and join company with one much less able to mix the agreeable with the useful, and render a needful and profitable subject also pleasing. Truth, however, is of more consequence than the garb in which it appcars; and in what I have written I have attended chiefly to that; and, therefore, have endeavoured, in imitation of the very pious and truly reverend author of these unfinished papers, to keep close to the Scriptures as my guide, and that both with respect to sentiment and expression. It seems to me to be a dangerous thing, especially in a subject of such importance, concerning which we can know nothing but by Divine revelation, to depart from the Bible, or to go a hair's breadth farther than God hath therein plainly revealed, or than we can fairly infer from what he hath so revealed. I am fully persuaded that most of the errors and controversies which have darkened, perplexed, and divided the Church in all ages, respecting this matter, have arisen from a desire to be wise above what is written, not being contented with the information God hath seen fit to give us in his holy word, the sole rule of faith as well as practice.,

4. It is undoubtedly a most desirable thing to know as much as we can concerning the person of our adorable Saviour, on whom all our hopes depend: but after all we can know, his person is and will remain a mystery. Of this the Scriptures fail not to give us warning. "Wherefore inquirest thou after my name? (says he, Judges xiii, 18,) seeing it is secret," or wonderful as the word also means. "His name," says Isaiah, ch. ix, 6, "shall be called a wonderful, or secret.” "He hath a name written which no one knoweth but himself," saith St. John. "No one knoweth the Son," says the Lord Jesus, "but the Father, even as no one knoweth the Father but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him." It is true, he has revealed himself in some degree by his apostles and prophets, and reveals himself still more, or rather gives us the true understanding of what he has revealed, by the inward illumination of his Spirit. But this respects his offices rather than his person: what he is to us and the rest of the creatures rather than what he is in himself. And to know this, viz. what he is to us, as it most concerns us, so it is the principal thing meant in Scripture by the "knowledge of Christ."

5. And I may say the same concerning the knowledge of the Father and of the Holy Spirit. It does not consist in having abstracted and speculative ideas of the nature and attributes of God and the distinctions in the Divine essence; but is the beholding, (as St. Paul says, 2 Cor. iii, 18,) with open, avaxsxaλupμevo, with unvailed face, (the vail of unbelief being rent from our minds,) in the glass of his word and works, and especially in the person of his Son, "his glory," so as to be "changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." Surely he only knows the "God and Father of our Lord Jesus,"

who being made his child by adoption and grace, and having the "Spirit of adoption sent into his heart, crying, Abba, Father," so "beholds what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon him," as to "love God who hath first loved him." For "he that loveth not knoweth not God, for God is love;" whereas "he that loveth," and only he, is "born of God," and "knoweth God." He only knows the Lord Jesus who knows him as "the way, the truth, and the life;" as the way, through whom he "comes to the Father;" as the truth, whose testimony he fully receives, and on whose veracity he absolutely depends; and the life, who has quickened his soul, dead in sin, and by his grace made him a "living branch" in himself the "living vine," a living member in his mystical body, vitally united to the living head. And he only knows the Holy Spirit, who being born of him and possessed of his witness and his fruits, even "love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, fidelity, meekness, temperance," is become a "temple of the Holy Ghost, a habitation of God through the Spirit."

6. On the other hand, if this be wanting, whatever speculative know. ledge we may have of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and of their natures and relations to each other, we are properly unacquainted with the Christian doctrine of the trinity, and have not received that real benefit from it which the revelation of it was designed to produce. Nay, and for any spiritual or saving advantage we derive from it, it might as well not have been revealed to us. Thus Dr. Jer. Taylor, "He that goes about to speak of the mystery of the trinity, and does it by words and names of man's invention, talking of essences and existences, hypostases and personalities, priorities in co-equalities, &c, and unity in pluralities; may amuse himself and build a tabernacle in his head, and talk something he knows not what; but the good man that feels the power of the Father, and to whom the Son is become "wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption," and in whose heart the love of the Spirit of God is shed abroad,-this man, though he understands nothing of what is unintelligible, yet he alone truly understands the Christian doctrine of the trinity." (Jer. Taylor on John vii, 17.)

7. The apostle teaches us the true knowledge and use of this doctrine, and at the same time informs us who they are that understand it aright, when, Eph. ii, 18, he says, "Through him," viz. Christ, the only Mediator between God and 66 man, we both [Jews and Gentiles] have access by one Spirit unto the Father." But when this is not our experience; when we do not approach or have not access to the Father, through him and by the Spirit; when we are strangers to the influence of the Holy Spirit upon the soul, and of consequence are devoid both of true repentance and saving faith, which are both of the operation of God; see Col. ii, 12, 13;-when, though we have "free liberty to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, in that new and living way

which he hath consecrated for us through the vail," that is to say, "his flesh," and have "a great High Priest over the house of God;" yet we do not use our liberty, and "draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience," as well as our bodies washed with pure water;" when we do not 'believe in Christ, with our heart unto righteousness," so as to be 'justified by faith in Christ," find "peace with God," and obtain "the love of God shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost given to us," --then is the whole doctrine of Christ concerning the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost hid from us, or abused by us.

8. There is indeed one mystical body of Christ, but we do not belong to it, are not members of it; one Spirit, but we have not received him, he does not dwell in us, does not quicken and renew our souls; there is one Lord, but we are not subject to him, he does not reign in and over us, and therefore he is not our Lord; one faith in that one Lord, even a "faith working by love, purifying the heart, and overcoming the world," but we have it not; one baptism, but we are not baptized with it, or if we have had the sign, have not had the "thing signified thereby," even a "death unto sin, and a new birth unto righteousness;" there is one God and Father of all, who in and through that one Lord, and by that one Spirit, "is above all, and through all, and in all" real believers; but he is not our Father, nor are we his children, nor do we worship him "in spirit and in truth."

