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of God can poffibly remove it. Where that is fuffered to enter, and the heart, instead of perfifting in its own will, is furrendered to the will of God, the whole gospel is fufficiently clear, because no text of it is any longer offenfive.

Of this happy change we have the best example in the apostles of our blesfed Saviour; who, when they first entered the School of Christianity, had a veil upon their hearts like the reft of their countrymen, and were ftrongly poffeffed by a spirit of the world, promifing itself the full enjoyment of temporal honours and preferments. But the fufferings and death of their master having fhewed the vanity of fuch expectations, and served in a great meafure to beat down this earthly principle, they were ready for conviction; and then their understanding was opened, that they might understand the Scriptures. The evidence that before was dark and inconclufive, became on a

a Luke XXIV. 45.

fudden

fudden clear and irresistible; and they, who had lately fled from disgrace and death as from the greateft of evils, could now rejoice that they were found worthy to fuffer. Their opinion was altered, because their affections were cleanfed from this world: that mire and clay was washed off from their eyes in the true waters of Siloam, and now they could fee all things clearly.

What has been here faid upon the conduct of our Saviour's difciples and the unbelieving Jews, may be applied to all those who difpute any article of the Chriftian Faith; and particularly the doctrine of the ever-blessed Trinity, as revealed to us in the holy fcriptures. For we shall certainly find, that fome falfe principle is affumed, which flatters the pride of human nature. It abhors restraint and fubjection; and is ever afpiring, right or wrong, to be diftinguished from the common herd, and to exalt itself against the knowlege of God". What this principle is, we fhall very

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foon discover: it is publickly owned and gloried in by every confiderable writer that of late years has meddled with this fubject. I shall instance in the learned Dr. Clark; because he is deservedly placed at the head of the Arian difputants in this kingdom.

He affirms in his first Propofition, that the ONE GOD, fpoken of in Matth. 19. 17. and elfe where, is only one PERSON; and then adds "This is "the first principle of Natural Reli"gion"?

*

So then here are two different religions; by one of which it is proved, that the one God is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghoft; that he is therefore three perfons. But it is the first principle of the other religion, that he is but one perfon: though how that can be reconciled with the practice of the whole heathen world, who were fo far from discovering this one person, that they held Gods many and Lords many, is

* See Script. Doctr. p. II. §. I.

a 1 Cor. VIII. 5.

a

not

not very easy to determine. And whence comes this Religion? it is confeffed to be drawn from nature! it is the Gofpel of the natural man, unfanctified by divine grace, and uninftructed by any light from above; and owes its birth to that fountain of darkness and self-conceit, from whence has fprang all the confufion and imagination that ever was introduced into the religion of God. And what wonder, if nature should operate as ftrongly in an Arian or a So cinian against the Mystery of the Trinity, as it did in the Jews against the Law and the Prophets, and in the unconverted disciples against the doctrine of the Cross? If it be laid down as a firft principle, that God is but one Perfon; then it will be utterly impoffible, fo long as this principle keeps poffeffion, that any person, of common fenfe enough to know the meaning of words, fhould quietly receive and embrace a Revelation in those parts of it, where it teaches us that God is three Perfons: these two principles being fo diametri

e

cally

cally oppofite, that while he holds to the one, a voice from the dead will not perfuade him of the other.

What then will be the confequence in this cafe? The practice of the Deift, who carries on this argument to its proper iffue, is to deny the Scripturerevelation, because his natural Religion is contrary to it; and they cannot both be true. But the partial unbeliever, who allows the Scripture to be fupported by fuch external evidence as he cannot answer, while his Reason objects to the matter contained in it; muft follow the example of the Jews, and reconcile the. Scripture where he cannot believe it. Thus they treated the Law of Mofes. We know, faid they, that God fpake unto Mofes therefore they readily granted his Law to have a divine authority; but as it would not ferve their turn in its own proper words, they put a falfe glofs of tradition upon the face of it, to hide its true complexion; and then complained that the

a

2:

a John. IX. 29.

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