There be those , who , because they cannot untie , dare to cut in sunder these sacred Knots ; who , because they cannot fully conceive it , dare flatly to deny them ; who , instead of confessing their own infirmity , do charge the plain Doctrines and Assertions of Holy Scripture with impossibility . Others seem to think they can demonstrate these Mysteries by Arguments grounded upon Principles of Natural Light ; and express it by Similitudes derived from common Experience : To repress the Presumption of the former , and to restrain the Curiosity of the latter , the following Considerations ( improved by your thoughts ) may perhaps somewhat conduce .

1. We may consider , that our Reason is no competent or capable Judge concerning Propositions of this nature : Nobis ad intellectum pectus angustum est , &c. Min. F. Our Breast ( as Minutius speaketh ) is a narrow Vessel , that will not hold much Understanding ; 't is not sufficient , nor was ever designed to sound such depths ; {αβγδ} . Plato in Tim . to descry the radical Principles of all Being ; to reach the extreme possibilities of things . Such an intellectual Capacity is vouchsafed to us as doth sute to our degree ( the lowest Rank of Intelligent Creatures ) as becometh our Station in this inferiour part of the World ; as may qualify us to discharge the petty Businesses committed to our management , and the facile Duties incumbent on us ; but to know what God is , how he subsisteth , what he can , what he should do , by our natural Perspicacity , or by any means we can use , farther than he pleaseth to reveal , doth not sute to the meanness of our Condition , or the narrowness of our Capacity ; these really are the most elevated Sublimities , and the abstrusest Subtilties that are , or can be in the nature of things ; he that can penetrate them , may erect his Tribunal any where in the World , and pretend justly that nothing in Heaven or Earth is exempted from his Judgment : But in truth , how unfit our Reason is to exercise such universal Jurisdiction , we may discern by comparing it to our Sense ; it is obvious that many Beasts do ( by advantage of a finer Sense ) see , hear , smell things imperceptible to us ; and were it not very unreasonable to conclude that such things do not exist , or are in themselves altogether insensible , because they do not at all appear to us ? Is it not evident , that we ought to impute their imperceptibility ( respecting us ) to the defect of our Sense , to its dulness and grosness , in regard to the subtilty of those Objects ? Even so may Propositions in themselves , and in regard to the capacity of higher Understandings ( for there are gradual differences in Understanding , as well as in Sense ) be true and very intelligible , which to our inferiour Reason seem unintelligible , or repugnant to the Prenotions , with which our Soul is imbued ; and our not discerning those Truths , may argue the blindness and weakness of our Understanding , not any fault or inconsistency in the things themselves ; nor should it cause us anywise to distrust them , if they come recommended to our belief by competent Authority .

To such purposes indeed the Holy Scripture frequently doth vilify our Reason and Knowledge : Jer . 10.14 . Every man ( saith Jeremy ) is brutish in knowledge . The Lord ( saith the Psalmist ) knoweth the thoughts of men ( of wise men , Ps. 103.14 . 1 Cor . 3.10 . as St. Paul quoteth it ) that they are vanity . Vain man ( saith he in Job ) would be wise , Job 11.12 . though man be born like an Asses colt ; ( that is , However we affect to seem wise , yet to be dull as an Ass , to be wild as a Colt , is natural to us . ) My thoughts ( saith God in the Prophet ) are not your thoughts , Is. 55.8 . nor are your ways , my ways ; for as the heavens are higher than the earth , so are my ways than your ways ; and my thoughts than your thoughts : God's Wisdom is as the Heavens , the highest and top of all Wisdom ; Man's as the Earth , beneath which there is no degree , but that of Hell and Darkness : We therefore in this respect are unfit to determine concerning things so exceedingly sublime and subtle .

