'%r^: i 'wimlbt Pi ^z^ ^' ^ ^W-'^''^^tw^ -^' - A- ^||L)^; LIBRARY FR1.^€ET<>IV, an. J. U(lNATIi)\ or a A M L' K 1. A a N K W , ^ . u r H H M. \ 11 t 1. J' H 1 1 . H 1 - Letter No. COLLECTION OF PURITAN AND ENGLISH THEOLOGICAL LITERATURE $ LIBRARY OF THE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY 1 i I •[ - " " tmt ConfiDetatiottS Concerning the f TY AND' The W A Y S of Managing that CONTROVERSIE. £2, c^t'T^ w-M^iZr. «*» ife ^ii> s^s^ <9* cfpT *Jh» •** *** L O N DO N, Printed 5 and Sold by E.Whitlock,^ neitSmmers'Hall. MDCXC\rL I 1 I THE PREFACE TO THF READER- TH IS DIfcourle was Written jfome time ago for the Pri- vate Satisfaftion of the Au- thor, who thought that a pro- per Seafon for an Impartial Enquiry into the Dodirine of the Trinity, when feveral Perfons of different Opinions in tliat Point had juft before appeared in the Contro- verfie about it, and their Printed Papers being canvas'd over again in Convcrfation, a had The Prefacel had produced many New Remarks upon the fame Subjecft. Which Advantages^^ together with what he had formerly read,, having, as he ji^dged-j giveahira a pret- ty full comprehenfion of the Matters in; Difpute, ^he took the following Method, of Re*examining th^ |)art; of his Faith ^ and Juftifying what -fee believed to his own Reafon and Confcience. Some Per- fons to whom he communicated what he had writ, advifed him to Print: Which he- had done before now> upon the Judgment of a Great and Learned Man of the Church, licely deady who was pleafed to approve the Papers , without knowing to whom they belonged : But Occafion being given, him to fore-fee fome little Objcdions, which might, probably, at that particular time, have in fome mea- fur^ obftru(3:ed his Good Intentions in* Printing them , he thought fit to de- fer the Publication of them till a more convenient Opportunity, fuch as he judges this to be, wtieq the -Controverfie of the V Trinity yhe Frefdce^ Trinity is managed in fuch a manner as to offend a great many, antf fatlsfie very few^§ and the Church' -is like to' fufFer Very much by the rob Adventumus M- tempts made by fome to Vindicate her DoArines. ^M i. irhi^ W^' ^en^^ to Explain the DiftiniSion in the Godhead by Modes , Of fices^ Relations^ and the like, are cenfured as laying too little^ and coming much below the Charaders of Diftindion to be found in Scripture; though,. at the fame time they ufe thefe Terms, they acquaint us that they ufe them in z dif- ferent Senfe from any they ^rt takett in, when applied to Crf^f«/ex, and in '^ lfe& importing greater DifFerence, but fticH'^ai is not conceivable by Human Underftarld^ ing. ' '^=Aha fomfeb^ thofe-ivho calP theTftfe^ Dhine Perfons Three Infinite Minds ^ Spi~ fitSy or Subfiances^ would not be thought a 2 to The Pre face: to mean by chefe Expreflions, That the' Three Perfons in the Godhead are as mucb diftinguiflied from one. another as Three Merjj or Three JngeJs zit ; but that the Diftindtion betwixt, them is fo great^ that no other Terms can reach it, though chefe do fomewhat exceed what they would fig^ nifie by them.: Which- DiftirvSion,; lefs than thefe Expreflions, in- the common ufc of them, do import, and higher than any other can come up to^ is acknowledg'di like wife to he inconceivable. Which being obferved. by the Author of t;his Difcourfe, he thought it more Ad- vilable to ufe no New Terms with a De- fign of Explaining what, by the Confefr fion of Perfons of different fides in. the Difpute, is not to be rendredmore con-^ eeivable. And, to Juftifie his Opinion in this Matter, he has endeavoured to prove that no New Terms can be ufed to any fiich purpofe. And this, he thinks,, he has made very Evident by the Account he has ^e Frefdce. has given of whac we czn^di^inSily conceive^ and what wc cznconfufediy helieve of the X)o 'i ., T, r. . »> T' ill SOME CONSIDERATIONS CONCERNING THE TRINITY. &<^ T Here's no part of the Chriftian -Faith has produced fo many Difputes and Controver- fies, fuch a numerous Variety of Opinions and Seas, as the Doarine of the BlefTed Trinity. If we eonfult the large Catalogues of Pri- mitive Herefies, we (hall find the far greateft Number of them nothing elfe but fo many feveral Modes and Ways of Explaining the Common Undivided Nature and Effenee of the Trinity, and the different Oftices and Operations of each Perfon. . r d ° How far the uncertainty of our Faith in theie 1 omts, the many Abfurd and Blafphemous Expofitions that have been made of them, and the warm and mdilcreet Management of contrary Parties, have contributed to the Prejudice of Religion, and the Scandal of ^itsPro- fefTors, has been a common Obfervation and Com- plaint in all Chriftian Ages. And feveral Expedienrs have been propofed for the RedrelTmg of this Milchie^, hut all Attempts of this kijid have hitherto mikarr^d 2 Some Confiderations concerning the Trinity. The pi incipal Reafon of which I humbly conceive to be this : That thofe who have laboured in this good Defign, have for the moft part proceeded upon wrong Meafures. Now, the Methods that have been generally and ^ chiefly infifted upon, are Three, which are all impro- per, or infufficient, and have therefore proved ineffe- £lual, as will plainly appear upon a particular Exami- nation of each. I. Firft then. There are fome who are for Reveren- cing the Myftery of the Trinity without ever looking into it at all, who think it not to be the Subjed either of Difpute or Enquiry ; imagining every thing of this high and tranfcendent Nature is propofed to us only as a Tryal and Exercile of our Faith ; and the more im- plicit that is, the fuller do we exprefs our truft and relyance upon God. Nay, farther. There are thofe who do not Icruple to fay, the more Contradi6lions the better ; the greater the Struggle and Oppolition of Realbn, the greater is the Triumph and Merit of our Faith. But there's no likelihood of fupprefling any of our Doubts orDifputes in Religion this way : For befides the Natural Propenfion of the Soul to the fearch of Truth, and the ftrong and impatient defire we have to know as much as ever we can of what immediately concerns us, 'tis generally and very juftly look'd upon both as the Priviledge and Duty of Man to Enquire and Examine before he believes or judges ; and never give up his affenr to any thing but upon Good and Ra- tional Grounds : And therefore 'twould be a very hard thing to perlwade the World to ftifle and reftrain fb many Powerful Motives of Aftion ; But fhould they be farther prevailed upon to go dire6lly contrary to their Some Conjiderations concerning the Trinity, 3 their Reafon, 'twould be much more difficult to Con- quer the uneafmefs of the ReluOiance. And indeed 'tis well the difficulties of fubduing the Underftanding are too great to be mafter'd ; hor a flight R eflefliion will ferve to convince us, that the ne- ceffary Confequences of a blind Refignation of Judg- ment would be far more Fatal to Chrifl:ianity than all our prelent Divifions* What Blafphemies and Contradidions may and have been impofed upon mens belief, under the Venerable Name of Myfteries ? And how eafie are Villainous Pra- aices derived from an abfurd Faith ? This is matter ol common Obfervation, and has brought a juft Scandal upon a large Party of Chriflrians, and given occafion to Men of light, undiftinguifhing Capacities, to deny and feoff at the Saving Truths of theGofpel, becaule they were accompanyed with a ridiculous mixture of Errors. No doubt therefore we may, and ought carefully to Examine the Faith and Principles we defign for the Rule of our Lives, and endeavour to underftand all our Religion fo far, as to be able to Juftifie it, both to our Selves and Unbelievers. We ought indeed to proceed with all the Caution and Humility imaginable, and take a juft Eftimate of our Ta^k and Jhilitits : But to deny us the Liberty ei. ther of ufing or obeying our Realbn, is a fufpicious as well as an unjuft Reftraint. 2. There are others, who call the DoQrineof the Trinity an Incomprehenfible Myftery, and yet are at a great deal of pains to bring it down to a Level with Humane Underftanding ; and are all very earneft to have their own particular Explications acknowledged as neceflary Articles of Faith : But the number and B 2 diC A Some Confiderations concerning the Trinity. difagreement of the Expofitors plainly difcover the va^ nity of fuch Pretences. This has proved fo unfuccefsful a way, that inftead of uniting the different Judgments of Chriftians ia ooe Point, it has broke the Controverfie into a Thou- fand more : For Zeal and Oppofition raifmg up a great many Allertors of the Common Belief, and every one looking out for fbme new Terms and Modes of Speech, which fhould be fuller and more expreflive than thofe in Queftion, tlie Differences and Difputes were by con- fequence proporticnably multiplyed. For the Terms and Forms of Speech made ufe of being capable of le- vera I fences, and each of them attended with other AccelTory Idea's, Miftakes mufl: necefTarily arife, and divers new Thoughts be fuggefted to fuch whofe Heads were employed upon the fame Subject : And thus it came to pals, that Defences and Vindications of the Orthodox Faith produced more Herefi^. . Wherefore in all fuch Matters as thefe, wljich are top big to be grafp'd, we had better fit down contented with what we have firm hold of, than tire our felves with vain Endeavours to take in more. 