VI.

give them Occafion to think, that the Profeffion SER M we make in the greateft Ordinance of our Religion is not to be understood.

Thirdly, I have farther proved, that here is mention made neither of more nor fewer than three, into whofe Name we are baptized. If we conceive of a Godhead without a Trinity, it is not that which the Scripture speaks of, or that to which we are furrendered. We have no more Authority to drop the Names of Son and Holy Ghost in the Administration, than that of the Father. A Baptifm to no more than one Perfon may be Indian or Mahometan, but it can never be Chriftian.

Fourthly, The Form we are to use makes it plain, that these three are diftinct from one another, or otherwise they would never have been mentioned as three. How oddly would it found to baptize into the Name of the Eternal, the Almighty, and the Omniscient, of the holy One, the Juft, and the Gracious? That would be only multiplying Words without Wifdom. The Scripture has given us no fuch confused and empty Forms, that are all found and little Sense; God does not use to fpeak of himself, and his Properties, as if they were thus diftinguished, and especially in a Form that is to hold as long as the World does. That which wants explaining wants mending; and if it was never underftood until our Age, it's pity that other Ages had it at all, or should all along be tempted to take thofe for three Perfons, whom we have diminished into two Powers.

Now, as I faid before, if all thefe four Propofitions are true apart, they are true together, and muft combine in this that I have made the fifth, that these three Perfons are the fame in Nature or

SERM. Substance, and equal in Power and Glory. For VI. if there is no more than one God, and no fewer than three Perfons, then we are to confider them as equal.

I. In their own Perfections.
2. In their Influence over us.
3. In their Glory from us.

1. The Form of Baptifm gives us their Equality in Perfection and Nature, as you will fee by thefe two Particulars. First, They all go by one Name ;. and Secondly, The Operations by which they are diftinguifhed, do reprefent each of them to be God.

(1.) It is apparent, as you have often heard, that we are only baptized into one Name, by which Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, are equally called. Remember the Form of Words, it is not faid baptize them into Names, as if they were many, which might lead us to conceive of dif ferent Natures, but as the Lord is one, fo his Name is one in that Ordinance that is to reach all over the Earth. Thus is a Chriftian to speak of him quite through the Nations, that the Father is not the Son, and that neither of them is the Spirit, you will foon apprehend from their feveral Titles, and what then is the one Name under which our Faith comprehends them, but that glorious and fearful Name the Lord our God? xxviii. 58. Though they are three, yet we must fome way or other apply to them as one, and make the first Ordinance of the Gospel agree to the first Command in the Law, thou shalt have no other Gods before me.

Deut.

On which Account I fee no Reafon for trine Immerfion or trine Afperfion, either Dipping or Sprink

VI.

Sprinkling thrice, as the Manner of fome is. SERM. The Unity of that Name in which we are baptized does not need it, and I think cannot bear it. In the whole Solemnity we are given to no more, to no other than the great Jehovah. Our Concern with the Father in this Ordinance is not meerly as he is a Perfon, but as he is God. And as the Son and Holy Spirit have this Name with him, fo it is with a Regard to that eternal Deity that we are theirs as much as his. The Believer may say as the Prophet does, I am called by thy Jer. xv. Name, O Lord of Hofts; and with the Church, by thee alone we will make mention of thy Name; 13. and we will remember the Name of the Lord our PĬ. xx. 7. God.

16.

If. xxvi.

(2.) I have shown you that they are diftinct in their Operations. The Scripture affirms fome Things of the Father, which are never applied to the Son; and fome of the Son, which are not true of the Spirit; and fome of the Spirit which are peculiar to himself; but every one of them proves a Deity in that Perfon that does it; they are wondrous Works that are done by God alone. We are faid to be elect according to the Foreknowledge of God the Father, through Sanctifi- 1 Pet. i. 2. cation of the Spirit unto Obedience, and the Sprinkling of the Blood of Jefus. Now this Sanctification, this Election and Sprinkling are what no Creature could ever give us. God has revealed himself as doing all that, I will take you Ezekiel from among the Heathen, I will sprinkle clean Wa- xxxvi. 24, ter upon you, ye shall be my People, and I will be 25, 28. your God.

1. It was the Father's Appointment upon which the Son came into the World, and the very fending of a Saviour can be no other than the Work of God. When the Fulness of Time

14.

Luke i. 68, 69.

30, 33.

SERM. came God fent forth his Son made of a Woman, VI. made under the Law. Bleffed be the Lord God of Ifrael, who has vifited and redeemed his PeoGal. iv. ple, and raised up a Horn of Salvation. The Devils themselves owned that he was the holy one of God. Nicodemus, before he was established in the Faith, could fay, that no Man can do these Things except God was with him. Upon this does the blind Man purfue a noble Argument. John ix. Herein is a marvellous Thing that ye know not whence he is, and yet he has opened mine Eyes. If this Man were not of God, he could do nothing; and thus does Nathaniel make his firft Profeffion, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God, John xvi. thou art the King of Ifrael: The Difciples in full Faith acknowledged, now we are fure that thou knoweft all Things, by this we believe that thou cameft forth from God. And to this Conviction does Chrift himself give his Teftimony, xvii. 8. I have given to them the Words that thou gavest me, and they have received them, and have known furely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst fend me. He bears viii. 42. Witness to this Truth among the Jews.

30.

If God were your Father ye would love me, for I proceeded forth and came from God, neither came I of myself, but he fent me: And again, if I honour myself my honour is nothing; it is my Father that honours me, of whom ye fay that he is your God.

2. The Son has thofe Things affirmed of him, that are peculiar to his Perfon. He alone in the divine Nature was a Child born, a Sacrifice for Sin, and the first begotten from the Dead. And though these Accounts belong to the human Nature, yet the Redemption that he fulfilled by them will prove the Divine; he who was of the Rom. i. 2. Seed of David according to the Flesh, must be

ix. 5.

over

over all God blessed for ever. None but a God SER M. could be incarnate, fo as to redeem them that VI. are under the Law, that they might receive the Adoption of Sons. Had an Angel been made Partaker of Flesh and Blood, he might have lived and died, but he could never have reconciled us to God. His Blood would not have been able to do away one Sin. He would not have trod the Wine-prefs; Chrift did that alone. And therefore the Seed of the Woman was no 1 Tim. other than God manifeft in the Flesh. In him was iii. 16. Life. The Child born was to be the mighty John i. 4. God, the everlasting Father: And though he

was really a Man both in Soul and Body, yet the Acts xx. Church is what God has purchased by his own 28. Blood.

In order to the finishing of his great Defign, be is to reign over the Houfe of Jacob for ever Luke i. and ever, and of his Kingdom there is no end: 33. Now, it is only true of God, that his Throne is for ever and ever. He was in the Form of God, Phil ji. 6. and thought it no Robbery to be equal with God. John xi. He that was the Refurrection must be the Life; Cor. xv. the laft Adam is a quickening Spirit. Nor was it 45. enough that he loofed the Pains of Death, but he did it upon this Ground, that it was impoffible Acts ii. 24. 'he should be holden of it.

25.

1

3. The Holy Spirit has Things faid of him which are not attributed either to Father or Son, in a perfonal Way; fuch as furnishing out Prophets, Apoftles, Paftors, and Teachers; fanctifying, comforting, and fecuring Believers; and yet thefe do all of them fuppofe and declare a divine Nature. The Scriptures of the Prophets were given by Inspiration of God, and yet holy 2 Tim. iii. Men of God fpake as they were moved by the 16. Holy Ghoft. The Apostles had a greater Unction 2 Pet. i. from the holy one, than ever any received before,

21.