DISCOURSE III. ON THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY. Preached on the Thursday before TRINITY SUNDAY, 1824. MATTHEW, III. 16, 17. "And Jesus, when he was baptised, went up straightway out of the water; and, lo! the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him; and, lo! a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” IT has been suggested, that these words do not prove the Spirit of God to have descended upon Jesus in the form of a dove; for the expression, "descending like a dove," may merely be descriptive of the motion with which the Spirit descended. It cannot, however, be denied, that the words will bear the former and more usual interpretation, quite as well as the latter; and I am disposed to adhere to it, for three reasons. First, because its being so understood by the majority of readers is a proof that it is more natural and obvious to consider "descending like a dove" as indicating the form and similitude, than merely the kind of motion with which the Spirit descended. Secondly, because it appears, that the Spirit did assume a visible form; and it is not natural that so extraordinary a thing should be mentioned, without mentioning what that form was. And, thirdly, because the form of a dove is expressive of meekness and love; and, therefore, is no less significant an emblem of the effect of the Spirit upon Christ and all true Christians, than the "cloven tongues, like as of fire," were of the peculiar gifts conferred upon the Apostles on the day of Pentecost. The form in which the Spirit descended upon our Lord after his baptism, is, however, of comparatively small importance. The fact of his having descended at all, is most interesting, and deserves our most serious attention. Christ gave abundant proofs, during his manifestation in the flesh, of the completeness of his Godhead. For example, when he said, “Before Abraham was, I am," 991 or, "I and my Father are 1 John, viii. 58. one, "2 he asserted; and when he said to the stormy waves, "Peace, be still," and was obeyed, he proved, that he was very God. Yet we see from the passage before us, that as Man, he was, like other men, sanctified by the Holy Ghost; who assumed a visible form on this occasion, for the purpose of demonstrating so important a truth to the world. This truth is important, because it shews that, as the infinite perfections of Christ's Godhead could not be altered by its union with finite and imperfect man; so the natural frailty, the mereness of his manhood, was not altered by its personal union with God. For, if the human nature of Christ had been already exalted into super-human security and strength by its union with God the Son, there would have been no occasion for the descent of God the Holy Ghost. It is also important, as shewing that, though of the same Divine nature, which is essentially one, still God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost, are two distinct persons; for the Son was personally united with the man Christ Jesus before he thus received the Holy Ghost. And, at the same time that two persons in the Godhead were manifested to the world by the visible descent of the Holy Ghost upon the God-Man Christ Jesus, lo, a third Divine Person announced himself, in "a voice from Heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." Thus does the passage selected for our Text conduct us at once to the great doctrine of the Trinity, which is so vehemently assailed in these days, as indeed it has ever been since its first promulgation by our Lord. Nor is it surprising that the Enemy of our Salvation should have been so eager and persevering in his attacks upon this holy doctrine; for it is not only one of the chief bulwarks, but it is the very capitol and centre of the kingdom of Christ, to lose or possess which, is to lose or possess the whole. If we give up the Divinity of the Holy Ghost, we give up all the force and vitality of that doctrine which has recently occupied our attention, of his regenerating, sustaining, sanctifying influences. If we give up the Divinity of Jesus Christ, we not only deprive ourselves of all those powerful and peculiarly Christian motives to obedience, which are derived from the love of God the Father in sending his only Son to die for our redemption, and the love and condescen sion of that Son in desiring to be so sent; but we surrender, as our adversaries themselves declare, all the proper efficacy of the Atonement, which he came into the world to make for our sins; that is, we surrender every rational and well-founded hope of pardon and acceptance with God. If, therefore, we abandon the doctrine of the Trinity, we abandon the very life and soul of the Gospel,—we abandon the whole of Christianity at once. The truth of this statement will be most apparent to those who have most assiduously, and devoutly, and humbly studied the word of God. But it may be briefly, and, I think, satisfactorily confirmed, by a reference to our Lord's last instructions to his Apostles, as recorded by the Evangelist St. Matthew. At his most solemn appearance after his Resurrection, that appearance in Galilee, which he had announced before his Crucifixion, and to witness which the women, who first learnt that he was risen, were directed by the Angel, and by Jesus1 himself to summon the disciples in general, his instructions to the Apostles were, "Go ye and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, 4 Matt. xxviii. 7 and 10. |