'Twonld cer- tainly be tl.c trueft, and the fafeft way, ftridlyto con* line our felves to Scripture Expr fflonsy and never fpeak of Simper natural Thhgs, but in the Language of Revela* iion ; . which being tlie proper Standard of all other Words that fbali be ufed on thefe Occafions^ 'tis in vain to (Lift the Meafurc, when there's never another to be found which can or ought to reach farther. It may, however, fometimes be neceffary to change tliis Method, and introduce Nerv Terms to fecure the TruePaith againft the Falle Interpretations of fuch as pei^ve.t Scripture, For if Hereticks will make ule of New ExpreiHons to ccatradia the received Do£i:rine,we muft Some Confiderations concerning the Trinity, e ,mu^ have New Terms to exprefs the fame Truth in, in Oppofition to their Herefie. And in this cafe the Church may very reafonably require her Members to fliew their iteady continuance in the Ancknt Faith, by the ufe of fuch Terms as plainly infer their denyalof any later erroneous Inventions fet up againfl: it. ^, There are a Third fort of Men in the World , who pretend. That there is no Myftery propofed to us as an Objed of Faith ; and in order to make this of the Trinity appear to be none, they bring a Cloud over the whole Bible, and with ilrange forc'd Criticifms and Allegories give the very plaineft Texts fuch an unufual Myfterious turn, as neither the Language wilji bear, nor is any ways confident v/ith the Defign or CharaQer of the Holy Writers. But this is a very odd prepofterous Method of Ex- plaining Scripture, by darkening a great part of it to illutete the reft, and as ridiculous a Projed of heal-^ ing Divifions, as pulling down a whole fide of ftand= ing Wall to mend a Breach o And after all, the SocmUn Hypthefts feems to me to have more of My fiery ^ and QontradiBion to Natu- ral Reafbn in it, than what is objeded to the Cafholkk DoBrine, I am not for clogging the Faith, nor multiplying Myfteries ; yet we ought not prefently to deny what we do not underftand, but foberly, and impartially con- ifider how much we are able to Comprehend^ and how far we are obliged to Believe^ what we do not. The Method therefore I defign to obferve in the folo lowing. Difcourfe, fhall be different from any of thof^ now mentioned. I fball not go about to preis Men to a Blind Veneration J or Prefnmptuoi^ Belief of any thing mthofit Examhaffo^y or in Defimce to Re^off- I iiiaiU ^ Some ConfiJierations concerning the Trinity. not offer to impofe any New Jrhitr^ry Explicatior/s of my own upon other mens Confciences, but confine my felf wholly to the ufual warranted Forms of Expreflion. I will not wrcft and llrain Scripture to help out a Pri- vate Notion, nor do any thing to betray the Juft Rights and Priviledges of our Common Reafun ; but care- fully endeavour to diftinguifli How far the DoBrme of the Trinity is a My fiery ^ and how far a Myftery may be- come an Object of Eaith. From whence I hope to make it appear, that nothing hard or unreafonable is requi- red of us by our Church for the belief of this Article. In order to which, I fhall rank all my Reflections upon this Subjed, under thefe Three Heads of En- quiry. I. What it is that perplexes and obfcures our Faith in the Trinity. II. What is fufficient for Chriftians to believe con- cerning this Point*. III. What ill Confequences can attend fuch a Faith. Firft then, I am to Enquire, Wh^t it is that per- plexes and obfcures our Faith in the Holy Trinity. For before I enter upon a diflinO: and particular Confidera- tion of the DoQrine it felf, 'tis necelTary to point out fbmeof fhe Principal Caufes which have occafioned fb many Falfe, Abfurd, and Ineffedual Expofitions of it. And they are thefe four : The Prejudice and Bigottry of Men indifcreetly Pious. The Vanity and Defign of fuch as value themfelves upon inventing New Notions, or laughing at the Old ones. The not difccrning or confidering the Bounds and Li« mits of our Knowledge. And Some Confiderations concerning the Trinity 7 And laftly, An imprudent Choice of improper ways of Expreftion. The two firft of thefe have a general Influence upon all Religious Controverfies, but are more efpecially concerned in this : For there's never more room for Superflitions and Rigorous Impofitions, nor fairer Ad- vantages for Cavilling, and drawing abfurd Confe- quences, than where a Myftery is the Subjeft of De- bate, i^ There are fome who are apt to be concerned, and cry out, as if the very Foundations of all Religion were overturning, when any particular Scheme or Notion they are fond of, is called in Queflion. On the other fide, I have no fmall Reafbn to believe there are feveral who ftrike at Chriftianity it felf, under the Pretence of bringing down the value of Myfteries. And indeed if we confider the general Temper of Mankind, 'tis no wonder that there's more Superfiition and Ififiddky in the World than True Religion : For be- Jieving every thing, and believing nothing, a fiidden Veneration or Contempt of whatfoever is propoled to us, equally gratifie the lazy Inclinations of the Soul , which loves an cafie undifturbed courfe of Thoughts, and is very difficultly brought to endure the Labour of Attention and Enquiry. Nay, of thofe who feem to have conquer'd this Trouble, there are few who lay themfelves out in a free and impartial fearch of Truth, but are wholly employed in the purfuit of fome Notion they have before-hand taken up, and are refblved to maintain: They are already determined what to be- lieve, and only feek out Arguments to Juftiiie or Re- commend their Opinions toothers. ' HoW' S" Some Confiderations concerning the Trinity. How far thefe ; general RefleQions are applicable to the prefent Cafe, has been hinted already in the begin- ning of this Difcourfe, where 'tis very difcernible from the Ways and Methods made ufe of for fettling the Do- ctrine of the Trinity, that Prejudice and Vanity, a falfe Zeal, and an ill*grounded Contempt have had a large fliare in the Management of this Controverfic. - Another Reafbn why our Endeavours of Expound- ing this Point have been vain and unfuccefsful, is the want of difcerning or coffering the Bounds and Li- mits of our Knowledge -, from whence it comes to paf^, that oftentimes we drive to fbar above our pitch, and imagine we underftand fbme things better than re- ally we do. Rut efpecially Men of abftraded Think- ing are very apt to deceive themlelves with falfe Idea's, and are firmly perfwadcd they conceive things difi:in£l:- ly, which they have but a confufed Notion of. As for inftance ; It has been delivered down, as the conftant Faith of a long Succeffion of Eminent Philolbphers > that the whole Suhftance^ Nature, and EJfeme of the SohI is rvhol/jf and tntmly in all the Body confidered to- gether, and wholly and entirely in every fmgk Particle of it. And this is a Notion which at firft view has a great appearance of truth and clearnefs, and is fuch as the Underfianding readily clofes with : But if we would ftriftly and diftinQly Examine our felves, what we mean by thofe Terms, I believe we fhould be able to give but a very obfcure Account of our Opinion ; and at laft, be forced to confefs we underftand no more than this by them, That the Soul is the Principle of all the Operations performed in the Body. But fo it fbme- times happens, that we are tranfported too far in our Enquiries after hidden Truths, till we arc loflin Specu- : lation, and vainly think to Fathom the depths of Know- ledge Some Confiderations cmcerning the Trinity. ^ 'ledge and Wifdom, without confidering the ihortncfs of our time. Whereas we ought rather to examine « and find out the Bounds of our Thoughts, know the iuft extent and compafs of our Underftanding, and then reft latisfied with what we are Cupabk of, without 4kjiring to know more thm wt cxn^ or fnte^fdmg to knorv wore than we do. But further,' the Dodrine of the Trinity has fuffered very much by theDifcourles made about it upon another Account ; And that is, that fome of the Authors of fuch Dilcourfes have imprudently made choice of im- proper ways of Expreflion : Either perplexing plain Revelation too much with Philofophicai Terms and Niceties, or expofing the Faith to contempt, by homely indecent Similies, and difproportionate Comparifbns. Now, to keep clear of all thofe Rocks I have dif^ covered others to have fplit upon, I have endeavoured, what I could, to deliver my felf from Prejudice and confufion of Terms,and to fpeakjuftly and Intelligibly : And not being yet prepoffeft in favour of any particu- lar Explication, the better to preferve my freedom of Examining the Subjefl: in hand, I have purpofely for- born to fearch the Fathers^ Schoolmen, or Fratres Po^ lorn, or read over any Uter Treatifes concerning thi* Controverfie while I was compofing the prefent Effay, refblving to confult nothing but Scripture and my own Natttral Sentiments, and draw all my Reflexions from thence, taking only fuch which eafily, and without conftraint offered themfelves. 2. And thus having cleared the way, and removed every thing which I thought might obftru£l or mi(^ guide my Enquiries, I come, in the fecond place, to confider the Doctrine it felf; and Faithfully and Im- partially to Examine what is fujficient forChriftians to C believe I o Some Conjiderations concerning the Trinity. helitve corner fiing tht Trinity^ or, which is all one in this cafe, rvhdt is ^eceffary to be kHeved : For certainly he believes enough, and cannot in realbn be taxed for a narrow defe£^ive Faith, who believes as much as is required of him. For the better proceeding in which Enquiry, I fliall lay down this as an evident Truth, which every Man will grant me, that nothing is mceffary to be helievedy but I . rvhais foffihle to be believed ; and 2. whafs flainly revealed. But here I would be underftood, as to the laft part of the AlTertion, only of fuch matters which are known to us no other way than by Revelation. For in feve- ral other cafes, I confefs, we may be obliged to believe meerly upon HumAnt Tejiimony : Nay, even Revelation it felf, as it is a matter of Fadt, claims our AfTent upon no higher a ground. But further, I fhall take this for granted too in a Proteftant Country, that Scrifture is the only Standard of all NecelTary Revealed Truths : Neither in the prefent Inftance is there any room for a Traditionary Faith. For befides that, all the Fathers and Ancient Writers ground their Expofitions of the Trinity wholly upon Scripture, I cannot conceive that the Sabjeft is capable of a plainer Revelation, as I fhall endeavour to fhew more fully in the following Difcourfe. We are therefore, in the firft place, to confider how far 'tis pojjihle to believe a Trinity ; and next, to examine what the Scripture requires m to believe in this matter. Now, there are two Conditions requifite to make it poflible for us to believe a thing, i. That we know the Terms of what we are to aflent to. 2. That it im- ply no contradidion to our former Knowledge ; fuch Knowledge I mean which is accompanied with Cer- tainty and Ev idence. Firft Some Confide rations concerning the Trinity^ 1 