everlasting, without Body, Parts, or Paffions, "of infinite Power, Wisdom, and Goodness, the Maker, and Preferver of all Things both visible " and invifible.”—The Truth is, though a very clear and rational Scheme of Religion may be drawn from the obvious Sense and Import of the Holy Scriptures, yet, they themselves are not a methodical, but historical System of Divinity. The great Truths they contain are not to be inferred from a particular Clause, or a fingle Section, but from the collective Tendency and Purport of the whole. Thus, the Attributes of the Deity are severally illustrated in the Old Testament by the occafional Accounts therein given us of the Divine Difpenfations to Mankind, to the Family of Noah, and of Abraham, to the Patriarchs, to the People of the Jews, and the neighbouring Nations. And in like manner the great Doctrines of the New Testament depend upon the Truth of the Narrations of our Saviour's Birth, Life, Converfation, Miracles, Difcourfes, Paffion, Refurrection, and Afcenfion, and of the Descent and Operations of the Holy Ghost, and upon the frequent References and Allufions to fome one or more of these in the Epiftles of the Apoftles to the Chriftian Converts. If these therefore are full and explicit as to their Meaning, the Church has nothing to do but to deliver that Meaning to her Members in any Terms that are evidently fignificant of it; and if the VOL. I.

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fcriptural

scriptural Representation of a threefold Union of Perfons in the Godhead be pertinently expreffed by the Word, Trinity, we are certainly as much at liberty to make use of it, as we are to make use of the Word, Deity, to express our Idea of the One God by, which yet is a Term that occurs no more than the other in the facred Writings. When therefore we fee that thefe Things are fo, from the easy, natural, and unavoidable Construction to be put upon numberless Expreffions and Paffages, it is abfurd, as well as wicked to afk, how can thefe Things be? Indeed, the Non-attention of Men to plain Fact, and fimple scriptural Relation, and the Perplexities they throw themselves into by their vain Endeavours to reconcile spiritual Truths with natural Ideas, or by their grofs and and literal Acceptation of certain scriptural Terms and Expreffions, which are only true in an eminent and incomprehenfible fenfe, contribute much to that prevailing Scepticism, which it is almost unfashionable to complain of in the present Age.—There is in Scripture a clear and manifest Distinction of Three Perfons in the Divine Nature, the Second of which is repeatedly and emphatically ftiled, the Son of God. But 'tis to be remembered, that though this Title or Denomination belongs to him undoubtedly in fome strictly true and proper Sense, yet in respect of our Notions of Paternity and Sonship, which suppose the Precedency of Cause, the Dependence

pendence of Effect, &c. &c. he is fo called by Analogy only, and avgwлодaws. The Relation the Second Perfon in the Holy Trinity bears to the other Two, and the Part he voluntarily took in the great Scheme of Man's Redemption, are most aptly conveyed to our Understandings (as far as they can be conveyed at all) by this Appellation; which is the more proper and fignificant, because, while it may denote fome Degree of Subordination as to Manner of Subfiftence, Pofteriority of Order, or Peculiarity of Office, it imports no fort of Inferiority or Inequality of Nature.-Instead therefore of amufing, or rather confounding ourselves with 'fruitlefs Attempts to ascertain the precife Idea of Father, Son, and Spirit, in the Godhead, we should humbly acquiefce in the Declarations of Scripture which manifeftly affert the Divinity of each. P He who knoweth all Things, He who fearcheth all Things, He who is the Difpenfer of all fpiritual Gifts, &c. &c. He, in whofe Name we are baptized, and folemnly bleft, muft be truly and effentially God: And accordingly no Expreffions that seem to intimate the Generation of the Son by, or the Proceffion of the Holy Ghost from, a fuperior or prior Being, (Expreffions partly allufive only to the Gospel Difpenfation, and partly fignificant, in fome measure, of the threefold Diftinction in the Godhead to the Weakness P John xxi. 17. 91 Cor. ii. 10. f I Cor. xii. II.

of the human Mind) can justly be understood to affect the Eternal Effence and inherent Perfections of the Son, or of the Spirit, or direct us to confider them as Perfons or Beings of a different Nature and Excellence from God the Father.

It may farther be observed, that though the Manner, the Ratio of the Existence of three Perfons in one Nature be utterly inexplicable, yet this Doctrine does by no means contradict the great Principles even of natural Religion, or clash with our Ideas of the moral Attributes of God. So far from it, that it exhibits them in the strongest Light, and to the nobleft Advantage. What System, like the Chriftian, difplays to us the Exactness of Divine Justice, the Plans of infinite Wisdom, and the Funds of inexhaustible Goodness, as well as the Plenitude of Almighty Power? Nay, it is not deftructive of that first and most obvious natural Attribute of the Deity, his Unity, with which it seems to be most irreconcileable. For, as much as the Infidel would infinuate, that the human Mind in the Contemplation of the Deity cannot distinguish without diminishing, and that the Idea of abfolute and indivisible Unity is infeparable from that of Perfection, yet while the Unity of the Divine Effence is maintained in and from Scripture, the Participation of that Effence by three distinct Perfons implies nothing derogatory

to

to the Excellence of the Divine Nature, or the Perfection of Unity. For we afcribe Unity to the Godhead primarily, because the Idea of Unity supposes such a full Independency of Power, and abfolute Freedom of Will and Action, as is neither fubject to the Oppofition or Controul, nor requires the Concurrence of any equal or inferior Being. The most material Objection against the Multiplicity of Gods, or a Diftinction of Perfons in one Godhead, seems to be grounded on the Poffibility of their counter-acting one another, and on the precarious and contradictory Syftem of Providence that must thereupon inevitably ensue.—But the Chriftian Theory obviates every Objection of this kind, by manifeftly representing to us the Holy Three as neceffarily cooperating together, and to all Intents and Purposes One, with regard to the Mystery of Man's Redemption, and confequently to every supposable Act and Difpenfation. It exhibits to us the Three Persons of the Godhead in different Lights, and under the feveral Denominations of Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier; but notwithstanding fuch Diftinction of Denomination, Relation, and Office, (a Distinction which, by the way, admits a reciprocal Change of Characters) the Three are demonftrably in Point of Will, Decree, Power and Excellency, One and the Same: So that, as the Athanafian Creed well directs, " in all Things the Unity in Trinity, and the Trinity " in Unity is to be worshipped."