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PRINCETON, N. J.
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SAMUEL AG NEW,
OF PHILADELPHIA, PA.
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THE
Holy Scriptural Dextrine
O F T H E
Divine Trinity in Effential Unity,
AND THE
Supreme Godhead cf JESUS CHRIST
Being one and the fame with his Father's :
Shewn to be not only demonftrative, but moft clearly
conceivable fpiritual, and Scriptural Truths.
Wherewith is occcafionally fhewn,
That although the Newtonian Philofophy be for-
mally and mathematically true; yet it is materially
and phyfically falfe.
To which is prefixed
A Prefatory Difcourfe, wherein the Phyfical, Metaphy-
seal, and Theological Errors of a late Treatife, en-
titled, an Effay on Spirit, are clearly fhewn and con-
futed.
By JOHN~SCo¥r9 D. D.
Author of the late Notes and Obfervations on the
Three Fir ft Chapters of (^pvpqto
There are Three that bear Record in Heaven, the Father, the
Word, and the Holy Spirit, and theft Three are One,
i John v. ver. 7 ■ ' .
For in him dwelt all the Fulnefs of the Godhead bodily,
Colof ii. ver. 9.
A Man that is an Heretic, after a firft and fecond Au?no-
nition, rejecl. Titus ill - ver. io»
L 0 N D O im-
printed for the Author, and to be had at his Houfe, in
brchard-ftteet, Weftminfler ; and at Mr. Wood fall's,
Printer, at Charing-Crofs ; and at Mr. Hawkins's.
Bookfeller, at Milton's Head, between the two TempU
Gates, Fleet free t, 1754.
Price Seven Shillings ftitch'd.
Where may be alfo had, his Notes and Obfervations on
the Three firft Chapters cf Genefisy Price ftuch'd Sevtn
Shillings.
_l
( "i )
THE
P RE FACE.
*"" ""^ H E Treatife which I herewith pre-
lent to the Publick, is Part of a
large Work about which I have been long
employed, and intitled An Apology for the
one and only true and divinely revealed fanBi-
fying and Javing, fpiritual and /criptural, and
Chrijlian Religion, that ever wasy. or ever
will, or can be in the World. And which is
now prepared and ready for the Prefs, and will
be published by Subfcription ; as fbori as a
Number of Perfons fufficient to defray the
Charge of the Impreflion, fhall have fub-
fcribed to it.
My Defign in this Apology is to revive
and reftore to the World, this one and only
Religion in its original Purity, purged and
purified from all thofe corrupt impure Mix-
tures which have been blended with it, by all
the corrupt, and falfe, and fuperftitious, and
fchifmatical Churches, which have ftarted up
and appeared in the World> from the Begin-
a nin£
iv The PREFACE.
ning; by which this one and only true Reli-
gion hath been fo altered and deformed, tha
it is hardly to be known, and therefore but
very little known even in Chriftendom.
And therein I (hew, that the whole of this
one and only true fanctifying and faving Re-
ligion, con flits in perfect Obedience to the
divinely revealed, and moll perfect and per-
fectly purifying fpiritual Law of perfect
Righteouineis ; which confifts in one Precept,
indifpenfably obliging all Mankind to mortify,
and purify their Spirits from all bodily Lufts,
bv which and by which only, they are moved
and tempted to all the Wickednefs they com-
mit in this World, and which are the only
true and real Devils, by whofe unquenchable
Flames the impenitently wicked are everlaft-
ingly tormented in the next. And in the fin-
cere and true Belief of three fundamental and
divinely revealed, and demon ftratively true Ar-
ticles of Faith, viz. Firjly That there is a God.
Secondly, That Men have immaterial and im-
mortal Spirits. And Thirdly, that there is a fu-
ture State after this Life, which will be a State
of either perfect and endiefs Happinefs, or of
mod exquifite and everlailing fpiritual Mifery
in the next World ; according as Men have
provided and laid up the one or the other for
themfelves, during their Continuance in this >
by perfevering in Obedience or Diiobedience
to this perfectly purifying fpiritual Law \ and
in the fincere and true Belief or Difbelief of
thefs
The PRE FACE. %
*hefe three fundamental Articles of Faith
which contain all the mod powerful Motives
and indifpenfable Obligations to Perfeve-
rance in perfect Obedience to this mod per-
fect: and perfectly purifying and divinely re-
vealed fpiritual Law of perfect Righteouf-
nefs.
And that this original and fundamental
Law, and thefe three fundamental Articles of
the Faith, are the fundamental Points upon
which all the Law and the Prophets, and all
that was preached by our blefed Lord and
Saviour ye/us Gbrift* and all that was com*
mitted to Writing by his Evangel! its and
Apoftlcs hang and depend. And that they
of themfelves are a mod perfect and com-
pleat, and the only perfect and com pleat
Rule of Faith and Morals that ever was in
the World. And they, taken together, aro
an infallible Rule and Standard, and the only
infallible Rule and Standard, by which all
particular Texts of Scripture relating to Faith
and Morals can be truly, and therefore ought
always to be interpreted. And an infallible
Rule by which we can always and readily di£
cover, whether any particular Texts of Scrip-
ture be genuine, (7. e.) whether they were
written by Perfons infpired, or affifted by the
Holy Spirit of God, or thefpurious Interpola-
tions of wicked Men, And they are alfo the
only true and infallible Rule and Standard by
Wiich we can truly judge of all the parti-
a 2 cala:
vi The PREFACE.
cular diflinguiming religious Do&rines and
Precepts of all particular Churches, Sect%
and Perfons, whether they be true or falfe,
and righteous or wicked ; and to which all
fuch particular Doctrines and Precepts ought
always to be brought and tried, and judged of,
whether they be true or falfe, or righteous or
wicked, and conducive to, or deftructive of
true and fpiritual Sanctification, Salvation, and
true and rational Happinefs both temppral
and everlafting, and confequently whether
they ought to be embraced or rejected.
And as this divinely revealed fundamental,
fpiritual and fcriptural Law, and thtfe thiee
fundamental Articles of divinely revealed, fpi-
ritual, or fcriptural Faith, which contain the
powerful Motives, and indifpcnfable Obliga-
tions to Perfeverance in perfect Obedience to
this Law, contain the whole of the one, and
only true fandtifying and laving Religion,
wbofe Defence 1 have undertaken ; and all
Things necefiky to be known, and fincerely
and truly believed and done by all Ranks and
Orders pi Mankind, in order to their being
perfectly qualified for the Enjoyment and At-
tainment of tine and fpiritual Sanctification,
Salvation, and eternal Life ; and felf-fufficient,
but io indifpenlably neceffary to be perfectly
obeyed, and fincerely and truly believed by all
Ranks and Orders of Mankind, in all States
and Stations, from the higheft to the iowefr,
that itkiropoflibleby the Reafon of Things for
any
The PREFACE. vii
any Perfon to obtain any one of thefe great
neceffary Ufes and good Ends, without per-
fectly obeying the one, and fincerely believ-
ing the other; which io powerfully tend to
move Mankind to mortify and purify their
Spirits from all bodily Lufts, and to love
God with all their Hearts, &c. whilll they
are in this World, without which no
Man can poffibly be truly or ipiritually
happy, or other wife than fpiritually miferable
in this World, and everiaitingly fo in the
next. I therefore thought it my Duty as an
Apologiit for this one and only true fandtify-
ing and faving, and fpiritual and holy fcrip-
tural Religion, and for moving and encoura-
ging Mankind to awake and return to it, and
embrace it, and perfevere in perfect Obedi-
ence to its mofl perfect and perfectly purify-
ing fundamental Law, and in the fincere and
true Belief of the three fundamental Articles of
its Faith ; which together comprehend and
contain the whole of this one or only true
fandtifying and faving Religion. To fet before
them, i/ly The divine Original or Revelation
of that Law. And, idly, the felf-evident Per-
fection, and perfect Righteoufnefs, and puri-
fying Tendency of it. And, $dly9 the in^
difpenfable Necetiity of perfevering in perfect
Obedience to it. And tfhly, the divine O-
riginal or Revelation of the three fundamen-
tal Articles of the fpiritual and fcriptural
Paith ; which contain the powerful Mo-
a 3 tive*
viii The P REFAE.
tives and indifpenfable Obligations toPerfeve-
rance, in Obedience to this moft perfect and
perfectly purifying fpiritual and fcriptural Law.
And, $thly, the demonftrative Truth of thefe
three fundamental Articles of the fpiritual and
holy fcriptural Faith. And 6thly, the indif-
penfable Neceffity of perfevering in the fin-
cere and true Belief of thefe three Articles of
Faith all the Days of our Lives. And, jtbly,
that the divinely inftituted inftrudive and
Memorial ritual Ordinances, are not Parts of
this one and only true fandifying and faving
Religion (as they have been taught to be, by
all the corrupt and falfe and fuperftiiious and
fchifmatical Churches that have ever fince
been in the World, who have always abufed
and perverted them to fuperftitious Ends or
Purpofes) aiiti that they were inftituted for
no other End or Purpofe than for inftrud-
ing Mankind in the Knowledge of, and for
putting them continually in Mind of the in-
difpenfabte Neceffity and Self-fufficiency of
perfevering in fhe fincere and true Belief of
the three fundamental Articles of the divinely
revealed and demonftratively true fpiritual
and holy fcriptural Faith, and in perfect Obe-
dience to the divinely revealed, fundametal
fpiritual and fcriptural Law, in order to their
San&irication, Salvation, and true and rational
Happinefs, both temporal and everlafting.
And that although they be necefiary and be-
neficial to be publickly obferved, when, and
wherever
The P R E F A C E. \x
wherever they are publickly adminiftered, ac-
cording to God's Appointment ; and for the
End for which he appointed them to be (b ad-
miniftered 5 and by thofe Perfons, and by
thofe only whom he hath appointed and au-
thorized, exclufively of all others, publickly
to adminifter them. Yet they are not to
be looked upon as indifpenfably necefTary to be
fo obferved ; as the Faith and Law are to be
believed and obeyed, in order to Sanclihcation,
Salvation and eternal Life.
And in my Apology for this one, and on-
ly true fandifying and faving, and divinely
revealed fpiritual, and holy fcriptural Religion,
I have moft clearly and demonftratively
proved all the aforementioned Points, which
are indifpenfably necefTary to be fincerely and
truly believed and obeyed; and therefore to
be kept in continual Remembrance by all
Mankind, and may with a very little Pains
be as eafily remembered by them, as their
own Names, or any other Thing that may
be incumbent upon them to keep in Re-
membrance. So when I was upon the De-
monftration of the Being of a God, I judged
it necefTary, to fhew from the Revelations
and fenfible Reprefentations that he hath been
gracioufly pleafed to make of himfelf in his
holy Word, in order to enable us to form juft
and true, and fpiritually beneficial, although
not complete and adequate, Notions, of his
Vbiquity or Ommprefencey and of his other
a 4, won*
x The P R E F A C E.
wonderful and amiable, and adorable and in-
exhauftible revealed Perfections, and his won-
derful Manner of fubiifting or acting in a
Plurality of Perlbns or intelligent Agents in
the one Jehovah, or divine Effence ; and that
this Plurality of divine Perfons, different and
diftinguifhable from each other by their dif-
ferent States and Forms, and Motions, Ope-
rations or Actions, but one and the fame in
refpect of the one Effence in which they fub-
fifted, which is fo undivided and indivisible,
and infeparable, that no one of them could
fubfift as an Agent, or move or act effentially
divided and feparate from, &nd independent
of both the other, were co-eternal, co-effential
and co-equal in all their divine Powers, Pro-
perties and Perfections attributed to them; fo
that none of them was, or is before or after
other, nor greater nor lefs, nor fuperior nor
inferior to other ; and that, although the
particular Actions of each of them are differ-
ent from the Actions of each of the other,
yet the particular Actions of any one of them
may with juft and equal Propriety be afcribed
to either of the other, becaufe no one of
them could have been performed by any one
of them feparately and independently of the
other two 5 or if the whole three Perfons had
not co-operated, and in different Ways and
Manners, in the Production of them: So that
any of the Actions of any one of them may
with equal Propriety be afcribed to
any
The PREFACE. xi
any other of them, and to the whole three
Perfons; and therefore when any Action is
afcribed to any one of them, it is not to be
afcribed to him, exclufively of the other two.
And as each of thefe Perfons, fo diftinguiuhed
froin each other, as I have before obferved,
are divine Perfons, and may therefore be each
of them called God?, yet, when either the
Father, Son or Holy Ghoft, are called God,
it is not to be underftood, as if any one of
them was God, exclufive of the other two;
fo that although the Father be God, and the
Son be God, and the Holy Ghoft'be God,
yet thefe three co-eternal' and co-effential,'
and in every Refpecl co-equal Perfons, are in
effential Unity together but one God. And
all thefe Things 1 have not only fhewn to be
demon ft ratively true, but as clearly conceiva-
ble Truths as any are in the natural or ma-
terial World, by the Revelations and fenfibly
perceptible Representations which God hath
been moft gracioufly pleafed to make of him.
felf, by the material and vifible Heavens, in
his holy Word ; by which I have put 'the
Truth of the Doftrine of the Trinity of three
divine Perfons in effential Unity in the one
Jehovah, and all co-eternal, co-effential and
co-equal in all divine Powers, Properties and
Perfections, out of all Doubt, and thereby
put a Stop to all future Controverfy about
that Point, among Perfons capable of being
con-
xii The PREFACE.
convinced of their Error by the Power and
Force of mod clear and demon ftrative Truth.
And I have likewife there (hewn from the
holy Scriptures, that the Word Father when
it is there underftood of God, is taken in a
twofold and different Senfe: Firjly For the
whole three Perfons in the divine Trinity,
taken together, who is, or are the Father of
Our bleffed Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrifty
fcnd that thefe three Perfons together with
our Lord Jefus Chri/i is the God and Father
of all Mankind j and in this Senfe it is taken
\vhen we fay our heavenly Father, or our Fa-
ther which art in Heaven, (u e.) who haft:
been gracioufly pleafed fenfibly to fignify and
reprefent thyfelf to us, by thy material and
vifible Heavens, as a Plurality of Perfons in
effential Unity. And, Secondly^ For one of
thofe co-eternal and co-eflential, and in every
Refpeft co-equal Perfons in the divine Trini-
ty, diftinguifned by the perfonal Names of
Father, Son and Holy Spirit, that we might
be thereby inftrudted and taught, that the
three co-eternal and co-eflential Perfons
in the divine Trinity, are living and intelli-
gent Agents, and not fuch lifelefs and unin-
telligent Agents as they are reprefented by, in
the material Heavens, in order to render
their fubfifting in Plurality in eflential Unity
conceivable by us. And thefe two different
Acceptationi of the Word Father in the ho-
ly Scriptures, ought to be carefully dif-
tinguiihedy
The PR EE ACE. xli!
tinguiflied, for by Men's having confounded
them together, and by their not having kept
up the Diftindion between them, great and
virulent Contentions have been raifed and
continued for many Ages m the Chriftian
Church, which have greatly contributed to
the Corruption of the Faith, and to the
Growth of deftruflive and damnable Hcr--
fies.
And I have Iikewife (hewn, that the
Word Son, when understood of the Son of
God in the holy Scriptures, is alfo taken in a
two fold and different Senfe: Firji, For one
of the divine Perfons in the ever bleffed
divine Trinity, perfonally diftinguifhed by
the Name of the Son, from the other two
Perfons, fo diftinguifhed by the peribnaj
Names of the Father and Holy Spirit 5 and
who is co-eternal and co-effential, and 'in all
Refpecls co-equal with and to the Perfon
diftinguifhed by the Name of the Father in
the divine Trinity. And, Secondly, For the
only begotten Son of God, (/. e.) 0f the
whole divine Trinity, who together are but
one God, the Father of our Lord Jefus
Chrifti and who together with him is the
Father of all Mankind, and of all Things
vifiblc and invifible; and that the only be-
gotten Son Jefus Chrift is not co-etcrnal nor
co-effential, nor co-equal in RefpecT: of his
Humanity, with any of the Perfons in the
divine Trinity, diflinguifhed by the perfonai
Names
xiv The PREFACE.
Names of Father, Son and Holy Spirit; and
who neither is, nor ever was one of the Per-
sons in the divine Trinity : And whom I have
there fhewn to be God together with, but
not exclufive of his Father (the whole Trinity)
muft intimately and fpiritually, /. e. intel-
lectually and morally) and alfo effentially
united to him, and dwelling in him with all
the Fulnefs of the Godhead, by Means of
that holy Spirit of Faith, which was com-
municated to him without Meafure or
Bounds, by which his Knowledge, Will,
Words and Actions became one and the fame
y^kh his Father's; and his Father's Know-
ledge, Will, Words and Actions became one
and the fame with his ; fo that whatever he.
laid or did, might with juft and equal
propriety be afcribed to his Father ; and
whatever his Father faid or did at any Time,
Smight be with as juft, ftridt and equal Pro-
priety be afcribed to him, they being fpiritually,
and alfo effentially one, by Means of the im-
menfurable Spirit of Faith, which was com-
municated to him by his Father ; and there-
fore, he faid with moft Uriel: Juftice and
Propriety, that, He that hath Jeen me> hath
feen my Father, he and his Father being one.
And therefore when he is faid to be equal to
God, and to be the eternal and true God, it
is to be underftood of the Godhead, which
was moft intimately and infeparably united to
him, and dwelt in him in all Fulnefs. Thefe
Things
The PREFACE. xv
Things I chofe to (hew, and fet forth from
the holy Sariptures, concerning the Man
jfejus Chri/l, the only begotten Son of God,
in order to put an effe&ual Stop to all
future Conteft and Controverfy, concerning
the Truth and Reality of his Godhead, as it
is moft clearly fet forth in the holy Scriptures,
and therefore to be taken in no other Senfe
than as it is there fet forth ; and not as fcrip-
turally ignorant Men, who have followed
their own groundless Imaginations have fet
it forth, in their unintelligible Attempts other-
wife to explain it.
And 1 have likewife there fhewn, that by
Men's not having diftinguifhed between the
Perfon in th^ divine Trinity, difUnguifhed
by the Name of the holy Spirit, who is co-
eternal and co-eiTential, and co-equal w7ith
the Perfon s diftinguifhed by the Names of
the Father and the Son: And the holy Spirit
of fanctifying and faving Faith, which ft
obtained by the fincere and true Belief of
the divinely revealed Word of God, have
railed and run into Difputes and Contefb,
by which Multitudes have been brought to
waver, and many to depart from the Faith,
to the everlafting Deftru&ion of their im-
mortal Spirits.
Thefe Difputes were all originally raifed
and fet on Foot by Heretics, who were ra-
ther guided by the fake Syftems of Philo-
fophy by which they had been prejudiced,
than
V
xvi The PREFACE.
than by the holy Scriptures, whofe Do&rines
and Precepts they profeffed and pretended to
embrace, and which contain and fet forth
the only true Principles of natural Philofo-
phy or Phyfta > and of fupernatural Philofo-
phy or MetaphyficSy and of moral Philofophy
or Ethics, that ever appeared in the World,
as I have elfewhere fhewn. And they have
been continued and carried on by the Arians,
and the antient Refiners upon them the Sa-
belliam, and the Revivers of their Do&rinc
the SocinianSy and the modern Refiners upon
Arianijmy the late Dr. Clarke, and his Co-
adjutors and Adherents, who not diftinguifh-
ing between the Father of our Lord Je/us
Cbrifi, and the Perfon diftin^uifhed by the
Name of the Father in the divine Trinity ;
nor between the Perfon diftinguifhed by the
Name of the Son in the Trinity, who is
co- eternal, co-eflential, and in ali Refpe&s
co-equal to the Perfon diftinguiihed, and
called by the Name of the Father in the
Trinity , and between the only begotten Son
of God, the Man Jefus Chrijl, who is not
one of the three Perfbns in that divine Tri-
nity -, nor between the Perfon diflinguifhed
by the Name of the holy Spirit in the di-
vine Trinity, who is co-eternal and co-effen-
tial, and in all Refpcdls cc-equal to the Per?
fons diflinguifhed, and called by the Names
of the Father, and the Son in the Trinity ;
and that holy Spirit of fanftifying and laving
Faith, which is obtained by the fincere and
true
The PRE FA C E. xvii
true Belief of the divinely revealed Word
of God, have all along believed, among
other Falftioods, That the true and ortho-
dox Church of God, believed and taught*
that the only begotten Son of God, the Man
Chrijl Jejus, was one of the three Perfons ia
the divine Trinity, and that he as Man, was
co-eternal and co-effential, and co-equal with
the Perfon called the Father in the divine.
Trinity, which were Doctrines which thq
true and orthodox Church of God never be-
lieved nor taught j for to have done fo, would
have fhewn, that fhe was not Orthodox, and
that fhe taught Doctrines or Articles of Faith,
that did not tend to move Mankind to lov*
God with all their Hearts, nor to Perfe-
verance in perfect Obedience to the only
perfect, and perfectly purifying, fpiritual ancj
icriptural Law, (For all the divinely re-
vealed and fcriptural Articles of Faith, which,
the true Church of God hath always taught^
or required Mankind to believe, were always,
to be known by their evident Tendency to,
move Men powerfully to perfevere in doing
thofe two Things, which are not only in-
difpenfably neceflary, but all the Things that
are in any Meafure neceflary to be done by
them, in order to their Sanctification and Sal-
vation, and eternal Life ; and that only in*
fallible Criterion by which they can be known,
and by which we may clearly perceive and
judge, whether the Doctrines of the co-eter-
fiat
xviii The PREFACE.
nal and co-effential Trinity in the one "Je-
hovah or divine Effence : And of the truly
adorable Divinity of J ejus Chr(/ly the only
begotten Son of God, as fet forth in the holy
Scriptures, and taught by the only catholic
Church ; or the Doctrines of the Arians,
and of the Refiners upon Arianifm^ concern-
ing thefe two Points, be the Truth.) How-
ever, under this Miftake of the true fcriptu-
ral Doctrine, which hath been always taught
by the catholic and truly orthodox Church of
God, the Arians and Refiners upon them,
have raifed and carried on warm and virulent
Difputes againft her, charging her with teach-
ing Doctrines which (he never taught. And
having overlooked the fenfible Reprefentation,
which God was moil gracioufly pleafed to
make of himfelf, by the material or vilible'
Heaven, in order to render his Ubiquity or
Omniprefence, and his Manner of fubfifting
and operating in a Plurality of Perfons in
the one Jehovah or divine EfTence, clearly
conceivable by us, that we might by that
Reprefentation perfectly underftand the Re-
velations he had made concerning his Plu-
rality in Unity, which would' have been
otherwife inconceivable and unintelligible by
ns. And that we might likewife thereby clear-
ly perceive, that theie three perfectly diflindt
and different Perfons, cfTentially and infepa-
rably united in the one Jehovah or divine
Effence, were co-eternal, co-elTential^ and co-
equal
The PREFACE. xlx
equal in all Refpe&s with each other; and
yet not three Gods independent of each other,
and therefore altogether but one God. And
that if they had not been fuch three diffe-
rent Perfons in the one Jehovah they could
not have been God : And that if the one 7*-
hovah, who was all fuffkient for his own
Happinefs, and who did not want or ftand
in need of all or any of his Creatures, for
the Improvement or Continuance of his own
Happinefs, had not he gracioufly pleafed to
condefcend to become Elohim% (u e.) three
Perfons, in order to make this World for the
Ufe and Service of Man, and Man ior ever-
lafting Happinefs, there never could nor would
have been a God^, as is mod evident from the
heavenly Reprefentation, that God hath been
gracioufly pleafed to make of himfelf, nor
weuld nor could any Thing have been created
or made.
But the aforementioned Misbelievers and
therefore Heretics, by overlooking this fen-
fible Representation, which the invifible God
had been gracioufly pleafed to make of bim-
felf ; and being other wife unable to form a
juft or true Notion or Conception of him, or
of his Manner of fubfifting, and operating,
or acting, either in the natural or moral
Worlds: According to their different ground-
leis Imaginations, ran into different Errors,
concerning thefe Points,
b The
xx The PREFACE,
The Brians thereupon fell into the Dis-
belief and Denial of a divine Trinity (which
I have fhewn to be the Denial of* a God) and
of the Divinity of the only begotten Son of
God. And by that Means they have endea-
voured to fet afide and extirpate out of the
Minds of Mankind, one of the mod power-
ful Moiives and Encouragements, that were
ever given them for loving God with all their
Hearts, and for perfevering in Obedience to
his perfectly purifying fpiritual Law. And
what to make of the holy Spirit, mentioned
as a divine Perfon in the holy Scriptures, they
did not well know, and therefore have fpokeri
of it accordingly. They imagined that aiTert-
ing three co-eternal and co-efiential, and in
every Refpect co-ordinate and co-equal Per-
fons, although dependent upon each other in
all their Motions, Operations, or Actions,
which is the true fcriplural Doctrine of the
ever blefled, and eflentially undivided and in-
divifible and infeparable Trinity, to be afifert-
ing three independent Gods, which is a Doc-
trine they could not digeft or believe, and
therefore juftly rejected and detefted it. But
had they coniidered the Reprefentation that
God had made of himfelf, in order to ren-
der his Manner of fubfifting in Plurality, in
the Unity of the divine, indivifible, and in-
feparable EiTence, was perfectly confident
' with the Unity of the Godhead ; and that
there was 3 very wide Difference between
aliening
The P R E F A C E, xxi
aflerting three co-eternal and co-effential, and
co-equal Perfons in the one Effence, and
therefore equally dependent on each other in
all Refpedts, and aflerting three independent
Gods. Whereas they who aflerted a Tri-
nity of fupreme and fubordinatc Gods, affert
a. Trinity of independent Gods, if they allow
them all to have free Wills.
The Sabellians and Socinians, believing
with the Ariansy that there was no Difference
between believing and aflerting three co-
eternal and co-effential, and in every Refpedt
co-equal Perfons equally dependent on each
other, and three independent Gods : And
that they might (as they imagined) (peak
more conformably to, and confidently with
the holy Scriptures, from which they alL
pretended to argue, afferted that the three
Perfons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, fo
often mentioned in the holy Scriptures, as
Perfons in the divine Trinity, are not three
real, but only nominal Perions j (/. e.) only
three different Names for the one God, and
that J ejus Chrijl was only a mere, but good
Man, and who did not exift before his Con-
ception in the Womb of the Virgin Mary ;
which they make the Beginning of the Gofpel'
Difpenfation, and that therefore he is faid co
have been in the Beginning.
But the late modern Refiners upon Aricnifm
and Socinianifm, imagining their Dodtrinc to
be more confident with, and conformable
b 3 t9
xxii The PREFACE.
to the Doctrine of the holy Scriptures, have
acknowledged, in Contra-diftinction both to
the A'iam and Sociniam, that there are
three real Perfons in the divine Trinity; but
in Oppofition to the true fcriptural Faith,
and the Doctrine of the true catholic Church,
they have taught that thefe three divine
Peribns in their new invented Trinitv, are
not co-eternal, nor co-cflemial, nor co-equal;
but that one of them is fupreme and ielf-
exiiting, and therefore eternal -, and that the
other two (of which jfefus Chrift is one)'
are inferior and fubordinate, and derivative
Perfons. And thus they have fet up three
different, and in iomc Refpedts independent
Gods ; and in Confcquence of this new Be-
lief, they have fet up two different Kinds of
Worfhip, one, and which they call Supreme,
whi:h they fay, is only to be paid to the
fupreme God : and the other Inferior , wh'ch
they fay, is to be paid to the fubordinate and
derivative two Gods. By which they have
ihewn, that they nekher unaerftood what
true divine Woifhip confined in, nor the
End for which it was inftituted and required
to be paid. For I have in a proper Place
in my Apology fhewn, that God did not
appoint Worfhip to be paid to him for his
own Sake, but altogether for the Sake of
Mankind, and for putting and keeping them
continually in Mind of the indifpenfable
Neccflity of perfevering in the fincerc and
true
The PREFACE. xxiR
true Belief, of the three fundamental Articles
of the divine revealed fanctifying, and favin<;
fpiritual and fcriptural Faith ; and in perfect
Obedience to the purifying fpiritual and fcrip-
tural Law, which are the only true divine
and fpiritual Worfhip, by which Mankind
can be fpiritually benefited ; and that therefore
there cannot poffibly be a fuperior and an
inferior, or two different Kinds of it, as thefe
modern Pvefiners upon Arianifm have confi-
dently afferted.
All thefe Things I have fhewn at large,
in the following Account of the fcriptural
Doctrine of the divine Trinity in Unity in
the one Jebovah, or divine EiTence j and the
real Divinity of Jefus Chrijiy the only be-
gotten Son of God, one and the fame with
his Father's. That Mankind, by considering
the Doctrines of the Arians and Sjcinidns,
and of the late Refiners upo:i them, might
clearly perceive, that the Belief of any of
them, doth not move Men either to love
God with all their Hearts, nor to obey his
mod perfect and perfectly purifying fpiritual
Law, which indifpenfably obliges all Man-
kind to mortify and purify their Spirits from
all bodily Lufts, which are the two Things
that are indifpenfably neceffary to be done by
all Mankind, in order to their Sanctification,
Salvation, and eternal Life, and all the Things
that are neceffary to be done by them, in
order to their fore Attainment of thefe great,
b 3 wile,
xxiv The PREFACE.
wife, good and neceflary Ends. And as the
fundamental Articles of the fcriptural Faith,
which God revealed and gave to Mankind,
were given for no other Reafon, but for
powerfully moving them to do both thefe
Things : And as all the particular Doctrines
which are comprehended and contained in
thele fundamental Articles, powerfully tend
to move Men to perfevere in doing of both
thefe Things, wTe may clearly perceive,
that the Dodrines of the Arians and Soci-
niansy and of the late Refiners upon them,
concerning the divine Trinity, and the Divi-
nity of ye/us Chrift, and only begotten Son
of God, are neither Divinity revealed nor
fcriptural Doctrines ; and that the Belief of
any of them, is fo far from being beneficial
to Mankind, that it is deftru&ive of their
Sandlification, and Salvation, and eternal Life,
as it tends to lead Mankind away from the
Belief of thofe divinely, revealed, and de«-
monftratively, and conceivably, true fcrip-
tural Doctrines, which tend mod power-
fully to move Men to love God with all
their Hearts, and to mortify and purify their
Spirits from all bodily Lufts, which move
them to all the Wickednefs which they
commit in this World, and which are the
real and very Devils, which evei laftingly
torment the impenitently Wicked in the
next.
Can
The PREFACE. xxv
Can any Thing more powerfully move
Mankind to love God with all their Hearts,
and to manifefr. the Truth and Sincerity of
their Love by their Perfeverance in Obedience
to his mod perfect and perfectly purifying
Law, which he by Revelation gave them for
no other Reafon but to preferve and refcue
them from the Tyranny of their bodily Lufts,
by which they are moved to all the Wicked-
nefs they commit in this ■ World, and by
which they are made inevitably and evcrlaft-
ingly miferable in the next, than die fincere
and true Belief, that Jehovah, that eternal
and everlafting and alUfufficient Being, who
(as I have before obferved) neither wanted
nor flood in Need of all, or any of his Crea-
tures, for the Procurement, Increafe, Im-
provement, or Continuance of his own Hap-
pinefs, was moved by perfect Good nefs, to
condefcend to become Elohimy (/. e.) three
ever bleffed Perfons, for no other Reafon but
to create and make the World, and all
Things therein for the Ufe and Benefit of
Men, and all Mankind for true and rational
Happinels, both temporal and everlafting ;
for it is evident, by the heavenly Reprefen-
tation, that he hath been gracioufly pleafed
to make of himfelf, that thefe Things could
no more have been created and made, had
not the one Jehovah condefcended to become
Elohim, (z. e.) three co-eternal, co-effential,
and in every Refpect co-equal Perfons, mutu-
b 4 allj
yxvi The PR ET ACE.
ally and equally dependent on each other in
the one indivifible and inseparable Jehovah or
divine EiTence -, than there could have been
Motion in the natural or material World, as
God was mod: gracioufly pieafed to create it,
if the Heavens had continued in their firft
created and unformed and motionlefb State ;
or if God had not been gracioufly pieafed to
command the material Heavens, one in Sub-
ftance. and in its firft Srate and Body of mo-
tionlefs Darknefe, to become three diftinct
and different inanimate Agents, differing from
each other in their three different States and
Forms of Fire, Light, and Spirit or Dark-
nefs in Motion, and in all their Motions and
Operations or A&ions, but all one end the
fame in refpeel of their Elfcxe or Subitarxe,
by which they were enabled to continue them-
felves in perpetual Motion, and neceffarily
and regularly, and uniformly and mechanical-
ly to move all other Syftems in the natural
World, by operating or acting mechanically,
or by actual Impuife and Contact in and up-
on them, and upon all their component or
conflituent Atoms or Particles, and fo long as
it pleafes God to will that they mould move fo.
And as a more powerml Motive and Rea-
fen could iiOt weii be given to Mankind for
moving thtfh to love God with all their
Hearts, and to mortify and purify themfelves
from all their bodily Lutts, than that which
they have by the fincerc and true Belief of the
' firft
The P RE FACE. xxvii
firft great Inftance of God's great and fatherly
Love manifefted to all Mankind, in his Con-
defcenfion to become Elobim for their fake,
and for their Salvation and true Happinefs
both temporal and evcrlafting, which they
have fo great Reafon to believe by the Reve-
lations which he hath been gracioufly pleafed
to make of himfelf in his holy Word, whoie
Truth is rendered fo clearly conceivable by
the heavenly Reprcfentation that he hath
been gracioufiy pleafed to make of himfelf.
So we will now clearly perceive, that Man-
kind have not a more powerful Motive or
Reafon given them,, for moving them to love
God with all their Hearts; and to mortify
and purify themfelves from all bodily Lufis,
which contain the whole of their Duty in
this World, than they have by the fincere and
true Belief of the truly fcriptural Doctrine,
that Jefus Chrift, was in his Father, and that
his Father (i. e,) the whole three Perfons in
the divine Trinity, was, or were in him, and
that in him dwelleth all the Fulnefs of the
Godhead ; and that his Godhead and the
Godhead of his Father, were one and the
fame, by the holy Spirit of Faith, Truth,
and Righteoufnefs, which was communicated
to him without Bound or Meafure ; by which
his Knowledge, Will, Words, and Actions
became one and the fame, with his Fa-
ther's, and his Father's with his. So
that (as I have before obferved) whatever
he
fxviii The PREFACE.
he faid or did might with equal Juftice and
Propriety be afcribed to God his Father, and
whatever God his Father faid or did, might
with equal Juftice and Propriety, be afcribed
to him. Their Godhead being one and the
fame, by Means of the eternal Spirit of Faith,
Truth, and Righteoufnefs, by which all the
the Fulnefs of the Godhead was communica-
ted to him, and dwelt in him. Now by
Our Belief of his Godhead being one and
the fame with his Father's, and by confider-
ing how, and by what Means, He, together
with his Father, came to be the one and
only true God, and Immanuel, or God to
us and all Mankind $ we will have not on-
ly the moft powerful Motives and Reafons,
but the greateft Encouragement given to us
for loving God with all our Hearts, and for
mortifying and purifying ourfelves from all
our bodily Lufts that could poffibly be given
to Mankind, which comprehend our whole
Duty to be done by us in this World, in
order to our Salvation, and perfect and ever-
lafling Happinefs in the next.
We may by the divinely revealed and fcrip-
tural Light clearly conceive, that the Man
Jefus Chrift obtained that holy Spirit of
Faith, and of all Truth and Righteoufnefs
without Meafure, by which he became pure
as his Heavenly Father was pure and righ-
teous, as he was righteous and perfect, as he
was perfed $ and by which he became the I-
mage
The PREFACE, xxix
mage of the invisible God -, equal with God,
and to be the one and only true God, toge-
ther with his Father, but not exclufive of
him 5 by fincerely and truly believing, that
Faith moving to perfect Purity, and perfedt
Obedience, which God had revealed for the
Benefit of all Mankind. According to that
Saying of Matth. xxv. vcr. 29. For unto
every one that hath> jhall be given* and he
fiall have Abundance, By which we may
perceive the great Goodnefs of God our Hea-
venly Father mod clearly manifefted not
only by the Revelation of his purifying Word
and Law, rnoft powerfully moving all Man-
kind to Purity and perfedt Obedience, in or-
der to their perfedt and everlafting Happi-
nefs : But alio by his having made known to
us, how, and by what Means it was that the
Man Chrift Jefus obtained that holy Spirit
without Meaiure, by which he became per-
fect God, as well as perfedt Man, and one
God together with his Father, that we by
following his Example, and ufing the fame
Means that he did, might become to be like
God, and the Image of God as he was; and
defer ve to be called God's as they were truly
called to whom the Word of God came.
John x. ver. 3 5, (/. e.) They who lincerely
and truly believed and obeyed the Word
when it came to them, and fo far were of the
fame Mind, and their Wills, Words, and
Actions fo far the lame with Gods, and God's
fo
xxx The PR E FACE.
fo far the fame with their's. By duly con-
sidering thefe, we may clearly perceive, that
Mankind cannot have any more powerful
Motives for loving God with all their Hearts,
and confequently for mortifying and purifying
themfelves from all their bodily Lufts, than
thofe which refult from the fincere and true
Belief of the Man Jefus Chriji, being together
with his Father, and in mod intimate fpiri-
tual Unity with him, the one and only true
and fupreme God, and that he became fo, by
that holy Spirit of Faith, which he obtained
without Meafure ; becaufe by this Belief we
will clearly perceive, that if we will embrace
a certain Meafure of that holy Spirit of Faith,
which Chrijl obtained without Meafure 5 by
which we will be mod powerfully moved to
mortify and preferve our Spirits pure from all
bodily Lufts, and to love God with all our
Hearts, &c. that we may alfo according to
the Meafure of the holy Spirit of Faith which
we embrace, and finccrcly believe and obey,
will become fo far like God, and fo far really
and truly God's, all our Thoughts, Wills,
Words, and Actions, being fo far one and the
fame with God's 5 and his Thoughts, Wills,
Words, and A&ions, being fo far one and the
fame with ours. And that we muft neceffarily
be by this Spirit of Faith, like him truly and
fpiritually happy both temporally and everlafl-
ingly.
Having
The P RE FJC E. xxxj
Having thus (hewn from the Holy Scrip-
tures, the divinely revealed Word of God,
and not from falfe and groundlefs, and merely
imaginary Anti-fcriptural and incomprehenii-
ble metaphyseal Principles, but moil clearly
and conceivably, that the Man Cbrijl Je-
fus is in moft intimate fpiritual Unity, together
with, but not exclufive of his Father, one
God together with him, and that he came
moft clearly and conceivably fo, by that im-
menfurable holy Spirit of Faith, which dwelt
with all the Fclnefs of the- Godhead in him.
And having likewife (hewn how that Man-
kind by laying hold of a Meafure of that ho-
ly Spirit of Faith, by which they are moft
powerfully moved to mortify and purify them-
ielvesfrom all bodily Lufts, become like God,
and fo far God's in intimate Union with God
their heavenly Father.
We may now, by what hath been (aid,
clearly perceive the indifpenfable Neceffity of
rejecting with Abhorrence and Deteftation,
the Anti-fcriptural and moft evidently falfe
and fpiritually deftru&ive, and therefore dam-
nable Doctrines of the Arians and Socinians^
and of the late Refiners upon them, concern-
ing thefe two important Articles of the divine
Trinity in effential Unity 5 and of the God-
head of the Man J ejus Cbrift, the only
begotten Son of God -, by which they have
endeavoured to divert and turn Mankind away
from the Belief of thofe two divinely revealed
and
xxxii The PREFACE.
and demonstrative, and moil clearly conceiva-
ble fcriptural Truths, which contain moft
powerful Motives and Reafons for loving God
with all their Hearts j and for mortifying and
purifying thcmfelves from all their bodily
Lufts, which are Things indifpenfably necef-
fary to be done by all Ranks and Orders of
Men, from the higheft to the loweft, whilft
they continue here on Earth, in order to their
Sanclification in this World ; and Salvation
and everlafting Happinefs in the next.
Having thus briefly (hewn my Readers
what they may expect fet forth more at large
in the following Account of the divine Tri-
nity in effential Unity, and of the Godhead
of the Man Chriji J 'ejus , the only begotten
Son of God, which hath lain by me feveral
Years, as being a fmall Part of a large Apology
which I have been long employed upon, and
but lately finished, in Defence of the one and
only true, and divinely revealed, fandlifying
and faving, fpiritual and fcriptural, and
Chriftian Religion, which I intend to publifh
as foon as it fhali pleafe God to enable me fa
to do; I think it neceffary here to give my
Readers the Reafon of my Publication of this
Part of the Apology by itfelf, and before the
Time defigned for its Publication, and out of
the Place wherein it itood in the Apology ;
and it is as follows : There fell by Accident,
very lately, into my Hands, a Treatife, in-
titled an EJJ'ay on Spirit, wherein the Doc-
trinj
The PREFACE xxxiii
trine of the Trinity is confidered. The Au-
thor has not thought it proper to fet his
Name to it, hut he hath told the World^
that he is a Clergyman of the eftablifhcd
Church, and that he has been for fome Years
poffeiTed of an ecclefiaftical Preferment ; and
it may reafonably be prefumed, that he is ai
Clergyman of the eftablifhed Church of Ire-
land, from what he fays at the latter End of
his Effay, where he fays, that he expels
fome of the right reverend Members of the
Prote/iant Church of Ireland either to account
(for their acknowledging the Infallibility of
the Pope in the Cafe of the Confubftantiality
of the three Perfons in the divine Trinity) or
to exonerate their Confciences, by joining in an
humble Remonfirance againfl it. And there
he likewife promifes, that if any of them
{hall deign to honour that Treatife of his
with an Anfwer, that it (hall be fpeedily
followed either by a Recantation or a Reply,
if it fhall pleafe God to fpare his Life.
Upon Perufal of this Eflay, I perceived the
Defign of the Author was to revive the Doc-
trines of the late Refiners . upon Arianifm,
which had not been well confidered nor
refuted any more than the Do&rines of the
Arians had been. The learned Defenders of
the catholic Faith havine over- looked thofe
fundamental fcriptural Principles, by which,
and by which only, all falie and irreligious
Doctrines can be detected and fhewn to be fo;
and
*xxiv The PREFACE.
and having chofen rather to argue either from
particular Texts of Scripture, whofe true
Senfe and Meaning is liable to be controverted
by Perfons who have not known, or at leafl,
not confidered the only true and infallible
Rule, by which all particular Texts of holy
Scripture can be truly, and therefore ought al-
ways to be interpreted, to put an End to all
Controveriy about their true Senfe and
Meaning; or from the Writings of the Fa-
thers of the Church, whofe Authority is of
no Validity in Cafes of Truth and Falfhood,
or Good and Evil. Their Tcftimony, where
it is concurrent and unexceptionable, is fuffi-
cient to fhew the Antiquity or Novelty of a
Doctrine or Practice, but the confentient
Authority of all the Fathers is no Proof of
the Truth of any Doctrine ^ although modern
Controvertilts have ufed their Authority as a
Proof and Evidence of tne Truth of Doctrines
which have been contefted ; or from meta-
phyfical Principles, which are often imaginary
and falfe, and lead into inextricable Errror,
and unintelligible Jargon. And that he, with
Dr. Samuel Clarke^ and his Adherents, denied
the Co-Eternity, Co-EfTentiality and Co-
Equality of the three Perfons in the divine
Trinity, which I, in the following Treatife,
had demonftratively proved to be true, from
the Revelations, and the heavenly Rcprc-
fen cation which God had been gracioufly
pleafed to make of himielf, in his divinely
revealed
The PREFACE. xxxV
revealed and holy Word, verified id and by
all his Works and Difpenfations to, and
Dealings with all Mankind, and his inftruclive
and memorial instituted ritual Ordinances;
and to be mod clearly conceivable Truths,
and to be Truths necelTary to be believed by
all Mankind, as they contain mod powerful
Motives and Reafons for loving God with all
our Hearts, and confequently, for perfevering
in Obedience to his mod perfect and perfectly
purifying Law ; indifpeniably obliging all
Mankind to mortify and purify themfelves
from all bodily Lufts, by which they are
moved to all the Wickednefs they commit in
this Wcrld, and by which, and by which
only, the impenitently Wicked are everlaf!:-
ingly tormented in the next.
And having likewife with thefe late Refi-
ners upon Arianifm, declared the divine
Trinity to corifift of three Perfons, of whom
one is the fupreme, and fdf-exifting and
eternal God, called the Father, and the other
two diilinguimed by the Names of the Son
and Holy Spirit, are derivative and inferior
and dependent Gods in the Trinity, who
derive all their Powers and Perfections from
the fupreme and eternal God ; and fo make
three Gods independent of each other, in
the Exercife of their Powers, and in Con-
fequenceof this abfurd Belief. They have like-
wile let up two or three different Kinds of di-
vine Worfhip, a fuperior Kind to be paid only
c to
xxxvi The PREFACE.
to the fupreme God, and an inferior Kind
which they have appropriated to their in-
ferior Gods, which they have fet up. And
having together with thetn declared, jfe/us
Chrijl the only begotten Son of God, to be
the Perfon called the Son, and the fecond
Pcrfon in their divine Trinity, and that his
Godhead is not one and the fame with his
Father's, but a different and inferior God-
head. And as 1 have in the following true
and truly fcriptural Accounts of the divine
Trinity, demonftratively (hewn, the real
Exigence of three molt clearly conceivable
Perfons in the divine Trinity, and that they
are all three co-eternol and co-effential, and
in all Refpects co-equal in the one Jehovah,
or divine Effence : So I have there no left
clearly {hewn, that Jejiis Chrift, the only
begotten Son of God, is not one of the
Perfons in the divine Trinity ; but a Perfon
in whom the whole three divine Perfons,
Father, Son, and Holy Ghcfl, dwell in all
the Fulnefs of the Godhead, by Means of
the immeafuruble holy Spirit of Faith, which
was communicated to him by his Father,
and which he embraced, and had dwelling
in him ; by which his Godhead became one
and the fume with his Fathers; and by which
he, t< ;r with his Father, in mod: inti-
mate and fpiritual Unity, but not exclufive
of him, became the one and only true God
and lmmanucL And that this Belief of his
being
The P RE FACE. xxxvii
being together in moft intimate fpiritual
Unity with the Father, the one and only
true God ; and of the Means by which he
became ioy is necefTary to be believed by ail
Mankind, in order to their Sandtification,
and Salvation, and eternal Life, as it contains
mod powerful Motives and Encouragements
to love God with all cur Hearts, &c. and
to mortify and purify ourfelves from all our
bodily Lufts, which are the two Things that
are indifpenfably necefTary to be done by all
Mankind, in order to their Sandtification,
Salvation, and eternal Life.
And as by what I have (hewn, from the
holy Scriptures, in the following Account of
the demon ftratively and moft clearly and
conceivably true, and fcriptural Doctrine, of
the divine Trinity, in effential as well as fpi-
ritual Unity in the one Jehovah; and of the
conceivably true Divinity of J ejus Chrijix in
moft perfect and intimate fpiritual Unity
with his Father, the whole three Perfons in
the divine Trinity : I have effectually and
unanlwerably refuted the falfe and anti- fcrip-
tural, and wicked-making Doctrines of the
Arians and Socinians ; and of the late mo-
dern Refiners upon Arianifm^ which our
Author in his Efjay on Spirit^ hath vainly
laboured to revive and eftablim, I therefore
chofc at this Time, to publifh by itfelf the
following fcriptural Account of the holy Tri-
nity, and of the true and fupreme Godhead of
c 2 J ejus
xxxviii The PRE FACE.
J 'ejus Chrifiy which is one and the fame
with his Father's, who dwelt in him, and
Was moft intimately and fpiritually united
to him, for convincing the Author of that
Eflay, of the deftructive Error he has fallen
into, and for converting him from it : And
for pfeferving others from being deceived and
led to that Error, by the other falfe Doctrines
fet forth in it, in order to lead them by one
falfe Step after another into it : And for
refcuing and delivering fuch inc^nfiderate and
fcripturally ignorant Perfons out of it, as may
have been led into the Belief of it, by his
falfe and anti-fcriptural Doctrines both phy-
fical and metaphyfical, by which he hath
paved the Way to it. Thefe were my Mo-
tives for publishing this fcriptural Account
of the holy, and ever bleficd Trinity, &c.
at this Time. And before the Publication
of my Apology, of which this is a Part, and
hope my Reader will look on them to be rea-
fonable, and the Publication of it, not to be
out of due Seafon.
And although I think, that there is no-
thing neceffary to be faid, than what 1 have
laid, in the following fcriptural Account of
the divine Trinity, and for refuting and
exploding the falfe and anti-fcriptural, and
wicked- making Doftrines of the Ariam and
Socinians, and of the late Refiners upon
Arianijm% which our Author items to have
embraced, and hath zealouily, but vainly la-
boured
The P RE FACE. xxxix
boured to revive and eftablifh. Yet fince
he feems to have been milled into this
definitive Error, by fome falfe and anti-
fcriptural, and imaginary, metaphyfical and
phyfical Opinions, which he feems previoufly
to have embraced, and to have miitaken for
Truths. I (hall therefore take the Liberty
to animadvert, and make fome few Obferr
vations on fjch of his preliminary Sections,
and on fo many of them, as may be fuffi-
cient to convince him, of the FallTiood of
thefe metaphyfical and phyfical Notions, by
which he feems to have been milled into his
de (tractive theological Errors.
' But before I proceed, I judge it necefTary
previoufly to lay down three Propositions,
whofe Truth I have demonflratively proved
in the foregoing Parts of my Apology, and
which will appear fo evidently true to any
Perfon, who will duly weigh and confider
them, that I think neither the Author of the
EfTay under my prefent Consideration, nor
any other truly rational Perfon will either
conteft or deny them $ and they are as
follow, viz.
Firjly That God hath in his mod perfect:
Wifdom and Goodnefs, fo wifely ordered
the Courfe of this natural or material World,
by the Creation and Formation of an in-
animate and necefTary Agent, the material
and viiible Heavens, or the Air in the three
Forms of Fire, Light, and Spirit, or Dark-
c 3 nefs
xl The PREFACE,
nefs in Motion ; which by its being thus
formed, is able not only to keep itielf in
perpetual, regular, and uniform Motion ; but
alfo to operate or a£t, in and upon all other
Syftems of Matter, whether inanimate, ve-
getable, or animated ; and upon all their
conftituent Parts, Particles, or Atoms, fo as
neceffarily and mechanically, by actual Con-
tact and Impulfe to move them, fo as that
they fhould all neceffirily anfwer the Ends
for which they were defigned and created, in
all States and Circumftances, in which at any
Time they might happen to be ; and fo as
that there never was at any Time need of any
other Power or Powers, to interfere and. di-
rect, or move them fo to move and aft, as
to anfwer the End for which they were defign-
ed and created.
Second, That our mod: gracious God, by the
Revelation of his mofc perfeft and only per-
fectly purifying fpiritnal Law, which indif-
penfably obliges all Mankind to mortify, and
purify their Spirits from all bodily Lulls,
which deceive them into all the Wick
they commit in this World, and are the real
find only Devils, by which the impenitent ly
wicked are everlaftingly tormente d in the next :
And by the Revelation which he at the lame
Time made of the three damcntal
Articles of fpiritnal Eaitb,by which Mankind
came to the Knowledge of the \ of a
(3od| and of their having immaterial and
or*
The PREFACE. xli
immortal Spirits, which are free Agents-, and
of a future State after this Life, which will,
by the Reafon of Thing?, be either a Slate
of perfect and endlefs Happinefs, or of ever-
lafting Mifery in the next World, according
as Mankind have provided and prepared them-
felves for the one or the other, during their
Continuance in this 5 by perfecting in perfect
Obedience to the purifying fpiritual Law,
and in the fincere and true Belief of thefe
three fundamental Articles of fpiritual Faith,
which contain the powerful Motives and in-
difpen fable Obligations to Perfcverance in
Obedience to that Law 5 hath by thefe mod
gracious Revelations left nothing undone that
wras proper and neceffary to be done for
difpoling, and perfectly enabling, and mod
powerfully moving the Spirits of Mankind,
who are free Agents, to prepare and qualify
themfelves for the Enjoyment, and confe-
quently for the lure Attainment of Salvation
and of perfect and everlafting Happinefs, which
was the great, wife, and good End, for
which they were all defigned and created.
And that they might be ever mindful of this
fanctifying and faving Faith and Love; he
was like wife mofr gracioufly pleafed to con-
ftitute and appoint, in and over his Church,
miniftring Angels, (/. e.) faithful Priefts, for
putting and keeping Mankind conftantly, and
perpetually in Mind of the indifpenfable Ne-
ceility, of perfevering in the fincere and true
c 4 Belief
xfii The PREFACE.
Belief of, and m perfect Obedience to that
Faith and Law, all the Days of their Lives,
in all Ages and Places of the World. So
that there never was any NccelTity for any
other Agents to interfere, in order to move
the Spirits of Mankind, to prepare and qua-
lify themfelves for the Enjoyment and At-
tainment of the End for which they were
created.
Ihird) That as God is a mod perfectly good
and all-powerful Being, he would leave no-
thing that was neceiliry or pofi'ible to be
done, for enabling all his Creatures, whether
inanimate, vegetable, or animal, or rational,
ib to move either neceffarily or voluntarily,
and by free Choice ib, as to anfwer the wife
and good Ends, for which they were by him
defigned and created ; io as he is a mod per-
fectly wife, being he doth nothing in vain, and
therefore when he hath done every Thing
proper and neceiTary for moving all his Crea-
tures, whether neceiliry or free Agents, ib
as that they mould anfwer the End from
which they were all defigned, he leaves
them to acr according to the Dircdion ( r
tbofe natural or fpirhual Pcv , which he
hath given to direct and govern them, and
which are fejf-fufficient for direfling them,
fo as that they may all anfwer the Ends for
whieh they were created, left fpiritual and
free Agents, falfely and groundklly imaging
jng, that there are other Powers, by wh
y be aliided in their A;:ainment of
The PREFACE. xliii
everlafting Happinefs, than thofe of the di-
vinely revealed Faith and Law, might be led
to depend and rely upon the Aid and Aflift-
ance of fuch imaginary Powers, and overlook
and neglect the Direction of the Faith and
the Law, by which, and by which only,
they can be fanctifled and faved, and obtain
eternal Life, the true and only End for
which they were created.
Thefe three Propofitions being previoufly
laid down as neceffary and ufeful for the
Detection and Refutation both of the phyfical
and metaphyfical Errors of our Author, fet
forth in his Effay, I fhall now proceed to
animadvert upon fuch of his Sections as are
neceffary to be corrected, in order to convince
oar Author of their Falmood, and of the
Inconfiftency of the Belief of them, with the
Belief of the demonftratively true, and divinely
revealed Doctrines of the holy Scriptures.
Which if he had confidered, he would have
been enabled to have feen both his phyfical
and metaphyfical Errors, which he hath
endeavoured to fupport by particular Texts of
Scripture mifinterpreted and mifapplied, as
will hereafter appear.
The firft of his Sections which I chofe to
confider is his Eighth, wherein he fays, That
the original Caitfe of the Defcent of a Stone
to the Ground, mufi he Come Spirit or
other, concomitant with it, and acting upon
it. Upon which I obferve, that the holy
Scriptures
xliv The PREFACE.
Scriptures make mention of four different
Kinds of Spirit, the one material, and the
other three immaterial. The firjly is the
Spirit of the material and vifible Heavens,
(i.e.) of the Air, or Darknefs in Motion,
and is that Spirit which is laid, Gen. i. v r. 2.
To have moved upon the Face of the Waters.
and which is called, Eph. ii. ver. 2. lie
Spirit that now worketh in the Children of
jDi/cbedience, by which their bodily Lulls are
ftirred up in them, which are called Princes
of the Power of the Air. The fecond is the
immaterial, or immortal Spirit of Man, which
is called a Quickening Spirit ', and the la/l A-
damy 1 Cor. xvi. ver. 45. The third is the
co-eternal and co-effential divine Spirit, which
is one of the Perfons in the divine Trinity,
mentioned 1 John v. ver, 7, where it is faid,
There he Three that bear Witne/s in Heaven,
the Father, the V/ord, and the holy Spirit ,
and thefe Three are One. And the fourth is
the holy Spirit of Faith, which is called the
Spirit of Truth, John xiv. ver. 17. If by
the Spirit by which a Stone projected, or let
fall, is moved towards the Earth, our Author
means the material Spirit of the Air of Bea-
vens, what he hath faid is in fome Mea-
fure true -, for J have (hewn in the follow-
ing Account of the divine, Trinity, that all
the material Syflems in the natural or
material World, are necefiarily and me-
chanically moved in all their Motions, whe-
ther
The PREFACE. xlv
ther inteftine or local, by the Light and Spi-
rit of the material Air operating or acting
in and upon them, and upon all their consti-
tuent Parts and Particles by mechanical Con-
tact and Impulfe, and are the Caufe of Gravi-
ty in all Bodies ; and that the Deicent of a
Stone let fell from any Height, if projected
by Day, is caufed by the material Air in the
Form of Light ; and by the fame Air to the
Form of Spirit, or Darknefs in Motion, if
projected or let fall by Night ; but if our
Author meant that Spirit taken in any other
Senfe, is the immediate Caufe of the Fall of
the Stone, what he hath faid is falfe, unlefi
he afcribes its Fall to God, who is the origi-
nal Caufe of all fecond and all intermediate
Caufes. And he feems to have lefs Room for
betaking himfelf to fuch a Subterfuge, by
his faying, it is certain, that the original Caufe
of that Motion muft be fome Spirit or
other.
I mall take no farther Notice of his
Ninth Section, than to obferve it to be a
Compofition of groundless Imaginations and
Contradictions, to afcribe the Reft of Mole-
hills and Mountains, (which he calls their
Refiftance of Motion) to the Activity of
Spirits refiding in chem, which forcibly hold
them in their Places, when their own Inabi-
lity to move themfelves, fufficicntly accounts
for their continuing Motionlefs and at Refr,
is falfe, and a groundlefs Imagination. And
his
xlvi The PREFACE.
his faying that Ref /lance, Weight, or Gravity,
is occafioned by the Tendency of one Body to-
wards another, impelled thereto by the attrac-
tive Force of Jo me Spirit, is Inconfiftency and
Contradiction • for how can a Body be con-
fidently faid to be at traded to itfelf by fome
imaginary Spirit redding in it, when he lays
it is impelled. The true Caufe of Weight
or Gravity I have (hewn in the annexed
Treatife, to which I refer our Author, to
convince him of his Error.
His Tenth Se&ion is a manifefr. Falfliood,
wherein he fays, That every Thing capable
of moving either itfelf on any Thing el/ey mujl
be endowed with an Intellect. For I have
demon ft rati vely (hewn, in the annexed Trea-
tife, that all material Syftems in the natural
or material World are moved in all thofe
uniform and regular Motions obfervable in
them, by the Light and Spirit of the material
or vifible Heavens, which are Agents void ot
Intellect or Understanding ; and there I have
likewife (hewn, that all the attractive and
repelling Powers which have been confidently
afferted to be in material Bodies, by fcriptu-
rally ignorant Men> are merely imaginary and
Non- Entities.
By what I have before obferved, and by
the three Propofitione, which I laid down be-
fore my Animadverfions on the Doctrines
fet forth on this Eflay, we may clearly per-
ceive the Falihood of his Eleventh Se&ion,
wherein
The PREFACE. xlvii
wherein he aflerts, That this whole World is
replete with Spirits, endowed with different
Degrees of Intellect l, although not all with
Freedom of WilL And that there never was
any Need or Occ'afion for fuch Spirits for the
Direction and Regulation and good Govern-
ment, either or the natural or moral World.
As to what he fays in the Twelfth Section,
it is fo imperfect as to be unintelligible. If he
be undedtood in one Senfe, all that he hath
there laid is impious and falfe ; and if in a-
nother Senfe, what he hath faid may be al-
lowed to be Truth, but by the general Way
that he hath chofe to exprefs himfelf, his
uncautious Reader will be apt to be led into
great Errors in refpect of their Faith, and in-
to great Wickednefs in refpeel of their Prac-
tice ; for he hath not considered, nor diftin-
guiflied (as he ought to have done) between
Spiritual and intellectual Pleafure and Happi-
nefs ; and bodily and fenfual Pleafure and
Happinefs, which are deftruftive of that Plea-
fure and Happineis which is fpiritual and in-
tellectual, nor between fpiritual and bodily
Pain and Mifery j nor between true and fpi-
ritual and falfe and natural or bodily Self Love.
And therefore when he (ays, that Evil takes its
Origin from the Goodnefs of God, in which he
fays it will be finally abforbed when Pain will
be no more. It it be underftood of moral
Evil, or Wickednefs, whofe Origin is the
bodily Lulls of Men, which God hath done
all that was neceflary and poilible to be done,
to
ixviii The PREFACE.
to move them to mortify and purify them-
felves from, becaufe their Pains will be ever-
laiting, it is a mod impious and wicked-
making Falfhood. And when he fays that
Self-Love may be looked upon in Nature, as
the Principle of all voluntary Aclion, and
the Foundation of all Morality \ If we un-
derftand it of falfc and natural, or bodily
Self-love, which directs to Gratification of
all bodily Lufts, it is a moft manifeft wicked-
making Fallhcod, for it is only the Principle
of all voluntary wicked Action?, and the
Foundation of all Immorality. Whereas true
and fpiritual Self-love which proceeds from,
and manifefts itfelf in the fincere and true
Belief of the divinely revealed Sanctifying and
faving fpiritual Faith, which indifpenfably
obliges to Perfeverance in perfect Obedience
to the divinely revealed and perfectly puri-
fying fpiritual Law, is the only principle of
all voluntary good Actions, and the only true
Foundation of all true beneficial Morality;
fo that he ought to be read with great
Caution.
On what he fays in his Thirteenth Section,
I mall only obferve, that what he calls in-
ward Reflection, would have been more pro-
perly called Understanding, which is the
Knowledge of fpiritual Things, which is no
other Way to be obtained, than by divine
Revelation and Reprefentation, and therefore
not by the Spirits reflecting, acts upon it-
felf >
The PREFACE. xYix
felf ; as he afferts in his Fourteenth Section.
And it is by that fpiritual Knowledge of fpi-
ritual Things, which is called Underffanding,
and which is only to be obtained by di-
vine Revelation, and not by a Spirit's re-
flecting upon its own internal Operations, as
our Author has afferted in his Fifteenth Sec-
tion, that the Difference between the Know-
ledge of a Man, and of a Brute confifts. He
makes no other Difference between them,
but that of their different Knowledge; where-
as I have demonftratively (hewn under the
Article, or Word Man, that they effentially
differ, and that the Spirit or Soul of Man
is immaterial, and therefore a free Agent;
and that the Spirit, or Soul of a Brute, which
is no other than its feminal Body is, (as the
Souls or feminal Bodies of all Mankind are)
material, and are acted upon, and moved ne-
ceflarily and mechanically in all their Motions
and Operations, or Actions, and therefore are
not free, but necefiary Agents.
What our Author fays in his Sixteenth
Section, is neither all flrictly true, nor fpiri-
tually beneficial to be known or confidered ;
the true Reafon of Mankind's being flrongly
inclined to gratify their bodily Defires, and
thpfe only from their Infancy, till they are
capable of Information in the Knowledge of
the divinely revealed and purifying fpiritual
Law of God, and of the powerful Motives
to obey it, and of Meditation and Reflection
upon
1 The P R E F A C E.
upon them, and the State of their own na-
tural Weaknefs, which are the true and fpi-
ritually profitable Reflections, that the Spirit;
of Men daily ought to make : Is the Cor-
ruption of their Nature, which they derive
from our firft Parents. And what he fays of
Adam, although ftri&ly true, for he came
into the World upright. Yet it is not all the
Truth that mould have been faid on fuch an
Occafion ; for if God had not given him a
moft perfect and perfectly purifying Law,
and moft powerful Motives to obey ir3 he
would by the Deccitfulnefs of his bodily De-
fires have been foon allured from his Inno-
cence and Uprightnefs, or from his State of
Freedom, to a State of Slavery to Sin, by
Luft, And whoever will fincerely and truly
believe, and obey that Faith and Law which
was revealed to Adam% for the Benefit of all
his Pofterity as well as himfelf, will be in
as happy a State as Adam would have been
in, if he had not fallen from his Faith and
Obedience ; although he would be at greater
Pains and Trouble to preferve himfelf in that
happy State, than Adam would have been
if he had not fallen. Such an Account of
Adam and of Mankind, would have been
more fpiritually beneficial for Mankind to have
known, than the Account our Author has
thought proper to give of them.
I pafs over the Names he hath chofen to
give to the different Operations of the Mind,
in
The PREFACE. ii
in his Seventetoth,Eighteenth, and Nineteenth
Seiijons, although! do not think fome of them
the moil proper. But on his Twentieth Sec-
tion, where he fpeaks of the Imperfection of
human Nature, with Refpect to Knowledge,
I think it neceflacy to obferve, that by Means
of the bodily Sanations, and the fpiritual
Light of the divinely revealed Word, which
God hath been gracioully pleaicd to give
Mankind, the v rnav all have lufficient Know-
ledge of every Thing neceflaty to be known,
believed, or done by them, for perfectly en-
abling and powerfully moving them to pro-,
vide for their natural, or bodily, and fpiri-
tual Well-being, both temporal and everlaft-
ing. And when he /peaks there of the more
perfect, and more extenfive Knowledge of
created fpiritual Beings, iuperior in Know-
ledge, or any other Perfections to the Spirits
of Men, J muft refer him to the Article or
Words, Angels and Devils, in my Apology,
where I have demonstratively ihewn, that
the Belief of the Exiftence of created Spirits,
fuperior to Men, in Knowledge, or other
Perfections, is not only an unfcriptural, but
an antiicriptural Belief, and altogether in-
confident with the Belief of the perfect Wif-
dom and Goodnefs of God, and therefore
incredible and impoffible to be true, that he
may be thereby convinced of his Error.
Our Author tells us in his Twenty-fecond
and Twenty-third Sections, That the intelli-
d gent
3ii The P R E F A C E.
gait Spirit that is within 2\lan^ is r . I
with Faculties greatly fuperior to ti
Powers it exercijetb in the human Under-
(landing: ; h if it be not Nonfenfe, it is
unintelli rii It ; fct* I have fnewn under the Ar-
ticle or Word , that by; ord Under-.
Jlanding in the Language of" the holy Scrip-i
tures, nothing die is meant than the Know-
ledge of fpiritual Thingv which the Spirit
of Man acquire?, by the Means of the fpi-
tnal Light of divine Revelation ; however,
, fome fa ipturally, ignorant, and inconsiderate
Perfons, who have palled. upon the World for
Philofophers, have made a Faculty of it ; and
have afctibed thefe Operation to it, which
oncht to have been afcribed to the Surit of
Man. And therefore I think our Author
hath not ipoken very accurate pj or intelligi-
bly, where he feys, that the human Spirit is
faid to work moft powerfully, when the haw an
Under 'landing ts ajleep. In the fame Place
he. tells us, that our intelligent human Spirits,
are conftantly working within us, to form
I preferve the regular Difpoiiiion of our
bodily Or and to digeft our Food and
to change it into Blood, &c. But he will
find in the annex'd Trcatife, that what he
hath here afbribed to the C ion of the
:c Spirit of Man, is <l.:monitratively
fhewn to be performed by the material Air,
itinually operating in and upon the Bodies
of Men, and upon all Parts, and Particles of
' • Matter
The PREFACE, liii
Matter in them ; and neceflfarily and me-
chanically moving them lb, as to an ft* ;cr
the wife and good Ends, for which they
were all defigned and created, and that the
intelligent human Spirit hath no Power over
any of thz vegetable Motions of the human
Body, although when enlightened by the di-
vinely revealed Word, and flrengthened by
Faith, (/. e.) the fincere and true Belief of
that Word, it hath abfolute Power over thofe
animal Morions of the Body, which are cal-
led the Appe.itcs, or Defires, and Averiions,
and can reilrain, alter, and fnpprefs them,
when they become irregular 5 and although
we know not how tfyd immaterial Spirit of
Man by merely Willing, is able to over-rule
thefe Motions of the material Body 5 yet by
knowing it is able to over- rule them, when
ilreng hened by Faith, we know all that is
necelTdiy and beneficial for us to know con-
cerning the Matter. So that there can be no
good Reafon given for Complaint of our Want
of Knowledge* or of fuch frequent ion of
the Narrownefs of its Extent, and of the
Imperfection of it as our Author makes,
fince we have a Meafure of it that is abun-
dantly Sufficient, to enable us for the Work
of Salification and Salvation, and of true
and rational Happineft, both temporal and
everlafting j and that if we will make a light
Ule or it, we will find it very extenfive, and
moil delightful, and moil uieful Knowledge.
d 2 in
]iv The P R E F A C E.
In his Twenty- fourth Section he afcribes
"what is commonly called InflinSl, to the
Operation of this intelligent Spirit, which
goes through the whole Creation of inani-
mate, vegetable, and animal Matter. But
he will find in the annex'd Treatife, that it
hath been (hewn, that all the Motions of
inanimate Matter, and of all Vegetables and
Animals, which are called Injlintts, are owing
to the material Air operating mechanically
in and upon them, and is the next or imme-
diate Caufe of them -, but the inftrumental
Caufe which God the firft Caufe, hath created
and appointed for the Production of them.
Whether he will hold the fenfelefs and life-
lefs material Heavens, or Air, to be a living
and intelligent Spirit, I cannot fay j for there
are fome Perfons who will affert, and attempt
to maintain the moft evident Falllioods for
Truths.
In his Twenty-fifth, and in his Six fol-
lowing Sections, he gives up his Reafon to
his Imagination, and what he hath imagined
might have been, he lays it is more than pro-
bable, (/. e.) certainly hath been. Although
this certainly hath no Ground or Foundation
in the holy Scriptures. The divinely reveal-
ed Word of God, being that from which
and fit tn which only, we can have any De-
gree ot true Knowledge, concerning the
Things which he hath adventured to ipeak
of, and wuh great Ailurance, without any
Warrant
The PREFACE. It
Warrant or Authority from the holy Scrip-
tures truly interpreted, and inconfiftently
with the Doclrines therein delivered.
And on this imaginary and unfcriptural,
or rather antifcriptural Foundation, he hath
told the World, That created Spirits may
only differ according to the different Combina-
tions of the Bodies in which they are inch fed ;
and that the fame intelligent Spirit , which is
only capable of exerting the Power of At-
traction and Repulfion, when clothed with one
Set of fnaterial Organs, may be capable of ex-
ercifing voluntary Motion, when united to a
■differejit Set of Organs. And that it is more
than probable, that the great Expanfe is full
of Spirits differing from each other, by higher
a?id lower Degrees of Perfection. And that
the greatejl Degrees of Perfeclion that any
created Spirit can have, mufl be a Degree
limited by God, and derived from him, and
dependent on him, and inferior to his own
Perfections ; becaufe he cannot produce any
Being equal in Power to, or independent on
himfelf That however, he may communicate
to his Creatures fiich Portions of his own
Perfections as may be greatly beyond our
Comprehenfion. That he may communicate, a
Power to any one of them, to know the in-
mofl Receffes and Thoughts of Mens Hearts -y
and to continue invifible in the Midft of an
Affembly of Men met together ; and to create
fuch a World as this, and intelligent Agents
d 3 i/:/er;
1vi The Pi? EF ACE.
inferior to him/elf, by his limited Poiifcr, de-
pendent upon the jufreme God. And that
erected Spirits, By the vrgankal Brfpvjffioni
of their Bodies , may be ce of receiving
arm t mating to each other Ideas both of
boaiiy and p a ai Bain an . r/uref i
to have ■ a? id vofitits%
d AHiances, of which itce <
form no Lie as or, Notions. A ft alfo ive
\0w not the Tvnfc vehen any of iheje imnate-
fiai intelligent Spirits <wtre created ; that it
is probable, as God is an utiive Spirit \ wko
cx/Jled jroiu all Eternity that he hath tt.cn
constantly employed in exerting this aSlive Fa-
culty, and may have created feme intelligent
Beings j rem Juch a dip ant Duration, as we
can no othct wile ctejc) il c than by calling it
eternal.
Thefe are Doclrlnes which our Author has
advanced in the (even foregoing Se&ions, and
which, he fays, are more than probably, and
therefore certainly true ; a:,d the Reafbri he
fives for faying io, i?, that to imagine tht i
to be otherwvic, or that there a:e no ether
intelligent Spirits than the Spirits of
and no other Worlds but t:., vifibk x
our's, which was crfea\t d ;
, is a Ti fa
pi
(■/ God's i with
+
The PREFACE. IvII
• I readily agree with our Author, that it
may be unworthy of an antifcriptural Phi--
lofophcr, who builds his Syftem upon hi^
own groundlefs Imaginations, and who is
regardlefs of the Miichitf he may do to
Mankind, by the Publication of whimfical
Romances, and will not fern pie to facrilice
his Credit and Character, to his Vanity and
Folly : Not to believe fiieh groundlefs and
impious, and wicked-making -Opinions, which
our Author has here thought fit to advance.
But it would be very unworthy of a fcrip
tural Philofopher, who built his Syflem on
the demonfiratively true, and perfectly righ-
teous, and divinely revealed Word and Law
of God, to believe any of thefe groundlefs
and unfcriptural, and impious and wicked-
making Opinions, advanced by our Author.
For it hath been demonflratively proved un-
der the Article or Words, Angels and Devils,
that there is no Foundation in the holy Scrip-
tures for believing, that there were ever any
other intelligent Spirits created, than the Spi-
rits of Men : And that the Belief of the
Exigence of any other created intelligent
Spirit, is altogether incenfiftent with the de-
monflratively true fcriptural Doctrine of the
moft perfect Wifdom of God, and of his
mod: perfect and fatherly Goodnefs and Love
to all Mankind. And it hath been likewife
moft clearly and demonflratively proved (as
I have obierved in the three Proportions pre-
d 4 fixed
Iviii The PREFACE.
fixed to thefe Aninjadveffioas) in the Trea-
tiie annexed hereunto, and in other Places
of my Apology, that there never was any
Neceffity, nor Reafon for creating any other
intelligent Agents than the Spirits of Men,
for the better R tion of this World. The
material and vifible Heavens perpetually mov-
ing in the three Forms of Fire, Lightj and
Darknefs, being felf-fiifiicient for the Re-
gulation and Direftion of ail the particular
Syftems in the natural World : And the di-
vinely revealed Word and Law of God, being
felf-iufficient for the Regulation and Direc-
tion of all the particular Syftems in the mo-
ral or fpiritual World, io as that they are
thereby perfectly enabled to anfwer the great,
wile, and good Ends, for which they were
all defigned and created. And I am fure,
our Author will never be able to prove the
Inconfiftency of the Difbrlief of the anti-
fcriptural and groundlefs, and impious or
wicked-making Opinions, which he rath
advanced, without (hewing firft, that God is
a neceffary Agent, which I believe he will
not attempt to (Lew ; for according to the
Do&rine of the holy Scriptures, God is an
all-fufficient Beings and -t want or (land
in need of all, or any of his Qrcaturef, for
the Procurement or Enlargement, or Conti-
nuation of his own Haj i . And there-
fore, althou Powei he infinite and eter-
nal, as all his other K; ps are, and con-
fequently
The PREFACE. lix
fequently his Freedom, he was under no
Neceffity of becoming Elokim, in order to
create YVorlds, till He in Wifdom and Good-
nefs thought fit and proper fo to do, and
at the Time when he thought fit to exert
his Power. And his Wifdom and Gcod-
nefs, and Love to Mankind, are clearly ma-
nifefted, by his informing them, that the
World was created in Time, that they might
believe him to be a free, and not a neceffary
Agent.
I refer him to what I have faid in my
Notes and Obfervations on the three firft
Chapters of Genefts, for better Information
concerning the Word Beginning, mentioned
by Mojes, and St. John in his Gofpel, which
he has under flood as relating to Time in his
Thirty-third Section.
What he fays in Section Thirty- four, Thirty-
five, and Thirty.fix, concerning the Greeks m
general, and Hejiod and Plato in particular,
who taught that there were Numbers of in-
vifible Spirits, that attended upon this Globe,
and prefided over Kingdoms and States, hav-
ing been fhewn to be an antifcnptural and
groundlefs Opinion, and the Belief of ic to
be inconfiftent with the Belief of the perfect
Wifdom and Goodnefs of God, and that
fuch Spirits could be of no Ufe in the Go-
vernment, either of the natural or moral
World, I pafs over, as unworthy of farther
Notice,
lx The PR E FACE.
Notice, being unanfwerably refuted by what
I have faid.
But as our Author has perverted and mifin-
terpreted feveral Texts of holy Scripture in
Favour of his impious and wicked making
Opinion, I (ball follow, and fhew him, that
he hath wrefted, and mifunderftood, every
Text of Scripture that he hath produced, in
order to fuppoit the ExiiTence of his 'ima-
ginary Spirits, and guardian Angels, in whom
he feems to put great Confidence; and con-
fequently to look upon the revealed Word,
and Law of God, to be iniufrkient for his
Direction in that Way of S mfltfication, Sal-
vation, and eternal Lite ; and to rely upon the
Aid and Affiftance of invisible Spirits, for his
Direction in the Way by which theie Bieflings
are to be obtained.
And as he hath imagined that the Thirty-
fecond Chapter of Deuteronomy, eighth and
ninth Verfes, makes much for his Purpofe, I
ihall {hew, that the Words as they in cur
Bible, and they are very juftly tr.mtlated there,
afford no Ground or Reu, n ! >r the Belief
of his falfe Docl lines, of ir rit nd
guardian Angels prefixing ever Nations. The
Text in our Tranilation, rims thus j
the mofl Htgby divided to tie A . their
Inheritance , Vbhen he Jeparaled the Sons oj
Adam i he jet the Bounds of. the Ptop/r, ac-
cording to the Nunwcr of the ( en oj
JjraeL For the Lords Portion is his Pi -
The P RE FACE. lxi
pie, Jacob is the Lot of his Inheritance,
(i. ej God from the Time of the Separation
of Mankind on the grand Apoftacy at Babely
appointed that the Land of Canaan, which
he had pre- determined, and afterwards pro-
mifed to the Seed of Abraham, by Ifaac
and Jacob, and who from him were called
the Children' of IJrael, and were therefore
to poffefs that Land in After- Ages 5 that it
fhould be divided into twelve Portions li-
mited by certain Bounds, according to the
Number of the twelve Children of Jacob,
other wife called I/rael. Among the People
who were accordingly diftributed into twelve
Tribes defcendtd from, and named after the
twelve Sons of Jacob, or IfratL And the
Love and peculiar Care of God for the Peo-
ple I/rael, was manifefted in his Appoint-
ment of the promifed Land which they were
to pofll-fs, to be divided into Portions limited
by certain Boundaries, according to the Num-
ber of their Fathers, who were the Chil-
dren of Jacob or I/rael s that there might
be no Contefl or Controverfy amonp- them,
when all the other Nations, and the Colo-
nies that proceeded from thofe difperfed
Kingdoms by fuhfequent Migrations, were
iuffered to. fcramble and contend with one
another for Poffeffions, after their Invafions
or Conquefls.
The lxx have, (as our Author juftly ob-
ferved) rendered what is faid in the Original,
accord^
lxii The P REFACE.
according to the Nu??iber of the Children of
IJraeL By according to the Number oj the
Angels of God. The Sons of Jacob or lfrael
being the only true Believers in the one and
only true God, at that Time upon the Earth.
And the only Teachers and Propagators of
the one and only true fan&ifying and faving
Religion that ever was, or ever will or can
be in the World. They for that Reafon
might very properly be called Angels of
God, or Meffengers lent by him, to keep the
one and only true Religion alive in the World.
For I have ihewn under the Article or Word
Angels, that the Priefts or public Ministers,
which God fent and placed in his Church
from the Time of the Fall and Reiteration of
our firfl Parents, publickly to inftruct Man-
kind in the Knowledge of the one and only
true Religion, and for putting and keeping
them continually iri Mind of the indifpen-
fable Neceffity of believing and obeying it,
in order to their true and rational Happinefs,
both temporal and everlafting, are called An-
gels of God, in the Language of the holy
Scriptures. So that we have no Ground or
Reafon given us in this Text of Scripture,
(whether we follow the Original or Transi-
tion of the lxx) for believing with our Au-
thor, that God created inviiible, intelligent
Spirits, to prefidc as guardian Angels over
the different Kingdoms of the World, or that
any fuch Beings exit! j Beings that would be
of
- /
The PRE FACE. lxiii
of no Ufe or Benefit to the World, if they
did exift. The material and vifible Heavens
under God, being felf-fufficient for the Re-
gulation and Direction of all the material
Syllems in this natural or material World :
And his divinely revealed Word and Law,
being felf-fufficient, for the Regulation and
Direction of all the Syftems in the fpiritual
or moral World, fo as to be all thereby per-
fectly enabled to anfwer the Ends for which
they were all defigned and created, as I have
demonftratively fhewn. And furely there
could not be a more irrational Interpretation
of this Text, than our Author has given us,
which is contradicted by mod: evident Matter
of Fact ; for our Author himfelf obferves,
the Nations of the World far exceed in Num-
ber, the Number of the Sons of Jacob or
Ifraely and are far ihort of the Number of
Jews that have fince defcended from the
twelve Sons of Jacob or IJrael, and are there-
fore called the Children of Ijrael, and his
choofing to adhere to the Tranflatiori of the
hex, doth not give a better Support to his
Opinion, than doth the Original. And as
to the faying of the Son of Siracb, Ecclef
xvii. I; . where it is faid, For in the Divi-
fion of the Nations of the whole Earth, God
jet a Ruler over every People, but Ijrael the
Lord's Portion ; it is as little to his Purpofe,
For why he fhould underfbnd thefe Rulers
which God fet over every People of invilible
guardian
Ixiv The PREFACE.
guardian Angels, or of any other Beings than
the vifible human Rulers 'that were to govern
them as civil Societies, I am Hire he can give
no other Reafon than his own ill-groui;
Imagination j for I have iliewn, that i\
guardian Angels, could be of no Uie or Be-
nefit, either to the natural or moral World,
if they really exifted. And God created no-
thing either in vain, or for any uinvife and
wicked End.
