forve." "I am the Lord: that is my name, and my glory will I not give unto another."

The result of reason, seeking the original cause of this visible world, is, that it did not make itself: but he who did make it, made the sun, moon, and stars; is author of the universe; a God SUPREME. Agencies, and dependencies, are creatures

of his will.

Were there two Gods, there might, indeed, be three; or three times that number; or any imaginable number. That the persons mentioned in the creed are equal, is held to be impossible. And yet, it is as possible, that all should be equal, as that any two, should be equal. For if any two were equal, neither would be supreme; nor would there be any one "only God"-if any God at all! But to be God, is to have no equal; it is to be "supreme;" that is, having control over all others.

Then, God is uncreated; existing necessarily, and the creator of all other beings-if there are other Gods, they are, therefore, his creatures. Did he make them his equals? If so, he imparted to them, an equal degree, of his power, wisdom, and other qualities, or attributes: and in proportion to the created number, as he previously possessed these qualities, in the superlative quantity, so did he diminish himself, and destroy his superiority, by creating equals, and rivals. For what? is a question.

But if the one God, universal, eternal, and "supreme;” whom Abraham, Moses, and David, worshipped; did not create these other Gods, whose supposed existence, at times, have so much perplexed the christian theologist, and rendered the rest of mankind idolators; then they either do not exist, must have existed from all eternity, or had some creator. This is a self evident proposition. Behold, the consequences, deducible from its several alternatives. Let imagination trace them.

Suppose the existence of two persons in the godhead, other than the God, Most High; who communed with Moses, on the mount, and that, (come there, as they might) they were equals: what is the conceivable effect?

There is no supreme, among equals-that is clear-then, if effect, there is no God. What then? Why, the consequences, are tremendous, and revolting. The supremacy of heaven, and the government of the universe, upon this theory, is lodged in a triumvirate-whose councils are either suspended in equili brium by three equals, or carried by a casting vote. For, where all are Gods, each must be independent of the others; and each, all powerful over all things, themselves excepted; each, of course, could act on all other things, but one another, without resistance, except from one another; and, therefore, might be tempted to act alone. Whether this has been the cause of the wars in heaven, of which intimations have been given, probably by John, will be left for the decision of divines; certain it is, that it might, were such the state of the case, lead to rupture, and confusion, war, and partition of empire.Divines, need be cautious, what they teach to men who think.

Without pursuing the argument any further, it may be concluded, on the part of the Unitarians, that there is but one God, supreme, of heaven, and earth.

The Trinitarian idea, of there being three persons, and yet but one God, in the godhead, deserves further to be examined. The object is, to detect error; or ascertain that there is none; or if practicable, to lay the foundation, by a modification of terms, for a rational exposition of the mystical union of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost: that is, of God-his word, of operation, and his spirit, of comfort, personified, as they have been, Since there is, and can be, but one God; for none is God, who is not "supreme;" and there can be but one supreme, of the universe: and he is known to act by agencies, and causes; there is no incongruity, in supposing the production of a being but little inferior to himself, and perfectly equal to all the purposes, and ends, for which he may be intended by his almighty progenitor--should they even extend to the creation of a world--this world--or any other matter, or thing; or to the execution of any office, or duty, whatever, to which he may be appointed; or on which, he may be sent. Suppose this being, the CHRIST,

