THETRINITY

LoraineBoettner

PublishedoriginallyinTheEvangelicalQuarterly;London,England,in1938and1939.

TableofContents:

1.Introduction2.StatementoftheDoctrine3.FurtherScriptureProof4.TheTrinityintheOldTestament5.OneSubstance,ThreePersons6.MeaningoftheTerms"Father","Son",and"Spirit"7.SubordinationoftheSonandSpirittotheFather8.TheGenerationoftheSonandtheProcessionoftheHolySpirit9.TheTrinityPresentsaMysterybutNotaContradiction10.HistoricalAspectsoftheDoctrine11.PracticalImportanceoftheDoctrine

©eBook—LanceGeorgeMarshall,2011.

1.INTRODUCTION

Inthischapterweshallattempttosetforthinasclearlanguageaspossiblethebasic truthswhich theChurchholdsconcerningthedoctrineof theTrinity.WeshallfirstpresenttheScriptureevidenceonwhichthedoctrinerestsandthenweshallpresentthecredalstatementsandformulationsthathavebeensetforthbychurch councils andby individual thinkers as theyhave applied themselves tothe interpretation of that evidence through the two thousand years of theChristianera.

ThedoctrineoftheTrinityisperhapsthemostmysteriousanddifficultdoctrinethatispresentedtousintheentirerangeofScripture.Consequentlywedonotpresumetogiveafullexplanationofit.InthenatureofthecasewecanknowonlyasmuchconcerningtheinnernatureoftheGodheadashasbeenrevealedtous in the Scriptures. The tri-personality of God is exclusively a truth ofrevelation,andonewhichliesoutsidetherealmofnaturalreason.Itsheightanddepth and length and breadth are immeasurable by reason of the fact that thefiniteisdealingwiththeInfinite.Aswellmightweexpecttoconfinetheoceanwithina tea-cupas toplacea full explanationof thenatureofGodwithin thelimits of our feeble human minds. It is not our purpose to engage inmetaphysical subtleties, nor to speculate on the implications which may bedrawnfromthisdoctrine.Wedohope,however,thatundertheguidanceoftheHolySpiritweshallbeenabledtosetforthinaplainsimpleway,yetasfullyasthelimitationsofourfinitemindsandlanguagewillpermit,thetruthconcerningit, and to guard it against the errors and heresieswhich have prevailed at onetime or another in the history of the Church.While we are not able fully tocomprehendtheDivinemind,weneverthelesshavebeencreatedintheimageofGodandthereforehavetheright,withinlimits,toconceiveofGodaccordingtotheanalogyofourownnature,andweshouldbeable tograspenoughof thissublime revelationwhichGodhasbeenpleased togiveconcerningHimself tomakeaconsiderableadvanceinourspiritualgrowth.Sinceinthestudyofthisdoctrine we are absolutely dependent on revelation (there being nothing elsequitesimilartooranalogouswithitinourownconsciousnessorinthematerialworld),andsincethesubjectofourstudyis transcendentlysacred, thatsubjectbeingtheinnermostnatureoftheinfinitelyrighteousandtranscendentGod,ourattitude should be that of discipleswho,with true humility and reverence, arereadytoreceiveimplicitlywhateverGodhasseenfittoreveal.

SinceGodistheCreator,PreserverandfinalDisposerofallthings,theOneinwhomwe live andmove andhave our being, our knowledge ofHimmust bebasicandfundamentaltoallourknowledge.Inanswertothequestion,"WhatisGod?", the Scriptures reveal Him to us, in the first place, as a rational andrighteous Spirit, infinite in His attributes of wisdom, being, power, holiness,justice, goodness, and truth; and in the secondplace they revealHim tous asOnewhoexistseternallyasthree"Persons",thesethreePersons,however,beingoneinsubstanceandexistinginthemostperfectunityofthoughtandpurpose.Itisevident,moreover,thatifGoddoesthusexistinthreePersons,eachofwhomhas His distinctive part in the works of creation, providence, redemption andgrace,thatfactgovernsHisactivityinallspheresofHisworkand,consequently,thedoctrinewhichtreatsofthenatureofHisPersonmustseriouslyaffectalltruetheologyandphilosophy.Doctrinesvital to theChristiansystem,suchas thoseof theDeity andPersonofChrist, the Incarnation, theAtonement, etc., are soinextricably interwovenwith that of the Tri-unity of God that they cannot beproperlyunderstoodapartfromit.

Weshouldnotice that thedoctrineof theTrinity is thedistinctivemarkof theChristian religion, setting it apart from all the other religions of the world.WorkingwithoutthebenefitoftherevelationsmadeinScripture,menhave,itistrue, arrived at some limited truths concerning the nature and Person ofGod.The pagan religions, as well as all philosophical speculations, are based onnaturalreligionandcan,therefore,risetonohigherconceptionthanthatoftheunityofGod.Insomesystemswefindmonotheismwith itsbelief inonlyoneGod. In otherswe find polytheismwith its belief inmany separate gods. Butnone of the pagan religions, nor anyof the systemsof speculative philosophyhaveeverarrivedatatrinitarianconceptionofGod.Thefactofthematteristhatapart from supernatural revelation there is nothing in human consciousness orexperiencewhichcangiveman the slightest clue to thedistinctiveGodof theChristian faith, the triune, incarnate, redeeming, sanctifyingGod.Someof thepagan religions have set forth triads of divinities, such as, for instance, theEgyptian triad ofOsiris, Isis andHorus,which is somewhat analogous to thehuman family with father, mother and child; or the Hindu triad of Brahma,Vishnu andSchiva,which in the cycle of pantheistic evolutionpersonifies thecreative,preservativeanddestructivepowersofnature;orthetriadsetforthbyPlato, of goodness, intellect and will,—which are not examples of true and

proper tri-personality, not real personswho can be addressed andworshipped,but only personifications of the faculties or attributes of God. None of thesesystems have anything in common with the Christian doctrine of the Trinityexceptthenotionof"threeness".

BeforeundertakingthemoredetailedstudyofthedoctrineoftheTrinityitmaybewelltoremindourselvesthatman'sknowledgeofGodhasbeenprogressive.The most general revelation of the existence of God has been given throughnatureandisthereforecommontoallmen.TheexistenceofGodisanintuitivetruthuniversallyacceptedbytheunprejudicedmind.Manknowshimself tobedependent and responsible, and therefore posits the One on whom he isdependentandtowhomheisresponsible.HeattributestothisOneinaneminentdegree all of the good qualitieswhich he finds in himself, and thus comes toknowGodasapersonalSpirit,infinite,eternal,andperfectinHisattributes.

TheSecondstageintherevelationconcerningthenatureandattributesofGodwasthatgiventhroughtheOldTestamentperiod.Thereagreatadvanceismadeovertherevelationgiventhroughman'sintuitionandthroughnature,andGodisdisclosedasparticularlytheGodofgraceandtheredeemerofsinners.Thethirdstage,theoneinwhichatpresentweareparticularlyinterested,isthatgiveninthe New Testament in which God is represented as existing in a trinity ofPersons, each of whom performs a distinctive part in the works of creation,providence,andredemption.AsDr.Warfieldhaspointedout:

"TheelementsoftheplanofsalvationarerootedinthemysteriousnatureoftheGodhead, in which there coexists a trinal distinction of persons withabsoluteunityofessence;andtherevelationoftheTrinitywasaccordinglyincidentaltotheexecutionofthisplanofsalvation,inwhichtheFathersenttheSontobethepropitiationforsin,andtheSon,whenHereturnedto,theglorywhichHehadwiththeFatherbeforetheworldwas,senttheSpirittoapplyHisredemptiontomen.Thedisclosureofthisfundamentalfactofthedivine nature, therefore, lagged until the time had arrived for the actualworking out of the long-promised redemption; and it was accomplished,firstofallinfactratherthaninword,bytheactualappearanceofGodtheSononearthandthesubsequentmanifestationsoftheSpirit,whowassentforthtoactasHisrepresentativeinHisabsence."(StudiesinTheology,p.113)

Webelievethatthecosmological,teleological,ontological,andmoralargumentsfor the existenceofGodarevalid for anyonewith anopen andunprejudicedmind.Perhapstheywillnotconvincearationalistoranatheist,butatpresentweare not particularly concernedwith that class of persons.That theism alone iscapableofsolvingtheriddleoftheuniverseisthefirmconvictionofpresentdayscientificandphilosophicalthoughtaswehaveitsetforthinthewritingsofthemost outstanding leaders in these fields, such as Eddington, Jeans, Millikan,Whitehead, Hocking, Brightman, etc. The materialistic concept which heldalmostundisputedswayafewdecadesagohasbeenreplacedwiththeideathatbehindallthatweseethereisapersonalGodwhoistheCreatorandSustaineroftheuniverse.

Thepresentwriterassumesthathisreadersareconvincedtheists.Otherscouldhardlybe expected tohave an interest in theology,much less tobe concernedabout the doctrine of the Trinity. The psalmist gave the divine appraisal ofAtheisminthewords,"Thefoolhathsaidinhisheart,ThereisnoGod"(xiv.1).As a recent writer has pointed out, Atheism is "the very quintessence ofabsurdity, folly raised to thenthdegree. Inviewof themanifoldproofsofHispowerandwisdomoneveryhand,itishardtoseehowanyopenmindcandenytheexistenceofaSupremeBeingwhorulesoverall.Tomaintainthat thisfar-flunguniverseistheresultofanaccidentaljuxtapositionofatoms,afortuitousconfluenceofcosmic forces, is ahypothesis toononsensical for refutation.Ashasbeenpointedoutmorethanonce,aswellexpectamillionmonkeysbangingaway on typewriters accidentally to produce a Paradise Lost. An atheisticexplanationof theoriginof theworld (thesum totalofall that is)calls foranimmeasurablygreatercredulitythanthetenetsofTheism.IftherebenoGodthecosmosisahopelessriddle"(Dr.C.NormanBartlett,TheTriuneGod,p.36).

But while it is so widely recognized that Theism alone offers an adequateexplanation of the universe, the fact remains that many theists who firmlybelieve in theexistenceofapersonalGoddeny justas strongly that there isapluralityofpersonsintheGodheadasissetforthinthetrinitarianfaith.IntheChristian doctrine of the Trinity they see only tritheism, or some one of themyriadvarietiesofpolytheismwhichhavebeensocommoninbothancientandmoderntimes.Theylookuponitasanabsurdityorasacontradictionofterms,andarenevertiredofassertingthatifGodisoneHecannotbethree.Butwhenwegivemorecarefulthoughttothetheisticproblemwefindthattheabsurdity

andirrationalitylieontheirsideofthefence,andthattheconceptionofGodasaneternallylonely,solitarypersonisutterlyoutofthequestion.Andwhilewedo not go so far as to say that the personality ofGod necessarily implies thedoctrine of the Trinity,we do believe that the personal traits of love, honour,fellowship, trust, sympathy, etc., cannot flower forth in their full beauty andfragranceunlessthereareobjectivepersonalrelationships,andthatthisistrueofDeityaswellasofhumanity.

ThetheorythatGodissuperpersonalis,ofcourse,anabsurdity.InthenatureofthecaseDivinepersonalityisaninfinitelygreaterthingthanhumanpersonality;buttheonlyalternativetoapersonalGodisanimpersonalGod.Andwhenweassert that God is impersonal we assert the primary tenet of atheism. If Godexists,Hemustbepersonal.Wecannotworship thePrincipleof theAbsolute,nor hold communion with a Cosmic Power; and to assert that God issuperpersonalisbuttodeceiveourselveswithahigh-soundingphrase.

2.STATEMENTOFTHEDOCTRINE

AssumingthatTheismistheacceptedformofbelief,andthatGodispersonal,wewouldstatethedoctrineoftheTrinityunderthefollowingheads:

I.ThereIsbutOneLivingandTrueGod.

OneofthemostcommonobjectionsallegedagainstthedoctrineoftheTrinityisthat it involves tritheism, or a belief in three Gods. The fact of the matter,however, is that it stands unalterably opposed to tritheism aswell as to everyother form of polytheism. Scripture, reason and conscience are in perfectagreementthatthereisbutoneself-existent,eternal,supremeBeinginwhomallof the divine attributes or perfections inhere and from whom they cannot beseparated.ThatboththeOldandtheNewTestamentdoteachtheunityofGodisclearlysetforthinthefollowingverses:

"Hear, O Israel: Jehovah our God is one Jehovah" (Deut. 6:4). "Thus saithJehovah,theKingofIsrael,andhisRedeemer,Jehovahofhosts:Iamthefirst,and Iam the last; andbesideme there isnoGod" (Isa.44:6).TheDecalogue,whichisthefoundationofthemoralandreligiouscodeofChristianity,aswellasofJudaism,hasasitsfirstandgreatestcommandment,"Thoushalthavenoothergods before me" (Exod. 20:3). "I and the Father are one," said Jesus (John10:30)."ThoubelievestthatGodisone;thoudoestwell"(Jas.2:19)."Weknowthatnoidol isanythingin theworld,andthat there isnoGodbutone"(ICor.8:4).Thereisbut"oneLord,onefaith,onebaptism,oneGodandFatherofall,whoisoverall,andthroughall,andinall"(Eph.4:5,6)."IamtheAlphaandtheOmega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end" (Rev. 22: 13). FromGenesistoRevelationGodisdeclaredtobeone.

That the universe is a unit is the settled conclusion of modern science andphilosophy;andwiththis,ofcourse,goesthecorollarythattheGodwhocreatedit and who rules it is One. Astronomers tell us, for instance, that the sameprincipleswhich govern in our solar system are also found in themillions ofstarswhichare trillionsofmiles away.Physicists analyze the light that comesfrom the sun and from the distant stars and tell us that not only are the sameelements,suchas iron,carbon,oxygen,etc.,whicharefoundon theearthalsofound on them, but that these elements are found in practically the same

proportion as here. From the law of gravitation we learn that every materialobject intheuniverseattractseveryothermaterialobjectwithaforcewhichisdirectlyproportionaltotheirmassesandinverselyproportionaltothesquareofthedistancebetweentheircenters.Henceeverygrainofsandinthedesertandonthesea-shoreislinkedupwitheverysunintheuniverse.Thesluggishearthmountsupward tomeet thefallingsnowflake.Themicroscoperevealsmarvelsjust aswonderful as those revealed by the telescope, and everywhere it is thesameunifiedsystem.

CertainlytheUnitarianshavenomonopolyonthedoctrineoftheunityofGod.Trinitarians hold this just as definitely. The unity of God is one of the basicpostulates of theism, and no system can possibly be true which teachesotherwise.

II.WhileGodinHisInnermostNatureIsOne,He,Nevertheless,ExistsasThreePersons.

ThebestconcisedefinitionofthedoctrineoftheTrinity,sofarasweareaware,is that found in theWestminster Shorter Catechism: "There are three personswithintheGodhead;theFather,theSonandtheHolyGhost;andthesethreeareoneGod, the same in substance, equal in power andglory."Wewouldprefer,however,tousetheterm"Spirit"ratherthan"Ghost,"sinceaghostiscommonlyunderstoodtobeaspiritthatoncehadabodybutlostit,andtheHolySpirithasneverpossessedabodyofanykind.

WehaveseenthattheScripturesteachthatthereisbutonetrueandlivingGod.They teach with equal clearness that this one God exists as three distinctPersons,asFather,Son,andHolySpirit:

(a) The Father is God: "To us there is one God, the Father, of whom are allthings" (I Cor. 8:6). "Paul, an apostle . . . through Jesus Christ, andGod theFather"(Gal.1:1)."Thereis...oneGodandFatherofall"(Eph.4:6)."AtthatseasonJesusansweredandsaid,Ithankthee,0Father,Lordofheavenandearth..."(Matt.11:25)."Forhim(theSon)theFather,evenGod,hathsealed"(John6:27). "According to the foreknowledgeofGod theFather" (IPet. 1:2). "Thatevery tongueshouldconfess that JesusChrist isLord, to thegloryofGod theFather"(Phil.2:11)."IascenduntomyFatherandyourFather,andmyGodandyour God" (John 20:17). "But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true

worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth" (John 4:23). JesusprayedtoGodtheFather(Mark14:36;John11:41;17:11,etc.).

(b)TheSon isGod:"Christ . . .who isoverall,Godblessed forever" (Rom.9:5)."ForinHim(Christ)dwellethallthefulnessoftheGodheadbodily"(Col.2:9)."Thomasansweredandsaiduntohim,MyLordandmyGod"(John20:28)."I and the Father are one" (John 10:30). "Looking for the blessed hope andappearing of the glory of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ" (Titus2:13). "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matt. 16:16). Christassumed power over the Sabbath, and "called God His own Father, makingHimself equalwithGod" (John5:18).He assumed theprerogatives ofGod inforgiving sins (Mark2:5). "In thebeginningwas theWord, and theWordwaswithGod,andtheWordwasGod"(John1:1).

TheattributeswhichcanbeascribedonlytoGodareascribedtoChrist:Holiness—"ThouarttheHolyOneofGod"(John6:69);"Himwhoknewnosin,"(IICor.5:21); "Which of you convicteth me of sin?" (John 8:46); "Holy, guileless,undefiled,separate fromsinners" (Heb.7:26).Eternity—"In thebeginningwastheWord"(John1:1);"BeforeAbrahamwasborn,Iam"(John8:58);"ButoftheSonhesaith,Thythrone,OGod,isforeverandever"(Heb.1:8);"Theglorywhich I hadwith thee before theworldwas" (John 17:5).Life—"InHimwaslife"(John1:4);"Iamtheway,andthetruth,andthelife:noonecomethuntothe Father but byme" (John 14:6); "I am the resurrection and the life" (John11:25). Immutability—"JesusChrist is the sameyesterdayand to-day,yea andforever"(Heb.13:8),"They(theheavens)shallperish;butthoucontinuest....They shall be changed: but thou art the same" (Heb. 1:11, 12). Omnipotence—"Allauthorityhathbeengivenuntomeinheavenandonearth"(Matt.28:18);"TheLordGod,whoisandwhowasandwhoistocome,theAlmighty"(Rev.1:8). Omniscience—"Thou knowest all things" (John 16:30); "Jesus knowingtheirthoughts"(Matt.9:4);"Jesusknewfromthebeginningwhotheywerethatbelievednot,andwhoitwasthatshouldbetrayHim"(John6:64);"Inwhomareall the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden" (Col. 2:3). Omnipresence—"Iamwithyoualways"(Matt.28:20);"Thefulnessofhimthat fillethall inall"(Eph.1:23).Creation—"Allthingsweremadethroughhim;andwithouthimwasnotanythingmadethathathbeenmade"(John1:3);"Theworldwasmadethroughhim"(John1:10);"Forinhimwereallthingscreated,intheheavensandupontheearth,thingsvisibleandthingsinvisible,whetherthronesordominions

orprincipalitiesorpowers;all thingshavebeencreated throughhim,anduntohim; andhe is before all things, and in him all things consist" (Col. 1:16,17);"Upholding all things by thewordof his power" (Heb. 1:3).Raising the dead—"And he (God the Father) gave him (Christ the Son) authority to executejudgment...forthehourcomethinwhichallthatareinthetombsshallhearhisvoice,andshallcomeforth; theythathavedonegood,untotheresurrectionoflife;andtheythathavedoneevil,untotheresurrectionofjudgment"(John5:27-29).Judgmentofallmen—"ButwhentheSonofmanshallcomeinhisglory,and all the angels with him, then shall he sit on the throne of his glory: andbeforehimshallbegatheredallthenations:andheshallseparatethemonefromanother,astheshepherdseparateththesheepfromthegoats;andheshallsetthesheeponhisrighthand,andthegoatsontheleft.ThenshalltheKingsayuntothem on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdomprepared foryou from the foundationof theworld. . . .Andhe shall say alsounto them on the left hand, Depart fromme, ye cursed, into the eternal fire,whichispreparedforthedevilandhisangels....Andtheseshallgoawayintoeternalpunishment:buttherighteousintoeternallife"(Matt.25:31-46).PrayerandworshiparetobedirectedtoChrist—"Ifyeshallaskanythinginmyname,thatwillIdo"(John14:14);"Hewaspartedfromthem,andwascarriedupintoheaven.Andtheyworshippedhim"(Luke24:51,52);"Stephen,callingupontheLord,andsaying,LordJesus,receivemyspirit"(Acts7:59);allareto"honortheSon,evenas theyhonor theFather.Hethathonorethnot theSonhonorethnottheFatherthatsenthim"(John5:23);BelieveontheLordJesus,andthoushaltbe saved" (Acts 16:31); "Let all the angels of Godworship him" (Heb. 1:6);"That in thenameof Jesus everyknee shouldbow . . . and that every tongueshouldconfess thatJesusChrist isLord, to thegloryofGodtheFather"(Phil.2:10,11);"OurLordandSaviourJesusChrist" (IIPet.3:18);"JesusChrist, towhom be the glory for ever and ever" (Heb. 13:21;—and when we comparetheseverseswithstatementssuchaswehaveinIsaiah,"Lookuntomeandbeyesaved,alltheendsoftheearth;forIamGod,andthereisnoneelse"(45:22),andJeremiah, "Thus saith Jehovah, Cursed is the man that trusteth in man andmaketh flesh his arm" (17:5), we are faced with this dilemma: either theChristian doctrine of the Trinity must be true, or the Scriptures are self-contradictory; either the Scriptures recognize more Gods than one, or Christ,togetherwiththeFatherandtheHolySpiritisthatoneGod.