1- Firft then, we can believe a thing no further than we underftand the Terms in which it is propofed to us ^ For Faith concerns only the trttth ani falfljood of Propo-. fitms; and the Terms of which a Propofition confifts mufl be firft underftood before we can pronounce any thing concerning the Truth or Fallhood of it ; which is nothing elle but the agreement or dif agreement of its Terms, or the Ik^s exprelfed by them. If I have no Kjiowledge at all of the meaning of the terms ufed in a Propofition, I cannot exerciie any Ad of my Under- ftanding about it, I cannot lay, / believe or Mtlievt any thing, my Soul is perfectly in the fame ftate it was before, without receiving any new Determination. If I have but a general confufed Notion of the Terms,l can give only a general confufed Jjfent ta the Propofition. So my Faith will always bear the lame Proportion to my KpotV" ledge of the Sub je6i- matter to be believed. To make this plainer by an Inftance, fuppofe I am required to believe that A. is equal to B, If I don't know either what A, or B, ftands for ; or have no Notion of Equality, I believe nothing more than I did before this was propofed to me ; I am not capable of any new determinate Ad: of Faith. All that I can be- lieve in this cafe can amount to no more than this, That Something h/ts fome refpeU to fomething elfe \ that the Matter I am required to believe, is aiSirmed by a Per- Ion of great Knowledge and Integrity, who ought to be credited in what he fays, and therefore the Propofi- tion here laid down is probably true in that fenfe the Author means. And what am I the wifer for all this ? What addition is there made to my Faith or Knowledge by fuch a Propofition? But farther, fuppofe I know that A and B. ftand for tnoLints^ and that by Eqital Lifjes is meant Lines of the fame length ; fuch Know- C 2 ledge I z^ Seme Confiderations concerning the Trinity^ ledge can produce only a general eenfufei belief, that^ there is feme certain Line imAgifjabk juft of the fame length rvi'h fome ether Line : But if by A* and B. ai*e meant rvo right Lines, which are thQ fides oi d. givem Triangle, and I take a Mathematician's Word for it, without demonftration that they are equaiy or. of the^ fame length, this is a particular diftjn£l A6^ of Faith ; by. which 1 am fatisfied of the Trutli of (braethiag which I did not believe or knoiv before. From whence it follows, that Terms 2Lndfiwple Idea'^s muft be clearly and ^//?/»^i^ underftood fir ft, before we can believe any thing particular of the refpe^s. ^nd rela- tions they bear to one another, wJiich is the only proper Obj(0 of Faith. Another Condition neceffary to render a thing capa- ble of being believed is, that it implies no Contradi- ction to our former KnowJedge. I cannot, conceive how 'tis^ poffible to give our alfent to any. thing that contradicts the plain Di dates of our Reafbn, and thofe evident Principles. from whence we derive all our other Knowledge. As for Example: I do not fee how any Authoritjr ef Revelation can overthrow tlie Truth of this Propo?- fition, That the Whole is biggir $hm any of its Farts. For Firft^ I cannot more clearly and diftinC^ly perceive any external ImprelTions made upon my Soul, nor be more certain that fiich impreflions proceed from God, than I can perceive and be allured rliat the Idtas I have of n>h/e and part bear this relation to one, another. S'condly, The nature and conftitution of things makes it inapoifible that this Pro pofition Ihould be.talle ; foi' fuchand futh 'I hing^ or NotiOns being fuppofed, fuch and liiclV Habiiiidesand Relpettsuiuft ncctilariiy lofuk from Some Confiderations concerning the Trinity, \ r ftom them. So long therefore as I have the fame leiec^i of whole 2ind part J and the fame Faculties of Perception, Lfhall always perceive the fame relation betwixs them : And if my Ideas of whole a,adpart were changed, or a new Texture and Frame of Soul given me, I lliould indeed perceive different relations betwixt thefe new Uea^s ; but this would by no means deflroy the Truth of my former Conceptions, 'twould flill be certain, ac^ cording to the I^iea^s I had before of whole and party that the rvkii? was bigger than any ol its parts : Whicli Idea's will always unalterably have the fame re- lation to one another. But Thirdly r Was it pofRble this Fi'opofition could be falfe, confidering.only the nature of the things them- felvcs, the Nature of God furnifhes us with other Ar?* guments of the Truth, and Certainty of it. And: ij?. It is not confillent with thejuflice, Wifdom, or Goodnefs of God, to require us to believe that, which, according to the Frame and Make he has given us, 'tis impoflible for us to believe : For however fbme Men have advanced.this abfurd.Paradox, that God caa make Conrradi^bions true^ I am very certain, that upon an impartial Trial of their Faculties, they would find 'twere pcrfeftlyoutof their power to believe explicitly, and in the common Senlc of the Terms, that a Par.C can be bigger than the Whole it is a Part of But 2^/y, Admitting it poflible for us to be deceived in fuch Propcfidons which have aeon flant, uniform, and univerfaL appearance of Truth and Evidence, this would deftroy all manner. of Certainty and Knowledge, and leave us wholly in Darknefs, Ignorance^ and Defpair^; 0/, which is more Injurious to rhe Divine Goodnefe to imagine, under an abfo'ute neceility of being deceived : For 'tis not only i mpoHib'c fir me to believe, thatfucji a.Pro^ 14 Some Conjiderations concerning the Trinity. aPrcp^ fition as this, That the FFhole is digger than an) of tts P rts is falfe ; but I cannot deny my pofttive ex- ^refs r.jftnt to it as true : The Light and Evidence in this Cafe is fo clear and ftrong, that I amnot at Liber- ty fo much as xo fufpend my Judgment. :^dly, Tis Blafphemy to think, that God can contra- di8: himfelf ; and therefore right Reafotj being the Voice of God, as well as Revelatioff, they can never be dire- dly contrary to one another. r' ^'"* Now to apply all this to the prefent Cafe ; fuppofe I am required to beliej^e. That 0;fe and tbe fame God is Three difcrent Ferfom : I only fuppofe it here, becaufe I have not yet proved how far, and in what fenf^^ we are obliged to believe a Trinity. If this, I fay, be the Propofition I am required to give my affent to, 'tis plain, by what has been proved before, that I can believe it no farther than the Terms^ of which it is made up, are known and u^derfioody and the Idea's fignificd by them confi- fient. In order therefore to form a dettrminate Ati of Faith in this Point, I muft carefully examine my felf what Tactions I have of God^ of Unity and Identity^ Difiin. Blon and Number^ and Perfon. As to the Notion of a Deity, 'tis true indeed I have not a full and adcfiate Idea of God, neither is my Soul capable of it ; but what Conceptions I have of his Na- ture and Perfections, are, according ro my Apprehen- fion, fo far clear, as to enable me truly and juftly to de* termine which of thofe diftin6l M^V, I have in my Mind, are applicable to him, and which are not. And fuch a Knowledge of the Divine Nature as this, is a fufficient dire^ion of my Faith in any Propofition con- cerning Gcd, where I clearly underlland all tholdea's attributed to him. In Some Confiderations concerning the Trinityl i e? In the next place therefore, I am to confidcr what Notions I have of Vmty and Identity^ Difiin£iion and Number. Atid here I confefs I am at a Lofs how to deUver my- felf^ thefe being fome of our flrfi md moft fmpk Idtd's which are fo clear of themfelves, that I cannot find clearer to explain them by. For this is certain, that every Man is confcious to himlelf, that he has a power of ftrcdving and compA'^ ring his Perceptions, and confequently muft know when any thing is prefented to his Mind, whether it be per- ceivable at one entire view j and whether the Obje6t have one uniform appearance or not : He muft be alfo fenlible in a fucceflion of Ideals, when thQ fAme Appearances are repeated ^g2im^ and how often the Reprefentation is -z/^- ried. However, notwithftanding the Clearnefs of thefe Notions, with refpeft to what pafles in our own Minds, we are not able to make true and diftinct Judgments of the unity or multiplicity of things without us : For it does not fbllour, that what is reprefented to the Soul at once, under one Idea or Appearance, fhould, accor- ding to the reality of thi?fgSy be one undivided nature^ neither can it be inferred, that what is reprefented to the Soul under different Ide^s are fb many diftinSi real Beings : For there are fome Ideals purely of the Soul's own making, and not copied from any external Pat- terns, where there are a great many particular real Be- ings, of different kinds and natures, comprehended un- der one Reprefentation ; Thus^ all the Hills, Plains, Rivers, Trees, and Towns, &c. which the Eye can reach from fuch or fuch a Point, we put into one Pi- fture, and call it a Landskip or Profped. Thus does theSoul enlarge its View to all the Works of God and Nature 5 l5 Some Covfiierations concernwg the Trinity. Nature ; it takes ia the whole Creation at a Thought, and calls it World. On the oth^r fide, the real Na- tures, znd Ejfe^ces of Things, which^re allowed to con- fift imfiwple undivided Vnity, are not conceivable by us at once, but ^i different Vitm^ by differ tnt f Art iaI Conceptions^ which the Soul afterwards compounds and calls by one Name. Thus when we endeavour to com- prehend the Natui-e and EfTence of what we call Man, we form, at different times, feveral confufed Notions of Subftance^ Body, Life, Senfe, and Reafon \ every one of which is a complicated Idea, and to be refolved into a orreat many others more fimple and diftinO; : As for inftance, I miaft form a great many Ide^s of particular Actions, and the Modes, Differences, and Relations of them, before I can have any tolerable knowledge of what Reafcn is ; and fo for the reft. All therefore that we underftand of the unity of things without us, is this : When we perceive any Ob- je£l in a continued Pofuion, bounded and fenced out from other things round about it, all within fuch Terms and Limits we call One : And then again, oblerving a great many different Aftions, produced in and by fuch an