other derivation: to proceed, is as well as any thing else. How then might this be? I know not.Might it be as breath proceeds? or "like a rushing mighty wind?" Might it be as an Ambassador is commissioned? I know not; and it probably imports me not to know.'

'Of this Person things are affirmed in Scripture, which are peculiar to the Divinity himself.-Indeed, the mind of God must be divine. I therefore, with sacred awe, acknowledge the Divinity of the Holy Ghost; in such a way, that it may be consistent with the Divinity of the Father and the Son, and with the Unity of God.-Some more expressions, I see, are contained in the Article; but I see not, that they increase my difficulties; I have no idea of any difference of "substance," or any inequality of "Majesty and Glory," amongst those Persons, whom I acknowledge to be divine; when I at the same time profess, that there is but one God.-I mean well, and therefore, if I err, I shall hope to be forgiven.'

17. (2d and 3d of the four parts, of which the Application consists.) The next thing to be considered is the nature of any mutual concessions, which might be adopted in order to bring about, amongst those who differ in private opinion, a sufficient agreement in doctrine, for the purpose of social worship. But I have enlarged on this head under the first and second Articles, and there is such an affinity between the doctrines of those Articles and the present, that to enlarge again would be useless repetition.

Our doctrine concerning the Holy Ghost seems rather to afford additional motives to good conduct, than motives to action, which are opposed to any practical principles of our Adversaries. And this seems to afford a reason why, if we were mutually

candid

candid and accommodating, we might coincide in worship tolerably well.-At least, additional motives to virtue in one party, cannot hinder a coincidence so much, as motives or rules of action in that party, which were contradictory to some held sacred by the opposite party.

18. In the last place, we come to the subject of Improvements.

19. The passages of Scripture, from which the Doctrine concerning the Holy Ghost is derived, may possibly admit of a more exact and minute attention than has hitherto been paid them, with regard to the circumstances in which they occur. It is from circumstances, that a judgment must be formed as to personality, and as to any difference, which may arise from his being spoken of as engaged officially. 20. More may be done in ascertaining, whether expressions relating to the Holy Ghost, are to be considered as indefinite, and in what degree. It is not impossible, that expressions may be (I do not say they are) more definite about the Holy Ghost, than about the Son; though the illustration from Sonship is more definite than that from Mind. We find the expression seven spirits in five or six places of Scripture; if that expression be indefinite, (as forgiving seven times, and seventy times seven, seems to be), it may be admitted into expressions about the Spirit of God.

21. Perhaps a criterion to distinguish rhetorical from real Persons might be found out. Or, at least, we might approach towards one, so as to be nearer to one than we are at present.

22.

It would be an improvement, if Forms could be invented, in which Socinians could join: in which, while we addressed ourselves to the Holy Ghost, they should use the same words and address themselves

a See Park. Hebr. Lexicon, under .

themselves to God, independently of the Holy Trinity. While we took some expressions as plain, implying a real person, they should take them as rhetorical, or as instances of the prosopopæia, or metonymy.-Under the first Article, I gave a short prayer addressed to the Son, in scriptural terms; and in a manner promised a similar one addressed to the Holy Ghost. The difficulty, as before mentioned, is, that those, who did not own the Holy Ghost for a Person, would think they had no object to address. And perhaps there may be few, if any, who own him for a Person, and deny his being divine'. Nevertheless, I will perform my promise, and exhibit a short specimen, in order that it may be improved upon:-it may be useful as briefly expressing the attributes, &c. of the Holy Ghost.

h

"O thou Spirit of God! foretold by the Prophet"; Thou, by whom our blessed Saviour was conceived, thou, who presidedst at his Baptism; by whom he was even raised from the dead; by whom he wrought his miracles; in whose name we are admitted into the community of Christians ;-do thou be ever our Comforter and guide!-do thou, who art the Spirit of Truth, guide us into all truth: teach us to acknowledge Jesus for our Lord!-0 may we be renewed and born again of thee! mayest thou enable us to mortify the deeds of the Body! of those Bodies, which are ennobled by being thy Temples! may we be so led' by thee, that we may be truly the Sons of God!-then shall we be also heirs ;

k

d Art. i. Sect. 15.

See this Art. Sect. 2.

1 Rom. viii. 14.

FF

iMatt. xii. 28.

heirs; heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ! and we shall finally receive" an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved for us in Heaven."

23. As our affections seem to depend on associations and sympathies, it might be inquired, whether increasing the number of our Relations to the Deity, would not heighten our devout affections?

24. Lastly, it might be considered, whether our difficulties respecting the Holy Trinity, in all its parts, do not depend greatly on our not confining ourselves to those views, and those modes of thinking, which are most properly human?

a 1 Pet. i. 4.

b Book iii. Chap. iii. Sect. 10.

ARTICLE

ARTICLE VI.

OF THE SUFFICIENCY OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES FOR SALVATION.

HOLY Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation: so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man, that it should be believed as an Article of Faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation. In the name of the holy Scripture we do understand those canonical Books of the Old and New Testament, of whose authority was never any doubt in the Church.

Of the Names and Number of the Canonical Books.

And the other Books (as Hierome saith) the Church doth read for example of Life, and instruction of manners; but yet doth it not apply them to establish any doctrine; such are these following: