might forget the interest of their subjects, and attempt to establish their individual superiority. If the two artists and sovereigns were of one design, and possessed equal perfections, they consequently would possess an infinitude of attributes. They being distinct and separate beings, each would possess one half of this infinitude. This supposes that infinite power, wisdom and goodness are individually capable of division, and separation; that they are made up of parts; and that they may be formed by a progressive series of finite qualities. If these two possess the same kind of nature; are united in design, and in operation, and constitute only one infinitude, they would not be two distinct and separate existences, but they would be literally one nature.

3. There is abundant evidence that there is one God, eternal, self-existent and independent. He exists of necessity; that is, it is impossible that he never should have existed; and it is impossible that he should cease to exist. There is a primary power in the universe. It is impossible that this power should have created itself; and it is equally impossible that it should destroy itself; for this would suppose a power superior to the highest power. These things cannot be predicated of more than one power. There can be only one power necessarily existing. If an equal power be supposed to exist, it must depend on the will and pleasure of the first power for liberty of the least operation. If equals cannot destroy equals, they can counteract and neutralize each other. Consequently there cannot be two separate independencies; two separate self-existencies, nor two separate eternals.

It is equally absurd to suppose there are inferior divinities. A divinity has a divine nature and divine attributes. What is divine is not circumscribed; and consequently is infinite. What is infinite is not capable of degrees of comparison. Consequently there cannot be superior and inferior divinities.

If a

deity be supposed, which is inferior to the supreme God, he is inferior in nature and attributes. Duration, which is inferior to eternity, is temporal. Power and wisdom which are inferior to infinity, are finite. A temporal finite being is a creature, consequently he is not truly a deity.

The Heathen admit a multiplicity of gods. But they esteem one superior to the rest. They vary their religious honors in quality and degree according to the supposed excellence of their respective deities. It is not doubted that the Creator can and does deputize his creatures to act with a limited authority. He has constituted man lord of this lower world. But this does not vest him with a claim to divine honThe prince of the power of the air has authority to work in the children of disobedience. But this prerogative does not entitle him to divine worship. The inferior gods of the Heathen, whether they be works of their own hands, objects of nature, or creatures of their imaginations, bear no comparison with real Divinity; and they are not entitled to divine honors. In view of the one God they are a vanity and a lie.

ors.

Mankind, ever since the apostasy, have been inclined to make lords many and gods many; and to practise idolatry. Even those, who enjoyed some rays of revealed light, loved darkness rather than light; and in the shades of nature they fancied similitudes of the Deity; or with an artist's skill they contrived forms, which called forth their devotional feelings. One great object of divine revelation was to correct the world of this error, and lead them to the knowledge of the only living and true God. So important was this subject that the first command of the decalogue was directed to this very point; "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." God has often declared in his word that there is no other god. "Unto thee it was shewed that thou mightest know that the Lord he

is God, there is none else besides him." Solomon, in his address to the people after his consecrating prayer in the temple, uses almost the same language: "that all the people of the earth may know that the Lord is God; and that there is none else." Similar language is repeatedly used in the Old Testament. Christ, who bore testimony to the truth, taught the same doctrine, the unity of God. His language is, There is but one good, that is God. In the language of the Old Testament, he said, "The Lord our God is one Lord." Again he said, This is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God. In all his devotions he addressed but one God.

4. The coincidence of the various parts of the sacred scriptures is a strong argument in favor of the unity of their Author. This volume was written by many hands; at distant periods; and at places remote from each other. Had the objects of the inspired writers been different, or had they been under the guidance of different spirits, a striking_contrariety would have appeared in their writings. But, as their object is evidently the same, as there is a remarkable coincidence in their relation of the same things, as there is a perfect agreement between the prophetic writings and the history of subsequent events, there is the strongest evidence that their authors were under the direction of one and the same Spirit.

Some parts of the sacred scriptures appear, at first view, to be inconsistent; and other parts appear to be dark. But when they are investigated, they appear consistent, and the religion of the Old Testament was remarkably well calculated for the Jewish nation till the advent of the Messiah. A knowledge of the ancient customs of the Jews, a knowledge of the idolatries of neighboring nations bring to view excellences of the Jewish religion, which are not discovered by a superficial observer. Those parts of God's word, which seem to militate against each other, are found

Those seeming

to be reconcilable and harmonious. blemishes, which appear on the pages of divine inspiration are only dark spots on the vision of the human mind. When the understanding is purged from moral darkness and corruptness, it will discover the perfections of our holy religion; the coincidence of its parts; the unity of its design, and the unity of its Author.

PLURALITY IN THE DIVINE NATURE.

AFTER the apostasy mankind were exceedingly prone to idolatry. The heathen, in every age, have paid their devotions to a variety of deities. Even the Hebrews, who were enlightened by divine revelation, and were taught the existence of only one God, often departed from this knowledge, and ascribed divine honors to objects of nature, and to works of men's hands. When God communicated to the world a system of religion, it might well be expected he would guard the human mind against this error; that he would distinguish himself from heathen gods; that he would communicate nothing which would give the least countenance to a multiplicity of deities, or to idolatry. When God wrote the moral law on tables of stone, he commanded first, that they should have no other gods before him. The distinguishing characteristic of Israel was, that they worshipped one God. Moses, who was under divine influence, and wrote agreeably to the pattern shewn him by the divine Being, guarded the doctrine of the divine unity with the greatest care, lest Israel should blend with surrounding nations; fall into idolatry; and lose the knowledge of the true God. His language is, "Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord; and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might." That these words might not depart from their minds, he required them to bind them upon their hands; and