He tells us, Section Thirty, of a T
mentioned, Hebrews ii. ver. 5. where it is
faid, for unto the Angels he hath not put
in Subjection the World to come of which
Jpeak. From whence he fays, it [terns to
pear, that it was St. Paul'j Opinion, that
this prefent World was put in Subjection to
Angels -, and that this Text has had no imall
Weight with him in this Affair. For his
full Satisfaction about this Text, 1 refer him
to what I have faid under the Article or
Word Angels; where I have (hewn, that by
the Angels here, are meant the High Priefts
and Priefts, and Miniilers of the J'.wi/h
Church,, who had fallen from the Faith and
their Obedience to the fpiritual or moral Law.
And therefore did not teach Men the Means
of cfcaping everlafting Mitery, nor of obtain-
ing endleis Happineis in the next World.
And that the Word Angels is taken in this
tienfc, in the 7th and 9th Veries of this
Chapter, and wherever that Word is men-
tioned
The PREFACE. Ixv
tioned in the fifft Chapter of this Epiftle,
except in the 71I1 ver. where I have fhewn it
to be underitood of the material and vifible
Heayen in the Form ok Rays of Light which
become Spirits at the Extremity of the Hea-
vens.
He likewife tells us, Section the Thirty-
ninth, that St. Jude is of this Opinion, ver. 6.
where he fays Tjbe Angels that kept not their
I Eft at e^ but It ft their own Habitation he
hath rejcrved in ever la fling Chains under
Darkne/s, unto the Judment of the lafl J) ay.
And that St. Peter alio is of this Opinion,
2 Pet. ii. ver. 4. where he fays, If God [par-
ed not the Angels that finned^ but call them
down to lldly and delivered into Chains of
Darknrfs, to be rejerved to ^Judgment. But
he will find under the fame Article to which
I have referred him, that I have largely and
demon ilratively proved, that by the Angels
mentioned both by St. Peter and St. J tide y
and by thofe mi.iKJoned, Rev. xii. who are
laid to have made War in Heaven, are meant
faia9 and the black and blood- marked
Males that defcended from him, who opened
the Womb, and who by their Birth-right
were the iirft Prieits and Miuiuers in the
Church of God. And that by the Arche or
firft Estate from which they fell, is meant
fhe.ir fin: p.: <? their Faith in, and Love
or God, and | ibedience to his Law,
togeUicr with ;h:ir Right cf fbiritual Gc-
vernment
lxvi The PREFACE.
vernment in the Church of God, which
is his Houfhold, which they fell from and
loft by their Fall from Faith and Obedience.
And that by the Prince of Perfiay and ths
Prince of Grecia, mentioned Dan. x. 20, 21.
are meant the humane Emperors, Governors
of thofe Kingdoms; and by Michael^ the Son
of God, J ejus Chri/L And that his Criti-
cifms upon the Words of St. Jude are to little
Purpole for the Support of his antifcriptural
and wicked-making Opinion : For although
Jefus Chrift hi the Guardian- Angel that hath
prefided over and governed all the Faithful in
all the Kingdoms of the World from the Be-
ginning, it was by his revealed Word, and by
Faith in that Word, and not by his invifible
Prefence any Way operating in or upon
them, that he ruled, governed and directed
them.
As to the Opinions of either the antient or
modern Jews or Gentiles, or of any other
Perfons, where a Conteft is about a Point of
Truth or Falfhood, they are all impertinent,
and the amaffing of fuch together very ufeleft,
unlefsto make an Oftenution of Learning, for
they are no Evidence of either the Truth or
Falihood of any Doctrine, (as I have obferv-
ed, fpeaking'of the numerous Testimonies of
the Fathers, controverted and unconttoverted,
which have been produced in a doctrinal
Controverfy, by which it hath been per-
plexed and rendered unintelligible.) They
may
The PREFACE. lxv?i
may, where they are unqueflionable, prove
the Antiquity of a Doctrine, but the Anti-
quity or Novelty of any Doctrine, is no Proof
of its being either true or falfe. Therefore
I mall take very little Notice of his thirty
next following Section s, (viz.) from the xl.
to the lxxii. exclufive, unlefs it be to animad-
vert upon fuch Texts of Scripture as are fet
forth in them, which I apprehend our Au-
thor hath mifunderftood or mifapplied.
He tells us from Eu/ebius, that the an-
cient Jews were of his Opinion, and amongii
the reft Philo > viz. that there are a vail
Number of unbodied intelligent Beings in
the van: Expanfe of Heaven, who act in
fuperior and fubordinate Stations, but all
under the fupreme God, who is without Be-
ginning, in the Government of the World ;
and that the Logcs is called by Philo theyr-
cond Gody who reprefents him by the Mini-
fler of a great King, &c. but thefe Opinions
I have demonftratively fliewn to be falfe, and
the Belief of them to be deftru&ive of Sancti-
ficatibn, Salvation, and eternal Life. And
if that was the Opinion of Clemens Akxan*
arinusi (as he fays it was) it is no more a
Proof of the Truth of that Opinion, than
Philo and Plato's being of that Opinion
is ; and therefore muft be look'd upon as an
Error of that ancient and learned Man. But
what he hath faid may be fo underftood, as
to be very confiftent with fcriptural and de-
C ttionftrative
lxviii The PREFACE.
monflrative Truth. For although he fpeak?
of Angtls, both viiible and invifible, by whom
Mankind are inftrucled in the Knowledge of
Truth and Virtue. This doth not prove that
he believed the Exigence of unbodied intelli-
gent Spirits, which affift Mankind in the
Procurement of their Happineft. For I
have (hewn in the Articles to which I have
before referred our Author, that the holy
Miniflers which God hath lent and placed in
his, C hurch, are called Angels. And I have
like wife there {hewn, that God's revealed
Word, and the holy Spirit of Faith, which
h obtained by the iincere and true Belief of
the Word, are alio called Angels, which an-
fwer to the invifible Angels of Clemens -, for
it is by thefe two kinds of Angels, and by
thefe only, that Men can be ailifted in the
Work of Sandification and Salvation, and
eternal Life.
And I have like wife there {hewn, that by
the Angel Gabriel, which imports the ftrong
and mighty God, who came and inftrudted
Daniel concerning his Vifion, about the
Kingdom and Kings of PerJIa and Grecia,
&c. Dan.vYu. ver. 16. and about the Com-
ing and Death of Chrift, and the Deflruclion
of yeru/'akm, xix. 21. And who is there
called the Man Gabriel, was meant Jejus
Chrifti God and Man by his mod: intimate
and infeparable fpiritual Union with his Fa-
ther : And who is alfo called Michael, which
imports
The P R E FA C E. Mi
imports GoJ, to whom none is like, on ac-
count of. the intimate Unity of the Godhead
with him in all its Fulnefs. As I have like-
wife fhewn in the Article before mentioned*
And who is here reprefented both as God
and Man, as Man, Dan. x. ver. 5. who ap-
peared to Daniel after a wonderful Manner,
and told that he was fent to him. And that
the Prince of Perjia Avithftood him for a
certain Time ; but Michael, the firft of
Princes (/'. e.) God, who is over, in, and
above all, came to his Afiiftance. And that
he would return to fight with the Prince of
Perfia, but no one holdeth with him in thefe
Things but Michael, his (/. e.) Daniel's
Prince, (i. e.) God, who had moft intimately-
united himfelf to him the Man Cbrijt J ejus ';
and that the Perfon call'd Michael is Jejus
Chrift, God and Man, appears from Dan xii.
ver. 1. where he fays, that at that Timejhall
Jland up Michael the great Prince, who
Jlandeth jor the Children of thy People, mean-
ing at the End of the World, when Chrifl
will come to judge the World. For he
fays, at that Time thy People Jl: all be deliver ■-
ed, every one that Jhall be found written in
the Book, and many of them that fleep in the
Du/l of the Earth /hall awake \ fome to ever-
lafling Life, and fome to Shame and ever*
lafling Contempt, &c.
If we will remember and confider the
flrid and infeparable Spiritual Union that is
c z be-.
xU The PREFACE.
between Jehovah, or the three E'ohiw, and
Jefui Chrift the Arch-Angel of God, and
that it is iuch (as I have (hewed in the an-
nexed Treadle) that their Godhead is but
one, and one and the fame. So that what-
ever is affirmed to be laid by one, may with
equal Propriety be afci ibed to the other. We
will clearly perceive the P^eafon why Chrift
the Angel of the Jehovah, is called Jeho-
vah and E/ohfw, and God as well as Jeho-
vah or the Elohim, who dwdleth in him.
As Gen. xvi. ver. 7, 13. the Angel of Je-
hovah that fpoke to llagar, is called Jeho-
vah. And Gen. xviii. ver. 1. where it is
faid, that Jehovah appeared unto Abraham
in the Plains of Mamre under the Appearance
of three Men, and are called Jehovah, ver. 13,
&c. And why the Angel of God, that
jpoke to Jaccby Gen. xxx. ver. 1 j. is called
the God of Bcihiel^zx. 13. And why the
Angel of the Lord appeared unto Mojes in a
Flame of Fire out of the Bufh, Exod. iii.
ver. 2. i? called Jehovah in the 4th, and the
God of Abraham in the 6th Verfe. And why
the Angel of God that went before the
Camp of Jjraci, Exod. xiv. ver, 19. is call-
ed Jehovah, xiii. ver. 21. as to the Angels
by which the Law was given or difperied,
as mentioned Aels vii. ver.' 53. and Gal iii.
ver. 19. and Heb. ii. ver. 2. I have (hewn
them under the Article before referred to, to
be Guu'a Minifters Mojes and Aaron, and that
the
The PREFACE. lxxi
the Jehovah, who was feeri by Mofes and
Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, was his Angel Je-
Jus Chrijl, who is called the Angel of his
Pretence. IJa. Ixiii. ver. 9. The Angel by
whom Jehovah vifibly appears ; and there-
fore Chrifi the Word told his Difciples,
John xiv. ver. 9. faying, He that bath feen
me, hath feen the Father. It is by the Light
of his Word that he is clearly leen, his
Works being his Back Parts, by which he
is feen only by Reflection, and therefore as
by a Glafs, darkly without the Light of his
Word, by which Mojes clearly perceived him
by the verbal Proclamation he made of his
Glory or Goodnefs manifefted in his Works.
And this was the Angel that went before
Mojes and the Ifraelites, fo that the holy
Scriptures afford no Ground or Authority for
faying there are two Jehovahs, any more than
they do for faying there are two Gods, which
he lays from Hcjea i. ver. 7. But I will have
Mercy on the Houje of Judah, and will Jave
them by Jehovah their God, and not by the
Bow nor the Sword, &c. (/. e.) I will fave
them by myfelf, who am the Jehovah, who
became Elohim to create and lave them,
and whom they have chofen to be their God,
and whom all other Nations have not known
by that Name, as appears by Pharaoh's Ani wet-
to Mojes and Aaron, when they told him
that Jehovah the God of Ijracj had com-
manded him to let his People go, he anfwtr-
e 3 ed
lxxii The PREFACE.
ed, Exod. v. ver. 2. Who is Jehovah that I
Jhould obey his Voice* and let Ifrael go ? 1
know not Jehovah, neither will I let Ifrael
go. Nor do the Words in the Prophet Ze-
cbary make more for his Purpofe. Zech. x.
ver. 12. I will flrengthen them in Jehovah,
and they will walk up and down in his Name
faith Jehovah. Here God laid, he would
ftrengthen them in the Belief of his beir.g
Jehovah, the divine Eflence, the Head, Ori-
gin and Fountain of al) Being, which was a
Name not acknowledged by any other Peo-
ple i and by his fo lengthening thern in
the Belief of his Name Jehovah, he fays
they would walk according to his divinely
revealed Word, which I. have elfewheie
fhewn at large to be fignified by his Name,
as Faith or the Belief or that Word is often
fignified by his Kingdom. God doth not
in either of thefe Texts fpeak to his People,
but of the great and good Things he would
at a proper Time do for them ; and therefore
he might very properly fpeak of himfelf as
of a third Perfon. So that a [icend Jehovah
isas'anti-fcriptural, as it is abiurd, ridiculous
and impious. The divine Elohim in the one
Jehovah, or divine EfTence in moil intimate
ipiritual Union with the Man Chri/i Jefus,
are together but one Jehovah and one God.
The fame Obfervation will ferve to fhew the
Folly of his DiftincTion between the Jehovah
ij LMs. and the Jehovah oj Zwi, which
he
The PREFACE. lxxiii
he infers from Zrcb.lki. ver. io, rr. Jeho-
vah the Sender being infeparably united to,
and together with his Arch-Angel Chrifl
fent, and therefore together but' one and the
fame Jehovah. So that what he faith in his
66th, 6yth, 68tb, and 6gtb Section?, al-
though true, is altogether impertinent.
As to what he fays in his Seventieth Sec-
tion concerning the Angel mentioned, Reve-
lations xxii. ver. 9. who refufed Worfhip,
declared himfelf to be a Fellow-Servant of
St. Johns, and to have been one of the holy
and true believing Prophets, and who decla-
red that God only is to be worfhiped j and
who he fays, being the Angel of God and
of J ejus Chrifty ailbmed to himfelf on that
Account the Attributes which could be a-
fcribed to no other but themfelves. Had he
confidered that that Angel at ver. 6. fays,
That the Lord God of the holy Prophets ferit
his Angel to Jhew unto his Servants the Things
that muft Jhortly be done (faying^ behold I
come quickly, &c. The fupplying of that
Ellipjis being evidently neceflary, in order to
jfhew the Connexion of the two Verfes, by
which the Reafon of God's fending his An-
gel to his Servants, the Prophet's moil clearly
appears, and by which the Neceffity of run-
ning to a fenfelefs and unintelligible Apojtro-
phe, from one Perfon to another, is avoided,
and carrying on the Supply of that Defect.
And (faying) Behold I come quickly, and my
e 4 Reward
lxxiv The PREFACE.
Reward 'with me \ Sec. At the 1 2th ver. And
(iayingj lam Alpha and Omega, &c. ver. i ytf)%
and flaying) ljefus have fait mine Angel to tef-
tify unto you thefe Things in the Churches, I
am ( both) the Root and Offspring of David
the bright and Morning Star. I lay, had he
confidered thefe Tilings, he would have
clearly perceived, that no Angel of God,
(Jejus Chrijt excepted, in whom ail the
Fulnefs of the Godhead dwelt, and who
was one in and with his Father, and his
Father one in and together with him) ever
affumed to hirnfelf the Attributes of the
eternal and moll high God. And there-
fore what he faith Section the Seventy-third,
{viz.) that the yews had great Foundation
in the Scriptures of the Old T'e ft amen /, for
their Opinion of a fecond, or fecondary God,
is a manifeft Falmood ; for the Doctrine of
the holy Scriptures, both of the Old and New
Tc/lament is, that there is but one Jehovah9
and one God, who is faid Deut. x. ver. 1 7.
to be God of Gods, and Lord of Lords, a
great God mighty to be feared, who regard-
eth not PerfonSy nor taketh Reward. And
the yews were fo far from being encouraged
by the Scriptures of the 'Old Te/tament, to be-
lieve in a iecond or fecondary God, that they
were exprefly commanded to believe that
there is but one Jehovah, and therefore but
one God. Deut. vi. ver. 4. Hear, O Iirael,
the Lord our God is one Lord. And the
Doctrine of all the holy Prophets is con-
formable
The PREFACE. Ixxv
format)! e to this demon ftrativcly true Doc-
trine, lb folemnly declared and fet forth by
Mo/cs. However, our Author hath incon-
siderately attempted to wrefl feme Paflages of
thofe Scriptures in favour of a demonstra-
tively falfe and impious, and wicked making
groundlefs Opinion,.
Our Author having thus far laboured in
vain, toeftabliih the Belief of a vaft number
of unbodied intelligent fpiritual Agents, and
many of them fuperior in Perfections to
the Spirits of Men ; as under Agents to the
fupreme eternal and inviiible God, in the
Government of this World, and of the Uni-
niverle, in order to bring Mankind to the
Belief of what he calls a Second or iecondaiy
and inferior God, now proceeds to (hew what
Grounds the holy Scriptures affords for the
Belief of a Third, who is inferior to Lis
imaginary fecond God ; and who, he fays,
are to be worshipped with inferior Kinds of
Worship, and different from the Worihip
that is to be paid to the eternal and fupreme
God. And this third God, who i; diftinci
and different both from the fupreme God,
and his fecond God, and inferior to both,
he calls the Holy Spirit.
But as I have fhewn in the Treatife here-
unto annexed, that the holy Scriptures men-
tion two holy Spirits, (viz.) one that is co-
eternal, co-effential, and in every Refpec"t,
co-equal with the Perfons diftinguifhed by
the Names of the Father, Son7 or Word,
in
Ixxvi The PREFACE.
in the divine trinity. And the other ^ the
holy Spirit of fandtifying and faving Faith-,
which cometh by the divinely revealed Word
of God, and by the fincerc and true Belief
of the Word ; and which is the holy Spirit,
by which all the holy Prophets of God, and
the Evangelifts, and the Apoilles of Cbrift
wereinfpired, and by which all the truly faith-
ful and obedient Perfons from the beginning
the World, have been truly and fpiritually
fanctified and faved, being powerfully moved
thereby to mortify and purify their Spirits
from all bodily Lufts (which move Mankind
to commit all the Evil and Wickednefs thev
commit in the World -> and which are the
real and only Devils, which everlaftingly
torment the impenitently wicked in the
next) and to love God with all their Hearts,
&c. which are the two Things which are
felf-fufficient, but indifpenfably neceffary ;
and therefore ail the Things that are neceflary
to be done by Mankind, in order to their
Sandification and Salvation, and true and
rational Happinefs both temporal and ever-
lafting, as I have often before obierved. And
Mankind carrying this fcriptural DifUn&ion
of two holy Spirits along with them in their
Minds, will be thereby enabled clearly to per-
ceive the Impenitence, Folly, and Fallhood,
of all thofe feemingly fcriptural, but really
anti-fcriptural Arguments, which have been
advanced by our Author, in order to bring
Man-
The PREFACE. lxxvii
Mankind into the Belief of the Exigence of
the third inferior God, and of the inferior
Worfiiip, which, he lays, is to be paid to it.
I (hall therefore take no farther Notice of his
thirteen next following Se&ions, (viz.) from
his lxxivth to his lxxxvth inclusive, than to
obferve where he jiath wreftedand mifrepre-
fented Paffages of the holy Scriptures men-
tioned in thefe Sections, in order to fupport
a very falfe and impious, and wicked-making
anti-Jcriptural Doctrine, and (hew how they
are to be understood.
I have elfewhere (hewn, that by the Gold-
en Candleilick, mentioned by the Prophet
Zechariah, Chap. iv. ver. i. is meant the
true Church of God, as the feven Afiatick
Churches are reprefented by the feven Golden
Candlefticks, with Chrift the Word in the
midft of them, Rev. i. ver, 13, 20. and that
by the two Olive-Trees, or Branches, which
through Golden Pipes empty the Golden Oil
out of themielves, and are called the two
anointed Ones* or Sons of Oil, are meant the
faithful Minifters of that one and only true
Church of God, under the two Difpenfations,
viz. the Aaronicaly which was to be abo-
liflhed, and the Melchezidecan, which was
to fucceed to it, who are to pour out, and lb
fet before Mankind. The divinely revealed
and fan&ifying Word of God, and the holy
or fandtifying Spirit of Faith, which is obtain-
ed by the fincere and true Belief of that
Word.
lxxviii The PREFACE.
Word. And they are faid to (land by or
before the Lord of the whole Earth, becaufe
they minifter continually before him, or in
his Pre fence. And I have fhewn before, that
Michael and Gabriel, are two different
Names for J ejus Chrift, the Arch-Angel of
God, in whom the three Elohim dwell in all
the Fulneis of the Godhead, and therefore
they were not jirft and fccond Gods ditlindt
and different from the Father, but one and
the fame God in and together with him.
And by what I have faid of the Holy
Spirit of Faith% we may clearly perceive, that
that was the Spirit of Jehovah, mentioned
by Nehemiah ix. ver. 63. And by Zecha-
riah vii. ver. 12. and that came upon Gideon
and Jeptba, &c. mentioned in Judges iii.
ver. 10. and vi. ver. 34, and xi. ver. 29.
and xiii. ver. 25. and 1 Sam* x. ver. 6. and
xvi. ver. 13. And what David prayed
might not be taken from him, &c\ And
the Spirit that entered into Ezekiel ii. ver.
2. and iii. ver. 24. and into Ifaiah vi. ver.
3. And the Spirit which God gave to the Se-
venty Elders, Niimb. xi. ver. 16, — 25. by
which they propheiied, &c.
But the Angel Gabriel, which appeared to
Daniel in the Form of a Man, and which
he worshipped becaufe God was in him, and
he in God, and one together with God,
Dan. viii. ver. 16. and ix. ver. 10. and
to Ezekiel ii. ver. 2. and iii. ver. 24. was
The P RE FACE. lxxix
¥ejits Chriftt the only begotten Son cf
God.
As to his faying, Section Eighty-four, that
it is but reafonable, That a Degree of Rcve-
verence, proportional to the Power that Spi-
rits have over us, fhould be paid to them.
He thereby (hews, that he knew not what
true and spiritual Worfhip is, nor the End
for which it is paid ; nor the true End for
which outward and bodily Work was" re-
quired. And as the eternal and fupreme God
is only to be worfhipped, therefore it doth
not feem reafonable to pay Worflhip to any
other Being, if by Reafon we either mean
the Logos, {i. e.) the divinely revealed Word
of God, or the neceffary Connection, Courfe,
and Confequence, which is called the Reafon
of Things.
The Angels mentioned Co/off', ii. ver. iS.
are fuch invifible Spirits, as our Author has
been contending for. Eut St. Paul warns
the ColoJJians not to believe thofe who teach
the Exiltence of fuch invifible Beings, of
which they know nothing ; left by relying
on Affiftance from them, they lofe the Re-
ward that may be mofl finely expected by
thofe who are victorious over their fpiritual
Enemies, ufing the fpiritual Arms and Ar-
mour, with which God hath fufficiently fur-
nifhed them, viz. the Sword of the Spirit,
which is the revealed and written Word of
God, and the Shield of Faith, Qfc. by which
and
Ixxx The PREFACE.
and by which only their fpiritual Enemies,
(/. e.) their bodily Lufts, can be conquered
and effectually fubdued.
His laying, Section Eighty-feven, That
this Dodtrine with Regard to God the Fa-
ther, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit,
(which he calls the Dodtrine of the Jews,
but can be underftood only of iuch of them
as had fallen into Mifbelief, and did not be-
lieve according to the Doctrines of the holy
Scriptures) is not only fupported by the Doc-
trine of the Old Tefta merit, but reconcUeable
to Keafon. But he hath not, nor will any
other Perfon be ever able to fupport his Doc-
trine by the Scriptures of the Old Tejl anient
truly interpreted. And I have in the annexed
Treatife {hewn, that by the material and vi-
able Heavens, God hath iufHciently provided,
that all the particular Syftems in the natural
or material World ; and by his divinely revealed
Word and Law, he hath fufficiently provided,
that all the individual Syftems in the fpiritual
World mould fo move and a<£t, as to be able
to anfwer, and obtain the Ends for which
they were defigned and created, and there-
fore it is not reafonable to believe that he
created any other fubaltern Agents for the
better carrying on the Government either of
the natural or moral Worlds, iince they
would have been uklefs if they had been
cicated.
He goes on and tells us, Section Eighty-
nine
The PREFACE. Ixxxi
nine and Ninety, that this imaginary and
whimfical Doctrine of his, is alfo recon-
cileable with the Scriptures of the New Tejla-
ment ; his Proof of this is the i Cor. viii. ver.
5, 6. that the Father is called the one God,
and Je/zts Chrifi is only called Lord and not
God ; but to this he hath given a full anfwer
before, by (hewing Cbrift is in feveral Places
called "Jehovah and God, and God manifefted
in the Flefh. But to invalidate this his own
Argument, he tells us from Exodus xxxiii.
ver. 20, 23. and from St. Jobnx. ver. 18.
and vi. ver. 46, and from 1 Tim. iv. 15, 16.
and 1 John iv. ver. 12. that God is invisible
and therefore cannot pofiibly be the fame God,
who was manifefted in the Flefh. But St.Paul,
alfo tells us that in Chrifi dwelt all the Ful-
nefs of the Godhead. And Chrifi hath told
us that he was in his Father, and his Father
in him, and that he that had feen him, had
feen the [otherwife invifible] Father ; fo that
if Chrifi is to be believed rather than our
Author, it is not only poffible to be true, but
it is mod: certainly true, that the invifible
God, and God manifefted in the Flefh, are
one and the fame God, and all the Powers,
Properties, and Perfections of the one, are
the Powers and Properties, and Perfections of
the other. And hence it is that Blood is
afcribed to the fpi ritual God, A5is xx. ver.
28. To feed the Church of Gori, which he
hath purchafed with his own Blood, and the
Pro-
Ixvxii The PREFACE.
Properties of God arc afcribed to the only
begotten Son of God, the iMan Chri/i Jefus,
who faith John xvi. ver. 15. all Things that
the Father hath are mine, on Account of
their moft intimate and infeparable fpiritual
Union. And from hence our Author fays
Section xci. it appears that the Apollies made
a Diftinftion between the Divinity of God
the Father, and of God the Son. .How it
ly appear from hence to our Author, blind-
ed by Prejudice to ah imaginary fpiritual Hy-
pothecs, I cannot fay, but I am fatisfied it
will appear to every other Perfon not io blind-
ed, that the Apoftles made no fuch Diftinc-
tion, and their Doctrine (hews that they
believed the Godhead of the Father, and of
the Son, to be one and the fame Godhead.
And the Belief of the Nicene Fathers ma-
nifeftcd in their Creed, faying, / believe in
me God, the Father Almighty, Maker of Hea-
ven and Earth, and of a I Things vifibk and
invifibhy &c. is fo far conformable to the
Apoftles Doctrine, and therefore true. If by
the one God and Father Almighty, they
meant the whole three Peripns of the divine
Trinity, co-eternal, co-cflential, and co-
equal, in the one 'Jehovah, or divine Effence,
who together in eliential Unity, are the God
and Father of our Lord JefusChri/l. And if
by the Maker of Heaven and Earth, and of
oil Things viijble and ifivifible, they meant
thefe three co-eternal co-cffentialr and co-
equal
The PREFACE. IxxxiS
equal Perfons in effential Unity, together
with Jefus Chrijl% in moll intimate and fpi-
ritual Union with themfelves, are the Creator
and Maker of all other Things that were
created and made.
As to his faying, Section xcii. That the
Jirft felf-cxijlent Caufe of all Things can alone
be called God, and that when the Title of God
is given in the Scripture to any other Being
but the Father ', we are to underjiand it, only
as expref/ive of fome God^like Power, com-
municated to that Being by God the Father.
To this I anfwer, that if we underftand ao
cording to the Doctrine of the Scriptures, we
will underftand, that the whole three Per-
fons in the divine Trinity in effential Unity,
together with Jefus Chrifty in fpiritual Uni-
ty with them, is or are the firft felf-exiflent
Caufe of all Things. And that they did
not only communicate fome God-like Power
to him, but all their divine Powers and Per-
fections ; fo that all the Fulnefs of the God-
head dwelt in him, and that he together
with them, was the Creator and Maker of
all Things, fo that without him co-operating
together with them, was not any thing crea-
ted or made that was created. As to i Cor.
xv. 27, 28. cited by him, it is not perti-
nent to the Purpofe for which he produces it :
for no Man ever believed that the Father had
made himfelf fubject to the Son, but that
he had made the Son co-equal with himfelf.
i And
Ixxxiv The PREFACE.
And that when the great Work of McV
tion with Mankind by the Man Jefus Cbrijt
fhould be finifhed. Then the Son who as
Man had been always fubject to his Father,
and whofe Will was always one and the lame
with his Father's, would even then, as Man
continue fuhjecl to him. So that the one God-
head which the Man Chrift J^'/us, poffeffed
equally with his Father, would be all in all.
The great and fatherly Goodnefs and Love
of God to all Mankind, in which the God-
head confifts, would then be the Object of
the Contemplation of all.
His faying Section xciv. That the Like-
nefs and Image of God in Man, confifts in
his Dominion over Fifh of the Sea, and
Fowls of the Air, &c. proceeds from Want
of due Cqnfideration of the holy Scriptures,
by which he would have been informed,
that Man's Likenefs and Image of God is a
fpiritua) Likened, which coniiils in his being
and continuing to be perfectly Good, and
univerfally benevolent as he is ; and in order
to be and continue lo, it is indifpenfably ne-
ceflary that his Spirit iliould be prcferved
pure from all bodily Lulls. And therefore
the Dominion that he was to have and ex-
crcife, was a fpiritual Dosfninipn which he
was to exercifc over his bodily Defires fenli-
bly represented by harmlefs Animals, and not
to fuffcr them to become outragious and in-
fatiable Lufts, rejSrefentecl by voracious and
deftruc-
The PREFACE. lxxxrT
deitrudtive Fifli of the Sea, and Fowls of
the Air, 'and Beafts of the Earth; but for
farther Satisfaction on this Point, I refer him
to my Notes and Observations on the three
fir ft Chapters of Genefs.
The Scriptures of the New Te/lament call
the Word9 God, but not a fecond God, as he
fays they do, Section xcvi.
His Inference (from which St. Peter fays
Affis ii. ver. 33. Let all the Houfe of Jfrael
know afuredlyy that God hath made the fame
jfefus whom ye crucified, both Lord and
ChrijL And from St. Paul's applying Hcb. i.
ver. 8. to J ejus Chrijl, the Text out of the
Pfalms, when it is faid, thy Throne 0 God%
is for ever and ever, &c. Therefore Gods
even thy Gody hath anointed thee with the Oil
cfGladnejs above thy Fellows.) That the Son-
could not be equal to the Father from all
Eternity: And that the Superiority of God
the Father, who anointed God the Son Je-
fus Chrijly is prefer ved over God the Son,
whom he anointed ; is an Inftance of our
Author's not having duly confidered the true
fcriptural Doctrine, which the truly Ortho-
dox Members of the true Church of God
have always believed, concerning the God-
head of Jefus Chrifti and which is this. They
believed that there is a co-eternal and co-
effential Son in the divine Trinity, who is
in all Refpe&s co-equal with the Perfon
jiiftinguifked by the pcrfonal Name of the
f 2 Fath£|
lxxxvi The PREFACE.
Father in the divine Trinity. But they never
believed thai the only begotten Son the Man
Chrifi Jefus, to have been equal to his Father
from all Eternity. What they believed con-
cerning him is, that from the Time his Fa-
ther by Creation produced him into Being,
and communicated all the Fulncfs of the
Godhead to him, for the Redemption and
Salvation of all Mankind, by which he be-
came one God, together in the moft intimate
fpiritual Union with himfelf, as his. divine
Powers, Properties, and Perfections might
with equal Propriety be afcribed to the one
as well as the other, on account of the one
Godhead which they equally polTeffed. And
therefore when the one fupreme God the
Father anointed his only begotten Son the
Man Jefus Chrifi, with the Oil of Gladnefs,
by the Communication of the holy Spirit of
Faith to him without Bounds or Meafure,
by which he became God co-equal together
with himfelf; he thereby fhewed his Supe-
riority over his only begotten Son the Man
Chrijl Jefus, but not over the Godhead of
his Son Chri/i Je/hs, which was one and the
fame with his own. And all thole Texts
which he cites in Section xcviii. and xcix. as
St. John xx. ver. 17. and Ephcfi i. ver. 20,
24. and St. John xiv. ver. 28, The Father is
greater than /, are to be underftood of Chrijl
as Man. for his Godhead and the Father's was
gne and the fame.
h8
The r R E F A C E. Ixxxvii
He tells us from St. Job?!, in his Section
c. and ci. that all Judgment was committed
to the Son, that all Jhould honour the Son,
even as they honour the Father ; and that
Judgment implies Power and Dominion.
And as a Proof of this, he tell us, Section
cii. that Sir lfaac Newton has remarked that
the Worjhip which is due from Man to Gody
is on account of the Dominion he hath over
him ; and that the Word God, is a relative
Term refering to Subjects \ and that the Word
Deity, denotes the Dominion of God over Sub-
jeffs. And that, we arrive at the Knowledge
of God, by confide ring his Properties and At-
tributes, and by enquiring into the wife For-
mation of and Conjlitution of all Things , and
fearching into their final Caufes -, but he fays
we worjhip and adore him on account of his
Dominion, fo that the Son is to be worfjoipped
on account of all Judgment being committed
to him ; for there would be ?io Re a fen for obey-
i?2g the Commands of any Being, which hath no
Power over them.
To which I anfwer, that Sir L Newton
was a very good Mathematician, but a very
bad Divine, as I have fhewn in the annexed
Treatife. And here he hath fhewn great
fcriptural Ignorance, in faying, that we wor-
fhip and adore God on account of his Do-
minion over us ; which is making fervile or
flavifh, and fuperftitious Fear and Dread of
his Power, which is incontinent with our
f 3 filial
lxxxviii The PREFACE.
filial and truly religious Fear and Love of
him, which is indifpenfably neceflary to our
true and rational Happinefs, both temporal
and evcilafting, the lole Foundation of our
Worfhip ; whereas we worfhip God, be-
caufe he hath required us fo to do, and not
for his own Sake, but altogether for ours j and
that we might thereby be moved to perfe-
vere in doing thofe Things, by which, and
by which only, we can be made truly and
rationally happy both temporally and ever-
laftingly. For the true fpiritual Worfhip of
God confifts in Faith and Obedience; and all
outward or bodily Worfhip, fuch as Adora-
tion or Prayer, Praife and Thankfgiving, GV.
was inftituted and required, for no other
Reafon, but for putting and keeping him
continually in Mind of the indifpenlable Ne-
ceffity of pcrfevering in the true and fpiritual
Worfhip, (/'. c.) in the fincere and true Be-
lief of God, and of his moft perfect: and fa-
therly Goodnefs, and Love for all Mankind,
moft clearly manifested by his giving us a
moft gracious and moft pefect, and perfectly
purifying Law, and for no other Reafon,
but to preferve, refcue, and deliver all Man-
kind from the Captivity and Tyranny of all
their bodily Lufls, and confequently from all
Kinds and Degrees of Wickednefs, and from
Mifery both temporal and everlafting, that
they might be truly and fpiritually happy
both temporally and everlaftingly \ fo that
the
The PREFACE. Ixxxix
the Confideration of God's Dominion, and
.Dread of his Power over us, is very far from
being the Foundation and Mo;ive of our
worfhiping and adoring him. That indeed
is the Foundation of the Worfhip which the
Devils, or moil wicked Men pay him, f r
they dread his Power and tremble -y hut the
true Foundation of, and Motive to all truly
and religious Worlhip, whether bodily or
fpiritual is the Confide;*a:ion of God's mod
perfect: Goodnefs and fatherly Love to all
Mankind; by which we are m oft powerfully
moved and encouraged to perfevere in per-
fect Obedience to his moll perfect and only
perfectly purifying Law, and to love him
with all our Hearts, &c. which are the two
Things that are indifpenfably neceffary, and
all the Things that are necehtiry, they being
felf~fuffic;ent to be done by Mankind, in
order to their Sanctification and Salvation,
and for their fure Attainment of true and
rational Happinefs both temporal and ever-
lafting : And which call: out fervile or flavifh,
and fuperititious Fear and Dread of God, and
of his Power and Pnnimments, all fear but
that of grieving, difpleafing, and offending
fo gracious and merciful a Father, who is
grieved, difpleafed and offendej, and angry
with us, for 119 other Reafon, but for our
doing, and impenitently perfevering in doing
thole Things which are moft evidently dci^
tractive of our true and fpiritual Sanctification,
f 4 Silva-
xc The preface:
Salvation, and true Happinefs, both temporal
and everlafting.
And he hath likewife fhewn no left fcrip-
tural Ignorance in faying that God is ftich a
relative Tetm as hath Reference to Subjects ,
and that the Word Deity denotes the Domi-
nion of God over Subjects ; for the Word
Elohivi, God, from H1?^, to hlefs, implies
the bleffed ones, from whom all Bleffings or
Benefits, by which Mankind are bleffed or
made happy, are derived -, and therefore the
Word Deity, denotes fiich a Relation as is
between a moil affectionate Father and his
Children, by which they are moved to love
him with all their Hearts ; and not fuch a
Relation, as is between an arbitrary Prince
and his Subje&s, which moves Mankind to
nothing but the Dread of his Power, and to
hate him, and to wifh he was not.
Neither do we arrive at the Knowledge of
God, by con fide ring (as he fays) his Properties'
and Attributes, and by enquiring into the
wife Formation and Conjiitution of all "Things y
and fe arching into their final Caufes. But
by attentively confidering the Revelations
which God hath been gracioufly pleafed to
make of himfelf, and of his Properties and
Attributes, let forth in his revealed Word,
which is fully verified in all his Works, his
revealed Wildom and Goodnefs, as well as
Power, being mod: clearly difplayed in his
wile Formation of all Things, fo as that thev
mould
The PREFACE. xci
mould all perfectly anfwer the wife and good
Ends for which they were defigned and crea-
ted ; for without fuch a divine Revelation
(as I have mod: clearly ihewn under the Arti-
cle or Word Man) we could never have
known that there was fuch an invifible Being,
of fuch Perfections ; nor would we ever have
enquired after the wile Formation of Things
or their final Caufes $ but would have only
confidered them as we found them lit, or
unfit, for the Gratification of our bodily Sen-
fations and Appetites, as Brutes do, and would
have accordingly perfued or avoided them,
for thofe fenfual Ends, and thofe only.
By what hath been here faid, we may
clearly perceive, that our Author's Do&rine,
that the Son became God, and was honoured
or worshipped chiefly becaufe all Judgment
was committed to him, by which be came to
have Power and Dominion over all Man-
kind, is neither fcriptural nor true Dodrine ;
for fir/l7 it is evident from the holy Scrip-
tures, that the eternal and fupreme God, who
dwelt in jfefus Chrift, in all the Fulnefs of
the Godhead, will in mod intimate Unity,
together with him judge the World, appears
from Affs xvii. ver. 31. Becauje he9 God,
hath appointed a Day wherein he will judge
the World in Right eoufnefs in the Man,
fy avfyiy whom he hath ordained. So that
when it is faid, St. John v. ver, 22. that the
Father judgeth no Man, it is to be under-
stood
xcii The PREFACE.
flood as the Father created nothing without
the Son's co-operating in Unity with him ;
fo he will judge no Man without the Son's
judging together with him. Secondly, That
divine Judgment doth not denote nor im-
ply divine Power or Dominion over Man-
kind, as if the Power of Judgment had
been given to the Son to move Mankind to
worfliio him out of a Belief of his having
an arbitrary Power given him to acquit or
condemn whomfoever he would, that they
might be moved to worfhip him out of
Dread of his Power. But the Cafe is quite
otherwife j for he, together with his Father,
will iudge the World in Righteouihefs, and
Mankind will continue acquitted or condemn-
ed, according to their own Works, and not
according to his arbitrary. Will and Pleafure,
as in Mattb. xvi. ver. 27. Rev. xx. ver. 13.
So that no Man ever had any Reaibn to fear
ye/us Chrifty on account of the Power given
him to judge Mankind, becaufe he will judge
the World according to Righteoufnefs. 'Third'
ly, Nor was the lait Judgment appointed for
acquitting or condemning of the Righteous
and the Wicked -> for they acquit or con-
demn themfelvcs in this World, as it is faid,
St. yohn iii. ver. 18. lie that belicveth on him
u 7iot condemned \ but he that bclie^eth not is
condemned already. But the final and gene-
ral Judgment is appointed lor a full and clear
Manifestation .ol the perfect and fatherly
Good-
• .*
The PREFACE. xciii
Goodnefs and Love of God to Mankind, and
of his moft perfect and impartial Juitice and
Equity, and all his Difpenfation to and Deal-
ing v/ith them, that the Faithful and Righte-
ous might continue ftrongly confirmed in their
Love towards him ; and that the unbelieving
r*nd impenitently wicked may fee and judge
for themfelves, whether the everlafting State
of Mifery, their Spirits, are about to enter
upon in Conjnnction with their polluted Bo-
dies, be not altogether owing to their own
bbftinate and impenitent Attachment to the
fenfaal Gratification of their predominant bo-
dily Lufts, notwithstanding that God had
left nothing' undone that was proper and ne-
ceflary- to be done for difpofing and perfectly
enabling, and moft powerfully moving them
to mortify and purify them f jives from thofe
Deceivers and everlafting Tormenters. So
that our Author has not fpoken according
to the Truth of the holy Scriptures, in fay-
ing that divine Judgment denotes Dominion,
and that Dominion is the Foundation of di-
vine Worfhip ; for it is evident from what
hath been faid, that the iincere and true Love
of God is the Foundation of all Kinds of
divine and truly religious Worfhip, and the
Power of Judgment, that was given to the
Son, was not given to manifeft his Power
over Mankind, but that he might thereby
manifeft the great Goodnefs and Love of God
towards them.
I
Sclv The PREFACE.
I take no Notice of his five next following
Sections ; the moft of the Texts of Scripture
therein citted being meant of ye/us Chri/l, con-
fidered as Man, and of the holy Spirit of
Faith. And by the Angel who was fent by
ye/us Chrijl to St. yobn> Rev. i. ver. i. men-
tioned by our Author, Section a Hundred and
Eight, is meant one of thofe human Perfons
who had been a Prophet and a Prieft of
God, and fo an Angel of God whilft he
lived on Earth, and is no where called the
holy Spirit ; for when the Angel lays, He
that hath Ears to hear, let him hear what
the Spirit fays to the Churches. By that Spi-
rit is meant the holy Spirit of Faith 5 and I
have before fhewn, that the Angel Gabriel,
who he again mentions in his Hundred and
Ninth Section, is one and the fame with Mi-
chael the Archangel, who was yefus Cbrijt.
As to his faying, that the Spirit ot the Logos
was conveyed into the Womb of the Virgin
by the holy Spirit of God, he might have faid,
that the feminal Body or Soul of yefus Chrijt
was alio conveyed into her Womb by the
Power or Word of God, there to take hu-
man Flefh upon it. And that when it is
laid that Cbrift was led up of the Spirit into
the Wildernds, we are to underftand, that
he was fp led up by God, (/. e.) by the whole
three Pcrlons ; for whatever is afcribed to any
one of the divine Perfons, mufl necefTarily be
understood of the whole three 5 lor 1 havp
lhewj>
The PREFACE. xc%
fhewn in the annexed Treatife, from the fen~
fihle Reprefentation, that God hath been gra-
cioufly pleafed to make of himfelf, in orderto
enable us to form a juft and true Notion of his
Manner of fubfifling in a Plurality of three
Perfons in effential Unity in the one Jehovahy
or divine Effence, that no one of thefe di-
vine Perfons can operate or a6t in any Cafe
whatever, unlefs they all co-operate together,
and in different Manners in the Production of
any Action or Effect produced by them j fo
that any Action produced by any one of
them, may with equal Propriety be afcribed
to any of the other, but not exclufively of
either of the other, and mull be neceffarily
underftood of the whole three in every Ac-
tion together.
And as to his faying, that the Logos was
under the Conduct of the holy Spirit, during
the whole Time of his Continuance here on
Earth, it is very true ; but he was under the
Conduct of the holy Spirit of Faith, which
was communicated to him without Meafure.
And as to his faying, Section one Hundred
and Thirteen, that it does not appear in ei-
ther the Old or New Tejlament, that the
Logos had any Power over the holy Spirit,
till after his Afcenfion, when all Power was
given him in Heaven and Earth, (or Over-
believers, and Unbelievers) it was becaufe
he could not effectually declare fome Parts of
the holy Spirit of Faith to his Difciples, which
would
xcvi The PR E FACE.
•would be neceffary for them to preach to
jnvs and Gentiles before his Afcenfion, be-
caufe all Things which had been produced by
the holy Prophets concerning him, were not
accomplished before that Time. But all
Things neceffary to be known and believed
concerning him, being perfe&ly accomplished
in him, upon his Afcenfion to his Father,
he then fent forth his Difciples perfectly in-
itrufted in the holy Spirit of Faith, to preach
it both to yews and Gentiles. And many
miraculous Powers were granted to them, to
enable them to awaken Mankind to attend
to the holy fandifying and faving Spirit of
Faith, which they were to preach to them -,
and had our Author diftinguifhed between
the different Senfes in which the Phrafe holy
Spirit is taken in the holy Scriptures, he
would have perceived that by the holy Spirit
of God, mentioned Ephef. iv. ver. 30. and
the Spirit of Grace mentioned Heb.x.ver.zg.
was meant God himfelf, (i. e.) the whole
three Perfons in the divine Trinity 5 together
with Jefus Chrijl in mod intimate Spiritual
Unity with them ; which the Apoftle exhorts
Mankind not to Grief and do Defphe to$
and that by the Spirit mentioned 1 The//, v,
ver. 19. which he prays them not to quench,
is meant the holy Spirit of fanftifying and
faving Faith, and would not have con-
founded the one with the other, to the de-
ceiving unwary Readers.
The PREFACE. xcvii
He fays, Section one Hundred and Four-
teen, that he apprehends he has manifestly
ihewn in thefe Papers under my prefent
Confideration, that there is but one God,
(/. e.) one intellectual Agent, And that this
one God might create an infinite Series of
fpiritual Agents in Subordination one to ano-
ther, and Jo me of them by Authority, commu-
nicated to them by the fupreme God, to adi as
Gody with Regard to inferior Beinvs, co?n-
nutted to their Charge ; and that it appears
as well from the Scriptures of the Old and
New Teftament, as from the Sentiments of
the Jews, that this is the Method of Govern-
ment which the Almighty hath been p leafed
to purjue in the 0 economy of thisUniver/e.
Upon which I take the Liberty to obferve
that the holy Scriptures mod evidently de-
clare, that there is but one fupreme and eteiv,
nal God the Creator of Heaven and Earth ;
and that all Things created and made, bear
Teitimony to the Truth of thefe holy Scrip-
tures. But that it doth not appear, either
from the Scripture of the Old or New Tefia-
theni, or by any Thing our Author hath laid
in this Efiay on Spirit, that God either might
or did, create an infinite Number of Spirits
in Subordination to each other, for the go-
verning of this World, under his own fu-
preme Direction ; or that this is the Method
which the Almighty hath been pleafed tq
puriue in the Oeconomy of this Univerfe.
What-
%Xcviii The PREFACE.
Whatever may have been the Sentiments
of the mifbelieving jfews doth not concern
me to enquire after, they being of no Au-
thority or Validity in determining Points of
Truth or Falfhood ; but the holy Scriptures
teach Doctrines quite different from, and con-
trary to thofe let forth and contended for by
our Author -y for the holy Scriptures teach
that God is a meft perfectly wife and good
Being; and therefore he neither does, nor can
do any Thing in vain, nor for any other than
perfectly wife and good Ends ; and therefore
nothing that is inconfiftent with his mod per-
fect Wifdom and Goodnefs, by which he di-
rects himfelf in all his Actions. So that when
we afcribe Actions to God, we are not only
to confider his Omnipotence \ but alfo his
Wifdom and Goodnefs , left we fhould conclude
(as our Author hath done) that God hath
done what he was able to do, without confi-
dering, that although God be Almighty, yet
he is a free Agent, and will not do any
Thing inconfiftent with his own moft per-
fect Wifdom and Goodnefs, and therefore
for no other than wife, good, and neceffary
Ends.
But it hath been (hewn in the annexed
Treatife, that God by the Creation and For-
mation of the material and viiible Heavens,
hath done every Thing that was neceffary to
be done, for enabling every Individual of all
the different Syftcms in the natural or material
World ;
The PREFACE. xc!x
World ; and by his divinely revealed Word
and Law, and by placing viiible An-
gels, his holy Minifters in his Church, he hath
done every Thing that was neceflary to be
done, for enabling every individual in the fpi-
ritual or moral World, to move and aft (oy
as to anfwer, and obtain the Ends for which
they were all created and defigned. So that
as there was no Neceffity, it would have been
in vain to have created any infinite, or any
finite Number of unbodied intelligent Spirits,
for the better Government either of the na-
tural or fpiritual World, and which muft
have been altogether ufelefs, if fuch had been
created : And therefore we ought to infer
from the perfect Wifdom and Gcodnefs of
God, that he created no fuch Beings, ahho'
he be Omnipotent ; and therefore we ought
not to wreft the holy Scripture, to incline
Men to believe fo impious and wicked-making
a Doctrine.
And I have likewife fhewn under the Ar-
ticle or Word Angels, that God could not
poffibly make any Number of fuch unbodied
Angels as our Author has fuppofed him to
have made, confidently with his perfect Good-
nefs and fatherly Love for all Mankind ; and
that therefore we ought not to believe fo im-
pious a Doctrine which has no Foundation
in the holy Scriptures.
Indeed our Author has produced many par-
ticular Texts of Scripture, to fupport his im-
g pious
c f The PREFACE.
pious and wicked-making Hypothcfis; but
as I have followed him, I have fhewn, that
none of his particular Texts have been by
him truly interpreted, by and according to
the one and only true and infallible Rule, by
which and by which only, all particular Texts
of holy Scripture, relating to Faith and Morals
can be truly, and therefore ought always to
be interpreted : And therefore none of his
Texts have been pertinently produced, and
applied, becaufe not truly interpreted.
He goes on and fays, Section cxv. that it
may not be improper to confider what the
Opinion of the Fathers of the chriflian Church
was, concerning this Head. And Section cxvi.
he fays, that the Fathers for the firft three
Centuries after Chrift, were univcrfally a-
greed, in the aforementioned Doctrine, (viz.)
That God created an infinite Number of un-
bodied fpiritual Beings, fome of which he
made inferior Gods, for the better Govern-
ment of this Univerfe under his own Supre-
macy. And he has mentioned feveral of
them, without me wing from their Writings
that they were of his Opinions, taking it
for granted, that they were. I do not <*ive
myfelf the Trouble to (hew, whether they
were of his Opinions or not ; becaufe their
Sentiments are of no Weight in determin-
ing, whether the Doctrine of three Perfbns
jco-eternal, co-effential, and co-equal in the
divine Trinity in effential Unity, according
**
The PREFACE. d
to the holy Scripture be true or not : Or
whether the Godhead of the only begotten
Son or" God the Man Cbrijl J ejus, be one
and the fame Godhead with that of his Fa-
ther, (i. e.) of the whole three Perfons' in
the divine Trinity, as it is fet forth in the
holy Scriptures be fo or not. Thefe being
the two Points, whofe Truth as it is fet forth
in the holy Scriptures, that I think my felf con-
cerned to fupport or defend; which are two very
different and very important Points, and ought
to be kept carefully diftinguifhed. However
they have been confufed together, in the Gene-
rality of the Cornells that have been raifed about
them, by theGenerality of the Difputants about
them, fince the Time that Arius, ignorant
or over-looking, and not confidering the ien-
fible Reprefentation that God had been gra-
cioufly pleafed to make of himfelf, in "his
divinely revealed Word ; and consequently
ignorant of the true Senfe and Meaning of
many particular Texts of Scripture relating to
the divine Trinity in Unity in the one God-,
head, is rendered moft clearly conceivable by
one of thefe Reprefentations ; and to the
one Godhead of the only begotten Son the
Man Jefus Chrijty in moft intimate Unity
with his Father, firft troubled the Church,
by broaching his moft impious and wicked-
making Doctrines, denying a divine Trinity
in efiential Unity in the one Jehovah or di-
vine Effence ; and the one Godhead of Jefus
Cbri/t, in the moft intimate Unity with his
g 2 Father,
cii The P R E F A C E.
Father, as fet forth in the holy Scriptures
And the Continuance of thefe virulent Con-
tends in the Christian Church, have been owing
to thofe reputed Orthodox, who have like-
wife over-looked the ferifiblc Reprefenta-
tions, which God hath been pleafed to make
of himfelf-, and therefore have not diftin-
guifhed between the co -eternal and co-eflen-
tial, and co-equal Son in the divine Tri-
nity ; and the only begotten Son, the Man
Chrijl Jefus, in whom the whole three Per-
fons in the divine Trinity dwelt, and have
often confounded the one with the other;
and their Contefts about the Doctrine of the
Trinity, with their Difputes about the God-
head of ye/us Chrift, which are two very
different Points, and ought never to be con-
fidered together in any Controverfy raifed
about either, becaufe great Perplexity and
Confufion will be occasioned by fo doing.
All the unintelligible and perplexing Jargon
and Nonfenfe, that hath been uttered in the
Controverfy that hath for many Ages been
carried on about the divine Trinity hath
been occasioned by inconfiderate Men's con-
tending for the Man yefus Chrijl, the only
begotten Son of God, his being the Perfon
called the Son in the divine Trinity : Whereas
according to the Doctrine of the holy Scrip-
tures, and the fenfible Reprefentation that
God hath made there of himfelf, he is no
more a Perfon in the divine Trinity, than
any
The P R E F A C E. cm
any other Man that ever lived in the World.
And by that fenfible Reprefentation that God
hath made of himfelf, by the material and
vifible Heavens, the divine Trinity of three
Perfons co-eternal, co-effential, and in all
Refpeds co-equal in the Unity of the one
Jehovah, or divine Effence, is as clear and
conceivable a Truth, as any in the natural or
material and vifible World, as hath been
fhewn in the annext Treatife. And by re-
moving the Man Jefus Cbrift, the only be-
gotten Son of God, from among the Perfons
of the divine Trinity, we may clearly per-
ceive by the Light of the holy Scriptures ;
which tells us, that they to whom the Word
of God came, are called Gods : (7, e.) They
who fincerely believe that Word, and walk
according to the Meafure of the holy Spirit
of Faith, which they thereby obtain : So
far think and fpeak, and a£t as God does ;
and He fo far lives and dwells in them, and
they in him ; and fo far all their Thoughts,
Words, and Actions, may as properly be
faid to be his as theirs; and fo his Thoughts,
Words, and A£tions> may be faid as properly
to be fo far theirs as his ; and fo far they may
be faid to be God's, as truly as he is God.
And yet their Godhead is not a Godhead dif-
ferent from, but fo far one and the fame
Godhead with his : By this I fay, we may
clearly conceive, how the Godhead of Jcfus
Chrifty is one and theYame Godhead with the
g 3 Faith
civ The PREFACE.
Father's, and how together with his Father*
(/. e.) the whole divine Trinity dwelling in
him, in all that Fulnefs of the Godhead, and
operating or acling in all Things in, and to-
gether with him ; and he in and together
with them : His Will, Words and Actions,
being one and the fame with theirs ; fo that
all his Thoughts, Words and A&ions, might
with as great Propriety be afcribed to his Fa-
ther as to him 5 and all his Father's Will,
Thoughts, Words, and Actions, might with
equal Propriety be afcribed to him, as he
fa id, all Things that the Father hath are
mine 1 and therefore, he in Refpect of the
Godhead that dwelt in him, was equal to
his Father, his Father's Godhead and his
being one ; and all this by Means of the
holy -Spirit of Faith, which he had commu-
nicated to him without Meafure. So that by
the Light of the holy Scriptures, we may
clearly conceive the Godhead of Jefus Chri/f,
to be one and the fame with his Father's,
and therefore in Refped: of his Godhead, he
was equal to his Father. And is not this a
moil: comfortable and encouraging 'Doflrine
to all Mankind, to imitate our Lord Jcjus
Cirri ft, and embrace a Meafure of that holy
Spirit of Faith, that we may become thereby
holy and righteous, and happy as Gods, as He
by having that holy Spirit of Faith without
Meafure, became one with, and equal to God
his Father, in HolineA and Happinefs, and
all
The PREFACE. cv
all other divine Perfections. And as it will
appear to every inconfiderate Perfon, whP
attentively reads the holy Scriptures, that God
never revealed* any Article of Faith to Man-
kind, that did not tend powerfully to mov^
them to mortify and purify themfelves from
all bodily Lufts, and to love him with all
their Hearts, that they might be like him,
holy and righteous, and perfe&ly happy both
temporally and everlaftingly : So every fuch
Perfon will clearly perceive this to be the
true, fcriptural Do&rine concerning the God-
head of J ejus Chrijl ; together with the
Falfhood and Wickednefs of the Ariany and
Sabelliany and Socinian Docflrines, and of
the late Refiners upon both, which our Au-
thor has laboured to revive and reftore again
to the World, which have no Tendency to
move Men either to mortify or purify them-
felves from their bodilv Lufts, or to love God
with all their Hearts ; but to lead them away
from the Belief of this true, fcriptural Doc-
trine, of the true Godhead of "Jefus Chrijl,
by which they are moil powerfully moved
to do both.
He tells us, Se&ion cxvii. that he will rea-
dily give up the Infallibility of the primitive
Fathers. And he is right in fo doing, where
the'r Do&rines and Precepts are not ftri&ly
confident with, and conformable to the di-
vinely revealed fundamental Articles of the
fcriptural and fpiritual Faith, and the divine-.
S 4 ly
cvi The PREFACE.
ly revealed original and fundamental fpiritual
and fcriptural Law, which were given to our
fir it Parents; which can be fhewn to be de-
mon ft ratively true and perfectly righteous,
as well as divinely revealed and indifpenfably
neceffary, to be fincerely and truly believed,
and perfectly obeyed in order to true and fpi-
ritual Sanctification and Salvation, and true
and rational Happinefs, both temporal and
cverlafling ; they being the only infallible
Truths by which Mankind can be rendered
infallible in all their religious Doctrines and
Precepts. And fo far, and io far only, the
Doctrines of the primitive Fathers, are to
be looked upon as infallibly true ; and their
Precepts to be infallibly righteous, as they
are found upon Trial, to be (trictly confiftcnt
with, and conformable to thefe divinely re-
vealed fundamental Articles of Faith, and
this divinely* revealed fundamental, and fpi-
ritual and fcriptural Law. By which we
may perceive, that the Doctrines and Pre-
cepts of the primitive Fathers are not be-
lieved and obeyed on their own Authority,
or on Account of their having been taught
by them ; ' but on Account of their Con-
formity to that Faith and Law, which can be
demon (tratively fhewn to be true, and per-
fectly righteous, and divinely revealed, and
indifpentafaly n try to be fincerely ar.d
duly believed and obeyed, in order to Sanc-
taxation, Salvation, and eternal Li e. And
as
The PREFACE. cvii
as this Faith and Law are felf-fufficient, an
indifpenfably necefiary to be believed and
obeyed, and all the Things that are necefia-
ry to be known, believed, or done by Man-
kind, in order to their Attainment of thefe
great, good, and neaffary Ends, they are
the only Things that ought to be taught,
and conftantly and perpetually inculcated by
the true and truly ordained Minifters of the
true Apoftclical Church of God, by a faith-
ful and conftant Adminift ration of thofe di-
vinely, inftituted, inftrudive, and memorial
ritual Ordinances, which God hath appointed
to be publickly adminiftered and attended
upon, and obferved for inftruding Mankind
in the Knowledge of this Faith and Law ;
and for putting and keeping them continually
in Mind of both, and of the indifpenfable
Neceffity, as well as the Self-fufficiency of
perfevering in the fmcere and true Belief of
the one, and imperfect Obedience to the other
in order to Sandification, Salvation and eter-
nal Life. And every true Church of God,
that teaches thefe Things, and thefe Things
only, may with the greateft TruIi be- faid
to be Injallible, in all her Dodrines, and in
all her Precppts both moral and ritual. And
till fuch Times as the Church of God, is
permitted to come to this State of Infalli-
bility by a farther Reformation, fo as to be
able to fhew that the few Dodrines or Ar-
ticles of Faith, which fhV teaches, and re*
quires
cviii The PREFACE.
quires Mankind to believe, and all the Pre"
cepts which (lie teaches and enjoins Mankind
to obferve and obey, are perfedly conform-
able to the fundamental Articles of the di-
vinely revealed fpiritual, and fcriptural Faith ;
and the divinely revealed fundamental fpiri-
tual and fcriptural Law, and confequently
felf-fufficient and indifpenfably necefTary to be
believed and obeyed, in order to fpiritual
San&ification, Salvation, and eternal Life.
And that every Part of her liturgical Service,
which her Mini/iers are canonically and le-
gally enjoined, publickly and conftantly to
read to their People, tends to put and keep
them in Mind of this divinely revealed Faith
and Law ; and therefore proper and neceffary
to be publickly read to them, whenever they
are aflembled and met together, publickly
to worfhip God, both with fpiritual and
bodily Worfhip. And that the Homilies or
Ser?)ions, which her Minifters are canoni-
cally and legally enjoined, conftantly and pub-
lickly to read, or preach to their refpe&ive
Congregations, contain nothing but the fun-
damental Articles of the divinely revealed,
fpiritual and fcriptural Faith -, and the divine-
ly revealed fundamental fpiritual and fcriptu-
ral Law : And demonftrative Proofs of their
divine Original or Revelation ; and cf their
Perfection, and perfect and evident Truth
and Righteonfnels -, and of their Self-fuffi-
ciency, and of the indifpenfable Neceflity
of
The PREFACE. cxi
of fincerely and truly believing the one and
obeying the other, in order to Sandification,
Salvation, and eternal Life • together with
the demonftrative Proofs of the divine Ori-
ginal and Inftitution of the inftrudive and
memorial ritual Ordinances, and of the true
and only End for which they were inftituted,
and of their Propriety for anfwering that
for which they were appointed, when duly
attended upon and obferved, when admi-
n'ftered by thofe Perfons, and thofe only,
whom God hath appointed and authorized
publickly to adminifter them, according to
God's Appointment after the mod edifying or
inftrudtive Manner 5 and of their own divine
Miffion. Therefore I fay, till fuch Times as
the Church of God difperfed over the different
Nations upon the Earth be permitted by the
Civil Powers of the World, to affemble within
their refpedive Jurifdidions, and authorita-
tively to compile fuch a Syftem of Homilies
or Sermons, and canonically and legally oblige
all her Minifters to read or preach thefe Dif-
courfes, and thefe only to their refpedive
Congregations publickly affembled to worfhip
God, and to make fuch Reforms in her Ar-
ticles, and Liturgies, as may be judged proper
and neceffary to be made, by which and by
which only, fhe can be rendered infallibly
true, and perfectly righteous, in Refped of
all her Dodrines, and Precepts, both moral
and ritual. There can be but very little
well-grounded Hope, of reviving and reftoring
the
ex The PREFACE.
the one and only true, and divinely revealed,
fanctifying, and faving fpiritual and fcriptural,
and truly chriflian Religion to the World
again ; and together with it true Piety and
Charity, and Righteoufnefs, and every other
Kind of moral Virtue: And putting an effen-
tial Stop and an End, to all Kinds of He-
reiies and Schifms, by whofe Means Super-
perftion or falfe Religion, and Enthufiafm,
and all Kinds of Wickednefs, open and avow-
ed, and hopocntical and clandeffine, have
been .introduced, and have long continued,
and greatly abounded, among all Ranks and
Orders of Mankind, in all States and Stations
from the higheft to the loweft.
In his cxix. and in the following xiii. Sec-
tions, our Author has needlefly laboured to
ihew what were the unintelligible Notions
of the Egyptians, and Pythagoreans, and Pla-
ionijls% of the divine Trinity, and the diffe-
rent Opinions of Clemens Alexandri?ius, and
of St. Cyril of Alexandria, concerning Plato's
Doctrine of the Trinity. On theft Sections
i have not made any Obfervations, becaufe I
think the producing the Opinions of thefe,
or any other antient Phllofcphers, to be no
Way pertinent to the Point in Controverfy 5
for whether they be true or falfe, they are
of no Weight or Ufe in determining, whe-
ther the Doctrine of the divine Trinity in
Unity, be true or not : For Truth and Falfe-
hood are not to be determined by any hu-
man
The PREFACE. cxi
man Authority, and the only two Points to
be confidered concerning the Doctrine -, are
Fir/1, Whether it be true or not ; and Second-
lyt Whether the believing it to be true, be
more beneficial to Mankind, than either the
Doctrine of the Arians or Sociniamy who
deny a Trinity of the three real divine Perfons
in the Unity of the one Godhead, and of the
late Refiners upon them, who teach that there
are three Perfons. in the divine Trinity, but
deny their Co-eternity, Co-eflentiality and
Co-equality, and hold that the Perfons dif-
tingu iflied by the Name of the Father in
that Trinity only, is eternal and underived,
fupreme and independent. And that the other
two distinguished by the Names of the Son
and Holy Spirit (for they hold that je/hs
Chriji the only begotten Son of God is one
of the Perfons in the divine Trinity, and fo
have blended the Conteft about the Divinity
of je/us Chriji, with that of the Trinity)
are derivative and dependent, and inferior,
but diftinct Gods, as fo three diftinct and
different Gods, which Doctrine our Author
hath efpoufed, and hath endeavoured with
them to lead Mankind into the Belief that
there are two or three Kinds of divine Worfhip ;
one, which they call fupreme, and which,
they fay, is only to be paid to the perfonal
Father, who (as they fay) is exclufively of
the other two, the fupreme God. And the
other two Kinds of Worfhip they call inferior
Worfhip,
cxii The PREFACE.
Worfhip, and fay that they are to be paid to
the different and inferior Gods.
Our Author goes on and tells us, Se&ion
cxxiii. That the Do&rine of the three Ey-
po/iafes was neither the Do&rine of St. Atha-
nafniSy nor any of the Nicene Fathers ; and
his Reafon for faying fo is, that both the
one and the others infifted that there was
but one U/ia, and the Words Hypo/iajis and
Ufia are but different Words for one and the
fame Thing, viz. Effence or Subftance. I
think nothing more need be faid in Refuta-
tion, or for {hewing the Falfhood of this
Pofition, than that both St. Athanafius, and
the Nicene Fathers held; that there were
three Perfons in the divine Trinity -, for
it will be /hewn by and by, why thefe
Perfons were called Hypoftafes, rather than
ZJJias. And although it be true that both
Athanafius^ and the other Nicene Fathers,
held U/ia and Hypoftafis to fignify one and
the fame Thing ; yet his Inferences from
thence are not Truths.
Firft, He infers from thence, that faying
the three Perfons in the divine Trinity, are
one U/ia, and three Hypo/laps -, is faying that
one Subftance is three Subftances at the fame
Time, which he fays, is a Contradiction in
Terms.
Secondly, He together with Voffhis infer
from thence, that the Creed, commonly called
the Creed of St. Athanajiu^ is not his. And,
"Thirdly,
The PREFACE. cxiii
Thirdly, That the Creed commonly called
St. Athanajius's Creed, contradicts the Nicene
Creed. The one aflerting, that there are
three Hyphthefes in the divine Trinity, and
the other, that the Son is the fame individual
Hypoftafis with the Father.
In Anfwer to the firft of thefe Inferences,
and to fhew it is a Falfhood, I mull obferve
that if it had been faid in the Creed, that
there was but one indivifible and infeparable
Subftance Ufa or Hypoftafis in the divine Tri-
nity ; and that there' were three fpecifically
different, divided, and feparated, and fo in-
dependent Subftances in the Trinity, at one
and the fame Time, that the Creed would
have fet forth a moft evident Contradiction in
Terms. But by the fenfible Reprefcntation,
which God hath been gracioufly pleafed to
make of himfelf, by the material and vifiblc
Heavens, in order to enable Mankind to form
a juft and true, and ufeful Notion of his Man-
ner of fubfifting, in a Plurality of three fub-
ftantial intelligent Agents, all of one and the
fame indivifible and infeparable Subftance,
in the one Jehovah, or divine Effence, but
differing from each other in their States,
Forms, Motions, and Manners of operating
or acting, fo as that they might be properly
called three different fubftantial, intelligent
Agents or Perfons, fo perfectly diftinguifhed
from each other, that no one ©f them can
be faid to be either of the other ; and yet
fo
cxiv The PREFACE.
fo co-operating together, although in different
Ways and Manners, and fo dependent upon
each other in all their different Operations;
that no one of them could poffibly move,
operate, or act, if they did not all co-operate
together in the one indivifible and infepara-
ble Subftance 5 fo that they may all as pro-
perly be called one Subftance as three, and
and three as one. And as all God's Reve-
lations concerning his Manner of fubfifting
in Plurality in Unity are conformable to this
fenfibly perceptible Reprefentation he hath
been pleafed to make of himfelf. There-
fore to fay, that one Subftance is three
different Subftances in different Refpects, or
that three different Subftances are one and the
fame individual Subftance in different Refpects,
are (o far from being Contradictions in Terms,
or in the Things fignified by the Terms that
they are moft clearly conceivable Truths, by
Means of that Reprefentation that God hath
been pleafed to make of himfelf, and which
I have fo clearly fhewn in the annext Trea-
tife. And if our Author had happened to
have recollected and confidered this Repre-
fentation which God hath been pleafed to
make of his Manner of fubfifting in Plura-
lity in Unity. I believe he would have been
a little more cautions and prudent, and would
not readily have denounced that to be a Con-
tradiction, which is a moft clear and conceiv-
able Truth.
More-
The PREFACE. cxv
Moreover the Author of the Creed com-
monly afcribed to St. Athana/ius (iince U/ia
and Hypojiafn iignify one and the fame Thing)
might have had very good Reaibn for choofing
to ufe the Word Hypo/ia/is, where he has
ufed it, in fpeaking of the divine Perfons,
rather than the Word U/ia. This latter being
applicable to all Kinds of Subftance, and to
Jehovah, before he became Elobim, and chofe
to fubfift perianal ly : Therefore he might
have rather chofe it, to iignify perfonal Sub-
fiance by, in order to diftinguiih between
Effence or Subftance in general, and the per-
fonal Subftance ; for if he had ufed U,. '.,
where be^has jafed Hypo/lajis, Hypoflcyis, for
the Sake of Diftindtion between the general
and perfonal Subftance, would have been
more proper to have been put in the Place
of JJfia. Either one or the other, overthrow
both the Arian and Sabellian Hypothefes ; for
by either the Co-eternity and Cohfubftantialiry
and Co- equality of the Perfons arc maintained
again ft the Artans, and there being three real
and fubflantial Perfons, and not three Nam
for one and the fame Thing is afferted in Con-
tradiction to Sabellians.
Secondly, we may clearly perceive by what
hath been laid, that the Creed, that goes
under the Name of St. Atbanajius, may be
his, notwithstanding all that our Author irom
. Vofjhs hath laid to the contrary ; and that
this Doftrine, of the three Hypo/iajes truly
h an-
CXvi The PREFACE.
I ierfiood, and as 1 have now explained it,
bv the heavenly Reprefentation, is not only
the true icriptural Doctrine concerning the
divine Trinity in Unity, but alio was the
Doctrine of the Nicene Fathers, who held
three Pcrfons in the divine Trinity ; for it is
not inconiiftcnt, but perfectly confident with
the ccmfubftantial Doctrine, or with the Be-
lief that the three Perfons different from each
other in Refped: of their States, Forms, Mo-
tions and Actions, arc one and the lame in-
dividual and infeparabie Subftance as hath
been {hewn by the heavenly Rcprefenta-
tion. And,
Thirdly, we may likewife moft clearly per-
ceive by what hath been faid before, that
the Creed commonly called the Creed of St.
Athanafiu^ is fo far from contrajd idling the
Nicene Creed, (as our Author by not confi*
dering the fehfible Reprefentation which God
hath been pleafed to make of himielf in his
holy Word, nor the Doctrine of the holy
Scriptures conformable thereunto, hath in*
considerately aflertedi that it is perfectly con-
fident with it; for the three Hypofla/es in the
Athdnalian Creed, explained by and accord-
ing to that heavenly Reprefentation, h
been (hewn to be p iy confiftent with
the Confubftantiality red and fet forth in
the A
My D in the . I Treatife concern-
hi? the divine Tri Perfons in effential
° ' T T *
Unity.
The P RE FACE. cxvli
Unity, and the Godhead of J-fus Chrift the
only begotten Son of God, whofe Godhead
I have there fhewn to be one and the fame
with his Father's ; was to mew the Truth
of both thofe Doctrines and the Conceiv-
ablenefs of them, as they are reprefented and
fet forth in the holy Sc» iptures -, and the great
and spiritual Benefits and Encouragements to
the Love of God, and to Holinefs, and per-
fect Obedience to the Law of perfect Purity
and Righteou fnefs, thofe two Things that are
indifpenfably neceiiary in order to Sanctifica-
tion, Salvation, and true and rational Happi-
nefs both temporal and everlafting, that are
to be obtained by the fincefe and true Be-
lief of thefe two Doctrines. And therefore,
I had no Intention to concern myfelf with
what the Fathers of the chriftian Church,
and Councils had laid, concerning either of
thefe Points, becaufe neither their Authority,
nor any other human Authority, ever was,
or ever can be of any Weight in determin-
ing, whether any Points of Doctrine are true
or falfe. However, learned but inconfiderate
Men, have too often; and too long urged
their Authority as of Weight m fuch Cafes j
for which Reafon I made ufe of no other
Arguments, than thofe which the holy Scrip-
tures afford, whofe Truth is fupported by the
Reafon of Things, and which are the only
Arguments that are pertinent and proper, in
all Caies where the Truth or Falfhood of a
h z Doctrine.
cxviii The PREFACE.
Doctrine, which hath an Influence upon
moral Practice, is the Point in Debate. But
as our Author has denied the Truth of thefe
true and truly fcriptural, and fpiritually be-
neficial Doctrines, and has zealoufly but vain-
ly laboured tp explode and extirpate the Be-
lief of them out of the Minds of Mankind,
and hath brought in fome of the Nicene
Fathers, as contradicting others with Refpect
to thefe two Doctrines of the Trinity^ and
the Godhead of J ejus drift. And as
I have in the annext Treatife fully proved
the Truth of both thofe fcriptural Doctrines,
and the Beneficialnefs of fincerely and truly
believing them 5 fo I thought it not amifs to
fay fo much in few Words in this Preface,
(which our Author has been the Occafion of
my troubling the World with) as I think
iufficient to convince him, that the Orthodox
Nicene Fathers have not contradicted one ano-
ther in any Thing they have faid concerning
any of thefe Doctrines.
i have before obferved, that both the
Doctrine of the divine Trinity, and that of
the Godhead of Jefus Chrift, have been great-
ly perplexed, by Perfons, who without fcrip-
tural Authority, have afferted J (1 s Chrill
to be one of the Perlbns in the divine
Trinity, and have blended thefe very dii
rent Doctrines together in their* Con tefts about
them, by which they rendered both incom-
prchenfibk and unintelligible. Whereas the
Author
The PR E FACE. cxlx
Author of the Athanafian Creed, hath been
very careful to fet thele forth as very diffe-
rent Doctrines, that ought not to be jumbled
and treated of together ; and he hath fet
forth the Doctrine of the divine Trinity, in
perfect Conformity to the Reprefentation and
the Revelations made concerning it in the holy
Scriptures, more fully and clearly, than it is
in any of the other antient Creeds, which
have been continued in the Chriftian Church.
He tells us, That the one God ts to be wor-
foipped in Trinity y and the Trinity in Unity y
(i. e ) the three fubtlantial Agents, which con--
ftitute the divine Trinity, io differ from each
other, in refpect of their State, Forms, Mo-
tions and Actions, that one can not be called
the other ; and therefore mull neceffarily be
called, as they really in thefe Refpe&s are,
three different fubftantial intelligent Agents or
Perfons, and yet in refpect of their Effence or
Subftance they muft be called, as they really
are, but one individual and infeparable Sub-
ftance, and io con/ubflantial ; and this is ren-
dered moffc clearly conceivable by the fenfible
Reprefentation that God hath been gracioufly
pleafed to make of himfelf by the material and
vifible Heavens, as I have (hewn in the an-
nexed Treatife. And therefore he truly fays,
the Perfons are not to confounded, as they have
bern by the Sabcllians ; nor the Subftance
to be divided, as it hath, by thofc who ha\e
h 3 con-
cxx The PRE FA C E.
contended for jfefus Cbrifl's being one cf
the Perfons in the divine Trinity.
And when he fays there is one Tlypoflafis or
Sub/lance, or Per Jon of the Father, and ano-
ther of the Son, and another of the holy
Ghojl. We may clearly perceive by his Say-
ing, that the Subftance is not to be divided,
that he did not mean by another Hypo(iafisl
Subftance or Per/bny a Perfon of a fpccirically
different Subftance from, but of one and the
fame individual Subftance with the Father,
but another different from him, not in refped
of Subftance, but of its State, Form, Mo-
tion, and Adion, as is rendered clearly con-
ceivable by the Heavens by Representation ;
and therefore they are, as he lays, all co-eter-
nal, co-effential, and in all Refpeds, co-equal ;
and as none of the three can move or act un-
lefs all the three move and acT: together, ahbo'
they be three, and that each of them may
be ft r icily or properly called God, yet as no
one of them can be called God exclufive of
the other two, yet as he fays there are not
three Gods, nor three Locds.
And he fays the Son is of the Father a-
lone, not made nor created, but I en.
V/e are not to understand this of the Man
yejiis Clrift , who is in another Senfe called
the only begotten Son or God, but of the
eo-cternal and co*e^fentia'l Perfon, diftinguiftv*
ed by the Name of the Son in the divine
Trinity, for he doth not (peak oi theft two
ins
The PREFACE. cxxi
Sons together s and bv the Reorefentation
we may clearly conceive how the Son, in
Refpect of his EfTence or Subftancc, may be
faid to be begotten or generated by the Fa-
ther ; for although the Light in the material
Heavens fhone forth as foon as the Fire was
kindled in their Center, yet it was generated
by, and ifiued from the Fire, and therefore
might properly be called the Son, and be faid
to be generated or begotten by that Fire. And
as the Perfon called the Father in the divine
Trinity is fenfibly reprefented by the Fire in
the material and vifible Heavens; and as the
Perfon called the Son in the divine Trinity is
reprefented by the Light in the material
Heavens, we may thereby clearly conceive,
how the fecond Perfon in the divine Trinity,
although co-eternal with his Father in refpecl
of his Kiience or Subftance, may (trictlv
and properly be called his Son, and be f iid to
be generated or begotten of him, however-
paradoxical it may appear when reprefented
by Words, which do no< always fully and
clearly exprefs cur Conceptions.
And having more fully and explicitly and
conceivably explained and fet forth the Doc-
tnine of the divine Trinity in Unity, as it is
reprefented and fct forth in theholyScripturcs,
than it is in any of the other antient Creeds;
and as a diftind Doctrine by itielf, and ne-
ceffary to be believed, in order to Salvation
and eternal Life : He then proceeds- to (hew
h 4 the
cxxii 1 he P R E F A C E.
the Godhead of Jc/usCbrift to be one and
the lame with hi- Father's, (/'. e.) with the
Godhead of the divine Trinity, who dwelt
in him in all the Fulnefs of the Godhead, as
another diftinct Doctrine neceflary to be be-
lieved by Mankind, in order to Salvation and
eternal Life. But it mull be acknowledged
that he hath not been fo explicit, and lull
and clea.r upon this Point as he hath been
upon that of the divine Trinity in Unity, al-
though he hath laid what isfufficicnt to con-
vince Mankind, ' that his Belief of this
c Point was conformable to the Doctrine of
* the holy Scriptures, and that he believed
c that the Godhead of the Man *Jefui Cbrift
c was oneai.d the fame with thai of God
c Father {i.e.) of the whole Divine Trinity
c who dwell in him.'
And as Jejus Cbnjl was perfect God and,
perfect Man, and that it it neceflary to
believe he was both, is with de-
claring his Incarnation by wjjich he became
perfect Man, by which his human Soul, or
fcminal Body, together with his human Spi-
rit which were created before the Wor]
and together with God his Father, who had
HOtonlyclI ntially but fpimually united him-
him, and came one in all Re-
js with him, took human Flefh upon
, jnthcWomboJ the bleiTed Virgin Ma-
ry his
i id.
The PREFACE. cxxiii
And accordingly he fays, he was God of
the Sub/lance of his Father begotten before
the World: And Man of the Su/tatjce oj bis
Mother born in the World, By which we
here underftand according to the holy Scrip-
tures, that God not only by uniting the di-
vine Subftance to the Soul or feminal Body,
and Spirit oijefus Chrift, whom he had created
and produced into Being before the Creation
of the World, or any other Creature, (for
God exifls, or is in and through, and over
all his Creatures, elTentially or fubftantially)
but by dwelling in him, by the holy Spirit
of Faith, which he communicated to him
without Meafure, he became God. All
God's 'Will, his Thoughts, Words, and
Actions, and all his other divine Perfections,
thereby having become his : And therefore, he
is {aid to be God of the Subftance of his Father,
begotten before the Worlds, on Account of the
divine Subilauce, together with all theFulnefs
of the Godhead, and all the divine Perfections
communicated to him, with that divine Sub-
ftance and dwelling in him. Which appears
plainly to be the Meaning and Belief of the
Author of this Creed, by his calling him perfect:
God, and equal to.the Father, as touching his
Godhead ; although inferior to him, as touch-
ing his Manhood j and although both God
and Man, not two, but one Chriji ; and one
r.ot by Converfion of the Godhead into Flefh,
Lut by taking the Manhood into God, not
only
cxxiv The PREFACE.
only by Cbri/l's being in him, and he being
in Chriji fubilantially {for fo all Mankind,
and all other Creatures are in him, and he
in them) but by this dwelling in Chrift, and
Chrift in them, by the Unity and Commu-
nity of one and the fame holy Spirit, by
which their Wills, Thoughts, Words, and
A&ions all became one and the fame, as I
have before obferved.
And he hath very juftly and ufefully de-
clared, that the Faith concerning both thefe
Doctrines, which he hath fet forth according
to the holy Scriptures, is neceiTary to be be-
lieved in order to Salvation and eternal Life.