All of these ascriptions of holiness, eternity, life, immutability, omnipotence,

omniscience,omnipresence,creation,providence,raisingthedead,judgmentofallmen,prayer andworshipdue toChrist,most clearly teachHisDeity.Suchattitudesofmindifdirectedtowardacreaturewouldbeidolatrous.

(c)TheHolySpiritisGod:"Petersaid,Ananias,whyhathSatanfilledthyhearttolietotheHolySpirit?. . .Thouhasnotlieduntomen,butuntoGod"(Acts5:3,4);"Forwhoamongmenknoweththethingsofaman,savethespiritoftheman,whichisinhim?evensothethingsofGodnoneknoweth,savetheSpiritofGod"(ICor.2:11);"ButwhentheComforteriscome,whomIwillsenduntoyoufromtheFather,eventheSpiritoftruth,whichproceedethfromtheFather,he shall bearwitness ofme" (John 15:26). In theBaptismal Formula, "Go yetherefore,andmakedisciplesofall thenations,baptizing themin thenameofthe Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit" (Matt. 28:19), and in theApostolicBenediction,"ThegraceoftheLordJesusChrist,andtheloveofGod,andthecommunionoftheHolySpirit,bewithyouall"(IICor.13:14),theHolySpirit isplacedonaplaneofabsoluteequalitywith theFatherand theSonasDeityandisregardedequallywiththemasthesourceofallpowerandblessing.

Therearemany,evenamongprofessedlyChristianpeople,whohavenohigherconception of the Holy Spirit than that of an impersonal, mysterious,supernatural power or influence of God. It is true that in the Old Testament,where the emphasis was upon the unity of God, the references to the Spirit,whilenot incapableofbeingapplied toadistinctperson,weremoregenerallyunderstood to designate simply God's power or influence. But in the moreadvanced revelationof theNewTestament thedistinctpersonalityof theHolySpiritisclearlyseen.NolongercanHebelookeduponasmerelyadivinepoweror influence, but as a divine Person. Some people, even among those in theChristianChurches,becausetheyareverythoughtless,speakoftheHolySpiritasit,whenalittlereflectionwouldshowthemthatthepropertermisHeorHim.

That theHolySpirit isaPerson isclearly taught in thefollowingverses:"TheSpirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot" (Acts 8:29)."TheSpiritsaiduntohim(Peter),Behold,threemenseekthee.Butarise,andgettheedown,gowiththem,nothingdoubting:forIhavesentthem"(Acts10:19,20). "The Holy Spirit said, separate me Barnabas and Saul for the workwhereuntoIhavecalledthem"(Acts13:2)."TheHolySpiritshallteachyouinthatveryhourwhatyeoughttosay"(Luke12:12)."Whenhe,theSpiritoftruth,iscome,heshallguideyouintoallthetruth:forheshallnotspeakfromhimself;

butwhat thingssoeverheshallhear, theseshallhespeak:andheshalldeclareuntoyou the things that are to come.He shallglorifyme: forhe shall takeofmine, and shall declare it unto you" (John 16:13, 14). "And I will pray theFather, and he shall give you anotherComforter, that hemaybewith you forever, even theSpiritof truth:whom theworldcannot receive; for itbeholdethhimnot,neitherknowethhim:yeknowhim;forheabidethwithyou,andshallbe in you" (John 14:16, 17), here the Holy Spirit is called a "Comforter"(marginal referenceAdvocate), that is, one called to stand by our side as ourGuide,Teacher,Instructor,Sponsor;andinthenatureofthecase,therefore,HemustbeaPerson.InaparallelpassageChristissimilarlyspokenof,—"WehaveanAdvocatewiththeFather,JesusChristtherighteous"(IJohn2:1)"ThespiritHimself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered"(Rom.8:26)."GrievenottheHolySpiritofGod"(Eph.4:30)."Hethathathanear, lethimhearwhat theSpirit saith to thechurches" (Rev.2:17). "Every sinandblasphemyshallbeforgivenuntomen;buttheblasphemyagainsttheSpiritshallnotbeforgiven.AndwhosoevershallspeakawordagainsttheSonofman,it shall be forgiven him; butwhosoever shall speak against theHoly Spirit, itshall notbe forgivenhim,neither in thisworld, nor in thatwhich is to come"(Matt. 12:31, 32)—the language here used implies that it is impossible tocommit a sin against amoredivinepersonage than theHolySpirit, that of allpossiblesins thesinagainst theHolySpirit is theworst,both in itsnatureandconsequences,andthusimpliesHiseternaldignityandDeity.

WordswhichintheOldTestamentareascribedtoGodareintheNewTestamentmore specifically said to have been spoken by theHoly Spirit,—compare Jer.31:33, 34withHeb. 10:15-17;Ps. 95:7-11withHeb. 3:7-11; Isa. 6:9, 10withActs28:25-28.IntheOldTestamentwereadthattheHolySpiritbroughtorderoutoftheprimevalchaos(Gen.1:2);andHestrovetoleadtheante-diluviansinthe ways of righteousness (Gen. 6:3); He equipped certain men to becomeprophets(Num.11:26,29);HeinstructedtheIsraelitesasapeople(Neh.9:20);He came upon Isaiah and equipped him to be a prophet (61:1), and causedEzekiel to go and preach to those of the captivity (3:12, 15). In the NewTestament the miracle of the virgin birth of Christ was wrought through Hispower(Luke1:35);HedescendedonJesusatthebaptismandequippedHimforthepublicministry(Matt.3:16);HewaspromisedasaComforterandTeachertothedisciples(John16:7-13);HecameuponthedisciplesonthedayofPentecostandequipped them tobeworldmissionaries (Acts2:1-42);HekeptPaul from

going in one direction and sent him in another (Acts 16:6-10); He equipsdifferentindividualswithdifferentgiftsandtalents(ICor.12:4-31);Heperformsthesupernaturalworkofregeneratingthesoulsofmen(Titus3:5,John3:5);Heinspired the prophets and apostles so that what they spoke or wrote in God'sname was truly His word to the people (II Pet. 1:20, 21); in the works ofregeneration and sanctification He applies to the heart of each of the Lord'speople the objective redemption which was wrought out by Christ, and ingeneralHedirectstheaffairsoftheadvancingChurch.HeisthussetforthastheAuthoroforderandbeautyinthephysicalworld,andoffaithandholinessinthespiritualworld.

Throughout theScriptures theHolySpirit is thussetforthasadistinctPerson,withamind,willandpowerofHisown.BaptismisadministeredinHisname.He is constantly associated with two other Persons, the Father and the Son,whose distinct personalities are recognized,-a phenomenon which could leadonlytoconfusionifHetoowerenotadistinctPerson.Thepersonalpronouns,"He," "Him," "I," and "Me," are applied toHim,pronounswhich canbeusedintelligently onlywhen applied to a person.They occur so repeatedly throughthe prose narratives and cannot be set aside as a tendency to personify animpersonalforce.That twoandtwomakefourdoesnotappearmoreclearandconclusive than that the Holy Spirit is a living Agent, working withconsciousness,willandpower.

AfterthepersonalityoftheHolySpiritisestablishedtherearebutfewwhowilldenyHisDeity. It is certain thatHe is not a creature, and consequently thosewho admit His personality accept His Deity readily enough. Most of theheretical sects that have maintained that Christ was a mere man have, inaccordancewiththat,maintainedthattheSpiritwasonlyapowerorinfluence.ThiswastheopinionheldbytheGnosticsandSocinians,aswellasthatheldbypresent-dayUnitariansandrationalists.

ThatthereshouldbeanydoubtatallconcerningthepersonalityoftheSpiritmayseemstrange;andyet,asDr.A.H.Stronghaspointedout:

"It isnoticeable that inScripture there isnoobtrusionof theHolySpirit'spersonality, as if He (the One who inspired the prophets as they wrote)desired todrawattention toHimself.TheHolySpirit showsnotHimself,butChrist.LikeJohntheBaptist,Heisamerevoice,andsoanexampleto

Christianpreachers,whoarethemselves'made...sufficientasministers...ofthespirit'(IICor.3:6).Hisleadingisthereforeoftenunperceived;HesojoinsHimselftousthatweinferHispresenceonlyfromthenewandholyexercises of our ownminds; He continues towork in us evenwhenHispresence is ignored and His purity is outraged by our sins" (SystematicTheology,p.324).

III. The Terms "Father," "Son" and "Holy Spirit" Designate Distinct PersonsWhoAreObjectivetoEachOther.

ThetermsFather,SonandSpiritdonotmerelydesignatethedifferentrelationswhichGodassumes towardHiscreatures.Theyarenotanalogous to the termsCreator,PreserverandBenefactor,whichdoexpresssuchrelations,butare theproper names of different subjects who are distinct from one another as oneperson is distinct from another. That this is true is clear from the followingpersonalrelationswhichtheybeartowardeachother:

(a)TheymutuallyusethepronounsI,thou,heandhimwhenspeakingtoorofeachother."ThisismybelovedSon,inwhomIamwellpleased;hearyehim"(Matt.17:5)."Father,thehouriscome;glorifythySon,thattheSonmayglorifythee" (John 17:1). "I came out from the Father, and am come into theworld:again, I leave theworld, andgounto theFather" (John16:28). "Whenhe, theSpirit of truth, is come, he shall guide you into all the truth: for he shall notspeakfromhimself:butwhat thingssoeverheshallhear, theseshallhespeak:andheshalldeclareuntoyouthethingsthataretocome"(John16:13).

(b)TheFatherlovestheSon,andtheSonlovestheFather.TheSpiritglorifiesthe Son. "The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand"(John 3:35). "I have keptmy Father's commandments, and abide in his love"(John15:10)."He(theHolySpirit)shallglorifyme;forheshall takeofmine,andshalldeclareituntoyou"(John16:14).

(c)TheSonprays to theFather. "Andnow,Father,glorify thoumewith thineownselfwiththeglorywhichIhadwiththeebeforetheworldwas"(John17:5)."And Iwill pray the Father, and he shall give you anotherComforter, that hemaybewithyouforever"(John14:16).

(d)TheFathersends theSon,and theFatherand theSonsend theHolySpirit

who acts as their Agent. "He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he thatreceivethmereceivethhimthatsentme"(Matt.10:40)."Asthoudidstsendmeintotheworld"(John17:18)."Andthisislifeeternal,thattheyshouldknowtheethe only true God, and him whom thou didst send, even Jesus Christ" (John17:3). "But theComforter,even theHolySpirit,whomtheFatherwill send inmyname,heshallteachyouallthings,andbringtoyourremembranceallthatIsaiduntoyou"(John14:26)."ItisexpedientforyouthatIgoaway;forifIgonotaway,theComforterwillnotcomeuntoyou;butifIgo,Iwillsendhimuntoyou"(John16:7).

Thuswesee that thePersonswithin theGodheadare sodistinct thateachcanaddresstheothers,eachcanlovetheothers,theFathersendstheSon,theFatherandtheSonsendtheSpirit,theSonpraystotheFather,andwecanpraytoeachof them. They act and are acted upon as subject and object, and each has aparticularworktoperform.Wesaytheyaredistinctpersons,forapersonisonewhocansayI,whocanbeaddressedasthou,andwhocanactandbetheobjectofaction.

Thedoctrine of theTrinity, then, is but the synthesis of these facts.Whenwehavesaidthesethreethings,—thatthereisbutoneGod,thattheFatherandtheSonandtheSpiritiseachGod,andthattheFatherandtheSonandtheSpiritiseach a distinct Person,—we have enunciated the doctrine of the Trinity in itsfulness.ThisistheforminwhichitisfoundintheScriptures,anditisalsotheforminwhichithasenteredintothefaithoftheChurch,

3.FURTHERSCRIPTUREPROOF

WhilethereisnosinglepassageinScripturewhichsetsforththedoctrineoftheTrinity in formal, credal statement, there are numerous passages inwhich thethreePersonsarementioned insuchamanneras toexhibitatonce theirunityandtheirdistinctness.MostimportantoftheseistheGreatCommissiongiveninMatthew28:19,inwhichbaptismiscommanded"inthenameoftheFatherandof the Son and of theHoly Spirit." In this, the initiatory rite of the Christianreligion,thedoctrineoftheTrinityispurposelysetforthinsuchamannerastokeepitbeforethemindsofthepeopleasacardinaldoctrineofthefaith."Whatwewitnesshere," saysDr.Warfield, "is theauthoritativeannouncementof theTrinityastheGodofChristianitybyitsFounder,inoneofthemostsolemnofHis recorded declarations. Israel hadworshipped the one only trueGodundertheNameofJehovah;ChristiansaretoworshipthesameoneonlyandtrueGodunder the Name of 'the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.' This is thedistinguishingcharacteristicofChristians;andthatisasmuchastosaythatthedoctrine of theTrinity is, according to ourLord's own apprehension of it, thedistinctivemarkofthereligionwhichHefounded,"(BiblicalDoctrines,p.155).

TheApostolicBenediction—"ThegraceoftheLordJesusChrist,andtheloveofGod, and the communion of theHolySpirit, bewith you all" (IICor. 13:14),whichisaprayeraddressedtoChrist forHisgrace, to theFatherforHis love,andtotheHolySpiritforHisfellowship—isdesignedtoservethesamepurpose.Inthisformula,asinthatofbaptism,thedivinity,andconsequentlytheequality,of each of the persons in the Godhead is taken for granted; and no otherinterpretationisrationallypossibleexceptthatwhichtheChurchhashelddownthrough theages,namely, thatGodexists in threePersonsand that these threeareoneinsubstance,equalinpowerandglory.

In the account of ourLord's baptismwe find as clear teaching concerning therealityof theTrinityasanyonecan reasonablyask for,—Christ theSonstoodthere in human form and was visible to all the people, the voice of God theFatherspokefromheaven,saying,"ThisismybelovedSon,inwhomIamwellpleased," and thedescentof theHolySpirit uponChristwas seenas thatof adove(Matt,3:16,17).

IntheannouncementofthebirthofJesusthreedivinePersonscameintoview:

"And the angel answered and said unto her, TheHoly Spirit shall come uponthee,andthepoweroftheMostHighshallovershadowthee:whereforealsotheholythingwhichisbegottenshallbecalledtheSonofGod"(Luke1:35),HerewereadofthecomingoftheHolySpirit,ofthepoweroftheMostHigh,andaretoldthattheChildistobeknownastheSanofGod.Also,intheparallelaccountofMatthew1:18-23thethreepersonsoftheTrinityarenamed.

ThedistinctionbetweentheFatherandtheSonandtheHolySpiritisannouncedby JesuswhenHe says: "Butwhen theComforter is come,whom Iwill senduntoyoufromtheFather,Heshallbearwitnessofme"(John15:26).

In thefinaldiscourseandprayer(John,chs.14-17),Christspoketoandof theFather and promised to send another Comforter, the Holy Spirit, who wouldguide, teach,and inspire thedisciples.Hereagain thepersonalityandDeityoftheFather,SonandHolySpiritarerecognizedwithspecialclearness.

TheteachingofJesusis,ofcourse,trinitarianthroughout.InaccordancewiththeHebrewideaofsonship,—thatwhatever thefather is, that thesonisalso,—Heclaimedtobe theSonofGodMatt.9:27;24:36;Mark8:31;Luke10:22;John9:35-37; 11:4); and the Jews, with exact appreciation of His meaning,understoodHimtoclaimthatHewas"equalwithGod"(John5:18),or,toputitmorebriefly,theyunderstoodHimtoclaimthatHewas"God"(John10:33).Heclaims thatHe knows the Father and that the Father knowsHimwith perfectmutualknowledge:"All thingshavebeendelivereduntomeofmyFather:andnooneknowethwhotheSonis,savetheFather;andwhotheFatheris,savetheSon, and he towhomsoever the Sonwilleth to reveal him" (Luke 10:22; alsoMatt.11:27).The title, "SonofGod," in suchasense that it involvesabsolutecommunitywithGod theFather inknowledgeandpower, isattributed toHimandacceptedbyHim(Matt.8:29;14:33;27:40,43,54;Mark3:11;Luke4:41;22:70;John1:34,49;11:27).ButwhileHethusassertsthatHiseternalhomeisin thedepthsof theDivineBeing,He sets forth in equally clear languageHisdistinctnessfromtheFather:"Jesussaiduntothem,IfGodwereyourFather,yewouldloveme:forIcameforthandamcomefromGod;forneitherhaveIcomeofmyself,buthesentme"(John8:42).AndtoHisdisciplesHesaid:"Inthatdayyeshallaskinmyname:andIsaynotuntoyou,thatIwillpraytheFatherforyou; for the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and havebelievedthatIcameforthfromtheFather.IcameoutfromtheFather,andamcome into theworld; again, I leave theworld, and go unto the Father" (John

16:26-28).

HenceourprimaryreasonforbelievingthedoctrineoftheTrinityis,aswehavestatedelsewhere,notbecauseofanygeneraltendencyofhumanthinkingtogointhatdirection,norbecauseofanyanalogiesinnature,butonlybecauseitisaclearlyrevealeddoctrineoftheBible.ForthosewhoaccepttheauthorityoftheScripturestheevidenceisconclusive.Wedonothereattempttoarguewiththosewho deny that authority, but refer them to the Christian doctrine of theInspiration of the Scriptures. Unless we are agreed that the Scriptures are anauthoritativerevelationfromGod,itisuselesstoargueoverthedoctrineoftheTrinity. The Christian finds the proofs for the trustworthiness of the Bible soconvincing that he is compelled to accept its teaching concerning the Trinityeventhoughhisfinitemindisnotabletocomprehenditsfullmeaning.

