honour, might, majefty, and everlasting dominion, for ever and ever. Amen."

The epiftle of Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna, which is fent to the Philippians, is infcribed in this manner : "Polycarp, and the Prefbyters that are with him, to the church of God which is at Philippi. Mercy and eace be multiplied unto you from God Almighty, and from the Lord Jefus Chrift, our Saviour."

In the twelfth chapter, or fection of that epiftle, are thefe expreffions. "Now the God and Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift, and he himself, who is our everlafting high-prieft, the Son of God, Jefus Chrift, build you up in faith and truth, meekness and patience."

A catholic author, fuppofed to have lived about the year of Chrift 220, and writing against heretics, fays: "There is indeed, one God, whom we can know no otherwise, but from the holy fcriptures.

Whatever, therefore, the divine fcriptures declare, that let us embrace: what they teach, let us learn and as the Father willeth we should believe, fo let us believe: as he willeth the Son fhould be honoured, fo let us honour him: as [5] he willeth the Holy Ghost should be given, so let us accept."

και ως θελει πνευμα αξιον δωρεισθαι, λαβωμεν. Hippolyt. contr. Noet. § ix. p. 12. ap. Fabr. T. ¡¡,

Jerome fays, "that [6] Lactantius in his epiftles, especially those to Demetrian, denies the personality of the Holy Ghoft: referring him, and his operations, as the Jews alfo erroneously do, to the Father, or the Son."

And in another place he fays, that [7] this was the fentiment of many Christians in his own time, who did not understand the fcriptures.

The Bishops in the Council of Nice, having declared the doctrine concerning God the Father, and our Lord Jefus Chrift, add:" and in the Holy Ghoft:" that is: " and we believe in the Holy Ghoft."

It follows in the fame creed, as it is exhibited in the liturgy of the church of England: "The Lord and giver of life, who proceedeth from the Father

and

[5] Lactantius in epiftolis fuis, et maxime in epiftolis ad Demetrianum, Spiritus San&ti negat fubftantiam, et errore Judaico dicit eum vel ad Patrem referri, vel ad Filium, et fanctificationem utriufque perfonæ fub nomine ejus demonftrari. Hieron. ad Pamm. et Oc. ep. 41. al. 65. T. iv. p. 345.

[7] Hoc ideo: quia multi per imperitiam fcripturarum (quod et Firmianus in octavo ad Demetrianum epiftolarum libro fecit:) afferunt, Spiritum Sanctum fæpe Patrem, fæpe Filium nominari. Et cum perfpicue in Trinitate credamus, tertiam perfonam auferentes, non fubftantiam ejus volunt effe, fed nomen. Id. in Galat. cap. iv. ver. 6. T. iv. P. i. p. 258.

and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified, who spake by the Prophets." But that is not in the creed of the council of Nice, which fat in the year of our Lord 325; but it is taken from the creed of the council of Conftantinople, which was convened in the year 381. Or, as it is more accurately expreffed by Bishop Burnet at the beginning of his Expofition of the eighth article of the church of England: "So that the creed, here called the Nice creed, is indeed the Conftantinopolitan creed, together with the addition of Filioque, made by the Western church."

I might add a great deal more from the writers of the first three centuries. But this is not a place for enlargement. What has been already said, may be fufficient to render it probable, that the doctrine of the Trinity, which is now commonly received, and which is fo much disliked by many, was not formed all at once, but was the work of feveral ages.

Objections.

SECT. II.

BUT it may be objected, that the spirit, or the Holy Ghoft, is oftentimes spoken of as a perfon, and especially in St. John's Gospel. John xiv. 16. 17. And I will pray the Father, and he fhall give you another comforter, that he may abide with you for ever, even the spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it feeth him not, neither knoweth him. But ye know him. For he dwelleth with you, and fhall be in you.

... ver. 25. 26. These things have I spoken unto you, being prefent with you. But the comforter, which is the Holy Ghoft, whom the Father will fend in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have faid unto you.

It

John xvi. 7. Nevertheless I tell you the truth. is expedient for you, that I go away. For if I go not away, the comforter will not come unto you. But if I depart, I will fend him unto you. 12. I have yet many things to fay unto you. But ye cannot bear them now. 13. Howbeit, when the spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth. For he shall not fpeak of himself. But whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he fpeak. And he will fhew you things to come. 14. He For he hall receive of mine, and fall Shew

fball glorify me.

fhew it unto you. 15. All things that the Father bath, are mine. Therefore faid I, that he shall take of mine. And fhall fhew it unto you.

In answer to which feveral things may be faid.

1. It is not uncommon, in the language of fcripture, to perfonalize many things, to which we do not ascribe intelligence.

The book of Proverbs, where wisdom is brought in fpeaking, as a perfon, is a well-known and remarkable inftance. So likewife in the New Testament, death reigns. Rom. v. 14. 17. and is an enemy. I Cor. xv. 26. 55 57. And fin is fpoken of as a lord and mafter, and pays wages, and that in oppofition to God, the moft perfect agent. Rom. vi. 12. Let not fin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye Should obey it in the lufts thereof. 14. For fin shall not have dominion over you. 17. Ye were once the fervants of fin 23. For the wages of fin is death. But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

And how many things are done by charity, as defcribed by St. Paul! 1 Cor. xiii. It fuffereth long, and is kind, thinketh no evil, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things, and

the like.

I might quote here many other texts. Judg. xxiv. 26. 27. And Joshua took a great stone, and set it up there under an oak... And Joshua faid unto all the people: Behold, this stone shall be a witness unto us:

For