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He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. 1 John ii. 2.

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By his one oblation of himself once offered, he has made a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction, for the sins of the whole world;' (Communion Service) so that now

Every one that seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life. John vi. 40.

3d. "God the Holy Ghost sanctifieth all the people of God."

Because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit. 2 Thess. ii. 13.

The character of God has been considered under several of those attributes mentioned in Scripture. Let us now proceed to inquire,

Is there more than one God?

The Gentiles worshipped many;

There be gods many and lords many. 1 Cor. viii. 5.

But these were false gods and idols, the work of men's hands. There is but one living and true God.

The Lord, he is God, there is none else beside him. Deut. iv. 35.

The Lord our God is one Lord. Deut. vi. 4.

The Lord your God is God of gods. Deut. x. 17.

Who is God, save the Lord? Ps. xviii. 31.

I am the Lord, and there is none else. Isa. xliv. 6. 8; xlv. 5, 6. xlv. 18. 21; xlvi. 9.

I am the first; I also am the last. Isa. xlviii. 12.

The Lord our God is one Lord, and there is none other but he. Mark xii. 29. 32.

This is life eternal, to know thee, the only true God. John

xvii. 3.

There is none other God but one. 1 Cor. viii. 4.

To us there is but one God, the Father. 1 Cor. viii. 6.

One God, and Father of all. Eph. iv. 6.

But are not Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost, each of them God?

Yes and the same Divine attributes are equally ascribed to them as to God the Father.

Christ-who is over all, Go essed for ever. Rom. ix. 5. In him dwelleth all the fumess of the Godhead bodily. Col. ii. 9.

Jesus Christ existed from eternity, he created all things, he supports and sustains all things, he is omnipresent and omniscient, and is the object of Divine worship. See chapter On the Divinity of Christ.

All things that the Father hath are mine. John xvi. 15
He is Lord of all. Acts x. 36.

And will be the judge of all.

To the Holy Ghost, creation, omnipresence, and omniscience, are ascribed, and the souls of believers are sanctified by his gracious influence. He also is God. See chapter On the Holy Ghost.

Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. Acts v. 3, 4.

Now we cannot imagine that a God who is so jealous of his own honour, that he has declared, (Isa. xlviii. 11,) "I will not give my glory unto another," would give so strong testimony in his holy word to the divinity of Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Ghost, if they were created beings, however exalted their nature: we therefore conclude, that the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Ghost is God; and yet they are not three Gods, but one God.' They are three persons in the Godhead, 'none of which is before or after the other, none is greater or less than another.'

How do you prove a plurality in the Godhead?

And God said, Let us make man. Gen. i. 26.

And God said, Behold the man is become as one of us. Gen. iii. 22.

And God said, Let us go down, &c. Gen. xi. 6, 7.

Whereas they [the Holy One, see verse 13,] commanded. Dan. iv. 26.

And they (the Most High God) took his glory. Dan. v. 18. 20. In what passages of Scripture are the Three Persons of the Godhead mentioned?

The form of benediction appointed to be used by the priests under the law, is supposed to allude to the Three Persons in the Godhead.

The Lord bless thee and keep thee-The Lord make his face shine upon thee-The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee. Num. vi. 24-26.

Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of Hosts. Isa. vi. 3.

It appears from John xii. 41; Acts xxviii. 25, that this adoration was addressed to the Three Persons of the Trinity.

Seek ye out of the book of the Lord-for my mouth it hath commanded, and his Spirit, &c. Isa. xxxiv. 16.

The Lord God and his Spirit hath sent me, (Christ.) Isa. xlviii. 16. Baptizing in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Matt. xxviii. 19.

That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles,

ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost. Rom. xv. 16.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost. 2 Cor. xiii. 14.

Through him (Christ) we both have access, by one Spirit, unto the Father. Eph. ii. 18.

The Lord (the Holy Ghost) direct your hearts, into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ. 2 Thess. iii. 5. Christ, through the eternal Spirit, offered himself to God. Heb. ix. 14.

Elect, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the Spirit, to sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. 1 Pet. i. 2.

There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost. 1 John v. 7.

Divine teaching is ascribed to all the Persons of the Godhead.

They shall be all taught of God. John vi. 45.

Neither was I taught it but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Gal. i. 12.

The Holy Spirit will teach you all things. John xiv. 26.
The divine law is the law of the Trinity.

It is called the law of God. Rom. vii. 25.

The law of Christ. Gal. vi. 2.

The law of the Spirit of Life. Rom. viii. 2.

Sin is an offence against the Trinity.

You shall not tempt the Lord your God. Deut. vi. 16.

Neither let us tempt Christ. 1 Cor. x. 9.

Ye have agreed to tempt the Spirit of the Lord. Acts v. 9. The three Persons of the Trinity have fellowship with

the faithful.

