It may help the Christian reader to trace through the Scriptures the fundamental doctrine of the Trinity. By the Trinity we mean the three Divine Persons in the unity of the Godhead-the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; three distinct persons in Godhead glory, and, as such, co-eternal, co-glorious, and co-equal. The Father is God, the Son is God, the Spirit is God, but gloriously one in Godhead unity.

But for divine revelation we should be in utter ignorance of God, would be groping in the dark, like the heathen philosophers of old. All such attempts have been, and will be found, futile; but in divine revelation all is plain; we have only to sit down and learn. But in learning we need to tread with unshod feet, and be delivered from all mere carnal thoughts, and exclude all reasonings and deductions of the human mind; for " who by searching can find out God?" (Job. 11:7). That was a question that was asked in the days of Job, and man's inability to answer it fully manifested by the grovelings and absurdities of the pagan philosophers, and the would-be philosophers of our own day.

We are absolutely dependent upon divine revelation for any true knowledge of God, though in creation " His eternal power and divinity " are seen, which leaves men without excuse (Rom 1:19, 20).

To that divine revelation-the sacred Scriptures, the word of God-we will turn, and there find abundant light as to God-the three persons in the unity of the Godhead.

In connection with creation we find the first reference to the Trinity; that is, in the order in which it is stated in the Scriptures, though in later scriptures we are carried farther back, even into eternity, before creation was, to see its different Persons, co-existent and co-glorious.

In creation the three Persons are seen acting in unity to bring into being this great and glorious universe. No more sublime statement do we find than in Gen. i:i, where it says, "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth."

But creation must not be supposed to be "an almost endless process of evolution which began countless ages ago," but rather that God by His creative word spoke into being the creation. "He spake and it was done, He commanded and it stood fast," and as it came into being, fresh from His hand, it displayed the infinite power and wisdom of the Creator. Read Ps. 19:1-6; Ps. 33:4-9.

This mighty creation of our God is but the creature of His word. '' In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." And though it was not the revelation of God, (for no created thing could be the revelation of God), yet it was the display of "His eternal power and divinity," so that men might have seen that God was, and that a personal God was behind and the Author of it all, and that no impersonal "natural laws," or "natural forces," (mere creatures of the Creator) could be God, as some vainly suppose. God spake into being, then, this great and glorious creation, and on it was the Creator's stamp of perfection; and in the creation we see the three persons of the Godhead working in divine harmony and unity.

If not, what is the meaning of, "And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the water?" and in John i:3 and in Col. i creation is attributed to the Son of God, for it is written of Him:"Who is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation:for by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers:all things were created by Him, and for Him:and He is before all things, and by Him all things subsist."

"First-born of all creation "is a relative title of supremacy and headship over all, as He was before, or prior to, creation-Himself the Creator.

Again, when man is to be called into being, what is the meaning of those Divine counselings, if there is but one person in the Godhead? "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness." The personal pronouns "us" and "our" mean, beyond question, the different persons of the Godhead. So man was created in their "likeness," because created a moral and intelligent being; and in their "image " because he was, under God, placed as head of this world-scene, there to represent Him.

Again, what is the meaning of those words in Prov. 30:4:"Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended ? who hath gathered the wind in His fist ? who hath bound the waters in a garment ? who hath established all the ends of the earth ? what is His name, and what is His Son's name, if thou canst tell ?" Clearly then, before the incarnation of the Son, all are plainly and definitely taught in the revelation God has given us, in connection with His ways in creation, the three persons in the Godhead. We are not left to human speculation on a subject infinitely beyond us, but we have the clear statements of divine revelation. On this, faith takes its stand and proclaims the doctrine of the Trinity-the glorious Three in One, and One in Three.

But when we come to redemption, we have not only the three persons of the Trinity, acting in divine harmony and unity, but we have also a revelation of God Himself.

And in this we are infinite gainers. For redemption supposes that sin has come in, and defaced the likeness of God in man, separated him from God, deprived him of the knowledge of God; so that his condition is described in Scripture as being "lost," "guilty," "dead in trespasses and sins," and "alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart" (Luke 19:10; Rom. 3:19; Eph. 2:1; Eph. 4:18; Titus 3:3).

