The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning Part 7

What G.o.d Is

John iv. 24.-"G.o.d is a Spirit, and they that wors.h.i.+p him must wors.h.i.+p him in spirit and in truth."

We have here something of the nature of G.o.d pointed out to us, and something of our duty towards him. "G.o.d is a Spirit," that is his nature, and "man must wors.h.i.+p him," that is his duty, and that "in spirit and in truth," that is the right manner of the duty. If these three were well pondered till they did sink into the bottom of our spirits, they would make us indeed Christians, not in the letter, but in the spirit. That is presupposed to all Christian wors.h.i.+p and walking, to know what G.o.d is, it is indeed the _primo cognitum_ of Christianity, the first principle of true religion, the very root out of which springs and grows up walking suitably with, and wors.h.i.+pping answerably of, a known G.o.d. I fear much of our religion is like the Athenians, they built an altar to the unknown G.o.d, and like the Samaritans, who wors.h.i.+pped they knew not what. Such a wors.h.i.+p, I know not what it is, when the G.o.d wors.h.i.+pped is not known. The two parents of true religion are the knowledge of G.o.d and of ourselves.

This, indeed, is the beginning of the fear of G.o.d, which the wise preacher calls "the beginning of true wisdom." And these two, as they beget true religion, so they cannot truly be one without the other. It is not many notions and speculations about the divine nature,-it is not high and strained conceptions of G.o.d,-that comprise the true knowledge of him. Many think they know something when they can speak of those mysteries in some singular way, and in some terms removed from common understandings, while neither themselves nor others know what they mean. And thus they are presumptuous, self conceited, knowing nothing as they ought to know. There is a knowledge that puffs up and there is a knowledge that casts down, a knowledge in many that doth but swell them, not grow them. It is but a rumour full of wind, a vain and empty, frothy knowledge that is neither good for edifying other, nor saving a man's self, a knowledge that a man knows and reflects upon so as to ascend upon the height of it, and measure himself by the degrees of it. This is not the true knowledge of G.o.d, which knows not itself, looks not back upon itself, but straight towards G.o.d, his holiness and glory and our baseness and misery, and therefore it constrains the soul to be ashamed of itself in such a glorious presence, and to make haste to wors.h.i.+p, as Moses, Job, and Isaiah did.

This definition of G.o.d-if we did truly understand it, we could not but wors.h.i.+p him in another manner. "G.o.d is a Spirit." Many ignorant people form in their own mind some likeness and image of G.o.d, who is invisible.

Ye know how ye fancy to yourselves some bodily shape. When you conceive of him, you think he is some reverend and majestic person sitting on a throne in heaven. But, I beseech you, correct your mistakes of him. There is outward idolatry and there is inward, there is idolatry in action, when men paint or engrave some similitude of G.o.d, and there is idolatry in imagination, when the fancy and apprehension run upon some image or likeness of G.o.d. The first is among Papists, but I fear the latter is too common among us, and it is indeed all one, to form such a similitude in our mind and to engrave or paint it without. So that the G.o.d whom many of us wors.h.i.+p is not the living and true G.o.d, but a painted or graven idol.

When G.o.d appeared most visible to the world, as at the giving out of the law, yet no man did see any likeness at all. He did not come under the perception of the most subtle sense, he could not be perceived but by the refined understanding going aside from all things visible. And therefore you do but fancy an idol to yourselves, instead of G.o.d, when you apprehend him under the likeness of any visible or sensible thing, and so whatever love or fear or reverence you have, it is all but misspent superst.i.tion, the love and fear of an idol.

I. Know then, "that G.o.d is a Spirit," and therefore he is like none of all those things you see, or hear, or smell, or taste, or touch. The heavens are glorious indeed, the light is full of glory, but he is not like that.

If all your senses should make an inquiry, and search for him throughout the world, you should not find him. Though he be near at hand to every one of us yet our eyes and ears and all our senses, might travel the length of the earth and breadth of the sea, and should not find him even as you might search all the corners of heaven ere you could hear or see an angel.

If you would saw a man asunder and resolve him into atoms of dust, yet you could not perceive a soul within him. Why? Because these are spirits, and so without the reach of your senses.

II. If G.o.d be a Spirit, then he is invisible, and dwells in light inaccessible, "which no man hath seen or can see." Then our poor narrow minds, that are drowned, as it were, and immersed in bodies of clay, and in this state of mortality, receive all knowledge by the senses, cannot frame any notion of his spiritual and abstracted nature. We cannot conceive what our own soul is, but by some sensible operation flowing from it, and the height that our knowledge of that n.o.ble part of ourselves amounts to, is but this dark and confused conception that the soul is some inward principle of life and sense and reason. How then is it possible for us to conceive aright of the divine nature, as it is in itself, but only in a dark and general way? We guess at his majesty, by the glorious emanations of his power and wisdom, and the ways thereof, which he displays abroad in all the work of his hands, and from all these concurring testimonies, and evidences of his majesty, we gather this confused notion of him, that he is the fountain, self independent Being, the original of these things, and more absolute in the world than the soul is in the body, the true _Anima mundi_, the very life and the light of men, and the soul that quickens, moves, and forms all this visible world, that makes all things visible, and himself is invisible. Therefore it is that the Lord speaks to us in Scripture of himself, according to our capacities,-of his face, his right hand, and arm, his throne, his sceptre, his back parts his anger, his fury, his repentance, his grief, and sorrow,-none of which are properly in his spiritual, immortal, and unchangeable nature. But because our dulness and slowness is such in apprehending things spiritual, it being almost without the sphere and comprehension of the soul while in the body, which is almost addicted unto the senses in the body, therefore the Lord accommodates himself unto our terms and notions, _balbut.i.t n.o.bisc.u.m_,-he, like a kind father, stammers with his stammering children, speaks to them in their own dialect, but withal, would have us conceive he is not really such an one, but infinitely removed in his own being from all these imperfections. So when you hear of these terms in scripture, O beware of conceiving G.o.d to be such a one as yourselves! But, in these expressions not beseeming his Majesty, because below him, learn your own ignorance of his glorious Majesty, your dulness and incapacity to be such as the holy One must come down as it were in some bodily appearance, ere you can understand any thing of him.

