BUT then, I think, it ought to be remembered, that though the generality of chriftians have profeffed to believe in a Trinity, or trine Deity, and thereby have diffented from the rest of the world, in the article of the unity of God; yet this has not been the case of a few chriftians, nor can any fuch doctrine, or fuch diffent, be justly charged upon their master. Jefus Chrift confidered and reprefented that one fingle individual intelligence, or agent, whom he characterised by the term father, to be greater than all, to be him in whom fupreme dominion singly and solely resides; and this appears to be the case from the hiftories of Chrift's life and ministry, as those hiftories have been tranfmitted down to us. And, indeed, if any fuch doctrine had been taught by Jefus Christ, then, in fome men's opinion, that doctrinewould have been a weighty objection against the divinity of his miffion, at leaft, fo far as fuch doctrine did concern. it. I have already obferved, that neceffarily exifting mind must be either unity, or infinity, betwixt which, I apprehend, there can be no medium; and therefore, if three neceffarily exifting minds are admitted, then the questions will be, why not three hunN dred?

...

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dred? or three thousand? and fo on; fee. ing nature does not feem to admit of any Stop that is short of infinity, as has been already obferved. So that, had Jefus Chrift taught this doctrine of a trine or compound Deity, then it admits of a question, whether any external evidence, how great or of what kind foever, could poffibly have proved it's divinity, or rendered it credible, or worthy of acceptance amongst mankind ?

I

*

THIS doctrine of a triangular God, (if may be allowed to exprefs it thus) is what, I think, thofe who profefs to believe and maintain ought carefully to re-examine, and that for these reafons, viz. First, because it does not appear to have been taught by their master; and this, furely, to chriftians, may be confidered as a weighty objection against it. Secondly, it may be confidered as a corruption of religion, in the grand article of the unity of God; and, as fuch, it may be looked upon to be an error of the first magnitude. Thirdly, it feems to fet.

i

* A equilateral triangle feems defigned to be the cinward fimbol or vifible reprefentation of the Trinity, cr compound Deity as it is painted upon, or over the Sup Picces, in fome chufian churches.

fet christianity below even the pagan theology; for though the pagans acknowledged many tutelar Gods, yet they admitted of but one fupreme Deity. Fourthly, this doctrine of a trine Deity stands in the way, and puts an effectual bar to the converfion of Jews, Turks and Pagans to christianity; and prevents them from examining the evidence, upon which the truth and divinity of the chriftian religion is fuppofed to be grounded: For as the unity of God is deemed a fundamental principle of religion, by Jews, Turks, and Pagans; fo a corruption of this article, (which the doctrine of a trine Deity is judged to be) is, with them, moft apparently false religion; of which no external evidence can poffibly prove it to be otherwife; and therefore, no evidence is to be attended to, which may be brought to prove it. And, as the generality of the profeffors of chriftianity, for many ages past, have blended the doctrine of a trine Deity with chriftianity, and thereby have put an effectual stop to it's progrefs in the world, by putting an invincible bar in the way of the conversion of Jews, Turks, and Pagans; fo, furely, this of itfelf thould be a fufficient reafon, to Chriftians, to re-confider this mat

ter; and if it should be found to be an error, then to purge themselves of it, and, thereby, to separate from christianity a doctrine, which is very offenfive to a great part of our species. Lastly, this doctrine of a trine Deity, tho' of long standing in the chriftian church, ought carefully to be re-confidered, because the piety and devotion of Christians are particularly interested in it, as fuch piety and devotion are liable to, and may be improperly and falfly directed and applied. For if what exists neceffarily be only one fingle individual intelligence, or mind; then, to address three fuch minds, either feparately, or in conjunction, must be greatly improper and contrary to true piety. And, indeed, whether there be only one, or whether there be three neceffarily existing minds, in either cafe fuch impropriety seems to take place, in the use of the form of devotion before-mentioned. For fuppofing there be three neceffarily existing minds, who are fo clofely and infeparably united, as that they are one in counsel and defign, in godship and dominion; then these three must, by mutual confent and agreement, either act separately, and each one perform his part, in whatever is produced by them, and which, indeed, feems to be fup

pofed

pofed in the form of devotion before-mentioned, wherein the work of redemption is afcribed only to the fon, or fecond perfon in the Trinity; or else they must all act in conjunction, and be co-efficients in all divine operations. If the former be the case, that is, if these three divine perfons act separately, and each one alone performs his part ; then, I think, if we would act properly, and as the nature of the cafe feems to require, we must addrefs each one feparately, according to the part he acts, and not address them all in conjunction, as if they were co-efficients in acting. If the latter be the case, that is, if all three do act in conjunction, and are co-efficients in all divine operations; then, I think, if we would act properly, we must address them not feparately, but all three in conjunction,and that, not only in partnership and fociety, but also as co-efficients in the cafe. And whereas, in the form of devotion referred to, three minds are addreffed to, each one feparately, and likewife all three in conjunction; therefore, fuch addrefs muft, I think, in one or other of it's branches, be greatly improper, and contrary to true piety; even fuppofing there are three neceffary exifting minds, though that is a point which may, perhaps, be doubted of.