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them through the glorious righteousness of Christ their head, transcend and overbalance the wretchedness of that death through which they shall have passed! And when it is compared in point of duration, what is the short reign of death, which they have realized, to the endless blessed life in which they shall reign in heaven with Christ their head!

In verse 18 the apostle returns to note another point of resemblance. "Therefore, as by the offence of one, judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life." The indebted ness of all who are saved to the righteousness of Jesus Christ alone, as the procuring cause, is commonly confessed. The question of chief difficulty here is, how the apostle came to speak of the descent of the free gift, in terms so extensive. The inference that all will be saved, has been drawn indeed, but with too much precipitation. The comment of an ancient father is certainly natural and rational; "That is a gift common to all, which is held out to all, tendered to all.

Not as though it must in fact bless all, whether it be received or rejected." How indeed can a free gift, however liberally made, be theirs to effect, by whom it is always refused? or how be enjoyed, when it has never become welcome?

But indeed the restrictive clauses, interspersed through this discourse, might be sufficient to save it from the interpretation first mentioned. The justification of life is through

faith and faith, however defined, will surely be acknowledged to be not universal.

According to the 5th verse our hope will make us ashamed, unless the love of God be shed abroad in our hearts by his own Spirit given to us. But who will say, that this felicity is applicable to all men?

Again. The Christian's hope, as mentioned in verse 10, is, that being reconciled through Christ's death, he shall be saved by his life. But he is not reconciled, who still has the heart of an enemy. Other restrictive intimations might be found without going out of this chapter. But I forbear; only observing that while we revolt at the universalian construction, as discordant to the whole tenor of Paul's discourses, it is of importance to note what this large expression does intend; for it has a meaning, and of a most interesting nature, viz. That there is in fact a free gift of God made to all men, by proclamation; a gift of righteousness and abundant grace through Jesus Christ; a gift extending in its import to justification of life through faith. How generally it is, or will be received, is another question. And how this same apostle came to have such heaviness and solicitude for the salvation of his countrymen, as he expresses in the 9th chapter, is very hard to explain, if they were in no danger of coming short by rejecting the heavenly gift.

If any still suppose that this clause can only be explained by actual justification, then the parallel, in order to agree with the analogy of scripture, must be carried out in this form: As by

the offence of one Adam, all who were in his loins were involved in condemnation; so by the sole obedience of the second Adam, the justification of life comes upon all who are in him by spiritual union, i. e. by living faith.

In verse 20, the apostle tells us that "the law entered that the offence might abound." That is, that men might be sensible how their sins of heart and life, of commission and omisson, are multiplied; and what a mass of guilt they make up. How this was, and is, to make way for a due reception of the gospel, and to hide pride from man, is very obvious.

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But, says the apostle, "Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound." The illustration of this is found in the abundant pardon and exaltation to favour, which blesses every penitent sinner, and the chief of sinners among the rest, whenever he returns to God.

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in the enlargement of the system of love to man, from what the primitive constitution exhibited; and the occasion taken from the fall, and multiplied sins of mankind, to open a constitution, by which grace should far than countervail the wretchedness and ruin introduced by sin; and by which the human nature, in all the heirs of mercy, should, by virtue of its union to Christ the second Adam, through living faith, be exalted far above the height from which it fell by transgression. And thus, as sin hath reigned unto death, so grace shall reign, through righteousness, unto eternal life, by Jesus Christ our Lord.

"O the depth of the riches

both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things: to whom be glory forever. Amen." ZUINGLIUS.

THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY UNIVERSAL.

NO. 3.

(Concluded from p. 493.)

WHO by searching can find out the Almighty to perfection? Secret things belong not to us; but things revealed belong to us and our children. As the knowledge of God is the foundation of all religion; as ignorance of God is the source of fatal error and delusion, it becomes us not only to contemplate the works of creation, and to trace the footsteps of divine Providence; but to search the pages of inspiration, that we may learn, who HE is, that giveth life, and reason, and immortality to man. The unity of God is so established in the public mind, that we now say nothing to confirm this doctrine, but inquire whether the scriptures of the Jews and Christians do not explicitly declare a plurality of persons in the Godhead, and whether the Persons are not three.

