Contr. Tom. Cont. de Verbo Dei, c. 19.; Gretserus and Tanerus in Colloquio Rattisbon. Vega. Possevin. Wiekus. These learned men, especially Bellarmin, and Wiekus after him, have urged all the Scriptures they could, with their utmost industry, find out in this cause, and yet, after all, they acknowledge their insufficiency and obscurity.

Curcillæus has proved, as well as any thing can be proved out of ancient writings, that the doctrine of the Trinity, about the time of the Council of Nice, was of a special union of three persons in the Deity, and not of a numerical, as it is now taught, and has been taught since the chimerical schoolmen were hearkened unto.

Concerning the original of the Trinitarian doctrines, from whom they are derived or by whom they were invented, he that is generally and indeed deservedly confessed to have writ the most learnedly, is Dr. Cudworth, in his Intellectual System.

TRINITY.-The divinity of the Holy Spirit was not believed, or, as I think, so much as mentioned by any in the time of Lactantius, i. e. anno 300, vid. Lact. Inst. 1. 4. c. 29; Petavius de Trin. 1. c. 14. § 14. 21; Huet. Originian. 1. 2. c. 2. 9. 2. §.

MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS.

JUDGING- -ELECTION-RESOLUTION.

JUDGING is a bare action of the understanding, whereby a man, several objects being proposed to him, takes one of them to be best for him.

But this is not Election?

Election then is, when a man judging any thing to be best for him, ceases to consider, examine, and inquire any farther concerning that matter; for, till a man comes to this, he has not chosen, the matter still remains with him under deliberation, and not determined. Here, then, comes in the will, and makes Election voluntary, by stopping in the mind any farther inquiry and examination. This Election sometimes proceeds farther to

Firm Resolution, which is not barely a stop to farther inquiry by Election at that time, but the predetermination, as much as in him lies,

of his will not to take the matter into any farther deliberation; i. e. not to employ his thoughts any more about the eligibility; i. e. the suitableness of that which he has chosen to himself as making a part of his happiness. For example, a man who would be married, has several wives proposed to him. He considers which would be fittest for him, and judges Mary best; afterwards, upon that continued judgment, makes choice of her; this choice ends his deliberation; he stops all farther consideration whether she be best or no, and resolves to fix here, which is not any more to examine whether she be best or fittest for him of all proposed; and consequently pursues the means of obtaining her, sees, frequents, and falls desperately in love with her, and then we may see Resolution at the highest; which is an act of the will, whereby he not only supersedes all farther examination, but will not admit of any information or suggestion, will not hear any thing that can be offered against the pursuit of this match.

Thus we may see how the will mixes itself with these actions, and what share it has in them; viz. that all it does is but exciting or stopping the operative faculties; in all which it is acted on more or less vigorously, as the

uneasiness that presses is greater or less. At first, let us suppose his thoughts of marriage in general to be excited only by some consideration of some moderate convenience offered to his mind; this moves but moderate desires, and thence moderate uneasiness leaves his will almost indifferent; he is slow in his choice amongst the matches offered, pursues coolly till desire grows upon him, and with it uneasiness proportionably, and that quickens his will; he approaches nearer, he is in love-is set on fire -the flame scorches this makes him uneasy with a witness; then his will, acted by that pressing uneasiness, vigorously and steadily employs all the operative faculties of body and mind for the attainment of the beloved object without which he cannot be happy.

ON THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CIVIL AND

ECCLESIASTICAL

COMMUNICATION.

POWER, INDORSED
Dated 1673-4.

EX

There is a twofold society, of which almost all men in the world are members, and that from the twofold concernment they have to attain a twofold happiness; viz. that of this world and that of the other: and hence there arises these two following societies, viz. religious and civil.