Clear
evidence of
the Godhead
subsisting
in
three
persons.
1. The Old
Testament
plainly
holds forth
a plurality
of persons
in the
Godhead,
Gen. i. 26.
' God said,
let us make
man in our
own image,
after our
likeness ;'
chap. iii.
22. ' And
the Lord God
said, Behold
the man is
become as
one of us,
to know good
and evil.'
This cannot
be
understood
of angels :
for man is
said to be
created
after the
image of
God, but
never after
the image of
angels ; and
the
temptation
was, ' Ye
shall be as
gods,' not
as angels.
Nor must it
be
conceived,
that God
speaks so
after the
manner of
kings ; for
that way of
speaking is
used rather
to note
modesty than
royalty. But
when God
speaks so as
to discover
most of his
royalty, He
speaks in
the singular
number, as
in the
giving of
the law, ' I
am the Lord
thy God.'
This trinity
of persons
is also not
obscurely
mentioned in
Psal.
xxxiii. 6. '
By the word
of' the
Lord, or
JEHOVAH,
were the
heavens made
; and all
the host of
them, by the
breath, or
spirit, of
his mouth.'
Here is
mention made
of
Jehovah the
Word and the
Spirit,
as jointly
acting in
the work of
creation.
Accordingly
we find,
that ' all
things were
made by the
Word,' John
i. 3. and
that ' the
Spirit
garnished
the
heavens,'
Job xxvi.
13. Nay, a
Trinity of
persons is
mentioned,
Isa. lxiii.
where,
besides that
the Lord, or
Jehovah, is
three times
spoken of,
ver. 7. we
read of `
the angel of
his
presence,'
which
denotes two
persons and
` his
Spirit,' ver.
9, 10. So
that it
evidently
appears,
that the
doctrine of
the Trinity
was revealed
under the
Old
Testament.
2. The New
Testament
most plainly
teaches this
doctrine.
(L) I begin
with the
text, where
it is
expressly
asserted,
There are
three that
bear record,
&c. Here arc
three
witnesses,
and
therefore
three
persons. Not
three names
of one
person : for
if a person
have ever so
many names,
he is still
but one
witness. Not
three Gods,
but one.
(2.) In the
baptism of
Christ,
Matt. iii.
16, 17.
mention is
made of the
Father
speaking
with an
audible
voice, the
Son in the
human nature
baptized by
John, and
the Holy
Ghost
appearing in
the shape of
a dove ;
plainly
importing
three Divine
persons.
(3.) This
appears from
our baptism,
Matt.
xxviii. S.
19. ' Go ye
and teach
all nations
baptizing
them in the
name of the
Father, the
Son, and the
Holy Ghost.'
Observe the
words, in
the name,
not names ;
which
denotes,
that these
three are
one God :
and yet they
are
distinctly
reckoned
three in
number, and
so are three
distinct
persons.
(4.) It
appears from
the
apostolical
benediction,
where all
blessings
are sought
from the
three
persons
distinctly
mentioned, 2
Cor. xiii.
14. ' The
grace of the
Lord Jesus
Christ, and
the love of
God, and the
communion of
the Holy
Ghost, be
with you
all.'
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Thomas
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