Objed:, we judge all thefe Actions and Operations to proceed from one common Principle, in fome fuch man- ner as Streams from a Fountain, or feveral Lines from the fame Centre. And whatever we thus judge to be One, tho* a great many Thoughts and Conceptions go to the forming of fuch a Judgment, we endeavour, as well as we can, to reprefent to our felves under one Idea or Apparance, iho' the Reprefentation be often very confufed and indiflinft. And this we do, as fuppoling it wholly and uniformly conceivable at one fingle View, were it not for the Imperfeftion of our Faculties ; Which Suppofition is not without good Ground ; for this Some Conjtderations concerning the Trinity, i j %\n.s we have plain Experience for, that when any vifi* bIeObje£t is of fuch a magnitude, or in fach a fitua- tion that the Eye cannot receive the whole Image of it at once, we take it in at different times, from different points of Sight ; and yet for all this, we find no more Reafon to doubt of the real Unity of fuch an Obje8:,than of any other, whole Image came into the Soul entire atone A£l of Vifion ; for we eafily conceive there may be other Organs of Sight , which would refle£]: the whole Obj eft together: And from thence we conclude further, that there may be alfo fome other Mind more perfeft than 6urs, which perceives that as one fimple Idea which we cannot apprehend, but by a union of feveral different Conceptions : From whence it fol* lows, that the moft perfeft: Mind, which is God, is the only true and proper Standard of all Unity and Diftinftion. The Summe of all my Thoughts is this : What is meant by of7e or more^ the fame or different Ideals is bet- ter to be conceived by iriward Reflexion, than can pof- fibly be explained by Words. ^ Such 2inldea, which is not diftinguifhable into dif- ferent Appearances, f call a fimple Idea, When I have any Thought or Perception, which is refblvable into feverai Uea^s^ 1 call this a complex or com- founded Notion, And hence I term any Being y?;^?/?/^ or compounded^ accordinrg as it is perceivable by fome Mind, \xwAtXQv\e ftmplt ApptArance^ oi' a complex Idea. Wb€ther7»7 Ideals are agreeable to the real Natures of Things., otxho^QorigimL'Fatierns'm the Mind of God, I cannot certainly rknow^ but when they are the fame J aiid when chey'difeft!oip.'onc another, I plainly perceive, tho' I cannjotalways^jiadgeof the Ident/ty or Dijiin^ion of Things, according as they are repre^n*. D ted 1 8 Some Considerations concerning the Trinity, ted to my iinderftanding, under the fame or Mffere/jt Appearances : For here I fliould be fomedmes mifta- ken too, as 'tis plain I often muft, if I judged of the real unity or mitltiplici4y of Things by my own Tlie Notions we have of the unity of Things with- out us, come the neareft that can be imagined to our Ide^is of Pointy and continmd Extenfton ; one of which reprefents [im^lt unity, the other compounded ^ the one we apply to what we call fpiritualBdngSy the other to mattrid:. For 'tis certain the Conception we have of Body, can never furnifh us with any Idea of fimple Unity. By a Spirit then we mean fomething without exten- fion, and confequently indivifible, capable of perfor- ming fom.e fuch kind of Actions, which do, in fome manner or degree, refemble thofe we are confcious of : But what that is, from whence Ifuppofe fuch Anions to proceed, I have not the leaft conception of ; for all that I conceive, is only feveral 7^e/j of different parti- cular Anions, which no more exprefs the Idea of that Principle from whence they fpring, than thQUea^soi feveral particular Lines exprefs the Idea of that Point they are drawn from. All that we can perceive or imagine of corporeal V- nity^ is nothing elle but a Connexion or joint Pofition of feveral Bodies, which, according as it is more or lefs perceivable^ according to the fiwpiicit/ or multiformity of the Figure refulting frona it, atod the eafimfs or difficulty of Separation^ makes feveral degrees of X^^/'c?;*, which all receive the confnnon Denomuiation of Unity. NjOw as ExteKfion^ -by. reafon of its perpetual divi fib i- lity^ cannot give us a true Notion of ftmple Unity^ fb fteither can 1 have any diftind knowledge of Vmon or Qgmpofition^ Some Conjiderations' concerning the Trinity] tp Compofition, abflra^ted from all Confiderations of Ex- tenfiofj. I do not underftand how a Mind and Body are united, any other wife than that I perceive fuch and fuch fpiritual Actions produced within the Compafs of fuch a Body which! call One : Neither am I able to comprehend the Union or Separation of Two Jpirtfual Beings^ without confidering them as in the fame or dif- ferent Localites ; for I have not didinO' Idea's of feve- X2\ ffiritual Natures, nor, if I (hould perceive thefeve- ral Operations of different Spirits^ Could I dilfinguifh the feveral individual Beings^ or Principles^ they pro* ceeded from : For who is there that, if all the Thoughts and Motions of the Souls of feveral Men were commu- ^jiicated to him, could tell which proceeded from which? Nay, we cannot tell what difftrence of Aciions is fuffi- cient to determine the different kinds of Principles they proceeded from ; neither can any Co-operation, or Con^ fent of JBions, make us conceive a fpiritual Union ^ without conceiving the fame Term ofAciion too. For fuppofe two Souls were fo exa611y framed alike, that they always thought and will'd the fame Things at the fame times, and were confcious of eachother'sThoughts and Aftions, if they were put into different Bodies , 'tis plain we could not properly lay they were umted or made one : And again, fuppofing they were in thefawe Body, we could not pofTibly conceive them to be ttvo^ any otherwife than we knew them capable of ^ifeparate ^ Exifience\ that is, if we examine our Thoughts ho- neftly, of a feparate Vhi, in different Bodies, orelfe- where : Not that I think local Prefence, or Determina^ tion, is any way contained within the Idea of a fpiritu- al Being, but it helps us to conceive it better, and dif- courfe more difl:inQ:ly about it. And, if we obferve D 2 it, SjO Sdme Conjideratms concerning the Trimty. it, there are feveral cafes where our Coftceftions and Judgme/Jts muft necefTarily differ. Thefe then are all the kinds of Vffity and Diftim^iion I can poffibiy imagine; namely, in Idea, Principle ^ and Pofition, Whatever elfe is called Unity, is more properly termed Agreement^ the very Notion of which implies a difiincfion in fome of the fore-mentioned kinds. 7^e;?//V7 is nothing elfe but a repetition of Vmty, as Number is of Dijfenf2ce,\vkh the Judgment of the Un- derllanding upon it. What Perfo?9aI Vmty and DtfiifJ&wfj 2Lrc, will be eafily underftood by explaining the word Per-/off,whidi fignifiCS one of thefe two things ; either a Particular Intelligent Beh:g^ or an Offia;^ Chara6ter^ or fbme fuch complex A'' ot ion apfl/ cable to fuch a Being. In- the firft lenie om Marty or Am el, is one Perfon^ and feveral Men OS Angels are jtvtral Perfons, In the fecond (enfe.of the word there may be lb many Perfons as there are different Combinations of the Actions, Relations, and Circumftances of Intelligent J3eings. , And thus having given an Account of the meaning and fignification of the Terms in which we are^required to exprefs our Faith, we are next to Examine, how far, and in what (eafe we can believe this Propofition, That One and the fame God is Thee different Perfons. Now 'tis certain, that if thofe before-fpeciiied are all the Notions we are able to frame of Unity and Di^ fihciion, then God mull be Om and Three in Ibme way or manner there, laid down, or elfe in fbme other way or manner not conceivable by Human Underftanding. Firft then, let us fee how and in what manner God car? be. One and Three, according to thofe Notions our; Souls have framed o^JV^ity and Diflin^im., And Some Confiderations concerning the Trinity, 2 1 And here 'tis granted on all hands, that nothing can be Orje and Three in the fame manner 2ind refpec^.-V/Qc^n- not conceive a thing to be in One determinate Pofition or X?^/, and in Three feparate Vi^fs all at once ; We cannot conceive that One Principle or Nature lliould bs but One, and yet Three different Principles or Natures too ; or that any Objed ilhould be truly and adequately reprefented to any Mind or Underftanding, under One Idea, and truly and adequately reprefented under Three different Idea's. 'Tis impoflible to believe anything of this kind, becaufe it implies a plain ContradiQion to the cleareft and mofl certain knowledge we can have of Unity and Diftindion ; fo that if 0»e may be Thrte in the fame refpeft 'tis Ofte, then Of^e and Three mufl ftand for other Idea's than we conceive when we pro^ nounce thefe words; and if fb, they ought to have other Names, and not be called One and I'hree. Since therefore we cannot fay, that God is One and Three in the fame refpe6i', in the next place let us En- quire, In what diftrent refpeBs this may be affirm.ed of him. Now, as to ths Vmy of God, this is eafily be- lieved and acknowledged, as being very agreeable to all our other Notions of the Deity. The chief diffi- cuhy lyes in afligning the Di(tin^ion : In attempt- ing which, the bell: and clearefl: way of proceeding will be by going over the feveral kinds of Diftin^lion before-mentioned. I will begin with that of Pafition : And here- 'cis plain at firft fight that we cannot poiTibly conceive God under any difference of Pofi^io^ ; we cannot ex^ elude Omnipotence from any imaginable point of fpace : 'Tis the limited Powers and Faculties of created Beings which are the Foundation of all Locd DifihBiom : And therefore wheu we. endeavour tojepreientGod to our thoughts '%2, Some Conjideratiofjs concerning the Trinity, thoughts in this manner, we confider him as Ow^rc- fe»t ; and I can no more conceive Three Omnifrefmts , than I can conceive Three ftraight Lines drawn be- tween the fame Points. But though there can be but One undivided Omnipre- fence^ may there not be Three Infinite Befn^s Coe^jual to one another, and Commenfurate to Om hfinite Space ? This is far above my Conception too : Infimtt fwallows up all my thoughts. Whatever Idea we apply this Term Infime to, I think it impoflible to apply it to another of the fame Denomination : As for Example ; If I apply it to Power, I cannot confider it as applicable to more than One Infinite Power : For Infinite Power includes all the Poflibilities of Adion ; fb that to con- ceive more than One Infinite Power, would be to con- ceive more Power than is pofTible ; which is a grofs and palpable Abfurdity. And therefore we cannot conceive Three Infinite Beings dtftinB from one another, any more than Three Infinite Powers, or Three h/finite Spaces j becaufe all Difiin^ion implies fome Limitation, and L/- mitation is a Contradiction to Infinity, We can indeed conceive Infinite Power, as in fome manner bounded by Infinite Wifdom, Juflice, Mercy, or the like ; but in no wife as limited by arry other Power. We cannot therefore conceive one Infinite Being as bounded by another Infinite Being ; for then we fhould conceive Infinite Power limited by another Power, and the like of all other Attributes, which are the fame in both : For the Notion of an Infinite Being includes in it all the imaginable kinds of Infinite Perfection, But if we fay, there ztb Three Infinite Beings ^ and all the Perfections of each are coincident, wliat ground can we have for fich a DifiinClion? Not {b much, to ufe the former Inftance, as for -that of three ftraight Some Coiijtderations concerning the Trinity,- 22: flraight Lines between the fame Points; for there tlie different times of defcribing the fame Line may in fome manner help us to form a confufed Conception of dif- ferent Lines : But *tis not in the Power of the Soul to reprefent to its felf Three Eternal Beings of QoincU dent P6rfe£it&ns, Here's nothing for the Imagination to lay hold of, no manner of ground to deceive our felves into a confufed belief of fuch a Diflindion. And therefore I do not fee how 'tis^ pofTibie for us to believe there are Three difiin^i 'Principles or Natures all of the fume Infinite Perfe^ions^ which together we call God. And if there be but One Omniprefenty Infinitely Per-^ fe^ Being, how can he be truly and fully reprefented to any Mind under Three different Idea's ? The truth of an Idea confifts in its Agreement and Conformity to the Original it reprefents; And if fo, how is't poflTible there fhould be Three Idea's exadtly and adequately conformable to the fame Original, and yet different from one another ? Either thefe Differences found in the Idea's are not in the real Pattern, and then the Re- prefentation is falfe; or they are, and then the Unity of the Objedl is deftroyed. 'Tis true, indeed we do often apply different Idea's to the fame individual Obje^l ; but thefe are either Partial and Inadequate Conceptions of the Nature and Ef- feme of it ; or Hxprellive of fbmething Acceffory and Extrinfecal to the Nature of the thing, fuch as Mocks^ Circttmjlances^ and Relations. Thofe Partial Conceptions we frame of the Divine Nature are what we call the Attributes of God : Which^ how different fbever from one another in our thoughts, are all neceffarily included in the fimple Idea of God ; and therefore cannot be the ground of fuch a DiflinQ:ioa, as we are now enquiring after. For when I fayjthat God •■ • ' is 24 ^^(^^^ Confiderations concerning the Trinity. is Holy, Wife, or Powerful, I only fay that explicitly avd in part^ which I fa id imf lie illy and in fall, when I pronounced the Name of God ; and the meaning of fiich Piopofitions is no more but this, That a Holy , Wife, Powerful Being, of all other Infinite Perfedions is Holy, Wife, Powerful, d-r. All v/hich Perfedions, though confidered feparately under different Appear- ances by our imperfed: Faculties, being really but one fimple Idea, can be applyed to but one Single Ferfon in the firfl: fenfe of the word Ferfon^ as it fignifies a particular Intelligent Being, Nature, or Principle ; and that for the Reafons juft now mentioned concerning the Conformity of Idea's with their Patterns. From whence it follows, that acco^-ding to the No- tions we are capable of framing of Unity and Difiin- cfion, which I have particularly examined, with Re- ference to the Holy Trinity, all the Per fond Difiiniiion we can conceive in the Deiry muft be founded upon Ibme AccefTory Idea's Extriniecal to the Divine Nature ; a certain Combination of which Idea's makes up tlie Second Notion fignified by the word Perfon, And if we fairly and limpartialiy Examine our own Thoughts upon this SubjeQ, we fbail find, that, when we name God the Father, we conceive the Idea of God fb far as we are capable of conceiving it, as A£ling fb and lb, under fuch KtJpeUs and Relations ; and when we name God the Son, we conceive nothing elfe but the fame Idea of God over again under different Rela- tions'; and fo likewife of th^Holy-Ghcift But if this be all that is meant by Trinity in Vnity^ Three Ftrfons, and One God, where is that ftupendious Myftery fo much reverenced and adored by fome? What becomes of the great Difficulty and Obfcurity complained of by others ? What is it that has puzled the Some Confiderations concerning the Trinity, 2 j the Underftandings, and ftaggered the Faith of [o many Learned and Inquifitive Men in all Ages fince this Do6i:rine was firft delivered ? This is an invincible Pre- judice againft the Account now given, and indeed a- gainft any other Explication whatfoever that has no- thing' in it hard to be iinderftood, or believed : For how can it be imagined that what has paffed for a Myftery thefe Sixteen Hundred Years, (liould now at laft be comprehended as plainly as a common ordinary Notion ? But if this Account of the Trinity be too eafie, and falls far fhort of thofe High Expreffions of Diftindion found in Scripture (as I think it does) and no other grounded upon any Notions our Souls have framed of Vmty and Dijlinciion can be true or confident (as I have before particularly proved) then it necelTarily fol- lows, that God muft be Om and Three in fome way or manner not conceivable by Humane Under ftanding. And what we are to believe in this cafe is the Sub- je6l: of my next Enquiry ; which I am peifwaded may very eafily and quickly be refblved : For if we are fully fatisfied from Revelation, that thefe Terms, One and ThreCy may, and ought to be affirmed of God, but- not in any (enle of the words we are here in this fre- fent ftate capable of conceiving. And moreover, if it be true, as I have already fhewn it is, that we can be- lieve a thing no farther than we underftand the Terms in which it is propoled to us ; 'tis plain flom hence that all we can poflibly believe in the matter of the Trinity is. That Onemd the fame God is Three in ferae way or manner we are not able to comprehend. And if we are fure we cannot comprehend what this Di- ftin£tion is whereby God is T/^ref?, in. vain do v/e look <)ut for Terms to expr^fs fbmething which wc have no E m.inner 26 Some Conficterattons concerning the Trinity, manner of Conception of. Whatever words we ufe, whether Perfon^ Hypoftafis^ or any other we can in« f ent, or Languages furnilh us wirii, they all ilgnifie the fame thing ', that is, fome kind of Diftinftion we do not underfland. And we may rack our Tlioughts, tire our Imaginations, and break all tlie Fibres oT our Brain, and yet never be able to deliver our fcives . clearer. All therefore that we can kmw of the Trinity by Kexfon^ can amount to no more than an Ohfcure corifu' fed KjionkdgCy w^iieh we are forced to exprtfs in ge- mrd and abjira^ed T^rms, becaufe we are fuie no other reach our thoughts, though tbefe are not fuffiw cient to explain all we mean by them. Nor is this tobewonder'd at, that we fhould have confufed Notions of things which no particular Idea's our Minds are furniOi'd with can render clearer to us : : For if we confider the Degrees and Limits of our Know- ledge, and take a ftrid Survey of our whole ftock of Thoughts, we fliall find there are very few things that we. know fully and diftin£lly. Moll of our Notions differ only as wore or /eff confufed^ more or k(s gemreiL There is a certain Scale of Knowledge, wherein every thing is fo fitted and proportioned to our Faculties, that we cannot defcend below fuch a determinate pitch in our Conceptions or Explications of any Objeft propo- led to us. As for inftance; fuppofe a Blind-Man has a defire to know what Colour is ; 'tis certain he can never form a true diftinQ: Idea of it ; but yet he is capable of a ge- neral confuted Knowledge, which wants but one de- gree of Part cularity to be clear and perfedl: Conception. He may ki .^w that Colour is not any Suhfianct^ but fome Mek or Determination which owes its Exiftence and Some Conjtderations concerning the Trinity, ^7 and Support to fbme other Being ; that it is not Extcn- Hon, or any other Accident or Quality perceivable by any of the Senfes he enjoys ; He may further be made to underftand, that it is feme kind of Stnfation^ pro- duced by the impreflion of other Bodies upon that part -of a Man's which is called the Eye^ which other Men perceive though he does not. Now 'tis plain that fuch a Man knows a great deal of the Nature of Colour, more by far than another Blind-Man who has not jnade the fame Enquiries and Refledlions about it ; and fo much as will fecure him from having any other Idea impofed upon him for that of Colour, which is fo di- ftinguiftied and circumftantiated to him, that, fhould he now receive his fight, he would prefently acknow- ledge the marks before defcribed to him. And yet af- ter all, it may be truly faid, while he continues blind, he has no manner of Idea of Colour, becaufe he has no diftinO: Idea of that particular kind of Senlation to which his general Idea's are applyed. And therefore lie can go no lower in his Explications of the Notion hrhas of Colour : For if he explains it by any Senfa- tion which he receives from his other Senfes, the Idea's he has then in his Mind are indeed more particular and diftind, but the Judgment: he makes upon th:ra mu^ be utterly falfe, whereas before, his Knowledge was only general and confuted, but yet true. I have made choice of this plain, familiar laftance of Senle, to fhew the unreafbnableaefs of thofe who in higher Speculations complain that the terms brought to explain them are too gef?erAl af?d ahfira'^td ; and de- mand a further Explication of what we cannot pofTibly know beyond fuch a degree of Particularity, which the Terms already made ufe of, do exprefs.