For that Faith moil evidently contains mod
powerful Motives to move Mankind to love
God with all their Flearts, and to mortify
and purify themfelves from all bodily Lulls,
which are two Things which are indifpenfa-
bly necefiary to be done, in order to the
Attainment of ihofe great, good, and necef-
fary Ends. And by the Denial of the true
fcriptural Faith, concerning thefe two Doc-
trines, and by teaching any other Belief con-
cerning them, Men are deprived of thole
powerful Motives, by which they would be
powerfully moved to do thofe Things which
are fclf-fufficiei* and indifpeniably neceffarily
to be done, in order to the Attainment of
Salvation and eternal Life. And therefore,
I fay, that what he declared is Truth, and
highly nccefliiry, and always reasonable to
be
The PREFACE. cxxv
be declared in the Church of God, that he
that doth not keep the catholic Faith whole
and undented, will pcrilh everlaftingly. And
that the catholic Faith, concerning the divine
Trinity in Unity ; and concerning the God-
head of Jefiis Cnrift) being as he from the
holy Scriptures hath declared them to be :
Therefore, every one that will be faved, muft
think of the Trinitv, and of the Godhead of
Jejus Chrijt, as he from the holy Scriptures
hath declared them to be, other wife he cannot
be faved.
And it is farther obfervable, that as the
Author of the Athanafian Creed, hath been
very full and particular in his Explication of
the Doctrines of the divine Trinity in Unity,
but more concife in his Explication of the
Divinity, or Godhead of Jejus Cbrift, in the
Creed fet forth by him. So on the other
hand the Fathers of the Nicene Council, in
the Creed fet forth by them, have fet forth
concifely the Doctrine of the divine Trinity,
but have more at large fet forth the Divinity
of Jejus Cbriji, than Athanafius hath done.
But that the Doctrines of both the Creeds,
concerning both thefe Points are perfectly
confident with the Doctrine of the holy
Scriptures concerning them, and that there-
fore the Doctrines of thefe two Creeds, are
perfectly confident with each other ; for it
hath been (hewn before, that the three Hy-
pojiajes mentioned in the Athanafian Creed,
are
cxxvi The PREFACE.
are perfectly confident with the Confubftan-
tiality mentioned in the Nicene. And that
therefore, they do not contradict each other
as our Author has inconfiderately affdrted.
And as to his charging it as an Error in the
Church of Rome, to believe the Word Hy-
poftafis, to fignify a fubftantial, intelligent
Agent or Perfon, if (lie was guilty of no-
thing but this which he calls an Error, I
ihould look on her to be both a pure, and
uncorrupted, and infallible Church, in Re-
peel: of her Faith. But as (he teaches, that
Jcfus Cbriff, perfect God and perfect Man,
is one of the Perfons in the divine Trinity,
it is very evident that (he hath not a right and
true Notion of the three PeiTons in the Tri-
nity ; and that therefore the Faith winch
ihe teaches, with Refpedt both to that Article,
and to that of the true Godhead of Jtfus
Chrift is erronious, as her Faith in many
other Points is -, and confequently, many of
her Precepts both moral and ritual muft
neceffarily be, as I have fhewn them to be
unrighteous, and deftructive of true and Spi-
ritual Sanctificatibn, and confequently of Sal-
vation and eternal Life.
As to his faying, Section exxxviii. That
alt lough the Relation between two co-eternal
and coe-qual Beings might hear feme Analogy
to the Denomination of Brothers, yet it Jeems
abfolutely inconfi/tent with that of Father and
Son. 1 refer him lor better Information in
this
The PREFACE, cxxvii
this Cafe, to the fenfible Reprefentation that
God hath been pleafed to make of himfclf
by the material and vifible Heavens, in his
divinely revealed and holy Word, in order to
enable Mankind to form a juft and true
No.tion, of his Manner of fubfifting in a
Plurality of three Perfons, whom he hath
been pleafed to diftinguifti by the Names
of Father, Son% and holy Spirit, (at which
our Author feems offended, and charges his
fo doing with Impropriety or Inconfiitency)
in the one eternal Jehovah, or divine Effence :
And to what I have faid in the annext
Treatife concerning it, and the divine Perfons
fenfibly fignified and repreiented by it j where
he will find Co- eternity and Co-equality, to
be fo far from being abjolutely inconfiftent
with, that they are perfectly confident with
the Denominations of Father and Son in the
divine Trinity, as I have likewife before ob-
ierved, and briefly but clearly fhewn. More-
over, had he duly confidered the holy Scrip-
tures, he would have perceived that all
Mankind who have ever exifted in the World
under the different Denominations of Fathers
and Sons, as well as oi Brothers, were cotem-
porary and co-equal ; and that therefore there
was no Inconfiitency in afcribing Co-eternity
and Co-equality to both the Perfons diftin-
guifhed by the Names of the Father and the
Son in the divine Trinity ; for every human
Son, may truly be faid to have been always
co*
cxxviii The PREPUCE.
cotemporary with, and co-equal to his Father
in Rdpecl of his Exigence.
In his Section exxxviii. he has miftaken
the only begotten Son of God, the Man
Je/us Chrift, for the Perfon diftinguifhed by
the Name of Son in the divine Trinity, and fo
confounded the one with the other, which
ought to be always diflinguiihed from each
other. The Son in the divine Trinity, can
be demonftratively (hewn to be confubftantial,
and therefore co-eternal and co-equal in all
Refpecls with the Perfon called the Father
in the divine Trinity. Whereas no true
Member of the one and only true catholic
Church of God, ever afferted, that the only
begotten Son of God, the Man Chrifi 'J ejus
was co-effential and co-eternal and co-equal
in all P.efpe&s with his Father, [u e.) the
whole divine Trinity, but only in Reipecl of
his Godhead, which was one and the fame
with his Father's, which dwelt in him in all
its Fulnefs, being equal to the Father, as
touching his Godhead ; and inferior to the
Father, as touching his Manhood : So that
the only begotten Son the Man J ejus Chrifi%
wras not God ircm all Eternity, nor before
his human Nature was produced into Being
before the World's, but from the Time that
God mod intimately united him to himfelf,
and made him one God together with him-
felf; he then became in Reiptct of his God-
head, co-eternal, co-cfiential, and in that
Refpcdl
The PREFACE. ctxix
Refpect co-equal with his Father, and in
that Refpect together with his Father, he
might moil ftrictly and properly be called the
eternal God.
In his Section exxxix. he tells us, that the
Reafon which led the Compilers of the Nicene
Creed into the Determination of the Confab -
flantiality of the Father and the Son, was the
Arian Doctrine, of the Sons being begotten of
the Father before all Times and Ages, and
therefore fub filled only through the Father s
Will: But that he was not eternal, (i. e.)
co- eternal with the Father, nor did he come
into Exifience along with the Father. This
is very true Doctrine with Refpect to the
Manhood of Jefus Chrijl, and therefore
very Ipecious ; but this was all they acknow-
ledged, or profefled to believe concerning
him, for they denied his Godhead, which
the holy Scriptures have fo fully and plainly
fet forth, which they have induflrioufly, but
vainly laboured to wreft, fo as to favour their
impious and wicked- making Belief, where
they found they could not obliterate or ex-
punge their Teftimony.
The Nicene Fathers,- in order to refute
this impious and wicked Doctrine, compiled
and fet forth their Creed, wherein they ac-
cording to the Doctrine of the holy Scriptures,
declare him to be of the Sub/lance of the
Father, and confubftantially with the Father,
in Refpect of his Godhead, who did not
only
ofiK The P REFAC E.
only fubftantially exift in him, as he does in,
through, and over all Mankind, and all Crea-
tures y but dwelt and operated, or ac~bd in
him, by being molt intimately united to him,
fo as to become one God together with him,
by Means of the holy Spirit of Faith com-
municated to him without Meafure, as I
have before obferved. And by which his
Co-eternity and Co-equality in Refpect of
his Godhead, would confequently moll: fully
and clearly appear. But our Author was fo
far from labouring to fhew and iupport the
fcriptural Truth fet forth in this Creed, that
he has laboured with as great Zeal to ex-
plode and deftroy the Belief of it, as he had
before (hewn, to difcredit the true fcriptural
•Faith, let forth in the Creed afcribed to St.
Atbanafeus.
And as thefe Nice?:e Fathers had annext
fome Anathemas to their Creed, by which
fuch as did not hold the true fcriptural
Faith concerning Jefus, were declared ana-
thematized, (/. e.) feparated from the Com-
munion of the holy catholick Church. He
fays in his Section cxliii. that it does not
feem eafy to explain what is meant by their
firit Anathema, curled [or feparated be they
from the Communion of the catholic Church]
who fay, there was a Time when the Son
was notr and that he did not exift before he
was begotten. But what he makes fo great
a Difficulty to explain, will be very eajy
to
The PREFACE. exxxi
to fuch Perfons as by the Son here, under-
fland the Godhead which was moft intimate-
ly united to him, which being one and the
fame with his Father's, exifted really and
actually, and not potentially from all Eter-
nity ; as for the Doctrine of the eternal
Generation of the Son, either in Refpect of
his Godhead or Manhood, I look upon it to
have been introduced by Perfons who neither
under flood the true fcriptural Doctrine of
either the divine Trinity, or of the Godhead
of Jefits ChriJ}, the only begotten Son of
God; and who have therefore confounded the
one with the other : for although the co-
effential Son, who was in all Refpects co-
equal with his Father, was co-eternal with
him : And although the Godhead of the
only begotten J ejus Chrift% who was, and is
one and the fame with his Fathers, was from
all Eternity in Refpect of its effential or
fubflantial Exigence; yet neither the Ge-
neration of the one nor the other, can be
laid or conceived to be from all Eternity.
As to his laying to this Efieff, that there
are fome who fay, that there are fome
Things which Mankind are obliged to believe
in order to their Salvation and eternal Life>
which they cannot comprehend nor under-
fland. 1 think this holds as Ariel ly true of
of thofe wiio teach, that there are three
Gods, viz, one iupreme and two inferior,
and two or three different Kinds of divi q
i Worfhi
cxxxii The PREFACE.
Worfhip, as it does of the Church of Rome,
which teaches the incompreheniible and un-
intelligible Doctrine of Tranfubftantiation,
the one being as incomprehenfible as the
other. And I am fure, it is as difficult to
comprehend and underftand three diftinct
and different created, and dependent infe-
rior Gods, which mud be independent at
the fame Time, if they have free Wills (and
if they have not they muft be Machines, and
no Gods) and the Confiitency of God's crea-
ting two fuch inferior dependent and inde-
pendent Gods, and of his inftituting the dif-
ferent Kinds of divine Worfhip, with his
pei feci Wifdom and Goodnefs, and how the
Belief of three fuch Gods, and of three
different Kinds of Worfhip can contribute
to the Attainment of Salvation and eternal
Life ; as it is to comprehend and underfland,
anv of the abfurd and unintelligible Doctrines
with which the Church of Rome, or any
other fupcrftltious and fchifmatical Churches
teach. And I have fully and clearly (hewn
in my Apology, that God never required, and
that no true Church of God ever enjoined
her Members to believe any Doctrines that
they could not clearly comprehend and un-
ftand ; and that the fincere and true Belief
or them hly ncceiLry for the At*
; t:on and Salvation, and
true nal Happioefs both temporal
ar.d cv And I have before in this
Pre-
The PREFACE, cxxxiii
Preface, but more fully in theannextTreati/e
(hewn, that the true fcriptural Do(ftrines of
the divine Trinity in fubftantial Unity, and
of the one Godhead of J ejus Chrift, together
with his Father's, are not only mod clearly
conceivable and intelligible Truths, but alfo
Truths that are highly neceffary to be be-
lieved by Mankind, in order to their Sanc-
tification and Salvation, and eternal Life. So
that the Defenders of thefe true, and truly
fcriptural Doctrines, have not taken upon
them to explain Things incomprehensible,
and above the Reach of human Underftand-
ftandings, as he in Section cliu liys they have ;
nor have roared loud againft thofe who have
attempted to fcrittimze the Things which be-
hng to Heaven. Although they have labour-
ed to awaken thofe into a Senfe of their
Error and Wickednefs, who have been in-
dubious in wrefting, and perverting the Senfe
of the holy Scriptures, in order to lead Man-
kind from the Belief of thofe Doctrines,
which are fo neceffary to be believed by
them, in order to their Salvation and eternal
Life.
He fays Section cxlix. That if the confub-
ftantial Doctrine be true, and that the Son is
the fame undivided Subftance with the Fa-
ther ; if the Son entered into the Womb of
the Virgin Mary and became incarnate, it
will neceffarily follow, that the Father enter-
ed the Womb of the Virgin, and became
i 2 in-
cxxxiv The PREFACE.
incarnate there, his Confequence is very juft
and very true \ for the divine Subftance is at
all Times omniprefent, and in and through,
and over all Things, in all Places, and there-
fore in the Body of Chrijl in the Womb of
the Virgin Mary, and as the Body of Chnjl
became incarnate there ; fo God the Father
who was fubflantially in the Body and Spirit
ot ChrijU and moft intimately united to
them, was at the fame Time together with
them in the Womb of the Virgin 'Mary, and
became incarnate there. I cannot fee the
Reafon why our Author produced this Ar-
gument, in order to overthrow the confub-
itantial Dcclrine, and deftroy the Credit of
the Nicene Creed, which manifeftly fhews
the Truth of both s had he argued to Pur-
pole, he fhould have (hewed if he could,
that God who is omniprefent at all Times,
was at a certain Time not in the Womb of
the Virgin Mary, and that he did not there
together with his only begotten Son Jcfus
Chrijl take human Flefh upon him.
Flavins; got into this Way of reafoning
without Consideration, he goes and lays,
Sedion cl. That if God and Mail be one
Chi id, and ij Chrift fuffired for the Sins of
Mankind, it neccjjanly follows that Chrift
Juffered in bis Godhead, as well as his Hu-
nity9 fince otherwise it would have been the
Man Jcfus, and not Jems the Meffiah, that
J'uffered jor the Sins uf Men. Had our Au-
thor
The PREFACE. cxxxv
hor duly confidered the holy Scriptures, and
the true End for which Cbrift fuffered, and
what it is that Men are taught to call to
Mind by the Confideratipn of his Sufferings,
that they may be fpiritually beneficed and
fancYified and faved thereby. And that his
Suffering and Death were not vie rious; as
hath been impioufly and wickedly taught
by inconfiderate, and fcripturally ignorant
Teachers, as I have mod: clearly (hewn in my
Apology for the one and only true and chriftian
Religion, he would have moft clearly per-
ceived that the Confideration of Cbrift* s Suf-
fering in his human Body, without the Suf-
fering either of his own human immaterial,
and therefore impaffible Spirit, and without
the Suffering of the fpiritual and therefore
impaffible God that dwelt in him, and be-
came God together with him, fully anfwers
the great Ends for which he fuffered, and
moft powerfully moves Mankind to love
God with all their Hearts, &c. and to mor-
tify, and purify themfelves from all bodily
Lulls, which are all the Things that are
neceffary to be done > but they are indif-
penfably neceflary to be done, by all Man-
kind, in order to Sandification and Salvation
and eternal Life, and they moil: powerfully
to move Men to do both theie Things,
which was the great End for which Cbrift
fuffered and died in his human Body. And
had he likewife confidered that God is fub-
i 3 ftantialU
cxxxvi The PREFACE.
ftantially omniprefent, and therefore at all
Times, in all Places and Things, and there-
fore in every Malefactor that is executed,
fubflantially but impaffible, becaufe a fpiri-
tual Being, and therefore could not fuffer in
Cbrifi, when his Body fufiered the Pains of
Death upon the Crofs: And that for the
fame Reafon the Spirit of Chriji did not fuffer
when his Body fu It. red, unlefs it was ly
meditating on the Lulls and Wickednefs of
Mankind, by which they would be made
everlaftingly miferable, without fincere and
true Repentance , which was a Godlike Kind
of fuffering, which no human Power had
Authority to inflict. And had he likewife
confidered, the common Forms of human
Language, and how they are to be under-
stood; as when we fiy fuch a Man fuffered
(although we knew that he had an imma-
terial and an immortal Spirit, as well as a
material and mortal Body) I believe no con-
fiderate Perfon would believe, that we meant
the Man's immaterial and immortal Spirit
fufiered Death, when we laid, the Man ib
fuffered; and therefore, I think iiour Author
had been a little more con fkk rate, he would
not have produced fuch weak Arguments
in Favour of fo bad a Caule, it any better
could have been foand. Aid therefore his
laying, SeClion eli. that the ConfubiiamialiUs
Will hardly deny his P;cmik>, but will not
.'W his Coniequcnces, whieh he fjys, are
as
The PREFACE. cxxxvu
as demonftrably true as ai.y Propofitiou in
Mathematics is true ; for I have ckarly
fhevvn, that his Premifes are falfe, and iuch
as no confederate Perfon would have ventured
to have advanced or to have reafoned from -y
and therefore his Concluiions deduced from
them cannot be as true as mathematical Pro-
portions, which are deduced from Premifes
mod evidemly true.
In his four next following Sections, he
fays, Papifts, in order to perfuade Men out of
their Senfes, and to prevail with them to
beiive the abfurd Doctrine of Tranfubftantia-
tiony fpeak much of the Incomprehenhble-
nefs of God, and of his Attributes, and of
the Infufficiency of our Abilities to rench
or comprehend them -> and that therefore we
ought to believe what the Scripture has faid
concerning them, whether we comprehend
or underftand it or not ; and as it is laid in the
holy Scripture by Cbrijt, This ts my Btrfy,
and this is my Bloody we ought to believe this
My fiery* although we cannot comprehend
how it can be true, and that when the Protef*
tants argue again ft Tranjiibfiantiation^ they
never fail to object the equal Incredibility of
a confubftantial Trinity. What he hath laid
to this Effect concerning Papifts is very true ;
but I (hall not here concern myfelf about
the Doctrine of Tranfubftantiation, having in
the firft Volume of my Apology put an End
to all future Conteft or Controverfy about
i 4 that
cxxxviii The F R E F J C E.
that DoSrine, having there fpukcn largely
concerning all religious Myfterics ; and having
clearly (hewn, that God never ftt forth any
Doclrine in his holy Word neceflaiy to be
believed by Mankind, that he hath not en-
abled them ttioft clearly to comprehend and
undcjrftand, and to perceive, the Belief* of it
to be neceflaiy for moving them to do the
Things which are indifpcnfibly neceffary to
be done for the Attainment of Salification,
Salvation, and eternal Life. And that the
Belief of the abfurd and incomprehenflble,
and moft manifestly falfc Doclrine of Tran-
fubftantiation, is fo far from being conducive:
to Sanclification and Salvation, and e tern a J
Life, that it is inconfiilent with, and dc-
ftruftive of the Belief of that Faith, which
is indifpenfably neceffary to be fincerely and
truly believed, in order to the Attainment
of thofe great, neceffary, and happy Ends.
This I chofe there to (hew plainly and fully,
becaufe it is an Argument which is of itfclf
fufficient to move Mankind to disbelieve and
deteft that moil falfc and wicked, and ever-
laftingly milerable- making Doctrine.
Eutas our Author in bus hundred and fifty-
fixth Sedtion hath faid, that tbis Method of
reafont b the Papifts ufe) is as ftrong%
iv fb regard to Con v, as Tranlub-
ft ant tat ton j and that the I . upon
the one Doclrine, to be as incredible as the
other, a^ our Author feems to do. I refe
both
The PREFACE, cxxxix
both to the annext Treatife, In order to con-
vince themfelves of the wide Difference that
there is between thefe two Doctrines, in rc-
fpect to Credibility -, for I have there fhewn
them, that the confubftantial Doctrine of
the divine Trinity, is not only a moft clear
and conceivable Truth, but that the fincere
and true Belief of it, is highly neceffary for
the Attainment of Sa notification and Salva-
tion, and eternal Life. But no Man ever
was, or ever will be able to (hew that the
Doctrine of Tranfubfranciation is true ; or
that the Belief of ic is neceffary for the Attain-
ment of either of thefe great, good, and ne-
ceffary Ends ; fo that our Author was not
very confederate, when he imagined the Rea-
foning of Papifts againft Conlubftantiation,
to be as ftrong as the Reafoning of Prote-
ftants againft Tranfubftantiation.
In his hundred and fifty-feventh Section he
acknowledges, that both the Doctrine of the
Trinity, and of the Eucharift, are revealed in
St. Matthew's Gofpel. But then he fays, that
the holy Scriptures are as filent about the Con-
fubftantiality of the one, as about the Tran-
fubftantiation of the other. To which I an-
fwer, that he may be convinced of his Error,
by perufing the annexed Treatife, where he will
find, that by the fenfible Representation that
God hath been pleafed to make of himfelf,
and to which the Words Jehovah Elobim,
wherever they occur in the holy Scriptures,
do
cxl The PRE FA C E.
do always refer; that the holy Scriptures are
fo far from being filent, about the ConfubiUn-
tiality of the three Perfons in the divine Trini-
ty, that nothing is more frequently, nor more
clearly fet forth therein, and that there are few
Chapters from the Beginning to the End of
them, where that Doctrine is not fet forth.
As for the Doctrine of Tranfubftantiation,
which he puts upon an equal Foot of Credi-
bility, which I leave to the Doctors of the
Church of Rome, to fhew whether the Scrip-
tures be filent about it or not ; having fully
fhewn elfewhere, that it is not only an un-
fcriptural, but an anti-fcriptural Doctrine.
In the fame foregoing Section, he tells, that
both DoEtrines came originally from the fame
Oracle, the Papal Chair. That the Doc-
trine of Tranfubftantiation was forged in the
Church of Rome, when (lie fell from her
primitive Purity, and became corrupted both
in her Doctrine*., and in her Precepts both
moral and ritual, I readily grant our Author ;
but hewiiiiiiid that I have fhewn, the Con-
fiibftantiality of the three Perfons in the divine
Trinity to have been divinely revealed, and
to have been feniibly reprcfented to Man-
kind, and believed by all fincere and true
Members of the true Church of God from
the Beginning or the World , and therefore
before there ever was a Gentile Pontiff or
Chritlian Pope in Being ; to that our Au-
thor's Zeal lor promoting the Caufe he had
em-
The PREFACE. cxli
cmbarqued in, hurried him far away from
the Truth concerning this Point.
In his hundred and fifty-eighth Section he
fays, He thinks it incumbent on thofe P rot eft ant
Biftcps, who hold the Doctrine of a confub-
ftantial Trinity, to inform us why the Infal-
libility of the Pope mujt be acknowledged in
one of thefe Inftances, and not in the other.
Since no Protectant Bifhop that 1 hc.ve heard
of, hath thought it incumbent upon him to
anfwer his Book, which every one of them
might think unworthy of an Anfwer, and to
carry its own Refutation along with it, its
Conclusions being all deduced fiom an-
tffcriptural, and therefore falfe metapufcal
Conjectures, and other ill-confidered and
falic Premifes -> and therefore have not eiven
him the Information he required and expect-
ed from them, that he may not think his
Book unanfwerable, becaufe, it has not been
anfwered by a Proteftant Bifhop, who (I
hope) all believe a divine confubftantial Tri-
nity in eiTcntial Unity. And that he may not
longer want the Information he ieemsearneftly
to defire, and hoping that he will not look upon
t as an Indignity offered to him to receive his
Information from a Perfon that is not 01 the
Epifcopal Order, I, who am no dignified
Clergyman, nor diftinguifhed from thole he
calls the Bulk of the Clergy, have humbly
prefumed, as I thought it my Duty as a Cler-
gyman and Miniiier of the mofl truly and
bell,
cxlii The PREFACE.
beft, though not perfectly reformed Epifo
pal Church in the Kingdom of Ireland, to
inform him, that I do not believe the Pope,
either in the midft of his Cardinals, nor at
the Head of what they call a General Coun-
cil, nor a General Council with or without the
Pope at the Head of it, to be infallible either
in his, or their Doctrine or Precepts, any long-
er than they govern and direct ihemftlves by
the holy Spirit of Faith which God revealed
to our firft Parens* and directs Mankind to
perfect Obedience to the divinely revealed, and
moft perfect, and perfectly purifying fpiritual
Law. And that every particular Perfon in
the World, who directs and governs himfelf
wholly by this Faith and Law, is infallible,
and as infallible as any Pope and General
Council ever was, when they directed and
governed themfelves by this Faith and Law,
by which, and by which only, they can be
made infallible $ and therefore I do not be
lieve the papal Doctrine of Tranfubftantia-
tion. But I believe the Doctrine of the
Confubftantiality of the three Perfons in the
divine Trinity in eflential Unity in the one
jfebovah or divine EiTence ; but not becaufe
the Pope believes it, but becaufe it is a
Doctrine that is perfectly conformable to the
divinely revealed Faith delivered to our hrit
Parents, and powerfully moves Mankind
to perfect Obedience to the moft perfect
and perfectly purifying divinely revealed fpi-
ritual
The PREFACE. cxliij
ritual and fcriptural Law of perfect Righte-
oufhefs j and becaufe I can clearly perceive
and mew by the fenfible Rcprefentation that
God has been gracioufly pleaild to make of
himfelf, and of his Manner of fubfiftin2; in
Plurality in fubflantial Unity in the one Je-
hovah or divine Effence. That the confub-
ftantial Doctrine is a mod clearly conceivable
Truth 5 and as I hope that I have hereby fully
and fatisfactorily informed our Author con-
cerning the Point he feemed defirous to be
informed about ; fo I hope all the Proteftant
Bimops in thefe Kingdoms will approve of the
Information, and look upon it as conformable
to the Doctrine of the holy Scriptures.
And" I take the Liberty of farther informing
our Author, that all truly and fcripturaliy
learned Proteitant Bifhops, may with very jufl
and good Reafon fay to him and his AfTociates
in in Belief, who deny the Truth of the con-
fubftantial Doctrine of the divine Trinity in
Unity j Te are blind, ye are blind, becaufe
they (hut their Eyes, and will not fee by the
fpiritual Light of the divinely revealed Word
that fenfible Repiefentauon that God hath
been gracioufly pleafed to make of himfelf
by which they would be enabled mod clearly
to conceive the Truth of that confubftantial
Doctrine.
And I defire his Leave to wait on him a
little farther, that I may likewife inform him
that the pious Compilers of our Liturgy, who
made
cxliv The PREFACE.
made this metaphyfical Doctrine of the Con-
fubftantiality of the three Perfons In the di-
vine Trinity, a Part of the Publick Service
in the Church, did not expect that any Dif-
putes fhould be raifed about it ; any more
than they expected that Difputes would be
raifed about the no lefs metaphyfical Doc-
trines of the Exiftence of God, or the Im-
mortality of the Spirits of Men, or any other
metaphyfical Doctrine of our holy Religion,
(for all true fanctifying, faving, and divinely
revealed Religion is fpiritual, and therefore
metaphyfical) which they have directed to
beconftantly preached in all the true Churches
of God, that Mankind might be thereby put
and kept continually in Mind of the true
fpiritual or metaphyfical Faith, which indif-
penfably obliges to Perfeverance in perfect
Obedience to the divinely revealed, and per-
fectly purifying fpiritual, or metaphyfical Law
of perfect Righteoufnefs. And that they
made this fpiritual, or metaphyfical Doctrine
of the Confubftantiality of the three Perfons
in the divine Trinity a Part of the Publick
Service of the eftablifhed Church, out of a
very pious and truly religious Defign, that
Mankind might by the fincere and true Be-
lief of it, be powerfully moved to love God
with all their Hearts, &c. and manifefr. the
Truth and Sincerity of their Love, by perfe-
vering in perfect Obedience to his moll: per-
fect and purifying Law of perfect Righteouf-
neis,
The PREFACE. cxlv
nefs, which lie gave us for no other Reafon
but to preferve, refcue, and deliver us from
the Captivity and Tyranny of all our bodily
Lufts, and confcquently from all Kinds and
Degrees of Wickednefs and Mifery, both
temporal and everlafting. And the Difputes
that have been railed about this metaphyfical
confubftantial Doctrine ; and all the Difputes
that have been ever raifed about the meta-
phyfical, or fpiritual Doctrines of the Ex-
igence of God, and the Immortality of the
Spirits of Men ; and about a future State of
everlafting Happinefs or Mifery, have been
raifed by fcripturally ignorant Perfons inclined
to hearken to, believe, and obey the Dictates
of their refpective predominant bodily Lufts,
and the groundlefs and fantaftical Imagina-
tions which they fuggeft to themfelves, that
they may be at Liberty to gratify them,
wkhout any confeientious Controulment or
Reftraint by difcrediting thofe Doctrines
which indifpeniably oblige to Mortification,
and fpiritual Purification.
I hope I have hereby fully informed our
Author about all thofe Particulars he feemed
fo deiirous to be inform 'd of, but whether to
his Satisfaction, I cant fay. Whether he ought
to be iatisfied with the true Information I
have given him, I refer him to the Judgment
of all unprejudiced and impartial Perfons $
and of thofe Proteftant Biihops from whom
he expected his Information.
In
CKlvi The PREFACE.
In his Hundred and Fifty-ninth and laft
Se&ion, he fays, he Jl:all ex peel Jome of the
Right Reverend Members of the P rot eft ant
Church of Ireland, either to account for this,
or to exonerate their Con faiences, by joining
in an humble Remonftrance againft it. Pro-
bably they may be of Opinion, that I have
fully and clearly accounted for all he expected
them to account for, and that there is no
Need of any other Remonftrance for exone-
rating their Confciences, than a Remonftrance
of their Disapprobation and Deteftation of
this Attempt, to extirpate the Belief of a
divinely revealed, and mofr. clearly and con-
ceivably true Article of Faith, and highly
neceffary to be believed, in order to the At-
tainment of Sanctiftcation and Salvation and
eternal Life out of the Minds of Mankind,
and to fubftitute in the Stead of it, the moft
impious and wicked-making Doctrines of
three different Sorts of Cods, and of three
different Sorts of divine Worfhip.
He promifes in the fame Section, That if
any of them foall deign to honour his Treatije
with an Anfwer, that if it pleajcs God to
f pare his Life-, that it ft: a II be /peed/1)' follow-
ed either by a Recantation or a Reply. But
as this Promife is only made to an Anfwer
from fome of the Right Reverend Members
of the Proteftant Church, he may think
himfelf diiengaged from either recanting or
replying to an Anfwer that came from a
Perion
The T > R E F A C E. cxhu
Perfon in a very low Station in the Prote-
flan t Church (with which he is fatisfied and
contented, however he may have been op-
preiTed)and may look upon it as a Difnonour
to draw up his Artillery againfr. a Fort almoft
demolimed with Age and Infirmities* But
Truth is Truth, and Falfhocd FalLhood,
whatever Hands they come from. And it
what I have publiftied in anfwer to his Trea-
dle be not thought fufficientto move our Au-
thor to recant his Errors, I am pprehenfivs
it will be fuffieient to with-hold him from
venturing to attempt a Reply.
This Preface having ! woin to a Size much
•longer than I defigned it, will not admit of
my animadverting fufficientiy upon his E*
piftle Dedicatory, and therefore I leave it to
others to make their Obfervations upon fuch
PaiTages of it as the hafty and adventurous
Author feems not to have well confidered.
Such as his Saying, Page the, 5th, Thai
any Attempt towards avoiding Diverjity of
[religious] Opinions, is ujelefs and impracti-
cable. For if nothing was prefcribed and
taught by the Minifters of the Church of
God, for Mankind to believe and obey, but
the divine revealed Word and Law, and fuch
Doctrines and Commandments, as couia be
tnoft clearly (hewn to be perfectly conforma-
ble to them, Perfons who hearken to, and
Relieve them, could not be otherwife th .n
flll of one Belief and Opinion in all Matters
k of
cxlviii The PREFACE.
of Religion both doctrinal and practical ; for
that Faith which is demonftratively true,
and can be moft clearly fhewn to be fo,
and that Law which can be mod clearly
fhewn to be perfectly Righteous, contain the
whole of all true fanctifying and faving Re-
ligion ; and they can be fhewn to be feif-
fufficient, and indifpenfably neceffary to be
fincerely and truly believed, and perfectly
obeyed, in order to the Attainment of Sanc-
tification and true Piety, and perfect Righ-
teoufnefs, and of Salvation, and of true and
rational Happinefs, both temporal and ever-
lafting. Therefore if thefe, and only thefe
few molt plain and clearly comprehenfible
Truths were confrantly inculcated to Man-
kind, they would be moved by the Confide-
ration of their true Interefr, to hearken to,
and believe them ; and if they did, they
muft neceffarily by this mod ufeful and
practicable (although unpractifed) Method be
all of one Mind, as well as one Profeffion,
with Refpect to their religious Opinions, and
there could not poflibly be any Diverfity o£
Religions among Mankind. And
Such as faying, Page the 2oih, That God
did not form human Nature fo, as to necefjitate
all Mankind to be of one Mind (with Refpeft
to Religion) but having made Mankind to b&
free yjge?its, he left them in the Hand of their
•> Council, to chu/e their own Opinions ,
{with Refpett to Religion) for thc?nfehest
which
The PREFACE. cxlix
Which is not Truth ; for although God
made all Mankind fpiritually free Agents ;
he did not leave them to chufe for themfelves
their religious Opinions ; for as foon as he
created them, he gave them a mod perfect,
and perfectly purifying fpiritual Law, and
mofl: powerful Motives to perfevere in per-
fect: Obedience to it $ by which they were
given to underftand, that if they would chufe
to believe any other religious Doctrines or O-
pinions than thofe he then revealed to them,
they would neceiTarily, and by the Reafon of
Things, become wicked and miferable both
temporally and everlaftingly. And
Such as his faying, Page the 1 8th, That
the e/lablified Religion of every Country, is
what conftitutes Orthodoxy ; And Page the
2 jth, That a Mans being of a wrong Opinion^
is not what properly con/lit utes him an He-
retic -, but his being of a different Opinion
from the Majority. New and ftrange Doc-
trine ; for from the Beginning, the divinely
revealed and demonftratively true fundamen-
tal Articles of the fpiritual Faith, and the
divinely revealed fundamental, and perfectly
purifying fpiritual Law of perfect Righteouf-
nefs, which God by Revelation gave to our
firft Parents, have conftituted Orthodoxy,
and have been the infallible Rule and Stan-
dard by which all religious Doctrines, and
Precepts ought to have been tried and judged
of, whether they were Orthodox, or not ;
k 2 ani
cl The P RE-FACE.
and whether they whoi>elicved and obeyed
them were wife, and in a right and happy-'
making Way of thinking or not. And he,
and he only, hath been always truly deno-
minated an Heretic, who rejected the Belief
of thefe, or any of thefe divinely revealed
fundamental Articles of the fpiritual Faith ;
and confequently his Obedience to the di-
vinely revealed and fundamental purifying
fpiritual Law : And who believes particular
Doctrines, and obeys particular Precepts which
are inconfiftent with, and deftru&ive of, the
Belief of the fundamental -Articles of the
divinely revealed fpiritual Faith, and of Obe-
dience to the divinely revealed fundamental
purifying fpiritual Law of perfect Righteouf-
nefs. And,
Such as his faying, Page 26th, that Mens
[religious] Opinions are . purely fpeculative.
And Page 29th, that- Mens bearing Ill-will
to others, who differ jrom. them in their
[religious'] Opinions, can be attributed to
nothing but to a vitio;/s Pride in our Na-
ture. For there never was a truly religious
Doclxine or Opinion taken up, and religioufly
embraced and contended for, for any other
Reafon than as the Belief of a Truth power-
fully moving Mankind to Virtue, and Obe-
dience to the moral Law, which is .necelTary
to be obeyed in order to Sandlification and
Kighteotifriefe. and Salvation, and eternal
Life. Neither was there ever a iiiperftitioua
or
The PREFACE. cli
or falfely religious Opinion taken up and
perfevered in by any Man merely for the
Sake of barely contemplating upon it, bat
for encouraging himfelf in the fenfual Gra-
tification of his predominant bodily Lufts, by
which he is made malevolent, and ill difpoied
towards all thofe who differ in their religious
Opinions from him, but more virulently and
inveterately againft thofe whofe Opinions are
truly religious, becaufe by them the Falfehood
and wicked and deftruclive Tendency of all
fuperftitious Opinions are detected and laid
open ; fo that no religious Opinion, whether
true or falfe is purely fpeculative, they being
all taken up for the Regulation of Practice
whether good or evil. And a truly religious
Man may diflike and be difpleafed with a
Perfon who differs in Opinion from him,
becaufe he knows he will be made wicked
and everlaftingly miferable by it, and be
moved by it to be very injurious to others.
But although he may dillike and be difpleafed
.and offended with another for thus differing
in Opinion from him, he will never bear Ill-
will towards him, or do him any Kind of
Injury, but will be always difpofed to do
him all the good Offices in his Power, and
to refcue him from his Error, that he may
be as virtuous and as happy as himfelf both
temporally and everlaftingly ; fo that if he be
angry he finneth not, his Anger is that of a
fmcere Friend, and not of an Enemy. It is
k 3 only
dii The PREFACE.
only the fuperflitious and falfly Religious that
hate and are evilly difpofed towards the Per-;
Jons and Profperity of thofe who differ from
them in their irreligious Opinions; becauie
they will not keep them in Continuance by
being wicked, and in the Ways that they
themfelves have chofen to be fo.
I leave our Author's other not well con-
fidered Sayings, difperfed through his Dedi-
cation to be re-confidered by himfelf, or
animadverted upon by others, who may have
more Leifure. But as he feems earneftly
defirous of a farther Reformation of our Ar-
ticles and Liturgy, and very zealous for
having the Athanafian Creed (and I think
the Nicene too) expunged out of the public
Service of the Church, and for having every
Thing removed out of the Way that may
give Offence to well-meaning Perfons ; I
mufl therefore defire his Leave to make two
or three Obfervations upon his earneft Defires,
which may be of fome Ufe both to him and
ethers to confider. And,
Fir/ly That as I have before fhewn the
Doctrines of the two aiore-mentioned Creeds
to be conformable to the divinely revealed
Faith fet forth in the holy Scriptures, and
to tend powerfully to move Mankind to per-
fevere in perfect Obedience to the holy-
making divinely revealed and perfectly puri-
fying ipiritual and fcriptural Law, I believe
the Right Reverend Body qi the Bifhops,
The PREFACE. cliii
and the reverend Reprefentatives of the Body
of the Clergy, when permitted fynodically
to affemble, in order to revife and make fuch
Alterations either in the Articles of our Re-
ligion, or our public Liturgy, or our eccle-
fiailical Canons, will expect better Reafons
than our Author has hitherto offered, before
they will enter upon the Consideration whe-
ther thefe Creeds fhould be removed out of
our public Church Service or not.
Secondly, That whenever they are permit-
ted to enter upon the Work of Reformation
of fuch Things, as may upon moil: mature
Deliberation be judged neceffary. I fay,
with moft humble Submiflion to their better
Judgment, that I think the Coniideration of
what will be agreeable or difagreeable, to
the unconftant Humours or Opinions of the
People, however well they may mean, ought
to have no Weight in their Deliberations
upon fuch an important Affair ; and that the
great and fundamental Coniideration, by
which they ought to govern themfelves upon
fuch Occaiions, is that of the true and fpiri-
tual Benefit of Mankind, both temporal and
everlafting.
Thirdly, That as the divinely revealed fun-
damental Articles of the demonftratively true
fpiritual and fcriptural Faith, which God
revealed to our firft Parents ; and the felt,
evidently righteous and moil perfect, and
only perfectly purifying fpiritual and fcriptu-
k 4 ra!
cliv The PRE FA C E.
ral fundamental Law, which he at the fame
T m£ by Revelation made known to them,
hend and contain all Things necefTary
to . •. known, believed, and done by all Man-
kind, in order to their SancYification and
Salvation, and true and rational Happinefs
both temporal and everlafting; and eonfe-
quently comprehend and contain all the true
ianvtifying and faving divinely revealed fpi-
ritual and fcriptural and truly chriftian Re-
ligion that ever was, or ever will, or can be
in the World : It neceflarily follows, that
thefe fundamental divinely revealed Articles
of Faith, and this divinely revealed funda-
mental fpiritual and fcriptural Law, are the
Things, and the only Things that ought to
be conftantly inculcated in the Church of
God, by his holy Minifters to Mankind.
fourthly ', That if therefore the Bifhops and
Clergy of thefe Kingdoms were permitted
iynodicaliy to affembL, arid licenfed by the
civil Power, to tmke inch Alterations in the
cftabliftcd Methods of publickly in'ftn (Sing
the People in the Knowledge of the true
Religion from the Defk and Pulpit. It they
fhould chufe to begin with compiling a Set
of Homilies, Difcourfes or Sermons, which
all the Clergy might be canonicaily and le-
gally obliged publickly to read or preach to
their refpectave Congregations initeau or their
own private Compofuions, and letting forth
the following Particulars only.
Firjfl
The PREFACE. civ
Fir ft, From the holy Scriptures, the di-
vinely revealed fundamental Articles of the
Spiritual and fcriptural Faith ; and the divine-
ly revealed fundamental fpiritual and fcriptural
Law, in few Words ; and fo as that they
might be clearly comprehended, and eafily
and readily and continually "remembered by
all that heard them, by the Help of the
infiructive and memorial ritual Ordinances
appointed to be daily adminiftred for that
Purpofe. And,
Secondly, The demon fixative Proofs of their
divine Original or Revelation, and confe-
quentiy of their divine Authority : And of
their Perfection, and of their clear and evi-
dent Truth, and purifying Power and perfect
Righteoufnefs. And,
Thirdly, The Self-fufficiency and indiC-
penfable Neceffity of perfevering in the fin-
cere and true Belief of the one, and in
perfect Obedience to the other, in order to
the Attainment of true and fpiritual Sanc-
tification, and Salvation, and true and ra-
tional Happinefs, both temporal and everlaft-
ing. And,
Fourthly, Setting forth likewife, the divine
Original of all the inftructive and memorial ri-
tual Ordinances, and the true and only End
for which they were appointed to be pub-
lickly adminiftered, and attended upon and
obferved : And their great Propriety tor an-
swering the End for which they were origi-
nally
clvi The PREFACE.
nally inftituted by God ; and the general
Necefiity and fpiritual Profitablenefs of at-
tending to them, and participating of them,
when and where they are publickly admi-
niftred, according to God's Appointment af-
ter die moil edifying or inftruitive Manner,
by thofe Perfcns and by thofe only, whom
God hath feparated and appointed and au-
thorized exclufively of all others, publickly
to adminifter them, that they might not be
abufed and perverted to fuperftitious and
wicked-making Ends and Purpofes.
By fuch a Set of Homilies, Difcourfes or
Sermons, conftantly read or preached in all
Congregations of the Church of God, Man-
kind would be fpeedily brought to a perfect
Knowledge, and it is highly probable to the
fincere and true Belief of, and perfeft Obe-
dience to, the one and only true fan&ifying
and faving Religion, that ever was, or ever
will or can be in the World, and thereby
to the Knowledge of every Thing necefTary
to be known, believed, or done by them,
in order (not to outward and hypocritical
Sanclification, but) to their true and fpiritual
Sandlihcation, and Salvation and eternal Life,
as I have (hewn more largely, in my Apology
for the one and only true and divinely revealed
and chriftian Religion. And by this Means
the eftablifhed epifcopal Church of God might
juftly fet up tor Infallibility, becaufe (lie
could then demonftratively ihew that all her
Doc-
The PREFACE. clvij
Doctrines, and moral Precepts, which {he
taught her Communicants to believe and
obey, were infallibly revealed by God, and
infallibly true and perfectly righteous, and
infallibly neceffary to be fincerely and truly
believed, and perfectly obeyed by all Man-
kind, in order to their true and fpiritual
Sanctification and Salvation, and eternal Life,
And this firft Step being taken towards a
mere perfect Reformation of our Church
and Religion, by a moft perfect Reformation
of all Difcourfes uttered from the Pulpit.
The moft and right reverend Fathers of our
Church, fynodically aflembled together with
their reverend Brethren, the Reprefentatives
of the inferior Clergy, knowing that the
Articles of our Religion, were originally com-
piled for the Inftruction of Mankind, in the
Knowledge of the true Religion, that they
might be unanimous in their Sentiments
about it ; and that Mankind can never be
brought to be unanimous, nor kept in Una-
nimity with Refpect to Religion, otherwife
than by plain and demonftrative and fpiritu-
ally beneficial fpiritual Truths, plainly fet
before them. And knowing likewife, that
all the divinely inftituted inftructive and me-
morial ritual Ordinances, not only of preach-
ing, but of public Prayer and Praife, and
Thankfgiving, and of the two Sacraments or
holy Ordinances of Baptifm, and of the Sup-
per of our Lord, and of Confirmation, were
di-
jlvjii The P R E FA C E.
divinely inftituted for no other Reafon or
End, but for inftruding Mankind in the
Knowledge, and for patting and keeping
them continually in Mind of the :Faith and
Law, by which, and by which on)y} they can
be fandiiied and faved ; and of the indif-
pen fable Neceflity of perfevering in the fin-
cere ; nd true Belief of the one, and in perfed
Obedience to the other, in order to true and
fpiritual Sandification, Salvation, and eternal
Life, as I have mod clearly. (hewn in my
Apology for the one and only true and di-
vinely revealed fadifying and laving, fpiritual
and fcriptural, and truly chriftian Religion.
They would hereby clearly perceive, that the
next Step moft. proper and necefTary to be
taken, in order to fuch a perfed Reformation
which would be uncapable of ever admitting of
any future Improvement or Amendment, in
order to rentier our Church's Method of
Inftindion in the Knowledge of the one,
and only true fandifying and diving* Religion,
more edifying or inftrudive, would be to
confider, whether the Articles of our Rett*
gion, as they now ftand, although they be
true, be fuch as perfcdlv anfwer the End
for which they were originally compiled }
and whether that. End might not he more
fully and perfcdly anfwerccl by leffening their
■N amber. And likewife by conlidcring, whe-
tl :r the Liturgy of our Church (although as
ii now ftands, it aniwers the End for which
it
The PREFACE. clix
it was compofed) might not however admit
of fuch Alteration, as it might thereby per-
fectly anfwer the End, for which all the di-
vinely inftituted Inftru&ions and memorial
Ordinances, were appointed to be publickly
adminiftered and obferved. And if upon
moft mature Deliberation, it would evidently
appear, that making certain Alterations in
our Articles, that every Perfon who atten-
tively read and confidered them, would clear-
ly perceive the fundamental Articles of the
divinely revealed fandtifying and faving, fpi-
ritual and fcriptural Faith, and the divinely
revealed fpiritual and fcriptural Law, which
conftitute and comprehend the whole of the
one, and only true, and divinely revealed
fandlifying and faving, fpiritual and fcriptural
end chriftian Religion ; and the indifpenfable
Neceffity of perfevering in the fincere and
true Belief of the one, and in periedt Obe-
dience to the other. And if it fhould like-
wife evidently appear, that by making certain
Alterations in our publick Liturgies, that all
Perfons who attended to it, would necefTa-
Tily be put in Mind of the fundamental Ar-
ticles' of the divinely revealed fpiritual and
fcriptural Faith, and of the divinely revealed
fpiritual and fcriptural Law ; and of the indif-
penfable Neceffity of perfevering in the fin-
cere and true Belief of the one, and in per-
fect Obedience to the other, in order to the
Attainment of true and fpiritual Sandtification,
Salva-
clx The PREFACE.
Salvation, and eternal Life, which is thd
true and only End for which all the divinely
inftituted Ordinances were appointed to be
publickly adminiftred and obferved, and con-
iequently of all public liturgic Offices. The
Fathers of the Church fynodically affembled>
together with the Reprefentatives of the infe-
rior Clergy, moved by the holy Spirit of the
divinely revealed Word, would, without Scru-
ple or Hefitation, proceed to fuch Alterations
as they fhould perceive to be neceffary, for
rendering the publick Worfhip of the Church
fa perfect, as to be incapable of any farther
Improvement or Amendment to the End of
the World. And by fuch Alterations, the
eftablifhed Epifcopal Church, would become
as infallible in Refpedt of her ritual Ordi-
nances, as in Refpedt of her Doctrines and
moral Precepts, and in every Refpedl as infal-
lible as any Church that ever was, or can
be in the World : For then her Members
would be perfectly enabled to fhew to all
Gain- layers, that all the divinely inftituted
ritual Ordinances, which fhe enjoins her truly
and apoftolically ordained Minifters, publicly
to adminifler, and all her Members to attend,
and obfeive, and participate of, to be iuch
in themfelves as are moil proper for anfwer-
ing the Ends for which all the divinely in-
ftituted inftru&ive and memorial ritual Or-
dinances, were appointed to be publickly ad-
miniftered and oblerved $ and that the edi-
fying
The PREFACE. ell
fying and inftrudtive Manner in which all
her truly ordained Minifters, publickly ad-
minifter them, is the beft Manner of admi-
nistering them, in order to their anfwering
the true and only End for which they were
inftituted by God.
And as fbme of the fcifmatical Churches
in Chriftendom, fuperftitioufly enjoin Or-
dinances to be publickly adminiftred and ob-
ferved, which God hath not appointed ; and
as others of them, as fuperftitioufly abftain
from the Obfervance of fome of thofe Ordi-
nances which are moft evidently of divine
Inftitution, and on account of Scruples about
Circumftances indifferent of themfelves, and
enjoined for no other Reafon, but for the
Prefervation of Uniformity, Decency, and
good Order in the Publick Worfhip of God ;
and wThich having been left by God to the
Governors and Minifters of his Church to
determine and enjoin according to their Dis-
cretion. And as all the fchifmatical Churches
that have ever been in the World, have ever
made the Obfervance of ritual Ordinances a
Part, and the Generality of them, the prin-
cipal Part of their Religion, by which they
have been brought to overlook and negledfc
the fincere and true Belief of, and Obedience
to the divinely revealed fpiritual F ath and
Law, by which, and by which only, Man-
kind can be fan fli fled and faved. And by
which all the divinely inftituted Ordinances
have
ckii The PREFACE.
have been abufed and perverted to fuperfti-
tious, and very wicked Purpofes. The true
Church of God, when perfectly reformed,
would be able to (hew all corrupt, falfe,
and fchifmatical Churches their Errors, in
all thefe Refpects, without much Trouble
or Controveriy. And as no one well-mean-
ing Perfon, whether in or out of her Com-
munion, could find real Faults in any Re->
fpect, with a Church thus perfectly reformed
in all Refpe6ts ; therefore no Regard ought
to be had to the liking or difliking of in-
confiderate and Luft-blinded, and evil-
minded Perfons by thefe concerned in Mat-
ters of religious Reformation, by which our
Author, arid all truly confiderate Perfons
may plainly perceive, that the only Confide*
ration that ought to have Weight with Per-
fons lawfully authorized to let about the
Work of religious Reformation,, is what may
be mod proper, and therefore neceflary to be
*ftahli{hed for the fpiritual Benefit of Man-
kind, both temperal and everlafiing.
For my own Part, I think the reformed
and eftablifhed apoftolic, or epifcopal
Church in thefe Kingdoms, to be the beft
conftituted vifible Church in the World that
I know of j and I am fure, becaufe I can
demonstratively (hew, that whoever will fin-
cerelv and truly believe her Doctrines, and
©bey' her Precepts, and attentively obferve
her Ordinances, will neceffarily, and by the
Rcafon
The PREFACE. clxiii
Reafon of Things, be truly and fpiritually
fanctified in this World, and consequently
faved and made everlaft ingly happy in the
next. And therefore every Member of her
Communion have great Reafon daily to thank
God for her being fo far truly reformed. But
I cannot with Truth fay fo, of any other
vifible Church, reformed or unreformed that
I know upon Earth 5 nor any one of them
thai I could fincerely communicate with,
for the following Reafons : Becaufe all their
diftinguiming Doctrines by which they ftand
diftinguiihed from each other ; and from the
one and only true holy Catholick, vifible and
invifible Church of God upon Earth, are
falfe and fuperftitious, and the Belief of them
inconfiftent with, and deftrudtive of the divine
revealed, fmctifying and laving fpiritual and
feriptural Faith which directs us to love God
with all our Hearts, and to perfevere in per-
fect Obedience to the purifying Law of per-
fect Charity and Righteoufnefi. And becaufe
all the diftinguiihing moral, or rather immoral
Precepts by which they ftand diftinguimed
from the holy Catholick Church, are the
fame, and tend to make Mankind male-
volent and uncharitable, and either openly
or hypocritically wicked ; and are therefore in-
confident with, and deftructive of perfect
Obedience to the divinely revealed Law of
perfeS Purity, Piety, Charity and Righte-
1 oufnefo
clxiv The PREFACE.
oufnefs, and confequcmly of Sandification,
Salvation, and eternal Life.
Bat 1 am likewise of Opinion, that al-
though our holy Church is fo far truly re >
formed, that all iincere and true Members
of her Communion, may attain to true and
fpiritual San&ification, and will thereby ob-
tain Salvation and eternal Life. Yet that
ilie is ftill capable of, and Hands in Need of
farther Reformation (not in thefe Points which
our Author, and thofe without, who beat
evil Will to her, would have reformed) in
order to her becoming a truly and perfectly
infallible Church, in refpedt of all her Doc-
trines, and of all her Precepts both moral and
ritual } that all thofe who would constantly
attend her Communion, might, by fo doing,
neceffarily become perfectly inftrudted in the
Knowledge of the divinely revealed fancti-
fying and faying fpiritual and fcriptural Faith
and Law ; by which, and by which only,
Mankind can be fan&ified and faved, and of
the indifpenlable Neceffity of perfevering in
the fincere and true Belief of the one, and in
perfect Obedience to the other, in order to
the Attainment of San&ification and Salva-
tion, and of true and rational Happinefs both
temporal and everlafting. And that they
might like wife be thereby put and kept
continually in Mind of thefe Things which
are lo indifpenfably to be kept in continual
Remembrance by all Mankind, in order to
their
The PREFACE. clxv
their Attainment of thofe great, neceflary,
and happy Ends; that the one and only true
fan&ifying and faving Religion, may by thefe
Means be, revived and reftored to the World
again, in its original Purity and Perfection, in
order to the Revival and Restoration of true
and fpiritual, and not hypocritical Purity, Pie-
ty, Charity and Righteoufnefs, and of every
other moral Virtue, which have been all up-
on the decline for fome Ages, fo far as to be
but very little considered, regarded, or prac-
tised by the Generality of any Rank, or Or-
der of Mankind in any State or Kingdom
in Christendom, any more than they are in
any other of the Nations upon the Earth.
And by this Means the Generality of Man-
kind have been brought to 2:ive themfelves
up to be wholly governed by the Dictates of
their respective predominant bodily Lufts \
and the World hath been filled and over-
run with Fraud and Violence, and all Kinds
and Degrees both of open avowed, and of
clandeftine and hypocritical Wickednefs,
Pride, Luxury, and all Kinds of Senfuali:y and
Avarice on the one Hand ; being fed and fup-
ported by Fraud and Injuflice, and Oppref-
iion, and MiSery, both private and publick,
on the other. Evils that are deftruclive of
all moral and focial Virtues 5 and of the
true temporal Pioiperity and Happineft of all
Communities in this World, and of the ever-
laiting Happinefs of Mankind in the next.
And
clxvi The PREFACE.
And however, other wife inconfiderate and
and mort- lighted Politicians, and temporary
Expedient-Mongers may think, thefe tem-
porally and everlafting deflruclive Evils, are
no other Way to be removed, but by the
Revival and Reftoration of the one and
only true and Chriflian Religion in its primi-
tive Purity and Perfection to the World again,
which flrikes at, and extirpates all thofe bit-
ter Pvoots, the bodily Lulls of Mankind,
from which all Branches of Wicked nefs
fhoot forth, that corrupt and injure Man-
kind ; and therefore it evidently appears to be
the indifpenfable Duty of all Ranks and Or-
ders of Mankind in all States and Stations from
the higher! to the lowcfl, as it is their true
and fpiritual Intereft both temporal and ever-
lafting ; to awake and become Partakers of
the fir ft Re fur reft ion from the Graves of their
Lulls, in which they have too long flept ;
and to give their A Alliance as far as they are
able, (and every Perfon has foroe Degree and
Meafure of Ability) to the Revival and Re-
ftoration of the one and only true fanclifying
and laving, fpiritual and fcriptural, and divinely
revealed Chriilian Religion, in its original Pu-
my and Perfe&jon to the World again, by
the only true Means by which, by the Grace
61 God, it can be revived and rcflored, and
which, by God's Affiftance, will, in a fliort
Time, be plainly and fully let before them.
And
The PREFACE. clxvii
And I fincerely wifli our Author had em-
ployed the Time in fetting forth before Man-
kind the one and only true fanctifying and fa-
ving fpiritual and fcriptural and divinely re-
vealed Chriftian Religion, and the indifpen-
fable Neceffity of fincerely and truly be-
lieving and perfectly obeying it, in order to
San deification and Salvation and eternal Life,
and in (hewing likewife the beft, or only
true and infallible Method to be taken, and
conftantly ufed for putting and keeping Men
continually in Mind of it, and of the indif-
penfable Neceffity of perfevering in the fin-
cere and true Belief of it, and in perfect
Obedience to it ; that he hath fpent in la-
bouring to prevail with Mankind to believe
and rely upon the Anti-fcriptural Belief and
Affiftance of imaginary Beings in the Work
of their Sanctification and Salvation ; and
to difcourage and difiuade them from the
Belief of that truly fcriptural Doctrine which
is fet forth in the Athanafian and Nicene
Creeds, and which is fo beneficial to be be-
lieved, in order to move Mankind to love
God with all their Hearts, &c. and to mortify
and purify themfelves from all their bodily
Lufts ; and by fo doing perfevere in perfect
Obedience to the moft perfect and purifying
ipiritual and fcriptural Law, which are the
two Things which are felf-fufiicient and indif-
penfably neceflary to be done by Mankind, in
order to their Sanctification and Salvation and
eternal
"cUviii The PREFACE.
eternal Life, and I hope he will be awakened
by what I have fet before him in this Preface,
and in the annexed Treatife, and be brought
to a more folid and rational, and religious
Way of Thinking, and delivered from his
phyjical and metaphyseal Errors, by which
he feems to have been led into fo many
deftru&ive anti-fcriptural Errors in Theology.
TO
t rj
O F T H E
DIVINE TRINITY,
And DIVINITY of
JESUS C H R 1ST.
BEFORE I proceed to (hew the Truth
of this divinely revealed and holy
fcriptural Doclrine, I think it necefla-
ry to recall to the Remembrance of
my Readers, fome of thofe Truths which I
have before mentioned under the Article or
Word Man. As,
Firft, That Man confifts of a material and
mortal Body, and of an immaterial and im-
mortal Spirit.
6Vr<5«t//y,Thathisnatural,ormaterialandmor-
tal Body is capable of no other Kind of Know-
ledge than that of the fenfibly perceptible Pro-
perties of natural or material Things; and that
therefore the natural or bodily Knowledge of
B Man,
2 Of the DiVinf Trinity.
Man, extends no farther than the Knowledge
of fuch Brutes as have the fame Number of
bodily Organs of Senfation that Man hath ;
and that this Knowledge is fufficient both for
Men and Brutes, for ftirring up in them all
thofe Appetites, or Defires and Aver/ions,
which are neceffary for moving them to pro-
vide and procure thofe Things which are ne-
ceffary for their bodily Suftenance, and the
Prolongation of the animal Life, and for the
Continuance of their Species.
"Thirdly^ That this natural or bodily Know-
ledge which Men have in common with
Brutes, is communicated to them by the
Means or Mediation of their bodily Organs
of Senfation, which have pleafing, or pain-
ful and difpleafing Motions excited in them,
by their Contaft with their Obje&s; or by
the material Air reflected from Objedts at a
Diftance to thefe Organs of Senfation, and
ftirring up fuch pleafing or difpleafing Moti-
ons in them, which being communicated to
the Seat of Imagination, there excite pleafing
or difpleafing Ideas concerning the fenfibly
perceptible material Objedts, and confequent-
ly thofe Motions which are called Defires or
Averfions for them ; and confequently thofe
mufcular and local Motions, which are pro-
per for the Procurement or Avoidances of the
Objedts, according as they occasioned agree-
able and pleafing, or difogreeable and dii-
picafing Senfations in the Body.
Fourthly
Of the Divine TrinIT^ 3
Fourthly, The immaterial and immortal
Spirit of Man is capable not only of the
Knowledge of material or immaterial Things,
which the Body, or natural or outward Man
is capable of knowing; but alfd of the Know-
ledge of immaterial, or fupernatural or fpiri-
tual Things, States and Actions, which the
Bodies of Men and Brutes are uncapable of
knowing, becaufe they can only be fpiritually
difcerned, (i. e.) by fpiritual Beings, and by
the fpiritual Light of God's revealed Word.
Fifthly, That the Knowledge which the
Spirit of Man hath of natural or material
Things, is communicated to it by the Pveports
which the bodily Senfes and Appetites make
to it concerning them ; and although it be ca-
pable of enlarging and leffening, and of com-
bining or compounding together, and of fe-
parating the Ideas .of natural or material
Things, yet it is uncapable and unable of
forming an Idea of any natural or material
Thing, that was never made known to it by
the Reports of the bodily Senfations.
Sixthly, That the Knowledge which the
Spirit of Man hath of immaterial, or fuper<
natural or fpiritual Things, States or x^clions,
is communicated to it, and could be no o-
ther Way communicated to it, than by the
fpiritual Light of God's revealed Word, and
by fenfible Reprefentations of them.
Seventhly, That by the Light of God's re-
vealed Word only, and without Reprefenta-
B 2 tions
4 Of the Divine Trinity.
tions of them by fome fenfible Signs or Sym-
bols, the Spirit of Man could not have been
able to have formed any juft or true Notion
of any fpiritual Things, by the bare Revela-
tion of their Name and of their Exiftence to
it 5 and therefore it could have no ufeful or be-
neficial Knowledge of any of them, unlefs
they were alfo reprefented to it by Things of
which it had juft and true Ideas. No Man
could poffibly form a juft and true Notion e-
ven of any natural Thing by being told the
Name of it, and that fuch a Thing exifted,
which had never fallen under his own fenfible
Obfervation, unlefs it was alfo defcribed, and
reprefented to him by Things of which he
had lud juft and true Ideas. Should a Tra-
veller tell another Perfon that had never feen
nor heard a Parrot defcribed or reprefented to
him, by that Revelation of its bare Name to
him, if his Informer, the Revealer of that
Name to him, was a Perfon upon whole Ve-
racity he thought he might rely, he might
be thereby induced to believe, that there was
fomething in the World that was called by
that Name 5 but by that Revelation, he could
not form any juft or true Notion of it, nor
could he thereby know, or fay^ whether it
was a Piece of houfhold Furniture, or a
Vegetable, or a Kind of Fifh, or any other
particular Thing whatever; but if to the Re-
velation of the Name, his Informer had
added a juft and true Dcfgription of it, and
re-
Of the Divine Trinity. £
reprefented it by a Bird with a Beak and
Feathers, and Claws, or like other Birds
which he had leeri and had Ideas of, he would
by that Means been able to have formed a jaft
and true, although not a complete and ad-
equate Notion of it. The Cafe is the fame
with refpedt to fpiritual and fenfibly imper-
ceptible Things, of whofe Exigence Man
could never have had any Knowledge with-
out a divine Revelation; and if God had on-
ly revealed their Names to Men, and had
not a! lb reprefented them to them by fuch
fenfible Things as they had obferved, and
had juft and true Ideas of, the bare Reve-
lation of their Names to them would have
been of no Ufe or Benefit to them, for they
would not have been thereby enabled to
have formed any juft, or true or ufeful No-
tions of them ; and the Notions they would
have attempted to have formed of them,
would have been very different, and none
of them true and fpiritualiy beneficial: But
as it is fpiritualiy beneficial to Mankind, to
have true Knowledge, and therefore true
Notions of fpiritual Things, therefore God
was moft gracioufly pleafed, not only to
reveal himfclf and other fpiritual Things to
them, but alio to reprefent them to them
by n : Aural aud fenfibly perceptible Things,
of which they h d, or might Mve jufli and
true, and ufeful Ideas, that they might be
thereby enabled to form juft and true, and
B 3 ufeful,
6 Of the Divine Trinity.'
ufeful, although not perfect and adequate
Notions of them, fo that if their Notions and
Knowledge of them were not compleat and
perfect concerning them, yet they would be
fufficient, and all that is neceffary for them to
know concerning them in this World; in
order to move them mod powerfully to be-
lieve and do thole Things, by which they
would be made truly and fpiritually happy in
this World, and perfectly and everlaftingly fo
in the next.
Thefe few Things are neceffary to be known
and kept in Remembrance, being previoufly
fet fprth; I judge it neceffary in the next Place
to confider, that our moil gracious God in
order to enable Mankind to form a juft, and
although not a compleat and adequate, yet a
mod ufeful and fpiritually beneficial Notion
of himfelf, hath been not only pleafed to
reveal, but alfo fenfibly to fignify-and repre-
fent himfelf to them, by fenfible Signs and
Reprefentations, of which they have, or may
have, juft and true Ideas, as far as it concerns
them to have fuch Ideas of them. And the
fenfible Reprefentations which he was moft
gracioufly pleafed to make cf himfelf for the
Spiritual Inftrudlion and Benefit of Mankind,
were two, (viz.) the material and vifible
J-Ieavens ; and a vifible and earthly Father of
Children. For no one of thefe Reprefenta-
tions without the other would have been fuffi-
cient to have enabled Mankind to have form-
Of the Divine Trinity*.
ed a juft and true, and fpiritually beneficial
Notion of him ; but by taking both thefe
feniible Representations into our Coniidera-
tion, we are by them perfectly enabled to
form a juft and true Notion of him, by
which we are not only moft powerfully mov-
ed to admire and fear him, but to adore and
love him, and to perfevere in perfect Obedi-
ence to his moft gracious and moft perfect and
perfectly purifying fpiritual Law, by which
we are made truly and fpiritually happy, both
temporally and everlaftingiy.
By the Reprefentation which he wasgraci-
oufly pleafed to make of himielf by the ma-
terial and vifible Heavens, we are enabled to
form a juft and true, and ufeful, though not
an adequate Notion of his Ubiquity or Omni-
prefence, and of his being in and through and
over all, and confeqaently of his Omnifcience,
and Omnipotence and All-fufficiency : and
of his wonderful Manner of fubfifting and
operating or acting in a Plurality, in the one
undivided and indivifible Jetuvah or divine
Effence, both in the natural or material, and
fpiritual or moral Worlds. And how although
three Ferjom perfectly diftindt and diftinguifh-
able, and different from each other in their
Forms and States, and in all their Motions,
Operations or Actions, in the one Jehovah
or divine Effence, are yet but one God j and
how no one of them can will, or aft indepen-
B 4 dently
8 Of the Divine Trinity.1
dently of the other two, or unlefs they all will,
and co-operate together, though in different
Manners for the Production of every divine
Effect, and hovv. for that Reafon, every Action
of a^y one of them may with equal P' r priety
be alcribed to any of the other Perfons, or to
them altogether, and how every one of them
are co-eternal in Rcfpect of their EiTence, and
none of them prior or pofterior to any of the
other, and how all are co equal to each other,
in Refpect of their Powers and Perfections,
and Acts or Operations, fo that no one of
them is greater or lefs than another, and al-
though every one of them be a oivine Perfon
and therefore God, yet no one of them; is God
exclufive of the other two-, and therefore, al-
though three divine Perfons, aiid confequently
three Gods, but not three Gods independent
and exclufive of each other, nor any of them
God exclufive of the other two, but altogether
one God co-eternal, co-effential, and co-equal,
in all divine Powers and Perfections. Thefs
divinely revealed fpirkual and Scriptural Truths
are all rendered med clearly conceivable, or
Comprehenfible and intelligible, by '.hefenfible
Reprefentation that he hath been molt graci-
ouily pleated to make of himfelf by the ma-
terial and vifible Heavens, by which we be-
come the Object of the Wonder and Admira-
tion, and of fupeiftitions or fervile Fear of
ail Mankind.
By
Of the Divine Trinity^ 9
By the Re pre fen tat ion which God was mod
gracioufly pleafed to make of himfelf by a
perfonal and earthly Father, (fometim . called
the Son, and fometimes the holy Spirit, ac-
cording to the different Forms and States in
which the divine Effence fubfifts, as one a I
the fame vifible Heavens, is called Fire and
Light, and Spirit, or Darknefs in Motion,
according as it fubfifts in the different and
diftindt Forms of Light, Fire, or Spirit;) we
are not to form our Notions of the Manner of
the Plurality of Perfons fubfiiling in the Unity
of the divine Effence, for God was moffc
gracioufly pleafed to make it for another
Reafon, {viz.) for enabling Mankind to form
a Notion of his being a living and intelligent,
and perfectly wife and free, and perfectly be-
nevolent Being, of moft perfecc and fatherly
Goodnefs and Love to all Mankind, who did
not only create this World and all Tilings
therein vilible and invifible, for himfelf, b it
for the Ufe and Benefit of all Mankind, whom
he predeftinated and created for true and
fpirituai Happinefs, both temporal and ever-
lafting. That we migjit be powerfully
moved hereby to love him with all our
Hearts, with all our Minds, with all our Souls,
and with all our Strength ; with fqch Love as
cafteth out all fervile or fuperiutious Fear or
Dread of him, his Power ~<k Pufliihnientsj
all but filial or truly religious Fear, a Fear of
grieving, difpleafing and offending, fo gracious
and
io Of the Divine Trinity,
and merciful and affectionate a Father, who
is grieved upon our Account, and difpleafed
and offended and angry with us for no other
Reafon, but for our doing and impenitently
perfevering in doing thofe Things, which are
moft evidently deftrutftive of our fpiritual
San&ification, and confequently of our Salva-
tion, and of our true Happinefs, both natural
and fpiritual, temporal and everlafting. And
with fuch Love as will moft powerfully move
us willingly and chearfully to perfevere in per-
fect Obedience to his moft perfedt and per-
fectly purifying fpiritual Law ; which, when
duly confidered, will moft clearly appear to
have been revealed and given for no other
Reafon, but to preferve, refcue and deliver
Mankind from the Captivity, Tyranny and
Slavery of all bodily Lufts, and confequently
from all Kinds and Degrees of Wickednefs,
and of fpiritual Mifery, both temporal and
everlafting, that they might obtain the great,
wife and good End, for which they were de-
signed and created, and be truly and fpiritually
happy, both temporally and everlaftingly.
This was the Reafon, and the only Reafon,
why God was moft gracioufly pleafed to make
a peribnal Reprefentation of himielf, (as far
as it apptars to us by the Light of his revealed
Word) and that we might be prefer ved from
believing him to be a lireleis and unintelligent
Being, as lie is reprefented to be, by the
Reprefentation he was pleafed to condefcend to
make
Of the Divine Trinity^ ii
tttake of himfelf, by the material and vifible
Heavens, and to call himfelf by their Name?,
that we might look upon them, as one of the
Reprefentations that he had been pleafed to
make of himfelf, and that by looking upon
them, or hearing them named, we might be
put in Mind of him, the fpiritual and invifi-
ble Being, by them fenfibly reprefented* And
alfo the indifpen fable Neceffity that there
was for his making a two- fold Reprefentution
of himfelf as he hath done to Mankind, that
they might be thereby enabled to form a jufl
and true, and fpiritually beneficial Notion of
him. That by the one they might be en-
abled to form a jufl: and true Notion of his
being a Plurality in effential Unity in the one
Jehovah or divine EfTence, which he conde-
icended to become for the Benefit of Mankind.
And that by the other, we might be enabled
to conceive and believe, that he was a Plurali-
ty of living and intelligent and perfectly wife
and free Agents or Perfons, of moft perfect
and fatherly Goodnefs and Love to all Man-
kind, that they might be thereby powerfully
moved to love him with all their Hearts, and
confequently obey his. moft gracious and per-
fectly purifying fpiritual Law or Command-
ment, that by fo doing they might fave
themfelves from everlaftingMifery, and make
themfclves truly and fpiritually happy, botii
temporally and everlaftingly,
The
12 Of the Divine Trinity.
The Neceffity of God's making this two-
fold Reprefentation of himfelf to Mankind,
and of their taking both thefe Reprefenutions
into their ,Confideration, in order to their
being enabled to form a juft and true and fpi-
ritually beneficial Notion of him, will molt
clearly appear, by confidering the grofs Errors
and Abiurdities which Men have fallen into,
by their having confidcred only one of thefe
Repreientations, and overlooked the other,
when thty have attempted to form their No-
tions of God.
The Apoftates at Babel, and after them the
Gentih Nations, having only eonfidered the
Reprefentation that God had made of himfelf
by the material and viiible Heavens, and that
he was called by their Names : And having
overlooked and neglected to confider the per-
fonal Reprefentation, that he had alfo been
gracioully pleafed to make of himfelf; fet up
the fen fible Sign for the fpiritual Being fignified
and reprefented by it. They indeed, by Means
of the material Heavens, which they obferved
tofubfift in three diftinct and different Forms
of Fire and Light and Spirit, or Darhieft
in Motion, believed a Trinity of Agents in their
God, the material and vifible, and lifelefs and
unintelligent Heavens, which they had fet up
for the Object of their Worlhip and Adoration,
and to which they built high Altars, in order
to offer Sacrifice to them upon ; and to which
they alio ablurdly and ndiculouily afcribed all
thofe
Of the Divine Trinity; 13
thofe Properties and Perfections, which had
been, and could be rcafonably afcribed to no
other but the lpiritual and invifible, and only
true and living God, and by iymbolically
reprefenting the Properties of their new and
vifible God, by inanimate and vegetable and
animal Reprefentations, thefe fenfible Sym-
bols in time, became to be reputed Gods, and
bv thefe Means the whole World, all but the
little Country of Canaan was over-run with
abfurdand ridiculous and damnable Polytheifm
and Superflition, to the Extirpation of all
true and divinely revealed and fpiritually
fan&ifyingand faving Religion.
And en the other Hand, many Teachers of
Chriiiian Churches, of all Denominations, true
and falfe, corrupted and uncorrupted, having
only taken into their Connderation the peifo-s
nal Reprefentation that God hath been graci-
oufiy pleafed to make of himfelf, without con-
fidering the Reprefentation that he' was alfo
pleafed to make cf himfelf by the material
and vifible Heavens, (by which and by which
only, the Trinity in the divine Unity could
be rendered conceivable) in forming their
Notions of God, and of his Manner of fub-
lifting as a Plurality in Unity, in the one
undivided and indivifible Jehovah, or divine
Effence : And by their having laboured to
render the Trinity in Unity conceivable, by
that perfonal Reprefen ration, by which it
could not poflibly be conceived or compre-
hended.
14 Of the Divine Trinity.
hended. They by their inconfiderate and
incomprehenfible Explications of it, have run
themfelves into fuch inextricable Perplexities
and Abfurdities, that they have brought many
to deny, and more to doubt of the Truth of
that Doctrine, and of the Truth and divine
Authority of the holy Scriptures, which fo
clearly contain it and fet it forth, and confe-
quently into the Denial of all divinely reveal-
ed true and holy fcriptural fanctifying and
faving Religion ; and to rely upon the Self-
fufficiency of the Light and Law of Nature,
(/. e.) upon their Knowledge of natural or
material Things, and upon their obeying the
Dictates oi their refpective predominant bodily
Lufts, for Sanctification and Salvation and
eternal Life. By thefe Considerations, we
may not only fee the Neceflity that there was
for God's making a two-fold Representation
of himfelf, but alfo his perfect Wifdom and
fatherly Goodnefs and Love for all Mankind,
manifefted by his having made them, for
enabling them to form fuch juft and true and
fpirkually beneficial Notions of him, and of
his manifold, wonderful and adorable and
amiable revealed Perfections, as would mod
powerfully move all thofe who would duly
confider them, not only to admire, but adore
and love him with all their Hearts, &c. and
to manifeft the Truth and Sincerity of their
Love, by their (lead fa ft Perfeverance in perfect
Obedience, to his mod gracious divinely re-
vealed
Of the Divine Trinity. i£
vealed and perfectly purifying fpiritual Law,
by which they would be truly and fpiritually
fandtified, and prepared and qualified for Sal-
vation ; and for the Enjoyment, and confe-
quently for the fure Attainment of true and
fpiritual Happinefs, both temporal and ever-
lafting, for without a divine Revelation (as
hath been (hewn before) Man could not pof-
bly have known that there was a God. And
unlefs God had been alfo pleafed to reprefent
himfelf, and his revealed Perfections, by both
thefe fenfible Reprefentations which he hath
been gracioufly pleafed to make of himfelf.
Mankind could not poflibly have ever had
any juft or true and fpiritually beneficial No-
tions, either of him, or any of his revealed
Perfections, nor would they have been moved
to believe and do thofe Things which are in*
difpenfably neceffary to be believed and done
by all Mankind, in order to their SanCtifica-
tion, Salvation and eternal Life. Whereas,
by thefe fenfibly perceptible Reprefentations
which he hath been gracioufly pleafed to
make of himfelf, taken together into our Con-
fideration, we are enabled to know fo much
of God as he hath been pleafed to reveal con-r
cerning himfelf ; and fo much as is fufficient
mod powerfully to move us to believe and do
all thofe Things which are felf-fufficient and
indifpenfably neceflary to be believed and
done by us, in order to our Attainment of
Sandtiiication and Salvation, and true and {pU
ritual
l6 Of the Divine Trinitv.
ritual Happinefs, both temporal and everlafl>
ing.
Thefe Things being previoufly obferved,
there remains bat two Things more neceffary
to be previoufly fhewn, in order to fliew the
undeniable and clearly conceivable Truth of
the icriptural Doctrine, of the ever bleffed
divine Trinity, in the one undivided and in-
divihble Jehovah, or divine Effence, (riz.)
Jirfty that the fpiritual and invifible living
God hath-been gracioufly pleafed fenfibly to
iignify or reprefent himfelf, and in his holy
Word to be called by, and by the Names of
the material and vifible Heavens, and alfo by
the perfonal Representations of a Father, Son,
or Word, and holy Spirit, in order to enable
Mankind to form a juil and true and fpiritu-
ally profitable^ although not adequate Notions
of him, and of his wonderful Manner of fub-
fifting in Plurality, in the one undivided and
indivilible Jehovah, or divine Effence, and of
his admirable and amiable and adorable, and
divinely revealed fpiritual Properties, or Per-
fections.
And fccondly, to {hew the fenfiblc Proper-
ties of thofe f:nfible Representations, (as they
are fet forth in the holy Scriptures) by which
he hath been gracioufly pleafed to fignify
and reprefent himfelf, and his ipiritual Perfec-
tions to us. E^ rauie it is neceflary that we
{hould have right and true, although not ade-
quate Ideas of thofe Representations and of
their
Of the Divine Trinity 17
their Properties, by which and by which on-
ly, we are enabled to form Notions of fpiri-
tual Things and of their Properties andPerfec*
tions : For if our Ideas of thofe fenfible Re-
prefentations, and of their Properties be wrong
or falfe, the Notions of fpiritual Things
which we form by them, will necefTarily be
wrong and falfe alfo, and fo far from being
ipiritually beneficial, that they will be hurtful
to us.
That the invifible and living God is repre-
fentcd, and therefore, often called in the holy
Scriptures, by and by the Name of the ma-
terial and vifible Heavens, is very evident from
many Texts, of which I (hall oniy produce a
few, as being fufficient to prove the Truth
of the Point under Confideration.
2 Chron. xxxii. 20. It is faid, that Heze-
kiah the King^ and the Prophet Ifaiah, prayed
and cried to Heaven^ (i. e.) to God; for it is
faid, 2 Ki?igs xix. 1 5. That Hezekiah pray-
ed btfore the Lord, and faid > 0 Lord God of
Ifrael, &c. And Pf xx. 6. it is faid, now
know J, that the Lord will hear him from
his holy Heavens -, thereby diftinguiihing be-
tween the lifelefs and fenfelefs, material and
vifible Heavens, by which he hath been
pleated to condefcend to reprefent himfelf to
Mankind, and the fpirituU Heavens, the
Elohim in the one Jehovah or divine Effence,
fpiritually figoificd by the material and vifible
Heavens. Math. xvi. \\ The Pharifees de~
C fired
lS Of the Divine Trinity.
fired him that he would /hew a Sign from
Heaven, (i. e.) from God. And St. Luke
xv. 1 8. I have finned again fl Heaven and
tefore thee, (i. e.) againft God. And St.
Math. xxi. 25. The Bapti/m of John, whence
was it? from Heaven, (i. c. from God) or
of Men ? (i. e.) was it a divine or human
Inftitution ? And 1 John v. 7. There be three
that bear Witnefs in Heaven, (i.e.) in God,
viz. the Elohim diftinguifhed by the penfonal
Names of Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, in
the one undivided and indiviiible Jehovah or
divine Eflence. And St. Math. iii. 2. Re-
pent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand,
in St. Mark i. 25. it is, For the Kingdom of
God is at Hand. So that God and Heaven
in many Places of the holy Scripture, are
fynonymous Terms. I fhall add but one.
Text more out of the many that might be
produced in Proof of this Point, viz. Dan. i.
26. where that Prophet tells Nebuchadnezzar
that his Kingdom jhould be Jure to him, after
he fjould have known (or acknowledged) that
the Heavens do ride, (i. e.) that the mod
high and living God ruleth in the Kingdoms
of Men, and difpofeth of them to whomio-
ever he will, and over the material and vifible
Heavens, and is their King, as Nebuchad-
nezzar called him, when his Reafon was
reflored to him.
And as the living and invifible God was
gracioufly pleafed fenfibly to fignify and re-
prefent
Of the Divine Trinity. t$
prefent himfelf, and condefcehd to be called
by, and by the Name of the vifible Heat
vens in his holy Word ; fo he hath been
pleafed to fignify and reprefant Limfblf, and
to be called in his holy Word, by, and ths
Names of Fire9 Light, and Spirit ", or Dark*
nefs in Motion, v.' d) are the th.ee Forms
and States in which the material and vifible
Heavens have fub filled in their one Subftance,
fince the Time of their firft Formation by the
fpiritual and invifible Heavens, the Elohim in
the one Jehovah, or divine Effence.
