DISCOURSE: 2465
THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY VINDICATED
1 John 5:7. There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one [Note: Any one who should preach on this subject can use his own discretion about the mode of introducing it. If he be perfectly assured that the words are an interpolation, he can state his views of that matter, and adopt the text, in order to shew, that, though the words themselves are not authentic, the truths contained in them are truly scriptural, and important: or he can take ver. 9. for his text.].
NEVER was there any record so well attested, so worthy of acceptation, so necessary to be believed, as that which God has given of his Son. Upon the receiving or rejecting of it depends the eternal welfare of all mankind. The riches of wisdom, and love, and mercy that are contained in it, surpass all the comprehension of men or angels. With respect to the truth of it, every species of testimony that could be given to it by friends or enemies, by angels from heaven, by men on earth, yea, even by devils themselves, has been given in the most abundant degree. But it has been confirmed by other testimony still, even by the Three Persons in the adorable Trinity.
From the words before us, we shall be led to shew,
I. Who they are that are here said to “bear record”—
Much has been written, and well written, to disprove the authenticity of this text. Certainly, if the genuineness of this text be admitted, and the sense be given to it which those who adduce it as establishing the doctrine of the Trinity, maintain, it will put an end to all controversy on the subject of the Trinity. But we need not be anxious about the validity of this individual passage, as though the doctrine of the Trinity rested upon it; since, if the text were expunged from the Bible, there are a multitude of others which maintain most unequivocally the same important truth.
To establish the mysterious doctrine of a Trinity in Unity, we shall lay down, and substantiate, three positions:
1. There is but one God—
[The unity of God may be deduced even from reason itself: but it is repeatedly affirmed in Scripture [Note: Compare Deuteronomy 6:4. with Mark 12:29.]; nor must a doubt of it ever be suffered to enter into our minds. It is true, that in a subordinate sense there are gods many, and lords many; because angels, and magistrates, and the idols of heathens, are sometimes called by these names on account of the resemblance they bear to God in the authority vested in them, and the respect paid to them: but there is One Supreme Being, who alone is self-existent, and from whom all other beings, whether in heaven or earth, derive their existence. He, and he only, is God [Note: 1 Corinthians 8:5-6.]
2. Though there is only one God, yet there are three distinct Persons in the Godhead—
[In reference to this subject, we use the term persons, because there is no other so suitable: but we mean not that these persons are in all respects as distinct from each other as Peter, James, and John; but only that in some respects they are distinguished from each other, though they subsist together in one undivided essence.
It is certain that there are three persons mentioned in the Scripture: for baptism is ordered to be administered, not in the name of God merely, but “in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost [Note: Matthew 28:19.].” These three are represented as distinct from each other; for the Son has told us, that “he will send the Holy Spirit from the Father [Note: John 15:26.].” They are moreover spoken of as performing separate offices in the work of redemption; the Father elects [Note: Ephesians 1:4.]; the Son redeems [Note: Ephesians 1:7.]; the Spirit sanctifies [Note: Romans 15:16.]; and St. Peter, comprising in few words the whole mystery of redemption, ascribes to each of these persons his proper office [Note: 1 Peter 1:2.]. They are also declared to be sources of distinct blessings to the Church; the Apostle prays, that “the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, may be with us all [Note: 2 Corinthians 13:14.]
3. Each of these persons is God, without any difference or inequality—
[We shall not occupy any time with proving the Godhead of the Father; but, taking that for granted, shall establish the Godhead of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.
To each of these belong the same names as unto the Father. Is the Father God? so is the Word [Note: John 1:1.], (as Christ is called in the text). He is “Emmanuel, God with us [Note: Matthew 1:23.],” God manifest in the flesh [Note: 1 Timothy 3:16.], the mighty God [Note: Isaiah 9:6.], God over all, blessed for evermore [Note: Romans 9:5.]. To Him is also given the incommunicable name, Jehovah; for we are to call him, “Jehovah our Righteousness [Note: Jeremiah 23:6.].” To the Holy Spirit also these names belong. Ananias, in lying unto the Holy Ghost, lied unto God [Note: Acts 5:3-4.]. And we, in being the temples of the Holy Ghost, are the temples of God [Note: 1 Corinthians 3:16.]. The words also which were confessedly spoken by Jehovah to the Prophet Isaiah [Note: Isaiah 6:9-10.], are quoted by St. Paul as spoken by the Holy Ghost [Note: Acts 28:25.].
To each of these the same attributes also are ascribed as characterize the Father. Is the Father eternal, omnipresent, omniscient, almighty? So is the Son [Note: Micah 5:2 and Hebrews 13:8; Matthew 18:20; Matthew 28:20; John 2:25; John 21:17. John 1:3 and Matthew 28:18.] — — — and so is the Holy Ghost [Note: Hebrews 9:14. Psalms 139:7-8. 1 Corinthians 2:10. Genesis 1:2 and Job 26:13.] — — —]
What now is the conclusion to be drawn from these premises, but that which is asserted in the text, that “there are Three that bear record in heaven; and that those Three are One [Note: Hence we see how properly we are taught to express our belief of this doctrine in the Athanasian Creed: “We worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; neither confounding the persons, nor dividing the substance; for there is one person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Ghost: but the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, is all one, the glory equal, the majesty co-eternal …So that in all things the Unity in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity, is to be worshipped.”]?”
Having shewn that by the Three Witnesses we are to understand the Triune God, we proceed to shew,
II.
