g the world to himself. And then the Holy Ghost concurs in this
testimony, and as the Son had the work of purchasing rights and interests
to grace and glory, so the great work of applying all these privileges to
saints and making them actually partakers of the blessings of Christ's
death, is committed in a special way to the Holy Ghost. "I will send the
Comforter," &c. So then Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, all agree in one,
that Jesus Christ is a sure refuge for sinners--a plank for ship-broken
men--a firm and sure foundation to build everlasting hopes upon. There is
no party dissenting in all the gospel. The business of the salvation of
lost souls is concluded in this holy council of the Trinity with one
voice. As at first, all of them agreed to make man,--"let us make man," so
again, they agree to make him again, to restore him to life in the second
Adam. Whoever thou be that wouldst flee to God for mercy, do it in
confidence. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are ready to welcome
thee,--all of one mind to shut out none, to cast out none. But to speak
properly, it is but one love, one will, one counsel, and purpose in the
Father, Son, and Spirit, for "these Three are One," and not only agree in
One, they are One, and what one loves or purposes, all love and purpose. I
would conclude this matter with a word of direction how to worship God,
which I cannot express in fitter terms than these of Nazianzen: "I cannot
think upon one, but by and by I am compassed about with the brightness of
three, and I cannot distinguish three but I am suddenly driven back unto
one." There is great ignorance and mistake of this even among the best
Christians. The grosser sort, when they hear of one God only, think Christ
but some eminent man, and so direct their prayers to God only, excluding
the Son and Holy Ghost, or when they hear of three persons,--the Father,
Son, and Holy Ghost,--they straightway divide their worship, and imagine a
trinity of gods. And I fear, those of us who know most, use not to worship
God as he hath revealed himself,--Father, Son and Holy Ghost, and yet one
God. Our minds are reduced to such a simple unity as we think upon one of
them alone or else distracted and divided into such a plurality, that we
worship in a manner three gods instead of one. It is a great mystery to
keep the right middle way. Learn, I beseech you, so to conceive of God,
and so to acknowledge him, and pray to him as you may do it in the name