Extracts from An humble inquiry into the Scripture account of Jesus Christ [microform]

\om

/

SKETCH

OF THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN

'THE DOCTRINES

OF THE PEOPLE COMMONLY CALLED

AKD THE

METHODISTS.

. 3.

p' PARIS/ KY.

;. /

'i "PRINTED AT THE WE3TEUN CITIZEN

| BT LYLE "to KEENON.

.1823.

T- DUHHETT

;.:,;

A SKETCH, 'fe

HAVING lately read the writings of several NEWUGHT
'Authors, I have found a key to a circular letter that had been
handed about from the. conference of t; THE CHRISTIAN
CHUKCH, at Liberty 'Meeting-House^ in which some things
are hard to be understood ; insomuch, that some people
suppose the NewHghts and Methodists hold the same doc-
trines, "And from their common preaching, there appears
but little difference. Their Circular Letter informs us,
" they think H astonishing that people who have heard them
preach for years, &c. should not be convinced, by this time,
that they do not deny the Godhead of Jenus Christ o.ur 8a~
the Holy S/iirit, nor the efficacy of the blood of Te-

sus," &c. They assure us they believe him to be .the Son
of God, she Saviour, of the world ; and they prove him to
be a proper object of divine worship. So far they seem to
agree with the Methodists. But, in the same letter, they
deny the doctrine of the Trinity, or three persons in one
God ; "because they think it unreasonable and unscriptu-
ral." But they harl not room in that letter " to investigate
doctrines," &c. We find the former part of this letter is
taken from a pamphlet written by DAVID MILLARD, a New-
Jjght preacher, in A. D. 1818. He comes out more plain-
ly and gives us the arguments of F- Plurner, another New-
light preacher, so .called, who wrote to a Methodist preach'
.erin the year 1813 ; and made use of arguments contained
in Mr. Noah Worcester's " B ; ble News," printed in Bos-
ton, 1812; where he seems to have written a number ef
the old disputed doctrines of Samuel Clark, and others, who
wrote against the doctrine of the -Trinity. Mr, Worcester
it appears, was formerly a Calvanist preacher : and it may
be remembered that about twenty years ago there was a
number of pi eachevs broke off from the, Presbyterian con-
nexion ; and believing they had been. in error, they fled from
their old doctrines of decrees and eternal Sonship, with >.
such velocity that they plunged into other extremes : some
went to the Shakers, and others formed a party and imbibe d

doctrines of different kinds. Mr. Worcester) it seems, em-
braced nearly the doctrine of Sabeliias, who held that God
is only one person, and the Sou and Holy Ghost are only
virtues, emanations, er functions cf the Deity. These doc*
trines he attempts to prove, (see page 26 ) Although hs
says he is unacquainted with Hebrew, (page 36,) he un-
dertakes to criticise on the writings of a number of authors,
whom he esteems superior to himself in piety, learning anc!
discernment, (page 1,9,) but it is a doubt'if he has refuted the
arguments of -one of them ; though, be thinks he has driv-
en -them to dieaclful consequences, Where they show the"
original word Ejohim, which is rendered God, is a plural
term, Sec. he supposes the inspired writers were not per-
fectly acquainted with the rules of grammar, or 'that those'
original nouns and verbs which show the plurality of 'the
Godhead, might be mistakes in copying the Old Testament,
4"C. (page 36,) Hence he dissents ffonf 'his worthy b're"-'
thren, whose doctrine he supposes leads td the belief of
three self existent Gods. He reasons sohly, modesty^ and
plausibly; and if his premises were sound, his arguments
would be conclusive ; and so would ihosr- of his followers,
Plumer and Milliard, But ! am glad that I have not to an-
swer for their misrepresentations. When we speak of-
Christ as being God, or say of his divine nature he is. self
existent, they represent us as saying he is the self existent
God ; but these are not our words ; we believe the word,
the wisdom, the : power of God, which Chribt is said to
be; or that eternal life which was with the Fa'.lier; was
self existent, in unity with the Father and the Holy
Ghost. But to call the Father, Son, or .Spirit ibe self exis-
tent God, would exclude both the other persons of the God*
head ; for the term, the self existent Ged, refers to the
whole Trinity. But by 'representing- us assaying Christ is
the self existent God, and second person in the Trinity,
they go on to say we hold to three separate self existent
persons ; then they prove three such persons must be three
self existent Gods. So after misshaping our doctrines for
their premises, they bring. out their niisshapen ; conclusior.s,
and would make the world believe we hold to three
.Gods. They also represent us assaying the Word was
the selt existent Son of the self existent Father, before he,
was manifest in the flesh. But we do not say so, neither
: do the scriptures say the Word was the Son, tiut in refer-

4

enccjto Ins Incarnation. It is probable Mr.. Worcester be-
jieved in the eternal Son c -hin, while he was a Calvinist Trin-
itarian ; but a Methodist Trinitarian believes differently.
(See Dr. Clark's Commentaries.) But Mr, Worcester
thinks the Word was the Son of God ; and if, (as we say,}
nothing but humanity suffered, the Son of God never diedj
on his plan I should think the same. But I believe the term
Son refers to the humanity in which dwelt the fulness of the
Godhead, beaming forth life, power, and wisdom 09 the
Son of Man, that he was dignified, that he died, and was
raised from the dead, and that he was highly exalted and
obtained a name above every name, &e. More of this
hereafter.

But Mr. Worcester-supposes he has driven Trinitarians
'' to those dreadful consequences* that they must believe in
thre Gods, and that the Son of God did hot die, Sec. But
we need not wrest his words, as he has ours, to bring out as
dreadful conclusions from his doctrines. For after spend*
irtg 252 pages to prove what he believes, [were his argu-
ments admissible]" the result is as fellows, viz; First, that
the self existent God is one person, Second, that the Son
of God, or divinity of Ciirist, is not self existent or eternal*
but derived his existence irom the Father, as Ssth derived
liis existence from Adam, only without a mother, (page 57)
and that he existed an- intelligent being before the world,
(page 81) that this Son of God became the Son of Man, by
becoming himself the. soul of a human body, & died with the
body,(p. 10? & 162.) 3d. that the Holy. Ghost is the efficient,
productive emanation of divine fulness; but not God. Now if
Mhe.,self existent God is only one person," there can be no
other person that ought to be worshipped as God: Then
all those scriptures, and God himself, must be wrong in cal-
ling Christ God, and commanding us to worship him as
God; seeing it levels to Idolatry. 2. If Christ is pot eter-
nal, but " derived his existence from the Father, as Seth
derived his from Adam," he is as far inferior to the existent
father as a drop is to the ocean. Then'it would be robbery
for him. to be equal with God. 3. If Christ "derived his
existence thus from the nature or self existence of the Fa-
ther," there must have been a change in the Father ; there-
fore God is a mutable being. 4-v lithe Son of God was
born of the Father,-and became M an intelligent being

before the world," the Son must be older than his mother,
and born before it was said " this day have I begotten thee."
5. If this " Son of God was the soul of the human body,"
and " died with it;" then a part of the self existent God,
died, 6, If Christ's divinity,, which is "the wisdom and
power of God," had died, he never could have been raised
again. 7. If the soul and body of Christ died together, he
could not have been with the soul of the penitent thief in par-
adise that day ; so his promise must have tailed. 8 . If the
whole nat.ure of Christ died, he must have lost that power
which he said he had to take up his life again. 9; If the
divinity of Christ, which John calls "that eternal life," died
with the human body, eternal life is not secure from the shafts
of death. 10. If the Huiy Ghost is only the efficient pro-
ductive emanation of Deity, and not a person in the God-
head, all those scriptures which represent him to be God,
must be false. Such are the horrid consequences of Sa-
bellian Arianism, &'c. And notwithstanding these doc-
trines were refuted and condemned hundreds of years ago,
j^etwe find they have been collected, dissected, and model-
led in different ages by Sabillians, Arians, Socinians } and
Unitarians, and handed out lo the. world as the doctrines of
the Gospel. And now they are presented to us as the doc-
trines of the Christian Church. The definite*'' article used,
as though there was no other Christian Church upon
earth.

