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ft % m fc ^ PMgrt ^ creed soon filt er pi * J * - \\ $ ) ie $ a * Aatioch by the Atian M ~ j Alexander , Bishop of Alexandria , on one occasion assembled his Presbyters oi £ etepgyv . rand proposed to have their opinion on a certain verse , not named ,
concerning the Trioity ; at the same ticae giving it as his own opinion that tfyere is an unity in the three ^ persons , ( frtfopTijuaTspov orepi « rijV dyiccq Tpja § o $ , iv , Tf ic&di fAAPa&cc uvcci ffn ^ o ^ otp ^ y , eOsohyyei .. H $ re it is necessary to remark , that Tpta ; in Greek is not the same with the Latin Trinkas : because the
former means only the number three , oj-, a whole consisting of three parts ; whereas the latter is an abbreviation af triunitttS ) three m one * Hence it W 3 s necessary for Alexander , who spoke Greek , in teaching the Trinity , to say , bv To * aS * ( Awafta , tTvcti . It is
evident that the Greek triced was applicable to the number three of any kind : mid Clement , of Alexandria , actually expresses by it , faith , hope and charity . Theophilus , of Antioch , applies the same numeral to God , to his , Word , and to his Wisdom , or his Holy Spirit . Dr . Priestley and other
learned men , who did not observe the above distinction , assert that Theophilus is the first who has used the term Trinity . But this is a mistake : that writer only gives a connumeration of God with his attributes , which he calls his Word and bis Wisdom , without intending to assert their unity .
Now , looking on the bare assertion of Alexander , that iv t >} Tptah ftovaftc uvai , I should not hesitate to say that he alluded to the text of the three heavenly witnesses , the Triad
meaning the Father , Word and Holy Spirit , and the Monad , the clause which says , ** And these three are one . " In saying" this , I rest not on mere presumption ; but have evidence sufficient for
it . Anus was one of his Presbyters and in the number of his hearers : and when he heard his bishop saying , that there was an unity in the three persons , he instantly concluded that he was introducing Sabetlianism into
the church . How this was , appears from what I have said above . Sabeliius , like every other competent Unitarian , considered the Logos and the Holy Spirit as but emanations of the Father personified * and all three form-
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ing one Beiug under three d ifFei ^ m names * . - The alarm which * Arias td&k © n tjiis occasion , and the violent opposition jvhich . he gave to his bishop , demonstrate that hitherto mo one , at
least in the Greek Church , however great his authority , dared publicly to avow the doctrine of the Trinity , or the doctrine of three persons in on « godhead . This b a remarkable fact , t ;> which I invite the attentioa of my
readers . It places in the clearest light the prevalence of Unitarianisrn even so late as the beginning of the fourth century , though the heads of the churches had long used all their arts arid influence to put it down .
The flame of controversy , which thus broke out at Alexandria , so-on spread through all the churches in Egypt and the other provinces - Constantine was now on the throne , endeavouring most earnestly to heal the
cruel wounds inflicted on Christianity by the late persecution , and to provide by every means for its future peace and final prosperity . On hearing of the quarrel , he writes b letter , recoJKrmendmg a reconciliation , jointly addressed to Alexander and Arius .
The letter begins thus : " I hear that the controversy originated in a certain passage of our law , which you , Alexander , proposed to your clergy , and concerning which you solicited their
opinion , " &c . Here the evidence for ray assertion becomes more definite . From the Emperor's letter we learn that Alexander , having convoked his clergy , proposed to have their sentiments respecting * a certain verse which
connuinerated the Father , the Word and the Holy Spirit , and which , as the Bishop thought , asserted their unity . Constantine does not specify the verse , but describes it as a " certain passage in our law , " that is , in the law of the Christians or in the Christian
Scriptures . He evidently thought it not safe to give a more specific designation of it ; and he blames both the parties for bringing * so dangerous a discussion before the public , adding , that it ou # ht to be withheld by all means from the knowledge of popular assemblies , and confined in the sacred recesses of their own breasts : Intra mentis nostrae penetraliai contiuere debemus , nee eaa facile in publicos
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148 Bvn David on 1 John v . 7 *
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), March 2, 1826, page 148, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2546/page/20/
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