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mutual relations of the divine Perfons.

All the external works of God, indeed, are common to each Perfon; as the divine nature is the fame indivifible principle of operation. Yet thefe works are diftinctly ascribed to the three Persons, becaufe each Perfon operates according to the order of fubfiftence. In the old creation, the Father called all things into being, by his co-effential Word, communicating life immediately by the Spirit, as exercifing a generating power on the unformed mafs. When God created man, the First Perfon formed him by the Second, as his effential Image, giving him life, both natural and moral, by the Third as "the Spirit of life "." Yet this implies no inferiority, or mere inftrumentality, in any of the adorable Perfons; but only the most perfect order and harmony. The cafe is the fame in the new creation. It seems moft confiftent with divine wisdom, that he who is firft in the order of fubfiftence fhould rather fend than be fent; that the Son, who is "the image of the invisible God," should procure the reftoration of that bleffed image loft by fin; and that he, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, fhould be fent by both, to quicken those who are fpiritually dead. This diftinct operation indeed, as it correfponds with the order of fubfiftence, beautifully harmonizes with the diftinguishing character belonging to each Perfon. He, who is effentially the Father, affumes the character of paternity, in a federal refpect, towards

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a Gen. i. 27.; ii. 7.

those

those who are orphans and aliens. The only-begotten Son of God is fent forth, made under the law, that they may "receive the adoption of

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"the

fons," and appears as "the firft-born among many brethren." The adorable Spirit, "breath of JEHOVAH," breathes on the flain, that they may live; giving them a new heart and a right fpirit. He, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, unites the finner to both.

Is it "life eternal to know the only true God, "and Jefus Chrift whom he hath fent?" Hath no one the Father, who "denieth the Son?" Can no one honour the Father, "who honoureth not "the Son?" Is it the Spirit alone who quickeneth, and who teacheth us to "know the things "that are freely given us of God?" Can no man

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fay that Jefus is the Lord, but by the Holy "Ghoft?" Is it through Chrift that "we have "accefs by one Spirit unto the Father?" Let us blefs God for the revelation of the mystery of a Trinity in unity; and efpecially because he hath revealed it fo clearly in the hiftory of our redemption, in relation to that work in which a peculiar operation belongs to each adorable Perfon, in which the love of a three-one God is fo wonderfully difplayed, in which we difcern for bleffed a harmony, not only of divine perfections, but of divine Perfons! In all our worship, let us view God according to this revelation, afcribing glory to him "who is, and who was, and "who is to come, and to the Seven Spirits which

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"are before his throne, and to Jefus Chrift, who "is the faithful witnefs, and the firft-begotten "from the dead, and the prince of the kings of "the earth." Let us earnestly defire communion with this three-one God; with the Father, in his love as the spring of our falvation; with the Son, in all that grace which he hath purchased by his blood; and with the Holy Ghoft, in the whole extent of his efficacious operation. In order to this, let us prefs after union with Chrift, that in him we may be united to the Father by that one Spirit who proceeds from both, and who is conferred by both as the Spirit of adoption. Let us cultivate love to the brethren, as members of the fame myftical body, defiring to be "one heart "and one foul;" that although many, we may be one, and thus be affimilated, in our weak meafure, to the bleffed Trinity in refpect of unity; as Jefus prays in behalf of his Church;-" That "they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in "me, and I in thee; that they alfo may be one "in us.-I in them, and thou in me, that they "may be made perfect in one; and that the "world may know that thou haft fent me, and "haft loved them, as thou haft loved me "."

b John xvii. 21. 23.

SECT.

SECTION III.

Of the Wisdom of God.-Of his Power.-Of that character, The LORD of Hofts.

IN the facred volume, we have an history of the divine perfections. Thefe are not only declared in a doctrinal way, but alfo hiftorically delineated. They are not merely exhibited as objects of faith; by their wonderful effects, they become as it were vifible to the very fenfes of men. Often, in one event, one perfection appears more confpicuous than others, like an “ap

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ple of gold, fet in pictures of filver." In another, different perfections beam forth with dif tinguished luftre. But whether the display be limited to one, or extended to more, fuch are the characters of the work as to proclaim a divine agent.

It might be fhewed, that we have here an hiftory of the Wifdom of God. This perfection is displayed in the work of creation. All things are declared to be "very good c," as exactly correfponding to the pattern in the divine mind, and to the end for which they were made. We may therefore justly fay; "O LORD, how manifold "are thy works, in wisdom haft thou made them "all."

D 4

Gen. i. 31.

"all" The fame wisdom is confpicuous in the works of Providence. How often hath God brought to nought the counfel of the wicked;" now, by "making their devices of none effect,” although the refult of the moft mature deliberation, and difplaying all the craft of the old ferpent; then, by turning their very schemes of deftruction on their own heads! Pharaoh faid, in the height of his refentment, and in the infolence of his pride; "I will purfue, I will overtake, I "will divide the fpoil; my luft fhall be fatisfied "upon them; I will draw my fword, my hand "fhall deftroy them." But this very pursuit was overruled for his more fignal overthrow.

The wifdom of God might be illustrated from the confideration of the means employed for the prefervation of the truth. The great longevity of the antediluvian patriarchs, and of some of thofe who lived after the flood, was evidently defigned in fubferviency to the preservation of that precious doctrine revealed to the Church, while it was only tranfmitted by tradition. A particular family was afterwards feparated for this purpofe. At length, when idolatry had overrun the world, revelation was committed to writing, and a whole nation were employed as its guardians. As the Sacred Hiftory exhibits the completion of great part of the prophecies contained in the volume of infpiration, we have another evidence that its author is "the only wife God," who "knoweth the end from the beginning."

d Pfal. civ. 24.

Did

e Exod. xv. 9.

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