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to the existence of the Third Perfon in the Sacred Trinity. It requires but little confideration, on the part of any who know what it is to be a DISCIPLE, to fufpect the propriety of an interpretation, which represents these persons as ignorant of the first principles of that Gospel which an inspired writer declares they believed; in darknefs with respect to Him by whose power they must have been enlightened; yea, totally deftitute of the knowledge of that GOD, whofe they were and whom they ferved. And as a fufpicion of this nature will always lead them that love the word of GOD to a clofer investigation, and a more accurate comparison of fcripture with fcripture; fo the refult will ever abound in fatisfaction to the enquirer, and will repay the labor of his refearch with increased views of the excellence and confiftency of the Sacred Writings. For fuch refearches those who are acquainted with the original language are above others qualified, and they are, on that account, peculiarly called to make them, not only for their own information, but for the inftruction of fuch as poffefs not the fame advantages. Having this object in view, we prefent our readers with a paffage which has fuffered much by mifinterpretation, and propofe to their acceptance what we deem a folution of fuch difficulty as appears to involve it. And

1. We obferve that our tranflators have been guilty of inconfiftency in their verfion of this text, compared with their verfion of John vii. 39. The Holy Ghost was not yet given. They manifeftly confidered this laft (as it occurs in the original) to be elliptical, for in it they have fupplied (given) a word of their own: but, forgetting that analogy which unity of fubject and coincidence of expreffion required, they have

tranflated

tranflated the other as if it were a complete fentence, merely introducing the word any, to exprefs its fuppofed meaning more fully to the English reader.

2. In confequence of this inattention, the English verfion exhibits two different ideas, where the Greek text expreffes but one; for, removing the fupplied word from each, we read in John, The Holy Ghoft was not yet; and in Acts, Whether the Holy Ghoft BE; between which two claufes, any reader may difcern an exact coincidence of expreffion, (allowing only for the change of tenfe) fo that the fubject of negation in the former, and of doubt in the latter, must be acknowledged to be one and the fame: whereas the common translation denies the giving of the Holy Ghost in the one, and in the other questions his exiftance.

3. The error will be corrected by applying the fame rule of interpretation to both, and by look. ing for guidance to whichever of these paffages may be more clearly determinable than the other.

4. Now that the paffage in John is elliptical, is moft obvious; because otherwife an Evangelift (for thefe are John's own words) must be fuppofed to deny the existence of the Holy Ghost previous to the glorification of Jefus. And not only fo, but the context marks the propriety of that very word (given) which has been fupplied; because it directs us to the long-promifed defcent of the Spirit of God, called elsewhere the gift of the Holy Ghoft, which was not to take place till Jefus was glorified, being neceffarily fubfequent to that event which it was defigned to atteft. Accordingly, the first preaching of the refurrection, and the first defcent of the Holy Ghost, took place on the fame day, the day of Pentecoft.

Pentecoft. The meaning of these words of the Evangelift being thus established,

5. We conclude that the paffage under confideration is alfo elliptical, and is alfo to be fupplied by the word given. It will then run fo, we have not fo much as heard whether the Holy Ghost be given; and thus the answer marks no ignorance of that fpirit who dwelt in them, but merely intimates that they had not heard of the Holy Ghoft's having yet been poured out; a circumftance which affected not their views of the only True GOD, involved no error in their faith of the gofpel, and for which the place of their refidence fully accounts.

D.

ON THE WORD OF GOD.

My tongue shall fpeak of thy word. Pf. cxix. 172.

WHEN the great God has vouchfafed to his

creatures a revelation of his will, we may at once pronounce concerning whatever he has declared, that it is worthy of all acceptation. Yet nothing is more common than for men, even while they profess a religion founded on what the mouth of the LORD hath spoken, either to be wholly inattentive to the voice from heaven, or deliberately to despise and reject it, if by chance it be obtruded on their ears. Such conduct thews the wickednefs and ignoranee of men ; but it cannot render that which they difregard, lefs faithful in its declarations, or lefs interwoven with their most important concerns. And indeed

to

to suppose that the fcriptures do not partake of the character of HIM who is the fame yesterday, to day, and for ever; is in effect to deny that such a Being has given them. How awful then the miftake, how alarming the state of multitudes, countlefs multitudes, who daily furround us, and imagine they can walk acceptably before God, without the guidance of his word! If it be true that God has amongst the sons of men a people faved by him, accepted with him, and brought near unto him (and if not, woe unto all the race of Adam); it is equally true that the word is the means by which this bleffedness is communicated to them. This is known and confeffed by all who really believe the facred records; and how long will it be ere it awaken the fear of the fools who have neneglected them, or the fcorners who have treated them with contempt? Even fo long as they are fuffered to walk in their own ways, even till He who commanded the light to fhine out of darkness, fbine in their hearts; accompany his word, by the demonftration of his fpirit; and fo give them the light of the knowledge of his glory in the face of Jefus Chrift.

. The importance of the word of GOD for accomplishing his good pleafure towards his redeemed, is preffed upon our attention throughout the whole of fcripture. The word is that in the reception of which finners are fanctified, or feparated unto God, as his peculiar people, his heavenly family, his dear children; are delivered from the power of darkness, and tranflated into the kingdom of his dear Son; exchanging an unfatisfying portion in this world, for the inheritance of the faints in light. The word is that by which finners, dead in trefpaffes and fins, are made alive unto God; for it is the fword of the quickening

C 3

Spirits

Spirit; the weapon, as it were, which the Almighty employs, to fmite the enemies which the human heart oppofes to the work of his grace; to caft down imaginations and every high thing, that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God; and to bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Chrift. The word is that feed which, fown in ground prepared of the Lord for its reception, bringeth forth fruit in abundance to the fower; yea, it has been, and ever muft be, (for God himself hath fo determined) the inftrument whereby the great Head cleanfeth his church, that it fhould be holy and without blemish; causeth all his members to abound in every good word and work; and keepeth them walking in the paths of righteousness, till in his own good time he receives them to glory. Finally the word is that word of faith, which is the gospel of Salvation; and which therefore he that believeth fhall be faved, and he that believeth not, fhall be condemned; and that very word fhall judge its enernies at the laft day, whofe every mouth fhall be stopped, and every eonfcience convicted that they rejected the counfel of God against themselves.

Such confiderations will, through grace, be profitable to our brethren that believe. In them we doubt not their efficacy to produce vigorous and unremitting researches into the repofitory of heavenly wifdom, that they may grow in the affurance of those truths, which it is their duty and confolation to bear in mind, and that they may be more thoroughly furnished for their Chriftian walk. And ye who are fortified with hopes, underived from the gofpel, how long will ye deceive yourselves? To expect any real good, unconnected with the belief of the truth, is a mental effort to destroy a union which Infinite

Wisdom

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