IF in the Godhead there be but one, not three, then the Father, the
Son, or the Spirit must needs be that one, if any one only; so then
the other two are nothing. Again, if the reality of a being be
neither in the Father, Son, nor Spirit, as such, but in the eternal
Deity, without consideration of Father Son and Spirit as three, then
neither of the three are any thing but notions in us, or
manifestations of the Godhead, or nominal distinctions, so related
by the word; but if so, then when the Father sent the Son, and the
Father and Son the Spirit, one notion sent another one manifestation
sent another. This being granted, it unavoidably follows there was
no Father to beget a Son, no Son to be sent to save us, no Holy
Ghost to be sent to comfort us and to guide us into all the truth of
the Father and Son. At most it amounts to hut this: a notion sent a
notion, a distinction sent a distinction, or one manifestation sent
another. Of this error these are the consequences: we are only to
believe in notions and distinctions, when we believe in the Father
and the Son; and so shall have no other heaven and glory than
notions and nominal distinctions can furnish us withal.
If thou feel thy thoughts begin to wrestle about this truth, and to
struggle concerning this, one against another, take heed of
admitting such a question, "How can this be?" for here is no room
for reason to make it out; here is only room to believe it is a
truth. You find not one of the prophets propounding an argument to
prove it, but asserting it; they let it lie for faith to take it up
and embrace it.
"The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the
communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen."
In a word, if you would see it altogether, God's love was the cause
why Christ was sent to bleed for sinners. Jesus Christ's bleeding
stops the cries of divine justice. God looks upon them as complete
in him, and gives them to him as by right of purchase. Jesus ever
lives to pray for them that are thus given unto him. God sends his
Holy Spirit into them to reveal this to them, sends his angels to
minister for them, and all this by virtue of an everlasting covenant
between the Father and the Son. "Happy the people that are in such a
case." He hath made them brethren with Jesus Christ, members of his
flesh and of his bones, the spouse of this Lord Jesus; and all to
show how dearly, really, and constantly he loveth us who by the
faith of his operation have laid hold upon him.
The doctrine of the Trinity! that is the substance, that is the
ground and fundamental of all, for by this doctrine and this only
the man is made a Christian; and he that has not this doctrine, his
profession is not worth a button.
You must know that sometimes the church in the wilderness has but
little light, hut the diminution of her light is not then so much in
or as to substantials, as it is as to circumstantial things; she has
then the substantials with her in her darkest day.
The doctrine of the Trinity! you may ask me what that is? I answer,
it is that doctrine that showeth us the love of God the Father in
giving his Son, the love of God the Son in giving himself, and the
love of the Lord the Spirit in his work of regenerating us, that we
may be made able to lay hold of the love of the Father by his Son,
and so enjoy eternal life by grace.
The Father's grace saveth no man without the grace of the Son,
neither do the Father and the Son save any without the grace of the
Spirit; for as the Father loves, the Son must die, and the Spirit
must sanctify, or no soul must be saved.
Some think that the love of the Father, without the blood of the
Son, will save them; but they are deceived, "for without shedding of
blood is no remission."
Some think that the love of the Father and blood of the Son will do,
without the holiness of the Spirit of God; but they are deceived
also, for "if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of
his."
There is a third sort, that think the holiness of the Spirit is
sufficient of itself; but they are deceived also, for it must be the
grace of the Father, the grace of the Son, and the grace of the
Spirit, jointly, that must save them.
But yet, as these three do put forth grace jointly and truly in the
salvation of a sinner, so they put it forth after a diverse manner.
The Father designs us for heaven, the Son redeems from sin and
death, and the Spirit makes us meet for heaven: not by electing,
that is the work of the Father; not by dying, that is the work of
the Son; but by his revealing Christ, and applying Christ to our
souls, by shedding the love of God abroad in our hearts, by
sanctifying our souls, and taking possession of us as an earnest of
our possession in heaven.