  no  fouls  and  no 
 
 "  rcafon  ?  For  fuch  indeed  among  the  Hebrews,  were 
 
 "  the  opinions  concerning  the  principle  of  all  things. 
 
 **■  And  let  us  fee  alfo  what  they  teach,  concerning  the 
 
 '*  framing   of  the    rational   beings,   that  are  after    the 
 
 "  First  Principle."     Again, 
 
 44.  "  After  the  uncaused  and  ungenerated  perjon 
 
 "  of  God,  the  univerfal  King,  they  tell  us  of  a  Principle 
 
 "  that  was  generated  from  no  other  than  the  Father, 
 
 "  being  the  Firjl- begotten,  the  Co-adjutor  of  the  Father's 
 
 *'  council,  and  imaged  after  him  ;  which  Principle  pre- 
 
 "  fides  over  all  the  things,  that  were  afterwards  created  s 
 
 "  for  which  reafon  alfo,  they  have  been  accuftomed  to 
 
 "  call  it  the  Image  of  God,  and  the  Power  of  God, 
 
 ^*^  and  the  Wisdom  of  God,  and  the  Logos  of  God, 
 
 "  yea,  and  even  the  General  of  the  hotl  of  the  Lord, 
 
 "  and  the  Angel  of  the  Grand  Council : — the  Power 
 
 "  of  the  God  of  all,  which  is  grreat  without  bounds  and 
 
 •       •  • 
 
 *'  beyond  exprefTion,  taking  in  all  things  at  once  ;  and 
 
 *'  the  Second  after  the  Father,  being  the  equally  fabri- 
 
 "  eating  and  enlightening  power  of  the  Divine  Logos. 
 
 *'  Wherefore  alfo  the  Hebrews  love  to  name  him,  both 
 
 *'  the   true   Light   and   the   Sun  of  righteoufnefs :  there 
 
 "  being  likewife,  after  the  Second  perlbn,  a  Third — the 
 
 '*■  Hoxy   Ghost,  which   very  Being  they  rank  in  the 
 
 "  firft  and  royal  dignity  and  honour  of  a  Principle  of 
 
 *'  the  univerfe ;  he   himfelf  being    conftituted   by    the 
 
 *'  Maker  of  all,  a  Principle  of  the  things  created  after- 
 
 *^  wards,  I  mean  of  the  things  that  were  inferior  and 
 
 "  want   aid  from   him.     But  this   Beinz-,    holdinoj  the 
 
 "  third  rank,  affifts  thofe  who  are  inferior  to  him  with 
 
 "  his  better  powers;  yet  indeed  receives  not  the  powers 
 
 "  from  any  other,  than  from  the  God  Logos,  who  is 
 
 "  truly  higher  and  better,  and  whom  we  have  faid  to  be 
 
 ''  the  Second  to  the  Most  High,  an4  the  ungenerated 
 
 "  perfon 
 
DOCTRINE  '(^  "rtlE  iiRrNltY.  -4^^ 
 
 *'  perfon  of  God  the  iiniverfal  King :  from  whom  even  he 
 "  hiinfelf,  the  God  Logos,  redeivih^  aid  arid  drawing 
 *'  Divinity,  as  from  a  perpetual  and  over-flowing  foun- 
 "  tain  of  Divinity,  conrimunicates  the  fplendours  of  his 
 *'  d  ;mcfric  light  to  all,  as  Well  as  to  the  Holy  Ghost 
 "  himfelf,  who  is  neater  to  him  than  all,  and  very  nigh, 
 *'  and  to  the  intelligent  aifd  divine  jpovvers  after  him, 
 **  -abandantly  and  without  envy ;  and  that  the  ungene- 
 "  rated  Principle  of  the  univerfe,  being  the  fountain  of 
 **'all  Godd,  of  Divinity,  and  Life  and  Li'^ht,  and  the 
 *^  caufc  '  f  every  virtue;  and  being  the  Pr/>;;,3ry  of  the 
 "  PrimarieSi  and  the  Principle  of  Priiicipks  and  rather 
 "  beyond  the  Principle  ai:d  the  Firjly  and  every  imagi- 
 **  nation  fpoken  or  apprehended ;  communicated  to  the 
 "  Pirjl-begotten  alone,  all  whatever  he  held  involved  in 
 **  his  unfpeakable  powers,  as  to  him  who  alone  was  ca- 
 **  pable  of  taking  in  and  receiving  that,  which  is  not  to 
 "  be  attained  or  taken  in  by  others,  the  abundance  of 
 "  the  Father's  Goods;  and  affords  them  in  part  to  thofc 
 "  who  are  partially  worthy,  by  the  miniftry  and  media- 
 "  tion  of  the  Second  One,  as  every  perfon  can  attain: 
 "  of  which  the  perfe<fl  and  the  highly  facred  things,  were 
 "  imparted  by  the  Father  himlclf  to  the  Third  One, 
 "  the  Ruler  ^nd  Go-vernoiir  6'i  xhtmhtXo'^y  who  through 
 **  the  Son  receives  the  things  of  the  Father.  And  from 
 *'  hence  all  the  Divines  of  the  Hebrews,  after  the  God 
 **  OVER  ALL,  and  after  his  Firji -begot ten  Wisdom,  deify 
 "  the  I'hird  and  Holy  PoW'er,  calling  him  Holy 
 "  Ghost  ;  by  whom  alfo  thofe  were  enlightened,  who 
 "  were  infpired  by  God."  *  This  paragraph  is  extreme- 
 ly remarkable,  full,  and  fatisfaftory.  Every  fenti- 
 ment  may  not  be  exaftly  conformable  to  the  views 
 of  the  gofpel  j  but  the  leading  principles  a!re  fiirprif- 
 ingly  confentaneous  tiiereunto.  The  fundamental 
 principles  of  true  religion  have  been  the  fame  in  all 
 ages. 
 
 K  k  k  45  "  The 
 
 *  P.  19T — 191. 
 
45»  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 45.  "The  ffernal  Word  of  the  cverlafting  God  is 
 '*  the  ftrongeft  and  firmeft  fupport  of  the  univerfe."  ' 
 
 46.  Eufebius  tells  us,  that  "  all  the  Hebrew  Divines 
 *'  do  acknowledge,  after  the  mq^  hi](h  God,  and  after 
 "  his  firji-borjt  Wisdom,  a  third  holy  pozver,  whom 
 "  they  call  the  Holy  Ghost,  affirming  him  to  be  God, 
 "  by  whom  the  prophets  were  infpired. '  "  This  is  the 
 fame  fentiment  we  have  extrafted  at  large  from  the 
 works  of  this  learned  man. 
 
 47.  The  fame  Eufebius  has  given  us  fome  account  of 
 a  Dramatic  poem  written  by  a  Jew  named  Ezekiel,  who 
 lived  about  two  hundred  years  before  our  Saviour.  In 
 this  poem  God  is  introduced  holding  a  dialogue  with 
 Mofes  from  the  burning  bufh.  And  from  this  dialogue 
 it  appears,  that  the  ancient  Jews  confidered  the  Beings 
 who  appeared  upon  that  awful  occafion,  as  the  Locos, 
 and  that  the  Angel,  who  dcllroyed  the  firft-born  of 
 Egypt,  was  the  fame  perfon.     Moles  fays  :— 
 
 **  Stop,  what  is  this  appearance  from  the  bulh  ? 
 
 **  A  prodigy  beyond  the  faith  of  men. 
 
 ••  Sudden  the  bufh  is  flaming  with  much  £re, 
 
 "  But  green  upon  it  every  leaf  remains. 
 
 **  How's  this  ?  i'll  go>  and  view  with  nearer  eye 
 
 ••  This  prodigy  too  mighty  for  belief." 
 
 The  Almighty  then  addrefles  him  : — 
 
 "  Stop,  O  moft  worthy,  nor  approach  thou  ncar> 
 
 *'  O  Mofes,  till  thy  foot-ftring  thou  haft  loos'd  ; 
 
 *•  For  holy  is  the  ground  on  which  thou  ftand'fl-, 
 
 *'  And  from  the  bufti  the  hiavenlj  Locos  fhines. 
 
 **  Be  bold,  my  fon,  and  liften  to  my  words : 
 
 *'  To  fee  my  face  is  all-impofGble 
 
 *'  For  mortal  man  :  but  thou  may'ft  hear  my  words. 
 
 *'  To  utter  them  I'm  come,  I  am  the  God 
 
 «  Of  thofc  thou  call'ft  thy  fathers,  Abraham, 
 
 **  Ifaac, 
 »  Eufeb.  Praep.  Evan.  I.  7.  c.  1 3. 
 '  Scott's  Chriflian  Life,  vol.  3.  notci  at  the  end. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  459 
 
 "  Ifaac,  ind  Jacob  in  fucccflion  third. 
 
 **  Remembering  them,  and  my  donations  too 
 
 *»  I'm  here  to  fave  my  Hebrew  race  of  men; 
 
 "  For  I  have  fcen  my  fervants  grief  and  toil, 
 
 "  But  go,  and  in  my  words  announce  agaiij, 
 
 "  Firll  to  the  very  Hebrews  all  at  once, 
 
 *•  Then  to  the  king,  what  is  by  me  enjoin'd ; 
 
 *'  That  out  of  Egypt  thou  (halt  bring  my  race.** 
 
 Then  fubjoining  fomc  lines  in  return,  Mofes  himfclf 
 rpeaks : — 
 
 f*  I'm  not  by  nature  form'd  an  orator, 
 
 "  My  tongue  is  often  ftubborn  to  my  will, 
 
 *'  And  gives  a  hefitation  to  my  voice  ; 
 
 ^'  I  cannot  therefore  fpcak  before  the  king." 
 
 Then  God  anfwcrs  him  thus : — 
 
 *•  Send  for  thy  brother  Aaron  inftantly, 
 
 **  Then  tell  him  all  which  thou  hail  heard  from  me  ; 
 
 "  And  he  Ihall  be  the  fpeaker  to  the  king." 
 
 And  Ezekiel  introduces  God  fpeaking  thus  conccrnr 
 ing  the  wonders : — 
 
 "  For  three  whole  days  a  darknefs  I  will  give  ; 
 "  Locufts  I'll  fend,  which  all  around  (hall  cat 
 f*  The  fruits  of  roan,  and  e'en  the  verdant  leaf; 
 "  And,  added  to  all  this,  my  hand  (hall  flay 
 *'  The  firft-begotten  child  of  every  houfe. 
 
 *'  But  thou  (halt  tell  my  people,  when  at  eve 
 
 '♦  They  facrifice  the  pafchal  lamb  to  God, 
 
 **  That  they  ihall  touch  their  outer  doors  with  blood ; 
 
 "  And  the  DR.KAD  Angel,  feeing,  Ihall  pafs  by." 
 
 4S.  He  alio  gives  us  a  remarkable  teftimony  to  the 
 do6trinc  of  the  Divine  Logos  fron;i  Ariftobulus,  a  learned 
 and  philofophic  Jew,  who  lived  an  hundred  and  fifty 
 years  before  the  birth  of  our  Saviour  : — "  Thcic  arc," 
 
 fayi 
 
469  A^'  ApphOCfYr  ^C^  Tm 
 
 fays  this  learned  man,  "  Ariftobiilus's  wpifda  coneperning 
 "  the  Second  Caus^.  And  let  this  be  transferred,  alfo 
 "  to  the  Wisdom  :  for. all  ligh^  is  ffom  it.  VYhprefore 
 *^  fome  alio  (of  the  Jevys)  have  faid,  being  of  the  fe6t 
 "  of  the  Peripatetics  ;  thaf.  this  h^s  the  ofHcc  of  a  lamp, 
 "  for  they  v/ho  follpyy,  it  continually,  fhall  thro.iigh  all 
 "  their  life  remain  without  trouble.  But  one  of  our 
 "  progenitors,  Solompn,  more  plainly  and  more  be  uiti- 
 *'  fully  faid,  that  //  exijied  before  the  heavens  and  the 
 «  earlh'' ' 
 
 49.  Again: — "  Pythagoras,  and  Socrates,  and  Plato, 
 '*  feem  to  me  to  have  furvcyed  all  (the  law  of  Mpfts) 
 *'  with  a  curious  eye,  and  to  have  followed  hiin  in^  fav- 
 "  ing,  that  the  materials. of  the  univerle  heard  the  vpice 
 "  of  God ;  all  accuratciy  believing  it  to  be  mad*;  by 
 "  God,  and  to  be  incefianciy  bound  together  by  hin. 
 *'  And  Orpheus  alfo,  in  his  poems  on  the  things  faid  to 
 **  him  according  to  the  Sacred  Word,  declares  thus 
 *^  concerning  all  nature  having  been  made,  and  b'  ing 
 "  now  preferved,  by  the  Divine  power ;  and  concvrning 
 "  God  being  over  all.     And  he  fays  thus : — 
 
 50.    "  To  whom  I  fnould,  I'll  tell  (but,  ye  profane, 
 
 "  Shut  clofe  the  doors,  and  fly  the  juft  man's  laws) 
 
 "  That  rule  divine,  which  is  to  all  propofed  : 
 
 "  And  thou  attend,  the  fon  of  Mene  bright, 
 
 *'  Mufasus ;  for  fome  folemn  truths  I'll  fpeak  .• 
 
 *•  Nor  let  what  is  already  in  thy  bread, 
 *»  Rob  thee  of  this  delightful  age  to  come. 
 
 "  On  the  Divine  Logos  look,  approach  him  near, 
 «*  To  him  direft  thy  inteUeft  and  heart, 
 **  Walk  firmly  in  his  path,  and  gaze  upon 
 "  The  fole,  th'  immortal  Maker. of  the  world  : 
 "  For  all  the  ancient  Locos  fliines  in  him. 
 "  He  is  the  On  e  consummate  in  himfelf, 
 "  And  all  things  take  their  finilh'd  form  from  him. 
 *'  With  them  he  is  encircled  ;  nor  can  any. 
 "  Of  mortal  fpirits  fee  him,  for  he  is 
 
 '  P.  190,  191.  ''  By 
 
DQCTRIN.E  OF  T^E  TRINITY.  4j5j 
 
 **  By  the  mind  only  to  be  feen  at  all. 
 **  But  he  from  good  educes  never  ill 
 *'  To  mortal  men  ;  though  love  and  hate  attend  him, 
 *'  Famine,  and  war,  and  much-lamented  woes. 
 **  Nor  is  there  other  one;  snd  all  you'll  fee 
 *'  At  once,  if  firft  you  fee  him  here  on  earth. 
 
 "  To  you,  my  fon,  I'll  fhew  him,  when  I  view 
 *•  The  fteps  and  llrong  hand  of  the  mighty  God. 
 "  But  him  I  fee  not;  for  around  him  fpreads 
 "   A  thick  dark  cloud,  and  from  me  hides  the  reft ; 
 *♦  While  tenfold  darknefs  hides  him  from  mankind. 
 **  Of  tribe-form'd  men  no  one  fhall  fee  him  reien, 
 "  But  he  alone,  who  was  a  branch  broke  off 
 *'  From  the  high  ftem  of  the  Chaldean  race  ; 
 •'   And  who  was  fkill'd  in  the  fun's  orb  and  patb, 
 *'  How  r,onnd  the  earth  it  forms  its  circle  jult, 
 *•   And  on  its  fpindle  moves  exaftly  true  ; 
 *'  How  through  the  air,  and  through  the  deep  of  waves, 
 **  It  guides  the  winds,  and  flames  a  blaze  of  fire, 
 
 **  Hut  fix'd  the  Logos  is  in  ample  heav'n, 
 **  Thexc  mounted  on  his  golden  throne  he  fits, 
 **  And  refts  his  feet  upon  the  earth  below. 
 **  To  ocean's  bounds  his  right  hand  he  has  ftretch'd  ; 
 **  The  hills  are  trembling  to  their  bafe  within, 
 **  His  wrath's  dread  weight  unable  to  fullain. 
 **  But  Hill  to  heav'n  his  perfon  he  confines, 
 **  And  thence  performs  whate'er  he  wills  on  earth  ; 
 *'  Having  within  himfelf  at  once  the  end, 
 *'  The  midft,  and  the  beginning  of  all  things. 
 
 *'  As  the  great  Locos  of  the  ancient  times, 
 •*  Who  is  of  matter  to  be  born,  ordain'd  ; 
 "  I've  had  the  law  all  folded  up  from  God  : 
 **  Or  elfe  I  fliould  not  dare  to  fpeak  of  it. 
 **  E'en  now  1  fhake  through  all  my  fhuddering  limbs, 
 **  Though  from  the  flcy,  1  know,  he  reigns  o'er  all. 
 *'  But,  O  my  fon,  do  thou  thefe  thoughts  receive, 
 "  A  facred  filence  keep  concerning  them, 
 "   And  in  thy  bofom  lay  them  fafely  up."  Such 
 
46*  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 Such  are  the  fcntiments  we  learn  from  the  collections 
 of  this  worthy  man.  The  Jews  obtained  their  ideas 
 concerning  the  Divine  Nature  from  the  Law  and  the 
 Prophets,  and,  pofTibly,  from  certain  traditional  infor- 
 mation alfo,  handed  down  from  Adam  to  Noah,  from 
 Noah  to  Abraham,  and  from  Abraham  to  Mofcs, 
 The  Heathens,  probably,  gathered  what  they  knew  of 
 the  Divine  Logos,  either  from  the  lame  fources,  or  from 
 the  connexions  they  Ibmetimcs  formed  with  the  Jews 
 difperfed  through  the  nations. 
 
 The  Teilaments  of  the  twelve  Patriarchs  are  fuppofed 
 by  the  learned  Cave  to  have  been  written  about  the  year 
 192.  They  contain  feveral  declarations  concerning  the 
 dignity  of  our  blelTed  Saviour,  which  arc  in  perfeft 
 accordance  with  thofe  of  the  reft  of  the  ancient  Jews  :--7 
 
 51.  "  The  Lord  fhall  raife  up  out  of  Levi  one  for  4 
 "  High-priefl,  and  out  of  Judah  one  for  a  King,  whp 
 «  lliallbe  God  and  Man."* 
 
 52.  The  Tcftament  of  Zebulon  fays : — "  After  thefe 
 *'  things  the  Lord  himfelf  (hail  rife  upon  you,  a  light 
 "  of  righteoufnels ;  and  healing  and  mercy  fliall  be  on 
 *'  his  wings :  he  fhall  redeem  all  the  captives  of  the 
 "  fons  of  men  from  Beliar,  and  every  fpirit  of  error 
 **  fliall  be  trampled  down  ;  and  he  fhall  turn  all  the  na- 
 ''  tions  to  an  emulation  of  himfelf,  and  ye  (hail  fee  God 
 
 *'    IN  THE  FIGURE  OF  MAN."  * 
 
 5 J.  The  Teftament  of  Nephthali  declares,  that  thro' 
 "  Judah  fhall  arile  lalvation  to  Ifrael,  and  in  him  fhall 
 "  Jacob  be  bleffed ;  for,  through  his  fceptre,  fhall  ap- 
 "  pear  God  dwelling  among  men  on  earthy  to  fave  the 
 «  race  of  Ifrael."' 
 
 54.  The  Tcftament  of  Afliur  fays : — ''  The  Most 
 *^  High  (hall  vifit  the  earth,  even  he  himself  coming  as  a 
 *'  man,  ealing  and  drinking  zvith  ynen,  and  calmly  bruif- 
 "  ing  the  head  of  the  fcrpent  by  water ;  he  fhall  fave 
 ^'-  Ifrael,  and  all  the  nations,  God  in  the  mafr  0/  mas.'' 
 
 55.  The 
 
 »  Sea.  7.— »  Sea.  9.—'  Sea.  8.—*  Sea.  7. 
 
t)CX;TRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  463 
 
 55.  The  Teftamcnt  of  Benjamin  contains  thefe  re- 
 markable lentiments  : — "  Then  ihall  we  alio  rife,  each 
 "  one  on  his  fceptre,  zvorfjipping  the  King  of  heavefty 
 '*  who  appeared  upon  earth  in  the  form  oftnan  in  a  fate 
 "  of  humiliation  y  and  as  many  as  believed  on  him  upon 
 *'  earth,  (hall  rejoice  together  with  him.  And  all  lliall 
 *'  rife,  thcle  indeed  to  glory,  but  thofe  to  diflionoiir. 
 "  And  the  Lord  fliall  judge  Ilracl  ftrft,  even  for  their 
 "  iniquity  to  him,  becaufe  they  believed  not  in  God, 
 *'  ivhen  he  came  to  them  in  the  Jlejh  as  a  deliverer  /  and 
 "  then  fhall  he  judge  all  the  nations,  as  many  as  believed 
 "  not  in  him,  when  he  appeared  upon  earth."  * 
 
 ^6,  R.  Jonathan  paraphrafcs — and  the  Spirit  cfGod 
 moved  on  the  face  of  the  waterSy  "  the  Spirit  of  mercies, 
 *'  who  is  from  before  the  Lord,  flanding  upon  the  face 
 "  of  the  waters."  * 
 
 57.  Berefchit  Rabba,  fpeaking  of  the  Spirit  that 
 moved  upon  the  face  of  the  waters,  exprefsly  affirms, 
 "  This  is  the  Spirit  of  Mcfliah  the  King."  '' 
 
 58.  The  author  of  the  Jewifh  book  called  the  Zohar, 
 who  is  iaid  to  have  been  Rabbi  Simeon,  has  many  cx- 
 pre/Iions  which  have  a  plain  ailufion  to  a  plurality  in 
 the  Divine  Nature.  We  read,  for  -inftance,  that 
 "  he  called  Rabbi  Eleafar  his  fon,  and  made  him  fit 
 "  down  by  him,  and  Rabbi  Abba  his  fcholar  on  the 
 "  other  fide  of  him  ;  and  then  faid,  //  'e  are  nozv  the 
 "  TYPE  of  all  that  is." 
 
 59.  Again  : — "  I  fay,  that  all  the  lamps  are  lighted 
 "  from  one  lamp,  which  is  the  fupreme  one,  and  alto- 
 "  gether  latent. — All  the  lights  are  united  in  one  ;  the 
 "■  jccond  light  is  in  the  firjl  lights  and  the  other  light  in  the 
 '*  fatne.  They  light  through  one  and  others  and  are  iindi- 
 "  vided  one  from  the  ciher. — For  he  and  his  name  arc 
 "  one.  For  the  King  himfelf  is  the  moft  inward  light; 
 "  and  that   light  which  makes  manifcft   is  called   his 
 
 "  garment 
 
 '  Sea.  10. 
 •  Sec  Scott's  Chrlflian  Life,  vol.  3.  notes  at  the  end.—'  Ibid, 
 
454  Mi  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 "  garment.  Now  there  are  rwo  lafnps  vf\nc\\  fi^ine 
 '*  from  the  King's  ihrojie  icithm  ;  and  they  are  cailed 
 ^^  jujiice  2inA  judgment.  Thete  are  the  begi:;mng  ^lA 
 "  confummation  of  all  things,  by  whom  all  things  both 
 "  above  and  below  are  crowned,  and  thefe  are  fometinn-s 
 *'  called  Meichifcdec,  that  is,  the  King  who  is  the  kin^ 
 "  of  right  eoufnejs  and  king  of  peace  T 
 
 60.  Again : — "  None  knows  the  Supreme  V/ifdoni 
 *'  but  himfelf.  He  enjoys  one  uninterrupted  tenure  of 
 *'  joy,  and  is  unchangeable  in  his  mercy  and  goodnefs 
 "  to  eternity.  This  moft  Ancient  and  holy  One  reveals 
 "  himlelf  as  one  that  has  three  heads,  which  are  yet 
 "  all  within  one  head.  He  himfelf  is  the  supreme 
 "  HEAD  properly,  that  includes  the  three  heads. 
 "  But  in  another  reipedl  he  is  denoted  by  a  Trinity  ; 
 "  and  all  the  lamps  v/hich  fliine  are  included  in  this 
 «  Trinity."* 
 
 61.  R.  Simeon  Ben  Joachi  in  the  Zoar  speak-s  iii 
 thi;:  manner :  "  Come  and  see  the  mystery  of  xht  word 
 "  Elohim:  there  are  three  degrees,  and  every  dc- 
 ''  grce  bv  itself  alone  ;  and  yet  notwithstanding  they 
 *'  are  all  one,  and  joined  together  in  one  ;  and  arc  not 
 "  divided  one  from  another."  " 
 
 62.  Rittangelius,  who  had  been  a  Jewifh  R?.bbi, 
 but  was  converted  to  Chriflianity,  has  attempted  to 
 prove  from  the  book  Tykunim,  and  other  talmu  ical 
 trafts,  that  the  ancient  Jews  owned  these  things  in  re- 
 lation to  the  Mefiiah,  namely,  that  "  he  is  the  supreme 
 *'  WISDOM,  proceeding  from  the  Father  by  eternal  and 
 "  ineffable  generation — that  he  is  the  true  Saviour  of 
 "  mankind — diat  in  order  to  this  he  mult  defcend  into 
 *^  this  world — that  by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Spiiut 
 "  he  mull  affume  an  human  body,  and  be  united  to 
 *'  the  human  nature — that  he  must  die  for  the  redem.p- 
 
 "  tion 
 
 •  See  more  to  the  fame  parpofe  in  Fleming's  Chriftology,  p.  136, 
 &c.  where  fomc  account  is  given  of  this  ancient  Jewilh  author, 
 s  Ainsworth  on  the  first  of  Genesis. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  465 
 
 "  tion  of  men,   and  then   go  down  into  the   place  of 
 *'  the  dead — that  he  mull  free  the  fouls  of  men   from 
 *^  the  flavery  of  the  devil — chat  he  mud  rife  again  from 
 *'  the  dead,  and  ascend  into   heaven— and  that  he  must 
 "  judge  the  world  at  lafl:."  * 
 
 6 J.  Again: — '*  There  is  a  man — who  is  not  fimply 
 "  called  a  man,  but  the  firf!:  man,  and  the  fupreme  of 
 "  all  men  i  the  fupreme  crow.i,  the  hidden  and  occak 
 "  — the  caufe  of  caufes,  the  beginning  of  all  begin- 
 "  nings.  Of  this  fivii  man  it  is  faid.  Then  I  was  by 
 '^  him^  as  one  brought  up  zvith  him ;  and  1  zvas  daily 
 *'  his  delight ;  njoicir.^  always  before  him ;  rejoicing  in 
 "  the  habitable  part  of  his  earthy  and  my  delights  zvere 
 *'  zvith  the  sons  of  men.  And  to  this  first  man  it  was 
 '*  said,  L.et  us  make  man  in  our  itnagCy  after  our  liaenffs. 
 "  So  that  this  man  is  the  Wisdom,"  &c.  * 
 
 64.  The  Jewifli  book  called  Imre  Binah  informs  us, 
 that  "  there  are  thrj'E  prime  and  primordial  heads^  and 
 "  co-eternaly  and  this  their  own  light  teftifies ;  and  the 
 "  intelle6lual  numerations  do  eternally  teftify  the  Tri- 
 "  NiTY  of  the  King."  ' 
 
 6c^.  Moses  the  son  of  Nehemannus,  who  lived  in 
 the  twelfth  century,  gives  the  following  account  of  the 
 Messins,  as  he  is  quoted  by  Masius  upon  the  fifth  chap- 
 ter of  Joshua.  "  That  Angely  to  speak  the  truth,  is 
 "  the  ANGiiL  Redeemer,  of  whom  it  is  written,  be^ 
 **  cause  my  name  is  in  hi'm ;  this,  1  say,  is  tliat  Angel, 
 "  who  said  unto  Jacob,  I  am  the  God  of  Bethel.  '  \Ac 
 "  is  also  that  Angel,  of  whom  it  is  said.  And  God  called 
 "  to  Moses  out  of  the  bush ;  for  he  is  called  the  Angela 
 "  because  he  governs  the  world;  wherefore  it  is  wMt- 
 "  ten,  Jehovah,  that  is,  the  Lord  God,  brought  us, 
 "  out  of  E^ypt.  And  elsewhere.  He  sent  bis  -A:^pErL 
 "  and  brought  us  out  of  Eppt.     Besides,  it  is  written, 
 
 l"i  1  ."  And 
 
 *  Dc  verit.  R,pl.  Christ,  p.  45 »  -&■'«• 
 
 '  Jbid.  p.  54. 
 
 '  Ritwngelius  in  Jezirah,  p.  3  and  36.  '% 
 
466  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 "  And  the  Angel  of  his  face  saved  them.  Of  this  Ak- 
 **  GEL  it  is  also  said,  Aly  presence  shall  go  before  the 
 **  camp  of  Lraely  and  shall  cause  it  to  rest,  l.aftly, 
 "  this  is  the  Angel  of  whom  the  prophet  speaks, 
 "  The  Lordy  whom  ye  seeky  shall  suddenly  come  to  his 
 "  temple;  the  An  gel  of  the  covenanty  whom  ye  desire.''* 
 
 66.  The  Jewish  book  Rcschit  Chocmah  says, 
 "  Inhere  are  three  Gods,  as  it  is  explained  in  the  words 
 "  of  the  book  Zohar.  R.  Jose  said,  What  is  the 
 "  tl)e  meaning  of  those  words,  Deut.  4.  7.  to  whom 
 "  the  Gods  are  near,  whereas  it  shoukl  have  been  said, 
 "  to  whom  God  is  near  ;  but  there  is  the  superior  Gody 
 *'  tiiere  is  the  God  of  the  fear  of  Isaac y  and  there  is  the 
 "  inferior  God  j  and  so  they  arc  said  to  be  Gods  that 
 "  are  near." ' 
 
 67.  Another  Jewish  book,  entitled  Midrasch  Tillim, 
 makes  mention  of  "  three  proprieties  or  persons  by 
 "  zvhom  the  world  was  made.''  * 
 
 68.  R.  Phineas  saith,  that  *'  the  Holy  Spirit 
 *^  rested  upon  Joseph  from  his  youth  till  the  day  of 
 "  his  death." ' 
 
 f)<).  Again  : — "  After  they  were  all  slain,"  saith  the 
 same  Rabbi,  "  the  Holy  Spirit  rested  twenty  years 
 "  upon  Ezekiel  in  Babylon,  and  led  him  forth  into  the 
 "  valley  of  Dora,  and  fhewcd  him  a  great  number  of 
 "  bones."  • 
 
 70.  Some  ancient  Cabalists  distinguish  God  into 
 "  three  lights,  which  some  of  them  call  by  the 
 "  same  names  we  Chriftians  do,  namely.  Father, 
 "  Son,  or  Word,  and  Holy  Ghost."' 
 
 71.  And 
 
 ♦  Sec  Scott's  Christian  Life,  vol.  3.  notes  at  the  end. 
 '  Voisin.  in  Procem.  Pug.  Fid. 
 
 *  Martin  Raimund,  Pug.  Fid.  p.  396. 
 
 ^  See  Scott's  Christian  Life,  voL  3.  Notes  at  the  end. 
 
 •  Ibid. 
 
 »  Grotius  de  Veritatc. — ^This  great  man  hath  given  us  his  opinion 
 of  thefe  matters  in  various  parts  of  his  writings.  In  the  book  be- 
 fore us  he  layi,  "  There  is  no  more  reason  why  the  worlhipping 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  467 
 
 71.  In  Tanchuma,  a  famous  book  among  the  Jews, 
 IS  a  passage  to  this  effect;  that  Jesus  Christ,  whom 
 they  call  wicked  Balaam,  taught  that  he  r^'as  God  : 
 and  R.  Tanchuma  argues,  that  he  was  a   mere  man.  * 
 
 72.  In  the  grand  council  of  Jews  assembled  at 
 Ageda  in  Hungary,  A.  D.  1650,  they  easily  agreed 
 to  these  three  particulars,  ist.  That  the  Messiah  will 
 appear  as  a  great  conqueror,  and  deliver  them  from  all 
 foreign  yoke.  adly.  That  he  will  alter  nothing  in"  the 
 Mofaic  religion.  3dly.  That  he  will  be  lorn  cf  a  vir- 
 gin; and  that  this  his  miraculous  birth  is  to  be  a 
 characteristic  by  which  he  shall  be  known  to  those  who 
 are  strangers  to  the  covenant.  * 
 
 73.  The  learned  Jews  know  well,  that  that  prayer, 
 
 L  1 1  2  which 
 
 "  many  Gods  fhould  be  objected  against  the  Christians,  than  against 
 *'  Philo  the  Jew,  who  cJten  afHrms  that  there  are  three  things  in 
 "  God  ;  and  he  calls  the  Reason  or  Word  of  God,  the  Name  of 
 **  God,  the  Maker  of  the  world  ;  not  unbegotten  as  is  God  the 
 •*  Father  of  all  ;  nor  yet  begotten  in  like  manner  as  men  arc.  The 
 "  same  is  likewise  called  the  Angel,  or  the  Ambassador,  who  takes 
 *•  care  of  the  universe,  by  Philo  himself;  and  by  Moses  the  son 
 *•  of  Nehemannus  :  Or  against  the  Cabbalists  who  distinguish  God 
 **  into  three  lights,  and  some  of  them  by  the  same  names  as  the 
 "  Christians  do  of  the  Father,  Son,  or  Word,  and  Holv 
 "  Ghost.  And  to  take  that,  which  is  chiefly  allowed  amongst  all 
 *'  the  Hebrews  :  That  Spirit  by  which  the  prophets  were  moved, 
 "  is  not  any  created  thing,  and  yet  is  distinguislicd  from  him  that 
 **  sent  it ;  as  likewise  that  which  is  commonly  called  the   Shechinah, 
 
 "  Now  many  of  the  Hebrews  have  this  tradition,  that  that  Divine 
 **  power,  which  they  call  Wisdom,  should  dwell  in  the  Messiah 
 •'  vvhence  the  Chaldee  paraphrast  calls  the  Messiah,  the  Word  of 
 *'  God  ;  as  the  Messiah  is  also  called  by  David,  and  others,  by 
 **  the  venerable  name  of  God,  and  also  of  the  Lord." 
 
 iiook  5.   sect.  21. 
 
 *  Allix's  Judgment,  p.  430. 
 
 ^Universal  History,  vol.  11.  p.  142.  See  Jamieson's  Vindi- 
 cation, vol.  I.  p.  88,  89,  where  it  appears  the  Jews  had  som^ 
 notion  their  Messiah  should  be  miraculously  conceived.  To  this 
 purpose  they  applied  Jer.  31.  21,  where  it  is  said.  The  Lord  bath 
 created  a  /.vcu  ihtiig  in  tie  earth,  A  ■zvcman  shall  compass  a  man. 
 This  is  a  strong  presumptive  argument  that  Dr.  Blayney  is  mistaken 
 in  giving  a  difterent  meaning  to  the  passage.  See  his  translation  of 
 the  place,  and  compare  Pearson  on  the  Cued,  Ait.  3.  p.  17*. 
 
468  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 which  in  the  Christian  countries  is  called  the  prayer 
 against  the  Sadducees,  and  in  other  countries  the  prayer 
 agaii:!St  the  Minnim,  the  heretics  and  apostates,  was 
 truly  and  originally  written  against  the  Christians^  for 
 being  teachers  of  a  Trinity,  and  of  Christ's  divini- 
 •TY.  This  prayer  was  composed  under  R.  Gamaliel, 
 wiio  died,  A.  D.   52.  ' 
 
 74.  In  that  wretched  fiction  of  Jevish  malignity, 
 which  is  entiiled  'Tholedoih  Jesu^  or  the  Generations  of 
 Jt'His,  a  kind  of  anti-gOi>pel,  published  by  Hiddrik  i 
 they  state  our  Saviour  and  his  Disciples  to  have 
 taught^  that  he  vvas'Goo,  born  of  a  Virgin,  who  had 
 corceived  him  by  the  Holy  Ghost.* 
 
 75.  Josephus,  the  celebrated  Jewish  historian,  lived 
 in  the  apostohc  age.  !!( ,  though  an  unbeliever,  has 
 spoken  of  our  blessed  Saviour  as  being  a  person  vei  y 
 exn-aoruinary.  If  the  passage  is  genuine,  it  seems  to 
 imply,  that  even  those  v\  ho  rejected  the  mission  of  our 
 Saviour,  had  some  suspicion  he  was  more  than  a  mere 
 man; — "  Now,"  says  he,  "  there  was  about  this  time 
 "  Jesiny  a  wise  man  ;  if  it  be  lawful  to  call  him  a  man  : 
 "  lor  he  wa:-  a  doer  of  v/onderful  works,  a  teacher  of 
 *'  such  m(  ri  as  receive  the  truth  with  pleasure. — He  "xas 
 **■  Christr ' 
 
 76.  Dr.  Lightfoot  gives  us  the  articles  of  a  bcHev- 
 ing  Jew's  creed  collected  out  of  x^'cit  law  of  Moses,  in 
 the  manner  fallowing : 
 
 I.  "  I  believe  that  salvation  is  by  faith,  not  by  works. 
 
 a.  "  I  believe  that  there  is  no  falvation  without  re- 
 "  conciliation  with  God,  and  no  reconciliation  without 
 **  satisfaction. 
 
 3.  "  1  believe  that  satisfa^flion  shall  once   be  made. 
 
 4.  **  I  believe  that  satibiaction  tor  sin  shall  be  made 
 *'  by  a  man. 
 
 "  S-  I 
 
 •  Allix's  Judgment,  p.  431. 
 
 *  Wfiit.  Origin  of  Arianism  Disclosed,  p.  7. 
 
 '  The  genuintness  of  this  passage  has  been  questioned  by  several 
 respectable  bchokrs. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  469 
 
 5.  "  I  believe  th?.t  he  shall  be  more  than  a  man. 
 
 6.  "  I  b.iicve  that  the  Redeemer  must  ako  be  God 
 *'  as  well  as  man. 
 
 7.  "  I  believe  tliat  man's  Redeemer  shall  die  to  make 
 "  satisfnCtion. 
 
 8.  *'  I  believe  that  he  shall  not  die  for  his  own  sins, 
 *^  b'Jt  f  r  man's. 
 
 9.  "  I  believe  that  he  shall  overcome  death. 
 
 10.  "  I  believe  to  be  saved  by  laying  hold  upon  his 
 "  merits."* 
 
 Nothing  can  be  clearer  from  all  -these  teftimonies, 
 than  that  the  Jews,  prior  to,  and  about  the  time  of,  our 
 Saviour,  entertained  ideas  of  a  triplicily  in  the  Divin-e 
 Nature.'  * 
 
 *  Works,  vol.   I.  p.  713.— See  Bradley's  Impartial  View  of  thV' 
 Trii'h  of  Christianity,  p.    156. 
 
 ">  This  is  fu.ly  proved  by  Dr.  Allix  in  the  learned  work  before  so 
 often  mentioned,  and  granted  by  a  celebrated  Socinia'o  of  the  last 
 age.  He  says  in  his  Historical  Vindication  of  the  Naked  Gospel, 
 that  the  Platonic  enthujiasm  cropt  first  into  the  Jewish,  after\vards 
 into  the  Chriftian  church.  Then  he  tells  his  readers  how  the  Jews 
 pickeo  up  their  Platoniim  ;  of  which  he  says,  the  principal  doctrines 
 were  two  ;  the  one,  that  of  the  pre-cxirtence  of  souls ;  the  other, 
 that  of  ihe  Divine  Trinity.  These,  he  says,  were  the  opinions  of 
 the  Jev^  s  in  the  days  of  our  Saviour  and  his  Apostles.  See  Bishop 
 Horsley's  Tracts,  p.  27.  ,^ 
 
 The  learned  reader  will  find  the*  same  thing  treated  professedly, 
 and  with  preat  ability,  by  Galatinus  in  his  twelve  books  De  Arcanis 
 Caiholicae  V<ritaiis.  'Ihe  doctrine  of  the  Cabbalists  is  treated  at 
 large  by  Reucfilinus  in  his  three  books.De  Arte  Cabbalistica. 
 
 fl^^^^epi 
 
4/0  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 PART  SIXTH. 
 
 SECTION     I. 
 
 Opinions  of  the  HEATHEN  concerning  the  PLURALITY  of  the 
 DIVINE  NATURE. 
 
 WE  proposed  in  the  next  place  to  produce  the 
 opinions  of  the  karncd  Heathen  concerning  the 
 nature  of  the  Divine  Being.  Much  satisfactory  in- 
 formation, one  should  suppose,  could  not  be  expected 
 from  this  quarter.  Their  ideas  cannot  be  very  distinct 
 upon  a  subject  so  deep  and  mysterious  as  that  of  the 
 Sacred  Trinity,  Unassisted  reason  can  afford  lit- 
 tle information  here.  All  their  knowledge  of  the  sub- 
 je6l  must  have  been  derived  from  tradition,  from  the 
 writings  of  Moses  and  the  Prophets,  *  or  from  conver- 
 sation had  with  the  Jews  in  their  dispersion.  How  they 
 came  by  their  intelligence  we  know  little  for  certain. 
 Certain,  however,  it  is,  that  the  Gentile  nations  were 
 no  strangers  to  the  distinctions  in  the  Godhead  at  a 
 very  early  period  of  the  world.  Their  notions  of  this 
 kind  are  to  be  traced  so  far  back ;  that  we  arc  lost  in 
 the  abyss  of  time,  and  can  only  say,  that  the  Heathens 
 were  possessed  of  the  idea  of  a  distinction  in  the  Deity 
 from  time  immemorial.  *  And  this  is  a  strong  presump- 
 tion, 
 
 » — «<  What  Socrates  raid  of  him,  what  Plato  writ,  and  the  rest 
 "  of  tlie  Heathen  philosophers  of  several  nations,  is  all  no  more 
 "  than  the  twilight  of  revelation,  after  the  sun  of  it  was  fet  in  the 
 ••  race  of  Noah."     Dryden's  Preface  to  his  Religio  Laici. 
 
 It  would  be  easy  to  prove,  were  this  a  place  for  it,  that  most  of 
 the  learning,  which  was  cultivated  among  the  Heathen,  was  derived, 
 either  from  tradition,  or  from  revelation.  Their  mythology  was 
 little  more  than  a  corruption  of  sacred  history.  Whoever  is  dispos- 
 ed to  see  this  question  throughly  elucidated  will  find  considerable 
 satisfaction  from  the  perusal  oi  Bochart's  Phaleg  tt  Canaan,  Cud- 
 worth's  Intellectual  bvstem,  Gale's  Court  of  the  Gentiles,  Millar's 
 Propagation  cf  Christianity,  Banicr's  Mythology,  Bryant's  Ancient 
 M)  thology,  Maurices's  Indian  Antiquities,  and  History  of  Indostan, 
 and  other  writings  of  a  similar  kind. 
 
 *'  *•  1  he  Philosophers  of  all  nations  seem  to  have  had  some 
 ♦'  idea,  more  cr  less  confused,  of  a  certain  tripiictty  in  the   supreme 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  471 
 
 tion,  that  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  was  either  an 
 original  revelation  to  mankind,  or  that  the  writings  of 
 ^loses  and  the  Prophets  have  been  interpreted,  right  or 
 Tong,  as  containing  some  information  concerning  it. 
 x5e  this  as  it  may,  the  most  early  notice  we  have  from 
 the  Heathen  of  a  plurality  of  persons  in  the  Divine  Na- 
 ture seems  to  be  derived  from  the  eastern  countries, 
 where  the  descendents  of  Noah  first  settled.  Chaldea 
 and  Egypt  were  the  original  sources  of  it.  Into  one 
 or  both  of  these  countries  the  Learned  of  ancient  times 
 usually  travelled,  to  gather  what  information  they  were 
 able  concerning  arts,  laws,  policy,  things  human  and 
 divine.  In  these  literary  peregrinations  the  Giecian 
 Sages  take  the  lead.  Orpheus,  Pythagoras,  Homer, 
 Plato,  and  other  celebrated  persons  returned  from  these 
 Universities  of  the  world,  full  fraught  with  learned 
 stores :  and  from  Greece,  that  sm.ali,  but  celebrated 
 country,  they  disseir.inated  the  seeds  of  religion,  liber- 
 ty, and  laws,  through  all  the  neighbouring  nadons,  the 
 benefits  of  which  we  enjoy  at  this  day.  * 
 
 I.  Zoroaster 
 
 **  Unity.  Christianity  has  unfolded  this  ancient  doctrine.  It  teaches 
 *'  us,  that  in  the  Di'vinc  Esrencf  there  is  a  tr/ple  eiislittction  of  Fa- 
 ••  TH  ER,  Son,  and  Hoi.  Y  Sf  I  R  I  T  ;  that  the  actions  of  the  one 
 •*  arc  not  the  actions  of  the  other;  that  the  Father,  exists  of 
 **  I^imself,  independently,  as  the  primitive  source  of  Deity  ;  that 
 *•  the  Son  comes  forth  from  the  Father  by  an  incoraprehen.'ible 
 **  generation  :  and  the  Holy  Spirit  from  both  by  an  inconceive- 
 "  able  procession  ;  and  lastly,  that  these  tivo  emanations  from  the 
 *'  Divinity  are  necessary,  co-etirnal,  con-substantiah  infinite,  and  in 
 "  all  things  f^/<fl/ /(? /^;  Fat  H  E  R,  his  luJependance  cnli  excepted." 
 Ramsay's  Discourse  upon  the  I'heology  and  Mythology  of  the 
 Pagans,   p.    172. 
 
 '  There  is  a  good  general  view  of  the  sentiments  of  the  Fleathcn 
 concerning  the  Trinity  in  Reeve's  edition  of  Chamber's  Cycio- 
 pasdia,  which  I  shall  transcribe  in  these  notes  for  the  satisfaction  of 
 those  persons,  who  are  not  possessed  of  that  great  Work,  and  who 
 yet  wish  to  be  acquainted  with  the  first  principles  of  things.  "  Many 
 "  of  the  Heathen,"  says  this  vast  repository  of  science,  "  seem 
 *•  to  have  had  a  notion  of  a  Trinity.  Steuch.  Eugub.  de  Percn. 
 **  Philos.  lib.  I.  cap.  3.  observes,  that  there  is  nothing  in  all 
 *'  theology  more  deeply  grounded,  or  more  generally  allowed  by 
 "  them,  than  the  mystery  of  the  Trinity.  The  Chalds.ins, 
 *'  Phoenicians,   Greeks,  and  PvOmans,  both  in   their  writir.gs,  jsnd 
 
47*  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 I.  Zoroaster  seems  to  have  been  the  first  in  the 
 eastern  countries,  who  entertained  an  idea  of  TtIIire 
 PRINCIPALS  existing  in  the  Divine  Nature.  He  lived 
 in  a  very  early  period  of  the  world,  but  when,  it  is  not 
 certain.  His  opinions  are,  indeed,  delivered  in  very- 
 obscure  terms ;  but  in  terms  sufficiently  clear  to  estab- 
 lish the  proposition  before  us,  that  the  Heathen   natK^ns 
 
 hpd 
 
 "  their  oracles,  acknowleged  that  the  Supreme  Being  hni  hegot 
 "  another  Being  from  all  eternity,  which  they  sometimes  called  rhe 
 **  Son  of  God,  sometimes  the  Word,  sometimes  the  M  i  %•  d,  ai>'i 
 *'  somotirr.es  :he  WiiooM  of  God,  and  asserted  it  to  be  tne  cr,-a- 
 *'  tor  of  .all  things. 
 
 .     "   Among  the  sayings  of  the  Magi,  the  descendents,  of  Zoroaster, 
 '  *'  this   is  one,    Tlxvrci     f^fTf Ac(7£     tt^tv]^      x<z/     vw     Ts:!of^dc>:'/is 
 
 Ccirs^a The    Father     finished .  all    thirf^s,     and    delivered 
 
 "  them  to  the  Second  Mind.  The  Egyptians  called  their  Tri- 
 *'  N  IT  Y, /'?«/7/'a,  and  represented  it  by  a  ghhe,  aseipciit,  and  a 
 "  wing,  disposed  into  one  hieroglyphic  syr'bii!  Kircher,  Gale, 
 "  &c,  suppose  the  Egyptians  learned  their  doctrine  ot  aTaiNiTV 
 *'  from  Joseph  and  the  Hebrews. 
 
 "  The  philosophers,"  says  St.  Cyril,  "  o^rned  thrfe  hypos- 
 *'  /<i'ja,  or  persons  ;  they  have  extended  their  diviint;  to  threk 
 '*  persons,  and  even  sometimes  used  tne  word  Trias.  Iriniiy: 
 "  they  wanted  nothing  but  to  admit  the  consub  t  ii  vialiiy  of  li.e 
 "  THREE  hypostases,  to  signify  the  utiity  of  the  Divitie  Nature,  in 
 *'  excki -ion  of  all /n^//V/V>i  with  regard  to  difference  of  nature  ;  and. 
 "  not  to  hold  't  necessary  to  conceive  any  inferiority  of  hypostases. 
 
 "  .We  lenrn  from  Dr.  Cuduorth,  that,  besides  the  inferior  Gods, 
 **  gerveraliy  received  by  all  the  Pagans,  viz.  animated  stars,  dasmons, 
 •*  and  heroes,  the  more  refined  of  them,  who  accounted  not  the 
 "  v.Miid  the  supreme  deity,  acknowledged  a  Trinity  of  divine 
 '*  hypostases  superior  to  them  all.  This  doctrine,  according  to 
 •'  Plotinus,  is  very  ancient,  and  obscurely  asserted,  even  by  Par- 
 "  menides.  Some  have  referred  its  oiigin  to  the  Pythagoreans,  ai-.d 
 *'  others  to  Orpheus,  who  adopted  three  principals,  called 
 V  Pha/ies,  Uranus,  and  Cronus.  Dr.  Ludwoith  a.prchends,  that 
 *'  Pythagoras  and  Oryilieus  derived  this  doctrine  from  the  iheol-.igy 
 •*  of  the  Egyptian  Hermes  ,  and,  as  it  is  not  protiable,  that  it 
 *'  should  have  been  first  discovered  by  human  reason,  he  concurs 
 *'  with  Proclu;;  in  affirming,  that  it  was  at  first  a  t!ieo!>  gy  of  d.vine 
 **  tradition  or.  revelation,  imparled  first  to  the  ^ieb^ew^,  ad  from 
 •*  them  comniu«icated  to  the  Egyptians  and  other  nations ;  among 
 "  whom  it  was  depraved  and  aaulterated.  L'uJw.  intell.  System, 
 •*  b.    I.  ch.  "4.  .^ 
 
 "  Plato,  and  some  other*t)f  his  followers,  speak  of  a  Trinitt 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  473 
 
 had  an  idea  of  a  Trinity  from  time  immemorial. 
 The  following  are  some  of  the  oracles  of  this  celebrat- 
 ed man,  or  his  disciples,  which  have  come  down  to  our 
 own  times : — 
 
 *•  Where  \}x^  paternal  Monad  is. 
 
 **  The  Monad  is  enlarged  which  generates  Two. 
 
 •♦  For  the   Dyad    sits  by   him,   and   shines   with   intellectual 
 
 sections. 
 "  For  in  the  whole  world  there  shines  a  Trinity,  of  which 
 
 an  Un  I  T  Y  is  the  head. 
 *'  This  order  is  the  beginning  of  all  section  ; 
 "  For  the  7;;;W  of  the  Father,  commanded,   that  all  things 
 
 be  cut  into  three. 
 *•  Whose  will  assented,  and  then  all  things  were  divided  : 
 "  For  the  Father  perfected  all  things,   and  delivered  them 
 
 over  to  the  SE  CON  D    mind,  which   the  whole  race  of 
 
 men  call  the  first." 
 
 These,  with  several  other  oracles,  are  delivered  down 
 
 to  us,    as  the  sayings  of  this   Chaldaic  philosopher,  by 
 
 the    Grecian    writers.  *     Most   of   them    are    obscure 
 
 M  m  m  enough 
 
 **  in  such  terms,  that  the  primitive  fathers  have  been  accused  of 
 "  borrowing  the  very  doctrine  from  the  Platonic  school  ;  but  T. 
 *'  Mouiguts,  who  has  examined  the  point  asserts,  that  nothing  can 
 *'  be  more- stujvid  than  to  suppose  the  Platonic  Trinity  brought 
 *'  into  the  church  ;  and  to  have  recourse  to  the  Placonism  of  the 
 **  fathers  to  discredit  their  authority  witli  regard  to  this  dogma." 
 
 Article  Trinity, 
 *  "  It  is  certain,  that  long  before  Christianity  appeared  in  the 
 •*  world,  there  was  a  very  ancient  tradition,  both  among  Je-Ms  and 
 *'  Heat /jft/s,  QOX)ccrmng  THREE  real  t/ijferefues  or  distinctions  in  the 
 **  Divine  Nature,  very  nearly  resembling  the  Christian  doc- 
 •'  trine  of  the  Tr  I  N  I  T  Y. — Where  this  tradition  had  its  original  is 
 '•  not  easy;  upon  good  and  certain  grounds,  to  say  ;  but  certain  it  is, 
 •*  that  the  Jews  anciently  had  this  notion:  and  that  they  did  dis- 
 **  tinguish  the  Word  of  God,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God, 
 "  from  HIM,  who  was  absolutely  called  God,  and  whom  they  look- 
 •'  td  upon  as  x.\\q  frst  principle  of  all  things  ;  as  is  plain  from  Philo 
 *'  Judaeus,  and  Moses  Nachmanides,  and  others  cited  by  the  learned 
 **  Grotius  in  his  incomparable  book  of  the  Truth  of  the  Christian 
 *•  religion."  Tillot^on,  Sermon  48. 
 
47+  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 enough  to  be  sure ;  but  that  which  declares,  ^'  In  the 
 *'  whole  world  there  shines  a  Trinity,  of  which  an 
 "  Unity  is  the  principle,"  is  very  remarkable,  and  has 
 generally  been  understood  as  conveying  a  strong  idea 
 of  the  doctrine  of  the  Holy  and  Undivided  Trini- 
 ty by  Christian  divines.  Nor  is  the  last  less  remark- 
 able, which  asserts,  that  "  the  Father  perfected  all 
 "  things,  and   delivered  them   over    to    the    second 
 
 «    MIND."V 
 
 2.  Among  the  ancient  Persians  wc  find  some  indubi- 
 table traces  of  the  doctrine  of  a  Trinity,  in  their 
 THREE  greai  deities,  Oromasdes,  Mithra,  and  Ahri- 
 man.  This  was  the  Persian  Triad,  of  which  Mithra 
 was  the  middle  God^  and  called  the  Mediator, 
 
 This  notion  of  the  Persian  Trinity  is  confirmed  by 
 a  passage  in  Plutarch  in  his  treatise  de  Iside  et  Osiride, 
 where  he  declares — "  Zoroaster  is  said  to  have  made 
 *'  a  threefold  distribution  of  things :  to  have  assign- 
 "  ed  xkit  first  and  highest  rank  to  Oromasdes,  who,  in 
 *^'  the  oracles,  is  called  the  Father  ;  the  lowest  to 
 *'  Ahrimanes;  and  the  middle  to  NIithk as,  who,  in 
 '*  the  same  oracles,  is  called  the  second  mind."* 
 
 3.  The  Egyptians  called  their  Trinity  Hempthdj 
 and  represented  it  by  a  globe,  a  serpent,  and  a  wing, 
 disposed  into  one  hieroglyphic  symbol,  according  to  the 
 custom  of  that  country.  Some  persons  have  supposed, 
 that  they  learned  their  doctrine  of  a  Trinity  from 
 Joseph,  and  the  ancient  Hebrews,  who  resided  so  long 
 among  them.  * 
 
 One 
 
 3  For  some  account  of  Zoroaster,  see  Stanley's  History  of  Phi- 
 losophy, part  19,  p.  2. — For  his  opinions,  see  Cudworth's  True 
 Intellectual  System,  p.  286,  &c. — And,  for  the  authority  of  the 
 Chaldean  Oracles,  see  also  the  same  learned  author,  p.  292,  &c.  and 
 Eiihop  Bull's  Primitiva  et  Apostolica  Traditio  de  Jesu  Christi  Divini- 
 tate,  cap.  4. 
 
 *  See  iVJaurice's  Indian  Antiquities,  vol.  4.  p.  713 — 735. 
 
 5  "  The  bgyptians  asserted  but  one  supreme,  unmade  Deity,  yet 
 «'  agreeably  to  the  Orphic,  the  Pythagorean,  and  Platonic  Triad, 
 /  \ihich,  it  is  very  probable,   was  derived  from  them,  they  hold 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  475 
 
 One  of  the   most  remarkable  representations  of  the 
 
 triune  Gvod   that  is  now  known    is   to   be  seen   in    the 
 
 cavern    of  Elephanta,   one   of  the   rnoft   ancient    and 
 
 venerable  temples  in  the  world.      It  is  very  large,  and 
 
 M  m  m  2  composed 
 
 *'  akind  of  Triplicity  or  Trikitt  in  the  same  Dii>ine  Es- 
 "  sence,  whose  several  hypostases,  or  persons,  thev  distinguished  b/ 
 "  some  one  or  other  of  these  names,  Hammon,  Neith,  his,  Serupis, 
 *•  Eictoti,  Emeph,  or  Cneph,  and  Phtha.  The  Jirst  wherecf  \*'2S  aa 
 "  indivisible  unity,  which  they  termed  Eicton  ;  the  second  a  per- 
 *'  feet  mind  converting  its  intellections  into  itself,  which  they 
 •'  termed  E M E p H ,  o  -Cneph  ;  xht  third  in  immediate  principle  of 
 **  generation,  whic'..  (hey  called  by  any  of  the  other  names,  ac- 
 **  cording  to  its  feveral  powers,  as  Hammon,  Osiris,  Pbtba.,  and  the 
 *'  like.  Accordingly  Athanasius  Kircher  tells  us,  that  in  the  Pam- 
 "  philian  obelifk,  that  first  hierogl)  phic  of  a  winged  globe  with  a 
 *•  serpent  coming  out  of  it,  was  the  Egyptian  hieroglyphic  of  a 
 "  TRIFORM  Deity,  or  I'rinity  of  diuine  hypostases;  wnich 
 **  he  confirms  by  the  testimony  of  Abenephius  an  Arabian  writer, 
 **  and  a  Chaldaic  fragment  imputed  to  Sanchuniaihon  ;  the  globe 
 *•  being  said  to  signify  the />;/ incomprehenfible  Deity,  self-exist- 
 "  ent,  and  without  beginning  or  end  ;  the  serpent  signifying  the 
 *•  ^i-vine  nvisdorn  and  creative  virtue;  laltly  the  wings  derioting 
 **  that  active  spirit,  which  cherisheth,  quickeneth,  and  enlivencth 
 **  all  things.  To  this  account  have  subscribed  St.  Cyril,  A.  Sten- 
 *'  chus  Eugubinus,  Sec.  the  latter  citing  for  this  purpose  this  pas- 
 «  sage  out  of  Damascius,  that,  according  to  the  Egyptians,  the 
 **  first  principle  of  all  was  darkness,  above  all  knowledge  and  on- 
 •'  derftanding,  or  unknown  darkness,  they  thrice  repeating  the 
 "  same."  Wise's  Abridgment  of  Cudworth,  p.  102.  See  Cud- 
 worth   himself,  p.  413,  &c. 
 
 The  very  learned  Michaelis  also  observes,  that  "  the  Egyptian 
 *»  philosophers  did  not  fall  in  with  all  the  superstition  of  the  peo- 
 •'  pie,  but  worshipped  one  suprenie  and  first  God,  whom  they  cailed 
 
 "  in  Greek  ElS,  THE  ONE.  Jarablicus  in  his  book  de  Mys- 
 **  teriis  jEgyptorum,  sect.  8.  c.  2.  writes  thus  concerning  tne 
 *'  Deity  ;"  *  Before  all  things  that  exist,  and  before  the  first  original 
 
 *  beings'  ("  meaning  the  spirits   who  created  the  world")   '  tnere 
 
 *  is  one  God. — He  is  prior  to  the  first  God'    ("meaning   his  Son") 
 
 *  and  to  the  King  ;  he  is  moveable,  and  continues  in   the   solitude 
 
 *  of  his  lenity,'  "  This  only  God  was  worshipped  far  and  near  ia 
 "  the  eastern  countries,  and  they  intermixed  superstition  in  their 
 •*  worship  of  him." 
 
 **  Jamblicus  writes  of  him  in  the  place  before  quoted" — *  From 
 
 *  this  One,  that  God  who  is  his  own  original  kindled  himseU  ; 
 
 *  wherefore  he  is  also  called  his  own  Father,  and  his  own  Origin.* 
 
476  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 composed  of  three  heads  united  in  one  body,  de- 
 dicated to  the  Creator,  Preserver,  and  Regene- 
 rator of  mankind.  * 
 
 4.  Mercury  Trismegistus,  who  lived  veiy  early, 
 says,  "  The  will  of  God  contained  his  Word." 
 
 Again: — "  God,  with  his  Word  produced  another 
 "  INTELLECT,  which  is  3.  fiery  God,  and  a  Divine 
 *'  Spirit." 
 
 Again  : — "  The  Word  of  God  compacted  the  pure 
 "  workmanship  of  nature." 
 
 And  again  ; — "  The  working  Intellect  together 
 "  with  the  Word."  ' 
 
 5.  Orpheus,  the  Thracian,  lived  about  1200  years, 
 more  or  less,  before  our  Saviour.  He,  likewise,  speaks 
 more  fully  and  distinctly  of  the  Divine  Nature,  than 
 could  be  expected,  at  so  early  a  period.  How  he  came 
 by  his  information,  we  are  no  where  informed  for  cer- 
 tain. He  strongly,  however,  asserts  three  principals 
 in  the  Godhead,  and  calls  the  acond  the  Divine 
 Word,  and  Immortal  King.* 
 
 Again  : 
 
 {"  A  Christian  cannot  assert  the  eternal  divinity  of  the  Son  of  God 
 •*  in  stronger  terms.")      '  For  he  is  the  original  Being,  and  the  God 
 
 *  of  gods.  One   of  One,   before  any   thing  existed,  and  before  the 
 
 *  beginning  of   existence.     For  from  him  comes   the  possibility  of 
 
 *  being,  and  being  itself,  whence  he  is  also  called   t!ie  beginning  of 
 
 *  things  imaginable.'     Introduc.  Lectures  to  the  N.  T.  sect.    ico. 
 The  curious   reader   would  do  well   to  consult  Maurice's  Indian 
 
 Antiquities,  vol.  4.  page  690,  &c.  where  he  will  find  a  fuller  ac- 
 count of  the  Egyptian  Trin  ity. 
 
 ^  Sec  a  plate  of  this  image  in  Maurice's  Indian  Antiquities,  vol. 
 ist.  with  some  account  of  it  in  the  same  work,  vol.  4.  p.  736,  &c. 
 
 '  Lightfoot's  Works,  vol.  i.  p.  393. — Note.  The  remains  of 
 Trismegistus  are  supposed  by  some  persons  to  be  spurious,  little  de- 
 pendence, therefore,  can  be  placed  upon  his  evidence. 
 
 •''  See  Leslie's  Socin  :  Controv.  p.  257  ;  and  Cudw.  Intel.  Syst. 
 p.  305  and  546,  &c. 
 
 Ramsay  informs  us,  that  "  the  doctrines  of  the  primitive  per- 
 *'  fection  of  nature,  its  fall  and  its  restoration  by  a  Divine  Hero, 
 *'  are  equally  manifest  in  the  Mythologies  of  the  Greeks,  Egyptians, 
 *'  Persians,  Indians,  and  Chinese." 
 
 Discourse,  p.  217. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  477 
 
 Again : — "  I  adjure  thee,  O  heaven,"  said  he,  "  the 
 *'  work  of  the  mighty  and  wise  God  :  I  adjure  thee, 
 *^  the  Voice  of  the  Father,  which  he  first  spoi-ie, 
 "  when  he  established  the  whole  world  by  his  coun- 
 "  sels."» 
 
 .  And  again  :  "  All  things  were  made  by  ove  God- 
 *'  HEAD  in  THREE  NAMES,  and  thjs  God  is  all  thinnrs."  ' 
 
 6.  Pythagoras,  who  Nourished  near  6co  years  before 
 the  birch  of  Christ,  spoke  much  concerning  three 
 PRINCIPALS,  and  is  supposed  to  have  learned  the  doc- 
 trine from  the  Egyptian  priests,  amongst  whom  he  lived 
 twenty  two  years ;  or  else  from  the  followers  of  Zo- 
 roaster in  the  East,  where  he  resided  twelves  years.  * 
 
 7.  Epicharmus,  the  Pythagorean  philosopher,  lived 
 about  450  }ears  before  the  Christian  sera,  yet  he  speaks 
 of  the  Logos  in  very  strong  terms  as  the  author  of 
 reason  to  man  : — 
 
 *'  If  men  have  powers  of  rea9on,  they  have  too 
 
 "  The  heavenly  Locos  :  for  life's  changeful  scenes 
 
 "  Was  reason  planted  in  the  frame  of  men  ; 
 
 "  The  heavenly  Locos  waits  on  all  their  arts, 
 
 *'  Himself  suggesting  what  they  ought  to  do  : 
 
 For 
 
 9  Justin  Martyr,  p.    16. 
 
 *  See  Maurice's  Ind.  Ant.  vol.  4.  p.  702. — "  It  is  clear,"  says 
 the  learned  Jamicson,  "  that  Orpheus  asserted  a  Tkinity, 
 «*  under  the  names  of  Phanes,  Uranus,  and  Chronus ;  one  of  these 
 "  he  called  '^^oroyovog  Qeog  the  first  begotten  GoJ.  Wolfiu* 
 *'  asserts  from  Damascius,  that  Orpheus  introduced  a  tri- 
 "  FORM  deity.  Timotheus,  the  chronographer,  aihrms,  thfit  Or- 
 *'  pheus  had  long  ago  declared,  that  all  things  were  made  by  a 
 **  co-essential  or  consubstantial^Y v.\v.  ITY.  He  uses  the  thrte  names, 
 **  Light,  CouNStL,  and  Life;  and  asserts,  that  by  tiiese 
 "  THREE  all  things  were  made.  He  also  speaks  of  the  i3ivi  ne 
 *'  WoR  D,  and  recommends  a  fixed  adherence  to  it  " 
 
 Viiidicati:n,  vol.i.  p.  25. 
 
 *  "  He  was    the  chief  propagator  of  that  doctrine   amongst  tr.e 
 
 *'  Greeks,  concerning  TH  REE    hypostases  in  the   Deiiy." 
 
 Cudworth's  Intell.  System,  p.  22.  See  this  subject  discussed  in 
 the  same  excellent  work,  p.  37*,  &c.  and  p.  5^6,  &c.  more  at 
 large,  and  with  admirable  learning  and  ability. 
 
478  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 ♦'  For  man  invented  not  a  single  art, 
 **  For  'tis  the  God  who  first  produces  it ; 
 **  And  man's  own  reason  planted  was  in  man, 
 *'  By  the  great  Locos  and  his  hand  divine."' 
 
 8.  Parmenkks  v.-as  a  Greek  philosopher  of  the  Py- 
 thagorean sect,  who  flourished  at  Eiis  about  440  years 
 before  Christ.  Plotinus  tells  us,  that  he  was  one  of 
 them  that  asserted  the  Triad  of  divine  hypostasis.  * 
 
 9.  Socrates 
 
 '  See  Clemens  Alexandrinos  and  Eosebius's  Evang.  Prepar.  But 
 the  above  translation  is  taken  from  the  learned  Mr.  Whitaker's 
 Origin  of  Arianism  Disclosed,  p.   128,  129. 
 
 *  See  Cudworch's  Intell.  System,  p.  386,  &c.  and  p.  516,  &c. 
 See  also  the  same  learned  Work,  p.  22. — I  will  subjoin  what  this 
 very  skilful  Divine  his  advanced  in  a  sort  of  compendium  in  the 
 preface:  "There  was,"  says  he,  **  a  double  Platonic  Tr.  in  it  y  ; 
 «'  the  one  spurious  and  adukcrrited,  of  some  latter  Platonists  ;  the 
 **  other  true  and  genuine,  oi  Plato  himself,  Patraenides,  and  the 
 "  Ajicients.  The  former  of  which,  though  it  be  opposed  by  us  ta 
 *«  the  Christian  Trinity,  and  confuted;  yet  betwixt  the  latter  and 
 **  that,  do  we  find  a  wonderful  correspondence;  which  ii  largely 
 ^'  pursued  in  the  Platonic  Cliristian's  Apology  :  Wherein  notwith- 
 *•  standing,  nothing  must  be  looked  upon  as  dogmatically  asserted 
 "*  by  us,  but  only  offered  and  submitted  to  the  judgment  of  the 
 *•  learned  in  these  matters  ;  we  confining  ourselves  in  thia  mysteri- 
 *'  ous  point  of  the  Holy  Trinity  within  the  compass  of  those  its 
 ••*•  Three  Essentials  declared : — First,  That  it  is  not  a  Trinity  of 
 *'  mere  names  and  words,  or  of  logical  notions  only  ;  but  of  Per- 
 "  sons  or  Hypostases ;  Secondly,  That  none  of  those  Persons  or 
 **  Hypostases  are  creatures,  but  all  uncreated  :  And,  Lastly,  That 
 •■'  they  are  all  Three,  truly  and  really  Ore  God.  Nevertheless 
 ««  we  acknowledge,  that  we  did  therefore  the  more  copiously  insist 
 **  upon  this  argument,  because  of  our  then  designed  Defence  of 
 *'  Christianity  ;  we  conceiving,  that  this  parallelism,  betwixt  the 
 "*  ancient  or  genuine  Platonic,  and  the  Christian  Trinity,  might 
 *•  be  of  some  use  to  satisfy  those  among  us,  who  boggle  so  much 
 *'  at  the  Trinity,  and  look  open  it  as  the  choak-pear  ot  Chriltianity  ; 
 *'  when  they  shall  £nd,  that  the  freest  wits  amongst  the  P?<gan5> 
 "  and  the  best  philosophers,  who  had  nothing  o4  superstition  to 
 "  determine  them  that  way,  were  so  far  from  being  shy  of  such  ars 
 "  hypothesis,  as  that  they  were  even  fond  thereof.  And  that  the 
 "  pagans  had  indeed  such  a  Cabbala  amongst  them  (which  some 
 "  perhaps  will  hardly  yet  believe,  notwithstanding  all  that  we  have 
 "  said)  might  be  further  convinced,  from  that  memorable  relation 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  479 
 
 9.  Socrates  speaks  of  a  person  whom  he  expected 
 to  appear  upon  earth  to  instruct  mankind;  one  that 
 should  enlighten  their  minds  ;  and  one  that  should  have 
 %  wonderful  readiness  and  willingness  to  make  men  vir- 
 tuous, whom  he  even  calls  the  Divine  Logos.  * 
 
 10.  Eupolis,  in  his  Hymn  to  the  Creator,  has  the 
 same  ideas  : 
 
 **  And  yet  a  greater  hero  far 
 
 *'   (Unless  great  Socrates  could  err) 
 
 "  Shall  rise  to  bless  some  future  day, 
 
 "  And  teach  to  live,  and  teach  to  pray. 
 
 •'  Come,  unknown  instructor,  come  1 
 
 *'  Our  leaping  hearts  shall  make  thee  room  : 
 
 "  Thou  with  Jove  our  vows  (halt  share, 
 
 **  Of  Jove  and  Thi e  we  are  the  care." 
 
 It  should  seem  from  hence  (if  this  is  a  just  transla- 
 tion, fori  have  not  seen  the  original)  that  the  Heathen 
 expected  the  person,  who  was  to  come  into  the  world  to 
 instruct  mankind  in  the   will  of  God,    was  to   be  more 
 
 than 
 
 "  in  Plutarch,  of  Thespesius  Solensis,  who,  after  he  had  been  Jook- 
 '*  ed  upon  as  dead  for  three  diys,  reviving,  afiirincd  amongst  other 
 "  things,  which  he  thought  he  saw  or  heard  in  tlie  mean  time  iu  his 
 *'  ectasy,  this,  Of  Three  Gods  in  the  form  of  a  triaiigh,  pouring  i/t 
 *'  streams  into  one  another  ;  Orpheus's  soul  being  said  to  have  ar- 
 "  rived  so  far  ;  accordingly  as  from  the  testimonies  o^  other  Pagan 
 "  writers  we  have  proved,  that  a  Trinity  of  Divine  Hypostases  v. as 
 "  a  part  of  the  Orphic  Cabbala.  True  indeed,  our  belief  of  the 
 *'  Holy  Trinity  is  founded  upon  no  Pagan  Cabbalas,  but  only  Scrip- 
 "  tural  Revelation  ;  it  being  that  which  Christians  are,  or  should  be, 
 **  all  baptized  unto  :  nevertheless  these  things  arc  reasonably  noted 
 '*  by  us  to  this  end  ;  that  that  should  not  be  made  a  prejudice  against 
 "  Christianity  and  Revealed  religion  ;  nor  locked  upon  as  such  an 
 *'  afFrightful  bugbear  or  mormo  in  it  ;  which  even  Pagan  phiIo50- 
 *'  phers  themselves,  and  those  of  the  most  accomplished  intellect 
 "  tuals,  and  uncaptivated  minds,  though  having  neither  councils, 
 "  nor  creeds,  nor  scriptures  ;  had  so  great  a  propensity  and  readi 
 **  ncss  to  entertain,  and  such  a  veneration  for." 
 
 Pages   I  r ,   12. 
 '  Vide  Plato,  in  Alcibiade  et  in  Phocd. 
 
480  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 than  man,  and  was  to  ihare  divine  honours  ^vith  the 
 supreme-  Deity. 
 
 II.  Plato,  the  most  celebrated  of  all  the  Grecian 
 philosophers,  flourished  about  400  years  before  the 
 birth  of  our  Saviour.  He  began  to  write  when  the 
 prophets  ceased  in  Israel.  His  sentiments  on  religion, 
 are  in  the  main,  very  pure  and  excellent}  and  his  opinions 
 on  the  subject  now  under  consideration  bear  a  striking 
 resemblance  to  the  doctrine  of  the  Christian  Trinity.  ' 
 
 Porphyry  says,  that  "^  Plato  extended  the  Divine  Es- 
 *'  sf}7cc  into  TFiREE  bvpos/dses,  the  supreme  God  being 
 "called  Opi'unuSy  and  after  him  a  second  God,  the 
 **  AMcr  of  all  things."  ' 
 
 Plato  himself  bids  us  swear  "  by  God,  who  is  the 
 <c  o-overnor  of  all  thines,  and  by  the  Father  of  him, 
 "  who  is  tiic  ruler  and  the  cause.'' 
 
