in the fulness of life by the sea; but, whilst I declare these things to excite a serious thought, I desire not to convert your characteristic bravery into cowardice;-I say not, therefore, fear that which killeth the body, and is not able to kill the soul; but this, I say, rather fear ye Him which

is able to destroy both soul and body in hell!'

DISCOURSE XIV.

THE PRACTICAL REVELATION OF THE TRINITY.

[PART I.]

EPHESIANS ii. 18.

For through Him [Christ Jesus] we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

THE subject which, from these words, I propose to bring before you, is one of considerable difficulty. I refer to the doctrine of the Trinity, of which we have here a striking and practical exhibition. Yet, with the blessing of God, I shall endeavour to make it intelligible and profitable.

Without controversy, indeed, great is this mystery of our most holy faith-"one God in Trinity, and Trinity in unity." Yet the Scriptures abundantly testify, that in the unity of the

Godhead there are three separate existences, and, therefore, we profess our belief in "three persons and one God." And thus the Scriptures declare the Unity,-" There is but one God"— "one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all."* And again," The Lord our God is one Lord."+ But this passage likewise seems to indicate the Trinity in unity, as the original, if translated after the manner of other languages, would be this-" The Lord our Gods is one Jehovah." More strikingly, however, is the plurality of persons in the godhead indicated in the passages wherein we read that "God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness;" "Behold the man is become like one of us;— and again, "Let us go down and there confound their language." This is clearly the language of plurality-not of one. But, if the evidence of the Old Testament, as to the doctrine of the Trinity, be satisfactory, much more that of the New Testament, wherein we find numerous declarations, distinctly proving the divinity and separate existence, personally, of Father,§

* 1 Cor. viii. 6; Ephes. iv. 6. † Deut. vi. 4.

Gen. i. 26; iii. 22; xi. 6, 7. See also Psalm xxxiii. 6; xlviii. 16; Isaiah xlviii. 16; lix. 19, 20-in which the different persons of the Trinity are spoken of.

§ The distinct existence and divinity of the Father require no proof-he is the "one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him."

Son, and Holy Ghost,† which "are co-eternal together, and co-equal;" yet, likewise proving that the whole three persons constitute the one true God. For these Scriptures expressly testify, not only that the Father is God, but that the Son is "God manifest in the flesh," and that the Holy Ghost, which proceedeth from the Father and the Son,' is also God. Therefore, our Lord commanded his disciples to "teach all nations, baptizing them in the [triune] name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; and, therefore, his inspired apostle, St. Paul, blesses the Church at Corinth, with the threefold blessing,-"The grace of the Lord Jesus

* The separate existence of the Son, personally, requires no proof: His divine nature is declared or intimated by a multitude of passages; witness the following, in which he is expressly called God-Matt. i. 28; John i. 1; x. 33; xx. 28; Acts xxviii. 28; Rom. ix. 5 1 Tim. iii. 16; Heb. i. 8; 2 Peter i. 1; 1 John v. 20, 21. Compare Isa. vi. 5 with John xii. 41; Isa. xliv. 6 with Rev. xxii. 13; Ps. lxxviii with 1 Cor. x. 9; John iii. 29 with Isa. liv. 5. Observe also Isa. ix. 6; John x. 30; xiv. 8, 9, 11; Col. ii. 8, 9.

+ Besides the divine attributes ascribed to the Holy Ghost, we have distinct declarations of his divinity in Luke i. 35 ; Acts v. 3, 4. Compare also 2 Tim. iii. 16 with 2 Pet. i. 21; John vi. 45 with 1 Cor. ii. 13; 1 Cor. iii. 16 with 1 Cor. vi. 19; Deut. vi. 16 and Matt. iv. 7 with Acts v. 9. The personality of the Holy Ghost is proved by the personal attributes or qualities ascribed to Him, as in Matt. xxviii. 19; John xiv. 16, 26; xvi. 7, 8, 13, 14; Acts viii. 29, 39; x. 19, 20; xi. 12; xiii. 2, 4; xv. 28; xvi. 6, 7; Rom. viii. 26, 27; 1 Cor. ii. 10, 11; xii. 4-8, 11; xiii. 14; Eph. iv. 30.

Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all." Thus, in the three names we baptize, and in the three names we bless, forasmuch as there are three that bear record in Heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one."*

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Now we believe, and therefore preach, this doctrine of the godhead-" the Unity in Trinity, and the Trinity in Unity"-because it is so abundantly and so distinctly revealed in the word of God; and we stumble not at the mystery, because, though it is manifestly above human comprehension, it is not contrary to human reason. For whilst we receive the doctrine of 66 three persons and one God," we say not that they are three in the same sense in which they are one-for that would be an obvious contradiction, and a violation of the principles of right reasonbut three, in one sense-one, in another; three, in personality-one, in essence or substance. Yet we pretend not either to explain or to understand this great mystery; yea, on the contrary, we cannot expect to comprehend it, involving as it does the nature and manner of the existence of the Great First Cause. For if the greatest philosopher that ever lived could never explain the first principles of any one phenomenon in nature—even as to the attraction which brings a falling body to the

1 John v. 7.