YetwhileitistruethattheevidenceforthedoctrineoftheTrinityisfoundintheBible, it is also true that, as in the caseof theotherdoctrines in theChristiansystem, there is no place where this doctrine is set forth in a complete andsystematic form. The different elements of the doctrine, such as the unity ofGod, the trueandequalDeityof theFather,SonandHolySpirit, theirdistinctpersonality,therelationshipwhichtheybeartoeachother,totheChurch,andtotheworld, etc.,while expressedmost clearly in theNewTestament are foundscattered throughallpartsof theBible fromthe firstchapterofGenesis to thelastofRevelation. It is onlybyproving these elements separately, aswehaveattemptedtodo,thatthetruthofthewholedoctrineismostsatisfactorilybroughtout. The doctrine is given in Scripture, not in formulated definition, but infragmentary allusions; and it is only aswe assemble thedisjectamembra intotheirorganicunitythatweareabletograspitstruemeaning.ItliesinScriptureasitwereinsolution,andcomesintoclearviewonlywhenitiscrystallizedoutfromitssolvent.TheBibleisnotaworkonSystematicTheology,butonlythequarry out of which the stone for such a temple can be obtained. Instead ofgivingusa formalstatementofa theologicalsystemitgivesusamassof rawmaterialswhicharetobeorganizedandsystematizedandworkedupintotheirorganic relations.Nowhere, for instance, dowe find a formal statementof thedoctrineoftheInspirationoftheScriptures,orofthesovereigntyofGod,orofthePersonofChrist.TheBiblegivesusanaccountofthecreationoftheworldandofman,oftheentranceofsin,andofGod'spurposetoredeemmanfromsin.It tells particularly of God's merciful dealings with one group of people, the

Israelites,andof thefoundingofChristianity;and thedoctrinal factsaregivenwith but little regard to their logical relations. These doctrinal facts thereforeneed to be classified and arranged into a logical system and thus transformedinto theology. That the material in the Bible is not arranged in a theologicalsystemisinaccordancewithGod'sprocedureinotherrealms.Hehasnotgivenusa fullydeveloped systemofbiology, astronomy, economics,orpolitics.Wesimply find the unorganized facts in nature and experience, and are left todevelopthemintoasystemasbestwemay.Andsincethedoctrinesarenotthuspresentedinasystematicandformalwayitis,ofcourse,mucheasierforvariedandfalseinterpretationstoarise.

ThatevenintheNewTestamentthedoctrineoftheTrinityisnotsetforthwithanything even approaching systematic treatment, but rather in the form ofincidental allusions,mayoccasion somesurprise.Butwhilenotpresenting thedoctrine with argumentative reasoning, nor in creedal statements, the NewTestamenteverywhereassumesit,andtheunstudiednaturalnessandsimplicitywithwhichitisgivenmakesitallthemoreimpressiveandilluminating.Wefindnotmerely a text here and there, but such awealth of trinitarian implicationsthat,asDr.Bartlettsays:

"They blossom forth everywhere in such profusion that the reverent andunprejudiced reader seeking light upon this subject is troubled, not by apaucity of proof texts, but by an embarrassment of riches." (The TriuneGod,p.22).

Dr.WarfieldpointsoutthatthewholebookissaturatedwithTrinitarianism:

"JesusChristandtheHolySpiritare:thefundamentalproofofthedoctrineof theTrinity.This isasmuchas tosay thatall theevidenceofwhateverkind, and from whatever source derived, that Jesus Christ is Godmanifestedintheflesh,andthattheHolySpiritisaDivinePerson,isjustsomuch evidence for the doctrine of theTrinity; andwhenwego to theNewTestamentforevidenceoftheTrinitywearetoseekit,notmerelyinthe scattered illusions to theTrinity as such, numerous and instructive asthey are, but primarily in the whole mass of evidence which the NewTestamentprovidesoftheDeityofChristandtheDivinepersonalityoftheHolySpirit.Whenwehavesaidthis,wehavesaidineffectthatthewholemass of the New Testament is evidence for the Trinity. For the New

TestamentissaturatedwithevidenceoftheDeityofChristandtheDivinepersonalityoftheHolySpirit"(BiblicalDoctrines,p.146).

Thatadoctrinewhichtousissodifficultshould,eveninthehandsofapeoplewhohadbecomefiercelymonotheistic,takeitsplacesilentlyandimperceptiblyamong accepted Christian truths without struggle and without controversy, iscertainly one of the most remarkable phenomena in the history of humanthought. We have not far to seek, however, for the explanation. MarvellousdevelopmentshadtakenplacebetweentheclosingoftheOldTestamentandtheopeningoftheNew.ToquoteDr.Warfieldagain:

"Itmaycarryusalittlewaytoremark,asithasbeencustomarytoremarksince the time of Gregory of Nazianzus, that it was the task of the OldTestamentrevelationtofixfirmlyinthemindsandheartsofthepeopleofGodthegreatfundamentaltruthoftheunityoftheGodhead;anditwouldhavebeendangeroustospeaktothemofthepluralitywithinthisunityuntilthistaskhadbeenfullyaccomplished.Therealreasonforthedelayintherevelationof theTrinity,however, isgroundedintheseculardevelopmentoftheredemptivepurposeofGod;thetimeswerenotripefortherevelationoftheTrinityintheunityoftheGodheaduntilthefulnessofthetimehadcomeforGodtosendforthHisSonuntoredemption,andHisSpirituntosanctification.Therevelationinwordmustneedswaitupontherevelationin fact, to which it brings its, necessary explanation, no doubt, but fromwhichitderives itsownentiresignificanceandvalue.TherevelationofaTrinity in the Divine unity as a mere abstract truth without relation tomanifested fact, and without significance to the development of thekingdom of God, would have been foreign to the whole method of theDivineprocedureasitliesexposedtousinthepagesofScripture"(BiblicalDoctrines,p.145).

TherevelationthatGodexistsinthreePersons,asFather,SonandHolySpirit,is, infact, theonlybasisonwhichtheChristiandoctrineofredemptioncanbeintelligentlysetforth.HencetherevelationconcerningthepluralityofPersonsintheGodhead isnotgiven for themerepurposeofpresenting somethingwhichshallbepuzzlingandinscrutabletohumanminds,butasanecessarystepinthemuchfullerrevelationconcerningtheplanofsalvation.TheincarnationofGodthe Son and the outpouring of God the Holy Spirit at Pentecost marked twotremendous advances in the divine plan. The revelation of the Trinity was

incidental tothefullerdevelopmentof theplanofsalvation,andat thetimeofthewritingof theNewTestamentbooks thedoctrinewasalready thecommonproperty ofChristian believers.Hence in speaking andwriting to one anotherthey assumed this common trinitarian consciousness rather than instructedoneanotheraboutsomethingconcerningwhichtherewasnodisagreement,andtheresult is that we find the doctrine everywhere pre-supposed, presented in theformofallusionratherthaninexpressteaching.

4.THETRINITYINTHEOLDTESTAMENT

In regard to all of the great doctrines of theBiblewe find that revelation hasbeenprogressive.Whatisonlyintimatedatfirstissetforthclearlyandfullyastime goes on. The obscure hint in the Old Testament is found to coincideperfectlywith the fuller revelations in theNew.Aswithourphysical eyesightGod does not cause the sun to rise with a sudden flash, lest such strong andgloriouslightshouldblindus,soHehasalsobornewithourimmaturespiritualeyesight;HedidnotatfirstmanifestHimselfinthewonderfulpersonalityoftheMessiah,thesunofRighteousness,andinthepersonalityoftheHolySpirit,butrevealedHimself gradually, precept upon precept, line upon line, here a little,there a little, until our understandingwas prepared to receive thewhole truth.Since the doctrine of the Trinity is one which arises out of the completedredemption as it is presented to us in the New Testament and cannot beintelligentlycomprehendedapartfromthatredemption,weshouldnotexpecttofinditsetforthwithanyclearnessintheOldTestament.Andyet,ifthedoctrineisavitalandnecessarypartoftheChristiansystemwewouldexpectthatatleastsomeforegleamsorintimationsofitmightbegiven.Andthiswefindactuallytobethecase.

"TheOldTestament," saysDr.Warfield, "maybe likened to a chamber richlyfurnishedbutdimlylighted;theintroductionoflightbringsintoitnothingwhichwasnotinitbefore;butitbringsoutintoclearerviewmuchofwhatisinitbutonlydimlyorevennotatallperceivedbefore.ThemysteryoftheTrinityisnotrevealedintheOldTestament;butthemysteryoftheTrinityunderliestheOldTestamentrevelation,andhereandtherealmostcomesintoview.ThustheOldTestament revelation of God is not corrected by the fuller revelation whichfollows it, but only perfected, extended and enlarged" (Biblical Doctrines, p.142).

Theorderly,progressivewayinwhichthesedoctrinesarerevealed,throughthesuccessivewritings in the sixty-six books and over a period of approximatelyfifteenhundredyears,isoneofthestrongestargumentsfortheDivineoriginoftheBible.Asallthatisinthefullgrowntreewaspotentiallyintheseed,sowefind that the clearly revealed doctrines of the New Testament were given inrudimentary form in the earliest chapters ofGenesis. This is true of doctrinessuchasthoseofredemption,thePersonandworkoftheMessiah,thenatureof

theHolySpirit,andthefuturelife.Butinregardtonootherdoctrineisthismoretrue than in regard to that of theTrinity. Indirect allusions to theTrinitywerepermitted by theHoly Spirit who presided over thewriting of the books, butthereisnoreasontobelievethatthetruthwasapprehendedinanyadequatewayeven by the prophets themselves. The doctrine itself was veiled and held inreserveuntiltheaccompanyingworkofChristinredemptionmadeitintelligibletothehumanmind.

HencetheOldTestamentemphasizestheunityofGodandspecialcareistakennottoaggravatetheconstanttendencyofIsraeltowardpolytheism.Aprematurerevelationof theTrinitymighthavebeenahindrancetoreligiousprogress;fortheracethen,likethechildnow,neededtolearntheunityofGodbeforeitcouldprofitably be taught the Trinity. Otherwise itmight have fallen into tritheism.AbrahaminChaldea,andtheIsraelitesinEgyptandlaterinPalestine,neededtobeguarded against the almost universal urge towardpolytheism.The first andgreatest commandmentof theDecaloguewasdirected against polytheism, andthesecondandnextmostimportantwasdirectedagainstidolatrywithitsstrongtendency toward polytheism. For centuries this was drilled into theconsciousnessofIsraelandestablishedasaprimaltruth;thenatlonglastanewdaydawned,theMessiahcamepersonallytoliveamongandinstructHispeople,and theHolySpiritwasmanifested inpower in theearlyChurch.TheChurchwas then ready for the further truth that while God is One, He, nevertheless,existsasthreePersons.EvenaftertheNewTestamentrevelationmenhavefoundit extremely difficult to state the doctrine of the Trinity without verging onTritheismontheonehand,orModalismorUnitarianismontheother.

PluralNamesandPronouns.

IntheveryfirstchapterofGenesis,aswellasinmanyotherplaces,wefindthatthenamesofGodare in theplural,Elohim,alsoAdonai;andwith thesepluralforms of the divine name singular verbs and adjectives are usually joined,—aremarkable phenomenon in view of the fact that the Hebrew language alsocontainedthesingulartermEl,meaningGod.Alongwiththepluralname,GodsometimesusespluralpronounsinreferringtoHimself:"Letusmakemaninourimage,afterourlikeness"(Gen.1:26,27);"AndJehovahGodsaid,Behold,themanisbecomeasoneofus,toknowgoodandevil"(spokenofAdamafterthefall)(Gen.3:22);"Come,letusgodown,andthereconfoundtheirlanguage"(atthe tower of Babel) (Gen. 11:7); "And I heard the voice of the Lord, saying,

WhomshallIsend,andwhowillgoforus?"(Isa.6:8).IntheseverseswehavecounselwithintheTrinity,GodspeakingwithHimself.Heisnottakingcounselwith,noraskingadviceof,theangels,assomehavesuggested;fortheangelsarenot His counsellors, but His servants, and, likeman, infinitely belowHim inknowledge.IntheDivinenatureitself,theBibleteachesus,istobefoundthatpluralityofpersonalpowerswhichpolytheismseparatedandsoughttoworshipinisolation.

The words ofMoses which are so often quoted by the Jews today, "Hear, OIsrael: Jehovah our God is one Jehovah" (Deut. 6:4), are in the Englishtranslation an unmeaning repetition ofwords, but in the originalHebrew theycontainmuchsoundinstruction."JehovahourElohimisoneJehovah"thewordElohim being plural shows that God the Lord, in covenant engagement andmannerofexistence,ismorethanone,yetis"oneJehovah"asregardsessenceofbeing.

TheAngelofJehovah.

Very important is the fact that, beginning with the book of Genesis andcontinuingwith ever-increasing clearness throughout the remainder of theOldTestament, we find a distinction made between Jehovah and the Angel ofJehovahwhopresentsHimselfasoneinessencewithJehovahyetdistinctfromHim.Suchanevent,inwhichGodassumestheformofanangelorofamaninordertospeakvisiblyandaudiblytoman,iscommonlyknownasa"theophany."As the revelation is unfolded by the procession of the prophets we find thatdivine titles anddivineworship aregiven to thisAngel andacceptedbyHim,thatHeisrevealedasaneternalBeing,theMightyGod,thePrinceofpeace,theAdonai, theLord ofDavid, thatHe is to be born of a virgin, thatHewill bedespisedandrejectedofmen,amanofsorrowsandacquaintedwithgrief,thatHewillbearthesinofmany,andthathewill,aboveall,setupthekingdomofrighteousnesswhichistoincreaseuntilitfillsthewholeearth.Theseprophecies,astheNewTestamentmakesclear,werefulfilledinChrist,thesecondPersonofthe Trinity, who in His Divine-human capacity wrought redemption for HispeopleandwhoistoruleuntilallenemieshavebeenplacedunderHisfeet.

InGenesis16:7-13wehaveanaccountof a theophany inwhich theAngelofJehovahappeared toHagarout in thewilderness, commandedher to return tohermistress,andpromisedthatHewouldmultiplyherseedexceedingly.Nowit

is clear that no created angel, speaking in his own name, could have claimedsuch authority. Here we are face to face with God Himself under a differentmanifestation;andHagar,realizingthisgreattruth,"calledthenameofJehovahthat spakeuntoher,Thouart aGod that seeth: for she said,Have I evenherelookedafterhimthatseethme?"

InGenesis18:1-19:29wehavearemarkablerevelationofGodtoAbrahamwiththeideaoftheTrinityinthebackground.Thereweread:"AndJehovahappeareduntohimbytheoaksofMamre...andhelooked,and,lo,threemenstoodoveragainsthim ... andwhenhe saw them . . . hebowedhimself to theearth, andsaid,MyLord(notlords),IfnowIhavefoundfavourinthysight...Andtheysaiduntohim,WhereisSarahthywife?Andhesaid,Behold,inthetent.Andhe(Jehovah)said,Iwillcertainlyreturnuntotheewhentheseasoncomethround;and,lo,Sarahthywifeshallhaveason.AndSarahheardinthetentdoor,whichwasbehindhim.NowAbrahamandSarahwereold,andwellstrickeninage....And Sarah laughed within herself. . . . And Jehovah said unto Abraham,WhereforedidSarahlaugh?...IsanythingtoohardforJehovah?"Althoughthevisitorsappearasthreemen,thatis, threepersons,Abrahamaddressestheminthesingular,andthroughoutthispassagethesingularreferencestoJehovahandthe plural references to the threemen are used interchangeably.And after thetwo "men" had gone on toward Sodom, Jehovah still stands before AbrahamwhopleadswithHimtosparethecity.YetwhenthetwomenappearbeforeLotinSodomitisJehovahwhospeakstohim."Andhe(Jehovah)said,Escapeforthylife...AndLotsaiduntothem(plural)...Letmeescapethither(toZoar)....Andhe(Jehovah)said,See,Ihaveacceptedtheeconcerningthisthingalso,thatI will not overthrow the city of which thou hast spoken." In other words,Jehovah who appeared to Abraham and the three men that Abraham sawapparentlywere the same,andJehovahwhoappeared toLotand the twomenthatLotsawapparentlywerethesame.

InGenesis22:1-19wehavereferencestoGodandalsotoonewhois"theangelofJehovah." Inverse2GodcommandsAbraham:"Takenowthyson . . .andoffer him there for a burnt offering,"while in verse 12 theAngel of Jehovahretractsandnullifies thecommandofGod,with thewords: "Laynot thyhandupon the lad." In verses 15-18 this angel of Jehovah swears by Himself asJehovah,sayingthatHeisJehovah,andgivesAbrahamthepromiseofthreefoldblessing.

InGenesis32:22-32JehovahappearedtoJacobundertheguiseofamysteriouspersonwhowrestledwithhimallthenight.InthemorningJacobrealizedthathehadbeenfacetofacewithGod,andaskedforHisblessing.Hecalledthenameoftheplace"Peniel,""for,"saidhe,"IhaveseenGodfacetoface."

TheAngelofJehovahappearedtoMosesintheburningbushandcommissionedhimtogobacktoEgyptanddelivertheIsraelites.HegaveMosesthepromisethatHewouldbewiththemandthatHewouldleadthemout(Exod.3:1-22).Inthispassagetheterms"God"and"AngelofJehovah"areusedinterchangeably.A little later God talked with Moses on Mount Sinai and gave him the TenCommandments. In theNewTestament Stephen tells us that itwas theAngelwhospoketoMosesontheMount(Acts7:38),andPaultellsusspecificallythatChrist was the spiritual "rock" which followed the Israelites throughout theirwildernessjourney(ICor.10:4).

In Ex. 23:20-23 God, speaking through Moses, promises to send His Angelbefore thechildrenof Israel tokeep themand tobring theminto thepromisedland.InregardtothisAngeltheywereespeciallywarned:"Takeyeheedbeforehim,andhearkenuntohisvoice;provokehimnot;forhewillnotpardonyourtransgression:formynameisinhim."HerewefindthattheAngelofJehovahhaspowertoforgivesins;andthisinitselfidentifiesHimwithJehovah,forwearetaughtthatonlyGodcanforgivesins.IntheNewTestamentwefindthatthispowerandauthoritybelongstotheLordJesusChrist.

InDeuteronomy 18:18, 19we find amostwonderful prophecy given throughMoses."Iwillraisethemupaprophetfromamongtheirbrethren,likeuntothee;and Iwill putmywords inhismouth. andhe shall speakunto themall that Ishallcommandhim.Anditshallcometopass,thatwhosoeverwillnothearkenunto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him."Concerningthisprophecyex-RabbiLeopoldCohnsays:

"EveryJewishscholarwilladmitthattherehasnotbeenanyotherprophetlike unto Moses outside of the Lord Jesus, who was even greater thanMoses. That this promised future prophet is identical with the Angel ofExodus23:21isprovenbyGod'scommandtoobeyHim.InadditiontoallthesepreviousnamesandcharacteristicsGodcallsHimhereprophet andtellsus thatHewillbebornofawomanandbe likeoneofourbrethren.(And) notice, please, the particular punishment for disobeying this

wonderful Person. 'I will require it of him.' That means that in case ofIsrael's disobedience to theMessiah, God is going to punish continuallyuntil they will repent and obey" (Pamphlet, The Trinity in the OldTestament,p.8).