Our first inquiry is whether the scriptures teach a plurality of persons in God.

In the following passages in the original, the name of God is plural, and connected with nouns, pronouns, and verbs plural." Gen. i. 26. "And the Gods said,

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Let us make man in our image, and after our likeness." Here the Creator is plural, connected with pronouns in the plural. Hence may be inferred the plurality of persons in Deity. In the same chapter, verse 27, it is said, "So the Gods created man." This agrees with another important passage of scripture, Ecclesiastes xii. 1. "Remember thy CREATORS in the days of thy youth.". Do these passages, literally translated, leave any doubt whether a plurality of agents accomplished the work of creation? Similar passages are numerous. See Gen. xi. 7. "Let us," said Jehovah, "go down, and there confound their language." This passage in our English translation is conclusive in support of our doctrine. Were Gen. xxxi. 53 exactly translated, it would read thus. "The Gods of Abraham, and the GODS of Nahor, and the GoDs of their father judge betwixt us." Would any other phraseology make a plurality of persons more certain? Joshua xxiv. 19 may be thus rendered, "Ye cannot serve the Lord, for he is the holy GoDs; he is the jealous GoDs." We only add the following passages, which may thus be translated. Job xxxv. 10." But none saith, Where is God my Makers?" And Isaiah liv. 5. "Thy Makers are thy husbands.”

These texts we hope render it sufficiently certain that God the Creator, that JEHOVAH, who alone stretched out the heavens, is spoken of in the plural number. These texts show that this style was not peculiar to one remarkable passage, or to one writer, but was common to different writers in various parts of the Vol. I. No. 12. Www

Old Testament. If necessary it would be easy to multiply quotations of this kind. The words Etohim or Aloim, and Adonai, which signify Gods, the Lord thy Gods, are used thirty times in Genesis, one hundred times in the Law, and five hundred times in the Old Testament.*

Whatever may be said concerning the idiom of the Hebrew language, these texts will shew that the sacred style of inspired truth permits us to speak of Deity in the plural number.

We are secondly to show that the persons of God are Three. The first proof of this, which we mention, is the appearance of Jehovah to Abraham. "He lifted up his eyes, and looked, and lo three men stood by him." According to Witsius, who was of the same opinion, the pious ancients considered these the adorable Trinity. That God himself appeared to Abram is certain, for he calls him Jehovah; he addresses him in importunate and reverential prayers. St. Ambrose says, "Abraham saw three and adored one, because there is one Lord, one God, and one Spirit. There was a unity of honour, because a unity of power." Musculus says, "this passage was usually quoted in the church when the mystery of the sacred Trinity and unity was discussed." Munster says, "this is certain that Abraham saw three, and addressed himself to one." "Oh my Lord, if I have found favour in thine eyes." Had not Abraham acknowledged the mystery of the Trinity, he would have said, "Oh my Lords, if I

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have found favour in your eyes." The ancient Latin and Greek fathers produced this passage in proof of the Trinity. Why should Abraham speak in the singular number when addressing Three? To account for this by saying that one appeared in a more august form than the other two is to speak without book, with out any kind of evidence, without any shadow of proof. The name Jehovah Abraham constantly addressed to these persons, and when two of them arrived in Sodom, Lot addressed them with religious honcurs.