By vifible Fire.
Exod. xiii. n, The Lord went before them
by Day in a Pillar of a Clou a \ and by Night
in a Pillar of Fire,
And Deut. iv. 24, The Lord thy God is a
confuming Fire, a Fire that purities from all
defiling Lufts, as material and vifible Fire
purifies pure Metals from all Impurities and
Drofs which are mixed with them.
And Deut. v. 22, The/e Words the Lord
fpoke, out of the Mid /I of the Fire, of the
Cloud, and of thick Dark?ie/s\
And Ezek. viii. 2, God appeared to that
Prophet in the Appearance of Fire, and
JBrightnefs or Light.
Arjd Zech. ii. 5, God faid, he would be
a Wall of Fire, (1, e ) of Love, to reformed
Jerufalcm.
C 2 And
20 Of the Divine Trinitv.
And Exod. iii. 2, The Angel of the Lord
appeared to Mofes in a Flame of Fire j and
this Angel, or Appearance of God, is called
God in the fourth Verfe, where it is faid, that
Godcalled to himoutof the Midftof the Bufh: It
was by the Flame, or bright Light that iffued
forth from the Fire, that Mofes faw the Bu{h
flaming; and the bright Beams of Light
which iffue forth from the Orb of Fire in the
Sun, are called the Angels of God, Pf. civ.
4, where it is faid, He maketh his Angels
Spirit s, and bis Minijlers a flamifig Fire 5
(i. e.) the Rays of Light which are fent out
from the Orb of Fire, are called his Angels,
which, at the Circumference of the Heavens,
becoming cool, are condenfed into the groffer
Fluid of Darknefs, which is called Spirit, and
which moving downwards to the Orb of
Fire, to minifter to it, and become Fuel for
it, it is faid, he maketh his Spirits, ft, e.J the
groffer Fluid of Darknefs, a flaming Fire.
And the Fire, Light, and Darknefs, which
are the conftituent Forms of the material and
vifible Heavens, by which God hath been
pleafed ienfibly to fignify and reprefcnt him-
felf to Mankind, being confubftantial, or the
fame in Subitance, as well as cotemporary,
and in all Refpe&s coequal to each other,
therefore the Rays of the heavenly Light,
which are called Angels, are called the Hea-
vens, but not exclufive of the Fire and Dark-
nefs, which are alio the Heavens, but not
ex-
Of the Divine Trinity. ax
clufive of the Light. By this Reprefentation>
we may perceive that what is called the An-
gels of God here, was God : And accordingly
it is faid in the fecond Verfe, that the Angel
of the Lord appeared to Mofes in a Flame of
Fire ; and in the fourth Verfe, that God
called to him out of the Midft of the Bufh
on Fire, fo that the Angel of the Lord and
God were one, according to the Reprefenta-
tion which God had been pleafed to make of
himfelf, and by whofe Name, he therefore
permitted himfelf to be called.
By Light.
St. John tells us, ijohn i. 5, that, God
is Light.
And St. Paul tells us, 1 Tim. vi. 16, that,
Chriji who dwelt in God, and God in him^
dwelleth in Light, (i. e.) in God.
And the Pfalmift, Pj\ xxvii. 1, calls the
Lord his Light and his Salvation. And Pf.
xxxvi. 9, with the Lord is the Fountain of
Light , and that in his Light, we Jhall fee Light.
And Ifa. lx. 1, The Glory of the LoM is
laid to arife upon his Church; and Verfe 20,
that, he will be her everlafting Light.
And Luke ii. 32, Chriji \ in whom God
dwelt, is therefore laid to be a Light to
lighten the Gentiles, and the Glory of the Peo-
ple Ifrael.
And for the fame Reafon he is faid, John
. 9, to be the true Light, that lightah every
C 3 Man
2 2 Of the Divine Trinity.
Man that cotfietb into the World, fo as to en-
able them to difcern fpiritual Things.
By Darknefs.
This is rrianifeft from thefe Texts before
cited, where, God \i kid to b-we appeared in,
and n tfu\ M ?,T fctf the Fire and
tl k Darknefs: As Exod.
xiii. II, aVid ./>//*. v. 2z, and alfo from
Exod. xx. 2 1 , where it is faid that, Mofes drew
near unto the thick Darknefs whsre God was,
(i. e.J to the thick- Darknefs, by which God
had vifibly represented himfelf; for God is
omniprefen^ but invifble by any other
Means, than by that vifible Rcprefentation he
hath been pleafed to make of himfelf.
And Deidt. iv. n, JM they drew near
unto the Mountain , which burned with Fire
unto the Heart of Heaven, with Darknefs^
Clouds -, and thick Do knejs : By which God
had been pleafed v\m y to rc-p*efent himfelf.
And accordingly ii is laid Dent. v. 22, that,
*The Lord Jpc ? unto the AJJemblyy out
of the Midji f the Fire} of the Cloud,
and of the thick Darknef: Apd Verfe 23,
thaj, They heard the Voice out of the Midfl of
the Darknefs: And Verfr ?a, the People
faiJ, that God had fhev n ihem his Glory
and Greatnefs, and thai n j had heard his
Voice out of the W oi th Fire and Dark-
nefs, by which ^ ; J be*n pleafed vifibly to
reprcfcnt himk' .nd Verfe 26, that they
had
Of the Divine Trinity. 23
had heard the Voice of the living God out of
the Ufelefs Reprefentation that he had been
pleafed to make of himfelf, by which they
were (truck with Fear*
. Thus we may clearly perceive by the Light
of God^s revealed Word, verified by the Rea-
fon of Things, that our mod gracious God
hatlr-becn pleafed fenfibly to fignify and re -
prefent himfelf, and therefore to permit him-
ielf to be called, not only by, arid by the
Names of the material and vifible Heavens,
which will be (hewn to be a Plurality of ne-
ceiTary Agents, different and diftinc~t from
each- other in their Forms and States, and in
aft their Motions, Operatious, or AcTions, in
one and the fame -Subftance, and yet all co-
operating' together, for the Production of all
their Effeb ; but alfo by, and by the Names
of Fire,. Light, and Spirit, or Darknefs in
Motion, which are the three different Forms
and States in which the confubftantial Hea-
vens have always fubfiftcd fince the Time of
their firft Formation by the Elohim, or three
Peribns in the one Jehovah, or divine Eflence,
the fpiritual Heavens, in order to enable Man-
kind to form right and true Nations of the
Omniprefence and Manner of the fubfifting
and operating, or afting of the three fpiritual
and invilible, living, intelligent and free A-
gents, in the one Jehovah, or divine Effence,
both in the natural and fpiritual, or moral
World.
C 4 I
24 Of the Divine Trtnitv.
I therefore proceed to fhew from the fame
holy Scriptures, that God was likewife moft
gracioufly pleafed to make alfo a perfonal Re-
prefentation of himfelf, and to permit him-
felf to be called by the perfonal Names of a
Father, and of a Son, and alfo of a Holy
Spirit; and this perfonal Reprefentation he
did not make of himfelf, to enable Mankind
thereby to fo- en Noti< >ns either of his Omni-
prefence or of his llibfifting in Plurality, in
the one undivided anfl indivifible jfebovah,
or divine Effence, he having enabled them fo
to do, by the Reprefentation that he made of
himfelf by the material and vifible Heavens,
but this perfonal Reprefentation he made
of himfelf, in order to enable Mankind there-
by to form a juft, right, and true, altho*
not an adequate Notion of his Godhead,
(L e.J of his moft perfect and fatherly Good-
nefs, and Love to all Mankind, and of all
his fpiritual, intellectual, and moral Perfec-
tions, that we might not only admire him,
which might not only excite, or ftir up in
us fervil :, or fuperftious Fear and Dread of
his Power and Punifhments, but love him
with all our Hearts, which cafteth out all
fervile, cr fuperftitioub Fear and Dread of
him, his Power or Punifhments; all Fear,
but that ot grieving, difpleafing, and of-
fending (as J have before obferved) fo gra-
cious and merciful, and affectionate a Pa-
rent, who is grieved upon our Account, and
dif-
Of the Divine Trinity. 25
difpleafed and offended, and angry with us
for no other Reafon, but for doing and im-
penitently perfevering in doing thofe Things
which are mod evidently deftructive of our
fpiritual Sanclification, and of our true and
fpiritual Happinefs, both temporal and ever-
lafting.
As I have but now obferved, that the
perfonal Reprefentation which God hath been,
nioft gracioufly pleafed to make of hiittfelf in
his holy Word, was not intended to e.iabie
Mankind to form their Notions either, of his
Omniprefence, or of his Manner of fubfifting
in a Plurality of intelligent Agents, co-eternal,
co-effential, and in all Refpe&s co-equal, in
the one Jehovah, or divine Effence ; (for he
had fufficiently enabled them to form their
Notion of his Plurality in co-effential Unity,
by the fenfibly perceptible Reprefentacion that
he had made of himfelf by the material and
vifible Heavens, fubfifting in the three mod
clearly diftinguifhable and different Forms and
States of Fire, and Light, and Spirit, or Dark-
nefs in Motion, all moving and operating or
acting differently 5 and yet all co-operating
conjointly together, in all Effects produced by
them, in the one Subftance of the material
Heavens : And which were therefore, all co-
temporary and confubftantial, and in all Re-
fpecls co-equal to each other, by which every
Perfon might clearly perceive, and underftand,
that every Motion and Action of any of thcfe-
vifible
26 Of the Divine Trinity;
vifible heavenly necefiary Agents, might with
great Propriety be afcribed to any other of
them, and therefore to all the three co-
operating together.) So that when I (hall have
fhewn the Original, and the different Forms,
States and Properties of the material and vifi-
ble Heavens, both in their original and creat-
ed and unformed State ; and alfo in their
formed and prefcnt State, a Trinity of
Agents in one EfTence or Subflance, will not
appear to be an incomprehenfible, but a moft
clearly conceivable and intelligible Truth.
And if we will apply the perfonal Names of
Father, Son or Word, and holy Spirit, by
which God hath been moil: gracioufly pleafed
to call himfelf, who is the fpiritual and invifi-
ble Heavens, in order to diftinguifh the fpiri-
tual Thing fignified, from the fenfible Sign by
which he hath been gracioufly plealed to
fignify and reprefent it, we will thereby be
enabled as clearly to conceive, the three Per-
fons, or living inte:>5gent and free Agents, the
TLlohim in the one undivided and indivifible
Jehovah , or divine EfTence, or in the one fpiri-
tual and inviiible Heavens, as we are to per-
ceive, the three lifelefs and neceffary Agents,
different in their Forms, States, Motions and
Operations, in the one material or vifible
Heavens, all moving and operating different-
ly, and yet all neteflariiy co-operating to-
gether, for the Production of every particular
EffecT:. So that the perfonally diftinguifhing
Names
Of the Divine Trinity. 27
Names of Father, Son, and holy Spirit, were
given to the Elohim, or to the three living and
intelligent' Agents, in the one invifible and
indivisible J>ehovah, or divine Effence, repre-
fented and called alfo, by and by the Names
of the material and vifible Heavens, to enable
us to diftinguifh between the material and
vifible, and lifelefs Signs and Reprefentations,
and the fpiritual and inviiible and intelligent
and free Agents, fenfibly fignified and repre-
fented, and rendered conceivable by them.
And therefore it is to be obferved, that when-'
ever any of the perfonal Names of Father, Son,
or Word, or holy Spirit, are underitood of God
in any Text of holy Scripture, as faying or
doing any thing, the divine Perfon there men-
tioned, is never to be underftood Angularly, or
fo as if that fingle Perfon faid or did any thinp-
independently and exclulively of the other
two 5 but of him co-operating in moft inti-
mate Conjunction and Unity with him.
Thus wherever the Word Father occurs in
the holy Scriptures, and is to be underftood of
God, or our heavenly Father ; although it
denotes a different Perfon in the divine Effence
diftinguifhed by that Name, acting in a diffe-
rent Manner from the other two Perfons in
the divine Effence, yet he is not to be fo un-
derftood as if he adedfingly and independent-
ly and exclufively of the other two, but in
Conjunction and together with them, and fo -
as that whatever he is faid to do, may with
equal
<&8 Of the Divine Trinity.
equal Propriety be faid to be done by either of
the other two, without whole joint Concur-
rence in Operation, in different Forms and
Manners, nothing could have been done by
them.
The fame holds equally true of the Perfons
diitinguifhed by the N^mes of the Son and the
fah Spirit, in the one undivided and indivifi-
ble Jehovah, or divine Effence, neither of
them being to be fo underftood, as if either of
them fpoke or adted feparately 01 independent-
ly and exclufively of, but always in Conjunc-
tion and Co-operation with the other two,
as in the Texts which I (hall hereafter men-
tion, wherein the Father, Son, and holy
Ghoft, are mentioned as fpeaking and adting
as it were feparately and independently ; but
are to be underftood as fpeaking and acting in
Conjunction with the other two, as will be made
appear by the fenfible Reprefentation which
God hath been gracioufly pleafed to make of
himfelf, by the material and vifible Heavens.
We may likewife clearly perceive' by the
Light of the holy Scriptures, interpreted con-
formably to the Reprefen tations which God
1 th been gracioufly pleafed therein to
make of himfelf, by which we mud form
car Notions of the fcriptural Trinity ;
and by what I have before obfervecl from
the holy Scriptures concerning fhls Doc-
trine. That the Words Father Son, and
holy Ghoft, in the one Jehovah, or divine
Eflencc,
Of the Divine Trinity. 29
Effence, are taken in a two -fold Senfe in the
holy Scriptures.
Firjl, For three real diftindt and different
Perfons diftinguifhed from each other by thofe
three different perfonai Names, in the on2
Jehovah, or divine EiTence, as they have been
fcnfibly reprefented, and fo rendered conceiv-
able by the material Heavens. And it is
by this fenfible and heavenly Reprefenta-
tion that God hath been pleafed to make of
himfelf, that we are enabled to conceive the
Truth that St. John hath told us, 1 John v. 7.
where he faith, There be three that bear Wit-
nefs in Heaven, (i. e. in God) The Father, the
Word, (or Son) and the holy Ghofi ; and thefe
three are one. As the Fire, Light and Spirit,
or Darknefs in Motion, (by which the fpiri-
tual and invifible Heavens are fignified and re-
prefented) are three different and diftinguifh-
able Agents, but all of one and the fame Sub-
ftmce, in the material and vifible Heavens,
fo the Father, Son, and holy Ghoft, fignified
and reprefented by them, are three diftinct
and different intelligent Agents or Perfons, but
all of one and the fame Effence, in the
one Jehovah, the divine fpiritual and invifible
Heavens.
Secondly, For three real and different Per-
fons, but not Angularly taken as if they acted
independently of each other, but fo as that
each of them acts conjointly and together,
with the other two, fo that when any one of
them
30 Of tie. Divine Trinitv.
them is faid to act, it is to be underftood of
the whole divine Trinity, acting in different
Forms and Manners for the Production of e-
very Effect, or of that Perfon's acting in Con-
junction and Co-operation with the other two,
as they have been reprefented co-exifting and
co-operating by the material and vifible Hea-
vens, as will be (hewn in the Texts hereafter
mentioned.
And we will likewife molt clearly perceive,
by the Light of the holy Scriptures, that al-
though the Man, Cbri/i Je/us, the only be-
gotten Son of God, was truly and perfectly
God as well as Man, by having the whole
divine Trinity with all the Fulnefs of the
Godhead dwelling in him, and by his fpeak-
ing and acting fo in them, and they in him,
that whatever he faid or did, might with e-
qual Propriety be faid, to be laid and done
by them, and whatever they faid or did,
might with equal Propriety be faid, to have
been faid or done by him % yet that he was
not one of the Perfons in the co- eternal, co-
cflential, and in every Refpect co-equal di-
vine Trinity; neither was he God, nor //;/-
manuely by the co-eternal and co-eflential
Son's being intimately united to, and dwell-
ing in him, and co-operating in and together
With him in all Things, but by the whole
divine Trinity, the three divine Perfons, Fa-
ther, Son, and Holy Ghoft, dwelling with
all the Fulneis of the Gudliead in him, and
co»
Of the Divine Trinity. 31
co-operating with him in all Things, and he
with them. However many pious and learn-
ed Fathers of the Chriftian Church, and fuch
as have confidered and regarded their Doc-
trines more than thofe of the Holy Bible, by
their having not fufficiently confidered and
regarded the fcriptural Diftindion between
the co-eternal, and co-effential, and co-equal di-
vine Son, and the only begotten Son of the
whole Elohitn, fometimes called by the Name
of the Father, but to be underftood of the
whole three divine Perfons, co-operating in
Unity; and by their having taught, that the
co-eternal and co-effential, and in every Re-
fpect co-equal Son, and he only, was united
and made one with the only begotten Son of
God, inftead of teaching and fhewing from
the holy Scriptures, verified by the heavenly
Reprefentation that God hath been pleafed to
make of himfelf, in order to enable us to
form a jufr, right, and true Notion of his
Manner of fubilftins; in Pluralitv, in the one
"Jehovah or divine Effence, have fo perplexed
the Doctrine of the divine Trinity in effentiai
Unity, and alfo of the Godhead of Jtfui
Cbrift, as to render both incomprehensible
and unintelligible, and incredible and denia-
ble ; whereas both are mod clearly conceive-
able and intelligible, as they are fet forth in
the holy Scriptures, from which, and from
which only, thofe Doctrines ought to be de-
duced, as will be (hewn hereafter.
And
32 Of the Divine Trinitt.
And by the fame fpiritual and fcriptural
Lignt, we will be likewife enabled clearly to
perceive, that by the holy Spirit, that Spirit,
bv which, and by which only, Men can be
fructified and faved, and which is fo often
mentioned in the holy Scriptures, we are not
to underftand always that co- eternal and co-
effential, and every Way co-equal Perfon in
the divine Effence, diftinguifhed by that per-
fonal Name 5 but that by the holy Ghoft or
Spirit, is moit frequently to be underftood in
the holy Scriptures, of that holy fandifying
and faviug Spirit of Faith \ which was reftored
to the Knowledge of Mankind, by the Re-
velation that was made to our firft Parents, by
Jehovah Elohitn, the whole three divine Per-
sons in effential Unity, in the one Jehovah,
concerning their fending, and the coming and
Death of J ejus Chri/l, the only begotten Son
or God
Theie few Things being previoufly obferv-.
cd, I proceed to give a few Inftances out of
many that might be given, to ihew, that
wherever any one of the divine Perfons are
faid to do any Thing, it is never to be un-
ftood of that Perion fingly taken, but of that
Pcribn in Conjunction and Co-operation with
the other two, (1. e.) of the whole divine
Trinity.
Jlndjiift) of the Divine Father.
I John v. 7, it is faid that, There be three
* that
Of the Divine Trinitv." 33
that bear Witnefs in Heaven, (i. e. in God,)
the Father, the V/ord, and the holy Ghojl.
Here no one of thefe Perfons are faid to act
or do any Thing, but only toexift together in
the one Jehovah, or divine E Hence, and fo
to conftitute the divine fpiritual and inVifi-
ble Elohim, repreiented and rendered con-
ceivable by the material Heavens ; therefore
we are hereby to- underftand, that there are
three diftindl and different Perfons, in the one
Jehovah, as there are three diftindr and dif-
ferent fenfelefs and unintelligent Agents in the
material and vifible Heavens, and that as the
three in the vifible Heavens, are one in Refpect
of their Subilance ; fo the three in the fpiritual
and invisible Heavens are one, in Refpect of
their Effence. And that as no one of the
Agents in the material and vifible Heavens
can move or a£fc, uniefs the other two move
and act, and co-operate with it in different
Forms and Manners, and fo as that its Motions
and Actions may with equal Propriety be
afcribed to either of the other two, fo no one
of the Perfons or intelligent Agents in the
fupreme divine fpiritual and invisible Heavens,
can move or act, uniefs the other two move
and act, and co-operate in dillinct and different
Forms and Manners with it, and fo as that
its Motions and Actions, may with equal
Propriety be afcribed to either of the other two.
This is the true Scripture Doctrine of the
ever bleffed divine co-eternal, co-eilential and
D in
34 Of the Divine Trinitv.
in every RefpecT: co-cqnal Trinity, perfonally
diftinguifhed in the one undivided and indi-
viiible yehovah, or divine Eflence, as it hath
been feniibly reprc Tented and rendered moft
clearly conceivable by the material Heavens,
by which God in his holy Word hath been
mod gracioufly pleafed feniibly to fignify and
reprefent himfelf. And it is by the Reprc-
fentations that God hath been gracioufly pleaf-
ed to make of himfelf in his holy Word, and
by thofe only, that we are to form our Notions
or Conceptions of the divine fpiritual and in-
divifible and fcriptural Trinity 5 and it is ac-
cording to thefe Notions obtained by divine
Revelation and Reprefentation, that we are to
fpeak not only of the Omniprefence of God,
and of his Manner of fubfifting in a Plurality
of Perfons in effential and infeparable Unity,
but of, all his revealed Properties or Perfec-
tions; otherwife, we will fpeak improperly
and impertinently, and falfely and wickedly,
concerning him.
And it hath been altogether owing to their
having overlooked the fcriptural Representa-
tions, that God hath been gracioufly pleafed to
make of himfelf, (as I have before oblerved)
and confequtntly to their having taken up
falfeand groundlefs Notions of him, or No-
tions grounded upon falfe Philofophy, which
they had inconfiderately imbibed, that many
learned Doctors of the Chrhtian Church have
taught fo confufedly and unintelligibly and
in*
Of the Divine Trinity; 35
incredibly concerning the Dodrine of the ever
blefled Trinity, in the Unity of the one JtbG~
*vahy that many by their Means have been
brought to doubt of the Truth of it, and Mul-
o
titudes openly to deny it. And as this Doc-
trine is mod clearly fet forth in the holy Scrip-
tures, from the one End of them to the other;
by its being rendered incredible and deniable,
by thefe inconsiderate Per ions, who have
wrote fb unintelligibly about it, in labouring to
explain it 5 (for they did not teach it from,
and according to the holy Scriptures, but
brought, and wrefied and misapplied the holy
Scriptures to favour their falfe and groundlefs
Notions concerning it.) Many have been
brought to doubt of the Truth and divine
Original of the holy Scriptures, and Multitudes
to deny both, and all divine Revelation, and
confequently all divine revealed Religion, and
to fubiiitute natural Religion in the Place of it;
to the great Decay of all true fpiritual Purity,
Piety, Charity and Righteoufncfs, and of every
other moral Virtue, among all Ranks and
Orders of Mankind, in all States and Stations,
from the highefl to the lovveft, in the Chri-
ftian World.
And this I chofe to take Notice of in this
Place, for this farther Reafon, becaufe the
late Refiners upon the Arian and Soci?iia?i
Doftrines, in order to fupport their Denial of
the co-eternal, co-erTential, and in every Re-
jfpeft, co-equal Trinity of divine Perlons in
D 2 the
36 Of the Divine Trinity.'
the one Jehovah, or divine Effence, have
afferted that this Text is not genuine, but an
Interpolation, that it hath been foifted into
this Epiftle of St. John, becaufe it is wanting
in fome, and is not to be found in all the
Manufcripts of the New Teftament, (which
is the Cafe of feveral other Texts of Scripture,
of whofe Genuinenefs there never was, nor
ever can be any Doubt, although they are not
to be found in all the remaining Manufcripts
of the New. Tefbment that are extant.) That
they may fee by what I have before obferved,
and by what I am now about to obferve, that
there is nothing afferted in this Text of St.
John, that hath not been over and over affert-
ed in other Texts, both in the Old and New
Teftament, and to whofe Truth, the material
and vifible Heavens bear Teftimony, aid
therefore cannot be called in Queftion fo long
as they endure or continue.
A few out of many Texts of Scripture that
might be produced, that the Word Father is
to be underdood of the Elohim, or divine Tri-
nity, fpeakingand co-operating in Unity.
It is faid Gen. iii. 22. And the Lord God, Je-
hovah, Elohim, J aid, behold the Man is -
come as one of uss to know Good and Evil, &C.
The Word Father is not exprefsly mention-
ed here, but becaufe the anti-fcriptural Uni-
tarians who admit but of one Perfon in the di-
vine Effence, and allow that he is often called
the Father in the holy Scriptures, and always
to
Of the Divine Trinity1.' 37
to be underftood as a fingle Perfon. I there-
fore chofe to mention this Text, to fhew, that
as God had been pleafed to reprefent himfelf
as a Plurality of Agents, of one and the fame
undivided Subftance in the material and vifible
Heavens ; fo he hath been gracioufly pleafed
to fpcak of himfelf here, conformably to that
Reprefentation, as a Plurality of Perfons in the
one Jehovah 1 or divine Eflence ; and that
therefore the Word Father wherever it occurs
in the holy Scripture, and is to be underftood
of God our heavenly Father, faying or doing
any Thing, it is always to be underftood of
a Plurality of the whole Trinity, co -operating
together in Unity, in the one undivided and
indivifible divine Eflence.
As Pf lxviii. 5. God is a Father of the
Fatherlefs.
St. Math. xi. 28. / thank thee 0 Father ',
Lord of Heave 12 and Earth.
St. Mark xiii. 32. But of that Day and
Hour knoweth no Man, 720, not the Angels that
are in Heaven \ neither the Son : but the
Father.
St. John xiv. 28. My Father is greater
than 1.
1 Cor, viii. 6. But to us there is but one
God the Father, of whom are all Things, and
we to or for i#s him, and one Lord Jefus Chrift,
by or becaufe of whom are all Things y and we
by or becaufe of him,
D 3 S:.
3S Of the Divine Trinitv\
St. John iii. 35. The Father hveth the
Soiiy and hath given him all Things. And v.
20. The Father hveth the Son, and fl:eweth
him all Things. And 22. The Father judgetb
no Man. And 26. As the Father hath Life
in himjelf fo hath he given to the Son to have
Life in himjelf
I Acts i. 4. Wait for the Fromife of the
Father.
Ephcf. iv. 6. One God and Father of all
who is above all, and through all, and in you
ell
Colof. i. 19. For it flea fed him (the Father)
that in himflmild all Fulnefs dwell. Chap, ii,
9. Tloe Fulnejs of the Godhead.
1 Pet. i. 3. Bleffed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jefus Chrift.
The foregoing are a few of the many Texts
that might be produced, wherein the perfonal
Word Father is not to be underftcod of the
firfl Perfon in the divine Trinity, nor Angular-
ly, but of the whole Trinity of Perfons in the
one Jehovah, or divine Effence.
And fo it is underftood, St. Math. vl. 9.
where it is faid, Our Father which art in
Heaven^ or our heavenly Father, by wrhich
we are put in Mind of both the fenfible Signs
and Representations, by which God hath been
moil; gra'cioufly pleafed to fignify and repre-
sent himfelf, that we might thereby preferve
juft and right, and true and fpiritually bene^
filial Notions of him, and of hi$ wonderful
and
Of the Divine Trinity^ 39
2nd amiable, and adorable Properties and Per-
fections, and be thereby moved to love him,
and perfevere in Obedience to his moft per-
fect, and only perfect and perfectly purifying
Law.
And St. Math. xxviii. 19. where it is faid,
-Go teach (or make Diiciples of) all Nat ions i
baptizing them into or for the Name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the holy
Ghofl.
That Mankind being fpiritually purified
by the Word, denoted by typical Baptifm by
pure Water, might believe in the Father,
(i.e.) in the divine Trinity* in Unity, in the
one yehovahy or divine Effence 5 and in the
only begotten Son the Man Chrijl yefus, by
whom the Love of our heavenly Father, and
the infatuating and inraging Power of all the
bodily Lufls, were fo clearly mariifefted ; and
in whom the Father (/. e.) the whole divine
Trinity chofed to dwell, to reconcile the
World to themfelves, who together are but
one God; and in that divinely revealed Spirit
of Faith, which was reftored to the World by
the Revelation of yfus Chrijl the only begot-
ten Son of God, by which and by which
only, Mankind can be fanctified and laved.
I proceed to produce a few of the many
Texts that might be produced out of the holy
Scripture, to (hew, that although it be faid, 1
yohn v. 7. That there be three that bear Wit-
?2<fs in Heaven, the Father, the Word or
D 4 Sen,
4# Of the Divine Trinity.
Son, end holy Ghoft, and thcfc three are onel
And that therefore there is a co- eternal and co-
eifential, and in every Refpcct, a co equal Son,
in the divine Trinity, in the one yehovaht or
divine Effence, which God hath been graci-
oufly pleafed to render conceivable by us, by
the R sprefentaiion that he made of him-
felf, by the three different and diftinguimable
Agents, all one Subftance in the material and
vifible Heavens] And that it is laid, St. Luke
i. 3 ji, that the holy Ghofl frmdd come upon the
Virgin Mary, and that the Power of the
Higbe/i, Jljould cverfiadow hery and that
therefore the holy Thing that Jhould be born of
her, Jhould be called the Son of God. And ver.
32. The Son of the Highefl. And that he is
called, Colofjians i. 1 5. The Fir fl -born of every
Creature, by (or becaufe of whom) all Things
were created. By which we may perceive,
that there is an only begotten Son of God,
the Man Chrifl Jefus, as well as a co-eternal
and co-effential and co-equal Perfon, dif-
tinguiihed by the perfonal Name of the Son
in the divine Trinity, in the one yehovah, or
divine Eflence. Yet whenever the divine
Son, or Son of God, is laid to have (aid or
done any Thing, in the holy Scriptures,
it is not to be undcrfiood of the (ingle Perfon,
dtftifcgU bed by the Name of the Son in the
divine Trinity, in the one undivided and in-
divifible ychovab ; neither is it to be un-
derftood of the oily begotten Son of God, the
Man
Of the Divine Trinity. 41
Man Chrijl J ejus alone, as the AriamixA
Sociniam teach ; neicher is it to be under-
stood of the co-cternal and co-eiTential, and
in every Refpecl, co-equal Son alone, mod
intimately united to, and made one with, and
co-operating in Unity with the only begotten
Son j the Man Chrift Je/us> as many of the re-
puted Orthodox have taught 5 neither is it to be
underftood of the only begotten Son of Man
Chrift J ejus, to whom the one Perfon whom
they call the fupreme God, and the Father,
who alone is to be worfhiped with what they
call fupreme Worfhip, hath communicated
fuch divine Powers and Perfections, that he
may be called God in an inferior Senfe, and
may be wormiped, with what they call in-
ferior Worihip. But it is to be underftood of
the only begotten Son of God, the Man Chrift
jfefus, who was produced into Being before all
Worlds, and afterwards conceived by the holy
Ghoft in the Womb of the Virgin Mary,
and became incarnate or took Flefh upon him,
together with the Elobim, the whole Trinity
of divine Perfons, who took him into moll
intimate Unity with themfelves, and dwelt
in him with all the Fulneis of the jGodhead,
and he in them, and co-operated with him in
all Things, and he with them, fo that what-
ever he faid or did could not be faid to have
been faid or done, exclufively of them, but by
him together with them, and whatever is faid
ta have been faid or done by them, could not
be
4* Of the Divine Trinity.
be faid, to have been faid or done by them,
cxclufively of him, but by them together with
him, and by him in them, and co-operating
with them in all Things, and therefore he
faid, John xvi. 15. All Things that the Father
bath, are mine. And chap. xvii. 10. All
mine are thine, and thine are mine. And
chap. xiv. 24. I he Word which you hear is not
minc^ but the Father s which fent me. And
Ter. 10. The Words that I /peak unto you, I
[peak not of niyfelf, but the Father that dwel-
leth in me, he doth the Works, (i. e.) I do not
fpeak the Words myfelf only, but the Father,
(t. et) the whole Elohim that dwelleth in me,
and co-operateth in and with me in all Things
I fay or do ; together with me fpeaketh
the Words which you hear me fpeak. And
that they might know and believe that the
Father, (i. e.) the Elohim dwelleth in him,
he faith, ver. 9. He that hath feen me hath
feen the Father. And to fhew his moft inti-
mate Unity with the Father, (/'. e.) the Elohim
he faith, chap. x. 30. 1 and my Father are
one, ttn And being thus moft intimately uni-
ted to and made one with God, when he
t<;ok upon him the Form or Appearance of a
rvant, but appeared in the Form of God,
by all his Words and Anions, He did not. (as
the Apoflle tells us, Philip ii. 6.) think it
Robbery to be equal with God. If he had
thought it Robbery, and declared hi toft If not
to be equal to God, Mankind would have
had
Of the Divine Trinity. 43
had a lefs Opinion of the perfect Goodnefs of
God, but by ChriJFs declaring and fhewing
himfelf to be one with God, and God with
him, they might clearly perceive that God
was in and with Chrift, reconciling the World
to himfelf, and by his great and fatherly Love
thus manifefted to them, they would have the
mofl: powerful Motive and Reafon given them
for loving him with all their Heart, and for
manifefting the Truth and Sincerity of it, by
their Pcrfeverance in perfedl Obedience to his
moil: perfect and purifying Law, by which
they would be fanditied and faved, and mads
truly and fpiritually happy, both temporally
and everlaftingly, which were the Ends for
which God created and defigned all Mankind
without Exception.
This is the true fcriptural Dodtrine, concern-
ing the Son or Word of God, and that he is to
beunderflood of the only begotten Son of God
the Man Chrifi Jejiis with the Elohim, or
whole divine Trinity of Perfons, mofl inti-
mately united to and dwelling in him, and he
in them, and co-operating with him in all
Things, and he with them, whenever he is
faid in the holy Scriptures to fay or do any
Thing. And that he is to be fo underftood
in the following Texts, which are a few
of the many that might be cited to the fame
Purpofe.
lfaiah ix. 6. For unto us a Child is bom,
unto us a Son is given, and the Government
(hall
44 Of the Divine Trinity;
JJ:all be upon his Shoulder : And his Naine
Jhall be called Wonderful, Counfellor, the
mighty God, the ever lading Father ', the Prince
of Peace.
St. John i. i, &c. In the Begi?ining Arche
was the Word, and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God, the fame was in the
Beginning with God: All Things were made by
(or becaufe of &<*) him ; and without him was
not any Thing tnade that was made, and the
Word was made Flejh% and dwelt among us,
(and we beheld his Glory, the Glory as of the
only begotten of the Father) full if Grace and
Truth.
And i John i. I, &c. That which was
from the Beginning, &c# which we have heard,
which ws have feen with our Eyes, which we
have looked upon, and our Ha?ids have handled
of the Word of Life -, (for the Life was mani~
fefied) and we have fen it, and bear Witnefs,
and pew unto you that eternal Life that was
with the Father, That you aljo may have
Fellcwfip with us, and truly our Feliowfnp is
with the Father, and with his Son Jefus
Chrift.
Hcb. i. i, &c. God hath in thefe la ft Days
fpoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath ap-
pointed Heir of all Things, by (or becaufe of)
whom a/Jo he made the World, upholding all
Things by the Word of his Power. And Jat
dr^n on the right Hand of Majefiy on high.
An4
Of the Divine Trinity.' 45
And Coloffians i. 13, 15, 16, 17, and 19,
His dear Sou, who is the Image of the invifi-
lle God, the Firjl-born of every Creature, for
by (or becaufe of) him all Things were creat-
ed, that are in Heaven, and that are in
Earth, vifible and invifible. All Thi??gs were
created by (or becaufe of) hi?n9 and for him y
and he is before all Things, and by him all
Things con/ifl. For it plea fed the Father
that in him f/jouJd all Fidnefs dwellt the Ful-
nefs cf the Godhead, ii. 9.
In thefe few Texts which I have mention-
ed, out of the many that might be produced,
the Word or Son of God is to be underftood
of the only begotten Son of God, the Man
Chrijl J ejus, not alone, and exclufively of the
Deity, but conjunctively and together with
the Elohi?n, the three different and diflinguifh-
ed Perfons in the divine Trinity, in the one
undivided and indivisible Jehovah, or divine
EfTence, rendered conceivable by the three
different and diftinguifhed indivilible and in-
feparable Agents, in the material and vifible
Heavens, always co-operating in and with
him in all Things, that he thought, faid, or
did.
And when it is faid, John xiv, 2 8 . The Father
is greater than I. And St! Mark xiii. 32.
B ut of the Day and Flour knoweth no Many
720, not the Angels which are in Heaven, nei-
ther the Son, but the Father. We are to un-
derHand
46 Of the Divine Trinity.
deriland, that J ejus Chrifl fpake of himfelf
in both thefe Texts, in Refpect of his Hu-
manity only, that Mankind might know and
believe, that he was perfect Man as well as
perfect God.
It may be obferved, that I have rendered
the Particle <JU, where it occurred in the
foregoing Texts, by by, and becauje oj\ which
imports not only the efficient Caufe of all
created Beings, but alio the leading Caufe
which was fo neceflary, in order to the At-
tainment of the final Caufe, or End for
which all Things were created, that the
End could not have been certainly obtained,
if this leading Caufe had not previoufly ex-
ifted ; and therefore nothing would have
been created or made by our mofl perfect-
ly wife and good, and gracious God, had
he not previoufly created, and fo produced
into Being that leading Caufe, by which
the great End of all created Beings might
mofl: certainly be obtanied.
This will be clearly conceived and under-
stood, if we confider, Firjl, that God cre-
ated and made all Things for the Ule, and
natural and fpiritual Benefit cf Mankind,
(i. e.J for the Support of their material and
mortal Bodies, and the Inftruclion of their
immaterial and immortal Spirits, in this their
State, not of Probation (as it is commonly, but
falfly called) but of Preparation and Qualifi-
cation of themfelves for the Enjoyment and
furs
Of the Divine Trinity. 47
fure Attainment of that perfect and everlafting
Happinefs, for which he created and de-
signed them. And, Secondly, That as our
mod gracious God had created all Mankind
for true and ipiritual, and rational Happinefs,
both temporal and everlafting, it was indif*
penfably neceffary, that they fhould be cre-»
ated free Agents. And, Thirdly, That as1
they were free Agents, they might pofiibly,
although not probably (considering what God
had done for them, to preferve them from
falling) depart and fall from the Way of true
and fpiritnal Happinefs, for which they were
all deligned and created, into a State of Wic-
kednefs and endlefs Mifery. And, Fourthly,
That Man fallen from the Way of true and
ipiritual, and rational Happinefs, both tem-
poral and everlafting, and confequently into
the Way of Wickednefs and endlefs Miferv,
for the temporal and fenfual Gratification of
his bodily Lufts, could not (as hath been
fhewn in the firfl Volume of this Apology)
pofiibly have been reftored to the Way of
San&iiication, Salvation and eternal Life, had
God been graciouily pica fed, previoufly to
have provided a Saviour and Redeemer for
him, by whom he might lave himfelf from
Wickednefs, and fpiritual Mifery, both tem-
poral and everlafting, and reftore himfelf to
the Way of Sanclirication, Salvation, and e-
tcrnal Life, if he would chufe fo to do, in
cafe he fhould at any Time fall from it ;
there*
48 Of the Divine Trinity*.
therefore God previoufly provided fuch a Sa-
viour and Redeemer for Mankind, before the
Creation of the World, even his Son J ejus
Cbri/iy who is therefore called the firft born
of every Creature, or him that was produced
or brought forth before all Creatures; whom
he afterwards revealed, and made known to
our firft Parents immediately after their Fall,
and by them to all Mankind. And by his
moft gracious Revelation of his moft fure
Word of Promife and Prophecy concerning
his fending him, and his coming, and his
Death, he gave Mankind (as hath been be-
fore (hewn in my Notes and Obfervations
upon the third Chapter of Genefis) the moft
powerful Reafons and Motives that could pof-
fibly be given to fallen Men, for moving
them to love God with all their Hearts, <SV.
and to mortify and preferve their Spirits pure
from all bodily Lufts, which they would not
have done, had not God been thus gracioufly
pleafed to have revealed the Saviour and Re-
deemer, which he had previoufly provided
for them, and without which, all Mankind
would have been fpiritually miferable, both
temporally and everlaftingly, and the End for
which he deiigned and created them, would
have been frustrated \ and therefore our moft
wile, and moft gracious and good God
would not have created either the World for
Man, nor Man, if he had not pievioufly pro-
vided a Saviour and Redeemer for him, by
whom
Of the Divine Trinity. 49
whom he might fave and redeem himfelf, irt
cafe of his falling at any Time. And there-
fore it is laid, that all Things were made
& <x,\j%9 which I have rendered b\\ and becaafe
of 'him ', the Particle denoting in thofe Texts,
that Jefus Chrifl, the only begotten Son of
God, taken into mod intimate Union, and
co-operating in and with the E/ohim, was to-
gether with them, the Creator and Maker of
all Things; and that he was alfo the leading
Caufe, without whofe previous Exiftence,
nothing would have been created or made ;
and of whom it is faid, That he was before
all Things , . and the Heir of all Things ; and
that without him was not any Thing made
that was made.
This being obferved, I proceed to fpeak of
the Holy Gholl or Spirit.
And to produce a few out of many Texts
of holy Scripture that might be produced :
That although it be faid, 1 John v. 7, fhat
there be three that bear IVune/s in Hcaven%
the Father, the Word, and the Holy Gtoll 3
and thej'e three are one. And that therefore
there is a different and diftinct co-eternal and
co-effentialj and in every Refpeel, a co-equal
Peifon, diftinguifhed by the Name of the
Holy Ghoft or Spirit, in the divine Trinity^
in the one Jehovah, or divine Effence, which
Gcd hath been gracioufly pieafed to render
conceivable by us, by the feniible Reprcfenta-
E tioa
£0 Of the Divine Trinity.
don that he hath been gracioufly pleafed to
make of himfelf, by the three different and
diftinguifhable Agents, all of one Subclance,
in the undivided and material, and vifible
Heavens; yet whenever the Holy Ghoft or
Spirit, is faid in the holy Scrip:ure, to fay or
do any Thing, it is not to be under flood of
the fingle Perfon in the divine Trinity, that
is diftinguifhed by the Name of the Holy
Spirit, in the one undivided and indivifible
Jehovah, or divine Effence, and is reprefent-
ed by the lifelefs Spirit, or Darknefs in Mo-
tion in the material and vifible Heavens, but
of the Elohim, or whole divine Trinity, infe-
parably united, and co-operating together
with the Perfon, diftinguifhed by the Name
of the Holy Spirit, in the one jekovah, in a
different Form and Manner in the Production
of all Effects afcribed to him. As in the few
of the many Texts which I (hall now pro-
duce, after I have produced two or three, to
fhew, that the Holy Spirit, fo often mention-
ed in the holy Scriptures, by which Men arc
faid to be fan&ified and faved, is to be under-
ftood of the holy Spirit of Faith, which the
Elohim, or divine Trinity in Unity, were
moft gracioufly pleafed to reveal to Mankind,
concerning the fending, and the coming, and
Death of Jefus Chrift, the only begotten Son
of God. As,
Ephef. iv. 3. Endeavouring to keep the
Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace.
Heb.
Of the Divine Trinity. 51
Heb. ix. 14. How much more JheH the
Blood of Chrift, who through the eternal Spi-
rit, offered up himfelf without Spot to God,
freferve your Conferences jrom dead Works, to
ftrve the thing God.
And St. Math, xxv'iii. 19. Go ye there-
fore, and teach all Nations, baptizing them
in the Maine of the Father, and of the Sony
and of the Holy Gbo/l.
In thefe foregoing, and in many other
Texts of holy Scrip; tire, the Holy Ghoft or
Spirit, is taken for the holy fancying and
iaving Spirit of Faith, which came to the
Knowledge of Mankind, by the Revelation
of the fending, and coming, and Death of
Jefus Chrift, the only begotten Son of God.
As it is 2 Cor. xiii. 14. where it is faid,
The Grace of our Lord Jefus Chrift, and the
Love oj God7 and the Communion of the Holy
Ghofl be with you all.
Rom. viii. 11. But if the Spirit of him
that raijed up Jefus from the Dead, dwell in
you, he that raijed up Chrift from the Dead,
will alfo quicken your mortal Bodies by the
Spirit that dwelleth in you.
The Spirit firft mentioned in this Text, is
underftood of the Elohim, or divine Trinity
in Unity -, and where it is laft mentioned, it
is to be underftood of the quickening Spirit of
Faith. And in all the following Texts, where
the Spirit is faid to fay or do any Thing, it is
E 2 tc
$Z Of the Divine Trinity.
to be underftood of the Elohim, or divine
Trinity in the one Jehovah or divine Effence.
Gen. vi. 9. My Spirit Jl:all not always
ftrive with Man.
Ephef. iv. 30. Grieve not the holy Spirit
of God.
Ifa. lxiii. 10. But they rebelled \ and vexed
his holy Spirit.
Job xxvi. 1 3 . By his Spirit, he garni foe d
(or expanded) the Heavens. Whereas it is
faid, Pf. xxxiii. 6. By the Word of the Lord
were the Heavens made. And 2 Pet. iii. 5.
Ads i. 16. The Holy Ghoft fpoke by the
Mouth of David. And x. 19. The Spirit
faid to Peter, behold three Men feek thee. And
v. 3. To lie to the Holy Ghoft, is called,
ver. 4. lying to God. And xx. 28. Take
heed therefore unto yourfelves, and to all the
Flock, over which the Holy Ghoft hath made
you Overfeersy or Bifhops.
And St. Math. i. 18. She was found with
Child of the Holy Ghoft. And therefore it is
faid, St. Luke i. 32, 35. That the holy Thing
that ftjould be born of her, fojould be called the
Son of the Highefl, and the Son of God, (i. e.)
of the Elohim. And therefore by the Holy
Ghoft, muft here be underftood the whole
divine Trinity, co-operating in Unity, in the
one undivided and indivifible Jehovah, or di-
vine Effence.
Having thus (in order to our coming at
the clear Knowledge of the true fcriptual
Doctrine
Of the Divine Trinity. 53
Doctrine concerning the Trinity of Perfons,
in the Unity of the one jfehovab, or divine
EfTence -, and that I may render it moft
clearly conceivable by Mankind, by the Ways
and Means by which God hath perfectly en-
abled us fo to do) previouily (hewn :
Firjl, That the Knowledge of God and of
other fpiritual Thing?, States and A&ions, is
indifpenfably neceflary for Mankind, in order
to their Sandtification, Salvation, and true and
fpiritual Happinefs, both temporal and ever-
lafting.;*
Becofidly , that Mankind could not poTibly
have any Kind of Knowledge, even of the Ex-
igence of God, or of any other fpiritual Thing,
State or Action, without a divine Revelation.
Thirdly, That by divine Revelation only,
and with our fenfible Reprefentations of them,
they could have no right, juft and true No-
tions, or Knowledge of any of them.
Fourtblv. That our molt gracious God,
for the good and fpiritual Benefit of Mankind,
both temporal and everlafting, was mod gra-
cioully pleafed not only to make himfelf (and
other fpiritual Things which were indifpenfa-
bly neceffary for them to have right, and juil
and true Notions of) known by his Revela-
tions that he was pleafed to make concerning
them, but alfo by the fenfible Reprefentations
he was alfo pleafed to make of them in his
holy Word, by material and fenfibly percep-
tible Things, of which we either had, or
E 3 might
54 Of the Divine Trinity.
might have right, and true and ufeful, and
profitable, although not adequate Ideas, if we
would duly attend to them.
Fifthly, And that we might be able to
form right and true, and fttfritualfy beneficial,
although not adequate Notions of himfelf,
arid of his wonderful and amiable, and ador-
able revealed Properties, Powers, and Perfec-
tions, he was molt gracioufly pleafed not only
to reveal, but alfo to fignity and reprefent
himfelf to Markind, by a two-fold (enfibly
perceptible Reprefentation, (viz.) by the ma-
terial and vifible Heavens, all of one and the
fame Subftance, but fubfifting in the three
different Forms and States of Fire, Light and
Spirit, or Darknefs in Motion, all moving
and operating, or a&ing differently in the one
Subftancej and by a perfonal Reprefentatioii
of them, by a Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
1 1 at by the ftjl, we might be enabled to
form a right and true, and ipiritually be-
neficial, although not an adequate Notion of
his Omniprefence, and of his fubfifting in a
Pkr .hey of Perfons, or intelligent Agents in
Unity, in the one undivided and indivifible
Jehovah, or divine E (fence. And that by the
jeeend, we might be enabled to form a right
and true Notion cf his Godhead, (i. e.J r f
his pertcdl and fatherly Goodnefs or Love,
and of his perfect Wildom, and of all his o-
ther intelle&ual and moral, and amiable and
and adorable Pericdions; that by thefc latter,
mm
Of the Divine Trinity. 55
r
we might be moved to love him with all
our Hearts, &c. and manifeft the Truth and
Sincerity thereof, by our Perfeverance in per-
fect Obedience to his rnoft perfect and puri-
fying Law •, that by doing both thefe Things,
we might perfectly qualify ourfelves for the
Enjoyment, and fure Attainment of Salvati-
©h, and of true and fpiritual Happinefs, both
temporal and everlafting.
Sixthly, That if God bad not been graci-
oufly pleafed to make this two-fold Repre-
fentation of himfelf, Mankind would have
been liable to have fallen into very falfe and
fpiritually unprofitable, and hurtful Notions
concerning him* And that all the falfe No-
tions that Mankind have ever entertained
concerning God, have proceeded from their
having only taken one of the fenfible Repre-
fentations only into their Consideration, and
by their having over- looked and dropt the
other, when they hav^ attempted to ibrni
their Notions of, and to fpeak of God. And
that the Gentiles, by only taking into their
Confederation the Repreientation which God
had made of himfelf, by the material and vi-
able Heavens, in the three different and dif-
tinguifhable Forms of Fire, and Light, and
Darknefs, all of one Subftance, and by their
over-looking and dropping the peribnal P>.e-
prefentation that he was alio gtfatfiatfiJjr pleafed
to make of himfelf, mii^ook the material and
viflbls Sign, for the fpiritual and invifibW
E 4 Being
56 Of the Divine Trinity.
Being, fignihed and represented by it; and
worfhipped and adored the lifelefs and ienfe-
lefs Creature, the vifible Heavens, which they
let up for the fupreme God, inftead of the
living, intelligent, and beneficent Creator of
Heaven and Earth, and of all Things there-
in, vifible and mvifible. They for fome Ages,
believed a Trinity, or three Agents efTential,
or fubftantialiy one, in their God, but a Tri-
nity of lenielcfs and unintelligent Agents.
Whereas on the other Hand, the Generality
of the Doctors of the Chriftian Church, by
only taking into their Confideration the per-
fonal Reprefentation which God hath been
pleafed to make of himfelf, and by their
having over-looked and dropt the Repre-
fentation which God was alfo gracioufly
pleafed to make of himfelf, by the material
and vilible Heavens, although they profefTed
to believe the Doctrine ot the ever bleffed
Trinitv, in the Unity of the one Jehovah,
or divine Efllnce, which is fo clearly and lo
often fet forth in the holy Scriptures, yet
when they came to explain it, they perplexed
it, and fpqke and wrote fo incomprehenfibly
and unintelligibly about it, that they ren-
dered it incr< diblc, and the Generality of thofe
who go tad r the Chriftian Denomination,
believing that to be the Scripture Doctrine of
the Trini y, which was io generally taught
by Chriftij n 'T < . Jicrc of all Denominations,
without cc.if:dciing the clearly conceivable
and
Of the Divine Trinity. $j
and intelligible Do&rine fct iorth in the holy
Scriptures, concerning the divine Trinity of
Pertons, in the one "Jehovah^ or divine Ef-
fence, rendered fo clearly and perfectly com-
prehenfible, hy the Reprefentation which God
was moft gracioufly pleafed to make of him-
felf, by the material and vilible Heavens,
which bear Teilimony to the Truth of the
holy Scriptures, concerning the divine Tri-
nity in Unity; they have by that Means been
brought to difbelicve and deny the Truth and
divine Authority of the holy Scriptures, and
all divine Revelation, and the ISLceiTuy of
fuch a Revelation, and consequently all re-
vealed Religion, and to rely upon the Self-
Sufficiency of what they call natural Reli-,
gion, which is no other than what their
bodily Senfes; and their refpeclive predomi-
nant bodily Lufts fugged: and dictate to them,
to the great Decay of all true and fpiritual
Purity, Piety, Charity and Righteoufneisvand
of every other moral Virtue, to the Extirpa-
tion both of private and focial Honefty, whe-
ther ceconomical or political, out of the Minds
of the Generality of all Ranks and Orders
of Mankind, in all States and Stations from
the Higheft to the Loweft, to the Dem ucli-
on and Overthrow of all true and temporal,
and worldly Happinefs, and of true fpnitual
Happinefs, both temporal and everlafting.
And as it was neceflary for clearing up
and rendering conceivable the Truth or the
fcrip-
tjS Of the Divine Trinity.
fcriptural Do&rine of the ever blefled and
divine Trinity in Unity, in the one Jehovah^
or divine Effence, previoufly to fhew, that
God in his holy Word, had not only been
gracioufly pleafed fenfibly to fignify and re-
prefent himfelf, by the material and vifible
Heavens, in the three different and diftinguifh-
able Forms and States of Fire, Light, and
Spirit, or Darknefs in Motion, all moving
and operating, or a&ing different Ways, and
after different Manners in one and the fame
Subftance, and all co-operating together for
the Production of every Effeft that is afcribed
to any one of them ; but alfo by a perfonal
Reprefentation which he was likewife graci-
oufly pleafed to make of himfelf, by which
he is diftinguifhed by the perfonal Names of
Father, Son, and holy Spirit, by which they
are (hewn to be living or intelligent Agents;
and diftinguifhed from the lifelefs and fenfe-
kfs Agents, by which they are feniibly fignifi-
ed and reprefented. I have therefore (hewn
from the holy Scriptures,
Seventhly, That God hath been gracioufly
pleafed therein to reprefent himfelf by, and to
permit himfelf to be called by the Name of
the material and vifible Heavens in genera!,
and alfo by the particular Names of Fire,
Light, and Spirit, or Darknefs in Motion,
which are the different and diftinguifhable
Forms and States, in which they have fubfifted
ever fince the Time of their firft Formation,
by
Of the Divine Trinity. 59
by the Eichhn, or fpiritual Heaven^, fubfifting
in different Forms in the one Jehovah, or di-
vine Eflence. And
Eighthly, That he hath been gracioufly
pleafed therein likewife, to make a perfonal
Reprefentatibn cf himfelf, not to enable us
thereby to form a Notion of his being a Plu-
rality in Unity, in the one divine Effence j but
a Notion of his Godhead, and .hat the Plu-
rality in the Godhead which is rendered con-*
ceivable by the three lifelefs and fenfelefs
Agents, in the one Subftance of the material
and vilible Heavens, are Perfons or living and
intelligent and free Agents, of perfect Wiidom
and Goodnefs, and of all other amiable and
adorable, revealed and conceivable, and un re-
peated, and therefore, in this Life unconceiva-
ble divine Powers and Perfections, in the one
Jehovaby or divine Effence, all co-operating
together, for the Sanctification, Salvation,
and true Happinefs of all Mankind, that they
might be moved by the Confideration of this
Notion of him, to love him with all their
Hearts, GrV. and to manifeft the Truth and
Sincerity of their Love, by Perfeverance in
perfect Obedience to his moil perfect and
purifying Law, that by both thefe they might
become perfectly qualified for the Enjoyment
and fure Attainment of true Happinefs, both
temporal and everlafting. And that as this
perfonal Reprefentation, that God hath been
gracioufly pleafed to make of himielf in his
holy
6© Of the Divine Trinity.
holy Word , was not intended for the enabling
Mankind to form a Notion of his Plurality in
Unity, therefore, whenever any of the three
Perfons, Father, Son, or holy Ghoft, are
mentioned in the holy Scriptures, as faying or
doing any Thing, it is not to be underftood
of that Perfon Angularly taken, as if he fpoke
or acted fingly of himfelf, and exclufively and
independently of the other two; but of the
Perfon fpeaking or acting in Conjunction and
Co-operation with the other two, as they are
represented by the Agents exifting in the ma-
terial and viiible Heavens, all and always co-
operating together, for the Production of
every Effect, afcribed to any one of them.
And this I have lhewn moft clearly, concern-
ing the Perfon of the Father, and of the holy
Spirit, where either of them are faid to have
laid or done any Thing in the holy Scriptures.
As alfo that where ever any Thing is faid in
the holy Scriptures to have been faid or done
by the Son, it is not to be underftood of the
only begotten Son of God, the Man Cbriji
jfelus alone and Angularly taken, as the
A inns and Socinians teach. Nor of the only
begotten Son of God, the Man Chrijl Jejus%
to whom the Father (whom they hold to be
one Perfon, and that Perfon to be the only
true and fupreme and living God, to whom
what they call fupreme Worfhip, is only to
be paid) hath communicated fuch divine Pro-
perties, Powers and Perfections, that he may
on
Of the Divine Trinity 61
on their Account be properly called God, but
of an inferior Nature, to whom what they
call inferior Worfliip, may very juftly be paid *
as the modern Refiners upon Arianifm and
Socinianifm teach. Nor of the only begotten
Son, the Man Chriji Jejus, in whom the co-
eternal and co-effential, and in every Refpedt,
co-equal Perfon, diftinguifhed by the Name of
the Son, in the ever bleffed and divine Trinity,
in the one Jehovah, or divine Effence, chofe
to dwell, and to take into mod intimate
Unity with him, and fo as to become one
with himfelf, co-exifting in him, and co-
operating with him in all Things, and therefore
God together with him, and co-eternal and
co-effential, and in every Refpeft, co-equal
with the Perfons called the Father and the
holy Spirit in the divine Trinity, as the reputed
Orthodox have for many Ages inconfideratelv
at leaft taught. But of the only begotten
Son, the Man Chriji Jefus, in whom the
Elohim, the whole Trinity of divine Perfons in
the one undivided and indivifible Jehovah,
or divine Effence, chofe to dwell with all
the Fulnefs of the Godhead, and to take into
mod intimate Unity with themfelves, fo that
every Thing faid to be faid and done by them,
might with equal Propriety be faid to be faid
and done by him, co-exifting and co-operating
in, and with them in all Things ; and fo that
every Thing faid and done by him, might
with equal Propriety, be faid to be faid and
done
6z Of the Divine Trinity*,
done by them, co-operating in, and with him
in all Things (aid and done by him. This is
the true fcriptural Doctrine both of the divine
Trinity, in the U: ity of the one undivided
and indivifible Jikovah^ or divine Effencej
and of the Divinity of the Man Je/us Chriji,
the only begotten Son of God; as will, by an4
by, be made clearly to appear, together with
the ipiritual Benefits that will neccfTarily at-
tend the fincere and true Belief of both thefe
fcriptural Doctrines : Which Men cannot pof-
fibly obtain, who reject and continue in Un-
belief of them, or in Mifbelief or falie Belief,
concerning them.
But as it is neceffary to have a right, juft
and true Idea of the material and vifible
Heavens, by which and by which only, we
are enabled to form a right, juft and true
Notion of the Manner of the Elohims fubfift-
ing and operating or acting in the one Jehovah%
or divine Effence, (for if we have not a right,
juft and true Idea of the fenfibly perceptible
Thing, by which we form our Notion of any
ipiritual or fenfibly imperceptible Thing, our
Notion of it will ncceffarily be wrong and falfc,
andfo will our Belief concerning it And as our
Practice of Good and Evil in molt Cafes depends
upon our Belief, if our Belief be faife, our
Practice will very often be wicked and hurt-
ful.) Therefore, that we might have a right,
juft: and true Idea of the material and vilible
Heavens, and that we may thereby be en-
abled
Of the Divine Trinity. 63
abled to form a right, juft and true Notion of
the Elohim, or divine Trinity, fubfifting in
the one Jehovah of divine Eflence. I havQ
chofen to (hew previoufly from the holy
Scriptures, what hath been there fet forth,
concerning the divine Original of the material
and vifiblc Heavens, and of the Form and
State in which they were created, and of
their prefent States and Forms of Fire, Light,
and Spirit, or Darknefs in Motion, in which
they have fubfifted ever fince the Time of
their Formation, by the Elohim, or Trinity
of Perfons in the one Jehovah, or divine EC-
fence: And of the different Motions, and
Manners of operating or a&ing, and co-operat-
ing together in theie three different Forms
and States, in one and the fame Subftance.
And of the different Properties and Powers of
the material Heavens, fubfifting in each of
thefe three different Forms and States, by
which we will obtain a right and true, al-
though not an adequate Idea of them 5 and
know fo much concerning them, as is necef-
fary for us to know, in order to our doing
every Thing proper and necefiary to be done
by us, in order to our true Happinefs, both
natural and fpiritual, and temporal and ever-
lafting. And by our having a true Idea of
them, and knowing fo much as God hath
been pleated to inform us, by the Writings of
his holy Prophets concerning them, we 'will
be thereby enabled to form a right, juft and
true
64 Of the Divine Trinity*.
true Notion of the Manner of God's fubfifting
in a Plurality, or Trinity of intelligent Agents",
in the one jfebovah, or divine EfTcnce, as it b
fet forth and reprefented in the holy Scrip-
tures: Bat not as it hath been taught by
Perions who have overlooked and difregarded
the fcriptural Reprefentation, which God was
pl.afed to make of it by the material and
vifible Heavens, and who were therefore,
unable to render their Doctrine comprehenfible
or intelligble, concerning it ; and who to keep
themfelves in Countenance, and to lead fimple
and inconfiderate Perfons into their Error,
have impertinently and wickedly produced
feveral Texts of holy Scripture, as if they bore
Teftimonv to the Truth of their falfe and vain
Imaginations 3 whereas, they only bear Tefti-
mony to the Trufh of that Doclrine, as it
hath been rendered moil: clearly comprehenfi-
ble and intelligble, by the fen fible Reprefenta-
tion which God hath been pleafed to make of
it by the material and vifible Heavens, by
which he hath enabled us, by what he hath
faid concerning them in his holy Word, to
form a clear and true, although not a com-
pleat and adequate Idea of. And by the by,
we will, by carefully attending to the Reve-
lations, which God by his holy Prophets hath
given to Mankind, concerning the material
and vifible Heavens, his inflrumental Cau/e of
all inanimate and vegetable, and animal Mo-
tions, atfd of all Kinds and Degrees ol Motion
ia
Of the Divine Trinity 65
in the natural or muerial Worlds have a
truer, and more clearly conceivable, and ufeful
Syftem of Principles of natural Phi lo/ophy,
by which the Caules of all the Phenomena in
Nature, that are neceffary for us to know, in
order to both our natural and fpiritual Well-
being, than hath been delivered to the World,
in any of the Syftems of Philoibphers, either
antient or modern, from the Beginning of
the World to this Day. Although it hath
been induftrioufly afferted, by Perfons who
have laboured to divert Mankind from the
dilligent and attentive Reading of the holy
Scriptures, and to attach them to the Study
of the Writings of human Philoibphers ; that
the holy Scriptures were not defigned to in-
ftrudl: Mankind in the Knowledge of Philo-
fophy, and yet they contain (as will be fhewn
hereafter) a more compleat and ufeful Syftem
of Phv/ics, or natural Philofophy j and of
Ethics, or moral Philofophy ; and of Meta-
ph^cs7 or fupernatural Philofophy ; than ever
appeared in any other Writings in the World*
And great and good Reafon there was for
fetting forth thele Things in the holy Scrip-
tures, from whence they are to draw all their
Knowledge of the one and only true lan&ify-
ing and faving Religion, for fuch as Men's
Philofophy is, fuch will be their Religion ;
if the firftbe true, the latter will be fo too,
and if the one be falfe, the other will neceflarily
be falfe alfo,
F
66 Of the Divine Trinity.
I therefore now proceed to (hew from the
holy Scriptures, which God hath been moft
gracioufly pleafed to reveal and make known
to Mankind by his holy Prophets, concerning
the material and vifible Heavens, by which
he hath been pleafed fenfibly to fignify and
reprefent himfelf, and render himk-lf con*
ceivable, with Refpect to his Ubiquity or
Omniprefence, and Manner of fubfiiting and
operating or acting in Plurality, in the one
undivided and indivifible Jehovah, or divine
EfTence. And concerning their divine Origi-
nal; and concerning the original Form and
State in which they were created 5 and con-
cerning the three different Forms and States,
in which they were afterwards made to fubfift,
and in which they have fubfifted and operated
or acted ever fince the Time of their Forma-
tion. And of their different Manners of
operating or acting, and all co-operating to-
gether, in the Production of all their different
Acts or Effects, in their three different Forms
and States, in one and the fame EfTence or
Subftance. And of the different Properties,
Powers and Perfections, of the material and
vifible Heavens, fubfifting; in their three
different Forms and States oi Fire, Light, and
Spirit, or Darknefs in Motion, in their one
Subftance, that we may be thereby enabled
to form a juft, right and true, and ufeful, al-
though not an adequate Idea of them. For
as it is by them and by them only, that we
arc
Of the Divine Trinity. 67
are enabled to form a Notion or Conception
of the Omniprefence of God the Elohim, and
of his Manner of fubfifting, operating or
adling, and co-operating in the one Jehovah%
or divine Eflence ; if we have not a right
and true Idea of the material and vifible
Heavens, our Notions or Conceptions of the
Elohim thereby reprefented, will be wrong
and falfe, and ulelefs or unprofitable, and
hurtful, as hath been before obferved.
We are informed by Mofes, a Prophet of
God, Gent i. 1. That the Elohim in the Re*
fiith, (i.e.) That the whole divine Trinity
in Unity, in the one undivided and indivifible
Jehovah, or divine Eflence, created the Hea-
vens and the Earth.
By which we may obferve that the Work
of Creation is here afcribed to the Elohim, or
the whole divine Trinity co-operating in
Unity, in the one divine ElTence, for the Pro-
duction of that ftupendous Work or EfTedt;
as hath been obferved in my Notes and Obfer-
vations upon this Verfe. And in Conformity
to that which, Mofcs hath here declared, all
the holy Prophets (moved by the fame divine
Spirit) have fpoke, who have made Mention
of the Works of God, and of the wonderful
Operations of his Hands, although all Of them
have not afferted the Works to the whole
Elohim, fome of them having afcribed them
to the co-eternal, co-eflential and co equal
Word or Son 3 and others of them to the co-
1 F 2 eternal,
68 Of the Divine, Trinity.
eternal, and co-effential, and in every Refpeft,
co-equal divine and holy Spirit, in the one
Jehovah, or divine Effence.
And thus it is faid, Pf. xxxiii. 6. By the
Word oj the Lord (Jehovah) were the Hea-
vens made ; and all the Hofl of them by the
Spirit of his Month.
And Pf lxKxix. n. The Heavens are thine \
the Earth a/Jo is thine : As for the World
(b^D the Mixture) and the tulnefs thereof,
thou hafl founded them. And Pf. cxlvi. 6.
it is faid, That Jehovah Elohim made the Hea-
vens and the Earthy the Sea, and all that is
therein.
But Job xxvi. 13. it is faid, By his Spirit
he hath gamifhed (beautified or expanded) the
Heavens.
Ifaiah xliv. 24. Thus faith Jehovah thy
Redeemer, he that formed thee, from the Womb,
1 am the Lord that maketh all Things. That
flretcheth forth the Heavens alone, that f pre ad-
ith abroad the Earth, by (or from) myfelf
And Zech. xii. 1. That he flretcheth forth the
Heavens, and layeth the Foundations of the
Earth, and for met h the Spirit of Man within
him.
But John i. 3. it is faid, That all Things
were made by the Word that was in the Archey
and that was with God, and that was God,
and that without him was not any Thing
made that was made.
And
Of the Divine Trinity. 69
And ABsxw. 15. it is faid, That the living
God made Heaven and Earth, the Sea, and all
Things that are therein.
But Heb% xi. 3. it is faid, That by Faith
we underfand, that the Worlds were framed
by the Word of Gody Jo that Things which are
Jan., were not made of Things that do appear \
And to the lame Purpofe 2 Pet. iii. 5,
fpoke.
And Heb. i. 2. it is faid, His Son whom he
hath appointed Heir oj all Things, by (and
becaufe of) whom alfo he made the World.
Upholding all Things by the Word of his
Power.
And 1 Cor. viii. 6. But to us, there is but
one God the Father, cf whom [fi ») arc all
Things, and we in (or to or for hc a-Jlov) himx
and one Lord Jefus Chrift, by (or becaufe of)
whom are all Things, and we by or becaufe of
him.
And Colof. I. 16. For by him ( Jefus Chrift)
were all Things created that are in Heaven^
and that are in Earth, vifible and inviftble,
&c. all Things were created by (and becaufe
of) him, and for (or to) him, and he is be-
fore all Things, and by him all Things con-
Thefe are a few of the many Texts that
might be produced, to fliew that God was
the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth,
And although they have not all afcribed the
Works of Creation arid Formation, &c. of all
F 3 , Things
jo Of the Divine Trinity?
Things to the whole Trinity ; fome of thern
having afcribed them to the co- eternal, co-
effential and co-equal Word or Son ; and
others of them having afcribed them to the co-
eternal, co-eflential, and in every Refpedt, co-
equal divine and holy Spirit, in the one Jeho-
vah, or divine Effence. Therefore wherever
any of the Works of God are in any Texts
of holy Scripture, afcribed to the invifible
Agent, diftinguifhed by the perfonal Name
of the Father, or to the Word or Son ; or to
the holy Ghoft only, it is never to be under-
stood of that Perfon fingly and exclufively of
the other two, but conjunctively, and of that
Perfon co-operating in a different Form, State
and Manner, together with the other two,
neceiTarih co-operating together with him in
different Foims, States and Manners, for the
Production of every Work or Effect faid to be
wrought or produced by them, or by anyone
cfthem, as it is rendered moft clearly con-
ceivable, by the Reprefentation which God
hath been moft gracioufly pleafed to make of
himfelf, and of his Manner of fubfifting and
operating or acting, in the one Jehovah) or
divine Effence, both in the natural and moral
or fpiritual World. And therefore all the
Works of God may with equal Propriety
be afcribed (as they are in the holy Scriptures)
either to the whole Elohim, neceffarily co-
operating together lor the Production of every
A£X or Effect, done or produced by them;
or
Of the Divine Trinity^ 71
or to one of them, not taken or underftoo^
exclufively of, but in Conjunction, and necef-
iarily co-operating with the other two, for
although God Elohim doth or do nothing
neceffarily, yet whenever they (moved by
mod perfect Goodnefs and Wifdom) chufe '
to do any Act, they all neceffarily co- operate
in different Forms, States, and Manners, for
the Production of it, as we will mod clearly
conceive, by the Reprefentation he hath been
pleafed to make of himfclf, and of his Man-
ner of fubiifting and acting by the natural and
vifible Heavens.
And we may likewife obferve, that in
fome of the aforecited Texts, that the Crea-
tion and Formation of the Heavens, and of
the Earth, and of all Things therein, vifible
and inviiible, are afcribed to the only begotten
Son of God, the Man Chriji Jefus, in whom
the whole Elohim, the divine Trinity, chofc
to dwell with all the Fulnefsof the Godhead,
and to take into mod intimate Unity, and to
make one together wi:h themfelves : but al-
though this be mofl: clearly afferted in different
Places of the holy Scriptures, it is not to be
uriderftood of the only begotten Son of God,
the Man Chriji J ejus, exclufively of the
Elohim who dwelt in him, and he in them,
and who took him into mod intimate Union,
and made him one together with the,mfelvesf
as will be fhewn where I (peak of the Divini-
ty of y ejus Chrift y but ot him in moil imi?
F 4 mate.
&& Of the DrviNE Trinity^
mate Conjunction with the Elohim, who co-
operated with him in all Things, and he in
and with them. So that whdtever he faid or
did, mieht with equal Propriety, be faid to be
faid or done by the E/ohim, who dwelt in
him, and co-operated in, and with him in all
Things, and whatever Things are faid to
have been laid or done by God the Elohim
from before the Creation of the World, may
with equal Propriety, be faid to hive been
faid ©r done by him, who exifted in the
Elohim , and co-operated in and with the
Elobim, in all Things, faid and done by them
from before the Creation of the World, for
}ie was before all Things, and produced into
Being before all Creatures, and being in God
and mod intimately united to him before the
World was, therefore had Glory with the
Father, (the whole E/ohim, or divine Trinity)
before the World was.
Having thus from the holy Scriptures (hewn,
the divine fpiritual and invilible Author and
efficient Caufe of the material and vifible
Jrleavens, to be Jehovah E/ohim ; or three co-
eternal, co-effential, and in every Refpecl,
co-equal intelligent Agents, diiHnguimed by
the pcrfonal Name of Father, Son, and holy
Ghoft, fubfifting and operating in three dif-
ferent Forms and States, and Manners of
acting, and all necefTarily co-operating to-
gether, in the one Jehovah, or divine Eflence,
for the Production of all Effe&s, produced by
them 3
Of the Divine Trinity.. 73
them; and in Conjunction with the only bcr
gotten Son,the Man Chriftjejusjn whom, they,
the ElohiW) chofe to dwell, and to take into
moft intimate Union, and to make one toge-
ther with themfelves.
I proceed to fhew from the fame holy
Scriptures, the original State and form in
which the material Heavens were created, or
produced into Being; and alfo the three dif-
ferent Forms and States of Fire, Light, and
Spirit, or Darknefs in Motion, into which
they were afterwards formed, and in which
they have fubfifted, ever fince the Time of
their firft Formation, by the aforementioned
living and intelligent, and perfectly wife and
gracious, and omnipotent Creator of them.
And Mofes% who hath informed us, that
the Elohim in the Refl:ithy the Head, Ori-
gin, or Fountain of all created Beings, created
the Heavens and the Earth, and that Dark-
nefs was upon the Faces of the Deep, /. e.
of the terraqueous Shell of the Earth, which
he therefore calls fometimes by the Name of
Earth, and fometimes by the Name of Wa-
ter, which were the two great conftituent
Parts of that terraqueous Shell, which con-
tained in them the ieminal Atoms or Particles
of all natural Things, whether inanimate, ve-
getable, or animal, that have fince appeared
in or upon the Earth; but the Earth and
Water in that State in which they were cre-
ated, were fo blended together, before their
Se-
74 Of the Divine Trinity.'
Separation by Formation, that neither of
them could be ufeful or beneficial to Man-
kind, for whofe Ufe and Benefit they were
created.
By this Account of Mo/es, we may clearly
perceive, that the material Heavens in their
original uncreated or unformed State, were a
Body of Darknefs without Motion, which
enveloped and lay upon the outer and inner
Surfaces of the hollow Shell of the terraque-
ous Globe.
And the Prophet Ezekiel, whom God was
moftgraciouflypleafed to raife up among his Peo
pie, then in Captivity to the Babylonians fa Peo-
ple who believed in, and wor (hipped the ma-
terial and vifible Heavens as the fupreme and
living God; to awaken and warn them to pre-
serve themfelves uncorrupted by the Idolatry
and falfe and everlaftingly deftru&ive Religi-
on of their Conquerors. And that his Pro-
phet might be perfe&ly enabled to fhew his
People the Falfhood of the Religion bf the
People by whom they were enflaved, he was
moft gracioufly pleafed, in a Vifion, to dis-
play the material and vifible Heavens before
him, fo as that he might thereby clearly per-
ceive their Author or Creator, and their ori-
ginal State, and the States and Forms they
were afterwards put into, and their Strufture^
and their different Properties, Powers and Per-
fections, and Motions, and inftrumental Ac-
tions or Operations; that he might be thereby
con-
Of the Divine Trinity. 75
convinced, that they were Co far from being
the fupreme, living and true, and eternal
God, that they were only a ftupid and fenie-
lefs, and lifelefs Creature, which the fupreme,
living and eternal God had created, and made
his Inftrument, to communicate Motion to,
and continue it in all Syftems of Matter, fo
as to enable them to anfwer the Ends for
which he created and defigned them, and
prove ufeful and beneficial to Mankind.
Therefore Ezekieh Account of the material
and vifible Heavens is a mod: excellent Com-
ment upon Mofes's fhort Account of them,
and deferves the Atteiui >n of all thofe who
are defirous of Information concerning the
material and vifible Heavens, by which God
hath been moft gracioufly pleafed lenfibly to
fignify and reprefent himfelf to Mankind, that
they might be thereby enabled to form a juft
and true, although not an adequate, but ufe-
ful Notion of fome of his wonderful Proper-
ties and Perfections, fuch as his eflential Uni-
ty and Ubiquity, or Omniprefence, and his
Manner of fubfifting and operating in a Plu-
rality in Unity, in the natural or material,
and fpiritual or moral World.
And the Prophet Ezekiel tells us, i. r.
That the Heavens were opened^ (inn£)3 or
difplayed as it were in a Picture) and that he
Jaw Fijions of God; (i. e.J the Reprefentation
of the vifible Heavens which God difplayed
before him, and of the invifible Heavens, the
Elohim
76 Of the Divi*ne Trinity.
Elohim in the Man Chrijl Jefus, at the fame
Time fenfibly fignified and reprefented to
him.
And ver. 4. he fays, He looked, and be-
hold, a terrible, or tempeftuous Whirlwind
came from the invifible, pD^n (i. e.J from
the invifible God, which in our and other
Tranflations is rendered the North. A great
Cloud, which is what Mofes calls Darknefs
which was upon the Faces of the Chaos, or
unformed terraqueous hollow Globe.
I fhall go on with Mo/ess Account, and
then return to Ezekiel, and to the other in-
fpired Writers of holy Scripture, as the befl
Commentators upon him, in order to explain
his Senfe and Meaning in his Account of the
material and vifible Heavens, by which my
Readers will perceive, that I have advanced
nothing which 1 had not fcriptural Authority
for ; and that I have faid nothing concerning
the virible Heavens, but what God the Cre-
ator and Former, and Suftainer of them,
hath been pleafed, by the Pens of his holy
Prophets, to inform Mankind concerning
them.
And Mofes tells us, Gen i. 2. that the Spi»
rit of God moved upon the Faces of the Wa-
ters. And 3. that, God Juid, let there be
Light ; and there was Light. And 4. that,
God Jaw the Light, that it was good, and God
divided between the Light, and between the
Darknefs, J*fl between, which our Tranflators
having
Of the Divine Trinity. 77
having not duly confidered, have not well
and truly, and intelligibly rendered, And
God called the Light , Day, and the Dark*
nefs, he called Night.
I do not ftay now to (hew, what is meant
by God's faying, that the Light was good,
becaufe in my Notes and Obfervations on
that Text, I have (hewn, that by God's com-
manding the aetherial Fluid of Light to fhine
forth, all thofe Motions which were necef-
fary to be raifed in all the different Syftems
of the natural or material World, whether
inanimate, vegetable, or animal, in order to
their anfwering the Ends for which they
were defigned and created, were necefTarily
raifed and mechanically continued in and
upon them ; and particularly, that thofe ex-
panfive and compreffive Forces of the different
Fluids of Light and Darknefs, which together
with the Fire in the Center, were neceffary for
acting upon the Faces of the hollow Shell
of the unformed terraqueous Globe, fo as to
prefs the Water out of it, fo as that both
the Earth and Water might become bene-
ficial to Mankind, were necefTarily and me-
chanically ftirred up, by the Obedience of
Nature or Matter, to the omnipotent Com>
mand.
But as Mojes hath told us, that the Hea-
vens in their original and unformed State,
were a motionlefs Body of Darknefs, which
Ezekiel calls a great Cloud, and which af-
terward?
j$ Of the Divine Trinity.
iervrards partly affumed the State and Form
of Light, by Means of the violent Motion
which God commanded to arife in the Cen-
ter of it. And accordingly, God by the
Mouth of the Prophet IJ'aiab xlv. 7. faith, /
jorm the Light, and create Darkne/s ; allud-
ing to the Heavens in their formed and un-
formed State. And 2 Cor iv. 6. God who
commanded the Light to foine out cf Darkne/s,
bath jhined in our Hearts, Sec. By which
we fee, that ihe Heavens in the State in
which they were created by the invifible God,
were an opaque Body without Motion -, and that
Darknefs was created, and exifted before Light,
and that therefore Darknefs is not a Non- En-
tity, or mere Privation, or Want of Light,
as a late celebrated and reputed Philoiopher
(who fet up for underftanding the material
and vifible Heavens better than God who
created and formed them) hath afferted it to
be, but material Subftance in a certain State,
and under a certain Form 5 and that Light is
the very fame Subftance in another State and
Form ; and celeftial Fire the fame Subftance
in another State and Form. We will per-
ceive by returning to Ezekiel, that he cleared
up the concife Account of Mojes, who had
only told us, that the Spirit or God moved
upon '.he Faces of the Abyfs, and that God
commanded the Light, and it appeared.
Whereas Ezekiel to whom the Structure, the
States, and Forms of the Heavens were laid
open
Of the Divine Trinity; "79
open tells us, i. 4. that in the great Cloud which
came from him that is invifible, he beheld a
Fire, nnpbnD catching hold of and preying
upon itfelfy and Brightnefs or Light every
Way round about it ; and mt of the Midjl
thereof out of the Midfi of the Fire, which
was in the Midft of the Cloud, or Body of
Darknefs, yVD as it were a Fountain bftWnn
of the fineft Matter, uttering itfelf, or iffuing
forth from t^n fine Atoms, and bbD to iffuc
forth.