 Again: — Speaking  of  the  Son  of  God,  he  says,  "  The 
 "  most  Divine  Word  framed  this  universe,  and  rtn- 
 «'  dered  it  visible.  And  that  man,  who  is  truly  hap- 
 *'  py,  first  admires  this  Word,  and  is  afterward  in- 
 "  liamed  with  a  desire  of  learning  all  that  can  be  known 
 "  by  a  mortal  nature,  being  convinced  that  this  is  the 
 "  only  way  to  lead  a  happy  life  here  belov/,  and  after 
 "  deadi  to  arrive  at  those  places  that  are  prepared  for 
 **  virtue  ;  whei-e  he  shall  be  truly  initiated  and  united 
 "  with  wisdom,  and  always  enjoy  the  most  wonderful 
 **  discoveries." 
 
 Again  : — Writing  to  Hermias,  Erastus,  and  Coriseus, 
 he  says,  "  You  mubt  read  my  letter  all  three  together  ; 
 "  and  that  you  may  profit  by  it,  you  ought  to  implore 
 "  the  assistance  of  God,  the  sovereign  Z(9;7/of  all  things, 
 "  that  cither  are  or  shall  be;  and  the  Father  of  th:s 
 *'  Sovereign^   who  is  the  cause   of  beings.      If  we  are 
 
 "  truly 
 
 *  See  this  matter  ably  discussed  in  Cudwcrth's  Intellectual  System, 
 p.  546,  &c.  where  every  thing  is  advanced  upon  the  subject  the 
 leader  can  desire. 
 
 7  Apud  Cyril,  cont.  Jul.  I.   i.  p.  34.. — ^  Eph.  6.  p.   1276. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  THINITV.  4«i 
 
 "  truly  philosophers,  wc  shall  know  this  God  as  clearly 
 "  as  blessed  men  are  capable  of  knowing  him. 
 
 He  writes  in  the  manner  fallowing  to  young  Diony- 
 sius — "  I  must  declare  to  Archedemus,  that  which  is 
 "  much  more  precious  and  divine,  and  which  you  have 
 "  a  very  ardent  desire  to  know ;  since  you  sent  expressly 
 "  to  me  on  that  account.  For,  as  far  as  I  understand  by 
 "  him,  you  do  not  believe  I  have  sufficiently  explained 
 "  what  I  think  of  the  nature  of  the  first  principal.  I 
 '*  must  write  of  this  to  you  in  enigmas>  that  if  my 
 *'  letter  should  be  intercepted  by  sea  or  land,  he  that 
 **  reads  it  may  not  be  able  to  comprehend  any  thing. 
 "  All  things  are  round  about  their  King  ;  they  exist  by 
 "  him,  and  he  alone  is  the  cause  of  good  things :  Se- 
 "  cond  for  second  things,   and  third  for  third.  * 
 
 12.  Aristotle  made  a  declaraiion  just  before  his  death, 
 concerning  the  reasonableness  of  believing,  that  the 
 Gods  would  come  down  from  heaven,  to  instruct  and 
 relieve  mankind.  * 
 
 13.  Zeno,  father  of  the  Stoics,  who  flourished  about 
 250  years  btforc  Christ,  determines  the  Logos  to  be 
 the  Creator  and  Adjuster  of  every  thing  in  nature  ;  and 
 affirms  the  same  Logos  to  be  called  by  the  name  of 
 Fate^  Gody  Mind  of  Jo-ir,  and  Necessity  of  all  things.  * 
 
 He  saith  in  another  place: — "  There  zrt  two  prin- 
 "  ciples  of  air  things,  matter,  which  is  the  patient,  and 
 "  the  efficient,  Gcd  the  Word,  which  being  eternal, 
 "  goes  ihrough  all  matter,  forming  every  thing."  ' 
 
 14.  Some  learned  men  have  found  a  Trinity  of  Di- 
 vine hypostases  even  among  the  idolatrous  Romans,  in 
 an  early  period  of  their  state.  The  Romans  are  sup- 
 posed to  have  received  the  idea  from  the  Phrygians, 
 the  Phrygians  from  the  Samothracians,    and  the  Samo- 
 
 N  n  n  thracians 
 
 *  These  three  passages   are  taken  fron»  Dacler's  Life  of  Plato,, 
 p.  139,  140. 
 
 *  Bishop  Law's  Theory  of  Religion,  p.  114. 
 
 *  Tertullian's  Apol. 
 
 3  Apud  Lacrt.  1.  7.  ^ 
 
4^2  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 thracians  from  the  Hebrews.  "  The  first  of  these  Di- 
 *^  vine  hypostases,  called  Jovey  being  the  foiint?.in  of 
 "  the  Godhead  J  and  the  second  of  thennj  called  by  the 
 "  Latins  Minerva,  fitly  expressing  the  Divine  Logos  : 
 *^  and  the  ibird  Juno,  called  the  Love  and  Delight  of 
 "  Jove,    well  enough   answering  to  the  Divine   Spi- 
 
 15  Cicero  says,  that  the  most  ancient  of  these  Cabiri, 
 who,  according  to  Herodotus,  had  a  temple  at  Mem- 
 phis, were  in  number  three,  and  their  names  Tre- 
 topatrceusy  Eubulcns,  and  Dionysius,  They  were  es- 
 teemed as  the  THREE  mighty  guardian  genii  of  the  uni- 
 verse. 
 
 16.  There  were  various  other  appearances  of  a 
 Triple  Deity  to  be  met  with  among  the  nations  of 
 Europe  in  ancient  times.  The  triple  images  called 
 Hetrnscan  are  proofs  of  this  assertion.  In  Gaul  and  in 
 Germany  have  been  found  deities  in  triple  groups. 
 And  I  do  not  know  whether  we  may  not  attribute  to 
 the  same  tradition  of  a  triune  God  several  other  classes 
 of  the  number  three  among  the  Greeks  and  Romans. 
 They  had  their  three  fates i  three  furies;  three 
 graces i  and,  according  to  Varro,  three  celestial  muses J^ 
 
 ♦  Sec  Cudworth's  Intel!.  System,  p.  450,  &c.  and  p.  546,  Jcc, 
 5  See  Maurice's  Indian  Antiquities,  vol.  4.  p.  711,  712. 
 
 ,^*^^^^ 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  48J 
 
 PART  SIXTH. 
 
 SECTION     II. 
 
 Opjnlonj  of  the  more  modern  HEATHEN  concerning  the  PLURALITY 
 of  riie  DIVINE  NATURE. 
 
 VIRGIL  lived  in  the  time  of  Auguftus,  and  was 
 contcmooiary  with  our  Saviour,  Instructed,  as 
 is  generally  allowed,  by  the  v/ritings  of  the  Sybils,  he 
 hath  spoken  such  things  of  fome  extraordinary  child  just 
 then  born,  as  are  applicable  to  no  merely  human  Being  : 
 
 17.  "  Now  a  new  progeny  is  sent  from  lofty  heaven. — 
 "  He  fhall  receive  the  life  of  Gods;  and  fhall  see 
 "  heroes  mixed  with  Gods,  and  he  himself  shall  be 
 "  seen  of  them :  and  he  shall  rule  the  peaceful  world 
 "  with  his  Father's  virtues,'— Dear  offspring  of  the 
 *^  Gods,  the  mighty  son  of  Jove."' 
 
 18.  Seneca,  the  tragedian,  hath  nearly  the  same  ideas 
 with  the  above  of  Virgil.  In  speaking  of  the  primitive 
 state  of  the  world  he  says  : — "  Then  virgin  Justice, 
 *'  spouse  of  the  great  God,  sent  from  heaven,  with 
 "  holy  Fidelity,  governed  the  earth  with  sweet- 
 "  ness."' 
 
 19.  Seneca,  the  Stoic  philosopher,  and  tutor  of 
 Nero,  emperor  of  Rome,  was  born  about  the  same 
 time  with  our  Saviour.  It  appears  from  his  Consolaiioy 
 that  he  was  no  stranger  to  the  doctrine  of  the  Holy 
 Trinity.  His  words  are,  speaking  of  the  misfortune 
 that  had  befallen  Helvia  :— **  It  was  done,  believe  me, 
 *••  by  him,  whosoever  hew-as  that  formed  the  universe, 
 **■  whether   that  God  is  the  Almighty,  or  whether 
 
 "  the 
 
 •  See  tbe  fourth  Eclogue,  passim. 
 '  Sen,  Frag.  Ocuviie.  act.  2. 
 
484  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 "    the    IMMATERIAL    PRINCIPLE    OF    ReASON,    thc   Ar- 
 
 "  TiFiCER  of  his  amazing  works,  or  whether  it  was  the 
 "  Divine  Spirit,  which  is  difFusfd  through  all  the  ob- 
 "  jects  of  nature,  great  and  small,  or  whether  it  was  fate 
 *'  and  the  unchangeable  concatination  of  causes  mutually 
 "  dependant."  *    Consol.  ad  Helviam,  c.   8. 
 
 20.  Pontius  Pilate  is  said  by  Eusebius  to  have  in- 
 formed Tiberius,  emperor  of  Rome,  "that  Christ  was 
 "  already  believed  by  many  to  be  God."  Eccl.  Hist, 
 lib.   I.  cap.  2. 
 
 21.  One  of  the  most  early  and  remarkable  foreign 
 testimonies,  to  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  is  that  of 
 Simon  Maeus.  Iren^eus  cells  us,  "  that  he  was  by  many 
 "  glorified  as  God,  that  he  taught  them  he  was  the  same 
 *'  indeed  who  appeared  among  the  Jews  as  the  Son  ; 
 *'  but,  in  Samaria,  descended  as  the  Father  j  and  came 
 "  into  other  nations  as  the  Holy  Ghost  -,  and  that  he 
 '*  was  the  most  sublime  virtue,  that  is,  he  who  is  Fa- 
 "  THER  over  all."* 
 
 Bishop  Bull  observes  upon  this  strange  pretension  : — 
 *'  From  whence,  I  beseech  you,  was  that  blasphem.ous 
 *'  declaration  of  Simon's,  that  he  only  was  X.\\t  Scn 
 "  who  appeared  among  the  Jews,  the  Father  who 
 ^^  descended  in  Samaria,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  who 
 "  came  upon  the  Gentiles  ?  From  whence,  I  say,  was 
 
 "it 
 
 •  "  This  theology  with  other  sciences  came  from  Egypt  to  India, 
 "  where  at  this  day  the  doctrines  of  the  three  perscns  of  the 
 "  Deity  in  ONE  substance,  is  an  essential  part  of  the  creed  of  the 
 **  Bramins,  and  they  call  those  persons  by  the  same  names  that  we 
 *'  do, //^(T  Fat  HER,  r^f  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost.  The  frst 
 *'  in  their  language  is  Rama,  the  second  Viskcu,  and  the  third, 
 *'  Crisna.  This  tact  is  toid  in  a  French  book  written  by  one 
 *'  Le  Crt  zc,  entitled,  Histoire  du  Christianism  des  Jndes,  voL  2. 
 *'  book  4.  p.  48,  And  he  relates  it  upon  the  credit  of  one  Manuel 
 *  Godinho,  a  Ponuguese,  who  was  in^india  in  the  year  1663.  And  I 
 *'  have  heard  the  fact  attefted  by  an  acquamtance  of  mine,  who  had 
 "  been  many  years  in  India." 
 
 Lord  Monboddo's  Origin  and  Progress  of  Language,  vol.  5. 
 from  the  Critical  Review  for  Deer.   1791,  p.  409. 
 
 *  Adv.  HxT.  lib.  I.  cap.  20. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  485 
 
 <«  it  taken,  if  not  from  the  received  doctrine  of  the 
 "  church  concerning  the  Holy  Trinity,  God  the 
 "  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Spirit?* 
 
 11.  In  the  very  beginning  of  die  second  century 
 lived  the  celebrated  Pliny,  who  was  a  judge  under  tlic 
 emperor  Trajan,  that  put  Ignatius  to  death.  He  had 
 occasion  to  take  the  confessions  of  some  revoking 
 Christians,  and  he  says  they  declared  unto  him,  that 
 *'  they  were  accustomed  to  meet  on  a  crrtain  day  be- 
 "  fore  it  was  light,  and,"  among  other  parts  of  their 
 worship,  "  sing  an  hymn  to  Chri^^i:  as  God."  *  He  says 
 farther  in  the  same  Epistle,  that  the  contagion  of  ihis 
 superstition  had  overspread  not  only  cities,  but  towns 
 and  country  villages.  It  appears  from  this  testimony 
 of  Pliny,  that  the  worship  of  Jesus  Christ  wa^  com- 
 mon among  all  ranks  and  degrees  of  Christians  many 
 years  before  the  conversion  of  Justin  Martyr  to  the 
 Christian  faith. 
 
 23.  Lucian,  the  Heathen,  was  contemporary  with 
 Justin  Martyr,  being  born  about  the  year  124.  by  his 
 ridiculing  the  worship  of  the  Christians  of  his  own  cime, 
 it  appears  very  satisfactorily,  what  religious  principles 
 were  then  entertained  among  them.  For,  bringing  in 
 a  Christian  instructing  a  Catechuman,  he  makes  the 
 Catechunian  ask  this  question  : — "  By  whom  shall  I 
 *^  swear  :"  And  he  who  personates  the  Christian  answers : 
 "  By  the  God  that  reigns  on  high,  the  great,  immortal, 
 "  heavenly  God  ;    and  the  Son  of  the  Father;  and 
 
 "  the 
 
 *  Prim,  et  ^postol.  Tradit.  c.  2.  s.  4. 
 
 *  Plin.  book  10.  Ep.  97.  These  hymns  are  called  by  an  anci- 
 ent writer,  mentioned  by  Eusebius,  1.  5.  c.  28,  psalms.  "  Psalms 
 "  also,"  says  he,  "  and  hymiis  of  the  brethren,  written  by  the 
 •'  faithful  from  the  beginning,  celebrate  Christ  the  Word  o^ 
 "  God,  and  pronounce  him  God.  Of  this  kind,  no  doubt,  were 
 "  the  hymns  which  St.  Paul  refers  to  in  his  Epillie  to  the  Ep.  c.  5. 
 *'  19,  speaking  to  yourselves  in  psalms  and  hymns,  and  spiritual  songs—* 
 *'  to  the  Lord ;  that  is,  to  Christ.  Speaking  to  themsel=-j£s  evidently 
 •'  corresponds  with  that  alternate  mode  of  singing  among  tkemsehes.^* 
 
 Rnowles's  Prim.  Christ,  p.  3^, 
 
486  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 "  the  Spirit  proceeding  from  the  Father,  one  j.'*. 
 *'  THREE,  AND  THREE  IN  ONE.  Considcr  this  to  be 
 "  your  Jupiter  i  esteem  this  to  be  your  God."  ^ 
 
 Socinus  rates  this  testimony  of  Lucian  very  highly. 
 His  words  deserve  our  notice.  "  I  never  met  with  any 
 "  thing,"  says  he,  "  which  seems  more  to  favour  the 
 "  notion  that  a  Trinity  oi  persons  m  the  Godhead 
 *'  was  in  that  age  the  object  of  belief  and  worship, 
 "  than  tliis  passage  from  the  Dialogue  stiled  Philopa- 
 «  tris."* 
 
 This  is  an  Important  concession  from  an  adversary. 
 In  another  place  this  witLy  Pagan  objects  to  the.  Chris- 
 tians "the  WORSHIP  of  their  crucified  impostor,"* 
 as  he  blasphemously  calls  our  blessed  Saviour  i  a  pretty 
 good  proof  that  he  was  then  an  object  of  religious 
 adoration. 
 
 Describing,  in  another  place,  his  coming  Into  a  reli- 
 gious assembly,  he  says,  "  He  there  heard  that  prayer, 
 •"'  which  began  with  the  Father,  and  ended  with  the 
 "  song  sf  many  names."  ^ 
 
 Again : — "  These  wretches"  (the  Christians)  says 
 he,  "  believe  themselves  immortal  /  that  they  fhail  live 
 *'  forever  J  and  therefore  despise  death,  and  yield  them- 
 "  selves  unto  it.  Their  Lawgiver  persuaded  them  that 
 "  they  are  all  brethren  ;  and  therefore  when  they  depart 
 **  from  us,  and  deny  the  deities  of  the  Greeks,  and 
 "  worship  their  crucified  Teacher,  and  frame  their 
 "  lives  conformably  to  his  laws,  they  contemn  riches, 
 '^  have  all  things  in  common,  keep  their  faith. — To 
 '*  this  day  /bey  worship  that  great  Man  cruci- 
 "  riED  in  Palestine.  Percgrinus  learned  that  wonder- 
 "  ful  wisdom  of  the  Christians." 
 
 Another  oath  he  has  to  tliis  purpose  ; — "  By  the  Son, 
 "  him  wlio  is  from  the  Father,  I  will  not  tell  you." 
 
 "  Tel! 
 
 3  See  his  Philopat.  prope  finem, 
 
 *  Socin.  adv.  tutrop.  c.   15.  p.  68g, 
 5  Jn  Protco. 
 
 *  Piiilopatris,  p.   1128. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  487 
 
 "  Tell  me,'*'    replies  another,    "  and    receive    the 
 "  jDowcr  of  telling  me  from  the  Spirit." 
 
 All  these  testimonies  from  an  Heathen,  who  lived  in 
 so  early  an  age  (for  he  wrote  about  the  year  167)  arc 
 extremely  valuable.  They  must  strike  every  attentive 
 mind  in  the  manner  they  affected  the  celebrated  Socinus. 
 "*■  24.  We  have  another  testim.ony  to  the  worship  of 
 Christ  somewhat  similar  to  that  of  Pliny.  It  was  writ- 
 ten by  the  emperor  Adrian  to  a  person  who  was  confiil 
 in  Egypt  in  die  year  T34.  In  this  a  patriarch  of  the 
 Jews  is  said  by  the  Emperor  to  have  been  "  urged  by 
 "  one  party,  to  worship  Serapis,  and  by  another,  to 
 "  WORSHIP  Christ."  ' 
 
 25.  Celsus,  the  celebrated  Epicurean  philosopher, 
 flourished  about  the  year  of  our  Lord  180,  and  v/rote 
 against  the  Christians  with  much  skill  and  plausibility. 
 The  work,  which  he  entitled,  ''  A  true  Discourse," 
 is  lost;  but  various  parts  of  it  are  preserved  bv  Origen, 
 who  returned  an  answer  with  great  ability.  In  one  of 
 these  passages  Celsus,  in  the  name  of  a  Jev»',  whom  he 
 personates,  charges  the  Christians  "  with  finding  fault 
 "  with  the  Jews  for  not  believing,  that  Christ  was 
 "  God."— 
 
 In  another  place  lie  says,  "  We  agree  with  you  Jews, 
 •*  that  the  Word  is  the  Son  of  God."  ' 
 
 He  objects  too  to  the  Christians  their  adoration  of 
 our  Saz'ioui's  Godhead,  and  an  acknowledgement  that 
 Christ  is  God.  • 
 
 26.  "  Severus  Alex^^nder  designed  to  build  a  temple. 
 to  Christ,  and  to  receive  him  among  the  gods ;  which 
 is  reported  also  to  have  been  the  intention  of  Hadrian, 
 who  commanded  temples  without  idols  to  be  erected 
 in  every  city  :  but  he  was  restrained  from  his  purpose 
 by  those,  who,  on  consulting  the  gods,  reported  that, 
 if  he  proceeded,  all  men  would  become  Christians,  and 
 
 that 
 
 *  Vid.  Whitaker's  Origin  of  Arianism  disclosed,  p.  277. 
 '  Scott's  Christian  Life,  vol,   3.  notes  at  the  end. 
 •Orig.  contra  Cel.  lib.  3. 
 
4S8  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 th.it  every  other  temple  would  be  deserted."  This  is 
 th"^  testimony  of  TEhus  Lampridius,  who  himself  was 
 a  Headier:,  and  strongly  implies  that  Christ  was 
 W>RSHIPPED  in  the  days  of  Severn s.  He  lived  about 
 230.     7Elii  Lampridii  Alex.  Sev. 
 
 27.  Numeniu.s,  a  Greek  philosopher  of  the  second 
 Cf^ntury,  and  a  Pythagorean,  calls  the  Father  the  finty 
 and  the  Word  the  second  God.  * 
 
 28.  Plotinusj  the  celebrated  Platonic  philosopher, 
 in  the  third  century,  speaking  of  the  Logos,  says, 
 *'  This  nature  is  Gud,  even  a  second  God."  * 
 
 He  affirms  of  the  Word,  that  "  it  is  not  separated 
 *'  from  the  first  God  or  Father,  but  of  necessity  is 
 "  together  with  him,  being  separated  from  him  only 
 **  in  personality.'^  ' 
 
 "  The  Word  is  the  Be-er,  and  this  Be-er  is  not  a 
 "  dead  Beer,  that  is,  neither  life  nor  mind;  but  that 
 "  mind,  and  life,  and  Be-er,  are  the  same  thing."  * 
 
 "  Neither  is  this  Mind  or  Word  in  power;  neither 
 •*  is  itself  one  thing,  and  its  knowledge  another ;  but 
 *'  its  knowledge  is  itself."  * 
 
 '*  The  Word  is  the  Son  of  God,  the  Child  of  God, 
 "  iht  full,  beautiful  Mind,  even  the  Mind  that  is  full 
 «  of  God.  « 
 
 The  same  Plotinus  hath  treated  at  large  of  these 
 three  Divine  persons,  whom  he  expressly  calls. 
 Three  Persons  that  are  Principals;  assuring  us, 
 that  these  doctrines  concerning  this  Divine  Trinity 
 were  not  new,  or  of  yesterday ;  but  were  anciently, 
 though  obscurely  taught ;  and  that  what  is  now  discover- 
 ed concerning  them  is  only  a  farther  explicanon  of  them. 
 But  we  have  faithful  witnesses  that  these  doctrines  were 
 taught  of  old,  and  particularly  in  the  WTitings  of  Plato 
 
 himself, 
 
 »  Apud.  St.  Cyril,  cont.  Jul.  lib.  8. 
 
 *  Enn.  5.  1.  5.  c.  3. 
 3   Ibid.  5.  1.   I.  c.  6. 
 
 *  Ibid.  5,  1.  I.  c.  a. 
 '  Ibid,  5.  1.  3.  c.  5. 
 *'  Ibid.  5.  1.  8.  c.  5. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  THINIT/.  ^ 
 
 himself,     before    whom     ako     Parmenides    delivered 
 them. ' 
 
 29.  Amelius,  a  third  Platonic  philosopher  of  the 
 same  century,  who  was  well  versed  in  the  doctrine  of 
 the  Genciles  concerning  the  divine  Logos,  casting  his 
 eyes  upon  St.  John's  description  of  the  Son  of  God 
 in  the  first  chapter  of  his  gospel,  doth,  with  all  confi- 
 dence, pronounce  this  to  be   the  sense   of  it : — "  This 
 
 was  that  Word,  who,  according  to  Heraclitus,  ex- 
 isted from  eternity,  and  made  all  things;  and  whom, 
 by  Jupiter!  the  Barbarian  (St.  John)  places  in  the 
 order  and  dignity  of  a  principal,  declaring  him  to 
 have  been  ii-i/b  God,  and  to  be  God,  and  that  all 
 things  were  made  by  him  ;  and  that  in  him  all  things 
 that  were  had  life  and  being;  to  have  descended  to 
 bodies,  and  putting  on  flesh,  to  have  assumed  the 
 form  of  man ;  to  have  afterwards  manifested  the 
 majesty  of  his  nature,  and  returning  to  resume  his 
 Godhead,  and  to  be  God,  such  as  he  was  before  his 
 descent  into  a  body,  into  flesh,  and  into  man."  ' 
 
 30.  Porphyry,  another  famous  Platonic  philosopher 
 of  the  same  age,  and  a  virulent  enemy  to  Chribcianity, 
 says,  "  The  Word  is  always  without  time,  and  alone 
 "  eternal."  » 
 
 He,  moreover,  says,  "  The  Christians  weakly  woR- 
 "  SHIPPED  Christ."  * 
 
 Again: — "  Since  Jesus  Christ  began  to  be  ho- 
 "  NouRED,  no  man  has  been  sensible  of  mt  general  and 
 "  beneficial  superintendence  of  the  gods."  * 
 
 31.  Chalcidius,  a  fifdi  Platonic  philosopher,  who 
 lived  at  the  same  time  with  Amelius,  where  he  explains 
 the  doctrines  of  the  Jews,  delivers  this  as  their  sense  of 
 the  divine  Word: — "This  Word  of  God  is  God 
 "  taking  care  of  human  affairs,  and  is  the  cause   by 
 
 O  o  o  "  which 
 
 '  Ibid,   passim. 
 
 *  Euseb.  Praep.  Evan.  lib.  2.  c.   19. 
 9  St.  Cyril  cont.  Jul.  1.   1.  p.  32. 
 
 *  Apud  Euseb.  D.  E.  lib.  3.  c  6. 
 
 *  Ibid.  lib.  1;.  c.   I. 
 
490  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 "  which  men  may  live  welt  and  happily,  if  they  do  not 
 "  neglect  this  gift,  which  the  supreme  God  hath 
 "  granted  to  them."  ' 
 
 Again :— "  When  that  which  begat  is  most  perfect, 
 "  that  which  is  begotten  necessarily  co-exists  with  it,  so 
 "  as  to  differ  only  by  p;  rsonal  diversity."  * 
 
 Again : — "  There  is  also  a  most  venerable  and  holy 
 "  history,  which  mentions  the  rising  of  one  extraordinary 
 "  Star,  by  which  was  foretold,  not  the  diseases  or  deaths 
 "  of  men,  but  the  descent  of  a  venerable  God  in  favour 
 "  of  men  for  the  salvation  of  them  -,  which  Star  they 
 "  testify  to  have  been  observed  by  the  Chaldeans,  who 
 "  c:ime  to  this  God  newly  born,  and  presented  to  him 
 "  gifts  by  way  of  honour  and  veneration."  ' 
 
 32.  Julian,  the  Apostate,  says  of  St.  John,  that  he 
 alone  of  all  the  Evangelists  has  denominated  rur  Sa- 
 viour Gf-D,  and  appealed  to  the  witn^bs  of  John  Baptist, 
 that  it  is  Christ  whom  we  should  believe  to  be  God 
 the  WoR  D.  "  The  good  natured  John,"  says  he  in  ano- 
 ther place,  "  perceiving  that  the  persuasion  of  Christ's 
 •^  being  God,  prevailed  greatly  among  the  Christians  di^- 
 *^  persed  through  many  cities  of  Greece  and  Italy,  did 
 **  then  privately  take  upon  him  to  assert  the  same  doc- 
 *'  trine  in  his  Gospel,  with  a  view  to  humour  them,  and 
 **  get  himself  reputation."  This  is  Julian's  way  of  ridi- 
 culing the  doctrine  of  Christ's  divinity,  but  it  shews 
 strongly,  that  the  Christians  of  the  apostolic  age  were 
 exceedingly  zealous  for  the  doctrine  of  Christ's  divine  na- 
 ture, and  that  St.  Juhn  s  gospel,  in  the  opinion  of  Juli- 
 an, contains  these  sentiments. ' 
 
 33.  Libanius,  the  Orator,  says  with  scorn,  "  that  the 
 *'  Christians  make  that  man  of  Palestine  both  God  and 
 «  the  Son  of  God."  ' 
 
 34.  Hieroclec 
 
 3  In  Timaeum  Plat. 
 
 ♦  Apud  Euscb.  P.  E.  1.  II.  e.  17. 
 
 »  In  Timaeum.  Consult  Maurice's  Ind.   Antiq.  vol.  4.  p.  703,  &c. 
 
 •  Vide  Burgh's    Sequel,   p.    407,  and  Waterland's  Importance, 
 
 p.  253- 
 
 »  iioct.  Hist.  Eccl.  lib,  3.  c.  23. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  49*^ 
 
 34.  Hierocles  says,  "  the  Christians,  because  of  a 
 "  few  miracles,  proclaim  Jesus  to  be  God."  ' 
 
 35.  Proclus,  a  Greek  philosophcrr,  who  lived  in  the 
 latter  end  of  the  fourth  or  beginning  of  the  fifth  century, 
 called  the  doctrine  of  three  Divine  persons  subsisting  in 
 the  Godhead,  "  The  tradidon  of  the  three  G^ds,  and 
 "  the  divinely  delivered  theology:,  which  teaches  that  this 
 ♦*  world  was  comjileted  by  these  three."  ' 
 
 The  same  Proclus  quotes  a  Chaldasan  oracle  which 
 says: — "  After  the  paternal  jnind,  I  Psyche  dwell;" 
 which,  in  our  language,  arc  expressive  of  the  iion  and 
 Holy  Ghost, 
 
 26,  The  Scandinavian  religion  also  plainly  inculcates 
 the  worship  of  a  triple  Deity  in  the  mythologic  per- 
 sons of  Odetty  Frea,  and  'Tbo'^.  * 
 
 37.  The  Mexican  Indians  likewise  were  found  to 
 have  some  imperfect  ideas  of  a  triple  Divinity y  and  it 
 is  even  said,  that  they  worshipped  a  great  idol,  which 
 signified  ONE  in  three  and  three  in  one.' 
 
 38.  "  The  Hindoos  adore  three  principal  deities, 
 "  Broiimay  Chiven,  and  VichenaUy  who  are  still  but  one. 
 **  The  representation  of  them  is  to  be  seen  in  many 
 «*  pagodas  under  that  of  human  figures  with  three 
 **  heads,  which,  on  the  coast  of  Orissa,  they  call 
 "  Sariharabrama  \  on  the  Coromandel  coast,  ^'rimcurtii 
 **  and  Tretrutreyayn  in  the  Sanscreet  dialect.  There 
 *«  are  temples  entirely  consecrated  to  this  kind  of  Tri- 
 "  NITY  J  such  as  that  of  Parpenade,  in  the  kingdom  of 
 *'  Travancore,  where  the  three  gods  are  worshipped 
 "  in  the  form  of  a  serpent  with   a  thousand  heads."  ' 
 
 Again : — "  One  circumstance  which  forcibly  struck 
 "  my  attention,  was,  the  Hindoo  belief  of  a  Trinity. 
 *'  The  persons  are  Sree  Nun  Narrin,  the   Maha  Letch~ 
 
 *  Euseb.  cont.  Hier. 
 
 *  In  Timxum  Plat    p.  93. 
 
 *  Mallet's  Northern  Antiquities,  vol.   I.  p.  96. 
 
 *  Acosta's  Hist,  of  the  Indies,  p.  412. 
 
 '  Sonncrat's  Voyage,  vol.  i.  p.  4.  Calcutta  edit. 
 
492  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 "  itJTfy  a  beautiful  woman,  and  a  Serpent.  These  per- 
 **  sons  are,  by  the  Hindoos,  supposed  to  be  wholly 
 *'  indivisible;  the  one  is  three,  and  the  three 
 "  are  one."  ♦ 
 
 39.  In  the  great  empires  of  Tangiit  and  Thibet,  and 
 over  the  vast  Tartarian  deserts  to  Siberia  itself,  the 
 same  sentiments  concerning  a  triune  Deily  prevail. 
 The  Tartars  and  Siberians  themselves  adore  in  fact  only 
 ONE  indivisible  God  under  three  different  denomina- 
 tions, the  FIRST  signifying,  the  Creator  of  all  things  j 
 the  SECOND,  the  God  of  armies;  and  tlie  third,  the 
 Spirit  of  heavenly  love,  proceeding  from  the  two  for^ 
 mer. ' 
 
 40.  The  Chinese  seem  to  entertain  the  same  ideas 
 of  a  triple  Deity  with  all  the  rest  cf  the  nations. 
 Lao-kiun  was  one  of  their  most  celebrated  philoso- 
 phers, and  flourished  about  600  years  before  the  birth 
 of  Christ.  He  instituted  a  system  of  philosophical 
 theology,  in  which  he  continually  repeated  as  the  foun- 
 dation of  all  true  wisdom,  that  *'  Tao,  the  eternal  rea- 
 "  sorty  produced  O'ni.  i  OtiE  produced  Tyfo  ;  Two  pro- 
 "  duced  Three/  and  Three  produced  all  things.'* 
 This  seems  a  very  evident  proof,  that  he  must  have 
 had  some  obscure  notions  ofaTRiNiTv.* 
 
 In  their  original,  canonical,  and  ancient  books  we 
 find  the  following  passages.  In  the  book  Tonchu  we 
 read  these  words : — "  The  source  and  root  of  all  is 
 ONE.  This  self-existent  unity  produces  necessarily  a 
 SECOND;  the  first  and  second  by  their  union  pro- 
 duce a  third;  in  fine,  these  three  produce  all.  Lopi, 
 in  eommendng  upon  this  passage,  says,  that  this  unity 
 is  triple,  and  this  triplicitv  one. 
 
 Laotsee,  in  his  fourteenth  chapter  called  Tsankuen, 
 or  the  clogium  of  hidden  wisdom,  says,  "  He  that  pro- 
 "  duced  allf  and  is  himself  wtproduced,  is  what  we  c-all 
 
 "  Hi. 
 
 ♦  See  Mr.  Forster*s  Sketches  of  Hindoo  Mythology,  p.  is. 
 '  Sec  Maurice's  Indian  Antiquities,  vol.  5.  p.  775,  776, 
 
 •  Lc  Compie's  Memoirs  of  China,  p.  314. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  493 
 
 '*  Hi.  He  that  gives  light  and  knowledge  to  all  things, 
 "  and  is  himself  invisibky  is  what  "we  call  Yi.  He  that 
 *^  is  present  every-  where^  and  animates  all  things^  though 
 "  we  do  not  feel  him^  is  called  Ouei.  Thou  wile  in 
 *<  vain  interrogate  sense  and  imagination  about  fhv.'se 
 "  THREE,  for  they  can  make  thee  no  answer.  Con- 
 "  template  by  the  pure  spirit  alone,  and  thou  wilt 
 *'  comprehend,    that  these   three    limited     are    but 
 
 "    ONE." 
 
 Li-yong,  in  commenting  upon  this  passage  of 
 Laostee,  says,  "  Hi,  Yi,  Ouei  have  no  name,  colour, 
 "  nor  figure.  They  are  united  in  the  same  spiritual  abyss, 
 "  and  by  a  borrowed  name  they  are  called  unity  ;  this 
 "  UNITY,  however,  is  not  a  bare  unity,  but  an  unity 
 "  that  is  TRIPLE,  and  a  triplicity  that  is  one.  To 
 '*  speak  thus,  is  to  understand  what  is  most  excellent 
 "  in  the  law  of  wisdom." 
 
 The  book  Sleeki  says  "  The  ancient  empcrourv: 
 <'  sacrificed  every  three   years  solemnly  to  him  that  ii 
 
 "    ONE  and  THREE." 
 
 Choueven,  in  commenting  upon  the  hieroglyphic 
 that  expresses  unity,  says,  that  **  in  the  beginning  the 
 "  supreme  reason  subsisted  in  a  triple  unity,  that 
 "  this  unity  created  the  heavens  and  the  earth, 
 *'  separated  them  from  each  otlier,  and  will  at  last  con- 
 "  vert  and  .perfect  all  things."  * 
 
 41.  We  have  lately  had  an  opportunity  of  learning 
 from  the  mutineers  of  the  ship  called  Bounty,  that  the 
 inhabitants  of  Otaheitc  have  also  some  idea  of  a  triple 
 deity,  or  at  least  of  three  principal  Gods.  And  it  is 
 remarkable,  that  the  names  of  these  three  principal 
 Gods  are  conformable  in  a  striking  degree  to  those 
 which  are  usually  given  to  the  three  persons  of  the 
 Christian  Trinity.  One  is  called  the  Father;  ano- 
 ther God  in  the  Son;  and  the  third,   the  bird,  the 
 
 Friend, 
 
 •  See  Chevalier  Ramsay's  Phlloiophical  Principles,  vol.  2.  p. 
 I20,  and  Maurice's  Indian  Antiquities,  vol.  5.  p.  808. 
 
49i  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 Friind,  and  sometimes  the  Spirit.  This  informa- 
 Hon  is  conveyed  to  us  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Hawcis,  and 
 laid  before  the  public  in  the  EvangcHcal  Magazine  for 
 Jan.    1797,  p.  23—25. 
 
 I  will  close  these  tcstirnonies  with  an  excellent  sum^ 
 mary  of  the  doctrine  of  the  more  ancient  Heathen  on 
 the  subject  of  the  Divine  Hypostases,  from  the  Tracts 
 of  the  very  learned  Bishop  of  Rochester  ;— 
 
 "  1(  it  should  be  deemed  incredible,  as  wtW  it  may," 
 says  this  able  writer,  ^*  that  reason,  in  her  utmost 
 "  strength,  should  ever  ascend  so  high,  as  to  attain 
 **  even  to  a  distant  glimpse  of  truths,  wiiich  have  ever 
 "  been  esteemed  the  m.ost  mysterious  discoveries  of 
 "  Revelation :  it  will  become  a  question  of  the  highest 
 **  curiosity  and  importarice,  to  determine  by  what 
 *'  means  the  Platonic  school  came  by  those  notions  of 
 "  the  Godhead,  which,  had  tht-y  been  of  later  date  than 
 "  the  commencement  of  Christianity,  might  have 
 **  passed  for  a  very  mild  corruption  of  the  Christian 
 "'  faith ;  but  being  in  truth  much  older,  have  all  the 
 ■"  appearance  of  a  near,  though  very  imperfect  view, 
 "  of  the  doctrine  which  was  afterwards  current  in  the 
 "'  Christian  church. 
 
 "  The  enquiry  becomes  more  important,  when  it  is 
 "  discovered,  that  these  notions  were  by  no  means 
 "  peculiar  to  the  Platonic  school:  that  the  Platonists 
 "  pretended  to  be  no  more  than  the  expositors  of  a 
 "  more  ancient  doctrine  j  which  is  traced  from  Plato 
 **  to  Parmenides  -,  from  Parmenidcs  to  his  masters  of 
 "^  the  Pythagorean  sect  j  from  the  Pythagoreans  to 
 **  Orpheus,  the  earliest  of  the  Grecian  Mystagogues  j 
 *'  from  Orpheus  to  the  secret  lore  of  the  Egyptian 
 "  priests,  in  which  the  foundations  of  the  Orphic  thco- 
 "  logy  were  laid.  Similar  notions  of  a  triple  princi* 
 "  pie  prevailed  in  the  Persian  and  Chaldean  theology  j 
 **  and  vestiges  even  of  the  worship  of  a  Trinity  were 
 "  discernible  in  the  Roman  superstition  in  a  very  late 
 "  age.     This  worship  the  Romans  had  received  from 
 
 "  their 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  .n- 
 
 "  their  Trojan  ancestors.  For  tlic  Trojans  broucrh: 
 **  ic  with  them  into  Italy  from  Phrygia.  In  Phry^ia 
 **  it  was  introduced  by  Dardanus  so  early  as  in  the 
 "  ninth  century  after  Noah's  flood.  Dardanus  car- 
 "  ried  it  v^ith  him  from  Samothrace ;  where  the  per- 
 ^  sonages,  that  were  the  objects  of  it,  were  v/orshipped 
 "  under  the  Hebrev/  name  of  the  Cabirim.  Who  these 
 "  Cabirim  might  be,  has  been  matter  of  unsuccessful 
 "  enquiry  to  many  learned  men.  The  utmost  that  is 
 "  known  with  certainty  is,  that  they  were  orio-inaljv 
 "  Three,  and  were  called  by  way  of  eminence^  Tbf 
 "  Grrnl  or  Mighty  Ones :  for  that  is  the  import  of  the 
 "  Hebrew  name.  And  of  the  like  import  is  their 
 «  Latin  appellation,  Penates.  Dii  per  quos  penitus 
 "  spiramus,  per  quos  liabcmus  corpus,  per  quos  ratio- 
 "  mem  animi  possidcmus. '  — Dii  qui  sunt  intrinsecu-^, 
 "  atque  in  intimis  penetralibus  cjcli.  *  Thus  the  joint 
 *'  worship  of  Jupiter,  Juno,  and  Minerva,  the  Triad 
 **  of  the  Roman  capital,  is  traced  to  that  of  the  Three 
 «  Mighty  Ones  in  Samothrace  ; '  which  was  established 
 "  in  that  island,  at  what  precise  time  it  is  impossible  to 
 *'  determine,  but  earlier,  if  Eusebius  may  be  credited, 
 *'  than  the  days  of  Abraham. 
 
 "  The  notion  therefore  of  a  Trir.ity,  more  or  less 
 "  removed  from  the  purity  of  the  Christian  faith,  is 
 *'  found  to  have  been  a  leading  principle  in  all  the  anci- 
 "  ent  schools  of  philosophy,  and  in  the  religions  of  al- 
 *'  most  all  nations;  and  tracer  of  an  early  popular 
 "  belief  of  it  appear  even  in  the  abominable  rite-?  o{ 
 "  idolatrous  worship.  If  reason,  was  insufficient  for 
 "  this  great  discovery,  what  could  be  the  means  oi 
 "  information,    but    what    the    Platonists    them.selvts 
 
 *'  assign 
 
 '  Macrob.  Saturnal.  I.  3.  c.  4. 
 
 •  Varro  apud  Arnob.  1.   3.  p.    123.  Lvigd.  Bnt.    1651. 
 
 '  — Tarquinius  Demarati  Corinlhii  filius,— Samorhraciis  mysticc: 
 imbutus,  uno  tcmplo  ac  sub  eodem  tecto,  numina  memorata  cor- 
 jungit. 
 
 IV^acrob.  Saturnal.  I.  3.  c.  4. 
 
49^  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 "  assign,  Qecxxi^ahro;  QioXoyicty  A  Theology  delivered 
 *'  from  the  Gods,  that  is,  A  Revelation.  This  is  the 
 "  account  which  Platonists,  who  were  no  Christians, 
 "  have  given  of  the  origin  of  their  master's  doctrine. 
 *^  Bjt  from  what  Revelation  could  they  derive  their 
 "  information,  who  lived  before  the  Christian,  and  had 
 "  no  iiofht  from  the  Mosaic  ?  For  whatever  some  of 
 "  the  early  Fathers  may  have  imagined,  there  is  no 
 "  evidence  that  Plato  or  Pythagoras  were  at  all  ac- 
 "  quainted  with  the  Mosaic  writings  ;  not  to  insist, 
 "  that  the  worship  of  a  Trinity  is  traced  to  an  earlier 
 *'  age  than  that  of  Plato  or  of  Pythagoras,  or  even  of 
 "  Moses.  Their  information  could  be  only  drawn 
 "  from  traditions  founded  upon  earlier  revelations : 
 **  from  scattered  fragments  of  the  ancient  Patriarchal 
 "  creed  ;  that  creed,  which  was  universal  before  the 
 "  defection  of  the  first  idolaters,  which  tlie  corruptions 
 **  of  idolatry,  gross  and  enormous  as  they  were;  could 
 *<  never  totally  obliterate.  Thus  the  doctrine  of  a 
 **■  Trinity  is  rather  confirmed  than  discredited  by  the 
 "  suffrage  of  the  Heathen  sages :  since  the  resemblance 
 •*  of  the  Christian  faith  and  the  Pagan  philosophy  in 
 *'  this  article,  when  fairly  interpreted,  appears  to  be 
 *'  nothing  less  than  the  consent  of  the  latest  and  the 
 "  earliest  rcvchrions," 
 
 Such  is  the  evidence  in  favour  of  the  doctrine  of  the 
 Holy  and  Undivided  Trinity  arising  from  the 
 writings  of  the  ancient  Heathen,  and  the  traditions  and 
 practices  of  the  modern  nations.  The  momentum  of 
 it  appears  to  me  very  considerable,  however  erroneous 
 several  of  their  notions  might  be.  It  should  seem  from 
 hence,  that  the  doctrine  is  not  so  in  opposition  to  reason 
 as  some  of  our  modern  philosophers  would  persuade  us 
 it  is.  It  is  not  only  scriptural  and  primitive,  but  it 
 is  philosophical.  The  greatest  geniuses  of  the  world 
 have  entertained  it,  and  entertained  it  too,  on  the  strict- 
 est principles  of  reason  and  nature. 
 
 It  v/ill  be  allowed,  at  least,  that  these  testimonies 
 
 arc 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  j^i^ 
 
 arc  remarkable  ;  and  from  them  it  is  evident  a  tra- 
 dition concerning  a  triplicity  in  the  Supreme  Being 
 had  pervaded  all  time,  and  all  nations.  This  is  a  cu- 
 rious circumstance,  and  much  to  be  observed  in  an 
 enquiry  of  this  nature.  The  Old  and  New  Testaments 
 unravel  the  whole  mystery.  There  alone^  ^he  doctrioc 
 is  revealed  with  proper  authority..'^"  ' ' 
 
 P  P 
 
49^  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 PART  SEVENTH. 
 
 SECTION    I. 
 
 On  the  utility  of  the  writings  of  the  CHRISTIAN  FATHERS  in  determininj 
 the  question  concerning  the  doctrine  of  the  HOJ^Y  TRINITY. 
 
 LET  us  in  the  last  place  enquire  in  what  manner 
 the  disciples  and  followers  of  the  Apostles  un- 
 derstood the  holy  scriptures  upon  these  subjects. 
 Those  persons  who  conversed  with  the  Apostles,  and 
 with  the  immediate  followers  of  the  Apostles,  stand 
 the  fairest  chance  of  knowing  the  true  sense  of  their 
 writings.  *  I  do  not  mean  hereby  to  put  the  writings 
 of  the  primitive  Fathers  upon  the  same  footing  as  the 
 canonical  books  of  the  Old  and  New  Testament,  which 
 have  been  received  in  all  ages,  by  the  great  body  of 
 Christians,  as  the  undoubted  word  of  God  :  but  as  the 
 authors  of  them  were  some  of  them  contemporaries, 
 companions,  disciples,  or  successively  followers  of  the 
 Apostles  of  our  blessed  Lord,  it  is  highly  probable 
 they  must  contain  certain  traits  and  sentiments  strongly 
 illustrative  of  the  doctrines  of  the  New  Testament. 
 At  all  events,  these  great  and  good  men  must  be  un- 
 exceptionable witnesses  of /^^/j  ;  what  doctrines  were 
 taught,  and   what  practices  were  followed,  during  the 
 
 several 
 
 '  *'  I  am,  and  always  shall  be,  afraid  of  interpreting  scripture 
 *'  contrary  to  the  stream  of  antiquity,  unless  upon  the  most  clear 
 **  arguments  against  it,  a  case  I  believe  which  will  never  happen. 
 **  The  consentient  judgment  of  primitive  antiquity  would  surely 
 *'  outweigh  a  multitude  of  probabilities  and  plausible  reasonings." 
 Defen.  Fid.  Nicae  a  Bull,  cap.  i.  sect.  9. 
 
 **  In  dubious  points  of  doctrine,  the  judgment  of  antiquity, 
 "  wherever  it  is  clear,  must  be  allowed  to  be  decisive." 
 
 Bishop  Horsley's  Tracts,  p.  S-. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  499 
 
 several  ages  in  which  they  respectively  lived.  *  The 
 use  then  to  be  made  of  their  writings,  is  no  other  than 
 what  a  discreet  lawyer  would  make  of  all  the  best 
 contemporary  authors  who.  lived  when  Magna  Charts 
 was  obtained.  If  in  that  celebrated  Code  of  rights 
 any  thing  appeared  obscure,  and  difficult  to  be  under- 
 stood, he  would  consult  the  best  authors  of  the  age  in 
 which  it  was  framed,  who  had  written  upon  the  same> 
 or  any  collateral  subjcft ;  especially  would  he  consul: 
 contemporary  authors,  or  those  who  immediately  fol- 
 lowed, if  any  of  them  had  undertaken  to  illustrate  and 
 explain  the  whole,  or  any  part,  of  that  invaluable 
 deed.  Magna  Charta  is  to  us  as  Englishmen,  what 
 the  Word  of  God  is  to  us  as  Christians.  The  one 
 contains  a  copy  of  our  civil  rights  and  obligations,  the 
 other  of  our  religious  privileges  and  duties.  Nor'  is  ic 
 any  diminution  of  the  just  and  absolute  authority  of  the 
 Word  of  God  in  our  religious  concerns,  to  consult 
 the  contemporary  and  subsequent  writings  of  the  Fa- 
 P  p  p  2  thers 
 
 *  The  Rev.  Henry  Kett,  in  his  Bampton  Lectures,  has  given  a 
 just  discrimination  of  the  various  excellencies  of  the  Fathers,  and 
 may  be  read  with  considerable  advantage.  "  The  reader  of  the 
 ••  Fathers,"  says  he,  "  is  convinced,  that  although  the  prize  of 
 "  literature  is  borne  away  by  the  classical  authors  of  Greece  and 
 "  Rome;  yet  similar  beauties  distinguish  the  compositions  which 
 "  are  the  objects  of  his  pursuit.  Neither  the  graces  of  simplicity, 
 **  nor  the  splendour  of  ornament  were  confined  to  Xenophon  and 
 "  Plato,  nor  to  Livy  and  Cicero  ;  for  every  impartial  critic  will 
 *'  commend  the  pure  stile  of  Lactantius ;  the  rich  imagery,  and 
 ■"  apposite  illustrations  of  Theodoret ;  thft  classical  fluency  of 
 "  Minucius  Felix  ;  the  uniform  perspicuity  of  Basil ;  the  glowing 
 "  effusions  of  Gregory  of  Nazianzum  ;  and  the  exuberant  and 
 *'  attracting  eloquence  of  Chrysostom   and   Cyprian."     Sermon  i. 
 
 See  the  whole  of  that  valuable  discourse.  Let  the  reader  toe, 
 who  thinks  meanly  of  the  writings  of  the  Christian  fathers,  consult 
 Simpson's  Strictures  on  Religious  Opinions,  towards  the  latter  end, 
 and  he  will  find  what  have  bt-en  the  sentiments  of  a  number  of  per- 
 sons the  most  competent  to  judge,  concerniug  the  importance  of  the 
 volumes  these  grtat  and  good  men  have  composed  for  our  instruc- 
 tiqn. 
 
50O  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 thefs,  to  sec  how  it  was  understood  in  the  several  ages 
 m  which  they  lived;  any  more  than  it  would  be  a 
 diminution  of  the  just  and  absolute  authority  of  Magna 
 Charta,  in  our  civil  concerns,  to  consult  the  contem- 
 porary and  subsequent  writings  of  lawyers  and  civil 
 historians,  to  see  how  it  was  understood  in  the  several 
 ages  in  which  they  lived.  A  conduct  similar  to  this 
 is  what  every  prudent  man  is  daily  pursuing  in  all  the 
 common  concerns  and  occupations  of  life.  According- 
 ly, Christians  in  all  ages,  and  of  every  denomination, 
 have  been  forward  to  claim  the  verdict  of  the  Fathers 
 in  their  own  behalf-;  and  none  ever  set  light  by  their 
 testimony,  but  those  whose  principles  and  doctrines  the 
 writings  of  the  Fathers  condemned.  It  is  said  by  an 
 author  in  the  early  part  of  the  present  century,  that 
 Dr.  Clarke  rejected  the  authority  of  these  primitive 
 writers ;  and  Dr.  Waterland  gives  a  very  good  rea- 
 son for  it: — "  He  is  against  them,"  says  he,  "  because 
 *^  he  knows  they  are  against  him."  * 
 
 Dr.  Clarke,  indeed,  has  made  a  great  show  and 
 parade  with  the  Fathers  in  his  Scripture  Doctrine;  but 
 by  no  means  has  he  used  them  fairly  and  ingenuously. 
 He  has  only  culled  out  of  their  writings  such  passages 
 as  give  countenance  to  his  own  particular  views,  as  I 
 have  had  occasion  to  observe  elsewhere,  but  has  not 
 set  before  his  readers  what  their  real  and  genuine  sen- 
 timents v/ere  upon  the  great  subject  in  debate.  *  Fie 
 should  not  have  adorned  his  pages  with  their  words 
 v^ithout  their  sentiments,  but  have  given  us  the  highest 
 expressions  they  are  ever  known  to  use  concerning  the 
 Son  and  Spirit  of  God,  as  well  as  those  which,  on  a 
 partial  view,  seem  to  support  his  own  system.  Such  a 
 conduct  is  misleading  unvv'ary  readers,  and  making  them 
 believe  the  Fathers  were  all  on  his  side  of  the  question, 
 
 when 
 
 3  Earl  of  Nottingham's  Answer  to  Whiston,  p.  66.  7th.  Ed. 
 
 •♦  See  the  Preface  to  Welchrnan's  Examination  of  Clarke's  Scrip- 
 ture Doctrine.  See  too  Dr.  Clarke's  Introduction  to  his  book,  p. 
 !  9,  20,  where  he  speaks  upon  the  sentiments  of  the  Fathers. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  501 
 
 when  it  is  well  known  by  all  competent  judges  that  thc-T 
 were  nothing  less.  By  the  same  nnode  of  proceedinir, 
 it  is  very  easy  to  prove  from  the  holy  scriptures  that 
 the  angels  are  men,  and  that  the  Son  of  God  himself 
 is  no  more  than  a  man,  to  the  utter  subversion  of  both 
 the  Arian  and  Orthodox  systems.  He  must  have 
 known,  that  by  producing  their  words  so  pariially  as  he 
 has  done,  one  may  make  them  appear  to  counrcriancc 
 opinions  highly  abhorrent  to  their  real  ^;entime^lt^.  ' 
 Nay,  there  are  some  instances,  v.hich  have  been  noticed 
 by  his  antagonists,  where  he  has  selected  words,  cx- 
 preffive  of  the  nature  of  the  person  of  Clirist,  accord- 
 ing to  his  own  views,  and  if  he  had  quoted  the  context, 
 his  whole  scheme  would  have  been  subverted.  ^  This 
 was  very  disingenuous,  and  the  apology^Jje  makes  for 
 it  is  by  no  means  satisfactory.  I  could  aKh^ve  ima- 
 gined the  great  Dr.  Clarke  (for  whom  I  nave  otherwise 
 the  most  sincere  regard,  and  from  whose  woiks  I  have 
 received  much  satisfaction)  had  been  capable  of  such 
 kind  of  shuffling  in  controversy.  Such  instances  shew 
 us  how  imperfect  man  is,  and  how  little  to  be  depended 
 upon,  even  in  his  highest  state  of  intellectual  improve- 
 ment. How  would  the  Doctor  have  exclaimed  againsr 
 these  pious  frauds  (which  have  been  too  common  iii 
 all  ages  and  among  all  denom.inations)  ia  tlie  Ortho- 
 dox ?  •  Let  them,  however,  be  found  where  they  mav, 
 they  are  always,  and  in  all  cases,  very  wvdr.g,  and  higii- 
 ly  disgraceful  to  any  cause.  If  I  have  been  guilty  of 
 false  representations  of  the  words  or  sentiments  of  any 
 
 th'!^ 
 
 '  For  an  instance  see  the  31  clmp.  of  Novalian. 
 
 *  I  am  aware  the  Doctor  professes  to  cite,  the  wonls  cj  ihe  Fa- 
 thers to  shew  hew  naturally  they  fell  into  the  way  of  speaking  which 
 was  agreeable  to  his  views  of  things.  They  could  not  do  ctlierwise, 
 if  they  spoke  at  all  of  the  person  and  ofxice's  of  the  Redeemer. 
 But  what  I  insist  (fn,  is,  that  he  should  have  produced  the  higlicit 
 expressions  they  ever  make  use  of.  when  speaking  of  the  pcrscn  of 
 our  Saviour,  and  either  reconcile  them  with  his  own  supposition  cJ* 
 Christ's  beinj  a  mere  creatuie,  or  hcncitly  nilow,  that  the  wiltir j^s  of 
 these  excellent  men  are  net  in  consiitencc  \uth  [lis  sfhep.e  of  dec 
 trine  s. 
 
50S  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 of  the  authors,  sacred  or  profane,  which  I  have  had 
 occasion  to  quote  in  this  enquiry,  I  Iiereby  disavow  the 
 intention,  make  my  protest  against  the  practice,  and 
 declare  that  1  am  ignorant  of  it.  I  am  very  sure  Christ 
 wants  no  man  to  lie  and  pervert  truth  for  the  advance- 
 ment of  his  honour.  If  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel 
 cannot  be  defended  by  honest  means  they  are  not 
 worth  defending  at  all. 
 
 I  have  another  objection  to  the  learned  Doctor's 
 book.  He  labours  all  the  way  through  it  too  much 
 to  degrade  the  persons  of  the  Son  and  Holy  Spirit. 
 There  seems  an  evident  intention  and  endeavour  of 
 this  kind.  Hence  he  is  niggardly  of  his  praises.  When 
 any  passage  of  scripture  speaks  strongly  for  the  real 
 and  proper  divinity  of  the  second  and  third  persons  in 
 the  blessed  X^iriity,  he  strives  all  he  decently  can  to 
 lower  and  dilute  it.  If  there  is  a  various  reading,  he 
 eagerly  catches  at  it  j  magnifies  its  importance,  and 
 makes  the  authendcity  of  the  passage  appear  as  dubious 
 as  he  c:in  ;  though  for  one  manuscript  that  favours  his 
 scheme,  there  shall  be  a  dozen  that  favour  the  ortho- 
 dox view  of  things.  Now  this  I  do  not  like.  It  is 
 disingenuous.  I  would  give  every  passage  and  every 
 expression  its  full  force  and  meaning,  without  regard  to 
 system,  even  though  I  should  appear  inconsistent  by  so 
 doing.  Truth  wants  not  the  arts  of  polemics.  She  is 
 all  simple  and  sincere,  and  appears  to  most  advantage 
 in  her  own  native  dress. 
 
 Making  the  above  allowances  tor  Dr.  Clarke's 
 book, '  it  is  a  very  able,  learned,  and  valuable  work, 
 and  may  be  read  with  considerable  advantage.  But  no 
 man  should  enter  upon  the  perusal  of  it  with  a  view 
 to  learn  his  creed  from  thence,  till  he  is  competently 
 well  acquainted  both  with  the  scriptures  and  Christian 
 andquity. 
 
 Dr. 
 
 '  See  the  learned  Welchman's  Examinadoa  of  Dr.  Clarke's 
 Scriprurc  Doctrine,  where  several  of  the  abova  charges  are  brought 
 ionv.inj  with  cfftxt. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  505 
 
 Df.  Priestley  is  sensible  of  what  weight  and   import- 
 ance the  writings  of  the   Fathers  are,  in  the  enquiry- 
 concerning   the   person  of  Christ,  and,  therefore,  he  la- 
 bours to  wrest  their  authority  out  of  the   hands    of  the 
 Orthodox,  who  have  so  long  been  in  pretty  peaceable 
 possession  of  it.     If  he  can  carry  his  point,  he  is  surely 
 very  much  in  the  right  so    to  do.     And,  indeed,  I  do 
 not  see  why  he  should  not  succeed  in  the  business  j  for 
 his  mode  of  proceeding  will  carry  all  before  it.     He 
 pretends  he  has  got  the  scriptures  to  speak  for  him  from 
 beginning  to  end.     If  he  can  twist  and  wiredraw  them 
 to  his   own  wishes,   one  may  venture  to  promise  him, 
 the  Fathers  will  not  be  less  pliable.     It  is,  however,  an 
 aukvvard  circumstance  for  him,   that   v.hen   a   passage, 
 now  and  then,  stands  in  his  way,  stares  him  in  the   face, 
 and  cries   aloud,    ''  Christ   pre-existed — was    begotten 
 "  of  the   Holy    Ghost — and   was   the    Creator    of  the 
 "  universe-," — it  is  an   aukward  circumstance,   I    say, 
 that  he  is  obliged  to   reject   some   of  those   passages  as 
 spurious  and   interpolated,  others   as  inconclusive  rea- 
 sonings,   and    others  as  improperly  applied.     This,   I 
 think,  is  enough,  if  any  thing  can  be  enough,   to   shake 
 the  credit  of  any  man's  system.     All   this,  however, 
 the  learned  Doctor  has  done  with  the   holy  scriptures  : 
 so  that  he  has  the  privilege   of  establishing  or  rejecting 
 what  doctrines   soever  he  thinks  Q;ood,  without  beino; 
 controuled  either  by  Christ  or   his    Apostles. '      And 
 having  carried  the  point  so  completely  with   respect  to 
 the  bible,  he  finds  an  easy  conquest   over   the   Fythers. 
 The  seven  knotty   epistles   of   St.    Ignatius,   of  which 
 the  Orthodox  have  so  long  made  their  boast,  the  Doc- 
 tor has  found  our,  by  his  wonderful  dcxceriiy  in  pole- 
 
 miciil 
 
 *  Well  inight  his  friend  Mr.  Lindscy  say  that  "Dr.  Prlcilley  is 
 "  equal  to  a  host  of  adversaries. "  ^'indiciae  Priest,  pref.  p.  4. 
 None  of  his  adveisaries,  that  I  have  seen,  can  write  per  tas  atque 
 nefas,  as  the  Doctor  can  do.  See  Strictures  on  Pvcligiouj;  Opinions, 
 passim,  where  implc  evidence  of  the  learned  Doctor's  polemic 
 skill  13  produced. 
 
504  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 mical  enquiries^  are  confessedly  spurious,  and  now  g^^ 
 yierally  given  up  by  the  Learned.  And  if  the  pious 
 bishop  and  martyr,  Sr.  Irenseus,  happen  to  drop  any- 
 thing pointed  against  the  Doctor's  progenitors,  the  an- 
 cient Ebionites,  of  heretical  memory,  he  gently  passes 
 it  over  as  though  no  such  passages  occurred  in  that 
 learned  and  venerable  Father's  writings.  I  must,  how- 
 ever, do  Dr.  Priestley  the  justice  to  saiy,  that  several  of 
 liis  polemical  adversaries  have  misrepresented  his  de- 
 sign in  having  recourse  to  tiie  writings  of  the  Fathers, 
 rven  after  he  has  repeatedly  justified  himself  on  that 
 head.  This,  I  think,  has  been  the  case  both  with  Mr. 
 Burn,  •  Mr.  Barnard,  Mr.  Hawker,  and  even  with 
 the  last  Bam pton  Lecturer,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Kett,  in  his 
 very  valuable  and  well  written  discourses. 
 
 The  account,  however,  which  Dr.  Priestley,  more 
 than  once,  has  given  for  drawing  the  attention  of  the 
 public  to  the  writings  of  Christian  antiquity,  appears 
 to  me  perfectly  satisfactory,  and  is  expressed  with 
 elegance  and  simphcity  :  "  If  I  may  be  indulged  in  a 
 '<•  little  allegory,"  says  the  Doctor,  "  thinking  myself 
 "'  in  full  possession  of  this  strong  hold  of  my  faith  * 
 "  (the  lioly  scriptures)  I  thought  I  could  seize  also 
 *'  upon  a  certain  cut-work  of  some  importance  (the 
 "  writings  of  the  Fathers)  in  which  the  enemy  had 
 "  thought  himself  securely  lodged.  Accordingly  I 
 '^  made  a  sallv,  and  dislodged  him.  *    Attempts   have 
 
 "  been 
 
 *  See  Letters  to  Dr.  Priestley,  p.  5,  6  ;  Kelt's  Bampton  Lec- 
 cares,  ser,  6.  p.  195;  and  Hawker's  Sermons  on  the  Divinity  of 
 Christ,  p.   16,   17.  .  ^ 
 
 '  Never  man  was  more  mistaken  than  the  Doctor  is  in  so  thinking  ! 
 
 ^  Here  again  he  is  full  as  much  mistaken.  Socinianism  is  equal- 
 ly abhorrent  to  the  Scriptures  and  the  Fathers,  upon  any  principles 
 of  fair  and  candid  interpretation.  And  for  the  truth  of  this  I  ap- 
 peal to  the  judgment  of  every  reader  into  whose  hands  these  papers 
 shail  fall.  Jf,  indeed,  the  Doctor  is  determined  to  call  evil  good 
 end  good  e-vil ;  to  put  darkneis  for  light  and  lighit  for  darkness  ;  to  put 
 litter  for  s--we€t  and  s--u.'eetfjr  bitter;  there  is  no  remedy  ;  he  must 
 fAkc  his  owaway  and  follow  his  own  devices.     It  is  the  duty,  how- 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  505 
 
 '*  been  made  to  dispossess  me  of  it,  but  hitherto  they 
 '^  have  been  ineffectual.  I  am  now  strengthening  the 
 "  fortifications  belonging  to  it ;  and,  here  I  am  deter- 
 "  mined  to  stand  a  close  and  reo-ular  siesje.— If  I  am 
 **  compelled  to  surrender,  I  hope  to  acquit  myself  in 
 "  such  a  manner,  as  to  be  entitled  to  leave  it  with  all 
 "  the  ho.iours  of  war.  Still,  however,  I  shall  have  my 
 "  strong-hold  to  retire  into."  ' 
 
 I  am,  however,  so  far  from  thinking  Dr.  Priestley  in 
 any  respect  to  blame  for  having  recourse  to  the  writ- 
 ings of  the  primitive  Fathers,  to  enable  him  to  deter- 
 mine what  are  the  genuine  doctrines  of  Christianity, 
 that  I  think,  after  diligently  consulting  the  word  of 
 God  itself,  he  took  the  best  possible  human  means  for 
 ascertaining  with  certainty  and  precision  what  those 
 doctrines  are.  I  will,  therefore,  proceed  through  their 
 writings  in  the  same  chronological  manner  that  we  have 
 done  in  our  investigation  of  the  books  of  the  Old  and 
 New  Testament,  as  near  as  may  be,  till  we  come  to- 
 wards the  close  of  the  fourth  century.  The  doctrines 
 which  prevailed  in  those  first  and  purest  ages  will  bid 
 fair  to  be  the  genuine  doctrines  of  Christianity,  and 
 more  or  better  cannot  be  done  to  establish  primitive 
 and  evangelical  truth. 
 
 ever,  of  every  one  who  has  it  in  his  power  to  warn  his  fellow  crea- 
 tures against  the  danger  of  his  sophistical  reasonings,  and  most  of 
 all  against  his  false,  but  most  confident,  assertions.  If  Dr.  Priest- 
 ley is  right,  the  whole  Christian  world,  especially  the  more  serious 
 and  religious  part  of  it,  has  been  fundamentally  wrong,  except  the 
 heretic  Ebion  and  a  few  followers,  for  the  last  seventeen  hundred 
 years.     Affecting  consideration  !  Believe  it  who  can  1 
 
 3  See  Letters  to  Mr.  Burn,  p.  7,  and  Remarks  on  Primitive 
 Candour,  p.  97. 
 
 .^^^^ 
 
 CLq  q 
 
5C(5  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 PART  SEVENTH. 
 
 SECTION     II. 
 
 The  opinions  of  the  APOSTOLICAL   FATHERS  concerning  the  PERSON 
 of  CHRIST,  and  the  doctrine  of  the  TRINITY. 
 
 I.  T)  ARNABAS.  ♦  Whether  the  Epistle  '  which  goes 
 j3  by  his  name  be  genuine  or  not,  there  is  no  doubt 
 it  is  extremely  ancient,  and  goes  back  as  far  nearly  as  the 
 apostolic  times.  He  himself,  if  he  were  the  author  of  it, 
 was  one  of  the  seventy  disciples.  Be  this,  however,  as 
 it  may,  he  bears  clear  testimony  to  the  pre-existence  and 
 divinity  of  our  Lord :— •"  The  Lord,"  says  he, 
 "  submitted  to  suffer  for  our  souls,  although  he  be 
 "  the  Lord  of  the  whole  earth,  unto  whom  God  said, 
 "  the  day  before  the  world  was  finished.  Let  us  make 
 "  man  d-ft^r  our  image  and  our  likeness.  * 
 
 2.  "  For  if  he  had  not  come  in  the  flesh,  hov/ 
 *'  could  we  mortals,  seeing  him,  have  been  preserved; 
 "  when  they  who  behold  the  sun,  which  is  to  perish, 
 "  and  is  the  work  ofuis  handsy  are  unable  to  look  di- 
 "  rectly  against  its  rays  r"  ' 
 
 3.  "  Thus  the  scripture  saith  concerning  us,  where 
 "  it  introduceth  the  Father  speaking  to  the  Son; 
 **  Let  us  juake  man  after  our  likeness  and  similitude ; 
 •^^  and  let  them,  have  dominion  over  the  beasts  of  the  earthy 
 
 *'  and 
 
 ♦  For  the  authority  of  the  Epistle  of  Barnabas,  see  Bishop  Bull's 
 Defence  of  the  Nicene  Faith,  chap.  2.  sect.  2,  and  Primitive 
 and  Apostolical  Tradition,  chap.  i.  sect.  3. — See  also  Archbishop 
 Wake's  Apostolical  Fathers.  See  moreover  Dr.  Clarke's  Reflec- 
 tions on  Amyntor,  where  he  says,  "  The  Epistle  of  Barnabas  is 
 "  also  without  controversy  ancient,  a  work  of  the  apostolic  age, 
 *'  being  quoted  by  almost  all  the  primitive  Fathers." 
 
 5  Dr.  Priestley  himself  quotes  it  among  the  writings  of  the 
 Apostolic  Fathers,  Corruptions  of  Christianity,  vol.  I.  p.  218. 
 
 ^  Section  5  .——7  Ibid. 
 
D0CT9.INE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  507 
 
 *^  and  over  the  fowls  of  the  aivy  and  over  the  fish  of  the 
 "  sea.  And  when  the  Lord  saw  the  man  which  he 
 *^  had  formed,  that,  behold^  he  was  very  good,  he  said, 
 **  Encrease,  and  inultiply,  and  repletiish  the  earth.  And 
 "  this  he  spake  to  his  Son."  ' 
 
 4.  "  If  then  the  Son  of  God,  being  Lord,  and  being 
 "  to  judge  the  quick  and  dead,  suffered,  to  the  end  that 
 "  his  wound  might  make  us  alive  j  let  us  believe,  that 
 ."  the  Son  of  God  had  no  power  to  suffer,  had  it  not 
 '/  been  upon  our  account."  ' 
 
 5.  "  Mean  \vhile  thou  hast  (the  whole  doctrine)  con- 
 *'  cerning  the  majesty  of  Christ  j  how  all  things  were 
 **  made  FOR  him  and  THROUGH  him;  to  whom  be  ho- 
 "  tiour,  power,  and  glory,  nozv  2ind  forever."  * 
 
 It  is  evident  from  these  passages,  that  we  have,  at 
 least,  one  instance  of  a  Christian,  converted  from 
 among  the  Jews,  in  the  Apostolic  age,  who  believed  in 
 the  pre-existence  and  divinity  of  our  blessed  Saviour.  * 
 
 6.  Hermas  is  supposed  to  be  the  same  whom  St. 
 Paul  mentions  in  his  Epistle  to  the  Romans.  We 
 have  one  work  of  his,  entitled.  The  Shepherd ; '  in 
 which  also  is  asserted  the  pre-existence  and  divinity  of 
 the  Son  of  God  : — "  The  Son  of  God,"  says  he, 
 *'  is  indeed  more  ancient  than  a7iy  creature;  insomuch 
 "  that  he  was  in  council  with  bis  Father  at  the  creation 
 "  of  all  things."* 
 
 7.  ",  The  name  of  the  Son  o(  God,  is  great  and  witb,- 
 "  out  bounds,  and  the  whole  world  is  supported  by 
 '<  it." ' 
 
 8.  Clemlns   Romanus   was   a   convert  and   drsci- 
 
 Q^q  q  2  pie 
 
 ',  Section  6. »  Sect.  7. *  Sect.   12. 
 
 ^  See  Bishop  Horsley's  Tracts,  page  163 — 169. 
 
 3  For  the  authority  of  this  work — see  Archbishop  Wake's  Apos- 
 tolical  Fathers  ; — Bishop  Bull's  Defence  of  the  Nicenc  Faith,  chap. 
 2.  sect.  3  ; — and  Dr.  Clarke's  Reflections  on  Amyntor,  where  he 
 says  : — **  The  Pastor  of  Hermas  is  incontestably  a  most  ancient 
 *'  work,  being  cited  by  almost  all  the  primitive  Fathers  exunt,  thjij 
 "  lived  in  or  near  the  second  century." 
 
 ♦Sim.  9.  sect.  12. *  Sim.  9.  sect.  14. 
 
5o8  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 pie  of  the  Apostles.  "  He  died  a  martyr,  A.  D.  loo. 
 One  complete  epistle,  and  part  of  another,  are  still 
 extant,  of  his  writing ; '  from  whence  it  evidently  ap- 
 pears he  was  an  advocate  for  the  same  doctrines  as  all 
 those  who  had  gone  before  him  : — *'  The  sceptre  of 
 **  the  majesty  of  God,"  says  he,  "  our  Lord  Jesus 
 "  Christ,  came  not  in  the  shew  of  pride  and  arro- 
 *'  gance,  f bough  he  had  it  in  his  power  \  but  in  humility, 
 "  as  the  Holy  Spirit  spake  before  concerning  him."  • 
 Is  not  this  an  allusion  to  that  celebrated  place  of  St. 
 Paul,  where  he  says,  that  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  being 
 in  the  form  ofGod^  thought  it  not  robbery  to  be  equal  with 
 God}  And  doth  not  this  shew,  that,  according  to  St. 
 Clement,  our  blessed  Saviour  was  in  being  before  he 
 chose  the  form  in  which  he  appeared  in  the  world  ?  • 
 
 9.  "  The  Corinthians,  being  content  with  the  por- 
 "  tion  God  had  dispensed  to  them,  and  for  hearkening 
 "  diligendy  unto  his  word,  being  enlarged  in  tht-ir 
 "  bowels,  having  his  sufferings  always  before  their 
 «  eyes."' 
 
 10.  "  Have  we  not  all  one  God,  and  one  Christ  ? 
 "  Is  not  one  Spirit  of  grace  poured  upon  us  all  ?  * 
 
 IT.  'f  God  liveth,  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
 ^'  and  the  Holy  Spirit."  ^ 
 
 12.  "  All  these  has  the  great  Creator  and  Lord  of 
 *'  all  commanded  to  observe  peace  and  concord  j  be- 
 *'  ing  good  to  all :  but  especially  to  us  who  flee  to  his 
 •*^  mercy  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  j  to  whom  be 
 "  g^ory  and  majesty  forever  and  ever.     Amen."  * 
 
 ij.  "  Blessed 
 
 •Phi].  4.  2. 
 
 '  For  the  authority  of  St.  Clement's  Epistles,  see  Archbishop 
 Wake's  Apostolical  Fathers ;  Bishop  Bull's  Defence  of  the  Nicene 
 Faith,  cap.  3.  sect.  1;  and  Dr.  Clarke's  Reflections  on  Amyntor. 
 See  also  Eusebius's  Eccl.  History,  1.  3.  cap.  38.  The  second 
 is  supposed  to  be  spurious. 
 
 ^  I  Epist.  sect.  16. 
 
