whether wisdom, knowledge, faith, the power of healing, miracles, prophesy, discernment of spirits, possession and interpretation of tongues; they are all worked by one and the selfsame SPIRIT, who divideth to every man severally as He will. For this reason, among other names, the same apostle styles. him the Spirit of Revelation, (Eph. i. 17.) because, without him, was no revelation given to man: And, when he says, in another place, that to God's people are revealed the things which eye bath not seen, nor ear beard, neither have entered into the beart of man, but which God bath prepared for them that love bim; he immediately adds, that God bath revealed these things to them by bis SPIRIT; for the SPIRIT (and only the Spirit) searcbeth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 1 Cor. ii 9. &c. To this purpose speaks another apostle: The prophecy came not in old time, or at any time, by the will of man; but boly men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. 2 Pet. i. 21. All this taken together proves, that the Spirit is the immediate agent of all prophecy and revelation; that he dictated the written word; and that the mind of JEHOVAH hath at all times been manifested and known by his inspiration alone. This proposition of itself might suffice to prove his divinity: The following Scriptures, by way of assumption, do fully confirm it.

Isaiah xxii. 14. It was revealed in mine ears by JEHOVAH SABAOTH; Surely, &c. saith ADONAI JEHOVAH SABAOTH. Amos. iii. 7, 8. Surely, ADONAI JEHOVAH will do nothing, but be RVEALETH bis secret unto his servants the prophets. The lion bath roared, who can but fear? ADONAI JEHOVAH bath spoken, who can but PROPHESY? iv. 18. HE-that DECLARETH unto man what is his thought,-JEHOVAH the GOD of Hosts is bis name,

The SPIRIT, therefore, whe revealetb according to these words, is the GOD OF HOSTS, JEHOVAH SABAOTH, and ADONAI JEHOVAH SABAOTH:-The great characters, and peculiar titles of the Most High.

The following text is an argument, for this truth, of itself. Ezek. viii. 1. The band (or power) of ADONAI JEHOVAH fell there upon me. In the third verse he explains who this was, for he says that the SPIRIT lift me up, &c. and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem. In the conclusion of this, and in the succeeding chapters, we shall find, that the same Spirit attends the prophet throughout the vision; and that, in Chap. ix. 8. the prophet falls down upon his face, and invokes him, by the title of Adonai Jehovah, which title is repeated to him, with other titles of the highest import, in the continuation of the prophecy. The SPIRIT, therefore, is ADONAI JEHOVAH.

One argument more shall serve; for as the word Adonai,

in the connection with the name Jehovah, is not and cannot be applied to any creature; so if it be but once found in that connection and thus applied to the Spirit, it will sufficiently prove his right both to that, and to all other essential titles of the Deity.

Isaiah lxi. 1. The SPIRIT of Adonai Jebovab is upon me, because Feboval bath anointed me, &c. Now if the Spirit of Adonai Febovab, or the Spirit of God be different from Jebovab bimself; there is something in the nature of God, which is not God. It is of no importance what that something be; for if it be not truly and essentially God, it must necessarily be a creature: And then it will follow, that God had no Spirit of his own, or that there was no Spirit of God, till it was created. Take it in another view. If there be something in God, which is not God, in truth and essence; then the Deity is not a pure, simple uncompounded being, but composed of parts; which parts are, from a necessity of nature, limited, finite, and various, because nothing but a whole or unity can be infinite, unbounded, and eternal. This notion, therefore, is not only repugnant to the Bible, but even to the first principles of common sense. Take it in a third form. If there be any being in God, or of God, which is not truly God, or what amounts to the same) is inferior in any respect to any person in the Godhead; then it is impossible to avoid the inference, that there are either more Gods than one, or that there is an existence in God, which is not co-essential with his nature, and consequently not of it. The first branch of this dilemma contradicts one of the most express truths in the Bible, and is evident Polytheism. Deut. vi. 4. The other (as was before observed) militates against the simplicity of the divine nature, which, being one and therefore uncom pounded, admits of nothing heterogeneous or additional.

As all these interpretations of this and such like texts, then, are obviously erroneous and absurd, both contrary to the revealed word, and contradictory to every idea which man hath been taught therein to form of the nature of divine things; it is both wise and safe to reject them, and to follow only the declarations of HIM, who can neither deceive nor be deceived in this matter. If the Father and the Son are one (as Christ himself declares) and if there be but one Spirit, who likewise with the Father and the Son is one Godbead; as the Scriptures expressly determine, from bis own divine authority; we may be as sure of this, as of any other revealed truth, that Jehovah and the Spirit of Febovab can be ONE only in one undivided Essence, however they may be distinguished in respect of person. Nor would it have been any force upon the original, if it had been translated, as some Learned men do translate it, the Spirit Adonai Jehovah, with

out the particle of; becaus whatever can be predicated of God, is God himself. To this may be added, that, when we say the Spirit of a man, nobody understands by the phrase any thing in a man different from his being, but rather whatis entirely essential to it, and without which he doth not exist at all. And in like manner (for it is an apostle who draws this very comparison, i Cor. ii. 11.) when the Scriptures mention the SPIRIT OF GOD, they certainly mean GoD the SPIRIT, who only knoweth, according to the truth or mode of their existence, the things of God; because he only searcheth all things, yea, the deep things (or the profound) of. God. When GOD anointed Jesus of Nazareib with the HOLY GHOST and with power (which is the apostle Peter's exposition of the text from Isaiah); he means evidently what St. Paul expresses by, God was in IN Christ (2 Cor. v. 29.), that is, GOD the SPIRIT, who formed and endued his human nature in the virgin's womb, and to whom only all power can belong: And that it doth mean this, is further evident by what St. Peter immediately adds, in the above text of Acts. x. 38.he went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed with the devil; FOR GOD was with him. Thus, God being with bim, acording to the apostle, is tantamount to the Spirit Adonai Jehovah being upon him (or with him, as the particle might have been rendered), according to the prophet: And so the prediction is completed, but in no other sense can be com-pleted. See also Luke iv. 18. where our Lord claims the ac-. complishment of this prophecy in himself.