the once visible, and Anointed SAVIOUR of the human race. Clothe him with majesty, equal to his powers, and officesexalt him to the throne of heaven-as the first-born of the Father-and place him, at his right hand-do him reverence— and pay him homage, as mediator with God-the smiles of whose countenance, he receives, and whose counsels he shares; but mistake him not, for God-there is but one God-"the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." Thus the scripture may be complied with, and reason, "the heavenly guide of man," not in the least offended, by incongruities such as, that, "the Father is God; the Son is God; and the Holy Ghost, is God— yet there are not three Gods; but only one God." These names, are used in the ceremonial of baptism, in creeds, and in prayers, to denote, by each, a distinct, and separate being, or person-but if they are separate persons, each has his own identity, not to be confounded, with the others. And were cach God, there would be three Gods-the denial to the contrary, notwithstanding. Or, if there is, in fact, but one God; then, in fact, there are not three Gods. The consequence is, that to support, an unintelligible dogma, men, as christians, are required to believe, that which, in the very terms used, includes a plain contradiction; and hence, in both its parts, cannot be true! How far this comports, with sound morality, or pure religion-which should have truth, for their basis-may be worthy of the consideration of the grave, and reverend séniors of the land. In vain, do they talk of mystery; that is not in controversy-it is the incongruity, the palpable contradiction, of facts, produced in the relations, exhibited, between the persons, treated of, that constitutes the dispute. That persons, exist, who are, and may with propriety be denominated, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, is not questioned--that the first, means God; the second, Christ; and the third, the Com; forter; may be admitted--that, there is mystery, in their con nexion, intercourse, and offices, it would be presumptuous folly to deny that the order in which they are named, may be taken as an indication, of their relative ranks, as superior, and

infertor, is most easily, and naturally conceived-but when it is asserted, that each, is God; and we recollect who, according to scripture, and reason, God is; our imagination is confounded, our reason is shocked, and our belief defied. In the further extension of this extraordinary exhibition of these personages, we find it declared, that although each of the three persons, is God; yet, that, there are not three Gods, but really, one only--we know not which, most to admire, the impudence of the priest, or the servile credulity of his followers.

Well then, if there really is but one God, he is God; and there is no other. Then, the Son is not God: nor is the Holy Ghost, God. And thus, the creed orthodox, is refuted, out of its own mouth.

That it ever should have been an article of the Christian faith, is only to be accounted for, by the joint operation of ignorance, art, and despotism.

That it should, under any modification which represents, and affirms, the existence of more than one God, or that the Son, the second person in the trinity, is equal to the Father, who is the first, and God-be continued down, and still be preached, and propagated for belief, to the present day, is verily, a strong instance of the sleep of the human mind, when once diseased with orthodoxy-the laudanum of the church; and panacea,. of the hierarchy.

It is known, that this is ground, considered sacred--that there is a description of men, who would exclude all those not initiated into the mystery of the craft, from exploring its recesses; and who are ready to cry out, Sacrilege! and let loose the anathema of the church, upon the head of the wight, unqualified, who shall be found with a foot upon, even its margin. But it is also known, that there have been many creeds, even among Christians, varying from each other-that in fact, the Episcopalians of the United States, have left out of their articles of faith, the crced of Athenasius, into which, as the least rational, this examination has been directed; that yet, how ever, they have two; çither, they say, or seem to say, is good

enough: notwithstanding, if material at all, they are very materially different. As then, men become enlightened, reformation is expected; and, what is another consideration, of no little import, if those who assume the office of teachers of religion, do not examine, and re-examine, their theories, and what is more, reform them, on principles conforming, to just and correct rules of reason, founded on common sense, and the obvious nature and office of the moral perceptions of mankind, it will be done for them; and with less restraint, possibly, than utility might require.

Yet, however, this brief, and of necessity, imperfect, essay towards exploding errors of theory, as more or less, influencing practice, would not have been hazarded, without the most entire conviction, that there is not an argument advanced, nor a principle contended for, which is not amply supported, by the sacred scriptures themselves. Are there conflicting scriptures? Then reason, founded on analogy, and the known nature of things, must decide.

Is it proposed to shew, that the Son, is not the Father?-The terms themselves, denoting the relation between them, establish that they are different; and therefore, of necessity, not the same. Which is the result, proposed to be shewn.

Should it be said, that the Son, is not equal to the Father-the terms, resolved into God, the Creator, in the place of the Father; and the Son, created, or begotten, by God; establishes the proposition; when the term equal, is applied to the two. For things, equal to one another, are equal to a common standard. But what common standard, will equally fit the two, in all points? Suppose, eternity is selected. Then, the Father, measuring existence with eternity, must have existed before the Son; who, whether created, or begotten, must have began to exist, after his Creator, or Father; therefore he is not equal, or coeval, in existence, with his Father.

Take power, as the criterion, the Father is uncreated, and inherently possessed of all power; that of creating, or begeting the Son, being one, of no inferior, potency, or cllect; while the

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