^ ^E 2 f n ^ 8 Some Confiderations concerning the Trinity. In vain therefore, and unjuftly, are we urged to ex- plain the Do5irim of the Trimty more particularly, when we have brought it down to the utmoft Particu- larity we are capable of conceiving, and at the fame time freely acknowledge, we don't know it fo diftin- di\y as 'tis capable of being known. For then only is the Uie of general abftraSted Terms to be condemned, either when the fubjed we are upon will admit of a more particular and fenfible Explica- tion ; or, if it will not , when by too much Refi*! ning and Abftrading , we deceive our felves , and think fome Terms we have found out make theThing clear to us, tlio' we have not really more diftinQ; Con- ceptions of it than we had before, and at the fame time thefe very Terms make it more obfcure and difficult to others. And this is what I remarked before as a Prejudice to be avoided in an impartial Search after Truth. But fo long as we acknowledge we have only ^.gem- rd cor^fufed NotioffO^ tht Trinity ^ or fuch a Three-fold Diftin5fiotf in the Godhead^ as is confiftcnt with the t^ni" ty rf the Divine Nature^ we may be allowed to explain this Notion in general abftraBed Terms ; becaufe we lay no greater a Strefs upon the Terms than they will truly bear, and require only a Faith proportionate to our Kjjorvledge ; that is, a general confufed Faith, which we exped a clearer and more diftind Revelation of here- after. And thus I have difpatched the firft Branch of my Difcourfe, wherein I propofedto confider how far 'twas pjfTible for us to believe a Trinity. II. I come now to my Second General Enquiry, ^i«. What it is the Scripture requires us to believe in this So me Confiderations concerning the Trinity. 2p this Matter ? For a diftind Refblution of which Queftion, I fhall obferve the following Method ; Firjiy I fball barely and pofitively lay down the DoQrrine of the Trinity, fb far as I judge it exprefly contained in Scripture. Secondly^ I fhall endeavour to prove the Truth of what I affert. Thirdly^ I fliall confider the particular Additional Explications that have or may bs given of the Scripture* Account of this Article. I. In fpeaking to the Firft, it mufbbe allowed, that there is no fuch Propofition as this, That Orie and the fame God is Three different P erf ons formally^ and in Terms y to be found^in the Sacred Writings either of the Old or Nerv Tefiametit : Neither is it pretended that there is any Word of the fame Signification or Importance with the Word Trinity, ufed in Scripture, with rela- tion to God. There is one Text which plainly enough affirms, without the help of Inference or Dedusftion, that God is Three and One : But this being a difputed Paffage, and no where elfe repeated in the fame or the like Terms, I Ihall not infift upon it. Nor do I think fuch a Trinity as we profefs to believe, (lands much in need of .the Support of this Text ; the Matter and fub- jed of our Faith in this Point being frequently, largely, and circumftantially mentioned ; and, as it appeirs to me, interwoven into the very Defign of the Scrip- tures. Now the Summ of all that the Scriptures plainly and exprejly teach concerning a Trinity^ is this : That there is but One only God, the Author and Maker of All Things ; but that Om God ought to be acknow- , ledged : 3 © Some Conjtderations concerning the Trinity, icclged and adored by us, under thofe Three diferent Ti^ tks or C^.AmBtrs of Father^ Son^ and Holy Ghofi. Which Terms, whatever they iignifie, according to myjudg' ment, upon a i" L^ and impartial Confideration of all Circumftances t'l^v. can determine their Senfe, arc evi- dently applied to God in many Places of Holy Writ; and confequently are truly and properly applicable to him. 2. The Proof of which AfTertion is the Second Thing I undertook. But here I find my feli foreftalled by the fuccefsful Endeavours of a great many Learned Men, who have carefully and nicely examined every Text that can be brought, either for the Eftablifliment, or Confutation of the Doctrine of the Trinity. I ihall not iherefore trouble my Reader with a particular dfetail of all their Arguments; but only acquaint him truly and fairly what were the chief Motives which influenced and difpofed me to make fuch a Judgment as I have, juft before, declared. Now the Reafons which determined my Opinion in this Matter, were fuch as freely offered thcmfelves up- on an unprejudiced reading of Scripture, and confide- ring the Defign, Connexion, and Analogy of thofe Writings : And I am apt to believe, if any Man elfe took the fame Method, and confidered Things toge- gether, and not only in loofe Texts and PafTages, the firft Refiilt of his Thoughts would be the fame, viz. Thefe Terms, Father^ Son^ and Holy Ghoji^ muft all be (b underftood, as to include the fame God in their Signification ; and that any other Senfe or Explication of the Words, would be attended with greater Diffi- ^ calties. But Some Confiderations concerning the Trinity • 3 1 ■• But this being a Reflexion which is founded upon the Agreement and Coherence of all the Parts of Scrip- ture, 'twould be a very improper and ineffe£lual De- fign to go about to confirm the Truth of it from feme particular PaiTages. Omitting therefor e all thofe Texts, which are a great many, where any of thefe Terms, Father y Son^ or Hdy Ghofl^ appear to be dire6lly affir- med of God, according to a fair Conftru£lion of the Words, I fhdlJ only obferve Two or Three Paflages from the Hiffory of our Saviour and his Gofpel , whicli, to my Appreheafion, do as ftrongly prove what I havj advanced as the mod: formal Expreffions, and are lefs liable to be perverted by the Criticifms of Lan- guage. The fir^ Obfervation I have to make, concerns the common Forms of Baptifm, SaltUation^ and BlefftMg, ufed in feveral Places of the New Teftament, Now thefe are Matters no way controverted : That our Saviour commanded his Difciples to go Andtuch mU N At ions ^ b.i'p'izin^ thtm in the Name of the Father^ Son^ And, H'Ay Ghoj}. That St. Pml makes ufe of fuch Salu- tations as the^ : The Lo^d be mthyo-t ; The Grace of our Lord Jefus Chrifi he with you all', Grace he toyou^ avd Peace from God the Father^ and from onr Lord 'Jefus Chrifi : Ai;d pai dcularly clofes his Second Epiftle to the Corinthta/i^ with this Charge^ and fuller BlelRng ; The G ace of th" Lord Jefus Chrifl, andihe L^ve of God, and Tpje Comm nlon of the Holy Ghoft be with you, all. From whefice I inftr, that all thofe lerms, Fa'h r, Son. and Holy Ghofi, ligUifie God ; becaufe I cannot pofl^ Ay conceive 'tis agreeable to the Nature of the Cb "-ian Religion, that the Miniflers of it fnould Teach, B'aptiz>e, or JB'efs the People in any other Name hut Go£s» 3-2 Some Confiderations concerning the Trinity. It cannot be imagined but the People muft equallj believe in thofe, in whofe Names they are Baptiz,ed or Bkfs'd: They muft believe that thole, vvhoarecaird upon to beftow Graces and Riedings upon them, are able to give what they are called upon for. And whatever is meant by BaptUing in the Name of the Father y 5^/?, and HolyGhoft^ it feems very plain that thefe Three are all equally concerned in what's done in that Sacrament. Whether by this Form of Baptifm be fignified on the Minifter's Part, the Authority or Commtfficn by which he a6rs in his Adminiftration ; or whether on the Piirt of the Perfon baptized, be meant any Acknot^ltdgment or QonfelJion^ Snbmifflon or Dedi- cation of himfelf; or whether this Phrafe if» the Name, or, as in the Greek, into the Name^ does imply all this; and more, the whole Force and Importance of the Ex- prelTion, does in the fame E}f,tent belong to Father y Son^ and Holy GhoH. The Foivtr and Anthority here recei- ved, is derived from all Three : 1 hey are all to be ac^ k^/ovlidged as Authors of our Salvation ; all infallible, and to bQ k/itvcd in what they Teach; have all the fame Title to our Submiffion and Obedience^ and are Joint- Parties in that Covenant we make in Baptifin. The Inference from hence is very Plain and Eafie : That if ar.y one of thefe Terms fignifie God, they mull all Thre fignifie God ; and if all Three fignifie God, they muft>ail Three fignifie one aiid the fame God', for God is but One, Now that the One Supreme God, the Lord and Maker of All Things, is here meant by the Word F^^W, is a Thing not queftioned; and there- fore Son, and Holy Gho[l, are Terms exprelTive of the lame Divine Nature. Should wc but fuppofe the contrary. That by Son was meant only a me(;r Man^ or fome Beavenly Being, of Some Conjtderations concerning the Trinity, ^ ^ of highefi Rafjk tmder God ', and by Holy Ghofi was fig- nified only fbme created Spirit^ inferior to the So?!, or the Potver^ Efficacy, Love^ Favour^ or Vertue of God how ftrange would Rich a Form of Baptifiii appear ? / Baptize thte in the Name of God, Peter the Apftky and the Power or Love of God ; or, / Baptize thee in the ISJame of God, Michiel the Jr change I ^ and Raphael a Mintftnng Spirit. There needs no more but a bare Mention of fuch an Expofition to fhew the Fal- ihood of it : What abfurd Confequences may be drawn from it, I fhall leave to every Man's particular Reflexion. Another Thing which mightily confirmed me in this Belief, that the Father^ Son^ and Holy GhofJ;^ fo often named in Scripture, are O^e and the fame God, under thofe Three different Appellations, was this, That the Son, who is the fame with him that is in other Places called the Lord, and the Lord ^efus Chrif, and fbme- times only Jefffs^ or Chri fly was tvorfhip^d with a. Reli- gious Worjhip by thofe that followed him and embraced his Gofpel : For if he that was called the Son of God^ or Chrifi, was thus to be worfhip'd, it plainly and evi- dently follows from hence, according to all the Notions we have of God and Religion, either from Nature or Revelation, that the Son was alfo God, the fame true and only God with the Father, And if the Son be allowed to be God as well as the Father, it will be eafily admitted that the Holy Ghojl is fb too, who appears in Scripture iiivefted with all the fame Charafters of Divinity : For Father, Son, and Holy Ghofi, are as confiftent with the Vnity of the Godhead, as Father and Son only ; and befides, there s greater difficulty in conceiving the Son to be God, than the Holy Ghofi , becaufe of his Hnmme Nature, But F that 5 4 ^ome Confiderations concerning the Trinity* that he was God mamfeft in the Fkfh^ is, I fay, appa- rent from the divine Worfhip that was pay'd to him : For that God only is to be worfhip'd., is an evident Principle, as well as an indifpenfable Duty; and I can as fooii believe a thing to be^ and Piot to be^ as that any thing that is mt God fhould be worfliipped as God. Now that Chrift received the Honour and Worfhip due to God only, is plain from abundance of Places of Scripture, where we find he was not only adored with all the outward Expnjjiom ef Reverence and Devotion^ but confefs'd and acknowledged to be God by an Application of the Divine Attributes to him, fuch as agree only to God, and are incommunicable to any other, as might be proved at large if it had not been done already : But this being tuily infifted upon by others, I fliall only name Two Paffages to this Pur- pofe ; the one, PhiL 4. ij. the other, A^. 