"the seven spirits which are before his throne," so called on account of his diversity of gifts, and influences, and operations; and of Jesus Christ, who is here mentioned last, because the apostle was to enlarge more upon a description of him and his person, as manifested in the flesh, and as one with whom he was so intimate while on earth.

It may be shown from the work of redemption, that it is absolutely necessary that there should be Three Persons in the Godhead. It is necessary that the Mediator between God, and man who has violated his law, should be infinite ; and if so, he must be both God and man,-man to die, and God to overcome death; and also, because it is necessary that a mediator should partake of the nature of both parties. But there must also be a third person to apply the purchased redemption, who likewise must be infinite; because such things belong to this part of redemption, as can be ascribed to none but to God.

Obs. 31.-The Three Persons in the Godhead are distinguished by their personal properties, which are incommunicable.

1. The personal property of the Father is to beget the Son. —Psal. ii. 7; Heb. i. 5, &c.

2. The personal property of the Son is to be begotten of the Father.-John i. 14, 18.

3. The personal property of the Holy Ghost is to proceed eternally from the Father and the Son.-John xv. 26; Gal. iv. 6; Rom. viii. 9; John xvi. 14, 15, xv. 26, and xiv. 26.

The difference between a personal property and an essential property is this: a personal property is peculiar to one of the persons only; whereas an essential property is common to them all.

It is farther evident, that the Three Persons in the Godhead are distinct persons, from their distinct operations in the work of redemption. In Scripture, we find the Father contriving and ordaining it; the Son purchasing its blessings; and the Holy Ghost applying them.

The calling of the Father the first, the Son the second, and the Holy Ghost the third person in the Godhead, does not imply any inequality among them, for these are only terms of order, and imply no superiority either of nature, or excellence, or duration. See 2 Cor. xiii. 4, where the Son is mentioned before the Father; and Rev. i. 4, 5, where the Holy Spirit is named before the Son.

We may here remark, that the assertion that there are Three Persons in the Godhead with distinct personal properties, does not in the least infer any separation or division in the divine essence; for the Persons in the Godhead are not separated, but distinguished from one another by their personal properties. As the unity of the essence does not confound the persons, so the distinction of persons does not imply any division of the essence.

Obs. 32. The Father is God; the Son is God; and the Holy Ghost is God.

That the Father is God, is evident from the following things:-

1. In Scripture, all the perfections already considered, which necessarily belong to God, are ascribed to him.—John v. 26; Rom. i. 4, &c.

2. Works are ascribed to him which can be ascribed to none but God.

3. That worship is performed to him which it would be gross idolatry to offer to any created being.-John xi. 41, 42, and xii. 27, 28, &c.

That the Son is God, is evident from the following things :1. He is expressly called God.-Rom. ix. 5. The true God and eternal life.-1 John v. 20. The great God.-Tit. ii. 13. The mighty God.-Isa. ix. 6. The Lord or Jehovah,Mal. iii. 1; which is the incommunicable name of God.

2. He is represented as possessed of Divine attributes. Eternity is ascribed to him.-Mic. v. 2. Immutability.Heb. xiii. 8. Omniscience.-John xxi. 17. Omnipotence.Rev. i. 8. Omnipresence.-Matt. xxviii. 20. Supremacy. -Rom. ix. 5. See also Rev. i. 11; Phil. iii. 20, 21; Rev. i. 32; Psal. cii. 27; Heb. i. 10, and xiii. 8.

The

The

3. Works peculiar to God are ascribed to him. creation and preservation of all things.-Col. i. 16, 17. purchasing of eternal redemption.-Heb. ix. 12. The working of miracles by his own power.-Mark v. 41. The forgiveness of sins.-Mark ii. 5. The raising of the dead at the last day. John v. 28, 29. The judging of the world.-Rom. xiv. 10.

4. We are commanded to give the same divine worship to him which is due to the Father.-John v. 23. To believe on him equally with the Father.-John. xiv. 1. And to be baptized in his name, as well as in the name of the Father.

Matt. xxviii. 19. See also 1 Cor. xvi. 22; Heb. i. 8; Phil. ii. 10.