It may be sai-J that our modern Newlights do not hold
these doctrines j> but when we consider the following facts,
we have reason to doubt. It is common to hear Newlights
say, they " do not believe the Son of God was equal wi'.h
the Father; They accuse the Methodists of ' holding to
three Gods," and tbcl "*< Christ is one-third part of God,"
8cc. But they "cannot believe three persons can be one,,
or three Gods one," Sec. They " do not believe Christ died
to reconcile God to man," &e. These persons most like-
ly received these sayings from their preachers, who have
no doubt read those authors. Tueir circular letter informs-
us they do not believe the doctrine of a Trinity. The words
they have used are found in Milliard's Pamphlet, (pages 7
and 8 5 ) transcribed from Plumev's 1 8th page: He denies
that one can be three, or three one. He asks, " can the
Father be God, the SOH be God, the Holy Ghost be Go<J i

A2

Ger-amTy noff ?w.y more than one senile can- fee a drachm."
Ih pa'.>e iodi IVl-% Milliard denies the humanity of Christ*
or that he had *W' rtavures ; his' argun ent -seems to bo
taken from Psumer's- 3,Hh page. These two authors differ
a-littie in their opinion about the beginning of the Son of
G'.'tl. Mr. Pimr.er says (pages S3, 63,) " he was present in
thf: divine mind,- what he w-us actually in the fullness of time;"'
a?'d argues that all things said to be made by him, u were
jnade as a figure of him that was to come," not yet having
any existence only in the divine minds (see page 47, 48.)
So Christ, According to Piumei-, had no actual existence
before he eame in the flesh. Mr. Milliard says, 18. 19,
*' before God began creation he brought forth from himself
his wisdom, the Word, or a Sun, which in due time was
made flesh." This seems to be about the same doctrine
Mr. STONE taught the people some years ago. But they
all agree in denying the eternal existence of Christ, and also
deny his human nature, but agree that he is God in senate
sort ; and that he ought to be worshipped for "the' SAMS
Goa-is' given to him," " as to angels and man,' 1 Jie. " His
name-is -called God, w " His name shalkbe called the Lord
om- righteousness," &c. Sec. See Milliard's pam-phlet, page
2 >, 2 9, 34 ; also Plu mer's book , pages 5 r,-"5 9, 104. So we
find they believe it is right to worship a being -whom they
believe is separate and distinct from the or.e living and true
God, who says, besides me there is no God," But they
still virtually deny-that Christ is God. For Mr, Milliard
denies his omniscience,- (see page 21 .) He also denies
that Christ was creator, (page 29,) and Pluraer's book,
(pages 60, 61.) ; The method these men take to support
their hypothesis is, to represent Christ, as they have done,
ihe Son of God, neither God nor man, but between the
l\vo, a kind of inferior ex-alted being of only one nature,
and that entirely separate from the Father; and hence,
those scriptures that refer to- the humanity of Christ, and
those also which refer to his divinity, thev apply to the same
character ; so when they want to prove the Son was
not God, they bring forward a number of scriptures such as
these, " The San can do nothing of himself : the Son pray-
ed to' the Father : the Son did not know the day or hour of
Judgment : the Son had a Father : the Son was sent, suf-
, wRs.raised from the .dead, was highly exalted.

_- t :

and will be subject to the Father," 'fee. AH which proper-
ly apply to his human nature, as he was really man and ca<*
pabie of feeling our infinuhy, and sufficiently -prove his hu
man nature was got equal to the Godhead ; so they conclude
he was not self -'existent, of course not the true God. But
vr-ben-the scriptures assure them that -Christ knew all things;
that he is omnipresent; that he is immutable; that he is
that eternal life which was with the Father ; .that all things
were -made by him; that he " laid ihe foundations of the
earth, and the heavens are the work of his hands," &c. they
conclude he is far above human nature, and of cuurse, di-
vine,; but as they think he has but one nature, they assert
"all his nature changed, suffered, and -died ;" of course
could not be the living and true God-.

The circular letter began to teH something abouMhe Ho-
ly Ghost, but had not room-*' to enlarge on- this point." But
the above writers have come out honestly and told ui in plain
English that they deny that the Holy Ghost is Gbdj or a per.
son in the Godhead ; but they contend " it is the spirit of
God, the spirit of a person, Ecc. .of course cannot be that
person, or God, it is the spirit of," Yet they have not pro-
ved that either the Spirityor the Son, in his eternal essence,
is inferior to the eternal mind, or that inferior worship was
ever paid to -either- of them. But- as they discard all idea
of eternal unity of persons in the Godhead, when they think
or speak oi" Christ, or the Spirit, instead of believing them
to be eternal life 1 and eternal power, of one substance with
the eternal mind, or wisdom, they seem to view them as
&ome kind of subordinate* local, separate being, dependent
on the Father, whom one of their old authors styles, the
Almighty God, one supreme- intelligent being or person,*'
"whose Sen was a distinct inferior being ; a mediator) who
was lo be worshipped as an inferior, or mediator." And he
calls the Holy Spirit God's prime minister* or first minis-
ter in the government of Ms church.. So if we speak of
these as being 6ne in unity of the triniiy,-ar Godhead, they
charge us with " denying the son of God," and threaten us
with all the anathemas -due- -to Anti-christ who has denied
the Father and .his Sen. Jesus Christ ; assuring us the werd
trinity is not found in the scriptures. But if we ask them
\vhat Scripture says, Almighty God is one supreme intelli-
gent being or, , person ^ or where the scripture-says the \\^

ship of Christ Is inferior or mediatorial ; of where Christ
chilis Apostles did ever say the Holy Ghost is first minis-
fer in he government, of the church, they are as much at
a loss as we are to show the word trinity,