InJoshua5:13-6:3anotherstrangeappearanceisrecorded."Anditcametopass,whenJoshuawasbyJericho,thathelifteduphiseyesandlooked,andbehold,therestoodamanoveragainsthimwithhissworddrawninhishand:andJoshuawentuntohim,andsaiduntohim,Artthouforus,orforouradversaries?Buthesaid,Nay;butasprinceofthehostofJehovahamInowcome.AndJoshuafellonhisfacetotheearth,anddidworship,andsaiduntohim,Whatsaithmylorduntohisservant?AndtheprinceofJehovah'shostsaiduntoJoshua,Putoffthyshoe from off thy foot; for the placewhereon thou standest is holy. . . . AndJehovahsaiduntoJoshua,See,IhavegivenintothyhandJericho,andthekingthereof,andthemightymenofvalour...."This"man,"this"princeofJehovah'shost," whom Joshua discovered to be Jehovah Himself, is quite plainly thepromisedAngelwhowastogobeforethechildrenofIsraelandleadthemintotheland.

In the lightof theNewTestament thisAngelofJehovahwhoappeared inOldTestamenttimes,whospokeasJehovah,exercisedHispower,receivedworshipand had the authority to forgive sins, can be none other than the Lord JesusChrist, who comes from the Father (John 16:28), speaks forHim (John 3:34;14:24),exercisesHispower(Matt.28:18),forgivessin(Matt.9:2),andreceivesworship(Matt.14:33;John9:38),GodtheFatherhasnotbeenseenbyanyman(John1:18),neithercouldHebesentbyanyother;butGod theSonhasbeenseen (I John 1:1,2), and has been sent (John 5:36). Apart from Christ thepuzzlingquestionwouldbe,Whocanthismysteriouspersonalitybe?

Indirect allusions to a complexity of personswithin theGodhead are found innumerousotherplaces.Examplesare:"JehovahsaithuntomyLord,Sitthouatmyrighthand,UntilImakethineenemiesthyfootstool"(Ps.110:1),apassagewhich in the New Testament Christ applies to Himself (Mark 12:35-37)."Jehovah said untome,Thou artmy son;This day have I begotten thee" (Ps.2:7), which Paul tells us was fulfilled in Christ (Acts 13:33). "Thy throne, OGod,isforeverandever"(Ps.45:6);andthewriterofthebookofHebrewstellsusthatthisrelatestoChristandHiskingdom(1:8).

The fact of the matter is that the Old Testament predictions of the comingMessiah,—such as that He should be born of a virgin (Isa. 7:14), born inBethlehemofJudea(Mic.5:2),thesonofDavidandheirtohisthrone(IISam.7:12-16; Isa. 9:7), that the government should be uponHis shoulder, andHisnameshouldbecalledWonderful,Counsellor,theMightyGod,theEverlastingFather, thePrinceofPeace(Isa.9:6), thatHeshouldworkmiraclesinopeningthe eyes of the blind, unstopping the ears of the deaf, healing the lame, andcausing thedumb tospeak(Isa.35:5,6), thatHeshouldbeamanofsorrows,acquaintedwith grief, having no special beauty, thatHe should be a sufferingMessiah, wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities, oursubstituteasasacrificetoGod(Isa.53:1-12),thatHeshouldsuddenlycometoHistemple(Mal.3:1),thatinHisofficialentryintoJerusalemHeshouldcomeinmeekness,ridinguponanass(Zech.9:9),etc.,—takeninconnectionwiththedescriptionsoftheOneknownastheAngelofJehovah,weredesignedtomakeit possible for the people to recognize the Lord Jesus Christ at once bycomparing these descriptions with His works, and, accepting Him, to receiveforgivenessforsins.

TheHolySpiritintheOldTestament.

OrdinarilytheOldTestamentreferencestotheSpiritweresoindistinctthattheywereunderstood to referonly toanenergyor influencewhichproceededfromGod.NowhereistheSpiritspecificallycalledaperson;yetwhenHeisspokenofitisintermsthatmayproperlybeappliedtoaperson.AsreadinthelightoftheNewTestament,however,thereareanumberofplacesinwhichHeisseentobeadistinctPerson.Examplesare:"WhohathdirectedtheSpiritofJehovah,or being his counsellor hath taught him?" (Isa. 40:13); "Thou gavest also thygoodSpirit to instruct them"(Neh.9:20);"MySpirit shallnotstrivewithmanforever"(Gen.6:3);"Takenot thyholySpirit fromme"(Ps.51:11);"Whithershall IgofromthySpirit?"(Ps.139:7);andinIsaiah63:7-11wemaysaythattheTrinityactuallycomesintoview,forherewehaveareferenceto"Jehovah"whoistheGodofIsraelandwhobestowsgreatblessingsuponHispeople,tothe"angelofhispresence"who "was theirSaviour," and to the "holySpirit"whowas in theirmidstandwhowas"grieved"at their rebellion.Three timesHe iscalled the "holy Spirit" (Ps. 51:11; Isa. 63:10, 11). Some theologians haveunderstoodthethreefoldascriptionofpraiseintheseraphim'ssong,"Holy,holy,holy,isJehovahofhosts;thewholeearthisfullofhisglory"(Isa.6:3),withits

closeparallel in the angelic chorusofRevelation4:8, "Holy,holy,holy, is theLordGod, theAlmighty,whowasandwho isandwho is tocome,"ashavingreference to theTrinity.Certainly thedivinelygiven formulawhich thepriestsweretouseinblessingthepeople,"Jehovahblessthee,andkeepthee:Jehovahmakehisfacetoshineuponthee,andbegraciousuntothee:Jehovahliftuphiscountenance upon thee, and give thee peace" (Num. 6:24-26), finds itscounterpartwithexplicitreferencetotheTrinityintheApostolicBenedictionoftheNewTestamentChurch:"ThegraceoftheLordJesusChrist,andtheloveofGod,andthecommunionoftheHolySpirit,bewithyouall"(IICor.13:14).

Yet it isbeyondquestion that, apart from theNewTestament revelation, theseintimationsofthedistinctpersonalitiesoftheSonandoftheSpiritwereobscure,—andpurposelyso,wemaysay,sincethepeoplewerenotthenreadytograspthemeaning of such a revelation.No scholars using theOld Testament alonehave ever arrived at a trinitarian conception of God. In fact Jews unite withMohammedansinaccusingTrinitariansofpolytheism.AtNewTestamenttimesthosewhohadbeentrainedunderthelaw,thePharisees,forinstance,appeartohavethoughtoftheSpiritofGodandthepowerofGodasequivalentterms.

ButwhilenotfullyrevealedandnotrecognizeduntilPentecost,theHolySpiritastheexecutiveoftheTrinitywasfromthebeginningthesustainerandmoulderof the laws of nature, the One who inspired the prophets and who could besinned against and grieved. In the second verse of the very first chapter inGenesiswereadthat"TheSpiritofGodmoveduponthefaceofthewaters,"—themarginalreadingsays,"wasbroodingupon."

"Amid the darkness that surrounded the primeval chaos," says Dr. J. RitchieSmith, "theSpirit ofGod isdiscovered,broodingupon the faceof thewaters,likeabirduponitsnest"(TheHolySpiritintheGospels,p.34).

Justaselectricitywaspresentinnatureandplayedavitallyimportantpartinthelivesofmenlongbeforetheydiscovereditandlearnedtomakeitservesomanywonderfulpurposes,sotheHolySpiritwaslivingandactiveasadistinctPersonintheGodheadfrometernityandmouldedtheaffairsofmenwithoutHisdistinctpersonalitybeingknowntothem.

"Even in the first chapter ofGenesis," saysDr. CharlesHodge, "the Spirit ofGodisrepresentedasthesourceofallintelligence,order,andlifeinthecreated

universe;andinthefollowingbooksoftheOldTestamentHeisrepresentedasinspiringtheprophets,givingwisdom,strength,andgoodnesstostatesmenandwarriors, and to thepeopleofGod.ThisSpirit isnot anagency,but anagent,whoteachesandselects;whocanbesinnedagainstandgrieved;andwho,intheNewTestament, is unmistakably revealed as a distinct person.When John theBaptist appeared,we findhimspeakingof theHolySpirit asof apersonwithwhomhiscountrymenwerefamiliar,asanobjectofdivineworshipandthegiverof saving blessings. Our Divine Lord also takes this truth for granted, andpromisestosendtheSpirit,asaParaclete,totakeHisplace;toinstruct,comfort,and strengthen them,whom theywere to receive andobey.Thus,without anyviolent transition, the earliest revelations of this mystery were graduallyunfolded, until the Triune God, Father, Son, and Spirit, appear in the NewTestament as the universally recognized God of all believers" (SystematicTheology,I,p.447).

JewishMisunderstandingoftheDoctrine.

TheChristiandoctrineof theTrinityhasbeengenerallymisunderstoodamongtheJewishpeople,with theresult that theybelieveweworship threeGods.TosetforththisideaandthereasonforitsstrongholdontheJewishpeopleto-daywe propose to quote rather extensively from the writings of one who is in aposition to understand the problem,—from the writings of Ex-Rabbi LeopoldCohn.Sayshe:

"ThereasonthattheJewshavebecomeestrangedfromthedoctrineoftheTriuneGodisfoundin the teachingsofMosesMaimonides.HecompiledthirteenarticlesoffaithwhichtheJewsacceptedandincorporatedintotheirliturgy. One of them is 'I believe with a perfect faith that the Creator,blessedbeHisname,isanabsoluteone'(Hebrew,'Yachid').ThishasbeenrepeateddailybyJewsintheirprayers,eversincethetwelfthcentury,whenMoses Maimonides lived. This expression of an 'absolute one' isdiametrically opposed to the word of God which teaches with greatemphasis that God is not a 'Yachid,' which means an only one, or an'absoluteone,'but 'achid,'whichmeansaunitedone. InDeuteronomy6:4God laid down for His people a principle of faith, which is certainlysuperior to that of Moses Maimonides, inasmuch as it comes from GodHimself. We read, 'Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is ONE,'stressing the senseof thephrase 'one'byusingnot 'yachid,'whichMoses

Maimanidesdoes,but'achid,'whichmeansaunitedone.

"Wewantnowtotracewherethesetwowords,'yachid'and'achid,'occurintheOldTestamentandinwhatconnectionandsensetheyareused,andthusascertaintheirtruemeaning.

"InGenesisIweread,'Andtherewaseveningandtherewasmorning,oneday.'Heretheword'achid'isused,whichimpliesthattheeveningandthemorning—twoseparateobjects—arecalledone, thus showingplainly thattheword'achid'doesnotmeanan'absoluteone,'butaunitedone.TheninGenesis 2:24 we read, 'Therefore shall a man leave his father and hismotherandshallcleaveuntohiswife,andtheyshallbeoneflesh.'Heretootheword'achid'isused,furnishinganotherproofthatitmeansaunitedone,referring,asitdoesinthiscase,totwoseparatepersons.

"Now let us see in the Word of God where that expression 'yachid,' an'absoluteone,' isfound.InGenesis22:2GodsaystoAbraham, 'Takenowthyson,thineonlyson.'Herewereadtheword'yachid.'Thesameidenticalword, 'yachid,' isrepeatedin the12thverseof thesamechapter. InPsalm25:16itisagainappliedtoasinglepersonasalsoinJeremiah6:26,wherewe read, 'Make thee mourning as for an only son.' The same word,conveyingthesenseofoneonly,occursinZechariah12:10,'Andtheyshalllookuponmewhom theyhavepierced, and they shallmourn forHimasonemournethforhisonlyson.'

"ThusweseethatMosesMaimonides,withallhisgreatwisdomandmuchlearning,madeaseriousmistakeinprescribingfortheJewsthatconfessionof faith inwhich it is stated that God is a 'yachid,' a statementwhich isabsolutelyopposedtotheWordofGod.AndtheJews,inblindlyfollowingthe so-called 'secondMoses' have oncemore given evidence of their oldproclivitiesofpervertingtheWordofthelivingGod.TheHolySpiritmadethat seriouscomplaintagainst them throughJeremiah theprophet, saying,'ForyehavepervertedthewordsofthelivingGod,oftheLordofhostsourGod'(Jer.23:36).

"This is therefore thebelief of the trueChristian.Hedoesnot have threegods, but 'one,' a Scriptural one, which is in Hebrew 'achid,' and whichconsists of three personal revelations of God as we shall see in the

followingScriptures.

"In the very first verse of the Bible we find two, manifestations of theGodhead.'InthebeginningGodcreated..,andtheSpiritofGodmoved.'HereweseeplainlythatGodtaughtustobelievethatHeisthecreatorofall things and that His Spirit ismoving upon this world of ours to lead,guideandinstructus in thewayHewantsus towalk.Sohere in thefirstchapteroftheBiblearetwomanifestationsofGod.

"Itwill interest the reader toknow that themost sacred Jewishbook, theZohar,commentsonDeuteronomy6:4—'HearOIsrael,JehovahourGod,Jehovahisone,'saying,'WhyisthereneedofmentioningthenameofGodthreetimesinthisverse?'Thenfollowstheanswer.'ThefirstJehovahistheFatherabove.ThesecondisthestemofJesse,theMessiahwhoistocomefromthefamilyofJessethroughDavid.Andthethirdisthewaywhichisbelow(meaningtheHolySpiritwhoshowsustheway)andthesethreeareone.'AccordingtotheZohartheMessiahisnotonlycalledJehovahbutisaverypartoftheTriuneJehovah."(TheTrinityintheOldTestament,pp.3,4).

5.ONESUBSTANCE,THREEPERSONS

Much of the opposition to the doctrine of the Trinity has arisen because of amisunderstanding ofwhat it really is.We do not assert that oneGod is threeGods,northatonepersonisthreepersons,northatthreeGodsareoneGod.Godisnot three in the samesense inwhichHe isone.Toassert thatHe iswould,indeed,makethedoctrinewhattheUnitariansareeverfondofdeclaringittobe,mathematicalabsurdity.WeassertratherthatwithintheoneDivine"substance"or"essence" thereare threemutuallyrelatedyetdistinctcentersofknowledge,consciousness,loveandwill."Substance"or"essence"isthatwhichthedifferentmembers of the Godhead have in common, that in which the attributes andpowersofDeityinhere;"person"isthatinwhichtheydiffer.

Yet while there are three centers of knowledge, consciousness, love andwill,eachof thePersonspossesses intoto theone indivisible, incorporealsubstanceofDeityinwhichtheattributesandpowers inhere,andthereforepossesses thesameinfiniteknowledge,wisdom,power,holiness, justice,goodnessandtruth.Theyworktogetherorco-operatewithsuchperfectharmonyandunitythatweare justified in saying that theTriuneGodworkswithonemindandonewill.What theoneknows, theothersknow;what theonedesires, theothersdesire;andwhattheonewills,theotherswill.Independenceandself-existencearenotattributesof the individualpersons,butof theTriuneGod;hence therearenotthreeindependentwills,butthreedependentwills,ifwemaysospeak,eachofwhichisexercisedforthehonourandgloryandhappinessoftheothertwo.

WecanillustratethenatureoftheTrinitypartiallyasfollows:abankorrailroad,forinstance,isownedandoperatednotbyanindividualbutbymanyofficials,stock-holders,andworkers,whohaveacommunityofinterests;yetwehavenohesitationinspeakingofthecorporationinthesingularandsayingthattheFirstNationalBankdesirestomakethisinvestment,orthatthePennsylvaniaRailroadis opposed to the passage of a certain piece of legislation by Congress. Thedecisionsreachedbytheboardofdirectorsexpressthedesiresandpurposesofthecorporationasawhole.Similarly,althoughwebelievetherearethreedistinctPersonsintheGodhead,wespeakofGodinthesingularandapplytoHimthepronounsHe,HimandHis.

In thinkingof thismysteryweare to remember that theprocessesofourown

thinking, feeling and willing in our purely human personalities remain acompletemystery to us. It is also to be pointed out that since the incarnationChrist has also thought and felt and willed in a humanmanner, although theunion of the Divine and the human psychological activity within the Divine-human Person, like the unity of the Persons within the Godhead, isuncomprehensibletous.

TheerroroftheUnitariansisthatwhiletheyconstructadoctrineoftheDivineunity theydo so at the expenseof theDivinepersonality.They lookupon theFather,SonandHolySpiritasbut threesuccessiveaspectsormodes inwhichGod reveals Himself, comparable to that of amanwho is known in his ownfamilyasfather,inthebusinessworldasabanker,andintheChurchasanelder.SuchaviewgivesusonlyamodalTrinity.Anystatementofthedoctrinewhichfailstosetforthboththeunityandthetri-personalityoftheGodheadfallsshortoftheScriptureteaching.

Since the three Persons of the Trinity possess the same identical, numericalsubstance or essence, and since the attributes are inherent in and inseparablefromthesubstanceoressence,itfollowsthatalloftheDivineattributesmustbepossessedalikebyeachofthethreePersonsandthatthethreePersonsmustbeconsubstantial,co-equalandco-eternal.Eachis trulyGod,exercising thesamepower,partakingequallyoftheDivineglory,andentitledtothesameworship.When the word "Father" is used in our prayers, as for example in the Lord'sprayer, itdoesnotreferexclusivelytothefirstpersonof theTrinity,but tothethreePersonsasoneGod.TheTriuneGodisourFather.

The doctrine of theTrinity cannot lead toTritheism; forwhile there are threePersonsintheGodhead,thereisbutonesubstanceoressence,andthereforebutoneGod.Itisratheracaseoftheonelifesubstance,Deity,existingconsciouslyas three Persons. The three Persons are related to the divine substance not asthreeindividualstotheirspecies,asAbraham,IsaacandJacobtohumannature;theyareonlyoneGod,—notatriad,butaTrinity.Intheinmostdepthsoftheirbeingtheyareinherentlyandinescapablyone.

ThateachofthePersonsoftheTrinitydoespossessintotothenumericallysamesubstance is proved by such Scripture verses as the following: "For in himdwellethallthefulnessoftheGodheadbodily"(Col.2:9)."IandtheFatherareone" (John10:30). "Believeme that I am in theFather, and theFather inme"

(John14:11). "Godwas inChrist reconciling theworlduntoHimself" (IICor.5:19).

ItneednotsurpriseusthatintheGodheadwefindaformofpersonalityentirelyuniqueanddifferentfromthatfoundinman.Intheascendingscaleoflifeasweknowitinthisworldtherearenumerousmodesofexistenceaswepassfromthesimpler to themore complex forms. In the plantswe findwhat is truly calledlife,althoughitissoelementarythatitdoesnotevencometoconsciousness.Inthe insectswefindsensitivenessand instinct, twoparticulars inwhich theyfarsurpasstheplantlife.Inthebirdsandanimalswefindaffectionbetweenparentandoffspring,whichinsomecasesisverystrong,togetherwithamuchhighertype of instinct than is found among the insects. Man in his turn makes atremendous advance over the animals in that he possesses reasoning power, adeepmoralconsciousness,andan immortal soul.Thesehigherstages inman'snature are of course absolutely incomprehensible to the animals, birds andinsects,whichcan,atbest,haveonlyaveryvagueunderstandingofhisnature,althoughtheyfearhimandrecognizehimastheirmaster.ConsequentlyweneednotbesurprisedthatthenatureofGodsurpassesourcomprehension,—thattheone divine substance is conscious in three Persons, in Father, Son and HolySpirit,—andthatnoattemptismadetoexplainthatmysterytous,probablyfortheveryreasonthatourlittlemindsareutterlyincapableofgraspingsuchtruth.DoubtlessweareasincapableofunderstandingGod'snatureastheanimalsandbirdsareofunderstandingours.

