That the Son and the Holy Ghost are also, each of them, truly and and properly God, is evident to every one who examines the Scriptures with due reverence and impartiality. But it is not my intention to enlarge here. The four several heads of proof, which most amply and incontrovertibly establish the position before us, namely, that the titles, the attributes, the operations, and the worship, which are peculiar to God alone, are in the Scriptures assigned to each of these three Persons of the Godhead, may be found in most works on the subject of the Trinity. I shall content myself with just pointing out the proof of the divinity of each of these three Persons, which is furnished by the text. That passage of Holy Writ is properly a prayer, in which the apostle addresses a petition to each of the three Persons for that blessing, which he is peculiarly commissioned to bestow. But our prayers are to be addressed to God alone. Each of the Persons there mentioned is, consequently, divine. And I have only to add, under this part of the subject, that the several propositions which we have now gathered from the Scriptures, namely, that there is but one God; that this God subsists in three Persons; that these Persons are in an important sense distinct from each other; and that each of them also is truly and properly God;

together constitute the sum and substance of that mysterious doctrine which is proposed to our devout consideration on this day's solemnity.

That this doctrine involves a contradiction we strenuously deny. It can never be proved to be a contradiction to say that the Divine Being is one in one respect, and at the same time three in other respects. But that difficulties, far beyond our power to solve, attend the doctrine, has been already allowed. We are not, however, to look upon this mystery, it has been well observed, as a nicety to puzzle our heads; but as God's kind revelation to endear himself to us, and to win our hearts. Let us then proceed from the consideration of the scriptural statements respecting this doctrine,

II. To deduce from it some practical inferences. We infer from this subject,

1. How great is the happiness, how exalted the dignity, and how elevated the hopes of the real Christian! He is one in the production of whose happiness, not one only, but three divine Persons -three Persons of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness, are engaged: in the work of whose salvation each of these adorable Persons has undertaken an especial charge and office; and upon whom, from each of them, peculiar blessings are

descending. What an accumulation of privileges this for one who was by nature an heir of wrath! Who among us would not wish above all things to become partakers of it? Or, have you good ground to hope that these privileges are yours? How deeply are you indebted to the divine grace and mercy! And how should you dread to debase by sin the dignity to which that grace and mercy have exalted you!

2. How vain is the religion of those who refuse to admit this essential truth of Christianity! It is impossible, indeed, that such persons should perform any acceptable worship to the Father: for it is through Christ that we have access, by one Spirit, unto the Father. (Eph. ii. 18.) Neither can they render any acceptable obedience to him. For we are taught by our Lord that he that honoureth not the Son, even as he honours the Father, honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. (John v. 23.) The Persons in question, indeed, must be considered as being in a most fearful state. For to refuse to pay worship and adoration to one who is truly God, what is it but the very spirit of atheism? or if such worship be paid to one who is not allowed to be truly and properly God, what is it but idolatry? It is allowed that those who, in the language of St. Paul, are "without God," (Eph. ii. 12,) who, in other

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words, "have not the Father," cannot be saved. But St. John assures us that "whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father." (1 John ii. 23.) Those too that are none of Christ's" cannot be saved: but "if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." (Rom. viii. 9.) We may, indeed, incur the charge of bigotry by the position: but, while we admit that many persons who deny this doctrine, are entitled to our respect and commendation as useful members of society, we cannot but maintain, with the unmutilated and unperverted Scriptures in our hands, that they deny a doctrine, the belief of which is essential to salvation.

3. How vain the religion and how fearful the state of those who, while they speculatively admit the doctrine of which we have been speaking, yet practically deny it, and live in the indulgence of worldly and sinful tempers and habits! And this, at least, is an inference in which no few before me, it is to be feared, are deeply concerned. To such persons I would say, What is your continued conduct but a continual slighting the love of him, whom you acknowledge to be God the Father? What but a treading under foot the blood of him, whom you regard as God the Son? What but a doing despite to him, whom you profess to regard as God the Holy Ghost? Be assured that your

having been baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, will not profit you, while you continue strangers to the genuine service and spiritual worship of those divine Persons. Indeed, while you continue enslaved to the world, to sin, and to Satan, the thoughts of your baptism may well fill you with alarm, instead of inspiring you with hopes of safety for of what can such consideration remind you, but of the most solemn vows most flagrantly broken? and of your having fought under the banners which you there renounced against those divine Persons, to whose service you there were most solemnly pledged? Lay, then, to heart, while as yet there may be time, what must be the issue of a conflict, if persisted in, in which your puny arm is lifted up against Omnipotence !

4. What abundant ground is there for the consolation of the real penitent! Are you ready at times almost to sink into despondency at the view of your sins and imperfections; to apprehend that, in consequence of their number and their aggravations, a God glorious in holiness and hating iniquity can never pardon you, much less admit you to a glorious mansion above? Are you disheartened at the strength of your corruptions, and fearful that, after having been so often foiled by them, you shall never be able successfully to