Church in Baptism, from the very first Establishment of Chriftianity to this prefent Time. And though fanciful Men have arifen, who have controverted the great Truth contained in thefe Words, namely, that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, are the one true and only God; yet have they, for the most Part, retained the fame Form of Words; and whoever have deviated from this Form, have been looked upon by the Church as Heretics; and have been ufually cut off from the Society of the Faithful. Three Perfons and one God, is a Doctrine peculiar to Chriftianity, whereby it is particularly distinguished from all other Religions whatfoever. deed, in the Old Teftament there are many Paffages, which learned Men have obferved, seem strongly to intimate a Plurality of Perfons in the Unity of the Godhead. And they have proved this with fuch Appearance of Reafon, and, I think, I may fay, with fuch Strength of Argument, as will be fufficient to convict any Man of great Rafhness and Folly, who fhall take upon

In

him

him to affert the contrary. But it muft nevertheless be confeffed, that this Doctrine was wrapped up in great Obscurity; and (like the God by whom the Law was given) was involved in Clouds and thick Darkness. Chrift by his coming hath brought to Light this great and important Truth; and hath taught us in his holy Gospel, that in the divine Effence, there are Three, whom we call Perfons, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, in Glory equal, in Majefty co-eternal. Into this Faith you have been baptized; and in this Faith, I truft, you will continue unto the End of your Lives; notwithstanding any Thing that Jews, Turks, Infidels, or Heretics, Arians, Socinians, Deifts, or the whole. Tribe of the Wranglers, and Difputers of this World, may say to the contrary. This Faith Christ Jefus our Lord came down from Heaven, from the Bofom of his Father, from Glory and Happiness inexpreffible, to teach us. This Faith the Holy Ghoft bare Witness to, by the many, great, and miraculous Powers, which he conferred upon the Apostles of

Our

our Lord.
confirmed by a Voice from Heaven.
Faith the Apostles of our

This Faith God, the Father,

This

Lord taught

tion and Idolatry fled before it; and the Worship of the one true God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, was firmly established, in Oppofition to this many falfe and fictitious Deities to whom the Gentile World had long addreffed their mif- placed Homage and Adoration. For this Faith the primitive Saints and Martyrs contended unto the Death. This Faith carried them with Joy and Triumph through the fiery Trial, rejoicing in the midst of their Sufferings, and calling upon Christ, their Saviour, and their God, to receive their Souls. Let the wife Men of this World, the Disputers and Scoffers, who will not suffer God to fave them, but in their own Way; let prefumptuous Men, led afide by falfe Philofophy, and vain Deceit, caft upon this Faith, and those who profess it, what odious and invidious Names foever they please. Whenever by all the infidious Arts of Sophiftry

and

and Chicanery, of Ridicule and Buffoonery, they endeavour to pervert your Minds from the Purity of the Gospel, let this be the conftant Answer of every one of you; I believe in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, three Perfons and one God, bleffed for ever. The Father of an infinite Majefty; his honourable, true, and only Son; and the Holy Ghoft, the Comforter. In this Belief was I baptized, and in this Belief will I die. It is not required of you, my Brethren, to be able to answer every idle Cavil, and foolish Objection, which wicked Men and Deceivers may caft in your Way. Your Duty only requireth of you to fearch the holy Scriptures, the lively Oracles of God, with a Mind free from Prejudice and Partiality; and to adhere firmly to what Truths they teach you; and then I trust you will find, that although thofe facred Writings maintain ftrongly the Unity of the Godhead; they as ftrongly affirm the Father to be God, the Son to be God, and the Holy Ghoft to be God; from whence you will be able to draw for yourselves this true and proper Conclufion,

that

that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghoft are this one God. Continue stedfaft in this Faith. Let it influence your Lives and Practice; and then you will enjoy the the vast Honour, and inexpreffible Bleffing of being under the Government and Direction of God the Father who made you, and all the World; of God the Son who hath redeemed you, and all Mankind; and of God the Holy Ghoft, who fanctifieth you, and all the elect People of God.

Let us apply the remaining Part of this Discourse, in confidering what Duties are owing to these three Divine Perfons, as they stand related to us, as our Creator, our Redeemer, and our Sanctifier.

And firft, Since God the Father hath created us, then, as being his Creatures, and, the Work of his Hands, he hath an undoubted Right to our Obedience and Subjection. From him are derived all thofe Powers and Faculties with which we find ourselves bleffed. He may therefore juftly expect that we should carefully employ them in his Service, and to his Honour.