make his Hebrew converts perfect in every good work to do his will, working in them that which is well-pleafing in his fight; and, not to multiply examples, St. Jude addreffes his general Epistle to thofe that are fanctified by God the Father, and preferved in Jefus Chrift. To which we may add, that the Father hath fometimes other titles and characters given him which belong more peculiarly to the Holy Spirit, and is called the God of confolation, and the God of all comfort; as, according to one Apostle, all feripture is given by infpiration of God; while we are affured by another, that holy men of God Spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghoft.* Again. We find all the great properties and characters of the firft Perfon frequently attributed to the second. In a paffage in Isaiah he is even called the (b) everlasting Father.+ And (to lay no ftrefs upon prophetic phraseology) is not the first person the fupreme God, a self-existent, independent Being, the creator, the governor, governor, and preferver of the world? * 2 Tim. iii. 16. 2 Pet. i. 21. The Father of the everlafting age. Bp. Lowth. So So is Jefus Chrift. For before Abraham was, fays he, I am ;* and be that came from heaven is above all; be filleth all in all; he is the head; and by him were all things created that are in heaven, and that are in earth, vifible and invifible; &c. All things were created by him, and for him; and he is before all things, and upholdeth all things by the word of his power, and by him all things confift. Of fome of these and the following texts at present we shall take the sense to be granted. Is God the Father a being eternal and unchangeable? So is God the Son. For he bath neither beginning of days nor end of life. He is Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the laft, which is, and which was, and which is to come; the Almighty; ‡ Jefus Christ, the fame yesterday, to day, and for ever. Is omniscience an attribute of the true God? So is it likewife of him whom he fent into the world. For he knew all things; he knew what was in man; he knoweth the bearts of all men ; § be it is who fearcheth the reins and heart. Can any power lefs than in * John viii. 58. Rev. i. 8. + Coloff. i. 16. § Acts i. 24. D finite finite raise the dead? And is it not the prerogative of the Supreme God to judge the world? Yet to do both is the work of Jesus Chrift. For he is the refurrection and the life ;* and as the Father raifeth up the dead, and quickeneth them, even fo the Son quickeneth whom he will; and whofo eateth his flesh bath eternal life, and he will raise him up at the last day. In confequence of such refurrection we muft all appear before his judgment feat.‡ And once more; is not the true God invifible and incomprehenfible? So is Jefus Chrift. For, agreably to a text before cited, no man knoweth the Son but the Father. Again. The character and office of the Third Perfon are explicitly attributed to Jefus Chrift. The Apostle's wifh, or benediction, which we have already had occafion to refer to, may be produced as one inftance of this. Now our Lord Jefus Chrift himself, and God, even our Father, comfort your hearts, and establish you in every good word and work. For without Chrift we can do nothing; and he of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and fanctification, and redemp * John xi. v. 25. + Ibid. vi. 54. 2 Cor. v. 10. tion; and he gave himself for the Church, that he might fanctify and cleanse it; and the Apoftle could do all things through Chrift which ftrengthned him. Farther; the characters and properties both of the first and fecond Perfon in the Holy Trinity are likewife many of them afcrib'd to the third. Thus, in the old Teftament, the work of creation feems to be attributed to the operation of the Holy Ghoft, as a diftinct perfonage, or agent. The Spirit of God, fays Mofes, moved upon the face of the waters. Thou fendeft forth thy Spirit, says the Pfalmift, and they are created: and Job afferts, that God by his Spirit bath garnish'd the heavens ; and the Spirit of God ha smade me, fays Elibu. For whatever might have been the precife notion of the antient Jews, with regard to the Spirit, the Spirit of God, and the Spirit of the Lord, of which we find fuch frequent mention; or, whatever they might understand by that parallel expreffion, (in respect at least of the work of creation,) the breath of the Almighty, or the breath of his mouth; the light of the New Teftament, I Cor. i. 30. + Job. xxvi. 13. Ibid. xxxiii. 4. think, think, fufficiently directs us to the above interpretation. Thus again, the Holy Ghost is omniscient, and eternal; for the Spirit fearcheth all things, yea the deep things of God;* and Christ through the eternal Spirit offered bimself without spot to God Thus the office of advocate, or interceffor, is attributed to the Spirit, who maketh interceffion for the Saints according to the will of God. Thus the refurrection of our Lord himself is faid to have been effected by the power of the Holy Ghost; for Christ was put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit,§ and he that raised up Chrift from the dead fhall also quicken our mortal bodies, by his Spirit that dwelleth in us. Thus again; both Prophets and Apostles are faid to be fent, or commiffioned by the Holy Ghoft, as well as by the Father and the Son. The Lord God and his Spirit hath fent me, says Ifaiah; the Spirit entered into me, says Ezekiel, and faid unto me, go shut thyself within thy house; and the Holy Ghoft faid, Separate me Barnabus and Saul for the work whereunto I * + Heb. ix. 14. I Cor. ii 10. S1 Pet. iii. 18. Ezek. ifi. 24. |