III. If G.o.d be a Spirit, then he is most perfect and most powerful. All imperfection, all infirmity, and weakness in the creature, is founded in the gross and material part of it. You see the more matter and bodily substance is in any thing, it is the more lumpish, heavy, and void of all action. It is the more spiritual, pure, and refined part of the creation that hath most activity in it, and is the principle of all motions and actions. You see a little fly hath more action in it than a great mountain, because there are spirits in it which move it. The bottom of the world contains the dregs of the creation, as it were,-a ma.s.s and lump of heavy earth, but the higher and more distant bodies be from that, the more pure and subtile they are, and the more pure and subtile they be, the more action, virtue, and efficacy they have. The earth stands like a dead lump but the sea moves, and the air being thinner and purer than both, moves more easily and swiftly. But go up higher and still the motion is swifter, and the virtue and influence is the more powerful. What is a dead body when the soul and spirit is out of it? It hath no more virtue and efficacy than so much clay, although by the presence of the spirit of it, it was active, agile, swift, strong and nimble. So much then as any thing hath of spirit in it, so much the more perfect and powerful it is. Then I beseech you consider what a One the G.o.d of the spirits of all flesh must be,-the very Fountain spirit,-the Self being spirit,-a?t? p?e?a. When the soul of a man, or the spirit of a horse, hath so much virtue, to stir up a lump of earth, and to quicken it to so many diverse operations, even though that soul and spirit did not, nay could not make that piece of earth they dwell in, then, what must his power and virtue be that made all those things?

Who gave power and virtue even to the spirits of all flesh? "Their horses"

saith G.o.d, are "flesh and not spirit," (Isa. x.x.xi. 3) because, in comparison of his majesty, the very spirits in them are but like a dead lump of flesh. If he should draw in his breath, as it were, they would have no more virtue to save the Israelites, than so many lumps of flesh or clay. For he is the Spirit of all spirits, that quickens, actuates and moves them to their several operations and influences. _Anima mundi, et Anima animarum mundi_. An angel hath more power than all men united in one body. Satan is called the prince of the air, and the G.o.d of this world, for he hath more efficacy and virtue to commove the air, and raise tempests than all the swarms of multiplied mankind, though gathered into one army. If the Lord did not restrain and limit his power, he were able to destroy whole nations at once. An angel killed many thousands of Sennacherib's army in one night, what would many angels do then, if the Lord pleased to apply them to that work? O what is man that he should magnify himself, or glory in strength, or skill? Beasts are stronger than men, but man's weaker strength being strengthened with more skill, proves stronger than they. But in respect of angels he hath neither strength nor wisdom.

IV. If G.o.d be a Spirit, then he is not circ.u.mscribed by any place, and if an infinite Spirit, then he is everywhere, no place can include him, and no body can exclude him. He is within all things, yet not included nor bounded within them, and he is without all things, yet not excluded from them. _Intra omnia, non tamen inclusus in illis, extra omnia, nec tamen excl.u.s.tts ab illis_. You know every body hath its own bounds and limits circ.u.mscribed to it, and shuts out all other bodily things out of the same s.p.a.ce, so that before the least body want some s.p.a.ce, it will put all the universe in motion, and make every thing about it to change its place, and possess another. But a spirit can pa.s.s through all of them and never disturb them, a legion may be in one man, and have room enough. If there were a wall of bra.s.s or tower, having no opening, neither above nor beneath, no body could enter but by breaking through, and making a breach into it, but an angel or spirit could storm it without a breach, and pierce through it without any division of it. How much more doth the Maker of all spirits fill all in all! The thickness of the earth doth not keep him out, nor the largeness of the heavens contain him. How then do we circ.u.mscribe and limit him within the bounds of a public house, or the heavens? O! how narrow thoughts have we of his immense greatness, who, without division or multiplication of himself, fills all the corners of the world,-whose indivisible unity is equivalent to an infinite extension and divisibility! How often, I pray you, do you reflect upon this? G.o.d is near to every one of us. Who of us thinks of a divine Majesty nearer us than our very souls and consciences, "in whom we live and move, and have our being"? How is it we move, and think not with wonder of that first Mover in whom we move? How is it we live and persevere in being and do not always consider this fountain-Being in whom we live and have our being? O, the atheism of many souls professing G.o.d! We do speak, walk, eat, and drink, and go about all our businesses, as if we were self being, and independent of any, never thinking of that all present quickening Spirit, that acts us, moves us, speaks in us, makes us to walk and eat and drink, as the barbarous people who see, hear, speak and reason, and never once reflect upon the principle of all these, to discern a soul within. This is brutish, and in this, man who was made of a straight countenance to look upward to G.o.d, and to know himself and his Maker, till he might be differenced from all creatures below, is degenerated, and become like the beasts that perish. Who of us believes this all present G.o.d? We imagine that he is shut up in heaven, and takes no such notice of affairs below, but certainly, he is not so far from us, though he show more of his glory above, yet he is as present and observant below.

V. If he be a Spirit, then as he is incomprehensible and immense in being, so also there is no comprehension of his knowledge. The nearer any creature comes to the nature of a spirit, the more knowing and understanding it is. Life is the most excellent being, and understanding is the most excellent life. _Materia est iners et mortua._ The nearer any thing is to the earthly matter, as it hath less action, so less life and feeling. Man is nearer an angel than beasts, and therefore he hath a knowing understanding spirit in him. There is a spirit in man, and the more or less this spirit of man is abstracted from sensual and material things, it lives the more excellent and pure life, and is, as it were, more or less delivered from the chains of the body. These souls that have never risen above, and retired from sensible things, O, how narrow are they,-how captivated within the prison of the fles.h.!.+ But when the Lord Jesus comes to set free he delivers a soul from this bondage, he makes these chains fall off and leads the soul apart to converse with G.o.d himself, and to meditate on things not seen-sin, wrath, h.e.l.l, and heaven.

And the farther it goes from itself, and the more abstracted it is from the consideration of present things, the more it lives a life like angels.

