1 Cor. iii. 16.—“The temple of God is holy, which temple are ye?”
1 Cor. vi. 19.—“Know ye not that your bodies are the temples of the Holy Ghost?”
Dent. vi. 14.—“Thou shall not tempt the Lord thy God.”
Acts v. 9.—“How is it that ye have agreed to tempt the spirit of the Lord?”
Matt. xix. 17.—“There is none good but one, that is God.”
Psalm clxxiii. 10.—“Thy Spirit is good; lead me.”
I might mention many more, with a vast many proofs of this sublime doctrine, but I trust you will be led to read them in the Scriptures with a grace-taught eye, and rejoice in the truth as you discover and feel it.
“There are three which bear record in heaven”—the Father; the Word, (as Son of God) and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one—not merely one person, bearing three names, but three persons—nor yet three gods, but only one in essence—three in persons, distinct in personality, names and office. This sacred Three bear record to the Sonship, Godhead, Divinity, and Dignity of Christ. So they also bear record to the consciences of God’s dear people—that they are the Lord’s. The record of the Father is, “Yea, I have loved thee;”—the record of the Son is, “I have redeemed thee;”—and the record of the Spirit is, “I have called thee.” It is necessary this grand point should be well understood by the Lord’s people, that they may enjoy distinct holy communion with, and give equal glory to, the adorable Author of Salvation.
It was my lot to fall in with, and to be often situated with characters who were inimical to this grand fundamental truth. Swedenborg denied the existence of the Father and the Holy Spirit. Socinians, Arians, and Sabellians, either in one form or another, deny the Godhead of Christ, and the personality of the Holy Spirit. Thus, amongst this motley group, they leave us no God at all. Many have been my conflicts with such; but the Word is so plain upon the subject, that it needs no comment, only by comparing a very few out of the many scriptures of truth, and drawing a very reasonable inference from the plainest testimony. This has been done by an excellent author, the rev. W. Jones; and the great Mr. Macgowan, in his “Twenty Letters to J. Priestly, D.D.”
I will only compare a few texts together, and you will see the beauty of truth. As—