to allow every one individually the privilege of studying, and receiving it in that sense, which he sincerely thinks it conveys. Had the convention substituted such a resolution in the place of the articles, it would be no longer necessary for a large number of the church to be wasting their time in proving their opinions not to be contrary to the articles; but it might be much more profitably employed in searching the scriptures to know what opinions they ought to receive.

If there happened to be any in the convention, who had been so long attached to old customs, as to think forms of faith an essential part of religion, something like the following, for the sake of accommodation, might have been adopted. "I believe there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things." "I believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God." I believe "that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures." I believe, that "if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart, that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."* If it were thought important, there could be no very serious objection to adding something more to this creed, taking care always to use the precise language of scripture. But if it be absolutely necessary to have a formulary of faith, which is not expressed in scripture language, perhaps none can be more comprehensive and unexceptionable than this, I believe in all the scriptures teach.

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* 1 Cor. viii. 6.-Acts viii. 37.-1 Cor. xv. 3.-Rom. x. 9.

LETTER V.

REVEREND AND DEAR SIR,

THE doctrine contained in the two first articles of the church, or what is commonly called the doctrine of the trinity, you pass over very slightly; and yet it may be doubted, whether any doctrine of the church stands in more need of explanation to make it intelligible or edifying to its members. So far as it relates to the divinity of Christ, you acknowledge it to be of "vital importance," and at the same time, declining to consider “the number or force of the objections against it," you content yourself with selecting in its support a few passages of scripture, as they are contained in Jones' work on the Trinity. Should your readers not be satisfied with these, you refer them for further information to the same source.

The remainder of what I have to say shall be devoted to this subject. I propose first to inquire into the scriptural grounds of the doctrine of the Trinity, as it is stated in the articles of the church, and in other parts of the Book of Common Prayer; and afterwards to examine the import of the texts you have

quoted, as well as some others, which are usually adduced in proof of this doctrine.

Before I take into consideration the articles above mentioned, 1 have some remarks to make on those parts of the Litany, which are intimately connected with this subject. The Litany commences with the following petitions, which make a part of every morning service, and are rendered with an audible voire, both by the minister and people.

"O God, the father of Heaven; have mercy upon us miserable sinners."

"O God, the Son, Redeemer of the world; have mercy upon us miserable sinners."

"Oh God, the Holy Ghost, proceeding from the Father and the Son; have mercy upon us miserable sinners."

"Oh holy glorious and blessed Trinity, three persons and one God; have mercy upon us miserable sinners."

In these petitions prayer is made separately and distinctly to God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Ghost, and to the holy Trinity. Here are four distinct objects of worship, addressed as different beings, and designated by different characters. How contrary is this to the commands and example of our Saviour. His command was, "thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” He prayed to the FATHER, and taught his disciples to pray to the FATHER. "At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O FATHER, Lord of heaven and earth." To his disciples he said, "After this manner pray ye; "Our FATHER, which art in heaven." "In that day ye shall ask ME nothing-whatsoever

ye shall ask the FATHER in my name, HE will give it you." The hour cometh and now is, when the true worshippers, shall worship the FATHER in spirit and in truth."* We thus perceive, that our blessed Lord considered the Father the only object of worship. We never hear of his worshipping himself, the Holy Ghost, or a Trinity. He never informed his disciples of any such objects of worship.

But what is still more surprising in the worship of the church, is, that it is not only addressed to four distinct objects, but these objects are respectively called Gods. A petition is first addressed separately and distinctly to God the Father; next, to God the Son; then, to God the Holy Ghost; and last of all, to the Trinity. Let it be observed, that these are not taken collectively, but separately and exclusively. The Trinity differs only from the three first in being called a God consisting of three persons, whereas the others are spoken of as uncompounded beings. I do not say that Episcopalians profess to worship four Gods, or that in reading the Litany, they have in their minds four distinct objects of worship; but if they do not, it is quite certain their sentiments do not accord with the language they use. At the best, this kind of lan. guage must destroy all just conceptions of the one true God, introduce confusion into the mind, and call it off from that pure and spiritual worship, which the scriptures enjoin.

When the minister solemnly makes the following petition, "Oh God, the Holy Ghost, have mercy upon us miserable sinners," and the people respond to it,

*Matth. iv. 10.-xi. 25.-vi. 9.-John xvi. 23.-John. iv. 23.

what ideas can they have of this being, whom they address as God, but that he is a being, who possesses power of himself, independently of any other being, to grant their petition. The prayer would be unmeaning, if it were not accompanied with such ideas. The same may be said of each of the petitions, which are presented to the other three beings. Hence they, who worship according to the Litany, actually wor ship four beings, each of whom is there called God.*

But this is not all. Petition is also made to another being, who, although he is not, as each of the four above mentioned, distinguished by the title of God, is nevertheless addressed as a distinct being. The petition runs as follows, "By the mystery of thy holy incarnation; by thy holy nativity and circumcision; by thy baptism, fasting, and temptation; by thine agony, and bloody sweat; by thy cross and passion; by thy precious death and burial, by thy glorious resurrection and ascension; good Lord deliver us." Now, to whatever being this prayer may be addressed, it cannot be to either of those mentioned above, for they are called Gods. But God is essentially a spirit, and no such properties can be applied to him, as incarnation nativity, circumcision, baptism, fasting, sweat, death and burial. The being here addressed, therefore, must be distinct from either of the others, and cannot be God. I suppose you will say it is Christ in his human

*Mr. Jones of Nayland, to whose work you refer your readers for instruction on the trinity, says, "That in the three former petitions the unity in trinity; in the fourth the trinity in unity is worshipped."-Cath. Doc. of the Trin. New-York, 1813, p. 178. Whether this be a clear and satisfactory explanation of the subject, I will leave for others to decide.