And therefore, when the soul is separated from the body, it is then perfectly free, and hath the largest extent of knowledge. A man's soul must be almost like Paul's "whether out of the body, or in the body, I know not,"-if he would understand aright spiritual things. Now then, this infinite Spirit is an all knowing Spirit, all seeing Spirit, as well as all-present, "there is no searching of his understanding," Isa. xl. 28, Psalm. cxlvii. 5. "Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord, or being his counsellor, hath taught him?" Isa. xl. 13, Rom. xi. 34. He calls the generations from the beginning, and known to him are all his works from the beginning. O that you would always set this G.o.d before you, or rather set yourselves always in his presence, in whose sight you are always! How would it compose our hearts to reverence and fear in all our actions, if we did indeed believe that the Judge of all the world is an eye witness to our most retired and secret thoughts and doings! If any man were as privy to thy thoughts, as thy own spirit and conscience, thou wouldst blush and be ashamed before him. If every one of us could open a window into one another's spirits, I think this a.s.sembly should dismiss as quickly as that of Christ's, when he bade them that were without sin cast a stone at the woman. We could not look one upon another. O then, why are we so little apprehensive of the all-searching eye of G.o.d, who can even declare to us our thought, before it be? How much atheism is rooted in the heart of the most holy! We do not always meditate, with David, Psal. cx.x.xix., on that all searching and all knowing Spirit who knows our down sitting and uprising, and understands our thoughts afar off, and who is acquainted with all our ways. O how would we ponder our path, and examine our words, and consider our thoughts beforehand if we set ourselves in the view of such a Spirit, that is within us and without us, before us and behind us!

He may spare sinners as long as he pleases, for there is no escaping from him. You cannot go out of his dominions, nay, you cannot run out of his presence, Psal. cx.x.xix. 7-10. He can reach you when he pleases, therefore he may delay as long as he pleases.

Lecture XI.

The Knowledge That G.o.d Is, Combined With The Knowledge That He Is To Be Wors.h.i.+pped.

John iv. 24.-"G.o.d is a Spirit, and they that wors.h.i.+p him must wors.h.i.+p him in spirit and in truth."

There are two common notions engraven on the hearts of all men by nature,-that G.o.d is, and that he must be wors.h.i.+pped, and these two live and die together, they are clear, or blotted together. According as the apprehension of G.o.d is clear, and distinct, and more deeply engraven on the soul, so is this notion of man's duty of wors.h.i.+pping G.o.d clear and imprinted on the soul, and whenever the actions of men do prove that the conception of the wors.h.i.+p of G.o.d is obliterate or worn out,-whenever their transgressions do witness that a man hath not a lively notion of this duty of G.o.d's wors.h.i.+p,-that doth also prove that the very notion of a G.o.dhead is worn out, and cancelled in the soul, for how could souls conceive of G.o.d as he is indeed, but they must needs, with Moses, (Exod. x.x.xiv. 8) make haste to pray and wors.h.i.+p? It is the principle of the very law of nature which shall make the whole world inexcusable, "because that when they knew G.o.d, they glorified him not as G.o.d." A father must have honour, and a master must have fear, and G.o.d, who is the common parent and absolute master of all, must have wors.h.i.+p, in which reverence and fear, mixed with rejoicing and affection, predominate. It is supposed, and put beyond all question that he must be; "he that wors.h.i.+ps him, must wors.h.i.+p him in spirit and in truth." It is not simply said, G.o.d is a Spirit and must be wors.h.i.+pped, no, for none can doubt of it. If G.o.d be, then certainly wors.h.i.+p is due to him, for who is so wors.h.i.+pful? And because it is so beyond all question, therefore woe to the irreligious world that never puts it in practice! O, what excuse can you have, who have not so much as a form of G.o.dliness! Do you not know, that it is beyond all controversy that G.o.d must be wors.h.i.+pped? Why then do you deny that in your practice, which all men must confess in their conscience? Is not he G.o.d, the Lord, a living and self being Spirit? Then must he not have wors.h.i.+ppers? Beasts are not created for it, it is you, O sons of men! whom he made for his own praise, and it is not more suitable to your nature than it is honourable and glorious. This is the great dignity and excellency you are privileged with, beyond the brute beasts,-to have spirits within you capable of knowing and acknowledging the G.o.d of your spirits. Why then do you both rob and spoil G.o.d of his glory, and cast away your own excellency? Why do you love to trample on your ornaments and wallow in the puddle; like beasts void of religion, but so much worse than beasts, that you ought to be better, and were created for a more n.o.ble design? O base spirited wretches, who hang down your souls to this earth, and follow the dictates of your own sense and l.u.s.t, and have not so much as an external form of wors.h.i.+pping G.o.d! How far are you come short of the n.o.ble design of your creation, and the high end of your immortal souls! If you will not wors.h.i.+p G.o.d, know, he will have wors.h.i.+ppers. Certainly he will not want it; because he hath designed so many souls to stand before him, and wors.h.i.+p him, and that number will not fail. He might indeed have wanted wors.h.i.+ppers: for what advantage is it to him? But in this he declares his love and respect to man, that he will not want honour and service from him. It is rather to put honour upon him, and to make him blessed and happy, than for any gain that can amount to himself by it. For this is indeed the true honour and happiness of man, not to be wors.h.i.+pped and served of other fellow-creatures, but to wors.h.i.+p and serve the Creator. This is the highest advancement of a soul, to lie low before him, and to obey him, and have our service accepted of his Majesty. I beseech you, strive about this n.o.ble service! Since he must have wors.h.i.+ppers, O say within your souls, "I must be one! If he had but one, I could not be content if I were not that one." Since the Father is seeking wors.h.i.+ppers, (ver. 23,) O let him find thee! Offer thyself to him, saying, Lord, here am I. Should he seek you, who can have no advantage from you? Should he go about so earnest a search for true wors.h.i.+ppers, who can have no profit by them? And why do ye not seek him, since to you all the gain and profit redounds? Shall he seek you to make you happy? And why do ye not seek him and happiness in him? It is your own service, I may truly say, and not his so much; for in serving him thou dost rather serve thyself; for all the benefit redounds to thyself, though thou must not intend such an end, to serve him for thyself, but for his name's sake; else thou shalt neither honour him, nor advantage thyself. I pray you let him not seek in vain, for in these afflictions he is seeking wors.h.i.+ppers; and if he find you, you are found and saved indeed. Do not then forsake your own mercy, to run from him who follows you with salvation.

