A curious commentary on the vision of Daniel has recently been furnished us from the book of Enoch,f lately translated from the Ethiopic, by Bishop Lawrence. The work is evidently apocry phal, and was considered as such by the early Fa thers; it is, however, unquestionably ancient: and there seems not the smallest doubt that it is a fair translation of the work quoted by Jude. We refer to it, as we have done to the other apocryphal writings, and to the writings of Philo Judxus, merely to illustrate the opinion of the Jews respect ing a plurality of subsistences in the divine nature. That such an opinion prevailed among them is very clear from the commentary which the author of this book makes on the vision of Daniel. He has avail ed himself of the prominent facts and prophesies of the Old Testament Scriptures, and has repre sented them as seen in vision by Enoch, and related by him to his son Methuselah. The vision of Dan iel, of course, was not to be overlooked, as it is evidently prophetic of great and remarkable events: and this author shows the interpretation which he, and, we may conclude, the thinking part of the Jews, (among whom, it is evident, his hook was received as a work of authority,) assigned to the most remarkable circumstances in this prophetic vision. "There I beheld the Ancient of Days, whose head was like white wool, and with him another whose countenance resembled that of man. His countenance was full of grace like one of the holy angels. Then I inquired of one of the angels, who went with me, and who showed me every se cret thing concerning this Son of Man—who he was—whence he was—and why lie accompanied the Ancient of Days." Ch. xlvi. 1. In the remain der of this chapter, and the whole of the next, he continues to celebrate the praises, and proclaim the exploits of the Son of Man. In the 48th chapter the subject is continued, and in the 2d and 3d verses we find these remarkable words. "In that hour was this Son of Man invoked before the Lord of Spirits, and his name in the presence of the Ancient of Days; before the sun and the signs were created, before the stars of heaven were formed, his name was invoked in the presence of the Lord of Spi nits:" and at the 5th verse, he says, "therefore the elect and the concealed one existed in his presence before the world was created, and for ever." These passages are valuable as recorded testimonies of the belief of the Jews in the pre-existence and Deity of the person designated by Daniel, the Son of Man.
Nor is this all, in the 60th chapter a distinct al lusion is made to a Trinity of persons in the God head. " lie (the Lord of Spirits) shall call to every power of the heavens, and to all the holy above, and to the power of God. The Cherubim, the Seraphim, and the Ophanim, all the angels of power, and all the angels of the Lord, namely of the elect one, and of the other power, who upon earth were over the water on that day, shall raise their united voice," &c.
'We see not the slightest reason for questioning the antiquity of this book, or the integrity of the text, on account of these obvious allusions to the Son and the Spirit. On the contrary, whatever may be thought of the genuineness and authenti city of the text in I John v. 7. we are persuaded that it states nothing but the common creed of the Jews at the time it was written, and that the most intelligent among them would have subscribed to the doctrine that "there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Spirit, and these three are one." We can easily conceive that this text is an inter polation, since it is not found in some of the most ancient copies of the New Testament, and is not quoted by the ancient Fathers in their disputes with those who denied the doctrine of the Trinity.* But if it is an interpolation, (which, after all that has been written, we do not think sufficiently proved,) it is nevertheless an accurate statement of the generally received doctrine among the Jews. How they arrived at the knowledge of a doctrine not clearly taught in the law and the prophets, can not be a question of much difficulty, when we con sider that they had so many inspired teachers among them, who might deliver much in their in structions which they did not commit to writing, and who in illustrating the word of God, might ex plain the meaning of those passages in which the doctrine was implied, though it might be overlook ed by an ordinary reader. It was, no doubt, in this
way that the resurrection of the body, which is no where clearly taught in the Old Testament, was nevertheless universally received among the Jews, except by the sect of the Sadducees, long before it was so clearly revealed and demonstrated in the New Testament.
And it will not be denied that there was an ob vious propriety in preparing the minds of men by previous instruction for the reception of a doctrine so highly mysterious and important as that of the Trinity. In consequence of the prel/ailing opinions on this subject, the Apostle Peter, when he witness ed the power and wisdom of his Master, had no hesitation in declaring, "we believe and arc sure that thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God;" hence, too, our Lord had no occasion to enter into any explanation when he enjoined his disciples to "go and teach all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, and the Son, arid the Holy Ghost;" and from the same circumstance, Mary expressed no surprise when she was told that the Holy Ghost should come upon her. She was immediately satisfied, having heard before of the existence of such an agent.f Having attempted to give a short history of the doctrine of the Trinity, it now only remains to ad duce some texts from the New Testament in which the doctrine is either clearly stated, or obviously implied.
And surely nothing can be more explicit than the passage just quoted respecting the institution of baptism. This rite, as a token of regeneration, and as a sign of our being admitted to spiritual privileges and blessings, can only be administered in the name of God; for he alone can offer and en sure these blessings to mankind. But it is here expressly ordained to be administered in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, to each of whom personal qualities are ascribed throughout the New Testament; when, therefore, we see all the three associated in a work that can belong only to God, the unavoidable inference is, that there arc three persons in one Godhead. In deed it seems to be as impossible to mistake the meaning, as it is to explain away the force of this plain text. The words of the Apostle, at the con clusion of the Second Epistle to the Corinthians are equally clear, and the inference deducible from them equally incontrovertible,—" the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the com munion of the Holy Ghost be with you all." As if it had been to obviate the opinion which afterwards sprung up, that the Son and Holy Ghost are only particular manifestations or energies of the same person; the Son is here mentioned first, to show his inherent Godhead, and claim to religious adora tion; and that there might be no possibility of con founding the three subsistences or hypostases of the Godhead as mere modifications of the same divine person, all the three are, on one occasion, repre sented at once, under sensible manifestations, and in very distinct characters and circumstances. " It came to pass that Jesus being baptized and praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Ghost de scended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven which said, " Thou art my beloved Son, in thee I am well pleased." Luke iii. 21. Here the voice of God was heard from heaven, the Holy Ghost was seen descending, and lighting on him, who was pronounced to be the be loved Son of God. Again the Son and the Spirit are mentioned as distinct from the Father ; and as distinct, too, from each other in their persons, and in their operations in bringing men to God. " Such were some of you ; but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of our Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." 1 Cor. vi. 11.