7. /^g, which, if there were no other, are of themfelves fuffi- cient to fhew what the Faith of the firfl Chriftians was : For who, but one that believed that Chrifi was God^ could fay with St. Paul, I can do all things through Chrifi that firength net h me; or, with St. Stephen, at the iniiant of Death, cry out, Lord Jefus receive my Spirit, From thefe, and many other Texts, it feems plain to me, that Chrift was worfhipped, and acknowledged as God ; and that therefore he ought fo to be worfhip- ped, and acknowledged, vi^e have all the fame Reafbns fo believe, as we have that the Scriptures are True ; the Eftablifhment of a Falfe Worfhip being a thorough Difproof of the Authority that Commands it. Suppofmg therefore the Truth of the Scriptures , tliert's no way of eluding this Argument, but by gi- ving Seme Conjiderations fGncerning the Trinity. ; j- ving another Interpretation to all thofe Places which feem to afcribe divine Honour to Ciirin: ; \v\v.z\\ can wo othcrwifc be done, than by framing a particnlar Dia- led for this Purpofe, and giving new Significations to Words, when applied to o\xv Sm-iour, which they never had before, when ultd upon other Occafions. i fbali not enter upon a particular Proof of this, but pafs on to Another Argument I oblerv'd from Script ure, which gave me further AlTurance of the Divinity of tlie So»y and confequently of the Truth of the whole Propofi- tion before advanced ; and that is, The Chara£ler of Jefus Chrift confidered metrly as a Mm. Now 'tis cer- tain, that the Man Chrifi Jefus. the Son of Dawd^ ac- cordifjg to the Flefh, is reprefented by all the Evange- lifts, as having his Coiiverfation in this World with all Lowlinefs, and Humility, and with perfed Holinefs, and Unblameablenefs of Life. And it is not imagina- ble, that a Perfbn of this Character fliould have fuf- fered any Titles to have been given him, any Honour or Refped to have been pay'd him, which were not ftridly and indifpenfably due to him ; much lefs have taken the Honour and Worlhip, peculiar to God only, to himfelf, if he had not been infaUibly confcious that of a Truth God dwelt in him. I cannot polfibly con- ceive that one, who declined all Appearance of Gran- deur, Dominion, and Authority, fliould have allowed of any thing that look'd like Worfhip, or Adoration, or might have been miftaken for it ; or that he, who knew he was believed to be the Son of God, in fuch a Senfe which fome thought Blafphemy, would not have undeceived his Followers, and juftified himfelf to his Enemies, had he not really been what 'twas Blafphe- my to have pretended to be, if he were not. F 2 I might rd ^ome Confiderations concerning the Trinity, I might eafiiy puifiie thefe Refleclions a great deal further, and bring more Arguments to confirm the truth of what I have afferted, that thefe Names or Titles of Father^ Soff, and Hcfy GhoH are applyed ia Scripture to the One True God ; but I judge it altoge- ther unncceiTary, not only becaufe it has been fully made out already in feveral fet Difcourfes upon this Subje£l, but becaufe it is fo plainly and exprefly re- vealed, that I am verily perfwaded every Man that reads w5uld believe, were it not for the additional Ex- plications fuch a Belief is charged with. 5. Which is the next thing to be confidered : And indeed here lyes the whole difficulty of the matter, the main ftrefs of the Controverfie. For that God fhould be called Father, Son, and Holy GhoH^ is as eafily to be believed, as that he fhould be called Adomi, Elohim, and Jehovah ; That the fame thing fhould be fignified and expreffed by feveral names, is no fuch incredible Myftery : But if we allow that thefe Terms, Father^ Son, and Holy Ghofi^ are all applyed to God in Scrip- ture, 'tis not thought fufficient to fay, that thefe are three feveral Names which fignilie God ; but we are further required to believe that God U One and Three y the fame God, but three different Hypoftafes or Perfons ; And that one of thefe three Hypofiafes or Perfons, is both God and Man, Thefe are the hard fayings which puz- zles fbme Mens Underf^andings, and make them chufe rather to wreft and pervert the plaineft Texts, than admit fuch feemingly inconfiftent Conlequences. Here therefore I fhall Examine, what grounds there are in Scripture for fuch an Expofition : And what we are obliged from thence to believe when we exprefs our Faith in this particular man- ner. Firfl Some Confiderations concerning the Trinity, 5 7 Firfl: then, as to thefe forms of Expreflion, That God is One and Three, 8rc. It is to be obferved, that thefe Names, Father, Son, and Hofy Ghofty are applyed to God in Scripture in a different way from what any of his other Names are : For the other Names of God fignifie only Partial Conceptions of the Divine Nature, fuch as Self-Exiftence, Power, &c, and are all contained within the f ime Idea of God ; and fb are indifferently ufed upon any occafion to exprefs the whole Idea of God to which they belong, which is the fame under every denomination. Thefe therefore cannot be the Foundation of any di{l:in6lion in the Godhead : But Father, Son, and Holy Ghojl, according to our way of conceiving things, fignifie ibmething ExtrinfeeAl and^ Jccejfory to the Divine Nature, as much as we know of the Divine Nature by reafon, the whole Idea of God being conceived as full and compleat before the appli- cation of thefe terms ', And though all of them are fe» parately and together affirmed of God, yet each of them in fb peculiar a manner, that there are feverai occations where when one of thefe terms is ufed with relation to God, 'twould be improper to ufe either of the other. From whence it follows, that thefe three. Names of God, Father, Son, a.nd Hofy GhoB, muft de- note a ^We-/^//i Ji/^re;;re or di/liff^ion belonging to • God; but fuch' as isconGftent v/ith the Vnitji. Mid Sim- flicHy of the Divine Nature, For each of thefe Names includes the whole Idea we have ef God and fomething,- more ; f^ far as they exprefs the^ Nature of God,- they all adequately and exadly figaifie the fame; 'tis the additional fignilication wlVtch makes all'the difiindion, betwixt iheni. ,. i- . - '- :, What partit^'ilarlkind qi' ptifine.r .cf^)f^ifiin^ionth.\s is, is not exptefTed in Scripture, j but. fmce the Church has^ thought: I'g Some Conjtcieratidns concerning the Trinity, thought fit to aflign a Name for it, that of Per/on feems to me as proper and agreeable to the whole f e-* nor and Defign of the Holy Writings, as any other that could have been chofen for tliat purpofe. For Fu^ tiitr^ Son, 2L'Ad Holy GhoH^ whether we confider the Frimltive lenfe and intention of the words, the gene- ral and conftant ufeof them, or the particular Connex- ion andCircumftances in which they are mentioned in Scripturev iiave plainly a Per fond Signification-, each of them, without any figure of Speech, being deter- mined to fignifie fome inttlUgent Beif7g Adingin fuch a. manner as is there related. There needs no Proof of this, the plain difiinBion of Perfofis imported by thofe Terms being the chief Ar- gument made ufe of to fiiew that they cannot all be applied to God, but muft neceffarily fignifie Three di- jiwci Beings : But that they are all applyed to God in Scripture, has been proved already \ And therefore Fa- ther^ Son^ and Holy GhoB may be confidered as Perfons or Person d Chxra^&rs, which do not imply any dijUn- clion of Being or Nature. The Greeks are fuppofed to have meant the lame by Hyfofides as we do by Perfon ; this word being fbme- times the very Tranflation of the other ; And if fo , there's the fame ground for the ufe of both : But if they meant any thing elfe, they could hardly have fo good Warrant for it from Revelation. No\v% that one of thefe Perfons or Hypojlafes fhould be ifoth God md Maff, there is this Foundation in the Scriptures for. He who is there called the Son of God^ did certainly appear in the liktnefs of Men^ being in all re(pe6f s. Sin only excepted, truly and properly Man ; as his Birth^ Necejjities^ Sufferings^ and Death liifficiently teftifie. 