183. (9) FROM A TRINITY OF PERSONS, EACH OF WHOM IS SEPARATELY GOD, ACCORDING TO THE ATHANASIAN CREED, 1 HAVE ARISEN MANY DISCORDANT AND INCONGRUOUS IDEAS CONCERNING GOD, WHICH ARE DELUSIVE AND MONSTROUS.
From the doctrine of three Divine Persons from eternity, which in itself is the head of all the doctrinal teachings in Christian Churches, have arisen many unbecoming ideas concerning God, unworthy of the Christian world, which ought to be, and which might be, a light to all peoples and nations in the four quarters of the earth, on the subject of God and His Unity. All who live outside the Christian Church, Mohammedans, 2 Jews and also Gentiles, whatever religion they profess, hold Christianity in aversion, solely because of its belief in three gods. Its missionaries know this; and they are therefore particularly cautious in expounding the trinity of Persons, as it is in the Nicene and Athanasian Creeds, since in doing so they might be shunned and ridiculed.
[2] The following are the discordant, unreal and worthless ideas which have arisen from the doctrine of three Divine Persons from eternity, and which still arise in the mind of every one who continues to believe in the words of that doctrine, and which surge into his range of thought from what he hears and reads: Somewhere overhead God the Father sits on high, the Son at His right hand, and the Holy Spirit before them, attending to what is said, who instantly runs over the whole earth, dispensing the gifts of justification according to what has been decided, inscribing them on the hearts of men, and changing them from children of wrath to children of grace, and transforming them from the condemned to the elect. I appeal to the learned, both clergy and laity, whether they entertain in their minds any other view of the Trinity than this, for it flows spontaneously from that doctrine, as may be seen in the Narrative above, 16.
[3] Where this view is held there is also curiosity regarding what the three Persons conversed about with one another before the world was created; whether about the world that was to be created, about those who were to be predestined and justified, according to the Supralapsarians, 3 or even about redemption; and also regarding what they now converse about with one another since the creation of the world, the Father speaking from His authority and power of imputation, the Son from His power of mediation. Thus it will be concluded that imputation, which is election, comes from compassion roused by the Son's pleading for all men, and particularly for some to whom the Father is moved to show favor from His love of the Son, and from the agony which He saw Him endure on the cross.
Who cannot see that such ideas concerning God are but ravings of the mind? And yet they are in the Christian Churches the holy things themselves, to be revered by the lips but not to be examined by the mind, because they transcend reason, and if raised from the memory into the understanding, would drive a man mad. Nevertheless this does not remove the idea of three gods, but it induces a stupid faith, from which a man thinks about God like one who dreams in his sleep, or who walks in the darkness of night, or like one blind from his birth who walks in the light of day.
Footnotes:
1. Athanasian Symbol or Creed. Although bearing the name of Athanasius, it was probably composed by Hilary, in the century after the formulation of the Nicene Creed, A.D. 325. The name was given to it about the year A.D. 670 as an excellent system of the doctrines of Athansius concerning the Trinity and the Incarnation, principally in opposition to the Arians. It is received by the Romish Church and also by the Reformed.
2. Mohammad, the founder of Mohammedanism or Islam, A.D. 571-632, was born at Mecca, where his father was spiritual and temporal head. He married a wealthy and devout widow, and owed much to her influence. In the visions to which he was subject he received confirmations of his Divine mission. He also received messages from Gabriel which were incorporated in the KORAN, the sacred book of Mohammedanism. Early persecution drove him from Mecca and in the year A.D. 622 he fled to Medina, where he was cordially welcomed. This flight, or Hejira, marks the beginning of the Mohammedan year, and from Medina he set out on his conquest of Arabia. Mohammedanism proclaims the unity of the God-head, and condemns idolatry; but the peaceful methods of propaganda soon gave place to ruthless persecution of infidels and merciless extermination of idolators.
3. Supralapsarian, one who maintains that the decree of election as regards eternal salvation of some and the eternal reprobation of others was a part of the original plan; and that the fall of Adam was predestinated from all eternity. (Supra, beyond, and lapsus, the fall.)
