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of the Bible, and pronounce it inconsistent and contradictory, while we admit others equally mysterious and incomprehensible? This will be degrading to our own understanding, as well as reproachful to the infinite God. While we are not to explain or investigate the doctrine of the Trinity, for there is nothing in the nature of creatures by which it can be illustrated, we are to admit it as true on the credit of divine revelation-especially so, since it is neither a violation of reason, nor a contradiction in terms. If we establish it as a maxim, to admit no doctrine but what we can explain, on principles of reason and human philosophy, we may deny the doctrine of the Trinity. And on this principle we shall deny many other leading truths of scripture. On this principle, indeed, we shall discard and deny many things, which we know exist, in the natural world.Yea, this principle lays the basis of infidelity, and, if pursued, leads a short and easy way to a denial of the whole scheme of Christianity.

uncaused? Who can, on rational, philosophical principles, see how all things were made of nothing? These are as real mysteries, and as contrary to reason, as the doctrine of the Trinity. Who can account for the resurrection of the body, and the change of those who shall be found alive at judgment? Of the latter, Paul saith, "Behold, I shew you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye."Is not this a mystery-as really so as the doctrine of the Trinity? Can we any more comprehend the one than the other? Is it to be accounted for on principles of reason and philosophy? And shall we reject this, or any other doctrine, because above reason; and say it cannot be true because we are unable to comprehend it? We cannot "find out the Almighty unto perfection." God is greater than man. He sees thro' and perfectly understands those things which, to the human mind, are enveloped in thick darkness; and by his unlimited power he is able to accomplish all his purposes. God can as easily change, in a moment, a natural to a spiritual body, as he can will to do it and he knows perfectly well, how all things were made of nothing, and understands his own eternal existence underived and uncaused, tho' in view of these the human mind is lost and bewildered.So, by his infinite understand-isting in one God, the divinity of ing, God is able to see through the doctrine of the Trinity, and know it is true, though to us it be an incomprehensible mys-distinct personality constitutes tery. distinct being, when applied to

It may be suitable before these remarks are closed, to notice some of the dangerous consequences of denying the doctrine of the Trinity; or admitting the force of any objections against it.

1. If we deny the doctrine of the Trinity in unity it is a denial of the divinity of Christ. If there be not three divine persons ex

Christ must be given up-it cannot be supported on any other ground. If we allow that

Shall we deny one doctrine God, then of course, Jesus

Christ is a distinct being, and, therefore, not a divine person; for there can be but one God.However many and plain the passages of scripture in favor of the divinity of Jesus Christ, yet if the doctrine of the Trinity be not true, these passages have been misapprehended; He is but a mere man, and the faith of the greatest part of the Christian church, for ages past, hath rested on the sand.

2. A denial of this doctrine destroys the atonement of Christ. If Christ be not a divine person then there is no more value or merit, in his obedience and sufferings, than in the obedience and sufferings of any other good man. If Christ be only a creature, then all the advantage we can derive from him is an example of meekness, patience and submission; all which we have in Job, Stephen and many since their day. The merit or value of the sufferings of Christ, or his obedience unto death, arises not from the quantum or degree of his sufferings, tho' they were great beyond a parallel, but from the dignity of his person. The value of the obedience, and sufferings of Christ is in proportion to the dignity of his person, and so lays a sure foundation for hope to sinners. But

holy scriptures we have no hope of a gracious forgiveness. The doctrine of the atonement runs thro' the whole Bible. It is the sum of all the promises, types and prophecies of the Old Testament. It is the foundation of all the warnings, invitations and promises of Christ and the Apostles. This, in connexion with the real divinity of Christ, which as a golden thread runs through the whole revelation, is a doctrine to which all the truths of the Bible ultimately point, and in which they centre. This employed the counsels of divine wisdom and goodness from eternity. This brought CHRIST JESUS THE LORD from heaven to take a body of flesh, and dwell for a season among men. This is closely connected with the great truth expressed by John in his first epistle, v., 7. For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one. It becomes us then to listen with caution to artful decievers, and guard against the specious objections that are raised against the doctrine of three persons in one God.

