stration was spent in a perpetual combat against the powers of Arianism. He is said to have consecrated every moment, and every faculty of his being, to the defence of the doctrine of the Trinity. The scheme of Athanasius made the supreme Deity to consist of three persons, the same in substance, equal in power and glory. The first of these three persons, and fountain of divi'nity to the other two, it makes to be the Father; the second person is called the Son, and is said to be descended from the Father by an eternal generation of an ineffable and incomprehensible nature in the essence of the Godhead; the third person is the holy Ghost, derived from the Father and the Son, but not by generation, as the Son is derived from the Father, but by an eternal and incomprehensible procession. Each of these persons are very and eternal God, as much as the Father himself; and yet, though distinguished in this manner, they do not make three Gods, but one God.*

This system also includes in it the belief of two natures in Jesus Christ; viz. the divine and human, forming one per

son.-To prove the divinity of Christ, and his co-equality with the Father, this denomination argue thus:

In John i. 1, it is said expressly, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God; which implies that the Word existed from all eternity, not as a distinct, separate power; but the Word was with God, and the Word was God: not another God, but only another person of the same nature, substance, and Godhead. It is evident that John intended the word God in this strict sense, from the time of which he is speaking. In the beginning the Word was God,i.e. before the creation. It is not said that he was appointed God over the things which should be afterwards created. He was God before any dominion over the creatures commenced.-It is said that all things were absolutely made by him: therefore he who created all things cannot be a created being. Since nothing was made but by and through him, it follows that the Son, as creator, must be eternal, and strictly divine.-Christ's divinity and co-equality with the Father, are plainly taught

in Phil. ii. 5, 6, 7, &c. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God; but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, &c.— Our divine Saviour says of himself, I and my Father are one -He that has seen me has seen the Father-All that the Father hath are mine. (John v. 19. ch. x. 30. ch. xvi. 15.) Those high and strong expressions teach that he is the supreme God.-The prophets describe the true God as the only Saviour of sinners. For thus it is written: I, even I, am Jehovah; and besides me there is no Saviour. Jesus Christ not only professes to save sinners, but he calls himself the Saviour by way of eminence. Hence it is evident, that he assumes a character in the most emphatical way which the God of Israel had challenged and appropriated to himself.-The divine titles which are ascribed to the Son in scripture are, The true God -The mighty God-The Alpha and Omega, the first and the last-God over all, blessed for evermore. (1 John v. 20. Isai. ix. 6. Rev. i, 8. Rom. ix. 5.)

And Thomas calls Christ, after his resurrection, his Lord and God.--The titles given to Christ in the new testament, are the same with those which are given to God in the jewish scriptures. The name Jehovah,* which is appropriated to God, (Psal. lxxxiii. 18. Isai. xiv. 5.) is given to Christ. (Compare Isaí. xiv. 23-25, with Rom. xiv. 12. Isai, xi. 3, with Luke i. 76.) Jesus is the person spoken of by John, whose glory Isaiah is declared to have seen, when he affirms he saw the Lord of Hosts: therefore Jesus is the Lord of Hosts.-The attributes which are sometimes appropriated to God are applied to Christ. Omniscience is ascribed to Christ: Now we are sure that thou knowest all things. (John xvi. 10.) To be the searcher of the heart is the peculiar and distinguishing characteristic of the one true God, as appears from Jer. xvii. 10. Yet our blessed Lord claims this perfection: I am he (saith he) that searcheth the reins and the heart. (Rev. ii. 23.) Omnipresence, another divine attribute, is ascribed to Christ. Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (Matt.

Spirit. (Heb. ix. 14.)-Omnipresence is a necessary proof of divinity, and this attribute belongs to the holy Spirit; for thus saith the inspired poet, Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? (Psal. cxxxix. 7.)Omniscience is ascribed to the Spirit: For the Spirit searcheth all things, even the deep things of God. (1 Cor. ii. 10.)-Paul declares that his ability to work all man ner of astonishing miracles, for the confirmation of his ministry, was imparted to him by the Spirit. (Rom. xv. 19.) The same act of divine grace; viz. our spiritual birth, is ascribed, without the change of a single letter, to God and the Spirit. (John ii. 1. 1 John v. iv.) The chief texts produced to prove that divine worship is given to the Spirit, are, Matt. xxiii. 19. Isai. vi. 3, 9. Acts xxviii. 25, &c. Rom. ix. 1. Rev.i.4. 2 Cor. xiii. 14.

There are various texts of scripture, in which Father, Son, and Spirit, are mentioned together, and represented under distinct personal characters. At the baptism of Christ, the Father speaks with an audible voice; the Son, in

human nature, is baptized by John; and the holy Ghost ap pears in the shape of a dove. (Matt. iii. 16, 17.) The trinity of persons in the Godhead appears from our baptism, because it is dispensed in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Ghost. The trinity of persons also appears from the apostolic benediction: The grace of the Lord Jesus, the love of God, and the communion of the holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. (1 Cor. xiii, 14.) And also from the testimony of the Three in heaven, contained in 1 John v. 7. The Trinity in Unity is one supreme Being, distinguished from all others by the name of Jehovah. The Lord our God is one Jehovah. (Deut. vi. 4.) Yet Christ is Jehovah. (Jer. xxiii. 6.) So is the Spirit. (Ezek. viii. 1, 3.) Therefore Father, Son, and holy Ghost, are one Jehovah: they are three persons, but have one name, and one na ture.*

AUDEANS, a denomination in the fourth century; so called from Audæus, who was said to have attributed to the Deity a human form.†

AZY MITES, so called from

the greek alvos, a name given by the Greeks in the eleventh century, to the christians of

APTISTS, or ANTIPE

BA DOBAPTISTS. [This

denomination of christians is distinguished from others by their opinions respecting the mode and subject of baptism.

Instead of administering the ordinance by sprinkling or pouring water, they maintain that it ought to be administered only by immersion. Such, they insist, is the meaning of the word Barril; so that a command to baptize, is a command to immerse. Thus, they say, it was understood by those who first administered it. John the Baptist, and the apostles of Christ, administered it in Jordan, and other rivers and places where there was much water. Both the administrators and the subjects are described as going down into, and coming up again out of the water. And the baptized are said to be buried in baptism, and to be raised again; which language could not, they suppose, be properly adopted on supposition of the ordinance being administered in any other manner than by immersion. Thus, they affirm, it was administered in the primitive church: thus it is now admi

* Historical Dictionary,

the Latin church, because they use unleavened bread in the eucharist.*

nistered in the Russian and Greek church: and thus it is at this day directed to be administered in the church of England, to all who are thought capable of submitting to it in this manner.

With regard to the subjects of baptism, the Baptists say that it ought not to be administered to children or infants at all, nor to grown-up persons in general; but to adults who profess repentance for sin, and faith in Christ, and to them only. Our Saviour's commission to his apostles, by which christian baptism was instituted, is to go and teach all nations, baptizing them: that is, say they, not to baptize all they meet with, but first to instruct them; and whoever receives the instruction, him to baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Ghost. This construction of the commission, they contend, is confirmed by the different words in which another evangelist expresses it: Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature: he that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved. To such persons, and to such only, they say, baptism was administered

vol, i. See Azymitæ.