given to him, to have life in himself; and authority to execute judgment is given him :" And it is repeated again, "Of himself he can do nothing;" verse 30.

Now may not these scriptures admit of this exposition, imputing the inferior characters and expressions, to his inferior or human nature, thus? Jesus is but a man, and can do nothing of himself; but because the Man Jesus is the Son of man, or the appointed Messiah; as verse 27. therefore the Father has ordained, that he should be personally united to God," it hath pleased the Father, that in him the fulness of godhead should dwell bodily;" thus the Son of man hath union with godhead given him: And by this means, he has it given him to have life in himself; for where godhead is, there also are the properties of godhead, one of which is, to have life in himself. By this means also the person of the Son as god-man, is said to know all things that the Father does, and doth the same things which he seeth the Father do, or performs that which the Father hath purposed. So the Son raiseth the dead, quickeneth whom he will, and executeth judgment on all mankind, and receiveth divine honours, as well as the Father: And yet he is said to have all this power and honour given him by the Father, because by the appointment of the Father, the divine nature dwells in Jesus. the Son of man, who of himself, and in himself is but a man, and could do nothing.

The Son, as he is a man, is represented here as able to do nothing of himself: The Father, though he be God, is represented as willing to do nothing of himself: Therefore the Father, whose divine nature dwells in the Son, doth all things by the Son, as his great agent and minister in the salvation of

men.

Or if this interpretation does not please, we may then suppose that the inferior characters here mentioned, are only attributed to Christ as Mediator; and then the interpretation is this; viz. Though considered as God, he knows all things, he can do all things, and is the sovereign of life yet considered as Mediator, he is supposed to wave this sovereignty; and in this sense he may be said to receive these powers, instructions, and delegated authority from the Father, who sustains the sovereign or supreme character in the economy of grace.

This shall suffice concerning the inferior actions and characters, which are ascribed to Christ in the scripture.

I proceed now to consider the holy Spirit.

There are, also some things in scripture, which seem infe rior to the dignity of godhead, that are attributed to the blessed Spirit, as that he is sent by the Father at the Son's request;' John xiv. 16. that "he is sent by the Son;" John xv. 26. that

"he shall not speak of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear that shall he speak;" John xvi. 13. "That he shall receive the things of the Son, and shew them unto men;" verses 14, 15. That the "Holy Ghost was given to some men, by the laying on of the hands of other men;" Acts viii. 17, 18. "That the Spirit is poured out upon men;" Acts ii. 17, 18. That men are "baptized with the Holy Ghost;" Mat. iii. 11. "That he maketh intercession for the saints, with groanings that cannot be uttered ;” Rom. viii. 26, 27.

Now if there be no inferior nature, which belongs to the Spirit of God, to which these things may properly be ascribed, then they must be imputed to the Spirit of God, considered in the inferior character, or office of a deputy, or vicegerent, a messenger, or advocate*, both of the Father, and of the Son : And in this sense, he who considered as true God, is one with the Father, and hath absolute sovereignty; yet considered in the gospel, as a prime minister of the Father's and Son's kingdom, is pleased to represent himself as being sent by the Father and the Son, as their chief agent, to fulfil many kind offices for us, and in us, in the economy of salvation.

If I could make this proposition clearer, and give my reader an easier conception of it by any human illustrations, I would attempt it in this manner, and try to represent this divine mystery of three persons, with three distinct characters, yet but one God.

Suppose a king should send an ambassador extraordinary to a foreign country, and at his removal should appoint a resident to stay behind him in that country; and suppose the soul of the king himself could be so united also to the body, or person, both of the ambassador and the resident, as to animate, actuate and move them, and become, as it were, one person with each of them Then the soul of the king himself might be said to sustain both his own character as king, and the inferior character both of the ambassador and the resident, and fulfil all those offices under a distinct sort of personality.

:

Thus we may apprehend, how God the Father, the King of heaven, sent down his Son, a distinct person, in whom the same godhead dwells, as an ambassador extraordinary to earth; and the Holy Spirit a distinct person also, who hath the same godhead, was left here as a resident. And thus this eternal God, being the same in the Father, Son and Spirit, sustains the su

The word apex, "paracletos," which we translate the "Comforter," in the xiv. xv. and xvi. chapters of St. John, may be as properly rendered, the "advocate;" for that Greek word signifies both. Now to be an advocate is the proper office of the Holy Spirit, that is, to speak for God the Father, and for Christ in the world, since Christ is gone to heaven; and it is the very same word which we translate "advocate," 1 John ii. 2. When it is applied to Christ as speaking for us in heaven.

perior character of a sovereign king, in the person of the Father, and may be said also to sustain these inferior characters of an ambassador, and a resident, and to fulfil these offices in the persons of the Son and Spirit.

I confess these "similes" borrowed from earthly things, are very imperfect, and insufficient to represent things divine and heavenly; but perhaps they may serve to strike some little light upon this sacred mystery.

PROP. XIX.-Nor do these inferior Natures, Characters or Agencies, at all hinder our firm Belief of the Godhead of these Three Persons, which is so plainly expressed in Scripture, nor should it abate or diminish our Sacred Regards to them.

