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works, and worship, of the Supreme God, ascribed to the Son and Holy Spirit as divine persons, and will account for the eternal existence, almighty power, omnipresence, and omniscience of each and of both these divine persons throughout the Scriptures; and fully prove, that the doctrine of the Trinity is taught in every part of the sacred oracles, from the beginning of Genesis, unto the end of the Revelation.

Having now traced, with minute and careful investigation, the doctrine of the Trinity, from the first of men through every period of the church, both in the antediluvian and postdiluvian world, down to the close of the canon of Scripture, it is natural to think that the church would retain and adhere to this doctrine, from that period until the present day, and will do so untilthe end of time. And thus the way is prepared for tracing the doctrine, either clearly known in the church, or more obscurely known from broken hints of Scripture, and tradition among all

nations.

A

VIEW OF THE DOCTRINE

FOUNDED UPON

TRADITION.

PROPOSITION XXVII.

PROVING THE DOCTRINE FROM TRADITION, IN

HINDOSTAN.

SETTING out with the views of the foregoing Propositions, we shall trace the doctrine of the Trinity, carried by tradition through the regions of India. And, in pursuing this momentous subject, we must be careful, in the commencement, to draw the distinction between the views of the doctrine according to revelation, and those which we may expect to find by tradition. These must be expected to be more obscure, clouded, and uncertain, than those of revelation. We must be particularly careful to draw another general line of distinction between that knowledge of it which we may expect to find among philolosophers, priests, and the more studious part of

the community, and that knowledge of it which we may expect to find amongst the vulgar, and the populace in general. This will be particularly necessary wherever we follow it by tradition, and will greatly assist our views in those shades of distinction which we may find in the knowledge of it in every part of the heathen world.

When we enter upon the vast region of Hindostan, we may first notice the extent of the country over which we must look; and in surveying this immense region, which embraces so many mountains, rivers, and forests, setting bounds to kingdoms and empires, in the midst of which stand the massy temples or pagodas dedicated to religious worship; and directing our eyes downward, we discover caverns more capacious and extensive than it is possible for imagination to faney. In these subterraneous excavations, we find temples cut out of the solid rock,. which bear clear and undoubted testimony to the doctrine of the glorious Trinity. In contemplating these monuments of antiquity, we perceive the human mind so strongly impressed with the belief of this doctrine, that mankind have exhausted their ingenuity to inscribe this creed upon the everlasting rocks, and to leave those religious monuments, which bear witness, through succeeding ages, of this grand leading doctrine being communicated, at a very early

period, to the inhabitants of those countries which we now survey. In traversing the main land, we arrive at the pagodas of Elora. These wonderful structures astonish the scientific traveller as he gazes on the immense piles of building, and orders of architecture; and examines the capacities of the apartments, and the apparatus and appendages of the interior, consisting of statues innumerable, arranged in groupes exhibited in variety: the whole comprehending multitudes, which require both science and time to examine and understand. The basso relievos and stately columns attract the admiration, with all the variety of devices and ornament that the human mind could contrive. If he then should attempt to enquire the time spent in finishing these solemn abodes, he will find by history, and his own calculations will corroborate historical record, that nearly a thousand years would have been necessary to complete the workmanship. And if he enquire at the records of time, how long these wonderful monuments have borne witness of the doctrine we now trace, he will find, that more than three thousand years have elapsed since they were finished. And thus a period of four thousand years presents itself to our meditation, since the famous statues of Brahma, Vishnu, and Siva, represented the doctrine of the Trinity in the kingdoms of Hindostan; and the statue of this Indian Triad, cut as nearly as the imagina

tion and skill of man could, to represent that great God who is not made with hands; and to this triune statue different characters are ascribed. -That part representing Brahma, is considered as the Creator: that representing Vishnu, is considered as the Preserver: and that representing Siva, is considered as the Regenerator, of mankind. And these are exhibited in perfect union: a triplicate image, directing the devotion of the worshippers to the sublime doctrine of the real Trinity, though sadly mistaken and debased by material representation; yet the triune image, engraven on stone by the device of man, surprises and astonishes those acquainted with the true doctrine.

If, from the main land, we direct our eyes to the islands which hover on the coast, the island of Salsette presents us with a sacred curiosity of a similar kind, astonishing to behold. There the solid rock opens to subterraneous apartments, and exhibits to the view its temple, constructed with wonderful labour and art, and containing a tripartite figure, with many others; but this chief one, representing, as far as mistaken superstition could conceive, the doctrine of the Trinity. This monument has borne witness to the tradition of the doctrine as long as the foregoing monument, if not longer.

From this, we turn to the famous island of Elephanta, which derives its name from the huge

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