A remarkable passage in Isaiah very plainly represents the divine Trinity. The seraphs cried one to another and said, "Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts. Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, whom shall I send, and who will go for US?" A plurality is certain from the plural pronoun us; the Trinity may be expressed by the triple address of holy, holy, holy. "Who will go for us," us three, whom the seraphs have individually addressed? That this is certainly the meaning of the text may be inferred from John xii. 41, where the evangelist applies this very passage to Jesus Christ. "These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory and spake of him ;" and from Acts xxviii. 25, where the apostle applies this passage of Isaiah to the Holy Ghost; "Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto the fathers." Thus what Isaiah declares that Jehovah said to him, John ascribes to Christ, and St. Paul to the Holy Ghost. This is all the evidence we nced; the divinity of the Son and Holy Spirit are directly as

serted, and that of the Father is not denied. This is not the gloss or opinion of a writer untaught; but the comment and assertion of an apostle and evangelist, inspired by God himself.

Some learned critics in the Hebrew language have supposed, that the prophets employ a style, or mode of address, which implies, the doctrine was well known and believed among the people whom they instructed. Without giving any notice or explanation, they often use expressions, which have little propriety or meaning, unless the doctrine of the Trinity be understood. Of this description are the following passages. Isaiah xli. 4. "I the Lord, the first and with the last, I, He." In this literal translation three persons speak, while Jehovah speaks in his own name; "I, I, He." The same mode of expression is found Isaiah xliii. 11. "I, I, the Lord, and beside me there is no Saviour." Ver. 25. I, I, He, that blotteth out thy transgressions." Here three persons constitute the "Saviour," and are united in blotting out transgressions. Finally, chap. li. 12. "I, I, He, that comforteth you.” These are more literal translations of those passages. They are very strange and unaccountable phrases, unless we suppose the Trinity a doctrine of the Bible; but adopting this doctrine, they are intelligible, proper, and forcible.

In John, chap. i. we read, "The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us; and the Word was God." Perhaps it would not be easy to arrange words, more explicitly to declare the divinity of Jesus Christ. In di

rect terms the divinity of the Holy Spirit is asserted, Acts v. 34," Why hath Satan filled thine beart to lie unto the Holy Ghost? Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God." They had" lied to the Holy Ghost" they had "lied unto God." In what language could the proper deity of the Holy Spirit be more explicit ly declared?

At the baptism of Jesus Christ was an astonishing display of all the persons in the Trinity. The Son comes up from Jordan; the Holy Spirit descends from heaven in the form of a dove; a voice from the Father proclaimas, "This is my beloved Son."

The formula of Christian baptism is thought conclusive evi dence of the divine Trinity. "Go," saith Christ," disciple all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." The three are put on terms of perfect equality. To unite God the Father with two creatures, on equal terms; to honour them as we honour him, is an outrage on all the laws of propriety, decency, and piety. Would it not shock all our serious feelings to baptize in the name of God, and Peter, and Paul? Would it not be a species of idolatry so to honour Peter and Paul as we honour God himself? Would it not be a kind of blasphemy?

The beloved disciple saw four living creatures in heaven, who rest not day nor night; saying, "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come." Here three persons are addressed in the same language, heard by Isaiah hundreds of years before, from the same throne of glory. To this

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we may add the constant and familiar introduction of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit in every part of the New Testament, and the constant ascription of divinity to all three. These evidences, displayed by "the pen of a ready writer or the tongue of the learned," would most certainly confirm the wavering, silence gainsayers, and convince the most obdurate. These arrows, in the hands of the mighty, would subdue all opposition. It is hoped, however, that the sacred truths of this feeble sketch may give comfort and satisfaction to candid and serious inquirers, concerning this infinitely important doctrine, the TRINITY.

REFLECTIONS.

We see the importance of searching the sacred scriptures. The Trinity is a doctrine of scripture, a doctrine known and proved no where else. The scriptures are the field where is found this pearl of great price. Some other doctrines are confirmed by other evidence, this depends entirely on the word of God. Tho' traditions of this doctrine have extended to all countries and ages of the world, as we have shown in former numbers; yet these traditions must have had their origin in divine Revelation. No wonder, therefore, if those, who attend to business or pleasure, more than to religion, should reject the doctrine; no wonder if those, who read books of amusement or science more than they do the oracles of God, should oppose the doctrine of the Trinity.

2. From the doctrine of the Trinity we infer, that Deity

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