[ 8 I OVAH fhould not be called my or our JEHOVAH (and be joined with other Pronouns pofl'efive) as well as my or our ALEHIM ; but from a Reafon, that the Deity may bear fome particular Relation to us under the one Name, which he doth not bear to us under the other. If the Word JEHOVAH fignify limply, abfolutely, and abftraEt- edly, the DIVINE AND INCOMMUNICABLE ESSENCE, which cannot be appropriated by the Creatures, or divided into Parts, or exift but from itfelf; and if the WordALEHIM or ELoxIM (which is univerfally allowed to be plural) point out a Perfonality, or more Perfons than One, in that divine Effence, each of which may have particular En-` agements in our Behalf: It may then be conceived, that thefe Perfons in the ALEHIMmay have a Relation to us, refpettively and particularly, which they have not together, when confidered abfolutely as the ONE JEHO- VAH, or JExoVATI not in Covenant for that Behalf, Under the one Nantie, there is comprized a gracious Al . furance of Redemption and Mercy to fallen Man, which gives him a Title to claim an Intereft in the divine Per- fons : * Under the other Name, a Sinner can fee nothing but a fe f extent Effence of Holinefs and Juftice, from which he bath no Right to expe&t any thing but Ab- horrence and Ruin. Nor muff that wonderful Care be unnoticed, which hath been taken to prevent every Idea of Polytheifm, by afferting the Unity of the divine Eflence, in the Ufe of a Word which exprefsly implies a Plurality of Perlons; for the Name ALEHIM is not only joined 'to Verbs in the ungular Number; but it was exprefsly declared, when fubfequent Corruptions * With refpe4 to the Terms Perfn, Sub/anre, &c. applied to GOD, it may be obferved, that they are not to be underllood in a grofs or carnal Senfe. There is a radical Poverty in all Language, when it attempts to define any Thing concerning pure and intellec- tual Spirit, and efprciálly concerning GOD. 9nd thefe Words are nfed, to exprefs what is indeed very fuperior to the Defcription of all Wards, and is to be conceived in a higher Senfe (yet without So- phiftry or Subterfuge) above them. We ufe the Term Perin there- fore, not fo much to evince a Propriety of Expreifton, as to avoid Concealment of the Truth. So St. Auflin; Didum eß tres Perfanæ, ion rlt àlluddiceretur, lid ne taceretur. Ana. de Trin. 1. v. mad9
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