However, we find these writers believe in one God, and
that there is but one person in the Godhead. This doo
trine was held by Sabelliusj who rose up before Arius, and
maintained " thai the Word and the Holy Spirit are on-
Jy virtues, emanations, or functions of the Deity." But we
need not think strange if. some of them should embrace
scraps of different tenets, as we find they have done. For
Mr. Plumer denies that Christ had any actual existence be-
fore he came in the flesh, which is a scrap of Socinianism .-
But others think he was the -beginning of the creation.
And Mr. Milliard believes he was brought forth before cre-
ation. Might he not as well believe he was uncreated?
But Mr. Gardner says he believes the incommunicable at-
tributes of Deity do essentially belong to Christ. Might
he not as well believe he is essentially God in uniiy with
the Father* But they seem to abhor the doctrine of unity
or trinity ; yet we find they all admit Christ to be God in
someway. So while- they -falsely accuse us of believing
in and worshipping three distinct, or separate, equal Gods,
they assure us that they ; believe in and worship two distinct,
separate, .unequal Gods; but perhaps some of them will
deny this, as they say they are beholden to no man for their
doctrine : They profess to be followers of Jesus Christ ;
so they say they have " rejected all creeds, discipline, and
doctrines of men as rebellion against Christ ;" and conclude
there is no mystery in the scriptures '-which they cannot un-
derstand ; so as they have no standard of doctrines, or dis-
cipline, to hold them together, and as neither their natural
or acquired abilities enable them to understand the scrip-
tures alike, and as they are ever (contrary to their profes-
sion) following the doctrines of men, we need not wonder
to bear them express themselves differently, and to alter
their notions according to the doctrines they hear. Hence
we may account for one of their members believing that
Christ will be as, or no more than, another angel after he
gives up his mediatorial office ; and again said he believed
Christ is the angel John saw standing upon the sea and up-
n the earth ! And one -of their preachers, also, at on

time, said he believed the humanity of Christ had existence
before he came into the flesh; and, at another time, con-
fessed he did not know when it had its beginning ; and al-
so professed to believe a certain doctrine he heard preach-
ed at one time, and afterwards seemed to forget he ever did
believe it, and denied he -ever said so. If they had a well
organized discipline, rightly explaining the doctrines and
church government the Bible holds forth,. by which their
preachers as well as people, tn.ight be, brought to account
for their inconsistencies ; and that discipline well executed,
we might expect them to becomes more consistent people*
But according la their plan, the Bible is their only discip-
line ;* and they cannot all understand it alike ; .so they must
refer to the preacher for explanation ; then the- sole power
seems to be placed in his hands in many cases ; hence he.
may use more despotic sway than any- well disciplined
church would allow their pastor to do, who is brought lo*
gether with: his people under a discipline which they all
understand, But for want of this they have liberty Jo be-
lieve and speak a& they please, and, it is impossible to know
by talking w.Uh one of them, -what another believes; as no
doctrines are any bar in the way of joining : them members
cf any church need only throw away their discipline, join
them and become Christians, and all is. well. But again,

* It may here be remarked, according to .their plan, which%
to reject all explanation of scripture for church government as
human invention ; it will be next to impossible to expel a wick-
ed person, who wishes to continue a member of the church.
For we read, Luke 17, 4,' If thy brother trespass against thee
seven times in a daj'j and seven times- in a day turn again unto
thee saying, I repent, thou shalt forgive him.

Again, Mat. 18j;21, 22, How oft shall my brother sin against
sne and I forgive him ?.till seven times ? Jesus saith unto him,
I say not unto thee, till seven times; but until seventy times
seven. Then if a man tresspass once every month, he must be
forgiven, until seventy times seven, which is four hundred and
ninety months ; then it will require forty years and ten months
to exclude him from the church. Now if they act according to
these scriptures, without any explanation, what sort of a
church will they have?. Antl they cannot explain them to mean
any thing else, without, human invention' Was it on this prin-
ciple that their preacher could deny his own. words before ma-
ny ^ itnesses, and yet escape justice ? -

10

their circular letter touches on our opinion of the wrath of
God ; which they seem to think is a false notion among the
Trinitarians. This part of the letter seems chiefly taken
from Mr. Stone's letters. The/ do net believe that the jus-
tice of God, or his violated law, demands any satisfaction for
sin; they of course deny that Christ died to reconcile God
toman; but they give us no acount how the dignity of the
throne was supported. They say lt sin is the cause of se-
paration between God and his creatures, and if the cause
is removed the effect ceases." So after having taken a te.
dious route through the law of the atonements and sacrifi-
ces, in order to prove that atonement, reconciliation, and
cleansing, all mean the same thing, ((.his they have done OQ
Barton W. Stone's ground^ although J. P. Campbell plough-
ed that all up and turned it over more than twelve years
ago) they go on to show us how Christ removed " the se-
parating cause," by- atoning,, cleansing, or reconciling the
people to God. And they plainly deny that Christ made
any satisfaction to God or justice for the breach of the lawj
or sin, and quote the following- scriptures -: Hebrews 9, 14.
How inuch more shall the blood of Christ, who, through
the eternal spirit, offered himself without spot to God,
purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living
God, &c. Can they not see-in this text that Christ is not a
mediator of one, but between two ; " he offered himself
without spot to God, ^sacrifice to atone for our sin : but by
so doing he made it our privilege to trust in that atonement;
having our conscience purged, or our judgment informed,
to serve God. Verse 26. , '' But now once in the end of the
world hath he appeared to 'put away sin by the sacrifice of
himself." But if we ask to whom this sacrifice was made,
the same Apostle answers, Epli. 5, 2. " Christ hath given
himself for us as an offering and sacrifice to God for a sweet
smelling savor. 1 " So, then, this appears to be the doctrice
of Trinitarians. .Heb. 10, 10. " By the which will we are
sanctified through the offering of the body Jesus Christ,
cace for all." So we still find the offering was made to
God. But they say " the above scriptures, with a number
of others, clearly show that it is the blood of Christ that
atones, or reconciles, or purges the conscience from the
dead work?." They then go on to show by a number of

n

scriptures, that "the blood of Christ is the mean that
ordained of God to save all that will be saved." But after
all (heir trouble to prove what none of us deny, they have
given us no satisfactory account how that ''separating
eauae" was removed, if Christ, as they say, made no satis-
faction to divine justice ; for we learn that sin is the. trans-
gression of the law of Qod. But how was that transgres-
sion removed ? To rem&ye. or put away a transgression is
to pot away the insult or injary done, by making satisfac-
tion to the offended party, by supporting his dignity, truth
or honor ; but how is the truth or honor oft?od supported
if there is no satisfaction made to his righteous law, which
said oa the " day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt snrely
tlie." It seems that the hand writing is still against us, on
their plan, usless we can suppose that God will dispense
wHk hi? justice and truth ; but " God is not a maa that he
sKould lie." But I think the fact is this : The Newlights
deny a trinity of persons in the Godhead ; consequently the
equality of Christ with the Father; and if not equal, he can-
not make the satisfaction the law requires ; so they deny
the necessity of any being made, and tell us they cannot
behove that the Father would k< take p the sword of jus-
tice and kill his Son :"" so instead of bending their creed
to the scriptures, they make the scriptures bend to it ; and
try to explain away the vicarious suffering of Jesus Christ:
hence they represent the death of Christ as only intended
to reconcile man to God, who, .they say, is all love, all
mercy. But "a God all mercy were a God unjust." If our
modern Sabellians, Arians, orNewiightSi, would impartial-
ly examiae the different authors who have written on these
controversies I think they might discover that those doc-
trines they haee eH5>iaced were refuted and ruined before
they wete boriu But for want'of this knowledge, it is pro-
bable they think t'heir doctrines, and writings, are unan-
swerable. But according- to their notions, that Christ died
only to convince the world that God is all mevcy, all love,
&c. what effects can we suppose it would have on sinners ?
It is mod likely to exclude them from the fear of God, and
prevent ibeii 1 being awakened, as they have no just idea of
tbe sinfulness 01 sin, or, the transgression of the law, for St.
Paul said, " If it -had not been for the law I had cot known

ft

sin." So many may think there is nothing to do but be re-
conciled to the Christian plan and join the church ; while
they remain as destitute of the true knwowledge of God,
or their sins forgiven ; as they were 'before, and become
hardened in wickedness ; for they 'cannot say, according
to the prophet, "0 Lord, I will praise tbee : though fhou
wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and then
comfortest me." And others may be driven to despair.
For if Jesus Christ tyere "pet forth before their eyes as
crucified among them," while they have no thought ofjus-
tice requiring it, what idea can they have of God "all
mercy, ail love," thus afflicting an innocent person* If
God poured out, or suffers to be poured out, such measures
of grief and pain on his innocent .Son, that made him cry,
my God, my God, why hast tbou forsaken me;? what
may a sinner expect wno has always been a rebel
against him? Does this look like softening and moving
the heart of sinners to love God, because he permits his in-
nocent and obedient Son to endure such a scene of sorrows
when justice does not require it? Bnt-if we believe that
justice required such a sacrifice, and God spared not his
only Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not
with him also freely give us all things ? for if "God com-
mendeih his love toward us in that, while we were yet sin-
ners, (and deserved to die) Christ died lor us, much more
then, being now justified by his-blood, we shall be saved
from wrath through him "