As none can be ignorant that G.o.d is, and must be wors.h.i.+pped, so it is unknown to the world in what manner he must be wors.h.i.+pped. The most part of men have some form in wors.h.i.+pping G.o.d, and please themselves in it so well that they think G.o.d is well pleased with it; but few there are who know indeed what it is to wors.h.i.+p him in a manner acceptable to his Majesty. Now you know it is all one not to wors.h.i.+p him at all, as not to wors.h.i.+p him in that way he likes to be wors.h.i.+pped. Therefore, the most part of men are but self-wors.h.i.+ppers, because they please none but themselves in it. It is not the wors.h.i.+p his soul hath chosen, but their own invention; for you must take this as an undeniable ground, that G.o.d must be wors.h.i.+pped according to his own will and pleasure, and not according to your humour or intention. Therefore, his soul abhors will-wors.h.i.+p, devised by men out of ignorant zeal or superst.i.tion, though there might seem much devotion in it, and much affection to G.o.d. As in the Israelites sacrificing their children, what more seeming self-denial,-and yet what more real self-idolatry? G.o.d owns not such a service, for it is not service and obedience to his will and pleasure, but to men's own will and humour. Therefore, a man must not look for a reward but from himself.

Now, it is not only will-wors.h.i.+p, when the matter and substance of the wors.h.i.+p is not commanded of G.o.d, but also when a commanded wors.h.i.+p is not discharged in the appointed manner. Therefore, O how few true wors.h.i.+ppers will the Father find! True wors.h.i.+p must have truth for the substance, and spirit for the manner of it; else it is not such a wors.h.i.+p as the Father seeks and will be pleased with. Divine wors.h.i.+p must have truth in it,-that is plain,-but what was that truth? It must be conformed to the rule and pattern of wors.h.i.+p, which is G.o.d's will and pleasure revealed in the word of truth. True wors.h.i.+p is the very practice of the word of truth. It carries the image and superscription and command upon it, which is a necessary ingredient in it, and const.i.tuent of it. Therefore, if thy service have the image of thy own will stamped on it, it is not divine wors.h.i.+p but will-wors.h.i.+p. Thus all human ceremonies and ordinances enjoined for the service of G.o.d, carry the inscription not of G.o.d, but of man, who is the author and original of them, and so are but adulterated and false coin that will not pa.s.s current with G.o.d. I fear there be many rites and vain customs among ignorant people, in which they place some religion, which have no ground in the word of G.o.d, but are only "old wives' fables" and traditions. How many things of that nature are used upon a religious account, in which G.o.d hath placed no religion! Many have a superst.i.tious conceit of the public place of wors.h.i.+p, as if there were more holiness in it than in any other house; and so they think their prayers in the church are more acceptable than in their chamber. But Christ refutes that superst.i.tious opinion of places, and so consequently of days, meats, and all such external things. The Jews had a great opinion of their temple, the Samaritans of their mountain,-as if these places had sanctified their services. But saith our Lord, (ver. 21,) "The hour cometh when ye shall neither in this mountain nor yet at Jerusalem, wors.h.i.+p the Father," but it is any where acceptable, if so be ye wors.h.i.+p in spirit and truth. Many of you account it religion to pray and mutter words of your own in the time of public prayer; but who hath required this at your hands? If ye would pray yourselves, go apart; shut the door behind thee, saith Christ. Private prayer should be in private and secret; but where public prayer is, your hearts should close with the pet.i.tions, and offer them up jointly to G.o.d. It is certainly a great sleight of that deceitful destroyer, the devil, to possess your minds with an opinion of religion in such vain babblings, that he may withdraw both your ears and your hearts from the public wors.h.i.+p of G.o.d; for when every one is busied with his own prayers, you cannot at all join in the public service of G.o.d which is offered up in your name. The like I may say of stupid forms of prayer, and tying yourselves to a platform, written in a book, or to some certain words gotten by the heart? Who hath commanded this? Sure, not the Lord, who hath promised his Spirit to teach them to pray, and help their infirmities, who know not how, nor what to pray. It is a device of your own, invented by Satan to quench the spirit of supplication, which should be the very natural breathing of a Christian. But there are some so grossly ignorant of what prayer is, that they make use of the ten commandments, and creed, as a prayer. So void are they of the knowledge and Spirit of G.o.d that they cannot discern betwixt G.o.d's commands to themselves and their own requests to G.o.d; betwixt his speaking to men, and their speaking to him; between their professing of him before men, and praying and confessing to him. All this is but forged, imaginary wors.h.i.+p,-wors.h.i.+p falsely so called, which the Father seeks not, and receives not.

But what if I should say, that the most part of your wors.h.i.+p, even that which is commanded of G.o.d, as prayer, hearing, reading, &c., hath no truth in it, I should say nothing amiss. For though you do those things that are commanded, yet not as commanded, without any respect to divine appointment; and only because you have received them as traditions from your fathers, and because you are taught so by the precepts of men, and are accustomed so to do: therefore the stamp of G.o.d's will and pleasure is not engraven on them, but of your own will, or of the will of men. Let me pose(138) your consciences, many of you, what difference is there between your praying and your plowing; between your hearing, and your harrowing; between your reading in the Scriptures, and your reaping in the harvest; between your religious service and your common ordinary actions; I say, what difference is there in the rise of these? You do many civil things out of custom, or because of the precepts of men; and is there any other principle at the bottom of your religious performances? Do you at all consider these are divine appointments,-these have a stamp of his authority on them? And from the conscience of such an immediate command of G.o.d, and the desire to please him and obey him, do you go about these? I fear many cannot say it. O, I am sure all cannot, though it may be all will say it. Therefore your religious wors.h.i.+p can come in no other account than will-wors.h.i.+p, or man-wors.h.i.+p. It hath not the stamp of truth on it,-an express conformity to the truth of G.o.d as his truth.

But we must press this out a little more. Truth is opposed to a ceremony and shadow. The ceremonies of old were shadows, or the external body of religion, in which the soul and spirit of G.o.dliness should have been enclosed; but the Lord did always urge more earnestly the substance and truth than the ceremony,-the weightier matters of the law, piety, equity, and sobriety, than these lighter external ceremonies. He sets a higher account upon mercy than sacrifice, and upon obedience than ceremonies. But this people turned it just contrary. They summed up all their religion in some ceremonial performance, and separated those things G.o.d had so nearly conjoined. They would be devout men in offering sacrifices, in their was.h.i.+ngs, in their rites, and yet made no conscience of heart and soul piety towards G.o.d and upright just dealing with men. Therefore the Lord so often quarrels with them, and rejects all their service as being a device and invention of their own, which never entered into his heart. Isa. v.

10-15, Jer. vii. throughout, Isa. lxvi. 3-4, Isa. xxviii. Now, if you will examine it impartially, it is even just so with us. There are some external things in religion which, in comparison with the weightier things of faith and obedience are but ceremonial. In these you place the most part if not all your religion, and think yourselves good Christians, if you be baptized, and hear the word, and partake of the Lord's table, and such like, though in the meantime you be not given to secret prayer, and reading, and do not inwardly judge and examine yourselves that ye may flee unto a Mediator-though your conversation be unjust and scandalous among men. I say unto such souls as the Lord unto the Jews, "Who hath required this at your hands? Who commanded you to hear the word, to be baptized, to wait on public ordinances? Away with all this, it is abomination to his majesty!" Though it please you never so well, the more it displeases him.

If you say, Why commands he us to hear? &c., I say, the Lord never commanded these external ordinances for the sum of true religion; that was not the great thing which was in his heart, that he had most pleasure unto but the weightier matters of the law, piety, equity, and sobriety, a holy and G.o.dly conversation adorning the gospel. "What doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy G.o.d?" So then, thou dost not wors.h.i.+p him in truth, but in a shadow. The truth is holiness and righteousness. That external profession is but a ceremony. While you separate these external ordinances from these weighty duties of piety and justice, they are but a dead body without a soul. If the Lord required truth of old, much more now, when he hath abolished the mult.i.tude of ceremonies, that the great things of his law may be more seen and loved.

If you would then be true wors.h.i.+ppers, look to the whole mind of G.o.d, and especially the chief pleasure of G.o.d's mind, that which he most delights in, and by any means do not separate what G.o.d hath conjoined. Do not divide righteousness towards men from a profession of holiness to G.o.d, else it is but a falsehood, a counterfeit coin. Do not please yourselves so much in external church privileges, without a holy and G.o.dly conversation adorning the gospel, but let the chief study, endeavour, and delight of your souls be about that which G.o.d most delights in. Let the substantiate of religion have the first place in the soul. Pray more in secret, that will be the life of your souls. You ought, indeed, to attend public ordinances, but, above all, take heed to your conversation and walking at home, and in secret. Prayer in your family is a more substantial wors.h.i.+p than to sit and hear prayer in public, and prayer in secret is more substantial than that. The more retired and immediate a duty be, the more weighty it is, the more it crosses thy corruptions and evidences the stamp of G.o.d on thy affections, the more divine it is, and therefore to serve G.o.d in these is to serve him in truth. Practice hath more of truth in it than a profession. "When your fathers executed judgment, was not this to know me?" Duties that have more opposition from our nature, against them, and less fuel or oil to feed the flame of our self love and corruption, have more truth in them, and if you should wors.h.i.+p G.o.d in all other duties, and not especially in these, you do not wors.h.i.+p him in truth.

Next, let us consider the manner of divine wors.h.i.+p, and this is as needful to true wors.h.i.+p as true matter, that it he commanded, and done as it is commanded,-that completes true wors.h.i.+p. Now, I know no better way or manner to wors.h.i.+p G.o.d in, than so to wors.h.i.+p him, as our wors.h.i.+p may carry the stamp of his image upon it as it may be a gla.s.s wherein we may behold G.o.d's nature and properties. For such as himself is, such he would be acknowledged to be. I would think it were true wors.h.i.+p indeed, which had engraven on it the name of the true and living G.o.d, if it did speak out so much of itself. "That G.o.d is, and that he is a rewarder of them that seek him diligently." Most part of our service speaks an unknown G.o.d, and carries such an inscription upon it, "To the unknown G.o.d." There is so little either reverence, or love, or fear, or knowledge in it, as if we did not wors.h.i.+p the true G.o.d, but an idol. It is said, that "the fool says in his heart, there is no G.o.d, because his thoughts and affections and actions are so little composed to the fear and likeness of that G.o.d, as if he did indeed plainly deny him." I fear it may be said thus of our wors.h.i.+p. It says, There is no G.o.d. It is of such a nature that none could conclude from it that it had any relation to the true G.o.d. Our prayers deny G.o.d, because there is nothing of G.o.d appears in them. But this is true wors.h.i.+p when it renders back to G.o.d his own image and name. _Unde repercussus redditur ipse sibi._ As it is a pure fountain, in which a man may see his shadow distinctly, but a troubled fountain or mire in which he cannot behold himself, so it is pure wors.h.i.+p, which receives and reflects the pure image of G.o.d, but impure and unclean wors.h.i.+p which cannot receive it and return it. I pray you, Christians, consider this for it is such wors.h.i.+ppers the Father seeks. And why seeks he such, but because in them he finds himself? So to speak, his own image and superscription is upon them, his mercy is engraven on their faith and confidence, his majesty and power is stamped on their humility and reverence, his goodness is to be read in the soul's rejoicing, his greatness and justice in the soul's trembling. Thus there ought to be some engravings on the soul answering the characters of his glorious name. O how little of this is among them that desire to know something of G.o.d! How little true wors.h.i.+p, even among them whom the Father hath sought out to make true wors.h.i.+ppers! But alas, how are all of us unacquainted with this kind of wors.h.i.+p! We stay upon the first principles and practices of religion, and go not on to build upon the foundation. Sometimes your wors.h.i.+p hath a stamp of G.o.d's holiness and justice in fear and terror at such a majesty which makes you tremble before him, but where is the stamp of his mercy and grace which should be written in your faith and rejoicing? Tremble and fear indeed, but "rejoice with trembling, because there is mercy with him." Sometimes there is rejoicing and quietness in the soul, but that quickly degenerates into carnal confidence, and makes the soul turn grace into wantonness and esteem of itself above what is right, because it is not counterpoised with the sense and apprehension of his holiness and justice. But O to have these jointly written upon the heart in wors.h.i.+p, fear, reverence, confidence, humility and faith! That is a rare thing; it is a divine composition and temper of spirit that makes a divine soul. For the most part, our wors.h.i.+p savours and smells nothing of G.o.d, neither his power, nor his mercy and grace, nor his holiness and justice, nor his majesty and glory; a secure, faint, formal way, void of reverence, of humility, of fervency, and of faith. I beseech you let us consider, as before the Lord, how much pains and time we lose, and please none but ourselves, and profit none at all. Stir up yourselves as in his sight for it is the keeping of our souls continually as in his sight which will stamp our service with his likeness. The fixed and constant meditation on G.o.d and his glorious properties, this will beget the resemblance between our wors.h.i.+p and the G.o.d whom we wors.h.i.+p and it will imprint his image upon it, and then it should please him, and then it should profit thee, and then it should edify others.

But more particularly, the wors.h.i.+p must have the stamp of G.o.d's spiritual nature, and be conformed to it in some measure, else it cannot please him.

There must be a conformity between G.o.d and souls. This is the great end of the gospel, to repair that image of G.o.d which was once upon man, and make him like G.o.d again. Now, it is this way that Jesus Christ repairs this image, and brings about the conformity with G.o.d, by the soul's wors.h.i.+pping of G.o.d suitable to his nature, which, as it grows more and more suitable to G.o.d's nature, it is the more and more like G.o.d, and happy in that likeness. Now, "G.o.d is a Spirit, therefore," saith Christ, you "must wors.h.i.+p him in spirit and in truth." The wors.h.i.+p then of saints must be of a spiritual nature, that it may be like the immortal divine Spirit. It is such wors.h.i.+ppers the Father seeks. He seeks souls to make them like himself and this likeness and conformity to G.o.d is the very foundation of the soul's happiness, and eternal refreshment. This is a point of great consequence, and I fear not laid to heart. The wors.h.i.+p must be like the wors.h.i.+pped. It is a spirit must wors.h.i.+p the eternal Spirit. It is not a body that can be the princ.i.p.al and chief agent in the business. What communion can G.o.d have with your bodies, while your souls are removed far from him, more than with beasts? All society and fellows.h.i.+p must be between those that are like one another. A man can have no comfortable company with beasts, or with stones, or with trees. It is men that can converse with men, and a spirit must wors.h.i.+p the self being Spirit. Do not mistake this as if under the cays of the gospel we were not called to an external and bodily wors.h.i.+p-to any service to which our outward man is instrumental. That is one of the deep delusions of this age, into which some men, "reprobate concerning the faith," have fallen, that there should be no external ordinances, but that Christians are now called to a wors.h.i.+p all spirit, pure spirit, &c. This is one of the spirits, and spiritual doctrines (that call themselves so) which ye must not receive, for it is neither the Spirit of G.o.d nor of Christ that teacheth this. Not the Spirit of G.o.d the Creator, because he hath made the whole man, body and soul, and so must be wors.h.i.+pped of the whole man. He hath created man in such a capacity as he may offer up external actions in a reasonable manner, with the inward affections. As the Lord hath created him, so should he serve him-every member every part in its own capacity,-the soul to precede, and the body to follow,-the soul to be the chief wors.h.i.+pper, and the body its servant employed in the wors.h.i.+p. True wors.h.i.+p hath a body and a soul as well as a true man, and as the soul separated is not a complete man, so neither is the soul separated a complete wors.h.i.+pper without the body. The external ordinances of G.o.d is the body, the inward soul affection is the spirit, which being joined together make complete wors.h.i.+p. Neither is it the Spirit of Christ which teacheth this, because our Lord Jesus hath taught us to offer up our bodies and spirits both as a reasonable service, Rom. xii. 1, 2. The sacrifice of the bodily performance offered up by the spiritual affection and renewed mind is a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable and reasonable. That Spirit which dwelt in Christ above measure, did not think it too base to vent itself in the way of external ordinances. He was, indeed, above all, above the law, yet did willingly come under them to teach us, who have so much need and want, to come under them. He prayed much, he preached, he did sing and read, to teach us how to wors.h.i.+p, and how much need we have of prayer and preaching. This was not the spirit Christ promised to his disciples and apostles, which spirit did breathe most lively in the use of external ordinances all their days, and this is not the spirit which was at that hour in which Christ spoke "the hour is come and now is," ver. 23, in which the true wors.h.i.+p of G.o.d shall not be in the external Jewish ceremonies and rites, void of all life and inward sense of piety, but the true wors.h.i.+p of G.o.d shall be made up of a soul and body,-of spirit and truth-of the external appointed ordinances according to the word of truth, and the spirit of truth,-and of the spirit and inward soul-affection and sincerity which shall quicken and actuate that external performance. There were no such wors.h.i.+ppers then as had no use of ordinances. Christ was not such, his disciples were not such, therefore it is a new gospel, which, if an angel should bring from heaven, ye ought not to receive it.

As it is certain, then, that both soul and body must be employed in this business, so it is sure that the soul and spirit must be the first mover and chiefest agent in it, because it is a spiritual business, and hath relation to the Fountain spirit, which hath the most perfect opposition to all false appearances and external shows. That part of man that cometh nearest G.o.d, must draw nearest in wors.h.i.+pping G.o.d, and if that be removed far away, there is no real communion with G.o.d. Man judges according to the outward appearance, and can reach no farther than the outward man, but G.o.d is an all searching Spirit, who trieth the heart and reins, and therefore he will pa.s.s another judgment upon your wors.h.i.+p than men can do, because he observes all the secret wanderings and escapes of the heart out of his sight. He misses the soul when you present attentive ears or eloquent tongues. There is no dallying with His Majesty, painting will not deceive him, his very nature is contrary to hypocrisy and dissimulation; and what is it but dissimulation, when you present yourselves to religious exercises as his people, but within are nothing like it, nothing awaking nothing present? O consider, my beloved, what a one you have to do with!

It is not men, but the Father of spirits, who will not be pleased with what pleases men, of your own flesh, but must have a spirit to serve him.

Alas! what are we doing with such empty names and shows of religion?

Busied with the outside of wors.h.i.+p only, as if we had none to do with but men who have eyes of flesh. All that we do in this kind is lost labour, and will never be reckoned up in the account of true wors.h.i.+p. I am sure you know and may reflect upon yourselves, that you make religion but a matter of outward fas.h.i.+on and external custom; you have never almost taken it to heart in earnest. You may frequent the ordinances,-you may have a form of G.o.dliness consisting in some outward performances and privileges,-and O, how void and dest.i.tute of all spirit, and life, and power! Not to speak of the removal of affection and the employing of the marrow of your soul upon base l.u.s.ts and creatures, or the scattering of your desires abroad amongst them, for that is too palpable, even your very thoughts and minds are removed from this business, you have nothing present but an ear, or eye, and your minds are about other business, your desires, your fears, your joys, and delights, your affections, never did run in the channel of religious exercises, all your pa.s.sion is vented in other things. But here you are blockish and stupid, without any sensible apprehension of G.o.d, his mercy, or justice, or wrath, or of your own misery and want. You sorrow in other things, but none here, none for sin!