2. We may consider , that not only the imperfection of our Reason it self , but the manner of using it doth incapacitate us to judge about these Matters . Had we competent Skill to sail in this deep Ocean , yet we do want a Gale to drive us ; and a Compass to steer our Course by therein ; we have not any firm grounds to build our Judgment on , or certain Rules to square it by . We cannot effectually discourse or determine upon any Subject , without having Principles homogeneous and pertinent thereto ( that are {αβγδ} , Anal . I. 7. cognate and congruous to the Subject-matter , as the Philosopher speaketh ) upon which to found , our Argumentation : Now all the Principles we can have , are either originally innate to our Minds ; or afterward immediately infused by God , or by external Instruction from him disclosed to us ; or acquired by our Experience , and observation of things incurring our Sense ; or framed by our Reason , comparing those means ; of which the three former sorts are most arbitrarily communicated , and both for number and kind depend upon the free pleasure of him , who distributeth them according to a measure sutable to each man's occasions , {αβγδ} . Rom. 12. estimated by himself ; how many those are , and how far they may qualify us to judge , or discourse about those transcendent Matters , is hard to define ; but most certainly they never can clash with one another ; no Light in any manner imparted by God can obscure the Doctrine declared by him , no Doctrine can thwart Principles instilled by him . The latter sorts appertain only to material and sensible Objects ; which therefore can only enable us to deduce , or to examine Conclusions relating to them ; and being applied to things of another kind , are abused , so as to become apt to produce great mistakes : As , for instance , most Ancient Philosophers observing , that the Changes and Vicissitudes in Nature were generally , by the same Matters undergoing several Alterations , or putting on different Shapes ; and that Bodies once being in rest , did usually consist in that state , until by impulse of other Bodies they were put into motion , did thence frame such Axioms , or Principles of Discourse , Ex nihilo nihil fit ; and Quicquid movetur , ab alio movetur ; which Propositions , supposing them true in relation to the present conditions and Powers of sensible things , yet were it unlawful to stretch them unto Beings of another kind and nature , Id quod Deus est , secundum id quod est nec humano sermone edici , nec humanis auribus percipi , nec humanis sensibus colligi potest . Novat . de Trin . cap . 7. ( to Beings immaterial and insensible . ) Or to infer thence generally , that in the utmost possibility of things there is not any creative , or any self-motive Power : Even as from the like Premises it would be vain to conclude , that there be no other Beings subsistent beside those which strike our Senses , or discover themselves by sensible Effects : In like manner , it cannot be reasonable out of Principles drawn from ordinary Experience , about these most low and imperfect things , to collect , {αβγδ} . Naz . Or. 37. de Sp. S. that there can be no other kind of Unions , of Distinctions , of Generations , of Processions , than such as our own gross Sense doth represent to us : Reason it self more forcibly doth oblige us to think that to sublimer Beings there do pertain modes of Existence and Action , Unions and Distinctions , Influences and Emanations of a more high and perfect kind , such as our course Apprehension cannot adequate , Cùm quaeritur quid tres , magnâ inopiâ humanum laborat eloquium ; dictum est tamen tres personae , non ut illud diceretur , sed nè taceretur . Aug. de Trin . 5.9 . nor our rude Language express ; which we , perhaps , have no Faculty subtle enough to conceive distinctly , {αβγδ} . Naz . Orat . 45. ( ad Evagr . ) nor can attain any congruous Principles , from which to discourse solidly about them ; to judge of these things , if we will not against the Philosopher's Rule , {αβγδ} , shift kinds , or use improper and impertinent Arguments , we must compare spiritual things with spiritual , 1 Cor . 2.13 . {αβγδ} . so as to draw Conclusions about Spirituals only from Principles revealed by God's Spirit , the sole Master of Spiritual Science ; so also as to express them not {αβγδ} , in terms devised by humane Wisdom , but in such as the Holy Spirit hath suggested ; for {αβγδ} , a man endowed merely with common Sense ( or natural Reason ) cannot {αβγδ} , apprehend , or perceive those things of God , which only the Spirit of God doth know . To improve and press which Consideration , farther ,

3. We may consider the weakness and shortness of our Reason , even about things most familiar , and easy to us ; the little or nothing we by our utmost diligence can attain to know concerning their intrinsick Essences , their Properties , their Causes and manners of production . What do we more commonly hear , than earnest Complaints from the most Industrious Searchers of Natural Knowledge concerning the great obscurity of Nature , the difficulty of finding Truth , the blindness of our Mind , and impotency of our Reason ? And should they be silent , yet Experience plainly would speak how difficult , if not impossible , it is to arrive unto any clear and sure knowledge of these common Objects ; seeing the most sedulous Inquiries , undertaken by the Choicest Wits for above Two thousand Years , have scarce perhaps exhibited one unquestionable Theoreme in Natural Philosophy , one unexceptionable Maxim of Ethical Prudence or Policy ; all things being still exposed to doubt and dispute , as they were of old , when first Admiration and Curiosity did prompt men to hunt after the Causes of things ; the most however that after all our care and toil we can perceive doth not exceed some faint Colours , {αβγδ} . Greg . Naz . Or. 26. some superficial Figures , some gross effects of things , while their radical Properties , and their immediate Causes remain inveloped , and debarred from our fight in unaccessible Darkness . Shall we then , who cannot pierce into the nature of a Peble , that cannot apprehend how a Mushrome doth grow , that are baffled in our Philosophy about a Gnat , or a Worm , debate and decide ( beyond what is taught us from above ) concerning the precise manner of Divine Essence , Subsistence , or Generation ? {αβγδ} ; Chrys . {αβγδ} . I do ( saith St. Chrysostome ) eat Meats , but how they are divided into Flegm , into Blood , into Juice , into Choler , I am ignorant ; these things which every day we see and taste , we do not know ; and are we curious about the Essence of God ? We are ( as Aristotle himself , no Dunce , no Idiot , Arist . Met . 2.1 . doth confess ) but Owl-eyed , {αβγδ} , in regard to things naturally most evident , and palpable ; and can we be such Lynceus's , as to see through the farthest Recesses of Infinity ? Sap . 9.13 . Hardly ( saith the Wisdom of Solomon ) do we guess aright of things upon the earth , and with labour do we find the things that are before us , but the things that are in heaven , who hath searched out ? Yea , and the genuine Solomon himself , Eccles . 7.23 . I said I will be wise , but it was far from me ; that which is far off , and exceeding deep , who can find it out ? What is more remote , what more profound , than God's Nature , who then can find it out ? sooner with our Hands may we touch the extreme surface of the Skies , sooner with our Eyes may we pierce to the Centre of the Earth ; so it is expresly told us in Job ; Canst thou by searching find out God , Job 11.7 . canst thou find out the Almighty to perfection ? it is as high as heaven , what canst thou do ; deeper than hell , what canst thou know ?

4. It may be considered , that we daily see and observe things , which did not manifest Experience convince us of their being , we should be apt to disbelieve their possibility ; Sense no less than Faith doth present us with Objects , to bare Reason , improbable and unconceivable ; so that should we attend to the Scruples injected thereby , we should hardly take things for possible , which we behold existent ; we should distrust the greatest Evidence of Sense , and by our Logick put out our Eyes . Who would believe , that , did he not every day see it ; who can conceive how , although he seeth it , from a little , dry , ill-favoured , insipid Seed thrown into the Earth , there shortly would rise so goodly a Plant , endewed with so exact figure , so fragrant smell , so delicate taste , so lively colour ; by what Engines it attracteth , by what Discretion it culleth out , by what Hands it mouldeth its proper aliment ? by what Artifice it doth elaborate the same so curiously , and incorporate it with it self ? what vertue could we imagine in Nature able to digest an earthy Juice into the pellucid clearness of Chrystal , into the invincible firmness of a Diamant ? Who would not be an Infidel , did not his Sight assure him of the Miracles atchieved by that blind plastick force , which without Eye or Hand doth frame such varieties of exquisite Workmanship ; unimitable , and far surpassing the Skill of the greatest Artist ? That a little Star , from so vast a distance , in a moment , should make impression on our Eyes , replenishing with its Light or Image so spacious a Region all about it , were we blind , we should hardly believe , we scarce could fancy : How , without knowing the Organs of Speech , or the manner of applying them , without any care or pain employed by us , we so conform our Voice , as to express what Word , what Accent we please ; how we do this , or that we can do it , as it will confound our Thought to imagine , so it would stagger our Faith to believe , did not our Conscience persuade us that we can , and do speak : It is upon occasion very commonly said , I should never have believed it , had I not seen it ; and that men speak so in earnest , many such Instances declare . Now if we can give credit to our Sense against the suffrage or scruple of our Reason in things not so discosted from our capacity of Knowledge , shall we not much more yield our Belief unto God's express Word in things so infinitely distant from it ? If common Experience can subdue our Judgments , and compel us to a belief of things incredible , shall our Reason demur at submitting to Divine Authority ? If the dictate of our Conscience doth convince us , shall not we much more surrender to the Testimony of God , 1 Joh . 3.20 . who is greater than our conscience , and knoweth all things ? If we do believe , because we seem to know by seeing our selves ; we should rather believe , because we surely know by hearing from God ; for Sense may deceive us , and often needeth correction from Reason ; God cannot deceive , and Reason often is by him corrected ; which leadeth me to a farther Consideration , that

