"low a proper personality of the Son and Spi"rit, without destroying the unity of the God"head;" though by all the generations of the faithful, these things were equally believed and owned. Therefore he draws out a plan only of things that MAY BE, when the whole revelation of the Bible is of no other, than things that are. But it is apparent, according to this way of talking, that we are yet to seek for our God. We are got no farther, than starting fancies and doting about questions; as if the truth, in which our souls are to be established and edified, was only a work upon the wheels, and not yet prepared to receive the finishing hand of the maker.

I will give you his own scheme in his own words; May we not suppose the Logos, or "Word considered as something in the God"head, analogous to a power or virtue, to be "infinite, uncreated, co-essential, and co-eter"nal with God the Father, as being of his very "essence, and in this sense true God? May "not this sometimes, be represented in a per"sonal manner, as distinct from the Father? May we not suppose also, that in some un"known moment of the divine eternity, God by his sovereign will and power, produced a glorious Spirit in an immediate manner, and " in a very near likeness to himself, and called "him his Son, his only begotten Son? Might "not this be that Logos of the ancient Jews "who was called the first-born of God, the "eldest archangel, the man after God's own

†Dr. Watts', Arian invited to orthodox faith.

image, and may not this be the soul of our "blessed Saviour ?"

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Supposing farther, this angelica! spirit to "be assumed, into personal union with the di"vine Logos, from the first moment of his ex"istence, may he not be called the Son of God "also upon this account? may it not be said, "that the true Godhead is communicated to the "Son of God in this manner, by the free will. "of the Father," This supposes as much as ever the Arians wanted, that Christ might have been produced, or that this union of the divine attribute to him, might have been given.

A grosser expression I do not remember ever to have met with, than what follows: Though the Godhead of the Logos, or di"vine wisdom, be essential to the nature of "God, and eternally independent, yet it "might be communicated, that is united to an "inferior spirit by the will of the Father." That is, God can make an inferior spirit like himself, and give his glory to another

He goes on, "Might not this Logos, in the complex character of God and a creature, "or the Son of God, inhabited personally by "eternal wisdom, in the fulness of time, as"sume human flesh and blood into union with "himself." Had the scripture told us of these things, there was no need to put them into the form of maybe's. But nothing so vain or bold is to be found in that book, as that attribute inhabits a spirit personally.

Far be it from my soul, to ask what I know no humble creature will dare to answer, or

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examine what the great God may be or may do. If these are secret things, they belong to him. Revealed things only belong to us. Believ

ing is acting upon a report, and not upon a supposition. Solomon wrote that we might know the certainty of the words of truth, and be able to give an answer to those that inquire of us. Foolish and unlearned questions are always about things out of our reach, and these are what gender strifes, as we both read and feel.

This then is one principle of wavering, and will be so, until that God who knows the thoughts of men to be vain, makes us know them, to be so too. Under the power of his grace, we shall not exercise ourselves in things too high for us. Then our hearts will not be haughty, nor our eyes lofty. They who intrude into things that they have not seen, vainly puffed up in their fleshly minds, do not hold the head, Col. ii. 18, 19. We may wish upon these occasions, as Zophar did; thou hast said my doctrine is pure; but oh that God would speak, and open his lips against thee, and that he would show thee, the secrets of wisdom, that they are double to that which is. Job xi. 4, 5. Who shall declare the generation of the Son of God, or pretend to dig up the unsearchable riches of Christ?

The best way to be of the same mind with one another, is what the apostle directs to, not to mind high things, or be wise in our own conceit. Let us not like children be tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the slight of men, and

cunning craftiness of those who lie in wait to deceive. Eph. iv. 14. May I speak the words, not only of truth but of soberness. Acts xxvi. 26.

2. Another principle that makes us waver, is a fancy that we have found out the great secret of knowledge; that which so many ages have sought in vain. This is the snare of the devil; and therefore the person who is a novice, vróputos, newly planted or engrafted, is in danger of being lifted up with pride. 1 Tim. iii. 6. The pretences, upon which people indulge themselves, in the humour of endless inquiries, I may hereafter consider. At present, let me only take notice, that the scripture has barred our way, by cautions, commands,and reproofs in abundance. This the apostle said to every man among them, not to think of himself more highly, than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has given to every man the measure of faith. Rom. xii. S. If any man thinks he knows any thing, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know. This is the knowledge that puffs up. We know that all the persecutions in the world have arose, from men's driving in their own inventions; and these are as bad in doctrine as they are in worship.

There are two great men, whose names will be dear to the Churches, wherever their works are read, of whom we have a different character. One is Calvin. His vast reading, his quick judgment, his capacious memory, his lively fancy, and harmonious language, made

him as capable of seeking out many inventions, as any of the age that he lived in; and yet he had no nostrum, no opinion peculiar to himself, as he often professes. The writer of his life observes, there was not one article, in which he differed from the reformed Churches. Whether the persons who love to hear and speak some new thing, have exceeded him, in the whole furniture of a scholar, a divine, and a Christian, I shall take no pains to inquire, because it takes no time to determine it. He continued in the things that he had learned from the beginning, and held fast the faithful word, as he had been taught.

The same thing is true of Dr. Owen. Those principles that he received at first, he maintained to the last. And if any will say, it was for want of critical learning, impartial thought, or sufficient capacity, I believe you and I, will think such a man, either above confutation, or below it.

Each of these holy persons had all the temptations, that are supplied by wit and vanity; but God withdrew them from their purpose, and hid pride from the men. He trained them up for his service, through the discipline of severe convictions. They bowed under the terrors of the Lord, in a heavier way than many do; and therefore were taught by feeling, never to talk new things, about the guilt and corruption of human nature, or the person and satisfaction of Jesus Christ. They studied the truth, not to receive glory from men; but what they found in the word they