of the Trinity, as revealed in Scripture, needs to be more thoroughly examined, and re-stated. How much of the common statement of the church came out of Scripture, and how much was carried in, is a point not yet determined. The personal unity of God is a Bible doctrine. In what sense the Bible presents three personalities in the one person, is still matter of inquiry."

In the Confession of Faith of the Presbyterian Church, we are told that "The infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture, is the Scripture itself; and therefore, when there is a question about the true and full sense of any Scripture, (which is not manifold, but one,) it may be searched and known by other places that speak more clearly:" that "The Supreme Judge, by whom all controversies of religion are to be determined, and all decrees of councils, opinions of ancient writers, doctrines of men, and private.spirits, are to be examined, and in whose sentence we are to rest, can be no other but the Holy Spirit speaking in the Scripture."

Under the shadow of such names and such authority, and in the exercise of that Christian liberty of which no man may deprive him, a humble student of the Bible may venture to have his opinion of what the Scriptures teach, and to express it, with the reasons therefor.

In so doing, he thinks it proper to state, that.he was brought up an "orthodox" Calvinistic Trinitarian; that his associations have been with such for half a century; and that he has no desire to separate himself from fellowship with those who hold, as he does most unqualifiedly, to the great essential truths of the Gospel before stated. His present views are not obtained from the teachings of "heterodox" writers or preachers; but are the result, gradually reached, of a careful study of the word of God, (he believes with a sincère desire to know the truth therein taught,) and of a comparison of the arguments of Trinitarian writers with its teachings.

These views were adopted, for substance, several years since; and the continued study of the Scriptures, and of the writings of Trinitarian authors, upon the history of Christian doctrines and upon the questions herein treated, has served, not to weaken, but to confirm the convictions of the author, as to their correctness.

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The reader is invited, as his duty and his privilege, to "search the Scriptures, to resort for truth "to the law and to the testimony ;"" being assured that if men, however learned or however exalted, "speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them: " he is invited to "prove all things "* by the word of God, and to "hold fast that which is good" and true, and consistent therewith, even if it does not altogether agree with the teachings of those he has learned to esteem as wise and good.

It is right and proper to respect the opinions of the wise and good; but to accept their views without

1 John v. 39.

2 Isaiah viii. 20.

3 I Thess. v. 21.

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examination, is to assume that they have attained to perfection in knowledge, - that they are omniscient. "Those things which are revealed belong unto us, to all of us, not to our religious teachers alone: "Every one of us shall give account of himself to God: "2 we are all commanded to "search the Scriptures" for ourselves : - and therefore, while we should give due weight to the statements and arguments of others, we have no right to accept their religious instructions without thoroughly testing them by the word of God. And just so far as any man is wise and good, he will wish to have his teachings thoroughly examined; he will be willing to be convinced that they are erroneous, if they are so; and he will gladly welcome the truth, at the expense of his prejudices.

It is no pleasure to the writer to differ so widely from many whom he esteems, and whose ability and general knowledge may far exceed his own; but, → to use the words of another, on another question,

"Truth is greater than all men, and must be pursued and maintained at all hazards. If it can be shown that we have not the truth, we are ready to retract. But until convinced by such arguments as ought to influence and control the conscience and belief of men, we are bound, before Him to whom all are alike accountable, to assert and maintain" the views of truth herein set forth.

God never intended that any man, or any set of men, or any generation of men, in this world, should attain to a knowledge of all the truth, on any subject. Created mind is progressive in its ability to comprehend truth, and in the degree of its attainment of the knowledge of truth. It is so with the individual: it is so with the race: it will be so to all eternity. Eternal investigation of truth, and eternal advancement in knowledge, will be among the chief employments and chief delights of the heavenly state. And it is the indispensable duty of each one of us, while in this life, not to rest satisfied with our present attainments, or with those of others, but to improve all the means within our reach, of gaining knowledge of God, his word, his works, and his ways.

Let those who would cry "heresy," "speculation," "wise above what is written," and the like, when a new view of truth is presented, remember that ridicule is not argument, that calling names convinces no one, that calling Paul a heretic did not prove him to be such. Let them take heed that they judge not harshly the Lord's servants, remembering that to his own Master each one standeth or falleth.

The writer does not claim to have treated his subject exhaustively. He has not attempted to quote or refer to all the passages of Scripture that might be adduced in support of his positions: his aim has been to furnish evidence sufficient to convince the candid mind that his views are substantially in accordance with the clear and positive statements and general tenor of the word of God, and to 1 Acts xxiv. 14.

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notice the leading objections and counter-arguments that may be urged. It is hoped that hereafter some one of more ability and better facilities will treat the subject more fully:

Whenever the language of the texts as quoted, differs from that of our ordinary English Bible, such difference is based on good authority, and is believed to be the correct translation.

A few passages which the reader familiar with the English New Testament would naturally expect to find adduced in support of some of the positions taken, have not been so used, for the reason that a comparison with the readings of the three most celebrated Greek manuscripts - the Sinaitic, the Vatican, and the Alexandrian, -as given by Tischendorf, seems to warrant their omission. The more important of these are given in an Appendix.

May the careful and prayerful study of this important subject, bring to the reader, as the author trusts it has done to him, a more exalted view of the Lord Jesus Christ his Savior, in his entire nature, as God, Son of God, and Son of man, - and result in a higher and better intellectual, spiritual, and experimental knowledge of "God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."

NEWARK, N. J., 1876.

R. D. W.