5. The Propositions clearly delivered unto us by God himself , are upon many accompts more unquestionably true , more credible than the Experiments of any Sense , or Principles of any Science ; whence if there happen to arise any seeming Contest between these , a precedence is due to the former , in derogation to the latter ; it is fit that we rather give our Eyes and our Ears , our Fancies and our Reasons the lye , than anywise , by diffidence to his Word , put an affront on God ; ( for to disbelieve him , is ( as Saint John telleth us ) to give him the lye . ) 1 Joh . 5.10 . {αβγδ} , the folly of God ( as St. Paul speaketh ; 1 Cor . 1.25 . that is , the Points of Faith declared by God , which seem most irrational , and cross to the Decrees of Humane Wisdom ) is {αβγδ} , wiser than men , that is , more assuredly consonant to real Truth , than our most undoubted Theoremes of Science , and most current Maxims of Policy : God is the Father of all Lights , both of that which immediately shineth from Heaven , and of that which glimmereth here below ; he is the Fountain of all Truth , whether Natural , or Supernatural ; but his Light , and his Truth he conveyeth into us by manners different ; some Light streameth directly from him , other cometh obliquely , being refracted through divers mediums , or reflected from several Objects upon us ; the first sort must needs be more bright , and more pure , should be more powerful and efficacious upon our Minds ; the latter is often blended with material Tinctures , is weakned by the interruptions it meeteth with , loseth of its purity and its force by the many Conduits it passeth through , by the many Shades it mixeth with . Observations of Sense do often prove fallacious , and their not ever doing so , dependeth upon divers Conditions , a right temper of the Organ , a fit disposition of the Medium , a just distance of the Object ; so that Conclusions derived from them cannot be so absolutely certain , nor consequently the Principles grounded on them ; but Divine Revelation is not obnoxious to such Conditions ; as the Doctrines revealed are in themselves simply true , according to the highest pitch of necessity ; because Supreme Wisdom doth conceive them , and Truth it self doth vent them ; so the manner of declaring them must be competent , because God himself doth chuse , and use it ; there plainly needeth no more , than yielding an attentive Ear , and skilling the Language wherein they are expressed , to secure us from Error , and uncertainty about them ; so that well might St. Austin say , that in other things our Conjecture is exercised ; Ad caetera exercemur per fortasse ; at cùm de rebus fidei agitur , ibi est certè sine fortè . Aug. but Faith alone doth assure our Mind .

There have been those , you know , who have not only advanced doubts concerning Propositions attested to by clearest Sense , and inferr'd by strongest Discourse ; but have by their argute Cavillations bid fair to shake the foundations of all Humane Science ; but I never heard of any , who believed a God to be , that did contest the infallible truth of his Oracles ; Socrates we may be sure ( his Excellent Scholar assuring us ) who was so incredulous , as to disclaim all Pretence to Wisdom or Science , being Author of the famous Saying , {αβγδ} . Hoc tantùm scio ; yet greatly did rely upon Divine Significations , and Testimonies , so deemed by him , and such as he could come at ; alledging , that who followeth the Conduct of his own Reason , instead of God's Direction , chuseth a blind and ignorant Guide , before one that best seeth , and knoweth the way : He , saith the Historian , {αβγδ} . despised all Humane Conceits in respect of God's Advice .

He that formeth the eye , Psal . 94.9 . ( saith the Psalmist ) shall not he see ; he that planted the ear , shall not he hear ; he that teacheth man knowledge , shall not he know ? He that endewed us with all our knowing Faculties , and presideth over us in the management of them , shall not he supereminently know all that we can ? must not they in reason continue subordinate to his Direction ? Should they not always discern and judge under correction by him ; with an Appeal and submission reserved to his better Judgment ?