ON SUBMISSION TO GOD.

HE holy scriptures abun

take away the divinity of Christ T dantly enjoin it on men, to

and the infinite value of the sacrifice fails, and, of course, our hope from the atonement falls to the ground.

3. If the doctrine of the Trinity in unity be disproved, and these other doctrines fail with it, then all the distinguishing doctrines of the Bible are destroyed. If Christ be not a divine person, and there is nothing in bis atonement, then from the

submit themselves to God. He is the Father and Lord of the world, and requires his creatures to forsake every evil and rebellious practice and become the loyal subjects of his government. The duty enjoined is not an inevitable subjection to his invincible power. Every thing, willing or unwilling, must ultimately submit to this; for God mana

ges all things according to the counsel of his own will. The finally impenitent themselves must take their portion of wrath and fiery indignation at his hands. Men, who are sensible that they can make no effectual resistance, frequently compose themselves to submit to things, which, had they sufficient power, they would never do. A vanquished enemy submits to the chain of an haughty conqueror, with the appearance of meekness; and dying unbelievers frequently say as much as this, that they are resigned to death if that be the will of God. The captive does not usually so deceive himself, as to suppose he is willing to bear the taunts and shackles of the conqueror. But, alas! the dying enemy of God, and sinners under awakenings, are often able to mistake this submission, which arises from a despair of what they wish, and a resolution to bear their burdens as well as they can, for that submission, which springs from love and confidence in God. It may not then be improper to attend to the subject with care.

Submission sometimes respects the law of God. This is something more than yielding heartless services, and hypocritical pretences to obedience.It is delighting in the law, and entering into the practice of a cordial conformity to it. Such as thus obey it, see an excellency and fitness in the law itself, and they obey, because they esteem it holy, formed on the great principle of impartial goodness, and a blessing to the universe. Such take pleasure in the duties it enjoins, and earnestly desire that their hearts should be bro't into a perfect conformity to all

their duty, saying then shall I have great delight, when I have respect to all thy commandments. Submission to the divine law, is also derived in part, from an affectionate sense of the obligations which believers feel themselves under to God, as their parent, who hath nourished and brought them up as children, sustaining them from infancy to their present age; so that goodness and mercy have followed them all the days of their lives, notwithstanding the numerous provocations they have committed against him.His people are sensible, that this lays them under obligations to him, and that it is an aggravation of wickedness, to rebel against God, when he hath nourished and brought us up as children.

A consideration also, that God has created the world, impresses on the minds of his people, a sense of his right to give law to his own creatures. They view themselves as his property, and hence dutifully comply with their obligations, to be employed for his pleasure and glory, in any way he shall direct. Nor are they inattentive to the obligations upon them, derived from the perfection and glory of his nature, which render him infinitely worthy to command the universe. They submit to the law, because they esteem it an infinite blessing to creation that it has such a glorious Being at its head. With such impressions as these, it is no cause of wonder, that all the inhabitants of heaven, and the well disposed on earth, should cordially submit to receive and obey the.commands of God.

2. Submission to God also

respects his providence. The providence of God is his agency in preserving and managing created things, carrying into effect all his counsels, and promoting the interests of his kingdom, and the manifestations of his own glory, which is indeed the supreme interest of his creatures. The purposes of God respect all actions and things he hath fore-ordained whatsoever comes to pass. His providence is executed with almighty power, so that his counsel shall stand, and he will do all his pleasure. Submission to this providence, is a cordial and confidential surrendery of ourselves and all our concerns, into his hands, delighting in his supremacy, and rejoicing that we may find such an one, to whom we may confide all that we value.It arises from an approbation of, and a full confidence in the wisdom, power and goodness of God, to manage all concerns for his glory, and the general good. God has power to control and manage creation, as the potter does the clay. He has wisdom to connect the whole into a system, so that all its parts may move in harmony with each other, and in subordination to the interest of the whole. And he has goodness of heart to adopt this for his object, and accomplish it by the whole work of providence. This his people believe and where is the benevolent mind, which would not rejoice to see himself, and all things, in such hands? Where is the believer, who will not be consoled under afflictions, by the consideration, that infinite wisdom and goodness deal them out? It is owing only to moral depravity, that there is any

want of submission to divine providence among men.

