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CHA P. IX.

That the Doctrin of the Trinity, and the Do-. ctrin of Tranfubftantiation, are not equally credible.

Shall now examin the laft Plea of our Adversaries, who when we object against the poffibility of Tranfubftantiation, do very readily anfwer, that we may as well believe the Doctrin of Tranfubftantiation, as that of the Trinity; fince both are in their opinion equally credible. But the vanity of this pretence will foon appear, if we confider three particulars.

1. That the Doctrin of the Trinity is certainly reveal'd; whereas I have plainly fhewn, that the Doctrin of Tranfubftantiation is not taught in the Scriptures.

2. That the Doctrin of the Trinity do's not contradict our Faculties. I confefs, we cannot comprehend the manner of it: but we cannot affirm, that 'tis falfe or impoffible. Whereas the Doctrin of Tranfubftantiation is not above, and beyond the reach of our faculties; but do's most apparently contradict them. We do not reject the Doctrin of Tranfubftantiation, because we cannot comprehend it, or conceive the manner of it: but because we are as certain, that it is falfe and impoffible; as that our faculties are or can be true.

If it be faid, That the Doctrin of the Trinity do's as certainly contradict our faculties, as the Doctrin of Tranfubftantiation; because it is as great a contradiction to our reafon, to fay, that Three are one, when our reafon affures us, that Three cannot be one:

as it is a contradiction to our Senfes, to fay, This is not bread; when our Senfes affure us, that It is bread; if, I fay, this be objected, I answer, that there is a true and proper contradiction in the one inftance, but not in the other.

For every contradiction confifts in affirming and denying the fame thing, at the fame time, and in the fame refpect: but when a thing is affirm'd in one refpect, and deny'd in another; or when 'tis affirm'd at one time, and deny'd at another; then there is no contradiction. Thus for inftance, if any Man fhou'd fay, the Sun doth fhine in England at fuch a time; and another fhou'd fay, the Sun doth not shine in England at the very fame time; they wou'd flatly contradict one another. But if one Man, fpeaking of England, fhou'd fay, the Sun fhines at fuch a time; and another Perfon, Speaking of the oppofite part of the World, fhou'd fay, it do's not fhine at the very fame time; they wou'd not contradict one another: because in different refpects it niny be faid, thar the Sun do's fhine, and that it do's not fhine at the fame time. Thus alfo, if one Man fhou'd fay, that the Sun did fhine in England yesterday; and another fhou'd fay, that it did not fhine in England the day before yefterday; they do not contradict each other: because the Sun may fhine, and not fhine in the very fame place at different tintes.

Having thus explain'd the true Nature of a Contradiction, which (tho' it be a plain and obvious thing, yet) very few Perfons are willing to take due notice of; I fhall now apply it to the Do&rin of the Trinity. If Revelation fhou'd fay, that Three are one in the fame refpect, in which reafon faies, that Three are not one,; then Reafon and Revelation wou'd certainly contradict each

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other. But this we do not find; for Revelation faies, that Three perfons are one in Effence; and Reafon faies, that Three perfons are not one in Perfon; and therefore the feveral dictates of Reafon and Revelation are very confiftent with each o ther. 'Tis true, we cannot explain after what Manner a Trinity of Perfons is reconcilable with the unity of God but tho' we cannot take off the difficulty of conception, yet we can fhew that there is no contradiction; because it is no contrádiction to fay, That the fame things may be three in one refpect, and one in another.

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But now in the cafe of Tranfubftantiation it is undeniably plain, that the fame thing is affirm'd by our Senfes, and deny'd by a pretended Revelation, in the very fame refpect, and at the very fame time. For there is no difpute concerning any different Notions of Bread and Wine'; and yet 'tis moft evident, that our Senfes do affure us, that the Elements are real Bread and Wine, even in that very moment, when the pretended Revelation faies, that the very fame Elements are nor Bread and Wine. And therefore our Senfes and the pretended Revelation do flatly contradict each otherST

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3. The Doctrin of the Trinity is therefore incomprehenfible, because the Nature of God being infinite, the whole of it cannot be conceiv'd by us. There are depths in the Divinity, which we cannot fathom: and we are obliged to believe them fuch, becaufe God has told us fo. But we have no power that ought to judge of them; becaufe God has not made the Myfteries of his Effence the adequate objects of any of our Faculties. Whereas the feveral natures of Bread and Wine are finite, and may be fufficiently understood by

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us. Tho' there are wonders in the Compofition of every Creature, which we cannot explain; as the Divifibility of Matter, &c. yet thofe things which are the proper objects of our Senfes, we may and ought to judge of, as far as God has enabled our Senfes to inform us. Now there is nothing in the World, that can be more obvious to our Senfes, than Bread and Wine: and therefore when our Senfes give a report concerning them, we are to believe our Senfes.

In a word, we cannot fay, that the Doctrin of the Trinity is falfe; becaufe we have no faculty, that is able to examin it: but we can fay, that the Doctrin of Tranfubftantiation is falfe; because we have feveral faculties that are able to examin it, and have found it to be falfe and impoffible.

Now if our Adverfaries will fhew, 1. That the Doctrin of Tranfubftantiation is as plainly reveal'd, as that of the Trinity. 2. That the one do's as certainly contradict any one of our faculties, as the other.3. That we are as competent judges of the one, as of the other; then we fhall be obliged to confefs that the Doctrin of the Trinity, and that of Tranfubftantiation are equally credible. But till this be done, we think it highly reasonable to believe the Mystery of the Trinity; altho' we utterly reject the Doctrin of Tranfubftantiation, as groundlefs, abfurd, and impious; and therefore abfolutely falfe

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I

CHAP. X.

Of the Adoration of the Hoft.

Shall now prove, that fome Popish Doctrins are forbidden by the Word of God; and the first I fhall inftance in, is that of the Adoration of the Hoft.

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The Church of Rome (a) Decrees thus, If any Man fhall fay, that in the Holy Sacrament of the Eucharift, Chrift the Only-begotten Son of God is not to be Ador'd even with the external Worship of Latria; and confequently, that he is not to be worshipped upon any Festival Solemnity, and that he is not to be carried about in Proceffions according to the Laudable and Univerfal Manner and Custom of the Church; or that he is not to be publicly fet forth before the People, that he may be ador'd by them; and that thofe who do adore bim, are Idolaters; Let him be accursed. From these words it appears, that the Church of Rome has Decreed, that the Elements of the Lord's Supper are to be ador'd with Latria, which is the higheft worship of the Supreme God; because they do (in their opinion, deliver'd in the 17th Article of their Creed and elsewhere) contain the true and real Chrift or

(a) Siquis dixerit in Sancto Euchariftiæ Sacramento Chriftum unigenitum Dei filium non effe cultu Latriæ, etiam externo, Adorandum; atque ideo nec feftiva peculiari celebritate venerandum, neque in proceffionibus fecundum laudabilem & Univerfalem Ecclefiæ ritum & confuetudinem folenniter circumgeftandum, vel non publice, ut adoretur, populo, proponendum, & ejus Adoratores effe Idololatras; Anathema fit. Concil. Trident. Seff. 13. Can. 6. de Eucharift. K 4

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