this Unity, however, is not a bare Unity, but aff Unity that is triple, and a triplicity that is one."*

If we pass to the East-Indies, there we find from the latest discoveries, by the learned Sir William Jones, that the Hindoos have always had a sacred triliteral name, as only applicable to the Supreme Be-. ing, which must have been the consequence of traditions handed down from Noah. The name is O, U, M.†

These few instances, out of a thousand that might have been adduced, may suffice to shew our

Phil. Princip. vol. ii. 120.

Since this work has been prepared for the press, the author has acci dentally met with the first volume of Mr. Maurice's Indian Antiquities, wherein to his great surprize, and greater pleasure, he finds Mr. Maurice ably supporting the same doctrines from the latest discoveries in the EastIndies, since Sir William Jones's observations above quoted. His words are-" A species of Trinity forms a constant and prominent feature in nearly all the systems of Oriental theology."

"This extensive and interesting subject engrosses a considerable portion of this work, and my anxiety to prepare the public mind to receive with indulgence, my efforts to elucidate so mysterious a point of theology, induces me to remind the candid reader, that visible traces of this doctrine aré discovered, not only in the three principles of the Chaldaic theology; in the triplasian Mithra of Persia; in the triad Bhrahma, Veshnu and Sceva of India, where it evidently was promulged in the GEETA fifteen hundred years before the birth of Plato; but in the Numen triplex of Japan; in the inscription upon the famous medal found in the deserts of Siberia, “to the Triune God," to be seen at this day in the invaluable cabinet of the empréss at Petersburgh; in the Tanga-Tanga, or three in one, of the SouthAmericans; and finally, without mentioning the vestiges of it in Greece, in the symbol of the wing, the globe, and the serpent, conspicuous on most of the ancient temples in Upper Egypt." And again in his 6th vol. p. 65, he observes, "That the Druids represented him (their Hermes or Taut or Theutates) and the peculiar allegorical delineation of the doctrines which he taught the Oriental world, in the figure of the orb, serpent and wings, which is engraved in not less conspicuous characters on the extensive plains of Abury, in Wiltshire, (Great-Britain) than the Thebais of ancient Egypt."

author's incorrectness, though it may not be amiss, for general information, to add, in confirmation, some quotations, as cited by the excellent and learned author of the Hora Solitariæ.

Augustine Philastrus says, "That the doctrine of the Trinity was esteemed as ancient as the world, and reputed an heresy to think the contrary.” Augustine positively declares, "That the substance of what is now called the Christian religion, was maintained by the ancient believers, and existed from the very beginning of human nature." God's people were Christians, even in the time of the Patriarchs, and so denominated by God himself, in Psalms, 5th chap. 5th ver. "Touch not my anointed," or Christians, (both words having one meaning)" and do my prophets no harm." And Philastrus, bishop of Brixen, says, "That the Trinity of Christianity was asserted from the foundation of the world."

Thus stands the testimony, taken very briefly from the principles of the heathen mythology handed down by tradition from Noah. We will now proceed to the Jewish tenets on this subject, as they are contained in their sacred books, and their best writers, before Christianity generally prevailed in the world. They had this doctrine, as has already appeared, regularly handed down to them, from the same source of Divine revelation. Their Scriptures are full of it; otherwise with what propriety could John the Baptist, our Lord himself, and his apostles after his resurrection, so freely use the terms Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, in their instructions of the people, without any previous introduction, explanation, or comment, to reconcile their

hearers to so new and alarming a doctrine, if it had not been familiar to them in their own system of religion. The Jews were so jealous of their religious principles, that they did not suffer any one to use the ineffable name of Jehovah, but on the most solemn and awful occasions.

There are thirty different places in the book of Genesis-one hundred in the law, and five hundred throughout the Old-Testament, where the words Elohim or Alehim, Eloheka and Adonai, (Gods, the Lord thy Gods) are made use of. All three of the Trinity are equally called Jehovah, the self-existent or the eternal Being, with the difference of a termination as Jehovah-ab-Jehovah-el-Jehovah-ruach. although our translators have not thought proper to make the necessary distinction. The sacred Scriptures of the Jews contain many other instances to our purpose on this subject. Abraham calls one of the three Beings, who came to him before the destruction of Sodom, "The Almighty God, the judge of all the earth." Jacob, in his journey to Canaan, at Mahanaim, called the place Peniel, because he had seen God face to face. Moses beheld the Lord in the burning bush. The whole process at Mount Sinai, shows that it was Jehovah-el, who met Moses there. "Then went up Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel and they saw the God of Israel, and there was under his feet, as it were, a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of Heaven in its clearness-also they saw God, and did eat and drink.”

Now no reasonable man will assert, that the essential, infinite, unveiled essence of the Deity, was

1

seen by these holy men of old, or that any created being ever conversed with the pure and spiritual nature of God, or beheld him face to face. But all these glorious displays of Jehovah-el, in his communication with his ancient people, were that of the Word or Logos, in his glorified body, before his incarnation; for Christ himself expressly prays, "That he may be glorified with the glory which he had before the world was ;"* and the apostles declare, that "They beheld his glory as that of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. In the 2d Psalm, David says, "That the kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and his Christ, or anointed. The Lord hath said unto me, thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry-blessed are all they that put their trust in him." Again, "The Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool."|| This is translated in the Targum, "The Lord said unto his word." So in Proverbs, xxx. 4. "What is God's name, and what is his son's name, if thou canst tell." To the like purpose is Isaiah, xi. 1. 2."And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots, and the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding." And again, "Thus saith Jehovah the Redeemer, the Lord of hosts; I am the first and I am the last, and beside me there is no God;" and in chap. xlviii. 16, 17, "And now the Lord God, and his Spirit, hath sent me." And

in chap. xliv. 24, "Thus saith the Lord thy Re deemer, the holy one of Israel, I am the Lord thy God." Isaiah, lv. 5. "Thy Makers are thy Husbands, the Lord of Hosts is his name." And in chap. lix. 19, "When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him." In chap. lxi. 1. "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me.” In the 2d book of Esdras, chap. xiii. 32," And then shall my Son be revealed, whom thou sawest go up as a man." Ibid, 37. "And this, my Son, shall rebuke the wicked inventions of the nations." Wisdom, chap. ix. 1, “O God of my fathers, and Lord of mercy, who hath made all things by thy Word." So, in Ecclesiasticus, chap. xxiv. 3, 9, speaking of Wisdom, "I am come out of the mouth of the Most High; he created me from the beginning, before the world was." Again, chap. li. 10, "I called upon the Lord, the father of my Lord." Wisdom of Solomon, chap. xviii. 15, "Thine Almighty Word leaped down from Heaven, out of thy royal throne." In chap. vii. 25, 26, speaking of Wisdom, "For she is the breath of the power of God, and a pure influence flowing from the glory of the Almighty-for she is the brightness of the everlasting light, the unspotted mirror of the power of God, and the image of his goodness; and being but one, she can do all things." Judith, chap. xvi. 14. "Thou didst send forth thy Spirit, and it created them.”

And to those who may not be inclined to credit the assertion that this doctrine was known in Pales tine, a learned author already quoted, "Begs leave to propose the following Symbol, by which the ancient