By this we may clearly perceive, that God
by his Word, caufed Fire to arife in the
great Cloud or Body of Darknefs which he
had created, and which enveloped the femi-
nal Atoms of all natural Things ; and yet by
that Fire, fo raifed, with Light iffuing from
it every Way, that Cloud or Body of Dark-
nefs, which was before motionlefs, was put ^at/t4/t^a <?r
into a perpetual regular, and uniform Motion, /o^
and was then called Spirit ; and that, as the
Rays of Light iffued forth every Way from
that Fountain of Fire, fo raifed in the Cen-
ter, and extending themfelves every Way
from the Center to the Circumference of the
Heavens, with a penetrating and expanding
Force, neceffarily and mechanically forced
the Darknefs into the Fire, which was fed by
that grolfer Fluid which rufhed wich Violence
into it; and that, by that groffer Fluid of
Darknefs forced into the Fire in the Center,
and there ground into Atoms, the finer Fluid
of
iftir**
xT
So Of the Divine Trinitf.
of Light would neccffarily and forcibly lf-
fue forth from the Fire towards the Cir-
cumference, and becoming flower in ks Mo-
tion in- every Step of its Progrefs towards
the Circumference, and confequently cooler,
and their coagulating into courfer Granule?,
or Particles, and fo returning in the State
of a groffer Fluid from the Circumference
towards the Center, quickening in its Mo-
tion in every Step of its Regrefs, by mov-
ing out of a larger into a narrower Courfe
or Channel, and rufhing with Violence in-
to the Fire, to feed it. Therefore the Pro-
phet fays, that in his Vifion, he faw in the
Midft of the great Cloud, a Fire catching
and preying, or feeding upon itfelf; for the
Fluid of Darknefs, and the Fire, and Light
are all one in refpect of their Matter, or
Subftance, and only differ from each other
in refpett of their States and Forms, and
Motions, and different Propertics> and Man-
ners of operating or acling in their different
States and Forms -y and by what he hath
thus faid, we may clearly perceive that
the Fire which God commanded to arife
in the Center of the great Cloud or Body
of Daiknefs, the material Heavens which lay
motio.:lefs on the Faces of the Abyfs, or
hollow terraqueous Globe, occafioned that
perpetual Motion which was then railed in
them, and hath ever fince continued in
them, in the three diftincl Forms of Fire, Light,
and
Of the Divine Trinity. 8i
and Spirit, or Darkneft J.i Motion, in which
they have- ever iince appeared, and that by
the perpetual Motion thus communicated to
them, all the Morions of all natural or ma-
terial Things, whether inanimate, or vege-
table, or animal, that have ever fince ap-
peared, have been cccafioned or caufed. And
we may likewifc clearly perceive, that the
ccleftial Fire in the Center of the Heavens,
is f^d by the Heavens themfclves, continually,
and necefTarily, and violently, milling into
it in the Form of Darknefs, and is kept alive,
and continually burning as terireftrfal or cu-
linary Fire is, by the cool Air continually
aiming into it, and which would immedi-
ately become extinct, if the cool ambient Air
was withheld from it: Andthatthecelefii.il
Fire is not fed and preferved continually
burning, by the Incidence of Comets or
Comet's Tails now and then dropping into
it, as fome of the Admirers of, and Builders-
upon, the mathematical Principles of the
late celebrated Philolbpher (rather than upon
the Revelations of God, who carry their own
Evidence for their Truth along with them)
have imagined, ana r-idiculouily afferted.
And. as Mo/es hath informed us, Gen, i. c.
That God divided between the Light and
between the Darkneis, and the Prophet Eze-
kiel hath rendered this ufcful Doclrine of
Mo/es, moil clearly conceivable, by the Re-
presentation that was made to him of that
G material
8a Of the Divine Trinity.
material and vifible \ leavens by God in his
Vifion. For having firft fpoken of the liv-
ing Creatures, which he faith came out of
the Midft of the Fire (which I fhall here-
after fhew to be the bodily Denres and
Lufts of Men, which are excited or raifed
up in them by the material Heavens or Air,
and are therefore called by St. Paul, Ephef*
ii. 2 . The Princes of the Power of the Air,
that Spirit which powerfully worketb in
the Children oj Dif obedience.) He tells us,
i. 15. That as he beheld the living Creatures \
behold one Wheel upon the Earth, by, in or
with the living Creatures, with its jour
Faces. He calls it one Wheel lingular, or
in the following Verfe, he calls it Wheels
plural. Saying, ver. 16. 'The Afpefl or Appear-
#nce7 and the Work oj them, was as the
Appearance oj Tarfhifh, a precious Stone,
or fomething lucid and transparent : And
that their Lihenefs was one, and that their
Appearance and their Work, was as it were
a Wheel in the Middle of a Wheel. And
that when they went (or moved) they went
on their four Sides, (i. e. they moved every
Way ftraight forward from the Center to the
Circumference of the Heavens, and from
the Circumference to the Center) and re-
turned not when they wenty in either of thefe
contrary Directions, in the different States
and Forms of Light and Darknefs, in which
t})ey moved. And that as for their Rings 8
or
Of the Divine Trinity. $3
or Arches, they were of a terrible or tremens
do us Height b, and were full of Eyes every
Way round about (/. e.) of Stars. — By this
Reprefentation of the natural or material and
vilible Heavens, by a Wheel Angular, by
which the Unity and Identity of their Mat-
ter or Subftance is denoted ; and by Wheels
plural, to denote the Diversity of their States
and forms 5 and by a Wheel in the Middle of
a Wheel, to render their mixt Structure con-
ceivable. We may clearly conceive the Senfe
and Meaning of Afo/es's Words, when he
faith, That God divided between the Light.
and between the Darknefs,
The Luminary or Orb, in which the Fire
in the Center of the material Univerfe rc-
fides, and from whence the Rays of Light
ifliie, and into which the Fluxes of Darknefs
enter, is the Nave of the Wheel or Wheels
by which the Heavens were reprefented to
Ezekiel.
And the Rays of Light which iffue forth
from that Orb or Nave of Fire in the Cen-
ter, and extend to the Circumference of the
Heavens, penetrating between the Fluxes or
Rays of Darknefs, and fpreading itfelf, in
every Moment of its Progrefs, as it moves
out of a narrower into a larger Space ; and
penetrates, and pervades, and expands, and
moves all natural Things interjacent becween
the Center and the Circumference, and be-
comes flower in its Motion out of a nar-
G 2 rower
84 Of the Divine Trinity.
rower into a larger Space, in every Moment
of its Progrefs, and confequently cooler, and
therefore hath leafl Velocity, and Heat, and
Force, at the Circumference of the Hea- .
vens, as thefe are all greateft at its ifluing
fcrth from the Fire in the Center. Thefe
Rays of Light iiluing forth from the Nave,
and penetrating and dividing between the
Rays of Darknefs, moving in a contrary Di-
rection all the Way from the Center to the
Circumference of the Heavens, are the Radii
or Spokes of one of thefe celeftial Wheels,
which is juflly and truly faid to be in the
Middle of a Wheel, as its Radii, in the
J?orm of Light, divide between, and move
between the Radii of the other Wheel, which
moves in a counter or contrary Direction in
the State and Form of Darknefs.
And the Light cooling, and coagulating,
or granulating, and thereby becoming a grof-
fer and more opaque Fluid at the Circum-
ference, and descending or returning in that
State and Form from the Circumference to
the Nave or Orb of Fire in the Center of
the Heavens, increafing in its Heat and Ve-
locity, and comprefiing and combining Force
in every Moment of its Regrcis, by its mov-
ing out of a larger into a narrower Sp:-ce, in
the Form of a Sword, Tongue or Wedge, by
all which it is reprefented, and combining
and comprefiing all natural or material Syf-
teius interjacent between the Circumference
and
Of the Divine Trinity. 85
and the Center, with a Force every where
equal to the expanding Force of the finer
Fluid of Light. Thefe Fluxes or Rays of
Darknefs, whole Heat, Power, and Motion,
are leaft at the Circumference, and greatefl
at their Entrance into the Nave or Orb of
Fire in the Center of the Heavens, dividing
between the Radii of Light, in the State and
Form of Darknefs, all the Way from the
Circumference to the Center of the Hea-
vens, are the Radii or Spokes of the other
of thofe celefHal Wheels, which is iuftly,
and moft truly, laid to be in the Middle of
a Wheel 5 as its Radii, in the State and
Form of Darknefs, divide and move be-
tween the Radii of the other Wheel, which
moves in a contrary Direction, in the State
and Form of Light. By this Reprefentation
of the material and vifible Heaven by a
Wheel and Wheels, or by a Wheel in the
Middle of a Wheel, we may clearly con-
ceive the Senfe and Meaning of the Words
of MofeSy where he faith, That God divided
between the Light and between the Dark-
nefs, and underftand the Structure, and the
different Mo-ions of the material and vifible
Heavens, fri their three different States and
Forms of Fire, Light and Spirit,- or Dark-
nefs in Motion; and how, and with what
Fcwel, the celeftial Fire in the Orb of the
Sun is continually fed, and hath been enabled
to lend forth wonderful Quantities of Light,
G 3 without
86 Of the Divine Trikity.
without any Wafte or Diminution of itfelf,
ever fince the Time of the firfl Formation of
the Heavens by the alUpowerful Word of
God ; and alfo how, and by what Means,
they have continued in perpetual Motion,
and in the three diftincl and different Forms
of Fire, Light, and Darknefs, by which
proper and neceffary Motion hath been com-
municated to all Syftems of Matter of all
Kinds, in the natural or material World
ever fince that Time, by which they have
been enabled to anfwer all the great, wife,
and good Ends for which they were all de-
figned and created, by the eternal and living,
and perfectly wife, Creator and Former of
i/ them : And that Darknefs is not a Non-en-
tity or mere Privation of Light, as a late
celebrated Philofopher hath magifterially af-
ferted, but is as much Matter or material
Subftance, as either of the finer Fluids of
Fire or Light are, and one and the fame
Subftance with them, in a different State
and Form.
And at the 7th Verfe, the fame Prophet,
in a very few Words, reprefents the mate-
rial invifible Heavens, in their different
Forms and States of Light and Darknefs, by
the Blood Veffels in an animal Body. Sayings
That the Feet of the living Creatures, were
flraight Feet, or a flraight Foot, and that
the hollow Branch or Branchings of their
Feet, were as, or like, the hollow Branchings
4
Of the Divine Trinity. 87
Of a Caff's Foot, and that their Afpecl, or
Appearance, was /park ling with the for id
Appearance of polijhed Brafs. I have be-
fore obferved, and fhall hereafter fhew, that
by the living Creatures here mentioned, ar& /& gj?
meant the bodily Defires and Lufts. And
that as thefc are mechanically excited and
ftirred up, and continued in the Body of
Men, by the material Heavens or Air ope-
rating in and upon the Bodies of Men, in
their different Forms ot Light and Darknefs -y
therefore the Heavens, or Air, in thefe dif-
ferent Forms, by which the bodily Defires
are raifed and continued in them, are called
the Wings and the Feet of the living Crea-
tures, and are faid to be ftraight Feet, and
that the hollow Branches of their Feet, are
like the hollow Branches in the Foot of a
Calf, [i. e.) like the hollow cylindrical Tubes
in the Foot of a Calf, or any other Animal,
which carry the finer Blood from the Heart,
firft in one large Tube, branching itfelf into
many fmaller, directly every Way to the Ex-
tremities of the Body, and bring back the
Blood in a grofler Fluid, the finer and other
alimentary and ufeful, as well as excremen-
titious, Juices, being ftrained off from it in
its Progtcfs, firft in fmaller Pipes, which be-
come fewer, and empty themfeives into larger,
in eveiy Stage of their Regreis, till at laft
they become one, by which the venal Bleed
is returned again to the Hearty from whence
G 4 is
88 Of the Divine Trinity.
it had iflued in a finer Fluid : And thefe
'Fluids of Light and Darknefs, which are
called the Feet of the living Creatures, are
faid to fparkle, or look florid, like Bra/s in a
State of Fufion 77p, to (hew their Denfity
and Solidity in their fluid State, being repre-
sented in another Place, as v: ill be hereafter
{hewn by a molten Speculum, or Giafs on
the fame Account.
And the Pfalmift bears Teflimonv to the
Truth of this Reprefentation of the material
and vifible Heavens, here made by the Pro-
phet Ezckiely both with refpedl to their cir-
culating Morion from the Center to the Cir-
cumference, and from the Circumference to
the Center of the Heavens again ; and of
their iiTuing forth in the Form of Light,
which becometh Spirit or Darknefs at the
Circumference of the Heavens, and that
that Spirit becomes Fire at its Return to the
Center.
It is faid Pf. xix. 4. *fhat in than (the
Heavens) he lath Jet a Tabernacle for the
Light , gfQgF, ver. 5. which \sfas aBrirfegrt
coming cut of his Chamber (hiding Piac.
rcjoiccih as a fironglvlan, to run a Race • (or
wonted Courfe) and his going jortl\ is from
the one End of H (\. t.)frdm its Cen-
ter i ana his Circuit unto the- Ends t hereof \
(i. e.) liifl rrom the Center to the Cii*lu in-
ference, in the Form or Light ; and from
thence to the Center in the Form of Dark-
nefs,
Of the Divine Trinity. 89
nefs, And there is nothing hid from the Heat
thereof.
And Pf. civ. 4. That he maketh his An-
gels Spirits, and his Minifters a flaming
Fire. It is here faid of God, who has been
pleafed to reprefent himfelf by the material
and vifible Heavens, that whatever is inffru-
mentally done by them, is done by him ;
and the Atoms of the fine Fluid of Light,
which are' fen t forth by the Fire in the Cen-
ter of the Heavens, are faid to be fent forth
by God : And they are lint forth as his An-
gels or MeifeugerSj to declare and do his
Will. And hence it is faid, Gen. xxxii. 2.
That when Jacob departed from Labany
and went on his Way, that the Angels of God
met him, (i. e.) the Rays of Light fhone upon
him, which he called the Angels of God,
and the Hofr, of God ; and the Wormippers
of the Heaven, are laid to worfhip the Hofl
of Heaven or of God. And as the Atoms of
Light, at the Extremities of the Heavens,
become Spirits, or aflfume the Form of the
groffer Fluid of Darknefs, as- hath been be-
fore fiie\yn, therefore it is laid, that, lie
maketh his Angels Spirits. And as theft
Spirits, or goiter Particles of Darknefs, re-
turn to the Center and minifter as Fewel to
the Fire, and caufe it to flame when they
forcibly ruih into ir, therefore it is faid,
That he ;/;. Lis Mimjiers a Flame of
Fire.
Thefe
90 Of the Divine Trinitv.
Thefe Points being (hewn which carry their
own Evidence for their Truth along with iheni;
I (hall now proceed to fome other Particulars
which are mentioned in the holy Scriptures,
concerning the material and vifible Heavens
in Order, to our more perfect Knowledge of
them. And as thefe few Particulars concern-
ing the Properties of the different Fluids of
the Light and Darknefs, which I chufe to
mention, will be taken from the Book of
fob, it may be expected that I mould pre-
vioufly take Notice of the Antiquity and Au-
thority of that Book, which a late hafty and
inconiiderate and enterprizing Writer, (in
order to eftablifh a moft falfe, wicked, and
deftructive Doctrine, whofe Truth he will
never be able to prove) hath endeavoured to
impair, by vainly attempting to prove it to
be a dramatical Performance, compiled by
fome Hebrew Play- Wright, after the Return
of the Jews from the Babylonifi Captivity,
for the Entertainment and Confolation of tha.t
People, upon God's withdrawing (as he hath
incoaiiderately afferted) his extraordinary Pro-
vidence from them. But the important Point
1 am now upon, will not admit of my mak-
ing io long a Digreilion here. And I may
have Occaiion to ihew hereafter, that the
Book of Job, was not only extant in the
Days of David, but known to him, and to
the Ijraelites, and referred to by him : But
that it was written in the Interval between
the
Of the Divine Trinity. gz
the happening of the Miracle, of the ftand-
ins; and continuing of the Light of the Sun
and Moon upon Gibeon, and the Valley of
Ajalon > and of the compiling of the Me-
moirs or Hiftory of the Wars and other
Tranfactions of Jojbua. For that very Mi-
racle, is referred to in the Book of Job; and
the Compiler of the Hiftory oijcfhua, takes
notice, that that Miracle is mentioned in the
Book of Job ; which Truth, when (hewn,
will fufficiently vindicate the Antiquity of
that Book, and fhew it not to be fo old as
the Writings of Mofes, nor of fo late a Date
as the Return of the Jews from the Babylc-
nifli Captivity. And the mention that is
made of Job> together with Noah and Da-
niel\ two indifputably real Perfons, Ezek.
xiv. 14. And of his Patience, St. James
v. 11. I think fufficient to vindicate the Au-
thority of the Book, and to fhew that Job
wras a real, and not a fi&itious, Perfon, and ,
his Hiftory, a real and true Hiftory, and not ,
a Fable, notwithstanding all the weightlefs
Arguments, and verbofe Reafoning, that the
Author of that divine Legation of Mofes hath
ufed to invalidate thefe moft clear and evi-
dent Teftimonies. *•
But although my prefent Bufinefs will
not permit me to enter upon thofe Points
here, I judge it proper previoufly, and be-
fore I produce any of thofe Particulars out
of that Book, which God hath been pleafed
to
cz Of the Divine Trinity.
to make known to Mankind concerning the
material and vifible Heaven?, briefly to ob-
ferve, that it appears by the Reafoning be-
tween Job and his Friends, that they, his
Friends, were Worfhippers of the Heavens
in the State and Form or Fire 5 and afcribed
to them, all thofe Properties, Powers and
Perfections, which, with Truth, could only
be afcribed to the eternal, true, and only wile
and living andinvifible God. And that they
did not believe a future State of per feci: and
endlefs Happinefs or Mifery after this Life ;
but believed that Man's Happinefs, altogether
confided in bodily Health, and worldly
Wealth and Profperity, and in the fenfual
Enjoyment of thofe natural and bodily world-
ly Bleffings which their vifible God bellowed
upon them ; and that it was their Duty as
well as their Intereft, to indulge thernfclves
in the fenfual Enjoyment of them, and Folly
to abftain from fo doing, in hope of Hjppi-
nefs in a future State ; and that it was on
account of Job's believing in an invisible God,
and in a future State, and hypocritically ab-
flaining from the Enjoyment of the Bletiings
that God hath beftowed upon him, that their
true and vifible God had afflicted him in the
Manner he had done. And this being the
Cafe, it was highly neceffary, and proper,
and feafonable, and perfectly confident with
the moil perfect Wifdom, and fatherly Good-
nefs, of the invifible and only true and liv-
ing
Of the Divine Trinity. 93
ing God who had made fuch a Trial of the
Faith and Obedience of his Servant Joby
whom he knew to be fo perfect and up-
right, that he would not be moved to depart
from either, by any Temptations or Trials
that could by any Means be made upon him,
and who fuffered him to be thus grievoufly
afflicted with Poverty and inexpreffible bodily
Pain and Torture ; for convincing and con-
verting of thofe wicked Per ions who had ac-
cufed him, and who, although they believed
that there was an invifible God, yet believed
that there was no truly and fpiritually religious
Perfon in the World, and that all Men were
Hypocrites, and only profeiTed outwardly to
ferve and love, and blels or fpeak well of God,
lb long as they enjoyed Health and Profpsrity
in the World, and that if the moft eminent
Profeflbr of Piety, was made to undergo the
fevere Trials of Poverty and bodilv Affliction,
he would be found an Hypocrite, and would
curfe or fpeak evil of God. And alfo for the
Conviction and Ccnverfion of Job's Friends,
and of all iuch as might in any after Age fall
or be led into their damnable Errors, who be-
lieved only in a viiible God, and that there was
no State either of Happinefs or Mifery after
this Life ; and that therefore Man's Bufinefs in
this World was to indulge all his bodily Ap-
petites in it. For there wife and good'finds
and for refcuing and delivering all fuch Per-
fons3 out of fuch wicked-making and deft rue-
tive
94 Of the Divine Trinity.
tive and damnable Errors ; and for confirming
and efiablifhing his Servant Job in his Faith
and Obedience, in which he had fo eminently
and immoveably perfevered through theCourfe
of his mot fevere Trials, as it was perfectly
confiftent with the mod: perfedt Wifdom and
Goodnefs of God, and neceffary and feafonable
fo to do, therefore God was gracioufly plea fed
to fpeak of the material and vifible Heavens,
to Job> in the Prefence of his Friend, who
believed and worfliiped them in the Form of
Fire, and as the fupreme and only God ; m
fuch a Manner as that they might be clearly
convinced and fatisfied, that they were only
a lifelefs and fenfelefs Creature of his, which he
had created and made to be his Inftrument in
the Performances of many Things, neceffary
to be done for the Ufe and Benefit of Man-
kind.
And I (hall begin with the Account which
God hath been pleafed to give here of the
Heavens, in the Form of Light, here called
Behemoth.
The Generality of Criticks and Commen-
tators, as well as the Tranilators of the Book
of Job, have made an Animal of the Behe-
moth, becaufe the Word HOHD, Behemah, is a
general Name of a clean and ufeful Ani-
mal in the holy Scriptures, whofe Plural is
Behemoth. But Behemoth mentioned in the
Book of Job is fingular. And had the Criticks,
GiV. confidered the Neceffity that there was
foe
Of the Divine Trinity, 95
forgiving Job and his Friends, a juftand
true Notion of the material and vifible Heavens
upon this Occafion, and how ulelefs and ipi-
ritually unprofitable it would have been to
them to have defcribed the Parts and Pro-
perties of an Elephant to them, at this or any
other Time : And that the compounded
Word TVOTI2, Behemoth, imports one of the
mod: remarkable Properties of the material
and vifible Heavens, in the State and Form of
the Fluid of Light ; and that the Defcription
here given of the Behemoth, Job xl. 15, &c.
cannot poffibly be applied with any Colour of
Reafon, to the Elephant or any other Animal,
and that it is perfectly applicable to the Fluid
of Light, and can be made to agree with no ^
other Creature, had thefe Things been pre-
vioufly confidered as they ought, Mankind
would have been more profitably inftrudted,
and would not have been amufed with a De<
fcription, which appears impertinent and un-
intelligible, when applied to an* Elephant.
Whether the Word Behemoth be com-
pounded of nro, which fignifies Void or
©mptinefs, and DID, to die, to kill, and de-
ftroy, as fome think; or from the Particle 2,
which fignifies in, and nJDH which fignifies
JsJoife and tumultuous Motion, as others think.
It perfectly agrees with the aetherial Fluid of
Light, which penetrates and pervades all other
Matter, and fills all the Inter ft ices or Space,
between the component Atoms of all other
Syftems
96 Of the Divine Trinity.
Syftems of Matter, and (o deftroys all Void or
Vacuity. The whole Syftem of Nature being
a Plenum or Fulnefs, conftituted of fome
Parts that are more fixed, and of others that
are more or lefs fluid, without any cf the lead
void or empty Space among them, as the
holy Scriptures ipeak, Pf. lxxxix. 11. The
Heavens are. thine ', the Earth alfo is thine :
the JVcrldblD, and the Fulnefs thereof -, thou
haft founded them, (i. e.) thou haft founded
that Mixture of which the natural or material
World is compofed and conftituted, which is
a Plenum 1 which admits of no Void or Va-
cuity in it. And it is by the Fulnefs of the
Syftem of the natural World, that all Me-
chanifm and Motion is preferved in it, for all
Mechanifm is by Impulfe and actual Contact:
of impelling and impelled Matter, and it is by
fuch impulfe and Contact that all natural
Bodies are moved and continued in Motion.
And as a Watch or Clock would ftand
TVloiionlcis if a Wheel was taken out of it, fo all
Things i,i Nature would be Motionlefs, if
there was one Particle of Matter lefs thsa
there is in the Syftem of the natural or material
World j in fuch juft Weight, Number and
Meafurc were all Things provided by Crea-
tion by God, for the Formation of the World,
that it might perfectly anfwer the great
End for which it was defigned as Wifdom,
;j. 20. and Job xxxvtii. 4. and IJdiah xl. 12.
So
Of the Divine Trinity-. 97
So that they, who to fervc an ilNgrounded
Hypothecs, have imagined and afTerted, a
Vacuum in Nature to be neceffary, in order to
the Commencement and Continuance of na-
tural Bodies in Motion, have not well con-
sidered that all Motion is continued by me-
chanical Impulfe, And that a Variety of
finer and groffer Fluids anfwers all the Ends,
which they inconfiderately imagine would be
anfwered by a Vacuum ; whoever obferves a
Veffel under Sail, may likewife obferve the
Water to rife up before her, and to fall lower
behind her. Whereas, if there was a Void
in the Water, it would not rife before her,
but recede into the diffeminated Void, but as
there is no fuch, it muff necefTarily^ rife to-
wards the finer Fluid of Air, which would
give way to it, as the finer Fluid of Air would
necefTarily fill the Space behind, which would
otherwife have been void by the falling away
of the Water.
And they who have likewife imagined and
magifterially afTerted, that if a Body was pro-
jected in Vacito^ it would continue moving
in that Void, have only afTerted in other
Words, that a Body may or can move, and
be continued in Motion by nothing, or that,
that Effect, Continuance in Motion, may bs
produced without any Caufe.
And they who have likewife imagined and
afTerted, that a Receiver is lefs full when the
groffer Fluid of mixt Air is pumpt out of it,
H and
98 Of the Divine Trinity.
and that it is fuller when mixt Air is forced
into it than it was before, have not well con-
fidered, that the pure sEthcrial Light, which
penetrates and pervades all Matter, fills the
Receiver as the groiTer mixt Air is exhauftcd ;
and that the finer cr purer Air is forced out
of it by the groiler or mixt Air that is forced
into it : For by a finer Fluid, we are not to
underftand a Fluid that is rarer, and that hath
more void Spaces between its component Par-
ticles, but a Fluid that is conftituted of lefs,
and therefore finer Particles, without any Va-
cuity between them 5 and by a grofTer Fluid,
not a Fluid that hath lefs Vacuity between its
component Particles, but a Fluid that is con-
ftkuted of larger or groffer Particles, without
any Vacuity between them, and to which a
finer Fluid will give Place, when forced a-
gainft it.
And if we look upon Behemoth compound-
ed, as I have before obferved, of the Particle
2 and HDn, it may be as properly underflood
of the Fluid cf aetherial Light j becaufe it
was by the Efflux of that Light, that all
Things in the natural World were put into
Motion.
I proceed to the Defcription which God
himfe f hath been pleafcd to give of the Be-
hemoth to Job, in the Prefence of his three
milbelieving Friends ; by which we will clear-
ly perceive, that every Part of it is applicable
to the Fluid of ^therial Light -y and that it is
ap-
Of the Divine Trinity^ 99
applicable to no Animal in the World,. tha*
we have any Account of, and that therefore?
it is not applicable to the Elephant, to which
Critics and Commentators have, inconfiderate-
ly at lead, applied it.
In the thirty-eight and thirty-ninth Chap-
ters of the Book of Job, God expoftulates
with, and queftions with him in the Pre-
fence of his Friends, concerning his Know-
ledge of the Creator, Former and Founder of
the Earth and the material World ; and of
the Flood that overflowed it, and was again
forced down and confined within the Shell of
the Earth, by his Inftrument, the material
Air, in the expanding and compreffing Forms
of Light and Darknefs j and concerning him,
who caufed the Light to ftand and continue
upon a certain Part of the Earth, till the
wicked Worshippers of the Light, the Amo-
rites, were deftroyed: and concerning the
Ways wherein the Light and Darknefs abide
and move, and their Limits or Extremities;
and which Way it was divided and fpread of
old, or in the Beginning, en the Earth, &c.
and whether he knew the Laws or Ordinances
of the Heavens, or could command them to
a& and thunder, and lighten and rain
upon the Earth; and who it is that giveth
Wifdom and Understanding to Men ; and
who it is that provideth for the wild Beaits
and Fowls of the Air, when they a x' umo
pod 3 and who hath appointed the fix*.
H 2 * Tu ^
ioo Of the Divine Trinitv.
Times and Seafons, for the Animals to brine
forth their Young; and who hath provided
proper Nourishment and Habitations for all
the different Kinds of them, and hath im-
planted their different Inftindls, whereby fuch
of them as are neglecTed and foriaken by their
Dams, are enabled to fupport themfelves :
That Job, his Friends, and all Mankind, by
duly confidering all thefe Things, by which
the wonderful Wifdom, and Goodnefs, and
Power of God, fo clearly manifefted in his
Works in the material and inanimate, and a-
nimal World, might be taught Humility, and
reftrained from arraigning and finding fault
with any of his Judgments or Difpenfations,
and learn not to blame him, in order to juf-
tify themfelves. And having told Job in the
Prefence of his mifbelieving Friends, who
worshipped the Heavens in the Form of Fire,
by which all their bodily Lufts, by which
they are made vain and arrogant, are exert-
ed, that, if he, by his own Power, could fub-
d;v his own bodily Lufts, and thofe of Man-
kind (which are only to be fubducd and
conquered by the Faith and Law which he
had revealed and given to them) he would
then acknowledge, that he was able to fave
himfelf from fpiritual Mifery, both temporal
and everlafting ; but if he was unable to do
the one, he might clearly perceive, by the
Reaion of Things, that he was unable to do
the other.
And
Of the Divine Trinity. ioi
And having thus in Articled Job and his
Friends, Worfhippers of the Fleuvens, and
all Mankind, hy the Qiieftions he put to
him ; he then proceeds to give him an Ac-
count of the material and vifible Heavens in
the different States and Forms of Light and
Darknefs, which from their different Pow-
ers and Properties, he calls by the Names of
Behemoth and Leviathan.
And firft he fpeaks of Behemoth, Job xl.
15. faying, Beheld now Behemoth, which I
made with theey he eateth or cenjumeth the
Grafs like an Ox, (by its fcorching or burn-
ing Heat.) Lo, his Strength is in his Loins ;
and his Force in the Navel of his Belly ; (i. e.)
its greater!: Vigor or Strength, HO, is at its go-
ing forth, or Utterance of itfelf, (from H^H
to utter or fpeak) and its greateft Struggle or
Conflict, \)&9 is at its going forth from Ti^, the
Belly, or Orb of Fire in the Center.
It moveth or fhooteth forth its Tail like a Ce-
dar ; its Rays expanding themfelves every
Way between the Radii of Darknefs, from
the Center to the Circumference of the Hea-
vens. The Si?jews of his Stones are wrapt to^
gether : This would have been better and
more literally rendered, The Beams or Rays
(reprefented by Nerves) of its Subftance in
tremulous Motion (in their PafTage through
the oppofing Fluid of Darknefs) are branched
out every Way and complicated (with that
dark and grolTer Fluid.)
H 3 This
102 Of the Divine Trinity.
This Account fo far, is no Way applicable
to an Elephant or any other Animal, but per-
fectly applicable to the aedierial Fluid of
Light iituing forth from the Orb of Fire in
the Center, as the Spokes from the Nave of a
Wheel, as Ezekiels to whom the Structure
of the Heavens was difplayed, hath reprefent-
ed them.
His Bones are as flrong as Pieces of Brafs.%
his Bones are like Bars of Iron. In the Ori-
ginal, it is, his braztn Pipes or Currents are
flrong ; their ftrong Alcent is as Rods of
Iron. To fhew the mighty Strength of the
Pipes of the Fluid of Light, and of the Fluid
contained in them, we have before obferved,
that in Ezekiel, the Fluids of the Heavens,
and the VefTels that contain them, were re-
prefented by the Blood and Blood Veffels of
an Animal ; and here, to fhew the great
Strength of thefe celeflial Tubes, and of the
Fluids which circulate in them (for the reihe-
tial Fluid of Light moves in Tubes or the
Fluid of Darknefs, which encompafs it, and
keep it in on all Sides ; and the Fluid of
Darknefs moves in Tubes of Light, which
encompafs, and keep it in on all bides.) And
to {hew the Strength both of thefe celeflial
Tubes, ai d of the Fluids which move in them,
they are here reprefented by Pipes of Brafs
and Rod:: or Lou ; and on the fame Account,
the whole Fxpanfe or Firmament is repre-
fented xxxvii. 1 8. by a Speculum in a State
of
Of the Divine Trinity. 103
of Fufion, Haft thou with him fpread out the
Sk\\ which is ftrong as a molten hooking-Glafs ;
by which both its Strength, and Denlity and
Fluidity are denoted.
It is the chief of the Ways of God ; he that
made it, can make his Sword approach it. It
is called the chief of the Ways, (i. e.) of the
Works of God -, for when God had created
the feminal Matter of all Things, the firft
Thing that he formed was the Light; and as
its Rays or Beams are clofely kept in on every
Side by the Fluid of Darknefs, which flow-
ing out of a larger into a narrower Space in
the Form of a Sword, Wedge or Tongue,
by which it is reprefented, xli. 1. Therefore
it is faid, that God will make his Sword ap-
proach it, and confine it on ail Sides.
When the high ones bring Food or Fewel for
it, then all the Beajls of the Field rejoice or
play ; (u e J when the Atoms of the Fluid of
Light, at tlie Circumference of the Heavens,
where they arfc at their greateft Height, and
there becoming cool, and coagulating or gra-
nulating into grofTer Particles of .Darknefs,
and deicendii.g in that State and Form to feed
the Fire in the Center, upon which the Light
rufheth forth, then all the bodily Defires (re-
prefenced by Mo/es, by Fowls of the Air and
Fifli of the Sea, and Beails of the Field, and
Chei uoims ^ and by Eze/:iel, who reprelents
them by four Animals, which came forth out of
the Midft of the Fire) are enlivened and re-
H 4 joke.
J04 Of the Divine Trinitt.
joice. And this may be alfo literally under-
stood of the Beads of the Field, which are
cherifhed and made joyful by the aetherial
Light. And that the aetherial Light becomes
cooler at the Circumference of the Heavens,
and there becomes groffer Particle;;, and de-
fcends in that Form to feed the Fire in the
Centre, is exprefsly fet forth by God, Job
xxxviii. 37, &c. where it is faid, who can
number the fine Ato?ns of the JEthcr or Light ;
or who can flop the Fluxes of the Heavens,
moving downwards towards the Centre ; in the
State and Form of Darkncfs; when the
Duff or fine Atoms of the Fluid of Light are
formed into groffer Particles, and the Mo/ecu fa?,
or Mud congeal or cohere together, lpllD'H").
Then he proceeds to give an Account of
fome of the other Properties and Operations of
the Fluid of Light, as of its breaking and
dividing into Atoms the groffer alimentary
Particles of Earth and Water, and forcing
them up by its expanding Heat and Preffure,
into the fmall capillary Tubes of Vegetables,
in order to their Nourifhment and Growth ;
and of its raifing or forcing up Vapours and
Exhalations from the Earth and Water 5 and
of its penetrating and pervading all the mod:
complicated, and clofely combined Syftems of
Matter. Saying, It lieth,or operatetb or en-
gendereth SDtJJ, under heath thefoady Trees, in
its lurking or hiding Place9 (i. e. in their
hollow Tubes, which arc reprefented by
Reeds)
Of the Divine Trinity. 105
Reeds) and in the Mud, under the Roots of
Trees and Vegetables. And the Particles of
the Torrent of Darknefs, br\) >my cover and
jplit, or divide it, and Jo confine it on every
Side, by which they keep each other in per-
petual Motion, by their expanding and com-
prefling Forces, which are every where equal
to each other, and mutually ferve each other,
and (land engaged for each other.
Behold it drinketh up a River, and leifurely
or without Hajle, by prefling upon it and
forcing it up into its own finer Fluid, and fa
taking PofTeiiion of it in the Form of Vapour,
to be forced down again in Dew and Rain,
by the groffer Fluid of Darknefs. It co?jfi-
dently hopes, that it can draw or force up Jordan
to its Mouthy in Vapours. // taketh it up
with its Eyes : Its fine Particles in violent
Motion, pierce or penetrate into the mofi in-
tricate and hidden Things ; reprcfented by
Nets and Snares, according to the Pfalmift, Pf.
xix. 6. whofiith, That its going forth is from
the End of the Heavens, and its Circuit unto
the End of it, and there is nothing hid from
the Heat thereof
Thus our moft gracious God was pleafed
to reprefent the material and vifible Heavens,
in the Form of Light, which he called Behe-
moth, for the Reafon before given, to Job,
and his mifbelieving Friends, who worfhiped
the Heavens in the Form of Fire.
<And
io6 Of the Divine Trinity.
And having let them know, that the Light
was a Creature, created, formed, and made by
him, when Man was, and becaufe of, or for
the Ufe and Benefit of Man; for the Particle
Cy, implies both.
And that it confumes ordeftroys Vegetables
by its violent Heat, as he afterwards (hews us,
that it is %their inftrumental Producer and
Nourifher.
And that its greateft Strength and greateft
Conflict aie at its iffuing forth out of the Orb
of Fire in the Centre of the Heavens, where
it is generated
And that its Rays expand themfelves from
the Centre to the Circumference of the Hea-
vens, confifting of indivifible Atoms, in a
tremulous Motion, which branch themfelves
out every Way, and are complicated and in-
terwoven with the groffer Fluid of Dark*
nefs.
And that its Pipes and Currents which
move in them, are ftrong as Tubes of Brais,
and Rods of Iron.
And that the groffer Fluid of Darknefs,
defcending from the Circumference in a coun-
ter Direction, and in the tapering Form of a
Sword, Wedge, or Tongue, as moving out of
a larger into a narrower Space, is always conti-
guous to it.
And that when it arrives at its greateft
Hcighth, at the Circumference of the Hea-
vens, growing languid in its Motion, and
cooler,
Of the Divine Trinity. 107
cooler, it congeals into groffer Particles of
Darknefs, and defcending in that Form, be-
comes Fewel for the Fire at the Centre, which
iffuing forth from thence, feeds and continues
the Fluid of Light, by which all Animals,
and all the animal or bodily Defires are en-
livened and cherifhed, and delighted..
And that it by its expanding Force and
Preffiire, it breaketh into Vapour, and forceth
up the finer Parts of the Earth and Water
into the fmall Tubes of Vegetables, in order
to their Nourishments and Growth.
And that by its expanding and compref-
fing Power, it alfo breaketh and raifeth up
the Earth and Water into itfelf, in the Form
of iine Vapour, which being afterwards con-
denfed in the Atmofphere, is forced down to
the Earth again, in the Forms of Dews and
Rain, by the groffer Fluid of Darknefs, al-
ways moving from the Circumference to the
Centre, by which the Earth and all Vege-
tables are nourifhed and cherifhed.
And /a/i/y, That its finer Atoms penetrate
and pervade and expand all Syftems of Matter
between the Centre and the Circumference of
the Heavens, fo that there is nothing fo clofe-
ly complicated or combined, that is hid from
its Heat, Power and Influence.
Having thus briefly but clearly (hewn them j '/ f /
the Origin and Creator and Former of the /4/fyfa AcC*6<
retherial Fluid of Light, and how and by .
what Means it is expanded and extended from
the
jo8 Of the Divine Trinity.
the Centre to the Circumference of the Hea-
vens, and how it is fed and continued in per-
petual Motion, and the Neceffity and Ufeful-
nefs of it, for the Continuance of Motion in
all Things in the natural or material World,
and for the Production and enlivening and
nourishing and cherifhing of all Vegetables
and Animals, and for the Production-and Pro-
longation of all vegetable and animal Life, ma-
nifefted in their vegetable and animal Motions,
thereby neceffarily excited and continued in
them, and how Vapours of different Kinds
are raifed and forced up from the Earth and
Waters, by its expanding and compreffing
Force to be forced down again to the Earth,
in Dews and Showers, for the cheriihing of
Vegetables for the Support of Animals, and all
for the Ufe and Benefit of Mankind, both
natural and fpiritual, and how this fine Fluid
by its penetrating Force, pervades and properly
expands all Syftems of Matter, between the
Centre and Circumference of the Heavens.
That Mankind by confidering the Powers
and ufeful Properties of this Fluid, and perceiv-
ing it to be only a lifelefs and fenfelefs Creature
which God had created, formed, and made,
to be his Inftrument in the Production of
many Things, neceilary for the Ufe and Bene-
fit of Men, might clearly perceive his perfect
Wiidom in the Contrivance, and his almighty
Power, and perfect and fatherly Goodnefs,
xnanifcited in this ftupendous Machine, the
material
Of the Divine Trinity*. 109
material and vifible Heavens, by which all
Things in the natural or material World have
been kept in fuch perpetual and regular Mo-
tions, as to produce all thofe moil: ufeful
Phenomena that have ever fince appeared in
it, and perfectly to anfwer all the great, wife
and good Ends, for which they were all dc-
figned, created and made. That we might v
by the Confederation of it, be powerfully
moved to blefs, and praife, and magnify him
and his holy Name, and afcribe to him all
thofe Powers, Properties and Perfections,
which can with Truth and Juftice, be attri-
buted to him and to him only, which Mis-
believers, and Difregarders and Contemners of
his revealed Word, have afcribed to his life-
lefs Inftrument, the material and vifible Hea-
vens > and to love him with all our Hearts,
and all our Minds, and all our Souls, and
with all our Strength, who by his revealed
Word hath been gracioufly pleafed to enable
us, moft clearly to perceive the next and im-
mediate Caufes of all thofe Phaenomena, or vifi-
ble Effects in the natural or material World,
which are necefTary and beneficial for us to
know, in order to our Confirmation and
Eftablifbment in the fincere and true Belief of
his Omnipotence, and moft perfect and father-
ly Goodnefs. And who in order to cheque
and reftrain the Pride and Arrogance of Man-
kind, hath been gracioufly pleafed, to leave
unrevealed, the Manner of the Heavens ope-
rating
%f
V
iio Of the Divine Trinity.
rating in and upon fome particular Syftems of
Matter, fuch as the Magnet y by which, won-
derful and furprizing Phenomena, or vifiblc
EffeftSj are produced; and which for want of
divine Revelation concerning thefe Things,
Mankind have vainly laboured to account for;
that they might be moved highly to value and
efleem divine Revelation, by which they have
been enabled to affign the true immediate
inftrumental Caufes of fo many ufeful Pheno-
mena in Nature, which they would other- ,
wife have been unable to have truly accounted
for.
God having been gracioufly pleafed to have
given us fuch Knowledge of the material and
vifible Heavens, in the State and Form of
Light, (which he from one of its great Pro-
perties of defboying all Void in the material
World, was pleafed to call Behemoth) as was
neceflary for us to have. Then proceeded to
give us an Account of the Powers and Proper-
ties and Operation of the Heavens, in the dif-
ferent Forms of Spirit or Darknefs in Motion.
And which he hath called Leviathan y from
its Formation out of the Atoms of the Fluid
of Light, which becoming cold at the Cir-
cumrerence of the Heavens, congeal and co-
here together in grofll r Particles of Darknefs ;
which as I have obferved before, from Job
xxxviii. 37, 38. are called the Defluxions of
the Heavens, when the Atoms of Light called
fine
Of the Divine Trinity. hi
fine Duft, arc combined ftrongly together,
and (b ftrenthened, and the Mud coheres to-
gether.
For the Word mb, fignifies to cohere
ftrongly together; and it was on this Account
that Leah called her third Son Levi, faying
Gen. xxix. 34. now my Hufband will be
moft intimately united to me, becaufe I have
borne him three Sons, therefore fhe called his
Name Levi, and from the ftrong mutual Co-
hefion of the Atoms of Light together, by
which the grafter Particles of Darknefs are
formed at the Circumference of the Heavens,
therefore God called that groffer Fluid of
Darknefs Leviathan.
And of this Fluid of Darknefs, and of its
Powers and Properties God fpeaks to Job, in
the Prefcnce of his mifbelieving Friends in the
following Manner, Job xli. 1, &c.
Can ft thou draw out or lengthen Leviathan,
(the Fluid of Darknefs) with an Hook or its
Tongue (fo called from the tapering Form in
which it moves downwards) with a Cord that
thou lettefl down. Canli thou by any Means put
the Steam or Vapour, raijed from the Earth
or Water JDJtt, into its Subflance in Motion,
(fo as to caufe it to mix with its moft clofely
cohering Particles) or canjl pierce its Jaw>
(fo called from its tapering Form) within its
firong Fortification, ni!7, (of the Light which
encompafleth it about.)
The
\H Of the Divine Trinity.
The Meaning of thefe two foregoing Ver-
ges is, that the Fluid of Darknefs cannot be
cither expanded or comprelTed, or ftoped or
quickened in its Motion, nor its clofely com-
bined Particles be diffolved fo as to admit any
Thing, even the fineft Vapour to be mixed
with the Atoms which compofe its Particles
(which nothing but the Fire can diffolve or
feparate) by any Force or Instruments, that
Man can uleor employ.
- And becaufe Mention is made of its Tongue
and its Jaw, for no other Reafon but to de-
note the tapering Form in which the Fluid
of Darknefs defcends, as it moves out of a lar-
ger into a narrower Space, in every Moment
of its Defcent, from the Circumference to the
Orb of Fire in the Centre of the Heavens :
And its component Particles are called its
Flefh, as we may obferve hereafter, there-
fore, inconfiderate Tranilator9, Criticks and
Commentators, have made it a Whale or
Fifli, of an enormous and extraordinary Size ;
whereas, neither the Etymology of the Word
Leviathan, nor the Difcription here given of
it are applicable to a Whale, or any other
Kind of Fifh known to Mankind. And to
have defcribed a large Fifh to Job and hi*
Friends, in the State and Circumftances in
which they then were, would have been of
no Spiritual Benefit to either : And therefore
it is inconfiftent with the Belief of the perfect
Wifdom and Goodnefs of God, to believe
that
Of the Divine Trinity. 113
that he entertained them with a Defcripticn
of fuch a Creature. Whereas, both the Ety-
mology of the Word, and every Part of the
Defcription of the Leviathan are applicable to
the Heavens, in the State and Form of Dark-
nefs, as I go on with the Account here given
of it. And it was highly neceflary that Job
and his Friends mould have a juft and true
Notion of the material and vifible Heavens,
that the one might be confirmed in his Belief
of the cnlv true and in vifible God, which he
had itedfaftly profeffed, and the other con-
verted from their Error and Mifb-Iief, that
the vifible Heavens were the only true and
living God.
Therefore God proceedeth with his Ac-
count of the Leviathan, and mews it to be
an unintelligent and fenfelefs Creature, uncapa-
ble of faying or doing Good to Mankind,
either as a Friend or a Servant, faying, ver.
3. Will it fhew manifold Acls of Mercy and
Companion to thee, or will it make repeated
tender Supplications to thee, (as 1, a moil in-
dulgent and affectionate Father, have done,
to move thee to . turn from thy Wickednefs,
that thou mighted live and come to the
Knowledge of the Truth, and be faved.)
Will it give a pure and purifying Covenant or
Law unto tLeey (as I have done) will thou
take it as a Servant to /erve thee always^
wilt thou play cr divert tbyfelf with it, as
I with
U4 Of the Divine Trinity.
with a 'Thing that circulates or moves round,
ID*; w/A thou gather and hind it together to
make Rays of Light, reprelented by the fine
Fibres of Flax or Hemp, n^i ; with its Com-
panions, to whom it is united or joined (i. e. the
fine Atoms of Fire in the Centre, which the
Darknefs rallies into) feed upon or d vour it>
iTD ; as represented by Ezekiel, who faith,
he faw the ecleftial FLe feeding upon and de-
vouring itfelf, becaufe the Fluid of Darknefs,
which is the fame in Subftance with the Fire>
rufhed into it, and was devoured or ground
to Atoms by it. And will they diflribute it
as Prey among the bufy ones, (i. e. will the
Fire, when it hath devoured the Fluid of
Darknefs by grinding it into Atoms, fend it
forth in a Fluid of Light, which is occupied
and bufied in penetrating and pervading, fill-
ing and expanding all Syflems of Matter be-
tween the Centre and Circumference of the
Heavens, and fo its Atoms are reprelented by
bufy Negotiators Qr Merchants fent forth.
Ver. 7. Can ft thou perfectly form its Ene-
my or xintagonifl into a Covering, to. contain
it on every Side -, or a Covering like a Fifh
Net for its Head, (that is, can ft thou make the
JLight which is its Antagonift, Vtty, which
ever); where, with its expanding Force, con-
tends againft its compreihng Force in Pipes
which cover it, and keep it in on every Side,
from rum out of its ap] burfe or
car.il thou make a fhady Covering like aFifh
Net for the Darknefs to rufti in, and the Light
to
Of the Divine Trinity. 115
to iffue forth from the Orb of Fire, as I have
done.
Ver. 8 Lay thine Hand upon ity ?-emember the
Battle^ do no more-, i. e. remember, that all thy
bodily Lufts are raifed up in thee, by the ma-
terial Heavens mechanically operating in and
upon thy Body, and are therefore called the
fiinces of the Power of the Air, which is
called the Spirit that worketh in the Chil-
dren of Difobedience, Ephef. ii. 2. And
that every Man hath a Warfare appointed for
him to carry on againft thefe fpiritual . Ene-
mies, their bodily Lufts, excited in them by
this Spirit of Darknefs, the material and vifi-
ble Heavens, job. vii. i. Therefore remem-
ber thefe Things, and exercife and employ
thy fpiritual Power, thy Faith, in which
thy fpiritual Strength confifts, in controuling
or keeping under this Spirit of Darknefs, or
thy bodily Lufts, enlivened and awakened by
it, for thefe Things thou art by the Armour
of the true and divinely revealed Faith, per-
fectly enabled to do, and thou art able to
do nothing more againft this Spirit of Dark-
nefs, and therefore don't pretend to do it,
for all thy other Labours will be in vain and
fruitlefs, and unprofitable.
Having thus far given an Account of the
Form in which this Fluid of Darknefs
moves and fubfifts, and having (hewn that it
is not in Alan's Power to alter it, or to quicken
or ftop its Motion, and that it is an unintelli-
I 2 gent
u6 Of the Divine Trinity.
gent and neceffary inftrumental Agent of
Cod, which can neither ierve Man as a
Friend, nor as a Servant, and that Man can-
not poflibly make any Ufe of it. And hav-
ing likewife fhewn fome of the Ends for
which it was defigned, as that of feeding the
Fire in the Orb of the Sun or Center, and
affording Matter to be ground down to
Atoms, and lent fonh in the finer astherial
Fluid of Light ; and having likewife {hewn,
that the Orb in which the Fire at the Cen-
ter, which he calls the Head of the Levi a-
than, is contained, is in the Form of Net-
work, for the Fluxes of Darknefs to rufti in,
and the finer Fluid of atherial Light to iffue
forth out of it : And having likewife (hewn
what fpiritdal Power he hath over it, to re-
flrain it from liirring up his bodily Lufts in
him, which are reprefented by living Crea-
tures, which he is always to war again ft, and
that, he hath no other Power over it. He
p.oceeds to difcourage him from putting
Truft or Confidence in it, which all Men do
who reject the Light of his revealed Word,
and act according to the Dictates of their
bodilv Lufts, which they call the Light
and Law of Nature, and natural Reafon.
Saying,
Ver. 9 Behc Heps or Expectation that
is repo/ed in it, is falje and lying Here. Will
not one be deje&ed with Ear at the Prcjpefi
of it? which is no other than ipiritual Mi-
fcry,
Of the Divine Trinity. 117
fery, both temporal and everlafKng, which
neceffarily attends the Gratification of thofe
bodily Lufls, which are ftirrcd up by this
Spirit of Darknefs, in the mifbelieving Chil-
dren of Di (obedience. Who then can (land
againjl me? the Creator and Former of it,
and of all Things which Mankind enjoy or
poffefs under the whole Heavens, which
fome have fet up for their God.
And that Job and his milbelieving Friends,
might more perfectly underftand the Struc-
ture and Strength of this Fluid of Darknefs,
the Leviathan, which is one of the confti-
tuent Parts of the Heavens mentioned in the
foregoing Verfe. He fays,
Ver. 1 2 . Iwillnot leave unmentioned, itsflrong
continued Lines or Bars, H2, and its flrong
Conflicts IH1"!, and the gratuitous Bounty pn
of its dark Sub/lance, and its tapering or
Sword* like Form. For as it received its Be-
ing from the Fire, by the Mediation of the
finer Fluid of Light, fo it returns in a taper-
ing Form to feed and continue the Fire, and
enables it to fend forth the finer Fluid of
Light. And fhewing of thefe, he (hews the
perpetual Mction of the Heavens, circulating
in the three different Forms of Fire, Light,
and Darknefs, all of one Subftance, and their
mutual Dependance upon each other, in all
the Operations and Productions of their Ef-
fects. Therefore he faith,
I 1 Vcr.
ii8 Of the Divine Trinity.'
Ver. 13 . Who hath dif covered or opened, the
Faces of its Ckathing ? ( that is, of the Fluid
of Light by which it is inclofed and covered
on every Side.) And who hath entered into
its double Curb ? (i, c.) into the Fluid of
Light, which curbs and confines it within
its Channels, as it curbs and confines the
Fluid of Light, and fo reftrain each other,
and therefore it is called a double Curb or
Bridle : And alfo, and for the fame Reafon,
the Light which confines it, is called its
folding Door?, as well as its Covering and
Curb.
Ver. 1 4. Who hath opened the folding Dcors of
it (for it to pafs through) its 'Ieeth (i. e.
the Atoms of Fire, which tear and grind it
to Pieces in its Circuits) are terrible.
Ver. 1 5. The (welling of its Currents or Pipes,
(occafioned by the finer Atoms of Light
which compofe them, and is therefore re-
prelenied by a Shield plued with Scales,
jLut in or cowprefjedby a ftrono bindiqg Seal,
and adhere fo clcjely one to another ', that no
Air can intervene between them, to (hew
that there is no Vacuum ciiikminated in the
Fluid of Daikneis, any more than there is
in the finer Fluid of Light, which was
represented, xxxvii. 18. by a molten Spe-
culum.
Ver. 17. They are joined to each other, and
cohere Jo clofely tcgctl\r, tlct they cannot be
fparated*
Ver. 18.
Of the Divine Trinity. 119
Ver. 18. Bv its rafting into tic Fire tS^fcDJJ
from 0 V to fly or enter into, and #tf Fne,
Flame or Light fcincth forth, And its Alpet~i
or Appearance^ is as the flying forth t\ty of
the Light ; from its Mouth (i. e. the Orb
of Fire from whence it iffues) Streams of
Fire like burning Tapers proceed, and Sparks
of Fire break forth. From its raging Flame,
Yin Steam and Vapour go forth, as front
a Caldron that is blown under •> and fo made
to rage or boil.
By this we are informed, that the Fire in
the Center of the Heavens, is fed bv the
Fluid of D.trkneis, which, when melted
down, iffieth forth in the liner Fluid cf
Light, which again congealeth into grofler
Particles of Darknefs.
Ver. 2 1 . Its feminal Body or Subftance, jyjD3,
mak'jth Coals to barn, and flame goeth out
of its Month.
This holdeth true in terreflrial Fire, which
would not bum if the dark and cool Air did
not rum into it.
Then he proceeds to (hew where its great-
eft Strength and Conflict i% and lakh, ver.
22. They are always in its Neck, (/. e.) at
its Entrance into the Orb of Fire, where
it is confined within a narrow Space, and
where the Strength of the Fluid of Light
illuing forth is alio greatefi; fo that the
Suength of both, and their Conflict wich
each other, moving in counter and contrary
I 4 Di-
y
120 Of the Divine Trinitv.
Directions, is greateft in this narrow Space,
which is called its Neck, at its Entrance into
the Orb of Fire, which is called its Head,
as well as the Head of the Fluid of Light,
their expanding and compreffing Forces be-
ing every where equal, and weakeft in that
large Space, the Circumference, as they are
flrongeft in the narroweft Space, the Center
of the Heavens.
Then he faith, (as it is rendered in our
Tranilation) 'That Affii£iion is turned into Joy
before it, (i. e. the Particles of Darknefs
which have been tortured, and as it were
afflicted in the Orb of Fire, rum forth and
expand themielves as it were with Joy, in
the Form of the finer Fluid of Light, before,
or in the Prefence of it.)
And having thus fhewed how the Fluid
of Darknefs, by being broken into Atoms,
becomes the Fluid of Light, and how that
Fluid of Light affumes again the Form of
Darknefs at the Circumference of the Hea-
vens, and defcends in that Form.
He proceeds and faith, That the Flakes
of its Flrjh (/. e. the Particles of its Subitance
dt Ice n ding in its groffer Form; cohere dnd
grow jo clofety combined together, that they
cannot be moved ajundcr, or out of their
Courfe. And,
Ver. 24. That its Heart ^{i. e. the Atoms of
„ \yfrich it is Comtoofed) are Jlrottg and firm as
4
Of the Divine Trinity. 121
a Stone, or a nether Milftonc, Hvhich fplits
and grinds to Atoms all Kinds of Grains.)
And that, when it raifeth itftlf up (in
this fine Form of Light) the high and ftrong
cnes which j or m the vaulted Arch of the Hea-
vens cohere or gather together (into Moleculae
or Motes, or Grains, and defcending in that
Form) and by being broken into Atoms in the
Fire, they purify them /elves (and fo become
the purer Fluid of Light;) which was proper
and necefiary to be faid, for convincing £//-
phaz, who worfhipped the Heavens in the
Form of Fire, and believed it to be the fu-
preme aud living God ; and had accordingly
faid, xv. 15. He hath no Hope in his Saints,
(i. e. in the Atoms of the Fluid of Light,
which he had feparated and fent forth, and
which he called his Angels, iv. 1 8. as he call-
ed the Darknefs, which miniftreth Fuel to
feed it, his Servants; and of the whole Hea-
vens in thofe Forms that they were not pure
in his Sight, and therefore needed perpetual
Purification.)
Then he proceeded to (hew the Vanity of
the Labours of all fuch as might at any Time,
pretend to attempt by bodily Force or carnal
Weapons, to contend againft its Power, or to
flop its Gourfe, or alter its Powers or Proper-
ties, which are not to be refifted by any
Force that Man can bring againft it: Saying,
Ver. 26. &c. The Sword of him that ap-
proacheth it, will not Jland Jirmy nor the
Speart
122 Of the Divine Trinity.
Spear, nor any Thing that is thrown at it,
nor any Armour \ or armed Per/on. It ef-
teemeth Iron as Straw, and Brafs as rotten
Wood. The Arrows will not make it flee-,
Sling- Stones are turned into Stubble by it,
and all Things projeBed and thrown at it. It
derides the brandiping of the Spear , farp
pointed Pot/herds are under it : It jpreadeth
fjjarp pointed Things upon the Mire; (i. e.)
the fharp pointed penetrating Atoms of the
Fluid of Fire, reprefented by Fragments of
earthen Veffels baked in a Kiln, are under it,
by which it is diflblved into Atoms, which
iffuing forth, fpreadeth itfelf in the Form of
pointed and penetrating Light upon the moift
Earth.) It maketh the deep Waters rage, or
ferment, or boil like a Caldron, (all Fer-
ments or intefrine Morions in Fluids being
occasioned by the Spirit of the Air blended
with their component Particles) and layeth it
again /moctb like an Ointment (or a Fluid,
which fcems to be without Motion.) It
maketh a Path to fkme after it, (by the
Dews that it forceth down in the Night) fo
that one would think the ten aqueous Globe
was hoary. By which we may perceive, that
Dew and Rain are not drawn down to the
Earth by any attractive Power in it, but by
the Impulies of the groffer Fluid of Daik-
nefs mixt with the Fluid of Light, as they
arc railed up in the Form of Vapour, by the
penetrating and expanding Fluid of Light ;
and
Of the Divine Trinity. 123
and that all Bodies projected from the Earth
in any Direction, are forced down to it again
by the continued Irnpulits of both thefe Flu-
ids mechanically a&ing upon them. And
on this Account, the denle Firmament H>%
which is compofed of thefe two Fluid, of
Light and Darknefs, are called the po.. derat-
ing Powers of the Firmament ^D, the Pow-
ers by which they caufe all Things to pon-
derate or weigh downwards, in Proportion to
their Quantities of Matter upon which thefe
Fluids a£t, which balance each other, their
expanding and compreffing Powers being e-
very where equal between tbe Center and
Circumference of the Heavens.
Ver. 33. He fays, There is nothing upon
the Earth that can be compared or likened to
ity being Jo made that its Particles cannot be
broken or feparated, (All other Things, whe-
ther inanimate, vegetable, or animal, can be
broken, and their conftituent Particles fepa-
rated by human Force, but the Particles of
the Fluid of Darknefs cannot be broken or
feparated by any other Force, than that of
the Fluid of Fire.)
Ver. 34. He in the laft Place iliews, what
Kind of Perfons they are that it hath
Power over, and faith, It Jhews itfelf to the
High and Haughty, and is the King that
ruleth over all the Children of Pride ; (wno
rife up and rebel againfl the true and living
God, and difbelieve and difobey his holy
Word
124 Of the Divine Trinity.
Word and Law; and give themfelves up to
believe and obey the Dictates of their bodily
Lufts, which are raifed up in them by this
Spirit of Darknefs, and which as I have be-
fore obferved, St. Paul, Epbef. ii. 2. calls the
Princes of the Power of the Air, which Air
he calls the Spirit that worketh, with Ener-
gy and mechanical Force in the Children of
Difobedience, which is aifo afferted by the
Prophet Ezekiel i. 20. where he tells us, that
the Spirit of the living Creatures was in the
Wheels.)
Now whoever will confider, how neceflary
it was for Job to be inftrucled in the true
Nature of, and Powers, and instrumental
Properties of the material and vifible Hea-
vens, the lifelefs and ferfelefs Creature, that
his Friends would have had him to have be-
lieved to be the only true and living God, and
for convincing and converting his Friends.
from that moft deftrudfcive and damnable Er-
ror, and all fetch, as might in after Ages hap-
pen to fall into it. And whoever will like-
wile coniider, the Etymology, and the Roots
and Pveafon of the Wordj> Behemoth and Le-
viathan, and the Defcriptions that God hath
here given of them, and ol their inilrumental
Powers and Properties, will clearly perceive,
that the Elephant cannot be figniried by the
one, nor any Kind of Whale by the other ;
and that the Powers and Properties here a-
fcribed to them, are all applicable to the ce-
lettial
Of the Divine Trinity. 125
leftial Fluids of Light and Darknefs, and to
no living Creatures, or other Things known
to Mankind. And as God was mod graci-
oufly pleafed fenfibly to fignify and reprefent
himfelf by the material and vifible Heavens,
that Mankind might thereby be enabled to
form juft and true, and ufeful (although not com-
plete and adequate J Notions of his Ubiquity or
Omniprdence, and of his Manner of fubfift-
ing and operating, or adting in a moft per-
fect and diflinguithable, and conceivable Plu-
rality in the one undivided and indivisible Je-
hovah, or divine fcffence, which they would
not otherwile been able to have formed : So
we rind Job., when he was thus informed by
God, in the true Knowledge of the material
and vinble Heavens, and thereby enabled to
fo:m a juft Notion of the aforementioned
Perfections of God, which he could not o-
therwife have formed ; although it is evident,
from his reasoning with his Friends, that he
had a juft Notion of his perfedt and fatherly
Goodnefs, and Mercy and Juflice, and Equi-
ty, although he could noi account for the Se-
verity of God's Diipeniations to him at that
Time, and therefore fpoke unadvifedly : He
acknowledges the Omniicience and Omnipo-
tence of God, who over-rules the vifible
Heavens, and his having fpoken of Things
that were too wonderful for him, and which
he was ignorant oi, and did not underftand,
and begs of God to inftrud him, and to en-
crcafc
126 Of the Divine Trinity-.
Creafe and enlarge his Knowledge; and faith,
that all he knew of him, he knew by hear-
ing the Traditions of Men concerning him;
but that now he had feen him with his Eyes,
(by the fenfibly perceptible Reprefentations
which he had made of himfelf by the mate-
rial and vifible Heavens ;) and fays, he will
repent in Duft and Afhes, of whatever he had
thought or faid amifs : Whereupon God de-
clares, that Jyb's Friends had not faid what
was right and true of, or concerning him, as
his Servant Job had ; for they veiled the God-
head in the material and vifible Heavens, his
Creature^ whereas Job verted it in the fpiri-
ritual and in vifible Jehovah, or divine Eflence,
who had predeftinated and created all Man-
kind for fpiritual and everlafting Happinefs
after this Life, which his Friends did not be-
lieve nor profefs.
I fhould now proceed to (hew, how by the
material and vifible Heavens, by which God
hath been gracioufly pie j fed to fignify and
reprefent himfelf, and by what he hath faid
in his holy Word concerning them, we are
enabled to form a juft and true Notion of
his Manner of fubliiling and operating, or
acling in a Plurality of diftind and different
(in refpect of tbeir States, Forms, Motions,
and Operations) and mo ft clearly conceivable
Perfons, in the one undivided a id indivihble
Jehovah, or divine Eflence : But I choofe
previously to recapitulate and luring together
under
Of the Divine Trinity. iiy
under one View, thole Truths which I have
oblerved to have been difpetfed and fet forth
in different Places of the holy Scriptures,
concerning the material and vifible Heavens;
by which we will be enabled to difcove*
fome fundamental Errors or Falilioods in that
new and anii-fcriptural Syftem of Philofo-
phy, which hath been generally admired and
embraced by inconfiderate Perfons, who have
chofen to believe the groundlefs Affertions of
a fallible Man, concerning the material and
vifible H°avens, rather than what God the
Creator and Suftainer of them, hath been
pleafed to declare concerning them : And
alio the Errors therein contained, concerning
the whole Syftem of the natural or material
World ; and concerning the original and in-
ftrumental Caufe of Motion in it ; and of all
the Motion?, whether local or inteftine, that
are obfervable in all the particular Syftems,
whether inanimate or vegetable, or animal,
that constitute it, cr are contained in it.
And concerning the immediate inflrumental
Caufes o\ all the Phenomena, or apparent
Effects tha<; are obfervable in it, or of as many
of them as are neceffary and ufefnl for us to
know, in order to be powerfully moved to
admire the wonderful and perfect Wifdom
and Power, and love and adore the great
and fatherly Goodnefs of the Author, effici-
ent Caufc and Continuer, and Suftainer of
them- By which we will obtain a more true
and
128 Of the Divine Trinity.
and ufeful Syftem of Principles of natural
Philofophy, than hath ever appeared in the
World, except in the holy Scriptures, from
whence they are extracted.
This I judged neceffary to be previoufly
done, becaufe (as I have before obferved)
fuch as Men's natural Philofophy is, fuch will
be their Religion, if the one be falfe, the
other will neceflarily be falfe alfo ; for we can
have no Notion of fpiritual Things, States
or Actions, otherwife than by Means of the
Ideas of natural and fenfrbly perceptible
Things, by which God hath been gracioufly
pleafed to fignify and reprefent them to us.
And as God hath been gracioufly pleafed fen-
fibly to fignify and reprefent himfelf to us,
by the material and vifible Heavens, if our
Ideas of them be falfe, our Notions of him
thereby formed, will be falfe alfo. And if
we form our Ideas of the material and vifible
Heavens, by what is faid of them in that
much-admired, becaufe not underftood, Syf-
tem of mathematical Princip/es of natural
Philofophy, wherein it is ground leisly and in
contradiction to God's revealed WcrJ, affert-
ed, that Darknels is not a Siibflance, but a
Non-entity or mere Privation of Light, and
alfo that a Vacuum in the Heavens is necef-
farv, in order to the Mc ion of thofe Orbs
which are ufually Called celeftial Bodies ; and
alio in and about the Earth, in order to
the local and in.eftine Motions of ail Bodies
thereon ;
Of the Divine Trinity. 129
thereon, by which) if true, all Mecha-
nifm in the natural World would be deftroy-
ed, and all Motion of and in Matter would
immediately ceafe. And to give an amufing
and unintelligible Solution to this unfolvable
and unfurmountable Difficulty, imaginary
Attraction, and centripetal and gravitating
Powers or Forces, have been afcribed to, and
afferted to be in Matter. It is indeed moft
clearly afferted in the holy Scriptures, and a
mod evident Truth, that all fpiritual Mo-
tions are free, and proceed from Attraction*
and that the Spirits of Men, are attracted
or drawn to do all thofe Things which tend
to their true and fpiritual Happinefs both tem-
poral and everlafting, by a View arid Prof-
pect of thofe good Things which God hath
been gracioully pleafed to fet before them,
for moving them to choofe to do all thofe
Things which are neceffary to be done by
them, in order to prepare and qualify them-
felves for the Enjoyment, and conlequently
for the fure Attainment, of them 3 and they
are likewife fo drawn, by alluring and tempt-
ing worldly Objects to Wickednefs for the
Gratification of their bodily Lufls; but al-
though this Doctrine be true with refpedt to
all the Motions of all fpiritual Beings, which
are all freely moved to act by Attraction^
Which is called the Cords of a Man, by the
immaterial Spirits of Men^ which cannot be
acted upon and forced to act contrary to their
*3P Of the Divine Trinity.
own free' Will or Choice, by mechanical
.Impulfe, or the Operation of Matter upon
them ; yet the Evidence of Senfe is fufficient
to convince every contiderate Perfon, that
natural or material Syftems are no otherwife
.to be moved, than neceffarily, and by the
Force of Matter violently acting upon them
by actual Contact and Impulfe, or mecha-
nical and fenlibly evident Force, and not by
imaginary or unaccountable Attraction, and
that they cannot poflibly move any longer
than fuch mechanical Force is continued
upon them j for Motion of natural Bodies,
are Effects which cannot be either produced
or continued without a Caufe producing and
continuing them, by mechanically operating
or acting, and continuing to operate or act
upon them, fo long as the Effects continue.
However, it hath been magi Serially impofed
upon the World, that if a Body was projected
in vacuo, (which is an unaccountable Sup-
pofition) it would continue for ever in Mo-
tion in that continued Vacuum, (i. e.) that
Effect would commence or continue with-
out a Caufe, which is unaccountable and in-
credible.
I mould here recapitulate, and fet before
my Reader in one View, all thofe Particulars
concerning the material and vilible Heavens,
which I have before mentioned, as they lay
difperfed in the holy Scriptures, wherein they
are fpoken of, as proper Occafions offered
for
Of the Divine Trinity. 131
for making Mention of their Original, and of
their different States, conftitucnt farts, Pow-
ers, Properties and Motions; but I judge it
proper before I draw them together, or fuch
and fo many of them as are' fufficient to re-
move, let afide and explode all thole falfe
Accounts of the rn terial and viable I leavens,
as have been delivered to the World by Per-
fons falily reputed Philoibpher?, to tiic great
Hurt of Mankind, to take Notice of iuch
particular Falfhoods as have been magiiierially
alTerted and fee forth concerning the material
and vifible Heavens, and the immediate
Caufes of all the Phenomena in Nature, in
that celebrated but unintelligible Sy-ftem,
called the Mathematical Principles of Natu-
ral Phihfophy ; wherein the divinely revealed
Word of God fet forth in the holy Scriptures,
which carries along with it not only the mofi
clear and evident Proof both or its divine O-
riginal, and of its Truth, is fet at nought and
contradicted, either inconfiderately or design-
edly, by the Author of that Syftem, who had
thefe holy Scriptures in his Poffeffion, by
which he might have corrected and rectified
all thofe deftruclive Errors, which he hath
groundlefly, yet magifteriaily, obtruded upon
the World, to the Injury of Men's fpiritual
fancYifying and firing Faith, and consequent-
ly of their Morals, and confequently to the
endangering of their Salvation, as will by and
by be made appear. And,
K a Fir fa
1 32 Of the Newtonian Philofopby.
Fir/}, The Author of this Syftem very
juflly and truly afferts, that there are certain
and true Caufes of all the Phenomena, or
fenfibly perceptible Effects that appear in the
natural or material World.
Secondly, He fuppofes, that there are cer-
tain fenfibly imperceptible (and indeed incon-
ceivable) Principles, Powers, or Properties, to
be in all Parts and Particles of Matter, which
he afferts, to be the true and only Caufes of
all the Phenomena in Nature, at lead of all
them that he hath attempted to account for,
or to aflign the immediate Caufes of; fuch as
what he calls Electricity, by which, he means
a centrifugal Power or Force, by which all
Particles of Matter are enabled of themfelves,
to move themfelves, and remove from to-
wards the Centers, towards the Circumferences
of the Bodies to which they belong} and he
faith, that it is owing to this centrifugal Pow-
er or Property, which he fuppofes and aflerts
to be in all the Particles of this our terraque-
ous Globe, that the Earth, near the ./Equa-
tor, hath a Belt about it, of above feventeen
Miles thick or high; and fuch is another
Power which he hath fuppofed and afferted
to be in all Matter, and which he hath call-
ed Attraction, or a Power, Principle or Pro-
perty, by which every natural or material
Body is enabled to attract, or draw towards
itfelf all other Bodies, with greater or lefs
Force, according to their nearer or farther
Dif-
Of the Newtonian Philo/ophy. 133
Distances from it ; and that the attractive
Power, or Force of any Body, is greater oi"
lefs, in Proportion to the greater or le£
Quantity of Matter contained in it; and fuch
is another Principle, Power or Property which
he hath fuppofed and afierted to be in all
Matter, which he calls Gravitation, or cen-
tripetal Force, by which the Particles of all
Bodies are enabled to move themfelves to-
wards their own Centers, (which is a Force
that adts contrary to his fuppofed centrifugal
Force) and by which all Bodies projected,
are enabled to gravitate, and move towards
the Center of that Body from which it was
projected.
Thirdly, He faith, he doth not determine,
whether this Co?iatus of Bodies to approach
each other, proceeds from any Action or
Motion in the Bodies themfelves, or from
Spirits emitted out of Bodies, or from the
/Ether or Air, or any other Medium, corpo-
real or incorporeal. (Which I think to be
not very confident with what he hath faid in
the foregoing Proportion, wherein, he hath
afcribed this Conatus of Bodies to approach
each other, to the inconceivable Principles,
Powers or Properties which he hath fuppofed
and afferted to be in all Matter ; unlefs this
Conatus, according to him, and thefe Princi-
ples, Powers and Properties of Matter, be one
and the fame ; and if that be the Cafe, his
Meaning here mud be, that he doth deter-
K 3 rnin*.
134 Qf *hc Newtonian Philofophy.
mine, how material Bodies came by thefe,
Powers, &c. which he hath afferttd to be in
them; which -is a Thing that cannot pofTibly
be determined, beiauie there are no iuch
Principrrs, Powers or, Properties, in fuch Bo-
dies as he ha.tii fuppofed \ a. ! aliened to- be in
them y .but tb it the. Phenomena, or knfible
Eftefl; of the Approach of Bodies to each o-
ther, arid which- he h; Ji akiibed to his in-
conceivable Cauies, w-jlj by and by bg.fhewn
to be can fed by an evident and fenlloly per-
ceptible Ca die.,
> Fourthly, Having fuppofed thefe imagim ry
and leniibJy imperceptible, and jnconrav, \ ie
Principles, Powers, or Properties to he in all
Matter, and to be the Caufes of all Motion,
and of all the Phenomena in Nature, at itaft,
of all that he. hath attempted to accocm iorj
he then attempts to prove their real Exift-
ence in natural or material Bodies, by Phae*
nomena obforved upon Experiments, made
upon material 'Bodies.
Fifthly^ Having imagined, that he had by
thefe experimental and other Phenomena,
proved the Reality of thefe imagina-y and
fenfibly imperceptible, and unconceivable
Principles, Powers or Properties, and their
Exigence in Nature or -A\ Matter; and that
thefe wqic the true Cauks of all the Pheno-
mena -that he attempted to account for at
leaft : He then proceeded to (hew how, and
after what Manner, aieie im^irury and fen
fibly
Of the Newtonian Philofiphy.. ftfi 5
fibly imperceptible Caufes, which he had firft.
fuppofed, and afterwards imagined he had
proved really to exift in Matter, operate (o in
it, as to produce all thofe Phenomena in the
natural' or material World.
Sixthly, And he faith, he doth not fhew
how thefe imaginary Caufes act or operate for
the Production of the Phenomena, by phyfi-
cal, but by mathematical Principles, (i. e.)
by affuming mathematical Signs, Lines, Num-
bers and Diagrams (which in themfelves are
infignificant) as having no Refemblance of na-
tural Thing?, or of their' Powers or Properties ;
and. to render thefe Signs, &c, fignificant,
he fubftitutes fome of them, to fignify and
reprefent natural Things, and thofe imaginary
Principles, Powers or Properties, which he at
firft fuppofed, and afterwards imagined (but
falfty) to be in Nature or Matter, and thereby
to reprefent what he calls the known Proper-
ties of Matter, Properties, which he imagin-
ed all Mankind muft acknowledge to be in
it, by what he had ihewn by Experiments he-
had made upon material Bodies -r and others
of thefe mathematical Signs he fubftituted, ta
fignify and reprefent /uch of thefe imaginary
Powers or Properties, as were unknown and
fought for. And thefe Things (or rather np
Things) being thus fettled and let forth, he
went to' work, and by Additions and Sub-
tractions, and other Methods of mathemati-
cal Procedure, and haying found the Sign of ths
K 4. ima-
136 Of the Newtonian Philofophy.
imaginary. Powt; or Property fought for, c-
qua! to k the Signs of thoie Powers or
T^ Parties which lie imagined to be really in
Matter, and 10 be known, he concluded that
what he : . Jiicovered to be true with re-
fpeft to . infignificant Signs of imaginary
Powers, ought to be acknowledged to be true
with refpedt to the imaginary Powers which
he fuppofed to be in Matter, and had repre-
fented by thofe infignificant Signs, I call them
infignificant, becaufe it can and will be
{hewn, that there are no fuch Powers or Pro-
perties in natural Things, as he hath fuppofed
and afferted to be in thern, and hath repre-
fented by mathematical Signs, which arc
therefore infignificant, Thus inconfiderate and
ignorant, but confident. Logicians, reafon a-
bout the Powers and Properties, both of na-
tural and fpiritual Things, of which they
have no true Ideas nor Notions, nor any other
Knowledge than that of the Names by which
they are called ; , Having firft ranged the
Naiinc or Word fufcfthuted to fignify or re-
prefeut the Thing,' under fome general Pre-
C canv nt> they fall to yvork with Tongue or
Peri, to rea/on by the Help of logical Rules
^nd verbal Diftinclions, about the Word or
Name, and in the End conclude, that what
they have difepvued to be true about the
Word, holds tn of the natural or Ipjritual
Thing whi h wps ilgnified or reprefented by
|t ^ grid th^t they iiave difcoyered every Pow>
Of the Newtonian Vhikfophy. IJ7
er, Property, and Perfection of that natural or
fpiritual Thing fo fignified or reprefented ; and
which they had enquired after, although they
be as ignorant of it, as when they went to
work about it, their whole reafoning being a-
bout the Word or Sign, and not about the
Thing fignified or reprefented by it.
Seventhly ', I think it neceffary to obferve,
that the Fallacy, by which our celebrated
Philofopher impofed firft upon himfelf, and
afterwards upon the World, proceeded from
his having inconfiderately and rafhly fuppofed
and believed, that there were Powers or Pro-
perties in natural "Things^ by which they
were enabled to move themfelves, which are
not really in them ; and by reafonihg from
thefe fuppofed imaginary Powers, his Con-
clufions, although formally and mathemati-
cally true, were materially and phyfically
falfe ; for nothing can be inferred from Non-
Entity, but Non- Entity or Nothing: And
this was his Cafe; for it will be (hewn by and
by, that thofe active Principles, Powers, or
Properties, which he adventured, for Want of
due Confideration, to fuppofe to be in Mat-
ter, and which he (from the Phenomena
which he pbferved, upon his making Experi-
ments upon feveral different Syftems of Mat-
ter, and which he had not well confidered)
was induced to believe to be in Matter, and to
be the Caufes of all the Motions and other
Phenomena in Nature, which he hath pre-
tended
138 Of the Newtonian Philofophy.
tended to account for, are not really in Mat-
ter; and that therefore he 'bath afcribed all
his experimental and the other Phenomena
in- Nature, to wrong and Falfe 'Caufes, to
Caufes that are neither fenfibly perceptible nor
conceivable, nor provable, to have any real
Exiftence in Nature or Matter • and that all
thofe Phenomena which he hath afcribed- to
unknown and improbable Caufes, are .really
canfed by a fenfibly evident and mod clearly
conceivable, and undeniable mechanical, or
inftrumental Caufe, which every Perfon,
when it is pointed out to him, will clearly
perceive to be not only felf-fufficient for their
Prbdu&ion, but to be the real mechanical or
inftrumental Producer of them : And when
this evident Caufe is clearly (hewn, Mankind
will neceffarily perceive, that as there is no
Neceffity for their fo doing, fo they ought not
to afcribe thofe Effects to unknown and im-
probable Caufes, which are neceffarily and
manifeftly produced; by a fenfibly evident and
undeniably exifting Caufe, which is felf-fuf-
ficieiit for their . Productions 5 for when the
Caufes of Effects are multiplied, it will be
very difficult,' if not impofiible, to afcertain
or fay, which is the true Caufe of them.
Our celebrated Philofopher hath acknowledg-
ed, (and I wifh for his Sake as -well as Mail'
kind's, that all his Efflata had been as rational'
and true) that the Caufes of Phenomena are
not, to- be multipliers and as a felf-fufficient
and
Of the Newtonian Philofophy. 139
and fenfibly evident Caufe can be fhewn
to be the Caufe of all the Phenomena he
hath attempted to account for; and a? it is
commonly faid, that Nature doth nothing
in vain ; (but plight have been more truly
and intelligibly laid, that Gcd, the Au-
thor of Nature, doth Nothing in vain ;)
fo we muft be forced, by the Power and
Force of Truth, to acknowledge, * that fince
God harh been graciouily pleafed to create,
form, and make one feniibly evident inflru-
mental Caufe, which neceffarily moves, and
is felf-fufficient for the Production of all the
Phaenomena of Nature, that are necefTary or
beneficial for us to know the inftrumental as
well as the efficient Caufe of, it is ihconfifr-
cnt with the Belief of the perfect Wifdom and
Goodnefs of God, to believe, that he hath
multiplied Caufes, and hath implanted other
unknown and unconceivable,, and improbable
Caufes in Matter, for the Production of the
fame Phaenomena or fenfible Effects ; and as
be hath by Revelation, made known this fen-
fibly evident and felf-fufficient Caufe of thefe
Phenomena, whofe Truth the Phaenomena
themfelves prove, (for their Caufes could ne-
ver have been known without a divine Reve-
lation ; and it is owing to Men's not having
confulted the divine Revelations, that they
have afcribed the Phaenomena to falfe and ima-
ginary Caufes) therefore it is not only unrea-
sonable, but impious, to afcribe the Phaeno-
nomena
"14° Of the Newtonian Philofophy.
nomena to unknown and inconceivable, and
improbable Caufes, or to any other Caufe
than that to which God hath been pleafed to
afcribe them, fince that cannot be done with-
but disbelieving his divinely revealed Word,
whofe Truth and divine Authority is undeni-
able, as I have elfewhere mod clearly (hewn ;
fuch Unbelief of God's demonstratively true
and divinely revealed Word, (hews not only great
Want of Confideration, but the great Conceit
that fuch Perfons mu ft have of their own
Wifdom and Self-Sufficiency, and alfo their
great culpable Folly or Madnefs, who will
perfevere in afcribing the Phenomena in Na-
ture, to unknown and inconceivable, and im-
probable Caufes, whofe Exiftence never can
be proved, when there is a divinely revealed
and fenfibly evident, and felf-fufficient Caufe,
which every Perfon, who confiders it, may
clearly perceive to be the neceffary, mecha-
nical, or instrumental Producer of them.