Again If the death of Christ were -oily "designed to
move on the hearts or feelings of men, by sympathy, as
some suppose, at seeing such a scene of suffering, were
not the Bufferings of the Prophets and Apostles, as effica-
cious as the sufferings or'Christ? for they endured as dread-
ful scenes of suffering in the body as he did. Their bodily
sufferings were longer,- and to all appeaVance, more tortur-
ing. So if Christ did not suffer in our stead as a substitute
or ransom, under a pense of the wrath of G'd due to us,
why did he say "( have trodden the wine press alone/ 5
Why did he cry out 'My soul is exceeding son-owful,even
onto death," and his sweat became .SA it were; g* eat drops
of blood, merely from the agoy of hia soul , while the
sj who were no mors certain of catering iato iaiue-

13

diate and eternal glory and honor than he was, could rejoice
amidst the flames ? why were they so happy and he so. mis-
erable, if he was not incur place under the hand of justice?
Suppose an earihly king who had entrusted his steward with
the keeping of his palace garden, clothed him with a royal
garment, and invested him with authority and power to guard
that lovely place, and keep out all the king's enemies ; but
for the security of his government, the safety of his garden,
and the tranquility of the steward, and to prove his loyalty,
passed an edict or decree, sealed with the king's seal. A.
B. (the steward) shall have free and full possession, &c.
shall enjoy all its pleasures and fruits, and shall want for no-
thing to promote him and all his house to riches and honor f
so long as he proves faithful and obedient to his king's com*
mand j but on the day that he betrays his trust, and breaks
the love of his king, he shall be driven out of the king's pre-
sence, with all his family, and they shall be servants to the
king's enemies, and be scourged and tortured all the day*
of their life. Yet so it was, the unwary steward betrayed
his trust ; let in one of the king's enemies ; formed an alli-
ance with him ; ate, drank, and was drunken, and defiled
himself and all his house, and ruined the garden. Now the
king's decree, which was perfectly just, sentenced the re-
bels to banishment drove them out of the garden exposed
to the tormentors. The question is, how shall these rebels
be restored to the king's favor, and the dignity of his throne
be supported ? The Newlight system seems to suppose
the following : As they consider the king is not " wroth/"
he still loves his subjects, so there is nothing necessary but
for those rebels to he reconciled to their king, and be wash-
ed from their pollution. And for this purpose the king
raised up a Son by one of the daughters of this rebel ; this
son must endure all the sufferings that his enemies pleased
to inflict upon him, and be scourged, not in the place of, but
insight of his brethren, to convinceMhem of the love and
goodness of his father towards them ; telling them if they
will believe that his father is not angry with them, and will
be reconciled to' return, he will wash them from a]l their fil-
thiness and annoint them with his own blood, and secure
their acceptance with his father ; as he requires no satisfac-
tion, he can dispense with the threatening and curse that
were pronounced, if they will only be reconciled to return to

B

H

iiirii, JB'ut another hypothesis supposes that the king so
loved this rebel race* that he gave his only beloved Son of
the blood royal, and of Full age, equal in honor, power and
dignity with himself, who being of the same roirid and good-
ness of his Father, was not sent without his own consent, but
fre.ely offered up hitHself for this purpose, that he might
restore that which was lost. He laid aside his royal vobe ;
stepped into the place of the transgressors, assumed their
character, was numbered with them, took the form of a ser.
Vent, tho' he was prince of all ; but to support the dignity
of the royal signet, which no other character could have
done, he bore the scourge ehie to the rebels, and suffered
for them : and being of more essential worth than all their
face, he satisfied and supported the demands and honor oj
the throne ; and procured conditions of peace and pardon,
and triumphed over all his enemies, and proclaimed the
glad tidings of deliverance to the Captives, peace with the
king, and good will towards his subjects: and thus as a
mediator between the Uitig and his rebels, he comes with all
the dignity of his father's throne, he gives them power to
conquer their enemies, and offers free pardon to every one
that will "lay down his rebellion, and believe in, and honor
him as their deliverer from the curse of the king ; and
whereas some are slow to believe, and unwilling to return,
he prays the Father to spare them still longer ; and he en-
treats the rebels to submit. Thus the disposition and
goodness of the Father is manifest in his Son, reconciling
the rebel's to himself,, and has them entreated by all the
blood and sweat, suffering and pain the Son endured, to be-
lieve on, arid submit to their deliverer : hence he that
accedes 'to the terms, has a change of raiment, is Washed
and made clean ; and to secure his reception when he re-
turns to the king, the Prince has given him a certificate to
carry in his bosonij sealed with his own blood. But those
trho believe not on their deliverer, and refuse to pay the
honors due to him, get no certi6cate or -pardon ; but the
wrath of the king abideth on thenu because they have not
believed on the royal SbH of the King, arid would not have
him to reign over them. This hypothesis seems more like
the foilowing scriptural account of the vicarious sufferings
el Jesus Christ, where the just penalty of the violated law

15

to sinners,was poured out on the Son of God* Zach. 13,
8. Awake sword, against my shepherd, and against the
man that is nay fellow smite, '8cc. Isa. 53, 4, 12. Surely
he. hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows, yet we
did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted : but
he was wounded tor our transgressions ; he was bruised
for our iniquities ; the chastisement of our peace was upon,
him ; and with his stripes we are healed. The Lord laid
on him (he iniquities oi us all. It pleased the Lord to bruise
him ; he hath put him to grief ; when thou shalt make his
soul an offering for sin. He shall see the travail of his soul.
He hath poured out his soul unto death ; was numbered
with transgressors ; bore their sin, and made intercession
for them. 1 Peter, 2, 24, Who bore our sins in his own
body on the tree : by whose stripes ye are healed. Gal. 3,
13, Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law ;
being made a curse for us ; 1,4. Who gave himself for
our sips. Rom. 5,8. While we -were yet sinners Christ
died for us. 4, 25. Who was delivered for offences, and
raised again for our justification. 1 John, 2, 2. He is the;
propitiation for our sins. 1 Tim. 2, 6. Who gave himself
a ranspm for all, 1 Cor. 6, 20. Ye are not your own, for ye
are bought With a price. 7 , 23. Te are bought with a price.
1 Pet. 1, 18, 19, Ye were not redeemed with corruptible
things, but with th.e precious blood of Christ. Mat. 20,28.
Son of man came to give his life a ransom for many. Heb.
9,26. He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of
himself, 1 Pet, 3, 18. For Christ suffered for our bins, the
just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God; being
put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the spirit. So
we find the prophecy of Caiaphas, the high priest, fulfilled ;
who said it was expedient that one man should die for the
people.

