LECTURE III.

THE TRINITY, OR MODE OF GOD'S EXISTENCE.

GENESIS i. 26.

And God said, let us make man in our own image.

It has been already shown, in treating of the being and attributes of God, that HE IS ONE; and it was asserted, that this is the common belief of the whole Christian church. It remains, however, to enquire into the nature of that ONENESS, or to answer the question, What is the mode or manner of God's existence ?

On this subject, the doctrine of far the greater portion of the protestant church, and the one which undoubtedly is agreeable to Scripture, is that which I shall attempt to express as follows, viz: That this one Deity, or God-head, exists by a distinction of what may called persons; that these persons are the Father, Son and Holy Ghost-a THREEFOLD distinction— and therefore by us is called, Trinity; and that each of these persons, though possessing some

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properties, which do not belong to the others, does, nevertheless, truly and properly possess the eternal and supreme nuture of God, the one as much so as the other!

The doctrine stands in opposition, of course, to all those, who deny a distinction in the God-head, by whatever name they are called, and who regard the two last named personages, to wit, the Son and the Holy Ghost, as something less than the Supreme God.

Whether these propositions are correct, and according to scripture, is what we shall now attempt to determine. Never, certainly, have I entered upon the discussion of a doctrine, with so much anxiety; but it is not an anxiety which arises from any fear of not being able to establish it; for I honestly do not think there is one doctrine of the Bible, which has so much and such various scripture for it as this. Nor does my anxiety arise from the anticipated difficulties of my subject. If it seems to have these difficulties more than other doctrines, I believe it is, principally, because it has been opposed more, and pursued farther, as being of vital consequence to Christianity. I have said, already, that I do not see why this doctrine is more inscrutable than any other truth relating to an infinite God; and

I do really believe, if approached in a right spirit, it may be made to appear as plain and as convincing; but I feel anxious, principally, least I should not be able to make it as plain and convincing as I consider it important. I can hardly express to you, and perhaps it might not be judicious to do so, if I could, the eventful importance, which I consider attached to this subject. If it be a question whether the Deity exists in these equal persons, then, as it has been well said by one," it is an awful question!" For if he does so exist, this distinction is in order to a most glorious manifestation of his mercy, and all our hope in the plan of redemption depends on it; but if he do not, then a false view of hope, wrong notions of God, the sin of aggravated idolatry, and a fearful train of other consequences, are justly chargeable upon much the largest, and apparently the most pious portion of the Christian church. You will not wonder, then, that I feel anxious to do some justice to this subject. You will expect me to labour with all possible simplicity and plainness, to lay the scripture proofs of our opinion fully before you.

Before we proceed farther, permit me to make a remark on the word PERSON, as it has been used in describing the distinctions

in the God-head. When thus used, Trinitarians do not mean by it, what is usually meant, when it is applied to other things; that is, they do not mean, a totally separate identity of essence, as we do when we say, I am one person, and my friend is another. Such a separate identity, possessed of all the independent powers of consciousness, judging and willing, would make, we grant, three different minds or Beings; and if each was God, there would undoubtedly be three Gods. But by the word PERSON, when applied to the 'Trinity, we mean an existence which has only, in some respects, different properties from other persons in that Deity; while in its consciousness, its judging, its willing, and counsel, and whatever belongs to the essentials of Deity, it is ONE. These persons, therefore, though Divine, are not other Gods; nor does the notion of such a distinction, involve any known contradiction. The word PERSON, is merely a term used out of its ordinary acceptation, for the sake of describing a distinction in the existence of God's essence, which we cannot, by a better word, express.

The term PERSON, thus explained, it is hoped our propositions will be intelligible. I now state them again, viz: That the Deity, or God

head exists with a distinction, which may properly be called of persons: that these persons are the Father, Son and Holy Ghost; and that each of these, while possessing some properties of existence, which are not common to the others, does, nevertheless, truly and properly possess the Divine and Supreme nature, one as much so as any other, We proceed to the proofs and 1 offer,

1. Those Scriptures of the Old Testament, where God is spoken of in the plural number. Pertinent to this, is the passage which has been selected for our text. us make man in our own image. Here the name of God, Aleim,

And God said let

(Gen. i. 26.) and the verb,

to make, are both in the plural. And to show that it is not a casual usage, the plural pronoun our is also used, and the form of expression is repeated in chapter iii. 22. Behold the man has become as one of us, to know good and evil. Now the natural impression upon an unprejudiced reader of this passage, would be, that God, as Deity, was spoken of in the plural number, because there was a distinction of persons concerned in creating man; and that there were none of them inferior persons, who are here spoken of, I hope will be manifest from considerations hereafter to be adduced.