Sidor som bilder
PDF
ePub

tendency to place the Deity on a level with created beings?"

Mr. Maurice also proves that the word Elohim was understood exactly in the above sense by Moses himself and the antient Hebrews, however their modern descendants may deny the allusion; that their own paraphrasts apply the term Logos, in the very same manner we do, to the second, as well as that of Holy Spirit to the third, person in the blessed Trinity; and that, in fact, they had the fullest belief in that Trinity (s), expressed in the most emphatical language, and explained by the most significant symbols. It is impossible, upon the present occasion, to follow this ingenious and eloquent writer through these profound disquisitions; but I desire to take this opportunity, as I shall not, perhaps, have occasion to mention him again in

this

(s) Galatine has produced two expositions of the following passage in Isaiah, c. 6. v. 3. " And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of Hosts," which are remarkable proofs of the truths of this assertion; the one is taken from the illustrious Rabbi Simeon, who thus comments upon the word Holy being repeated three times, "Holy, this is the Father; Holy, this is the Son; Holy, this is the Holy Spirit," the other is from the Chaldee paraphrase of Jonathan the son of Uzziel, “Holy, Father; Holy, Son; Holy, Holy Ghost."

[ocr errors]

this work, of recommending, in the most earnest manner, both his Dissertations and his History to the attention of all those who are desirous of seeing strong additional light thrown upon some of the most important doctrines of the Holy Scriptures. Every friend to revealed religion will consider himself as indebted to the laborious researches of Mr. Maurice, while every admirer of an animated and elegant style will read his works with peculiar satisfaction.

The first passage I shall adduce from the New Testament in proof of this important doctrine of the Trinity, is, the charge and commission which our Saviour gave to his apostles, to "go and teach all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost (t)." The Gospel is every where in Scripture represented as a Covenant or conditional offer of eternal salvation from God to man, and Baptism was the appointed ordinance by which men were to be admitted into that Covenant, by which that offer was made and accepted. This Covenant being to be made with God himself, the ordinance must of course be performed in his name; but Christ directed that it should be performed in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; and therefore we conclude

(t) Matt. c. 28. v. 19.

conclude that God is the same as the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Since Baptism is to be performed in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, they must be all three persons; and since no superiority or difference whatéver is mentioned in this solemn form of Baptism, we conclude that these three persons are all of one substance, power, and eternity (u). Are we to be baptised in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, and is it possible that the Father should be selfexistent, eternal, the Lord God omnipotent; and that the Son, in whose name we are equally baptised, should be a mere man, born of a woman, and subject to all the frailties and imperfections of human nature? or, is it possible that the Holy Ghost, in whose name also we are equally baptised, should be a bare energy or operation, a quality or power, without even personal existence? Our feelings, as well as our reason, revolt from the idea of such disparity.

This argument will derive great strength from the practice of the early ages, and from the ob

servations

(κ) Ει δε κτιτην ουκ είχε φυσιν ὁ υἱος ή το πανάγιον πνεύμα, οὐκ αν συνηρίθμησαν τω κεκτικοτι Θεῷ. Theod. 5. contr. Hær. Ποια γαρ κοινωνία τῷ κτισματι προς κτίςην, δια τι το πεποιημένων συναριθμείται τῳ πόιησαντι εις την τῶν παντῶν τελείωσιν ; Athan. Or. 3. contr. Ar.

servations which we meet with in several of the antient fathers relative to it. We learn from Ambrose, that persons at the time of their Baptism, declared their belief in the three persons of the Holy Trinity, and that they were dipped in the water three times in his Treatise upon the Sacraments he says, "Thou wast asked at thy Baptism, Dost thou believe in God the Father Almighty? and thou didst reply, I believe, and thou wast dipped; a second time thou wast asked, Dost thou believe in Jesus Christ the Lord? thou didst answer again, I believe, and thou wast dipped; a third time the question was repeated, Dost thou believe in the Holy Ghost? and the answer was, I believe, then thou wast dipped a third time (a)." It is to be noticed, that the belief, here expressed separately in the three persons of the Trinity, is precisely the same in all. Tertullian, Basil, and Jerome, all mention this practice of trine immersion, as being derived from apostolical tradition; and Jerome expressly says, "We are thrice dipped in the water, that the mystery of the Trinity may appear to be but one. We are not baptised in the names of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, but in one name, which is God's; and therefore, though we be thrice put under water to repre

(x) De Sac. lib. 2. cap. 7,

sent

sent the mystery of the Trinity, yet it is reputed but one Baptism (y)."—" Who," says Didymus, "will not hence conclude the equality of the sacred Trinity, seeing there is but one Faith in the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, as Baptism is ministered in the name of all three (2)?" Cyprian, after reciting the form of Baptism prescribed by our Saviour, says, "He intimates a Trinity, by the sacrament of which the nations should be baptised;" and again, "Christ himself orders the nations to be baptised in the full and united Trinity (a)."—" If," says Athanasius, "the Holy Ghost be not of the substance of the Father and the Son, why then did the Son of God join him together with them in the symbol of sanctification, when he said to his disciples, Go, teach all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost (b)?" The heretics, who denied the divinity of Christ or of the Holy Ghost, introduced alterations into the form of Baptism to suit their own particular tenets; these alterations are reprobated by many of the orthodox fathers, and the council

of

(y) Hieron cont. Luc. cap. 4. lib. 2. in Ephes. 14. (z) De Sp. Sanct. lib. 2. inter. Op. Hier.

(a) Cyp. ad Jub.

(b) Athanas. Disp. cont. Ar.

« FöregåendeFortsätt »