 »  See  this  passage  of  St.  Paul  vindicated  from  the  erroneous  in- 
 terpretation  of  Dr.  Priestley  in  Burgh's  Sequel,  p.  9 — 13. 
 
 »  1  Ep.  sect.  2. *  Ibid.  sect.  46.— —^  Basil,  vol.  2.  p.  358. 
 
 *  I  Ep.  sect.  20, 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY. 
 
 509 
 
 13.  "  Blessed  arc  they  u-bose  iniquities  are  forgiven, 
 "  Now  this  blessing  is  fulfilled  in  those,  who  arc  chosen 
 "  by  God,  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord^  to  whom  be 
 "  ^lory  forever  and  ever.    Amen."  ' 
 
 These  two  doxologies  are  somewhat  ambiguous, 
 but  seem  rather  to  be  applied  to  the  Redeemer  of  man- 
 kind. 
 
 14.  "  From  him  (Abraham)  came  our  Lord  Jesus 
 "  Christ,  according  to  the  6esh."  Is  not  this  a  plain 
 allusion  to  St.  Paul's  distinction,  Rom.   9.  5  ?  * 
 
 15.  "  Let  us  pray  to  our  Lord  Jesus  Christj  whosz 
 "  blood  was  given  for  us."  ' 
 
 16.  "  We  ought  to  think  of  Jesus  Christ  as  God  ; 
 "  as  of  the  Judge  of  tiie  quick  and  the  dead."  ' 
 
 17.  "  Wherein  must  we  confess  Christ?  In  doing 
 "  those  things  which  he  saith,  and  not  disobeying  his 
 "  commandments  :  by  worshipping  hiw,  not  with  our 
 **  lips  only,  but  with  a!/  our  heart,  and  with  all  our 
 ♦'  mindy^ 
 
 18.  "  Our  one  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  has  saved 
 "  us,  being  first  a  spirit,  zvas  made  jiesh,  and  so  called 
 «  us."  * 
 
 19.  Besides  all  these  passages  descriptive  of  the  sen- 
 timents of  St.  Clement,  respecting  the  person  of  our 
 blessed  Saviour,  it  is  evident  from  several  other  internal 
 marks,  that  he  ranked  not  with  any  of  the  Unitarians  of 
 the  day  in  which  he  lived.  It  is  plain  he  was  no  Ebio- 
 nite,  because  he  quotes  St.  Paul's  Epistles,  which  they 
 rejected.  He  was  no  Nazarcne,  because  he  quotes  the 
 gospels  (all  but  St.  John's,  which  was  not  then  v^ritten) 
 according  to  our  copies,  which  the  Nazarenes  did  not 
 do.  Nor  was  he  a  Cerinthian,  because  he  quotes  the 
 writings  of  the  Old  Testament  with  approbation,  which 
 these  Heretics  rejected. 
 
 20.  Ignatius  was  a  disciple  of  St.   John,  was  ap- 
 
 pointed 
 
 '  Ibid.  sect.  50. *  Tbid.  sect.  32. '  Ibid.  sect.  21. 
 
 •  2  Ep.  sect.  1.—  ■■■  °  ibid.  sect.  2. *  Jbid.  sect.  9. 
 
510  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 pointed  bishop  of  Antioch  by  St.  Paul,  was  approved 
 of  by  Sf.  Peter,  and  had  the  honour  of  dying  a  martyr 
 in  the  year  of  our  Lord  107.  He  is,  moreover,  said 
 to  have  been  the  child  whom  our  Saviour  took  up  in 
 his  arms,  and  pointed  out  as  an  example  of  innocency. 
 Whether  this  is  true  or  nor^  it  shews  the  opinion  the 
 ancients  had  of  his  piety.  Seven  of  his  genuine  epistles 
 are  stili  extant,  and  the  doctrines  they  contain  are 
 generally  considered    as    perfectly   orthodox.  *    I   wiJ] 
 
 produce 
 
 *  Dr.  Priestley  seems  to  allow,  that  these  Epistles,  according  to 
 our  present  copies  of  them,  do  contain  the  doctrine  of  Christ's  divi- 
 nity. But  then-he  is  at  no  loss  to  get  over  this  difficulty  ;  for  if  he 
 cannot  answer  them,  he  can  deny  their  authenticity,  and  thus  do 
 the  business  at  one  stroke.  So  when  he  cannot  easily  confute  the 
 doctrine  of  Christ's  conception  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  he  strikes  out 
 with  one  tarn  of  hrs  pen  all  those  chapters  from  the  gospels  which 
 contain  the  narrative :  a»d  when  the  arguments  of  St.  Paul  prove 
 too  hard  for  the  learned  Doctor,  he  begins,  to  degrade  the  character 
 of  the  Apostle,  and  vainly  pretends  he  has  proved  he  reasons  incon- 
 clusively. So  here,  when  the  Epistles  of  this  holy  father  and 
 Martyr  stand  in  the  way  of  the  Doctor's  scheme,  he  makes  no  more 
 to  do,  but  boldly  denies  their  authority.  I  will  transcribe  the  whole 
 passage  from  his  Letters  to  Dr.  Horsley,  as  it  is  a  very  curious  on?, 
 and  deserves  the  severest  animadversion  :  *'  Besides  Clemens  Ro- 
 "  manus,  you  refer  to  the  Epistles  of  Ignatius,  for  a  proof  of  the 
 "  early  knowledge  of  the  doctrine  of  Christ's  divinity.  '  The  holy 
 "  Father,  you  say,  p.  19,  hardly  ever  mentions  Christ  without  in- 
 •'  troducing  some  explicit  assertions  of  his  divinity,  or  without 
 "  joining  with  the  name  of  Christ  some  epithet  in  which  it  is  im- 
 *'  plied.  All  this  is  very  true,  according  to  our  present  copies  of 
 *'  Jgnatius's  epistles.  But  you  must  know  that  the  genuineness  of 
 **  them  is  not  only  very  much  doubted,  but  generally  given  up  by  the 
 *'  learned  ;  and  it  was  not  perfectly  ingenuous  in  you  to  conceal  that 
 **  circumstance." 
 
 If  Dr.  Priestley's  ipse  dixit  may  pass  for  argument  and  truth, 
 the  seven  epistles  of  Ignatius  are  generally  given  up  by  the  learned. 
 But — is  it  so  ?  Is  this  the  fact  ?  By  no  means.  Dr.  Priestley  may 
 give  them  up,  because  they  subvert  that  system  of  doctrine,  which 
 he  is  determined  to  ;upportat  all  hazards:  and  a  few  others  may 
 join  him  in  crying  them  down,  because  they  maintain  the  three 
 orders  of  bishops,  priests,  and  deacons  :  but  that  they  are  generally 
 given  up  by  the  learned  is  a  notorious  untruth.  For  it  is  well 
 known,  that  a  large  majority  of  the  learned  in  ecclesiastical  antiquity 
 consider  the  epistles  in  question  as  the  genuine  work  of  the  pious 
 bishop  and  martyr  to  whom  they  are  ascribed  :  nor  is  there  any  good 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  511 
 
 produce  such  passages  from  them  as  seem,  directly  or 
 indirectly,  to  our  present  purpose: — 
 
 "  According  to  the  will  of  the  Father,  and  Jesus 
 "  Christ  our  God."  ' 
 
 21.  "  There  is  one  physician  both  fleshly  and  spi- 
 **  ritual;  made  and. not  made  ;  God  incarnate;  true 
 "  life  in  death  ;  both  cf  Mary  and  of  God :  first  pas- 
 '^  sible,  then  impassible  ;  even  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord."* 
 
 22.  "  Nothing  is  concealed  from  the  Lord^  but  even 
 "  our  secrets  are  nigh  unto  him."  * 
 
 23.  "  Our 
 
 reason  to  think  that  they  have  suffered  more  by  the  hand  of  time 
 or  interpolation  than  other  writings  of  the  same  antiquity.  Let  this 
 be,  however,  as  it  may,  these  seven  celebrated  epistles  are  considered 
 as  genuine,  for  any  thing  that  appears  to  the  contrary,  by  all  the 
 learned  Fathers  of  the  church  for  the  first  4  or  5  centuries  ;  bv  those 
 very  Fathers  from  whom  we  receive  the  holy  scriptures  themselves 
 as  the  word  of  God.  And  of  those  learned  men,  who  have  lived 
 since  the  Reformation,  they  have  been  considered  as  genuine  by 
 some  of  the  most  celebrated  in  this  department  cf  literature.  In 
 this  number  are  to  be  ranked  the  names    of  Fabricius — I.  \'ossius — 
 
 Usher — Hammond — Brucker — Huetius Ittigius Pctavius 
 
 Grotius — Pearson — Bull — Cave — Wake — Cotelerius — Grabe 
 
 Dupin — Fleury — Tillemont —  Bochart — Le    Clerc — Nelson — Reeves 
 
 Leslie Hickcs Marshal Beveridge Chillingworth 
 
 Waterland Zanchius Budda;us — Bishop Berriman 
 
 Clarke — Mosheim — Lardner. — Jortin  : — and,  indeed,  the  great  body 
 of  the  learned  in  every  age  have  been  fully  of  opinion,  that  the^c 
 epistles  are  the  genuine  work  of  the  author  to  whom  they  are 
 ascribed.  With  what  face  then  can  Dr.  Priestley  say  they  are 
 generally  given  up  by  the  learned  : — The  case  is  plain. — it  does  net 
 juit  the  Doctor's  hypothesis  to  admit  them. — But  then — where  u 
 truth,  fidelity,  and  honour  ? — It  is  by  arts  like  these  Vcltaire  ex- 
 plodes even  the  bible  itself. 
 
 For  the  authenticity  cf  these  episdes  of  Ignatius — sec  Bisho 
 Horsley's  Tracts,  p.  1  20 — Archbishop  Wake's  Apostolical  Fa:hei-3 
 — Dr.  Clarke's  Reflections  on  .Amyntor — and  Bishop  Pearson's 
 Vindicias.  See  also  Bishop  Bull's  De.^cnce  ci'  the  Nicene  Faith, 
 chap.  2.  sect.  6. — Likewise  Eusebius's  Eccl.  Hist,  bock  3.  chap. 
 36. — Consult  also  the  Notes  to  Rett's  Sermons,  p.   ^i — 34. 
 
 "  Dr.  Priestley  is  certainly  in  the  right  to  reprobate  these 
 *'  Epistles  if  he  can,"  says  an  unknown  author  ;  "  they  subvert  all 
 *'  his  theology  and  history," 
 
 Biihop  Hcrsley's  Tracts,  p.  y.Q. 
 
 3  Ep.  ad  Ep.  introd, 
 
 ♦Ibid.  sect.  7. '  Ibid.  sect.  15, 
 
512  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 23.  "  Our  God,  Jesus  Christ,  was,  according  to  the 
 **.  dispensation  of  God,  conceived  in  the  womb  of 
 "  Mary,  of  the  seed  of  David,  by  the   Holy  Ghost."  *, 
 
 24.  "  Now  the  virginity  of  Mary,  and  He  who  was 
 *^  born  of  her,  was  kept  in  secret  from  the  prince  of 
 "  this  world ;  as  was  also  the  death  of  our  Lord  :  three 
 "  of  the  nnysterics  the  most  spoken  of  throughout  the 
 "  world,  yet  done  in  secret  by  God."  ' 
 
 25.  "  Ignorance  was  taken  away,  the  old  kingdom 
 *'  abolished,  God  appearing  in  the  form  of  many  and  man 
 *'  acting  as  God."  * 
 
 26.  "  Jesus  Christ,  who  was  of  the  race  of  David 
 "  according  to  the  flesh,  the  son  of  man,  and  Son  of 
 «  Godr^ 
 
 27.  In  archbishop  Usher's  edition  of  this  Epistle  we 
 have  the  following  passage : — "  But  we  have  also  a 
 "  physician,  the  Lord  our  God,  Jesus  the  Christ,  be- 
 "  fore  ages  the  only- begotten  Son  and  Word,  but  af- 
 "  terwards  man  also  of  the  virgin  Mary  -,  for  the  Word 
 "  was  made  flesh ;  incorporeal  in  a  body ;  exempt  from 
 *'  sufferings  in  a  suffering  body;  immortal  in  a  mortal 
 *'  body,  life  in  corruption."  This  passage  is  similar  to 
 one  of  those  which  we  have  already  quoted  from  this 
 same  epistle,  yet  it  is  only  just  to  observe,  that  it  is 
 omitted  as  spurious  by  other  editors. 
 
 28.  "  Our  God,  Jesus  Christ,  being  in  the  Father, 
 "  doth  so  much  the  more  appear."  * 
 
 29.  "  Pray  unto  Christ  for  me."  * 
 
 30.  "  Permit  me  to  imitate  the  passion  of  Christ, 
 «  my  Goo."  ^ 
 
 31.  "  Ignatius — to  the  church  of  God  the  Father, 
 **  and  Giir  Lord  Jesus  Christ — by  the  Holy  Ghost."  * 
 
 32.  "  I  exhort  you,  that  ye  study  to  do  all  things  in 
 *'  divine  concord ;  your  bishop  presiding  in  the  place 
 "  of  God  j  your  presbyters  in  the  place  of  the  coun- 
 
 "  cil 
 
 *  Ibid.  sect.   18. 7  Ibid.  sect.   19. 'Ibid. 
 
 »  Ibid.  sect.  20. '  Ep,  ad  Rom.  sect.  3. *  Ibid,  sect,  4. 
 
 3  Ibid.  sect.  6. *  Ep.  ad  Mag.  Intiod. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  513 
 
 "  cll  of  the  Apostles;  and  your  deacons  most  dear 
 "  to  me,  being  entrusted  with  the  ministry  of  Jesus 
 "  Christ]  who 'was  ivitb  the  Father  before  all  agesy 
 "  and  appkared  in  the  end  to  us.''  * 
 
 33.  "  There  is  one  God,  who  has  manifested  him- 
 "  self  by  Jesus  Christ  his  Son,  who  is  his  eternal  IVordy 
 "^  not  coming  forth  from  silence,  who  in  all  things 
 **  pleased  him  that  sent  him."  * 
 
 34.  "  Study  to  be  confirmed  in  the  doctrine  of  our 
 "  Lordj-and  of  his  Apostles  ;  that  so,  whatsoever  ye  do, 
 "  ye  may  prosper  both  in  body  and  spirit  ^  in  faith  and 
 "  charity  ;  in  the  Sony  and  in  ihe  Faihery  and  in  the 
 "  Holy  Spirit/' ' 
 
 35.  "  Be  subject  to  your  bishop,  and  to  one  another, 
 *'  as  Jesus  Christ  to  the  Father,  according  to  the  flesh; 
 "  and  the  Apostles  both  to  Christy  and  to  the  Father, 
 "  and  to  the  Holy  Ghost."  » 
 
 ;^6.  ''  Consider  the  times ;  and  expect  him,  who  is 
 "  above  all  time,  etcrnaly  invisibUy  though /tjr  our  sakes 
 "  7?tade  visible  ;  iynpalpabky  and  impassible,  yet  for  us 
 *'  subjected  to  sufferings ,-  enduring  all  manner  of  ways 
 "  for  our  salvation."  * 
 
 37.  "  I  wish  you  all  happiness  in  our  Gody  Jesus 
 «  Christ."* 
 
 38.  I  glorify  Jesus  Christ,  the  God  who  hath  thus  fil- 
 led you  with  wisdom.  * 
 
 39.  All  these  things  (Jesus  Christ)  suffered  for  us 
 that  we  might  be  saved,  and  he  did  truly  suffer,  as  also 
 he  did  truly  raise  up  himself.  ' 
 
 40.  After  his  resurrection  he  did  eat  and  drink  with 
 them,  as  he  was  flesh  ;  although  as  to  his  spirit  he  was 
 united  to  the  Father.  * 
 
 41.  Ignatius  was  martyred,  A.  D.  107.  There  is 
 a  conversation  recorded  which  passed  between  him  and 
 
 R  r  r  Trajan, 
 
 5  Epistle  to  the  Magneslans,  Sect.  6. ^  Do.  Sect.  8. 
 
 'Do.  Sect.   13. 'Do.  do. 
 
 »  Epistle  to  Poiycarp,  sect.  3. *  Ibid.  sect.  8. 
 
 *  Epist.  ad  Smyr.  sect.  i. ■*  Ibid.  sect.  2. — *  Ibid.  sect.  3^ 
 
5H  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 Trajan,  which  is  strongly  expressive  of  his  belief  of 
 our  Saviour's  divinity.  Among  other  questions  which 
 the  Emperor  put  to  this  venerable  Bishop,  one  was, 
 "  Whether  he  carried  Christ  within  him  ?"  He  replied, 
 "  I  do ;  for  it  is  written,  /  will  dwell  in  them  and  walk 
 "  in  ihem.'*  See  i  Cor.  6.  i6,  and  Levit.  16.  12. 
 The  Emperor  then  ordered  that  he  should  be  carried  to 
 Rome,  and  there  be  devoured  by  wild  beasts.  Upon 
 hearing  this  sentence  the  venerable  man  cried  >  out  with 
 joy,  "  I  thank  thee,  O  Lord,  that  thou  hast  vouchsafed 
 "  to  honour  me  with  a  perfect  love  towards  thee,  and 
 "  hast  made  me  to  be  put  in  iron  bonds  with  thine 
 "  apostle  Paul." 
 
 42.  The  Relation  of  his  martyrdom  farther  tells  us, 
 that  immediately  before  he  was  dehvered  to  the  beasts, 
 "  all  the  brethren  at  Rome  kneeling  down  with  him, 
 "  he  prayed  to  the  Son  of  God  in  behalf  of  the  churches." 
 
 43.  This  same  pious  Relation  concludes  with  an  ad- 
 dress to  the  Holy  Trinity  : — "  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord  i 
 **  by  whom.,  and  with  whom,  all  glory  and  power,  be  to 
 "  the  Father,  with  the  blessed  Spirit,  forever  and  ever. 
 *'  Amen." 
 
 44.  Polycarp'  was  a  disciple  of  St.  John,  and  by 
 him  made  bishop  of  Smyrna,  A.  D.  82.  He  was 
 burnt  alive  in  the  looth.  year  of  his  age,  and  in  the  year 
 of  our  Lord  166.  His  genuine  writings  are  only  one 
 Epistle  to  the  Philippians.  In  this,  however,  he  is  not 
 silent  concerning  the  dignity  of  his  blessed  Master : — • 
 
 «  Wherefore,'* 
 
 •  Irensus  assures  us,  that  "  Polycarp  always  taught  those  things 
 **  which  he  had  learned  from  the  Apostles,  and  which  he  delivered 
 "  to  the  church,  and  which  alone  are  true.  All  the  churches 
 *'  throughout  Asia  bear  witness  to  this,  as  do  the  Successors  of 
 *'  Polycarp,  in  his  seat,  to  this  day  ;  who  was  a  far  more  worthy, 
 **  faithful,  steady  witness  of  the  truth  than  Valentinus  and  Marcion, 
 *'  and  other  false  teachers." 
 
 I  should  observe  here  that  there  is  some  little  difference  of  opinion 
 among  the  Learned  concerning  the  precise  year  in  which  both 
 Ignatius  and  Polycarp  were  put  to  death  ;  but  this  circumstance 
 makes  no  diiFerence  with  respect  to  the  subject  now  under  consider- 
 ation. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  515 
 
 ?^  Wherefore,"  says  this  good  man,  '^  girding  up  the 
 "  loins  of  your  mind,  serve  the  Lord  with  fear,  and  in 
 "  truth  J  laying  aside  all  empty  and  vain  speech,  and 
 "  the  error  of  many  j  believing  in  him  that  raised  up 
 "  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  from  the  dead,  and  hath  given 
 "  him  glory  and  a  throne  at  his  right  hand  j  to  whom 
 ^'  all  things  are  made  subject,  both  that  are  in  heaven, 
 *^  and  that  are  in  earth ;  whom  every  living  creature  ihcdl 
 "  worship ;  who  shall  come  to  be  the  judge  of  quick 
 "  and  dead."* 
 
 45.  "  Now  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
 *'  Christ  i  and  he  himself,  who  is  our  everlasting  high- 
 "  priest,  the  Son  of  God^  even  Jesus  Christy  build  you  up. 
 "  in  faith  and  in  truth"  ^ 
 
 46.  There  is  an  excellent  fragment  of  Polycarp,  pre- 
 served by  Victor  Capuanus,  and  cited  by  Feuardendus, 
 in  his  notes  on  the  third  book  of  Iren^eus,  where  he 
 gives  a  good  account  of  the  design  each  of  the  Evan- 
 gelists had  in  writing  his  gospel  i  in  the  course  of  which 
 he  advances  some  things  extremely  favourable  to  our 
 present  enquiry : — "  Matthew,"  says  this  holy  Mar- 
 tyr, "  writing  to  the  Hebrews,  has  inserted  die  g^ne- 
 "  alogy  of  Christ,  that  he  might  shew  Christ  to  be 
 "  descended  of  that  race,  from  whence  all  the  prophets 
 "  had  foretold  he  was  to  be  born.  But  John,  who  was 
 "  fixed  at  Ephesus,  where  the  law  was  not  known  by 
 "  the  Gentiles,  began  his  gospel  with  the  cause  of  our 
 "  redemption ;  which  cause  was  manifest  from  thisj 
 "  that  God  willed  his  Son  to  be  incarnate  for  our  sal- 
 **  vation.  But  Luke  begins  witli  the  priesthood  of 
 "  Zacharias,  that,  by  the  miracle  of  his  Son's  nadvity, 
 *'  and  the  office  of  so  great  a  preacher,  he  might  make 
 *'  known  the  divinity  of  Christ.  And  Mark,  there- 
 "  fore,  sets  forth  some  ancient  passages  of  prophetic 
 "  mystery,  agreeing  to  the  coming  of  Christ,  that  his 
 
 R  r  r  3  "  preaching 
 
 *  Epist.  ad  Philip,  sect.  2. 
 
 *  Ibid.  sect.   12, 
 
S^S  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 "  preaching  might  not  seem  a  novelty,  but  be  conform- 
 "  able  to  what  had  been  anciently  delivered."  ' 
 
 47.  In  the  circular  Epistle  of  the  church  of  Smyrna 
 concerning  the  martyrdom  of  this  holy  man,  we  have 
 the  following  testimonies  to  the  truths  now  under  con- 
 sideration : — "  Eighty  and  six  years  have  I  now  served 
 *'  Chrisfy  and  he  has  never  done  me  the  least  v/rong : 
 "  how  then  can  I  blaspheme  my  King  and  my  Saviour  ?* 
 
 48.  When  he  was  at  the  stake  he  made  a  prayer  to 
 almighty  God,  which  he  finished  in  these  words  :  "  For 
 **  this,  and  for  all  things  else,  I  praise  thee,  I  bless 
 "  thee,  I  glorify  thee,  by  the  eternal  and  heavenly  High 
 "  Priest,  Jesus  Christ,  thy  beloved  Son ;  zvifh  zvhom 
 "  to  ihee  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  be  glory  both  now,  and 
 "  to  all  succeeding;  a2-es.     Amen."  ^ 
 
 49.  "  The  Governour  hindered  the  Christians  from 
 "  having  the  body  of  the  Martyr,  lest,"  says  he, 
 *'  forsaking  him  that  was  crucified^  they  should  begin  tf 
 '^  zvorship  this  Polycarp.  And  this  was  said  at  the  sug- 
 "  gestion  and  instance  of  the  Jews,  who  also  watched 
 "  us,"  say  the  authors  of  this  relation,  "  that  we 
 *^  should  not  take  him  out  of  the  fire :  not  consider- 
 ''  ing,"  say  they,  "  that  neither  is  it  possible  for  us 
 *^  ever  tb-^  forsake  Christ,  nor  worship  any  other  besides 
 "  him.  I^or  hivi,  indeed,  as  being  the  Son  of  God,  we 
 *'  do  adore:  but  for  the  Martyrs,  we  worthily  love 
 *'  them,  as  the  disciples  and  followers  of  our  Lord, 
 •**  and  upon  the  account  of  their  exceeding  great  affec- 
 **  tion  towards  their  Master  and  their  King."  * 
 
 50.  "  God  who  is  able  to  bring  all  of  us  by  his 
 "  grace  and  help  to  his  eternal  kingdom,  through  his 
 *'  only- begot  ten  Son  Jesus  Christ ;  to  zvhom  be  glory, 
 *'  and  honour^  and  fozver,  and  majesty,  forever  and  ever. 
 "  Amen."* 
 
 51.  "  But  c/^r  Saviour  Christ  rcigmng  forever  more : 
 
 "  to 
 
 'Lib.  3.  c.  3.— 8  Martyrdom  of  Polycarp,  sect.  9. 
 ?  Do.  sect.   14. *  Do.  sect.  17. *  Ibid.  sect.  20.] 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  517 
 
 *'  to  him  he  honour ^  glory.,  majesty^  and  an  eternal  ihron^^ 
 "  from  generation  to  generation.     Amen."  * 
 
 52.  '*  Jesus  Christ ;  iJuiih  zi'hovj,  glory  be  to  God  ihs 
 "  Father^  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  for  the  salvation  of  his 
 "  chosen  saints."  * 
 
 53.  "  That  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord  may  also  gather 
 "  me  together  with  his  elect :  to  whom  iz-itb  the  Fa- 
 "  ther,  and  the  Holy  Ghosty  he  glory  forever  and  ever, 
 "  Amen."  » 
 
 These  seven  witnesses  all  lived  in  the  first  centmy, 
 which  is  usually  called  the  Apc-'Stolic  age.  The  five 
 first,  namely,  Barnabas,  Hermas,  Clement,  Ignatius, 
 and  Polycarp,  most  of  whom  sealed  the  truth  wirh  their 
 blood,  had  every  possible  opportunity  of  being  ac- 
 quainted with  the  great  truths  of  the  gospel.  The 
 believers,  who  wrote  the  two  relations  concerning  the 
 martyrdoms  of  Ignatius  and  Polycarp,  seem  likewise 
 to  have  been  so  favourably  circumstanced  that  they 
 could  not  be  ignorant  of  the  doctrines  and  practices  of 
 the  first  age.  All  these  opinions,  therefore,  delivered 
 by  these  seven  witnesses,  will  bid  fair  for  being  the 
 true  ones,  and  conformable  to  those  of  the  Apor.tles, 
 by  whom  they  had  been  instructed,  and  from  whom  they 
 had  received  them. 
 
 Such  is  the  evidence  which  arises  to  the  Divinity  of 
 our  blessed  Saviour  from  the  immediate  successors  of 
 the  Apostles.  * 
 
 PART 
 
 3  Ibid.  sect.  21. ♦Ibid.  sect.  22. 
 
 '  Ibid.  Advert,  to  the  Relation. — Tiiis  doxolcgy  prcbably  be- 
 longs to  the  Jatter  end  of  the  second,  or  beginning  ol"  the  third 
 century  :  but,  as  it  is  annexed  to  this  Relation,  1  have  introduced  it 
 here. 
 
 *  The  celebrated  Brucker  says,  v;hcn  speaking  of  these  Ap05- 
 tolical  fathers,  "  7'he  object  of  their  most  praise-worthy  endeavour6 
 •'  was,  tc  follow  the  example  of  their  masters,  and  to  exhibit  the 
 "  truths  of  the  go.'^pcl  in  such  plainness  of  instruction,  that  even 
 "  the  weak  and  children  might  be  led  to  a  kncwledgc  ol  them  ; 
 "  thinking  that  they  had  then  sufliciently  discharged  the  office  ot 
 ♦'  teacher,  when  wi'.hout  the  artificial  aids  of  human  erudition,  or 
 **  any  mixture  of  philosophical  conceits,  they  had  boldly  and  openly, 
 
$1?  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 PART  SEVENTH, 
 
 SECTION    III. 
 
 The  opinions  of  the   CHRISTIAN  FATHERS,  who  lived  in  the  first  part  ti 
 the  second  century,  concerning  the  PERSON  of    CHRIST,    and  the 
 doctrine  of  the  TRINITY. 
 
 WE  will  now  pass  on  to  those  Authors  who   lived 
 in  the  second  age. '. 
 54.  QuADRATus  was  bishop  of  Athens.     He  pre- 
 sented an  Apology  to  the   emperor  Adrian  about  the 
 year  of  our  Lord   125.     The  Apology   itself  is  lost: 
 but  Eusebius  declares  it  was  in  the  hands  of  many  of  the 
 
 brethren^ 
 
 "  in  their  speeches  and  writings,  held  forth  to  the  consideration  of 
 "  all  men,  even  the  most  illiterate,  the  Author  of  all  salvation, 
 "  and  the  means  by  which  the  possession  of  it  was  to  be  secured. 
 **  Of  this  we  have  a  singular  and  shining  instance  in  the  genuine 
 "  epistles  now  extant  of  Clemens  Romanus,  Ignatius,  and  Polycarp, 
 "  who  were  disciples  of  the  Apostles,  and  who,  combining  the 
 **  simplicity  of  evangelic  doctrine,  with  the  sublimity  of  divine 
 *'  truth,  have  displayed  them  in  a  stile  worthy  of  men  distinguished 
 *'  by  the  name  of  Apostolic."     Hist.  Crit.  Phil.  v.  3.  p.  270. 
 
 Dr.  Jortin  writes,  "  If  the  opinion  of  Christ's  divinity  had  not 
 **  prevailed  commonly  among  the  Christians  of  the  first  and  second 
 ""  centuries,  how  came  it  to  pass,  that  Adrian  is  said  to  have  design- 
 "  ed  to  deify  Jesus  Christ,  or  that  Severus  Alexander  intended  it  ?" 
 Remarks  on  Eccl.  Hist.  vol.  2.  p.  90. 
 f  '  "  I  allow,."  says  Dr.  Priestley  himself,  "  all  that  Bishop  Bull 
 **  and  Mr.  Burgh  ascribe  to  the  Fathers  of  the  second  and  third 
 **  century  ;  I  allow  that  they  held  the  doctrine  of  the  divinity  of 
 *•■  the  Son,  at  least ;  but  it  v/as  in  a  quaUfied  sense,  and  by  no  means 
 "  the  same  that  was  maintained  after  the  council  of  Nice."  De- 
 fence of  Unit,  for   1787,  p.   139. 
 
 Whether  the  Fathers  of  the  first  century  also  held  not  the  doctrine 
 of  Christ's  divinity,  the  Reader  will  judge  from  the  quotations  we 
 have  just  produced  out  of  their  writings  :  and  whether  the  Fathers\» 
 of  the  second  and  third  ages  maintained  it  in  any  other  sense  than^ 
 was  received  at  and  after  the  council  of  Nice,  the  following  extracts 
 from  their  works,  and  the  works  of  other  Authors  who  have  spoken 
 or  written  upon  the  subject,  will  plainly  shew. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  519 
 
 brethren  in  his  time;  that  he  himself  was  possessed  of 
 it ;  and  that  it  contained  clear  evidences  of  the  author's 
 understanding,  and  of  his  truly  apostolical  faith  and 
 sound  doctrine.  *  St.  Jerome  also  calls  the  Apology  of 
 this  pious  bishop  a  very  useful  book,  and  says  it  was 
 full  of  reason  and  faith,  and  becoming  the  apostolical 
 doctrine.  * 
 
 55.  Aristides  was  a  philosopher  of  Athens,  and 
 became  a  convert  to  Christianity  in  the  beginning  of 
 the  second  century.  He  was  a  very  eloquent  man,  and 
 presented  an  Apology  to  the  emperor  Adrian  in  favour 
 of  the  Christians  about  the  same  time  with  Qnadratus. 
 Eusebius  says  he  was  a  faithful  man.  *  And  St.  Jerome 
 observes,  that  he  was  an  eloquent  philosopher,  and  a 
 disciple  of  Christ.  *  Petavius  relates  also,  that  it  was 
 reported  of  him  in  the  Martyrologies,  how  he  very 
 clearly  and  fully  discoursed  in  the  presence  of  the 
 Emperor,  that  Jesus  Christ  was  God.  ' 
 
 56.  Eusebius  informs  us,  that  there  were  in  all  fifteen 
 bishops,  who  presided  over  the  church  at  Jerusalem, 
 from  the  times  of  the  Apostles  till  the  siege  of  that 
 city  under  Adrian,  about  the  year  of  our  Lord  136. 
 All  these  bishops  were  Hebrews  by  birth,  had  sincerely 
 embraced  the  faith  of  Christ,  and  were  thought  worthy 
 of  the  episcopal  office,  by  those  who  were  competent 
 to  judge.  *  And  as  all  the  other  bishops  in  the  Chris- 
 tian world  were  in  communion  with  those  of  Jerusalem, 
 it  will  follow,  that  they  also  were  looked  upon  as  or- 
 thodox in  the  faith  :  for  it  is  well  known  by  those  who 
 are  at  all  acquainted  widi  the  history  of  those  times, 
 that  whenever  any  of  the  bishops  declined  from  what 
 was  deemed  the  path  of  truth  on  any  of  the  great  lead- 
 ing doctrines  of  Christianity;    of  which  the  divinity  of 
 
 Christ 
 
 ^  Eus.  Ec.  Hist,  book  4.  ch.  3. 
 
 '^Cat.  Ec.  Script,  in  Quadrate. 
 
 *  Eus.  Ec.  Hist.  b.  4.  ch.  3. 
 
 *  Cat.  Ec.  Script,  in  Quadrate. 
 
 3  Jmpres.  ad  Tom.  2.  Dogm.  Theolog. 
 
 *  Euseb.  Eccl.  Hist.  lib.  4.  cap.  5. 
 
5to  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 Christ  was  always  esteemed  one,  they  were  constantly 
 excluded  from  commtinion  by  all  the  rest  of  the  ortho- 
 dox behevers.  Eusebius,  therefore,  speaking  with  so 
 much  approbation  of  these  first  fifteen  bishops  of  Jeru- 
 salem, renders  it  extremely  probable,  that  they  were 
 all  considered  at  that  time  as  maintaining  the  commonly 
 received  principles  of  Christianity.  * 
 
 57.  MiLTiADEs  was  a  m,an  of  considerable  note  to- 
 wards the  middle  of  this  second  age,  and  is  spoken  of 
 by  Eusebius  as  a  defender  of  the  doctrines  which  we 
 usually  call  orthodox. " 
 
 58.  Hegesippus, ''  the  ecclesiastical  historian,  lived 
 
 before, 
 
 5  See  Stillingfleet  on  the  Trinity,  p.  17.  Mosheim  tells  us  that 
 the  term  Nazarene  was  originally  given  to  all  Christians,  and  that  it 
 was  afterwards  appropriated  to  those  Christians  of  Jerusalem,  who 
 considered  the  observaijce  of  the  Mosaical  rites  as  necessary  to  sal- 
 vation. These  were  distinct  from  the  Ebionites,  and  not  placed  by 
 the  ancient  Christians  in  the  heretical  register,  while  the  latter  were 
 considered  as  a  sect,  whose  tenets  were  destructive  of  the  funda- 
 mental principles  of  the  Christian  religion.  But,  after  the  second 
 destruction  of  Jerusalem  by  Adrian,  ihey  deserted  the  ordinary 
 assemblies  of  Christians,  and  were  then  reckoned  to  be  a  distinct 
 sect,  but  yet  were  treated  by  other  Christians  with  great  gentleness, 
 as  agreeing  in  the  main  doctrines  of  Christianity. 
 
 Eusebius  tells  us  expressly,  that  the  Ebionites  believed  Christ  to 
 be  only  a  common  man,  born  of  Joseph  and  Mary.  But  there  were 
 ethers  called  by  the  same  name  that  observed  the  ceremonies  of  the 
 Mosaical  law,  and  yet,  avoiding  their  absurd  notions,  believed  the 
 pre-cxistence  of  Christ,  and  that  he  was  God,  the  Word  and  Wis- 
 dom of  the  Father. 
 
 Sulpitius  Severus  a  good   historian   of  the  fourth  century  attests   • 
 the  same  thing.      He  tells   us  that  the   emperor    Adrian   placed    a 
 guard  to  keep  the  Jews  cut  of  Jerusalem,  which   was  of  service  to 
 the  Christian  faith  :  for  they  almost  all,   together  with  the  observ- 
 ance of  the  law,  believed  Christ  to  be  Gcd.* 
 
 St.  Augustin  also  testi.^.es  the  same  thing.  He  distinguishes  the 
 Nazarenes  from  the  Ccrintliians  and  Ebionites,  and  tells  us  the  latter 
 held  that  Christ  was  only  a  man  :  but  the  former,  though  they  ob- 
 served the  precepts  of  the  law,  yet  confessed  that  Christ  was  the 
 Son  of  Gcd  f 
 
 «  Eccl.  Hist.  1.  5.  c.  28. 
 
 '  See  a  defence  of  Hegesippus's  orthodoxy  in  Bishop  Horsley's 
 Tracts,  p.   169. 
 
 *  Sac.   Ilirt.  lib.  2.  cap.  45 +  Lib.  dc  Haeres.  c.  8,  g,    10. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  |2i 
 
 before,  or  near  the  time  of  Justin  Martyr.  He  came 
 to  Rome  about  the  year  157,  while  Anicetus  was  bishop 
 there,  and  continued  in  that  capital  till  the  year  185, 
 in  friendship  and  communion  with  the  said  Anicetus, 
 with  Soter  and  Eleurherus,  his  two  successors  in  office. 
 Now  it  is  certain,  that  these  three  Roman  bishops  were 
 orthodox  respi:cting  the  divinity  of  Christ,  because  they 
 were  held  in  high  esteem  with  Irenseus,  bishop  of  Lyons, 
 who,  we  know,  believed  that  doctrine,  and  considered  all 
 those  who  rejected  it  in  the  light  of  heretics.  It  will 
 follow,  therefore,  from  these  premises,  according  to  the 
 spirit  and  practice  of  those  times,  that  Hegesippus  must 
 have  been  sound  in  the  faith. 
 
 Here  then  d.refive  other  witnesses,  or,  to  speak  more 
 exactly,  here  are  four  eminent  Individuals,  and  a  series 
 of  fifteen  bishops  in  the  most  ancient  church  in  the 
 world,  who  all  seem  to  have  been  orthodox  in  the  faith, 
 on  the  great  doctrines  now  in  question,  and  who  all 
 lived  before  the  time  that  Justin  Martyr  came  forward 
 as  a  defender  of  the  Christian  faith.  These,  together 
 with  the  seven  former,  who  ])receded  them,  make  the 
 number  of  witnesses  in  favour  of  orthodoxy  in  the 
 prime  of  antiquity  exactly  twelve :  witnesses  suffici- 
 ently numerous  and  circumstantial  to  determine  what 
 were  then  deemed  the  genuine  doctrines  ol  Christianity. 
 
 S  s 
 
5*;^  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 Part  seventh. 
 
 SECTION    IV. 
 
 The  opinion  of  JlISTiN  MARTYR  concerning  the  PERSON  of  CHRIST, 
 with  a  vindication  of  him  from  the  charge  of  innovation. 
 
 i»w(WWfiar«OJ^8;)»W«aw»— 
 
 WE  are  how  come  to  the  time  of  Justin  Martyr. 
 It  is  necessary  we  should  pause  a  little,  and  at- 
 tempt to  vindicate  his  character  from  the  aspersions  of 
 the  Socinians.  For  Dn  Priestley  asserts,  that  the  doc- 
 trines of  the  Trinity  and  divinity  of  Christ  were  never 
 known  and  received  in  the  Christian  church  till  intro~ 
 duced  by  him  from  the  Platonic  school.  *  On  the  con- 
 trary I  affirm,  with  all  possible  confidence,  that  the 
 pre-existence  and  divinity  of  Christ  were  clearly 
 preached  by  our  Saviour  himself — by  St.  Peter — St. 
 Paul — and  St.  John. '  Nay,  what  is  more,  I  solemnly 
 affirm,  that  Philo,  the  learned  Jew,  who  lived  in  the 
 time  of  our  Saviour  and  his  Apostles,  was  a  believer  in 
 both  these  doctrines.  * 
 
 Moreover,  most  of  the  foregoing  testimonies,  to  the 
 pre-existence  and  divinity  of  Christ,  extracted  from  the 
 writings  of  the  Ancients,  whether  Christians  or  Hea- 
 thens, are  prior  to  the  time  of  Justin  Martyr.  The 
 reader  then  will  judge  what  dependance  can  be  placed 
 on  the  declarations  of  Dr.  Priestley  as  a  writer  upon 
 these  great  subjects.  His  History  of  Corruptions 
 abounds   with  such  unfounded   assertions.     With  the 
 
 utmost 
 
 '  "  We  find  nothing  like  divinity  ascribed  to  Christ  before  Justin 
 **  Martyr."    History  of  Corruptions  vol.   i.  p.  32. 
 
 »  It  is  not  necessary  to  repeat  here  the  proofs  of  this  assertion. 
 Let  the  Reader  consult  the  whole  of  the  second  part  of  this 
 Apology. 
 
 *  See  Fart.  5.  sect.  2. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  525 
 
 utmost  confidence  we  appeal  to  all  antiquity,  whether 
 Jewish,  Heathen,  or  Christian,  for  the  truth  of  the 
 doctrines  we  espouse.  All  antiquity  avows  the  fact, 
 that  such  doctrines  were  taught.  And  these  facts  are 
 so  plain,  clear,  and  stubborn,  that  all  the  sophistry  of  the 
 most  dexterous  Polemics  cannot  overturn  them.  It 
 cannot  be.  The  doctrine  of  Christ's  divinity  rests 
 upon  the  most  undoubted  historical  evidence.  The 
 bible  is  full  of  it.  Christian,  Heathen,  and  Jewish 
 antiquity  is  full  of  it.  And,  in  my  opinion,  the  Deists 
 themselves  act  a  more  consistent  part,  in  rejecting  the 
 whole  bible  as  a  fable,  than  the  Socinians  do,  who  pre- 
 tend to  embrace  revelation,  and  yet  cashier  some  of  its 
 most  important  and  distinguishing  doctrines.  How 
 much  more  according  to  truth  than  Dr.  Priestley's,  is 
 the  declaration  of  Julian  the  Apostate,  who  acknow- 
 ledges that  St.  John  did  teach  that  Jesus  Christ  was 
 God :— "  Therefore"  says  he,  "  neither  Paul,  nor 
 "  Matthew,  nor  Luke,  nor  Mark,  attempted  to  say, 
 "  that  Jesus  was  God,  but  the  good  natured  John, 
 "  who  perceived  that  now  (at  the  time  of  writing  his 
 "  gospel)  a  great  multitude,  in  many  of  the  Grecian 
 "  and  Italian  cities,  were  carried  away  with  this  disease. 
 *'  — He  first  dared  to  speak  it."  *  — What  this  learned 
 Emperor  says  of  Paul,  Matthew,  Mark,  and  Luke,  is 
 not  strictly  true.  For  though  the  three  Evangelists 
 in  question  do  not  so  fully  teach  the  doctrine  of  Christ's 
 divinity  as  St.  John  ;  yet  they  ^o  teach  it  in  a  language 
 sufficiently  clear  and  intelligible  to  candid  Readers. 
 Paul,  however,  is  much  fuller  upon  the  subject  than 
 any  one  of  the  three.  And  St.  John,  even  in  the 
 opinion  of  this  implacable  enemy  of  Christianity,  did 
 teach  the  doctrine.  Importarit  concession!  For  if  St. 
 John  taught  it,  surely  Justin  Martyr  was  not  the  in- 
 ventor of  it.  We  insist  upon  it,  however,  that  St, 
 Paul,  in  particular,  taught  the  doctrine  in  question 
 twenty  or  thirty  years  before  St.  John  wrote  his  gos- 
 
 S  s  s  2  peU 
 
 *  Julian  apad  Cyril,  1,  ip. 
 
524  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 pel.  But  as  this  subject  has  aheady  undergone  a  dis- 
 cussion in  the  former  part  of  this  vvoik,  it  v/ill  not  be 
 necessary  to  return  to  it  again,  but  only  to  refer  the 
 reader  to  what  has  been  there  advanced.  Several 
 other  arguments,  indeed,  present  themselves  to  our  con- 
 sideration, v^'hich  have  not  yet  been  attended  to,  where- 
 by it  is  demonstrably  proved,  that  the  divinity  of  our 
 blessed  Saviour  had  been  generally  received  among 
 Christians,  long  before  Justin  Martyr  wrote  his  Apology, 
 or  the  Dialogue  with  Trypho,  the  learned  Jew.  Some 
 of  these  aro-uments  I  will  now  submit  to  the  considera- 
 tion  of  the  candid  reader,  and  appeal  to  his  judgment 
 for  the  validity  of  them.  If  one  or  more  of  them 
 shall  fail,  perhaps  another  of  them  may  recommend  it- 
 self as  being  entirely  satisfactory.  Tome  they  are  all 
 of  some  weight.  And  if  any  one  of  them  is  conclu- 
 sive the  point  in  debate  is  gained. 
 
 I.  Justin  Martyr  presented  his  first  Apology  to  the 
 emperor  Antoninus  Pius  about  the  year  of  our  Lord 
 140.  The  internal  marks  of  its  being  agreeable  to  the 
 principles  then  commonly  received  amiong  Christians 
 are  incontestible.  He  lays  before  the  Emperor  the 
 doctrines  of  Christianity  without  disguise,  and  appeals 
 to  him  for  the  propriety  of  them.  He  expressly  says 
 they  believed  the  Trinity  and  the  incarnation  of  the 
 Son  of  Gcd.  And  all  this  he  does,  without  giving  the 
 least  intimation,  that  his  sentiments  upon  these  sub- 
 jects were  novel,  and  peculiar  to  himself  He  evi- 
 dently, all  the  way  through,  defends  them  as  the  com- 
 mon and  well  known  principles  of  believers. — More- 
 over, he  lived  in  the  metropolis  of  the  Roman 
 empire  during  the  time  the  bishops  Telesphorus,  Hy- 
 ginuSj  Pius,  and  Anicetus  presided  over  the  church 
 there;  the  first  and  last  of  whom  suffered  martyrdom 
 in  defence  of  the  truth.  He  was  in  communion  with 
 each  of  these  bishops  in  their  course,  drew  his  pen 
 more  than  onte  in  defence  of  their  righteous  cause, 
 and  stopped  the   torrent  of  persecution    which    raged 
 
 against 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  525 
 
 against  them.  Nay,  what  Is  more,  during  his  abode 
 at  Rome  he  lived  in  communion  with  the  venerable 
 Polycarp,  the  disciple  of  St.  Jolin,  and  bishop  of 
 Smyrna,  who  came  thither  about  the  year  158,  to 
 consult  with  Anicctus  concerning  the  time  of  celebrat- 
 ing Easter.  He  was  also  in  communion  vvith  He- 
 gesippus,  who  came  to  Rome  nearly  at  the  same  pe- 
 riod, and  continued  there  till  the  day  of  his  deatli. 
 Whether  they  were  intimately  acquainted  or  net,  his- 
 tory does  not  say,  though  it  is  exceedingly  probable 
 they  were,  as  they  are  known  to  have  been  country- 
 men, and  both  in  comm.union  vvith  the  same  bishop. 
 1.  Another  argument,  arising  from  internal  evidence, 
 may  be  this  :  Justin,  in  the  Dialogue  between  him- 
 self and  Trypho  the  Jew,  proposcth  two  questions : 
 The  first  is,  Whether  Jesus  Christ  is  the  promised 
 Messiah  ?  This  question  he  saith  he  can  maintain  a- 
 gainst  Trypho,  though  he  should  not  acknowledge  the 
 Messiah  to  be  any  more  than  a  m.ere  man.  The 
 second  question  comprehends  more  than  one  head  :  for 
 it  goes  to  enquire  whether  the  Messiah  had  a  beino-  be- 
 fore his  incarnation  ?  Whether  he  was  God  'i  And  whe- 
 ther he  Was  born  of  a  Virgin  ?  Ail  these  he  declares 
 were  the  true  doctrines  of  the  ancient  Jewish  prophets, 
 and  of  Jesus  Christ  himself  He  advanccth  all  these 
 things,  as  being  well  known  and  generally  received 
 among  Christians.  Pie  quotes  multitudes  of  passages 
 out  of  the  Old  Testament  in  favour  of  these  doctrines, 
 and  carefully  endeavours  to  confute  the  different  solu- 
 tions, which  the  Jewish  Rabbins  made  use  of  to  evade 
 the  force  of  his  arguments.  This  renders  it  certain  that 
 the  proofs  wliich  were  drawn  from  the  books  of  the 
 Old  Testament  were  by  no  means  new  to  the  Jews, 
 but  that  they  had  often  been  urged  by  the  Christians, 
 and  as  frequently  answered  by  the  Jews.  This  was 
 particularly  the  case  with  that  remarkable  passao-e  in 
 the  first  chapter  of  Genesis,  v/here  the  Almighty  is 
 introduced   as   savin?,    Let  iis  viaks  Vihiv.  hi  our  imj(re. 
 
 Tiie 
 
526  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 The  Christians  long  before  the  tinnc  of  Justin  urged 
 these  words  as  a  proof  of  the  Trinity.  And  even  the 
 learned  Philo  acknowledged,  that  the  expressions  im- 
 plied the  taking  in  of  others  as  fellow  workmen.  But 
 some  of  his  countrymen  gave  one  interpretation,  and 
 some  another.  Some  said,  God  spake  to  his  Angels. 
 Some,  that  he  spake  in  the  plural  because  of  his  majesty, 
 Others,  that  he  spake  to  the  elements.  All  these  in- 
 \'entions  of  the  Jews  Justin  takes  notice  of,  and  rejects 
 them  as  improper  and  unnatural.  If,  therefore,  he 
 was  the  first  inventor  of  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity, 
 and  the  other  doctrines  therewith  connected,  why  doth 
 he  take  notice  of  and  reject  with  scorn  all  those  silly 
 evasions  made  use  of  by  the  Jewish  Rabbins  ?  It  ajv 
 pears,  then,  that  the  Christians,  before  his  time, 
 did  believe  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity,  because  the 
 Jews,  during  his  own  age,  made  so  many  different  an^ 
 swers  to  the  difficulty  in  qusestion. 
 
 J.  Another  internal  argument  m  proof  that  Justin 
 was  not  the  inventor  of  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity, 
 l>ut  that  it  had  prevailed  among  Christians  before  his 
 time,  ariscth  from  the  manner  in  which  he  speaks  of 
 those  among  them,  v;ho  rejected  the  divinky  of  our 
 blessed  Saviour,  and  believed  him  to  be  born  of  Joseph 
 and  Mary.  **  There  are  some  among  us,"  says  he, 
 "  who  confess  that  he  is  Christ,  but  affirm  him  to  be 
 *•'  man  born  of  men  ;  with  whom  I  do  J50t  agree  ;  nor 
 "•^  ^could  it  be  said  by  most  of  those  who  are  of  my 
 '*  sentiments ;  for  we  have  been  commanded  by  Christ 
 *'  himself,  not  to  believe  the  injunctions  of  men,  but 
 **  to  believe  those  things  which  were  preached  by  the 
 "  blessed  Prophets,  and  taught  by  Christ  himself/* 
 
 From  hence  it  appears,  that  though  there  were  some 
 in  the  days  of  Justin  who  believed  Christ  to  be  a  mere 
 man,  yet  the  great  body  of  the  Christians,  who  gave 
 heed  to  the  holy   Prophets  and  our  blessed  Saviour, 
 
 were 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  527 
 
 were  of  a  different  opinion,  and  believed  as  Justin  did 
 concerning  him.  * 
 
 4.  Another  internal  argument  will  arise  from  the 
 conduct  of  Justin  in  his  Dialogue  with  Trypho,  where 
 he  represents  the  Christians  of  his  own  ao;e  as  beins 
 endowed  with  the  gifts  of  miracles,  and  the  power  of 
 ejecting  devils  in  the  name  of  our  blessed  Saviour,  as 
 of  the  true  God.  *  Now  we  do  not  read,  that  either 
 the  Ebionites,  or  Cerinthians,  those  ancient  heretics, 
 ever  had,  or  ever  pretended  to  be  favoured  with,  this 
 supernatural  power.  And  it  is  very  remarkable,  that 
 IrensEus  makes  this  a  distinguishing  mark  between  the 
 catholic  church  and  all  the  assemblies  of  heretics.  * 
 
 5.  Another  argument  for  the  divinity  of  Christ 
 ariseth  from  the  conduct  of  Trypho  the  Jew,  and  ad- 
 versary of  Justin,  who  frequently  objects  to  the  Chris- 
 tians, that  they  worshipped  Jesus  Christ  as  God  ;  while 
 Justin  undertakes  to  justify  their  conduct  in  so  doing  j 
 a  sufficient  proof  that  Justin  was  not  th.e  inventor  of 
 the  doctrine. 
 
 6.  Another  argument  of  the  same  kind,  arises  from 
 this  consideration,  that  neither  Trypho  the  Jew,  nor 
 Rabbi  Jochanan,  objected  the  novelty  of  the  doctrine 
 of  the  Trinity,  which  they  undoubtedly  would  have 
 done,  had  it  been  lately  invented  ;  but  both  proceed 
 upon  the  principle,  that  the  doctrine  was  commonly 
 received  by  the  Christian  church. 
 
 7.  Another 
 
 '  It  is  remarkable,  that  Faustus  Socinus  is  compelled  to  acknow- 
 ledge, both  in  contradiction  to  himself.  Dr.  Priestley,  and  all  our 
 other  Ebionites,  "  That  from  the  infancy  of  the  church,  there  had 
 **  been  very  many  pious,  learned  men,  martyrs  too,  who  had  era- 
 **  braced  this  grievous  error,  namely,  that  Jesus  Christ  is  that  one 
 *'  God,  who  created  all  things,  or  certainly  begotten  of  his  proper 
 *'  substance."     Epist.  3d.  to  Radecius. 
 
 This  concession  is  giving  up  the  point.  For  if  there  were  very 
 many  from  the  infancy  of  the  church,  who  espoused  these  doctrintb, 
 and  some  who  even  died  martyrs,  how  can  the  Socinians  say,  that 
 Justin  Martyr,  who  lived  about  the  middle  of  the  second  century, 
 was  the  inventor  of  them  ? 
 
 '♦Dial,  with  Tryph,  p.  311. '  Lib.  4.  c.  45. 
 
S^S  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 7.  Another  argument  will  arise  from  the  assertion  of 
 Irensus  in  the  second  and  third  sections  of  the  first 
 book  of  his  learned  Work.  For  he  saith,  that  the 
 common  faith  of  the  churches,  all  the  world  over,  was 
 that  of  the  Trinity  and  the  divinity  of  Jesus  Christ. 
 Dr.  Priestley  says  these  doctrines  were  never  heard  of 
 till  Justin  wrote  in  defence  of  them.  Now  we  know 
 Justin  published  his  Dialogue  with  Trypho  the  Jew  in 
 defence  of  these  doctrines  about  the  year  140.  Irenceus 
 v/rote  the  above  declaration  about  1 70  ;  that  is,  thirty 
 years  after  Justin's  Dialogue  was  published.  It  fol- 
 lows, therefore,  that  Justin  must  have  converted  all  the 
 world  to  his  own  way  of  thinking,  and  to  an  erroneous, 
 blasphemous,  and  idolatrous  way  of  worship,  in  the 
 course  of  thirty  years  !  Credat  Judseus  Apella  !  What 
 absurdities  will  not  men,  sensible,  learned,  and  worthy 
 men  embrace  in  defence  of  a  system  !  Alas  for  poor 
 human  nature  1  Arguments  the  most  weak  and  incon- 
 clusive shall  be  as  cogent  as  demonstrations  j  and  de- 
 monstrations themselves  shall  appear  utterly  fallacious. 
 Such  is  the  power  of  prejudice  !  I  pretend  not  to  be 
 more  exempt  than  my  fellow  creatures.  Let  sober  men 
 judge  between  us  ! 
 
 8.  Another  argument  in  proof  that  Justin  was  not 
 the  first  broacher  of  the  doctrine  concerning  the  Holy 
 Trinity  arises  from  the  history  of  Rabbi  Jochanan. 
 He  lived  at  Babylon,  and  was  the  chief  of  the  Jewish 
 svnagogue  there,  while  Justin  lived  and  taught  in 
 Greece  and  Rome.  Now  this  Rabbi  takes  much  pains 
 to  instruct  the  Jews  in  Babylon  how  to  answer  the 
 Christians,  who  proved  a  plurality  of  persons  in  the 
 Divine  Nature  from  the  books  of  the  Old  Testament. 
 Babylon  was  at  a  vast  distance  from  Rome.  The 
 Komans  were  almost  always  at  war  with  the  people  of 
 those  countries  in  the  period  of  which  we  speak.  It 
 is  not,  therefore,  in  the  least  probable  that  Rabbi 
 Jochanan  should  know  any  thing  of  the  new  and  un- 
 heard of  principles  taught  by  Jusdn,  at  such  a  distance, 
 
 and 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  529 
 
 and  under  such  circumstances.  It  is  more  likely,  that 
 tlie.  very  name  of  Justin  had  never  reached  his  ears, 
 much  less  that  he  was  acquainted  with  his  religious 
 principles,  and  thought  it  necessary  to  arm  his  brethrert 
 of  the  synagogue  against  them.  Be  these  things  as 
 tliey  may,  it  is  certain  tliis  celebrated  Rabbi  undertook, 
 to  confute  the  arguments  which  the  Christians  brought 
 from  those  passages  in  the  Old  Testament,  that  seem  at 
 least  to  imply  a  plurality  in  the  Godhead.  He  particu- 
 larly considers  the  proofs  which  Christians  even  then 
 drew  from — Let  us  make  man — Come  and  let  us  go  doivn 
 —  If'ljat  nation  is  so  great  zvho  hath  Gods  so  nigh— I  be- 
 held all  the  thrones  tvere  cast  down  aitd  the  Ancient  of 
 days  did  sit — Eewdre  of  him^  for  my  name  is  in  him. 
 How  could  he  answer  arguments  which  never  had  any 
 existence  ?  It  is  evident,  therefore,  that  the  Christians 
 in  and  about  Babylon  believed  the  doctrine  of  a  Tri- 
 nity at  that  time.  And  from  thence  it  will  follow,  with 
 a  degree  of  probability  amounting  almost  to  certainty, 
 that  Justin  Martyr  v/as  not  the  original  author  of  that 
 doctrine. 
 
 9.  An  argument,  similaf  to  tlhis  of  Dr.  Priestley, 
 was,  even  so  early  as  the  latter  end  of  the  second,  or 
 beginning  of  the  third  century,  urged  by  the  here- 
 tics against  the  doctrines  of  the  Trinity  and  divinity 
 of  Christ:  only  it  happens,  unfortunately,  that  Dr. 
 Priestley  contradicts,  in  some  degree,  the  asseruons  of 
 iiis  ancient  brethren.  For  he  says,  these  doctrines  were 
 unknown  in  the  Christian  church  till  invented  by  Justin. 
 Now  Justin  was  martyred  about  the  year  163.  These 
 ancient  heretics  say,  that  the  doctrines  in  question 
 were  unknown  till  the  time  of  Victor,  bishop  of  Rome, 
 who  died  in  the  year  201. — But,  to  pass  over  the  con- 
 tradictions of  these  ancient  and  modern  Socinians,  let 
 us  attend  to  the  an^uer  that  was  given  them  at  that 
 time  by  some  unknown  defender  of  the  divinity  of 
 Christ.  Seme  say  it  was  Caius,  and  others  ascribe  it 
 to  Origen.  Who  the  person  was  is  of  no  great  consc- 
 T  t  t  quenc<f 
 
530  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 quence  in  the  present  argument.     His  words  are  taken 
 from  a  discourse  he  had  written  against  the   heresy  of 
 Artemo,  who,  like  Dr.  Priestley,  believed  that  Jesus 
 Christ  was  no  more  than  a  mere   man.     That  the   true 
 apostolical  doctrine  of  the  simple  humanity  of  Christ 
 was  preserved  till  Victor's  days,  but  that  it  was  cor- 
 rupted from  that  time,  "  may  possibly  be  somewhat 
 '  probable,"  says    this  author,    "  if  what  they  assert 
 ^  had  not,  first,  been  confuted  by  the  holy  scriptures  j 
 '  and,  secondly)  by  the   writings  of  those   Christians 
 '  who  were  more  ancient  than  Victor,  such  as  Justin, 
 ^  Miitiades,  Tatian,  and  Clement,  and  of  many  others; 
 '  in  all  whose  books  the  divinity  of  Christ  is  main- 
 '  tained.     For  who   can   be   ignorant   of  the  writings 
 '  of   Irensus,     Melito,     and    the     rest^     who     have 
 '  taught,  that  Jesus  Christ  was  God  and  man  at  the 
 ^  same  time  ?    The  psalms  also  and    hymns  of    the 
 *  brethren,  written  since  the  beginning  by  the  faithful, 
 ^  do  set   forth  the  praises  of  Christ,   the    Word   of 
 '  God,  ascribing  divinity  to  him. "    So  that  since  the 
 ^  doctrine  of  the  church  has  been  preached  for  so  many 
 ^  years,  how  can  they  say,  that  till  Victor's  time  the 
 '  whole  church  was   of  their  opinion  ?  Are  they  not 
 '  ashamed  to  invent  this  calumny  against  Victor,  who 
 '  knew  very  v;ell,  that  Theodotus  the  currier,  who  was 
 ^  the  first  author  of  the  sect  of  those   that  deny  the 
 '  divinity  of  Christ,  was  turned  out  of  the  church  by 
 '  Victor  himself?  For  if  this  bishop  had   been  of  the 
 '  same  mind  with  Theodotus,    how  comes  it  to  pass 
 '  that  he  excommunicated  him  upon  the  account  of  his 
 '  doctrine  ?"  ' 
 These  arguments   may   be    sufHcient  to   shew,  that, 
 
 from 
 
 *  "  The  worship,  hymns,  and  doxologies  addressed  to  the  three 
 "  persons,  as  old  as  Christianity  itself,  and  as  unanimously  and  con- 
 "  stantly  adhered  to,  are  all  so  many  proofs  of  the  truth  of  what 
 •*  we  assert,  that  the  blessed  Three,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost, 
 "  were  the  God  of  the  primitive  Christians." 
 
 Fiddes's  Theo.  Spec.  vol.  i.  p.  393. 
 
 '  See  Stillingfleet  on  the  Trinity,  p.  52. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  S3» 
 
 from  what  quarter  soever  the  doctrines  of  Christ's  di- 
 vinity and  the  holy  Trinity  might  spring,  Justin  Mar- 
 tyr was  not  the  author  and  inventor  of  them. — We  will 
 now  proceed  to  examine  what  those  doctrines  really 
 were  which  he  embraced  and  taught  to  mankind. 
 
 59.  Justin  Martyr  is  one  of  the  most  eminent 
 Christians  and  scholars  in  this  period.  Fie  was  born, 
 A.  D.  loj,  and  beheaded  at  Rome,  A.  D.  167.  His 
 sentiments  upon  the  subjects  in  question  are  well 
 known.  He  is  considered  as  one  of  the  chief  champi- 
 ons of  the  orthodox  faith.  We  will  produce  a  few 
 passages  from  his  valuable  writings : — "God,"  says  he, 
 "  the  Father  of  righteousness,  and  purity,  and  eveiy 
 "  virtue;  him  ^W /f?/^  only-begotten  Son,  together 
 "  with  the  Spirit,  who  spake  by  the  Prophets,  ive 
 "  worship  and  adore.'" 
 
 60.  "  The  master  who  instructed  us  in  this  kind  of 
 "  worship,  and  who  was  born  for  this  purpose,  and 
 *'  crucified  under  Pontius  Pilate,  is  Jesus  Christ, 
 "  whom  we  know  to  be  the  Son  of  the  true  Gody  and 
 "  therefore  hold  him  the  second  in  order,  and  the  pro- 
 ^*  PHETic  Spirit  the  third.,  and  we  have  good  reason 
 "  for  worshipping  in  this  subordination,  as  I  shall  shew 
 "  hereafter.  For  here  they  look  upon  it  as  a  down- 
 "  right  madness,  to  assign  to  a  crucified  man  the  next 
 *'  place  to  the  immutable,  eternal  God,  Parent  of  all 
 "  things,  being  entirely  in  the  dark  as  to  the  mystery 
 "  of  this  order."  » 
 
 61.  "  We  deliver  the  truth;  and  nothing  but  the 
 "  truth,  and  that  Jesus  Christ  alo^'E  is  properly  the 
 "  Son  of  God,  as  being  the  Logos,  and  First-begot- 
 "  ten,  and  Power  of  God,  and  by  his  counsel  was 
 "  made  man."  * 
 
 62.  "  Lest  any  one  should  object,  that  we  can  shew 
 "  no  reason  why  our  Christ  should  not  be  looked  upon 
 
 T  t  t  2  '^  as 
 
 '  First  Apology,  sect.  6. 
 «  Ibid.  sect.   16. 
 *  Ibid.  sect.  xi. 
 
532  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 "  as  a  mere  man,  I  shall  enter  upon  the  proof  of  his 
 
 6^.  "  They  who  affirm  the  Son  to  be  the  Father, 
 "  are  guilty  of  not  knowing  the  Father,  and  likewise 
 "  of  being  ignorant,  that  the  Father  of  the  universe 
 "  has  a  Son,  who  being  the  Locos,  and  First-begot- 
 "  TEN   of  Gody  is  also  God."  ^ 
 
 64.  "  Next  after  the  unbegotten  and  ineffable  Gop, 
 *'  we  ADORE  and  love  him  who  is  the  Word  of  God; 
 *'  because  that  for  our  sakes  he  became  man,  and  was 
 *'  made  partaker  of  our  sufferings,  that  he  might  heal 
 <'  us."  t 
 
 (>y  He  speaks  of  the  Son's  generation  in  these  words: 
 -—"  In  what  has  been  said  already,  I  have  briefly 
 *'  shewn,  that  the  power,  which  the  word  of  the  pro- 
 *'  phet  calls  Goo  and  Angel  is  not  a  name  only,  as 
 "  the  light  of  the  sun,  but  numerically  another.  I  said 
 "  this  POWER  was  begotten  of  the  Father,  by  his 
 «  power,  and  counsel,  and  will,  but  not  by  way  of  ab- 
 '.'  scission,  as  though  the  Father's  essence  was  divided ; 
 ,'*  or  such  as  all  other  things,  which  being  divided,  or 
 *'  cut,  are  not  the  same  as  before.  And  I  exemplified 
 "  in  those  things  which  we  see  set  on  fire  by  another, 
 "  that  other  not  being  diminished  thereby,  but  being 
 f^  able  to  set  on  fire  many  more,  itself  remaining  the 
 "  same."' 
 
 66.  "  I  can  shew,  that  he  (Christ)  even  pre-existe.d 
 **  the  Son  of  the  Creator  of  all  things,  being  God, 
 <*  and  was  born  man  through  a  virgin."* 
 
 67.  "  In  the  beginning,  before  all  creatures,  God 
 **  legat  a  certain  Rational  Power  out  of  himself, 
 *'  which  is  also  called  by  the  Holy  Ghost  the  Glory 
 "  of  the  Lord,  and  sometimes  Son,  and  someumes 
 
 "  Wisdom 
 
 *  Ibid.  sect.  37. 
 
 *  Ibid.  sect.  83. 
 
 ♦  Apol.   I.  prope  iinem. 
 'Dial,  with  Trypho,  p.  358. 
 
 •  Ibid.  p.  267. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  533 
 
 "  Wisdom,  and  sometimes    Angel,    and  sometimes 
 "  God,  and  sometimes  Lord  and  Logos."  ^ 
 
 68.  "  That  ye  might  also  know  God,  who  came 
 "  forth  from  above,  and  became  man  among  men,  ajid 
 "  who  is  again  to  return,  when  they  who  pierced  hin; 
 "  shall  see  and  bewail  him.-' ' 
 
 69.  "  He,  the  Almighty,  the  Greatoh.  of  all 
 "  things,  the  invisible  God,  he  hath  planted  among 
 "  men,  and  engraved  in  their  hearts,  the  heavenly 
 "  truth,  the  Word  hojy  and  incomprehensible  ;  noz 
 ^'  sending,  as  any  one  would  conjecture,  a  servant,  an 
 **  angel,  a  prince,  an  earthly  potentate,  or  one  to  whom 
 "  he  had  entrusted  tne  administration  of  heavenly 
 "  things ;  but  the  Artificer  and  Maker  of  all  things, 
 **  by  v.hom  he  formed  the  heaver.s,  and  shut  in  ri.^  sea 
 *'  in  irs  proper  bounds ;  whose  mysteries  all  the  ele- 
 **  ments  faithfully  observe,  from  whom  the  sun  has 
 "  received  his  charge  to  measure  out  the  day,  v^honn 
 "  the  moon  obeys,  wh'^n  he  commands  her  to  shine  in 
 ^^  the  niglit,  and  the  stars  wliich  follow  the  course  of 
 "  the  rnoon ;  by  whom  all  thiqgs  are  ordered  and 
 "  bounded,  to  v/hom  all  thi.ngs  arc  subject,  the  heavens, 
 "  the  sea,  and  all  that  in  them  is  ;  the  fire,  the  water 
 "  the  abyss,  what  is  in  the  heights,  and  depths,  and  be- 
 "  twixt  them :  him  he  hach  sent  to  them.  For  what 
 "  end  ?  As  a  man  would  thjnk,  to  tyrannize  over  them  ; 
 "  to  awe  and  terrjfy  them  i'  No  j  he  sent  him  as  akinr^ 
 ^'  sends  a  king  his  son,  in  clernency  and  meekness.  He 
 "  sent  him  as  a  God.  He  sent  him  to  men.  He  sent 
 **  him  to  save;  to  persuade,  not  to  compel  by  vio- 
 "  lencc :  for  violence  is  not  in  God."* 
 
 Besides  all  these,  and  a  vast  number  of  similar  de- 
 clarations, dispersed  through  this  great  man's  v^ritings, 
 it  is  most  evident  that  the  divinity  of  Clirisr,  and  the 
 other  capital  doctrines  that  are  connected  therewith, 
 were  the  commonly  received  principles  of  tl.e  cliurch 
 
 at 
 
 •P.  284. '  P.  288. 
 
 •  Epist.  to  Diognetus. 
 
534-  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 at  that  time.  For  neither  in  his  Apologies,  nor  yet  la 
 his  Dialogue  with  Trypho  the  Jew,  does  he  deliver  the 
 principles  therein  laid  down  as  his  own  private  senti- 
 ments, but  as  the  avowed  sentiments  of  the  great  body 
 of  believers.  And  for  the  truth  of  them  he  appeals  to 
 the  Emperors,  to  the  Jews,  and  to  all  the  world.  His 
 vindication  is  not  so  much  the  vindication  of  himself 
 and  his  own  opinions,  as  the  vindication  of  Christ,  of 
 all  his  followers,  and  of  the  great,  leading,  an4  funda- 
 mental truths  of  his  religion. 
 
 PART  SEVENTH. 
 
 SECTION     V. 
 
 The  opinions  of  the  CHRISTIAN  FATHERS,  who  lived  in  the  latter  parS 
 
 of  the  second   century,  concerning  the  PERSON  of  CHRIST,  and  the 
 
 doctrine  of  the  TRINITY- 
 
 70.  /TT^ATIAN  was  a  man  of  eminent  learning* 
 J^  After  his  conversion  to  Christianity  he  be- 
 came a  scholar  of  Justin  Martyr,  and  consequendy  must 
 have  lived  about  the  middle  of  the  second  century. 
 And  whatever  other  opinions  he  might  entertain,  it  is 
 certain  he  held  the  doctrine  of  our  Saviour's  pre-ex- 
 istence  and  divinity  :  for  he  saith,  that  "  he  was  born 
 <*  by  communication,  not  by  abscission.  For  that 
 "  which  is  cut  off,"  says  he,  "  is  separated  from  the 
 "  first  i  but  that  which  hath  something  in  participation, 
 *'  taking  its  part  of  the  ceconomy,  makes  not  him  in- 
 '^  digent  from  whom  he  received  it.  As  many  fires 
 "  are  lighted  by  one  firebrand,  and  the  light  of  the 
 *'  first  brand  is  no:  diminished  by  giving  light  to  those 
 "  many;  so  the  Word  proceeding  from  the  power  of 
 "  the  Father,  hath  not  made  the  Father  that  begat 
 *'  him  without  Word  or  Reason."  * 
 
 71.  Alexander, 
 '  Tatlan's  Orat.  cont.  Grascos,  p.  145. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  535 
 
 71.  Alexander,  the  fifth  of  the  seven  sons  of  a 
 certain  Christian  named  Felicitas,  who  with  their  mother 
 suffered  martyrdom  at  Rome  about  the  year  150,  said 
 to  the  Judge,  "  I  am  a  servant  of  Jesus  Christ.  Him 
 "  I  confess  with  my  mouth,  in  him  I  believe  with  my 
 "  heart,  and  him  I  incessantly  adore."  ' 
 
 72.  EpiPodius,  who  with  another  Alejtander  suffer- 
 ed martyrdom  at  Lyons  about  the  year  178,  said  to  the 
 Judge  upon  that  solemn  occasion :— "  You  do  not 
 **  know  that  our  eternal  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  whom  you 
 "  say  was  crucified,  rose  again  from  the  dead,  who  by 
 *'  an  inefTlible  mystery  being  both  God  and  man,  hath 
 "  marked  out  for  his  servants  the  road  to  eternal  life, 
 "  and  leads  them  to  heavenly  kingdoms."  ' 
 
 73.  Again  :— Having  his  mouth  running  with  blood, 
 in  consequence  of  the  blows  given  him  by  order  of  the 
 Judge,  the  same  Epipodius  broke  out  into  this  exclama- 
 tion : — **  I  confess  Christ  to  be  God  with  the  Fa- 
 *'  ther  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  it  is  but  just  I 
 "  should  lay  down  my  life  for  him,  v.'ho  is  both  my 
 *'  Creator  and  Redeemer."  * 
 
 74.  Melito  was  a  very  learned  and  laborious  man. 
 He  was  made  bishop  of  Sardis  about  the  year  160. 
 All  his  works  are  lost,  except  one  short  epistle,  and 
 some  fragments.  From  these  fragments,  however,  it 
 fully  appears  what  sentiments  he  entertained  concerning 
 our  blessed  Saviour : — "  There  is  no  necessity,"  says 
 lie,  ''  to  prove  the  real  and  true  human  nature  of 
 "  Christ's  soul  and  body,  from  his  actions  after  his 
 "  baptism.  For  what  was  done  after  his  baptism, 
 "  especially  his  miracles,  did  manifest  and  confirm  to 
 *^  the  world,  the  deity  of  Christ  veiled  in  the  flcsii. 
 *'  The  same  person  being  perfect  God,  and  perfect 
 "  marty  confirmed  to  us  both  these  natures;  his  God- 
 "  head  by  the  miracles  he  wrought  in  the  three  year? 
 *^  after  his  baptism,  and  his  r.ianhood  in  the  thirty  years 
 
 *'  before 
 
 '  Ruinait's  Acta  Sincera  Mart.  p.  22. 
 »  Ibid.  p.  64. 
 *  Ihid.  p.  65. 
 
