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the ladder, to move through the series of its descending steps instead of climbing upward
from the bottom of it . . . . . We should feel our way upward . . . . . we greatly fear that a
wrong commencement and a wrong direction may have infected with a certain
presumptuous and a priori spirit the whole of our theology."
"The most zealous Trinitarian affirms of the triune God that He is not the Father, He is
the one God, consisting of Father, Son and Holy Ghost; neither is He the Son, He is the
one God, consisting of Father, Son and Holy Ghost; Neither is He the Holy Ghost, He is
the one God, consisting of Father, Son and Holy Ghost. This is a very general statement,
we allow, nor do we think that Scripture warrants a more special description of the
Trinity; and most surely if the Scriptures do not, reason ought not . . . . . To distinguish,
then, between what is Scripturally plain and what is scholastically or scientifically
obscure in this question, let it first be considered, that there is nothing in the individual
propositions of the Father being God, of Christ being God, of the Holy Spirit being God
which is not abundantly plain . . . . . viewed as separate propositions, there is nothing
incompatible in the sayings of Scripture."
"But there is another proposition equally distinct, and in itself intelligible--it is, that
God is one. Viewed apart from all other sayings, there is nought obscure surely in this
particular saying . . . . . What, then, is that which is commonly termed mysterious in the
doctrine of the Trinity? . . . . . the whole mystery is raised by our bringing them together,
and attempting their reconciliation. But the Scripture does not itself offer, neither does it
ask us to reconcile them. It delivers certain separate propositions, and thus it leaves
them, to each of which, it must be observed, is in and of itself, perfectly level to our
understanding . . . . . We could have tolerated that Socinians and Arians had quarreled
with the phraseology of Athanasius, had it but thrown them back on the simplicities of
the Scripture."
"I should feel inclined to describe (the multiplicity of opinions) by negatives rather
than by affirmatives, denying Sabellianism on the one hand on the Scriptural evidence of
the distinction between Father, Son and Holy Ghost; denying Tritheism on the other, on
the Scriptural evidence of there being only one God, professing the utmost value for the
separate propositions, and on their being formed into a compendious proposition,
confessing my utter ignorance of the ligament which binds them together into one
consistent and harmonious whole."
"We can make out no more of the Trinity than the separate and Scriptural propositions
will let us" (Dr. Chalmers, Institute of Theology).
A word of vital importance, but one much misunderstood in relation to the nature of
God is the word "Person". It will be found that even when the Athanasian Creed is
honestly accepted, and the warning most solemnly repeated that "there are not three
Gods: but one God", a great number who subscribe to the doctrine of the Trinity,
subconsciously conceive of three separate `Gods' or as the term is they are at heart
Tritheists. The XXXIX Articles of the book of Common Prayer opens thus:
"There is but one living and true God, everlasting, without body, parts or passions: of
infinite power, wisdom and goodness, the Maker and Preserver of all things visible and
invisible. And in the unity of the Godhead there be three Persons, of one substance,
power and eternity: the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost."