ticle, the Unity of God Others have SER M. contended, that they are one Perfon on- IV. ly, with three Modes or Denominations; Which is the Herefy of Sabellianifm, and deftroys the Perfonality both of the Son and Holy Spirit: Some, in the contrary extreme, forfaking likewife the Phrafes of Scripture, having prefumed to affirm, that there was a Time, when the Son and Holy Spirit had no Being, and were made out of Nothing even as the meanest of Creatures; which was the notion of Arius: And Others, diminishing yet further the Dignity of our Saviour's Perfon, have made him a mere Man, and denied his having any Being before he was born of the Virgin; Which is the Error of Socinus. And now among this multiplicity of Errors, how shall a fincere and unlearned Christian behave himself? Why, His Rule is; Let him not follow vain men, in being Wife beyond what is written; but let him adhere to what he finds plainly and exprefly delivered in Scripture: And This, as far as poffible, in the very Scripture-Terms; always remembring where That cannot be done, yet fo to under

H 2

SER M. understand all Phrafes of human Compo IV. fition, as to mean neither more nor less

than the Scripture-Expreffions. Now that which the Scripture declares concerning this Matter, is This: When one of the, Scribes afked our Saviour, Which is the firft Commandment of all? Jefus answered him, The first of all the Commandments is; Hear, O Ifrael, the Lord our God is one. Lord: To which the Scribe replied, Well, Mafter, thou haft faid the Truth; For there is One God, and there is none other but He Mar. xii. 29, 32: and 1 Cor. viii. 6; To Us there is but One God, the Father of whom are all things and Eph. iv. 6; One God and Father of All, who is above All, and through All, and in you All. Yet the fame Scripture does likewife expreffly affirm, that the Son alfo is God; and to the Holy Spirit it afcribes Divine Powers and Attributes: How Then fhall This be reconciled? Plainly Thus The Power and Authority of the Son and Holy Spirit, is neither Another Power and Authority, oppofite to that of the Father; nor Another Power and Authority, co-ordinate to that of the Father; But it is His Power and Authority, communicated to Them, manifefted in them, and exer

IV.

འང་

cifed by them: And fo there is plainly SER M. preserved both an Unity of Power, and a Monarchy of Government in the Univerfe.

5thly, To the Form of Baptifm, our Saviour adds in the Text, the Practice of those who are to be baptized into This Faith. Teaching them to Obferve all things whatsoever I have commanded you.

And

I

21.

This, is the Great End and Use of the whole. As Faith without Works is dead ; fo Baptifm, without the Anfwer of a good 1 Pet iii. Confcience towards God, is but the Wash-Heb x.22. ing away of the Filth of the Flesh. He Eph v.26. that is baptized, must put off, concerning the former converfation, the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lufts; and be renewed in the Spirit of his mind; and put on the new man, which after God is created in Righteousness and true Holinefs; Eph. iv. 22. He muft, as St Paul elsewhere expreffes it, put on the Lord Je-Rom xiii. fus Chrift. Gal. iii. 27; As many of you as 4 have been baptized into Chrift, have put on Chrift. The Meaning is: He that is baptized into the Religion of Chrift, must conform himself to the fame pattern, muft

SER M. obferve all things whatsoever He has com IV. manded Us, muft obey his Laws delivered in the Gofpel; otherwife his Baptifm is vain, and his Profeffion but Hypocrify.

ཀཀ

6thly and Laftly, HERE is the Promife of an effectual Affiftance, to the Disciples fent forth upon This Commiffion: And, lo, I am with you always even unto the End of the World. Being with them always, 'tis evident did not fignify his continuing perfonally with them; For this Promife was made to them at the very Time, when he had declared he was about to leave them and afcend unto the Father. But it fignifies, that he would continue with them by the guidance and direction of his Spirit; which was in effect the fame thing, as continuing with them himself. Thus God is in Scripture faid to dwell in us Himself, when he dwells in us by his Spirit; and he that lies to the A&ts v. 4. Spirit of God, is juftly accused of lying confequently to God Himself; and he who rejects the preaching of an Apostle, is charged with rejecting Chrift; and he that rejects Chrift, with rejecting God Himself who fent him,

Eph.ii.22.

CHRIST'S

CHRIST'S being with his Difciples to SER M. the End of the World therefore, is his be- IV. ing with them by his Spirit. And This imports two things: 1, His giving them the Holy Ghoft at Pentecoft, to inspire es them with the Doctrine of Truth, and to enable them to confirm that Doctrine with miraculous Gifts; according to the promife; St Mar. xvi. 17; Thefe Signs fall follow them that believe; In my Name = fhall they caft out Devils, they fhall Speak with new tongues, they fhall take up Serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it fhall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the Sick, and they shall recover. And 2dly it implies, That, after this Founda tion of the Church, by the Teaching and Miracles of the infpired Apoftles; the Bleffing of Providence, and the Affistance of the Divine Spirit, fhould continue to preserve it; not by raifing up infallible Guides and unerring humane Authority, which never was in any Others than the Apostles themselves; but by fupporting the Doctrine once delivered by the Apoftles, against all the Violence and Frauds of its Oppofers. Thou art Peter, says our Saviour,

H 4