VI.-DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY.

"It is unquestionable that, from very early times, traditions have been afloat through the world, attaching the notion of a Trinity, in some sense or other, to the First Cause."-Newman's Arians, p. 100.

"But very different was the influence of the ancient theory of Plato, however originated, when it came in contact with believers in the inspired records; who at once discerned in it that mysterious doctrine, brought out as if into bodily shape and almost practical persuasiveness, which lay hid under the angelic manifestations of the Law and the visions of the Prophets."—Ibid. p. 102.

"Even after this Alexandrino-Judaic doctrine had been corrected and completed by the inspired Apostles, St. Paul and St. John, it did not lose its hold upon the Fathers of the Christian Church, who could not but discern in the old Scriptures, even more clearly than their predecessors, those rudiments of the perfect truth which God's former revelations concealed."-Ibid. pp. 103, 104.

"Let it be observed then, that, as regards the doctrine of the Trinity, the mere text of Scripture is not calculated either to satisfy the intellect or to ascertain the temper of those who profess to accept it as a rule of faith."-Ibid. p. 158.

"Thus the systematic doctrine of the Trinity may be considered as the shadow, projected for the contemplation of the intellect, of the Object of scripturally-informed piety; a representation, economical; necessarily imperfect, as being exhibited in a foreign medium, and therefore involving apparent inconsistencies or mysteries; given to the Church by tradition contemporaneously with those apostolic writings, which are addressed more directly to the heart; kept in the background in the infancy of Christianity, when faith and

obedience were vigorous, and brought forward at a time when, reason being disproportionally developed, and aiming at sovereignty in the province of religion, its presence became necessary to expel an usurping idol from the house of God."-Newman's Arians, pp. 159, 160.

VII.-APPLICATION OF THE WORD FACTS TO RELIGIOUS TRUTHS.

Let it be borne in mind that these writers, in their late controversial papers and tracts, have loudly cried out against the application of this term to the truths of Scripture.

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History is made the external garb of prophecy, and persons and facts become the figures of heavenly things. I need only refer, by way of instance, to the delineation of Abraham as the type of the accepted worshipper of God; the history of the brazen serpent; the prophetical bearing of the call of Israel out of Egypt;' the personification of the Church in the Apostolic Epistles as the reflected image of Christ; and, further, to the mystical import, interpreted by our Lord himself, of the title of God as the God of the Patriarchs. Above all other subjects, it need scarcely be said, the likeness of the promised Mediator is conspicuous throughout the sacred volume as in a picture; moving along the line of the history, in one or other of his destined offices, the dispenser of blessings in Joseph, the inspired interpreter of truth in Moses, the conqueror in Joshua, the active preacher in Samuel, the suffering combatant in David, and in Solomon the triumphant and glorious king.”—Newman's Arians, p. 65.

"These doctrines [the Christian mysteries] were the subject of an Apostolical Tradition; they were the very truths

which had been lately revealed to mankind. They had been committed to the Church's keeping, and were dispensed by her to those who sought them, as a favour. They were facts, not opinions."-Newman's Arians, p. 148.

"These observations, thus far, have been directed to those men, and they are very numerous in the present day, who cannot understand the utility of any thing like a creed of facts as distinct from moral lessons."-Sewell's Thoughts on Subscription, p. 17.

"So much for the importance of sound opinions and facts, as distinct from moral precepts."-Ibid. p. 20.

"Thus the facts of a Trinity in unity, the perfect humanity and perfect divinity of our Lord, predestination and free will, faith and works, the fear of God and the love of God, man's greatness and his meanness, the permission of evil, and yet the prevalence of good, the omnipotence of grace, and yet the necessity of self-exertion, the absence of merit, and yet the distribution of rewards, the right of private judgment, and the submission to authority;-these and very many more might be mentioned, as instances of opposite poles, between which the human heart is constantly vibrating, till it settles down into a fixed centre of moderation and adjustment.” Ibid. p. 26.