Eighthly , I judge it neceffary farther to ob-
ferve here, that our celebrated Philofopher
would have delivered a more true and ufeful
Syftem of the Principles of natural Philofophy
to the World, if he had clearly proved, that
there were fuch adtive Principles, Powers, or
Properties in any Syftems of Matter, as he
hath, without Proof, afferted to be in all fuch
Syftems, and declared to be the Caufes of all
the Phenomena in Nature, before he pro-
ceeded to fhew a^d account for their Mannqr
of
Of the Newtonian Phihfophy. 141
of exerting themfelves, and operating in and
upon all Matter ; and that, if he had con-
futed the divine Revelations concerning the
Heavens and the Earth, more attentively than
he appears to have done, his experimental
Phenomena, and his Obfervations upon them,
and his Inferences; from them, would
have been more true and more ufeful to Man-
kind.
Ninthly, I think it alfo neceflary farther to
obferve here, that our Philofopher, in order to
ferve his Hypothefis, hath chofen to fix a
Senfe and Meaning ;o fome Words, which he
found neceflary to be ufed in his Syftem, that
is not only different from, but contrary to
the Senfe in which they have been always
and properly taken; and by this Abufe of
Language, Men's Ideas of Things and Adions
fignified by Words, have been perplexed and
confounded ; for he hath told the World, in
the lafl Edition of his Principles, that he ufes
the following Words, (viz.) Attradion, Gra-
vity, centripetal Force, and Propenfity or Co-
natus to adt, and Impulfe promifcuoufly, as if
they fignified one and the fame Adl or Thing ;
fo that according to him, to impel or drive
from, is to draw to, and vice verfa : Where-
as they had been always taken for different
and contrary Adlions, but according to him,
phyfical Impulfe or driving away from5 is ma-
thematical Attradion or drawing towards the
Agent. And to apologize for this Liberty
taken
142 Of the Newtonian Philofophy.
taken in the Abnfe cf Words, an Undertaker
to explain his inexplicable Syftem, hath told
us, that our Philosopher did not defign a phy-
fical Explication of Things, but to point out
a Power in Nature, that had not been ob-
ferved before, (which is very true, for fenfi-
bly imperceptible and inconceivable natural
Things never fell under any Man's Obfervati-
on before) and whofe Manner of acting he
thought worth enquiring after ; and he hirn-
felf hath told us, that Attractions might be
more properly called Impulfes, but that he
chofe rather to fpeak mathematically than
phyfically (/". e. rather unintelligible than in-
telligibly about natural Things.) And fpeak-
ing about centripetal and centrifugal Forces,
he fays, he would not have Mankind to be-
lieve that he meant real phy fical Centers.
Tenthly, As he hairr^ot proved his fenfibly
imperceptible and inconceivable Principles,
Powers or Properties, (which he hath made
the Caufes of all the Phenomena in Nature
or Matter, to exift in any material Syftem ;
although he hath prepofteroufly attempted to
(hew how thefe improbable Principles exert
themfelves, and operate or acl in, and upon
all natural or material Syftems) and as he
hath told the World, that thefe Phenomena,
(viz.) Hardnefs, Extenfion, Impenetrability,
Mobility, infinite Divifibility, inactive Force,
and cemrirugal, and centripetal, and attractive,
and gravitating Powers, (which he faith may
very
Of the Newtonian Vhilofophy. 143
very reafqnably be prefumcd to be in all ma-
terial Bodies) are the true fundamental Prin-
ciples of all Philofophy. And having like-
wife attempted, to prove by experimental and
other Phenomena in Nature, that his fenfibly
imperceptible and inconceivable and improba-
ble, and therefore incredible Principles, &c.
exiit in Nature. I fhall therefore, confider
fome of the mod material of thefe Pheno-
mena, which he hath produced as Proofs of
the Existence of thefe inconceivable Caufes.
And afterwards 1 fhall (hew, that they are, all
neceffarily produced by a divinely created, and
revealed, and fenfibly evident and real Caufe,
and that therefore they can be no Proofs of
the Exiftence of his imaginary, and fenfibly
imperceptible, and inconceivable, and im-
probable, and therefore incredible Caufes.
And by (hewing thefe Things, Perfons more
at Leifure than I am, may perceive how to
proceed, in fhewing the Infufficiency of his
other lefs material Proofs, which he hath
produced for the Reality of his imaginary
antifcriptural Powers in Nature. But before
I, proceed to the Confideration of thofe parti-
cular Phenomena, which he produces in
Proof of the Reality of his antifcriptural and
imaginary Powers in Nature or Matter. I
judge it proper, previoufly to take Notice of
fome antiicriptural and falfe Pofitions, which
he hath magitterially, and in direct Contra-
diction, not only to the holy Scriptures, but
alfo
244 0/ the Newtonian Pbilofephy.
alfo the Evidence of Senfe> which bears Tefti-
mony to their Truth, aflerted ; and by which
he forefaw, that if Mankind would be brought
to believe them, upon the Credit of his ipfe
dixit ■, as too many of them have for no o-
ther Reafon, his Syftem would be longer-
lived, than he could otherwife hope it would,
becaufe many Perfons are not eafily with-
drawn from the Belief of any Syftem of Phi-
lofophy, be it ever fo falfe, which they have
once embraced and profefled to admire : They
look upon an Alteration or Change of their
Opinions, as a Difcredit, as it is a Proof that
they were capable of being deceived, and of
having miftaken Falfhood for Truth -, and
few there are, that have fo mean an Opinion
of their own Underftanding, as to be prevailed
upon to do any Thing, that they imagine will
tend to the Impeachment of its Perfection.
Moreover, fuch Divines, as were Admirers
of this celebrated, but unintelligible Syftem,
have taken great Pains (as far as confident
Affertions would go) to lead Mankind into
the Belief that the holy Scriptures were not
defigned to make them Philofophers (i. e.
to make them wife 5) whereas there never was
X a true Syftem of either natural or fupcrnatu-
ral, or moral Philofophy that ever appeared
in the moral World, except that of the holy
.Scriptures, as I have elfe where fhewn $ and
they plainly forefaw, that if Mankind could
by fuch Means be difcouraged from the Study
Of the 'Newtonian Philofbphy. 14^
of the holy Scriptures, and diverted from
bringing the divinely revealed and demonftra-»
tive Truth, fet forth and contained in them,
againlt this molt falfe and deftrudtive Syftem,
that it would neceffarily continue in Credit*
and that as foon as ever thofe fcriptural Truths
were brought againft it, it would neceflariiy
fall to the Ground, together with all the!
other falfe Sy Items, both of natural and fpiri-
tual or fupernatural, and moral Philofophy,
that ever appeared in the World,
I fliould not have troubled my Readers
With this Digreffion, which I hope they will
think pardonable, becaufe neceffary, had not
our celebrated Author's Account of the ma-
terial and viiible Heavens, by which God hath
been pleafed fenfibly to fignify and reprefent
himfelf to Mankind; that they might be
thereby enabled to form a juft, and true, and
moft uleful, although not an adequate No-
tion or Conception of his Ubiquity or Omni-
prefence, and of his Manner of fubfiiting, ope-
rating or a&ing in a Plurality of three Perfons,
in the Unity of the one Jehovah or divine
Effence, both in the natural, and fpiritual, or
moral World, been fo contrary and contra-
dictory to, and the Belief of it fo inconfiftent;
with the Belief of the Account which God
the Creator and Former of them, and who
therefore belt knew their Structure, and their
Motion^ and Powers, and Properties, and
©very Thing that could be faid with Truth
L con-
146 Of the Newtonian Philofophy.
concerning them, in his divinely revealed
and demonftratively true and holy Word; and
.whofe Truth is moft clearly manifefted in
their ftupendous Work, as described and re-
prefented by himfelf, for the Heavens de-
clare the Glory or the perfect Goodnefs, and
the perfect Wildom, as well as the perfect
Power of God ; and the Firmament (which
will be fljcwn to be a Plenum) fheweth it to
be the Work of his omnipotent Word or
Hand, for from the Beginning, the invifible
Things of God, even his eternal Power, and
his Godhead have been moft clearly manifeft-
ed iby his vifible Works, which bear moft
evident and undeniable Teftimony to the
Truth of his divinely revealed Word, as well
as to the divine Authority of it; and which
therefore, ought to be embraced with Reve-
rence and Joy, and Thankfulnefs, and not
-contemned and contradicted, by inconiiderate,
• and1 therefore culpably ignorant and vain, and
prefumptuous fallible Men. And if our ce-
lebrated Philolopher's falie Account oi the
the; material and vifible Heavens was to be
believed, Mankind could not pollibly be able
to form a Notion of God fubfifting in a Plu-
rality of Peribns in the Unity of the one
ytbovah^ or divine EfTence, as he hath been •
tgracio ully pleafcd to reveal, fignify and re-
-pre'lent himfelf, in his divinely revealed and
holy Word, moft clearly and perfectly verified
in arid by all his Works, DLfpeniations to,
and
Of the Newtonian Fhilofophy. 147
and Dealings with Mankind, and all his in-
ftituted ritual Ordinances: Whereas by the
material and vifible Heavens, conildered ac-
cording to the Deicriptions and Reprefentati-
ons which God hath been gracioufly pleafed
to give of them in his holy Word, we may
as clearly conceive the Manner of God's fub-
fifting in ar Plurality of Perfons in the Unity
of the one undivided and indivifible Effence,
as we can any fenfibly evident Truth in the
natural or material World, and thereby the
mod clear Verification of the holy Scriptures
concerning that great and important Article of
Faith, which our celebrated antifcriptural Phi-
lofopher, by his moft evidently falfe Account of
the material and vifible Heavens, hath laboured
to efface and obliterate out of the Minds of
Mankind, and therewith to deftroy the Cre-
dit of the holy Scriptures lb far, in order to
fupport his own vain and groundlefs, and
impious and wicked Imaginations and Inven-
tions.
( Fir ft > As I have before obferved, he hath
magifterially, and with great Affurance, af-
ferted in his Account of the material and vifi-
ble Heavens, in direct Contradiction to the
holy Scriptures, that Darknefs, which God
declared he had created, was not a celeftial
Fluid, but a Non-Entity > or mere Priva-i
tion of Light, in order to make Room for
his Vacuum or Void, which he hath thought
neceffary to introduce, in order to the Efta-
L a blifhmcnfc
148 Of the Newtonian Philofophy.
blimment of fuch inconceivable Principles
and Laws of Motion as he judged necefiary
alfo to introduce, lor the Support of his ro-
mantic philofophic Syilem.
Secondly , He tells us in his Account of the
Heavens, that the planetary Region?, although
not perfectly void of all Matter, yet have but
very little Matter in them ; for having philo-
fophically reduced Dcrknefs to nothing, he
faith, the planetary Regions have only the
rare and fine Fluid of Light in them, and a
thin Vapour that exhales from the Planets
themfelves^ which are fo rare and fo inter-
mixt with Void, that they do not give any
Obftrudtion to the Motions of the Planets,
caufed by the attracting and repelling Pow-
ers refiding and acting in all Parts and Parti-
cles of Matter.
Thirdly, And to mew, that the planetary
Regions are pure and void of all fuch Matter
as would obftrudt the Motion of the planetary
Bodies, he afferts, (and that he thinks fufR-
cient for Mankind to found their Belief upon)
that a Globe of Matter of an Inch Diameter,
raifed to the Height of the Semi- Diameter of
the Earth, would be able to expand itfelf fo
as to fill all the planetary Regions ; and that
fuch a Globe of Matter is fufficient to make
a World as large as the natural or material
World is, with in equal Quantity ok Void
(u e. of nothing) interwoven with it, not-
withstanding that he hath told us in ano-
ther
Of the Newtonian Philofophy. 149
ther Place, that the Weights of all Bodies,
arc as the Quantities of Matter contained in
them ; and that the Quantities of Matter in
all Bodies, may be known by their different
Weights.
Fourthly, And to (hew that Bodies in Mo-
tion (for he doth not tell us how the Planets
were firft put into Motion) would continue
to move for ever in direct Lines in Vacuo,
or in Regions, as void of all obstructing Mat-
ter, as he hath afierted the planetary Regions
to be, if they were not drawn out of the
right Lines in which they were projected,
by the attractive, and gravitating, and cen-
tripetal Powers which he hath afTerted to be
in all natural or material Bodies, and to be
proportional to the Quantities of Matter con-
tained in them. He faith (and who dare
prefume to call the Truth of any of his ma-
gi fterial Dictates in Queftion) that a Bullet
projected from an high Mountain or Tower,
in an horizontal Direction, would move on
for ever in a direct Line towards the Heavens
(what he here meant by the Heavens, I
can't fay, becaufe by the holy Scriptures I
have been taught to think, that the Heavens
and the material Air, are one and the fame
Thing) if it was not obftrueted in its Mo-
tion by the grofs Air in our Atmofphere ;
and if it was not drawn out of the direct
Line in which it was projected, by rhc attra<
live Power in the Earth. And he lifcewife
L 3 farther
150 Of the Newtonian Philofophy.
farther afferts, that the Fall of fuch Bodies
to the Earth, is an evident Proof of an attrac-
tive Power in the Earth, and confequently
in all Matter. 1 have before obferved, that
nothing is more evident, than that the Moti-
ons and Actions of all created Spirits, (Beings
which are free, and incapable of being forced
or moved by mechanical Contact or Jmpulfe)
are moved and act only by Allurement or At-
traction, by Good and Evil fet before them.
Therefore our bleffed Lord and Saviour told
his Difciples, John vi. 44. That no Man
would come to him unlefs his heavenly Father
drew him. And thefe attractive fpiritual
Cords, which flow from Good and Evil, real
or apparent, fet before] Mankind, are called,
Ho/ea xi. 4. The Cords of a Man: But al-
though this Doctrine of Attraction, holds
true in the fpiritual, it doth not hold true
in the natural World ; and it will by and by
be ihewn that the Defcent of Bodies (any
how projected) to the Earth, is no Proof of
an attractive Power in the Earth, and that
that Phenomenon, is owing to another fen-
iibly evident and real and impelling Caufe.
I fhall mention no more of the Falfhoods
which he hath afferted concerning the mate-
rial and vilible Heavens ; but I think it ne-
ceffary to mention a few of the ufeful philo-
sophical Difcoveries, which he hath thought
fit to deliver to the World for the Benefit of
all
Of the Newtonian Fhi-ofbphy. 151
all thofe who choofe to rely upon his Word
and believe him. And
Firjl, He tells us, that the decay of the
Fire in the Orb of the Sun (which h~ faith
is not in the Center of the material World)
which would otherwife happen by the long
continued Omiffion of Light from it, is re-
paired and. fupplied by the Vapours which
proceed from the Tails of Comets.
Secondly, That expired and expiring fixt
Stars, 1 are revived and reftored to their
Light, by Comets now and then dropping
into them.
Thirdly, He moreover tells us, that the
Tails of Comets, are by Gravity, attracted
towards the Atmofpheres of the Planets, and
repair their Moifture loft by Exhalation.
Fourthly, That the Vapours that iffue
from the fixt Stars and Comets Tails, are
in the Atmofpheres of the Planets, condenfed,
and become Rain, and humid Spirits -7 and
being concreted by a flow Heat, become
Salts and Sulphurs, and Mud and Clay, and
Sand and Gravel, and Stone and Coral, and
other earthly Subftances. And
Fifthly, That thefe Vapours are the fub-
tileft, and befl, but fmalleft Part of our Air,
which preferves the Lives of all living Things.
And that the true Air is made out of more
denfe Bodies than Vapours, and for that Rea-
fon it is heavier than they are, and that there-
L 4 fore
*52 W ^e Newtonian rhilofophy,
fore a moift Atmofphere is lighter than *
dry. And
Sixthly* That Light affcs upon other Bo*
dies, and other Bodies upon Light at a Dif*
tance, and without a&ual contact ; and that
grofs Bodies and Light, are mutually con-*
verted into each other.
Seventhly, He hath discovered by accurate
and attentive Oblervation, that Flies tread
upon Water without being wet-fhod.
I fhall not trouble my Reader with any
more of our Philofopher's important Difco^
veries, for whofe Novelty I think I may
venture to anfwer, leaving the Truth and
Ufefulnefs of them, to be anfvvered and ac-
counted for by his Admirers and Adorers :
But I think it neceffary to obferve here, That
the foregoing Inftances, are very material
Parts, and as true as any of the Parts of that
Philofophy, which they who have arofe and
declared themfelves Champions for Licenti-
puinefs, under the Name of human Liberty,
and who have loudly declaimed againft all
divine Revelations, and all divinely-revealed
fpiritual and fciiptural and fandtifying Reli-
gion, and proclaimed themfelves the Deli-
verers of Mankind, from the Tyranny and
Impofitions of crafty Priefts, and knavifh
and wicked Politicians, who had impofed
pretended divine Revelations upon them,
whereby they were deprived of their natural
liberty, arid reftrained frorp Jiving according
Of the Newtonian Philofophy. 1 53
ta natural Religion (/. e.) according to the
Dictates of their respective predominant bo-
dily Lufts, which is lb agreeable to Flefh
and Blood, and to the Nature (/. e. to the
Body) of Man. Thefe, I fay, are a confi-
derable Part of that Philofophy which thefe
anti-fcriptural Heroes and AfTerters of the
Self-fufficiency of the Light and Law of Na-
ture, (/. e, of the Knowledge of fenfibly
preceptible Things, and the Dictates of their
bodily Lufts) for Sanctification and Salvation,
and eternal Life, embrace and believe.
would be amazing, if we did not confider the
Infatuating and enraging Power of unmor-
tified bodily Lufts, to think that there fhould*
be any Perfons fo fpiritually blind and ftupid,
as to give themfelves up to the Belief of fuch
evident and ufelefs and deftructive Falie-
hoods, and to disbelieve thofe moft clear and
divinely-revealed and demonftrative fpuitual
Truths, which are fet forth in the holy Scrip-
tures, which are fo fpiritually beneficial, and
indifpenfably neceflary to be fincerely and
truly believed and obeyed by all Mankind,
in order to Sanctification and Salvation, and
true Happinefs, both natural and fpiritual,
and temporal and everlafting,
Having made thefe few previous Obferva*
tions, upon this fo celebrated a Syfcm, which
hath been fo wonderfully admired, becaufe
it could not be underftood, and which hath
employed many fldlful and ingenious Mathe-
matician^
1 54 Of the Newtonian Philofophy.
maticians, who might have employed their
Time much better, by applying their arith-
metical and geometrical Knowledge to the
Improvement of ufeful Practice and Mecha-
nics 5 but have been diverted by their At-
tempts, to explain his inexplicable Syftem :
And having taken his imaginary and impro-
bable Principle?, for real Powers exifting in
Nature or Matter, have only expatiated and
enlarged upon his fundamental Errors, by
which their Labours have proved no way
beneficial to Mankind. I {hall now fet forth
fome of his experimental and other Pheno-
mena in Nature, which he hath produced
as Proofs of the real Exiftence of his imagi-
nary Principles or Powers. And afterwards
I will (hew, that all thofe Phenomena which
he hath afcribed to imaginary Caufes, "are
produced by a real and fenfibly evident Caufe,
which hath been moft clearly pointed out to
us in. the holy Scriptures, and that therefore
his imaginary Caules have no real Exiftence
in Nature.
I (hall firft mention fome, and the moft
material, of his experimental and other Phce-
nomena, which he produces as Proofs of his
imaginary, attractive, and gravitating, and
centripetal Forces in Nature, or all Matter.
Secondly, Some of thofe which he produ-
ces as Proofs of centrifugal Powers therein.
And
Of the Newtonian Phihfophy. 155
Firji, He tells us, that the Inclination of
Rays and Light towards the Edge or Point
of a Knife, and the Stay or Inclination of
Rays of Light, tranfmitted through a Glafs
into the open Air, (which he calls a Vacuum)
are Phenomena,which plainly mew an attrac-
tive Power in the Knife, which ads at a
Diftance ; and alio a retractive or attractive
Power in the Glafs, which acts at a Diftance,
and through a Vacuum according to him, up-
on the Body of Light.
Secondly, That the globular Forms of
liquid Fluids, is another manifeft Proof of
attractive and centripetal Force in Matter.
thirdly y The Motions of the Satellites in
perfect Circles about their refpective Prima-
ries y is another Phenomenon which fhews
an attractive Power in thofe Primaries, and
a centripetal Power in thofe Satellites, and
that therefore there are fuch Powers in
Matter.
Fourthly^ That the Flux and Reflux of
the Sea, or the rifing or falling of the Tides,
are another Proof of an attractive Power in
Nature or Matter. For he afferts magifte-
rially, and without other Proof, (unlefs the
foregoing Phenomena, whofe Caufe he hath
not proved, will pafs for Proof; that thefc
Phenomena of the Tides, are owing to the
united attractive Forces of the Sun and
Moon fometimes acting in Conjunction to-
gether, and to their feparate attractive Forces
at
j 56 Of the Newtonian Pbilojbphy.
at other Times ailing in Oppofition to each
other.
Fifthly, He faith that the Fall of Bodies
to the Earth, which have been projected up-
wards, or in an horizontal or any other Di-
rection from the Earth, and the Increafe of
their Velocities in every Moment of their Ap-
proach toward the Earth, and alfo the In-
creafe of their Velocities in Proportion to the
Heights in which they fall, and to the longer
or fhorter Times they arc in falling, are evi-
dent Proofs of there being fuch an attractive
Power in the Earth, and of fuch gravitating
and centripetal Forces in fuch falling Bodies,
and therefore in Matter.
Such Phenomena as he produces in Proof
of their being centrifugal Powers or Forces in
Nature or Matter, are as follows.
Firft, He faith, that the higher Rife or
Afcent of Water in fmaller than in larger
Tubes, is an evident Proof of centrifugal
Powers or Forces, in Water or other Liquor?,
and therefore in Matter; for he faith that the
Liquor is lefs preffed in fmaller Tubes im-
merfed in it, than in larger, by Reafon of the
Air's being rarer in fmaller than in larger
Tubes ; and the Reafon of its being rarer in
fmaller Tubes, he faith is, that its Particles re-
cede from each other, and from the Sides of
the fmaller Tubes by their centrifugal Forces,
and therefore rife higher in fuch Tubes, and
towards the Surface of the Liquors, where
there is the leaft Preffure. Secondly
Of the Newtonian Philofophy. 157
Secondly^ Having made Water an elaftic
Fluid whofe Particles mutually recede or fly
from each other, he faith, that the Phenome-
non of Rings or Circles raifed, multiplied,
and enlarged or fpread upon the Surfaces of
(landing Pools, are a Proof of elaftic or cen-
trifugal Forces, and alfb of a Vacuum in Na-
ture or Matter, for he fays thofe Rings or
Circles fo raifed, are occaiioned or caufed by
the Condenfation of the Water by the Com-
preflion of its Particles which are forced by the
Fall of the Stone to recede into the void
Spaces of the ambient Waters, and return a-
gain from thofe void Spaces, which they had
filled by their elaftic or centrifugal Forces.
Thirdly, He faith, that the Belt that is a-
bout the Earth at the ^Equator, about feven-
teen Miles thick or high, is another evident
Proof of centrifugal Forces in the Particles of
the Earth, and therefore in Nature or all
Matter ; for he faith that the Belt is caufed
by the Particles of the Earth, receding or
flying from the Center of the Earth towards
its Circumference.
And after all this he tells us that, where
attractive Forces end, centrifugal and repel-
ling Forces begin, which is inconfiftent with
what he had faid before, where he faid attrac-
tive Forces decreafe in Proportion to the Dis-
tance of the attracting Bodies from each other ;
and thar the Particles of Fluids recede from
$ach other even when they are contiguous.
1 5$ Of the Newtonian Philofophy.
I fhall not trouble my Readers with any
more, of thefe Phenomena, which he hath
vainly, impertinently, and therefore ineffectu-
ally brought to prove the Reality, and Exis-
tence of his imaginary Powers in Nature or
Matter, which he makes the Caufes of all
the Phenomena which he hath attempted to
account for, but proceed to give an Account
of what God hath been gracioufly pleafed, by
Revelation and Reprefentation, to make known
to us concerning the material Heavens, by
which we will clearly perceive, the true and
fenfibly perceptible and evident Caufe of all
thofe Phenomena, wThich he hath attempted
to account for, and 'which he in Contradic-
tion to God's divinely revealed and felf-evi-
dently or demonftratively true Word, hath
afcribed to fenfibly imperceptible and incon-
ceivable and irapi;obable, and. therefore, in-
credible imaginary Caufes. After I have made
an Obfervation or two concerning; the Inferen-
ces we ought to make about different Sorts of
Phenomena. And
Firft, I mufl obferve that there are fome
Phenomena or fenfibly evident Effects in
Nature, which plainly and clearly point out
to us their immediate inftrumental and me-
chanical Courfes, io that we may be fatisfied,
of the Truth of them, by the Reports which
our bodily Organs of Senfation, (which God
hath given us, and hath encouraged us to
believe and lely upon in all fuch Cafes) make
to
Of the Newtonian Philofophyi 1 59
to our Spirits concerning them, fuch an Effect
or Phenomenon is Burning, which we may
reft fatisfied that Fire hath been the immediate
inftrumental Caufe of.
Secondly, That there are other Phenomena
or fenfible Effe&s in Nature, which do not
point out, nor lead us to the Knowledge of
their immediate inftrumental Caufes, fuch as
the Phenomena produced by the Magnet or
.Loadftone, and of the Whitenefs of Snow,
and the Gr-eennefs of Grafs, and Sweetnefs of
Honey, &c. in all fuch Cafes a: little Con fide-
ration will inftruct us, that thefe Effects them-
felvesare fufficient, and all- that is neceffary
for us to'know" concerning them, and that the
Knowledge of their Caufes, would neither be
naturally nor fpiritually beneficial to us, and
therefore our Ignorance of them, ;is neither
detrimental nor injurious to us, in Refpect of
either our bodily or fpiritual Welfare; and by
this we may learn that we ought not to mif-
.employ our Time, in fruitlefly fearchins;
after the ufelefs Caufes of fuch Effects, which
becaufe they would be ufelefs and unprofitable
.to us, God hath not thought proper to make
them known to us, either by fenfible Percep-
tion or divine Revelation. The true Philofophy
in fuch Cafes is, neither to enquire after, Caufes,
nor impofe either upon ourfelves or others,
falfe and imaginary Caufes of thofe Effects
which God hath thought fit to conceal, and
are therefore iuveftigable, but acknowledge
our
l6o Of the NewtOdian Phikfophy.
our Ignorance of them ; and the great Wi£
dorr* and Goodnefs of God in concealing the
Know ledge of them from us ; that by ouf
Ignorance, we may be taught to correct ouf
Pride, and abate the Conceit we are too apt ta
entertain of our own Self- fufficiency, and learn
to know, that we cannot difcover the Caufc
of any Effedts, which God hath not been
gracioufly pleafed to difcover and make known
to us, either by Means of our bodily Scnfa-
tions, or by his gracious Revelation.
Thirdly, That there are other Phenomena
in Nature, which do not of themfelves lead
us to the Knowledge of their immediate in^
ftrumental Caufes, and yet thofe Caufes are
highly necefTary to be known by Mankind,
as they (hew forth the perfect Power, Wif-
dom, and Goodnefs of God, by which we
are powerfully moved to admire, adore and
love him with all our Hearts, &c . And that
all thefe which are fo necefTary and beneficial
to be known by Mankind, God hath been
gracioufly pleafed to make them known to
them, by the Revelations and Reprefentations
he hath made of them, in his holy Word j
and fo clearly by this fpiritual Light, that the
Phenomena prove both the Truth and the
divine Original and Authority of the Revela-
lation, by which their Caufes were difcovered
and pointed out. And where God hath been
gracioufly pleafed, in perfect Wifdom and
fatherly Goodncte, by Revelation and fenfible
Re-
Of the Newtonian Philcfophy. 1 6 1
Reprefentations, to make Difcoveries of the
true, real, and fenfibly evident and undeniable
Caufes of flich Phenomena or Effects, Man-
kind ought not to prefume to afcribe thofe
Effects to imaginary and fenfibly impercep-
tible and inconceivably, and improbable, and
therefore incredible Caufes, in Contradiction
to the divinely revealed and fenfibly evident
Truth.
The true philofophical Procedure : When
Perfons are determined to publifh their Ac-
counts of the immediate and inftrumental
Caufes of the Phenomena in Nature is, Firji,
To confider whether the Phenomena them-
felves point out their true realand fenfibly
evident inftrumentai and mechanical Caufes j
and if we find they do, to acquiefce in them,
and not trouble the World with afligning
other new and falfe and imaginary and im-
probable Caufes of them. Secondly yTo confider,
where the Phenomena don't point out and
fhew their true real and fenfibly evident
Caufes, and where divine Revelation hath faid
nothing about them, to look upon them not
only as inveftigable, but asufelefs and unprofi-
table to be known, and that therefore we
ought not to mifpend our Time (which is but
fufficient for performing the Work which is
indifpenfably necefTary to be done by every
Man whilft he is in this World, in order to
his Salvation and everlafting Happinefs in the
jiext) in a vain and ineffectual Search after them,
M kit
1 62 Of the NcuL'icnian Philofoply.
left we be led by the Want of juit and ratio-
nal Consideration, and Self-Conceit of our own
Abilities for Invention and Difcovery, to af-
cribe fuch Phaenomena to imaginary and falfe
Caufes, to the fpiritual Hart, both ofourfelves
and others, for the Belief of any Kind of
FaUhood, whether natural or fpiritual, is in-
jurious, and apt to millead us from the Belief
of beneficial Truth. Thirdly, Where the
Caufes of Phenomena are ufeful and beneficial,
and therefore neceflary to be known, and where
they don't point out and lead us to the Know-
ledge of their Caufes, and where they are
moil clearly pointed out to us by divine Re-
velation and Reprefentation, we therefore
ought to be. fatisfied that they are the true
Caufes of thofe fenfible Effects, when by du-
ly considering them, we moil clearly perceive,
that they are not only Self-fufficient for their
Productions, but that they mult neceffarily
be produced by them; in fuch Cafes we
ought not to multiply Caufes, for the Rea-
fons before given, nor prefume to afcribe fuch
Phaenomena, in Contradiction to God's di-
vinely revealed and demonstratively true
Word, to unknown and inconceivable and
improbable, and therefore incredible Caufes,
which have no Exiilence but in our own Ima-
ginations. Whoever will proceed with thele
Confiderations, will never irnpofe a falfe or
nfelcf<, or cither naturally or Spiritually injuri-
ous Svitem of natural Philolophy upon the
World.
Of the Ntwtonian Thilofophyl 1 63
World. His Syftem will be conformable to
divine Revelations fet forth in the holy Scrip-
tures, and will be true, and beneficial to be
believed by Mankind, and its Credit will con-
tinue unimpeachable and unaffailable to the
End of Time and of the World.
Our celebrated Philofopher, whofe Syftem
I have now under Consideration, hath in Con-
tradiction to, and therefore in Contempt of
(for culpable Ignorance doth not excufe Men
from Contempt of God's Word) the divinely
revealed and demonftratively true Word of
God, fet forth in the holy Scriptures, moft
audacioufly prefumed to afcribe to imaginary
and unknown, and inconceivable and impro-
bable, and therefore incredible Caufes, thofe
Phenomena in Nature, whofe true, real, and
fenlibly evident, and felf-fufficient Caufe God
hath been graciouily pleafed moft clearly, by
Revelation and Reprefentation, to point out
to us in his holy Scriptures ; and by fo doing
hath impofed upon the World not only a
moft falfe and ufelefs, and unprofitable, but
a fpiritually injurious Syftem, as will by and
by be made moft clearly and evidently appear:
Whereas had he chofen to have confulted and
confidered the divine Revelations fet forth in
the holy Scriptures, when he was about to
aflign the Caufes of the Phenomena in Na-
ture, and to have been applauded rather for
pointing out, and reviving and reftoring to the
World thofe moft antient and beneficial, but
M z greatly
164 Of the Newtonian Philofophy.
greatly neg!e<£ted and long overlooked divine-
ly revealed Truths, concerning the Caufe of
the Phenomena in Nature, than for having
been an Inventor and Difcoverer of new un-
intelligible, and Jalfe and unmechanical in-
strumental Caufes of natural Effect^, he
would have left a truer and more ufeful Syf-
tem of natural Philofophy to the World, by
which his Memory would have been perpe-
tuated with Gratitude, and juflly acquired
Praifc in all fucceeding Ages of the World,
although his Statue might not have found a
Place among theirs who have eminently, but
vainly, laboured to raife natural Religion
upon the Ruins of that which is fpiritual
and divinely revealed.
Having made thefe few, and I hope not
unufeful nor unneceflary Obfervations, I now
proceed to recapitulate as far as is neceffary,
and fet forth in a narrow Compafs, and as it
were under one View, what I have before fet
forth from the holy Scriptures, concerning
the Account which God hath been gracioufly
pleafed to give us of the material and vifiblc
Heavens in general, and of their Origin,
and of their original and created, but un-
formed State ; and of the Origin of all Mo-
tion and Mechanifm in the natural or mate-
rial World ; and of the Formation of the ma-
terial and vifible Heavens, and of their pre-
fent and formed State, in which they have
fubfiftcd, and continued inflrumentally and
me-
Of the Newtonian Philo/opLy. 165
mechanically to aft upon themfclvcs, and in
and upon all other Matter and Syftems of
Matter from the Time of their firft Forma-
tion, and of their different conftituent Parts
and their Intertextures 5 and of the perpecual
Motions of their different conftituent Parts,
in Directions different from, and contrary to
each other ; and of the different Powers and
Properties, and inftru mental or mechanical
Operations of all their Parts ; but differing
from each other in their States, Forms and
Motions, and Manners of opeiating mecha-
nically upon each other, and in and upon all
other Syftems of Matter, interjacent between
the Orb of Fire in the Center, and the Cir-
cumference of the Heavens, penetrating and
expanding, and compreffing and combining
together all their conftituent Parts, Particle^
or indivisible Atoms, not by acting by ima-
ginary Powers upon them, at great Diftances
from them, but by actual Contact and me-
chanical Impulfe upon them, and fo as that
they ihould all perfectly anfwer both the par-
ticular Ends, and alfo the great general End
for which they were all defigned and created:
By which we will clearly perceive the true
andfenfibly perceptible, and evident Caufe of
all thofe Phenomena in Nature, which our
celebrated Philofopher hath afcribed to un-
known and inconceivable, and improbable,
and therefore incredible Caufes, whofe
Exiftence in Nature cannot poffibly be
M 3 {hewn,
1 66 Of the Newtonian Philojophy.
(hewn, and whofe Attractions and other
Actions at immenfe Diftances, cannot
poflibly be either fenfibly or rationally ac-
counted for. Notwithftanding he, by the
Help of Hypothefes (which he hath vainly at-
tempted to fupport by experimental and other
Phenomena) hath laboured to prove their
Exiftence; but the Proofs he hath brought,
have been fo far from proving the Exiftence
of his imaginary Caufes of the Phenomena,
that they clearly (hew the true and fenfibly evi-
dent Caufe of all the Phenomena that he hath
attempted to account for : And by which we
will likewife clearly perceive, how he hath
proftituted and abufed Mathematics, in order
to introduce falfe and unmechanical Phyfics,
by fubftituting mathematical Signs, Lines,
Numbers and Diagrams, (which are only fig-
nificant and Realities, when they are made to
fignify and reprefent real phyfical or natural
Things) to fignify and reprefent Powers and
Properties which have no Exiftence in Na-
ture 5 and inferring the Exiftence of real phy-
fical Things from Non- Entities, (i. e) the
Exiftence of fomething from nothing ; and all
this great, but fruitlefs Labour and Pains, he
hath been at for many Years, to fupport the
Credit of a mo ft unnatural and incredible, and
falfe philofophical Romance.
I have from the divinely revealed Word
of God, the Creator of the Heavens and the
Earth, and who therefore could give the beft
and
Of the Niwtonian Phihfiphy* 167
and trueftAccount of them and their conftitueqt
Parts, and of their Texture or Structure, and ot
the different Powers and Properties of their dif-
ferent Parts, and of their different Motions
in contrary Directions, and of their different
Operations, and whofe Account carries along
with it, moft evident Proofs of its Truth,
fhewn, -f
Fir/t, That the material and vilible Hea-
vens, in their firil and created, but unform-
ed State, was a Body of Darknefs, which
fubfifled in an inert or unadlive and moti-
onlefs State, and was upon the outward or
convex, and inward or concave, Surfaces of
the hollow Shell of this our terraqueous Globe,
and enveloped or inclofed in it, the feminal
conftituent Parts or Particles of all the natural
or material Syffems, whether inanimate or
vegetable, or animated, which God their Crea-
tor, afterwards formed or made out of them.
By this fciiptural Light and Information,
we may clearly perceive, that Darknefs is a
real fubftantiai created Thing, which fub-
fifted in a motionlefs State before the For-
mation of any natural- or material Light, as
it hath exifted ever fince in the Form of
Spirit or Darknefs in Motion ; that it is not
a Non-Entity ', or mere Privation or Abfence of
Light, as our celebrated anti-fcriptural Phi-
lofopher (in order to fupport an inconceivable
and improbable, and incredible Syftem of
natural Philofophy) hath magifterially, and
M 4 without
168 Of the Newtonian Philofophy.
without Proof, afferted it to be, in Contra-
diction to divine Revelation ; a Syftem in
which he afferts, that all Syftems of Mat-
ter, are not only enabled to move themfelves,
but to aft upon, and move other material
Syftems at immcnfe Diftances, and through
void Spaces (in Contradiction to all ienfible
Evidence, and beyond all human Concep-
tion) by imaginary and improbable, and
therefore incredible, attractive and repellent,
and gravitating, and centripetal, and centri-
fugal Forces, which he hath fuppofed, and
magifterially afferted, to be in all Syftems of
Matter.
Secondly , That God by commanding by
his all-powerfhl Word, Fire to arife, by vio-
lent Motion, in the Center of the great Body
of Darknefs, reprefented by a great Cloud
ifTiiing forth every Way round about it in
Rays of Light, penetrating and dividing be-
tween the Parts of that Fluid of Darknefs,
and extending themfelves from that Orb of
Fire in the Center, to the Circumferences of
the Heavens, like the Radii or Spokes of a
Wheel, extending from its Nave to its Arch,
(by which it is reprefented in Ezekieh Vi-
fion) penetrating, pervading, and expanding,
all material Syftems interjacent between the
Center and Circumference of the Heavens.
And by its expanding Force (iffuing out of
a narrower into a larger Space) neceffirily
comprefting the Radii of Darknefs, to rum
in
OJ the Newtonian Philofophy. 1 69
in a counter or contrary Direction, (viz.)
from the Circumference, toward the Orb of
Fire in the Center, where it met with le&
Refiftance, and with an accelerated or in-
creafed Velocity, as being compreiTed out of
a larger, into a narrower Space, in a tapering
or wedge-like, or fword-like Form, and
compreiiing and combining all material Syf-
tems interjacent between the Circumference
and the Orb of Fire in the Center, with a
Force every where equal to the expanding
Force of the Light, and thereby feeding and
repairing that Fire in the Center, by its alter-
nate Influxes into it, occafioned by the alter-
nate Effluxes of the Light out of it,' as God,
by his Prophet Ezekiel, hath informed us,
who tells us, That in his Vifion, (wherein
the material Heavens were difplayed before
him by a fenfible Reprefentation) that he faw
a great Cloud which came from him who is
invisible, and in the Midfl of that Cloud a
Fire, with Brightnefs every Way round about
it. And that that Fire caught hold of, and
devoured, or eat, or fed upon itfelf, (/. e.)
upon the Darknefs which rufhed into it,
which is the fame in Subftance with itfelf ;
for the celeftial Fire, Light, and Spirit, or
Darknefs in Motion, are all one in refpecl of
their Matter or Subftance, although they all
differ from each other in refpecl: of their
States, Forms, Motions, and Manners of
operating in the natural or material World.
By
17° Of rfje Newtonian Philofophy.
By this fcriptural Light and Information;
which God hath been gracioufly pleafed to
give us by his holy Prophets, concerning the
material and vifible Heavens, we may clearly
perceive the Origin of all Motion and Me-
chanifm, in the natural or material World,
and how and by what wonderful, but mod
clearly conceivable, inftrumental or mecha-
nical Way and Means, they are continued
and carried on in all material Syftems in it,
fince the Time that God commanded Fire
and Light to ariie in and about the Center
of the material Univerfe, and how, and by
what Means, that Fire and Light are con-
tinued, and how the Light becomes Spirit,
or Darknefs in Motion, at the Circumfe-
rence of the Heavens ; and how the Fire
is continually fed and repaired, by the con-
tinual Influxes of the Darknefs into it; by
which Means, they are kept in a perpetual
regular circulating Motion, in their three dif-
ferent States and Forms ; and by their ex-
panding and combining Forces, mechani-
cally move each other, and all other material
Syftems, with equal Forces, interjacent be-
tween their Center and Circumterence, and
how all Things are fo mechanically moved
by them, according to their different fpecinc
and fyftematic Combinations, as perfectly to
anfwer all the different Ends lor which they
were in moil perfect Wiidom deligned, and
created, and made s and that therefore, no
Syftem
Of the Newtonian Philofophy.' 17 j
Syftem of Matter, either doth, or is able to
move itfelf, or any other Syftem, by any
fuch imaginary, attractive, or repelling, or
gravitating, or centripetal, or centrifugal, in-
conceivable Principles, Powers or Properties,
as our anti- Scriptural Philofopher hath ground-
lefsly fuppoied, and magifterially afferted, to
be in all Syftems of Matter. And that all
the Motions in all the Syftems in the natural
or material World, whether inanimate or ve-
getable, or animated, are produced or caufed,
by that divinely- revealed, and fenfibly • evi-
dent, and moil clearly conceivable Caufe,'
the Fluids of the material and vifible Hea-
vens in perpetual Motion.
And we may likewife hereby moft clearly
perceive, that the Fire in the Orb of the Sun,
is not kept alive, and repaired, and fed, by
the cafual Incidence of Comets Tails into it,
but by the Influx of the grofs and dark Air
into it, in continued alternate Intervals, re-
fembling thofe of Refpiration, - in alternate
Acts of Expiration and Inspiration ; or of the
Circulation of the refined Blood from the
Heart in the Arteries to the Extremities of
the animal Microcofm, and returning back
to it in a groffer Fluid by the Veins, and
fo ejected, and received again in alternate
Intervals.
Thirdly, we may, by what I have before
obferved from the holy Scriptures, concerning
what God hath been gracioufly pleafed to fay
himfelf
1J2 Of the Newtonian Pbilofophy.
himfelf to Job and his mifbelieving Friends,
concerning the Light and Darknefs, there
called by the Names of Behemoth and Levia-
thany expreflive of different Properties, and
moving - in contrary Directions, and whole
Forces, although in all Places equal to each
other, are ftrongeft in the Neighbourhood of
the Orb of Fire in the Center, and their Con-
flicts and Velocities greateft there, where
the Space they move in is narroweft, and
mod confined, and their Forces weakeft, and
the Velocities of their Motions, lead at their
Circumference ; that the Volocities of all the
Planets and Stars that are neareft the Center,
muft be greater both in their Rotations about
their own Centers, and in their Revolutions
about the Sun their common Center, than
the Rotations and Revolutions of thofe Pla-
nets and Stars that are at greater Diftances
from that Orb of Fire their common Center,
for two mod clear and evident Reafons : FirJ}y
Becaufe the Forces of the Heavens (by which
all the Planets and Stars are moved) are
ftrongeft, and their Velocities greateft, nearer
than at greater Diftances from that common
Center: And Secondly y Becaufe they that are
Bearer that Center, have (hoiter Courfes to
run, than they have that are at a greater
Diftance, the Orbits in which they revolve
being narrower. And alfo that thofe Stars
which are near the Circumference of the
Heavens, mull neceflarily be moved very
flowly
Of the Newtonian Phihjbphy. 173
flowly both in their Rotations and Revolu-
tions, becanie the Motions of thofe caeleftial
Fluids of Light and Darknefs by which they
are moved, are there moil languid and flow ;
and their Motions have been found by Ob-
fervation, to be fo flow and imperceptible,
that they were reputed fixt Stars ; but it hath
been found by Obfervation alfo, that they
have been moved from the Places in which
they had been obferved to have been many
Years before. And it muft neceflarily foU
low, that that Luminary which is called the
North Scar, muft by this Time, have mov-
ed a great Way from the North Pole of the
World, if it was directly under that Pole at
the Formation of the World, and that it
doth not now direct us to that Pole exactly.
By all this, we may clearly perceive, that the
Planets and Stars, are not moved in their
Rotations and Revolutions, by any imaginary
and inconceivable, and improbable attractive
Powers, fuppofed to be in themfelves and
all other Syllems of Matter, by which they
are enabled to act unaccountably upon Bo-
dies, through vaft Voids at immenfe Dis-
tances ; but by the cseleftial Fluids of Light
and Darknefs perpetually moving in Direc-
tions contrary to each other, and acting con-
tinually by Contact and mechanical Impulfe
upon them.
Fourthly, I have (hewn from the holy
Scriptures, that Jehovah Ehbim> founded
the
174 Of the Newtonian Philofophy.
the Earth and the material World upon
the Floods , (/. c\) upon the ca:lettial Fluids
.of Light and Darknefs ; and that the Fluxes
or Currents of thefe Fluids (in order to give
us a Notion of their Strength) are repre-
fented to us by Pipes of Brais, and Rods of
Iron, extending from the Center to the Cir-
cumference of the Heavens, and vice verja^
and moving in Directions contrary to each
other. And that the Firmament compofed
of them, is reprefented by a molten Glafs
or Speculum, to (hew its Denfity and Ful-
nefs without the Interpolation of any void
Spaces between its component Particles; by
which we may perceive, that the Planets do
not move in void Spaces, or in Regions void
of all refitting Matter, as our anti-fcriptural
Philofopher, in Contradiction to God's re-
vealed Word, hath magifterialjy afferted ;
but in a Plenum, arid by the different Fluids
which compofe or conftitute that Plenum or
Firmament, and that thefe Fluids are called
the Ballancers of the Clouds, by which they
are raifed up in the Forms of fine Vapour,
and Exhalations, and forced down again to
the Earth in the groffer Forms of Dews and
Rains : And thefe caeteftial Fluids, are laid to
compafs the Earth about like a Garment,
and that it is turned to them like Clay, to a
Seal that clofely compreffes it.
. By thefe fcriptural Informations, which e-
very coniidcrate Perfon may clearly perceive
to
Of the Newtonian Tbilofophy. 175
to be evident Truths, we may perceive, that
all Things, between the Center and the Cir-
cumference of the Heavens, move, and are
moved by a feniibly evident and a mod: clear-
ly conceivable Caufe, (i. e.) by the continual
mechanical Impulfes of the ftrong denfe Flu-
ids of the material Heavens moving in contra-
ry Directions, and continually acting by actu-
al Contact: upon them; and that therefore
they were not moved by fuch imaginary and
inconceivable, and unaccountable attracting
and repelling, and gravitating and centripetal,
and centrifugal Forces, as our celebrated an-
tifcriptural Philofopher hath groundleily fup-
pofed and afferted to be in all Parts and Par-
ticles of Matter. And by this we may like-
wife clearly perceive, that a Void, or Vacuum
in Nature, is not neceffary, in order either to
the Commencement or Continuance of Mo-
tion in the natural or material World; and
that all that is necefiary for the Production of
thofe Phenomena or ienfible Effects is, that
there (hould be different Kinds of Fluids in
Nature, fome of them of finer and more
eafily moveable, others of them of groffer and
lefs eafily moveable, or feparable Parts or Par-
ticles, fuch as thofe of Air and Water, that
the one might yield and give Place to the o-
ther, upon Impulfe or Preffure; and all
Kinds of Fluids might give Way to fixt Bo-
dies put into Motion. And whoever will du-
ly weigh and confider this, will clearly per-
ceive,
lj6 Of the Newtonian Philofophy.
ee'hve, that if the b2Dy the whole Mixture of
Nature was not a Plenum, Motion could not
be continued in the World.
I don't find that I have any OccaGon to re-
capitulate any further, or fet before my
Readers any of thofe other Powers and Pro-
perties of the different Fluids of the material
and vifible Heavens, which I, from the holy
Scriptures, have formerly fet before them :
Thefe few, which I have laft mentioned, be-
ing felf-fufficient for letting afide this falfe
Syitem of antifcriptural and unintelligible na-
tural Philofophy, which hath been received
with fo great Appiaufe in the World -, and
for (hewing, that the particular Phenomena
which he hath produced as Proof of the Exiftence
of thofe imaginary Powers and Properties in
Matter, which he hath aflerted to ba the
Caufe of all the Phenomena in Nature for
which he hath attempted to account 5 and as
a Proof of a Vacuum in Nature, neither prove
the Exiftence of his imaginary Powers, &c.
in Matter, nor a Vacuum in Nature. And
that thofe particular Phenomena which he
hath fo produced, mod clearly fhew by the
Light of the holy Scriptures, the divinely re-
vealed Word of God, the true fenfibly evi-
dent and moft clearly conceivable Caufe by
which they, and all the other Phasnomena
which he hath attempted to account for, are
really and neceffarily, and inftrumentally or
mechanically produced.
Id
Of the Newtonian Phihfbphy-, 177
In examining thefe his Phenomena, which
he produces as Proofs of his imaginary and
improbable Principles, Powers and Proper-
ties in Nature, I fhall proceed in the Order
in which I have before mentioned them.
The Phenomena which he hath produced
as Proofs of the Reality and Exigence of at-
tractive, gravitating and centripetal Forces in
Matter, and which I have chofen to exa-
mine, I have before mentioned in the fol-
lowing Order.
Firjt, He tells us, that the Inclination of
Rays of Light towards the Edge or Point of
a Knife, and the Stay or Inclination of Rays
of Light, tranfmitted through a Glafs into the
open Air, (which the better to fupport his
Hypothefis, he calls a Vacuum) are Priamo*
mena, which plainly {hew an attractive Pow-
er in the Knife, which ads at a Diftance,
and alfo an attractive or retractive Power in
the Glafs, which alfo acts at a Diftance, and
according to him, through a Vacuum, upon
the Rays or Body of the tranfmitted Light.
I have before fhewn from the holy Scrip-
tures, that the whole Mixture of Nature is a
Plenum; and that the Fluids of Light and
Darknefs are denfe and ftrong^ and active
Fluids, which act upon each other, and upon
all other Syflems of Matter, by their ex-
panding and compreffing, and Combining
Forces. By this we may clearly perl!
{hat the Rays of Light paffing either the Side,
N Buck,
I78 Of the Newtonian Philofoph\\
Back, Edge or Point of the Knife, muft ne-
ceflarily be lefs preffed on that Side which is
obverted towards the Knife, than they are on
the other Side, which is averted from the
Knife; and that they muft therefore neceilari-
ly be inclined towards the Knife, where they
meet with the leaft PreiTure by the greater
mechanical Preffure of the free Air that acts
upon their other Side, which is averted from
the Knife: The fame Confideration will en-
able us to account for the Stop or Stay of the
Rays of Light which are tranimitted through
a Glafs into the open and free, and oppofing
Air; fo that there is no Reafon nor Neceffity
of flying to inconceivable attractive Powers,
either in the Knife or Glafs, to account for,
or aflign the Caufes of thefe Phenomena,
when we may clearly perceive them to be
neceiLrily produced by a fenfibly evident
Caufe, the Air or Fluids of the material Hea-
vens acting mechanically by actual Contact
and Impulfe, with greater Force on that Side
ot the Rays which is averted from the Knife
and Glafs, than on the other; fo that thtfe
Phenomena, which he hath produced in
Proof of his imaginary and fenfibly imper-
ceptible, and inconceivable and unaccountable
Caufes, are an evident Proof of the real and
fenfibly perceptible, and moil clearly con-
ceivable Cauie, by which they are neceiTarily
and mechanically produced,
Secondly*
Of the Ncivtonitm Philofophy. 179
Secondly, The Phenomena of the globular
Form of Drops of Water or other Liquors,
he produces as a Proof of centripetal Forces in
Matter, by which every Particle of the Cir-
cumferences of fuch Drops tend directly to
their Centers, by which they neceflarily ap-
pear under globular Forms: Whereas that
Phenomenon is neceflarily produced by the
aforementioned fenfibly perceptible and moft
clearly conceivable Caufe, (viz.) the equal
PrefTure of the heavenly Fluids upon all
Parts of their Circumferences, by which
they mud: neceflarily appear under that
Form, and continue under it, till by re-
peated Impulfes of thofe Fluids falling per-
pendicularly upon them, they are flattened,
and forced to aflume another Form : So that
here again I rauft obferve, that there was no
Reafon nor Neceflity for afcribing that Phe-
nomenon to an unknown and unconceivable
Caufe, when it could be (hewn, that it would
neceflarily be produced by the fcripturally and
fenfibly evident Caufe which I have now
mentioned; for wherever a fenfibly evident
Caufe, which muft neceflarily produce an Ef-
fect, whenever it is produced, can be fhewn,
all other Caufes of that Effect, how probable
foever they may appear, ought neceflarily to
be difallowed and rejected, and much more
all fuch as are unknown and inconceivable,
and unaccountable and improbable.
Thirdly, He tells us, that the Motions of
the Satellites in perfect Circles about their
N 2 Pri-
180 Of the Newtonian rhilofophy.
Primaries^ is another Phenomenon which
fhews an attractive Power in thefe Primaries,
and a centripetal Power or Force in thofe
Satellites, and that therefore there are fuch
Powers in Matter. For he fays thefe Prima-
ries attract their Satellites at great Diftances,
and through a vaft Void.
Whoever will confider what hath been
{hewn from the holy Scriptures (which carry
along with them mod clear Evidence for their
Truth) concerning the material and vifible
Heavens, and that all Space between the Cen-
ter and the Circumference of the Heavens,
and confequently all the planetary Regions,
are perfectly filled with the denfe and ftrong
Fluids of Light and Darknefs, and move in
Directions contrary to each other, and me-
chanically act upon, and move all Bodies in-
terjacent betweeen the Center and the Cir-
cumference of the Heavens, which Forces
are every where equal to each other, fo that
no Body can be moved by them either
nearer to their common Center, or to the
Circumference of the Heavens, and there-
fore all the planetary Bodies, mull: neceffarily
be moved by them in a third Direction, and
therefore circularly ; and that therefore the
Satellites muft thus neceflarily be moved
round their Primaries, as the Moon is about
the Earth, and together with their Primaries
round about their common Center the Sun.
Whoever will confider thefe Things, will
clearly
Of the Newtonian Pbilofophy. 1S1
clearly perceive, that thefe circular Motions
of the Satellites about their Primaries, (whe-
ther in exact Circles or not, is of little or no
Moment in this Cafe) and alfo of the Prima-
ries about the Sun, are all occafioned by a
fenfibly evident Caufe, (viz.) The mechanical
Impulfes of thofe denfe and itrong Fluids of
Light and Darknefs continually acting upon
them in contrary Directions, and with equal
Forces 5 and therefore thefe circular Motions
of tile "Satellites about their Primaries is fo
far from being a Proof of his imaginary, and
improbable, and unaccountable, attractive
Power in the Primaries to which he afcrib:s
that Phenomenon, that the Phenomenon
itfelf, together with the fpiritual Light of the
holy Scriptures, plainly mews the true and
fenfibly evident Caufe by which it is necefla-
rily produced ; and therefore (as I have be-
fore obferved) when the fenfibly evident
Caufe that neceflarily produces the Effect, is
clearly (hewn, and that it muft neceflarily
produce it, as the Syftem of the natural or
material World hath been in moft perfect
Wifdom conftituted, fince the Time of its
Formation 5 it is an Argument not only of
audacious Impiety, but of that great Folly
which ufually waits upon Vanity, and great
Conceit of Self-fufficiency, to afcribe it to any
other Caufe, and of an higher Degree of
Folly to alcribe it to an unknown and im-
probable Caufe, whofe unmechanical Way
N 3 of
1 82 Of the "Newtonian Philofophy.
of acting at great Di fiances, and through
vaft void Spaces, is altogether incomprehen-
iible, and unaccountable.
Fourthly, The Flux and Reflux of the Sea,
or the rifing and falling of the Tides, are
another Proof which he produces for the
Reality and Exiftence of his imaginary and
unaccountable, attractive Forces in Nature
or all Matter : For he r.fferts magifterially,
and without Proof, (unlefs the afore-men-
tioned Phenomena, whole true and real
Caufe he hath not fhewn, will be admitted
as Proof) That thefe Phenomena of the
Tides, are owing to the united attracting
Forces of the Sun and Moon lometimes act-
ing in Conjunction together, and to their
feparate attractive Forces, at other Times
acting in Oppofition to each other.
If we confider what hath been from the
holy Scriptures (hewn before, concerning the
denfe Fluids of the material Heavens, and
of their ftrong and active PrefTure upon all
Syftems of Matter, and that the Flux and
Rife of the Tides, at any Place, attends
upon the Moon's Arrival at the Meridian of
the Place, and that the Waters rife higheft
at or about the Time of the Moon's coming
to the Meridians of Places, where the Situa-
tion and other Circnmftances of the Shores,
may not occafion fomc little Variation. By
thefe Confederations, we may clearly per-
ceive, that the Rife of the Waters, at any
Place
Of the Newtonian Philofophy. 183
Place where the Moon is in its Meridian, is
owing to a fenfibly evident Caufe, (viz.)
To the lefs Preffure that is upon their Sur-
face in thofe Places than in any other, occa-
fioned by the Moon's Interpofirion between
the pafiing Fluids of the Light and Darknefs,
and that Part of the terraqueous Globe in
whofe Meridian it is. And the Force and
Preffure of thofe Fluids, being greater upon
thofe Waters, at whofe Meridian the Moon
hath not arrived, muft neceflarily prefs them
towards, and caufe them to rile in the
Place in whofe Meridian the Moon is, where
they meet with lefs Preffure and Refinance ;
and when they are raifed to their greateft
Hcighth at thofe Places, upon the Moon's
leaving their Meridian, they muft neceffa-
rily ebb off by a refluent Motion, by the
Force of the heavenly Fluid falling more
clireclly, and with greater Force upon them,
and by their being oppofed by the Flux of
thofe Waters which flow from thofe Places,
at whofe Meridian the Moon hath not ar-
rived. So that if our Philofopher had con-
futed and well confidered the holy Scrip-
tures, he would have clearly perceived, by
that divinely revealed and Spiritual Light,
that there was a fenfibly evident Caufe by
which the Flux and Reflux of the Tides are
neceffarily occafioned, and that therefore
there was no Reafon nor NecefTuy of in-
N 4 venting
184 Of the Newtonian Philofiphy.
venting unknown and improbable Caufes,
whofe Manners of acting are inconceivable
and unaccountable for rationally accounting
for thofe Phenomena.
Fifthly, The laft of his Phenomena, which
lie produces as a Proof of his imaginary, at-
tractive, and gravitating, and centripetal
Forces, which he fuppoled and afTerted to be
in all Matter, that I (hall flay to confider and
examine, is that of the Fall of projected
Bodies to the Earth. For he tells us, That
the Fall of Bodies to the Earch, which have
been projected upwards, or in an horizontal,
or any other, Direction from the Earth, and
the Increafe of their Velocities in every Mo-
ment of their Approach towards the Earth ;
and alfo the Increafe of their Velocities, in
Proportion to the different Heights from
which they fall, and to the longer or fhorfeer
Times they are in falling, are evident Proofs
of there being fuch an attractive Power or
Force in the Earth, and fuch gravitating and
centripetal Force, in fuch falling Bodies, and
therefore in all Matter. And that if a Bul-
let was projected from an high Mountain or
Tower, it would continue to move for ever
jn a direct Line towards the Heavens, if it
was not obrtructed by the refilling Air in our
Atmofphcre, and if it was not attracted and
drawn out of that flraight Line by the at*
trading Power pr Force in the Earth.
Of the Newtonian Phihfophy. 185
I have before fhewn from the holy Scrip-
tures, That the Firmament, or material and
vifible Heavens, confift of two formally dif-
ferent ftrong and denfe Fluids of Light and
Darknefs, which move in Direction contrary
to each other ; that of the Light flowing
continually from the Orb of Fire in the Cen-
ter, towards the Circumference of the Hea-
vens, like the Spokes of a Wheel from its
Nave to the Arch, or the Blood in the Arte-
ries, from the Heart to the Extremities of the
Body of an Animal ; and that of Darknefs,
from the Circumference to the Center, like
the Spokes of another Wheel defcending from
its Arch to its Nave, and dividing between
the Radii of the firft Wheel, or like the grof-
fer Blood returning in the Veins from the
Extremities to the Heart of an Animal.
And that thefe two Fluids differing from each
other in their Forms, Properties, and Mo-
tions, fill all void Spaces between the Center
and the Circumference of the Heavens, and
all with equal, though different expanding
and combining, but both compreffing and
impelling, Forces, in and upon all Syftems
of Matter interjacent between the Center and
Circumference, by alternate, and clearly con-
ceivable, mechanical and actual Contact and
Impulfe. Whoever will duly confider thefe
Things, by this fcriptural and divinely re-
vealed Light, will clearly perceive, Virft%
That any Body projected upward, or in any
other
1 8 6 Of the Neivtonian Philofophy.
other Direction, from the Earth, muft rie-
ceflarily be impelled and forced down to the
Earth again, by the continual repeated Im-
pulfes of one or other of thofe denfe and
ftrongly impelling Fluids of Light and Dark-
nefs upon it. And Secondly, That the Ve-
locities of all projected Bodies, mufl necef-
farily be increased in every Moment of their
Approach towards the Earth, by continual
repeated Impulfes of thofe flrong Fluids upon
them, every new Impulfe neceffarily adding
to, and increafing the Velocity they had be-
fore : And for this other Reafon alfo, be-
caufe there is always a lefs Force on the Sides
of thofe falling Bodies, which are obverted
towards the Earth, every Moment of their
nearer Approach towards it. And Thirdly,
That their Velocities mufl neceffarily be in-
creafed by their falling from a greater Height,
and are a longer Time in falling than other-
wife, by their receiving a greater Number
of Impulfes in falling from greater Heights,
and in longer Times, and every Impulfe in-
creafing their Velocity. The fame Reafons
and Coniiderations, fhew the Falfhood of his
Affertions concerning a Bullet projecting from
an high Mountain or Tower. And by thefe
fame Confiderations, which every attentive
Perfon will perceive to be Truths, we may
clearly perceive the true, and fenfibly per-
ceptible, and evident Caufe of theie laft-
mentioned Phenomena j and the Falfliood
and
Of the Newtonian Philofophy. 187
and Non-exiftence of the imaginary, and in-
conceivable, and unaccountable, and incre-
dible, attracting, and gravitating, and cen-
tripetal Powers in the Earth, and in fuch
falling Bodies to which he hath afcribed
them.
Having thus fhewn that the attracting,
gravitating, and centripetal Forces, which our
celebrated Philofopher hath dreamed and ima-
gined to be in all Matter, are Non-Entities,
which have no Exiftence but in the ground-
lefs Imaginations of fanciful and inconfide-
rate Perfons, I proceed to fliew, that the
Phenomena which he hath produced as Proof
of repellent and centrifugal Forces being in
Matter, do not prove fuch Forces to be in it,
but the divinely revealed and ferifibly percep-
tible Caule by which thefe Phenomena are
necerlarily produced. His Phxnomena, which
I have chofen to confider and examine, are as
follow,
Firft, He faith that the higher Rife or Af-
cent of Liquors in fmaller Tubes, than in
thofe of larger Diameters, is an evident Proof
of centrifugal Forces in Liquors, and there-
fore in Matter. For he faith, that the Li-
quor is lefs prefTed in fmaller Tubes im-
merfed in it, than in larger, by reafon of the
Air's being rarer (that is mixt with the Li-
quors) in fmaller than in larger Tubes. And
he tells us, that the Reafon of its being
rarer in fuch Tubes, is, becaufe its Particles
recede
1 88 Of the Newtonian Philofophy.
recede from each other, and from the Sides
of the Tubes, by their centrifugal and repel-
ling Force, and that therefore the Liquor
with which thefe Particles of Air are blended,
muft neceffarily rife higher in fuch Tubes
towards the Surface on which there is the
leaft Preffure.
To fhew the true and fenfibly evident
Caufe of this Phenomenon, and that it is not
owing to his imaginary, centrifugal, or re-
pellent Forces which he hath fuppofed to be
in either the Air or Water, all that is ne-
ceffary to be confidered, be fides the ftrong
compreffing Force of the heavenly Fluids, is,
that the inner Surfaces of fmaller tubes, are
proportionably larger than the inner Surfaces
of larger Veffels. Therefore the lateral Pref-
fure upon the Liquor (occafioned by the equal
vertical Preffure upon the different fized
Tubes) muft neceffarily be proportionably
greater in the fmaller than in the larger
Tubes, and therefore the Liquor contained
in the fmaller Tubes muft neceffarily rife
higher towards the vertical Surface on which
there is the leaft Preffure, by reafon of the
greater Preffure upon its Sides and Bottom 5
fo that there was no Reafon nor Neceffity for
recurring to imaginary and unaccountably,
afting, centrifugal, and repelling Forces in
Matter, to account for a Phenomenon, when
the real and fenfibly evident Caufe that muft
neceffi'ily produce it, is fo clearly difcernable
by the Light of God's divinely revealed World.
Secondly^
Of the Newtonian Philofophy. 189
Secondly, Having made Water an elaftic
Fluid, whofe Particles, he faith, mutually re-
cede from each other, he tells us, that the
Rings or Circles raifed, multiplied and en-
larged, or fpread upon the Surfaces of land-
ing Pools, upon a Stone's being let fall upon
them, are a Proof of elaftic or centrifugal
Forces, and alfo of a Vacuum in Nature or
Matter ; for he faith, thofe Rings or Circles
fo raifed, are caufed by the Condenfation of
the Water, by the Compreflion of its Parti-
cles, which are forced by the Fall of the
Stone to recede, and retreat into the void
Spaces between the Particles of the ambient
Waters 5 and that thefe retreated Waters re-
turn again from thofe void Spaces which they
had occupied, by their elaftic or centrifugal
Forces.
In order to convince every confederate Per-
fon, and fuch as have attended to God's di-
vinely revealed Word, that this Phenomenon,
doth not (hew, that there is either a Vacuum,
in Nature, nor any fuch repellent or cen-
trifugal Forces in Water or any other Matter,
as he hath afcribed it to. Every fuch confi-
derate Perfon may clearly perceive, that if
Water was capable of fuch Condenfation by
the Particles of the impelled Water retreating
into the void Spaces of the ambient Waters,
as our Philofopher fpeaks of, or if there
were fuch void Spaces in the ambient Water,
for the impelled Water to retire into upon
for-
I go Of the Newtonian Philofophy.
forcible Impulfe, that there could not poffibly
be fuch a Phxnomenon as that of Rings or
Circles raifed upon its Surfaces upon fuch Im-
pulfe j or that if there was, it muft necefTarily
be occasioned without a Caufe ; for if the
Particles of the impelled Water retired into
the void Spaces of the ambient Water, thofe
ambient Waters would not be forced to rife
in Circles, to make Room for the impelled
Waters to retire into; fo that the Rife of
thefe Rings into the finer and more eafy
yielding Fluid of Air, are fo far from being
Proof of a Vacuum, that they are an evident
Proof that there is no fuch Void in Nature ;
and that the vanifhing away of fuch Rings or
Circles fo raifed on the Surfaces of ftanding
Pools, is fo far from being a Proof of centri-
fugal or repelling Forces in the Particles of
Water, that they are an evident Proof of the
true, real and feniibly evident mechanical
Caufe, by which they are at laft made to
clofe or vanifh away, and which hath been
moil: clearly pointed out and fhewn to us by
the Light of the holy Scriptures 3 by which we
may clearly perceive, that the Rings or Cir-
cles, fo raifed, were at firfl caufed by the
Impulfe ot the Stone, or that the Waters fo
forcibly impelled, having no void Spaces to
retire into, were neceflarily forced to rife up
into the finer and more eafy yielding Fluid of
Air ; and that the ambient Waters which
cncompafled theie firft raifed Circles, were
by
Of the Newtonian Phihfophy. 191
by the fame Original Caufe forced to rife in
larger fpreading, bat lower Rings or Circles,
behind or beyond thofe firft raifed, and fo on,
till the firft impreffed Force was entirely over*,
powered and deiiroyed by the Force and con-
tinued Impulfes of the heavenly Fluids, fall-
ing vertically upon thofe fo raifed Circles, till
the Surface of the Pool was again reduced to
its former Level; and by confidering the true
Caufe of thefe Circles fo raifed on the Surface
of the groffer and left eafily moved Fluid of
Water, and of their Propagation and Continu-
ance, and of their gradual Decay and Ceffa-
tion at laft, we may clearly conceive the
Manner of the Propagation and Continu-
ance of Sounds to great Diftances, by Circles
raifed fir ft by mechanical Impulfe or Explo-
fion; and propagated and continued in the finer
and; more eafy yielding Fluid of Air ; and of
their gradual Decreafe and Decay, and Ceffa-
tioji at laft, by the continued Impulfe of the
Fluids of the Heavens upon them, till they
are at laft over-powered, and fo vanifh and
die away. All Fluids, groffer and finer, being
mechanically moved after the fame Manner
by actual Contact: and Impulfe, which would
be deftroyed by a Vacuum, which would de-
ilroy all Contiguity, and confequently all
Continuity of Impulfe, and confequently all
Mechanifm and Motion in the natural or
material World.
By
192 Of the Newtonian Pkilofopby.
By thus (hewing the true, real and fenfibly
perceptible Caufe of the foregoing Phenome-
na, which have been rendered fo clearly dif-
cernable by the fpiritual Light of God's di-
vinely revealed Word, (which our Philofopher
was above attending to or regarding, when
he was compiling his philofophical Romance,
however he came afterwards to (hew more
Regard for fome of its hiftorical and prophe-
tical Parts) we may perceive, that his centri-
fugal and repellent Forces, which he hath
fuppofed to be in Matter, are as meer Non-
Entities, and have no more real Exiftence in
Nature than his imaginary and inconceivably
a&ing, attracting and gravitating, and centri-
petal Forces have been (hewn to have.
As to his Belt of feventeen Miles and a half
high, which he hath afferted to be about the
Earth near the /Equator, and which he hath
brought as a pregnant Proof of centrifugal
Forces in the earthy and watery condiment
Particles thereof, I (hall not trouble my
Reader with any Examination of it; becaufe
I don't find that Perfons who have eroded
that Line, admit the Truth of the Matter of
Fact ; although all Perfons who have confi-
dered the Matter, agree in the fpherical
Form of the Earth, and in admitting its
largeft Diameter to be at the /Equator.
I (hall make but one or two Obfervations
more upon our celebrated Philofopher, and
then take my Leave of him.
And
Of the Newtonian Philofiphy. I93
And the Fir ft is on the Caufe that he hath
affigned for the Reflection of the Light from
Glafs: And he tells us, that the Rays of
Light are not reflected by their finking a-
gainft the impenetrable and indivifible Atoms
of the Glafs, or any other Matter, which ^
would neceffarily caufe fuch Reflection. (And
to make way for the Ad million of hisxima-
ginary and inconceivable Caufe, although he
he hath talked of the fmalleft Parts of Mat-
ter, and mentioned them as one of the
Caufes of the Diver fities of Colours, yet he
hath denied the Indivisibility of its conftitu-
ent Atoms, and hath alTerted, (how confift-
ently with himfelf, I leave his Admirers to
account for) that what he calls the fmalleft
Parts of Matter, are infinitely divifible -7 and
hath invented an Arithmetic, to make Com-
putations about thefe infinitely divifible Parts
of Matter, which can never be reduced to
their fmalleft: Parts ; and if he had not by a
fruitful Invention, difcovered that Matter was
infinitely divifible, and therefore had no
fmalleft Parts, People might have fallen into,
and continued in that unphilofophic Belief,
that our moft perfectly wife and good God
made all Things according to the exact
Weight, Meafure and Number of the mate-
rial Atoms, which he by Creation provided
to form or make this Syftem of the material
Univerfe out of, fo that there might not be
one Atom in it lefs than there is, by which
O all
.
I$>4 0/ tlJe Newtonian Phihfophy.
all Mechanifm and Motion in it would have
been deffroyed. And having thus wifely pro-
vided for the Reception of his imaginary
and inconceivable Caufe) he afcribes the Re-
flexion of the Rays of Light from Glafs, to a
vibrating and repelling Spirit in the Glafs,
and emitted out of it, which puts the Glafs,
or the Rays of Light, or both, into Fits,
which he calls Fits of eafy Reflexion and
Tranfmiflion : This I fhall alfo leave to the
Admirers of his Syflem, to explain and fup-
port. The fenfibly evident Caufe, (viz.) the
Impulfe of the Rays of Light againfl the
impenetrable and indivifible Atoms of the
Glafs, which is fufficient for the Production
of that Phenomenon, and which mufh ne-
ceflarily be produced always as Occafions of-
fer, being iufficient to fatisfy me, who nei-
ther profefs nor defire to know any other
Philofophy, either natural, or fupernatural or
moral, than what 1 have learned from the di-
vinely revealed Word of God, fet forth in the
holy Scriptures, and which I find fufficient for
fpiritually diipofing, and perfectly enabling
and powerfully moving me to prepare and
qualify rriyfelfj by Faith and San&ification,
for Salvation, and true and fpiritual Happw
nefs, both temporal and everlafting. As a
Confirmation of the Truth of what I have
laid concerning the true and feniiblv evident
Cauie of the Reflexion of Light from Glafs,
I fhall here obilrve, that another more grofs
and
Of the Newtonian Vhilcfophy. 195
*nd fcnfible Fluid is reflected from another fixt
Body, by the very fame fenfibly evident
Caufe, that I have laid Light is reflected
from Glafs ; and 1 am inclined to think and
believe, notwithstanding all that our cele-
brated Philofopher hath laid to the contrary,
and on Behalf of his imaginary and incon-
ceivable Caules, that the Reflexions and
Tranfmiffions of all Kinds of Fluids, from
and through all fixt Bodies, areeffe&ed bythe
fame Caules and Means. If the Fluid of Water
be fquirted forcibly againft a perforated Body,
fuch as a Skreen or Riddle, thofe Parts of
the Water which happen to be forcibly im-
pelled againft the crofs Bars of the Skreen,
will neceflarily be reflected by them, whilii
thofe Farts of it, which are directed towards the
Holes,are tranfmitted without either the Skreen
or the Waters b?ing put into Fitsofeafy Reflex-
ion orTranfmiilion, perceivable or conceivable
by me ; and being iaiisfied, that the fenfibly
perceptible Caufe was fufficient for producing
that Phenomenon, and mud always necelTa-
rily produce it, I did not trouble myfelf with
making Experiments, in order to the Multi-
plication of the Caules of it ; but I am cor-
rigible, and will readily acknowledge my
phiiofophic Error, when 1 am l'hewn a
Caufe that more clearly and truly accounts for
that Phenomenon, and that the fenfibly evi-
dent Caufe which I have dcribed it to, and
O 2 which
I96 Of the Nrivtonian Philofophy.
which will and muft always neceflarily pro-
duce it, is inefficient for its Production.
Another Thing which I think not impro-
per to take notice of, before I take my laft
Leave of this celebrated Syfiem of Philoiophy,
fo greatly admired and eikxmed, although
not underftood, by all the Declamers againit
all ipiritual, and icriptural, and divinely re-
vealed Religion, and all divine Revelation,
is, That the Heathen Philofophers, who
were very ignorant of the immediate and me-
chanical Cauies of moft of the Phenomena
in Nature, becaufe they did not attend to,
nor carefully confider the divine Revelations
that had been handed down to them by oral
Tradition, concerning the material and visi-
ble Heavens, which are the true Caufes of
all the Phenomena in Nature that Mankind
have attempted to account for, have, how-
ever, in feveral Cafes, fpoke with more
Truth, and more Modefly, and lefs Aflii-
rance, than our celebrated Philofopher, who
had better Means of knowing the Truth by
the holy Scriptures than they had, hath done 5
and therefore his Ignorance of the Truth is
more culpable and lefs excu fable than theirs.
They fpoke more Truth, for they denied a
Vacuum in Nature, and afferted that the
Planets moved in a Plenum, and what they
called (olid Orbs, which were Truths $ and
they {hewed greater Modefly or lefs Ailu-
ranee, for when they found themfelves unable
to
Of the Newtonian Philofoph\\ 1 97
to account probably for a natural Phenome-
non, they frankly con fe fled their Fgnopance,
and afcribed it to an occult Quality or Caufe
which they acknowledged themfelves to be
ignorant of. Whereas our celebrated anti-
fcriptural Philofopher, in Contradiction to
the divinely revealed Word, and the Evi-
dence of Senfe and Reaibn of Things, hath
afferted, that there is a Vacuum in Nature,
and that the Regions in which the Planets
move, are vaft void Spaces, or Spaces void of
Matter, capable of refilling or retarding their
Motions, and that they are all moved by
imaginary, and inconceivable, and unaccount-
ably acting Powers in themfelves, which
have been (hewn to be Non-Entities which
have no Exiftence in Nature ; and that he
hadi expreffed himfelf with lefs Modefty, or
more AfTurance, is very evident, for although
he was as grofsly ignorant of the true Caufes
of all the Phenomena he undertook to ac-
count for, as any of the Gentile Philofophers
were, and more culpable and lefs excufably
fo than any of them •, yet he was fo far from
acknowledging his Ignorance, that he, with
great AfTurance, magiflerially afcribed the
Phenomena he undertook to account for, to
evidently falfe, and inconceivable, and unac-
countable, and un mechanically acting Caufes,
mere Non-Entities which had no Exiftence
but in his own Imagination, as I have un-
deniably fhewn, and by this his anti-fcrip-
O 3 tural
198 Of the 'Newtonian Phihfophy.
Uual Mifreprefentation of the material and
vifible Heaven?, which was hie fundamental
Error, (by which he was led to the Inven-
tion of all his imaginary and falfe Principles,
Powers, and Properties afferted to be in Mat-
ter, and which drew thefe my Animadver-
fions upon him) he deceived all thole who
were fo inconliderate as to embrace and be-
lieve his unintelligible Syitem, to their great
fpiritual Hurt and Detriment, as w?ill by and
by be made appear. Whereas the Gentile
Philofophers (the Epicureans excepted) by
their having afferted the Fulnefs of the Hea-
vens, and their having uttered no Falfhood
concerning them, (as their Anceftors, who
made Gods of them, had done) did very
little Hurt to Mankind by their natural Philo-
ibphy, however they might have hurt them
by their Metaphyfics, and done them no
good by their Sy items of Ethics. The Er-
rors which they led them into about the
Caufes of the Phenomena of Nature did not
interfere with their Belief of the one and only
true fancYifying and faving Faith, and confe-
quently did not interfere with their Morals.
But by our Philofopher's falfe and anti-fcrip-
tural Account of the material and vifible Hea-
vens, the fancrifying and faving Faith upon
which the good Morals of Mankind are alto-
gether founded, would have been effaced and
obliterated out of the Minds of Men, if his
Account had been univerfally believed ; for
the
Of the Nt-wtonian Philofophy* igg
the material and vifible Heavens, which God
hath been gracioufly pleafed to give us fuch
particular, full, and clear Accounts of, by
the Declarations he hath made concerning
both their Original and prefcnt State, and
Texture, and Fulnefs, and of their different
Powers, Properties, Motions, and mechani-
cal Operations, and by the fenfible Represen-
tations he hath made of them in the holy
Scriptures, which are the only Things by
which we are enabled to form a juft and
true, although not a perfect and adequate
Notion of himfelf with refpect to his Ubi-
quity or Omnipotence, and of his being "Je-
hovah Elohim. three Perfons in the Unity of
the one Jehovah or divine Efience, and our
God: And by the holy fcriptural Account
of them, we are perfectly enabled to form
all the juft and true Notions or Conceptions
of thefe Perfections concerning God, by
which we are powerfully moved to admire,
adore, and love him for his fatherly Love
and Goodnefs, thus fir ft manifefted to all Man-
kind j and to manifeft the Truth and Since-
rity of our Love to him, by the Rectitude
and perfect Goodnefs of our Morals, by our
Perfeverance in perfect Obedience to his
moft and only perfect, and purifying Law,
which he, by Revelation, gave us for no
other End but to make us holy and happy
both temporally and everlaftingly. But fhould
we believe our anti-fcriptural Philofopher's
O 4 Ac-
200 Of the Newtonian Philofophy.
Account of the material and vifible Heavens,
it would be impoiTible for us to have any juft
or true Notions or Conceptions of the afore-
mentioned adorable Perfections of God, and
to love him on their account, for Men will
not believe any Perfections of Spiritual Things,
of which they can form no Notions or Con-
ceptions, unlefs the unreafonable Belief of
them tends to encourage them in the Gra-
tification of their predominant bodily Lufrs.
And by Men's not believing the afore-menti-
oned amiable and adorable divine Perfec-
tions, (which no Believer of our Author's
Syftem of natural Philofophy can have any
Notion or Conception of) they are deprived
of a mofl powerful Motive to love God, and
obey his Law, by which, and by only, they
can be made perfectly pure, and truly pious
and charitable, and every other Way truly
and morally virtuous, and faved from Luft,
Wickednefs, and Mifery, both temporal and
everlafting, and made truly and fpiritually
Happy either temporally or everlaftingly. By
this Confideration, we may alio perceive, that
his Syftem of natural Philofophy, hath done
more Hurt in the World, than all the Syf-
tems of Phyfics publifhed by the Gentile Phi-
losophers taken together, that have come
down to us, have ever done.