What that is concerning which they bear record—
We may well expect that the importance of the matter to which these Divine Witnesses have borne record, is suited to the majesty of the Witnesses themselves. Acccordingly we find, that,
Their testimony relates to the salvation that is in Christ Jesus—
[God, who had passed by the angels that fell, has looked in mercy upon fallen man, and has given us eternal life, in and through his Son Jesus Christ [Note: ver. 11.]. He sent his dear Son to die in our stead, and, by his own obedience unto death, to work out a righteousness whereby we might be saved. The merit whereby we are to be justified, and the grace whereby we are to be renewed, he treasured up for us in Christ; and he calls all men to receive these blessings out of his fulness. This way of salvation is open for all, and sufficient for all: but, this rejected, no other remains for us.
This is the sum and substance of the Gospel; and this it is to which the Sacred Three bear record.]
Nor is their testimony at all more than the subject requires—
[If God himself had not revealed such things, who could ever have imagined them? who could ever have thought of God becoming incarnate, and, by his own death, expiating the guilt of his own creatures? Who could ever have devised a plan so calculated to exalt the perfections of God; so suited to answer the necessities of man; and so efficacious to renew us after the Divine image? — — — Besides, supposing these things to have been reported, who would ever have believed them, if they had not been thus divinely attested? Notwithstanding the testimonies given by the Sacred Three, there is yet reason to adopt that reiterated complaint, “Who hath believed our report [Note: Isaiah 53:1. John 12:38. Romans 10:16.]?” Professions of faith indeed abound amongst us; but a true believer, whose feelings and conduct accord with his professions, is “a sign and a wonder” in Christendom itself [Note: Isaiah 8:18.]
It remains yet to be declared,
III.
In what manner they bear record—
Each of these Divine Persons has borne record at divers times, and in different manners—
[The Father thrice bore witness to Christ by an audible voice from heaven; declaring at the same time his acquiescence in him as the Saviour of men; and requiring us at the peril of our souls to “hear” and receive him in that character [Note: Matthew 3:17; Matthew 18:5 and John 12:28.]. Moreover, in raising Christ from the dead, he yet more emphatically testified, that he had discharged the debt for which he had been imprisoned in the grave, and was “able to save to the uttermost all that should come unto God through him [Note: Romans 1:4.].”
The Lord Jesus Christ continually bore witness to himself. When asked, “If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly;” he answered, “I have told you, and ye believe me not [Note: John 10:24-25.].” “Before Pontius Pilate he witnessed the same good confession [Note: 1 Timothy 6:13.],” though he knew that it would issue in his death. After his resurrection, he called himself “the true and faithful witness,” and testified, “I am he that was dead and am alive again, and have the keys of death and of hell [Note: Revelation 1:18; Revelation 3:14.].”
The Holy Spirit also bore witness to him, when he descended in a bodily shape, like a dove upon him: and again, when he came down in the likeness of fiery tongues upon the Apostles, and converted three thousand to the faith of Christ. Similar testimonies he still continued to give [Note: Acts 10:44-45.]; and at this very day, when any are converted to the faith, it is owing to the testimony which the Holy Spirit bears to Christ; “the Spirit testifies of him,” and thereby produces conviction or consolation in the soul [Note: John 15:26; John 16:7-11.].
Thus the Sacred Three bear record in heaven, and by their united testimony encourage our acceptance of the salvation offered us in the Gospel.]
Infer—
1.
How unreasonable and dangerous is unbelief!
[If only men, who are credible and competent witnesses, attest a thing, we think it right to believe them. What an insult then is it to the Sacred Three to doubt their testimony! Yet this, alas! is the treatment which their record meets with in the world. Some reject it as “a cunningly-devised fable;” while others, professing a regard to it in general, deny the most important part of it, the necessity of being saved by Christ alone. Even those who in their hearts approve the Gospel, are too apt to doubt the freeness and sufficiency of the salvation revealed in it. Let every one consider the extreme sinfulness of such conduct, and abhor the thought of “making God a liar [Note: ver. 9, 10.]”.]
2. What obligation lies upon believers to bear an open testimony to the truth!
[It is evident how earnestly God desires that his dear Son should be known, and that the salvation wrought out by him should be embraced. Now believers are his witnesses in the midst of a blind deluded world. Ought they then to be ashamed or afraid to bear their testimony for God? What if the world agree to call the Gospel a delusion, and to consider all as hypocrites or fanatics who embrace it? Should that deter us from making a public profession of his truth? Should we not rather be the bolder in confessing Christ, in proportion as others are bold in denying him?
But let us not confine our profession to creeds and forms: the best and most acceptable way of declaring our affiance in Christ, is by manifesting to the world its efficacy on our hearts and lives. This will make them think that there is a reality in the Gospel; and may contribute to win many who never would obey the written word.]
3. How exalted must be the glory which believers will enjoy in heaven!
[It cannot be conceived that the Three Persons of the Godhead would have devised and executed such a wonderful plan of salvation, if the end to be accomplished by it were not exceeding glorious. Surely all that the love of the Father can devise, all that the blood of Christ can purchase, all that the Holy Spirit can impart, is prepared for us in the eternal world, and shall be bestowed on us according to our measure and capacity to receive it. Yes, in heaven we shall see God as he is, and have the brightest discoveries of his glory: and, while we have the richest enjoyment of his presence and love, we ourselves shall be witnesses for him, how far his mercy could reach, what astonishing changes it could effect, and what blessedness it can bestow on the most unworthy of mankind.]