Page images
PDF
EPUB

CONTENTS.

Article.

Page.

I. Objections to the Doctrine of the Trinity from the Uni-
ty of God, as taught in Scripture, answered,..... 305
II. The Psalter of the Virgin Mary,...

III. The Power of Moral Habit, as it affects the power of
Faith,....

328

.. 335

IV. The Romish Controversy, its present aspect, and the

duty of the Church with reference to it,... ... ... 355

V. God's Rest, our Rest,. . . . .

382

VI. Early History of Presbyterianism in South Carolina,. 393

VII. The General Assembly of 1854,..

VIII. Critical Notices,...

1. Life and Epistles of St. Paul.

2. A South Side View of Slavery: or Three Months at

the South.

3. Synonymes of the New Testament.

4. The Faithful Mother's Reward.

5. The Youth's Visitor.

6. Primary English Grammar, introductory to the Man

ual of the English Language.

7. Letters of the Madiai, and Visits to their Prisons.

8. The Captives of Abb's Valley: a Legend of Frontier
Life.

9. The Justified Believer: his Security, Conflicts, and

Triumph.

10. Memoir of the Rev. Joseph W. Barr.

11. The History of Peter Thomson: The Premium,-The
Dying Sheep,-and The Bible the Best Book.
12. The Baby: Good and Bad Luck,―The Golden Image,
and the Star.

411

454

13. Anne Bell: The Hated Task-The Red Berries, &c. 14. The Pictorial Second Book.

15. Scripture Natural History.

16. Witnesses for Christ: or, The Poet-The Hero, &c. 17. Why will ye Die? An Expostulation with Self-De

stroyers.

18. The Story of Nineveh,-Its Greatness and Ruins.
19. J. H. and his Nurse, and the Child's Prayer.
20. Devotional Poetry, or Hymns for the Closet, &c.
21. Thoughts on the Resurrection of the Body.

22. The Waldenses: Sketches of the Evangelical Christians of the Valleys of Piedmont.

23. Defence of Denominational Education.

24. A Review of the Doctrines of the Board of Education of the Presbyterian Church, &c.

25. The Influence of Missions on People and Nations. 26. Study, the only Sure Means of Ultimate Success.

NUMBER III.

JANUARY, MDCCCLV.

ARTICLE I.

OBJECTIONS TO THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY FROM THE UNITY OF GOD, AS TAUGHT IN SCRIPTURE, ANSWERED.

The chief difficulty in the way of a candid examination and acceptation of the doctrine of the Trinity, arises from the prejudices with which the mind comes to the investigation,-its unwillingness to submit itself to the truth of God without being able to comprehend the nature of the truth believed,-and above all the enmity and aversion with which this doctrine is associated, because it is so humbling to the pride and self-righteous vanity of man.

The irrelevancy of the objections made against the doctrine of the Trinity on the ground of its alleged unreasonableness, contradictoriness, incomprehensibility, obscurity, and merely speculative and abstract character, we have, we think, satisfactorily proved to be untenable. The objections which arise from "an evil heart of unbelief" against the doctrine itself, and against the system of grace which it involves, and which after all is the real hindrance to the more universal reception of this doctrine, these can be removed only when "the natural heart" is transformed by the renewing and enlightening influences of the Holy Ghost, through whose teaching alone any man can call Jesus Lord, and worship Father, Son and Holy Ghost, as one God, "in spirit and in truth." Of ALL the objections which can arise against the doctrine of the Trinity, it may be truly said that they are based upon the impious and absurd presumption that the Divine Being is more clearly and fulVOL. VIII.-No. 3.

1

Iv known to those who are so wise in their conceit, as to imagine they have "by searching found out the Almighty to perfection," than he is to himself. Such persous therefore, imagine that they are better able to describe what God is, and what God is not, than God has thought fit to make known as the truth on these subjects in the sacred Scriptures, which "are all given by inspi ration through Holy men who spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost."

The only rational inquiry on this subject undoubtedly is, who or what God is, as he himself has been pleased to inform us, in his own selected language; and whether this God is only one simple, absolute, personal, uncom pounded and solitary being; or whether in the Unity of the Divine Being there is a Trinity, composed of three persons who are spoken of in Scripture as the FATHER, SON, and HOLY GHOST. The former of these opinions we affirm not to be the doctine of Scripture; such a metaphysical unity can be held only by declaring God to be, what he himself has nowhere affirined that he is, and by peremptorily denying God to be what he has led us to believe he is, from the whole tenor, and from many express declarations, of the sacred Scriptures. The Scriptures, we affirm, plainly teach that God is one,-that nevertheless, there are three persons bearing distinct names and offices who are called Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, that to each of these three is attributed everything that is most peculiar and appropriate to the Divine nature without any difference;-that those things, which most clearly distinguish God from every created and derived being, do not distinguish these three persons from one another;-that all that is most distinctive of God is not appropriated to THE FATHER alone, nor to THE SON alone, nor to THE SPIRIT alone, but to each and every one of them; and, therefore, that the only living and true God is a Tri-unity consisting of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; and not any one, or any two of these, alone. The Father alone, therefore, exclusive of the Son, and Holy Ghost, is not the one God, the only God, the one supreme cause of all things, or the sole origin of all being, power, wisdom and authority.

But it will be here vehemently urged that inasmuch

« PreviousContinue »