292 THE CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE OP THE TRINITY. express addresses made to him as the Father and the Son in scripture may be this, that the agency and seat of the Father and Son are described as in heaven, where they dwell, to re- ceive our homage and worship, and to send down blessings ; but the agency and seat of the Holy Spirit iswithin us, where he dwells to assist us in paying that homage and worship to the Son and the Father. Now there may seem to be some reason, why our direct adorations and addresses of prayer and praise should chiefly be offered to those persons of the sacred Trinity, which are represented as sitting upon a throne in heaven, rather than to that person who is represented as dwellingwithin ourselves¡ and exerting his divine powers there. Yet since we have proved before, that the Spirit bath real, true and proper communion in the godhead, and that he is one Cod with the Father and the Son, it is certain that he knows ail our wants, our desires and our petitions, for he is omniscient : He is able to supply them all, for he is almighty : And he is par- ticularly ordained in this glorious economy to enlighten, con- vince, convert,, sanctify, comfort, and save us, to bestow gifts, graces and divine blessings upon us ; and to fit us for the inheri- tance of heaven ; and upon these accounts there is sufficient ground, in my judgment, to address ourselves to him by way of prayer, for the spiritual mercies we want ; and by way ofpraise, for the blessings we receive ; and especially upon some particular occasions, wherein the agency of the Spirit is most eminently, concerned. There is this plain reason for it : If there he any mere creature, to whom I can certainly communicate the knowledge of my wants, who has also power . to supply them, and has a particular office or appointment for this end, surely all the light of reason and scripture lead me to address him by petition for a supply, and to give him thanks for what I have received ; much more then may I pay the same sort of honours in a divine manner, to the blessed Spirit, who is the true God, and knows all my wants, and all my prayers and praises. Finally, since learned men have found in the primitive ages; some few hints or examples of a doxology, or ascription of praise to the Holy Spirit together with the Father and the Son, though there be no such example in scripture, and since this has been the frequent custom of the church in all these latter ages, I can- not see any sufficient reason to renounce or forsake it, since it is built on such plain and natural reasonings and consequences drawn from scripture. It may be expedient to practise it frequentlyinsome churches where it has been long used, lest great offence be given ; it may be proper also sometimes to use it on purpose to hold forth the
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