INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.

We now call the devout attention of the reader, to sundry declarations and confessions of the fathers in the church of Christ, who lived in the three first centuries of christianity. The most of these quotations, we have selected from Mr. Worcester's work, printed August 1810. The source from which we take them does not lessen their validity. Was any apology necessary for taking them from this compilation, we might say, the works of this author, were before us, and the original history of them was not. We differ from this author, perhaps as much as any class of men, in relation to the Unity of the Godhead. We have, however, no suspicion of his integrity in these quotations--he is pledged as to their correctness, and his motives could scarcely be suspected of making them essentially variant from their original text. He has extracted from the histories of Mr. Milner, and Doct. Mosheim. We therefore rely on these quotations, with confidence as to their genuineness; we draw other and different conclusions than he does. We first put down those found in Milner's church history 1st. volume.

CLEMENT, Bishop of Rome.

This man was co-temporary for a time with St. Paul. From him two passages are selected. "Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Sceptre of the Majesty of God, came not in the of arro

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gancy, or pride, though who can understand the thunder of his power, but he was meak and lowly." Page 182.

Have we not all one God, one Christ, one spirit of grace poured upon us, and one calling in Christ."

Mr. Worcester remarks upon the above declaration of Clement by saying these passages have no appearance of favoring the Athanasian doctrine; and the Spirit is not represented a person, but as something poured upon us. We answer

once for all, that in the confession of Clement, as well as the declarations of other fathers, which we shall insert in this work; the question then pending, was not, whether there exists three persons in one God; neither the mode of God's existence; neither, whether the Spirit can properly be called a person, but the simple question, to which we think these fathers have reference, is the character and dignity of the Son of God. We do not expect to gain any essential advantage from these quotations on any other point.

We have taken notice before in this work that historians have told us of a sect, who arose in the third century in Egypt, who contended that there existed three persons in one God, and that this sect was not approbated by the church at large; and we have endeavoured to show, that this sect did not hold similar doctrines with those we espouse, and believe to be primitive trinitarianism-Therefore this will be the leading point which we shall pursue in examining these testimonies of the fathers in the primitive church.

We have made our remarks before, in this work respecting the Union which we think exists between the Father, and the Son, and the Holy

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Ghost. The Father, we hold, ever dwells in the Son, and the Son in the Father, and the Holy Ghost is comprehended and contained in the divine nature, consequently proceeds from the Father and the Son, in the work of sanctification— possessing vitality, rationality, and real divinity. Should the speculating christian ask us how far these three subsistences are united, and in what particulars they differ, one from the other? if he means in every minute point-We are ready to answer, in the language of a great writer, we cannot tell, because it is not told us. And we may further answer in the language of Moses "that the secret things belong unto the Lord our God; But those things which are revealed belong, unto us, and our children." But it is equally true that there is a real difference between the Father and the Son, and the Holy Ghost, and that these three exist in union; as we have considered before in this work. And these three have different offices attached to them. So far we think we are authorized to proceed; and with this knowledge we are willing to be content till a further disclosure of his glory shall be made to the immortal mind, in that Eternal World when we shall see him as he is, and we shall see as we are seen, and know as we are known. "The things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal,” and some eternal things not seen, are God, grace and heaven.

The testimony of Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch. He was for a time, cotemporary with St. John, and suffered martyrdom. He testifies.

"For this they were persecuted, being inspired by grace to assure the disobedient, that there is one

God, who has manifested himself by Jesus Christ, his Son, who is his Eternal Word. Page 163.

In page 159 Ignatius states-"I have known some passing from hence whom you did not suffer to sow among you, stopping your ears, so that you would not receive their seed, as being stones of the temple of your Father, prepared for the building of God, lifted up in heavenly places, by the engine of Jesus Christ, which is his cross, using the Holy Spirit as a cord.”

And again while before Trajan the Emperor, being asked respecting the doctrine believed by christians, he answered; "There is only one God who made heaven and earth, and one Lord Jesus Christ his only begotten Son, whose kingdom be my portion.

The confession and declaration of Justin Martyr.

He suffered, about the year 163, on trial before Rusticus. He was questioned respecting the faith of chirstians; he answered.

"We believe the only one God to be the creator of all things visible and invisible, and confess our Lord Jesus Christ to be the Son of God foretold by the prophets of old, and who shall hereafter appear the judge of mankind. As for myself, I am too mean to speak any thing of his infinite Deity. This was the work of the prophets, who many ages ago, foretold the coming of the Son of God into the world."

Again in his dialogue with Tripho, Justin calls Christ, "God the Son of the maker of the universe," page 196. And in the same page, he calls him, "the Son, the Christ of God "

POLYCARP.

The confession and prayer of Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna. He was put to death as a martyr A. D. 167. His church published an account of his martyrdom, and recorded the prayer which he made at the stake, at the close of which, the fire was kindled.

"O Father of thy blessed and beloved Son Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained a knowledge of thee, O God of angels and principalities, and of all creation and of the just who live in thy sight; I bless thee, that thou hast accounted me worthy of this day, and this hour, to receive my portion in the number of martyrs in the cup of Christ, for the resurrection to eternal life, both soul and body,in the incorruption of the Holy Spirit; among whom may I be received before thee this day, as a sacrifice well savored and acceptable, as thou the faithful God hast prepared, declaring beforehand, and fulfilling accordingly. Wherefore I praise thee for all those things, I bless thee, I glorify thee by the eternal High priest Jesus Christ, thy well beloved Son; through whom, with him in the Holy Spirit be glory to thee, both now and forever, Amen."-Page 214.

The church of Smyrna, close their narrative with a doxology, by saying "To him who is able to conduct us all by his grace and free mercy, into his heavenly kingdom by his only begotten Son Jesus Christ; To him be glory, honor, power, and majesty, forever, Amen."-Page 217.

ATHENAGORAS.

He wrote towards the close of the 2d century. Speaking of christians, he describes them, "as men that made little account of the present life,