We may here observe, that when Christ saith that "his Father is greater than he" (John xiv. 28), he does not mean that he is greater with respect to his nature, but with respect to his office as Mediator; in which respect he is the Father's servant.-Isa. xlii. 1.

That the Holy Ghost is God, is evident from the following things: :

1. Names peculiar to the Most High God are ascribed to him. He is expressly called Jehovah.-Numb. xii. 6. See also 1 Peter i. 11; 2 Peter i. 21. He is called God.-Acts v. 3, 4. The Most High God.-Psal. lxxviii. 56, compared with Heb. iii. 7-9.

2. Attributes peculiar to the Most High God are ascribed to him. Eternity is ascribed to him.-Gen. i. 1, 2. Omnipresence.-Psal. cxxxix. 7. Omniscience.-1 Cor. ii. 10, 11. Almighty power.-Acts vi. 10, &c.

3. Works peculiar to God alone are ascribed to him.Gen. i. 2; Psal. xxxiii. 6, and civ. 30; Matt. xii. 28; Rom. viii. 11.

4. Worship peculiar to God alone is ascribed to him, and required to be paid to him. In his name, as well as in the name of the Father and the Son, are we baptized. Prayer is commanded to be performed to him.-Acts iv. 23, &c., compared with 2 Sam. xxiii. 2, &c. And solemn benedictions are pronounced in his name.--2 Cor. xiii. 14.

Obs. 33.-The belief of the doctrine of the Trinity is absolutely necessary to eternal salcation.

Without the knowledge and belief of this doctrine, we can have no real knowledge of the new covenant, in which the three persons in the Godhead have such a conspicuous place. This doctrine runs through the whole of religion; so that, if we believe not in it, we can have no saving faith, no saving acquaintance with God.-John xvii. 3, v. 23, and xv. 23.

This doctrine likewise affects the whole of our obedience; and all our comforts, both of a temporal and of a spiritual nature, flow from it. Believers hold communion with God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost ;-with the Father, in contemplating the love which he hath displayed in sending his Son into the world to be a propitiation for their sins, and in admiring the riches of his grace, who thought upon them in

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their low estate ;-with the Son, in what he hath done for them in the various offices which he executes, in every relation in which he stands to them, and in which they appropriate him;-and with the Holy Ghost, in his various gifts and graces, influences and operations, which are all suited to their every case.

INFERENCES.

From this subject we learn,-1. That we must worship the Father, in Christ the Son, by the Holy Spirit; and that, when we pray, we must ask the Father, in the name of the Son, by the Holy Spirit.-Eph. ii. 18, and v. 20. 2. To prize the Word of God, from which alone we can discover the doctrine of the Trinity, and which alone must be the rule of our faith. 3. What ought to be the portion of the soul—a Three-One God, with whom alone is salvation.

CHAPTER II.

CONCERNING GOD'S DOINGS WITH RESPECT TO HIS CREA

TURES:-UNDER WHICH ARE CONSIDERED THE NA-
TURE AND CHARACTER OF GOD'S DECREES, AND THE
EXECUTION OF THEM IN THE WORKS OF CREATION
AND PROVIDENCE.

SECT. I.—OF THE NATURE AND CHARACTER OF GOD'S

DECREES.

The decrees of God are his eternal purpose, according to the counsel of his will, whereby, for his own glory, he hath foreordained whatsoever comes to pass.

ANALYSIS AND PROOFS.

We are here taught,—

1. That God hath formed certain decrees or purposes. Eph. i. 11.--"Being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will." See also Psal. ii. 7.

2. That God's purposes were formed in his mind from eternity. Eph. iii. 11.—“ According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord."

3. That God's decrees are exclusively the purposes or counsels of his own will. Rom. ix. 18.-"Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth." See also Eph. i. 5.

4. That all things, which are agreeable to the purposes or counsels of God, have been predestinated or foreordained by him. Acts. iv. 28.-" To do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done." See also Eph. i. 11. 5. That God hath foreordained all things for his own glory. Prov. xvi. 4.—“The Lord hath made all things for himself."