Whatsoever inferior nature may be united to the godhead in any of the divine persons, or whatsoever inferior characters or offices they may sustain in the matters of our salvation, these do not at all take away, or diminish the nature or dignity of the godhead, subsisting in that person. The divine nature must still maintain its own honour and eternal dignity; for God must be God for ever, and cannot divest himself of his own real and essential glories, whatsoever condescending forms and offices he may assume, in order to fulfil his wondrous counsels, and designs of power or love, of creation or providence, or the greater work of redemption.

To make this very plain, I would express myself here thus in imitation of Doctor Owen speaking of Christ. Each nature united in the person of Christ, is entire, and preserves to itself its own natural properties. For he is no less true and perfect God, for being united to man; nor is he less a 'true, perfect man, consisting of soul and body, by being united to God. His divine nature still continues omniscient, omnipotent, infinite, &c. His human nature finite, or limited, in knowledge and power, and was, before its glorification, subject to all infirmities of life, and death, to which the same nature in others absolutely considered, is obnoxious.

In each of these natures, he acts suitably to the essential properties and principles of that nature. As God, he made all things, upholds all things by the word of his power, fills heaven and earth, &c. As man, he lived, hungered, suffered, died, rose, ascended into heaven. Yet by reason of the union of both these natures in the same person sometimes the person Christ may be said to do all these things; and sometimes the actions of one nature are attributed to the other; so God is said to lay down his life for us, &c. as I have shewn before.

So in the Holy Spirit, the dignity of divine nature is preserved entire; and thus it acts like itself, with sovereign autho

rity and power in many places of scripture; though in other places the person of the Spirit is represented as acting in a way of deputation, and, as it were, by commission received from the Father or the Son.

Still we must remember, that under whatsoever inferior characters or offices the Son or Spirit are represented in scripture, yet their communion in and with the divine nature ceases not, true godhead belongs to them still. And wheresoever true godhead is, there are all the attributes, honours, and prerogatives of godhead, whatsoever other or lower characters that person may also assume and sustain.

PROP. XX.-We are bound therefore to pay divine Honours to each of the Sacred Three, viz. the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, according to their distinct Characters and Offices assigned them in Scripture.

Though each person of the blessed Trinity ought to have divine honours paid to him, yet these honours are generally distinguished, and expressed in such a manner, as is suited to their distinct personal characters, and operations, as they are revealed to us in the word of God, which is the only rule of our duty and worship.

Let it always be observed and kept in mind, that the only ground and foundation, and formal reason of the divine worship and honours that are paid to each of the sacred Three, is their godhead, or communion in the divine nature; yet the special forms of the worship and honour which is paid them, arise chiefly from those special offices and characters, which the scripture assigns to them.

Now in order to shew clearly, what are their distinct honours, together with the reasons of them, let us consider, in what manner the scripture represents their distinct characters and offices.

First, Of the Father-God the Father, is represented in scripture generally as the first or supreme Agent, but as acting by his word or Son, and through his Spirit, and that sometimes in the works of creation and providence, as well as in the works of redemption and salvation.

In "creation," this is sufficiently evident; Ps. xxxiii. 6. By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, and all the host of them by the breath, [or Spirit,] of his mouth."

Eph. iii. 9. "God who created all things by Jesus Christ." Heb. i. 2. "By whom, [that is, his Son,] he made the worlds."

The Spirit also hath his share of agency herein. Thus, Job xxvi. 13. "By his Spirit he garnished the heavens ; and his "Spirit moved on the face of the waters;" Gen. i. 2.

And it is very natural to suppose that, since God the Father created all things by his Son, and his Holy Spirit; therefore he says; Gen. i. 26. "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness," consulting, as it were, with his Son, or with his Son and Spirit about the creation of man.

This is evident also in the administrations of " providence." Is. ix. 6. "To us a Son is born, that is, Christ, the government shall be upon his shoulder."

Ps. cx. 5. "The Lord at thy right-hand, shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath," that is, Christ exalted to the right-hand of God.

Mat. xxviii. 18. "Jesus spake to them, saying, all power is given unto me in heaven, and in earth."

John v. 22. "The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment to the Son."

It is also by the Spirit, that the Father manages his providential kingdom.

Ps. civ. 36. When his creatures faint and die, God "sendeth forth his Spirit, and they are created, and thus he renews the face of the earth," that is, he continues a succession of creatures, by the agency of his Spirit, iu the course of his providence.

Is. xxxiv. 17. When God sends desolation, and wild beasts into Babylon, it is expressed, "his Spirit hath gathered them."

And that he acts thus by his Son, through his Spirit, in the work of our salvation, is much more frequently expressed in scripture. I shall mention but a few texts, and only such, where both the Son and Spirit are mentioned in the same place.

1 Pet. i. 2. "Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctification of the Spirit unto obedi ence; and the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ."

2 Cor. i. 21, 22. "He which establisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; who hath also sealed us, and given us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts."

Rom. v. 1, 5. "We have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ.-The Love of God is shed abroad in our hearts, by the Holy Ghost which is given to us."

1 Cor. vi. 11. "Washed, justified, sanctified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God."

John xiv. 16, 17. Christ saith, "I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another comforter, even the Spirit of

truth."

Acts ii. 33. "Jesus being by the right-hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear."

Gal. iv. 4, 5, 6. "God sent forth his Son made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law,