It seems then fairly and clearly proved from the Scriptures, which alone are competent to give evidence in this cause, that the Spirit of Adonai Jebovab is neither more nor less than Adonai Jebovab himself, and is consequently possessed of every divine attribute and perfection in conjunction with the Father and the Son, who, according to their Essence. and as persons in the Essence, have called themselves by this very name. The name indeed does not express how they exist in that Essence, for no words can express or thoughts. conceive an infinite nature; but it conveys a notice to his people, that the Trinity in unity is the Adonai, not for their speculation, but for their faith and salvation.

What then, may we ask, is the mind of the Spirit, in tak ing this name upon himself? For God doth not take names, and use words in an arbitary manner, without any connection, with some doctrine or sense, as men too often do; but speaks, as well as acts, with truth and precision. It is right, therefore, to enquire, what doctrine the Holy Ghost would convey to our understandings by this, denomination, and what practi cal use is to be made of it by the grace of faith in our souls. His doctrines cannot be mere notions or opinions, but must

have an important relation to the welfare and happiness of

his people.

"

As he is the divine agent of the new creation, the "Lord and Giver of life," the teacher and preserver of the redeemed; this blessed Spirit becomes their gracious ADONAI, the binge on which they move, the basis on which they stand. If He were not true and véry God; He could not be what He calls himself to them; nor do what He promised to do for them: Nay, it would be rank and abominable idolatry in them, to expect in that case, any such blessings of him. They ought not, they dare not, depend for life, peace, and salvation upon a creature: And they would not, if they might; because they are privileged to rest upon the everlasting arms, and to stay themselves upon their God They could not endure such insufferable nonsense and blasphemy, as would direet them to a finite or dependent being, for the creation of their spiritual and eternal life, and for the bestowment and maintenance of that life to them in the world, where every being, but the divine, receives all it has for itself from the merest grace and bounty. Nor will they, while they follow God's word, build upon any foundation, but what he himself hath laid. On the contrary, they are both taught by this Holy Spirit (according to the promise, that they shall all be taught of GoD), and are directed by his holy and infallible word to look unto Jehovah alone not only for salvation at large, but for every branch of salvation.Are they dead in Sin? He is the SPIRIT that quickeneth. Do they want strength their strength is in JEHOVAH SABAOTH their Alehim, (Zech. xii. 5.) yea, they have everlasting strength in Him, who strengtheneth them with might indeed, by bis Spirit in the inner man. Do they need grace? He is the Spirit of grace to bestow grace, and even the Spirit of supplication enabling them to ask for the bestowal. Seek they for comfort and peace in their souls? He is the God of all comfort,' and that blessed Jeboval, who ordains, decrees, or determines, peace for them, and works all their works in them. Is. xxvi. 12. Are they sensible of their blindness and ignorance, and do they wish to be led into all truth? He is the very Spirit of wisdom, not only to give, but to seal instruction. His word, enlightened by his power, clears away the mental darkness of our nature, and affords the convinced sinner an understanding that is true-even a right understanding in all things. Do they hope for victory over death? He is the Spirit of life itself, who bears up his people's hearts beyond that last great enemy of man; and he so swallows him up in victory, that death is no more death to shem, but the blessed harbinger of life eternal. Look they for glory? This Spirit Adonai is also the Spirit of glory; nor will he leave one of

his people, till he hath brought them to the full possession of glory, bonor, and immortality. And then not one of them can leave him: For they shall be in God, and God will be ever in them: They shall be one with Christ in the com munion of this Spirit, and shall bless the favor, love and mercy of a triune Jebovab, world without end.

From all this, fully supported as it is by the divine testi mony of the written word, let the Christian, let any man judge, if so high and gracious an agent, capable of perform-' ing such sublime, such omnipotent, infinite, eternal, and onnipresent acts in and for the redeemed, can possibly be inferior to Jebovab himself, or any other than Jebovab? They, who can suppose such an inferiority, either know not or consider not the nature of these operations, and so consequently, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God, a-scribe those things to created might, which are inconsistent with such a might, and of which God in his word hath taken a peculiar care, that they shall not be ascribed to it. Hence, besides a thousand passages of Scripture which directly secure to himself all the efficacy and glory in the work of salvation, his very names, which he hath revealed himself by, and this name Adonai among the rest, are so many demonstrations of his own necessary activity in this great cause, and of the inability of all creatures to devise, to carry on, and to accomplish it. On the other hand, the names of his church and people, are all names of a passive or belpless sense, and are evidently calculated to impress them with a conviction of their entire dependence upon Jebovab, in his persons and offices of grace, and of their atter incapacity to quicken, restore, support, and to perfect any thing for themselves. Critics take great care to explain the terms in the classical writers, which relate only to the poor affairs of this world, in order to obtain a right understanding of those authors, though the terms themselves are often vague and arbitrary sounds with very little information or meaning: And if the same attention were paid to the language of God's holy book, filled as it is with the most important matter for man's present and eternal happiness; it seems almost impossible, that such absurd mistakes, such bold positions, as have been uttered and avowed, in direct opposition to the very words, phrases, and scope of the whole Sscripture, could ever have been foisted into the world. In public affairs, and the concerns of time, one has often reason to regret the industry of evil, which in men is abundantly more quick and active than their good intentions; but here the evil arises, as it might seem, from indolence, or inattention, itself. For, though nothing but divine grace can affect the faculties of the soul Vol. II

+