' '4i.ì' Ata r! It 200 THE CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE OF'THE TRINITY. the same essence with theFather, should be made a fundamental article of faith, in that dawn of the gospel, that hour ofjewish twilight between declining judaism and rising christianity. It is very hard to imagine, that God should proposeso sublime a doc- trine of so obscure and doubtful evidence in that day, as a test to the faith of poor ignorant fishermen, andpronounce damnation on the disbelief of it. I am persuaded therefore, that faith in him as the divine Messiah, or all-sufficient and appointed Saviour, is the thing re= quired in those very texts wherehe is called the Son of God, and proposed as such for the object of our belief : And that a belief of the natural and eternal and consubstantial sonship 'of Christ to God as a Father; Was not made the necessary term or requisite ofsalvation, neither in thosetexts before mentioned, nor in any.others. Nor indeed can I find it asserted or revealedwith so much evidence in any part of the word of God, as is neces- sary to make it afundamental,article ofany faith. This doctrine of the co-eternal generation and consabstan- tial and co-équal sonship, is' but one, Of the learned schemes found out to explain the " modus" or manner of one godhead subsisting in distinct persons. Now would fain have my rea- ders learn that our faith in the scripture doctrineof the true and eternal godhead of Christ, .which is plainly revealed, does not necessarilyy dependon any of those learned, schemes and explica.. tions, which, if they are not merely humane, yet are of more doubtful revelation, and a matter of difficulty and dispute even among.the learned and pious Trinitarians. I grant it indeed a very possible thing, that the great God may propose any sublime truth to our belief, as a test of theObe- dience of our understanding to' his word, and atrial of the sub- mission of our reason to faith and divine revelation. But then such a truth must be revealed with bright evidence, and great plainness in the word of God.'' And we ought to keep our con- sciences under so awful a sense of this sovereignty of God, as to makeus willing to submit our belief to every suchtruth plainly rev.elect in scripture, even though it maysurmbunt our present comprehension. And since God bath revealed' it, I think, with sufficient evidence in scripture that the Son and Holy Spirit have real communion with the Father, in the divine nature or god- bead, and are the one true God, we should be much afraid to allow ourselves in any degrading sentiments concerning those glorious persons, and maintain a holy jealousy, lest we defraud them of thatdue honour and divine veneration which belongs to those sacred Threemhoare in one godhead. Yet if I may give up my thoughts and judgment entirely to the conduct of scripture, I am there led to believe that the practical concern we have with these threepersons of the blessed
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