Our fellowship is with the Father. 1 John i. 3.

And with his Son Jesus Christ. 1 John i. 3.

The communion of the Holy Ghost. 2 Cor. xiii. 14.

The three Persons of the Trinity are spiritually present

in the souls of believers.

God is in you. 1 Cor. xiv. 25.

Jesus Christ is in you. 2 Cor. xiii. 5.

The Spirit dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. John xiv. 17. There are texts to prove, in the same way, that each Person is eternal, true, holy, omnipresent, and the fountain of life.

What gratitude ought we to feel towards God for having brought us into existence, and made us capable of so much happiness: but above all, for having redeemed us from sin and hell by the blood of his only Son, and sent his

1. Do you believe that "God the Father made you and all the world?"

Serve him then as dutiful and obedient children. He made you that you should live to his glory.

2. Do you believe that "God the Son redeemed you and all mankind?"

Remember what he paid for your redemption, and continue not the slaves of sin. You are not your own, you are bought with a price; and pray that all mankind may be brought to believe in the Saviour of the world.

3. Do you believe that "God the Holy Ghost sanctifieth all the people of God ?"

Pray that your souls may be enlightened and sanctified by his influence, that you may make your calling and election sure.

And remember, that however true the articles of your belief may be, unless your faith in them purifies your hearts, overcomes the world, and works by love, it will profit you nothing.

Collect-Trinity Sunday. Almighty and everlasting God, who hast given unto us thy servants grace, by the confession of a true faith, to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity, and in the power of the Divine Majesty, to worship the Unity; we beseech thee that thou wouldest keep us steadfast in this faith.

NOTE.

THE TRINITY.

THE following remarks so well suited to the sacredness of the subject, and to the unworthiness of our apprehensions, are from Archbishop Secker:

Certainly, in general, it is no contradiction, that things should be in one respect the same, and in another different. But the particular and explicit notion of this union and this distinction, the word of God hath not given us. Whether we are capable of apprehending it, we know not: and, therefore, it is no wonder, in the least, that we are incapable of forming one to ourselves. For indeed we are incapable of forming clear notions concerning thousands of other things, which are unspeakably less beyond our reach. All that we can do, therefore, is, to use those expressions in relation to it, which either Scripture furnishes, or experience has found useful to guard against false apprehensions: for with very imperfect ones we must be content. Thus, in speaking of the dif ference of the Son and Spirit from the Father, and from each other, we say, with our Bible, that the Son is begotten, and the Spirit proceeds without pretending to know any further, what these two words mean, tha that each denotes something different from the other: and both some thing different from creation out of nothing. And this distinction givin occasion to Scripture to speak of them in somewhat the same manner, a

Trinity not at all intending by it to say, that the word person suits them in every respect that it suits us: but only to acknowledge, that, as we find them thus spoken of, we doubt not but there is some sufficient ground for it. And as we find further, that in point of rank, the person of the Father is represented as supreme, the Son as subordinate to him, the Holy Spirit to both; and in point of relation to us, creation is ascribed peculiarly to the first, redemption to the second, sanctification to the third; and yet, in some sense, each of these things to each: we imitate the whole of this, likewise. Still we are very sensible at the same time, that many more doubts and difficulties may be raised, almost about every part of the doctrine, than God, in his unsearchable wisdom, has given us light enough to solve. But we apprehend it is our duty to believe with hu mility and simplicity, what the Scripture hath taught us; and to be contentedly ignorant of what it doth not teach us; without indulging speculations and conjectures, which will only perplex the subject more, instead of clearing it. And surely it is our duty, also, to interpret with candour, and use with prudent moderation, whatever well-meant phrases the Church of Christ, especially in its earliest days, hath applied to this subject; to think on matters, which are both so mysterious in their nature, and so hard to be expressed, with great charity of other persons: and for ourselves, to keep close with great care to so much as is plain and prac tical. Secker's Lectures, p. 110.

CHAPTER VIII.

ON THE COMMANDMENTS.

§ 1. ON OUR OBLIGATION TO KEEP GOD'S LAW. WHAT was the third thing your Sponsors promised for you? "That I should keep God's holy will and commandments, and walk in the same all the days of my life.” Tell me how many there are ?

Ten; which are otherwise called the law of God. They were given to Moses on mount Sinai, written by the finger of God on two tables of stone. They contain the substance of all that is required of man, and instruct him briefly in his duty towards God, and his duty towards his neighbour. But it is not to be supposed, that the Divine commands are so fully revealed in them, as to render the rest of God's word unnecessary or unimportant. All Scripture is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; and the will of God is to be sought for throughout the whole Bible.

Which are they?

"The same which God spake in the twentieth chapter

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