head, then such forms of expression can hardly fail to be recognized as having their foundation in that great truth.
2. Much more important, however, is the fact, that not only in Genesis, but also in all the early books of Scripture, we find a distinction made between Jehovah and the angel of Jehovah, who himself is God, to whom all divine titles are given, and divine worship is rendered. As the revelation is unfolded, such distinc- tion becomes more and more manifest. This messenger of God is called the word, the wisdom, the Son of God. His personality and divinity ai'e clearly revealed. He is of old, even from ever- Jastino;, the Mighty God, the Adonai, the Lord of David, Jehovah our Righteousness, who was to be born of a virgin, and bear the sins of many.
3. In like manner, even in the first chapter of Genesis, the Spirit of God is represented as the source of all intelligence, order, and life in the created universe ; and in the following books of the Old Testament He is represented as inspiring the prophets, giving wisdom, strength, and goodness to statesmen and warriors, and to the people of God. This Spirit is not an agency, but an agent, who teaches and selects ; who can be sinned against and grieved ; and who, in the New Testament, is unmistakably revealed as a distinct person. When John the Baptist appeared, we find him speaking of the Holy Spirit as of a person with whom his country- men were familiar, as an object of divine worship and the giver of saving blessings. Our divine Lord also takes this truth for granted, and promised to send the Spirit, as a Paraclete, to take his place ; to instruct, comfort, and strengthen them ; whom they were to receive and obey. Thus, without any violent transition, the ear- liest revelations of this mystery were gradually unfolded, until the Triune God, Father, Son, and Spirit, appears in the New Testa- ment as the universally recognized God of all believers.
The Formula of Baptism.
4. In the formulas of Baptism and of the Apostolic Benedic- tion, provision was made to keep this doctrine constantly before the minds of the people, as a cardinal article of the Christian faith. Every Christian is baptized in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. The personality, the divinity, and con- sequently the equality of these three subjects, are here taken for granted. The association of the Son and Spirit with the Father; the identity of relation, so far as dependence and obedience are concerned, which we sustain to the Father, Son, and Spirit re-
448 PART I. — THEOLOGY. [Ch. VI. — The Trinitt
spectively ; the confession and profession involved in the ordi- nances ; all forbid any other interpretation of this formula than that which it has always received in the Chnrch. If the expres- sion, " In the name of the Father," imphes the personality of the Father, the same implication is involved when it is used in refer- ence to the Son and Spirit. If we acknowledge our subjection and allegiance to the one, we acknowledge the same subjection and allegiance to the other divine persons here named.
The Apostolic Benediction.
In the apostolic benediction a prayer is addressed tc Christ for his grace, to the Father for his love, and to the Spirit for his fel- lowship. The personality and divinity of each are therefore solemnly recognized every time that this benediction is pronounced and received.
5. In the record of our Lord's baptism, the Father addresses the Son, and the Spirit descends in the form of a dove. In the dis- course of Christ, recorded in the 14th, ISth, and 16th chapters of John's Gospel, our Lord speaks to and of the Father, and prom- ises to send the Spirit to teach, guide, and comfort his disciples. In that discourse the personality and divinity of the Father, Son, and Spirit are recognized with equal clearness. In 1 Cor. xii. 4-6, the Apostle speaks of diversity of gifts, but the same Spirit ; of diver- sity of administration, but the same Lord ; and of diversities of operations, but the same God.
It is not to be forgotten, however, that the faith of the Church in the doctrine of the Trinity, does not rest exclusively or princi- pally on such arguments as those mentioned above. The great foundation of that faith is what is taught everywhere in the Bible of the unity of the Divine Being ; of the personality and divinity of the Father, Son, and Spirit ; and of their mutual relations.
§ 3. The Transition Pei'iod.
A. The Necessity for a more Definite Statement of the Doctrine.
The Biblical form of the doctrine of the Trinity, as given above, includes everything that is essential to the integrity of the doc- trine, and all that is embraced in the faith of ordinary Christians. It is not all, however, that is included in the creeds of the Church. It is characteristic of the Scriptures, that the truths therein pre- sented are exhibited in the form in which they address themselves to our rehgious consciousness. To this feature of the "Word of