I might adjoin , that the Object and the End ( as well as the Author and the Manner ) of Divine Revelation , doth argue it to surpass all Reason , and all Sense , in certainty and credibility ; for Sense and Reason converse wholly , or chiefly about Objects material and mutable ; Revelation about immaterial and immutable things ; They direct us in Affairs concerning this Transitory Life , This leadeth us toward Eternal Felicity ; to mistake about those Objects , to miscarry in those Affairs , is in it self of little , in comparison , of no importance ; but to judge rightly about these things , to tread safely in these paths , is of infinitely vast concernment ; a smaller competency therefore of light and certainty might well suffice to the purposes of Reason and Sense , but to Faith the greatest degree of assurance is worthily due , and seemeth requisite . But farther ,

6. Not only the consideration of this Mystery , but of all the Divine Attributes , will in like manner extort from our feeble Reason the Question of Nicodemus , Joh . 3.9 . How can these things be ? they will all of them equally puzzle our shallow Imagination , and baffle our slender Understanding : For who can imagine , or understand , how God's Immensity doth consist with his perfect Simplicity ; or that without any parts he doth coexist to all possible extension of Matter ; being all here , and wholly there , and immensely every where ? Who can apprehend his Indivisible Eternity , or how all successions of Time are ever present to him , and subject to his view ; so that he is not older now , than he was when the World began , nor younger than he will be after innumerable Ages are past ; so that he foreseeth the most contingent Events , depending upon Causes in their nature arbitary and indeterminate ? Who can fancy , how out of mere Nothing , or out of extreme Confusion and Indisposedness the World could be created , and framed into so goodly order , by a mere act of Will , or by the bare speaking of a word ? How without any distraction of thought he governeth Affairs , attending to the infinite varieties of Thoughts , Words , and Actions occurring here ; Confess . 3.11 . and ità curans universos tanquam singulos , ità singulos tanquam solos , as St. Austin speaketh ? how he is truly said to resolve and to reverse , to love and hate , to be pleased and grieved , all without any real change , or shadow of alteration ? how he suffereth many things to happen , which extremely displease him , and which he can easily hinder ; and doth not effect many things , which are much desired by him , and very feasible to his Power ? why to equal Men he distributeth his Gifts so unequally ; affording to divers abundant means of becoming happy , leaving others destitute of them ? What Wit of man can reconcile his Infinite Benignity with his most severe Decrees ; or compose the seeming differences between his Mercy and his Justice ? Many such Perfections and Dispensations of God we must stedfastly believe , because they are plainly taught in Scripture ; to distrust them being to renounce Christianity ; to deny them being to race up the very foundations of our Religion ; yet he that shall with his utmost attention of mind endeavour to conceive how they can be , or how they consist together , according to our ordinary notions of things , and the vulgar meaning of words , applied by us to these inferior matters , shall find himself gravelled with innumerable semblances of contradiction , plung'd in depths inscrutable , involved in labyrinths inextricable .

What in practice the Cross of Christ was , a scandal to Jews ( men dull , but obstinate , and invincibly possessed by vain Prejudices ) and folly to Greeks ( men of wit , and subtilty , but overweeningly conceited of them ) that in Speculation may a great part of Divine Truths be , {αβγδ} . Plut. de sera num . Vind . apt to stumble Froward and Arrogant Men ; but as there , so here , blessed are they who are not scandalized ; whom no fond Scruple , or haughty Conceit can pervert from readily embracing all necessary Verities ; such are those we pointed at ; which if without extreme folly and impiety we cannot reject , or be diffident of , although surmounting our Conceit , and dazling our Reason ; then upon the same accompt , with like facility , we must submit our Faith to the Doctrines concerning the B. Trinity , standing upon the same Authority .