Hence it is admitted that our knowledge of the relationships which subsistbetweenthethreePersonsoftheTrinityextendsonlytothesurface.Theremustbe infinite depths in the conscious being ofGod towhich human thought canneverpenetrate.Wearetoldclearly,however,thatGodhasexistedfrometernityasthreeself-consciouspersons.Certainlywearenotpreparedtosaythatthistri-personalitywhichhasbeenrevealedtousexhauststhemysteryoftheGodhead.AsDr.A.A.Hodgehaswellsaid:

"Foraughtwecanknow,inthedepthsoftheInfiniteBeingtheremaybeacommonconsciousnesswhichincludesthewholeGodhead.andacommonpersonality.Thismayallbetrue;butwhatbelongstoustodealwithisthesureandobvious factof revelation, thatGodexists frometernityas threeself-consciousPersons,theFather,SonandHolySpirit."

Howshallwedefine the term"person"?Asit isusedinmodernPsychologyitmeansan intelligent, free,moral agent.But in setting forth thedoctrineof theTrinitytheChurchhasusedtheterminasensedifferentfromthatinwhichitisusedanywhereelse.Theword"Person"asitisappliedtothethreesubsistenceswithin the Godhead, like the more important word "Trinity," is not found inScriptureitself;yettheideawhichitexpressesisScriptural,andwedonotknowanyotherwordthatexpressessowelltheideawehaveinmind.InthescienceofTheology, as in all other sciences, some technical terms are an absolutenecessity.WhenwesaytherearethreedistinctpersonsintheGodheadwedonotmean thateachone isas separate from theothersasonehumanbeing is fromeveryother.Whiletheyaresaidtolove,tohear,toprayto,tosend,andtotestifyof eachother, they are, nevertheless, not independent of eachother; for aswehave already said, self-existence and independence are properties, not of theindividual persons, but of theTriuneGod.The singular pronouns I, Thou,Heand Him are applied to each of the three Persons; yet these same singularpronoun'sareappliedtotheTriuneGodwhoiscomposedofthesethreePersons.Hencetoomuchstressmustnotbelaidonthemereterm.TheFather,SonandHoly Spirit can be distinguished, but they cannot be separated; for they eachpossessthesameidenticalnumericalsubstanceoressence.Theydonotmerelyexistalongsideofeachother,asdidWashington,JeffersonandFranklin,buttheypermeateandinterpenetrateeachother,areinandthrougheachother.

Consequently, in theological languagewewoulddefineapersonasamodeofsubsistencewhichismarkedbyintelligence,will,andindividualexistence.TheChurchfathersrealized,ofcourse,thattheyweredealingwithadoctrinewhichwas far above the comprehension of the humanmind, and, in developing thecreeds, they did not attempt to explain themystery of theTrinity, but only tostateitaswellastheywereablewiththelanguageattheirdisposal.Wecanhopetodonomore.

APluralityofPersonswithintheGodheadIsinHarmonywithReason.

Instead of the doctrine of the Trinity being contrary to reason as charged byUnitarians, a little considered thought should convince us that a plurality ofPersonswithintheGodheadiseminentlyagreeabletoreason.ThatthereshouldbespecificallythreePersonsdoesnotnecessarilyfollow,butthatGodmightbemorethanOneseemsveryprobable.Weshrinkfromthethoughtofaneternallylonely God, and take refuge in the Christian doctrine of the Trinity. This

doctrine,we find, isof suchanature that, on theonehand, it avoids thehardmonotheism of the Jews and Mohammedans, and on the other, the crasspolytheismof theGreeksandRomans.Through the truthwhich itpresentsweareenabledtoseethatGodhasalwaysbeenindependentoftheentirecreation,thatwithinHisownnaturethereistobefoundthatabsoluteperfectionandself-sufficiencywhichwe instinctively ascribe toHim.Unless there is tobe foundthatpluralityofPersonswithinHisownnature, timeaswellaseternitywouldseemtobeunbearablymonotonoustoHim.Forwhereamongthecreaturesarethere to be found personalities capable of responding fully to His ownpersonality?Menandangels,while, created inHis image,are infinitelybelowHim; even the nations, Isaiah tells us, are as a drop in the bucket, and as thesmalldustofthebalance(40:15).OnlywithinthefellowshipoftheFather,SonandHolySpirit istheretobefoundthatfull interplayofpersonalitywhichthenatureofGoddemands.AndwhenoncewehaveconceivedofGodasTrinitywe can never again be satisfied with a modalistic or Unitarian conception ofHim.

It has long been customary, to say that the attribute of love in God proves aplurality of Persons within the Godhead, that love is necessarily self-communicative, and that with a unitary God it could have existed only as acraving,unsatisfied,underthecategoryofthepossibleratherthanoftheactual.ThisreasoningfurtherassertsthatsinceGodisinfiniteHislovemustbeinfinite,andthatitthereforedemandsaninfiniteobject.Itisusuallyfurtherassertedthatthese two infinite Persons demand a third through whom their love iscommunicated and towhom it is also given. This line of reasoning, however,does not seem fully conclusive. It at least seems possible thatGod's own all-perfectBeingcouldhavesupplieda satisfyingobject forHis love.Tosay thatlove,initsverynature,isself-communicative,andthatitthereforedemandsanobjectotherthanitself,seemstobemerelyaplayonwords.Ifwemayimaginealonely Robinson Crusoe, for instance, shipwrecked on an island for theremainderofhislife,andimaginefurtherthatthestormwhichshipwreckedhimalsokilledalltheotherpersonswithwhomhewasacquainted,wouldthat,evenasregardsalimitedhumanbeing,meanthattheremainderofhislifewouldbeabnormalinthesensethathewouldbedestituteoftheattributeoflove?Mighttherenotbe,evenwithinhisownlimitednature,akindoflovebasedongoodconscienceandmoraluprightness?Theattributeofloveneednotdisappearjustbecauseapersonisalone.Butwhileloveinitselfdoesnotprovethattheremust

beapluralityofPersons in theGodhead,yetwhataddedrichness, fulnessandforce isgiven to this love ineitherGodormanwhen there is fellowshipwithothers!Only thus is personality seen at its best.Hencewhile reason does notgiveusthedoctrineoftheTrinityinthefirstplace,i.e.,apartfromrevelation,itdoesrenderthenegativeserviceofshowingthatthedoctrineisnotinconsistentwithotherknowntruth,andalsothepositiveserviceofshowingthatonlyonthebasis of the Trinity do we have a fully adequate conception of God as self-consciousSpiritandlivinglove.

There are, of course, elements of truth even in polytheism, distorted andperverted though they may be, and present-day men of letters; as well asphilosophersinallagesandthepaganpeopleinallnations,havefoundreliefinspeakingof"thegods."

"Themostwidelydiffusedofall religioussystems," saysDr. J.RitchieSmith,"polytheismistheperversionofagreattruth,thetruthofthevarietyandfulnessof thedivinenature.Lacking theconceptionofaGodeverywherepresentandactive, men were forced to assume a host of divinities, between whom theattributesandenergiesoftheDeitymaybedistributed,andwhoinvirtueoftheirnumbersmay accomplish theworks of creation and providence. . . . It is thedistinctivemark of polytheism that it sacrifices the unity to the variety of thedivine nature.Against this error theOld Testament everywhere contends.Notuntil it was extirpated from the minds of the chosen people, and the taint ofidolatry purged away in the furnace of affliction,was the truth revealed in itsfulness that polytheism strove so vainly to express. The Old Testamentoverthrowstheerror,theNewTestamentbringstolightthetruth,ofpolytheism.. . .Thefulnessandvarietythatmenseekinmanygodsarefoundinone.ThedoctrineoftheTrinityatoncepreservestheunityanddisclosesthefulnessofthedivinenature.God isone, is themessageof theOldTestament;God isone inthreePersons, is themessageoftheNew;andtherevelationiscomplete"(TheHolySpiritintheGospels,p.19).

6.MEANINGOFTHETERMS"FATHER","SON",AND"SPIRIT"

Toouroccidentaltypeofmindtheterms"Father"and"Son"carrywiththem,onthe one hand, the ideas of source of being and superiority, and on the other,subordinationanddependence.Intheologicallanguage,however,theyareusedin the Semitic or Oriental sense of sameness of nature. It is, of course, theSemitic consciousness which underlies the phraseology of Scripture, andwherever the Scriptures callChrist the "Son" ofGod they assertHis true andproperDeity.Theterm"Son"isappliedtoChrist,notmerelyasanofficialtitlein connectionwith thework of redemption, nor because ofHis incarnation orsupernatural birth, nor because of His resurrection—although in these regardsHe is preeminently the Son of God,—but: primarily to designate an inherenttrinitarian relationship. In the economy of redemption, and for theaccomplishment of a specific purpose, He temporarily accepted a positionsubordinatetothatoftheFather.Initsdeepestsenseitisauniquesonshipwhichcannotbepredicatedof,nor sharedwith, anycreature.FatherandSonareco-eternal and co-equal in power and glory, partaking of the same nature andsubstance,andhavealwaysexistedasdistinctPersons.TheFatheris,andalwayshasbeen,asmuchdependentontheSonastheSonisontheFather,for,asweneedtokeepinmind,self-existenceandindependencearepropertiesnotofthePersonswithintheGodhead,butoftheTriuneGod.

InHebrews1:5-8,forinstance,thewritersetsforththesuperiorityofChristasaDivinePerson.BeingDivine,orDeity, theexpressimageoftheinvisibleGod,Heiscalledthe"Son"ofGod,whichmeanspreciselythesamething.HecameintotheworldastheSon.andhadexistedfrometernityassuch.BeingtheSon,theOnethroughwhomtheworldswerecreatedandtheheirofallthings,HeisdeclaredbythewritertobeGodandtoreignuponaneverlastingthrone.DuringthepublicministrytheJews,inaccordancewiththeHebrewusageoftheterm,correctly understood Jesus' claim to be the "Son" of God as equivalent toasserting thatHewas "equalwithGod," or, simply "God" (John5:18; 10:33);anditwasforclaimingtobe"theChrist,theSonofGod,"thatHewasaccusedofblasphemybythehighpriestandsentencedbytheSanhedrintobecrucified(Matt.26:63-66).

ThisideahasperhapsbeenmoreclearlyexpressedbyDr.Warfieldthanbyanyother.Sayshe:

"What underlies the conception of sonship in Scriptural speech is just'likeness'; whatever the father is that the Son is also. The emphaticapplicationoftheterm'Son'tooneoftheTrinitarianPersons,accordingly,asserts rather His equality with the Father than His subordination to theFather;andifthereisanyimplicationofderivationinit,itwouldappeartobeverydistant.Theadjunctionoftheadjective'onlybegotten'(John1:14;3:16-18;IJohn4:9)needaddonlytheideaofuniqueness,notofderivation(Ps. 22:20; 25;16; 35;17); and even such a phrase as 'God only begotten'(John1:18)maycontainnoimplicationofderivation,butonlyofabsolutelyuniqueconsubstantiality;asalso suchaphraseas 'the first-begottenofallcreation' (Col. 1:15)mayconveyno intimationof coming intobeing, butmerelyassertpriorityofexistence.Inlikemanner,thedesignation'SpiritofGod'or'SpiritofJehovah,'whichmeetsusfrequentlyintheOldTestament,certainly does not convey the idea there either of derivation or ofsubordination, but is just the executive name ofGod—the designation ofGod from the point of view of His activity—and imports accordinglyidentitywithGod;andthere isnoreasontosupposethat, inpassingfromthe Old Testament to the New Testament, the term has taken on anessentiallydifferentmeaning.Ithappens,oddlyenough,moreover,thatwehaveintheNewTestamentitselfwhatamountsalmosttoformaldefinitionsofthetwoterms'Son'and'Spirit,'andinbothcasesthestressislaidonthenotion of equality or sameness. In John 5:18 we read: 'On this account,therefore, the Jews sought themore to kill him, because, not only did hebreak the Sabbath, but also called God his own Father, making himselfequalwithGod.'Thepointlies,ofcourse,intheadjective'own.'Jesuswas,rightly, understood to call God 'his own Father,' that is, to use the terms'Father'and'Son'notinamerelyfigurativesense,aswhenIsraelwascalledGod'sson,butintherealsense.AndthiswasunderstoodtobeclaimingtobeallthatGodis.TobetheSonofGodinanysensewastobelikeGodinthatsense;andtobeGod'sownSonwastobeexactlylikeGod,tobe'equalwith God.' Similarly, we read in I Corinthians 2:10, 11: 'For the Spiritsearchethallthings,yea,thedeepthingsofGod.Forwhoofmenknoweththe thingsof aman, save the spirit ofmanwhich is inhim?Even so thethings of God none knoweth, save the Spirit of God.' Here the Spiritappears as the substrate of theDivine self-consciousness, theprinciple ofGod's knowledge of Himself: He is, in a word, just God Himself in theinnermostessenceofHisBeing.Asthespiritofmanistheseatofhuman

life,theverylifeofmanitself,sotheSpiritofGodisHisverylife-element.HowcanHebesupposed,then,tobesubordinatetoGod,ortoderiveHisbeingfromGod?"(BiblicalDoctrines,p.163).

Thus we find that the divine and original idea of fatherhood and sonship insameness of nature. In the Godhead this is, of course, a purely spiritualrelationship,andis inaccordancewiththetranscendenceofDeity.Inthefinitehumansphere,wheremanisbutafaintandimperfectpatternofGod,theideasoffatherhoodandsonship,besidesimplyingsamenessofnature,implyalsotheideas of origination and subordination, as well as a material nature which ismediatedbysex.Inthedivinespheresonshipisabsolute,whileinthehumanitis relative,verymuchas theattributesofwisdom,power,holiness, justiceandlove are absolute in God but relative in man. Hence while the limitations ofhuman languageare such thatwearenot able toexpress these ideas fully, therelationshipwhichsubsistsbetween the firstandsecondPersonsof theTrinityfindsitsclosestanalogyintherelationshipwhichanearthlyfatherbearstohisson.

And in likemanner the third Person of theTrinity, partaking of the same lifesubstanceandequalwiththeFatherandtheSoninpowerandglory,iscalledtheSpirit. As the everywhere-present executive of the Trinity, immaterial andinvisible,He is Spirit in the truest sense of theword.He is called the "Holy"Spirit becauseHe is absolutely holy inHis ownnature, and is the source andcauseofholinessinthecreatures.

Wehaveseenthattheterms"Father"and"Son"arenotatalladequatetoexpressthe full relationshipwhich exists between the first and second Persons of theGodhead.Theyare,however,thebestthatwehave.TheyarethetermsusedinScripture,andbesidesexpressingtheideaofsamenessofnature,theyarefoundtobereciprocal,expressingtheideasoflove,affection,trust,honour,unityandharmony,—ideas of endearment and preciousness.Whenwe are told thatGod"gave"HisSonfortheredemptionoftheworldweareledtounderstandthatthesituationwas insomewaysanalogous to thatofahumanfatherwhogiveshisson for missionary service or for the defense of his country. It is somethingwhich involves sacrifice on the part of the father as well as privation andsufferingonthepartoftheson.And,similarly,whentheterm"Spirit"isappliedtothethirdPersonoftheTrinityitisnotimpliedthatHisnatureisinanywaydifferent from theirs, for theyeachpartakeof thenumerically samesubstance,

andareallequallyspirit.He issocalled,however,becauseHe is thevery lifeelement ofDeity, andbecause so far as our relation toGod is concernedGodcomes to us in a spiritual way pre-eminently through this Person, His Spiritcommuneswithourspirits,speaks toourconsciences,cleansesourhearts,andleadsusinrightpaths.

Thattheterms"Father"and"Son"areusedinapeculiarsenseasappliedtothefirstandsecondPersonsoftheTrinitymighteasilybeinferredfromtheirvariedusageinotherpartsofScriptureandineverydayspeech.Weread,forinstance,thatJubalwasthefatherofsuchasdwellintentsandhavecattle,andthatJubalwas the father of all such as handle the harp and the pipe (Gen. 4:20, 21).Abrahamwasgiven thepromise thatheshouldbe the fatherofamultitudeofnations(Gen.17:4);andtodayeveryJewregardshimselfasasonofAbraham.Jehovahsaidofthenation,"Israelismyson,myfirst-born"(Exod.4:22).OfakingwhosepositionbeforeGodisoneofspecialhonourandauthority,aswasthat ofSolomon, theLord could say, "Iwill behis father, andhe shall bemyson"(IISam.7:14).Judaswasa"sonofperdition"(John17:12).WearefamiliarwiththeearlyChurch"fathers,"andwespeakofonewhohasshownusthewayof righteousness as our father in the faith.GeorgeWashington is said to havebeen the father of his country. The Germans speak of the fatherland, and theEnglish of the mother country. We say that Mr. So-and-so is a loyal son ofCalvin,orLutherorWesley,andwehavegroupsofpeoplewhocallthemselvesDaughtersoftheAmericanRevolution,orSonsoftheAmericanLegion.Henceitisquiteclearthatinreligiousaswellasinsecularaffairsthetermsfatherandsonareusedinavarietyofsenses.

And beyond this, although in perfect harmony with it, we find that muchScripture teaching isgiveninfigurative language.Christ iscalled theLambofGod (John 1:29; Rev. 7:14); the good shepherd (John 10:11); the door (John10:7).Heisthetruevine,andHisdisciplesarethebranches(John15:1-5);Heisthetruelight(John1:9);Hisdisciplesarethelightoftheworld(Matt.5:14),andthesaltoftheearth(Matt.5:13).Similarly,Godisdeclaredtobelove(IJohn4:8);light(IJohn1:5);aconsumingfire(Heb.12:29).ThepsalmistdeclaresthatJehovah ishis rock,his fortress,his shieldandhigh tower (18:2),and that therighteous take refuge under His wings (91:4).When we are told that God isangry, or thatHe repents, or forgets, or laughs, thewriter is, of course, usingfigurative language. Such expressions are known as anthropomorphisms,

instancesinwhichthedivineactionasseenfromthehumanviewpointislikenedtothatofamanwhoisactuatedbythesestatesofmind.'TheseareinstancesinwhichGodadjustsHimself tohuman language,"talkingdown" tous, inmuchthesamewaythathumanparentsfinditnecessarytotalkdowntotheirchildren.Weknow thatasamatterof factGod isaltogether free from thepassionsandfailingsofhumannature.

Hence in accordancewith this generalmethod of procedure it was onlymostfitting that the terms "Father," "Son" and "Spirit" should have been chosen toexpresstherelationshipwhichthefirstandsecondPersonsoftheTrinitybeartoeachother,whichthethirdbearstothefirstandsecond,andwhichthefirsthearsto us. Our language contains no terms better fitted to convey the desiredmeaning.