3. Submission to God also includes submission to his grace. This is, if possible, beyond all other acts of submission, the most contrary to the pride and haughtiness of the corrupt heart. The grace of God is the gospel salvation, consisting in the pardon and acceptance of the sinner thro' Christ, and communications of holiness, for his sake only, made by the Holy Spirit. The pardon of sin, thro' Christ, is on the ground, that we are so vile and guilty, that God cannot remit, in the least, the penalties of his law, only from respect to Christ, and that we are worthy of eternal vengeance and universal abhorence, and must be beholden to Christ for the least favor. This is too humiliating for the pride of the unsanctified; and it is still more so, because it represents us so vile and depraved in our inclinations, that our return to God is a desperate matter, unless effected by the sovereign power of the Holy Ghost. When any one submits to the grace of God, he freely consents to be considered and treated and pardoned, as a criminal, deserving endless wrath, and to be so considered forever ; and to be fixed as a pillar in the house of God-a living monument, to perpetuate the memory of such grace, to the glory of Christ: he cordially submits to this way of salvation, and prefers it before all others which his imagination can invent. In submitting to the grace of God, he also subscribes to this truth, that he is too corrupt, even to exercise any right affection towards God or man, only, as it is wrought in him, by the spirit of

to the fashion of this world, are wholly inconsistent with submission to God. The heart must be created anew, and then the soul can repose itself with comfort on the Lord.

There are many considerations, which are weighty mo. tives, to impress on us the duty of submission to God.

God. He cheerfully places all wholly conformed to God. his dependence there, for holi-fishness, pride and conformity ness and sanctification, and rejoices in this dependence, and is willing to have it forever known, thro' heaven and earth, that he is by nature so utterly courrupt, that he is indebted to special, distinguishing grace, for every thing in his heart and conduct, by which he differs from such as are condemned to everlasting misery. Submission to grace necessarily implies deep humility, and is a very different thing from merely wishing to go unpunished. It implies an holy admiration of the gospel, not only because it saves sinners, but because it so effectually provides for their sanctification, and to have free grace so apparent in their salvation; to have Christ so exalted, and the sinner so abased, and the impression of this so effectually kept up forever in the view of the whole intelligent system, to the glory of divine grace. That heart is humble and benevolent, and delights more in the glory of God, than in his own praise, which can be pleased with the grace of God. Such men can take pleasure in being set up as spectacles of mercy, that it may be forever said by creatures, "See in the salvation of that hell-deserving sinner, the riches of God's free, sovereign grace-see how God has renewed him, pardoned him, sanctified him, kept him and glorified him, from a pure regard to his own glory, and the redemption of Christ."

How evident it must be, that no submission, either to the law, providence or grace of God, can subsist in an unrenewed soul. Nor can these affections be perfect, until the heart is

1. It is altogether impossible to make any effectual opposi tion to his will. We can never be successful in opposing his administrations. God is an allsufficient ruler, and his creatures are too feeble to give him any disturbance; should any one rise against his law, and refuse submission to his authority, which alas! multitudes continue to do all their days, can they compel him to repeal his law, or can they avoid its penalty? Can we fly from his wrath, or are we stronger than he? By no means; the law will have its effect, either in our obedience or destruction. It is also as impossible to defeat the designs of providence. We are in his hands, and all our concerns, and the events which respect us, are at his disposal. He has long since fixed his designs concerning us, and we cannot cause him to change his counsels. If he intends us sickness, poverty or any calamity, no resistance, or want of submission on our part, can defeat his purposes. Nor will any resistance of his grace be successful. We never can persuade, or compel him, to make the terms of his gospel more agreeable to our pride and corruptions. We may indeed in one sense resist his grace forever; we may reject it; but the

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