These scriptures, and many more, abundantly show that
Jesus Christ eave himself an offering, a sacrifice, a ransom,

tj ...- \_s J i * . t

a price, a propitiation, 6cc. to t'u.ni the demands of the law
and justice or God, which stood against us, to redeem us

* t ue bon of God was that iuniiauH) in v,T\i Is dwelt the Di"
vinity, the Word, oi\ that .eternal lite which was with the Fa"
ther, without beginning, called Son only in reverence to his in?
carnation.

IS

from that "curse, to blot out the hand -writing 1 ;" "and took
it out of the wayynailing it to his cross," by being made "a
curse for us," in our room, or stead, as no other construction
can, fairly be put upon them, notwithstanding all the notions
held forth against iu When we examine our dictionaries,
they give us the plain meaning of those words : An offering
or sacrifice, means an offering up, an offering made to God:
Bansom, a price paid for liberty : Propitiation, an atone-
ment made for a crime : Atone, to satisfy, approve, answer
for. So Christ answered for sinners to God. Atonement,
agreement, satisfaction, fee. Can any thing be plainer than
that Christ made satisfaction to the law and justice of God,
for all that will believe and obey the Gospel ? Hence salva-
tion, which was not possible without it, is made possible by
it; that God can be just, 8c the justifier of him thatbelievethin
Jesus, Hence "GodisJn Christ,reconciling the world to him-
self," to his plan of salvation, to his law, which enjoins love to
God & man; now God promises to forgive the repenting sinner
"for Christ's sake," on the terms of his faith in Christ. Hence
it is required that sinners forsake their ways and J#rti to the
Lord, trusting in him alone for salvation, as^there is no
other name by. which we must be saved." -'Ho other name
could have made the -satisfaction the law required, as they
are all inferior to the offended majesty. If Christ had been
inferior to the Father, as Newlights suppose, he could ne-
ver deliver one culprit from the ha-nd of infinite justice ; for
it he is not eternal, he is more inferior to the eternal than a
single Horn is to the orb of day. But the Apostle calls him
" that eternal life which was with the Father." So being in
the form of God, -net-in" his humanity, buc in his divinity,
which dwelt in his humanity, and made it of infinite worth,
he thought it not robbery to be equal with God. Wherefore
*' he is able, also to save them to the uttermost thai come
to God thro' him." An Avian may say eternal life could not
suffer, of course the sacrifice was only human. We grant
humanity only suffered. But why is this sacrifice of a man
of more estimate ihan a brute I Because a rational mind
dwells in the man ; but the body only suffers, if there is no
guilt, for dying- saints and martyrs could rejoice in agonies
of death. Why in the death of one man of more conse-
quence than another ? Because of his greatev mind. Then
who shall estimate the worth of him in whom dwelt the.

17

eternal ttund ? Well might Young say, All price be-
yond 'twere curious to compute ; Archangels failed to cast'
the mighty sum, its value vast ungrasp'd by minds create^
for e.ver hides and glows in the supreme."

He that believeth aright on the Son, hath the witness in
himself. Short of this witness let no one think that he is de-
lived from the wrath of God; for God will never be recon-
ciled to a sinner till the sinner forsakes his ways and flies
for refuge to that rock of safety, Jesus Christ, who is our
only shelter from the storms of Divine wrath. But such is
the enmity of the human heart, that it will not yield to be
saved by grace alone, until it is conscious of its danger of
falling under the condemnation of the law of God. This
gtaihy dread makes the sinner cry out, with trembling ago-
nies. " What must I do to be saved ?" Then let him be-
lieve, (trust) in the Lord Jesus Christ, and he shall be sa-
ved.

But to return to the circular letter. They state ?< Trini-
tarians believe there are three persons in the Godhead, or
God, and that each of these three, personally considered, is :
God," Tlus they have learnt from Newlights, not from
Trinitarians. If they mean by "personally considered"
that we believe that each per son separate from the others
is -God we deny the charge ; for we do not believe that the
Father is God, in abstract, or separate from the Word and
Spirit ; yet that the Father is God is easily proved .*.
And that the Son is God is proved as easily : And that the
Holy Ghost is God is abundantly plain in scripture; and
that these three are one in unity of the Godhead, is beyond
all reasonable contradiction. But the Newlights say, they
think such doctrines both unreasonable and unscripturaL

I will just give a few statements out of many, to show the
truth of this despised doctrine, on the plan of an old author.
1. The Father is God, John 3, 16. God so loved the world
that he gave his only begotten son, Mat, 3, 17; This is my
beloved son in whom I am well pleased; But no one doubts .
of the Father being God. 2. The sen also is God. Rev.
1, 8 . I am Alpha and Omega, the begining and the end--
ing, saith the Lord, which is, and which was,. and which is--
to come, the Almighty. Here we find at once Jesus Christ:
is the Almighty, not in abstract but in unity of the Godv
liad. Isa, 6, 5. Mine eyes have seen the Kine the Lord off

Bfc "

IS

Hosts. John 12,41. These things said Isaias, when he
saw his (Christ's) glory, and spake f him so Christ is the
Lord of Host's. Isiah 44, 6. Thus saith the Lord, the king
of Israel, and his Redeemer the Lord of Hosts ; I am the
first, and I am the last, and besides me there is no Go.d.
Rev 22, 13. I (Jesus) am alpha and omega, the beginning
and the end, the first and the last. So it appears there is
no God besides, or abstract irom him, who is the first and
the last j therefore, besides, or abstract, from Jesus, there
is no God. Isa. 43, 11. I am the Lord and besides me
there is no saviour. 2 Pet. 3, 18. Our Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ -so Christ has a name above every name. Phil,
2, 9. As no other name can save. Fohn 1,1. The Word was
with God and the Word was God. Jesus Christ was God,.
John 20, 28, And Thomas said, my Lord and my God.
Rom. 9, 5. Of whom as concerning the fle&h Christ came
who is over all, God blesaed for ever* Amen. 2 Pet. 1, U
Through the righteousness of God and our Saviouf* Jesus
Christ. Titus 2, 13, Looking foi' the glorious appearing
of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Chvis v , or rather
our God and Saviaur Jesus Christ. Zac. 12, 4, 5 10 In
that day saith the Lordrthe Lord of Hosts their God and
they shall look on me whom they have pierced, and shall
njourn for him.. Here the Lord of Hosts their God speaks,
(they shall look on me} first person ; and shall mourn for
him, (Christ) here is the second person spoken of, John 19,
3?V They shall look on him.. (Christ). whom they have pier
ced. But it was the body of Christ that was pierced, there-
fore his humanity was in unity with him,, the second fierson^
and also with the Jirsi 'person, the Lord of Hosts their God'..
Phil.. I, 10.. That ye maybe sincere and without offence
till (he day of Christ. 2 Pet- 3, 12. Looking for the coming
of the clay of God. Isa. 40, 10. Behold the Lord God will
come and his reward is with him,. Rev.. 32, 1-5. Behold I
('Jesus) come quickly, and my reward is with me, amen.
Even so come Lord Jesus, 1 Cor. 15,24. Then cometh
the end when he shall deliver up the kingdom to God, even
the Father. Luke 1,33, He (Jesus) shall reign over, the
house of Jacob forever, and of. his kingdom there shall be no,
snd,. The former is spoken of Christ's humanity the lat-
ter of his divinity. When both are laid together, they prove
Christ to. b.e perfect God,. as well, as perfect man, , As

he received a kingdom, which again as man he shall deliv-
er up, when his mediatorial office, for which he took the na-
ture ef man, shall fee ended: but there is a kingdom per-
taining to him which shall have no end. Therefore, he is a
person in that Godhead, which after the humanity has de-
livered up the kingdom, shall be all in all. 1 John 5, 20.
We are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ ;
this is the true God and eiernai life.

