other mind; fo the mind that begetteth and the mind that is begotten are of one species, or kind of effence; and are in all refpects equal, excepting only the manner of their existence. The father exifteth independent of generation, or of what may figuratively be fo called, and therefore, is faid to be unbegotten; the fon exifteth by generation, that is, he exifteth in fuch a manner, as may, by a figure of speech, be called generating or begetting, and therefore, he is faid to be begotsen. And as in human generation, from which those terms are borrowed, he who naturally begetteth is properly called a father, or the father; and he who is naturally begotten is properly called a fon, or the fon; fo, in the prefent cafe, he who figuratively begetteth is improperly and figuratively called the father, and he who is figuratively begotten is improperly and figuratively called the fon. This I apprehend to be the ground of the above diftinction of father and fon, and of the application of thofe names. But then, as to thofe terms holy ghoft, I do not fee the propriety, nor, indeed, any ground for applying them only to the third perfon or mind in the Trinity, or to him rather than to either of the other

For as both father and fon are fpirits, or ghosts, or, at least, are of a spiritual or ghostly nature, each of which is holy, as being perfectly free from all pollution and defilement of every kind, which is all that can be faid of the third perfon in the Trinity; fo, for any thing that appears, either of them may, with as much justness and propriety, be called a boly-ghost, or the holy-ghost, as that particular intelligence who is fo called. And as the third perfon in the Trinity is fuppofed to exift by proceffion, as proceeding from the father and the fon, or rather, I think, it may more intelligibly be expreffed, that the holy ghoft proceedeth from the father, in, by,

*

or through the

fon, fo, to speak in the fame figurative language as above, taken from human generation, this third intelligence, or mind, may more aptly be filed the grandfon, or, per

haps,

* THAT the fire perfon in the Trinity begat or produced the fecond perfon, and the fecond, by a power derived from the firft, begat or produced the third, this seems to be more intelligible, and much easier to be understood, than that the first perfon should be eternally begetting, or producing the Jecond; and that the fir and fecond fhould be co-efficients, in eternally begetting, or producing the third perfon. I fay, the former of these seems, to me at leaft, to be more intelligible, and much easier to be conceived, and underfood, than the

latter:

haps, the second son, rather than the holyghoft. For admitting that the fecond and third perfons in the Trinity do not exift after the fame manner; yet, feeing the existence of both is by derivation or communication from the first, who on account of such communication is, by a figure of speech, called the father; therefore, the figurative term begetting, and the figurative term fon, as grounded upon it, are as aptly and fitly applied to one of these manners of existing, as to the other, at least, it is fo for any thing that appears to the contrary. So that the term grandson, or, perhaps, fecond fon, may, with as much aptness, juftness, and propriety, be applied to the third perfon in the Trinity, as the term fon is applied to the fecond. And as in the fore-mentioned form of devotion, both prieft and people are directed to address diftinctly, and feparately,

three

latter; and therefore, one would think, fhould more readily be admitted. Indeed, in the production of human-kind, two perfons, viz. a male and a female, cooperate and produce a third perfon; but then that Deity fhould be produced and propagated, and thereby be multiplied like human-kind, requires a prodigious trong faith, to go into the belief of it, fuch a faith, as I am not able to make myself a master of, because I have no fort of evidence to ground it upon.

three intelligent active principles, each of which, in his feparate capacity, is fuppofed to be offended at our miscarriages, and to be capable of, and disposed to shew mercy in the forgiveness of them; so both priest and people are there directed to address them all together, or in their united and focial capacity, characterising them by the term Trinity, as in the following petition. O holy, blessed and glorious Trinity, three perfons and one God: have mercy upon us miferable finners; or, which, perhaps, may be more intelligibly and fully expreffed thus. O boly, blessed and glorious Trinity, who though three perfons, or intelligent active principles; yet are fo clofely and infeparably united, as to be one in counsel and defign, one in godship and dominion: have mercy upon us miferable fin-` ners. And as three diftinct perfons, or intelligent active principles, are addressed to, each one in his feparate capacity, and likewife all three together, in their united and focial capacity, as aforefaid; fo they are confidered and reprefented to be, not three tutelar Deities, who are fubject to a fourth intelligence, as their fupreme; nor are two of them confidered as tutelar Deities, who are fubject to the third, as the fupreme Deity, agreeably to the pagan theology; but on

the

many

the contrary, they are confidered, and fpoken of, as three co-ordinate beings, in, and with whom neceffary existence and fupreme dominion do in common equally refide. These three are confidered as co-equal in all refpects, excepting in the manner of their existence. This is particularly and exprefly fet forth, in that confeffion of faith, commonly called the creed of St. Athanafius, which creed is, and has been held in great veneration, not only by that large body of chriftians called Roman Catholicks, but alfo by of thofe chriftians, who come under the denomination of Proteftants. This creed fets forth, that the Godhead of the father, fon and holy-ghoft is all one; that their glory is equal, and their majefty co-eternal. And after the equality of thefe, in feveral inftances, is afferted, and alfo their individuation, or that one is not the other; then the whole feems to be fummed up in the following Words. In this Trinity none is a-fore, or after other; none is greater, or less than another; but the whole three perfons are co-eternal together, and co-equal. And thus thofe chriftians apparently diffent from the rest of mankind, in the great article of the unity of God.

Βυτ'