SECTION 1. 479 his salvation complete. Scripture teaches us toconcern ourselves about regeneration and grace to be received from the blessed Spirit, more than about the nature or essence of that Spirit which regenerates us. It makes our eternal'interest depend upon the glorious characters, offices and operations of the three per- sons of the blessed Trinity, and our respective honours paid to them, rather than upon our philosophical and exact acquaintance with their inmost essence or essences, and their personal distinc- tions. I must believe that the great God will make merciful allowances to sincere 'souls for their different sentiments, or for their ignorance and darkness in so sublime and mysterious an article, which almost all parties allow to contain some unknow- ables and inconceivables in it. SECT. II. -" Yet where God is pleased to eve greater degrees of light and knowledge, if we can further explain these mysteries of Christianity in clear ideas and proper language, it is a piece of excellent service done to the gospel of Christ." A clear and happy explication in what manner the - Father, Son and Holy Spirit are to be conceived as three personal agents, and as having communion in one godhead, would carry in it Many desirable advantages. 1. This would be like a ray of sacred light let into some of the most dark and difficult passages of the word of God. This would help us to unfold many scriptures which at present lie . sealed in obscurity ; or at least it would afford us the true sense of several texts which by reason of the various expositions of them have hitherto given but an uncertain sound and doubtful noticesof divine truth. It would clear up a large part of the word of God to our understandings, and teach us to read the sacred transactions of the Father, Son and Spirit in the bible with more abundant edification. 2. This might teach us to perform our various duties of adoration, faith, love, and obedience to the sacred Three, so far as scripture requires it, in a more distinct and rational man- ner than we have hitherto done. The humble Christian would view and adore his heavenly Father, his Saviour and his Sanc- tifier withmuch more inward pleasure, when he should be enabled to do it with much clearer and more explicit ideas of their divine unity anddistinction. 3. Such a happy explication of the mystery of the blessed Trinity would vindicate this doctrine against the cavils of the unbeliever as well as against the scoffery and insults of the pro- fane world. This would make it appear how the Son and the Spirit might be true God without injury to the divine honour of God the Father. There have been some Antitrinitarian writers. who have denied the possibility of the godhead of the Son and Spirit in any sense or modus at all; and have pretended to prove
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