9. This I apprehend is that ignorance or denial of the blessed trinity, which is most to be dreaded, because most destructive. It leaves the soul in its fallen and disordered state, immersed in sin, and exposed to wrath; an "alien from the commonwealth of Israel, a stranger to the covenant of promise, having no [lively, well grounded] hope, without Christ and without God in the world:" it leaves it devoid of the true "grace of Christ," the real " love of God," and ennobling and comforting "communion of the Holy Ghost." Such, not having received the Spirit of Christ, are none of his ;" and not belonging to Christ, not "having the Son, they have not the Father," and not having the Father, have neither "the true God nor eternal life." "He that hath the Son," indeed, "hath life," but he that hath not the Spirit, as we have just seen, hath not the Son, and therefore "hath not life," but abideth in death spiritual, and is in the high road to death eternal. Nor will his pretended regard to the Father save him for "he that honoureth not the Son," especially in his mediatorial character and in the offices he sustains for a lost world; he that believeth not on him with a living faith, as "made of God unto him wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, honoureth not the Father," who hath appointed him to execute those oflices and bear those characters for our salvation.

10. I said with a living faith, for it is not a cold, languid, lifeless

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☛ assent to the truths of the Gospel that will save us; nor such a dependence on Christ and on the promises of God through him, as being neither preceded by repentance nor accompanied with love, leaves the soul as a withered branch upon a tree, or a dead member in a body. But the faith that is effectual to salvation is a lively, vigorous, active, and powerful principle, which, coming to Jesus, and confiding in him, unites the soul to him, so that it derives out "of his fulness grace upon grace," L and becomes fruitful in every holy temper, word, and work.

11. By this faith we receive Christ in all his offices and characters. Viewing him as a "Teacher come from God," the "prophet like unto Moses," whom on pain of eternal destruction we are commanded to hear, whose every word is veracity and truth, whose doctrine is as infallible as it is extraordinary; with the simplicity and teachableness of little children, we sit at his feet, and with humble reverence and dutiful submission, we hear and receive the gracious words that proceed out of his mouth, desiring above all things to be doers of the word, as well as hearers. Considering him as the "High Priest of our profession, a great High Priest passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God; a Priest for ever, after the order of Melchisedec, who, by one offering of himself, once made, hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified, and who, when he had by himself purged our sins, for ever sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high, expecting till his enemies be made his footstool:" considering him (I say) in his priestly office, " delivered for our offences, raised for our justification," and appearing in the presence of God, as our Advocate and Intercessor, we come with boldness to a throne of grace, and thus "obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." By the help of this grace, he who is thus made of God unto us "wisdom and righteousness," is also made of God unto us "sanctification and redemption:" he who is heard with submissive reverence as a "Prophet," and relied on with loving confidence as a "Priest," is also received with obedient loyalty as a "King." His kingdom of "righteousness, peace, and joy," is set up in our hearts, and his "holy, just, and good laws," are made the rule of our lives from day to day. He reigns in and over us; his love is the principle, his will the rule, and his glory the end of our words and actions; and we "live no longer to ourselves, but to him that died for us, and rose again."

12. Thus, being "in Christ, we are new creatures, old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given [to his apostles and servants] the ministry of reconciliation; to wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them: for he hath made him to be sin [viz. a sin offering] for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him," might be justified, and made righteous through

him. Though, therefore, in time past, we might be "foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another; yet the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appearing, not by works of righteousness which we had done, but according to his mercy, he saved us by the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost, shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour, that being justified by his grace we might be made heirs, according to the hope of eternal life." Thus the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, are acknowledged in their several offices and characters, and each performs his proper work in saving our lost souls. We worship "one God" in and through "one Mediator," by the inspiration and aid "of one Spirit," without perplexing ourselves with curious inquiries after, and vain reasonings about, what we can no more know in this world, than a child in its infancy can understand how the several offices, powers, and prerogatives of the king, lords, and commons, constitute one supreme and legislative authority in Great Britain. And with the simplicity of a child, and the loyalty of a good subject of the King of heaven, who commands our hearts, and governs our lives in and through his Son, and by his Spirit, we confess with our lips, what we believe with our hearts, that though in the Church and in the world there are diversities of gifts, it is the same Spirit from whom they all proceed; and though there are differences of administrations or offices to be sustained by the servants of Christ, it is the same Lord that appoints them all; and though there are diversities of operations or effects produced, it is the "same God who worketh all in all through that Lord, and by that Spirit.'

13. It is true, some acquaintance with the persons, as well as offices of the sacred Three, into whose name we have been baptized, is very desirable, and indeed, absolutely needful, to lay a foundation for that Christian experience and practice, those devout and benevolent affections, and holy and righteous actions, so necessary in order to our pleasing God here, or enjoying him hereafter. And, in particular, it seems impossible we should apply to Christ, even in his mediatorial character, in which character he is most frequently held forth to us in Scripture, without considering him as "God manifest in the flesh," a person in whom dwells "all the fulness of the Godhead bodily." For what benefit can we derive from a mediator, at least, an invisible mediator, a media. tor in heaven, who is a mere man, or a mere creature, circumscribed in his being, and confined in his presence and operations? Who can have no access to us, nor we to him; can neither see, nor hear, nor help us; and to whom, as being unseen, and at a distance, we can neither signify our wants, nor with any confidence look up for a supply of them? A mediator, who cannot be present with us at all times, and in all places, in private and in public, at home and abroad, by sea and by land, night