536  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 "  before  ir,  in  which  the  imperfection  of  the  flesh  con- 
 *'  coaled  the  tokens  of  his  Godhead,  although  he  was 
 *^  TRUE  God  eternally."^ 
 
 75.  Again: — "  We  are  not  the  worshippers  of 
 "  stones  void  of  sense,  but  of  the  only  God,  who  is 
 "  before  all,  and  over  all,  and  of  his  Christ,  who  is 
 *'  /fN/y  God  /je/ore  all  ages."  * 
 
 76.  Theophilus,  being  a  studious,-  inquisitive  man, 
 became  con^'-qnced  of  the  truth  of  Christianity,  and  was 
 made  bishop  of  Antioch  about  the  year  of  our  Lord 
 168.  We  have  nothing  of  his  remaining,  except  his 
 books  to  Autolycus.  But  from  these  it  is  plain  he 
 fully  acknovvlcuged  the  doctrines  which  we  now  usually 
 call  orthodox : — "  By  the  Son  of  God,"  says  he^ 
 "  we  must  by  all  means  understand  the  Word,  al- 
 "  ways  existinfy  in  the  mind  of  God." 
 
 77.  Again  :-*-'*  The  three  days  before  the  creation 
 "  of  the  sun  and  moon  -were  types  of  the  Trinity, 
 "  of  God,  his  Word,  and  his  Wisdom/* 
 
 78.  Again  •.-^*'  The  Word  was  God,  and  sprung 
 *'  from  God." 
 
 79.  Again : — «*  When  the  Father  said,  Lef  us 
 "  77iake  man  in  our  oivn  irnr.gey  he  spake  this  to  no  other 
 '*  but  to  his  own  V/ord,  and  his   own  Wisdom,"' 
 
 80.  Athenagoras,  a  learned  xA.thenian  philosopher, 
 became  a  convert  to  Christianity  in  the  second  century. 
 He  addressed  an  Apology  in  favour  of  the  Christians 
 to  the  ennperors  Aurelius  and  Coramodus  about  the 
 year  loO.  Jn  this  valuable  composition,  which  is  still 
 extant,  he  delivers  his  sentiments  very  freely  upon  the 
 subject  in  question  : — *'  It  is  abundantly  plain,"  says 
 he,  "  that   we   do   not  deny  the   existence  of  a  God  : 
 
 *'  we 
 
 •''  Anastatii  Kodegns,  c.   12.  > 
 
 *  Paschal  Chronicle,  anno  Christi   164. 
 
 5  See  his  Books  to  Autolycus,  passim. — In  making  the  three  first 
 days  of  the  creation  typical  of  the  Trinity  I  do  not  mean  to  assert 
 that  Theophilus  reasoned  discreetly  ;  but  the  observation  constitutes 
 a  substantial  proof  of  this  matter  cf  fact,  that  he  embraced  the 
 doctrine  cf  the  Trinity. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  537 
 
 "  we  who  maintain,   there  is   one   uncreated,  eternal, 
 "  invisible  God,   not   subject  to  passions,   not  to   be 
 "  circumscribed  in   place,  nor   capable  of  divisibility, 
 "  only  to  be   comprehended   in  the    mind,  and  spirit, 
 "  and   endowed  wich   incomprehensible  glory,  beauty, 
 "  power,  and  majesty  j  by  whom  all  things  were  made 
 "  through  his  Word,  were  disposed  in  this   beautiful 
 *'  harmony,  and  are  continually  sustained.     We  believe 
 **  too  in  the  Son  of  God.    Let  not  this  be  a  subject  of 
 "  ridicule,   because  we   mention  a  Son  of  God  :   we 
 "  have  not  the  same  notions  of  God,  the  Father,  or 
 "  the   Son,   as    your  absurd   Poets  and   Mytholngists 
 "  have,  who  make  their  gods  as  foolish  and  as  wicked 
 *'  as  themselves.     The   Son   of  God  is  the  Word  of 
 "  the  Father,  in  power  and   energy:    by    him  and 
 *'  through  him  were  all   things  created  :    for   the   Fa- 
 <^  TH£R  and  the  Son  are  ONE  :  the  Father  is  in  the 
 "  Son,  and  the  Son  is  in  the  Father,  by  the  unity  and 
 ^'  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost:     For  the  Son  of  God 
 **  is  the  Wisdom  and  Word  of  God.     If  you  desire 
 *'  a  farther   explanation  of  tlie  meaning  of  Son  in  this 
 "  point,  I  will  endeavour   to    give  you  a  brief  one  : 
 "  He  is  the  First-Born  of  the  Father,   but  not  as 
 "  ever  beginning   to   exist ;    for   from   the   beginning, 
 "  God,  being  an  eternal  mind,  must  have  had,  from  all 
 "  eternity,   the   Word  in  himself;  and  as  the  wisdom 
 *^  and  power,  he  exerted  himself  in  all  things  :  all  mat- 
 "  ter  was    subject  to  him   by  formation,  and  the   ele- 
 "  ments  blended  togetiier,  and  mixed  by  his  operation. 
 "  The  prophetical  Spirit  too  confirms  this:  The  Lcrd 
 "  possessed  me  in  the  hegiiuibig  of  his   waVy   before  his 
 "  works  of  old.     And  as  for  the  Holy  Spirit,  who 
 "  speaks  to  us  in  the  Prophets,  v/e  assert  him  to  pro- 
 *^  ceed  from  God,  as  a  beam  proceeds  from  the  sun, 
 "  and  is  reflected  back  again.     Who  then  can  but  won- 
 "  dcr,  to  hear  us  charged  of  Atheism,  who  declare, 
 **  there   is  God  the  Father,  and  Goo  the  Son,  and 
 
 U  u  u  "  the 
 
53«  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THS 
 
 "  the  Holy  Ghost;    who  acknowledge  iheir  powci* 
 "  in  unity  and  distinction  !"  * 
 
 8 1.  Again  : — "  We  acknowledge  God,  and  the  SofC 
 "  his  Logos,  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  one  as  to  their 
 "  po  A'(fr,  even  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Spirit  j 
 "  the  Son  to  be  the  Mitid,  the  fVcrd,  the  JVisdom  of 
 "  the  Father,  and  the  Spirit  to  proceed  as  /;^i?/doth 
 "  from/r<?."^ 
 
 82.  When  Andronicus  suffered  martyrdom  towards 
 the  close  of  the  second  century,  the  Heathen  judge 
 objected  to  him,  that  Christ  whom  he  invocated  and 
 worshipped  was  a  maUi  who  had  suffered  under  the 
 government  of  Pontius  Pilate,  and  that  the  Acts  of  his 
 passion  were  then  extant.  ' 
 
 83.  Athenogines  suffered  martyrdom  about  the 
 year  196.  Basil  mentions  a  sacred  hymn,  which  he 
 ascribes  to  him  as  its  author.  It  was  expressly  ad- 
 dressed to  our  blessed  Saviour,  and  contained  a  doxo- 
 logy  to  the  whole  Trinity  : — "  We  laud  the  Father, 
 **  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit  of  God."' 
 
 84.  Blandina  towards  the  latter  end  of  the  second 
 century  obtained  the  crown  of  martyrdom  in  France, 
 and  is  said  not  to  have  been  sensible  of  pain,  though  she 
 was  tossed  by  a  wild  bull  in  a  net,  "  whik  she  made  her 
 **  prayers  to  Christ."  * 
 
 85.  Iren^us,  the  disciple  of  Polycarp,  was  made 
 bishop  of  Lyons  in  France,  A.  D.  178,  and  beheaded 
 by  Severus,  A.  D.  202.  He  wrote  an  excellent  work 
 against  the  heresies  of  the  age  in  which  he  lived,  most 
 of  which  is  com.e  down  to  our  own  times,  though  in  a 
 very  imperfect  state.  In  this  celebrated  work,  however, 
 we  find  most  of  the  errors  which  prevail  in  the  present 
 day,  concerning  the  person  of  Christ,  strongly  and  just- 
 
 ly 
 
 *  Legat.  pro  Christ,  p.  10, 
 '  Ibid.  p.   12. 
 
 *  Baron,  an.   J90. 
 
 »  Basil  de    Spirit.    Sanct.   c.  29.    Consult  Knowles's  Primitive 
 Christianity,  p.  45. 
 ■  £cc.  Hist,  of  Euseb.  b.  5.  ch.  i. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  539 
 
 ly  opposed.  This  single  consideration,  methinks, 
 should  stagger  our  zealous  SocinimSj  and  make  them 
 pause  in  their  opposition  to  the  divinity  of  our  blessed 
 Saviour.  I  profess  before  God,  that  I  should  be  very 
 much  alarmed  at  obstinately  and  professedly  maintain- 
 ing such  principles  as  this  good  man  '  clearly  con- 
 demned 
 
 *  There  is  a  passage  recorded  by  Eusebius,  which  gives  one  9 
 very  high  opinion  of  the  simplicity,  sincerity,  zeal,  and  inviolable 
 regard  to  truth  both  of  Polycarp  and  this  Larned  and  pious  Father. 
 It  is  in  a  letter  which  Irenaeus  wrote  to  Florinus,  who  had  deviated 
 from  the  truth  to  the  errors  of  Vatentinus.  In  this  Epistle  nenxus 
 endeavours  to  reclaim  Florinus.  "  These  opinions,  O  Florinus," 
 said  he,  "  that  I  may  speak  sparingly,  do  not  appertain  to  sound 
 "  doctrine.  These  opinions  are  dissonant  from  the  church,  and 
 *'  drive  those  who  give  their  assent  to  them  imo  the  greatest  im- 
 *'  piety.  These  sentiments  even  the  heretics,  who  are  without  the 
 **  church,  have  not  dared  to  publish  at  any  time.  These  opinions 
 •*  the  presbyters  who  lived  before  our  times,  who  also  were  the  dis- 
 "  ciples  of  the  apostles,  did  in  no  wise  deliver  unto  thee.  For  I 
 "  saw  thee,  when  being  yet  a  child  I  was  in  the  lower  Asia  with 
 *'  Polycarp,  behaving  thyself  very  well  in  the  palace,  and  endeavour- 
 "  ing  to  get  thyself  well  esteemed  by  him.  For  1  remember  the 
 '*  things  then  done,  better  than  what  has  happened  of  late  ;  for 
 *'  what  we  learned,  being  children,  increases  together  with  the  mind 
 *'  itself;  and  is  closely  united  to  it.  Insomuch,  that  I  am  able  to 
 *'  tell  even  the  place  where  the  blessed  Polycarp  sat  and  discoursed  ; 
 *'  also  his  goings  out  and  comings  in  ;  his  manner  of  life  ;  the 
 **  shape  of  his  body  ;  the  discourses  he  made  to  the  people  ;  the 
 "  familiar  converse  which,  he  said,  he  had  with  John,  and  with  the 
 "  rest  who  had  seen  the  Lord,  and  how  he  rehearsed  their  sayings, 
 *'  and  what  they  were  which  he  had  heard  from  them  concerning  the 
 *'  Lord  ;  concerning  his  miracles,  and  his  doctrine.  According  as 
 *'  Polycarp  received  them  from  those,  who  with  their  own  eyes  be- 
 "  held  the  Word  of  life,  so  he  related  them,  agreeing  in  all  things 
 **  with  the  scriptures.  These  things,  by  the  mercy  of  God  be- 
 **  stowed  upon  me,  I  then  heard  diligently,  and  copied  them  out, 
 **  not  in  paper,  but  in  my  heart ;  and  by  the  grace  of  God  I  do 
 "  continually  and  sincerely  ruminate  upon  them.  And  I  am  able  to 
 •'  protest  in  the  presence  of  God,  that  if  that  blessed  and  apostolic 
 "  presbyter  should  have  heard  any  such  things,  he  would  presently 
 **  have  cried  out,  and  stopped  his  ears,  and  according  to  his  usual 
 "  custom  would  have  said.  Good  God  !  for  what  limes  hast  thou 
 "  reserved  me,  that  1  should  suffer  such  things  !  And  he  would 
 *'  have  run  out  of  the  place,  where  he  was  either  silting  or  standing, 
 "  should  he  have  heard  such  words  as  these.     And  this  may  be 
 
54*  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 demned  as  heretical.  He  was  evidently  both  learned, 
 pious,  and  inquisitive,  ^  and  was  brought  up  under  the 
 venerable  Polyc-irp.  Polycarp  was  the  disciple  of  St. 
 John.  St.  John  was  die  bosom  friend  of  the  Saviour 
 of  the  world.  So  that  Iren^us  was  but  three  removes 
 from  Christ  himself,  and  sealed  the  truth  of  his  doc- 
 trines with  the  blood  of  his  heart.  One  may,  there- 
 fore, reasonably  suppose,  that  if  Ireneus  delivered  his 
 sentiments  at  all  upon  the  principles  of  religion,  he 
 must  be  very  competent  to  judge  v/hat  was  truth  and 
 what  was  error.  *  But  he  has  delivered  his  sentiments, 
 and  written  professedly  upon  the  doctrines  then  in  dis- 
 pute, and  now  in  dispute  between  the  orthodox  and 
 what  he  calls  the  heretics,  and  is  decidedly  in  favour 
 of  the  former  and  in  opposition  to  the  latter.  It  ought, 
 therefore,  to  be  som.ething  very  material  indeed  on  the 
 side  of  heresy  that  should  determine  our  minds  to  em- 
 brace it.  Nothing  less,  I  think,  than  absolute  demon- 
 stration should  in  this  case  influence  any  man.  The 
 Ebionites  of  old,  and  the  Socinians  of  the  present 
 times,  are  by  this  pious  and  learned  Martyr  considered 
 as  fundamientally  wrong.  No  mian,  I  think,  should 
 presume  to  .contradict  this  determination.     At  least  I 
 
 dare 
 
 *'  manifested  from  those  epistles  of  his,  which  he  wrote  either  to 
 **  the  neighbouring  churches  to  confirm  them,  or  to  some  brethren 
 *'  to  admonish  and  exhort  them."* 
 
 *  Ec.   Hist,    Eursb.  lib.    5.   cap.    20. 
 
 3  TertuUian  says  of  him,  that  "  he  vvas  a  most  curious  investiga- 
 *'  tor  of  all  kinds  of  doctrines." 
 
 Adv.  Valent.  ch.  5. 
 
 ♦  It  is  evident  that  he  was  not  on^y  competent  to  judge,  but  that 
 he  was  extremely  anxious  to  have  the  true  principles  of  religion 
 handed  down  to  posterity.  For  Eusebius  tells  us  that  he  added  to 
 one  of  his  books  this  solemn  and  religious  obtestation — "  I  adjure 
 *'  thee  whoever  thcu  art  that  shalt  transcribe  this  book,  by  our 
 *'  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  by  his  glorious  coir.ing,  wherein  he  shall 
 *'  judge  the  quick  and  the  dead,  that  thou  compare  what  thou  tran- 
 •'  scribest,  and  diligently  correct  it  by  the  copy  from  whence  thou 
 «*  transcribest  it,  and  that  thou  likewise  transcribe  this  adjuration, 
 "  and  annex  it  to  thy  copy." 
 
 Ec.  Hist,  book  5.  ch.  20* 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  541 
 
 dare  not  do  it.     Let  us,  however,  see   what  he  has  ad- 
 vanced upon  the  subject  now  under  consideration 
 
 *^  For  the  church,"  says  he,  "though  dispersed  through 
 "  the  whole  world,  to  die  ends  of  the   earth,   hath  re- 
 "  ceived  from   the   Apostles,  and  their  disciples,  this 
 "  faith  in   ONE  God,  the  Father    Almighty,  who 
 "  hath  made  the  heavens,   the  earth,   the   sea,  and   all 
 ''  things  in  them  J  and  in  0;/^  Jesus  Christ,   the  Son 
 "  OF    God,   incarnate   for  our   salvation ;    and    in   the 
 "  Holy  Ghost,  who   preached  by   the   Prophets  the 
 "  dispensations  of  God,  and  his  coming,   and  his   ge- 
 "  neration  of  the  Virgin,  and  his  passion,  and  resurrec- 
 "  tion  from  the  dead,   and  the   assumption  of  our  be- 
 "^  loved  Lord   Jesus  Christ   in  the  flesh  into   heaven, 
 "  and  his  coming  from  heaven  in  the  glory  of  the  Fa- 
 <<  ther,  to  gather  all  things  together,  to  raise  all  human 
 "  flesh,  that  so  every  knee  in  heaven,  in  earth,  and  un- 
 "  der  the  earth,  may  bow,  according  to  the  good  plea- 
 "  sure  of  the  invisible  Father,  to  Christ  Jesus  our 
 "  Lord,   and   God,  and  SAVioirR,    and  King;    and 
 <^  every  tongue  shall  confess  to   him,   and  he  shall  ex- 
 "  ecutc  just  judgment  in  all  things.     Wicked  spirits, 
 "  and  sinning  angels,  unjust,  wicked,  and  blasphemous 
 "  men,  and   those  who   have  become   apostates   from 
 <^  the  truth,  he  will  send  into  everlasting  fire  :  but  up- 
 "  on  the  just,  and  upright,  and  those  who  observe  his 
 "  precepts,  and  upon  such  as  have  persevered  from  the 
 .  '^  beginning  in  his  love,  or  have  been  brought  to  it  by 
 "  repentance,  he  will   freely   bestow    life    everlasting, 
 "  and  surround  them  with  eternal  brightness."  * 
 
 86.  Again  ; — "  This  preaching  and  this  faith  arc 
 "  received  and  faithfully  preserved  by  the  church,  as  if 
 *'  she  inhabited  one  house,  though  dispersed  through- 
 "  out  the  whole  world.  She  believes  these  things, 
 "  as  having  but  one  soul  and  one  heart,  and  she 
 "  preaches  these  things  in  concord,  and  teaches  and 
 "  dehvers  them,  as  having  but  one  mouth  ;    for  the 
 
 *'  lanp:uao;cs 
 
 5  Lib.  I.  ch.  2. 
 
54«  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 «'  languages  of  the  world  are  dissimilar,  but  the  power 
 "  of  tradition  is  the  same.  And  neither  do  the 
 "  churches  in  Germany  believe  otherwise,  or  teach 
 "  otherwise,  nor  in  Spain,  nor  among  the  Celtas,  nor 
 *^  in  the  East,  nor  in  Egypt,  nor  in  Libya,  nor  such 
 "  as  are  established  in  the  middle  of  the  world;  but  as 
 "  the  sun  created  by  the  Almighty  is  one  and  the  same 
 "  in  all  the  world,  so  the  preaching  of  the  truth  ap- 
 "  peareth  every  where,  and  enlighteneth  all  men,  who 
 "  wish  to  come  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth ;  and 
 "  neither  will  he,  amongst  the  governours  of  the 
 "  church,  who  is  very  powerful  in  speech^  say  things 
 ^'  different  from  these  ;  for  no  man  is  above  his  master; 
 *'  nor  will  he,  who  is  weak  in  speech,  invalidate  the 
 "  tradition.  For  as  the  faith  is  one  and  the  same,  nei- 
 "  ther  he  who  can  say  much  usually  adds,  nor  does  he, 
 **  who  can  say  but  little  usually  diminish."  * 
 
 87.  Again: — "  Since  then  we  hold  the  rule  of  faith, 
 *'  namely,  that  there  is  one  God  Almighty,  who 
 *'  made  all  things  by  his  Word,  who  filled  and  framed 
 ♦'  them  out  of  nothing  into  being,  as  the  scripture  saith> 
 **  ^he  heavens  were  tnade  by  the  Word  of  the  Lord, 
 "  and  all  the  hosts  of  them  by  the  breath  of  his  mouth, 
 '  *^  And  again,  All  things  were  made  by  hi?n,  and  zvlihoui 
 ^'  him  was  jiothing  made.  All  things  excepts  nothing; 
 "  but  the  Father,  made  all  things  by  him,  whether 
 "  visible  or  invisible,  sensible  or  intelligible,  temporary 
 *'  things  for  a  certain  end,  or  eternal ;  and  since  God 
 •'  made  all  these  things,  not  by  angels,  nor  some  powers 
 *'  distinct  in  sentiment  from  him  (for  he  wants  nothing) 
 "  but  by  his  Word  and  Spirit  makes,  disposes, 
 '*  governs,  and  gives  existence  to  all.  He  who  made 
 *'  the  world  ;  (for  the  world  comprehends  all  things) 
 "  he  who  formed  man ;  he  who  is  the  God  of  Abra- 
 **  ham,  the  God  of  Isaac,  and  the  God  of  Jacob,  be- 
 *'  sides  whom  there  is  no  other  God,  neither  beginning, 
 "  nor  power,  nor  fulness:  he  is  the   Father  of  our 
 
 "  LoRp 
 
 •  Ibid,  bock  i.  chap.  3. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  545 
 
 **  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  as  we  have  shewn.  There- 
 **  fore  holding  this  rule,  though  they  use  many  and 
 "  various  arguments,  we  easily  prove  that  they  have 
 '*  gone  off  from  the  truth."  ' 
 
 88.  Again  : — "  Suppose  the  Apostles  had  left  us  no 
 "  scriptures,  must  we  not  have  followed  the  order  of 
 "  tradition,  which  they  committed  to  those  with  whom 
 *'  they  entrusted  the  churches  ?  To  this,  many  nations 
 **  of  the  Barbarians,  who  believe  in  Christ,  assent, 
 **  having  salvation  written  in  their  hearts  by  the  Spi- 
 "  RiT,  v/ithout  letters  or  ink,  and  diligendy  preservino- 
 "  the  old  tradition,  believing  in  one  God,  the  Maker 
 "  of  heaven  and  earth,  and  of  all  things  in  them  by 
 *'  Jesus  Christ,  the  Son  of  God  j  who,  out  of  his 
 **  exceeding  love  towards  his  own  creature,  suffered 
 *'  himself  to  be  born  of  a  virgin,  uniting  in  himself 
 "  man  to  God,  suffered  under  Pondus  Pilate,  rose 
 "  again,  was  received  into  glory,  and  shall  come  again 
 "  the  Saviour  of  those  that  are  saved,  and  the  Judge  of 
 "  those  that  are  judged,  sending  into  eternal  fire  those 
 "  who  change  the  truth,  and  despise  his  coming  and  his 
 "  Father's.  They  who  without  letters  have  believed 
 "  this  faith,  arc,  with  respect  to  our  language.  Bar- 
 **  barians;  but  with  respect  to  senument,  moral,  and 
 
 conversation,  very  wise,  through  faith,    and  please 
 
 God,  living  in  all  justice,  chastity,  and  wisdom. 
 **  To  these  persons,  if  any  one  report  the  inventions  of 
 "  heretics,  speaking  to  them  in  their  own  language, 
 "  they  quickly  shut  their  eyes,  and  fly  as  far  as  possible 
 "  from  them,  not  induring  to  hear  their  blasphemous 
 "  discourse."  * 
 
 Zg.  Again: — '«  Neither  the  Lord,  nor  the  Holy 
 "  Ghost,  nor  the  Apostles  would  have  definitively  and 
 **  absolutely  denominated  him  God,  who  was  not  God, 
 "  nor  given  this  name  to  any,  unless  he  were  the  true 
 **  God  J  neither,  from  their  own  persons  would  they 
 "  have  called  any  Lord  but  God,  that  beareth  domini- 
 
 "  on 
 
 '  Lib.  1.  ch.  19. ^  Lib.  3,  ch.  4. 
 
 (C 
 
544 
 
 AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 "  on  over  all  things,  the  Father  and  his  Son,  who 
 "  hath  received  dominion  from  the  Father. — Seeing 
 ^'  then  that  the  Father  is  truly  Lord,  and  that  the 
 *'  Son  is  truly  Lord,  the  Holy  Ghost  has  deserved- 
 *'  ly  signified  them  by  the  appellation  of  Lord."  ^ 
 
 90.  Again  : — "  Such  is  the  stability  of  the  Gospels, 
 "  that  even  the  Heretics  bear  witness  to  it,  since  each 
 "  of  them  endeavours  to  confirm  his  own  doctrines  by 
 "  proofs  from  those  writings.  For  the  Ebionites, 
 "  using  only  the  gospel  according  to  St.  Matthew,  are 
 "  by  that  very  thing  convicted  of  error,  not  concciv- 
 "  ing  rightly  concerning  the  Lord.  Marclon,  curtail- 
 *^  ing  the  gospel  according  to  St.  Luke,  may  be  proved 
 "  a  blasphemer  against  the  only  God,  from  the  parts 
 "  Vv'hich  he  retains. — 
 
 "  Being  invisible  he  was  made  visible^  being  incom- 
 ^^  prehenslbk  he  became  comprehensible,  being  impassi- 
 "  ble  he  h<:c&Tnt passible,  and  being  the  Word  of  God 
 *'  he  became  man."  * 
 
 91.  Again  : — ^*  Having  plainly  shewn,  that  the 
 "  Word,  which  was  v;ith  God  in  the  beginning,  by 
 "  whom  all  things  were  made,  and  who  was  always 
 *'  present  to  mankind,  that  he  was  in  the  last  times, 
 "  according  to  the  predetermination  of  the  Father, 
 "  united  to  his  own  creature,  being  made  man  capable 
 *'  of  sufix:nng;  there  is  no  room  for  contradiction,  who 
 "  si^y,  If  therefore  Christ  was  then  born,  he  was  not 
 "  before.  For  we  have  shewed  that  the  Son  of  God 
 ••  did  not  then  begin  to  be,  having  al-voays  existed  zvitb 
 "  /£7if  Father  ;  but  when  he  was  incarnate,  and  made 
 "  man,  he  took  upon  himself  the  sad,  forlorn  condition 
 "  of  man,  compendiously  procuring  salvation  for  us  ; 
 *'  tliat  so  what  we  had  lost  in  Adam,  the  likeness  and 
 "  similitude  of  God,  we  might  recover  in  Christ  Jesus. 
 "  For  since  it  was  impossible  that  man,  who  was  once 
 "  subdued,  and  thrown  off  by  disobedience,  should  be 
 **  renewed,  and  receive  the  reward  of  victory  ;  and  also 
 
 ''  impossible 
 
 9  Book  3.  ch.  6. ^  Book  3,  ch.  11  and  18. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  54$ 
 
 impossible  that  he  should  obtain  salvation,  who  was 
 fallen  under  sin  ;  the  Son,  who  was  the  Word  of 
 God,  descending  from  the  Father,  and  perfecting 
 the  dispensation  of  our  salvation,  did  both  for  us."  * 
 
 92.  Again: — "  That  none  of  the  sons  of  Adam  is 
 called  God,  as  the  Lord  is  called,  we  have  demon- 
 strated from  the  scriptures;  and  to  all  who  have  at- 
 tained but  a  moiety  of  the  truth,  it  is  obvious,  that 
 he  alone  of  all  m.ankind  is  denominated  God,  and 
 Lord,  and  the  eternal  King,  and  the  Only-begorten, 
 and  the  incarnate  Word,  both  by  the  prophets,  and 
 apostles,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  himself  And  these 
 things  the  scriptures  would  not  have  testified  of  hmi, 
 had  he  been  but  a  Man  as  all  other  men  are :  but 
 the  holy  scripture:-  testify  both  these  things  of  him, 
 that,  different  from  all  other  men,  he  alone  had  in 
 himself  a  glorious  generation  from  the  most  high 
 Father,  and  that  he  also  accomplished  a  glorious 
 birth  of  a  virgin  ;  that  he  was  a  man  without  beauty, 
 obnoxious  to  sufferings,  riding  on  an  ass's  colt, 
 drinking  vinegar  and. gall,  despised  of  the  people, 
 and  bowing  down  even  to  the  death;  that  he  was  the 
 holy  Lord,  the  wonderful  Counsellor,  beautiful  in 
 form,  the  mighty  God,  coming  in  the  clouds  the 
 Judge  of  the  universe.  All  these  things  have  the 
 scriptures  prophesied  concerning  him.  For  as  he 
 was  man  that  he  might  undergo  temptations;  so  was 
 he  the  Word  that  he  might  receive  glory ;  the  Word 
 lying  dormant  that  he  might  be  liable  to  temptation, 
 and  dishonour,  and  crucifixion,  and  death ;  but  the 
 man  being  taken  into  the  Word,  that  in  it  he  might 
 sustain  his  sufferings,  and  conquer,  and  rise,  and  be 
 taken  up  into  heaven."  ^ 
 
 93.  Again  : — "  They  again  who  say,  that  he  (Jesus) 
 was  merely  a  man,  engendered  of  Joseph,  die  ;  conti- 
 nuino;  in  the  bondage  of  their  former  disobedience, 
 having  to  the  last  no  conjunction  with   the  Word  ot 
 
 W  w  w  "  God 
 
 *  Lib.  3.  cap.  20. 
 3  Xiib.  3 .  cap.  2 1 . 
 
546  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 *'  God  the  Father,  nor  receiving  freedom  through  the 
 "  Son,  according  to  that  saying  of  his  own.  If  the  Son 
 "  7nake  you  free,  ye  shall  befr.ee  indeed.  But  not  know- 
 "  ing  him,  who  is  the  Emmanuel  of  the  virgin,  they 
 *'  are  deprived  of  his  gift,  which  is  eternal  life.  And 
 "  not  receiving  the  incorruptible  Word,  they  continue 
 *'  in  the  mortal  flesh,  and  are  liable  to  the  natural  debt 
 "  of  death,  not   accepting  the  antidote  of  life."* 
 
 94.  Again  : — "  Our  Lord  redeeming  us  by  his  own 
 "  blood,  and  giving  his  own  soul  for  our  soul,  and  his 
 "  own  body  for  our  bodies,  and  pouring  out  the  Spirit 
 "  of  the  Father  for  the  adunion  and  communion  of  God 
 *^  v/jth  men,  bringing  God  down  to  men  by  the  Spirit, 
 "  and  again,  by  his  incarnation,  raising  man  to  God, 
 "  and,  in  his  advent,  actually  and  assuredly  conferring 
 "  on  us  incorruptibility  by  communion  with  God ;  the 
 *'  doctrines  of  heretics  fall  altogether.  For  they  are 
 "  vain,  who  hold  this  doctrine. — The  Ebionites  also, 
 *^'  are  vain,  not  receiving  the  union  of  God  and  man, 
 "  by  faith,  into  their  soul."  * 
 
 95.  Again  : — "  All  heretics  are  unlearned,  and  igno- 
 "  rant  of  the  divine  dispensations,  particularly  of  the 
 "  scheme  respecting  man,  blind  to  the  truth,  and 
 "  they  contradict  their  own  salvation. — Some  introduc- 
 "  ing  another  Father  beside  the  Demiurgus.  Some 
 "  again  saying,  that  the  world,  and  the  substance  of 
 *^  it  were  made  by  certain  angels.  Some,  that  the 
 *'  substance  of  the  world  sprang  up  from  itself,  and 
 "  is  self-produced,  far  separate  from  him,  who,  accord- 
 '^  ing  to  them,  is  the  Father.  Some,  that  it  took 
 "  its  substance  from  corruption  and  ignorance,  being 
 "  among  the  things  within  the  Father.  Some  treat  the 
 "  doctrine  of  our  Lord's  visible  advent  with  contempt, 
 "  not  admitting  the  incarnation.  Some,  ignorant  of  the 
 "  dispensation  of  the  virgin,  say  that  he  was  begotten 
 *^  by  Joseph.  And  some  indeed  affirm  that  the  eternal 
 <'  life  could  neither  receive  his  soul,  nor  his  body,  but 
 
 "  only 
 
 *  Lib.  3.  ch.  21* 
 
 *  Lib,  5.  ch.  1. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  5+7 
 
 *«  only  the  inward  man. — But  all  these  are  much  later 
 "  than  those  bishops  to  whom  the  Apostles  delivered 
 "  the  care  of  the  churches."  * 
 
 I  have  given  the  sentiments  of  this  learned  bishop  and 
 martyr  pretty  much  at  large.  Considerably  more 
 to  the  same  purpose  might  be  selected  from  the  five 
 books  of  his  valuable  work.  The  above  quotations, 
 however,  will  be  perfectly  sufficient  to  satisfy  the  reader 
 what  doctrines  were  esteemed  apostolical  by  this  vener- 
 able man,  and  how  little  dependence  can  be  placed  in  the 
 most  coiifiident  assertions  of  the  learned  advocate  of  So- 
 ciqianism,  when  he  declares,  that  Irenceus  did  not  con- 
 sider the  Ebionites  in  the  light  of  heretics.  * 
 
 96.  About  the  close  of  the  second  century,  or  the 
 beginning  of  the  third,  flourished  Clemens  Alexak- 
 i)RiNus,  the  friend  of  Irenasus,  scholar  of  Pantjenus  and 
 tutor  of  the  famous  Origen.  Some  of  his  works  are 
 com.e  down  to  our  times,  from  whence  it  appears,  that 
 he  was  sound  in  his  principles  of  the  Chriftian  faith. 
 For  in  the  exhortation  to  the  Gentiles,  he  stiles  Christ 
 the  living  God,  that  was  then  worshipped  and  adored: — 
 *'  Beheve,"  says  he,  "  O  man,  in  him  who  is  both  man 
 ,"  and  God  :  believe,  O  man,  in  him  who  suffered 
 "  death,  and  yet  is  adored  as  the  living  God."  ' 
 
 97.  Again: — In  the  end  of  his  Pasdagogue,  he  him- 
 self addresses  his  prayers  to  the  Son  jointly  with  tne 
 Father,  in  these  words :  "  Be  merciful  to  thy  children, 
 "  O  Master,  O  Father,  thou  Ruler  of  Israel,  O  Son, 
 *'  and  Father,  who  are  both  one^  our  Lord."  * 
 
 98.  Again: — Speaking  of  some  words  of  Plato  he 
 saith — "  I  understand  them  to  be  spoken  of  the  Holy 
 *'  Trinity;  for  the  //j/Vi  indeed  is  the  Hcly  Ghost, 
 •*  the  second  is  the  Son,  h  ivkoni  all  tbirai^s  ivere  made, 
 "  according  to  the  will  of  the  Father."  ^ 
 
 99.  Again  : 
 5  Lib.  5.  cap.  19, 
 
 *  See  Dr.   Priestley's  View  of  the  Arguments   for  the   Unity  c/ 
 God,  p.  21. 
 
 '  Clem.  Protreptic.  p.  84. 
 
 *  Pxdagog.  Yib.  3.  ch,   12.  p.   311. .«  Strom:  lib.  c. 
 
48  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 99.  Again : — ''  O  children,  our  P/edagogue  is  like 
 ^  to  God  his  Father,  whose  Son  he  is,  widiout  sin — r 
 '  he  is  God  in  the  form  of  man ^  immaculate,  who  exe- 
 ^  cures  the  will  of  his  Father,  the  Word,  God,  who 
 ^  is  in  the  Father,  who  is  on  the  right  hand  of  the 
 ^  Father,  and  with  this  form  he  is  God."  ' 
 
 Joo.  Again  : — *'  There  is  one  Father  of  all  things, 
 ^  one  Word  of  all  things,  and  one  Holy  Spirit, 
 ^  who  is  every  where."  ' 
 
 10 1.  Again  : — "  Let  us  give  thanks  to  the  only 
 ■  Father  and  Son,  to  the  Son  and  the  Father,  to 
 '  the  Son  our  teacher  and  mafter,  with  the  Holy 
 '  Spirit  j  one  in  all  respects  j  in  whom  are  all  things  ; 
 ^  by  whom  ail  things  are  one;  by  whom  is 
 ^  eternal  existence^  whose  mem'bers  we  are;  whose 
 ^  is  the  glory  and  the  ages ;  who  is  the  perfect  good, 
 ^  the  perfect  beauty,  all-vvjse  and  all-just :    to  zvhom  be 
 
 '  S'-^Ky  ^^'''^  '^^^^  ^'^^  f^^  ever.     Amen."  ' 
 
 102.  And  again: — "This"  (namely,  the  nature  of 
 the  Son)  "  is  the  greatest  excellence,  which  disposes  all 
 
 '  things  according  to  the  will  of  the  Father,  and  go- 
 '  verns  the  universe  in  the  best  m.anner,  efiercting  all 
 '  things  by  an  indefatigable  and  inexhaustible  power,  in 
 '  which  he  so  works  as  to  see  into  hidden  thoughts. 
 ^  For  the  Son  of  God  never  leaves  his  watch-tower, 
 '  being  not  divided,  not  separated,  not  moving  from 
 '  place  to  place,  but  being  always  every  where,  and  no 
 ^  vvav  circumscribed  or  limited,  all  .intellect,  all  his 
 ^  Father's  light,  all  eye,  seeing  all  tilings,  hearing  all 
 '  tiiirgs,  knov\ing  all  things,  searching  powers-by  his 
 ^  power.  I'o  him  the  whole  host  of  angels  and  gods 
 *  are  subject."  * 
 
 All  these  are  authors  of  the  second  age,  and  may  be 
 considered  the  third  in  succession  from  the  Apostles. 
 Christ  taught  the  Apostles ;  the  Apostles  taught  Igna- 
 tius, Poly  carp,  and  others;  Polycarp  taught  Irenasus  and 
 
 his 
 
 *  Paed.-'p.  Jib.    1.  ch.  2. * 
 
 3  PjeJ     lib.   7.  ch.  7. 
 
 *  Strom,  lib.  7. 
 
 .**t^ 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  J49 
 
 his  contemporaries.  In  this  short  space  of  time  there 
 was  no  great  room  for  the  introclLiction  of  erroneous 
 doctrines,  especially  as  the  believers  of  those  days  were 
 extremely  jealous  of  innovation,  and  had  the  sacred 
 oracles  in  their  hands. 
 
 ■5;  .^'WrWNM  ,S»r>QJ'%^/W».^  ii.tSP/M' 
 
 PART  SEVENTH, 
 
 SECTION    VI. 
 
 The  opinions  of  the  CHRISTIAN  FATHERS  and  others,  of  the  third  century, 
 concerning  the  PERSON  of  CHRI.5T,  and  the  doctrine  of  the  TRINITY. 
 
 THE  doctrine  of  the  first  and  second  ages  is  suffi- 
 ciently clear  and  satisfactory.  \Vc  wiJI  now 
 proceed  to  take  a  concise  view  of  the  doctrine  contained 
 in  the  writings  of  the  third  century,  where  \vc  shall 
 find  the  sam^e  sentiments  abundantly  confirmed  by  a  still 
 larger  number  of  learned  and  excellent  persons.  The 
 first  author  v/e  will  begin  with,  is, 
 
 103.  MiNUTius  Felix.  He  lived  in  the  beginning 
 of  the  third  century,  Cave  says  about  i\\t  year  220.  In 
 that  elegant  liitle  work  of  his,  entitled  Occavius,  he  tells 
 us  the  Christians  of  his  time  neither  worshipped  a  cri- 
 minal nor  a  mere  man  for  a  God.  But  as  tliey  certainly 
 did  pay  divine  honours  to  Jesus  Christ  in  that  age, 
 it  follows  as  a  necessary  consequence,  that  they  must 
 have  considered  him  as  more  than  human.  His  vv^ords 
 are  thus  translated  ; — *'  Whereas  you  (H*athen)  tax 
 "  our  religion  with  the  worship  of  a  criminal  and  his 
 "  cross,  you  are  strangely  out  of  the  way  of  truth,  to 
 *'  imagine  either  that  a  criminal  can  deserve  to  be  taken 
 "  for  a  Deity,  or  that  a  mere  man  can  possibly  be  ."v 
 *'  God.  He  surely  is  miserable  in  good  earnest,  whose 
 "  hopes  all  hang  upon  a  mortal;    fur   his   whole  com- 
 
 .    fjrt 
 
550  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 *'  fort  expires  with  the  man."  This  fully  implies,  that 
 this  excellent  lawyt-r  considered  the  Redeemer  as 
 more  than  a  mere  man. 
 
 104.  Tertullian  *  was  boni  at  Carthage  about  the 
 year  of  our  Lord  156,  becam.e  a  convert  to  Christi- 
 anity, and  was  baptized,  in  196,  and,  after  various  re- 
 volutions in  his  religious  sentinients,  died  at  the  place  of 
 his  nativity,  A.  D.  246,  in  about  the  90ch  year  of  his 
 age.  Fie  v/as  an  extraordinary  man,  and  an  able  writer 
 in  defence  of  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel,  before  he  was 
 seduced  to  Montanism.  A  few  extracts  from  his  writ- 
 ings will  satisfy  the  reader  concerning  his  general  prin- 
 ciples, though,  it  must  be  observed,  he  is  not  always 
 consistent  with  himself 
 
 "  That  is  the  rule  of  faith,"  saith  this  learned  and 
 eloquent  man,  *'  by  which  we  profess  Vv'hat  we  believe, 
 *^  namely,  that,  by  wliich  we  believe,  that  there  is  only 
 "  one  God,  and  no  other  besides  the  Creator  of  the 
 ''  v/orld,  \vho  made  all  things  of  nothing  by  his  Word 
 '^^  first  of  all  sent  forth;  that  the  Word,  called  his  Son, 
 "  appeared  variously  to  the  patriarchs  in  the  name  of 
 "  God,    always    spoke   in   the    prophets,    lastly,    was 
 
 "  brought 
 
 ^  Mr.  Milner  in  his  very  valuable  History  of  the  Church  o^ 
 Christ,  vol.  1.  cent.  3,  ch.  2.  has  been,  in  my  opinion,  somewhat 
 too  severe  upon  the  character  and  writings  of  this  great  man.  Mak- 
 ing due  allowance  for  his  real  defects,  and  the  superstitions  of  the 
 time  and  place  when  and  where  he  lived,  he  was  surely  a  man  of 
 very  considerable  powers,  and  his  writings  throw  much  light  upon 
 the  history  of  the  age.  They  may  not,  they  do  not,  abound  with 
 :-.il  those  evangelical  views  tliat  might  be  wished  ;  but  yet  several 
 i)t  the  essential  doctrines  of  the  gospel  are  clearly  and  strongly  de- 
 fended. Jerome  says,  that  his  Apology  takes  in  all  the  treasures  of 
 human  learning.  Lactar.tius  tells  us,  that  he  has  fully  pleaded  the 
 Christian  cause.  Vincentius  acknowledges  him  to  be  the  smartest, 
 strongest,  and  most  irresistable  writer  of  the  age ;  and  that  he  is 
 siich  a  genius  among  the  Latins,  as  Origen  was  among  the  Greeks. 
 Jlalsac,  his  Editor,  speaks  very  highly  of  hi.Ti.  And  even  St.  Cy- 
 prian, of  whom  Mr.  Milner  has  spoken  with  so  much  just  appro- 
 bation, never  pasotd  a  day  without  reading  some  of  this  great  man's 
 writings,  and  v/as  wont  to  say,  when  he  called  for  TertuUian's  worksj 
 Gize  r.ie  nv;  mcitcr. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  551 
 
 "  brought  down  into  the  virgin  Mary  by  the  Spirit 
 *'  and  power  of"  God  the  Father,  was  made  flesh  in 
 "  her  womb,  and  being  born  of  her,  became  Jesus 
 "  Christ,  from  thence  preached  a  new  law  and  a  new 
 "  promise  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  wrought  mi- 
 "  racks,  being  fastened  to  a  cross  rose  again  the  third 
 "  dav,  being  taken  up  into  heaven  he  sat  down  at  the 
 "  right  hand  of  the  Father,  sent  the  power  of  the 
 "  Holy  Spirit  to  supply  his  absence,  and  to  influence 
 "  those  who  believe,  that  he  will  com.^  with  glory  to 
 "  receive  his  saints  to  the  enjoyment  of  eternal  life  and 
 "  the  heavenly  promises,  and  to  adjudge  the  v,?icked  to 
 "  everlasting  fire,  when  the  resurrection  of  the  flesh 
 "  shall  have  taken  place.  This  rule,  instituted  by 
 *^  Christ,  admits  of  no  questions  nmoiig  us  zvho  are  not 
 "  heretical^  and  make  the  persons  concerned  in  them 
 "  heretics."*' 
 
 105.  "  We  believe  that  there  is  only  one  God,  but 
 *'"  under  this  dispensation,  which  we  call  ceconomy,  that 
 "  the  Son  his  Word,  who  proceeded  from  him,  by 
 *'  whom  he  made  all  things,  and  without  whom 
 "  nothing  was  made,  is  of  that  one  Goo  ;  that  he  was 
 "  sent  by  the  Father  into  the  virgin,  and  born  of  her, 
 "  ?ndn  a?id  God,  the  Son  of  man  and  the  SonofGody  called 
 "  Jesus  Christ  J  that  he  suffered,  died,  and  v;as  buried 
 *'  according  to  the  scriptures ;  that  he  v^as  raised  by  the 
 "  Father,  taken  into  heaven,  and  seated  at  the  right 
 *^  hand  of  the  Father  ;  that  he  shall  come  to  judge 
 "  both  the  quick  and  the  dead ;  that  he  sent  down,  ac- 
 **  cording  to  his  own  promise,  the  Holy  Ghost  the 
 *'  Comforter  tVom  the  Father,  the  Sanctifier  of  all 
 *^'  those  who  believe  in  the  Father,  and  Son,  and 
 *'  Holy  Spirit  j  that  this  rule  had  come  dov.-n  from 
 *^  the  beginning  of  the  gospel,  even  before  any  of  die 
 '^  ancient  heretics,  much  more  before  the  miOdtrn  Prax- 
 "  eas ;  both  the  late  rise  of  all  the  henrtics  in  general, 
 
 "  ''  and 
 
 *  De  Pr5E3c:itit.  advenus  Hsret.  »'.   -\. 
 
S5» 
 
 AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 **  and  the  novelty  of  Praxeas  in  particular,  but  of 
 "  yesterday,  will  prove."  ' 
 
 io6.  *'  The  Father  is  God,  the  Son  is  God,  and 
 "  the  Holy  Ghost  is  God,  and  every  one  of  them  is 
 
 «   GCD."' 
 
 107.  "  The  connection  of  the  Father  in  the  Son, 
 "  and  of  the  Son,  in  the  Paraclete,  makes  three 
 "  cohering  one  from  the  other  ;  which  three  are  one 
 "  thino;,  not  one  person,  as  it.  is  said,  I  and  the  Father 
 "  are  one^  with  respect  to  unity  of  substance,  not  to  sin- 
 "  gularity  of  number."  ^ 
 
 loS.  "  The    name    of  the    Father    is,   God    Al- 
 
 **    MIGHTY,    the    MOST     riiGH,    thc    Lo^D     OF    IIOSTS, 
 
 "  the  King  of  Israel,  who  is,  as  the  scriptures 
 "  teach.  These  we  .-ay  Ipflong  to  the  Son  likewise, 
 "  a!id  that  the  Son  came'in  these,  and  always  acted  in 
 <*  them,  and  so  manifested  them  in  himself  to  meri. 
 "  All  that  the  Fathdr  hathy  saith  he,  is  mine  \  why  then 
 <*  not  his  names.?  Wherefore  when- thou  readcit  Al- 
 «  mighty  God,  and  the  most  High,  and  the  Lord  of 
 "  Hoot?,  and  the  King  of  Israel,  and  He  who  is; 
 *'  consider  vv'hether  the  Son  be  not  demonstrated  here- 
 *'  by;  who  is  in  his  own  right  God  Almighty, 
 *'  as  he  is  the  Word  of  Ahnighty  God."  * 
 
 109.  '■'■  It  i^  i\\e  property  of  the  faith  of  a  Jew,  so 
 *'  to  admit  the  Divine  Unity,  as  not  to  include  therein 
 "  the  Son,  and  after  him  the  Spirit.  For  what  dif- 
 *^  ference  is  there  between  the  Jews  and  us  but  this  .? 
 "  What  need  of  the  gospel,  if  it  do  not  clearly  hold 
 ^■'^  out  to  us  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Spirit, 
 "  as  constituting  the  Divine  Unity?  God  hath  so 
 <'  ordered  tliis  new  sacrament  (baptism)  that  his  Unity 
 ^^  should  now  be  believed  in  a  new  manner,  as  inclusive 
 *'  of  the  Son  and  of  the  Spirit;  and  that  God,  whose 
 *'   Unity  was  not  clearly  apprehended,  as  comprehensive 
 
 of 
 
 '  Adversus  Praxean,  cap.  2. 
 *  Cent.  Prax.  cap.   13. 
 ^     p  Ibid.  cap.  25, 
 '  Ibid,  cap,   \^. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINlTy.  553 
 
 of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Spirit,  v/hen  he  was  preached 
 in  time  past,  might  now  be  openly  known  according 
 to  his  proper  names  and  persons."  * 
 1 10.  "  We  Christians  do  affirm  a  spirit  to  be  the 
 proper  substance  of  the  Logos,  by  whom  all  things 
 were  made,  in  v/hich  he  subsisted  before  he  was 
 spoken  out,  and  was  the  Wisdom  that  assisted  at  the 
 creation,  and  the  power  that  presided  over  the  wiiole 
 work.  The  Logos  or  Word  issuing  forth  from 
 that  spiritual  substance  at  the  creation  of  the  world, 
 and  generated  by  that  issuing  cr  progression,  is  for 
 this  reason  called  the  Son  of  God,  and  the  God,  from 
 his  unity  of  substance  with  God  the  Father,  for 
 God  is  a  spirit.  An  imperfect  image  we  have  of  this 
 in  the  derivation  of  a  ray  from  the  body  of  the  sun  ; 
 for  this  ray  is  a  part  without  any  diminution  of  the 
 whole,  but  the  sun  is  always  in  the  ray,  because  the 
 ray  is  always  in  the  sun  ;  nor  is  the  substance  sepa- 
 rated, but  only  extended.  Thus  it  is  in  some 
 measure  in  the  eternal  generation  of  the  Logos  ;  he  is 
 a  Spirit  off  a  Spirit  \  a  God  off  God,  as  one  light  is 
 generated  by  another  :  the  original,  parent  light,  re- 
 maining entire  and  undiminished,  notwithstanding  the 
 communication  of  itself  to  many  other  lights.  Tiius 
 it  is  that  the  Logos  which  came  forth  from  God,  is 
 both  God  and  the  Son  of  God,  and  those  two  are 
 one.  Hence  it  is,  that  a  Spirit  off  a  Spirit,  or  a 
 God  off  God y  makes  another  in  mode  of  subsistance, 
 but  not  in  numericalness  or  identity  of  essence  j  and 
 so  the  Son  is  subordinate  to  the  Father  as  he 
 comes  from  him  as  the  principle,  but  is  never  sepa- 
 rated. This  ray  of  God  then  descended,  as  it  was 
 foretold,  upon  a  certain  virgin,  and  in  her  womb  was 
 incarnated,  and  being  there  fully  formed  the  God- 
 Man,  was  born  into  the  world  j  the  divine  and  human 
 nature  making  up  this  person,  as  soul  and  body  do 
 X  X  X  "  one 
 
 *  Adv.  Prax,  sect.  31, 
 
554  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 "  one    man. — This    is    the    Christ,    the    God    of 
 "  Christians." ' 
 
 This,  and  much  more  than  this  to  the  same  pur- 
 pose, is  to  be  found  in  the  writings  of  this  great  man. 
 We  will  now  pass  on  to  the  works  of  one  that  is 
 greater  than  he. 
 
 III.  Origen  is  generally  considered  as  the  most 
 learned  of  all  the  Christian  fathers.  He  was  born  at 
 Alexandria,  A.  D.  185,  and  after  much  persecution, 
 and  infinite  labour  in  promoting  the  cause  of  learning 
 and  truth,  he  died  at  Tyre,  A.  D.  253  in  the  69th  year 
 of  his  age.  Of  the  pre-existence  and  divinity  of  Christ, 
 with  other  points  therewith  connected,  he  hath  largely 
 spoken,  upon  various  occasions.  The  following  ex- 
 tracts from  his  works  will  justify  these  assertions. 
 
 "  Whereas  there  are  many,  who  think  they  under- 
 "  stand  Christianity,  and  yet  some  of  them  differ  from 
 "  their  ancestors  j  and  whereas  the  doctrine  of  th6 
 "  church  is  preserved,  being  delivered  down  from  the 
 «*  Apostles  by  the  order  of  succession,  and  remains  in 
 *'  the  churches  to  this  very  time,  that  only  is  to 
 "  be  beheved  true,  which  in  nothing  differs  from  the 
 "  church's  tradition.  Now  we  must  know  that  the 
 "  holy  Apostles,  when  they  preached  the  Christian 
 "  faith,  treated  very  plainly  concerning  some  points, 
 "  which  they  thought  necessary  to  salvation  for  all  be- 
 "  lievers  ;  though  before  those  who  were  not  forward 
 "  in  their  search  after  divine  knowledge  ;  leaving  the 
 *^  reasons  of  their  assertions  to  be  enquired  into  by- 
 "  those,  who  should  be  thought  worthy  to  receive  from 
 *'  the  Spirit  the  excellent  gifts  of  the  Spirit,  and  es- 
 *^  pecially  the  gifts  of  the  word  of  wisdom  and  know- 
 <'  ledge.  Of  other  points,  they  only  said,  that  they 
 "  were,  but  said  nothing  "how,  or  whence  they  were ; 
 «  that  so  all  those  of  their  posterity,  who  were  more 
 "  studious  than  others,  and  lovers  of  knowledge  and 
 
 "  wisdom, 
 
 5  Apol.  cap.  21. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  55? 
 
 *'  wisdom,  might  have  scope  for  the  exercise  of  their 
 "  wit,  nameJy,  those  who  should  make  themselves 
 *^  worthy  and  capable  of  wisdom.  Now  the  particulars, 
 "  which  were  plainly  treated  in  the  apostolical  instruc- 
 "  tion,  are  these :  First,  That  there  is  one  God,  who 
 "  made  and  composed  all  things,  and  who  made  them 
 '^  out  of  nothing,  &c. — that  this  God,  as  he  had  pro- 
 "  mised  before  by  his  prophets,  sent  the  Lord  Jesus 
 "  Christ  in  the  laft  days,  &c. — then  that  this  Jesus 
 *^  Christ  who  came,  was  born  of  the  Father  before 
 "  every  creature:  that  he,  when  he  had  ministered  to 
 "  the  Father  in  the  creation  of  all  things  (for  by  him 
 cc  i^pyg  all  things  made)  emptying  himself  in  the  last 
 *'  davs,  was  made  man  ;  was  incarnate^  though  God;  and 
 "  remained  God,  though  made  man.  He  assumed  a 
 "  body  like  unro  our  body,  with  this  only  difference, 
 *'  that  he  -zvas  born  of  the  virgin  by  the  Holy-  Ghost."  * 
 112.  "  By  the  gospel  it  is  revealed,  that  all  things 
 "  were  made  by  the  Son,  and  that  without  him  nothing 
 "  was  made.  Let  him  then,  who  reads  understand 
 "  from  this,  that  the  name  of  the  Almighty  is  not 
 "  more  ancient  in  God  than  the  name  of  the  Father  j 
 ^'^  for  by  the  Son  the  Father  is  almighty;  for  through 
 "  Wisdom,  which  is  Christ,  God  holds  the  univerfal 
 ^^  dominion,  not  only  by  authority  of  him  who  has  the 
 "  dominion,  but  even  by  the  spontaneous  duty  of  those 
 "  who  are  subject  to  him.  But  that  you  may  confess 
 "  that  the  Father  and  the  Son  possess  one  and  the 
 **  same  omnipotence,  as  he  •  is  one  and  the  same  God 
 "  and  Lord  with  the  Father,  hear  John  in  the 
 "  Revelation  speaking  in  this  manner :  These  things 
 "  saiih  hey  "jjhich  isy  and  which  wasy  and  which  is  to 
 "  comey  the  Almighty.  Rev.  i.  'i.  But  who  is  to 
 "  come,  the  Almighty,  besides  Christ  ?  As  none 
 "  should  be  offended  that  the  Father  is  God;  and 
 "  that  the  Saviour  likewise  is  God  ;  so  none  should 
 "  take  offence  seeing  the  Father  is  almigbtyy  that  it 
 
 X  X   X  2  "is 
 
 *  Ap.  Pamp.  Mart,  apud  opera  Jer.  vol.  9, 
 
SS6  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 *'  is  also  said,  the  Son  is  almighly.  For  in  this  manner 
 *'  that  will  be  true  which  he  saith  to  the  Father,  For 
 "  all  mine  are  thine,  and  all  thine  are  inine^  and  I  am 
 "  glorified  in  them.  John  17.  10.  But  if  all  which  be- 
 *'  long  to  the  Father  arc  Christ's,  among  the  ail 
 "  things  appertaining  to  the  Father  is  also  omnipoiencey 
 "  without  doubt  the  only-begotten  Son  also  ought  to  be 
 *'  omnipoteni,  that  all  things  which  the  Father  hath, 
 *'  the  Son  nnay  have  also."  * 
 
 113.  "  Let  us  describe  as  well  as  we  can  what  an 
 '*  heretic  is:  Every  one  who  professes  to  believe  in 
 "  Christ,  and  yet  says  there  is  one  God  of  the  law  and 
 "  the  prophets,  and  another  of  the  gospels,  &c.' — Our 
 "  opinion  must  be  the  same  concerning  those  who 
 '*  have  any  false  notions  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
 '^  whether  according  to  them,  who  say  he  was  born  of 
 "  Joseph  and  Mary,  such  are  the  Ebionites  and  Vakn^ 
 *'  linians ;  or  according  to  them  who  deny  him  to  be 
 "  the  First-born,  the  God  of  the  whole  creation,  the 
 "  Word,  and  Wisdom,  which  is  the  beginning  of  the 
 "  ways  of  God,  begotten  before  any  thing  was  made, 
 "  before  the  foundation  of  the  worlds,  before  all  the 
 "  hills  ;  and  who  say  that  he  is  only  man."  ' 
 
 1 14.  "  We  worship  one  God,  the  Father  and  the 
 "  Son  j  and  our  reasoning  stands  still  in  full  force 
 "  against  others ;  neither  do  we  give  divine  honour  to 
 "  an  upstart  being,  as  if  he  had  no  existence  before. 
 *^  For  we  believe  him  when  he  says.  Before  Abraham 
 "  zvaSy  I  am  j  and  again,  1  am  the  truth.  Neither  is 
 **  any  of  us  of  so  mean  and  servile  understanding, 
 "  as  to  imagine,  that  the  substance  of  Truth  had  not 
 "  a  being  before  the  appearance  of  Christ  in  the  fiesh. 
 *^  Therefore  we  worship  the  Father  of  Truthy  and 
 "  the  Son,  who  is  the  Truth,  two  things  in  personal 
 "  substance,  but  one  in  agreement,  and  consent,  and 
 *'  identity  of  will ;  so  that  whoever  sees  the  Son,  who 
 
 **  is 
 
 *  Peri  Archon,  vol.   i. 
 '  Com.  on  Tit.  3.  10. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  557 
 
 '^  is  the  brightness  of  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  express 
 "  image  of  his  person,  sees  God  in  him,  as  being  the 
 "  true  image  of  Gud."  * 
 
 115.  "  We  worship  one  God,  and  his  only  Son, 
 "  and  Word,  and  Image,  with  supplications  and 
 "  prayers  to  the  utmost  of  our  power,  offering  our 
 "  prayers  to  Gon  over  all  by  his  only-begotten  Son  ; 
 **  to  whom  we  first  present  them,  beseeching  him,  who 
 "  is  the  propitiation  for  our  sins,  as  our  High-Priest, 
 "  to  offer  our  prayers,  and  sacrifices,  and  intercessions 
 "  to  God,  the  Lord  of  all  things.  Therefore  our  faith 
 *'  relies  only  upon  God,  by  his  Son,  who  confirms  it 
 "  in  us.  And,  therefore,  Celsus  has  no  reason  or 
 "  colour  for  his  charge  of  sedition,  or  departing  from 
 "  God  upon  the  account  of  his   Son ;   for  we   Ziorship 
 
 ■  "  the  Father,  ivhilst  zee  admire  and  adore  the  Son, 
 "  who  is  his  Word,  and  Wisdom,  and  Truth,  and 
 "  Righteousness,  and  whatever  else  we  are  taught  to 
 "  believe  of  the  Son  of  God,  begotten  of  such  a 
 "  Father."' 
 
 116.  From  the  account  which  is  given  us  by  Eu- 
 sebius  of  Beryllus,  biihop  of  Bosra  in  Arabia,  we  may 
 more  fully  understand  what  were  the  real  sentiments  of 
 Origcn  respecting  the  person  of  our  Saviour.  For 
 when  this  Berryllus  had  embraced  sonic  new  doctrines 
 foreign  to  the  faith;  "  daring  to  affirm  that  our  Lord 
 *'  and  Saviour,  before  his  coming  among  men,  had  ;;« 
 *'  proper  and  distinct  subsistence  \  neither  any  God- 
 **  head  of  his  own,  but  only  t!ie  Deitv  of  the  Fa- 
 "  ther  residing  in  him ;"  he  was  reproved  by  Origen 
 for  his  want  of  orthodoxy  ;  and  being  convinced  of  the 
 error  of  his  new  opinions,  he  was  brought  back  to  tlie 
 true  faith. ' 
 
 From 
 
 «  Cent.  Cel.  1.  8.  p.  385. 
 
 '  Jbid.  p.  386. 
 
 '  See  Euseb.  Eccl.  Hist.  1.  6.  cap.  35. — The  learned  Fiddes  in 
 his  Theologia  Speculativa  gives  us  the  opinions  of  Origen  concern- 
 ing the  nature  of  Christ  in  a  few  words,  referring  to  the  several 
 places  in  his  works  where  the  authorities  may  be  fourd.  Origen 
 declares,  says  this  writer,  that  **  Christ  is  properly  Sob  of  God  ;— 
 
55S  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 From  these  several  quotations  it  incontestably  appears, 
 that  whatever  mis:ht  be  the  sentiments  of  this  great 
 man  concerning  the  person  of  Christ,  and  the  doctrine 
 of  the  Trinity,  the  opinions  of  Socinus  are  so  far  from 
 receiving  countenance,  that  they  are  directly  condemned. 
 
 117.  Cyprian  was  born  towards  the  latter  end  of 
 the  second  century,  converted  from  Paganism  to  Chris- 
 tianity, A.  D.  246,  made  bishop  of  Carthage  in  248, 
 and  received  the  crown  of  m.artyrdom,  A.  D.  258. 
 He  has  given  us  the  most  unequivocal  declarations  of 
 his  sentiments  on  the  subjects  now  under,  consideration. 
 "  Nor  did  Jesus  Christ,'*  says  he,  *•  cur  God  and 
 "  Lord,  teach  us  how  to  behave  in  this  particular  by 
 "  word  onlv  j  but  his  practice  accompanied  his  instruc- 
 "  tions,  and  he  led  us  by  example  as  well  as  by  pre- 
 ".  cept.*'  ° 
 
 11^.  "  This  is  our  God,  not  th*;  God  of  all,  but  of 
 ^'  us  Christians  only  who  believe  and  trust  in  his 
 "  name/' ' 
 
 119.  "  G0D5  the  Father,  hath  appointed  that 
 *'  adoraiicn  should  be  paid  to  his  Son  j  and  the  apostle 
 "  St.  Paul,  in  conformity  to  that  appointment,  hath 
 "  expressly  told  us,  that  God  hath  highly  exalted  him^ 
 *^  and  given  bim  a  name^  ischich  is  above  every  name  / 
 "  that  at  the  name  of  Jesus  every  hue  should  boWy  of 
 "  things  in  beaveiiy  and  things  in  earthy  and  things  under 
 '^^  the  earth.  And  in  the  book  of  Revelation,  we  may 
 "  observe  the  angel  restraining  St.  John,  who  v,ould 
 ^'  have  worshipped  him,  from  doing  it,  saying,  See  thou 
 "  do  it  not-)  for  I  am  thy  fellozv- servant y  and  aue  cf  thy 
 "  brethren  ;  adore  the  Lord  Jesus.  How*uncommcn 
 **  a  person  must  this  Jesus  be,  and  with  what  extraor- 
 
 *'  dinary 
 
 "  Son  by  nature,  and  net  by  adoption  : — eternal  : — eternally  ge- 
 *•  rerated  : — uncieaced  : — creator  :  God  by  nature  ;  the  power  and 
 *'  wifdom  cf  God,  frequently  : — consubstantial : — omnipreiCnt : 
 "  immutable  : — incomprehensible." 
 
 Vol.  1.  b.  4.  chap.  s.  p.  391. 
 
 5  In  Pat.  sect.  4. 
 
 *  Ibid.  sect.   16. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  559 
 
 ^^  dinary  patience  endowed  ;  who,   though  he  be   zvor- 
 "  shipped  in  heaven,  is  not  yet  avenged  upon  earth  ?"  * 
 
 120.  "  Daniel,  and  the  three  famous  youths,  ob- 
 "  served  more  especially  the  tliird,  the  sixth,  and  the 
 "  ninth  hours ;  three  remarkable  distinctions,  Vv'ith 
 "  some  eye  of  allusion  and  regard  to  the  blessed  Tri- 
 *'  NiTY,  which  was  afterwards  to  be  revealed  to  the 
 "  world  in  these  latter  days  :  for  the  first  hour  advanc- 
 "  ing  to  the  third,  gives  us  one  notion  of  a  Trinity  ; 
 "  the  fourth  proceeding  to  the  sixth  gives  us  another ; 
 **  and  last  of  all  the  seventh  carried  on  to  the  ninth, 
 "  exhibits  the  perfection  of  the  ternary  number."  ' 
 
 This  is  surely  a  very  fanciful  interpretation,  and 
 without  any  just  foundation  in  the  meaning  of  the  Spi- 
 rit ;  but  it  shews  sufficiently  well  how  strongly  the 
 doctrine  of  the  Trinity  was  impressed  upon  the 
 mind  of  this  good  man, 
 
 121.  "  Our  Saviour  hath  said,  J  and  my  Father  are 
 "  one.  And  again  it  is  written  of  the  Father,  Son, 
 and  Holy  Ghost,  that  these  three  «rtf  one."* 
 
 122.  "  Of  this  grace  of  God,  this  new  oeconomy, 
 "  this  latter  method  of  salvation,  the  Word,  and  Son 
 "  of  God  is  made  the  messenger  and  manager,  who 
 "  by  all  the  prophet*;,  go  as  far  backward  as  you  please, 
 "  was  spoken  of  under  that  character,  as  a  teacher  sent 
 "  from  God,  to  enlighten  mankind  sitting;  in  darkness. 
 "  This  is  the  Power,  the  Word,  the  Wisdom,  the 
 **  Glory  of  God.  He  descended  into  the  womb  of 
 *'  a  Virgin,  and  through  the  operation  of  the  Holy 
 "  G\Host,  took  upon  him  our  flesh  ;  and  God  hy  these 
 *«  wonderou>  means  united  himself  to  man.  This  Christ 
 *^  is  our  God,  and  being  a  Mediator  between  too,  he 
 *^  put  on  the  man^  that  he  might  lead  him  to  God  his 
 "  Father  ;  Christ  became  man,  that  man  might  be- 
 •'  come  like  Christ."  * 
 
 I2J.  "  Chri,sc 
 
 *  Iblcl.  sect.   17. 
 
 3  De  Orat.  Dom.  sect,  zi, 
 
 ♦  De  Unit.  Ec.  sect.  5. 
 
 '  De  vanit.  idcl.  sect.  5, 
 
560  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 123.  "  Christ  was  the  First-begotten  and  the 
 "  Wisdom  of  the  Father  by  whom  all  things  were 
 *^  made.''  * 
 
 124.  "  The  angel  who  appeared  to  the  patriarchs  is 
 "  Christ  and  God."  ' 
 
 125.  "  Christ  is  God."" 
 
 126.  "  Christ,  who  is  God,  was  to  come,  and  en- 
 "  lighten,  and  save  mankind."  * 
 
 127.  Christ,  though  always  the  Son  of  God,  was 
 "  to  be  born  however  according  to  the  flesh."  * 
 
 128.  "  Christ  was  God  and  man,  that  he  might 
 "  be  the  fitter  to  be  a  Mediator  between  them."  * 
 
 129.  "   V/e   have   an   advocate   with  the   Father 
 "  Jesus  Christ,  our  Lord  and  God."  ' 
 
 130.  "  Our  Lord  after  his  resurrection  instructing 
 '*  his  disciples  how  they  should  baptize,  says  ;  All  pow- 
 "  er  is  given  unto  me  in  heaven  and  in  earth  ;  go  ye  there- 
 '*  fore  and  teach  all  nationSy  baptizing  them  in  the  name  of 
 "  the  FATH's.v.y  and  of  the  Soiiy  and  of  the^ioLY  Ghost. 
 "  Here  he  intimates  the  Trinity,  in  whose  sacrament 
 "  the  nations  were  to  be  baptized.  Docs  Marcion  be- 
 "  licve  this  Trinity  ?  Does  he  believe  the  same  Fa- 
 '■'^  THER  the  Creator,  as  we  believe  in  ?  Does  he  ac- 
 "  knowledge  the  same  one  Son  Christ,  born  of  the 
 "  virgin  Mary  ;  who,  being  the  Word,  was  made  flesh, 
 "  and  suffered  for  our  sins  ?  Marcion  and  all  other  he- 
 "  retics  hold  a  very  different  faith."  * 
 
 131.  "  If  any  one  could  be  baptized  among  the 
 "  heretics,  he  might  also  obtain  remission  of  sins :  and 
 "  if  he  obtained  remission  of  sins,  be  sanctified  and 
 "  made  the  temple  of  God.  I  ask,  Of  what  God  } 
 *'  If  of  the  Creator;  he  could  not,  who  did  not  be- 
 *'  iieve  in  him :  if  of  Christ ;  neither  could  he  be  his 
 *'  temple,  zvho  denies  Christ  to  be  God  :  if  of  the 
 "  Holy  Spirit,  since  these  three  are  one\  how  could  the 
 "^  Holy  Spirit  be  reconciled  to  him,  who  is  ah  enemy 
 "•  to  the  Father  and  the  Son  ?"  *  It 
 
 ^  Test,  adver.  Jud.  lib.  2.  sect,  l, — ^  Ibid.  sect.  5. — '  Ibid.  sect. 
 6. — 9  Ibid.  sect.  7. — '  Ibid.  sect.  8. — *  Ibid.  sect.  10. — ^  Epis.  ii. 
 •~*  Apud.  Ep.  73. — 5  Ibid, 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  5$! 
 
 It  is  not  meant  to  justify  the  reasonings  of  the  seve- 
 ral passages  which  are  produced  in  this  treatise,  whether 
 fronn  the  Jews,  the  Heathens,  or  the  Christian  fathers  3 
 but  only  to  prove  this  matter  of  fact,  that  the  doctrine  of 
 the  Tiinity,  in  a  light  more  or  less  obscure,  was  taugh: 
 by  these  several  denominations  of  men. 
 
 132.  Gregory,  bishop  of  Neocaesarea,  was  the  dis- 
 ciple, and  the  glory  of  the  famous  Origen.  He  was 
 made  bishop  in  239,  and  died  in  peace,  A.  D.  265. 
 His  Creed  is  well  known.  "  There  is  one  God,"  says 
 he,  "  the  Father  of  the  living  Word,  the  subsisting 
 ^'  Wisdom,  and  Power,  and  eternal  Character;  the 
 "  perfect  Begetter  of  him  that  is  perfect,  the  Father 
 •*  of  the  only-begotten  Son,  one  Lord  alone  off  him 
 *'  who  is  alone;  God  off  God  ;  the  impress  and  image 
 "  of  the  Deity,  the  effective  Word.  The  Wisdom 
 "  which  comprehends  the  constitution  of  the  universe, 
 "  and  the  power  which  made  the  whole  creation  j  true 
 ■  '  Son  of  the  true  Father  ;  invisible  off  invisible,  incor- 
 "  ruptible  off  incorruptible,  immortal  off  immortal,  and 
 "  eternal  off  eternal.  And  one  Holy  Spirit,  who  hath 
 "  his  existence  from  God,  and  who  appeared  by  the 
 ♦*  Son,  namely,  to  mankind.  The  image  of  the  Son^ 
 ^'  perfect  off  perfect,  the  Life,  tlie  Author  of  the  living, 
 *'  the  holy  Fountain,  Holiness,  and  the  giver  of 
 *^  sanctification,  in  whom  God  the  Father  is  manifested, 
 **  who  is  over  all,  and  God  the  Son  who  is  through 
 *'  all.  The  perfect  Trinity,  not  divided  or  alienated 
 "  in  glory,  eternity  and  kingdom.  There  is,  therefore, 
 '^  nothing  created,  nothing  servile,  in  the  Trinity. 
 *'  Nothing  superinduced,  that  was  not  befoie,  but  came 
 *'  in  afterwards,  ^rhe  Father  ahvays  had  a  Son,  and 
 **  the  Son  a  Spirit.  'There  was  always  the  sams 
 "  Trinity  without  change  or  turning.^'' 
 
 133.  Again ; — \^  Let  us  commit  hymns  and  praises 
 '*  to  the  King  and  Creator  o{ the  universe,  the  suffi- 
 "  cient  fountain  of  all  good  things,  to  him  who  herein 
 ''  heals  our  infirmities,  and  is  alone  able  to  supply  our 
 "  defects,  to  the  Prince  and  Saviour  of  our  souls,  to 
 Y  y  y  *f  his 
 
SH  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 ''  his  firsr-begotten  Word,  the  Creator  and  Govern- 
 *'  OR  of  all  things  ;  since  he  alone  can  send  up  to  the 
 *^  pATHtR  perpetual  and  incessant '  thanksgivings  for 
 ^*  hims(  if,  and  for  us  all,  particularly  and  uniyersally. ' 
 **  For  he  bt-ing  the  Truth,  the  Wisdom  and  Power 
 *^  of  the  F'athur  of  all  things;  furthermore,  being  in 
 ^^  him,  and  naturally  united  to  hinri,  it  is  not  possible, 
 ^*  that  out  of  forgetfulncss  or  imprudence,  or  any  infirmi- 
 "  ty,  like  one  who  is  remote  from  him,  he  should  either 
 *'  not  reach  the  Power  of  powers,  or  though  he  can, 
 *^  should  voluntarily  (which  is  nor  to  be  supposed) 
 ^*  omit  it.  He  only  is  able  perfectly  to  fulfil  all  that 
 **  dignity  of  praises  v/hich  belong  to  him  ;  he  whom 
 '^  the:  Father  of  all  things  having  united  to  himself,  he 
 .^*  himself  only  not  containing  himself  in  him,  hath  in 
 "  a  certain  manner  honoured  with  an  every  way  equal 
 ^'  power  to  that  of  his  own ;  and  is  honoured  by  him, 
 *^  which  he  the  first  and  only  one  of  all  beings  hath  ob- 
 **  tained,  he  tiie  only-begotten,  God  the  Word  in 
 f*  him. — The  most  perfect,  the  livings  the  animate  Word 
 "  of  him,  the  first  Mind."* 
 
 134.  DioNvsius  Alexandrinus  studied  under  Ori- 
 gen,  was  made  bishop  of  Alexandria,  A.  D.  247,  and 
 died  there  in  265.  He  calls  Christ — Uncreated  and 
 *^  ttic  Creator — God  by  nature,  the  Word  of 
 **  the  Father— ^con  substantial  with  the  Father. — Christ 
 "  i>  imniutahle,  as  being  God  the  Word. — Christ  is 
 "  God  over  all,  our  refuge. — Jesus  Christ,  who  is 
 ^'  God  over  all,  the  Lord  and  God  0/  Israel. — He 
 "  shall  not  escape  unpunished,  who  blasphemes  the  be- 
 "  nev(>lent  Spirit  :  for  the  Spirit  is  God."  ' 
 
 ^3S'  "  ^o  God,  even  the  Father,  and  his  Son  our 
 "  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  be 
 "  glory  and  power,  forever  and  ever.     Amen."  ' 
 
 136.  DioNYSius  RoMANus  was  made  bishop  of 
 Rome,  A.  D.  259,  and  died  in  269.     Nothing  of  his 
 
 remains 
 
 *  Opera  Greg.  Thaumat.  passim. 
 