I am at a lofs to account for the Ground
or Reafon he had for hoping and believing,
that his Syitcm of feniibly imperceptible and
in*
Of the Newtonian Vhilofophy. 20 1
inconceivable Principles, Powers or Proper-
ties, which he fuppofed and afferted to be in
Matter, would ever be embraced and believ-
ed by any Per Tons of common Senfe or at-
tentive Consideration, when we might have
forefeen, that no confederate Perfon could be
convinced and fatisfied, that the Phenomena
which he appealed to as Proofs of the Reality
and Exigences of his imaginary Principles, &c.
were really produced by thofe his fuppofed
imaginary Principles or Powers ; although
fuch Perfon, by his Inattention to the holy
Scriptures, might not be able to affign the
fenfibly evident, and therefore true Caufe by
which all fuch Phenomena muft neceiTarily
be, and therefore are produced. The bell
Reafon I can affign for fuch his Hope and
Belief, is, that he thought his curioufly-
drawn Lines, and Schemes, and Diagrams,
would entertain and amufe his Readers Minds,
and divert them from attending to the Fallacy
he put upon them under the Colour of fair,
and juft, and true, mathematical Reafoning,
by fubitituting mathematical Signs, Lines,
Numbers and Letters, (which are in them-
felves infignificant) to reprefent his imaginary
Principles, Powers, or Properties in Matter,
(by which they are not rendered more Signi-
ficant) and then proceeding by a juft and true
mathematical Procedure and Manner of Rea-
foning, to an ^Equation, by which he really
found nothing to be equal to nothing ; but
by
202 Of the Newtonian Philofophy.
by his having fuppofed his imaginary Princi-
ples, &c. which he had afferted to be in Mat-
ter, (and which were only Non-Entities or
Nothings} he falfely concluded that he had
found a real phyfical Something, equal to a
real and phyfical Something, by which he
impofed upon Mankind, if he did not upon
himfelf; for although his Reafoning was
mathematically and formally right and true,
yet it was phyfically and materially wrong
and falfe -> and therefore inftead of the true
Inference which he ought to have made, that
Nothing was equal to Nothing, he falfely
infered that he had found Something equal to
his fuppofed and imaginary Something, which
was really Nothing. And amufed by his in-
fignificant Lines, &c. which they imagined to
be fignificant, and thereby not attending to
the grofs Fallacy, thus fpeciouily put upon
them, were led inconfiderately into the Be-
lief of his unintelligible and antifcriptural,and
falfe and impious, and wicked-making Sy-
ftem -, which I hope I, by the Light of the
divinely revealed Word of God, fet forth in
the holy Scriptures, have fufiicicntly and un-
anfwerably refuted.
The Admirers of this unintelligible and
unaccountable Syftem have been many, and I
hope I have given Offence to none of them,
by my Endeavours to refcue them from grofs
and dangerous Errors, by effectually explod*
ing, by the Affiftance of God's revealed Word,
fo
Of the Newtonian Philofophy. 203
fo antifcriptural, and therefore impious and
wicked a Syflern : Yet as fome of the lefs
confiderate of them, may be apt to think and
fay, that the Character of a Perfon, whofe
Fame hath been long and loudly celebrat-
ed and renowned for his Eminence in the
Knowledge of the liberal Sciences ; and who
is now in his Grave and unable to anfwer for,
or vindicate himfelf; a Perfon who by his
Labours, hath done fo great Honour to the
Britijh Nation, that Statues have been erected
to perpetuate his Memory, and held in great
Veneration, by the Advocates for the Self-
fufficiency of natural Religion -, ought to have
been treated with greater Genclenefs and
Delicacy than 1 have obferved, in ipeaking of
him and his philofophical Works.
For the Satisfaction even of fuch Perfons,
who feem to have greater Regard and Con-
cern for fupporting the Reputation of a Per-
fon who hath dared to contradict, and there-
by blafpheme the divinely revealed and de-
monftratively true Word of the great and
living, and eternal and only true God ; than
for either the great God the Creator of
Heaven and Earth, for the Ufe and Benefit
of all Mankind , from whofe Goodnefs and
Bounty we receive all the good Things, both
natural and fpiritual, and temporal and ever-
laffing, we either enjoy or poffefs ; or for his
divinely revealed Faith and Law, by the
fincere and true Belief of, and Obedience to
which,
204 Of the Newt 07ii an Philofophy.
which, and by which only, wc can be fancli-
fied and laved, and made truly and fpiritually
happy, both temporally and everlaftingly. I
anfwer, Firjl, That I have faid nothing of
this however celebrated Author, that is not
ftridtly true, and perfectly con fi (tent with
Decency, Candor and good Manners, and
with that Charity I owe to all Mankind, by
which I am obliged to labour to the utmoft
of my Power and Abilities, to turn them
from the Error of their Way, that I may
contribute to the Salvation of their Spirits and
their Souls ; and that I may bring them back
to the Belief of the divinely revealed fpiritual
and holy fcriptural Truth, from which too
many of all Ranks and Orders from the
higheft to the lovveft have been withdrawn,
and have departed and fallen, that they may
be made truly and fpiritually happy, both tem-
porally and everlaftingly.
Secondly, That if our celebrated Philofopher
had not, by contradicting God's divinely re-
vealed Word, prefumptuoufly attempted to
efface and obliterate out of the Minds of Man-
kind, the true Belief concerning the material
and vifible Heavens, by which, and by which
only, we are enabled to form a juft and true
Notion of his being a Plurality in Unity, in
the one fekoval\ or divine EiTence, and our
God, and thereby to perceive a mod power-
ful Motive to adore and love him, and obey
his 'Law* and to fubilitute a falfe Belief of
the
Of the "Newtonian Philofophy. 205
the material Heavens, in the Room of the
true Belief concerning them, by which we
are difabled to form a juft and true Notion of
Johovab Elohim, and are thereby corrupted in
our Faith, concerning him, and his Goodnefs
in condefcending to become Elohim, and de-
prived of a moil powerful Motive to Perfe-
verence in perfedt Obedience to his Law, by
which, and by which only, we can be fandifi-
ed and faved, I ihould not have employed
my Time In the refuting of his particular
Syitem. I acknowledge with his other Ad-
mirers his profound and extenfive Know-
ledge in Mathematics, nor do I aim at leffen-
ing the Applaufe given him lor any Thing
he hath done, that may be beneficial to his
Country or Mankind ; but let him not be ap-
plauded for his Philofophical Works, by which
all who believe them mull: be fpiritually in-
jured, left Men be led to believe the Work, on
Account of the Regard they obferve to be
paid to the Memory of the Author. Men's
Writings cannot juftly derive Credit from
their Writers. But Writers may very juftly
derive Credit from their Writings, which
have been found to be true and beneficial to
Mankind. Therefore, Writings found to be
falfe and injurious to Mankind can refledl no
Honour upon the Memory of their Authors,
but in the Opinions of inconfiderate Perfons,
and of propofterous Judgments.
Thirdly,
2o6 Of the Newtonian Phihfophy.
Thirdly, As it is evident that the true Wif-
dom and Virtue, and true Honour, ft. e.) the
Honefty and Integrity, good Faith and Probi-
ty, and together with them, the Wealth,
Strength, Profperity, and true Happinefs, both
private and focial, natural and fpiritual, and
temporal and everlafting, of the Britifh Na-
tion, have been obfervably upon the Decline
and Decay, among the Generality of all Ranks
and Orders of Man and Womankind, in all
States and Stations, from the higheft to the
lowefl ; ever fince the Time that the holy
Scriptures, the divinely revealed, and demon-
flratively true Word of God, hath been dif-
regarded, and openly and avowedly contradict-
ed, and made the Object and Subject of the
Contempt and Ridicule, of inconfiderate and
culpably ignorant, and therefore audacious
Mifbelievers. I therefore, a Minifter of the
one and only, and demonftratively true, fane-
tifying and laving, and divinely revealed,
fpiritual and fcriptural Religion, that ever was,
or is, or ever will, or can be in the World ;
and a Prefbyter, and Minifter, of that one and
only true and truly (although not perfectly)
reformed epifcopal Church of God ; wherein
and wherein only, that one and only true
fanctifying and laving, and divinely revealed
Spiritual and fcriptural Religion, can be purely,
and therefore truly and effectually taught and
inculcated, have thought myielf obliged in
Duty (lince my Superiors, Perfons in the
higheft
Of the Newtonian Philofophy. 207
higheft Stations, and my Brethren Minifters
in and of that true Church, Perfons of more
extenfive Learning and greater Abilities than
I pretend to, and who, I hope, are not lefs
diftinguifhable for their Piety, Virtue and
Learning, than for the Eminency of their
Stations, have for Reafons which I know not,
fo long declined fo feafonable and neceffary
an Undertaking) to employ the Talents with
which God hath entrufted me, in labouring:
to (hew the Falfhood of our Philofopher's
Doctrine, by which the holy fcriptural Doc-
trine, concerning the material and vifible
Heavens, hath been gainfaid and contrad idled;
and by which Mankind have been diverted
from the Confideration of thefenfible Repre-
fentation, which God hath been gracioufly
pleaied to make of himfelf > by which, and by
which only, we are enabled to form a juft
and true Notion of his Manner of fubfiftino-
in a Plurality of Perfons, in the Unity of the
one Jehovah, and divine Effence, and of his
fo operating, both in the natural and fpiritual,
and moral Worlds, for the Reiteration of the
Belief of the Doctrine of the Trinity, in the
Unity of the one and only true and living
God, which is neceffary to be believed, in
order to our loving God with all our Hearts,
and to our continuing in Obedience to his
purifying Law, which are the two Things
neceffary, and indifpenfably neceffary to be
done by all Mankind, in order to their San&i-
fication and Salvation, and true and rational,
and
2o8 Of the Newtonian Philojbphy*
and Spiritual Happinefs, both temporal and
everlafiing. That by fhevving the demon-
ftrative and moft clearly conceivable Truth of
that Doctrine, I may revive and reftore to the
World again, the Belief of the holy Scriptures,
which contain, and molt clearly fet forth, the
one and only true, fanctifying and faving, and
divinely revealed, and fpiritual and Chriftian
Religion, that ever was, or ever will, or can
be in the World. That Truth and Righteouf-
nefs, and Charity, and every other moral Vir-
tue, may be reflored to the World again,
which have been extinguifhed and blotted
out of the Minds of the Generality of all
Ranks and Orders of Man and Womankind,
in all States and Stations, from the higheft to
the lowed:. That true and honeft and ufeful
IudufTry, built upon thofe only true and ever-
lafcingly durable Foundations, may be crown-
ed with true (/. e.) with fpiritual as well as
natural and worldly Profperity, and true and
rational Happinefs, both natural and fpiritual,
temporal and everlafting.
Thefe were my Reafons for taking Notice
of this celebrated Author, and of his Syftem of
falie, and foolifh, and wicked-making Philo-
fophy, which he fent into the World, and to
ihcw that God's Word is Truth, and that
they who have prefumed to contradict it, are
Liars and Deceivers, and that therefore the
Word of him who is omniprefent, and om-
nifcient;ahd therefore infallible, and who is a
God
Of the "Newtonian Philofophy. 20 '9
God of mod perfed: Goodnefs, and therefore
neither can, nor will lye nor deceive, is to be
believed and obeyed, rather than the Words
of fallible and vain Men, whatever high O-
pinion the inconfiderate World may enter-
tain of them. And as I have before obferved,
if the aforementioned deftru&ive Confequen-
ces had not neceffarily attended the Belief of
his anti-fcriptural Dodtrine, I fhould not have
laid out any Part of my Time in coniidering
and refuting his inconceivable and improbable
and incredible Principles which were necef-
fary to be exploded and removed out of the
Way, in order to the Eftabliihment of the
Belief of the divinely revealed, and demonftra-
tive, or rather felf-evident Truth, which I was
going to fhew, when I was turned off in order
to make this long, but neceffary, and I hope,
ufeful Digreffion,to which I am now about to
return.
Having before fet forth the true fcriptural
Doctrine concerning the material and vifible
Heavens 5 and having alfo removed the falfe
and antifcriptural Doctrine, which had been
let up in Oppofition and Contradiction to it,
out of the Way, I mould now return to the
Point from which I was neceffitated to digrefs;
and fhew how, by the material and vifible
Heavens, by which God hath been graciouf-
ly pleafed in Condefcenfion to our Capacities,
fenfibly to fignify and reprefent himfelf, (for
I have before obferved, and will hereafter
P (hew
2io Of the Divine Trinity.
fliew, under the Article or Word Man, moft
clearly and demonflratively, that we can have
no juft Notions of God, nor of any other
fpiritual Thing, State or Action, by any
other Ways or IVkans, than by fuch fen-
fible Reprefentations of them as God hath
been gracioufly pleafed to point out to us by
divine Revelation) we are enabled to form a
juft and true, and fpiritually beneficial, al-
though not a compleat and adequate Notion
or Conception of God, or of the Elohim fub-
fi fling and operating in a Plurality of Perfons,
in the one Jehovah, or divine EiTence.
But I delire my Reader's Leave previoufly
to obferve here, and before I leave the Con-
fideration of the Word Heavens ; that al-
though by the Word Heavens in the Language
of the holy Scriptures, the material Air in the
three different and diftinguifhable Forms of
Fire, Light, and Spirit, or Darknefs in Motion,
be primarily meant and fignified, and thatGod
or the three Elohim, in the one Jehovah, or
divine Effence, are alfo meant and fignified
by the Word Heavens, taken in a fecondary
and metaphorical or figurative Senfe, on Ac-
count of his having choien fenfibly to fignify
and reprefent himfelf, and to be called by
them and by their Names. I judge it necef-
iary to obferve that there are other Things
in the holy Scriptures meant by the Word
Heavens taken in a fecondary and figurative
Senfe.
And
ft
Of the Divine Trinitt. 211
And in this Senfe the Spirits of Men arc
reprefented, by the Name or Word Hea-
vens, Heb. ix. 24. where it is faid, That
Chri/l entered not into the holy Places made
with Hands , which are the Figures of the true,
but into Heaven itfelf, now to appear as Gody
or in the Perfbn of God, for us, to intercede
with us by his Word.
And in this fecondary Senfe of the Word
Heavens, the true Church of God, the Spi-
rits of all fincere and true Believers is meant
and fignified. As Rev, viii. 1. where it is
faid, When he opened the f event h Seal, there
was great Silence in Heaven about the Space
of half an Hour. And Deut. xxxii. 1. where
it is faid, Give Ear 0 Heavens, and hear O
Earth (i. e.) all fincere and true Believers,
and fpiritualiy and heavenly-minded, repre-
fented by the Heavens > and all Unbelievers,
and earthly-minded, reprefented by the Earth.
And St. Matth. vi. 10. Thy Will be done in
Earth as in Heaven (i. e.) by the unbeliev-
ing and earthly, as by all fincere and true
Believers, and fpiritually-minded Perfcns.
And by the Kingdom of God or Heaven
in the holy Scriptures, is meant not only
the Spirits of all fincere Believers, who live
m perfect Obedience to the divine Law, but
alfo the fpiritual Faith and Law by which,
and by which only, they are made Mem-
bers of that fpiritual and heavenly Kingdom,
As by the good Seed, is not only meant the
P 2 revealed
2i2 Of the Divine Trinity.
revealed Word of God, but alfo the fincere
and true Believers of that Word. St. Luke
viii. ii. and St. Mattb. xiii. 38. and St.
Matth. iv. 17. where it is laid, Repent , for
the Kingdom of Heaven is at band: And
vi. 10. where it is faid, Tby Kingdom come.
Having made thefe few Obfervations on
the different Senfes or Meanings in which
the Word Heavens is taken in the holy Scrip-
tures, in this Place where the Word Hea-
vens is under my Confideration, becaufe I
(hall have Occafion in the Courfe and Fro-
grefs of this Apology, to make ufe of the
Word in thefe different Acceptations of it
which I have here mentioned. I now pro-
ceed to fhew how we are perfectly enabled by
the material and viiible Heavens (by which
God hath been gracioufly and fenfibly pleafed
to fignify and reprefent himfelf, and by whofe
Name he hath chofen to be called, and by
that Account which he hath been gracioufly
pleafed ' to give us in his holy revealed
Word, of their one Subftance, and of their
Texture and Fulnefs of their Subftance, and
of the different States and Forms in which
their not iubftantially, but formally diffe-
rent conilituent Parts fubfiit, and of their
different Powers, and Properties, and Mo-
tions, and inftrumental Operations) to form
a juft and true, and fpirimally beneficial,
although not a complete and adequate, No-
tion or Conception of his Manner of iubiift-
ing
Of the Divine Trinity;. 213
ing in a Plurality of Perfons in the Unity of
the one "Jehovah or divine Effcnce, and of
his operating or acting in a Plurality in Unity
both in the natural or material, and in the
lpiritual or moral Worlds.
I have before flievvn from the holy Scrip-
tures, Fir/l, That the material and vifible
Heavens, by which God hath been pleafedfen-
fibly to fignify and reprefent himfelf, in their
firft and uncreated, but unformed State, fub-
fifted in the Form of motionlefs Darknefs,
which enveloped and contained within it, the
feminal Atoms of all the different Syftems of
all natural Things, whether inanimate, or
vegetable, or animal, that have ever fince ap-
peared, and which were formed and made
out of them.
Secondly, That God, by his all-powerful
Word, commanded the centeral Part of the
great Cloud or Body of Darknefs, to become
a Flame of Fire which iffued forth in bright
Rays of Light, penetrating through and di-
viding like the Radii or Spokes of a Wheel
between the groffer Fluid of Darknefs, and
extending from the Nave or Orb of Fire in
the Center, to the Arch or Circumference
of the Heavens, where having grown languid
in its Motion and Cooler, granulates into the
groiTer Fluid of Darknefs, which being com-
preffed by the expanding Fluid of Light on
all Sides, is moved in a contrary Direction
downward, like the tapering Radii of ano-
P 3 ther
214 Of the Divine Trinitv.
ther Wheel extending from the Arch or
Circumference, to the Nave or Orb of Fire
in the Center of the Heavens into which it
is forced, and feeds that Fire in the Center ;
and by thefe Means the perpetual and regu-
lar circulating Motion of the Fluids of the
Heavens, all one in refpedt of their Matter
or Subftance, but different in their three States
and Forms of Fire, Light, and Darkneis, all
moving and operating differently, is kept up
and continued in themfelves, by whofe per-
petual Motion all Syftems in Nature whe-
ther inanimate, vegetable, or animal, are all
properly moved by the Operations of thefe
celeftial Fluids continually acting mechani-
cally and by immediate Contact, in and upon
them, according to their various and won-
derfully different, rarer, and denfer Combi-
nations, and upon all their conftituent Atoms,
and differently fized, and formed, or figured
Parts and Particles, are fo moved, as that
every one of them lhould anfwer their par-
ticular Ends, and that all of them fhould
anfwer the great, wife, and good End for
which they were defigned and created, (viz.)
The Uk and Benefit of Mankind ; the Sup-
port of their Bodies, and the Inftru&ion of
their Spirits, in this their State (not of Pro-
bation, as it is commonly, but falfely, called)
but of Preparation and Qualification of
themfelves by Faith and Sandtification, dur-
ing their Continuance in this World, for Sal-
vation
Of the Divine Trinity. 21 j
vatlon and everlafting Happinefs in the next.
And that by thefe celeftial Fluids of Fire,
Light, and Darknefs, all Space is filled, and
that here are no void Spaces between the
Center and Circumference of the Heavens,
by which material Contact and Impulfe,
and confequently all Mechanifm and Mo-
tion, would be deftroyed, and neceflarily
ceafe in the natural or material World. And
Thirdly, Having like wife fhewn from the
holy Scriptures, and the Account which God
hath therein given us of the prefent and form-
ed, as well as of the firft and unformed, State
of the material and vifible Heavens, (by which
he hath been gracioufly pleafed to fignify and
reprefent himfelf to us, that we might thereby
be enabled to form a juft and true, although
not a complete and perfect, Notion or Con-
ception of his Manner of fublifting in Plura-
lity in the Unity of the one Jehovah or di-
vine EiTence, and of his Manner of acting
in Plurality in effential Unity both in the na-
tural or material, and in the Spiritual or
moral Worlds.) That no one of thcfe for-
mally, but not effentially different inftru-
mental Agents, (viz.) The celeflial Fire,
Light, or Darknefs, although they all move
and act in different Ways and Manners, could,
or can, move or act unlefs they all co-ope-
rated, and moved, and acted together, and
in different Ways and Ma, ners from each
other, that the Light could not iffue forth,
P 4 if
2i6 Of the Divine Trinity.
if the Fire did not continue to burn, and the
Fire could not continue to burn, if the Spirit
or Darknefs in Motion did not continue to
rufh into it; and that Darknefs could not
continue to rufh into it, unlefs the Light con-
tinued to become Spirit or Darknefs in Mo-
tion at the Circumference of the Heavens ;
and that therefore no Effect can be produced
by any one of thefe in ftru mental Agents in
the natural or material World, unlefs the
whole three concur and co-operate together,
and in different Ways and Manners in and
for the Production of it. And that although
an Ad: or Effed of the Fire, may be very
different from an Ad or Effed produced
either by the Light or Darknefs, yet fuch
Aft or Effed of the Fire, could not be pro-
duced if the Light and Darknefs did not both
co-operate at the fame Time with it, and in
different Ways and Manners for the Produc-
tion of it ; and the fame may be faid of the
Ads or Effeds produced by either of the
other.
By this we may clearly perceive, that every
Ad or Effed produced by any one of thefe
necefTary and inftrumental Agents, the celef-
tial Fire, Light or Darknefs, is the Ad or
EfYed of all the three co-operating together
after different Ways and Manners for its Pro-
dudion ; and that any Ad or Effed that is
afcribed to any one of them, may with equal
Proprietv be afcribed to either of the other.
V And
Of the Divine Trinity. zij
And that when any Act or Effect is afcribed
to any one of them, it is not to be understood
of that particular Agent, exclusively of the
other two, but of that particular Agent, in
Conjunction and Co-operation with the other
two. And that, as the Fire, Light and Darknefs,
all confubftantial or one and the fame in re-
ipect of their Matter or Subftance, and only
differ from each other in, and by their dif-
ferent and perfectly, and fenfibly diftinguifh-
able States and Forms, and Motions, and
Manner of operating or acting in the natural
or material World j fo thefe three instrumen-
tal and material, and neceiTary celeftial A-
gents, are all co- temporary, and co-equal in all
their Powers and Properties, and equally de-
pendant upon each other; and at the fame
Inftant that God commanded the Fire to
burn in the Center, the Light iffued forth
from it, and the Darknefs moved and rufhed
into it 5 fo that no one of thefe Agents can be
faid to be prior or fuperior to another, or be
before or after another, or to be unequal to,
and independant of either of the other.
By this we mod clearly perceive a Plura-
lity of confubftantial and cotemporary, and in
every Refpect co-equal Agents, in one Sub-
ftance in the natural or material World.
However a Trinity in Unity, hath been dif-
credited and confidently denied, and reputed
and declared to be incomprehensible and an
Abfurdity and impoflible to be true; and the
holy
218 Of the Divine Trinity.
holy Scriptures which afferted the Truth of
that Dcdtrine, which the Evidence of Senle
and the Reafon of Things mod clearly (hew
to be true, have been treated with Contempt,
and ridiculed, for having afferted fo evident
and unqueftionable, and undeniable a Truth,,
by Perfons who would not be prevailed upon
to confider and ufe that divinely revealed and
fpiritual Light, which would have pointed
out and have fhewn them the true State
of the material Heavens, by which they would
have been fenfibly and rationally convinced of
the Truth of that Dcclrihe which the
holy Scriptures have fo clearly fet forth, and
which can no longer be doubted of or de-
nied, without denying a Fad whole Truth is
both rationally and fenfibly evident
And as our moft gracious God hath been
gracioufly pleafed feniibly to fignify and re-
prefent himfelf to us by the material and vi-
sible Heavens, that we might thereby be ena-
bled to form a jufl and true, and fpiritually bene-
ficial, although not a complete and adequate
Notion or Conception, not only of his Ubiquity
or Omniprefence, and confequently of his
Omnifcience, but alfo of his Manner of fub-
fifting in a Plurality of Perfons in the Unity
of the one Jebovab, or divine ElTence, and
of his Manner of operating or acting in that
Plurality in Unity, both in the natural or ma-
terial, and in the fpiritual or moral World ;
that we might be thereby powerfully moved
to
Of tlx Divine Trinity. 219
to admire, adore and love him, for his great
and wonderful fatherly Goodnefs and Love,
thus manifcfted in his Condefcenfion to be-
come Elcbim, in order to create this World
for Man, and all Mankind for true and ra-
tional Happinefs, both temporal and ever-
Jafling 5 and to manifeft the Sincerity and
Truth of our Love to him, by Perfeverance
in the iincere and true Belief of that Faith,
and in perfect Obedience to that Law, which
he by Revelation gave us for no other End,
but for enabling and powerfully moving us to
prepare ourfelves by Faith and San&irication,
for Salvation and eternal Life; and which we
could not poflibly have ever known without
a divine Revelation. And that we might like-
wife be powerfully moved to receive and em-
brace with Reverence thofe holy Scriptures,
which contain thofe divine Revelations which
God hath been gracioufly pleafed to make of
himfelf to us, and of his great and manifold
divine Perfections. And as it is by thefe ho-
ly Scriptures, (to whofe Truth, the Reports
of our bodily Senfes and the Reafon of Things
bear Teftimony) that the Revelations and
ienfible Reprefentations which God hath been
gracioufly pleafed to make of his Manner of
fubfifting in a Plurality of Perfons in the Uni-
ty of the one Jehovah, or divine .Effence,
have been tranfmitted down to us, therefore
we ought to afcribe no other Plurality in
Unity to him than he hath been gracioufly
pleafed
220 Of the Divine Trinity.
pleafed in thofe holy Scriptures to afcribc
to himfelf, which is a moft clearly con-
ceivable, and comprehenfible Plurality in
effential Unity, and ought not to teach and
untertake to defend and explain any other
than the holy fcriptural divine Trinity, be-
caufe all other trinitarian Doctrine will be
found to be incomprehenfible and inexplica-
ble, and by the Reafon of Things impoffible
to be true, and altogether anti- fcriptural.
Such is the Trinitarian Doctrine of all thofe
who have not diftinguifhed between the co-
cternal, and co-effential, and unbegotten, and
in every Refpect co-equal Word or Son, who
is one of the Perfons in the divine Trinity
diftinguifhed by that Name : And J ejus Chrifl
our Lord, who is the only begotten Son of
God, who is not co-eternal, nor co-effential,
nor co-equal with the Father, Son, or holy
Ghoft, in the divine Trinity, and whom they
have confounded and made one with the
co-eternal, and co-effential, and co-equal,
and unbegotten Son, and one of the Perfons in
the divine Trinity, without any fcriptural
Ground or Authority. For according to the
holy Scriptures, the whole three Peribns dif-
tinguifhed by the perfonal Names of the Fa-
ther, Son, and Holy Ghoft, in eflential Uni-
ty, are the Father of our Lord J ejus drift y
and together in moft intimate Unity with
him of all Mankind, and the Creator of all
Things, and not the fingle Perfon diftin-
guiihed
Of the DivinI Trinity. 221
gu iflied by the Name of the Father in the
divine Trinity, exclufive of the other two Per-
fons, and of J ejus Chrijl ; fo that when Chrijl
faith, that he is in the Father and the Father
in him, it is not to be underftood of the An-
gle Perfon diff inguifhed by the Name of the
Father in the divine Trinity, but of the whole
three Perfons, who together were his Father, in
whom he dwelt, and they in him in all the Ful-
nefs of the Godhead, fo that he was not, nei-
ther could be, one of the Perfons in the di-
vine Trinity, but he being taken into mod:
intimate Unity with them, and being one in
them, and they in him, became together
with them, but not exclufive of them, Ima^
w^/orourGod, co-eternal, co-effential, and
co-equal in all Refpedts, and therefore unbe-
gotten as touching his Godheady but begotten
and different in Effence, and in all Refpe£t
inferior to, and dependent upon the Father,
(/. <r.) the whole three Perfons in the divine
Trinity, as touching his Manhood.
And fuch is the trinitarian Doctrine of the
fame Perfons who have not diftinguifhed be-
tween the co-eternal and co-effential, and in
every Refpedt co-equal Perfon, diftinguiihed
by the perfonal Name of the holy Spirit in
the divine Trinity, and is one of the Perfons
in the divine Trinity ; And the holy or fanc-
tifying Spirit of Faith which proceeded from
the Father, that is, from the whole three
co-eternal, and co-effential, and in every Re-
flect co-equal Perfons in the divine Trinity,
and
222 Of the Divine Trinity.
and from J e fits Chriji the Word and only
begotten Son of God (i. e.) of the whole di-
vine Trinity J and by having confounded to-
gether thefe two holy Spirits, they have fpoke
of this fandtifying Spirit, which is the Spirit
of Faith, which came from the Elohim by
the Revelation of Jejiis Chrift his Word and
only begotten Son, to our firft Parents, as if
it was the co-eternal, co-effential Spirit, and
one of the Perfons in the divine Trinity.
And by their thus having overlooked thefe
fcriptural Di ft i nations, and by their not hav-
ing diftinguifhed between the Senfe and
Meaning of the Word Father, as it is ufed
in fome Places of the holy Scriptures to fig-
nify the fingle Perfon of the divine Trinity
perfonally diftinguifhed by that Name, and
the fcriptural Senfe and Meaning of it, where
it fignifies the whole Trinity, as where the
Father of our Lord Jejus Chrift, and the
Father of all Mankind, and of all Things
are mentioned, and by their not having
diftinguifhed between the co-eternal, and co-
effential, and unbegotten Son, and the only
begotten Son ; and between the co-eternai
and co-effential holy Spirit, and the holy
fandlifying Spirit of Faith -y and by their hav-
ing confounded thefe together, which ought
to have been kept clearly diftinguifhed, as they
are in the holy Scriptures, they have fpoken
confufedly, and incomprehenfibly, and un-
intelligibly, and unptohtably, and anti-fcrip-
turally, concerning the divine Trinity in ef-
fential
Of the Divine Trinity. 223
fential Unity in the one Jehovah or divine
Effence •, which is a mod clearly conceivable
Doctrine, as it is fet forth and mod clearly
and fenfibly reprefented in the holy Scrip-
tures by the material and vifible Heavens,
by which God hath been gracioufly pleafed
fenfibly to fignify and reprefent himfelf to us,
that we might thereby be enabled to form a
juft and true, although not an adequate,
Notion of him, with refpect to his Manner
of fubfifting, and operating, or acting, in a
Plurality ot Perfons in the one Jehovah or
divine Effence, both in the natural or mate-
rial, and in the fpiritual or moral Worlds.
Having made thefe few previous and ne-
ceffary Obfervations, I come now to apply
the Revelation which God hath made of
himfelfi, being a Plurality in Unity in the
one Jehovah, to the Reprefentation that he
hath been gracioufly pleafed to make of him-
felf by the material and vifible Heavens, by
which we will not only clearly perceive the
Truth of the Revelation, and of the Doc-
trine of the Trinity in effential Unity, which
hath been fo long doubted by fome, and con-
fidently denied by many, together with the
Neceffity of the Belief of that Doctrine, in
order to Sa notification and Salvation, and
true and rational Happinefs both temporal
and everlafting ; but alto that the Perfons in
this divine Trinity are all co- eternal, co-eflen-
tial, and co-equal, in all Refpects to each
other 5 and that although there be three Per-
fons
224 Of the Divine Trinitv.
fons in this Trinity who all aft differently,
{o that every one of them may very properly
be called God, yet none of them can be cal-
led God exclufively of the other two Perfons,
and are therefore together all but one God,
who in joint Co-operation together, have
manifefled their Godhead or mod perfect
and fatherly Goodnefs, in doing all Things
proper and neceffary, and poffible to be done
for fpiritually difpofing, and perfedly ena-
bling, and powerfully moving, all Mankind
to prepare and qualify themfelves for the
Enjoyment, and confequently for the fure
Attainment of true and rational Happinefs
both natural and fpiritual, and temporal and
everlafting ; and for putting and keeping us
continually in Mind of every Thing neceffary
to be known, believed, or done by us, in
order to our fure Attainment of thofe great
and glorious, and happy Ends, by which we
will clearly perceive, that the believing and
afferting the Dodtrine of the divine Trinity
in Unity, as it is declared and fet forth, and
mofl clearly and fenfibly reprefented in the
holy Scriptures, is not believing and afferting
that there are three Gods, but three co-eter-
nal and co effential Perfons or intelligent
Agents in the one Jehovah or divine Eflence,
who cannot operate or ad in any Cafe unlefs
they all co-operate and ad together, and in
different Manners, for the Prududion ot
tvery divine Effed ; and fo as that whatever
Erred is produced by any one of them, may
with
Of the Divine *TRiNitvr 225
\vith equal Propriety be afcribed to either of
the other two, fo that no one of them is God
exclufive of the other two, and are therefore
all together but one God 5 and alfo that if
there had not been three Perfons in the one
Jehovah or divine EfTence, there would have
been no God, (/. e.) if Jehovah had not
been gracioufly pleafed to become Elohim,
and to fubfift in a Plurality in the Unity of the
divine EfTence, nothing would nor could have
been created or made ; for the Word Elab9
imports a good Being which * manifefts its
Goodnefs in doing good, and therefore ought
to be blefTed, or for ever well fpoken of;
and Jehovah, by becoming Elohim, became
three for ever blefTed Perfons ; and therefore
God, whofe Goodnefs was manifefted in his
having made this World for Man, and Maa
for everlafting Happinefs, whereas if he had
chofen to continue to be Jehovah, and had
not become Jehovah Elohim, neither Man
nor any Thing elfe could have been made,
as we may fee by the Reprefentation. And
therefore it is faid Exodus vi. 3, I appeared
unto Abraham, wito Ifaac, and unto Jacob,
(in or as El Shadai) God almighty (who
created and made all Things) but by my
Name Jehovah, ivas 1 not known to them ;
for if he had continued to be Jehovah, and
had not become Elohim, or three Perfons in
the one Jehovah or divine EfTence, no-
thing could have been created or made,
and therefore he could not have been known
226 Of the Divine Trinity.
to any Being but himfelf; and therefore, a«.
I have before obferved, if Jehovah had
not becomcEIohim, or three Perfons in the
one Jehovah, there would have been an
eternal and unknown Jehovah, but no God
or Being that had manifefted itfelf in God-
head or perfect Goodnefs. And though this
be a molt clear and evident Truth, yet Mul-
titudes who have not carefully attended to
the hcly Scriptures, and to thoie fenfible Re-
prefentations which God hath been gracioufly
pleafed to make therein of fpiritual, and fen-
Bbly imperceptible Things, States, and Acti-
ons, by which, and by which only, we can
be enabltd to iorm juft and true Notions or
Conceptions of them, and confequently to
difcourfe rationally and intelligibly about them,
and by their having given heed to thofe anti-
fcriptural, and inconceivable, and unintelligi-
ble Accounts, which irxon fide rate, and icrip-
turally unlearned Perfons have given of the
divine Trinity in Unity, by which, if any
thing could be believed, it would neceflarily
be, that there are three co- eternal, and co-
ordinate, and in every Refped: co-equal and
independent Gods, and that one of them was
begotten, and io dependent upon another of
them for his Production into Exiflence ; and
another of them to have proceeded from the
ether two, and from thence to talk of eter-
nal, and inconceivable, and improbable, and
impcfiible, and therefore incredible Genera-
tions tnd Pixctflicas : They have by thefe
Means
-Of the Divine Trinity,' 227
Means been brought, in reality, to believe
that there is no God, although they are un-
willing in exprefs Words to acknowledge
their Unbelief, for it will by and by mod
clearly appear, by the heavenly Reprefentationi
which God hath been gracioufly pleafed to
make of himfelf, that if Jehovah be not
E/ohim, or if the three co-eternal, and co-
effential, and in every refped, co-equal Per-
fons, do not fubfift together in the one Jeho-
vah or divine EfTence, there never could have
-been a God, nor could any Thing been ever
created or made, therefore I proceed to the
Things that are made are a Proof of his being
Jehovah Elohim, and of his Godhead or moft
perfect and fatherly Goodnefs, as well as of
his eternal Power.
God who hath been gracioufly pleafed to
tell us by his faithful Servant Mo/es, Gen, i. 1.
That the Elohim, in the Head, Origin or
Fountain of all Being, created the Heavens
and the Earth. And that when he had been
gracioufly pleafed to reflore the firft Man, and
with him all Mankind, to the pure Path of
San&ification and Salvation, and eternal Life,
after the Fall of our firft Parents ; in order to
Mankind's believing him to fubfift in a Plura-
lity of Perfons, in the one Jehovah, or divine
Effence, he faid, Gen. iii. 22. Behold now
the Man is become as one of us, &c. (and to
omit very many other Paffages, fet forth in the
holy Scriptures from the one End to the
other, to the lame Purpofe) he hath alfb
Q^2 been
228 Of the Divine Trinity.
been pleafed to inform us by his holy Apoftle,
I John v. 7. That there be three that bear
Record in Heaven, the Father , the Word, and
holy Gho/l, and that thefe three are one. And
hath likewiie been gracioufly pleafed fenfibly
to fignify and reprefent himfelf, by the ma-
terial and viable Heavens, in order to verify
his holy revealed Word, and that we might
thereby be enabled to form a juft and true
Notion or Conception of him, as Jehovah^
and of them as Elohim, or three Perfons fub-
filling and operating or acting in effential Uni-
ty, in the one holy and undivided and indivifi-
ble Jehovah, or divine Effence, both in the
natural or material, and in the fpiritual or mo-
ral World.
And fpeaking of the material and vifible
Heavens in their firft and created and unfomr
ed State, by which he was pleafed fenfibly to
reprefent himfelf as Jehovah, and before he
chofe to become Elohim, he tells by his
faithful Servant and holy Prophet Mofes, that
the Heavens were a Body of Darknefs without
Motion, which contained in it and enveloped
the terraqueous Globe and all Syilems of Mat-
ter, that were ever formed and afterwards ap-
peared. By this we are enabled moft clearly
to comprehend, conceive and underftand,
that Jehovah the fpiritual, and therefore fenfi-
bly imperceptible, and other wife inconceiva-
ble Being, ienfibly reprefented by them, is
an omniprefent Spirit, who from all Eternity
continued without moving or manifefting
him-
Of the Divine Trinity. 229
Limfelf till a little before the Creation of the
material World, when he chofe to become
Elohim in order to create it, and alT Things
vifible and invifible, and that therefore before
Jehovah chofe to become Elokim there was
no God, nor any Thing created or made, al-
though the divine Effence exifted from all ,
Eternity. For his Godhead or Goodnefs
was not manifefted till he chofe to become
Elohim. This is all that God hath been gra-
cioufly pleafed to reveal and make known to
Mankind, concerning himfelf as he is Jeho-
yah, and this is all that is neceffary and benefi-
cial for us to know, concerning him, as he is
Jehovah, and before he chofe to become our
God, and all we can poffibly know truly
concerning him as Jehovah. And therefore
we ought neither to prefume nor pretend to
form groundlefs Conjectures concerning God,
nor to know more of him, than he hath been
gracioufly pleafed by the Revelations and Re-
prefentations he hath made of himfelf, to let
us know concerning himfelf, becaufe by fuch
Conjectures, we will be apt to be led into
Error, and Difbelief of thofe evident Truths
which he hath revealed concerning himfelf*
or to overlook and difregard them, for Clouds
and Darknefs are round about him. And fe-
cret and unrev^aled Things belong only to
God, and only thofe Things which are re-
vealed concern us to know, in order to our
Sandtification, Salvation and true Happinefs,
both temporal and everlafting.
CL 3 And
230 Of the Divine Trinity^
And God in the Book of Job, and by his.
holy Prophets Mofes and Ezekicl, and the
Pfalmift, in their Accounts of the firft For-
mation of the material Heavens, and of their
prefent State in which they have fubfifted
ever fince the Time of their firft Formation,
tells us 3 that God by commanding Motion to
arife in the Body ofDarknefs (which was
the Subftance or Matter of which the material
ftnd vifible Heavens was to confift) with fuch
Violence that the Center or middle Part of it
fhould become Fire or Flame, which emitted
bright Light every Way round about it. And
that the Light extended itfelf in penetrating
Rays, pervading the Darknef?, like the Radii,
or Spokes of a Wheel, from the Nave or Orb
of Fire in the Center, to the Circumference of
the Heavens. And that as the Radii of
Light iflued forth from the Orb of Fire, and
became Spirit or Darknefs in Motion at the
Circumference, fo that Spirit or Darknefs in
Motion extended itfelf, like Radii or Spokes
of another Wheel in a contrary Direction,
from the Circumference to the Nave or Orb
of Fire in the Center of the Heavens, and
there became Food or Fuel, which continually
fed that celeilial Fire, which is laid to prey
upon or eat itfelf, the Fire, Light and Dark-
nefs being all one and the fame, in refpect of
their Matter or Subdance, and fufficient for
their own perpetual Support and Suftinence ;
io that the perpetual circulating Motion of
the Heavens, io the three Forms of Fire,
Light
Of the Divine Trinity. 131
Light and Darknefs, all of one Subftance, but
different in their States, Forms, Motions and
Operations, hath been perpetuated from the
Time of their firft Formation, the Fire feed-
ing and fending up the Light; and the Light
feeding and fending down the Darknefs, and
the Darknefs continually feeding and fupply-
ing the Fire, and by thde Means perpetually
operating in and upon all Syftems of Matter,
whether inanimate, vegetable or animal, in-
terjacent between their Center and Circumfe-
rence, and filling all Space between them, and
properly expanding and combining with
equal Forces, in fuch a Manner, as fuch rarer
or denfer Combinations as the different Sizes,
Forms or Figures of their different constituent
feminal Atoms admit of, and moving all Sy-
ftems of Matter between the Center and Cir-
cumference, and all their Parts and Particles fo
as that they mould all perfectly anfwer the
Ends for which they were in perfect Wifdom
and Goodnefs, defigned and created. And by
this we may clearly perceive, that although
each of thefe three confubftantial, and co-
temporary, inftrumental and neceffary celeftial
Agents, may be called Heaven and an heaven-
ly Agent, yet no one of them can act or pro-
duce any Effect, unlefs the other two co-
operate conjointly with it, and in different
Manners at the fame Time, and therefore na
one of them can be called Heaven, or an
heavenly Agent exclufively of the other two.
And that therefore any particular Act o
CL.4 Ef
2^2 Of the DiviNfc Trinity.
Effect which is afcribed to any one of them*
may with equal Propriety, be afcribed to any
other of them, for although their particular
Operations, Acts or Effects, be very different,
yet no one of them could be performed or
produced, without the joint Co-operation of
the whole three.
By this fenfible Pveprefentation, which God
hath been gracioufly pleafed to make of him-
felf, as Jehovah, E/ohim, by the material and
vifible Heaven?, we may form a molt clear
juit and true, and fpiritually beneficial Notion
or Conception of the divine Trinity in Unity
as it is fet forth in the holy Scriptures, which
is the only Trinity, by the Belief of which
we can be fanctified or any other Way fpiritu-
ally benefited. But by this fenfible Reprefen-
tation which God hath made of himfelf, we
are not enabled to form fuch an incomprehen-'
fible, and inconfiitent and contradictory Notion
of the co-eternal and co-effential, and in every
refpect, co-equal Perfons in the one Jehovah,
as I have before mentioned, and which hath
been too long and too often taught and incul-
cated, not only in all the falfe and corrupted
Churches that go under the general Chrillian
Denomination, but by the Generality of the
JVlinifters of a true, and the beft reformed
Epifcopal, and therefore Apoftolical Church
in the World, who have not taken the Re-
prefentation which God hath been gracioufly
pleafed to make of himfelf, for their Guide;
To
Of the Divine Trinity. 233
To the great Detriment and Decay of all true
and divinely revealed, and fandifying and
faving, fpiritual and fcriptural Religion.
By this fenfible Reprefentation which God
hath been mod gracioully pleafed to make of
himfelf as Jehovah Ehhimy by the material and
vifible Heavens, we may mofl clearly per-
ceive,
Firfly That the three co-eternal Perfons in
the divine Trinity, are all co-efTential or con-
fubftantial, as the Fire, Light, and Spirit in
the material and vifible Heavens have been
(hewn to be, and that they do not differ
effentially, but only in their States, and Forms
and Motions, and Manners of operating or
a&ing both in the natural and material, and
in the fpiritual or moral Worlds.
Secondly^ That thefe co-eternal and co-
effential, and confubftantial Perfons in the
divine Trinity, are co-eternal in refpedl of their
Effence, and contemporary in refpecft of their
different States, Forms, Motions and Opera-
tions, as hath been fhewn to be true in the
material and vifible Heavens, by which they
have been gracioully pleafed fenfibly to fignify
and reprefent themfelves.
"Thirdly. That although the divine co-eter-
nal and co-effential, and in refpedl of his
Form, &c. co-temporary Perfon diftinguifhed
by the Name of the Father in the divine Tri-
nity 5 and the divine co-eternal and co-efTen-
tial, and in refpeft of his Form, &c. co-
tern-
*34 Of &e Divine Trinity: 1
temporary Perfon diflinguifhed by the Name
of the Word or Son, in the divine Trinity;
and the divine co-eternal and co-effential, and
in refpeft of his Form, &c. co-temporary
Perfon diflinguifhed by the Name of the
holy Spirit in that divine Trinity, be three
different and mod clearly and conceivably
diftintt divine Agents, all adting in different
Manners for the Produ&ion of every Effedt
produced by any one of them, as is evident
by the material and vifible Heavens by which
they are fenfibly reprefented to us, and that
therefore every one of them, as being a dif-
tinfl: divine Agent, may with great Propriety
be called God ; yet as no one of them can
aft or perform any Operation, or produce
any Adl or Effed whatfoever, unlefs all the
three concur and co-operate at the fame time
together with him in the Production of it,
as mofl evidently appears by the fenfible Re-
prefentation which God hath been gracioufly
pleafed to make of himfelf, that we might be
thereby enabled to form a jufl and true No-
tion or Conception of him, with refpeft to
his Manner of fubfifling in a Plurality of
divine Perfons in the Unity of the one Jeho-
vah or divine EiTence, and of his Manner of
operating or a&ing in a Plurality in Unity, both
in the natural or material, and in the fpiritual
or moral Worlds, (for we cannot, as I have
before obferved, and will under the Article
or Word Man mofl demonflratively fhew,
poffibly
Of the Divine Trinity. 23 J
pofilbly form any juft or true Notion of God,
or of any other fpiritual and fenfibly imper-
ceptible Thing, State, or Action, by any
other Means than by the Help of the fenfi-
ble Reprefentations which God hath been
gracioufly pleafed to make of them to us,
in his divinely revealed, and holy, and de-
monftratively true Word.) Therefore no one
of them can be called God in a Senfe exclu-
fively of the other two, but every one of
them may be called God, as operating in a
different Manner in Conjunction with the
other two ; fo that a Plurality of Perfons in
the one Jehovah, do not infer or imply a
Plurality of Gods.
Fourthly, That when any Acl: is afcribed
to the Perfon diftinguifhed by the Name of
the Father in the divine Trinity, as the Adts
of Creation and Generation, as when it is
faid, that God the Father created and made
the World, and that he is the Father of all
Things, and of our Lord Jefus Chrift. The
Word Father, in thofe Cafes, is not to be
underftood of the fingular and particular Per*
fon diftinguifhed by the Name of the Father
in the divine Trinity, (in order to fhew the
real perfonal Diftinction) but of the Plurality
of the whole three Perfons in the divine
Trinity, who, in Co-operation together, cre-
ated all Things vifible and inviiible, and who
together are the Father of our Lord Jefus
Chrijiy and in Unity with him of all Man-
kind,
236 Of the Divine Trinity.
kind, and of all Things. And fo when Illu-
mination, or the Ads of enlightening and
enlivening, are afcribed to the co-eternal and
co-effential Perfon diftinguifhed by the Name
of the Son in the divine Trinity. The Word
Son, is not in fuch Cafes to be underftood
of the Son Angularly and perfonally taken,
but of him co-operating together with the
other two divine Perfons, and therefore of
the whole Trinity in effential Unity co- ope-
rating together in thofe Afts of enlivening
Illuminations. And likewife when the A<fts
of confirming and ftrengthening are afcribed
to the Perfon - diftinguifhed by the Name of
the holy Spirit in the divine Trinity, the
holy Spirit in fuch Cafes, is not to be taken
in a Angular and perfonal- Senfe, and exclu-
sively of the other two, but of that Perfon's
co-operating with the other two, and there-
fore of the whole Trinity. So that whatever
Aft or Eifeft is afcribed to any one of the
Perfons of the divine Trinity, may with
equal Propriety be afcribed to either of the
other two, becaufe it could not poffibly be
produced if they did not aft as different
Agents afting after different Manners, and
altogether at the Time in order to its Pro-
duction .
" All thefe Things are moft evident and
clearly conceivable Truths, by Means of the
fcnfible Reprefentation that God hath beea
gracioufly pleafed to make of himfelf by the
material
Of the Divine Trinity. 237
material and vifible Heavens; wherein we
may obferve, that the Fire by which the
divine Perfon diftinguilhed by the Name of
the Father, is fenfibly fignified and repre-
fented, who is alfo called Love, 1 John
iv. 8. which is reprefented by that Fire
fending forth enlightening, and enlivening,
and cherifhing Light every Way round about
it from cne End of the Heavens to the other,
could not poffibly burn nor lend forth the
enlivening Light, if it was not continually
fed by the material Spirit or Darknefs in
Motion, which is of the fame Subftance
with itfelf, and by which the divine Spirit is
fenfibly fignified and reprefented. And that
material Spirit could neither be continued in
Motion nor combine together, confirm and
ftrengthen all Syftems in the natural or ma-
terial World, nor feed nor keep continually
burning that Fire in the Heart or Center of
the Heavens, if that Light of the fame Sub-
ftance with itfelf, and with the Fire from
which it iffues, and by which the divine Per-
fon called the Son or Word in the divine
Trinity, is fenfibly fignified and reprefented,
and by which all Syftems in the natural or
material World are enlightened, and enliven-
ed, and cherifhed, and fo moved by it, as
to anlvver the Ends for which they were all
defigned and created, did not continually
become Spirit at the Circumference of the
Heavens, and fo feed and continue that Spirit
or
«38 Of the Divine Trinity.
or Darknefs in Motion by which the Fire i*
continually fed and enabled to fend forth and
continue that Light ; and that it is by their
inflrumental and neceffary Co-operation toge-
ther, that all Motions are continued, and all
Effects are inftrumentally produced in the
natural or material World.
And as it molt clearly and evidently appears
by this fenfible Reprefentation which God
hath been gracioufly pleafed to make of him-
felf to Mankind by the material and vifible
Heavens, in order to enable us thereby to
form a jufl and true, and fpiritually profita-
ble, although not an adequate, Notion of
his Omnipotence and Manner of fubfifting
in a Plurality of three intelligent and free
Agents, or Perfons in the one Jehovah or
divine Effence, and of his Manner of operat-
ing or acting in Plurality in efiential Unity
both in the natural or material, and in the
fpiritual or moral Worlds. That the three
Perfons in the divine Trinity are all co- efien-
tial or confubftantial ; and although they are
co-eternal in refpect of their Effence or Sub-
flance, yet they are all co-temporary in re-
fpect of their Forms and perfonal Exigence ;
and all co-equal in all divine Powers and
Perfections, and no one of them prior or
poflerior, or greater, or lefs than another;
and that no one of them can move or act, or
produce any Effect, unlefs they all move and
co-operate together in different Ways and
Manners
Of the Divine Trinity* 239
Manners at the fame Time, in order to its*
Production : And that although every Effect
produced by any one of them, may with
equal Propriety be afcribed to any other of
them, becaufe the different Operations of
every one of them are indifpenfably neceffary
for the Production of every Effect produced
by any one of them either in the natural or
fpiritual Worlds. Therefore when any thing
is faid to be done in either World by God
the Father, it is not fo to be underftood as
if it was done by the fingle Perfon diftin-
guifhed by the Name of the Father in the
divine Trinity, exclusively of the other two
Perfons, but by that Perfon in Co-operation
with the other two Perfons, and therefore
by the whole Trinity of divine Perfons, who
taken conjunctively, are the heavenly Father
by whom all Things were created and made,
and by whom they are all fuftained and con-
tinued in Being. And fo when any thing isi
faid to be done in either World by God the
Son, or Gad the Holy Ghoft, it is not to be
underftood as if it was done by either of the
fingle Perfons diftinguifhed by the Names of
the Word or Son, or Holy Ghoft in the di-
vine Trinity, exclufively of the other two
Perfons ; but of each of thefe Perfons in Co-
operation with the other two, for the Pro-
duction of every Effect afcribed to them, and
fo of the whole divine Trinity, by whom all
Things in either World aje done.
And
24^ Of fhe Divine Trinity*.
And as by the attentive Confideration of
this fenfible Reprefentation which God hath
been gracioufly pleafed to make of himfelf
by the material and vifible Heavens, in and
by his divinely revealed Word, we are enabled
to form as clear a Notion or Conception of
the divine Trinity of Perfons in the Unity of
the one Jehovah or divine Eflence, as we are
of any mod clear and fenfibly evident Truths
in the natural or material World j fo we may
no lefs clearly perceive how fome Periona
have been led into incomprehenfible, and
unintelligible, and inconfiflent, and incredi*
ble Imaginations concerning the divine Tri-
nity in Unity ; and Multitudes of others into
Difbelief and a Denial of the Truth of it,
(which is fo neceffary to be believed in order
to Sanftification, Salvation, and eternal Life,
as it (hews the firft Inftance of God's great
and wonderful fatherly Love manifefted to
all Mankind, by which we are moved to
love him with all our Hearts, and to mew
our Love by our Obedience to his moil: per-
fect, and only perfect, and perfectly purify-
ing Law) by their not having duly con fidered
either the Declarations or the Reprefentations
which God hath been pleafed to make of
himfelf in his divinely revealed Word.
They who afliimed to themfelves the Title
of the Orthodox, by confidering and attend-
ing to the Declaration* which God had fo
frequently made of himfelf in his divinely re-
vealed
Of the Divine TftiNiTT. 241
vealed Word, have in general Terms afferted*
the true Doctrine of the divine Trinity of
Perfons in the Unity of the one yehovah, or
divine Eflence j but by their having overlooked
and difregarded the feniible Reprefentation
which God had made of himfelf by the ma-
terial and vifible Heavens j and by giving
themfclves up to their own groundlefs Ima-
ginations concerning God, when they came
to explain the Doctrine of the divine Trinity,
which they had ftrenuoufly afferted, they
fpoke fo confufedly and incomprehenfibly,
and inconfiftently and incredibly about it,
that no Perfon could underftand or believe
what they faid or wrote concerning it ; and
fome who pretended to underftand them,
plainly perceiving, that they afferted the in—
confiftent and incredible Doctrine of three
diftinct and different, and in every reipect co-
equal and co-ordinate Gods, which they
could not believe ; and perceiving, that the.
Doctrine which thefe pretended Orthodox
taught, was clearly and undeniably con-
tained and fet forth in the holy Scriptures,
which they called the divinely revealed Word
of God (as they really and truly are) and
from one End of them to the other, they
not only difbelieved and denied the Truth of
that Doctrine, but the Truth and divine
Authority of thofe holy Scriptures which fo
clearly fet it forth, and together with the
holy Scriptures, all divine Revelation ; and
R therc-f
242 Of the Divine Trinity.
thereupon declared themfelves (bat very im-
properly) DfiftS) and Advocates for the Self-
Sufficiency of the Light and Law of Nature,
(u e.) of that Knowledge which they obtain
by Means of their bodily Senfes and Appe-
tites, or Lufts, and which they call natural
Religion, for the Attainment of Happinefs,
both temporal and cverlafting. I have faid
thefe Rejectors of divine Revelation, and of
divinely revealed Religion, have very impro-
perly called themfelves Deifts or Theifb, be-
caufe I have demonstratively fhewn under the
Article or Word Man, that no Man by the
meer Light of Nature, (which is no other
than the Light of the material Air which
flows from the Sun, and by which only ma-
terial and fenfibly perceptible Things can be
difcerned ; and the natural Knowledge that is
obtained by that natural or material Light,
and by the Reports of the bodily Organs of
Scnfation) and by the Law of Nature, (which
is no other than the Dictates of the bodily
Appetites or Luffs) and without a divine Re-
velation, could have ever known, that there
was a God, or any other fpiritual Being,
State or A&ion, any more than Brutes, aXoya,
Exx, irrational Animals, without the divinely
revealed Light of the Word, by which and
by which only, fpiritual and fenfibly imper-
ceptible Things, States and Actions can be
difcerned, and which only is the right Rea-
fonj
Of the Divine Trinitv. 243
fon, to whofe Truth and Righteoufnefs, the
Reafbn of Thirrjs always bears Teilimony.
And others, making the fame Obietvations
upon the incomprehensible and unintelligible,
and inconfiftent incredible Accounts, which
the reputed Orthodox (by their having over-
looked the fenfible Reprelentation which God
had made of himfeif in his revealed Word)
had given of the divine Trinity, which led to
the Belief of three co-ordinate, and in every
Refpect co-equal, and differently and inde-
pendently operating or acting Godsj and to
the Belief, that one of thefe Gods was unbe-
gotten, and another of them was begotten,
and that another of them was neither un be-
gotten nor begotten, but proceeded from the
other two -y and fo to the Belief of incompre-
henfible and unintelligible eternal Genera-
tions and ProcefTions, exprefly and very juftly
denied the Truth of a divine Trinity id Uni-
ty, as taught by the reputed Orthodox, and
aiferted, that God was one Perfon only; and
finding themfelves unable to deny the Truth
and divine Authority of the holy Scriptures,
which could be fo clearly and demonftrative-
ly proved, and which fo clearly aflerted a
Trinity of divine co-eternal and co-effentia^
and in every Refpect co equal Perfons in the
one Jehovah, or divine Eliencej-but could
not conceive the Truth of thefe divine and
fcriptural Declarations, by their having over-
looked that divine Representation which God
K a had
244 Of the Divine Trinity.
had been molt gracioufly pleafcd to make of
himfeif, by which the Truth of his Declara-
tions would have been rendered as clearly
conceivable, as any fenfibly evident Truth in
the natural or material World is or can be ;
and that there are three divine Perfons in the
one J:hsvahy or divine Eilence, and that
thefe three together are but one God, and
that if there were not three Perfons in the
one Jehovah, there neither would nor could
be any God. They, for the aforementioned
Reafon, would not deny either the Truth or
divine Authority of the holy Scriptures, or
the Neceffity of a divine Revelation, as the
Deifts have done; but inftead of fuch Deni-
al, they laid themfelvss out to corrupt feme
of thofe Texts of Scripture, wherein the di-
vine Trinity in Unity is clearly afferted, by
altering; them : and to omit the inferring of
others of them into their Manufcripts of the
holy Scriptures, which they copied ; and to
afcribe different Senfes or Meanings- to the
reft of them, and fuch as they imagined
would favour and iupport their unitarian
Doctrine, which directly lead to the Difbe-
lief of the Exigence of any God : For, as I
have before obierved, it is evident from the
fenfible Reprefentation that God hath made
of himfeif, that if Jehovah had not become
Elobim, or three Perfons, there would have
been no God; and by this Reprefentation,
the Truth of all God's fcfiptural Declarations
con-
i Of the Divine Trinity. 245
concerning his Plurality in Unity, is moil
clearly and conceivably veiified; and all La-
bour and Artifice which have been ufed by
wicked and impious Perfons, to corrupt the
holy Scriptures, by Alteraiions, or interpola-
tions of Words or Letters into the Text; or
by affixing different Interpretations, Senfes
and Meanings to them, have been rendered
vain and ineffectual. Neither have they fuc-
ceeded better, in their leaving feme Texts out
of their Manufcripts of the holy Scriptures
which they have copied, and which are pre-
ferved in others, and if they had not been fo
preferved by the over- ruling WifJom and
Goodnefs of God, the Doctrine is fo clearly
fct forth and reprefented from one End of die
holy Scriptures to the other, that if many more
of thofe Texts of the holy Scriptures had been
fubftracted, by Defalcations of impious and
wicked Men, a fufficient Number would have
remained, to have pointed out the Truth, fo
clearly manifefled by the fenfible and celeflial
Reprefentation, which thefe Corrupters and
Mil-interpreters of the holy Scriptures, having
overlooked, and therefore left uncorrupted,
have thereby left a Memorial by which all
their wicked Artifices, hitherto ufed, have
been, and by which all that they will ever be
able to ufe hereafter, will be effectually over-
thrown. By the Corrupters and Mif-inter-
pretersofthe holy Scriptures, with re/peel to
the Doctrine of the divine Trinity inUniiy, I
R 3 mean
246 Of the Divine Trinity.
mean the antient Arians and Sabellians, and
the Revivers of the Sabellian Doctrine the
Socinians, who by their inconfiderate and
wicked Endeavours to cftablifh their unlaw-
ful Doctrine, attempt to lead thofe who blind-
ly follow them to believe there is really no
God, whiifr they pretend to teach there is
but one God, by which they mean but one
Perfon or intelligent Agent; whereas it is a
Truth mofr evident by the fenfible Reprefen -
tation which God hath been gracioufly plcafed
to make of himfelf, that if Jehovah did not
become and fubfift in three Perfon?, there
neither would nor could be any God, as I
have before obferved; and of him as Jehovah
we ought not to prefume to form any con-
J'ectural Notions, or to fpeak or think, as how
le who is felf-fufficient and therefore perfect-
ly happy in himfelf, employed himfelf from
all Eternity, lead we fhould think or fpeak
amifs by Reafonof Darknefs, becaufe we can
know nothing of him, but what he hath pleaf-
cd by the Revelations and Reprefen tation s
which he hath been gracioufly pleafed to
make of himfelf to us, in and by his holy and
divinely revealed Word to make known to
us, and he hath pleafed neither to reveal nor
reprefent any Thing to us concerning himfelf,
as Jchovab, bat his Exiftence, which he hath
been gracioufly pleafed to reveal and reprefent
to us concerning himfelf, as Jehovah, Elohiw,
being fufficient, for fpiiitually difpofing, and
per*
Of the Divine Trinity. 247
perfectly enabling and powerfully moving us,
to believe and do every Thing ncceflary to be
bslieved and done by us, in order to our Sane-
tification and Salvation, from Sin, Evil or
Wickednefs in this World % and for our fure
Attainment of true and rational Happinefs,
narural and fpiritual, and temporal and ever-
lading, both in this and the next, and with
this we ought to reft fatisfied, and be humble
and thankful, left by our prefumptuous and
impertinent and unprofitable Curiofuy, we be
led into dangerous and deftruclive Error.
And the modern Refiners upon Arianifm
and Socinianifrn who ftarted up among us^
and made a Noife for a while, and who were
encouraged by Perfons in high Stations, by
obfervingas the Ariansand Socinians and Deifts
before them had done, the Unintelligiblenefs
and Inconfiftency and Incredibility, of the
divine Trinitarian Doctrine, as taught and
explained by the reputed Orthodox, which
led (if it led to the Belief of any Thing) to
the Belief of three co-ordinate, and in every
refpeft, co-equal and independent Gods, and
to the Belief of inconceivable and inconiiftent
eternal Generations and Precefiions, and hav-
ing overlooked the fenfible Reprefentation by
which God had been gracioufly pleafed fenfi-
bly to fignify and reprefent himfelf to Man-
kind, as the reputed Orthodox, and Arians,
and Socinians, and Deifts before them had
done, by which they would all have been
R 4 pre-
248 Of the Divine Trinity*
preferved from the different and dangerous
and everlafling destructive Errors into which
every Seel of them fell. Thefe laft to avoid the
Errors of thofe who had unfuccefs fully at-
tempted to pervert Mankind by Doctrines
which they perceived to be manifefily falfe
and antifciiptural before them, by their not
attending to the Reprefentation which God
had been gracioufly pleafed to make of him-
felf, by which they would have been enabled
to have contributed to the Converiion of thofe
whom they obferved to have fallen into diffe-
rent, but all equally deftructive and damnable
Errors, and alfo to have preferved them (elves
from the different, but no lefs impious and
wicked Error into which they themf elves fell ;
they deviled a new Doctrine, different in-
deed from, but not lefs deftructive than any
of thofe which they attempted to extirpate
out of the Minds of Men, (viz.) the Doc-
trine of three, not co-eternal and co-effential,
and independent, and in every refpecr, co-
equal Gods; but of three Gods, of whom one
is eternal, and fupreme and independent, and
neceffiry and felf-exifling ; and the other
two temporary and fubordinate, or inferior,
and altogether dependent upon that Perfon
they call the fupreme God, for their Exig-
ence, and all their Powers and Perfections.
And upon this fandy Foundation, they built
the Doctrine of two or three Kinds of divine
Worfhip, (viz.) of fupreme Worlhip, which
U
Of the Divine Trinity. 249
is only to be fitid to the one eternal, fnpreme
and living God; and of inferior Worfhip,
which they fay, is to be paid to the two inferior
Gods, which they invented and fet up.
By this foolifh Superflructure of two Kinds
of Worfhip, which they built, upon the fan-
dy Foundation of, fuperior and inferior Gods,
they plainly fbewed that they had not duly
confidered, and therefore did not underftand
or know what true divine Worfhio is, or
A. '
what it conlifts in, or what is the true and
only End for which it was required and in-
flituted by God, to be paid by Men. I have
in another Part of my Apology, for the one
and only true fan&ifying and faving and fpi-
ritual and fcriptural and Chriftian Religion,
fhewn that true divine Worfhip is either in-
ward and fpiritual, or outward and bodily
Worfliip. And that the true inward and
fpiritual Worfhip confifts in the fincere and
true Belief of the Being of one true living
and eternal, and perfectly wife and good God,
the Father and Sender of our Lord Jefus
Chrifl ; and of all his divinely revealed Per-
fections : And in Perfeverance in perfect Obe-
dience to his moft perfect and only perfect
and perfectly purifying fpiritual and fcriptural
and divinely revealed Law. And that all
true outward and bodily Worfhip confifts, in
an attentive Obfervance of all thofe ritual
Ordinances, fuch as Prayer, Praife, and
Tbankfgiving, &c> whether publick or pri-
vate.
2jo Oj the Divine Trinity.
vate, which God hath appointed to be ob-
ferved, and for no other Reafon but for putting
and keeping us perpetually in Mind of him,
and of the fanctifying and faving Faith and
Law, which he hath been gracioufly pleafed
to reveal and fo make known to us; and of
the indifpenfable Neceffity of perfevering in
the iincere and true Belief of the one, and in
perfect Obedience to the other, in order to
Sancli heat ion and Salvation, and eternal Life.
So that Gcd did not appoint any Kind of
Worfhip, either fpiriiual or bodily and ritual,
private or publick, for his own Sake, but al-
together for ours, and that we might be ipi-
ritually benefited thereby. And as we cannot
be fpiritually or any other wife benefited, by
any other Kind of Worfhip than that of a
fincere and true Faith, in the one and only,
and living and eternal God, and of Obedience
to his perfect and purifying Law ; and that of
attentive Obfervance of his divinely inftituted
Ordinances for putting and keeping us continu-
ally in Mind ot the Faith and Law, therefore
there cannot pofiibly be any fuch different
Kinds of fuperior and inferior Worfhip, as
thefe Novellills have endeavoured to perfuade
Mankind wickedly and impioufly and un-
proiitably to pradtice.
Nothing more is necefTary to be done by
the Teachers and carneft Defenders of the
one and only true, fandtifying and faving, and
fpiriiual and fcriplural, and divinely revealed,
and
Of the Divine Trinity. 251
and Chriflian Religion that ever was, or is, or
ever will, or can be in the World, than to fet
it forth in a pure true and unmixed fcriptural
Light before diem, in order to confirm and
eftablifh them in the fincere and true Belief of
it, and in perfect Obedience to it ; and for
enabling them to difcover the Folly and Falf-
hood, and Impiety and wicked and everlaftin^-
ingly deftructive Tendency of all the corrupt-
ed and falie Religions that have ever been in
the Worid, and to difcover their Fallacy, and
their Wicked nefi, and the everlafting miferable
End to which they neceffarily lead all thofe
who believe their Doctrine and obey their
Precepts, and thereby to preferve themfelves
from being corrupted by them. It was bv
that Consideration that I was moved to draw
up in order to publifh my Apology for the
one and only true, tyc\ Religion in general,
which is now prepared and ready for the
Prefs, wherein I have fet forth the few Arti-
cles of Faith, and the few Precepts which
comprehend the whole of it in fo clear
and fcriptural a Light that every Reader may
plainly and readily perceive, the demonftra-
tive Truth of every one of the particular
diftinguifhing Doctrines or Articles of Faith ;
and the Perfection and perfect Righteoufrefs
of every one of its Precepts, and the necel-
fary Tendency of the fincere and true Belief
of the one, and of Obedience to the other,
to qualify Mankind, for Salvation by Faith
and Sanctification 3 and for the Enjoyment
and
z52 Of $e Divine Trinity.
and confequently for the fure Attainment o*
true and rational, and natural and fpiritual
Happinefs, both temporal and everlasting.
And it was by the fame Consideration that I
was moved to fct forth this long controverted
particular Article of the divine Trinity in
Unity, in its moil clear and fcriprural Light,
by fetting forth that mod clear and fenfible
Reprefentation which God hath been mod
gracioufly pleafcd to make of himfclf, in thofe
holy Scriptures, his divinely revealed Word,
that Mankind might thereby clearly perceive
the Truth of that Doctrine, and the Profita-
blenefs, and therefore the Neceflity of fincere-
Jy believing it, and that there might for the
Time to come, be no Contefl or Controverfy
about it.
This Controverfy was firfl; brought into
the Chriftian Church, by Perfons prejudiced
by Principles of falfe Philofophy by which
they had been tainted, and it was cuftomary
with fuch Converts to Chrillianity to attempt
to wreil and pervert the Senie and Meaning
of the holy Scripture?, in order to reconcile
them to their philofophic Errors, inilead of
correcting the Errors they had embraced by
the plain and evident Truths of the holy
Scriptures. But it muft be acknowledged,
that when Arianifm began to be publickly
protefled, and the Doctrine of the divine
Trinity in Unity, to be openly attacked and
denied, that the warm but weak Attempts
which
Of the Divine Trinity. 253
which the reputed Orthodox made for the
Support and Defence of that fcriptural and
fell-evidently true Doctrine of the divine
Trinity in Unity -, and the perplexed and
incomprehensible and inconiiftent and unin-
telligible Explications which they published
concerning it, by their having fet forth the
plain and clear Declarations of it, but at the
fame time overlooking and neglecting to fet
forth that fenfible Reprefentation which God
had been gracioufly pleafed to make of him-
felf in thofe holy Scriptures, by which the
Doctrine of the divine Trinity in Unity would
have been fhewn to be a fenfibly, and there-
fore a ieif-evident Truth, and without which
the Truth of the fcriptural Declarations con-
cerning it could not poilibly be fhewn ; have
greatly contributed to the Continuance of
Multitudes, in the Belief cf the impious and
wicked Doctrines of the Arians and Sabellians,
and to the great Increafe of the Numbers of
Converts to their Osinions. And to the Con-
tinuance of this Overfight and Neglect: of the
reputed Orthodox, may be afcribed not only
the Rife and Continuance of the no lefs im-
pious and wicked Doctrines of the Socinians,
and of the late modern Refiners upon them
and the Arians ; but alfo in a great Meafure,
the Rife and Growth of Deifmj by which
Mankind are taught to hope and reft afTured
of Salvation and endlefs Happinefs in the next
World, by living flrictly according to the
Law
254 Of the Divine Trinity.
Law of their Nature, (/. e.) according to the
Dictates of their refpective predominant bodily
Lulls whilft they continue in this.
Thus we may fee what evil Confequences
have attended this Overfight and Neglect of
the reputed Orthodox, who by their having
overlooked the feniible Representation which
God had been gracioufly pleafed to make of
himfelf, thereby rendered themfelves unable
to diftinguifh between the different Senfes of
the Word Father, which occur in the holy
Scriptures, where it is fometimes taken Angu-
larly for the tingle Perfon diftinguithed by the
Name of the Father in the divine Trinity ;
and fometimes conjunctively and collectively
for the whole three Perfons in the divine
Trinity, who taken together are the Father of
our Lord Jefus Chrift, and together with him
of all Mankind, and the Creator, Former and
Maker, and Preferver and Suftainer of all
Things. And by their overlooking thisDiftinc-
tion alfo, which is fo clearly fct forth in the
holy Scriptures, they have appropriated certain
Actions to the (ingle Perfon diitinguifhed by
the Name of the Father, and to him only,
which he performs as God, independently
of the other two, (viz.) the Son and holy
Ghoit, which according to the icriptural
Declaration and Representation are and ought
to be alcribed to the whole three Perfons in
the divine Trinity, who neither can. do, nor
can act in any Cafe, oiherwife than in joint
Co*
Of the Divine Trinity. 255
Co-operation together. And by their having
negle&ed to dirtinguifh between the co-eternal
and therefore unbegotten, and co-effential, and
in every refpect, co-equal Perfon diftinguifhed
by the Name of the Son in the divine Trinity;
and the only begotten Son of God the Father,
(/. e.) of the whole divine Trinity, the Father
of the Man Chri/i Jefus^ whom they have
moil intimatriy united to the co-eternal and
co-effential Perfon called the Son, and made
one together with him, and both together
God, to whom they have afcribed and appro-
priated other Aclions, which are only per-
formable by this God the Son, independent of
the Perfons called the Father and holy Spirit.
And by their having overlooked and neglected
to diftinguifh between the co-eternal and co-
effential, and in every refpeel co-equal holy
Spirit, and the holy ian&ifying and faving
Spirit of Faith, which proceedeth from the
Father, {i.e.) the whole Trinity, and from
or by the only begotten Son J<fus Cbrifi ;
and by having appropriated other Actions to
this holy Spirit, as peculiar to him, and only
performabie by him, and by him independent-
ly of the Perfons called the Father and the
Son, they have rendered the Diviuity of the
Man Jejits Chri/i the only begotten Son of
God, as incomprehenfible and uninelligible
as the Doctrine of the divine Trinity in Unity,
and the one as well as the other hath been
openly difavowed and denied by the Arians
and
256 Of the Divine Trinity.
and Socinians and Deifts and as effectually by
the late modern Refiners upon Arianifm,
Socinianifm and Deifm, who have made him
and the holy Ghoft, fubaltern or inferior
Gods. And as it is a Point of no lefs Impor-
tance, for the Sandtification and Salvation of
Mankind, to be truly informed concerning
Truth and Reality of the Divinity of J ejus
Gbrifi% than concerning the Truth of the
divine Trinity in effential Unity. I (hall
therefore proceed to mew from the holy
Scriptures, that although J ejus Chriji neither
ever was, nor is one of the Perfons in the
divine Trinity, yet he is truly God as well
as truly Man, and being mo ft intimately u-
nited to and with God, (/. e, to the whole
divine Trinity) God or the whole divine
Trinity dwelling, acting or operating in him,
and he in them, and thereby having the
whole Fulnefs of the Godhead dwelling in
him, thereby became Immanuel God with us,,
and the true God bleffed for ever and ever.
And I mall firft obferve a few Things of
him as he was Man. It being faid of him, i
Tim. ii. 5. For there is one God7 and one
Mediator between God and Man% the Man
Chrift Jefus, And God f peaking of him as-
Man, and as his Son that was to be begotten
of him, calls him, Gen, Hi. 15. The Seed of
the Womanx who was to bruife the Serpent's
Head, and who as Man was to be bruiied
and put to Death by the Seed of the Serpent.
And in Con'lcqucndc of9 and Conformity to,
this
Of the Divinity of Jefus Chrift. 257
this moft fure Word of Promife and Prophecy,
which God made to our firit Parents, con-
cerning his fending him and his coming, and
his Death, and upon which all the Predictions
of the Prophets in their different Ages, were
founded, they all fpoke and fet forth, the
different particular Marks and diftinguiming
Chara&eriftics, by which he might be per-
fectly diftinguifhed and known to be the pro-
mifed Mefliah, and the long expected, and
moll eariu illy defired and wimed-for Savi-
our and Redeemer of the World, whenever
it fhould pleaie God his heavenly Father,
(i. e.) the whole Trinity in Unity, to fend
him into the World in the Fulnefs of Time
when and where fome o! thole Prophecies
were, and all the reft of them were to be
fulfilled, as they were by their Accomplifh-
ment and perfect Complexion in him. And
accordingly the holy Prophets, the extraor-
dinary Meffengers and Monitors of God to his
Church, (who were the only Perfons who
would fufYer the Minifters of God to declare
his Word to them, although he often co-
operated with them by Miracles and won-
derful Works, to prove their divine Lega-
tion, and to encourage Mankind to hearken
to them, and to believe their Words, which
always carried mod clear Evidence for their
Truth and Righteoufnels along with them,
founded upon the unqueilionable perfedt
Wiidom and Goodnefs of God) foretold,
S that
258 Of the Divinity oj Jems Chrift.
that Jefus, the promifed Mejjiah and Son of
God, as Man, would be born of pure Vir-
gin, unknown by Man, and therefore would
be the begotten Son of God \ and that he
would be that Seed of Abraham by whom
all the World would be bleff d, and that he
would defcend from the Tribe of Judith,
and Houfe of David, of whole Lineage both
the Virgin Mary, his real Mother, and Jo-
jeph his reputed Father were : And that he
would be born in Bethlehem, when the fu-
preme Power would be taken out of the
Hands of the Jews, and whilft the fecond
Temple was Handing ; together with all the
Circum (lances that attends his Birth, and gave
an Account of his Life and wonderful Works,
and of his Decline, and of the remarkable
Circumftances that preceded and accompa-
nied, and followed his Death, and of his
Burial and Refurrection, and Afcenfion, and
of the Defcent of the Holy Ghoft. And as
Man, he acknowledged himfelfto have been
before Abraham, John viii. 58. And his
holy Apoftle and Evangelift, 1 John i. 1.
faith, That (the Man Chrijl Jefns) the Word
was in the Beginning, (i. e. in Jehovah, the
Head and firil Origin or Four. tain of all
Being) and the V/orci worn with Goa^ and that
ike V/ord was Gcd, and that ail J hi tigs were
made by him, jo that without him was not
any T$ting made that was made. And to
the fame Purpoic, and to flrew that lie as
exiiled
Of the Divinity of Jefus Chrift. 259
exifted before all other Creatures, St. Paul, Colof*
i, 1 c, &c. calls him, The Image of the invi*
Jible God, the fir ft born cf every Creature,
vrpuTOTox®>9 produced into Being before every
other Creature, and gives this Reafon for
faying fo, Becaufe all 'Things were created by
him that are in Heaven, and that are in
Earth, vifible and invijible ; and that they
were created by, or becauje of him ; and there-
fore he is the Heit of all Things, as he is
called, Heb. i. 2. And St. Paul exprefsly
fays*, Colo/, i. 17. That he is before all Things,
and that all Things have confifted by him*
And to the fame Purpofe the Author to the
Hebrews fpeaks, iv. 15. That although he
was tempted in all Points like as we are, yet
he was without Sin ; by which it appears
that he exifled before Adam, and that he
never was in the Loins of Adam, for all that
were in the Loins of Adam, were tainted a*id
corrupted by Luft, and thereby became ftrong-»
ly inclined to Lull;, and confequently to Sin,
by the Corruption of their Nature, by their
being all Partakers of the Nature of Adam,
who flittered Lnft to take Pofleffiori of his
Nature, by which his Spirit alio became cor-
rupted, or ftrongly inclined to Luft, when
all Mankind actually exifted in him in a fe-
minal State. By this moft plain and clear
fcriptural Account, which is verified by the
flrong natural Propenfity that is obiervablo
in all Mankind to one or oth^r of the three
S 2 great
260 Of the Divinity of Jefus Chrift.
great cardinal Lulls of the Flefh, the World
or Pride by which they are moved to all the
Wickednefs they commit in the World, (and
which cannot be fuppofed to have been in
Man in the original State in which he wis
created, for the holy Scriptures tells us, EccL
vii. 92. That God made Man Upright. And
it is inconfiftent with the Belief of the per-
fect Wifdom and Good of God, which is
felf-evident by all his Words and Works,
and Difpenfations to, and Dealings with Man-
kind, and all his holy Ordinances, which
.were difpenfed for preferving them in that
happy State in which they were created in
the Image and Likenefs of God, and for
refcuing and delivering them from that un-
happy State into which they had fallen, by
• hearkening to, and believing, and obeying
the Dictates of their bodily Defires, which
are fo apt to become inlatiable and exorbi-
tant, and infatuating Lufts to think other-
wife. Or that he was created with fuch irre-
gular and infatiable Lufts in him.) We may
moil: clearly perceive how all Mankind be-
came fo ftrongly inclined to Sin and Wicked-
nefs; and how the Man Chrijl Jefus, the
only begotten Son of God, although tempted
in all Points like as we are, was yet without
^ Spot or Blemifh of Sin, becaufe he pre-exiiled,
or was produced into Being before all Crea-
tures, and therefore before Adam ; and there-
fore was not in Adam% who fuffered his Na-
ture
Of the Divinity of JcOjs Chrift. 261
Cure to be corrupted ; and therefore was not
by Nature prone, or inclined to Luft or Sin.
And who, when he was fent and came into
the World as Man, by ftedfaftly pcrfevering
in the fincere true Belief of, and in perfect
Obedience to that mod: perfectly purifying
Faith and Law which God, by Revelation,
hath given to all Mankind, preferved him-
felf pure from Luft and Sin, as Adam might
have done had he perfevered in the fincere
and true Belief of that perfectly purifying
divinely revealed Faith or Law.
