“Above all, the moral capacity of mankind, which is a most important part of their constitution, tending to the highest perfection of their nature, and the principal bond of regular society among them, as it proceeds from a wise intending Cause, shews unity of wisdom in the Cause; and the government over the moral, as well as the natural, world evidently appears to be a monarchy.” ABERNETHY Footnote 67: _See Arist. Metaphys. Lib. I. Cap. 2. & Lib. XII. Cap. 7._ Footnote 68: _Vid. ejus. Mag. Moral. Lib. II. Cap. 15._ Footnote 69: _Vid. ejus. De Moribus, Lib. IX. Cap. 4. & De Mundo, Cap. 6._ Footnote 70: _Vid. Mornæi de Verit. Relig. Christ. cap. 3._ Footnote 71: _Epist. XIII. ad Dionys_. Footnote 72: _See Cicero de Natura Deorum._ Footnote 73: _See Tertull. Apol. Lactant. de falsa Relig. Arnob. contra Gentes; Minut. Fel. Herodian. Hist. Lib. IV. See also Mede’s apostasy of the latter times, chap. 3, 4._ Footnote 74: _Quest. cv._ Footnote 75: _See de Vries Exercitat. Rational._ Quest. IX., X., XI. QUEST. IX. _How many persons are there in the Godhead?_ ANSW. There be three Persons in the Godhead, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one, true, eternal God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory; although distinguished by their personal properties. QUEST. X. _What are the personal properties of the three Persons in the Godhead?_ ANSW. It is proper to the Father to beget the Son, and to the Son to be begotten of the Father, and to the Holy Ghost to proceed from the Father and the Son from all eternity. QUEST. XI. _How doth it appear that the Son and the Holy Ghost are God equal with the Father?_ ANSW. The scriptures manifest, that the Son and the Holy Ghost are God equal with the Father; ascribing unto them such names, attributes, works, and worship, as are proper to God only. In these three answers is contained the doctrine of the ever blessed Trinity, which is a subject of pure revelation;[76] and, because it is so much contested in the age in which we live, we are obliged to be more large and particular, in laying down the reasons of our belief of it, and in our defence thereof, against those that deny it. It is a doctrine that has been defended by some of the most judicious writers, both in our own and other nations; whereof some have proved that it was maintained by the church in the purest ages thereof, which therefore renders it less necessary for us to enter into that part of the controversy; but we shall principally insist on it as founded on the sacred writings: and whereas others have rendered some parts of this doctrine more obscure, by confining themselves to the scholastic ways of speaking, we shall endeavour to avoid them, that so it may be better understood by private Christians; and the method we shall pursue in treating of it shall be,