is revealed throughout the whole of the "Sacred Volume," in one uniform, continued course, from the beginning of Genesis to the end of Revelations. In the Old Testament, the following Hebrew words imply this Holy union of Persons, which is designated in the New Testament by the subjoined Greek words: 777 רוה .... God. .... Word. .... Spirit. Θεὸς . . . . God. .. Πατήρ .. Father. ... 'Yiog.... Son. Πνεῦμα Spirit... ПIvεvμa.. Spirit. The happy circumstance of personification enables us to embody things which never can be seen, so that we can converse as freely and as certainly on the peculiar properties of Spirits, which are productions of REASON, as we do at present on the peculiarities of the material objects of nature, which are productions of SENSE. All the objects of REASON are necessarily principles, having neither beginning, middle, nor end, and can, therefore, reside only in ETERNITY. These objects are results of Syllogism, which is itself spiritual or mental. The objects of SENSE, on the other hand, must of necessity be material, and consequently be facts, which not only address the senses, have a beginning, middle, and end, but could not have existence without a passive faculty to receive their impressions, and can exist only in TIME. There can be neither more nor less than three persons in the Divine Essence; both REASON and REVELATION happily unite in one harmonious conclusion, fully and perfectly establishing the sublime doctrine of the "HOLY, BLESSED, AND GLORIOUS TRINITY;" and the whole stands or falls together. Where the essence and perfections are the very same, no inequality can be found. The triune principle is as apparent in every act of creation as in the Creator himself one undivided and simple essence. We trust we have so firmly established this triune principle, that no efforts of criticism, no influence of prejudice, can possibly shake this full and perfect proof of the Unity and Plurality of the Godhead as personified by our Saviour. We feel confident, therefore, that the Church will not discard this essential and fundamental truth; but, on the contrary, will adhere to this sublime doctrine to the end of TIME, seeing that it exists in all its perfection in ETERNITY. This great and important revelation must either be true or not true. Now, if it is true, it must at the same time be rational, or something is true which is irrational, or, in other words, totally unaccountable, which is impossible. If the Divine Being subsists only in one mode or manner, his divine intelligence can be exerted only in one way; then he cannot be omnipotent; but, if we allow that he subsists in three distinct, not separate, modes, which constitute the three Divine persons, then the Deity may be easily conceived as the CREATOR, PRESERVER, and RULER, of the physical world, and at the same time, by virtue of his PERFECT, INFINITE, and ETERNAL, attributes, Sovereign of the entire Kingdom of Spirits, or Supreme in the Moral World! Nor does this view of the Divine Essence in the least violate the pure idea of the INDIviduality, REALITY, and NECESSITY, of that adorable and ineffable First Cause; but on the contrary firmly establishes the truth of that solemn and impressive doctrine a Blessed "TRINITY IN UNITY." Vast and important, indeed, will be the benefits resulting from the happy solution of a mystery which has defied ages to bring it to a conclusion. In future, speculative points in Religion will be brought to the bar of REASON for decision, instead of being contested by the edge of the sword. If the preceding reasoning proves to be not only correct, but likewise so apparent that future ages will only live to approve and confirm ; then, indeed, have we established this vital principle of Christ's doctrine, not merely with reference to the inhabitants of our own globe- -a comparative speck in the vast ocean of space but proved, to the conviction of REASON, that, should the countless number of floating worlds, the centres of whose systems we are at present only allowed to see, be blessed with rational inhabitants - these all these and all other beings endowed with REASON-nay, Angels themselves — must bow to the TRIUNE ESSENCE of that Deity, who gave his only begotten Son to suffer for our salvation, and who now sits on the right hand of his Father Almighty God" whence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead, and they shall all give account of their own works." Thus do we establish for ever, and for all worlds, the everlasting glory of God, through the mediation of his Son, Jesus Christ, our blessed Redeemer. We propose, now, to redeem our pledge of proving that the elements which form the notion of a TRIUNE ESSENCE are coeval with the Human Mind, and actually constitute its very essence; and that consequently the entire procedure regarding the HOLY TRINITY Will turn out as we predicted-merely a verbal dispute. Fortunately for humanity, our erroneous theories do not in the least alter either principles or facts, as they are originally created by the Almighty; or our insignificant globe would have long found itself the solid centre of entire creation. Providence had so ordained it, that Copernicus should startle us on this physical point, and suddenly whirl us about with incredible velocity; turning every thing topsyturvy, alarming the prejudices of all the inhabitants of the earth, and endangering his own safety. Indeed, so inveterate were the pious servants of God on that occasion, that, had his life been prolonged, the Vicegerent of Christ would have placed this honest and sincere astronomer in the bonds of the Inquisition, to endure Earthly torture for the discovery of this Heavenly truth, which has made a complete revolution in science. The progress of enlightenment has since precluded the repetition of such barbarous proceedings, with a view to promote the service of God. How much better to enlighten the mind generally, and thus make man |