Having thus from the holy Scriptures, to
whofe Trurh the Reafon of Things bears
Teftimony, let forth all that was neceffary to
be obferved concerning Jefus Cbrift, as he
was perfect Man confifting of a material
Body, and of an immaterial and immortal
Spirit, by whom a molt perfect Pattern of
pure and fpotlefs Innocence, and of univerfal
Benevolence or perfect Charity, and of per-
fect fpiritual Wifdom and Righteoufnefs, was
fet before Mankind, in order to move them
to embrace and fincerely believe the divinely
revealed, purifying, and fpiritually beneficial
Truths which he had declared to them, that
they might be thereby powerfully moved to
follow his Example, and perfevere in perfect
Obedience to the divinely revealed, mod per-
fect and only perfect, and perfectly purifying
Law, that by fo doing they might become truly
S 3 and
262 Of the 'Divinity o/"Jefus Chrift.
and rationally happy both temporally and
cverlaftingly.
I mall now proceed to (hew from the
fame holy Scriptures, to whofe Truth (as I
have before obferved; the Reafon of Things
bears Teflimony, how and in what Refpedt
J ejus C/jriJf, the only begotten Son of God,
was really and truly Gcd, the one true liv-
ing and eternal God, the Creator cf the
Heavens and the Earth, and of all Things
vifible and inviiible, and their Prderver and
Suftainer. That by mewing this to be a
mod clear and undeniable Truth, all Man-
kind may be powerfully moved to believe
him to be in all Relpefts equal with the fu-
prenie eternal and everlafting God, from
whofe Bounty we derive all the good Things
we either enjoy or poffeis, and to worfhip him
as they worlhip the one eternal and living
God 5 and that they may be thereby en-
couraged to Labour, as the Apoftle directs,
Epkfj\ iv. 13. To come in the Unity of the
Faith, and of the Knowledge of the Son of
God, to the Meafure of the Stature of the
fu/ne/s vj Qbrijt% to whom God his Father
(u e. the whole Trinity in eilential Unity) did
not give the Spirit (01 Faith; by Meafure,
John iv. 30.
And in order to this, I judge it necefiary
previoudy to obferve, That the Godhead doth
not confift in the divine Eflence abftracted
from the divine Glory or Goodnefs, which
volun-
Of the Divinity ofjdm Chrift. 263
voluntarily and freely flows from the divine
EfTence. And that therefore, Chrifl did not
become God by his being in the divine Ef-
fence, and by the divine EiTence being in
him 5 for the divine Erfcnce is ommprefer.t
and above all, and through all, and in you all,
Ephef. iv. 6. For in him we live and movey
and have our Being , Acts xvii. 28. The di-
vine EfTence is in every inanimate, vegetable,
and fenfitive or animal, and in every fpiritual
Syftem ; and therefore in the Bodies and Spi-
rits of every Man, as really and truly, as ever
it was or is in the human Body or Spint of
our Lord yefus Chriji ; and they are all as
really and truly in it, and live and move, and-
have their Being in it. And therefore if the
Man Jefus Chrift could be called the true
and living God, by being in the omniprefent
divine EfTence, and by the omniprefent divine
Effence being in him, every Man, nay, every
Thing in the natural or material World,
might for the fame Reafon be called God.
There is a great Difference between the fcrip-
tural Phrafes of being in God, and God in us ;
and of ourdwelling in God and God's dwelling in
us: All Mankind, and the molt impious and
wicked, and diabolical Scelerates amon^ them,
void of all divine Perfections, and all Tilings
in Nature, as well as the moft pure and pi-
ous, and godlike Perfon that ever lived in the
World, may with Truth be faid to be in
God, and Gcd, whofe Elfence is omniprefent,
S 4 to
364 Of the Divinity of Jefus Chrift.
to be eflentially in them, by which they nei-
ther become faithful nor obedient Sons of
God, nor Gods, nor Images nor Liktneffes
of God: Bat they, and they only, can be
truly (aid to dwell in God, and to hive God
dwelling in them, who think, fpeak and act
in him, and he in them, (u e.J they, and
they only, who fincerely believe in him, and
in his divinely -,w- Word, and perfevere
in perfect Obedience to his moft perfect and
perfectly purifying Lawj they who thus be-
lieve and live, may be truly (aid to dwell in
God, and to have God dwelling in them, and
to be one in and with God, and God one in
and with diem ; an< their Minds or Thoughts,
and their V, ill; or Denies, and their Woids
and Aftions may be truly faid to be Gods,
and one and the fame with God's, and God's
Mind and Will, and Words and Actions to
be theirs, being one and the fame with theirs;
and fuch Perfbns, and fuch only; may be
truly faid to be the Image and Likenefs of
God, and to be true, faithful and obedient
Sons of C^d, Sons in a different Senfe of the
Word from that by winch all Creatures may
be called Sons of God ; and to be Gods, as
our balkd Saviour 'ays lome Men were, and
may be truly called Gods, John x. 35. that
is, fuch as Sincerely and truly believed and
obeyed the Word of God which came unto
them : But no Man ever fince the Fall of
our firft Parents, die Man Chrifl Jefus ex-
cepted,
Of ike Divinity of Jefus Chrift. 265
cepted, was ever fo fincere and true a Eeiiever
of God's revealed Word and Law, as that it
could be truly faid of him, that he was one
in and with God, and thai God was one in
and with him; although many of them fince
that Time, have made fuch good Uk of the
Meafure of the divinely revealed and fpiritual
Grace of God, which they were ftill capable
of receiving, as to have thereby faved them-
selves from everlafling Mif .y and to have
qualified themlelves for the Enjoyment ai
lure Attainment of Salvation, and of true and
rational Happinefs, boih temporal and ever-
lading: Whereas the Man Chrift J ejus, tl
only begotten Son of God, who was pro fuc I
into Being before all other Creatures. ar,d
therefore was never in the Loins of Adamt
and whofe Nature was not therefore corrupt-
ed in Adam, fo perfevered in the fincere and
true Belief of, and in perfect Obedience to
the divinely revealed and perfectly pirift ing
Word and Law of God, that he thereby
continued perfectly faithful and pious, and
pure or holy, by which he became the well-
beloved, as well as the only begotten Son of
God ; and was not only enabled to fave him-
felf, and to prepare and qualify himfelf for
the Enjoyment and fure Attainment of true
apd rational Happinefs, both temporal and
everlafting, but to become one in and with
God, and God one in and with him ; fo that
all his Thoughts, Defires, Words and Actions
might
266 0/ the Divinity of Jefus Chrift.
might be truly faid to be God's, and God's
Thoughts, Words and Actions, for the Sanc-
tification and Salvation of all Mankind, might
be truly faid to be his 5 fo that he, together
with God, his heavenly Father, and God, his
heavenly Father, together with him, and
who in mofl intimate Unity with him be-
came Immanuely or our God ; and on Ac-
count of this moft intimate and infeparable
fpiiitual Union, he declares himfelf to be one
in and with God, his Father, and God, his
Father, to be one in and with him, God
faying and doing nothing, but in and by, and
together with the Son, and the Son laying
, ana doing nothing, but in and by, and toge-
ther with the Father, dwelling in him ; and
it is on Account of this moft intimate fpiritual
y Union, by the Spirit of Faith, which he had
without Meafure, by which God's Thoughts,
Defires, Words and Actions became one and
the fame with his, and his one and the fame
with God's, that he faid, John x. 30. I and
my Father are one ; and when the yews were
about to ftone him for fo faying, and thereby
making himfelf God, he did not deny, that
he declared himfelf to be God, when he faid,
that he and his Father were one, but appealed
to their own holy Scriptures, in which they
thought they had eternal Life, as he told
them, yohn v. 39. that they might by them
fatbfy themfelve% whether or no, Perfons to
whom the Word of God came, and who
thereby
Of the Dkinity cfjefys Chrift. 267
thereby obtained fuch a Meafure of that pu-
rifying Spirit of Faith, as moved them to obey
the divinely revealed Law, were not called
Gods in thofe very Scriptures upon which
they relied for Salvation and eternal Life; and
whole Words he laid could not be broken
or rejected, and denied to be true, becauie
they are molt evident Truths: And in confe-
quence hereof he faid, fay ye of him whom
the Father hath fan&ined (by communicating
to him the purifying Spirit of Faith without
Meafure, and lent into the World to be to-
gether with himfelt their Saviour and Re-
deemer, and Immanuely or our God^ thou
blafphemefr, or fpeakeft ill of God, becaufe
he laid, I am the Sen of God not by G;
ration only, but by the holy Spirit of Faith
without Meafure, bv which God dwelled) in
me and 1 in him, by whom I am enabied to
do thofe VVoiks which you muft acknowledge
can be done by none but God, and which
therefore prove the Father (1. e.) the whole
divine Trinity) to be in me: And whv do ye
not therefore with the holy Scriptures, ac-
knowledge the Truth that I have declared to
you, and confefs, that the Father and I are
one, and that we together in moft intimate
and infeparable Union are the Chrift ^ your
God, as the Spirit and Body of Man in moil
intimate Union are one Man; and that the
Words and AcTions of God (peaking and act-
ing in me, are with moft ftricl Propriety and
truth
268 OftheDhinity 0/Jefus Chart-.
Truth faid to be mine, and the Words and
Adtions of me fpeaking and adting in God,
are with moft ftridl Propriety and Truth faid
to be God's, as human Words Srnd Actions
may be afcribed either to the Body or Spirit
co-operating together in moil: intimate Unity,
but neither wholly or exclufi.ely of e.ich
other? And it is of this moft intimate and
infeparable Unity, which came by that un-
mcafureabk Spirit of moft perfectly purifying
Faith, which dwelt and continually moved,
and acted in the holy Child and Man Je/ust
by which he always continued in perfect Obe-
dience to God, his Father's Will, and by
which, God's Will, Words and Aftions be-
came biSj and by which his Will, and all his
Words and Aftions became God's, and by
which he became one in and with God, and
God one in and with him, that we are to
underfLnd the following Texts, John xvii.
2t. where he prays, T^hat they may be all one
as thou Father art in mey and I in thee ; and
that they a!J6 may be one in its, and that they
may be one (among themfelves, by Unity of
Faith, that their Wills, Words, Lives and
Adlions may be one) even as we are one:
And it is on Account of this fpiritual Unity
of Faith, and confequently of Will, Words
and Works, that he faith, John xiv. 9. He
that hath feen mey hath feen the Father ; for
I am in the Father and the Faiher in me,
and the Words that I fpeak unto you, I fpeak
not
Of the Divinity of Jefus Chrift. 269
not of myfclf, but the Father that dwelleth
in me, and doth the Works which ye fee
me do, fpeaketh the Words which I fpeak
unto you ; and to denote this, his moll: in-
timate Unity with the Father, he faith,
John xvi. 15. All things that the Father
hath are mine. And xvii. 10. All thine are
mine, and all mine thine. By what hath
been faid, we may clearly perceive, that when
Cbri/l (aid, Mark xiii. $2. But of that Day and
Hour knoweth no Man; no, not the Angels
which are in Heaven, neither the Son, but
the Father That by the Son here, is meant
that Je/uSj as Man, and the only begotten
Son of God, did not know that Day and
Hour, although, as Chrifty and in moft in-
timate Unity with God his Father, he
might have afcribed that Knowledge to him-
felf, being God as well as Man. For as
Chri/ly and therefore as God and Man, he
faith all Things that the Father hath are
mine, and therefore his Knowledge, Wif-
dom, Power and Goodnefs, are my Know-
ledge, Wifdom, Power and Goodnefs, by
our moil: intimate Unity, by which he is
one in and with me, and I one in and with
him.
Having thus previoufly obferved from the
Holy Scriptures, how and upon what Ac-
count God and the Man Je/us are one, and
together one God, and in what Refpedt they
may be confidered, fo as that they cannot be
called
4
270 Of the Divinity of Jefus Chrift.
called one God, (for as I have before obferved)
when we affert and profefs to believe a divine
Trinity of Perfons in the Unity of the divine
Eflence, if we affert and believe Truth, and
what is fpiritually beneficial, and therefore
neceffary to be believed, we muft affert and
believe fuch a Trinity in Unity, as is moil
clearly and conceivably fct forth in the holy
Scriptures, the divinely revealed Word of
God : So when we affert and profefs to be-
lieve, that JbfUs is the Chrift, and that the
holy Man-Child Jefus in moft intimate fpi-
ritual Union together with God his Father,
are but one God, and hnmannelon God to us,
if we affert and believe Truth, and what is
fpiritually beneficial, and therefore neceffary to
be believed concerning this Article,- we muft
affert and believe fuch a Divinity in Jefus
Chrift as is moft clearly fet forth in the holy
Scriptures, for if we believe fuch a Trinity in
the Unity of the divine Eflence as, or either the
reputed Orthodox, or fuch a Trinity not in
Unity of the divine E (fence, as the modem
Refiners upon Arianifm and Socinianifm have
taught 3 or fuch a Godhead in Jefus Chrift,
as either of thefe have afcribed to him ; we
will then believe Doctrines that are falfe and
incomprehensible, and inconfiftent, and in-
credible, and which if th^y could be believed,
could be of no fpiritual, nor of any other
Benefit to us cither temporal or everlafting.
But if we aflat and believe what the holy
Scrip-
Of the Divinity c/Jefus Chrift. 27 1
Scriptures, the divinely revealed Word of
God, have moft clearly fet forth concerning
thofe two Articles, (viz.) The divine Trinity
of Perfons in the indivifible Unity of the
divine ElTence, and the Divinity of Cbrtfl,
or of the Godhead of Cbrifl and of his Fa*
ther, being one of the fame 5 we will then
afTert and believe, two moft evident and
clearly conceivable Truths which are Spiri-
tually beneficial, and therefore neceffary to
be fincerely and truly believed by all Man-
kind, in order to their Sanctification, Salva-
tion, and eternal Life; as the iincere and true
Belief of thefe, powerfully move us to love
God with all our Hearts, and powerfully
encourage us to follow the Example of Cbrifl,
as far as the Meafure of the fandtifying Spirit
of Faith which we embrace, will enable us
fo to do. That we may, like him, dwell
in God, with God in us ; that we may be
one in and with God -, and God one in and
with us ; and fo become Gods, or perfectly
good and blefTed Beings, as far as by our
Meafure of Faith we are enabled to become
fo. For God's Revelations of both thefe
Truths, as well as all t]iefe other Revelations
which have been alwaysmoft clearly conceiv-
able and perfectly intelligible Truths, were
made for moving Mankind to prepare and
qualify themfelves by Faith and Sandtification,
for true Happinefs both temporal and eternal.
Having obferved all thefe Things, I proceed
to
272 Of the Divinity of Jefus ClirifL
to the Conlideration of fuch of thofe Texts
oi Scripture as have been contefted and falfely
interpreted by the Arians and Socinians; and
which afcribe all the Powers, Properties, and
Perfections of the one and only true fupreme
and living God, to the Man Chri/l Je/us 5
and how upon what Account they are af-
cribed to him with Truth and Juftice.
Almighty God, fpeaking by the Mouth of
his holy Prophet, I/aiah ix. 6, 7. concerning
Chrift. of whom it was foretold that he would
be born of a pure Virgin who had not known
Man, faith, To us a Child is born, to us a
Son is given, and the Government fliall be
upon his Shoulder, and his Name /ha/I be
called, Wonderful, Counjel/or, the Mighty God,
the Ever la/ling Father, the Prince of Peace -,
and of the lncreafe of his Government and
Peace there Jhall be no End. And vii. 14.
it is faid, Behold a Virgin Jhall bear a Son,
and (hall call his Name Immanuel.
Although thefe Appellations of mighty
God, and everlafting Father, and Immanuel,
can be attributed to none but the fupreme,
true, living and eternal God, yet we fee they
are in the foregoing Texts, given to the Man
Chri/l Jtfus, the only begotten Son of God,
who was produced into Being before the Cre-
ation of the World, and was afterwards in-
carnate, or took human Flem upon him (as
had been foretold by God himielf, and his
holy
Of the Dhim'ty of Jefus Chrift. $j%
holy Prophets) in the Womb of a Virgin*
carnally unknown by Man. They who have
believed the holy Scriptures, the divinely
revealed Word of God, who is a God of per-
fect and latherly Goodnels and Truth, and
therefore neither will nor can lie, have juftiy
concluded, that the Man Jefus Chrift, pro-
duced, and incarnated as hath been laid be-
fore, muit be the one fupreme, true, living
and eternal God, becaufe there can be bus:
one fuch God. And the holy Scriptures which
have (hewn Jefus Chrift to be both God and-
Man, have Fikewife moil clearly (hewn him
to be the one and only true, fupreme, liv-
ing, and eternal God ; and that the holy
Child Jefus in moft intimate Union with the
one eternal God, are both together but one
God. But many, by their not attentively
confidering the holy Scriptures, and by giv-
ing themielves up to their grcundlefs, and
therefore vain Imaginations, have been un-
able to conceive this wonderful, but clear
and moft ufeful, and demonfirative Truth 5
and therefore fome of them have exprefsly
denied it, and together with it the divine Au-
thority and Truth of the holy Scriptures, and
of all fcripmral Religion, which have fo clearly
alTerted this moft evident and ufeful Truth ;
and alio the Neceffity of any divine Revela-
tion, or of any divinely revealed and fpiritual
Religion. Such are Deifts and Advocates
for the Self-fufficiency of the Light and Law
T of
274 Of the Divinity of Jefus Chrift.
of Nature, or what they call the Religion of
Nature, for the Attainment of the Know-
ledge of all Things neceflfary to be known,
believed, or done by Mankind, in order to
their Salvation and true Happinefs both pub-
lic and private, and natural, and fpiritual, and
temporal, and everlafting.
Others there are, who as openly deny the
Divinity of Jejlts Chrift, and a Trinity of
divine Perfons in the Unity of the divine EC-
fence, as the Advocates for the Self-fuflici-
ency of what they call natural Religion, have
done, but do not with them deny the divine
Authority and Truth of the holy Scriptures,
and of the fcriptural Religion, which fo clear-
ly fet forth the divine Trinity in Unity, and
the fupreme and true Divinity of Jefus Chrift:
Nor the Neceffity or divine Revelation, and
confequently of revealed Religion, although
they be ftrenuous A fie r tors of, and generally
Livers according to the Dictates of what is
called natural Religion, i. e. according to the
Dictates of their bodily Senfations, ard of
their respective predominant bodily Lufts. And
the Ways and Manners that thefe Perfons,
viz. the Arians and Sjci?iia?is have taken
and uied, in order to evade and elude the
Force of the fifripttiral Evidence for the Truth
of both thefe DoctrineS, and to fupport the
Denial of tfaofe clear and evident icriptural
Tru hs, have been to falfify the holy Scrip-
tures either by Subtractions, or fpurious In-
ter-
Of the Divinity of Jefus Chrift. 275
terpolationt, which as I have obfervcd, have
been but of very little or no Benefit for the
Support of their bad Caufe, which is by no
Ways or Means to be fupported ; or by v/reft-
i'ng and perverting the Senfe and Meaning of
tbofe Texts of Scripture, which they could
not otherwife corrupt or faliify ; as will molt
clearly appear, when the unqueftionably true
Interpretation of tliefe Texts is let forth, in
Conformity to the original divinely revealed
Faith and Law, which were given by God
to Mankind, for no other Reafon, but to
move them to become and continue pure as
he is pure, or holy as he is holy, and perfect-
ly good and benevolent as he is, that they
might by fo doing qualify them Tel ves for the
Enjoyment of true Happinefs, both temporal
and everlafling. For it will anon appear, that
nothing can more powerfully move Man to
become perfectly good and God-like, than the
iincere and true Belief, that Jefus Cbri/i is
together, and in mod intimate fpirirual Unity
with God his Father, the one and only true,
fupreme, living, and eternal God, as he is
moil truly called in the holy Scriptures ;
which the Generality of Mankind, by their
want of due and attentive Confideration, and
not by any want of Clear nefs in thofe Scrip-
tures, have mifunderftood, and confequently
mifinterpreted to their own great Hurt and
Detriment.
T 2 0:hcrs
276 Of the Divinity of Jcfus Chrift.
Others there are, who for want of fuch
due and attentive Confederation of the holy
Scriptures, whofe divine Authority and Truth
they acknowledge, as well as a kind of Ne-
cetiity (but not an indifpenfable Neceffity) of
a divine Revelation, and of a divinely revealed
Religion, although they teach the Self-fuffi-
ciency of what is called natural Religion,
for all thofe who will attend to it; as they
have denied a Trinity of co-eternal and co-
effential, and in every Refpecl co-equal di-
vine Ferfons in the one Jehovah or divine
Elfence : And thereupon introduced the true
Doctrine of a plurality of diilindt and diffe-
rent, and fubordinate Gods into the divine
Trinity. So they have made Jefus Chrijl
not that one and only true, and fupreme and
living and eternal God together with his
Father, as the holy Scriptures teach ; but in
Oppofition to thefe holy Scriptures, they have
made him a diftinct God, and different from,
and fubordinate and inferior to, and altogether
dependent upon the one and only true, and
fupreme God : And have accordingly pro-
vided, a new and unheard of, and unintel-
ligibly fubordinate, and inferiour kind of
Worfhip for him. Thefe (as I have before
oblerved) are the new and anti-fcriptural
Doctrines of the modern Refiners upon Aria-
nifm and Socinianifm, who of late Years
flarted up, and for a while made a Noife
among us, by a Controveriy, in which the
Dif-
Of the Divinity of Jefus Chrift. 277
Difputants neither underftood themfelves nor
one another. And the Tares that were then
fown in the Minds of Men prepared to re-
ceive them, by the Neglect of proper Cul-
ture of the Huibandmen, have fince increaf-
ed and fpread, by Means of the fame Neglect,
that very little of that good Seed of the Word
of fanctifying and faving Truth is any where
to be found.
Others alfo there are, who have affumed to
themfelves the Title of the Orthodox, for the
Reaion I have before given, and who by their
having as little attended to, and conlidered
the holy Scriptures as any of thoie I have
before-mentioned, have fallen into a very
different, and yet not lefs deftruclive Error,
than any of thofe before-mentioned, having
by their Inattention to God's revealed Word,
given an anti-fcriptural and therefore a falfe
and unintelligible, and incredible Account,
not only of the divine Trinity in Unity, but
alfo of the true and inconteitible Divinity of
Jefus Chrifl, that only begotten Son of God,
by teaching that the co eternal and therefore
unbegotten, and co-eiTential, and in every
Relpect co-equal Perfon diiHnguifhed by the
Name of Word or Son in the Divine Trinity,
was produced by an eternal and unintelligi-
ble Generation, and that he took unto him-
felf the only begotten Son of God, the Man
Chri/l Jefus \ who thereby became together
in molt intimate Unity with him, one of the
T 3 Pcrfons
278 Of the Divinity of Jefus Chrift.
Perfons of the divine Trinity ; and fo a God
diftinct and different from, and ailing In a
Manner different from, and independent
noon the other Perfons in the divine Trinitv,
and confequently that there is a Plurality of
co-ordinate Gods in the divine Trinity :
Whereas the holy Scriptures moft clearly teach
that there is but one God, and that the whole
three Perfons in the divine Trinity are but
one God ; and that the whole divine Trinity
dwelt in the Man yfusy and he in them, and
that he together with them, and they toge-
ther with him, are but one God. And that
therefore, he never was one of the divine
Perfons in the divine Trinity, but he toge-
ther with- the three Perfons in the divine
Trinity who dwelt in him, and he in them
mod intimately and infeparably, and not ex-
clufively of each other, is-, or are, the one
and only, and mighty God, and everlafting
Father and ImmanueL And if their anti-
icriptural and falfe, and inconceivable and in-
credible Doctrine could poffibly be conceived
and believed, the Belief of it would be no
way beneficial to Mankind, any mpre than
the Belief of any of the aforementioned falfe
Doctrines, and therefore is not worth con-
tending for : Whereas the Belief of the Di-
vinity of ye/iiS Cbrijl, as it is let forth, in the
holy Scriptures, and that he together with his
•her xi.t>. the whole Three Persons in the
divine Trinity) duelling in him, and he in
them,
Of the Divinity of Jefus Chrift. 279
them, in mod intimate and infeparable Uni-
ty, is, and are together, but nor exclufively,
the one and only true fupreme, living and eter-
nal God ; gives Mankind the greateft Encou-
ragement that poffiblycan be given them, to
move them to become perfectly pure and
good, and perfectly and univerlally benevolent
and God- like, that like him they might be
perfectly happy both temporally and ever-
laftingly.
Now that Mankind may be brought to
perceive clearly, this moft evident and clearly
conceivable, and fructifying and faving fcrip-
tural Truth, (viz.) that the Man Chrift
JefuSy who was created or produced into
Being, by God his Father, [i.e. the whole three
Perfons in the divine Trinity) and who was
in the Fulnefs of Time conceived, and in-
carnated, or took human Flefh upon him,
in the Womb of the Virgin (as God him-
felf, and by the Mouths of his holy Prophets
had foretold) in moft intimate and ipirituai
Union,, with that one and only true fu-
preme and eternal God, is together with him
but not exclufive of him, that one and only
true fupreme living and eternal God, and
thereupon juitly and truly called in the holy
Scriptures, the mighty God, and everlaiting
Father, and lmmanuely or God with us.
And that they may be refcued and delivered
from the Belief of all the aforementioned,
not only antifcriptural and unprofitable, but
T 4 ever-
aSo Of tie Divinity of Jefus Chrift.
Cverlaftingly deftructive Errors, into which
fo many have been inconfiderately led and
fallen. I tiiuft defire my Readers to recol-
lect and con fide r what 1 h ive before, from
the holy Scriptures, and in the Words of
thole Scriptures fet before them, that they
may thereby perceive wherein the Unity or
Onenefs (it I may be allowed to ufe the
Word) of God together with the Man Chrift
^//a? con lifts : Arid theaby peiceive how all
the Powers, Properties^ and Perfections which
are afcribed or attributed to the one, are with
equal Propriety afcribed and attributed to the
other ; for had it been dulv ccnfidered where-
in this Unity corififts, which is fo expreftly,
and particularly and clearly fet forth in the
holy Scriptures, it is hardly pofiible that a
Con; eft or Controverfy mould have ever hap-
pened about fo evident a fcriptural Truth.
And it hath been altogether owing to Men's
not having confideied wherein fhe Unity or
Onenefb confuted, which the holy Scriptures
have afcribed of God, and the Man Cbrijl
jefus, which is a fpifitual Unity founded on
Faith, and not an effential Unity or Onenefs,
and to their having believed that fhe holy Scrip-
tures had afferted an effential Onenefs or God
I Man, which is inconceivable and im-
p >ffible, that Inch a C ontroverfy firft began,
and hath ever lince coniiuued to the Deltruc-
tion of many deluded Souls, who had been
lid away from the Belief of a divinely re-
vealed
Of the Divinity of Jefus Chrift. 28 1
vealed and moft evident fcriptural Truth, by
which they would have been moved to have
united themfelves to, and in fome Meafure
become one with God, and thereby made
themfelves truly and fpiritually happy, both
temporal and everlafting.
I have before (hewn from the holy Scrip-
tures, and in fcriptural Words, that the Ap-
pellations, Powers, Properties and Perfections,
fuch as the mighty God, and everlafting Fa-
ther ^ andlmmanuel. And the Creadon and fuf-
taining all Things, and Oonnifcience, which
implies Omniprefence, which can be attri-
buted to none but to the one and only true
fupreme living and eternal God, have been
alfo attributed in the holy Scriptures, to the
Man Jefus Chrift, the only begotten Son of
God. From whence it neceflaiily follows,
that if theie Appellations and Powers, &c.
are in the holy Scriptures juffly and truly
afcribed to the Man Jejus Cbrid, thai he
and the one and only true fupreme, living
and eternal God, taken together are one Firing,
and the one true God. As Chrift h* n f
hath afferted, faying, my Father and I a
one. Was nothing more (aid in the holy
Scriptures concerning this Point, than what
our bleffed Saviour hath afferted, where he
faid, / and my Father are one, Mankind
would be apt to fiy, how can this be ? For
they would not be able to conceive the Truth
of the Affertion, nor how the one and only
true and eternal God, and the Man Chrift
282 Of the Divinity cf Jefus Chrift.
yffiiSf who did not exift before he was pro-
duced into Being, could be one and the fame
Thing, and one and the fame God 5 and as
they could not, 10 they would lipt have be-
lieved him together with his Fa; her, to be
one and the lame God. But the holy Scrip-
tures, and Jefus Cbrifl^ have not only de-
clared and affirmed them to be one and the
fame Thing, and to be togeiher one, and but
one God ; but they have moft clearly (hewn
the Truth of that Affirmation, and that is a
moft clear, and clearly conceivable Truth.
And how they cannot poffibly be otherwifc
thdn one Thing, and both together but one
God, and that whatever is afcribed to the
one, may with equal Propriety be afcribed to
the other. But the holy Scriptures have been
miftaken by many, and although they be
peifeclly clear in themfelves, yet they have
been milunderftood and mifinterpreted by
many, for many Ages paft, and they have
been faid to have afferted Things which
they have no where afferted. J ejus Qbrift
and the holy Scriptures have afferted, that
the Man Jefus Chrift, and his Father (the
whole divine Trinity in effential Unity) are
one, one Thing, and the one and only true
and living God ; but they have no where af-
ferted, that the Man Jefus Chnjl, together
with his Father, were one God irom all
Eternity ; nor that the Man Jefus Chrift,
who did not exift before he was produced
into Being by his Father (the whole divine
Tri-
Of the Divinity of Jefus Chrift. 283
Trinity) before the Creation of the World,
exited from all Eternity. Thefe are not
fcriptural AlTertions or Doctrines, but the
falfe and inconfiftent Doctrines of inconfide-
rate Men, who have miftaken and mifre-
prefented the holy Scriptures. The true fcrip-
tural Doctrine concerning this Point, as ap-
pears by the ftrict, literal, and grammatical
Conftru&ion of the fcriptural Words, is that
the Man Chrift Jefus, and his Father {/. e. the
whole divine Trinity in effential Unity) the
one true and eternal God, are one Thing, and
the one true and living God, and have been fo,
not from all Eternity, but from the Time
that he who was afterwards called Jejus and
the Chrift, was produced into Being ; and
that from that Time, all the Powers, Pro-
perties, Perfections or Operations, which has
been afcribed to the one, might be, and were,
with equal Propriety afcribed to the other,
not on account of their effential, but of their
fpiritual, and mod intimate Unity or One-
nefs, which proceeded from that unlimitable
and unmeafurable Spirit of purifying divinely
revealed Faith, which dwelt in the Man Chrift
Jefus ; by which all his fpiritual Thoughts,
Defires, Words and Actions, became one and
the dime with God's, and all God's Thoughts,
Defires, Words and Actions became one and
the fame with His j and by which he thus be-
came, one and the fame God, in, and together
with his Father, but not exclufive of him ; and
by which his Father became one and the lame
God.
284 Of the Divinity of Jefus Chrift.
God, in, and together with him, but no
exclufive of him, as is mod clearly fet forth
in the holy Scriptures.
From whence I have moll: clearly fhewn,
That Chrift who was produced into Being
before all Creatures, and who had the HolySpi-
rit of divinely revealed and perfectly purifying
Faith communicated to him by God the Father
without Meafure, had thereby all the Full-
nefs of the Godhead, (/. e. all Gcodnefs) dwel-
ling in him, by which he together with his
Father in moil: intimate fpiritual Unity with
him, but not exclufive of him, became ////-
manuel, or our God. By which we may
clearly perceive the Truth of the Words of
St. "John i. ver. 1. where he faith, That in the
Beginning (i. e. in the Head, Origin, or Foun-
tain of all Being) was the Word or Son, and
that the Word was with God, and that the
Word was Gody and that all Things were
made by him, who was together with God, Jo
that without him co-operating in Unity toge-
ther with God, nothing was made that was
wade. And as Creation is thus afcribed to
him, as being one in and together with God,
by that immenfurable Spirit of Faith, by
which all his Thoughts, Dcfires, Words, and
Actions became one and the fame with God,
and by which all God's Thoughts, Defires,
Words, and Aclions, became one and the
fame with his : So on Account of the fame
mod intimate ipiritual Unity or Onenefs by
Faith, may all the other Operations, Powers,
Properties,
Of the Divinity of Jefus Chrift. 285
Properties, or Perfections, which can be attri-
buted to no other but the one and only true
living and eternal God be with equal Proprie-
ty afcribed to him. For they being thus one,
whatever is afcribed to him, is afcribed to
God ; and whatever is afcribed to God, is
afcribed to him ; for he and his Father are
one, and together the one God, who do no-
thing but in moft intimate Unity and Co-
operation together. And it is on account of
this moft intimate fpiritual Unity or Onenefs
that Chrift faid that all Things that the
Father hath are mine, and all mine are my
Father's. And he that feeth me, feeth the
Father, for the Father and I are one, he be-
ing in me and I in him, by this fpirit of Faith,
which he hath given me without Meafure,
by which I dwell in him and he in me. And
this fpiritual and fcriptural Unity or Onenefs
of God, and the Man Chrift Jefusy which
came by the unmeafurable Spirit of purify-
ing divinely revealed Faith which dwelt in
the Man Chrift Jejhs is not only a moft
true, but a moft clearly conceivable and intel-
ligible Onenefs which every Man may clearly
conceive and underftand by viewing and con-
fidering himfelf by the fame fpiritual and
fcriptural divinely revealed Light, which is
the only true Light which lighteth every
Man that cometh into the World, fo as to
enable him to difcern fpiritual Things, which
can only be fpiritually difccrned, God hath
afforded
286 Of the Divinity of Jefns Chrift.
afforded a fufficient Portion or Meafurc of his
Spirit to every Man, who receiveth and be-
lieveth, and acteth according to the Dictates
of this purifying Spirit of Faith, of which
he may have a greater or leffer Meafure, ac-
cording as he chufes to defire or receive it.
And he who fincerely and truly believes and
acts according to the Meafure of this Faith
which he hath, may clearly perceive that all
his Thoughts and fpiritual Defires and Words
and Actions, are fo far one and the fame
with God ; and that all God's Thought0,
Defires, Words, and Actions, are fo far one
and the fame with his, and that he fo far
dwells with God, and God in him, and that
he is fo far one with God, and God fo far
one in and together with him. And that fo
far he may together with, but not exclufive
of God, be called God. For fuch Perfons
in the Holy Scriptures, are in this Senfe call-
ed God's by God himfelf, I have Jaid ye are
Gods. And as this is moft clearly conceivable
in Refpect of ourfelves, fo it is not lefs clearly
conceivable, in refpect of Chrift in whom this
purifying Spirit of divinely revealed Faith
dwell in all its Fulnefs with which Bound or
Meafure, by which all his Thoughts, De-
fires, or Words and Actions without Excep-
tion, neceflarily became one and the fame
with God's dwelling with all the Fulnefs of
the God in him, by this immenfe Spirit of
Faith $ and by which all the Thoughts, De-
lires,
Of the Divinity of Jefus Chrift, 287
fires, Words, and Actions of God, without
Exception became one and the fame with his.
Thus we may moft clearly perceive when
and how, and by what Means the Man "Jefus
Chrijf together with his heavenly Father,
who dwelt mutually in each other, came to
be the one and only true fupreme, living and
eternal God -> and how all Mankind, by ha-
ving God dwelling in them, and they in
God, by the fincere and true, Belief of the
divinely revealed Spirit of Faith, which they
may all have a Meafure of, may fo far be-
come one in and with God ; and God in abd
with them ; and therefore may together with
him, be ftri&ly and perfectly fofar called God's:
And how all the Attributes which can be afcri-
bed to the one and only true and fupreme, and
living and eternal God, are with the ftri&eft
Propriety in the Holy Scriptures afcribed to
ye/us Cbrift in moft intimate Unity one with
him, and that he is moft truly called in the
Holy Scriptures the mighty God and ever*
la/ling Father^ and Immanuel, and Creator^
Maker a?id Sujlai?ier of all Things, by whom
all Things conjijl, as he is John'u i, GV. and
Colo]], i. 16, 17, and that Qmnifcienee wftich
implies Omniprefcnce is juftly and truly ascri-
bed to him, as it is John ii. ver. 24 where
itisfaid, J ejus knew all Men, and what was
in Man. And chap. vi. ver. 64. Jefus knew
jrom the Beginning who l hey were that believed
not> and -who would betray him. And ch M
ipoke
288O/ the Divinity of Jefus Chrift.
fpoke of himfelf, Rev. ii. ver. 23, faying,
1 am he that jearcheth the Reins and the
Heart. And it is on account of this moil
intimate fpiritual Unity by which Chrift be-
came one with his Father, that it is faid of
him, Phil. ii. vcr. 6. who being in the Form
cj God, thought it no Robbery to be equal with
Goa, becaufe he and God his Father were
one ; and therefore whatever he affirmed of
God his Father was equally applicable to him-
felf, and whatever he affirmed of himfelf, was
equally applicable to God his Father, they
being both together but one God ; but nei-
ther of them fo exclufive of each other, fince
the Time of their becoming mod: intimately
and iofeparably one, by God's Condefcenfion
to take to him the human Nature, and moil
intimately to unite himfelf to it, in order to
his reconciling the World to himfelf by his
Humiliation and Death. And here it maybe
neceffary to obferve and confider, that when-
ever any of the afore-mentioned, or any other
of the Divine Properties or Perfections are
afcribed to the Man Chrifi J ejus, they are
not to be underitood of him exclufive of God
his Father, but of him together with his Fa-
ther, and are to be afcribed to him on account
of the Unity or Oneneis by which all Things
that the Father hath, became his, and were
therefore truly claimed by, and afcribed to
him. And fo when any of the human Pow-
ers or Properties of the Man Chrift Jefus are
afcribed
Of the Divinity of Jefus Chrift. 289
afcribed to God his Father, they are not to be
underftood of the Father, exclusive of the
Son, the Man Chrift Jejus, but of him to-
gether with the Man Chrift jfejus, and on
account of that moft intimate Unity or One-
nefs, by which all Things that the Son hath
became his, and may be truly afcribed to
him, but could not be afcribed to him before
he became thus intimately united to him, and
one with him. And therefore when it is
laid, St. Mark xiii. ver. 32. 71: at of that Day
and Hour knnveth no Man, no not the Angels
which are in Heaven, neither the Sony but
the Father. It is to be underftood of the Son
considered as Man only, and exclufive of the
Father. For In moft intimate Conjunction
and Unity, and one together with the Father,
In him are hid all the Treafures of Wifdom
and Know ledge 1 ColoiT. ii. ver. 8.
As in this laft Paragraph, I have from the
holy Scriptures, moft clearly and truly fet forth
the Divinity of our bleffed Lord and Saviour
J ejus Cbriji, the only begotten Son of God ;
as it is fct forth in thole holy Scriptures :
Which fheweth he is one in, and with God his
Father; and how God his Father is one in,
and with him ; and that therefore they two
together, (but neither exclufively of the other)
are the one and only true fupreme, living and
eternal God. And that whatever is affirmed
of, or afcribed to the one, may with the
ftiicteft Truth and Juftice be equliy affirmed
of,, and afcribed to the other. And when,
U and
2go Of the Divinity c/Jefas Chrift.
and how, or by what Means they two, came
to be in mod Arid, intimate, (pi ritual ^but
not eflential) Unity, together the one and
only true fuprerne living and eternal God,
who were not fo from all Eternity. And
having likewife fhewn, that this fcriptural
Truth, is not only a moil: fpiritually bene-
ficial Truth, by which Mankind have the
greateft Encouragement given them, to pre-
pare and qualify themiclves for the Enjoy-
ment and lure Attainment of Salvation, and
true Happinefs, both private and public, and
natural and fpiritual, and temporal and evcr-
lafting, by the only Means, by which thefe
greateft and mod valuable Bleflings are to be
obrained ; but alfo a moft evident, and clear-
ly conceivable Truth, I muft earneftly de-
fire my Readers, to read over, and attentive-
ly confider the foregoing Paragraph, toge-
ther with thofe Texts of holy Scripture,
which 1 have before produced, as they are
the fcriptural and everlaiting Foundation,
upon which all the Truths fet forth in that
Paragraph are built ; that they may by fo
doing, refcue and deliver themfelves from
the Belief of thofe anti- fcriptural and ever-
laftingly deftruclive Errors, which have been
introduced into, and fpread abroad in the
World by the Arians, Socinians, and Deifts,
who have not only denied a Trinity of di-
vine Perfous in the Unity of the one jfeho"
val\ or divine Eifence, but alfo the Divi-
nity
Cf the Divinity of Jefut Chrift. 2 9 1
nity of Jtfm Chrift, the only begotten Son
of God, by which they have extirpated out
of the Minds of Multitudes, not only the
Belief of one of the mod powerful Motives
and Reafons for moving us, to love God with
all our Hearts, and confequently to perfevere
in Obedience to his mod perfect, and only
perfect, and perfectly purifying Law ; but
alio the Consideration of the greateft En-
couragement that ever was given by God to
Men, to prepare and qualify themfelves by
Sandtification, for the Enjoyment and fare
Attainment of true Happinefs, both tempo-
ral and everlafting. And that they may
likewife thereby refcue and deliver them-
felves, from the Belief of the no lefs anti-
fcriptural and filfe, and everlaftingly deftruc-
tive Errors, of the late modern Refiners
upon Arianifm, Socianifm and Deifm, who
have fet up a divided Trinity of diftincl: and
different Perfons, fome of them fuperior,
and others of them inferior and fubordinate,
and dependent in the Godhead, and have
thereby laboured to eftablifh the Belief of
three different Kinds of Gods ; and have
made Jcfus Chrift, one of tho e their infe-
riour Gods, for whom they have provided
a different Kind of Worfhip. And lafily,
that they might alfo thereby reftue and de-
liver themielves from the Belief of the no lefs
anti-fcriptural, and falfe, and everlaftingly
deftru&ive Errors of the reputed Orthodox
U z of
292 Of the Divinity of Jefus Chrift.
of all Denominations, who have taught, that
there are three eternal, and co-effential, and
co-ordinate, and in every Refpedt co-equal
Perfons in the divine Trinity, but indepen-
dent on each oilier in all their different Ope-
rations or Actions, and that one of them al-
though co eternal and theiefore unbegotten,
was begotten by an incomprehenfible and un-
intelligible eternal Generation, and that ano-
ther of thefe divine Perfons, although co-
eternal, &c. and therefore unprcceeding, did
notwiihftanding eternally proceed from the
other two, by a no lefs incomprehenfible and
unintelligible eternal Proceffion. And they
have likewife taught, that the whole divine
Trinity of Perfons, did not dwell in Jefus
Cbriji, the only begotten Son of God, and
he in them, according to the holy Scriptures;
but that one of the divine Perfons diftinguifh-
cd by the Name of the Son in the* divine
Trinity, by taking him into effential Union
with himfelf, who they call Hypoftatical, or
perfonal Union \ he thereby became one Per-
fon with him, and thereby one of the Perfons
of the divine Trinity, and in Unity together
with him, a diflincl and independent God
from the other two Perfons, whom they
make (till co eternal and therefore unbegot-
ten, (although they declare one of them to
be begotten) and co-effential and co ordi-
nate, and in every Refpect co-equal Gods,
independent of each other in all their Opera-
tions
Of the Divinity of Jefus Chrift. 293
tions. A mod wicked and abfurd, and in-
conceivable and unintelligible Doctrine, by
which Mankind are milled from the Belief of
the moft clear and evident, and clearlv con-
ceivable true Doctrine of the holy Scripture,
concerning the divine Trinity in Unity, and
concerning the true Divinity of our bleffed
Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift, the only be-
gotten Son of God, which I from the holy
Scriptures have here moft clearly and intel-
ligibly fet forth, and which contains the moft
powerful Motives and Encouragements to
Mankind, to love God with all their Heart?,
and confequently to perfevere in perfect Obe-
dience to his moil: perfect, and only perfect
and perfectly purifying fpiritual and icriptural
Law : And to prepare and qualify them-
felves to become like God, pure as he is
pure, or holy as he is 5 and perfectly good
and merciful, and perfect as he is perfect,
in order to their being truly happy, both tem-
porally and everlaftingly. And are led to be-
lieve a Doctrine, which if it could be ren-
dered conceivable and intelligible, and fhewn
to be true, which are two Things impof-
fible to be done, the Belief of it would not
be of the leaft Benefit to Mankind ; nor can
any Meafure contribute towards moving them
to do any of thofe Things, which are in-
difpenfably neceflary to be done by all Man-
kind, in order to their Sanctification and Sal-
vation, and true Happinefs both private and
U 3 focial
294 ®f the Divinity of Jefus Chrifr.
fecial, and natural and fpiiitual, and tern*
poral and everlafting. And whoever will
duly confider that our moil: gracious God
predeitinated or defigned, and created all
Mankind for true Happinefs, both temporal
and everlafting ; and that he doth not re-
quire any Perfon to believe any Thing in or-
der to his Attainment of thoie happy Ends,
that he cannot mofl clearly conceive to be,
not only mod evident Truth, but that the
Belief of it is neceffary for the Attainment
of thefe happy Ends : And that therefore he
hath been gracioufly pleafed to reveal and to
make known to us in his holy Word (verified
in all his Works, orDifpenfationsto us) every
Thing neceflary to be believed or done by us,
\n order to our Attainment of thoie great and
happy Ends, and that therefore all his Reve-
lations muft neceflarily be, not only clearly
conceivable Truths, but alfo fuch Truths as
arc neceffary to be believed by all Mankind,
in order to their Attainment of thofe happy
Ends. I fay, whoever will ferioufly and duly
confider thefe few mofl: clear and evident
Truths, will clearly perceive, that the incon-
ceivable and unintelligible, and incredible, and
not only ufelefs and unprofitable, but ever-
laftingly deftrudtive Doctrines of the reputed
Orthodox, as well as of the late modern
Refineis upon Arianifm, Socinianifm, and
Deifm ; and of the Arians and Socinians con-
cerning the divine Trinity in Unity, 2nd the
Piv<-
Of the Divinity of Jefus Chrift. 295
Divinity of jfe/us Cbrijiy can not be divinely
revealed, or the holy fcriptural Doctrines,
concerning thole Points : And that the Doc-
trine which is moft evident and clearly con-
ceivable, and fpiritually beneficial Truth,
which I have here, from the holy Scriptures,
fet forth concerning thefe two Points, is the
divinely revealed and true fcriptural Doctrine
concerning them. For this Doctrine which
I have here fet forth from the holy Scriptures
concerning them, could never have come to
the Knowledge of Mankind without a divine
Revelation, as will be hereafter fhewn in the
Sequel of my Apology, for the one and only
true (anctifying and favirg, fpiritual and fcrip-
tural, and Chriftian Religion, that ever was,
is, or ever will or can be in the World, under
the Article or Word Man.
I do not think it neceffary to add any
Thing here, to what I have faid before, con-
cerning the Divinity of the Perfon diitinguifh-
ed by the Name of the holy Spirit in the
divine Trinity in Unity, in the one Jehovab,
or divine Effence : Having before fhewn,
that Perfon to be co- eternal and co-eflential,
and in every Refped co-equal to each of
thofe Perfons diftinguifhed by the Names of
the Father, and the Son, in the divine Tri-
nity ; that thefe three Perfons are altogether
but one God. And that although all their
different perfonal Actions be different in their
Kinds from each other, yet no one of them
U 4 ca«
296 Of the Divinity of Jefus Chrift.
can produce any one of them, unlefs they all
concur and co operate together, for the Pro-
duction of any one of thefe ; ib that any perib-
nnl Action of any one of them may with equal
Propriety be afcribed to any other of them ;
fo that although every one of them be God,
yet no one of them is God in a Senfe ex-
clufive of the other two. But it may be
neceffary jq obferve here, that neither the late
pioqeVn Refiners upon Artanifmi &ocianifm9
and Deifm, nor the reputed .Orthodox have
carefully diflinguifhed between the co-eternal,
co-efiential, and in every Refpedt co equal
Perfon, diilinguilLed by the Name of the
holy Spirit in the divine Trinity ; and the
holy fandlifying and faving Spirit of Faith,
which proceeded from the Father (/. e. the
whole divine Trinity) by his Revelation of
his only begotten Son, the Man CMfi Jejutt
to our firft Parents, and by them to al) Man-
kind. And by their not making this Dif-
tindtion, the Refiners upon Aiianiim, &c,
have made the fanctifying or laving Spiiit of
J\a h, a divine Perfon, and have lpoken of
it, whenever the Word occurs in the holy
Scriptures as a diAincl:, arid different, and a
ihboidinate and inferior God, to whom they
jfay inferior (/, e. unintelligible) Worihip is
to be paid, And the reputed Orthodox have
Jikevvife, by their not having coniidcrcd and
preferved this Piftin&ion, millaking this di-
vinely revealed and holy fpirifual landVifying
and
Of the Divinity of Jefus Chrift, 297
and faving Faith, for the co-eternal and co-
eiTential Perfon, diftinguifhed by the Name of
the holy Spirit in the divine Trinity, and have
made it a God in every Refpect co-equal to
each of the other two Perfons, diftinguifhed
by the different Names of Father and Son in
the divine Trinity, and have made it a diftindfc
and different God from them, and exclufive
of them, and independent of them in all its
perfbnal Operations or Actions*
And I judge it neceffary, farther to obferve
here, that we ought neceffarily to take and
underftand the divine Trinity in Unity, and
the Divinity of Jefus Chrifly the only begot-
ten Son of God, in the Senfe they are fet
forth to us in the holy Scriptures, fince it is
by thofe holy Scriptures, and by thofe only,
that both thofe divine Myfteries came to our
Knowledge; and if we underftand them in
that Senfe, we will find them to be not only
nioft evident and mod clearly conceivable,
but moft beneficial divinely revealed fpiritual
and fcriptural Truths. Whereas, if we take
upon us to refine upon the holy Scriptures,
God's Revelations to Mankind, by which and
by which only we are enabled to difcern and
form juft, true, and right Notions or Concep-
tions of fpiritual and fenfibly imperceptible
Things,and give ourfelvesup to our own ground-
lefs Imaginations concerning them : And build
our Faith concerning them, on fuch falfe
and fandy Foundations, we will, by fetting
our-
2p$ Of the Divinity of Jefus Chrift,
ourfelves up to be wifer than God, find our-
felves led into inconceivable, and inexplicable,
and inextricable and everlaftingly deftruftive
Errors concerning them -, and as our No-
tions of them will be perplexed, fo our Dif-
courfe about them, will for ever be unin-
telligible.
If it happen to be obje&ed againft this
clear and holy fcriptural Account, which I
have here given of the divine Trinity in
Unity, and of the true Divinity of Jejus
Cbrijiy who together with his Father (/. e.
the whole three Perfons in the divine Trinity)
is, or are, in moft intimate Unity, the one
and only true, fupreme, living and eternal
God : That it is not conformable to the
Do&rine of the antient Fathers of the Church,
and ecclefiaftical Councils, concerning thefe
Points, they having declared themfelves upon
them as the reputed Orthodox have ever
fince done. To this, I anfwer, that I have
as juft a Refpeft, and as great a Regard for
the antient Fathers and Councils as any un-
prejudiced, impartial, and truly religious Man,
can or ought to have : And pay as great a
Regard to ,thdr Teftimony concerning Mat-
ters of Faft, fufficiently and well attefted by
them, (which are the only Things that their
Teftimony can be properly or pertinently
brought to prove) as any Man living pys,
or ought to pay to it. But I do not found
cither my Faith, or my moral Practice, upon
the
Of the Divinity ?/"Jefus Chrift. 299
the Doftrines or Precepts of the Fathers, or
the Determinations of Councils : But upon
the Doctrine and Precepts of the holy Scrip-
tures, which contain and fet forth the divine-
ly revealed Word and Law of God ; becaufe
I can clearly perceive the Truth of the fpiri-
tual Faith, which comes by the Light of
the divinely revealed fpiritual and fcriptural
Word, and the perfedt Righteoufnefs of that
Pradtice, which is conformable to the divine-
ly revealed fpiritual and fcriptural Law : And
that the fincere and true Belief of the one,
and perfect Obedience to the other, are indik
penfably neceffary for the x^ttainment of Sanc-
tification and Salvation, and true Happinefs,
both temporal and everlafting ; and the only
Means by which thefe moil: valuable Bleffings
can be obtained. And that it is by this di-
vinely revealed fpiritual, and fcriptural Faith
and Law, which God gave to our firfl Pa-
rents, and by thefe only, that all fubfequent
Texts of Scripture, relative to Faith and Mo-
rals, can be truly and infalliby interpreted ;
and that it is by thefe alfo, that all Doftrines
and Precepts of all particular Churches and
Perfons, can be truly tried and judged of,
whether they be of God, or of Men ; and
whether they be true or falfe, or rightious or
wicked, and tend to everlafting Happinefs
pr Mifery. And therefore I do not judge of
the Truth or Falfhood of any religious Doc*
trine, pr Articles of Faith, or of the Righ-
teoufnefs
300 Of the 'Divinity 0/Jefus Chrift.
teoufaefs or Unrighteoufncfs of any moral
Precept, by their Conformity, or Non-con-
formity to the Writings of the Fathers, or
Determinations of Councils. But 1 judge of
the Truth and Falfhood, and Righteoufnefs
and Un righteoufnefs of their Writings and
Determinations, by that divinely revealed and
unerring and infallible Rule, fct forth in the
holy Scriptures. And fo far as the Doctrines
of the divine Trinity in Unity, or of the Di-
vinity of J ejus Ckrifty as fet forth and ex-
plained in the Writings of the Fathers, and
in the Debates or Determinations of Coun-
cils, are not conformable to the Dodrine of
the Scriptures concerning thofe Points, and
therefore neither conceivable nor credible, nor
beneficial so be believed : I have fo tar dif-
fered from them, that my Faith and Practice
xiiight be conformable to the holy Scriptures,
which can be mod clearly fhtwn to contain
the divinely revealed Word and Law of God,
and to be demonflratively true, and felf-
evidently perfect, and perfectly righteous ; and '
indiipenfably neaflary to be fincerely and
truly believed and perfectly obeyed, in order
to Sanctification and Salvation, and true Hap-
pinefs both private and focial (whether oe-
conomical or political) and natural and fpiri-
tual, and temporal and everlafling. And I
think it neceffary farther to obferve, that if
the reputed Orthodox, had been more at-
tached to t,he Study of the holy Bible, than
to
Of the Divinity of Jefus Chrift. 301
to the Study of falfe and anti-fcriptural Phi-
losophy, whether antient or modern, and of
the Writings of the Fathers, and of the De-
bates and Determinations of Councils : And
had they laboured more for the Attainment
of true and heavenly Wifdom, and ufeful and
Spiritually beneficial Knowledge, than for the
Attainment of popular Applaufe for Acute-
nefs and Subtlety in cavilling, and for exten-
sive Reading and Learning, they themfelves
would have been wifer and better, and more
ufeful Perfons, and more valuable Bleffings to
the reft of Mankind, and would have juftly
merited the Title of the truly Orthodox, which
they had unjuftly affumed to themfelves.
They would by fo doing have been enabled
not only to have put an end to the anti-
trinitarian Controverfy, which hath fubfifted
undetermined for fo many Ages, but to all
the other religious Contefts, with which the
World hath been -fo long difturbed, and ren-
dered impious and malevolent, and unchari-
table, and every other Way wicked. They
would then have been able to have extirpated
all Kinds of Superfluous, or falfe and merely
outfide Religions, by which Multitudes are
led to Impiety and Wickednefs, and Mifery,
both temporal and everlafling, under the Spe-
cious Pretence of outward and apparent A .f-
terity and Sanctity : And to have brought
Mankind to the Knowledge, and Sincere and
true Belief of, and Obedience to, the one and
only
302 Of the Divinity ofjetiis Chrlft,
only true fan&ifying and faving, Spiritual and
fcriptural, and truly rational chriftian Reli-
gion, that ever was in the World, fince the
Fall of our firft Parents, or ever will or can
be in it to the End of it. And by this, true
and fpiritual Purity, Piety, and Charity or
univerfal Benevolence, and every other moral
Virtue, and Unity, Unanimity and Peace,
would have been revived and reftored to the
World, which are Bleffings that can be raifed
upon no other Foundation than thefe of di-
vinely revealed fpiritual, and fcriptural Truth
and Righteoufnefs, whatever fhort-fighted
and weak, and falfe Politicians, and tempo-
rary Expedient-mongers, in the Plenitude of
their own Wifdom, may vainly imagine to
the contrary.
I have now finifhed what I judged proper
and neceffary to be faid upon thefe two great
and important Articles of the Chriftian Faith,
which are (o neceflary to be fincerely and
truly believed by all Mankind, in order to
their Sanctification, Salvation, and eternal
Life. As they contain a moft powerful Motive
for moving them to love God with all their
Hearts, and to manifeft the Truth and Since-
rity of their Love, by Perfeverance in per-
fect Obedience to the moft perfect, and per-
fectly purifyingLaw, which he by Revelation
gave to Mankind, for no other Reaion, but
to preferve, reicue, and deliver them from
the Captivity, Tyranny and Slavery of their
in-
Of the Divinity of Jefus Chrift. 3 33
infatuating and enraging bodily La (is, and
confequently from all Sin and Wicked -
nefs, and fpirituul Mifery in this World >, and
from inevitable and endlefs Mifery, which by
the Reafon or neceffary Courfe and Confe-
quences of Things will be everlailingly oc-
cafioned by them in the next. And as they
like wife contain the great t ft Encouragement
that could poffibly be given, to move them
to become and con dime perfectly pure
and good, and univerfally Benevolent, and
God-like, as our bleffed Lord and Saviour
Jefus Cbrift was in this World, that we may
be perfectly and everaftingly happy, as God
our heavenly Father is in the next World*
For without Holinefs Man cannot fee the Lord.
And as I hope what I have faid from the
holy Scriptures upon thefe two Articles, will
appear to all reafonable Perfons fufficient,
for fhewing them to be moft evident and
clearly conceivable, and therefore undenia-
ble, and no longer to be contefted and
controverted Truths, as they are let forth in
the holy Scriptures: However inconceivable
and conteftable or deniable they may be, as
they have been fet forth and repref.mted by
the reputed Orthodox, who have not taken
from the holy Scriptures what they have
declared or delivered concerning them. And
likevvifefor mewing the Infufhciency, Weak-
nefs and Impertinence of all the Rcufons and
Objections which have been brought by the
Avians ^
304 Of the Divinity $/*Jefus Chrift.
Arians^ Socinians, and Deijls again ft thefe de-
monftratively true, and fpiritually beneficial
Doctrines, and that they have proceeded from
their grofs culpable Ignorance of the Truth,
occafioned by their not having duly confidered
thofe holy Scriptures, which contain thatfpiri-
tual Light, by which, and by which only, thefe
and ail other fpiritual Truths can be difcerned.
And alfo for (hewing the everlaftingly de-
ftructive Tendency of the Denial and Disbelief
of thefe demonflratively true and divinely
revealed and fpjritually beneficial fcriptural
Doctrines concerning the divine Trinity in
Unity, and the true Divinity of J ejus Chrijt
the only begotten Son of God. And alfo for
(hewing the Folly and FaKhood and Incon-
ceivablenefs, and Inconfiftency, and Incredi-
bility and Unprofitablenefs, and deftructive
Tendency of the Doctrines of the Misbelie-
vers of thefe two Doctrines (/. e.) of the late
modern Refiners upon Arianijmy &c. and
of the reputed Orthodox, who have pretend-
ed to believe and teach both thefe Doctrines,
and to teach them from the holy Scriptures,
when what they have declared and delivered
concerning them, hath no Ground or Foun-
dation in thofe holy Scriptures ; ib that what
they have uttered concerning both thefe di-
vinely revealed fcriptural Doctrines, is altoge-
ther Aiitilcriptural, as well as many others
taught by them, which I have el fe where
(hewn to be deftrudive of Sanctiiication and
Sal-
Of the Divinity of Jefus Chiift. 305
Salvation, and eternal Life. So I defire Leave
to recommend to the attentive Confederation
of my Readers in general, and of the Reve-
rend Fathers of the true reformed Epifcopal,
and therefore truly Apoftolical Church of
God in thefe Kingdom:^ and to my Reverend
Brethren the Clergy of that only true and
truly reformed Epiicopal Church therein by
Law eftabliflied, the foregoing Pages. And as
1 have no other View bur that of letting forth
the divinely revealed fan&ifying and faving
ipiricual and fcriptural Truth, I fhall be
thankful to any Perfon who will inform me
either publickly or privately, wherein I may
have failed inadvertently, (for I am lure I
have not wilfully or delignedly) in fetting forth
and {hewing the divine Original, or the evi-
dent Truth, or the Conceiveablenefs, or the
fpiritual Profitableness of the fir cere and true
Belief of the aforementioned Doctrines, which
were the principal End I aimed at in writing
and publishing this Treadle ; that I may cor-
rect what may be found amifs, and Supply
what may be judged defective in it. And if
it may be judged perfect, and fufficient for
anfwering the End for which I defigned it,
and that I have reafoned altogether from Prin-
ciples either felf- evidently or demonstratively
true, and that I have reafoned juftly, and not
fallacioufly from them, and that the Conclu-
iions I have drawn from them, are neceffary
and demonstrative Truths j and that there-
X fore
/
1o6 Of the Divinity fl/JefusChrift,
fore the Doctrines of the divine Trinity in
Unity, and of the fupream Diviniiy of ye-
('us Chrifl in the moll perfect Unity with
God his Father (/. c. the whole Trinity) as
fet forth in the holy Scripture?, are divinely
revealed arid ckmonftrativtly evident and moil
clearly conceivable Truths, necefTary to be be-
lieved by all Mankind, in order to their Sanc-
tincation and Salvation, and true and fpiritual
Happinefs both temporal and everlaiting, and
that I have by (hewing thefe Things, done
every Thing in my Power for the Confirma-
tion and Eilabliihment of Mankind in the
Belief of thefe demon ft rative and clearly con-
ceivable fpiritually beneficial Truths, which
have been for many Ages contefted and con-
troverted, to the Hurt of Multitudes of mii-
inftru&ed People. I hope fuch of my Rea-
ders as may be convinced by what I have
here let forth of the divine Original, and the
Truth and Ufefulnefs, and of the Neceffity
of the iincere and true Belief of the afore-
mentioned Doctrines, will ufe their Endea-
vours to propagate thefe Truths, as far as
they are able, That Multitudes may be
brought fo far forward on their Way, to-
wards embracing the whole of the ,one, and
only true fanctifying, and faving and divinely
revealed fpiritual and fcriptural, and Chriftian
Religion that ever was, or ever will or can be
in the World, I having contributed, as far as
I was able to that molt ufeful and neccflary
Work,
Of the Divinity of Jefus Chrift. 307
Work, by my Apology for that holy Religion,
wherein 1 have deim narratively proved the
divine Original and the Truth and Perfusi-
on and pcifed Rigjateoufteft of that Faith and
Law which are the integral Parts of which it
wholly con fills," and of the indifpenfable Ne-
ceffity of perfevering in the fincere and true
Belief of the one, and in perfect Obedience
to the other, in order to Sandification Salva-
tion, and true and fpiritual Happinefs both
temporal and everlaftihg.
When the Minifters of the true Church
of God, convinced and fatisfled of the Truth
and Perrcdion,and perfccl Righteoufnefs of the
one and only true and divinely revealed ianc-
tifying and laving fpiritual and fcriptural and
Chriftian Faith and Law, and of the indif-
penfable Neceffity of Perfeverance in that
fincere and true Belief of the one, and in per-
fed Obedience to the other, have fatisfled
themfelves that they in their different Stations,
and according to their different Talents or Abi-
lities, have to the utmoil of their Power con-
fcientioufly laboured, for the Propagation of
this Faith and Law ; and for the Conversion
of all Mankind, of all Ranks and Orders, States
and Stations from the night ft to the loweft,
as they have had Opportunities of fo doing, to
the fincere and true Belief of, and Obedience
to this Faith and Law, (forunlefs they perfevere
in fo doing, they do not diicharge the Du-
ties of their refpedive Stations in the Church of
X 2 God,
3oG Of the pivinity cf Jcfus Chrift.
God, and thereby (hew, tint they neither
fincerely h Sieve' nor obey the Faith and Law )
they may then (but net before) reft Spiritual-
ly Satisfied in their Con Sciences, that they
e juftly done their Parrs, and faithfully
diicharged their Duties as Minifters appointed
by God to minifter to Mankind in ipiritnal
Things. And that neither the Errors nor
WickedneSs of others will be imputed to
them, nor charged to their Neglect of either
Spiritual Inftruftion, Admonition, or Reproof,
although many may be found faithlefs and
difobedient, and impious and wicked ; for
when the Minifters of God have done every
Thing in their Power, as Opportunities have
offered, for converting Sinners from the Er-
ror of their Ways, and for Saving their Spi-
rits and their $ouls from WickedneSs and Mi-
fery, there may probably be Sound Some oSall
Ranks and Orders, States and Stations, Srom
the higheft to the loweft, Sunk So deep in Sen-
Suality, that like Swine, they will not only
tread their Pearls under their Feet, but will
turn upon and rend thoSe who charitably Set
them beSore them. From Such the Minifters
and^MeSfengers of God, are not to expect
better Treatment than J ejus Cbri/l the only
begotten Son of God, the Captain of their
Salvation, and glorious Leader in the great
Work of Reformation and Reconciliation and
Redemption of Mankind, received from them.
Therefore Such PerSonsarc to be marked and
avoided
ts
Of the Divinity of J^fus Chriit. 309
avoided and let alone, and given up; '(ill
they are awakened by the fevere Judgments
of God, which they wil! neceffarily draw
down from his Wifdorh and Goodnefs and
Merty upon themfelves, by their Wickednefs1':
and thereby rendered docile and inclinable to
attend to the profitable inftruction, and fea-
fonable Admonitions and Reproofs of the
divinely authorized Minifters. And. if they
will not be awakened to Repentance by thefc
fevere Judgments with which God, in his
Fatherly Goodnefs and Mercy, afflicts them
in this World, in order to fave them from
everlafting Mifery in the next ; they will be
cut off as Perfons incorrigible ; who would
not labour for their own Salvation, and who
would fpiritually injure others by their impi-
ous and wicked Converfation and Example, if
they were fuffered to continue longer in this
World, Therefore, I fay, they will in perfect
WifJom and Goodnefs and Mercy to the reft
of Mankind, be cut off as Perfons who have
filled up the Meafure of their Iniquity, and
Will die in their Sins, (/. e.) with all their Luft
unmodified about them, by which they will
neceffarily, and by the Reafon, or nece-
fary Courfe, Connexion, and Confequence
of Things, become inevitably and ever-
laftingly miferable, notwithstanding that
our nioft gracious and merciful God and hea-
venly Father, by the fending, coming, and
Death of his only begotten Son JefusCbnji;
X 3 accord-
31.0 Of the Divinity of]dus Cbrift.
according to his moil fure Word of Promife
and Prophecy concerning him, hath done
every Thing that was proper and ncccflary
and poflible to be done for fpiritually difpo-
fing, and perfectly enabling, and powerfully
moving all Mankind to prepare and qualify
themfelves for the Enjoyment and fure At-
tainment of Salvation, and true and fpiritual
Happinefs both temporal and everlafting, and
for putting and keeping them continually in
Mind of every Thing proper and neceffary to
be known, believed, or done by them, in
order to their San&ification, Salvation, and
eternal Life.
And it is well worth the while of every
Man living daily to confider, that every Luft,
whether of the World, or the Flefh, or of
Pride, or vain Ambition, which are differ-
ed to enter and take Pofleffion of our Nature,
and to become predominant over our Spirits,
unarmed with iincere and true Faith, is very
infatuating, as well as enraging, and apt
to throw the Spirit tainted with it into a deadly
Lethargy ; and that if Men are not awaken-
ed out of it to fpeedy and fincere Repentance,
neither by the Consideration of demonftra-
tivc fpiritual and fcriptural and divinely re-
vealed Faith, and of the indifpenfable Ne-
ceiiity of perfevering In the iincere and
true Belief of it, in order to their Sancliftca-
tion and Salvation, and true and fpiritual
Happinefs both temporal and everlafting ;
nor
Of the Divinity g/"Jefus Chrifr. 311
nor by the Consideration of the fevere, or-
dinary, temporal Judgment which will ne-
ceffarilj \ nor or the extraordinary divine
temporal Judgments that will probably ;
nor of the inevitable and endlefs Mifery,
which will alio neceflarily, and by the Reafon
or neceffary Courfe and Coulequen.ee of
Things attend impenitent Perfeverance in
Unbelief, Misbelief, or infincere Belief of
that Faith, by which, and by which only,
Mankind can be moved by iincere and true
Repentance, and perfect Obedience, when
thefe Things are let in a moll clear Light
before them ; it is morally impoffible that
fuch Perfons (hould be awakened to Repen-
tance, till they are roufed by the laft Trum-
pet, fummoning to the lad general Judg-
ment, where they will fee the great God of
Heaven and Earth, mod clearly juflihed in
all his Words and Works fpoken and wrought
for the Sandtification and Salvation of all the
Children of Men, notwithstanding that they
have been left unconsidered, and disregard-
ed by Multitudes in all former Ages, and
ridiculed and treated with Contempt by ma-
ny Perlons of all Ranks and Orders, States-
and Stations from the higheil to the lowed:
in the prefent, when and where all fuch
impenitently impious and wicked Perfons,
capable of no other Repentance than that
of Judas, fAsl*t*.rMia9 will hear their jufl
Sentence, of Go ye cur fed into thojc ever fa ft-
X 4 ing
312 Of the Divinity of Jefus Chrift.
ing Flaw a of your Lufts, which ye
have chcriihcd, and provided and prepa-
red for you reives whilft ye continued in this
World, notwitbftandinding the great and
wonderful Things which God hath faid and
done to preferve, and fave and deliver you
from them, and (for I have elfewhere in my
Apology fhewn, that Men's bodily Lulls,
which are the* wicked Spirits that tempt
Mankind into all the Sins and Wickednefs
which they commit in this World, are the
only true and real Devils which everlaftingly
torment the Wicked in the next) which if
duly confidered, is a moft awakening Confide-
ration -, and as it is a Truth which every con-
fiderate Perion will clearly perceive by the
Reafon or KeceiLry Courfe and Confequcnce
of Things to be undeniable, and that endlefs
Mifery, muft be the unavoidable Portion of
every Perfon without Diftindtion in the next
World, who do not prepare and qualify
themfelves by San&ification, for Salvation and
everlafting Happineis whilft they live in this.
And that although every Man hath fufficient
Time allowed him whilft he is in this World,
to prepare and qualify himfelf, and render
himfelf capable of the Enjoyment of perfect
and endlels Hnppinefs in the next by Faith
and Purification, without which it is impofii-
ble to be obtained : Yet the Confideratioa
that our Continuance of this World, although
fufficient, is butffiort, and but fufficient for
that
Of the Divinity 0/Jefus Chrift. 313
that Performance of the Work of Salvation
for which we were fent into it, and that
therefore this fhorr, but precious Interval of
Time, ought not to be fquandered or mifem-
ployed -, arid'if we likewife coniider that our
Time in this World is not only lhcrt but un-
certain, and that we know not whether we
have another Day or Hour to live, we will
thereby perceive .the indifpenfable Neceffity
of letting about our fpi ritual Preparation with
Speed, and without Delay, and continue air-
ways peril ctiy prepared by Perfeverance in
the fincere and true and living, and lively Be-
lief of that Faith which came by the Reve-
lation of God's fending, and the corning of
the Death of Jejm Chrift our Lord, that we
may be thereby moll: powerfully moved to
continue to love God with all our Hearts, our
Mind?, and our Souls, and manifeft the
Truth and Sincerity of our Love, by Per-
feverance in perfect: Obedience to his mod
perfect, and only perfectly purifying Law,
every Moment of our Lives ; becaufe if
Death arrefts us unprepared thus, he will ne-
ceffarily, and by the Reafon or necefTarv
Courfe and Confequence of Things, be ine-
vitably and inexpreffibly, and everlaflingly
miferable. Therefore I moft earnestly re-
commend that Faith which came by Je/us
Chrift twho by (hat Faith, which he embra-
ced without Meafure, became one with his
heavenly Father, and his heavenly Father
one
3 14 Of the Divinity of Jefus Chrifr.
one with him, and together in mod intimate
Spiritual Union with his Father, the one and
only true fupreme and living God ; to whom
in pet-fed Unity, together beafcribed all Glo-
ry, Honour, Might, Majefty, and Domini-
on andWifdom, Blefling, and Immortality ;
and to whom be directed the pure and fin1
cere Love of all our Hearts, our Minds, and
our Souls, with all our Strength ; and to whom
be addreffed and offered up in fpiritual Faith,
and in Sincerity and Truth, and Purity of
Heart all Prayer and Supplication, Praife,
and Thanfgiving, Worfhip and Service now
and for ever.) To the Confideration and
fincere Belief of all Kings and Princes, and
of their Counfellors and Miniflers, who fel-
dom think of the great Work of their Salva-
tion, if we may judge of their Faith, and
their Regard for God's Law, by the Mea lures
they purfue, and the Actions they perform.
And of all intermediate Ranks and Orders of
Men, of all Stations and Profcffions, who
too often miftake Superftition for true
ipiritual fanclifying and faving Religion ;
and to the loweft Ranks and Orders of
Mankind, who leldom think of God or of
a future State after this Life, or of the Salva-
tion of their immortal Spirits, or of the
Means, by which, and by which only, they
can be fan&ified in this World, and faved
from inexpreilible and endlefs Miiery in the
next. That they may be all alarmed by
the
Of the Divinity c/Jeflis Chrift. 315
the Confideration of thefc awakening Truths>
and moved to have their Part in theory? Re-
furreEiion^ which is from the Grave of Luft
and Sin in this World, by hearkening to the
awakening Inftru&ipns, Admonitions, and
Reproofs of the Spiritual Watchmen, whom
God hath fet over them to watch for their
Souls, as Perfons who are to give an Account
for their fpiritujl Welfare or Mifcarriage.
That they may thereby lave themftlves
from the Wrath to come, and that the fe-
cond Death may have no Power over them,
(/. e.) that they may not be made everlau>
ingly miferable in the next World, by the
unquenchable Flames of thofe exhorbitant
and infatiable and inraging Luffs or t;
World, of the Fleih, and of Pride, by whi b
they were made impure and impious, an. i < m-
charitable and malevolent, and everv o,
Way wicked Angels and Agents of the Devil,
and fpiritually miferable in this World. —
And there is no other Way of u.\ g our-
felves from the everlafting fpiritual Mifery^
which our unmortified bodily Lulls will ne-
ceflarily and inevitably bring upon us (if we
die with them unmortified in us) than by
Perfeverance in the fincere and true Belief of
that Faith which God revived and reiiored
to our firft Parents, by the Revelation of
his fending, and the coming and Deaih of his
only begotten Son Jefus Chrift into the World;
for by the Mcafure of this^ Faith, which
every
3 1 6 Of the Divinity of Jefus (Thrift.
every Man may have, if he will chufe to
embrace it, we are mod powerfully moved
to love God with all our Hearts, and to
mortify and purify our Spirits from all thofe
bodily Lufts, by which we are made impi-
ous and wicked, and fpiritually miferable
both temporally and everlaitingly, and there-
by to become pure and good, and God-like
whilit we are in this World ; and like him
perfedlyand everlaitingly happy in the next.
And for our Confolation and Encouragement
to perfevere in the fincere and true Belief of,
and in perfect Obedience to this fan&ifying
and laving, and both temporally and ever-
laitingly happy-making lpiritual Faith. Our
moil gracious God and heavenly Father was
moft gracioufly pleafed to iet before us, the
Example of his only begotten Son, the Man
Chriji Jefas, who being a mere Man by his
embracing that perfectly purifying Faith
without Meafure, became one with his hea-
venly Father, and in moft intimate fpiritir.I
Unity with his Father, (by which his Will
and all his Thoughts, Defires, Words, and
Works, became one and the fame with his
Father's, and the Will and all the Thoughts,
Defires, Words, and Works of his Father
became one and the fame with his) he became
together with him, but not exclufive of him,
the one and only true fupreme and living
God ever all Bleffed for ever and ever. Amen.
FINIS.
Now in the Prefs,
And fpeedily will be Publiilied,
Animadverfions on the Volume of Letters
of the late Lord Bolingbrokey concerning
the Study of Hiftory.
WHEREIN is moft clearly {hewn
(from thofe demonftrated and un-
conteftibly true Principles, by which, and by
which only, all the Arguments and Objections
which ever have been, or ever will or can be
brought and raifed, by Unbelievers or Mif-
bclievers of all Kinds and Denominations a-
gainft the divine Authority and Truth, and
Perfection and perfect Righteoufnefs of the
holy Scriptures ; and of that one and only
true, and divinely revealed fancYifying and
faving fpiritual and fcriptural and Chriftian
Religion, that ever was, or ever will or can
be in the World, which is fo clearly contain-
ed and let forth in thofe holy Scriptures \ can
be demonstratively and unanfwerably, and
therefore effectually fhewn, to be invalid and
groundlefs and irrational ; and to tend to make
Mankind impure, and impious, and wicked,
and fpiritually miferable? both temporally
and everlaftingly, and that every Particular t
which his Lordfhip hath produced and ad- /
vanced in thofe Letters, in order to blaft and
deftroy the Credit of the facred Hiftory of
the
Advert ifement*
the holy Bibk j and of that one and only true
and divinely revealed, Spiritual and ChriiUan
Religion, which is mod clearlv contained and
let torth therein ; is either falfe and ground-
less, or altogether impertinent, and tends to
make Mankind impious and immoral, and
fpiritually miferable, both temporally andever-
laftingly ; and to have proceeded altogether
from either grofs but culpable, and therefore
inexcufable Ignorance of the facred Hi (lory
of the Bible ; and of that holy and only holy
and happy-making Religion therein contained,
or from Makvolence to Mankind, which is
all that his Lordihip's Arguments fet forth ia
thefe Letters, can be fhewn to prove.
By J 0 II N SCO T% D. D.
Prepared and ready for the Prefs,
And to be Publifhed by
SUBSCRIPTION,
The fir ft Part of an Apology for the one and only
trite and divinely revealed fanclifying and faving
ana Chriftian Religion, that ever was, or ever
wtU or can be in the World : Confiding of two
Volumes in Octavo
Wherein are demonftratively fhewn,
Firjl, HP H E divine Authority, or Revelation of that
A Religion.
Secondly, The demonftrantive and undeniable Truth
of the Faith, and the fell- evidently perfect Righteouf-
nefs of the Law, which are the conftjtuent Parts of
that Religion,
Thirdly, The indifpenfable Neceffity of perfevering
in the (ulcere and true Belief of that Faith, and in per-
fect Obedience to that Law ; in order to Sanclification
and Salvation, and true Happinefs both natural and fpi-
ritual, and temporal ^and everlalting ; and alfo the
Self- funic iency of Perfeverance in the iincere and true
Belief of that Faith, and in per feci: Obedience to that
Law, for the Cure Attainment Ot thofe great neceflary
and happy Ends.
Fourthly, The divine Original and Inftitution of all
the iuftructive and memorial Ordinances, and the true
and only End for which they were appointed to be pub-
lickly and privately, and conftantly and perpetually
adminiftcred, and attended upon, and obferved : And
their great Propriety for anfwering the Ends for which
they were originally inftituted ; that Mankind, by theie
Confederations, may be with-held from a fuperftitious
Obfervance and Abule of them.
By (hewing thefe four Things in a demonftrative
Way, (which hath not been ufu ally done by the Mini-
fters of the Church of God) the wicked and everlaft-
ingly dcftruclive Tendency of all the Objections and
Arguments, which have been raifed and brought a-
gainft the one and only true and divinely revealed, C5V.
Religion, by Acheii$p and t>e,iirs? and all other licen-
tious
Adverttfemcnt.
tious Advocates for natural Religion ; and by all He-
reticks and Scifmaticks of all Denominations, will be
made demonstratively to appear.
And by (hewing thzfe four Things, all the particular
Sc&-diflipgui(hi|^Do£lrines and Precepts of all the
corrupt and fa lfe^Ch.u relics that have ever been in the
World, will be made appear to befalfe and wicked, and
to tend and make Men fupcrftitious and impious, and
wick-rd and malevolent^ and uncharitable, and hypo-
critical, and truly and fpiritually mifcrable, both tem-
poralis, and cverlafcingly.
Fifthly and Itiftty, In this Apology will be (hewn,
wha the one and only true fan£tifying and faving, &c.
Religion is, at. d wherein it wholly confifls ; and how
and by what Means it hath (o happened, that for fome
Ages pad, as well as in the prefent, it hath been very
little known or regarded by the Generality of any
Rank or Order of Mankind, even in the Chriftian
World, and al*o the true and only Means and Method,
by which it can he revived and reftored to the World
again, in its original Purity and Perfection, for the
Revival and Reiteration of true and Spiritual Purity and
Piety, and univerfal Benevolence or Charity, and per-
feci: Righteou fuels, and every other moral Virtue.
That Mankind may be awakened, and powerfully
moved to ufe the Means, by which, and by which
only, they can be qualified for Salvation, and the En-
joyment and Attainment of the true and fpiritual Hap-
pinefs,' both temporal and everlaft in . .
By J 0 H N SCOTT, D. D.
The Price of the hrft Part, confiding of two Vo-
lumes in Octavo, ftitehed in blue Paper to Subscribers,
is only fourteen Shillings, feven Shillings to be paid at
the Time of fubfci ibing, and the other (even on the
Delivery of the Books.
Subscriptions are taken in, and Receipts given
for the Delivery of the Hooks, at the Author's Dwel-
ling Houfe in Orchaid-Striet, Weflmi>ijler ; Mr. Wood-
fall, Printer, the Corner of Craig's Court , Charing-
Crofs ; Mr. Hawkins , Bookfeller, between the Two
Clemple-Gatesy Fleet Jl tee t»
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