Reason, the Only Oracle of Man; Or, A Compendius System of Natural ReligionAllen, Ethan
Religion
Reason, the Only Oracle of Man; Or, A Compendius System of Natural Religion
Allen, Ethan
Rationalism
That it does not consist of three persons, or of any other number of
persons, is as easily demonstrated, as that the whole is bigger than a
part, or any other proposition in mathematics.
We will premise, that the three persons in the supposed Trinity are
either finite or infinite; for there cannot in the scale of being be
a third sort of beings between these two; for ever so many and exalted
degrees in finiteness is still finite, and that being who is infinite
admits of no degrees of enlargement; and as all beings whatever must
be limited or unlimited, perfect or imperfect, they must therefore be
denominated to be finite or infinite: we will therefore premise the
three persons in the Trinity to be merely finite, considered personally
and individually from each other, and the question would arise whether
the supposed Trinity of finites though united in one essence, could be
more than finite still. Inasmuch as three imperfect and circumscribed
beings united together could not constitute a being perfect or infinite,
any more than absolute perfection could consist of three imperfections;
which would be the same as to suppose that infinity could be made up
or compounded of finiteness; or that absolute, uncreated and infinite
perfection, could consist of three personal and imperfect natures.
But on the other hand, to consider every of the three persons in the
supposed Trinity as being absolutely infinite, it would be a downright
contradiction to one infinite and all comprehending essence. Admitting
that God the Father is infinite, it would necessarily preclude the
supposed God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost from the god-head,
or essence of God; one infinite essence comprehending every power,
excellency and perfection, which can possibly exist in the divine
nature. Was it possible that three absolute infinites, which is the
same as three Gods, could be contained in one and the self-same essence,
why not as well any other number of infinites? But as certain as
infinity cannot admit of addition, so certain a plurality of infinites
cannot exist in the same essence; for real infinity is strict and
absolute infinity, and only that, and cannot be compounded of infinities
or of parts, but forecloses all addition. A personal or circumscribed
God, implies as great and manifest a contradiction as the mind of
man can conceive of; it is the same as a limited omnipresence, a weak
Almighty, or a finite God.
From the foregoing arguments on the Trinity, we infer, that the divine
essence cannot consist of a Trinity of persons, whether they are
supposed to be either finite or infinite.
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