3d. The Holy Ghost also is God. John 3, 6, That which
is born of the spirit. 1 Johns, 4. Whatsoever is born of
God The same act of Divine grace, is ascribed to God and
to the spirit. The spirit, therefore, is Gou in unity of the
Divine nature. Acts 13, 2. The Holy Ghost said, separ-
ate me Barnabas and Saul, for the work whereumo I have
called them. Heb- 5, 4. No man taketh this honor to him-
self, but he that is called of God Who called Saul? let
him answer. Paul called to be Apostle, separated unto the
Gospel by the commandment of God our Saviour; then the
Holy Ghost and God our Saviour, have one nature Mat.
9, 38. Pray ye, therefore, the Lord of the harvest ihat he
will send forth laborers into his harvest. Acts i3. 4. So
they being sent forth by the Holy Ghost so the Holy Ghost
is the Lord of the harvest to whom Christ himself has di-
rected us to pray. Luke 2, 26. And it was revealed to
him by the Holy Ghost that he should not see death, be-
fore he had seen the Lord's Christ. Luke 5, 28. And he
blessed God and said, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant
depart in peace, according to thy word, &c. So the Holy
Ghost is Lord God 2 Tim 3,16. All scripture is given,
by inspiration of God. 2 Pet. 1,21. Holy men of God
epake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. John 14, 17.
He (the spirit of truth) dwelleih with you and shall be in
you. 1 Cor- 14, 25. God H in you of a truth, the Holy
Ghost is God. John 6, 45 It is written in the prophets,
and they shall all be taught of God. 1 Cor. 2, 13. Not ia
words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy
Ghost teacheth. Acts 5, 3, 4, Why hath Satan filled thine
heart to lie to the Holy Ghost ? thou hast not lied unto man
but unto God. John 5, 2 1 . Beloved, if our heart condemn
us not, then have we confidence towards God. 1 John 3,
24. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the
igikit. which he hath given us. . And the. Apostle reasoning

20

oa this, the spirit of truth is in us, and hereby we know
that he (God) abideth in us; but unless the spirit be a per-
son in unity of God, the conclusion is manifestly false. 1
Cor. 3, 17. The Temple of God is holy, which temple
are ye. 1 Cor. 6, 19. Know ye not that your body is the
Temple of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost is God that
dwelieth in os,

II Cor. 1, 3. Blessed be God, even the God of all com-
fort. John i.4, <6. The Holy Ghost is the comforter.
Acts 9, 31, The Churches had rest, walking in the cotn-
fort of the Holy Ghost. Here we see the Holy Ghost 39
one in essence and in unity with the Godhead, or else there
must be two Divine comforters, and this notion, like two
Almighties, would hold forth two .God si which is not a prin-
ciple of Christianity, but of JNTewlighti ;m and Heathen Idol."
atry. Luke 11,20 Jesus said, if I with thenng-r ofGqd
cast out devils. Mat. 1 2, 28. If I with the spirit of God
cast out devils, &c. The finger of God is a metaphorical
expression for.ihe immediate power and agency of God ;
and to say that devils were cast out by the fini^er of God,.
is the same as to say they were cast out by God himself..
But it appears from the text of St. Peter, thai that partic-
ular act of the finger of God, i. e. of God himself, was the
act of the Spirit : therefore, the Spirit is God himself.

Ezek. 8, 1, 3. The hand of the Lord God fell there upon-
me, and he (the Lord God) pat forth the form of a-hand,
and took me by a lock of mine head, and the Spirit lifted
me up, &c. In this text the name of the Lord God, and the
name of the Spirit, do both belong to. the same person. For r
tbo' it be said that the Spirit lifted up the prophet, yet was
it no other than the Lord God who put forth- the form of a
hand and took him ; therefore the Spirit is the Lord God,
Act* 4, 24. 25. They lifted uj> their voices to God, with
one accord, and .said, Lord thou art God, who hast amde
toeaven and earth and sea, and all that therein i? ; who,
by the mouth of thy servant David , has said, &c. The
terms Lord and God, are here used to express the Divini-
ty of Him who spake by the mouth of his servant David.
But it was the person of the Holy Ghost who spake by the
jnouth of bis servant David ; for, says St. Peter, this scrip-
jtase anj8t.n.eeds have been fulfilled which the

21

by the month of David, spake, &ic. Therefore th^ terms,
Lord and God, are certainly used to express the Divinity of
the Holy Ghost Again, it was ihe Lord God oflsraeXwho
spake by the mouth of his holy prophets since the wodd
began. Luke 1, 68, 70, But then it is written, well spa^e
the Holy Ghost by Isaias the prophet, &c. Therefore thfc
Holy Ghost is the Lord God of Israel. Tsalm 139, 7,8.
Whither shall I go from thy Spirit, or whither shall I flee
from thy presence ? If I ascend up to heaven, thou art
there. The Psalmist, to acknowledge the omnipresence
of the Holy Ghost, says, Whither shall 1 go from thy Spirit?
and by what is immediately subjoined, he shows this to be
the omnipresence of God himself: Ifl ascend up to heaven,
thou art there; so that the terms, 'thou and thy spirit, are
equivalent, i, c. equally conclusive for the immediate pre-
sence of the divine nature himself, It was said by the an-
gel, Luke I, 32, He shall be great, and shall be called the
Son of the Highest, &c. because he was begotten of the
Holy Ghost, by his power called the power of the Highest:
he was begotten of the blessed Virgin, and thence called
the Son of God, even of the Highest; and the devils them-
selves allowed this, and said to Jesus, thou son of God most
high. Luke 8, 28. But the Anans also declare Jesus waS
the Son of God. But this cannot be true, unless the Holy
Ghost is God in unity with the Most High. The prophet
Isaiah, in I6tti chapter, tells tis he saw the Lord of Heste,
and that he heard the voice of the Lord saying, go and tell
this people, hear ye indeed but understand not,kc. Yet these
very words that the prophet declares to have been spoken
by the Lord, even the Lord of Hosts, were spoken by the
Holy Ghost. See Acts 16, 26. 27. Well spake the Holy-
Ghost by Isaiah the prophet, unto our fathers, saying, go
unto this people and say, hearing ye shall hear and not un-
derstand, &c. Therefore the Holy Ghost is the Lord of
Hosts.

So we find it abundantly proven f.om what is above writ-
ten, that the FatherJs God, the Son is God, and Holy Ghost
is God; and yet we \ nil find that these three are one in
unity: For we find that the incommunicable attributes of
the Most High G"d, which cannot be communicated to any
person or character to M horn they do not essentially belong

22

are ascribed to Cbnst and the Holy Ghost ; therefore they
are essentially of the saise " substance, power, and eterni-
ty." Three persons distinct in name, equal in essence, un-
divided in uature, inseparable in unity, filling inaraenBityj
eternally the same.

