470. QUESTIONS 'CONCERNING testis. times attributed to him in scripture, yet as we are not _expressly, plainly and particularly informed, whether he a really distinct principle or power in God or has a proper distinct personality of himself, so neither are we expressly required to worship him in any text of the bible that I can find. Nevertheless, as divine attributes and actions, and sometimes personal characters are ascribed to the Spirit of God in the language of scripture, I think the reason of things sufficiently authorises and allows reli- gious or divine worship to be paid to him, though we may not precisely know the manner how he is God, or how far the is a distinct person. 10. What particular distinctions may be in the godhead or divine nature itself, and how great these distinctions may be, scripture doesnot so evidently assert, nor so clearly explain them to us. And in this place I would not on the one hand go beyond scripture, nor on the other hand would I talk without ideas. But so far as I have represented this matter of divine worship, I think there are ideas, and those borrowed from scripture too, which go along with my words all the way; and I must acknow- ledge this is the clearest conception I can arrive at in representing this subject, after many years study of the scripture, and much prayer for divine instruction. 11. If we could once persuade ourselves, to try to read every scripture, that relates to the doctrine of the Trinity ás placed in this light, without any prejudicate opinions derived from other human schemes,.I think that doctrine would be found much more easy and intelligible than it is generally made ; and the worship of the only true God would stand ascertained and confirmed ; and yet Jesus Christ the Son. of God being one with the Father, or being God and man in one complex per- so.y might become the object of religious worship, according so the representations of scripture, and without any offence to human reason. 12. If this be the true state of thing's, then the one eternal. God abides still the only object of worship ; . whether he be con- sidered as absolute in himself under the character of the Father of all, or as united to the man .Jesus Christ, and dwelling it, him by a personal union., _Thus the Father and the Son are botti worshipped, but when the Son is worshipped, it is as one with the Father and to the glory of the Father ; Phil. ii. 11. And among other reasons this is one, why it has pleased the Father that all thefulness of the godhead should dwell in him bodily; Col. i. 19. ii. 9. that being so nearly united to God, or one with him, he might be a proper object of divine worship to- gether with the Father. Rev. v. 14. Blessing and honour, and glory and power be to him that sitteth on the throne, and to theLamb/or ever.
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