Show me how this appears with respect to each of them separately?

In relation to the first-who does not perceive that it is necessary to salvation to believe in the existence of God? for unless we do this, we cannot believe that there is any way of salvation, or any religion at all. Hence the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews observes (chap. xi. 6) that "he that cometh to God must believe that he is."

is

How do you prove the second particular, that God one, to be necessary to salvation?

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Unless we believe God to be but one, we shall be led to worship more Gods; which, as I shall show hereafter, is contrary to the way of salvation. For if God be not one only, we cannot love him with ALL Our heart, and soul, and strength." On which account the Scriptures frequently admonish us of this truth, that God is one. Thus Moses proclaims, (Deut. vi. 4.) "Hear, O Israel, The Lord our God is one Lord:"-a declaration which is repeated by our Lord, Mark xii. 29. So again, (Deut. iv. 35.) “The Lord he is God, there is none else." And Deut. xxxii. 39, "See now, that I, even I, am he, and there is no God with (or besides) me." To these testimonies may be added the following: 1 Cor. viii. 4, 5, 6, "There is none other God but one; for though there be that are called Gods, whether in heaven or in earth (as there be Gods many and Lords many)-but to us there is but one God, the Father." 1 Tim. ii. 5: "There is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus." Ephes. iv. 6: "There is—

Lone God and Father of all." Gal. iii. 20: "But God

is one."

: How is the knowledge of the Eternity of God ne'cessary to salvation?

Unless we believe God to have been without beginning, we shall be led to infer that he was produced by some other Being, and be induced to worship that other Being as the supreme God. And if we do not believe that he will endure for ever, how can we hope to receive from him eternal life, to which we are conducted by the way of salvation?

How does it appear that a knowledge of the Justice of God is necessary to salvation?

That to believe that God is perfectly just is necessary to salvation, is manifest from hence: first, in order to convince us that he will certainly accomplish whatever he has promised, how unworthy so ever we may be of his bounty: and, secondly, that we may be incited to bear, with unruffled minds, the trials which, after having entered on the way of salvation, we must needs encounter, together with all other adversities and disappointments; feeling convinced that these things can be in no respect unjust since they are permitted by God.

How do you prove the same in respect to the perfect Wisdom of God?

To believe that God is perfectly wise is hence necessary to salvation,-that we may harbour no doubt that even our hearts, which are of all things the most difficult to be scrutinized, and from which, principally, the value of our obedience will be estimated, are at all

times perfectly seen and known by him: and that we may be convinced that he possesses a clear knowledge of the means of providing for and securing our salvation; and also of the reason of all the difficulties we encounter, although to our perceptions they may seem to occur without design.

How do you prove that a knowledge of the infinite Power of God is necessary to salvation?

This does not admit of doubt:-for who could hope for eternal life from God, as its original author, unless he were convinced that his power is circumscribed by no limits or bounds? Or who could endure the sufferings which threaten and befal those who worship God conformably to the Christian religion, unless he were thoroughly impressed with the assurance, that all things are in the hands of God;-that these occurrences happen not without his will; and that there is nothing, either on earth or in heaven, that can overrule his divine power so as to prevent his accomplishing the things he has promised, and which we expect from him?

I now fully perceive that the knowledge of these things is necessary to salvation :-But is it not, besides, requisite to know that God possesses an uncontrolled freedom of will; that he is immense in his presence, infinitely good, and infinitely happy?

It is, indeed, necessary to know these things concerning God:-some of them are, however, sufficiently comprehended in the particulars already discussed; while the rest will be included in the explication of the Will of God.

Show this of each of them separately; of the perfect freedom of the divine Will?

and first,

This is evidently included in that supreme dominion, which I have already stated to be implied in the term GOD; since there can exist no dominion without freedom of will, nor supreme dominion unless that freedom be perfect. Hence, in lately describing that dominion, I have made distinct mention of WILL and

CHOICE.

Show the same respecting the Immensity of God? Immensity, in the sense in which the Scriptures attribute it to God, imports the supreme perfection of his dominion, power, and wisdom, and also of his providence, which extends to all affairs, and to all places. In so far then as it may be referred to the divine dominion, power, and wisdom, which I have stated to be all of them perfect, it has been already considered; -but as far as it relates to the Providence of God, it will be included in the observations on the Will of God. To what do you refer the Goodness of God?

His goodness, if it be taken to mean his holiness, has been already included under his justice: but if it be understood of his mercy and benignity, as it very. frequently is in the Scriptures, it is to be referred to the divine Will.

What say you as to his Happiness?

That God is happy, it is impossible for any one not to believe who admits that he is eternal, perfectly wise, and just, and powerful, and withal invested with supreme dominion over all things. For his life must necessarily be of all others the most perfect and delight

ful.

ful. This is to be not happy merely, but blessed in the highest degree.

You have explained to me what things are necessary to be known concerning the attributes of God, in order to salvation: state, in the next place, what those are which you deem eminently conducive to the same end?

The principal thing is to guard against falling into the common error, wherein it is maintained, with palpable contradiction, that there is in God only ONE essence, but that he has three persons *.

Prove to me that in the one essence of God, there is but one Person?

This indeed may be seen from hence, that the essence of God is one, not in kind but in number. Wherefore it cannot, in any way, contain a plurality of persons, since a person is nothing else than an individual intelligent essence. Wherever, then, there exist three numerical persons, there must necessarily, in like manner, be reckoned three individual essences; for in the same sense in which it is affirmed that there is one numerical essence, it must be held that there is also one numerical person.

4 Whether it be not necessary to salvation to know that God is one in person as well as in essence, may be easily ascertained from the testimony of our Lord, quoted a little further on, from John xvii. 3. And whether in maintaining that there is in the supreme God a plurality of persons, Christians do not involve themselves in the crime of polytheism, and consequently of idolatry, it behoves them again and again to consider. On this point, the observations of Crellius, in discussing this subject in his Ethica Christiana, may be consulted. Vide lib. iii. cap. 2. -BEN. WISSOWATIUS.