but were intent only upon contemplating of and knowing his Word,who is from Him. What union the Son has with the Father, and what communion the Father has with the Son; what the Spirit is, and whatthe union and distinctions are, of such so united, the Spirit, the Son, and the Father.

IRENEUS, Bishop of Lyons.

He testifies, as follows-"If there was any doubt, about the least article, ought we not to have recourse to the most ancient churches, where the apostles, lived? ought we not to follow the traditions they left to those with whom they committed the care of the churches? It is what several of the barbarous nations observe, who believe in Jesus, without paper or ink, having the doctrine of salvation written on their hearts by the Holy Ghost, and faithfully keeping up to the ancient tradition, concerning the one God the creator, and his Son Jesus Christ."-Page 263.

Ireneus, also, calls "Christ the Word of God, the all powerful Word of God."

Remark-We think these declarations of Ireneus put together, prove that he thought that the Sonship of our Lord, had reference to his divine nature and not to his human nature.

DIONYSIUS, Bishop of Alexandria.

He died in the year, A. D. 264.-In a letter which he wrote concerning the Sabellian doctrine-he said

"As many brethren have sent their books and disputations to me, concerning the impious doctrine, lately sown in Pentapolis, containing many blasphemies against the Almighty God, and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; as also, much infidelity

concerning his only begotten Son, the first born of every creature, and the Word incarnate; and also senseless ignorance of the Holy Ghost; some of them I have transcribed and sent copies to you."-Page 447.

We now call the attention of the reader to the Sabellian doctrine which we have extracted from Mr. Buck's Theological Dictionary, volume 2d. page 394.

Mr. Buck states-" Sabellians, a sect in the third century that embraced the opinion of Sabellius, a philosopher of Egypt, who openly taught. that there is but one person in the Godhead.

The

Sabellians maintained that the Word, and the Holy Spirit are only virtues, emanations, or functions, of the Deity, and held that he who is in Heaven is the Father of all things. That he descended into the Virgin and became a child, and was born of her as a Son; and that having accomplished the mystery of our salvation, he diffused himself on the Apostles in tongues of fire, and was then denominated the Holy Ghost. This they explained by resemblingGod to the sun,the illuminated virtue, or quality of which was the Word; and its warming virtue the Holy Spirit. The Word, they taught, was darted like a divine ray, to accomplish the work of Redemption, that being re-ascended to heaven, the influences of the Father, were commu▾ nicated after a like manner to the apostles."

Remarks. Mr. Buck appears to agree perfectly with other writers respecting the leading principles of the Sabellians; and I think we may safely conclude, that it was these principles which Dionysius calls "the impious doctrine lately sown in Pentapolis, containing many blasphemies

against the Almighty God, and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." &c.

On these prinples, we would here remark further. 1st. This sect considered the Godhead to consist of one person, only; consequently they must rob the Son of his personality, and must rob the Father of the glory of his paternity, or fathership. 2dly. It leads our minds into "senseless ignorance of the Holy Ghost." 3dly. Dionysius calls Jesus Christ the "only begotten Son, the first begotten of every creature, and the Word incarnate." Dionysius, must therefore, have supposed and believed, that the Sonship of our Lord, must have reference to his Divine nature, and not to his human nature.

Many, and voluminous remarks might be made on the declarations and confessions of the Fathers, but the reader will draw his conclusions without our help. We do not like to dismiss here the Sabellian doctrine without comment, as in the course of this work we have observed, that when we lose a distinct knowledge of the personality of a divine Father, and a divine Son, dwelling in unity in the Godhead, experience has shown us liable to fall away from the gospel doctrine, into some of the Sabellian errors-consequently into "much infidelity concerning the only begotten Son of God, the first begotten of every creature, and the Word incarnate; and senseless ignorance of the Holy Ghost," as Dionysius phrases it.

Again, when we lose a knowledge of the Divine Son, we are at an entire loss how to measure or esteem the love of God in giving his Son to die for us. On the other hand when we behold Christ with the eye of faith, and believe in him as the only begotten of the Father, and ever-dwelling in

the bosom of the Father, it has every tendency to win our affections, and excite in us the strongest feelings of love and gratitude to God, for the gift of his Son, "that whosoever believeth on him, may not perish, but have everlasting life."

BAPTISMAL ORDINANCE, &c.

We now submit to the consideration of the reader, an extract from the works of the Rev. John Newton. vol. 3, pages 222, and 223.

"The form of baptism prescribed by our Lord for the use of the church is thus expressed.

"Baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost,"-Matthew 28, 19.

"It is evident by comparing this sentence with that I before cited from the Epistle of John, that the Word and Son, are synonymous terms, expressive of the same character; they are both the titles of the Messiah. Of him John spake when he said the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us; and of him God the Father said, thou art my beloved Son, this day have I begotten thee. Had God spoken thus to an angel, it would be in effect saying, Thou art the Word, which in the beginning was with God, and was God, by whom all things were made. But to which of the angels would the great God, use language like this?

gave

"Our Lord in his conference with Nicodemus was pleased to say, "God so loved the world, that he his only begotten Son," &c. John 3. 10. "It was undoubtedly his desire by this expression, to give to Nicodemus, and to us, the highest idea possible of the love of God to sinners. He so loved the world, beyond description of comparison, that he gave his only begotten Son,