You joy for other things, but none here, you cannot rejoice at the gospel!

Prayer is a burden, not a delight. If your spirits were chiefly employed in religious duties, religion would be almost your element, your pleasure and recreation; but now it is wearisome to the flesh, because the spirit taketh not the chief weight upon it. O! "be not deceived, G.o.d is not mocked." You do but mock yourselves with external shows, while you are satisfied with them. I beseech you, look inwardly, and be not satisfied with the outward appearance, but ask at thy soul, where it is, and how it is. Retire within, and bring up thy spirit to this work. I am sure you may observe that any thing goes more smoothly and sweetly with you than the wors.h.i.+p of G.o.d, because your mind is more upon any thing else. I fear the most part of us who endeavour, in some measure, to seek G.o.d, have too much dross of outward formality, and much sc.u.m of filthy hypocrisy and guile.

O! pray that the present furnace may purge away this sc.u.m. It is the great ground of G.o.d's present controversy with Scotland, but, alas! the bellows are like to burn, and we not to be purged. Our sc.u.m goes not out from us.

We satisfy ourselves with some outward exercises of religion. Custom undoes us all, and it was never more undoing than when indignation and wrath are pursuing it. O! that you would ponder what you lose by it,-both the sweetness and advantage of G.o.dliness, beside the dishonour of G.o.d. You take a formal, negligent, and secure way as the most easy way, and the most pleasing to your flesh, and I am persuaded you find it the most difficult way, because you want all the pleasant and sweet refreshment and soul delights you might have in G.o.d, by a serious and diligent minding of religion. The pleasure and sweetness of G.o.d tasted and found, will make diligence and pains more easy than slothfulness can be to the slothful.

This oils the wheels, and makes them run swiftly, formality makes them drive heavily. Thus you live always in a complaining humour,-sighing, and going backward,-because you have some stirring principle of conscience within which bears witness against you, and your formal sluggish disposition on the other hand refuses to awake and work. You are perplexed and tormented between these two. When thy spirit and affections go one way, and thy body another, when thy conscience drives on the spirit, and thy affections draw back, it must needs be an unpleasant business.

Lecture XII.

The Unity Of The Divine Essence, And The Trinity Of Persons.

Deut. vi. 4.-"Hear O Israel the Lord our G.o.d is one Lord."-1 John v. 7. "There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one."

"Great is the mystery of G.o.dliness," 1 Tim. iii. 16. Religion and true G.o.dliness is a bundle of excellent mysteries-of things hid from the world, yea, from the wise men of the world, (1 Cor. ii. 6.) and not only so, but secrets in their own nature, the distinct knowledge whereof is not given to saints in this estate of distance and absence from the Lord. There is almost nothing in divinity, but it is a mystery in itself, how common soever it be in the apprehensions of men. For it is men's overly,(139) and common and slender apprehensions of them, which make them look so commonly upon them. There is a depth in them, but you will not know it, till you search it, and sound it, and the more you sound, you shall find it the more profound. But there are some mysteries small and some great. There is a difference amongst them; all are not of one stature, of one measure. The mystery of Christ's incarnation and death and resurrection, is one of the great mysteries of religion, "G.o.d manifest in the flesh." Yet I conceive there is a greater mystery than it, and of all mysteries in nature or divinity I know none equal to this,-the Holy Trinity. And it must needs be greatest of all, and without controversy greatest, because it is the beginning and end of all,-_fons et finis omnium_. All mysteries have their rise here, and all of them return hither. This is furthest removed from the understandings of men,-what G.o.d himself is, for himself is infinitely above any manifestation of himself. G.o.d is greater than G.o.d manifested in the flesh, though in that respect he be too great for us to conceive.

There is a natural desire in all men to know, and, if any thing be secret and wonderful the desire is the more inflamed after the knowledge of it.

The very difficulty or impossibility of attaining it, instead of restraining the curiosity of man's spirit, doth rather incense it.

_Nitimur in vet.i.tum_(140) is the fruit, the sad fruit we plucked and eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If the Lord reveal any thing plainly in his word to men, that is despised and set at nought, because it is plain, whereas the most plain truths, which are beyond all controversy, are the most necessary, and most profitable, for our eternal salvation. But if there be any secret mystery in the Scriptures, which the Lord hath only pointed out more obscurely to us, reserving the distinct and clear understanding of it to himself, (Deut. xxix. 29.),-that is the apple which our accursed natures will long for, and catch after, though there be never so much choice of excellent saving fruit in the paradise of the Scriptures besides. If the ark be covered to keep men from looking into it, that doth rather provoke the curious spirit of man to pry into it, 1 Sam. vi. 10. If the Lord show his wonderful glory in the mount, and charge his people not to come near, lest the glorious presence of G.o.d kill them, he must put rails about it, to keep them back, or else they will be meddling. Such is the unbridled license of our minds, and the perverse dispositions of our natures, that where G.o.d familiarly invites us to come,-what he earnestly presseth us to search and know,-that we despise as trivial and common, and what he compa.s.seth about with a divine darkness of inaccessible light, and hath removed far from the apprehensions of all living, that we will needs search into, and wander into those forbidden compa.s.ses, with daring boldness. I conceive this holy and profound mystery is one of those "secret things" which it belongs to G.o.d to know, for who knoweth the Father but the Son, or the Son but the Father, or who knoweth the mind of G.o.d but the Spirit? Yet the foolish minds of men will not be satisfied with the believing ignorance of such a mystery, but will needs inquire into those depths, that they may find satisfaction for their reason. But, as it happeneth with men who will boldly stare upon the sun, their eyes are dazzled and darkened with its brightness, or those that enter into a labyrinth, which they can find no way to come out, but the further they go into it, the more perplexed it is, and the more intricate, even so it befalls many unsober and presumptuous spirits, who, not being satisfied with the simple truth of G.o.d, clearly a.s.serting that this is, endeavour to examine it according to reason, and to solve all the objections of carnal wit and reason, (which is often "enmity against G.o.d,") not by the silence of the Scriptures, but by answers framed according to the several capacities of men. I say, all this is but daring to behold the infinite glory of G.o.d with eyes of flesh, which makes them darkened in mind, and vanis.h.i.+ng in their expressions, while they seek to behold this inaccessible light, while they enter into an endless labyrinth of difficulties out of which the thread of reason and disputation can never extricate them or lead them forth. But the Lord hath showed us "a more excellent way," though it may be despicable to men. Man did fall from blessedness by his curious and wretched aim at some higher happiness and more wisdom; the Lord hath chosen another way to raise him up again, by faith rather than knowledge, by believing rather than disputing. Therefore the great command of the gospel is this, to receive with a ready and willing mind whatsoever the Lord saith to us, whatsoever it may appear to sense and reason, to dispute no more, to search no more into the secret of divine mysteries, as if by searching we could find them out "unto perfection," but to believe what is spoken, "till the day break, and the shadows flee away," and the darkness of ignorance be wholly dispelled by the rising of the Sun of righteousness. We are called then to receive this truth,-That G.o.d is one, truly one, and yet there are three in this one, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. This, I say, you must believe, because the wisdom of G.o.d saith it, though you know not how it is, or how it can be. Though it seem a contradiction in reason, a trinity in unity, yet you must lead your reason captive to the obedience of faith, and silence it with this one answer, The Lord hath said it. If thou go on to dispute, and to inquire, "How can these things be?" thou art escaped from under the power of faith, and art fled into the tents of human wisdom, where thou mayest learn atheism, but no religion, for "the world by wisdom knew not G.o.d," 1 Cor. i. 21. And certainly, whoever he be that will not quiet his conscience, upon the bare word of truth in this particular, but will call in the help of reason and disputation, how to understand and maintain it, I think he shall be further from the true knowledge of G.o.d and satisfaction of mind than before. There is no way here, but to flee into Paul's sanctuary, "Who art thou, O man, that disputest?" Whenever thou thinkest within thyself? How may this be, how can one be three, and three one? then withal let this of Paul sound in thine ears, "Who art thou, O man, who disputest?" Think that _thou_ art man, think that _he_ is G.o.d!