'Tis certain alio that the fame 'Jefus ChriB , who Some Conltderations concerning the Trinity, so who was called the So;z of God^ and was made in the Ukemfs of Man^ is affirmed by St. PW, fhil. ^.7^%. to have been in the form of God^ when he took the AV- ture of Man upon him. But befides this and many other Texts to the fame effect, 'tis plain, from what before has been proved , that God did fuflPer himlelf to be worfhipped and ado- red in and by the Man Chrift Jefus : The leaft that can be inferred from v^^hich is, that God was more imme- diately and peculiarly prefent in ChriU, than ever he is faid to have been any where elfe : As in xh't Heavens ^ Jervifb Temple^ between theCherubims, in Prophets and Holy Men^ who fpake as they were moved by the Spi- ' fit of God. What created Obje6t was ever allowed to intercept the Worfhip paid to God, or fharc with him in it ? Were the HeavenSj the Temp/e, the Cherubim or Prophets to be adored ? Nay, has not God taken a par- ticular care to prefer ve Men from Idolatry, by forbid- ding them to Worfhip him in or by any fenfible Repre- ientation ? Did not the Apoflles, who worfhip'd Chrifi", forbid others to Worfhip Men of like Paflions with ^as 14, themfelves, commanding them to direO: all their Devo- ^'^^' ^^' tion to the Living God, who made Heaven and Earth? ^ How then can we fiippofe that Chrift was only a meer Man, or fbme other CreaUfre, and not rather believe that he had the Fuinefs of theGodhend^'^tWxKig in him bodily Y But here it is Objeded ; How can God and Man be united? And to this I mull fairly Anfwer, that I can- not tell. I have confeiTed already in the Account I have given of thofe Notions of Unity and Diflin^Hcn, that I have not any juft or diftind Conceptions of the Vnicn of Spiritual Bei^^s^ either rvith Bodies, or with o»e ano- ther ; But this I will venture to fay, that 1 can as well conceive '^o ^^ome Confideratms concerning the Trinity, conceive God i^nd M^n together under one Idea^^ at one view, as I can conceive a Soul and Body fo united. ^ All that I know of the Vm0f^ of Soul and Body is; that there isfome Intelligent Power that makes ufe of the Or<^ans of my Body, and A£ls in conjunction with the Motions there produced. And I may as well con- fider God united to Man, when he fo Ads by the Miniftry and Operation of Man, that the Adlions of God feem conveyed to us the fame way as the Actions of one Man are to another. Had thofe who upon fome occafions fpake by the extraordinary Afliftance of a Di- vine Power been conftantly fo direded, and aflifted , how would. they have diftinguiflied the Motions of their Souls from the Imprefliom of God ? And why then fhould not we think fuch an Extraordinary Power as this as much united to fuch Men , as that Common ordinary Power we call the Sot^l is to thofe Bodies in which it ads and exerts it felf ? Some have been of Opinion, that what we call the Soul, is nothing elfe but a confiant regular Infpratioj$j or a determinate Concurrence of God Almighty with fuch and fuch Motions and Capacities of Matter : But whe- ther this be fo or no, as moft probably it is not, it feems to me very plain from Scripture, that fuch a Power which we afcribe to God, did as Qonflantly and Regu- hrly Ad in and through QhriB^ as the Human Soul is perceived to do in any other Man : As appears from his abfolute fecurity from all manner of Sin and Error , from his conftant knowledge of the Thoughts and De- figns of Men,and theWill and Decrees of God; and from his Readinefs and Ability to work Miracles at any time, 3.nd upon any occafion. All which are manifeft Tokens of an uninterrupted Prefence and Concurrence of the .Peity ; Efpecially if we confider the Calmnefs and Evennefs Some Confiderations concerning the Trinity, 4 f Evennefs of Spirit obfervable in our Saviour, entirely free from all the tranfports of over-ruling Impreffions, 'tis a further Argument that he did not receive the Spi- rit of God at timef, or Ify meafure ; but vi^as as conici- ous of all the Divine Perfeftions in himfelf as a Man is confcious of his own Thoughts. Such are the Grounds we find in Scripture for thofe particular Explications of the Trinity before-men- tioned. In the next place, we are to Enquire what the Scrip- tures necefTarily oblige us to believe in this Point. But before this Queftion can be relblved, there are two things to be premifed : 1. That whatever Articles of Faith are '»bfblutely neceflary to Salvation, all Perfbns of every Rank and Condition are equally obliged to believe them. There is not one Religion for the Peaftnt, and another for the Scholar : We have the fame general Rule to walk by, though particular Obligations may be greater or lefler, fewer or more, according to different Circumftances and Relations. And whatever Principles and Duties are of general Neceffity, ought to be fb plainly re- vealed, as to be eafily underftood by ordinary Capa- cities upon a fair and careful Examination. 2. That in order to this end it feems to have been the Defign of the Scriptures to reprelent God in a fen- filfk mamer ', though at the fame time they take care to aflfure us that God is in his own Nature a Being of different Perfections not conceivable by Human Under- ftanding : And is thus reprelented only in condefcen- tion to our weaknefs, for the help and afiiffance of our Devotion. So that all Expreflions of this kind, where God is the Subje^l, are to be underftood in a h/gh:r and wore Spirit ml fenfe , but ft ill with fome Analogy to G what 42 Svtne Conjiderations concerning the Trmity. what they fro^erly and v^fually fignifie. Thus, to ufe a common Inftance, when*tis faid, that God looks down and beholds what's done among the Children of Men,; that he hears the Cries of the Righteous^ and the Bla^ rphemies of the Wicked, 'cis not to be imagined that he fees as Man fees, that he makes ufe of any Organs of Senfe ; but 'tis thus exprefled to give us more Hvely Notions and ImprejGTions of thi^ certainty of God^sVm- verfal Kj^orvledge ; to aflure us that God more flainlyy fully J and infallibly knows whatever is .done in all the Earth, than we. are capable of knowing thofe things- which fall within the reach of our Senfes. This being premifed, it feems very plain to me that the Dodiine of the Trinity is not to be look'd upon as a nice abftradled Speculation defigned for the Exerciie of our Underftandings ; but as a plainer Revelation of God's Love and Good Will towards Men, and a greater Motive and Incitement to Piety than any we had be- fore this Do£lrine was delivered. Had man flood confirmed in InsOrigimlRighteoufnefsy and there had been no need of Redemption, 'tis highly probable God had never been confidered by Man in his ftateof Probation under any fuchDillinQion as is now. revealed to us ; And therefore I fhould think thofe. different. Titles and Relations by which Gcd has been pleafed to c^pr^k thd.t Eternal Dijlin5f ion in theGo^- head to us, fhould be chiefly confidered by us with refe-. rence to the great Work of Man's Salvation. Thus far then the Scriptures require us to believe ; That the One only Si^pream God upon his fore- know ledge of Man'^s Fall, did from all Eternity Purpofe and De- cree to Redeem yidinkind into a capacity of Salvation, by th^ Death d.nd coni^Sint Mediition of a Mi/!? choien and enabled for this Work by the ftdnefs of the Godhead, dwelling ^ome CoTiJtderations concernifig the Trinity, j.V dwelling m him : And in confideration of his 'Baffion and Inter ceffion^ to impart fuch Gifts^ Graces^ and spiritual Jffijlances^ as would be fufficient to render this Redem- pion effe^iual to the Saving of much People. <-'■ And moreover we are to believe that God has accord- ingly executed this his Gracious Defign towards us : By fending into the World QhriH ^efus^ the Man who before he had ordained, fhould in the Fulnefs of Time be born, and fufer for our Sins; in and by whom, as has already been fhewn, God aUed m a wonderful man- ner, was worfhippeci and adored, and acknowledged in all his Attributes ; and with whom he abideth in the Ful- nefs of Power and Glory for ever : And, fince his Death and Reception into Heaven, by a plentiful Efujion of Spiritual Graces and hjlueces ; by which means a great tna.nyha.ve embraced the Go/pel of ChriB, and become Heirs of Salvation, and more from henceforth to the end of all things fliall daily be added to the Church of Gody be fupported in the faith, and be made Partakers of the purchafed Inheritance refei'vcd in Heaven for thofe that are Sanhified by the Spirit of God, , Now, with refped to this great Defign of Saving Mankind, and the Order and Method of the Divine Wifdom in the Execution of it ; To give us as full and diftindl Apprehenfions as our Souls are able to con- ceive of the Mifery of our finful Condition,: the difR- culty of Deliverance, and the unfpeakable Mercy of God inreftoringustotheHappinefswehad juftly for- feited; and to raife our Souls to the higheft pitch of Veneration, Love, and Gratitude we are capable of expreilingfor fuch in ineftimableBleHing'j God has been pleafed to reveal himfelf to us under feveral Fer/«?;?/e Notions which make up the Propofition to believed, we cannot arrive at greater Knowledge in thisPoint than our fore-fathers have done;^ And. that fo much of the Dodrine of the Trinity as H . 2 . was- cjz Some Conjiderations concernini ti)e Trinity, was a Myfifry to them, is like tq be fo to the end of the Woild. \ Which if I have as fully and fufficlently proved to others as Lam convinced of it my felf, I fhall not think my Time or Labour loft upon this Subje^l. For next <; to underftaiiding a thing throughly is to knovi^ we can- ^not underdand it ; next to refblving a Problem in Ma- thema ticks, is to demonftrate it cannot be done. Our Souls are as much at reft, our Defires as quiet, and all our Defigns and Purfuits as much at an end v^hen we defpairof Vidory, as when we actually Conquer. And therefore if thefe be the trp.e md, proper Limits of our Faith and Kjnowkdge \^hich I have affigned ; Tf I have given a Juft Account of what we are required to believe concerning the Trinity ; How much 'tis pofflbk for us to believe of it, and how far we are capable of having diftin^ Conceptions about it ;"'tis in vain to fearch for new Notions and Hypothefes, which may probably puzzle or deceive our Underftandings, but can never lead us farther into the Knowledge of the Trinity. But I will not pretend to meafure the Abilities of other Men by my own: I fhall only fay this more, %vhich I am fure I can truly affirm, that I have taken all the care imaginable to deliver my judgment impartidy and fmcerely, and have not dared to impofe any thing upon others, which I do not believe my felf, or is any ways inconfiftent with the Principles of right Reafon. POST-SCRIPT. Thefe Taper s ivere in the Vrefs^ and every Word in the Book^ and Vreface, as they fiand now, was Written before His Majeffs In- jundions came forth: The Author is glad to find that he has not tranfgrefs'^d 'em ^ the Authority and ReafonabUnefs of which he fays fuch a Submifion to, that if he had not prefcribed to himfelf the fame Rules in Writings that he now fees enjoyned by his Superiours, he wou^d have Jhewed his Obedience to ^em^ by Supprejjing what he had written* F I ^ / S. :9-m "^ M^^/ :v4l m. **i