and their Proceeding Operation—corresponding to the trinity in the natural sun, of heat, light and their proceeding operation, and illustrated also by the trinity in man who was created in the image and likeness of God; the trinity, that is, of soul, body and their resultant activity, or of will, understanding and their joint operation.[1]
How perfectly this new doctrine of the Divine Trinity is illustrated by the trinity in the sun of our world, may be seen from their correspondence. The heat of the sun corresponds to the Divine Love, which is the all-begetting principle signified by the Father; for love is spiritual heat. The light of the sun corresponds to the Divine Wisdom or Truth, which is the form or manifestation of love, and is what is signified by the Son; for truth is spiritual light. And the proceeding operation of the sun's heat and light corresponds to the proceeding and constant operation of the Lord's Love and Wisdom, which is what is signified by the Holy Spirit.
This Trinity finds an illustration, also, in the will, understanding and action of every regenerate man. For man is regenerate in the degree that he is created anew after the Divine likeness; or in the degree that the love in his will is an image
- ↑ For an extended and exhaustive treatment of this subject, with proofs from reason and Scripture, see Barrett's "Letters on the Divine Trinity addressed to Henry Ward Beecher."