We find in scripture that God is spojten of sometimes io
the singular, and sometimes in the plural number as in
I Cor. 8, 6- To us there is but one God, the Father, &c,
Ag.ain, the God and .Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, &c,
And again, to the only wise God, &c. In these and such
passages the singular term is used, but we find in other pla-
ces the plural term is used also, as Gen. 1, 26, And God
said let us make man in our own image, after our likeness,
&c- JiTo sensible reason can be given why God should
speak to himself in the plural number, unless' be consists.of
more .persons than one ; for there were no other being or
bei.D.gs out of the Godhead, that ever could possess, crea-
ting power. God might say to angels, or to men, let us rea*
son together &c. For all rational spirits can reason, but
none can create but God, Let us make man, refers only to
an act of the Godhead, Gen. 3, 22. And the Lord Goc[
said, behold man is become like one of us, &e. Gen. 1 1,
6. 7, And the Lord said let up go down and confound their
language, Isa. 43, 16. And now the Lord God and, hjg
Spint hath seat me. The speaker in this verse is no other
than Christ, who at verse i 2, calls himself the first and the
last, and here declares himself to be sent, not only by the
Lord God, bat by his Spirit also. Isa. 34, 16. For my
mouth it hath commanded, and his Spirit it hath gathered
them, /a these words there is one person speaking of the
spirit of ano.ther person, so that the whole trinity is here
included. Mat. 28, 19. Baptizing in the name of the Fa-
ther, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. II Cor. 13,
14. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of
God, and the eozmnucion of ihe Hoiy Ghost In this test
the order of the persons ^landS different from the former :
There the Father having the first place, here Christ hr
the first ; which proves that none in this trinity is before
or after ttie pthsr. 1 John, 6, 7. Then are three that
bear record in Heaven, the Father, the Word, and the
Holy Ghost, and these three are one., John 8> 17, 18, The

testimony of two men is true, t am one that bear witness
ofinyself. The Father that sent me he be.areth witnesf
of me. 1 John 5, 6. It is the spirit that beareth witness,
John 3, 11. Christ said w speak that we do know, and tes-
tify that we hare seen, and ye receive not our witness /
which can be no other than the witness of the trinity, be-
cause it is added, no man hath ascended up to heaven but
he which cftrae down from heaven ; therefore no man
could join with Christ in revealing the witness of heaven
to us. But we find, the Arians, in order to overthrow
the doctrine of three persons in one God, change the name
persons, into separate Gods, or distinct Gods ; and when
speaking of one God or Lord, which are names of a nature,
the) change the name to that of a person. So that, if you
give them any clear evidence from scripture, that two or
more persons are one God. one Lord, &c, they will give a
new face to yoir conclusion, by changing the terms of
God or Lord, which are names of a nature, to that of a
person, which belong ojily to an individual then they cry
out, you are SftbeHians-r^jfgu beiieve three persons to be
one person. But if yoti nja,ke,it appear that in unity of one
God, or Lord, there are. njftr$ persons than one, then they
change the word persons for that of Gods, and cry you up
for Tritheists, maintainers of three Gods.

A TRINITY IN UNITY,

There is one Lord ihe creator of the world. Psa. 33, S.
By the word of the Lord were the heavens made and all
the hosts of them, by the breath (or spirit) of his mouth.
The whole trinity created the world, yet this trinity is but
one Lordj for it is wvUtp n, Isa. 44, 24. I am the Lord that
aaaketh all things, 4baM$sef?|ieth the heavens alone,' that
epreadeth abroad thjefoa#tlfc-to';fl!} f $$i It follows^ there-
fore, that the Word a^^fli^itgdi^i-^^B^ake the heavens ;
or that the Father, witkhja Word land Spirit, are the alone

T 'i i /S i ' y ft it *** '* - *-**)A cl IrTH/-

Lord and Creator ofafl ftg#, ug(i 4jJ(j) &J j ,

THfe DIVINE LAW, i^&ilj^ &$.?$$$ Wfo 0$ VftPflCH IT IS
POUNDED, IJSc^RAffijO. 6 AjffftlZJITlfjI^ Mf1 r i*

Rom. 7, 25. I mjaelf serve the^lari tftBmfi atdil, .,6, 2.
Fulfil the law of Glrf^.eR&p.^,':^. The law of the spirit
of life. But it is ^{^flinaeiii^ fcS^bferfei'^ftnji law-
fiver who is abl&^to

S4

three are one. And here we have the true reason why the
scrfytures represent the whole trinity, as tempted and ar-
rested by the disobedience of man, for sin being a trans-
gression of the law, and the law .being derived from (he un-
divided authority of the Father, the SOD, and Holy Ghost,
every breach of it is an offence against the triniiy : There-
fore, it is written, Duet. 6, 16. I'hou shalt not tempt the
Lord thy God. 1 Cor. lo, 9. Neither let us tfimpt Christ
Acts 5, 9. H >w is it that ye have agreed together to tempt
the Spirit of the Lord ?

THE MIND AND WILL 03P GOD, IS THE MIND AND WILL OF A

TRINITY,

I Cor. 2, 16. Who bath known the mind of the Lord,
but we have the mind of Cnrist. Rom. 8, 27. He that
searcheth the heart knoweth what is the mind of the Spi-
rit,

THE POWER OF GOD IS THE POWER OS 1 A TRINITY.

Eph 3, 7. The grace of God given unto me by the effec-
tual working of his power. II Cor. 12, 9. That the pow-
er of Christ may rest upon me. Rom. 15, 18. Signs and
wonders by the power of the spirit of God. The scrip-
ture, therefore, has ascribed divine power, and that in the
aatne exertions of it in the ministry and miracles of St.
Paul, to Christ and the Spirit, in common with God the
Father. So that when all glory and power are ascribed to
the only wiae God, what God caa it be but a trinity ? On
this principle the scripture is easily reconciled ; on any
other it is not.

A TRINITY IS ETERNAL.

Rom. 16,25,26. The mystery made manifest, accord-
ing 1 to the commandment of the everlasting God. Rev.
22, 13. I (Jesus) am the first and the last. Hefy 9, 13,
Who through the eternal spirit, <kc.

TRUTH IS ACCORDING TO A TRINITY,

John 7. 20. He that sent me is true. Rev. 3, 7. These
things saith he that is true, he that hath the key of David,
&c. I John 5, 6. It is the Spirit .that beareth witness, be-
cause the Spirit ; is IrUthv V :-:., ; ,.;.'

:' V, ;.:;. :,.:". -T^I-JJI^Y IS HOLY.

Rev I5i4i, Who shall not fear thee,O Lord, and glorify
thy name, for thou.only art holy, Act^S, H And ye de-

25 . '

nied the Holy One, &c. See Dan. ^ 24. Rev. 3, 7. I '
Joha 2, 20, 26. Ye have an unction from the Holy One, &c
That is an annotating from the Holy Ghost.

TRINITY OMNIPRESENT.

Jer. 2324. Do not I fill heaven and earth, aaith the Lord.
Eph. 1,23. The fullness of Him (Christ) that filleth all m
all. Psa. 139,7, 8. Whither shall I go from thy Spirit:
if I go up into heaven thou art there j if I make my bed in -
hell behold thou art there !

., TRINITY THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.

Deut. 30, 20. Love the Lord thy God, for he is thy life.'
Col, 3, 4. When Christ our life shall appear, Rom. 8, 10.
The Spirit is life. . " . .

TRINITY IN UNITY MABE MANKIND.

Psa. 100,3. The Lord he is God; it is he that hath 1
made us. John 1,3. By him (Christ) were all things made.
Job 33, 4. The Spirit of God hajh made me.

