bility of their being all equally perfect, because All could not be eternally Independent and Unlimited*.

With respect to any Being who is under Direction; who may be occasionally restrained from the free use of his Powers, or who can exercise them only partially, or in a limited

If the Deity himself Presides universally and eternally, with absolute Dominion and Independence, it is clear that, no other Being whatsoever can share in any Operations, but by a Power Derived from and Dependent on Him.

But as it is asserted that there are THREE Divine Persons, EQUAL in Perfection and Dominion; Who, though Different in Themselves (i. e. in their Persons), Act only by One, and the very Same Power, Will, Authority, &c.: It may, therefore, be proper to endeavour to shew distinctly, the Inconsistency of this Unscriptural Hypothesis; which is intended to destroy the Idea of any real Subordinancy in these Three Persons.

Each of these Divine Persons must Necessarily possess his own proper Individual Powers of Thinking, Willing, Acting, &c.; otherwise (Notwithstanding any Unity of Substance), there could be no real distinction of PERSONS; this very necessity, therefore, implies that there cannot be any absolute Union or Blending of Their Power, Perception, and other Properties or Attributes, without Confounding Their Intellects, and Destroying Their Individuality. They may,

Circle; it is not the One we are seeking, The Attributes of the LORD of the Universe, whom we are contemplating, are solely un

indeed, be Supposed to Agree and Cooperate, as Three United or Associated Gods; but this is manifest Tritheism With respect to Their Equality; How is it Imaginable that Power Absolutely Infinite can be the Property of more than One Supreme Intelligent Agent; since This Power is (as Such) in its very Nature, Exclusive, indivisible, and Incommunicable?

In short; The First Cause, The Underived, Independent Father, is either Absolutely perfect, or He is not: To suppose. He is not, would be both Impious and Absurd. But, if we conclude (as we shall find ourselves obliged to do), that He possesses Absolute Perfection in His own Person; then no other Being or Person whatsoever, can be supposed to possess the like, without a contradiction: as has been just now shewn, from the consideration, that Infinite or Unlimited Power (which is included in absolute Perfection), can belong to but One Divine Person, or Intelligent Agent. It is not Conceivable, that there can be more than One Divine Person, Who is Universally and Eternally Absolute; or that there can be more than One (Eternally) All-Directing, AllPervading Power. Therefore, notwithstanding the most subtile arguments, we are reduced to this Dilemma at last : we must either deny that the Father possesses this absolute Perfection in Se; or we must confine it to Him alone ;and acknowledge that His consummate and unequalled Attributes render Him all-sufficient and Supreme.

derived, and, in consequence perfectly free, and his Unbounded Power (universally and constantly exerted *) leaves no possibility for any other to subsist in the same degree.

Absolute Perfection is, therefore, consistent with One Intelligent Being only;-with the Most High; eternally and unchangeably existing in his Person alone.

For, as above, it is a manifest contradiction to suppose two or more Beings (or Persons) positively Unlimited, in Power, Authority, Dominion, &c.-See 1 Chron. xxix, 10, 11, 12.

The Unity of the First Cause being established, to say, that this Adorable Being has bestowed, or communicated, an equal degree (that is an infinite degree) of his Power, Wisdom, Goodness, &c. to any other Being; is to declare that the Creature can be made equal to the Creator, or the Effect equal to the Cause.

It is Grossly Inconsistent to suppose that the

Psalm. lxvi, 7; ciii, 19; cxlv throughout,

Eternal Father can be the CAUSE of any being, or Person, Equal with Himself*.

The last is as simple and as clear a Proposition as can be offered to the Mind, and needs no

comment.

Contented with irrefragable evidence that the Almighty Author of all Things is truly One, the intelligent, but humble Christian, pretends not to describe the manner of His existence; it was Athanasius, or rather his Followers†, who, from a mistaken zeal (influenced by a false Philosophy), presumed to divide and subdivide the Deity, and shew the mode of His Existence; torturing the faculties of Mankind by making One a Plurality, or constituting a Threefold God of One God: and then they un

* Any Caused Being must evidently at least want the Great Primary Property, or Attribute, of Self-Existence, or Proper Eternity.

† In justice to Athanasius it should be generally understood, that there are strong reasons to believe, that the Creed imputed to him, was not written until, at least, 60 years after his time; but by Whom is not certainly known.-See Rem. on Eccle. His. vol. iv, p. 313. Dr. Jortin does not seem to have felt any very high degree of respect for this Creed;" It matters little," he says, "by whom, or "where, or when it was composed.”

mercifully fulminated everlasting perdition on all those who did not, or cannot now, believe their Hypothesis.

It will not be said that Objections have been made to this Hypothesis, for want of sufficient Time to reflect upon it; or for want of serious attention to it; or a due exertion of the rational Faculties upon it; since experience shews us, that the longer and the closer it is investigated, the more insuperable its Difficulties appear. Among many others the following may be added to those preceding :

When we consider the Son and the Holy Ghost as Persons, or Intelligent Agents *, Distinct or Different from the Father; we find ourselves forced to conceive that their Powers must be either Inherent or Derived.

Now if their Powers or Attributes be Unoriginated, absolutely Inherent, like those of the Father, and their Persons distinct, then it evidently follows that we have Three Distinct Independent

* " Intelligent Agent, is the proper and adequate Defini"tion of the Word, Person; nor can it otherwise be under"stood with any distinct Sense or Meaning at all.”—Dr. Clarke, Works. Fol. edit. vol. iv, p. 122.