PROPOSITION XXl6. 201 Trinity, is of far greater in the matter of salvation, than any of the nice and speculative notions and terms of art concerning the essence, union, and distinction of the Father, Son, andHoly Spirit ; though we must always take heed to maintain such notions concerning their nature, powers and properties, as are sufficient to support and justify all the practical honours and duties we pay to them. Peor. XXII.The Man therefore who professes each of .the Sacred Three to have sufficient divine Power, and Capacity to sustain the Characters, and fulfil the Offices attributed to them in Scripture, and pays due Honour to then accord, ing to those Offices, may justly be owned by me, and re- ceavedas a Christian Brother., though we may differ much mnóur'Notionsand Opinions about the Explication of the Blessed'`Trinity, or though we may both be ignorant os doubtful of tire True lay of explaining it. No man can .pay the honours due to our Lord Jesus, unless he believehim to have the dignity and perfections of godhead be longing to him, so far as to answer the purposes of an all-suffi- cient sacrifice, and atonement for sin, so far as to give him ,uni- versa! acquaintance wth the infinite affairs of his kingdom in the world and the church, together with equal power to .manage and controul all things in the regions of heaven,, earth and hell: .But these powers and capacities do not dependon any particular modo of ,e141)laining the Trinity: No man can pay the honours due to the blessed 'Spirit, unless he believe him to have such communion in godhead, as to render him fit for the universal Agent, or Minister in this most extensive kingdom of Christ, that he may both know and in- fluence all the infinite afls.irs of creation and providence and grace; but these powers and capacities do not depend on any particular mode of explaining the Trinity. No man therefore in my judgment, can pay due honours io the Son or Spirit, unless he believe them to be the true God; though he may pay all.necessary honours to them without know- ing how to explain the " modus" or manner how they are one God and,yet distinct persons. He therefore that appears to me to be a hearty lover of God and Jesus Christ, a humble enquirer and searcher after truth, that believes and professes our Lord Jesus and the blessed Spirit to have such a real communion in the divine nature, or such an one -ness with God, as is 'sufficient to sustain all the glorious offices which are assigned to him in scripture, particularly the satisfaction for our sins, the sanctification of our natures, and the government and influence over the visible and invisible worlds, and such as is sufficient to render them the proper objects of
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