190 THE KEY OF MYSTERIES

(and there is, for all the religions of the heathen prove that men conceive of and form their gods in the likeness of their own wicked selves), then it is clear that a man who worships as God any being except the God revealed in the holy Scriptures is an idolater.

Whoever, therefore, desires to attain to the knowledge of the true and living God, and to worship and serve Him, must think of Him and adore Him according to the teaching which God Most. High has given regarding His own most holy nature and will in His own holy word. Otherwise that man will derive neither grace nor blessing from his knowledge and devotion, nor will his service be acceptable to God.

But perhaps you ask, 'What benefit accrues to a man from the doctrine of the Trinity in Unity, and what is the good of it?' In reply we would remind you that God Most High in His holy word has revealed Himself and His own existence in accordance with this doctrine. This is really a sufficient answer to your question, for every wise man and every earnest truth-seeker knows well that the All-Wise God has done well in all that He has done and taught, that He has revealed nothing unprofitable, and that all His words and works are manifestations of the highest and most excellent wisdom. And although the full riches of that divine wisdom be not evident to any man, and though in this world no man can fully understand

DOCTRINE OF THE HOLY TRINITY 191

the depth of the mystery of God's being, yet the man who is well acquainted with the holy Scriptures and has carefully studied their teachings will see clearly that the doctrine of the Trinity in Unity is a doctrine of such importance that the attainment of the true knowledge of God and the obtaining of salvation are connected therewith. It is true that right knowledge is not saving faith, yet knowledge of what God has revealed is necessary in order that faith may be intelligent and rightly directed, and that thus all may be led to put their whole trust and confidence in the one true Saviour, recognizing Him as being what He professed to be, the Way, the Truth, and the Life. This is impossible except through acceptation of the doctrine of the Trinity in Unity. But your question may and should be more fully answered, and this we proceed to do as follows:—

(1) The advantage and importance of knowing and accepting the doctrine of the Trinity in Unity is evident from the fact that, as has already been pointed out, one cannot otherwise attain to such a knowledge of the nature of God as may enable him to find peace and salvation in the Gospel (بشارة) message and to tread the way of salvation therein revealed. This is evident, for example, from what the Lord Jesus Christ Himself says: 'No 1 one knoweth the Son, save the Father;


1 Matt. xi. 27.