VIII. TREATMENT OF DISSENTERS, HERETICS, OR SINNERS.

"No economy can be employed towards those who have been once enlightened, and have fallen away. I wish to speak explicitly on this subject, because there is a great deal of that spurious charity among us, which would cultivate the friendship of those who, in a Christian country, speak against the Church or its creeds. Origen and others were not unwilling to be on a footing of intercourse with the heathen philosophers of their day, in order, if it were possible, to lead them into the truth; but deliberate heretics and apostates, those who had known the truth, and rejected it, were

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objects of their abhorrence, and were avoided from the truest charity to them. For what can be said to those who already know all we have to say? and how can we show our fear for their souls, nay, and for our own stedfastness, except by a strong action? Thus Origen, when a youth, could not be induced to attend the prayers of an heretic of Antioch whom his patroness had adopted, βδελυττόμενος, from a loathing, as he says, of heresy. And St. Austin himself tells us, that while he was a Manichee, his own mother would not eat at the same table with him in her house, from her strong aversion to the blasphemies which were the characteristic of his sect. And Scripture fully sanctions this mode of acting by the severity with which such unhappy men are spoken of, on the different occasions when mention is made of them." Newman's Arians, pp. 94, 95.

"Now it has sometimes been said that the commands of strenuous and stern service given to the Israelites,-for instance, relative to their taking and keeping possession of the promised land,-do not apply to us Christians. There can be no doubt it is not our duty to take the sword and kill the enemies of God, as the Jews were told to do; Put up again thy sword into his place,' are our Saviour's words to St. Peter. So far, then, if this is what is meant by saying that these commands do not apply to us, so far, doubtless, it is clear they do not apply to us. But it does not hence follow that the temper of mind which they pre-suppose and foster is not required of us; else, surely, the Jewish history is no longer profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. St. Peter was blamed, not for his zeal, but for his use of the sword."-Newman's Paroch. Serm. vol. iii. p. 191.

"Next observe, this merciless temper, as profane people would call it, but as well-instructed Christians say, this godly zeal, was enjoined upon them under far more distressing circumstances, viz. the transgressions of their own rela

tions and friends.

Now, doubtless, we at this day are not to put men to death for idolatry; but, doubtless also, whatever temper of mind the fulfilment of this command implied in the Jew, such, essentially, must be our temper of mind, whatever else it may be also. Nor was the severe temper under review a duty in the early ages of Judaism only. These are some, out of many instances, which might be brought from the Jewish history, in proof of the duty of strict and severe loyalty to God and his revealed will; and I here adduce them, first, to show that the commands involving it could not, (their number and variety are so great,) could not have related to a merely outward and ceremonial obedience, but must have wrought in the Jews a certain temper of mind, pleasing to God, and therefore necessary for us also to possess."*-Newman's Paroch. Serm. vol. iii. pp. 193–197.

"Thus a certain fire of zeal, showing itself, not by force and blood, but as really and certainly as if it did, cutting through natural feelings, neglecting self, preferring God's glory to all things, firmly resisting sin, protesting against

* Compare with this the following passage of Bishop Butler:"Indeed there are some particular precepts in Scripture, given to particular persons, requiring actions which would be immoral and vicious, were it not for such precepts. But it is easy to see that all these are of such a kind as that the precept changes the whole nature of the case and of the action; and both constitutes and shows that not to be unjust or immoral, which, prior to the precept, must have appeared and really have been so; which may well be, since none of these precepts are contrary to immutable morality. If it were commanded to cultivate the principles, and act from the spirit of treachery, ingratitude, cruelty, the command would not alter the nature of the case, or of the action, in any of these instances," &c.-Anal. pt. ii. ch. 3. See also Graves' Lectures on the Pentateuch, pt. iii. Lect. 1. Mr. Newman would not have the particular act imitated, but he would have the Christian adopt the spirit of the act, and convert it into a general principle.