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wonderfully agrees with the words of inspiration. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made."

The following passage, cited by Proclus from these oracles of Zoroaster, is no less indubitably decisive in regard to the third sacred Hypostasis, than the preceding passages are, in regard to the first and second.

Μετα δε πατίρκας Διάνοιας. Ψυχη εγω ναίων
Θέρμη, ψυχεσα τα παντα.

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That is, next in order to the Paternal Mind, I Psyche dwell; warm, animating all things.". Thus, after observing in the first section, the Triad, or to Osov, the whole Godhead collectively displayed, we here have each distinct Hypostasis separately and clearly brought before our view. The persons themselves are sometimes confounded, and their respective functions mistaken by unenlightened Pagans; but Christians, who are in possession of this doctrine by a renewal of divine revelation, ought rather to be penetrated with pity than struck with wonder at this. • Upon a careful and strict investigation of the original parts of the Jewish Cabbala, with what may be supposed the radical parts of the doctrine of Zoroaster and the doctrine of the Hindoos

upon this article, the most prominent features of all appear to unite and display themselves in the following passage.

Παλα ΠΥΡΟΣ ΕΝΟΣ εκγεγαώτα.

"All things are the offspring of one fire."-In other grand points found in the Cabbalistic, the Chaldean, and the Hindoo mythology, may be observed the following remarkable passages.

Ἑπτα εξωγκωσε πατη στερεώματα κοσμων.

That is, "the Father hath congregated seven firmaments of worlds."-By which, undoubtedly, are meant the seven last circles in the Cabbalistic cosmogony; the seven planets in the Chaldaic; and the seven Boobouns of the Indian. And as these were supposed to be animated, or to be the habitation of animated beings by these nations respectively, a similar sentiment occurs in the following line.

Ζωων δε πλανωμένων υφέσηκεν επταδα.

"He (the Father) constituted a septenary of erratic animals."

To this might also be added sentiments concerning the Metempsychosis, and the state of departed souls in the world beyond the grave. But these we do not follow,-only merely state the coincidence of these points of doctrine, all harmonizing one with another, among the Cabbal

ists, the Chaldeans, and Hindoos; which add great weight to the conclusions already drawn upon the doctrine of the Trinity. And it is perfectly clear, that though much abuse of the doctrine of the Trinity has crept in among the later Cabbalists, Chaldeans, and Hindoos; yet the early teachers of this doctrine seem to have understood it, in some measure, correctly, and all to have agreed in harmony upon this point.

The fair conclusion, then, is,-the early Chaldeans received the doctrine from the family preserved in the ark, and retained it more or less pure by tradition, until the present day. It is, therefore, fair to adduce the foregoing oracles of Zoroaster and his followers, in proof of the doc trine of the Trinity among the Chaldeans.

PROPOSITION XXIX.

PROVING THE DOCTRINE FROM TRADITION, IN

PERSIA.

HAVING begun to trace the doctrine of the Trinity, by tradition, in India, east of Chaldea, and then fixed upon Chaldea as the original residence, in the postdiluvian world, of Noah and his descendants for a time, and, of consequence, of all religion and science; from this, as the fountain or source, the streams of religious knowledge and human science have flowed, more or less purely, wherever the sons of men have directed their course to every part of the habitable globe; we come now to Persia, west of Chaldea, and follow the stream of the doctrine, running, though muddy, from the sacred fountain, through all parts where the inhabitants of that empire. have extended their influence. In Persia, we find very early traces of it, though greatly debased, pervading the religious opinions which they had of their chief deities Oromasdes, Mithra, and Ahriman. And notwithstanding the Persians considered the two last as inferior to the two first, yet our argument does not stand so much in the pure preservation of the doctrine, as in ascertaining the fact that they really entertained a belief of a Triune Deity, and to shew

that this is radically interwoven with the theolo gical systems of every country, kingdom, and empire of Asia;--that quarter of the globe in which this most sublime of all doctrines was revealed, and where it was first obscured and debased. Still, however, the Divine Being has overruled the hearts of the inhabitants of Asia in such a way, as to preserve some knowledge of the doctrine, more or less clear and perfect, among the inhabitants of this quarter of the globe, amidst all their apostacy and departure from the true religion.

The first striking feature of the doctrine of the Trinity in Persia, is found in the character assigned to Mithra, the second person of their Triad. To him they ascribe the character of mediator. Now the doctrine of a mediator is as old as the fall of man. The declaration made to the tempter in the way of threatening, but to our first parents in the way of promise, and the institution of sacrifice, appointed by God himself, are the grand foundations of this doctrine, which was brought into the new world by Noah, though by tradition greatly debased in the course of time, yet still faintly preserved by the Persians in the character of their Mithra.

This doctrine supported the patriarchs and real believers in the true church, amidst all the perils and persecutions through which they passed; and even the heathen world betook them

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