7. Lastly , We may consider and meditate upon the total Incomprehensibility of God in all things belonging to him ; {αβγδ} . Chrys . {αβγδ} . in his Nature , his Attributes , his Decrees , his Works and Ways ; which all are full of depth , mystery , and wonder . God inhabiteth , 1 Tim . 6.16 . {αβγδ} , a light inaccessible to the dim and weak sight of mortal Eyes ; Exod . 33.20 . which no man hath seen , or can see : No man ( as he told his Servant Moses ) can see his face ( the very exteriour appearance of him ) and live : Deut . 4.24 . He is a consuming fire , that will scorch , and devour such as by rash Inquiries approach too near him ; Exod . 24.17 . Scrutator majestatis opprimetur à gloria . Aug. the sight ( 't is said ) of the glory of the Lord was like devouring fire in the sight of the children of Israel . Even those spiritual Eagles , the quick and strongsighted Seraphims , are obliged to cover their faces , Isa . 6.2 . as not daring to look upon , not able to sustain the fulgour of his immediate presence ; the flashes of Glory and Majesty issuing from his Throne : And the most Illuminate Secretaries of Heaven , unto whom Secrets were disclosed , 1 Pet . 1.12 . into which Angels themselves were ambitious to pry , were sometimes non-plust in contemplation of God's Attributes and Actions ; being in their astonishment forced to cry out , {αβγδ} . Rom. 11.33 . O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! Even his Methods of exterior Providence are inscrutably mysterious ; his judgements are {αβγδ} , {αβγδ} ; Greg . Naz . Or. 26. like inexhaustible Mines , to the bottom whereof we cannot anywise dig by our inquiry ; his paths are {αβγδ} , 2 Cor . 9.15 . so obscure as not to be traced by any footsteps of our Discourse ; his gifts are {αβγδ} , not to be interpreted , or expressed by our Language : And if all concerning God be thus incomprehensible , {αβγδ} . Theoph . ad Autol . why should any thing seem incredible ? why out of so many unconceivable Mysteries do we chuse some , reprobate others ? wherefore do we stretch our Judgment beyond its limits unto things so infinitely exceeding it ? why do we suffer our Reason to be pragmatical , unjustly invading the Office not belonging thereto ; Col. 2.18 . intruding into things which it hath not seen , nor can comprehend ; those secret things , Deut . 29.29 . which belong to the Lord our God , and the comprehension whereof he hath reserved unto himself ?

These Considerations may suffice in some manner to shew , that St. Chrysostome had reason to exclaim so much against the madness , {αβγδ} . Chrys . {αβγδ} . as he styleth it , of those , who do {αβγδ} , Cogitemus si valemus , si non valemus credamus . Aug. Serm . 5. de Temp . are busily curious in speculation about the Essence of God ; daring , {αβγδ} , {αβγδ} ; Athan . T. 1. 625. to subject Divine Mysteries to their own Ratiocinations ; that Saint Basil's Advice was wholsome , {αβγδ} , not to be meddlesome about things , about which Holy Scripture is silent : That Zeno Veronens . another Ancient Writer did say no less truly , than prettily , that in these matters curiositas reum facit , non peritum ; we may easilier incur blame , than attain skill by nice inquiry into them ; that many of the Fathers do with great wisdom dislike and dissuade the searching {αβγδ} , the manner of things being true , or possible , as a suspicious Mark , {αβγδ} . Expos . sid . apud Just . M. or a dangerous Motive of Infidelity ; that St. Paul's Rules , {αβγδ} , to be wise so as withall to be sober , Rom. 12.3 . and modest ; and {αβγδ} , 1 Cor . 4.6 . not to conceit any thing without warrant of Scripture ; are in this Case most especially to be heeded ; that , according to St. Peter's Admonition , we should as new-born babes ( unprepossessed , with any Notions or Fancies of our own ) long for , 1 Pet . 2.2 . {αβγδ} . and greedily suck in the sincere milk of the word ; not diluting it with baser Liquors of Humane device ; that where God doth interpose his definitive Sentence , our Reason hath nothing to do but to attend and submit ; no right to vote , no licence to debate the matter ; its Duty is to listen and approve whatever God speaketh , to read and subscribe to whatever he writeth ; at least in any case it should be mute , or ready to follow Job , saying , Behold , Job 40.4 . I am vile , what shall I answer thee ? I will lay my hand upon my mouth : In fine , The Testimony of God , with a sufficient clearness represented to the Capacity of an honest and docile Mind ( void of all partial respects , and clear from all sorts of prejudice ; loving Truth , and forward to entertain it ; abhorring to wrest or wrack things , to use any fraud or violence upon any Principle , or ground of Truth ) the Testimony of God , I say , so revealed , whatever exception our shallow Reason can thrust in , should absolutely convince our Judgment , and constrain our Faith : If the Holy Scripture teacheth us plainly , and frequently doth inculcate upon us ( that which also the uniform course of Nature , and the peaceable government of the World doth also speak ) that there is but One True God ; if it as manifestly doth ascribe to the Three Persons of the Blessed Trinity the same August Names , the same Peculiar Characters , the same Divine Attributes ( essential to the Deity ) the same superlatively admirable Operations of Creation and Providence ; if it also doth prescribe to them the same Supreme Honours , Services , Praises and Acknowledgments to be paid unto them all ; this may be abundantly enough to satisfy our Minds , to stop our Mouths , to smother all Doubt and Dispute about this High and Holy Mystery : It was exceeding Goodness in God , that he would condescend so far to instruct us ; to disclose so noble a Truth unto us , to enrich our Minds with that {αβγδ} , that most excellent knowledge of himself ; and it would be no small Ingratitude and Unworthiness in us any-wise to suspect his Word , or pervert his meaning ; any-wise to subject his Venerable Oracles to our rude Canvases and Cavils : In fine , The proper employment of our Mind about these Mysteries , is not to search and speculate about them , to discourse flippantly and boldly about them ; but with a pious Credulity to embrace them , with all humble Respect to adore them .

