Revelation propofeth any Thing which de ftroyeth the Idea of the Object; or which is all one, introduceth a Conception, which cannot confift with it. Such would be to affirm there are two or more Gods, or that he is a corporeal Being, and fuch like. For the very Notion of God being no other than that of an infinite and most perfect Being, the Primary Cause and Author of all other Beings; to suppose any other Being independent from him, or himself to be capable of Divifion and Limitation, the infeparable Property of all corporeal Beings, would deftroy the Notion of him. In this Cafe we should affirm and deny the fame Thing; or which is all one, Contraries of the fame Thing; wherein confists the Abfurdity of a Contradiction. So that the only internal Rule which is left to judge of any Revelation concerning the Divine Nature, is, whether or no it includeth a Contradiction either in Terms, or by selfevident Confequence: For no other Confequence can be allowed in this Cafe; fince the Confequences upon which a Contradi ction is to be founded, must be of equal Evidence with a Contradiction in Terms which is always Self-evident.

If we apply thefe Rules to the Question of the Trinity, it will be no hard Matter to determine it. For God being confessedly an infinite Being; and the Doctrine of the Trinity a Matter relating to his Nature

and Properties; we may from hence perceive, that we are not to require a diftinct Knowledge of it, but only whether it be Contradictory. And firft, it is manifeft, that it includeth no Contradiction in Terms. For we do not fay, That there is one God, and three Gods; (which would be all one as to fay, there is one God, and not one God.) Neither do we fay, There is one Perfon in the Deity, and three Perfons; (which would be all one as to fay, there is one Perfon, and not one Perfon.) Nor do we fay that the Father is the Son, at the fame time that we fay he is not the Son.` These are the only imaginable Contradictions in Terms; and these are no part of the Doctrine of the Trinity.

The confequential Contradictions chiefly infifted on by the Adversaries of the Trinity, are thefe Two. 1. If there be three Perfons, and each Perfon be God, then there are three Gods: Which is contradictory to an allowed Propofition: (There is but one God.) 2. If these three Perfons agree in a third, viz. in the Nature of God, they must agree among themselves, and fo there will be but one Perfon, which is contradictory to the Propofition laid down, viz. [There are three Perfons.] The first Confequence is founded upon this Propofi tion, there cannot be a Plurality of Per fons, without a Plurality of Natures. The fecond upon this, there cannot be a commuci.

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munication of Natures, without an Identity of Perfons. Now, who will fay, that either of these Propofitions is felf-evident, nay, that they carry the leaft Evidence with them; fince nothing can be evident to us, of which we cannot judge; and we cannot judge of these two Propofitions, unless we fully understood the very Nature of God? It is generally imagined indeed, that it cannot be fo in finite Beings, but that is no Argument that it cannot be fo in infinite Beings: Nor are we yet fure that it cannot be fo in finite Beings. For even in the Soul of Man there is no fmall Refemblance of it, where are feveral Faculties which can operate independently from each other; and yet all fingly poffefs all the Properties and Qualities of the Soul confider'd as fuch, as its Immateriality, Immortality, and fuch like. So in the Deity, there are feveral Perfons obtaining diftinct Operations, but partaking in all the commune At, tributes of the Deity; fuch as Eternity, Omnipotency, and others.

After all, it must be acknowledged by all fober Men, that the Difficulties upon which the Adverfaries of this Doctrine proceed, are far less evident than are the general Motives of Credibility of the Chriftian Faith; as that Chrift died and rose again; performcd many Miracles, which were attefted and confirmed by his Difciples, who were Eye-witnesses of them, wrought other Mi

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racles in Testimony of them, and at last laid down their Lives for the fame Caufe; having first configned the Memory of them to Writing, which hath been invariably handed down to us in all Ages. These Arguments are plain, obvious, and certain; whereas the forementioned Difficulties are obfcure and inconceiveable to many, and to all uncertain.

There are indeed many Erroneous Christians, and have formerly been more, who pretend that Chrift and his Apostles revealed no fuch Thing. But thefe Men proceed chiefly upon those Objections which we have already refuted; and upon unreasonable and forced Interpretations of Scripture, which they wrefted to their Senfe, while they endeavour to folve the Difficulties of this Doctrine, by removing it wholly. But while they attempted this, they involved themselves in far greater Difficulties, and even in flat Contradictions. For God having commanded, that all should Worship the Son, even as they do the Father, and themselves never daring to deny that divine Adoration was to be paid to Chrift; hereby they have been forced to maintain, that divine Adoration is to be given to a Being which is not God; which is a most palpable Contradiction, infinitely greater than all the Difficulties of the Trinity, which they fo much dreaded. For an Act of Divine Adoration confifts chiefly in an awful

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Conception of the Infinity of that Nature which is to be adored; and therefore cannot be paid to any Object, but under the Notion of God. So that in adoring Chrift with Divine Honour, the Mind muft confider him as God, while at the fame Time it denieth him to be God, which is a plain Repugnance of Conception, and a manifest Contradiction. So that all the Arguments of Christianity remain in full Force, in Favour of the Doctrine of the Trinity; and thofe Difficulties which may attend it, being, as we have fhewed, far lefs evident than are those Arguments; it remains, that if we act rationally, we affent unto it,

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I am fenfible, that what I have faid in this Matter is more Obfcure, than Difcourfes from this Place are wont to be. that could not be avoided in a Subject of this Nature. I hope it may be of some Ufe to you, not only in confirming the Steadinefs of your Faith in General; in manifefting the Excellency of the Christian Religion, which requireth nothing to be be-. lieved repugnant to Reafon; and in giving fome Rules for the Conduct of your Understanding in Matters of Religion; but alfo in arming you against the Snares and Delufions of a Peftilent Sect, which hath very lately taken Advantage from our Divifions to revive their Objections, and pub lickly to propofe them.

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