Believing ignorance is much better than rash and presumptuous knowledge.

Ask not a reason of these things, but rather adore and tremble at the mystery and majesty of them. Christianity is "foolishness" to the world upon this account, because it is an implicit faith so to speak, given to G.o.d. But there is no fear of being deceived,-though he lead the blind by a way thou knowest not, yet he cannot lead thee wrong. This holy simplicity in believing every word of G.o.d, and trusting without more trying by disputation, is the very character of Christianity, and it will be found only true wisdom. For if any will become wise, he must be a fool in men's account. That he may be wise, he must quit his reason to learn true religion, which indeed is a more excellent and divine reason, neither is it contrary to it, though it be high above it.

In this place of Moses, you have the unity of G.o.d a.s.serted, "The Lord thy G.o.d is one Lord," and it is indeed engraven on the very hearts of men by nature, that G.o.d is one. For all may know that the common notion and apprehension of G.o.d is, that he is a most perfect Being,-the original of all things,-most wise, most powerful, and infinite in all perfections. Now common reason may tell any man that there can be but one thing most perfect and excellent, there can be but one infinite,-one almighty,-one beginning and end of all,-one first mover, one first cause, "of whom are all things, and who is of none."

Again, in this place of John ye have a testimony of the blessed trinity of persons, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, in that holy unity of essence. The great point which John hath in hand is this fundamental of our salvation that Jesus Christ is the Son of G.o.d, and Saviour of the world, in whom all our confidence should be placed, and upon whom we should lean the weight of our souls. And this he proves by a two-fold testimony-one out of heaven, another in the earth. There are three bearing witness to this truth in heaven, "the Father the Word," (that is, Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of G.o.d, whom this apostle calls the Word of G.o.d, or Wisdom of G.o.d, John i. 1) and the Holy Ghost. The Father witnessed to this truth in an audible voice out of heaven, when Christ was baptized, (Mat. iii. 17) "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." Here is the Father's testimony of the Son when he was baptized which was given very solemnly in a great congregation of people, and divinely, with great glory and majesty from heaven, as if the heavens had opened upon him, and the inaccessible light of G.o.d had s.h.i.+ned down on him This was confirmed in the transfiguration, (Mat. xvii. 5) where the Lord gave a glorious evidence-to the astonishment of the three disciples-how he did account of him-how all saints and angels must serve him, "him hath G.o.d the Father sealed," saith John. Indeed, the stamp of divinity, of the divine image in such an excellent manner upon the man Christ, was a seal set on by G.o.d the father, signifying and confirming his approbation of his well beloved Son and of the work he was going about. Then the Son himself did give ample testimony of this. This was the subject of his preaching to the world, "I am the light and the life of men, he that believeth in me shall be saved." And therefore he may be called the Word of G.o.d, (John i. 1) and the Wisdom of G.o.d, (Prov. viii.) because he hath revealed unto us the blessed mystery of wisdom concerning our salvation. He is the very expression and character of the Father's person and glory, (Heb. i. 3) in his own person, and he hath revealed and expressed his Father's mind, and his own office, so fully to the world that there should be no more doubt of it. Out of the mouth of these two witnesses this word might be established, but for superabundance, behold a third, the Holy Ghost witnessing at his baptism,-in his resurrection,-after his ascension. The Holy Ghost signifieth his presence and consent to that work, in the similitude of a dove, the Holy Ghost testifieth it in the power that raised him from the dead, the Holy Ghost put it beyond all question when he descended upon the apostles according to Christ's promise. For the other three witnesses on earth, we shall not stay upon it, only know, that the work of the regeneration of souls by the power of the Word and Spirit signified by water, the justification of guilty souls signified by the blood of Jesus Christ, and the testimony of the Spirit in our consciences, bearing witness to our spirits, is an a.s.sured testimony of this, that Jesus Christ, in whom we believe, is "the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." The changing, pacifying, and comforting of souls in such a wonderful manner, cries aloud that he in whom the soul believes is the true and living G.o.d, whom to know is eternal life. But mark, I pray you, the accuracy of the apostle in the change of speech. "These three"

witnesses on earth, saith he, "agree in one, in giving one common testimony to the Son of G.o.d and the Saviour of sinners." But as for the heavenly witnesses-the Father, the Word and the Holy Ghost,-however they be three after an inconceivable manner, and that they do also agree in one common testimony to the Mediator of men, yet moreover they are One. They not only agree in one but are one G.o.d,-one simple, undivided, self-being, infinite Spirit,-holden out to us in three persons, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, to whom be praise and glory.

Lecture XIII.