And to accomplish this great and glorious work of redemption, infinitely more glorious than the work of creation, the eternal Son, the everlasting "Word, became flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth " (John i:14). And, in the Son of God become man, we have the revelation of God, as we read, " No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him " (John i:18). So much so that the Lord Jesus could say, "He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father " (John 14:9); for He was "the brightness of God's glory, and the express image of His person " (Heb. i:2, 3). He was "God manifested in flesh" (i Tim. 3:16), " who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen" (Rom. 9:4, 5).

There are various scriptures which speak of the Godhead as active in the work of redemption. Take Heb. 9:14:"How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit, offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God." Here we find three distinct persons-God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit-active in the accomplishment of the great and glorious work of redemption. Marvelous truth ! God revealed, Satan defeated, and redemption accomplished in this world; so that man, convicted of sin, may turn in repentance to God, and have redemption through the blood of Christ, and in the blessed person of the Son recover the knowledge of God. " No man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal Him. Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matt. ii:27, 28).

What more blessed for poor man, lost and guilty, and alienated from the life of God, as he is, to come to the blessed Son of God, and find in Him a redeemer and the revealer of the Father? This is rest indeed! Rest from the burden of sin, rest from a guilty conscience, and rest in the sweet and blessed knowledge of God as Father; and as sealed by the Holy Spirit, to cry, "Abba, Father" (Rom.
8:15).

Again, take the tenth chap, of Hebrews and we have the same display of the Trinity. God who wills the Son coming to accomplish that will in His sacrifice on the cross, and the Holy Spirit witnessing to the believer's heart that his sins and iniquities will be remembered no more, on the ground of the once offered and eternally accepted sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. Read vers. 5-18.

Again, in our access to God we see the same three blessed persons of the Godhead. ''For through Him (Christ) we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father" (Eph. 2:18).

Again, as to the house of God, we "are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone :in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto a holy temple in the Lord:in whom ye also are builded together for a habitation of God through the Spirit" (Eph. 2:20-22).

Again, as to the proclamation of the gospel, and the warning against neglecting so great salvation, we read:"How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation ; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard Him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to His own will" (Heb. 2:3, 4).

Again, as to the recognition of the Lordship of Jesus it is the same:"Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed:and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost" (i Cor. 12:3).

Again, as to "diversities of gifts," "differences of administrations," and " diversities of operations," the same blessed statement of the three persons in the Godhead appears. " Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God that worketh all in all" (i Cor. 12:4-6).

And lastly, we find the same thing in that marvelous greeting to the seven churches which are in Asia:"Grace be unto you, and peace, from Him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits (the Spirit of God in His fulness) which are before His throne; and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the first begotten from the dead; " which brings forth that blessed response from the hearts of the redeemed:"Unto Him that loveth us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father, to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen." (Rev. 1:4-6).

Happy is it that such a profound subject, a subject beyond the mind of man to conceive, is in the blessed revelation our God has graciously given us, placed within the reach of all, who accept it as divine revelation. God makes it known; the child of faith thankfully accepts it, and enjoys and confesses it to be the truth. The will of God, the work of the Son, and the witness of the Holy Spirit, are precious beyond expression to the child of God.

Deity then is ascribed to God the Father; Ps. go:i, 2; John i:i, 2, 18; i Tim. 6:16; Rev. 4:2, 3; Rev. 5 :7-14; Rev. 22:9.

Deity is ascribed to the Son ; Ps. 45 :6, 7 ; Is. 9:6, 7:Micah 5:2; Heb. i:3, 8; Ps. 110:i; John i:i, 2. Acts pertaining to a divine person are attributed to Him; 1st. Creation is ascribed to Him; Col. i:16, 17. 2nd. He quickens whom He will; John 5:21. 3rd. All judgment is committed to Him; John 5:22. 4th. He will judge the living nations; Matt. 25 :31-46. And He will sit on the great white throne and judge the wicked dead; Rev. 20:11-15.

Deity is ascribed to the Holy Spirit in Acts 5:3-11, and the eternity of His being is given in Heb. 9:14, His personality is stated by our Lord in John 14:16, 17, 26; John 15 :-26; John 16:13-15.

Much more might be said on this great subject, but this, in brief, is what we gather from Holy Scripture, and with thankful hearts confess it to be the truth of God, and the foundation of our most holy faith. And we are told to "earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the saints " (Jude 3),

The Lord be praised for preserving it to us, and may we never surrender it. E. A.