Similarly,theterm"person,"aswehaveindicatedbefore,isbutanimperfectandinadequate expression of a truth that transcends our experience andcomprehension.WhenappliedtothedifferentmembersoftheGodheaditonlyapproximates the truth. It is, if you please, a make-shift, and is employed inScripture in this sense. Yet it expressesmore clearly than any otherwordweknow the conception which the Scriptures give of the Father, Son and HolySpirit.ItisusedtoexpressanideaofpersonalitywithintheGodheadwhichlies,we may say, approximately half-way between that of a mere form ofmanifestation,orpersonification,whichwouldleadtoUnitarianism,andtheideaof fully separate, independent personalities such as is found in human beings,whichwouldleadtoTritheism.Itexpressesadistinctionnotidenticalwith,butin some respects analogous to, that subsisting between three differentmen. IftherewerethreeGods,theywould,ofcourse,limiteachotheranddepriveeachotherofDeity,sinceitwouldbeimpossibleforeachtobeinfinite.Thereisroomformany finitebeings,but room faronlyone infiniteBeing.Themerit of thestatement of this doctrine in the Athanasian Creed was that it preserved thedistinctpersonalitiesandalsotheunityoftheGodhead:"TheFatherisGod,theSon isGod, theHolyGhost isGod; andyet there are not threeGodsbut oneGod.SolikewisetheFatherisLord,theSonisLord,theHolyGhostisLord;yetthere are not threeLords but oneLord.For aswe are compelled byChristiantruth to acknowledge eachpersonbyHimself, tobeGodandLord, sowe areforbidden by the same truth to say that there are threeGods or three Lords."Hence in view of the defects of human language, the very limited revelation

whichGodhasseenfit togiveusconcerningthissubject,andthefact that thenatureofthisdistinctionmustbeincomprehensibletous,wearereadynotonlytoadmit,but topointoutprecisely, theimperfectionofthelanguagewhichweareobligedtoemployinsettingforththisdoctrine.

7.SUBORDINATIONOFTHESONANDSPIRITTOTHEFATHER

In discussing the doctrine of the Trinitywemust distinguish betweenwhat istechnically known as the "immanent" and the "economic" Trinity. By the"immanent"TrinitywemeantheTrinityasithassubsistedintheGodheadfromall eternity. In their essential, innate lifewe say that theFather,SonandHolySpiritarethesameinsubstance,possessingidenticalattributesandpowers,andthereforeequalinglory.ThisrelatestoGod'sessentialexistenceapartfromthecreation.By the "economic"Trinitywemean theTrinity asmanifested in theworld, particularly in the redemption of sinfulmen. There are threeopera adextra,additionalworks, ifwemaysodescribe them,whichareascribed to theTrinity, namely, Creation, Redemption and Sanctification. These are workswhichareoutsideofthenecessaryactivitiesoftheTrinity,workswhichGodwasundernoobligationorcompulsiontoperform.

In the Scriptures we find that the plan of redemption takes the form of acovenant, not merely between God and His people but between the differentPersonswithintheTrinity,sothatthereis,asitwere,adivisionoflabour,eachPersonvoluntarilyassumingaparticularpartofthework.1st,—TotheFatherisascribedprimarily theworkofCreation, togetherwith theelectionofacertainnumberofindividualswhomHehasgiventotheSon.TheFatherisingeneraltheAuthoroftheplanofredemption.2nd,—TotheSonisascribedtheworkofredemption,toaccomplishwhichHebecameincarnate,assuminghumannatureinorderthat,asthefederalheadandrepresentativeofHispeople,Hemight,astheirsubstitute,assumetheguiltoftheirsinandsufferafullequivalentforthepenaltyofeternaldeathwhichresteduponthem.Hethusmadefullsatisfactiontothedemandsofjustice,whichdemandsareexpressedinthewords,"Thesoulthatsinneth,itshalldie,"and,"Thewagesofsinisdeath."Also,inHiscapacityasthefederalheadandrepresentativeofHispeople,HecovenantedtokeepthelawofperfectobediencewhichwasoriginallygiventotheirforefatherAdaminhis representative capacity, which law Adam had broken and had therebyplungedtheraceintoastateofguiltandruin.IdentifyingHimselfthuswithHispeople, He paid the penalty which rested on them and earned their salvation.ActingastheirKingandSaviour,andalsoasHeadoftheChurchwhichHethusforms,Hedirects the advancingkingdomand is everpresentwithHispeople.3rd,—To the Holy Spirit is ascribed the works of Regeneration andSanctification, or the application to the hearts of individuals of the objective

atonementwhichhas beenwrought out byChrist.ThisHedoesby spirituallyrenewingtheirhearts,workinginthemfaithandrepentance,cleansingthemofeverytaintofsin,andeventuallyglorifyingtheminheaven.Redemption,inthebroad sense, is thus a matter of pure grace, being planned by the Father,purchasedbytheSon,andappliedbytheHolySpirit.

Ifwemaybesoboldastodrawananalogywithourfederalgovernmentwhere,whenitfunctionsnormally,wehavethreeequalandco-ordinatedbranches,wemaysaythattheFather,inplanningandcreatingtheworld,inordainingitslaws,and ingiving to theSonapeople tobe redeemedbyHim, corresponds to theLegislative branch; the Holy Spirit, through His regenerating and cleansingpowerandthroughHiscontrolofthemindsofmenandoftheforcesofnature,corresponds to the Executive branch; and the Son, giving Himself in thesatisfaction of divine justice, and then acting as judge of the entire world,correspondstotheJudicialbranch.

Yetwhileparticularworksareascribedpre-eminentlytoeachofthePersons,sointimate is the unity which exists within the Trinity, there being but onesubstanceand"oneGod,"thateachofthePersonsparticipatestosomeextentinthework of the others. "I am in the Father, and the Father inme," said Jesus(John14:11)."HethathathseenmehathseentheFather"(John14:9)."GodwasinChrist reconcilingtheworld tohimself"(IICor.5:19)."Iwillnot leaveyoudesolate: I come unto you" (through the Holy Spirit) (John 14:18). As Dr.CharlesHodgesays:

"AccordingtotheScriptures,theFathercreatedtheworld,theSoncreatedtheworld,andtheSpiritcreatedtheworld.TheFatherpreservesallthings:theSonupholdsallthings;andtheSpiritisthesourceofalllife.ThesefactsareexpressedbysayingthatthepersonsoftheTrinityconcurinallactsadextra.NeverthelesstherearesomeactswhicharepredominantlyreferredtotheFather,others to theSon, andothers to theSpirit.TheFather creates,elects, and calls; the Son redeems; and the Spirit sanctifies." (SystematicTheology,I,p.445).

Hencewe say thatwhile the spheres and functionsof the threepersonsof theTrinity are different, they are not exclusive. That which is done by one isparticipatedinbytheotherswithvaryingdegreesofprominence.Thefactofthematteristhattherehavebeenthreegreatepochsordispensationsisthehistoryof

redemption,correspondingtoandsuccessivelymanifestingthethreePersonsoftheGodhead.That of theFather began at the creation and continued until thebeginning of the public ministry of Jesus; that of the Son, embracing acomparatively short period of time, but the important period in whichredemptionwasworkedoutobjectively,beganwiththepublicministryofJesusandcontinueduntilthedayofPentecost;andthatoftheHolySpiritbeganwiththe descent of the Holy Spirit on the disciples on the day of Pentecost andcontinuesuntiltheendoftheage.

In regard to the work of the economic Trinity we find there is a definiteprocedureintheworkofredemptionandalsointhegovernmentoftheworldingeneral,theworkoftheFatherincreationandinthegeneralplanfortheworldbeingprimary,thatoftheSoninredeemingtheworldbeingsubordinatetoanddependent on that of the Father, and that of the Holy Spirit in applyingredemptioncominglaterintimeandbeingsubordinatetoanddependentonthatof the Father and of the Son. Hence in regard to the work of redemptionparticularly,whichisthegreatandall-importantworkthatGoddoesformaninthisworld,thereisalogicalorder,thatoftheFatherbeingfirst,thatoftheSonsecond, and that of the Spirit third. And when the Persons of the Trinity arementionedinourtheologicalstatementsitisalwaysinthisorder.

TheFathersendstheSonandworksthroughHim(John17:8;Rom.8:3;IThess.5:9;Rom.5:1),andtheFatherandSonworkthroughtheHolySpirit(Rom.5:5;Gal.5:22,23;Titus3:5;Acts15:8,9).InChrist'sownwordsHethatissentisnot greater than he that hath sent him (John 13:16); and in His state ofhumiliation, speaking from the standpoint ofHis humannature,He could say,"TheFatherisgreaterthanI"(John14:28).PaultellsusthatweareChrist's,andthatChristisGod's(ICor.3:23);also,thatasChrististheheadofeveryman,soGod is theheadofChrist (ICor.11:3).Numerous thingsarepredicatedof theincarnateSonwhichcannotbepredicatedofthesecondPersonoftheTrinityassuch,—Jesus,inHishumannature,advancedinwisdom(Luke2:52),andevenlateinHispublicministrydidnotknowwhentheendoftheworldwastocome(Matt. 24:36). In the work of redemption, which we may term a work ofsupererogation since it is undertaken through pure grace and love and notthrough obligation, the Sonwho is equal with the Father becomes as it wereofficiallysubjecttoHim.AndinturntheSpirit issentby,actsfor,andrevealshath theFatherand theSon,glorifiesnotHimselfbutChrist,andworks in the

hearts of His people faith, love, holiness and spiritual enlightenment. Thissubordinationof theSon to theFather, andof theSpirit to theFather and theSon,relatesnottotheiressentiallifewithintheGodhead,butonlytotheirmodesofoperationortheirdivisionoflabourincreationandredemption.

Thissubordinationof theSontotheFather,andof theSpirit to theFatherandtheSon,isnotinanywayinconsistentwithtrueequality.Wehaveananalogyofsuch priority and subordination, for instance, in the relationship which existsbetween husband and wife in the human family. Paul tells us that thatrelationship isoneofequality inChrist Jesus, inwhom"therecanbenomaleandfemale"(Gal.3:28),—woman'ssoulbeingofasmuchvalueasman's,—yetoneofpersonalpriorityandsubordinationinwhichinthehomeandtheStatethehusbandistheacknowledgedspokesmanandleader.AsDr.W.BrentonGreenesays:

"InthesightofGodhusbandandwifeare,andintheeyeofthelawoughttobe,halvesofonewholeandneitherbetterthantheother.Butwhilethisissoandcannotbeemphasizedtoostrongly,therelationshipofhusbandandwife,nevertheless,issuchthatthepositionofthewifeisdistinctfromanddependent on that of thehusband.This doesnot imply that thewife as aperson is of inferiorworth toher husband: in this respect there is neithermale nor female; for they are both 'one in Christ Jesus.' Neither does itmean that the mission of the wife is of less importance than that of thehusband. There are certain functions, moral and intellectual as well asphysical,whichshefulfillsfarbetterthanherhusband;andtherearecertainotherfunctionsofsupremenecessitywhichonlyshecanfulfillatall.Whatismeant,however, is thatas therearesome thingsofprimary importancethat only thewife can do; so there are other indispensable functions thatonlythehusbandoughttodischarge,andchiefamongtheseisthedirectionof theircommonlife.He, therefore,shouldbe the 'head'of the 'onebody'thathusbandandwifetogetherform.Whetherwecanunderstanditornot,sucharelationshipisnotinconsistentwithperfectequality.ItisnotinthecaseoftheTrinity.Father,SonandSpiritareequalinpowerandglory.YettheSonissecondtotheFather,andtheSpiritissecondtoboththeFatherand the Son, as to their 'mode of subsistence and operation.' Whatever,therefore, the secondary position of thewife as regards her husbandmayimply, it need not imply even the least inferiority" (Notes on Christian

Sociology).

In the political realm we may say that the president of the United States isofficially first, thegovernorofastateofficiallysecond,and theprivatecitizenofficiallythird.Yettheyareeachequallypossessedofhumannature,andinfactthe private citizenmaybe a bettermanmorally and spiritually than either thegovernororthepresident.Also,twomenofequalrankinprivatelifemayjointhearmy,onetobecomeacaptain,theothertobecomeaprivatesoldierintheranksofthiscaptain.Officially,andforalimitedtime,onebecomessubordinatetotheother,yetduringthattimetheymaybeequalsinthesightofGod.Inthework of redemption the situation is somewhat analogous to this—through acovenantvoluntarilyenteredinto,theFather,SonandHolySpiriteachundertakeaspecificworkinsuchamannerthat,duringthetimethisworkisinprogress,the Father becomes officially first, the Son officially second, and the Spiritofficially third.Yetwithin theessential and inherent lifeof theTrinity the fullequalityofthepersonsispreserved.

8.THEGENERATIONOFTHESONANDTHEPROCESSIONOFTHEHOLYSPIRIT

Thekindreddoctrinesof theEternalGenerationof theSon andof theEternalProcession of the Holy Spirit are admittedly doctrines which are but veryobscurely understood by the best of theologians. Certainly the present writer,withhislimitedstudyandexperience,isnotunderthedelusionthatheshallbeabletogiveafullysatisfactoryexplanationofthem.Heproposesonlytodefinethedoctrinesandtoofferafewbriefcomments.

TheEternalGenerationof theSon, as statedbya representative theologian, isdefined as: "an eternal personal act of the Father, wherein, by necessity ofnature,notbychoiceofwill,Hegenerates theperson (not theessence)of theSon,bycommunicatingtoHimthewholeindivisiblesubstanceoftheGodhead,withoutdivision,alienation,orchange,so that theSonis theexpress imageofHis Father's person, and eternally continues, not from the Father, but in theFather, and theFather in theSon" (Dr.A.A.Hodge,Outlines ofTheology,p.182).

ThefollowingScriptureversesarecommonlygivenastheprincipalsupportofthisdoctrine:"ForastheFatherhathlifeinHimself,evensogaveHetotheSonalso tohave life inHimself" (John5:26); "Believeme that Iam in theFather,and theFather inme" (John14:11); "Evenas thou,Father, art inme, and I inthee"(John17:21);"ThatyemayknowandunderstandthattheFatherisinme,andIintheFather"(John10:38);Christisdeclaredtobe"theeffulgenceofhisglory,and thevery imageofhis substance" (Heb.1:3); "ForGodso loved theworld, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth onHimshouldnotperish,buthaveeternallife"(John3:16).

The present writer feels constrained to say, however, that in his opinion theverses quoted do not teach the doctrine in question.He feels that the primarypurposeoftheseandsimilarversesistoteachthatChristisintimatelyassociatedwiththeFather,thatHeisequalwiththeFatherinpowerandglory,thatHeis,infact,fullDeity,ratherthantoteachthatHisPersonisgeneratedbyororiginatesin an eternal processwhich is going onwithin theGodhead.Even though theattemptismadetosafeguardtheessentialequalityoftheSonbysayingthattheprocessbywhichtheSonisgeneratediseternalandnecessary,hedoesnotfeel

that the attempt is successful. If, as evenAugustine, for instance, asserts, theFatheristheFonsTrinitatis—thefountainorsourceoftheTrinity—fromwhomboththeSonandtheSpiritarederived,itseemsthatinspiteofallelsewemaysay we have made the Son and the Spirit dependent upon another as theirprincipalcause,andhavedestroyedthe trueandessentialequalitybetweenthePersonsoftheTrinity.Aswehavestatedbefore,whentheScripturestellusthatonePersonwithintheTrinityisknownasthe"Father,"andanotherasthe"Son,"they intend to teach, not that the Son is originated by the Father, nor that theFatherexistedpriortotheSon,butthattheyarethesameinnature.

This,apparently,wasalso thepositionheldbyCalvin, forat theconclusionofhischapterontheTrinityhesays:

"But,studyingtheedificationoftheChurch,Ihavethoughtitbetternottotouchuponmanythings,whichwouldbeunnecessarilyburdensometothereader,withoutyieldinghimanyprofit.Fortowhatpurposeisittodispute,whether the Father is always begetting? For it is foolish to imagine acontinual act of generation, since it is evident that three Persons havesubsistedinGodfromalleternity"(Institutes,BookI,Chap.13).

ProcessionoftheHolySpirit.

TheProcessionof theHolySpirithascommonlybeenunderstood todesignate"therelationwhichthethirdpersonsustainstothefirstandsecond,whereinbyaneternalandnecessary,i.e.,notvoluntary,actoftheFatherandtheSon,theirwhole identical divine essence, without alienation, division, or change, iscommunicated to theHolyGhost" (Dr.A.A.Hodge,Outlines inTheology,p.189).

"Procession"isamoregeneraltermthan"Generation,"althoughineachcasetheprocessisadmittedlyinscrutable.ProcessionissaidtodifferfromGenerationinthattheSonisgeneratedbytheFatheronly,whiletheSpiritproceedsfromboththeFatherandtheSonatthesametime,—orassomehaveputit,proceedsfromtheFather,throughtheSon.

WhatwehavesaidconcerningtheallegedScriptureproofforthedoctrineofthegenerationoftheSonisevenmoreapplicabletothatwhichisadvancedtoprovetheprocessionoftheSpirit.Thereis,infact,onlyoneverseinScripturewhichis

commonlyputforwardtoprovethisdoctrine,anditisfoundinJohn15:26:"ButwhentheComforteriscome,whomIwillsenduntoyoufromtheFather,eventheSpirit of truth,which proceedeth from theFather, he shall bearwitness ofme."Again, thebestBiblescholarsaredividedas towhetherornot thisverseteachesthe"procession"oftheSpirit inthesensethatHisPersonoriginatesasthe result of an inscrutable although eternal and necessary process within theGodhead,orwhethertheversemerelyhasreferencetoHismissioninthisworldas He comes to apply the redemption which Christ purchased. Jesus uses asimilar form of expression when of His own redemptive mission He says, "IcameoutfromtheFather,andamcomeintotheworld:again,Ileavetheworld,andgountotheFather"(John16:28).IntheoriginalGreekthephrase,"cameoutfrom,"whichishereusedofJesus,isstrongerthanthe"proceedethfrom,"whichisusedoftheSpirit;yetthecontextofJohn16:28makesitperfectlyclearthatwhat Jesus said of Himself had reference to His mission and not to what iscommonlytermedHiseternalgeneration;forHiscomingforthfromtheFatherinto theworld is contrastedwithHis leaving theworld and going back to theFather.Weare,ofcourse,toldthattheHolySpiritissentbytheFatherandbytheSon;butthemissionasHecomestoapplyredemptionisanentirelydifferentthingfromtheprocession.Itseemsmuchmorenaturaltoassumethatthewordsof John 15:26,whichwere a part of theFarewellDiscourse, andwhichwere,therefore, spokenwithin the very shadowof the cross,were not philosophicalbutpractical,designedtomeetapresentandurgentneed,namely,tocomfortandstrengthenthedisciplesfortheordealthroughwhichtheytooweresoontopass.ThiswasHismethodofteachingonotheroccasions,anditisatleastdifficulttoseewhyHewouldhavedepartedfromitonthisoccasion.Hewassoontoleavethe disciples, andHe simply gave them the promise that anotherHelper,wholikewisecomesfromtheFather,shalltakeHisplaceandbetothemwhatHehasbeenanddofor themwhatHehasdone.Itwouldseemthat,sincetheyhardlyknewoftheSpiritasyet,thiswouldnotatallhavebeenanappropriateoccasiontoinstructthemconcerningthemetaphysicalrelationwhichsubsistsbetweentheFather and theSpirit.They are taught rather that theSpirit comeswith divineauthority, and thatHe is continually going forth from the Father to fulfillHispurposesofGrace.

HenceJohn15:26,atbest,carriesnodecisiveweightconcerningthedoctrineoftheprocessionoftheSpirit,if,indeed,itisnotquiteclearlydesignedtoserveanentirelydifferentpurpose.Weprefertosay,aspreviouslystated,thatwithinthe

essential life of the Trinity no one Person is prior to, nor generated by, norproceeds from, another, and that such priority and subordination as we findrevealedintheworksofcreation,redemptionandsanctification,relatenottotheimmanentbuttotheeconomicTrinity.

