Use 2d. Of exhortation. 1st, Believe this doctrine, the Trinity of persons in the unity of essence. The Trinity is purely an object of faith ; the plumb-line of reason is too short to fathom this mystery ; but where reason cannot wade, there faith must swim. There are some truths in religion may be demonstrated by .reason, as that there is a God ; but the Trinity of persons in the U- iiity of essence is wholly supernatural, and must be believed by faith. This sacred doctrine, though it be not against reason, yet it is above reason. Those illuminated philosophers, that could find out the causes of things, and discourse of the magnitude and influence of the stars, — the nature of minerals, — could never, by their deepest search, find out the mystery of the Trinity : this is of dixdne revelation, and must be a- dored with humble lelieving.. We can be no good Christians, without the firm belief of the Trinity. How can we pray to God the Father, but in the name of Christ, and through tlie help of the Spirit ? Believe the glorious Trinity. How are the Quakers to be abhorred, who go under the name of Christians, yet undervalue and renounce Jesus Christ. I have read of some of the Quakers, who speak thus : " We deny the person of him whom you call Christ, ami affirm, That tliey who expect to be saved by that Christ without works, will be damu- eil in that faith?" Could the devil himself speak worse blasphemy ? They would pull
up all religion by the roots, and take awa, that corner-stone, oh which the hope of our salvation is built. — 2r//y, If there be one God subsisting in three persons, then let us give, (1.) Equal reverence to all the per- sons in the Trinity. There is not more or less in the Trinity ; the Father is not more God than the Son and Holy Ghost. There is an order in the Godhead, but no degrees ; one person hath not a majority or super- eminency above another, therefore we must give equal worship to all the Persons: John V. 23., " That all men should ho- nour the Son, even as they honour the Father." Adore Unity in Trinity. — Sd/i/, Obey all the Persons in the blessed Tri- nity, for all of them are God. 1. Obey God the Father ; his words, eithar percep- tive or minatory, must be observed. Christ himself, as man, obeyed God the Fatlier,
'J iv.
John iv. 34-., much more then must we, Deut. xxvii. 10. — 2. Obey God the Son, Ps. ii. 12., " Kiss tlie Son, lost he be an- gry?" Kiss him with a kiss of obedience ; Christ's commands arc not gi'ievous, 1 John V. 3. Nothing he commands but is for our interest and benefit. O then kiss the Son ! ^Vliy do the elders throw down their crowns at the feet of Christ, and fall down before tlie Lamb? Rev. iv. 10, 11 , but to testify tlieir subjection, and to profess their readi- ness to serve and obey him. — 3. Obey God the Holy Ghost. Oar souls are breathed into us by the glorious Spirit, Job xxxiii. 4., " The Spirit of God liath made me." Our souls are adorned by the blessed Spirit , every grace is a divine sparkle lighted in the soul by the Holy Ghost. Nay, more, the Spirit of God sanctified Christ's human nature; he united it with the divine, and fitted the IMan Christ to be our Mediator. Well then doth this third person in the Tri- nity, the Holy Ghost, deserve to be obeyed ; he is God, and this tribute of homage and obedience is to be paid him by us.
OF THE CREATION.
Quest. VII. WHAT are the decrees of God?
Axs. The decrees of God are his eternal
purpose, according to the counsel of his will, whereby, for his own glory, he hath fore-ordained whatsoever shall come to pass.
EO
OF THE CREATION.
I should now come ito speak concerning the decrees of God, but I have already spo- ken something to this under the atribute of God's immutability. God is unchange- able in his essence, and he is unchangeable in his decrees ; his counsel shall stand ; he hath decreed the issue of all things, and carries them on to their period by his pro- vidence; and therefore I shall proceed to the execution of his decrees.
Quest. VIII. The next question is, IVhat is the work of creation?
Axs. It is God's making all things of no- thing, by the word of his power, &c. — Gen. i. 1., " In the beginning God created the heaven and the cartli."
Tlie creation is glorious to behold, — it is a pleasant and fruitful study. Some think that Isaac, when he went abroad into the fields to meditate, it was in the book of the creatures. The creation is the heathen man's Bible, — tlie plowman's primer, — the traveller's perspective glass, through which he receives the species and representation of those infinite excellencies which are in God. The creation is a large volume in vvhicl! God's works are bound up; and this volume liath three great leaves in it, heaven, earth, aiul sea.