Christian Theology - Media Sabda Org

were manifested; and merely, I think, more forcibly to mark this divine
personality.
The apostles were commissioned to teach and proselyte all the nations,
and baptize them in the name of the holy Trinity, Matt. xxviii, 19.
Baptism, properly speaking, whether administered by dipping, or
sprinkling, signifies a full and eternal consecration of the person to the
service and honour of that Being in whose name it is administered; but
this consecration can never be made to a creature; therefore the Father,
and the Son, and the Holy Spirit are not creatures. Again: baptism is not
made in the name of a quality or attribute of the divine nature; therefore
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit are not qualities or attributes
of the divine nature. The orthodox, as they are termed, have generally
considered this text a decisive proof of the doctrine of the holy Trinity:
and what else can they draw from it? Is it possible for words to convey a
plainer sense than these do? And do they not direct every reader to
consider the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, as three distinct
persons? "But this I can never believe." I cannot help that. You shall not
be persecuted by me for differing from my opinion. I cannot go over to
you; I must abide by what I believe to be the meaning of the Scriptures.
Eph. ii, 18: "For through him," Christ Jesus, "we both," Jews and
Gentiles, "have access by one Spirit," through the influence of the Holy
Ghost, "unto the Father," God Almighty. This text is a plain proof of the
holy Trinity. Jews and Gentiles are to be presented to God the Father; and
the Spirit of God works in their hearts, and prepares them for this
presentation: and Jesus Christ himself introduces them. No one can have
access to God but by Jesus Christ, and he introduces none but such as
receive his Holy Spirit.
Even the doctrine of the eternal Trinity in unity may be collected from
numberless appearances in nature. A consideration of the herb trefoil is
said to have been the means of fully convincing the learned Erasmus of
the truth of the assertion, "These three are one;" and yet three distinct. He
saw the same root, the same fibres, the same pulpy substance, the same