the subject required.

"Let those" (says Park

hurst)" who have any doubt whether Elohim, when meaning the true God, Jehovah, be plural or not, consult the following passages, where they will find it joined with adjectives, verbs, and pronouns plural.

"Gen. i. 26; iii. 22; xi. 7; xx. 13; xxxi. 7, 53; xxxv. 7; Deut. iv. 7; v. 23; Josh. xxiv. 19; 1 Sam. iv. 8; 2 Sam. vii. 23; Ps. lviii. 12; Isa. vi. 8; Jer. x. 10; xxiii. 36.

"See also Prov. ix. 10; xxx. 3; Ps. cxlix. 2; Eccl. v. 7; xii. 1; Job v. 1; Isa. vi. 3; liv. 5; lxii. 5; Hos. xi. 12; or xii. 1; Mal. i. 6; Dan.

v. 18, 20; vii. 18, 22.”

(Though we have referred to Parkhurst as excellent authority respecting the meaning of Hebrew words generally, yet the Masoretic system of pronunciation is here preferred and adopted.)

This plural noun, therefore, being in general, though not always, used as the nominative case to a singular verb, while denoting the true God, evidently indicates a united plurality of divine persons; and, while taken in connexion with other scriptural passages respecting the Word and the Paraclete, cannot fail to restrict that plurality to three persons. Hence the divine Trinity in Unity can be fully supported by the sacred scriptures. (See Disser. parag. 12, on the word Elohim.)

SECTION II.

Both Reason and Revelation may be so contemplated as not to be incongruous to each other in their respective views of the divine nature; and our deductions (in Part the First) are not incompatible with the Doctrine of the Trinity.

The energies of God (as we have intimated in Part the First) may be respectively classed under two denominations, viz. those that are of eternally incessant operation, and those that are not so.

Now, supposing the divine Word and the Holy Ghost to exist by a divine energy of the former class; it would hence follow that they are indissolubly co-existent and co-eternal with the self-existent Father. And whatever difficulty there may be to prevent our being able to comprehend the manner of that divine and indissoluble union; yet there is nothing in our view at all at variance with the fact itself. That cause and effect, moreover, in such cases, may be coeval and co-eternal, see Cor. 4. to No. 4 of Part the First; which corollary has been reserved exclusively for this place in our disquisition. And although it partly depends on analogy for its support, it is here perfectly conclusive, where

no valid argument can be advanced against the possibility on which we rest for a basis.

What rational being, in short, could be so inconsiderate as to deny that an eternally operating energy of God may produce co-eval and coeternal effects? The self-existent energy is of eternally incessant operation, and its immediate effects cannot be conceived less than eternal; and so of the omniscient energy, and its immediate effect omniscience. What, then, is to prevent that divine energy whereby the Word and the Holy Ghost exist in union with the Father, from being precisely similar in relation to its immediate effects; both cause and effect being accordingly co-eval and co-eternal.

Thus reason, at least, denies not an inference which may be deduced from revelation, viz. that the Word and the Holy Ghost exist eternally in union with their associate cause, the self-existent Father, by a divine energy which is of eternally incessant operation.

Now, there being but one divine nature; and that divine nature being eternally immutable; it follows that it is also unchangeable in relation to the persons or inseparable emanations thereof. By reason, also, of the eternal union of these persons, or inseparable emanations, we recognise in them but one Being, the ever-blessed Jehovah, the living God.

Seeing, therefore, that this doctrine is not at variance with the eternal immutability of the divine nature, it does not clash with the deductions we have drawn as to the energies of an essentially immutable Creator. Neither do our inferences interfere in the slightest degree with the said doctrine, but humbly contribute their concurrent voice in favour of her claims.

Though we have considered the Word and the Holy Ghost as existing by a divine energy, which is of eternally incessant operation-it is not thence to be inferred, that they do not equally participate in all the other divine energies or perfections for there is not as much as one divine energy peculiar to any of the Three Persons, as is evidently implied in their eternally infrangible union.

When, moreover, for want of a better in our language, we apply the term triune to God, we design not to express by it any thing whatever bordering on a corporeal or dissoluble union; it being intended, in the sense wherein we adopt it, invariably to designate by that term, the spiritual and eternally uninterrupted union of Three Persons in one divine nature.

As to the Messiah, in him we contemplate a Being both divine and human; in whom, however, there is simply a spiritual union of these two different natures, and not any thing like an

amalgamation or commixture; the Second Person of the eternal Trinity being spiritually united with "the man Christ Jesus," to constitute the glorious Redeemer of the world.

SECTION III.

A remarkable passage in St. Paul's first epistle to the Corinthians (chap. xv. ver. 28.) expounded, so as not to clash with the indissoluble union of the eternal Trinity.

We are not to suppose the union of the Trinity in any respect dissoluble, though St. Paul saith, "when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all." For who is he "that put all things under him?" This may probably be ascertained from a preceding verse; "for he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.” Who must reign?-Christ the Messiah. "The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death." This evidently relates to the new state of nature, that is promised after the dissolution of the present frame or form of the universe, when death itself shall cease, and immortality possess full and undivided dominion. At that promised period, perhaps the office of Mediator is necessarily to cease; there being henceforth no object