DISSERTATION V. 301 not much varied from the defensible parts of the common expli- cation of the Trinity ; and I have taken care religiously to secure all the foundations of divine worship, which concern the honour of the Holy Spirit, and all our practical regards to him which concern our salvation. I impose my thoughts on no man ; and if there be any thing found in all this discourse which may endanger any necessary part of our christian belief ; or which may diminish any thing of the divine honour which is due to the blessed Spirit, our sanctifier and comforter, 1 disclaim and renounce it utterly, and would be glad to receive a better explication which might be more secure from any suchdanger and inconvenience. It is an easy matter for persons of wit and subtlety, and critical artifice, to embarrass the clearest explication of suchoub- lime doctrines. It is easy to raise up a dust of confusion around the incomprehensible things of God, which have some darkness and difficulty in them when set in the fairest light. I wish every disputant of this sacred article, of the Trinity in unity, would set it ina better view, and represent it in more easy and distinct ideas, rather than studiously batter down every scheme without building up any. While we are tracing out these abstruse and awful subjects by the light of scripture, in this dark world, I am sure it be- comes us all to keep our spirits in a modest and humble frame, and in a constant dependence on the divine aids of that blessed Spirit, which searcheth the deep things of God, and reveals them to men. As in my feeble pursuit of these enquiries I have al- ways laid myself at the foot of this heavenly Teacher, that ac- cording to the promise of our departing Saviour, I might be guided by him into all truth, so I would now humbly recommend these papers to him, that if therebe any thing in them proper to lead christians into clearerconceptions of his own sacred nature and operations, he would condescend to make them happily suc- cessful for that purpose : And beseeching my Saviour, that whatsoever sentiments of mine are inconsistent with divine truth, he would graciously forgive and cancel them, and never suffer any thing that I have - written to have so unhappy an influence, as to lead the meanest professor of christianity into a mistake, in matters of so glorious concernment. However, since there is some difficulty and darkness attends our enquiries into the metaphysical nature and essence of the blessed Spirit, his unity with, and distinction from the Father and Son, and since he has not condescended to reveal this mys- tery to us in his word in evident and express language, we may be well assured, that lie has not made our participation of his divine and salutary influences to depend upon any clear, explicit, and certain knowledge thereof. Many a humble christian has
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