PROPOSITION XVI. 171 and turn the plain expressions of scripture by the arts of criti- cism and metaphor, to signify something else. Socinus himself says, that in such cases, " any the greatest force is to be used with words rather than take them in the obvious sense." " Epis- tola secunda ad Balcerim." But surelyit mustbe acknowledged thatin the nature, works and ways of God, there are many things which are above the reach of our present understandings ; many things which are true, and yet we know not how to reconcile them to one another. And whatsoever doctrines of this kind God shall plainly reveal to us in his word, we are bound under the penalty of his high displeasure, to receive and believe, though we cannot reconcile them. But some will object and say, "Must we believethings that are inconsistent and assent to contradictions 1" Answer. There is a great deal of difference between aseem- ing and a real contradiction. If we can suppose, that it could ever have been said in scripture, that three Gods are one God, or three persons are one person, there had been reason indeed to disbelieve it in the literal sense, and tohave found out some more consistent interpretation of it, according to the rules of speech: For neither reason or religion can require usto believe plain in- cäisistences. But when we assert that Father, Son and holy Spirit, are threedistinct agents in our salvation, such as we usually call per- sons ; and when we again assert that the Father is God, the Son is God, the Spirit is God, and yet that there are not three Gods, but one God ; there is no real contradiction in all these, though the could not find the plain, and certain way to reconcile them And since these propositions are of such importance in our religion, since the sense of them is evidently contained in scripture, though not the express words ; since they seem to lie plain and open to the view of any common reader, that has never been prepossessed with other notions, I think we mayventure to say, God requires the belief of them where the bible is known and read. Here some persons will be ready to say, " We cannot find these` doctrines in the bible, we cannot see them written there with sufficient evidence, and therefore we believe them not, nor can we be required to believe wh'at we cannot see revealed." But these objectors would do well to ask themselves solemn- ly, as in the sight of God, " Whether or no they should not think them plainly and sufficiently revealed, if they could but reconcile them by reason to their own satisfaction P' If so, then it is plain, that the impediment of belief does not lie in the want of evidence, but in faulty prejudices and reluctance of the mind,
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