Historically,thedoctrineoftheProcessionoftheHolySpirit,whichsupposedlyis of lesser consequence than that of the Generation of the Son, has beenpervertedandexaggeratedoutofallproportion to its real importance, andhasbeenmade theobjectofbitter andprolongedcontroversybetween theEasternandWestern churches. It was, in fact, the immediate occasion of the split inChristendom in the eleventh century, and to this day it constitutes the maindifference in doctrine between the Greek Orthodox and the Roman Catholicchurches. The Greek church hasmaintained that the Spirit proceeds from theFatheronly,whiletheLatinchurch,andalsotheProtestantchurchesgenerally,have maintained that He proceeds from both the Father and the Son. Butcertainlytheevidenceforthedoctrineistooscanty,anditsmeaningtooobscure,tojustifythehardfeelingandtheecclesiasticaldivisionwhichhasresultedfromit.

9.THETRINITYPRESENTSAMYSTERYBUTNOTACONTRADICTION

To expect that we who do not understand ourselves nor the forces of natureaboutusshouldunderstandthedeepmysteriesoftheGodheadwouldcertainlybetothelastdegreeunreasonable.OfalltheChristiandoctrinesthisisperhapsthemostdifficult tounderstandor toexplain.ThatGodexistsasaTrinityhasbeen clearly revealed in Scripture; but the particularmode inwhich the threePersons exist hasnot been revealed.Whenwebehold theTriuneGodwe feellikeonewhogazesuponthemiddaysun.Thefinite isnotabletocomprehendthe infinite; and themarvelous personality of the Father, Son andHoly Spiritremainsandmusteverremainaprofoundmysteryregardlessofallthestudythatthegreatest theologiansof theChurchhaveexpendedupon it.Whenwe try tograspitsmeaningthewordsinJobcometomind,"Canstthoubysearchingfindout God? Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?" The questionanswersitself.

In every sphere we are called upon to believe many truths which we cannotexplain.What,forinstance,islight?Whatgivestheforceofgravityitspull,andthroughwhatmediumdoes it act?Howdoes themindmake contactwith thephysicalbrain?

"There are many things in the world which are true but which cannot beunderstood,"saysDr.FloydE.Hamilton."Whatistherealnatureofelectricity?Whatislife?Whatenablesahumanbodytoturnthesamefoodintobone,teeth,flesh,andhair?Thesearebutafewofthequestionswhichmanhasneverbeenabletoanswer,andprobablyneverwill,butthatfactdoesnotaffecttheirtruth.Theyexist,andtheirexistencedoesnotdependuponourunderstandingthem.Inthesameway,theTriuneGodexistsandHisexistencedoesnotdependuponourunderstanding the mysteries of His nature" (The Basis of Christian Faith, p.278).

AndDr.DavidS.Clarkremarks:

"Wemust distinguish between apprehension and comprehension.We canknowwhatGodis,withoutknowingallHeis.Wecantouchtheearthwhilenot able to embrace it in our arms. The child can know God while the

philosophercannot findout theAlmightyuntoperfection." (ASyllabusofSystematicTheology,p.59).

"It is a mystery indeed," says Professor Flint, "yet one which explains manyothermysteries,andwhichshedsamarvelous lightonGod,onnature,andonman"(Anti-TheisticTheories,p.439).

Most people will admit, for instance, that they do not understand Einstein'stheoryofrelativity;yetfewwillbesoboldastodeclareitirrational.Wedonotunderstandhowsuchavastamountofenergycanhelockedupwithintheatom;but the recently developed atomic bomb proves beyond doubt that it is there.UnlessGodwere too great for our full intellectual comprehension, Hewouldsurelybetoosmalltosatisfyourspiritualneeds.

Butwhile the doctrine of theTrinity presents amystery, it does not present acontradiction.ItassertsthatGodisoneinonerespect—insubstanceoressence—andthatHeisthreeinanentirelydifferentrespect—inpersonaldistinctions;and the charge of anti-trinitarians, that there is nomiddle ground between theUnitarianposition(whichassertstheunityofGodbutdeniestheDeityofChristandthepersonalityoftheHolySpirit)andTritheism(whichassertsthattherearethreeGods) is easily refuted by this fact.The doctrine of theTrinity is abovereason, and could never have been discovered by man apart from divinerevelation;yetitcannotbeprovedcontrarytoreason,norinconsistentwithanyothertruthwhichweknowconcerningGod.

Furthermore, we hardly see how any one can insist that the doctrine of theTrinity strikes the average person as unreasonable when as a matter of factPantheism (which holds that every person and every thingwhich exists is butone of the innumerable forms inwhichGod exists) is the formof philosophywhichhasbeen themostwidelydiffusedand themostpersistentlyheldby thevarious peoples down through the ages. If the human mind has been able toconceive of God as existing in such an infinite number of forms, surely thestatementthatHeexistsinthreePersonsshouldnotbehardtobelieve.ThefactisthatthedoctrineaspresentedinScriptureisfoundtobeeminentlyagreeabletoreason.ThehistoricChristianChurchinallitsbrancheshasheldtenaciouslyto thisdoctrine;andon thepartof individuals thedeepestand truestandmostfruitfulChristian faith has been found in thosewhohavehad an experimentalknowledgeandfellowshipnotonlywithGodtheFather,butalsowithChristthe

Son and with the Holy Spirit,—that is, in Evangelicals as distinguished fromUnitariansandModernists.

Letitberememberedthatweareundernoobligationtoexplainallthemysteriesconnectedwiththisdoctrine.WeareonlyunderobligationtosetforthwhattheScriptures teach concerning it, and to vindicate the teaching as far as possiblefromtheobjectionsthatareallegedagainstit.Itisadoctrinewhichshouldneverbepresentedtoanunbelieverasasubjectforargumentativeproof,foritcanbeacceptedonlybyfaith,andthatonlyafterthepersonisconvincedthatGodhasspoken and thatHe has revealed this as a truth concerningHimself.With thePsalmistwearecompelledtosay,"Suchknowledgeistoowonderfulforme;itishigh, I cannotattainunto it" (139:6); andwithAthanasius, "Mancanperceiveonly the hem of the garment of God; the cherubim cover the rest with theirwings."Butthoughwearenotabletogiveafullexplanationofourfaithwemayknow,andshouldknow,whatwebelieveandwhatwedonotbelieve,andshouldbeacquaintedwiththefactsandtruthonwhichourfaithrests.

Many analogies have been given down through the ages to illustrate thisdoctrine,butwehadaswelladmit thatnoneof themhavebeenofanyspecialvalueandthatsomeofthemhavebeenpositivelymisleading.Someofthemorecommon are: body, soul and spirit; intellect, emotion and will in man; stem,flowerandseedintheplant;egg,larvaandbutterflyintheinsect;solid,liquidand gas in matter; light, heat and radiance in the sun, etc. None of these,however, are true analogies. All of them fail to do justice to the personalelement, particularly to the tri-personal element, in the Godhead. The best ofthem,thatofintellect,emotionandwillinman,presentsthreefunctionsinoneperson,butnotthreepersonsinonesubstance.Thoseofthesolid,liquidandgas,or of the egg, larva and butterfly, are not Christian, but Unitarian; for theyrepresentthesamesubstanceasgoingthroughthreesuccessivestages.

SincethereisnonelikeGod,—for"towhomwillyelikenGod,orwhatlikenesswillyecompareuntoHim,"—weshall look invain foranyexplanationof theTrinity either in the structure of our ownminds or in nature about us.As theTrinity is not discoverable by reason in the first place, so it is not capable ofproofby reason in the secondplace.We receive itonlybecause it is taught inScripture,andjustasitistaughtthere.AsLuthersaidconcerningthisdoctrine:

"Weshould,likethelittlechildren,stammeroutwhattheScripturesteach:

thattheFatheristrulyGod,thatChrististrulyGod,thattheHolyGhostistrulyGod,andyetthatherearenotthreeGods,orthreeBeings,astherearethreemen,threeangels,orthreewindows."

10.HISTORICALASPECTSOFTHEDOCTRINE

During thefirst threecenturiesof theChristianera, theologicaldiscussionwascentered almost entirely on the relationship subsisting between the Father andtheSon,tothealmostcompleteneglectofthedoctrineoftheHolySpirit.InthenatureofthecasethedevelopmentofaformalstatementofthedoctrineoftheTrinitywasaslowprocess.Duringthesecondandthirdcenturies"theinfluenceofStoicandPlatonicthoughtcausedsometodenythefullDeityofChristandtoattempt to reduce Him to such dimensions as were considered commensuratewith a world of time and space. Then against this tendency there arose areaction,knownasMonarchianism,which identified theFather,SonandHolySpiritsocompletelythattheywereheldtobeonlyonePersonwhomanifestedHimselfindifferentcapacities.

WearenottoinferthatthedoctrineoftheDeityofChristwasadeductionfromthat of the Trinity, but rather the reverse. Because of the claimswhichChristmade,theauthoritywhichHeassumed,themiracleswhichHeworked,andtheglorywhichHedisplayed,particularly inHis resurrection, theearlyChristianswere practically unanimous in their recognition of Him as truly God. Thisconviction,togetherwiththeinferentialstatementofthedoctrineoftheTrinityintheBaptismalFormulaandintheApostolicBenediction,servedastheirbasisin the formulationof thedoctrine.But since theywere equally convinced thattherewasbutonetrueGod,thedifficultyaroseastohowtoreconcilethesetwofundamentalarticlesof the faith.Thereweresomewhoattempted to solve thedifficultybydenyingtheDeityofChrist,buttheirnumbersweresofewduringthefirsttwocenturiesthattheyhadlittleinfluence.

Thiscontroversywassettledfor theearlyChurchbytheCouncilofNicaea, inAsiaMinor,whichmetintheyear325.UndertheinfluenceofAthanasius,wholaterbecameBishopofAlexandria,theCouncildeclaredforthefullandeternalDeityofChrist,whowasdeclaredtobe"GodofGod,LightofLight,VeryGodofVeryGod,beingofonesubstancewiththeFather."

ButsoabsorbedhadtheCouncilbeeninworkingoutthedoctrineconcerningthePersonofChrist that it omitted tomake anydefinite statement concerning theHolySpirit.AthanasiushadtaughtthetrueDeityoftheHolySpirit,butmanyofthe writers of the period identified Himwith the Logos or Son, while others

regardedHimasbuttheimpersonalpowerorefficacyofGod.Itwasbutnaturalthatuntil thequestionconcerningthePersonandnatureof theSonwassettlednotmuchprogresscouldbemadeinthedevelopmentofthedoctrineoftheHolySpirit.Thedefectof theNiceneCreedwas remedied,however,by theSecondEcumenical Council, whichmet at Constantinople in 381, and included in itscreedthestatement:"WebelieveintheHolyGhost,whoistheLordandGiveroflife,whoproceedethfromtheFather,who,withtheFatherandSon,togetherisworshippedandglorified,whospakebytheprophets."

AnotherheresywhicharosewasthatofSabellianism.Thisviewheldthattherewas but one Person in theGodhead, and that the terms Father, Son andHolySpirit simplydenoted thisonePerson indifferentcapacities.AsCreatorof theworldHewasknownasFather;asRedeemeroftheraceHewasknownastheSon;andwhenworkingintheheartsofmenHewasknownastheHolySpirit.Somechose to say that itwas the sameGodwho inOldTestament timeswasknownasFather,whoafterwardbecameincarnateastheSon,andwhorevealsHimself in theChurchas theHolySpirit.Thesedifferentmanifestationsof thesamePersonwereconsideredanalogous to thatofamanwho isknown inhishomeasfather,intheChurchasanelder,andinthecommunityasadoctor.

But this view satisfied the religious consciousness of Christians in only oneregard,namely,inrecognizingthetrueDeityofChrist.Itsdefectswereglaring;for if the phaseswere successive, thenGod ceased to be the FatherwhenHebecametheSon,andceasedtobetheSonwhenHebecametheHolySpirit.Theincarnation was reduced to a temporary union of the Divine and the humannature in the man Jesus Christ. This view was so out of harmony with theScriptures that itwas soon rejected, and theChurchdoctrine,which is neitherTritheism nor Sabellianism but the true mean between these errors, wasmaintained.

One other trinitarian heresy that we should notice was that of the Socinians.Theyheld thatChristwasonlyaman,averygoodman tobesure, in fact thebestofmenbecausemore fullyanimatedandcontrolledby thepowerofGodthan anyother had ever been, butwhohadno existenceuntil hewas bornbyordinarygenerationofJosephandMary.Theyacknowledgedthathepossessedamore advanced revelation fromGod thanhadbeengiven to anyof the earlierprophetsorteachers.TheyperceivedtheimproprietyofworshippingacreatureastheArianshaddone,regardlessofhowhighhemightbeexalted;andwhile

lessorthodoxthantheArians,theywereatthispointmoreconsistent.Thisviewwas,ofcourse,condemnedbytheChurch,butithascontinuedasaheresyontheoutskirtsoftruereligiondownthroughtheages.Present-dayModernism,whichisessentiallyadenialofthesupernaturalinreligion,alsocarriesontheSociniantraditionwithmoreorlessconsistency.

ToAugustinebelongsthecreditforhavingmadeaconsiderableadvanceinthedevelopment of the doctrine, and for centuries his book, On The Trinity,remained the standardwork on the subject.WhileAthanasius had secured theacceptanceby theChurchof the truepersonality andDeityof theFather,SonandHolySpirit,hedidallowthattheSonandtheHolySpiritweresubordinateto the Father in order and dignity. Augustine did away with the idea ofsubordinationbystressingthenumericalunityoftheiressence,andthroughhispowerfulinfluencethedoctrinewasacceptedbytheChurchinfactaswellasintheory. Although the Reformation was a time of great advances in thedevelopmentofdoctrine, thatof theTrinityhasbeenwroughtoutsoclearlyattheearlierperiodthattherewasnotendencytoenterintospeculationconcerningit. Both Luther and Calvin refused to go beyond the simple statements ofScripture,althoughitdidfalltoCalvintoreasserttheself-existenceandthefullequalityoftheSonandtheHolySpiritwiththeFatheragainstthosewhotaughtthat the generation of the Son and the procession of the Holy Spirit denotedperpetualcommunicationofessencefromtheFatherandthereforedependence.InCalvin'sstatementtheideaoftheequalizationofthepersonstooktheplaceoftheideasofgenerationandprocession.

The Church of the Scriptures and of the creeds is, of course, Trinitarian, notUnitarian.Upuntilacenturyagoeverydenominationandpracticallyeverylocalchurch taught the doctrine of the Trinity as a matter of course. But with thepassingoftheyearsachangehastakenplace,andeveninmanyoftheso-calledevangelicalchurchesthisdoctrine,whichsetsfortheternalandunchangingtruth,is scarcely mentioned, while in others it, like many other essential truths, ischallenged, doubted or denied. The truth has not changed, but the attitude ofmanyinourgenerationtowardthattruthhaschanged;andtodaythecontroversyrages with new vigour, not only against the foe without, but also against thefleece-cladfoewithin.

InanexcellentarticleonTheDoctrineoftheTrinity,Dr.ClarenceE.Macartneyhasthefollowingtosayaboutthepresent-daycontroversy.

"WhatAthanasius contendedagainst inhisdaywas the effort togive theworldadamagedChrist.HeknewthatadamagedChristwasnoChrist.Heknew that a redemption wrought out by any other save the God ofredemption,GodtheFather,GodtheSon,andGodtheHolySpirit,wasnoredemptionatall.UnderdifferentnamesandformsthereappearsfromtimetotimethatsamesubtleeffortofunbelieftopersuadetheworldtoacceptadamagedChrist insteadof theChristwho is the eternalSonofGod.Notsince the days of Arius has there been so widespread and warmlypropagated a movement to substitute for the New Testament Christ, theChristofredemption,alesserChrist,adamagedChrist.Theleadersofthismovement either openly deny the New Testament accounts of themiraculous entry of Christ into the world, or hold the acceptance or therejection of those accounts of how Christ came has nothing to do withChristianity.This newChrist probably did notworkmiracles.Hedid notdieon thecrossasa substitute forman, takinghisplace, andbearinghissins before the lawofGod.Hedid not rise from the deadwith the samebodyinwhichHewasentombedinJoseph'ssepulchre,norinthatbodydidHeascendintotheheavenstointercedeattherighthandofGodtheFatherAlmighty; and the repeated statements of the New Testament about Hisgloriousand triumphant return to theearthmeanonly that truthand rightareat length toprevailupontheearth.Yet themenwhohold theseviewsstilltalk,andsomeofthemstillpreach,aboutChrist.WhatChrist?'Whoisthis?' the people exclaimed when Jesus rode into Jerusalem amid theplaudits of the multitude. Today the Christian Church may well exclaimconcerningthisnew,thisdamagedChrist,'Whoisthis?"'

Itmaybeof interest to give a brief summaryof the creedal statements of theChurch concerning this doctrine. We have said that during the first threecenturiestherewerenoimportantcouncilsandthattheformulationofacreedalstatementwasaslowprocess.TheearlyChristiansheldthedoctrine,asitwere,insolution;timeandcontroversyweredestinedtoprecipitateitout.Becauseofthe bitterness of the Jews, the mockery of the pagans, and the inevitableconfusionandcontradiction in themodeofstatementevenby thosewithin theChurchwhohonestlyintendedtoholdwhattheScripturestaughtconcerningit,theChurchwascompelledtoanalysethedoctrineandtosetitforthinclear-cut,formalstatements.

Thebest summaryof the teachingof thevariouscreeds, so farasweknow, isfound in theabove-mentionedarticlebyDr.Macartney,and isprefacedby thefollowingremarks:

"Aswe read these statements let us remember that they represent no idleand airy speculations, but a noble effort of trained minds to define andexplainthetruthoftheTrinityastheyhadfounditinthepagesoftheBibleand in the traditions of believing Christians. Let us remember, too, thatthesestatements,especiallytheearlierones,wereformulatedintimeswhenChristianity was being fiercely assailed by unbelief. At Pittsburgh, St.Louis,Chicago,Detroit,andothercitiesoftheUnitedStates,thevisitoristaken to see an old fort, or the site of an old fort,where the first settlersestablished themselves and defended themselves. These log forts, withloophole andoutlook, standingnow in themidst ofgreat cities,mark thegrowthandprogressofthenation,forwithouttheenterprise,heroismandsacrificewhichareassociatedwiththeseforts,therewouldnothavebeenanation.Theseancientconfessionsarelikevenerablefortresses.TheymarkthecrisesinthehistoryofChristianityandrecalltheheroismanddaringofmenwhorefused tohave theirChristianheritage takenfromthem,and inthefaceofaworldofunbeliefcriedout,'Credo!Ibelieve!'Thereisnocantso ignorant, so wretched, so worthy of immeasurable scorn, as that sopopulartoday,whichbelittlescreedsandthemenwhogavethemtous,andthe men who defend them, and say that they have nothing to do withpracticalChristianity.Without thesecreeds,and thecourageand loveandfaithwhichtheyrepresent,Christianitywouldlongagohaveperishedfromoffthefaceoftheearth."

1.TheNiceneCreed(325):

"Webelieve inoneGod—And inoneLordJesusChrist, theSonofGod,begottenoftheFather, lightof light,veryGodofveryGod,begotten,notmade,beingofonesubstancewiththeFather—AndintheHolyGhost."

