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earlier times, to exprefs the doctrine by a fingle word, for the fake of brevity and convenience. The doctrine, then, as delivered in holy scripture, though not exactly in the fame words, is very fhort, and amounts only to this; That the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, are each of them God, and yet there is but one God. For, as to the word perfon, when we fay there are three perfons; and as to thofe other explanations in the Athanafian creed, this day read to you, (whether compiled by Athanafius or no,) they were taken up three hundred years after Christ, to expound this doctrine; and I will tell you upon what occafion. About that time, there fprang up a herefy of people called Arians, from one Arius, the leader of them. Thefe denied our Saviour to be God, although they allowed all the reft of the gospel, (wherein they were more fincere than their followers among us.) Thus the Christian world was divided into two parts, till at length, by the zeal and courage of St. Athanafius, the Arians were condemned in a general council, and a creed formed upon the true faith, as St. Athanafius hath fettled it. This creed is now read at certain times in our churches; which, although it is useful for edification to those who understand it, yet, fince it contains fome nice and philofophical points, which few people can comprehend, the bulk of mankind is obliged to believe no more than the fcripture-doctrine, as I have delivered it; because that creed was intend

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ed only as an answer to the Arians in their own way, who were very subtle difputers.

But this herefy having revived in the world about an hundred years ago, and continued ever fince; not out of a zeal to truth, but to give a loofe to wickedness, by throwing off all religion; feveral divines, in order to answer the cavils of thofe adverfaries to truth and morality, began to find out farther explanations of this doctrine of the Trinity, by rules of philofophy; which have multiplied controverfies to fuch a degree, as to beget fcruples that have perplexed the minds of many fober Chriftians, who otherwise could never have entertained them..

I muft, therefore, be fo bold to affirm, that the method taken by many of thofe learned men, to defend the doctrine of the Trinity, hath been founded upon a mistake.

It must be allowed, that every man is bound to follow the rules and directions of that measure of reafon which God hath given him. And indeed, he cannot do otherwife, if he will be fincére, or act like a man. For instance, if I should be commanded, by an angel from heaven, to believe it is midnight at noon-day; yet, I could not believe him. So, if I were directly told in fcripture, that three are one, and one is three, I could not conceive or believe it, in the natural common fenfe of that expreffion; but muft fuppofe, that fomething dark or myftical was meant, which it pleafed God to conceal from me, and from all.

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the world. Thus, in the text, There are three that bear record, &c. Am I capable of knowing and defining, what union and what distinction there may be in the divine nature, which, poffibly, may be hid from the angels themselves? Again, I see it plainly declared in fcripture, that there is but one God; and yet, I find our Saviour claiming the prerogative of God, in knowing mens thoughts, in faying, He and his Father are one; and, Before Abraham was, I am. I read, that the difciples worshipped him; that Thomas faid to him, My Lord and my God; and St. John, chap. i. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. I read likewife, that the Holy Ghoft beflowed the gift of tongues, and the power of working miracles; which, if rightly confidered, is as great a miracle as any, that a number of illiterate men, fhould, of a fudden, be qualified to speak all the languages then known in the world; fuch as could be done by the inspiration of God alone*. From thefe feveral texts, it is plain,

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In defending the peculiar doctrines of Christianity, perhaps it is always best to insist upon the positive evidence, as the Dean has done in this fermon: for, in every question, he who undertakes to obviate objections, muft neceffarily be foiled by him who puts them. By the human intellect, little more than the furface of things can be known; and therefore, fpeculative objections, which would puzzle an able philosopher, may be easily raised, even against thofe truths which admit of practical demonstration. It was once objected to a philofopher, who was explaining the laws of motion, That there could be no fuch thing;

for,

that God commands us to believe there is an union, and there is a diftinction; but, what that union, or what that distinction is, all mankind are equally ignorant, and must continue fo, at leaft till the day of judgment, without some new revelation.

But, because I cannot conceive the nature of this union and distinction in the divine nature, am I, therefore, to reject them as abfurd and impoffible, as I would, if any one told me, that three men are one, and one man is three? We are told, that a man and his wife are one flesh; this I can comprehend the meaning of; yet, literally taken, it is a thing impoffible. But, the apoftle tells us, We fee but in part, and we know but in part and yet, we would comprehend all the fecret ways and workings of God.

Therefore, I fhall again repeat the doctrine of the Trinity, as it is pofitively affirmed in scripture: That God is there expreffed in three different names, as Father, as Son, and as Holy Ghoft; that each of thefe is God, and that there is but one God. But this union and diftinction are a mystery, utterly unknown to mankind.

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for, that a body muft move, either in the place in which it is, or in the place in which it is not; but, both being impoffible, there could be no motion. The objection the philofopher immediately removed, by walking cross the room. And, if none were to triumph in the strength of popular objections against Christianity, but those who could otherwife fhew the fallacy of this against motion, the number of moral philofophers among us would proba bly be very few. Hawkef.

This is enough for any good Christian to believe, on this great article, without ever enquiring any farther. And this can be contrary to no man's reafon, although the knowledge of it is

hid from him.

But there is another difficulty, of great importance among thofe who quarrel with the doctrine of the Trinity, as well as with feveral other articles of Chriftianity; which is, That our religion abounds in mysteries; and these they are fo bold to revile as cant, impofture, and prieftcraft. It is impoffible for us to determine, for what reafons God thought fit to communicate fome things to us in part, and leave fome part a mystery but fo it is in fact, and fo the holy fcriptures tell us in feveral places. For inftance, the refurrection and change of our bodies, are called myfteries by St. Paul; our Saviour's incarnation is another. The kingdom of God is called a mystery by our Saviour, to be only known to his difciples; fo is faith, and the word of God, by St. Paul. I omit many others. So that, to declare against all mysteries, without diftinction or exception, is to declare against the whole tenor of the New Teftament.

There are two conditions that may bring a mystery under fufpicion: First, When it is not taught and commanded in holy writ: Or, fecondly, When the mystery turns to the advantage of those who preach it to others. Now, as to the firft, It can never be faid, that we preach mysteVOL. II.

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