 *  Epist.  adv.  Paul,  passim. 
 
 *  Frag,  apud  Basil. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  |6j 
 
 remains  bun  some  fragments,  in  which  he  savs: — "  I 
 "  may  justly  speak  against  them,  who  divide,  split,  and 
 '*  destroy  the  most  venerable  doctrine  of  the  c  .urch  uf 
 *'  God,  making  the  monarchy  three  certain  power ^j' 
 "  separate  subsistences,  and  three  Deities.  For  I  am 
 *^  persuaded  that  some  of  the  catcchists  and  preachers 
 *'  of  God's  word  teach  this  opinion  ;  men  diametrically 
 '^  opposite  to  the  heresy  of  Sabelhus.  For  he  blas- 
 '•  phcmes  in  saying  that  the  Son  is  the  Father;  they,. 
 *'  the  other  hand,  preach  up  three  Gods,  after  a  sortj- 
 "  chviding  the  Holy  One  into  three  hypostases,  alien 
 "  from  one  another,  and  wholly  separate.  For  it  is 
 "  necessary  that  the  Divine  Word  be  united  to  the 
 *^  God  of  the  universe.  The  FIoly  Ghost  also  must 
 "  closely  adhere  to  and  abide  in  God.  And  it  is  also 
 "  absolutely  necessary  that  the  sacred  Three  be  sum- 
 '*  med  up,  and  gathercci  together  into  one,  as  a  certain 
 "  centre,  that  is,  into  the  almighty  God  of  the  uni« 
 "  verse." 
 
 137.  "  It  is  no  common,  but  the  greatest  blasphemy, 
 "  after  a  sort  to  say,  that  the  Lord  was  made  with 
 •'  hands." 
 
 138.  *'  We  ought  not  either  to  divide  the  wonderful 
 "  Divine  Unity  into  three  Deities,  or  to  mutilate  tlie 
 "  dignity  and  the  excellent  greatness  of  our  Lord, 
 "  by  saying,  that  he  is  created  j  but  to  believe  in  God 
 "  the  Father  Almightv,  and  in  Jesus  Christ  his  Son, 
 "  and  in  tlie  Holy  Ghost,  and  to  believe  diat  the 
 "  Word  is  united  to  the  God  of  the  universe.  For, 
 "  says  he,  /  and  the  Father  are  one  :  and,  I  in  the 
 "  Father,  and  the  Father  in  me  :  so  v;ould  the  Divine 
 *'  Trinity,  and  the  sacred  doctrine  of  the  monaichy 
 "  be  preserved."  • 
 
 139.  Caius,  the  presbyter  of  Rome,  lived  about  the 
 middle  of  the  third  century ;  and  we  are  told  by  Photius, 
 that  *'  he  spake  exactly  of  the  divinity  of  Christ,  our' 
 "  true  God  i  he  both  called  him  by  the  name  Christ, 
 
 Y  y  y  2  "  and 
 
 •  Frag,  apud  .^than. 
 
564  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 "  and  unexeeptiohably  described  his  ineffable  generation 
 *'  from  the  Father."  * 
 
 140.  This  same  Caius  observes,  that  "there  were 
 ^f  anciently  many  psalms  and  hymns  composed  by  the 
 <*  brethren,  and  transcribed  by  the  faithful,  setting  forth 
 "  the  praises  of  Christ  as  the  Word  of  God,  and  as- 
 "  cribing  divinify  to  him."  * 
 
 141.  HippoLiTus,  the  martyr  and  bishop  of  Portua, 
 was  the  disciple  of  Clemens  Alexandrinus,  and  flourished 
 about  the  year  220.  In  the  few  fragments  of  his  works 
 which  remain,  he  says : — "  The  Divinity  is  such  after 
 "  the  incarnation,  as  it  was  before,  in  nature  infinite,  in- 
 "  comprehensible,  without  passions,  change  or  varia- 
 '^  tion,  power  itself,  and,  to  say  all,  essentially  subsist- 
 "  ing,  and  the  only  infinitely  powerful  good." 
 
 142.  "To  HIM  (Christ)  be  glory  and  strength,  to- 
 ^*  gether  with  the  Father  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  in 
 "  the  holy  church,  now  and  forevcrmore.      Amen."  ' 
 
 143.  "  If  the  Word  was  with  God,  being  God, 
 "  why  shall  any  one  object  that  we  talk  of  two  Gods  ? 
 "  I  will  not  declare  two  Gods  but  one,  yet  two  per- 
 «  fons." 
 
 144.  "  The  Father  is  one,  but  there  are  two  per- 
 "  sons,  because  there  is  a  SoNj  and  the  third  is  the 
 '*  Holy  Ghost. — We  cannot  think  otherwise  of  God 
 "  as  one,  unless  we  believe  really  in  the  Father,  the 
 "  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost. — Whoever  should 
 "  leave  out  any  one  of  the  three^  would  not  glorify  God 
 "  perfecdy,  for  the  Father  is  glorified  by  this  Tri- 
 *'  NiTY,  seeing  the  Father  willed,  the  Son  effected, 
 "  the  Spirit  manifested."* 
 
 145.  "  We  can  have  no  right  conception  of  the  one 
 "  God,  but  by  believing  in  a  real  Fatjier,  Son,  and 
 "  Holy  Ghost.  *  " 
 
 146.  "  He 
 
 *  Apud  Blbliothecara. 
 
 •  Ec.  Hist.  Eubeb.   c.  5.  1.  28. 
 
 s  Apud  Anast.  Bib. *Hipp.  c.  Noct.  p.  20.  Ed.  Fabrku. 
 
 ♦  Cont.  Noetum,  passim. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  565 
 
 146.  "  He  is  said  to  be  exalted,  as  having  wanted  it 
 ^.'  before  ;  but  in  respect  only  of  his  humanity.  And  he 
 '^  has  a  name  given  him »  as  it  were  a  matter  of  favour, 
 ''  which  is  aoove  every  namey  as  the  blessed  Paul  expresses 
 "  it.  But  in  truth  and  reality,  this  was  not  the  giving 
 *^  him  any  thing,  which  he  naturally  had  not  from  the  be- 
 "  ginning.  So  far  from  it,  that  we  are  rather  to  esteem 
 "  it  his  returning  to  what  he  had  in  the  beginning  essenti- 
 "  ally  and  unalterably ;  on  which  account  it  is,  that  he, 
 "  having  condescended  to  put  on  the  humble  garb  of  hu- 
 "  manity,  said.  Father^  glorify  vie  with  the  glory  which  I 
 "  had  zdth  thee  before  ihe  worla  ivas:  For  he  was  always 
 "  invested  with  divine  glory,  having  been  coexistent  with 
 "  his  Father  before  all  ages,  and.  before  all  time,  and  the 
 "  foundation  of  the  world."  ^ 
 
 147.  About  this  period  lived  Africanus,  a  man, 
 as  Eusebius  says,  expert  in  all  manner  of  knowledge  a/.d 
 literature.  A  doxology  of  Ivs  is  still  extant : — '*  We 
 "  rtnder  thanks  to  him  who  gave  our  Lord  Jesus 
 "  Christ  to  be  a  Saviour,  to  zvhoin  with  the  Holy 
 "  Ghost  be  glory  and  majesty  forever."* 
 
 14S.  Paulus  Samosatln' us,  bishop  of  Antioch,  de- 
 nied the  divinity  of  our  Saviour  in  the  third  century. 
 Against  him  was  held  one  or  more  councils  at  An- 
 tioch.  Six  bishops  of  that  age  wrote  to  tlie  said  Pau- 
 lus  an  epistle  to  dissuade  him  from  his  erroneous  opi- 
 nions, which  epistle  is  still  extant.  In  this  letter  they 
 trace  the  divinity  of  Christ  up  to  the  times  of  the 
 Apostles,  and  then  assert  this  to  be  the  true  apostolical 
 faith  concerning  the  person  of  our  blessed  L-ord ; 
 namely,  "  Thac  he  is  the  Wisdom,  the  Word,  and 
 *'  the  Power  of  God,  existing  before  ages,  not  in 
 "  foreknowledge,  but  m  essence  and  subsistence,  God 
 *'  and  tlife  Son    of  God."  ^    The    names  of  these   six 
 
 "  bishops 
 
 ■5  Hipp.  vol.  2.  p.  29. 
 •*  Basil  de  Sp.  Sancto,  c.  29. 
 
 '  Apud  Bibl.  Patrum,  torn,  jk  See  too  Ecd.  Iltst.  of  Eu'c!>. 
 b.  ^.  c.  30. 
 
^66 
 
 AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 bishops    were    Hymenaeus,    Thcophilus,    Phllotecnus, 
 Maximusj  Proclus,  and  Bolanus. 
 
 149.  NovATiAN,  the  presbyter  of  Rome,  lived 
 about  the  middle  of  the  third  century.  He  wrote  a  trea- 
 tise on  the  Trinity,  which  is  usually  considered  as  agree- 
 able to  the  commonly  received  doctrine.  In  this 
 treatise  are  to  be  found  many  valuable  remarks  upon  the 
 subject  now  under  conbideiation.  "  The  scripture," 
 says  he,  "  as  well  declares  God  Christ  as  man  God. 
 
 It  has  as  well  described  the  7nan  Jesus  Cbrist^  as  th^ 
 Gcd  Christ  our  Lord.  For  it  doth  not  only  propose 
 him,  as  the  Son  of  God,  but  of  man  also  j  so  that 
 being  off  both,  he  is  both,  lest  if  he  was  only  one, 
 he  could  not  be  the  other.  For  as  nature  has  taught, 
 that' we  should  think  him  to  be  really  in  nature  man, 
 who  is  off"  man  ;  so  the  same  nature  hath  taught, 
 that  we  should  believe  him  to  be  God,  who  is  off" 
 God ;  lest,  if  he  should  not  be  God,  though  oft  God, 
 he  should  not  also  be  man,  though  off  man:  and 
 both  of  them  should  be  in  hazard,  each  from  the 
 other,  whilst  the  one  is  shewn  to  destroy  the  credit  of 
 the  other."  ' 
 
 150.  *'  If  Christ  is  only  a  man  j  how  is  he  present 
 wherever  he  is  called  upon,  since  this  is  not  the  na- 
 ture of  man,  but  of  God,  to  be  present  in  every 
 place  .f*  If  Christ  is,  only  a  man  ;  why  is  the  man  in- 
 voked as  a  mediator  in  our  prayers,  since  the  invoca- 
 tion of  a  man  to  procure  salvation  must  be  ju  ;ged 
 ineffectual?  If  Christ  is  only  a  man;  why  do  we 
 place  our  hope  in  him,  since  cursed  is  the  hope  ibat 
 is  placed  only  in  mjn  :"  ' 
 
 151.  "  If  Christ  were  only  a  man,  how  could  he  say, 
 1  and  my  Father  are  one  ?  For  how  is  it,  /  and  my  Fa- 
 ther are  one,  if  he  be  not  both  Son  and  God  ?  who  may 
 therefore  be  said  to  be  one,  as  he  is  from  him,  and  as 
 he  is  his  Son,  and  as  he  is  begotten  of  him,  and  as 
 he  came  from  him,  by  which  he  is  very  Gcd.''  * 
 
 152.  "  Whereas 
 
 De  Trinit.  sect.  31. 
 
 cct.   14. *  Cap,  23. 
 
 »  Ibid. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  56; 
 
 152.  "  Whereas  it  is  the  property  of  none  but  God 
 "  to  know  the  secrets  of  the  heart,  and  yet  Christ 
 "  knows  what  is  in  man :  whereas  it  is  in  the  power 
 "  of  none  but  God  to  forgive  sins,  yet  Christ  doth 
 "  forgive  sins  :  whereas  it  is  of  no  man  to  come  down 
 "  from  heaven,  and  yet  he  descended  from  thence : 
 "  whereas  no  man  couki  utter  that  saying,  /  and  my 
 \^  Father  are  Oney  and  Christ  alone,  from  a  concious- 
 "  ness  of  his  own  divinity,  did  say  it ;  and  whereas, 
 "  finally,  the  apostle  Thomas,  furnished  as  he  was  with 
 "  every  proof  of  Christ's  divinity,  said  in  answer  to 
 "  him.  My  Lord^  and  my  God:  whereas  the  apostle  Sr. 
 "  Paul  wriies  in  his  Epistle,  IVbo^e  are  the  fafhers^ 
 "  and  from  whom^  accordiMg  to  the  fleshy  Christ  camcj 
 "  ivho  is  over  all  God  blessed  forevermcre :  whereas  the 
 "  same  aposde  declares,  that  he  was  made  such,  not 
 "  by  ?na?}y  or  through  man,  but  through  Jesus  Christ", 
 "  whereas  he  contends  that  he  learned  the  gospel,  ret 
 "  of  meHy  but  by^Jesus  Christ :  upon  all  these  account; 
 "  we  must  conclude,  that  Christ  is  God."  * 
 
 153.  Thlocnostus  Alexandrinus  lived  some- 
 time in  the  third  century  and  was  the  disciple  of  the 
 great  and  justly  celebrated  Origen.  A  fragment  of  his, 
 which  stilt  remains,  bears  ample  testimony  to  the  ortho- 
 doxy of  his  opinions  on  the  subject  before  us  : — **  The 
 '*  essence  of  the  Son,  says  he,  *'  is  not  something  ex- 
 "  ternaliy  invented,  nor  something  brought  into  being 
 '*  from  nothing  ;  but  it  came  from  the  essence  of  the 
 *'  Father,  as  splendor  from  light,  or  vapour  from  watej-. 
 "  For  neither  the  splendour  nor.  vapour,  is  the  very 
 **  water,  or  the  sun,  nor  is  the  essence  of  the  Son 
 "  something  different  from  the  Father,  but  the  efflux 
 "  of  the  Father's  essence,  that  same  essence  of  the  Fa- 
 "  thtr  not  admitting  division.  For  as  the  si:n  remains 
 "  the  same,  and  is  not  lessened  by  the  rays  it  sends 
 "  forth,  so  the  essence  of  the  Fatlier  undergoes  .no 
 "  change,  though  it  send:  forth  the  Son,  its  image."  ' 
 
 154.  Luc  I  AN 
 *  Ibid.  c.   rj. 
 3  Apud  Athan. 
 
5^8  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 154.  Lucia N,  the  martyr,  was  a  presbyter  of  the 
 church  of  Antiochj  in  the  third  age,  and  a  very  eloquent 
 and  learned  man.  His  creed  is  said  to  have  been  as  fol- 
 lows:— **  We  believe  agreeably  to  evangelical  and 
 "  apostolical  tradition,  in  one  God,  the  Father  Al- 
 "  mighty.  Creator  and  Maker  of  all  things;  and  in 
 "  one  Lord  Jesus  Christ  j  his  only-begotten  Son,  God, 
 "  by  whom  all  things  were  made,  begotten  of  the  Fa- 
 "  ther  before  all  worlds,  God  off  God,  Whole  off 
 "  Whole,  Alone  off  Alone,  Perfect  off  Perfect,  King 
 "  off  King,  Lord  off  Lord  ;  the  living  Word,  Wis- 
 "  dom,  Life,  the  true  Light,  the  Way  of  truth,  the 
 *'  Resurrection,  the  Shepherd,  the  Door,  Immutable 
 *'  and  Unchangeable,  the  exact  Image  of  the  Gv)dhead, 
 "  the  Essence,  Power,  Counsel,  and  Glory  of  the  Fa- 
 *'  ther,  the  First-born  of  every  creature,  who  was  in 
 '*  the  beginning  with  God,  God  the  Word,  as  it  is 
 *'  written  in  the  gospel.  The  PFord  was  God  j  hy  whom 
 "^  all  things  were  madcy  and  in  whom  all  things  consist, 
 "  who  in  the  last  days  came  down  from  heaven,  and 
 "  was  born  of  the  virgin  according  to  the  scriptures : 
 "  and  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  was  given  to  the 
 "  believers  for  their  consolation,  sanctification  and  per- 
 "  fection ;  as  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  commanded  his 
 ''  disciples,  saying,  Go  ye  therefore,  disciple  all  nations, 
 "  baptizing  ihem  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  the  Son, 
 "  and  the  Holy  Ghost  \  namely,  of  the  Father,  who  is 
 "  truly  Father  ;  of  the  Son,  who  is  truly  Son ;  and  of 
 "  the  Hoi.Y  Ghost,  who  is  truly  Holy  Ghost:  the 
 '^  words  not  being  simply  words,  and  of  no  significa- 
 •'  tion,  but  accurately  denoting  the  subsistence  of 
 *'  every  one  named,  and  their  glory  and  order;  so  that 
 *^  they  are  in  subsistence  three,  in  consent  one'''  * 
 
 155.  Methodius  vvas  a  bishop  of  Tyre  in  the  third 
 age,  and  a  martyr  in  x^i\c  Diociesian  persecution.  He 
 wrote  many  things,  but  few  of  his  pieces  are  now  in 
 being.     It  appears,  however,  from    what    remains   of 
 
 his 
 
 ♦  Apud  Athan, 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  569 
 
 his  works,  that  he  was  orthodox  in  the  faith  of  the  Son 
 
 of   God:    For  thus   he   speaks    of   the     Word: 
 
 "  Thougii  he  was  God,  he  took  upon  him  hiiaian 
 "  flesh,  for  this  purpose,  that  we  beholding  the  divine 
 "  exemplar  of  his  life  sec  before  us  as  in  a  table,  might 
 **  imitate  the  exactness  of  a  painter  in  copying  it." 
 
 156.  •*  Christ,  the  man,  was  full  of  the  pure  and 
 *'  perfect  divinity,  and  as  Gjd,  was  after  some  sort  in- 
 "  eluded  in  the  man." 
 
 157.  "  For  that  be  zvas,  and  truly  is  God,  existing 
 *'  in  the  beginning  with  God,  and  existing  as  God, 
 "  Govern  :;ur  and  Pastor  of  the  heavenly  world,  &c. ' 
 
 158.  PoRPHYRius,  a  martyr  of  Palestine,  and  one 
 of  the  scholars  of  Pamphilus,  about  the  middle  of  the 
 third  century,  when  he  was  surrounded  with  flames, 
 we  are  told,  "  called  upon  Jesus,  the  Sov  of  God,  to 
 *'  be  his  helper,"  and  with  those  words  gave  up  the 
 ghost.  * 
 
 159.  In  the  same  year  AcAcrus,  bishop  of  Antioch, 
 being  carried  before  the  president  Martian,  said  to  him: 
 "  If  you  think  yourself  bound  to  obey  a  man,  who  m 
 <*  a  short  time  mmt  kave  the  world,  and  his  body  be- 
 *'  come  the  food  of  worms :  how  much  more  strialy 
 "  am  I  bound  ro  obey  the  mosi  powerftd  God,  who  lives 
 "  forever,  and  who  has  said.  He  that  shall  deny  me  be- 
 "  fore  maiy  bim  will  I  deny  before  my  Father  who  is  in 
 "  heaven**  Martian  then  said ;  "  You  have  now  all 
 "  at  once  confessed  that  error  of  your  people,  which 
 "  I  always  wished  to  be  informed  of.  Has  then  God 
 «  a  Son  ?  A.  He  has.  Q^  Who  is  this  Son  of  God  ? 
 "  A.  The  Word  of  truth  and  grace.  Q^  Is  that  his 
 *^  name  ?  A.  You  did  not  ask  me  his  name,  but  whq 
 «'  he  is.  Q^  Tell  me  his  name.  A.  He  is  called 
 «  Jesus  Christ."  V 
 
 1 60-  In  the  Acts  of  the  martyjdom  of  Nicephorus, 
 Z  z  z  who 
 
 5  Apud  Bibliothecam,  Tom.  3. 
 
 ♦  Euseb.  Mart,  of  Palestine,  ch.  Ji, 
 
 '  Rcinart's  Acts  of  the  Martyrs,  p.  14.1. 
 
5  yd  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 who  suffered  about  the  year  260,  it  Is  related,  that 
 Sapricius,  who  was  first  apprehended,  was  a^^ked  by 
 the  Govcrnour,  "  Of  what  profession  are  you  ?  A.  I 
 **  am  a  Christian.  Q^  Are  you  of  the  clergy  ?  A. 
 **  I  have  the  honour  of  being  a  priest." — He  then 
 added,  "  We  Christians  acknowledge  Christ  for  our 
 ^'  Lord  and  Master  j  because  he  is  the  true  God,  and 
 *'  the  Creator  of  heaven  and  earthy  and  of  all  things 
 «  therein."^ 
 
 161.  In  the  year  250,  Pionius,  a  priest  of  Smyrna, 
 as  also  SuBiNA,  and  Asclepiades,  were  apprehended  and 
 carried  before  Polemon,  and  being  asked  what  God  he 
 adored  ?  Pionius  answered: — "  The  almighty  God  who 
 *'  created  the  heaven  and  earth,  and  all  things  therein, 
 *'  who  hath  made  himself  known  to  us  by  his  Word, 
 **  Jesus  Christ."  The  President  then  addressing  himself 
 *^  to  Asclepiades,  asked  :  What  are  you  ?  A.  A  Chris- 
 "  tian.  Q^  Of  what  church?  A.  Of  the  catholic 
 *'  church.  Q^  What  God  do  you  worship  ?  A. 
 *'  Christ.  What  then,  said  Polemon,  is  that  an  )ther 
 *^God?"  To  which  Asclepiades  replied:  "  No,  he  is 
 *'  the  same  God  whom  they  have  just  now  confessed." 
 
 When  they  were  brought  again  before  the  Judges, 
 these  asked,  "  Why  do  you  not  sacrifice  ?  A.  Because 
 "  we  are  Christians.  Q^  What  God  do  you  worship  ? 
 "  A.  Him  who  made  the  heavens  and  adorned  them 
 "  with  lucid  orbs ;  who  made  the  earth  and  decked  it 
 "  with,  flowers  and  trees,  and  fixed  the  bounds  of  the 
 *^  sea.  Q^  Do  you  mean  him  who  was  crucified  F  A. 
 **  Yes,  I  mean  him  whom  the  Father  sent  for  the  sal- 
 •'  vation  of  the  world."  ' 
 
 162.  PiERius,  a  presbyter  of  the  church  of  Alexan- 
 dria, flourished  in  the  third  age,  and  was  a  man  of  great 
 eminence.  His  works  are  all  lost ;  but  Photius  tells 
 us,  that  he  was  perfectly  sound  in  the  article  of  Christ's 
 divinity. 
 
 Such 
 
 *  Ibid.  p.  24.6. 
 
 ^  Ruinart's  Acts  of  the  Martyrs,  p.  128. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  -5^1 
 
 Such  is  the  evidence  of  the  three  first  ages  to  the 
 divinity  of  Christ,  and  those  other  doctrines  which  are 
 therewith  connected  -,  from  whence  it  appears  that  these 
 Fathers  acknowledged  the  eternity  and  divinity  of  the 
 Word,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  with  the  Trinity  of 
 persons  in  the  one  living  and  true  God.  Whether  they 
 were  right  in  so  doing  makes  no  part  of  our  present 
 enquiry.  The  matter  of  fact  is  all  we  are  concerned  to 
 prove.  The  Holy  Scriptures  alone  must  determine 
 the  validity  and  importance  of  doctrines. " 
 
 ■»w»**3K«^ffO?K5?^S»*w* 
 
 PART  SEVENTH. 
 
 SECTION     VII. 
 
 Opinions  of  the   CHRISTIAN  FATHERS,  and  others,' who  flourished  in  the 
 
 fourth,  and  beginning  of  the  fifth  centuries,  concerning  the  PERSON  of 
 
 CHRIST,  and  the  doctrine  of  the  TRINITY. 
 
 THE  sentiments  of  the  primitive  Christians,  v/ho 
 lived  sometime  before  the  Council  of  Nice,  have 
 been  detailed  pretty  mnch  at  large  ;  we  will  now  proceed 
 to  lay  before  the  reader  a  short  view  of  the  opinions, 
 which  prevailed  on  these  great  subject§,  immediately 
 before,  during  the  time  of,  and  for  some  years  after,  that 
 important  period. 
 
 163.  In  the  beginning  of  the  fourth  century  a  whole 
 city  in  Phrygia,  men,  women,  and  chiklren,  were  all 
 burnt  to  death  in  a  church,  as  they  were  at  their  devoti- 
 ons,   "  calling   upon  Christ,  the  God  over  nil."  * 
 
 164.  St.    Felix,   who   suffered   death   at  the  same 
 
 Z  z  z  2  time 
 
 *  There  is  a  good  abridgment  of  the  doctrines  of  the  three  first 
 ages  in  the  first  vol.  of  Dupin's  New  History  of  Ecclesiastical 
 Writers,  p.   179. 
 
 '  Euseb.  Ecclea.  Hist.  1.  8.  cap.  11. 
 
572  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 timt-,  under  the  Dioclesian  persecution,  prayed  in  the 
 manner  following,  during  his  last  great  co-iflict: — "  O 
 *^  Lord  God  of  heaven  and  eartn,  Jesus  Christy  I  bow 
 ''my  neck  to  thee  as  a  sacrifice,  who  livTst  to  all 
 "  eternity  j  to  whom  belong  glory  and  magnificence 
 "  forever  and  even     Amen."  * 
 
 165.  In  the  Acts  of  Thelica,  who  suffered  about 
 the  same  time,  wc  have  this  prayer : — "  I  give  thanks 
 "  to  the  God  of  all  kingdoms.  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
 "  we  serve  thee.  Thou  art  our  hope.  Thou  art  the 
 "  hope  of  Christians.  Most  ht)ly  God,  most  high 
 "  God,  God  almighty,  we  give  thanks  to  thee  for  thy 
 "  great  name."  * 
 
 166.  ViTALis,  a  martyr  in  this  century,  St.  Am- 
 brose tells  us,  made  this  his  last  prayer  : — "  O  Lord 
 "  Jesus  Christy  my  Saviour  and  my  God,  command 
 *'  that  my  spirit  may  be  received;  for  I  desire  to  ob- 
 "  tain  the  crown,  which  thy  holy  angel  hath  shewed 
 «  me."  ^ 
 
 167.  Victor,  who  suffered  death  for  the  faith  of 
 Christ  at  Marseilles,  about  the  year  303,  in  his  speech 
 to  the  President  said,  "  How  worthy  is  he  of  our  love 
 "  and  our  aduraiion,  who,  when  we  were  his  enemies, 
 "  lovec;  us  first,  and  in  order  to  rescue  us,  remaining 
 "  G'D,  he  became  many  not  diminishing  his  divinity, 
 "  but  cloathing  himself  with  c  ur  humai.ity."  * 
 
 168.  When  EuPLius  was  suffering  under  the  tor- 
 ments inflicted  on  him  by  his  persecutors,  Calvisianus 
 said  to  him  : — "  Euplius,  lay  aside  this  madness,  wor- 
 *'  ship  the  gods,  and  you  shall  be  set  at  liberty."  To 
 which  he  replied  i  "  /  adore  Christ,  I  detest  devils, 
 "  I  adore  the  Father,  and  the  Son,  and  the  Holy 
 "  Ghost.  I  adore  the  holy  Trinity,  besides  which 
 "  there  is  no  God."  ' 
 
 169.  Afra 
 ■  Baron.  Annak,  302. 
 
 *  Ibid.  303. 
 
 '  Exhort,  ad  Virg,  vol.  i.  p.  105, 
 
 ♦  Ru    art,  p.  304. 
 s  Ibid.  p.  439. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRiMlTY.  573 
 
 169.  Afra  was  burnt  at  Augsbiirgh  in  304.  Whc-ji 
 lied  to  the  stake  she  prayed  in  the  following  words  : — 
 *^  O  almighty  Lord  God,  Jesus  Christ,  zvho  earnest 
 '*  not  to  call  the  righteous^  iut  iinners  to  repentance^ 
 "  &c." — And,  when  fire  was  put  to  the  faggots,  she 
 
 prayed  again  in   these  words: "  O    Lord    JlsuS 
 
 "  Christ,  I  give  thee  thanks,  that  thou  hast  vouch- 
 "  safed,  &c.  I  offci  this  sacrifice  of  myself  to  thee, 
 "  who  with  the  Father  and  the  Holy  Ghost  livest 
 "  and  reignest  G  d,  world  without  end.     Amen."* 
 
 170.  In  the  same  ytar,  304^  Faustus,  Jaxuarius, 
 and  Martialis,  who  iutfcred  at  Cordova,  said  to 
 EuGLN'ius  : — '*  We  are  Christians,  who  confess  Christ, 
 **  who  is  the  one  Lord,  by  whom  zve  and  all  things  zverle 
 "  made." — Martialis  said,  "Christ  is  my  comfort, 
 "  whom  they  vvith  j  iy  and  exultation  have  confessed. 
 **  For  there  is  one  only  God,  the  Father,  the  Sont,  and 
 *«  the  Holy  Ghu^t,  to  whom  praise  and  glory  arc 
 «  due.'  ' 
 
 171.  About  the  year  306,  Phileas,  bishop  of  Thnmis 
 in  Egypt,  was  sent  prisoner  to  Alexandria  ;  and  being 
 asked  by  the  president  Culsianus,  'Mb  Christ  God  i 
 "  He  replied.  Yes.  Q^  Was  God  crucifttd  .?  A.  Lie 
 "  was  crucified  for  our  salvation.  Q^  Was  Paul  God? 
 *'  A.  No  J  he  was  a  man  like  unto  us  :  but  the  Spirit 
 "  of  God  was  in  him,  and  wrought  manv  signs  and 
 *'  wonders  by  him."  * 
 
 172.  QuiRi.Mus,  bishop  of  Siscia,  who  suffered  in 
 the  year  309,  bc-ing  a.sked  by  Ivlaximus,  *•'  Why  did 
 *'  you  run  away  ?"  replied,  "  1  did  not  run  away,  but 
 *'  obeyed  the  command  of  niy  Lord  :  for  it  is  v.iitten, 
 *'  If  they  persecute  yen  in  cne  city  flee  into  another,  CX 
 "  Who  commanded  this?  A.  Christ,  who  is  trut: 
 *'  GoD."» 
 
 173.  Peter,  bishop  of  Alexandria^   died  a  martyr 
 
 abo'jc 
 
 •  Ibid.  p.  502. 
 '  Ibid.  p.  597. 
 «  Ibid.  p.  549,  550. 
 »  Ibid.  p.  552. 
 
574  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 about  the  year  311.  From  some  small  remains  of  his 
 it  appears,  that  he  was  sound  in  the  faith  concerning  the 
 Son  of  God.  "  The  Word  being  made  flesh,"  says 
 he,  "  by  the  will  of  God,  and  found  in  fashion  as  a 
 "  man,  was  not  deserted  by  the  Divinity." 
 
 174.  "  God  the  Word,  in  the  absence  of  man, 
 "  according  to  the  will  of  God,  who  is  able  to  do  all 
 "  things,  was  made  flesh  in  the  womb  of  the  virgin, 
 "  n(;t  standing  in  need  of  the  presence,  or  operation 
 "  of  man." 
 
 175.  "  And  he  said  to  Judas,  P'ost  thou  betray  the 
 *'  ^on  of  man  with  a  kiss  f  These  things,  arid  the  like, 
 "  and  all  the  signs  he  did,  and  the  powers  shew  that  he 
 *'  was  God,  and  was  made  man.  Both  points  then  are 
 "  demonstrated,  that  he  vv-as  Goo  by  nature,  and  that 
 "  he  was  man  by  nature.^'  * 
 
 176.  Ar  NOB  I  us  flourished  in  the  very  beginning  of 
 the  fourth  century.  Seven  books  of  his  against  the 
 Gentiles  are  still  extant,  from  which  we  learn  that  his 
 sentiments,  concerning  the  person  of  Christ,  were  much 
 the  same  with  those  we  have  already  produced. 
 "  Ought  v/e  not,"  says  he,  "  to  look  upon  Christ  as 
 *'  God,  and  -worship  him  with  truly  divine  worship, 
 "  from  whi>m  we  have  already  received  so  many  bles- 
 *'  ^ingsj  and  expect  he  will  bestow  much  greater  bles- 
 *'  sin^^s  on  us  hereafter  ? — Perhaps  some  one  in  a  rage 
 *'  may  say.  Is  Christ  then  God?  Yes,  we  will  answer, 
 '*  he  is  God, — and  was  sent  to  us  for  a  most  important 
 "  cause. — He  was  the  sublime  God,  God  from  his  tn- 
 "  ternal  root  or  generation  j  and,  being  God,  was  sent 
 "  by  God  his  eternal  Father  to  be  the  Saviour."  * 
 
 177.  "  If  Christ  was  God,  why  was  he  seen  in  the 
 "  form  of  man,  and  killed  after  the  manner  of  man  ? 
 "  Answer:.  Could  that  invisible  power,  that  incorpo- 
 "  real  substance  otherwise  communicate  himself  to  the 
 *'  world,  and  be  present  at  the  councils  of  men,  than 
 
 by 
 
 *  Annot.  of  Grabe  on  the  Works  of  Bull,  p.  173. 
 
 *  Adv.  Gentes,  lib.  i. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  575 
 
 "  by  assuming  some  covering  of  more  solid  matter, 
 *^  which  might  receive  the  darted  ray  of  the  eye,  and 
 "  upon  which  our  dull  sight  might  fix  ?  What  mortal 
 "  is  there  that  could  see  him,  that  could  behold  him, 
 **  if  he  should  give  himself  to  the  world,  such  as  he  in 
 *'  his  primogenial  nature  is,  such  as  he  Wv)uld  have 
 "  been  in  his  own  quality,  in  his  Deity  ?  He,  therefore, 
 "  took  upon  him  the  form  of  a  man,  and  veiled  his 
 *'  power  under  the  similitude  of  our  kind,  that  he 
 *^  might  be  seen  and  beheld."  ' 
 
 178.  "  But  he  was  killed  after  the  manner  of  men. 
 "  Not  he  himself.  For  the  Divinity  is  njt  subject  to 
 "  death  j  nor  can  that  which  is  one,  simple,  and  not 
 "  made  of  any  parts,  be  destroyed  /by  dissolution. 
 "  Who  then  was  seen  to  hang  upon  the  cross,  v/ho  died  ? 
 "  The  man  which  he  put  on,  and  carried  about  with 
 "  him."* 
 
 179.  A  Heathen  in  Arnobius  tells  him,  and  in  him 
 all  the  Christians  of  that  age,  that  the  gods  were  not 
 enemies  to  them,  because  they  adored  the  omnipotent 
 God,  but  because,  says  he,  "  Tou  deify,  and  ivilh  ycur 
 '^  daily  -prayers  worship  a  man  that  was  born,  and -what 
 "  is  most  infamuus,  one  that  was  put  to  death  with 
 *^  vile  persons  on  a  cross."  * 
 
 180.  Lactantius  was  the  most  elegant  writer  of 
 all  the  Chrisdan  fathers.  He  was  brought  up  in  Pagan- 
 ism, converted  to  Christianity  in  the  latter  end  of  th- 
 third  century,  and  died  in  316.  He  is  generally  sup- 
 posed not  to  be  so  consistent  in  his  opinions  as  most  of 
 those  who  preceded  him;  but  he  is  sufficiently  clear 
 and  satisfactory  upon  the  pre-existence  and  divinity  of. 
 our  blessed  Saviour.  "  When  we  say,"  replier,  he  to 
 an  objection,  "  God  the  Father  and  the  Son,  wc  do 
 "  not  say  different,  nor  do  we  separate  them  both  ;  be- 
 *^  cause  the  Father  can  not  be  zvilhout  the  Son,  nor 
 "  can  the  Son  be  separated fr cm  the  Father.  For  he 
 "  can't  be  called  Father  without  a  Son,  nor  can  the 
 
 "    SCN 
 3  Lib.  1. 4  Ibid. sjbid.. 
 
5/' 
 
 AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 "  Son  be  begotten  withoui.  a  Fa  fher.  Since,  there- 
 "  fure,  the  Father  makes  th'^  Son,  and  tlie  Son  the 
 ''  Fathe.^,  there  is  one  mi  id,  one  spirit,  o;ie  swbstance 
 *'  to  thrm  both.  But  the  t  ath^r  is  as  ar>  overflowing 
 **  fountain  ;  the  So^'  as  a  stream  running  from  it ;  who, 
 ''^  because  iaiLhrpi  and  dui'-  to  his  su^rc-ne  Hather^ 
 *'  is  not  separated,  as  the  river  is  not  from  the  fomi- 
 "  taiii,  nor  the  ray  from  the  sun;  because  both  the 
 *'  water  of  the  fountain  Is  in  tiie  river,  and  the  light  of 
 "  the  sun  in  the  ray."  ** 
 
 1 8 1.  "  The  Mldjator  vv-as  to  be  an^  example  of 
 **  virtue  and  holiness  to  his  redeemed  ones,  which  he 
 *i*  could  not  be  as  Godj  wher<s-fore  \\t  incar?}aicd  him- 
 "  selfy  to  shew  by  his  own  conquering  of  the  desires  of 
 "  the  flesh,  chat  the  commissi 'O  of  si.^  was  not  neces- 
 "  sary,  but  V(j!untary,  and  by  his  own  pattern  to  encour- 
 •?*  age  and  enable  us  to  overcome   the   lusts  thereof."  * 
 
 182.  "  The  most  high  God  and  Parent  of  all,  when 
 **  he  would  transfer  his  religion  from  the  Jewish  to  the 
 "  Christian  church,  he  sent  a  teacher  of  righteousness 
 *''  from  .heaven,  that  so  tc-  hi^  new  worshippers  he 
 '*'  might  by  him  give  a  nev/  law  ;  not^  as  hi:  had  done 
 ■^  before,  by  man  only.  Nevertheless  h,e  would  have 
 **  him  born  as  a  man,  that  so,  in  al!  tilings,  he  might 
 "-  be  like  the  supreme  Father.  For  he,  v/ho  is  Go'D 
 *'  the  Fat!1cr>  the  original  and  first  principle  of  all 
 "  things,  because  he  hath  no  parents,,  is  most  truly  stiled 
 "  by  Trismegistus,  Atztw^  -^xi  Aa.viTia<^,  Vi.ithout 
 *'  father  and  without  mcther^  as  being  begotten  of 
 "  oone.  Therefore  ako  it  behoyed  the  Son  to  be  twice 
 ■'-^  born-,  tliat  so  ^,t  might  become  A'zarx(^  vui  A'xviru^,., 
 ^  without  father  and  without  motl:ier.  For  in  his  first  and 
 ^'^  spiritual  birth  he  was  without  mother,  being  born  of 
 *'  God  the  Father  only,  widiout  the  office  of  a 
 '"^  mother;  but,  in  his  second  and  carnal  gei,eration,  he 
 "^  was  without  father,  being  conceived  in  a  virgin's 
 "  womb,  without  the  intervention  of  a  human  father : 
 
 *'  that 
 
 •  Lib.  4.  cap.  2^ 
 '  ibid.  cap.  2;, 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  577 
 
 **  that  so,  having  a  middle  substance  between  God  and 
 "  man,  he  might,  as  it  were  by  the  hand,  conduct  this 
 "  frail  and  infirm  nature  of  ours  to  immortality.  He 
 "  was  made  both  the  Son  of  God,  through  the  spirit, 
 "  and  the  Son  of  iMan,  through  the  flesh;  that  is  to 
 "  say,  be  is  both  G'^d  and  man.  The  divine  power 
 "  appeared  in  him  by  the  works  which  he  did  :  the 
 "  frailtv  of  man  appeared  by  the  sufferings  he  under- 
 "  went'.'" 
 
 183.  "  That  he  was  both  God  and  man,  com- 
 "  pounded  of  two  natures,  we  learn  from  the  prophets, 
 "  in  their  predictions  concerning  him."  " 
 
 All  these  authors  lived,  wrote,  and  finished  their 
 mortal  career,  before  the  Council  of  Nice.  This  is 
 allowed    by  every  party.      I^et  any   man  judge  then, 
 
 what  credit  is   due   to  Mr.  Lindsey  when  he  says 
 
 "  i(  the  matter  is  to  be  put  to  the  vote  as  it  were,  it  is 
 "  absolutely  necessary,  that  the  less  learned  should  be 
 *'  told,  what  upon  enquiry  will  be  found  to  be  un- 
 '^  deniably  true,  namely,  that  the  Fathers  of  the  three 
 *'  first  centurii-s,  and  consequently,  all  christian  people, 
 '*  for  upwards  of  three  hundred  years  after  Christ,  till 
 **  the  Council  of  Nice,  were  generally  Unitarians,  what 
 "  is  now  called  either  Arian  or  Socinian."  '  How 
 can  you  advance  such  an  assertion,  Mr.  Lindsey  '^. 
 What  lengths  will  not  false  zeal  for  a  party  carry  even 
 worthy  men  ?  As  an  honest  man,  and  a  lover  of  tnith, 
 you  ought  assuredly  to  retract  this  declaration.  This 
 I  do  not  find  you  have  ever  yet  done,  though  Mr. 
 Burgh  with  such  abundant  evidence  has  proved  the 
 falsehood  of  it,  and  though  your  friend  Dr.  Priestley 
 was  so  far  convinced  of  the  invalidity  of  it  as  to  declare, 
 "  he  allows  all  that  bishop  Bull  and  Mr.  Burgh  ascribe 
 *'  to  the  Fathers  of  the  second  and  third  century  j  I 
 "  allow,"  says  he,  "  that  they  held  the  doctrine  of 
 "  the  divinity  of  the  Son  at  least ;  but  it  was  in  a 
 A  a  a  a  **  qualified 
 
 *  Lib,  4. 9  Ibid. "  Apology,  p.  23,  24. 
 
 y 
 
578  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 "  qualified  sense,  and  by  no  means  the  same  that  was 
 '*  maintained  after  the  Council  of  Nice." 
 
 Be  it  as  it  may,  the  reader  has  now  Mr.  Lindsey's 
 assertion,  and  the  several  declarations  of  the  Fathers  of 
 the  three  first  centuries  before  him,  he  will  therefore  be 
 competent  to  judge  for  himself  on  what  side  the  truth 
 lies. 
 
 184.  Alexander  became  bishop  of  Alexandria  in 
 the  year  313.  In  his  time,  and  in  his  church,.  Arius 
 arose,  who  denied  the  divinity  of  Christ.  Alexander 
 called  a  council  of  the  bishops  of  Egypt  and  Lybia, 
 in  number  about  one  hundred,  to  consider  of  the  bu- 
 siness, and  they  wrote  a  letter  to  the  bishops  of  the 
 neighbouring  countries,  in  which  they  make  use  of 
 these  words: — "  What  these  (Arius  and  his  adherents) 
 *'  have  taught  contrary  to  the  scriptures,  is — that  God 
 "  was  not  a  Father-^— that  the  Word  of  God  did  not 
 '*  exist  from  all  eternity — that  there  was  a  time  when 
 "  the  Son  did  not  exist — and  that  he  was  created  out 
 "  of  nothing." — Then  Alexander  and  his  brethren  add 
 — "  W^hoever  heard  such  things  as  these;  or,  if  he 
 "  should  happen  to  hear  them,  would  not  be  asionish- 
 '^  ed,  and  stop  his  ears  that  he  might  not  hear  them  ? 
 *'  Or  who  is  there  that  will  riot  condemn  these,  when 
 "  he  hears  John  saying,  L2  the  beginning  was  the  Word, 
 *'  — and,  by  him  all  things  zvere  made  ^"^  * 
 
 185.  EusEBius,  bishop  of  Cesarea  in  Palestine,  was 
 born  about  the  year  265,  and  died  in  340,  aged  75. 
 He  was  an  active  member  of  the  Council  of  Nice, 
 and  has  written  pretty  largely  upon  the  subjects  of  our 
 enquiry.  But  as  we  have  already  quoted  him  on  form- 
 er occasions,  we  shall  only  produce  in  this  place  two  or 
 three  short  passages  from  his  works. 
 
 "  The  Son  is  the  one  perfect  and  only-begotten  God 
 "  ofF  GoD-r-a  second  light  like  in  all  things  to  himself. 
 "  — The  generation  of  the  Son  is  above  all  compari- 
 "  son,  and  not  after  the  manner  of  any  natural  bodies. 
 
 cc  —The 
 *Socrates's  Ec.  Hist.  1.  i.  cap..  6. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  579 
 
 *'  — The  Son  was  begotten,  not  being  for  any  time 
 "  without  existence,  and  afterwards  made,  but  existing 
 "  and  pre-existing  before  everlasting  ages,  and  co-ex- 
 "  istini^:  always  as  a  Son  with  the  Father,  and  not  be- 
 "  ing  unbegotten,  but  begotten  of  the  unbegotten 
 *'  Father,  being  the  only-begotten  Word,  and  God  off 
 "  God,  not  emitted  from  the  substance  of  the  Father 
 "  by  any  separation,  section,  or  division,  but  receiving 
 "  his  essence  by  the  ineffable  and  incomprehensible  will 
 "  and  power  of  the  Father,  in  a  manner  not  to  be  ex- 
 "  pressed,  or  comprehended  by  us,  from  all  ages,  or 
 "  rather  before  ail  ages."  ' 
 
 186.  "  That  he  who  spake  to  Abraham  and  Moses 
 "  was  the  Son  of  God,"  says  this  excellent  writer, 
 "  is  plain  from  his  own  words  to  Moses,  when  he  said, 
 "  I  am  the  Lord  that  was  seen  by  Abraham,  Isaac,  and 
 "  Jacob :  so  that  he  positively  assures  us  that  he  was 
 "  seen  by  the  Patriarchs.  And,  indeed,  this  is  suffici- 
 "  ently  told  us  in  the  ancient  history ;  as  when  he  is 
 "  said  to  have  appeared  to  Abraham  in  Mamre,  as  he 
 "  sat  at  the  door  of  his  tent.  In  what  shape  is  also 
 *^  told  us — that  he  appeared  as  a  man.  Now  that  this 
 *'  was  no  other  than  the  Son  of  God,  our  Lord  himself 
 "  assures  us,  when  he  says — Abraham  saw  viy  daj/y  and 
 "  he  rejoiced  to  sec  it ;  adding  to  their  further  astonish- 
 "  ment.  For  before  Abraham  zvasy  I  am.  Where  it  i^ 
 *'  plain,  he  fully  asserts  his  pre-existencc.  And  this  he 
 "  insinuates  to  Moses,  when  he  calls  himself,  I  am  that 
 "  I  AM.  And  therefore  the  apostle  Paul  dothjustly 
 *'  own  him  to  be  the  mediator  between  God  and  the 
 "  Israelites,  when  he  says;  'The  lazv  was  given  by 
 "  angels  in  the  hand  of  a  mediator.  So  that  this  was  the 
 "  mediator  that  spake  to  Moses  even  before  he  became 
 "  man.  Even  as  the  same  apostle  tells  us,  when  he 
 "  says :  'There  is  but  one  Mediator  between  God  and 
 *'  tnan,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  * 
 
 187.   J.    FiRMICUS 
 
 3  Euseb.  Demon.  Evan.  1.  4.  c.  2. 
 ♦  Com.  Marcel.  1.  3.  c.  21, 
 
Sio  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 187.  J.  FiRMicus  Maternus  presented  a  treatise 
 on  the  errors  of  the  Gentile  religions  to  tiie  emperors 
 Constantius  and  Constans  in  the  year  342.  In  this 
 treatise  he  ajiplics  the  twenty  fourth  psalm  to  the  Son  of 
 God  in  thr  manner  of  Justin  Martyr.  He  calls  Christ 
 God,"  and  "  the  Almighty  God  ' — says  that"  the 
 sin  or  y\dam  could  on^y  be  compensated  for  by  such 
 a  propitiation  'S  Christ  b-came  for  us,"  that  therefore 
 the  Word  of  God  united  himself  with  a  human  body, 
 that  he  might  conquer  death  znd  deliver  man" — that 
 human  nature,  by  God  and  man  in  union  might  come 
 from  the  merit  of  obedience  to  a  reign  of  immortali- 
 ty."— He  then  closes  his  work  with  an  admonition  to 
 le  Emperors  : — ''  Let  your  clemency  look:  ever  up  to 
 heaven  ;  from  God  let  it  ever  wait  for  help  -,  kt  it 
 implore  the  venerable  Deity  of  Christ ;  and  for  the 
 world's  and  your  ov-n  salvation,  offer  to  the  God  of 
 salvation,  spiritual  sacrifices."  ^ 
 J  88.  Athanasius  was  born, A.  D.  298.  He  became 
 a  presbyter  of  the  church  of  xA-lexandria  in  326,  the  year 
 after  the  Council  of  Nice,  when  he  was  only  about  28 
 years  of  age.  He  was  chosen  bishop  of  that  sec,  upc^n  the 
 demise  of  Alexander,  and,  after  a  life  of  great  la- 
 bour and  persecution,  he  died  in  peace,  A.  D.  373,  aged 
 75  years.  The  works  he  hath  left  behind  him  contain 
 ample  specimens  of  his  great  talents,  and  thorough  ac- 
 quaintance with  the  Arian  controversy.  I  will  produce 
 a  few  extracts  from  his  writings,  because  that  he  was 
 indisputably  one  of  the  most  able  defenders  of  the  divi- 
 nity of  cur  blessed  Lord  of  the  age  in  which  he  lived; 
 and  though  only  a  presbyter  at  that  time  in  the  church 
 of  Alexandria,  one  of  the  most  active  persons  in  die 
 Council  of  Nice  ;  and,  indeed,  the  great  bulwark  in  the 
 following  years  against  the  Arian  heresy ;  insomuch 
 that  it  was  commonly  said,  "  Athanasius  against  the 
 world." 
 
 "  We 
 
 5  Burgh's  Sequel,  p.  84,  85. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  5«i 
 
 *'  We  confidently  assert,"  says  this  great  man,  "  and 
 **  clearly  prove  the  true  religious  faith  out  of  the  holy 
 "  scriptures  ;  and  we  place  it  as  a  candle  on  a  candle- 
 "  stick.  We  alledge  that  the  Son  is  naturally  and 
 "  substantially  the  Son  of  the  Father  ;  of  the  samr: 
 "  essence  with  him  ;  his  only-begotten  WibDOM  j  his 
 "  true  and  only  Word:  that  he  was  not  made,  nor 
 "  created;  but  begotten  of  the  substance  of  the  Father; 
 '^  chat  therefore  he  is  truly  and  properly  God  ;  being  of 
 "  one  substance  with  God  the  Father  : — chat  he  is  the 
 "  express  and  ad^  quate  representation  of  the  person  of 
 "  the  Father  ;  light  .-^fl  light;  the  true  and  genuine 
 "  power  and  im.'.gc  of  his  Father's  sub.^tance.  He 
 *'  always  was,  and  is,  and  never  was  not :  for  the  Word 
 "  and  Wisdom  of  the  Father  must  certainly  be 
 *'  eternal,  as  well  as  the  Father."  " 
 
 189.  Macarius,  the  Egyprian,  was  born  in  the  very 
 beginning  of  the  fourth  century.  He  appears  to  have 
 been  a  man  of  profound  piety.  Fifty  of  his  homilies, 
 and  some  other  treatises,  ac  still  extant.  The  divinity 
 of  Christ  and  the  Holy  Spirit  with  the  doctrine  of  the 
 Trinity  are  frequently  made  mention  of  in  his  writings. 
 I  will  produce  a  few  instances,  and  refer  to  the  work$ 
 themselves  for  others. 
 
 "  G^D,  who  is  immense  and  surpassing  all  concep- 
 "  tion,  lessened  himself,  out  of  mere  goodness,  and  put 
 "  on  the  members  of  this  body." 
 
 190.  "  The  Lord  embodies  himcelf  that  he  may  be* 
 ''  come  the  meat  and  drink  of  his  people. — He  appeared 
 "  to  every  one  of  the  holy  fathers  as  he  pleased  and 
 "  thought  best  for  them ;  after  one  manner  to  Abra- 
 "  ham,  after  another  to  Isaac,  afcer  a  third  to  Jacob ;  in 
 ''  a  different  way  to  Noah,  to  Daniel,  to  David;  to 
 •^  Solomon,  to  Esaias,  and  to  every  one  of  the  Prophets  ; 
 "  after  one  manner  to  Elias,  after  another  to  Moses."  ' 
 
 19T.  "  Con- 
 
 •  Orat.  I.  adv.  Arlan.  sect.  9. 
 '  Horn.  4.  passim. 
 
5^2  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 191.  "  Consider  well  thy  dignity,  how  valuable  thou 
 "  arc ;  that  God  hath  made  thee  above  the  angels,  when 
 "^  he  came  also  of  his  own  accord  in  person  upon  earth, 
 "  on  thy  errand  and  redemption.  God  himself  and  his 
 "  angels  came  to  rhy  salvation.  For  the  King,  the 
 "  King's  Son,  held  a  consult  widi  his  Father,  and  the 
 "  Word  was  sent,  and  took  flesh  upon  him,  and,  con- 
 "  ceaHng  his  divine  nature,  laid  down  his  life  upon  the 
 **  cross  that  he  might  save  like  by  like.  So  great  is 
 "  the  love  of  God  towards  man  !  For  thy  sake  he  that 
 "  cannot  die  chose  to  be  crucified."  * 
 
 192.  *'  Let  us  return  glory  to  the  Father,  and  to 
 "  the  Son,  and  to  the  Holy  Ghost,  for  ever  and  ever. 
 ''  Amen."^ 
 
 193.  Hilary,  bishop  of  Poictiers,  wrote  twelve 
 books  in  defence  of  the  Trinity,  besides  other  works, 
 and  died  in  the  year  367.  His  treatise  on  the  Trinity 
 is  the  largest  and  most  methodical  work  of  any  that  we 
 have  in  all  antiquity  upon  this  subject.  To  quote  every 
 thing  that  is  important  in  it  is  not  consistent  with  the 
 nature  and  brevity  of  our  plan.  I  will  therefore 
 produce  only  two  or  three  passages  to  shew  the  harmo- 
 ny of  his  sentiments  with  those  that  are  gone  before. 
 
 In  the  second  book  he  says,  "  The  mystery  of  the 
 "  Trinity  is  immense  and  incomprehensible,  not  to  be 
 **  expressed  by  words,  nor  reached  by  sense.  Being 
 "  imperceivable,  it  blinds  our  sight;  it  exceeds  the  ca- 
 *■'  pacity  of  our  understanding.  I  understand  it  not. 
 ''  Nevertheless  I  will  comfort  myself  in  this,  tliat  neither 
 "  do  the  angels  know  it,  nor  ages  apprehend  it,  nor 
 '*^  have  the  apostles  enquired  of  it,  nor  the  Son  himself 
 "  declared  it." 
 
 194.  In  the  seventh  book  he  says,  "  Jesus  Christ  is 
 "  the  TRUE  God,  Son  of  the  true  God,  born  before  all 
 "  ages,  and  afterwards  begotten  off  Mary." 
 
 195.  This  learned  Bishop  sent  on  a  certain  occasion 
 
 a 
 
 *  Horn.  15. 
 
 '^  Kom.  7.  ad  fin.  and  in  many  other  places. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  5«3 
 
 a  morning  and  evening  hymn  in  an  epistle  to  his  daugli- 
 ter  Abra,  which  he  conceived  in  the  form  of  a  prayer  to 
 Christ,  for  preservation  from  the  perils  of  the  day  and 
 night ;  and  concludes  with  the  common  doxology — 
 "  Glory  to  thee,  O  Lord, — glory  to  the  Only- begotten 
 '^  — with  the  Spirit,  the  Comforter,  now,  and  through- 
 "  out  all  ages." 
 
 196.  AusoNius  wrote  about  the  year  375.  He  is 
 full  of  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity.  In  a  poem  entitled 
 Gryphus  he  says,  "  The  one  God  is  three."  In  ano- 
 ther, stiled  Ephemeris,  he  allots  the  first  hours  of  the 
 day  to  prayer.  "  God,"  says  he,  "  is  to  be  invoked  by 
 *'  me,  and  the  Son  of  the  most  high  God  -,  their  majes- 
 "  ty  in  conjunction  with  the  Holy  Ghost  being  equal." 
 He  then  proceeds  to  the  prayer  itself  which  he  addres- 
 ses to  Christ,  whom  he  calls  upon  by  the  titles  of, 
 "  Saviour,  God,  and  Lord,  Mind,  Glory,  Word,  Son, 
 "  VERY  God  off  very  God,  Light  off  Light."  ' 
 
 197.  St.  Cyril,  of  Jerusalem,  died  in  the  year  386. 
 We  have  several  discourses'  of  his  still  extant  in  the  hjrm 
 of  Catechetical  Lectures,  wherein  he  delivers  his  religi- 
 ous opinions  with  great  freedom.  He  says,  "  There  is 
 "  but  one  God,  the  Creator  of  all  things,  who  is  every 
 *'  where  present,  who  is  omniscient,  omnipotent,  and 
 "  unchangeable."  He  adds,  "  There  is  one  Lord  Jesus 
 "  Christ,  the  only  Son  of  God,  God  begotten  of  God, 
 "  like  in  all  thinc-s  to  iiim  wlio  beo-ac  l-.im,  who  was 
 "  from  all  eternity,  who  sitteth  now  at  his  right  hand 
 "  and  reigneth  with  him. — He  is  the  Word,  and  the 
 "^  Word  of  God,  truly  united  to  the  human  nature — 
 "  He  assumed  real  flesh  from  the  virgin — He  was  truly 
 "  man,  subject  to  human  infirmities,  and  to  death  itseli. 
 *'  — Concerning  the  Holy  Spirit  we  ou2;ht  to  have  the 
 "  same  notions  of  him  as  of  the  Father  and  the  Son.  He 
 "  is  one,  indivisible,  almighty,  and  OMNisciLNT.    He 
 
 "  ought 
 
 *  Sfc  Burgh's  Sequel,  p.  6a. 
 
58+  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 *^  ought  to  be  honoured  as  the  Father  and  the  Son^  being 
 *^  one  and  the  same  Divinity."  * 
 
 198.  Gregory  Nazianzen,  the  best  scholar  of  the 
 most  learned  age  of  the  ancient  church,  was  born,  A.  D. 
 324,  and  died,  A.  D.  389.  This  great  man,  has  spoken 
 at  large  upon  the  divinity  of  Christ,  and  the  doctrine  of 
 the  Trinity,  on  several  occasions.  "  We  ought  to  ac- 
 *'  knowledge  one  God  the  Father,"  says  he,  "  unbc- 
 "  gotten  and  without  beginning,  and  one  Son  begotten 
 "  of  the  Father,  and  one  Spirit  having  his  existence 
 "  from  God ;  different  from  the  Father,  indeed,  in  that 
 *'  he  has  no  power  of  fructification,  and  to  the  Son, 
 "  as  being  unbegotten  ;  but  in  other  things  of  the 
 "  same  nature,  the  same  honour,  the  same  glory,  and  the 
 *'  same  dignity."  ^ 
 
 He  stiles  it  in  another  place,  the  adorable  Trinity, 
 above  and  before  the  world ;  before  all  time ;  of  the 
 *'  same  majesty,  of  the  same  glory,  increate,  invisible, 
 "  above  our  reach,  incomprehensible."  * 
 
 And  again  he  says,  "  We  ought  to  hold  one  God, 
 "  and  to  confess  three  subsistences,  or  three  persons 
 "  each  with  his  respective  property  according  to  his 
 **  subsistence."  * 
 
 These,  with  many  other  sentiments  to  the  same  pur- 
 pose, are  advanced  by  this  learned  and  eloquent  writer. 
 
 199.  St.  Ambrose,  bishop  of  Milan,  was  born,  A.  D. 
 ;;'^2,:2,  and  died,  A.  D.  397.  He  was  an  eminent  instru- 
 ment of  good  to  the  church  in  his  day,  and  hath  left  us 
 a  considerable  number  of  treatises  on  moral  and  religi- 
 ous subjects.  Among  others,  he  has  written  pretty 
 much  at  large  in  defence  of  the  deity  of  Christ  and  thc- 
 Jloly  Spirit,  with  the  doctrine  of  the  Sacred  Trinity, 
 In  this  taith,  it  is  well  known,  and  generally  allowed, 
 this  learned  and  laborious  bishop  both  lived  and  died. 
 In  his  one  book  on  the  divinity  of  Christ,  and  his  three 
 
 books 
 
 *  Cateches.  11  et  16.  p.  98  and  176. 
 
 i'  Orat.  26.  p.  445. — ♦  Orat.  I::,  p.  204. — '  Orat.  29.  p.  490. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  5^5 
 
 books  concerning  the  Holy  Spirit,  as  well  as  in  his  tract 
 on  the  Apostle's  Creed,  he  has  treated  pretty  much  at 
 large  on  these  profound  and  mysterious  subjects.  "  The 
 "  divinity  of  the  Holy  Trinity,"  says  he,  *^  is  to  be  believ'd 
 "  to  be  without  beginning  and  without  end,  although  it 
 "  is  difficult  for  the  mind  of  man  to  comprehend  it. 
 "  Hence  it  may  not  improperly  be  said  concerning  it, 
 "  that  we  comprehend  this  only  of  it,  that  it  cannot  be 
 "  fully  comprehended.  There  is  therefore  one  God- 
 "  head  in  the  three,  and  there  are  three  in  whom  is  one 
 *^  Godhead.  There  is  no  confusion  in  the  unity, 
 "  neither  is  there  any  difference  in  the  Trinity."  * 
 
 2bo.  Basil  the  Great  was  born,  A.  D.  328,  arid  died 
 in  378.  He  was  the  friend  of  Gregory  Nazianzen,  and 
 worthy  of  t!ie  honour.  As  there  is  no  question  made 
 concerning  his  religious  sentiinents  ;  I  will  only  produce 
 the  followino-  extract  from  his  writings : 
 
 "  The  Spirit  is  not  to  be  supposed  the  same  with 
 "  the  Father,  from  its  being  said  tliat  Goci  is  a  spirit. 
 "  Nor  yet  may  the  person  of  the  Son  and  Spirit  be 
 ''  imagined  one  and  the  same,  from  its  being  said  again, 
 "  If  any  one  have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ  he  is  none  of 
 "  his :  hit  Christ  is  in  yon.  From  hence  indeed  some 
 "  have  been  led  to  mistake,  as  if  the  Spirit  and  Christ 
 "  were  the  same.  But  wiiat  say  we  ?  Namely,  that  the 
 "  property  of  nature  is  hereby  demonstrated,  but  not 
 "  any  confusion  of  the  persons.  The  Father  is  he 
 *'  who  hath  a  perfect  essence,  and  stands  in  need  of  no- 
 "  thing;  the  root  and  fountain  of  the  Son  and  Holy 
 *'  Ghost.  The  Son  also  is  the  living  Word  in  the  ful- 
 "  ness  of  the  Godhead,  and  the  offspring  of  the  Father 
 "  without  any  defect.  In  like  manner  the  Spirit  is  full, 
 "  not  part  of  another,  but  considered  as  perfect  and  en- 
 "  tire  in  himself.  Thus  the  Son  is  inseparably  united 
 "  with  the  Father,  and  the  Spirit  is  inseparably  united 
 "  with  the  Son,  there  being;  nothinor  to  divide,  nothino; 
 "  which  might  cut  off  this  eternal  conjunction.  There 
 C  c  c  c  "has 
 
 *  Tract,  in  Symb.  Apost.  p   89, 
 
586  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 "  has  no  age  or  distance  of  time  passed  between  them, 
 ««  nor  can  our  mind  conceive  any  separation,  by  which 
 "  the  Son  should  not  always  coexist  with  the  Father, 
 «  or  the  Holy  Ghost  with  the  Son.  When  therefore 
 «  we  conjoin  the  Holy  Trinity,  think  not  of  it  as 
 '^  three  parts  of  something  which  only  is  not  in  fact 
 "  divided,  (for  this  were  an  impious  imagination)  but 
 *<^  understand  the  inseparable  coexistence  of  three  who 
 "  are  perfect  and  incorporeal.  For  where  there  is  the 
 *'  presence  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  there  also  is  the  presence 
 "  of  Christ,  and  where  Christ  is,  there  the  Father  is 
 "  evidently  also.  Know  ye  not^  that  your  bodies  are  the 
 "  temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost  ?  And  if  any  one  defile  the 
 *'  tenvple  of  God,  him  shall  God  destroy.  Being  sanctified 
 *'  therefore  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  we  receive  Christ 
 "  dwelling  in  us  in  the  inner  man,  and  with  him  the 
 "  Father,  making  a  common  abode  with  those  who  are 
 «'  worthy.  The  same  conjunction  likewise  is  denoted 
 **  by  the  tradition  of  baptism,  and  the  confession  of 
 "  faith.  For  if  the  Spirit  be  different  in  nature,  how 
 "  came  he  to  be  numbered  together  with  them  ?  And 
 "  if  in  a  course  of  time  he  was  only  produced  into 
 "  being,  and  added  to  the  Father  and  the  Son,  how 
 "  camiC  he  to  be  ranked  with  the  eternal  nature  ?  So 
 *'  that  they  who  divide  the  Spirit  from  the  Father  and 
 "  the  Son,  and  number  him  among  the  creatures,  must 
 "  at  once  imply  the  form  of  baptism  to  be  insignificant, 
 "  and  the  confession  of  faith  defective.  For  the  Tri- 
 "  nity  will  be  no  more  a  Trinity,  if  the  Spirit  be  taken 
 "  from  it.  And  yet  if  any  part  of  the  creation  be  taken 
 "  in,  the  whole  creation  may  come  in  (by  the  same 
 "  reason)  and  be  numbered  with  the  Father  and  the 
 "  Son.  For  what  (in  this  case)  should  hinder  us  from 
 "  saying,  I  believe  in  the  Father,  and  the  Son,  and  in 
 "  the  whole  creation  (or  in  every  creature  ?)  Since  if 
 "  it  be  pious  to  believe  in  a  part  of  the  creation,  much 
 *^  more  will  it  become  us  to  take  the  whole  creation 
 ^*  into  our  confession.     But  if  you  believe  in  the  whole 
 
 "  creation. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITV,  587 
 
 *'  creation,  you  then  believe  not  only  in  angels  and  mi- 
 **  nistring  spirits,  but  in  whatever  adverse  powers  there 
 *^  may  be,  seeing  they  also  are  a  part  of  the  creation, 
 **  and  you  are  joined  to  these  in  the  confession  of  faith. 
 *'  Thus  does  the  blasphemy  against  the  Holy  Ghost 
 *'  lead  into   wicked   and    unlawful    assertions  :  and  as 
 "  soon  as  you  have  spoken  what  you  ought  not  concern- 
 "  ing  the  Spirit,  the  dereliction  of  the  Spirit  is  manifest 
 "  from  thence.     For  as  he  that  shuts  his  eyes  carries 
 "  darkness  with  himself;  so  he  who  departs  from  the 
 *^  Spirit,  being  destitute  of  him  that  should  enlighten 
 "  him,  is  overwhelmed  with  spirit-ual  blindness.     More- 
 "  over,  let  tradition  have  its  weight  to  deter  thee  from 
 "  separating  the  Holy  Ghost  from  the  Father  and  the 
 "  Son.     This  is  the  doctrine  which   the   Lord   hath 
 *'  taught,  and  the  Apostles  preached ;  which  the  Fa- 
 "  thers  have  preserved,  and  the  Martyrs  have  confirmed. 
 **  Let  it  suffice  to  speak  as  thou  hast  learnt,  and  let  me 
 *'  hear  no  more  such  sophisms  as  these  i  Either  he  is 
 "  unbegotten,  or  begotten:  if  unbegotten,  he  is  a  father, 
 **  if  begotten,  he  is  a  son  ;  but  if  neither  of  these,  he  is 
 "  a  creature.     For  my  own  parr,   I   acknowledge  the 
 "  Spirit  indeed  with  the  Father,  but  not  to  be  the  Fa- 
 **  ther.     And  I  have  received  him  in  conjunction  with 
 "  the  Son,  yet  not  under  the  character  or  name  of  the 
 *'  Son.     But  I  understand  his  relation  to  the  Father, 
 *'  because  he  proceedeth  from  the  Father  j  and  that  to 
 "  the  Son,  because  I  hear,  I/d^y  one  have  voi  the  Spirit 
 '■'■  of  Christy  he  is  none  of  his.     Now  if  he  were  not  the 
 ♦^  proper  Spirit  of  Christ,  how  should  he  appropriate 
 *'  us  to  him  ?  I   hear  him  also  termed  the  Spirit  of 
 "  truth ;  and  the  Lord  is  the  truth.     But  when  I  hear 
 **■  him  called  the  Spirit  of  adoption,  this  calls  to  mind 
 "  that  unity  he  has  by  nature  with  the  Father  and  the 
 *'  Son.     For  how  should  that  which  is  alien,  ?.dopt  ? 
 **  How  should  that  appropriate,  which  itself  is  different 
 *^  jn  kind  ?  Thus  therefore  am  I  cautious  neither  to 
 *'  coin   nev/  words^  nor  diminish  the  majesty  of  the 
 
 "  Spirit. 
 
S«S  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 "  Spirit.  But  as  for  those  who  dare  to  call  him  a 
 *^  creature,  I  bewail  and  lament  them,  that  by  slight 
 "  sophisms  and  specious  fallacies,  they  throw  them- 
 "  selves  headlong  into  hell.  For  because  our  mind 
 **  (say.  they)  takes  in  these  three  things,  and  there  is 
 "  nothing  in  nature  which  falls  not  within  thi^  divi -hn, 
 **  that  it  is  either  unbegotcen,  begotten,  or  created ; 
 *'  since  the  Spirit  is  neither  the  first,  nor  the  second  of 
 **  them,  TO  T^irc-j  a^a,  it  must  be  the  third.  This  a;^u 
 "  (or  inference)  of  yours,  will  render  you  obnoxious  to 
 ^'  an  eternal  apuy  or  curse.  Hast  thou  s,earched  out  all 
 "  things  ?  Hast  thou  a  compass  of  thought  to  bring 
 <c  every  thing  under  this  division  ?  Hast  thou  lift  no- 
 "  thing  unexamined  ?  Hast  thou  conceived  and  shut 
 "  up  all  things  in  thy  understanding  ?  Dort  thou  know 
 "  what  is  under  the  earth,  or  in  the  deep  ?"  ' 
 
 20I.  QuiNTus  Prudentius  was  born  in  Spain  in 
 the  year  348.  In  the  fifty  seventh  year  of  his  age  he 
 became  seriously  religious,  and  wrote  a  variety  of  pieces 
 upon  divine  subjects.  My  business  is  only  to  produce 
 such  passages  from  his  works  as  shew  his  opinions  on 
 the  doctrine  of  the  Holy  Trinity,  and  such  other  as  are 
 connected  with  it.  In  one  of  his  poems  then  he  savs, 
 "  Be  present,  O  Supreme  Father,  whom  no  roan  haih 
 "  seen  at  any  time  :  O  thou  Word  of  the  Far;  ■  r, 
 "  Christ  J  and  O  thou  propitious  Spirit  j  O  thou  one 
 "  Power,  one  Light  of  this  Trinity,  eternal  God  oif 
 "  God  3  O  God  sent  forth  from  both."  • 
 
 "  Do  thou,  O  Christ,  dispel  sleep,  burst  asunder 
 "  the  cha'ns  of  darkness,  do  away  the  old  offence,  and 
 *'  pour  into  me  a  new  hght."  • 
 
 2C2.  Chrysostom  was  one  of  the  most  able  men 
 among  the  ancients.  He  was  born,  A.  D.  J54,  and 
 died  in  407.  No  doubt  can  be  entertained  of  his  senti- 
 ments on  the  subjects  under  consideration.  He  has 
 spoken  at  large  on  many  occasions.  Take  the  follow- 
 ing declaration : 
 
 «  They 
 
 7  Horn.  cont.  Sabel.  et  Arlam  et  Anomacos. 
 
 *  Hymnus  ante  Somnum,  v.  1. — »  Hymnus  ad  GalH  Cantum  ad  jia. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  589 
 
 "  They  who  embrace  the  mad  notions  of  Sabeliius, 
 or  Arius,"  says  he,  "  do  both  of  them  fall  from  the 
 soundness  of  the  faith,  for  want  of  observing  a  due 
 mean.  Both  those  Heretics,  indeed,  are  called 
 Christians  ;  but,  if  you  enquire  into  their  doctrines, 
 you  will  find  the  one  not  much  better  than  the  Jews, 
 and  little  differing  from  them,  except  in  name  j  and 
 the  others  very  much  resembling  the  heresy  o[  P.i  ;l 
 ofSamosata;  and  both  of  them  exceedingly  deviating 
 from  the  truth. 
 