2.TheNiceno-ConstantinopolitanCreed(381):

InthiscreedtheclausesconcerningtheFatherandtheSonarepracticallythesameasintheNiceneCreed.ButthearticleconcerningtheHolyGhostischangedtothefollowing:"AndintheHolyGhost,whoistheLordand

giver of life, who proceedeth from the Father, who, with the Father andSon,isworshippedandglorified,whospakebytheprophets,"

3. TheAthanasianCreed (origin and time uncertain, but themost logical andelaborateofthecreeds):

"And the Catholic Faith is this: that weworship oneGod in Trinity andTrinity in Unity, neither confounding the Persons nor dividing theSubstance; for there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son, andanotheroftheHolyGhost.ButtheGodheadoftheFather,oftheSon,andof theHolyGhost is all one; the glory equal, themajesty co-eternal. Forlike as we are compelled by the Christian verity to acknowledge everyPersonbyHimselftobeGodandLord,soweareforbiddenbytheCatholicReligiontosay,TherearethreeGods,orthreeLords."

4.TheAugsburgConfession(1530),theoldestProtestantcreedandtheacceptedstandardofLutheranism:

"There isoneDivineessencewhich iscalledand isGod,eternal,withoutbody, indivisible, of infinite power, wisdom, goodness, the Creator andPreserverofallthings,visibleandinvisible.AndyettherearethreePersonsofthesameessenceandpower,whoalsoareco-eternal,theFather,theSon,andtheHolyGhost."

5.TheThirty-NineArticles(1571),—thecreedoftheChurchofEnglandandoftheProtestantEpiscopalChurchintheUnitedStates:

"There is but one living and trueGod.And in the unity of thisGodheadtherearethreePersons,ofonesubstance,powerandeternity,theFather,theSon,andtheHolyGhost."

6.TheWestminsterConfession(1647),—thecreedof thePresbyterianChurch,withwhichtheCanonoftheSynodofDort,thesymboloftheReformedChurch,agreesquiteclosely:

"ThereisbutonelivingandtrueGod.IntheunityoftheGodheadtherearethreePersons,ofonesubstance,power,andeternity—GodtheFather,GodtheSon,andGodtheHolyGhost.TheFather isone,neitherbegottennot

proceeding; the Son is eternally begotten of the Father; the Holy GhosteternallyproceedingfromtheFatherandtheSon."

11.PRACTICALIMPORTANCEOFTHEDOCTRINE

ThedoctrineoftheTrinityisnottobelookeduponasanabstractmetaphysicalspeculation, nor as an unnatural theorywhich has no bearing on the practicalaffairsof life. It is ratheramost important revelationconcerning thenatureoftheonlylivingandtrueGod,andofHisworksinthesalvationofmen.Theverypurpose of the Gospel is, of course, to bring us to the knowledge of GodpreciselyinthewayinwhichHehasrevealedHimself.AndasCalvintellsusintheintroductorysentenceinhisInstitutes:

"True and substantial wisdom principally consists of two parts, theknowledgeofGod,andtheknowledgeofourselves."

And then he adds that "no man can take a survey of himself but he mustimmediately turn to the contemplation of God in wham he lives and moves:since it is evident that our very existence is nothing but a subsistence inGodalone."

TheknowledgeofGodtheFatherwhoisthesourceofredemption,ofGodtheSon who achieves redemption, and of God the Holy Spirit who appliesredemption,isdeclaredinScripturetobeeternallife.EveryotherconceptionofGodpresentsafalsegodtothemindandconscience.Sodifferentisthesystemof theologydeveloped,and themannerof lifewhichflowsfromit, that forallpracticalpurposeswemaysaythatUnitariansandTrinitariansworshipdifferentGods.

This is an advanced doctrine which was not made known in Old Testamenttimes, and that for the very reason that it could not be understood until theobjectiveworkofredemptionhadbeencompleted.ButintheNewTestamentitis interwoven with the whole Christian economy, not in terms of speculativephilosophybutinthoseofpracticalreligion.

"ThedoctrineoftheTrinity,"saysDr.Bartlett,"liesintheveryheartofChristiantruth. It is the centre from which all other tenets of our faith radiate. If weentertainwrongviewsofthenatureoftheSupremeBeingourentiretheologyisimperiled"(TheTriuneGod,p.13).

Inscrutable,yetnotself-contradictory,thisdoctrinefurnishesthekeytoalloftheother doctrines which have to do with the redemption of man. Apart from itdoctrinessuchastheDeityofChrist,theincarnation,thepersonalityoftheHolySpirit, regeneration, justification, sanctification, themeaningof the crucifixionandtheresurrection,etc.,cannotbeunderstood.Itthusunderliesthewholeplanofsalvation.AsDr.HenryB.Smithtellsus:

"For theTrinity there isa strong,preliminaryargument in the fact that insameformithasalwaysbeenconfessedbytheChristianChurch,andthatall thathasopposed ithasbeen thrownoff.When ithasbeenabandoned,otherchiefarticles,astheatonement,regeneration,etc.,havealmostalwaysfollowed it, by logical necessity; as when one draws the wire from anecklaceofgems,thegemsallfallasunder"(SystemofChristianTheology,p.49.)

"TheideaoftheTrinity,"saysDr.Warfield,"illuminates,enrichesandelevatesall our thoughts of God. It has become a commonplace to say that Christiantheismistheonlystabletheism.ThatisasmuchastosaythattheismrequirestheenrichingconceptionoftheTrinitytogiveitpermanentholduponthehumanmind—themind finds itdifficult to rest in the ideaofanabstractunity for itsGod:andthatthehumanheartcriesoutforthelivingGodinwhoseBeingthereisthatfulnessoflifeforwhichtheconceptionoftheTrinityaloneprovides."

Andagain:

"Ifhe(thebeliever)couldnotconstructthedoctrineoftheTrinityoutofhisconsciousness of salvation, yet the elements of his consciousness ofsalvationareinterpretedtohimandreducedtoorderonlybythedoctrineofthe Trinity which he finds underlying and giving their significance andconsistency to the teaching of the Scriptures as to the processes ofsalvation. By means of this doctrine he is able to think clearly andconsequently of his threefold relation to the saving God, experienced byhim as fatherly love sending a Redeemer, as redeeming love executingredemption,assavingloveapplyingredemption. . . .Without thedoctrineoftheTrinity,hisconsciousChristianlifewouldbethrownintoconfusionandleftindisorganizationifnot,indeed,givenanairofunreality;withthedoctrineof theTrinity,order,significanceandrealityarebrought toeveryelementof it.Accordingly, thedoctrineof theTrinity and thedoctrineof

redemption, historically, stand or fall together. A unitarian theology iscommonly associated with a Pelagian anthropology and a Sociniansoteriology.ItisastrikingtestimonywhichisbornebyF.E.Koenig:'Ihavelearned that many cast off the whole history of redemption for no otherreason than because they have not attained to a conception of theTriuneGod"'(BiblicalDoctrines,pp.139,167).

Thedoctrineof theTrinitygivesusa theocentric systemof theology,and thusplacesintrueproportiontheworkofGodtheFather,GodtheSon,andGodtheHoly Spirit. This system alone gives us the proper approach to the study oftheology, showing that itmustbe from the standpointof the triuneGod ratherthanfromthatofthesecondorthirdPersonoftheTrinity,orfromman,thatis,theocentric rather than Christocentric or anthropocentric. It should beunnecessaryforustohavetosaythattheocentrictheology(bywhichwemeanthatwhichisgenerallyknownastheReformedorCalvinisticfaith)givesChrista very high place in the system.He is theGod-man, the center and course ofsalvation; but while soteriology has a prominent place, it is not made theorganizingprinciple,butratheroneofthesubdivisionsinthetheologicalsystem.The history of doctrine shows quite clearly that thosewho have attempted toorganizethesystemoftheologyaroundthepersonofChrist,regardlessoftheirgood intentions, have tended to slight other vital truths and to drift into asuperficial system. Their system is unstable and tends to gravitate downward,relinquishingonedoctrineafteranotheruntilitbecomesanthropocentric.

Thethirdsystem,quitecommoninourdayandgenerallyknownasModernismorHumanism,isanthropocentric,—thatis,itattemptstounderstandthenatureofGodbyreconstructingHimfromwhatweknowofman.ThissystemallowsmantocasthisownshadowoverGod,limitingHisLordship.ItmeansthatChrististobelookeduponprimarilyasaman,andthat,asexpressedbyanoutstandingModernistofourday,nobodyshouldgotoJesus"tohismangerandhiscrosstofindtheomnipotencethatswingsOrionandthePleiades."AllsucherrorsaretobeavoidedbyplacingGodinHistriunenatureat thecenterofourtheologicalsystem. Only thus shall we arrive at a true knowledge of Him. This is theBiblicalorder:first,theFather,whoistheCreatorandtheAuthorofsalvation;then the Son, who provides redemption objectively; and then theHoly Spirit,whoappliesredemption.

OnecauseofthestrengthoftheTrinitariantheologyhasbeentheappealwhichit

makes to the inwardsenseof sin, that sadweightwhich rests soheavilyuponevery serious soul,—while the great weakness of Unitarianism has been itsinsensibilitytotherealityandconsequencesofsin.Trinitarianshaveseensinnotmerely as misfortune or incomplete development, but as awful and heinouscrime, repulsive to God, and deserving His just wrath and punishment. Theyhave held that it could notmerely be pardonedwithout an atonement (that is,without any one suffering the consequences), but that God is under as muchobligation to punish sin as He is to reward righteousness. On the other handPelagians, Socinians, and present-dayModernists andUnitarians have taken asuperficialandminimizingviewofsin,withtheinevitableresultthattheirfaithhasbeensuperficial,theirreligiousfeelingshavebeendeadened,andthesinewsof all evangelistic and missionary effort have been cut. Having given up thedoctrineof theTrinity, theynaturally takea lowviewof thepersonofChrist.EvenaccordingtotheirownadmissionthegreatliteraturetowhichaChristianwouldturnforfaith,hope,loveandinspirationhasbeenalmostexclusivelytheproduct of trinitarian writers. Hence the best method to use in dealing withModernists and Unitarians is to arouse in them the sense of sin; for once aperson realizes the hideous and ghastly nature of his sin he also realizes thatnoneotherthanaDivineRedeemercansavehimfromit.

And thatbringsus toanotherpoint: If therewereno trinity, therecouldbenoincarnation,noobjectiveredemption,andthereforenosalvation;fortherewouldthenbenoonecapableofactingasMediatorbetweenGodandman.Inhisfallenconditionmanhasneithertheinclinationnortheabilitytoredeemhimself.Allmerely human works are defective and incapable of redeeming a single soul.BetweentheHolyGodandsinfulmanthereisaninfinitegulf;andonlythroughOnewhoisDeity,whotakesman'snatureuponHimselfandsuffersanddiesinhisstead,thusgivinginfinitevalueanddignitytothatsufferinganddeath,canman'sdebtbepaid.NorcouldaHolySpiritwhocomesshortofDeityapplythatredemptiontohumansouls.Henceifsalvationis tobehadatall itmustbeofdivineorigin.IfGodwereonlyunity,butnotplurality,Hemightbeourjudge,but,sofaraswecansee,couldnotbeourSaviourandsanctifier.Thefactofthematter is thatGodis thewaybacktoHimself,andthatallof thehopesofourfallenracearecentredinthetruthoftheTrinity.

Itisdifficulttomaintainintheindependenceandself-sufficiencyofGodonanyotherthantheTrinitarianbasis.Thosewhobelieveinauni-personalGodalmost

instinctivelyposit theeternityofmatteroraneternalandnecessarycreationinorder to preserve a subjective-objective relationship. Even many Trinitariantheologianshaveheld—whethercorrectlyornotthereisdifferenceofopinion—thattheDivinenaturedemandseitheraneternalChristoraneternalcreation.Itis felt that apart from a creation a unitary God would be a most lonely andsolitaryBeing, limited in companionship, love,mercy, justice, etc., and hencenot self-sufficient. The Unitarian conception of God is unstable, and theseconsiderations to quite a large extent account for its distinct tendency towardPantheism. In the New England theology, for instance, we find that the highUnitarianism of Channing degenerated into the half-fledged Pantheism ofTheodore Parker, and then into the full-fledged Pantheism of Ralph WaldoEmerson. As Trinitarianswe feel that a Godwho is necessarily bound to theuniverseisnottrulyinfinite,independentandfree.

"AUnitarian,one-personedGod,"saysDr.CharlesHodge,"mightpossiblyhaveexisted, and if revealed as such, it would have been our duty to haveacknowledgedHislordship.But,nevertheless,Hewouldhavealwaysremainedutterly inconceivable to us—one lone, fellowless conscious being; subjectwithoutobject;consciouspersonwithoutenvironment;righteousbeingwithoutfellowshipormoralrelationorsphereofrightaction.WherewouldtherebetoHim a sphere of love, truth, trust, or sympathetic feeling? Before creation,eternaldarkness; after creation,only anendlessgameof solitaire,withworldsforpawns."(SystematicTheology,I,p.127).

ThisUnitarian idea ofGod over-emphasizesHis power at the expense ofHisotherattributes,and tends to identifyHimwithabstractcauseand thought.OntheotherhandthedoctrineoftheTrinityshowsusthatinHisrelationswithusHisloveisprimary,andthatHispowerisexercisedintheinterestsofHisloverather than thatHis love isexercised in the interestsofHispower.Thewords,"Godislove"(IJohn4:8)arenotarhetoricalexaggeration,butanexpressionoftruth concerning the Divine nature. We are convinced that the trinitarianconception of God, as judged by its piety and morality at home and itsmissionary zeal abroad, is by all odds the highest: and once we have thusconceivedofGodandfeltthenewfullness,richnessandforcegiventhroughthedivinefellowshipwecanneveragainbesatisfiedwithamodalisticorUnitarianconception.

Something of the invaluable service rendered by the doctrine of theTrinity is

broughtoutwhenweseehowitembraces,combinesandreconcilesinitselfallthehalf-truthsofthevariousreligionsandheresiesthathaveheldswayovertheminds of men. There have been in the main three outstanding false systems,namely, Polytheism, Pantheism, and Deism. That these systems embraceelementsofimportanttruthcannotbedenied;yetuponthewholetheyarefalseandinjurious.

The truth inPolytheism,which is thatGodexists inapluralityofpersonsandpowers,abundantlysufficientwithinHisownnaturetoallowfreeplaytoallofthemoralandsocialqualitiesorpersonality, isembracedinthedoctrineoftheTrinity;butitserrors,thatitdestroystheunityofGod,andthatitseparatesandpersonifies thesevariouspowersandworships theminisolationorundersamevisiblemanifestationsuchasthesun,moon,rivers,trees,animals,images,etc.,isrejected.

ThetruthofPantheism,whichisthatGadiseverywherepresentandactive,theirresistiblecurrentofforcewhichflowsthroughallmovementsandall life,—atruthwhich,asDr.A.A.Hodgesays,"isrealizedintheHolyGhost,who,whileofthesamesubstanceastheFather,isrevealedtousasimmanentinallthings,thebasisof all existence, the tideof all life, springingup likeawellofwaterfromwithinus,givingformtochaosandinspirationtoreason,theever-presentexecutive of God, the Author of all beauty in the physical world, of all truephilosophy,scienceandtheologyintheworldofthought,andofholinessintheworldoftheSpirit",isembracedinthedoctrineoftheTrinity;buttheerrorsofPantheism,whicharethatGodhasnopersonalexistenceexceptasHecomestoconsciousnessinman,thatHisonlylifeisthesumofallcreaturelife,andthatHisimmediateparticipationineverythoughtandactofthecreaturesmakesHimtheauthorofsin,isrejected.Furthermore,intheincarnationofChristtheeternalSon God has stooped to a real and permanent incarnation, and has donesublimelywhattheincarnationsoftheheathenmythologyhaveonlycaricatured.

ThetruthofDeism,whichisthatGodistheCreatoroftheuniverse,theultimatesource of all power, enthroned in the highest heaven, and that His power ismanifested through second causes, namely through the unchanging order ofnaturallaw,isembracedinthedoctrineoftheTrinity;buttheerrorsofDeism,which are that God is an absentee God, that He works only through secondcauses,thatHeisnotinpersonalandlovingcontactwithHispeople,andthatHeisthereforenotconcernedwiththeirprayersanddesires,isrejected.

Similarly, too, in regard to theheresieswhichhavearisenwithin theChristianChurch.ThedoctrineoftheTrinityacknowledgesthetruthofArianism,whichisthatChristexistedbeforethecreationoftheworldandthatHewaspossessedofsupernaturalpower;butitrejectstheerrorsofArianism,whichisthatChristwasnotco-eternalandco-equalwiththeFather,thatHewasinthefinalanalysisonlyacreatureandhencefarshortofDeity.WithSabellianismitacknowledges thefullDeityandpowerofChristandoftheHolySpirit,butdeniesitserror,whichisthatitmakesnoproperdistinctionsbetweenthePersonswithintheGodhead.WithNestorianismitacknowledgesboththetrueDeityandthetruehumanityofChrist, but denies its error, which is that it separates the Divine and humannaturesinsuchawayastorenderHimadualpersonality.

Wherever the doctrine of the Trinity has been abandoned, with Christ as theconnecting linkbetweenDeityandhumanity, the tendencyhasbeentowardanabstractandimmobileformofmonotheism,towardthefar-offGodofDeism,or,recoilingfromthat,toloseGodintheworldofPantheism.ToidentifyGodwithnatureistoattributeevilaswellasgoodtoHim;andthiskindofreligionhaditslogical outcome in the oldworship of Baal, the suprememale divinity of theancientPhoenicians,andofAshtaroth,thegoddessofloveandfruitfulness,withalloftheirattendantandunmentionableabominations.TheChristiandoctrineoftheTrinitysuppliesuswithsafeguardsagainstboththeseerrors,andatthesametime provides us with the link between God and man, the link whichphilosophicalspeculationhasstrivensovainlytofind.Itisthetrueprotectionofa living Theism, which otherwise oscillates uncertainly between the twoextremesofDeismandPantheism,eitherofwhichisfataltoit.

Thisdoctrine should,ofcourse,bepreached ineveryChristianChurch. It is amistake to say thatpeoplewillno longer listen todoctrinalpreaching.Let theministerbelievehisdoctrines;lethimpresentthemwithconvictionandaslivingissues, and he will find sympathetic audiences. To-day we see thousands ofpeople turning away from pulpit discussions of current events, social topics,politicalissues,andmerelyethicalquestions,andtryingtofill themselveswiththe husks of occult and puerile philosophies. Inmanywayswe are spirituallypoorer than we should be, because in our theological confusion andbewildermentwehavefailedtodojusticetothesegreatdoctrinalprinciples.Ifrightlypreached thesedoctrines aremost interesting andprofitable, and are infactindispensableifthecongregationistobewellgroundedintheFaith.Weare

convincedthatthechiefneedofthepresentageisgreattheology,andthatonlytheemergenceanddominanceofgreattheologywillproduceanadequatebasisfortrueChristianliving.

Itiscertainthatnomerelyspeculativetheory,andespeciallynonesomysteriousandsooutofanalogywithallotherobjectsofhumanknowledgeasisthatoftheTrinity,couldeverhaveheldsuchaprominentplaceandbeensoemphasizedbyall of the churches of Christendom as has this doctrine unless its controllingprinciplewerevital.InthenatureofthecaseAnti-trinitarianisminevitablyleadsto a radically different system of religion.Historically theChurch has alwaysrefusedtorecognizeasChristiansthosewhorejectedthedoctrineoftheTrinity.Also,historically,everygreatrevivalofChristianitydownthroughtheageshasbeen a revival of adhesion to fullest Trinitarianism. It is not toomuch to say,therefore,thattheTrinityisthepointonwhichallChristianideasandinterestsfocus,atoncethebeginningandtheendofalltrueinsightintoChristianity.