ing, will, and affections. But supposing this to be a proper analysis of the human mind; yet the similitude drawn from it, fails in the same respect that the former did. For these three properties of the soul are not personal properties; and my understanding, my will, my affections, are not thine, nor his, nor any second, nor third person's. Hence the similitude exhibits no illustration of three distinct persons, in the one undivided essense of the Deity.

Some would consider the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost as one person as well as one being, acting in three distinct offices; as those of Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier. And this idea of the Trinity in Unity, they would illustrate, by one man's sustaining three distinct offices; such as Justice, Senator, and Judge. But this, like every other similitude, only serves to sink or destroy the scripture doctrine of three persons in the one supreme, self-existent Being. The profound mystery of the Trinity, as represented in Scripture, necessarily carries in it a distinction of persons in the divine Essence. For nothing short of three distinct persons in the one undivided Deity, can render it proper for him to speak of Himself in the first, second, and third person, 1, Thou, and He. Hence the Scripture represents the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, as distinctly possessed of personal properties. The Father is represented as being able to understand, to will, and to act, of himself. The Son is represented as being able to understand, to will, and to act, of himself. And the Holy Ghost is represented as being able to understand, to will, and to act, of himself. According to these representations, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, are three distinct persons or agents. Accordingly, they speak to and of each other as such. The Father speaks to and of his Son as a distinct person.

"Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee." Again, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." The Son speaks to and of the Father as a distinct person. "O! my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me." Again, "It is my Father that honoreth me; of whom ye say that he is your God." The Holy Ghost speaks of the Son as a distinct person. "As the Holy Ghost saith, To-day, if ye will hear his voice," that is the voice of Christ, "harden not your hearts." This mode of speaking plainly supposes, that the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, are three distinct persons. And upon this ground, the one living and true God is called more than a hundred times, in Scripture, by a name in the plural number. But God's speaking of himself in the same manner, carries much stronger evidence of his existing a Trinity in Unity. Thus we read, "God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness." Again we read, "The Lord God said, The man is become as one of us." Again we read, "Go to; let us go down, and their confound their language." And Isaiah says, "I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Thus the Scripture leads us to conceive of the one living and true God, as existing in three distinct persons, each of whom is possessed of all personal properties, and is able to understand, to will, and to act, as a free, voluntary, almighty Agent. Hence,

2. The Scripture represents the three Persons in the sacred Trinity, as absolutely equal in every divine peri fection. We find the same names, the same attributes, and the same works ascribed to each person. Is the Father called GOD? the same name is given to the Son and Spirit. Are eternity, omnipresence, omniscience, and omnipotence ascribed to the Father? the same

divine attributes are ascribed to the Son and Spirit. Ís the Father represented as concerned in the work of creation? the Son and Spirit are represented as equally concerned in it. Is the Father to be honored by religious worship? so are the Son and Spirit. All these representations of the divinity and equality of the three persons in the sacred Trinity are to be found in the Bible. Besides, this clearly appears from what was said under the first particular. For that mysterious Something in the divine Nature, which lays a foundation for three persons in the one living and true God, lays an equal foundation for their absolute equality. It is as necessary, that each person in the Trinity should be equal, as that each person should exist. For that, which is the ground of their existence, is the ground of their being absolutely equal in every divine perfection.

3. The Scripture represents the three equally divine Persons in the Trinity, as acting in a certain order, in the work of redemption. Though they are absolutely equal, in Nature; yet in Office, the first person is superior to the second, and the second is superior to the third. The Father holds the office of Creator, the Son the office of Redeemer, and the Holy Ghost the office of Sanctifier. The Father is represented as sending the Son, and the Son is represented as sending the Holy Ghost. The Son acts in subordination to the Father; and the Spirit acts in subordination to the Son and Father both. It is the dictate of wisdom, that where two or more persons act in concert, that they should act in Order. The three equally divine Persons act in concert in the work of redemption; and for that reason, they act in Order, or in subordination one to another. And this superiority and inferiority of Office is the sole foundation of all that nom

inal inequality, which the Scripture represents as subsisting between the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, in carrying into effect their purposes of

grace.

4. The Scripture teaches us, that each of the divine Persons takes his peculiar Name from the peculiar office, which he sustains in the Economy of redemption. Each person has a peculiar name given to him in the text. "There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost." The first Person assumes the name of Father, because he is by Office the Creator, or Author of all things, and especially of the human nature of Christ. The second Person assumes the name of Son and Word, by virtue of his incarnation, and mediatorial conduct. The Angel, who predicted his birth, intimated to his Mother that he should be called the Son of God, on account of his incarnation. "The power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee," shall be called the Son of God." Christ is called the Word, in reference to his mediatorial conduct. His great business in this world was to unfold the divine purposes. Hence we read, in the first chapter of John, where he is repeatedly called the Word; "No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son who was in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him." It is equally evident, that the third Person in the Trinity is called the Holy Ghost, on account of his peculiar office as Sanctifier. No other reason can be assigned for his having this peculiar name. He is not essentially more holy than the Father, or Son. But in as much as it is his peculiar office, to apply the redemption procured by Christ, by renewing the hearts of sinners, and making them willing, in the

day of his power, to embrace the offers of mercy, he may be properly called the Holy Ghost.

The distinct office, which each Person in the sacred Trinity sustains, in carrying on the work of redemption, lays a proper foundation for the distinct and pe. culiar name given to each in Scripture. Nor can we derive these names from any other origin. Though there be a foundation in the nature of the Deity, for a distinction of Persons; yet we cannot conceive, that there is the same foundation in his nature, for calling the first Person Father, the second Person Son, and the third Person Holy Ghost. These names clearly appear to originate from the work of redemption, and probably were unknown in heaven until the purposes of grace were there revealed. It is certain, however, that they cannot be supposed to be derived from any original difference between the three Persons in the Godhead, without destroying their Equality, and of consequence, their Divinity. I may add,

5. The Scripture represents these three divine Per sons as One God. This is the plain language of the text. "There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one." Our Lord clearly taught the union. between himself and the Father. He asserted, that he dwelt in the Father, and the Father in him. And he said in plain terms, "I and my Father are one" It appears from the light of nature, that there is one God; and it appears from the light of divine revelation, that there is but One. The Holy One of Israel declares, "I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no god. Is there a god beside me? yea, there is no god: I know not any." If there be but One God, then it necessarily follows, that the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, are not three Gods, but only three Per