of his Authority and Kingdom, not being At his Incarnation He emptied himself [cnévwσev ExLTòv] of That Glory, which he had with God before the World was, and by virtue of which He is defcribed as having been in the Form of God: And in this State After the Accomplishment of which Difpenfa- tion, He is defcribed in Scripture as inve- fted with diftinct Worship in his Own Per- fon; his original glory and Dignity being at the fame time revealed, and his Exalta- tion in the Human Nature to his Mediato- rial Kingdom declared; Himfelf fitting up- on his Fathers Throne, at the right hand of his Redeeming, and Interceding for, us; his Authority, Power, Dominion, and Sit- ting upon the Throne of God his Father, The Honour paid in this manner to the Son, muft (as before) always be underflood as The Honour which Chriftians are bound to pay peculiarly to the Perfon of the Holy For putting up Prayers and Supplications di- rectly and exprefly to the Perfon of the Ho- ly Spirit, it must be acknowledged there is The Titles given in the New Teftament to the Three Perfons of the ever-blessed Trinity, - when all mentioned together; are &c. 376 THE principal Passages in the LITURGY THE INTRODUCTION. A S, in Matters of Speculation and Philofophical Inquiry, the only Judge of what is right or wrong, is Reafon and Experience; fo in Matters either of humane Teftimony or divine Revelation, the only certain Rule of Truth is the Teftimony or the Revelation itself. The Chriftian Revelation, is the DoArine of Chrift and his Apostles; that is, the Will of God made known to mankind by Christ, and by Those whom Chrift intrusted with infallible Authority to teach it. For the right apprehending of which Doctrine, men are (as in other matters of the greatest importance to them) fincerely to make ufe of their best Understanding; and, in order thereunto, to take in all the Helps they can find, either from living Inftructors or an tient tient Writers: But this, only as a Means to affist and clear up their own Understanding, not to over-rule it; as a Means to afford them Light to fee what Christ has taught them, not to prejudice them. with fuppofing that Chrift has taught any thing, which, after the stricteft inquiry and most careful examination, they cannot find to be delivered in his DoЄtrine. If in all things abfolutely neceffary to be believed and practifed in order to Salvation, the Revelation of Christ was not in it felf fo clear, as that every fincere perfon, ufing the beft Helps and Affiftances hers meet with, could fufficiently underftand it; it would follow, that God had not at all made fufficient provifion for the Salvation of men. For the Doctrine of Chrift and his Apostles being the only Foundation we have to go upon, and no man fince pretending to have had any new Revelation; 'tis evident there can never poffibly be any Authority upon Earth, fufficient to oblige any man to receive any thing as of divine Revelation, which it cannot make appear to that Mans own Understanding (fincerely ftudying and inquiring after the Truth,) to be included in That Revelation. For if any man can by any exter nal |