 *'  Great,  therefore,  is  the  danger  in  this  respect.  The 
 truth  lies  in  a  strict  and  narrow  way,  between  two 
 steep  precipices  i  and  there  is  reason  to  fear,  lest, 
 while  we  fight  successfully  against  the  one  sort  of 
 heretics,  we  ourselves  be  wounded  by  the  other. 
 For  if  we  assert  the  unity  of  the  Godhead,  immediate- 
 ly Sabeliius  draws  that  expression  to  his  own  impious 
 sense.  On  the  other  hand,  if  we  make  a  distinction, 
 and  say,  that  the  Father  is  one,  the  Son  another,  and 
 the  Holy  Ghost  another,  Arius  is  ready  to  wrcbt  tliar 
 distinction  of  persons  into  a  difference  of  substance. 
 And  it  equally  concerns  us  to  avoid  the  impious 
 confusion  of  the  one,  and  the  mad  diversity  of  the 
 other,  by  confessing  the  Godhead  of  the  Father,  Son, 
 and  Holy  Ghost,  to  be  all  one,  and  by  adding  diere- 
 unto  a  Trinity  of  persons  ;  for  thus  (hall  we  fortify 
 ourselves  against  both  their  assaults."  * 
 203.  Augustine,  bishop  of  Hippo,  was  born,  A.  D. 
 23S)  ^^^  ^^^^  i^  430.  He  wrote  fifteen  books  on  the 
 doctrine  of  the  Trinity  professedly,  besides  touchin^i; 
 upon  the  subject  on  many  incidental  occasions. 
 
 "  We  believe,  hold,  and  faithfully  affirm,"  savi 
 he,  "  that  God  the  Father  begot  the  Word  his  wisdom, 
 "  by  which  all  was  made  ;  his  only  Son  ;  one  off  onci 
 **  coeternal ;  most  good,  and  most  righteous :  and  that 
 "  the  Holy  Spirit  is  both  off  the  Father  and  the  Son, 
 
 *'  consybsrantiaJ,- 
 
 ■  Chrysostom  on  the  Priesthood,  b.  4.  c.  4. 
 
59©  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 "  consubstantial,  and  cocternal  with  them  both.  And 
 **  this  is  both  a  Trinity  in  respect  of  persons,  and  but 
 '*  one  God  in  the  inseparable  Divinity ;  and  one  om- 
 *^  niporent  in  the  inseparable  power  ;  yet  so,  as  that 
 *^  every  one  of  the  three  be  held  to  be  God  omnipotent , 
 "  and  yet  akogedier  are  not  three  omnipotent  Gods, 
 ^  but  one  God  omnipotent.  Such  is  the  inseparable 
 "  Unity  of  the  three  persons^,  and  in  this  manner  must 
 "  they  be  taught."  * 
 
 204.  Theodoret  was  an  illustrious  writer  of  the 
 church  in  the  latter  end  of  the  fourth  century.  A  single 
 passage  of  his  works,  which  I  find  in  the  third  part  of 
 bishop  Kidder's  Demonstration  of  the  Mefiias,  will  both 
 shew  what  his  opinions  were  upon  this  great  subject  on 
 which  we  are  treating,  and  confirm  many  observatk)ns 
 that  have  already  been  made  in  some  former  parts  of 
 this  work.  The  quotation  is  from  a  sermon  of  his 
 against  the  Gentiles.  He  telis  them  what  Moses  had 
 written  concerning  their  false  gods,  and  that  he  required 
 m  his  law  the  worship  of  the  OMf  true  God.  This  be- 
 lief of  one  God  Moses  taught  in  his  law,  and  recom- 
 fncndcd  the  worship  of  him  ooiy.  Upon  this  he  brings 
 m  the  Gentiles  objecting  against  the  Christians  thus  : 
 "  Perhaps,*'  says  he,  "  you  will  say,  ye  Christians 
 "  liave  not  kept  this  law  inviolably  ;  for  ye  preach  not 
 '*^  an  Unity,  but  a  Trinity  :  whereas  the  Jews,  being 
 **  brought  up  in  the  writings  of  Moses  and  the  Pro- 
 "  phets,  worship  one  only,  and  reprcheud  your  Trini- 
 *'  TY  :*'  To  whom  he  replies: 
 
 *'  O  friends,  i  think  yo\i  fit  to  he  pardoned,,  being 
 '*  ignorant  of  the  Holy  Scripture.  Yet  I  cannot  but 
 *'  lament  the  extreme  ignorance  of  the  Jev/s,  because 
 **  they  being  carried  from  the  womb,  as  the  prophet 
 "speaks,  and  instructed  in  divine  things  from  their 
 *'  childhood  to  old  age,  are  ignorant  of  the  true  theolo- 
 '^  gy.  For  they  continuing  a  long  time  in  Egypt,  and 
 *  iearniBg  polytheism  there,  the  all-wise  God  did  not 
 
 ^«  think 
 
 *  Aug.  de  Ciyit.  Dei,  lib.  si.  cap.  24. 
 
DOCTRlNt:  OF  THE  TRINITY.  59! 
 
 *'  think  fit  plainly  to  reveal  to  them  the  mystery  of  the 
 "  Trinity,  that  they  might  not  under  that  pretext  fall 
 "  into  the  polytheism  of  Egypt.  And  yet  he  did  not 
 "  altogether  conceal  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  from 
 "  thos'e,  who  were  to  come,  sowing  some  of  the  seeds 
 "  of  the  more  perfect  theology.  And  therefore  he 
 ['  gave  the  lavv  under  the  representation  of  one,  but 
 "  did  enigmatically  insinuate  the  Trinity.  For  these 
 "  words,  Hear,  O  Israel,  the  Lord  our  God  is  one  Lord, 
 <'  teach  plainly  bodi  the  Unity  and  the  Trinity: 
 "  for  God  being  once,  tlie  Lord  twice  named,  declare 
 "  the  Trinity.  For  adding,  is  one^  he  delivered  a  doc- 
 "  trine  agreeable  to  the  Jews,  and  expressed  the  Unity 
 «  of  the  Divine  nature :  for  one  is  the  essence,  power 
 "  and  will  of  the  Trinity.  And  therefore  the  com- 
 **  pany  of  the  invisible  powers  singing  an  hymn  to  God, 
 «'  say  Holy  thrice^  and  Loud  but  once :  by  the  first 
 *«  declaring  the  number  of  properties;  by  the  other 
 **  signifying  the  common  dominion  :  but  hereby  the 
 "  Trinity  was  enigmatically  declared.  Elsewhere 
 '*  however  holy  men  taught  it  more  plainly;  for  the 
 *'  most  divine  Moses,  writing  the  cosmogony,  and  re- 
 <'  lating  the  creation  of  man,  affirms  that  God,  the 
 "  Creator  of  all  things,  said,  Let  us  make  man  in  our 
 «'  image^  after  our  likeness :  and  he  adds,  /;/  the  image  of 
 "  God  created  he  him,  that  he  might  shew  the  difference 
 "  of  persons.  And  v/hcn  God  commanded  Noah  con- 
 "  cerning  the  eating  of  flesh,  and  forbad  him  the  catirg 
 "  of  blood,  he  affirms,  that  the  God  of  the  universe 
 "  said,  IVhoso  sheddelh  man  s  bloody  by  man  shall  his  blood 
 *^  be  shed ;  for  in  ihe  image  cf  God  made  he  man.  He 
 *'  doth  not  say.  In  my  imagc_,  but  in  the  image  of  God, 
 "  shewing  the  distinction  of  persons.  And  when  those 
 "  men  met  together,  who  were  incensed  against  their 
 "  Maker,  to  build  tlie  tower,  that  great  tower  which  had 
 **  its  name  from  confusion,  Moses  affirms  that  God  said, 
 '*  Go  to,  let  vs  go  dozvn,  and  there  confound  their  language. 
 '^  Let  us  go  dozvK  and  confcund,  shews  a  parity  of  honour. 
 
 »'  Bar 
 
59^  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 "  But  the  words  Go  to,  signify  the  Son  and  Spirit, 
 *'  who  were  joined  in  the  creation.  For  seeing  that 
 "  when  he  made  man  he  said.  Let  us  make  ma?i  in  our 
 "  image^  after  our  likeness i  agreeably  hereunto,  now  he 
 "  is  dividing  one  language  into  many,  he  takes  to  him 
 "  his  frllow-workerSj  the  Son  and  most  Holy  Spirit. 
 "In  afcer-time,  being  about  to  destroy  Sodom  and  its 
 *'  neighbouring  cities,  partners  of  her  profaneness  and 
 *^  wickedness  with  thunder  and  fire  from  heaven,  he 
 "  mentions  to  us  two  Lords.  Thus  Moses  writes,  Then 
 *'  /^^LoRD  rained  upon  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  brimstone 
 *^  and  fire  from  the  Lord  out  of  heaven^  But  lest  any 
 "  should  think,  that  this  prophet  alone  speaks  of  the 
 "  Trinity,  hear,  O  my  friends,  what  divine  David 
 *'  savs  :  By  the  Word  of  the  Lord  were  the  heavens 
 "  madi':,  and  all  the  host  of  them  by  the  Spirit  of  his 
 **  mouth.  And  again,  The  Lord  said  unto  my  Lord, 
 *'  Sit  thou  gt  my  right  hand  until  I  make  thine  enemies  thy 
 '^  footstool.  And  soon  after,  the  sam.c  Lord,  the  Fa- 
 *'  ther  of  the  Lord,  saith,  Thy  throne^  O  God,  is  for- 
 "  ever ;  the  sceptre  of  thy  kingdom  is  a  right  sceptre, 
 *'  Thou  lovest  righteousness  and  hateth  wickedness ;  the're- 
 *^  fore  God,  thy  God  hath  anointed  thee  zvith  the  oil  op 
 *'  gladness  above  thy  fellows.  The  same  doctrine  is 
 **  delivered  to  us  by  Isaiah,  Jeremiah,  Ezekiel,  and 
 "  Daniel,  Zechariah,  and  Micah,  and  all  the  company 
 "  of  prophets." 
 
 Dr.  Fiddes,  whom  we  have  so  frequently  mentioned 
 in  the  course  of  this  inquiry,  sums  up  the  opinions  of 
 the  ancient  Christian  fathers  in  these  words  : — 
 
 I.  *^  The  ancients,  in  general,"  says  he,  "  unani-^ 
 '*  mcusly  maintained  against  the  Heathens  and  Heretics, 
 *'  that  there  is  but  one  God  in  the  strict  sense.  And 
 ^'^  the  same  ancients  affirmed  the  Son  to  be  God  in  the 
 "  strict  sense;  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  to  be  God  likewise; 
 "  some,  in  express^  terms j   others,  in  words  equiva- 
 
 "  lent ; 
 
 ^  Teit.  coiitr.  Prax.  c.  i;^.  Origen.  in  Basil.de  Sp.  S.  p   219. 
 
 Cyp.  Ep.  ad  Jub.  p.  203.  Dionys.   Alex.  Labbe.   torn.  i.  p.  873. 
 
 Sabellius's  taunting  question  to  the  Catholics ;  Ev;^  ©ecv   i%o\LVi   -a, 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  S9t 
 
 "  terms;  others,  in  words  equivalent;  from  whence  it 
 *'  cvi.lently  follows,  that  they  looked  upon  the  three 
 "  Persons  as  one  God. 
 
 2.  "  The  ancients,  in  general,  unanimously  asserted  a 
 "  co-esscntial  and  co  eternal  Trinity,  either  directly  and 
 '*  expressly,  or  implicitly  and  consequentially  ;  which,  in 
 "  effect,  is  to  teach,  that  the  Trinity  is  the  one  God. 
 
 3.  "  The  titles  and  attributes  ascribed  to  the  Son  ex- 
 "  pressly  and  frequently  (and  sometimes,  though  not  so 
 "  often,  to  the  Huly  Ghost;  but  always  understood  and 
 "  implied)  are  dem()nstrative  proofs  that  all  the  three 
 "  Persons  are  supposed  to  be  comprehended  in  the  idea 
 "  of  the  one  God. 
 
 "  To  mention  only  such  as  are  applyed  to  the  Son  by 
 the  ?nie-nicei;e  writers  :  He  is  stiled  God  by  all  in 
 in  general ;  God  and  Lord  by  many  of  them ;  Lord 
 God  absolutely  by  several ;  particularly  by  Justin 
 ryiarryr  and  Irenasus,  in  the  application  of  texts  of 
 the  Old  Testament:  true,  or  truly  Gi  d,  bv  most  of 
 them  ;  great  God  by  some,  and  perfect  God :  God 
 by  nature;  Son  by  nature;  true  and  proper  Son,  by 
 "  many  :  God  of  the  Jews,  of  Abraham,  Isaac,  and 
 "  Jacob,  Very  frequently  :  sometimes,  the  only  Cod, 
 "  and  the  living  God,  and  counsellor  to  the  Father : 
 "  Creator  of  men,  of  angels,  and  uf  all  things,  conscant- 
 "  ly  by  all  the  ancients.  As  to  his  attributes,  he  is  re- 
 *'  presented  uncreated,  eternal,  consubstantial,  either 
 "  expressly,  or  in  effect,  by  the  concurrent  tc  timony 
 *'  of  the  ante-nicene  writers.  Omnipresent,  omniscient, 
 "  omnipotent,  immutable,  incomprehensible,  impassi- 
 "  hie,  &c.  by  several.  In  short,  every  thing  is  attri- 
 "  buted  to  him  that  can  tend  to  raise  our  ideas  of  his 
 "  dignity,  and  to  denote  a  person  strictly  and  cssential- 
 "  ly  divine.  D  d  d  d  4.  "■  The 
 
 Tff/?  Qsy;.  Fpiphan.  Kcr.  62.  shews,  that  the  title  of  God,  as 
 applied  to  the  Holy  Ghosr,  was  the  common  language  of  the  chyrch, 
 at  that  time.  And  the  argument  may  be  carried  up  much  higher 
 from  this  consideration,  that  the  Praxeans  and  Noetians  made  the 
 three  persons  of  the  Godhead,  one  person . 
 
S94  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 4.  "  The  hynms,  worship,  and  doxologies  address - 
 **  ed  to  the  three  Persons,  as  old  as  Christianity  itself, 
 **  and  as  unanimously  and  constantly  adhered  to,  are  all 
 **  so  many  proofs  of  the  truth  of  what  we  assert,  that 
 "  the  blessed  three,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost^ 
 "  were  the  God  of  the  primitive  Christians."  * 
 
 *C-«5i?l^^^5^®5^fe)^te5»*e- 
 
 PART  SEVENTH. 
 
 SECTION    VIII. 
 
 Miscellaneous  evidence  to  the  PERSON  OF  CHRIST,  and  doctrine  of 
 
 the  TRINITY,  from  COUNCILS,  HERETICS,  and  other 
 
 CIRCUMSTANCES  of  the  first  ages. 
 
 205.  ^  I  AHAT  the  most  respectable  of  the  successors 
 X  of  the  Apostles  were  believers  in  the  divi- 
 nity of  the  Son  of  God  is  sufficiently  clear  from  the 
 history  of  those  times,  independent  of  these  numerous 
 testimonies.  For,  about  the  middle  of  the  third  cen- 
 tury, we  have  already  seen,  Caius  made  an  appeal  to  the 
 holy  scriptures,  and  the  writings  of  Justin  Martyr, 
 Miltiades,  Tatian,  Clemens,  Irenasus,  Mellto,  and 
 others,  which  declared  Christ  to  be  God  and  man. 
 He,  moreover,  appealed  to  certain  psalms  and  hymns 
 of  the  brethren,  written  at  the  beginning  by  the  faith- 
 ful, which  set  forth  the  praises  of  Christ,  the  Word 
 of  God,  and  attributed  divinity  to  him. 
 
 In  the  former  part  of  the  fourth  century,  Athanasius 
 made  the  same  appeal  to  the  Arians : — "  We  give  you 
 "  demonstration,"  says  he,  "  that  our  doctrine  has 
 "  been  handed  down  to  us  from  fathers  to  fathers. 
 "  But  you,  ye  revivers  of  Judaism  and  disciples  of 
 "  Caiaphas,  what  writers  can  you  bring  to  father  your 
 
 "  tenets  ? 
 *  Theol.  Specul.  vol.  i.p.  392. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  595 
 
 "  tenets  ?  Not  a  man  can  you  name,  of  any  repute  for 
 "  sense  or  judgnnent.     All  to  a  man  are  against  you."  ' 
 ^  To  the  same  purpose  speaks  St,  Austin  in  the  be- 
 ginning of  the  following  age.     '<  All  the  catholic  inter- 
 "  preters  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments,"  says  he, 
 "  that  I  could  read,  who  have  wrote  before  me  on  the 
 "  Trinity,  which  is  God,  intended    to  teach,  con- 
 "  formable  to  scripture,  that  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
 "  Ghost   do,   by  the  inseparable  equality  of  one  and 
 "  the  same  substance,  make  up  the  wiity  divine"  ^ 
 .    We  have  another  remarkable  instance  on  record  in 
 the  time  of  Theodosius  the   Great,  about,   or  a  little 
 before,  the  time  of  Austin's  declaration,  where  a  chal- 
 lenge is  given  by  the  Orthodox  to  the  Arians  to  try 
 their  principles  by  an  appeal   to   the  catholic  writers, 
 who  lived  before  the  Council  of  Nice,  and   abide   by 
 the  consequence.     The  Arians,  however,  conscious  the 
 cause  would  go  against  them  upon  this  ground,  declined 
 the  trial. ' 
 
 206.  During  the  first  two  or  three  centuries,  when 
 any  peculiarly  erroneous  and  obnoxious  sentiments  arose 
 among  the  professors  of  the  gospel,  they  were  usually 
 borne  down  and  quashed  by  the  authority  of  the 
 Apostles,  and  their  immediate  successors.  Against 
 Cerinthus  and  Ebion  St.  John  wrote  his  gospel  and 
 first  epistle.  When,  after  them,  other  persons  arose 
 and  attacked  the  fundamental  principles  of  the  gospel. 
 of  God,  Justin  Martyr,  Irenteus,  Tertullian,  and 
 Origen,  drew  the  sword  of  the  Spirit,  and  for  a  time 
 confounded  all  their  machinations.  But  when  er- 
 roneous doctrines  began  to  diffuse  themselves  far  and. 
 wide  among  the  brethren,  and  their  patrons  became 
 bold  and  presumptuous  in  propagating  them,  it  was 
 not  thought  sufficient  for  the  friends  of  sound  and 
 apostolical  doctrine  to  oppose  them  in  their  individual  . 
 D  d  d  d  2  capacity" 
 
 s  Athanas.  de  Decret.  Syn.  Nic.  p.  233. 
 
 *  Aug.  de  Trinit.  1.   i.  c.  3. 
 
 '  Socrat.  Eccl.  Hist,  lib.  5.  c,  10.  and  Sozomen  lib.  7.  c.  ic, 
 
59^  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THfi 
 
 capacity  merely,  but  numbers  of  the  clergy  and  other 
 zealous  and  orthodox  believers  were  called  together 
 fr';m  all  the  neighbouring  districts  to  consider  of  the 
 dangerous  tendency  of  such  doctrines,  and  to  bear- a 
 public  testimony  against  them.  One  of  these  Councils 
 was  at  Carthage  by  Cyprian,  who  in  the  year  255 
 assembled  together  87  bish(jps,  besides  a  great  number 
 of  inferior  clergy,  to  consider  of  the  propriety  or  im- 
 propriety of  rebaptizing  of  heretics.  The^e  87  bishops^ 
 it  seems  from  several  circumstances,  were  all  ortiiodox 
 in  their  opinions  concerning  the  diviraty  of  Christ, 
 and  the  doctrine  of  the  Holy  Trinity. 
 
 207.  To  these  we  may  add  the  first  Council  of  An- 
 tioch,  which  was  held  against  Paul  of  Samosata,  who 
 denied  the  divinity  of  our  blessed  Saviour,  and  asserted 
 that  he  was  noching  more  than  a  mere  mian.  At  this 
 Council  were  70  bishops,  and  inferior  clergy  a  consider- 
 able number.  In  their  synodical  letter  to  this  vain 
 man,  they  deliver  their  religious  opinions  pretty  much 
 at  large.  "  That  what  every  one  believes  may  be 
 *^  more  manifest,"  say  they,  "  we  have  resolved  to 
 **  publish  and  explain  in  writing  the  faith  which  from 
 **  the  beginning  we  have  received,  and  which  in  the 
 ^'  catholic  church  has  been  preserved  and  handed  down 
 *'  to  our  days  from  the  Apostles,  who  were  themselves 
 "  eye  witnesses  and  ministers  of  the  word; — That 
 *'  there  is  one  God,  iinbegotten,  without  beginning, 
 "  invisible,  and  unchangeable,  of  v/hose  glory  and 
 "  majesty  it  is  not  in  the  power  of  man  to  form  any 
 *'  adequate, idea.  Yet  though  we  have  but  a  very  im- 
 *'  perfect  notion  of  God,  we  ought  to  be  content  with 
 '^  what  his  Son  reveals  of  him,  who  says.  No  one  knozv- 
 *^  elh  the  Father  save  the  Sony  mid  he  to  whomsoever 
 "  the  Son  will  reveal  him.  And  as  we  learn  from  both 
 "  the  Old  and  the  New  Testament,  so  we  believe  and 
 **  profess  this  Son  to  be  the  begotten  Son^  the  only- lego t- 
 ^^  ten  Sony  tht  image  of  the  invisible  God,  the  first-born 
 •'  cf  every  creature:,  the    JVisdom,   the   IVord,  and  the 
 
 "  Power 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  597 
 
 Power  of  God,  existing  before  all  ages,  not  by  fore- 
 k  owledge,  but  being  in  nature  and  person  God,  fbt 
 Son  of  God.  But  whosoever  says  that  the  Son  of 
 God  was  not  God  before  the  creation  of  the  world, 
 or  who  says,  that  to  believe  and  profess  him  to  be 
 God,  is  professing  that  there  are  two  Gods  :  we  look 
 upon  such  a  one  as  having  forsaken  the  ancient  faith ; 
 and  all  the  catholic  churches  are  of  our  opinion. 
 For  of  this  Son  of  God  it  is  written,  Thy  throne^ 
 O  Godj  is  forever  and  ever ;  a  sceptre  of  righteom- 
 ness  is  the  sceptre  of  thy  kingdom,  Thou  hast  Icvci 
 righteousness  and  hated  iniquity  j  therefore  God)  even 
 thy  God)  bath  anointed  thee  zzith  the  oil  of  gladness 
 above  thy  fellozvs. — And  all  the  divinely  inspired 
 wriiings  declare  the  Son  of  God  to  be  God. — Wc 
 believe  this  Son,  who  \Vas  always  with  the  Father, 
 to  have  fulfilled  his  Father's  will  by  creating  all 
 things.  For  he  spake  and  they  were  made,  be  coju-^ 
 vianded  and  they  were  created.  For  he  who  com- 
 mands any  thing  gives  his  commands  to  another 
 person  j  which  other  person  we  are  persuaded  is  no 
 other  than  God,  the  only-begotten  Son  of  God,  to 
 whom  he  said :  Let  us  make  man  according  to  our 
 image  and  liken ess^  * 
 2c8.  The  Council  of  Nice  assembled  in  the  year  of 
 our. Lord  325,  to  settle  the  differences  which  had  arisen 
 in  the  church  concerning  the  person  of  Christ.  Ac 
 this  celebrated  synod  were  no  less  than  318  bishops 
 from  all  parts  of  the  Christian  world,  and  of  inferior  clergy 
 a  vast  concourse.  After  much  debating  upon  the  sub- 
 ject, a  creed  \xas  drawn  up  and  signed  by  all  the  bishops 
 present,  except  two.  In  this  creed,  it  is  well  known, 
 the  pre-existence  and  divinity  of  Christ,  were  established. 
 "  I  believe,"  say  they,  "  in  one  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
 "  the  only-begotten  Son  of  God,  begotten  of  his  Fa- 
 *'  ther  before  all  worlds,  God  off  God,  Light  off 
 "  Light,  very  God  off  very  God,  bcgotrcn,  not  made, 
 
 **  being 
 •  Labbeus's  Coun.  vol.  i.  p.  843. 
 
5g8  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 **  being  of  one  substance  with  the  Father,  by  whom 
 "  all  things  were  made :  who  for  us  men,  and  for  our 
 **^  salvation  came  down  from  heaven,  and  was  incarnate 
 "  by  the  Holy  Ghost  of  the  virgin  Mary,  and  was 
 "  made  man,  and  was  crucified  also  for  us  under 
 *^  Pontius  Pilate. — I  believe  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  the 
 **  .Lord  and  Giver  of  life,  who  proceedeth  from  the 
 *'  Father  and  the  Son  i  who  with  the  Father  and  the 
 "  Son  together  is  worshipped  and  glorified,  who  spake 
 '^  by  the  Prophets." — This  is  the  part  of  the  creed 
 which  respects  the  subjects  we  are  now  upjon.  And  it 
 is  remarkable,  that  even  the  two  bishops  who  refused 
 to  sign  it,  as  firmly  believed  the  pre-existence  of  Christ, 
 and  most  of  the  other  ciTCumstances  which  that  creed 
 contained,  as  those  who  did  sign  it,  and  speak  of  Christ 
 in  tcFms  which  signify  every  thing  but  absolute  divini- 
 ty. "  We  believe,"  say  they,  "  in  one  God,  the 
 "  Father  Almighty,  and  in  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  his 
 ®^  Son,  begotten  of  him  before  ail  ages,  God  the 
 ^*  Word,  by  whom  all  things  v.'ere  made  in  heaven  and- 
 •"^  in  earth,  who  descended  and  was  incarnate,  suffered, 
 "  arose,  and  ascended  into  heaven."  ^  — 
 
 After  Arius  and  his  friends  had  delivered  in  his  creed 
 to  the  emperor  Constantine,  they  further  declare, 
 "  This  faith  we  have  received  from  the  holy  gospels, 
 '^  m  which  the  Lord  saith  to  his  disciples.  Go  a?id  i&acb 
 "  all  naiionSy  haptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the  FatbeVy 
 **■  and  q/  the  ScHy  and  of  the  Haly  Ghost.  If  we  do  not 
 "  believe  these  things,  and  truly  acknowledge  the 
 "  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Ploly  Ghost,  as  the  whole 
 **  catholic  church,  and  the  scriptures  te^ch,  to  which 
 *'  we  yield  an  assent  in  all  things,  God  is  our  judge 
 *•  both  now  and  at  the  day  of  judgment."  * 
 
 209.  After 
 
 '  Ecc.  Hist,  of  Socrates,  b.  1.  ch.  8. 
 
 '  Ibid.  cb.  26. 
 
 — Acesius,  the  Novatian  bishop  of  Constantinople,  being 
 asked  by  the  emperoi*  Constantine  the  Great,  what  he  thought  of 
 the  Nicene  Council,  answered,  •'There  is  nothing  new  in  it.  It 
 ♦'  is  what  I  have  received  even  from  the  beginning,  and  from  the 
 "  Apostolical  tiraes."     Apud.  Socrat.  1.  1.  cap.  io. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  5^9 
 
 10(^.  After  the   Council  of  Nice  in  2>'^c,j  there  was 
 another   held  at   Constantinople  in   381,  consisting  of 
 150  bishops.     This  was  against  Macedonius,   who  de- 
 nied 
 
 **  There  is  so  mudi  greater  veneration  due  to  the  determination 
 **  of  that  Council  (than  to  any  single  Father  or  modern  Writer) 
 *'  since  the  Nicene  fathers  were  by  far  more  competent  judges  of 
 *'  the  doctrine  debated  by  them  than  we  of  these  latter  ages,  not 
 "  only  as  they  were  very  near  to  the  times  of  the  old  apostolical 
 *'  men,  but  also  as  they  had  the  unspeakable  advantage  of  con- 
 *'  suiting  the  intermediate  writers  on  that  subject,  and,  consequently, 
 "  of  balancing  aright  the  arguments  both  of  orthodox  and  heretical 
 "  authors — which  were  extant  in  their  age,  but  are  long  since  cn- 
 *•  tirely  perished,  or  such  imperfect  fragments  left  us  of  them, 
 "  that  no  certain  judgment  can  be  formed  of  the  original  works. 
 *'  So  that  if  we  could  suppose  there  were  any  thing  dubious  in  the 
 *'  Christian  faith,  with  relation  to  the  person  of  our  Lord,  how  is 
 *'  it  possible  it  could  be  fixed  and  determined  more  authentically, 
 **  than  by  the  bishops  of  the  Christian  Church,  assembled  upon 
 *'  that  very  occasion  from  all  parts  of  the  world,  at  no  great  distance 
 *'  from  the  Apostles  themselves  ?  This  early  and  'almost)  unani- 
 "  mous  assembly  must,  therefore,  be  considered  bv  all  impartial 
 "  men  as  the  best  interpreters  of  the  apostolical  writings  ;  and  as 
 **  such,  and  upon  so  solemn  an  occasion,  having  established  the  con- 
 "  substantial  doctrine,  they  have  established  it  for  the  Christian 
 "  church  forever. — x-^ll  those  circumstances  concurred  in  the  Fa- 
 "  thers  of  the  Nicene  Council  that  can  give  weight  and  authority 
 **  ta  the  testimonies  of  mere  uninspired  men  ;  consequently  wc 
 *'  have  a  moral  certainty  of  the  truth  of  that  faith  that  ivas  cstab- 
 *'  lished  by  the  testimonies  of  those  Fathers  as  iiiterprceers  of 
 "  divine  revelation.  As  if  so  solemn  a  decision  made  by  the  best 
 *'  judges,  so  near  to  the  apostolical  age,  had  been  designed  by  the 
 *'  good  providence  of  God,  to  be  left  as  a  standing  monument  to 
 "  the  church,  on  purpose  to  prevent  all  disputes  of  this  nature  ia 
 "  future  ages."  Allix's  Reflections  on  the  Conduct  of  Mr.  Whis- 
 ton,  p.   10. 
 
 Both  Eusebius  and  Constantine  himself  bear  witness  to  the  cha- 
 racter and  equitable  proceedings  of  this  celebrated  Council.  "  It 
 "  was  composed,"  says  Eusebius,  "  of  the  principal  learned  men  of 
 *'  several  nations,  some  famous  for  wisdom  of  speech,  some  for 
 **  gravity  of  life,  and  some  for  both.  Some  venerable  for  their 
 *•  age  and  experience,  others  for  their  ingenuity  and  wit." 
 
 Con-ctantine  in  his  letter  to  tl;e  church  of  Alexandria  signifies, 
 that  he  with  the  Council  endeavoured  that  the  truth  in  controversy 
 might  be  thoroughly  tried  out ;  and  that  all  things  were  narrowly 
 sifted,  by  the  testimony  of  the  holy  scriptures  searched  into  for  that 
 purpose. — See  the  whole  Epistle  in  Socrat.  Eccl.  Hist,  book  i. 
 chap.  9. 
 
6q^  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 Bied  the  divinity  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  as  Arius  had 
 denied  that  of  the  Son.  This  Council  confirmed  what 
 had  been  approved  at  Nice,  and  added  this  clause  con- 
 cerning the  Spirit : 
 
 "  And  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  Lord  and  Giver  of 
 ^*  life,  who  proceedeth  from  the  Father,  who  together 
 *f  with  the  Father  and  the  Son  is  worshipped  and 
 «<=  glorified;  who  spake  by  the  prophets." 
 
 2 JO.  After  this  aa;ain  there  was  another  general 
 Council  of  200  bishops  at  Ephesus  against  Nestorius 
 in  the  year  431,  which  confirmed  the  Nicene  creed,  and 
 naade  some  small  additions  concerning  the  incarnation 
 ©f  the  Son  of  God. 
 
 211.  And  again  in  the  year  451  there  was  a  fourth 
 general  Council  at  Calccdon  against  Eutyches  con- 
 sisting of  630  bishops,  in  which  the  creeds  of  the 
 former  Councils  were  approved  and  enlarged  according 
 to  the  circumstances  of  the  times. 
 
 212.  That  the  divinity  of  Christ  and  the  Holy  Spi- 
 rit were  understood  to  be  doctrines  of  Christianity  from 
 the  beginning,  is  further  confirmed  from  the  treatment 
 the  several  persons  met  with  whom  we  usually  call 
 heretics.  If  we  consider  Simon  Magus  in  this  light, 
 the  scripture  informs  us  what  reception  he  met  with 
 from  St.  Peter.  And  afterwards,  when  he  had  been 
 rejected  by  the  Apostle,  his  conduct  in  going  about 
 the  world  deceiving  the  nations,  and  proclaiming  him- 
 self to  be  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  seems  strong- 
 ly to  imply,  that  the  doctrines  concerning  these  three 
 divine  Persons  were  then  tau2;ht  among;  Christians. 
 
 213.  Cerinthus,  who  was  the  next  we  have  any  ac- 
 count of,  that  denied  the  divinity  of  the  Saviour,  was 
 opposed  by  St.  John  both  in  his  Gospel  and  first 
 Fpistle. 
 
 214.  Ebion  was  a  disciple  of  Cerinthus,  and  espous- 
 ed tiie  same  errors,  which  were  near  the  principles  of 
 our  modern  Socinians.  He  lived  about  the  year  of 
 our  Lord   72.      His    opinions    were  opposed  by  St. 
 
 John, 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY".  6oi 
 
 John,  Ignatius,  Justin  Martyr,  Irenaeus,  Tertullian, 
 Origen,  and  others. 
 
 215.  About  the  year  195  again,  Theodotus  of  By- 
 zantium, revived  the  same  heresy,  and  was  opposed  by 
 Caius,  Victor,  Hippolitus,  and  the  churches  of  that 
 age. 
 
 -216.  A rtemon  likewise,  about  the  year  205,  was  a 
 disciple  of  Theodotus,  and  a  promoter  of  his  erroneous 
 opinions.  He  too  was  resisted  by  the  same  Caius,  and 
 those  who  had  opposed  Theodotus  his  master. 
 
 217.  Beryllus,  bishop  of  Bostra  in  Arabia,  espoused 
 some  erroneous  sentiments  concerning  the  person  of 
 Christ,  A.  D.  242.  He  was  called  to  an  account  by 
 the  churches  of  those  days,  was  convinced  of  his  error 
 by  the  great  Origen,  and  restored  again  to  communion. 
 
 218.  Paul  of  Samosata,  bishop  of  Antioch,  A.  D. 
 26^y  gave  the  churches  fresh  occasion  for  exerting  their 
 zeal  in  behalf  of  our  Lord's  divinity.  Being  called 
 upon  to  answer  to  the  charge  of  heresy,  he  pretended 
 to  renounce  his  errors,  and  was  reconciled.  Soon  after, 
 hov/ever,  he  relapsed  into  the  same  heresy,  and  in  the 
 year  270,  was  again  accused,  convicted,  and  deposed. 
 
 219.  Arius  advanced  an  error  concerning  the  person 
 of  Christ,  A.  D.  317,  somewhat  different  from  the 
 former.  This  became  the  cause  of  asiemblino;  the 
 famous  Council  of  Nice,  where  he  was  condemned  by 
 near  3  i  y  bishops,  two  or  three  only  of  the  number  ad- 
 hering to  his  opinion. 
 
 This  short  view  of  the  several  heretics,  who  arose  in 
 these  early  ages  of  tlie  church,  shew  us  in  a  very  strong- 
 light,  that  the  real  and  proper  divinity  of  Christ  was 
 the  received  doctrine  of  the  general  body  of  believrrs 
 from  the  very  days  of  the  Apostles,  independent  of 
 every  other  evidence. 
 
 220.  As  a  further  proof  of  this,  it  may  be  urged, 
 that  when  the  Praxeans,  Noetians,  and  Sabellians, 
 charged  the  Orthodox  with  worshipping  three  Gods, 
 they  never  defended  themselves  by  insisting  that  the 
 
 E  e  e  c  Father 
 
6o2  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 Father  only  was  God,  and  the  Son  and  Spirit  creatures ; 
 but  they  studiously  and  conscientiously  avoided  every 
 thing  of  the  kind,  and  insisted,  that  tliough  bodi  Fa- 
 ther, Son,  and  Spirit,  were  God,  yet  that  there  was  but 
 one  living  and  true  God.  They  were  three  persons, 
 and  but  one  God.  This  single  circumstance  sh^r'As 
 plainly,  that  the  dcjctrine  of  the  Trinity,  in  the  com- 
 mon acceptation  of  tnat  term,  was  then  the  generally 
 received  doctrii^.e  of  the  church. 
 
 221.  I  think  too  we  may  justly  argue  from  the  opi- 
 nions of  the  DocetJE,  which  prevailed  in  the  time  of 
 St.  John,  that  Christ  v. as  lot  ked  upon  as  much  more 
 than  human.  Indeed,  these  heretics,  who  were  op- 
 posed both  by  St,  John  and  Ignatius,  had  such  an  ex- 
 alted opinion  of  the  Redeemer,  that  they  supposed  he 
 had  nothing  human  about  him,  and  that  all  his  suffer- 
 ings were  in  appearance  only. 
 
 2  22.  Another  circum.stance,  which  may  be  mention- 
 ed, seems  to  mjC  of  some  weight  in  this  question,  and 
 that  is,  when  the  Novatians,  Donatists,  and  Nestorians, 
 at  different  periods,  broke  off  from  the  Catholics,  they 
 retained  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity,  as  then  generally 
 understood,  and  only  varied  from  the  great  body  of 
 believers  in  some  inferior  circumstances:  In  like  man- 
 ner as  when  the  Protestants  broke  off  from  the  church 
 of  Rome  in  these  latter  ages,  they  retained  all  the  fun- 
 damentals of  the  gospel  professed  by  that  church,  and 
 only  rejected  the  abuses  which  had  crept  in  during  the 
 preceding  ages.  The  persons  who  lived  in  the  first 
 centuries  had  considerably  the  advantage  of  us  for  com- 
 ing to  the  knowledge  of  the  original  doctrines  of 
 Christianity,  because  they  had  before  them  the  writings 
 of  abundance  of  authors  which  have  long  since  perished 
 in  the  wreck  of  time. 
 
 ^A^^^ 
 
RECAPITULATION 
 
 WHOLE  EVIDENCE. 
 
 WE  have  now  gone  through  every  part  of  our  enquiry  in  the 
 manner  we  had  proposed.  We  have  traced  the  character  of  oUr 
 blessed  Saviour  frt  m  the  beginning  of  the  world  to  the  close  of  the 
 divine  canon.  We  have  seen  what  were  the  expectations  of  man- 
 kii  d  before  he  came ;  what  were  his  own  pretensions ;  what  the 
 declarations  of  both  friends  and  enemies  while  he  was  here  upon 
 eart  ;  and  wnat  the  representations  of  his  disciples  have  been  since 
 he  left  our  world,  when  they  were  under  the  fullest  degree  of  spi- 
 rituaJ  illumination.     And  the  sum  of  all,  in  one  view,  is  this : 
 
 I. 
 
 2. 
 
 3- 
 4- 
 
 5- 
 
 6.« 
 
 7- 
 8. 
 
 9* 
 
 lO. 
 
 1 1. 
 
 12. 
 
 '3- 
 14. 
 
 '5- 
 
 i6.» 
 
 >7- 
 18. 
 19. 
 20. 
 21. 
 22, 
 
 Christ  is 
 
 PART  FIRST. 
 
 the  seed  of  the  woman. 
 
 Enoch's  Lord,  coming  to  judge  the  wicked. 
 
 Abraham's  promised  seed. 
 
 Isaac's  promised  seed. 
 
 {promised  seed, 
 redeeming  angeL 
 gacnering  ihiloh. 
 expected  salvation, 
 the  true  Melchizedek 
 the  Jehovah  tempted  by  the  Israelites. 
 the  true  brazen  serpent. 
 Balaam's  star  and  sceptre. 
 Job's  living  redeemer. 
 Moses's  prophet  like  unto  himself. 
 Hannah's  anointed  king. 
 
 "anointed  king,  and  son  of  God. 
 son  of  man. 
 holy  one. 
 David's-^  Jehovah. 
 
 afflicted  one. 
 shepherd. 
 ^Lord  of  hosts,  and  king  of  glory. 
 
^04 
 
 AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 23.* 
 
 24. 
 
 25-* 
 
 t6. 
 
 27- 
 
 28.* 
 
 29. 
 
 30.* 
 
 31- 
 
 32- 
 
 33- 
 
 34.* 
 
 35-* 
 
 36.* 
 
 37-* 
 
 38.* 
 
 39- 
 
 40.* 
 
 4i.» 
 
 42. 
 
 43- 
 
 Christ  is 
 
 44. 
 
 45- 
 
 46.* 
 
 47- 
 
 48. 
 
 49.* 
 
 50. 
 
 51.* 
 
 52.* 
 
 53-* 
 
 54.* 
 
 55- 
 
 56. 
 
 57'* 
 
 58.* 
 
 59.* 
 
 60.^ 
 
 6..* 
 
 62. 
 
 63.* 
 
 64.* 
 
 atoning  sacrifice. 
 
 light  and  truth. 
 
 God,  whose  throne  is  established  in  ris^h- 
 
 teousness. 
 ascending  king,  God,  and  Lord, 
 rock. 
 
 Lord  God,  who  ascended  on  high, 
 afflicted  servant, 
 righteous  and  peaceful  king. 
 David's-(  most  high  God. 
 
 man  of  God's  right  hand,  and  son  of  man. 
 
 everlasting  seed. 
 
 Lord  of  the  whole  earth,  whom  the  angels 
 
 adore, 
 everlasting  and  unchangeable  God. 
 God,  who  was  tempted  in  the  wilderness. 
 Lord,  who  sitteth  at  God's  right  hand. 
 Lord,  who  existed  before  the  morning  star. 
 Just  one,  who  ruleth  over  men.     . 
 r  wisdom,  that  existed  from  eternity. 
 \  son  of  the  Creator. 
 Solomon's  ■,  son  of  the  Father. 
 
 )  rose  of  Sharon,  lily  of  the  valleys,  and  chief 
 C  among  ten  thousand. 
 
 .        ,    f  God,  who  overthrew  Sodom  and  Gomorrah. 
 Amos  s  I  Lord  God  of  hosts. 
 
 (Lord  their  God. 
 David,  king  of  Israel, 
 son  of  God. 
 God,  Lord  God  of  hosts,  and  Jehovah. 
 'more  than  mere  man. 
 Emanuel. 
 
 Lord  of  hosts  himself, 
 wonderful,   counsellor,  mighty  God,  ever- 
 lasting father,  prince  of  peace, 
 rod,  branch,  and  root  of  Jesse, 
 crown  of  glory  and  diadem  of  beauty, 
 precious  corner  stone,  and  sure  foundation. 
 God  coming  with  vengeance  &  recompense. 
 Isaiah's-^  Jehovah  our  God. 
 
 Lord  God,  who  should  come. 
 
 Lord  God,  who  should  feed  his  flock   as  s 
 
 shepherd. 
 Lord,  King  of  Israel,  Lord  of  hosts,  first 
 
 and  last. 
 God   of  Israel,  the   Saviour,   who  hideth 
 
 himself. 
 God  alone,  unto  whom  the  nations  are  com- 
 manded to  look,  bow,  and  be  saved. 
 Lord,  in  whom  we  have  righteousness  and 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY. 
 
 605 
 
 6;.» 
 66* 
 
 67. 
 6^. 
 69.* 
 
 70. 
 
 71.* 
 
 72.* 
 
 73.* 
 
 7+- 
 75- 
 76. 
 
 77.* 
 
 79-^ 
 80. 
 
 82. 
 83- 
 
 84. 
 85- 
 
 86.» 
 
 88.* 
 89.* 
 
 90.* 
 
 91. 
 
 Christ  is 
 
 strength,  and  in  whom  all  the  seed  of 
 
 Israel  shall  be  justified  and  shall  glory. 
 God  that  reigneth. 
 
 servant  of  God,  and  man  of  sorrows,  who 
 Laiah's^  should  atone  for  the  sins  of  mankind. 
 
 Lord  of  hosts,  and  husband  of  his  church, 
 witness,  leader,  &  commander  to  the  people, 
 mighty  and  righteous  conqueror  of  Edom 
 
 and  Bozrah. 
 Lord,  who  was  found  of  them  that  sought 
 
 him  not. 
 
 Micah's  /  '""'^^  ^"   Israel,   whose   goings   forth  have 
 1^    been  from  everlasting. 
 Being,  in  whom  man  should  trust, 
 righteous  branch,  whose  name  is   Jehovah 
 Jeremiah's  (  our  righteousnes?. 
 
 branch   of   righteousness,   whose    name   is 
 Jehovah  our  righteousness, 
 Ezeklds/^"^'^'^'^    David,    shepherd    of    the  Lord's 
 L  flock,  and  plant  of  renown, 
 
 -stone,   cut  out    of   the  mountain  without 
 
 hands, 
 son  of  man,  invested  with    universal  domi- 
 _.    .  ,,    ;  nion. 
 
 Darners  <  t      j    •        1 
 
 ^  Lord,  m  whose  name  he  prays  to  the  Lord 
 
 I  God. 
 
 Messiah  the  prince,  who  was  to  be  cut  off 
 L         ^s  an  atoning  sacrifice. 
 
 i  desire  of  all  nations. 
 
 f  Jehovah,  who  should  dwell  in  the  midst  of 
 his  people, 
 branch,  and  servant  of  the  Lord, 
 branch,  who  should  build  the  temple  of  the 
 Lord,  who  should  be  both  a  king  and 
 a  priest,  between  whom  and  the  Lord 
 Zeciia  :  of  hosts  should  be  the  council  of  peace, 
 
 humble,  just,  and  saving  king. 
 Lord,   in  whose  name  the  people  should 
 
 walk  up  and  down. 
 Jehovah  who  was  valued  at  thirty  pieces  of 
 
 silver. 
 Jehovah  who  should  be  pierced, 
 shepherd  and  fellow  of  the  Lord  of  hosts. 
 j  Lord  God   who  shall  come^  with    all   his 
 L         saints. 
 
 f  messenger  cf  the  covenant,  and  Lord  who 
 Malachi's  f  should  come  to  his  temple, 
 
 [sun  of  righteousness. 
 F 
 
 SS^'' 
 
6o6 
 
 AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 Besides  all  these  declarations  of  the  Old  Testament  concerning  the 
 Son  of  God,  we  have  an  account  in  the  same  sacred  writings  of 
 various  appearances  and  manifestations  of  the  same  adorable  person. 
 
 92. 
 93- 
 9+- 
 
 95- 
 
 g6.* 
 
 91* 
 
 98. 
 
 99. 
 
 100.* 
 
 101. 
 
 102.* 
 
 103.* 
 
 104.* 
 
 105. 
 
 106.* 
 
 107. 
 
 io8. 
 109.* 
 lie* 
 II  I.* 
 
 112.* 
 
 »i3- 
 
 114. 
 115. 
 116. 
 
 117. 
 118. 
 
 Messiah  appeared 
 
 at  the  creation  of  the  world. 
 
 to  our  first  parents  in  Eden. 
 
 at  the  confusion  of  tongues. 
 
 to  Abram  in  a  vision. 
 
 to  Hagar  in  the  wilderness. 
 
 to  Abraham  in  person  in  the  plains  of  Sodom. 
 
 to  Abimelech  king  of  Gerar. 
 
 to  Abraham  again  concerning  Ishmael. 
 
 to  Abraham  on  the  sacrifice  of  Isaac. 
 
 to  Jacob  in  his  journey  to  Padan-aram. 
 
 to  Jacob  at  Mahanaim. 
 
 to  Moses  in  the  burning  bush. 
 
 to  destroy  the  Egyptians. 
 
 to  the  Israelites  on  mount  Sinai. 
 
 to  the  Israelites  in  the  wilderness. 
 
 to  Moses  and  Aaron,  Nadab  and  Abihu. 
 
 to  Balaam  in  the  way. 
 
 CO  Joshua  as  captain  of  the  Lord's  host. 
 
 to  the  Israelites  at  Bochim. 
 
 to  Gideon  atOphrah. 
 
 to  Manoah  and  his  v/ife. 
 
 to  Isaiah  under  the  character  of  the  Name 
 
 of  the  Lord, 
 to  Daniel  as  king  of  the  whole  earth, 
 to  Zechariah  as  man-angel, 
 to  Zechariah  as  Angel-Jehovah, 
 to  Isaiah  in  the  temple.     And 
 to  Habakkuk  as  the  avenger  of  his  people. 
 
 This  is  the  amount  of  the  evidence  to  the  person  and  character  ot' 
 Christ  from  the  Old  Testament. 
 
 PART  SECOND. 
 
 The  evidence  from  the  New  Testament  is  as  follows  : 
 
 II 
 
 -120.*     Gabriel,    the  arch-angel,  declared,  even  before  our 
 Saviour   was   conceived  in  the  womb,  that  he  was  the 
 Lord   God  of  Israel,  barn  of  a  Virgin,  begctteti  of  the 
 Holy  Ghost,   called   the   Son  of  the  Highest,  the  Son  of 
 God,  and  an  euiriasiing  King, 
 Elizabeth,  the  mother  of  John  the  Baptist,  being  filled  with 
 the   Holy    Ghost,   declared  Jesus  Christ  to  be^^f^LoRD, 
 before  he  was  born  into  the  world. 
 122.*  Zacharias,  Jilled  y,'\\.\\  xht  Hcly  Ghost  also,  declared  that  his 
 
 121 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  bo; 
 
 son   John   should   be  the  prophet    of  the   Highest,   and  go 
 before  the  face  of  the  Lord  to'  prepare   his  way  ;    and  than 
 Christ  should  be  the  day-spring  from  on  high. 
 123.*  The  Angel,  after  his  birth,  declared  Jesus  to  be  Christ  the 
 
 Lord. 
 124.     Good    old   Simeon,   under  divine   influence,    with    the  child 
 Jesus  in  his  arms,  proclaimed  him  to  be  the  Sal'vation  and 
 Light  of  the  --world. 
 125.*  St.   Matthew  represents  him  as  bcgctten  by  the  Holy  Ghost, 
 and  born  of  the  'virgin  Mary,  as  the  Sa-uicur  of  the  world, 
 and  God  in  human  natun. 
 126* — 'I30.*     John  the  Baptist,   when  g'rowri  to  years  of  maturity, 
 bore  a  more  ample  testimony  to  his  great  Lord  and  Master 
 than  most  or  all  of  those  who  had  gone  before  him.     He 
 positively     declares,    that    "Jesu:   existed  before  he   himself 
 did : 
 
 That  jfesus  Christ  was  both  mightier  and  mere  ijcorthy 
 than  himself: 
 
 That  he  had  the  po-jcer  of  kesto'iving  the  Holy  Ghost  upon 
 whomsoever  he  pleased  : 
 
 That  the  souls  of  men  were  all  in  his  hand  to  re^jjard  or 
 punish  : 
 
 That  he  is  \ki(t only-begotten  Son  of  God  : 
 That  though  he  was  upon  earih   in   his  human  nature, 
 yet  he  still  continued,  in  a  way  not  to  be  explained   by   u?, 
 in  the  bosom  of  his  heavenly  F  other  : 
 
 That  he  was  the  Lord  spoken  of  by  Isaiah  ; 
 That  he  was  the  great  propitiation,  ranrom,  and  atone- 
 ment for  the  sins  of  the  world,  represented  by  the  paschal 
 Lamb,  and  the  morning  and  evening  sacrifice  under  the 
 Mojaical  dispensation  : 
 
 That  the  Spirit  of  God  descended  from  heaven  and 
 abode  upon  him  : 
 
 That  he  had  the  power  of  bestowing  the  Holy  Spi- 
 R  IT  upon  his  folloivers  : 
 
 That  he  was  ih;*  Son  of  God: 
 
 That  he  was  the  biidegroom  of  the  church,  and  de- 
 scended from  heaven,  where  he  had  seen  and  heard  the 
 will  of  God,  which  he  decljired  to  the  world  : 
 
 That  the  Holy  Spirit  was  given  unto  him  without  any 
 measure  or  restriction  : 
 
 That  the  Father  hath  a  peculiar  love  to  his  Son,  and 
 hath  given  all  things  into  his  hands  : 
 
 That  whosoever  believ«;th  on  the  Son  of  God  shall  be 
 everlastingly  saved  : 
 
 That  whosoever  contimieth  in  disobedience  and  unbeh'ef 
 to  the  end  of  his  days  shall  be  eternally  condemned,  and 
 the  wrath  of  God  abidcth  upon  him,  even  now  in  the 
 present  state. 
 
 This 
 
0o8  AN  APOLOGY   FOR  TliE 
 
 This  Is  the  information   John  the    Baptist  gives  us  concerning' 
 
 the  person,  character,  and  oifices  oil  the   Son  of  God  and  Saviour 
 
 of  men. 
 
 151.*  Nathaniel  calls  Christ  the  Soin  of  God,  and  the  King  of 
 Israel. 
 
 132.  Martha  tells  us  he  was  the  Christ,  and  the  Son  of  God, 
 who  should  come  tnto  the  world. 
 
 7^^ — 134..  Peter,  and  all  tli.e  Aposdes,  of  whom  he  was  the  mouth, 
 declared  most  assij redly,  that  Jesus  was  the  Christ,  the 
 Son  of  the  livinj;  GoiJ>,  and  of  infinite  knowledge  and 
 understandinrr. 
 
 135.  The  Magi  of  the  Eajt  offered  to  the  infant  Saviour  gifts  ex- 
 pressive of  their  belief  of  his  Divinity. 
 
 136.*  All  the  Apostles  coafessed  their  belief  in  the  omniscience  of 
 Jesus. 
 
 J 37.  A  whole  ship's  crew  'worshipped  Jesus,  and  acknowledged 
 that  he  was  the  Son  of  God. 
 
 138.  Pilate  would    take  n>to  denial,  but   declared    to  all  the  world, 
 
 that  Jesus  of  Nazareth  was  the  King  of  the  Jews. 
 
 139.  The  Roman  Centurajn,  struck  with   astonishment  at  the  won- 
 
 ders, which  acco-mpanied  the  crucifixion,  cried  out.  Truly 
 ■this  tvas  the  SoN  of  God. 
 
 1^0 — 142,  The  very  De^'Us  confessed  Jesus  to  be  the  Son  of  Gon, 
 and  well  knew  that  he  was  the  Christ. 
 
 143  — 144.  God  himself  iVath  repeatedly  declared,  that  Jesus  rs  his 
 bclo'vcd  Son,  in  'whom  he  =ivas  ixjell-pleased,  and  hath  com- 
 manded all  man'  ;nid  to  hear  and  obey  his  high  behests. 
 
 145.  The  unbelieving  Tht)mas,-  without  the  smallest  degree  of  dis- 
 approbation from  ihis  great  Master,  addressed  him  as  his 
 Lord  and  his  Gov*. 
 
 146 — 147.     Christ  avowed  himself  the  promised  Messiah. 
 
 148** — i6o.*  Jesus  Christ  asserted  his  own  pre-existence  in  the 
 clearest  and  most  saitisfactory  manner  upon  many  occasions. 
 
 161.  He  declares   that  there  is  something  inexplicably  mysterious  in 
 
 his  ov/n  nature. 
 
 162.  He  asserts  his  own   inf/n'tude  of    knowledge,  and    equality  to 
 
 his  Father. 
 
 163.  He  declares  his  owts  proper  filiation, 
 
 \bif.  He  assures  ki,^  he  is  the  Lord  of  the  sabbath  day, 
 
 l(}i^.  He  asserts  his  own  cmnipre\ence  and  o?nniscience. 
 
 166.  He  proclaims  himself  the  oni.y-begotten  Son  cf  Gop. 
 
 167* — 183.  Christ  speaks  of  hijiself  upon  many  occasions  in  the 
 most  easy  and  familiar  manner  as  the  Son  of  God,  in- 
 timating thereby,  that  God  is  his  true  and  proper  TpzYcnt. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  609 
 
 184. — 185.  Declares    he  had   actual   and   ahnighty  existence  at   the 
 
 very  time  his  body  was  laying  lifeless  in  the  grave. 
 i56.  Assumes  the  power  of  giving  natural  and  eternal  life  to  all 
 
 who  believe  in  his  name. 
 187.  Proclaims  himself  the    Lord   and  Master,  in  an  incbmmu- 
 
 nicahle  sense,  of  all  his  followers. 
 18S.  Declares  that  his  intention  in  coming  into  the  world  was  to 
 
 make  atonement  for  sin. 
 
 189.  Promifes /(?  ^/ayf// in  his  people   in   common '■MithW^Y Ki^zf^. 
 
 190.  Avows  himself  to  be  the  nvay,  the  truth,  and  the  ///>,   and  the 
 
 only  mediator  between  God  and  man — declares  that  he 
 who  had  seen  him  had  seen  the  Faiher — that  he  was 
 in  the  Father,  and  the  Father  in  him — that  what- 
 soever any  of  his  disciples  should  ask  the  Father  in  his 
 name  he  would  give  it  them — that  he  and  his  Father 
 would  dwell  in  the  hearts  of  Chriftians — that  he  would 
 send  the  Holy  Spirit  from  the  Father — that  the 
 business  of  tr>e  Spirit  should  be  to  testify  of  Jesus  in 
 the  hearts  of  his  people  and  glorify  him — that  all  things 
 which  belong  to  the  Father  belong  also  to  him. 
 
 191.*  Declares  himself  to  be  the  gi'-vcr  of  eternal  life — that  he  and 
 his  Father  are  one — that  he  was  the  Son  oi  God — that 
 the  Father  dwelt  in /^m  and  he  in  the  Father — and 
 that  he  was  equal  with  God. 
 
 192.*  Assumes  to  hin.self  the  power  of  working  on  the  sabbath  ia 
 common  with  his  Father — makes  himself  equal  with 
 God — asserts  his  OTi'w  power  to  be  like  to  that  of  his  Fa- 
 ther— declares    himself  the  y//^/^^  of  the    world and 
 
 claims  the  same  hmour  to  himself  that  is  given  to  his 
 Father. 
 
 193.  The /««««<•/- in  which  Christ  performed  several  of  his  miraca- 
 lous  works  was  in  the  highest  style  of  Deity,  and  in- 
 consistent with  every  idea  of  simple  humanity. 
 
 194 — 197.  Christ  laid  down  his  life  in  attestation  of  his  being  the 
 true  and  proper  Son  of  Cod. 
 
 198.  Declares /&/;Kjf^' possessed  of  «// power  both  in  heaven  and  in 
 
 earth. 
 
 199.  Requires  all  the  ivorld  to  be  baptized  in  his  name. 
 
 200.  Asserts  his  own  omnipresence. 
 
 201—205.  Declares  himself  the  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  beginning  and 
 the  ending,  the  Ahnigktf,  who  exists  from  everlafting  to 
 everlasting,  and  searcheth  the  hearts  and  trieth  the  reim 
 of  all  the  children  of  men. 
 
 After  this  we  have  the  opinions  of  the  apostles  and  disciples  of 
 our  Lord  when  he  had  withdrawn  from  our  world. 
 
 206 — 208.  St.  Stephen  declares  our  Saviour  to  be  the  Just  One— « 
 
 G  g  g  g  commits 
 
6io  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 commits  his  departing  spirit  into  his  hands — and  dies  cry- 
 ing to  him  for  mercy  on  his  murderers. 
 
 209.*  Peter,  and  all  the  Apostles,  being  assembled  together  in  one 
 place,  hinjcked  the  Lord  Jesus  to  direct  the  lot  for  the 
 choice  of  another  witness  in  the  room  of  Judas. 
 
 210.  The  same  Peter  assures  us,  it  was  not  possible  that  Christ 
 should  be  kept  in  the  grave  by  the  power  of  death. 
 
 211.*  He  speaks  of  Lhnst  in  such  a  connexion  with  the  Fathir 
 and  Holy  Ghost  as  seems  to  imply  something  more  than 
 human. 
 
 212 — 215.  He  calls  him  the  Holy  One,  the  Just,  the  Prince 
 OF   LIFE,  and  the  Lord  of  all. 
 
 216 — 222.*  He  says  that  Christ  existed  in  the  days  of  AW^ — — 
 that  all  the  angelic  world  are  now  made  subject  to  him — 
 calls  him  our  God  and  Saviour — declares  that  heaven 
 is  his  everlafting  kingdom — that  he  bought  us  from  wrath 
 — that  to  deny  him  who  thus  bought  us  is  a  damnable  herefy 
 — he  commands  us  to  grow  in  the  knowledge  of  him — and 
 ascribes  glory  to  him  forever. 
 
 223.  The  Eunuch  of  Ethiopia  declared  Jefus  to  be  the  Son  of  God. 
 
 '224.  St.  James  stiles  him  Lord  of   Glory. 
 
 225 — 226.  Jt  is  thought  by  some  that  St.  Jude  calls  Jesus  Christ 
 the  only  wise  God,  and  the  only  Lord  God. 
 
 227.*  The  manifestation  of  our  Saviour  to  Saul  in  his  way  to  Da- 
 mascus seems  toiiave  been  a  repetition  of  the  ancient  ap- 
 pearances to  Adam,  Abraham,  Mofes  and  others  under  the 
 Patriarchal  and  Mofaical  dispenfations. 
 
 228.*  St.  Paul,  .speaking  to  the  Elders  of  the  church  of  Ephesus, 
 calls  our  Saviour  God. 
 
 229* — 264.*  From  a  corisiderable  variety  of  precepts,  declarations, 
 and  examples,  it  appears  that  our  blessed  Sa-ziieur  is  an  ob^ 
 ject  of  religious  adoration,  and,  of  consequence,  that  he  is, 
 possessed  of  a  nature  properly  Divine. 
 
 265.*  St.  Paul  speaks  of  the  two  natures  of  Christ,  the  human  and 
 divine. 
 
 266* — 267.  He  contrasts  the  human  and  divine  natures,  and  ex- 
 pressly calls  Christ,  God  o'ver  all  blessed  fore-ver. 
 
 268* — 272.*  He  speaks  of  it  as  an  instance  of  great  condescension 
 in  God  to  fpare  his  Oivn  Son  to  die   for  mankind — assures 
 
 us  he  is  the  Lord  of  glory — the  Lord  from  heaven 
 
 and  denounces  a  most  awful  curse   upon  every  man  who 
 loves  not  the  Lo.'-d  Jesus  Christ. 
 
 573*— 275.*  He  declares  that  God  was  in  Christ  reconciling 
 the  world  unto  himself— that  he  was  made  a  sin-offering  for 
 his  people  that  they  might  be  saved — that  he  hved  in  a 
 state  of  glory  before  he  assumed  human  nature— and  that 
 he  emptied  himself  of  that  glory  and  became  a  poor  man, 
 to  restore  us  to  a  state  of  felicity. 
 
 276*— -279.*  He  assures  us  that  Christ  was  made  of  a  woman  for 
 
 the 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  Cii 
 
 the  salvation  of  mankind — that  his  love  in  this  undertaking 
 was  inexpressibly  great — that  he  was  in  the/o/v/z  of  God 
 and  thought  it  not  robbery  to  be  e^ua/  with  God  before  he 
 came  into  the  world — and  that  he  is  now  in  his  glorified 
 human  body  able  to  subdue  all  things  unto  himself. 
 
 afo* — 284.*  He  declares  that  Christ  is  the  creator  and  up/jol^/er  o£ 
 the  whole  uni'verse  of  things — that  all  the  wisdom  and 
 knowledge  of  the  Godhead  belong  to  him — and  that  he 
 was  God  manifested  m  the  fesh. 
 
 i85*— 286.*  He  calls  Christ  the  Lord  the  righteous  judge — and 
 the  great  God. 
 
 287*— 295.*  The  same  Apostle  tells  us  that  Christ  is  the  Son  of 
 God — the  heir  of  all  things — the  constitutor  of  the  ages — 
 the  brightness  of  the  Father's  glory — the  express  image  of 
 his  perfon — the  susiainer  of  the  universe — the  universal 
 atonement — and  the  unchanging  and  unchangeable  Cre- 
 ator of  the  world. 
 
 296*— 300.*  We  are  assured  by  the  same  authority,  that  Christ 
 was  superior  to  angels,  and  pre-existed  his  human  birth — 
 that  he  was  the  builder  znd  founder  of  the  Jewish  church — 
 3nd   that   he  is   omniscient — existed  at  the   giving  ot  the 
 
 Law    on    mount  Sinai and    is    unchangeable    in    his 
 
 nature. 
 
 301* — 304.*  St.  John  declares  that  the  Word  was  in  the  begin- 
 ning with  God,  and  was  God — that  he  was  the  Creator  of 
 the  universe,  and  the  illuminator  of  the  moral  world — 
 that  he  knew  the  secrets  of  all  hearts — that  he  was  pic- 
 existent  and  omnipotent — and  that  he  was  the  Son  of  God 
 the  Father,  and  the  Saviour  of  all  who  believe  in  his 
 name, 
 
 305* — 311.*  The  same  Apostle  maintains  both  his  humanity  and 
 divinity — assures  us  he  is  the  propitiation  for  the  sins  of 
 the  whole  world — that  he  laid  down  his  life  for  us — that 
 that  he  took  upon  him  human  nature,  and  in  that  nature 
 became  the  Saviour  of  the  world — that  he  is  one  with  the 
 Father  and  the  Holy  Ghost — and  is  the  true  God  and 
 eternal  life. 
 
 312* — 328.*  This  Apostle  closes  the  scriptural  canon  with  a  variety 
 of  expressions  descriptive  of  the  personal  dignity  and 
 glory  of  Jesus.  He  calls  him  the  Jlpha  and  Omega,  the 
 frst  and  the  last,  the  Almighty,  the  prince  of  the  kings  of 
 the  earth — he  tells  us  that  he  hath  the  keys  of  hell  and  of 
 death,  and  hath  life  eternal  to  bestow — he  assures  us  that 
 Christ  searcheth  the  reins  and  heart,  and  inhabiteth  the 
 praises  of  the  whole  angelic  world— he  calls  him  the 
 Word  of  God,  faithful  and  true.  King  of  kings  and  Lord 
 of  lords,  the  temple  and  the  light  of  heaven — he  says  the 
 throne  of  the  Lamb  is  in  heaven,  and  is  the  same  as  the 
 throne  of  his  Father — tnat  he  is  the  Alpha  and  Qmcga, 
 
 tiK- 
 
6is  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 tli6  beginning  and  the  end,  the  first  and  the  laft,  the  root 
 and  the  oiFspring  of  David,  the  bright  and  morning  star — 
 the  Lord  God,  and  the  great  God— and  that  lh« 
 Angels  are  employed  as  his  servants  and  ministers. 
 
 After  this,  we  proceeded,  in  the 
 
 THIRD  PART, 
 
 to  cxitninc  the  scripture-evidence  for  the  doctrine  of  the  Holt 
 Ghost,  and  we  found, 
 
 1.  That  the  Divine  Spirit  assisted  at  the  creation  of  th« 
 world.     Numbers  ^29,*  332.*  333>*  S9^>  5^2. 
 
 2.  The  Holy  Spirit  is  omnipresent,  omnipotent,  omniscient, 
 and  eternal.     Nos.   347,*  357,  482,  514,  515,*   585. 
 
 3.  To  lie  unto  him  is  the  same  as  lying  unto  God.  Nos.  449,* 
 450. 
 
 4.  Blasphemy  against  him  is  unpardonable.      Nos.    399,    400, 
 
 421- 
 
 5.  He  is  joined  with  the  Father,  and  the  Son,  in  baptism, 
 benediction,  operation,  and  testimony.  Nos.  402,  507,*  537,  553, 
 588,*  601. 
 
 6.  He  was  the  agent  in  forming  the  body  of  Christ.     Nos.  392, 
 
 393'  409; 
 
 7.  He  is  the  power  of  the  Highest.     Nos.  409. 
 
 8.  He  was  the  conductor  of  Christ  in  all  the  actions  of  his  life, 
 while  here  upon  earth.  Nos.  362,  396,  397,  405,  417,  418, 
 419,  426,  465,  490. 
 
 9.  He  striveth  with  the  hearts  of  men.  Nos.  330,  353,  454, 
 587. 
 
 10.  Men's  bodies,  by  being  the  temples  of  the  Spirit,  are  the 
 temples  of  God.     Nos.  $19,*  521,  535. 
 
 11.  The  Holy  Ghost  dwells  in  the  minds  of  all  good  men. 
 Nos.  331,  381,  382,  383.  522,  528,  533,  534,  536,  542,  554,* 
 568,  569,  579,  583.  595,  596,  597,  599. 
 
 12.  He  qualified  the  Apollles  of  Christ  for  the  work  to  which 
 they  were  called.  Nos.  438,  439,  44O,  442,  445,446,447,448, 
 456,  457,  458,  460,  466,  470,  471,  472,  477,  478,    479,    483, 
 
 484,  538>.539'  54O'  54^- 
 
 13.  He  is  the  author,  and  worker  of  miracles,  Nos.  398,  511, 
 575,  600. 
 
 14.  He  raised  Christ  from  the  dead,  and  shall  also  raise  the  bodies 
 of  believers  from  the  grave  at  the  last  day.     Nos.  498,  592. 
 
 15.  He  is  the  author  of   all  prophetic  knowledge.     Nos.  335, 
 
 336.    33'^»    340-  342>  348,  35I'  3^4»  3^S'  3^6,  401,  410.  411, 
 412,  413,  414,  474,  518,  594,  611. 
 
 16.  He  is  the  infpirer  of  ingenious  arts  and  Inventions.     Nos. 
 
 334'  349-*  .  .      .         ^ 
 
 ly.  He  is  the  reviver  of  the  powers  of  nature,  and  the  inspircr  of 
 
 courage 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITV.  613 
 
 coiifage  arid  fortitude.     Nos.  337,  339,  34.1,  34;,  369,  374,  379> 
 383,  556. 
 
 J  8.  He  it  was  who  led  the  Israelites,  and  gave  them  rest,  after 
 their  forty  years  travel  in  the  wilderness.     Njs.   363,*  365.* 
 
 19.  He  is  the  au:hor  of  all  moral  and  religious  excellence,  grace» 
 purity,  and  holiness.  Nos.  343,  344,  34G,  350,  352;  354,  355, 
 3;6,  358,  359,  361,  364.  366,  378,  380,  387,  389.  390,  394, 
 403,  406,  407,  408,  416,  4Z0,  423,  426,  427,  428,  430,  436, 
 443,  444,  452,  453,  455,  462,  467,  468,  473,  491,  492,  493, 
 494,  495,  497,  4.99,  500,  SOI.  503-  5°^'  5^9'  5'°'  S'2,  5»D, 
 520,  529,  530,  531,  5+3,  544,  545,  546,  <;47,  548,  549,  550, 
 551,  5?2.  5,9,  560,  561,  563,  564,  566,  567,  570,  577,  578, 
 5S0,  586,  59J,  602,  603.  60^,  607,  610,  6l2. 
 
 20.  He  is  the  author  of  all  religious  gifts  among  men.  Nos, 
 524,  52;,*   526,  527,  581,  604.,  608. 
 
 2J.  This  vSpirit  is  but  one.     Nos.   557,  558. 
 
 22.  He  hath  a  real  personal  existence.  Nos.  360,*  367,*  368,* 
 370,*  371.*  372,*  373.*  375,*  376,*  377,*  395,*  404.  415, 
 422,  424,*  425.  431,*  432,*  433.*  434,*  435,*  437.  44'. 
 450,  459,*  460,*  463,*  464,*  469,*  475,*  476,*  480,*  481.'' 
 485,*  486,*  487,  488,*  489,*  502,*  505,*  506,  517'  52^. 
 562,  576,*  5S3,  583,*  590,  606,  609,  613. 
 
 23.  He  reveals  Christ  to  the  minds   of   men.     Nos.  413,  523, 
 
 24.  He  is  the  Spi  RIT  of  God.     Nos.  377,  395,  593,  598. 
 
 25.  He  is  also  the  Spirit  of  Christ.  Nos.  496,  542,  564, 
 589. 
 
 26.  He  proceedeih  from  the  Father,  and  the  Son.     Nos.  423, 
 
 432»  433'. 434.  435.  445- 
 
 27.  He  is  distinguished  by  the  titles  Lord  and  Goo.     Nos,  449, 
 
 489,    507,    513,  519,  521,  532,  535,  566,  572,  573,  574,  582, 
 
 594-  .  .  , 
 
 28.  The  HoL  r   Spirit  is  an  object  of  religious  adoration.     Nos. 
 
 402,  537,  566,  572,  573.  574,  604. 
 
 Having  thus  a.^certaitied  the  scriptural  doctrine  concerning  thi 
 Son,  and  Holy   Sim  hit,  we  proceeded  in  the 
 
 FOURTH  PART, 
 
 to  examine  the  VVord  of  God  concerning  the  Sacred  Trinity, 
 arid  it  appears  that  the  scriptural  view  of  that  mysterious  Triplicity 
 stands  thus  : 
 
 1.  The  word  Elohini,  which  the  Hebrew  scriptures  most  common- 
 ly use  for  the  name  of  the  Supreme  Be  1  ng,  is  considered  by 
 many  respedable  scholars,  both  ancient  and  modern,  both  Jewish  and 
 Christian,  as  conveying  the  idea  of  plurality.  This  appears  from 
 Nos.  614,  617,  6iS,  620,  621,  622,  623,  626,  628,  629,  632, 
 633,  635,  6t,<),  641,  642. 
 
 ri  h  h  h  2.  Other 
 
€l4  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 3.  Other //ar^z/ nouns  are  used  for  the  name  of  God  in  a  manner 
 similar  to  that  in  which  Elohim  is  used.  Nos.  634,  640,  645,  647, 
 648,  650,  651,  663,  671,  672,  673,  674,  678,  682. 
 
 3  God,  moreover,  sometimes  speaks  of  himself  in  the  plural 
 number,  in  such  a  connection  as  enforces  the  plural  meaning  of  the 
 V/oid  Elohim.     Nos.   615,  6 1 6,  618 
 
 4.  In  some  passages  of  holy  scripture  ivjo  or  three  words  are  used 
 by  which  to  express  the  several  persons  in  the  Godhead.  Nos. 
 619,  624.  625,  630,  631,  638,  643,  644,  649,  653,  655,  656, 
 658,  659,  661,  669,  670,  675,  677,  681. 
 
 5.  There  are  other  places,  where  a  triple  repetition  of  the  same 
 word  seems  to  intimate  the  threefold  distinction  in  the  Deity. 
 Nos.  627,  652,  657,  676,  730,  789. 
 
 6.  The  three  persons  of  the  Godhead  are  very  frequently  men- 
 tioned together  in  the  same  text  or  context.     Nos.  636,  637,  646, 
 
 654,  660,  662,  664,  66:^,   666,    667,    668,    679,    680, 683, 
 
 684,  685,  686,  687,  688,  689,  690,  691,  692,  693,  694,  695, 
 696,  697,  698,  699,  700,  701,  702,  703,  704,  705,  706,  707, 
 708,  709,  710,  711,  712,  713,  714,  715,  716,  717,  718,  719, 
 720,  721,  722,  723,  724,  725,  726,  727,  728,  729,  730,  73i» 
 732.  733.  734'  735'  736.  737.  l^^>  739'  74°'  74 »»  742.  743, 
 744»  745'  746.  747'  748>  749'  75°'  75 »'  752.  753'   754»    755' 
 
 750.  757'  758.  759'  7^0,  761,  762,  763,  764,  765,    766,    767, 
 768.  769,  770,  771,  772,  773,  774,  775,  776,  777,   778,    779, 
 780,  781,  782,  783,  784,  785,  786,  787,  788,  789,    790,   791,. 
 792. 
 