TRINITY QUICKEN THE DEAD.

John 5j 21. The Father raiseth up the dead and quick-
eneth them, even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. John
6, 63, It is the Spirit that quickeneth.

TRINITY INSTRUCTS US.

John 6, 45. They shall be all taught of God. Gal. 12.
Neither was I taught it but by the revelation of Jesus Christ >
John 14,26. The comforter, the Holy Ghost, shall teach you
all things, >

A TRINITY HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH THE FAITFUL.

1 John 1,3. Truly our fellowship is with the Father
and with his Son Jesus Christ. II Cor. 1 3, 14- The com-
fort, or fellowship, of the Holy Ghost be with you. PhiL 2,
1, Fellowship of the Spirit.

TRINITY IN UNITY PRESENT WITttTHE FAITHFUL.

1 Cor, 14, 25, God is in you of a truth. II Cor. 13, 5.K
Christ is in you except you be reprobates. John 14,, 17.
The Spirit dwelleth with you and shall be in you. Again
2 Cor. 6,16. God hath said I will dwell in them, Eph. 3, 17.
That Christ may dwell in your hearts. Rom. fi, 11. H&-*
Spirit that dwelleth in you.

A TRINITY REVEAL THE DIVINE WILL.

Phi). 3, 15. God shall reveal even this unto you. Gal .
1)12. N.either was I taught it but by the revelation of Je-,

6

sus-Christ. Luke 2,SS. It was revealed unto him' by the
.Holy .Ghost... ,~

TRINITY RAISED CHRIST FROM TH-E DEAD.

1 Cor. 6, 14. God hath both raised up the Lord, and will
also raise us up by his own power. John 2, 19. Destroy
this temple, and in three days I will raise it up; 1 Pet. 3,
18. Christ being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by.
the Spirit.

A TRINITY CONDUCT THE PEOPLE OF GOB.

Isa. 48, 17. lam the Lord thy God, which leadest thee
by the way that thou shouldest go. John 10, 3. He (Christ
the Shepherd) calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth
them out, Rom. fy 14. As many as are led by the spirit
of God, they are the sons of God.

TRINITY GIVES COMMISSION -AND AUTHORITY TO MINIS-
, TERS OF THE- GOSPEL.

2. Cor. 3, 5, 6, Our-sufficiency is of God who hath made
us able ministers. 1 Tim. 1, 12, Jesus Christ counted me
faithful, putting me into the ministry. Acts 20, 28. The
,Holy Ghost hath made you overseers.

TRINITY SANOTIFIETH THE ELECT.

Jude 1. To them that are sanctified by God the Father.
Heb. 2, 1 1. He that sanctifieth, and they that are sanctified,
are all of me. For which cause, he (Christ) is not asham-
ed to call them brethren. Rom. .15, 16, Being sanctified
by the Holy Ghost..

THE TRINITY PERFORM ALL SPIRITUAL AND DIVINE OPER-
ATIONS.

1 Cor. 12, 6. It.is the same God which worketh all in
all. Col, 3, ,11. .Christ is all and in all. 1 Cor. 12, IK
All these worketh that one and tbe-self same Spirit.

So we find, upon the whole, that the doctrines of the Trii>
itariansis abundantly, proven by. scripture ; that, in unity of
the Godhead, there are three persons of one substance, pow?
ev, and eternity.. Thus we are assured of the fact, tha
there are three.that bear record in heaven, and these three
are one. But the manner how we cannot comprehend.
This is a secret which belongs to God ; we can know no-
thing about it, as it is not reveakd to us; nor are we requi*
red to believe any tiling about the manner of this trinity :
teiL the .fact which has been revealed, .we must not deny be;-

2T

cause we cannot comprehend it ; for w cannot compre*
hend how the grass grows', how the sun shines, or that unity
which exists. between matter and spirit in every man. Yet
all these facts, and a thousand more, we are bound to believe
though we know nothing of the nature of the fact existing.
Then how vain must it be for mortals to attempt to scan the
nature of God, and the mode of his existence ? But we may
learn from his word, that he is a God of infinite perfection*
who is always pleased with virtue and- opposed to vice*
Whilst the beams of the sun revive the growing corn, the
mushroom that springs up in darkness is destroyed by his
light. And; while the rising day cbeers all the songsters of
the morn, the bird ot night is tortured if "he cannot fly from
the sparkling rays: And while the wholesome laws of men
smile on the friends of their nation, their enemies fall under
the frowns of justice. So, also, the perfections of Deity,
which smile blessings perpetual on righteous believers, will
frown curses on rebels to endless destruction. Let not sin-
ners flatter themselves that God is all love, and that there is
no wrath, or anger, in him ; His nature is absolute, and ev-
er opposed to all that is evil. This is manifest-in the follow-
ing scriptures : Deut. 32, 21, 22. They have moved me to
jealousy they have provoked me to anger with their van-
ities, &c. For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall
burn to the lowest hell. Psa. 7, 11, God is angry with the
wicked every day. Judges 2, 20. And the anger of the
Lord was hot against Israel. Isa. 63, 3. I will tread them in
mine anger, and trample them in my fury. Jer. 12, 13.
The anger of the Lord. Lamentation 4, 16, The anger of'
the Lord hath divided. Eze. 7, 3. I will send mine an- -
ger upon thee. Isa. 59, 18. He will repay fury 10 his ad-
versaries, Jer. 6, 11. I am full of the fury of the Lord, I''
will pour it put, &c, 10, 25. Pour out thy fury upon the
families that call not upon thy name, Deu. 32, 41. I will
render vengeance to mine enemies; Psa. 94, 1. O God, to
whom vengeance belongeth. Rom. 12,. -19. Vengeance is
mine, I will repay saith the Lord. II Thes. 1, 8. In flam-
ing fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God.
Jude 7. Suffering the vengeance of eternal fitje. Nahum
1,6. Who can stand before his indignation? tlom. 2, 8.
But unto them &c, indignation and wrath. Heb. 10,27.'.
Fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries. Rev. ,

28

J4, 10. Into the clip of his indignation. Num. 16,44, Make
an atonement for them, for there is wrath gone out from the
Lord,&c. Isa. 12, 1. Thou wast angry with me, Sec. Mat.
3i 7. Flee from the wrath to come. Rom 2, 6. Wrath against
the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgment
of God. 5,9. Shall be saved from wrath through him.
Thes. 1, 10 Delivered from wrath, &c. 2, 16. Wrath is
come upon them to the uttermost. Rev. 6, 1 6. Hide, &c,
us from the wrath of the Lamb, II Kings 33, 26. The
Lord turned not from the fierceness of his great wrath. Rev
19, 13, And he treadeth the wine press of the fierceness
and wrath of Almighty God, J?r, 44, 4, 6. The thing I
hate; wherefore my fury and mine anger was .poured fo'flthj
and kindled against the cities of Judea. Psa, 2, 8, 10, M,
12, Thou shalt break tbem with a rod of iron; thou shalt
dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel, Be wise now,
therefore* ye kings ; be instructed, ye judges of the earth,
Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling, Kiss
the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish from the way,
when his wrath is kindled but a little, Blessed are. all
that put their trust in him>-

.'v^

>~ ','-.. i*E -'-)",# ',.

'. ,^"V.-, ' '".<- , tj - ?,-i'^ f

f- ;V-'-'- \" ',,, , Z '>t

'ii-t

A

UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO

59 815 171