I have thus endeavoured in some measure to defend the Outworks of the Orthodox Doctrine concerning the Blessed Trinity ; it was beside my intent to insist so long thereon , but the Matter did {αβγδ} , was so attractive , that I could not wave shewing my Respect thereto .

I proceed now to that which I principally designed , the proposing briefly some practical Considerations , apt to excite us to the exercising our Understanding and Affections upon those wonderful Dispensations of Grace and Mercy , vouchsafed to us by the Holy Trinity , either conjunctly , or ( as they {αβγδ} are expressed ) separately .

We first should carefully study , and duly be affected with that gracious Consent , and ( as it were ) Confederacy of the Glorious Three in designing and prosecuting our good ; their unanimous agreement in uttering those three mighty words of favour to Mankind , Faciamus , Redimamus , Salvemus , Let us make Man out of nothing , let us recover him from Sin and Perdition , let us crown him with Joy and Salvation ; we should , with grateful Resentments , observe them conspiring to employ their Wisdom in contriving fit Means and Methods to exert their Power in effectual accomplishment of what was requisite to the promoting of our Welfare , the rescue of us from all Misery , the advancing us to the highest degree of Dignity , and instating us in the most perfect Condition of Happiness of which our Nature is capable ; in prosecution of that gracious Design , which their joint Goodness had projected for us . More distinctly ,

1. We should set our Mind on God the Father before the Foundation of the World from all Eternity , pleasing to forecast with himself the Creation of us , and communication of his own Image to us ; endowing us with most excellent Faculties of Body and Soul ; subjecting the visible World to our use and governance ; placing us in a state of great accommodation and delight ; permitting us to fall , that he might raise us to a higher and better Condition ; resolving to send his own dear Son from his Bosome to procure and purchase the Redemption of Mankind ; preparing and disposing the World for the reception of so great a Mercy , by a general testification of his Patience and Beneficence ( giving showers , Act. 14.17 . and fruitful seasons , and filling the hearts of men with food and gladness ) but more especially by Prophetical Promises , Predictions , and Prefigurations ; also suffering the generality of Mankind so to proceed in its ways , as might render it sensible of its Error and Unhappiness , of the need and benefit of a Deliverance ; Gal. 4.4 . then in the fulness of time , when the creature did earnestly grown , Rom. 8.22 . and long for its recovery from vanity and slavery , actually sending his only Son , and cloathing him with Humane Flesh , that conversing with us , he might discover to us his gracious Intentions toward us , might confirm the truth thereof by Miraculous Works , might instruct us by his Heavenly Doctrine and Holy Life in our Duty , and the Terms of our Salvation ; then freely delivering him over unto Death , and accepting his Passion as a Sacrifice expiating our Sins , and meriting his Favour toward us : Then raising him as the first fruits from the Dead , setting him at his Right Hand , investing him with Authority to govern and save those , who sincerely would believe in him , and faithfully obey him ; also sending and bestowing his Holy Spirit to dwell in them , to conduct , confirm , and comfort them in the ways of Truth and Righteousness : These with manifold other intercurrent Passages of gracious Providence , ascribed to God the Father , we should seriously mind , and so resent , as to be ravished with admiration of his Mercy ; to be enflamed with love of his Goodness ; to be possessed with gratitude toward him ; to become thoroughly devoted to his Service .