 7.  Each  of  the  three  persons  in  the  Divine  Nature  is  an 
 object   of  prayer,  and   the  hopes  of  Christians.     Nos.  688,  732, 
 
 751,  765,  766,  767,  782. 
 
 After  having  surveyed  the  Sacred  Writings,  we  examined,  in  the 
 
 FIFTH  PART, 
 
 the  opinions  that  were  entertained  by  the  ancient  Jenvs  upon  these 
 deep  things  of  God,  and  found  the  fubstance  of  what  they  expected 
 in  their  Messiah  stand  thus  ; — 
 
 1 .  Tobit  seems  to  intimate  a  plurality  in  the  Godhead. 
 
 2.  The  book  of  Judith  ascribes  the  creation  of  the  world  to  the 
 Spirit  of  God,  or  rather,  to  the  Son  and  Spirit  of  God. 
 
 3.  Under  the  image  of  Truth  may,  possibly,  be  comprehended 
 the  eternity  and  omnipotence  of  Messiah. 
 
 4.  Esdras  speaks  of  him  as  the  Son  of  God,  and  the  l^ame  of  the 
 Lord. 
 
 5.  The  same  Esdras  calls  him  by  the  name  fesus  Christ,  Son  of 
 Cody  and  says  that  he  should  die. 
 
 6.  He  likewise  speaks  of  the  HoLy  Ghost  as  the  inspirer  of 
 knowledge. 
 
 7.  The  wise  Son  of  .Sirach  seems  to  think  it  was  the  Locos  who 
 conversed  with  Moses  on  mount  Sinai. 
 
 8.  The 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  615 
 
 S.  ThtJngelthit  appeared  to  Joshaa  is  called  by  him,  the 
 Lord,  and  THE  Mighty  Une. 
 
 9.  Elias  seems  to  have  wrought  his  miracles  by  the  power  of  the 
 Word  of  the  Lord  most  high. 
 
 10.  He  says  he  called  upon  the  Lord,  the  Father  of  his 
 Lord. 
 
 11.  Messiah   appeared  in  battle  in  behalf  of  his  chosen  people. 
 
 12.  The  author  of  the  Wisdom  of  Solomon  calls  the  /bird  person 
 in  the  Divine  Nature,  Wisdom,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  of  di:- 
 cipline,  and  declares  that  he  fiUeth  the  world. 
 
 13.  Hedescribeth  the  excellence  of  Messiah  under  the  cha- 
 racter of  Wisdom,  and  attributes  unto  it  such  perfections  as  are  in- 
 separable from  Divinity. 
 
 14.  He  prayeth  for  Wisdom,  declaring  that  she  sitteth  by  the 
 throne  of  God. 
 
 15.  He  assureth  us  that  the  Spirit  of  God  is  incorruptible, 
 and  pewadeib  all  nature. 
 
 16.  He  says  it  is  the  Word  of  the  Lord  which  healeth  all  things. 
 
 17.  He  calls  the  VVord  of  God,  Almighty,  says  he  is  seated  by 
 the  throne  of  God  ;  and  it  was  he  who  destroyed  the  Egyptians. 
 
 18.  Baruch  declareth,  God  shewed  himself  upon  earth,  and  con- 
 versed with  men. 
 
 The  learned  Ph  ILO  enlarges  much  upon  the  nature  of  the  Divine 
 Being.     He  says, 
 
 19.  The  Divine  Locos  is  the  power  which  made  the  world. 
 
 20.  The  Divine  Logos  is  the  image  of  God  :  the  Holy  Spirit 
 is  the  image  of  the  Locos,  and  the  universal  light  from  whence  all 
 splendor  springs. 
 
 2 1 .  Man  is  made  in  the  image  of  the  Divine  Logos. 
 
 22.  God  made  the  world  by  his  Logos. 
 
 23.  The  Divine  Logos  is  omniscient  and  omnipotent. 
 
 24.  With  God  are  two  Supreme  Powers,  the^/fr^/  made,  the 
 second  governs  the  universe. 
 
 25.  The  Divine  Logos  is  the  governour  oi  the  universe. 
 
 26.  God  made  the  world  by  the  Locos. 
 
 27.  The  tivo  PowE  RS  of  God  are  unlimited  and  incomprehensible. 
 
 28.  The  Supreme  Govt  is  superior  to  his  tvco  Powers,  is  to  be 
 seen  without  them,  and  appears  in  them. 
 
 29.  God  governs  the  universe  by  his  righteous  Locos,  who  is  his 
 frst'bom  Son. 
 
 30.  The  Son  of  God  is  an  intellectual  Being. 
 
 31.  The  Father  of  existence  produced  the  Locos  as  his  eldest 
 Son,  whom  he  has  named  his  Fi  rst-begotten. 
 
 32.  The  Jirsi-born  Locos  of  God  is  the  most  ancient  angel,  the 
 eirchangel  with  many  names,  the  beginning,  the  nafr.e  of  God,  the 
 man  according  to  his  image,  the  seeing  Israel,  the  most  ancieiit  Wor  d, 
 and  the  eternal  image  of  God. 
 
 33.  The  Father  of  the  universe  is  in  the  middle  of  his  tivo 
 
 POWERS, 
 
6i6  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 POWERS,  and  represents  to  the  mind  the  appearances,  sometimes  of 
 eke,  sometimes  of  three. 
 
 34.  The  t-wo  cherubim  on  the  mercy-seat  ifrcre  symbols  of  the 
 tivo  Poivers  of  Gob. 
 
 35.  The  most  ancient  Word  is  the  Prikce  of  a/r^f/j,  and  the 
 Mediator  between  God  and  man. 
 
 36.  The  holy  Locos  instructs  and  influences  the  minds  of  men, 
 spoke  to  Adam  in  the  garden  of  Eden,  and  to  Mcses  from  the  burning 
 bush. 
 
 37.  The  Divine  Logos,  the ;?'AV2'-<5(?^fl//f«  So H  o/"  Goi/,  is  higH- 
 PRiEST  of  the  world,  which  is  the  temple  of  the  Almighty. 
 
 38.  The  supplications  of  the  Jewish  high-priest  were  made 
 efficacious  through  the  infinitely  perfect  Son  ofGon. 
 
 39.  The  Logos  is  the  character  and  ijnage  of  God,  and  the  'viceroy 
 of  the  great  King  ;  the  true  manna;  the  maker,  and  governour, 
 and  enlightener  of  the  world;  x^at  first-born  Son  of  the  Father. 
 
 EusEBius  has  given  us  the  sentiments  of  the  ancient  Jews 
 pretty  much  at  large.     They  taught,  that, 
 
 40.  The  Second  Cause  is  the  Locos  of  Gob,  and  God  off  God. 
 They  applied  the  history  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  the  hundred 
 and  tenth,  and  the  thirty  third  psalms,  to  the  Locos  of  the  Father, 
 making  him  the  fabricator  of  the  universe. 
 
 41.  Besides  the  God  and  Father  of  the  universe,  they  in- 
 troduce a  second  person  and  di'vine  ponver,  called  the  Locos,  the 
 Wisdom  and  Power  of  God,  w\io  fabricated  the  ijjorld,  conducted 
 all  the  dispensations  of  providence,  and  to  whom  various  passages 
 oi  the  Old  Testament  are  applicable. 
 
 42.  The  Locos  is  the  charioteer  oi  God,  and  the  Creator  and 
 Governour  of  the  world. 
 
 43.  A  Triad  shines,  a  Monad  reigns  in  each;  and  the  world 
 wis  made  by  the  Wisdom  and  Logos  of  God. 
 
 44.  The  Logos  of  God  is  the  second  Principal,  the  first' 
 begotten,  the  co-adjutor  of  the  Father's  council,  the  ijnage  of  God, 
 the  wisdom  of  God,  x!ht  power  of  God,  the  general  of  the  host  of 
 the  Lord,  the  angel  of  the  great  council,  the  true  light,  and  the  sun 
 cf  righteousness. 
 
 After  the  second  Principal  there  is  also  a  third,  the  Holy 
 Ghost,  whom  they  deify  and  rank  in  the  first  and  royal  dignity  of 
 a  Principal  of  the  universe. 
 
 45.  The  Word  of  the  everlasting  God  is  eternal  and  the  support 
 of  the  universe. 
 
 46.  Jll  the  Hebrew  Difines  acknowledged  the  Holy  Ghost 
 to  be  God,  and  the  inspirer  of  the  prophets. 
 
 47.  EzEKiEL,  the  Jew,  who  lived  about  two  hundred  years  be- 
 fore Christ,  makes  the  Angel  who  spake  to  Moses  out  of  the  bush, 
 and  the  Angel  that  destroyed  the  Egyptians,  to  be  the  Divine 
 Logos. 
 
 48.  Aristobul us,  who  lived  near  one  hundred  and  fifty  years 
 before  the  Christian  xra,  makes  the  Second  Cause'  the  source  of 
 
 light. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  617 
 
 cf  light,  and  the  Wisdom   spoken  of  by  Solomon  that  existed  be- 
 fore che  heavens  and  the  earth. 
 
 49.  The  Grecian  philosophers  got  all  their  notions  of  the  crigi- 
 nal  of  things  from  the  law  of  Moses. 
 
 50.  Orpheus  says,  that  all  the  «//r;>;i/ Locos  shines  in  the  r;w- 
 mortal  MhKEVi  of  the  world,  and  that  he  sits  on  the  circle  of  the 
 heavens  and  orders  all  that  is. 
 
 The  Testaments  of  the  twelve  Patriarchs  were  written  to- 
 wards the  close  of  the  sfecond  century. 
 
 51.  The  Testament  of  Levi  says,  Messiah  was  to  be  God  znd 
 Man. 
 
 52.  The  Testament  of  Zebulon  says,  God  shall  be  seen  in  the 
 Jigure  of  man.  ♦ 
 
 53.  The  Testament  of  Nephthali  says,  God  shall  appear  d-i^^eU 
 ling  among  men  on  earth. 
 
 54.  Tne  Testament  of  Ashur  says.  The  most  High  shall 
 visit  the  earth  in  the  musk  of  man,  eating  and  drinking  with  them. 
 
 55.  The  Testament  of  Benjamin  says.  The  King  of  heaven 
 appeared  upon  earth  in  x\\t  form  of  man  in  a  state  of  humiliation. 
 
 56.  Rabbi  Jonathan  says,  the  Spirit  o/'Goi/,  mentioned  in 
 the  first  chapter  of  Genesis,  was  the  Spirit  of  mercies  from  before 
 the  Lord. 
 
 57.  Bereschit  Rabba  calls  it  the  Spirit  of  Messiah  the 
 King. 
 
 '      58.  Rabbi  Si  meon  called  himself,   his  son,  an  J  one  of  his  scholars,^ 
 placed  in  &  peculiar  m3.nner,  the  type  of  all  that  is. 
 
 59.  He  compjires  God  and  his  t-^vo  Powers  to  three  lights. 
 
 60.  He  compares  them  again  to  three  heads  contained  in  one 
 icdd. 
 
 61.  He  speaks  of  the  word  Elohim  as  containing  a  great 
 mystery,  and  referring  to  a  t  ri  n  it  y  in  unity. 
 
 62.  The  Talmudists  are  said  to  acknowledge  most  of  the 
 particulars  revealed  in  the  gospel  concerning  the  Sa-viour  of  man- 
 kind. 
 
 63.  The  same  Talmudists  apply  the  description  of  Wisdom 
 in  the  eighth  of  Proverbs  to  Messiah,  and  deddre  it  was  to  him  God 
 said.  Let  us  maie  man. 
 
 64.  There  are  three  co-eternal  primordial  Heads. 
 
 6j.  Moses,  the  son  of  Nehemannus,  ascribes  most  of  the 
 Divine  Appearances  in  the  Old  Testament  to  Messiah. 
 
 66.  The  Jewish  book  Resciut  Chocmah  says.  There  are 
 three  Gods,  when  explained  in  a  certain  way. 
 
 ^   67.  The    Jewish     book,    called   Midrasch    Tillim,  makes 
 mention  of  three  persons  by  whom  the  world  was  made. 
 
 68.  Rabbi  Phineas  saith,  the  Holy  Spirit  rested  upon 
 Joseph  all  his  life. 
 
 69.  The  Holv  Spirit,  says  he  again,  rested  twenty  years  up- 
 on lizwkiel. 
 
 I  i  i  i  70.  The 
 
6i8  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THIi 
 
 70.  The  ancient  Cabealists  distinguished  God  into  three 
 //f^/j,  and  even  call  them  by  the  names  of  Father,  Son,  and 
 Holy   Ghost. 
 
 71.  7 he  Jews  acknowledge  Christ  taught  that  he  was  God. 
 
 72.  The  modern  Jews  confess  that  Messiah  when  he  comes  is 
 to  be  born  of  a  'virgin. 
 
 73.  A  Jewish  prayer,  composed  against  the  Christians  in  the  year 
 of  cur  Lord  52,  takes  for  granted  they  wtxt  teachers  of  a  Tri- 
 nity and  the  divinity  of  Christ. 
 
 74.  In  another  composition,  the  Jews  acknowledge,  that  Christ 
 and  his  disciples  taught  that  he  was  God,  born  of  a  'virgin,  by  the 
 Holy  Ghost. 
 
 75.  Joseph  us  has  left  on  record,  that  Christ  was  an  extraordi- 
 nary person, 
 
 76.  The  religious  Jgws  believe  that  Messiah  is  to  be  God  and 
 MAN,  and  that  he  shall  die  for  the  sins  of  men. 
 
 The  learned  Heathen  came  under  our  survey  in  the, 
 
 SIXTH  PART, 
 
 and  we  were  not  a  little  surprized  to  find,  that  they  too  were  as  firmly 
 per.-uaded  of  a  Triplicity  in  the  Divine  Nature  as  the  most 
 enlightened  of  the  Jews. 
 
 1.  Zoroaster  delivered  various  things  concerning  the  complex: 
 nature  of  the  Divi  ne  Being. 
 
 2.  The  ancient  Persians  had  their  Trinity. 
 
 3.  The  Egypt  I  ans  had  both  a  name  and  hieroglyphic  for  the 
 Trinity. 
 
 4.  Mercurius  TrIsmegistus  spake  of  three  Principals. 
 
 5.  ORPHEUb  clearly  asserted  the  three  Principals. 
 
 6.  Pythagoras  spake  much  concerning  the  same  three  Prin- 
 cipals. 
 
 7.  Epicharmus  considered  the  Logos  as  the  author  of  rea- 
 son in  man. 
 
 8.  Parmenides  asserted  the  triad   of  di-vine  hypostases, 
 
 9.  Socrates  intimates  a  full  expectation  of  a  teacher,  whom  he 
 calls  the  Di vine   Logos. 
 
 10    £u  POL  IS  has  the  same  ideas. 
 
 11.  Plato's  opinions  on  this  subject  bear  a  striking  resemblance 
 to  the  doctrine  of  the  Christian  Trinity. 
 
 12.  Aristotle  had  some  ideas  of  a  divine  teacher,  who  might 
 be  expected  to  appear  among  men. 
 
 13.  Ze  NO  makes  the  Logos  the  creator  oi  x\\e.  world,  and  calls 
 him  GtD  the  Word,  affirming  that  he  is  eternal. 
 
 14.  The  RoM  ans,  Phr  YG  I  ANS,  and  Samothracians  were 
 rot  entirely  strangers  to  the  triple  distinction,  though  it  is  probable 
 they  knew  little  or  nothing  of  the  nature  of  it. 
 
 J  J.  Cicero  speak*  ci  the  three  guardians  of  the  universe. 
 
 16.  Various 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  619 
 
 16.  Various  instances  of  a  triplkity  among  the  Greeks  and 
 Romans. 
 
 17.  Virgil  hath  said  such  things  of  some  extraordinary  child, 
 as  are  little  applicable  to  any  merely  human  being. 
 
 18.  Seneca,  the  tragedian,  seems  to  have  intimated  some 
 thing  concerning  the  three  Principals. 
 
 19.  Seneca,  the  philosopher,  was  no  stranger  to  the  doctrine  of 
 a  Tri  n  iTY. 
 
 20.  Pontius  Pilate  informed  Tiberius,  that  Christ  was  be- 
 lieved by  many  to  be  a  God. 
 
 21.  SuioN  Magus  had  some  notions,  though  extremely  absurd, 
 of  the  T  R  1  p  L  I  c  I  T  Y  in  the  Diwne  Nature. 
 
 22.  Pliny  bore  witness  to  the  religious  worship  of  Jesus 
 Christ. 
 
 23.  LuciAN  was  well  acquainted  with  the  belief  of  the  Christians 
 concerning  the  Trinity,  and  their  practice  in  luorshipping 
 Ch  rist. 
 
 24.  Adrian  speaks  of  some  persons,  who  urged  a  patriarch  of 
 the  jev/s  to  the  ^worship  of  Ch  r  ist. 
 
 25.  Celsus  acknowledges  the  Christians  of  his  age  believed 
 Christ  was  God,  and  agreed  with  the  Jews  that  the  Logos  is  the 
 Son  of  God. 
 
 26.  Alexander  SEVERUshad  it  in  contemplation  to  buiU  a 
 temple  to  Christ. 
 
 27.  Nu  MtNi  us  calls  the  Father  the/rj/,  and  the  Word  the 
 second  God. 
 
 28.  Plot  1  Nus  calls  the  Locos  a  second  Govt — affirms  that  he 
 is  not  separated  from  \.\\e  first  God — but  tiiat  he  is  the  Son  of  God. 
 He,  moreover,  speaks  at  large  of  the  three  Di-vine  persons,  whom  he 
 e\'pTtss\y  czWs,  three  persons  t'wAt.  axe  principals  ;  and  assures  us  this 
 was  no  new  doctrine,  but  taught  by  Pa  rmen  i  des  and  Plato. 
 
 29-  Amel  I  us  speaks  of  the  Word  c/"  God  as  the  il/^/^tr  of  all 
 things,  and  applies  the  description  of  him  by  St.  John  much  in  the 
 same  manner. 
 
 30.  Porphyry  says  the  Locos  is  elernaU  and  that  the  Chris- 
 tians weakly  ^worshipped  Ch  rist. 
 
 31.  Chalcidius  says  the  Locos  of  God  is  God,  is  co-existent 
 with  God,  and  a  'venerable  God. 
 
 32.  Julian  the  Apostate  acknowledges  that  St.  John  denoirii- 
 nated  our  Sa-viour  God. 
 
 33.  Li  BAN  lus  sa)'S  the  Christians  made  Christ  both  God, 
 and  the  Son  of  God. 
 
 34.  Hierocles  confesses,  that  the  Christians  proclaimed  Jesus 
 to  be  God. 
 
 35.  Proclus  calls  the  doctrine  of  three  Di-vine  persons  subsisting 
 in  the  God  head,  1  he  traditio7i  of  the  three  Gods,  the  divinely 
 dcli'vercd  theology,  and  that  Psyche  dwells  with  the /«/r/-«^// mind. 
 
 36.  The  Scandinavians  inculcate  the  ivorship  ct  a  t  r  i  p  l  f. 
 Deity. 
 
 37.  The 
 
620  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 37.  The  Mexican  Indians  entertained  some  imperfect  ideis 
 of  a  TRIPLE  Divinity. 
 
 38.  The  Hindoos  adore  three  principal  deities,  who  are  still  but 
 o?ie. 
 
 39.  The  Tartars  and  Siberians  adore  o}ie  God  under 
 THREE  denominations. 
 
 40.  The  Chinese,  in  common  with  all  the  rest  of  the  rations, 
 are  found  to  entertain  ideas  of  a  threefold  distinction  in  the  Divine 
 Nature. 
 
 41.  The  inhabitants  of  the  South  Sea  Islands  are  also  found 
 to  entertain  some  ideas  consentaneous   to  the  doctrine  of  the  Tr  i- 
 
 NITY. 
 
 After  all  this,  it  would  have  been  unpardonable  to  have  passed 
 over  the  sentiments  of  the  Christian  Fathers,  who  have 
 spoken  so  much  more  fully  upon  these  deep  things  of  God,  than 
 either  the  Je-ivs  or  the  Heathens  had  done  before  them.  We,  there- 
 fore, took  into  consideration  what  they  had  advanced  in  the, 
 
 SEVENTH  PART; 
 
 when  it  appeared  that, 
 
 I — 5.  Barnabas  believed  the  pre-existence  of  Ghrist — that  he 
 was  present  at  the  creation  of  the  world — that  it  was  he  to  whom 
 the  Father  said,  Let  us  make  7nan — that  he  was  the  Lord  of  the 
 whole  earth,  before  he  took  upon- him  human  nature — that  the  sun  is 
 the  work  of  his  hands — that  he  existed  in  a  state  of  glory  brighter 
 than  that  luminary  before  he  assumed  human  nature — that  he  is 
 appointed  judge  of  quick  and  dead — tnat  in  his  ciginal  nature  he 
 was  incapable  of  siiftering — that  all  things  were  made  by  him  and 
 for  him — and  that  honour^  power,  and  glory  are  forever  to  be  ascribed 
 unto  hixTi. 
 
 6 — 7.  Her  MAS  believed  that  the  Son  of  God  is  more  ancient 
 than  any  creature — that  he  was  with  the  Father  when  the  world 
 was  made — that  he  was  in  council  with  the  Father  upon  that 
 occasion — that  he  is  great  and  without  bounds — and  that  the  whole 
 world  is  supported  by  him. 
 
 8 — 19.  Clement  believed,  that  Jesus  had  a  being  before  he  wa^ 
 born  of  the  virgin  Mary — that  the  Corinthians  had  the  sufferings  of 
 God  always  before  tiieir  eyes — that  Christians  have  one  Gob,  one 
 Christ,  and  one  Spirit  of  grace — that  glcry  and  majesty  are 
 eternally  to  be  ascribed  to  Jesus  Christ — that  he  sprung  in  a 
 direct  line  from  Abraham  according  to  his  human  generation — that 
 he  made  atonement  by  his  blood,  and  is  the  proper  object  of  prayer 
 — that  we  ought  to  think  of  him  as  God,  and  the  universal  Judge  of 
 mankind — that  he  is  to  be  worshipped,  not  only  externally,  but  with 
 all  our  inward  powers— and  tliat  he  existed  as  a  spirit  before  he 
 took  upon  him  human  nature. 
 
 20 — 43,  Ignatius  believed,  that  Christ  was  God — that  he  was 
 God  and  man — that  he  was  both  made  and  not  made — sprung  from 
 
 God 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  621 
 
 God  and  from  Mary — passible  and  impassible — that  he  was  con- 
 ceived in  the  womb  of  Mary  by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost — 
 that  he  appeared  as  God  in  the  form  of  man — and  was  both  Son  of 
 God,  and  son  of  man — before  all  ages  the  only-begotten  Sow  and 
 Word,  and  made  man  of  the  virgin  Mary — that  he  was  incorporeal 
 in  a  body — exempt  from  sufferings  in  a  suffering  body — and  immortal 
 in  a  mortal  body — that  he  was  with  the  Father  before  all  ages, 
 appeared  in  the  end  to  us — and  is  his  eternal  Word — that  both  the 
 apostles  and  believers  are  subject  to  Christ,  and  to  the  Father, 
 and  the  Holy  Ghost — that  Christ  is  above  all  time,  eternal  and 
 invisible,  impalpable  and  impassible,  in  his  higher  nature,  though 
 made  visible  and  subject  to  suffering,  in  order  to  procure  the  salva- 
 tion of  mankind — that  he  was  a  proper  object  of  praise — raised 
 himself  from  the  grave — and,  though  present  in  the  body  with  us 
 men,  was  united  to  his  Father  in  the  spirit.  This  venerable  martyr 
 further  believed  our  blessed  Saviour  to  be  a  proper  object  of  prayer  ^ 
 and  prayed  to  him  accordingly  in  the  most  direct  terms,  and  upon 
 the  most  solemn  occasions.  The  believers  also,  who  wrote  an  ac- 
 count of  his  martyrdom,  conclude  their  narration  with  Sidoxology  to 
 the  holy  and  undivided  Trinity. 
 
 44 — 48.  PoLYCARP  believed  that  Jesus  Christ  is  exalted  at  the 
 right  hand  of  his  Father — that  all  things  in  heaven  and  earth  are 
 made  subject  unto  him — that  every  living  creature  shall  ^worship  him 
 — that  he  shall  come  to  be  the  judge  of  quick  and  dead — that  he 
 is  our  everlasting  Higli-Priest,  and  the  Son  of  God — that  God 
 willed  his  Son  to  be  incarnate  for  our  salvation — and  that  Luke  made 
 known  the  di-vinity  of  Christ. 
 
 This  same  good  man  ser^jed  ]t%VLS  Christ  all  the  latter  part  of  his 
 life,  calling  him,  in  the  face  of  his  enemies,  his  King  and  his  Saviour 
 -^and  died  ascribing  glory  to  Father,  Son,  and  Ho  l  y   Ghost. 
 
 49 — 53-  The  Roman  governour  at  Smyrna  strongly  intimates,  that 
 the  Christians  of  his  xxn\t.  ii:orshipped  ]ti\i%  Q.\\x\%x..  The  believers 
 of  that  church  also,  who  wrote  an  account  of  Polycarp's  martyrdom, 
 declare  that  they  themselves  did  and  should  continue  to  --worship  Jesus 
 Christ  as  the  Son  of  God.  And  accordingly  they  three  times  over, 
 in  the  course  of  a  few  lines,  ascribe  glory  to  the  three  Persons  of  the 
 Divine  Nature^  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  in  which 
 ascription  of  glory  and  praiae  the  transcribers  of  that  Narrative 
 likewise  unite. 
 
 This  is  the  evidence  of  the  apostolical  Fathers. 
 
 Let  us  now  proceed  to  recapitulate  the  sentiments  of  the  second 
 century. 
 
 SECTION  THIRD. 
 
 54.  QuADRATus,  bishop  of  Athens,  appears  to  have  been  of 
 the  true  orthodox  faith. 
 
 55.  Aristiues,  a  philosopher  of  the  same  city,  was  equally 
 orthodox. 
 
 K  k  k  k  56.  The 
 
623  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 56.  The/"?v/ Fi  FTEE N   Bishops  of  Jerusalem  to  the  year   136 
 were  the  same. 
 
 57.  MiLTJADEs  about  150,  held  the  same  opinions. 
 58;  rI;EGEsi FPUS  was  of  the  same  faith. 
 
 SECTION  FOURTH. 
 
 59 — 69.  Justin  Mart  yr,  not  the  first  who  held  the  doctrine 
 of  the  Trinity — declares  that  he  and  his  friends  ^worshipped 
 Fat  HE  R,  Son,  and  Spi  r  it — that  Christ  instructed  them  in  ador- 
 ing in  this  order— that  Christ  is  the  Logos,  the  Son,  the  Fi  rst- 
 BE  got  TEN,  and  Power  of  God,  who  became  man — that  he  is 
 not  to  be  considered  as  mere  man,  but  possessed  of  Divinity — '• 
 that  the  Locos  was  the  first  power  next  to  the  Father  and  Lord  of 
 all,  and  that  he  was  made  man — that  the  Locos  and  Son  of  God  is 
 also  God — that,  after  the  Father,  they  ivorshipped  the  Word  of 
 God,  who  became  man — that  he  was  God  off  God,  pre-existed  ia 
 the  form  of  God,  and  was  born  man  of  a  virgin — that  this  Begotten 
 of  God  is  sometimes  called  the  Glory  of  the  Lord,  the  Son,  the 
 Wisdom,  and  the  Angel  of  God  ;  sometimes  God,  Lord,  and 
 Logos — that  he  \'«is  God  and  became  man — that  he  is  the  M  a  k  E  R 
 andGovERNOUR  of  the  universe.  He,  moreover,  declares,  that 
 all  these  principles  were  not  his  own  private  opinions  merely,  but  the 
 common,  well-known  sentiments  of  Christians  in  these  first  and 
 purest  ages. 
 
 SECTION  FIFTH. 
 
 70.  Tatian  also  received  the  pre-cxistence  and  di-vinity  of 
 Jesus  Christ. 
 
 71.  Alexander,  the  martyr,  died  professing  the  nuorship  of 
 Christ. 
 
 72 — 73.  Ep  I  pod  I  us,  the  martyr,  acknowledged  Christ  to  be 
 eternal — God  and  «z«« — and  God  with  the  Father  and  Holy 
 Ghost. 
 
 74 — 75.  Mem  TO,  bishop  of  Sardis,  speaks  of  Christ  as  perfect 
 God  ^vA  perfect  7n an — as/?-.vcGoD  eternally — and  declares  that  the 
 Christians  of  his  day  together  witli  the  Father, '7rorj/'//>/f£/CH  r  1st, 
 who // /r«/j' God  hif ere  all  ages .  '        '  • 
 
 76 — 79.  Theophilus,  of  Antioch,  declares  that  the  Word  is 
 the  Son  of  God — that  the  first  three  days  of  the  creation  were 
 types  of  the  Trinity,  God,  his  V/ord,  and  Wisdom — that  the 
 Word  was  God,  and  sprung  from  God — and  that  when  God  said. 
 Let  us  make  man,  he  spake  to  his  Word  and  Wisdom. 
 
 80 — 81.   Athe  nacor  AS  acknowledges  the  three  persons  of  t^iC 
 Divine  Nature,  and  speaks  of  them  pretty -much  at  large,  in 
 a  manner  utterly  inconsistent  with  every  idei  of  Socinianism. 
 ,   82.  Andrgnicus,  the  martyr, /wx'O/ft'.y  and  luorshipped  Christ. 
 
 83.  Ath  ENOG  I  nes,  the  martyr,  -Tvorshipped  Jesus  Christ,  and 
 ascribed^lory  to  Father,  Son,  and  Spirit. 
 
 84.  Blan  d  IN  a,  the  martyr,  addressed  her  dying  prajer  to  her 
 bicisea  Saviour. 
 
 85—95.  Ire- 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  62J 
 
 85 — 95.  iRENiEus  says,  that  Jesus  Christ  Is  the  Son  of  God, 
 incarnated  of  the  virgin  Mary  for  our  salvation — that  it  is  the  good 
 pleasure  of  the  invisible  Father  e-uery  creature  should  bo-iu  to  him — '' 
 that  he  is  our  Loan,  and  God,  and  Sa-viour,  and  King,  who  shall 
 judge  men  and  angels,  and  reward  or  punish  them  according  to  their 
 respective  conduct — that  this  was  the  faith  of  the  whole  Christian 
 world  at  the  time  he  lived — tha:  God  made  the  whole  universe  of 
 things  by  his  Word  and  Spirit — that  Christ  was  Gou  and  man 
 united — that  he  was  truly  God  and  truly  Lord — being  invisible  he 
 was  made  'visible — being  inco7nprehensible  he  became  comprehensible — 
 being  impassible  hs  \ttzziiit passible — and,  being  the  Word  of  God, 
 he  became  ?nan — that  he  alvjays  ^;f//^f^  with  the  Fath  er,  but  in 
 due  time  became  incarnate  for  the  salvation  of  mankind— that  he  is 
 God,  and  Lor  J,  the  eternal  Y>.\  kg,  the  Only-begotten,  the 
 incarnate  Word,  the  holy  Lord,  the  n.uonderful  Counsellor,  the 
 mighty  GoD,  the  Emmanuel — that  he  redeemed  us  from  death  by  his 
 own  blood — and  that  they  who  say  he  was  nothing  more  than  a 
 mere  man,  have  neither  part  nor  lot  in  his  salvation. 
 
 96 — 102.  Clemens  Alexanurinus  stiles  Christ  the  li-vino- 
 God  who  was  to  be  adored — says  he  was  God  and  man — addresses 
 him  jointly  with  the  Father — speaks  of  the  Trinity,  and  says 
 that  all  things  were  made  by  Christ — that  Christ  is  the  Son  of  God, 
 and  God  in  the  form  of  man — that  the  Holy  Spirit  is  omnipresent, 
 and  that  the  Tri  nit  Y  is  to  be  <2(/i?rfi/.  He  says,  moreover,  that 
 the  Son  of  God  is  the  Goxvr«o«r  of  the  universe — omnipresent 
 — omniscient — and  that  to  him  all  the  hosts  of  heaven  are  in 
 subjection. 
 
 SECTION  SIXTH. 
 
 103.  Mi  nut  I  us  Felix  testifies  that  the  Chriitians  of  his  day 
 paid  divine  honour  to  Jesus  Christ. 
 
 104 — no,  Tertullian  declares  the  faith  of  Christians  at 
 considerable  length.  He  assures  us  that  there  is  but  one  God — that 
 he  made  all  things  out  of  nothing  by  his  Word — that  this  Word 
 is  his  Son,  who  appeared  variously  under  the  old  dispensation  to  the 
 Patriarchs  in  the  name  of  God — that  he  became  incarnate  in  the 
 womb  of  the  virgin,  and  earned  salvation  for  the  sons  of  men — that 
 he  was  man  and  God,  Son  of  man  and  Son  of  God — that  the  Fa^ 
 ther  is  God,  the  Son  is  Gou,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  is  God,  and 
 every  one  of  than  is  God— that  the  names  of  God  the  Father  belong 
 to  Christ  the  Son — and  that  the  Word  is  in  his  o^vn  right  Gou 
 Almighty — that  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Spirit,  con- 
 stitute the  Divine  Unity — that  the  Locos  was  the  ivisdom  that 
 assisted  at  the  creation,  and  presided  over  the  Vvhole  work — that  he 
 is  a  Spirit  cfFa  Spirit,  a  God  off  God,  both  God  and  the  Son  of 
 God,  and  God-man. 
 
 Ill — 116.  Origen   affirms  that  there  is  but  one  God — that  h.e 
 
 •  -  '^  ■    •  made- 
 
624  AN  APOLOGV  for  the 
 
 made  all  things  out  of  nothing  by  his  Son — that  this  Son  was  be- 
 gotten of  his  Father  before  every  creature— that  he  emptied  him- 
 self and  became  incarnate — that  he  was  born  of  a  virgin  by  the 
 power  of  the  Holy  Ghost — that  he  remained  God,  though  made 
 man— that  the  Son  of  God  is  omnipotent ~~t\\iit  he  is  the  God  of 
 the  luhole  creation — that  we  must  ivorihip  the  Father  and  the  Son 
 —and  that  they  who  say  that  Christ  was  only  man  are  to  be  con- 
 sidered in  the  light  of  heretics. 
 
 117 — 131.  Cyprian  says,  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  God 
 and  Lord  of  Christians,  and  is  to  be  adored — that  the  Trinity 
 was  to  be  revealed  to  the  world  under  the  Christian  dispensation—— 
 that  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  are  ONE — that  the 
 Word  and  Son  of  God  is  the  messenger  of  salvation — that  he  was 
 the  Power,  the  Word,  the  Wisdom,  and  the  Glory  of  God- 
 that  he  descended  into  the  womb  of  the  virgin  PJary,  was  made 
 man  by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost — and  thus  God  united  himself 
 Id  vian — that  he  was  the  First-ekgotten  and  Wisdom  of  the 
 Father,  by  whom  all  things  were  made — that  the  Angel  who  ap- 
 peared to  the  patriarchs  was  Christ  and  God — that  Christ  is 
 God,  and  Son  of  God,  and  God  and  man,  and  Saviour  of  the 
 human  race. 
 
 132—133.  Gregory,  Neocaesarea,  speaks  fully  of  the  Di- 
 vine nature.  Among  other  things  to  the  same  purpose  he  says  ;— 
 The  Father  alivays  had  a  Son,  and  the  Son  a  Spirit.  There 
 was  always  the  same  Trinity  without  change  or  turning. 
 
 134 — 135.  DiONYSius  Alexan  DRi  Nus  c&Ws  C\ix\&i  Uncreated, 
 and  the  Creator — God  hy  nature — the  Word  of  the  Father — con- 
 suhstantial  ivith  the  ¥ tiTHZK — God  o-ver  all — the  Lord  and  God 
 cf  Israel.  He  says,  moreover,  the  Spirit  is  God,  and  ascribes 
 glory  io  Fat HEK,  Son,  and  Spi rit. 
 
 136-— 138.  DioNYsius  Rom  ANUS  says,  the  Divine  Word 
 and  Holy  Spirit  must  be  united  to  the  God  of  the  universe, 
 and  the  sacred  Three  must  be  gathered  together  into  one.  He 
 says  also,  that  it  is  blasphemy  to  say  the  Lord  was  made  with  hands 
 — and  that  the  Divine  Tr  i  n  i  t  y  and  Mon  a  r  c  h  y  must  be  pre- 
 served. 
 
 139 — 140.  Caius,  presbyter  of  Rome,  spake  of  the  divinity  of 
 Christ  as  the  Word  of  God,  saying  that  many  psalms  and  hymns 
 were  anciently  composed  in  honour  of  Christ.  He  calls  him 
 likewise  true  God,  and  says  he  sprung  in  an  efFable  manner  from 
 the  Father. 
 
 141  — 146.  HiproLiTus,  bishop  and  martyr,  speaks  very  clearly 
 of  the  Trinity,  and  ascribes  ^/o;^  to  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
 
 vJPIRIT. 
 
 1 47.  Africa  NUS  also  ascribes  glory  to  the  sacred  Three. 
 
 148.  In  the  time  of  Paulus  Samosatanus/W^wj  ivtr^  usually 
 sung  in  honour  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ — and  the  six  bishops 
 who  wrote  against  his  errors  call  Christ  the  Wisdom,  Word,  and 
 Power,  of  God — God  and  the  Son  of  God. 
 
 149—152.   NOVATIAN 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  625 
 
 149 — 152.  NovATiAN  has  written  a  treatise  expressly  on  the 
 Trinity,  and  constantly  speaks  of  Christ  in  the  highest  stile  of 
 deity,  but  yet  as  God  and  man  united. 
 
 153.  Theognost us  speaks  of  the  Sen  as  God  ofF  Goo,  pos-t 
 aessing  a// his  Father's  nature. 
 
 154.  LuciAN,  the  martyr,  delivered  his  opinion  on  the  nature 
 of  our  blessed  Saviour  in  very  strong  terms,  and  much  in  the  spirit 
 of  the  Nicene   creed,  only  with  greater  copiousness  of  expression. 
 
 155  — 157.  Methodius,  the  martyr,  says,  that  though  the 
 Word  was  God,  he  took  upon  him  human  flesh,  that  he  might 
 set  us  an  example. 
 
 158.  P0RPHYRI14S,  the  martyr,  invoked  Jesus,  the  Son  of 
 God,  surrounded  with  flames. 
 
 159.  AcACius,  bishop  of  Antioch,  calls  Jesus  Christ  the 
 most  po-juerful  God. 
 
 160.  Sapri CI  us,  the  martyr,  in  the  year  260,  declared  to  his 
 persecutors.  We  Christians  acknowledge  Ch  R I  ST  to  be  true  God, 
 and  the  Creator  of  heaven  and  earth,   and  of  all  things  therein. 
 
 161  P ION  I  US,  the  martyr,  and  his  companions  confessed  boldly 
 to  their  persecutors,  that  they  'worshipped  Christ,  the  Word  of 
 God,  and  the  Creator  of  all  things. 
 
 162.  Pi ERius,  a  man  of  great  eminence,  was  sound  in  the  faith 
 of  Ch  R  1  st's  di'vinity. 
 
 The  sum  of  the  evidence  in  the  fourth  century  is  this : 
 
 SECTION  SEVENTH. 
 
 163.  A  whole  City  in  Phrygia  were  burnt  to  death  while  at 
 their  devotions  in  the  church,  "  calling  upon  Christ,  the  God  over 
 **  all" 
 
 164.  St.  Felix,  the  martyr,  died  invoking  Christ*  and 
 ascribing  glory  to  him  forever. 
 
 165.  i'HELiCA,the  martyr,  died  praying  to  Christ,  and  call- 
 ing him  by  various  names  peculiar  to  Deity. 
 
 166.  ViTALis,  the  martyr,  in  his  dying  moments,  invoked  Jesus 
 Christ  as  his  Saviour  and  his  Go  d  . 
 
 167.  Victor,  the  martyr,  avowed  Ijefore  his  tormentors  both  the 
 Deity  and  humanity  of  Christ. 
 
 168.  EupLius,  the  martyr,  said  to  his  tormentors,  exhorting  him 
 to  worship  the  Gods,  "  I  adore  Christ.  I  adore  the  Father, 
 '♦  and  the  Soi^,  and  the  Holy  Ghost.  1  adore  the  Holy 
 **  Trinity,  besides  which  there  is  no  God." 
 
 169.  Afra,  the  martyr,  addressed  Jesus  Christ  as  Al- 
 mighty Lord  God,  and  ascribed  ^/ory  to  Father,  Son,  and 
 Spirit,  in  her  last  moments. 
 
 170.  Faustvs,  Januarius,  and  Martialis,  martyrs, 
 confessed  to  cheir  tormentors,  "  We  are  Christians,  who  coiifess 
 *•  Chribt,  who  is  the  one  Lord,  iy  iK.'hom  ive  and  all  things  iKert 
 **  77iade%     Martialis  in  particular  said.  There  is  unt  only  God,   the 
 
 L  1  1  1  Father, 
 
625  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE 
 
 "  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  to  whom  praise  and 
 "  glory  ore  due." 
 
 171.  Phileas,  bishop  and  martyr,  boldly  replied  to  the  Presi- 
 dent who  tormented  him,  that  Christ  was  God. 
 
 172.  QujRiNus,  bishop  and  martyr,  declared  openly  to  his 
 tormentors,  that  Christ  is  true  God. 
 
 173 — 175.  Peter,  bishop  and  martyr,  acknowledged  both  the 
 di-vinity  and  humanity  of  our  Saviour  in  strong  terms. 
 
 176 — 178,  A  R  NOB  I  us  is  a  warm  advocate  for  the  divinity  oi 
 Christ,  and  the  religious  homage  which  is  due  unto  him.  He 
 ca]!s  him  Goo,  the  subhme  God,  and,  moreover,  gives  the  reasons 
 why  he  took  upon  him  the  nature  of  man. 
 
 179.  A  Heathen  in  Arnobius  objects  to  Christians  their  daily 
 nijcrship  of  a  man  what  was  born  and  crucified  with  vile  persons. 
 
 180 — 183.  La  CT  A  NT  I  us  assures  us  Christ  was  both  God  and 
 man,  compounded  of  two  natures.  He  reasons  at  large  upon  the 
 subject. 
 
 184.  Alexander,  of  Alexandria,  assures  us  the  errors  of  the 
 Arians  were  never  heard  of  till  they  were  broached  in  his  time  by 
 that  denomination  of  men. 
 
 185  — 186.  EusEBius  of  Cesarea  tells  us,  that  the  Son  n perfect 
 God  off  God,  co-existing  al-ways  as  a  son  with  the  father — that  he 
 pre-existed,  and  appeared  as  a  man  and  angel  all  through  the  patri- 
 archal and  Mosaic  dispensations. 
 
 187.  J.  FiRMicus  Mater  Nus  calls  Christ  God,  and  the 
 ahnighty  GoD — says  that  the  Word  of  God  united  himself  with 
 a  human  body,  and  is  an  object  of  religious  adoration. 
 
 188.  Athanasius  says  Christ  is  naturally  &t\ A  substantially 
 the  Son  of  the  Father — of  the  same  essence  with  him — his  only- 
 begotten  Wisdom— -his  true  and  only  Word — truly  and  properly 
 God,  being  of  one  substance  with  the  Father. 
 
 189 — 192.  Mac  ar  I  us  says  God  became  man — appeared  to  the 
 fathers  in  the  first  ages  of  the  world — took  our  nature  upon  him  in 
 the  fulness  of  time,  and  in  that  nature  was  crucified.  He,  moreover, 
 ascribes ^/ory  to  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost. 
 
 193 — 195.  Hilary  wrote  largely  on  the  Trinity,  and  says 
 it  is  immense  and  incomprehensible — that  Jesus  Christ  is  true  God 
 — and  ascribes  glory  to  the  Fath  er.  Son,  and  Spirit. 
 
 196.  Auson  i  us  says, /^£  one  God  is  three — in'vokes  these  three 
 "Persons — and  calls  Christ  "jery  God  off 'very  God. 
 
 197.  St.  Cyril  calls  Christ,  God  begotten  off  Gov> — and  the 
 Word  of  God.  He  says,  we  ought  to  have  the  same  notions  of  the 
 Holy  Spirit  as  of  the  Father  and  Son — that  he  is  ahnighty 
 and  omniscient,  and  ought  to  be  honoured  as  the  Father  and  the 
 Son,  being  one  and  the  same  Divi  n  it  Y. 
 
 198.  Gregory  Nazianzen  was  one  of  the  most  able  of 
 advocates  for  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity.  He  has  several  dis- 
 courses upon  the  subject,  in  one  of  which  he  says — We  ought  to 
 hold  o»(  God,  and  to  confess  three  Subsistences. 
 
 199.  St. 
 
DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY.  Cif 
 
 199.  St.  Ambrose  says,  there  is  o»e  Godhead  \nl\ie  three, 
 and  there  are  three  in  whom  is  one  Godhead,  there  being  no 
 confusion  in  the  Unity,  neither  any  difference  in  the  Trinity, 
 
 200.  St.  Basil  was  one  of  the  most  able  and  learned  defenders 
 of  the  doctrine  of  the  Tri  nitt  in  the  first  ages,  and  hath  spoken 
 at  large  upon  the  subject  against  all  its  opposers. 
 
 201.  Quintus  Prudentius  addresses  prayer  both  to  the 
 Son  of  God,  and  to  each  of  the  Persons  of  the  Divine  Nature 
 separately. 
 
 202.  St.  Chrysostom  confessed  and  wrote  in  defence  of  the 
 Godhead  of  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  as  being 
 all  one,  adding  thereunto  a  Trinity  of  Persons. 
 
 203.  St.  Augustine  was  the  great  champion  of  his  day 
 for  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  against  its  opposers  of  every 
 description. 
 
 204.  Theodoret  applies  most  of  the  passages,  quoted  from  the 
 Old  Testament  in  the  former  part  of  this  Treatise  in  proof  of  the 
 pre-existence  and  di--vinity  of  Christ,  in  the  manner  we  have  done, 
 and  as  it  seems  to  have  been  customary  to  do  in    these  early  ages. 
 
 205 — 222.  Miscellaneous  circumstances  in  proof  of  the  same 
 doctrines. 
 
 This  is  the  sum  of  the  evidence  to  these  evangelical  principles, 
 be  it  what  it  may.  The  reader  will  conscientiously  weigh  the  whole, 
 and  form  his  judgment  accordingly. 
 
 THE  END. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 A. 
 
 Page 
 BBADIE'S  opinion  on  the  expression.  My  Lord  and  my 
 
 God         188 
 
 Acacius,  Bifhop  of  Antloch,  confeffion  of         569 
 
 Adam,  applied  to  Chriit  by  the  ancient  Jews  268 
 
 Egyptians,  ancient,  held  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity    —     474--476 
 
 Africanus,  worfhipped  the  Trinity  -* 56^ 
 
 Afra,  the  martyr,  worfhipped  Jcius  Chrlft  573 
 
 Alexander,  of  Alexandria,  advice  of,  concerning  prying  too 
 
 deep  into  the  nature  of  Chrift 228 
 
 .  '     dbdlrines  of  — "  578 
 
 Alexander,  the  martyr,  a  worfhipper  of  Chrift  535 
 
 AUix,  Peter,  opinions  of,  on  the  N.  T.  quotations  from  the  Old      84 
 
 on  Jeremiah   23.   6.  126 
 
 thoughts  of,  on  the  council  of  Nice  — —  599 
 
 Ambrofe,  St.  on  the  deity  of  the  Holy  Ghoft  ■  363 
 
 dodlfines  of  _____  ^85 
 
 Amelias,    the  platonic  philofopher,  applies   John    1.    i.    to 
 
 the  Logos 299,  489 
 
 Andronicus,  a  worlhipper  of  Chrift  ■  538 
 
 Angels,  frequently  called  men,  in  fcripture  57,  58 
 
 Anticch,  fynod  of,  applied  divine  appearances  in    the    O.  T. 
 
 to  Chrift  — —  ■  153 
 
 council  of 596 
 
 Apocryphal  books,    on  the  plurahty  of  the  Divine  Nature    —     4^9 
 Appearances,  divine,  fome  account  of  —   --  136 
 
 Appeal,  of  the  orthodox,  to  antiquity  for  the  divinity  of  Chrift    59- 
 
 Apthorp,  Dr.  on  Ifaiah  9    6.  — ' —  10? 
 
 Aratus,  quotation  from,  on  the  omniprefence  of  Jupiter       —       359 
 
 Arians,  congregations  of,  generally  decreafe  6 
 
 ancient,  fpeak  of  Chrift  as  the  Creator  277 
 
 Arian  interpretation  of  the  introdu(5lion  to  St.  John's  Gofpel        304 
 
 Arius,  fome  account  of         601 
 
 Ariftobulus,  an  ancient  Jew,  fentiment  of,  on  the  Logos         459—46 1 
 
 Ariftotlej  expcded  a  divine  teacher  481 
 
 Ariftides,  the  Athenian  philofopher,  orthodox         ■  51^ 
 
 Arnobius,  dodrines  of        " ■■■.■■-  _._  ^74,  j^g 
 
 Arteraon, 
 
630  INDEX. 
 
 Artemon,  fome  account  of  601 
 
 Afclepiades,  a  worlhipper  of  Chrift  ■■  — *-  570 
 
 Athanafius,  St.  applied  the  divine  appearances  of  the  O.  T. 
 
 to  Chrift  ^  154 
 
 on  Chrift's  being  the  Son  of  God       227 
 
 fentiments  of,  on  the  Trinity  '    '  365 
 
 do£lrin6s  of  — —  — —  580,  581 
 
 appeal  of,to  the  ancients  for  the  divinity  of  Chrift594 
 
 Athenagoras,  oh  the  Son's  being  one  with  the  Father       ■■  zi  i 
 
 afcribes  creatioh  to  Chrift  ■  ■  288 
 
 on  the  Holy  Spirit  — —  ■  331 
 
 dodlrines  of  ■""  SS^—Si^ 
 
 Athenogines,  a  worlhipperof  the  Trinity  ■  538 
 
 Atonement,  a  proof  of  the  divinity  of  Chrift  — —  43 
 
 Ihort  view  of  the  doctrine  of  the  — —  44-46 
 
 Augulline,  St.  on  God's  paternity  ■■       ■  210 
 
 dodlrines  of        ■  589,  590 
 
 appeals  to  the  ancients  for  the  divinity  of  Chrift   595 
 Aufoftius,  confeffed  the  Trinity  — — .  - 583 
 
 B. 
 
 BACON,  Lord,  on  the  advancement  of  learning,  (|uoted      —       15 
 declares  in  favour  of  the  Trinity  — —  43 
 
 Baptifm,  inftitudon  of.  Mat.  28.  19.  ancients  and  moderns 
 
 upon  the,  at  large         —  -_  -^  411—415 
 
 Barnard,  Rev.  James,  quotation  from        •    ■  — —         24,  25 
 
 Barnabas,  St.  on  the  pre-exiftence  of  Chrift  -^ 275 
 
 afcribes  the  creation  of  the  fun  to  Chrift     —         288 
 on  the  dominion  of  Chrift  — —         —  324 
 
 doctrines  of  —  506,  507 
 
 Barrington,  Lord,  conjecture  of,  on  Saul's  converlion        —         243 
 Barrow,  Dr,  fentiments  of,  on  the  Trinity  — —         376,  377 
 
 Baruch,  book  of,  fpeaks  of  our  Saviour  -■■  ■     ■  ■         445 
 
 Baiil,  St.  applied  the  divine  appearances  to  Chrift         ■■  154 
 
 a  fine  paffage  from  ■  333 
 
 doftrines  of  — —  585—588 
 
 Bell,  Dr.  on  the  milfions  of  John  and  Chrift  182 
 
 Bellamy,  Dr.  a  quotation  from,  on  the  divinity  of  Chrift    214,  215 
 
 Bcrriman,  Dr.  on  the  Trinity,  recommended  •'  377 
 
 Berelchit,  Rabba,  on  Gen.   i.  2.  — —  463 
 
 Beryllus,  Biftiop  of  Boftra,  fome  account  of  '  ■  601 
 
 Bias,  the  philofopher,  afcribes  all  good  to  God  — —  346 
 
 Biftiops,  15  firft  of  Jerufalem,  orthodox  ■  519 
 
 Blackwall,  Rev.  Ant.  on  fcriptural  myfteries         ■■  31 
 
 on  the  phrafe — God's  own  Son  ■  266 
 
 Bleffing,  of  Mofes,  explanation  of         —         388—390 
 
 Blindnefs,  judicial,  to  be  dreaded  — —  — —  22 
 
 Books,  on  the  Holy  Spirit,  recommended        ■  347.  34^ 
 
 Boyle, 
 
INDEX.  631 
 
 Boyle,  Robert,  two  quotations  from         — —        — r—         66,  67 
 
 Browne,  Bishop,  a  fine  quotation  from  21 1--213 
 
 Brucker,  opinion  of,  on  the  Fathers — 517,  518 
 
 Bull,  Bishop,  on  the  ancient  church,  recommended  —  14. 
 
 applied,  the  divine  appearances  to  Christ        —         140 
 
 on  Col.   I.   16,   17.         277 
 
 quotation  from  • —r-  ■  49^ 
 
 gurnet.  Dr.  •n  the  caution  of  Christ  — — —  190,  1911 
 
 on  the  manner  of  Christ's  working  miracles     —      221 
 
 Burnet,  Bishop,  on  Stephen's  adoration  of  Christ       —       251,  252 
 
 on  the  atonement,  recommended  291 
 
 Burgess,  Rev.  Mr.  on  Christ's  pre-existence  —  201,  202 
 
 on  his  declaring  himself  the  Son  of  God  22^,  225 
 
 on  the  worship  of  Christ 249 
 
 Burgh,  Dr.  on  Phil.  2.  5—8.  274 
 
 Butler,  Bishop,  Analogy  of,  quoted  10 
 
 on  the  atonement,  reconimended  —  291 
 
 C. 
 
 CAIUS,  doctrines  of '  563,564 
 
 appeal  of,  to  the  ancients  594 
 
 Calcedon,  council  of  600 
 
 ^alvin,  John,  on  the  divinity  of  the  Spirit  363 
 
 Campell,  Dr.  on  the  two  first  chapters  of  Matthew  and  Luke     182 
 
 Carus,  emperor  of  Rome,  adopted  his  two  sons  7 
 
 ^arthage,  council  of,  by  Cyprian  »         ■  596 
 
 Catholic  construction  of  John   i.   1 — 12  ■  306 
 
 ^elsus,  testimony  of,  to  the  worship  of  Christ  487 
 
 Cerinthus,  story  of,  concerning  the  bath,  a  proof  of  the  early 
 
 reception  of  Christ's  divinity         47 
 
 sojne  account  of        ■  600 
 
 Chalcidius,  acknowledged  the  three  principals  —  489 
 
 Cheyne,  Dr.  received  the  Trinity  —  —  43 
 
 Chinese,  worship  a  Trinity  ■■  '  492 
 
 Christ,  divinity  of,  rejected  with  danger  4 
 
 necessary  to  the  decorum  of  scripture        46,  47 
 necessary  to  his  being  a  proper  mediator  48 
 
 argued  from  the  ancient  heresies         ■  55 
 
 objections  to,  answered  ibid. 
 
 a  treatise, on,  from  the  French       '         206 
 
 the  doctrine  of  the  Reformers         56 
 
 either  superior  to  man,  or  an  impostor  ■  230 
 
 simple  humanity  of,  an  absurdity  ■         136,137 
 
 invocation  of,  a  proof  of  his  divinity         — —         246—261 
 worshipped  early  through  the  most  distant  countries  256 
 
 the  Son  of  God  before  the  creation  —         —         278 
 
 called  the  great  God  ■'  ■  »  281 
 
 the  creator  of  the  world  -  286--288 
 
 worship  of,  common  before  Justin  Martyr  ■  .       485 
 
 Christ, 
 
632  INDEX. 
 
 Christ,  testimony  to,  A.  D.  1 34  487 
 
 worshipped,  A.  D.  230  487,  488 
 
 Chrysostom,  St.  on  the  worship  of  Christ  ■  249 
 
 on  the  authority  of  the  Spirit         364 
 
 adores  the  Trinity  ■  ■    ■  369 
 
 a  passage  from  ■  "■  402 
 
 doctrines  of  — 5^^»  5^9 
 
 Churches,  ancient,  both  eastern  and  western,  over-run  by 
 
 conquerors  for  the  corruptions  which  prevailed  in  them  6 
 
 Cicero,  ascribes  the  desip-n  of  saving  his  country  to  God  338 
 
 ascribes  ail  good  to  God  341,  367 
 
 speaks  of  a  Trinity  482 
 
 Clarke,  Dr.  book  of,  on  the  Trinity,  thoughts  on      17,   18 
 
 opinion  of,  on  the  Socinians  •  26 
 
 his  view  of  the  doctrine  concerr.i'.ig  the  Son  of  Goa  28 
 his  view  of  the  doctrine  concerning  the  Holy  Spirit  29 
 his  view  of  the  doctrine  concerning  the  Trinity  30 
 
 on  the  expression.  My  Lord  and  my  God  —  1^9 
 on  Christ's  coming  down  from  heaven         —  193 
 
 on.  Before  Abraham  was,  I  am  J98 
 
 on  Christ's  calling  God  his  Father  —  —  217 
 on  Christ's  saying.  Thy  sins  are  forgiven       —       220 
 
 on  the  worship  of  Chriit  248 
 
 on  Col.   I.   16,   17         277 
 
 applies  all  the  divine  appearances  in  the  O.  T. 
 
 to  Christ  284 
 
 on  the  introduction  of  St.  John's  gospel         305,  306 
 
 allows  that  Christ  is  truly  God  -  3.;;  2 
 
 reflections  on  the  Scripture  Doctrine  of  500--502 
 
 Clemens,  Roraanus,  considers  the  scripture  as  inspired      —  85 
 
 on  the  two  natures  of  Christ  —  263 
 
 alludes  to  Phil.  2.  5:— 8.  275 
 
 doctrine  of  '  5^7'"S°9 
 
 Clemens,   Alexandrinus,  declares  in  favour  of  the  Son's 
 
 pfe-existence  gy,  165 
 
 applies  the  divine  appearances  of 
 
 the  O.  T.  to  Cnrist  —  152,  164 
 on  Christ's  omniscience  —  234,  295 
 alludes  to  Phil.  2.  5 — 8.  —         275 
 
 on  the  omnipotence  of  Christ  324 
 
 ascribes  ubiquity  to  the  Spirit       —       339 
 
 doctrines  of —         547"549 
 
 Conybeare,  Bishop,  applies  the  divine  appearances  of  the 
 
 O.  T.  to  Christ  141 
 
 Constantinople,  council  of  ■ '  — ^—  599 
 
 Councils,   fir.st  occasions  of S95»  59^ 
 
 Creation  of  the  world  ajcribed  to  Christ  by  all  antiquity      —      287 
 
 raiaes  his  character  beyond  conception  ■ ibid. 
 
 Creation  of  man,  the  Father  spake  to  the  bon  at  the         381,  384 
 
 Crellius 
 
INDEX.  633 
 
 jCrdlius  applies  all  great  characters  to  Christ,  and  yet  con- 
 siders mm  as  mere  man  — ^—  286 
 
 Cudttorth,  short  view  of  the  Heathen  Trinity  from      —     478,  479 
 Cyclopasdia,  of  Chambers,  Heathen  doctrine  of  the  Tri- 
 nity from  471—47} 
 
 Cyprian,  St.  applied  divine  appearances  of  the  O.  T.  to  Christ   153 
 on  the  miraculous  conception  — — — —  178 
 
 calls  Christ  our  I>ord  and  God  1 88 
 
 on  v,hriit's  raising  hinsclf         —         —         —      207 
 on  his  being  called  God  '  215,  216 
 
 on  the  worship  ot  Christ  ^S9>  260 
 
 on  Rom.  9     5.  — 265 
 
 a  fine  passage  from,  on  the  Spirit         — — —         256 
 
 a  piayer  of,  to  the  Spirit         .  369 
 
 doctrines  of  -■-  55S--561 
 
 Cyril,  St,  applied  the  tr  vine  appearances  of  the  O.  T.  to  Christ   154 
 
 on  Christ's  being  the  Son  of  God  227 
 
 doctrines  of  *  583 
 
 D. 
 
 DiUT,  6.  4    refers  to  the  Trinity  ''  391 
 
 D'onysius,  komanui.  doctrines  of  —  562,  563 
 
 Dionysius,  Aiexandnnus,  ascribes  eternity  to  Christ  —  289 
 
 doctrines  of  562 
 
 Doceta:,  errors  of,  a  proof  of  Christ's  divinity  602 
 
 Doddridge,  Dr.  on  Christ's  declaring  himself  one  with  God  211 
 
 Lectures  of,  recommended  223 
 
 on  the  Mood  of  God  '  ■  245 
 
 on  Rom.  9    5.  2(54 
 
 on  Co).  2.  9.  ' 278 
 
 declaration  of,  on  the  introduction  to  St. 
 
 John's  gospel  -  304 
 
 on  Alpha  md  Omega  — •  325 
 
 Doxologies  to  the  Trinity  from  the  Ancients  423,  424 
 
 Diyde.^John,  Esq,  quotation  from  --  47a 
 
 E. 
 
 EBION,  contemporary  with  St.  John                 ■ ■  ■  29S 
 
 some  account  of • 6ot> 
 
 Ecclesiasticus,  book  of,  speaks  of  the  Son  of  God     —  442,  443 
 
 Ellis,  Dr.   book  of,  quoted                            8,  24 
 
 Elohim,  a  plural  noun,  shewn  at  large  "          ■  377"3^4- 
 
 objections  to,  considered           388 
 
 Ephesus,  Council  of                 —                               —  6co 
 
 Episcopius,  on  the  love  of  God  to  man               < 204 
 
 Epistle  of  St.  John,  expressions  of,  illustrated          —  315,  316 
 
 Epicnarmus,  speaks  of  the  Logos                  477,  478 
 
 Epipoaius,  doctrines  of .  53^- 
 
 Esdras,  books  of,  speak  of  the  Son  cf  Gcd          —  440— 44^ 
 
 Lusebius, 
 
^34  INDEX. 
 
 fuseblus,  on  the  divine  appearances  of  the  O.  T.     «—       173--175 
 applies  Is.  6.  to  Christ  — —  -     -  169 
 
 applies  45  psalm  to  Christ         — —  — —  170 
 
 on  the  opinions  of  the  ancient  Jews  —  452—458 
 
 doctrines  of  — — —  578,  579 
 
 Eopolis,  expected  the  Logos  to  come  479 
 
 Euplius,  the  martyr,  a  worshipper  of  Christ 572. 
 
 Eveleigh's  two  sermons  on  the  Trinity,  quoted        —  7,  132 
 
 Evans  on  the  atonement,  recommended  317 
 
 EaekieU  an  ancient  Jew;,  sentiments  of>  on  the  Logos        458,  459 
 
 F. 
 
 FATHERS,  Christian,  applied  the  Wor  d  to  Christ        —        ^co 
 doctrine  of,  concerning  Christ,   the  Spirit, 
 
 and  the  Trinity  498—594 
 
 utility  of  the  writings  of         —        —        498—500 
 
 Felix,  Minutius,  admitted  the  worship  of  Christ  —  350 
 
 St.  the  martyr,  a  worshipper  of  Christ  »  572 
 
 Fenelon,  Mon.  great  humility  of  ■  —  17 
 
 Fiddes,  Dr.  quotation  from  ■  — —  24 
 
 on  the  worship  of  Christ  ■         —  1 84 
 
 on  Christ's  high  professions         -r-         —       20^,  210 
 
 on  Christ's  being  one  with  God  ■   •  2 1 6 
 
 on  Rom.  9.  5.  — —  265 
 
 summary  of  the  sentiments  of  the  Fathers,  from592"594 
 
 Firmkus,  Maternus,  confessed  the  divinity  of  Christ        —         580 
 
 Fletcher,  Rev.  John,  arguments  of,  against  Dr.  Priestley     iS— 21 
 
 vindicates  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity 
 
 against  the  charge   of    being    like 
 
 transubstantiation  —        —  5 '""53 
 
 Fleming,  on  the  divine  appearances  of  the  O.  T.  —  167 
 
 Forbes,  Duncan,  thought  of,  on  the  Trinity  —  416 
 
 Fuller,  Rev.  Andrew,  book  of,  recommended  —  270 
 
 G. 
 
 GENTLEMAN'S  Religion  quoted  on  Mark  r 3.  32.       *—  60 
 
 Genesis,  first  two  verses  of,  contain  the  Trinity            — —  377 
 
 Gibbon,  Ed.  Esq.  gives  an  account  of  the  Logos        — —  299 
 
 Gilpin,  Rev.  Mr.  on  Acts  ao.  28.                   245 
 
 on  Rom.  9.  5.          — -             ■    <  ■•  264 
 
 on  1  Tim.  3.  16.                «  280 
 
 on  the  atonement        ■                        — —  291 
 
 Godj  right  knowledge  of,  of  great  importance               —  I 
 
 unity  of,  essential  in  religion            —                 —  H 
 
 perfections  of,  all  incomprehensible  •  67,  68 
 
 Gospel,  scheme  of,  attended  with  some  obscurity           14 
 
 rejected  by  mapy                »      ■■  »                ■  i6 
 
 Gospel, 
 
INDEX.  63^ 
 
 Gospel,  St.  John's,  introduction  of,  illustrated        —        ^97—i^$ 
 
 Grabe,  Dr.  on  Rom.  9.  5.  —  265 
 
 Gray,  Rev.  Mr.  on  Christ's  divinity         ■ •  220 
 
 Gregory,  Dr.  Francis,  on  images  of  the  Trinity  —  36 
 
 bishop  of  Neoczesarea,  doctrines  of         —  561,  562 
 
 Green,  Mr.  translation  of  the  110  psalm,  by  94 
 
 2  Sam.  23.  I — 7,  by  96 
 
 Hab.  3.  chap,  by  —  171 
 
 Grotius,  Hugo,  vindicated  from  Socinianism  •  26 
 
 illustrates  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity     —     33>  36 
 
 on  the  worship  of  Christ  •  248 
 
 on  the  atonement  of  Christ         —         —  291 
 
 on  the  opinions  of  the  ancient  Jews    —    466,  467 
 
 H. 
 
 HABAKKUK  the  third  chapter  of,  applied  to  Christ  170-- 173 
 
 Hammond,  Dr.  applied  all  the  divine  appearances  in  the 
 
 O.T.  to  Christ 139 
 
 on  the  expression.  My  Lord  and  my  God  1 89 
 
 Harwood,  Dr.  on  Christ's  pre-existence   194,  196,  199,  200,  271 
 
 on  the  glory  of  Christ  at  the  head  of  nature       138 
 
 Hawker,  Dr.  on  Christ's  pre-existence     —      195,  196,  201,  271 
 
 sermons  on  Christ's  divinity,  quoted  —  i;; 
 
 on  the  glory  of  Christ  at  the  head  of  nature  137,  138 
 
 on  the  first  chap,  of  Hebrews 283 
 
 on  the  personality  of  the  Spirit         ■  370 
 
 Hey,  William,  Esq.  book  of,  on  the  divinity  of  Christ         —        8 
 
 Hebrews,  epistle  to  the,  excellence  of  ■  282—283 
 
 Heathen,  doctrine  of,  concerning  the  Trinity  — -         469--497 
 
 Heresies,  ancient,  some  account  of         —         —         —         24,  25 
 
 Hervey,  Rev.  James,  on  Zech.   13.  7.  • 131 
 
 Hermas,  on  Christ's  pre-existence  —        • —        —  197 
 
 on  the  power  of  Christ  ■ — •  324 
 
 doctrine  of  —  — ».  —  J07 
 
 Hetruscans,  had  their  triple  deities         481 
 
 Hcgesippus,  orthodox  in  the  faith  —  —  520,  521 
 
 Hierocles,  confesses  Christ  was  held  as  God 491 
 
 Hilary,  St.  applied  the  divine  appearances  of  the  O.  T. 
 
 to  Christ  ■ 154 
 
 doctrines  of  — —  5  5^2 
 
 Hindoos  worship  a  Trinity         -  i 491 
 
 Hippolitus,  doctrines  of  564,  565 
 
 Home,  Bishop,  discourse  of,  on  the  Trinity         —         —  12 
 
 on  the  worship  of  Christ         —         —       255,  256 
 
 Horsley,  Bishop,  on  the  reproaches  of  Socinians  —  23 
 
 on  Saul's  conversion  -  —         244 
 
 on  the  Heathen  Trinity  »— .  4.94--496 
 
 on  the  use  of  the  Fathers  — -^  498 
 
 Howe, 
 
636                                I    N    D    E  X.- 
 Howe, Mr.  a  passage  from  on  the  Trinity  »                      430 
 Hurd,  Bishop,  on  God  made  manifest  —             —           280 
 
 Hurrion,  thoughts  of,  on  the  Spirit  334 
 
 on  the  worship  of  the  Spirit 363 
 
 reasons  of,  why  the  Spirit  is  not  so  frequently 
 
 worshipped  •  368 
 
 Huss,  John,  death  of,  predetermined         17 
 
 IGNATIUS,  St.  on  Christ's  pre-existence  — —  197 
 
 on  Chiiit's  raising  himself         ■ 207 
 
 on  Christ's  omniscience  %• 233 
 
 calls  Christ  our  God  and  Saviour         —         239 
 speaks  of  the  passion  and  blood  of  God  245 
 
 on  the  worship  of  Christ 250 
 
 prayers  of,  to  Christ  257,  258 
 
 allusions  of,  to  Rom.  9.  5.  • 2(35 
 
 doctrine  of  509--5i4. 
 
 defence  of  ^ 510,  511 
 
 Indies,  East,  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  believed,  in  the       —  48^^ 
 
 Irenaeus,  St.  ranked  the  Ebionites  among  the  heretics  25,   177 
 
 declares  that  the  Word  existed  at  the  beginning         97 
 
 applies  tne  divine  appearances  to  Cnrist  1^2,   202 
 
 on  Christ's  saying,  Thy  sins  are  forgiven       —       220 
 
 on  the  worship  of  Christ  258 
 
 on  Romans  9.  5.  265 
 
 on  the  pre-existent  glory  of  Christ  ■ —  275 
 
 on  Col.   I.    16,   J7.  278 
 
 ascribes  creation  to  Christ  288 
 
 gives  an  account  of  the  writing  of  St.  John's  gospel  2^7 
 sentiments  of,  on  the  Trinity  —         —  304. 
 
 says  Messiah  spake  the  decalogue  ■ 164 
 
 says  the  Trinity  created  the  world  -—  379 
 
 doctrines  of  -  538'-547 
 
 solemn  obtestation  of  54° 
 
 fine  epistle  of 539,  540 
 
 J. 
 
 JENYNS,  SOAME,  Esq.  on  the  Trinity  435 
 
 on  the  atonement  ■  436 
 
 Jerome,  of  Prague,  eloquence  of  17 
 
 Jerome,  St.  on  the  writing  cf  St.  John's  gospel     —         297,  298 
 Jews,  expectations  of,  not  to  be  regarded  49--5I 
 
 ancient,  expected  Messiah  to  be  superior  to  Abra- 
 ham, to  Moses,  and  even  to  the  angels       —  82 
 
 called  the  Spirit  Binah 334 
 
 applied  Is.  53  to  Messiah.  • 117 
 
 Testimonies 
 
INDEX.  637 
 
 jzws,  testimonies  of,   to  the   Logos,  the  Spirit,  and  the 
 
 Trinity  : — •  _  466-468 
 
 believed  Messiah  was  to  be  born  of  a  virgin         467 
 
 creed  of                 ^ 4^8,  469 
 
 Johnson,  Dr.  oh  the  atonement                 —             3'7»  3'*^ 
 
 John  5.  7.  authenticity  of               -^ •             320,  321,  372,  429 
 
 5.   20,  21.  explained                       3^''  3^^ 
 
 Jones,  Rev.  Mr.  book  of,  on  the  Trinity,  referred  to         —  22 
 
 Prefervative  of,  recommended  ibid. 
 
 criticism  of,  on  2  Pet.   i.   i.                  239 
 
 Jonathan,  Rabbi,  on  Gen.    i.   2.                  ■ •  463 
 
 Jortin,  Dr.  on  Melchizedck.  as  a  type           —  78 
 
 applies  the  divine  appearances  of  the  O.  T. 
 
 to  Christ                 —     _  284 
 
 grants  the  doctrine  of  Christ's  divinity  prevail- 
 ed in  the  first  and  second  ages           —  518 
 
 Julian,  the  Apostate,  applies  the  Logos  to  Christ         _  300 
 
 confesses  that  St.  John  preached  the  divinity  of  Christ  4tjo 
 
 Judith,  book  of,  ascribes  creation  to  the  Spirit          —         334,  346 
 
 Justin  Martyr,  defence  of  ■ 522—530 
 
 doctrines  of  ■   ■•  53 '""534 
 
 K. 
 
 KENNICOTT,  Dr.  on  Jos.  24.  19.                 ~ 392 
 
 Kett,  Rev.  Henry,  on  the  writings  of  the  Fathers          f—  499 
 
 Knox,  Dr.  Christian  Philosophy  of,  partially  recommended  359 
 
 Koran,  applies  the  Logos  to  Christ                     300 
 
 LACTANTIUS,  doctrines  of  S75"577 
 
 Larduer,  Dr.  on  Phil.  2.   5 — 8.  ■ 274 
 
 Latimer,  Bishop,  death  of,  predetermined  • 17 
 
 Law,  Bishop,  applied  the  divine  appearances  of  the  O.  T. 
 
 to  Christ  —  --  141. 
 
 Le  Pluche,  Mon.  devotion  of,  to  the  church  17 
 
 Leslie,  Charles,  Socinian  controversy  of,  recommended       —         38 
 Short  Method  with  Deists  of,  a  means  of 
 
 converting  Gildon  ibid. 
 
 his  summary  of  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  38--43 
 
 Lightfoot,  Dr.  says,  Christ  was  the  giver  of  the  Law        —        165 
 
 applies  the  seven  spirits  to  the  Holy  Ghost     —     373 
 
 on  the  manifestations  of  the  Trinity     —     409>  410 
 
 Libanius,  confesses  the  Christians  made  Christ  God  —  49Q 
 
 Lindsey,  Rev.  Theop.  errs  concerning  the  Logos       -^      147--151 
 
 attacks  the  weakest  arguments  of  his  opponents  22 
 
 rash  assertion  of  — —  577>  57^ 
 
 Lc^ke,   John,  hiq.  on  the  morality  of  the  gospel  14 
 
 rejoices  in  the  scripture  revelation         —         —      23 
 *       N   li  n  n  Locke, 
 
638  INDEX. 
 
 Locke,  John,  no  Socinian                 — —  2;^ 
 
 Logos,  appeared  of  old         ■  ■■                          -  1 46*  299 
 
 an  account  of,  from  the  Ancients                         '  299—301 
 
 Lovvth,  Bishop,  on  the  Stptuagint  of  Isaiah '             —  123 
 
 Isaiah  the  53  translated  by                      115 
 
 on  Isaiah  the  sixth  chap.          ■'     ■  398—400 
 
 Lowth,  Dr.  on  Jer.  23.  6.            126 
 
 Lucian,  the  Heathen,  bears  witness  to  the  Trinity      —  485—487 
 
 Lucian,  the  Martyr,  doctrines  of                   56! 
 
 M. 
 
 MACCABEES,  second  book  of,  thought  to  speak  of  Christ       445 
 
 Macarius,  doctrines  of •  581,  582 
 
 Magus,  Simon,  attestation  of,  to  the  Trinity  —  484,  600 
 
 Malbranche,  Mons.  declares  for  the  Trinity  ■  '  43 
 
 Man,  sinful,  needs  a  Saviour  ■     -  2 
 
 depraved,  needs  a  Sanctifier  '    '   ■  I 
 
 Martyr,  Peter,  illustrates  i  Cor.   15.  24.  ■  64 
 
 on  2  Sam.  7.  23.  ■  392 
 
 Martyr,  Justin,  calls  Christ  God,  and  the  Lord  of  hosts    —         87 
 considered  all  the  divine  appearances  un- 
 der the  O.  T.  to  be  Christ 152 
 
 on  the  angel  who  destroyed  Sodom         —  160 
 
 who  wreftled  with  Jacob      —         163 
 
 in  the  bush        —         164 
 
 on  Christ's  pre-existence  ■  197 
 
 on  the  worship  of  Christ  258 
 
 ascribes  creation  to  Christ         •—  —        288 
 
 declares  the  Trinity  was  worshipped  in  his  time  369 
 on  the  diiFerent  characters  of  Christ  —         92 
 
 Martialis,  the  martyr,  worshipped  the  Trinity  573 
 
 Maximinus,  emperor  of  Rome,  illustration  from  —  4, 
 
 Maximus,  partner  of  Maximinus  — —  ibid. 
 
 Mede,  Joseph,  on  the  authenticity  of  Revelation  323 
 
 Melito,  Bishop  of  Sardis,  doctrines  of  — —  535,  536 
 
 Methodius,  Bishop  of  Tyre,  doctrines  of •  568,  569 
 
 Memra,  the  same  as  Logos  ■  j  45  — 151 
 
 Mercury,  Trismegistus,  held  the  Trinity  476 
 
 Mexican  Indians  held  a  Trinity  491 
 
 Michaelis  on  the  N.  T.  quotations  from  the  Old  —  84 
 
 Milner,  Rev.  Joseph,  church  history  of,  very  valuable      —       550 
 
 too  severe  upon  Tertullian         •  ibid. 
 
 Milton,  John,  no  Socinian  27 
 
 received  the  pre-existence  of  Christ        —  142 
 
 address  of,  to  the  Holy  Spirit  —        —         331 
 
 on  the  creation,  recommended  — —  137 
 
 Miltiades,  A.  D.  150,  orthodox         »  520 
 
 l^inutius,  Felix,  considered  Christ  as  more  than  man        549*  550 
 
 Miracles » 
 
INDEX.  ^i9 
 
 Miracles,  manner  of,  a  proof  of  Christ's  divinity  —  220-222 
 Moore,  Dr.  Henry,  on  the  philosophy  of  the  Trinity  —  35 
 Moses,  son  of  Nachman,  applies  the  divine  appearances  of 
 
 theO.  T.  to  Christ  '44.   H? 
 
 opinions  of,  on  the  J^ogos  •  4^5 »  4 
 
 N, 
 J4AZIANZEN,  Gregory,  asserts  the  pre-existence  of  Christ     302 
 two  fine  passages  from       —      332,  349 
 
 doctrines  of         —  S°4 
 
 Nazarenes,  not  the  same  as  the  jibionites  ~  S^^ 
 
 Newton,  vSir  Isaac,  no  Socinian         —  ^^ 
 
 on  the  authenticity  of  Revelation         ^         323 
 
 Nice,  council  of  597 
 
 Novatian,  book  of,  on  the  Trinity,  quoted  ■  5 
 
 on  Hosea  i.  7.  — —  >^? 
 
 on  Is.  2.  22. •  ■■  *04 
 
 on  Christ's  dcsceirt  from  heaven  ■  ■■  ^94 
 
 on  Christ's  pre-existcnce  — —  -  ■   ■  199 
 
 on  Christ's  omnipresence  203,  204 
 
 on  the  power  of  Christ  ■  217 
 
 on  his  being  the  Son  of  God  —  227 
 
 on  the  worship  of  Christ  '    -  256 
 
 on  Rom.  9.  5.  —  265,  266 
 
 applies  the  story  of  Magar  to  the  Logos  —         157 
 
 doctrines  of  566,  567 
 
 Numenius,  the  philosopher,  calls  Christ  God  488 
 
 Q- 
 
 OPINIONS,  some  destructive,  as  well  as  infidelity        — ^  24 
 
 Origen,  declares  for  the  Son's  pre-existence  97,  271 
 
 applies  the  divine  appearances  of  the  O.  T.  to  Chriiit       153 
 on  the  miraculous  conception  ■  178 
 
 on  the  offerings  of  the  wise  men         —  —  186 
 
 on  Christ's  power  in  raising  himself  ■■  207 
 
 on  the  worship  of  Christ      218,  248,  250,  251,  258,  259 
 on  his  being  the  Son  of  God  ■  227 
 
 ascribes  glory  to  Christ  — -  —  J40 
 
 on  the  eternity  of  Christ  — •  190 
 
 on  the  omnipotence  of  Christ         —  —  324 
 
 on  the  I^oly  Spirit  332,  371 
 
 worshipped  the  three  Divine  Persons         —  365,  366 
 
 a  passage  from,  on  the  Trinity  —_—.«»  408 
 
 doctrines  of,  more  at  large         —  —  SS.4"5S8 
 
 Orpheus,  held  the  Trinity  — —  476,  477 
 
 Otaheite,  inhabitants  of,  hold  a  Trinity  — —  493 
 
 Owtn,  Dr.  John,  declaration  of,  on  Christ's  divinity         —         66 
 
 on  the  personality  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  352,  353 
 
 N  n  n  n  z  PARAPHRASES, 
 
640  INDEX. 
 
 P. 
 
 PARAPHRASES,  Chaldee,  quotations  from,  on  the  Logos  145—151 
 
 Parmenides,  held  a  Trinity  47g 
 
 Paul,  St.  treated  with  great  indignity  by  Dr.  Prie.^tley       —       282 
 a  very  superior  writer  to  the  Doctor         —  282,  283 
 
 rescued  from  these  base  aspersions  296 
 
 Paulus,  Samosatenus,  council  against  • 565 
 
 some  account  of  fcoi 
 
 Payne,  Dr.  on  Christ's  calling  God  his  own  Father  —         219 
 
 Pearson,  Bishop,  pn  the  word" Emanuel         }Si 
 
 on  the  Creed,  recommended         228 
 
 on  Jer.  23.  6.  125 
 
 proves  that  the  Holy  Gho^t  is  God         —         36^5 
 
 Persians,  ancient,  held  the  Trinity  -^ 4  -4 
 
 Peter,  Bishop  of  Alexandria,  doctrines  of  573,   ^^4 
 
 Philo,  Judseus,  applies  the  divine  appearances  of  the  O.  T. 
 
 to  the  Logos 144,   165 
 
 considers  the  angel  at  Sodom  as  the  Word     —     160 
 on  the  creation  of  man  by  the  Messiah       —  381 
 
 some  account  of  '  446 
 
 sentiments  of,  at  large,  on  the  two  Powers     44.7—45  2 
 
 Phrygia,  a  whole  city  in,  worshippers  of  Christ  571 
 
 Phileas,  Bishop  of  Thumis,  confessed  the  divinity  of  Christ        573 
 
 Pilate,  Pontius,  held  high  notions  of  Christ         484 
 
 Plan,  of  this  Apology  — —  71,  72 
 
 Plato,  doctrine  of,  concerning  the  Trinity  480,  481 
 
 PJiny  allows  Christians  worshipped  Christ  in  his  lime     —     257,  485 
 
 ascribes  the  invention  of  arts  to  God  335 
 
 Plotinas,  the  Philosopher,  on  the  three  Principals  —  4^8 
 
 calls  the  Legos,  the  Son,  the  Word,  and  the  Image 
 
 of  God  — —  2J^9 
 
 Plurality  of  the  Divine  Nature,  proofs  of,  —  377--'^a7 
 
 Pocock,  Dr.  assures  us  the  Son  of  God  is  the  Word  • —  5^5 
 
 Polycarp,  worshipped  Christ  2.7 
 
 dying  ascription  of,  praise  to  the  Trinity  —  369 
 
 doctrines  of  514--517 
 
 Porphyry,  allows  Christians  worshipped  Christ  in  his  time    256,  489 
 
 Porphyrias,  the  martyr,  a  worshipper  of  Christ         569 
 
 Prayer,  an  ancient  one,  to  the  Trinity         387 
 
 Price,  Dr.  on  Christ's  descent  from  heaven  — ; —  194 
 
 on  his  pre-existcnce        —      194,  200,  27I,  272,  319 
 
 on  the  power  and  glory  of  Chri.-^t         236,  237 
 
 on  the  love  of  Christ  which  passeth  knowledge  272 
 
 on  Christ's  being  in  the  form  of  God         273 
 
 Priestley,  Dr.  begs  the  question  on  the  Trinity  and  atonement       18 
 and  St.   Paul  at  issue  •  143 
 
 degrades  the  P.edeemer  marvellously        —         230 
 illustrates  the  introduction  to  St.  John's  gospel  303 
 
 Priestley, 
 
INDEX.  641 
 
 Priestley,  Dr.  amuses  himself  with  answering  the  weakest 
 
 arguments  of  his  opponents  ■  22 
 reflections  on  his  treatment  of  the  Fathers  503  --505 
 gives  up  the  Fathers  of   the    second    and 
 
 third  centuries  as  orthodox  in  the  main     —  51S 
 
 Proclus,  the  Philosopher,  confessed  the  Trinity         — —  491 
 
 Prophecies,  epitome  of,  concerning  Christ             i^^ 
 
 Prudentius,  Quintus,  a  worshipper  of  Christ                           ■  58S 
 
 a  passage  from           3S5 
 
 Pythagoras,  held  the  three  Principals            477 
 
 QIIADRATUS,  Bishop  of  Athens,  orthodox         —         518,  (^19 
 
 Quirinus,  Bishop  of  Siscia  575 
 
 ■Quotations  from  the  O.  T.  in  the  New,  authors    on        —        H^ 
 
 R. 
 
 RAMSAY,  Chevalier,  quotation  from,  on  the  Trinity     470,  471 
 
 Randolph,  Dr.  complains  of  Mr.  Lindsey's  unfair  dealing  22 
 
 on  the  expression,  My  Lord  and  my  God     —     189 
 
 •     on  the  caution  of  Christ  190 
 
 on  Christ's  calling  God  his  own, Father       218,  219 
 
 on  the  Son  of  God  267 
 
 assures  us  all  the  Ancients  produce  John 
 
 I.    I  — 14.  as  a  proof  of  Christ's  deity  304 
 
 Reason,  not  always  attended  to  by  us  54.,  5^ 
 
 Recapitulation    of   the   evidence   concerning  the  person  of 
 
 Christ  from  the  O.  T.  603--606 
 
 from  the  N.  T.  6oo--biz 
 
 Recapitulation  concerning  the  Sp'rit  ■ 612,613 
 
 concerning  the  Trinity  613,  614 
 
 Racapitulation  of  the  evidence  concerning  the  Trinity  from 
 
 the  ancient  Jews  .        614—618 
 
 from  the  ancient  and  modern  Heathen  618--620 
 
 from  the  primitive  Christians  620--627 
 
 Review,  Critical,  quoted  concerning  the  opinions  of  Sir 
 
 Isaac  Newton  27 
 
 Righteousness,  Lord  our,  remarks  on         122  —  126 
 
 Rittangelius,  a  Jewish  convert,  proves  the  divinity  of  Christ  4.64,  465 
 
 Rom.  9.  5.  applied  by  all  antiquity  to  Christ  265 
 
 Romans,  ancient,  held  a  Trinity  481,  482 
 
 Ruffinus,  on  the  character  of  Father  and  Son  202 
 
 S. 
 
 Sabbellian  view  of  John  1.  1 — 14.  302 
 
 Sandius,   declares   Socinus's   sense  of  John  I.   I — 14.  to 
 
 be  new  and  unheard  of  304 
 
 Sapricius,  confessed  Christ  tn  be  true  God  — —  569,  570 
 
 Saurin,  Mons.  on  Christ's  divinity  — i 57 
 
 Scandinavians 
 
04?  INDEX. 
 
 Scandinavians  worshipped  a  Trinity                  '  491 
 
 Schemes,  of  religion,  all  attended  with  difficulty          — —  192 
 Schlictingius,  the  Socinian,  allows  that  Stephen  worshipped  Christ25a 
 
 Seldon,  John,  extract  from  the  Table  Talk  of             84 
 
 assures  us  the  Son  of  God  is  the  Word         —  85 
 
 Seneca>  the  Phil,  ascribes  all  ingenious  inventions  to  God  335 
 
 all  moral  attainments  to  God  ■  337,  346 
 
 speaks  of  the  Trinity  -—■ —  483*  484 
 
 Seneca,  the  Trag.  speaks  of  a  Trinity                483 
 
 Serpent,  brazen,  applied  by  the  Talmud  to  the  Logos     —-      79,  80 
 Sharpe,  Dr.  applied  the  divine  appearances  of  the  O.  T. 
 
 to  Christ                             ■ 139 
 
 Sherlock,  Dr.  on  the  Socinian  controversy,  quoted           —  14 
 
 Bishop,  on  John  8.  58.                     -  199 
 
 Shepherd,  Rev.  Mr.  on  John  i.  1  — 14.  recommended     —  304 
 Shuckford,  Dr.  applied  the  divine  appearances  in  the  O.  T. 
 
 to  Christ                 r— —                     ■  139 
 
 Siberians,  held  a  Trinity             492 
 
 Smalcius,  the  Socinian,  denies  them  to  be  Christians  who 
 
 refuse  vvorship  to  Christ                      ■  249 
 
 Socinians,  congregations  of,  generally  decrease             6 
 
 foreign,  deny  that  our  English  ones  are  Christians  250 
 
 Socinian  view  of  John  i.  1—14.         •■                       303 
 
 Socinus,  a  warm  advocate  for  the  worship  of  Christ      249 
 
 confession  of,  that  orthodox  believers  had  existed 
 
 in  the  church  from  the  beginning           - — -  527 
 
 Socrates,  expected  the  Logos  to  come                 479 
 
 Sodom,  destruction  of,  a  proof  of  plurality          — —  385 
 
 Son  of  God,  different  meanings  of  that  phrase        —         226,  227 
 
 on  his  coming  from  heaven    —    204,  266,  267,  31.9 
 
 Spirit,  Holy,  summary  view  of                374,  375 
 
 iSpirit  of  God,  scripture  view  of  ■  33^—375 
 
 Spirits,  seyen,  explained                        ■                   323 
 
 Stillingfleet,  Bishop,  on  the  Trinity                  376 
 
 Swift,  Dean,  on  things  above  and  contrary  to  reason         • —  47 
 Synge,  Archbp.  a  passage  from,  on  the  Trinity         — ^ —  425 
 Sysmatics,  several,  in  the  earliest  ageg,  retained  the  doc- 
 trine of  the  Trinky                  60$ 
 
 T. 
 TACITUS,  the  Historian,  admits  that  the  Christians  wor- 
 shipped Christ  in  his  time  -. ■  2^6 
 
 Targums,  nature  of,  explained  ■  7$ 
 
 quotations  from  — -  73,  76,  77,  79,  80,  81 
 
 curious   account   fropj,  concerning  three  angels 
 
 sent  to  Abraham  -'— -  "■ 159*  160 
 
 Tatlan,  doctrines  of  —  534 
 
 Taylor,  Bishop,  on  Christ's  descent  — —  195 
 
 Tertullian^ 
 
IN    D    E    X.  64J 
 
 Tertulllan,  illustrates  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  by  various 
 
 similitudes  36,  37 
 
 considered  the  divine  appearances  in  the  O.  T. 
 
 as  belonging  to  Christ  •  I52 
 
 on  the  miraculous  conception  17$ 
 
 on  the  offerings  of  the  wise  men  ^--*  186 
 
 on  Christ's  descent  from  heaven         -—  •*-•         19} 
 
 on  the  worship  of  Christ  -  ■■  2^9 
 
 on  the  two  natures  of  Christ  •  264 
 
 on  Rom.  9.  5.  — —  265 
 
 on  Phil.  2.  5 — 8.  —  —  27; 
 
 on  the  omnipotence  of  Christ  ■  324 
 
 on  the  Holy  Spirit  331,  332 
 
 doctrines  of  — —  5S°"S5  + 
 
 Testaments  of  the  iz  Patriarchs  on  the  Logos  —         46z,  463 
 
 Theophilus,  of  Antioch,  applied  the  divine  appearances  to  Christ  153 
 
 ascribes  creation  to  the  Spirit  — - — *  335 
 
 doctrines  of  '  536 
 
 Theophylact,  infers  that  the  Spirit  is  God         •-—  ■    ^  '  365 
 
 Theodoret,  applied  the  divine  appearances  of  the  O.  T. 
 
 to  Christ  .    155 
 
 doctrines  of  • 59°— 59* 
 
 Theodotus,  the  tanner,  some  account  of 601 
 
 Thcognostus,  Alexandrinus,  doctrines  of  —  —  567 
 
 Thelica,  the  martyr,  a  worshipper  of  Christ  572 
 
 Tillotson,  Archbp.  44.th  sermon  of,  recommended  against 
 
 Socinianism  ■  6g 
 
 on  Christ's  being  in  the  form  of  God         — —  273 
 
 on  Christ's  being  called  great  God  ■  282 
 
 on  John  1.   i  —  i4.atlarge         —  —  309"3'3 
 
 on  the  Heathen  Trinity  — ——  ^yj 
 
 1  Tim.  3.   16.  observations  on  r 279,  280 
 
 2  Tim.  2.  22.  a  criticism  upon  — »  —  256 
 '  Timoleon  ascribes  all  good  done  by  man  to  God             —  346 
 
 Titus  2.   13.  applied  to  Christ  — ___—  281 
 
 Transubstantiation,  not  parallel  to  the  Trinity 5 '""53 
 
 Tobit,  allusion  in  the  book  of,  to  the  Trinity  _— .  ^40 
 
 Trinity,  doctrine  of,  not  contradictory  .'  ■'     -   .  32 
 
 illustrations  of  -  33 
 
 doctrine  of,  incomprehensible  —  —  68 
 
 doctrine  of,  commonly  received  by  the  Ancients  60I,  602 
 three  persons  of,  contained  in  Gen.  i.  i,  2.  —  3-'7 
 an  imperfect  discovery,  not  a  contradiction  —  22 
 
 several  symbols  of  the  380 
 
 mentioned  upwards  of  an  hundred  times  in  the  Bible  408 
 various  reasonings  on  the  .  431—438 
 
 U. 
 UNITY,  divine,  not  incompatible  with  a  Trinity        —         53,  54 
 Usher,  Archbp.  applies  Joshua  5."  13-15  to  Christ        —  i66 
 
 VEYSiE, 
 
6^4  i    N    D    E     ^- 
 
 V. 
 
 VEY3IE,  Rev.  Daniel,  on  John  i.  i— 1.4.             jog 
 
 on  the  atonement,  recomrneiided          —         —  317 
 
 Victor,  the  martyr,  confessed  the  divinity  of  Christ         —  572 
 
 Virgil,  speaks  great  things  of  a  child  to  be  born            — —  ^gj 
 
 Vitalis,  the  martyr,  a  worshipper  of  Christ         —          —  572 
 
 .Voltaire,  M.  a  ridiculer  of  the  bible  all  his  days           ——  ij 
 
 W. 
 
 WAKEFIELD,  Mr.  has   taken    undue  liberties  with  the 
 
 scriptures  in  his  translation  of  the  N.  T.         -^       245,  246 
 
 on    I  John  5.  7.  373 
 
 Waterland,  eight  sermons  of,  quoted  ii,  12 
 
 on  the  importance  of  the  doctrine  of  the  Tri- 
 nity recommended  • ■  14 
 
 on  similitudes  of  the  Trinity  34 
 
 on  Is.  9.  6.  108 
 
 on  the  safety  of  confessing  Christ  to  be  God     268,  269 
 
 on  Heb.    I.    10. —  293,  294 
 
 Watts,  Dr.  life  of,  by  Johnson  and  Palmer,  quoted         —         15 
 
 no  Socinian 27 
 
 Watson,  Bishop,  on  Heb.  1.   i.  — —  285 
 
 Wesley,  Rev.  John,  sermon  of,  on  the  Trinity  48 
 
 Whitaker,  book  of,  on  Arianism,  quoted  —         5 
 
 attempts  to  shew  that  Clarke  died  in  the  orthodox  faith  27 
 on  Christ's  manner  of  working  miracles  ■'—  221 
 
 White,  Professor,  sermons  of,  quoted  5 
 
 thoughts  of,  on  Socinianism  — —  ■  27 
 
 Whitby,  Dr.  on  Titus  2.  13.  —  281 
 
 remark  of,  on  an  observation  of  Crellius     —     286 
 Whiston,  William,  allows  that  Chriit  is   truly  Lord,  and 
 
 God,  and  God  by  nature  —  —  322 
 
 Wintle,  Rev.  Mr.  on  Dan.  9.  24 — 29         —         —         128,   129 
 Wisdom  of  vSolonroUj  book  of,   speaks   both  of  the  Word 
 
 and  Spirit  of  God  ~ 443--445 
 
 Witsius,  Herman,  observation  of,  on  the  seven  Spirits       —       373 
 
 Wogan,  William,  Esq.  on  Is.  2.   22.  ■ — -  104 
 
 Woltzogenius,  the  Socinian,  allows  that  the  disciples  prayed 
 
 to  Christ  to  determine  the  lot  ' 233 
 
 Word,  of  God,  applied  to  CliHst  at  large  —  299,  301 
 
 Wynpersse,  Van  de,  book  of,  on  the  divinity  of  Christ,  recomm.     293 
 
 Y. 
 YOUNG,  sermons  of,  quoted  46,  47 
 
 Z. 
 
 ZENO,  speaks  of  the   Logos  — -^ ■ —  48 1 
 
 Zohar,  sentiments  of,  on  the  Logos,  the    Spirit,  and  the 
 
 Trinity  ■  463,  464 
 
 Zoroaster,  held  the  doctrine  of  a  Trinity        ■    ■  47 2 --474 
 
An  INDEX  to  the  passages  of  the  Bible  that  are  more 
 or  less  illustrated  in  the  present  volume. 
 
 GENESIS. 
 
 I.  I,  2.— 331-334,377 
 
 I.  26.  381-383. 
 
 3.  5. 384. 
 
 15-  73- 
 
 22.  383,  384. 
 
 6.  3. 334. 
 
 11.  7. 384,  385. 
 
 1-9.   156. 
 
 12.  1--3.   74. 
 
 14.  17..24.   —78. 
 
 15.  1  —  18. 156. 
 
 16.  9-13. 157. 
 
 18. 158--160. 
 
 19.  24.  385. 
 
 20.  3—7.    i6c,  161. 
 
 20.  13.  386. 
 
 21.  12—21.    — 161. 
 
 22.  ' — 161,  162. 
 26.  2--5.   . 75. 
 
 28.  13,  14.    —75. 
 10—17.    — i6z. 
 
 3,.  7. 386. 
 
 32.  24—30.   — 162. 
 
 35.  7. 386,  387. 
 
 41.  38.  334- 
 
 48.  15,  16,  — 76. 
 
 49.  JO,  18.    —j6,  -j-j. 
 
 EXODUS. 
 
 3.   Z..J,    ,63. 
 
 12.  29,  30.   — 164. 
 ,7.  7. 78. 
 
 19.  3—6.   164. 
 
 20.  5 387. 
 
 23.  20—22.   — 165. 
 
 24.  9—11. 165. 
 
 3,.  ,..3.    335. 
 
 32.  1. 387. 
 
 34-  6. 3«7. 
 
 5-  30--3S-   —335- 
 
 -380. 
 
 NUMBERS. 
 
 6.  24—26.   — 38>)--390. 
 1 1.  24--26.   — 336. 
 
 21.  5—9.  79. 
 
 22.  22—35.    — '^^* 
 24.   I,  2.   336. 
 
 17.  81. 
 
 37.  18.  337. 
 
 DEUTERONOMY. 
 
 22. 
 
 24. 
 
 2. 
 
 6. 
 
 i    >3. 
 
 2. 
 
 4- 
 10. 
 1 1. 
 19. 
 
 7- 39°- 
 
 26.  390. 
 
 4. 39c. 
 
 15  —  19.    — 82. 
 
 JOSHUA. 
 
 13  —  15.    — 166. 
 
 22.  392. 
 
 19.  392. 
 
 JUDGES. 
 
 1—23. 166. 
 
 1 1--27. 
 
 2-'23.  - 
 
 1  SAMUEL. 
 
 10.  82. 
 
 ^- 39+»  395- 
 
 6,   io. 337. 
 
 6- 337. 
 
 18-24.   —338. 
 
 •166. 
 •16-. 
 
 2  SAMUEL. 
 
 7.  14. 
 23- 
 
 •392»  393- 
 
 23.  1-7.    95,  96. 
 
 2'  3-    339'  396'  397 
 
 I  CHRONICLES. 
 28.  J 2.  340. 
 
 O  0  0  0 
 
646 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 19.  25-2; 
 26.  13.  — 
 
 33-  4- 
 
 35.  10.  - 
 
 JOB. 
 
 —81. 
 — 334- 
 — 334- 
 — 393- 
 
 PSALMS. 
 
 2.   1-12. 85. 
 
 8. 86,393. 
 
 16 86. 
 
 19 86. 
 
 22.  ■ 86. 
 
 23. 86,  87. 
 
 24.. 87. 
 
 33.6.  393. 
 
 40. 
 
 43- 
 
 45- 
 
 47- 
 
 50. 
 
 58. 
 
 61.  - 
 
 68.- 
 
 69.- 
 
 72.- 
 
 78.- 
 
 80.- 
 
 82.  6 
 
 89.- 
 
 97.- 
 
 IC2. 
 
 106. 
 
 I.— 
 12. 
 
 —87,  88,  89. 
 
 -89. 
 
 -89,  90,  394. 
 
 -90. 
 
 -394- 
 
 -394- 
 
 -91. 
 
 -91. 
 
 —gi. 
 
 —91,  92. 
 
 -92,  394. 
 
 -92. 
 
 —395- 
 -92. 
 
 —92,  93. 
 
 -93. 
 
 93- 
 
 94,  95 
 
 I--3- 396. 
 
 139.  I. 3jp,  340 
 
 143.  10. 339. 
 
 no. 
 136. 
 
 395- 
 
 149.  2. 
 
 -396. 
 
 PROVERBS. 
 1.  20-23.   —341- 
 
 8. ■— 97--99- 
 
 9.  10.  397. 
 
 30.  4. 99,  397. 
 
 31. 397. 
 
 ECCLESIASTES. 
 
 5.  ». 
 12.  I. 
 
 397- 
 
 397'  398- 
 
 SONG  of  SONGS. 
 
 ICO. 
 
 ISAIAH. 
 
 2.  22. 104. 
 
 6.  1--3. 169,  398—400. 
 
 7.  14. 104,  105. 
 
 8.  13-15. 105. 
 
 6. . — IOC  — 110. 
 
 12.  ■ 
 I-3- 
 3-   13- 
 
 9- 
 
 10 
 
 1 1 
 i^ 
 22.   19. 
 26,  16. 
 
 28.  5.- 
 
 30, 
 
 33 
 34 
 35 
 
 —  400. 
 1 10,  400. 
 
 —  -  400,  401. 
 
 40 1 . 
 
 III. 
 
 1 II. 
 
 IIZ. 
 
 40. 
 
 42. 
 
 44.  6.- 
 
 45.  14 
 
 27. 167. 
 
 22.  • 401. 
 
 16.  401. 
 
 3-5'   »'^' 
 
 3--5-   ^»2. 
 
 9--10. 1 12. 
 
 II. 112,  1 13. 
 
 13. 3^1,  401. 
 
 I. 401.- 
 
 113,  401, 
 
 402. 
 
 49. 
 52, 
 
 S3- 
 54 
 55 
 59 
 
 15.  —113. 
 22,  23.  — 114- 
 24,  25.   —114. 
 
 16.  342, 
 
 7. 402, 
 
 7. 114. 
 
 115- 
 
 403. 
 403- 
 
 -118. 
 402. 
 
 5-  -^ -no, 
 
 4. ij8. 
 
 19—21. — 403. 
 61.  I. 403- 
 
 63.  i— 5' iii^,  119- 
 
 8—10.  — 403,  404. 
 10,  14.— 342,  343' 
 
 64.  4. 404- 
 
 61.     I,     2. IK)' 
 
 JEREMIAH. 
 
 10 
 
 '7 
 
 35 
 33 
 
 10. 
 5--9- 
 5,  6 
 
 -404. 
 -121. 
 -122. 
 
 3'-34—- 34?»  344- 
 
 16. !  22—  I  20. 
 
 EZEKIEL. 
 
 I.   12. 344* 
 
 34.23,24,  29.127. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 647 
 
 36.  25-27.-345. 
 
 37.  12,  13.— 345. 
 
 DANIEL. 
 
 2-  34»  3S»  44?  45-   I27' 
 
 4.  17.  404. 
 
 26. 404. 
 
 5.  I J 346. 
 
 18  -20.   — 404. 
 
 7.  9.    404,  405. 
 
 13,    14.   —127,    168. 
 
 9.  17. 128,  405. 
 
 jg.  405. 
 
 24-27    — <28,  129. 
 
 HOSEA. 
 
 I 
 
 3 
 
 9 
 II 
 
 ■102,  405. 
 103. 
 
 ?•- 346. 
 
 I. 103. 
 
 11.  12.     406. 
 
 12.  3-5. ,03. 
 
 JOEL. 
 
 2.    29.      346. 
 
 AMOS. 
 
 4.  10, 
 6.  8.  ■ 
 
 II.  — 101. 
 101, 
 
 5.  2. 
 2.   5. 
 
 3-   - 
 
 MICAH. 
 120. 
 
 HABAKKUK. 
 
 347- 
 
 170-173. 
 
 HAGGAL 
 
 2.   5.-7. 406, 
 
 6-9. 1?9. 
 
 ZECHARIAH. 
 
 1.  7— II.  — 169. 
 
 2.  10,   II. — 130,  4c6. 
 
 3.  I,  2. 169. 
 
 7,  8. ,30. 
 
 6.  12,  13—130. 
 
 9- 
 
 !0. 
 
 u. 
 
 »3 
 14. 
 
 I. 
 
 2. 
 
 3- 
 
 4- 
 
 16. 
 
 9.  —130. 
 
 12.    ■ 131,  406. 
 
 12,   13.-131. 
 
 7. 
 
 5- 
 
 6. 
 
 »5 
 I. 
 
 2. 
 
 131. 
 
 132. 
 
 MALACHL 
 406. 
 
 347- 
 
 132. 
 
 132. 
 
 1  ESDRAS. 
 34-41.— 440,  441. 
 
 2  ESDRAS. 
 42-48.-44!,  442. 
 28,  29.-442. 
 
 TOBIT. 
 
 5,  6. 440. 
 
 lUDITH. 
 
 14. 
 
 440. 
 
 334- 
 
 WISDOM. 
 
 I. 
 
 7- 
 
 9- 
 
 12. 
 
 16. 
 16. 
 18. 
 
 4-7- 443- 
 
 22-30.— 444. 
 
 I,  4,  so,  II,  18.— 444. 
 
 I. 445. 
 
 81. 
 
 12.    445. 
 
 15.    445. 
 
 ECCLESIASTICUS. 
 
 45. 
 
 46. 
 48. 
 51. 
 
 "442. 
 
 5,  6. 442. 
 
 3--5- 442,  443- 
 
 10.    443. 
 
 BARUCH. 
 
 3*  35-37---445- 
 
 2  MACCABEES. 
 
 15-  27>  3I---443- 
 
64S 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 1.  18.-23. — 180. 
 20.    349. 
 
 20,    21. — 408,    409. 
 
 2.  II.     186. 
 
 3.  9,    II.    — 409- 
 
 J  I.     349,   350. 
 
 16,    17.-188,350,409, 
 
 7.  21.     247.  [410. 
 
 8.  28,  29. — 187. 
 g.  6.  -221. 
 
 11.  27.    — — 2C?. 
 
 12.  8.  203. 
 
 28. 350. 
 
 32. 350. 
 
 li.  33. 186. 
 
 16.  13-16. — 185. 
 18,  19. — 185. 
 
 17.  5. j88. 
 
 25,   26. — 203. 
 
 18.  19,   20. — 203,  24S. 
 ,9.  ,7..^ 58. 
 
 20.  23.    ——59. 
 28, 208. 
 
 22.  41-45.— 201,  350. 
 
 23.  8,  10.  — 207. 
 
 26.  53.  206. 
 63—66. — 224. 
 
 27.  37. 187. 
 
 54. 187. 
 
 28.  18— 20.— 59,  229,  247, 
 
 248,  411-415- 
 MARK. 
 
 2.  5,  7. 220. 
 
 3.  If.    12, — 187. 
 
 12.  36. 351. 
 
 13.  32.    59. 
 
 14.  61—64. — 225. 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 1.  16,  i7--i77- 
 
 30»  35'— 177-179- 
 41-43—179. 
 
 76-79.— 179- 
 
 2.  8—14.  — 179- 
 25-3^. — 180. 
 
 48. 205. 
 
 3   16,  17.  —182. 
 
 4.  41. 187. 
 
 12.  12. 352. 
 
 22.  66—71. — 226. 
 
 24.  49-51.— 206,  255. 
 
 JOHN. 
 
 I.  1-14.  —299-314. 
 15-18.— 183. 
 
 23. 183. 
 
 29-34.— 183. 
 
 3^ 352- 
 
 49. 184. 
 
 2.  16,  19.— 206, 207. 
 
 24»   25-— 3»4- 
 
 6. 352- 
 
 13. 193. 
 
 14,  15. — 80. 
 i&. -204. 
 
 3- 
 3- 
 
 5- 
 
 6. 
 
 27-36.— 183,  184. 
 17.  23.— 217-219. 
 
 22,   23.-248. 
 
 .197,    194. 
 
 68—69. — 184. 
 
 8.  16. — 205. 
 
 18,  19.— 205. 
 
 23. —195- 
 
 28,  29.  —205. 
 35,  36.— 205. 
 
 38. 195.  205. 
 
 42. 195- 
 
 49.— 205. 
 
 54.— 205. 
 
 56-59.  —198a  199- 
 
 9-  35-37 —J92- 
 
 10.  15. 202. 
 
 18. 207. 
 
 23-39- —210- 
 
 -216. 
 
 II,  25,  26.— 207. 
 
 27. 184. 
 
 13-  3-  95»  3H- 
 
INDEX. 
 
 649 
 
 J4.  I,  &c.- — 20S,  209. 
 
 14.  -248. 
 
 23.  208. 
 
 28.  60. 
 
 tg.     ,5.    ,9-. 
 
 16.  12—14.     191. 
 
 i6.  13-15.  —354. 
 25-30.  —195. 
 30.  186, 
 
 17.  I. 205. 
 
 3. 61. 
 
 5.- 196,  205. 
 
 8,  24. 197. 
 
 II,  21,  24,  25.205,  206. 
 
 19.  6,  7.    226. 
 
 io,  22.  354. 
 
 26—29,    — 189,  190. 
 
 30.  3» 
 17.  — 
 
 1.  24,  25 
 
 2.  24,  30 
 
 7.  52 
 
 —314,  315. 
 185. 
 
 ACTS. 
 
 —233,  234,    2^4. 
 
 33-234.  235,   264. 
 
 —235- 
 231. 
 
 — 232,  251,   260. 
 
 —  356. 
 —240.  356,   357. 
 
 244. 
 
 —255. 
 
 —  357- 
 
 357- 
 
 — 35«- 
 
 •35«- 
 
 55-60 
 
 8.  29.   — 
 
 3«>  39 
 
 9.  3-6. 
 14,  21 
 
 10.  20.   — 
 
 11.  12.  — 
 13.  2,  4.    . 
 
 15.  28.  — 
 
 16.  6,  7.  358. 
 
 17.  28.  358,  359. 
 
 19.  2. 359. 
 
 20.  23,  28.    — 244--246,    359. 
 ai.  1 1. 360. 
 
 22.  16.  249. 
 
 28.  25  —  27.   — 360. 
 
 ROMANS. 
 
 I.  3,  4.   263. 
 
 ,.  7. 253. 
 
 $.  11. 
 
 29. 
 
 32. 
 9.  I.- 
 
 ■^361. 
 — 270. 
 —  265-267, 
 -361. 
 
 9.  5. 264. 
 
 10.  12—14.    — 257. 
 
 11.  36. 420,  421. 
 
 14.  17,  18.   —252. 
 
 15.  5,  6.  421. 
 
 15.  19.  362. 
 
 16,  20,  24.  —253. 
 
 I  CORINTHIANS. 
 
 1.  2 
 
 2.  s 
 
 257. 
 
 267. 
 II.  — ■ — 362. 
 
 3.  16,  17.  —363. 
 
 6.   19,  20.    — 363,  364, 
 
 8.  6.- 62. 
 
 9.  9. 80. 
 
 10.  9. 78. 
 
 11.  3. 6s. 
 
 13.   14.  365. 
 
 15,  24.  63. 
 
 47. 268. 
 
 16.  22.  268,  26^. 
 
 2  CORINTHIANS. 
 
 5.  18--21.    — 269,  270, 
 8.  9.  ■      2yo--2yz. 
 
 12.  7--9.    252. 
 
 13.  14.  423,  424. 
 
 GALATIANS. 
 
 4.  4. 
 
 •272. 
 
 EPHESIANS. 
 3.  3. 367. 
 
 3.  19-21.  —272,  425. 
 
 4.  5,  6.  — — 65. 
 
 9.  10. 264. 
 
 6,  5-8.   253. 
 
 PHILIPPIANS. 
 
 2.  5  — II. 273--276. 
 
 10,  II.    — 250. 
 
 3.  20,  21,   — 277. 
 
 4.  13.  277. 
 
 COLOSSIANS. 
 
 1.  16-19.   — 277,  278. 
 
 2.  2,  3,  9,  —278,  426. 
 
 1  THESSALONIANS. 
 
 3.  11-13.   —368.-370. 
 
 P  p  p  p 
 
650 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 2  THESSALONIANS. 
 
 2.  16.  253. 
 
 3.  5.'»  368,  426,  427. 
 
 2. 
 3- 
 
 4- 
 
 7- 
 
 9- 
 
 12. 
 
 33' 
 
 1  TIMOTHY. 
 
 12.  — 253. 
 
 5  65. 
 
 16.  "279- 
 
 2  TlIvioTHY. 
 22.  256. 
 
 7,  i 
 18. 
 
 ■281. 
 -254. 
 
 HEBREWS. 
 
 1—6. — 98,  250,  283  —  292. 
 10—12.    — 293,  294. 
 
 9,  16. 294. 
 
 i„6.    294,  295. 
 
 7. ' — 370,  371. 
 
 12,  13.  —295,  296. 
 
 I  — 10. 78. 
 
 8,  14. 371. 
 
 25,  26.   — 296. 
 8. 256. 
 
 JAMES. 
 
 1. • — 240. 
 
 1  PETER. 
 
 -427,  428. 
 
 2. 
 
 II,  12.  —371. 
 19-22.   —235. 
 
 2  PETER. 
 
 1.  1.— 
 II.- 
 
 21.  • 
 
 2.  1-3. 
 
 -239. 
 
 372. 
 -5- 
 
 »•.              239. 
 
 3- 
 
 18.  239,  240, 
 
 I  JOHN. 
 
 I. 
 
 1-3.           316. 
 
 2. 
 
 I,  2.           317. 
 
 3- 
 
 16.  318. 
 
 4- 
 
 2,  3-            3'9- 
 
 9,  10,14,-319. 
 
 5- 
 
 7.                319-321., 
 
 7.  8.            372,  429. 
 
 14,   15.   —249. 
 
 20,  21.  — 321,  322. 
 
 2  JOHN. 
 
 3'                 254. 
 
 '54- 
 
 JUDE. 
 
 3,  4.    5,  240,  241. 
 
 14,  15.  74. 
 
 24,  25.  241. 
 
 REVELATION. 
 
 ,.  ,.   65.  [324 
 
 4-0-  254,  255,   323, 
 
 7,  8.   229,  324,   325. 
 
 1 1.  229,  325. 
 
 17.  229. 
 
 23.  229,  325,   326, 
 
 326,  327,   373. 
 
 —326,  327. 
 
 — 259,  260. 
 
 -  260. 
 
 8-1 
 
 7.  10.  — 
 19.  17.   ■ 327. 
 
 21.  9,  i<i,  22,23.328. 
 
 22.  I,  3,  6.  — 328. 
 
 12,  13,  16.201,  329. 
 
 20,  21.  —254,  329,   33». 
 
An  INDEX  of  Writers  quoted  in  this  Apology,  with  the  particular 
 edition  of  their  works  to  which  we  have  referred. 
 
 Those  marked  with  an  asterisol  are  quoted  from  sdttit  Other  writer, 
 the  original  work  not  being  in  the  author's  possession. 
 
 AMBROSII  opera,  a  Soraro,  Par.  ±  torn.  1632. 
 
 Arnobius  adversus  gentes,  apud  opera  patrum,  Lug.   164a, 
 
 Athanasii  opera.  Colonic,  2  toni.  1686. 
 
 Athenagors  Legatio,  apud  opera  Justini. 
 
 Augustini  opera,  a  Guillard.  Par.   i;4-l. 
 
 Barnabse  epistola,  a  Voss.  Amst.   164I5. 
 
 Basillii  Magni  opera,  3  tohi.  Par.  1618. 
 
 Baxter's  Works,  4  vols.  London,  1707. 
 
 Biblia  Polygloua,  a  Waltono,  6  torn.  1657. 
 
 Blnghaitt's  Origines  Eccl.   lo  vols.  London,  17 10. 
 
 Blackwall's  Sacred  Classics,  2  vols.  London,  •»737, 
 
 Boyle's  Works,  5  vols.  London,  1744. 
 
 Bulli  opera,  a  Grabe,  London,  I703. 
 
 Burnet,  Bishop,  on  the  Articles,  London,  1759. 
 
 Burnet,  Thomas,  de  Fide,  Lond.  1728. 
 
 Butler's  Analogy,  by  Halifax,  London,  1788. 
 
 Chysostomi  Expositio  in  epistolas  Pauli,  2  torn.   1596.  : 
 
 Chrysostom  on  the  Priesthood,  by  Bonce. 
 
 Clarke's  Scripture  Doctrine,  London,   17  J9. 
 
 Sermons,  11  vols.  London,   1749. 
 Clementis  Romani  epistolas,  a  Wotton,  Cant.   171 8. 
 Clementis  Alexandrini,  a  Pottero,  Ox.  2  torn.   1715. 
 Cudworth's  Intellectual  System,  London,  1678. 
 Cypriani  opera,  a  Pamelio,   Par.   1632. 
 Cyrilli  Hieros.  opera,  Lut.  Par.   1631. 
 Dionysii  Alexand.  epistola  cont.  Paul.  Samos.  apud  opera  patrum, 
 
 Lugd.  1642. 
 Dupin's  New  History  of  Ecclesiastical  Writers,  8  vols.  London,  1696. 
 Epiphanii  opera,  a  Petavio,  2   torn.  Colonia:,   1682. 
 Eusebii  Pamph.  opera,  a  Robt.  Staph.  Lut.  Par.    1544. 
 Fiddes's  Theologla  Speculativa,  2  vols.  London,  17  li!. 
 Galatinus  de  Arcanis,  Francofurti,   1612. 
 Grabii  Spicilegium,  2  torn.  Oxon.   1698. 
 Gregorii  Naz.  a  Morel.  2  torn.  Colon-   1690. 
 Hammond's  Works,  4  vols.  London,   1684. 
 Hippoliti  opera,  apud  opera  patrum,  Ludg.   1642. 
 Ignatii  epistolae,  a  Voss.   Amst.    1646. 
 Irenaei  opera,  a  Feuardentio,  Lut-  Par.   1639. 
 Jones's  Cotholic  Doctrine  of  the  Trinity,  London,  1767.. 
 Josephi  Flav.  opera,  Geneva,  1634. 
 Justini  Mart,  opera.  Colonise,  1686. 
 Lett's  Sermons  at  Bampton  Lect.  0.\-.  1791. 
 
6st  INDEX. 
 
 Kidder's  Demonstration  of  the  Messlas,  London,  1726. 
 
 Lactantii  opera,  apud  opera  patrum,  Lugduni,  1642. 
 
 Lardner's  Works,  11  vols-  London,  1788. 
 
 Leslie's  Works,  2  vols.  Loiidon,  1721. 
 
 Lightfoot's  Works,  2  vols.  London,  1684. 
 
 Millius  in  Novum  Tcstamentum,  Oxon,  i707« 
 
 Minutii  Felicis  Octavius,  Cant.  1686. 
 
 Moore's  Divine  Dialogues,  London,  1713. 
 
 Newton's  Observations  on  Daniel  and  Revelation,  London,  1733. 
 
 Novatianus  de  Trinitate,  apud  Tertul.  opera.  ' 
 
 Origenis  opera,  per  Euseb-  Epis-  2  torn-  Basil,  1571. 
 
 Origen  cont.  Celsum,  a  Spencero,  Cant-  1677. 
 
 Pearson  on  the  Creed,   London,   1692. 
 
 Philonis  opera,  a  Gelenio,  Lut.  Far-    1640. 
 
 Polycarpi  epistola,  a  Voss.  Amst.   1646- 
 
 Prideaux's  Connection,  4  vols.  Glasgow,   1743- 
 
 Ramsay's  Philosophical  Principles  of  Religion,  2  vols.  Glasgow,  1748- 
 
 *RuiEnus  in  Symb-   Apostolicorum. 
 
 Scott's  Christian  Life,  5  vols.  London,  1747- 
 
 Stillingfleet  on  the  Trinity,  London,  1697. 
 
 Tatiani  oratio  ad  Gr^cos,  apud  opera  Justini, 
 
 Tertuiliani  opera,  a  Pamelio,  Par-   1583- 
 
 Testamenta  1 2  Patriarch,  apud  Spicileg.  Grabii. 
 
 Theophilus  ad  Autolycum,  apud  opera  Justini- 
 
 Theodoret  apud  Ridder's  Demonstration. 
 
 Tillotson's  Works,  12  vols.  London,  174$. 
 
 Wake's  Apostolical  Fathers,  London,  1737. 
 
 Waterland's  Eight  Sermons  at  Lady  Moyer's  Lecture,  Camb.  172*3. 
 
 Waterland's  Vindication,  Camb.   1720. 
 
 Waterland's  Importance  of  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity,  London,  1734: 
 
 White's  Sermons  at  the  Bampton  Lecture,  London,  1785. 
 
 Whitsii  Miscellanea  Sacra,  Traject.  ad  Rhenum,  1692. 
 
 Whitsius  de  CEconomia,  Trajecti  ad  Rhenum,  1694. 
 
 The  quotations  from,  and  references  to,  most  of  the  other  writers 
 jhcntioned  in  this  work,  it  is  hoped,  will  be  found  sufficiently  accurate 
 for  the  purposes  of  consultation.  It  was  not  thought  necessary  to 
 specify  every  one  of  them  in  this  list,  but  only  such  as  have  under- 
 C;one  more  or  less  alteration  in  the  several  editions  through  which 
 they  have  passed.  The  very  numerous  translations  from  the  Anci- 
 ents are  partly  selected,  but  mostly  original.  The  author  wishes 
 they  may  convey  the  .sense  of  the  several  writers  with  competent 
 precision.  He  can  truly  say,  he  hath  not  designedly  perverted  any 
 expression  to  answer  a  purpose. 
 
ADDENDA. 
 
 A  concise  scnptnral  view  of  the  Divinity  of  our  Lord 
 and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ. 
 
 I.  Jesus  Christ  'was  in  beiyig  before  he  luas  conceived  in  the 
 ivomb  of  the  virgin  Mary. 
 
 This  appears  from  the  following  passages  of  the  sacred  writings. 
 
 1.  He  was  the  God,  who  fed  Jacob  all  his  life  long,  and  the 
 Ancbl,  which  redeemed  him  from  all  evil,  to  whom  he  prayed  that 
 he  would  bless  the  sons  of  Joseph.     Gen.  48.   15,   i6. 
 
 2.  He  was  without  father,  without  mother,  without  descent,  hav- 
 ing neither  beginning  of  days,  nor  end  of  life.  Gen.  14.  I7 — 24. 
 Heb.  7.   I — 10. 
 
 3.  The  Israelites  tempted  Ch  r  ist  in  the  wilderness,  and  were 
 destroyed  of  serpents.     Ex.   17.  7.      1   Cor.   10.  9. 
 
 4.  When  Jacob  returned  to  his  own  country  he  had  power  over 
 the  Angel,  the  Lord  of  hosts,  with  whom  he  wrestled.  Gen. 
 32.  24 — 30.     Hos.   12.  3 — 5. 
 
 c.  His  goings  forth  have  been  from  0^  o\A,  from  everlasting. 
 Micah   5.   2. 
 
 6.  We  were  chosen  in  Christ  Jesus  before  the  foundation  of 
 the  world  : — we  had  grace  given  us  in  Christ  Jesus  before  the 
 world  began  ; — God,  who  cannot  lie,  promised  eternal  life  to  us 
 before  the    world  began.     Ep.     1.4.     2  Tim.    i,  9.     Tit.   i.  2. 
 
 7.  Jtsus  Christ  was  in  being  when  t'ne  foundation  of  the 
 world  was  laid.     John   1,  3.     Col.    i.   16.     Heb.    1.  2. 
 
 8.  He  preached  by  the  Spirit  in  the  days  of  Noah,  before  the 
 flood.     1   Pet.  3.   19,  20. 
 
 9.  Jesus  Christ  was  David's  Lord  as  well  as  David's  Son;  the 
 root  as  well  as  the  cji/ri/ig  of  that  illustrious  king.  Mat.  22. 
 41 — 45.  Ps.    no.   I.     Rev.  22.   16. 
 
 10.  Jesus  Christ  came  down  from  heaven.  John  3.  13. 
 Ibid.  6.  33,  38,  41,  42,  50,  51,  58,  62. — He  had  seen  the  Fa- 
 ther. Ibid.  6.  46. — He  was  from  above.  Ibid.  8.  23. — 'He  was 
 not  of  this  world.  Ibid. — He  spake  those  things  which  he  had 
 heard  and  seen  with  his  j  ather.  Ibid.  8.  26,  38. — He  proceeded 
 and  came  forth  from  God.  Ibid,  8.  42.— He  was  before  Abraham. 
 Ibid.  8.  56 — 59. — He  came  from  God.  Jbid.  13.  3. — He  made 
 known  to  his  disciples  what  he  had, heard  of  his  Father.  15.  15.— 
 He  came  out  from  God,  and  came  forth  fro.ii  the  Father.  Ibid.  16. 
 
^'S4  ADDENDA. 
 
 *5 — 3°- — ^^  ^^^  glory  with  the  Father  before  the  world  was.  Ibid. 
 *7'  5' — His  disciples  knew  sarely,  that  Christ  came  out  from  God, 
 and  that  God  sent  him.  Ibid.  17.  8. — God  loved  Christ  before  the 
 foundation  of  the  world.  Ibid.  17.  24. — Though  he  was  rich,  yet 
 for  our  sakes  he  became  poor.  2  Cor.  8.  9. — God  sent  forth  his 
 Son  made  of  a  woman.  Gal.  4.  4,  5. — Jesus  Christ  was  in  the 
 form  of  God,  and  took  upon  him  the  form  of  a  servant.  Phil.  2. 
 5,  6. — He  is  the  Lord  from  heaven,     i   Cor.   15.  47. 
 
 II.  Jesus  Christ  luaj,  <u7//?  kis  Father,  t^e  Creator  0/ 
 the  nvorU. 
 
 This  appears  from  the  following  passages  of  holy  scripture. 
 
 1.  All  things  were  made  by  him,  and  without  him  was  not  any 
 thing  made  that  was  made.     John  1.  3. 
 
 2.  He  was  in  the  world,  and  the  world  was  made  by  him.  John 
 I.   io. 
 
 3.  To  us  there  is  but  one  God,  the  Father,  of  whom  are  all 
 things,  and  we  in  him  ;  and  one  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by  whom  are  all 
 things,  and  we  by  him.     i   Cor.  Z.  6. 
 
 4.  God  created  all  things  by  Jesus  Christ. .  Ep.  3.  9. 
 
 5.  By  him  were  all  things  created,  that  are  in  heaven,  and  that 
 are  in  earth,  visible  and  invisible,  whether  they  be  thrones,  or  domi- 
 nions, or  principalities,  or  powers ;  all  things  were  created  by  him 
 and  for  him ;  and  he  is  before  all  things,  and  by  him  all  things 
 consist.     Col.  1.  15—17. 
 
 6.  By  his  Son  God  made  the  worlds.     Heb.  1.  2. 
 
 7.  Thou,  Lord,  in  the  beginning  hast  laid  the  foundations  of  the 
 earth,  and  the  heavens  are  the  works  of  thine  hands,      Heb.  i.  10. 
 
 III.  Jesus  Christ,  in  his  higher  nature,  is  the  true  and  only- 
 begotten  Son  of  God, 
 
 This  appears  from  the  following  passages. 
 
 1.  Lo,  a  voice  from  heaven,  saying,  I'his  is  my  beloved  Son,  irl 
 whom  I  am  well  pleased.     Mat.  3.  17. 
 
 2.  Behold,  a  bright  cloud  overfhadowed  them  ;  and  behold,  a 
 voice  out  of  the  cloud,  which  said ;  This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in 
 whom  I  am  well  pleased.     Mat.  17.  5. 
 
 3.  Simon  Peter  said  to  Jesus,  Thou  art  the  Christ,  the  Son  of 
 the  living  God.     Mat.   16.   16. 
 
 4.  We  beheld  his  glory,  the  glory  as  of  the  only-begotten  of  the 
 Father,  full  of  grace  and  truth.     John  i.   14. 
 
 5.  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only-begotten  Son. 
 John  3.  16. 
 
 6.  He  hath  not  believed  in  the  name  of  the  only -begotten  Son  of 
 God.     John  3.  18.     See  too  John  5.  18.     John  19.  7.     1  John 
 
 4*  9- 
 
 7.  God  sending  his  own  Sofl>  in  the  likeness   of  sinful   flesh. 
 
 Rom.  8.  3. 
 
 8.  He 
 
ADDENDA;  ^5.5 
 
 8.  He  spared  not  his  own  Son,  but  delivered  him  up  for  us  all. 
 Rom.  8.  32.  r  V    J        c 
 
 9.  God  hath  translated  us  into  the  kingdom  of  his  dear  bon. 
 Col.   1.   13.  .    c  V 
 
 10.  God  hath  in  these  last  days  spoken  unto  us  by  his  Son,  whom 
 he  hath  appointed  heir  of  all  things,  by  whom  also  he  made  the 
 worlds  ;  who  was  the  brightness  of  his  glory,  and  the  express 
 imag«  of  his  person.     Heb.   1.   i — 3. 
 
 11.  Christ  was  a  Son  oyer  his  own  house.     Heb.  3.  6. 
 
 IV.  Jesus  Christ  is  of  the  same  nature^  and  e^ual  'with  hU 
 everlasting  Father, 
 
 This  also  appears  from  the  following  scriptures. 
 
 1.  Awake,  O  sword,  against  my  shepherd,  against  the  man  that 
 is  my  Fellow,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts.     Zech.   13.  /• 
 
 2.  He  said  God  was  his  Father,  making  himself  equal  with  God. 
 John  5.   18. 
 
 3.  What  things  soever  the  Father  doth,  these  also  doth  the  Son 
 likewise.     John  5.    19. 
 
 4.  We  stone  thee  for  blasphemy  ;  and  because  that  thou,  being  a 
 man,  makest  thyself  God.     John   10.  33. 
 
 5.  I  and  ray  Father  are  one.     John  10.  30. 
 
 6.  He   that  hath  seen  me  hath   seen  the  Father.     John  14.  9. 
 
 7.  Believest  thou  not,  that  1  am  in  iheFatherj  and  the  Father  in 
 me  ?  John  14.  10,  1 1. 
 
 8.  All  things,  that  the  Father  hath,  are  mine.  John  16.  15, 
 Ibid.  17.   10. 
 
 9.  No  man  knoweth  the  Son  but  the  Father ;  neither  knoweth 
 any  man  the  Father,  save  the  Son,  and  he  to  whomsoever  the  Son 
 will  reveal  him.     Mat.   11.  27. 
 
 10.  Let  this  mind  be  in  you,  which  was  also  in  CJirist  Jesus; 
 who,  being  in  the  form  of  God,  thought  it  not  robbery  to  be  equal 
 with  God.     Phil.  2.  5,  6. 
 
 V.  Jesus  Christ  is  calUd  loth  Gon,  «/ji/LoRD,  and  Je- 
 hovah. 
 
 The  scriptures  following  will  make  this  suEciently  clear. 
 
 1.  Unto  us  a  child  is  born '-and  his  name  fliall  be  called — the 
 mighty  God.     Is.  9.  6. 
 
 2.  Say  unto  the  cities  of  Judah,  Behold  your  God  !  Is.  40. 
 9 — II.   See  too  chap,  35.  4,  5. 
 
 3.  His  name  shall  be  called  Immanuel ;  which,  being  interpreted, 
 is,  God  with  us.     Mat.  1.  21. 
 
 4.  In  the  beginning  was  the  Word — a<id  the  Word  was  God. 
 John   1.  1, 
 
 5.  Feed  the  church  of  God,  which  he  hath  purchased  with  his 
 own  blood.     Acts  20,  z%.  •  -;  •  _ 
 
 6.  Of 
 
^5^  ADDENDA. 
 
 6.  Of  whom,  as  concerning  the  fle5h,  Christ  came,  who  is  over 
 all,  God  blessed  forever.     Rom.  9.   5. 
 
 7.  God  was  in  Christ  reconciling  the  world  untohimself.     2  Cor. 
 
 5-  '9  .        . 
 
 8.  God  was  manifest  in  the  flesh.      1   Tim.   3.    16. 
 
 9.  Looking  for  that  blessed  hope,  and  the  glorious  appearing  of 
 the  great  God  and  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  who  gave  himself  for 
 us.     Tit.  2.   13,  14. 
 
 10.  But  unto  the  Son  he  saith.  Thy  throne,  O  God,  is  forever  and 
 ever.     Heb.   1.  8. 
 
 11.  This  is  the  true  God  and  eternal  life,      i    John  5.   20. 
 
 12.  Many  of  the  children  of  Jsjael  shall  he  turn  to  the  Lord  their 
 God.     Luke   i.   16. 
 
 13.  Thomas  said  unto  him.  My  Lord  and  my  God  !   John  20.  28. 
 
 14.  Thou,  Lord,  in  the  beginning  hast  laid  the  foundations  of  the 
 earth.     Heb.   i.   10. 
 
 15.  This  is  his  name  whereby  he  shall  be  called,  Jehovah  our 
 righteousness.     Jer.  23.  6. 
 
 VL  Various  other  Divine  Titles  are  attributed  to  Jesus 
 Christ  in  holy  scripture. 
 
 1.  He  is  Most  High  : — Thou,  child,  shah  be  called  the  prophet  of 
 the  Highest;  for  thou  Ihalt  go  before  the  face  of  the  Lord  to  pre- 
 pare his  way.     Luke   1 .   36. 
 
 2.  He  is  the  Lord  of  glory. — Had  they  known;,  they  would  not  have 
 crucified  the  Lordof  glory,      i    Cor.  2.   8. 
 
 3.  He  is  King  of  kings  and  Lord  of  lords : — He  hath  on  his  ves- 
 tsre,  and  on  his  thigh  a  name  written.  King  of  kings  and  Lord  of 
 lords.     Rev.    19.   16. 
 
 4.  He  is  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  Beginning  and  the  End,  the  First  and 
 the  Last: — Consult  in  pjoof  of  this,  Kev.  j.  7,  8,  11,  17,  18. 
 Ibid.  2.  8.  Ibid.  22.  12,  13.  Compare  with  these  Is.  44.  6.  and 
 48     II,   12. 
 
 5.  He  is  the  Lord ef  Hosts  .-^-Sanctify  the  Lord  of  Hosts  himfelf, 
 and  let  him  be  your  fear,  and  let  him  be  your  dread.  And  he  shall 
 be  for  a  sanctuary  ;  but  for  a  stone  of  stumbling,  and  for  a  rock  of 
 offence,  to  both  the  houses  of  Israel.  Is.  8.  13,  m.  Compare 
 1  Pet.  2.  7,  8,  where  these  words  are  expre:-sly  applied  to  Jesus 
 Christ.     Compare  also  Is.  6.   1 — 5,  with  John   12.  41. 
 
 Vn.  Divine  attributes  are  also  ascribed  to  Jesus 
 Christ  ///  the  sacred  nxjri tings, 
 
 1.  He  is  eteriial : — His  goings  forth  have  been  from  of  old,  from 
 everlasting.  Micah  8.  22,  Compare  Prov.  8 ;  Heb.  i  and  7  chap- 
 ters;  and  John  i     i  — 14. 
 
 2.  He  is  omnipresent  : — Where  two  or  three  are  gathered  together 
 
 in  my  name,  there  am  I  in  the  midst  of  them.     Mat.    18.  20. 
 
 Lo,  I  am  with  you  always,  even  unto  the  eiid  of  the  world.     Mat. 
 sy.  20. 
 
 3.   //. 
 
ADDENDA.  657 
 
 3.  Ht  is  immutable  : — The  heavens  shall  perish,  but  thou  remain- 
 est ;  they  shall  be  changed  ;  but  thou  art  the  same,  and  thy  years 
 shall  not  fail.  Heb.  i.  11,  12. — Jesus  Christ  the  same  yesterday,  to- 
 day, and  forever.     Heb.    13.   8. 
 
 4.  He  is  ofnnipotent : — I  am  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  beginning  and 
 the  ending,  saith  the  Lord,  which  is,  and  which  was,  and  which  is  to 
 come,  the  Almighty.  Rev.  i.  8. — He  is  able  to  subdue  all  things  to 
 himself     Phil.  3.    i\. 
 
 5.  He  is  omniscient: — Now  wc  are  sure  that  thou  knowcst  all 
 things.  John  16.  30. — Lord,  thou  knowest  all  things.  John  21.  17. 
 — He  knew  all  men.  John  2.  24. — He  knew  what  was  in  man. 
 John  2.  25. — In  him  are  hid  all  the  treasures  of  wisdom  and  know- 
 ledge. Col.  2.  3. — He  searcheth  the  reins  and  hearts.  Rev.  2.  23. 
 •^ — See  too  Acts   i.  24,   25. 
 
 VIII.  T.HE  HONOURS  due  to  God  alcne  are  no^jj  in  hcanjen,  and 
 hanje  been  upon  earth,  attributed  lo  Christ. 
 
 The  following  scriptures  will  be  satisfactory, 
 
 1.  Di-dine  adoration: — And  again,  when  he  bringeth  in  the  First- 
 begotten  ii.to  the  world,  he  saiih.  Let  all  the  angels  of  God  uorship 
 liim.  Heb.  1.  6  —  The  four  beasts,  and  four  and  twenty  elders  fell 
 down  before  the  Lamb,  having  every  one  of  them  harps  and  golden 
 vials  full  of  odours,  which  are  the  prayers  of  saints.  Rev.   5.   8. 
 
 2.  Diziine praises  :  Every  creature  which  is  in  heaven  and  on  the 
 earth,  heard  I,  saying.  Blessing  and  honour  and  glory  and  power  be 
 unto  him  that  sitteth  upon  the  throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb  forever 
 and  ever.   Kev.    5.    13.   See  also  Rev.    1.   5,  6;  and  7-    10. 
 
 3  ^he  honour  of  ha-ving  a  temple  : — Behold,  1  will  send  my  Mes- 
 senger, and  he  shall  prepare  the  way  before  me,  and  the  Lord  whom 
 ye  seek  shall  suddenly  come  to  his  temple.     Mai-   3.   i. 
 
 4.  The  honour  cf  ha-ving  priests  to  cjficiate  to  B\M  no  less  than  the 
 father: — I'hey  shall  be  priests  of  God  and  of  Christ-     Rev.  20.  6. 
 
 5.  The  honour  of  being  -joith  his  Father  the  te?nple  of  the  beuvenly 
 Jerusalem : —  I'he  Lord  God  Almighty  and  the  Lamb  are  the  temple 
 of  it.     Rev.   21-   22. 
 
 6-  The  honour  of  being  luith  his  Father  the  light  of  the  hea'vcnly 
 Jerusalem  : — The  glory  of  God  did  lighten  it,  and  the  Lamb  is  the 
 light  thereof      Rev.  21.   23- 
 
 7-  The  honour  of  ha-ving  the  river  cf  the  ^j;ater  of  life  fo-vcing  from 
 his  throne: — He  shewed  me  a  pure  river  of  water  of  life,  clear  as 
 crystal  proceeding  out  of  the  throne  of  God  and  of  the  Lamb- 
 Rev.   22.   I. 
 
 8.  ^s  the  angels  in  hea-ven  ivorship  Jesus  Christ  in  common  <ii.-iih  the 
 Father,  so  tncn  upon  earth  are  commanded  to  do  the  same  : — 'J  he  Father 
 judgeih  no  man  ;  but  hath  committed  all  judgment  unto  the  Son  ; 
 that  all  men  should  honour  the  Son,  even  as  they  honour  the  Father. 
 He  that  honoureth  not  the  Son,  honoureth  no:  the  Father  which  haih 
 sent  him.     John  8.  Z2,  23. 
 
 9.  Glory 
 
658  ADDENDA. 
 
 9.  Glory  is  ascribed  to  Jesus  by  the  Apostles  as  ivell  as  to  the  Fa- 
 ther : — The  Lord  shall  deliver  me  from  every  evil  work,  and  will 
 preserve  me  unto  his  heavenly  kingdom  ;  to  whom  be  glory  forever 
 and  ever.  2  Tim.  4.  18. — Consult  the  context — Grow  in  grace, 
 and  in  the  knowledge  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ.  To 
 him  be  glory,  both  now  and  forever.  Amen-  2  Pet.  3.  18. — Unto 
 him  that  loved  us,  and  washed  us  from  our  sins  in  his  own  blood,  and 
 hath  made  us  kings  and  priests  unto  God  and  his  Father  :  to  him  be 
 glory  and  dominion  forever  and  ever.  Amen.  Rev.   1.  5,  6. 
 
 10.  The  common  practice  of  Christians-,  in  the  first  ages,  nvas,  io  call 
 en  the  name  cf  the  Lord  Jesus  :. — And  they  ftoned  Stephen,  calling 
 upon  and  saying.  Lord  Jesus,  receive  my  spirit — Lord,  lay  Rot  this 
 sin  to  their  charge.  Acts  7-  59,  60.  Compare  Acts  1.  24;  Ibid. 
 9.  14,  21  ;  22.  16;  Rom.  10.  12 — 14;  I  Cor.  j,.  z  j  2  Con 
 12.  7 — 9;  2  Tim.  2.  22;  and  1  John  5-  14,  15. 
 
 1 1 .  Jesus  Christ  hath  the  honour  of  being  the  author  of  grace  in 
 (ommon  'with  the  Father  : — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace,  from  God 
 our  Father,  and  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.  1  Tim.  i.  2.  Rev.  1,  4, 
 5.     See  also  the  introduction  to  several  other  of  the  Epistles. 
 
 12.  Jesus  Christ  hath  also  the  honour  of  being  joined  nviih  the 
 Father  in  the  for  tn  cf  baptism  : — Go,  teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them 
 in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
 Mat.  28.  19.  ....-,.- 
 
 I  j .  The  honour  like-jvise  of  being  united  ivith  the  Father  and  the 
 Holy  Ghost  in  solemn  benediction  :  The  grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
 and  the  love  of  God,  and  the  communion  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  be 
 with  you  all.  Amen.     2  Cor.   13.   14. 
 
 IX.  The  Atonement  made  for  the  sins  cf  the  ivorld  By  the 
 death  of  the  Son  of  God,  a  doctrine  to  nvhich  the  n.vhole  bible,  as  ivell 
 as  the  general  history  of  mankind,  bears  ^witness,  implies  the  DlvirJiTY 
 cf  the  Saviour. 
 
 If  e  need  ovly  mention  one  passage  on  this  head,  and  refer  to  a  fevJ 
 ethers  .- — All  have  sinned  and  come  short  of  the  glory  of  God  ;  be- 
 ing justified  freely  by  his  grace,  through  the  redemption  that  is  ih 
 Christ  Jesus  :  whom  God  hath  set  forth  to  be  a  propitiation  through 
 faith  in  his  blood  ;  to  declare  his  righteousness  for  the  remission  of 
 sins  that  are  past  through  the  forbearance  of  God — that  he  might 
 be  just  and  the  justiiier  of  him  which  believeth  in  Jesus.  Rom.  3. 
 23 — 26.  See  moreover,  Js.  53  ;  Dan.  9  ;  John  10;  i  John  2. 
 1,  '2  ;  and  the  whole  Mosaic  instituiion  compared  with  the  Epistle 
 to  the  Hebrews. 
 
 APPLICATION. 
 
 i  The  shove  is  the  substance  of  what  the  scripture  acl%-anccs  upon 
 L  this  great  subject.  How  any.  person,  who  gives  the  smallest  credit 
 jyto  these  several  declarations  of  holy  writ,  can  presume   to  degrade 
 
 his 
 
ADDENDA. 
 
 '59 
 
 his  Saviour  to  the  rank  of  a  mere  man,  is  not  easy  to  conceive.  It 
 is  to  be  feared  infidelity  is  at  the  bottom.  The  word  of  God  is  not 
 cordially  believed.  //  --jjas  heedful,  therefore,  to  gi-ve  all  diligence 
 to  speak  of  the  common  salvation,  and  to  exhort  Christians,  that  they 
 earnestly  contend  for  the  faith  once  deli'vered  to  the  saints;  because 
 there  are  certain  men  crept  in  unaiuares,  ivho  deny  the  only  Lord  God 
 and  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  :  ^ or  as  there 'wtre  false  prophets  among  the 
 fe-ws,  e'ven  so  there  are  false  teachers  among  us  Christians,  loho  pri'vily 
 bring  in  damnable  heresies,  euen  denying  the  Lord  that  bought  them,  and 
 bring  upon  themsel'ves  s-ivift  destruction ;  ivhose  judgment  noav  of  a  long 
 time  Imgerith  not,  and  'ixihose  damnation  slumberetb  not.  See  I  Pet. 
 2.   I — 3  ;  and  Jude  3,  4. 
 
 If  such  is  our  situation,  highly  does  it  become  us  to  watch  and  be 
 on  our  guard,  lest  any  man  spoil  us  through  secular  philosophy  and  vain 
 deceit ;  for  let  the  wise  ones  of  the  world  say  what  they  please  to  the 
 contrary,  we  are  assured  by  the  highest  authority,  that  in  him  arc 
 hid  all  the  treasures  of  ^jjisdom  and  knovjledge,  and  that  all  the  fulness 
 of  the  Cod-head  d-zvelleth  bodily  in  him.  Col.  2.  3,  9.  The  ex- 
 hortation of  St.  Peter,  is,  therefore,  full  in  point,  where  he  saith — 
 Groiv  in  grace,  and  in  the  kno^'Aedge  of  our  Lord  and  Sanjiour  Jesus 
 Christ. 
 
 To  him  be  glory  both  no^ju  and  forever.      Amen  !  I  ! 
 
ERRATA. 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 Page 
 
 Line 
 
 For 
 
 Read 
 
 2 
 
 37 
 
 passages  and  in 
 
 passages  in 
 
 4 
 
 *3 
 
 571—594 
 APOLOGY. 
 
 549—571 
 
 7 
 
 18 
 
 wrecked 
 
 wreaked 
 
 So 
 
 22 
 
 I   Cor.   19.  9. 
 
 549-7571 
 
 97 
 
 23  The 
 
 two  following  passages 
 
 The  following  passage 
 
 107 
 
 7 
 
 his 
 
 is 
 
 108 
 
 2 
 
 will 
 
 I  will 
 
 178 
 
 .    .    ^4 
 
 by. 
 
 be 
 
 241  et 
 
 alibi  28 
 
 Guise 
 
 Guyse 
 
 246  et 
 
 alibi  33 
 
 Mills 
 
 Mill 
 
 258 
 
 30 
 
 namely 
 
 name 
 
 266 
 
 36 
 
 Blackwell 
 
 Blackwall 
 
 290 
 
 3» 
 
 he 
 
 the 
 
 302 
 
 34 
 
 Son  God 
 
 Son  of  God 
 
 355 
 
 5 
 
 Apostle 
 
 Apostles 
 
 369 
 
 27 
 
 fragment 
 
 fragrant 
 
 377 
 
 20 
 
 mediate 
 
 meditate 
 
 378 
 
 15 
 
 Rabbi,  Limborch 
 
 Rabbi  in  Limborch 
 
 443 
 
 12 
 
 to  the 
 
 to  be  the 
 
 559 
 
 32 
 
 too 
 
 two 
 
 563 
 
 10 
 
 the  other  hand 
 
 on  the  other  hand 
 
 589 
 
 8 
 
 the  others 
 
 the  other 
 
 592 
 
 22 
 
 and  hateth 
 
 hatest 
 
 There  are  some  other  literary  mistakes,   but  the  above   are  the 
 principal,  I  have  discovered,  which  affect  the  sense.